Twins kick off 2026 by acquiring first baseman Wagaman from Marlins

MINNEAPOLIS -- The Twins added a little balance to their corner/designated hitter mix Friday when they acquired Eric Wagaman from the Marlins for Minor League reliever Kade Bragg.

Wagaman, 28, is a right-handed hitter who served as the Marlins primary first baseman last year. He posted a .250/.296/.378 line in 514 plate appearances in his first full big league season with nine home runs, 28 doubles and 53 RBIs. He also made appearances in left field, right field, third base and at DH for Miami. In his first taste of the big leagues in 2024 with the Angels, Wagaman played almost exclusively third base.

He's been quite a bit more effective against left-handed pitching than right-handers, with a career .267/.302/.429 slash line against lefties in 202 plate appearances. Given the Twins’ abundance of left-handed-hitting corner/DH types, he’s likely to see mostly lefties with Minnesota.

Wagaman came on strong down the stretch, putting up excellent numbers over the season’s final two months. From Aug. 1 to the end of the season, he posted a .291/.341/.472 slash line with 13 extra-base hits in 138 plate appearances.

The Twins previously added switch-hitter Josh Bell on a free-agent deal. Bell figures to play nearly every day and is more effective from the left side. In addition, they have Matt Wallner, Trevor Larnach, Kody Clemens, Alan Roden, and perhaps James Outman and Edouard Julien as left-handed hitters who could see time at the corners and/or at DH.

Bragg, 24, was a 17th-round pick by the Twins in the 2023 Draft. He pitched effectively in relief at three levels of the Twins’ system in '25, striking out 82 batters in 67 1/3 innings.

In order to make room on the roster for Wagaman, the Twins designated infielder Ryan Fitzgerald for assignment. They have seven days to trade him or place him on release waivers.