Edouard Julien Bio
Edouard Julien is a Canadian professional baseball second baseman for the Minnesota Twins of Major League Baseball (MLB). Born on April 30, 1999, in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada, he made his MLB debut during the 2023 season after progressing through the Twins’ minor league system. Julien is recognized for his disciplined plate approach, advanced on-base skills, and emergence as a young everyday player at the major league level. He has also represented Canada on the international stage, including a standout performance at the 2023 World Baseball Classic.
Julien’s path to professional baseball has been defined by steady development, including college play at Auburn University and assignments across multiple levels in the minor leagues. He plays a patient, contact-oriented style that has translated into strong on-base numbers, and he is regarded as an important part of the Twins’ young core.
Early Life and Background
Edouard Julien grew up in Quebec City, Quebec, where he attended Cardinal-Roy Secondary School. He developed his baseball skills in Canadian amateur and youth programs, where his bat and plate discipline began to attract the attention of professional scouts. His French-Canadian background shaped his early life, and when he later moved to the United States for college, he could not yet speak English, requiring him to adjust quickly to a new language and culture.
Julien’s baseball development gained momentum during his teenage years, as he demonstrated the hitting ability and offensive instincts that would later define his professional profile. His high school performance was strong enough that the Philadelphia Phillies selected him in the 37th round of the 2017 Major League Baseball draft. Rather than sign, Julien chose to continue his development by enrolling at Auburn University in the United States.
Path to Professional Baseball
At Auburn University, Edouard Julien played college baseball for the Auburn Tigers and continued to refine his offensive game. Following his freshman season, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Falmouth Commodores of the Cape Cod Baseball League in 2018, and then returned to the league in 2019 with the Hyannis Harbor Hawks. These summer experiences exposed him to high-level competition and helped him grow as a hitter.
After his sophomore year at Auburn, the Minnesota Twins selected Julien in the 18th round of the 2019 MLB Draft. Although he had initially considered returning to Auburn for his junior year, the Twins increased their signing bonus offer to $493,000, and he agreed to begin his professional career. Surgery and the cancellation of the 2020 minor league season due to the COVID-19 pandemic delayed his debut, but he remained firmly within the Twins’ long-term plans.
Edouard Julien Career
Early Career (2021-2022)
Edouard Julien made his long-awaited professional debut in 2021 with the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels, the Twins’ Low-A affiliate. During the season, his performance earned him a promotion to the Cedar Rapids Kernels of the High-A Central League. His offensive production drew strong reviews from the Twins’ player development staff and positioned him for a faster climb through the system.
In 2022, Julien spent the full season with the Wichita Wind Surge, the Twins’ Double-A affiliate, where he continued to develop his approach at the plate. That fall, he joined the Arizona Fall League, posting an outstanding .365/.535/.683 slash line while leading the league with 21 runs scored and 20 walks. On November 15, 2022, the Twins added Julien to their 40-man roster in order to protect him from the Rule 5 draft, a clear sign of organizational confidence in his long-term potential.
MLB Rookie Season (2023)
Julien began the 2023 season with the Triple-A St. Paul Saints, but a strong early start quickly led to a major league opportunity. After opening the year with a .310 batting average through his first several games, the Twins promoted him to the major leagues on April 12, 2023. Two days later, on April 13, he recorded his first major league hit and first major league home run in the same inning against the New York Yankees, providing an immediate sign of his offensive potential.
Julien went on to play a significant role for the Twins as a rookie second baseman, finishing the season with a .263 batting average, .381 on-base percentage, .459 slugging percentage, 16 home runs, 37 runs batted in, and 16 doubles. His patient, disciplined approach at the plate translated directly to the major leagues, and he received two votes in American League Rookie of the Year voting, finishing in seventh place overall. His rookie year firmly established him as a key young contributor in Minnesota’s lineup.
International Career
Edouard Julien represents the Canadian national baseball team in international competition. In 2019, he played for Team Canada at the 2019 Pan American Games, where he won a silver medal. During those games, he suffered an injury that later required Tommy John surgery, an obstacle that affected his development timeline but did not derail his long-term trajectory.
