Seth Stohs

A report from Fan Rag's Jon Heyman (which has been verified by others now) says that the Minnesota Twins have signed veteran reliever Matt Belisle to a one-year contract. The 36-year-old right-hander spent 2016 with the Washington Nationals where he posted an impressive 1.87 ERA over 40 games. In 46 innings, he struck out 32 and walked just seven. (More information to come as we gather details)Belisle posted a 2.67 ERA in 2015 with the Cardinals. Before that, he had pitched five seasons with the Cincinnati Reds and six seasons with the Colorado Rockies. After making at least 72 appearances each season from 2010 to 2013(including a league-leading 80 appearances in 2012), Belisle pitched 66 games in 2014. The last two seasons, he has combined to pitch in 74 games. He missed two months of the 2016 season with a strained calf muscle. Mike Berardino tweeted that it is a one-year, $2.05 million deal. Belisle easily fits into the Twins bullpen as a 7th and 8th inning guy. Since it's a cheap, one-year deal, he could easily be a trade deadline deal guy if he gets off to a strong start. The deal is also cheap enough such that if any of the prospects are knocking down the door in AAA, they could release him if he isn't pitching well. The Twins are currently at 40 men on their 40-man roster, so they will have to DFA someone to make the move official. Click here to view the article

I can't imagine a Rule 5 pick being much higher for any team...

Matt Albanese’s college career came to a premature end when he fractured his wrist. But the Twins scouts saw enough in him to make him their seventh-round pick in 2016. After signing at Target Field, he went to Ft. Myers to begin the rehab process. Soon after, it was found that he had a ligament tear. Albanese is a terrific athlete with speed and potential to hit with a lot of power. He is already in Ft. Myers continuing to rehab but adding in more and more baseball activities as he looks forward to his professional debut in 2017. In the meantime, he has enjoyed working with kids in the community. The photo was taken last weekend at one such event. They are frequent, free events that the Twins minor leaguers run. Albanese said “Every Saturday, the guys that are around load up in vans and go to two neighborhoods and host a 2 hour workout, sign balls and take pictures. It's a lot of fun to give back and teach younger kids about the game.”Let’s get to know a little more about Matt Albanese. Seth Stohs (SS): Growing up in Connecticut, which was your favorite team and who were some of your favorite players? Matt Albanese (MA): In Connecticut, you are either a Yankees fan or a Red Sox Fan. I grew up a huge Yankees fan and went to a lot of games with my dad and cousins. My greatest memory was Josh Hamilton’s crazy first round performance in the 2008 home run derby at the old stadium. SS: What were some of your best memories from high school baseball? Did you play other sports? Participate in other activities? MA: I went to Xavier High School, an all-boys Catholic school in Middletown, CT. When I tell people about my high school, they are usually expecting me to respond in negative way and tell them how strict it was and how brutal it was without any girls around. I feel the exact opposite about my high school experience. It was awesome on the field and also in the classroom. My senior year we had an incredible team and only lost one game in the regular season. We were looking to make some noise in the state tournament, but we were upset (in) game one. Although that season didn’t end the way we wanted it, I’ll remember those guys and that year forever. I played basketball up until my junior year, also participated in MYARC, a program where you spend time with and have a little dance party with individuals with special needs once a week. I had a cousin in the program, and it was great to spend time with her. SS: What were your options coming out of high school? What was it about Bryant University that made it the right place for you? MA: I was getting looks from all the major northeast schools (Bryant, UCONN, Northeastern), but I wasn't getting the looks I dreamed about as a kid (Vandy, Virginia, etc.) I knew deep down that I had a lot of potential that hadn't been tapped yet. It finally came down to UCONN or Bryant and although, at the time, UCONN’s facilities and baseball program were a little bit ahead of Bryant’s, I had a lot of promise in Bryant’s baseball program’s future. I’d say the greatest deciding factor was the impression Coach Owens (head coach) left on me. I knew that if I went to Bryant, I’d have a leader with incomparable passion, knowledge and he's just a flat-out winner. At Bryant, I was given the opportunity to play right away, and I made some mistakes, but I rarely made them again. I came in