Headlines

  • Felix Bautista To Undergo Tommy John Surgery, Signs Through 2025 Season
  • Rockies Sign Charlie Blackmon To One-Year Extension
  • Reds Sign Nick Krall To Extension, Promote Him To President Of Baseball Operations
  • Giants Fire Gabe Kapler
  • Orioles Agree To 30-Year Lease At Camden Yards
  • Padres Prefer To Retain A.J. Preller, Bob Melvin In 2024
  • Previous
  • Next
Register
Login
  • Hoops Rumors
  • Pro Football Rumors
  • Pro Hockey Rumors

MLB Trade Rumors

  • Home
  • Teams
    • AL East
      • Baltimore Orioles
      • Boston Red Sox
      • New York Yankees
      • Tampa Bay Rays
      • Toronto Blue Jays
    • AL Central
      • Chicago White Sox
      • Cleveland Guardians
      • Detroit Tigers
      • Kansas City Royals
      • Minnesota Twins
    • AL West
      • Houston Astros
      • Los Angeles Angels
      • Oakland Athletics
      • Seattle Mariners
      • Texas Rangers
    • NL East
      • Atlanta Braves
      • Miami Marlins
      • New York Mets
      • Philadelphia Phillies
      • Washington Nationals
    • NL Central
      • Chicago Cubs
      • Cincinnati Reds
      • Milwaukee Brewers
      • Pittsburgh Pirates
      • St. Louis Cardinals
    • NL West
      • Arizona Diamondbacks
      • Colorado Rockies
      • Los Angeles Dodgers
      • San Diego Padres
      • San Francisco Giants
  • About
    • MLB Trade Rumors
    • Tim Dierkes
    • Writing team
    • Advertise
    • Archives
  • Contact
  • Tools
    • 2023-24 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2024-25 MLB Free Agent List
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Arbitration Tracker
    • Agency Database
  • NBA/NFL/NHL
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors
  • App
  • Chats
Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Twins To Add Top Prospect Alex Kirilloff To Playoff Roster

By Steve Adams | September 29, 2020 at 9:24am CDT

In a surprise move, the Twins are set to promote top outfield prospect Alex Kirilloff for what would be his MLB debut during the first round of the postseason. Phil Miller of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reported last night that the move was being discussed, and both Seth Stohs of TwinsDaily.com and Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com (Twitter link) hear that Kirilloff is indeed being added to the big league roster. His contract will need to be formally selected, although fellow rookie outfielder Brent Rooker is on the 10-day IL with a season-ending forearm fracture, so he could just be moved to the 45-day injured list to open a spot on the 40-man roster.

Alex Kirilloff | David Dermer-USA TODAY Sports

Kirilloff, 22, was the No. 15 overall pick of the 2016 draft. He missed the 2017 due to Tommy John surgery but cemented himself as one of the game’s top 50 overall prospects when he laid waste to Class-A pitching in his 2018 return. The Pittsburgh native split that season between Class-A and Class-A Advanced, posting a combined .348/.392/.578 slash with 20 homers, 44 doubles and seven triples in just 561 plate appearances. He followed that up with a .283/.343/.413 slash that was good for a 121 wRC+ in the pitcher-friendly Double-A Southern League last year.

The move to bring Kirilloff up could very well mean bad news for either Byron Buxton or Josh Donaldson, each of whom has been hobbled by injuries recently. Buxton showed concussion symptoms after being hit in the head by a pitch late last week, while Donaldson has again been dealing with calf issues. Both Buxton and Donaldson worked out with the club yesterday, and manager Rocco Baldelli tabbed it a “relatively good day” for both players.

If and when Kirilloff is added to the roster there’s no guarantee he’ll draw a start in the series. Even if Buxton is sidelined, the club could lean on Eddie Rosario, Jake Cave and Max Kepler across the outfield. Kirilloff, as is the case with that trio, is a left-handed bat, so he wouldn’t even necessarily draw a platoon-based date with Houston lefty Framber Valdez. At the very least, however, he’d give the club an intriguing lefty bat to pinch-hit. Kirilloff has experience at all three outfield positions and at first base as well, so Baldelli could work him into the mix in a variety of ways.

Kirilloff won’t get any big league service time for appearing on the Major League roster in the playoffs, but his promotion only further confirms that he’s on the cusp of an audition as an everyday piece in Minnesota. The only question is just where he’ll slot in. The Twins locked Kepler up on a five-year extension just last year and control Buxton through the 2022 season. Rosario, meanwhile, is only controlled through 2021. Between fellow top 100 prospect Trevor Larnach and the aforementioned Rooker, Minnesota is well stocked with corner outfield bats that are MLB-ready or quite close to it.

Share 0 Retweet 9 Send via email0

Minnesota Twins Newsstand Top Prospect Promotions Transactions Alex Kirilloff Byron Buxton Josh Donaldson

Wilmer Font Elects Free Agency
Main
Rays Add Top Prospect Shane McClanahan To Playoff Roster
View Comments (14)

Comments

  1. FredMcGriff for the HOF

    3 years ago

    Whoa!

    1
    Reply
  2. bucketbrew35

    3 years ago

    I love when teams do this.

    4
    Reply
  3. DarkSide830

    3 years ago

    why didnt they add him earlier to see if he was ready?

    2
    Reply
    • themustache

      3 years ago

      Felt the same way about Brailyn Marquez. Why call him up on the last day?

      Reply
      • gbs42

        3 years ago

        Service time manipulation?

        Reply
  4. bobtillman

    3 years ago

    He had to be added to the 40 this winter anyway, so it makes sense. The bat to ball, as they say, is extraordinary.

