A former Minnesota Twins catching prospect, accused of giving away pitches, is eligible to return to affiliated baseball after completing his discipline, a Major League Baseball spokesperson told The Athletic.

Derek Bender — a sixth-round pick in 2024 out of Coastal Carolina — was released by the Twins in September 2024 after allegedly telling hitters what pitches were coming during a Sept. 6 Class-A Florida State League doubleheader.

Bender, 22, was suspended for the entire 2025 season due to his “conduct,” according to a league source. The punishment was not subject to a specific rule violation, since the terms were part of a negotiated settlement between the MLB Players Association and the league.

Bender issued a statement via the MLBPA apologizing generally for his actions, while not specifically addressing whether or not he gave away pitches. Neither Bender nor the MLBPA would answer further questions as to whether the apology or the punishment was for tipping off opposing batters.

“After further reflection, I would like to apologize to the Minnesota Twins organization, my former teammates and coaches, and the fans, for my actions at the conclusion of the 2024 season,” Bender said in a statement provided by the MLBPA.

“At the time, I was struggling with my mental health, which is something I have dealt with on and off throughout my baseball career. Over the past year, I have been working hard, both on and off the field, to become the best player and teammate I can be, and I hope to move on from this episode and continue my career as a baseball player.”

During a sit-down interview with The Athletic in February, Bender forcefully denied the accusations, responding “No” when asked directly if he’d given pitches away.

“And I’ll live with this until the day I die,” he added. “I never gave pitches away. I never tried to give the opposing team an advantage against my own team.”

Bender acknowledged in that February interview that he wanted the season to be over, and had made jokes with teammates about intentionally making defensive errors. He said he was exhausted after a lengthy college season, getting drafted, and catching in Florida’s late-summer heat.

“The conversations are that everybody’s ready to go home,” he said.

MLB’s statement does not explicitly say what conduct led to Bender’s discipline, and the league declined comment when asked if it was related to giving away pitches. The league has also not presented evidence that Bender did give away pitches.

League investigators, according to a league source, were probing Bender for a violation of rule 21(a), which prohibits players from intentionally losing games, or attempting to lose games. If Bender had been found in violation of that rule, he’d be facing a lifetime ban from baseball. The agreement negated the need for a formal determination of a rule violation.

MLB’s investigation found gambling was not a factor, the league source said, and that there were no available betting lines on that game.

Earlier this offseason, Bender began notifying scouts for MLB clubs via email that his “past conflict had been resolved,” and that he hoped to sign with a club. He played all of last season for the Brockton Rox, a Frontier League team based in Massachusetts. The league is designated as a partner league of MLB.

Bender played in all 92 games, including as a catcher, where he hit .282 with 11 home runs and 54 RBI.

“This whole situation made me fall out of love with (baseball),” Bender said in February. “But I realized that I want to win more baseball games in my career. I love baseball. I love winning. I love being a part of a team. There’s nothing more I want to do.”