Image courtesy of Rob Thompson, St. Paul Saints (graphic by Thieres Rabelo)
Baseball is a game of stories, and one of the most enjoyable parts of the minor league award season is diving into the stories behind the names on the ballot. This year’s top-five Twins hitters feature a mix of former high draft selections alongside players who had to take the long road as they developed in the system. Every path looks different, and there’s no single blueprint for reaching the majors.
Looking ahead to next year, Minnesota’s farm system is projected to rank among the very best in the game. The current front office has carefully assembled that depth through a combination of savvy drafting, trades, and player development. The performances highlighted below demonstrate the organization’s ongoing efforts to develop talent, ensuring the major league club has the resources to maintain its competitive edge well into the future.
Who have been the previous winners of this award?
PREVIOUS WINNERS
2012 – Oswaldo Arcia
2013 – Miguel Sano
2014 – Mitch Garver
2015 – Max Kepler
2016 – Daniel Palka
2017 – Mitch Garver
2018 – Alex Kirilloff
2019 – Trevor Larnach
2021 – Jose Miranda
2022 – Matt Wallner
2023 – Yunior Severino
2024 – Luke Keaschall
Here are some of the hitters who received votes on writers’ ballots:
Honorable Mentions:
1B/DH Aaron Sabato: 109 G, .261/.327/.481 (.809), 23 HR, 18 2B, 1 3B, 68 RBI, 38 BB, 129 K
C/1B Nate Baez: 96 G, .278/.371/.423 (.794), 8 HR, 17 2B, 4 3B, 54 RBI, 45 BB, 65 K
UTL Jay Thomason: 64 G, .244/.397/.477 (.873), 10 HR, 11 2B, 2 3B, 29 RBI, 45 BB, 66 K
OF Maddux Houghton: 97 G, .270/.356/.456 (.812), 12 HR, 13 2B, 3 3B, 45 RBI, 34 BB, 93 K
C Noah Cardenas: 69 G, .245/.387/.438 (.824), 10 HR, 10 2B, 33 RBI, 42 BB, 51 K
Others Receiving Votes: Carson McCusker, Kyle DeBarge, Ricardo Olivar, Billy Amick , Khadim Diaw
Twins Minor League Hitter of the Year
Here are the top five players for the Twins Daily Hitter of the Year, leading up to the choice for the Twins Minor League Hitter of the Year.
5. OF Walker Jenkins, 20, Wichita/St. Paul
84 G, .286/.399/.451 (.850), 10 HR, 17 2B, 2 3B, 34 RBI, 56 R, 50 BB, 76 K, 17 SB
The Twins’ top prospect entered the 2025 season with plenty of hype, and he didn’t disappoint. Jenkins started the year in Wichita, where he quickly established himself as one of the most polished bats in the Texas League, despite being nearly four years younger than the competition at that level. Over his final 23 Double-A games, he posted a 1.105 OPS while showing his true power potential with five home runs and six doubles. A late-season promotion to St. Paul allowed him to face more advanced pitching, and his ability to get on base consistently stood out at both levels. His combination of power, patience, and speed continues to give the Twins confidence that he could be a cornerstone bat in the big leagues sooner rather than later.
4. OF Kala’i Rosario , 23, Wichita
130 G, .256/.358/.487 (.844), 25 HR, 30 2B, 5 3B, 83 RBI, 92 R, 73 BB, 159 K, 32 SB
Rosario entered the 2025 campaign at a critical juncture in his career, especially after the Twins left him unprotected in the 2024 Rule 5 Draft. He has always had the raw power, but 2025 showcased his ability to be more than just a slugger. He set career-highs across the board while playing in 130 games for Wichita. Rosario faced older batters in over 84% of his plate appearances and posted an .852 OPS. His 25 home runs and 30 doubles highlight the damage he can do when he makes contact. He dominated during August as he posted a 1.135 OPS with 11 homers and six doubles in 27 games. While the strikeouts remain high, Rosario’s development into a more complete hitter, especially a right-handed power threat, has put him firmly on the radar for a future role in Minnesota’s outfield mix.
