Forgotten Twins first-round pick finally breaking out, reaches Triple-A

A former Twins first-round pick who was written off as a prospect after years of struggles in the minor leagues has finally seemed to turned a corner in 2025, recently reaching the Triple-A level for the first time. First baseman Aaron Sabato, the No. 27 overall pick in 2020, was promoted to the St. Paul Saints on Friday after raking for Double-A Wichita to start the season.

Sabato, who recently turned 26, was the Twins' top pick five years ago. He had hit 25 home runs and posted a 1.158 OPS in 83 games at North Carolina between his freshman season and the COVID-shortened 2020 campaign. Drafted in between current big leaguers Tyler Soderstrom and Austin Wells, Sabato's powerful righty bat was supposed to carry him to the big leagues within a few years.

Things didn't go to plan once he began his professional career. Sabato hit just .202 in 2021, though he did have 19 home runs and a .783 OPS. 2022 was more of the same, as he hit .215 with 22 homers and a .774 OPS, reaching Double-A for the first time. Sabato hit .221 for Wichita in 2023, and by that time, he was no longer considered a prospect of any sort. Things bottomed out for him last year, as he hit .199 with just a .645 OPS across 90 games. Coming into this year, Sabato's professional career appeared to be in some jeopardy.

But for whatever reason, something clicked for him this year. Sabato hit .305 with nine homers and a .973 OPS in 39 games for Wichita before earning the promotion to St. Paul. He batted eighth in his Saints debut on Friday night and went 1 for 5.