Offseason Handbook: Ranking 6 Minor-League Free Agents Who Could Bolster Twins Pitching Staff - Caretaker Exclusive

[Matthew Trueblood]

We know the Twins need to add pitching depth this winter. We also know their financial constraints will make that difficult. Let's head down to the river and pan for gold in the silt.

Image courtesy of © Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

A dearth of viable pitching depth did in the Twins down the stretch in 2024. After Joe Ryan went down with injury, the team's overreliance on young hurlers became glaringly apparent. David Festa, Simeon Woods RIchardson, and Zebby Matthews were all asked to do just a bit too much, and when they couldn't meet that challenge, important innings had to be shifted onto middle relievers, who also cracked under the burden of those demands.

Bringing in multiple high-level arms with strong track records would be the most natural response to that structural failure, but because the Pohlad family has left in place its artificially low ceiling on payroll while they shop the team this winter, the front office will need to get creative in pursuit of any improvement in pitching depth. That might mean trades, either to directly acquire good pitchers who are still far from free agency and cost relatively little or to create financial flexibility that can then be reallocated toward pitching. It can also mean doing some more bargain-hunting. Over 500 players became minor-league free agents earlier this month, because they've played at least six full professional seasons or have previously been outrighted off the 40-man roster and were not on it five days after the World Series.

In the description of how these players achieved their free agency, you can hear the reality that they're not likely to be great, surefire options. If they were, though, they wouldn't be available as free agents—or, if they were, their price tags would be out of the Twins' range.

Combing through the list of those free agents to find all those who might have value is enough work to be assigned to a full-time employee of some big-league front office. For our Caretakers, though, I did sift through a large number of pitchers who hit the market, in search of some who could help the Twins. Here are the six who stood out as fits for the team's needs and their predilections, ranked from most to least desirable.

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[Doctor Gast]

It's hard to find a SP that'll come in to help as a SP, most of the time you can find some RPs. The only name that stuck out on the list was Brendan McKay (LHP). He had promise back when but have no idea where he stands now.

[old nurse]

33 minutes ago, Doctor Gast said:

It's hard to find a SP that'll come in to help as a SP, most of the time you can find some RPs. The only name that stuck out on the list was Brendan McKay (LHP). He had promise back when but have no idea where he stands now.

Shoulder injury, next year Tommy John, next year UCL sprain 

[tony&rodney]

"A dearth of viable pitching depth did in the Twins down the stretch in 2024." - first line in article.

Wonderful idea to write about potential minor league free agent pitchers that are available for ST invites. However, one cannot start an article with a complete falsehood. The fielding was among the worst in baseball, the base running was the worst, and the hitting cratered to an unbelievable degree. The pitching was the least of the Twins problems down the stretch. I only respond because this has been stated once too many times and it is patently false. Only Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale could have pitched well enough to cover for the Twins pathetic efforts at the plate and in the field down the stretch. Sorry for being negative .... can't let this one go.

[Doctor Wu]

14 hours ago, old nurse said:

Shoulder injury, next year Tommy John, next year UCL sprain 

Yes, Brendan McKay has had a rough ride thus far. But he WAS a top 5 pick, and projected as a possible 2-way player at that time too. Still an intriguing player, but only if he can stay healthy.

[LambchoP]

So basically our options will be injured or coming back from injury guys, DFA candidates and waiver wire fodder. Sign a handful to minor league deals with spring invites and hope one or two work out. Not a very inspiring plan. As long as we have a relatively healthy pitching staff, I think we are actually pretty good. One more SP to allow Festa and Mathews to start the year in AAA and polish up their game a bit. A solid late inning lefty reliever and maybe a couple NRI and we should be ok. I'm more worried about the fact we need a first baseman and TH hitting OF.

[old nurse]

1 hour ago, Doctor Wu said:

Yes, Brendan McKay has had a rough ride thus far. But he WAS a top 5 pick, and projected as a possible 2-way player at that time too. Still an intriguing player, but only if he can stay healthy.

3 major injuries and Tampa not putting him on the 40 man. Would be 2 good reasons not to sign him

[Fire Dan Gladden]

Any complaint about ANY MiLB pitcher signing is just plain ignorance.  There are numerous reasons to sign guy that go beyond whether or not they make the big team: Veteran presence, pressuring the younger guys to be successful, system depth, complete flyer while a guy tries to come back from injury or meltdown.

Sign as many of these guys that you think can help and see how things play out.