When the Minnesota Twins took shortstop Royce Lewis with the first overall pick in the 2017 MLB Draft, he was an 18-year old high school senior.
He oozed upside, but was, like most 18-year-old prospects, raw.
That means he needed time to develop in the minor leagues.
He excelled between Rookie ball and High-A between 2017 and 2018, but struggled upon reaching Double-A in 2019.
Then, 2020 happened, and there was no minor league season.
Before the 2021 campaign, he suffered a torn ACL, ending his season before it started.
A Long Road, Full Of Obstacles
It has been a long road for Lewis ever since he became a professional baseball player, but right now, in this moment, it’s all happiness for him: he has reached MLB and will probably make his debut tonight.
Despite missing the last two seasons of development in the minors, he is good enough to reach the big leagues at an age in which most prospects make it.
“Royce Lewis missed two full seasons, has 251 plate appearances above High-A and is still making his MLB debut before turning 23,” Brandon Warne tweeted.
Royce Lewis missed two full seasons, has 251 plate appearances above High-A and is still making his MLB debut before turning 23.
— Brandon Warne (@Brandon_Warne) May 6, 2022
It took an injury to the Twins’ starting shortstop, Carlos Correa, for him to earn a call-up, but the Twins probably wouldn’t have considered him if he was struggling in Triple-A.
Quite the contrary, in fact: he is currently slashing .310/.430/.563 with three homers and eight stolen bases in Triple-A.
He has earned a shot.
His inexperience in the high-minors could end up haunting him, but the odds of him becoming the star player everybody expected him to be when he was drafted are definitely non-zero.
He deserves some time, and at-bats, but he could be a spark for the Twins.
NEXT: Carlos Correa And His Replacement Share An Impressive Honor