TWINS SEASON PREVIEW
TWINS SEASON PREVIEW

Meet the 2023 Minnesota Twins: A veteran roster of familiar faces and fresh talent

Portraits by Jerry Holt Star Tribune

March 30, 2023
Two things that were needed after the struggles of last year: More experience and increased versatility. Combine that with the healthy return of several players and the result is a very different roster.
Two things that were needed after the struggles of last year: More experience and increased versatility. Combine that with the healthy return of several players and the result is a very different roster.

    STARTING LINEUP


  • Joey Gallo

    First base

    Age: 29

    Base salary: $11 million

    Gold Glove outfielder hoping for comeback after a nightmare 2022 season (.160 average, 163 K's in 126 games) with Yankees and Dodgers.

  • Nick Gordon

    Second base

    Age: 27

    Base salary: $740,000

    Fifth-overall pick in 2014 finally broke through as a major leaguer, playing seven positions (including pitcher) and had surprising power.

  • Carlos Correa

    Shortstop

    Age: 28

    Base salary: $32 million

    Returned to the Twins after free-agent agreements with Giants and Mets fell through. Swept the team’s major awards last season when he was clearly the MVP (.833 OPS).

  • Jose Miranda

    Third base

    Age: 24

    Base salary: $740,000

    Lived up to billing after a great minor league career, leading the Twins in RBI and establishing himself as middle-of-the-order fixture.

  • Trevor Larnach

    Left field

    Age: 26

    Base salary: $740,000

    Missed the final three months of the season. When healthy, the 20th selection in the 2018 draft gives the team a powerful lefthanded bat. Promising spring.

  • Michael A. Taylor

    Center field

    Age: 32

    Base salary: $4.5 million

    A starter for KC the past two seasons, he’s a Gold Glove winner signed to play when Gold Glove winner Byron Buxton DHs.

  • Max Kepler

    Right field

    Age: 30

    Base salary: $8.5 million

    Only 28 extra-base hits last season, fewest of his career, make that magical 2019 output (36 HR, 90 RBI) seem long ago. No-shift rules might benefit him.

  • Christian Vazquez

    Catcher

    Age: 32

    Base salary: $10 million

    Caught the last out of the World Series for the champion Astros; strong defensive credentials and a decent bat for a free swinger (.261 career average).

  • Byron Buxton

    Designated hitter

    Age: 29

    Base salary: $15 million

    Statistics say the Twins are a much better team when Buxton plays, but hip and knee injuries limited him to 92 games in 2022, when he was an All-Star for the first time.

  • RESERVES


  • Willi Castro

    Infield

    Age: 25

    Base salary: $740,000

    After four years with the Tigers (.245 average) he was non-tendered and signed by the Twins. He replaces injured Jorge Polanco on the roster.

  • Kyle Farmer

    Infield

    Age: 32

    Base salary: $5.585 million

    Acquired from Cincinnati in the offseason, the converted catcher was the starter at shortstop the past two seasons for the Reds.

  • Ryan Jeffers

    Catcher

    Age: 25

    Base salary: $740,000

    A thumb injury hampered him as now-departed Gary Sanchez caught more games. Jeffers will try to improve on a .208 average.

  • Donovan Solano

    Infield

    Age: 35

    Base salary: $2 million

    Picked up during spring training as a proven hitter. “Donnie Barrels” won a Silver Slugger at second base for the Giants in 2020.

  • STARTING ROTATION


  • Pablo Lopez

    Righthander

    Age: 27

    Base salary: $5.45 million

    The Twins traded AL batting champion Luis Arraez for Lopez, who started 32 games for Miami (10-10, 3.75 ERA, 8.7 K/9).

  • Sonny Gray

    Righthander

    Age: 33

    Base salary: $12.7 million

    Limited to 24 starts and 119 ⅔ because of a hamstring injury, but a 2.38 ERA after the All-Star break showed he’s back on track.

  • Joe Ryan

    Righthander

    Age: 26

    Base salary: $740,000

    As a rookie, he was the team’s most effective starter, posting team highs in victories (13), innings (147) and strikeouts (151).

  • Kenta Maeda

    Righthander

    Age: 34

    Base salary: $3 million

    Veteran is recovering from Tommy John surgery, but hopes to recapture magic 2020 (Cy Young runner-up after league-best 0.750 WHIP).

  • Tyler Mahle

    Righthander

    Age: 28

    Base salary: $7.5 million

    After coming from the Reds in a midseason trade, he was able to pitch only four times because of arm weakness.

  • RELIEVERS


  • Jorge Alcala

    Righthander

    Age: 27

    Base salary: $790,000

    A sore right elbow eventually needed surgery, limiting Alcala to two games on opening weekend after a promising 2021 (59 games, 0.972 WHIP).

  • Jhoan Duran

    Righthander

    Age: 25

    Base salary: $740,000

    He’s expected to be the closer after only eight save chances in ’22. Hardest thrower in the majors struck out 89 in 67 ⅔ innings with a 1.86 ERA.

  • Griffin Jax

    Righthander

    Age: 28

    Base salary: $740,000

    The Air Force captain proved himself as a big leaguer, leading the relievers in innings pitched (72 ⅓), and had a 1.051 WHIP.

  • Jorge Lopez

    Righthander

    Age: 30

    Base salary: $3.525 million

    A trade-deadline pickup, he was an All-Star closer for Baltimore who struggled with the Twins (1.632 WHIP in 23 games).

  • Jovani Moran

    Lefthander

    Age: 25

    Base salary: $740,000

    A 2.21 ERA in 31 appearances — some longer than an inning — was impressive considering he was up and down from St. Paul quite a bit.

  • Emilio Pagan

    Righthander

    Age: 31

    Base salary: $3.5 million

    Given first crack at being the closer, he lost leads in key games to AL Central champ Cleveland and gave up 36 runs in 63 innings.

  • Cole Sands

    Righthander

    Age: 25

    Base salary: $740,000

    A starter at St. Paul last season, he begins as the long reliever for the Twins. Roughed up in 11 games last season (5.87 ERA, 1.565 WHIP).

  • Caleb Thielbar

    Lefthander

    Age: 36

    Base salary: $2.4 million

    Had 80 strikeouts in 59 ⅓ innings in his continuing comeback story.

  • INJURED LIST


  • Jorge Polanco

    Second base

    Age: 29

    Base salary: $7.5 million

    Following a dynamite 2021 (33 HR, 98 RBI) the former All-Star’s knee tendinitis hampered production and eventually ended his season.

  • Alex Kirilloff

    Outfielder

    Age: 25

    Base salary: $740,000

    Full of promise, but wrist problems and surgeries have derailed his early career. When healthy, he’ll be a starter at first or in the outfield.

  • Twins players in lead portraits, from left to right: Top row: Jorge Lopez, Byron Buxton; Middle row: Carlos Correa, Kenta Maeda, Max Kepler; Bottom row: Nick Gordon, Jhoan Duran, Jose Miranda.

    Roster headshot photos courtesy of Major League Baseball.