\n\tAs the Twins payroll has decreased, the players not in the starting lineup every day will need to be increasingly valuable. Backup catchers, utility infielders, and corner outfielders will be given crucial at-bats throughout the season due to rest, injuries, or certain pitching matchups. Attempting to predict who will be best off the bench in 2026 is a fun exercise in determining the Opening Day roster of the Twins.\n<\/p>\n
\n\tBelow you will find a list of players likely competing for a bench role with the 2026 Twins. This list will only include players currently on the 40-man roster.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n
\n\tVictor Caratini<\/a>\u00a0(Out of Options) \n\tKody Clemens<\/a>\u00a0(Out of Options) \n\tAustin Martin<\/a>\u00a0(one option remaining) \n\tAlan Roden<\/a>\u00a0(two options remaining) \n\tJames Outman\u00a0(Out of Options)\u00a0 \n\tTristan Gray<\/a>\u00a0(one option remaining)\u00a0 \n\tEric Wagaman<\/a> (three options remaining)\u00a0 \n\tRyan Kreidler<\/a>\u00a0(one option remaining) \n\tBesides these names, other bench options could be veteran non-roster invitees such as Orlando Arcia<\/a> and Gio Urshela<\/a>. Hypothetically some of the top prospects in the farm system could make the Opening Day roster as well, like Walker Jenkins<\/a> (NRI), Kaelen Culpepper<\/a> (NRI), and Emmanuel Rodriguez<\/a> (40-man roster, one option remaining), but they will most likely open the year in St. Paul. Regardless, the bench will need to provide meaningful at bats, speed, and solid defense for the Twins to win consistently.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"As the Twins payroll has decreased, the players not in the starting lineup every day will need to…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":596477,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[2388],"tags":[5899,4992,5,1392,4571,461,822,60,3190,4,13629,30756,148,3614],"class_list":{"0":"post-596476","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-minnesota-twins","8":"tag-alan-roden","9":"tag-austin-martin","10":"tag-baseball","11":"tag-eric-wagaman","12":"tag-james-outman","13":"tag-kody-clemens","14":"tag-minnesota","15":"tag-minnesota-twins","16":"tag-minnesotatwins","17":"tag-mlb","18":"tag-ryan-kreidler","19":"tag-tristan-gray","20":"tag-twins","21":"tag-victor-caratini"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@mlb\/116143824797811806","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/596476","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=596476"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/596476\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/596477"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=596476"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=596476"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=596476"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
Caratini signed a two year, 14-million-dollar contract<\/a> with the Twins near the end of January and is FanGraphs\u2019 pick to have the most WAR off the bench. The 32-year-old spent the last two seasons with the Astros, and this past year he hit .259\/.324\/.404 with 12 home runs in 114 games with Houston. His Expected Batting Average (XBA) was lower than what he finished at by a few points, but his Expected Slugging (xSLG) was higher than he ended the season with at .425. Defensively, Caratini is a solid blocker. His blocking run value was 4 in 2026 which was good for 15th in the league. However, Caratini\u2019s throwing and framing were below average. He ranked 34th in the league with -2 catcher framing runs and 80th among catchers in average pop time to second base at 2.05 seconds. The switch-hitter will contribute a league average to slightly below league average bat<\/a> as the backup to Ryan Jeffers<\/a> along with some additional DH\/first base opportunities, but don\u2019t expect him to throw many people out.\n<\/p>\n
Clemens returns to Minnesota after contributing a slash line of .216\/.284\/.442 in 112 games<\/a> after being acquired<\/a> by the Twins in late April<\/a>. Clemens hit 19 home runs<\/a> and appeared at first base<\/a>, second, and all three outfield spots. His advanced stats backed his play<\/a> as well. Clemens\u2019 xSLG up at .465 on the year and his average exit velocity was in the 84th percentile of MLB at 91.5 mph. Don\u2019t expect Clemens to hit much against lefties, as he hit .192\/.264\/.218 off them in 2025, but expect him contribute at several positions<\/a> in 2026 whether someone needs a rest day or a righty is on the mound.\n<\/p>\n
