For the past few months, Édouard Julien has been making a good reputation for himself in the world of professional baseball. After a big 2022 season in the minors, he’s coming off a really big tournament in the World Baseball Classic and he’s establishing himself as one of the league’s top prospects at second base.
And I would even dare to say that he is establishing himself as a very high quality hope.
That said, Carlos Correa’s return to Minnesota this winter wasn’t great news for him, who is looking for a place in the Twins’ infield. Jorge Polanco takes the place at second base, and he remains a quality player.
However, the path is potentially opening up for Julien in Minnesota, while Polanco is still hampered by a knee injury and will miss the start of the 2023 season.
In the short term, Julien will not necessarily be the first called upon to replace Polanco given that Nick Gordon, Kyle Farmer and Donovan Solano can take on the role and are already in the club’s plans for the season.
However, if Polanco’s absence were to be prolonged and Julien were to continue to experience success in the minors (he risks starting the year in the AAA unless he is recalled to the Majors by next week ), plans could change.
After all, the Twins are aiming for the playoffs this season, and if Julien gives them the best chance of winning, you might as well give him a chance.
Guys like Royce Lewis and Austin Martin could also come and interfere in the plans, but Julien is closer to the Majors than his two counterparts. I doubt he will play in the Majors in the short term, but in the medium term, Julien is a real option.
In short, one way or another, the path seems to be opening up for Édouard Julien with the Twins. It hasn’t reached its destination yet, but its good performance for a year and the absence of Polanco mean that it is closer than ever.
And clearly, we wish him to reach the Majors as soon as possible (and to be successful there, of course).
