The Season's Here: Get Up to Speed with Our 2024 Twins Roster Preview - Caretaker Exclusive

[Nick Nelson]

Happy Opening Day Eve! With the season finally upon us, we've put together a quick downloadable preview guide for Twins Daily Caretakers, overviewing the roster at each position and sharing our final takeaways from spring camp. 

The Twins and their fans are ready to put a long, slow offseason behind them as the season finally springs into action. Kauffman Stadium will host an Opening Day showdown on Thursday between Pablo Lopez and Cole Ragans, while Forgotten Star Brewing will host a bunch of Twins Daily folks to catch the game together. (Join us!)

Our 2024 Twins Roster Preview PDF is now available exclusively for Caretakers, offering quick overviews of each position on the roster along with a few insider takeaways and tidbits that our writers gleaned during several weeks spent covering spring training.

If you're interested, learn more about the Twins Daily Caretaker Fund and how to become a member. This is an opportunity for people to support the site and community; providing premium content perks like these are a small part of how we say thank you. As always, there will be plenty more free coverage on the site today, tomorrow, and throughout the season. 

Here's a quick preview of the spring training takeaways section of the PDF. Caretakers can scroll beyond that to find a link to download the full version.

Byron Buxton's mood.
Anyone who's covered Twins spring training in years past and was down there this year will tell you the same thing: this was a different Buxton. In the past he's been friendly and respectful but more reserved, clearly burdened by the weight of relentless health issues. This spring, he was full of life and energy, frequently bounding around the clubhouse with a big grin. On the field, he was running the bases and diving in the outfield with no restriction. This put all of us in a very good mood.

Bailey Ober's new pitch.
In order to address the velocity gap between his fastball and his slower offspeed pitches, Ober was working to introduce a new cutter to his arsenal this spring. He used the pitch heavily in all of his outings to try and get it "dialed in and consistent" when the season starts. A new go-to breaking ball for the big righty? "We'll see what it turns into ... it'll be good to have both to play with."

Willi Castro's exit velocity.
After making a big impression in his first season with the Twins, the versatile utility man was making noisy contact in Grapefruit League action, registering a handful of the highest exit velocities that he's ever recorded under Statcast. "He's smoked some balls early in this camp," said Rocco Baldelli.

View full article

[Oldgoat_MN]

I am ready for baseball. 

Go Twins!

[Rod Carews Birthday]

Looks good!  Let's play some games!

[DocBauer]

Not currently a Caretaker, but that doesn't mean I don't have opinions on the current roster.

ROTATION:

Unless I'm mistaken, all of Ryan, Ober, Paddack, and Varland have spent the offseason and ST working on new or adjusted pitches. (My memory doesn't recall anything specific from Lopez at the moment). And because of experimentation, it's why I'm not concerned about ST results from individual games or final results. I like this rotation very much and am pretty confident it's going to be very good. There is mild concern regarding Paddack's IP total and how it's regulated, but depth is really my only concern. SWR looked much better this ST, and reports are good. I haven't given up on Headrick as a viable option after jumping to a split season in 2023 of AAA and MLB after about a half season of AA in 2022. Festa appears to have the stuff to be a legitimate prospect. But that depth plays up a lot better come June if the primary 5 can avoid injury of any sort until then. 

BULLPEN:

Losing 3 of the projected top 5 arms here to begin the season flat out stinks! There's no way to sugar coat it. HOWEVER, I think the depth assembled to form the opening day group still offers optimism they can be serviceable and "hang in there" until the missing 3 are back. THANKFULLY, we're talking minor injuries and nothing of significance. While you obviously need more than 8 arms for a season, you need to feel relatively comfortable being about 12 deep. If you take the 8 arms on the opening day roster, then add in the missing 3, then add Staumont taking some time to harness his control, (the velocity seems to be back), and then add in a hopeful return of Winder in the not too distant future, potential contributions of Weiss in the same regard, and the other arms sitting at AAA that can be turned to if and when needed, I see 12 options to have at least some faith in, plus additional options at the Twins disposal. As long as the injury fates are done having fun with the Twins, the pen CAN be a strength.

OFFENSE/LINEUP:

The way this team is constructed, they SHOULD be amongst the best run producing units in the AL, even with some regression from Lewis, Wallner, and Julien. And there's good depth on the roster, as well as at AAA, including a few guys not even on the 40 man at this time.

Catcher:

I'm a fan and believer in Jeffers. I think the hard work Vazquez has put in this offseason will see his production rise, at least somewhat. Jeffers can improve in some areas, still regress from an amazing 2023 OPS, and can STILL BE one of the most productive catchers in the league. Last year the duo provided 28 Dbls, a couple Trips, 20 HR and 75 RBI. One up a little, one down a little, I'd like to expect something similar in 2024. Behind them, there's the solid and intriguing Camargo. After that, if necessary...sure hope not...is the journeyman O'Keefe...not much to report there other than some OK career milb numbers...maybe Williams, and the prospect Winkel who the team seams high on.

