Celestino, Beckham Sent to Minor-League Camp

[Seth Stohs]

We are just one week from Opening Day. The roster cuts continue as the Twins sent two more players to minor-league camp on Wednesday morning. 

The Twins announced this morning that outfielder Gilberto Celestino has been optioned to Triple-A St. Paul. In addition, utility man Tim Beckham was reassigned to minor-league spring training. 

The roster is now down to 36 players, eight above the 28-man Opening Day roster. There are still 20 pitchers (3 non-roster), three catchers (no non-roster), seven infielders (1 non-roster), and six outfielders (2 non-roster). 

With Celestino the day after Trevor Larnach, the team's Opening Day outfield appears to be coming into focus. The starters are likely to be Alex Kirilloff, Byron Buxton and Max Kepler with Brent Rooker and Nick Gordon coming off the bench. The two non-roster outfielders remaining on the spring roster are Jake Cave and Kyle Garlick. It's hard to imagine the team adding non-roster players for the 27th and 28th roster spots. Those will only be available for the first three weeks of the season. 

With Beckham sent down, the infield comes closer to the Opening Day roster. Miguel Sano, Jorge Polanco, Carlos Correa, Gio Urshela, Luis Arraez, with Nick Gordon being able to play around field too. The one non-roster infielder is Daniel Robertson. 

The Twins will have to drop five or six pitchers to get down to their 28-man Opening Day roster (depending on if they use 14 or 15 pitchers).  

PICK YOUR ROSTER

OK, just as a fun exercise, here are the 36 players remaining on the Twins spring roster. Which 28 will you send down? (My prediction is in the comments below.)

• Catchers: Ryan Jeffers, Jose Godoy, Gary Sanchez
• Infielders: Miguel Sano, Jorge Polanco, Carlos Correa, Gio Urshela, Luis Arraez, Nick Gordon, Daniel Roberton (NRI)
• Outfielders: Brent Rooker, Alex Kirilloff, Byron Buxton, Max Kepler, Jake Cave (NRI), Kyle Garlick (NRI)
• Pitchers: Sonny Gray, Bailey Ober, Joe Ryan, Dylan Bundy, Chris Archer, Taylor Rogers, Tyler Duffey, Caleb Thielbar, Jorge Alcala, Jharel Cotton, Jhoan Duran, Griffin Jax, Joe Smith, Cody Stashak, Jovani Moran, Jhon Romero,,Josh Winder, Danny Coulombe (NRI), Jake Faria (NRI), Devin Smeltzer (NRI) 

You can go 13 hitters and 15 pitchers or 14 hitters and 14 pitchers. Leave your thoughts, rosters or final cuts in the COMMENTS below. 

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[RJA]

I think it is best Celestino plays regularly at St. Paul.  He really showed well there last year, and I think to give him another half year or year to continue to improve and gain confidence is the right call.  It will be interesting to see how the pitching falls out and whether Winder and Duran break with the Twins.  I think Rocco might want them both from the get-go.

[Seth Stohs]

My Opening Day roster: 

• Catchers: Ryan Jeffers, Jose Godoy, Gary Sanchez
• Infielders: Miguel Sano, Jorge Polanco, Carlos Correa, Gio Urshela, Luis Arraez, Nick Gordon, Daniel Roberton (NRI)
• Outfielders: Brent Rooker, Alex Kirilloff, Byron Buxton, Max Kepler, Jake Cave (NRI), Kyle Garlick (NRI)
• Pitchers: Sonny Gray, Bailey Ober, Joe Ryan, Dylan Bundy, Chris Archer, Taylor Rogers, Tyler Duffey, Caleb Thielbar, Jorge Alcala, Jharel Cotton, Jhoan Duran, Griffin Jax, Joe Smith, Cody Stashak, Jovani Moran, Jhon Romero, Josh Winder, Danny Coulombe (NRI), Jake Faria (NRI), Devin Smeltzer (NRI) 

[jmlease1]

I'm a little disappointed that Celestino didn't grab the 4th OF spot by the neck, because if he hits anything like he did at AAA last season he's wonderfully suited for it. But he didn't, so playing every day in AAA isn't the worst thing in the world. I still have hope for him that he can be a quality bat who can play all three OF spots.

