Why Do the Twins Keep Playing with a Short Roster?

[Cody Christie]

Image courtesy of © Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

The Minnesota Twins have emphasized versatility when constructing their roster over the last few seasons. Players capable of handling multiple positions give manager Derek Shelton (or former manager Rocco Baldelli) more options when building his lineup, mixing and matching based on opposing pitchers, injuries, or late-game situations.

On paper, it makes plenty of sense.A flexible roster should maximize matchups while allowing the Twins maintain depth without sacrificing offense. But despite all that versatility, Minnesota has spent much of the 2026 season effectively operating with a 25-man roster. One player has consistently occupied the final bench spot while rarely receiving opportunities to contribute.

Why would the Twins do this? The answer, like in many aspects of life, is complicated. 

James Outman Never Found His Opportunity

To open the season, that player was James Outman. Acquired from the Dodgers last July, Outman entered spring training without any minor league options remaining. Rather than risk losing him, the Twins kept him on the Opening Day roster, hoping he could rediscover the tools that once made him one of baseball's more intriguing young outfielders.

That opportunity never materialized. Outman started only 17 games despite appearing in 49 contests. Most of those appearances came as a late-inning defensive replacement or pinch runner instead of meaningful offensive opportunities. It's difficult for any hitter to establish a rhythm under those circumstances, but Outman also failed to capitalize on the limited chances he did receive.

He slashed just .156/.229/.250 (.479 OPS) with five extra-base hits in 70 plate appearances while producing -0.3 rWAR. The Twins eventually designated him for assignment in mid-June, and the Detroit Tigers claimed him off waivers. For Minnesota, the experiment quietly came to an end.

Kyler Fedko Is Following the Same Path

Outman's departure created an opportunity for Kyler Fedko. The Twins' 12th-round selection from the University of Connecticut in the 2021 MLB Draft has steadily climbed the organizational ladder and finally forced the club's hand with his production at Triple-A St. Paul.

Fedko hit .286/.372/.578 with a .950 OPS through 58 games with the Saints this season. He blasted 15 home runs, drove in 45 runs, scored 44 times, and added nine stolen bases. After swiping 38 bases across Double-A and Triple-A last season, he has continued to show the blend of athleticism and power that made him one of the organization's biggest breakout stories.

Yet, his first taste of the big leagues has looked remarkably similar to Outman's. Since arriving in Minnesota, Fedko has started only three games despite appearing in 12. Through his first 17 plate appearances, he has gone 0-for-14 with one RBI, one run scored, and a 7-to-2 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

More telling is how those opportunities have come. Only three of his appearances have included more than two plate appearances. In six games, he entered solely as a pinch runner or defensive replacement without ever stepping into the batter's box. For a player trying to prove he belongs in the majors, those scattered opportunities make an already difficult adjustment even more challenging.

Is This the Best Use of a Roster Spot?

The question isn't necessarily whether Fedko deserves everyday playing time. The Twins have Byron Buxton, Luke Keaschall, Trevor Larnach, and other established outfield options ahead of him. Finding consistent at-bats isn't easy for a contending club trying to win every night.

But if the coaching staff doesn't envision enough opportunities for Fedko to play, why keep him in Minnesota at all? As I wrote about earlier this season, the answer is likely that the front office doesn’t believe in Fedko. 

Regular at-bats in St. Paul would likely do more for his long-term development than sitting on the end of the major league bench. Meanwhile, the Twins could use that roster spot on another bench bat who better fits their game-planning needs.

Instead, they've now spent months carrying players whose primary responsibilities have been running the bases or replacing someone defensively in the ninth inning. That's a luxury few teams can afford over a six-month season.

A Familiar Pattern

This isn't simply about Outman or Fedko. It's about a roster construction strategy that has left one spot largely unused for much of the year. In previous years, the Twins have done this with players like DaShawn Keirsey Jr. and Carson McCusker. Whether the Twins are trying to preserve organizational depth, evaluate players, or simply avoid exposing someone to waivers, the result has been the same.

