One Question Facing Each Member of the 28-Man Roster for the 2022 Minnesota Twins

[Matthew Taylor]

The Minnesota Twins just announced their 28-Man roster for Opening Day of the 2022 season. Here are the names and one question facing each player on the roster.

Catchers

Ryan Jeffers: Will more at-bats against LHP take Jeffers to a new level?
Over the last two seasons, Ryan Jeffers had ceded at-bats against left-handed pitchers to Mitch Garver. With Garver no longer on the team, Jeffers figures to get more opportunities against southpaws which should aid his performance at the plate.

Gary Sánchez: Will a change of scenery bring back the old Gary?
After bursting onto the scene as a prospect and in his early years with the Yankees, Sánchez has struggled mightily, to the tune of a .698 OPS over the last two seasons. Potentially getting out of the highly-intense New York market and moving to Minnesota will be the change that he needs to get back to his past production.

Infielders:

Luis Arraez: Will he stay on the team all year?
Arraez has been a prime trade candidate all offseason, however he is on the Opening Day roster. As needs continue to appear and the Twins make moves during the season, will Arraez be a guy they look to move? With Polanco taking second base and Urshela at third, with Miranda on the way, Arraez could prove to be moveable.

Carlos Correa: Can Correa’s clutchness (finally) bring the Twins a playoff victory?
Among many areas in which Carlos Correa has excelled in his young career, his clutchness might be the most exciting. At 27-years-old, Correa has already appeared in 79 postseason games and might finally be the guy to end the Twins’ playoff drought.

Nick Gordon: How long can he fend off the prospects?
While Nick Gordon was a surprise in the 2021 season, he still only managed to post an OPS of .647. With prospects like Jose Miranda and Royce Lewis waiting for their opportunity, how long can Nick be the utilityman before he gets overtaken for someone with more upside?

Jorge Polanco: Can he provide Gold Glove-level defense this year?
After a bumpy start at second base to start the year, Polanco finished strong at second base, providing excellent defense. In his second full season at the position, Polanco could turn into Gold Glover at second base, paired up the middle with Carlos Correa, who himself is a Gold Glover.

Miguel Sanó: Can he avoid prolonged slumps this year?
The problem with Miguel Sanó has never been a question of talent, as he can get scorching hot at the plate and single-handedly win games by himself. The problem with the first baseman has always been his propensity to go into prolonged slumps. Avoid long slumps, and he could be in for a big year.

Gio Urshela: Was 2019 the outlier season or was 2021 the outlier season?

In 2019, Urshela posted a .889 OPS in 132 games with the Yankees. Last season, Urshela posted a mediocre .720 OPS in 116 games with the Yankees. Which is the norm and which is the outlier? We’ll soon find out.

Outfielders

Byron Buxton: Will he win the MVP this year?
Having already received his big payday, and coming into the season fully healthy, this looks like it could be the year that Byron puts it all together. With upside higher than almost anyone else in the Majors, an MVP looks in the realm of possibilities for Buck.

Gilberto Celestino: How much upside is there?
A surprise addition to the Opening Day roster, Celestino was named fourth outfielder over Kyle Garlick. Celestino has been on top-prospect lists for the Twins since coming over via the Ryan Pressly trade in 2018. Is Celestino just a fourth outfielder type, or is there more? Could he use this opportunity to really burst onto the scene?

Max Kepler: Can he hit left handed pitching again?
Max Kepler had the best season of his career in 2019, largely because of the success that he had against left-handed pitching, posting a .880 OPS against southpaws that year. Every other year of his career, Kepler has struggled mightily against lefties, shown by his .509 OPS against them last season. Can he hit left handers again?

Alex Kirilloff: Can he burst onto the scene with a now-healthy wrist?
After a strong start to the year in 2022, Alex Kirilloff sustained a wrist injury which hampered his play immensely. Following the injury, Kirilloff lost almost all of his power, managing a slugging percentage of just .387. Now healthy, what can he do?

