Twins Trade Pierson Ohl, Edouard Julien to Rockies, Pick Up Prospect Depth

[Matthew Trueblood]

Image courtesy of © Matt Blewett-Imagn Images

The Twins traded right-handed pitcher Pierson Ohl and infielder Edouard Julien to the Colorado Rockies Wednesday, a source confirmed to Twins Daily. They'll receive minor-league righthander Jace Kaminska in return. Dan Hayes of The Athletic first reported the deal.

 

Kaminska, 24, was a 10th-round pick out of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2023, and he had an encouraging first season in the minors. He made 17 appearances and posted a 2.78 ERA for Low-A Fresno in 2024, striking out 104 and walking just 12 of the 353 batters he faced. However, he ended that season on the injured list with elbow trouble, and wound up having Tommy John surgery late last March. After missing the entire 2025 campaign, he will also get a slow start to 2026, after which he'll be eligible for the Rule 5 Draft. However, he should be safely stashable, and there's a modicum of upside here.

Solidly built, Kaminska has been up to 96 mph with his fastball in the past, and he adds a two-plane breaking ball that has flashed average. His changeup lags behind those offerings, but given his rocky professional road so far, it might not matter much. His best and quickest path to the majors is as a reliever, and while the Twins are likely to keep him stretched out as he builds back up post-surgery, it wouldn't be surprised if he finishes 2026 as a fast-rising short reliever who can run his heater into the upper 90s.

Minnesota found Julien in the 18th round of the 2019 Draft, out of Auburn University. His combination of plate discipline and power got him to the majors with a bit of prospect steam, and his tremendous rookie season in 2023 (a .381 OBP in 408 plate appearances) raised fans’ expectations. He’s been unable to meet them since then, however, with a .208/.299/.324 line in 158 big-league games since the start of 2024. His vulnerability to whiffs caught up to him, and he was unable to recalibrate and correct the passivity of his approach. A poor second baseman, he’s been increasingly pushed toward first base, where his bat doesn’t meet the standard of acceptability for any would-be contender.

Ohl, 26, was another late find and player-development win for the team, rising from being a 14th-round pick in the 2021 Draft to pitch 14 times for the Twins in 2025. His changeup is a plus pitch, and has a chance to work even in the thin air of Coors Field. However, his results were ugly in his brief stay in the majors. His 5.10 ERA was a bit unlucky, but it also traced back to too few strikeouts and susceptibility to home runs. 

Julien has four years of team control remaining, but can’t be optioned to the minors, so he’ll have to stick on the Opening Day roster to stay in the Rockies organization past spring training. Ohl is under control through at least 2031, and can still be sent to the minors if needed. The Twins designated Ohl for assignment when they made the signings of Taylor Rogers and Victor Caratini official Saturday, so only Julien comes off the 40-man roster with this move.

Once a player is designated for assignment, almost any trade is worthwhile, because the alternative is to lose the player for the very modest waiver fee. In this case, with the Rockies first in the waiver order, the Twins might have known that the team would claim Ohl, and sought to get a deal done to extract any value they could. Julien was probably not long for the roster, anyway, after the offseason additions of Josh Bell and Victor Caratini (each of whom play at least some first base) and with Kody Clemens serving as a better version of Julien for much of 2025. 

This is a sad denouement for the French-Canadian Julien, who briefly looked like a piece of the club's long-term puzzle. As they try to finish their offseason strongly, though, the Twins clearly felt they were better off with some extra depth and a clear roster spot for their next move than by letting the decision on Julien wait and losing Ohl for a small amount of cash. Kaminska gives them organizational depth, and they can now focus on making their 40-man a more functional big-league amalgam.

View full article

[dberthia]

Another nothing move. Too bad Eddie didn't work out, but he had his 15 minutes.

[thelanges5]

More cash considerations. I guess Julien isn’t going to rule again. At least not in Twins Territory. 

[DataNerd]

Seems like a good trade for both sides.  Rockies are bad enough that Julien will have a legit chance to make the team for them, and we get a guy who would have been an org top 30 pre-injury for him and Ohl (who being DFA'd was set to be gone)

[Sjoski]

The most exciting component to this trade is to see how the thinner air effects Julien's strikeout rate.

[The Great Hambino]

FA reliever incoming?

For as much heat as Julien and his iron glove got, not too bad of an ROI for an 18th round pick.  And he can always say he hit a homer in a tight playoff elimination game

[SteveLV]

I liked Julien's swing, until it went bad.

