Twins release young player Derek Bender after he deflected shots to opponents
A Twins minor league player – and 2024 MLB draft pick – lost his job after being caught deflecting pitches to the opposing team.
Catcher Derek Bender was playing for the Twins’ Single-A affiliate team, the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels, in the Florida State League when he was fired after it was discovered that he was telling the other team’s batters what pitches would be thrown next, ESPN reported Tuesday.
The incident occurred last week during a game against the Lakeland Flying Tigers, which Fort Myers lost, eliminating the team from the playoff race.
During the second game of a doubleheader on September 6, Bender reportedly told several batters the exact pitches that starter Ross Dunn would throw.
The Flying Tigers coaches informed the Mighty Mussels coaching staff about Bender’s behavior after the game, and his behavior was so brazen that it surprised even the Lakeland team’s players.
According to sources, Bender also told his teammates that he wanted to end the season.
The defeat allowed Lakeland to move up to the West Division of the Florida State League.
The Mighty Mussels won their final two games of the season, but Bender spent those final two meetings in the bullpen instead of the dugout.
Bender, 21, was selected in the sixth round of the draft in July by Coastal Carolina.
He signed for $297,500.
During his 19 games with the Mighty Mussels, he posted a batting average of .200/.273/.333 with two home runs and eight RBIs.
Bender had gathered with his friends and family to watch the draft in July and see where he would begin his professional baseball career.
“This was probably one of the longest days of my life up to this point,” Bender told My Horry News. “Nothing prepares you for this moment. The emotions I felt just being around everyone… today is not just about me. It’s about my parents, my family, friends and coaches, everyone who got me here. It was great to see them so excited. Even that brought up so many more great emotions.”
Bender hit 32 home runs with an OPS of .979 in three seasons at Coastal Carolina.
In 2023, he was named a semifinalist for the Dick Houser Trophy, awarded by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association to the best player in college baseball.