Starting Pitchers

Chris Archer: How long of a leash will he have?
Check out Cody’s article linked above!

Dylan Bundy: Can he ride his slider to a nice season?
The Twins love sliders and Dylan Bundy has a good one. Even though he had a 36% whiff rate on his slider last year, Bundy only threw it 21.1% of the time. If the Twins have Bundy throw the slider more, he could surprise some people.

Sonny Gray: Can he work through his declining velocity?
Sonny Gray’s fastball velocity has declined in each of the past two years and now it is sitting at 92 MPH. Gray has never been a power pitcher, but if that trend continues, things could get worrisome. 

Bailey Ober: Has he already hit his ceiling?
Bailey Ober’s 2021 season was a big surprise as he was never high on people’s prospect lists. The question with Ober, though, is if he can continue improving. Was his 2021 season the best that we’ll see of him, or is he on a trajectory to get even better?

Chris Paddack: Should we be worried about his elbow?
The newly-acquired Chris Paddack certainly has upside, as he showed in his rookie year in 2019. His elbow is a bit of a concern, though. Paddack previously had Tommy John surgery in 2016, and last year got an elbow injection after a UCL strain. Something to monitor, for sure, as an elbow injury would change the outlook of the Rogers trade, tremendously.

Joe Ryan: Can he become a frontline starter?
Joe Ryan is good, but is he a third or fourth starter type of good? Or is he a number two pitcher, potential ace type of good? He was named the Opening Day starter and will get plenty of opportunity, and the answer to this question could mean a lot for the Twins’ roster-building plans moving forward.

Relief Pitchers

Jorge Alcala: Will he become the Twins closer?
With Taylor Rogers gone, Alcala looks like one of the prime candidates to be the 9th inning closer for the Twins in 2022. After a strong finish to the 2022 season in which he posted a 0.82 ERA in his last 19 appearances, Alcala might be the best man for the job.

Jharel Cotton: Will he be the next big Falvine waiver claim?
In 2019 it was Matt Wisler. Last year it was Danny Coulombe. This year, Jharel Cotton has the makeup to be the next big waiver claim reliever.

Danny Coulombe: Can he reliably get out lefties?
Following the Rogers trade, Coulombe is now one of two left handed relievers on the Opening Day roster. The Twins will need to look to Coulombe throughout the season to get out left-handed hitters.

Tyler Duffey: Is he now a pitch-to-contact pitcher?
After huge strikeout rates in 2019 and 2020, Duffey managed to strikeout less than one batter per inning last year. Is that who Duffey is now, or can he get back to his strikeout ways?

Jhoan Duran: Will he be the hardest-throwing pitcher in Twins history?
Duran has always thrown gas as a prospect for the Twins. After now having been moved to a full-time reliever role, Duran can let it rip even further. He has already been touching triple digits this spring with ease.

Emilio Pagán: Will he be a high-leverage reliever?
The other piece in the Taylor Rogers trade, the Twins will be bringing back another reliever to fill Rogers’ place in the bullpen. Pagán was excellent in 2019 with Tampa Bay, tossing a 2.31 ERA with a K/9 of 12.3. The right-hander has struggled each of the last two seasons, but has the upside to be a high leverage guy with some tweaks.

Jhon Romero: Can he be a piece?
Another sneaky waiver claim by the front office this offseason, Romero is just 27-years-old and coming off of a season in which he posted a 2.62 ERA with an 11.3 K/9 across double and triple-A. The numbers certainly point to him being a piece, but it remains to be scene if it will translate to the big leagues.

Joe Smith: Does he have anything left in the tank?
An under the radar signing this offseason, Joe Smith doesn’t possess velocity, but has been successful throughout his career. At 38-years-old, though, it’s only a matter of time before the wheels fall off.

