2024 Minnesota Twins Spring Training Position Battles: Relief Corps

[Cody Christie]

The Minnesota Twins are projected to have one of baseball’s best bullpens in 2024. What spots are still open in the bullpen, and which players have a chance to make the Opening Day roster?

Image courtesy of Jay Biggerstaff, Kyle Ross, Gary Vasquez - USA Today Sports

Last season, the Twins' bullpen was a giant question mark for most of the first half. Many fans thought the front office should attempt to acquire a relief pitcher or two at the deadline. Instead, the team relied on internal options, including players returning from injury and shifting some starters to bullpen roles. It was an equation that worked in the season’s final weeks, and helped the team win its first playoff series in two decades.

Minnesota’s front office has taken a new approach to the bullpen in 2024, including acquiring arms in trades, signing free agents, and claiming veterans off waivers. Twins manager Rocco Baldelli coached for the Rays, and the Twins might be trying to follow in their footsteps. By following this strategy, Minnesota would try to offset their lack of starting pitching depth by relying on more volume from a deep bullpen. Last season, Tampa Bay ranked third in baseball in bullpen innings and won 99 games, which the Twins would love to emulate. 

So, what bullpen spots are up for grabs during spring training? Let’s break it down. 

The Locks: Jhoan Durán, Griffin Jax, Brock Stewart, Caleb Thielbar, Justin Topa
The Twins will have an eight-man bullpen, and these five names are locked to be on the team unless an injury occurs. Durán will be used in a similar role to last season, where he is the ninth-inning man, with the team occasionally turning to him for a multi-inning appearance. The other four will also be used in late-inning roles, with Baldelli being able to turn to the pitcher performing the best at that point in the season. The only battle in this group will be who pitches before Durán regularly. 

Thielbar will see the most critical appearances against tough left-handed hitters, and the Twins have other lefties in the mix for earlier in the game. Jax ran into some issues with BABIP, but finished the season with a 2.45 ERA with a .567 OPS and 12.3 K/9 in the season’s final month. Injuries limited Stewart to 28 appearances, but he dominated with a 0.65 ERA and 12.7 K/9. Topa was acquired from Seattle in the Jorge Polanco trade after being a late bloomer and pitching full-time at the big-league level for the first time at age 32. Last year, he finished 14 games and earned multiple saves, bringing another element of late-inning experience.  

Out of Options: Steven Okert, Jay Jackson
Okert was recently acquired in a trade that sent Nick Gordon to the Marlins. Over the last three seasons, the left-handed pitcher posted a 3.51 ERA with a 1.17 WHIP and 10.8 K/9. Gordon and Okert are out of options, so there were multiple reasons why the trade made sense for both teams. Jackson signed a one-year deal for $1.3 million with a $200,000 buyout on a $3 million club option for 2025. He has bounced between 10 MLB organizations and two Nippon Professional Baseball clubs. Last season, he posted a 2.12 ERA with a 0.91 WHIP and 8.2 K/9 in 25 appearances for Toronto. Both players are expected to make the roster since they are out of options, which would account for seven of the eight bullpen spots. 

In the Mix: Kody Funderburk, Josh Staumont, Louie Varland, Jorge Alcalá, Cole Sands, Josh Winder, Ronny Henríquez (NRI), Zack Weiss, Matt Canterino, Matt Bowman (NRI), Ryan Jensen (NRI)
Minnesota has quite a few options for the final bullpen spot, and there are multiple ways the team can go with that spot. Funderburk had the inside track to the final bullpen spot, before the team added Okert. He will still get opportunities at the big-league level, but he will likely start the year at Triple-A. Staumont was my pick for the last bullpen spot in my latest roster projection, and that is even clearer after he met with media members earlier this week. He said, “I’ve been 100 percent for a couple months at this point.” Staumont has been a set-up-caliber reliever in the past, and he has the potential to be a pivotal contributor to the late innings this year. 

