Twins looking strong with healthy lineup of Royce Lewis amongst others
By Mackenzie Bruno, WEBN Correspondent
Fort Meyers, FL – “He’s the most humble guy at the ballpark.” That is what Minnesota Twins security guard Mark Kremen said, as third basemen Royce Lewis walked by for infield practice.
In the 2017 MLB draft, Royce Lewis was selected as the number one overall pick. The 24-year-old has spent his entire career with the Twins, but injuries have prevented him from reaching his full potential. The staff who work closely with the Twins at Spring Training and the fans expect a breakout season from Lewis.
Although the Twins fandom feels that Lewis has been around forever, last season was his true “rookie” year. Lewis has torn his ACL twice since 2017. Despite battling several injuries last May, Lewis took to the field and never looked back.
Lewis made an immediate impact in his first game back from injury against Houston in 2023. He helped Minnesota win game 2 of the ALDS divisional round against the Astros, who won the series. Lewis had four at-bats, one run, one hit, and a BB as a designated hitter in that game. Lewis scored four grand slams over 18 games in late August of 2023.
Although the third basemen suffered injuries for most of last season, that did not hinder him from a stellar stat line of .309/.372/.548 in 58 games while posting a .921 OPS and driving in 52 runs in 2023. The atmosphere at Spring Training is different this year for the Minnesota Twins. Pitcher Pablo Lopez emphasized how the team’s focus has shifted since last year.
“We’re showing up this year knowing how 2023 went. We showed up with a lot of good vibes, a good mentality, and a good mindset. With that hunger, with that desire of like, let’s do it again,” said Lopez. Last season, Minnesota made it all the way to the ALDS Divisional round where the Houston Astros defeated them.
The return of Royce Lewis, along with veteran Carlos Santana at first base and Jorge Alcalá showing strong signs of being brought in for the relief core will be pivotal for the Twins.
Minnesota lost 1-0 to the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday, where most of the core starters did not play. Instead, top minor league prospects looking to be signed before the end of Spring Training played in that matchup.
The Twins take on the Tampa Bay Rays tomorrow afternoon in another Spring Training matchup in Fort Myers, Florida. The regular season begins for Minnesota on March 28 where they will battle the Kansas City Royals on the road.