Seth Stohs

Things will change quickly as players return from the COVID-IL. Simmons should be back soon, I would think. Until then, I'd think you'd go with Gordon/Polanco at 2B/SS with Arraez in LF. When Simmons or Riddle come back, I would think Lin and Riddle would go down. I think Gordon becomes a utility guy until the AAA season starts. I think he should continue playing as much as possible to get ABs that he's missed the last couple of years.

It’s been a long and sometimes grueling road for Nick Gordon since he was the Twins first-round pick in 2014 out of high school, but finally on Friday, that road will lead him from CHS Field to Target Field for his first promotion to the big leagues. As you will see below, Nick Gordon has been frequently written about at Twins Daily over the years. He has been gracious with his time and I have had the pleasure of talking with and interviewing him several times. Gordon's rise to the big leagues was not meteoric, and in fact, the past few years it has felt almost glacial. But reports are out there, and I have been able to confirm, that Nick Gordon will be recalled to the Twins on Friday. Below, I will place the timeline of Gordon's career, and insert several articles that I encourage you to click into and read. First, it has also been reported that Alex Kirilloff is going to be called up on Friday with Miguel Sano going on the Injured List. Don't be surprised if there are a couple more transactions before Friday night's game too. ------------------------------------------------- Darren Wolfson tweeted it first. Nick Gordon will be promoted to the big leagues. In 2014, the Twins made Nick Gordon the fifth overall pick in the draft following a fantastic career at Olympia High School in Orlando, Florida. As you know, he is the son of Tom “Flash” Gordon and the half-brother of former All Star and batting champion Dee Strange-Gordon. However, he was drafted on his own merits. READ: Nick Gordon: Beyond the Bloodlines The Twins sent him straight to Elizabethton where he hit .294 in 57 games. In 2015, he moved up to Cedar Rapids where he hit .277 in 120 games. In 2016, he moved up to Ft. Myers where he hit .291 in 116 games. Following the season, he went to the Arizona Fall League where he hit .346 in 21 games. READ: In His Own Words: Nick Gordon’s 2016 Season READ: Juan Hillman, Nick Gordon Share Bond of Brotherhood Through those first three years of pro ball, he hit five combined home runs. In 2017 in Double-A Chattanooga, he hit .270 with 29 doubles, eight triples and nine home runs in 122 games as a 21-year-old, That summer, he had the opportunity to play in the Futures Game, and get a picture with Christina Milian. READ: Nick Gordon on his First Half, Futures Game and More In the offseason, he continued to workout with Hall of Famer Barry Larkin and other All Star caliber infielders such as Francisco Lindor and his brother Dee Strange-Gordon. He also dropped his first rap album under the name G Cinco. It was successful, and something he enjoyed. Even then, he was quick to point out. “All in all, I’m a baseball player. For me, hopefully someday, I’ll be on ESPN rather than MTV.” Also, in September of 2018, Gordon’s son Jaxon was born. READ: After Rap Debut, Nick Gordon has Twins Debut in Sight. On the 40-man roster, Gordon began the 2019 season on the injured list due to a stomach ailment. However, he spent the season as a 23-year-old and hit .298 with 29 doubles, three triples and four home runs in just 70 games. Unfortunately, his season ended early after being hit in the knee with a pitch. Late that season, he said, “I actually couldn’t walk. It was a little tough to walk for a week. It was difficult, a lot of pain. It was very unusual, kind of a freak accident.” It cost him the rest of the season. READ: Catching Up with Nick Gordon And then came 2020. Gordon returned to big-league spring training, but was sidelined with the same stomach ailment. Then came the COVID outbreak. When the Twins came together in St. Paul in July, Gordon was not able to. He had tested positive for COVID. Reports are that it really hit him hard. Fortunately, he has recovered and is working in St. Paul. On Thursday, John Bonnes was at the field and reported this… Soon after, Gordon received the news that he is headed from St. Paul to Minneapolis and will be at Target Field in a Twins uniform for the first time. Hopefully his family will be there. Dee Strange-Gordon recently signed with the Milwaukee Brewers. Hopefully he’ll be allowed to leave the alternate site to be in Minneapolis. Dee Strange-Gordon, then with the Marlins came to Ft. Myers for a spring training game and spent time on the Hammond Stadium back fields watching and supporting Nick during his first spring training. Twins Daily Top Prospects 2015 - #6 Twins Daily Top Prospects 2016 - #4 Twins Daily Top Prospects 2017 - #4 Twins Daily Top Prospects 2018 - #3: Twins Daily Top Prospects 2019 - #12 View full article

