What Do Minnesota Twins Have in Minor-League Signee José Ureña?

[Cody Schoenmann]

Image courtesy of © Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

There are decades where nothing happens; and there are weeks where decades happen. And no, I am not referring to the results of the New York City Democratic mayoral primary. Instead, I am discussing the flurry of minor-league starting pitching transactions that Twins' decision-makers have made over the past week. On Monday, Minnesota claimed right-handed starting pitcher Connor Gillispie off waivers from the Miami Marlins, before optioning him to Triple-A St. Paul. One day later, the club signed journeyman pitcher José Ureña to a minor-league contract, similarly assigning him to Triple-A.

Ureña, 33, began his 2025 campaign as a member of the New York Mets’ Triple-A affiliate in Syracuse. He would eventually appear in one game for New York, before bouncing between the Toronto Blue Jays and Los Angeles Dodgers and subsequently joining Minnesota earlier this week. Between New York, Toronto, and Los Angeles (all teams on playoff trajectories, mind you), Ureña generated a 5.40 ERA, 6.35 FIP, and 10-to-5 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 18 1/3 innings pitched. Despite starting and opening a game for Toronto in early May, the hard-tossing righty has primarily functioned as a low-leverage reliever this season, pitching in one-to-two-inning spurts.

For those who have followed baseball closely over the past decade, Ureña has become a household name (of sorts), pitching for a total of nine organizations over his 10-season career. The now 33-year-old is most well-known for his early career success in Miami, particularly his 2017 campaign, wherein he generated 1.7 Wins Above Replacement at FanGraphs (fWAR) over 169 2/3 innings pitched. Ureña still possesses a plus slider and high-velocity fastball. Unfortunately, however, his career has since spiraled, with him generating just 1.5 fWAR in the seven seasons since.

Similar to Gillispie, Ureña gracing the mound in Twins attire would be an unfortunate outcome. Yet, given the rotation's recent trend of early-inning implosions, there is reason to believe team decision-makers could soon purchase the veteran's contract to function as a long reliever, similar to what the Dodgers did earlier this month. Given that Gillispie and fellow long-relief candidate Travis Adams already possess 40-man roster spots, Ureña is seemingly behind them on the organizational depth chart. With players like Ryan Fitzgerald, Joey Wentz, and Gillispie taking up spots on the 40-man right now, though, the club could make room for Ureña fairly easily.

Again, Minnesota's starting pitching depth has become razor-thin. That said, the organization still possesses ample bullpen depth. Similar to Adams and Gillispie, Ureña exists between the two, in that he can operate as a starting pitcher, long reliever, or short reliever. Despite enduring one of the worst pitching months in franchise history and losing 10 of their last 12 games, Minnesota remains just 3 1/2 games out of the final Wild Card spot and maintains a 23.9% chance of making the playoffs. The club will need arms to eat innings until Pablo López and Zebby Matthews return from their respective injuries later this season. Adams, Gillispie, and Ureña won't save Minnesota's season. Yet, they could play a vital role in sponging up work while the starting rotation attempts to return to its early-season form.

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[LambchoP]

Same thing they have with the other waiver wire pickup from MIA. A guy who couldn't cut it in the majors, so he comes to a major league minor league team, the Twins. Why they won't give Adams a chance and continue to dumpster dive is beyond me. The management of this team just makes me laugh. It's like watching Moneyball but if it was a comedy. Where our GM is secretly working for a division foe and actively trying to mess up the Twins organization.

[mickster]

An arm - and we need them in AAA.   I would like them to add Michael Fullmer who was just let go by the Cubs.   He is a better option then Wentz, and I don't care of the LH/RH issue.

I would also like to see them sign Candelerio and let Bride go.   He can play 1B/3B and is a better offensive option.

[Brett]

26 minutes ago, mickster said:

I would also like to see them sign Candelerio and let Bride go.   He can play 1B/3B and is a better offensive option.

Saw Candalerio and wondered the same thing, except he hasn’t been hitting either. Also, not sure if he can pitch as much as Bride has, and just writing this makes me want to go lay down.

[TwinsDr2021]

I would much rather see one of the mid 20's (age) players in AA (or Adams) brought up before any of these cast offs. 

[AceWrigley]

Meanwhile old friend Deitrich Enns just pitched 5 shoutout innings for the Tigers in their 8-0 win over the A's today giving up only 1 hit and 2 walks. The Twins acquired Enns from the Yankees along with Zach Littell for Jaimie "OneStart" Garcia in 2017. He was kicked to the curb by the Twins in 2018 and has bing-bong-binged his way around baseball since.

Enns is 3-0 in MLB and all his decisions have involved the Tigers, 2 wins for Tampa Bay over the Tigers and his win today for the Tigers over the San Jose Orphans, uuuuh, the Athletics.

[HerbieFan]

Gillespie.  Urena.  Urena, Gillespie.  I'll go take a shower now.

[Western SD Fan]

I can see them preparing to be sellers at the deadline.  As the deadline approaches, watch for Gillespie to be starting in St. Paul simultaneously with Paddack on the Twins with the expectation that he would take over Paddack's spot in the rotation.  I can also see Urena as a pickup for the same reason.  If Duran is traded as rampant speculation keeps signaling, someone will have to take over the bullpen spot for Duran, or Coulombe, or whomever may be traded out of the bullpen.  Who knows, maybe the Wentz experiment will end pretty quickly, and it'll be the next man up to try to eat low level innings.

As for these pitchers taking up roster spots where maybe you'd like to see Raya or Adams, I don't mind having these additions as placeholders while our prospects get a little more seasoning in AAA.  Raya has improved in two of his last three starts (2 out of 3 ain't bad 🙃) with 5 innings pitched in those starts but still owns an over 5.00 ERA in June.  Adams has a better ERA with a 4.15, but he has only gone 4 IP in 8 of his 22 appearances with his longest outing being 4 1/3 IP.  Maya or Adams seem like candidates for making starts/appearances closer to late August and September than in late July if we are selling and Paddack or bullpen arms are traded.  Again, I see these pickups as placeholders, but we always play the dangerous game of Falvey/Baldelli falling in love with scratch and dent veterans and not letting this play out as it should.

[DocBauer]

The Saints are still an operating professional team that's expected to field a team. Some of their pitchers have been hurt, some have been promoted, and they've released a couple recently that were just awful.

So they grab guys like Gillespie and Urena to fill out their roster. And if someone like Urena could help the Saints pen, that wouldn't be a bad thing. 

There's 3 or 4 arms I'd rather see promoted before these 2, and that's probably the way it would go. These are AAA moves that might be cut before the year is over and others get healthy and promoted.