MINNEAPOLIS, January 2, 2026 — The Minnesota Twins and Miami Marlins completed a trade this afternoon, sending first baseman Eric Wagaman to Minnesota in exchange for minor league pitcher Kade Bragg, both teams confirmed.
A New Opportunity for Wagaman
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The Twins added a potential bat off the bench while the Marlins look to develop a promising young arm.
What’s the story with Eric Wagaman? Wagaman, 28, bounced around the majors after debuting with the Los Angeles Angels in 2023, ultimately landing with the Marlins for the 2025 season.
Wagaman spent several years in the New York Yankees’ minor league system before being selected by the Angels in the 2023 Rule 5 draft. His first taste of the majors came with the Angels in September of that year, but he didn’t perform well enough to secure a long-term role. After electing free agency, he signed with Miami and enjoyed his first full big league campaign in 2025, slashing .250/.296/.378 with nine home runs and four stolen bases over 140 games. The Marlins designated him for assignment earlier this week to make room for newly acquired Esteury Ruiz.
Bragg Heads South
The Twins are sending left-handed pitcher Kade Bragg, 24, to Miami in the deal. Bragg was originally drafted by Minnesota in the 17th round of the 2023 draft.
Bragg made his professional debut in 2024 but was sidelined by an injury in late April, missing the remainder of the season. He returned healthy in 2025 and quickly impressed, climbing from Single-A to High-A and finally Double-A. In 67 1/3 innings of relief, he posted a 2.94 ERA and struck out 82 batters, allowing only six home runs. While walks were an issue, and he wasn’t ranked among Minnesota’s top prospects by outlets like Baseball America, MLB Pipeline, or FanGraphs, the Marlins clearly see potential in his arm.
Fitzgerald Designated for Assignment
To create a roster spot for Wagaman, the Twins designated infielder Ryan Fitzgerald, 31, for assignment. Fitzgerald’s journey to the majors was unconventional, beginning in independent ball before earning a minor league contract with the Boston Red Sox in 2018.
He was later selected by the Kansas City Royals in the 2023 Rule 5 draft, but didn’t make the team. After electing free agency, he signed with Minnesota and finally made his MLB debut in 2025, a month shy of his 31st birthday. He displayed offensive prowess at Triple-A (.837 OPS) and showed flashes in 24 major league games (.758 OPS), playing all four infield positions. However, his versatility wasn’t enough to retain a spot on the 2026 roster. The Twins have five days to trade or release Fitzgerald, with the option to send him outright to the minor leagues if he clears waivers.
- Eric Wagaman joins the Twins after a full season with the Marlins, where he slashed .250/.296/.378.
- Kade Bragg, a promising left-handed pitcher, heads to Miami after a strong 2025 season across multiple minor league levels.
- Ryan Fitzgerald was designated for assignment to make room for Wagaman on the 40-man roster.
- The Twins evidently see potential in Wagaman’s bat, despite his previous designation for assignment by the Marlins.
