Minnesota Twins quietly claim utilityman Ryan Kreidler off waivers from Pittsburgh Pirates
The Minnesota Twins announced on Wednesday that they claimed utilityman Ryan Kreidler off waivers from the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Pirates claimed Kreidler, 27, off waivers from the Detroit Tigers on Aug. 24 before designating him for assignment on Monday. Kreidler didn't play in a single game for the Pirates, but had a mere .558 OPS in 15 games for their Triple-A affiliate.
We have made the following roster move: pic.twitter.com/f4t47md3po
— Minnesota Twins (@Twins) October 15, 2025
The Tigers selected Kreidler out of UCLA in the fourth round (112th overall) of the 2019 MLB Draft. Since making his MLB debut in 2022, Kreidler has struggled immensely at the plate, slashing .138/.208/.176 for an 11 wRC+ with just two homers, eight RBIs and seven stolen bases while striking out 31.8% of the time in 89 games over parts of four seasons with Detroit. In the major leagues, the former fourth-rounder has played center field, left field, third base, shortstop and second base.
The new Twins utilityman played in just 17 games with the Tigers in 2025, all of them as a center fielder. In those 17 games, Kreidler hit .105/.190/.105 for a -12 wRC+ with five runs and two stolen bases over 44 plate appearances.
What will newly acquired utilityman Ryan Kreidler's role be on the 2026 Twins?
Kreidler isn't a slam dunk to make the Twins' roster in 2026, but he has a shot if he can perform well in spring training. With the loss of Willi Castro (although the Twins could bring him back next year), Minnesota likely wants someone who can play multiple positions at a high level. In his limited big league action, Kreidler has posted a run value of three.
Being claimed by a team like the Twins is probably the best-case scenario for Kreidler, as the team has many questions surrounding its roster and is unlikely to be in postseason contention unless everyone stays healthy and exceeds expectations. Kreidler will have to prove he is better offensively than his stats show this spring training, but his defensive versatility gives him a decent chance at cracking the opening day roster.