The Minnesota Twins made plenty of roster moves throughout this past offseason to reshape their depth, and one of those additions was utility man Eric Wagaman.
Minnesota acquired the 28-year-old from the Miami Marlins over the winter, viewing him as a right-handed bench option who could cover all four corner spots and compete for at-bats.
But the fit never materialized. Wagaman struggled immediately at Triple-A St. Paul, posting a .159 batting average, .284 on-base percentage and .538 OPS across 18 games.
With the Twins needing a 40-man roster spot after claiming right-hander Christian Roa off waivers from the Houston Astros last week, Wagaman became the odd man out.
The Twins likely hoped he would clear waivers, but that did not happen, as the New York Mets moved quickly and added Wagaman to their 40-man roster. “Mets claimed Eric Wagaman off waivers from #MNTwins,” reported Dan Hayes of The Athletic.
Mets claimed Eric Wagaman off waivers from #MNTwins.
The Mets subsequently announced that Wagaman has been optioned to Triple-A, where he will look to reset after a difficult start to 2026. For Minnesota, the move officially ends a short and unproductive stint.
The Twins had hoped Wagaman’s past offensive flashes would resurface. Between 2022 and 2024, he showed real promise in the minors as a plus hitter. That upside convinced multiple organizations to take chances on him. The New York Yankees drafted him in the 2017 MLB Draft, the Marlins gave him a major league deal, and the Twins traded for him this winter.
But the production never carried over to Minnesota. Wagaman’s defensive versatility was not enough to justify a roster spot, especially with the Twins dealing with early season inconsistency and needing players who could contribute immediately. His struggles in the minor leagues left the front office with an easy decision to make.
The Mets, meanwhile, had an open 40-man spot and likely saw no downside in taking a chance on a controllable corner bat with minor-league options. For Minnesota, the move is more about clearing space and continuing to churn the roster than anything else. The Twins offense has been inconsistent early in the season, but Wagaman was not positioned to help at the major-league level.
Wagaman will now look to bounce back while awaiting another opportunity in MLB. For the Twins, the decision reflects a simple reality. They need immediate production from their depth pieces, and Wagaman never found enough success to earn a chance.