duluthnewstribune
SEATTLE — Just days after general manager Jeremy Zoll signaled the Minnesota Twins' intention to be aggressive buyers before the trade deadline, and hours following Kody Clemens' dramatic walk-off grand slam that delivered one of the franchise's most thrilling victories in recent memory, the front office acted decisively to reinforce the relief corps.
The Twins struck early, acquiring veteran left-hander A.J. Minter, one of the most sought-after bullpen arms expected to change teams prior to Major League Baseball's 5 p.m. CDT Monday deadline. In exchange, Minnesota parted with infield prospects Billy Amick and Bruin Agbayani.
The transaction was finalized late Thursday night and officially announced Friday morning. Minter, whose season was delayed by lat surgery last year, has posted a 2.35 ERA over 23 appearances for the Mets in 2025. He is expected to slot into the late-inning mix alongside Yoendrys Gomez and Andrew Morris, and should assume the role of primary left-hander in the bullpen—a spot previously held by Anthony Banda, who recently underwent lat surgery himself.
Now in his 10th major league season, the 32-year-old Minter carries a career 3.18 ERA across 420 games, with 456 strikeouts in 382 2/3 innings. He also brings substantial postseason pedigree, including a World Series championship with the 2021 Atlanta Braves. Currently in the second year of a two-year, $22 million contract, Minter is slated for free agency at season's end.
This marks the second bullpen addition for the Twins this month. Earlier, they acquired right-hander Tommy Nance from Toronto in exchange for minor league catcher Ryan Sprock. Nance has appeared in six games since the trade, mostly in the sixth or seventh inning.
Improving the bullpen—which has shown recent improvement but still ranks among the league's worst—has been Minnesota's most pressing need, a point Zoll emphasized on Tuesday. To make room on the 40-man roster, the Twins placed Cole Sands on the 60-day injured list; Sands will undergo season-ending elbow surgery on Tuesday. A corresponding 26-man roster move will be necessary before Minter joins the team.
Key Analysis
The departure of Amick and Agbayani represents a notable cost for Minnesota. Amick, the organization's No. 21 prospect per MLB Pipeline, was a second-round pick in 2024. The 23-year-old has spent the season at Double-A Wichita, slashing .217/.338/.482 with 23 home runs and 72 RBIs in 86 games, though he has also struck out 108 times in 379 plate appearances. Agbayani, 19, the club's No. 29 prospect, has been limited to just 10 games at Class-A Fort Myers due to thumb and shoulder issues. The sixth-round selection in 2025 is the son of Benny Agbayani, who played for the Mets from 1998 to 2001.
The Twins (55-55) opened a three-game series against the Seattle Mariners on Friday night, with both teams vying for postseason berths. Entering the weekend, Minnesota trailed the Chicago White Sox by three games in the American League Central and sat one game behind Cleveland for the third wild card spot. FanGraphs pegged their playoff odds at 33.3% with 52 games remaining.
In other news, top prospect Emmanuel Rodriguez had his rehab assignment shifted from Class-A Fort Myers to Class-A Advanced Cedar Rapids. Rodriguez has been sidelined since early May with a thumb injury. On Saturday, the Twins are scheduled to start Connor Prielipp (3-5, 4.73 ERA) against Seattle's Logan Gilbert (8-6, 3.44 ERA).
Originally reported by duluthnewstribune.