Will this Twins prospect replace Rosario?

MINNEAPOLIS -- As the White Sox get a head start on adding to their club this offseason with the acquisitions of Lance Lynn and Adam Eaton, the Twins also have holes of their own to patch among their starting rotation, bullpen depth and utility options.

That to-do list grew a bit longer when the club non-tendered Eddie Rosario and Matt Wisler at last week's deadline, and considering that Rosario issued a farewell statement to Twins Territory via social media on Monday, it appears likely that left field will also be a question as the club plans for 2021. That's not something that the Twins have had to address since '15, when Rosario debuted in the Majors before making the next five Opening Day starts.

On one hand, two of the Twins' top three prospects -- Alex Kirilloff and Trevor Larnach -- are corner outfielders among the club's already-crowded outfield depth, and Kirilloff at minimum should play a factor in 2021 after the Twins trusted him enough to start him in an elimination playoff game against the Astros in September. On the other hand, the Twins are still firmly in win-now mode (with the White Sox bringing the heat) and might be reluctant to rely exclusively on unproven prospects at a position traditionally counted on for offense.

• Offseason checklist: Twins’ needs and moves

How do the Twins prepare for life after Rosario? Let's take a look at some of the options.

Seek external help
This is an appealing option for a few reasons. There's no shortage of productive corner-outfield types on the free-agent market, and proven outfield depth is always an important consideration for the Twins considering Byron Buxton's extensive injury history.

The Twins won't be swimming in the deep end for the likes of Michael Brantley or George Springer, but a right-handed bat on a short-term deal -- perhaps an Adam Duvall or a Hunter Renfroe -- could give the Twins some insurance in case of underperformance from prospects or injury to a starter. In fact, if the Twins don't make an addition and Buxton or Max Kepler goes down to injury, the club might have to rely on two inexperienced outfield starters (or Jake Cave) amid a division chase.

It is worth noting, though, that the Twins' prospect depth in the outfield does make other areas a more pressing need. The club could likely use a starting pitcher to bridge the gap to top prospects Jordan Balazovic and Jhoan Duran, and the bullpen is in significant need of help after the losses of Trevor May, Wisler, Sergio Romo and Tyler Clippard to free agency. Even more significantly, the club is sorely in need of infield depth following the departures of Marwin Gonzalez and Ehire Adrianza.

With that in mind, it might make more sense for the Twins to address their more pressing pitching needs and find a utility player that can fill needs in both the infield and outfield -- like Kiké Hernández -- who could primarily serve as infield depth due to injury concerns with Josh Donaldson, Jorge Polanco and Luis Arraez but also slide in as a capable corner outfielder if needed (much like Gonzalez did in his two seasons with the Twins).

Hand the job to a prospect, likely Kirilloff
Whether at first base or in a corner-outfield spot, there will almost certainly be an everyday role for Kirilloff in the Twins' lineup in the near future. It's hard not to think that when the Twins had enough faith in their No. 2 prospect to make him the first position player to start a playoff game as his MLB debut in the World Series era. Kirilloff has also long been considered one of the best pure hitting prospects in the Minors since the Twins selected him in the first round of the 2016 MLB Draft.

Will that lead to an Opening Day nod in left field?

That would be another show of faith in Kirilloff, whose bat should be MLB-ready -- or very close -- after hitting .317/.365/.498 across three Minor League seasons despite losing the entire 2017 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery and missing time in '19 with a wrist sprain. Though there's always risk in elevating a prospect, Kirilloff's bat should have a high floor. He hasn't been particularly strikeout-prone in the Minors (he topped out at 86 strikeouts in 512 at-bats in '18) and has strong bat control and power to all fields instead of relying on a less consistent approach.

The big question that remains, then, is whether the Twins would elevate 23-year-old Kirilloff and open the possibility of losing a year of club control over his future, a question that many teams consider as they make decisions about the timelines of their most talented prospects.

Start a platoon until Kirilloff is ready
The final factor at play is that there isn't any immediate urgency to pass the torch to Kirilloff because the Twins do have another big hitter -- No. 12 prospect Brent Rooker -- as an additional option to fill a corner-outfield spot while providing some flexibility to first base. He doesn't have the high ceiling of Kirilloff and is considerably older at 26, but he has among the best power in the organization and already wielded a college bat when the Twins drafted him from Mississippi State in '17.

Rooker already showed some promise as a Major Leaguer (albeit in a minuscule sample size) when he hit .316/.381/.579 with a homer and two doubles in seven games in '20 before his right arm was fractured by an errant pitch, necessitating season-ending surgery. He had been tracking a step ahead of Kirilloff throughout the Minors, and there's likely little more to be gained by keeping Rooker in Triple-A for another stint.

Keep in mind that the Twins could also count on Jake Cave, who has filled in capably as a fourth outfielder and occasional starter throughout his three seasons with the club. Rooker's power right-handed bat could combine with Cave's career .803 OPS against right-handed pitching in a solid platoon until Kirilloff arrives, especially since Rooker could also spell Miguel Sanó at first base and step in at designated hitter when needed. This might be the sweet spot -- in addition to the possible acquisition of a utility player -- if neither Rooker nor Cave is traded by Opening Day.