    Reply
    • brewpackbuckbadg

      3 years ago

      yeah, sorta figured this. Thanks.

      Reply
  5. S_man_2014

    3 years ago

    If I’m not mistaken, Kirilloff has played some 1B in the minors as well.

    Reply
    • mlbnyyfan

      3 years ago

      If Twins lose again in the first round what’s excuse will they have now. They are finally not playing the Yankees.

      3
      Reply
  6. goldenrodent

    3 years ago

    I don’t recall any excuses being put forth about playing a perennial strong team like the Yankees. If I were you, I’d focus your attention on and be more concerned about your matchup with a talented Indians team. Your Yankees could very well be going home in three days or less.

    Reply
    • Dtownwarrior78

      3 years ago

      Typical Yankees fan talk. Worrying bout the ALCS or the WS instead of what’s in front of them. They did that in ’06 and ’08 against my Tigers and got sent home both years! Lol

      Reply
  7. Dtownwarrior78

    3 years ago

    As a Tigers fan I usually wouldn’t care less about the outcome of this series. But a huge congrats to Alex Kirilloff on your call up. Being in the postseason as your first taste of the big leagues would be such a huge thrill! Can’t imagine what him and his family are feeling like today! Good luck to you kid, hoping you make a difference in this series and you’ve got me watching a series I probably would’ve ignored otherwise.

    1
    Reply
    • tiredolddude

      3 years ago

      Agreed. I haven’t seen Alex in 20 years when he was just a little tyke, but I remember his dad and mom ran a hitting facility out of a garage in suburban Pittsburgh and were just wonderful people. All the best to him

      Reply
  8. brewpackbuckbadg

    3 years ago

    I see that it doesn’t affect service time. Would he had to go on the 40 man to avoid the rule-5 draft this year?

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Please login to leave a reply.

Log in Register

ad: 300x250_1_MLB

    Top Stories

    Felix Bautista To Undergo Tommy John Surgery, Signs Through 2025 Season

    Rockies Sign Charlie Blackmon To One-Year Extension

    Reds Sign Nick Krall To Extension, Promote Him To President Of Baseball Operations

    Giants Fire Gabe Kapler

    Orioles Agree To 30-Year Lease At Camden Yards

    Padres Prefer To Retain A.J. Preller, Bob Melvin In 2024

    Brooks Robinson Passes Away

    Reds’ Matt McLain Shut Down For Remainder Of 2023 Season

    Padres Plan To Reduce Payroll To Around $200MM; Front Office Changes Possible

    Marlins Place Eury Perez On 15-Day Injured List, Select Jeff Lindgren

    Sandy Alcantara Shut Down For Rest Of 2023 Season

    Brandon Lowe To Miss 4-6 Weeks With Kneecap Fracture

    Rays Promote Junior Caminero

    Sean Doolittle Announces Retirement

    Tigers Name Jeff Greenberg General Manager

    Qualifying Offer Value To Land Around $20.5MM

    Shohei Ohtani Undergoes Elbow Surgery

    Marlins Claim Matt Moore From Guardians

    Rays To Announce New Stadium Deal

    Reds Designate Hunter Renfroe For Assignment

    Recent

    Yankees Activate Frankie Montas

    Phillies Select Michael Plassmeyer

    Rangers Select Matt Bush

    Felix Bautista To Undergo Tommy John Surgery, Signs Through 2025 Season

    Padres Announce Several Roster Moves

    Mets Place Brandon Nimmo On 10-Day Injured List

    Phillies Place Dylan Covey On 15-Day Injured List

    Orioles Designate Jorge Lopez For Assignment

    NL West Notes: Melvin, Haniger, Musgrove, Rojas

    Rays Designate Erasmo Ramirez For Assignment

    ad: 300x250_5_side_mlb

    MLBTR Newsletter - Hot stove highlights in your inbox, five days a week

    Latest Rumors & News

    Latest Rumors & News

    • Shohei Ohtani Rumors
    Trade Rumors App for iOS and Android

    MLBTR Features

    MLBTR Features

    • Go Ad-Free
    • 2023-24 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2024-25 MLB Free Agent List
    • MLB Player Chats
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Extension Tracker
    • Agency Database
    • MLBTR On Twitter
    • MLBTR On Facebook
    • Team Facebook Pages
    • How To Set Up Notifications For Breaking News
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors

    Rumors By Team

    • Angels Rumors
    • Astros Rumors
    • Athletics Rumors
    • Blue Jays Rumors
    • Braves Rumors
    • Brewers Rumors
    • Cardinals Rumors
    • Cubs Rumors
    • Diamondbacks Rumors
    • Dodgers Rumors
    • Giants Rumors
    • Guardians Rumors
    • Mariners Rumors
    • Marlins Rumors
    • Mets Rumors
    • Nationals Rumors
    • Orioles Rumors
    • Padres Rumors
    • Phillies Rumors
    • Pirates Rumors
    • Rangers Rumors
    • Rays Rumors
    • Red Sox Rumors
    • Reds Rumors
    • Rockies Rumors
    • Royals Rumors
    • Tigers Rumors
    • Twins Rumors
    • White Sox Rumors
    • Yankees Rumors

    ad: 160x600_MLB

    Navigation

    • Sitemap
    • Archives
    • Feeds by Team

    MLBTR INFO

    • Advertise
    • About
    • Commenting Policy
    • Privacy Policy

    Connect

    • Contact Us
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • RSS Feed

    MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

    hide arrowsFOX Sports Engage Network scroll to top

    Register

    Desktop Version | Switch To Mobile Version