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2025 Minnesota Twins Opening Day Roster Projection (1.0)
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- 2025 Minnesota Twins Opening Day Roster Projection (1.0)
Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
The offseason has officially concluded as Major League Baseball clubs open their Spring Training camps in Florida and Arizona . For the Minnesota Twins , pitchers and catchers are set to report on February 13, though most players are already on site.
Rocco Baldelli is surrounded by many familiar faces this year. The offseason saw little spending , and while there might still be some moves , the players currently in camp are poised to claim most of the roster spots. Over the next few weeks, the primary question will be: where will each player fit in the lineup?
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Who makes the Minnesota Twins Opening Day roster?
The Minnesota Twins invited 55 players to big league camp . That includes the entirety of the 40-man roster and 16 non-roster invitees. They have just 26 spots on the active roster and will need to trim players as camp goes on. By position, this is where things stand from the jump.
Catcher (2): Christian Vazquez
, Ryan Jeffers
Others: Jair Camargo
, Diego Cartaya
, Alex Isola, Patrick Winkel, Jeferson Morales
This position seems secure unless there's a trade involving the more expensive veteran , Christian Vazquez. Vazquez is in the final year of his $30 million contract. He was considered by the San Diego Padres in trade, but that possibility appears to have passed. His .221/.248/.327 slash line from last season was dismal, particularly given the efforts he made last offseason to improve his swing
Ryan Jeffers has his 8th home run of the year! pic.twitter.com/I1ApUwHpVJ
— MLB (@MLB) May 9, 2024
Last year, Baldelli was inflexible with the division of playing time between his catchers. Ryan Jeffers started strong but tapered off, finishing with a .226/.300/.432 slash line . His 103 OPS+ was above league average, yet it fell short of his 2023 mark of 133 OPS+. He deserves to be given every chance for a 60-40 or even a 75-25 split this season.
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Should the Minnesota Twins find a trade partner for Vazquez, or need to make a depth move, the combination of Cartaya and Camargo are next up. Camargo debuted last season. Cartaya is a former top prospect looking for a fresh start.
First Base(2): Ty France
, Jose Miranda
Others: Mickey Gasper
, Mike Ford
, Yunior Severino
Arguably the most uncertain spot on the diamond is first base. The Minnesota Twins no longer have Gold Glove winner Carlos Santana , whom they lost in free agency. It wasn't until the final hour before Spring Training that they signed Ty France to solidify the position.
They also have Jose Miranda, who bounced back well last season offensively with a .284/.322/.441 slash line . He was a hitting machine for a while but tailed off to end the season. The Twins would love to see consistency from the youngster hitting, but he will need to show defensive improvement if he's going to factor in.
Play No. 34 of 2024: Jose Miranda matches an MLB record by recording a hit in 12 consecutive at-bats! pic.twitter.com/w3nQ6uY4dJ
— MLB (@MLB) December 5, 2024
Related: Minnesota Twins Release Spring Training Non-Roster Invite List
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In limited action last year Miranda was neutral from a defensive metrics standpoint. As a rookie, in nearly 600 innings at first base , he was worth -6 DRS (defensive runs saved) and -4 OAA (outs above average). That's a problem for a position of strength last year.
France brings plenty of questions on his own. Last season he was worth -8 DRS with a -12 OAA mark . That doesn't speak to any defensive improvement. Despite being an All-Star in 2022, he was below league-average offensively for the Mariners and Reds last season.
Neither Mickey Gasper or Mike Ford represent substantial upgrades as all around players. Miranda not holding them off would be problematic, and mean that he's severely struggling. It's a possibility that some combination of Edouard Julien , Willi Castro , and Luke Keaschall all see time here too.
Severino is a former 40-man player, but has never looked the part defensively. He struggled offensively last year, too. The strikeout problems will probably stop him from ever being anything but an all-or-nothing designated hitter.
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Second Base (2): Brooks Lee
, Willi Castro
Others: Luke Keaschall, Edouard Julien
Second base may be the Minnesota Twins deepest position. Former top prospect Brooks Lee should be considered the favorite to start. He played 50 games last season with underwhelming results , but should use that to develop as a big leaguer.
Brooks Lee has his first Major League hit. 👏 pic.twitter.com/PABiaMJ4JZ
— MLB (@MLB) July 4, 2024
It's possible that Royce Lewis sees time at second base , and maybe swaps spots with Lee too. The position will see plenty of players rotate throughout it. Castro is a utility player, but best suited at second base. Julien broke out as a rookie while playing second base and will factor in there too.
Related: Exclusive: Twins Top Prospect Opens Up About Torn UCL That Eventually Ended His Season
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Luke Keaschall is the most talented second baseman in the system , but he may wind up moving to first base out of need. Expect Baldelli to use this spot on the diamond as something of a revolving door until he finds consistency.
Shortstop (1): Carlos Correa
Others: None
When you have Carlos Correa there is really no need for a contingency plan. He doesn't have a third foot to deal with plantar fasciitis , and he has been a superstar when healthy.
86 games were the least Correa has played in during a full season since 2019. In that action though, he slashed .310/.388/.517 with 14 home runs. He is every bit the superstar Minnesota believed they were getting when they signed him to a second deal .
Shohei Ohtani is denied at the plate.
Alex Kirilloff to Carlos Correa to Christian Vázquez.
