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Mickey Gasper

Twins Reinstate Willi Castro and Royce Lewis, Option Edouard Julien and Mickey Gasper

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The Twins made some roster moves this morning, reinstating Willi Castro and Royce Lewis from the 10-day injured list and optioning Edouard Julien and Mickey Gasper to Triple-A.

After bursting out of the gate as a rookie in 2023, Julien has struggled badly at the plate. He hit .207 with a 97 wRC+ through his first 58 games last season before the Twins sent him down to Triple-A. However, a pair of demotions that summer didn’t seem to help, as he would go on to hit just .186 with a 49 wRC+ over another 36 MLB games. Despite his poor showing in 2024, a solid spring helped Julien earn a spot on Minnesota’s Opening Day roster, and the injuries to Lewis and Castro helped him earn regular playing time. Unfortunately for Julien, he failed to capitalize on that opportunity. His 2025 slash line looks eerily similar to his disappointing 2024 slash line, and he has already compiled -0.5 FanGraphs WAR. The silver lining is that his Statcast expected metrics are much more promising than they were last year (.337 xwOBA, 57th percentile), but even so, it’s not hard to understand why the Twins would rather the second baseman get consistent at-bats at Triple-A to help him work through his struggles and (hopefully) build back his confidence.

Gasper’s demotion is, admittedly, less newsworthy. The Twins acquired the 29-year-old in a minor trade this past offseason, and this is already the second time they have optioned him in 2025. Versatility is his primary asset, as he has spent time at first base, second base, catcher, and left field for the Twins in 17 games this season. He has hit .176 with a 49 wRC+.

Castro, an All-Star for the first time in 2024, had been on the IL with a right oblique strain since April 24, retroactive to April 21, although he has not played since April 16. The utility man was off to a poor start, batting just .227 with an 89 wRC+. As the Twins’ offense continues to underwhelm, the team will look to a healthy Castro to rediscover the above-average offense that made him such a sneakily valuable player in each of the past two years.

Lewis, meanwhile, will be making his 2025 debut after suffering a hamstring strain in spring training. The young third baseman has shown the potential to be a game-changing bat in the middle of the order; he hit .307 with 17 home runs and a 158 wRC+ in 70 games between 2022-23. Yet, he took a step back offensively last season. His power numbers were still impressive (16 home runs in 82 games), but his batting average dropped substantially, and his overall numbers fell with it. He was still an above-average hitter (108 wRC+), but he didn’t develop into the superstar the Twins were hoping he could be. It certainly didn’t help that injuries, a common theme throughout his first two seasons, continued to plague him in 2024. Thus, as Lewis returns to the field in 2025, the Twins will hope he looks more like his 2022-23 self at the plate and that he can finally put his injury issues behind him.

Twins Designate Matt Canterino For Assignment

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The Twins have designated right-hander Matt Canterino for assignment, reports Phil Miller of the Minnesota Star Tribune. That’s the corresponding move to open a 40-man spot for prospect Luke Keaschall, whose promotion was reported yesterday. Catcher/infielder Mickey Gasper has been optioned to Triple-A Saint Paul to open an active roster spot for Keaschall.

Canterino, 27, underwent season-ending shoulder surgery about a month ago. Injured players aren’t allowed to be placed on outright waivers. Unless some club out there wants to trade for Canterino, he’ll be on release waivers in the coming days.

That recent surgery is just the latest in a series of health issues that have derailed Canterino’s trajectory. Once upon a time, he was a very promising prospect. The Twins selected him in the second round of the 2019 draft. He then put up a 1.44 earned run average in his first 25 professional innings.

He hasn’t been able to pitch much more than that in the subsequent years. The 2020 minor league season was canceled by the pandemic. Canterino logged 23 innings in 2021 with a 0.78 ERA and 37 innings in 2022 with a 1.95 ERA, battling through ongoing elbow problems. He eventually underwent Tommy John surgery in August of 2022.

