Minnesota Twins 2025 Opening Day Roster Projection: Post-Royce Lewis Injury Edition

[Cody Schoenmann]

How will the Twins' Opening Day 26-man roster shake out, now that their should-be star third baseman is expected to miss time due to a hamstring injury?

Image courtesy of © Chris Tilley-Imagn Images

Projecting 26-man rosters is a thankless practice. What looks like a sound prediction one day can be proven moot by a twinge or a sproing the next. Regardless, we here at Twins Daily persevere. Although our hard work is under a perpetual threat of being deemed meaningless and outdated, we still want to keep you, valued reader, informed on what your favorite team could look like as the 162-game season begins in less than two weeks.

The Twins had been relatively lucky in the injury department for most of camp, as relievers Matt Canterino, Michael Tonkin, and Erasmo Ramírez were the only potential contributors who sustained significant injuries. Unfortunately, those fortunes changed when star third baseman Royce Lewis sustained a left hamstring strain in the process of grounding out to third base in the second inning of Sunday's exhibition game against the Boston Red Sox.

Lewis will undergo an MRI on Monday and will almost certainly begin his 2025 campaign on the 10-day IL. What implications will his presumed absence have on the club's Opening Day 26-man roster? Let's take a look.

Catchers (2): Ryan Jeffers, Christian Vázquez
Minnesota will field Jeffers and Vázquez behind the plate for the third consecutive season. Last season, the two veterans started 81 games each at that spot, a perfect 50/50 split. Although generating a perfect split presumably won't happen again this season—it's nearly impossible to do that, from a logistical standpoint; props to you, Rocco Baldelli—the tandem will try again to maintain a near-perfect timeshare, with Vázquez potentially earning more time behind the plate due to his defensive superiority.

The Twins have one of the best catching duos in the AL. Those who follow the team should find comfort in that reality, despite many vocally advocating for Vázquez's departure over the past five months. Jair Camargo will serve as the primary depth option at Triple A, with recently acquired post-hype prospect Diego Cartaya serving as a high-upside fourth option alongside Camargo in St. Paul.

Infielders (7): Ty France, Brooks Lee, José Miranda, Carlos Correa, Willi Castro, Edouard Julien, Mickey Gasper
This is going to be a little controversial, but hear me out. The Twins will exercise France's $1 million contract. Crazy! I know. Here I come with the hot takes on what's supposed to be a strictly informative 26-man roster projection.

Arguably, Lewis's subtraction affects the right side of the infield more than his primary position, third base. The trio of Miranda, Lee, and Castro can sufficiently replace his production at the hot corner, with Miranda likely receiving the bulk of those opportunities. However, with Miranda and Lee needing to slide over to third base more than expected, depth becomes more of a concern at second and first. That being the case, I project Julien and Gasper (both of whom can play each of those spots) to be rewarded with spots on the 26-man roster.

Their skill sets are redundant. However, Julien and Gasper being able to slot in at first base, second base, designated hitter, or a bench role on a game-to-game basis provides the club the flexibility necessary to navigate the early months of a 162-game marathon. Castro will remain in the second base, third base, and shortstop (and first base?) mix, but play plenty of outfield, too. Also, it should be noted that Correa is still an exceptional shortstop whose health will play an integral role in Minnesota's ability to return to the postseason.

 

Outfielders (4): Trevor Larnach, Byron Buxton, Matt Wallner, Harrison Bader
Aside from catcher, the Twins' outfield is their most stable position-player unit. Larnach and Wallner will handle the corners against right-handed pitching, with Buxton operating as a cog in center field. When the team faces left-handed starting pitchers, Bader could slot into left or right field, with Castro or one of Larnach or Wallner occupying the other corner.

Like Lewis and Correa, Buxton's health will significantly affect how productive Minnesota's outfield can be. However, if Buxton does miss extended time, Bader or left-handed hitting outfield prospect DaShawn Keirsey could deliver the defensive prowess necessary to mimic his production in center field.

Starting Rotation (5): Pablo López, Joe Ryan, Bailey Ober, Chris Paddack, Simeon Woods Richardson
The organization optioning starting pitchers David Festa and Zebby Matthews to Triple-A this past Sunday solidifies Woods Richardson's standing in the club's five-pitcher starting rotation. Twins decision-makers awarding Woods Richardson the final rotation spot over Festa and Matthews isn't surprising, considering his contributions to the team in desperate times last season. However, there is reason to believe that Festa and Matthews will be the better pitchers in the long term.

If Festa and Matthews perform well at Triple-A to begin the season (which is the expectation), it will be interesting to see if they usurp Woods Richardson or Paddack for one of the back-of-the-rotation spots. Alas, injuries will probably make that kind of speculation moot. López, Ryan, and Ober form one of the strongest starting pitching trios in baseball, and their ability to perform at or above their career rates will be a driving force in Minnesota's ability to bounce back from last season's drastic late-season collapse.

