DocBauer

Absolutely LOVE watching Buck play! He's always been dynamite when healthy and I'm just so glad that he's finally found consistently good health the past 2 seasons. He's an absolute joy to watch and it sure looks like he's got a few more good seasons left in him. I mean, he's barely lost a step at 31yo. ABSOLUTELY want him to play his entire career with the Twins. Depth wise, I really don't understand why Roden couldn't be the #2 for the occasional day off, with Martin as sort of an emergency #3 option. Should Buck have any sort of injury that would keep him out for a couple weeks, Rodriguez is already on the 40 man, and it probably wouldn't be hard to add Jenkins to the 40 man either. Long term depth, Rodriguez and Jenkins aren't going to be in Buxton territory, but they appear to be very capable. Honestly, if the bat comes around over the next couple.if seasons, I'm not so sure Winokur might not be the best future replacement for CF. But with 4 picks in the top 80 or so in the next draft, I wouldn't mind a young CF prospect to be added.

I'm not saying I have this 100% correct, but I believe a player being optioned to AA, Mendez in this case, is more about procedure. He finished 2025 at AA, there are still roster restrictions at every level, and the MILB system is just starting to ramp up. And if you look up MILB rosters right now, you might be surprised who you'd see listed. Some pitchers still in camp are listed at AAA. Additional example: there is an OF listed on the Saints roster by name of Garret Spain, who is a 25yo journeyman OF who probably has zero chance to crack the St Paul roster crowded with OF talent. So if kept around, he probably goes to AA for depth. So Mendez probably takes his spot at AAA. It's as fluid as the Twins keeping guys and sending them down. Now, it's possible the Twins want Mendez to start the season in AA to work on playing 1B, as well as learning how to elevate the ball better despite his actual numbers from last season. But it's also possible he was sent to AA only as a procedure at this point.

I feel your angst. I really do. I really want the Twins to follow part of the path that teams like the Brewers and Rays tread where you aren't SCARED to let young players struggle and adapt and live with the results for the first half of a season. But I actually can understand these 2 cuts. Rodriguez, if I've heard correctly, has been K-ing about 40% right now. I don't know that I still wouldn't give him an opening day shot, but I can see rolling with Roden and seeing what he can do. I think the kid has a chance for a "nice" career as a 4th OF who can also play some 1B....he's done it before so why not now...who can bring a little bit of everything in his game. It allows a little more time for a healthy Rodriguez to ramp up and be the 1st man up when needed. Frankly, I'm OUT on Outman and Larnach and I want to see Roden and Martin get their opportunity.

Happy to see Ober healthy and throwing, and pain free. The negative is, reportedly, his velocity dipped in his 2nd inning. He NEEDS to SIT 91-92 and touch 93 once in a while. He's a damn good pitcher if he does that. For HIM, it's still early in ST. He's probably got 3 more games to stretch out, cut it loose, and get his mechanics right. He does that, no worries. Lee, reportedly, has changed his body. The weight/muscle distribution has changed. Supposedly, he looks quicker. I sure hope that's true, in addition to letting go of his instinct to step forward FIRST, something he said he recognized and was working on. He'll never be a great SS, but he can still get better. (He's still destined for 3B/2B or super utility). But he can only physically get so much better as a SS. What he CAN do is become the HITTER everyone thought he could be when drafted and listed as a top prospect. He actually might have a little more HR power than thought originally. But the "Miranda disease" of weak chasing contact has to be harnessed. Even with poor speed, he should have the ability to lace strong line drives for hits and 30 Dbls consistently with a DECENT AVG and acceptable OB%. He doesn't have to crank 20 HR...though I'm starting to believe he might have the potential to do so...but hitting .270 with a .320 OB with 30 Dbls and TEENS in HR makes him a fixture SOMEWHERE in the future, but really helps out AVERAGE defense at SS until someone replaces him there. Matthews has looked good until the other day. But it's only 1 game, and who knows what he was working on? Bradley has looked good. ABEL has looked DYNAMITE so far. BUT the question in ST is always, what lineup were you facing to do so well? And when you didn't throw so well, what were you working on? But Abel has really looked good. WHOEVER goes to St Paul as the #6 SP, it's not really a demotion. It's just a wait and see before you come up, because you're going to be needed, and you're going to spend a lot of the season with the parent club. On the downside; Topa has looked as bad as an pitcher I can remember in recent history. Is he working on something? Is he running in to bad luck? A combination? Only the Twins staff knows. His contract is small enough to just get rid of him. His experience says he still might make the final roster. A couple non roster arms have been much better so far. I think he's in danger of losing his spot. Rojas was never going to make the roster no matter what he did. He's got tremendous stuff and might rival Prielipp for potential. Like Prielipp, he's still not only learning how to pitch, he's also missed time in his brief career due to some injuries. BOTH will be in the Saints rotation for 2026, and both should be. But don't be surprised to see one of them in the Twins bullpen the 2nd half of 2026 at some point. A decision might have to be made at some point. Regarding Lewis, he's healthy and working on a different stance that is more quiet and loads differently than before. I think the new stance is going to pay dividends as he's finally feeling comfortable with the natural changes in his body post surgery and muscle gain. IMO, he just needs to stay healthy and keep doing what he's doing and he's going to be fine.

