Pirates land former Twins outfielder who chose hometown over other offers

The Pittsburgh Pirates are bringing a familiar baseball name back home — and taking a low-risk chance on a player whose stock had been trending upward before a brutal knee injury ended his season.

The Pirates are signing outfielder Kyler Fedko to a minor league deal, according to Colin Beazley of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Fedko is expected to report to Bradenton on Friday to sign with the organization.

The 26-year-old had multiple offers after being released by the Minnesota Twins but chose Pittsburgh, giving the Gibsonia native an opportunity to continue his career with his hometown team.

Fedko starred at Vincentian Academy before playing collegiately at UConn, where he became the Big East Player of the Year in 2021. His father, John Fedko, is also a familiar name to Pittsburgh sports fans after a long career as a local sportscaster, including his years at WPXI and as host of the “Fedko Fone Zone.”

Pirates take low-risk bet on former Twins outfielder and Pittsburgh area native Kyler Fedko

The Twins selected Fedko in the 12th round of the 2021 MLB Draft. He was never regarded as one of Minnesota’s premier prospects, but his performance over the past two seasons finally started forcing evaluators to take notice. Fedko appeared on organizational prospect lists at both FanGraphs and Baseball America earlier this year, and it was easy to see why.

Across 205 minor league games in 2025 and 2026, the right-handed hitter blasted 45 home runs, drew 113 walks and stole 48 bases. He also brought considerable defensive flexibility, appearing at all three outfield spots while seeing some time at first and second base.

That surge eventually earned Fedko his first trip to the majors in June, but the results were rough. Fedko went hitless in 16 at-bats with Minnesota, drawing two walks while striking out eight times. He was also caught stealing on his only attempt before being optioned back to Triple-A St. Paul prior to the All-Star break.

Then came a far more significant setback. Fedko tore his ACL, MCL and LCL while making a play in the outfield in August, an injury that required knee surgery and ended his 2026 season. Minnesota designated him for assignment Tuesday, and because injured players cannot be placed on outright waivers, the Twins ultimately had to release him.

Fedko obviously isn’t a September solution for a Pittsburgh team trying to remain relevant in the playoff race. His recovery from such extensive knee damage will be the immediate priority, and there is no guarantee he ultimately becomes a significant major league contributor.

But as minor league bets go, this is an intriguing one. Fedko had developed legitimate power, strong plate discipline, speed and defensive versatility before getting hurt. The Pirates aren’t sacrificing prospects or meaningful payroll to find out whether that progress can continue once he’s healthy.

And when Fedko had several places to choose from, Pittsburgh had something the others couldn’t offer: home.

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