There have been many twists and turns, and teams, in the baseball life of Minnesota Twins and St. Paul Saints pitcher Andrew Albers. He is beginning his third stint in the Twins organization and looking to contribute any way he can. Andrew Albers grew up in North Battleford, Saskatchewan, Canada. It isn’t exactly a baseball hotbed. As Albers said during a Saints press conference on Friday, “Most (Canadian) ballplayers come from BC (British Columbia) or Ontario.” However, scouts found him and he was drafted out of high school but chose to attend the University of Kentucky. The Padres drafted him in 2008 and he pitched in a handful of games for their rookie Arizona League team. He got hurt, missed the 2009 season and was released. He pitched some for Quebec in the independent Atlantic League. That could have been the end of Andrew Albers' baseball career. Instead... The next offseason, he pulled a lot of strings, made a lot of phone calls and sent a lot of e-mails in an attempt to sign with an affiliated team including driving from Saskatchewan to Arizona, In fact, as the story goes, the Twins said they might be interested, but they wouldn't be able to have anyone see him in Arizona for a couple of weeks. Albers gave it some thought, called the Twins scout back and said he would drive from Arizona to Ft. Myers for the tryout. If they liked him, they would sign him and reimburse his travel expenses. If not, he would say Thank You and, well, probably just hope for some travel expense reimbursed. The Twins gave him a shot. In 2011, he spent time in Ft. Myers and Double-A New Britain. He spent 2012 with the Rockcats. He began the 2013 season at Triple-A Rochester, but he was pitching well, and the Twins called him up to make a couple of starts. In his MLB debut, he tossed 8 1/3 scoreless innings. In the next game, he threw a complete game shutout. Not promised a big-league spot in 2014, he signed with Hanwha in the Korean Baseball Organization. In 2015, he signed with the Toronto Blue Jays and got to pitch in one game for the team from his home country. He pitched in Venezuela that offseason and then returned to the independent leagues in 2016 for Lancaster to start the season, but he quickly signed with the Twins and went to Rochester before pitching in six games for the Twins. In 2017, he went 12-3 with a 2.61 ERA in Gwinnett (Atlanta AAA) but was traded/sold to the Mariners in August. They called him up and he went 5-1 with a 3.51 ERA in nine games and six starts. He went to Japan in 2018 and went 9-2 with a 3.08 ERA. He received an offer to extend his deal for two years and accepted it. Unfortunately, he was “nicked up” and didn’t pitch as well as he would have liked. Albers thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity he had in Japan. ““I really enjoyed the experience there. Was treated very well by the organization. It was great to immerse yourself in a different culture. I enjoyed my experience in Japan much more than I did in Korea. Really enjoyed the way they played the game. The fans there are tremendous. They just do a tremendous job creating a great atmosphere. It’s all really positive. They’re extremely respectful. The team itself, they take really good care of you. I had a really great time there. Was very thankful for that opportunity. I was glad that I was able to go over there and do that.” Late this offseason, he and his agent sent out e-mails to several teams to see if any might be interested in his pitching services for this season. “The Twins showed some interest, so it was a pretty easy decision for me to end up back here. Obviously have some fond memories here with the organization. Some things have happened in the past and couldn’t be happier to be back.” While he got to spring training late due to visa issues, Albers feels like it only took him a couple of weeks to feel as if he had caught up. Albers is currently in St. Paul, working out at the alternate site. His manager with the Saints in 2021 will be Toby Gardenhire. Gardenhire’s final season as a player in the Twins organization was 2011 when he played 103 games in Rochester. That was Albers first year in the organization, and he split the year between Ft. Myers and New Britain. While they never played together, they both recall a time they played against each other. In September of 2012, there was a WBC Qualifier tournament in Germany. Gardenhire (and a 19-year-old Max Kepler) played for Team Germany. In the championship game, Germany faced Team Canada. Andrew Albers made the start for Canada and gave up one run over six innings and Canada advanced to play in the 2013 WBC. Gardenhire recalls, “I think I was like 0-for-3 off of him in the game. So it’s funny that now we’ve come full circle, I’m managing and he’s still pitching.” (online research shows that Gardenhire was indeed 0-for-3 in the game.) Albers said that he certainly remembered that game. “Any time I get to play for Team Canada, I treasure those moments. It was a lot of fun.” Albers is just three years younger than the 38-year-old Gardenhire. “Obviously I played for his dad in ‘13, so that’s a really interesting relationship there. I guess that’s when I really know that I’m getting up there in age when I start playing for both father and son as managers. I try not to think about it that much.” But there is value in having a guy like Albers on the roster. Gardenhire has seen it already in their brief time together. “It’s cool having Albers around because he has so much experience, and he’s been around and done so much. He’s had conversations with all the guys about different things. I’ve heard him talk to guys about playing in Japan. He’s been around so much.” He continued, “It’s cool having a guy like that. He knows how to get his work done. He knows everything he has to do. He’s just staying ready to go. Once the season starts, he’s a guy that’s reliable. You know what you’re going to get from him because he’s done it so many times. He’s been in those situations before.” Albers relishes the role of a mentor for other players, but he doesn’t push anything on his teammates. “I think that’s an important part to play. Obviously you hope that you can provide some experience to help the younger guys.” He continued, “If somebody comes up and has a question for me or we can just have a discussion about baseball. I love that. I think the biggest thing is just to be open and approachable. You’re a little bit older now, but at that same time you try to be one of the guys and have fun with them. Obviously I think I appreciate it more now having spent some time internationally where you can’t necessarily communicate with a lot of your teammates. So that part of it’s a lot of fun.” All that said, Albers may not throw hard, but he can pitch, and he can keep batters off balance. He hopes to help whichever team he is playing for, be it the Saints or the Twins. “Anything I can do to help the club, right? Whatever role they see me in. We’ve talked a little bit about that, whether it’s going to be a middle to long guy, or a starter. I’m trying to get extended a little bit here in St. Paul right now just so that I’m available if the need arises, and if they feel I can contribute hopefully up there with the big league club at some point this year. It’s one of those things where you’re just trying to get yourself ready as best you can. Trying to prepare yourself for whatever role that they think you can help in. That’s what I’m doing. That’s my approach.” Andrew Albers is 35 and has had some great experiences and memories throughout his baseball career, a career that could have ended 12 years ago when he was hurt and released. Despite a fastball that likely won’t hit 90 mph, he has had four stints in the big leagues with three different organizations. He’s represented Canada in several international competitions. He’s played in Japan and Korea, and he’s now back with the Twins for a third time. This is a guy who is appreciative of his opportunities. “I’m just thankful that I have an opportunity and then hopeful that I get an opportunity up there. Just going to try to prepare for whatever that opportunity may be.” OH CANADA! There are currently four Canadians in Twins minor league spring training in Ft. Myers. Right-handed pitchers Jordan Balazovic and Landon Leach, infielder Edouard Julien and catcher LaRon Smith. Albers noted the age gap between him and those players, so he hadn’t met any of them until this spring when he met Balazovic at big-league spring training. “I met Balazovic this spring, was really impressed with him. Impressive character, seems like he has a good head on his shoulders, obviously throws the ball real well. He then gave a lot of credit to Greg Hamilton who has been very instrumental in the Canadian Junior National team which has helped player development in the country. Albers mentioned Josh Naylor. Mike Soroka. Cal Quantrill and Tyler O’Neill as big-league guys from that program. MY HOW THINGS HAVE CHANGED Albers was in the Twins organization from 2011 to 2013, in 2016 and now in 2021. It’s fair to say that things have changed quite a bit since his previous stints. “It’s almost like it’s a whole new organization. Obviously with the new front office and bringing in some different guys, the philosophy’s changed from what it used to be, certainly from 2013 and then even from ‘16. The last few years, there have been a lot of changes, or at least it seems like a lot of changes to me.” While he hadn’t previously been brought up with the analytics and technology that the Twins now use, he is excited about it and how it is being communicated and how he’s able to put what he’s learning into action in St. Paul. “I think they’re doing a great job here getting guys that are extremely knowledgeable with the analytics. Obviously that’s part of the game now. You get the older guys like me where it’s a lot of new information, but they're doing a great job communicating to me what they’re looking for, what they think can help me improve." He gave a real-life example of this. "That’s the great thing about being here in St. Paul right now. I’m getting the opportunity to work on some of those things in a low-stress environment. If you’re trying to work on increasing the depth on your slider, you can go out and do it in your game and you don’t have to worry if you give up a couple of hits or some runs." We have heard a lot about how the Twins now have individual improvement plans. "I think they’re doing a good job giving guys plans going forward on what they think they can improve on in order to give themselves a better chance of not only getting to the big leagues but being successful once they get there." Yes, Albers plainly sees that changes in the organization since his previous stints and again points out the importance of how the information is communicated. How can a player improve? What can they tinker with or alter or add, but also what is it that has worked for you in the past? "When I first got here in ‘13, they weren’t very analytically based. I would say that’s changed substantially over the past three or four years. They do a great job communicating it to us. Certainly they rely heavily on it not only in the big leagues but even at the minor league level. The thing that I really appreciate as someone new here, they do a great job communicating their expectations, communicating what they want you to try, and at the same time they realize you’ve had some success in the past a certain way and they don’t want you to change exactly who they are.” THE SAINTS EXPERIENCE Finally, Albers has played in the independent leagues and appreciates those opportunities. He was well aware of the St. Paul Saints and looks forward to playing in front of fans at CHS Field. “The ballpark looks like it could be great. Obviously it’ll be a lot nicer once you get fans in here. I’ve heard nothing but great things about how the Saints run their program, they draw really well here in the summer, and that was as an indy league team. It will be interesting to see as a Triple-A team. I wouldn’t expect there not to be a fall off, maybe even an increase. I’ve heard a lot of great things about their on-field promotions and how they get people to the ballpark. I’ve heard they create a great atmosphere. So I’m really looking forward to seeing that. Really looking forward to getting to be a part of it and hopefully have some success along the way.” For More Twins Minor League/Saints Content at Twins Daily, click these links: Kirilloff Preparing for Big-League Opportunity The Brightest, Anonymous Superstar: My Conversation with Tzu-Wei Lin Twins Minor League Report: Depth Camp Opportunities Twins Minor League Report: Follow the Affiliates Toby Gardenhire is Following in his Father's Footsteps View full article