my freshman year weighing 185 pounds and started my freshman season at 205, a weight I still maintain. At Bryant, there is a huge commitment to strength and conditioning that helped a lot. SS: Did you talk to a lot of scouts before the draft? Specifically, did you talk to any of the Twins scouts? MA: I was speaking with scouts from every team before the draft. The Twins scout (John) was was not one of the guys that, in my opinion, was forwardly expressing a lot of interest. He'd send me a text here or there, but I had some teams calling me every other day. It was a little bit of a surprise, but definitely a great one. SS: How frustrating was it to get hurt during the season, especially knowing the draft was coming? MA: Throughout college, I had a number of injuries, all of which were out of my control. For example, my sophomore year I missed half the season recovering from an appendectomy. Obviously, getting hurt is frustrating, but if you get hurt on a hustle play, like diving and breaking your wrist, you have to realize it’s part of the game. If I were to have half-heartedly stretched and pulled a hammy or something, then yes, I would have been frustrated and disappointed, but getting hurt making a play for your team doesn't sting as bad. SS: Drafted by the Twins in the seventh round... is that about where you thought you might be selected before the draft? MA: I had a good idea where I deserved to go and the seventh was near my prediction. SS: Did you watch or listen to the draft? Where were you and who were you with when you found out? How busy was your phone at that time? MA: My family and I were at my house in Connecticut. We had the TV outside streaming the second day of the draft. A few of my close friends were there, as well as my uncle, girlfriend, parents and grandparents. Everyone tells you it’s going to be a nerve-wracking day, but you have to realize that there is nothing you can do on that day to change its outcome. I did my best to remember that but still was pretty anxious. After I was selected my phone flooded with calls and texts of congratulations. It was beyond exciting. SS: What was your schedule after signing? When were you able to resume baseball activities? MA: I flew to Minnesota to sign my contract and to have a physical done by the team doctor, then flew down to Ft Myers to continue my wrist rehab. I began resuming baseball later that fall. SS: In these early stages of your career, what would you say are your biggest strengths as a player? MA: I pride myself on being quick to make adjustments and being a good listener. There are a lot of differences between high school and college ball, and I expect there to be some more differences between college and pro ball. If I'm able to listen to guys that have been successful before me and make some adjustments as needed, I know I’ll be able to continue my success, and help whatever team I’m on win. SS: What are you most looking forward to in getting back on the field as a professional player? MA: I look forward to being part of a team again. The rehab can be a drag and get kind of boring and lonely. I want to go out and compete again with a group of guys with a common goal. SS: What do you enjoy doing away from the game of baseball? MA: I enjoy fishing with my dad and my friends. We’ll go deep-sea fishing whenever we can all get together. I also enjoy traveling and experiencing new places I’ve never been before. SS:Do you have any specific personal goals for 2017? MA: In 2017, I am going to grow as a person as well as a ball player. I will have quality at-bats, learn from any mistakes I make and be as good a teammate as possible. SS: Who are some of the coaches and others who have helped you get to this point in your career? MA: My dad, he introduced me to the game, was my first coach and, along with my mom, has supported me in everything that I do. I played for a travel team growing up and had a lot of great experiences with different coaches. Coach Shane would throw me extra BP for hours, and Coach Martin made me wear my helmet in I/O because I forgot my hat. I never forgot my hat again. In college, Coach Gedman, taught me to step out of your comfort zone and try some new things if you want to improve. Coach Owens helped me realize the importance of doing the little things right because they all add up. Coach Kyle, who is as much my friend as he is my coach, helped me learn how to fine-tune my swing when I wasn't getting the results. And Coach Ryan, always kept the dugout loose, taught me how to play relaxed and confident. SS: Favorite baseball movie? MA: Sandlot Thank you very much to Matt Albanese for taking time out of his schedule to answer our questions. If you have any comments or questions, feel free to leave them in the comments below. Click here to view the article

