Relative to the pitching side, where the Twins' bullpen stands out as their glaring roster weakness for the second consecutive offseason, their biggest needs on the hitting side aren't as straightforward. For one thing, the Twins' lineup tied for the American League's second-most runs scored this year, exceeding expectations.
Ryan Jeffers' exit leaves a big hole, but the Twins prepared for that last winter by signing Victor Caratini for two years. One problem: Caratini played so poorly that it's hard to count on him as the primary 2027 catcher. Another problem: Caratini is still owed $10 million, making it trickier to push him aside for a new starter.
Starting designated hitter Josh Bell is also a free agent, but the Twins may prefer to cycle through multiple bats there to lessen a crowded outfield mix. First base is the most obvious place to add a bat after the Twins were 28th in OPS from the position this year. But are they ready to move on from Royce Lewis?
Aaron Gleeman
It's also an uncommonly weak free-agent class for big bats, so the first-base pool is shallower than usual. Kody Clemens' defensive versatility means the Twins can alternatively pursue a good-hitting second baseman and switch Clemens back to first base, opening up a few other appealing free-agent options.
Here's my view of the top dozen free-agent hitters — mostly a blend of catchers, first basemen, and second basemen — the Twins should target for lineup help.