The 2025 season is a little more than one-quarter complete, and the Minnesota Twins are rolling. While the rotation has been outstanding, the bullpen has matched it stride for stride, delivering exactly the kind of dominance that was expected entering the year.

The Twins came into the campaign widely regarded as having one of the top bullpens in baseball. So far, they’ve delivered on that promise. As of mid-May, the Twins bullpen ranks first in fWAR, third in ERA (2.89), and first in FIP (3.01). Since May 1, the unit has taken it up another notch, posting a 1.74 ERA and allowing just 46 hits in 57 innings.

With the squad looking this sharp, it’s time to take stock of how the hierarchy has shaken out. Who are the trusted high-leverage arms? Who’s waiting for blowouts or clean-up duty? And who might be next in line for a promotion? Let’s break it down.

Low Leverage/Mop-up Duty
Kody Funderburk
Kody Funderburk hasn’t been utilized much so far this year, with just four big-league appearances to his name and trips to Triple-A in between. All of those appearances have come in low-leverage situations. After a promising debut in 2023, he struggled last season to a 6.49 ERA in 34 2/3 innings. So far in 2024, he’s been limited to the margins of the bullpen, but as the lone lefty currently available with Danny Coulombe‘s injury, he could be called upon in more meaningful spots to handle tough left-handed bats.

Jorge Alcala
Alcala opened the season pitching in high-leverage spots in four of his first six outings, but has since been used exclusively in low-leverage situations. His 7.27 ERA and 1.67 WHIP over 17 1/3 innings reflect his struggles. The stuff still flashes—he’s throwing in the upper 90s—but unless he can string together quality outings, he’ll remain on the outside looking in.

Medium Leverage Guys Building Trust
Justin Topa
Topa is starting to reward the Twins for acquiring him in the Jorge Polanco trade. With a 1.72 ERA on the season and just one earned run allowed over his last eight outings, he’s trending in the right direction. The Twins have gradually increased his workload in tighter spots, including key extra-inning appearances against the Guardians and a clutch outing in Baltimore. If the current trend continues, Topa could soon find himself in regular high-leverage duty.

Louis Varland
The bullpen transition has gone about as well as the Twins could have hoped for with Varland. He owns a 2.95 ERA and has logged the second-most innings out of the bullpen. Eight of his last 10 appearances have come in high-leverage spots, showing that the team is beginning to trust him more to get key outs. Home runs can still be an issue, but overall, Varland has become a valuable weapon in his new role.

High(ish) Leverage
Brock Stewart
Stewart was one of the Twins’ best relievers each of the last two seasons, and despite missing the first month of 2025, he’s quickly been reintegrated into meaningful innings. His average leverage index of 1.26 is actually higher than last year’s, a sign of how quickly the Twins have ramped him back up. They’ve still been cautious with back-to-backs and tend to use him more in the sixth and seventh innings for now, but his velocity and stuff look elite again. If he stays healthy, he’ll continue climbing the leverage ladder.

Cole Sands
Sands has taken another step forward in 2024, building on his breakout in last year’s bullpen. He owns a 2.29 ERA in 19 2/3 innings and has put together eight consecutive scoreless outings. His leverage index ranks second on the team, and five of his last seven appearances have come in the eighth or ninth innings, including two recent saves. He’s quietly become one of the team’s steadiest right-handed options.

High-Leverage Weapon
Griffin Jax
Don’t let the 5.23 ERA fool you—Jax has been one of the most trusted arms in the Twins’ bullpen this year. He leads the team with 13 holds and has been used in the highest-leverage situations across a variety of innings. The results haven’t always been perfect, but the trust from the coaching staff is clear. Jax remains a go-to option when the game is on the line.

Most Trusted Arm, Locked-in Closer
Jhoan Duran
After spending 2023 in more of a shared closer role, Duran has mostly locked down the ninth inning in 2024, collecting eight saves so far. His ERA sits at a sparkling 0.84. While the triple-digit velocity isn’t quite back to its 2022 peak, Duran has adjusted well, leaning on his splitter and curveball to keep hitters off balance. There’s still a question of whether Jax could earn back ninth-inning chances down the road, but for now, Duran is the clear top dog in the bullpen.

On the doorstep
Two intriguing names to watch are Andrew Morris and Connor Prielipp, both of whom could help the Twins in relief roles later this season.

Morris is currently in Triple-A and continues to flash the upside that has the Twins high on his future. While he’s behind Zebby Matthews and David Festa in the pecking order for starting opportunities, his triple-digit fastball and aggressive approach could make him a dynamic reliever if the team looks to strengthen the bullpen for the stretch run.

Prielipp, a former second-round pick, is working as a starter in the minors but is currently limited to 2–3 inning outings. Given his raw stuff and limited innings, the Twins may ultimately see him as a bullpen weapon later this year. If things click, Prielipp could give Minnesota another high-upside arm to call upon down the stretch.

With the Twins’ bullpen performing at an elite level and reinforcements like Morris and Prielipp waiting in the wings, Minnesota looks well-positioned to weather the grind of the season. If the current group can stay healthy and the potential call-ups pan out, this unit could be the backbone of a deep postseason run.

Who do you see climbing the hierarchy next? Drop your thoughts in the comments below.