Projecting the Minnesota Twins 2017 Opening Day Roster — Take 2

We’re a little over a month into spring training with a little less than a month left. As a result, we have a bit more clarity, but perhaps still not a ton as to what the Opening Day roster will look like for the Minnesota Twins.

LISTEN: Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press joined Midwest Swing this week to break down spring training, injuries and more!

So here’s a peek at our second take, with at least one more version coming before the Twins open the season at Target Field against the Royals on April 3:

Changes/Breakdown: After chatting with Mike Berardino on Midwest Swing on Tuesday, I came away agreeing with him that the Twins might give Park another spin at the DH spot. Especially so with the fourth option year for Vargas, who could work with Chad Allen at Triple-A again while waiting for a spot to open up. Everything else is the same from the first go-round.

Changes/Breakdown: The Twins hadn’t acquired Adrianza yet when the first iteration of the projection came out, but there has to be a good chance that he’s the final nail in the coffin for Santana, who may well clear waivers and head to Rochester. The current front office certainly isn’t married to him like the former one was, but there’s still at least the shell of a competent utility player in there. It really, really seems like the team desperately wants Gimenez to take the backup job and run with it. This brain trust isn’t married to John Ryan Murphy, either, and he didn’t do enough offensively to earn a second shot -- at least not yet. If Gimenez doesn’t fare well, he’s a dandy fallback option. Grossman is a decent enough fourth outfielder since all three starters can play a capable center.  

Changes/Breakdown: Trevor May’s elbow issues have opened the door for Vogelsong, who might have been the team’s preference all along. As noted on Midwest Swing by Berardino, Vogelsong brings the flexibility to start whenever the team needs him as the No. 5 guy, while his age and professionalism mean he can handle an unpredictable role like that. The top four spots are basically ironclad -- for better or worse. There will be some guys champing at the bit here, including most notably Adalberto Mejia and Jose Berrios.

Changes/Breakdown: Haley is super intriguing as the long guy, while Breslow is a mentally-capable veteran -- as I noted on the last episode of Midwest Swing, I think Falvey and Levine were intent on surrounding the kids with those kinds of players -- who is also interesting due to how he’s re-imaged himself with new mechanics. I think they’d prefer the bullpen be a bit more right-handed so I swapped out Duffey in favor of Boshers, though one could just as easily go with J.T. Chargois in that spot and let Duffey keep working through starting stuff at Rochester if need be. He can still be an asset in the rotation if he develops his changeup, but as a reliever -- like he was at Rice -- he could be particularly dastardly. It’s hard to know for sure what the new front office guys will do.

Last players out: Berrios, Chargois, Buddy Boshers, Ryan O’Rourke, Danny Santana (DFA), Michael Tonkin (DFA), Mejia

Out of Options (via MLBTR): Adrianza, Escobar, Grossman, Polanco, Santana, Tonkin

Opening the season on the DL: Glen Perkins (possible 60-day), Trevor May (60-day)

Breakdown: The bottom line of this team probably hasn’t changed too much -- the May injury certainly isn’t a positive development -- but this still feels like a ~78- or 80-win team to me.

Projected/Possible Opening Day Lineup (v. Danny Duffy and the Kansas City Royals)

SP - Santana

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