Minnesota used Varland as a dominant bullpen arm for the playoffs last season, but he likely begins the season as the Opening Day starter in St. Paul. Sands, Winder, and Henríquez are options if the team wants a long reliever on the roster. They will likely make frequent trips back and forth between St. Paul, though Henríquez was removed from the 40-man roster this winter and will have the hardest time regaining a toehold in MLB.

Weiss was claimed off waivers from Boston earlier in the same flurry of moves that made Jackson's deal official. His arm slot and release point create good induced vertical break on his mid-90s fastball, which can be difficult for hitters to track. Overall, he has three pitches (fastball, slider, and cutter) with a Stuff+ grade of 109 or higher.

Alcalá was a vital part of the team’s bullpen in 2021, before dealing with injuries last season. He posted some strong numbers in the Dominican Winter League (14.5 K/9) during the offseason, and the team hopes he can use that as a springboard to a healthier 2024 season. Canterino, a former top pitching prospect, is returning from Tommy John surgery in August 2022. The team kept him on the 40-man roster, and there is a chance that a bullpen role will keep him healthier moving forward. Bowman and Jensen would likely need strong spring performances or multiple injuries to earn a roster spot. 

As spring training begins, the eight-man bullpen currently sits with Durán, Jax, Thielbar, Stewart, Topa, Jackson, Okert, and Staumont. However, there are always surprises in spring training that can change the outlook for the team. 

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Which player earns the last bullpen spot? Can the Twins have baseball’s best bullpen in 2024? Leave a comment and start the discussion. 

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[Brett]

I would agree on Staumont. That seemed like a pretty intentional signing.

In related news, it appears the Saints bullpen will be loaded as well.

[Karbo]

Topa is a guy that should make the opening day roster, but he really doesn't have much of a track record before last year. He seems to have found something that works, but 1 really good season is not a guarantee of success. I don't know about Okert, but the general feeling among some of the fans in Florida was good to trade him. (But how many times are fans wrong.) This pen looks better on paper with plenty of vets, so the hopes are high!

[jmlease1]

I'm guessing Staumont gets the last spot if he's healthy, Alcala would be my bet to land it if he's not.

 

[tarheeltwinsfan]

Good summary. The Twins BP is loaded.  The Twins BP is a likely source of trade bait, like the Twins 2B was, although the Twins traded the older, injury prone 2B (Polo) and I doubt that other teams want "older, injury-prone" relief pitchers. 

[arby58]

42 minutes ago, Karbo said:

Topa is a guy that should make the opening day roster, but he really doesn't have much of a track record before last year. He seems to have found something that works, but 1 really good season is not a guarantee of success. I don't know about Okert, but the general feeling among some of the fans in Florida was good to trade him. (But how many times are fans wrong.) This pen looks better on paper with plenty of vets, so the hopes are high!

I've said this before - you could say the same thing about Brock Stewart. Topa was a high leverage guy for a team with a very good bullpen last year. If the question is 'what have you done for me lately?' he had a really good answer in 2023.

[JD-TWINS]

The details here make perfect sense!

Varland & Canterino are 99% “starters” at the beginning of the year. By July/August this may change based on innings thrown by starters in the Show and how well the Pen is performing. Both could be weapons in September & October from the Pen.

Alcala - Weiss - Staumont - Funderburk battling for the last spot out of Spring Training is a pretty good situation!

Not as sold on Staumont as others here. Seems he wouldn’t have been floating around if he were as solid or has as high end potential as is represented here quite often. Wish him well!

[MinnInPa]

i believe Funderburk will rise and be the go to 8th inning guy along with Stewart.... still dont trust Jax and Thielbar at all

[Linus]

I’m really excited about this bullpen. I never cared for the FO approach towards building bullpens in prior years. This year checks all the boxes with quality and quantity. 

[Trov]

I would not be surprised if Stewert has huge regression this year.  Last year he was a minor league signing that got called up due to injuries, now this year he is a lock to make a pen.  Yes, his short time with team was very good, but it was also very short. It was also no where close to in line with his career numbers.  I hope he does not regress, but I am not expecting him to be like he was last year.  

No way will Varland break spring out of pen.  We have too many options and they need him to be set up as possible starter for when injuries happen or poor performance. 

