Nick Gordon and Kyle Farmer Give Twins' Bench a 1-2 Punch

The AL Central is expected to be very tight and, according to projections and betting lines, the Twins are projected to finish second or third. For the Twins to make up the ground on Cleveland and Chicago, they'll need to get production on the margins, whether on defense, in the bullpen, or off the bench. 

Kyle Farmer and Nick Gordon's platoon pairing as utility players could be an excellent way for the Twins to score crucial extra runs. Left-handed hitting Gordon will play most days when righties are pitching, and right-handed hitting Farmer will play most days when lefties are pitching, which will give the Twins lineup added length in either platoon situation. 

Kyle Farmer
When the Twins brought in Kyle Farmer from the Reds via trade, Twins fans hoped he would serve as a platoon bat in a utility role. Farmer can fill in all around the infield and corner outfield and, if necessary, at catcher. Farmer playing a utility role hinged on the Twins bringing in a big-name shortstop, and for a while, it appeared the Reds 2022 starting shortstop would be the Twins' Opening Day shortstop in 2023.

When Carlos Correa signed with the Twins for at least six years, Farmer was thrust back into that utility role for which he is well-suited. Being able to target lefty pitchers for him to match up with could be a massive advantage for the Twins. In 2022, he obliterated left-handed pitchers with a 157 wRC+, which indicates he was a 57% above-average hitter, fueled by a .568 SLG.

Farmer will move around the diamond for the Twins to hunt lefty matchups. Considering that two righties, a switch-hitter, and just one lefty make up the Twins' Opening Day infield, they may shuffle things around when lefties are on the bump. Farmer could slot in at left field, as the Twins have suggested, although he's only played four innings in the outfield in his major league career. Alternatively, they could move Jose Miranda to first base and slot Farmer, the superior defensive third baseman, at third. 

Wherever he slots in, the Twins hope that he will continue his dominance in those platoon matchups and provide much more versatility than their 2022 right-handed platoon bat, Kyle Garlick.

Nick Gordon
Nick Gordon put together his first full season at the major-league level in 2022. To the surprise of many, the 2014 first round pick was excellent. 

Gordon showed a surprising bit of power at the plate, especially against right-handed pitching. He put up a 111 wRC+ overall, and a 125 wRC+ against righties. He also showed that there might even be another level when he had a phenomenal 141 wRC+ against righties from July 1st to the end of the season. 

Due to his health, Gordon has a minimal track record of success at the upper minors or major-league level, so it's reasonable to question whether his production is sustainable. However, the batted ball data indicates that it was not just a flash in the pan. Gordon graded out in the 86th percentile for xSLG based on the quality of his contact. That could improve if he faces fewer left-handed pitchers, against whom he had a horrible 58 wRC+ against. 

Beyond roughing up righties, Gordon provided tremendous defensive flexibility. He played at least 17 games at left field, second base, shortstop and center field. He wasn't good at any position and was below average in the infield, but he was about average at both left field and center field. His ability to be somewhat competent at many positions will enable the Twins to get his bat into the lineup against righties as they get regulars off their feet. 

If you ask the average fan in any market outside of Cincinnati or Minnesota, they probably don't know Nick Gordon or Kyle Farmer. But these can be the type of bench players that make the difference between winning the division and coming up just short, especially when injuries pop up. Depending on the matchup, having one of Farmer or Gordon in the lineup just about every day will be a tremendous asset for the Twins in 2023.

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