I will politely disagree. In my opinion, the miss was not finding a true, every day 1B from SOMEWHERE. That would have changed the complexion of the OF where Wallner could be the primary DH...still able to play some OF...and all the OF depth/numbers takes on a different look where we can add more speed and defense, without blocking debuts of Rodriguez, Jenkins, and Gonzalez later on. Just for a moment, Roden in RF, Martin in LF, and the whole debate about Outman goes away as he could still be a 4th OF type, easily replaced at any time. But at least we've added speed and defense with SOME offensive potential. Again, Wallner can still play a little OF as well. And there's room to platoon a little at DH for half days off. That might be more the configuration come 2027 at this point with the younger players and prospects debuting at various points this year. But WITHOUT adding that TRUE 1B, Bell offers a solid BAT, which is something the lineup needs. A solid, productive, ML BAT. Again, I don't like the roster construction, but that's not Bell's fault. That blame goes to ownership and the FO for bungling the offseason, even when there were some options late that might have changed the complexion of the team. But by himself, I like Bell as an addition for the lineup. Career wise, solid bat, solid OB%, good power, solid splits, solid OPS. This lineup really needed to add a BAT. And even if the plan was for Wallner to remain in RF for another season, I still like the addition of Bell for 2026. But again, I like him as a DH with a legitimate 1B ALSO being added. IMO, that really changes the whole complexion of the lineup as well as the roster. Just blows my mind that the second easiest spot on the field to upgrade the lineup/roster is so grossly ignored by our FO.

I seldom hold a player's age against him. Some guys debut young never to be seen again. Some debut older and turn out to have nice careers. Some debut...fall way back...and then find something different again in their approach and do well again. But in the case of Outman, I'm truly perplexed. He'll be 29yp come May and basically hasn't hit AT ALL at the ML level the past 2 years. So where does he fit with this club? Has he had good ST the past 2 years with the Dodgers? I honestly don't know. Roden had a great ST with the Jays last year, but didn't look good in his rookie debut. But not only was he a rookie, he had a pretty SSS to boot. But he's also having a really good ST, and he's 3yrs younger than Outman. So Outman is playing himself, possibly, on to the roster because he's a more natural CF? His defense didn't exactly impress late in 2025. Roden would seem to have more of a future with the club, but he might get sent down to AAA because he has options, to compete for playing time with Rodriguez, Jenkins, and Gonzalez? You might even throw Fedko in there. Meanwhile, the parent club also still has both Larnach and Wallner. What are we doing here? We're talking about a 29yo coming off 2 very poor ML seasons and bypassing a 26yo that we ALSO traded for last year because he's having a good ST but probably doesn't have a future with the team beyond this year even if he does well? Or do they plan on keeping him as a 4th OF beyond 2026? Well then why even have Roden around? Were Larnach moved tomorrow, there is STILL an over abundance of LH OF because you almost HAVE to keep Martin just to have another RH OF on hand. So 1 of Outman or Roden STILL doesn't fit. I guess the Twins see stuff daily that we don't that will HOPEFULLY get this all figured out. Maybe Outman really isn't impressing them as much as the OP suggests. Maybe Roden hasn't been showing them as much as they would like. Maybe Roden actually looks better to them than Outman does. The whole issue is confusing at best. I'm starting to believe Zoll will follow the Falvey path of not letting go of a veteran "too soon" and Outman will somehow make the club. So Roden has to fight with the AAA kids and hope he gets another shot if Outman sinks. Better to keep the veteran and have a numbers crunch at AAA, I guess. I'd error on the side of the future, were it me. I'd trust in Roden and Martin and move both Larnach and Outman and go younger, faster, and at least some potential and "risk" losing Outman to someone else and him having a solid 2026 elsewhere. The odds say he won't. But even if he does, that doesn't mean Roden won't have a solid year. That doesn't mean Martin won't build on his 2025. And you still have 2 of your top 4 prospects playing OF in St Paul, plus another top 10 prospect in Gonzalez, and another top 25 prospect in Rosario, plus a still somewhat interesting AAAA player in Fedko, plus 1B convert Mendez (top 12) who will also play at least some OF. And the ML bench could have Clemens, and possibly a mediocre Wagaman as possible corner OF options here and there. But we're concerned we might miss out on a 29yo LH OF who has been horrible the past 2 years because he's having a good ST? I mean, what are we doing here?

I like Bell. I like his signing in general terms. I just like him better as a DH than as a 1B. I wonder what his career WAR would be if he had spent less time at 1B? Until last season, he's had generally neutral splits. Solid bat for his career, usually good for 18-22 HR and 70-85 RBI. That's a useful bat. I'm still trying to figure out if he's going to be the primary 1B, or primary DH and they'll mix and match at 1B. Ugh! I don't blame him for poor roster construction. He's actually a solid add to the lineup by himself. I just don't know how they make all these pieces fit.

I have no problem with him begining this season as a SP. He needs the innings to not only work .ore on his command, hopefully harness the 2 newer pitches, nut he's still refining HOW to pitch. You can have great stuff, and even good control. But there is an element to setting up hitters that he's still learning. Even if he ends up in the pen, he's still working on the "knowledge" portion of pitching. While it would be awesome to have him as a rotation fixture at 24 or even 25yo, I'd be really happy for being a possible rotation fixture from age 26 to 32. That doesn't mean he doesn't still end up in the pen as a top set up man or potential closer. It might still happen. But he only gains command and experience by remaining a starter for now.

It's nice to have options. It's nice to have depth. But this is a mess. For the upteenth time, I don't dislike Larnach. He's a solid, ML LH hitter who could be a nice primary DH for someone who can play an OK corner OF once in a while. But he no longer fits with the Twins. He should be moved for whatever you can get for him: prospect, or packaged with a another internal prospect for a decent pen arm if possible. I believe Outman is 29yo or about to turn. He hasn't hit ML pitching for 2 yrs. So does his him having a good ST actually mean anything? I'd love to throw caution to the wind and just give E-Rod the job from day one and Roden can sit at AAA along with Jenkins and Gonzalez for nextqn up. But I don't think the Twins will be that brave. They'll want to give E-Rod a little more AAA time to make sure he's ready, and it helps with service time. So it should come down to Roden and Outman. I'm not down on Roden for a poor 2025 debut between two different teams and so little actual time played. Personally, I'd roll with the younger Roden, Martin sharing time and sort of functioning as the 4th OF, and risk losing Outman. I just don't see a future for Outman with the club, but I can see one for Roden. And if Roden doesn't step up, you have Rodriguez, Jenkins, and Gonzalez all sitting at St Paul just waiting. While not a perfect solution, that makes the most sense to me.

