Report: Minnesota Twins minor league player cut for tipping pitches to opponents

The Minnesota Twins have reportedly cut minor league catcher Derek Bender after he had been telling opponents the types of pitches that were coming during at-bats, according to ESPN's Kiley McDaniel and Jeff Passan .

Bender was reportedly tipping off pitches that ultimately eliminated the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels — the Twins' Single-A affiliate — from playoff contention.

The game in question was against the Lakeland Flying Tigers, Detroit's affiliated Single-A team, on Sept. 6.

According to ESPN's McDaniel and Passan, Lakeland scored four runs in the second inning and won 6-0 in the second game of a doubleheader. The Tigers win clinched the Florida State League West division and eliminated the Might Mussels' playoff hopes.

Fort Myers had previously had as much as a six-game lead in the division three weeks before the decisive game. He reportedly spent the final two games of the season in the team's bullpen instead of the dugout.

Here's what the report further states, according to ESPN's McDaniel and Passan:

"Fort Myers coaches were notified by Lakeland coaches about Bender's pitch tipping after the game, sources said. Bender's willingness to tip pitches surprised Lakeland players, and there were no indications of wrongdoing from the Flying Tigers, sources said. Bender had told teammates he wanted the season to be over, according to sources."

The Twins have not commented on the situation.

Bender, 21, was selected as the 188th overall pick in the sixth round of the 2024 MLB Draft by Minnesota out of Coastal Carolina University. In 60 minor league at-bats, he slashed a line of .200/.273/.333 with an OPS of .606. He also hit two home runs, tallied eight RBI and struck out 33.3% of the time he stepped in the batter's box (20 strikeouts).

At Coastal Carolina, Bender was a 2023 Dick Howser Trophy Semifinalist and was named Collegiate Baseball National Player of the Week in May, according to the university's website.

In 144 games for the Chanticleers, Bender hit .326/.408/.571 with 32 homers, 153 RBI and a 1.000 fielding percentage on 370 putouts in this three-year career.

This is a developing story. Be sure to check back for additional details as we learn them.

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