Julien was selected to Canada’s roster for the 2023 World Baseball Classic, where he delivered one of the tournament’s most impressive individual performances. He finished as the statistical leader in slugging percentage at 1.154 and in on-base plus slugging at 1.821. He homered on the first pitch of his first plate appearance in the tournament off Great Britain’s Akeel Morris. Despite convincing victories over Great Britain and Colombia, Canada was eliminated during pool play.
Driving Style and Strengths
Julien is recognized for his exceptional plate discipline, a low chase rate, and the ability to draw walks at a high rate against pitchers of any level. He combines a patient approach with the ability to drive the ball for extra-base hits, including home runs, which made him a fast mover through the Twins’ system. Defensively, he has shown the instincts and hands to handle second base, pairing offensive value with reliable play at his position.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Julien’s most memorable early moments was his first major league home run, which came in the same inning as his first major league hit against the New York Yankees on April 13, 2023. His performance at the 2023 World Baseball Classic, where he led all players in slugging percentage and OPS, marked him as one of Canada’s most promising young hitters. His silver medal at the 2019 Pan American Games also stands as a major accomplishment on the international stage.
Edouard Julien Career Wins
Edouard Julien has accumulated individual offensive accomplishments across his minor league assignments, the Arizona Fall League, and his early major league career. His offensive profile has produced standout statistical seasons, including his dominant 2022 Arizona Fall League showing, in which he led the league in runs scored and walks. While team championship totals are still developing, his personal statistical milestones have been widely recognized within the Minnesota Twins organization and the broader Canadian baseball community.
Minor League and Fall League Highlights
Julien’s minor league resume includes his 2021 debut with the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels, a midseason promotion to the Cedar Rapids Kernels, and a full 2022 campaign with the Wichita Wind Surge. His 2022 Arizona Fall League performance, highlighted by a .365/.535/.683 slash line and league-leading totals of 21 runs and 20 walks, marked him as one of the top offensive performers in that year’s developmental circuit and was a key factor in his addition to the Twins’ 40-man roster.
Other Wins and Performances
Internationally, Julien won a silver medal with Canada at the 2019 Pan American Games and was a statistical leader at the 2023 World Baseball Classic in slugging percentage and OPS. He also received two votes in the 2023 American League Rookie of the Year voting, finishing seventh overall, an early-career recognition that underscored his impact as a major league rookie.
Edouard Julien Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Edouard Julien grew up in Quebec City, Quebec, with roots in the French-Canadian community that shaped his early development both on and off the field. He attended Cardinal-Roy Secondary School in Quebec City before leaving Canada to pursue college baseball at Auburn University in the United States.
Personal Life
Julien’s move from Quebec City to Auburn, Alabama, represented a significant life change, particularly given that he could not yet speak English when he arrived on campus. In August 2018, he was arrested in Auburn for public intoxication and criminal littering, an incident for which he was sentenced to perform community service. He has since focused on his professional baseball career with the Minnesota Twins organization.
2025 Season Performance
Heading into the 2025 season, Edouard Julien is expected to be a central part of the Minnesota Twins’ lineup and a key contributor at second base. His blend of plate discipline, power, and on-base ability gives the Twins a versatile offensive weapon at the top or middle of the batting order. Continued development in his defensive consistency and baserunning will be focal points for the organization as he builds on his strong 2023 rookie debut.
The Twins have continued to invest in their young core, and Julien’s progression is a major storyline for the franchise in 2025. If he can sustain his on-base skills while expanding his power output against both right-handed and left-handed pitching, he has the potential to develop into an All-Star-caliber middle infielder. His prior international experience and postseason exposure through the World Baseball Classic also provide a foundation for handling high-leverage situations.
For Julien personally, 2025 represents an opportunity to take a meaningful step forward after establishing himself as a major league regular. Strong early-season results, consistent contact, and growth in extra-base production would all reinforce his status as one of the most promising Canadian position players of his generation.