How They Were Acquired: Minnesota Twins Wild Card Roster

The Twins became the first team in MLB history to go from a 100-loss season to a playoff berth in 2017, and while that’s skewed somewhat by the fact that the postseason field of 10 teams is relatively new, it’s nonetheless an impressive feat. Newly minted chief baseball officer Derek Falvey, general manager Thad Levine and the rest of the Twins’ front office deserve credit for both the offseason additions they made last winter and for the restraint they showed in not blowing up a young roster that wholly underperformed reasonable expectations in 2016.

Former general managers Terry Ryan and Bill Smith and their lieutenants (including assistant GM Rob Antony, who still holds that title the new-look front office) also deserve credit, as a number of the players in question were acquired under their watch.

Here’s a look at how the Twins acquired the 25 players that will comprise their roster in tonight’s Wild Card playoff at Yankee Stadium…

[Related: Minnesota Twins Depth Chart and Payroll Outlook]

• HOMEGROWN (13)
  • Joe Mauer, 1B: Drafted 1st Rd (1) ’01
  • Brian Dozier, 2B: Drafted 8th Rd ’09
  • Kennys Vargas, 1B: Non-Drafted Free Agent February ’09
  • Jorge Polanco, SS: International Free Agent (D.R.) July ’09
  • Max Kepler, RF: International Free Agent (Germany) July ’09
  • Eddie Rosario, LF: Drafted 4th Rd ’10
  • Byron Buxton, CF: Drafted 1st Rd (2) ’12
  • Jose Berrios, SP: Drafted 1st Rd (32) ’12
  • Tyler Duffey, RP: Drafted 5th Rd ’12
  • Taylor Rogers, RP: Drafted 11th Rd ’13
  • Mitch Garver, C/1B/OF: Drafted 9th Rd ’13
  • Zack Granite, OF: Drafted 14th Rd ’13
  • Trevor Hildenberger, RP: Drafted 22nd Rd ’14

• ACQUIRED VIA FREE AGENCY (7)
  • Ervin Santana, SP: December ’14 (ATL) — Signed to a four-year, $55MM deal
  • Buddy Boshers, RP: December ’15 (Indy) — Signed to a minor league deal
  • Robbie Grossman, OF: May ’16 (CLE) — Signed to a minor league deal
  • Jason Castro, C: November ’16  (HOU) — Signed to a three-year, $24.5MM deal
  • Chris Gimenez, C: January ’17 (CLE) — Signed to a minor league deal
  • Matt Belisle, RP: February ’17 (WSH) — Signed to a one-year, $2.05MM deal
  • Dillon Gee, RP: June ’17 (TEX) — Signed to a minor league deal

• ACQUIRED VIA TRADE (3)
  • Eduardo Escobar, INF: July ’12 (CWS) — Acquired in the trade that sent Francisco Liriano to the White Sox
  • Adalberto Mejia, SP: July ’16 (SF) — Acquired in the trade that sent Eduardo Nunez to the Giants
  • Alan Busenitz, RP: August ’16 (LAA) — Acquired in the trade that sent Ricky Nolasco and Alex Meyer to the Angels

• ACQUIRED VIA WAIVERS (1)
  • Ehire Adrianza, INF/OF: February ’17 (MIL)

• ACQUIRED VIA RULE 5 DRAFT (1)
  • Ryan Pressly, RP: December ’12 (BOS)

Notably, the Twins announced today that slugger Miguel Sano — a major factor in their postseason berth this season — will not be a part of the Wild Card roster due to ongoing discomfort in a stress reaction he suffered when fouling a ball into his shin in late August. He’d been activated for the final three games of the season, lending some optimism that he could potentially play in the divisional series should the team advance, but he was apparently too limited to carry on the roster for this all-hands-on-deck game.