\n\tThe Minnesota Twins are nearing the All-Star break with a flawed roster that will need more than just their current group to carry them the rest of the way. With key injuries and performance questions lingering, some help could arrive from within the organization. The Twins have several upper-level prospects who may be ready to contribute in the second half, and each brings a unique skill set to the big-league roster.\n<\/p>\n
\n\tHere\u2019s a look at four potential second-half contributors already in the system, and one dark horse who could make things interesting down the stretch.\n<\/p>\n
\n\tLuke Keaschall<\/a>: Ready for a Return \n\tNow nearing a rehab assignment, Keaschall is expected to ramp up later this month and could rejoin the Twins by early August. Over the weekend, the Twins reported that he has progressed to hitting in the cage and off a pitching machine, and could be cleared to face live pitching in a simulated environment within the next few days. His blend of contact ability, sneaky pop, and defensive versatility gives the coaching staff options, especially with the current lineup struggling to score runs. If healthy, Keaschall could be a table-setting force in the final months of the regular season.\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n \n\tEmmanuel Rodriguez<\/a>: The Power Is Real \n\tRodriguez brings big-time power and a disciplined approach that\u2019s rare for a player his age. He\u2019s walked at an impressive clip (19.7%) while still producing extra-base hits (128 wRC+). Depending on the health of Minnesota\u2019s outfield and how things shake out at the trade deadline, Rodriguez could find himself in the mix for meaningful at-bats down the stretch.\n<\/p>\n \n\tMarco Raya<\/a>: Rebounding at the Right Time \n\tIt\u2019s also important to note that he was a high school draft pick back in 2020, so he is only 22 years old and has faced older batters in all but 15 of his batter-pitcher showdowns.\u00a0Minnesota\u2019s rotation has dealt with injuries and workload concerns all season. If the need arises again (and it likely will), Raya could be next in line to fill a gap. He may not be a frontline option just yet, but he\u2019s trending in the right direction at the right time.\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n \n\tConnor Prielipp<\/a>: A Bullpen Weapon? \n\tWhile the hit rate against him remains high, his strikeout and walk numbers (28.7 K%, 5.3 BB%) suggest he has the stuff to miss bats in high-leverage situations. The Twins are managing his innings carefully, which could point toward a bullpen role if he\u2019s called upon. Prielipp\u2019s slider is a legitimate out pitch, and a short-relief gig could allow him to air it out during the final stretch.\n<\/p>\n \n\tDark Horse: Walker Jenkins<\/a> \n\tWith his advanced approach and natural ability, Jenkins could force the issue, especially if injuries or trades thin the outfield depth chart. He\u2019s a long shot, but the kind of talent who could arrive ahead of schedule and make a late-season push all the more exciting.\n<\/p>\n \n\tThe Twins will no doubt explore the trade market in the coming weeks, but internal reinforcements might be the team\u2019s only way to improve in the second half. Minnesota\u2019s front office has been handcuffed at the last two trade deadlines, with minimal payroll space to add players. Keaschall, Rodriguez, Raya, and Prielipp all offer legitimate upside, and their paths to Target Field may be clearer than ever. Keep an eye on this group in coming weeks.\n<\/p>\n \n\tWhich player will have the most significant impact on the team\u2019s second half? Leave a comment and start the discussion.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Minnesota Twins are nearing the All-Star break with a flawed roster that will need more than just…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":161172,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2388],"tags":[5,6969,9982,413,15636,822,60,3190,4,148,15028],"class_list":{"0":"post-161171","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-minnesota-twins","8":"tag-baseball","9":"tag-connor-prielipp","10":"tag-emmanuel-rodriguez","11":"tag-luke-keaschall","12":"tag-marco-raya","13":"tag-minnesota","14":"tag-minnesota-twins","15":"tag-minnesotatwins","16":"tag-mlb","17":"tag-twins","18":"tag-walker-jenkins"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@mlb\/114818486747960948","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/161171","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=161171"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/161171\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/161172"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=161171"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=161171"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=161171"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
TD Current Prospect Rank: 2<\/a>
Keaschall burst onto the scene earlier this year, with a brief but memorable debut in Minnesota. He collected seven hits in his first seven big-league games and showed the type of energy that can reshape a lineup. He also tied the MLB record for most stolen bases (5) in a player\u2019s first five career games. Unfortunately, a fastball to the forearm cut that run short, as he broke his arm.\n<\/p>\n
TD Current Prospect Rank: 3<\/a>
Rodriguez has dealt with more than a fair share of injuries since signing out of the Dominican Republic, but when he\u2019s healthy, his talent is undeniable. The left-handed slugger has been working his way back from a right hip strain after dealing with a left thumb injury earlier this season. There is a strong possibility he will make his major-league debut sometime in the second half.\n<\/p>\n
TD Current Prospect Rank: 11<\/a>
The Twins added Raya to their 40-man roster this past offseason, with the hope that he\u2019d be part of the long-term pitching puzzle. His early-season results didn\u2019t reflect that optimism, as he posted an 8.66 ERA while allowing a .916 OPS in his first 12 appearances. However, recent outings have hinted at a turnaround. Over his last three starts (16 IP), he has allowed three earned runs while holding batters to a .545 OPS. Raya has sharpened his command and is working deeper into games, putting himself back on the radar as the Twins continue to search for starting pitching depth.\n<\/p>\n
TD Current Prospect Rank: 5<\/a>
Few pitchers in the Twins\u2019 system have had a more winding road than Prielipp. The former Alabama standout missed significant development time after Tommy John<\/a> surgery, but he\u2019s finally showing flashes of why the Twins made him their second-round pick in 2022.\n<\/p>\n
TD Current Prospect Rank: 1<\/a>
Jenkins began the season behind schedule after an ankle injury, but he\u2019s been rounding into form at Double-A Wichita over the past month. The 2023 first-round pick still projects as a middle-of-the-order mainstay, and while there\u2019s no urgency to push him to the majors this season, he remains an intriguing wild card.\n<\/p>\n