The Twins are making it clear they’re not sitting on the sidelines.
Just days before the August 3 MLB trade deadline, and fresh off an unlikely series win over the Royals at Target Field, Minnesota has landed left-handed reliever A.J. Minter from the Mets, according to Jeff Passan. It’s the kind of move that says the front office sees a chance to push in now.
Minter, 32, has been effective when he’s been on the mound. In 20 appearances this season, he has posted a 2.35 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP across 23 innings.
The Mets brought him in on a two-year, $22-million deal before the 2025 season, but his first year was interrupted early in May when he underwent surgery for a torn left lat muscle. That came after he had surgery on his left hip labrum in 2024.
Even so, Minter made it back to the Mets’ bullpen at the end of May and has looked strong since returning.
Minnesota is paying for the upgrade with two prospects: corner infielder Billy Amick and middle infielder Bruin Agbayani.
Amick has hovered around the Top-20 prospect range at Twins Daily over the last two years. A second-round pick in 2024, he was hitting .217/.338/.482 with 14 doubles, 23 homers and 72 RBIs at Double-A Wichita.
Agbayani, the son of former big leaguer Benny Agbayani, was Minnesota’s sixth-round pick in the 2025 draft. The 19-year-old played only 10 games this season, batting .268/.412/.342 with two doubles.
He drew nine walks and struck out only three times, but his season got off to a late start because of injury. After those 10 games, he went back on the IL and hasn’t played since.
In Other News...
Twins Fans May Need To Rethink Marek Houston Fast
Marek Houston has given the Twins something worth watching in a hurry, and not just because he was taken 16th overall. The shortstop prospect is holding his own offensively in Double-A, where his athleticism, base running and plate discipline are starting to show up in a way that fits the profile Minnesota hoped it was getting on draft day.
For a club that could use a steady answer at shortstop, Houstons rise matters because it is changing the conversation around his ceiling. He is already being mentioned as a potential long-term fit there, and his strong early production is pushing him toward the kind of national attention that can turn a promising prospect into a real part of the Twins future plans. [Read more 🡒]
Kody Clemens Sends A Calm Message Twins Fans Need Right Now
Kody Clemens has quickly become one of the steadier bats in Minnesotas lineup since arriving in April, and his recent comments offered a simple snapshot of where the Twins are trying to keep their focus. With the club still hanging around the race, Clemens said the message in the clubhouse is built around trust, quality at-bats and keeping the approach clean even as the roster has been tested by Byron Buxtons absence and a bullpen that has not always held up its end.
For a team trying to stay relevant deep into the summer, that kind of calm matters. Clemens has given the Twins a real offensive boost and helped them remain competitive, but the bigger question is whether the front office will have to step in and add support before the stretch run tightens further. The lineup can only absorb so much, and Minnesotas margin for error is getting thinner by the day. [Read more 🡒]