The Minnesota Twins have announced that they are sending former 2017 first overall pick Royce Lewis to AAA. Minnesota likely made the decision because of his poor performance in 2026 .

Royce Lewis is hitting .163 with 3 home runs and 13 runs batted in. The struggles are due to Royce Lewis making major changes to his hitting approach, aiming to make contact with the baseball later in his swing.

Swing Changes

In his first 31 appearances, Lewis stands 26.1 inches deep in the box and 28.5 inches off the plate, both career highs. He has also adjusted his stance angle to three degrees close, a dramatic shift from the previous three seasons, when he had a six-degree open stance from 2023 to 2025. 

Lewis vs Brewers

These changes lead him to perceive the baseball as farther away, prompting him to wait longer before swinging. This was evident against the Milwaukee Brewers on May 16, 2026.

He faced Logan Henderson in the bottom of the second inning and had a count of one ball and two strikes. Logan chose to throw a four-seam fastball. When Logan started his windup motion, Lewis took a small step forward with his left foot. 

He waited until Logan Henderson was about to release the baseball before starting his leg kick. Lewis then raised his left leg above his knee, brought it back down to the ground, began opening his hips, and brought the bat into the strike zone.

Unfortunately, he started to swing when the baseball was less than a foot from the plate. His swing was late, resulting in a strikeout.

Lewis vs Reds

Before 2026, his process differed. On September 18, 2023, against Connor Phillips of the Reds, Royce waited until Phillips was ready to release the ball, then began his leg kick and opened his hips as his left foot hit the ground.

By starting earlier, Royce got the bat into the strike zone sooner, which contributed to his home run to center field.

Now, he makes contact 4.7 inches in front of the plate, 11.3% closer to the plate than in his previous three seasons, when his average contact point was 5.3 inches in front from 2023 to 2025.

As a result, his swing and miss rate has increased from 27% during the 2023-2025 seasons to 37.6% in the first 31 games of 2026.

If Royce Lewis wants a quick return to the majors, he must revert to his old hitting style. In 2023, he stood 21.6 inches deep in the box and 28.1 inches off the plate. It contributed to his making contact 8.0 inches in front of a plate.

These factors helped him have his best offensive season, hitting a .309 average with 15 home runs and 52 runs batted in.