Former Twins. Where are They Now? 2026 Edition

[ashbury]

Ditto.

[ashbury]

Ditto.

[ashbury]

Ditto.

There, I'm caught up.

[RpR]

Refsnyder leaves everyone -- especially his pitcher -- stunned with this HR robbery

 

[jaimedude]

Old friend Sherrif Chris Paddack should consider a move to the bullpen. I know he likes being a starting pitcher but that ERA, 8.31 woof.  He did manage to get through 4innings on Sunday against the Yankees,  and they got through that line-up. Marlins managed a  win. Thought he was actually pretty good in the bullpen late in the year that year coming off TJ for the Twins. I don't know with his past arm trouble though if the bullpen would suit him, but in his brief stint here at it, thought he was decent. Wonder if Marlins will keep him or flip him in a trade.  

[jaimedude]

9 hours ago, RpR said:

Refsnyder leaves everyone -- especially his pitcher -- stunned with this HR robbery

 

Athletic play by Refsnyder, seems to be fitting in well with Seattle. 

[big dog]

CES got waived, Steven Hajjar retired after spending 3 years in A+ leagues, and Steer's WAR has gone from 2.9 to 1.5 to 0.7 and so far this year is at -0.4.  His OPS plus has gone from 117 to 96 to 94 to this year's tiny-sample-size 40.

Tyler Mahle in the meantime currently is 0-2 for the Giants in 3 starts, with an ERA of 4.35 and a WHIP of 1.6.  Since the trade in 2022 he's pitched a total of 156 innings over 3 full seasons and parts of 2 others.

I'm prepared to just forget this whole thing ever happened rather than dragging it back and forth over some pretty dead coals..

[Road trip]

19 hours ago, nicksaviking said:

The Reds have DFA'd Christian Encarnacion-Strand. The Twins are now free to (half) remedy one this site's most mourned trades. As a right handed first baseman, he could really give Kody Clemens a run for his money in the On Base Percentage department.

Seriously, not serious.

CES absolutely raked at AA and AAA in 2022 and 2023 when he was in his early 20's, but something went terribly wrong with him.  I have no idea what, although I recall he did have some back issues.  It may also be that for many players the gap between AAA and the majors is a chasm too vast to cross.

He's young enough yet that someone, somewhere, is likely to sign him to a minor league contract.  I have doubts that it should be the Twins, but have to note that CES is the same age as Anthony Sabato and has been a much better hitter than Sabato at every level.  Sabato is more or less our "prospect" at 1B for St Paul, if you can still be generous enough to call him a prospect.  Nobody at Wichita is primed to move up to fill 1B either.  So.... maybe?

[lecroy24fan]

A name long forgotten by many Twins fans, Charlie Barnes, was called up by the Cubs today.

[stringer bell]

An obscure former Twin passed away recently. Chuck Nieson pitched an inning each in two games in 1964. He allowed a home run, a walk but struck out five of the eight batters he faced. Nieson was born and raised in California, but stayed in Minnesota after his professional career ended and passed away at the age of 83.

[big dog]

Ex-Twins Hitters, 4/19/26

Name                           AB      OBP    OPS

Luis Arraez                 56        .339     .732

Harrison Bader            52        .145     .338

Spencer Steer              51        .218     .571

Carlos Correa              51        .368     .780

Jorge Polanco              49        .259     .565

Luke Raley                  47        .314     .846

Brent Rooker              41        .245     .538

Edouard Julien            35        .385     .813

Carlos Santana            24        .154     .279

Christian Vazquez       23        .375     .984

Gary Sanchez              22        .429     1.247

Rob Refsnyder            16        .158     .158     OPS+ is -49

Ty France                    14        .375     .946

Isiah Kiner-Falefa       11        .167     .258

Mitch Garver               8          .364     .489

Kyle Farmer                5          .333     .933

[big dog]

Ex-Twins Pitchers                   4/19/26

Name                           IP         ERA    Record

Sonny Gray                 16.1     2.76     2-0

Zack Littell                  15        4.20     0-1

Chris Paddack             14.2     6.14     0-2

Tyler Mahle                 14.2     4.30     0-2

Martin Perez               14.1     3.14     0-1

Cade Povich                12.1     2.19     1-0

Tyler Wells                  9.2       3.72    

Louis Varland              9          0.00     0-1

Emilio Pagan              8.1       5.40     1-0, 4 saves

Brent Headrick            8.1       2.16     1-0

Jovani Moran              8          2.25

Shaun Anderson          8          4.50    

Richard Lovelady       7.1       3.68     1-1

Steven Okert               7.1       4.91

Jhoan Duran                6.2       1.35     1-1, 5 saves

Tyler Kinley                6          1.50     2-0

Griffin Jax                   5.1       8.44     0-2

Caleb Thielbar             5.1       3.38     1-2

Dietrich Enns              4.1       4.15

Yennier Cano              4.1       2.08     1-1

Trevor Megill              4          11.25   0-2, 3 saves

Danny Coulombe        4          2.25

Luis Gil                       4          6.75     0-1

[nicksaviking]

20 hours ago, lecroy24fan said:

A name long forgotten by many Twins fans, Charlie Barnes, was called up by the Cubs today.

