FORT MYERS, Fla. -- We’re a month into camp and less than two weeks from Opening Day, and plenty of mysteries still linger regarding the roster the Twins will take to Baltimore for the March 26 lid-lifter.
Pablo López’s season-ending right elbow injury opened a rotation spot, and multiple bullpen adds since the start of camp have made that mix look different than it did in February. On the position-player side, some trends have emerged but plenty of uncertainty remains. Here’s a second attempt at prognosticating the Opening Day roster.
Catcher (2): Ryan Jeffers, Victor Caratini
Jeffers will probably start 100 games or so, and both he and Caratini will see time at DH. The unknown here is the status of Alex Jackson, who is out of options but probably squeezed off the roster by the Caratini signing.
First baseman (1): Josh Bell
Caratini will also play here, and Eric Wagaman will contend for a bench role. But Bell was signed to be the main man, with the hope that he can upgrade a position that ranked second-to-last in the American League in OPS last season.
Second baseman (1): Luke Keaschall
Keaschall also has seen some time in the outfield, but his primary position for now remains second, especially since the only real alternative at second is Kody Clemens, and the Twins have a glut of corner outfielders. So Keaschall will almost certainly spend the bulk of his sophomore season at the keystone.
Shortstop (1): Brooks Lee
The Twins have asked Lee to work on agility to improve his defense, and he’ll be hoping for an offensive rebound as well. One of the more interesting roster questions is who backs him up, with invitees Tristan Gray and Orlando Arcia and utility man Ryan Kreidler among the candidates.
Third baseman (1): Royce Lewis
He’s simply one of the most pivotal players on the 2026 Twins. If Lewis can regain his early-career form, or even most of it, he’s a difference-making player. He showed improved defensive chops last season, an encouraging sign that his health is in a good place.
Outfielders (4): Byron Buxton, Matt Wallner, Austin Martin, James Outman
The biggest offensive question is still left field, where either Outman or Alan Roden will be the primary left-handed option and the other probably will not be on the roster. We’re still giving Outman the slight edge because of his ability to back up Buxton in center, but Roden, Martin and others have gotten looks in center. One other development to note: Trevor Larnach has been playing a decent amount of outfield, rather than just DH as he mostly did down the stretch last year.
DH (1): Trevor Larnach
Larnach creates a bit of a logjam. He probably won’t see much time in the outfield, and Minnesota has other lefty DH options. It wouldn’t be shocking to see him moved for relief help or just to clear up the roster. That would open a spot for someone like Wagaman, who would provide right-handed balance and more versatility.
Bench/Utility (2): Kody Clemens, Ryan Kreidler
There might not be almost 400 plate appearances for Clemens again, but he was a pleasant surprise, and there will be a role for a player with pop who can credibly play at least four positions. The versatile Kreidler gets the nod for now as the leading candidate to be the backup shortstop. Gray and Arcia are also in the mix here, as well as Wagaman.
Starting pitchers (5): Joe Ryan, Bailey Ober, Taj Bradley, Simeon Woods Richardson, Zebby Matthews
The top two spots are pretty set, and Bradley and Woods Richardson are the leading candidates for the next two, but this is one of the more intriguing mixes in camp. Mick Abel has made an early push and should be taken seriously as a candidate. But the projection here is that as the least experienced competitor, Abel draws the short straw and begins the season in Triple-A.
Relief pitchers (8): Justin Topa, Cole Sands, Eric Orze, Liam Hendriks, Zak Kent, Taylor Rogers, Anthony Banda, Andrew Chafin
This is by far the least settled group. Only Topa, Sands, Rogers and Banda are secure, with Chafin and Orze close to it. Travis Adams’ right elbow injury seems minor but is enough to knock him out of the projection for now, while Hendriks is expecting to be ready for Opening Day. The nod for the last righty spot goes to recent addition Kent, who is looking sharp and missing bats. There are four left-handed candidates, and it will be tough to leave Kody Funderburk off, but none of them are especially good against righties, so the Twins probably can't carry all four.