The Twins’ top prospect, Royce Lewis, will miss the entire season because of another ACL injury.

Minnesota’s Minneapolis For the second consecutive year, reconstructive ACL surgery on his right knee will be performed by Royce Lewis, the top prospect on the team and shortstop for the Minnesota Twins. This is another season-ending setback.

The Twins announced the news before their game against Tampa Bay on Friday night. Lewis’s operation is scheduled for later this month, and he will require a full year to recover.

In the third inning of the game on May 29, he made a tough catch that resulted in his injury during his first—and maybe only—appearance in center field.

Additional testing revealed a partial rupture of the same ligament that he had damaged during offseason training the year before and had repaired on February 26, 2021, after the swelling subsided. At first, the condition was thought to be a bone bruise.

Lewis said, It seemed absurd to me to try to play with a bad knee. I love my teammates, so I want to be out there as much as possible, but I don’t want to be out there worried about my knee halfway through.

I think it just makes more sense for me to manage it personally since we have guys who are really competent at all of these tasks.

The unwaveringly optimistic Lewis, the first overall pick in the amateur draft in 2017, acknowledged that this streak of bad luck has particularly demoralized him.

It’s just a break, just another setback, and to be honest, Lewis said, that will motivate me to work harder and maybe help other people and other hearts that are facing some challenges.

Life is what it is, really. People fall down all the time. People come back. merely heightens the majesty of the resurrection.

The 23-year-old made the audacious prediction that he would eventually reach his peak performance during the 2023 campaign.

I’m positive that I don’t dread the procedure. He said, “I think this was the first time.” If I had told you I wasn’t, I would have been lying to you. But I’ve subsequently experienced it. It seemed to be something I could definitely conquer.

The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 forced the cancellation of all minor league activity, prohibiting Lewis from taking part in any games. Just in time for him to be prepared for 2021, he sustained his first ACL tear.

Following Carlos Correa’s finger injury on May 6, Lewis was called up for his major league debut after fully recuperating from the lockout-related abbreviated spring training.

Following an incredible 11-game debut, Correa returned, while Lewis was sent back to Triple-A St.

To the dismay of both Twins fans and possibly his teammates, Paul was given consistent time at shortstop. It was his 39th at-bat.308, with two home runs, five RBIs, five runs scored, and four doubles.

Lewis was called up again eleven days later because they felt his bat was too good to pass up and they could use his skill elsewhere. But then he was hurt again.

helping the team to victory. whatever has to be completed. Firstly, I am a ball player. As a guy, I don’t take pride in my ability to play shortstop. said Lewis.

My goal is to play shortstop. I think I can do my best in that job going forward. That’s what I’ve said all along. Growing up, I was a huge fan of shortstops like Derek Jeter and Carlos Correa.

Therefore, if you were to ask me, honestly, what your position is, I would say, “shortstop.” However, I play baseball.

Lewis would have had more time to develop as a shortstop, and, shortly after, Correa would have missed seven additional games due to his placement on the COVID-19 list.

Manager Rocco Baldelli stated, “I would fully expect him to do it again right now, and I’m going to give him a lot of credit for what he just did,” without feeling guilty about starting Lewis in center field. Indeed, a whole year has elapsed.

Yes, it has been a while, and it’s one of those situations where it almost seems impossible that it will occur again. I do, however, fully expect him to come back and do what he did before.