There appears to be a single roster spot up for grabs.
No more than two hours after I published my latest roster prediction piece, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reported that both Brooks Lee and Brock Stewart will start the season on the injured list. In addition, Rule 5 draft pick Eiberson Castellano was informed he will not make the Opening Day roster, meaning he will either be returned to the Philadelphia Phillies or the Twins will have to arrange a trade to option him to St. Paul.
#MNTwins roster starting to take shape. Rule 5 pitcher Eiberson Castellanos has learned he won’t make the team. Brock Stewart and Brooks Lee are starting the season on the IL.
Four players for three spots on position side.
One reliever job up for grabs.— DanHayesMLB (@DanHayesMLB) March 23, 2025
Lee is dealing with lower back tightness, and given his lack of power due to a back injury last season, the Twins likely don’t want to rush him back. We are awaiting details on the severity, but I would assume this is more of an “abundance of caution” situation allowing him to completely recover before he returns. With Royce Lewis’ injury last week, Lee was expected to split time between second and third base, but Lee’s IL stint will push Jose Miranda and Edouard Julien into everyday roles. Mickey Gasper and Austin Martin should also be with the team in St. Louis on Thursday as bench players.
As for Stewart, he has recovered well from offseason shoulder surgery but experienced hamstring tightness earlier this week. He pitched against the Red Sox AAA team yesterday, but like Lee, the Twins don’t want to rush Stewart’s return given his injury history.
With Stewart hurt, Castellano demoted/returned, and Michael Tonkin already on the IL, there’s now a bullpen spot up for grabs. They have several veterans in camp between Scott Blewett, Huascar Ynoa, Randy Dobnak, and lefty Anthony Misiewicz (who I would expect to make the roster barring another move), but the Twins will certainly be scouring the waiver wire over the next week as other teams make their final roster cuts. If Castellano is, in fact, returned to the Phillies they will free up a 40-man roster slot that way, otherwise they could DFA Matt Canterino, who has thrown a grand total of 85 innings since being drafted in 2019 thanks to his own injuries.