Rockies Add Talent in Deal With Twins While DFA’ing Former Top Prospect

Colorado has started to reshape its roster with the addition of two players from the Twins.
Colorado Rockies logo on jersey
Colorado Rockies logo on jersey / Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

The Colorado Rockies are finally starting to make headlines with their roster. After a flurry of coaching and front office restructuring, it looks like the team has shifted gears to upgrading the roster.

In a trade with the Minnesota Twins, the club acquired infielder Edouard Julien and right-handed pitcher Pierson Ohl. In return, the Rockies will send Jace Kaminska and cash considerations.

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Clearing space on the 40-man roster, Colorado designated Yanquiel Fernández for assignment. Leaving two spots on the MLB roster.

In another move, the Rockies turned to the New York Yankees to acquire infielder T.J. Rumfield in exchange for right-handed pitcher Angel Chivilli.

Julien to Bring Versatility and On-Base Ability

Edouard Julien
Edouard Julien / Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

At age 26, Julien will add experience and versatility to the Rockies’ infield depth. Over his three seasons with the Twins organization, he compiled a slash Iine of .232/.336/.382, while also collecting 35 doubles, 27 home runs and 70 RBIs along with nine stolen bases.

He spent most of the 2025 season with Triple-A St. Paul, where he posted a solid .276 average and .879 OPS in a total of 70 games.

Julien is known for his plate discipline and positional flexibility. He has started at both first and second base. He also brings with him the experience of representing Team Canada in the 2023 World Baseball Classic where he led all players in OPS with a 1.821.

Julien is a product of Auburn University and was drafted in the 18th round of the 2019 MLB draft by the Twins.

Rockies Banking on Pierson Ohl’s Upside

Pierson Ohl
Pierson Ohl / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Right-hander Pierson Ohl is now age 26. He appeared in 14 games with three starts for the Twins in the 2025 season. Across those showings, he posted a 5.10 ERA in 30 innings. While his Major League debut certainly showed some growing pains, his Minor League resume is far more encouraging.

Ohl owns a 24-24 record with a 3.61 ERA, 373 strikeouts, and a 1.13 WHIP over 394 innings in five total seasons.

The rising star was named a Texas League Postseason All-Star for his performances in both 2023 and 2025.

The Rockies have to be looking for him to compete for a bullpen spot or possibly even a spot in the starting lineups for 2026.

Jace Kaminska Heads to Minnesota

Going the other way is a 10th-round pick in 2023, Jace Kaminska. Unfortunately, he missed the entire 2025 season as he recovered from Tommy John surgery on his right elbow.

In the 2023-24 season, Kaminska pitched in 17 games with 16 starts going 5-5 with a 2.78 ERA over 87.1 innings between the Rockies major league roster and Single-A Fresno. He will now hope to get a fresh start with the Twins.

Taking a chance on a pitcher recovering from Tommy John is not something Colorado can risk right now given their current pitching lineup.

To accommodate the incoming players, the Rockies designated outfielder Yanquiel Fernández for assignment. He was once considered a top prospect, but after a stagnant 2025 season, he finds himself in limbo.

Fans can only hope the team remains active in the market as spring training approaches.


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Laura Lambert
LAURA LAMBERT

Laura Lambert resides in Wiggins, Colo. with her husband, Ricky and two sons, Brayden and Boedy. She attended the University of Northern Colorado while studying economics. She is an accomplished rodeo athlete and barrel horse trainer along with being a life-long sports fan. Over the years, Laura has been active in journalism in a variety of roles. While continuing to cover western sports and country music, she is currently enjoying expanding her reach into multiple sports including MLB, NFL, and WNBA. Laura covers the Miami Marlins, Houston Astros, Texas Rangers, Detroit Tigers, Colorado Rockies, Toronto Blue Jays, Connecticut Sun and Rodeo for On SI. You can reach her at lauralambertmedia@gmail.com