[Dman]

Maybe it is smoke and mirrors but according to rumor sites the Twins are still in the hunt for another starter as well. If they would get one (which is no sure thing given the competition) it would seem that would move Desclafani to a swing man role n the pen.as well.

It is an embarrassment of riches in the pen for the Twins compared to other years.  All I can say is it is going to be an interesting spring.

[arby58]

12 minutes ago, Trov said:

I would not be surprised if Stewert has huge regression this year.  Last year he was a minor league signing that got called up due to injuries, now this year he is a lock to make a pen.  Yes, his short time with team was very good, but it was also very short. It was also no where close to in line with his career numbers.  I hope he does not regress, but I am not expecting him to be like he was last year.  

No way will Varland break spring out of pen.  We have too many options and they need him to be set up as possible starter for when injuries happen or poor performance. 

The eye test with Stewart - there were games last year where I almost felt sorry for the hitters, they were so over-matched. Unless injuries pull him down (and that is very possible), I doubt much regression, as his stuff is overpowering. The good news this year is they have far more depth than last year.

[Cory Engelhardt]

I'm curious why you have Jay Jackson not listed as a lock? Frankly, Okert is a lock too in my opinion, what with being out of options.

The bullpen does appear strong, with a lot of depth. 

[Blyleven2011]

One thing that concerns me is the late bloomer Topa , he has had 1 good season and is in his early 30's  ...

Remember a pitcher we traded for that was a starter and then turned relief pitcher , had a great first half for Baltimore as a relief pitcher and made the allstar team ( lopez ) , we traded for Lopez at deadline and  he  hasn't had the same success since leaving Baltimore  ...

I sure hope Topa is not one in the same ...

Spring training is for building a roster for those that earn it , on paper our bullpen possibilities look promising ...

[saviking]

What I see is depth, depth, depth. I'm guessing a team uses around 14 relievers throughout the year ..

[Otaknam]

I like the upside of Alcala and especially Canterino. If those two fire ballers are healthy look out! 

[arby58]

3 minutes ago, Otaknam said:

I like the upside of Alcala and especially Canterino. If those two fire ballers are healthy look out! 

I like Canterino as well - it would be great if he could stay a starting pitcher, as we don't have nearly as much depth there as in the bullpen.

[Cory Engelhardt]

29 minutes ago, saviking said:

What I see is depth, depth, depth. I'm guessing a team uses around 14 relievers throughout the year ..

They used 22 relievers (and 2 position players) last year specifically as a reliever or opener. I wouldn't be shocked at all if the number this year is north of that. 

But they have at least that number in guys who have some major league experience. That's a good thing too.

[Road trip]

51 minutes ago, saviking said:

What I see is depth, depth, depth. I'm guessing a team uses around 14 relievers throughout the year ..

It's almost mind-boggling, but the number is much higher than 14.

Last year the Twins used 29 pitchers.  Only 6 of them were exclusively starters, leaving 23 for bullpen work.  Oh, and 2023 was a good year.   In 2022 the Twins used an astonishing 38 pitchers!  You see numbers like this across the league.  You can't have too much pitching depth.

Some of us remember the good ole days when a team would get by with only a dozen total pitchers for the entire year!  That isn't enough to get through April anymore.

We will need every one of the guys mentioned in this article this year, along with a large number of others who didn't make this list.

[farmerguychris]

Keep that last spot open and rotate it between all the guys with options remaining unless someone forces their hand by being a shut down guy.

[KBJ1]

While I'm not sold on Jackson, Topa & Okerk, it's great to have options and depth. The next 4 guys on the list all could earn a spot on most rosters as well! Stewart came out of nowhere and literally saved our bullpen the first half last year. If just 2 or3 of those 7 guys come through, it's going to be a very good pen. It's going to come down to coaching and getting these guys locked in.

[nicksaviking]

26 minutes ago, Cory Engelhardt said:

They used 22 relievers (and 2 position players) last year specifically as a reliever or opener. I wouldn't be shocked at all if the number this year is north of that. 

But they have at least that number in guys who have some major league experience. That's a good thing too.

