Is Kody Funderburk Earning a Roster Spot?

[Cody Pirkl]

The Twins are likely to have some unexpected openings in their bullpen for Opening Day and, fortunately, have some options for how to fill them. Could a second lefty reliever earn himself a spot?

Image courtesy of Matt Blewett - USA TODAY Sports

Kody Funderburk worked his way up from Double A to MLB in 2023. After looking like a potential piece of the bullpen following that breakout season, however, injuries and ineffectiveness hampered him in 2024. Does Funderburk have a resurgence in store for 2025?

Funderburk has had a strong spring performance thus far, allowing one run and striking out six in five innings pitched. While spring numbers can be taken with a grain of salt, it’s nice to see him back to the dominance he showed in 2023. In Funderburk’s case, his handful of innings in spring training are less about opening eyes within the organization and more about drawing them—showing an organization that wanted to trust him last year that he’s back to his old ways.

Despite a fastball in the low 90s, Funderburk has shown he can be a strikeout machine, while also limiting hard contact and the home run ball. At his best, he can more than offset his spotty control, which has proven to be his most significant weakness as a pitcher.

During his rise through the ranks in 2023, Funderburk struck out 35.6% of opposing minor-league hitters. When given an opportunity at the MLB level, he struck out 40.4% of opposing hitters and allowed one home run in 12 innings pitched. Despite a strong bullpen depth chart, the Twins had seen enough to award him a postseason roster spot. The Twins were believers in the performance.

Now fully recovered from the oblique strain that cost Funderburk so much time in 2024, it’s worth wondering whether the Twins' past belief in him, paired with some popup injuries, could have Funderburk on the roster on day one. It sounds more doubtful that Michael Tonkin and Justin Topa will be immediate options, due to a pair of shoulder injuries. But is Funderburk the best fit?

Louie Varland will likely receive the most significant opportunity boost in response to these injuries. A strong case can also be made for Rule 5 pick Eiberson Castellano to make the Opening Day roster, so as to keep him in the Twins organization. You would assume both have the upper hand against another left-handed reliever, but Funderburk isn’t a traditional southpaw.

Funderburk has had long stretches of reverse splits in his professional career. His funky delivery helps neutralize the splits left-handed pitchers typically see against right-handed hitters. If the final bullpen spot comes down to a photo finish, handedness shouldn’t play a big part in the decision-making process.

Funderburk’s significant disadvantage is his ability to be sent to St. Paul without repercussions. The Twins can send Varland down, but they likely see no reason to, given his raw stuff and already-strong résumé as a reliever. Breaking camp without Castellano would mean crossing his name off the organizational depth chart and potentially sending him back to the Phillies. A simple case can be made that Funderburk belongs in St. Paul after struggling there last season, to prove himself again and maintain as much depth as possible. Still, he’s likely giving the Twins something to think about.

The Twins saw the peak of Funderburk’s abilities in 2023. Was that season enough to take his early spring performance as a sign that he belongs back in the big-league bullpen? Were his struggles in 2024 too much to overcome with just a few innings this spring? Let us know below!

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[jorgenswest]

Any reliever with options on the 40 will get an opportunity on the AAA shuttle. Jax was that guy. Sands was that guy. They seized the opportunity. Funderburk will have a chance to do the same.

[stringer bell]

Didn't he walk three in one inning in his last outing? Not a real advertisement for a spot on the roster.

[Muppet]

Even if he starts in St. Paul, he still could pitch 20+ games in Minneapolis at some point. Not worried about which relievers on the bump head up for game 1. We’ll see plenty of them all.

[old nurse]

18 minutes ago, stringer bell said:

Didn't he walk three in one inning in his last outing? Not a real advertisement for a spot on the roster.

No he did not walk 3 in an inning  it went BB, BB, DP, BB, BB, K

[stringer bell]

Just now, old nurse said:

No he did not walk 3 in an inning  it went BB, BB, DP, BB, BB, K

Oh, that's so much better!

[old nurse]

 

Oh, that's so much better!

Worse yet, i think they were mostly the minor league players. I a not going to check that closely, but I think Funderburke has been pitching the late innings, aka vets, go hit the shower 

[Parfigliano]

I believe he has options.  Put him in AAA and await the inevitable injury.

[Fatbat]

He should prove himself more in AAA

[DocBauer]

He was one of the most disappointing Twins, for me, in 2024, after having such a great 2023 and looking like a real, viable option after his ML debut. What I hadn't realized was that his early results last season were pretty good. Sorry, I don't remember the OP, but recently someone on TD revealed the results of his first 4-5 appearances to begin the season and they were really solid. Whether he was pitching through injury or not, the wheels started to come off shortly thereafter.

The first time I watched him this ST...against the Pirates maybe?...he set the opposition down on 7 pitches, then had a solid 2nd inning. And it was early in the game. The appearance where I next saw him was the aforementioned game where he was much more wild and had 3 BB over 2 IP. He simply wasn't as sharp. And yes, it was later in the game. 

I think the stuff is still there to be a quality LH in the pen. He was almost exclusively a position player in college, but drafted by the Twins as a pitcher. So there's been more of a conversion, development aspect to him than most college arms brought in. The injury in 2024 did him no favors. But if he can harness his control, he's got real K potential and the ability to get RH batters out as well.

But I don't think he makes the opening day roster. Not unless Castellano is traded for in order to be sent down. Funderburk will be sent down to wait for his opportunity. Plenty of opportunity for him to help the club in 2025, but I don't believe he'll be there opening day.

SIDE NOTE: While it haven't seen any announcement, it appears to me Jaylin Nowlin has been moved to the pen for the upcoming season. He also has some control issues, but a funky, "slinging" delivery that offers deception and some pretty good stuff. And he's a couple 2-3 years younger. So by the 2nd half of the season, he could be hot on the heels of Funderburk as a LH pen option.

[Linus]

 No way - his control is nearly non - existent.

[bean5302]

Funderburk isn't going to get a chance at making an appearance on the 26 man until he starts throwing strikes. Last year was a real catastrophe for him and he's fallen off way down the depth chart at this point. The biggest reasons he's on the 40 man is he has options and throws lefty.

[Doctor Gast]

Funderburg still needs to work on his control at AAA. His call up depends on Twins' patience with Coloumbe. Since he's Falvey acquision, his best shot is when Coloumbe gets hurt.

[LambchoP]

He needs to get his command under control first. He has options, I expect him to start in AAA but still get plenty of looks in the majors. Probably bouncing back and forth from St Paul to Minneapolis.

[TopGunn#22]

I think he is.  It wouldn't hurt to have another lefty in the pen.  I love his stuff but I don't disagree with anybody who says he's got to start throwing strikes more consistently.  If he can do that, he's certainly got the stuff to not only make the team, but to be a pretty effective piece of a dominating BP.  

[Twins_Fan_in_NJ]

19 hours ago, LambchoP said:

He needs to get his command under control first. He has options, I expect him to start in AAA but still get plenty of looks in the majors. Probably bouncing back and forth from St Paul to Minneapolis.

Agreed. I don't think he's to the point where you can put him on the opening day roster - presuming there's no other injuries in the pen. But...it is a long season and I'll suspect he'll get called up at some point.