Minnesota Twins Make Seven Roster Cuts as Spring Training Ends

[Ted Schwerzler]

The Minnesota Twins needed to make it through their final spring training tilt before making a handful of roster moves. After a win against the Atlanta Braves, seven players were reassigned to minor-league camp.

Image courtesy of © Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

With Grapefruit League action now in the rearview mirror, Rocco Baldelli will need to decide whom he is bringing north with the Minnesota Twins. Opening Day is on Thursday, and a date with Cole Ragans and the Kansas City Royals awaits. Trimming the roster down to 26 doesn’t need to take place until Thursday, and with health questions lingering, the team may wait until the last minute.

Seven players were reassigned to minor league camp following the 9-6 win over Atlanta. They include: right-handed pitchers Matt Bowman and Jeff Brigham, catchers Brian O’Keefe and Chris Williams, infielders Michael Helman and Anthony Prato, and utility player Niko Goodrum. With the moves, 32 players remain in major-league camp.

None of the players cut on Tuesday should be a surprise. Both Bowman and Brigham were veteran pitching depth who worked in relief for the Twins this spring. O’Keefe came in to help Christian Vázquez and Ryan Jeffers with catching duties. Helman and Prato are nice prospect depth, and will head to Triple-A St. Paul. Goodrum was a non-roster invitee, but had previously spent a bunch of time in the organization. After major-league stops elsewhere, he is looking to make it back to the big leagues. He has already triggered his opt out.

Anthony DeSclafani, Justin Topa, Caleb Thielbar, and Jhoan Durán will all start the season on the injured list. That takes care of four of the six spots the team still needs to cut. Daniel Duarte is the only non-roster player left in camp, and it seems he will grab the final bullpen spot.

Former Royals reliever Josh Staumont was expected to make the team out of the gate for Minnesota, but after slipping and injuring his knee late in camp, he could start the year on the injured list, too. That would open up a spot for Duarte, who had struggled with command last season with Cincinnati. Having walked 20 in 31 2/3 innings, he was constantly dancing around pressure. This spring, though, Duarte punched out 11 across 10 2/3 innings while allowing no free passes.

Minnesota’s bullpen has been projected to be among the best in baseball, and while that could still be true, they will be without some key contributors to start the year. Griffin Jax and Brock Stewart should be expected to do most of the heavy lifting. The rest of the group will be composed of Steven Okert, Jay Jackson, Jorge Alcalá, Kody Funderburk, and Cole Sands. Of the relievers as a whole, only Jax, Alcalá, and Sands started with the club on Opening Day last season.

There isn’t and hasn’t been much intrigue on the position player front for a while. The catchers will be Vazquez and Jeffers, with both Carlos Santana and Alex Kirilloff manning first base. Edouard Julien will start at second, and he’ll have Carlos Correa and Royce Lewis on the dirt with him. Both Kyle Farmer and Willi Castro will serve as utility players. The outfield will be Matt Wallner, Byron Buxton, and Max Kepler from left to right, and Manuel Margot will serve as the fourth. Margot was hit in the hand by a pitch during Tuesday’s spring finale, but he should be just fine on Thursday.

As previously announced, Pablo López will be the Opening Day starter, and he will be followed by Joe Ryan and Bailey Ober. Chris Paddack and Louie Varland, who pitched in his final action of the spring on Tuesday against Atlanta, will round out the rotation.

The Twins are coming off a season in which they won the AL Central, and they will be seeking to repeat that feat in 2024. Spring training is now behind us, and from here on out, these games count.

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[stringer bell]

Staumont pitched after his slip, correct? If he doesn’t go on the IL, Sands could be optioned, keeping Duarte on the roster, perhaps.

Also, if Duarte stays, the team would have to make a 40-man move. DeSclafani or Weiss could go on the 60-day list or someone could be DFAd.

Edit to add: Duarte does have an option remaining, so he can be moved fairly freely between St. Paul and the major league team. 

[Doctor Gast]

Sano made the LAA opening roster. Good luck!

[PDX Twin]

54 minutes ago, Doctor Gast said:

Sano made the LAA opening roster. Good luck!

To him? Or to the Angels' fans who have to watch him whiff?

[sweetmusicviola16]

No way is this pen one of the tops in the league.

[stringer bell]

18 minutes ago, sweetmusicviola16 said:

No way is this pen one of the tops in the league.

Not with Durán, Thielbar, Topa, Staumont, Canterino and Weiss all on the IL. 

[Shaitan]

1 hour ago, sweetmusicviola16 said:

No way is this pen one of the tops in the league.

They're tied for 1st right now.

