3 Twins prospects who won't make the Opening Day roster, 2 who still have a chance

Spring Training is in full swing, which means the fringes of the Minnesota Twins roster will start to become increasingly important. Opening Day is in less than a month, and not all of the team's 26-man roster spots are spoken for.

Last year the Twins experienced a youth movement that sparked a run in October that finally ended the miserable 19-year postseason losing streak. That's something which could continue this season with a bevy of prospects who could play key roles.

Before anyone gets mad, it's extremely possible that none of these guys end up making the 26-man roster. There are a lot of mouths to feed and an already limited amount of roster space, but everyone here deserves at least a conversation about how they fit into the Twins' immediate future.

3 Twins prospects who won't make the Opening Day roster, 2 who still have a chance

Yunior Severino, 1B/3B

There's almost no chance that Yunior Severino makes the Opening Day roster, but he's someone who is absolutely worth keeping tabs on as the season progresses. Minnesota added him to the 40-man roster back in November to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft which is a pretty clear indication of how the team views him.

He torched pitchers at Triple-A St. Paul late last year, showing the sort of power that the Twins could use to boost the offense. Severino hit 24 homers in 87 games at Double-A Wichita before moving up to Triple-A where he hit another 11 home runs in 36 games for the Saints.

As far as where he might fit, Severino projects as a potential option to platoon at first base if something happens to Alex Kirilloff or Carlos Santana. Don't hold your breath on him getting called up but now would be a great time to get in on the ground floor.

Chances of making Opening Day roster: None, but buy your stock now

Austin Martin, CF/2B

Things looked pretty good for Austin Martin right up until the Twins traded for Manuel Margot. His arrival means that Martin's otherwise clear path the 26-man roster is now a little more complicated than it was a week ago.

It doesn't, however, mean that he doesn't have a shot at making the Opening Day roster.

Martin still provides a ton of value, as he can be part of a centerfield platoon with Byron Buxton and Margot while also being someone who can be plugged into at second base. That last part is of particular importance to his case for earning a roster spot as it means adding depth behind Edouard Julien who might have to spend time at first base depending on how things shake out.

Alex Kirilloff and Carlos Santana should be able to handle things at first, but Kirilloff is coming off surgery and Santana might be more of a DH option heading into the season. Julien was soft launched at first base late last season and there has been talk of him getting reps there this spring. Minnesota needs his bat in the lineup, and Martin could provide a better defensive option while Julien serves as designated hitter.

In that scenario, Martin feels like a really solid option to have at second base. Everything comes down to how well he's able to play in Fort Myers and if he can make a solid enough case for himself.

Chances of making Opening Day roster: Still a decent chance

Brooks Lee, 2B/SS

Hype built pretty quickly for Brooks Lee being part of the 26-man Opening Day roster, which is more of a testament to how he's exceeded expectations at every turn so far in his career.

Lee hasn't yet made his MLB debut but it feels like a certainty that it happens at some point this season. It being on Opening Day seemed like a long shot until Derek Falvey started praising him ahead of Spring Training in a way that suggested he might get fast tracked.

Manuel Margot's arrival slows the pace a bit, as the Twins will need to find a roster spot for him before thinking about one for Lee. Austin Martin also feels like he's further ahead in line that Lee, but we still have a month to see how where the chips fall.

Chances are that Lee's shot at making the Opening Day roster evaporated once Margot entered the picture. His most likely path now seems to be as a replacement for someone the Twins need to place on the IL. That's how Edouard Julien made his debut last season, replacing Joey Gallo early in the season, and he never left the MLB roster after that.

Lofty -- albeit exciting -- expectations that he'll debut on Opening Day seem less likely than they did when everyone reported to camp.

Chances of making Opening Day roster: Slimmer than they initially seemed, but still possible

Emmanuel Rodriguez, OF

So much was made about the possibility of Austin Martin and Brooks Lee getting called up this season that Emmanuel Rodriguez was sort of forgotten about.

Minnesota has four prospects in the Top 100 this year, and E-Rod is No. 3 on that list. Not only that, but he's firmly a Top 50 prospect who is one of the most exciting future outfield options the Twins have in the farm system. Walker Jenkins remains the top guy, but we might not be far off from a future where he's patrolling the outfield alongside Rodriguez.

E-Rod is on track to make his MLB debut much sooner than Jenkins, and is a lowkey dark horse to get the call as soon as this season. He was added to the 40-man roster back in November to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft -- along with Austin Martin and Yunior Severino -- and space for him could open up depending on what happens at the beginning of the year.

Opening Day probably won't be when he makes his debut, but he's someone to keep an eye on. The line of prospects ahead of him is long, with Martin, Brooks Lee, David Festa, and Marco Raya all potentially getting the call before E-Rod does. He fills a huge potential need, though, playing all three outfield positions as well as showing some pretty decent offense.

He still needs to make it to St. Paul before he makes the leap, but it's not crazy to think he plays well enough to be on track to get a call later this summer.

Chances of making Opening Day roster: None