Former Twins Top Draft Pick Sentenced to Life in Jail

[Seth Stohs]

On Friday, former MLB pitcher Dan Serafini received a sentence of life in jail. He was found guilty of murdering his father-in-law, attempted murder of his mother-in-law, and burglary.  During the hearings, Serafini continued to say he was innocent. He called himself a "broken, imperfect man that makes mistakes." 

The Twins drafted Serafini out of Juniper Serra High School in San Mateo, California., in 1992. Ten years earlier, Barry Bonds was drafted out of the same school. In 1985, the Mets drafted Gregg Jefferies out of the same school with the 20th overall pick. In 1995, the Expos selected catcher Tom Brady in the 18th round. (I believe he went to college in Michigan. I wonder what he's been up to the past 30 years?) Players currently at Minnesota Twins spring training from the high school include outfielder James Outman and relief pitcher Julian Merryweather. 

Serafini debuted with the Twins as a 22-year-old in 1996. Over parts of three seasons with the Twins, he made 14 starts and pitched in 35 games. He went 9-6 with a 5.88 ERA. He pitched for the Cubs in 1999. He split the 2000 season between the Pirates and Padres. 

He pitched in the minor leagues in 2001 and then pitched in China in 2002. He came back to the States in 2003 and got into 18 games for the Reds. He then pitched in Japan for three seasons. In 2017 as a 33-year-old, he got into three more big-league games with the Rockies. 

From 2008 through 2013, the southpaw pitched for various teams in Mexico in both summers and winters. He played a couple of seasons of independent ball in the Atlantic League.  He was also a part of Team Italy in the 2009 and 2013 World Baseball Classics. 

Serafini will serve out his sentence at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. 

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[arby58]

FYI, it is life in prison, not jail. Jail is short-term (held until trial or offenses with a sentence of one year or less), and prison is for felony offenders, which means incarcerated for over one year.

[I Miss The Lakes]

No possibility of parole either, he is in there til the end.

[ashbury]

14 hours ago, arby58 said:

FYI, it is life in prison, not jail. Jail is short-term (held until trial or offenses with a sentence of one year or less), and prison is for felony offenders, which means incarcerated for over one year.

As long as we're correcting the record, anyone who has spent time in the Bay Area will know that the name of the high school is Junípero Serra, in honor of the Franciscan monk who established many of the Catholic missions up and down the coast.

[Twins_Fan_in_NJ]

Sad story all the way around.

[Cris E]

A flawed man, a sad tale.  Not sure if everyone recalls his early role in the PED mess of the early 2010s.  He was a centerpiece of the big Sports Illustrated cover story on steroids back in 2012.

Quote

Thirty-three players appeared in at least one game for the 1994 Fort Myers Miracle. Only six of them reached the majors long enough to earn $500,000 in their careers. Half of those players are known PED users: Naulty, outfielder Matt Lawton (who tested positive in 2005) and pitcher Dan Serafini (who flunked a test in '07).

Quote

[Serafini] stood 6'1'' and weighed only 160 pounds. He went 15-16 with a 6.04 ERA for six major league teams. In 2007, just after MLB and the union tightened its penalties for steroid use, Serafini became one of the first players banned for 50 games for flunking a PED test. (Serafini says he was given steroids by a doctor to recover from an Achilles injury, and that it was the only time he used steroids.)

https://www.si.com/more-sports/2012/05/29/baseball-steroids

[old nurse]

12 hours ago, I Miss The Lakes said:

No possibility of parole either, he is in there til the end.

California will parole lifers for old age. 

[mikelink45]

Here is an interesting story on prisoners and MLB from the Hall of Fame.

https://baseballhall.org/discover/short-stops/players-after-prison

 

[Richie the Rally Goat]

9 hours ago, old nurse said:

California will parole lifers for old age. 

https://www.cdcr.ca.gov/bph/elderly-parole-hearings-overview/
 

“Incarcerated persons are eligible for the Elderly Parole Program if their sentence is long enough, unless they are sentenced to death or life without the possibility of parole.”

nope, you are factually incorrect in regards to Serafini

[Parfigliano]

On 3/2/2026 at 6:48 AM, arby58 said:

FYI, it is life in prison, not jail. Jail is short-term (held until trial or offenses with a sentence of one year or less), and prison is for felony offenders, which means incarcerated for over one year.

Plus the lifers are confined in a separate unit in prison that makes the confinement conditions for those doing X number of years look like a resort hotel.