How to fix the weaknesses:
CF Jordan Schaefer is just keep things warm until Twins phenom, CF Byron Buxton reaches the majors.
Catching:
Josmil Pinto has the bat to be an above average major league catcher, but won't supplant Suzuki until he becomes better calling a game behind the plate.
The other promising catcher in the system is defensive wiz Stuart Turner. His calling card will always be his defense...so if he can prove he's at least capable with the bat...he'll be a really interesting player. He's been solid at the plate so far in his minor league career. Doesn't hit for a high average, but draws a decent amount of walks and has flashed enough power and ability to drive the ball to keep you interested.
I'm optmistic about a Pinto/Turner tandem, but the Twins should continue to address this position in the future in the draft.
Upgrading 3B, SS, RF
3B:
Plouffe is actually a pretty good hitter. But the Twins have a prospect by the name of Miguel Sano who might currently have the best power potential in the minors--40+ HR potential--and is 1 of the top 10 prospects in all of baseball.
Hopefully the Twins can still keep Plouffe around as he's a pretty useful player since he can fill in capably at DH, 3B, 1B, LF, and RF.
Sano isn't great defensively while Plouffe has flashed some pretty good defensive ability at 3B at times.
SS:
Danny Santana is fine for now at SS.
And he'll likely man the position until a couple really promising middle infield players SS Nick Gordon (who's been ranked as high as the 33rd best prospect in the MLB by mlb.com)
Gordon projects to be solid in the field, but also be a very good player defensively. The twins drafted him in the 1st round and have high hopes for him.
Jorge Polanco is another prospect scouts rave about and one of the top 100 in the league. He's been a very very good hitter for a middle infielder, but has looked shakey in the field. His value will be better if he can stick at SS.
RF:
unter will be 40 starting next season, but the Twins have a couple guys in Eddie Rosario--who's currently debuting during Arcia's injury--he's another guy who's struggled to find a position, but been a great hitter.
He'll have more value if he can figure out how to play the 2B position, the position he's primarily been at in the minors, but the Twins combination of lots of very good middle infield options and his lack of consistency at the position might push him to the OF. Luckily his bat should be good enough to play there.
The other guy to keep an eye on is Adam Walker. He mashed 25 and 27 HRs respectively over his last 2 minor league seasons at A and A+ and he's continued that same trend at AA. He's already hit 7 HRs in 25 games this year.
For Walker it will always be about if he can make enough contact to let his power show.
He's been able to do it in the minors, but he still strikes out too much and doesn't walk quite enough (although he's not awful) he'll have to continue to work on that as the pitching gets better and pitchers at higher levels start to throw him more breaking balls. But, he's answered the bell at every letter so far.
When the Twins are hitting their window there offense should look something like:
C-Turner/Pinto (splitting time...Mauer as emergency) 1B- Mauer (Vargas/Plouffe) 2B: Dozier (Polanco/Rosario) SS: Gordon (Polanco/Santana) 3B: Sano (Plouffe) LF: Arcia (Rosario/Plouffe) CF: Buxton (Hicks/Santana) RF: Walker (Rosario/Plouffe) DH: Vargas (Plouffe/Rosario/Pinto)
I'll do the state of the Twins pitching staff later.