Twins Officially Release Young Infielder in Surprising Move

The Minnesota Twins have released 18-year-old shortstop Ashwar Sprok, according to the official MiLB transaction log.

The move, logged on Sunday, ends a brief professional tenure for the left-handed-hitting, right-handed-throwing infielder from Oranjestad, Aruba.

Sprok, whose full name is Ashwar Iqiondray Sprok, was born on October 5, 2008.

Standing 5-foot-10 and listed at 171 pounds, he signed with Minnesota as an international free agent on January 15, 2026, to a minor-league contract.

Reports indicated a modest signing bonus in the neighborhood of $50,000. He was assigned to the DSL Twins and activated on May 27, 2026, beginning his professional career in the Dominican Summer League.

His on-field sample was extremely limited. In six games and 14 plate appearances (12 at-bats), Sprok hit .417 with a .500 on-base percentage and .500 slugging percentage (1.000 OPS).

He collected five hits, including one double, drove in two runs, scored three times, and stole a base.

Sprok also made one pitching appearance, allowing three earned runs in 1.1 innings (20.25 ERA). The numbers reflect only a small snapshot rather than a full developmental season.

Releases of recently signed international free agents at the DSL level are not uncommon.

Organizations routinely evaluate large groups of young players in the complex and Dominican leagues, then pare the roster based on performance, physical projection, makeup, or simple roster constraints.

At 18, Sprok remains young enough that another club could sign him as a free agent if it sees residual upside in his tools or the brief positive contact numbers he showed.

The Twins’ international and minor-league pipeline continues to turn over aggressively.

While higher-profile signings and draft picks receive the bulk of public attention, lower-bonus DSL players like Sprok represent the volume side of the operation—players given a chance to prove themselves in a short window.

The October 31 transaction simply records that Sprok’s window with Minnesota has closed.

No further details about the reasons for the release have been made public, which is typical for non-roster minor-league moves of this type. Sprok is now free to pursue opportunities elsewhere as he continues his path in professional baseball.