Twins spring training guide: 31 thoughts on all 31 pitchers in major-league camp

New York Times

11-02-2025

Spring training is here and this year the Minnesota Twins have invited 56 players to big-league camp in Fort Myers, including 31 pitchers.
Some are familiar names locked into Opening Day roster spots, but many will spend six weeks fighting for their major-league futures, and others are around mostly to provide depth early in camp.
Advertisement
No matter the category, we figured they all deserve some love, so here are notes on each of the 31 pitchers who will be in major-league camp with the Twins. We'll give the 25 hitters in camp the same treatment in their own article.
And if the Twins add more players between now and March 25, we'll add more, too. Consider this your 'Who is that guy?' guide to spring training.
(Notes: Ages are as of June 30, 2025. Asterisks indicate non-roster invitees.)
RHP Travis Adams (25): Added to the 40-man roster after reaching Triple A late last season, Adams profiles as a potential back-end starter or middle reliever with a 93 to 95 mph fastball and a good slider. Lack of swing-and-miss weapons caps his upside, so Adams will be in St. Paul waiting for a chance.
RHP Jorge Alcala (29): It was a tale of two seasons for Alcala, who climbed the Twins' relief hierarchy with a 1.56 ERA in the first half and then allowed eight homers in 23 2/3 second-half innings to fall out of favor. His fastball/slider combo is high-end stuff, but consistency and durability remain issues.
*RHP Scott Blewett (29): He was re-signed to a minor-league deal after returning to the majors for the first time since 2021 and pitching pretty well in a dozen second-half outings for the Twins. Triple-A depth, MLB-caliber reliever.
RHP Matt Canterino (27): Returned from Tommy John surgery last spring with his electric raw stuff intact, only to be shut down with a season-ending shoulder injury. It's probably time to see if Canterino can stay healthier as a reliever. His last regular-season game action was in mid-2022.
RHP Eiberson Castellano (24): Picked from the Phillies in the Rule 5 draft, Castellano needs to remain on the MLB roster all season or be offered back. There's mid-rotation upside, but he's never thrown a Triple-A pitch and will be competing for a low-leverage, multi-inning bullpen job this spring.
Eiberson Castellano (@Phillies) retires 7⃣ straight batters via the K en route to a career-high 13 punchouts for the @BlueClaws 🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/4Kb3YGpjcz
— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) June 1, 2024
LHP Danny Coulombe (35): Back for a second Twins stint, Coulombe is set to replace Caleb Thielbar as the bullpen's No. 1 lefty following a strong two-year run in Baltimore. Injuries and low-end velocity are why he cost just $3 million despite posting a 2.75 ERA and 3.10 xERA in 128 innings since 2021.
Advertisement
*RHP Randy Dobnak (30): He briefly returned to the majors last year for the first time since 2021, but is still mostly Triple-A depth entering the last guaranteed year of a contract extension signed before a career-altering finger injury.
RHP Jhoan Duran (27): Last season would have been a great one for many relievers, but for Duran it was filled with unanswered questions about a 1 to 2 mph drop in fastball velocity and a similar dip in strikeouts. Can he find the missing velo? Duran was still very good throwing 99-102 instead of 101-104, but can he be great again? And can the Twins' bullpen be great if he isn't?
RHP David Festa (25): After a shaky first two starts, Festa had a 3.81 ERA and 69 strikeouts in his final 54 1/3 innings, showing why he began 2024 as the Twins' top pitching prospect. The fastball averaged 94.7 mph, but his slider and changeup were the standouts, giving Festa front-line upside. Improved control and getting through lineups three times are the big tests for 2025.
LHP Kody Funderburk (28): Injured and ineffective last year in what may have been his best chance to plant his flag in the majors. Funderburk still being on the 40-man roster shows the Twins think he hasn't lost the ability to be a useful bullpen lefty, but a Triple-A reset may be needed first.
LHP Brent Headrick (27): He made just a lone September appearance for the Twins after being injured for most of last season. Former starter still trying to carve out a relief niche, most likely in a multi-inning role. Changeup and slider have shown promise, but a low-90s fastball limits his upside.
RHP Griffin Jax (30): In his third season since shifting to the bullpen, Jax made the leap from good to elite with a 2.03 ERA and 95-to-15 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 71 innings. His dominant five-pitch mix includes a fastball that averaged 97.1 mph, up from 92.6 as a starter, and a filthy sweeper that got a whiff on 45 percent of swings. Jax is a developmental triumph for the Twins.
Advertisement
*RHP Ryan Jensen (27): Claimed off waivers from the Marlins last winter and re-signed for Triple-A depth, Jensen is a hard-throwing reliever with a good changeup who walked 50 batters in 56 2/3 innings for the Saints.
*RHP Cory Lewis (24): Missed most of the first half following a spring shoulder injury, but ended the season on a high note with a 1.68 ERA in his last 10 outings. Lewis profiles as a possible mid-rotation starter, with some extra intrigue because he mixes a hard knuckleball into an otherwise traditional pitch assortment.
