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Mauer homers, ramps up rehab work
MINNEAPOLIS — Twins catcher Joe Mauer caught his third straight game for Fort Myers on Friday, marking the first time he had caught three days in a row during his rehab. In his first at-bat, he hit a three-run home run.
Mauer, who is on the 60-day disabled list with bilateral leg weakness, was scheduled for a full workout on Saturday before catching again Sunday, after which he’ll be eligible to return.
“I talked to him today, he feels great,” Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. “Arm feels good, his body feels good after catching two days. … He actually says he’s feeling really good, better than he has in a long time.”
Gardenhire said they would decide on the next step in Mauer’s rehab process after he caught on Sunday.
Tsuyoshi Nishioka led off and played shortstop at Fort Myers for the third straight game as well on Friday. Nishioka went 1-for-3 with a stolen base Thursday night.
Gardenhire said he had talked on the phone with Nishioka on Friday as well, discussing his likely trip to Triple-A Rochester before rejoining the Twins.
“It’s a little faster game at Triple-A than in the lower Minor Leagues,” Gardenhire said. “We’ll see what happens from there. They tell me he’s been moving around really good out there, hopefully that’s the case.”
Reliever Kevin Slowey (abdominal strain) took a day off from throwing Friday. His return date is still TBD.
Twins head trainer Rick McWane said Jason Kubel continued to make progress, hitting in the cage on Friday and progressing his running. He is eligible to return next Friday.
Joe Nathan is still scheduled to throw a bullpen session Saturday and will fly to Fort Myers later Saturday afternoon. Lefty reliever Glen Perkins will throw one inning Saturday in Toledo for Triple-A Rochester.
McWane also gave an update on center fielder Denard Span, who continues to receive treatment for his whiplash and concussion symptoms.
“He’s getting treatment on his neck,” McWane said. “He’s also going to go continue testing for his concussion symptoms and doing balance work.”
Designated hitter Jim Thome had an epidural Friday morning, and said after the Twins’ 9-2 loss to the Rangers that he hopes to begin baseball activities in a few days.
“It was just a little of pain in my lower back and the inflammation around my disk had to calm down,” said Thome, who received a similar shot in 2002. “So that was the process and that’s why they went in and did what they did. So we’ll see where we’re at. The discomfort has definitely calmed down, so that’s a good thing.”
Twins notebook, 6/9
Thome may resume activities this weekend
MINNEAPOLIS — Jim Thome’s quadriceps injury is related to his previous oblique injury, Twins head trainer Rick McWane said on Thursday.
After undergoing an MRI on his quad, back and hip, it was determined the pain in Thome’s quad was being caused by his back.
“We’ve consulted with our back specialists and some other ones,” McWane said. “The best course of action is [Friday] [Thome] is going to have an epidural in his back, and that should take care of the symptoms he’s having in his quad.”
If the treatment works, Thome’s baseball activities will progress this weekend.
First baseman Justin Morneau also underwent an MRI on his wrist, which showed some fluid, but no structural damage. McWane said the Twins would let Morneau continue to play as tolerated.
Twins reliever Joe Nathan (elbow soreness) threw a bullpen session on Thursday that went “great,” McWane said. Nathan is scheduled to throw another bullpen session on Saturday.
“If it goes well on Saturday, he’ll also go to Fort Myers [Fla.], probably Sunday,” McWane said.
Kevin Slowey (abdominal strain) continued to progress as well, throwing long toss on Thursday up to 120 feet with no complaints.
On the 15-day disabled list with a left foot sprain, Jason Kubel hit in the cage on Thursday and did some agility drills. McWane said Kubel felt “OK,” and that they would progress his baseball activities through the weekend.
Lefty reliever Glen Perkins (strained right oblique) threw a bullpen session on Thursday and is scheduled for a rehab stint with Triple-A Rochester beginning this weekend.
“[Perkins] is headed to Toledo tomorrow,” McWane said. “He’s going to pitch an inning on Saturday.”
Span placed on seven-day DL with concussion
MINNEAPOLIS — After meeting with team doctors and a specialist on Thursday, center fielder Denard Span was placed on the seven-day disabled list with a concussion.
Outfielder Rene Tosoni was recalled from Triple-A Rochester and will join the Twins before Friday’s game against the Rangers.
Span suffered the concussion last Friday during a home-plate collision with Royals catcher Brayan Pena, and has been dealing with head and neck issues ever since. He said he was feeling better on Thursday, but there were still some lingering effects.
