As we travel the road that's nearing the end of Spring Training, this is where roster battles can really heat up. As teams cut down to 26 for Opening Day in less than a week, a few different factors are in play.
For teams needing to add players to their 40-man roster, the inevitable shuffle means some players will be on waivers who can help other clubs.
For others, players can simply become available via trade — something the Twins have done not only recently (Chris Paddack, hello) but also in the past (Dan Gladden in 1987, for instance).
Another avenue is the player exercising their opt-out. For some players, it's a negotiated condition of the minor-league deal. For others, they're eligible for an opt-out due to a collectively bargained aspect of the most recent CBA.
As posted by MLB Trade Rumors' Steven Adams on Thursday, an Article XX(b) free agent can declare their intention to opt out on March 22 this season. Players eligible are those summarized by Adams here:
""... that designation falls on players with six-plus years of MLB service time who finished the preceding season on a major league roster or injured list. Some contracts for players coming over from a foreign professional league like Nippon Professional Baseball or the Korea Baseball Organization will also have language written into their contracts allowing them to qualify as an XX(b) free agent despite a lack of six years of service.""Steve Adams
Nevertheless, the Twins may show interest in some of the players who become available.
It's by no means a guarantee; in fact, it might be outright unlikely. But if the Twins want to fill out the margins of their roster a little differently, here's what the talent pool could look like:
Left-handed pitcher Ryan Yarbrough
Yarbrough had a solid run with the Rays, mostly from 2018 until 2021, as a lefty swingman-type who from time to time had homer issues, but in general was a reliable option to start, reliever or act as an opener.
Statistics might indicate he should make the Blue Jays this spring, but Roster Resource as of this writing has fellow non-roster invitee (NRI hereafter) Richard Lovelady making the team, instead.
In addition to the Twins simply valuing the idea of Yarbrough as a swingman/versatile option on the mound, he would also give them an element they don't already have.
Yarbrough has been more of a fly ball pitcher in his career, and it seems like the current Twins front office prefers this, but he's also an extremely soft-tossing lefty. Like Danny Coulombe isn't going to make anyone forget about Billy Wagner, but he's vintage Glen Perkins when comared to Yarbrough.
Yarbrough — incidentally Nick Swisher's greeting anytime he played the Pirates in his career — doesn't walk anyone and took a step forward in his brief homer-prone era last year. Despite his low-end velocity, his four-seam fastball has graded out positively in multiple seasons on Fangraphs while his curveball has been downright terrific (plus-21.9 runs over his career, plus-6.3 last season in just under 100 innings).
The veteran lefty, who turned 33 on New Year's Eve, is also from the Rays tree of development, which could aid (Rocco Baldelli connection) or detract (they tend to be tough on arms) from his likelihood of joining the Twins.
First baseman/outfielder Mark Canha
Roster Resource has Canha nabbing the final spot on Milwaukee's Opening Day roster, but if he doesn't, he'd have some appeal to the Twins as a right-handed hitter who can play all over.
Where would he fit with the Twins?
Most likely in place of Austin Martin or Edouard Julien, both of whom have seen their odds of making the team increase greatly recently with an injury to Royce Lewis and Brooks Lee battling minor back issues.
Does a team with Ty France necessarily need Canha? Well, no. But more depth is never a bad thing, and Canha has been more than capable against lefties and is considered a good clubhouse presence.
For what it's worth (not much), Canha has hit .087/.250/.261 in 28 plate appearances this spring.
Utility man Garrett Hampson
RELEASED: #DBacks have released INF/OF Garrett Hampson after he elected to use the opt-out clause in his contract.
— MLB Transaction Tracker (@MLBMovesTracker) March 21, 2025
Hampson has already opted out of his deal with the Diamondbacks, with Roster Resource speculating that former Twin Ildemaro Vargas was going to make the team over him.
The 30-year-old Hampson certainly didn't hurt his case with a .289/.386/.368 slash line this spring, and he's just a year removed from hitting .276/.349/.380 with the Marlins.
Hampson's defense graded out nicely last season (plus-6.4 runs via Fangraphs), which helped level off his value (plus-0.6 fWAR in 2024) as his wRC+ dropped by 40 points (99 to 59, with a plus-0.5 fWAR).
Hampson played every position except catcher for the Royals last season, including pitching an inning, and that level of flexibility — even if defensive utility in question — is a valuable asset on the back of an MLB bench.
To make a move like this happen would not be difficult. The team has a 60-man IL spot waiting for Matt Canterino as soon as they need it, which would open up a spot for a position player or perhaps a pitcher.
In the event of any position player, it would likely mean only one of Mickey Gasper, Martin or Julien make the team rather than two. A spot would also open up if the Twins return Eiberson Castellano to the Phillies, though that would likely mean a pitcher added in that spot, anyhow.