One player rarely plays. With the American League Wild Card race expected to remain tight throughout the summer, every roster spot becomes increasingly valuable. Injuries pile up, rosters get taxed, and bench depth can decide close games. If the final player on the roster isn't receiving meaningful opportunities, it's fair to wonder whether that spot could be better utilized elsewhere.

The Twins have built a roster around flexibility. Ironically, their handling of the final bench spot has been anything but.

Can the Twins continue to survive with a 25-man roster while one player gathers dust at the end of the bench? Leave a comment and start the discussion.

 

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[Hawkeye Bean Counter]

Well then no one should be concerned if Jackson is holding that spot for the next 5 - 6 weeks as the 3rd catcher. 

[dxpavelka]

So the REAL question is:  Do the Twins handle said roster spot significantly different than other teams?  Outman had 70 plate appearances in 58 games before his release.  That projects to 195 over 162 games.  I'd be willing to bet you'd be hard pressed to find too many teams with a final guy pushing two hundred plate appearances.  Pinch hitting, pinch running and defensive replacement are usually the roles for such fellas.  Don't think the Twins are much different than other teams in their use of that guy.  That's baseball.

[FlyingFinn]

If the 13th guy is starting 4 or 5 days a week, that means starters are on the bench for 4 or 5 days per week more.

[Whitey333]

Kind of grasping for things to write about?  But on the serious side your analysis is quite right.  Why waste a roster spot.  The same can also be said of players that are injured yet dont go on the Injued List.  Too many times players sit for several days without going on IL.  This also creates poor roster management and hampers Sheltons game management

[LewFordLives]

As the article mentions, you can't get enough at bats for everyone. So do you sit a top prospect like Jenkins at the end of the bench or some AAAA type that you just need to pinch run or pick up a glove late in a game?  If the Twins are still in the playoff picture when the calendar turns to August it will be interesting to see how the roster might change. 

[mikelink45]

Interesting essay.  McCusker and Fedko were handled badly.  They needed an everyday opportunity for at least a week to adjust and show what they have.  Outman was a vet, he not only failed this year, but last year too.  Jackson makes sense if we are looking to trade Jeffers or Bell which would give Caratini and Jeffers DH time. 

[arby58]

The 13th player is 13th for a reason. Pretty much every team has something similar. For Cleveland, it is Gabriel Arias - 5 years in MLB, cumulative 1.1 WAR, but he can play anywhere on the infield. Has 97 PAs in 31 games this year.

[tony&rodney]

Maybe because 25 people is enough for the roster.

[IndianaTwin]

I wonder if Reds Daily, at the 1975 All-Star Break, had an article questioning why Doug Flynn was getting so little playing time. 

The Twins don't have Rose, Bench, Morgan, Perez, et al., but the same general principle applies. Maximize the playing time for your best players; minimize the playing time for your weaker players. 

[chpettit19]

43 minutes ago, arby58 said:

The 13th player is 13th for a reason. Pretty much every team has something similar. For Cleveland, it is Gabriel Arias - 5 years in MLB, cumulative 1.1 WAR, but he can play anywhere on the infield. Has 97 PAs in 31 games this year.

That's 27 more PAs in 19 fewer games than James Outman had with the Twins this year. I don't think that's the same at all. He's a short-side platoon guy. Outman would've been the big side of a platoon but wasn't even that. 

The Twins use of the 13th spot is absolutely not the norm in modern baseball. Teams don't tend to roster guys they don't trust to hit against anyone ever. They have some platoon spots so there'll be guys who don't play as many games (like Arias) because they're righties who only hit against lefties, but it is not typical to carry a guy you don't ever trust to step into the batter's box against any pitcher ever.

