Seth Stohs

In this week’s Twins Spotlight, we learn more about one of the exciting pitchers from the Twins 2022 draft. C.J. Culpepper began his first full professional season in Fort Myers before helping the Cedar Rapids Kernels to the Midwest League championship. 
Image courtesy of William Parmeter If you listened to last week’s episode of Destination: The Show, Cedar Rapids Kernels pitching coach Jonas Lovin was asked about CJ Culpepper.  
He concluded his comments by saying. “CJ had a really good year and progressed really well throughout the year. He’ll be one that, I’m sure, Twins fans will be seeing down the road and will be looking forward to following, and he’ll keep working.” 
Seven players selected by the Twins in the 2019 draft have already reached the big leagues. Two others spent most of the 2023 season with the Triple-A St. Paul Saints. Matt Canterino returns in 2024 with an eye on the big leagues, too. 
However, among many Twins fans, there is excitement around the pitchers they selected in the 2022 draft. Kyle Jones (7th round) spent the entire season with the Kernels. Cory Lewis (9th), Zebby Matthews (8th), Andrew Morris (4th), and CJ Culpepper (13th) all started the season in Fort Myers, but each spent most of the second half making starts in Cedar Rapids. In addition, Ben Ethridge (15th) and Zach Veen (18th) remained in Fort Myers, pitching very well, and are now pitching in the Arizona Fall League. Of course, Connor Prielipp (2nd) started the season with the Kernels, but unfortunately, he made just one start and later had elbow surgery. 
The group has become quite close over the past year. Culpepper said, “We’ve all become really close, and that’s good. All of us are different. We pitch differently. It’s cool to talk to them about what they do mechanically.”
While Culpepper hasn’t added a knuckleball to his in-game pitch repertoire, he’s learned a lot about the pitch from his time with Cory Lewis. “Playing catch with him (Lewis) isn’t too much fun either. It’s scary. It’s terrifying.”
(You can watch the full 49-minute interview right here, or you can right-click on the video and watch/listen to it in another tab so you can continue perusing Twins Daily while watching the interview.)
 
C.J. Culpepper grew up in southern California, and baseball has been a big part of his life. 
His mom tells him that from when he was two, he was always playing ball. Culpepper’s earliest memory is one that many of us can understand and appreciate. 
“The earliest memory I can think of is having my dad coaching me all growing up. I always thought that was really cool. Being able to share that experience with him and having his knowledge get dropped down to me is pretty cool. It’s just something I’ve cherished for the longest time.”
He was always young for his grade and spent three seasons on the Rancho Cucamonga varsity team. He had played soccer in his younger years. Like Twins starter Joe Ryan, Culpepper also played water polo in high school. “My mom said, ‘You’re going to play water polo.’ So I really shouldn’t say No.'" 
He also participated in the Garciaparra Baseball Group team from Inland Empire, a southern California team. They played in the Jupiter tournaments in Florida, key events for high school players to be seen by scouts from every organization, as well as many colleges. 
California Baptist jumped from Division I to Division II for the 2019 season. Upon visiting, Culpepper quickly knew that it was the place he wanted to play ball. He had a strong relationship with the coaches, and it was a place where he could continue to grow his faith. 
He had a handful of games pitched in 2020 before Covid ended the season. As a sophomore, he had 38 strikeouts in 30 innings out of the Lancers’ bullpen. 
That summer of 2021 marked a crucial point in C.J. Culpepper’s baseball career. He went to the Cape Cod League and pitched well against top competition. In 15 2/3 innings over 10 appearances, he went 1-0 with four saves, a 1.72 ERA and a 0.77 WHIP. He also had 23 strikeouts and just two walks. His performance gave him a lot of confidence heading into his junior season. 
In 2022, he joined the starting rotation for California Baptist. He went 5-3 with a 3.26 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP. He also had 76 strikeouts in 69 innings. 
 
