James Outman and the Death of Roster Building

[Greggory Masterson]

Image courtesy of © Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

This is not an article about James Outman. It’s written around James Outman, but he didn’t really do anything to deserve it. Instead, James Outman has become the poster boy for a concerning trend with the functional utility of the Minnesota Twins’ roster.

Let’s start in 2023: the season in which the Twins put together one of their most functional rosters of all time, even if it wasn’t the best roster. Roster functionality, in this case, can be understood as each player having a specific role and providing something uniquely valuable for the team’s success.

As the team awaited the return of the injured Jorge Polanco, Royce Lewis, and Alex Kirilloff, each of whom would go on to play significant roles during the season, the Twins started Opening Day with the following lineup:

• C: Christian Vázquez
• 1B: Joey Gallo
• 2B: Nick Gordon
• 3B: Jose Miranda
• SS: Carlos Correa
• LF: Trevor Larnach
• CF: Michael A. Taylor
• RF: Max Kepler
• DH: Byron Buxton

Not all of these players made it to the end of the season in a Twins uniform, and many had rough years. But what we’re focusing on is utility, not just quality. The Opening Day bench underscores what I’m talking about: catcher Ryan Jeffers, infielders Kyle Farmer and Donovan Solano, and super-utility Willi Castro (note: Castro wasn’t in that role at the time; he was expected to be sent down once Polanco returned, and he was more emergency depth and pinch-running).

Let’s highlight some of the roles these players filled, or were expected to fill. Taylor was acquired via trade to add depth behind Byron Buxton in center field. He was hailed as an elite defender, and he was right-handed, so he could platoon with Gallo, Larnach, Kirilloff, or Kepler, moving over to a corner against lefty staters. Obviously, he played the whole season in center field, but that just highlights his usefulness. They tried to do the same in 2024 and 2025 with Manuel Margot and Harrison Bader, with mixed results.

Farmer was also acquired via trade to start at shortstop, though that was short-lived, as the Twins re-signed Carlos Correa a month later. Farmer was bumped to a utility infield role, as a good enough defender to handle shortstop, second base, and third base. He also was an effective hitter against lefties, so he had a second role: platooning with Gordon at the beginning of the season and Edouard Julien at the end.

Gordon had a unique role, too. He started at second base while Polanco was hurt, but his intended role was to bounce around the infield and outfield, hit a bit, and pinch-run. Essentially, he was expected to provide what Castro eventually did. This role was reduced when Buxton moved to a full-time DH role, but there was a clear intention to get his bat into the lineup, coming off the 2022 season in which he batted .272/.316/.427.

Solano was a late signing, not joining the Twins until spring training had already started, but he was counted on to platoon with Kirilloff during the season and provide infield depth. Beyond that, he was a reliable pinch-hitting option against both lefties and righties, given his pure hitting ability. They brought in a platoon partner for Kirilloff again in 2024, which ended up being a very good offensive and defensive year from Carlos Santana.

I could go on, but I’ll add one more tidbit to the pile—this team had a bunch of multi-positional players. Gallo and Kirilloff could both play the outfield and first base; Gallo could even fake it in center. Gordon and Castro could both play infield and outfield, including up-the-middle positions. Miranda could play first and third.

Today, though, the Twins look nothing like that.

Let’s assume the following starting lineup:

• C: Ryan Jeffers
• 1B: Kody Clemens
• 2B: Luke Keaschall
• 3B: Royce Lewis
• SS: Brooks Lee
• LF: Trevor Larnach
• CF: Byron Buxton
• RF: Matt Wallner
• DH: Josh Bell

And a bench of:

• Victor Caratini
• Ryan Kreidler
• Austin Martin
• James Outman

This projection leaves Alan Roden in St. Paul, starting alongside top prospects Walker Jenkins and Emmanuel Rodriguez. This is also the only way to put James Outman on the Opening Day roster without either starting him or playing without a backup shortstop.

I want to preface the Outman discussion by acknowledging that the offseason is not over. The Twins have more moves to make, and that I’m not privy to the real plans the front office is making. We saw them add one plausible backup shortstop via trade on Wednesday, in Tristan Gray. But focusing on Outman is, I believe, the best way to convey my point.

Outman has no options left. He’s been below replacement level since his very good rookie season in 2023. But he’s on the roster, after being the return in the trade that sent Brock Stewart to the Dodgers at the 2025 trade deadline. Right now, he’s wedged into the Opening Day picture, at least in the popular imagination (you’re welcome to disagree; I have my doubts he makes it to Opening Day). Why? Because he can play center field. It didn’t look pretty, honestly, after he arrived in Minnesota, but that’s his reputation. He can play it better than Martin, Kreidler, and Keaschall, probably. But that’s really it.