Not many people get to experience making their MLB debut. Twins top prospect Alex Kirilloff has been able to experience two of them. The poised young man is now poised to make an impact on the Twins roster very soon.Last September, on the eve of the start of the Twins playoff series against the Astros, Alex Kirilloff received a late-night phone call from Rocco Baldelli. The Twins manager informed Kirilloff that he was going to be on the playoff roster. In Game 2 of the series, Kirilloff became the first player in MLB history to make his Major League debut by starting in a playoff game. He was just the fourth player to debut in the playoffs. Kirilloff made a sliding catch in right field and recorded a line-drive single for his first career hit. In spring, Kirilloff competed for a spot on the Twins Opening Day roster, but he struggled at the plate. He has been working out at the Twins alternate site at CHS Field in St. Paul. With a doubleheader on Wednesday, the Twins were able to add a 27th player to the roster for those games. On Tuesday, Kirilloff said he was running some errands with his wife (Jordan) and his daughter (Penelope) when his phone rang. Toby Gardenhire, the Saints manager, called and gave him the news. In Game 1 against the Red Sox, Kirilloff found his name on the lineup card playing in left field and batting sixth against Nathan Eovaldi. He went 0-for-2 in what was his regular-season Major League debut, his official big-league debut. It was actually his first regular-season game since the 2019 season. He hadn’t thought of it, but he said it was great to play in front of fans again. “It was just nice to see people up in the stands again for sure. Even with a limited amount of people there at the game, you felt that energy a little bit again that fans bring. It was definitely good to see them back there.” Unlike his playoff MLB debut, Kirilloff’s wife and daughter were able to witness his regular-season debut. He said, “They were happy they were able to make it, for sure. Jordan hasn’t seen me play a real game for awhile, so she was happy to come and do that. Penelope was able to play with some of the kids at the game. She hasn’t been able to do that a lot with the pandemic, so it was nice for them too.” In Game 2, Kirilloff was used as a pinch hitter and was 0-for-1. As the rules of the 27th man dictate, Kirilloff returned to the Twins alternate site following the game. However, now he has one day of MLB service time under his belt. There’s no question that Kirilloff will be back. It may be in a week or ten days. It could be in a month. But it will happen sooner than later. Toby Gardenhire said of Kirilloff, “The kid just hits. He’s just a good hitter. He sprays the ball all over the field. He always puts together good at bats. He’s just a hitter. He’s going to be good in the big leagues. He’s going to be able to do it once they get him up there.” The Twins have not received much production from left field, right field or first base so far this season. Where has Kirilloff been working while at CHS Field? Gardenhire notes, “Right now, we’re trying to keep him ready in right field. We’re trying to keep him ready in left field. We’re trying to keep him ready at first base. I don’t know exactly what the plan is once he gets up there. That’s why I think it’s important to make sure that he’s good in all three of those spots. We’re getting him a lot of time out in right. We’re getting him a lot of time out in left, and we’re getting him plenty of ground balls at first base. So anywhere they need him when he gets up there, he’ll be able to play.” Kirilloff understand the importance of him being ready at all three spots. He said, “That’s just something Rocco and Toby have been stressing to me, to be able to play all three positions - left, right and first - and to just keep doing that. I think versatility is important on a team’s construction of the lineup and roster and stuff. So I just want to continue to do that and continue to work at all three positions so that I feel comfortable wherever they need me.” The goal, of course, is for Kirilloff not just to get to the big leagues, but to stay in the big leagues and provide a big impact. That impact should come from his bat. Gardenhire adds, “He’s such a good hitter. They’re going to want him in the lineup. I know Rocco’s going to want to put him out there, so the more positions he can play, the more versatility he has, the more spots they’re able to stick that kid in the lineup and let him swing.” It would be fantastic if Kirilloff could come up and provide a spark to the Twins offense the way that a fellow Twins 2016 draft pick has in 2021. Kirilloff was the Twins’ first-round pick in 2016 out of high school in Pennsylvania. With one of their two Competitive Balance picks after the second round, the Twins selected outfielder Akil Baddoo out of high school in Georgia. Kirilloff lost his 2017 season because of Tommy John surgery. Baddoo lost most of his 2019 season due to Tommy John surgery. Baddoo did not play at all in 2020. He wasn’t at the alternate site, and he then wasn’t protected on the team’s 40-man roster. The Tigers selected him in the Rule 5 draft and he has become one of the best stories in baseball in spring and early this season. With so much in common, the two have remained in contact. Kirilloff said, “Yeah, we’ve just texted a little bit. I’m just super happy for him. It’s just cool to see what he’s done. Obviously it’s very special, everyone can see that. Like you said, going through the same thing we both went through and realizing how much time you miss, and how difficult it is to come back and play. And for him to jump right into spring training, a big-league camp, when he’s never been to a big-league camp before, and to do what he did and continue that, it’s awesome to see, for sure. I’ll keep watching and keep rooting for him… except for when he’s playing us.” Until that call comes, and he’s handed an everyday job with the Twins, he will remain in St. Paul, continuing to work, trying to improve. “I feel like I’m ready. I’ve been preparing for a long time to be able to go up there and contribute. Some things are out of my control. Like I’ve said before, I just like to focus on what I can control, my routine on a daily basis and making the adjustments that I need to make and just going out there and doing my best. Whatever else happens from that, I’ll be alright with as long as I know I’m doing my best and enjoying baseball.” The last week or so, Twins fans haven’t seen a lot of enjoyable baseball. With Friday night’s loss in Anaheim, the team has won just one of it’s last eight games. It likely won’t be real long before fans will begin to enjoy seeing Kirilloff consistently in the Twins lineup. Hopefully Twins fans will be able to enjoy watching that for a long time. Click here to view the article