In July, he heard various things from his advisor leading to the draft. In fact, on Day 2, his advisor said a team asked if he would take a specific signing bonus if they drafted him. He agreed. Unfortunately, that team picked someone else with that pick. 
On Day 3, he spent the day with his parents. They were “watching” the draft online, and in the 13th round, they saw CJ’s name pop up on their computer screen. 
“Right when they saw my name, they were so happy. Tears started coming down. They just realized that this is what he’s been working for, and now it’s starting. They were just so ecstatic.” 
He continued, “It was a fun day, for sure.” 
It’s similar to one of his first days in Fort Myers after signing. He found himself on one of the back fields, playing catch, when he stopped and looked around a bit, thinking, “This is something I’ve been working for my entire life, and now I’m here. I was just in awe. It was definitely an experience that I’ll cherish, for sure.”
Fortunately, there were several players around him that he knew to some degree. During his season with Yarmouth–Dennis in the Cape Cod League, he was on the same team as catcher Nate Baez (12th round) and first-round pick Brooks Lee. Also on the team was 2023 10th-round pick Ross Dunn. 
While Culpepper was the lone player that the Twins drafted from California Baptist, they added more in 2023. In the 15th round, the Twins selected right-handed pitcher Spencer Bengard from the school. In the 16th round, the Twins took righty Anthony Silvas from Riverside City College. However, he spent the 2022 season at California Baptist. Following the draft, the Twins signed right-hander Liam Rocha as a non-drafted free agent. He spent three years at Cal Baptist. 
With that background, it’s also quite exciting to think about his pitch mix. The right-hander throws a four-seam fastball, a cutter, a slider, a sinker, a changeup, and a curveball. In college, his fastball was generally between 89 and 93 mph. In 2023, Culpepper was not only 93-95 mph, but he touched 97 at times and was able to maintain that velocity later in games. 
(Of note, I forgot to ask Culpepper if he has ever actually thrown a kitchen sink.) 
 
More important than just having all of those pitches, it’s about those pitches being good, being effective. And with all the work that the Twins pitching development group does watching videos, reading the Statcast data, and developing a plan for him, still throwing all six pitches speaks to their effectiveness. 
Culpepper admits. “I’m pretty comfortable with all the pitches that I have. Whatever the situation and the count allows me to throw. I’m comfortable enough with all of them.” 
Returning to last week’s Destination the Show, you heard Kernels pitching coach Jonas Lovin talk about Culpepper. “CJ’s great. He’s a really hard worker, and he’s a really good thinker. He does a really good job of asking good questions and thinking through what he can improve upon.” 
Lovin later added, “CJ is so unique because he throws so many different pitches. He throws six different pitches, and they’re all good. He does a good job commanding them in the strike zone, and they all move a decent amount. 
After spending most of his life in California, Culpepper is spending this offseason in Tennessee. Maybe it’s to work on something else that he can bring with him to Minnesota. When he played in the Cape, his host family got him excited about fishing by taking him out often. Where he lives in Tennessee, he says he’s got a lake 10 minutes away and some canals and rivers nearby to work on his newfound passion. 
He said he would also like to get into hunting sometime but hasn’t found a group to take him out yet. I’m just guessing that if CJ Culpepper gets to the big leagues with the Twins, he will have several new friends willing to show him the ropes. 
For more Twins Daily content in which C.J. Culpepper has been tagged, click here. Here was his Twins Daily Draft page from 2022. 
 
 

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I would hope his Age wouldn't factor into their decision-making. They need to do what is right for him, but also right for the organization. Let's just say he debuts in July at 26. The Twins will hold his rights through the 2030 season, and that encapsulates his entire 'prime.' 

