1988-12-30 | Orlando Mercado | Signed as Free Agent by Twins. | C-1B | 6-0 | 195 | R | R | 1961-11-07 | Arecibo,PR | 1978- 0- 0-SEA
| MLB | 1982-1990 | 1978-1994 |
1988-12-21 | John Christensen | Released by Twins. | OF-1B | 6-0 | 180 | R | R | 1960-09-05 | Downey,CA | 1981- 2- 38-NYN
| MLB | 1984-1988 | 1982-1989 |
1988-12-19 | Tim Laudner | Signed as Free Agent by Twins. | C-DH | 6-3 | 212 | R | R | 1958-06-07 | Mason City,IA | 1979- 3- 63-MIN
| MLB | 1981-1989 | 1979-1990 |
1988-12-12 | Randy Bush | Signed as Free Agent by Twins. | OF-DH | 6-1 | 184 | L | L | 1958-10-05 | Dover,DE | 1979- 2- 37-MIN
| MLB | 1982-1993 | 1979-1993 |
1988-12-07 | Wally Backman | Traded by Mets with Mike Santiago to Twins for Toby Nivens, Steve Gasser and Jeff Bumgarner. | 2B-SS | 5-9 | 168 | B | R | 1959-09-22 | Hillsboro,OR | 1977- 1- 16-NYN
| MLB | 1980-1993 | 1977-1993 |
1988-12-06 | Tom Gilles | Selected by Blue Jays from Twins in the minor league draft. | P-1B | 6-1 | 185 | R | R | 1962-07-02 | Peoria,IL | 1984- 47- 834-NYA
| MLB | 1990-1990 | 1984-1995 |
1988-12-06 | Jim Dwyer | Signed as Free Agent by Twins. | OF-DH | 5-10 | 175 | L | L | 1950-01-03 | Evergreen Park,IL | 1971- 11- 255-SLN
| MLB | 1973-1990 | 1971-1990 |
1988-12-04 | Mark Portugal | Traded by Twins to Astros for Todd McClure. | P | 6-0 | 208 | R | R | 1962-10-30 | Los Angeles,CA | 1980- 0- 0-MIN
| MLB | 1985-1999 | 1981-1999 |
1988-11-30 | Greg Olson | Signed as Free Agent by Twins. | C-3B | 6-0 | 200 | R | R | 1960-09-06 | Marshall,MN | 1982- 7- 163-NYN
| MLB | 1989-1993 | 1982-1996 |
1988-11-23 | Manny Hernandez | Signed as Free Agent by Twins. | P-2B | 6-0 | 150 | R | R | 1961-05-07 | La Romana,DR | 1978- 0- 0-HOU
| MLB | 1986-1989 | 1979-1991 |
1988-11-03 | Bert Blyleven | Traded by Twins with Kevin Trudeau to Angels for Paul Sorrento, Rob Wassenaar and Mike Cook. | P | 6-3 | 207 | R | R | 1951-04-06 | Zeist,NT | 1969- 3- 55-MIN
| MLB | 1970-1992 | 1969-1992 |
1988-11-03 | Paul Sorrento | Traded by Angels with Rob Wassenaar and Mike Cook to Twins for Kevin Trudeau and Bert Blyleven. | 1B-OF | 6-2 | 220 | L | R | 1965-11-17 | Somerville,MA | 1986- 4- 103-CAL
| MLB | 1989-1999 | 1986-2000 |
1988-11-03 | Mike Cook | Traded by Angels with Paul Sorrento and Rob Wassenaar to Twins for Kevin Trudeau and Bert Blyleven. | P-1B | 6-3 | 200 | R | R | 1963-08-14 | Charleston,SC | 1985- 1- 19-CAL
| MLB | 1986-1993 | 1985-1994 |
1988-10-24 | Eric Bullock | Traded by Twins with Tom Nieto and Tom Herr to Phillies for Shane Rawley and Cash. | OF-1B | 5-11 | 185 | L | L | 1960-02-16 | Los Angeles,CA | 1981- 1- 20-HOU
| MLB | 1985-1992 | 1981-1995 |
1988-10-24 | Shane Rawley | Traded by Phillies with Cash to Twins for Tom Nieto, Eric Bullock and Tom Herr. | P-DH | 6-0 | 185 | R | L | 1955-06-27 | Racine,WI | 1974- 2- 29-MON
| MLB | 1978-1989 | 1974-1989 |
1988-10-24 | Tom Nieto | Traded by Twins with Eric Bullock and Tom Herr to Phillies for Shane Rawley and Cash. | C-DH | 6-1 | 205 | R | R | 1960-10-27 | Downey,CA | 1981- 3- 60-SLN
