Greggory Masterson

Odd, very basic thing to claim that I don't know and does not change the fact that, yes, the Twins utilized scheduled bulk days in the minor leagues.

Image courtesy of © Mike Watters-Imagn Images The Minnesota Twins have eight players with at least 10 big-league starts under their belts (or at least piggyback bulk outings): Pablo López, Joe Ryan, Bailey Ober, Simeon Woods Richardson, Taj Bradley, Zebby Matthews, David Festa, and Mick Abel. There has been much handwringing this offseason about how that lot will be sifted and sorted. The team hasn't shown any openness to rolling with a six-man rotation on Opening Day, even when that meant leaving a good pitcher on the outside looking in, as was the case with Ober in 2023. In fact, they’ve been more likely to open the year with a four-man rotation, given the number of off days MLB schedules at the beginning of the year. In 2019, for instance, they used Martín Pérez out of the bullpen for the first couple of weeks. By contrast, in the bullpen, the Twins lack options. As opposed to the starting rotation, which has eight names for five spots, the bullpen is closer to having five spots for eight names. There are Anthony Banda, Cole Sands, Taylor Rogers, Justin Topa, Kody Funderburk, and Eric Orze, who seem earmarked for the pen, and Travis Adams threw a few dozen innings for the Twins last season. Veteran non-roster invitees to spring training—like Dan Altavilla, Liam Hendriks, or Julian Merryweather—could factor in as well. But it’s all still very up in the air. Those other two spots (or three, depending on your opinion on Orze) could also be taken by starting pitching prospects like Connor Prielipp, John Klein, or Marco Raya—or, maybe, some of that work can be taken by whoever of the top eight starters doesn’t make the rotation. There has been talk of starters being moved to short relief. Festa is probably the name most bandied about on this topic. But what if we aren’t talking about short relief? The Twins have, in the past, attempted to carry a designated long reliever. It’s almost become a hackneyed cliché to bring up how poorly that plan worked in 2021 with Randy Dobnak or how Cole Sands spent half the year in the majors in 2023 while only throwing 21 innings. But in 2025, they rolled out a new scheme. The long relievers were on a schedule, similar to the starting pitchers. They did this in the minor leagues with a handful of pitchers, such as Adams, Pierson Ohl, Cory Lewis, Trent Baker, and Darren McCaughan. Instead of starting every fifth or sixth day, these pitchers would pitch in relief every fourth day, on three days' rest, throwing about 60 pitches (if it was going well). It may well have been an experiment, or simply a way to keep arms on the farm stretched out when the minor-league teams had an abundance of starting pitchers on the roster. It should be noted that the premium pitchers were not asked to fill this bulk, piggyback role. Matthews, Festa, Abel, Bradley, and Kendry Rojas started in every one of their appearances at St. Paul, and Andrew Morris only relieved twice. But it was a strategy that the Twins seemed pleased with. After the trade deadline selloff, they introduced the pitching plan to the major leagues. Adams and Ohl both pitched piggyback bulk days, as did veteran Thomas Hatch, and Abel piggybacked twice. This wasn’t a long-term setup, as Adams and Ohl eventually settled into short-relief roles, but it may have been a proof of concept for the team. So, what if the solution to having too many starters and not enough relievers is solved with the same move? Instead of sending a starting pitcher to the minors to lie in wait, what if the Twins