The tools and talent have always been there for Royce Lewis.
In his five-season tenure with the Minnesota Twins, Lewis has struggled with injuries and with adjusting to big-league pitching, experiencing both extreme highs and lows in the Show.
The 27-year-old has been battered with lower-half injuries throughout his career, including two separate ACL tears to his right knee, oblique strains, and pulled hamstrings. The injuries have interrupted his ability to settle in at the major league level, including during his strong early success after his first call-up.
In his first 12 games during the 2022 season, Lewis gave a teaser after hitting .300 with an .867 OPS but missed the rest of that year after needing knee surgery. When he returned for 58 games in 2023, Lewis continued to produce, slashing .309/.372/.548 while dealing with two additional stints on the injured list during that year.
Over the last two seasons, he continued to suffer a litany of injuries, but this time, they carried over into Lewis’ play. Coming into 2026, he had mustered just a 94 OPS+ in his previous 188 games, and those numbers were steadily declining after another hot start to 2024.
Royce Lewis Makes Changes After Struggles At The Plate
To begin this season, things only worsened for Lewis, as he hit only .163 with a .539 OPS over his first 31 games played. This time, when he was sent to St. Paul, the Twins’ Triple-A affiliate, the reasoning was for him to get his swing right instead of rehabbing another injury.
After being sent down on May 19 to reset his mechanics offensively and work on playing first base, Lewis was recalled to the big-league club on June 6.
He tore it up in the minors, hitting .333 with 10 homers in 67 plate appearances. Most notably, Lewis began to lift his back leg slightly during the pitcher’s wind-up prior to a bigger leg kick with his front leg, the result of recent drill work he’s done. And to say the adjustments have worked for him now at the majors would be an understatement.
In eight games since returning to the Twins, Lewis is slashing .379/.424/.759 with three home runs and 22 total bases. He’s striking out substantially less, making more contact, and even swinging the bat faster than before.
With these changes, Lewis is also doing more damage by pulling the ball more, similar to his teammate and fellow MLBbro, Byron Buxton. Additionally, Lewis has also seen work at second base, making him a valuable piece with his versatility if his bat continues to live up to his potential.
A former first overall pick in the 2017 MLB Draft, Minnesota has been patient with Lewis, knowing his immense ceiling at the plate if he finds consistency.
In a rebuilding season for the franchise, the Twins continue to look for building blocks for their future, and Lewis might be the shining example as he enters his physical prime.
