MLB Trade Rumors recently released its projected arbitration salaries for 2027. Ten Minnesota Twins players are eligible for arbitration next year. Most of the players will likely remain with the team, but others might be traded or non-tendered.
Minnesota Twins' arbitration projections and predicting each player's fate
Let's take a look at all of the projected 2027 arbitration salaries for the Minnesota Twins and predict what will happen to each arb-eligible player.
Definitely staying
LHP Anthony Banda: $2.3 million
The Twins acquired Banda from the Los Angeles Dodgers before the 2026 season. He suffered a season-ending lat strain in late June.
Banda had a rough start to the year, posting a 9.00 ERA through May 2. After May 2, Banda allowed just three earned runs over 20 1/3 innings before landing on the IL.
RHP Dean Kremer: $6.5 million
The Twins acquired Kremer, a starting pitcher, from the Baltimore Orioles at this year's trade deadline. He is under team control through next season.
After joining the Twins, Kremer recorded a 3.48 ERA with 48 strikeouts in 54 1/3 innings across 10 starts. He'll likely be part of Minnesota's Opening Day rotation.
RHP Taj Bradley: $4.5 million
Bradley will obviously return to the Twins next year. He led all Twins pitchers in fWAR at 2.8 last year and recorded a 3.73 ERA with a 27.4% strikeout rate in 178 1/3 innings across 31 starts.
UTL Kody Clemens: $3.6 million
Clemens has been a nice surprise for the Twins. Minnesota acquired the utilityman early in the 2025 season to replace Luke Keaschall, who had landed on the IL at the time.
This year, Clemens posted 2.5 fWAR and a 108 wRC+ with 27 home runs over 145 games. He has played every position on the diamond except catcher.
Most likely staying
RHP Cole Sands: $1.3 million
Sands missed most of the 2026 season due to injuries. Since making his MLB debut with the Twins in 2022, Sands has recorded a 4.42 ERA over 207 2/3 innings. He should be a low-leverage arm for the Twins next year.
RHP Tommy Nance: $1.2 million
Minnesota acquired Nance in July. After joining the Twins, Nance, 35, recorded a 4.05 ERA with 34 strikeouts over 26 2/3 innings.
Could be traded or non-tendered
RHP Joe Ryan: $9.6 million (current contract has $13 million mutual option for 2027 with $100 thousand buyout)
To be clear, there is absolutely no chance that Ryan is non-tendered this offseason. However, since he is entering the final year of his contract, the Twins might trade the right-hander if they believe they cannot extend him.
Despite his second-half regression, Ryan would be one of the top arms on the trade market if made available. He posted a 3.79 ERA with 159 strikeouts over 144 2/3 innings this year.
RHP Bailey Ober: $6.9 million
Bailey Ober has experienced a significant drop in velocity over the past few years. His fastball averaged under 90 mph this season. Because of that, the Twins might non-tender him to make room for a younger arm in the rotation.
However, Ober still put up OK numbers this past season, recording a 4.47 ERA across 25 appearances. The Twins might be inclined to tender him because of his veteran presence and the constant need for rotation depth. It's also possible Minnesota will tender him and then trade him.
3B Royce Lewis: $5.1 million
It would be a sad scene if Minnesota cut Lewis loose this offseason, but it may be the correct move. The Twins sent him down to Triple-A in May. He quickly earned a promotion back to the majors after a hot streak with the Saints, but he ended the year with poor numbers. In 125 games with the Twins this year, Lewis hit just .227/.287/.380.
Just a few years ago, Lewis appeared to be the type of player who could carry a franchise. In 2023, Lewis posted a .921 OPS with 15 home runs over 58 games and carried the team to its first playoff game win in 18 years with a two-homer performance in Game 1 of the Wild Card Series. But since then, he has been a below-average player at the plate and has struggled to stay healthy.
The Twins will likely tender Lewis for 2027. However, the Twins' brass may try to trade him, hoping to receive something of value for the former No. 1 overall pick.
Definitely gone
OF Trevor Larnach: $6.3 million
Larnach, under team control through next season, simply doesn't fit on the team for 2027. With outfielders Byron Buxton, Walker Jenkins, Emmanuel Rodriguez and Luke Keaschall, the Twins have no room for Larnach to get regular playing time.
Non-tendering Larnach is an option for the Twins. However, it seems more likely the team will tender Larnach and then attempt to trade him. He is coming off the best year of his career, posting 2.2 fWAR and a 123 wRC+ over 122 games.
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