After months of silence, the Minnesota Twins will finally have some action this offseason. It’s not a salary-dumping trade or a new owner, but it’s still important as eight players will be seeking a raise as they are eligible for arbitration in the coming weeks.
Teams have until Thursday to reach an agreement with arbitration-eligible players, which are defined as those with three to six years of service time. If an agreement is not reached, both sides will exchange numbers and hold a hearing in front of a three-member panel to determine their salary for the 2025 season.
While the Twins have already reached agreements with arbitration-eligible relievers Michael Tonkin ($1 million) and Brock Stewart ($870,000) for next season, it will be interesting who will get a raise and who could have their arguments dragged into next month. Here’s a look at the Twins’ eight arbitration-eligible players and their case for earning a raise.
Royce Lewis
The No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 MLB Draft has shown signs of superstardom such as his four homers during the Twins’ playoff run in 2023 and a scalding-hot stretch to open the 2024 season. But he’s also had his takeoff delayed by injuries and a disappointing year where he hit .233/.295/.452 with 16 homers and 47 RBI. With durability concerns looming, the $2.3 million projected by FanGraphs seems like a modest number and Lewis could have a chance to earn more money with a big 2025.
Joe Ryan
Ryan was on his way to the best season of his career, going 7-7 with a 3.60 ERA in 23 starts before a shoulder injury ended his season. Ryan still posted his lowest full-season WHIP at 0.985 and he also limited hard contact, lowering his average exit velocity from 90 mph in 2023 to 88.3 mph last season. Considered a dark horse for next year’s American League Cy Young Award, Ryan is projected to earn $3.8 million according to FanGraphs.
Bailey Ober
While Ryan took a step forward, Ober leaped after Sonny Gray’s departure last winter. The right-hander went 12-9 with a 3.98 ERA last season but shined in the second half of the season, holding opponents to a .183/.240/.340 batter’s line in his final 13 starts. Ober’s consistency was one of the best parts of his game and he’s in line for a $4.3 million salary next season.
Willi Castro
Castro had a historic season in the field in 2024 and it helped him earn his first All-Star appearance. But while he hit .266/.352/.422 with seven homers, 30 RBI and 10 steals in the first half, he slumped to hit .219/.298/.329 with five homers, 30 RBI and four stolen bases in the second half. The Twins would love to bring back Castro next season but with a projected salary of $6.2 million, his name will continue to be involved in trade rumors.
Ryan Jeffers
On the plus side, Jeffers has emerged to the point where the Twins are looking to trade Christian Vázquez. The bad news is that Jeffers slumped after a fast start, hitting .226/.300/.432 with 21 home runs and 64 games last season. Jeffers has shown he can be a better hitter including a .276/.369/.490 campaign with 14 homers and 43 RBI in 2023. But his second-half slump could cause him to take less than the $4.7 million he’s projected to earn.
Griffin Jax
Jax had his best season in 2024, going 5-5 with a 2.03 ERA with a career-high 2.8 wins above replacement. He was undoubtedly the Twins’ best reliever with a 0.873 WHIP and saw big jumps in his strikeout and whiff rates last season. While he was rumored to move to the rotation, it seems like Jax is remaining in the bullpen with a $2.6 million projection that feels low.
Jhoan Duran
Duran will be heading into his first year of arbitration but has some warning signs over the first three years of his career. The right-hander is still one of the hardest throwers in the game with a league-high 100.5 mph on his fastball. But hitters were able to track it much better with a career-low 28 percent chase rate. Perhaps an oblique injury had something to do with his effectiveness but an increase in ERA could cost him part of the $3.7 million projection.
Trevor Larnach
The Twins’ 2018 first-round draft pick played in a career-high 112 games for the Twins and hit .259/.338/.434 with 15 homers and 52 RBI but he didn’t make a massive impact with just 1.3 wins above replacement. Larnach will have the opportunity to start in left field as the roster stands but he may not have a case to earn more than the $2.1 million projection for next season.