Royce Oliver Lewis...Instagram: @roycelewis...Engaged to finance, Samantha (Hobert) in November of 2023...2017 graduate of JSerra Catholic High School in San Juan Capistrano, Calif...Rated as a top prospect in the 2017 draft by MLB.com...Played third base and centerfield at the start of his high school career before playing solely shortstop as a senior...Named 2017 Gatorade Player of the Year in California and Trinity League Player of the Year for third consecutive season...Also named Los Angeles Times High School Player of the Year as a junior in 2016, after hitting .429 with nine doubles and four home runs...Named MVP of the 2016 Under Armour All-American Game at Wrigley Field and the Perfect Game All-American Classic MVP at Petco Park...Member of the gold medal-winning USA Baseball 18U National Team that defeated Cuba in October for the 2016 COPABE Pan American AAA Championship...His father, William, played football at Fullerton College and Chico State University, and his mother, Cindy, played softball at U.S. International and San José State University...Became sixth player ever selected in the draft out of JSerra Catholic High School and the highest since catcher Austin Hedges was selected by the Padres in the second round in 2011...Played a lot of mini golf and bowling during the summer of 2021 while recovering from right ACL surgery, helping fuel his competitive side...Assigned uniform No. 4 for 2020 and ’21 Spring Training but changed to 23 after the Twins signed Carlos Correa March 20, 2022...Became Dallas Cowboys fan when he moved to the area and lives about 40 minutes from AT&T Stadium...Also likes the Vikings and attended Vikings practice in Eagan during the summer of 2023 with teammate Alex Kirilloff, meeting head coach Kevin O’Connell and quarterback Kirk Cousins...Enjoys playing fantasy football...Participated in 2023 and 2024 TwinsFest at Target Field.
2023
Placed on 60-day injured list during Spring Training on Feb. 26, recovering from ACL surgery on right knee from June of 2022...Played in two games with Double-A Wichita on rehab assignment from May 11-13, then eight games on rehab with Triple-A St. Paul from May 16-27; reinstated on May 29...Homered in first game back with Twins on May 29 at Houston, adding two hits with four RBI on the day...Recorded first career four-hit game on June 9 at Toronto (all singles)...Was part of a stretch in which he recorded hits in seven-consecutive at-bats, including three hits in first three at-bats the next game on June 11 at Toronto...Placed on 10-day injured list on July 2 with a strained left oblique...Played in four games on rehab assignment for St. Paul and reinstated on Aug. 15...Hit safely in season-long eight-straight games from June 18-27, hitting .448 (13-for-29) with one double, two home runs, five RBI and a 1.174 OPS in that span...Hit second career grand slam on Aug. 27 vs. Texas, helping the Twins close a 5-0 deficit and leading to eventual 7-6, 13-inning win...Hit third career grand slam and second in as many games on Aug. 28 vs. Cleveland, becoming first player in Twins/Senators franchise history (since 1901) to hit grand slams in consecutive days...Became the 10th player in baseball history with three grand slams as part of his first 10 career home runs, the others being Dom Dallessandro (1941-42), Russ Derry (1944-45), David Eckstein (2001-02), Brian Johnson (1994-96), Justin Maxwell (2007-12), Brian Roberts (2003-05), Shane Spencer (1998), Jim Tabor (1938-39) and Chris Taylor (2016-17)...Homered for career-long third-straight game on Aug. 29 vs. Cleveland, part of a stretch in which he homered five times in seven games from Aug. 23-29, including 12 RBI in that span...Hit fourth career grand slam and third of season on Sept. 4 at Cleveland...Four career grand slams tied for 11th on Twins all-time list with Bob Allison, Rod Carew, Shane Mack and Eddie Rosario...Three grand slams on season tied club single-season record, joining Bob Allison (1961), Rod Carew (1976), Kent Hrbek (1985), Kirby Puckett (1992) and Torii Hunter (2007)...Became second player in AL/NL history with four grand slams within his first 13 career homers, joining Chris Taylor (Los Angeles-NL, 2014-23)...Four grand slams in 56 career games is the fastest to that figure in AL/ NL history, the next fastest being the Tigers’ Rudy York, who did it in 132 games in 1938...Hit fifth career grand slam and fourth of season on Sept. 15 at Chicago-AL...Was fourth grand slam in his last 18 games and one of 16 career home runs at the time...18 games is the shortest span of games for a player to hit four-plus grand slams, the next four being Don Mattingly (39 games - 1987), Travis Hafner (44 games - 2006), Jim Northrup (45 games - 1968) and Ralph Kiner (48 games - 1945-50)...Five career grand slams tied for eighth most in club history (since 1961) and the most in a single season...Five career grand slams in 66 career games is the fewest in MLB history...The only other player in AL/NL to hit five slams before their 150th career game was Rudy York (139)...Drew career-high three walks on Sept. 15 at Chicago-AL...Left game on Sept. 19 at Cincinnati after experiencing pain in his left hamstring during an at-bat...Placed on 10-day IL three days later with a left hamstring strain...It was classified as a Grade 1+ so the Twins