Royce Lewis is the first baseman for the Minnesota Twins — a California kid born in 1999 who arrived in the big leagues in 2022 with plenty of hype and has been working to live up to it ever since. Injuries have slowed the timeline, but Lewis remains a legitimate offensive weapon: he can hit home runs, drive in runs, and steal bases, which is a rare combination at first base in today’s game.
Quick Facts
- Full name: Royce Lewis
- Position: First Base
- Team: Minnesota Twins
- Number: 23
- Bats / Throws: Right / Right
- Height / Weight: 6’0″ / 200 lb
- Born: June 5, 1999 — Aliso Viejo, California 🇺🇸
- MLB Debut: May 6, 2022
Background
Lewis grew up in Aliso Viejo, in Orange County, California — deep in Southern California’s sports culture. He developed steadily through the minors and built a reputation as one of Minnesota’s top prospects before making his big-league debut on May 6, 2022. He bats and throws right-handed, a profile that fits naturally at first base.
Professional Career
Lewis’s best season by OPS came in 2024, when he posted a .747 OPS with 16 home runs and 47 RBI in 40 runs scored — though he didn’t steal a single base that year. In 2025 he bounced back on the bases, swiping 12 bags while batting .237 with 13 HR and 52 RBI.
Through 2026, Lewis is hitting .231 with a .689 OPS, but he’s already at 14 home runs, 52 RBI, 48 runs scored, and 14 stolen bases. The average is a work in progress, but the all-around contribution is real. Hitting for power and stealing bases from first base is genuinely uncommon in the modern game, and Lewis does both.
Season-by-Season Stats
- 2026 — Minnesota Twins: .231 AVG | 14 HR | 52 RBI | 48 R | .689 OPS | 14 SB
- 2025 — Minnesota Twins: .237 AVG | 13 HR | 52 RBI | 36 R | .671 OPS | 12 SB
- 2024 — Minnesota Twins: .233 AVG | 16 HR | 47 RBI | 40 R | .747 OPS | 0 SB
Awards and Recognition
Lewis hasn’t won a Silver Slugger or earned MVP votes yet. His career is still being built, and his numbers haven’t pushed him into award conversations — but his role in Minnesota keeps him on analysts’ radar. The ceiling is there; the consistency is what he’s chasing.
Worth Knowing
For a power hitter, Lewis has had to reinvent himself repeatedly due to injuries that broke up his continuity in the big leagues. The fact that he’s contributing 14 stolen bases in 2026 alongside 14 home runs says something about his makeup. First basemen who can do both are a dying breed — and Lewis is one of the few still trying to be that guy.
