Royce Lewis Bio
Royce Oliver Lewis is an American professional baseball third baseman for the Minnesota Twins of Major League Baseball (MLB). Born on June 5, 1999, Lewis first rose to national attention as the top overall pick in the 2017 MLB draft and has since developed into one of the most talked-about young position players in the American League. He plays a middle-infield and corner-infield profile and is recognized for his power, on-base skills, and ability to deliver in high-leverage moments.
Lewis made his MLB debut in 2022 and quickly emerged as a key piece of the Twins lineup when healthy. Across his brief major league tenure he has produced several memorable postseason moments and has set franchise records related to grand slams, signaling his reputation as a clutch run producer.
Early Life and Background
Lewis attended JSerra Catholic High School in San Juan Capistrano, California, where he developed into one of the most decorated amateur baseball players in the country. During his junior season he earned Los Angeles Times high school baseball player of the year honors after batting .429 with four home runs, drawing attention from major league scouts and collegiate programs alike.
As a senior he batted .377 with four home runs and 25 stolen bases and was named California’s Baseball Gatorade Player of the Year. In summer 2016 he played in the Under Armour All-American Game at Wrigley Field and the Perfect Game All-American Classic at Petco Park, taking MVP honors in both events. He played mostly third base and outfield his first three years of high school before moving to shortstop for his senior year.
Path to Baseball
Lewis was considered one of the top prospects for the 2017 MLB draft. He had committed to the University of California, Irvine to play college baseball, but his strong amateur resume led the Minnesota Twins to select him with the first overall pick in the 2017 draft. The Twins announced his signing on June 17, 2017, and Lewis made his professional debut with the Gulf Coast League Twins of the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League on June 26.
Lewis finished 2017 with a combined .279 batting average, four home runs, 27 RBIs, and 18 stolen bases in 54 games between the Gulf Coast League Twins and the Cedar Rapids Kernels of the Single-A Midwest League. His rapid promotion from rookie ball to Single-A confirmed the Twins’ belief in his ceiling as a future middle-of-the-order bat and everyday infielder.
Royce Lewis Career
Early Career (2017–2019)
Lewis began the 2018 season with Cedar Rapids and quickly established himself as one of the Midwest League’s best young hitters. In 75 games he batted .315 with nine home runs and 53 RBIs, scored 50 runs, and stole 22 bases. On July 14, 2018, he was promoted to the Fort Myers Miracle of the High-A Florida State League, where he finished his stint batting .255 with five home runs and 21 RBIs in 46 games. Following the 2018 season, he was named to the Midwest League postseason all-star team and was selected as the Midwest League MVP.
The Twins invited Lewis to spring training as a non-roster player in 2019, and he returned to Fort Myers to begin the year. He was named to the 2019 All-Star Futures Game and was promoted in July to the Pensacola Blue Wahoos of the Double-A Southern League. Over 127 games between the two clubs he slashed .236/.290/.371 with 12 home runs, 49 RBIs, and 22 stolen bases. After the season he was selected to play in the Arizona Fall League for the Salt River Rafters and was named the 2019 Arizona Fall League MVP.
Minnesota Twins Breakthrough (2021–2023)
On February 24, 2021, Lewis was diagnosed with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee and underwent surgery on February 26, requiring nine months of recovery and forcing him to miss the entire 2021 season. He returned to action in 2022 and made his MLB debut for the Twins on May 6, 2022. On May 13 he hit his first career home run, a grand slam off Cleveland Guardians reliever Bryan Shaw, becoming the second player in Twins history to hit a grand slam for his first career home run, joining Danny Valencia. In 12 games Lewis batted .300/.317/.550 with two home runs and five RBI before re-tearing the ACL in his right knee on May 29, which led to season-ending surgery.
Lewis was activated from the injured list on May 29, 2023, and made his season debut as the starting third baseman. On August 27, with the Twins down five runs to the Texas Rangers, Lewis launched a grand slam that ignited a comeback and led Minnesota to a 7-6 victory. The next day he hit another grand slam in a 10-6 win over the Cleveland Guardians, becoming the first Twins player to hit grand slams in consecutive games. It marked the third grand slam of his career, achieved in his 50th career game. On September 4 he tied the Twins franchise record with his third grand slam of the season, and on September 15 his fourth grand slam of 2023 set a new franchise record. He ended the regular season slashing .313/.410/.612 with six home runs and 23 RBIs in 18 games and was named AL Rookie of the Month.
In the 2023 postseason, Lewis was activated for Game 1 of the AL Wild Card Series and homered in each of his first two at bats. He later hit his fourth home run of the postseason in Game 4 of the 2023 ALDS, tying Kirby Puckett for the most home runs in a single postseason for the Twins.
Minnesota Twins Era (2024–Present)
On Opening Day of the 2024 season Lewis strained a quadriceps and was placed on the injured list on March 30. The injury interrupted his momentum following a historic 2023 campaign but did not change his standing as a centerpiece of the Twins’ long-term plans. Lewis remains a key middle-of-the-order bat and everyday third baseman when healthy, with the Twins counting on his power and on-base skills to anchor their American League contention.
Notable Events and Milestones
Lewis owns the Minnesota Twins franchise record for grand slams in a single season, set at four in 2023, and his two grand slams in consecutive games marked another franchise first. His four postseason home runs in 2023 tied Kirby Puckett’s club record for a single postseason, cementing his reputation for delivering in October.
Royce Lewis Career Wins
Lewis has collected notable wins and individual accolades across every level of professional baseball, from Rookie ball to the major leagues. Below is a summary of his verified highlights by series.
Minor League Highlights
Lewis was named the Midwest League MVP following the 2018 season and was selected to the Midwest League postseason all-star team. He was also a 2019 All-Star Futures Game participant and was named the 2019 Arizona Fall League MVP after suiting up for the Salt River Rafters.
MLB Highlights
Lewis hit two grand slams in consecutive games in August 2023, setting a franchise first, and went on to hit four grand slams that September to set a new Twins single-season record. He was named AL Rookie of the Month in 2023 and tied Kirby Puckett’s franchise record with four postseason home runs that year.
Royce Lewis Family
Family Background and Personal Life
Detailed information about Royce Lewis’s parents, siblings, spouse, and children is not publicly verified in available sources. He is known to have grown up in Southern California and attended JSerra Catholic High School in San Juan Capistrano, where his family supported his baseball development.
2025 Season Outlook
Royce Lewis enters the 2025 season as a cornerstone of the Minnesota Twins lineup and one of the most scrutinized young hitters in the American League. After a 2024 campaign interrupted by a quadriceps strain, the Twins are expected to rely on his power bat at third base and his track record of producing in high-leverage spots.
If Lewis can stay on the field, he has a chance to build on his 2023 franchise record for grand slams in a season and continue climbing the Twins’ all-time postseason home run leaderboard. His combination of patience at the plate, raw power, and comfort in big moments makes him a focal point of Minnesota’s lineup and a candidate to anchor the team’s push through the American League.