2026 St. Paul Saints Roster Preview: Loaded Roster Signals Next Wave of Talent

[Cody Christie]

Image courtesy of Rob Thompson, St. Paul Saints

The St. Paul Saints will open their 2026 campaign on the road in Indianapolis, but the spotlight will follow them wherever they go. This is not just another Triple-A roster. It is a collection of impact prospects, near-ready contributors, and experienced depth that could significantly shape the Minnesota Twins' season.

With a new manager at the helm and one of the most talent-rich groups in Minor League Baseball, St. Paul enters its sixth season as the Twins Triple-A affiliate with expectations that stretch well beyond development.

Brian Dinkelman takes over as manager after earning a promotion from Double-A Wichita. He steps into the role previously held by Toby Gardenhire, who joins Derek Shelton’s major league staff with the Twins. Dinkelman will be supported by a coaching group that includes hitting coaches C.J. Baker and Shawn Schlechter, as well as pitching coaches Carlos Hernandez and Ryan Ricci. The continuity in player development remains strong, but the voice leading the clubhouse will be new.

The roster itself is what demands attention. St. Paul opens the year with 27 players, just one shy of the league limit, and features four Top 100 prospects recognized by both Baseball America and MLB Pipeline. Twins Daily’s own rankings are even more telling, with eight of the organization’s top 20 prospects assigned to this club, including the top three names in the system.

2026 St. Paul Saints Opening Day Roster (Twins Daily Prospect Rankings in parentheses)

Starting Pitchers (5): RHP Andrew Morris (#12), LHP Connor Prielipp (#5), RHP Zebby Matthews, RHP John Klein, LHP Christian MacLeod
The starting rotation brings both upside and immediate relevance. Prielipp headlines the group and is lined up to take the ball on Opening Day. His combination of stuff and pedigree makes him one of the most intriguing arms in the system. Last season, he posted a 4.03 ERA (3.52 FIP) with a 27.0 K% and 8.5 BB%. Matthews narrowly missed a spot in the Twins rotation to Mick Abel and now serves as high-end depth, ready if the big-league club needs innings.

Morris may not carry the same hype, but his steady progression could earn him a look in Minnesota this summer. In 2025, he had a 4.09 ERA (4.27 FIP) with a 22.4 K% and a 7.0 BB%. Klein offers flexibility as a starter or long reliever, and it helps that he is a member of the 40-man roster if the Twins need him. MacLeod provides experienced depth and finished last season with the Saints.

Relief Pitchers (7): RHP Dan Altavilla, RHP Trent Baker, RHP Andrew Bash, RHP Matt Bowman, RHP Raul Brito, RHP Grant Hartwig, RHP Marco Raya (#15), RHP Eduardo Salazar
In the bullpen, the Saints could function as a pipeline for a Twins relief corps that still has questions. Raya, now transitioning into a full-time relief role, is the top-ranked prospect in the group and could move quickly if his stuff plays up in shorter outings.

Veterans like Altavilla and Bowman bring big league experience and were on the fringes of the roster this spring. Altavilla pitched well for Israel in the WBC, and that could help him earn a call-up early in the season, while Baker continues to position himself as a viable option. This unit may not remain intact for long, given the likely need for reinforcements in Minnesota.

Catchers (3): David Bañuelos, Noah Cardenas, Alex Jackson
Behind the plate, Jackson stands out as a key depth piece. Acquired in the offseason in a trade with Baltimore, he gives the organization a strong defensive option at Triple-A. There was some question about whether the Twins could carry three catchers to start the year. Instead, Jackson will be the next man up if Ryan Jeffers or Victor Caratini gets hurt. Bañuelos and Cardenas round out the group, offering stability and familiarity with the pitching staff.

Infielders (6): Orlando Arcia, Kaelen Culpepper (#2), Aaron Sabato, Tanner Schobel, Eric Wagaman, Ryan Kreidler
The infield mix is a blend of upside and opportunity. Culpepper jumps to Triple-A after less than 60 games at Double-A, a clear signal of how highly the organization views him. He was the organization’s minor league player of the year in 2025 when he posted a 138 wRC+ between High- and Double-A. If Brooks Lee struggles early, Culpepper could force the issue quickly.

Sabato, a former first-round pick, returns with his power potential still intact and has shown flashes at the Triple-A level. Schobel continues to provide defensive versatility as he can play nearly every position. Arcia, Kreidler, and Wagaman are all veterans who hovered on the edge of the big-league roster during camp and could each see time in Minnesota at some point this season.

Outfielders (5): Kyler Fedko, Gabriel Gonzalez (#7), Walker Jenkins (#1), Alan Roden, Emmanuel Rodriguez (#3)
The outfield might be the crown jewel of the entire roster. Jenkins and Rodriguez headline the group as two of the best prospects in baseball, both with the potential to impact the Twins' lineup in the near future. Jenkins reached Triple-A during his age-20 season while posting a 135 wRC+. Rodriguez has played parts of the last two seasons in St. Paul, where he had a 134 wRC+ in 2025. Injuries are the only thing that has held either of them back in their professional careers.  

