Twins sign Andrelton Simmons to a one-year contract

Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN – The Minnesota Twins announced today that they have signed shortstop Andrelton Simmons to a one-year, $10.5 million contract.

Simmons, 31, played in 30 games last season for the Los Angeles Angels, hitting .297 (35-for-118) with seven doubles, 10 RBI, 19 runs scored, eight walks, a .346 on-base percentage and a .702 OPS. He missed 22 games near the start of the season after suffering a left ankle sprain in his fourth game. Since 2013, he has played 1,008 games at shortstop, trailing only Brandon Crawford (1,070) and Elvis Andrus (1,035).

During his nine-year career, he has won four Rawlings Gold Glove Awards (2013 and 2014 with the Atlanta Braves, 2017 and 2018 with the Angels) and six Wilson Defensive Player of the Year Awards (2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2019) at shortstop. Simmons is the 11th player to win four-or-more Gold Gloves as a shortstop, and is one of only two at the position to win multiple Gold Gloves in both the American and National Leagues (joining Omar Vizquel). Since 2012, he leads all players in baseball in defensive runs saved (191) and Ultimate Zone Rating (113.1).

The Mundo-Novo, Curaçao native was drafted by Atlanta in the second round of the 2010 First-Year Player Draft out of Western Oklahoma State College and has played 1,060 career games with the Braves (2012-15) and Angels (2016-20), hitting .269 (1064-for-3954) with 188 doubles, 23 triples, 67 home runs, 406 RBI, 456 runs scored, 265 walks, a .317 on-base percentage and a .696 OPS. Simmons has appeared in five career postseason games, hitting .250 (4-for-16) with one double, two RBI, two walks, a .333 on-base percentage and a .646 OPS with Atlanta (2012-13).

He played with Team Netherlands during the 2013 and the 2017 World Baseball Classics.

The Twins now have 38 players on their major league roster: 20 pitchers, four catchers, seven infielders and seven outfielders.