It kinda feels like Cave sticking around in MLB camp is just some epic-level trolling of Twins fans. I have trouble believing that they would add him back to the 40-man just to have him around for the first few weeks of the season, even if he has turned in the kind of quality spring training ABs you would expect from a 29 year-old veteran with 4 seasons of MLB experience. If anything the twins are more likely to scour the waiver wire to see if anyone else is going to sneak someone through during last cuts rather than jam Cave back on the 40-man, but there's no question his presence is making some people around here twitchy AF.

 

[chpettit19]

9 minutes ago, Seth Stohs said:

My Opening Day roster: 

• Catchers: Ryan Jeffers, Jose Godoy, Gary Sanchez
• Infielders: Miguel Sano, Jorge Polanco, Carlos Correa, Gio Urshela, Luis Arraez, Nick Gordon, Daniel Roberton (NRI)
• Outfielders: Brent Rooker, Alex Kirilloff, Byron Buxton, Max Kepler, Jake Cave (NRI), Kyle Garlick (NRI)
• Pitchers: Sonny Gray, Bailey Ober, Joe Ryan, Dylan Bundy, Chris Archer, Taylor Rogers, Tyler Duffey, Caleb Thielbar, Jorge Alcala, Jharel Cotton, Jhoan Duran, Griffin Jax, Joe Smith, Cody Stashak, Jovani Moran, Jhon Romero, Josh Winder, Danny Coulombe (NRI), Jake Faria (NRI), Devin Smeltzer (NRI) 

That's pretty much where I'm at other than Moran instead of Winder. Wonder if they'd like to get Winder regular starts in AAA (not to mention suppressing his service time) and have a 3rd lefty in the pen to start the year.

[Alex Schieferdecker]

• Catchers: Ryan Jeffers, Jose Godoy, Gary Sanchez
• Infielders: Miguel Sano, Jorge Polanco, Carlos Correa, Gio Urshela, Luis Arraez, Nick Gordon, Daniel Roberton (NRI)
• Outfielders: Brent Rooker, Alex Kirilloff, Byron Buxton, Max Kepler, Jake Cave (NRI), Kyle Garlick (NRI)
• Pitchers: Sonny Gray, Bailey Ober, Joe Ryan, Dylan Bundy, Chris Archer, Taylor Rogers, Tyler Duffey, Caleb Thielbar, Jorge Alcala, Jharel Cotton, Jhoan Duran, Griffin Jax, Joe Smith, Cody Stashak, Jovani Moran, Jhon Romero, Josh Winder, Danny Coulombe (NRI), Jake Faria (NRI), Devin Smeltzer (NRI)

[Richie the Rally Goat]

8 minutes ago, Seth Stohs said:

My Opening Day roster: 

• Catchers: Ryan Jeffers, Jose Godoy, Gary Sanchez
• Infielders: Miguel Sano, Jorge Polanco, Carlos Correa, Gio Urshela, Luis Arraez, Nick Gordon, Daniel Roberton (NRI)
• Outfielders: Brent Rooker, Alex Kirilloff, Byron Buxton, Max Kepler, Jake Cave (NRI), Kyle Garlick (NRI)
• Pitchers: Sonny Gray, Bailey Ober, Joe Ryan, Dylan Bundy, Chris Archer, Taylor Rogers, Tyler Duffey, Caleb Thielbar, Jorge Alcala, Jharel Cotton, Jhoan Duran, Griffin Jax, Joe Smith, Cody Stashak, Jovani Moran, Jhon Romero, Josh Winder, Danny Coulombe (NRI), Jake Faria (NRI), Devin Smeltzer (NRI) 

If Kirillof is the starting LF and Sano is the 1B, then Sanchez is the defacto DH?

[Seth Stohs]

2 minutes ago, Sconnie said:

If Kirillof is the starting LF and Sano is the 1B, then Sanchez is the defacto DH?

Yeah, although Sano could get days at DH with Kirilloff at 1B and they've got plenty of DH options. 

[DJL44]

16 minutes ago, jmlease1 said:

It kinda feels like Cave sticking around in MLB camp is just some epic-level trolling of Twins fans.

Someone needs to come in as a defensive replacement after Buxton gets his two at-bats.

[DJL44]

7 minutes ago, Sconnie said:

If Kirillof is the starting LF and Sano is the 1B, then Sanchez is the defacto DH?

I'd rather play Sanchez at 1B than Sano. Sano might be the worst first baseman on the team.