Does it really matter at the end of the day? But FWIW, a single outlier. 2 say 8th, 1 says 9th, and 2 others say 12th. So basically, we're at #10 when you dismiss such a vast outlier. I can live with that. But it's really just for conversation and fun. These not only change yearly, they also change mid season. I care about who makes it, and how well they do. Where they were ranked doesn't mean much to me at th3 end of the day.

Based on everything written in the OP, it's well within the realm of possibility. However, I don't see enough playing time for him to beat out the field. His hamstring is only a grade 1, so he's probably back on the field soon. But that puts him a couple weeks behind. Then, he probably needs a hot start and be up before the end of May in order to play enough to beat everyone else out. Possible, but again, he's going to begin a couple weeks behind everyone. Additionally, with Rodriguez having a great camp, on the 40 man, a little older, there's a very good chance he comes up before Jenkins. Also, what if Buxton is healthy again, Wallner has an OPS above .800 again, and Roden and Martin actually perform really well/solidly? Opportunity can also be a part of the ROY discussion. I'm betting he plays this season, and probably acquits himself well. But it will be too little, too late for ROY consideration. On the other hand, he'll be that much more experienced and ready to make a difference in 2027.

I'm not particularly a fan of Wagaman. And the roster is a construction nightmare. But how can you best make the pieces work? OF: Roden, Buxton, Wallner, and Martin INF: Lewis, Lee, Keaschall, Clemens, Wagaman, Bell, and X. C: Jeffers, and Caratini While Clemens and Wagaman are utility players, the roster as a whole is better served with them, and Caratini on occasion, handling 1B duty so Bell can focus on being the primary DH. When you don't have a true 1B, you make due. This allows for more speed and defense being added to the roster with Roden and Martin as combination starters and 4th OF options. However, there is no room for Larnach. If you accept Wagaman as an average 4 corner player with a solid bat against LHP...who seemed to improve at the end of 2025...he might just provide more usefulness than Larnach does. That might be the question that should be proposed; who is more valuable to the 2026 Twins, Larnach or Wagaman?

I have a belief that many fans suffer from the "what did you do yesterday" syndrom. And this is in regard to Ober. He had a poor 2025. He put up video game numbers in MILB, but was often injured as his body kept breaking down due to poor mechanics. He was a surprise add to the 40 man, and while nursed a bit his rookie season, he flashed and got better and better. Why? Because the Twins ironed out his mechanics to keep him healthy and tweak his offerings. And he became a really good #3 who occasionally threw like a #2. Chicken or the egg, did Ober have a bad hip that threw off his mechanics, or did he lose his mechanics and that induced a hip injury? Do we care? There was a recent article about Ober that I simply ignored. Why? Because I believe in the work ethic and pure stuff and production of this mountain of a man. If the hip feels good, and the mechanics are feeling right, I don't have to read an article questioning Ober. Have the Twins been a little slow with him this ST? You bet. They're just doing due diligence. They're doing the same with Ryan. Losing Lopez is going to be hard to overcome. Ryan and Ober are going to lead this rotation. And I'd rather have Lopez do that, of course. What I DON'T want is Ryan and Ober to feel they have to replace Lopez. I just want them to be their selves. It's up to SWR, Bradley, Matthews, and Abel to pick up the slack. And while ST is mostly about just getting ready for the season, we've seen some flashes that make us optimistic that the rotation might still be strong. And if SOMEONE cranks it up to another level...looking at Bradley, Matthews, and Abel directly...takes a step forward to move Ober back to being the #3 option, so much the better. But don't bet against Ober being what he had been the past few seasons.

