Minnesota Twins Exploring New Defensive Role for Royce Lewis

· Yahoo Sports

Two weeks ago, the Minnesota Twins sent Royce Lewis to Triple-A St. Paul looking for answers. Now they appear to be searching for something else entirely — where to play him when he comes back.

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Lewis continues to tear through minor league pitching, entering Friday batting .367 with eight home runs, 19 RBI and a 1.385 OPS in 12 games since his demotion. Those numbers alone have made it increasingly difficult to envision a prolonged stay in St. Paul. What may be even more telling, however, is how the organization has started preparing for his return.

After spending most of his major league career at third base, Lewis started at second base on Wednesday and made his first professional start at first base on Thursday. According to Bobby Nightengale of the Minnesota Star Tribune, Lewis met with Twins staff members earlier this week to discuss expanding his defensive versatility.

"Whatever I can do, I'll try my best," Lewis said, via Nightengale. "It was nice to know that they were like, 'Offensively, you've done everything. You made the changes surprisingly quicker than we thought.' They're ready offensively now. It's just about making myself more versatile."

The conversation surrounding Lewis' demotion initially centered on rebuilding his swing after a difficult start to the season. Instead, the offensive adjustment appears to have happened faster than expected. Lewis noted that he feels more comfortable after reintroducing a traditional leg kick, something he had largely abandoned after suffering a torn ACL in 2021.

"It's just so consistent and it's comfortable, which is the main key for me right now," said Lewis, via Nightengale. "I was trying to find that comfort. It's been like three, even four years since I felt this good."

With Brooks Lee settling in at third base during Lewis' absence, the Twins suddenly find themselves solving a different problem. Rather than wondering whether Lewis can earn another opportunity, they're figuring out how all the pieces fit together once he returns.

Manager Derek Shelton hinted earlier this week that positional flexibility remains an organizational priority. According to Matthew Leach of MLB.com, Shelton said the Twins will continue exploring multiple positions for players throughout the organization and noted that very few are viewed as locked into one spot.

The experimentation has extended beyond Lewis. Luke Keaschall has also spent time working at first base, creating additional lineup possibilities if the Twins decide Lewis is ready.

What's notable is how different this process appears from previous discussions about a position switch. Lewis acknowledged he was hesitant about moving to second base late in the 2024 season, but this time the conversation came with more preparation and collaboration.

"Second base felt unbelievable," Lewis said, via Nightengale. "I'm really excited about that opportunity. I could see a long-term place or home there, as well as third."

The Twins haven't announced when Lewis will return. Their recent actions suggest the bigger question may no longer be if he's coming back, but where he'll be standing when he does.

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