Rule 5 and the 40 man

[thelanges5]

Maybe some of you, like me, have been wondering about the rule 5 players that the Twins would like to protect. TFTwins recently posted a video on this subject. Great info and analysis. I found it very helpful and hopefully you will as well. 
 

 

[bunsen82]

I would consider more cuts but yes as stated will most likely have to trade some prospects.

Players I would consider cutting- 

Adams, Cabrera, Hatch, Laweryson*, Miesewicz, Raya, Ohl, Tonkin Topa*,

Fitzgerald, Gasper, Julien, Miranda Kiersey, McCusker, Outman, Larnach.  
 

I have 17 names right there.  Laweryson and Topa  I would have in the bullpen.  We have a lot to add but lots of wood to chop.  I do think we will be trading some prospects as well.

[FlyingFinn]

I'm adding:

Prielipp, Morris, Rojas, CJ Culpepper, Kliein (not Olivares for now - but think he might get picked in the Rule 5), and Gonzalez and Cardenas on the hitter side. I'm surprised Klein wasn't discussed in this video. As discussed in other threads, I don't have Mendez or Rosario as MLB teams love pitchers, not hitters, in this draft.

[mnfireman]

Anybody take time to wish Gasper a Happy 30th Birthday yesterday....

[old nurse]

On 10/11/2025 at 7:46 AM, bunsen82 said:

I would consider more cuts but yes as stated will most likely have to trade some prospects.

Players I would consider cutting- 

Adams, Cabrera, Hatch, Laweryson*, Miesewicz, Raya, Ohl, Tonkin Topa*,

Fitzgerald, Gasper, Julien, Miranda Kiersey, McCusker, Outman, Larnach.  
 

I have 17 names right there.  Laweryson and Topa  I would have in the bullpen.  We have a lot to add but lots of wood to chop.  I do think we will be trading some prospects as well.

If you cut Topa and Laweryson they will not be in your bullpen 

[bunsen82]

5 minutes ago, old nurse said:

If you cut Topa and Laweryson they will not be in your bullpen 

A few of those names will be kept for the bullpen.  Personally I like those 2 the best of the bullpen names in there for the back end of the bullpen.   

[lecroy24fan]

Lawyerson should not be considered for being cut. He looked pretty good in his cup of coffee.

[old nurse]

7 hours ago, bunsen82 said:

A few of those names will be kept for the bullpen.  Personally I like those 2 the best of the bullpen names in there for the back end of the bullpen.   

You are either cutting them or keeping them.. you are unlikely to do both. Laweryson did well enough last year to get picked up by a team in need of bullpen help. Topa if a team is not squeezing every last dime would get picked up to see if he can do what he did in Seattle.  

[tony&rodney]

Topa, in a fair effort, pitched 60 innings with 68 hits allowed, hit 4 batters, walked 18, and struck out 49. 

Let him go. He can be signed to a spring invite contract if available.

The Twins could keep him because they should have plenty of room on the 40 person roster.

[stringer bell]

I’ve seen comments that the Twins have bullpen arms in the minors who have upside. Who are they?

I don’t see any reliever in the Twin’s minor league system that is anywhere close to being ready to help in 2026, at least for the first half of the season.

To have any chance of competing, the Twins need to fill out a bullpen and setting the floor with Topa, Sands and Funderburk would seem to be the very least they should do. 

[The Great Hambino]

15 hours ago, stringer bell said:

I’ve seen comments that the Twins have bullpen arms in the minors who have upside. Who are they?

I don’t see any reliever in the Twin’s minor league system that is anywhere close to being ready to help in 2026, at least for the first half of the season.

To have any chance of competing, the Twins need to fill out a bullpen and setting the floor with Topa, Sands and Funderburk would seem to be the very least they should do. 

I think they have one, they just haven't admitted to themselves that he's a reliever yet: Connor Prielipp

He was already significantly injured when drafted and has gone on to average less than 40 IP/year over the last three seasons.  The odds of him developing and maintaining the durability to be a consistent, reliable starter across multiple seasons have got to be pretty low at this point.   If they intend to compete next year (which I think is a pipe dream but whatev), then they need someone young to step in and be an effective high-leverage reliever immediately.  I think he's in the best position of anyone currently in the organization to do just that

[TheLeviathan]

On 10/13/2025 at 4:18 PM, stringer bell said:

I’ve seen comments that the Twins have bullpen arms in the minors who have upside. Who are they?

I don’t see any reliever in the Twin’s minor league system that is anywhere close to being ready to help in 2026, at least for the first half of the season.

To have any chance of competing, the Twins need to fill out a bullpen and setting the floor with Topa, Sands and Funderburk would seem to be the very least they should do. 

As mentioned, Prielepp for sure.  I think we may see another starter move that direction as well.  

I think it's worth pointing out that the Twins have had pretty good luck developing at least competent (to good) bullpen arms out of failed/transitioned starters.  It's just a lot to ask in one season.  But they gotta take their licks and prepare sometime.

[Trov]

The video highlights the things teams need to think about when they make trades.  So many fans get upset when you trade away certain players or trade for guys not close to helping the team, but you do that at times because of the 40 man roster decisions you need to make. 

I think there are plenty of OF guys they could non-tender or DFA beyond who was mentioned. If they are high on Fedko you need to protect him though as he would be one a team would take in rule 5 most likely because of his age they not be taking for a draft and stash like Badoo was years ago but he would be taken for actually looking to help, and if he fails they would be fine sending down to see if Twins want back or not. He also was in AAA, so not like it would be a huge jump.  Personally, I am not sold on him as a guy that gets too high on our OF list mainly because he just had a crazy good breakout year late in his career and never was considered a top guy. 

[FlyingFinn]

31 minutes ago, Trov said:

If they are high on Fedko you need to protect him though as he would be one a team would take in rule 5 most likely because of his age

If the Twins were high on Fedko they would have brought him up in September to get a taste of MLB. Being a hitter who only has one great minor league year and, most of all, at his age, he won't get selected in the Rule 5 draft.