A former Minnesota Twins catching prospect is officially eligible to return to affiliated baseball, closing the chapter on one of the most confusing and controversial situations the organization has dealt with in recent years. Derek Bender, a sixth-round pick in 2024, was released by the Twins in September 2024 after allegations surfaced that he tipped pitches to opposing hitters during a Florida State League doubleheader. Major League Baseball confirmed to The Athletic that his discipline has been served and he can now sign with any club.
Bender, who missed the entire 2025 season due to what MLB described as his “conduct,” issued a broad apology through the MLB Players Association. His statement did not directly address whether he gave away pitches, yet it showed a player grappling with the end of a draining year. “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. He added that he had been struggling with his mental health, noting, “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.”
In a February interview with The Athletic, however, Bender pushed back strongly on the core accusation. Asked directly if he gave pitches away, he responded, “No.” He went even further, saying, “And I’ll live with this until the day I die. I never gave pitches away. I never tried to give the opposing team an advantage against my own team.” At the same time, he acknowledged the physical and mental exhaustion he felt near the end of the season, mentioning joking conversations with teammates about errors and the shared feeling that “everybody’s ready to go home.”
The league never publicly stated what conduct triggered Bender’s discipline, and investigators did not find gambling involvement of any kind. A league source told The Athletic that MLB had been examining a potential violation of rule 21(a), which covers intentionally losing games. A confirmed violation would have resulted in a lifetime ban, but the negotiated agreement sidestepped a formal ruling and allowed Bender to return after serving a season long suspension.
With the matter now resolved, Bender has started contacting clubs to express his interest in returning. He spent last year with the Brockton Rox of the Frontier League, playing 92 games while hitting .282 with 11 home runs and 54 runs batted in. Despite the turmoil, he expressed a renewed commitment to the sport. “This whole situation made me fall out of love with baseball,” Bender said. “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.”
For now, Bender’s future depends on whether an organization is willing to take a chance on a player trying to move past a complicated ending to his time with the Twins. But at the very least, the door to affiliated baseball is open again.