designated one of their younger arms as a scheduled bulk reliever? There are some real benefits to this. First, as stated, the Twins would be able to keep their best pitchers out of the minors. If everyone is healthy, they can only keep two of Woods Richardson, Bradley, Matthews, Festa, and Abel in the rotation. Even if someone like Festa were converted to short relief, that would still require two of those other names to be stashed in St. Paul—wasting bullets, as the kids say. And there are already plenty of starting arms in Triple-A, including Prielipp, Klein, Raya, Morris, Lewis, and Kendry Rojas. Second, it fills one of the eight bullpen spots—and with someone who will rack up innings. A designated piggyback pitcher throwing two to four innings every four days likely leads the bullpen in innings and would be one of the better performers on a rate basis as well. With a six-man rotation, the bullpen has to cover the same number of innings with fewer pitchers, but with a designated piggyback reliever, the other seven relievers are likely throwing fewer innings than they would otherwise. Third, it keeps the next line of defense stretched out. The sixth starter, if pushed into regular bulk relief, is always ready to step into the rotation should any injury occur. If they were instead throwing short relief, it may take time for them to prepare to throw five innings in a start—which is part of the reason the sixth arm often starts in Triple-A. If they are throwing 60 pitches every four days, though, they’re ready to step in immediately. Fourth, it also probably keeps the rotation a little fresher. The scheduled bulk reliever’s presence allows the regular starters to go a little shorter when they’re being piggybacked, reducing wear and tear. This is all well and good, and could be a perfectly viable way to keep someone like Matthews or Abel in the majors if they don’t make the rotation, but it’s not a sure bet to work. There are some practical issues—the biggest being in-game decision-making. If Ryan is rolling through five frames on a low pitch count, but it’s his scheduled bulk day, should manager Derek Shelton pull him to hand it off to Abel? If it’s a one-run game, should López be removed and the game be turned over to Matthews in the sixth? How long should he throw? Would it be better to turn the seventh inning over to a setup man, or would Woods Richardson pitch the fifth, sixth, and seventh innings, since that’s what the schedule said? It’d take some real commitment to the philosophy to see this play out in practice. A minor-league team or a team out of contention can more easily commit to such a plan, because its wins and losses are less meaningful. But what about a team that (at least by the claims of their owner) expects to be competitive? For decades, analysts have asked what the future of pitching structure is. In 2009, Dave Fleming suggested a three-three-three rotation in which three pitchers each pitch once through the lineup in each game, for a total of three innings each. (Tony La Russa even tried to implement a version of this in 1993, when he was managing the A's.) Bullpen games and openers are not as popular as they once were, but they have still altered the way we think about divvying up innings. The Rockies briefly tried to carry us back to the days of the four-man rotation (but with hard limits on pitch counts at around 75), in 2012. As we move ever closer to whatever the next age of pitchers is, the Twins seem primed to take one of the first steps toward truly shaking up the four-day rest paradigm, whether it works or not. Could we see them implement it this season, and become the next trailblazers? View full article