Recall Taylor’s role in 2023. He could play center—better than Outman, mind you. But he also hit better in 2023 than Outman has across 2024 and 2025. He also suited the roster beter, hitting right-handed and hypothetically being a platoon option in a corner. Outman, on the other hand, is a lefty on a team full of lefties. To get regular reps in a corner, he needs to outplay Wallner, Larnach, Roden, probably Clemens and Bell, and eventually Jenkins and Rodriguez. If he can’t, he might cover center field once or twice a week against righties and pinch-run a little. That's not a positive net value from a roster spot.

The Twins have lefties covering left and right field, first base, (effectively) DH, (effectively) shortstop, and (effectively) backup catcher. Their only platoon option is the batting average-dependent Martin, mostly in left field.

If they want to commit to Roden in left field, that costs them either Outman or a shortstop, and it can’t be a shortstop, because Kreidler (or Vidal Bruján, or Orlando Arcia, or Gray) would be the only player beyond Lee who can cover shortstop. Even with one of those three infielders on the roster, their roles will be very limited—basically only playing shortstop, because none of them hit. Unlike Farmer, they can’t even fake league-average production or platoon against lefties.

Caratini might be the bench player with the most utility right now, because he can hit from both sides and plays a passable first base, but in every remedial math class, there’s a brightest pupil. Martin has some flexibility, but it’s unclear whether the Twins want to play him in center field or at second base.

Gregg’s note: Clemens, if considered to be a bench player—perhaps if Martin is the everyday left fielder—does have the most utility, because he plays a fine first base, second base, and corner outfield, but it’s unclear that will be his role at this point.

So, if Outman does make the roster, the bench is a backup catcher; a left-field platoon bat who can play emergency second base and center field; a lefty who should only play center field once a week; and an infielder who should only play shortstop—again, once a week.

Again, they aren’t done, but the current outlook pales in comparison to the average player's usefulness in 2023, regardless of overall ability. There may be things that clear the outlook up—committing to one of Martin, Kreidler, or Keaschall as a backup center fielder; trading a corner outfielder; opting to play Caratini at first base and DH; acquiring another infielder who bats right-handed and/or is a better option as a backup shortstop. But right now, it’s bleak. No one exemplifies that more than poor James Outman, a man whose profile lies at the unfortunate crossroads of uniqueness and redundancy.

View full article

[Fatbat]

How did they get to a place where 10 rostered players can play 4different positions each but barely hit mlb pitching. Its just sad.

[Parfigliano]

42 minutes ago, Fatbat said:

How did they get to a place where 10 rostered players can play 4different positions each but barely hit mlb pitching. Its just sad.

Falvey.

[thelanges5]

They are a puzzle with the wrong pieces. Oh, and they haven’t done anything about that bullpen. 

[HerbieFan]

I'd be shocked if Outman makes the opening day 26-man.  They gave up Brock Stewart for him, so the investment was extremely minimal.  Martin can play CF in a pinch.  If Buxton gets hurt, I'd sooner see ERod in center than Outman.  FO needs Rhoden to open the season on the roster after giving up Varland for him and Rojas.

[thelanges5]

With Buck playing at the WBC there will be plenty of reps in spring training to see who is the best centerfielder. Could also be a roster battle on the left side of the infield to see who backs up Lee and Lewis.

[Drtwins]

The roster projection looks about right. I could see Martin in left over Larnach which either moves Larnach to the bench or DH (Bell to 1st & Clemens to the bench). With that said, the too many LH bats falsity sets in again. The 13 players above are 6 right handed bats, 4 left and 3 switch. Even if you want to call bell and Caratini LH because of splits then you have to count Lee as RH, so it’s still more right than left. And again 75-80% of mlb abs come against right handed pitching which favors left handed hitters. Even if specifically looking at the outfield it’s as balanced as it’s going to be with 2 from one side and 3 of the other.

[LA Vikes Fan]

I see two things in that roster projection that puzzled me. First, Martin was probably our best hitter from August 1 forward last year. Why would he start on the bench? The only reason would be to play Trevor Larnach every day in the field, which seems like a huge leap given his poor defensive chops. The second is Clemens starting at 1B. He’s third in the 1B pecking order behind Wagaman and Bell. You have to think Larnach is either traded or a DH. If he stays, the much more likely configuration is Josh Bell at 1B, Larnach /Wagaman as the DH, and Clemens on the bench. If Larnach stays, no room for Outman.  The bench is then UTL from that group we’ve accumulated, Caratini, Clemens, and Wagaman, Roden if Larnach goes so still no room for Outman.