On the offseason debut of Twins Spotlight, Matt Canterino provides us with an update on his rehab and much more.
Image courtesy of Ed Bailey, Wichita Wind Surge Late in September, the Twins had taken over the American League Central and were playoff-bound. After starting all season, Louie Varland was moved to the bullpen, and he aired it out, sitting in the upper 90s and breaking off some really sharp sliders. 
In addition, Chris Paddack came off of the Injured List. The 27-year-old from Cedar Park, Texas, hadn’t pitched since April 2022 after his second Tommy John surgery. On September 24th, Paddack ran from the Target Field bullpen to the Target Field mound, but before he could throw a pitch, the rains came, and a delay pushed back his return to MLB game action. Two days later, he finally had the opportunity. 
In his first inning, Paddack struck out the side and let out a yelp, releasing pent-up emotion that was fun for Twins fans to see. 
At that same time, Twins pitching prospect Matt Canterino was sitting in his room in Fort Myers watching the game, about 13 months into his Tommy John recovery. Was seeing that performance motivational for the 25-year-old from Southlake, Texas?
“I would say it was more joy for Chris than anything. I saw his process. I saw how hard he worked every day. And I saw how much he got to know some of the minor leaguers and formed relationships with people that he didn’t have to in Fort Myers. It was a lot of joy for him, knowing it was a culmination of everything he’s been working on.”
Nevertheless, seeing Paddack’s return come to fruition is something that the two Texans who grew up about three hours apart talked about while they worked and rehabbed in Fort Myers. 
Canterino noted, “he was a great teammate to rely upon in the process, especially because we were in fairly similar spots in rehab the entire year. I was able to bounce a lot of ideas off of him, and we were able to have a lot of good conversations about how we wanted to develop and how we wanted to be better than we were pre-surgery. I’m really thankful for that friendship.” 
(this video can also be found by clicking on this link. If you right-click and select Open Link in New Tab, you can watch this while continuing to read this article or others at Twins Daily.)
Now Canterino is ready to show that he is back. However, let’s not minimize the timeline. The first issue came early in the 2021 season after just five (dominant) starts in Cedar Rapids. He had a 0.86 ERA, a 0.67 WHIP, and 43 strikeouts to just four walks in 21 innings. He spent the rest of the 2021 season in Fort Myers rehabbing. He worked two innings in a game for the Mussels later that summer, but it didn’t feel right. 
He began 2022 with the Double-A Wichita Wind Surge. He was being eased in, working three innings at a time and then four innings. However, after 11 games and 34 1/3 innings (with 50 strikeouts but also 22 walks). 
He went and met Dr. Meister in Texas, and while they had met before, this was the first time they had mentioned the term “Tommy John surgery.” Meister and Dr. Camp (the Twins' surgeon) were on the same page. They could give it one more try just rehabbing, but he had been doing that for a long time. Canterino had given it “one more try,” and the pain was terrible after one inning in the GCL. He had never had a complete tear, but the ligament was compromised enough. Rehab hadn’t worked. 
So, on August 25th, 2022, Canterino had Tommy John surgery. Dr. Meister’s timeline is a 14-month plan to return to competitive pitching. For the first six months, there was no throwing. It’s all about building strength in the shoulder, elbow, and forearm. Over the next six months, throwing is built up slowly. The first three months involve throwing on flat ground, and the next three months include a return to a mound. That leaves two months where the focus can be on a return to pitching. 
While he is very competitive on the mound, Canterino appreciated the process. “I am a pretty process-oriented person, and I like hitting little check marks along the way. Everything is written out and well-recorded within the rehab. The Twins do a great job of that. I was able to keep hitting those check marks and able to stay optimistic with how things were progressing.” 
The most challenging part, he said, was “just building up to go home for the offseason. I wasn’t building up to face hitters in any games. I still have to wait for spring training.”
However, before heading to Texas for the offseason, he was able to get back on the mound and face live batters. What was the goal? What was the plan for facing live batters? 
“(It marks) The last step to start building up to be ready in games. So, we definitely pushed it a bit. We wanted to see where I was at so we could get an accurate judge. This is what you need to work on this offseason. This is what you need to be ready for coming into spring training. It definitely was a little bit of Let it Rip in terms of velocity and using offspeed pitches as well. So it was good.”
How did it go?
“I was missing bats, so that was good. I was up to 96 (mph). My slider felt completely returned to normal. My changeup felt completely returned to normal. And I was getting swings and misses on all of them. You never want to put too much stock into the results of those things, but in terms of my process, going through, getting ready, Letting it Rip, and recovering the next day, it was exactly what I wanted to do.”
Canterino is set to enjoy his offseason. He’s got a couple of trips planned and will spend time with his closest support group. But he will also be working on improving to impress in Fort Myers in spring training. “I feel like I’m back to where I was, and I know that I’m going to come to spring training and be able to compete for a job and show that I can still compete at the highest level.”
From Paddack’s return, Canterino notes. “This is doable. There will be ups and downs, but this is doable. You can get back, treat the rehab process with a lot of respect, and give it the attention it deserves. You can come back even better than wherever you were when you had to go down.”
Canterino was the Twins second-round pick in 2019. His goal in 2023 is to get to the big leagues, where seven from his draft class have already played. He was excited to watch Matt Wallner, Brent Headrick, Louie Varland, and Edouard Julien play critical roles at various times for the Twins during the season and playoffs. 
“I was beyond happy for my friends that debuted this year and got to be big-time contributors both during the regular season and in the playoffs.” 
In conclusion, it was great to catch up with Matt Canterino. The interview is about 42 minutes long, and we talked about several other topics beyond what you read above. You’ll want to take a listen. But it was also great to see the excitement on his face and hear it in his voice as he talked about looking ahead. 
I’ll leave you with a few final quotes that are exciting. 
“I feel strong. I feel ready. This is the moment to prove it now.”
“I just want to be the best teammate I can be. I just want to get back there and play baseball with the boys.”
“I love baseball. I want to be able to contribute. I want to be a part of that winning culture that the Twins are establishing.”
Matt Canterino was previously a guest on Episode 2 of Twins Spotlight back in October of 2020. That episode was more of a Get to Know 'em show, and as you can imagine, Canterino is fantastic at that. 

