Rogers raves about Ryan Pressly's immediate impact.
The Minnesota Twins are in the middle of a full-scale rebuild on and off the field, and the early returns from spring training suggest the new faces are already making an impact.
One of those new faces is former All-Star closer Ryan Pressly, who retired in January and quickly joined the organization in a player development role.
Twins reliever Taylor Rogers, who returned to Minnesota this offseason on a one-year deal, recently appeared on the Inside Twins broadcast and praised the hire.
"What a hire... I had approached him about one of the ways he come set with a runner on second base to hide the ball... good feedback there," Rogers said.
Why Pressly Makes Sense for Minnesota
Pressly spent the first six seasons of his career with the Twins before being traded to Houston in 2018, where he became one of the best closers in baseball.
He made two All-Star teams with the Astros, won a World Series ring in 2022, and finished his career with a 3.33 ERA and 117 saves across 667 big league appearances.
The fact that Rogers is already picking his brain about disguising pitches with runners on base says a lot about the kind of value Pressly brings.
He is someone who can help Minnesota's retooled bullpen with specific knowledge from pitching in the biggest moments for over a decade.
A New-Look Staff From Top to Bottom
Pressly's hire is just one piece of a much bigger overhaul in Minnesota.
After the Twins went 70-92 in 2025 and parted ways with manager Rocco Baldelli, the front office brought in Derek Shelton to take over.
Shelton quickly assembled a new coaching staff that includes LaTroy Hawkins as bullpen coach, Mark Hallberg as bench coach, and Keith Beauregard as hitting coach.
On the player side, the Twins signed Rogers, first baseman Josh Bell, and catcher Victor Caratini as free agents while also trading for reliever Anthony Banda from the Dodgers.
The organization brought in veterans like Andrew Chafin, Liam Hendriks, and Gio Urshela on minor league deals to add depth to a roster that lost a lot of talent at last year's trade deadline.
Where Things Stand Now
Minnesota opened Grapefruit League play on February 21 and sits at 2-1 in spring training after beating the Braves and Tigers following an opening-day loss to the Red Sox.
The Twins also received some tough news when ace Pablo Lopez was diagnosed with a torn UCL and will undergo season-ending Tommy John surgery.
Joe Ryan was briefly scratched from a start due to lower back tightness, though an MRI showed only inflammation.
It has been a tough stretch, but having voices like Pressly and Hawkins in the building alongside veterans like Rogers gives Minnesota a foundation of experience heading into 2026.
Rogers clearly approves of the direction, and his endorsement of Pressly's impact says a lot about where the Twins are trying to go.