shut him down for the remainder of the regular season in hopes to preserve health for playoffs...Named American League Rookie of the Month for Sept. after hitting .313 (21-for-67) with two doubles, six home runs, 23 RBI, 11 walks, 15 runs scored and a 1.022 OPS in 18 games...Spent the final week of the season taking live BP with other players rehabbing from injuries to be ready for postseason...Played 49 games (48 starts) at third base and one game (zero starts) at shortstop on season...Led Twins in games played at third base despite playing just 58 games on season...Led the Twins in three-hit games with 10, despite playing in 58 games on season...Hit .371 (39-for-105) with a 1.041 OPS in 27 away games, compared to .250 (28-foor-112) with an .808 OPS in 31 home games...Hit .517 (15-for-29) in 0-0 counts with a 1.379 OPS...Hit .500 (10-for-20) with a 1.880 OPS after a 2-0 count...Hit .314 (16-for-51) with a .787 OPS vs. left-handed pitching, compared to a .307 (51-for-166) average with a .962 OPS vs. right-handed pitching...Hit .297 (19-for-64) with an .805 OPS after the sixth inning and .361 (13-for-36) with an .897 OPS in close and late situations...Hit .385 (25-for-65) with runners in scoring position and .357 (10-for-28) with RISP and two-outs...Hit .545 (6-for-11) with bases loaded, second highest in Twins history (minimum of 10 at-bats)...Led all AL rookies with a minimum of 225 plate appearances in OPS (.921), batting average (.309), slugging percentage (.548), at-bats-per-home run (14.47), at-bats-per-RBI (4.17), wOBA (.395), runs created-per-27 (8.56) and OPS+ (152.0), second in on-base percentage (.372) and sixth in WAR (2.9)...Finished first all-time among Twins rookies (minimum of 225 plate appearance) in OPS, OPS+ and RC/27, second in slugging percentage, sixth in batting average and 10th in on-base percentage...Made postseason debut in Game 1 of ALWCS vs. Toronto on Oct. 3 at Target Field...Homered in first two plate appearances, the first being a two-run shot in the first inning and second being a solo shot in the third inning, both off Kevin Gausman...Became third player in baseball history to homer in each of his first two postseason plate appearances (credit Elias Sports Bureau), joining Minnesota’s Gary Gaetti, who homered his first two against Doyle Alexander in Game 1 of the 1987 ALCS vs. Detroit, and Tampa Bay’s Evan Longoria, who homered in his first two against Javier Vázquez in Game 1 of the 2008 ALDS vs. Chicago-AL...Additionally, Lewis became the sixth player in Twins/Senators franchise (fifth Twin) to homer in first career plate appearance, joining Brian Dozier (2017 at NYY), Eddie Rosario (2017 at NYY), Gaetti, Don Mincher (1965 vs. LAD) and Joe Harris (1925 at PIT)...the three runs driven in were all three runs in the 3-1 Twins victory, which helped snap an MLB-record 18-game playoff losing streak...Appeared in all four games of the ALDS vs. Houston, going 3-for-16 (.188) with two home runs, two RBI and two walks...Hit his fourth postseason homer in the first inning of Game 4 at Target Field, off José Urquidy...Tied Greg Gagne for second on the Twins all-time postseason home run list (Kirby Puckett - 5)...Recipient of the Bill Boni Award as Twins Most Outstanding Rookie, the award voted on by the Twin Cities chapter of the BBWAA...Named to MLB.com Pipeline’s All-Rookie Second Team.
2022
Was in Twins Spring Training and optioned to Triple-A on St. Paul March 26...Played in 24 games for the Saints from April 5-May 5, hitting .310 (27-for-87) with a .430 on-base percentage, a .563 slugging percentage and a .993 OPS, and was recalled by Minnesota on May 6...Made Major League debut May 6 vs. Oakland, batting seventh and playing shortstop...went 1-for-4 and recorded first major league hit, a single to right field off Kirby Snead...Recorded first extra-base hit in second game May 7 vs. Oakland, a double off A.J. Puk...Hit first career home run May 13 vs. Cleveland, a fifth-inning grand slam off Bryan Shaw...became the second player in Twins history (1961-present) to hit a grand slam for his first career home run (also Danny Valencia on July 26, 2010 at Kansas City)…marked the 30th instance of a Twins rookie hitting a grand slam and first since Ryan Jeffers on July 28, 2021 vs. Detroit...Optioned to St. Paul on May 18 (Carlos Correa reinstated from IL) and played in 10 games for the Saints before being recalled again May 29 (Jose Miranda optioned)…Started in center field May 29 vs. Kansas City...made a catch on a fly ball on the warning track in the third inning off the bat of Emmanuel Rivera and came up limping...Placed on 10-day Injured List May 30 with a right knee bone bruise...further testing showed that Lewis needed surgery on his ACL again... underwent ACL reconstructive surgery June 21 in Dallas, TX...Combined to hit .310 (53-for-171) with 16 doubles, one triple, seven home runs, 19 RBI, 34 runs scored, a .387 on-base percentage, a .538 slugging percentage and a .925 OPS in 46 games between Minnesota and St. Paul...Ranked as Twins second-best prospect in organization by MLB.com after the season, trailing Brooks Lee...Named top prospect in Twins organization, fastest baserunner, best athlete and best infield arm by Baseball America, entering 2023...Named No. 2 prospect in Twins organization entering 2023, per MLB.com.
