Meet the 2020 Minnesota Twins opening day roster

Opening Day is here. It’s finally here! Before Minnesota takes on the Chicago White Sox to launch its 2020 campaign, get to know the players on the Twins’ active 30-man roster.

UT Ehire Adrianza

2019 stats: 83 G, .272/.349/.416, 102 OPS+, bWAR 0.8, 236 PA, 34 R, 5 HR, 22 RBI, 0 SB, 40 K

Outlook: Adrianza started at least seven games at every infield position last season and filled in wonderfully. He’ll have the same utility role off the bench in 2020.

 

2B Luis Arraez

2019 stats: 92 G, .334/.399/.439, 123 OPS+, 1.8 bWAR, 366 PA, 54 R, 4 HR, 28 RBI, 2 SB, 29 K

Outlook: Arraez was never a household name as a prospect while quickly rising up the Twins minor-league ranks, but he looked the part in 2019 after making his MLB debut May 18. Now the full-time starter at second base, Arraez’s bat skills could carry him into the American League batting title race this summer.

 

UT Willians Astudillo*

2019 stats: 58 G, .268/.299/.379, 79 OPS+, 0.1 bWAR, 204 PA, 28 R, 4 HR, 21 RBI, 0 SB, 8 K

Outlook: In 301 career plate appearances, Astudillo has struck out or walked just 18 times. That’s good for 6% of his at-bats. While La Tortuga’s ability to avoid strikeouts is helpful, his lack of skills for drawing walks heavily affected his less-than-ideal .299 OBP. Although he’ll start the season on the injured list (COVID-19), Astudillo still offers Minnesota with versatility as a third catcher or anywhere else on the field.

 

C Alex Avila

2019 stats (with ARI): 63 G, .207/.353/.421, 100 OPS+, 1.4 bWAR, 201 PA, 22 R, 9 HR, 24 RBI, 1 SB, 68 K

Outlook: Avila is probably the anti-Astudillo. The 32-year-old backstop doesn’t hit much, but he posted a .353 OBP last season thanks to 36 walks in 164 at-bats. Getting on base is never a bad thing with sluggers like Nelson Cruz and Josh Donaldson in the lineup.

 

RHP Homer Bailey

2019 stats (with OAK/KCR): 31 GS, 13-9, 4.57 ERA, 1.316 WHIP, 1.2 HR/9, 2.9 BB/9, 8.2 K/9

Outlook: After failing to post an ERA better than 6.09 from 2016-18, Bailey took a step forward last year with Oakland and Kansas City. The 34-year-old will begin the 2020 season as a back-end starter in the Twins’ rotation.

 

RHP Jose Berrios

2019 stats: 32 GS, 14-8, 3.68 ERA, 1.223 WHIP, 1.2 HR/9, 2.3 BB/9, 8.8 K/9

Outlook: With such a talented lineup, Minnesota is relying on Berrios to carry the load on the mound. The two-time All-Star has pitched 192+ innings for the last two seasons, proving his durability and ace-level talent can be trusted.

 

OF Byron Buxton

2019 stats: 87 G, .262/.314/.513, 114 OPS+, 3.1 bWAR, 295 PA, 48 R, 10 HR, 46 RBI, 14 SB, 68 K

Outlook: The same old story lines follow Buxton into his sixth MLB season. 1) He’s an elite defender. 2) Anything he produces on offense (and on the base paths) is an added bonus. 3) None of that matters if he can’t stay healthy. Let’s hope he does in 2020.

 

OF Jake Cave

2019 stats: 72 G, .258/.351/.455, 112 OPS+, 0.8 bWAR, 228 PA, 28 R, 8 HR, 25 RBI, 0 SB, 71 K

Outlook: Cave returns as the Twins’ fourth outfielder and someone who can fill in with solid defense and some pop in his bat.

 

RHP Tyler Clippard

2019 stats (with CLE): 53 G, 1-0, 2.90 ERA, 0.855 WHIP, 1.2 HR/9, 2.2 BB/9, 9.3 K/9

Outlook: Considering how solid of a reliever he was for the Indians in 2019, Clippard signed a cheap one-year deal worth $2.75 million in free agency. He’ll ease into his role as one of the best five relievers on the Twins’ staff alongside Tyler Duffey, Trevor May, Taylor Rogers and Sergio Romo.

 

DH Nelson Cruz

2019 stats: 120 G, .311/.392/.639, 166 OPS+, 4.4 bWAR, 521 PA, 81 R, 41 HR, 108 RBI, 131 K

Outlook: No one has hit more homers since 2014 than Cruz, who smacked another 41 last year to lead the record-setting Twins. Cruz, already a winner on the field, was given the Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award in the offseason. Does it get any better than No. 23?