“I feel better than I did [Wednesday], just taking one day at a time,” Span said. “My neck’s still a little bit sore, and I still get dizzy here and there.”
After flying back from Cleveland to Minnesota on Tuesday night because of the headaches, dizziness and a stiff neck, Span saw a specialist at a balance and dizziness center.
Span spent four hours going through a number of tests on Thursday.
“All different types of tests, letting them spin me around in chairs and throwing on goggles and all this crazy stuff,” Span said. “They wore me out today.”
Span said the symptoms are similar to the vestibular neuritis he dealt with in 2009, and that those symptoms have never fully gone away. Doctors told Span that some of the symptoms he had in 2009 had flared up again after being triggered by the concussion last week.
Over the last couple days, Span said he would occasionally feel “spaced out,” or like the “room was moving a little bit.”
“It’s not all the time, it just comes and goes,” he said. “There have been times when I’m at home relaxing and it comes, and sometimes I’m relaxing and I don’t feel it. I think little things, like maybe bright lights every now and then or if I’ve got a lot of people around me like now, I start to feel a little funny.”
The seven-day DL was implemented this season to give teams more options when dealing with concussions.
With so many other players already injured already this season, it helps the Twins bring up an extra outfielder without having to sideline Span any longer than necessary.
“If I’m healthy in seven days I come off, if I’m healthy in eight days, I come off,” Span said. “There’s a lot more flexibility for the player to come back. With a concussion everybody heals different and you just never know. I could feel better tomorrow. You just never know.”
Gardy in no hurry to end Nishioka’s rehab
MINNEAPOLIS — Tsuyoshi Nishioka could be ready to return as soon as early next week, but Twins manager Ron Gardenhire wants him to play at Triple-A Rochester first.
After playing nine innings on Wednesday night for the Miracle, Nishioka was scheduled to play nine innings at shortstop for Class A Fort Myers again on Thursday. Batting leadoff, Nishioka went 1-for-3 with a double and a run scored while also striking out twice.
Nishioka was eligible to return from the 60-day disabled list on Tuesday, but Gardenhire has no problem giving him a few more days on his rehab assignment before he returns.
“I don’t want him rushed up here,” Gardenhire said. “He’s not been swinging great, so I want to see him go full out. My preference is for him to go to Triple-A and play whatever, three, four more ball games. Just to see how he’s handling himself and make sure he’s on track, make sure he’s ready to step in and play right up here.”
Recent Twins picks making upward moves
MINNEAPOLIS — Over the past few years, the Twins have made a habit of drafting collegiate pitchers who can move quickly through their Minor League system.
That didn’t change in 2011 when they took 19 college pitchers, and it is noticeably a common theme among a number of their current top prospects.
“I wouldn’t say just to get them through the system quickly,” said Twins scouting director Deron Johnson. “If you look at the All-Star Game, the majority of the starters tend to either be free-agent Latin American signees or high school guys. So you get big leaguers from everywhere.”
Of their top 10 prospects entering the season, center fielder Ben Revere has already played in nearly two dozen games, and a pair of Triple-A arms, Carlos Gutierrez and Kyle Gibson, could join the club by the end of the year.
Two of the targeted positions in this year’s draft were shortstop and catcher, as the Twins remain thin at both areas in their Minor League system. They’re stronger in the outfield, where Revere has led the way and Aaron Hicks and Joe Benson are a few years away.
“It’s a long road to get to the Major Leagues,” Johnson said. “It took Torii Hunter, what, six years to get to the big leagues? And he was a first-round pick. This isn’t an easy game.
“Gibson obviously stands out; he’s been somewhat of a quick mover. Hicks has been a little slower, but he was a high school guy and he’s got tremendous upside, so we’re happy with him, too.”
Here’s a brief look at some of the Twins’ more notable selections and where they are in the pipeline:
From the 2006 Draft:
Chris Parmelee, 1B: Taken with the 20th overall pick, Parmelee has been hitting well this season for Double-A New Britain. Parmelee is batting .277/.360/.413 with four home runs and 30 RBIs. In 2009 with Class A Advanced Fort Myers, Parmelee was a midseason and postseason All-Star. After splitting time between right field and first base last season, Parmelee has been strictly a first baseman in 2011.
