The Interesting Case of Twins Prospect Ben Ross

Minnesota Twins prospect Ben Ross has certainly not taken a linear route to the big leagues. But through perseverance, he might be just what the team needs.

The Minnesota Twins just promoted prospect Ben Ross from their Triple-A farm club, the St. Paul Saints. Ross does not have the hoopla surrounding him like recent Minnesota call-ups such as shortstop Kaelen Culpepper and outfielder Walker Jenkins. In fact, some casual Twins fans may ask, “Who is this guy?”

Ross has toiled in obscurity for most of his professional career. He has seen his share of ups and downs as he has wound his way through the Twins’ system. But his perseverance and positive attitude have vaulted him to the start of his Major League career. And his promotion comes at an opportune time for Minnesota.

The Development of Ben Ross

Despite a standout career at Shawnee High School in Springfield, Ohio, Ross was not heavily recruited out of high school. Therefore, he chose to play at Division II Notre Dame College (not the University). By the time he graduated in 2022, he finished as the all-time school leader in batting average (.405), home runs (25), on-base percentage (.471), and slugging percentage (.758).

For his efforts, Ross was named to the Division II All-American team twice, after both his junior and senior seasons. The Twins came calling, and they drafted him in the fifth round of that year’s MLB Draft with the 144th overall pick. He started his pro career playing two games in the Florida Complex League and 22 with the Low-A Fort Myers Mighty Mussels.

Moving Up the Twins’ System

For the season, he produced a credible slash line of .241/.354/.422 with three homers and six stolen bases between the two stops. Not outstanding numbers, but good enough for a promotion to the High-A Cedar Rapids Kernels. Here Ross started to show his power potential, belting 19 dingers and 25 doubles while playing shortstop, third base, first base, and every outfield position.

These numbers earned him a promotion to the Double-A Wichita Wind Surge, where things took a turn for the worse. In 10 September 2023 contests, Ross went 7-for-31 but posted a .531 OPS. Not fantastic numbers, but the Twins remained interested in his development. But his struggles continued into the 2024 season.

Stalled Progress

Ross would spend the entire 2024 season with the Wind Surge, but the results were disappointing. His slash line was .212/.284/.341 for the campaign with 11 home runs and 20 steals. Minnesota was not pleased with his 136 strikeouts and 29.7 K%. But his play improved in the Arizona Fall League as he slashed .281/.390/.427 with five doubles, two triples, and a homer across 24 games.

In his second full season in Wichita in 2025, the struggles would continue. His slash line was a disappointing 219/.308/.363, but he did pop 14 home runs and 14 doubles while stealing 18 bases. However, he continued being a versatile defender, playing 65 games at shortstop, 26 at third base, and 27 in center field. But Ross feared that his career was stalled playing in the Texas League.

Ross’ Breakthrough and Call-Up

When the 2026 season started, Ross exploded at the plate. In 16 games with the Wind Surge, he hit .424/.528/.797 with five home runs, seven doubles, and eight stolen bases. Due to his newfound production, the Twins promoted him to St. Paul on April 24.

While in a Saints uniform, he hit .249/.353/.458 with 15 round-trippers and 23 doubles. And he was Johnny-on-the-spot defensively for St. Paul, playing second base, shortstop, third base, left, and center field. He even tried his hand at pitching in a game where the Saints were getting blown out, but the less said about that, the better.

And on Sept. 1, the Twins promoted Ross to the big club.

As of now, he’s hitless in his first three at-bats, but he’s scored his first MLB run and has seen a bit of action in the field at both second and third base.

Timely Promotion

Ross’s promotion comes at a fortuitous time for both him and the Twins. With Byron Buxton on the injured list, he gives the team another option in center field. And with Royce Lewis, Trevor Larnach, and Josh Bell showing signs of fatigue, his ability to perform well all around the diamond will allow these veterans to get a much-needed break.

As for Ben Ross, he is just happy to be in the show. For a guy who was lightly recruited out of high school, a middle-round draft pick, and whose career seemed stalled a year ago, it has been a miraculous turnaround. The icing on the cake for Ross and the Twins would be a long winning streak and a berth in the American League playoffs. Hey, stranger things have happened.