Spring Training 2021 certainly was different than most years, but one of the interesting parts was the implementation of the depth camp. It gave several additional players an opportunity not only to get into a couple of spring games, but get more time with the big-league coaches and players too. Several Twins prospects discussed their first big-league spring training.Teams were allowed to invite up to 75 players to spring training this year. 40 of the players were on the roster. Approximately 20 more players were official Non-Roster Invites. But as a means to allow teams to ease their players back into their springs and properly prepare for their seasons, another 14 to 15 players were invited to participate in the depth camp. As spring training started in February, a writer asked manager Rocco Baldelli on Zoom about the depth camp and what they would be doing. The Twins manager said, “The players in depth camp are going to be extremely important to what we do.” He continued, “They will be taking part in a lot of our fundamentals when we need them too. They’re going to be getting their work done by themselves otherwise. But, they’re going to be playing in a lot of games as well. So when these games start, I think we’re going to see our depth camp.” The Twins played 28 spring training games. Aaron Sabato, the team’s first-round draft pick last June, played in 22 of those games. He made a start or two, but in general, he came in during the middle or late innings and played first base and maybe got a plate appearance. Especially early in camp, it’s important to have a lot of pitchers to eat innings in games when the pitchers are all going just an inning or so. I recently chatted with a few of the depth camp pitchers about their experiences. Ryan Mason, a 26-year-old right-hander, went 2-0 with a 2.35 ERA and seven saves at Double-A Pensacola in 2019 before his season ended with an arm injury. Healthy, he was thrilled to be invited to big-league spring training. He said, “First and foremost, the experience was unforgettable. I enjoyed every moment getting the opportunity to spend time with the big-league club. The highlight for myself was obviously being able to throw in a couple of games and experience the nerves of pitching again, which was long overdue due to the circumstances of last season.” Mason finished out two innings for the Twins during spring training. He faced two batters and struck one of them out. He even recorded a Win. Matt Canterino is one of the Twins top pitching prospects. The 23-year-old was the team’s second-round draft pick in 2019 out of Rice University. He was able to work 4 2/3 innings over four games. He gave up only an unearned run on two hits. He walked five batters but struck out seven and certainly showed the stuff, including a 98 mph fastball, that makes him so intriguing. Canterino said, “ I really enjoyed my time on the big league side of things. The highlight for me was definitely just being able to get in some games again against really good competition. I hadn’t faced another squad since the summer of 2019, so seeing a big leaguer with a different uniform on in the batter’s box when I was pitching really got my competitive juices flowing again.” Josh Winder has seen his prospect status skyrocket since hitting 96 and 97 mph at Instructional League last October. The 6-5 right-hander was the Twins seventh round draft pick in 2018 out of Virginia Military Institute. In 2019, he went 7-2 with a 2.65 ERA in 21 starts in Cedar Rapids during his first full professional season. Winder enjoyed being around the big leaguers and observing. “It was awesome to rub shoulders with the established big league guys and see how they went about their business. The commitment and dedication to their routine/craft was the big thing that stood out to me and motivated me to make some adjustments in my approach to the game.” He also worked in four games including making one start. In 5 2/3 innings, he gave up three runs on five hits, three walks and struck out five batters. For Tom Hackimer, the team’s fourth round pick in 2016 from St. John’s, he enjoyed doing something that a lot of big league pitchers haven’t been able to do. “The highlight of my spring was managing to strike out Luis Arraez during a live BP one day.” Hackimer knows many of the players on the Twins roster and has been teammates at times with several of them, including Miguel Sano. Hackimer shared a fun story from this spring. “Miguel Sanó has been making fun of how long my arms are since 2018 when he was sent down to the Miracle, then again in 2019 in Fort Myers and Pensacola while he was rehabbing. One day we were doing PFPs, and he made me stop so that he could point out to Nelson Cruz how long my arms are.” Spring Training fun! But the opportunity to observe and learn from the big league veterans and coaching staff is immensely valuable. Mason took advantage of the opportunity. “I tried to connect with as many players as possible and just talk about pretty normal stuff to reaffirm what I already knew, which is big-league players are normal and all-around great people with their own stories. Also, there is not one way to make it. Everyone paved their own path to success.” It might surprise you to read which player Winder and Canterino mentioned when asked about their surreal moment of spring. Winder noted, “Facing Josh Donaldson is Live BP was a surreal moment for me. I’ve watched him on TV for so long it was really weird seeing him up close in the box.” Canterino had a similar experience that turned into an opportunity he will never forget. He said, “One of my coolest experiences with some of the veterans came after I threw a live bullpen to some of the big league hitters. After I finished my outing, I approached Josh Donaldson and asked what he saw when I threw to him. Andrelton Simmons joined the conversation too after a little while. So the three of us ended up talking about hitting approaches and how to attack hitters for about a half hour after that.” David Banuelos, a catcher the Twins acquired in a trade with the Mariners before the 2018 season. He is known as a defense-first catcher, but he considered his first big league spring training (as a Non-Roster Invite) a “great experience,” one he learned a lot from. Banuelos also mentioned the Twins third baseman and former AL MVP.. “Listening to Donaldson talk about hitting was really cool. I had the opportunity to pick his brain a bit.” One of his two spring hits was a long home run on a Donaldsonic swing. Spencer Steer was the Twins third round pick in 2019 from the University of Oregon. He was not on the original spring roster, but when Chris Williams hurt his shoulder in one of the first spring games, Steer was added to the depth group. He said, “The entire experience was incredible. I went from not knowing when I was reporting to minor league camp, to working out alongside big leaguers within a couple of days. It was a lot of fun to be able to watch the best of the best up close. I was able to learn a lot by just watching how they went about their work everyday.” In 11 games played, he had two hits in eight at bats including a long, opposite field home run. Starting pitchers Winder and Canterino are now in Ft. Myers, working to prepare and stretch out for their 2021 minor league seasons. Banuelos and Steer will be playing their first spring training games today in Ft. Myers. Relievers Mason and Hackimer are in St. Paul at the Twins alternate site preparing for their seasons and preparing themselves and others to possibly help the big-league club as we await the start of the season. More Minor League Notes Just a couple quick Twins minor league notes: Royce Lewis on Flippin’ Bats with Ben Verlander This week, Twins shortstop prospect Royce Lewis was on the FOX Sports Flippin’ Bats with Ben Verlandershow. Lewis talked about a number of topics from the roles that guys like Torii Hunter and Nelson Cruz have played in his life and development. He talked some about his recovery from ACL surgery. He also talks about wine, and many other topics. It’s a fun interview. Twins Sign More International Free Agents When the international signing period opened on January 15th, the Twins signed several players including top shortstop prospects Danny De Andrade and Fredy LaFlor. In the past weeks, the Twins have signed a few more players including right-handed pitcher Jose Olivares. Baseball America’s Ben Badler wrote this of Oliveres: “For a while, Olivares trained as an outfielder in Venezuela, but he took off once he moved to the mound, with his velocity popping at games in the Dominican Republic last year. Previously eligible to sign in 2019, Olivares is now an 18-year-old righthander with a sturdy, physically mature frame and a fastball that has been up to 96 mph with lively riding life up in the zone. He pairs it with a good curveball that's more advanced than his changeup.” More Twins minor league coverage to come. Keep checking back. Click here to view the article

Yeah, that's a big thing, I think. It'll be interesting to see how it plays out over the season, but I do think it's good for scheduling, and for traveling and such. Also, may push players to make quicker adjustments to adjustments. No scheduled minor league games on Monday, allowing for travel (and maybe makeup days?).

It's always nice to follow four extra box scores each day, but it's especially good when the big-league club is struggling.

This has been edited, though a manager named Brain would be fun!