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I would hope his Age wouldn't factor into their decision-making. They need to do what is right for him, but also right for the organization. Let's just say he debuts in July at 26. The Twins will hold his rights through the 2030 season, and that encapsulates his entire 'prime.' 

From the conversation, it sounds like he'll be given the chance to start and they'll go with that but obviously listen to his body, listen to his arm, etc. So yeah, I think they'll ease him in for the  first month and see where he's at. But hopefully by May or at least June he'll go a bit longer. I also think he can be great in the role Louie Varland had in September and that may be a good way to limit his innings.  

I think really it is a case where it doesn't matter too much. I think they should get him to Wichita fairly quickly... whether that's April 2nd or May 2nd doesn't really matter much... And, depending on how things progress, he could be in St. Paul by June 2nd. I would say that's a pretty aggressive return and it can't be about stats as much as healthy and process and pitches, etc. But also the long-game of the 2024 season and how to have him available in October should be considered. 

I would hope his Age wouldn't factor into their decision-making. They need to do what is right for him, but also right for the organization. Let's just say he debuts in July at 26. The Twins will hold his rights through the 2030 season, and that encapsulates his entire 'prime.' 

I think really it is a case where it doesn't matter too much. I think they should get him to Wichita fairly quickly... whether that's April 2nd or May 2nd doesn't really matter much... And, depending on how things progress, he could be in St. Paul by June 2nd. I would say that's a pretty aggressive return and it can't be about stats as much as healthy and process and pitches, etc. But also the long-game of the 2024 season and how to have him available in October should be considered. 

I would hope his Age wouldn't factor into their decision-making. They need to do what is right for him, but also right for the organization. Let's just say he debuts in July at 26. The Twins will hold his rights through the 2030 season, and that encapsulates his entire 'prime.' 

From the conversation, it sounds like he'll be given the chance to start and they'll go with that but obviously listen to his body, listen to his arm, etc. So yeah, I think they'll ease him in for the  first month and see where he's at. But hopefully by May or at least June he'll go a bit longer. I also think he can be great in the role Louie Varland had in September and that may be a good way to limit his innings.  

