Who has the edge? Twins vs. Yankees projected batting orders

If the big, bad Yankees are expected to have one of the most dangerous lineups in the American League this season with Juan Soto and Aaron Judge cementing the top of the order, how does their projected batting order stack up against the Minnesota Twins, with whom they could go to battle on a regular basis?

This is the lineup FanGraphs expects the Yankees to use against right-handed pitchers, including their 2024 projections. 

This is the lineup FanGraphs expects the Twins to use against right-handed pitchers, including their 2024 projections.

Let's compare all nine spots in the order to see which team has the edge. 

Leadoff hitter: LaMahieu vs. Julien 

Edge: Twins

LaMahieu is a former batting champion and has the ability to put up big numbers, but he's four years removed from his best years and the trend isn't upward. Julien projects to out-produce him in on-base percentage and slugging so the edge goes to the Twins. 

Second hitter: Soto vs. Lewis

Edge: Yankees

We can't give the edge to Lewis simply because he hasn't done enough in the big leagues to warrant receiving the nod over one of the game's most dangerous hitters. That said, if Lewis stays healthy and plays like he did last season in limited action, Lewis has the ability to put up Soto-like numbers. 

Third hitter: Judge vs. Buxton

Edge: Yankees

Judge wins this one going away. Buxton, like Lewis, has the ability to post big numbers at the plate but he's never proved capable of being healthy enough to produce for a full season. 

Fourth hitter: Rizzo vs. Kepler

Edge: Tie

Veteran left-handed hitters who each have a knack for striking out a lot and going through hot stretches. Kepler is three years younger and if he produces in 2024 like he did during the second half of 2023 (.306/.377/.549 after the All-Star break) he'll be one of the better bats in the league. 

Fifth hitter: Torres vs. Correa

Edge: Twins

We'll take Correa by a hair in this matchup. Torres has put up back-to-back good seasons at the plate but Correa is bound for a resurgent 2024 after playing through a painful plantar fasciitis injury throughout 2023. 

Sixth hitter: Verdugo vs. Santana

Edge: Twins

The edge goes to Santana because of his versatility as a switch hitter. Plus, he has more power and a better eye than Verdugo, who will be experience the pressure of wearing pinstripes for the first time. 

Seventh hitter: Stanton vs. Wallner

Edge: Tie

Stanton and Wallner could wind up being pretty similar players. Both have tremendous power and both strike out a ton. Stanton is far removed from his MVP days and has posted two straight seasons with an OPS under .760. Wallner played 76 games last season and finished with an impressive .877 OPS. 

Eighth hitter: Volpe vs. Jeffers

Edge: Twins

Volpe is a great defensive player (Gold Glove in 2023 as a rookie) and he has power (21 homers), but he slashed .209/.283/.383, leaving plenty of room for improvement at the plate. Jeffers had 335 plate appearances compared to Volpe's 601 and the Twins catcher slashed an impressive .276/.369/.490 with 14 homers. Give Jeffers 500 at-bats and he'll far outweigh Volpe at the plate (if 2023 is any indication of things to come). 

Ninth hitter: Wells vs. Kirilloff

Edge: Twins

Wells has 19 games of MLB experience and he slugged four homers in that short sample size. He has potential but Kirilloff, if he can stay healthy, is the better hitter. 

Conclusion

The Twins have the edge in five spots in the batting order and there's a tie in two more. The only edges we can give the Yankees are for Soto and Judge. The scary part about the Twins is Lewis and Buxton. If they are healthy and produce at the level they're capable of, then the gap between Soto to Lewis and Judge to Buxton may not be all that large. 

If (and that's a big if) the Twins can stay healthy, they could have one of the most dangerous lineups in the league.