The Mets and Twins might as well be playing different sports when it comes to their level of investment in the product on the field. That said, both teams could use some roster upgrades and could match up on a deal. Should the Twins look to deal starting pitching for a young position player?

 

The Twins are currently expected to wind up with a win total somewhere in the low to mid-70s range, according to several projection systems and betting outlets. It’s not difficult to see why, as the team remains largely unchanged at its core after their disastrous finish to 2025. With spring training approaching, the team should be looking for upside to try to outperform expectations, and the Mets have a pair of young players the Twins should target.

 

The Mets have utilized their deep pockets this offseason to bring in Jorge Polanco, who is expected to take over first base duties, as well as Bo Bichette, who is expected to switch to third base. They also parted with a young, borderline top-100 pitching prospect to acquire Freddy Peralta, who is currently on a one-year deal. As a result, a pair of young hitters in Brett Baty and Mark Vientos have been displaced, and their stock of young, near-MLB pitching has taken a bit of a hit. The Twins and Mets should look to help each other.

 

 

Mark Vientos

Vientos is the less intriguing of the pair of young Mets hitters the Twins should target, but he isn’t without intriguing traits, and will undoubtedly be the most affordable in trade. He looked to have broken out in 2024 when he slashed .266/.322/.516 while slugging 27 homers in just 111 games. He fell flat out of the gate in 2025, posting a .640 OPS in the first half, but quietly rebounded with a .778 OPS to finish the year.

Vientos can play third base, though he’s been a liability there so far in his career by all accounts. He’s been around neutral defensively at first base in a limited sample, making 1B/DH a stronger possibility long term.

The fit isn’t obvious for 2026, but that is a result of the Twins’ head-scratching roster build, rather than Vientos’ abilities. His performance against left-handed pitching will likely far surpass any other options the Twins currently have in the 1B/DH slot, and his power would only rival that of Matt Wallner’s on the current roster. Vientos has the kind of offensive upside that makes him worth gambling on, and he’s more than capable of making the positional fit moot. Because of his defensive limitations and current fit on the Mets, he would likely fetch the lower end of the Twins’ current rotation depth, perhaps in the Kendry Rojas or Andrew Morris range. Even if it took a bit more, Vientos is team-controlled through 2029.

 

Brett Baty

It’s possible Baty’s breakout 2025 was enough for the Mets to take him off the table completely, but the Twins would be wise to at least find out. Baty is a former top prospect who, despite swinging left-handed, is exactly the kind of profile the Twins should look to acquire. His .748 OPS in 2026 was solid, as his quality of contact jumped significantly and he posted a slash line 11% better than league average according to wRC+. His offense is strong enough for him to play every day, but his defensive versatility can also make him viable in a utility role.

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Unlike Vientos, Baty was a solid defender at third base. He also posted a positive Defensive Runs Saved at second base, and is capable of playing first. He would be strong injury insurance for Royce Lewis , with the kind of upside to completely take over the position long term, should injuries or performance continue to be a problem. He’s also strong insurance for Luke Keaschall , who has an injury history of his own and could potentially see more time in the outfield in 2026.

 

The Mets may be convinced that Baty is a budding star after his breakout 2026, but it’s hard not to notice that he currently has no place in their Opening Day lineup. If they’re interested in swapping him out for what they see as similar value in rotation depth, the Twins would be a good fit. Several names, such as Mick Abel and Zebby Matthews, are unlikely to make the roster in the Minnesota rotation on Opening Day. Parting with MLB-ready rotation options may seem like a risk, but it may be worth taking to try to raise the lineup’s ceiling to another level.

 

The Twins have no shortage of rotation options under control for years to come, and it’s far more likely that if the team struggles in 2026, it’s due to offensive performance rather than starting pitching. A late offseason pivot to transfer some of that starting pitching depth into legitimate lineup help may be a wise choice to help the offense.

Do you agree? Where would you draw the line at acquiring Vientos and Baty?