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It’s been a quiet offseason for the Minnesota Twins. Other than the Buxton extension (yay) and the signing of RHP Dylan Bundy, it’s been uneventful. I have been quiet too, but I’m ready to get back in the baseball swing of things.
I saw an article recently about Kepler being trade bait. The basis of the article is not why I bring this up. I bring it up because I need a refresher on some current Twins contracts.
Let’s start with RF Max Kepler. In 2019 he locked in a 5-year $32 million extension that carried a $10 million club option for 2024 with a $1 million buyout.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
2022: $6.75 million
2023: $8.5 million
2024: $10 million or team dumps him for $1 million
CF Byron Buxton signed a major contract extension this offseason, 7 years/$100 million. This is one of the fairest deals possible for both sides in my opinion.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
2022: $9.14 million
2023-2028: $15.14 million per year
1B Miguel Sano has one year left in his three-year contract before the team option next year.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
2022: $9.25 million
2023: $14 million option, $2.75 team buyout (pay him to get rid of him)
The Twins signed 3B Josh Donaldson two years ago, 4 years/$92 million.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
2022: $21.75 million
2023: $21.75
2024: $16 million team option, $8 million buyout (eeek)
In February 2020 the Twins traded Brusdar Graterol and a few others for RHP SP Kenta Maeda and catcher Jair Camargo (Cedar Rapids A+.) Kenta is likely to be out this entire season because of Tommy John surgery. He’s on an 8 year/$25 million contract that he signed with the Dodgers. That started in 2016. He is a free agent in 2024.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
2022: $3.125 million
2023: $3.125 million
2024: Free Agent
Newly signed RHP Dylan Bundy will likely be a starter for the Twins in 2022. While his numbers are not impressive, the Twins are confident those numbers were skewed because he was recovering from a shoulder injury. The Twins signed him for 1 year/$4 million with an impressive $11 million team option or $1 million buyout of the club option, so do well my friend.
WHAT THIS MEANS?
2022: $4 million
2023: $1 million to dump him, $11 million to keep him
Middle-infielder Jorge Polanco signed a 5 year/$25,750,000 contract with the Twins in 2019. It’s still unknown if Polanco will play at 2B next year, though I think it’s likely.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
2022: $5.5 million
2023: $7.5 million
2024: $1 million buyout, $10.5 million vesting option (needs 550 plate appearances in 2023)
2025: $750,000 buyout, $12 million option
We cannot forget the 5-year contract Randy Dobnak signed last year for $9.25 million. The RHP was 1-7 in his first year of the contract with a 7+ ERA. He is locked in through 2025. Pretty good for a former Uber/Lyft driver.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
2022: $800,000
2023: $1.5 million
2024: $2.25 million
2025: $3 million
2026: $1 million buyout, $6 million team option
2027: $7 million team option
2028: $8.5 million team option
Some other notable players who are locked in for next year: Jake Cave got a one-year contract for $800,000. He could though still get cut and the Twins would only be responsible for a small percentage of his contract. Tyler Duffey avoided arbitration and signed a 1yr/$3.8 million contract. Caleb Thielbar is locked in for 1 year/$1.3 million. Taylor Rogers is still negotiating a contract for 2022. Luis Arraez is as well.
As it stands, the Twins have an estimated payroll of $91 million for 2022. Last year the Twins payroll was at $122 million according to FanGraphs.