Get to Know Twins Draft Pick, LHP Kade Bragg

Having pitched in the Cape Cod league during the 2021 season, Kade Bragg started to find himself pushing for more opportunities. Pitching this year with Angelo State as a 21-year-old, he racked up strikeouts and put together a great season that amounted to a 1.20 ERA across 104 2/3 innings.

Bragg had one of the most successful senior seasons across the entirety of the 2023 Major League Baseball Draft class, and Minnesota is certainly hoping to parlay that into a successful professional career. If his numbers at Angelo State end up translating, finding early success in pro ball could be coming.

I caught up with him before he headed out to Fort Myers, here’s what he had to say:

Twins Daily: You had an awesome senior season, and you showed well in the Cape Cod League. What do you feel set you up for such a performance?

Kade Bragg: You know, it really boiled down to coaching. I had a lot of room for growth and they introduced me to a lot of new techniques I could use. The coaching staff really was the key to my success this year. I grew in a lot of different ways I didn’t know I could. They were there for me on and off the field. It was just a matter of being comfortable and then having a family away from home.

TD: Looking at your repertoire on the mound, what do you use and feel most comfortable attacking hitters with?

KB: I’m actually really comfortable throwing any pitch in any count. I got really comfortable with the fastball this year. That was my go to pitch. I could put it where I wanted this year. I threw a lot of fastballs. I throw a changeup and a slider as well, but numbers wise, I threw something like 97% fastball.

TD: Going into professional baseball, what are you most looking forward to development-wise as a player?

KB: This is something I’ve looked forward to for a really long time. Physically my body can take the next step. Another thing, mechanically there are a lot of things I want to take the next step with. My secondary pitches, and obviously my fastball. I want to get physically bigger, and then just develop all of my pitches. I think the sky's the limit with me. Getting into the right system and getting going, who knows what’s possible.

TD: Is there something from a pitchability standpoint you’re looking to do at the next level? Being heavy fastball in college, are you looking to add more?

KB: I would love to add another pitch. A cutter and a true curveball or even a splitter would be nice to add. Options are limitless, but I do want to add another pitch or two.

TD: Being from Texas, what do you know about Minnesota, the Twins organization, or Target Field?

KB: This is going to sound weird, but I don’t know a whole lot about them. I have been a huge baseball fan my whole life, but the Twins are one of the only teams I haven’t really dug into. I never thought the Twins would take me. I thought I was a good Texas boy. I grew up In Dallas, went to Rangers games all my life. It’s crazy how quick of a turnaround they made this year. It’s a lot of fun to watch those guys play.

TD: What was draft day like for you? Did you watch or have an expectation for when you may hear your name called?

KB: I didn’t really have any expectations. I knew if I was going to go, it would be a late day two or day three thing. So it just became kind of an emotional rollercoaster. I was waiting on the call. I sat by my phone for two days waiting on it to happen. Obviously when it did happen, it was a dream come true, and I had a lot of emotions all rolling through at once. It was kind of a hard thing to handle.

TD: What do you typically find yourself doing when getting away from baseball?

KB: I’m an outdoorsman. I love being outside. Me and my fiancé go on a lot of walks. I hunt and fish a lot, I grew up being outside. Really anything outdoors.

Welcome to Twins Territory, Kade!

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