I sure have

In fairness, Falvey acquired every player in the organization except Buxton (and some minor league signings over the past couple of days)

The Twins haven’t been terribly active this offseason, and 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 already 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 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, whom the Twins traded utility infielder Payton Eeles for 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 see some outfield time. Josh Bell is also a lock to make the roster, slotting in at both first base and designated hitter. It’s unclear what exactly that mix will be for him. 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 third 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 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 additional flexibility. Eric Wagaman may also make the team as a platoon corner bat, but it would likely 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 (moving 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 immediately inserted directly into the Twins’ lineup but soon thereafter 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 in 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 backend starter for the past two seasons, and although the prospect shine on other potential rotation names is brighter at this point in his career, he’s 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 exposing him to 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 MLB 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—acquired in trade with the Rays—are the only two other names that seem likely to make the Opening Day bullpen. The other three spots are more up in the air. 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. View full article

This was penned before Ohl’s DFA, and I forgot that I had listed him. Swap him out for another bullpen candidate name on the current 40 and it might get shorter (Prielipp, Rojas, Raya, Morris) or slightly longer, if they moved a starter to the pen (Abel, Zebby)

FWIW, that really wasn’t the topic of this article, because tacit knowledge is by definition difficult to communicate.

Image courtesy of © Melissa Tamez-Imagn Images Taylor Rogers has accrued nine years and 145 days of MLB service time—just 27 days short of collecting his pension. The rest of the Twins’ projected Opening Day bullpen (Justin Topa, Cole Sands, Kody Funderburk, Eric Orze, Pierson Ohl, Travis Adams, John Klein) has 11 years and 83 days in total. About half of that time belongs to Topa, who sits at five years and 44 days, but three of those years (2021, 2022, 2024) he spent injured and threw 13 combined innings. Cole Sands has two fewer years of experience and eight more appearances. So, in terms of MLB experience not spent rehabbing, it’s closer to nine years between those seven bullpen arms. Put another way—Rogers has thrown 541 1/3 innings as a big leaguer. Those seven names, combined, have thrown 578 2/3 frames. If you want to throw one of the starting pitchers into a bullpen role, I don’t begrudge you, but David Festa only raises the service time count to 12 years and 135 days, then the innings count to 657 1/3. Rogers brings far and away the most experience in a bullpen stocked with players still wet behind the ears. Many players are slated to make their big-league debuts in the bullpen this season—like Klein, Marco Raya, or Connor Priellipp. It wouldn’t be surprising if some starters—like Festa, Mick Abel, or Zebby Matthews—spent time in the bullpen. Having someone like Rogers, a former All-Star closer, has value when dealing with this level of youth and inexperience. The nerds in the room may turn up their noses at such an idea. To many, it’s foolish to buy into the human element playing any role in a team’s success, but we have empirical evidence that these things matter. There’s a litany of organizational and managerial research that informs this, but there’s also been studies of MLB teams. In 2013, Jamal Shamsie of Michigan State and Michael Mannor of Notre Dame published a study analyzing MLB teams from 1985 to 2001 and attempting to measure tacit knowledge. Tacit knowledge refers to knowledge that is difficult to communicate, because it’s gained through experience. A player can have all the skill and instruction in the world, but without experience, they cannot reach their full potential. They have to live to learn. One form of tacit knowledge that the researchers identified was discrete productive knowledge: knowledge gained from doing the work repeatedly—essentially, the more times you do something, the better you’ll understand it, and the better you’ll perform. This isn’t a practice-makes-perfect skill acquisition idea; it’s understanding your job better and being better able to react when things go awry, because you’ve done it before. How did the researchers quantify discrete productive knowledge? Pretty simple: years of experience. They even split it up into regular-season experience and playoff experience. They found, over the span of their study, that regular-season and playoff experience both contribute to team success. That is, teams with more experienced players tend to do better. These findings were similar to those of a 2002 study by Shawn Berman, Jonathan Down, and Charles Hill on tacit knowledge among NBA players. Obviously, there are easy criticisms to make of this methodology. Players who have played longer tend to be better players. You don’t see a bunch of guys playing 15 years while also being bad. But the researchers attempted to control for that as well. Beyond other types of tacit knowledge, like manager experience, tenure within a team, or the number of lineup changes in a year, the authors also controlled for previous years’ winning percentage, market size, and payroll. And they found that even beyond those effects, experience made a real difference. Having 'been there' matters. Rogers understands the game in a way his less-experienced colleagues do not. He knows how to navigate late innings in a way his teammates don’t, simply by dint of having done it before. By definition, he’s in a better position to navigate bullpen and late-inning life. Even if he’s regressed to a similar skill as someone like Funderburk, he has the background to help him outperform his sheer talent at age 35. Sands might be better than him at this point in his career, but Rogers has two 30-save seasons under his belt. He knows what it feels like to close a nailbiter out. He’s done it dozens of times. Given that experience, he can immediately step into a high-leverage role. That might just be keeping a high-leverage seat warm for one of the younger guys, but it’s an experienced presence that can anchor a bullpen. Of course, there’s also explicit knowledge. There are things that he can teach younger guys. Not just “throw a slider in this count” or “move your index finger a little to the left,” but he can be a resource for living the big-league bullpen life, because this will be his 11th year doing it. Many pitchers struggle with finding the right weight-lifting and throwing routines to navigate the unpredictable schedule of a reliever's work. Some aren't as sharp as they need to be when they enter the game, because their preparation in the pen itself before entering is imperfect. Applying scouting and analytical data about opposing hitters is a skill that requires development. Rogers can help with all of that. A player can communicate some of their experience to others. It’s not all locked in their head, tacit and uncommunicable. A good veteran has both types of knowledge to share. Berman, S. L., Down, J., & Charles W. L. Hill. (2002). Tacit Knowledge as a Source of Competitive Advantage in the National Basketball Association. The Academy of Management Journal, 45(1), 13–31. Shamsie, J., & Mannor, M. J. (2013). Looking inside the dream team: Probing into the contributions of tacit knowledge as an organizational resource. Organization Science, 24(2), 513-529. View full article

