Inside The Twins

Experts say 2025 is a 'make-or-break' season for once highly-touted Twins prospect

Diego Cartaya has big-time power but he's struggled to make a lot of contact in the upper levels of the minors.

Joe Nelson

Feb 18, 2025; Lee County, FL, USA; Minnesota Twins catchers during the teamís spring training at the Lee Health Sports Complex . Credit: Chris Tilley-Imagn Images
Feb 18, 2025; Lee County, FL, USA; Minnesota Twins catchers during the teamís spring training at the Lee Health Sports Complex . Credit: Chris Tilley-Imagn Images / Chris Tilley-Imagn Images
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Imagine being 23 years old and having to read about how the baseball season ahead of you is a "make-or-break" campaign that could set you up for the ultimate success or send you spiraling down a dark road.

So it goes for Diego Cartaya, the young catching prospect the Minnesota Twins acquired in trade after he was dumped by the Los Angeles Dodgers. On Friday, Cartaya was included on Baseball America's list of 30 prospects facing a fork in the road in 2025.

"Can a clearer path to playing time and a fresh start in a new organization reignite Cartaya?" Baseball America's summary of the former top-25 MLB prospect began.

"The 23-year-old catcher ranked as the top prospect in the Dodgers’ system in both 2022 and 2023, but he has yet to hit for much impact in the upper minors since then, and the Dodgers designated him for assignment this winter."

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In 95 games with the Dodgers' Double-A and Triple-A affiliates last season, Cartaya slashed .221/.323/.363 with 11 homers, 16 doubles and 52 RBIs. In 2023 at Double-A, he batted just .189 but 19 of his 51 hits were homers. Clearly, he has a big bat when he makes contact.

"Cartaya’s ample power potential and solid plate discipline often gets negated by a lengthier swing that scouts worry has slowed down a tick as he’s gotten older. Cartaya’s defense is also a bit of a lightning rod, even if the Dodgers internally felt he made strides in 2024," the Baseball America report reads.

"The Twins don’t have much organizational catching depth and Christian Vazquez likely isn’t in their plans for much longer. There’s a runway for Cartaya to rebuild his stock if he can regain some explosiveness, but he has just one minor league option left. The clock’s ticking."

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Joe Nelson
JOE NELSON

Joe Nelson has more than 20 years of experience in Minnesota sports journalism. Nelson began his career in sports radio, working at smaller stations in Marshall and St. Cloud before moving to the highly-rated KFAN-FM 100.3 in the Twin Cities. While there, he produced the popular mid-morning show hosted by Minnesota Vikings play-by-play announcer Paul Allen. His time in radio laid the groundwork for his transition to sports writing in 2011. He covers the Vikings, Timberwolves, Gophers and Twins for On SI.

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