The talent was enough that the Twins didn’t want him to be exposed to the Rule 5 draft, so he got a 40-man roster spot in November of 2022. He then missed all of 2023 while recovering from his surgery. A return in 2024 seemed possible until shoulder problems set him back. As mentioned, those shoulder issues ultimately resulted in surgery about a month ago.

At this point, Canterino hasn’t pitched in any official game action since the summer of 2022 and he won’t be returning soon. The numbers have been good, including huge strikeout totals, but the health problems have been so considerable that the Twins would be forgiven for running out of hope about his future.

Sometimes, in these situations, a player will be released and then rejoin his club via a minor league deal. The Twins would likely have interest in that scenario, as they could keep Canterino around without giving him a roster spot. However, he would have the ability to speak with the 29 other teams before signing a new pact.

Photo courtesy of Chris Tilley, Imagn Images

Mickey Gasper, DaShawn Keirsey Make Twins’ Roster; Twins Exploring Bullpen Market

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March 25: Castellano has cleared waivers and been returned to the Phillies, per Nightengale.

March 24: The Twins optioned infielder/outfielder Austin Martin to Triple-A St. Paul this morning, per a team announcement. They’ve also informed catcher/infielder Mickey Gasper and outfielder DaShawn Keirsey Jr. that they’ll break camp on the Opening Day roster, per Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. That sequence likely locks infielder Edouard Julien into the final spot on the position-player side of the roster.

Gasper, 29, came to the Twins in a December trade sending lefty reliever Jovani Moran back to the Red Sox. He has just 18 MLB plate appearances to his credit, but Gasper is a .317/.422/.498 hitter in 70 Triple-A games and a .276/.401/.455 batter in 176 Double-A games. He’s had a big camp, batting .308/.417/.487 with more walks than strikeouts. Gasper’s status was briefly up in the air after an infield collision yesterday resulted in a laceration on his ankle that required six stitches. He’s patched up and been cleared to start the season on a big league roster for the first time in an eight-year professional career.

Like Gasper, the 27-year-old Keirsey is a 2018 draftee who’s making his first Opening Day roster. He hit .275/.375/.375 this spring and is coming off a .300/.368/.476 performance in Triple-A last year. Keirsey is a plus runner and outfield defender who can handle all three slots. He made a brief big league debut last year, getting into six games and going 2-for-13 with a homer in that debut effort.

The pitching side is largely set, but Minnesota does appear to have one bullpen vacancy, at least in the short term. Righty Brock Stewart was already on the mend from arthroscopic shoulder surgery and also suffered a hamstring strain in camp. He’ll start the 2025 season on the injured list alongside Michael Tonkin, who’s dealing with a shoulder strain.

On top of Stewart’s injury, the Twins have already informed Rule 5 pick Eiberson Castellano that he won’t make the club. He’ll presumably be placed on waivers soon if he hasn’t been already. Bobby Nightengale of the Minneapolis Star Tribune adds that they’ve also told non-roster relievers Scott Blewett and Anthony Misiewicz that they won’t make the club. Both will head to Triple-A.

Both Nightengale and Dan Hayes of The Athletic suggest Minnesota could look to bring in a reliever who’s not currently a part of the organization. There’s space to place a waiver claim or scoop up a veteran who’d been a non-roster invitee with another club but has since opted out. Jalen Beeks, Adam Ottavino, Drew Pomeranz, Ross Stripling and Jake Woodford are among the names who were recently granted their release after triggering opt-out clauses. Righty Tyler Phillips was DFA by the Phillies over the weekend, too.

Red Sox Acquire Jovani Moran From Twins For Mickey Gasper

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The Red Sox and Twins have lined up on a Christmas Eve trade that will see left-hander Jovani Moran head to Boston in exchange for catcher/first baseman Mickey Gasper.  Hunter Noll of Beyond The Monster was the first to report the deal, and both teams have officially announced the trade.

Moran underwent Tommy John surgery last offseason, leading to the Twins to non-tender him before re-signing the southpaw to another minor league deal.  Moran naturally didn’t pitch at all in 2024 while rehabbing, and he’ll now look to return to the mound in Boston, as the 27-year-old is changing organizations for the first time in his career.

