Friday, September 12

As Spring Training games approach, MLB.com will continue taking a look at the Twins’ roster, unit by unit. Today it’s the last group, the outfield.

For a position group that actually had a decent amount of turnover, the basic idea in the Twins’ outfield hasn’t changed much since last year. Byron Buxton is the main man in center, and a number of solid left-handed hitters man the corners.

There’s a bit less depth after Alex Kirilloff retired due to injuries and Max Kepler left in free agency. And there’s a new righty backup in center field, with Harrison Bader taking over for Manuel Margot. But fundamentally, the approach is the same.

• Get Twins tickets for the 2025 season

Austin Martin remains available as a super sub all over the field, potentially even including center, and DaShawn Keirsey Jr. hopes to parlay a couple of strong Triple-A seasons into something more than a cup of coffee this year. But ultimately, it’s Buxton, Trevor Larnach and Matt Wallner in the corners, and Bader spelling all three.

On the 40-man roster: Bader, Buxton, Keirsey, Larnach, Martin, Emmanuel Rodriguez, Wallner

New arrivals: Bader

Departures: Kirilloff, Kepler, Margot, Michael Helman

Top 30 prospects: Walker Jenkins (No. 1, MLB No. 3), Rodriguez (No. 2, MLB No. 37), Gabriel Gonzalez (No. 7), Yasser Mercedes (No. 15), Kala'i Rosario (No. 20), Eduardo Beltre (No. 25)

The big question:

He is understandably tired of hearing this, but the primary question is Buxton’s health. The good news is that as of the beginning of camp, Buxton feels great. He had his first normal, rehab-free offseason in years, which he hopes is a springboard to a big season.

A healthy Buxton is one of the best players in the game, and so it’s a matter of keeping him available. Sometimes that will mean giving him rest days. Sometimes it will mean moving him to designated hitter. On those days, Bader will take over in center.

One small wrinkle is that Bader, who hasn’t played a corner since 2018, will spend some time in left against left-handed pitching. That’s not exactly the lefty-masher platoon player some fans might have hoped for, but it provides quality defense in a spacious left field and a speed dynamic the Twins don’t always have beyond Buxton.

• Good health begins at home for Buxton

The Twins announced Tuesday that 17 of their Grapefruit League games, plus Spring Breakout, will be viewable on MLB.TV. Five of those 18 will be productions of Twins.TV, while for the other 12, the opposing team’s broadcast will be made available. MLB Network will pick up three of those 18 games, as well as the March 15 Spring Breakout game between Twins and Blue Jays prospects. The first Twins.TV game is set for the March 16 home game against the Red Sox. Further details are available here.

For one more week, I’m not in camp; I’ll be arriving on Wednesday. In the interim, on-site reporting duties are being admirably handled by Bill Ladson. Here’s Bill’s latest newsletter dispatch from Fort Myers:

• Rodriguez sprained his left ankle on Feb. 10, so he’s about a week or two behind in camp. “Imaging was negative,” according to a team representative. Rodriguez hurt the ankle while fielding in the outfield. 

While playing at four levels in the Twins’ organization last year, Rodriguez slashed .280/.459/.567 in 47 games. 

• Infielder Royce Lewis said recently that he feels he was one of the reasons the team missed the postseason last year. He slumped badly during the month of September, going 17-for-94 (.181) with one home run and seven RBIs. Minnesota was 9-18 during the final month of the season.        

“I think what really happened was the injuries were catching up to me and telling me I need to rest.” Lewis said. “I was just doing what the game was asking me to do and trying to be out there every day and give myself and our team the best chance to win.”

• Reliever Brock Stewart is one of the few players who entered camp with an injury concern (right shoulder surgery on Aug. 13), but he’s tracking well. He is throwing bullpen sessions regularly, though he has not yet faced hitters, meaning he’s a bit behind other pitchers in camp. He still believes he will be ready for Opening Day.

Manager Rocco Baldelli believes Stewart can be an integral part of the bullpen.                                          

“We’re [talking about] a guy who is capable of being as dominant as any Major League reliever. He’s nasty,” Baldelli said. “He gets right-handers out. … He gets left-handed [hitters out] and we’re talking about the best left-handed hitters in baseball. That’s the kind of pitcher Brock is. 

“He’s just trying to get himself in an ideal spot where he can go out there and show everyone, especially the opposing hitters, what he can do. That’s what we are going to use Spring Training for. He’s in a good spot.” 

Frank Turner, “I Still Believe”

Alex Lahey, “I Haven’t Been Taking Care of Myself”

Jennifer Trynin, “Better Than Nothing”

Lee Bains III and the Glory Fires, “Dirt Track”

Cable Ties, “Hope”

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