[saviking]

Could it have to do with the fact that if you added all of their atbats together they probably hit a robust .120 

[stringer bell]

Well, nine position players start each game. That leaves four players to comprise the bench. The typical construction is a second catcher, a fourth outfielder (perhaps a platoon) and a utility infielder. That would be Caratini, Martin and Gray. The three-man bench backs up and rests everybody, leaving the 13th position for some kind of specialist, perhaps a veteran pinch-hitter or a pinch-runner and defender (sounds like Outman). The roles can change over time--Willi Castro started 2023 as the 13th position player--but the opportunites are few unless there are injuries or circumstances which call for going with the 13th guy. It also makes sense not to burn service time for a yound guy with potential to have him start once or twice a week at most. Outman, Fedko, McCusker, and now Jackson all fit as 13th guys, as did DaShawn Keirsey Jr. last season.

[Senior Softball Guy]

Perhaps sending Alex Jackson in a package with Larnach could net a nice return for teams looking for catching depth. QO Jeffers and if he accepts you go a long way towards the coming MLB minimum salary floor.......or you trade Jeffers.

[strumdatjag]

Jackson is on the roster now because the Twins are probably trading one of their three catchers before the trade deadline.  The remaining two catchers are the catchers for the remainder of the season and hopefully the playoffs.  

[GNess]

If you give AB's / opportunities to your 13th "ranked" position player you are taking them directly away from someone who is higher in the pecking order. (Or this player could be described as 5th best OFer out of 5.)

Finding ways to keep your best lineups on the field as often as possible seems to be driving this.

Seems quite rational to me.

[nicksaviking]

Sorry, but I completely disagree. I don't recall anyone complaining about the lack of usage Jarvis Brown got. 

With an ideal roster, the Twins would have four bench guys who play infrequently. This isn't Little League, you WANT a team with nine players that don't need to be removed for pitching matchups, defensive liabilities or late inning baserunning. Now, no (mid-market) team will ever get there, but intentionally building a platoon lineup means you are intentionally fielding a roster of flawed players.

 

[NYCTK]

1 hour ago, chpettit19 said:

The Twins use of the 13th spot is absolutely not the norm in modern baseball.

You speak confidently, but it is though. 13th man is often a quasi-veteran that is out of options that the team doesn't want to play too often. 

Just looking at the player with the 13th most PAs with a smattering of teams: 

Twins - 135
Phillies - 55
D'Backs - 100
White Sox - 97

The Twins are sharing plate appearances more than the 3 other random teams I just chose. And while Outman was 14th, not 13th, in PAs, the point remains. 

And, my other team, the Mets, their current 13th man, Zack Short, has a total of 6 PAs for the team thusfar...not that anyone should look to the Mets for advice on roster construction...

[Captain John]

If the Twins don't want to gve Fedko a decent opportunity than they have deemed him unplayable and should either DFA or trade him. That seems the fair thing to do for any player in that position.

[DJL44]

One thing that limits how often the bench players get at-bats is the switch hitting of Lee, Caratini and Bell. Most teams do not have three switch hitters in the lineup.

[Possumlad]

19 minutes ago, nicksaviking said:

Sorry, but I completely disagree. I don't recall anyone complaining about the lack of usage Jarvis Brown got. 

With an ideal roster, the Twins would have four bench guys who play infrequently. This isn't Little League, you WANT a team with nine players that don't need to be removed for pitching matchups, defensive liabilities or late inning baserunning. Now, no (mid-market) team will ever get there, but intentionally building a platoon lineup means you are intentionally fielding a roster of flawed players.

 

Totally agree. If your last 2-4 (skill position) roster spots are getting a bunch of playing time, you've got other issues. Those spots should be reserved for late-inning or spot guys who fit a niche role - speed, defense, positional flexibility, bat skills against lefties, etc. You don't want those spots filled with legit prospects who should be getting regular time in the minors. Should never be anyone you "feel bad" about not getting more playing time. 

