Minnesota Twins 2026 Opening Day Roster Projection, v3.0

I love roster projections before the offseason is done. This to me is a sign that a move or two is coming in the next 24 hours. Still fun to read. Thanks!

3 minutes ago, JD-TWINS said:

Does anyone think Tom P. is going to push for a couple more FA signings to make “everything OK” going into the season. I think he wants to be the hero! Can’t do that just by making some phone calls and pushing Falvey out the door.

My take from the article is that every word said about Festa could be applied to Prielipp.

Rojas is a 2027 guy IMO & out of the picture until at least September. That said, “to be competitive” I’d stack Festa - Prielipp - Matthews all in the PEN if deemed necessary in Spring Training. It may take until early May to get one of them accustomed to a new role/regimen but ALL of them want to be in the Show and not in St. Paul, so I think they’re motivated to make it work. IMO.

Gotta say, I wouldn't move Prielipp out of the Saint Paul rotation to start the year, and I wouldn't move Zebby off starting either. Festa I agree with. 

I mean, look ahead to July; they are going to most likely move Ryan before August 1, and maybe even one or both of Ober and Pablo right? Maybe not all, but some. And there is no way that only 5 starters go the year anyway.

6 minutes ago, DJL44 said:

Move one back in July, then. Pitchers can move back and forth between the rotation and the bullpen. Most of these guys have nothing left to learn in AAA.

I agree with that, but there will probably be at least one injury in spring training to account for. At least that's pretty  normal each year. 

Hopefully they sign or trade for at least one more late inning reliever. And it's good to have depth for both the rotation and the bullpen anyway. 

2 minutes ago, nicksaviking said:

I might swap out Bradly for one of them, but they have to start plugging in the numerous former or soon-to-be-former starters in there soon. The Twins best bullpen pieces have never come from shopping for bargain free agents, it's been from these overlooked and given-up-on internal options that turn into the high leverage relievers.

There is no free agent left out there that I'd want over the Festa, Klein, Adams, Raya, Morris, SWR, Matthews, Prielipp, Abel, Rojas group. There's way more upside, and it seems to be a much higher success rate building your pen this way.

IF they go the trade route to add a reliever, that'll be interesting to see what they focus on as far as they type of pitcher they target.

I would not move Bradley or Abel or Zebby or Prielipp or SWR to the rotation. Morris frankly I'd keep in the rotation in AAA too. If Prielipp and Morris are in the rotation in St. Paul that's fine, and frankly one of the others (Zebby or Abel or both) also start the year in St. Paul, I'd prefer to keep the depth too. All of them will start games throughout the year in the majors, and before the trade deadline (if there aren't other injuries) there will definitely be openings to earn right? One or both of Ryan and Ober for sure, as well as Pablo, are all maybe on other teams come August.

Just now, NYCTK said:

I'm sorry, but this just sounds like the people that were really excited about Keirsey. Fedko had a really great season last year, but there's still nothing on his resume that points to any reason to think he'll be a successful major leaguer. 

Compare him to Alan Roden, who is somehow younger, and has been significantly better at every step of his career. Fedko might have a small edge in defense and/or running. But small enough to basically ignore. 

I hope Fedko DOES get a shot, but no one should expect anything from him, much like McCusker last year. 

I haven't seen anything to show that Fedko would be a better defender or a better runner than Roden.

One positive aspect of the pitching portion of the roster: outside of Pablo, SWR, Rogers, and Topa, every pitcher currently on the 40-man has options remaining, many of them with multiple remaining.  That should, in theory, allow them to be patient and flexible as the younger guys sort out their roles and grow into new ones if necessary.

Whether their apparent desperation to win this year allows them to be patient remains to be seen

I really would like to see Bell get the majority of plate appearances as the DH. That would make Roden redundant and make a starting outfield of Larnach, Buxton, Wallner (ugh). Also, it really buries Clemens and if he gets opportunities, it would be at the expense of Keaschall. 

This projection would lead to several guys being DFA'd--Jackson, Outman, Gray. I don't see losing three guys. IMHO, Gray gets a utility role over Kreidler because he doesn't have options. Less certain about Outman, but sending Roden to St. Paul would save Outman for the beginning of the year.

