Minnesota Twins Have Offseason Decision to Make on Ryan Kreidler

Ryan Kreidler came to the Minnesota Twins as a waiver claim off the Pittsburgh Pirates and turned into more than just organizational depth. Now, the Twins have to decide what to do with him heading into 2027.

Kreidler appeared in 105 games in 2026, batting .218 with a .286 on-base percentage, eight home runs, 29 RBIs and a .665 OPS across 243 at-bats. His bat was below average.

What will likely keep him a part of the future is the glove. Kreidler has played second base, third base, shortstop, center field and left field. He was reliable at every spot he was asked to cover.

For a team that dealt with its fair share of injuries, that kind of versatility was valuable. Kreidler's big-league journey began when the Detroit Tigers selected him in the fourth round of the 2019 draft. He jumped straight to Double-A after he played in short-season Class A Connecticut.

Detroit saw him as a potential long-term shortstop answer. That did not materialize. He worked his way through the Tigers organization, got some major-league time but never established himself, and eventually landed in Pittsburgh before the Twins scooped him off waivers. He has been designated for assignment twice in his career. 

The argument for keeping him comes down to cost and fit. Kreidler is pre-arb eligible, meaning the Twins can retain him at or near the league minimum. For a team with bigger offseason priorities, that matters. Minnesota does not have to choose between Kreidler and a rotation upgrade or a lineup piece.

He costs almost nothing, plays five positions without the defense becoming a liability, and fills a role the organization would otherwise have to address through a trade or a free agent signing. Minnesota finished 77-85 and has needs in the starting rotation and lineup that will require some spending this winter.

The offensive numbers are not good enough to start, but that is not what he is being asked to do. His value is in the days a starter goes down and the team needs someone who does not give away outs in the field.

Kreidler did that all season across five positions. Teams that let those players walk at league minimum and then scramble to replace them in July end up paying far more for a worse option. Minnesota can avoid that entirely by making a simple, cheap decision this winter to keep him around.