[WarPath1211]

As others have said, I don't see this as a significant issue. Out of your position players, somebody has to get the fewest plate appearances. You don't want it to be your better players who help drive winning, or your prospects who need steady at-bats to continue developing. You are also not going to expend significant resources to fill this slot, as it would be inefficient. So you are left with filling it with cheap, expendable guys who can maybe help out in an injury pinch or more niche circumstances, but by nature are worse options.

The one thing I will say is that Outman's lack of minor league options really hampered what the Twins could do with this spot. They could have mixed and matched a bit more, tried more guys out, and been a bit more creative with the spot, but because they couldn't option Outman without risking waivers, they were hesitant to do that. Honestly, Outman is probably gone a lot sooner if Roden and/or Rodriguez don't get hurt early in the season, because it became pretty clear early on that Outman was probably not even the 5th-best outfield option on the 40-man. But I think once it became clear that Kreidler and even Clemens were passable in CF while offering much more with the bat, there was 0 reason to hold onto Outman and fill that spot with him.

[DJL44]

11 minutes ago, Captain John said:

If the Twins don't want to gve Fedko a decent opportunity than they have deemed him unplayable and should either DFA or trade him. That seems the fair thing to do for any player in that position.

They wanted to break in Fedko slowly. The callup was much more about the long term than the short term. Fedko has consistently struggled when first promoted. Give him a few at-bats now, get the nervousness and excitement out of the way and he might help the next time you need him.

[arby58]

2 hours ago, chpettit19 said:

That's 27 more PAs in 19 fewer games than James Outman had with the Twins this year. I don't think that's the same at all. He's a short-side platoon guy. Outman would've been the big side of a platoon but wasn't even that. 

The Twins use of the 13th spot is absolutely not the norm in modern baseball. Teams don't tend to roster guys they don't trust to hit against anyone ever. They have some platoon spots so there'll be guys who don't play as many games (like Arias) because they're righties who only hit against lefties, but it is not typical to carry a guy you don't ever trust to step into the batter's box against any pitcher ever.

In any MLB team statistic, a. Team will be 1 and a team will be 30. The Twins may not be ‘the norm’ but I don’t believe they are that far off. Cleveland has Petey Halpin in the OF, and in 30 games has 67 PAs. Given he has a 23 OPS+, and has been a defensive replacement in 16 of those games, his role looks similar the Twins’ 26th player. The Phillies keep 3 catchers, and Garrett Stubbs has appeared in 20 games with just 32 PAs and sports a .172 BA and .429 OPS. Those are Outman-like numbers. There are others, but those two examples suggest the Twins are not alone.

[mickster]

1 hour ago, Senior Softball Guy said:

Perhaps sending Alex Jackson in a package with Larnach could net a nice return for teams looking for catching depth. QO Jeffers and if he accepts you go a long way towards the coming MLB minimum salary floor.......or you trade Jeffers.

Jackson in a package with ERod would get a better return

[chpettit19]

49 minutes ago, NYCTK said:

You speak confidently, but it is though. 13th man is often a quasi-veteran that is out of options that the team doesn't want to play too often. 

Just looking at the player with the 13th most PAs with a smattering of teams: 

Twins - 135
Phillies - 55
D'Backs - 100
White Sox - 97

The Twins are sharing plate appearances more than the 3 other random teams I just chose. And while Outman was 14th, not 13th, in PAs, the point remains. 

And, my other team, the Mets, their current 13th man, Zack Short, has a total of 6 PAs for the team thusfar...not that anyone should look to the Mets for advice on roster construction...

Zack Short started the year in Detroit. He has 16 PAs for the Mets. Missing quite a bit of context and have some incorrect data there.

Just like going off what batter has the 13th most PAs for a team is missing a whole lot of context.

[LA Vikes Fan]

50 minutes ago, Captain John said:

If the Twins don't want to gve Fedko a decent opportunity than they have deemed him unplayable and should either DFA or trade him. That seems the fair thing to do for any player in that position.

