Considering the fact that this year's Twins team only had 2 winning months (April and May), it's amazing that they led the division for most of the season. The team collapsed in September, allowing Cleveland to take the AL Central crown, and finished third. It was an improvement over last year's last-place finish, but the Twins still have plenty of room for improvement. Here's a breakdown of this year's team, player by player:
Twins batters:
Luis Arraez. Luis' first batting title was a highlight of an otherwise disappointing year. Arraez also learned a new position (first base) and performed well defensively and offensively. He can play all of the infield positions as well as some corner outfield and DH, so expect Luis and his positive attitude to be on the field during most Twins games in 2023.
Tim Beckham. This major league veteran spent most of the year in AAA. He had 2 hits in 25 at-bats for the big league club over a dozen games. Even though this was his first call-up in a few years, he probably won't be seeing much of the big league life anytime soon at this rate.
Byron Buxton. The team's brightest star was hampered by right knee tendinitis and hip issues. Byron played 92 games and hit a career-high 28 home runs. He made some outstanding catches in center field and hit the game-winning home run in this year's All-Star Game, but diehard Twins fans like myself would love to see him play an entire season injury-free.
Jake Cave. This veteran outfielder was pressed into service for the big league club after injuries decimated the team's starting outfield. Cave was sufficient in the field and hit 5 homers in 54 games, but he shouldn't be expected to remain in the starting lineup if Larnach and Kiriloff are healthy. He may return to AAA to serve as a reliable backup.
Gilberto Celestino. I was surprised to see this second-year player on the big league roster for the entire season. His average topped .300 at times before tailing off toward the end of the year to .238 with a pair of homers in 122 games. Depending on the Twins' outfield situation, he could be a valuable bench player or sent to AAA to improve his hitting.
Mark Contreras. Contreras spent most of the year patrolling center field in St. Paul, and was called up a few times when the injury bug bit the Twins. He only hit .121 (7 hits in 58 major league at-bats), but did hit 3 homers and played well enough in the outfield to be considered in 2023 if necessary.
Carlos Correa. Correa was the glue that kept the Twins' infield together. His sparkling play at shortstop and a .291 batting average with 22 home runs kept the team competitive throughout much of the season. His recent comments about staying with the team made it unlikely that he'll be in the Twins' dugout again in 2023.
Kyle Garlick. A corner outfielder/DH right-handed batter who hits for power against lefties. Garlick hit 9 home runs but was limited to 66 games and a .233 average. He started the season with the AAA St. Paul Saints, and might be worth another 1-year deal or a minor league contract.
Jose Godoy. An off-season acquisition from the Seattle Mariners, Godoy went hitless in 3 at-bats for the Twins. He will probably see more time in the minors after being designated for assignment by Minnesota in August and claimed by the Pirates for their AAA club.
Nick Gordon. This former Twins prospect also earned himself a spot on the roster with his solid play. Injuries to key starters in the infield and outfield kept his name in the lineup. Gordon played regularly at 2B, LF and CF and posted career highs in games played (138) and power (9 HRs and 50 RBI). His versatility will keep him on the roster for the foreseeable future.
Billy Hamilton. This speedster who once stole 155 bags while in the Reds' farm system in 2012 is a shadow of his former self. Primarily used as a pinch runner and late-inning defensive replacement, Hamilton signed a minor league deal with the team at the end of August. He appeared in 17 games for the Twins, going 0 for 7 with three steals in four attempts. Look for him to sign with another team during the offseason.
Caleb Hamilton. The team's third-string catcher for portions of the second half of the season. Hamilton played at catcher and first and homered for his only hit in 18 at-bats with the Twins. He might be Jeffers' back up next year.
Ryan Jeffers. Jeffers was supposed to be the starting catcher after Mitch Garver was traded to the Texas Rangers, but injuries sidetracked his season. He appeared in 67 big league games and hit 7 homers, but could only manage a .208 batting average. If Jeffers is injury-free next season, he could excel behind the plate.
