Click or tap a card to read more about a player.

• Jose

  Berrios

  Pitcher

  Jose Berrios

  17

  If you ever see a young pitcher struggle mightily, and you become convinced that his future is hopeless as a result, please keep Berrios in your head as an antidote to that pessimism. Berrios posted an 8.02 ERA in 14 starts as a rookie in 2016. He's made two All-Star teams since then and resides firmly at the top of the Twins' rotation.

• Randy

  Dobnak

  Pitcher

  Randy Dobnak

  68

  Two years ago, Dobnak was pitching in the United Shore Professional Baseball League, and in his journey to the majors he was an Uber driver (4.99 rating, he boasts on his Twitter account). In a season of unlikely heroes and developments, Dobnak reaching the Twins and contributing is at or near the top of that list.

• Tyler

  Duffey

  Pitcher

  Tyler Duffey

  21

  Remember when Duffey pitched like a boss as a rookie starter down the stretch in 2015, keeping the Twins in the playoff chase until the final weekend? Well, maybe that guy was stuffed in the trunk of a car from 2016-18 (cumulative ERA for the Twins: 6.05), but he's settled into a role as a dominant arm out of the bullpen this year.

• Sam

  Dyson

  Pitcher

  Sam Dyson

  49

  He hasn't been healthy nearly enough for his or the Twins' liking since coming over at the trade deadline form San Francisco, but Dyson's 2.53 ERA in 10 appearances from mid-August to early September came at an important time as the Twins' bullpen stabilized and their lead over Cleveland expanded.

• Kyle

  Gibson

  Pitcher

  Kyle Gibson

  44

  Gibson, the Twins' longest-tenured player after Joe Mauer's retirement, battled an E. coli virus early in the year and ulcerative colitis late in the year. As frustrating as that has been for Gibson and the Twins, he did tie his career-high in wins (13) by late August and was one of the Twins' most consistent pitchers in the middle of the year.

• Brusdar

  Graterol

  Pitcher

  Brusdar Graterol

  51

  Graterol became the first Twins pitcher in a decade to hit 100 mph on the radar gun and set a team record with a 101.9 mph pitch. That sort of heat has only added fuel to the fire from Twins fans curious all year about the phenom, who just turned 21 in late August. Could he be their secret weapon?

• Ryne

  Harper

  Pitcher

  Ryne Harper

  19

  It's been a strange year for the curveballing Harper, who was one of the Twins' most important relief pitchers early in the season and ranks among the team leaders in appearances in 2019. He had a 1.93 ERA in his first 30 appearances this season. That climbed to 5.68 in the next 30 appearances for the rookie, who is also 30 years old.

• Trevor

  Hildenberger

  Pitcher

  Trevor Hildenberger

  39

  It looks like Hildenberger is throwing a Wiffle ball with his funky delivery and movement, but it's been a tough year between injury and ineffectiveness. He held opponents scoreless in his first 11 appearances this season and looked to be a key bullpen piece. By mid-May, his ERA was above 8 -- when was sent down, only to return in September.

• Zack

  Littell

  Pitcher

  Zack Littell

  52

  If you would have told a Twins fan two months ago that the bullpen could be a strength in October and that Littell would be a big reason, you would have gotten off easy just to be laughed at. But as of Sept. 19, Littell had given up a run in just three appearances all season, and his beard is worthy of high-leverage situations.

• Trevor

  May

  Pitcher

  Trevor May

  65

  His varied interests -- including intense gaming (just follow him on Twitter) -- have been well-documented, but May's pitching has made headlines this year. Since working exclusively out of the bullpen since 2016, May has averaged close to 12 strikeouts per nine innings, and this year he's become a trusted setup man.

• Jake

  Odorizzi

  Pitcher

  Jake Odorizzi

  12

  Chances are, Odorizzi is going to pitch somewhere between 5 and 6 innings. He's probably going to allow around two runs. He's probably going to strike out six guys. That might not sound very exciting, but there's also this: there's a pretty good chance the Twins are going to win, as they did in 20 of his first 29 starts in 2019.

• Martin

  Perez

  Pitcher

  Martin Perez

  33

  Perez is so much better the first time through the batting order than the second time through that maybe he should go change his uniform or put on a disguise or something -- anything -- to convince hitters he's a different guy. That said, a guy who's really good for three innings can have a lot of value when the playoffs roll around.

