MINNEAPOLIS -- In the weeks leading up to a normal Trade Deadline, president of baseball operations Derek Falvey and general manager Thad Levine would typically be on recurring calls with their front office group and pro scouts to evaluate other teams' needs from afar. Falvey and Levine would then split up the teams and check in with leadership figures to learn more and engage in discussions.

Needless to say, this will be no normal Trade Deadline.

The Twins entered Saturday having played only 19 games this season, but the Aug. 31 Deadline looms just 2 1/2 weeks away, with little clarity in any aspect of trade negotiations due to all the uncertainty surrounding the season, player evaluation and teams' plans due to the expanded playoffs. Because of all that, Falvey thinks this could be a quiet Deadline.

But who knows?

"My early belief of this, and it’s crazy to think we’re only a couple weeks away from that actual Deadline right now, is that teams are still kind of waiting that out," Falvey said. "There are more playoff spots up for grabs, there will be less clarity in the last week of August, in terms of where you are relative to positioning for those playoff spots."

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Minnesota's situation in particular is unique because the Twins would be in position to add short-term help in any normal season, but the elite prospect composition of their 60-man player pool could make this a feast-or-famine Deadline for Minnesota, with clubs only allowed to make swaps within those player pools.

The Nos. 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6 prospects in the organization are all working out at the alternate training site in St. Paul, meaning that the Twins certainly have the prospect capital to make a big move if desired. But would the Twins actually be willing to part with any of those top-tier prospects for a month-long rental, even of an elite player?

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The club could be leaning away from that, for now.

"We’ve made no secret of the fact that that’s a group we want to grow and develop and be a part of our team here in Minnesota," Falvey said. "It would take a very special and unique circumstance for us to have that conversation in any normal year. This is obviously not that, and it’s a little bit of a different situation.

"I would say we’re going to evaluate like we always do, which is try to take each individual trade decision and evaluate it on its own merits. If we find a great opportunity for us, we’ll pursue that, but it’s going to make it more challenging."

Considering that the one remaining month of the regular season following the Trade Deadline would make for a shorter rental period than in a normal year, Falvey said that future control of possible trade acquisitions could play a significant role in those decisions. For example, the Twins traded Brusdar Graterol -- at one point the No. 3 prospect in the organization -- for Kenta Maeda and his four seasons of club control during the offseason.

Falvey also noted that potential sellers could be more hesitant to make a blockbuster deal in light of the reduced scouting element this season, which has prevented teams from collecting as much information about possible future investments as they would leading into a normal Trade Deadline.

"If you’re acquiring a lot of young talent, or deep-projection talent, you are at a slight disadvantage relative to normal years, not knowing where those players are in their development this season," Falvey said. "I anticipate if I were on that side of the equation, that would be something I would have to be considering, for sure."

The Twins don't have much time to evaluate their Major League needs and engage in these discussions.

Starting-rotation depth is an issue, but the eventual returns of Rich Hill, Homer Bailey and Michael Pineda could do plenty to alleviate that, even if each of those pitchers comes with some degree of uncertainty. The bullpen depth has been a pleasant surprise when Cody Stashak is healthy, and the relief corps has even been successful against left-handed hitters despite the lack of a situational lefty. It's unclear where a trade acquisition would even fit in this offense.

There are a few middle-tier prospects whom the Twins could trade for some temporary help, like Brent Rooker, Gilberto Celestino, Edwar Colina, Travis Blankenhorn, Dakota Chalmers or Jorge Alcala. But many of those players, too, could be important factors for a contending team in 2021 or '22, and that'll be something the Twins have to weigh as they gauge the market.

If there even is a market, that is.

"Just based on competitiveness of other clubs, the uncertainty of some of the challenges ahead ... all in all I would think it might be a little quieter, but I could be proven wrong over the next few weeks," Falvey said.