Minnesota Twins Top Prospects Check-In: July 2026

At the halfway point of the MLB season, it’s time to check in on the Minnesota Twins’ minor league prospects and evaluate how they are progressing. Whether they are at Triple-A St. Paul or further down the organization, this is a good opportunity to see whose stock is rising and whose is falling.

Some of the team’s top prospects have dealt with early-season injuries that have slowed their development, while others have moved up a level and begun living up to their potential. Meanwhile, some Twins prospects have delivered surprisingly strong or disappointing first-half performances, forcing the organization to reevaluate their outlook on these players.

Stats were taken prior to play on July 8.

Twins Hitting Prospects on the Rise

Marek Houston, SS, Double-A Wichita Wind Surge

The Twins’ first pick from last year’s MLB draft has hit well all year. His stats for the year are a .319 batting average, six homers, 15 doubles, 28 RBIs, and 32 stolen bases. He was recently promoted from High-A Cedar Rapids to Wichita, where he has 12 games under his belt.

A wizard with the glove, Houston’s bat will be his ticket to the Twins. The team hopes that he and another top prospect, Kaelen Culpepper, form the left side of their infield for the next 10 years. If he continues his progress, he may turn up in a Minnesota uniform as early as next season.

Eduardo Tait, C, High-A Cedar Rapids Kernels

After a slow start to the season, Tait was on fire in June. The Twins’ top catching prospect, acquired in the Jhoan Duran trade last July, has maintained his power while becoming more consistent at the plate. In the middle of June, he hit four home runs in as many games, topping it off with a six-RBI night. He is the No. 86 prospect on Just Baseball’s most recent Top 100 Prospects list.

Tait has the potential to become one of the top offensive catchers in MLB in just a couple of years. Defensively, his powerful arm is an asset, but he must improve on his overall defense to remain at the catching position when the Twins promote him in a couple of years.

Gabriel González, OF/1B, Triple-A St. Paul Saints

After a cup of coffee with the Twins, Gonzalez hit well in the month of June. He slashed .329/.393/.519 in the month while getting reps at first base, designated hitter, and the corner outfield. His contact skills remain first-rate, as he is posting a zone contact rate above 95%, but strikeouts continue to be an issue.

Gonzalez doesn’t possess much power at the plate, but he sprays the ball around the field while maintaining a high batting average. He has hit left-handed pitching well this year, but his upside is limited due to his lack of athleticism and average defensive skills. He projects as a platoon/DH at the major league level.

Two Twins Pitching Prospects Excelling

Riley Quick, SP, High-A Cedar Rapids Kernels

In 10 starts at Cedar Rapids, Quick has posted a 4.34 ERA with 56 strikeouts and 19 walks in 37.1 innings. He’s had trouble finding the plate, but has missed a lot of bats in 2026. He possesses a four-pitch arsenal, highlighted by a mid-90s sinker.

And it all came together in a recent 9-7 victory over Quad Cities. Quick’s stats for the night were outstanding. His pitching line for the evening was: 4 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, and 7 K. He’s now considered a borderline top-100 prospect.

C.J. Culpepper, RP, Triple-A St. Paul Saints

Culpepper has been the most reliable bullpen arm for the Saints this year. His cut fastball and sinker both register in the mid-90s, and they induce a succession of ground balls. He also throws a major league slider and a sweeper that he effectively uses to punch out hitters.

Culpepper only allowed two earned runs in June while striking out 11 in 11.2 innings. He also sported a nifty ERA of 1.54 for the month. With the struggles of the Twins’ bullpen, this prospect will surely get his promotion to the Twins sometime soon.

Twins Pitching Prospects Who Are Struggling

Dasan Hill, SP, High-A, Cedar Rapids Kernels

It’s been a frustrating season for 20-year-old Dasan Hill. After an excellent debut in 2025, the 20-year-old prospect has struggled with control issues all season. The lefty has a 6.14 ERA in 36.2 innings with 61 strikeouts, but also 33 walks.

Hill’s fastball reached into the upper 90s, and he also possesses a wicked slider. Add to that a reliable changeup and a crazy curveball, and he has all of the pitches to be successful at the next level. His potential may exist as a late-inning reliever to take advantage of his lethal fastball.

Ryan Gallagher, SP, Triple-A St. Paul Saints

The transition to Triple-A has been a rough one for Ryan Gallagher. While he has consistently thrown strikes at the High-A and Double-A levels, his control has been a significant problem since his promotion to the Saints. His walk rate this season stands at a dismal 13%.

Still one of the better starting pitcher prospects in the Twins system, he has four signature pitches with an expected uptick in his low-90s fastball. He was much improved Friday night in his start against the Buffalo Bison, pitching 4.2 scoreless innings, surrendering two hits, one walk, and recording five strikeouts.

Jose Olivares, RP, Double-A Wichita Wind Surge

There’s no other way to slice it: Olivares has pitched poorly this season. His Double-A ERA stands at 7.41, and his WHIP is an atrocious 2.018. He has 29 strikeouts in 37.2 innings with Cedar Rapids, but he has walked 30 batters. His control has been an issue since recovering from offseason elbow surgery.

The 23-year-old is still an intriguing prospect with his mid-90s fastball and a deadly cutter. He survived being chosen in the latest Rule 5 Draft, so he has additional time to demonstrate to the Twins his true potential. His fate will be decided by his ability to throw the ball over the plate.

Prospects With Hitting Woes

Emmanuel Rodriguez, OF, Triple-A St. Paul Saints

The problem is not that Emmanuel has struggled on the field. It’s that his fragile body has failed him once again. Rodriquez, Just Baseball’s No. 39 overall prospect, has suffered another injury-plagued season. He is currently on the 60-day injured list after his thumb surgery in May.

His recovery timeline is uncertain at the moment, adding to his and the Twins’ frustrations. When healthy, he has great power potential and a keen batting eye, which have helped him reach a minor league walk rate of over 20%. Oh, if he could just stay healthy.

Yasser Mercedes, OF, High-A Cedar Rapids Kernels

Other than one four-hit game, the month of June was a washout for Yasser Mercedes. His slash line for the month was an abysmal .211/.268/.329. He recorded 16 hits for the period but struck out an eye-popping 25 times.

Mercedes, still only 21, has excellent power potential, good speed, and remains an intriguing prospect. He still has time to turn this season around if he can limit his strikeouts. If he doesn’t, however, he became Rule 5 eligible in 2025, so his fate and future may lie with another franchise.

Other Noteworthy Performances

Walker Jenkins and Kaelen Culpepper, Just Baseball’s No. 8 and No. 61 prospects, respectively, have just returned from injuries and are rounding back into shape. Jenkins in particular might soon receive his call-up from the Twins.

In a recent game against the Buffalo Bisons, he launched a deep home run to right field, and later in the contest threw out a runner at home plate with a monstrous throw. The tools are all there for him to be a valuable big leaguer.

And Charlee Soto, Just Baseball’s No. 87 prospect, has been plagued by a forearm injury all season. His sinking fastball registers in the upper-90s. In addition, he throws a deceptive running changeup and a sharp breaking slider. Injuries have been a problem, but Soto, just 20 years old, is a tantalizing prospect.