• Michael

  Pineda

  Pitcher

  Michael Pineda

  35

  One of the Twins' best stories turned into one of their biggest disappointments when Pineda was handed a 60-game suspension in early September for a positive drug test. Pineda was 7-2 with a 2.96 ERA in his last 14 starts and would have factored prominently into the Twins' postseason plans before the suspension.

• Taylor

  Rogers

  Pitcher

  Taylor Rogers

  55

  There was a time earlier this year when Rogers was about the only Twins reliever anyone trusted, and it would have been tempting to try to clone him. But get this: Rogers has a clone already (sort of): identical twin brother Tyler Rogers, also a pitcher, but a right-hander who has done quite well since debuting recently with the Giants.

• Fernando

  Romero

  Pitcher

  Fernando Romero

  77

  Romero didn't give up a run in his first two Major League starts for the Twins in 2018 and had a 1.88 ERA in his first five starts. Everything since then has been a bit of a mystery, with the once highly regarded prospect failing to lock down a bullpen role in 2019 despite multiple chances to do so.

• Sergio

  Romo

  Pitcher

  Sergio Romo

  54

  Romo is a little like a righthanded version of former Twins closer Eddie Guardado, relying on confidence, enthusiasm and well-timed breaking pitches to get batters out. But he's been a welcome addition since coming over from the Marlins, and his 27 career playoff appearances (six scoreless in the World Series) sure help.

• Devin

  Smeltzer

  Pitcher

  Devin Smeltzer

  31

  In a season filled with feel-good stories and memorable nights, it might still be hard to top Smeltzer's debut on May 28. After a hasty callup, Smeltzer -- who survived cancer in his his childhood -- pitched six shutout innings in a win over Milwaukee. Oh, and he was acquired last year in the Brian Dozier trade.

• Cody

  Stashak

  Pitcher

  Cody Stashak

  61

  The Twins have used 30 different pitchers this season, and Stashak is definitely one of them. Actually, he's been among the better young arms. He had zero walks and 14 strikeouts in his first 11 appearances as a rookie for the Twins in 2019, spanning 18 innings, and could be a factor in the bullpen next season.

• Kohl

  Stewart

  Pitcher

  Kohl Stewart

  53

  He posted a 3.68 ERA as a Twins rookie in 2018, but that relative success didn't transfer to 2019. He's probably best suited as a starter, but time is running out for the 2013 first round pick (No. 4 overall) to prove he belongs for good on a Major League roster.

• Lewis

  Thorpe

  Pitcher

  Lewis Thorpe

  43

  Anyone whose Baseball Reference page starts with a season with Melbourne Aces of the Australian Baseball League is off to a good start. It helps that Thorpe has shown swing-and-miss stuff throughout his minor league career and has worked enough high-leverage spots in 2019 to think he could make the rotation in 2020.

• Willians

  Astudillo

  Catcher

  Willians Astudillo

  64

  Can we do three cards for Willians? There's not enough space to fully appreciate him here. Rest assured that a player who A) Hardly ever walks or strikes out; B) Has a nickname of La Tortuga and C) Makes at least one highlight-worthy play or expression every time he's on the field is a favorite among fans and teammates.

• Jason

  Castro

  Catcher

  Jason Castro

  15

  After being limited to just 19 games because of injury in 2018, Castro has had a nice bounceback year for the Twins in 2019. He reached double-digits in homers for the sixth time in his career and had his best overall offensive season since 2013.

• Mitch

  Garver

  Catcher

  Mitch Garver

  18

  If you say you predicted Garver would top 30 homers this year and be a serious candidate for team MVP, you're either a liar or a time-traveler. For a team to make the kind of leap the Twins have made this season, it takes some pleasant surprises. Garver certainly qualifies and maybe tops that list.

• Ehire

  Adrianza

  Infielder

  Ehire Adrianza

  13

  Adrianza's versatility and quiet effectiveness at the plate were a sneaky boon for the Twins, and both were missed when he suffered an oblique injury late in the season. He posted a career-best .765 OPS and appeared at every position except catcher and center field (yes, he even pitched once).

• Luis

  Arraez

  Infielder

  Luis Arraez

  2

  He's a career .331 hitter in the minor leagues, so maybe we shouldn't be shocked by everything the 22-year-old has done. But still: Who expected him to look like a cross between Rod Carew and Tony Gwynn? Arraez didn't make his debut until May 18; if he'd been here sooner, he might be a batting champ.

• C.J.

