Twins' potential Opening Day nearly rounding into shape

Twins camp has been mostly quiet so far, and that’s a good thing. Most of the key players are on schedule, getting their work in and progressing as expected toward Opening Day.

There have been a couple of injuries, mostly in the bullpen, and that does affect the projection. For the most part, however, not a lot has changed in the last four weeks regarding the 26 players most likely to go north.

Catcher (2): Ryan Jeffers, Christian Vázquez
This remains the clearest, most set unit on the 26-man roster. Jair Camargo and Diego Cartaya provide nice Minor League depth, but Jeffers and Vázquez will be the Opening Day catching tandem once again.

First baseman (1): Ty France
The Twins made it clear from the jump that they envisioned France as their primary first baseman. His performance in camp has done nothing to dissuade them of that notion. Nobody is hitting better. France will probably not get 500 at-bats, but he’ll be the primary first baseman. Edouard Julien and Jose Miranda will also likely see time here.

Second baseman (2): Brooks Lee, Edouard Julien
This remains the biggest position battle on the offensive side, and it’s not really any clearer than it was two weeks ago. These also aren’t the only two options. Willi Castro could still be the primary second baseman, though the preference is to use him as a Swiss Army Knife player. Mickey Gasper and Austin Martin have gotten starts at second. However, the call here is that Lee and Julien will both break camp and share time.

Shortstop (1): Carlos Correa
He’s looked healthy and effective, and that’s among the best news in camp so far.

Third baseman (1): Royce Lewis
Lewis to second made for an intriguing offseason story, but he’s the third baseman for this team. Miranda could see some time here, and Lee likely will as well. But if Lewis is healthy and producing, this is his spot.

Outfielders (4): Byron Buxton, Matt Wallner, Trevor Larnach, Harrison Bader
It’s unusual to carry only four outfielders, but if this is the breakdown, then Castro will see plenty of time on the grass. Buxton has looked great, Wallner and Larnach look like themselves at the corners and Bader will spell Buxton in center and face some lefties in the corners.

DH (1): Jose Miranda
Miranda is quietly having a solid spring. He looks likely to be the primary DH, though Buxton among others will also see some time here to get them off their feet occasionally.

Bench/Utility (1): Willi Castro
Castro is set and is a key piece. He’ll see time all over the infield and outfield, playing not quite every day but more “super utility” than just utility. He’s a key cog in what manager Rocco Baldelli likes to do. The question is whether he’s the only utility player. Martin has a very strong case, and the other option is to take him and play him at second base and in the outfield, while optioning Julien or Lee. It’s not obvious which way they’ll go, but the call here for the moment is that Martin will be the odd man out.

Starting Pitchers (5): Pablo López, Bailey Ober, Joe Ryan, Chris Paddack, Simeon Woods Richardson
The first four are set, with Paddack breathing a sigh of relief after being struck by two line drives but suffering no serious injuries on Saturday. Ryan looked solid in his first outing since an August shoulder injury. Woods Richardson faces competition from Zebby Matthews and David Festa, who have both shown impressive flashes, but he remains the favorite to retain his spot.

Relief Pitchers (8): Jhoan Duran, Griffin Jax, Cole Sands, Danny Coulombe, Brock Stewart, Louis Varland, Eiberson Castellano, Jorge Alcala
Injuries to Justin Topa, Michael Tonkin and Erasmo Ramírez have thinned the ranks here. Ramírez is likely out for a good bit, while Topa could yet start the season healthy and active. For the time being, though, the path of least resistance would be to proceed cautiously with Topa and Tonkin and keep Alcala and Rule 5 Draft selection Castellano. This is the projection most likely to change over the next two weeks.