Carlos Correa with a perfect 92.2 mph (!!!) relay throw home to nab Ohtani. pic.twitter.com/Vl7iLVWOSE— Do-Hyoung Park (@dohyoungpark) April 10, 2024
The hope is that Correa can stay healthy all year this season. He has never had the nagging back issues in Minnesota that he did in Houston . If he is going to miss time, then a combination of Lee, Castro, and potentially a yet-to-be-identified addition would take his place.
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This spot on the roster is set.
Third Base (1): Royce Lewis
Others: Armando Alvarez
Minnesota is saying that Royce Lewis will be the Opening Day starter at the hot corner. He was last season, but that lasted less than one game . Healthy, Lewis is among the most exciting players in the game. Unfortunately, however, he hasn't been able to make that a consistent reality.
Death. Taxes. Royce Lewis home runs. pic.twitter.com/Xw0QEwNsgT
— Ted (@tlschwerz) June 20, 2024
The 82 games that Lewis played in last season were a career-high. He hit .233/.295/.452 and struggled for virtually the first time as a professional. The former first overall pick still hit a career-best 16 homers, but his process at the plate was off.
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Related: New Twins Channel Debut Revealed Along with Broadcast Enhancements
This offseason has been big for Lewis. He got married, reset his outlook, and is eyeing an opportunity to put the 2024 season behind him. He may not stick at the hot corner all year , but he will be a catalyst for whatever the Twins are trying to do.
Outfield (5): Byron Buxton
, Trevor Larnach
, Matt Wallner
, Austin Martin
, Harrison Bader
Others: DaShawn Keirsey Jr.
, Emmanuel Rodriguez
,
There's a reason that the Minnesota Twins don't have a single non-roster invitee amongst their outfield group. The depth here is significant, and they should feel good about the ceiling of those involved.
Standing ovation from the crowd here for this inning-ending Byron Buxton catch.
He was slow to get up, but seemed fine as he jogged off the field — and that's when the ovation got really loud. pic.twitter.com/Is9dZpLDd7— Do-Hyoung Park (@dohyoungpark) August 4, 2024
Byron Buxton needs to stay healthy. That has always been part of the equation for him. He played 100 games for just the second time in his career last season. Bader presents a solid defensive backup, even if he's an offensive question mark.
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With Max Kepler on to greener pastures, Buxton will be flanked by Larnach and Wallner this season. That's a new pairing, and a rather unproven one. Martin can fill in as a rotational option, but is better suited in center and left field with his arm limitations.
It was nice to see Keirsey Jr. given a chance last year. It would seem that he'll be the depth center option, while Emmanuel Rodriguez could push both corner spots . His path would be much more straightforward if he was right-handed hitting.
Related: Suddenly Spend Happy Twins Want to Make More Moves
Rotation (5): Pablo Lopez
, Joe Ryan
, Bailey Ober
, Simeon Woods Richardson
, Chris Paddack
Others: David Festa
, Zebby Matthews
, Cory Lewis, Andrew Morris, Travis Adams, Marco Raya
There is zero reason to consider what the top three of the Twins rotation looks like, because it's already set. Pablo Lopez is starting on Opening Day. Joe Ryan and Bailey Ober are the horses behind him. However, Minnesota needs better than the 4.08 ERA they got from Lopez last season. A bounce back season could have him in the Cy Young conversation.
Pablo López tossed one of the most dominant starts of the season, striking out 14 in 8.0 2-Hit IP
López has phenomenal today, perfectly executing his 5-pitch mix with brilliant command pic.twitter.com/KlU7u4Vai6— Thomas Nestico (@TJStats) June 24, 2024
Ryan and Ober look like legit rotation options, and hopefully take another step forward. What Baldelli gets from Woods Richardson and Paddack remains to be seen, though. The rookie owned a respectable 4.17 ERA and the veteran was a mixed bag who missed the second half of the season with a forearm strain.
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When there is a need for depth, the Twins have a couple of tested options. Both David Festa and Zebby Matthews pitched significant innings in the majors last year. Top prospect talent will also get a look during spring training, and the non-roster talent will have a chance to impress at St. Paul before earning a promotion.
Bullpen (8): Griffin Jax
, Jhoan Duran, Danny Coulombe
, Cole Sands
, Justin Topa
, Brock Stewart
, Jorge Alcala, Michael Tonkin
Others: Matt Canterino, Eiberson Castellano, Kody Funderburk
, Louie Varland
, Ryan Jensen, Scott Blewett
, Randy Dobnak
, Darren MaCaughan, Anthony Misiewicz
, Alex Speas
, Huascar Ynoa
Right now the Twins are projected to have one of the best bullpens in the big leagues. That's largely because of Griffin Jax and Jhoan Duran. Brock Stewart has been lights out when healthy, and new addition Coulombe looked great in an Orioles uniform last season.
I asked Griffin Jax to model his vaunted sweeper and discuss the mechanics. pic.twitter.com/sS4PaESxu1
— Eno Sarris (@enosarris) July 13, 2024
Baldelli needs Cole Sands to continue developing as a reliever, and Justin Topa has to be the reliever that Minnesota believed they were acquiring in the Jorge Polanco trade .
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There aren't many straightforward ways to crack the Twins relief group outside of injury. Canterino has sat on the 40-man through injury, and he could be a quick and exciting promotion if healthy. Castellano must be on the big league roster all year after being a Rule 5 pick , so Minnesota may have a tough decision to make there.
If either Funderburk or Varland can hone things in at Triple-A St. Paul, that duo will be interesting to watch as the season progresses as well. It should be an interesting year, and we are closer than ever.
