Where Do Minnesota Twins Free Agents Rank Among Peers?

By Ted Schwerzler |

Updated: Nov 7, 2024

Max Kepler, Minnesota Twins — Credit: John Leyba-USA TODAY Sports

The Minnesota Twins are going to look quite a bit different in 2025. Although they don’t have much in the form of spending power, it will be on president of baseball operations Derek Falvey to shuffle pieces and reset for the year ahead. Minnesota is also set to lose a long-term member of the franchise, and one that just showed individual excellence.

Max Kepler a Twins free agent for first time

All Max Kepler has known within the realm of professional baseball is the Minnesota Twins. The German signed as a teenager. Now, at 31 years old, he is on the open market for the first time. What will he get now that he is a free agent? ESPN Insider Kiley McDaniel ranked Kepler as the 30th best free agent, and pins his AAV (average annual value) at $14 million.

Kepler will be 32 in February and had a bad walk year — (slightly) below average at the plate and on the bases while playing a corner-outfield spot — but there are still teams that think 2024 was an outlier and he’s closer to his 2023 self. I think there’s multi-year interest on the promise that he could be above average in all phases once again.
Kiley McDaniel on Max Kepler (ESPN)

Last season Kepler made $10 million in the final year of a six-year extension he signed with Minnesota. McDaniel pegs Kepler’s next contract at two years and $28 million total. That $14M AAV seems a bit rich, but teams could line up to pay a player with his defensive abilities. Max has struggled to remain consistent at the plate, during his decade run in Minnesota, but his defensive metrics have always been above average.

WHAT A CATCH BY KEPLER 😱#MNTwins | #MLB pic.twitter.com/Cncj7tvGM4
— FanDuel Sports Network North (@FanDuelSN_NOR) July 1, 2023

They are centerfielders, but both Kevin Kiermaier and Harrison Bader got $10 million last season, which should bode well for Kepler. I’m not sure if I agree on McDaniel’s valuation of Max Kepler. But I do agree with one thing. Max certainly won’t be back with the Minnesota Twins.

Carlos Santana’s market after Minnesota looks nice

Minnesota was in the market for a first baseman last year. They opted for an affordable 38-year-old veteran, on a one year deal. Carlos Santana cost just $5.25 million, and ended up as one of the team’s best hitters. Oh, and he won a Gold Glove at first base. Going into 2024-25 free agency, McDaniel ranks Santana as his No. 43 free agent.

Like Pederson, Santana is in this general area of seemingly every free agent list, moving up or down and getting one vs. multi-year deals depending on last season’s performance. Santana performed, posting a 114 wRC+ and adding career-best defensive metrics at first base, so he could be an alternative for the teams that lose out on Christian Walker.
Kiley McDaniel on Carlos Santana (ESPN)

Similarly to Kepler’s prediction, the valuation seems high here. Santana nearly tripling his salary because of a Gold Glove seems wild. It’s not as though good defense is something new for him, and he’s not getting any younger. Santana started out slow for Minnesota, and he faded down the stretch. The Twins would probably love him back, but at nowhere near this price.

Twins are struggling but Carlos Santana's defense continues to be there ever game.

He's 2nd among 1st basemen in Defensive Runs Saved since the start of last season. pic.twitter.com/S5VYoI8fDf
— SIS_Baseball (@sis_baseball) September 25, 2024

Ultimately a team will need to decide on how much they believe in Santana’s ability to stave off the aging process. Once a wall comes for a player, it generally goes downhill quickly. No one wants to land the latest representation of Nelson Cruz.