3. SS Kaelen Culpepper, 22, Cedar Rapids/Wichita
113 G, .289/.375/.469 (.844), 20 HR, 16 2B, 3 3B, 64 RBI, 77 R, 50 BB, 90 K, 25 SB
Culpepper entered the season with the hype of being a first-round pick in 2024, but few envisioned him putting together a season that vaulted him into national top-100 lists. He started the year with Cedar Rapids but quickly proved he was advanced for the level by hitting .293/.385/.479 (.864) with nine home runs and nine doubles in 54 games. Some scouts questioned his power potential when the Twins drafted him, but his 20 home runs illustrate his growing pop. Also, his ability to swipe 25 bags and play a premium defensive position makes him one of the most intriguing prospects in the organization. The Twins haven’t had many shortstops with this kind of offensive upside in recent years, and Culpepper is starting to make the case that he could be part of the long-term infield picture.
2. OF Kyler Fedko, 26, Wichita/St. Paul
130 G, .258/.367/.487 (.855), 28 HR, 25 2B, 82 RBI, 91 R, 79 BB, 120 K, 38 SB
Few players in the system can match Fedko’s mix of patience and power. The 2021 12th round pick broke out in a big way this year, hitting 28 homers while maintaining an on-base percentage near .370. In 88 Double-A games, he posted an .868 OPS with 35 extra base hits and a 79-to-58 strikeout-to-walk ratio. On top of that, he was a real weapon on the basepaths with 38 steals. He was promoted to Triple-A at the beginning of August and posted a 1.104 OPS with six homers and seven doubles in his first 22 games. At 26, he may be older than some of the other names on this list, but his production speaks for itself. Like Rosario, he is a right-handed power option that could fit into the team’s plans as soon as next season.
1. OF Gabriel Gonzalez, 21, Cedar Rapids/Wichita/St. Paul
123 G, .329/.395/.513 (.909), 15 HR, 38 2B, 3 3B, 66 RBI, 75 R, 48 BB, 80 K, 8 SB
Gonzalez entered the season as a promising but somewhat overlooked prospect. He joined the Twins organization last season in the Jorge Polanco trade and struggled at Cedar Rapids with a .706 OPS. There were still hopes he could turn it around in 2025, and he leaves the year as the clear-cut offensive star of the system. At just 21 years old, he made an aggressive climb through three levels, finishing the year in Triple-A while never looking out of place. His calling card in 2025 was consistency: he hit over .315 at every stop, and his 38 doubles show how frequently he found the gaps.
While some of the other outfielders in the system showcased more raw power or speed, Gonzalez’s ability to combine hit tool, approach, and extra-base ability is what sets him apart. His .909 OPS was the highest among the organization’s top bats. He faced older pitchers in all but 30 of his plate appearances and hit .338/.405/.527 (.932) against them. He dominated left-handed pitchers with a 1.022 OPS, which included a .592 SLG. The Twins have had plenty of high-profile outfield prospects in recent years, but Gonzalez’s blend of polish and production at such a young age might make him one of the safest bets to contribute in Minnesota soon.
The fact that he adjusted so seamlessly after each promotion suggests a maturity beyond his years. For a 21-year-old to go from High-A to Triple-A in one season and still improve his production is rare, and that’s why Gonzalez stood out as the system’s top hitter in 2025.
Each of these players took significant strides forward in 2025, giving the Twins plenty of reasons to feel optimistic about their offensive depth. From top prospects like Jenkins to breakout performers like Fedko, the organization saw development across multiple levels. Still, no story stood taller than Gonzalez’s meteoric rise through the system, and his performance serves as a reminder that impact talent can emerge quickly. With this group pushing toward the big leagues, Minnesota’s lineup of the future looks as promising as it has in years.
How would your ballot look for the Twins’ top hitter in 2025? Leave a comment and start the discussion.