[mikelink45]

1 hour ago, PDX Twin said:

To him? Or to the Angels' fans who have to watch him whiff?

This is the Angels - They could not win with Trout, Ohtani and Rodon. So who cares who makes their roster?

[mikelink45]

18 minutes ago, Shaitan said:

They're tied for 1st right now.

The season has not started so every bullpen is tied for first

[Fat Calvin]

38 minutes ago, mikelink45 said:

The season has not started so every bullpen is tied for first

And last.

[Beast]

The pitching staff they are rolling out to to start the season….unreal.

They’re not even trying.  Heck, they’re not even trying to look like they’re trying.

Not only is fan morale absolutely shot, but think about the players.  Guys like Lewis considering their future with the club……Why the hell would you want to commit to anything long-term here?   It’s futile.

[mrtwinsfan]

3 hours ago, PDX Twin said:

To him? Or to the Angels' fans who have to watch him whiff?

watching Dodgers- angels   Sano hit a Homer in 1st a.b.

[RpR]

1 hour ago, mrtwinsfan said:

watching Dodgers- angels   Sano hit a Homer in 1st a.b.

Angels won it in the Ninth.

[Lefty61]

43 minutes ago, Beast said:

The pitching staff they are rolling out to to start the season….unreal.

They’re not even trying.  Heck, they’re not even trying to look like they’re trying.

Not only is fan morale absolutely shot, but think about the players.  Guys like Lewis considering their future with the club……Why the hell would you want to commit to anything long-term here?   It’s futile.

Futile is the off season their spring cross town rivals had, only off season move is headed to TJ, that's a fan base I wouldn't want to be.  Twins will be in the mix at the trading deadline and then will see what the FO is made of.  

[Fatbat]

5 hours ago, stringer bell said:

Not with Durán, Thielbar, Topa, Staumont, Canterino and Weiss all on the IL. 

It might not be perfect but the bullpen is deep. 

[old nurse]

11 hours ago, mikelink45 said:

This is the Angels - They could not win with Trout, Ohtani and Rodon. So who cares who makes their roster?

Rodon did not play for them. Rendon barely has played for them

[mikelink45]

Just now, old nurse said:

Rodon did not play for them. Rendon barely has played for them

Correct - Rendon has been so forgettable that I cannot even keep his name straight.   In four years his peak is 58 games.  His HR high is 9. His RBI high is 34.  He was supposed to be Trout;s partner in the lineup, but became one more bad contract in the Angel's corral. 

[old nurse]

1 minute ago, mikelink45 said:

Correct - Rendon has been so forgettable that I cannot even keep his name straight.   In four years his peak is 58 games.  His HR high is 9. His RBI high is 34.  He was supposed to be Trout;s partner in the lineup, but became one more bad contract in the Angel's corral. 

Yup, the player chooses to be injured 

[mikelink45]

24 minutes ago, old nurse said:

Yup, the player chooses to be injured 

"Earlier this week, Angels third baseman Anthony Rendon made some comments that were eye-opening. Rendon bluntly stated that baseball has “never been a top priority for me.” https://www.pinstripealley.com/2024/2/25/24082005/mlb-reaction-anthony-rendon-comments-angels-job-work-life-balance#:~:text=Earlier this week%2C Angels third,a firestorm in the media. 

[Fatbat]

4 hours ago, mikelink45 said:

"Earlier this week, Angels third baseman Anthony Rendon made some comments that were eye-opening. Rendon bluntly stated that baseball has “never been a top priority for me.” https://www.pinstripealley.com/2024/2/25/24082005/mlb-reaction-anthony-rendon-comments-angels-job-work-life-balance#:~:text=Earlier this week%2C Angels third,a firestorm in the media. 

I will take Lewis and Julien type of players over trash like Rendon every day of the year. 

[old nurse]

5 hours ago, mikelink45 said:

"Earlier this week, Angels third baseman Anthony Rendon made some comments that were eye-opening. Rendon bluntly stated that baseball has “never been a top priority for me.” https://www.pinstripealley.com/2024/2/25/24082005/mlb-reaction-anthony-rendon-comments-angels-job-work-life-balance#:~:text=Earlier this week%2C Angels third,a firestorm in the media. 

Yup, the player player chose to be injured. So putting you faith and family first is a bad thing. Got it.

[Jacksson]

I hope Louie starts the season better than he finished Spring Training.

[Doctor Wu]

On 3/27/2024 at 10:40 AM, RpR said:

Angels won it in the Ninth.

Great to see Ron Washington managing again. All of sudden the Angels are interesting for me to follow.