Royce Lewis is back on top, as the Twins announced that the infielder has been called up to Triple-A St. The one who plays outside James Outman was designated for assignment in the corresponding move, so Minnesota now has an open spot on its 40-man roster.
Lewis’ devastating .163/.261/.279 line in his first 119 plate appearances of the season was enough to convince the Twins that the former first-round pick needed consideration, so Lewis was selected from the St. Paul on May 19. The move worked, as Lewis’ bat has come alive with minor league play. Between 13 games since his promotion and two rehab games earlier this season, Lewis hit .333/.403/.900 in 67 PA at the Triple-A level, with 10 homers in that small sample size.
Obviously this kind of Ruthian production won’t continue against MLB pitching, but it shows that Lewis may have regained his confidence at the plate, more than any mechanical changes made by the Triple-A coaches. While injuries have been the mainstay of Lewis’ Major League streak, he hasn’t been a productive hitter since what appears to be the 2023 season, as Lewis has hit just .225/.285/.398 over 847 PA since Opening Day 2024.
Another interesting aspect of Lewis’ time in the minors is that he has spent time at first and second base, in addition to his usual third base position. It remains to be seen where Lewis will play when he returns to the majors, as Brooks Lee moved from shortstop to third in Lewis’ absence, with Tristan Grey getting more looks at shortstop.
Neither player is hitting well enough to stake a real claim at any position, so it’s likely that Gray will be relegated to bench duty and the Twins will return to their regular outfield alignment. Outman’s DFA leaves the staff Is Clemens again Ryan Kreidler as backup outfield options on the 26-man roster, so Clemens can get more time on the field if Lewis starts to look like a first baseman.
Minnesota acquired Outman from the Dodgers Brock Stewart at last year’s trade deadline, and a change of scenery didn’t help Outman regain the hitting ability he showed early in his big league career. Outman hit .248/.353/.437 with 23 home runs for the Dodgers over 567 PA in 2023, but has hit .144/.235/.284 over his last 374 PA against MLB pitching. Those low numbers include a .156/.229/.250 slash in 70 PA this season as a backup outfielder.
This is Outman’s first assignment, and he has less than three years of MLB service. As such, he will be required to accept a direct assignment to Triple-A if he clears waivers or is not traded from the DFA period. Outman has some speed and can play all three outfield positions, however his offense has been so lacking that he will clear waivers and remain in the Minnesota organization.
