Minnesota Twins: Ranking the Twins Four Biggest Needs for 2023

The Minnesota Twins path to contention in 2023 isn’t as hard to achieve as some fans may think. Yes, the team epically collapsed in the final two months of the season, but for most of the season, the Twins were dominating their division. There is no reason that with a little help, they can’t return to that level.

For that to happen though, two things have to happen:

1. The Twins need to spend their available cash
2. They have to clear out the bottom of the roster trash

The roster has a lot of really good pieces on it. Byron Buxton and Trevor Larnach have All-Star abilities when healthy. Matt Wallner, Luis Arraez, and Alex Kirilloff can nail left field and first base very well. Those five guys have four positions (left field, center field, right field, and first base locked down).

Shortstop is a clear current hole, but Ryan Jeffers, Jorge Polanco, Nick Gordon, Jose Miranda, Gio Urshela, and Max Kepler can fill in as needed at the other spots. On the pitching side of things, Tyler Mahle, Sonny Gray, Kenta Maeda, Joe Ryan, and Bailey Ober make up a strong rotation. The bullpen is a mess, but with Caleb Thielbar, Jorge Alcala, and Jhoan Duran, there are excellent pieces.

The Minnesota Twins have some really good pieces in place, but the team has to fill four key holes before the year begins.

With a solid foundation, the Minnesota Twins need to add in free agency or via trade to help make this team a contender. There’s a lot of good talent, and if everyone stays healthy and plays like they can, this group can win 90+ games with the roster constructed as is.

Unfortunately, as we saw this year, the team can’t rely on health and luck to win. They need depth, and they need it badly. The team simply is not built to contend with the New York Yankees and Houston Astros.

That can be fixed though, starting right now. The team needs to fix their needs, and we’ve got the order with which they must do it. First though, we’ll take a look at two honorable mentions that should be set to go but might use a boost.

Minnesota Twins Needs that Aren’t really Needs

Corner Outfielder: It’s obvious to see that Max Kepler isn’t the answer in right field, as his inability to adjust makes his 2019 seem like even more of a fluke. With that said, the 2023 starter may already be on the roster.

Buxton is going to start again in center again, and after Larnach showed monstrous potential, he should be the starter in left as well. As far as right field goes though, allowing Matt Wallner and Alex Kirilloff to platoon there until one permanently seizes the job is a very good plan. The group could use a boost, but isn’t a NEED.

First Base: Luis Arraez just finished off his first batting title and was named a finalist for a Gold Glove while being forced to play a position he had never played before. Even with his nomination, Arraez shouldn’t be the only first baseman on the roster.

Alex Kirilloff and Jose Miranda are also around, but both have question marks, joining Luis Arraez as first baseman whose ideal positions are elsewhere. This group is a strong one when completely healthy, but the question really is: can they stay that way? We’ll count this one as a luxury, not a need.

Rotation: Minnesota Twins fans often call this one a need, but simply put, it’s a luxury, not a need. Sure, it would be nice to have an ace like a Justin Verlander or Carlos Rodon atop the rotation, but when it comes to the playoffs, an ace isn’t half as important as having a deep bullpen. Ask the Mets. Or the Yankees. Or just about any other team.

Sonny Gray, Tyler Mahle, Kenta Maeda, Joe Ryan, and Bailey Ober are a Top 10 rotation if everyone stays healthy, and now they have Josh Winder, Louie Varland, and potentially Chris Paddack and Jordan Balazovic as depth.

An ace would be a luxury, but the rotation really doesn’t need as much help as it did this past season. Chris Archer and Dylan Bundy are gone, and unless the team can convince an ace to come here, the team doesn’t need another starter.

Minnesota Twins Offseason Need No. 4: Offensive Depth

In the 2022 season, the Twins were crushed by injuries, both offensively and on the mound, but while the pitching is already better equipped to handle this problem, the offense is still sorely lacking in the MLB level-depth department.

