How will Royce Lewis perform in 2026?
The Minnesota Twins shipped off a majority of their players at the trade deadline, yet they have made no big moves this offseason, signaling that a full rebuild is not underway. The front office has decided to hold off on dealing either starting pitcher Pablo López or Joe Ryan along with homegrown star center fielder Byron Buxton. The hope is that with a few targeted additions, the current group can still remain competitive in the AL Central.
For that to happen, several players already on the roster will need to take steps forward, and one of the most important is infielder Royce Lewis. Lewis appeared in 106 games last season for Minnesota and endured his toughest year at the plate. The 26-year-old posted a .237 batting average, a .283 on-base percentage and a .671 OPS, with 13 home runs and 52 RBIs. Known for his ability to drive the ball with authority, Lewis simply did not make the consistent hard contact that has defined his profile in the past.
Lewis was once considered the focal point of Minnesota’s future after being drafted first overall in the 2017 MLB Draft. His athleticism and power potential made him a highly touted prospect, but injuries including multiple ACL tears slowed his development. When healthy, he has shown flashes of potential, including stretches in 2023 where he looked like a middle-of-the-order force. The Twins now need him to rediscover that form.
Looking ahead to 2026, Baseball Reference projects Lewis to record 434 plate appearances with a .253 batting average, a .313 on-base percentage, a .750 OPS, 18 home runs and 63 RBIs. Those numbers suggest modest improvement, but there is reason to believe he can surpass them. In 2024 he hit 16 home runs in only 82 games, and in 2023 he launched 15 homers in just 58 games, showing clear power potential when healthy. The key will be logging his first fully healthy season, which could unlock the consistency needed to reestablish himself as a dangerous middle-of-the-order bat.
If Lewis can rebound and return to being a dangerous slugger, it would go a long way toward stabilizing a lineup that has lost much of its veteran presence. His improvement, paired with Buxton’s health and the consistency of López and Ryan in the rotation, could give Minnesota enough of a foundation to avoid a complete collapse during their transitional phase. In a division that often lacks dominant teams, even modest gains from players like Lewis could keep the Twins in the mix and provide hope that the rebuild will not last as long as many expect.