Plum graduate Alex Kirilloff named to Twins postseason roster

Former Plum standout Alex Kirilloff got the call to the major leagues.

Ahead of their Game 1 wild card matchup with the Houston Astros, the Minnesota Twins selected the contract of Kirilloff and placed him on their postseason roster. The Twins designated pitcher Sean Poppen for assignment to clear room on the active roster.

The move coincides with starting third basemen Josh Donaldson suffering a calf injury that relegated him to the taxi squad. Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said Kirilloff is more than prepared for the opportunity.

“Alex Kirilloff is ready to play in the big leagues,” Baldelli told the Minnesota Star Tribune. “He’s a guy who worries about the things that he can control, and that’s it.”

The former Mustang, an outfielder who was Minnesota’s first-round pick in 2016, is rated the No. 2 prospect in the Twins organization and 27th among all major league clubs by MLB.com.

Because the 2020 minor league season was canceled, Kirilloff hasn’t played much competitive baseball this season, but he has stayed ready at the Twins’ alternate training site and has taken at-bats during simulated games.

“I was excited for the opportunity,” Kirilloff told the Star Tribune. “I stayed ready all summer. I stayed over at the Hyatt in St. Paul and walked to the ballpark every day.”

Although the 22-year-old is a highly touted prospect, he has yet to play above the Double-A level. He played in 94 games last year for the Pensacola Blue Wahoos and hit .283 with nine homers and 43 RBIs. He also produced a .343 on-base-percentage and walked 29 times.

After missing the 2017 season because of Tommy John surgery, Kirilloff had a breakout year in 2018. Between Class A and Class A-Advanced, he hit an eye-popping .348 with 20 homers and 101 RBIs in 512 at-bats. He also collected 178 hits and scored 75 runs.

It is unclear if Kirilloff will get a start during the three-game series, which began Tuesday. The Twins’ starting lineup included Eddie Rosario in left, Byron Buxton in center and Max Kepler in right field.

While logging most of his time in the outfield, Kirilloff also played 35 games (307 innings) at first base in 2019.