The Minnesota Twins' regular-season roster continued to take shape Monday morning with the news that outfielder Austin Martin has been optioned to Triple-A St. Paul.
Concurrently, reports Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer Press, 29-year-old rookie Mickey Gasper and outfielder DaShawn Keirsey Jr. have been told they made the Opening Day roster.
For both, it would be their first in the major leagues.
Gasper comes in with 18 at-bats in the majors, picked up a season ago with the Red Sox in August and September. Keirsey picked up a few at-bats as a September call-up with the Twins.
Both have paid a lot of dues in the minors and performed well in camp. Gasper looks like a good hitter, and is a catcher by trade, but is likely to see action as a DH, pinch-hitter and backup at first base and second.
Keirsey has been a solid hitter with good strike-zone judgment and speed, which helps him be an effective player on defense too.
Martin also had a good camp, on defense, but could use everyday time. He'll find it at St. Paul.
With some deduction and assumption (but no confirmation) that infielder Edouard Julien has made the team out of Fort Myers, here's what the Twins position-player side looks like:
Catchers (2): Ryan Jeffers and Christian Vázquez.
Infielders (6): Carlos Correa, Ty France, Willi Castro, José Miranda, Julien and Gasper.
Outfielders (5): Byron Buxton, Matt Wallner, Trevor Larnach, Harrison Bader and Keirsey.
Injured list (2): Royce Lewis and Brooks Lee.
The pitching side is incomplete in the bullpen, but these guys are set:
Starters (5): Pablo Lopez, Joe Ryan, Bailey Ober, Simeon Woods Richardson and Chris Paddack.
Relievers (6+): Jhoan Duran, Griffin Jax, Cole Sands, Danny Coulombe (L), Jorge Alcala and Louie Varland.
Injured list (3): Brock Stewart, Michael Tonkin, Matt Canterino.
That likely leaves two bullpen spots, with right-hander Justin Topa and left-hander Anthony Misiewicz leading candidates in camp right now.
Topa is still recuperating from a sore shoulder sustained in early March, but indications are pointing toward him being ready. Misiewicz has performed well in camp but, as a non-roster invitee, would need to be cleared a spot on the 40-man roster. That also would make him subject to waivers once Stewart is ready to return, which is said to be soon.
The club could monitor the waiver wire instead.
Mickey Gasper showed us a picture of a nasty cut but says he’s doing okay after getting six stitches. He was just informed he’s making the roster.
— Betsy Helfand (@betsyhelfand) March 24, 2025
Gasper's injury, nasty lacerations to his left ankle from being spiked by teammate Brandon Winokur on Sunday, raise some doubt as to whether he will be ready in time for the opener Thursday against the St. Louis Cardinals.
Gasper needed six stitches to close the wound left the ballpark using crutches. If he's not good to go by the time the team works out Wednesday afternoon at Busch Stadium, the Twins could bring back Martin, use the waiver wire, or find another solution. Just hang out with 25 guys?
We will keep you posted.
In the meantime, check out his reaction, as recorded by Bobby Nightengale of the Minnesota Star Tribune:
“I made it, one of the 30 MLB teams in the world,” said Gasper, who was a 27th-round pick in 2018 out of Bryant University, a round that does not exist in the MLB Draft anymore. “When you put it in perspective like that, it’s exciting. Keeps that fire in me going, just to go out and show what I’ve got.”