Utility player Riddle invited to Twins' camp

MINNEAPOLIS -- The Twins signed utility player JT Riddle to a Minor League deal with an invitation to Major League Spring Training, the Triple-A St. Paul Saints announced Thursday.

Riddle has appeared in 246 games over four seasons with the Marlins and Pirates. He posted a .149/.174/.224 slash line with a homer and two doubles in 23 games for Pittsburgh last season. Though he primarily played shortstop at the beginning of his career, he transitioned into a super-utility role in 2020, logging appearances at every defensive position but pitcher and catcher.

A Mystery Wrapped Inside An Enigma Wrapped Inside A Ballplayer: Twins Sign Utility Player JT Riddle To Minor League Dealhttps://t.co/ZLyiXVZBjy pic.twitter.com/f1cNjVoQlg

— St. Paul Saints (@StPaulSaints) January 7, 2021

Riddle's best season came in 2018, when he hit nine homers with a .653 OPS in 102 games with the Marlins. He was a 13th-round Draft pick in ’13 out of the University of Kentucky, where he was a teammate of current Twins reliever Taylor Rogers.

The 29-year-old Riddle is the ninth player signed to such a deal by the Twins this offseason, a group that includes fellow utility players Tzu-Wei Lin and Rob Refsnyder. All nine of those players have previous Major League experience.

The Twins need utility depth on the Major League roster, particularly around the infield, but have thus far added only right-handed reliever Hansel Robles as a Major League free agent.