THE Minnesota Twins released a minor league catcher Thursday after it was discovered he was telling opposing hitters what pitches his team was throwing, ESPN reports.
Derek Bender, the team’s sixth-round pick in this year’s MLB draft from Coastal Carolina, played for the Twins’ Single-A affiliate in Fort Myers, Florida. The Mighty Mussels, who play in the Florida State League, were eliminated from the playoffs with a 35-25 second-half record. (Fort Myers was 31-34 in the first half.)
In the second game of a Sept. 6 doubleheader, Bender deflected pitches from pitcher Ross Dunn into opposing batters for the Lakeland Flying Tigers. Lakeland scored four runs in the second inning to win 6-0 and clinch the Florida State League West Division. Fort Myers squandered a six-game lead in its division over the final three weeks of the season.
After the game, Lakeland coaches informed Fort Myers coaches of what Bender had done. The catcher reportedly told teammates he wanted the season over, according to ESPN. Bender was banished to the team’s bullpen for the final two games of the season instead of being allowed to play in the dugout.
Bender, 21, hit .200 with a .606 OPS, two homers and eight RBIs in 19 games (67 plate appearances) with Fort Myers. Defensively, he threw out four of 24 base stealers (17 percent) at catcher and allowed no passed balls or wild pitches.
Neither Bender, his agent nor the Twins would comment on the news.
In three years at Carolina CoastBender hit .326 with a .979 OPS, 22 doubles, 32 home runs, 153 RBIs and 12 stolen bases in 144 games. He also played in the Coastal Plain League and Cape Cod League during his college career.
