Spring Training is officially underway, which means it's time to start assessing what the Minnesota Twins roster might look like in a month when the season starts.
We still have plenty of time before the Twins pack up and head to Kansas City for Opening Day, but in the time between then some big questions need to be answered. Minnesota failed to make any top-line additions this winter, instead losing guys like Sonny Gray and Jorge Polanco.
That doesn't mean the team took a step back from contention, rather the pieces already in place have more pressure to carry the load than before. Not all of that will be on the veterans returning to try and run things back, as the Twins have a slew of exciting young players vying for a roster spot as part of the next wave in the youth movement.
Over the next month things will start to fall into place, and we'll increasingly have a better idea of what the Opening Day roster might look like.
Minnesota Twins 2024 Opening Day roster projection 1.0
Twins Opening Day starting rotation
Pitcher | Throws |
|---|---|
Pablo Lopez | RHP |
Joe Ryan | RHP |
Bailey Ober | RHP |
Chris Paddack | RHP |
Anthony DeSclafani | RHP |
The only real question is what happens at the back of the rotation and who wins the No. 5 starter role. Right now Anthony DeSclafani is in the driver's seat, as the Twins acquired him for a reason and will likely want to see how he fits in before making any other moves.
If other moves were to happen, they'd be internal and not via free agency or a trade. Louie Varland is the next closest candidate who could earn that last spot in the rotation, which he could do with a strong spring.
It just feels like the Twins will slide DeSclafani into the No. 5 slot to see what happens, though. He has high upside and the job is likely his to lose.