[jmlease1]

8 minutes ago, Sconnie said:

If Kirillof is the starting LF and Sano is the 1B, then Sanchez is the defacto DH?

It depends on how much they want to put Arraez in the field at 3B vs urshela I think? Early on I can see it being primarily Sanchez while they're carrying a 3rd catcher. Once they go down to 2, you may see Arraez (and others) get more time there. It's...fine?

[MN_ExPat]

• Catchers: Ryan Jeffers, Jose Godoy, Gary Sanchez
• Infielders: Miguel Sano, Jorge Polanco, Carlos Correa, Gio Urshela, Luis Arraez, Nick Gordon, 
• Outfielders: Brent Rooker, Alex Kirilloff, Byron Buxton, Max Kepler,
• Pitchers: Sonny Gray, Bailey Ober, Joe Ryan, Dylan Bundy, Chris Archer, Taylor Rogers, Tyler Duffey, Caleb Thielbar, Jorge Alcala, Jharel Cotton, Jhoan Duran, Griffin Jax, Joe Smith, Jovani Moran, Josh Winder

[Richie the Rally Goat]

13 minutes ago, Seth Stohs said:

Yeah, although Sano could get days at DH with Kirilloff at 1B and they've got plenty of DH options. 

Agreed, DH won’t be as static as it used to be.
 

maybe a better way to phrase my question: is Sanchez more of an emergency catcher?

[PatPfund]

I’m going 13 hitters, 15 pitchers.

Send down Godoy, Rooker, Cave; add Robertson and Garlick to the 40 man roster, and you have 13. (Jeffers, Sanchez, Sano, Polanco, Correa, Urshela, Arraez, Gordon, Robertson, Kirilloff, Buxton, Kepler, Garlick.) (Please, Rocco. Never DH Jeffers or Sanchez until they are hitting over .225. Then you don’t waste a roster spot on a third horrible bat.)

For pitchers, you have Gray, Ober, Ryan, Bundy, and Archer in the rotation for five. You send down all the non-rosters as depth for failures/injuries. You DFA Stashak and Thielbar to make room for adding the position players above, sending the two down if they clear waivers. Cotton, Winder, and Jax can go long; Rogers, Duffey, Alcala, Smith, Duran, Moran, and Romero can go short. One reliever of the short group needs to go; I’d let the last week of camp decide that. (I’d probably ship Romero if I had to pick today, but mostly because I know least about him; can’t remember if Jax has options, but if he does, maybe he’d be the guy.)

[TwinsDr2021]

49 minutes ago, Seth Stohs said:

My Opening Day roster: 

• Catchers: Ryan Jeffers, Jose Godoy, Gary Sanchez
• Infielders: Miguel Sano, Jorge Polanco, Carlos Correa, Gio Urshela, Luis Arraez, Nick Gordon, Daniel Roberton (NRI)
• Outfielders: Brent Rooker, Alex Kirilloff, Byron Buxton, Max Kepler, Jake Cave (NRI), Kyle Garlick (NRI)
• Pitchers: Sonny Gray, Bailey Ober, Joe Ryan, Dylan Bundy, Chris Archer, Taylor Rogers, Tyler Duffey, Caleb Thielbar, Jorge Alcala, Jharel Cotton, Jhoan Duran, Griffin Jax, Joe Smith, Cody Stashak, Jovani Moran, Jhon Romero, Josh Winder, Danny Coulombe (NRI), Jake Faria (NRI), Devin Smeltzer (NRI) 

Agree with this, when they drop back to 26, are there any pitchers with options left besides Duran and Winder? It would seem weird or maybe bad roster management to have to cut pitchers/put them though waivers when then roster drops down instead of sending pitchers back to AAA? Would that maybe give Moran a better chance of being on the opening day roster than say Jax, Cotton or Stashak? Or maybe the thought is every team will be doing this so it would be easier to get guys though waivers?

Or could Sanchez be given the DH job as a prove it, and if he doesn't he is one of the cuts?

 

[Karbo]

I send down Robertson, Cave, Garlick, Coulombe, Faria, Smeltzer, Romero, and Winder. I would keep Duran over Winder because it seems he is more suited for a relief role at this point and he's a lefty. Winder can build up his arm a bit more in St.Paul for when we need him in the starting rotation, which I'm guessing we will soon enough.

