Former Twin Carson McCusker Finds Opportunity with Rakuten

[Cody Christie]

Former Twins outfielder Carson McCusker has found his next baseball home. According to Francys Romero of Beisbol FR, McCusker has signed a one year contract with the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball. The move comes shortly after Minnesota placed McCusker on unconditional release waivers during the Winter Meeting.

At the time, reports indicated McCusker was expected to play in Asia in 2026, though the destination had not yet been finalized. The timing mattered for Minnesota. Releasing McCusker dropped the club’s 40-man roster count to 39 just hours before the Rule 5 draft, opening the door for activity. The Twins used that flexibility to select catcher Daniel Susac from the A’s organization and quickly flipped him to the San Francisco Giants for rookie ball catcher Miguel Caraballo.

From the Twins’ perspective, the transaction was more about roster mechanics than performance. From McCusker’s perspective, it marked another unexpected turn in a career defined by persistence.

McCusker will turn 28 in May and his path to the big leagues was anything but traditional. He went undrafted out of college and spent parts of the 2021 and 2022 seasons in independent ball. The Twins signed him with little fanfare, and over the next few years he steadily climbed the ladder. In 2025, that work paid off with a call to the majors.

His time in Minnesota was brief but meaningful. McCusker appeared in 16 games and stepped to the plate 30 times, posting a .172/.200/.172 (.372) slash line. The production was below average, but simply reaching the majors represented a massive personal victory for a player who had been outside affiliated baseball not long before.

The more compelling case for McCusker has always lived in the minors. From 2023 through 2025, he logged 1,146 plate appearances across multiple levels of the Twins system. The strikeouts were plentiful, with a 32.1 percent rate, but so was the power. McCusker launched 55 home runs and slashed .265/.335/.494 (.829), good for a 119 wRC+.

Opportunity, however, was going to be scarce going forward. Minnesota’s outfield picture is crowded with Byron Buxton, Trevor Larnach, Matt Wallner, James Outman, Alan Roden, Austin Martin, and Kody Clemens. Top prospects Walker Jenkins, Emmanuel Rodriguez, Gabriel Gonzalez, and Hendry Mendez all played in the upper minors last season and will be on track to debut in 2026.

By heading overseas, McCusker likely secures a stronger financial guarantee and a clearer path to regular playing time. Success in Japan could open the door to a return to North America or additional opportunities abroad. Given the route he has already taken, betting on another unconventional chapter feels entirely on brand.

 

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[tony&rodney]

I wish all the best for Carson McCusker.

Japan is an awesome place and there is excellent baseball played in the NPB. Sendai is known as the city of trees. 

[Riverbrian]

Dear Carson,

Go get some playing time. Hit a bunch of homers. 

Have fun

Sincerely

 

Riverbrian

[IndyTwinsFan]

I feel good for the young man.  Keeping the dream alive, even though it's not MLB, is never a bad thing for the vast majority of us.  

Good for him!

[tarheeltwinsfan]

Best wishes and good luck to Carson. It will be a great adventure, living in an Asian country. 

[Doctor Wu]

I hope he thrives in Japan. Should be a fun experience for him if nothing else. 

[Jeff K]

Good for Carson.  He continues to make a living doing what he loves to do.

[jmlease1]

Good luck to McCusker. Hope it goes well for him, and he makes enough money to set up his family for life. Hope he embraces life in Japan and he enjoys living and playing there. Seems like a good opportunity and better than trying to grab a AAA contract in the US.

[Parfigliano]

On 12/15/2025 at 7:14 AM, Jeff K said:

Good for Carson.  He continues to make a living doing what he loves to do.

Probably far more money then he made in MLB.