What Could Trey Mancini Bring to the Twins?

[Sherry Cerny]

Trey Mancini has been an all-star caliber hitter, but has had his highs and lows since. Last year, those highs made him a big target at the trade deadline, but the lows make him an affordable free agent. That’s just one reason why Mancini could be a perfect fit for the Twins' roster.

Image courtesy of Jerome Miron, USA TODAY Sports

Trey Mancini is just coming off the best feeling in the world of baseball: a World Series championship. At the beginning of the season, Mancini was with the Baltimore Orioles, the organization he had played for since they drafted him in 2013. The Orioles were just getting hot as Mancini's bat cooled off, but the Astros still saw something. The 30-year-old was part of a three-team trade that sent him from Baltimore to Houston. 

Mancini was hitting .268/.347/.404 with ten homers before the trade and was a "high-value" hitter, which would undoubtedly have helped in the postseason. Mancini came in as a veteran player at first base and helped alleviate some pressure from struggling first baseman Yuli Gurriel. He could also serve as a DH, and played 31 games in the corner outfield positions, but his bat was most attractive to the Astros. 

However, Mancini slumped in Houston, hitting .176/.258/.364, and struggled in the postseason. One could easily blame that on a major trade late in the season and after being with a club for six seasons, but he certainly did not produce like the Astros’ thought he would at the plate.

However, he did play great defense, which helped secure game five of the World Series. He snagged a hit off Kyle Schwarber and got his first postseason hit in game six, which resulted in a run. He did both of these coming off the bench. He shared his frame of mind with Michael Shapiro of Chron in a post-game interview. “In a series of this magnitude, you can’t reflect on what’s going on. You have to look forward,” Mancini explained. “You gotta wash [your mistakes], go to the next day and be ready for your team.”

The Twins can relate to late-season and postseason struggles. They started hot last season but faltered after the All-Star break, mainly due to injuries. Those injuries forced the organization to bring up many Triple-A players pushed to the big leagues potentially before they were ready, and those injuries leave a lot of question marks in exactly the positions where Mancini played. 

Twins players cycled through first base and designated hitter last year after Miguel Sano was injured. Luis Arraez will certainly play one of those spots after earning himself the American League batting title and contributing heavily to many of the Twins' wins. But even Arraez's time was limited due to injuries and pain, but still earned his first Silver Slugger Award. 

Meanwhile, the Twins' corner outfield positions are mostly manned by unproven younger players, many of whom have injury concerns, and almost all of whom hit left-handed. Mancini's veteran right-handed bat is a great compliment to those spots, too. So there are a lot of places where he would be a benefit to the squad. Plus, with Mancini's late-season fade, the Twins could likely offer him a short-term deal.

Mancini would be a better overall player than the Twins' Kyle Garlick, who the Twins signed on November 15 to a one-year $750,000 deal to avoid arbitration. Garlick managed to have good numbers in 2022 despite being hurt throughout the season. Garlick has worked out well for the team, particularly his ability to get clutch hits off lefties, but his role has been limited, and he's had trouble staying healthy, too.

Mancini's health is also a significant part of his story. After his breakthrough 2019 season, he missed the 2020 season with stage III colon cancer. His return earned him the 2021 AL Comeback Player of the Year award. 2022 was another step forward, and ended in a World Championship.

Perhaps 2023 can, too? That would also be a good fit for Mancini and the Twins. 

What do you think? Do you like Mancini as a pickup for the Twins this offseason? Tell us in the comments below. 

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[CRF]

Solid player, but I honestly think the money could be better spent elsewhere. 

[dxpavelka]

Gonna take an 8 digit AAV.

[Rosterman]

I would go in on Arbeu first (and soon). Otehrwise, might be a reasonable gamble since he can play 1st and the outfield and cycle thru in DH duties. Plus could be a decent bench bat. 

His strikeout ratio scares me a bit and lessens the desire to have him come off the bench. 

I'm totally at a loss as to what it would take to sign him. Is he beyond a one-year comeback contract? Does he offer enough for 2-3 years?

 

[DocBauer]

I hadn't even considered him until he was placed in someone's blueprint. He could be a great fit for the RH bat the Twins need, and he might not cost as much as other options if $ gets tight. (From other big/large signings). 

I like the fact he can play 1B, but I need to know he can be at least average in the corner OF spots, because that's where he's really needed. Career fielding percentage only tells a small picture. And I haven't followed Baltimore enough to have that answer.

[tony&rodney]

Mancini is a good story but I'm ready to see if Austin Martin can be the right handed bat.

[rv78]

His salary for 2022 was $7.5M and he hit .239 for the season. Kepler hit .227 and is scheduled to make $8.5M in 2023. That's not much of an upgrade. I don't see this FO acquiring him unless he is about half the price of Kepler. Which would be similar to the move they made by trading Urshela and getting Farmer.

[TwinsDr2021]

23 hours ago, tony&rodney said:

Mancini is a good story but I'm ready to see if Austin Martin can be the right handed bat.

Are you saying the twins should start a guy in the majors who had a .317 SLG in AA at age 23? Or not sign a guy to a multi year contract because he could block prospects? I can go with the second.

[Karbo]

Depending on cost I could see him at a corner OF spot for 2-3 mil. Wouldn't go much higher than that though.

[rv78]

Seriously he's an upgrade over using someone like Kyle Garlick but at a much higher cost. It just depends on what the FO is willing to spend for the insurance he would provide to backup the regulars that belong on the field before him.

[Fire Dan Gladden]

Another player that does nothing to move the needle:

Does not provide superior offense over anybody currently in place.
An outfielder that doesn't play CF
Health is a question
Would require a higher salary based off his name and history

Why is he considered an option?

[MABB1959]

Perfect fit because he is cheap.  Another hope and player.  PASS

[Riverbrian]

When I think of Mancini... I can't help think about 2019 Mancini. .294 hitter with 35 Ding Dongs.

He wasn't quite the same with Baltimore last year but he still hit decently so I would have taken him at the trade deadline last year when the choices were limited to sellers.

During the off-season, the choices are not as limited so I'm looking elsewhere for a bigger bang. 

[GeorgiaBaller]

I love Trey Mancini’s story, but he is challenged in the field and inconsistent at the plate at this point.

Now if he were a pitcher, coming off injury and illness, a great history for a few year stretch in the past, and maybe reclaims that all star form with another year to build his comeback——-he would be a Twin next season for sure!!!

Lets stop cruising for those diamonds off the bargain lot and pick up a clean, low mileage, 2-3 yr old vehicle or two! 
 

Pay attention to injury history and steer clear—let’s go for solid and not reclamation projects.  I will give the FO credit for something—they dumped that $DogDonaldson finally.  They dropped the smartest guy in the room act and finally cut their losses!  Addition by subtraction cutting the line with Sano, too!  

 

[Riverbrian]

Brandon Drury is a better choice IMO.