I'd go: Buxton CF Mauer 1B Dozier 2B Sano 3B Kepler RF Park/Vargas DH Polanco SS Rosario/Grossman LF Castro C With Mauer batting after Buxton, Buck will get plenty of opportunities for stolen bases, and he can score from second on singles and first on doubles.

Yup, I know it's been discussed in many minor league threads, but Wells was like 6-1, 185 at spring training a year ago, so hopefully the sites get updated soon. I have Wells in the same general area of the rankings as you do. I was just surprised to see him move down from last year after a spectacular 19-year-old season as a starter in Cedar Rapids. I don't know why he couldn't remain a starter. I mean, I get it, most minor league starters don't become MLB starters, but not sure why that would be determined at 19. Theofanopolous wasn't in my rankings at all. He might be a decent lefty reliever in a few years.

Those numbers never come out. It's cash, but we don't know how much. My assumption is that the Twins were offered at least enough to make it a zero-risk Rule 5 pick, maybe a little more. We know it cost the Twins $100K to select Diaz, and that's the same amount it cost all teams. We know that if the Twins want to offer him back to the Red Sox during spring training, the Red Sox would have to give them $50K.

The Minnesota Twins had the first overall pick in the 2016 Rule 5 draft last December. They selected right-handed pitcher Miguel Diaz with that pick. However, they had arranged to trade the pick to the San Diego Padres. In a roundabout way, the Twins acquired right-hander Justin Haley who had been the eighth player selected in the Rule 5. Haley came from his home in California for Twins Fest this past weekend, and Twins Daily caught up with him for a few minutes between autograph sessions, pop-a-shot games and giant Foosball.It was a bit messy for Twins fans to keep up with that day. So what was it like for Haley and his family? On that day, Haley was in California visiting his mom before the holidays. The Rule 5 draft began at 9:00 a.m. Eastern time, but of course it is just 6:00 a.m. on the west coast. Shortly after that early hour, he was nudged awake by his wife. “My agent was texting me, telling me, ‘Hey, you got drafted by the Angels!’” Haley said, “So I got up. My mom was already awake. We celebrated. We took some pictures, and Woo Hoo, Angels!” And then… “Then all of a sudden, my agent texted me and said, ‘Hey, you just got traded to the Padres.’ OK, great, cool. So we were celebrating again, and we’re taking pictures, and Alright, we’re Padres now!” And then the phone rang. “It was my agent. ‘Hey listen, you’re with the Twins now. They traded for you.’ OK, cool. We celebrated again.” While Twins fans scrambled to learn everything they could about Justin Haley, Haley was a member of four organizations within about an hour, but he didn’t seem to mind at all. “It was fun. The whole day, the whole experience was fun. It all happened within about an hour, so it wasn’t stressful or anything. It was exciting. My whole family enjoyed it.” Haley grew up in northern California. After high school, he spent a season at Sierra College after which he was Cleveland’s 46th-round draft pick. He didn’t sign. Instead he went to Fresno State for the next two seasons. “I knew I needed to go to school. I wanted to get an education. I just knew I wasn’t ready so I waited, took my lumps, put in my work, and now I feel that I’m really ready.” Haley spent the next two seasons at Fresno State. The decision paid off as the Red Sox made him their sixth-round pick in 2012. He’s worked his way up, pitching well as he goes. He began 2016 in AA Portland. He went 5-4 with a 2.20 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP in 61.1 innings. He was promoted to AAA Pawtucket where he was 8-6 with a 3.59 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP in 81.1 innings. At the end of the season, Haley made the decision to pitch in the Dominican Winter League. He pitched a combined 23.2 innings and went 2-0 with a 0.38 ERA. He gave up just one run on 12 hits and four walks while striking out 14 batters. It was an experience he not only enjoyed, but he made the most of the opportunity. “I was hoping to go there to intrigue some teams just a little bit more for the (Rule 5) draft. I didn’t end up getting protected. Found out right before my last start. I went down there to do my job. I went to get work in. I had a lot of fun. It was a great experience. Really great people. Really great organization. I was with Escogido. Just a lot of fun. I would definitely do it again. It was work. I feel like I did my job and