There were a lot of changes to minor league baseball this offseason, and there were changes with all four Twins minor league affiliates. As minor league camp continues, find out the spring training timeline and learn a little about each affiliate and how to follow them.At Twins Daily, we have always taken a lot of pride in our minor league coverage. Frankly, no one covered the Twins minor leagues and prospects the way we did. So, trust us when we say that a lost minor league season in 2020 was hard on us. While the 2021 season will begin late, we are excited about our minor league coverage plans for the upcoming season. We will again have daily minor league reports. In addition, we hope to have a strong presence at CHS Field throughout the season and provide even more coverage. With that in mind, today I just wanted to start getting people thinking about the minor leagues. Today I'll remind you of the 2021 Twins affiliates. Minor League Spring Training Update But first, here are some quick notes on Twins minor league spring training: Players reported to Ft. Myers for spring training on April 1st. They had to go through the intake process, COVID protocols and more.April 5th was the first official practice.There are 134 players in Ft. Myers (73 pitchers, 14 catchers, 28 infielders, 17 outfielders, and two rehabbing)April 16th (Friday), the minor leaguers will play their first spring training games against other teams. Like big league spring games, the Twins affiliates will play only Boston, Atlanta and Tampa Bay affiliates.April 29th - Minor League camp breaks.May 4th - Minor League Opening Day.Affiliates The Elizabethton Twins are no longer an affiliate of the Twins. In fact, that team is now longer the Twins. They are now the River Riders and will play in a summer college wood bat league. The Rochester Red Wings became the Triple-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals (managed by former Twins catcher/DH Matthew LeCroy), and the Pensacola Blue Wahoos are now the Double-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins. With that, let's take a look at the four full-season Twins affiliates, provide some background on the team and their stadium. We have also included links to the team's websites, team stores, and social media platforms. Find links to how you can watch the Twins players at the alternate site, and a couple of the affiliates have started podcasts. St. Paul Saints After nearly 30 years as a leader in independent baseball, the St. Paul Saints became the Twins Triple-A affiliate. The two sides became close last summer when the Twins were able to use CHS Field as their alternate site, a role they are playing again this month. The Twins new Triple-A affiliate resides just 12 miles from Target Field. CHS Field is where the team will play. In fact, leading up to the start of the minor league season, CHS Field is the site of the Twins alternate site again. You can watch the workouts and simulated games in person for just $5. Find the schedule here, and how you can order tickets. And there are concessions. When the team takes the field, they will be managed by Toby Gardenhire. Matt Borgschulte will be the hitting coach. Cibney Bello and Mike McCarthy will be the pitching coaches. Tyler Smarslok will be the fourth coach. Team Website Team Store Saints on Twitter Saints on Facebook Saints on Instagram Saints on YouTube Wichita Wind Surge The Twins new Double-A affiliate is in Wichita, Kansas, and it might be fair to say There’s No Place Like Home. Riverfront Stadium is new, and it is stunning (See here. It’s incredible!). Last Saturday, the first game ever was played in the stadium and over 7,500 fans watched Wichita State play Houston. While the new stadium is 635 miles from Target Field, the ten-hour drive down I-35 could be part of a longer vacation, or even a long weekend. Ramon Borrego will again be the Twins Double-A manager, maintaining the same role he had in Pensacola. Luis Ramirez and Virgil Vasquez will be the team’s pitching coaches. Ryan Smith will be the hitting coach. Joe Mangiameli will be the fourth coach and work with the catchers. Team Website Team Store Wind Surge on Twitter Wind Surge on Facebook Wind Surge on Instagram Wind Surge on YouTube Surge Cast: Episode 1 Cedar Rapids Kernels The Twins moved their Low-A, Midwest League affiliate from Beloit to Cedar Rapids in 2013. With the minor league realignment this offseason, the Kernels got a promotion and are now the Twins High-A affiliate. Veterans Memorial Stadium is just 278 miles from Target Field. It’s a great trip. In addition, the Field of Dreams movie location is in nearby Dyersville. Brian Dinkelman gets his managerial promotion to High-A without having to move! His pitching coaches will be Mark Moriarity and Richard Salazar. Bryce Berg will be the hitting coach. Jairo Rodriguez will be the team’s fourth coach and work with the catchers. Team Website Team Store Kernels on Twitter Kernels on Facebook Kernels on Instagram Kernels on YouTube All Ears podcast Ft. Myers Mighty Mussels Ft. Myers has been the home to the Twins High-A, Florida State League affiliate for a long time. Before the 2020 season, it was announced that the team would no longer be the Miracle. Instead, they are now the Mighty Mussels. This past offseason, there was another change. The Mighty Mussels will now be the Low-A affiliate of the Twins. OK, it’s a 1700 mile drive from Target Field to Hammond Stadium in Ft. Myers. It’ll be 25 hours worth of driving, so unless you’ve got an epic vacation planned, flying would be the best way to get there. And if you plan it for later in the summer, you can catch a few GCL Twins games on the back fields as well. In recent weeks, Aaron Sutton resigned as the Mighty Mussels manager to return home for personal reasons, leaving the coaching industry. Brian Meyer was going to be the team’s hitting coach, but he will now be the team’s manager. Peter Larson and Carlos Hernandez are the two pitching coaches. The Twins hired Derek Shomon who had been the hitting coach of the Schaumburg Boomers of the independent Frontier League. Rayden Ogando was recently brought in and will be the team’s fourth coach. Team Website Team Store Mighty Mussels on Twitter Mighty Mussels on Facebook Mighty Mussels on Instagram Again, we will have much more content on all four of these affiliates in coming weeks and throughout the season. But feel free to ask any questions you may have. Click here to view the article

The Minnesota Twins announced this morning that shortstop Andrelton Simmons has been placed on the COVID-IL. JT Riddle has been added to the 40-man roster and called up. Alex Kirilloff is the 27th man for today's doubleheader and making his second MLB debut! More notes from today.With a doubleheader today at Target Field against the Red Sox, the Twins find themselves without their starting shortstop. Andrelton Simmons has shown his defensive prowess already, but he's also been hitting so far this spring. The 31-year-old from Curacao is hitting .355/.474/.452 (.925) with three doubles through the first ten games. Simmons tested positive for COVID earlier today and placed on the COVID-IL. Derek Falvey noted that Simmons was experiencing some minor symptoms. All Twins players were tested this morning and the rest were cleared. That said, as we know, COVID can linger for a few days before showing up on a test. JT Riddle was brought in on a minor league contract in spring training. Like Simmons, Riddle is a defensive whiz, capable of playing all around the infield and in centerfield too. Simmons has been public about his thoughts on COVID and vaccinations. Before the season started, he tweeted his thoughts and reason for not getting vaccinated. The Twins also lost RHP Tyler Wells to the Orioles in the Rule 5 draft. He has pitched to a 4.76 ERA over four games and 5 2/3 innings out of the bullpen. It's Kenta Maeda and Jose Berrios today for the Twins. Click here to view the article

He has been hurt. Not much he can do about that. He's basically missed three seasons the last five years (obviously one due to COVID). Still young. Still very, very talented.

They're all in Ft. Myers now... First practice of the year is on Saturday!

The veterans will be in AAA (or released). I assume like Barnes and Vasquez and Jax and Mason and maybe even Duran. Remember he only had a handful of starts in AA in 2019. I think he could move up quick if he doesn't start in AAA. And no, I think Rortvedt goes to AA, at least to start the season.

