There are always a few Major League Baseball teams each year that function as proving grounds for veterans who have had hard times recently. This season, the Minnesota Twins are one of those teams.
After trading 40% of their major league roster away at the July deadline last year, the Twins entered spring training without much depth chart certainty. In particular, after selling off all of its best relievers in those trades, Minnesota has almost no idea who will comprise its eight-man bullpen.
Many Twins fans are still understandably upset about the teardown. But for six-year major league veteran Julian Merryweather, it signaled an opportunity to get back to the show this year.
According to a Wednesday report from Dan Hayes of The Athletic, the Twins and Merryweather agreed to a minor-league contract with a non-roster invite to spring training in Fort Myers, Fla. Merryweather elected minor-league free agency in November after finishing the season in Triple-A with the Milwaukee Brewers organization.
Merryweather broke in with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2020, and has a total of 152 major league appearances under his belt. He was designated for assignment after three years in Toronto, claimed off waivers by the Chicago Cubs, then spent three more seasons in the National League Central before his release last May.
With the Cubs last season, Merryweather posted a 5.79 ERA in 21 appearances out of the bullpen, striking out 15 batters and walking 11. He was picked up midseason by two teams that were fighting for playoff position, the New York Mets and Brewers, but didn’t perform well enough to merit consideration for the major league roster.
Now, heading into his age-34 season, Merryweather has to hope his offseason improvements allow him to climb to a favorable position in this wide-open Twins pecking order.
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