Slow? The Twins have added or subtracted a backup shortstop candidate 7 times this offseason to avoid giving Isiah Kiner-Falefa 5 million dollars and you’re calling it slow?

Conflabbit

Image courtesy of © Kirby Lee-Imagn Images After 3,000 man-hours and nine transactions, the Twins' front office feels that they are halfway to finding a backup shortstop. In an offseason defined by the gaping holes in the bullpen, the Twins have been single-minded in their pursuit of a backup shortstop who is not Twins legend Isiah Kiner-Falefa, the only backup shortstop on the market. Kiner-Falefa spent 19 hours as the Twins' starting shortstop in March of 2022, and they're determined not to make that mistake again. "It seems straightforward to add IKF to backup Brooks Lee," an unnamed executive told Twins Daily. "But, ultimately, sometimes, the most obvious thing is the most obvious wrong thing." Instead of paying Kiner-Falefa the five million dollars it would take to purchase his services for the year, the team would prefer to spend that money on [unclear].00 Since the end of the season, the Twins have added significant depth at the position, including recent trade acquisition Tristan Gray, waiver claims Ryan Kreidler and Vidal Bruján, and minor league free agent Orlando Arcia. The cost? Pretty modest: Backup shortstop candidate Ryan Fitzgerald (claimed by Los Angeles) Utilityman Mickey Gasper (claimed by Washington) $500,000 owed to Vidal Bruján if he’s in the minor leagues Catching prospect Nate Baez (traded to Boston for Gray) Backup shortstop candidate Vidal Bruján (traded to New York) Lefty relief prospect Kade Bragg (traded for heretofor unmentioned backup third base candidate Eric Wagaman) Many very original comments from Twins fans like "Plan the parade" or "This will get me to renew my season tickets" or "Wagaman? I hardly Knowaman" The offseason is still young, and the Twins have many other levers to pull. They have active feelers out on former shortstop Andrelton Simmons, general nuisance Jeff Frye, and local businessman Alex Rodriguez, hoping to add at least two of the names to their pile of backup shortstops who are not Isiah Kiner-Falefa. The list is now longer than the team’s bullpen hierarchy. Other options who have been bandied about: Joe Pohlad, who has a lot of free time on his hands to learn new skills. Putting him on the roster would mean $780,000 of the payroll would stay in Pohlad hands Nick Punto, though this was suggested by your mother. Yes, you, the person reading this. Your mom loved Little Nicky, didn't she? JJ Hardy, finally righting that wrong Ryan Fitzgerald Trevor Larnach Clyde Sneavly, a 34-year-old kindergarten teacher with a glove and a dream A man in a Groucho Marx mask named "Kisiah Finer-Alfalfa" At the time of publication, Kiner-Falefa is still available for five million dollars, but the Twins’ most recent unsuccessful attempt was to trade for a mysterious Rockies shortstop named Ryan Ritter. I’ve never heard of him, and neither, apparently, had the Twins until 11 minutes ago. View full article

My point wasn’t that the Twins have too many lefties, per se, it’s that given all these lefties, a player like James Outman doesn’t have enough of a role to justify a spot on the roster.

