Kyler Fedko’s run with the Minnesota Twins ended the way plenty of roster moves do in late-season baseball: quietly, quickly, and with another team ready to take a shot.
Fedko had been pushed to the majors earlier this summer after turning heads in the minors with a .286 average and a .950 OPS. Even though he was left unprotected in the Rule 5 Draft conversation this offseason, Minnesota gave him the call.
The opportunity, though, never really settled in. His playing time came in fits and starts, and he finished 0-for-16 over his first 14 big league games.
Once he was sent back to Triple-A, the setback got bigger. Fedko then suffered a torn ACL.
The Twins designated him for assignment earlier this week to clear a spot for Ben Ross on the 40-man roster, and after that, Fedko was granted his release. Minnesota still tried to keep him, but the outfielder opted for a different path.
He’s heading home.
Fedko has agreed to a minor league deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates, the team he grew up rooting for. From Gibsonia, Pennsylvania, PNC Park is only 16.5 miles away, and that hometown pull mattered. He had also drawn interest from other clubs and reportedly had more lucrative offers on the table, but chose what amounted to security, opportunity, and familiarity with Pittsburgh.
The fit makes sense on paper. The Pirates have more room in the outfield than the Twins did, and Fedko can also fill a right-handed platoon role.
He’s had his issues with whiffs, but his 22.8% strikeout rate was his best mark at Triple-A this season. Against lefties, he hit .317 in 45 games and posted a 1.076 OPS.
There’s real power in his game, too. Over the last two seasons, Fedko has hit 45 home runs in the minors. He can run, and he added more defensive versatility this year as well.
For now, he’s expected to spend time rehabbing at Bradenton, the Pirates’ spring training facility, while working back from the ACL injury. The deal is a multi-year minor league contract, per source, and the hope is that Fedko is back by April next year.
If that happens, Pittsburgh could have a useful bat waiting in the wings - and Fedko would have a chance to turn a rough ending in Minnesota into something a lot more satisfying.
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