Twins first baseman Kennys Vargas has big plans for this offseason. He plans to become smaller.

Instead of returning to his mountainside home in hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico, Vargas will spend his winter in the Orlando area working with Dax Fiore, a former Twins minor league strength and conditioning coach (2012-16).

“I’m going to take two weeks off and start working,” said Vargas, who does not expect to play winter ball.

Fiore spent this season in Taiwan, where he supervised strength and conditioning for the Fubon Guardians of the Chinese Professional Baseball League. In Vargas, he will be molding a 27-year-old switch-hitting slugger with tremendous raw power but a history of weight issues.

Finally out of minor-league options next season after the Twins successfully petitioned for an extra year of such control, Vargas hit 20 combined homers and drove in 69 runs between Triple-A Rochester (211 plate appearances) and the majors (264 plate appearances).

His career production is a park-adjusted 2 percent above league in parts of four seasons covering 859 plate appearances, but he remains blocked by Joe Mauer at first and potentially Miguel Sano, Robbie Grossman and Mitch Garver at designated hitter.

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September 19, 2020 Charley Walters: MLB wants the Saints to be a Twins’ affiliate That’s why Vargas, who drew interest from teams in Japan and Korea two winters ago, plans to quiz Fiore about how things work in the Asian leagues. Vargas also worked last offseason in the Dominican Republic with 12-time all-star Manny Ramirez, who played in the Japanese minor leagues this season at age 45.

“I didn’t say no,” Vargas said of 2015-16 offseason interest. “The (Twins) said no.”

With less roster flexibility and no apparent opening for Vargas, the Twins’ new front-office combo could be more willing to sell his contract to an overseas team. Vargas is intrigued.

“Oh, yes, they love power over there, so maybe someday,” he said. “If the opportunity comes and if they let me go, yeah, I’m open. I’m looking out for my family’s future. If it’s there, I’ll take it.”

He noted Milwaukee Brewers slugger Eric Thames established himself in the Korea Baseball Organization before returning to the majors with great success in 2017.

“There’s pretty good money over there,” Vargas said. “Then I could come back here. I’m open for whatever life brings to me. Any opportunity, I have to take advantage of it.”

DAVID KIM RETAINED

While the Twins dismissed international scouting director Howard Norsetter and are expected to shuffle some roles in their international scouting department, a person with direct knowledge said David Kim will return as the team’s South Korea-based scout.

Kim was among those offering key recommendations for the signing of ByungHo Park after the 2015 season. The Twins spent nearly $25 million combined between the posting fee to the Nexen Heroes and a four-year, $12 million deal for Park, who spent all of 2017 at Triple-A Rochester.

Meanwhile, after parting ways with minor-league pitching coordinator Eric Rasmussen after nine years in that role (and 27 total coaching in the organization), the Twins could split the role between the upper and lower minors. Several teams have gone that to that format, with the coordinator at the lower minors also overseeing rehab plans for pitchers working back from the disabled list.

The upper-minors coordinator then would have more time to spend with pitching prospects at Double-A and Triple-A.

TWINS ROSTER MOVES

In addition to their four free agents (Bartolo Colon, Matt Belisle, Dillon Gee and Hector Santiago), the Twins also figure to buy out Glen Perkins’ 2018 option ($6.5 million) for $700,000 at some point this month.

Once they add four pitchers back from the 60-day disabled list (Phil Hughes, Trevor May, J.T. Chargois and Ryan O’Rourke), the Twins will be full once more on their 40-man roster.

By Nov. 20 they will need to add several more prospects to the 40-man roster in advance of the Rule 5 draft. Among the leading candidates are lefties Stephen Gonsalves, Lewis Thorpe and Sam Clay; right-handers Zack Littell, Kohl Stewart, Jake Reed, Ryan Eades and Nick Burdi (who underwent Tommy John surgery in May); shortstop Jermaine Palacios; first baseman Lewin Diaz; catcher Brian Navaretto; and outfielder Tanner English.