Bullpen (8): Jhoan Durán, Griffin Jax, Cole Sands, Brock Stewart, Danny Coulombe, Jorge Alcalá, Louis Varland, Eiberson Castellano
Did you know that FanGraphs projects the Twins to have the game's best bullpen? What?! I know! That's how I responded, too. Even if you follow the club closely, you are probably learning this information for the first time. I understand if some of you reading this need to regroup after exposure to the shocking truth I just dropped on you.

Snark aside, yes, Minnesota's bullpen could be exceptional. However, injuries have made depth a concern. Tonkin and Ramírez won't be ready for Opening Day, and there is reason to suspect medium- to high-leverage reliever Justin Topa will also begin the season on the 15-day IL. That being the case, Alcalá and Varland are seemingly locked into the bullpen's sixth and seventh roles. Injuries should never be celebrated. However, it will be interesting to see Alcalá and (more notably) Varland receive extended opportunities in the bullpen. Both could blossom into fire-throwing high-leverage arms, which would be a welcome development.

Despite a concerning 12-to-8 strikeout-to-walk ratio over eight innings pitched, Castellano's four-seam fastball and curveball have impressed this spring, lending merit to the possibility that team decision-makers will provide the 23-year-old Rule 5 Draft selection an opportunity with the major-league club out of camp. Nevertheless, Durán, Jax, Sands, Stewart, and Coulombe will be the driving force behind the bullpen's ability to succeed this season. Uncertainty and volatility are part of every bullpen. However, there is reason to believe this unit could be one the most hard-throwing and effective bullpens in baseball this season.

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[Whitey333]

Love your article!  Seems like reasonable selections to the 26 man roster.  It's hard to miss Lewis as he spends more time injured than playing.  Twins need to begin considering moving on from Lewis before they get the urge to give him a $100,000,000 contract to play part time like Byron Buxton!

[Jeff K]

you are probably right about julien, but I sincerely think he would be better served starting with St. Paul and becoming a professional at fielding either 1st or 2nd base.

[IndianaTwin]

If they've sent Funderburk down and haven't yet returned Castellano, it seems a lock that he's made the team. If Topa does start the season on the IL, Castellano is all that's remaining, right? (I don't mean that disparagingly -- I hope they keep Castellano, even if it means optioning someone else for the brief time that is needed until the first injury occurs.)

[Mahoning]

This is a big opportunity for Miranda; I hope he is able to take advantage of it. Presuming that Royce Lewis comes back one of these days (the Twins should take it SLOW), the next little drama will be who gets sent down -- Gasper, Julien? Gasper's spring has made him hard to demote.

[chpettit19]

This looks right to me. Only real battle left is Martin vs Julien probably. And that comes down to where they are comfortable playing everyone and whether or not they'd prefer to get a specific guy everyday ABs in St Paul.

[mluebker]

How does a professional athlete playing at this level injure his hamstring running to first base? Heaven help us if he ever has to sprint in from third to field a bunt. What kind of conditioning and stretching routines does the guy follow? Seems like being able to run to first without injuring something would be a basic requirement to play baseball at any level.

[mikelink45]

Not sure I agree, but enjoyed the article.  I would prefer 5 OF and either Julien or Gaspar in St Paul.  I see Miranda, Correa, Lee, France as the starting IF and with Castro that is enough.  I would like to see Keirsey kept as a 5th OF option.

And I still have hopes that Paddack might be showing enough to get traded before he breaks down again.

[chpettit19]

16 minutes ago, mluebker said:

How does a professional athlete playing at this level injure his hamstring running to first base? Heaven help us if he ever has to sprint in from third to field a bunt. What kind of conditioning and stretching routines does the guy follow? Seems like being able to run to first without injuring something would be a basic requirement to play baseball at any level.

Wait until you hear about pitchers hurting their arms throwing baseballs...

[terrydactyls]

25 minutes ago, mluebker said:

How does a professional athlete playing at this level injure his hamstring running to first base? Heaven help us if he ever has to sprint in from third to field a bunt. What kind of conditioning and stretching routines does the guy follow? Seems like being able to run to first without injuring something would be a basic requirement to play baseball at any level.

That's was my belief too until I tore my meniscus running out a ground ball.

[Doctor Gast]

Julien should be sent down to AAA to learn 1B & continue his hitting adjustment. We really don't need Gasper at 1B, 2B or catcher & as they like to say spring training doesn't count but Falvey will give him every opportunity to succeed no matter if we need him or not. Unfortunately, because of Lewis, 3B Lee & Castro should be our 3B options, Lee & Castro our main 2B options with Gasper. Keirsey is our LH CFer to sub Buxton to give him a break against RHPs.