Barnes is one of those where you wonder why in the heck the team never put him in the bullpen, which was pretty clearly the place he was supposed to be. 

But he was in the upper minors the years the Twins were using Rich Hill, JA Happ and Matt Schoemaker in the rotation. Even Griffin Jax. If a guy shouldn't be a starter, he shouldn't be a starter just because you're desperate. You can grab someone off the waiver wire instead who will likely be just as ineffective.

[Twins_Fan_in_NJ]

Seeing Lou and Duran on that list make me cry. 

[Twins_Fan_in_NJ]

Jax has been slightly better as of late but I still don't understand that trade from the Rays' perspective. Sure, he had 2 years of team control but the Rays weren't going anywhere last year when they made the trade and Jax was trending downward throughout most of 2025. They're a small market, low-budget team. Why not try to fix the philosophical differences with Bradley and unlock that potential for the next 4+ years...

[lecroy24fan]

3 hours ago, Twins_Fan_in_NJ said:

Jax has been slightly better as of late but I still don't understand that trade from the Rays' perspective. Sure, he had 2 years of team control but the Rays weren't going anywhere last year when they made the trade and Jax was trending downward throughout most of 2025. They're a small market, low-budget team. Why not try to fix the philosophical differences with Bradley and unlock that potential for the next 4+ years...

They had been trying and he wasn't responding. Whether it was on his end or the Rays end we'll likely never know. They were looking for someone to replace Pete Fairbanks since they weren't re-signing him and Jax fit the bill.

[Bangkok Twins Fan]

On 4/9/2026 at 9:02 PM, big dog said:

CES got waived, Steven Hajjar retired after spending 3 years in A+ leagues, and Steer's WAR has gone from 2.9 to 1.5 to 0.7 and so far this year is at -0.4.  His OPS plus has gone from 117 to 96 to 94 to this year's tiny-sample-size 40.

Tyler Mahle in the meantime currently is 0-2 for the Giants in 3 starts, with an ERA of 4.35 and a WHIP of 1.6.  Since the trade in 2022 he's pitched a total of 156 innings over 3 full seasons and parts of 2 others.

I'm prepared to just forget this whole thing ever happened rather than dragging it back and forth over some pretty dead coals..

Good point. A few months after that trade most of us were crying the blues. Mahle was injured and then Steer and CES were looking impressive in Cincy. Things change quickly. In retrospect, that was a trade that looked good for the Twins, at least in the hope that Mahle would solidify the rotation.. But hey, that is the quirky game of baseball. You take your chances and hope for the best. 

 

[stringer bell]

Jorge Polanco, off to a slow start, was placed on the ten-day IL with a wrist contusion. Polanco was scheduled to be the Mets first baseman, but has been used as the DH. He has played only two games at first base.

[lecroy24fan]

Richard Lovelady was picked up via trade by the Nationals the other day.

[stringer bell]

Tough weekend for prominent ex-Twins. Polanco, Bader and Durán all were put on the Injured List. 

[The Great Hambino]

Old friend Sonny Gray with the Red Sox was just pulled mid-game in the third inning of his Patriots Day start against the Tigers with an apparent injury.  Another old friend in Danny Coulombe replaced him

[stringer bell]

10 hours ago, The Great Hambino said:

Old friend Sonny Gray with the Red Sox was just pulled mid-game in the third inning of his Patriots Day start against the Tigers with an apparent injury.  Another old friend in Danny Coulombe replaced him

Gray was placed on the IL as injuries have continued for ex-Twins. 

[Rosterman]

Casey Legumania designated for assignment.

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2026/04/mariners-to-designate-casey-legumina-for-assignment.html

[ashbury]

7 hours ago, Rosterman said:

Legumania 

[old nurse]

On 4/24/2026 at 11:30 AM, Rosterman said:

Casey Legumania designated for assignment.

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2026/04/mariners-to-designate-casey-legumina-for-assignment.html

Purchased by Tampa 

[Riverbrian]

Apparently Christian Vazquez can produce a decent 45 AB stretch. Don't believe we had a decent 45 AB stretch with the bat during his three years with us. 

With the Astros he currently has a .913 OPS

 

[Rosterman]

Diego Castillo back for a try signed by Rangers to a minor league contract out of the Mexican League.

 

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2026/04/rangers-sign-diego-castillo-to-minor-league-contract.html

[Dave Borton]

Sorry if this has been posted; I might have missed.

Tyler Mahle, '23 Twins, is with the Giants. Noticed he is starting this eve. Having a rough year; 1-3. 27 hits in 25 innings. 1.60 wHip.

 

https://www.mlb.com/player/tyler-mahle-641816?stats=career-r-pitching-mlb&year=2026

[lecroy24fan]

Mahle was better his last start.

 

Ildemaro Vargas is having a breakout season for ARI. 

 

.367 AVG, 6 HR, 20 RBI and is pretty much an everyday starter now.

[C-Gangster]

Old friend Tyler Fitzgerald traded to Dodgers from Jay's added to 40 man.