A seventh-round pick for the Twins in the 2015 draft, Moran also missed full minor league seasons in 2016 (due to injury) and in 2020 (the pandemic-canceled season).  Moran finally made his MLB debut in the form of eight innings for the Twins in 2021, and he then seemingly broke out with a 2.21 ERA over 40 2/3 relief innings for Minnesota in 2022.  Moran supported that strong ERA with a 32.9% strikeout rate and 48.9% grounder rate, yet both his peripherals and his bottom-line results went backwards the next year.

Moran had a 5.31 ERA, 41.9% grounder rate, and 26.1% strikeout rate in 42 1/3 frames in 2023, and after being optioned to Triple-A at the start of his August, his season was prematurely ended by a forearm strain in September that led to his eventual TJ surgery.

Despite the lack of a big fastball, Moran’s ability to miss bats and his knack for inducing grounders has helped him achieve success in the minors and (in limited fashion) at the big league level.  Control is his biggest question mark, as Moran has a 13.5% walk rate over his 91 career MLB innings and a 12.36BB% in 257 2/3 innings of minor league ball.

Moran joins Aroldis Chapman and Justin Wilson as left-handed additions to the Red Sox bullpen mix this offseason, though Moran is more of a depth option at this point depending on his health and his form after the long layoff.  While he probably won’t be ready for the Opening Day roster, some time in the minors might help Moran fully recover and get some innings under his belt before the Red Sox consider him for any possible role in their big league bullpen.

The Athletic’s Aaron Gleeman writes that Moran received some attention from teams heading into the Rule 5 Draft, and in fact it was Gasper who came to the Red Sox from the Yankees organization in the minor league version of the 2023 Rule R5.  The selection resulted in Gasper’s first taste of big league action, though he didn’t record a hit in his 23 plate appearances over 13 games for the Sox this season.

Gasper played first and second base during his brief time in the Show, but the majority of his career has come behind the plate.  Gasper’s ability to both catch and play other positions (primarily first and second, with a handful of games as a third baseman and left fielder) adds to his versatility, not to mention his switch-hitting bat.  This creates a possible opening for Gasper to win a bench job in Minnesota, as a third catcher and general utilityman behind the Twins’ catching tandem of Ryan Jeffers and Christian Vazquez.  It remains to be seen if the Twins will be able to trade Vazquez and get any of his contract off the books, yet if so, Gasper could be a candidate as Jeffers’ backup.

Gasper was a 27th-round pick for the Yankees in the 2018 draft, but he carved a path for himself through New York’s farm system with some strong numbers at every step of the minor league ladder.  Over an even 1600 minor league PA, Gasper has hit .275/.392/.449 with 48 homers, and those numbers include nine home runs and a .317/.422/.498 slash line in 282 PA at the Triple-A level.

Red Sox Place Rafael Devers On 10-Day Injured List

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September 22: Cora confirmed to reporters (including McCaffrey) this morning that Devers will not require surgery, as the infielder’s MRI revealed only inflammation in his shoulders.

September 21, 2:12PM: The Red Sox made it official, shutting down Devers by placing him on the 10-day injured list due to left shoulder inflammation.  Infielder/catcher Mickey Gasper was called up from Triple-A to take Devers’ spot on the active roster.

8:13AM: Rafael Devers will undergo an MRI on his bothersome right shoulder today, Red Sox manager Alex Cora told reporters (including The Athletic’s Jen McCaffrey) after yesterday’s 4-2 loss to the Twins in extra innings.  Devers was removed from the game prior to the start of the 11th, and Cora said that the slugger had been trying to tough it out Friday despite tweaking his shoulder during pregame batting practice.

While Cora said “we’ll see where we’re at” following the MRI, “probably, this is it for [Devers]” this season.  With just eight games remaining and the Red Sox all but officially eliminated from the playoff race, the club is likely to play it safe with the star third baseman.