[mluebker]

10 minutes ago, terrydactyls said:

That's was my belief too until I tore my meniscus running out a ground ball.

I don’t know of any particular thing you can do before running to condition your meniscus, but regular and pregame stretching can make a big difference with your hamstrings.

[mluebker]

24 minutes ago, chpettit19 said:

Wait until you hear about pitchers hurting their arms throwing baseballs...

It’s amazing how less durable they are these days, particularly how many end up needing Tommy John surgery.

[bean5302]

4 minutes ago, mluebker said:

It’s amazing how less durable they are these days, particularly how many end up needing Tommy John surgery.

The results of the average pitcher throwing 95mph instead of 80-85mph. Stress on the body is directly related to the velocity.

[Rod Carews Birthday]

Another Lewis injury is a pretty ominous sign for his season.  We’ve unfortunately been down this path before and the results have been pretty terrible.  That being said, if we can shift Miranda to third in his absence, with Gasper and Julien able to fill in at first and second, we should be OK, and that’s without committing Castro to a long term spot.  

Sometimes I think we forget that while Lewis has had some short stretches that were nothing short of spectacular, the team has been without him (or without him hitting well) for most of the past few years.  The cries of “OMG what will we do without Lewis!” are probably unwarranted.  His spectacular moments will certainly be missed severely, but his impact has been blunted with equal severity by his limited availability.  This is not the end of the world.  It’s why people like Willi Castro are so valuable. 

[Fire Dan Gladden]

1 hour ago, mluebker said:

How does a professional athlete playing at this level injure his hamstring running to first base? Heaven help us if he ever has to sprint in from third to field a bunt. What kind of conditioning and stretching routines does the guy follow? Seems like being able to run to first without injuring something would be a basic requirement to play baseball at any level.

Hard to know whether this comment is serious or just inciting arguments...

I guarantee you no one feels worse about his injury then Lewis.  I guarantee you Lewis, with his history, put an insane amount of time in to avoid this type of injury.

These are not robots, they are humans.  Genetics, predisposition, potential "flaws" in how the body is designed.  Elite athletes do not all have elite genetics.  The amount of effort and stress they put on their body goes way beyond anything the typical fan knows about.

Feel bad for Lewis, but don't oversimplify what is happening here.

[LambchoP]

Bummer about Lewis but not surprising in the least. Miranda should do well enough at third with Castro spelling him there some days. Lee should get second base, as Julien needs to play everyday in AAA and see if he can play a decent first base. He's also got to earn his way back to the majors by improving his hitting. An infield of France, Lee, Correa, Miranda and Castro seems most likely, with hopefully Gasper getting the last bench spot. Once Keaschal is able to play the field, either at first or second I'm sure we'll be seeing him soon as his bat could really help our lineup.

[tarheeltwinsfan]

34 minutes ago, mluebker said:

It’s amazing how less durable they are these days, particularly how many end up needing Tommy John surgery.

I may be wrong, but I wonder if the increased frequency of Tommy John surgeries in the present times has something to do with medical advancements. In the times prior to Tommy John surgeries and when these surgeries were new and innovative treatments, pitchers with these types of injuries just quit baseball

[Fire Dan Gladden]

25 minutes ago, bean5302 said:

The results of the average pitcher throwing 95mph instead of 80-85mph. Stress on the body is directly related to the velocity.

I won't even get started on increased torque, un-natural arm movement, increased weightlifting impacting muscle flexibility...

Should we add over-usage in HS and no time off during the year during that time?

This is an alarming trend that everyone knows about.  Tommy John has almost become the norm, not the exception.

[tarheeltwinsfan]

4 minutes ago, LambchoP said:

Bummer about Lewis but not surprising in the least. Miranda should do well enough at third with Castro spelling him there some days. Lee should get second base, as Julien needs to play everyday in AAA and see if he can play a decent first base. He's also got to earn his way back to the majors by improving his hitting. An infield of France, Lee, Correa, Miranda and Castro seems most likely, with hopefully Gasper getting the last bench spot. Once Keaschal is able to play the field, either at first or second I'm sure we'll be seeing him soon as his bat could really help our lineup.

Good thoughts here LambchoP. I agree. 

[amjgt]

1 hour ago, mikelink45 said:

Not sure I agree, but enjoyed the article.  I would prefer 5 OF and either Julien or Gaspar in St Paul.  I see Miranda, Correa, Lee, France as the starting IF and with Castro that is enough.  I would like to see Keirsey kept as a 5th OF option.

