Kelly: If you think the Twins’ season ended with a whimper, you’re not listening closely enough to the noise coming from Target Field. The 77-85 record doesn’t tell the whole story—because while the standings were tough, the future is being built right now, and one specific position group is fighting for its life.
Gary: That’s right. We’re looking at a roster that finished second in the AL Central but needs a major shakeup if we want to hit those eighty-eight-win marks Kelly and I predicted just days ago. The depth chart isn’t static; it’s a battleground.
Kelly: Welcome to the Beatline Podcast Network! I’m Kelly, and this is your daily dose of Minnesota Twins baseball. Joining me as always is our lead analyst, Gary. Gary, we’ve got three huge battles on the docket today.
Gary: Exactly. We’re breaking down the starting pitching rotation questions, the massive logjam at shortstop, and who is actually going to survive the October cuts. But first, a quick note from us to you.
Kelly: Hey everyone, before we dive into the roster math, we need to ask for a tiny favor. If these deep dives into the Twins' future help you feel more connected to the team, please chip in via the link in the episode description. It keeps this show free and daily for all of us.
Gary: It really does make a difference. So, with that out of the way, let’s get to work. Segment One: The most critical position battle on this team right now.
Kelly: Okay, Gary, let’s start with the infield. Specifically, shortstop. We have Brooks Lee locked in at third base, which is great, but the SS spot feels like a five-man circus. Who do you see winning the job outright?
Gary: It’s a mess, Kelly. You’ve got Kaelen Culpepper, Tristan Gray, Ryan Kreidler, and Ben Ross. All four are on the 40-man or in camp. But if I’m looking at defensive metrics and plate discipline, Ryan Kreidler has the best overall toolset. He’s got the experience, but he’s inconsistent.
Kelly: Inconsistent? That’s a bold take. Isn’t Kaelen Culpepper the higher-upside prospect? He’s young, he’s athletic, and he was called up down the stretch when they needed energy.
Gary: Upside vs. readiness. That’s the battle. Culpepper has the athleticism, but his swing path can be erratic against quality pitching. Kreidler might not win the fans over with home runs, but he won’t give up easy hits. For a team trying to jump from seventy-seven wins to eighty-eight, reliability matters.
Kelly: So you’re saying Kreidler starts, and Culpepper is the trade bait or the bench guy? What about Tristan Gray? He’s been quiet lately, but he’s a Twin through and through.
Gary: Gray is likely the fourth option. Unless he shows significant improvement in his OBP during spring training, he’s probably looking at Triple-A Rochester. The front office loves him, but love doesn’t stop the Arizona Diamondbacks from stealing bases.
Kelly: Fair point. Defensive positioning is key here. If they put a defensive liability at short, the rest of the infield suffers. Let’s pivot to the outfield, because Walker Jenkins is supposedly ready, but Byron Buxton is still there.
Gary: This is the big one. Walker Jenkins at center field. He’s the face of the franchise moving forward. But Byron Buxton... he’s a Hall of Fame talent when healthy. The Twins have to figure out how to use both without wasting either. Emmanuel Rodriguez is also in the mix, which complicates things further.
Kelly: Right, so we have Buxton, Jenkins, Rodriguez, Austin Martin, Gabriel Gonzalez, Matt Wallner, Alan Roden, and Hendry Mendez. That’s eight outfielders. How many spots are there?
Gary: Three. Maybe four if someone gets injured. The math is brutal. I think Buxton stays because of his unique ceiling, Jenkins takes center, and Martin takes right. That leaves Rodriguez, Gonzalez, Wallner, Roden, and Mendez fighting for the last spot or a utility role.
Kelly: And Matt Wallner has had injury issues. Does he even belong on the active roster if he’s not hitting? Or is he a DH candidate?
Gary: Wallner is intriguing if he can stay healthy, but his launch angle has been flat. If he doesn’t fix his platoon splits against left-handed pitching, he’s hard to keep on the roster. I’d lean towards Gabriel Gonzalez getting the nod over Wallner simply because Gonzalez is younger and has fewer baggage issues.
Kelly: So Gonzalez over Wallner. Interesting. And what about Alan Roden? He’s an absolute rookie sensation from the minors. Why wouldn’t he beat them out?
Gary: Because MLB is different. Roden is fantastic, but he needs more seasoning. The Twins believe in their young players, as the headlines say, but they also know that jumping straight to the majors with no buffer is risky. I see Roden starting in Triple-A unless an injury opens a door immediately.