He talks about that in great detail and what Dr. Meister and the Twins staff have been telling him. 

I think really it is a case where it doesn't matter too much. I think they should get him to Wichita fairly quickly... whether that's April 2nd or May 2nd doesn't really matter much... And, depending on how things progress, he could be in St. Paul by June 2nd. I would say that's a pretty aggressive return and it can't be about stats as much as healthy and process and pitches, etc. But also the long-game of the 2024 season and how to have him available in October should be considered. 

I would hope his Age wouldn't factor into their decision-making. They need to do what is right for him, but also right for the organization. Let's just say he debuts in July at 26. The Twins will hold his rights through the 2030 season, and that encapsulates his entire 'prime.' 

From the conversation, it sounds like he'll be given the chance to start and they'll go with that but obviously listen to his body, listen to his arm, etc. So yeah, I think they'll ease him in for the  first month and see where he's at. But hopefully by May or at least June he'll go a bit longer. I also think he can be great in the role Louie Varland had in September and that may be a good way to limit his innings.  

Another great episode as always! I have a sneaking suspicion he could be a huge bullpen piece in '24. 

From the conversation, it sounds like he'll be given the chance to start and they'll go with that but obviously listen to his body, listen to his arm, etc. So yeah, I think they'll ease him in for the  first month and see where he's at. But hopefully by May or at least June he'll go a bit longer. I also think he can be great in the role Louie Varland had in September and that may be a good way to limit his innings.  

