Three More Players the Minnesota Twins Should Sign to Minor-League Contracts

[Cody Schoenmann]

Despite not yet signing a player to a guaranteed MLB contract, the Twins have been active in the minor-league contract market. Which other potential contributors should they consider signing to non-roster deals?

Image courtesy of © Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

The Twins' most significant transaction this offseason has either been trading Jovani Morán to the Boston Red Sox for utility infielder Mickey Gasper or signing Mike Ford to a minor-league contract. Which of the two transactions should be deemed more consequential is really in the eye of the beholder. Still, the front office executing a flurry of these moves indicates they will be addressing the team's depth concerns on the margins, by either trading for Quadruple-A players with upside or signing journeyman veterans to minor-league deals, with hopes of them outplaying their contracts

Due to the complicated nature of trades, we could see more of these low-risk signings by the team's front office this offseason. While depth at first base has seemingly been addressed by acquiring Gasper and Ford, the club has other areas of need, highlighted by the position groups below:

• Left-handed reliever
• Right-handed hitting corner outfielder
• Insurance for Byron Buxton in center field (if they don't trust DaShawn Keirsey)

Free-agent options like Tanner Scott, Austin Hays, and Harrison Bader would be ideal candidates, respectively. Again, however, that is not a world where the Twins front office can function. That being the case, team decision-makers will likely continue to scour the minor-league free agent market for veteran depth pieces. Let's take a look at three intriguing options.

Austin Davis
Before a swarm of injuries concluded what was once a promising 2022 Twins campaign, the team provided opportunities to a handful of relievers who were less than effective. Tyler Thornburg and Juan Minaya are the first to come to mind. However, if you scroll far enough down that year's team Baseball Reference page, you will see that Davis threw 1 2/3 innings for the Twins in two appearances in early Sept. 2022, against the New York Yankees. One can easily forget that signing Davis would, technically, be a reunion.

Since his brief stint with Minnesota, the now-31-year-old has jumped between the Houston Astros and San Diego Padres farm systems. He didn't pitch in the majors in 2023. However, he generated a 9.00 ERA for San Diego over seven innings pitched last season. Now, remember, if the Twins were to bring in Davis, it would be on a minor-league deal. He would likely be behind Kody Funderburk and Brent Headrick on the left-handed reliever hierarchy. However, if he performs well in spring training, he could become a valuable depth piece at a position group presently spread untenably thin.

Davis dropped his arm angle 11 degrees from 2022 to 2024, meaning he is a much different pitcher from his first stint in Minnesota. With San Diego last season, the journeyman southpaw employed a three-pitch mix, highlighted by a sinker-cutter combo he utilized 72% of the time. His third pitch was a sweeper that he used the remaining 28% of the time. If he were to join Minnesota, the team's pitching development staff would probably have him refine his sweeper and use it more as a true out pitch. Nevertheless, Davis is an intriguing option, and with options running thin, his familiarity with Minnesota could lead to a second stint.

Bubba Thompson
From Aaron Whitefield to Billy Hamilton, the Twins' front office has long shown an affinity for temporarily rostering speedy outfielders who could be viable defensive replacements for the oft-injured Buxton. Like Davis, the Twins did technically roster Thompson. However, unlike Davis, he never touched the field wearing Twins attire, making it difficult to determine whether signing Thompson would count as a reunion. It's the whole Isiah Kiner-Falefa thing. Nevertheless, Minnesota could be incentivized to bring Thompson back and keep him for more than two weeks.

Thompson, 26, is a fascinating option. He possesses elite speed, while providing above-average defense in center field. These tools have provided the former first-round pick various opportunities in the majors with the Texas Rangers and Cincinnati Reds. However, he has spent the greater part of his career as a Quadruple-A player, because he cannot hit major league pitching. Over his 259 career plate appearances, Thompson has 56 hits. Forty-three of those hits are singles. Evidently, Thompson's offensive value is predicated on him using his speed to beat out chopped groundballs or get balls just past the infield.

Obviously, if Minnesota brought Thompson back on a minor-league deal, there would be no offensive expectations. That said, bringing him in as a depth piece behind Buxton and his assumed backup, Keirsey, could be a wise move from an organizational depth perspective. Thompson could patrol center for the St. Paul Saints to begin the minor-league season. If Buxton were to sustain an injury early in the season, the speedy 26-year-old could function as an adequate platoon mate for Keirsey, meaning the club wouldn't be forced to promote top prospect Emmanuel Rodriguez prematurely.

Harold Ramírez
You know what's better than a reunion? A fresh beginning, which is something this right-handed bat could significantly benefit from. Ramírez, 30, is a well-known name in the baseball sphere. He performed exceptionally well for the Tampa Bay Rays from 2022 through 2023, posting a 118 and 124 OPS+ in each season, respectively. However, the formerly above-average hitter fell from grace last season, leading to him being designated for assignment by the Rays after posting a measly 70 OPS+ over 169 plate appearances. He quickly signed a minor-league deal with the Washington Nationals. However, his performance barely improved, and he ended his 2024 campaign with an uninspiring 80 OPS+ over 77 plate appearances with his new team.

