Full Spring Training is officially underway with all pitchers, catchers, and position players in Fort Myers to get the Twins season started. This team, as always, is full of potential and hope for a strong 2026, but there remain a few distinct roles to be filled. Let’s break down the projected Opening Day roster at the start of Spring Training.
(Note: anyone in italics is a non-roster invitee that would need to be added to the 40-man roster before Opening Day)
Starting Pitchers
- Locks (4): Pablo Lopez, Joe Ryan, Bailey Ober, Simeon Woods Richardson
- In contention (4): Taj Bradley, Zebby Matthews, David Festa, Mick Abel
- Out (9): Andrew Morris, Connor Prielipp, Kendry Rojas, Marco Raya, John Klein, Cory Lewis, Trent Baker, Christian MacLeod
The top 3 in the rotation are as locked as possible. SWR probably should be a “near lock” but I think it’s his spot to lose with so many questions behind him. The splitter he added in the second half last year was quietly his best pitch and could help him take things up a level.
The final rotation spot will come down largely to health. Festa and Zebby have flashed frontline ability over the past two seasons, but both have durability questions and Festa missed the end of last season after undergoing shoulder surgery. He’ll be built up as a starter, but I think is bullpen bound due to health concerns. Zebby and Abel have the best stuff, but have been hit very hard in their limited MLB time. As such, Bradley probably has a leg up here.
Zebby, Abel, and Morris are likely the next men up for the rotation. Top pitching prospect Prielipp will see MLB time too, but likely out of them ‘pen after already having two UCL reconstructions in his young career.
Relief Pitchers
- Locks (6): Taylor Rogers, Justin Topa, Cole Sands, Anthony Banda, Kody Funderburk, Eric Orze
- In contention (13): Travis Adams, Connor Prielipp, Kendry Rojas, Marco Raya, David Festa, Liam Hendriks, Andrew Chafin, Julian Merryweather, Matt Bowman, Dan Altavilla, Cody Laweryson, Grant Hartwig, Andrew Bash, Raul Brito
- Out (1): Matt Canterino (IL)
Almost no one is out of contention here because there are two WIDE open bullpen slots for whoever can take them. Left-handers Prielipp and Rojas’ chance of making the team straight out of camp took a hit with the additions of Rogers, Banda, and Chafin over the past few weeks. Combined with Funderburk, they need righty arms more than anything.
The only reason Hendriks isn’t a lock is because of his health. He only threw 14 innings last season with the Red Sox after barely pitching in 2023-2024 due to a cancer scare and Tommy John surgery, but flashed his strong breaking balls as usual. If he’s healthy, he will likely close games for the Twins.
Your other choices for the final bullpen spot come down to pitchers who have good stuff with bad results (Festa, Merryweather, Brito) or bad stuff with better results (Chafin, Bowman, Altavilla, Laweryson, Hartwig). Given the lack of raw stuff in the bullpen as it stands, I think they take a gamble on the first group.
Catchers
- Locks (2): Ryan Jeffers, Victor Caratini
- In contention: none
- Out (6): Alex Jackson, David Bañuelos, Ricardo Olivar, Noah Cardenas, Patrick Winkel, Andrew Cossetti
Put it in pen. Even if there’s an injury, just sub in Jackson for whoever is out to start the season. This is the easiest group to project by far.
Infielders
- Locks (5): Josh Bell, Luke Keaschall, Brooks Lee, Royce Lewis, Kody Clemens
- In contention (4): Ryan Kreidler, Austin Martin, Tristan Gray, Orlando Arcia
- Out (5): Eric Wagaman, Aaron Sabato, Gio Urshela, Tanner Schobel, Kalen Culpepper
Wagaman doesn’t have a role in the infield, maybe in the outfield. Same could be said for Martin, but I wonder if Shelton gives him one last try at second base with their needs here. Clemens can’t play shortstop, unfortunately, but he should get plenty of time at 2B and 3B throughout the season.
The only real question here is who can provide any semblance of life as a utility man behind Brooks Lee. Ryan Kreidler, Tristan Gray, and Orlando Arcia will battle for the honor throughout Spring Training, but don’t be surprised if the Twins make an outside addition still.
Outfielders
- Locks (3): Byron Buxton, Matt Wallner, Trevor Larnach (for now)
- Near locks (3): Alan Roden, Austin Martin, James Outman
- In contention (2): Eric Wagaman, Kyler Fedko
- Out (5): Emmanuel Rodriguez, Gabriel Gonzalez, Hendry Mendez, Walker Jenkins, Kala’i Rosario
I expect to see plenty of Rodriguez, Jenkins, and Gonzalez with the Twins this year, but they all need some more seasoning in AAA first. Fedko had a breakout 2025 in St. Paul, but sits behind Wagaman as a right-handed platoon partner for OF/1B.
Larnach is a lock for now because I still think he’ll get dealt to an outfield-needy contender before Opening Day. If he’s with the Twins, he’s obviously a lock. Roden’s fate is tied to Larnach’s as another lefty corner outfielder. In any other scenario he would be the Opening Day left fielder, but that is now Larnach’s spot with the acquisitions of Josh Bell and Victor Caratini taking up most of the 1B/DH reps.
Martin finished 2025 as one of the Twins’ most consistent position players. There’s no place for him to start, but he will start in an outfield corner against every lefty and plenty of righties as players need days off. Outman likely is a lock as well as the only other player who can play a good CF behind Buxton. Both of them could be pushed out due to roster needs elsewhere, though Outman is out of minor league options.
Final Roster Projection 1.0
Bold = camp battles
SP (5): Lopez, Ryan, Ober, SWR, Taj Bradley
RP (8): Rogers, Topa, Sands, Banda, Funderburk, Orze, Liam Hendriks, David Festa
C (2): Jeffers, Caratini
IF (6): Bell, Keaschall, Lee, Lewis, Clemens, Tristan Gray
OF (5): Buxton, Wallner, Larnach, Austin Martin, James Outman
Martin and Outman get Opening Day spots thanks to their versatility and ability to provide late game value off the bench with defense and baserunning. Bradley beats out Zebby for the final rotation spot. Hendriks is healthy and Festa shines in short spurts to give the Twins some electricity at the end of games.
Most controversially, I have Gray as the final position player. Kreidler is a marginal defender at shortstop while Gray shines there. He also has the potential to be a much better hitter than Kreidler and have a mid-career offensive breakout like the Twins helped Willi Castro discover. I think Arcia is completely washed. If you can’t hit in Denver in August, you can’t do it in Minneapolis in April. Thanks for reminding me of Twins legend/your brother Oswaldo Arcia, though.
Who do you see making the Twins out of Spring Training? Any surprises you think will come out of nowhere like Castro in 2023 or Jhoan Duran in 2022?