Batting order/ roster projection IF Larnach stays;

Martin LF

Buxton CF

Keaschall 2B

Bell 1B

Larnach DH

Jeffers C

Lewis 3B

Wallner RF

Lee SS

Bench - Clemens, Caratini, UTL, Wagaman. If Larnach goes add one of Roden/Outman/Fedko. 

You can mix and match Jeffers, Larnach, Wallner, and Lewis however you want as long as there’s at least one guy between Larnach and Wallner. 

 

[arby58]

While I agree the current roster configuration is suboptimal, I would also note that in 2023, the Michael Taylor trade was made on 1/23 (two days from now), Donovan Solano was signed on 2/23, and Castro's contract was purchased from the St. Paul Saints on 3/29. Oh, and Pablo Lopez was added via trade on 1/20.

I know the author caveats this, but that caveat is important: I'm not sure this analysis is ripe for prime time. I'd like it better in terms of comparison to the actual 2026 roster the Twins trot out.

[Vanimal46]

That projected starting lineup is why I have zero interest in the team this year, sorry to say. The offseason is not over, but that's going to be pretty damn close to the opening day lineup. And that lineup has 90+ losses written all over it. 

[arby58]

34 minutes ago, Vanimal46 said:

That projected starting lineup is why I have zero interest in the team this year, sorry to say. The offseason is not over, but that's going to be pretty damn close to the opening day lineup. And that lineup has 90+ losses written all over it. 

I would take the bet on this being less than a 91 loss team. Players that need a bounceback for their income future (Lewis, Wallner, Lee). Lots of good 'hungry' talent. A likely stable starting pitching staff. You can make a bullpen on the fly with enough good/failed starting pitchers with high MPH and another pitch (i.e.,, they have a lot of them). 

[Vanimal46]

1 hour ago, arby58 said:

You can make a bullpen on the fly with enough good/failed starting pitchers with high MPH and another pitch (i.e.,, they have a lot of them). 

This sentence alone is the fundamental difference we have. The problem with a lot of them? Sorting through them and finding the right sequence of them. The Twins are going to sift through a lot of bad innings before they find a couple of good ones. And that's going to lose a lot of games. Plus that opening day lineup is best case scenario on paper right now. There will be injuries where depth will be immediately tested, and that is a frightening scenario in the IF. 

[old nurse]

So the author has a projected lineup that is a possibility at this moment in tie and readers here are treating it as reality. 

[Nashvilletwin]

Meanwhile, the Brewers once again demonstrate how a smallish market team should operate.  Peralta traded for two top 100 prospects because they weren’t going to be able to sign him when he hit free agency.  And this, remember, is a team with legitimate WS possibilities.  Very much unlike our Twins.

At least the starting pitcher market is opening up.  But clearly one  buyer has now left the market.

[mikelink45]

I keep seeing trade Larnach - for what? 

[TwinsDr2021]

44 minutes ago, mikelink45 said:

I keep seeing trade Larnach - for what? 

Maybe more of those card board people they put in the stands in 2020 season?  They are going to need to the fill the stands one way or the other and it looks like they don't care about it being with real people buying tickets. 

[Riverbrian]

13 hours ago, Greggory Masterson said:

The Twins have lefties covering left and right field, first base, (effectively) DH, (effectively) shortstop, and (effectively) backup catcher. Their only platoon option is the batting average-dependent Martin, mostly in left field.

Left handed hitters facing right handed pitchers is a statistical platoon advantage that can be applied 72% of the time. It's a platoon advantage that is almost as prominent as the statistical platoon disadvantage of left handed hitters facing left handed pitching that occurs 28% of the time.

Every time you make roster decisions to address the 28%... you have to toss the 72% out the window. 

If anyone feels that we have too many left handed hitters. That is a problem that will help you 72% of the time. I repeat... it's a problem that will help you 72% of the time. Left handed hitters facing right handed pitchers produced a collective .747 OPS in 2025. Right handed hitters vs right handed pitching produced a .703 OPS in 2025. It will help you you 72%. It is the most productive configuration of all platoon splits and you have to toss it aside because we are scared of the minority 28% split. 

