Eric Paul Orze Overview
Eric Paul Orze is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Minnesota Twins of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the New York Mets and Tampa Bay Rays. He made his MLB debut in 2024.
Founding and Organizational Origins
The New York Mets drafted Eric Paul Orze in the fifth round with the 150th overall pick of the 2020 Major League Baseball draft. The Mets identified Orze as a right-handed pitcher with promising development potential during his collegiate career at the University of New Orleans. The selection reflected the organization’s broader strategy of adding young pitching depth through the middle rounds of the draft.
Orze attended Glenbard North High School in Carol Stream, Illinois, and continued his baseball career at the University of New Orleans, where he played for the New Orleans Privateers. While at New Orleans, Orze was diagnosed with testicular cancer and skin cancer. He overcame those health challenges to continue competing at the collegiate level and earn the opportunity to be drafted by the Mets. He did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Growth Into Major League Baseball Competition
Orze made his professional debut in 2021 with the High-A Brooklyn Cyclones and was promoted to the Double-A Binghamton Rumble Ponies and Triple-A Syracuse Mets during that same season. Over 34 relief appearances between the three teams, Orze went 4-2 with a 3.08 ERA and 67 strikeouts over 49 innings pitched. The progression through three minor league levels in a single campaign demonstrated the Mets’ confidence in his readiness to advance quickly through their development system.
Orze spent the majority of the 2022 season with the Triple-A Syracuse Mets, also making two scoreless appearances for the Single-A St. Lucie Mets. In 32 appearances out of the bullpen for Syracuse, he recorded a 5.13 ERA with 64 strikeouts across 47 innings pitched. He returned to Syracuse in 2023, making 39 appearances and posting a 3-4 record and 5.31 ERA with 81 strikeouts over 61 innings. Orze began the 2024 campaign with Syracuse, compiling a 3.76 ERA with 56 strikeouts and two saves across 38 innings pitched.
Eric Paul Orze Competitive Journey
Eric Paul Orze has advanced from the University of New Orleans through three tiers of Minor League Baseball before reaching the majors. His path included sustained development in the New York Mets, Tampa Bay Rays, and Minnesota Twins organizations. Each step in his career has added experience across different coaching staffs, developmental philosophies, and competitive environments.
Early Seasons and Development (2021-2023)
Orze spent the 2021, 2022, and 2023 seasons developing within the New York Mets minor league system. His early seasons were defined by consistent relief work at the High-A, Double-A, and Triple-A levels. Over 105 minor league appearances across those three seasons, he accumulated 212 strikeouts and demonstrated the ability to handle increasing levels of competition. His minor league work provided the Mets with repeated opportunities to evaluate his pitch quality, command, and performance under pressure.
The 2023 season at Triple-A Syracuse proved particularly important, as Orze appeared in 39 games and posted his highest strikeout total in a single professional season. The experience at the highest level of the minors prepared him for the eventual call-up to the major leagues. The Mets organization invested in his development through consistent assignments and hands-on coaching at each stop along his professional path.
Breakthrough in Major League Baseball (2024)
On July 6, 2024, the New York Mets selected Orze to the 40-man roster and promoted him to the major leagues for the first time. He made his MLB debut that day after several seasons of sustained development in the minors. During his rookie campaign with the Mets, Orze made two appearances, striking out one batter across nearly two innings pitched. The promotion represented the culmination of a four-year professional development journey that began with his selection in the 2020 draft.
On November 19, 2024, the Mets traded Orze to the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for outfielder Jose Siri. The Rays optioned Orze to the Triple-A Durham Bulls to begin the 2025 season. On June 13, 2025, Orze recorded his first career win after pitching a scoreless inning of relief against the New York Mets, the team that had originally drafted and developed him. He made 33 appearances for the Rays, compiling a 1-1 record and 3.02 ERA with 40 strikeouts and three saves across 41 innings pitched.
On November 18, 2025, the Rays traded Orze to the Minnesota Twins in exchange for prospect Jacob Kisting. The trade brought Orze to his third Major League Baseball organization in less than one year. The Twins acquired Orze to add experienced pitching depth to their major league roster and bullpen as they look to compete for postseason positions in the American League Central.