Joe Benson, OF: The Twins’ second-round pick at No. 64 overall, Benson is one of their top prospects and could join the Major League club as soon as next season. Benson is batting .294/.380/.489 with five home runs and 26 RBIs as the center fielder for Double-A New Britain. The speedy outfielder also has seven stolen bases this year after swiping 19 last year. Benson has definite 20-20 potential and the range to stay in center, but his arm and bat also translate well to right field.
From the 2007 Draft:
Ben Revere, OF: Selected 28th overall, Revere started the season as one of the Twins’ top five prospects, and now finds himself as a regular part of the big league lineup. Revere has been batting leadoff of late for the Twins, putting together an 11-game hitting streak while showing off his speed in the outfield and on the basepaths. In 22 games this year with the Twins, Revere is batting .302 with a .323 on-base percentage and four stolen bases.
Danny Rams, C: A second-round selection, Rams saw time late last season at Double-A New Britain, but has spent 2011 at Class A Advanced Fort Myers. In 45 games with the Miracle, Rams has batted .268 with a .775 OPS. Rams has hit four home runs and collected 21 RBIs this season. His strikeout totals have been high, with 154 last year and 53 already in 2011. Rams’ struggles are part of the reason the Twins looked to add catching depth to their system in this year’s draft.
From the 2008 Draft:
Aaron Hicks, OF: Selected 14th overall, Hicks, the Twins’ top prospect, was rated as the No. 45 prospect in the league by Baseball America. He has struggled at the plate in two years with Class A Beloit and this year with Class A Advanced Fort Myers. Hicks is a switch-hitting five-tool player with excellent speed and power from both sides of the plate. He remains a few years away from joining the Twins at the Major League level, but when he gets there, Hicks has the potential to be an excellent center fielder.
Carlos Gutierrez, RHP: Taken with the 27th pick in 2011, Gutierrez is likely to be the next on the list of top prospects to join the Twins’ big league club. In 24 games this year with Triple-A Rochester, the right-hander has compiled a 3.62 ERA while striking out 26 batters in 37 1/3 innings. Gutierrez has gone back and forth between starting and relieving, but appears to have found a more permanent role in the bullpen. His best pitch is a nasty hard sinker that results in a lot of groundouts.
From 2009:
Kyle Gibson, RHP: Drafted with the Twins’ 22nd overall pick, Gibson is right up there with Gutierrez in terms of readiness to move to the Major League level. Gibson has advanced quickly since being drafted out of Missouri, and is likely to join the Twins at some point this season. In 11 starts for Triple-A Rochester this year, Gibson had a 3.90 ERA with 64 strikeouts and just 11 walks in 60 innings. Gibson has above-average stuff, especially his plus changeup and slider, which induces a lot of grounders.
From 2010:
Alex Wimmers, RHP: Taken with the No. 21 overall pick, Wimmers showed plenty of potential last year with Class A Advanced Fort Myers as another college pitcher who could move quickly through the Minors. In four games, Wimmers went 2-0 with a 0.57 ERA, striking out 23 batters in 15 2/3 innings. This year has not gone as well for Wimmers, who walked all six batters he faced in his 2011 debut, giving up four runs and taking the loss. He has since been moved to extended Spring Training, where he and the Twins are working on his mechanics.
Undrafted Free Agent Signees:
Miguel Sano, 3B: Signed in the 2009 international signing period, Sano started 2010 in the Dominican Summer League before joining the Twins’ rookie ball club in the Gulf Coast League. In 61 games between the two leagues last year, Sano batted .307/.379/.491 with seven home runs and 29 RBIs. Sano has tremendous raw power to all fields and should hit for average as well. Having just turned 18 in May, Sano likely remains four years away from the Major League level.
Oswaldo Arcia, OF: Likely a corner outfielder at the next level, Arcia was the Appalachian League MVP in 2010, leading that rookie circuit in a number of offensive categories. Arcia has power to all fields, but needs to cut down on strikeouts. In 20 games this year with Class A Beloit, Arcia has batted .352/.420/.704 with five home runs and 18 RBIs.
Liam Hendriks, RHP: Derailed by an appendectomy last season, the Aussie right-hander has had some issues staying healthy, but when he is, he can throw four pitches for strikes with great command. He pitched in Australia over the winter and has been impressive at Double-A New Britain in 2011. Hendriks has a 2.75 ERA with 58 strikeouts and just 13 walks in 59 innings this year for the Rock Cats.