Gonzalez and Fedko are coming off strong seasons and add further depth. Gonzalez was Twins Daily’s Minor League Hitter of the Year after he moved from High-A to Triple-A with a 148 wRC+. Fedko hit 28 homers and stole 38 bases in 130 games last season. Roden’s impressive spring suggests he may not be in St. Paul for long. It is a collection of outfield talent rarely seen at the Triple-A level, and it gives the Saints a lineup capable of overwhelming opposing pitching on any given night.

There are also notable names sidelined to begin the year. Matt Canterino continues his recovery from shoulder surgery, while Cory Lewis (right rotator cuff), Kendry Rojas (right hamstring strain), and Julian Merryweather (left hamstring strain) are working back from their own injuries. Their eventual returns could further strengthen an already deep roster.

The Saints open the season at Victory Field against the Indianapolis Indians (Pittsburgh Pirates) on Friday, March 27 at 5:35 p.m. (CT). The Saints home opener is Tuesday, March 31 against the Worcester Red Sox (Boston Red Sox) at 6:37 p.m.

While the wins and losses in Triple-A matter, the bigger picture is clear. This roster is built to support the Twins, and it would not be surprising if many of these names play meaningful roles in Minnesota before the season is over.

What stands out about the Saints' roster? Who will be the first player called up to the Twins? Leave a comment and start the discussion.

View full article

[jkcarew]

Loaded? If I had a dime…I’d have at least 2 dimes…last season TD described the Saints pitching staff the same way heading into the season. They finished 24 games under 500 and gave up the 4th most runs in a 20-team league.

Let’s just see who emerges. There does seem to be more possibilities along those lines.

If they truly prove to be ‘loaded’ this year, let’s pray they don’t stay loaded for long.

[darin617]

Way too many outfielders when they are all healthy. Fedko should beg to let them play him at 1st. He at least has some experience playing 1st.

[IndianaTwin]

I’m looking forward to catching the opener in Indy tomorrow evening. 

[ashbury]

59 minutes ago, IndianaTwin said:

I’m looking forward to catching the opener in Indy tomorrow evening. 

You'll have to beat out Alex Jackson for the honors.

[ashbury]

As for the topic, I am just glad that Garrett Spain is not shown in this listing.  He would have trouble getting playing time, but was shown on the Saints roster at the milb website.

[tarheeltwinsfan]

The OF is really good. I mean really, really good.

[jaimedude]

4 hours ago, darin617 said:

Way too many outfielders when they are all healthy. Fedko should beg to let them play him at 1st. He at least has some experience playing 1st.

Agreed, we don't really have a first basemen on the big league roster. 

[FlyingFinn]

2 hours ago, ashbury said:

As for the topic, I am just glad that Garrett Spain is not shown in this listing.  He would have trouble getting playing time, but was shown on the Saints roster at the milb website.

And look at that, Garrett Spain now shows up on the Wichita roster. With only 3 OF's listed and one being Mendez (who is supposedly playing a lot of 1B), he should get playing time there. Of course, some of those IF's listed also play in the OF.

[Permanent Twins Fan]

So basically the entire St. Paul Saints roster is either top prospects or AAAA guys. St. Paul should have a fun team this year and they might pull some attendance away from the Twins if the prospects are mashing. 

[DocBauer]

I was really curious how the Saints roster would shake out. 

Rosario and Olivar seemed to be easy adds and ready for AAA at this time. Deservedly so. But I guess the OF and catching depth is strong enough, deep enough, that they decided to keep both at AA to begin 2026.

**Rosario was screwed out of AA player of the year by an older journeyman player. He's ready for AAA! Olivar is more an OF than he is a catcher. But his profile suggests a AAA promotion fairly soon. But Rosario should already be in St Paul save the ridiculous OF depth there.

It's "nice" to have a ML experienced catcher like Jackson as a #3 with a quality defensive reputation.  Banuelos was signed for defense as well. But Cardenas is the best combination of defense and potentially "adequate" offense with the ability to hit a bit, and work a count. While the FO might disagree, I believe Cardenas is the #3 best option.

I guess Sabato gets ONE MORE CHANCE at 1B. He pushes Mendez back to AA, where he dominated despite an issue with ground balls. So I get him getting more time at AA. I'm not crazy about that decision, but I can see the logic of spending time at 1B, and learning to "power up" a bit more and learn a bit more pop/power for more line drives and XB potential. 

The Saints INF is really based around K-Pepper and Schobel. Everyone else is a borderline player. KP could be up as early as June 1st if he just keeps doing what he did in 2025 and his strong 2026 ST. While injury affected his 2025, there's a chance Schobel debuts later in the season as a decent utility player option.  I'd rather see him than Kreidler or Arcia.

I DIDN'T agree with some posters entering 2025 making Rodriguez as ready to go. But with a solid AAA, season, a great, healthy, WINTER LEAGUE season, and a healthy ST , I'm FINALLY in the camp of "go for it"

BUT teams like the Brewers, the Rays, and the Guardians aren't afraid to "go for it" with top prospects. 

