Shortstop Royce Lewis has a torn ACL in his right knee and will miss the 2021 season, the Minnesota Twins announced Wednesday.
The 21-year-old is the top prospect in the Twins organization and was the No. 1 pick in the 2017 MLB Draft.
He is scheduled to have reconstructive surgery on Friday in Minneapolis and will miss nine to 12 months, said Derek Falvey, the team’s president of baseball operations.
Lewis reported feeling soreness in his knee when he got to camp in Fort Myers, Fla., and an MRI revealed the damage.
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With the 2020 minor-league season wiped out because of the pandemic, that means Lewis will go at least two seasons without playing a game.
He closed the 2019 season at the Double-A level. In 302 minor-league games, he has a .266 average with 30 homers and 150 RBIs.
Andrelton Simmons is expected to play shortstop for the Twins this season.
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“He’s Royce,” Falvey said of Lewis. “He’s got a smile on his face. He knows he’s going to have a rehab year ahead, knows he’s going to have to put in a lot of work, but he’s prepared and ready to do that.”
–Field Level Media