Minnesota’s road back to October in 2027 may not hinge on one winter addition as much as it hinges on five internal answers. The Twins have enough young talent to picture a contender, but the club’s ceiling will be shaped by health, recovery and a few unsettled jobs.
Pablo López and Byron Buxton remain the biggest names in that equation. Behind them, Emmanuel Rodriguez, Kendry Rojas and Royce Lewis represent three different kinds of uncertainty: opportunity, role and consistency.
Quick facts
- López is expected to begin mound work next month following right elbow surgery.
- Buxton underwent surgery on his right hip after a second-half decline in 2026.
- Rodriguez, 23, has no Minor League options remaining after appearing in 13 Major League games.
- Rojas struck out 34 hitters in 29 2/3 innings across 12 appearances, including four starts.
- Lewis hit 12 home runs and stole 13 bases in 94 games after his June 6 recall from Triple-A St. Paul.
López is the rotation’s central question. Minnesota played all of 2026 without him after the right-hander underwent elbow surgery before the season, and his absence left a hole that was difficult to cover.
His rehabilitation has progressed well, with mound sessions planned for next month and the hope that he can participate in something close to a normal Spring Training. Command can be slow to return during a pitcher’s first season back from Tommy John surgery, so expecting immediate peak form would be unfair.
Still, López returning to the front of the staff changes the entire look of the club. A healthy version of him could have helped keep the Twins around the .500 mark and in the meaningful-games mix late into last season.
Buxton’s health carries a similarly heavy weight. The center fielder’s right hip became increasingly difficult to manage during the second half, eventually leading to surgery and a sharp drop from his first-half production.
Before the hip trouble caught up with him, Buxton batted .271 with a .328 on-base percentage and a .575 slugging mark. He hit 25 homers, drove in 45 runs and made his third All-Star team.
The Twins believe the procedure can finally clear away the hip limitations that have followed Buxton. If he can stay on the field regularly in 2027, Minnesota gets not only an impact player but its established veteran presence in the clubhouse.
Young players with jobs to claim
Rodriguez enters camp with less certainty than fellow young position players Walker Jenkins and Kaelen Culpepper. Minnesota saw Jenkins and Culpepper for a combined 59 games and came away encouraged by what their bats can bring, even with the usual rookie adjustments ahead.
Rodriguez did not have the same runway. The 23-year-old outfielder appeared in only 13 Major League games, never settling into the kind of offensive rhythm shown by the other two prospects.
His roster status adds urgency. Rodriguez is out of options, meaning the Twins must carry him in the majors or risk losing him on waivers. Whether his spot is in Minneapolis or elsewhere, he is unlikely to clear.
Rojas offers Minnesota a live left arm and a spring decision with more than one possible ending. In 12 big league outings, four as a starter, he piled up 34 strikeouts in 29 2/3 innings while showing occasional trouble with his control.
The 23-year-old looked more effective in his starting assignments than in relief, though the sample was small. The Twins are expected to build him up as a starter in Spring Training, a practical approach since a stretched-out pitcher can always be moved into a shorter role later.
That leaves Rojas with a wide-open path: rotation candidate, multi-inning reliever or late-inning bullpen weapon. Few arms in the organization offer his combination of velocity and upside.
Lewis remains one of the hardest players to forecast. His full 2026 line — .227/.287/.380 — did not meet expectations, but he stayed on the field for most of the year and found better footing after a 15-game assignment to St. Paul in May.
Following his June 6 return, Lewis hit .245/.295/.409 over 94 games. He added 21 doubles, 12 home runs, 44 RBIs and 13 stolen bases, showing flashes of the dynamic talent expected from the 2017 first overall Draft pick.
Those flashes are what make his 2027 so important. Lewis can still carry an offense for stretches, but the Twins need fewer prolonged slumps and more dependable production if he is to become a steady answer at first base.
For Minnesota, the coming season may come down to familiar baseball questions: Can López command the ball again? Can Buxton run free? Can the younger players turn promise into everyday production? The answers will shape much more than a spring roster.
