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Plenty has been done to the Twins' pitching staff this offseason, even if they're not the kind of moves for which we all hoped. With Anthony DeSclafani joining the rotation and Justin Topa, Jay Jackson, Josh Staumont, and Steven Okert inserted into the bullpen, new arms have been added. Jorge Polanco and Nick Gordon have been subtracted from the player group in that process, which opens up opportunities for new names to fill their roles.
Heading into spring training, the expectation should be that three of the four bench roles are filled. Kyle Farmer, Willi Castro, and Christian Vázquez will all make Rocco Baldelli’s roster, barring some unforeseen circumstances. That means one final bench spot is open, and who gets it remains up in the air.
The Favorite: Trevor Larnach
At this point, it stands to reason that Larnach is the favorite to land the 26th spot on the Twins' Opening Day roster. He was the starting left fielder to begin the campaign a season ago, but has been overtaken by Minnesota native Matt Wallner. There’s a path forward for Larnach, but it involves him finding his footing exceptionally quickly.
The power has not translated to his professional game, and with just 20 home runs in 188 career games, he hasn’t shown enough punch to make up for the punchouts. Now 27 years old, Larnach has been shuttled between the minors and majors and had miserable injury luck, which hasn’t given him a great opportunity to settle in. Still, though, he is running out of chances, and now, in his final option year, this may be the last look he gets. As a rotational player, he’ll need to be ready to go any time his number is called, and that’s a tough ask.
Of course, a free agent could replace Larnach. He is a left-handed hitter, as are both Wallner and Max Kepler. His inclusion on the roster risks redundancy, and he doesn’t play center field. As long as Michael A. Taylor remains unsigned, Larnach’s spot could be threatened most by someone currently outside of the organization.
The Contenders: Niko Goodrum, Austin Martin, José Miranda
Brought in as a non-roster invitee, Goodrum returns to the Twins organization with over 400 big-league games to his credit. He hasn’t gotten a real run at the major league level since 2021, and he’s been below-average offensively every season outside of 2018. Still, he provides a substantial amount of utility, and Minnesota may find that valuable from three of their four bench spots.
Unlike Goodrum, Martin and Miranda are both on the 40-man roster. The former is nearly a finished product on the farm, and he could be immediately expected to play center behind Byron Buxton. Both are right-handed hitters, but Buxton is a reverse-split hitter, allowing Martin to filter in. Martin will likely go to Triple-A briefly to start the year, but a strong spring could change those plans.
A year ago, there was hope that Miranda could follow up on his impressive rookie campaign with a solid sophomore season. However, he was hurt during spring training and never got it right. Now first base is expected to be manned by Alex Kirilloff and Carlos Santana, while the hot corner has become Royce Lewis’s position. Miranda could be a post-hype player who forces himself back into the equation, but he’s facing an uphill battle almost everywhere, and that’s without considering the adjustments he needs to make.
Waiting in the Wings: Anthony Prato, Michael Helman, DaShawn Keirsey Jr., Yunior Severino
This group includes a host of non-roster guys who could be deployed as bench options. Severino is the outlier, but he, too, isn’t a prospect who would need to be promoted for guaranteed playing time. Massive power has also come with substantial strikeout rates, and he’s not a good defender. Severino could eventually be promoted as a rotation type, requiring him to sit for stretches.
With Prato and Helman, Minnesota has a pair of high-performing prospects who are relatively tapped out. Their ceilings aren’t immense, but they have shown an ability to produce on the farm. Both have seen significant success at Triple-A, and despite Prato being awful at Double-A before his promotion last year, he was among the Saints' best hitters. Injuries have held back Helman, but expecting him to return to form seems logical. Keirsey has hit more than expected, and he’s a strong defender in center. If the Twins need someone as a defense-first outfielder and Keirsey has a strong spring, he could fit the bill.
Who ultimately takes the final bench spot, and which of the other names mentioned do you think we see at Target Field this season?
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