One arguement about Lee that just baffles me is his arm. I read one report that he has a weak/average arm. And then I read another that says his arms is just fine for 3B. Well, a 3B needs about as good of an arm as a SS, generally speaking, as many of his throws are just as long. WHAT I THINK I KNOW: 1] Lee just isn't a dynamic athlete. So range will always hold him back. The fact that he's worked hard on being "quicker" is great. Even 1 more step can help. Overcoming the temptation he recognizes to take an automatic step IN, by itself, may add a step of range. 2] I like his hands. I read all the complaints. But from what I've watched, he has really good hands. The only PROBLEM I've concluded with his hands is that playing 3 spots as an early career ML player is just a lack of experience at 2B and 3B. All 3 spots need a little different technique in fielding, and he's still a work in progress in that regard. 3] I think he has a nice, smooth, quick transition from glove to hand. Further, I've seen him make some off balance throws that made me wonder how he accomplished that due to the fact he's supposed to be a sub par athlete. I think he's surprisingly smooth in a short area, if that makes sense. Lee is NEVER going to be a great SS. I think average is very much achievable. And I'm OK with that for the immediate future. He either needs to excel as a defender, or improve his offense to remain at SS. IIRC, there were questions when drafted about remaining at SS. So I don't believe there is any surprise that his long term future is not a starting ML SS. Can he improve to average? I believe he can, and will this season. But IMO, it's his BAT that is the biggest question mark. Nick's OP reminds something I've been yelling about for months now. ROOKIE status is 150 ML AB. Lee entered 2025 at 172 ML AB. That means he entered 2025 BARELY above rookie status. But there are so many bashing his bat as an almost rookie seeming to believe he's already some kind of failure. I just find that ridiculous. Draft and prospect hype for a 24yo who struggled in his FIRST full ML season would be the cause I guess. Lee is a hard worker according to anyone who knows him. They hype of "best shape of his career" and a "different looking body" shouldn't be ignored as hyperbole for a 25yo entering his 2nd ML full season. Assuming he doesn't have what I now refer to as "Miranda disease", which is the feeling contacting every ball, even if it means weak contact, is a good thing...which Lee recognizes...he has the potential to be a .270-ish HITTER. While he doesn't have much speed, he would seem to be a legitimate 30 Dbls hitter. I'm not convinced his HR power is beyond mid to upper teens, but I'm OK with that considering Dbls power and the AVG and .320-ish OB % I think he's capable of. That's a GOOD ballplayer. If he does better, we can all celebrate. I rather dislike the immediate depth options. Is it possible Arcia has one more solid season in him? Maybe. It would be great if he did. Kreidler might have a great glove, and can even play CF well, but so far he's proven he can't hit his way put of a wet paper bag. Even in MILB he only hit around .230! Crazy as it may be, Gray offers the best bat of the 3, can play all 4 INF positions, and might be the best overall option. (Ugh). What really disappoints me is the lack of imagination from the FO. I'm not saying they would get it RIGHT, but why didn't they look for a trade move...possibly including Larnach...for SOMEONE'S Newman, Punto, or Castro who was 25-27yo with a solid glove and SOME talent and potential who might be blocked and needing opportunity? Wouldn't we love another Punto today as the backup SS/utility option? What's done is done. (Grr). Digging deeper, examining the depth, maybe it doesn't matter in the long run. There's at least a decent chance that K-Pepper is ready June or July 1st to debut and just be a better SS than Lee...even with improvement...to take over. Suddenly Lee is a super sub, especially if his BAT takes another step forward. That DOESN'T mean KP won't make mistakes. But he has more athleticism, quickness and speed, with a good arm, to be a better every day option. And Lee becomes a quality depth option across the diamond, and we can forget the names Kreidler, Arcia, and Gray other than being St Paul depth options. It's also possible that Schobel, building on his 2025, becomes another depth option that we might want to pay attention to. From there, a year or two from now, Houston might change the complexion again. Despite being a well built, athletic player, there are questions about his power. Considering his OUTSTANDING defensive potential, all he needs to do is just be the solid hitter he was in college, with decent XB pop, speed, and good base running, and a decent OB% profile. Houston is not a small individual. But I'm still not convinced he has POWER. But it would seem he at least has POP. That means the ability to crank 8-10+ HR, 30 Dbls, and a few Trips per season. He's also fast enough and smart enough to steal 15-20 bases a year. His HITTING profile suggests a solid AVG and OB%. At WORST he's a .250 hitter with .270 possible based on projection and a .315-.320 OB% on the low side. With his defense, even the low side of a .250 hitter with a .320 OB%, 30 Dbls, a handful of Trips, 8-10 HR, and 15 SB could make him a possible All Star player. If he can provide anything close to that, if not better, he probably moves Culpepper off of SS in a season or two. But that's not a BAD THING. Culpepper suddenly takes over 2B or 3B. Lewis maybe takes over 1B. Lee becomes a super utility spot where he plays daily. Keaschall is either entrenched at 2B, or maybe moves to 1B or OF. NONE of these options are a BAD thing. For the first thing in a long time the Twins actually have some depth where they have, potentially, a "decent" SS to start the season with a couple of really talented replacements in the near future. I just don't like the options opening day so much.

I've only seen hilights of him so far. Most of what I think I know comes from various media sources. But to have 4 above average pitches at 19yo...his age last season...have that many K's, and end the season at A+ is damn impressive. **Note: I believe hisnlistes weight is when drafted, I believe he's up around 175-180lbs now. You can work on control, and you can teach sequencing. But you can't teach lightening in an arm. The sky might be the limit if he stays healthy and harnesses his command. I have a soft spot for LH arms. And it's exciting to have Prielipp, Rojas, and Hill in the system. And I'm still holding out hope Carpenter takes a step forward this season. Not all will reach their ceiling. It's possible one ends up as a high leverage arm in the bullpen. But it's been a while since the organization had a collection of LH arms like this to work with, root for, and dream on.

Rogers is just not the same Rogers we all loved and remember. But while he had poor numbers with the Reds to finish 2025, he was pretty damn good with the Cubs before the trade. He's going to be part of the 8th-9th innings. Here's hoping he has at least 1 more good season in him. Crazy as it might seem, Hendricks believes he's 100% and going to be ready opening day. He sat 93-95 in his 1st appearance. If he's 85-90% of his previous self, that's good enough to be good. Sands was very good in 2024. He was inconsistent in 2025, but seemed to flash his 2024 ability the last 2 months if you take away a 10 day run where he was awful. More consistency, he is a valuable set-up man. Unfortunately, Festa is fighting a shoulder issue that will slow him down for a few weeks. It's not considered serious, but he won't be ready for a while. Does this further the need for him in the pen for the future? Probably. But that won't be until May or June. Further, unfortunately, Lewis is also out for a few weeks. I'm really encouraged about him in the pen. But with no ML time, AND coming off his injury, we're probably talking June or July. The bullpen simply doesn't work with 4 LH arms. Funderburk has an option remaining. But he finished 2025 on a high note, and is having a good ST. But unless someone gets hurt, Chafin, Banda, and Rogers are solid in their role. I guess it's a good problem to have, but it doesn't fix the RH side of the pen. Hendricks, if he really and truly is ready, Sands, and 3 LH options doesn't complete the pen. With Lopez out, the Twins still might have placed Festa in the pen. But nobody else will be converted at this point. Does Orze have some upside after a solid debut in 2025? He'd better, though he does have options if someone throws better. Topa has had miserable results until his most recent performance. But was he just working on something in those poor performances? That's the kind of thing we don't know as fans. Based on experience, he's still probably in the pen opening day. Potentially, Orze and Topa make 7. Does Adams make it as an IP sacrificial lamb in the 8th spot to ride the St Paul shuttle? Maybe. But I'm not so sure it's that easy. Raya is simply not ready. He needs success at St Paul for a few months. But Klein has the velocity and repitore to surprise. I can see him making the club, or being a 1st call up. But almost every season the Twins uncover someone as a surprise. Altavilla is the early choice, but he's got competition from Hartwig and the recently acquired Key. I'd bet dollars to navy beans ONE of the veteran invites jumps up to take a spot. And I wouldn't be surprised at all if Klein just took hold of a job. The odds are against him for opening day, but the STUFF is there to be turned in to a really good pen arm. While not GREAT, you can close out a few wins with Hendricks, Rogers, and Sands as your top 3 guys. You've got LH depth to be deployed smartly in the middle innings. But man, losing Festa as an option really hurts what this bullpen might be. All the greater opportunity for Klein and the veteran signings to grab opportunity. If even ONE of them could be another Stewart, things really start to change. Suddenly the pen has 4 decent offerings, a couple LH to be used smartly, and you just need 2 RH arms that don't kill you. Maybe that's Topa, Orze, and Adams, etc. Just a couple arms for the 6th and 7th innings to not blow the game open most days. It's not hard to see a "competent" bullpen if Hendricks, Rogers, and Sands can perform. Again, you've got a couple LH arms to be used judiciously, but, even if things go right for the back end of the pen, you're still missing 2 solid arms for the middle innings. I guess the good news is enough arms to work through that you might find ONE that actually steps forward. I guess that's the best we can hope for at this point. In an IDEAL world, Klein or Altavilla or SOMEONE would take another step, kick butt and chew bubblegum, and be a 4th late inning arm to join Hendricks, Rogers, and Sands, to make a solid back end for the pen. At that point, honestly, with another couple of decent LH options on hand, you just need 2 RH middle men who don't stink. Who won't just go out there and blow games. It's a big ASK even IF we get an 85-90% Hendricks, the GOOD Sands, and a solid Rogers. Numbers of options is nice, but it means little if those options simply don't have the ability to produce. (Heavy sigh). The best we can hope for, at this point, is a couple of RH arms that step forward to at least fill the middle innings competently, with ONE surprise. I can see a path forward. Unfortunately, the path forward I see is a better pen come about June to July 1st when other arms, healthy, and more experienced in their role, are ready. I'm just hoping they can find enough arms on an upswing to just not suck for the 1st couple of months. I can see a path forward. I just hope a couple of surprises happen early to keep the team on a solid trajectory.

