Former Willmar Stinger John Klein Debuts with the Twins
Northwoods Willmar Stingers

Former Willmar Stinger John Klein Debuts with the Twins

Published on May 4, 2026 under Northwoods League (Northwoods)
Willmar Stingers News Release


Rochester, Minn. - Former Willmar Stingers right-handed pitcher John Klein made his Major League debut on Saturday, May 2, 2026. Klein is the 419th former Northwoods League player to reach the Major League level. He is also the 17th player from the Willmar Stingers to debut in their 17 seasons.

Klein, a native of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, played for the Willmar Stingers in 2021 and 2022 while attending Iowa Central Community College. The 6'5" right-hander appeared in 13 games (six starts) across his two summers with the Stingers. In 2021, he pitched 7.1 innings with 11 strikeouts. In 2022, he went 3-4 with a 3.09 ERA in 35.0 innings, striking out 42 batters. He was also selected to the NWL All-Star Game. Klein signed with the Minnesota Twins as an undrafted free agent on August 8, 2022.

Minor League Statistics by Season:

2022 (Rookie - FCL Twins): Appeared in two games, posted a 0.00 ERA in 2.0 innings with 2 strikeouts.

2023 (Rookie FCL, Single-A Fort Myers & High-A Cedar Rapids): Combined 13 games (13 starts), went 2-4 with a 4.17 ERA in 58.1 innings, striking out 61 batters.

2024 (High-A Cedar Rapids): Made 22 starts, went 8-3 with a 4.57 ERA in 100.1 innings, recording 90 strikeouts.

2025 (Double-A Wichita & Triple-A St. Paul): Split time across levels, appeared in 31 games (15 starts), posted a 7-10 record with a 3.98 ERA in 106.1 innings and 128 strikeouts.

2026 (Triple-A St. Paul): Made 7 appearances (6 starts) with a 7.48 ERA in 21.2 innings and 24 strikeouts before his call-up.

In his Major League debut against the Toronto Blue Jays at Target Field in front of friends and family, Klein pitched a scoreless ninth inning, retiring all three batters faced.

The 2026 Willmar Stingers season is presented by J.D. Kreps Financial Group.

About the Willmar Stingers:

The Willmar Stingers are a member of the Northwoods League, the premier summer collegiate baseball league in North America. The Stingers provide affordable, family-friendly entertainment while showcasing the top college baseball talent from across the country.

For more information about the Willmar Stingers, visit willmarstingers.com or contact the front office (320)222-2010 or info@willmarstingers.com.

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



Northwoods League Stories from May 4, 2026


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central