 

3B Josh Donaldson

2019 stats (with ATL): 155 G, .259/.379/.521, 127 OPS+, 6.0 bWAR, 659 PA, 96 R, 37 HR, 94 RBI, 155 K

Outlook: After Minnesota’s front office swung and missed on acquiring top-level pitching talent in free agency, optimism was waning across Twins Territory. But then Donaldson agreed to a franchise-record four-year deal worth $92 million and everything changed. Adding Donaldson’s bat — which has produced 33+ homers in four of the past five seasons — to a lineup like the #BombaSquad should be illegal.

 

RHP Randy Dobnak

2019 stats: 9 G (5 GS), 2-1, 1.59 ERA, 1.129 WHIP, 0.3 HR/9, 1.6 BB/9, 7.3 K/9

Outlook: You know the story by now. Once an Uber driver playing independent ball, Dobnak began the 2019 season with High-A Fort Myers and ended up starting Game 2 of the ALDS at Yankee Stadium. He’ll return for Year II with the big-league club.

 

RHP Tyler Duffey

2019 stats: 58 G, 5-1, 2.50 ERA, 1.006 WHIP, 1.2 HR/9, 2.2 BB/9, 12.8 K/9

Outlook: Duffey was perhaps the biggest breakout story of the Twins in 2019. He finally put it all together. Duffey’s K/9 nearly doubled from 6.8 in 2018 to 12.8 last year as he gave the Twins another reliable yet dominant option out of the bullpen besides Rogers.

 

C Mitch Garver

2019 stats: 93 G, .273/.365/.630, 156 OPS+, 4.1 bWAR, 359 PA, 70 R, 31 HR, 67 RBI, 87 K

Outlook: We might need to take our comment back about Duffey being the breakout star. Garver holds a strong case. The backstop mashed 31 homers last year in just 311 at-bats, sending a ball out of the yard on 29% of fly balls off his bat. That’s absurd.

 

UT Marwin Gonzalez

2019 stats: 114 G, .264/.322/.414, 94 OPS+, 1.8 bWAR, 463 PA, 52 R, 15 HR, 55 RBI, 98 K

Outlook: Gonzalez struggled a bit at the plate in 2019 but offered manager Rocco Baldelli with a strong arm and glove from just about anywhere on the field. Gonzalez started 36 games at right field, 35 at third base, 19 at first base, 13 at left field, two at designated hitter, two at second base and one at shortstop.

 

LHP Rich Hill

2019 stats (with LAD): 13 GS, 4-1, 2.45 ERA, 1.125 WHIP, 1.5 HR/9, 2.8 BB/9, 11.0 K/9

Outlook: Hill can still chuck it at age 40. Originally expected to miss half the season after undergoing shoulder surgery in the offseason, Hill will be ready to go for opening day round two.

 

OF Max Kepler

2019 stats: 134 G, .252/.336/.519, 122 OPS+, 4.1 bWAR, 596 PA, 98 R, 36 HR, 90 RBI, 99 K

Outlook: Kepler made a big jump last season. He finally figured out how to hit left-handers, batting .298/.356/.524 against southpaws. If Kepler continues to trend upwards, he could be in the running for Twins — and maybe league? —  MVP.

 

RHP Zack Littell

2019 stats: 29 G, 2.68 ERA, 1.162 WHIP, 1.0 HR/9, 2.2 BB/9, 7.8 K/9

Outlook: Littell was a nice surprise for Minnesota last season. After getting shelled for eight runs in 4 1/3 innings against Tampa Bay on May 30, Littell buckled down and allowed just three runs over his final 27 appearances of 2019. Which pitcher is he?

 

RHP Kenta Maeda

2019 stats (with LAD): 37 G (26 GS), 10-8, 4.04 ERA, 1.074 WHIP, 1.3 HR/9, 3.0 BB/9, 9.9 K/9

Outlook: Minnesota sent Brusdar Graterol, one of its most exciting prospects in recent years with his 100+ mph fastball, to Los Angeles for the veteran Maeda. Maeda is under contract for the next three years and will serve as a starter in the middle of the rotation.

 

RHP Trevor May

2019 stats: 65 G, 2.94 ERA, 1.073 WHIP, 1.1 HR/9, 3.6 BB/9, 11.1 K/9

Outlook: May made The Leap in 2018 and doubled down last season, establishing himself as a strikeout phenom who occasionally walks a few too many hitters. Duffey into May into Rogers? Good night!

