Which out of options players might be a fit for the Twins?

Every Spring Training, most teams have some players who are out of minor league options, which means they either have to make the Opening Day roster or be exposed to waivers before the season begins.

In the days leading up to the start of the season, there is typically some shifting and roster maneuvering or even a trade or two made for players who will not make their team's Opening Day roster.

When a major league player is called up, he has three options, which allow them to be sent to the minors without being exposed to waivers. One option is used after a player spends 20 days in the minor leagues and one option is used per year.

So a simple way of looking at it a player can be sent down and called up five times per season before being exposed to outright waivers.

When a player is put on outright waivers, every other MLB team gets an opportunity to "claim" the player and put them on their 40-man roster. If the player goes unclaimed, they are assigned to the minor leagues from their parent organization.

If a player is out of options, they must be designated for assignment, which removes them from the team's 40-man roster. When a player is designated for assignment, they must either pass through waivers, be released, or be traded within the next seven days.

The Twins, along with most other Major League teams, have players who are out of options, so one of Michael Tonkin or Brock Stewart would also fit into this category. Stewart will either make the Opening Day roster or start the year on the injured list, while Tonkin could very well be exposed to waivers if he does not make the team.

Let's take a look at some players from other organizations who are out of options that the Twins could pick up if they don't make their respective team's Opening Day Roster.

While it was tempting to include a player like Oneil Cruz on this list, it's unrealistic to think he will not be on the Pirates' roster to start the season.

I identified six players who seemed more realistic as guys that the Twins could make a move on if they got the opportunity.

David Villar: Corner Infielder - San Francisco Giants

Who he is:
Villar is a former 11th-round pick out of the University of South Florida. He made his major league debut with the Giants in 2022 and made appearances in each of the past three years. He may get squeezed off the roster because of players like former Twin LaMonte Wade Jr. and Wilmer Flores, who are expected to get most of the at-bats at first base for the Giants.

Villar strikes out at a pretty decent rate (32.4% in his ML career) and walks at a solid rate (8.4% in his ML career).

How he might fit with the Twins:
Villar is a right-handed bat who can play the corner infield. He would fit with the Twins similarly to Ty France, so if France does not make the roster or cannot start the year for any reason due to injury or something else, Villar would be an option. Villar hit Triple-A pitching pretty well last year over 106 games (.802 OPS). ZiPS projects Villar a decent year at the plate, projecting him for 16 home runs and 59 RBI but a .696 OPS.

Alexander Canario: Outfielder - New York Mets

Who he is:
Canario was traded to the Mets from the Cubs just last week in exchange for cash considerations, so the Mets either believe he can make the Opening Day roster or hope to pass him through waivers and use him as depth in the outfield. Canario has just 42 at-bats over the past two seasons with the Cubs, so he hasn't had much opportunity in the major leagues to this point.

How he might fit with the Twins:
A right-handed hitting outfielder with some power would fit well on the Twins roster. The biggest issue for Canario is his strikeout rate, where he has struck out in approximately 30% of his minor league at-bats and 42.2% of his major league at-bats. Canario has shown the ability to take walks and hit for power, so he could be a decent compliment to Matt Wallner and Trevor Larnach in the outfield corners. Over seven minor league seasons, he has a .847 OPS. While Harrison Bader is the current fourth outfielder, Canario could fit as another outfielder and even take some at-bats at DH.

Tony Santillan: Right-Handed Relief Pitcher - Cincinnati Reds

Who he is:
Santillan is a former second-round pick out of a Texas high school who has worked his way steadily up the Reds organization since being drafted in 2015. He's been on the Triple-A shuttle over the past few years and is now out of options. He's had some success at the major league level over 96.1 innings pitched. Over that time, he has 124 strikeouts with a 3.46 ERA, recording four saves and a 1.34 WHIP.


How he might fit with the Twins:
Santillan would lengthen the Twins bullpen and improve a group projected to be one of the best in baseball. While he might make the Reds, and the point may be moot, he is a pitcher who could serve as middle relief and set-up man for the high-leverage guys in Griffin Jax and Jhoan Duran. Santillan has electric stuff and could be a great fit at Target Field if the Reds try to put him through waivers.

Joey Wentz: Left-Handed Relief Pitcher - Pittsburgh Pirates

Who he is:
You may recognize Wentz from his time with the Detroit Tigers over the past three seasons. He was called up as a starter, and most of his appearances were as a starter in 2022-23. He pitched out of the bullpen in 2024, with mixed results, for the Tigers and Pirates.

How he might fit with the Twins:
Wentz would provide a second left-handed reliever after Danny Coulombe in the Twins bullpen. He has shown the ability to get left-handed batters out in his time in the majors (.226/.300/.292 against). He hasn't had quite that success against right-handed batters, but he has had some success. Wentz would serve as a lower-leverage arm to start and be a guy who could be in a multi-inning role, having pitched 67.1 innings in 46 games this past season.

Yoendrys Gomez: Right-Handed Pitcher- New York Yankees

Who he is:
Gomez was signed as an international free agent by the Yankees in 2016. He worked primarily as a starting pitcher until being called up to the majors. He has only pitched out of the bullpen for the Yankees, pitching in six games and throwing 13.1 innings.

How he might fit with the Twins:
Gomez could serve as a long reliever or spot starter for the Twins if the Yankees decide he won't be on their Opening Day roster. Gomez's peripherals haven't been spectacular (5.81 FIP), but 13.1 innings is a pretty small sample size, so that likely wouldn't deter the Twins too much. Gomez may make the Yankees roster, but if he doesn't, he could serve as a long reliever and someone who could be a Swiss Army knife-type reliever for Rocco Baldelli.

Oswald Peraza - Infielder- New York Yankees

Who he is:
Peraza was first called up in 2022 and succeeded in his first taste of the major leagues. Over his first 18 games, he hit .306/.404/.429 for an OPS+ of 138. While that is a small sample size, he showed flashes of what he could be. He struggled through a sophomore slump in 2023 but succeeded more in 2024. The Yankees acquired Jazz Chisholm Jr. last year, so Peraza did not get to make an impact at the major league level. Peraza is battling with Oswaldo Cabrera and Pablo Reyes to start at third in the news that DJ Lemahieu may not be ready for Opening Day.

How he might fit with the Twins:
Peraza can play third and second base and even fill in at shortstop in a pinch. He could serve as a right-handed bat and potentially get some at-bats against lefties specifically. Peraza has shown upside at times. The big question will be if he can put it all together to solidify a spot, either on the Yankees or elsewhere.