Twins' Kirilloff retires after 4 seasons
Minnesota Twins outfielder/first baseman Alex Kirilloff is retiring from professional baseball at 26 years old, he announced on social media Thursday.
"I've encountered numerous injures, which led me to search for new ways to overcome the pain," Kirilloff wrote on Instagram. "These challenges have taken a toll on me mentally and physically; over time, I've realized that my passion for playing the game has shifted."
Kirilloff played just 57 games with the Twins in 2024 before being demoted to the minor leagues. He landed on the injured list six days later with a back issue that he said he is still rehabilitating.
He described the issue to reporters as a chronic stress fracture and a slipping vertebrae that could take up to a year to heal, according to Dave Campbell of The Associated Press.
The once-promising prospect's best season came in 2023 when he posted a .793 OPS with 11 home runs in a career-high 88 games for the Twins.
He played in 45 and 59 games in 2022 and 2021, respectively, while dealing with issues in his right wrist.
The Twins drafted Kirilloff 15th overall in the 2016 MLB Draft. He was named Minnesota's Minor League Player of the Year in 2018, and ranked as highly as 9th on MLB Pipeline's Top 100 prospect list in 2019.
Kirilloff finishes his career with a .248/.309/.412 slash line with 27 home runs and 116 RBIs across 249 MLB games.