Twins reassign Balazovic to minor league camp

March 19, 2024

By Kevin Glew

Cooperstowners in Canada

The Minnesota Twins have reassigned right-hander Jordan Balazovic to minor league camp.

Dustin Morse, head of the Twins Communications department, shared the news on Twitter last night.

Vying for a spot in the Twins’ bullpen, Balazovic (Mississauga, Ont.) has been hit hard this spring. In seven Grapefruit League appearances, he has allowed seven earned runs and 13 hits in 7 1/3 innings.

This follows a rollercoaster off-season for the 25-year-old reliever. On February 7, he was designated for assignment by the Twins, only to be signed to a minor league contract and invited to the club’s big league spring training less than a week later.

After pitching 3 2/3 scoreless innings in his major league debut for the Twins against the Detroit Tigers on June 18 last season, Balazovic proceeded to make 17 more big league appearances in 2023. In all, the former Ontario Blue Jays and Junior National Team hurler posted a 4.44 ERA and struck out 17 batters in 24 innings.

The 6-foot-5 right-hander also fanned 54 in 45 2/3 innings in 22 appearances for the triple-A St. Paul Saints.

Chosen in the fifth round of the 2016 MLB draft by the Twins, Balazovic has pitched in parts of seven seasons in the Twins’ system.