It appears the Twins will stick with top player Joe Ryan for the time being. His name has appeared in numerous trade rumors this offseason, but Ken Rosenthal of Athletic reported this in early December that the Twins have no plans to move Ryan and want to build around him and their other stars for 2026. While the Twins haven’t made any blockbuster moves this season, they have made small moves like signing Victor Caratini, Josh Bell and Taylor Rogers, suggesting they plan to compete this year.
However, if the Twins are not in the playoffs once the 2026 trade deadline approaches on August 3, president Derek Falvey will likely attempt to negotiate Ryan, who is under team control through the 2027 season, to reduce payroll and strengthen their farm system.
The Twins have the talent to make the playoffs this year, but many questions remain about the roster, suggesting a disastrous 2026 season is likely.
Bleacher Report predicts Twins to trade Joe Ryan to San Diego Padres at trade deadline
The Padres might be the worst possible trade partner for the Twins. They may have the worst farm system in the MLB they probably couldn’t offer the Twins a package for Ryan that’s as attractive as any other team could offer right-wingers.
The Padres have been known to empty their farm system to acquire big-name players like Juan Soto and Mason Miller. While many teams are reluctant to give up their top prospects, the Padres now always seem to prioritize winning over thinking about the future. Still, they don’t have many attractive prospects at the moment, making it unlikely they can offer the Twins the best package for Ryan.
Currently, the Padres’ top prospects are left-handed pitcher Kruz Schoolcraft and catcher Ethan Salas. The Padres chose Schoolcraft, MLB Pipeline’s No. 88-ranked prospect, out of high school in the first round of the 2025 MLB Draft. He stands 6-foot-4 and can throw a high-90s fastball, a high-80s changeup and a low-80s slider.
Salas ranked as MLB Pipeline’s No. 8 prospect ahead of 2024 and No. 33 prospect ahead of 2025. Unfortunately for the young catcher, he is no longer among MLB Pipeline’s top 100 prospects. Still, the 19-year-old might be the Padres’ best prospect.
If the Padres were to acquire Ryan at the trade deadline, Schoolcraft or Salas would likely headline the Twins’ return package for the ace. Both players could also be included in the deal.
If the Twins end up moving on from Ryan, they should look to acquire at least one top-50 prospect, which the Padres currently don’t have.
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