After a 92-loss season, a trade deadline fire sale, and a lackluster offseason, Twins fans are overwhelmingly pessimistic about 2026. Still, there’s talent on the roster, with emerging players and potential breakout candidates. The Twins also remain in a poor division—one they could win if enough goes right, giving hope for an entertaining and potentially competitive season ahead. 

Star Players Returning
With the trade deadline selloff, the Twins lost their top bullpen talent. Yet, star players remain in the rotation and lineup. The longest-tenured Twin, Byron Buxton, is coming off his healthiest season in nearly a decade, while remaining productive. 

Buxton delivered 5.0 FanGraphs WAR in 2025, combining 35 home runs and 24 steals (without being caught) with cromulent center-field defense. At 32, he still has fuel left, and fans should enjoy a future Twins Hall of Famer. After waiting for a healthy season, seeing another would make the 2026 team highly watchable. 

Joe Ryan has been at the center of trade rumors since the 2025 trade deadline, but he is still in Minnesota. He’s coming off his most successful season and could be moved at the 2026 deadline, but fans should appreciate him for now. Ryan might not have finished last year the way he hoped, but he still racked up 171 innings, 194 strikeouts, and a 3.42 ERA. 

He has established himself as a true frontline starter, giving the team a chance every fifth day. He’s also aesthetically pleasing to watch, not only for his fluid movements and occasional bursts of emotion, but for the fact that he pounds the strike zone and doesn’t get himself into trouble by walking people. Even if things go wrong elsewhere, as long as Ryan stays healthy, Twins fans will have a frontline starter to watch every fifth day.

Emerging New Core
While the current core (not Buxton or Ryan, perhaps, but Matt Wallner, Royce Lewis and company) has disappointed many fans, a new offensive group is ready to step up. They’ll begin 2026 in St. Paul, but are nearly ready to debut. 

The core is headlined by Emmanuel Rodriguez, Walker Jenkins, and Kaelen Culpepper, with Gabriel Gonzalez staking an increasingly strong claim as the fourth piece in the puzzle. This group offers both upside and varying profiles, which will be on display at both CHS Field and Target Field throughout the 2026 season.

Jenkins projects as the highest-upside player, combining excellent bat-to-ball skills with notable gap-to-gap power, speed, and reliable defense. Rodriguez carries exceptional power and a disciplined approach at the plate, complemented by strong defense and speed. Gonzalez, in contrast, is a free swinger who generates line drives across the field from the right side. Culpepper brings strong contact ability and the skills to stay at shortstop, making him a potential regular at a premium position. 

This group will be imperative to the organization’s success in 2026, 2027, and beyond, making their development a key storyline this season.

2025 Trade Deadline Paying Quick Dividends
As painful as the 2025 trade deadline was, the Twins got solid returns on most of the deals. The players Minnesota received range in how close they are to being ready for the big leagues, but many players will make an impact in 2026. 

Taj Bradley and Mick Abel will certainly impact the 2026 Twins after coming over from Tampa Bay (for Griffin Jax) and Philadelphia (for Jhoan Duran), respectively. Both will be in the rotation, after Abel beat Zebby Matthews for the last spot with a fantastic spring. Should those two pitch well, it will be a good start to the deadline sell-off paying off, setting the organization up well in the long run. 

Besides those two starters, the outfield should see James Outman and Alan Roden this year. There’s also a chance Kendry Rojas or Hendry Mendez will debut. By season’s end, last year’s trade deadline could be seen as a positive turning point for fans, with Abel and Bradley headlining a new wave of talent.

The Left Side of the Infield: Two Last Chances
Recent years haven’t gone well for Royce Lewis and Brooks Lee. They’re nearing the end of their runway to stay in the Twins’ long-term plans. Otherwise, the team will consider internal or external alternatives.

After Lewis’s ascension in 2023 and a good start to 2024, he was very poor at the plate during the 2024 collapse and throughout 2025. He did, however, improve to average or better at third base. For him to be a productive player, he needs to turn it around offensively. Maybe, with new hitting coaches and some new voices in the clubhouse (and his back against the wall), he can get going once again.

Lee has not come anywhere near the heights that Lewis hit at his peak. In 2025, he got on base at a putrid .285 rate and lacked the slug to offset that deficiency. Defensively, he graded out poorly at second, third, and short. The key for Lee will be whether he can improve on either or both sides of the ball enough to be a competent starting shortstop. He showed he’s motivated by overhauling his body in the winter.

With Culpepper approaching and Marek Houston emerging for 2027, Lewis and Lee must perform to remain in consideration. 

Even though expectations are rightfully low for this team, there’s a world where enough clicks for them to remain competitive, and even win the poor AL Central. Even if they can’t compete, though, there are plenty of fun things to look forward to with this team.