DFAs would leave roster space for non-roster guys to make the club. I fully expect that one of the non-roster pitchers the Twins have signed will make the Opening Day roster. I don't have much confidence in Adams or Klein and they can be optioned, so I think both start in St. Paul. I also think a second rotation candidate along with Festa will be sent to the bullpen, most likely Matthews.

I think a trade or two is still called for. With some of their best prospects being left handed corner outfielders, the Twins should part with at least one of Larnach/Wallner. If someone is willing to back up the Brinks Truck for Ryan, do it and if good value can be had for Jeffers, make the move.

Edit to add: it is my understanding that Kreidler has an option remaining and that Gray does not. OP seems to indicate Kreidler is out of options. On further review, Gray also is listed with an option. I would expect Kreidler to prevail in that case, even though he isn't much of a hitter at all.

3 minutes ago, stringer bell said:

I really would like to see Bell get the majority of plate appearances as the DH. That would make Roden redundant and make a starting outfield of Larnach, Buxton, Wallner (ugh). Also, it really buries Clemens and if he gets opportunities, it would be at the expense of Keaschall. 

This projection would lead to several guys being DFA'd--Jackson, Outman, Gray. I don't see losing three guys. IMHO, Gray gets a utility role over Kreidler because he doesn't have options. Less certain about Outman, but sending Roden to St. Paul would save Outman for the beginning of the year.

DFAs would leave roster space for non-roster guys to make the club. I fully expect that one of the non-roster pitchers the Twins have signed will make the Opening Day roster. I don't have much confidence in Adams or Klein and they can be optioned, so I think both start in St. Paul. I also think a second rotation candidate along with Festa will be sent to the bullpen, most likely Matthews.

I think a trade or two is still called for. With some of their best prospects being left handed corner outfielders, the Twins should part with at least one of Larnach/Wallner. If someone is willing to back up the Brinks Truck for Ryan, do it and if good value can be had for Jeffers, make the move. 

I keep coming back to, what if Jackson is the true backup catcher in a sense, and Caratini does catch some but is treated MORE like Donovan Solano was? It's not like Caratina grades out all that super defensively at catcher, and Jackson's arm to throw out runners is pretty strong.

I also still would be shocked if both Larnach and Wallner are on the team opening day. I THINK Larnach will be traded at some point and it's weird it hasn't happened yet.

Outman struggles both offensively and defensively and is an extra left-handed bat which we dont need. 😄 But let's keep hik on the roster in the even Buxton needs a day off so he can underperformed defensively in the most critical outfield position. 

16 minutes ago, Fatbat said:

The smart money is Preillip, Raya and Matthews starting the season in ST.Paul as starters with Abel and Rojas. Any one of them could get called up due to injury, fatigue or poor performance. It would not surprise me if Festa is also in that list but it sure would be cool to see him in the bullpen on opening day. 
the chances of Outman, Roden and Kreidler and possibly Clemons being in the show for more than a month or two are slim.  I see regression in Clemons but hope that I am wrong! 
I am still betting on an epic rookie crop that will be the center pieces of a quick reset and a really fun season. 

I wouldn't put money on Raya staying as a starter any longer.

I also don't know why we are assuming that Clemens still has an obvious spot on the team either.

1 minute ago, jmlease1 said:

defensively, Clemens is the best 1B we have, unfortunately. He's one of the more logical backups at 3B and 2B, really. But as a LH bat who is garbage against LHP, you are correct: he isn't a great fit.

I agree on Raya: he should be moving to the bullpen. He definitely hit a wall as a starter in AAA and has a lot of guys ahead of him on the starting pitching depth chart (presuming the list in the OP for the MLB rotation is correct, Matthews, Abel, Rojas, and Morris are all ahead of Raya at this point). Even if Preilipp goes bullpen as well there's 4 guys in the minors ahead of him. They don't need to wait for him to get called up before sliding him into the bullpen.

I get the sense that Bell and Caratini both could be ahead of Clemens on the 1b depth chart right? I'd be open to being wrong, but it's hard to see a true role for him that makes sense. This roster is so confusing still.

2 minutes ago, srlarson said:

Might as well tear it all down...and scuttle the season...with Labor stoppage next year....take a 2 yr savings.....trade Ryan, Lopez, Jeffers.....cash the check from the Dodgers....hopefully team gets sold to owners who care!!  

I mean, I enjoy watching baseball. But maybe it's not for everyone.