RHP Pablo López (29): Last season was a step backward for López after a breakout 2023, as his strikeout rate dipped slightly and his sweeper got hit harder. But advanced metrics were more favorable than his 4.08 ERA and he looked great for most of the second half, posting a 2.77 ERA with career-best velocity. He's a good bet to get Cy Young Award votes again this year.
RHP Zebby Matthews (25): Easy choice as Twins minor league pitcher of the year after rising from High-A Cedar Rapids to the big leagues in three months. Matthews boosted his low-90s fastball to 94-97 mph without losing his pinpoint control, striking out 114 and walking seven in the minors. His Twins debut was rushed and went poorly, but he's ready to play a big role in 2025.
Zebby Matthews first career MLB strikeout is Bobby Witt Jr.#MNTwins pic.twitter.com/0bODPUdm84
— Twins Player Development (@TwinsPlayerDev) August 13, 2024
*RHP Darren McCaughan (29): With his fourth organization in three years, McCaughan is a soft-tossing starter who has been knocked around in the majors for a 6.43 ERA in 56 innings. Brought in to eat Triple-A innings.
*LHP Anthony Misiewicz (30): Lefty middle reliever with a 4.67 ERA in 115 2/3 innings spread over five MLB seasons for five teams. Misiewicz's cutter and curveball miss bats, but walks and homers are an issue versus righties.
*RHP Andrew Morris (23): Pounding the strike zone and avoiding homers across three levels, Morris would have been the club's minor league pitcher of the year if not for Matthews' breakout. Lacks front-line upside, but profiles as a durable rotation regular, perhaps as soon as this season.
Advertisement
RHP Bailey Ober (29): Rocked by the Royals in his first start, Ober shook it off to throw 177 1/3 innings with a 3.60 ERA and 190 strikeouts in his final 30 outings. Years of gradual improvements to his mechanics, velocity, pitch mix and durability have turned the one-time soft-tosser into a fully formed front-line starter with a career 112 ERA+ that ranks 10th in Twins history.
RHP Chris Paddack (29): Last season's return from a second Tommy John surgery ended with a 4.99 ERA in 88 1/3 innings, as Paddack didn't throw a pitch after the All-Star break due to a forearm strain. There were flashes of upside, but his start-to-start velocity was fickle. After months of trade talk, he's penciled into the rotation unless the Twins shed his $7.5 million salary.
RHP Marco Raya (22): Promoted aggressively yet handled very cautiously, Raya made his Triple-A debut shortly after turning 22 despite throwing just 225 innings since being drafted in 2020. With the training wheels finally off, Raya could reach the majors quickly and has mid-rotation starter potential.
RHP Joe Ryan (29): An August shoulder injury ended what was looking like a breakout season, with a 3.60 ERA and 147 strikeouts versus 23 walks in 135 innings. Ryan has spent years tweaking secondary pitches to complement a fantastic fastball, and last season's splitter and sweeper were the best versions yet. He's fully healthy and planning to pick up where he left off.
RHP Cole Sands (27): Could be following the Jax path. Formerly a middling starter prospect, Sands moved to the bullpen full-time last season, throwing 71 1/3 innings with a 3.28 ERA and 85-to-12 strikeout-to-walk ratio. His average fastball was 95.7 mph, up from 91.6 as a starter, and his low-90s cutter stood out as well. Still largely flying under the radar, but perhaps not for long.
Cole Sands, 3Ks in the 7th. pic.twitter.com/cicLDVWoaZ
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) June 20, 2024
*RHP Alex Speas (27): The triple-digit fastball is intriguing, but extremely bad control has kept Speas from having success versus Triple-A hitters, walking 68 in 58 innings and logging an 8.69 ERA. He's a project for Twins coaches.
RHP Brock Stewart (33): Stewart has been brilliant when healthy, posting a 2.28 ERA with 12.3 strikeouts per nine innings for the Twins, but he's totaled just 43 1/3 innings in two seasons. He's returning from August shoulder surgery and aiming to be ready for Opening Day, but the Twins will be cautious.
Advertisement
RHP Michael Tonkin (35): Back for a fourth stint with the Twins at a cost of $1 million, Tonkin will be asked to soak up low-leverage bullpen innings and occasionally take on setup duties. Despite bouncing around recently, Tonkin has a 3.95 ERA with 160 strikeouts in 159 1/3 innings over the past two seasons.
RHP Justin Topa (34): Expected to be a crucial bullpen piece after coming over from the Seattle Mariners in the Jorge Polanco trade, Topa instead missed all but the final week of the season with a knee injury. The Twins retained him for $1.225 million, betting the sinker-baller can at least contribute in middle relief.
RHP Louie Varland (27): The window to stick as a starter is closing, if it hasn't already, but when used in relief Varland has shown he has the high-octane raw stuff to be a late-inning force. Cracking the Opening Day bullpen is far from guaranteed, but it's time for him to sink or swim in the majors.
RHP Simeon Woods Richardson (24): With his prospect stock at an all-time low last offseason, Woods Richardson overhauled his mechanics with Twins coaches, lowering his arm angle and raising his velocity for a breakthrough rookie season. Now an Opening Day rotation spot should be his to lose, but is there still more upside to unlock at age 24? Good podcast guest, too.
*RHP Huascar Ynoa (27): Ynoa is back on a minor-league deal eight years and one Tommy John surgery after he was traded by the Twins for Jaime García. He once had a great arm, but hasn't pitched in the majors since 2022.
(Photo of Pablo López: Michael Reaves / Getty Images)