Padres’ perfect trade offer for Twins’ Joe Ryan

The Twins are in a full rebuild. After selling off key pieces at the 2025 trade deadline, Minnesota has been transparent about prioritizing the future over the present. Ryan almost certainly won’t re-sign in Minnesota long term, making his two remaining years of control a valuable asset the Twins should monetize now rather than let expire.

While Minnesota closed the door on meaningful trade talks before the 2026 season, the calculus shifts dramatically once a rebuilding team falls out of contention mid-season. The Twins currently sit beneath .500, and if that trend continues into July, GM Thad Levine will likely revisit Ryan’s trade market with fresh eyes.

For Minnesota, the ideal return is a mix of ready-now minor-league talent and premium young prospects with upside. The Padres’ farm system, while depleted at the top after years of aggressive trades, still has enough intriguing pieces to put together a compelling package. And that is exactly where the perfect offer comes into play.

The Perfect Trade Offer

The Padres should present the following package to Minnesota:

Braedon Karpathios (OF, Double-A): A left-handed hitting outfielder who broke out in 2025 with a .249/.357/.413 line between High-A and Double-A, posting a career-best 15 home runs. His 90th percentile exit velocity of 105.8 mph and a 19% chase rate make him one of the better contact-power combos in the Padres’ system. His bat profiles as a future MLB regular.

Garrett Hawkins (RHP, Triple-A): The Padres’ 2025 organizational Minor League Pitcher of the Year, Hawkins dominated across two levels with a 1.50 ERA, 0.85 WHIP, and 80 strikeouts across 60 innings. The 6-foot-5 right-hander sits mid-90s with exceptional ride on his four-seamer and is already on San Diego’s 40-man roster, meaning he could contribute to Minnesota’s bullpen as early as September 2026.

Joniel Hernandez (SS, international signee): The crown jewel of San Diego’s 2026 international signing class, the Cuban shortstop signed for $1.4 million, the highest bonus the Padres handed out in the class. Ranked No. 13 on MLB Pipeline’s international Top 50, Hernandez is a potential five-tool talent with plus bat speed, above-average power projection, and a 6.3-second 60-yard dash. He is the kind of high-upside lottery ticket that rebuilding organizations covet.

Why This Works for San Diego

Giving up three prospects of this caliber is not a small ask, but acquiring two full years of a legitimate frontline starter at $6.1 million annually is the kind of deal that can flip a franchise’s trajectory. The Padres are a World Series contender when healthy and whole, their window is not closing, it is wide open. Ryan would slot in as a true No. 3 starter behind Pivetta and King, giving San Diego the rotation depth it desperately lacks heading into the second half.

Karpathios, Hawkins, and Hernandez are talented pieces, but none of them move the needle the way a polished, All-Star-level starter does for a team trying to win right now. For a Padres organization that knows how to make bold moves, this is exactly the kind of calculated bet that separates good teams from championship-caliber ones.