The Minnesota Twins released former Coastal Carolina catcher and sixth-round draft pick Derek Bender after he allegedly told opposing batters in Low-A competition what pitches would be thrown, Kiley McDaniel and Jeff Passan reported for ESPN.

The incident reportedly occurred during starting pitcher Ross Dunn’s appearance in the second half of a Sept. 6 doubleheader between the Twins-affiliated Fort Myers Mighty Mussels and the Detroit Tigers-affiliated Lakeland Flying Tigers, according to McDaniel and Passan.

Bender “told several Flying Tigers batters” what “specific pitch” Dunn threw, sources told McDaniel and Passan. The Flying Tigers coaches informed the Mighty Mussels coaching staff of the tips after the game, ESPN reporters wrote.

Dunn was taken out of the game after allowing five hits, including a home run, four earned runs and a walk in 1.2 innings.

The Flying Tigers won the game 6-0, qualified for the Florida State League playoffs and knocked the Mighty Mussels out of the playoffs.

According to McDaniel and Passan, sources said that Bender “had told his teammates that he wanted to finish the season” and that he had spent the last two games “in the team’s bullpen instead of in the dugout as usual.”

The Twins selected Bender with the No. 188 overall pick in the 2024 draft after he played three years as a catcher and first baseman for Coastal Carolina. In his final college season, he batted .320/.422/.520 with 11 home runs in 60 games.

Bender signed with the Twins in July for $297,500, slightly below his option slot value of $320,800, according to Carlos Collazo of Baseball America. McDaniel and Passan reported that he will keep his entire bonus despite his release.

Bender split his first Low-A season between catcher and first base, playing eight games at catcher and 11 in the infield. In 19 games for the Mighty Mussels, he posted a .200/.273/.333 batting average with two doubles, two home runs, and one stolen base.