Often when a publication talks about “longest-tenured” players, they are referring to big-league service time. I like to look at it a bit differently. How long has a player been in the Minnesota Twins organization? When did that player sign with the Twins, whether they were drafted, an international signing, a Rule 5 pick, and MLB free agent, etc.?
I include the word “consecutively” because if a player leaves the organization for any time and then comes back. When Torii Hunter came back to the Twins for his final season in 2015, he had been away for seven seasons. Similarly, there are two interesting cases on the 2026 roster.
First, Taylor Rogers is back. He was drafted by the Twins in 2012 out of the University of Kentucky and remained in the organization until Opening Day 2022 when he was traded to the Padres. After six big-league seasons with the Twins, he played for five organizations over the past four seasons. He’s back, but he’s not near the top of the list.
The second example is much more difficult to decide. Cody Laweryson was the Twins 14th round draft pick in 2019 out of the University of Maine. He remained with the Twins through the 2025 season. It was great to see him get called up to the big leagues with the Twins, even if it was just for the final two weeks of the season. He pitched well in that small sample size. However, following the season, the Twins DFAd the tall, right-hander with the deceptive delivery. I wasn’t surprised that the Los Angeles Angels claimed him on November 6. I also wasn’t surprised that he remained on the Angels 40-man roster throughout the entire offseason. However, just as spring training was to start, the Angels DFAd and released him. A week later, Laweryson was in Fort Myers, signing at minor-league contract with an invitation to spring training. Six weeks later, many may have been surprised to learn that he had earned his spot on the Twins Opening Day roster. Tremendous story! Should he be on this list? This list has always included the word “consecutive,” but he was with another organization for four months. He probably never got a paycheck from the Angels. He never played in a game with the Angels. But the word consecutive is pretty definitive. So, while Laweryson would otherwise be inside the Top 10 longest-tenured Twins, he isn’t on the list.
So that’s why I just wrote a big paragraph about him.
Without further ado, have you jotted down your guesses for which 12 (or 25) players have been in the Twins organization the longest. I feel like, of the Top 12, most Twins fans will be able to name nine or 10 of the players. Let us know how you did.
Honorable Mentions
Before we get to the 12 players who have been in the organization the longest consecutively, here are the next 13 on the list of Top 25 longest-tenured Twins players.
#25 – Joe Ryan – Trade – 7/22/21
#20 – Travis Adams – Draft – 7/21/21
#20 – David Festa – Draft – 7/21/21
#20 – Jaylen Nowlin – Draft – 7/21/21
#20 – Jake Rucker – Draft – 7/21/21
#20 – Kyler Fedko – Draft – 7/21/21
#16 – Cleiber Maldonado – IFA – 1/15/21
#16 – Jose Olivares – IFA – 1/15/21
#16 – Yasser Mercedes – IFA – 1/15/21
#16 – Danny De Andrade – IFA – 1/15/21
#15 – Kala’i Rosario – 2020 draft – 7/1/20
#14 – Aaron Sabato – 2020 draft – 6/23/20
#13 – Marco Raya – 2020 draft – 6/18/20
THE TOP 12 LONGEST-TENURED TWINS
#10T – OF Emmanuel Rodriguez – July 2, 2019
I’ll lump these three players together for this exercise. Before Covid, the international signing period started on July 2nd (changed to January 15th in 2021). The players would sign, but they would not play in DSL games that season. They would make their professional debut the next summer. However, with Covid, there wasn’t a 2020 minor league season. So, this group really had to wait from July 2nd, 2019, until May of 2021 to make their professional debuts. Emmanuel Rodriguez was the big signing that year from the Twins, $2.5 million. Once he started playing and showing his skill set, he flew up the Twins prospect ranking showing power and the ability to get on base at a very high percentage. He swings and misses a lot, but he is an electric ballplayer who gets on base, hits the ball hard, runs the bases, and plays good defense. He really just needs to stay healthy and then… an opportunity.
