Called up, starting at second base The Twins called up Julien from Triple-A St. Paul ahead of Wednesday's game against the White Sox. He'll start at second base and bat eighth in his MLB debut. Impact The 23-year-old Julien is one of the organization's top prospects, with his on-base skills and above-average power being his most alluring traits. Though he racked up 53 stolen bases between his 2021 and 2022 minor-league seasons, Julien is lacking in athleticism and likely won't have the green light to run as frequently in the big leagues. He's also limited to playing second base on defense, but he could end up settling into a near-everyday role at the position in the short term with Jorge Polanco (knee) and Royce Lewis (knee) on the injured list and utility man Nick Gordon likely to be needed more frequently in the outfield for the time being while Joey Gallo (intercostal) and Max Kepler (knee) are on the shelf. Julien will retain his most appeal in OBP leagues, but his elevated hard-contact rate could be enough for him to deliver a non-toxic batting average in spite of his high strikeout rate.
APRIL 12, 2023 • ROTOWIRE