Now, there is debate surrounding whether Tampa Bay gave up on Ramírez prematurely. He was struggling, yes. However, there is reason to suspect he could again become the player who performed nearly 20% above league average at the plate just two seasons ago. Obviously, to assume that is unwise, and you wouldn't want the Twins to invest an amount that reflected such an expectation. However, if he can perform at even 70-80% of how he did from 2022 through 2023, a team could reap the benefits of an above-replacement level bat at little cost.

Ramírez is especially intriguing for Minnesota, because he could slot into the Kyle Garlick-turned-Jordan Luplow-turned-Manuel Margot role the front office has coveted for the last three seasons. Again, Ramírez struggled last season. However, in 2023, he hit .387/.411/.555 with 46 hits and four home runs over 124 plate appearances against left-handed pitching. The once highly-touted 30-year-old could step into that role while providing average defense at the corner outfield spots. However, he would likely be best utilized as a designated hitter or pinch-hitter against left-handed pitching.

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[LambchoP]

Maybe Harold Ramirez, the other two don't look like an improvement over what we already have in AAA or AA.

[sweetmusicviola16]

Any of them on an milb is fine. Acquiring more Gaspers and Fords is certainly one way to inspire the fan base. 

[Fatbat]

I think we have enough outfielders that don't hit much. Lets not get more of that. It would be interesting to figure out what went wrong with Harold Ramirez

[bean5302]

Ramirez is interesting. Despite having plus speed at one point, he's been pretty poor in the outfield in part due to his limited arm. Also, as his frame has expanded (5'11" and 232lbs listed now), his once elite sprint speed has waned. The Nationals deployed him exclusively as a DH when they got him.

Not sure what happened to his swing last year, but he transformed into a ground ball machine, and I'm sure the sudden decline of Tim Anderson spooked plenty of teams holding on to similar players.

I wouldn't bank on Ramirez rebounding, but he's worth a MiLB signing. If I were the Twins, I'd deploy him to the OF to see if he can handle it.

[umterp23]

AAAA and High Leverage situation verbiage getting used makes me laugh. Last time I checked AAAA doesn’t exist. AAA minor league deal would be fine and if anyone makes a case to be on 26 man than they are a major league player not some made up A status. 
 

bullpen and being brought in to do your job is do your job. Any relief pitcher is in a leverage position except a position player

[RpR]

16 minutes ago, umterp23 said:

AAAA and High Leverage situation verbiage getting used makes me laugh. Last time I checked AAAA doesn’t exist. AAA minor league deal would be fine and if anyone makes a case to be on 26 man than they are a major league player not some made up A status. 
 

bullpen and being brought in to do your job is do your job. Any relief pitcher is in a leverage position except a position player

AAAA player

From BR Bullpen

 

A AAAA player, or four A player, but rarely quadruple A, is a player who is an outstanding player at the AAA level but always has trouble succeeding at the major league level, either because of a lack of one of the five major tools or bad luck.

Many followers of sabermetrics question the idea that there are players who can dominate the high minors but fail in MLB. They think that teams tend to give up on such players too easily, leaving a population of potentially valuable players languishing in the minors. Bill James described such players as Ken Phelps All-Stars after the prototypical Ken Phelps, a AAAA player who finally made good when given a chance a number of years after he had first dominated competition at the AAA level.

 

 

 

[Greggory Masterson]

Where is Cristian Pache

[tony&rodney]

Any player signed is fine as long as the main innings and plate appearances are still available for individuals rising up through the system such as an Andrew Morris or Luke Keaschall.

[gbg]

FWIW - the article links to the wrong Bubba Thompson Should be this one.

[Doctor Gast]

MiLB contract never hurts. So many DH/1B/cOFers were the all-or-nothing style that slumped I don't give much hope that they'll turn it around & have anything semblance of prior success. 

[ashbury]

Hoping for Ramirez to regain the magic touch against LHP that he had in 2023 might require that he regain the .447 BABIP he enjoyed against them that season .  Anything can happen in 124 PA.  There's your magic.  😀

[Cody Schoenmann]

3 hours ago, Greggory Masterson said:

Where is Cristian Pache

Is 2025 The Year Cristian Pache Finally Breaks Out?

[Doctor Wu]

9 hours ago, Cody Schoenmann said:

Is 2025 The Year Cristian Pache Finally Breaks Out?

Pache is one of those prospects that never lived up to the hype. the stereotypical good field-no hit type of player. He didn't click with the Braves, or even Oakland, and going over to Philly didn't rejuvenate him either. Worth a minor league signing, I suppose, but he ain't getting any younger. 

[Cody Schoenmann]

6 hours ago, Doctor Wu said:

Pache is one of those prospects that never lived up to the hype. the stereotypical good field-no hit type of player. He didn't click with the Braves, or even Oakland, and going over to Philly didn't rejuvenate him either. Worth a minor league signing, I suppose, but he ain't getting any younger. 

I was just making a joke with Gregg lol. Pache already signed MiLB deal with Arizona.