Twins make immediate roster move after Red Sox trade

On Wednesday, the Minnesota Twins acquired utility infielder Tristan Gray from the Boston Red Sox in exchange for minor-league catcher Nate Baez.

Gray, 29, arrives in Minnesota with extensive organizational movement and positional flexibility. Since making his major league debut in 2023, he has appeared in 47 MLB games, posting a combined slash line of .207/.264/.369 with four home runs and 10 RBIs across runs with the Tampa Bay Rays, Miami Marlins, and Athletics. Last season, Gray played 30 games with Tampa Bay, batting .231 with three home runs and nine RBIs. He also spent significant time at Triple-A Charlotte in the Chicago White Sox system, where he hit .270 with nine homers and 44 RBIs in 72 games.

Originally selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 13th round of the 2017 MLB Draft out of Rice University, Gray has now been part of seven organizations in less than two years. In eight minor-league seasons, he has compiled a .241/.313/.456 line with 136 home runs, 165 doubles, 26 triples, and 498 RBIs in 808 games, while striking out 831 times and drawing 283 walks. Defensively, Gray has logged major league starts at all four infield positions, a trait that keeps him in contention for a utility role.

The Twins’ infield picture is crowded. Minnesota appears set at first base with Josh Bell, second base with Luke Keaschall, shortstop with Brooks Le,e and third base with Royce Lewis. Kody Clemens is expected to hold a utility role, leaving Gray competing with Orlando Arcia, Edouard Julien, Eric Wagaman, and Ryan Kreidler for remaining backup opportunities. Gray’s versatility gives him a path to a bench spot, but his roster status will be decided during spring competition.

To accommodate Gray on the 40-man roster, the Twins designated infielder Vidal Brujan for assignment. Brujan had been claimed off waivers from the Atlanta Braves on January 14 and did not appear in a game for Minnesota before being removed from the roster.

From Boston’s perspective, the deal was driven by roster mechanics. The Red Sox had acquired Gray from the Rays on November 18 in a one-for-one trade for right-hander Luis Guerrero, who had recorded a 2.63 ERA in 22 bullpen appearances. Gray was added to Boston’s 40-man roster but never appeared in a regular-season game for the club. His departure opened a roster spot that was used to finalize a five-year, $130 million contract with left-handed starter Ranger Suarez.

Baez, 24, gives the Red Sox additional catching depth. A 12th-round pick by Minnesota in 2022 out of Arizona State, Baez has hit .263 with 25 home runs and 115 RBIs across parts of four minor-league seasons. He split time between High-A Cedar Rapids and Double-A Wichita this past season and finished with a .278 average, .794 OPS, and eight home runs over 96 games, while also making starts at catcher, first base, and designated hitter.

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