On the offseason debut of Twins Spotlight, Matt Canterino provides us with an update on his rehab and much more.
Image courtesy of Ed Bailey, Wichita Wind Surge Late in September, the Twins had taken over the American League Central and were playoff-bound. After starting all season, Louie Varland was moved to the bullpen, and he aired it out, sitting in the upper 90s and breaking off some really sharp sliders. 
In addition, Chris Paddack came off of the Injured List. The 27-year-old from Cedar Park, Texas, hadn’t pitched since April 2022 after his second Tommy John surgery. On September 24th, Paddack ran from the Target Field bullpen to the Target Field mound, but before he could throw a pitch, the rains came, and a delay pushed back his return to MLB game action. Two days later, he finally had the opportunity. 
In his first inning, Paddack struck out the side and let out a yelp, releasing pent-up emotion that was fun for Twins fans to see. 
At that same time, Twins pitching prospect Matt Canterino was sitting in his room in Fort Myers watching the game, about 13 months into his Tommy John recovery. Was seeing that performance motivational for the 25-year-old from Southlake, Texas?
“I would say it was more joy for Chris than anything. I saw his process. I saw how hard he worked every day. And I saw how much he got to know some of the minor leaguers and formed relationships with people that he didn’t have to in Fort Myers. It was a lot of joy for him, knowing it was a culmination of everything he’s been working on.”
Nevertheless, seeing Paddack’s return come to fruition is something that the two Texans who grew up about three hours apart talked about while they worked and rehabbed in Fort Myers. 
Canterino noted, “he was a great teammate to rely upon in the process, especially because we were in fairly similar spots in rehab the entire year. I was able to bounce a lot of ideas off of him, and we were able to have a lot of good conversations about how we wanted to develop and how we wanted to be better than we were pre-surgery. I’m really thankful for that friendship.” 
(this video can also be found by clicking on this link. If you right-click and select Open Link in New Tab, you can watch this while continuing to read this article or others at Twins Daily.)
Now Canterino is ready to show that he is back. However, let’s not minimize the timeline. The first issue came early in the 2021 season after just five (dominant) starts in Cedar Rapids. He had a 0.86 ERA, a 0.67 WHIP, and 43 strikeouts to just four walks in 21 innings. He spent the rest of the 2021 season in Fort Myers rehabbing. He worked two innings in a game for the Mussels later that summer, but it didn’t feel right. 
He began 2022 with the Double-A Wichita Wind Surge. He was being eased in, working three innings at a time and then four innings. However, after 11 games and 34 1/3 innings (with 50 strikeouts but also 22 walks). 
He went and met Dr. Meister in Texas, and while they had met before, this was the first time they had mentioned the term “Tommy John surgery.” Meister and Dr. Camp (the Twins' surgeon) were on the same page. They could give it one more try just rehabbing, but he had been doing that for a long time. Canterino had given it “one more try,” and the pain was terrible after one inning in the GCL. He had never had a complete tear, but the ligament was compromised enough. Rehab hadn’t worked. 
So, on August 25th, 2022, Canterino had Tommy John surgery. Dr. Meister’s timeline is a 14-month plan to return to competitive pitching. For the first six months, there was no throwing. It’s all about building strength in the shoulder, elbow, and forearm. Over the next six months, throwing is built up slowly. The first three months involve throwing on flat ground, and the next three months include a return to a mound. That leaves two months where the focus can be on a return to pitching. 
While he is very competitive on the mound, Canterino appreciated the process. “I am a pretty process-oriented person, and I like hitting little check marks along the way. Everything is written out and well-recorded within the rehab. The Twins do a great job of that. I was able to keep hitting those check marks and able to stay optimistic with how things were progressing.” 
The most challenging part, he said, was “just building up to go home for the offseason. I wasn’t building up to face hitters in any games. I still have to wait for spring training.”
However, before heading to Texas for the offseason, he was able to get back on the mound and face live batters. What was the goal? What was the plan for facing live batters? 
“(It marks) The last step to start building up to be ready in games. So, we definitely pushed it a bit. We wanted to see where I was at so we could get an accurate judge. This is what you need to work on this offseason. This is what you need to be ready for coming into spring training. It definitely was a little bit of Let it Rip in terms of velocity and using offspeed pitches as well. So it was good.”
How did it go?
“I was missing bats, so that was good. I was up to 96 (mph). My slider felt completely returned to normal. My changeup felt completely returned to normal. And I was getting swings and misses on all of them. You never want to put too much stock into the results of those things, but in terms of my process, going through, getting ready, Letting it Rip, and recovering the next day, it was exactly what I wanted to do.”
Canterino is set to enjoy his offseason. He’s got a couple of trips planned and will spend time with his closest support group. But he will also be working on improving to impress in Fort Myers in spring training. “I feel like I’m back to where I was, and I know that I’m going to come to spring training and be able to compete for a job and show that I can still compete at the highest level.”
From Paddack’s return, Canterino notes. “This is doable. There will be ups and downs, but this is doable. You can get back, treat the rehab process with a lot of respect, and give it the attention it deserves. You can come back even better than wherever you were when you had to go down.”
Canterino was the Twins second-round pick in 2019. His goal in 2023 is to get to the big leagues, where seven from his draft class have already played. He was excited to watch Matt Wallner, Brent Headrick, Louie Varland, and Edouard Julien play critical roles at various times for the Twins during the season and playoffs. 
“I was beyond happy for my friends that debuted this year and got to be big-time contributors both during the regular season and in the playoffs.” 
In conclusion, it was great to catch up with Matt Canterino. The interview is about 42 minutes long, and we talked about several other topics beyond what you read above. You’ll want to take a listen. But it was also great to see the excitement on his face and hear it in his voice as he talked about looking ahead. 
I’ll leave you with a few final quotes that are exciting. 
“I feel strong. I feel ready. This is the moment to prove it now.”
“I just want to be the best teammate I can be. I just want to get back there and play baseball with the boys.”
“I love baseball. I want to be able to contribute. I want to be a part of that winning culture that the Twins are establishing.”
Matt Canterino was previously a guest on Episode 2 of Twins Spotlight back in October of 2020. That episode was more of a Get to Know 'em show, and as you can imagine, Canterino is fantastic at that. 

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From the conversation, it sounds like he'll be given the chance to start and they'll go with that but obviously listen to his body, listen to his arm, etc. So yeah, I think they'll ease him in for the  first month and see where he's at. But hopefully by May or at least June he'll go a bit longer. I also think he can be great in the role Louie Varland had in September and that may be a good way to limit his innings.  