Lots have asked about Wiel. So have I... I am very surprised... As for Celestino, he's maybe starting at Wichita this season (possibly Cedar Rapids), so no need for him to be up there.

On Friday morning, the St. Paul Saints announced the Twins alternate site staff and the 33 players who will be working out at CHS Field. In addition, fans will be able to attend workouts.The Twins season has started. Twins minor leaguers have reported to Ft. Myers. The intake/testing process is in progress, and on Saturday, the players will have their first official workout. However, the St. Paul Saints have announced the 33 players who will be part of the team's alternate site at CHS Field. From a coaching perspective, it will be the Saints staff. Toby Gardenhire is the manager. Mike McCarthy and Cibney Bello are the pitching coaches. The hitting coach is Matt Borgschulte while Tyler Smarslok is the development coach. Here are the players scheduled to participate: Left-Handed Pitchers (7): Andrew Albers, Danny Coulombe, Devin Smeltzer, Andrew Vasquez, Brandon Waddell, Charlie Barnes, Lewis Thorpe. Right-Handed Pitchers (13): Ian Gibaut, Griffin Jax, Ryan Mason, Shaun Anderson, Jhoan Duran, Tom Hackimer, Derek Law, Juan Minaya, Glenn Sparkman, Luke Farrell, Ian Hamilton, Robinson Leyer, Chandler Shepherd. Catchers (3), Caleb Hamilton, Ben Rortvedt, Tomas Telis. Infielders (5): Travis Blankenhorn, Nick Gordon, Tzu-Wei Lin, Drew Maggi, JT Riddle. Outfielders (5): Keon Broxton, Alex Kirilloff, Trevor Larnach, Rob Refsnyder, Brent Rooker. Now, as you know, the Twins Taxi Squad for this first road trip includes Luke Farrell, Brandon Waddell, Tomas Telis, JT Riddle and Brent Rooker. However, much of this group will be what comprises the Saints Opening Day roster. The cool thing is that fans will be able to attend the workoutsat the alternate site for just $5. The first workout will be Saturday morning at 10:30 a.m. and go until 2:30. It will get you a seat on the right field/first base side of the ballpark. Tickets can be purchased in blocks of two to six, and you will not be allowed to leave an available seat open when purchasing. For example, if you want to purchase three tickets in a pod where four are available, you will need to purchase all four. And yes, concessions will be open. For each 10:30 workout, batting practice will take place at 11:00, and a simulated game will begin at 12:30 unless otherwise specified. For workouts that go from 4:30 to 8:30, batting practice begins at 5:00 and simulated games begin at 6:30 unless otherwise specified on the calendar. Click here to view the article

