Last week, I released my 2026 Twins Minor League Awards, so go check that out if you haven’t! This week, I am continuing to recognize the top performers in the Twins organization with an all-system team, building a roster of the top minor league performers in the Twins system this season.
In order to qualify for a certain position, the player must have played at least a third of their games at the position this season. Players must still have prospect status and be under the age of 27.
Position Players
Catcher: Khadim
Diaw (A+, AA)
476 PA | .306/.417/.452 | 130 wRC+ | 9 HR | 14 SB
First Base: JP Smith II (A, A+)
443 PA | .235/.359/.450 | 112 wRC+ | 22 HR | 8 SB
Second Base: Ramiro Dominguez (A, A+)
450 PA | .239/.351/.413 | 105 wRC+ | 12 HR | 27 SB
Third Base: Brandon Winokur (A+, AA)
575 PA | .252/.337/.427 | 96 wRC+ | 21 HR | 30 SB
Shortstop: Marek Houston (A+, AA)
554 PA | .312/.392/.455 | 120 wRC+ | 12 HR | 50 SB
Outfield: Walker Jenkins (A, A+, AAA, MLB)
324 PA | .323/.417/.559 | 151 wRC+ | 14 HR | 17 SB
Outfield: Luis Fragoza (FCL, A, A+)
339 PA | .313/.408/.542 | 148 wRC+ | 14 HR | 24 SB
Outfield: Caden Kendle (FCL, A+, AA)
349 PA | .330/.407/.572 | 146 wRC+ | 16 HR | 19 SB
Utility: Ben Ross (AA, AAA, MLB)
502 PA | .273/.379/.500 | 125 wRC+ | 20 HR | 20 SB
Many of these guys were talked about constantly throughout the season, but I wanted to highlight 19-year-old Ramiro Dominguez, who was able to hang in Single-A this season after successful rookie ball campaigns in 2024 and 2025. He is a smaller guy at 5’9” who runs well and covers a lot of ground with sound infield defense. There is limited raw power, but Dominguez combines above-average contact rates with elite AirPull rates, allowing him to hit 12 homers and 26 doubles this season as a teenager.
While all of the outfielders played under 100 games, their complete dominance at the plate was impossible to ignore. They are all at different stages of their careers, with Luis Fragoza putting his name on the map in Single-A, Caden Kendle breaking out in Double-A, and Walker Jenkins making the majors and continuing to look like the elite prospect he was drafted as. There was less offensive production from the infield group, but they provide a lot of value in the speed and defense departments. Khadim Diaw continues to look like a big league prospect with potential for a fun catcher/outfield utility profile and a steady, reliable bat.
Pitchers
Starting Pitcher: RHP Merit Jones (A, A+)
112.1 IP | 4.17 ERA | 4.54 FIP | 117 K, 43 BB
Starting Pitcher: RHP Riley Quick (A, A+, AA)
81.2 IP | 4.74 ERA | 4.94 FIP | 110 K, 48 BB
Starting Pitcher: RHP Adrian Bohorquez (FCL, A+, AA)
59.2 IP | 3.02 ERA | 3.92 FIP | 69 K, 32 BB
Starting Pitcher: RHP Justin Mitrovich (A, A+)
73.2 IP | 3.42 ERA | 3.39 FIP | 83 K, 37 BB
Starting Pitcher: RHP Reed Moring (A, A+)
83.0 IP | 3.58 ERA | 4.10 FIP | 86 K, 28 BB
Relief Pitcher: RHP Paulshawn Pasqualotto (A+, AA, AAA)
70.0 IP | 3.73 ERA | 3.62 FIP | 95 K, 26 BB
Relief Pitcher: RHP Michael Hilker (A, A+)
64.1 IP | 2.86 ERA | 4.08 FIP | 73 K, 27 BB
Relief Pitcher: RHP Mitch Mueller (A, A+, AA)
62.2 IP | 4.45 ERA | 4.00 FIP | 79 K, 22 BB
The pitching side of the organization lacked big names as some of the top arms spent most of the season in the majors, while others dealt with injuries. Merit Jones wasn’t talked about much, but he put together a rock solid season on huge volume in his first year as a pro. He led the system in innings pitched at 112.1 and racked up 107 strikeouts, and he is a fastball away from having legitimate MLB starter stuff. Justin Mitrovich and Reed Moring showed plenty of promise in their first professional season, both possessing an intriguing mix of stuff and pitchability. Riley Quick and Adrian Bohorquez have work to do in the command department, but they both showed off some of the most dominant stuff in the organization.
On the reliever side, Paulshawn Pasqualotto was one of the most dominant pitchers in the org, striking out 32.9% of batters. Michael Hilker’s outlier fastball with elite carry in the low 90s carried him to a 2.75 ERA in Single-A. Mitch Mueller ran out of gas in the final weeks, but he previously looked unhittable at High-A and Double-A in his first year of full-season ball. None of these guys came into the pros with expectations, but they are building successful professional careers and all have a real chance to make it to the majors.