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RHP Jake Odorizzi*

2019 stats: 30 GS, 15-7, 3.51 ERA, 1.208 WHIP, 0.9 HR/9, 3.0 BB/9, 10.1 K/9

Outlook: Despite his solid 2019 campaign, long-term deals didn’t exactly pour in for Odorizzi in free agency. Instead, he’ll begin his third season with the Twins on a one-year deal. Odorizzi will miss his first start of the season due to a back injury, but he should be ready to go sooner than later.

 

SS Jorge Polanco

2019 stats: 153 G, .295/.356/.485, 4.8 bWAR, 704 PA, 107 R, 22 HR, 79 RBI, 116 K

Outlook: Polanco was the Twins’ best player over the first half of the 2019 season and was named an All-Star for the first time in his career. Although he cooled off a bit to finish the season, the 26-year-old shortstop still got on base enough to lead the team in runs scored (107).

 

LHP Taylor Rogers

2019 stats: 60 G, 2-4, 2.61 ERA, 30 SV, 1.000 WHIP, 1.0 HR/9, 1.4 BB/9, 11.7 K/9

Outlook: We’ve watched Rogers decrease his ERA and increase his K/9 ever since he debuted in 2016. In the 60-game sprint that is the 2020 season, high-leverage situations will be even more important. The Twins can confidently turn to Rogers.

 

RHP Sergio Romo

2019 stats (with MIA/MIN): 65 G, 2-1, 3.43 ERA, 20 SV, 1.110 WHIP, 1.0 HR/9, 2.5 BB/9, 9.0 K/9

Outlook: Acquired at the trade deadline, Romo quickly became a fan favorite because of his personality off the field — and strong pitching on it.

 

OF Eddie Rosario

2019 stats: 137 G, .276/.300/.500, 1.7 bWAR, 590 PA, 91 R, 32 HR, 109 RBI, 86 K

Outlook: Rosario’s slash line and fielding didn’t look as pretty in 2019, but his team-high 109 RBI certainly did. It’ll be interesting to see if the Twins opt to sign Rosario to a long-term deal before he becomes a free agent in 2022.

 

LHP Devin Smeltzer

2019 stats: 11 G (6 GS), 3.86 ERA, 1.265 WHIP, 1.5 HR/9, 2.2 BB/9, 7.0 K/9

Outlook: Smeltzer, who the Twins acquired in the Brian Dozier trade in 2018, held Milwaukee scoreless through six innings during his MLB debut May 28. He was pretty solid the rest of the way.

 

1B Miguel Sano

2019 stats: 105 G, .247/.346/.576, 3.0 bWAR, 439 PA, 76 R, 34 HR, 79 RBI, 159 K

Outlook: Sano set career bests in homers (34), RBI (79) and slugging percentage (.576) last year. With the arrival of Donaldson in the hot corner, Sano will slide over to first base, where he’s started 26 contests.

 

RHP Cody Stashak

2019 stats: 18 G, 3.24 ERA, 1.200 WHIP, 1.1 HR/9, 0.4 BB/9, 9.0 K/9

Outlook: Stashak debuted July 23 by holding the heart of the  New York Yankees’ order scoreless over two innings. The 25-year-old impressed Baldelli enough in his 25 regular-season frames to be trusted with 1 2/3 innings in the ALDS.

 

LHP Lewis Thorpe

2019 stats: 12 G (2 GS), 6.18 ERA, 1.735 WHIP, 1.0 HR/9, 3.3 BB/9, 10.1 K/9

Outlook: If Thorpe is going to be a mainstay in the Twins’ rotation over the next five years, he’s got some work to do. Luckily for Thorpe, he cracked Minnesota’s active 30-man roster and can prove it himself.

 

OF LaMonte Wade Jr.

2019 stats: 26 G, .196/.348/.375, 0.1 bWAR, 69 PA, 10 R, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 9 K

Outlook: The 26-year-old collected just 11 hits in 56 at-bats last season, but he also logged more walks (11) than strikeouts (9). That’s promising.

 

RHP Matt Wisler

2019 stats (with SDP and SEA): 44 G (8 GS), 5.61 ERA, 1.403 WHIP, 1.8 HR/9, 2.8 BB/9, 11.0 K/9

Outlook: Wisler has been rather inconsistent over his five-year MLB career, but pitching coach Wes Anderson must think enough of him to give the 26-year-old a chance. Don’t expect Wisler to be trusted in big situations, though.

 

OF Aaron Whitefield

2019 stats (High-A and Double-A): 112 G, .197/.251/.286, 370 AB, 36 R, 4 HR, 30 RBI, 126 K

Outlook: Whitefield is the most surprising addition to the 30-man roster, undoubtedly because of Astudillo opening the season on the injured list.