5 Twins players who are in danger of losing their 40-man roster spot
Not every player that the Twins have on their 40-man roster is irreplaceable.
By Eric Cole
The narrative around the Minnesota Twins lately hasn't been particularly positive. Part of the reason for that is that they haven't replaced Sonny Gray this offseason and they just made the unpopular move to trade away Jorge Polanco who was a fan favorite. However, the state of their roster is honestly pretty good going into 2024.
The Twins have studs at the top of their rotation as well as in the infield and the outfield and bullpen are chock full of guys that should at least be interesting. In a decidedly weak AL Central, Minnesota still looks like a team that should be able to thrive especially if a couple things break their way.
However, not every player on the 40-man is a rock star. Far from it. Right now, the Twins' 40-man roster is full, but that could change if guys like Josh Staumont and Alex Kirilloff start the season on the injured list. That would only provide temporary relief, though, so if the Twins decide to make any more moves this offseason or try to claim players off the scrap heap after spring training roster cuts, they are going to have to probably make some room.
The goal here isn't to completely throw guys under the bus as they are very likely to be fine human beings. However, the reality of running any team is that there are going to be guys that are more expendable than others on the 40-man and a subset of those guys either don't have a real path to playing time or should be able to pass through waivers unclaimed. With that in mind, here is a look at the Twins players that the team could afford to live without.
Jordan Balazovic
It wasn't that long ago when Jordan Balazovic was a prospect that many thought could become a significant part of Minnesota's future. However, the results alone have left a lot to be desired. He posted a 4.44 ERA in 18 bullpen appearances last season and while he throws pretty hard, the rest of his Statcast metrics are middling to terrible.
On top of that, it sure doesn't seem like the team itself is particularly fond of him at the moment. His manager called him out last year when he broke his jaw in a fight. He seems to have recovered well enough, but the results weren't there and he definitely seems to be trending downward in an organization that could really use some more pitching. There are probably just better options available that also would fits the Twins' financial constraints.