He’s uniquely seen as a backup center field option—or at minimum that’s how he appears

Image courtesy of © Jerome Miron-Imagn Images This is not an article about James Outman. It’s written around James Outman, but he didn’t really do anything to deserve it. Instead, James Outman has become the poster boy for a concerning trend with the functional utility of the Minnesota Twins’ roster. Let’s start in 2023: the season in which the Twins put together one of their most functional rosters of all time, even if it wasn’t the best roster. Roster functionality, in this case, can be understood as each player having a specific role and providing something uniquely valuable for the team’s success. As the team awaited the return of the injured Jorge Polanco, Royce Lewis, and Alex Kirilloff, each of whom would go on to play significant roles during the season, the Twins started Opening Day with the following lineup: C: Christian Vázquez 1B: Joey Gallo 2B: Nick Gordon 3B: Jose Miranda SS: Carlos Correa LF: Trevor Larnach CF: Michael A. Taylor RF: Max Kepler DH: Byron Buxton Not all of these players made it to the end of the season in a Twins uniform, and many had rough years. But what we’re focusing on is utility, not just quality. The Opening Day bench underscores what I’m talking about: catcher Ryan Jeffers, infielders Kyle Farmer and Donovan Solano, and super-utility Willi Castro (note: Castro wasn’t in that role at the time; he was expected to be sent down once Polanco returned, and he was more emergency depth and pinch-running). Let’s highlight some of the roles these players filled, or were expected to fill. Taylor was acquired via trade to add depth behind Byron Buxton in center field. He was hailed as an elite defender, and he was right-handed, so he could platoon with Gallo, Larnach, Kirilloff, or Kepler, moving over to a corner against lefty staters. Obviously, he played the whole season in center field, but that just highlights his usefulness. They tried to do the same in 2024 and 2025 with Manuel Margot and Harrison Bader, with mixed results. Farmer was also acquired via trade to start at shortstop, though that was short-lived, as the Twins re-signed Carlos Correa a month later. Farmer was bumped to a utility infield role, as a good enough defender to handle shortstop, second base, and third base. He also was an effective hitter against lefties, so he had a second role: platooning with Gordon at the beginning of the season and Edouard Julien at the end. Gordon had a unique role, too. He started at second base while Polanco was hurt, but his intended role was to bounce around the infield and outfield, hit a bit, and pinch-run. Essentially, he was expected to provide what Castro eventually did. This role was reduced when Buxton moved to a full-time DH role, but there was a clear intention to get his bat into the lineup, coming off the 2022 season in which he batted .272/.316/.427. Solano was a late signing, not joining the Twins until spring training had already started, but he was counted on to platoon with Kirilloff during the season and provide infield depth. Beyond that, he was a reliable pinch-hitting option against both lefties and righties, given his pure hitting ability. They brought in a platoon partner for Kirilloff again in 2024, which ended up being a very good offensive and defensive year from Carlos Santana. I could go on, but I’ll add one more tidbit to the pile—this team had a bunch of multi-positional players. Gallo and Kirilloff could both play the outfield and first base; Gallo could even fake it in center. Gordon and Castro could both play infield and outfield, including up-the-middle positions. Miranda could play first and third. Today, though, the Twins look nothing like that. Let’s assume the following starting lineup: C: Ryan Jeffers 1B: Kody Clemens 2B: Luke Keaschall 3B: Royce Lewis SS: Brooks Lee LF: Trevor Larnach CF: Byron Buxton RF: Matt Wallner DH: Josh Bell And a bench of: Victor Caratini Ryan Kreidler Austin Martin James Outman