The Twins have signed Huascar Ynoa to a minors contract, according to Sports Illustrated’s Stephanie Apstein (X link). The right-hander will receive an invitation to Minnesota’s big league Spring Training camp as part of the non-guaranteed deal.
Ynoa appeared in parts of four MLB seasons with the Braves from 2019-22, topping out at 91 innings during the 2021 campaign. Ynoa posted a 4.05 ERA, 26.9% strikeout rate, and 6.7% walk rate while stepping into Atlanta’s rotation as an injury replacement, helping set the theme of unexpected contributors emerging to help lead the Braves to an unlikely World Series title. A shoulder injury forced Ynoa’s removal from the Braves’ NLCS roster, however, and he also missed three months of the regular season after breaking his hand while punching the dugout in frustration after a tough start.
More setbacks awaited the next season, as Ynoa only pitched 6 2/3 MLB innings in 2022 and spent most of the year at Triple-A. Ynoa then underwent a Tommy John surgery that cost him the entire 2023 campaign, and he returned to pitch only 29 2/3 minor league innings this year before being sidelined again by a stress reaction in his right elbow. Atlanta opted to non-tender Ynoa, as despite a modest $825K projected arbitration salary, the Braves still preferred to open up a roster spot and move on from the righty.
Ynoa will now return to his original franchise at this turning point of this career. The Twins signed Ynoa during the 2014 international signing period and he pitched in parts of three minor league seasons in Minnesota’s farm system before being dealt to the Braves in July 2017. Ynoa is overdue for some good health as he tries to get his career on track, and there’s no risk for the Twins in taking a flier on a pitcher who is still just 26 years old.
He was good with the braves
Good luck to Ynoa
He did it to himself. They want men not boys on the Braves.