The Colorado Rockies acquired infielder Edouard Julien and right-hander Pierson Ohl from the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday in exchange for minor league pitcher Jace Kaminska and cash considerations, according to the Star Tribune.
Julien, 26, finished seventh in American League Rookie of the Year voting in 2023 after slashing .263/.381/.459 with 16 home runs and 60 runs scored. Three years later, the Twins traded him for a pitcher recovering from Tommy John surgery.
MLB News – Minnesota Twins Trade Edouard Julien to Colorado Rockies
Here’s what made Julien’s 2023 breakout look sustainable. He posted a .381 on-base percentage across 109 games while crushing 16 home runs and driving in 37 runs. Julien looked like Minnesota’s long-term answer at second base and in the leadoff spot, helping the Twins capture an American League Central division title.
The production vanished almost immediately. Julien hit .199 across 94 games in 2024, watching his on-base percentage crater to .292 while striking out 102 times in 301 plate appearances. His below-average defense became more problematic when the bat went silent.
The 2025 season offered no relief. Julien batted .220 with three home runs and 12 RBI in 64 major league games before a demotion to Triple-A St. Paul. He struck out in nearly a third of his plate appearances, maintaining the swing-and-miss issues that defined his collapse.
His Triple-A stint showed flashes of the 2023 version. Julien hit .276 with 11 home runs, 34 RBI, and an .879 OPS across 70 games at St. Paul, suggesting the offensive ability still existed somewhere beneath the major league struggles.
Roster Crunch Forced Minnesota’s Hand
Julien ran out of minor league options, meaning Minnesota couldn’t send him down without exposing him to waivers. Luke Keaschall and Kody Clemens passed him on the second base depth chart, leaving no clear path to playing time in 2026.
Over three major league seasons, Julien owns a .232/.336/.382 slash line with 27 home runs and 70 RBI across 267 games. He’s started 159 games at second base and 23 at first base, providing positional flexibility Colorado values in its rebuilding phase.
The Twins originally selected Julien in the 18th round of the 2019 draft out of Auburn University. He played for Team Canada in the 2023 World Baseball Classic, leading all tournament players with a 1.821 OPS.
Twins Trade Former Top-100 MLB Prospect to Rockies