There is no reason for this Twins outfielder to remain with the team in 2026
Twins should get rid of outfielder Trevor Larnach before next season
This isn’t meant to be a shot at Trevor Larnach. At this stage in his career, the former first-round pick belongs on an MLB team in some capacity.
A team still in the beginning stages of a rebuild could use Larnach, or even a competing team in need of outfield depth could benefit from taking a flyer on him. But for the Twins, their outfield is quite crowded at this point, as outfielders Byron Buxton, Matt Wallner, Alan Roden, James Outman and Austin Martin are on the roster, and Twins outfield prospects Walker Jenkins and Emmanuel Rodríguez will likely make their MLB debuts next season.
Getting rid of Larnach would be one way for Minnesota to clear space on its roster while simultaneously saving money, as the left-handed-hitting outfielder is set to be arbitration-eligible for the first time this offseason.
Larnach hasn’t lived up to his potential as a first-round pick from the 2018 MLB Draft. In parts of five seasons with Minnesota, Larnach has been worth just 3.2 bWAR and 2.7 fWAR in 442 games.
He is a below-average defender, which led to him serving as Minnesota’s designated hitter for much of the 2025 campaign.
Additionally, his bat is mostly underwhelming, as he posted a .250/.323/.404 (99 OPS+) slash line last season and has hit .241/.323/.403 (101 OPS+) throughout his MLB career. If Larnach were a plus defender, his offensive stats would be just fine.
But since he isn’t a great defender, Larnach isn’t very valuable as a league-average hitter. Therefore, the Twins would be better off parting ways with their long-tenured corner outfielder.
Ideally, the Twins’ outfield next year consists of Buxton, Jenkin, Wallner and Rodríguez, with the four of them taking turns at designated hitter.
Rodríguez likely won’t be on the opening day roster, so until then, Roden and/or Outman could start in the outfield consistently.
Who knows, maybe one of them will break out and create a roster dilemma every team begs for. Martin proved he deserves playing time as well, and he could also slot in at second base when needed. In conclusion, Larnach has no place on the 2026 roster.