Jordan Schelling is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
Twins arm themselves in 2011 Draft
MINNEAPOLIS — One thing that seemed clear about the Twins’ strategy in the 2011 First-Year Player Draft is that they targeted pitchers, especially college arms and big left-handers.
Out of 52 selections, the Twins selected 35 pitchers. Of those, 16 were left-handed, and 19 were college pitchers. After selecting 21 pitchers on Day 2, the Twins came back for 13 more on the third day of the Draft on Wednesday.
“I wouldn’t say we just targeted college pitching,” Twins scouting director Deron Johnson said. “That’s just kind of how it fell. In the history of the Draft, a lot of times after the 10th or 11th round, it’s tough to sign a high school player. Those kids are going to go to school.”
The Twins bucked the trends a bit in their drafting patterns, selecting two infielders on Day 1 before going pitching-heavy on Days 2 and 3. Overall, however, the 2011 Draft saw teams focus heavily on pitching on Day 1 and switch to bats on Day 2.
The first two right-handers selected by the Twins — Hudson Boyd at No. 55, and Madison Boer at No. 87 — both look to have the potential to move relatively quickly through the system.
Another pick the Twins really liked was their third-round selection, left-hander Corey Williams out of Vanderbilt University. Williams is a power reliever who can touch 95 mph with his fastball.
“We like [Williams’] potential,” Johnson said. “He’s got a good arm; he’s a bullpen guy with three solid pitches. We definitely plan on signing him.”
With so many picks used on pitching, the Twins took only 17 position players in the Draft. After selecting a pair of infielders on Day 1 when they got shortstop Levi Michael at No. 30 and third baseman Travis Harrison at No. 55, the Twins drafted seven position players on Day 2 and eight on Day 3.
Six of those position players were shortstops and six were outfielders, while they also picked up two catchers, a pair of second basemen and one third baseman in Harrison. Like the pitchers, most (10 of 17) of the position players drafted by the Twins were collegiate athletes.
Again, the Twins were looking for older prospects to plug into their system, and Michael is another pick who could move quickly through the Minors to the big leagues. Johnson said he was happy to get some athletic middle infielders, something he thought could benefit the young players already in the organization at those positions.
Overall, Johnson said the Twins were able to fill some organizational needs with this year’s Draft, especially with the big power arms selected. With their Day 3 picks, the Twins filled some needs at the lower levels of the organization and also took some guys that they’ll keep an eye on as they take part in collegiate summer competition, like the Cape Cod League.
“We took a few guys that we’re going to attempt to sign; we’ll follow them in the summer,” Johnson said. “A few of them are going to the Cape; I think a few of them might be in the Northwoods League. We’ll monitor them [and] their progress during the summer, and we’ll make a decision at some point during the summer.”
Jordan Schelling is an associate reporter for MLB.com This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
Twins load up on arms in Day 2 of Draft
MINNEAPOLIS — After not selecting any with their three first-day picks, the second day of the Twins’ 2011 First-Year Player Draft was heavy on collegiate pitchers.
Out of 29 picks on Tuesday, 13 were used on college pitchers, two on junior college pitchers and six on high school arms.
Not only did the Twins draft a lot of pitchers, they drafted a lot of left-handers and a lot of big pitchers.
Twelve of the 21 pitchers drafted by the Twins were left-handed. All but one pitcher selected was over 6-foot, with lefties Jason Wheeler at 6-foot-8 and Adam McCreery at 6-foot-8 being the tallest.
“We went with some pretty big-bodied pitchers,” said Twins scouting director Deron Johnson. “We got some guys that we liked, and some guys that we thought had a chance to start.”
Another trend for the Twins was shortstops, of which they selected four. Three of those were college shortstops, while one was a high school prospect.
It was a position the Twins were targeting on both of the Draft’s first two days, and they hoped to get some older middle infielders in their system to go along with the younger ones already there.
“It all started with Levi Michael,” Johnson said, referring to the Twins’ first-round pick. “It carried on down to Adam Bryant and Tyler Grimes.”
While they would have liked to get some catchers in the draft to build depth in the organization behind the plate, things did not line up well for the Twins to do so.
They selected just one catcher in the first 30 picks of the Draft.
“We definitely would’ve liked to get one up high,” Johnson said. “We got picked a couple times early in the Draft and it just didn’t fall this year. So we had to make an adjustment and we went elsewhere.”