At some point... the constant worry over left handed hitters just becomes a form of OCD with no statistical support. 

If the Twins short side platoon Austin Martin. You can just cut Austin Martin now. He will have absolutely no future value to the Twins. 

[jmlease1]

59 minutes ago, Nashvilletwin said:

Meanwhile, the Brewers once again demonstrate how a smallish market team should operate.  Peralta traded for two top 100 prospects because they weren’t going to be able to sign him when he hit free agency.  And this, remember, is a team with legitimate WS possibilities.  Very much unlike our Twins.

At least the starting pitcher market is opening up.  But clearly one  buyer has no left the market.

Maybe, but the Brewers fans in my life aren't happy with this trade. (and the starting pitcher market is never closed, right?)

[rv78]

"James Outman, a man whose profile lies at the unfortunate crossroads of uniqueness and redundancy."

There is nothing unique about James Outman. Redundant yes, unique no.

[TwinsDr2021]

22 minutes ago, jmlease1 said:

Maybe, but the Brewers fans in my life aren't happy with this trade. (and the starting pitcher market is never closed, right?)

2021 95-67 1st (division) lost in the division series

2022 86-76 2nd (division) missed playoffs

2023 92 - 70  1st (division) (division) lost in the NL wild card series

2024 93-69 1st (division) lost in NL Wild card series

2025 97-65 1st(division)  NL championship series

Maybe the Brewers fans take a breathe and realize their front office might have something figured out that the Twins front office doesn't.

 

[Greggory Masterson]

35 minutes ago, rv78 said:

There is nothing unique about James Outman. Redundant yes, unique no.

He’s uniquely seen as a backup center field option—or at minimum that’s how he appears 

[bean5302]

1 hour ago, Riverbrian said:

Left handed hitters facing right handed pitchers is a statistical platoon advantage that can be applied 72% of the time. It's a platoon advantage that is almost as prominent as the statistical platoon disadvantage of left handed hitters facing left handed pitching that occurs 28% of the time.

Every time you make roster decisions to address the 28%... you have to toss the 72% out the window....

I don't care if the Twins players hit right, left or switch. I care whether they produce. It's a "general opposite handed pitcher hitting advantage" rather than a platoon advantage. Platoon advantages are only advantages on a 1 plate appearance at a time basis, and rarely more than 2-3 plate appearances in a game because the opposing manager can just nullify the platoon by switching relievers, but once a "platoon" player is added, you lose the original (better) player for the duration of the game platoon option because there aren't enough bench bats to continue responding to the relief pitcher changes.

Time and time again we've seen Baldelli make platoon lineup changes at the beginning or middle of the game which puts Minnesota at a disadvantage late in the game.

There are only 26 roster positions and 13 of them get eaten up by pitchers. That leaves 4 potential bench bats to play the platoon game, but there's usually a good reason they're on the bench and not in the lineup.

Larnach is the perfect example of the "platoon advantage." He's so bad at hitting LHP, that if he's not platooned, he'll be a league average DH. If he is platooned, he's a 1.0 WAR DH. This is typical of our "utility." Plate appearances have to come from somewhere.

[Greggory Masterson]

1 hour ago, Riverbrian said:

At some point... the constant worry over left handed hitters just becomes a form of OCD with no statistical support. 

My point wasn’t that the Twins have too many lefties, per se, it’s that given all these lefties, a player like James Outman doesn’t have enough of a role to justify a spot on the roster.

[jmlease1]

26 minutes ago, Greggory Masterson said:

He’s uniquely seen as a backup center field option—or at minimum that’s how he appears 

That does seem to be how the Twins front office perceives him. It's very difficult for fans to accept this because of his performance as a Twin (where he was not an acceptable choice in CF, nor in the lineup) and his history with the Dodger over the past 2 seasons. Handing Outman a job on scholarship may not doom the season or anything, but it's hard to see it as anything other than an ego-driven decision to justify the acquisition in the first place (which is silly, since it was always marginal, lottery-ticket kind of move) or an irrational fear of "losing the asset for nothing" (also silly since Outman has functionally no value at present).

I'm sort of ok if Outman is really just getting a spring training invite to see if he's turned some things around, figures something out with the new coaching staff, etc and has to earn a spot in a competition with others, with an understanding that his lack of options does guarantee him anything. But that's not how it appears, and the usual silence from the front office and coaching staff about this kind of stuff leaves us little option but to speculate that they intend Outman to be the 4th OF.

[Otaknam]

13 hours ago, Parfigliano said:

Falvey.