This projection leaves Alan Roden in St. Paul, starting alongside top prospects Walker Jenkins and Emmanuel Rodriguez. This is also the only way to put James Outman on the Opening Day roster without either starting him or playing without a backup shortstop. I want to preface the Outman discussion by acknowledging that the offseason is not over. The Twins have more moves to make, and that I’m not privy to the real plans the front office is making. We saw them add one plausible backup shortstop via trade on Wednesday, in Tristan Gray. But focusing on Outman is, I believe, the best way to convey my point. Outman has no options left. He’s been below replacement level since his very good rookie season in 2023. But he’s on the roster, after being the return in the trade that sent Brock Stewart to the Dodgers at the 2025 trade deadline. Right now, he’s wedged into the Opening Day picture, at least in the popular imagination (you’re welcome to disagree; I have my doubts he makes it to Opening Day). Why? Because he can play center field. It didn’t look pretty, honestly, after he arrived in Minnesota, but that’s his reputation. He can play it better than Martin, Kreidler, and Keaschall, probably. But that’s really it. Recall Taylor’s role in 2023. He could play center—better than Outman, mind you. But he also hit better in 2023 than Outman has across 2024 and 2025. He also suited the roster beter, hitting right-handed and hypothetically being a platoon option in a corner. Outman, on the other hand, is a lefty on a team full of lefties. To get regular reps in a corner, he needs to outplay Wallner, Larnach, Roden, probably Clemens and Bell, and eventually Jenkins and Rodriguez. If he can’t, he might cover center field once or twice a week against righties and pinch-run a little. That's not a positive net value from a roster spot. The Twins have lefties covering left and right field, first base, (effectively) DH, (effectively) shortstop, and (effectively) backup catcher. Their only platoon option is the batting average-dependent Martin, mostly in left field. If they want to commit to Roden in left field, that costs them either Outman or a shortstop, and it can’t be a shortstop, because Kreidler (or Vidal Bruján, or Orlando Arcia, or Gray) would be the only player beyond Lee who can cover shortstop. Even with one of those three infielders on the roster, their roles will be very limited—basically only playing shortstop, because none of them hit. Unlike Farmer, they can’t even fake league-average production or platoon against lefties. Caratini might be the bench player with the most utility right now, because he can hit from both sides and plays a passable first base, but in every remedial math class, there’s a brightest pupil. Martin has some flexibility, but it’s unclear whether the Twins want to play him in center field or at second base. Gregg’s note: Clemens, if considered to be a bench player—perhaps if Martin is the everyday left fielder—does have the most utility, because he plays a fine first base, second base, and corner outfield, but it’s unclear that will be his role at this point. So, if Outman does make the roster, the bench is a backup catcher; a left-field platoon bat who can play emergency second base and center field; a lefty who should only play center field once a week; and an infielder who should only play shortstop—again, once a week. Again, they aren’t done, but the current outlook pales in comparison to the average player's usefulness in 2023, regardless of overall ability. There may be things that clear the outlook up—committing to one of Martin, Kreidler, or Keaschall as a backup center fielder; trading a corner outfielder; opting to play Caratini at first base and DH; acquiring another infielder who bats right-handed and/or is a better option as a backup shortstop. But right now, it’s bleak. No one exemplifies that more than poor James Outman, a man whose profile lies at the unfortunate crossroads of uniqueness and redundancy. View full article