#10T – C/OF Ricardo Olivar – July 2, 2019
Olivar signed that same day but for a $20,000 bonus from Venezuela. Obviously he came in with a lot less fanfare than Rodriguez, but once he got to play, he showed big-league potential. He began in the FCL in 2021 and hit .204 but got on base 34% He repeated the level in 2022 and this time hit .349/.442/.605 (1.05 WHIP) with 12 homers, three triples, and five home runs. He moved up to the Mighty Mussels in 2023, and in 100 games, he hit .285/.403/.452 (.855) with 28 doubles and 10 homers. He was also 12-for-13 in steal attempts. In 2024, he played 81 games in Cedar Rapids and hit .275/.381/.441 (.822) with 19 doubles, three triples, and 12 home runs. He ended the season with 19 games in Wichita. That’s where he spent the 2025 season. In 93 games, he hit .264/.356/.412 (.768) with 13 doubles and 13 home runs, and 13 stolen bases.
#10T – RHP Miguelangel Boadas – July 2, 2019
Boadas also signed out of Venezuela to an undisclosed signing bonus. Boadas is the least known of this group, but that is because he has missed time due to injury most years. He debuted in 2021 in the DL. In 12 games and 34 2/3 innings, he posted a 3.63 ERA and a 0.98 WHIP. He came to the States in 2012 and pitched 12 games out of the FCL Twins bullpen. He posted a 5.53 ERA and a 1.55 WHIP. In 2023, he made 11 starts for Fort Myers and went 0-2 with a 7.75 ERA in 36 innings. He moved up to Cedar Rapids where he started eight games of the 11 he pitched in. However, in early June, he was placed on the injured list. In July, he was moved to the 60-Day Injured list and underwent Tommy John surgery. He missed the rest of the season and all of the 2025 season. The Twins sent him to the Arizona Fall League after the season. He pitched in four games and posted a 1.54 ERA in 11 2/3 innings. He also pitched in the Fall Stars game and the league’s championship game. He was hitting 97 mph with the fastball and showing a sharp slider.
#9 – RHP Matt Canterino – June 23, 2019
This name might surprise you. Matt Canterino was the Twins 2nd round pick in 2019 out of Rice University. That summer, he made seven short starts between the GCL and Cedar Rapids. He didn’t pitch in 2020. In 2021, he began the season in now-High-A Cedar Rapids. He made five starts and posted a 0.86 ERA over 21 innings with 43 strikeouts and four walks. But then he was hurt and didn’t pitch for the Kernels the rest of the season. In 2022, he moved up to Wichita and pitched in 11 games (10 starts). He had a 1.83 ERA. In 34 1/3 innings, he had 50 strikeouts. With his immense talent and stuff, the Twins added him to the 40-man roster. He came to spring trainings and looked great, but each year, he had an issue with his elbow, forearm, or shoulder. He hasn’t pitched in a regular-season game since 2022. After spring training in 2025, the Twins removed him from the 40-man roster. He had surgery, and the Twins signed him to a new two-year, minor-league deal. He will start the 2026 season on the 60-Day Injured List for St. Paul. And he’s a really good guy that so many people want to see have an extended period of health and an opportunity to get some big-league time.
#8 – OF Matt Wallner – June 17, 2019
Wallner went to Forest Lake High School and was named Mr. Minnesota as the state’s top high school senior baseball player. Big leaguers Michael Busch and Isaac Collins were also finalists that season. The Twins drafted him, as a pitcher, in 2016. He wisely went the college route. . He had previously committed to play at the University of North Dakota where he was going to pitch. However, UND cancelled their baseball program. Wallner found his way down to Southern Mississippi. He pitched as a closer the first couple of seasons. But ultimately, he was a three-time All American thanks to his powerful draft. The Twins drafted him again in 2019, this time with the 39th overall pick. Like most minor leaguers, Wallner didn’t play at all in 2020 which makes it even more impressive that he made his MLB debut late in the 2022 season. He split both 2023 and 2024 between St. Paul and the big leagues. He would struggle, mash in Triple-A and then come up and play well including the power. He was worth 2.2 bWAR both of those years despite playing in just 76 and 75, respectively. His OPS’s were .877 and .894 In 2025, Wallner played in 104 games. He hit .202/.311/.464 (.776). He hit 16 doubles and 22 homers. However, it came in at just 0.6 bWAR. Few hitters in the game hit the ball harder than Wallner when he does make contact. After a slow start this spring, Wallner hit .333/.439/.604 (1.043) with four doubles and three homers. We know that there is little connection between spring training stats and regular season stats, but it would be amazing to see what numbers Wallner could put up if he’s healthy and maintains that 1.000 OPS!