Happy Opening Day!! Twins fans, it's time to make your official predictions! Today, I am making 21 predictions including award winners, records broken and more. Be sure to make your predictions for the Twins 2021 season as well.Alright, putting out predictions before a season starts is a risk. If I am way off, it's possible that you will come back to this article, and remind me again and again how ridiculous my prediction was. And, that's probably fair, because if I get some of them right, I guarantee that I will bring it up!! OK, I'll probably forget. (But if you want to look back at my 20 Predictions for 2020, you can). Let's get to the predictions, and when you're done reading mine, respond to them in the comments, and make some of your own predictions too. #1 - Max Kepler - April AL Player of the Month Everyone knows that Max Kepler has struggled in March. He is 3-for-42 (.071) with no extra base hits and just one RBI. So in an extreme example of spring training statistics meaning almost nothing for veterans, this first prediction is a bit bold. But hey, why not? We all have seen what Kepler can do, and most likely, will do again. Getting off to a fast start will help. #2 - Luis Arraez won’t hit .400 But he will hit .300 again. It will be interesting to see how much he plays, but if he plays in about 75% of Twins games, he should be hitting leadoff and get enough plate appearances to qualify for a batting title. It’ll be a tight race between Arraez and Yankees infielder DJ LeMahieu that will come down to the final weekend. #3 - Miguel Sano will have a record-breaking season Sano will top Mark Reynolds’ single-season strikeout record of 223 strikeouts. He will also lead the team with 42 home runs. #4 - Catcher Split I’ve touted it all offseason, but I would love to see the Twins literally have Mitch Garver and Ryan Jeffers alternate catching each game. Ideally, each of them would make about 75 starts. Both of them will post an OPS over .800. #5 - Bomba Squad… but not quite The Twins will showcase a lot of players with the ability to hit homers. The 2019 Bomba Squad had 11 players reach double figures in home runs. The 2021 team will end up with ten in double digits. Miguel Sano (42), Byron Buxton (32), Max Kepler (28), Josh Donaldson (25), Nelson Cruz (24), Mitch Garver (18), Jorge Polanco (17), Brent Rooker (14), Ryan Jeffers (13), Alex Kirilloff (11). #6 - Rest and Recovery As we have learned, giving players rest is something that Rocco Baldelli really values. With the Twins depth at every position, Baldelli will have the ability to stick to that. I don’t think that the Twins will have a position player who plays more than 145 games. Sure, there will be injuries and there will need to be adjustments made, but days off will be part of the design. #7 - Buxton’s Breakout We’ve been waiting, some more patiently than others, but in 2021, Byron Buxton will have a second breakout season. In 2017, he played in 140 games and hit .253 with 14 doubles, six triples, 16 homers, 29 stolen bases, Gold and Platinum Glove Awards, and MVP votes. He received MVP votes again in 2020. Buxton is entering his Age 27 year, and with the admitted caveat of health (which we know can’t be assumed), Buxton is ready to put it all on display. My prediction is the 32 homers, another Gold Glove, and a Top 3 finish in American League MVP voting. #8 - Ace Maeda It’s hard to imagine that Maeda will be able to sustain his crazy 2020 season in which he posted a 0.75 WHIP and finished second in AL Cy Young voting over the course of a full season. However, Maeda continues to tinker, and his stuff is really good. He’s got pitches that move side to side. He works the zone well. I think that he will again be the team’s top starting pitcher and receive Cy Young votes. #9 - Ace #2 La Makina OK, so there seems to be a sect of Twins fans that are disappointed that Jose Berrios has not become a top-of-the-league, old-school Justin Verlander type of Ace. Then again, he’s not even 27 yet, is a two-time All Star, has a 200-innings pitched season and has generally been quite good. Maybe he’s not a “True Ace”, but there aren’t many of those, and #2s are really, really valuable as we will see when Berrios gets a contract. Berrios works hard and is quite competitive. Last year, he was working on stuff and increased his velocity. He should continue to get a little better. Berrios will lead the Twins in fWAR. #10 - Closer By Committee? We know that Rocco Baldelli won’t name a closer, and I think we now all understand the concept that he attempts to utilize… He and Wes Johnson try to match a pitcher to a situation in an attempt for them to find success. Because of that, I think that the Twins will have at least four pitchers that record saves in 2021. I think that Colome will lead the team in Saves, but I think it will be close. I will predict Colome to get 23 saves and Taylor Rogers to have 18 saves. In addition, I would guess that Hansel Robles and Tyler Duffey will each have five or more saves. #11 - This One’s For the Twins Geek The Twins Geek favorite stat in recent years was WPA (Win Probability Added). This year, it appears that he’s got a new favorite, Leverage Index. So, here is a guess, I mean prediction, for who will be the Twins bullpen leaders in Leverage Index, who will utilized in the game’s biggest moments. I will rank them: 1.) Taylor Rogers, 2.) Alex Colome, 3.) Jorge Alcala, 4.) Tyler Duffey, 5.) Hansel Robles. #12 - Kirilloff Debut Sure, he’s made his Major League debut and has his first Major League hit, but at some point this year, Alex Kirilloff will make his regular-season MLB debut, and record his first regular-season MLB hit. I will put the over-under on the Alex Kirilloff debut at May 15th. As shown above, I predicted 11 homers for AK-19 and he will hit around .270. #13 - Duran Debut The Twins have six starters (including Randy Dobnak), and Lewis Thorpe will likely be the first starter called up as needed. However, I think that Jhoan Duran will be the starter called up when there is a need after the Fourth of July. I think he can make a couple of starts, and then jump into the bullpen where he can have a huge impact for the Twins late in the season. #14 - Minor League Free Agent Signing of the Year As always, the Twins signed a whole bunch of minor league free agents. Derek Law was just named our Sire of Ft. Myers for his great spring. JT Riddle is a defensive whiz. Tzu-Wei Lin hit really well in spring training. Luke Farrell and Glenn Sparkman could come up and contribute. Keon Broxton is a good option should the Twins need a long-term backup outfield option. However, I think that lefty Brandon Waddell will be the player at the end of the season that has the biggest impact on the Twins season. He has always been a starter, but the Twins like what he can do out of the bullpen, and he has a potentially great slider. After a month or two in St. Paul, adjusting to life in the bullpen and continuing to work on that slider, I think he comes up and has a Taylor Rogers-like impact. #15 - Gold Gloves? As earlier predicted, Byron Buxton will win his second Gold Glove Award. If Andrelton Simmons plays enough games, I think he will also get one, but I won’t predict that. I do think that Kenta Maeda will win his first Gold Glove. I do think that Ryan Jeffers will also be a top three, but he’ll have to wait another year or two to win his first one. #16 - All Stars? Who will make the All Star game, the midseason classic? How many All Stars will the Twins have? Well, obviously the more wins they have by early July, the more All Stars they will have. I am going to guess that… Byron Buxton, Miguel Sano, Jorge Polanco, Kenta Maeda and Jose Berrios. I think we can all be happy if the Twins have five All Stars, right? #17 - If the Shoe Fits, What (Happ)ens? I think that the Twins will have six pitchers that win 10 or more games. Obviously we expect it from Maeda, Berrios and Pineda, if they stay healthy. Matt Shoemaker will get off to a fast start, earning a lot of wins early, and he will reach double-figures. Looks like J.A. Happ will be ready to make his first start during the season’s first week. He’s been really good five of the last six seasons, and he’s got a chance to be really good again in 2021. I think that he will lead the team by winning 18 games and post an ERA right around 3.50. I also believe that Randy Dobnak will reach ten wins. I think he’ll make somewhere around ten starts this year, but I also think that he will be brought in as the second half of a piggyback situation at times, meaning that the starter can’t get the win and Dobnak will take it. #18 - Prospects to debut in 2021 It’s hard to know where the needs will be over the course of the season, but here is my best guess for which prospects will make their MLB debut during the 2021 season. Alex Kirilloff (MLB regular season debut), Nick Gordon, Jhoan Duran, Matt Canterino, Trevor Larnach, Ryan Mason. #19 - Twins Diamond Award predictions Calvin R. Griffith Award (MVP): Byron Buxton Bob Allison Award (determination, hustle, competitive spirit, leadership): Josh Donaldson Carl R. Pohlad Award (Community Service): Taylor Rogers Joseph W Haynes Award (Top Pitcher): Kenta Maeda Bill Boni Award (Top Rookie): Ryan Jeffers Jim Kaat Award (Top Defensive): Byron Buxton Charles O. Johnson Award (Most Improved): Cody Stashak Mike Augustin “Media Good Guy” Award: Nelson Cruz Dick Siebert Award (Upper Midwest Player of the Year): AJ Puk Kirby Puckett Award (Alumni Community Service): Tom Johnson Sherry Robertson Award (Minor League Player of the Year): Jose Miranda Jim Rantz Award (Minor League Pitcher of the Year): Chris Vallimont #20 - Twins Three-Peat in AL Central When I started writing this and planning for this, I was seriously considering picking the White Sox. They have a ton of talent. However, losing Eloy Jimenez for most, if not all, of the season hurts a lot. But it also was a reminder that over 162 games, depth is going to be important, and I believe that the Twins have a ton of depth in the lineup and with pitchers. Minnesota 96-66 Chicago 92-60 Kansas City 80-82 Cleveland 79-83 Detroit 63-99 #21 - The Twins WILL WIN A PLAYOFF GAME Listen, I don’t want to get too bold, but I do feel pretty good about the Twins winning at least one playoff game. A series? We’ll see. But as Twins fans, let’s start with one game, then worry about a second game… and then hope for 11 playoff wins! What do you think? In the comments below, tell me how I did, and more important, make your own predictions. Maybe we'll take a look back at them in mid-season and at the end of the year and see how we did. Click here to view the article

