Minnesota Twins Officially Release Struggling Pitcher

The Minnesota Twins have released right-handed pitcher Miguel Martinez, according to the MiLB transaction log.

Martinez, whose full name is Miguel Emmanuel Martinez, was born November 3, 2006, in Nueva Rosita, Coahuila, Mexico. He stands 6-foot-3 and weighs 203 pounds, and he bats and throws right-handed.

The Twins signed him as an undrafted free agent to a minor-league contract on March 7, 2026. He was assigned to the Dominican Summer League Twins and activated on May 7.

In his lone professional season with the organization, Martinez appeared in 11 games for the DSL Twins, including three starts. He posted a 0-2 record with a 6.92 ERA across 26 innings.

He allowed 26 hits and 20 earned runs, walked 23 batters, and struck out 30 while posting a 1.88 WHIP. The high walk rate and elevated ERA reflected ongoing command issues in his first year in the affiliated system.

Before joining the Twins, Martinez had pitched in the Mexican League with El Águila de Veracruz in 2025, where he was placed on the reserve list in April of that year.

Local reporting in Coahuila had highlighted his path from regional academies in the Sabinas area to a professional contract, describing him as a disciplined young arm who drew interest after medical evaluations.

The release is a routine roster decision at the complex level.

The Dominican Summer League serves as an entry point for many international signees, and teams regularly thin those rosters after the season as they evaluate performance, development progress, and roster space for the following year.

Martinez’s combination of swing-and-miss ability (30 strikeouts in 26 innings) and control problems made the outcome unsurprising after a single season.

At 19, he remains young enough that the release does not necessarily end his professional hopes.

Released minor leaguers can sign with other organizations, return to Mexican leagues, or continue developing independently.

No public statements from Martinez or the Twins accompanied the transaction, which is typical for players at this level.

It closes a brief chapter for the Mexican right-hander in the Twins organization after his spring signing and summer assignment to the DSL.