Catcher Victor Caratini and reliever Taylor Rogers each passed team physicals on Friday and were officially signed to free-agent contracts by the Twins. They join first baseman Josh Bell as the Twins’ only free agent acquisitions.
General manager Jeremy Zoll said there is still plenty of time for the team to add talent for 2026.
“I feel like we’ve made some really good headway there so far, and we’re excited to work through these next few weeks where we think there’ll be a lot of opportunities to find more ways to improve the club,” Zoll said Friday as the Twins began TwinsFest, their annual winter fan convention, at Target Field.
Caratini, 32, hit .259 with 12 home runs and a .786 OPS in 114 games with Houston last season. The veteran signed a two-year deal paying $7 million annually and will platoon behind the plate with Ryan Jeffers.
Rogers, 35, played with Cincinnati and the Chicago Cubs last season. The left-hander has a one-year deal worth $2 million. He closed 30 games and was an all-star for the Twins in 2019, and had a career-high 31 saves in 2022 with Milwaukee and San Diego.
Since then, however, he hasn’t been used in many save situations, earning just two more since 2022. Zoll said the Twins plan to use Rogers to get lefties out late in games.
To make room on the 40-man roster, the Twins designated right-handed pitcher Pierson Ohl and catcher Jhonny Pereda for release or assignment.
Bell, 33, hit .237 with 22 homers and 67 RBIs in 140 games for Washington last season. He signed a one-year, $7 million deal to be the Twins’ starting first baseman on Dec. 19.
“I think we’re really excited about the deals we were able to get done so far,” Zoll said. “I think we were trying to find that right balance and opportunity, and in the case of Bell and Caratini, guys that lift the lineup and raise the floor in that regard.”
Rogers is the first outside addition to a bullpen that was decimated by a busy trade deadline last July. The Twins traded away top relievers Jhoan Duran, Griffin Jax, Louis Varland, Caleb Thielbar, Danny Coulomb and Brock Stewart, so there are spots to be filled internally or through free agency.
Under president of baseball and business operations, the Twins have been active in the market through spring training, and Zoll said he and Falvey are confident they will add more talent before the team’s first full workout at the Hammond complex in Fort Myers, Fla., on Feb. 16.
Pitchers and catchers are scheduled to report Feb. 12.
“We’re really optimistic that we’re going to have some good chances to be opportunistic here over these next few weeks before we head down to Fort Myers to keep finding ways to supplement the club, complement it, strengthen the bullpen, and find any other creative ways to put the best team on the field for this year,” Zoll said.
Minor league invitations
The Twins announced the list of minor league prospects who have been invited to spring training, including outfielder Walker Jenkins, the fifth overall pick in the 2023 amateur draft. Shortstop Kaelen Culpepper, the 21st overall pick in 2025, also has been invited.
Jenkins worked his way from Class A to Class AAA St. Paul last season and hit .242 with five extra-base hits (two home runs) and eight RBIs in 22 games for the Saints. Culpepper started last season at high-A Cedar Rapids and moved up to Double-A Wichita, where he hit .285 with 22 home runs and 67 RBIs in 59 games.
Others in the Twins system who have been invited to camp: Trent Baker, Noah Cardenas, Kyler Fedko, Corey Lewis, Christian Macleod, Ricardo Olivar, Kala’i Rosario, Aaron Sabato, Tanner Schobel and Pat Winkel.
Briefly
The Twins’ first spring training game is scheduled for Feb. 20 against the University of Minnesota at Hammond Stadium.
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