[Doctor Gast]

This FO has a "love affair" with Cave that has been disasterous through the years. Like any disasterous "love affair" it keeps us from finding and losing (ex. Baddoo & Wade) more desirable suiters, and the best way to solve this mess is a clean cut. This FO has failed in this aspect again by not making a clean cut this offseason with Cave. Now they left the door wide open for this temptation to resume in this disasterous relationship that leaves us wanting in CF back up. Cave, Garlick and Rooker are terrible as 4th OFs.

If Celestino isn't ready (which is fine) quit fooling around! go out and find a viable short term MLB CF sub, FINALLY!  If they are serious about winning, this is the absolute move to make. Otherwise it's all noise.

[Nashvilletwin]

1 hour ago, Sconnie said:

If Kirillof is the starting LF and Sano is the 1B, then Sanchez is the defacto DH?

 

1 hour ago, Sconnie said:

If Kirillof is the starting LF and Sano is the 1B, then Sanchez is the defacto DH?

That would be like the poor woman who backed into the airplane propeller:

“Dis-assed-her”

 

[DJL44]

34 minutes ago, Karbo said:

 I would keep Duran over Winder because it seems he is more suited for a relief role at this point and he's a lefty. 

Duran is more suited to relieve but he's not a lefty.

Quote

 find a viable short term MLB CF sub

They're not going to find one better than Max Kepler

[stringer bell]

Given that no one looks like they will go beyond five innings for the first week or so and also a pretty full slate of games in April, I would bet the team will go with 15 pitchers.  

I’m pretty certain the club won’t lose a player off the 40-man roster to add a guy for April, who will be DFAed himself in three weeks. So I don’t think they’ll add Smeltzer or Coulombe as the 14th or 15th  pitchers on the team. 

Now that that's out of the way, back to being critical of Brent Rooker. I'm sure he's a nice guy and has a new child and is kind to animals, but I continue to see no value in him being on the 2022 Twins. It is documented that he is a lousy outfielder and he hasn't, to my knowledge, played an inning of first base either in spring training or in a regulation Twins game. He would rank behind Sano and Sanchez as a right handed DH and he has not, through his minor league career or in his 200+ plate appearances in the majors, fared well against left handed pitchers. In addition, in this spring training, he is 0-8 with one walk and four strike outs, and has not played in a week due to injury. 

The need on the team is for a right handed corner outfielder to spell Kirilloff and Kepler, but I fail to see why Rooker should basically be handed a spot given his pedigree and his skill set. I'd much rather see Garlick in the role, given that he does hit lefties and is acceptable in the outfield. Cave would be a square peg in a round hole.

[DJL44]

53 minutes ago, Sconnie said:

Agreed, DH won’t be as static as it used to be.

If Sano isn't the everyday DH there's going to be a lot of yelling at the radio in my house.

The baseline for 1B defense (and left field) just went up with the introduction of the DH in the National League. The AAA depth players weren't there because they can't field, it was because they couldn't hit well enough to DH.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

2 minutes ago, DJL44 said:

If Sano isn't the everyday DH there's going to be a lot of yelling at the radio in my house.

The baseline for 1B defense (and left field) just went up with the introduction of the DH in the National League. The AAA depth players weren't there because they can't field, it was because they couldn't hit well enough to DH.

Larnach specifically, I agree, he’s not up because he hasn’t done enough with the bat to take the LF job or be in the rotation for DH. He could very well do that in the first half of the year and be a part of the second half of the MLB season.

[RJA]

1 hour ago, MN_ExPat said:

• Catchers: Ryan Jeffers, Jose Godoy, Gary Sanchez
• Infielders: Miguel Sano, Jorge Polanco, Carlos Correa, Gio Urshela, Luis Arraez, Nick Gordon, 
• Outfielders: Brent Rooker, Alex Kirilloff, Byron Buxton, Max Kepler,
• Pitchers: Sonny Gray, Bailey Ober, Joe Ryan, Dylan Bundy, Chris Archer, Taylor Rogers, Tyler Duffey, Caleb Thielbar, Jorge Alcala, Jharel Cotton, Jhoan Duran, Griffin Jax, Joe Smith, Jovani Moran, Josh Winder

This is exactly where I am at.  I would keep Moran over Stashak. 

[Richie the Rally Goat]

11 minutes ago, DJL44 said:

If Sano isn't the everyday DH there's going to be a lot of yelling at the radio in my house.