ultimately it paid off for me.” And that brings us to the draft. Haley says that he wasn’t too surprised to be selected in the Rule 5 draft. He felt he had put himself in a good position. “I knew I’d put in all the work. I knew I’d done everything on my end that I could do. The only thing left was hopefully somebody was watching, and luckily a couple of teams were looking pretty heavy. It turned out great for me.” Haley spent the weekend at Twins Fest, getting to know some people he will be teammates with when spring training starts in two weeks in Ft. Myers. Unlike many Rule 5 picks that have come to Twins Fest, Haley actually knew quite a few players in the clubhouse. Following his 2015 season, Haley went to the Arizona Fall League where he and his Red Sox teammates joined the Twins prospects on the Salt River Rafters roster. Nick Burdi, Trevor Hildenberger, Jake Reed, Taylor Rogers and Mitch Garver were Twins on that team. Adalberto Mejia was also on that team. In the Dominican this winter, Daniel Palka was on the same Escogido roster. Finally, Haley and Pat Light were teammates in the Red Sox system for all four years. Haley felt comfortable in the clubhouse. “Being here this weekend, I’ve met some guys and everybody seems really welcoming. It looks like a really young group. A lot of talent here. I know that. I’m really excited to get to know everybody and get to know this team.” When he travels to spring training, he’ll be able to stay in the same city as when he was with the Red Sox, Ft. Myers. “Turns out I’m in the same city I’ve been in for the last four years. I’m comfortable there. It’s really no change. My wife and I have the same routine of going down to spring training, so it turned out pretty well for us.” The excitement and joy was clear in Haley’s voice and in his comments as he talked. He is excited to get to Ft. Myers. He’s ready for the challenge. “I’ve put in a lot of work this offseason. I’ve really prepared myself mentally and physically for this opportunity. And really, it’s a great opportunity. I’m extremely blessed. I’m extremely thankful that the Twins took a shot at me. I’m definitely going to make the most out of the opportunity that I’m getting. And you know, God willing, it goes my way.” Haley isn’t known for having great velocity, but he knows how to pitch, and he knows how to work. So how does he describe himself as a pitcher? “I like to describe myself as the hardest worker. I might not overpower you, but I’m going to work you to death. I’m going to be meticulous. I work on my craft year-round. I like to say no offseason. I have a fastball, changeup, curveball slider. I like to locate. My hard work is going to beat your hard work. That’s my approach.” Of his 122 career appearances, 110 of them have been as a starting pitcher. As a Rule 5 pick, he needs to remain on the Twins roster all season or be offered back to the Red Sox. So, if his role on the Twins would be in long relief in the bullpen, would he be alright with that? Haley said, “I’d be great with anything that allows me to be a Minnesota Twin.” As spring training approaches, Haley was asked his goals for 2017. “My goals are to be the hardest worker. I want to work hard. I want to be a great teammate. I don’t put a lot of numerical goals out there. I just want to attack every challenge. I see this as a challenge, an obstacle that I can face head on. I’ve got an opponent. I know how to beat him. I know how to succeed. So I’m going to give my full effort to that.” Clearly Haley has a great work ethic. Hard work was a clear characteristic of Haley. It’s something he’s learned from a young age. “I’ve had a lot of great mentors in my life. My father has always instilled in me to be the hardest worker. Hard work beats talent every day of the week and twice on Sundays. That's been my mentality growing up. My mom and dad raised me to work hard and not take anything for granted. That’s going to be my approach” He continued, “I’ve had a lot of great coaches over the years, Coach (Steve) Rousey at Fresno State. I’ve had some great pitching coaches through the Red Sox. They all just keep telling me, keep working hard and that’s just been my process. I’m not going to change anything now that I’m knocking at the door. Justin Haley, like most Rule 5 picks, is facing an uphill battle. But he’s had success on the mound in AA and AAA, and the Twins need all the pitching they can get. Haley will compete for a starting spot or a bullpen spot on the big league roster. It’ll certainly be one of the top stories to follow in Ft. Myers starting on February 14th. Click here to view the article

