Nick Gordon finally made his MLB debut last season with the Minnesota Twins, but what will his role look like next season?

The Twins drafted Gordon in the first round of the 2014 MLB Draft. For a player who was selected fifth overall, it took him a lot longer than normal to reach the big leagues. That was partially due to his inconsistency and injuries.

Gordon’s batting splits in the minors were .276/.329/.387. Not great, especially when you consider his inability to hit for power. If he’s not swinging for the fences, you’d ideally like to see his batting average and on-base percentage a little higher.

One other question mark about Gordon’s game is his longevity defensively. He’s not a long-term option at shortstop, but you can plug him in if need be. His natural position is at second, but Jorge Polanco is too valuable to move.

With all the injuries the Twins faced last season, they did find out that Gordon can provide value and depth in centerfield.

That’s already three positions he can play. It kind of sounds like he has a lot of defensive versatility.

Bingo.

Minnesota should use Gordon as a utility player as much as possible. One way to prevent injuries is to give players the night off. So, not only will he be helping the long-term success of the organization, but he’s also getting at-bats.

While he mainly played short, second and center, Gordon did play third, left and right field. If worse comes to worst, he can play almost anywhere you plug him in. There will be some minor headaches because he’s not a good defender, but he can certainly hold his own.

Minnesota just needs him to improve at the plate. Last season he hit .240 (216 plate appearances), with four home runs and 23 runs batted in. However, when he is hitting and getting on base, Gordon provides a spark that’s contagious for the entire clubhouse.

There’s something about him that makes you want to root for the guy.

He’s hungry, versatile and provides energy. That’s the trifecta that will allow him to have a successful major league career.