As the Nov. 19 deadline for MLB teams to finalize their 40-man rosters nears, the Minnesota Twins are expected to add an unusually high number of prospects to their 40-man roster, protecting them from Rule 5 Draft eligibility. Most Twins pundits agree the following five prospects will be rewarded for their development with places on the reserve list:
Right-handed starting pitching prospect C.J. Culpepper is also a near-lock to be added. However, there is some chance that Twins decision-makers will risk losing the 23-year-old starting pitching prospect, given that he hasn’t pitched above Double A and battled through arm injuries over the last two seasons. Regardless, Minnesota is almost guaranteed to protect the six aforementioned players come mid-November. Â
Right now, the Twins’ 40-man roster is full, but the organization will soon have one open spot when veteran catcher Christian Vázquez enters free agency upon the World Series’ conclusion. They’ll also likely non-tender Génesis Cabrera, Anthony Misiewicz, and Thomas Hatch, creating four of the six spots necessary to add Morris, Prielipp, Rojas, Gonzalez, Mendez, and Culpepper. Clearing the final two spots won’t be complicated, as Minnesota’s front office could justifiably part ways (through non-tendering or designating for assignment) with Ryan Kreidler, Carson McCusker, DaShawn Keirsey Jr., Edouard Julien, Jose Miranda, Ryan Fitzgerald, Mickey Gasper, Jhonny Pereda, Michael Tonkin, Justin Topa, and/or Trevor Larnach to create further 40-man roster room.
In fact, given how Minnesota’s 40-man roster transformed after the organization elected to purge its 26-man roster at this summer’s trade deadline, a few previously unexpected minor leaguers could be awarded 40-man roster spots. Given their strong 2025 performances, right-handed hitting corner outfielders Kala’i Rosario and Kyler Fedko are the players most likely to join Morris, Prielipp, Rojas, Gonzalez, Mendez, and Culpepper. Another improbable addition could be right-handed starting pitching prospect John Klein.
Signed by the Twins as an undrafted free agent out of Iowa Central Community College following the 2022 MLB Draft, Klein progressed from beginning the 2023 season in the Florida Complex League to finishing his 2025 campaign at Triple-A St. Paul. Despite posting a Halloween-appropriate 6.66 ERA over 25 2/3 innings pitched for the Saints, the 23-year-old’s underlying metrics tell a much more encouraging story: he had a 3.30 FIP and 28.2% strikeout rate over the same stretch.
The driving factor behind his surface-level Triple-A struggles was his inability to suppress baserunners. He ran an untenable 11.1% walk rate. The native Minnesotan has posted alarmingly high walk rates throughout his minor-league career, which is the main reason he never reached the same prospect status as fellow right-handed pitching prospects Morris and Culpepper. Klein probably won’t succeed as a starting pitcher at the major-league level. However, with his fastball (which sits around 95-96 MPH), improved slider, and adequate changeup, he could consistently get major-league hitters out in a minimized role.
Minnesota had the 11th-worst bullpen in baseball for the final two months of the season, after parting ways with Jhoan Duran, Griffin Jax, Brock Stewart, Louis Varland, and Danny Coulombe at the deadline. Cole Sands, Kody Funderburk, Topa, and Tonkin (if the club retains the latter two) are the only veteran relievers expected to possess bullpen spots entering next season. Four (potentially six) bullpen spots will be up for grabs come Spring Training, and with decision-makers forced to operate under significant spending restrictions, there’s a wide-open lane for promotions from within.
That being the case, Minnesota could elect to add Klein to the 40-man roster, protecting him from being poached during the Rule 5 Draft with intentions of converting him into a short reliever. If that occurs, Klein would compete with fellow young, right-handed arms Travis Adams, Marco Raya, Pierson Ohl, and Cody Laweryson for mid-leverage relief roles. Given Klein’s ascension and Adams, Raya, and Ohl’s corresponding struggles at Triple-A and in the majors last season, Klein could outperform multiple members of that quartet, earning his first Opening Day roster spot at 23 years old.
Interested in learning more about the Minnesota Twins’ top prospects? Check out our comprehensive top prospects list that includes up-to-date stats, articles and videos about every prospect, scouting reports, and more!