Infield:

We all the primary starting 3. Correa is a stud who's healthy again and amongst in all MLB at SS. Lewis is a team MVP in the making, is special, and might win a league MVP one day. Julien is going to be very good, if not a star. I honestly believe Kirilloff is ready to make a statement this year. His wrist issues appear behind him. We've seen how good he can be in stretches. Again, I don't place a great deal of emphasis on ST results, but he had a good one. That seems to indicate his wrist is STILL sound, and his shoulder injury is behind him. With all due respect to Carlos Santana...who's had a good spring, FWIW...I don't place a lot of faith in a 38yo coming off his 1st solid season in about 3yrs, even though he was still pretty mediocre from the LH side of the plate. I like his glove, his experience, his leadership, and his ability to produce against LHP as a member of the lineup and as a PH. I'm FINE with him in that role, probably starting a few games against RHP. But if AK is what I think he's going to be, he's going to grabbing a bunch of starts at 1B against RHP instead of DH-ing not only for this year, but the future.

Farmer is a tremdous teammate, a solid glove man across the INF, at least a quasi-platoon at 2B with Julien, and an OK bat against RHP who does really well against LHP. It seems Castro is ALWAYS included as an OF, but I watched him in the INF a ton last season, watched him play some INF in ST games this year, and he's a fine INF. And Lee is waiting in the wings. So is Miranda as a 1B, maybe 3B, DH, and PH. Severino might be an option as the same at some point. I wouldn't fall asleep on Prato, or Helman, as potential help if injuries hit.

Outfield:

Wallner will probably always be a bit streaky. But he's got a good eye, hits solidly, has tremendous power, has a cannon for an arm, runs/moves well for a big guy, and has shown some improvement defensively. I was actually surprised when I heard recently how few games he's actually played in LF until last year. A healthy Buxton is a STUD and team and league MVP challenger. But no matter how AMAZINGLY good he feels right now...best in years...history simply states he's going to be injured at some point. Now that he plays wall collisions with overt intelligence...we hope...and realizes that diving for every possible big defensive play with overt intelligence it may not be worth it...we hope...his previous hip injuries were a result of compensating for his knee. SUPPOSEDLY, his post 2022 clean up procedure fixed that knee. And then came 2023 and the cluster that it was. I'm not a medical expert, far from it, but I remain baffled how NOBODY saw the plica as being a detriment to his health and career. I understand you don't cut in to someone or remove something unless it's really deemed necessary, BUT, it appears, at least early, that that additional procedure has really made a difference. Considering how good Byron feels, how optimistic he and the staff are, I'm going to assume he's going to be good for 80-100 games in CF with regular rest either sitting down here and there, or DH-ing another 20 games or so. Mitigating his play is important. When he's hurt, don't play games, put him on the IL to get right. He might SURPRISE himself, the Twins, and everyone else and be healthy enough for 100 games in CF! But let's just plan on 80 there and another 20 or so at DH for a half day rest. He's a difference maker. I don't mean to sound condescending, but I think Kepler FINALLY reached a certain maturity level of baseball intelligence where he FINALLLY realized he didn't have to be "perfect". I honestly believe Max was so concerned about making contact and simply "trying" to get a hit that he didn't realize poor contact was a BAD THING. When the switch turned on in 2023, he sacrificed contact and had more K's than he was "used to" and just stroked the ball harder. And suddenly he was the potential All Star caliber hitter a lot of us fans always believed he could be. Now, there was probably some unsustainable BABIP involved, but that doesn't diminish what he he did last season. IF he doesn't get in his own head, and just does what he did from about mid June to July, he's a major producer for the Twins in 2024. He was sad to see teammate and hotel buddy and friend Polanco go. He was happily surprised to remain a Twin for now. POTENTIALLY, he could have some serious value on the FA market next offseason. My concern for NOW is what he does as a member of the 2024 Twins. But I have to wonder if talent/production and mutual heartstrings MIGHT bring about an extension even though the 2025 payroll is an UTTER MYSTERY at this point. 

Castro is as good of an OF depth piece as he is an INF piece. He's a very good LF, a decent CF option, and with a solid arm, probably a solid RF option, but I'd expect Wallner there instead most days. Margot had a poor ST. Do we honestly care? He's a 29yo veteran who's been a semi-regular in his career. He's a solid, at times great, defensive player across the OF, and a viable CF option a notch below Buxton and Taylor. But a notch below them isn't bad. And career wise, he's actually a better HITTER and OB producer than Taylor. 

Depth wise beyond Castro and Margot, we have Larnach and Martin. While I still have belief the best thing that could happen for Larnach is being part of a trade to someone who would help the Twins for this season and beyond, I maintain he's a solid glove with 20 HR and 30 Dbl power if given enough opportunity. But he's sitting at St Paul for now. You could do worse for depth. And if NOT traded, I continue to say he could use 2024 to adjust and learn and improve and be part of 2025 as a part time OF and DH. It's really great that Martin could play some 2B and 3B if needed due to injuries or an extra inning game. But can we just stop the nonsense? Martin is an OF now period! The fact that he can potentially play SOME 2B/3B is great if we get to some extra inning game. We have enough INF depth and talent that its ridiculous to see Martin as anything more than a LF/CF.

Beyond Martin, as previously mentioned, Helman and Keirsey are possible non roster options if things turn south. I don't expect that to happen, but it sometimes does.

Honestly, with the bullpen holding their own for a month or so, my ONLY question about this season is the rotation depth.