Maybe I'm just too much of an optimist, but I have a really good feeling about Royce heading in to 2026. I think he's an emotional/passionate player. I think he loves good vibes. And I think he's feeling that way today. Further, I think the hard work he's put in with his personal trainer is starting to pay off with a healthy 2nd half of 2025. His body has changed, he lost his swing, and by his own admission he was messed up at the plate. What I think gets lost is that despite average results the 2nd half of 2025 was the simple fact that his defense was solid, he was healthy, and so healthy that he began to run a bit, with success. The couple hilights I've seen so far coming out of ST is a more balanced, and confident stance and swing. He looks more like he's just "ready" for whatever is thrown. I honestly believe he's going to have his healthiest and best season to date. Let's not forget he's still only 26yo. This is not an old man. This is a relatively young player who has endured a TON of injury setbacks that mostly go back to TWO knee injuries, but who has flashed great potential at times. I say again, he doesn't have to be Superman to be a really good player going forward. I don't like the current roster construction, and I've been pretty vocal about that. But as bad as that construction is, were Larnach moved and Outman gone, the ENTIRE roster changes. While not great, Bell gets to DH more, and 1B becomes a combination of Clemens, Wagaman, and Caratini once in a while. Roden and Martin handle LF, and Roden can play all 3 spots, and Martin can also play a little CF if needed. So you are OK at 1B defensively, and have good LF defense. And Clemens and Wagaman can help cover some at 3B if Lewis is out, along with whoever wins the utility role. But depth changes, hopefully, around June or July 1st when K-Pepper is ready. Regardless of Lee improving with glove and bat, you have another talented option to add to the mix. He could debut as the SS for the immediate future and push Lee to a super utility spot, or he could debut as the super utility option. Down the road further, there is the possibility of Lewis moving to 1B, NOT because he isn't a good 3B, but simply because K-Pepper, Houston, and Keaschall are just a better mix at the other 3 spots and Lewis just makes sense at 1B. Or maybe Keaschall ends up at 1B, Lewis stays at 3B, and Culpepper maybe is the 2B. It's a GOOD PROBLEM to deal with. Further down the line, Winokur and Young could have a say in things. But Winokur is 2yrs from being ready, and Young is probably 4yrs away. So I'm just not going to get in to all of that. IMO, you don't have to squint to see Royce being on a path of physical and mental health that will have him playing 120-130 games in 2026. You don't have to squint to see a healthy Keaschall playing 2B daily and improving his defense week to week, month to month, as the season goes along. And while you might have to squint a little bit, it's not that hard to see Lee, with natural ability, instincts, and hard work, taking at least a small step with the glove and bat to become a viable contributor in the INF. Add in K-Pepper at some point, and the INF starts to look like the OF, which might be getting to explode as a talented and productive unit. But I honestly believe Lewis is FINALLY ready in body and mind to take the step forward we've all been longing for. Just remember, he doesn't have to be Superman to be good.

