Twins 2027 Arbitration Projections Reveal Several Major Offseason Decisions

Joe Ryan headlines Minnesota’s arbitration-eligible players, while Trevor Larnach, Royce Lewis and others could force the Twins to make difficult roster decisions.

Minnesota Twins second baseman Kody Clemens. Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Minnesota Twins are heading into a pivotal offseason that could define the outlook of their franchise for years to come.

The first step for the Twins is establishing their payroll for next season and target numbers, which include arbitration. Friday, MLB Trade Rumors released its projections for how much players in arbitration could earn in 2027. It provides a roadmap into what the offseason for the Twins could look like based on how much they spend in arbitration before spending on free agents.

Position Players

Minnesota Twins third baseman Royce Lewis and Trevor Larnach. Credit: Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The highest projected position player is Trevor Larnach, projected at $6.3M. Larnach should be a trade candidate for the Twins this offseason given the depth they have in the outfield going forward, between players locked up and players and prospects knocking on the door.

Royce Lewis, who had a rather underwhelming season that saw him sent to AAA, is projected to earn $5.1MM. Lewis is another candidate for the Twins to shed in the offseason given his lack of impactful performance in recent seasons.

Kody Clemens broke out in 2026. The Twins will be leaning on the versatile lefty a lot in 2027, and he's projected to earn $3.6MM. Clemens' role is going to be among the most important roles on the 2027 roster, given just how many big hits he recorded in 2026.

Starting Pitchers

Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Joe Ryan. Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It's fitting that the projections have Ace Joe Ryan as the highest-paid pitcher, projected to earn $9.6MM. It's important to note with Ryan that he has a $13MM mutual option with the Twins, and if that does get picked up, that is what he will end up earning.

Bailey Ober is projected to earn $6.9MM this offseason, a nice payday for someone else who has the potential to be a higher-end starting pitcher. Ober was solid for the Twins in 2026 and should be a candidate to be good again in 2027.

Dean Kremer, the Twins' big starter acquisition at the trade deadline, is slated to earn $6.5MM. The Twins are going to need more from Kremer than what they got post-deadline. Kremer should be able to bounce back in 2027, especially with the motivation of a walk year.

Taj Bradley is slated to earn $4.5MM, which is not bad for a mid-rotation starter with top-of-the-rotation potential. The Twins are going to need a lot of production from Bradley in 2027, but the payday seems fair.

Releif Pitchers

Minnesota Twins pitcher Anthony Banda. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Projected to earn the most of the relievers on this list at $2.3MM is the oft-injured Anthony Banda. Banda has floated around in recent seasons and finally landed with the Twins. This is another big decision the front office will need to make this offseason, whether or not Banda is worth just over $2M projected.

Cole Sands is projected to earn $1.3MM. Sands projects yet another question mark, given how ineffective he was in 2026. It could be attributed to injuries that ended his 2026 season in July, but given how pitching was the biggest weakness of the 2026 team, the front office needs to evaluate every option.

Tommy Nance, who the Twins acquired from the Blue Jays prior to the deadline, is projected to earn $1.2MM in 2027. The Twins gave up assets to get Nance, and he performed decent enough that he could merit a spot in the 2027 bullpen, also at a rather low cost.