Image courtesy of William Parmeter (Photo of Bryan Acuña)
Welcome to the Twins Prospect Hot Sheet! Each week, we take a closer look at multiple players who are climbing the organization’s prospect ladder, thanks to standout performances. This isn’t limited to top-10 prospects, as you’ll find some lesser-known names putting themselves on the radar as well. With recent promotions and breakout performances, several young names are quickly pushing their way up prospect rankings and (potentially) toward Target Field. Here’s a look at three such risers in recent weeks.
IF, Bryan Acuña, Fort Myers Mighty Mussels
The Twins signed Bryan Acuña as part of their 2022 international free agent class, luring him with a $650,000 bonus. Of course, the Acuña name immediately caught attention because Bryan is the younger brother of Atlanta Braves superstar Ronald Acuña Jr., but the Twins made clear that they valued Bryan for his own skillset. A versatile infielder who bats right-handed, Acuña spent his first three seasons honing his game in the rookie leagues, where the focus was less about numbers and more about development. Even so, he showed promise, posting a .384 OBP with 14 extra-base hits in 98 games.
Hitting the Hot Button
Acuña’s promotion to Fort Myers last week signals that the Twins believe he’s ready for the next challenge. At just 19 years old, he’s moved beyond the FCL and will see better competition in full-season ball, an important test for his development path. What’s fueling his rise on prospect lists isn’t eye-popping power (yet), but his maturity at the plate. He controls the strike zone far better than most hitters his age, a trait that evaluators love because it provides a foundation for growth in other offensive areas. Perhaps most impressive for a teenager adjusting to professional pitching: he drew more walks (15) than strikeouts (14), a sign of advanced plate discipline that bodes well for his long-term potential. While the Acuña name opens doors, Bryan is starting to carve out his own identity with his performance. If he continues to show strong on-base skills and defensive versatility across the infield, he could leap into Minnesota’s top-20 prospect conversation by year’s end.
OF Teilon Serrano, DSL Twins
Sometimes opportunity arrives in surprising ways. Serrano was a late addition to the Twins’ international signing class after the Los Angeles Dodgers paused their entire international operations in January to clear resources for a potential run at Japanese ace Roki Sasaki. The delay opened a window for Minnesota to swoop in and sign Serrano, a 17-year-old outfielder from Venezuela, who was reportedly on the Dodgers’ radar for months. Serrano is making his professional debut in the Dominican Summer League this season.
Hitting the Hot Button
Serrano’s loud debut has scouts and evaluators rethinking his ceiling. Through his first eight games, he notched 11 hits in 29 at-bats (.379 average) with two home runs, a double, a triple, and nine runs scored. Power is already showing up in games, a rare thing for players his age, while his ability to square up velocity and drive the ball to all fields is notable for a teenager adjusting to professional pitching. His age and tools immediately vault him into the discussion of the organization’s most intriguing teenage prospects, with some projecting that he could end the season as one of Minnesota’s fastest-rising names. If he maintains even a fraction of this offensive production over the summer, he’ll be a name to watch on offseason lists.
OF Kala’i Rosario, Wichita Wind Surge
A fifth-round pick in 2020, Rosario came into the season as something of a question mark. The 22-year-old outfielder flashed raw power in past seasons, but struggled to translate that pop into consistent production, leading Minnesota to leave him unprotected in last winter’s Rule 5 Draft. Last season, he hit .238/.329/.428 with 19 doubles and 10 home runs in 70 games at Double-A Wichita. Minnesota sent him to the AFL for the second consecutive season, where he posted an .813 OPS with four extra-base hits in 21 games. Ultimately, the Twins didn’t add him to the 40-man, but kept him in the system, and that patience is starting to pay off.
Hitting the Hot Button
Rosario opened 2025 in a rough slump, but since those difficult first two weeks, he’s caught fire: over his last 44 games, Rosario is hitting .273 with four homers, 11 doubles, two triples and a remarkable .392 on-base percentage. His improved plate discipline (he’s drawing more walks and cutting down strikeouts) is a huge development for a player long viewed as a boom-or-bust power hitter. At 22 years old, he is over two years younger than the average age of the competition in the Texas League, with nearly 85% of his plate appearances coming versus older pitchers. If he keeps this up, especially maintaining his on-base skills while tapping into occasional power, he could force his way into Triple-A ball later this year and into Minnesota’s plans for 2026.
Development isn’t always linear, and these three players are perfect examples of different prospect paths. Acuña represents patient, steady growth as he adjusts to Stateside ball. Serrano has burst onto the scene with impact tools that could make him one of the organization’s top breakout stars by season’s end. Rosario, once a player on the verge of fading from prospect relevance, is rebuilding his stock with a revamped offensive approach.
Which player’s performance stands out the most? Who has the biggest upside? Leave a comment and start the discussion.