From the conversation, it sounds like he'll be given the chance to start and they'll go with that but obviously listen to his body, listen to his arm, etc. So yeah, I think they'll ease him in for the  first month and see where he's at. But hopefully by May or at least June he'll go a bit longer. I also think he can be great in the role Louie Varland had in September and that may be a good way to limit his innings.  

From the conversation, it sounds like he'll be given the chance to start and they'll go with that but obviously listen to his body, listen to his arm, etc. So yeah, I think they'll ease him in for the  first month and see where he's at. But hopefully by May or at least June he'll go a bit longer. I also think he can be great in the role Louie Varland had in September and that may be a good way to limit his innings.  

On the offseason debut of Twins Spotlight, Matt Canterino provides us with an update on his rehab and much more.
Image courtesy of Ed Bailey, Wichita Wind Surge Late in September, the Twins had taken over the American League Central and were playoff-bound. After starting all season, Louie Varland was moved to the bullpen, and he aired it out, sitting in the upper 90s and breaking off some really sharp sliders. 
In addition, Chris Paddack came off of the Injured List. The 27-year-old from Cedar Park, Texas, hadn’t pitched since April 2022 after his second Tommy John surgery. On September 24th, Paddack ran from the Target Field bullpen to the Target Field mound, but before he could throw a pitch, the rains came, and a delay pushed back his return to MLB game action. Two days later, he finally had the opportunity. 
In his first inning, Paddack struck out the side and let out a yelp, releasing pent-up emotion that was fun for Twins fans to see. 
At that same time, Twins pitching prospect Matt Canterino was sitting in his room in Fort Myers watching the game, about 13 months into his Tommy John recovery. Was seeing that performance motivational for the 25-year-old from Southlake, Texas?
“I would say it was more joy for Chris than anything. I saw his process. I saw how hard he worked every day. And I saw how much he got to know some of the minor leaguers and formed relationships with people that he didn’t have to in Fort Myers. It was a lot of joy for him, knowing it was a culmination of everything he’s been working on.”
Nevertheless, seeing Paddack’s return come to fruition is something that the two Texans who grew up about three hours apart talked about while they worked and rehabbed in Fort Myers. 
Canterino noted, “he was a great teammate to rely upon in the process, especially because we were in fairly similar spots in rehab the entire year. I was able to bounce a lot of ideas off of him, and we were able to have a lot of good conversations about how we wanted to develop and how we wanted to be better than we were pre-surgery. I’m really thankful for that friendship.” 
(this video can also be found by clicking on this link. If you right-click and select Open Link in New Tab, you can watch this while continuing to read this article or others at Twins Daily.)
Now Canterino is ready to show that he is back. However, let’s not minimize the timeline. The first issue came early in the 2021 season after just five (dominant) starts in Cedar Rapids. He had a 0.86 ERA, a 0.67 WHIP, and 43 strikeouts to just four walks in 21 innings. He spent the rest of the 2021 season in Fort Myers rehabbing. He worked two innings in a game for the Mussels later that summer, but it didn’t feel right. 
He began 2022 with the Double-A Wichita Wind Surge. He was being eased in, working three innings at a time and then four innings. However, after 11 games and 34 1/3 innings (with 50 strikeouts but also 22 walks). 
He went and met Dr. Meister in Texas, and while they had met before, this was the first time they had mentioned the term “Tommy John surgery.” Meister and Dr. Camp (the Twins' surgeon) were on the same page. They could give it one more try just rehabbing, but he had been doing that for a long time. Canterino had given it “one more try,” and the pain was terrible after one inning in the GCL. He had never had a complete tear, but the ligament was compromised enough. Rehab hadn’t worked. 
So, on August 25th, 2022, Canterino had Tommy John surgery. Dr. Meister’s timeline is a 14-month plan to return to competitive pitching. For the first six months, there was no throwing. It’s all about building strength in the shoulder, elbow, and forearm. Over the next six months, throwing is built up slowly. The first three months involve throwing on flat ground, and the next three months include a return to a mound. That leaves two months where the focus can be on a return to pitching. 