I never like Julien's glove.  Uggh.

Flyer RHRP and some $.  $ always good to this ownership group.  Stacking the Benjamins after trading journeyman C yesterday, too.

[Twins_Fan_in_NJ]

In 2023, I never would have thought Julien's career would have went the way it did.

Also surprised on Ohl. I know his stuff may not play, but I felt like he settled in once the Twins started using him for one inning rather than multiple innings. Oh well.

Hopefully the Twins aren't done addressing the bullpen.

[4twinsJA]

Good luck to Julien and Ohl. Maybe a change of scenery will benefit Julien. Tough place to be traded to for Ohl. Yes, this is inconsequential to the Twins overall, both were most likely be non factors this year. But good to get little more clarity on roster. 

[weitz41]

opens up a 40-man spot for?? Framber Valdez!!! OK ok...prospects to SD for Fernando Tatis. or maybe a FA reliver. I'm going with Tatis

[Cris E]

Julien came up as a batting eye guy that managed to hit in the majors until he couldn't.  Last season in St Paul he finally got his act back together, but Keaschall blew past him at 2B in 2025 and he isn't enough of a defender to have use in a utility role. I hope he does well hitting in Denver, as he seemed like a decent guy who had the bad luck to lose his way during his short window of opportunity in MN.

Ohl just doesn't have the velo to catch anyone's eye, and his control and stuff wasn't sharp enough to let him get away with much at the MLB level. Not sure that pitching in Colorado is going to do him any favors, but it's a weaker system so he should get opportunities. 

[Cris E]

3 minutes ago, weitz41 said:

opens up a 40-man spot for?? Framber Valdez!!! OK ok...prospects to SD for Fernando Tatis. or maybe a FA reliver. I'm going with Tatis

Tatis can't pitch.  I read here that we need relievers. Otahni, now he can pitch, and the deferrals should make him affordable to the Pohlads.

[tony&rodney]

Good luck and best wishes to Julien and Ohl. Perhaps a fresh organization provides a new opportunity. Both had brief moments with the Twins but it just didn't work out for them. The Rockies have a fun venue.

Say what you will about Edouard Julien, he stands as the leading ROY by votes from all of the players signed during the Falvey Era. 

I wish Eddie and Pierson all the best.

[DJL44]

Ohl's changeup might actually work in Colorado. Same with Julien's bat in the thin air.

I like the pitcher the Twins received. There is some real upside. He should get to Double-A this summer.

From Blake Street Banter

Quote

Jace Kaminska walked only 12 batters last season. 12 walks in 87.1 innings. The Nebraska product came to professional ball ready to go and it showed in 2024 as Kaminska by earned the California League Pitcher of the Year award. In the month of May, he went 20 innings without allowing a run. Across the season, he had 3 games with 9+ strikeouts. He’s also a workhorse with 13 of his 17 starts went 5 or more innings–impressive in the minors leagues and especially in your first pro season.

He ended the season on the injured list, but before then he posted a 2.78 ERA with a 1.05 WHIP to match. He relies on his command of his mid-90s fastball and low-80s slider to get hitters out.

 

[jorgenswest]

The Rockies would have had an early claim in Ohl so there must have been other interest. Julien was headed for DFA unless he really outhit Clemens. It is hard to imagine both being a fit on the bench. Turning two DFAs into a promising prospect is an unexpected move. 

[TheLeviathan]

Man...has any player in recent memory had a dropoff like Julien?

Not a bad return, but wow.

[garn from vancouver]

julien was fun to watch initially and as a canadian i was a little cuffed to see him doing well. and then.... good luck to him in denver. it's a nice town and he can go by rockmount (not far from the stadium) and get himself a nice shirt. 

Ohl i liked for unknown reasons but liked him. i hope the best for him as well. 

 

[DJL44]

6 minutes ago, TheLeviathan said:

Man...has any player in recent memory had a dropoff like Julien?

Danny Santana immediately comes to mind

[Road trip]

11 minutes ago, TheLeviathan said:

Man...has any player in recent memory had a dropoff like Julien?

Not a bad return, but wow.

A few.  Danny Santana comes to mind.  Different skill set but from a very good first year to completely unplayable by year two.  He never really recovered.  I still wish Julien the best in his new spot.

DJL beat me by 2 minutes :)

[DJL44]

Who is the next to go off the 40-man roster - Alex Jackson, Ryan Kriedler, James Outman or Travis Adams?