Max Kepler. I thought that this German-born right fielder would have been traded before the season began. Kepler suffered through one of his worst campaigns in the big leagues, managing a .227 average with 9 homers and 43 runs driven in over 115 games. He may benefit from the end of the shift next year, but the emergence of rookie Matt Wallner may mean that Kepler's days as a Twin are numbered.
Alex Kiriloff. Kiriloff figured to see more playing time at first place and as a corner outfield until his wrist started acting up again. His season ended with a .250 average with 3 homers and 21 RBI in 45 games. Expect to see more of Kiriloff once again if he's healthy.
Trevor Larnach. A promising young player whose season was interrupted by another injury. Trevor hit .231 with 5 home runs in 51 games. He still figures to play prominently in the team's future.
Sandy Leon. A veteran catcher who's not particularly well-known for his offense. Leon was Sanchez's backup for most of the second half of the year. He hit .179 (10 for 56 with a pair of suicide squeeze sacrifice bunts) in 25 games for the Twins. It's doubtful that he will be retained, unless he comes back on a minor-league deal.
Royce Lewis. Royce got his first taste of the bigs before yet another injury put his acceleration on hold. He crashed into the center field wall at Target Field with a season-ending injury, but still hit .300 (12 for 40) with two homers (including a grand slam) in a dozen big league games. He may be the eventual answer at short if Correa doesn't return to the team. He could also serve a utility role, after learning how to play the outfield and third base in St. Paul.
Jose Miranda. This rookie was one of the unexpected highlights of the 2022 season. Miranda can play third and first base, and he led the team with 66 runs batted in. He slugged 15 home runs and virtually guaranteed himself a spot on the big league squad with his consistent play.
Jermaine Palacios. Another minor league veteran whose presence on the big league team was needed after Polanco suffered a knee injury. Palacios is still learning at the big league level, and hit .143 with two homers in the last series of the season. He may need more seasoning before he's ready to play in the bigs full-time.
Jorge Polanco. The veteran second baseman had a few stints on the IL, and his production at the plate suffered. He got into 104 games, but only hit 16 home runs and managed a paltry .235 batting average. A healthy Polanco can help this team next year.
Gary Sanchez. Obtained in a trade from the New York Yankees, Sanchez was supposed to be the backup to Ryan Jeffers. When Jeffers went down with a broken thumb, Gary was pressed into service as the primary catcher. He hit 16 homers but had an anemic average of .205 and lead the team with 136 strikeouts in 128 games played. He played well behind the plate and is a free agent in 2023.
Miguel Sano. This all-or-nothing hitter was benched with a knee injury for most of the year. He only got into 20 games, hitting .083 (5 for 60) with 1 homer in 20 games. With Miranda and Arraez as options at first base, Sano may be hitting the free-agent market sooner rather than later.
Gio Urshela. Another component of the trade with the Yankees, Gio's sparking defense at third base and timely hitting kept the Twins in most of their games. He doesn't have quite the power that Josh Donaldson does, but still hit .285 with 13 homers in 144 games and had a career-high 143 hits this season.
Matt Wallner. Wallner tore up AA and AAA pitching before being called up to the Twins in September. He played steadily in right field and hit .228 with 2 homers and 10 RBI in 18 games for Minnesota. He may spell Max Kepler next year or the year after that.
Twins pitchers:
Jorge Alcala. Alcala's season was cut short before it really got started. He only appeared in 2 games and provided scoreless relief before going on the injured list. If he recovers well, he could be another fixture in the Twins' bullpen.
Chris Archer. Archer was coming off of an injury-shortened season in 2021 for Tampa Bay, and his innings were limited purposely. He only went 2-8 with a 4.56 ERA in 28 starts, so I can't see him returning, unless it's as a long-inning reliever or spot starter for the Twins in 2023.
Dylan Bundy. Bundy rebounded from a 1-7 year with the Angels in 2021 to an 8-8 mark with a 4.89 ERA in 29 starts for the Twins in 2022. He gave up 24 homers in 140 innings pitched, so that should be something for this fly ball pitcher to work on in the off-season.
Yennier Cano. Cano proved that he isn't ready for a full-time career in the big leagues just yet. In 10 relief appearances for the Twins, he posted a 9.22 ERA in 10 games, giving up 11 walks and striking out 14 in just 13 2/3 innings of work.