Larnach and Outman do appear to be the odd men out on a roster redundant with left handed hitting outfielders, including in the minors. Larnach is at risk for trade because of how the rosters is built, his inability to hit lefties, and below average defense. And Outman showed nothing of real value last year. A team looking to add a power left handed bat should be willing to take a chance on Larnach in exchange for a mid level prospect, saving the Twins money and removing one redundant player.

[Riverbrian]

Just now, Greggory Masterson said:

My point wasn’t that the Twins have too many lefties, per se, it’s that given all these lefties, a player like James Outman doesn’t have enough of a role to justify a spot on the roster.

Understood.

I'm just stamping out fires big or small when I see them so I focused on this specific part of your article.  Everybody wants to focus on all these left handed hitters like it's a problem that needs to be addressed. The Twins should not waste a roster spot trying to counter balance this thing. They need to focus on hitters period and if you have to choose what side of the advantage to play. They should play the side that has 72% of the volume. In other words... more left handers. The math is simple. 72% will produce 3 to 1 more than 28%.  

In regards to Outman... my stance is the same as it was when they acquired him.

If he is merely a two month rental during a lost season in 2025. We will have wasted Brock Stewart. No matter the trade value of Brock Stewart, no matter the injury history of Brock Stewart. Brock Stewart when healthy would have a role in our 2026 bullpen. The trade to the Dodgers is simply GIVING Brock Stewart to the Dodgers if James Outman is just a two month rental during a year when they are competing for lottery balls in the draft.  

It doesn't matter what I think of Outman or any of us think of Outman... The front office made the deal. They must think he is worth the shot at resuscitation. If they don't... they gave Brock Stewart away.   

As for his role in 2026... I don't know... But, if they think they can resuscitate him then they have to allow him to compete and show that he can breathe on his own. If Outman is just viewed as some guy that they DON'T want to play or it hurts the team... then he would have no business on this roster. However... that will just renew my concern of why they NEEDED to part with Brock Stewart at all?    

Outman doesn't need to be Kyle Garlick to justify his existence. Kyle Garlick couldn't justify his own existence being the lefty masher that he was. Outman needs to be better than the other Twins options for a 26 man spot. If the Twins don't believe that he can be that... just toss his body on the scrap heap right now and move on and go shopping for a Brock Stewart.    

[Nashvilletwin]

1 hour ago, jmlease1 said:

Maybe, but the Brewers fans in my life aren't happy with this trade. (and the starting pitcher market is never closed, right?)

Of course they aren’t.  Neither were the Canucks fans.   But it’s the right move.  Just like our fans will bellyache when we move Ryan, Lopez, and Jeffers.  Teams like the Brewers and the Twins cannot afford to lose their talented players for nothing - even if they are a legitimate contender like the Brewers and ESPECIALLY if they are not even remotely contenders like our beloved Twins.
 

The starting pitcher trade market has been very slow.  This is a good sign as pieces are starting to fall,

[nicksaviking]

This roster just makes no sense. What is this team supposed to be? A contending team, (which of course is the kind of team the Twins always claim to be....) doesn't roster all of Outman, Wagaman, Kreidler, Julien, Clemens, Larnach, Jackson, Gray and Pereda, they probably roster two, maybe three of those kinds of players at most, but no more than two on the 26-man.

A team on the opposite side of the spectrum, a rebuilding team, should have even LESS desire for these largely aging players with little utility and no value.

There is no identity or seemingly any direction for this club right now. There is no shining path forward when your plan involves using 30% of your roster for waiver wire fodder. There was so little reason for them to spend their offseason cycling through the players other teams no longer wanted. Absolutely baffling and pointless. 

[LambchoP]

I think Larnach best serves the team by trading him for a young high upside relief pitcher. Then they take the 3.5 million they saved in the deal and sign another reliever. They've done basically nothing to rebuild our pathetic bullpen and until that's dealt with, we aren't competing anytime soon.

[nicksaviking]

3 minutes ago, LambchoP said:

I think Larnach best serves the team by trading him for a young high upside relief pitcher. Then they take the 3.5 million they saved in the deal and sign another reliever. They've done basically nothing to rebuild our pathetic bullpen and until that's dealt with, we aren't competing anytime soon.

I get trading Larnach. I'm all for it.

But it doesn't address the problem that there are still AT MINIMUM a dozen players worse than Larnach on the roster, and the only 'utility' any of them have is they can passably field a certain position, while none of them can actually hit.