Devers has been dealing with discomfort in both shoulders for a good chunk of the season, and it is fair to wonder if his determination to keep playing has contributed to his severe slump.  The third baseman had an outstanding .296/.375/.587 slash line through his first 488 plate appearances, but has only a .172/.265/.212 slash line over his last 113 trips to the dish.  Among all qualified batters since August 19, Devers’ 34 wRC+ is the third-worst in the league.

The Red Sox as a whole have a team wRC+ of 74 since August 19, ahead of only the lowly White Sox in that timespan.  Boston had a 67-60 record as recently as August 22, but a 9-18 record over the club’s last 27 games has sunk the Fenway nine’s chances of a return to the postseason.  Even though Devers’ slump dovetails pretty directly with Boston’s offensive slide, he is far from the only Red Sox hitter who hit a cold streak at exactly the wrong time.

Assuming this is indeed it for Devers’ 2024 season, he’ll still finish with a typically strong set of numbers — 28 homers and a .272/.354/.516 slash over 601 PA, with a 133 wRC+ and his third All-Star nod.  Though a veteran of eight MLB seasons, Devers still doesn’t turn 28 until the end of October, and 2024 marked the first season of the ten-year, $313.5MM contract extension he signed with the Red Sox during the 2022-23 offseason.  Since Devers is such a key component of Boston’s present and future plans, it’s a wise move to figure out as early as possible if Devers’ shoulder might require any kind of surgery heading into 2025.

Red Sox Activate Trevor Story From 60-Day Injured List

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As expected, the Red Sox activated shortstop Trevor Story from the 60-day injured list, as the former two-time All-Star is set for his big league action since the first week of April.  In the corresponding 40-man roster move, right-hander Isaiah Campbell was called up from Triple-A and placed on the big league version of the 60-day IL, so Campbell’s season has officially been ended by right elbow inflammation.  As reported earlier today by NESN’s Jahmai Webster, catcher/infielder Mickey Gasper was optioned to Triple-A to make space for Story on the active roster.

While diving for a grounder in Boston’s game with the Angels back on April 5, Story suffered a severe shoulder injury that required what was thought at the time to be a season-ending surgery.  Story went through rehab and felt better than expected as he regained strength in his shoulder, and things have improved to the point that Story will make it back onto the field with a few weeks to spare in the 2024 campaign.

Since signing a six-year, $140MM free agent deal with the Red Sox prior to the 2022 season, Story has appeared in only 145 games, as his shoulder surgery was only the latest in a long string of injuries.  He was at least a league-average hitter with an even 100 wRC+ from his .238/.303/.434 slash line and 16 homers over 396 plate appearances in 2022, but he has an ugly .575 OPS in the 202 PA since even that debut season in Boston.

Story’s glovework has still remained solid even throughout his struggles at the plate, so at the very least, his return should improve what has been a dismal defensive showing by Boston’s middle infielders in his absence.  Ceddanne Rafaela and David Hamilton have shared most of the shortstop duties in Story’s absence this year, though Hamilton is on the IL himself with a finger fracture that threatens to end his season.

As Story resumes his old post at shortstop, the Red Sox will be moving Rafaela to second base, in the hopes that the rookie can both find more individual success at the new position and also help the Sox finally find an answer at the keystone.  Rafaela is one of an astounding 11 players who have seen time at second base for Boston this season, and the move to the other side of the infield should make Rafaela more of a defensive asset.

Campbell made his Major League debut with the Mariners in 2023, and had made a good first impression with a 2.83 ERA in 28 2/3 innings out of Seattle’s bullpen.  The Red Sox were intrigued enough to acquire Campbell for Luis Urias back in November, but between injuries and a lot of time in Triple-A, Campbell has managed only a 16.20 ERA in 6 2/3 innings for Boston at the big league level.  Due to his health issues, Campbell hasn’t pitched since he took the mound for Triple-A Worcester in the middle of July.