[jmlease1]

I'm bummed that it didn't work out for Julien; he was so good in 2023 and had an excellent MiLB track record at the plate that I really thought he could course-correct and adjust, but it never came around for him. Maybe a new environment will help, but he never found a defensive position he looked comfortable in (he had stretches where he looked fine at 2B, but goodness did he ever get in his own head out in the field) and without that he has to hit to play. (I was also a little baffled that the Twins never unleashed him on the basepaths, but they clearly must have felt that his minor league success at swiping bags was just a function at no one holding anyone on) Can't really object to moving from him and I'd rather have room for a player with some upside.

I was a little surprised they picked Ohl to move off the 40-man, especially when they had all these crap utility guys, but they really must not think his stuff is going to play up. We'll see if they're right. 

Decent move by the Rockies: pick up some distressed assets for little costs and see if you can find something at the MLB level. They certainly have opportunity. Twins weren't going to get anything for either guy, so getting a lottery ticket like Kaminska seems fine.

[Parfigliano]

Julien now set to be the next X Twin to rake in Colo

[jmlease1]

2 minutes ago, Road trip said:

A few.  Danny Santana comes to mind.  Different skill set but from a very good first year to completely unplayable by year two.  He never really recovered.  I still with Julien the best in his new spot.

except Santana did recover...for one season. Hit well for Texas in 2019 playing all over the field...and then was gone again. I could see Julien finding his swing again for a run...and then falling off the planet again. But at least Santana could credibly play some different spots defensively.

[ArraezChicken]

What a bummer. I really had high hopes for Eddie J. Seemed like a nice guy who, at least one time, had some solid hitting tools. He seemed at his best when Kyle Farmer was around to mentor him, so maybe a reunion in Colorado will be good for him.

[jorgenswest]

Julien is really going to need to hit well enough to be a DH. I don’t think his glove will ever be adequate. He and Outman have fallen tremendously from 2023. In order to stay Julien needs to get back to that 2023 level. He might do it. Outman’s good glove just needs to approach 90 OPS+ to find a job as a back up centerfielder. I think that is more likely than Julien hitting enough to DH but neither is probable.

[DocBauer]

This is a creative move at least. Kaminska gets 1/3-1/2 of the year at AA, possibly finishing in the pen? And at some point he's at St Paul for 2027. Maybe he hits 98-100mph if he stays in the pen? Again, a creative deal for 2 guys headed out the door.

I never saw this happening to Julien. I really thought he was the real deal as a hitter. Best of luck to him.

With other roster fodder on hand, I wouldn't have cut Ohl when they did. He's got a great change and was reportedly hitting 95 at times in 2025. At least in his shorter stints. I would have liked to see what he might do going forward in 1-2 inning stints. Still, they were going to sign a couple more guys before the season started anyway, so Ohl was probably going to be removed sooner or later regardless. 

Now, about that open roster spot....

[The Great Hambino]

13 minutes ago, DJL44 said:

Danny Santana immediately comes to mind

In this game of "What Happened to Danny?", I see your Santana and raise you a Valencia

3rd in ROY voting, then a positively Outman-ian decline.  And like your guy Santana, had himself a mini-renaissance elsewhere

[Linus]

18 minutes ago, DJL44 said:

Danny Santana immediately comes to mind

Yep and they both had an insanely high babip during their hot streaks. Whatever Julien was going to be it wasn’t what he showed in 2023 but people just can’t let go of it. Some wise old baseball guy once said any player can be anything (good or bad) for 40 games. Eddie was lucky to have his luck at the start of his career. 

[Danchat]

Good for Julien getting a chance in Colorado. Not so much for Ohl, but he's at least in position to get another chance in the majors.

6 minutes ago, DocBauer said:

Kaminska gets 1/3-1/2 of the year at AA

I'd expect he starts at A+ given all last year he pitched at Low A, not sure if you implied that or not.

1 hour ago, The Great Hambino said:

FA reliever incoming?

Or they'll keep a spot open for the inevitable minor league deal veteran reliever to get added so whoever it is can be on the 26 man roster. Maybe not with this opening, but it's gonna happen.

[bean5302]

Julien is going to get the opportunity as an every day 2B in Colorado. While he's much maligned here, his bat is every bit as good as Brooks Lee's has been. Julien's high line drive rate should play well in cavernous Coors Field. It remains to be seen if the venue switch will refresh his approach.

Ohl was just as good at a22 in Low-A as Kaminska was. Guess it's a new toy for Falvey who apparently feels comfortable with our bullpen situation this year.