| MLB | 1984-1990 | 1981-1991 |
1988-10-24 | Tom Herr | Traded by Twins with Tom Nieto and Eric Bullock to Phillies for Shane Rawley and Cash. | 2B-SS | 6-0 | 185 | B | R | 1956-04-04 | Lancaster,PA | 1974- 0- 0-SLN
| MLB | 1979-1991 | 1975-1991 |
1988-08-29 | Jim Dwyer | Traded by Orioles to Twins for Doug Kline. | OF-DH | 5-10 | 175 | L | L | 1950-01-03 | Evergreen Park,IL | 1971- 11- 255-SLN
| MLB | 1973-1990 | 1971-1990 |
1988-08-16 | Alan Cockrell | Traded by Giants to Twins for Karl Best. | OF-1B | 6-2 | 210 | R | R | 1962-12-05 | Kansas City,KS | 1984- 1- 9-SFN
| MLB | 1996-1996 | 1984-1996 |
1988-08-16 | Karl Best | Traded by Twins to Giants for Alan Cockrell. | P | 6-4 | 210 | R | R | 1959-03-06 | Aberdeen,WA | 1977- 12- 312-SEA
| MLB | 1983-1988 | 1978-1988 |
1988-07-20 | Mike Misuraca | Signed as undrafted amateur Free Agent by Twins. | P | 6-0 | 190 | R | R | 1968-08-21 | Long Beach,CA | 1988- 0- 0-MIN
| MLB | 1997-1997 | 1989-1997 |
1988-06-27 | Dan Schatzeder | Signed as Free Agent by Twins. | P | 6-0 | 195 | L | L | 1954-12-01 | Elmhurst,IL | 1976- 3- 57-MON
| MLB | 1977-1991 | 1976-1991 |
1988-05-28 | John Christensen | Signed as Free Agent by Twins. | OF-1B | 6-0 | 180 | R | R | 1960-09-05 | Downey,CA | 1981- 2- 38-NYN
| MLB | 1984-1988 | 1982-1989 |
1988-05-04 | Joe Niekro | Released by Twins. | P | 6-1 | 190 | R | R | 1944-11-07 | Martins Ferry,OH | 1966- 3- 43-CHN
| MLB | 1967-1988 | 1966-1988 |
1988-04-28 | Steve Carlton | Released by Twins. | P | 6-5 | 210 | L | L | 1944-12-22 | Miami,FL | 1963- 0- 0-SLN
| MLB | 1965-1988 | 1964-1988 |
1988-04-22 | Tom Brunansky | Traded by Twins to Cardinals for Tom Herr. | OF-DH | 6-4 | 216 | R | R | 1960-08-20 | Covina,CA | 1978- 1- 14-CAL
| MLB | 1981-1994 | 1978-1994 |
1988-04-22 | Tom Herr | Traded by Cardinals to Twins for Tom Brunansky. | 2B-SS | 6-0 | 185 | B | R | 1956-04-04 | Lancaster,PA | 1974- 0- 0-SLN
| MLB | 1979-1991 | 1975-1991 |
1988-04-21 | Tippy Martinez | Released by Twins. | P | 5-10 | 180 | L | L | 1950-05-31 | La Junta,CO | 1969- 35- 799-WS2
| MLB | 1974-1988 | 1972-1988 |
1988-04-10 | Mike Mason | Signed as Free Agent by Twins. | P | 6-2 | 205 | L | L | 1958-11-21 | Faribault,MN | 1980- 1- 12-TEX
| MLB | 1982-1988 | 1980-1996 |
1988-04-06 | Tom Gilles | Signed as Free Agent by Twins. | P-1B | 6-1 | 185 | R | R | 1962-07-02 | Peoria,IL | 1984- 47- 834-NYA
| MLB | 1990-1990 | 1984-1995 |
1988-04-05 | John Moses | Signed as Free Agent by Twins. | OF-1B | 5-10 | 170 | B | L | 1957-08-09 | Los Angeles,CA | 1981- 4- 86-CHA
| MLB | 1982-1992 | 1980-1992 |
1988-04-05 | Jim Winn | Signed as Free Agent by Twins. | P | 6-3 | 210 | R | R | 1959-09-23 | Stockton,CA | 1981- 1- 14-PIT
| MLB | 1983-1988 | 1981-1988 |
1988-04-04 | Tippy Martinez | Signed as Free Agent by Twins. | P | 5-10 | 180 | L | L | 1950-05-31 | La Junta,CO | 1969- 35- 799-WS2
| MLB | 1974-1988 | 1972-1988 |
1988-03-31 | Bernardo Brito | Signed as Free Agent by Twins. | OF-DH | 6-1 | 190 | R | R | 1963-12-04 | San Cristobal,DR | 1980- 0- 0-CLE