Jharel Cotton. Cotton never seemed to get much of a chance to show the Twins what he could do. He started the year in AAA and appeared in 25 games with the Twins, going 2-2 with a 2.83 ERA. He was designated for assignment each time that the Twins let him go, until the San Francisco Giants finally picked him up before the season's end.
Danny Coulombe. Coulombe is another prospect whose potential has been hindered by injuries. He was sparkling in his 10 games this year, posting a 1.46 ERA before being placed on the injured list.
Austin Davis. The Twins picked up Davis following his release from the Boston Red Sox. Austin gave up 3 runs in only 1 2/3 innings before being allowed to leave as a free agent in September.
Tyler Duffey. Duffey is one of those relievers who can be outstanding or downright awful. He had more bad games than good this year, going 2-4 with a 4.91 ERA in 40 games for the Twins before being released. He later signed minor league deals with the Texas Rangers and the New York Yankees.
Jhoan Duran. Opposing teams soon learned how hard this reliever could throw. He consistently threw pitches of 100 MPH or more throughout his rookie campaign and struck out 89 batters in only 67 2.3 innings of work. If Rocco would name a closer, Duran should be at the top of his list.
Michael Fulmer. Longtime Twins fans got used to seeing Fulmer start and relieve in games for the division rival Detroit Tigers. A deadline deal brought him to the Twins. He went 2-2 with a 3.70 in 26 relief appearances and is now a free agent.
Chi Chi Gonzalez. Gonzalez bounced around the league in 2022. He signed a minor league deal with the Twins and posted a 7.71 ERA in 2 starts with the big league team. He would later pitch for the Milwaukee Brewers, Detroit Tigers and New York Yankees organizations.
Sonny Gray. The Twins acquired the veteran starter from the Reds during the off-season. Gray had a few stints on the injured list but still went 8-5 with a 3.08 ERA in 24 starts. If healthy, he could be a dominant starter for the team next year.
Ian Hamilton. Hamilton surrendered 2 earned runs in 2 2/3 innings of work during his one appearance with the Twins in 2022. He was later traded to the Cleveland Guardians for catcher Sandy Leon.
Ronny Henriquez. Henriquez made a few September appearances with the big league club. He went 0-1 with a 2.31 ERA in 3 relief outings and 11 2/3 innings of work.
Griffin Jax. I didn't particularly like Jax as a starter, but he has fared considerably better as a reliever. Jax was on the major league team all season, going 7-4 with a 3.36 ERA in 67 innings. I'm sure he'll continue to be a 6th or 7th inning option for Rocco Baldelli in 2023.
Jorge Lopez. This former Orioles starter and reliever was acquired in another deadline deal. He usually appeared in the 8th or 9th inning, and finished with a 4.37 ERA in 23 games and 4 saves in 6 chances. He could be a set-up man or closer for Rocco's staff next year.
Tyler Mahle. Another Reds starter that the Twins acquired during the season. Mahle was limited to 4 starts before being placed on the IL again. He posted a 1-1 mark and 4.41 ERA in those starts.
Trevor Megill. Megill became one of Baldelli's favorite choices from the Twins' bullpen. He appeared in 39 games, with a 4-3 mark and a 4.80 ERA.
Juan Minaya. Minaya's last year with the Twins wasn't impressive. He had a 1-0 record with a 5.59 ERA in 6 relief outings before being released by the team in September. The Washington Nationals signed him to a minor league deal two days later.
Jovani Moran. Moran has limited experience, with this being his 2nd year in the big leagues. He appeared in 31 games for the Twins and posted a 2.21 ERA. He may shuttle between AAA and the majors once again as the team deals with injuries.
Bailey Ober. Ober's season was interrupted by injuries, but he remains a strong candidate for the Twins' rotation next year. Ober finished with a 2-3 record with a 3.21 ERA in 11 starts.
