The Twins sound serious about moving Royce Lewis to second base next season, with manager Rocco Baldelli telling reporters at the Winter Meetings in Dallas on Tuesday that if the team makes that decision, Lewis will know by the time spring training begins in February.

The team’s regular third baseman when healthy, Lewis played a couple of games at second late last season, and Twins personnel chief Derek Falvey said Monday the team is talking with Lewis and his agent about the possibility, adding that a “final final” decision “isn’t there.”

But a day after having lunch with Lewis and outfielder Trevor Larnach in Dallas, Baldelli spoke extensively about the prospect.

“Royce actually said he has been taking balls on both sides of second base,” the manager said. “So … it tells you a little bit about where his head is. He’s like, ‘Yeah, I’ve been getting some work done at second just in case, just in case.’ We’ll make that decision when we see what our roster overall is going to look like.”

The Twins have a surfeit of talented young infielders who, if they’re going to reach their potential, need to play regularly. That includes Lewis and Jose Miranda, who have been playing third base, and middle infielders Brooks Lee and Eduoard Julien.

With Carlos Correa ensconced at short, and Willi Castro above average at the middle spots, finding playing time for the young guys is difficult — at least when Correa is healthy. If the Twins sign a veteran first baseman, that becomes even more difficult.

Carlos Santana’s one-year deal ran out at season’s end. Although Baldelli didn’t close the door on the Twins re-signing the veteran first baseman — who won a Gold Glove at first last season — it’s likely he would want a raise on the $5.25 million he made last season.

He also turns 39 on April 8.

Miranda, a righty, and Julien, a lefty, are the top in-house candidates to fill that spot, and Baldelli said Tuesday if the Twins decide to do that, “Then we have to just dive in head first and do it and get the job done.”

“Both of those guys have work to do on the defensive side of the ball over at first base, but that’s what the offseason and that’s what spring training is for,” the manager added. Moving Miranda to first could make Lewis the full-time third baseman, but it also could open a slot for Lee.

Lee, 23, made his major league debut last season and was one of the team’s best infielders while playing everywhere in the infield except first.

“He’s a fairly ready-made young player defensively,” Baldelli said.

After losing 27 of their last 39 games last season and missing the postseason, the Twins are eager to get back to the playoffs — they won the American League Central the previous two seasons — but also won’t have any payroll to work with than the $130 million ownership spent last season. The Pohland family, in fact, announced this fall that it is trying to sell the team.

All that considered, it would be a good time for the Twins’ prospects to prove they can be reliable, full-time major leaguers.

“Something you’re going to hear me say a fair amount going into spring training, and then into the season, is we have some young players that are going to have to step into roles, get themselves ready, and be ready to produce and help us win games,” Baldelli said. “It’s not just about them establishing themselves and trying to do a good job. No, no, we need them. We need them to get ready to play.”

Lewis was drafted as a shortstop and moved to third to make way for Correa. Moving him again would give Lee — the eighth overall puck in the 2022 amateur draft — a chance to earn the third base job, or, if the team acquires a first baseman, give Miranda and his potent bat a regular spot in the lineup.

The also have to be concerned about putting too much on his plate right now. After starting his career as a solid .300 hitter with rare power, Lewis slumped hard in August and September — and was openly wary about playing second base early last fall.

Listing to Baldelli, that seems to have changed.

“It’s hard to say anything about where Royce will ultimately fall,” Baldelli said. “I’d like to figure that out sooner than later, and I’m sure he would, too. But at this point in the offseason, we probably can’t answer that question quite yet. He can do it. He can do it.”

This is a 2024 photo of Royce Lewis of the Minnesota Twins baseball team. This image reflects the Twins active roster as of Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024 when this image was taken. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

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