Javier (shoulder) will start at shortstop and hit ninth Thursday in the Twins' split-squad Grapefruit League game against the Nationals.
With another exhibition game on tap Thursday versus the Orioles, the Twins will plunge from their minor-league ranks to fill out the two lineups. That clears the way for Javier, one of the organization's top prospects, to see some surprising late-spring action with the big club. Javier had previously appeared in four Grapefruit League games, with his availability verifying that he's made a full recovery from the season-ending shoulder surgery he required last May. The 20-year-old hasn't played above the rookie-ball level yet and will likely open the 2019 campaign with one of the Twins' short-season affiliates.