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In most seasons, we have a general consensus of one or two players that will make the final bench role for the big-league roster. This year Major League Baseball announced that rosters would start at 28 players, at least through April. That’s two additional spots beyond what has become recent custom.
Let’s assume Minnesota uses additional openings on pitchers, given the likelihood that starters aren’t entirely stretched out, and we’ve got a 13 position player configuration. Knowing that the lineup will have nine starters and that Carlos Correa’s spring training debut looks like a pretty good glimpse of what it may look like on Opening Day, we have four bench spots to work with.
Here’s how I see that shaking out:
The Given (1): Luis Arraez
As of this moment, I think only Arraez is marked in pen to start the season on the Twins bench. He’s a second baseman that’s below-average defensively virtually everywhere he plays but has shown positional flexibility. Arraez’s greatest asset is his eye and the batting average it generates. Despite being routinely shifted, he can spray the ball all over the diamond and is a lineup asset when healthy. If he’s not traded for pitching to a team looking at him as a starter, having this type of talent on the bench for Rocco Baldelli is a great commodity.
The Assumed (1): Jose Godoy
Claimed off waivers last week, Jose Godoy is a good bet to make the Opening Day roster because managers love third catchers. If Baldelli is going to use Gary Sanchez as his designated hitter in any given lineup, that means there’s no one to back up starter Ryan Jeffers. With Ben Rortvedt traded to the New York Yankees, Godoy is the lone option left on the 40 man roster. He’s a career minor leaguer with just a .723 OPS in over 2,000 plate appearances. That said, he’s only 27-years-old, and clearly, Minnesota thought something of him to file the waiver claim. Unless another option emerges at catcher through waivers in the next two weeks, this is probably who fills the spot.
The Uncertains (4): Nick Gordon, Brent Rooker, Trevor Larnach, Gilberto Celestino
Quite possibly the most challenging group to peg because you could go either way on a number of these guys. Larnach is easily the most talented of the group with the highest ceiling, but being a left-handed corner outfielder, he fills the same profile as both Alex Kirilloff and Max Kepler. Among this foursome, Larnach is the guy needing consistent at-bats most. He makes the club only if there’s an avenue for that to happen. Minnesota won’t include him to sit.
Next in line would be Gordon, and for good reason. He filled a utility role admirably last year, even if the bat doesn’t really play. Gordon can take over in all three outfield spots, though his speed masks his arm strength. It’s a nice addition to a bench that hasn’t had wheels in some time, but that really comes down to how aggressive the Twins want to be on the base paths.
For Rooker and Celestino, the situation couldn’t be more opposite. The former saw quick success but has basically become a swing and miss power hitter that struggles defensively. The latter struggled mightily in a premature promotion but has the chops to be an above-average defender in the outfield. Celestino’s impressive return to Triple-A could make him an enticing option for the fourth outfielder, but more seasoning on the farm makes sense too.
The Doubtful (1): Jose Miranda
It’s not as though talent suggests Miranda won’t make the club, as he dominated both Double and Triple-A last season. The problem is that there’s no straightforward avenue to playing time, and he needs to be more than a utilityman if the Twins want to start him on the big club. Miranda can play second, third, and first base. I wouldn’t be shocked if he’s the first man up, but barring a trade, it seems unlikely he’d unseat a guy more able to ride the pine.
The Dark Horses (2): Tim Beckham, Daniel Robertson
Two non-roster invitees have continued to generate at-bats this spring, and both have substantial big league track records. Beckham is a former first overall pick, while Robertson has done a good job filling in anywhere on the diamond in short stints. There’s probably more to like about Robertson’s game than Beckham’s, and despite the notoriety of the former Rays top pick, I wrote about the other guy being a dark horse to watch this winter. Either of these two would need a 40 man addition should they be chosen, which is, of course, another scenario working against them.
Assuming Luis Arraez is among them, who are your three favorites to fill out the Minnesota Twins bench on Opening Day?
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