There’s no shortage of uncertainty around the Twins right now, especially when it comes to the lineup Derek Shelton will be sorting through next spring. But if you strip the roster down to the names that look truly safe, five players stand out as the clearest bets to be in the 2027 mix.
That’s the standard here: beyond a reasonable doubt. Sure, anything can happen in an offseason.
Trades happen. New additions can crowd people out.
But for these five, the path out of the lineup would have to be awfully unexpected.
Brooks Lee fits that description at infield. He might not have the loudest ceiling on the list, but it’s hard to picture him anywhere other than the Opening Day lineup.
Lee posted a .728 OPS this season and gave the Twins a league-average bat, even with a low on-base profile that was helped by a career-high 24 home runs. Once he shifted off shortstop and settled in at third base, he looked comfortable there too, finishing with 6 outs above average in roughly 100 games at the hot corner.
That combination matters. A bat in that range, paired with above-average defense at third, gives the Twins a useful regular.
There’s also room for more if his plate discipline sharpens and the power holds. Lee is listed as a general infielder because there’s at least a scenario where he slides to second if Minnesota adds a third-base-only option, though that remains a long shot.
The other infield names that might come to mind - Royce Lewis and Kody Clemens - didn’t quite clear that bar. Clemens is the more likely of the two to be back, but it’s tough to see both of them locked in as everyday players in 2027.
One could still surface at first or second, but if the Twins don’t upgrade at either spot, that offseason probably didn’t go the way they wanted. Neither player is expensive, and neither is especially young, which leaves too many possible outcomes to call them sure things.
At shortstop, Kaelen Culpepper looks like the guy. He’s still rookie-eligible next year after 128 plate appearances, and he hit .274/.328/.393 in that stretch. There were enough flashes to make people around the club feel good about what comes next, and right now there isn’t anyone forcing him off the position.
His defense gave some reason for pause at times, but the overall package was enough to hold the job. A league-average bat at short is nothing to sneeze at, and Culpepper provided that.
Maybe he hits a sophomore slump and has to take a detour to Triple-A. Maybe Marek Houston eventually nudges him to second or third.
But the most likely outcome is that Culpepper is the Opening Day shortstop.
The outfield picture starts with Walker Jenkins, the organization’s No. 1 prospect. His first stretch in the majors was rocky - he opened 4-for-45 and raised some real concern - but he finished much stronger, going .385/.400/.615 over his final 10 games. That late surge made it clear he’s very much part of the conversation next season.
Where he lines up is still open. The Twins may want him in right or left, and that probably depends on who else ends up occupying the other corner spot. Jenkins played center field exclusively in the majors while filling in for the injured Byron Buxton, and when Buxton is out, Jenkins looks like the likely replacement.
The other corner spot is where things get messy. Emmanuel Rodriguez, Luke Keaschall, and even Alan Roden could all factor in there.
Rodriguez has to be on the roster, or somebody else’s, because he’s out of options and held his own in limited late-season MLB action. Still, it’s fair to wonder whether the Twins are ready to throw him into everyday duty just yet.
Leadership did name him as part of the core they’re building around for next year, though, so he’s getting close to this group.
Then there’s Byron Buxton, who is the easiest call on the board if he’s healthy. If he’s available, he’s playing.
And until that changes, he’s the center fielder. He’s coming off labrum repair, so the status question is real, but the role question isn’t.
If Buxton can go, he’s in.
The last lock is Luke Keaschall, even though his defensive home is still a mystery. The most likely landing spots are a corner outfield job or designated hitter, with first base also in the conversation.
What isn’t in question is where he hits. He’s probably going to lead off.
Keaschall’s season got off to a rough start in 2026, but he finished by slashing .282/.374/.407, which works out to about 20% better than an average hitter. That line is good enough for one of those top-of-the-order spots, and his power ticked up as the year went on anyway. However the Twins decide to use him, he looks locked in.
The rest of the lineup? That’s where the guesswork starts.
This projection is built with right-handed pitching in mind. Jenkins may not play every day against lefties, and there isn’t an obvious platoon partner already set for him.
Austin Martin got off to a strong start in 2026, but he hit just .164 in the second half, mostly against lefties. Gabriel Gonzalez and Aaron Sabato could get a look too, though the Twins didn’t show much interest in either one down the stretch.
Catcher is its own puzzle. Victor Caratini is under contract for next season, and it doesn’t seem likely the Twins will move him or find a trade partner willing to take on the $10 million he’s owed after barely enough action late in 2026 to qualify him as a second catcher.
He still carries reasonable doubt as an everyday option, even if that’s the most likely outcome. Minnesota could also bring back Ryan Jeffers on a qualifying offer or go after another catcher in free agency who clears Caratini’s bar.
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