Creating a second bullpen for the 2025 Twins

Relief pitcher in major league baseball might be the most volatile position in professional sports.

A guy can go from top 10 one year to unplayable and threatening to lose a roster spot the next. That’s why it’s always important for major league clubs to have a group of capable arms in spring training fighting for a spot or ready to go in Triple-A throughout the season.

Let’s create a “second bullpen” to serve as backup options for the 2025 relievers. 

Louis Varland  

The Louis Varland roller coaster continues with another year as a “double tweener” on the horizon. The St. Paul native has found himself on the shuttle between Triple-A and the big leagues the last three seasons, while also spending time shuttling between the bullpen and rotation. 

He’s made 38 big league appearances since 2022, so Twins’ fans are very familiar with the young right hander. At his best, he’s shown flashes of being a quality starter, like his seven shutout innings against the Astros in 2023 or his five innings of one hit ball against the Rockies last year. But his worst is rough and he’s prone to the unsalvageable blow up start. 

He’s likely the last man in or the first man out of the roster, and if he fails to make the opening day squad he can easily be the first arm Minnesota turns to if either a starter or a reliever goes down. While he may not be a regular, his versatility makes him a valuable asset to keep on the 40-man. 

Alex Speas

If you asked someone in 1925 what the world would look like 100 years later, you would probably hear ideas about time travel, flying cars, and some sort of utopian society. Instead, we have little league coaches who just so happen to throw 102 mph.

Enter Alex Speas, the internet sensation who went viral on TikTok and with Tread Athletics as the little league coach who threw triple digits after failing to make the major leagues in his first attempt at pro baseball. 

He endured injuries, the COVID-cancelled 2020 season, performance and mental health struggles, and a temporary retirement from baseball to finally earn himself a big league opportunity with the Rangers in 2023. 

He pitched two innings with the Astros last year and signed a minor-league deal with the Twins for the 2025 season. Everyone loves an underdog story, and Speas’ has a heartwarming journey and is a guy you can easily root for to see some innings in 2025. And oh, by the way, did I mention he tops 102? 

Erasmo Ramirez

Internet fame might be the only thing Speas and Erasmo Ramirez have in common. 

Ramirez’s wife has a massive following on TikTok of over 30,000 followers where she gives an inside look into the family life of a professional baseball player. It’s an intriguing mix of content that’s both wholesome and educational to the fan as they routinely answer questions about major league life. 

The similarities seemingly end there, however, as Speas and Ramirez couldn’t be farther apart in pitching style. Ramirez doesn’t have triple digits or youth in his arsenal. Instead, the crafty swingman relies on a five-pitch mix with a fastball that sits right around 90 mph. 

It’s a perfect example of two ways to solve a problem, as his seemingly unimpressive arsenal has garnered him 13 big league seasons with six different clubs. He’s transitioned into more of a bullpen role since his early years in MLB, but is still more than capable of being stretched out across multiple innings. 

The 34-year-old certainly knows how to pitch and get outs at the major league level. If the Twins keep him around after Spring Training, he will become a great veteran presence for the Triple-A squad and a proven, reliable arm to eat innings out of the Twins’ bullpen. 

Anthony Misiewicz 

Every good bullpen needs a veteran lefty. Misiewicz is the perfect journeyman southpaw to stash on the 40-man roster.

A crafty lefty who relies on a cutter-curveball heavy mix, Misiewicz has been around the block, seeing big league time with five different organizations. He spent most of his 2024 season in the Yankees organization with Triple-A Scranton, where he recorded a 3.90 ERA in his 47 outings. 

The fastball isn’t overpowering and he isn’t an overly exciting arm, but a 30-year-old veteran with experience at every level is something every team could use in their organization. Considering the Twins’ lack of left-handed arms, there’s a good chance that Misiewicz will get a few opportunities to stick at the big-league level this season. 

Kody Funderburk

The write-up for Kody Funderburk is very similar to that of Misiewicz: the Twins need left-handed pitchers and Funderburk throws with his left arm. 

A little younger with less experience at the big league level, Funderburk could have a slight advantage over Misiewicz, considering he’s a homegrown talent. Drafted in 2018, he’s posted a 3.32 ERA across his minor league career, spending the last two seasons primarily in Triple-A.  

He reached the big leagues for 11 games in 2023 where he dominated to the tune of a 0.75 ERA, but struggled mightily in 2024 landing with an ERA north of 6.00 in both Triple A and his major league stint. 

Like Misiewicz, Funderburk has handedness on his side. It probably won’t be a heavily publicized one, but don’t be surprised if these two find themselves in a spring training battle for “next man up” if something happens to Danny Coloumbe (or if the Twins decide they want to carry a second lefty in the pen). 

Scott Blewett 

Blewett returns to the Twins organization after making a career high 12 appearances with the Twins last season. It was by far his best run in the bigs, as he finished with a 1.77 ERA across 20 innings of major league ball.

Blewett is yet another interesting story as the 29-year-old spent time in Taiwan’s Chinese Professional Baseball League in 2023. He only made seven appearances before returning stateside in the 2024 season on a minor league deal with the Twins, earning his late season call up.

While there isn’t a ton of advanced data on his savant page, his elite 95th percentile extension stands out. At 6’6" with this kind of extension, Blewett can pose a nightmare for hitters with his long limbs bearing down on opposing hitters. 

Blewett’s had plenty of experience bouncing between the majors, minors, and even foreign leagues that will make him prepared for the unsavory task of riding the bus back and forth from St. Paul. If he can parlay his success from the end of last season into 2025, he could find himself gaining opportunities and carve out a role in the Twins’ bullpen. 

Wild Card: Matt Canterino

It’s time for Matt Canterino to become a reliever. Arm injuries have hampered the young right-handers' chances at earning a big league call up to this point. 

He’s been a regular on the top-30 prospect list since 2020, but at 27, it’s time to see what he’s capable of on a big league roster in 2025. 

The problem with Canterino is the aforementioned injuries that have kept him off the field since 2022. But when healthy, he’s been incredible, posting a career 1.48 ERA in the minors across 85 innings and four MiLB levels. 

Clearly, he’s got the stuff to compete at the major league level. I think his projected move to the bullpen could maximize his output while reducing his innings and injury risk. If it works out, you add another nasty arm to the back end of the bullpen alongside Griffin Jax and Jhoan Duran.