Twins Agree to Contracts with Stewart, Topa, Tonkin; All Arbitration-Eligible Players Tendered

Today at 07:11 PM

Arbitration season is officially underway. The Twins agreed to contracts with three relievers and tendered contracts to the remaining eight players.

Perhaps the most surprising move was the return of Michael Tonkin, who agreed to a $1M salary for next season. On the one hand, Tonkin seemed like a prime non-tender candidate for a team that needed to save money. On the other, they also have to fill out the bullpen and the only relievers who sign for $1M or less are the Jay Jackson types. Project for $1.5M in the arbitration process, Tonkin took a fairly steep discount in favor of a guaranteed salary, which you can understand from a reliever in his mid-30s who played for three teams last season.

The Twins also avoided arbitration with Brock Stewart, agreeing to a one year, $870K contract for 2025. MLB Trade Rumors projected Stewart for an $800K salary for next season, so this gives him a bit of a presumed raise while the Twins still lock him at an affordable salary. They also agreed with Justin Topa, though the compensation has not yet been made public. The Twins already picked up Jorge Alcala's $1.5M option for next season which superseded the arbitration process.

That leaves Willi Castro, Ryan Jeffers, Bailey Ober, Griffin Jax, Joe Ryan, Trevor Larnach, Jhoan Duran, and Royce Lewis all in the arbitration process. With all of them tendered contracts, they are guaranteed a Major League salary next season, be that with the Twins or a team they are potentially traded to. Players and teams can still negotiate on the 2025 salary or a separate contract extension right up until the actual arbitration hearing, which typically take place in February before the season.