Royce Lewis Bio
Royce Oliver Lewis, born on June 5, 1999, is an American professional baseball third baseman for the Minnesota Twins of Major League Baseball (MLB). A highly regarded prospect from California, Lewis was selected first overall by the Twins in the 2017 MLB draft and debuted in the major leagues in 2022. He has emerged as a power-hitting infielder whose career has featured both major injuries and memorable postseason moments.
Early Life and Background
Royce Oliver Lewis grew up in Southern California and attended JSerra Catholic High School in San Juan Capistrano. As a junior, he earned recognition as the Los Angeles Times high school baseball player of the year after batting .429 with four home runs. During the summer of 2016, Lewis played in the Under Armour All-American Game at Wrigley Field and the Perfect Game All-American Classic at Petco Park, and he was named MVP of both events.
Lewis played primarily third base and outfield during his first three years at JSerra before moving to shortstop for his senior year. He committed to the University of California, Irvine to play college baseball and was considered one of the top prospects for the 2017 MLB draft. As a senior, he was named California’s Baseball Gatorade Player of the Year after batting .377 with four home runs and 25 stolen bases.
Path to Baseball
Lewis built his reputation as a polished all-around hitter with power and speed during his high school career. His MVP performances in two national all-american games cemented his status as the top amateur player in the country. The Minnesota Twins selected Royce Lewis with the first overall pick of the 2017 MLB draft, and the club announced his signing on June 17, 2017. He began his professional path in the rookie-level Gulf Coast League before a rapid promotion up the minor-league ladder.
Royce Lewis Career
Early Career (2017–2018)
Lewis made his professional debut with the Gulf Coast League Twins on June 26, 2017, and was promoted to the Cedar Rapids Kernels of the Single-A Midwest League on August 12. He finished his first professional season with a combined .279 batting average, four home runs, 27 RBIs, and 18 stolen bases across 54 games. In 2018, Lewis batted .315 with nine home runs and 53 RBIs for Cedar Rapids, scoring 50 runs and stealing 22 bases.
Lewis earned a midseason promotion to the Fort Myers Miracle of the High-A Florida State League on July 14, 2018. He closed his Florida State League stint with a .255 average, five home runs, and 21 RBIs in 46 games. Following the season, Lewis was named MVP of the Midwest League and selected to the Midwest League postseason all-star team alongside teammate Alex Kirilloff.
Prospect Peak (2019–2021)
Lewis entered 2019 as the fifth-best prospect in baseball according to MLB.com. He opened the year at Fort Myers, was named to the 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, Lewis slashed .236/.290/.371 with 12 home runs, 49 RBIs, and 22 stolen bases. He then played in the Arizona Fall League for the Salt River Rafters and was named the 2019 Arizona Fall League MVP.
Lewis did not appear in any games during the canceled 2020 minor-league season. In February 2021, he was diagnosed with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, requiring surgery and nine months of rehabilitation that caused him to miss the entire 2021 season. He was added to the Twins’ 40-man roster after the year.
Minnesota Twins Breakthrough (2022–2023)
Lewis made his MLB debut for the Twins on May 6, 2022. One week later, on May 13, he hit a grand slam off Cleveland reliever Bryan Shaw for his first career home run, becoming only the second Twins player to accomplish that feat. He appeared in 12 games before re-tearing the ACL in his right knee on May 29, 2022, and underwent season-ending surgery.
Lewis returned to action on May 29, 2023, and produced one of the most memorable stretches in franchise history. Between August and September 2023, he hit four grand slams, including blasts in consecutive games against the Texas Rangers and Cleveland Guardians, setting a new Twins franchise record. In 18 games that season, he slashed .313/.410/.612 with six home runs and 23 RBIs and was named American League Rookie of the Month.
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. After recovering, he returned to his role at third base for the Twins. Prior to the 2026 season, Lewis and the Twins agreed on a one-year, $2.85 million contract to avoid salary arbitration, signaling his continued presence in the team’s long-term plans. Through June 19, 2026, his major-league statistics included a .247 batting average, 53 home runs, and 177 RBIs.
Notable Events and Milestones
Lewis’s 2023 postseason performance stands out as a defining chapter of his young career. In the 2023 AL Wild Card Series, he homered in his first two at-bats upon activation, and in Game 4 of the 2023 ALDS, he hit his fourth home run of the postseason, tying Kirby Puckett for the most home runs in a single Twins postseason. Earlier in 2023, he had set a new franchise record with four grand slams in one regular season.
Royce Lewis Postseason Highlights
Royce Lewis quickly established himself as a clutch postseason performer for the Minnesota Twins. After being activated for Game 1 of the 2023 AL Wild Card Series, he homered in each of his first two at-bats. He continued his power display into the 2023 ALDS, hitting his fourth home run of that postseason in Game 4, a total that tied the Twins’ single-postseason record set by Kirby Puckett. His five home runs across the 2023 postseason remain among the most by a Twins player in a single playoff run.
Royce Lewis Family
Family Background and Personal Life
Public information about Royce Lewis’s parents, spouse, and children has not been widely reported in verified sources. He grew up in Southern California and attended JSerra Catholic High School in San Juan Capistrano, where he developed into one of the top amateur players in the country. Off the field, Lewis is known to focus on his rehabilitation work and training during the Major League Baseball offseason.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season represented a return to full strength for Royce Lewis, who looked to build on his 2023 grand-slam heroics after a quadriceps injury cut into his 2024 campaign. Working back into the Twins’ everyday lineup at third base, Lewis aimed to provide middle-of-the-order power and on-base skills. His role within the Twins organization remained central as the club continued to feature him as a core infielder.
Lewis entered the year motivated to stay healthy and contribute over a full season, a goal that had eluded him in previous years due to injuries. He was expected to anchor the left side of the Twins’ infield and serve as a run-producing presence in the middle of the batting order. With his prior postseason success providing a foundation, the 2025 campaign gave Lewis a chance to further cement his status as a fixture in Minnesota.