I just don't know enough about Rojas to accurately comment, other than what I read and hear about him. He was the principle GET in the Varland trade, and Roden was #2. I don't agree with him being pushed so quickly to AAA. It reminds me of when we got SWR and he was already in AA very young. And at that point, the Twins didn't want to demote him so they kept him at AA, and he struggled initially. The same thing happened with Rojas last year, just at a higher level. And he struggled for sure. His comment about getting used to a different ball affecting him shouldn't be automatically dismissed, though it sounds silly on the surface. But it is true that from AA on down they DO use a slightly different ball. For a $B dollar industry I still find that laughable. But I'm encouraged about his stuff. And from what I'm hearing, he's looking pretty good this ST and is developing nicely. But I'd say he's probably about 8th in line for a rotation spot, and I'm hoping that if needed, it won't be until the 2nd half of the season when he's had more time to adjust to the higher level and polish his stuff. I don't know that, generally speaking, it matters that your rotation has a LH in it. Good pitching is good pitching. But some opponents are heavy with LH bats, and sometimes, regardless of the opponents, a LHSP just provides a different LOOK to break up the rotation and give batters a different look. It's akin to not having 2 RHSP that are curveball specialists throwing back to back. The Twins seemingly have adjusted some of their draft approach, and trade thinking, to look harder at LH arms. And I applaud that change in approach. You still need LH arms for the pen, if a prospect doesn't turn out as a SP. Currently, the Twins have Prielipp, Rojas, Horn, Carpenter, and Hill as quality/interesting LH arms. The more numbers you have, the greater opportunity to find a legitimate LHSP for the parent club, as well as possible LHRP options. Rogers and Thielbar, for example, were never top prospects. But like other RH examples, they turned out to be quality pen options. Funderburk MIGHT be following that example based on his end to 2025 and a good looking ST so far. I still like the idea of Prielipp being developed as a SP. I'd still rather he becomes a quality SP, even at 25 or 26yo, rather than automatically become a reliever. To date he hasn't shown that he CAN'T be a future rotation member for the Twins. But it sure is nice to have greater QUANTITY of LH arms in the system to develop. Should Prielipp simply turn out to be a great RP, it's nice to have Rojas and Hill and others that might turn out to be rotation stalwarts. But then again, wouldn't it be outstanding if BOTH Prielipp and Rojas were legitimate SP for the Twins rotation? Here's hoping BOTH are healthy for all of 2026 and tantalize with their projection, but neither are needed to debut until July at the earliest.

Come on Zoll! Outman is 29yo and has ZERO future with the Twins. Even if you liked the idea of grabbing him in a bizarre trade that didn't benefit either team, Falvey will get the blame for Outman. Just move on! And then move Larnach for a decent pen arm packaged with a decent prospect involved, or, move him for a solid utility INF who can play SS and be a better option than what's on hand, or, just move him for a solid prospect. I DON'T dislike Larnach. I think he's a really solid strong side DH for a team lacking some LH OOMF in their lineup. And he can still play a competent corner OF here and there. He's just not a FIT for 2026 and beyond. NOW there's at least SOME clarity to put together a 13 man player roster from the mess that's on hand. CATCHER: Jeffers and Caratini. Trade Jackson for WHATEVER if someone is in need. Otherwise, he probably slips through waivers and you can offer him a deal to catch at St Paul. INFIELD: Lewis, Lee, Keaschall, and a combination at 1B of Bell, Clemens, and Wagaman. Bell now becomes the primary DH, with as few games as possible at 1B. Clemens is still a utility player, but 1B is better defensively with him starting a majority of games at 1B while still being a spot starter at 2B, 3B, and corner OF. There's nothing special about Wagaman. But he can, kinda sorta be a 3B and corner OF who can also be the starting 1B against LHP. And Caratini can also be part of the 1B rotation here and there. It's almost embarrassing that 1B is such a mess. But at least THIS lineup offers up the ability to allow Bell to be the primary DH, and make the most of the mess at 1B. And it also allows for a better OF construction. I just honestly have no clue who wins the utility spot as the 13th man. Kreidler has a great glove, can even help cover CF, but can't hit his way out of a paper bag. Any chance at all Arcia turns back the clock for 1 more year? Gray might be the best combination of defense and offense, which isn't saying much. OUTFIELD: With Larnach and Outman removed, we have Wallner in RF, Buxton in CF, and Roden and Martin in LF on a quasi-platoon situation. 1B is better defensively without Bell being the primary, and we've added better defense in LF than Larnach would provide. AND we make room for a pair of younger, faster, better defenders. Roden and Martin can give Buck a day off. Roden can also play a solid RF with a decent arm to give Wallner a day off. So while Roden might start most games in LF, he's also sort of the 4th OF with his versatility. Buxton has an injury that takes him out for 2 weeks? Rodriguez is already on the 40 man and comes up to fill that roster spot. *NOTE: I am assuming the Twins won't give Rodriguez an opening day spot. ALSO, there is no real blocking of Rodriguez, Jenkins, or Gonzalez since Roden and Martin, while interesting pieces themselves, are guaranteed nothing but opportunity to show they belong. I think both have the potential to have nice careers as utility options, HERE they get a chance to establish themselves and shine a bit. ROTATION: Ryan, Ober, and SWR are locks in my mind. This really shouldn't be debatable if everyone is healthy. Sim doesn't automatically make the rotation just because he's out of options. He's been really solid each of the last 2 seasons. He's also pretty young and still developing. And with a new splitter that he feels comfortable with, he was DAMN GOOD to close out 2025. But that doesn't automatically make him the #3 starter. There's never been a question about the STUFF Bradley, Matthews, and Abel have. TWO will round out the rotation with the third sitting in AAA the way Ober was in 2022. They WILL get their opportunity. I honestly have no idea which one to speculate as the "loser" in the competition. Behind those 6 comes Morris, and then a grouping of Prielipp, Rojas, and MAYBE Klein? I'm pretty sure he's on the BP plan. (I think he could excel as a reliever). BULLPEN: I really and truly have no idea why we have 4 LHRP on staff that all probably belong. The Twins want 3 and are betting someone gets hurt? Funderburk might have FINALLY taken the next step but they are willing to send him down simply because he has options? That's a piss poor way to make roster decisions. Regardless, 3 of the LH options will be on the opening day roster. Can't say I don't like that idea. Festa being slowed down currently due to a shoulder impingement eliminates him from the pen, for now, but also adds to his future in the pen. A high velocity arm come May or June? If Hendricks looks ready, he's on the club. If not, he's on the staff by April. He wasn't signed as a hopeful rebound arm. He was signed because they believe he'll be an actual contributor. It's time for Sands to take a step forward and be the RP he looked like in 2024, and parts of 2025. Topa has to TANK to not be at least a middle man. Orze is young enough to have potential for better. They traded for him for a reason. He probably makes opening day. The team seems to always find ONE diamond in the rough to make the club. I'm just not going to speculate which one of the current fliers on hand might make that move. So the pen is in massive flux. That's not a good thing. Too many LH options...not bad unto itself... and nothing close to too many RH options. IF we get a 85-90% Hendricks, and Sands takes a step forward, the pen suddenly takes on a different look of competance. But as of TODAY, the pen remains the biggest weakness. The rotation competition is interesting, and might provide greater dividends for the future. The position player roster is an absolute mess that can be resolved to a degree with parts that don't fit future construction like Outman and Larnach and allow the younger, more athletic players to get their chance. But the pen is not only a weak point, but also the most intriguing spot on the team to watch. I can state what I believe to be the best 13 position players to make the roster from a mess collection. And it's not hard to realize 2 of 3 talented arms are competing for the rotation. But it's damn near impossible to accurately figure out the 8 man opening day bullpen at this point.

