The Twins’ offseason decisions are already starting to take shape, and a handful of 40-man roster spots look vulnerable as the club turns the page from 2026.
A year ago, Minnesota cleared room by removing Jose Miranda, Michael Tonkin, Cody Laweryson and three other pitchers from the 40-man roster and outrighting them to St. Paul.
Laweryson was the lone player to end up elsewhere, since the Angels claimed him off waivers. This winter, the picture is less obvious, but four names stand out as the most likely to be cut.
Matt Wallner is the biggest name in the group, and his situation feels especially tricky. The Twins optioned him to Triple-A St.
Paul on May 14 after a rough start, and he never made it back to the majors. In 34 games with Minnesota, he hit .167/.259/.292 with four home runs, 10 RBI and 53 strikeouts.
Once in St. Paul, he found his swing and produced for the rest of the year, homering 25 times and driving in 75 runs across 94 games while posting a .254/.366/.520 line.
His strikeout rate also dropped from 39.3% in the majors to 27.8% over 413 plate appearances with the Saints. Wallner accepted in August that his time with the Twins was probably over after the club kept passing on him whenever it needed outfield help.
Minnesota could still try to move him in a trade, especially given his history as a 20-home-run bat in the majors, but if no deal comes together, he may simply lose his 40-man spot.
Tristan Gray had a couple of moments that made him look like a fan favorite early on, including the grand slam in the home opener on April 3 and another one in a big 9-6 win over the White Sox on June 1. After that, though, the production faded fast.
His defense at shortstop was shaky, and from June 2 to August 6 he hit just .215/.238/.278 in 84 plate appearances. His final stretch in St.
Paul wasn’t much better, as he hit .200/.270/.360 with four home runs and 10 RBI over his last 28 games, though that run did include a 12-game hit streak. Gray appeared in 66 games for the Twins, the most of his career, and stretched out a path he figured might end if he didn’t break camp with the team.
Even after his 2026 run, he’s unlikely to be back next season.
Jack Anderson gave Minnesota a useful burst out of the bullpen after the club claimed him off waivers from the Red Sox before the All-Star break. In four appearances, he didn’t allow a run and held opponents to three baserunners over 4 ⅓ innings.
But once A.J. Minter and Jeff Hoffman arrived at the trade deadline, even that clean slate wasn’t enough to keep him on the active roster.
His numbers in St. Paul didn’t help his case either: a 5.09 ERA in 35 ⅓ innings, a .303 opponents’ average, a 4.50 FIP, a 17.4% strikeout rate and a 5.6% walk rate.
The Twins are expected to add bullpen help this offseason, and Anderson’s brief major league success probably won’t be enough to keep him protected on the 40-man roster.
Aaron Sabato finally got his shot in the majors during the final week of the season, a reward for what the Twins viewed as an impressive year with the Saints. The 2020 first-round pick had been expecting to head home before Minnesota called him up, and while he went hitless in four games with the Twins, he still appreciated the opportunity.
That may end up being his only one with the organization. He’ll turn 28 next June, and Minnesota is likely to pursue veteran help at first base or designated hitter this winter.
Sabato could still find another major league opportunity elsewhere after hitting .273/.349/.528 with 25 home runs and 75 RBI in 113 games for St. Paul, a season strong enough to earn him a look from another team if the Twins decide to move on.
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