  Cron

  Infielder

  C.J. Cron

  24

  A thumb injury limited his effectiveness in the second half of the season, but Cron has been everything advertised and a good offseason power-hitting pickup. Maybe it's easier to replace a left-handed, high-average first baseman like all-time Twins great Joe Mauer when you're a righty who hits for power?

• Jorge

  Polanco

  Infielder

  Jorge Polanco

  11

  As far as milestones go, Polanco this year becoming the first Twins shortstop to start an All-Star Game since Roy Smalley in 1979 is a pretty cool one. And Polanco has kept up the pace all season, establishing himself as one of the Twins' most consistent hitters while delivering clutch hits.

• Miguel

  Sano

  Infielder

  Miguel Sano

  22

  It's a little comical now to look back at mid-May when Sano returned to the lineup amid worries from fans that he could disrupt their early-season mojo. Sano's mammoth 482-foot homer in mid-September made him the fifth Twins player to reach 30 homers this season, a new MLB record.

• Jonathan

  Schoop

  Infielder

  Jonathan Schoop

  16

  In a season with a lot of home runs (and a lot of big ones), Schoop certainly had one of the biggest: A two-run shot Aug. 16 against Texas to help the Twins rally for a 4-3 victory. But as much as you want his name to be pronounced like “shoop,” it’s really like “scope.”

• Ronald

  Torreyes

  Infielder

  Ronald Torreyes

  74

  Spent most of the season at Class AAA Rochester, but he does have Major League experience after racking up more than 600 plate appearances from 2016-18 with the Yankees. His best year came in 2017, when he hit .292 in 336 plate appearances for New York.

• Byron

  Buxton

  Outfielder

  Byron Buxton

  25

  It’s hard to have faith that the universe is mostly good when everyone’s favorite adult son keeps getting injured. Alas, that is the story of Buxton. In a season during which he seemed to be turning a corner offensively while still wowing everyone in the field, Buxton is out for the year with a shoulder ailment. Somehow, the Twins must go on.

• Jake

  Cave

  Outfielder

  Jake Cave

  60

  In addition to being the Twins player whose name sounds the most like a roadside tourist attraction, Cave has turned into a valuable spare outfielder. From Aug. 6 to Sept. 6, Cave hit .325 with a 1.004 OPS to help keep the Twins’ offense afloat.

• Marwin

  Gonzalez

  Outfielder

  Marwin Gonzalez

  9

  It's Mar-win, not Mar-lose. His raw numbers aren't even close to the best on the Twins, but his versatility and clutch hitting have been a welcome addition. Gonzalez’s postseason resume includes a game-tying ninth-inning home run in Game 2 of the 2017 World Series, helping the Astros win in seven games.

• Max

  Kepler

  Outfielder

  Max Kepler

  26

  If you've been waiting patiently for Kepler have a breakout season, 2019 was your year. Kepler breezed past his previous high in home runs (20) and might have doubled it if not for some nagging injuries late in the season. The German-born Kepler also set the MLB single-season record for homers by a European-born player.

• Ryan

  LaMarre

  Outfielder

  Ryan LaMarre

  27

  The Twins, desperate for outfielders in early September after several were injured, acquired LaMarre from Atlanta. Though he isn't eligible for postseason play, LaMarre has helped hold things together. Fun fact: He's married to former Edina tennis standout Whitney Taney. Both were college athletes at the University of Michigan.

• Eddie

  Rosario

  Outfielder

  Eddie Rosario

  20

  After hitting a Major League-leading 15 triples as a rookie in 2015, Rosario hasn’t hit more than two in a season since then. But he’s traded three-baggers for bombas, topping 30 home runs for the first time in his career this season.

• LaMonte

  Wade

  Outfielder

  LaMonte Wade

  30

  Wade has a knack for drawing walks and getting on base, as his career .389 on-base percentage in the minor leagues will attest. He can also wreak havoc on the basepaths. It sounds like a skill set more suited to the Twins' "Piranhas" of the last decade, but Wade has been a useful player since his call-up.

• Nelson

  Cruz

  D.H.

  Nelson Cruz

  23

  Arguably the team MVP even though he doesn't play the field. It becomes increasingly difficult to top your age with your home run total, but the 39-year-old Cruz has defied the odds once again this season. He ties the whole lineup together, like The Dude’s rug in “The Big Lebowski.”

Photos from Star Tribune staff photographers and The Associated Press.