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The Twins haven’t been terribly active this offseason. If Jeremy Zoll has the same offseason habits as Derek Falvey, there might be a few more moves on the way. Nonetheless, let’s try to map out what the Opening Day roster might be, given the players who are in the organization right now.
Catchers (2): Ryan Jeffers, Victor Caratini
Others on the 40-man roster: Alex Jackson
The most unexpected move of the offseason has been the addition of Victor Caratini as a second catcher. Ryan Jeffers has spent most of his career in a timeshare behind the plate, typically catching about half of the Twins’ games and topping out at 81 games started at catcher. Caratini, a switch-hitter better against righties, forms a good platoon with the righty-batting Jeffers. Both will likely see some time at DH, and Caratini can also play some first base if needed.
It’s unclear whether the team foresees another 50/50 split or if Jeffers will start closer to two of every three games (or if Caratini’s presence will lead to him being traded). Alex Jackson, for whom the Twins traded utility infielder Payton Eeles in November, is out of options, but it seems unlikely that the Twins will carry three catchers with a four-man bench, even if Caratini sees time at first base. Jackson may be waived or traded before Opening Day.
Infielders (6): Josh Bell, Luke Keaschall, Royce Lewis, Brooks Lee, Kody Clemens, Ryan Kreidler
Others on the 40-man roster: Tristan Gray, Eric Wagaman
Second base, third base, and shortstop are pretty well set ahead of the season, with Luke Keaschall, Royce Lewis, and Brooks Lee, respectively. Lewis and Lee are unlikely to see time away from their primary position, other than an occasional day as the DH, but Keaschall may moonlight in the outfield.
Josh Bell is also a lock to make the roster, slotting in at both first base and designated hitter. It’s unclear how his playing time will break down between those two assignments. When and if Bell is in the DH spot, Kody Clemens will likely get dibs on playing first base, and he’s primed to get time at second base, giving Keaschall a day off now and then. He could also be used in the corner outfield, or at third base in a pinch.
The Twins have cycled through many different options for the backup shortstop position this offseason. Ryan Kreidler seems to be at the front of the position battle, with Tristan Gray and Orlando Arcia also in the running. Kreidler has no options remaining, Gray has one, and Arcia is on a minor-league contract with an invite to spring training. Payton Eeles, Ryan Fitzgerald, and Vidal Bruján were all in this conversation at various points, but cycled out of the organization.
In this scenario, Kreidler gets the nod, not just because he cannot be sent down without being exposed to waivers, but also because he’s the best fielder in a crowd of suspect hitters. He can also play center field, adding extra flexibility. Eric Wagaman may also make the team as a platoon corner bat, but it would probably come at the cost of an outfielder.
Outfielders (5): Alan Roden, Byron Buxton, Matt Wallner, Trevor Larnach, Austin Martin
Others on the 40-man roster: Gabriel Gonzalez, Hendry Mendez, James Outman, Emmanuel Rodriguez
Byron Buxton is obviously a lock in center field, as is Matt Wallner in right. Left field is a bit more up in the air, but if Trevor Larnach is still on the team on Opening Day, he’ll have a spot. Whether that spot is primarily as a designated hitter is up for debate, but Larnach has spent more than half of the previous two seasons as a DH.
If Larnach is primarily the DH (pinning Josh Bell to first base, more often than not), Alan Roden and Austin Martin appear to be the two to split duties in left field. Roden, acquired along with Kendry Rojas in the Louis Varland trade, was inserted directly into the Twins’ lineup last summer, but soon suffered a season-ending thumb injury. Martin impressed down the stretch, with a .374 on-base percentage and solid corner defense. They make a natural platoon fit, as Roden is left-handed and Martin bats righty, and both can play some center field if necessary.
James Outman, acquired at the deadline for Brock Stewart, is a notable cut in this iteration. He is out of options. His struggles both offensively and defensively (and his redundancy with other lefties Wallner, Larnach, Roden, and Clemens) make it difficult to justify a roster spot. However, if the Twins are adamant that his center field defense is necessary or believe that he could recapture the promise he showed in 2023 as a rookie, he could make the team.
There is an outside chance that Gabriel Gonzalez makes the team as a platoon bat in a corner or that Emmanuel Rodriguez or Walker Jenkins supplant one of the starting corner outfielders, but it seems unlikely.
Starting Rotation (5): Pablo López, Joe Ryan, Bailey Ober, Taj Bradley, Simeon Woods Richardson
Others on the 40-man: Mick Abel, Zebby Matthews
If there are no subtractions and everyone is healthy, Pablo López and Joe Ryan will start the first two games of the season, in some order. Bailey Ober has been a fixture in this rotation for years, and if he’s healthy, he’ll also be given a shot to rebound after a 2025 that was mostly lost to nagging injury and mechanical issues.
Simeon Woods Richardson has quietly been a consistent back-end starter for the past two seasons, and although the prospect shine on other potential rotation names is brighter, Woods Richardson has earned an opportunity to start the season in the rotation. He’s also out of minor league options, so the Twins need to keep him in MLB or risk losing him on waivers.
The fifth spot is up in the air, but Taj Bradley seems the most likely recipient. Acquired for Griffin Jax, he has the most MLB experience among the names vying for the spot, though he had a shaky 2025. Zebby Matthews is his stiffest competition, but to this point, Matthews has not been able to match his underlying metrics with his performance. Mick Abel and David Festa are also in the running, but it’s difficult to see them beating both Bradley and Matthews (though all four do have minor league options).
Bullpen (8): Cole Sands, Taylor Rogers, Justin Topa, Kody Funderburk, Eric Orze, David Festa, Travis Adams, John Klein
Others on the 40-man roster: Andrew Morris, Connor Prielipp, Marco Raya, Kendry Rojas
The Twins have only made one free-agent addition to the bullpen this offseason, bringing back Taylor Rogers. Rogers currently fits into the late-innings group as the lefty, alongside righties Cole Sands and Justin Topa. Middle relief-bound Kody Funderburk and Eric Orze are the only two other names that seem likely to make the Opening Day bullpen. The other three spots are up for grabs.
David Festa, given durability concerns and struggles to accumulate innings as a starter, seems like a prime candidate to step into a bullpen role. If the Twins believe that they have enough rotation depth, that could happen as early as Opening Day. Travis Adams provided long relief in 2025, and John Klein, one of the more impressive arms in the system last season, could be an excellent option in the bullpen, should he have a good spring training.
Connor Prielipp and Marco Raya were also named earlier in the season as starting depth who could transition to the bullpen. Non-roster invites like Matt Bowman and Dan Altavilla could also be counted on to round out the eight-man corps.
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