Is Kody Funderburk Earning a Roster Spot?

Kody Funderburk worked his way up from Double A to MLB in 2023. After looking like a potential piece of the bullpen following that breakout season, however, injuries and ineffectiveness hampered him in 2024. Does Funderburk have a resurgence in store for 2025?

Funderburk has had a strong spring performance thus far, allowing one run and striking out six in five innings pitched. While spring numbers can be taken with a grain of salt, it’s nice to see him back to the dominance he showed in 2023. In Funderburk’s case, his handful of innings in spring training are less about opening eyes within the organization and more about drawing them—showing an organization that wanted to trust him last year that he’s back to his old ways.

Despite a fastball in the low 90s, Funderburk has shown he can be a strikeout machine, while also limiting hard contact and the home run ball. At his best, he can more than offset his spotty control, which has proven to be his most significant weakness as a pitcher.

During his rise through the ranks in 2023, Funderburk struck out 35.6% of opposing minor-league hitters. When given an opportunity at the MLB level, he struck out 40.4% of opposing hitters and allowed one home run in 12 innings pitched. Despite a strong bullpen depth chart, the Twins had seen enough to award him a postseason roster spot. The Twins were believers in the performance.

Now fully recovered from the oblique strain that cost Funderburk so much time in 2024, it’s worth wondering whether the Twins' past belief in him, paired with some popup injuries, could have Funderburk on the roster on day one. It sounds more doubtful that Michael Tonkin and Justin Topa will be immediate options, due to a pair of shoulder injuries. But is Funderburk the best fit?

Louie Varland will likely receive the most significant opportunity boost in response to these injuries. A strong case can also be made for Rule 5 pick Eiberson Castellano to make the Opening Day roster, so as to keep him in the Twins organization. You would assume both have the upper hand against another left-handed reliever, but Funderburk isn’t a traditional southpaw.

Funderburk has had long stretches of reverse splits in his professional career. His funky delivery helps neutralize the splits left-handed pitchers typically see against right-handed hitters. If the final bullpen spot comes down to a photo finish, handedness shouldn’t play a big part in the decision-making process.

Funderburk’s significant disadvantage is his ability to be sent to St. Paul without repercussions. The Twins can send Varland down, but they likely see no reason to, given his raw stuff and already-strong résumé as a reliever. Breaking camp without Castellano would mean crossing his name off the organizational depth chart and potentially sending him back to the Phillies. A simple case can be made that Funderburk belongs in St. Paul after struggling there last season, to prove himself again and maintain as much depth as possible. Still, he’s likely giving the Twins something to think about.

The Twins saw the peak of Funderburk’s abilities in 2023. Was that season enough to take his early spring performance as a sign that he belongs back in the big-league bullpen? Were his struggles in 2024 too much to overcome with just a few innings this spring? Let us know below!