Twins Take a Chance on Former Orioles Pitcher After Another Strong Minor League Season

The Minnesota Twins are turning to a heavily unproven commodity as they search for solutions in the bullpen for 2027. As first reported by the New York Post's Jon Heyman, the Twins signed right-hander Jose Espada to a minor-league contract after yet another strong year in Triple-A.

The 29-year-old spent most of the 2026 season with the Baltimore Orioles' Triple-A affiliate in Norfolk, finishing with a 2.77 ERA over 48.2 innings. He also represented Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic in March, recording a scoreless performance in two appearances.

Espada struck out 49 batters while issuing 27 walks, numbers that helped him remain productive despite a control issue that has followed him throughout his career.

The Twins are not bringing in a pitcher with an extensive major league résumé. Espada has appeared in only a few games at the highest level, recording five scoreless innings across three seasons. His most recent appearance came with Baltimore, when he was called up for a doubleheader against the Astros in April.

Espada's path to the majors has been longer than most. The Toronto Blue Jays selected him in the fifth round of the 2015 MLB Draft out of Jose Collazo Colon High School in Juncos, Puerto Rico. He spent time in Toronto's organization before the Boston Red Sox claimed him by way of the Rule 5 Draft during the 2019-20 offseason. After remaining with Boston through 2021, he elected free agency and began the following season playing independent baseball.

He eventually signed with San Diego in July 2022 and made his major league debut with the Padres in 2023. After being released during the 2025 season, he landed with Baltimore on a minor league deal.

There are reasons for the Twins to take a closer look at him. Espada's slider accounted for more than 40% of his pitches in Norfolk. He paired the low-80s offering with a four-seam fastball that generally sits around 94 mph and a splitter near 90 mph. His 14.2% swinging-strike rate suggests he can generate misses, an appealing trait for a reliever looking to move up the organizational depth chart.

But his ability to consistently get ahead of hitters will likely remain the key concern. Espada walked 12.7% of the batters he faced in Norfolk. That mark can make it difficult to sustain success against major league competition, even if the strikeout numbers can keep up.

Minnesota is likely viewing Espada as additional bullpen depth rather than someone expected to earn a spot on the Opening Day roster. The right-hander could become an option when the Twins need a fresh arm during the season, just as he did for Baltimore.

This opportunity comes after another year in which Espada's minor league results were difficult to overlook. He will have to show that he can limit the walks before those numbers translate into a more regular role in the majors.