Martin would be my pick to contribute the most from the bench in 2026<\/a>. In very limited MLB time, he slashed .282\/.374\/.365 for the Twins<\/a> last year with 11 stolen bases as well. The former<\/a> first round<\/a> pick<\/a> won\u2019t contribute much to the power department, as he only has two home runs in 143 games played in MLB, but his xSLG finished higher last season at .403. Martin can play left field and center field and could play second base in a pinch as well. While he may not be in the Opening Day lineup, Martin should contribute this year<\/a> as a late inning defensive outfielder\/baserunner and will be in the lineup against lefties, who he hit .346\/.404\/.481 against in 2025.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n
The former Creighton Bluejay played in 12 games for the Twins after being acquired from Toronto<\/a> in the Louis Varland<\/a> trade <\/a>last year<\/a> because of a broken bone in his hand<\/a>. In the small sample size, he hit .158\/.200\/.263. Roden is a good defender, finishing with a fielding run value of 3 in 2025 with an above average arm in the 80th percentile of MLB. Roden\u2019s path for playing time is currently blocked by Trevor Larnach<\/a>, but if he is moved Roden will have to compete with Martin, Clemens, and James Outman<\/a> for playing time at the corner outfield spots.\u00a0 \u00a0\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Similar to Roden, Outman was acquired<\/a> at the trade deadline from the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Brock Stewart<\/a> trade. He hit .147\/.221\/.337<\/a> in 37 games after being recalled<\/a> to Minnesota and appeared at all three outfield spots. Outman has the most centerfield experience of this group, giving him an inside track to one of the last bench spots<\/a>, but he will need to earn it with his bat. Similarly to Roden, his roster spot and playing time are certainly affected by Trevor Larnach.\n<\/p>\n
Acquired in a February trade with the Red Sox<\/a>, Gray has only compiled 122 plate appearances at the major league level since his debut in 2023, with most of them coming last season in Tampa Bay. He hit .231\/.282\/.410, with his better numbers coming against left-handed pitchers. Given that Tampa Bay played their games at Steinbrenner Field last year and that Gray had better numbers there, it would be smart to be cautious to view him as a serious contributor this year. However, advanced hitting measures back up his play. Gray\u2019s xSLG was significantly higher than where he finished at .473 along with his xBA at .257. His average exit velocity and bat speed would be above average as well if he had a qualified number of at bats. While his defense isn\u2019t great with -1 OAA in 2025, Gray has played all four infield spots<\/a> during his brief MLB career, which would provide helpful versatility from a bench spot.\n<\/p>\n
Wagaman was acquired on January 2nd from Miami <\/a>after playing 140 games for the Fish last year. He hit .250\/.296\/.378<\/a> with nine home runs. His xSLG and xBA were both higher than his actual numbers, and his average exit velocity and squared-up percentage were both above average as well, in the 72nd and 81st percentiles, respectively. Defensively, Wagaman appeared primarily at first base, while also seeing time at third base and the corner outfield spots. Given the depth in front of him at first base, he is most likely behind Martin for now in terms of being a right-handed bench bat<\/a>, but only the Opening Day roster will tell.\n<\/p>\n
Derek Shelton<\/a> said Saturday that Kreidler \u201ccould do both of those and be both of those\u201d when asked about the backup shortstop<\/a> and centerfield positions on the roster. Kreidler may be a bit of an unknown name, as he was claimed off waivers<\/a> from the Pirates in the middle of October. Kreidler\u2019s defensive versatility is his calling card; he\u2019s played second, third, short, left, and centerfield at the major league level before. The bat leaves a lot to be desired, as he has a career .138\/.208\/.176<\/a> in 89 games. Kreidler could make the Opening Day roster, but more as a defensive substitution or pinch runner (seven career stolen bases) than a pinch hitter.\n<\/p>\n