Mickey Gasper, DaShawn Keirsey Jr. earn spots on Twins' Opening Day roster

FORT MYERS, FLA. – One day after Mickey Gasper had a nasty gash on the inside of his left ankle, a cut that required six stitches when he was spiked attempting to field a ground ball, he received some of the best news of his baseball career.

Gasper, a 29-year-old who spent seven years in the minor leagues before he debuted with the Boston Red Sox at the end of last season, learned he made his first Opening Day team Monday as the Twins nearly finalized their roster.

“I made it, one of the 30 MLB teams in the world,” said Gasper, who was a 27th-round pick in 2018 out of Bryant University, a round that no longer exists in the MLB draft. “When you put it in perspective like that, it’s exciting. It keeps that fire in me going, just to go out and show what I’ve got.”

The Twins acquired Gasper in a Christmas Eve trade for lefty reliever Jovani Moran. Gasper, hitless in 18 career major league at-bats, gives the club a switch-hitting backup infielder with experience at first base, second base and catcher.

During 17 Grapefruit League games, Gasper batted .308 with two homers, eight walks and five strikeouts. The Twins signaled his role when they had him catch Jhoan Duran, Griffin Jax, Jorge Alcala and Louie Varland at the end of spring training games, preparing for a third catcher role in the regular season, and they purposefully used him as a pinch hitter in a game last week.

“It’s pretty cool, I’m not going to lie,” Gasper said. “My parents are here right now. I’m sure some more emotions and words to think of will come by once I see them. It’s going to be a cool moment.”

Gasper, who expects to participate fully in Wednesday’s workout in St. Louis, had a breakout season in the minor leagues last year. He batted .328 with a .440 on-base percentage in 311 at-bats split between Class AA and Class AAA. Bench coach Jayce Tingler called him “kind of an old-time baseball player.”

“You know he’s had to watch a lot of guys probably get called up that were next to him and guys that he was probably outproducing the entire time,” Twins Manager Rocco Baldelli said. “I don’t think he’s jaded in any way from the amount of time that he’s spent working towards this. He’s continued to stay motivated.”

Along with Gasper, outfielder DaShawn Keirsey Jr. learned he made the Twins roster Monday. The Twins optioned Austin Martin to Class AAA.

Keirsey, who debuted with the Twins last September and played in six big-league games, is an excellent defensive outfielder and he gives the Twins some additional speed and a lefty bat off the bench.

“It was almost like I got called up to the big leagues for the first time again,” said Keirsey, 27. “It was just that nervous, anxious feeling of knowing a decision has to be made so when [Baldelli] called me in there and I heard that, I just took a big, big sigh of relief. Just excitement came after.”

The Twins still have an open spot in the bullpen after informing relievers Eiberson Castellano, Scott Blewett and Anthony Misiewicz that they didn’t make the roster. They’re exploring external additions, whether that’s through a waiver claim or a signing, and they could opt to bring back a reliever who was cut earlier in camp. But they appear set with 25 of their 26 players on the roster:

Catchers: Ryan Jeffers and Christian Vázquez.

Infielders: Carlos Correa, Ty France, Willi Castro, Jose Miranda, Edouard Julien and Gasper.

Outfielders: Byron Buxton, Matt Wallner, Trevor Larnach, Harrison Bader and Keirsey.

Starting pitchers: Pablo López, Joe Ryan, Bailey Ober, Chris Paddack and Simeon Woods Richardson.

Bullpen: Duran, Jax, Cole Sands, Danny Coulombe, Alcala, Varland, Justin Topa and the open spot.

Injured list: Royce Lewis, Brooks Lee, Brock Stewart and Michael Tonkin.

In the penultimate spring training game, Julien lined a three-run homer to left field against Pittsburgh Pirates righty Thomas Harrington, and Buxton added a solo homer off closer David Bednar.

Ober yielded two hits and one run in 3⅓ innings with one walk and two strikeouts. His velocity remained down, peaking at 90.5 mph, as he continues to refine his mechanics.

“He’s always been able to get outs,” Baldelli said. “He’s always been able to stay off barrels. He’s always been able to throw a ton of strikes. He knows how to pitch and pitching is more than just velocity.”