Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Prior to last weekend, when he played one inning in right field against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Minnesota Twins second baseman Luke Keaschall had never played outfield in the big leagues. He did, however, play 173 2/3 innings in center field as a minor leaguer.
The only reason we haven’t seen Keaschall in the big league outfield sooner is injury. The 23-year-old underwent Tommy John surgery a couple of years ago and it’s been a slow ramp up period to get him back to the outfield.
But that was always the eventual plan. And now that he’s gotten one inning, the expectation is that we’ll see him out there more, per Aaron Gleeman (AaronGleeman.com).
Derek Shelton said Luke Keaschall is likely to start getting more time in right field after seeing his first MLB game action there Saturday in Arizona.
Keaschall is out of the Twins’ lineup tonight, with Tristan Gray starting at second base.
— Aaron Gleeman (@AaronGleeman) June 24, 2026
We’ll see what Luke Keaschall looks like throwing from right field. His arm strength from second base ranked abysmally — in the 12th percentile across baseball. Of course, you don’t need to throw very hard from second, so that must be factored in.
MN Twins need more from Luke Keaschall
The main reason the Minnesota Twins are trying to move Keaschall out of the dirt is straightforward. His defense has gotten horrendously bad this season, posting a -6 DRS (defensive runs saved), -5 OAA (outs above average), and -3 FRV (fielding run value).
Not only does Keaschall have limited range, despite possessing above-average speed, his instincts and movements haven’t looked good at second base either. He is then rushed into throws that his arm isn’t capable of completely, and the play unravels in front of him.
Luke Keaschall, what are you doing? pic.twitter.com/cJjeckjfMZ
— Ted (@tlschwerz) June 24, 2026
In Tuesday’s loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers, Keaschall struggled to make multiple plays that turned into opportunities for the opposition. Those sorts of circumstances are far too prevalent to let him stick on the dirt without exploring other avenues.
Whether a positional change addresses his defensive issues or not, Keaschall has to bring more offensively as well. His .276 average since May 1 is a positive (albeit drug down by a .258 average in June). His .325 slugging percentage doesn’t work as a bad defensive second baseman, or a corner outfielder though.
Keaschall doesn’t need to be a prolific bopper to play a corner spot, but a return to something closer to the .445 slugging percentage he posted as a rookie would be welcomed. He only hit four homers that year (49 games), but he had 14 doubles. In 76 games so far this season, Keaschall has two home runs and 12 doubles.
What about the MN Twins path forward?
Moving Keaschall to the outfield seems like a straightforward decision in a vacuum, but there’s a glut of top prospects coming. Alan Roden has already made a mockery of Triple-A since returning from injury. That could be the case for Walker Jenkins in short order, and Emmanuel Rodriguez will be back later this summer as well.
The Twins have begun to reposition Gabriel Gonzalez as a first baseman. He has split time between the outfield and first for the St. Paul Saints, but he too is a name to know. There’s also Hendry Mendez, who was on fire (.916 OPS) before landing on the injured list.
He was just named #MNTwins Minor League Player of the Month in May. He’s begun June where he left off in May. Hendry Mendez with a two-run blast to center, his 4th of the year. He has now reached base safely in all 23 games at Triple-A pic.twitter.com/JSCEHYCp5i
— St. Paul Saints (@StPaulSaints) June 3, 2026
Trevor Larnach and Austin Martin don’t look like future outfield fixtures for Minnesota. Matt Wallner may never make it back to regain a position he once considered his, and if he does earn the promotion, then a full-time designated hitter role may be the most sensible path anyways.
Ultimately, there are a ton of mouths to feed in the grass for Minnesota. Trades could help to spread some of that wealth around. Keaschall adding more to his toolkit and being able to play everywhere, even if it’s at a below-average level, may work as long as the bat does enough.
Mentioned in this article: Luke Keaschall
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