#6T – RHP Cole Sands – June 18, 2018
Sands was well known in baseball circles in his high school years and was drafted in 2015. Instead of signing, he went to Florida State. Three years later, the Twins made him their fifth round draft pick. He made his pro debut in 2019 and pitched for Cedar Rapids and Fort Myers before ending the season with one start for Double-A Pensacola. After not pitching in 2020, he posted a 2.46 ERA over 19 games and 80 1/3 innings. He had 96 strikeouts. He moved up to St. Paul in 2022. He had 72 strikeouts over 61 2/3 innings. He also made his big-league debut that season. He pitched in 11 games (3 starters) and went 0-3 with a 5.87 ERA over 30 2/3 innings. In 2023, he transitioned fully to the bullpen. In 19 games in St. Paul, he posted a 1.47 ERA and a 0.88 WHIP. He had 41 strikeouts and just 10 walks in 30 2/3 innings. In 15 relief appearances with the Twins, he posted a 3.74 ERA over 21 2/3 innings. Sands had a breakout season of sorts for the Twins in 2024. He went 9-1 with a 3.28 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP. In 71 1/3 innings over 62 outings, he had 85 strikeouts to just 12 walks. He took a small step backwards in 2025. In 72 innings over 69 games, he posted a 4.50 ERA, a 1.17 WHIP and had 64 strikeouts and 19 walks. With most of his teammates traded at the trade deadline last year, he will need to be reliable in 2026 if the Twins want to have a chance. He’s fully capable, when healthy.
#6T – OF Trevor Larnach – June 18, 2018
Larnach led an impressive ensemble cast at Oregon State to the 2018 College World Series championship. That year, his junior season, he hit .348/.463/.652 (1.116) with 19 doubles and 19 homers. That summer, the Twins made him the 20th overall pick in the draft. He spent a few weeks at Elizabethton and a month in Cedar Rapids that year. He split the 2019 season between Fort Myers and Pensacola and hit .309/.384/.458 (.842). Larnach spent the 2020 Covid season in St. Paul. Then very early in the 2021 season, he received his first promotion to the big leagues. He played in 51 big-league games in 2022 and hit .231/.306/.406 (.712) with 13 doubles and five homers. That was worth 1.4 bWAR which is the highest mark of his career. In 2024, he hit .259/.338/.434 (.771) with 17 doubles and 15 home runs. That was worth 1.3 bWAR. Last season, Larnach played in a career-high 142 games. He hit .250/.323/.404 (.727) with 24 doubles and 17 home runs. That produced an OPS+ of 99, and his bWAR was just 0.1. Since he primarily DHd in 2025, there were a lot of questions about bringing him back or even tendering him a contract for the season. They did, and he hasn’t been traded. Now it is incumbent upon him to produce. He is under team control through the 2027 season.
#4T – LHP Kody Funderburk – June 13, 2018
An All-American first baseman at Mesa Community College and then Dallas Baptist, the Twins drafted him in the 15th round as a pitcher. He had pitched in college, but the majority (big majority) of his college success was with the bat. The southpaw was given the opportunity to start for several years of development. Midway through the 2022 season, he made the transition to the bullpen. He started the 2023 season at Double-A but quickly moved up to Triple-A St. Paul. He ended the season with 11 games in the big leagues. He gave up just one run on six hits over 12 innings in 11 games. He struggled in 2024 in the big league and in St. Paul. He came back in 2025 and was quite solid, especially in the season’s second half. The Twins have three lefties in their Opening Day bullpen but being able to work with and learn from Taylor Rogers and Anthony Banda while sitting out in the bullpen with LaTroy Hawkins, 2026 should be a big season for Funderburk. He has another four seasons of team control before becoming a free agent.
#4T – C Ryan Jeffers – June 13, 2018
After three seasons with an OPS over 1.000 at UNC Wilmington, the Twins made Jeffers their second-round pick. The choice surprised many in the “Draft Expert” industry. Many questioned his defense, but the Twins scouts saw a guy with strong defensive potential with some development and techniques. After the draft, he played for Elizabethton and Cedar Rapids (then Low-A). In 2019, he split time between High-A Fort Myers and Double-A Pensacola. Combined, he hit .264 with 16 doubles and 14 homers. It was enough for him to be included on the Twins developmental squad in 2020. Because of injury, he was called up to the Twins and played in 26 out of the 60 games and more than held his own, posting a .791 OPS with three homers. The next two seasons saw ups but also plenty of downs including some time back in the minors. Both years, he posted a batting average under .210 and an OPS under .675.The past three seasons, he has split backstop duties with Christian Vazquez. In 2023, he had his best season to date, hitting .276 (.858) with 15 doubles and 14 homers. In 2024, he hit just .226, but had 22 doubles and 21 homers. He continued to basically split time behind the plate, but he also got quite a bit of time as the Twins DH. In 2025, he had some really strong peripherals but less home runs (9). As we hit Opening Day, Jeffers can become a free agent at the end of the 2026 World Series. Should the Twins attempt to extend him so that he can remain on this list next year?