On Monday afternoon, the Twins announced their Opening Day roster. But the Twins have depth at each position around the diamond. So, if (when) there are injuries, who will we see?All offseason, we have talked about how deep this Twins roster is. We have an Opening Day 26-Man roster, but we know that many more players will be called up during the season. From 2016 through 2019, the Twins averaged 51.25 players used per season including 33 pitchers. In 60 games in 2020, the Twins used 44 players including 24 pitchers. With the team’s Triple-A affiliate just ten miles away, those numbers could go even higher. So while I may mention too many names below, most of them are realistic options to appear in a game or more for the Twins in 2021 depending on injuries, performance and need. Depth comes from multiple layers, of course. 40-Man Roster: There is a clear benefit to being on the 40-man roster. It eliminates a step to being called up. That often is a big factor. Minor League Veterans: Guys like Derek Law and Keon Broxon were signed to minor league deals and have lots of big-league experience and successes. With strong spring training performances, they could be next in line depending on the situation. Minor League Non-Roster Invite (Prospects): Trevor Larnach is a top prospect. At some point this season, he’ll be ready, and he’s the kind of prospect you try to make room for. Bringing him up, after adding him to the 40-man roster, is a big decision. Minor League Prospects: There will likely be some prospects who weren’t invited to spring training (or were in the depth camp) who will have really strong, productive seasons and surprisingly push their way toward a big-league call-up. I try to list some of those, but it seems there are always some surprises too. Let’s take a look at the players on the Opening Day roster by position and see which players are next in line on the 40-man roster, as well as minor league prospects and veterans who could get an opportunity with the Twins in 2021. Many believe that the Twins and White Sox are both very talented, but the Twins have much more depth, and quality depth. Check out the below, and determine for yourself where the Twins are strongest, and where they may need to use prospects to acquire more talent, if the need arises. Catchers: Mitch Garver, Ryan Jeffers, Willians Astudillo 40-man Roster: Ben Rortvedt. Rortvedt hasn’t played since the 2019 season. It is likely he will start the season at Double-A and potentially get to AAA. He could be called up if the Twins ever needed a catcher for just a few games. Non-Roster (Veteran): Tomas Telis is the catcher who will be on the Taxi Squad early in the season. He’s got big-league time. He was at the alternate site in 2020. In 2019 at Rochester, he hit .330. Non-Roster Prospect to Watch: David Banuelos. Definitely a defense-first catcher, but clearly he has impressed the Twins coaching staff behind the plate and has played a lot. Can he hit at all in the minors? Infielders: Miguel Sano, Jorge Polanco, Josh Donaldson, Andrelton Simmons, Luis Arraez 40-man roster: Nick Gordon should start the 2021 season in Triple-A, playing both shortstop and second base. Travis Blankenhorn will likely start the season at Double-A Wichita. If there is a short-term need in the middle infield, just a couple of days, Gordon could get that call. If there is a need at third base, Blankenhorn could be the option. If there is a need at first base, Brent Rooker would likely be the choice early in the season, though Alex Kirilloff could also get a chance there. Non-Roster: JT Riddle will be on the Taxi Squad in Milwaukee, and he’s got significant playing time in the big leagues. Tzu-Wei Lin had a very impressive performance during spring training. He has spent some time with the Red Sox each of the past four seasons. At first base, Zander Wiel was in big-league spring training the past two years, and he had a monster 2019 season in Rochester. Non-Roster Prospect to Watch: Jose Miranda will likely start in Double-A, but potentially he could be ready late in the season, as needed. Outfielders: Byron Buxton, Jake Cave, Kyle Garlick, Max Kepler 40-man roster: Gilberto Celestino is big-league ready defensively, though he needs some time to continue his offensive game. Big-time potential. He could be a call-up if the Twins need a short-term center fielder. As mentioned in the first-base discussion, Rooker is a little ahead of Kirilloff and would likely be the first called up if a corner outfielder missed time. It won’t be long before Kirilloff is ready though, and once he’s called up, he’s going to get the playing time. Non-Roster: Keon Broxton had a nice showing in spring training. He can play well defensively at all three outfield positions and has the ability to produce with the bat and with his speed. Rob Refsnyder has played in the big leagues before, though it’s harder to see a path back to the big leagues with the Twins. Same with Drew Maggi. And don’t forget Aaron Whitefield. The speedster should start in Double-A, but as we’ve seen, if there is a need for speed, maybe Whitefield is considered again. Non-Roster Prospect to Watch: Matt Wallner. The Twins Competitive Balance pick in 2019 is a Minnesotan who became a college slugger at Southern Mississippi. He’s the kind of bat that could move up quickly, especially after a lost 2020 season. Not likely to get to the big leagues in 2021, but could get close. Designated Hitter: Nelson Cruz 40-Man Roster: Brent Rooker would certainly be the favorite to be called up if Cruz got hurt. But again, Alex Kirilloff could get the call too and allow some flexibility at the DH position. Non-Roster: Trevor Larnach was a non-roster invite to spring training for the second straight year. He’ll be at the alternate site in St. Paul, and while Rooker and Kirilloff are on the roster and would get the first shot, Larnach is nearly big-league ready and at some point in 2021, he will become a legitimate option in the corner outfield positions. Non-Roster Prospect to Watch: Aaron Sabato. The Twins top pick in the 2020 draft from North Carolina will hit. He got a lot of time in the latter innings of big-league spring training games. He had just a couple of hits, but the organization obviously really likes him. Again, he may start the season in A-Ball (probably High-A Cedar Rapids), but he has the potential to move up quickly. He could be near-ready by season’s end. Starting Pitchers: Kenta Maeda, Jose Berrios, Michael Pineda, J.A. Happ, Matt Shoemaker. 26-Man Roster: Newly-extended Randy Dobnak will start the season in the bullpen, but if the team needs a starter, he will get the first shot. And expect that he will get quite a few starts in 2021, and then for the next four or more years. 40-Man Roster: Lewis Thorpe got a fourth option and will likely spend the year developing as a starter, but he would be next, after Dobnak. Next in line might be Devin Smeltzer. Jhoan Duran, Dakota Chalmers, Bailey Ober and Jordan Balazovic are all on the 40-man roster. They combined to pitch one inning during spring training games. Duran is the closest. He and his triple-digit fastball and “splinker” could potentially be ready by mid-season. Ober and Balazovic might be ready a little bit later in the season. And with Chalmers, he’ll just need some patience. Non-Roster (Veterans): The Twins brought in veteran starters like Andrew Albers, Luke Farrell and Glenn Sparkman, though their role if they are needed in the big leagues, it would likely be a spot-start or long-relief. Non-Roster (Prospects): Charlie Barnes is a softer-throwing lefty with a terrific change up. Griffin Jax doesn’t throw real hard, but he profiles as a start from the right side. Both of them have been non-roster invites to spring training the past two years. Matt Canterino and Josh Winder are really good, hard-throwing prospects. They have increased their fastball velocities since 2019 and have starter’s pitch-mixes. Both could be ready to contribute late in the season, if needed. Non-Roster Prospect to Watch: Other starting pitchers that are intriguing and have an outside shot at being ready late in the season include (but not limited to): Blayne Enlow, Cole Sands, Chris Vallimont, Luis Rijo, Lachlan Wells. Bullpen: Alex Colome, Taylor Rogers, Tyler Duffey, Hansel Robles, Jorge Alcala, Caleb Thielbar, Cody Stashak, Randy Dobnak. 40-Man Roster: Shaun Anderson came to the Twins from the Giants for LaMonte Wade. He’s got good stuff and is likely to contribute at some point in the season. Non-Roster (Veterans): Danny Coulombe, Ian Hamilton, Derek Law, Juan Minaya, Brandon Waddell, Ian Gibaut, Andrew Vasquez, Robinson Leyer, Chandler Shepherd. Along with the veteran non-roster starters, these pitchers could contribute in 2021. Clearly, Derek Law and Brandon Waddell are first in line as they were both very impressive in spring training. Waddell has always been a starter. He’s moving to the bullpen and has an already-solid while developing slider. Law’s slider has been very good. Luke Farrell also had a very strong spring. Non-Roster (Prospects): Tom Hackimer, Ryan Mason. The side-winding Hackimer has put up solid numbers since being drafted. Ryan Mason has been really good out of the bullpen, recording saves and getting big outs. Both have missed time with injury, but they performed well as part of the spring training depth camp. Non-Roster Prospects to Watch: Yennier Cano is already 27. The Twins signed him out of Cuba in 2019. Minnesotan Adam Bray was used in a variety of roles at AA and AAA in 2019. Josh Mitchell was a minor league Rule 5 pick in December. Soon after, the southpaw was clocked at 100 mph. There are a lot of names here, but thankfully in 2021, there will be a minor league season and there will be players who surprise. Maybe a couple of players not listed above could also debut. The Twins have depth at most positions. Which positions are the Twins most able to replace players in the big leagues? Which positions do the Twins have less depth? Click here to view the article