Live coverage of the 2011 First-Year Player Draft resumes at 11 a.m. CT Wednesday on MLB.com, where fans will receive exclusive coverage of Day 3, featuring a live pick-by-pick stream, expert commentary and Draft Tracker, a live interactive application that includes a searchable database of every Draft-eligible player.
You can also keep up to date at Draft Central and by following @MLBDraft on Twitter. And get into the Draft conversation by tagging your tweets with #mlbdraft.
Round 2, Madison Boer, RHP, University of Oregon
A native of Eden Prairie, Minn., Boer can run his fastball up as high as 96 mph and uses his slider as his out pitch. Boer also has a nasty splitter, and likely profiles as a starter or closer. He had a 2.27 ERA this year, striking out 74 batters against 34 walks in 99 innings.
Round 3, Corey Williams, LHP, Vanderbilt University
A power relief pitcher this year for Vanderbilt, Williams can touch 95 mph with his fastball. He had a 5.64 ERA in 24 appearances this year for the Commodores, after missing much of last season when his kneecap was shattered by a line drive against the Florida Gators.
Round 4, Matt Summers, RHP, UC-Irvine
Previously drafted by the Yankees, Summers was the Big West Pitcher of the Year in 2011. Summers was 11-2 with a 1.72 ERA, striking out 96 batters in 109 2/3 innings over 16 starts. He also tossed the fourth no-hitter in school history against Long Beach State.
Round 5, Tyler Grimes, SS, Wichita State
With 27 stolen bases in 31 attempts this season, Grimes’ speed is one of his biggest assets. Grimes is a pesky leadoff-type hitter, and he batted .300/.467/.420 for the Shockers this season with five home runs and 32 RBIs. He committed 30 errors in 329 chances in 2011.
Round 6, Ivan Rodriguez, CF, Monsignor Edward Pace HS (Fla.)
Son of former American League MVP and 14-time All-Star catcher Ivan Rodriguez, the younger Rodriguez has always been an outfielder. Once clocked at 95 mph on a throw from center field to home plate, Rodriguez has also tried his hand at pitching.
Round 7, Steven Gruver, LHP, University of Tennessee
Tossing two complete games, Gruver had his best collegiate season as a junior. He went 5-7 with a 3.95 ERA for the Volunteers, striking out 84 in 95 2/3 innings. For his career at Tennessee, he had 165 strikeouts in 184 innings.
Round 8, Jason Wheeler, LHP, Loyola Marymount
Named the Northwoods League pitcher of the year in 2010, Wheeler went 8-1 with a 1.35 ERA last summer for the St. Cloud River Bats. Wheeler went 6-4 with a 3.84 ERA as a junior at Loyola Marymount, striking out 71 batters in 103 innings while allowing just 24 walks.
Round 9, Nicholas Bryant, SS, Troy University
One of 50 players named to the Golden Spikes List. Bryant, who goes by his middle name, Adam, hit .337 this year with a team-high 11 home runs and a .570 slugging percentage. He is Troy University’s all-time hits leader with 276 hits over his four-year career.
Round 10, Brett Lee, LHP, St. Petersburg Junior College
In his second year with the Titans, Lee tossed 80 innings over 19 games, posting a 5.06 ERA with 75 strikeouts against 25 walks. The native of Pensacola, Fla., is listed at 6-foot-4 and 205 pounds.
Round 11, Tyler Jones, RHP, Louisiana State University
Previously drafted last year in the 21st round by the White Sox, Jones was a Junior College all-American at Madison Area Technical College, which he lead to the 2010 Junior College World Series. Jones was 4-0 with a 5.22 ERA in 14 appearances this year with LSU.
Round 12, Matthew Koch, C, Loyola Marymount
Named the West Coast Conference player of the month for May, Koch hit .313/.357/.483 this season for Loyola Marymount, with 22 doubles, four home runs and 39 RBIs. He was previously drafted by the Rays in the 22nd round of last year’s Draft.
Round 13, Steven Evans, LHP, Liberty University
Over 100 1/3 innings, Evans struck out 83 with 29 walks in 16 games (15 starts) for Liberty this season. He posted a 2.87 ERA while going 7-3 and earning second team all-Big South honors. Opposing batters only hit .211 off Evans, but he also hit 22 of them.
Round 14, Adam McCreery, LHP, Bonita HS (Calif.)
