Before the Minnesota Twins claimed Ryan Kreidler off waivers in October, he had previously played in Minnesota with the Mankato MoonDogs in 2017.
Ryan Kreidler is from Southern California. He went to high school in Davis, Calif., and played at UCLA. However, he spent a year with Mankato in the Northwoods League between his freshman and sophomore seasons at UCLA.
Back then, Kreidler had a stride in his swing. It felt natural, and he was productive enough with it for the Chicago Cubs to take him out of Davis High School in the 35th round of the 2016 draft. He didn’t sign, and the Detroit Tigers took him in the 4th round three years later.
Kreidler dropped the leg kick in the low minors. He reached the majors in 2022 with a lower-movement swing, playing 89 games across four seasons before the Tigers waived him in August 2025. The Pittsburgh Pirates picked him up, and he finished the season in Triple-A before the Pirates designated him for assignment.
If Kreidler’s pathway to Minnesota sounds similar, it’s because he’s following in Willi Castro’s footsteps.
Castro spent four years with Detroit before the Twins signed him. However, Castro was a more accomplished player. He hit .245/.292/.381 (87 OPS+, or 13% worse than the average hitter) in 303 games with the Tigers. Meanwhile, Kreidler hit .138/.208/.176 (11 OPS+, 89% worse) in 89 games with Detroit. Castro produced -0.1 wins above replacement (WAR) with the Tigers; Kreidler was a -0.7 WAR player.
However, Kreidler is better defensively. Castro played outfield, shortstop, and second base, but he didn’t excel at any of those positions. Kreidler can hold down short while playing third and as a backup in center field. The Twins need a shortstop and someone to back up Byron Buxton, given his injury history.
Kreidler may never become as popular as Castro. Although Castro wasn’t a star, he was a high-effort, athletic utilityman who meaningfully improved in Minnesota. In 2.5 seasons, he hit .250/.335/.398 (103 OPS+, or 3% better than the average hitter) in 368 games. Castro produced 4.6 WAR with the Twins and made the All-Star team in 2024.
That’s a high bar for a role player, and it’s why people will remember Castro more than other players of his ilk. Still, the Twins need a player like Kreidler. Brooks Lee is a better fit at third, and Kaelen Culpepper must continue to develop at Triple-A.
Kreidler is a better defensive shortstop than Tristan Gray, and Orlando Arcia is on the wrong side of 30. Therefore, he has an opportunity to play significant time at shortstop. He has the makings of a cult hero: Kreidler is (sort of) local, athletic, and starting to hit.
By adding a stride to his swing, Kreidler is “unleashing the athlete” in him. He’s worried less about perfectly repeating his mechanics, and more about making solid contact.
“I’m trying to free up my athlete a little bit,” he said. “Last year and in years past, especially the big leagues, just didn’t really let that happen.”
Kriedler admits that he has to fight himself not to go back to his previous swing when he’s struggling at the plate. He has a natural inclination to move less to create more repeatable mechanics. However, that comes at the cost of tapping into his natural athleticism.
“This year [I’m] kind of back to what feels comfortable,” he explained. “Swinging like I was in high school basically and trying to take the perfect swing out of it.”
Willi Castro played best when he was fluid. He batted from both sides of the plate, swung better when he wasn’t stiff, and enjoyed moving all over the field. If Ryan Kreidler can tap into some of that Castro magic, he could become Minnesota’s next cult hero.