Shortstop doesn’t have a starter OR a backup (more on that later). The outfield has three great but fragile options. There’s only one catcher on the roster (also more on that later). The infield is very thin on the right side and in Triple-A. This is a problem that needs fixing.

Last year, Mark Contreras, Gilberto Celestino, Jake Cave, Jermaine Palacios, and more were forced into major roles, despite that fact they shouldn’t be on an MLB roster to begin with. This is a big issue to change next year.

Nick Gordon will be back this year, and he should once again serve as a spot starter and utility man. He’s transformed into a very useful player, but definitely not one that the Twins can use every day. Gio Urshela is good, but he also would be best served in a depth role (with Miranda at third). Max Kepler is a great defensive substitution, bot can’t start. Something’s got to give.

The team still needs another outfield bat, because it’s clear that Gilberto Celestino is best used as a Triple-A outfielder who gets called up when players go on the IL. Kyle Garlick is fun, but he’s not useable enough on a daily basis. Gordon can be that fourth outfielder, but then the team needs another infielder.

Buxton, Larnach, Kirilloff, Arraez, Polanco, Jeffers, Miranda, Gordon, and Urshela should all be locks for next year’s roster. Kepler and Urshela should stick around as well (at least until Royce Lewis returns), with Wallner starting in AAA. Add in a shortstop and a second catcher, and you’re at 13 guys.

With Wallner and Celestino ready for stretches and Royce returning soon, the team is deeper than last year. Injuries will happen though, so the team should consider adding a utility talent to help bolster the depth if they want to really contend.

Minnesota Twins Offseason Need No. 3: Catcher

We’ve talked about this one before, so we’ll try and keep this one short and sweet. The Twins clearly need more catching. As much potential as Ryan Jeffers has, he hasn’t shown that he’s the guy. Until he’s proven it, Jeffers needs a platoon partner.

When Jeffers went down last year, the team relied on a combination of Gary Sanchez, Sandy Leon, and Caleb Hamilton, and that won’t work again. Sanchez simply wasn’t good enough, and with Leon and Hamilton already out the door, next year’s combination will look differently.

With Jeffers sitting atop the organizational depth chart and Alex Isola (our No. 38 prospect) likely to start the year in AAA, the team has their No. 1 and No. 3 catchers. They just need someone to fill that No. 2 slot.

In the last article, I suggested Omar Narvaez, who would fit well considering there aren’t many true No. 1 catchers on the market. Jeffers is a righty, while Narvaez is a lefty, so the platoon would work well and he’s a good fit defensively. Ideally, the trio stays healthy, but it’s a big upgrade over Gary Sanchez.

Minnesota Twins Need No. 1: Bullpen Help

The Twins’ biggest need is crystal clear and has been for a little bit, but after last year, it became even more so. The team has to fix the bullpen, and as of right now, the team only has Jhoan Duran, Caleb Thielbar, Jorge Alcala, and Griffin Jax as real options for next season.

Jorge Lopez will be back, but there’s a 50/50 chance that he returns to his All-Star level. Jovani Moran is phenomenal and a lefty, but his walk rate is through the roof. Trevor Megill, Cole Sands, Emilio Pagan, Cody Stashak, and Danny Coulombe are all options, but instead, the team needs to upgrade the slots.

Rocco likes to use Duran as a moveable reliever instead of a closer, but if the team is going to do that, they need to find a legitimate ninth inning arm to install in the closer role. They could also use some more reliable help so that the team doesn’t have to rely so heavily on that group of top arms.

A reunion with Taylor Rogers would offer a cheap lefty with some potential, but the team should go all out in their spending both at shortstop and here, bringing in at least two big-money relievers to try and shore up the area.

The teams that win championships in baseball all have stellar bullpens, groups that are deep with at least two legitimate weapons. With Duran, the Twins have one, and while Alcala could be one, they’d be best served by adding more talent here.