Minnesota Twins Secure No. 3 Overall Pick In 2026 MLB Draft

If you are going to endure a season of baseball that makes you want to hide your remote control to prevent it from flying through the television screen, you at least expect a golden ticket at the end of the misery. That is the unspoken contract between a rebuilding team and its fanbase. You suffer through the losses, you watch the bullpen implode, and in exchange, you get the shiny new prospect that promises to lead you to the promised land.

For the Minnesota Twins, that contract was partially fulfilled at the Winter Meetings in Orlando. They didn’t get the golden ticket, the No. 1 overall pick, but they certainly didn’t leave empty-handed. After the lottery balls stopped bouncing, the Twins found themselves sitting with the third overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft.

It isn’t the top spot, sure. But considering the franchise hasn’t picked this high since 2017, it is time to start looking at glass-half-full scenarios.

How the Lottery Drama Unfolded

Let’s be honest, the MLB Draft Lottery has added a layer of game-show anxiety to the offseason that we didn’t know we needed. Heading into the event, the Twins actually sat in the catbird seat with the second-best odds to land the No. 1 overall pick. Thanks to the Nationals and Rockies being ineligible for the lottery, Minnesota had a legitimate shot at the crown.

But, in a rare twist of fate for the South Siders, the Chicago White Sox actually won something. Chicago grabbed the top spot—their first time picking first in nearly 50 years—leaving the Tampa Bay Rays to scoop up second.

Technically, Minnesota “fell” a spot from their pre-lottery odds. But let’s not get too greedy. “Three is a good outcome,” Twins President of Baseball Operations Derek Falvey said, “We’d love to have the first pick. Ultimately, to pick in the top three is a really exciting opportunity for the organization.”

Who Could Be the Next Twins Star?

So, who are we looking at? It is early, but names are already flying. MLB Pipeline currently links the Twins to Justin Lebron, a prep infielder from Alabama who has been tearing it up. But the internet GMs over at Twins Daily are already debating the merits of Kentucky Shortstop Tyler Bell or Georgia Tech Outfielder Drew Burress. There is also a distinct lack of high-end pitching in the system, leading some to clamor for a college ace like Liam Peterson or Cam Flukey.

The beauty of the No. 3 pick is that you are guaranteed an elite talent. The terror of the No. 3 pick is that if you miss, everyone remembers.

A History Of High Stakes

If you are looking for a reason to be optimistic, look at the history books. The Twins don’t visit the top three often, but when they do, it usually alters the franchise’s trajectory.

The last time they picked this high? That was 2017, when they took Royce Lewis at No. 1. When he is healthy, he is an MVP-caliber talent. Go back to 2012, and they snagged Byron Buxton at No. 2. And, of course, the gold standard: 2001, when a local kid named Joe Mauer went No. 1 overall and punched his ticket to Cooperstown. For now, the losing is over. The lottery is done. The Twins have their ticket. Now they just have to pick the right ride.