The Twins’ No. 3 prospect has battled a heap of injuries throughout his time in the organization, but he has been one of the most explosive hitters in Minor League Baseball when healthy. Now back in action after a three month absence due to a thumb injury, it is only a matter of time before we see Emmanuel Rodriguez playing at Target Field.
It was an odd start to Rodriguez’ professional career. After being signed out of the Dominican Republic for $2.5 million in July 2019, he lost the 2020 season
to the covid pandemic and didn’t make his professional debut until 2021. At 18 years old, he slashed .214/.346/.524 in the complex posting a 132 wRC+ in 37 games. It was a good showing, but the 36.6% strikeout rate left significant reason for concern.
It was the 2022 season at Single-A Fort Myers where he really made a name for himself. The 19-year-old slashed .272/.492/.551 for a 197 wRC+, running a ridiculous 28.6% walk rate while showcasing elite power potential. His season unfortunately ended with a knee injury after just 47 games, but that season vaulted him onto top prospect lists. Scouts believed his elite power/speed combo with an uber-patient approach gave Rodriguez a superstar ceiling that can impact the game in every facet.
Over the past few years, E-Rod has continued to mash at every level, but injuries have undoubtedly slowed him down. He averaged 65 games per season over the last four years and will likely finish this season around that number once again. Multiple thumb surgeries have ailed him over the past few seasons along with several oblique, hip, and abdominal issues. Like so many other promising Twins players, there are more questions about the health than the talent.
Still, his 148 wRC+ since 2023 is the best minor league mark in the Twins system, barely beating out Luke Keaschall(144) and Walker Jenkins(140). It is also the 5th best in all of Minor League Baseball among players with at least 1,000 plate appearances. Strikeouts and whiffs will continue to be an issue, but the power and swing decisions are better than ever. His max exit velocity of 118.3 MPH can only be matched by a few players in the entire sport, and he has become more aggressive in the strike zone this season while maintaining low chase rates. He also runs well and is a valuable defender in the outfield.
The stars are yet to align for Rodriguez, which is hard to believe given that he has been pounding baseballs in Triple-A for two full years now. The Twins are faced with a handful of difficult decisions as E-Rod and Matt Wallner are both in their last option year and cannot be sent down next season. Walker Jenkins and Hendry Mendez are patiently waiting behind them, meanwhile the Twins hardly have enough room to squeeze Alan Roden into the lineup at the moment. As fans have been saying for a couple years now, it makes a lot of sense to trade a couple of these outfielders, but the team has continued to hold on to all of them, leaving a few valuable prospects dominating Triple-A with no room for them on the major league roster.
My gut tells me that Emmanuel Rodriguez will be the first one called up, and it would not surprise me if we don’t see Walker Jenkins this season. All of these guys have a chance to provide a huge jolt to the offense, but with E-Rod’s contract clock ticking, it makes a lot of sense to get him up and see what he can do in a Minnesota Twins jersey.