His arm should be stronger/better the further removed he is from his surgery. But he doesn't need a cannon to be a good 2B. What I saw last year was a kid with all the athleticism, quickness, and speed to get to balls, but flubbed the mechanics of the position at times. Not only can that be worked on, but we have to remember he hadn't played 2B for over a year. So factor in that element, plus still building up his arm strength, plus the pressure of being a rookie, i expect to see a better version of him defensively this season, while continuing to grow in that spot. I greatly object to him playing the OF in 2026 as he needs all the time possible at 2B to smooth things out and continue improvement. Plus, the Twins aren't exactly hurting for OF candidates these days. I have heard lately that the idea of him possibly playing a little OF was more with the idea of late game moves and lineup flexibility. OK, I can understand that. But he should be THE 2B exclusively in 2026. Allowed to do so he might just settle there for the next 5-10yrs. Since it's been brought up, I see Keaschall mature and hold 2B. I see K-Pepper simply being a more athletic and better SS than Lee, even with Lee showing improvement with the glove, and hopefully the bat as well. But even with that being said, if Houston can be just a good, solid, ML hitter, his defense will make him the primary SS for years, possibly as early as 2027, but more likely in 2028. Lee, with continuing improvement with both bat and glove...my goodness, he was practically a rookie in 2025 with only 172 ML AB to begin last season...could be an excellent super utility player who could play almost every day between all 4 INF spots. K-Pepper could take over 3B, with Lewis moving to 1B. NOT because Lewis hasn't turned in to a good glove man there, but because it's just a better FIT for the INF to have the 4 best players in certain roles. And IF, for some reason, Keaschall just can't handle 2B...which I doubt...then he can move to 1B, and K-Pepper takes over 2B. There are moving parts there over the next couple of seasons, but they are GOOD moving parts, not desperate ones. And for further depth, it's possible one of Schobel or DeBarge can join Lee as nice utility player options, but with the ability to maybe play a little OF as well. I think the INF construction over the next couple of seasons could rival the intrigue of the OF/DH situation over the same time span. These are GOOD things!

The fact that he hit well in college, and in his inital pro debut, and has a history of a good eye and good discipline in regard to good BB and K numbers at Wake Forest, eases my concern about his ability to be at least a decent hitter. But I am concerned somewhat about the pop/power part of his game. I agree his HR totals i his final college season were at least partially a mirage due to Wake's small ballpark. But he's not a small guy at 6' 3" and 205lbs. He's about to turn 22yo, so there's probably room to add a little more muscle without slowing down. He's got the frame for it. I wonder if it's more of a swing adjustment to barrel the ball a little better? But he doesn't have to be a power hitter to have success. Just having enough power to be a good doubles hitter, with a couple triples here and there, would be enough as long as he can maintain that good BB/K mix. He runs the bases well, and can steal a few bases as well. If he could crank 8-10 HR per season that would just be icing on the cake. The glove is down right amazing. If he could hit even .250-ish with an OB above .300, stroke 30 Dbls...give or take...with a couple trips and a handful or so HR, maybe 12-15 SB with his defense, he could be a borderline All Star, even as a bottom of the order hitter.

I'm not a fan of Topa. I'm a fan of the 2023 Topa for Seattle, but that's not what the Twins got in the trade that included him. So far, with the Twins, he's an OK middle arm. And I don't put a lot of credence in ST for MOST arms because they are usually just stretching out and working on pitches. BUT Topa doesn't exactly have a long, productive resume. But EXPERIENCE is going to give him some rope. ALMOST every year the Twins uncover a gem for the BP. Sometimes it's a 1yr guy, sometimes it's a Thielbar or Stewart. So Topa is no lock. While 6 weeks or so of ST doesn't mean EVERYTHING, it can mean something. And it's WAY too early to dismiss ANYONE at this point. And experience matters to some degree. I'd absolutely LOVE to see Raya and Klein Just throw so well that Topa is jettisoned. But do we really trust that after 2 weeks of ST? We don't at this point. And it's actually pretty silly to have an OP about him at this point.

