Inside The Twins

DaShawn Keirsey Jr. makes Twins' Opening Day roster over Austin Martin

Keirsey has made the first Opening Day roster of his career. He'll get a chance to play a meaningful bench role for Minnesota.

Will Ragatz

Sep 29, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Twins center fielder DaShawn Keirsey Jr. (89) celebrates his first career home run as he runs the bases during the third inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Target Field.
Sep 29, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Twins center fielder DaShawn Keirsey Jr. (89) celebrates his first career home run as he runs the bases during the third inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Target Field. / Matt Krohn-Imagn Images
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Twins outfielder DaShawn Keirsey Jr. has made the team's Opening Day roster. He lands the final position player spot on the roster over Austin Martin, who has been optioned to Triple-A St. Paul.

It's the first career Opening Day roster nod for the 27-year-old Keirsey, who has played nearly 500 minor league games in the Twins' system. He made his MLB debut late last season and hit his first home run, and now he'll get another opportunity to prove himself at the highest level of the sport.

As they prepare to break camp in a couple days and begin the regular season on Thursday, here's what the Twins' roster looks like on the position player side of things:

  • C: Ryan Jeffers, Christian Vazquez
  • IF: Carlos Correa, Jose Miranda, Willi Castro, Ty France, Edouard Julien, Mickey Gasper
  • OF: Byron Buxton, Matt Wallner, Trevor Larnach, Harrison Bader, DaShawn Keirsey Jr.

Royce Lewis and Brooks Lee beginning the year on the IL opened up spots for Gasper and Keirsey to make the team. Both guys have played well at Triple-A and will now be needed in important bench roles early in the season.

Keirsey was a fourth-round pick out of the University of Utah in 2018. He's worked his way up through the Twins' system and has been a productive player in the minors. Last season with St. Paul, Keirsey hit .300 with 14 HR, 81 RBI, 36 stolen bases, and an .845 OPS. In 2023, mostly at Double-A Wichita, he hit .294 with 15 homers and 39 steals. He's gone 11 for 40 (.275) with one homer, eight RBI, three steals, and a .750 OPS in 18 games this spring.

One of the main assets Keirsey brings to the Twins is speed. He's an excellent defensive outfielder who has 135 minor league steals on 159 attempts (85 percent). His primary role early this season figures to be as a defensive replacement or pinch runner off the bench for Rocco Baldelli. Keirsey also has some pop in his left-handed bat and should get opportunities at the plate as well.

Martin had a .658 OPS this spring and will begin the season in St. Paul. The former No. 5 overall pick could still be called upon for depth over the course of the year.

We'll learn the 13 pitchers who have made the cut for the Opening Day roster pretty soon. The starting rotation is set, but the Twins may look to add a reliever off of waivers with Brock Stewart and Michael Tonkin on the IL.

The Twins have two final spring training games on Monday and Tuesday. Their regular season opener is on Thursday afternoon in St. Louis.

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Will Ragatz
WILL RAGATZ

Will Ragatz is a senior writer for Vikings On SI. He is a credentialed Minnesota Vikings beat reporter, covering the team extensively at practices, games and throughout the NFL draft and free agency period. Ragatz attended Northwestern University, where he studied at the prestigious Medill School of Journalism. During his time as a student, he covered Northwestern Wildcats football and basketball for SB Nation’s Inside NU, eventually serving as co-editor-in-chief in his junior year. In the fall of 2018, Will interned in Sports Illustrated’s newsroom in New York City, where he wrote articles on Major League Baseball, college football, and college basketball for SI.com.

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