| MLB | 1992-1995 | 1981-1998 |
1988-03-31 | Joe Klink | Traded by Twins to Athletics for Russ Kibler. | P | 5-11 | 175 | L | L | 1962-02-03 | Johnstown,PA | 1983- 36- 801-NYN
| MLB | 1987-1996 | 1983-1996 |
1988-03-28 | Karl Best | Traded by Tigers to Twins for Don Schulze. | P | 6-4 | 210 | R | R | 1959-03-06 | Aberdeen,WA | 1977- 12- 312-SEA
| MLB | 1983-1988 | 1978-1988 |
1988-03-28 | Don Schulze | Traded by Twins to Tigers for Karl Best. | P | 6-3 | 225 | R | R | 1962-09-27 | Roselle,IL | 1980- 1- 11-CHN
| MLB | 1983-1989 | 1980-1993 |
1988-03-24 | Balvino Galvez | Traded by Tigers to Twins for Billy Beane. | P | 6-0 | 170 | R | R | 1964-03-31 | San Pedro de Macoris,DR | 1981- 0- 0-LAN
| MLB | 1986-1986 | 1982-1993 |
1988-03-24 | Billy Beane | Traded by Twins to Tigers for Balvino Galvez. | OF-1B | 6-4 | 195 | R | R | 1962-03-29 | Orlando,FL | 1980- 1- 23-NYN
| MLB | 1984-1989 | 1980-1989 |
1988-03-18 | Sal Butera | Released by Twins. | C-DH | 6-0 | 190 | R | R | 1952-09-25 | Richmond Hill,NY | 1972- 0- 0-MIN
| MLB | 1980-1988 | 1972-1989 |
1988-03-01 | Bryan Clark | Released by Twins. | P | 6-2 | 185 | L | L | 1956-07-12 | Madera,CA | 1974- 10- 227-PIT
| MLB | 1981-1990 | 1974-1990 |
1988-02-24 | Doug Baker | Traded by Tigers to Twins for Julius McDougal. | SS-OF | 5-9 | 165 | B | R | 1961-04-03 | Fullerton,CA | 1982- 9- 230-DET
| MLB | 1984-1990 | 1982-1991 |
1988-02-09 | Joe Niekro | Signed as Free Agent by Twins. | P | 6-1 | 190 | R | R | 1944-11-07 | Martins Ferry,OH | 1966- 3- 43-CHN
| MLB | 1967-1988 | 1966-1988 |
1988-02-05 | Freddie Toliver | Traded by Phillies to Twins for Chris Calvert. | P | 6-1 | 170 | R | R | 1961-02-03 | Natchez,MS | 1979- 3- 77-NYA
| MLB | 1984-1993 | 1979-1998 |
1988-02-04 | Charlie Lea | Signed as Free Agent by Twins. | P | 6-4 | 200 | R | R | 1956-12-25 | Orleans,FR | 1978- 9- 217-MON
| MLB | 1980-1988 | 1978-1988 |
1988-02-03 | Tim Laudner | Signed as Free Agent by Twins. | C-DH | 6-3 | 212 | R | R | 1958-06-07 | Mason City,IA | 1979- 3- 63-MIN
| MLB | 1981-1989 | 1979-1990 |
1988-01-29 | Steve Carlton | Signed as Free Agent by Twins. | P | 6-5 | 210 | L | L | 1944-12-22 | Miami,FL | 1963- 0- 0-SLN
| MLB | 1965-1988 | 1964-1988 |
1988-01-18 | Kelvin Torve | Signed as Free Agent by Twins. | 1B-OF | 6-3 | 205 | L | R | 1960-01-10 | Rapid City,SD | 1981- 2- 36-SFN
| MLB | 1988-1991 | 1981-1991 |
1988-01-07 | Gary Gaetti | Signed as Free Agent by Twins. | 3B-1B | 6-0 | 205 | R | R | 1958-08-19 | Centralia,IL | 1979- 1- 11-MIN
| MLB | 1981-2000 | 1979-2000 |
1988-01-05 | Sal Butera | Signed as Free Agent by Twins. | C-DH | 6-0 | 190 | R | R | 1952-09-25 | Richmond Hill,NY | 1972- 0- 0-MIN
| MLB | 1980-1988 | 1972-1989 |
1988-01-04 | Brian Harper | Signed as Free Agent by Twins. | C-OF | 6-2 | 206 | R | R | 1959-10-16 | Los Angeles,CA | 1977- 4- 85-CAL
| MLB | 1979-1995 | 1977-2000 |
1988-01-01 | Vic Rodriguez | Signed as Free Agent by Twins. | 2B-3B | 5-11 | 173 | R | R | 1961-07-14 | New York,NY | 1977- 0- 0-BAL
| MLB | 1984-1989 | 1977-1994 |