Margot is a member of the Dodgers, but he last played for the Tampa Bay Rays in October. As part of the Tyler Glasnow trade, he was dealt to Los Angeles, thus this is the closest Minnesota will go to acquiring a front-line starter.
It’s hardly the most spectacular move in the world, but it improves the team’s depth situation in several ways and doesn’t come at a very high cost. In order to acquire prospect Rayne Doncon, Minnesota must forfeit Noah Miller, the previous No. 36 overall pick.
The cost appears to be significantly higher than it actually is. Miller was the team’s No. 23 overall prospect in the MLB Pipeline rankings from the previous year. He was a first round comp choice in 2021. He may have a bright future, but it’s unlikely to be in Minnesota, where the Twins are gearing up to deal with an infield talent glut.
Miller is scheduled to make his debut in 2025, but by then the Twins will have added Brooks Lee to their MLB roster, and players like Carlos Correa, Austin Martin, Edouard Julien, and Royce Lewis will all need to find a spot in the starting order.
This spring, Martin can play shortstop, and Lee is being looked at there as well. In addition, Miller may have more difficulties in 2025 if the Twins decide to bring back Kyle Farmer.
More urgent issues are resolved by adding Margot than by anything Miller could accomplish in the future. He and Byron Buxton will platoon out in center, effectively ruling out a reunion with Michael A. Taylor. Martin is another player to watch with this deal. He is likely to compete for a position on the Opening Day roster, but Margot, who not only fills the role Martin would, needs a spot on the 26-man roster.
