Michigan State's head coach Jake Boss Jr. heads to the dugout during the seventh inning in the game against Ohio State on Friday, April 18, 2025, at McLane Stadium in East Lansing. Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Former Spartan on Precipice of MLB Debut

Originally posted on Michigan State Spartans on SI
By Tom Cavanaugh | Last updated Jun 3, 2025 4:30 PM ET

Former Michigan State Spartans right-handed reliever Kyle Bischoff has shot up the Minnesota Twins' farm system faster than almost any undrafted free agent in recent history. After starting from ground level, Bischoff is one call away from making his Major League debut, currently succeeding in Triple-A.

Bischoff is currently having a standout season for the St. Paul Saints, Triple-A affiliate of the Twins, and the second-straight season he has been at that level. He went from High-A Cedar Rapids Kernels to begin 2024 and quickly moved up the ranks to being on the precipice of his MLB debut.

The former Spartan currently holds a 3-0 record in 14 relief appearances with a 5.74 ERA in 15.2 innings pitched. He has 21 strikeouts compared to 11 walks and an opponent batting average of .262. He has adjusted very well to the Triple-A level and is firmly cemented in his current role.

After four seasons playing in the MAC with the Toledo Rockets, the Macomb, Michigan native transferred to East Lansing for a single season in 2022. He notched the second-most saves in a single season (12) and dominated in the closer role, finishing 2-1 with a 3.51 ERA in 24 appearances.

Bischoff is the second pitcher from the Spartans' 2022 team to be thriving in the minor league as reliever Andrew Carson recently earned his first professional victory with the Seattle Mariners' Single-A affiliate, Modesto Nuts.

Bischoff was not drafted. He began his professional career in the United Shores Professional Baseball League (USPBL), an independent professional league in Utica, Michigan. He spent two years in the league before being signed as a free agent by the Twins in May of 2023.

It has taken Bischoff just two years to go from rookie ball all the way to the Triple-A level, which is absolutely unheard of unless he was a top prospect that has a ton of money invested. Instead, he has just pitched so well over the past 24 months that he is one call away from the big leagues.

The Twins are currently 31-27 and hold the third-place spot in the AL Central behind the Cleveland Guardians (32-26) and Detroit Tigers (39-21). The most likely way that Bischoff would get the call is if a reliever for the big league club became injured and they needed to fill the roster spot.