Randy Dobnak

Dobnak signed a five-year, $9.25 million contract extension with Minnesota just before the 2021 season and looked set to be part of the starting rotation, but then had his career sidetracked due to a finger injury. Dobnak had ligaments called pulleys in his right middle finger rupture over the past two years which has led him to appear in just 30 games the past two seasons. Dobnak does not have great velocity, but generated ground balls at a high rate before his injury. His success was largely due to his sinker and he's had to modify due to the damaged finger. He'll need to re-establish himself at Triple-A before getting another shot at the majors and his damaged finger raises serious doubts he can reclaim his prior form.

Despite inking a five-year, $9.25 million contract extension with Minnesota in spring training last year, Dobnak didn't break camp as a member of the rotation. He then struggled in a long-relief role, giving up 14 runs (13 earned) on 18 hits and three walks over 14.1 innings and was sent to the minors. He then threw just 32.2 innings the rest of the season between the majors and Triple-A as he struggled with a finger injury (a full tear of the A4 pulley in his right middle finger). It's hard to read too much into his 2021 performance as a result. Dobnak doesn't have an overpowering fastball or dominant strikeout rate), but has excellent control and generates groundballs. Dobnak will begin the 2022 campaign on the 60-day injured list due to an injury to the same finger that plagued him last year, and he'll be in the mix for a spot in the rotation or long-relief role once he's back to full health.

Dobnak was on fire at the start of last season when given a spot in the rotation due to injuries. He was 5-1 with a 1.78 ERA through his first six starts. He was then hit hard in his next four starts with a 8.27 ERA and 26 hits allowed in 16.1 innings, which led to his demotion to the Twins' alternate training site. Dobnak doesn't have an overpowering fastball (91.7 average mph) or dominant strikeout rate (13.5 K%), but has excellent control (6.5 BB%) and generates groundballs at a nice clip (62.1%). Dobnak may have rebounded if given another chance in the rotation, but the Twins had three veterans return from injury, crowding him out. Dobnak's skill set doesn't leave much margin for error, so he'll need to increase his strikeout rate to thrive in the majors. He'll likely get a chance to win a final spot in the rotation this spring.

Dobnak began last season as an unheralded prospect at High-A and finished the season starting a playoff game for the Twins. After going undrafted out of a Division II school and later working his way through independent ball, Dobnak showed some promise in 2018 and started the 2019 season hot at High-A (1 ER in four starts), quickly earning a promotion to Double-A and then Triple-A. He was called up to the Twins in August and worked out of the bullpen and as a starter, posting a 1.59 ERA in 28.1 regular-season innings. Dobnak doesn't have an overpowering fastball (92.7 average mph) or dominant strikeout rate (19.5 K%), but has excellent control (4.2 BB%) and generates groundballs at a nice clip (52.9%). At age 25 and without plus velocity, he wouldn't appear to have much upside. However, his unusual career path makes him a late-bloomer candidate. He'll try to win a spot in the Minnesota rotation this spring.