Injuries abound but a Top 100 prospect is the benefactor.
Amid a slew of injuries to some of their best hitters, the Twins are turning to consensus top prospect Luke Keaschall, according to Aaron Gleeman of The Athletic. Keaschall, 22, was the Twins’ second round pick in 2023 and ranks as high #44 on Baseball Prospectus’ Top 100 list.
It’s the end of a rapid ascension for Keaschall, who flew up prospect boards in 2024. Last season, Keaschall posted a .303/.420/.483 slash line between AA and AAA with a walk rate (13.4%) nearly as high as his strikeouts (17.2%). Keaschall’s lack of high-end power is the only thing keeping him from being a routine mid-order bat, though he played most of last season through a torn UCL so it’s possible there’s more than meets the eye. If that profile sounds familiar, it’s because the Twins’ front office has a type (see: Brooks Lee, Austin Martin, Jose Miranda, Luis Arraez, Kaelen Culpepper, etc etc).
The other concern for Keaschall is his defensive home. That elbow injury limited him to primary DH duties, but he still saw time at second, first, and centerfield. This season, he’s only seen time at second and DH, with the Twins wanting to limit the workload on his elbow. With all the injuries this Twins lineup has endured, getting Keaschall at DH would be a definite upgrade. The Twins also have Chris Sale, Martin Perez, and Yusei Kikuchi on the upcoming schedule and would still like to protect Edouard Julien from them, if possible, meaning Keaschall could get some run at second base too.
Keaschall’s promotion also means that one of Carlos Correa or Willi Castro is headed to the IL, though it’s unclear which one as of now. Correa is dealing with a wrist issue, which manager Rocco Baldelli confidently said was not a long term concern. Castro, meanwhile, is dealing with a sore oblique which tends to knock hitters out for a few weeks. Keaschall will join Jonah Bride in Atlanta on a sudden fresh-faced Twins roster.