Remember how Keaschall needed more time but was promoted out of desperation? So when does Rodriguez, despite some K issues, get his chance to prove he can be good, and maybe great later?

Were he a Guardian prospect, he'd probably be in the opening day lineup and they'd just live with some ups and downs until he figured some stuff out. Same with what Chourio did with the Brewers. 

The Saints roster is FUN for the OF. But it's also a collection of WHAT SHOULD BE DAMN SOON.

As far as the rotation, it stinks Rojas is out for now. Hopefully he's back soon because MeCloud is really a BP add. IDEALLY,  Matthews, Morris, Klein, Prielipp, and Rojas will fill SP roles for the Saints and allow Festa to fulfill his ultimate role as a stud backend arm, and potential closer. 

 

 

[Fatbat]

The saints have probably 3 mlb SP ‘s, the rest are MLB RP’s. The team is loaded with talent!! Gonna be an exciting season!!!

[FlyingFinn]

Look at the Saints roster now because on August 1, it won't look like this. When injuries occur, the best will head to the Twins (and Wichita isn't as impressive overall, especially on the hitters side). Plus if these Saints are playing really well, there are some guys who should be pushing out some dead weight on the Twins. Then, the Twins are likely sellers at the trade deadline. Go watch the Saints win the 1st half because they should be a shell of this team in the 2nd half.

[Whitey333]

I always am amazed that we are always told how great the minors leagues are especially at AAA. Well they were a bad team last year so let's wait and see.  Also if some of those great can't miss prospects are so good they should be on the Twins NOW instead of the many stiffs and dead weight there.   It's probably manipulating player control time or something.  I hope the Saints are good but I'd love to see the Twins be competitive.

[Doctor Wu]

Seems like it will be challenging to find playing time for all of those outfielders. At least two of those players, if not more, should be called up in the coming months. 

[Trov]

It is nice to see a few possible starters at AAA that could help when injuries hit.  We have 4 possible outfielders and 1 infielder I am excited to see.  The rest is typical AAA filler of vets or old minor leaguers that are not really prospects.  

The real question is can Jenkins and E-Rod stay in the lineup to push themselves into the lineup.  I wonder how much run Larnach, Outman, Wallner, Martin, and Clemons(since he played OF yesterday) will be given before calling anyone up.  

Assuming one of the 4 outfielders in AAA are doing well, I hope Larnach and Outman do not get a ton of run as the guys in AAA are mostly redundant left handed hitting OF.  Only Jenkins is a true CF in the group in AAA.  Gonzalez does provide a right hand bat possibly. 

I would hope if Culpepper is doing well he gets a call sooner than later for Clemons and let Lee move into the Clemons roll. Of course there will be injuries that will shake things out as well.

[DJL44]

Is Wagaman playing 3B everyday or will he split time at 1B? 

[Jeff K]

Is there an update on Festa?

[Major League Ready]

17 hours ago, darin617 said:

Way too many outfielders when they are all healthy. Fedko should beg to let them play him at 1st. He at least has some experience playing 1st.

The main guys (Jenkins / Rodriguez / Gonzalez and Roden will get plenty of time.   They can rotate at DH so that they all get consistent ABs.  I am hoping Gonzalez can stick at 1B.  I would play him and Mendez there and see if they can develop at the position.  That will get them consistent ABs, even if they are only good enough to play there occasionally at the MLB level,  I was really pulling for Fedko but I kind of got off that band wagon this spring.  He will still get plenty of times because he can replace any of these guys when they are out for injury or just a days rest.  

I am hoping the issue is further mitigated fairly early in the season because one of more of them get called up.

[rdehring]

Don't know if the Saints would win a three-game series against the Twins.  Maybe?  But they sure as heck are going to be more interesting to watch this spring.  Great seeing that TwinsTV will carry the game tonight.  Does anyone know if some of their games will be carried on that over the air station that had games last year?

[old nurse]

16 hours ago, ashbury said:

As for the topic, I am just glad that Garrett Spain is not shown in this listing.  He would have trouble getting playing time, but was shown on the Saints roster at the milb website.

You cabn breathe a sigh of relief, Spain has been assigned to the Wind Surge. It was done last month

[chpettit19]

51 minutes ago, rdehring said:

Don't know if the Saints would win a three-game series against the Twins.  Maybe?  But they sure as heck are going to be more interesting to watch this spring.  Great seeing that TwinsTV will carry the game tonight.  Does anyone know if some of their games will be carried on that over the air station that had games last year?

Some, yes. 

https://www.milb.com/st-paul/news/broadcast-release

[ashbury]

29 minutes ago, old nurse said:

You cabn breathe a sigh of relief, Spain has been assigned to the Wind Surge. It was done last month

I will check with snopes.com to get to the bottom of this discrepancy on the Saints website.

[Linus]

If I lived in the Cities I would be going to a bunch of Saints games. 

[DarrenPS]

Altavilla pitched for Italy, not Israel. That was Bowman

[old nurse]

8 hours ago, DarrenPS said:

Altavilla pitched for Italy, not Israel. That was Bowman

Playing in the WBC did not help them make a team