If anyone wants a taste of the atmosphere, I did a couple of Twitter/Periscope Live recordings. First, Jeremy and I kind of walked around the Brothers Basement to capture the atmosphere. You and see if he recognize anybody... I also recorded the first segment that included some Gleeman and the Geek as well as the Goin interview...

Interesting that Lachlan Wells would fall down your list after the incredible 2016 that he had (he's not 5-8, by the way). I like Hildenberger and Goodrum. I know that the Twins love them both, a lot. Thorpe is one fo the biggest question marks coming into 2017. He could move significantly in either direction during the season.

Curtiss is really good. He throws some serious gas, and he's got a history as a starter which will only help him. I can see the Twins keeping Dereck as a starter and then adding him to the 40 next offseason and moving him to the bullpen. Jermaine Palacios remains interesting. Theofanopoulos is left-handed.

Some of the writers were sitting around and that's the question I asked, and everyone kind of agreed.

If you listen to the video, Kelly acknowledges that he won't be back at spring training this year, first time in 47 years. I had heard that yesterday, but he verified it. He made mention of how much last year took out of him, so he and his wife talked about it and decided it was for his best.

I liked Cuddyer. Definitely one of my favorite players to watch compete. Was pretty surreal interviewing him this afternoon. Seems like a genuinely good, family-first guy. But very smart. He'll do well in his role with the Twins.

That was funny. Twins Fest didn't open until 4, so at 3 Derek Wetmore and I went out to the stage to listen to Reusse interview Falvey and Mauer. But Falvey was a little late, so Reusse asked me to just be ready. One question asked, and Falvey and Levine showed up, so I was done. Ha! that was fine with me. Was nice to shake hands and chat with Falvey and Levine a couple of times today. Very impressive guys. They're very thoughtful in what they say and don't give away too much, for sure. But enjoyable to talk to.

Several members of the 1987 Minnesota Twins World Series championship team were on the 1500ESPN stage for a half-hour with Patrick Reusse on Friday night. Following the on-air portion, the players stayed on the stage along with their manager, Tom Kelly. Twins President Dave St. Peter came to the stage and announced to the crowd that the Twins would be adding an eighth bronze statue to their collection surrounding Target Field. Work has begun on a bronze statue of Twins manager Tom Kelly. “The Minnesota Twins are excited to have this opportunity to further celebrate and recognize the incredible career of the one-and-only Tom Kelly,” Twins President & CEO Dave St. Peter said. “Tom’s contributions to the Twins organization and Upper Midwest baseball community are quite significant. This statue will help memorialize Tom’s greatness and ensure future generations are aware of the T.K. story.”Kelly told reporters following the announcement that he has known for a couple of weeks. They are currently working on the pose, spending a lot of time on which uniform he'll be in. There was no timeline given for completion. Kelly joins several legendary Twins figures to be honored with a bronze statue including Kirby Puckett, Rod Carew, Harmon Killebrew, Kent Hrbek, Calvin Griffith and the Pohlads (Carl and Eloise). Five years ago, Kelly's #10 was retired by the organization. As per usual, Kelly remained humble in talking about the honor, noting even his hesitance to promote it happening in previous years. He prefers to point out that the game is about the players on the field not their manager. And likely, that is why he was as successful as a manager and leader as he was. Here is a live twitter feed of the announcement as well as some of the conversation with Kelly afterward. Click here to view the article