Committed to play collegiate baseball at Arizona State University, McCreery is a 6-foot-8 lefty. He missed much of the 2011 season with an elbow injury and was slowly worked back. He threw a one-hit shutout with eight strikeouts in a 5-1 victory last month.
Round 15, Josue Montanez, LHP, Miami Dade CC
Previously drafted by the Padres last year in the 25th round, Montanez went 7-2 this season with a 2.59 ERA, tossing 66 innings over 14 games. Montanez struck out 70 batters while walking just 19. He also gave up 33 runs on 58 hits.
Round 16, Austin Malinowski, LHP, Centennial HS (Minn.)
A local product, Malinowski is committed to Arizona. Malinowski threw a one-hitter last month to lead Centennial past Andover for a 10-0 victory. The lefty made the All-Metro team as a junior after posting a 7-0 record with a 0.85 ERA and 63 strikeouts in 41 innings.
Round 17, Joshua Burris, RHP, LSU-Eunice
Listed as utility player for the Bengals, Burris went 1-1 with a 4.64 ERA in 13 appearances as a freshman. He earned one save while striking out 32 batters and walking 20 over 21 1/3 innings. He also batted .273 with a triple, a home run and seven RBIs.
Round 18, Corey Kimes, LHP, University of Illinois
Kimes went 4-4 this year with a 5.15 ERA for the Illini, striking out 57 batters with 39 walks in 16 games, 15 starts. The lefty was named the No. 9 prospect in the Prospect League by Baseball America after going 5-1 with a 2.64 ERA with the Springfield Sliders.
Round 19, Tyler Koelling, CF, Southern Mississippi
As a senior, Koelling was the recipient of the Cellular South Ferris Trophy, awarded since 2004 to the best collegiate baseball player in Mississippi. Koelling batted .362/.409/.500 in 55 games this season, with four home runs, 46 RBIs, and just nine strikeouts.
Round 20, Brian Anderson, SS, Deer Creek High School (Okla.)
In addition to shortstop, Brian Anderson also was a pitcher in high school. In April, he came within one out of a no-hitter before allowing a single. Anderson helped lead Deer Creek to the Class 5A state championship game, where they lost.
Round 21, Michael Howard, LHP, Prescott High School (Ariz.)
Committed to Baylor University next year, Howard is a 6-foot, 165-pound lefty. He threw a no-hitter in March against Sunset High School (Ore.) in the Coach Bob National Tournament, striking out 16 batters.
Round 22, James Ramsey, RF, Florida State University
A team leader on and off the field, Ramsey batted .358/.438/.591 this year for the Seminoles, with 10 home runs and 66 RBIs. He also walked 30 times and stole 11 bases in 14 attempts. FSU is still alive, facing Texas A&M in the Super Regional round this weekend.
Round 23, Timothy Shibuya, RHP, UC-San Diego
A native of Wyoming, Shibuya was 11-4 with a 2.12 ERA in 15 starts as a senior. He struck 109 against just 12 walks in 110 1/3 innings. Shibuya is the all-time wins and strikeouts leader at UCSD and was the California Collegiate Athletic Association Co-Pitcher of the Year.
Round 24, Nick Burdi, RHP, Downer’s Grove HS (Ill.)
Projected to go much higher in the Draft by many, Burdi is committed to the University of Louisville. He has a fastball that reaches the upper 90s and a devastating breaking ball. One of the top Illinois prep pitchers this year, Burdi projects as a back-of-the-bullpen arm.
Round 25, Adam Pettersen, SS, University of Minnesota
A native of Minnetonka, Minn., Pettersen was a freshman All-American in 2009. Pettersen, who goes by AJ, batted .344/.394/.426 with one home run, 12 RBIs and eight stolen bases for the Gophers this year. He played in the Cape Cod League in 2010 for the Hyannis Mets.
Round 26, Trent Higginbotham, RHP, Clay Chalkville HS (Ala.)
Committed to Shelton State Community College, Higginbotham is 6-foot-1, 170-pound right-hander. His fastball has been recorded as high as 89 mph, with little movement. He also has a big breaking curveball and a solid changeup.
Round 27, Chris Mazza, RHP, Menlo College (Calif.)
He did it all for the Oaks, swinging a big bat, playing stellar defense in the infield and closing games on the mound. Mazza hit .337/.420/.517 as a senior this year, with 58 hits in 48 games. He also recorded a 2.73 ERA, going 3-4 in 19 appearances with nine saves.