#3 – RHP Bailey Ober – June 22, 2017
The Twins selected Bailey Ober out of the College of Charleston with their 12th round pick in 2017. He had been an All American as a freshman but needed Tommy John surgery and missed his sophomore season. While his star had less shine, he came back, pitched and helped his team win. In college, he went 24-9. In the minor leagues, he had a record of 20-5 with a 2.41 ERA (rookie league through AAA). The Twins were also very patient with him because of the injury concerns. But when he pitched, he was great. He didn’t pitch at all in 2020. So it was somewhat surprising that he was called up to the Twins early in the 2021 season and made 20 starts as a rookie. He made just 11 starts in 2022 due to a leg injury. He took off in 2023. He was 8-6 with a 3.43 ERA in 26 starts. He had 146 strikeouts in 144 1/3 innings. In 2024, he had 191 strikeouts in 178 2/3 innings over 31 starts. Both seasons were worth 3.0 bWAR. He struggled in 2025 and went 6-9 with a 5.10 ERA. In 146 1/3 innings, he had 120 strikeouts. He enters the 2026 season as the Twins #2 starter. There are certainly concerns entering the season about his reduced velocity. That will certainly be worth watching.
#2 – 3B Royce Lewis – June 17, 2017
For just the second time in Twins history, and the first time in 34 years, the Twins lost over 100 games. It was an organization-worst 103 losses. Because of that, the Twins earned the #1 overall pick in the 2017 draft. The Twins were thrilled to select Royce Lewis with the top pick out of JSerra Catholic High School in California. He quickly signed and then homered in his first professional at-bat in the GCL. Lewis’s career has been filled with ups and downs. He was a Top 10 prospect in 2018 and 2019. The Twins had him working at their alternate site (CHS Field) in 2020, and then he missed the 2021 season with a torn ACL. He returned in 2022 and even hit .300 over a dozen games in the big leagues. Unfortunately, he tore the ACL again and missed another year of playing time. In 58 games in 2023, he hit .309 with 15 homers. In 2024, he homered in his first at-bat, but then he got hurt running out a double in his second at-bat and missed about two months. He played 82 games in 2024, and 106 games in 2025. Combined, he hit .235/.288/.416 (.705) with 34 doubles and 29 homers. 2026 marks his second of four arbitration seasons, so he can’t become a free agent until after the 2028 season.
#1 – OF Byron Buxton – June 13, 2012
After nearly a decade of competitive teams, the 2011 Twins were not a good baseball team. They finished 63-99. The only positive of that season was that they truly earned the second overall pick in the 2012 draft. The Astros took Carlos Correa with the first pick. The Twins selected prep outfielder Byron Buxton with the next pick and signed him on June 13, 2012. In the minors, he was once a minor-league player of the year, and twice the #1 overall prospect in the game.
He debuted in June of 2015, at just 21. He wasn’t ready, but he filled a need. In 2017, Buxton not only won the Gold Glove award, but he was named the Platinum Glove winner. You all know the story. Injuries cut into his playing time. After playing 140 games in 2017, he didn’t play in 100 or more games until he played 102 games in 2024. In 2025, he put together, arguably, the best season of his career. He played in 126 games and hit .264/.327/.551 (.878) with 21 doubles, seven triples, and 35 home runs. He earned his first career Silver Slugger. He was also 24-for-24 in stolen base attempts, and despite the Twins rough season, he finished 11th in MVP voting. If you look at his total numbers since the beginning of the 2019 season, he has hit .256/.318/.534 (.852) with 134 doubles and 140 homers while 71-for-78. He has played in two All Star games. This spring, he was able to represent Team USA in the WBC. His contract continues through the 2018 season.
So, there you have it, the players in the Twins organization who have been in the system the longest, consecutively. I’ll guess that at least a couple of the names may not surprise you. I’m certain that you wouldn’t have guessed all 12 on this list. I wouldn’t have.