Red Sox Select Chase Shugart, Mickey Gasper; Designate Jamie Westbrook For Assignment

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The Red Sox announced a series of roster moves today. Righty Brayan Bello has been reinstated from the paternity list and left-hander Bailey Horn has been recalled, while the club selected the contracts of right-hander Chase Shugart and catcher/infielder Mickey Gasper. It was reported last night that left-hander James Paxton suffered a right calf strain and he now lands on the 15-day injured list. Lefty Brennan Bernardino has been optioned to Triple-A Worcester, as has righty Brad Keller. A fourth active roster spot was opened with the Jarren Duran suspension, reported earlier today. To open a 40-man roster spot, infielder/outfielder Jamie Westbrook has been designated for assignment. Chris Cotillo of MassLive reported Shugart’s promotion on X prior to the official announcement.

Shugart, 27, gets the call to the big leagues for the first time. A 12th-round pick of the Sox in 2018, he has been working his way up the minor league ladder since then. He worked exclusively as a starter through 2021 but has primarily been working out of the bullpen since then.

His initial forays into Triple-A ball didn’t go well, as he posted a 6.82 earned run average at that level in 2022 and then an 8.22 ERA there last year. He’s had more success here in 2024, with a 4.98 ERA in 59 2/3 innings. That’s largely come in a multi-inning capacity, as he’s logged those frames over 28 appearances, including five starts. His 10.9% walk rate is a bit on the high side but he has punched out 26.6% of opponents this year and gotten grounders on 46.8% of balls in play.

Baseball America had Shugart on the back end of their organizational top 30 list back in 2019 and 2020 but not in recent years. The Sox are likely going to be leaning on him for a long man role in the coming days. Paxton suffered his injury after recording just two outs, forcing the bullpen to do yeoman’s work. Bernardino tossed an inning a third while each of Lucas Sims, Luis García and Cam Booser tossed two innings. First baseman Dominic Smith pitched a scoreless ninth with the Sox down 10-2 to the Astros. The Sox also did a bullpen game the day before, with Josh Winckowski covering three innings, Brad Keller eating up four, while Zack Kelly and Chris Martin picked up one each.

All told, the pitching staff is fairly taxed and the Sox don’t have another off-day until August 22, over a week from now. Righty Cooper Criswell went on the COVID IL recently and has an unknown timeline. With Paxton now out as well, the rotation is down to Bello, Kutter Crawford, Tanner Houck and Nick Pivetta. Perhaps Winckowski will get another shot after throwing three innings on the weekend, or perhaps Criswell can make a quick return. The club also has Quinn Priester on optional assignment and could recall him at some point. But in the meantime, Shugart can sop up some innings, if needed.

Gasper, 28, was also selected in the 2018 draft, but by the Yankees. He came to the Red Sox via the minor league phase of the 2023 Rule 5 draft. He has generally put up positive numbers in a hit-over-power fashion, though he’s always been old for whatever level he’s been playing at. He didn’t reach Triple-A until last year, his age-27 season, and hit .191/.295/.265 in his first 22 games at that level.

This year has gone much better. He’s played 44 Double-A games and 40 at Triple-A. Between those two clubs, he has a 15.9% walk rate, 11% strikeout rate and .341/.458/.559 batting line that translates to a wRC+ of 175.

Despite the massive batting line, Gasper’s not really considered a top prospect, though it would make for a great story if he could engineer a late-bloomer breakout. He has played catcher, first base and second base this year, in addition to a bit of third base time in previous seasons. He figures to slot into the club’s bench mix, giving them depth at various spots.

Westbrook, 29, signed a minor league deal with Boston in the offseason. They selected his contract in June, his first time cracking a major league roster. He has received 48 big league plate appearances so far, hitting just .150/.234/.350 in that small sample. He has always hit well in the minors and that’s still true this year. He has a line of .291/.381/.475 in 71 Triple-A games, drawing walks at a strong 12% clip and limiting his strikeouts to a 17.2% clip.

Defensively, he has played the three non-shortstop infield positions as well as right field this year. Since the trade deadline has passed, the Sox will have no choice but to put him on waivers in the coming days. If any team puts in a claim, Westbrook still has a full slate of options and just a few days of service time.

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