Jorge Polanco

Polanco again battled durability issues in 2023, missing significant time due to ankle, knee and hamstring injuries, but he registered a .789 OPS with 14 home runs across 80 games when healthy. Polanco missed the final month of 2022 with a knee injury and his rehab then stalled during spring training postponing his debut until late April. He then missed about eight weeks between two IL stints for a strained left hamstring. When healthy, he had similar underlying metrics as last season with a strong walk rate (10.5%), a slightly better hard hit rate (40.6% to 38.7%), exit velocity (88.4 to 89.0) and Barrel rate (13.8 to 10.2). Defensive metrics were a mixed bag for evaluating his defense, but he's still seen as a good defender when healthy. He also played 15 games at third base when the Twins were thin at the hot corner, which could give him added position eligibility in some formats. Polanco has decent power for a middle infielder and good command of the strike zone, so he can still produce like his All-Star season when healthy. However, he may be a significant health risk since he's missed significant time to injury each of the last two seasons.

Polanco will look to bounce back to his 2021 All-Star form after injuries derailed his season for the second time in three years. Polanco was slightly underperforming but near his typical production in the first half of the season with 14 home runs and a .786 OPS. He hurt his knee Aug. 15 on a slide and only played nine games the rest of the season due to left patellar tendinitis. Before the injury, Polanco had a similar hard hit rate (38.7% to 37.4%), exit velocity (89.0 to 89.4) and Barrel rate (10.2 to 10.1) of his All-Star season and had a career-high walk rate (14.4%). His underperformance may have been due to a career-low .269 BABIP. Polanco has decent power for a middle infielder and good command of the strike zone, so a bounce back appears likely. He'll need to stay healthy after a chronic ankle injury also hindered his 2020 season.

Polanco bounced back last year to post perhaps the best season of his career with 33 Hrs and a .826 OPS. After an All-Star campaign in 2019, Polanco hit just .258 with a .658 OPS in 2020 as he played with a bone spur and a small bone chip on his right ankle which required surgery. A return to full health helped as may a change of position to second base, where he may have been able to focus less on his glove. Much of his rebound was due to an improvement against right-handed pitchers (.838 OPS) after struggling last season (.606 OPS). Polanco has good power for a middle infielder, doesn't strike out too often (18.3%K) and has some speed (11 SB). He may not be able to repeat his home run total as his high 15.8 HR/FB% is a career outlier. Still, at age 28 he's set to add solid production again at second base.

Polanco took a big step back last season after an All-Star campaign in 2019. He hit just .258 with a .658 OPS and just four home runs. Polanco played with a bone spur and a small bone chip on his right ankle which required surgery after the season. It was the second consecutive offseason where he needed surgery on the same ankle. While he missed just five games, the injury is thought to have limited his performance at the plate, especially with his power. He especially struggled from the left side of the plate where he had just a .606 OPS against righties. He'll need to bounce back at the plate as he doesn't have a great glove as his -4 DRS ranked 30th among MLB shortstops and now he'll move to second base after the Twins signed Andrelton Simmons. He does have some speed, but stole just four bases as Minnesota's offensive philosophy limits attempts. Polanco will be in his prime at 27, but questions remain whether his down season was entirely due to injury or if his 2019 season was his peak.

Polanco played a career-high 153 games last season, hitting .295 with an .841 OPS en route to earning his first All-Star nod. He maintained good walk (8.5%) and strikeout rates (16.5%) while adding more power. Polanco had career highs with a .190 ISO and 22 home runs, fueled by an increase in launch angle and a three-mph jump in average exit velocity. He also improved with the glove as his 1 DRS ranked 16th among MLB shortstops, though an eventual move to second base remains on the table. While Polanco has decent speed, he stole just four bases, compared to 13 SB in 2017, as the Twins minimized the steal as a strategy. It made sense to limit Polanco's running in particular given his subpar career 61.7% success rate. The lack of steals is about the only negative as at age 26 he's in his prime years as Minnesota's starting shortstop.