I guess I'm going to go against the grain here. I think Pablo likes being a Twin, he's super classy, super smart, works is butt off, and is a natural leader. He's already locked in for 2027. Period. But if I were to bet on a pitcher coming back from a 2nd TJ surgery...not all that uncomon these days...to return to previous form it would be Pablo. I'm probably more engaged with the idea of an extension for Ryan, but that is a different discussion. If Lopez was excellent in 2027 upon his return, he might be worth the qualifying offer. And that wouldn't be a lot more than his '27 salary. And if he didn't re-sign, you get a draft pick. But again, maybe a re-sign of Ryan makes more sense, and just wait and see if Lopez is worth the QO at the end of 2027. BUT, I could see offering him something like $15M for 2028 with escalators, and a larger deal for 2029 with an out clause. For him, it means guaranteed $ for 2028, and the opportunity for a different deal in 2029. Basically it means buying 1 more year of FA in case 2027 takes him a while to get all the velocity and command back. He then throws in 2028 with $15M+ due to escalators, and can then opt out for a better deal at that time. It's a risk/risk for both sides. But I can reasons for both sides to like that deal. And it would make sense to me. The "good news" is neither side has to even think about this for months! NO HYPERBOLY, but the Twins DO currently have arms in SWR, Bradley, Abel, and Matthews...and others...that have the talent and opportunity to make a statement in 2026. So the entire context of an extension could change during the upcoming season. We are in a very nice "what IF" scenario with those arms in addition to Morris, Prielipp, Rojas, and a couple even younger arms that may climb the ladder in 2026, to make this a moot point. It's not crazy to see SWR's new splitter to work for an entire season, raising his bar. It's not crazy to see Bradley or Matthews or Abel to take the next step. And it's not crazy to see Morris and Rojas, and maybe Prielipp to take another step forward and make 2027...maybe even the first half if not the 2nd half of 2026...interesting and exciting. That might coincide with position players debuting for greater excitement in the same time frame. Again, maybe an extension for Ryan is a better focus to lead the staff? I have, do, and will ALWAYS OBJECT to the "THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A PITCHING PROSPECT" mantra? Who the hell ever came up with something so silly? Of course they're prospects! That's like saying there are no OF prospects because all prospects don't make it. Just RIDICULOUS stuff! Losing Lopez absolutely sucks! And I simply can't paint a nice picture and sell it for anything. But if there IS a silver lining, it might be OPPORTUNITY for SWR, Bradley, Matthews, and Abel to KNOW it's THEIR TIME to shine. And it might always be pretty, but 2026 is an opportunity for ALL of them to prove they belong. The talent is THERE. Do they take a step forward is the question. We have Lopez for 2027. That's locked in. Same for Ryan and Ober. It's an unknown today about the future of all 3 of them. So the OP is really early in the time frame. I can see a really good reason to re-sign Lopez for at least one additional year. But I can also see where maybe Ryan is the better choice for an extension. And I can see a collection of really interesting arms already throwing that could change the entire collection of rotation arms for 2027 and 2028. Once again, I can see many reasons to give Pablo some kind of deal. But the good news is we don't even have to deal with this for almost a year.

I absolutely love this kid! He's big, strongly built, has a nig time arm, and from interviews I've seen he's just a quality young man. HS kids seldom debut the year they are drafted. The Twins did have a couple position kids get a week in after they signed, but that's it. Even college arms seldom do anything but work at the complex initially and debut the next season. His ERA was high in his debut rookie season of 2024, but his BABIP was crazy, and his K numbers were very good. And then to be promoted as a 19yo to A+ in 2025 was indicative of his potential, but also the improvement he obviously made during the offseason and instructional league. And while it was only 3 starts, he really flashed. If he can change the shape of his 4 seamer a bit and work in a solid 2 seamer, all he has to do is just be healthy and a late promotion to AA as a 20yo wouldn't be out of question. If he hadn't already thrown and shown some good stuff/results, I could understand objections as to being ranked this high. But prospect lists are about talent, potential and projection. And he's already shown enough of that to not be dismissed despite the bone spur that messed up his season. For me, personally, he's never been out of sight out of mind. He is absolutely one of the best arm talents in the system. Any setback due to injury or poor performance could see him slide this season. But good health and even solid, not great, development would keep him in the top 10. Absolutely one of my favorite prospects to watch and root for in 2026.

With a poorly constructed player roster, you have to examine NEEDS as well as what you CAN do with what's on hand and forget about what could have been. This team needs better defense and more speed, while maintaining offensive production...hopefully adding more...while not blocking the younger talent. CATCHER: Jeffers is the clear #1, with Caratini as a really solid #2, who can also help a little at 1B, which adds to roster flexibility. INFIELD: Lewis, Lee, and Keaschall are at their respective spots, at least for now. 1B is an embarrassing mess. So what can I you do with it? You can let Bell DH as much as possible, and use Clemens and Wagaman as a 1B platoon, with Caratini as a reserve option when needed, and Bell as a seldom used option. This improves your defense at 1B. This doesn't mean Clemens and Wagaman can't/won't play other positions...they can and will...but you can sort of make lemonade out of lemons most days by going the platoon route and getting every drop of offense you can between all 4 of your options. OUTFIELD: Outman has no future, and has no current value either, based on his past couple of seasons at the ML level. Based on defense and injury history, the Twins would want Larnach at DH. But isn't that where Bell fits best? And with Rodriguez and Jenkins ready, or nearly so, Larnach doesn't have a long term fit. And remember adding defense and speed? That's where Roden and Martin come in as part of the LF situation. Roden can also play RF, cover CF, even play some "emergency" 1B, while Martin can also help cover CF, and can be an "emergency" option at 2B. Neither Martin nor Roden have anything left to prove at AAA. Both offer more speed and better defense than Larnach, are both provide offensive potential that is different than Larnach, but it's there. And while they both might be replaced by Rodriguez/Jenkins in the near future full time players, they have quality depth potential and usefulness. It's time give them opportunity. (They are also less expensive than Larnach, and at least slightly younger). Clemens and Wagaman can also play some corner OF as needed, so only carrying 4 rostered OF isn't really an issue. And if something happens and Buxton is out for a couple weeks? Well, you have 2 CF options in ST Paul that happen to be 2 of your top 4 prospects. This is not a well constructed roster. But it does offer a little bit of flexibility nonetheless, and offers up more speed, and better LF defense than we've normally had as of late. The 13th man, backup SS/utility should be the only job really up for grabs, assuming the team doesn't want to break camp with Rodriguez. All 3 options there are less than desirable. And I'm still holding out some small hope someone better comes along. But may the best man win the job to complete the opening day roster. I still believe the 2nd half is going to look rather different than the 1st half. But what the roster should look like for opening day seems pretty obvious to me.