Round 28, David Hurlbut, LHP, Cal State Fullerton
Nicknamed “Booty”, the 6-foot-3, 205-pound lefty models his game after Giants left-hander Barry Zito. Hurlbut was 2-1 with a 4.08 ERA, recording 20 strikeouts in 17 2/3 innings for Cal State Fullerton this year. Opponents hit .275 off him.
Round 29, Derek Thompson, LHP, Teutopolis High School (Ill.)
Committed to John A. Logan Junior College, Thompson, a 6-foot-3 lefty, helped lead the Teutopolis Wooden Shoes baseball team to a second consecutive Illinois Class 2A Championship as a senior.
Round 30, William Clinard, RHP, Vanderbilt University
A 6-foot-4, 225-pound redshirt sophomore, Clinard was 1-2 with a 3.19 ERA in 31 appearances for the Commodores this year. He recorded 36 strikeouts over 31 innings, while walking just eight batters. Opponents hit .274 off Clinard.
Jordan Schelling is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
Boer surprised when picked by hometown Twins
By Jordan Schelling / MLB.com
MINNEAPOLIS — When his name was called Tuesday morning, Madison Boer thought his parents were joking with him. After all, he didn’t expect to go until the third or even fourth round.
But they weren’t joking. With the 87th overall pick, the Twins used their second-round selection on Boer, a right-hander out of the University of Oregon.
“I was having breakfast and I had a mouthful of pancakes,” Boer said. “I was kind of waiting for the third round to come around and my parents started freaking out. I was like, ‘What happened?’ I thought they were joking with me, I was kind of getting angry, and then they go, ‘No, look, look.’ And then I saw and I was pretty excited.”
Not only was Boer picked a round before he expected to go, he had been selected by his hometown Twins. Before pitching for the Ducks, Boer was an Eden Prairie High School standout.
Boer was a three-time letter winner for Eden Prairie, while also earning first-team All-State and All-Conference honors before graduating in 2008.
While he may not have expected to go in the second round, the Twins definitely thought Boer had the right makeup to be selected No. 87.
“We had consensus second-round numbers on Madison Boer,” said Twins scouting director Deron Johnson. “We thought he was a second-round talent, we loved his body, we love his tools. It just so happened that he was from here.”
However it worked out, Boer couldn’t think of a much better team to be drafted by than the Twins.
“I think it’s pretty fitting and I’m really excited to potentially get to the Majors in a couple years and hopefully help out the home team,” Boer said. “My parents still live about 25 minutes from Target Field.”
A 6-foot-4, 215-pound right-hander, Boer posted a 3-6 record and a 2.27 ERA in 18 games (12 starts) as a junior this year with Oregon. He recorded 74 strikeouts against 34 walks in 99 innings.
Boer can run his fastball up as high as 96 mph, with his slider as his out pitch. He also has a nasty splitter, and likely profiles as a starter or a closer. He did both this season for the Ducks, picking up three saves toward the end of the year when shifted to the closer’s role.
“He can do both, we think he feels he’s comfortable coming out of the bullpen, but he’s got pitches to start,” Johnson said. “It’s almost like a Carlos Gutierrez situation a few years ago. How he performs after we sign him will dictate which role he’ll end up being in.”
As long as he gets to pitch, Boer said either starting or closing is OK with him.
“I always say it’s most fun to pitch when the game is on the line,” Boer said. “But it’s also very fun to have your own game and a weekly schedule and that whole deal. I’d say it balances out and I’d just like to pitch whenever they want me to.
“I think I’ll probably start at first, and then if they don’t think I can start anymore maybe they’ll make me a reliever and I can see if I can close.”
Boer is still on campus in Eugene, Ore., with one more final exam remaining this week.
While he is still focusing on school, he said he’s more likely to sign than not, especially with it being his hometown club.
“I’m probably leaning toward signing,” Boer said. “I was telling teams that I was prepared to sign in the third, so I’ll probably have to hold to that by signing in the second.”
Live coverage of the 2011 First-Year Player Draft resumes at 11 a.m. CT Wednesday on MLB.com, where fans will receive exclusive coverage of Day 3, featuring a live pick-by-pick stream, expert commentary and Draft Tracker, a live interactive application that includes a searchable database of every Draft-eligible player.
You can also keep up to date at Draft Central and by following @MLBDraft on Twitter. And get into the Draft conversation by tagging your tweets with #mlbdraft.
Jordan Schelling is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
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