Twins’ Travis Adams Prepares For Probable MLB Role
Travis Adams was inside his spring training rental in March 2024 when he heard an explosion. The minor league righthander rushed outside and saw a neighboring house on fire.
Adams and a couple other neighbors broke down the front door, but found it blocked. They tried two other doors before gaining entrance and finding an 82-year-old man inside as flames and smoke spread through the house. They helped him outside, scared but uninjured.
“There wasn’t even a second thought (about) going out and helping,” Adams said. “It just seemed natural.”
That’s the kind of I’ll-do-anything attitude that has made the 25-year-old righthander a rising prospect in the Twins’ system.
First, the 2021 sixth-rounder agreed to constant expansions to his fastball/changeup repertoire he brought from his days at Sacramento State. He added a slider in 2022, a curveball a year later and splitters, cutters and sinkers along the way.
“I don’t know if there are any more pitches for me to throw,” Adams said with a laugh. “Unless it’s a knuckleball.”
The expanded pitch mix, plus an increase in velocity to the mid 90s, convinced the Twins to add Adams to the 40-man roster last November. In February they explained why.
“He’s a guy who obviously has the ability to start,” Twins president Derek Falvey said. “But you want to prepare him for a major league role as best as possible, and with our starting depth, the most likely (role) for him in the short term is out of the bullpen.”
Allowing Adams to piggyback, knowing that he’ll throw 40–60 pitches on his scheduled day rather than 80–100 “is the best way to get him ready to be a callup if needed, but also allow him to keep using his pitch repertoire” as a potential starter.
The idea has been a success so far. Adams made six appearances for Triple-A St. Paul in April. In each of them, he recorded between eight and 12 outs and threw between 46 and 62 pitches. He struck out 18, walked there and held opponents to a .230 average.
No, it’s not a burning-building rescue. But it’s got the potential to be heroic for the Twins.
