Getting Kendry Rojas to the Developmental Finish Line as a Starter

[Nate Palmer]

Image courtesy of © Jonah Hinebaugh/Naples Daily News/USA Today Network-Florida / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Minnesota Twins left-handed pitching prospect Kendry Rojas got his first spring training action Sunday. He worked two innings, tossing 24 pitches, with three strikeouts and no walks against the Atlanta Braves. Rojas also generated an encouraging five swings and misses over his two innings, while touching 98 mph on the radar gun. After coming over from Toronto in the trade that sent Louis Varland out of Minnesota, Rojas will hope to be that electric on a more consistent basis.

There's still plenty of room to grow for the 23-year-old left-hander, who has struggled to stay healthy during his pro career. To be a starter, Rojas will need to throw more innings than he has proved capable of. His career high for innings in a season is 84, achieved in A-ball back in 2023. 

Rojas has traditionally been a fastball-slider pitcher, but there seem to be issues with both of those pitches. The heater has sometimes had a four-seam shape, and sometimes been much more of a running two-seamer. The two-seam version of the pitch got hit hard last year, and overall fastball execution is a key area in which to make progress for Rojas.

Rojas's slider grades out fairly well, but still got hit hard last season, itself. The lack of consistent execution in terms of lateral movement sometimes leaves Rojas's fastball(s), changeup and slider looking too similar; he has rarely shown the ability to create big contrasts in movement and location. That's limited him in thee effort to get whiffs.

The key to that might be committing to the four-seamer, and scrapping the sinker. Rojas's four-seamer averaged north of 97 MPH Sunday, and because he kept it from running and flattening out, it set up his changeup and slider better. 

This will be an interesting development to keep an eye on. As we outlined above, Rojas’s heat has been hit hard in the past. Is his first outing of the spring the sign of a new approach in pitch mix for the young pitcher, or simply a one-off that worked against the Braves? 

This is the point where we usually ask whether Rojas should remain a starter or be considered for a relief role. However, this team is already loaded with lefty relief options for 2026. Furthermore, as we said at the beginning, from a value standpoint, the Twins really need Rojas to blossom into the effective starter they traded Varland for. Rojas has also told reporters this spring that the Twins have told him he is a starter, making the answer to that question simple. 

Rojas is plenty young and has plenty of time before any true panic needs to set in—that is, unless injuries, trades or ineffectiveness cause the Twins to need to call upon their Triple-A depth sooner than they would wish to. He has all three minor-league option years remaining, but if he's going to break through as a starter, it will probably happen before then. It will probably happen, too, via the tightening of that fastball into a pitch with consistent ride and less run, giving him more chances to generate swings and misses.

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[thelanges5]

Good to see after he struggled at AAA to end 2025. 

[nicksaviking]

He was pitching prospect I liked most at last year's deadline. He was already in the high minors and he wasn't a 'post-hype' sleeper type. 

And ditching the sinker for the four seamer? Yeah, best idea for any pitcher. Don't try to induce groundballs, try to induce strikeouts.

[Linus]

I’m finding these articles on the young pitchers really informative. Thanks. If this kid makes it that trade will be a great one. Lefty starter for bullpen set up guy?  Yes (of course he has to do it). 

[OregonTwinsFan]

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He looked very good in his outing yesterday.

[DataNerd]

He looked dominant yesterday.  The fastball was up 3mph from his AAA average, slider up 1.5mph with 150rpm higher spinrate.  Completely fooled Austin Riley on a changeup.  Major question on how many innings he can throw, can he last a full year as a starter, and if he can throw strikes, but the stuff is legit.  

[Chembry]

5 minutes ago, DataNerd said:

He looked dominant yesterday.  The fastball was up 3mph from his AAA average, slider up 1.5mph with 150rpm higher spinrate.  Completely fooled Austin Riley on a changeup.  Major question on how many innings he can throw, can he last a full year as a starter, and if he can throw strikes, but the stuff is legit.  

That was a nasty changeup!  It's the first pitch in the highlight reel above.  As you said, the stuff is real.  Still have to temper expectations, but yesterday was a step in the right direction.  

[olerud]

It's early, but I certainly like what I saw yesterday I'd say the future looks very bright for him barring injury.

[Russ]

Enjoyed watching the Twins-Braves game and seeing Rojas, ERodriguez and Gonzalez, play well.  Hard to digest the Braves announcers talking about nonsense instead of sticking to the game.  

[miller761]

If Rojas doesn't make it as a starter he will be effective in the bullpen. That would make the trade even. If Roden becomes a regular major league outfielder the trade becomes a good trade. If Rojas a #3 starter and Roden makes it as an outfielder it becomes a great trade. Respectfully I don't think Varland becomes more that a setup man in the pen. Looking forward to see how this works out.

[weitz41]

I have high hopes for Rojas. That being said, trading for a guy that seems to be being pushed is a pause sign to me. They still traded for him but with very little track record in the top tier of Mlib. One of the many you hope will work out but shouldn't plan on it.

[RaoulDuke]

Its very early in spring but Abel, Rojas, and Bradley looking good out of the gate is huge.

The deadline fire sale was certainly unpopular, and I was not happy with it myself, but if they returned 3 MLB starters and a good catching prospect for a closer and 2 setup guys its a big net win.

Time will tell on all 3 but there is significant upside to all of them.