My personal opinion is that they're doing what they've typically done: gone into the offseason with plans A-Z and seen where the opportunities are, with the intention to have a sensible construction by the end of the offseason. It doesn't always work, and when it does, it's likely not what anyone has envisioned, but this has been their MO. I'd assume they were fine with Jackson, but got opportunistic with Caratini. What's next is anyone's guess, and they probably don't know either--not because they lack a plan per se, but because they have a lot of branching paths on their overall, much more nebulous plan.

My intent was for people to think of Castro, assuming they'd forget Vazquez's brief stint as an Astro. Alas!

Image courtesy of Brett Davis-Imagn Images On Friday evening, Robert Murray of FanSided announced that the Twins had agreed to terms with 31-year-old free agent catcher Victor Caratini. Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: the Twins signed a 30-something Astros backup catcher to a multi-year deal to pair with Ryan Jeffers (this also describes the Christian Vázquez signing). The signing comes as something of a surprise to many, given the Twins’ noted lack of financial flexibility (at least among onlookers), their current catching situation, and the other holes on the roster. So, let’s discuss who Caratini is, what sense the signing makes, and how the Twins might use his services. Who is Victor Caratini? A former second-round draft pick in 2013, Caratini will start his tenth season in the big leagues come Opening Day 2026. He’s spent time with the Cubs, Padres, Brewers, and Astros before Minnesota, mainly in a backup or timeshare role. Offense Since settling in as a semi-regular in 2019, Caratini has been a roughly league-average hitter (.245/.323/.379, .702 OPS, 94 OPS+). Although a league-average bat doesn’t sound like much, among catchers — especially backup catchers — that number carries more weight. Since 2019, catchers as a whole produced a .690 OPS, meaning that Caratini’s OPS during that time was about five percent above the average catcher. Over the past two seasons, Caratini’s .735 OPS (.263/.329/.406) is about five percent above the average hitter and 15% better than the average catcher. Those impressive numbers have come against both righties and lefties, as Caratini is a switch-hitter with pretty even splits. It should be noted that his best offensive production has come over the past two seasons as a member of the Astros (his age-30 and -31 seasons). Those were the only two seasons that he’s recorded a slugging percentage over .400 in his career, so it’s natural to wonder if his numbers were aided by playing in Daikan Field, where the left field fence can inflate some hitters’ power production. However, Caratini is a switch-hitter (meaning that he only hits right-handed about a third of the time), and only two of the 20 home runs he hit over the past two seasons were aided by the Crawford Boxes. A lot of his recent improvements can be chalked up to very good strike zone control (despite not walking much) and pulling fly balls more (going from a very low rate to about league average).. As noted, Caratini has roughly even splits as a switch-hitter. He has historically been more effective against righties (batting left-handed), but in both 2024 and 2025, he improved his production against lefties, and he was more effective as a right-handed batter—albeit in about 60 plate appearances each season. His 105 OPS+ against righties since 2024 still outpaces the incumbent Ryan Jeffers’s 95 OPS+ during the same stretch. Defense Caratini’s defense has been a mixed bag throughout his career — in more ways than one. First, he has never been a full-time catcher. He’s topped out at 87 starts at catcher in 2021 for the Padres. His next-highest number of starts at catcher in a season was 73 in 2022 in Milwaukee. Since then, he’s logged 54, 55, and 48 starts at catcher over the past three seasons. There’s room for debate about what the Twins ought to do with him, but it seems unlikely that he’s suited for more than a timeshare role. However, Caratini has some flexibility beyond catcher, namely at first base. He’s played over there at least once every season of his career, and he’s started double-digit games at the position four times in his nine-year career. He doesn’t have the bat to be an everyday first baseman. Still, there are worse options, and Joe Espada indicated that he was comfortable playing Caratini at first, even when another first baseman like Jon Singleton was in the lineup as the DH. Caratini has also served as a designated hitter in his career, with over half of his starts at the spot coming last season. But anyway, back to his catching. Caratini has had a shaky performance behind the plate from year to year. He doesn’t have a particularly effective arm, and teams will run on him. His strong skill at this point in his career is as a blocker. At one point in his career, he was lauded for his framing, but that slipped in 2025. Speaking of framing, it’s unclear how much framing will matter in 2026, the first season that MLB will adopt an automated ball-strike (ABS) challenge