Here at the start of 2026, we’re taking stock of talent in the Twins organization by ranking their top 20 player assets. We went over the the ground rules in our introductory post on Monday, but the short version is this: We’re trying to answer the question, “Which current players in the organization are most indispensable to fulfilling the vision of building a champion?”

You can read Monday’s, Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s posts for breakdowns of each player, but here’s a quick glance at the list so far:

20. Marek Houston, SS

19. Ryan Jeffers, C

18. Brooks Lee, SS

17. Bailey Ober, RHP

16. Connor Prielipp, LHP

15. David Festa, RHP

14. Eduardo Tait, C

13. Royce Lewis, 3B

12. Matt Wallner, RF

11. Zebby Matthews, RHP

10. Taj Bradley, RHP

9. Mick Abel, RHP

8. Byron Buxton, CF

7. Emmanuel Rodriguez, CF

6. Simeon Woods Richardson, RHP

Now, without further ado, here are the five most important players and prospects for the outlook of the Minnesota Twins, from my view.

The Top 20 Twins Player Assets of 2026: 1-5

5. Kaelen Culpepper, SS
Age: 23
Controlled through: 2031+
2025 Ranking: NR

The biggest riser of the Twins system in 2025. It came at a very opportune time with Carlos Correa‘s departure opening up shortstop as the franchise’s most critical long-term question mark. Right now Brooks Lee is manning the position but he hasn’t shown much, leaving the door open for Culpepper to potentially step in soon if he can keep building on his breakthrough in the minors.

The 2024 first-rounder’s first full season in the pros was split almost equally between High-A and Double-A. Culpepper raked at both stops, posting a cumulative .289/.375/.469 slash line with 20 homers and 25 steals. He played shortstop almost exclusively, generating some belief that he can stick there in the majors, although that’s far from assured.

Right now he looks like Minnesota’s best long-term bet at shortstop, with third base as a potential fallback if the defensive skills aren’t quite sharp enough. That’ll be a fine outcome so long as he can keep riding a standout bat. Culpepper is very much in play for a 2026 debut.

 

4. Pablo López, RHP
Age: 29
Controlled through: 2027
2025 Ranking: 5

On one hand, it’s really hard to rank López this highly as a player making $42 million over the next two seasons for a team hampered by payroll constraints. Recent injury issues don’t help his case. On the other hand, what López brings for Minnesota is almost irreplaceable: a proven frontline starter who has dominated in the playoffs, and is in the heart of his prime coming off a 2.74 ERA. 

To the extent that the Twins have any aspirations of contending for a title in the next two years, López will be foundational. And if they decide it’s not in the cards, then trading him would bring back a level of future value to substantially bolster a rebuild.

 

3. Joe Ryan, RHP
Age: 29
Controlled through: 2027
2025 Ranking: 4

The same things I just said about López basically apply to Ryan as well. He also achieved a high watermark for performance in 2025 (3.42 ERA) while earning his first All-Star nod. Unlike López, he reached a new workload peak too, totaling 171 frames over 30 starts. 

The financial factor looms large here: Ryan is in line to receive (via arbitration) only a fraction of López’s guaranteed commitment in his final two years before free agency. That’s obviously a major consideration for a Twins team with capped spending capability, and it makes him generally more desirable for potential trade partners as well.

 

2. Luke Keaschall, 2B
Age: 23
Controlled through: 2031
2025 Ranking: 15

Keaschall’s stellar big-league debut was one of the biggest bright spots for the 2025 Twins, obscured somewhat by a broken arm that cost him more than half the season. When on the field, he made a memorable first impression, batting .302 with four homers, 14 doubles and 14 stolen bases in 49 games. Keaschall showed an uncommonly advanced eye at the plate, drawing 19 walks against 29 strikeouts and reaching base at a .382 clip. 

There are legitimate questions about how much power he’ll be able to generate. A potential transition to the outfield might downgrade his value a bit (unless he can really shine defensively, which he didn’t at second). But those relative drawbacks pale in comparison to the ability he’s already shown. With his speed and his control of the strike zone, you can more or less write Keaschall’s name into the top of the lineup for years to come. 

 

1. Walker Jenkins, OF
Age: 20
Controlled through: 2031+
2025 Ranking: 1

It’s nearly time. Jenkins has been painted as The Next Big Thing ever since he was drafted fifth overall in 2023, and he’s been living up to the hype as a prospect, at least in between injuries. The 20-year-old’s meteoric ascent through the minors has only been made more striking by all the time he’s missed; there’s clearly a ton of faith from the organization in his skills and makeup. 

Minnesota’s decision to promote Jenkins to Triple-A near the end of the season – warranted, but fairly aggressive – signals that they envision him in their big-league plans sooner than later. While it should be emphasized that there’s no such thing as a sure thing, and even success stories often take time to materialize … Jenkins is awfully easy to dream on. The few prospects of his caliber who’ve come through the system – Joe Mauer, Byron Buxton, Royce Lewis – have all made major impacts in the majors. They’ve also proven you can’t do it alone, which is why even a 99th percentile outcome for Jenkins (first-ballot Hall of Famer, like Mauer) would require others above him on this list to support the cause.

 

There you have it. My ranking of the top 20 player assets in the Twins organization entering the 2026 season. You can find the full list summarized below. I’d love to hear your thoughts. Who would you have moved up or down? Who missed the cut that shouldn’t have? Who’s overhyped and who’s underrated? Sound off in the comment section.

Walker Jenkins, OF 

Luke Keaschall, 2B 

Joe Ryan, RHP

Pablo Lopez, RHP 

Kaelen Culpepper, SS 

Simeon Woods Richardson, RHP 

Emmanuel Rodriguez, OF

Byron Buxton, OF 

Mick Abel, RHP 

Taj Bradley, RHP 

Zebby Matthews, RHP 

Matt Wallner, OF

Royce Lewis, 3B 

Eduardo Tait, C 

David Festa, RHP

Connor Prielipp, LHP

Bailey Ober, RHP

Brooks Lee, SS 

Ryan Jeffers, C 

Marek Houston, SS