And I still have hopes that Paddack might be showing enough to get traded before he breaks down again.

Co-signed.

You hit all my points.

[bean5302]

4 minutes ago, Fire Dan Gladden said:

I won't even get started on increased torque, un-natural arm movement, increased weightlifting impacting muscle flexibility...

Should we add over-usage in HS and no time off during the year during that time?

This is an alarming trend that everyone knows about.  Tommy John has almost become the norm, not the exception.

It's honestly just tough to say how many underlying issues there are. From specialized sports (year round focus on a singular sport/position/action) to the emphasis on velocity resulting in kids concentrating on throwing the ball harder rather than healthier so they can get drafted in the first place. There's a chicken-egg thing going on.

[stringer bell]

Miranda was my choice to get most PAs at DH. I’m seeing folks presuming he’s the primary 3B now (don’t dispute that), but does this mean a near regular role for Bader? It would appear so (don’t like that). Castro can play left some, giving DH duties to Wallner/Larnach and keeping HB on the bench. 
 

Julien can DH, with Larnach and Wallner playing the corners. If Lee and Castro are flanking Correa, who plays third and who plays second? There isn’t much platooning to be done except for Wallner and Larnach or Julien if he makes the team. 

[David Maro]

Here we go again with a Lewis injury,the FO did the right thing by not signing him to a extension. The team now will be playing musical chairs at 3rd just like last year. The FO had the off season to do something about the infield problems and didn't. Starting the season with questions at 1st,2nd and now 3rd again is a big deal. Looks like the so called infield defense improvement is on hold to start the season. 

[AKTwinsFan]

Man it's like a reoccurring bad dream. Yet another leg injury to our star player. And he wonders why they don't want him stealing bases and all.

[tony&rodney]

Interesting to see people believe in Gasper. 

There are a ton of guesses or thoughts on injuries. Max effort and playing year around may be culprits. Although there may be isolated incidents here and there, misuse of arms by coaches would be exceedingly rare at the high school level. I'm not aware of any. In fact, going back three decades i can say coaches did not use their main arms more than scheduled, even in the state tournament. Years ago, I pulled a pitcher who had a perfect game because he had reached his pre-designated pitch count. He knew he was done, didn't complain, and is still a big arm for a town ball team decades later. 

Some people get hurt. Fans overthink the injuries and have a sense that toughness is a factor. That is simply not a thing. Hopefully, we see fewer injuries this year but history suggests stuff will happen.

[Jacksson]

I think it may be Martin in place of Julien.

[Mike Sixel]

4 minutes ago, Jacksson said:

I think it may be Martin in place of Julien.

I think Julien still has a very good hitter inside him, but I want to see it in AAA first. So I agree. 

[Nashvilletwin]

1 hour ago, Rod Carews Birthday said:

Another Lewis injury is a pretty ominous sign for his season.  We’ve unfortunately been down this path before and the results have been pretty terrible.  That being said, if we can shift Miranda to third in his absence, with Gasper and Julien able to fill in at first and second, we should be OK, and that’s without committing Castro to a long term spot.  

Sometimes I think we forget that while Lewis has had some short stretches that were nothing short of spectacular, the team has been without him (or without him hitting well) for most of the past few years.  The cries of “OMG what will we do without Lewis!” are probably unwarranted.  His spectacular moments will certainly be missed severely, but his impact has been blunted with equal severity by his limited availability.  This is not the end of the world.  It’s why people like Willi Castro are so valuable. 

Agree 100%.

The issue isn’t so much losing Lewis’s current production (let’s face it, outside his short spectacular stretches he’s been mediocre at best at the plate and he’s a bottom quartile fielding 3B).

No, the bigger issue is that he is missing those incredibly valuable reps he needs to continue his development into a true big leaguer.  That’s what hurts the most.  It’s sad to think where he’d be with 500 more ABs and 162 more games at 3B. 

[DocBauer]

With a little luck, Lewis won't be out long, and will be close to 100% for the remainder of the season. Losing 1 player for a time, even a great one, doesn't destroy the season. Losing 2 or 3 can. 

I believe Miranda is now the primary 3B, Castro will fill in as well. Lee should be the starting 2B, can play 3B but really shouldn't have to much.

Miranda was going to DH quite a bit i believe, in addition to some 3B and 1B time. The Lewis injury opens up a spot for Julien to provide another LH bat. After that, I'm probably agreeing on Gasper as he's a switch hitter with career success as an OB% guy. He becomes, possibly, the primary backup at 1B. The fact that he can't play 2B without being an embarrassment helps his cause slightly.

Martin needs to play daily, IMO, and won't as the 5th OF, or even 6th OF when you consider Castro. And that's pretty much the same boat Keirsey is in.