Fort Myers felt a little more official on Thursday. Pitchers and catchers reported to the Lee Health Sports Complex, the Florida sun was beating down on the back fields, and a new chapter began as Derek Shelton officially started his first spring training as Twins manager. Bullpens popped, catchers dropped into their stances, and optimism was easy to find.
One notable arm, however, was not firing away. Twins pitching prospect Cory Lewis has been shut down from throwing after being diagnosed with a moderate subscapularis strain in his right shoulder. Lewis reported discomfort following a bullpen session on Saturday after arriving at camp early. Shelton told reporters that Lewis will be reevaluated in two weeks. For a player trying to force his way into the big-league conversation, it is far from an ideal start.
Lewis, 25, entered camp as a non-roster invitee after spending last season at Triple-A. The numbers were not kind. In 73 innings with the Saints, he posted a 7.27 ERA while striking out 87 and walking 68. The uneven command and high traffic outings made for a frustrating campaign. He also missed time with a right shoulder issue last season, though it is not yet clear whether this strain is connected to that prior injury. The disappointment of 2025 stands in sharp contrast to the trajectory Lewis was on before reaching Triple-A.
When the Twins selected him in the ninth round of the 2022 MLB Draft out of UC Santa Barbara, he was viewed more as an intriguing project than a fast-moving arm. What set him apart was not overpowering velocity but creativity. Lewis featured an unorthodox delivery and a deep mix of pitches, highlighted by a knuckleball that has become increasingly central to his identity.
In 2023, he split his professional debut between Low- and High-A. Across 22 starts, Lewis posted a 2.49 ERA with a 28.6% strikeout rate and an 8.0% walk rate. His poise and command stood out as much as the knuckleball itself. By the end of 2024, he had reached Triple-A and continued to miss bats, posting a nearly 28% strikeout rate, a 2.51 ERA, and a 1.31 WHIP.
In many farm systems, that type of rise would have generated louder buzz. In Minnesota, he was somewhat overshadowed by Zebby Matthews and a wave of pitching prospects who grabbed headlines. Still, evaluators appreciated Lewis for what he was becoming. Not a traditional power arm, but a different look. A pitcher capable of disrupting timing in a sport increasingly built around velocity.
That is what makes this spring important. With Shelton taking over and the Twins once again leaning on pitching depth as an organizational strength, camp reps matter. Lewis was unlikely to break north with the club, but a healthy and productive spring could have reestablished him as a depth option and potential call-up candidate during the season.
Instead, the focus shifts to recovery. Shoulder injuries are always delicate, and a subscapularis strain impacts one of the key stabilizing muscles in the shoulder. For a pitcher who relies heavily on feel and touch, especially with a knuckleball, any interruption to throwing progression can complicate timing and command.
The Twins will reevaluate Lewis in two weeks, and the hope is that this is merely a short-term pause rather than a lingering issue. Minnesota has seen how quickly pitching depth can evaporate over a long season. They will need arms at St Paul ready to contribute.
For Lewis, the path forward remains the same even if the timeline shifts. Embrace the uniqueness. Refine the knuckleball. Regain the command that fueled his rise. The Twins believed enough in the profile to invite him to big league camp. Now the challenge is getting back on the mound and proving that last season was a detour, not a destination.
Spring training is about fresh starts. For Lewis, that fresh start may just have to wait a few weeks.