The Minnesota Twins revealed their 60-man training camp roster on Monday and on it are some of the regulars that helped transform the Twins into the Bomba Squad in 2019.
Here is it! Check out our 60-man Summer Camp roster. #BaseballisBack #MNTwins pic.twitter.com/LpZj6wDFxQ
— Minnesota Twins (@Twins) June 29, 2020
A deeper look, however, shows a lot of players that have yet to make their major league debut. While part of that list belongs to a three-player taxi squad that will make the trip with the team on road games to replace injured players, or anyone who gets infected with COVID-19, there is still a chance Twins fans will get to see some of their top prospects in action.
If the opportunity arises, who are some players that should hit the field in 2020 and when could they see their first major league action?
Alex Kirilloff
If it weren’t for the COVID-19 crisis, there’s a good chance Kirilloff may have already made his major league debut. The No. 2 prospect in the Twins organization per MLB Pipeline came off an injury-riddled 2019 season, but some believed that his bat was good enough to jump from Double-A Pensacola to Minneapolis this summer.
The Twins were among those interested in clearing a path for Kirilloff, reportedly shopping Eddie Rosario to the Marlins last winter.
That doesn’t mean Kirilloff can’t make an impact for the Twins this season. The 22-year-old put on a scalding display during spring training with a .429 average including two home runs and four RBI and is two years removed from a massive .348/.392/.578 line with 20 HR and 101 RBI in 2018.
If injuries in the outfield create an opening, Kirilloff could have his chance to cement himself at the big league level.
Brent Rooker
One of the bigger storylines coming into the season was how Miguel Sano would adapt heading over to first base. While the move clears third base for Josh Donaldson, there are still some questions as to how Sano will fare defensively.
The last time the Twins tried to move Sano from third base, they embarked on a disaster in right field, so it might be a good idea to have a backup plan and Rooker could be the guy to put in place.
On a team that hit an MLB record 307 home runs, Rooker should fit right in. The 25-year-old smashed 16 bombs in 65 games at Triple-A Rochester last year and even if his defense isn’t elite, it only has to be adequate to crack the starting lineup.
Even if Sano turns out to be solid at first base, the Twins could use another power bat as a corner outfielder or even to spell Nelson Cruz at designated hitter. Either way, Rooker will be looking to put the ball over the fence when he gets the chance.
Jhoan Duran
If you’re not screaming about the pitching staff at this point, are you even a Twins fan? Even as the Twins head into the shortened season, the pitching staff will be put under a microscope. With the addition of expanded rosters to start the season, that could lead to a new arm getting a chance.
While last year saw the debut of Brusdar Graterol, Duran could be this year’s version out of the bullpen. The 22-year-old flamethrower can throw in the upper 90s and posted 10.3 strikeouts per nine innings at Double-A Pensacola last season.
It’s unlikely the Twins will hand the ball to Duran in a starter’s role this season, but with every game mattering, the bullpen will be under stress all season long. If the ‘pen falters in the early weeks of the season, the leash will be short and a prospect like Duran could be an answer before becoming a starter next season.
