Twins end disappointing Edouard Julien experiment with unexpected trade

Twins trade infielder Edouard Julien, righty reliever Pierson Ohl to Rockies for righty pitching prospect Jace Kaminska

The Minnesota Twins announced on Wednesday that they've traded infielder Edouard Julien and righty Pierson Ohl to the Colorado Rockies for righty pitching prospect Jace Kaminska and cash considerations. The Twins now have an open 40-man roster spot.

Not too long ago, it appeared that Edouard Julien would be the Twins' primary second baseman for a long time. During his rookie season, 2023, he posted 2.6 bWAR and a .263/.381/.459 (130 OPS+) slash line with 16 homers, 16 doubles and 37 RBI in 408 plate appearances across 109 regular-season games. He performed well during the 2023 playoff as well, going 5-for-17 with one homer and five walks.

Unfortunately, Julien struggled significantly after the 2023 season, which led to him being demoted to Triple-A St. Paul twice during the 2024 season. He also spent most of the 2025 season in Triple-A St. Paul. He posted -0.2 bWAR and a 74 OPS+ in 94 MLB games in 2024, and -0.8 bWAR and a 76 OPS+ in 64 games with the Twins in 2025. He also regressed defensively last season, going from -4 Outs Above Average in 2024 to -8 Outs Above Average in 2025.

It made sense for the Twins to move on from Julien, who is out of options. Even if he can return to the 2023 version of himself, the Twins' infield is too crowded to give him another chance in the big leagues. Minnesota's starting infield next season will likely include Royce Lewis, Brooks Lee, Luke Keaschall and a combination of Josh Bell, Kody Clemens, Victor Caratini and possibly Eric Wagaman at first base. Additionally, highly touted infield prospect Kaelen Culpepper will likely be ready to make his MLB debut at some point during the 2026 season.

Twins' surprising trade with Rockies clears space to add another reliever

Moving on from Ohl was a bit surprising, however. The Twins designated him and catcher Jhonny Pereda for assignment last week to clear space for Caratini and lefty reliever Taylor Rogers. It made sense why the Twins got rid of Pereda, but Ohl showed promise at the end of the season by throwing eight scoreless innings with nine strikeouts across six outings.

Trading Ohl indicates the Twins are planning to add another reliever either via free agency or the trade market. MLB.com's Matthew Leach confirmed Minnesota is seeking to add another righty reliever. Now, the Twins can add another reliever without having to make a corresponding move, since they have a vacant 40-man roster spot. Still, it's a bit surprising the Twins moved on from Ohl instead of righty Travis Adams.

Jace Kaminska could be future impact arm for Twins

While Kaminska is 24 and has yet to surpass Single-A, he still has a lot of potential. He missed the entire 2025 season due to undergoing Tommy John surgery, but he posted a 2.78 ERA with 104 strikeouts in 87 1/3 innings en route to being named the Cal League Pitcher of the Year in 2024.