Kelly: Alright, so we’ve got the shortstop logjam and the outfield overflow. Let’s move to Segment Two. We need to talk about the starting rotation. It looks stable on paper, but is it?
Gary: Stable? Maybe. You’ve got Joe Ryan, Bailey Ober, Taj Bradley, Dean Kremer, Zebby Matthews, and Connor Prielipp. Six starters. But look at the ERA leaders from last year—Jacob Misiorowski led the majors. The Twins aren’t leading the majors in pitching anymore. They need to improve.
Kelly: Joe Ryan had some injuries, didn’t he? And Bailey Ober... he’s consistent, but is he elite? The Twins need an ace if they want to reach that Wild Card round we talked about last week.
Gary: Bailey Ober is the definition of reliable, not explosive. He eats innings, which is valuable, but he doesn’t strike guys out at a high rate. Joe Ryan is the potential ace, but only if he stays on the mound. Zebby Matthews is the wild card—he’s young, he throws hard, but he needs to refine his command.
Kelly: Zebby Matthews. Yes. He was a top prospect for a reason. Do you see him taking the fifth spot away from Connor Prielipp?
Gary: I do. Prielipp is good, but Matthews has higher upside. If the Twins want to compete, they need strikeouts. Matthews provides that. Prielipp might end up in the bullpen, where he could be effective, but as a starter, he’s limited.
Kelly: So the rotation is Ryan, Ober, Bradley, Kremer, and Matthews. That leaves Prielipp out. But wait, what about the bullpen? Jeff Hoffman is there, but is he enough?
Gary: Jeff Hoffman is a high-leverage arm, sure. But you’ve got Garrett Acton, Travis Adams, Jack Anderson, Anthony Banda, Kody Funderburk, Yoendrys Gomez, Andrew Morris, Tommy Nance, Eric Orze, and Kendry Rojas. That’s ten relievers. The Twins have too much depth in the bullpen and not enough in the infield.
Kelly: Ten relievers? That seems excessive. Who is the odd man out?
Gary: Kendry Rojas is interesting. He’s versatile, but he’s listed as a relief pitcher here. Wait, no, he’s a RP. Okay, maybe Tony Banda. He’s a lefty specialist type, but if he’s not striking batters out, he’s vulnerable. Yoendrys Gomez is another name to watch—he’s got stuff, but he’s unproven.
Kelly: So the bullpen is crowded, the infield is messy, and the outfield is overflowing. This is a lot of competition. Let’s go to Segment Three. Who is trending up, and who is trending down?
Gary: Trending up: Walker Jenkins. No doubt. The headlines mention the lineup built around young players, and Jenkins is the centerpiece. His development is accelerating. Also, Brooks Lee at third base—he’s settled in well.
Kelly: What about Victor Caratini at catcher? He’s the veteran presence. Is he secure?
Gary: Caratini is safe. He’s a leader, and he handles pitchers well. But he’s aging. The Twins might need a younger backup eventually. For now, he’s the guy.
Kelly: Who is trending down? I’m thinking about Royce Lewis. He’s at first base, but he’s been hurt a lot.
Gary: Royce Lewis is definitely trending down due to health. Aaron Sabato is the safer bet at first base right now. Lewis is a 'wait and see' project. Until he’s healthy, he’s not part of the everyday plan.
Kelly: So Sabato starts at first, Lewis is rehabbing. And what about the catchers? Just Caratini?
Gary: Just Caratini on the main roster. They might bring up a minor league catcher for insurance, but Caratini is the anchor. The real battle is behind the scenes—developing the next generation of catchers.
Kelly: Alright, Gary, let’s wrap this up. We’ve talked about shortstop, outfield, rotation, and bullpen. What’s the bottom line for the Twins heading into 2027?
Gary: The bottom line is that the foundation is there. Brooks Lee, Walker Jenkins, Joe Ryan—they’re the core. But the supporting cast needs to step up. If they can solve the shortstop dilemma and get healthy, those eighty-eight wins are very achievable.
Kelly: We’ll see you in the stands, Gary. Thanks for joining us on the Beatline Podcast Network. If you enjoyed this breakdown of the Twins’ roster battles, please subscribe, rate, and review wherever you listen. Share this episode with a fellow Twins fan!
Gary: Keep cheering loud, Minnesota. We’ll be back tomorrow with more baseball analysis.
Kelly: Gophers until I die!