A former top MLB prospect has announced his retirement at the age of 26 due to injuries.
Alex Kirilloff, a first-round pick in the 2016 draft, announced on his Instagram Thursday that he is retiring. The Minnesota Twins outfielder said recurring injuries led him to the decision, including a lower back injury that cost him much of the 2024 season.
“In my nine professional seasons, I’ve encountered numerous injuries, which led me to search for new ways to overcome the pain,” Kirilloff wrote. “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. Baseball demands an ‘all-in’ approach, something I’ve brought to every season. However, I can no longer give it the total commitment it requires. I’ve always believed that playing this game requires 110% effort, and anything less would not do justice to my teammates, coaches, fans, or the game itself.”
Kirilloff flashed plenty of potential during his career, but simply could not stay healthy. At one time a consensus top-20 prospect, he wound up playing in 249 MLB games, where he hit .248 with 27 home runs. He was never able to play in more than 88 games in a single season, which came in a promising 2023 season in which he seemed to be on the verge of a breakout as he posted a .793 OPS.
Injuries have been a running theme with a lot of the players the Twins relied upon to rebuild their organization. In addition to Kirilloff, Royce Lewis has also struggled to stay on the field, and Byron Buxton’s injury issues are extremely well-known.