Target Field is just a couple of hours away from opening its doors to Twins Fest 2017. It has been a busy couple of weeks for the Twins front office. The last two weeks have been busy with the Winter Caravan. Thursday night at Target Field was the Diamond Awards. And now Target Field will be full of people looking for handshakes, autographs, pictures and memories with some of their favorite Twins players. At the media luncheon in the Champion's Club this afternoon, Twins President Dave St. Peter gave his state of the team speech and concluded with the announcement that two players have been added to the team's Hall of Fame, Michael Cuddyer and Andy MacPhail.In this article, I'll briefly highlight some of the events and notes from the Diamond Awards and the media luncheon. Please feel free to ask questions below and I will respond as I have time. Michael Cuddyer spent 11 of his 15 MLB season in a Twins uniform. The recently retired ballplayer had some strong seasons in a Twins uniform. Overall, he hit .272/.343/.451 (.794) with 239 doubles, 45 triples and 141 home runs in a Twins uniform. He will be at Twins Fest this weekend. Recently, he and Torii Hunter and LaTroy Hawkins were named special assistants to the Baseball Operations department. Andy MacPhail became the Twins General Manager in 1985. He was very young then and helped put the final pieces together for the Twins 1987 and 1991 World Series Championship teams. Dave St. Peter announced that both will be inducted during Hall of Fame weekend at Target Field, likely in August. Cuddyer was named to the Hall of Fame from the players ballot. Dan Gladden and Cesar Tovar reportedly were second and third in the voting. In the non-player ballot, MacPhail finished ahead of long-time Twins coach Rick Stelmaszek and former Twins President Jerry Bell. OTHER NOTES Dustin Morse informed us that there will be 78 current, former and future Twins players signing at Twins Fest this year. He said that was pretty close to a record.Sid Hartman was at the media luncheon.Derek Falvey told the media that he and Thad Levine were in Ft. Myers last week at the Twins academy. They had two summits while there.The first was a scouting summit. He said all of the scouts were in attendance, including new scouting director Sean Johnson. As a team, they put in place a set of processes, what they were looking for, etc.There also was a hitting summit. It included new Twins hitting coach James Rowson, Jeff Pickler, Torii Hunter, minor league hitting coordinator Rick Epstein and all of the minor league hitting coaches. They discussed how to teach, terminology and more as a group.Falvey also mentioned that it was also important for both of those summits to come together. That way the hitting coaches could discuss with the scouting department what they are teach and what they might be looking for. It starts a conversation and encourages collaboration between MLB, minor leagues, scouting and front office.He said a similar pitching summit will take place in the coming weeks as well.Dave St. Peter discussed many goings-on with the Twins. Much more will be coming out in the coming weeks, but here are a couple of highlights.The Minnesota State High School League's championship games (four classes) will again be at Target Field on June 19th.Target Field will also host a regional RBI tournament in mid-July.Team USA and USA Baseball's 18U team will be headquartered here. They will play a game or two here before heading to Canada for the World Championships.He again reiterated that Rod Carew is six weeks post-heart and kidney surgery. There is a chance he will be released from the hospital as early as today. He will be on travel restrictions, so he won't be at spring training or opening day, but they're hoping he'll be around by mid-summer.Pitchers and catchers report on February 14th. Think about that. It's just 18 days away.There is a new video board at Hammond Stadium.Tickets to the Twins Opening Day game against the Royals on April 3rd will go on sale at 4:00 today.The remainder of the tickets will be available starting February 25th.The Twins will announce their full promotional schedule before the the 25th so that fans can see which games they want to attend.In mid-July, the Twins will hold a 30th anniversary of the 1987 Twins World Series championship.They also are planning a celebration of Rod Carew's Summer of '77 (40 years). The celebration of his MVP season and chase for .400 will include a bobblehead.The Twins recently announced that Billy Joel will be playing a concert at Target Field. St. Peter also mentioned that they are having ongoing discussions with several promoters and will likely have at least one more show this summer.He reminded the assembled group that the first college football game at Target Field will be played on September 23. It will feature St. Johns and St. Thomas. They anticipate drawing the largest crowd for a Division III football game ever.St. Peter credited Bill Smith and Dan Starkey for their work on the Dominican academy, a $19 million collaboration between the Twins and Phillies.They are changing the lighting at Target Field to an enhanced LED system. It will improve energy efficiency and improve the televised broadcasts.Also, the team is opening a Twins-themed restaurant at the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport (C concourse) in early March.Twins FestI should point out that if you look at the Player Autograph schedule for Twins Fest, you'll notice that there are several FREE autograph sessions.Lots of the player interviews will air on 1500 ESPN throughout the weekend, so be sure to listen in to those if you're not able to get here in person.Winter MeltdownA quick reminder that the Twins Daily Winter Meltdown will be held at Brothers (near Target Field) on Saturday night. The event will begin at 4:30. Our guests this year will include Jack Goin and LaTroy Hawkins. Parker, John and I talked to them this afternoon.Diamond AwardsOn Thursday night, the Twins and the University of Minnesota collaborated with the BBWAA to put on a terrific show at the Diamond Awards at Target Field.It's a fun celebration of the positives for the Twins during the 2016 season (yes, there were some), and a way to help the Bob Allison Ataxia Research Center (BAARC) and the University of Minnesota. The dollars generated will help research to find cures eventually for diseases such as ALS, ataxia, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, Parkinson's disease, and other neurodegenerative diseases.You can watch a lot of it on the Twins Facebook page. Much of it was shown live.It was nice catching up with some of the players at the event, Zack Granite, Stephen Gonsalves, Max Kepler and Brian Dozier.We had a Twins Daily table, and as was pointed out on Twitter, it was right by the bar. In addition to John and I, Jeremy Nygaard and Ted Schwerzler were at the table. Also, Mariana, the person behind Twins Latinos on Facebook, Twitterand Instagram sat with us. Be sure to follow her. Who knows? Give it some thought. Maybe next year we can get enough people to get 2-3 tables there.If you get out to Twins Fest this weekend and see any of us Twins Daily types, be sure to say Hi. And, if you are still looking for a 2017 Twins Prospect Handbook, they can be purchased at the FanHQ booth on the lower level of Target Field. Click here to view the article