Emilio Pagan. Pagan and Paddack were acquired from the Padres right before the season began for reliever Taylor Rogers and outfielder Brent Rooker. Pagan frustrated me to no end this year. He seemed to lose confidence himself early in the season, and was seen anywhere from the 4th to the 9th inning in games. He finished with a 4-6 record and a 4.43 ERA with 9 saves in 16 opportunities across 59 ballgames. I'm surprised he finished the season on the big league roster.
Dereck Rodriguez. The son of Hall of Fame catcher Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez spent most of the season in St. Paul. He appeared in 2 games with the Twins, going 0-1 with a 3.52 ERA in 7 2/3 innings.
Jhon Romero. Romero was claimed off of waivers from the Nationals in March and spent most of the year in the minors. He posted a 3.60 ERA in 4 relief appearances for the Twins in 2022.
Chris Paddack. Paddack arrived from the Padres to provide some rotation depth. Unfortunately, his season ended early with an arm injury. He posted a 1-2 record with a 4.03 ERA in 5 starts before being shut down.
Joe Ryan. Ryan established himself as the ace of the Twins' pitching staff, going 13-8 in 27 starts with a 3.55 ERA. He set the rookie record for strikeouts with 151 in 147 innings. Expect him to lead the rotation again in 2023.
Aaron Sanchez. The former can't-miss starter resurfaced in the bigs with the Twins for a few games this year. He alternated between the rotation and long relief, and went 0-1 with a 4.71 ERA in 8 games (3 starts) in a Minnesota Twins uniform.
Cole Sands. Sands had a few rough outings at the major league level, but could be a future option as a long reliever or spot starter. He finished the big league campaign going 0-3 with a 5.87 ERA in 11 games (3 starts).
Devin Smeltzer. Another experienced arm who rode the shuttle between St. Paul and Minneapolis a few times this year. Smeltzer is a good left-handed arm who went 5-2 with a 3.71 ERA in 15 games (12 starts) for the big league club this year.
Joe Smith. Smith has pitched for 8 different major league teams in his career. A free agent signing, he was supposed to bolster the bullpen. He started out well, but teams soon figured him out. He went 1-1 with a 4.61 ERA in 34 relief appearances before being designated for assignment and later released by the Twins in August.
Cody Stashak. Stashak has had several up-and-down years with the Twins. Injuries limited him to 11 relief appearances in 2022. He finished the year with a 3-0 record and a 3.86 ERA in 11 outings.
Caleb Thielbar. This Minnesota native established himself as a left-handed option in the Twins' bullpen. Caleb struck out 80 batters in 59 1/3 innings and was generally reliable as long as he was healthy.
Tyler Thornburg. Thornburg has bounced around the majors and minors over the last several years. The Twins picked him up in June after the Atlanta Braves released him. Tyler appeared in 5 games with the Twins, going 0-1 with a 2.79 ERA before being demoted to St. Paul in July and released 2 months later.
Louie Varland. This Twins prospect made his big league debut in Yankee Stadium and was a late-season rotation option for Rocco. He finished his big league season with a 1-2 mark with a 3.81 ERA in 5 starts.
Josh Winder. Winder may be a good 6th man for the Twins next season. He appeared in 15 games (11 starts) in 2022 and went 4-6 with a 4.70 ERA. If he doesn't make the team out of spring training, he could get more seasoning with the Saints in AAA.
Simeon Woods Richardson. The prospect made one start at Comerica Park in Detroit before the season ended. He lost that start, allowing 2 earned runs in 5 innings, but could appear on the big league team again next year.
The lockout and late spring training may have played a role in the number of injuries that the team faced, but it might not be a bad idea for strength and conditioning programs to start sooner rather than later. The Twins have a good core, but they go into next season with some questions at shortstop, catcher and pitching.
Pitching coach Wes Johnson's departure from the Twins at midseason to take another similar position at LSU left many fans in doubt. Nothing against interim pitching coach Pete Maki, but it looks like the bullpen may have been rather overworked at times. Manager Rocco Baldelli tends to rely on analytics. which isn't always a good thing.
If the team can stay healthy, find a good rotation and shore up their bullpen, they may challenge the Chicago White Sox and Cleveland Guardians for the American League Central title once again.
Well, that's all for now. Until next time, have a great week, everyone!
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