Former Twin Alex Kirilloff starts new career path after retiring from baseball

KANSAS CITY, MO. – Five months after Alex Kirilloff announced his surprise retirement from baseball, after dealing with several injuries over the last four years, he started his new career path.

Kirilloff, 27, shared he became a real estate agent for Keller Williams Realty in Fort Myers, Fla.

“Since I purchased my first property, this industry has captured my attention and ignited a passion I am eager to pursue,” Kirilloff wrote on his Instagram account. When Kirilloff spoke to reporters following his retirement announcement on Oct. 31, he mentioned real estate as a possible next step.

Kirilloff retired after 249 career games with the Twins, but never more than 88 games in a season. He had complex surgery on his right wrist, cutting a bone in half, in 2022, and his season-ending back injury last year stemmed from a chronic stress fracture and a slipping vertebra.

Teammates knew the injuries were weighing on Kirilloff, but they didn’t expect him to retire.

“It was a big surprise,” Jose Miranda said. “I remember when I got the text. I was in shock because I’ve been playing with him since 2016, when we both got drafted in the same year. Things like that are tough. I know he was battling a couple of injuries. He thought that was best for him. We all support him.”

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Kirilloff, who lives in Fort Myers, didn’t visit the Twins clubhouse during spring training, the first camp he’s missed since the Twins took him with their first-round pick in the 2016 MLB amateur draft.

But he did chat with many of his former teammates during the winter when he attended Trevor Larnach’s wedding in November.

“It was weird obviously not seeing him in spring training,” Miranda said. “He’s happy right now. He’s with his family. He’s going to have more time with his daughters.”

When Kirilloff announced his retirement, he said he visited with three doctors for his current back condition — spondylolysis and spondylolisthesis — and a doctor he saw in Miami was hopeful for a full recovery in six months to a year.

“Mentally, going out there and playing day in and day out, trying to play through what he was playing through — it’s tough,” Byron Buxton said. “Obviously, it didn’t give him no relief no matter what he did. He’s got kids and a family, too. If you’re hurt and in pain, and if you can’t do what you want to do out here, it doesn’t make you happy.”

Trevor Larnach was in the Twins lineup, batting third, against Kansas City Royals lefty Cole Ragans on Tuesday.

The significance?

The lefthanded-hitting Larnach started only two games against a lefty pitcher last year.

“It’s something that he talked about in spring training,” Twins Manager Rocco Baldelli said. “I think he feels better timing-wise when he gets to see guys from both sides.”

Larnach has been a platoon player throughout his career, but he’ll have a chance to play himself into more of a regular role.

Last year, he recorded five hits in 22 at-bats (.227 average) against lefties with two doubles, zero homers and seven strikeouts.

“He’s going to face not just some starters, but he’s going to face relievers from the left side,” Baldelli said. “If he can get more at-bats, see more off-speed pitches, and see those angles a little bit more often, I think it can certainly help him.”

* Baldelli, who was ejected Monday after a pitch clock violation was called on Simeon Woods Richardson, took out the lineup card before Tuesday’s game and had a lengthy discussion with the umpiring crew. “The more I reflect, the more I come back to the fact that I don’t think that any call probably should have been made there,” Baldelli said Tuesday afternoon. “I don’t think anything is going to change my opinion on that.”

* Brooks Lee had his rehab assignment transferred to Class AAA on Tuesday after one game at Class A Fort Myers. Lee, recovering from back spasm, started at second base in the St. Paul Saints lineup. Lee had one hit in three at-bats.

* The Twins signed lefty reliever Richard Lovelady to a minor league contract. Lovelady, who has pitched in parts of six big-league seasons, joined the St. Paul Saints on Tuesday. He made two appearances for the Toronto Blue Jays this year, but the 29-year-old was designated for assignment and elected to become a free agent.

* Noah Cameron pitched six shutout innings, allowing just two hits as the Omaha Storm Chasers beat the Saints 3-0 Tuesday night at CHS Field in St. Paul.