The Minnesota Twins selected Kansas State shortstop Kaelen Culpepper and Louisiana Lafayette shortstop Kyle DeBarge in the first round of the 2024 MLB Draft. The selections give the Twins two toolsy prospects to add to their organization. However, it didn’t result in an outpouring of joy from fans.
Criticism of a draft pick is nothing new, but the reaction to the selections brought plenty of confusion. Why would the Twins take two shortstops when they already have Royce Lewis, Brooks Lee, and Carlos Correa? Don’t they know they have a log jam of infielders? Why didn’t they take a pitcher?
These are valid questions, especially for a team that has selected six shortstops in 12 first-round picks since they hired Derek Falvey and Thad Levine in 2017. But this is part of a greater plan, and they may be stealing a page from the San Diego Padres’ playbook.
Five years ago, the Padres finished last in the National League West Division. It was their third last-place finish in the past four years, and it didn’t seem like a team on the verge of building a contender. But in 2019, they added a wave of new talent.
It started when the Padres dove into free agency and signed Manny Machado to a 10-year, $300 million contract. The Baltimore Orioles drafted Machado as a shortstop, but they had moved him to third base by the time he made his major league debut as a 19-year-old in 2012.
Machado spent six seasons in Baltimore and made the All-Star team four times before trading him to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2018. When Machado signed with the Padres, he became a crucial component in the lineup and one of San Diego’s best power hitters in the same way that Lewis has become for the Twins when he’s healthy.
Machado’s story is a prelude to how the Padres have handled drafting shortstops. Fernando Tatis Jr. was the next in line after they acquired him from the Chicago White Sox in exchange for James Shields. He broke out as a shortstop, finishing third in MVP voting during the 2021 season.
While Tatis was outstanding at the plate, he had -9 defensive runs saved over three seasons at shortstop. However, Tatis possesses outstanding athleticism and made the transition to the outfield. In three seasons as a right fielder, Tatis has 26 defensive runs saved, including 26 DRS in the 2023 season.
This was just the beginning for the Padres. They signed shortstop Ha-Seong Kim to a four-year, $28 million contract in 2020. San Deigo also took two shortstops, CJ Abrams and Jackson Merrill, with first-round picks. They even signed Xander Bogaerts to an 11-year, $280 million contract before the 2023 season.
It seemed like the Padres were hoarding shortstops, but they found a way to make it work. Kim remained a shortstop after coming over from Korea, and Bogaerts became the team’s primary second baseman, even as the Padres traded for old friend Luis Arraez, another infielder.
Merrill was considered an infielder for most of his minor league career but has become an All-Star centerfielder. Even Abrams made an impact, becoming a centerpiece in acquiring Juan Soto from the Washington Nationals in 2022. These shortstops created a core that helped the Padres reach the National League Championship Series in 2022 and has made them a playoff contender for each of the past two seasons.
If you’re wondering how this works, think of it like a little league baseball team. If you’ve coached before, you know that the most athletic kid on the team plays shortstop. You could play him somewhere else, but having a rangy athlete to make up ground is much more valuable at the lower levels of the game.
When a player moves on to the next level, their physical ability begins to show, creating the type of versatility that major league managers crave in today’s game. There’s more proof in this year’s All-Star rosters, which contain 15 players who played shortstop at some point in their careers.
It’s interesting to look at San Diego’s roster construction and wonder what the Twins are cooking, especially when the depth chart at shortstop seems crowded. However, the Twins could find a way to make it work like the Padres did.
Lewis was a shortstop when the Twins selected him with the No. 1 overall pick in 2017. However, Minnesota experimented with him in the outfield before he made his major league debut in 2022. The Twins moved Lewis to third base with Correa already in the fold, where he’s likely to stay for most of his career.
They added another shortstop, Lee, to the mix in 2022. However, he appears to be destined to play somewhere else. While he spent his minor league career primarily at shortstop, the Twins have played him at second and third base after his call-up earlier this month, and he figures to remain at one of those positions for the long haul.
Then there’s Correa, who is a vital part of the Twins lineup and one of the game’s best defensive shortstops. It’s safe to assume that Correa isn’t going anywhere as long as his defense doesn’t erode, creating intrigue about where the latest shortstops will play.
This creates a log jam on the depth chart, but something that a gamer would dream of on MLB The Show. By creating a stable of athletes, the Twins have the versatility to play them where they want and create a potent lineup for the future.
It may not be a pitcher or something that fills an immediate need, but it’s a long-term strategy that could pan out.