2021
Missed entire season after suffering a torn right ACL, an injury he suffered while slipping on the ice during a winter storm at his Frisco, TX home...had surgery at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN on February 26...Added to Twins 40-man roster on November 19...Ranked second-best prospect, fastest baserunner and best athlete in Twins system by Baseball America, entering 2022...Ranked 46th-best prospect in baseball by MLB.com, entering 2022 and first in Twins system.
2020
Was an invite to Twins spring training...Added to 60-man Player Pool and spent season at alternate training site in St. Paul, MN...Ranked second best prospect, best athlete, best defensive infielder and fastest baserunner in Twins system by Baseball America (23rd overall prospect in baseball)...also ranked Twins number one prospect by MLB.com (7th in baseball).
2019
Entered season ranked as fifth best prospect in baseball by MLB.com, eighth best by Baseball Prospectus and ninth best by Baseball America...began third professional season with Single-A Ft. Myers...named Twins minor league Player of the Week July 14, hitting .353 (6-for-17) with two walks, two home runs and three RBI for the Miracle...named Florida State League Midseason All-Star with Ft. Myers...played for AL Team in the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game at Cleveland’s Progressive Field, going 1-for-2 and finishing the game at shortstop...promoted to Double-A Pensacola July 28, where he finished the season...combined to hit .236 (122-for-517) with 26 doubles, four triples, 12 home runs, 49 RBI, 73 runs scored, 38 walks and 22 stolen bases in 127 games between Ft. Myers and Pensacola...hit .315 (39-for-124) vs. left-handed pitching and .211 (83-for-393) vs. right-handed pitching...hit .400 (8-for-20) with two doubles, one home run, three RBI, three walks and a 1.128 OPS in five playoff games for the Blue Wahoos...played in 22 games for Salt River in the Arizona Fall League, hitting .353 (30-for-85) with nine doubles, three home runs, 20 RBI, nine walks, 21 runs scored and a .975 OPS...named Hitter of the Week once...named AFL Player of the Week October 13, AFL Most Valuable Player, AFL Rising Stars Team and Rising Stars MVP...named shortstop on Twins MiLB.com organization All-Star team...named top prospect, best hitter for power, fastest baserunner and best athlete in Twins minor league system by Baseball America following season.
2018
Began season with Single-A Cedar Rapids...named Twins minor league Player of the Week April 28, hitting .348 (8-for-23) with six RBI, three stolen bases and four runs scored in five games for the Kernels...hit first professional grand slam June 5 vs. Beloit...hit .330 (30-for-91) with 10 doubles, five home runs, 22 RBI and 20 runs scored in 23 June games for the Kernels...reached base safely in 18 straight games June 12-July 5, posting a .476 on-base percentage in that span...named Midwest League Midseason All-Star...promoted to Single-A Ft. Myers July 14... named Twins minor league Player of the Week August 11, hitting .345 (10-for-29) with one triple, two home runs, six RBI, five walks and seven runs scored in seven games for the Miracle...recorded two multi-homer games: May 27 vs. Clinton with Cedar Rapids and August 6 at Lakeland with Ft. Myers...combined to hit .292 (141-for-483) with 29 doubles, three triples, 14 home runs, 74 RBI, 83 runs scored, 43 walks and a .352 onbase percentage in 121 games between Cedar Rapids and Ft. Myers...hit .307 (116-for-378) vs. right-handed pitching and .238 (25-for-105) vs. left-handed pitching...named Low Class-A All-Star by Baseball America...named Midwest League Postseason All-Star...named to Twins MiLB.com organization All-Star team...named Midwest League Prospect of the Year...ranked top prospect in Twins system by Baseball America entering 2019.
2017
Began professional career with the GCL Twins...had multiple hits in four of his first six games...hit home run in his first career plate appearance...promoted to Single-A Cedar Rapids August 12...collected four hits in his first game with Kernels...following season named a Rookie All-Star by Baseball America...finished season with second most runs (38) and fifth most stolen bases (15) in GCL...ranked top prospect in Twins system by Baseball America entering 2018; also among all of major/minor league baseball ranked 24th best by Baseball America, 20th by MLB. com and 27th by Baseball Prospectus.
