Twins Video
On Tuesday, the Twins sent the following players to minor-league camp:
- LHP Jovani Moran,
- RHPs Randy Dobnak, Ronny Henriquez, and Ryan Jensen,
- Catchers Alex Isola and Pat Winkel,
- Infielder Aaron Sabato, and
- Outfielder DaShawn Keirsey Jr.
And as it is spring training for all of us, a quick terminology reminder might be good for all of us, including me.
These eight players were "reassigned to minor league camp." That means that they are not on the 40-man roster and were spring training invites. When a player from the 40-man roster is sent down to minor-league camp, they will be "optioned to [an affiliate, likely St. Paul or Wichita]."
Typically, the first round of cuts tends to be a group of 40-man roster players who have no chance of making the Opening Day roster. But that isn't the case here. It is also important to remember that when a 40-man roster player is optioned to minor-league spring training, he cannot play in remaining big-league spring training games. However, non-roster players can come over to play in in big-league spring games. They just don't have their own locker at Hammond Stadium anymore.
There are no real surprises in this group.
For instance, Jovani Moran had Tommy John surgery near the end of the 2023 season and is not expected to pitch at all in 2024.
If there is a surprise in the group, it's that Randy Dobnak was sent down with this group already. Not that he had any shot at making the Opening Day roster, but more because he had not even pitched in a spring training game. Ronny Henriquez came off the 40-man roster on the same day as Moran. They were both non-tendered but reached minor-league deals to remain with the Twins quickly. The diminutive righty pitched two innings over two outings. He gave up no runs, two hits and struck out one batter this spring. Dobnak and Henriquez will spend the season in St. Paul again. Dobnak will continue to stretch out and work as a starter. He was healthy again last year for the first time in over two years. He made 26 starts and five relief appearances and went 5-9 with a 5.13 ERA. In 126 1/3 innings, he had 61 walks and 115 strikeouts. He is in the third season of his four-year MLB contract.
Ryan Jensen was claimed by the Twins earlier in the offseason. Then the DFAd him and when he cleared waivers, he was invited to spring training. Between the Cubs and Mariners organizations, and between Double-A and Triple-A, Jensen went 2-8 with a 5.32 ERA. In 64 1/3 innings, he had 78 strikeouts to go with 54 walks. Jensen pitched in three games this spring. In two innings, he gave up six runs on eighth hits and four walks. But he did strikeout out a batter per inning.
With some pitchers being sent down, and approximately three billion pitchers ready to officially some minor-league spring training, more catchers are needed there. Alex Isola and Pat Winkel were both at Wichita last season. Will be interesting to see where each starts the 2024 season, likely back with the Wind Surge. Isola played in six official games and went 2-for-8. He also had three hits in the exhibition game against the Gophers. Winkel played in five spring games and went 2-for-7 with two doubles. Winkel was the Twins ninth round pick in 2022 out of U-Conn. He has moved up a level per season. In 88 games a year ago in Wichita, he hit .266/.362/.424 (.787) with 16 doubles and 10 home runs. Meanwhile, Isola has absolutely mashed the last two seasons with the Wind Surge. In 168 Double-A games, he has hit .282/.369/.477 (.847) with 31 doubles, 30 homers and 98 RBI. He has primarily played at first base the last couple of seasons though he still catches some. Will he need to endure another year in Wichita (nothing against Wichita, of course, Isola has just earned his way to St. Paul).
Aaron Sabato played in six spring games and went 1-for-9 with five strikeouts. He should head back to Wichita where he spent the final month or so of the 2022 season and all of the 2023 season. The burly first baseman played in 77 games for the Wind Surge a year ago (thanks to a broken wrist suffered for the second season in a row). He hit .221/.329/.430 (.759) with 19 doubles and 12 home runs. He went to the Arizona Fall League, and in 18 games tied with fellow Twins prospect Kala'i Rosario for the league lead with seven home runs.
DaShawn Keirsey played in the exhibition game against the Gophers but not at all in the rest of the spring training games. Last year, he hit .305./.363/.488 (.850) with 17 doubles, five triples and 13 home runs at Wichita before moving up to St. Paul for the final 39 games of his season. At Triple-A, he hit .264/.375/.364 (.739) with a doubles, three triples, and two homers. Combined, he stole 39 bases. He is arguably the fastest players and the top defensive outfielder in the organization.
The Twins have 50 players in big-league camp including 11 non-roster players. Of the 50, 26 of those are pitchers including five non-roster guys. They still have five catchers (2 non-roster) in camp, 10 infielders (3 non-roster), and two utility players (1 non-roster). And Josh Winder was placed on the 60-Day IL about a week ago.
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