Polanco's ascent to the starting shortstop of the future was sidetracked by an 80-game PED suspension at the start of last season. Prorated over a full season, he would have almost duplicated the 13 home runs and 13 steals he logged in 2017. Polanco improved as the season progressed with a .310 average and .821 OPS in September. His glove didn't improve, as he had a -11.3 UZR at shortstop and his -1 DRS ranked 22nd in MLB. While he profiles best at second base or as a utility infielder, he will likely enter the season as the everyday shortstop, given Minnesota's lack of quality options there. Prospect Nick Gordon shares many of Polanco's strengths and weakness, but could debut at shortstop this summer, shifting Polanco to the keystone. His inefficiency on the bases (career 62.5% success rate) could eventually lead to a reduction in stolen-base attempts.

Polanco won the starting shortstop job in spring training, but struggled in the first half, hitting just .224 with a .596 OPS. Without a high pedigree or an above-average glove, it looked like his shot at being a starter was over when he was moved to the bench on July 23. Miraculously, he turned his season around in August and reclaimed the starting job. He hit .316 with a .931 OPS and 10 home runs in 234 plate appearances after Aug. 1. Thanks to that strong finish, Polanco looks set to return as the starting shortstop. He makes good contact (14.3 percent strikeout rate) and appears to have been the victim of some bad luck last year (.278 BABIP). While not a burner, he figures to continue to chip in a handful of steals, and his gradually increasing isolated power rates suggest more power could be coming from the 24-year-old. Unfortunately, his glove may eventually force a move to second base. His -4.3 UZR ranked 34th out of 37 MLB shortstops with 500 or more innings played.

Polanco got a trial as Minnesota's shortstop over the final two months of last season and held his own with the bat at age 23, hitting .288 with a .751 OPS over his last 56 games. He didn't fare as well with the glove as he had a -10.9 UZR with uneven reviews at shortstop. Fortunately, it seems that he will be given close to everyday at-bats in 2017 as the new regime collects data on the Twins' talented crop of young players. Eduardo Escobar is coming off a negative-0.6 fWAR season, and Brian Dozier could be traded, so there should be room for Polanco in the middle infield. He was essentially a league average hitter last year (101 wRC+), and made good contact (17 percent strikeout rate), so he should be able to avoid lengthy cold streaks. Polanco, who won't turn 24 until July, hit 13 home runs with nine steals (on 16 attempts) across Triple-A and the majors last year, and while he should end up being a double-digit homer threat in his peak seasons, his fantasy value will be tied to him contributing a little bit of everything, rather than excelling in any one category.

Polanco may be the best infield prospect in the Minnesota system after a promising season at Double-A and then holding his own as a younger player at Triple-A. Polanco hit .289/.346/.393 at Double-A Chattanooga and was promoted to Triple-A at midseason. He was called up for a short stint in the majors when the team needed an emergency infielder for a second year, which shows the Twins feel strongly about his promise. While he had just a .661 OPS at Triple-A, he had a 89 percent contact rate and held his own at just 21. Polanco needs to hit for more power and it's not clear if his defense will keep him at shortstop (28 errors between three levels last year). However, he could take a big leap since he's been younger than his competition and makes outstanding contact. Polanco could be pushing for a major league role at some point this season.

Polanco continued to make his case that he may be the best infield prospect in the Minnesota system by having a promising season at High-A and then holding his own as a younger player at Double-A. He hit .291/.364/.415 at High-A, which was a slight decline from his Low-A numbers, but he still drew walks at a strong rate and makes good contact. Polanco then hit .281/.323/.342 in 37 games at Double-A as a 20-year-old. Polanco also was called up to the majors in June when the team had a rash of infield injuries. Although he played just five games and wasn't called up in September, it likely indicates the Twins view him as part of their long-term rebuilding plans. He'll need to display more power to become an impact player in the majors, but a strong season at Double-A could put him in the mix for a starting job in the majors in 2016.

Polanco may be Minnesota's top middle-infield prospect after hitting .309/.362/.452 at age 19 at Low-A Beloit. Polanco makes good contact (59:42 K:BB ratio) and draws walks at a decent rate. It's not clear if he'll stick at shortstop or second base at higher levels. He also hasn't shown much speed with only four stolen bases, which may limit his fantasy value. However, he's a player to watch as a strong season at High-A could put him on the fast track for the majors.

Polanco may be the best middle infield prospect in the Minnesota organization after hitting .318/.388/.514 for Elizabethton in the Appalachian Rookie League at age 18. A strong season in Low-A could make him a part of Minnesota's rebuilding plans.