system. Being a good receiver will still matter, but missed calls can be corrected, and we will learn in real time which catchers are effective at detecting balls and strikes, rather than making balls look like strikes. Perhaps, with this change, catchers who struggle with framing but can hit will be more valuable, and the Twins have two catchers who are above-average producers at the position. Does This Signing Make Sense? Yes, well, sort of. Maybe? It depends on what happens next. As noted, the Twins are dealing with a nebulous payroll limit that has yet to be publicly disclosed. The team has many holes in the bullpen following 2026’s deadline fire sale, and it also wouldn’t have hurt to add another infielder beyond Josh Bell — either to split time at first base with Kody Clemens or to back up shortstop. And yet, the Twins spent $14 million (seven million this season) on a second catcher, pairing Caratini with Ryan Jeffers, a quality starting catcher in his own right. And this signing comes after trading Payton Eeles for Baltimore’s Alex Jackson, whom the cash-strapped Twins owe $1.35 million. Their payroll is about $100 million right now, and 14% of that is dedicated to three catchers. There should hypothetically be at least a couple more moves on the way as the Twins try to reassemble their bullpen, add infield depth, and sort through their surplus of big-league outfielders. Adding Caratini, even at a modest contract, raises more questions as to how they plan to fill out the rest of the roster. But that’s a conversation for another blog. Let’s briefly touch on how Caratini might be used. What Role Will Caratini Fill? There are a few ways the Twins could deploy Caratini, and they all relate to the elephant in the room: Ryan Jeffers. Timeshare Jeffers has never taken the lion’s share of reps at catcher. He maxed out at 81 starts in 2024, and he’s been in a timeshare role every season of his career. He did get his first taste of an everyday role in 2025, and he has made comments suggesting that he hopes to finally be an everyday player this season, but that has not been Derek Falvey’s modus operandi with catchers. Instead, Jeffers and Caratini can split duties behind the plate, even if Jeffers takes the bulk of starts. Caratini is a better hitter against righties, and Jeffers can take most plate appearances against lefties, whom he has hit far better than righties in his career. Actually, it would be possible to play both on any given day, but it would make more sense to do so against lefties. Given Caratini’s recent success against lefties, the Twins could feasibly start one of the two at catcher and either stick Caratini at first base or Jeffers at designated hitter. It checks off a box — a platoon partner for Clemens — without using a roster space on the short side of a first base platoon. Caratini is a Backup Instead of splitting time, Jeffers could be relied on as a more everyday option, leaving about a third of games for Caratini at catcher. This strategy would work out to about 100 games for Jeffers and 50 for Caratini (which is right in line with the number of games he’s started at catcher over the past three seasons), with the switch-hitter mostly facing right-handed starters. Caratini could probably receive a start at designated hitter or first base each week and rack up about 300 plate appearances as Jeffers’s backup. He’s getting high-end backup money, and that’s the role he could play. Jeffers is Traded and Caratini Starts Everyday Alright, let’s address it. Someone here will address it in full soon, but it needs to be noted here. Jeffers is in his last season of team control and will be a free agent this offseason. He’s making a not-insubstantial $6.7 million this season, and cost-aware teams like to get something of value before letting a player walk for free in free agency. Should Jeffers be traded, the team still has two catchers with MLB experience in Caratini and Jackson. Caratini could see the most starts of his life, with Jackson taking a quarter to a third of games himself in this scenario. Caratini Will Primarily Play Elsewhere Because the Twins do not have a clear picture at first base and designated hitter, it's possible that Caratini primarily plays one of those two positions. Both Clemens and Bell have hit righties better than lefties, and Caratini's recent performance has been better against lefties. Additionally, Clemens is no sure asset, and he also may be better suited for a utility role. Caratini would not be a good option at first or DH, but he might be preferable to the alternative. This may justify carrying Jackson as a third catcher. View full article

I am begging everyone to stop comparing Luis Arraez to Tony Gwynn. He’s not Tony Gwynn. He was never on a Tony Gwynn trajectory.

To provide league-wide context here: in 2025, only 4 of the top 50 international amateur players ranked by MLB were pitchers. Roki Sasaki was #1, and the other 3 were ranked 39, 40, and 46. In 2026, there are 3 in their top 50: ranked 25, 45, and 46. No international amateur free agents aged 16 or 17 are easy to predict, but league-wide, there's far more confidence in hitters developing than pitchers.