Many times when a player is drafted early in the draft, there are many questions. What can he do? What will he need to improve? Will he sign? How long until he potentially gets to the big leagues? When the Twins drafted RHP Griffin Jax in the third round last June, the big question was when would he be able to pitch? Being selected out of the Air Force Academy, Jax will need to work with the military body to see what options he may have to allow him to pursue his baseball career. That is one of the many topics that we covered in today’s Q&A.Jax had a tremendous junior season at the Air Force. From the 2017 Twins Prospect Handbook: “However, as a junior, he went 9-2 with a 2.05 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP. The Twins made him the player drafted highest out of the Air Force. He pitched for three weeks in E-Town during his summer break.” Let’s Get to know Griffin Jax. Seth Stohs (SS): Growing up in Colorado, I have a decent guess of who your favorite team to follow was? Who were some of your favorite players? Griffin Jax (GJ): Well I really grew up in Arizona. I moved to Colorado when I was 13, so naturally my favorite team was the Diamondbacks. But my favorite player growing up was Luis Gonzales. The earliest memory I have is when the DBacks won the 2001 World series against New York, and Luis hit the game-winning hit to win the whole thing. SS: What were some of the better memories of your high school baseball career? Did you play other sports or were you involved in other activities? GJ: Winning the state championship my junior year of HS was definitely one of the best, but I also played in the Colorado High School Futures game my senior year in Coors Field, which was a great experience. But my all-time favorite memory is winning the Gatorade Player of the Year award in 2013. I also played rec basketball with my friends in mess-around leagues to just have fun. SS: What was the recruitment process like for you out of high school, and what was it about going to the Air Force Academy that made you want to go there and pitch? GJ: I really did not get recruited hard out of high school. Up until about my senior year, I had been told "No" by many D1 teams. My best offer at the time I committed was Air Force, as they gave me a full ride to come to school. And the education along with playing D1 baseball was a no-brainer. But as I got into my senior year, I developed a lot and received a lot more attention from colleges. They wanted me to de-commit since Air Force was a non-binding deal. And after I got drafted in 2013, I had more offers than ever. But I really never planned on signing out of high school, or breaking my commitment with Air Force. It was just nice, and also funny, to see how much schools wanted me after the draft. SS: The Phillies used their 12th round pick in 2013 to select you. At the time, how difficult was the decision to not sign at that time? GJ: Like i mentioned above, I really never planned on signing out of high school. my mom was always huge into school and getting a degree first. I had good grades in high school, and when I wasn't getting a lot of attention growing up, it hit me that baseball may never last forever, so a college education was important to me too. SS: What has the Air Force Academy experience been for you on and off the field? What were some of your highlights and favorite moments in your three years there? GJ: It has been a tough and long experience. but with that, an amazing experience. The things I have learned and experienced at school are unmatched by any other school/program. The mental maturity that comes with going to a military academy can’t be found at any state school. I think the Academy has pushed and matured me better than any other school could have. The best memories I have include graduating basic training before my freshman year, and playing college baseball for three years. I had a rough first two years in college ball, and it took me a little time to really get used to the style of play. But my favorite memory from the Academy is the day I threw a 2 hit/ 13 K game against UC Davis. There were a ton of scouts in the stands, and it was probably the best game I have ever pitched. SS: With your commitment to the Air Force, do you know when your 2017 season will begin? Has any further decision been made on if you’ll be able to start playing full time in the near future? (if you’re even able to discuss this, of course) GJ: At the time, it is still unknown. I have applied to be let into the reserves, which means I will be able to play my entire baseball season, and then in the off-season, report to an Air Force base to do my Air Force job. So it is really the best of both worlds. I get to wear the two best uniforms in the nation: the Air Force and the Twins. But as for the 2017 season, I will report as early as late may, after I graduate. As we get closer to then, I will have a better understanding for the plans the US Air Force has for me. SS: Did you have the chance to speak with many scouts before the draft this year? Where did you think that you might be drafted? What was your interaction with Twins scouts before the draft? GJ: There were scouts at all my practices from the beginning of my junior year. I remember thinking, it's just a practice, why are they here? But I loved the attention, it made me want to do better and ultimately work harder. Most teams told me they wanted to take me in the early rounds, usually heard 2-4. There were a of couple teams however that told me if I got my service deferred from the Air Force, I would be their first-round pick, and that was very exciting. And my area scout, Ted Williams, was always there. He was a more quiet scout, just usually saying hi or texting me after a game, so it was really surprising when the Twins drafted me! SS: When you did hear your name in third round, where were you? What your reaction and the reaction of those close to you? GJ: I was in my parents house watching the draft on my computer. My agent asked me before it started if I was ok going to the Twins for slot money, and I said 100%! I didn't get too excited though because I knew it wasn't a guarantee until it happened. but when it did happen, I remember jumping around my room shouting because I was so happy. It was the best day of my life, so far. My family, Mom and Dad, and both brothers were there with me, and made it the best experience possible. SS: What has the adjustment like for you, from the amateur/college game to the professional game, both on and off the field? GJ: Everyone hears about the big jump from high school to college then to pro ball. But it was bigger than i had imagined. Obviously I was excited and ready for the challenge, but everyone in pro ball is the best, otherwise they wouldn't be there. Off the field, it is all about taking care of your body. You play like 70 games with 2 total off days. Which means you are going to have to have a great work ethic; stretching, keeping in shape, and eating right all make a huge difference. I think the Academy helped me in my work ethic because I am used to the total grind of life. SS: You got to pitch for a couple of weeks in early July in Elizabethton. What was the experience like in Tennessee, even just for that short time? GJ: I tried to make as big an impact as possible. I knew that I would only be able to pitch for about 4 weeks, but I wanted to set a tone for later in my career. I showed up early every day and did everything extra possible to make sure I was at the top of my game. The atmosphere was incredible. The town was awesome and the friends and teammates were great. I had the best possible four weeks there that I could, and am looking forward to next season. SS: What pitches do you throw, and what would you consider your out pitch? GJ: I throw three pitches, my two-seam fastball, my changeup and my slider. My change up is my best out pitch. Coupled with my hard fastball, it allows me to get in the hitters head. I can throw it at all times in the at-bat, and puts extra doubt in the hitter's' mind. SS: At this very early stage in your career, what would you say are your biggest strengths? GJ: So far, my biggest strengths are my overall strength, my work ethic and my passion. SS: What are the areas of your game that you would like to spend time working to improve in the offseason and going forward? GJ: I have spent a ton of time on my flexibility this winter. If I'm not flexible and loose, I am not healthy and not on the field. SS: What are some of the things you enjoy doing away from the game of baseball? GJ: I love to hike, fish, snowboard and just relax. I like being by myself a lot of the time, and it helps me relax and focus on things to make myself better. SS: Who are some of the people who have helped you get to this point in your career? GJ: My father definitely. Coming from the professional world of sports, he instilled in me early the importance of working hard and "want". Everyday growing up, he would always ask me if I wanted it, and if I seemed like I didn't, he would stop me and challenge me. At the time, I hated it, but now, I really appreciate it. Growing up I was never the best, or most talented. So him making sure I always worked hard really gave me an edge over guys who had more talent than me. SS: Your father spent 10 years in the NFL. Since you were one during his final season, I’d guess you don’t remember much about it. Since then, has he given you any advice about being a professional athlete? GJ: I don't remember anything specific about him playing, but I remember going to his practices after he retired and when he helped out with the team. I always remember he was big on attitude and passion. Those will always carry over when talent is not there, or not working. He understood that there would be some athletes who did not care, or try as hard, but he made sure I was doing everything I could to make myself better. SS: Favorite baseball movie? GJ: Original Sandlot hands down! A huge thank you to Griffin Jax for taking time to answer our questions. Please feel free to Comment below or ask some of your own questions. Click here to view the article

