Despite the Edouard Julien era beginning with such promise for the Minnesota Twins, it ended Wednesday when the club traded the second baseman, as well as pitcher Pierson Ohl, to the Colorado Rockies for minor-league pitcher Jace Kaminska and cash.

Once thought to be the Twins’ second baseman of the future after a breakout rookie campaign in 2023, Julien became an afterthought last season in the wake of Luke Keaschall’s quick ascent to the majors. Julien batted .220/.309/.324 with three home runs in 208 plate appearances in 2025, his second straight season of below-average production after he posted a stellar .839 OPS in his rookie season and performed well in the 2023 playoffs.

Designated for assignment Friday, Ohl debuted last season and posted a 5.10 ERA with 27 strikeouts in 30 innings.

In exchange, the Twins acquired Kaminska, who missed last season after undergoing Tommy John surgery in March and last pitched at the Low-A level in 2024. The right-hander was named the 2024 California League Pitcher of the Year when he struck out 104 batters with a 2.87 ERA in 87 1/3 innings at Fresno. The Rockies selected Kaminska in the 10th round out of Nebraska in 2023.

Out of minor-league options, Julien’s chances of making the Twins’ Opening Day roster were severely hampered by the team’s recent additions at first base, which had a potential opening when the offseason began. The Twins signed free-agent designated hitter/first baseman Josh Bell to a one-year deal in December and then traded for first baseman/third baseman Eric Wagaman on Jan. 2.

Wagaman, Bell and Kody Clemens should see the bulk of the playing time at first base, while Keaschall is expected to get a significant chunk of the action at second base.

Known for his keen eye, Julien burst onto the scene in April 2023 after the Twins suffered several key injuries to start the season. With Jorge Polanco and Kyle Farmer on the injured list, as well as injuries to left-handed hitters Max Kepler and Joey Gallo, and with Alex Kirilloff’s demotion, Julien arrived and homered twice during a brief eight-game stint with Minnesota.

Julien returned a month later when Polanco went back on the IL and became a force atop the lineup for a division-winning club. Following up on an eye-opening performance for Team Canada at the 2023 World Baseball Classic, Julien started 86 of the Twins’ final 115 games after rejoining the club on May 20, posting an .849 OPS with 14 homers. He also made major defensive strides at second base, developing from a below-average performer into a serviceable regular.

Julien’s breakout and ability to produce in clutch moments made him a popular player with Twins fans and resulted in the creation of a song, “Edouard Julien, Are You Going To Rule Again?” But aside from a strong opening month in April 2024, Julien never put up the same level of production as the league changed.

With a glut of middle infielders fighting for playing time, Julien struggled after a quick start to 2024. He produced an .890 OPS through his first 99 plate appearances, but his OPS slipped to .454 over Julien’s next 95 trips to the plate, resulting in a demotion when Royce Lewis returned from the IL in early June. Julien returned in late July that year and continued to struggle, posting a .509 OPS the rest of the way.

His offensive struggles carried over into 2025 as Julien made the Opening Day roster but batted .198/.288/.319 over 104 plate appearances before being sent to Triple A in early May. Julien stayed at Triple-A St. Paul until trades decimated Minnesota’s roster at the trade deadline. While Julien showed promise with a .789 OPS in 49 September plate appearances, it wasn’t enough to convince the Twins he was worthy of a roster spot for the 2026 season.

Though he fared poorly in three starts after joining the big-league club, Ohl showed promise in relief, striking out 19 and posting a 2.45 ERA in 22 innings.

The Athletic’s Keith Law ranked Kaminska as the Rockies’ No. 20 prospect heading into the 2025 season.