Caleb Thielbar: Can he get back to dominating with his curveball?
Caleb Thielbar has one of the best curveballs in all of baseball. In 2020, Thielbar didn’t allow a single hit against his curveball. Last season, opponents hit .348 against the pitch.

Josh Winder: What will his role look like?
There was some thought that Winder might have gotten the fifth starter spot prior to the Twins signing Chris Archer. Still making the Opening Day roster, it’s fair to wonder how the Twins will use him. The Twins will still want to keep Winder stretched out, so I would expect to see him in a piggyback type role with Archer in April.

Which of the above questions is the biggest one for the Twins in 2022? Leave a comment and start the conversation!

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[Rosterman]

Can ARCHER AND BUNDY shine enough to be tradebait no matter how good they may be? I would sell if the opportunity arises, no matter their numbers, IF the prospects are pushing in minor league land.

 

Like the relief corps, I wouldn't be afraid to pull the plug if a guy isn't giving the team what it needs. You want to be competitive, you can't let guys "work thru it." They produce or the next in line gets to see how hungry they are for a major league paycheck. All the pitchers are cheap enough that any "walk" is a no-brainer in eating a salary.

 

JOE RYAN, if he doesn't cut it going 5+ innings has CLOSER written all over him. And he could be a great one, ala Nathan.

 

ARRAEZ will get at bats. DH is an open spot if you can't play both catchers in a game. Some time at third. Some at second. Have the guy bat second behind Buxton.

 

POLENCO put up offensive numbers rivaling the more highly paid Correa. I don't know the best spot for him in the batting order.

 

GORDON has to hit and field and run if he wants a job, any job, in the future. People will be pushing him. At some point he becomes a journeyman, which I don't really see happening, or finds a home on a rebuilding team that lets him play everyday and sink or swim.

 

Is SANO the DH of the future. We can dream that he is the next DAVID ORTIZ and sign him for $15m a year for the next decades. If only he stops chasing low and outside. Works the count. And gets continuous discipline. 

 

Otherwise, KIRILLOFF will get play at first base as the DH rotates between anyone and everyone that needs a day off in the field. Which is good for Celestino to get at bats which has to be a better thought than Rooker or Garlick. KEPLER has to be looking at pressure to produce with Larnach in the wings (and don't forget about Wallner). Of course Martin & Lewis are also hopefuls, as well as Miranda. 

[Lonestar]

Is Arraez healthy and in shape? Can he regain the offensive luster he had in 2019 (admittedly with a livelier ball then)?

Why is Gordon on this team?

Who gets bumped from the rotation?

[PDX Twin]

I'm guessing that this might be the first bullpen in MLB history with three first names starting with "Jh."

[Doctor Gast]

My question is how Baldelli will manage this season? How much will he adhere to the piggy-back system? Will Paddack pitch in the rotation? Since the trade who will be the odd man out, to long relief?

In my mind there is no doubt that when Archer turns it around he should absolutely be kept around because of his upside and our need for experienced pitching. If he's traded, I'd really question this FO's vision.

I guess they'll have 6 man rotation for awhile. 1 question answered.

[Shaitan]

So many pitchers.

MLB has been trending this way for 20 years but still...

And with universal DH, we're near the end of pinch hitting.

[stringer bell]

Who will get DH at-bats? It looks to me like it could be Arraez a fair amount versus right handed  starters and Sano and Sanchez against lefties.

[jorgenswest]

Seems like we’re are really hoping on the return of 2019.

Paddack, Pagán, Kepler, Arraez, Urshela, Sano, Sanchez and even Duffey (with 2020)

Is that a realistic hope?

[RpR]

48 minutes ago, jorgenswest said:

Seems like we’re are really hoping on the return of 2019.

Paddack, Pagán, Kepler, Arraez, Urshela, Sano, Sanchez and even Duffey (with 2020)

Is that a realistic hope?

Not even within a sniff of 2019.

