Henry Kusiak wasn't just hot—he was on fire. Through five games with the Long Island Ducks to open the 2026 season, he was the best hitter on the team, barreling up everything in sight. But when his phone rang at 10 p.m. and the caller ID showed his manager, Lew Ford, his first reaction wasn't excitement—it was anxiety.

"I thought he was going to tell me he traded me," Kusiak admitted.

Ford couldn't help but laugh when he heard that. "They're not expecting a call from their manager, usually, on their off day and at night," he said. "But I had good news for him, and I knew he was going to be excited."

That trade fear wasn't baseless. The Ducks' roster was stacked with middle infielders, and Kusiak—a natural shortstop from his standout days at Missouri Southern State University—had already been moved to the outfield just to find playing time. His mind raced: maybe Ford needed to clear space for a pitcher, or swap out one of the many second basemen or shortstops clogging the depth chart.

Instead, Ford delivered the news that would change everything: "You've been picked up by the Twins."

"He didn't know how else to tell me," Kusiak said, still grateful. "I think he was involved in some way, so I'm thankful to him."

Ford's connection with the Minnesota organization runs deep. "The Twins have signed a couple of our guys. I do know their contact there, and they ask about guys here, including Henry," he explained. "It's nice to have familiarity, but he's the one who did what it took to get signed. I think our team and this league is good exposure for our guys."

Now 25 years old, Kusiak has joined the Twins' Single-A affiliate, the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels. He made his debut on Wednesday, playing shortstop—his natural home—though the box score won't tell the story he wanted. The Mussels fell 4-3, and Kusiak went 0-for-5 at the plate. But one game doesn't define a player, and Ford is confident the bat that earned this opportunity will soon speak for itself.

"He hit well. His bat is a big reason the Twins signed him," Ford said. "He made some good defensive plays here for us in the short time. Ultimately, he was ripping the cover off the ball."

Kusiak had drawn interest from other teams the previous season while playing for the Chicago Dogs, and he was optimistic that a strong start in 2026 might finally earn him a call. But after just five games? "Not at all," he said, still processing the speed of it all.

His first call after hearing the news went to his girlfriend, Maggie Finnegan. Then came his parents, Kathy and Kevin Kusiak. He joked that his folks would understand coming in second, saying, "They know we're close."

"It was emotional," Kusiak said, reflecting on those conversations. "I couldn't hold it back. I put in a lot of hard work. I haven't done anything yet, but it's nice to hit a goal and it's nice to share that with them."