MINNEAPOLIS -- As the equipment truck heads south for Florida, and players and staff begin arriving in camp, here’s a look at five storylines to watch when Twins Spring Training gets under way next week.
The rotation
The most crowded competition in camp is also the most compelling. Joe Ryan is slated to pitch in the World Baseball Classic and Pablo López has said that he intends to. They’ll hold down the top two slots. Barring something very surprising, Bailey Ober will also claim a starting spot.
That leaves two slots for at least five pitchers: Simeon Woods Richardson, Taj Bradley, Zebby Matthews, David Festa and Mick Abel. Prospects Connor Prielipp, Kendry Rojas, Andrew Morris and Marco Raya will come to camp intending to at least make an impression as starters, even if the numbers are against them. Pretty much every day, the starting pitcher will be noteworthy, and on plenty of those days, there will be one other pitcher going multiple innings who’s in the competition.
Which brings us to …
The bullpen
The left side of the relief corps looks set with Taylor Rogers and Kody Funderburk. The right side, however …
Justin Topa and Cole Sands return, and the Twins traded for Eric Orze. Travis Adams would likely have a spot if the season started today. Beyond that, it’s wide, wide open. It seems very likely that at least one of the above mentioned starters will end up pitching in relief. The Twins have also repeatedly said they are looking to add at least one experienced righty, though at this point the free agent options are pretty much gone so it would have to be a trade.
Both roster spots and roles will be up for grabs in Derek Shelton’s first year as Twins manager and LaTroy Hawkins’ first year as bullpen coach.
Will they make a move?
The Twins have a history of late moves -- late in the winter, into Spring Training, even all the way up to Opening Day. It’s not hard to imagine that another one is coming.
Minnesota has too many corner outfielders (see below) and not enough experienced right-handed relievers (see above). Ideally, the front office would find some way to use the first problem to help solve the second. There could be other moves as well, but the outfield surplus and bullpen need are the two most obvious areas for a transaction.
The corners/DH
As with the rotation, there are just more candidates here than there are spots. The difference is that you can’t really move anybody to the bullpen. Matt Wallner figures to play against every right-hander, primarily in right field. Assuming Trevor Larnach isn’t traded, he’s likely to get plenty of time against righties at DH.
That still leaves Austin Martin (who could see some time at second base), Alan Roden and James Outman in the outfield mix, and Ryan Jeffers and Victor Caratini as DH options. Eric Wagaman could see some time at first base as well as in an outfield corner and at DH. There will be no shortage of plate appearances early in camp, and it will be a major priority to sort out how best to deploy all of these options.
Jenkins, Rodriguez and Culpepper
Prospect-watching is always one of the most enjoyable parts of Spring Training, and the Twins will have some good ones in camp this year. Most notably, they’ll have three players who the team hopes will make up a big chunk of their offensive core within the next few years: Walker Jenkins (No. 14 on the MLB Pipeline Top 100), Kaelen Culpepper (No. 52) and Emmanuel Rodriguez (No. 74).
Jenkins is a center fielder with an all-around set of skills: patience and power, speed and defense. He turns 21 next month, and the only thing that’s held him back at all is health. Culpepper is a dynamic player with solid power, excellent bat to ball skills and a powerful arm. He’s currently a shortstop, and could stay there, but his future might be at third base. And Rodriguez, who like Jenkins has had trouble staying on the field at times, has the ability to play center paired with a great approach and big-time power.