Former Twins Prospect Kala'i Rosario Signs Minor-League Contract With Padres

The Minnesota Twins' loss is the San Diego Padres' gain. Maybe a change of scenery will make a difference.

The Padres have signed corner outfielder Kala'i Rosario to a minor-league contract, according to The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal. Rosario was the Twins' fifth-round draft choice in 2020 out of Waiakea High School in Hawaii. He became a minor-league free agent following the season.

Rosario, a right-handed hitter, shuttled between Double-A Wichita and Triple-A St. Paul in 2026, putting together a combined slash line of .260/.365/.480 with 22 homers and 54 RBIs in 100 games, along with 11 steals. He received more consistent playing time at Double-A, slashing .232/.375/.419 with 11 homers and 32 RBIs in 58 games. Still, he put up better numbers at Triple-A, where he slashed .298/.350/.563 with another 11 homers and 22 RBIs in 42 games.

Rosario finished strong, hitting eight homers and having a 1.067 OPS in his final 17 games at Triple-A. That came after a good performance at Double-A in 2025, slashing .256/.358/.487 with 25 homers, 83 RBIs and 32 steals. His homers and steals were career bests.

He is likely to begin 2027 at Triple-A El Paso.