[stringer bell]

1 hour ago, jorgenswest said:

Seems like we’re are really hoping on the return of 2019.

Paddack, Pagán, Kepler, Arraez, Urshela, Sano, Sanchez and even Duffey (with 2020)

Is that a realistic hope?

Hope, sure. Bet the house on it? I won’t. Perhaps a reasonable thought is that some of these guys are closer to their 2019 numbers than 2021. We’ve had a lot of disruptions and strangeness in the last two years. 

[dxpavelka]

Do we call Bundy Al or Ted?

[Brandon]

5 minutes ago, dxpavelka said:

Do we call Bundy Al or Ted?

I vote Al

 

[mikelink45]

I think you got all the questions right.  Now we ask - are the expectations for this team a mirage or a miracle?

[ashbury]

1 hour ago, mikelink45 said:

I think you got all the questions right.  Now we ask - are the expectations for this team a mirage or a miracle?

Y......yes?

[jimbo92107]

First time I saw Chris Paddack, I was in San Diego, cheering the Pads as my second favorite team. I thought Paddack looked like a right-handed version of Clayton Kershaw. Big, easy motion, looked like he could pump heaters and curves all day long. 

A couple nasty years later, Paddack's future is a mystery. Does he have recurring elbow issues? Can the Twins famed pitcher whisperer get his mechanics straightened out? If so, Paddack could be huge for the Twins. 

Losing Rogers hurts, but not as much as some might think. Rogers was close to a sure thing for a long time, but he tended to fade late season. Now the team will need to try out several guys, some of whom have real heat. As mentioned before, if Joe Smith has any gas left, use him for 2 outings, then bring in Alcala. If Alcala looks great, then shift the load his way. 

Keep Rooker, or Larnach? Good call on that one. Larnach will be a good ballplayer for a long time. Rooker looks to me to be a passable fielder, power bat with strikeout issues. 

Nick Gordon is on his way to being a super-sub. His bat will play, not for dingers, but for gap hits and clutch. That, his good baserunning and his good glove will keep him employed - somewhere - for a long time in the mlb. Why not here?

Celestino over Garlick - another savvy move. These choices happen in a very intense context - every guy in the minors appreciates promotions from within the organization. This shows the FO is looking for reasons to use home-grown talent at least as much as they're looking for deals elsewhere. Even if it doesn't work out, I'd rather see competition between Celestino and Larnach than either of them vs. an outsider. 

[Trov]

17 hours ago, Lonestar said:

Is Arraez healthy and in shape? Can he regain the offensive luster he had in 2019 (admittedly with a livelier ball then)?

Why is Gordon on this team?

 

Arraez did not have much of a drop off since 2019, he actually increased his hard hit rate, and last year he dealt with knee issues.  With the no more juiced ball I think he is close to expectations.  A little higher average and OBP would be nice, but I am not worried about his bat at all. 

Gordon is on the team for his ability to play just about any position, his ability to run, and he is a better hitter than his numbers suggest.  If you followed Gordon over his career when he would get to next level he would start off slow, and people would question his ability, only to adjust to the league and get people back on board.  He is not a top SS by any means, but he will be a decent utility guy in his career.  He is out of options and there is no plan to have him take too many at bats from guys but can fill in just about anywhere when needed. 

[USNMCPO]

Is Duran a BP arm for the long haul or is going to get a chance to start in years to come? Are the Twins trying himont in the BP like they did with Johann Santana?

[jorgenswest]

58 minutes ago, Trov said:

Arraez did not have much of a drop off since 2019, he actually increased his hard hit rate, and last year he dealt with knee issues.  With the no more juiced ball I think he is close to expectations.  A little higher average and OBP would be nice, but I am not worried about his bat at all.

2019 WRC+ was 126. Pretty impressive to be that much better than average and maybe even more so in the context of the juiced ball.

2020- 112

2021- 103

It is at least reasonable to argue the drop from 2019 to 2021 relative to league is significant.