It's going to be harder to do that when the only guys with options are the guys who shouldn't be optioned.

[jimbo92107]

Every now and then, somebody learns a new grip to an old pitch, or a new pitch altogether, and it turns out to be well-nigh unhittable. What salty old coach is passing out grip tips this spring? Could a guy like Sands or Winder learn a new cutter? Things that make a baseball change direction can be devilishly subtle. In fact, most of these guys can make a baseball move a whole lot. Question is, can you throw it where you want...

[Cory Engelhardt]

15 minutes ago, nicksaviking said:

It's going to be harder to do that when the only guys with options are the guys who shouldn't be optioned.

I agree, and hopefully they all pitch well, and stay healthy, so it works out.

[Road trip]

43 minutes ago, nicksaviking said:

It's going to be harder to do that when the only guys with options are the guys who shouldn't be optioned.

For certain, the "non-optional" guys make movement somewhat less likely in terms of sending them down.  The flip side is that they are pretty old as a group, with most of them having a history of spending some time on the IL.  For example, I believe Thielbar has been on the IL 5 times since 2021.  At his age its simply to be expected he will make another trip or two to the IL at some point this year.  Stewart, Topa, Jackson, Alcala, and Staumont all have some histories of health problems.  I'd love to make it through a year with minimal injuries, but recent Twins history tells me to expect many of these guys to spend time on the IL.

[stringer bell]

Topa, Jax and all the guys looking for that last spot have options. I would anticipate that any minor injury might be grounds for placement on the Injured List, with as much depth as they have. Additionally, those signed to minor league contracts may well have opt-outs. Something will have to be done as there are considerably more players than spaces available for the Twins and St. Paul.

[nicksaviking]

9 minutes ago, Road trip said:

For certain, the "non-optional" guys make movement somewhat less likely in terms of sending them down.  The flip side is that they are pretty old as a group, with most of them having a history of spending some time on the IL.  For example, I believe Thielbar has been on the IL 5 times since 2021.  At his age its simply to be expected he will make another trip or two to the IL at some point this year.  Stewart, Topa, Jackson, Alcala, and Staumont all have some histories of health problems.  I'd love to make it through a year with minimal injuries, but recent Twins history tells me to expect many of these guys to spend time on the IL.

I don't think the issue is calling up AAA relievers just because they're lights out, the issue is when the bullpen is spent and you need to call up a couple of arms to give others a few days off. The Twins were doing that constantly last year. Counting on injuries really doesn't help in that regard.

[DocBauer]

Based on previous results when healthy, Staumont would be the 8th guy to fill the list, but not the 8th guy out of the pen to be sure. Now, despite saying he's great, if he has any setback or doesn't have full control, etc, to begin the season he's got an option. Then the last spot is wide open. 

I can't recall if Weiss has an option, I want to say he does. But he's the first guy probably taken off the 40 man if the Twins make another signing or trade addition. 

I think the Twins are serious about Canterino as a rotation arm for now. Makes sense if you really think he can stick there. For now, he builds up his arm a bit, and gets multiple IP per game to work on his control and feel to get back on top again. That doesn't mean he can't move to the pen to end the season, or permanently later.

I really like what I've seen of Funderburk and I still have some faith in Alcala after reports of full health, high velocity, and a good winter league performance. But both seem destined to begin the year in St Paul. But I can see both as a fixture later in the season, and for 2025 and beyond.

[stringer bell]

20 minutes ago, DocBauer said:

I can't recall if Weiss has an option, I want to say he does. But he's the first guy probably taken off the 40 man if the Twins make another signing or trade addition. 

Weiss has two options remaining. 

[stringer bell]

22 minutes ago, DocBauer said:

I think the Twins are serious about Canterino as a rotation arm for now. Makes sense if you really think he can stick there. For now, he builds up his arm a bit, and gets multiple IP per game to work on his control and feel to get back on top again. That doesn't mean he can't move to the pen to end the season, or permanently later.

 

There's space for Canterino to be in the rotation sooner than the bullpen, I think. I can see him starting once a week for the Saints and then being recalled at mid-season.