Twins Daily 2021 Top Prospects: #2 SS Royce Lewis

I swear TD has been writing about him for 20 years - how can he be only 21.  I am excited for his next steps and would love to see him make the team this summer.  He seems to have all the attributes and I like your suggestion that he gets time at other positions.

It kinda stings seeing where Gore (the #3 pick in Lewis’ draft) is on all of these lists and how he dominated AA pre-COVID. Though, I still feel pretty good about Lewis.

I feel like he’s at a crossroads in terms of how he is regarded as a prospect. He needs to have a good year. It’ll be an interesting story to follow.

I have always wanted him to be the Twins shortstop of the future. With the value of super utility guys in todays game I think he could be be even more valuable there, Having someone that can play SS, 3B, 2B, and CF would be huge. I hope we see him everyday by the end of 2021 and for 15 years after that!

He’s highly suspect to me. His swing is a mess and h isn’t giving any signs of being a big league SS. If you draft a guy this high he should be able to stick at short. If not they should have traded him as a prospect.

Lewis is very athletic, a true super utility player(someone who's a plus defender at the key positions- SS,CF and 3B) it would be a waste to play him at 2B. Right now we are seriously short on SS and CF talent so I'm looking forward to having Simmons teach him SS, that's what all he needs. Anywhere he's lacking he'll come around because he's a student of the game. He's still the #1 Twins prospect IMO because of need we don't have any MLB ready prospects at our key positions but we have a ton of prospects MLB ready at corner OF, 1B and DH

Reminds me of another top Twins prospect with elite defensive skills, but with a hole in his swing. It is really not a good sign that Royce Lewis is dropping in the prospect rankings nationally (and also here at Twins Daily)

Will remain positive and looking forward to see him continue what began 17 months ago in the AFL. Like many of you, will be watching him at CHS field until he breaks in with the Twins sometime this summer.

I expect he will be playing CF in the future.  I think Twins will not extended Buxton after arbitration years, if they do not trade him before that.  Lewis will move to CF, unless someone else would take that spot then Lewis will fill in wherever the biggest hole is. 

Alex Bregman was drafted #2 overall as a SS and moved to 3B. Should the Astros have traded him as a prospect? Brendan Rodgers was drafted #3 as a SS and the Rockies aren't convinced he can stay there. Gleyber Torres was signed as a SS and hasn't proven he can stick there (been much better as a 2B). Ozzie Albies was signed as a SS and had to move to 2B. Gavin Lux was drafted as a SS and had to move to 2B. Carter Kieboom was drafted as a SS and had to move to 3B. Trea Turner had to move to CF for a while as he figured out SS and still isn't great at SS now. Manny Machado was drafted as a SS and had to move to 3B. Even got a second shot at SS and moved back to 3B.

 

Which one of those guys would you say their team should have traded as a prospect because they were drafted in the 1st round or signed for big money, but couldn't stick at SS? Brendan Rodgers is the only questionable one, but that's because he's struggled to hit at the ML level in a SSS. Otherwise I think you'd be happy with any of those "failed" SS.

Good points. I would point out that all those guys can hit so position isn’t as big a factor. If Lewis can’t hit the only position he could play and be valuable is short. Plus you are pointing out the success stories. There are plenty of guys that were just plain busts and their highest value was as trade stock.

And now Lewis out for the season with a torn ACL!!  Wow!!  What a gut shot.  Is this one of those snake bitten #1s who flame out?  Certainly young enough to fully recover, but parallels to Buxton are starting to appear.

And only about 14 hours after the article was published, Lewis is declared out for the season with a torn ACL. Nice timing! Looks like we won't be seeing him for awhile.

It kinda stings seeing where Gore (the #3 pick in Lewis’ draft) is on all of these lists and how he dominated AA pre-COVID. Though, I still feel pretty good about Lewis.

I feel like he’s at a crossroads in terms of how he is regarded as a prospect. He needs to have a good year. It’ll be an interesting story to follow.

I just glanced at FanGraphs and see Lewis ranked at #23, so they clearly still like him a lot.

Gore looks like he's going to be terrific too. But I would imagine Falvey's amateur scouts feel pretty good that their collective recommendation that the FO pass on Hunter Greene, Brendan McKay (both though by a majority of experts to be a better choice than Lewis) looks sound. Kyle Wright appears to be a solid major leagur player, but the "right" #5 overall selection. And given the higher injury risk associated with pitchers, I wonder if the Twins would trade Lewis for Gore straight up. Probably, but not without much consideration. BTW, FG has both Greene and McKay ranked just outside of its top 100.

For a 21 year old, he is years ahead of most minor Leaguers. Bring him up after he rips up AAA this spring. He can back up SS 3rd and CF.

.....and NM my comment above. I'll repost that next spring

Issues hitting, then a pandemic, and now injuries. So, we’ll likely not see this #1 overall pick until 2023... SIX years after having drafted him...and with the possibility that his best and most reliable tool (speed) will already be in decline. Sigh.

It's about time we bring back the pinstripes and burn the baby blues

The injury plague continues for this organization. One top prospect after another, delayed or derailed it seems. Snakebit much? Must be horribly frustrating for Lewis, and for others instrumental in his development as well.

Submitted for edit: Twins Daily 2021 Top Prospects: #222 SS Royce Lewis