The Minnesota Twins are releasing 2024 draft pick Derek Bender after he allegedly told opposing hitters what pitch was coming during a minor league game, according to ESPN's Kiley McDaniel and Jeff Passan. It appears as if the honeymoon phase is over for the organization and player.
Bender, who was selected in the sixth round in July after thriving at Coastal Carolina, had been playing for the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels (Twins Low-A affiliate) before being let go. In a game that ultimately ended the club's postseason aspirations, the young catcher is said to have revealed to batters from the Lakeland Flying Tigers the type of pitch that was about to be thrown.
Fort Myers lost 6-0, while its opponent clinched the divisional title. The team was informed of the alleged self-sabotage after the game, courtesy of Flying Tigers coaches, and the news quickly found its way to upper management. At this time, there does not seem to be evidence that betting was the driving force of these purported actions.
Bender reportedly told other members of the Mighty Mussels that he wanted the season to end. Fort Myers' year is indeed done, and this 21-year-old is now out of a job. If true, then the adage “be careful what you wish for” is quite applicable in this situation.
Derek Bender controversy occurs while Twins push for October
He posted a .200 batting average, two home runs, eight RBIs, a .333 slugging percentage and .606 OPS in 19 games with Fort Myers. Being drafted by an MLB franchise is supposed to be an unforgettable moment for every baseball player, but apparently things went downhill during these last couple of months.
The Twins are focused on holding off the Detroit Tigers, Seattle Mariners and Boston Red Sox and clinching an American League Wild Card slot. They surely do not want to expend much energy on addressing such a scandal.
Even so, people will expect Minnesota to make a formal statement on the Derek Bender matter. Because the Twins made it a point of emphasis to shed payroll last offseason, cutting a player they recently inked to a $297, 500 contract is likely to leave a bitter taste in ownership's mouth. Bender will collect the entirety of his signing bonus.
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