Modern Program and Current Direction (2026-Present)
The Minnesota Twins acquired Eric Paul Orze on November 18, 2025, in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays. The organization values Orze for his ability to pitch in high-leverage relief situations and for the depth he adds to a Twins bullpen aiming to sustain competitive performance in the American League Central. The Twins have a documented track record of developing pitchers across their farm system and helping them reach their full potential at the major league level. Orze brings experience across three major league organizations to a Minnesota club focused on combining young talent with experienced contributors.
Through June 30, 2026, Orze had appeared in 60 major league games across his career with the Mets, Rays, and Twins, recording a career 3-4 win-loss record, 4.37 earned run average, and 76 strikeouts. His career totals reflect contributions across multiple organizations and varying levels of usage. Orze continues to pitch professionally with the Minnesota Twins as they work to build a competitive roster capable of postseason contention.
Philosophy and Competitive Strengths
Orze demonstrates effectiveness as a relief pitcher with the ability to work across multiple innings when needed. His time at Triple-A Syracuse and Triple-A Durham gave him the opportunity to refine his pitch quality and command at the highest level of the minor leagues. His experience pitching against major league lineups across three organizations has provided him with exposure to diverse offensive approaches, allowing him to develop adjustments that continue to improve his performance. His 3.02 ERA across 33 appearances during the 2025 season with Tampa Bay highlights the level of performance he can sustain over a full major league season.
Key Milestones and Major Moments
Orze made his professional debut in 2021 with the High-A Brooklyn Cyclones, launching a career that would take him through three minor league levels in a single season. He achieved his first career major league win on June 13, 2025, against the New York Mets, the organization that originally drafted him. His progression through the Brooklyn Cyclones, Binghamton Rumble Ponies, Syracuse Mets, and Durham Bulls represents a consistent track record of advancement through each tier of professional baseball. His three trades across three organizations between November 2024 and November 2025 illustrate the active market for experienced relief pitching in Major League Baseball.
Eric Paul Orze Achievements and Results
Eric Paul Orze has advanced from collegiate baseball at the University of New Orleans to consistent presence in Major League Baseball across three organizations. His career includes meaningful contributions at every level of professional competition. Orze has reached the major leagues, recorded his first MLB win, and demonstrated the ability to maintain respectable earned run averages across varying levels of usage and competitive pressure.
Major League Baseball Achievements
Orze made his MLB debut with the New York Mets on July 6, 2024. He recorded his first major league win on June 13, 2025, while pitching for the Tampa Bay Rays against the New York Mets. He has appeared in relief for three different major league organizations — the Mets, Rays, and Twins — within less than two seasons of reaching the majors. His career totals through June 30, 2026, include a 3-4 win-loss record, 4.37 earned run average, and 76 strikeouts across 60 major league appearances.
New York Mets Achievements
Orze appeared in two games during his rookie MLB season with the Mets in 2024. His promotion from Triple-A Syracuse represented the successful conclusion of four seasons of development within the Mets farm system. The Mets drafted Orze in the fifth round of the 2020 draft and guided him through the High-A, Double-A, and Triple-A levels before his first major league call-up.
Tampa Bay Rays Achievements
Orze recorded his first career MLB win on June 13, 2025, tossing a scoreless inning of relief against the New York Mets. He compiled a 3.02 ERA with 40 strikeouts and three saves across 41 innings pitched in 33 appearances for the Rays during the 2025 season. His 1-1 record and sub-3.00 earned run average demonstrated his reliability as a middle and late-inning relief option for a Rays team aiming for postseason contention.
Minnesota Twins Achievements
The Minnesota Twins acquired Eric Paul Orze from the Tampa Bay Rays on November 18, 2025, in exchange for prospect Jacob Kisting. The trade represents the Twins’ investment in experienced relief pitching as they prepare for the 2026 season. Orze joined a Twins organization recognized for its commitment to pitcher development and for building competitive rosters within the American League Central.