Matt Fiedler (pronounced Feed-ler) is a prospect in the St. Louis Cardinals minor league system. So, why are we Getting To Know him today? Fiedler graduated from St. Paul academy in 2013 where he was the Class 2A Player of the Year and a Minnesota Mr. Baseball finalist. He went on to play for the legendary John Anderson at the University of Minnesota. He played quite a bit as a freshman in 2014, and also he played in at least 50 games the last two years. As a junior in 2016, hit hit .366 with 12 doubles and eight home runs. He also stole 14 bags. He also made 16 pitching starts for the Gophers and went 7-4 with a 4.32 ERA. The Gophers won the Big 10 regular season championship, and Fiedler was named the Big 10 Player of the Year. ------------------------------------------------------------------- On Thursday night at Target Field, the Minnesota Twins will hold their annual Diamond Awards. The Twins work in conjunction with the University in Minnesota to celebrate baseball while raising money for the U’s research and patient care in ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease), ataxia, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, and Parkinson’s Disease. Visit give.umn.edu/neuro to find out how you can continue to make a difference. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Fiedler was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the ninth round of the 2016 draft and went to Johnson City. He and his teammates won the Appalachian League championship. He played eight games against the Elizabethton Twins and went 9-24 (.375/.444/.458(.902)) with two doubles.Today we are happy to share the following Q&A with Twins infield prospect Matt Fiedler. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Seth Stohs (SS): Growing up miles from the Metrodome and Target Field, did you get to a lot of Twins games? Who were some of your favorite players (Twins or others)? Matt Fiedler (MF): I was a huge Twins fan for my whole childhood. My dad brought me to as many Twins games as we could get to. My favorite players were always Torii Hunter and Johan Santana. SS: What were some of the highlights of your baseball career at St. Paul Academy? Did you participate in other sports or activities? MF: Winning the 2A Player of the Year was a huge honor and something I’ll always remember from my time at SPA. I was a part of the soccer team in high school as a goalie, thankfully we always had a great defense so I was never too involved. SS: What went into your decision to stay home and play for John Anderson at the University of Minnesota? MF: Something about the school and the baseball program just felt like the right fit. I couldn’t put my finger on it at the time but it ultimately was the best decision of my life. SS: How difficult was it for you to pitch and hit at the Division 1 level? You were the Friday night pitcher and usually DH'd a game and played in the outfield a couple of games per series. MF: It was something that I wanted to do from the time I stepped on campus, but developing to a point where I could actually help the team at both positions took a while. The coaching staff worked extremely hard getting me to a point where I was able to contribute in a unique way. SS: Your junior year (2016) was a very special season for the Gophers. Big 10 championship, but also a very emotional season for you and your teammates. Talk a little about Mr. Oakes and what he meant to the Gophers baseball program, and how much he helped you. MF: T.O. was one of the most remarkable and inspiring men that I’ve ever met. I only knew him when he was sick, but he never failed to bring a positive attitude to every practice and game that he was able to attend. We put together a very special year and we did our best to honor him with our play on the field. The whole Gopher baseball family misses him greatly. SS: Heading into the draft, what were you hearing about where you could be selected? We you talking to a lot of scouts? MF: I talked to a number of teams before the draft but no one really had a sense of where they would/could take me. Some teams preferred me on the mound and some at the plate but it was all up in the air. I looked at some various scouting services projections and prospects rankings, but no one had me on any sort of list. I felt overlooked, so I was ecstatic when the Cardinals gave me the opportunity to prove what I can do. SS: Where were you and who were you with when you found out that the Cardinals had selected you in the ninth round? How busy was your phone at that point? MF: I was just hanging out at home, and I insisted that we didn’t make a big deal out of it because I had no idea what to expect. After I was selected, my phone was blowing up for a few hours from friends and families. It was an extremely surreal feeling. SS: After signing, you went to the hills of Tennessee and played for the Johnson City Cardinals. What was the adjustment like for you, on and off the field, to playing professional baseball? MF:. It was tough to adjust in many ways. I started out something like 0-16 and 3-30 at the plate. After a few good talks with my manager I was able to settle in and start trusting my abilities again. Off the field was a bit easier. Baseball guys just have a way of bonding together and this was no different from a lot of the teams I’ve been on. Other than a lot more Spanish. SS: The Cardinals selected you as an outfielder. Was there any thought to pitching as a professional, or is that done? You played solely in the outfield in 2016. Did you miss pitching or was it nice to focus your development? MF: If I’m back on the mound, it probably means I didn’t do so well with the bat. While I miss pitching, it was really nice to just focus on developing as a position player for the first time in my life. SS: Johnson City is just miles away from Elizabethton. While you’re obviously a Cardinals player now, was it kind of strange looking across the diamond and seeing “Twins” on the jersey? MF: The whole summer was filled with a lot of “wow, I’m really living out my dream” moments, but none quite as strong as when we played the Twins for the first time. Just seeing that name on their jerseys brought me back to all the memories I had from watching the big league Twins play as a kid. SS: Your Johnson City Cardinals swept its way to the 2016 Appalachian League championship. What was the playoff run like, and how good was the talent that you teamed with? MF: The playoff run was awesome; everything just seemed to click for us. We had an unbelievable amount of talent on the team including guys like Allen Cordoba, Andrew Knizner, JR Davis and Bryce Denton to name just a few. Watch out for those guys to make some noise throughout the years to come. SS: How much have you participated in, baseball-wise, during your offseason? Did you head to Jupiter for Instructs or other team activities? MF: I haven’t been in any Cardinals related offseason activities but I’ve been working hard on my own to improve my game. SS: Getting away from baseball is important for any baseball players. I assume you come back to Minnesota. What do you enjoy doing away from the game of baseball? MF: I love spending time on the lake and fortunately I was able to catch a few weekends in September where the weather was still nice enough to be out on the water. Other than that I enjoy the occasional pickup basketball or football games. SS: When did you start your preparations for the 2017 season? Are you working out in Dinky Town or elsewhere? (When do you head down to Florida for spring training?) MF: I started my lifting program in October and baseball activities in late November. I head down to spring training in early March, so I have few more months to really put everything together. SS: Have you given any thoughts to goals for 2017, your first full season as a professional ball player? (I assume Peoria to start with games in Cedar Rapids in June and July.) MF: My number one goal is to have a full healthy season where I am able to consistently be in the lineup. I’ve been working hard on my swing to elevate the ball regularly with power so I’m expecting to see a jump in my power numbers and hopefully average as well. SS: Who are some of the people that have helped you get to this point in your career? MF: The list is extensive but I owe a lot to my parents for always supporting me in the pursuit of my dream. Additionally, Pat Casey, John Anderson, Rob Fornasiere, Adam Barta, Jason Verdugo and Luke Jakubowski have been instrumental in my development. SS: Favorite Baseball Movie? MF: Bull Durham Thank you so much to Matt Fiedler for taking time to answer these questions. Feel free to discuss below. Click here to view the article