2024 Minnesota Twins Spring Training Position Battles: Relief Corps

Last season, the Twins' bullpen was a giant question mark for most of the first half. Many fans thought the front office should attempt to acquire a relief pitcher or two at the deadline. Instead, the team relied on internal options, including players returning from injury and shifting some starters to bullpen roles. It was an equation that worked in the season’s final weeks, and helped the team win its first playoff series in two decades.

Minnesota’s front office has taken a new approach to the bullpen in 2024, including acquiring arms in trades, signing free agents, and claiming veterans off waivers. Twins manager Rocco Baldelli coached for the Rays, and the Twins might be trying to follow in their footsteps. By following this strategy, Minnesota would try to offset their lack of starting pitching depth by relying on more volume from a deep bullpen. Last season, Tampa Bay ranked third in baseball in bullpen innings and won 99 games, which the Twins would love to emulate. 

So, what bullpen spots are up for grabs during spring training? Let’s break it down. 

The Locks: Jhoan Durán, Griffin Jax, Brock Stewart, Caleb Thielbar, Justin Topa
The Twins will have an eight-man bullpen, and these five names are locked to be on the team unless an injury occurs. Durán will be used in a similar role to last season, where he is the ninth-inning man, with the team occasionally turning to him for a multi-inning appearance. The other four will also be used in late-inning roles, with Baldelli being able to turn to the pitcher performing the best at that point in the season. The only battle in this group will be who pitches before Durán regularly. 

Thielbar will see the most critical appearances against tough left-handed hitters, and the Twins have other lefties in the mix for earlier in the game. Jax ran into some issues with BABIP, but finished the season with a 2.45 ERA with a .567 OPS and 12.3 K/9 in the season’s final month. Injuries limited Stewart to 28 appearances, but he dominated with a 0.65 ERA and 12.7 K/9. Topa was acquired from Seattle in the Jorge Polanco trade after being a late bloomer and pitching full-time at the big-league level for the first time at age 32. Last year, he finished 14 games and earned multiple saves, bringing another element of late-inning experience.  

Out of Options: Steven Okert, Jay Jackson
Okert was recently acquired in a trade that sent Nick Gordon to the Marlins. Over the last three seasons, the left-handed pitcher posted a 3.51 ERA with a 1.17 WHIP and 10.8 K/9. Gordon and Okert are out of options, so there were multiple reasons why the trade made sense for both teams. Jackson signed a one-year deal for $1.3 million with a $200,000 buyout on a $3 million club option for 2025. He has bounced between 10 MLB organizations and two Nippon Professional Baseball clubs. Last season, he posted a 2.12 ERA with a 0.91 WHIP and 8.2 K/9 in 25 appearances for Toronto. Both players are expected to make the roster since they are out of options, which would account for seven of the eight bullpen spots. 

In the Mix: Kody Funderburk, Josh Staumont, Louie Varland, Jorge Alcalá, Cole Sands, Josh Winder, Ronny Henríquez (NRI), Zack Weiss, Matt Canterino, Matt Bowman (NRI), Ryan Jensen (NRI)
Minnesota has quite a few options for the final bullpen spot, and there are multiple ways the team can go with that spot. Funderburk had the inside track to the final bullpen spot, before the team added Okert. He will still get opportunities at the big-league level, but he will likely start the year at Triple-A. Staumont was my pick for the last bullpen spot in my latest roster projection, and that is even clearer after he met with media members earlier this week. He said, “I’ve been 100 percent for a couple months at this point.” Staumont has been a set-up-caliber reliever in the past, and he has the potential to be a pivotal contributor to the late innings this year. 

Minnesota used Varland as a dominant bullpen arm for the playoffs last season, but he likely begins the season as the Opening Day starter in St. Paul. Sands, Winder, and Henríquez are options if the team wants a long reliever on the roster. They will likely make frequent trips back and forth between St. Paul, though Henríquez was removed from the 40-man roster this winter and will have the hardest time regaining a toehold in MLB.

Weiss was claimed off waivers from Boston earlier in the same flurry of moves that made Jackson's deal official. His arm slot and release point create good induced vertical break on his mid-90s fastball, which can be difficult for hitters to track. Overall, he has three pitches (fastball, slider, and cutter) with a Stuff+ grade of 109 or higher.

Alcalá was a vital part of the team’s bullpen in 2021, before dealing with injuries last season. He posted some strong numbers in the Dominican Winter League (14.5 K/9) during the offseason, and the team hopes he can use that as a springboard to a healthier 2024 season. Canterino, a former top pitching prospect, is returning from Tommy John surgery in August 2022. The team kept him on the 40-man roster, and there is a chance that a bullpen role will keep him healthier moving forward. Bowman and Jensen would likely need strong spring performances or multiple injuries to earn a roster spot. 

As spring training begins, the eight-man bullpen currently sits with Durán, Jax, Thielbar, Stewart, Topa, Jackson, Okert, and Staumont. However, there are always surprises in spring training that can change the outlook for the team. 

Which player earns the last bullpen spot? Can the Twins have baseball’s best bullpen in 2024? Leave a comment and start the discussion.