What the Minnesota Twins' starting lineup, batting order could look like

The season opener is just over a month away against the St. Louis Cardinals.

Feb 18, 2025; Lee County, FL, USA; Minnesota Twins center fielder Byron Buxton (25) walks to the field during the teamís spring training at the Lee Health Sports Complex . Credit: Chris Tilley-Imagn Images / Chris Tilley-Imagn Images

Spring training has begun and no time is better than now to look at what the Minnesota Twins' starting lineup could look like when the regular season begins March 27 in St. Louis against the Cardinals.

It seems pretty safe to say that Ty France was the last "big" roster move before the season starts, and with manager Rocco Baldelli confirming that France is likely going to be a regular starter, we can pencil him into the lineup at first base. If true, here's what Minnesota's starting lineup could look like when fully healthy this season.

• 1B: Ty France
• 2B: Brooks Lee
• SS: Carlos Correa
• 3B: Royce Lewis
• C: Ryan Jeffers
• LF: Willi Castro
• CF: Byron Buxton
• RF: Matt Wallner
• DH: Trevor Larnach

If that's the starting nine, it leaves Harrison Bader, Eddy Julien, Jose Miranda and Christian Vazquez on the bench. That's 14 total position players, leaving room for 12 pitchers on the 26-man roster.

The projected batting order from FanGraphs is:

1. Willi Castro, DH
2. Carlos Correa, SS
3. Trevor Larnach, LF
4. Byron Buxton, CF
5. Royce Lewis, 3B
6. Matt Wallner, RF
7. Ryan Jeffers, C
8. Ty France, 1B
9. Brooks Lee, 2B

I can't see Larnach batting third, so something like this may be more palatable.

1. Will Castro, DH
2. Carlos Correa, SS
3. Royce Lewis, 3B
4. Byron Buxton, CF
5. Matt Wallner, RF
6. Ty France, 1B
7. Trevor Larnach, LF
8. Ryan Jeffers, C
9. Brooks Lee, 2B

The only issue with that lineup is that Lewis, Buxton, Wallner and France are strikeout prone, so it might be wise to put a better contact hitter in there to breakout the whiff potential.

Pitching locks are Pablo Lopez, Joe Ryan, Bailey Ober, Simeon Woods Richardson, Jhoan Duran, Griffin Jax, Cole Sands, Brock Stewart, Michael Tonkin and Danny Coulombe.

That leaves two spots open, and one of them has to be a starting pitcher. Could the two spots go to David Festa and Chris Paddack, with Paddack the more likely of the two to wind up in a relief role?

If Minnesota goes with 13 pitchers and 13 position players, it would be bad news for someone like Julien or Miranda. One of them would probably be starting the season at Triple-A St. Paul. On the flip side, it would open another spot in the bullpen for Jorge Alcala or Elberson Castellano.

More Twins news and rumors

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Mickey Gasper homers, leaves Twins spring training action after collision

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Brooks Lee, Brock Stewart join Royce Lewis on injured list to start the season

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Byron Buxton homers as Twins fall to Blue Jays in spring training

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Lopez shines, Woods Richardson struggles in Twins' spring training loss to Phillies

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With Royce Lee already injured, Brooks Lee is scratched from Twins' lineup