 

3 hours ago, mikelink45 said:

Interesting essay.  McCusker and Fedko were handled badly.  They needed an everyday opportunity for at least a week to adjust and show what they have.  Outman was a vet, he not only failed this year, but last year too.  Jackson makes sense if we are looking to trade Jeffers or Bell which would give Caratini and Jeffers DH time. 

I have to say I don't agree with this with respect to either Fedko or McCusker. Yes, Fedko only got 16 ABs. There's a reason for that. He looked completely overmatched at the plate and struck out in 8 of those 16 ABs, plus 2 walks. McCusker had 29 ABs, five hits, and 16 strikeouts with 1 walk. The bottom line is neither one of them was ready for the MLB level or, frankly more likely, neither is good enough to play at the MLB level. McCusker is now playing in Japan and hitting pretty well there. He may have found his level and who knows, maybe he'll make some improvements with regular playing time at a level that is probably as good or better than AAA but less than MLB such that he can come back to the States and catch on with somebody. But let's not kid ourselves that he and Fedko didn't perform because he didn't get enough of an opportunity. They didn't perform because they aren't good enough at this point in their careers.

I do agree that it's time for the Twins to think about trading Fedko through a bad team that could give him a longer run to see if he can find his footing. The only question is whether somebody would give him a chance seeing that he is already 26 and is just now breaking out at the AAA level. I think it would be great if he was a throw in on a trade with a team like the Angels or Rockies where we got some bullpen help or a mid rotation starter by giving up some good prospects, plus Fedko. That would be a good way to treat the young man. Who knows, with 150 at bats the rest of the way in a low-pressure, losing environment playing five days a week, Fedko might show a lot more. He will never get that opportunity with Twins.

[NYCTK]

7 minutes ago, chpettit19 said:

Zack Short started the year in Detroit. He has 16 PAs for the Mets. Missing quite a bit of context and have some incorrect data there.

Just like going off what batter has the 13th most PAs for a team is missing a whole lot of context.

Come up with a better proxy if you want. The point is a good team doesn't really use the last man on the bench despite your confident proclamations to the contrary. 

This website is funny because you'll see complaints about an over reliance on platoon matchups followed up by an insistence that the team needs to utilize the last bench spot more frequently. 

[twinstalker]

The answer to the title question is quite easy right this moment.  Alex Jackson can't be demoted without risking losing him, and the Twins will (hopefully) trade Jeffers for a decent return rather than the only other realistic possibility, which is losing him for nothing.  We'll need Jackson at that point.

When the Twins trade Jeffers for bad return, nobody accuse me of wanting that, please.

I have yet to see them make a real good deal since getting Joe Ryan for nothing.  One problem right now is they seem to be restricting themselves to near-majors, and the most inane return I could see them getting is rental relief pitching they could get otherwise.

[chpettit19]

18 minutes ago, arby58 said:

In any MLB team statistic, a. Team will be 1 and a team will be 30. The Twins may not be ‘the norm’ but I don’t believe they are that far off. Cleveland has Petey Halpin in the OF, and in 30 games has 67 PAs. Given he has a 23 OPS+, and has been a defensive replacement in 16 of those games, his role looks similar the Twins’ 26th player. The Phillies keep 3 catchers, and Garrett Stubbs has appeared in 20 games with just 32 PAs and sports a .172 BA and .429 OPS. Those are Outman-like numbers. There are others, but those two examples suggest the Twins are not alone.

Petey Halpin has been optioned multiple times this year. He's played nearly every day when he's been on the MLB roster.

Garrett Stubbs, the 3rd catcher in Philly, hasn't been on the MLB roster all season and plays LF, 3B, and 1B for them beyond catching.

I never claimed the Twins were alone. But they are outside the norm. And context matters. James Outman wasn't a Petey Halpin defender who played every game for his glove, he was a guy who wasn't the best option for anything. The Phillies situation is certainly closer with Stubbs.