While he is very competitive on the mound, Canterino appreciated the process. “I am a pretty process-oriented person, and I like hitting little check marks along the way. Everything is written out and well-recorded within the rehab. The Twins do a great job of that. I was able to keep hitting those check marks and able to stay optimistic with how things were progressing.” 
The most challenging part, he said, was “just building up to go home for the offseason. I wasn’t building up to face hitters in any games. I still have to wait for spring training.”
However, before heading to Texas for the offseason, he was able to get back on the mound and face live batters. What was the goal? What was the plan for facing live batters? 
“(It marks) The last step to start building up to be ready in games. So, we definitely pushed it a bit. We wanted to see where I was at so we could get an accurate judge. This is what you need to work on this offseason. This is what you need to be ready for coming into spring training. It definitely was a little bit of Let it Rip in terms of velocity and using offspeed pitches as well. So it was good.”
How did it go?
“I was missing bats, so that was good. I was up to 96 (mph). My slider felt completely returned to normal. My changeup felt completely returned to normal. And I was getting swings and misses on all of them. You never want to put too much stock into the results of those things, but in terms of my process, going through, getting ready, Letting it Rip, and recovering the next day, it was exactly what I wanted to do.”
Canterino is set to enjoy his offseason. He’s got a couple of trips planned and will spend time with his closest support group. But he will also be working on improving to impress in Fort Myers in spring training. “I feel like I’m back to where I was, and I know that I’m going to come to spring training and be able to compete for a job and show that I can still compete at the highest level.”
From Paddack’s return, Canterino notes. “This is doable. There will be ups and downs, but this is doable. You can get back, treat the rehab process with a lot of respect, and give it the attention it deserves. You can come back even better than wherever you were when you had to go down.”
Canterino was the Twins second-round pick in 2019. His goal in 2023 is to get to the big leagues, where seven from his draft class have already played. He was excited to watch Matt Wallner, Brent Headrick, Louie Varland, and Edouard Julien play critical roles at various times for the Twins during the season and playoffs. 
“I was beyond happy for my friends that debuted this year and got to be big-time contributors both during the regular season and in the playoffs.” 
In conclusion, it was great to catch up with Matt Canterino. The interview is about 42 minutes long, and we talked about several other topics beyond what you read above. You’ll want to take a listen. But it was also great to see the excitement on his face and hear it in his voice as he talked about looking ahead. 
I’ll leave you with a few final quotes that are exciting. 
“I feel strong. I feel ready. This is the moment to prove it now.”
“I just want to be the best teammate I can be. I just want to get back there and play baseball with the boys.”
“I love baseball. I want to be able to contribute. I want to be a part of that winning culture that the Twins are establishing.”
Matt Canterino was previously a guest on Episode 2 of Twins Spotlight back in October of 2020. That episode was more of a Get to Know 'em show, and as you can imagine, Canterino is fantastic at that. 

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Thank you, Seth.  Nobody does these interviews better than you--you have a knack for making the young players feel relaxed when you talk to them.
Boy, I hope this kid can stay healthy.  I really like his stuff, and he is a quality young man.  I will be pulling for him.  It will be interesting to see how the Twins handle him next summer.  I suspect they will bring him along slowly, but he could be a candidate for the Twins in 25 if all goes well.

And an OBP 100 points higher than Taylor.

I was wondering if this was the forum thread for this topic... 
Just to think... Tom Brady played in high school (baseball) with Dan Serafini, and then played in the NFL with Aaron Hernandez... Coincidence? 
Fans of my age who collected cards back in the day probably have a bunch of Serafini draft pick cards like I do. I wonder if they're worth more now?
 
 

Obviously US Bank Stadium is only used by the Gophers when they can't play outside. If they can play at all these other stadiums, they could just play at their beautiful, fairly new stadium on campus.