The baseline for 1B defense (and left field) just went up with the introduction of the DH in the National League. The AAA depth players weren't there because they can't field, it was because they couldn't hit well enough to DH.

Rooker or Kiriloff will be the primary LF

Sano or Kiriloff will be primary 1B

Sanchez has played 1B Twice as a major leaguer, I doubt very much he will be in the mix at 1B, and Kiriloff can’t be in two places at once.

I predict a lot of yelling at the Radio in your house.

[Dman]

1 hour ago, Alex Schieferdecker said:

• Catchers: Ryan Jeffers, Jose Godoy, Gary Sanchez
• Infielders: Miguel Sano, Jorge Polanco, Carlos Correa, Gio Urshela, Luis Arraez, Nick Gordon, Daniel Roberton (NRI)
• Outfielders: Brent Rooker, Alex Kirilloff, Byron Buxton, Max Kepler, Jake Cave (NRI), Kyle Garlick (NRI)
• Pitchers: Sonny Gray, Bailey Ober, Joe Ryan, Dylan Bundy, Chris Archer, Taylor Rogers, Tyler Duffey, Caleb Thielbar, Jorge Alcala, Jharel Cotton, Jhoan Duran, Griffin Jax, Joe Smith, Cody Stashak, Jovani Moran, Jhon Romero, Josh Winder, Danny Coulombe (NRI), Jake Faria (NRI), Devin Smeltzer (NRI)

Yeah this would be my pick as well.  I think they take a closer look at Jhon Romero and see if he fairs better against MLB hitters.  The only questions mark for me will be if they choose Winder over Moran.  If they really do want to piggy back starters Winder could be a good fit for that.

Looks like Seth thinks the Twins will try and pass Romero through waivers.  Good luck with that.  Would much rather have Romero over Stashak right now.

[Seth Stohs]

3 minutes ago, TwinsDr2021 said:

Agree with this, when they drop back to 26, are there any pitchers with options left besides Duran and Winder? It would seem weird or maybe bad roster management to have to cut pitchers/put them though waivers when then roster drops down instead of sending pitchers back to AAA? Would that maybe give Moran a better chance of being on the opening day roster than say Jax, Cotton or Stashak? Or maybe the thought is every team will be doing this so it would be easier to get guys though waivers?

 

Moran has 3 options left. Jax has 2 options left.  Stashak has 1 or 2 left. Romero has 3. Ryan has 3. Ober has 2. Thielbar has one, I believe. Duran has two. 

[DJL44]

8 minutes ago, Sconnie said:

I predict a lot of yelling at the Radio in your house.

Every time Sano butchers a play at 1B, so probably every other game.

[EGFTShaw]

1 hour ago, jmlease1 said:

I'm a little disappointed that Celestino didn't grab the 4th OF spot by the neck, because if he hits anything like he did at AAA last season he's wonderfully suited for it. But he didn't, so playing every day in AAA isn't the worst thing in the world. I still have hope for him that he can be a quality bat who can play all three OF spots.

It kinda feels like Cave sticking around in MLB camp is just some epic-level trolling of Twins fans. I have trouble believing that they would add him back to the 40-man just to have him around for the first few weeks of the season, even if he has turned in the kind of quality spring training ABs you would expect from a 29 year-old veteran with 4 seasons of MLB experience. If anything the twins are more likely to scour the waiver wire to see if anyone else is going to sneak someone through during last cuts rather than jam Cave back on the 40-man, but there's no question his presence is making some people around here twitchy AF.

 

>> It kinda feels like Cave sticking around in MLB camp is just some epic-level trolling of Twins fans

Exactly...

[Riverbrian]

Who they pick is who they pick... it won't be permanent with adjustments forthcoming.

However, I will be disappointed if three catchers come North. 

  

[mikelink45]

Let's move Cave to a coach so Rocco can continue to have him around.  We have so many coaches I could not even list their positions let alone their names.  Then let's get serious about the OF.  I cut Rooker - we do not need more Ks - we have Sano and Sanchez for that and we do need a glove - something Rooker has not figured out.  All the nonroster guys are easy cuts. And then I cut Stashak.  

What will be really interesting is what happens when they go from 28 - 26.  Then it is based on Duran and Winder's effectiveness and the need for Godoy.