Look, being a Twins fan is basically a full-time job in emotional management. One minute we're talking about the "best bullpen in baseball" according to every spreadsheet in existence, and the next, we're watching the front office tighten the belt so hard it's a miracle the players can breathe. But here we are, staring at the Twins depth chart 2025, and it's actually... kind of fascinating?
Honestly, the national media keeps acting like this team is in a fire sale. It’s not. While the Pohlad family has been doing their usual "limited partner" dance and keeping the budget under that $115 million ceiling for 2026, the 2025 roster was actually a weirdly resilient bridge. If you’ve been looking at the depth chart and seeing a vacuum, you're missing the youth movement that just started to boil over.
The Rotation: Pablo, Joe, and the "Zebby" Factor
The top of the rotation is the only thing that keeps most of us sane. You've got Pablo López and Joe Ryan at the 1-2. That’s solid. It’s dependable. Pablo had that forearm scare late in '25, but the docs say it’s fine for the 2026 jump.
But the real story of the Twins depth chart 2025 was the emergence of the "Big Three" prospects who actually turned into "The Reliable Three."
- Bailey Ober: He’s basically a human skyscraper who just eats innings. He settled his arbitration at $5.2 million and stayed the course.
- Zebby Matthews: This kid is a control freak in the best way. He walked almost nobody, and by mid-season, he wasn't just a "prospect"; he was the No. 4 starter.
- Simeon Woods Richardson: He finally found his rhythm. He’s the guy who rounds out the five, keeping Chris Paddack’s injury-prone arm in a "wait and see" mode or moving him to the pen.
The depth behind them is where it gets hairy. You’ve got David Festa and Mick Abel lurking in St. Paul. Festa had some shoulder inflammation (botox injections, of all things, to calm the nerves), but he’s the primary insurance policy. If any of the top five sneeze too hard, Festa is on a flight to Target Field.
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The Infield Chaos: Who Actually Plays Where?
If you tried to draw the 2025 infield on a napkin, you’d run out of ink. It’s a jigsaw puzzle.
Carlos Correa is the sun that the rest of the planets orbit. He’s at shortstop. Period. But everything else? Total flex. Royce Lewis is the third baseman, provided he isn't on the IL (which, let’s be real, is always the asterisk).
Then you have the Josh Bell signing. That was the big "budget" move—a one-year, $7 million deal to provide some actual veteran thumping at first base. It pushed guys like Kody Clemens and Edouard Julien into utility roles. Julien, specifically, has had a weird ride. He’s got the "eye," but the glove is... well, it’s a work in progress.
The Luke Keaschall Situation
People were hyped for Luke Keaschall. Then, the thumb happened. A torn UCL in his left thumb required surgery in October, but he’s expected to be the starting second baseman by Opening Day 2026. In the 2025 gap, we saw a lot of Brooks Lee sliding around. Lee is basically the Swiss Army knife of this roster. He can play short, second, or third. He’s the guy who makes the depth chart actually work when Royce or Carlos needs a day off.
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The Outfield: Buxton and the Kids
Byron Buxton in center field. It’s a beautiful sight when it happens. In 2025, the Twins finally seemed to accept that he’s a "70% of the games" guy. When he's out, Austin Martin or James Outman (who they picked up to add some lefty depth) took the reps.
The corners are where the power lives:
- Matt Wallner: The pride of Forest Lake. He had an oblique strain late in '25, but he’s the projected everyday right fielder. He hits the ball harder than most people drive on I-94.
- Trevor Larnach: He’s mostly the DH now, but he fills in at left. He’s a "professional hitter," as the scouts say.
- Emmanuel Rodriguez: Keep this name on your radar. He’s the Juan Soto-lite prospect. He’s been mashing in the minors and is basically beating down the door for a 2026 roster spot.
The Bullpen: From "Elite" to "Experiment"
At the start of 2025, FanGraphs called this the best bullpen in baseball. Then the trade deadline happened, and the front office went into "reallocation" mode. They traded away five of their best relievers. It was brutal to watch.
The 2025 depth chart ended with Jhoan Duran and Griffin Jax still holding the fort, but the middle innings were a revolving door of waiver claims. Cole Sands stepped up in a big way, becoming the high-leverage bridge.
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The newest experiment? Piggybacking. The Twins started using guys like Pierson Ohl and Travis Adams to throw 60 pitches every four days. It’s not quite a starter, not quite a reliever. It’s "The Twins Way" of trying to find 27 outs without spending $20 million on a closer.
What’s Next for the Roster?
If you're looking at the Twins depth chart 2025 to predict 2026, you need to watch the "marginal" moves. The front office just cleared space by outrighting guys like Jose Miranda and Michael Tonkin. They have about $15 million left in the couch cushions.
Actionable Insights for Fans:
- Watch the Waiver Wire: The Twins are obsessed with "journeyman" arms like Shawn Armstrong or Taylor Clarke. Expect at least two low-cost veteran signings before Spring Training.
- Don't Buy a 1B Jersey Yet: Josh Bell is a stopgap. The long-term future at first base is likely a rotation of Keaschall and Lee as they move around the diamond.
- The Trade Market: If the payroll needs to move, Bailey Ober or Trevor Larnach are the most likely trade chips. They have value, and the Twins have "replacements" (Abel/Rodriguez) ready to go.
The 2025 season was a lesson in doing more with less. It wasn't always pretty, and the depth chart looked like a triage unit at times, but the core of Correa, Buxton, and the young arms like Zebby Matthews gives this team a higher floor than the "doom and gloom" crowd suggests.