Right-handed pitcher Shintaro Fujinami
Fujinami has terrible numbers this spring, but my entire fascination with him is trying to get a guy who throws the ever-loving piss out of the baseball. A team should try make him a two-pitch reliever, as his four-seam fastball and cutter have graded out positively in his career, and his curve (minus-0.8) could be workable.
However in this case, the juice might not be worth the squeeze. What can Fujinami do that Castellano can't (at a younger age with more potential)?
Infielder Jose Iglesias
I made clear my thoughts on the Twins potentially pursuing Iglesias this spring, and while he ended up landing with the Padres on a minor-league deal, that could be a temporary stop.
Roster Resource has him making making the team, but he also has only been with them a little over two weeks. With that said, if anyone can get ready in that amount of time, it's a wily veteran like Iglesias.
Iglesias would fit as a shortstop/third base option, freeing the Twins to play Willi Castro wherever else needed, perhaps with more of a push toward the outfield.
But like with most of these free agents, if the Twins were interested in the first place, why didn't they sign this guy? Just something to keep in mind.
Hitter Eloy Jimenez
As of right now, Jimenez is not projected to make the Rays in what felt like the next Disney-esque Nelson Cruz/Jose Bautista coming-of-age story.
The logic with Jimenez is simple: cheap power is hard to come by, and that might be the easiest way to catch lightning in a bottle.
What Jimenez would bring to the Twins is a right-handed DH presence, a bit more power on a team that could struggle for it and basically any upside with very little downside risk.
If he goes 1-for-25 to start the season, he can be DFA'd and the lasting effects are minimal. If he makes it work, you've got a cheap DH for the season.
Is it likely? No. But could there be a fit? Maybe.
Jimenez has hit .263/.300/.447 this spring, which is about as fitting of a slash line as one could have for him.
Left-handed pitcher Andrew Chafin
Chafin is back with the Tigers for a third tour of duty. That is, if he makes the team. He was signed less than a month ago, and it hasn't really been pretty in his first four innings this spring (six walks, eight earned runs).
However, he's been an often-reliable and at-times elite left-handed reliever in the major leagues for a decade. Roster Resource does not project him to make the team, either. He could choose to accept a minor-league assignment to get a few more innings in and maybe doing the opt-out thing later (if he has it in his deal), but teams are always looking for another lefty reliever.
He'd be snapped up pretty quickly.
Other pitchers to consider, briefly
- LHP Jalen Beeks: Hard-throwing lefty who hasn't quite put it together, but has been useful
- RHP Jacob Barnes: Nearly 35-year-old righty who throws hard and has been good, but never great in his career
- RHP Buck Farmer: He's been a pretty good reliever the last few years, so I've downgraded him to doubtful to opt out
- RHP Hector Neris: Coming off a down year but has been very good not that long ago; Atlanta bullpen might be crowded
- RHP Chris Flexen: He's the right-handed Yarbrough, and just slightly less appealing
- RHP Lou Trivino: He hasn't pitched in the majors since 2022; he's been great this spring and very good any other time he's been healthy
- RHP Trevor Gott: Unclear where he's at physically as he hasn't thrown this spring, but is trying to crack a good Mariners bullpen; was very good last we saw him (2023)
- LHP Ryan Borucki: He's a lefty with just enough intriguing aspects to make a team overlook his ERA from last season (7.36, but an xERA of just 7.32!)
- RHP David Buchanan: He's back from Japan and Korea stints, but only pitched 3.1 innings with the Reds last season and has been spotty in spring; did not dominate overseas (maybe notable?)
- RHP Jesse Chavez: Remember when the Twins signed him last spring but totally didn't? Well he's 41 and wants to keep pitching no matter what happens; he's an OLD Flexen
- RHP Hunter Strickland: He was a perfectly solid middle reliever for the Angels last year and has been for a while; these guys used to get guaranteed money
- LHP Matt Moore: He was disastrous last year with the Angels but good enough recently enough to be worth a gander; has only thrown two innings this spring
- RHP Adam Ottavino: The Lord loves a pitcher who survives Coors and lives to tell about it; quirky motion leads to strikeouts, but can also mean scattershot command
- LHP Wade Miley: He's on a delayed timetable as he works back from Tommy John, but he's a soft-tossing lefty who doesn't strike many out and walks too many, but keeps the ball in the yard; could be a good swingman
- RHP Ross Stripling: He was shocking worth plus-1.1 fWAR with a 6.01 ERA last season; perhaps putting a better defense than Oakland's last season behind him would help
No thank you
Outfielder Manuel Margot
Any objections?