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  • Griffin Jax's Baseball Career Resumes

    Seth Stohs

    By Seth Stohs

    It’s complex. It’s confusing. But the most important thing for Griffin Jax and the Minnesota Twins, Jax can play baseball in the Minnesota Twins organization, just like all of the other prospects. Well, very similar to other Twins prospects.

    Recently, the Twins draft pick learned that he will be able to remain on active duty with the military while training with the Minnesota Twins organization because of the Air Force’s World Class Athlete program.

    (For more background on Griffin Jax, here is a Q&A he did with Twins Daily in January 2017.)

    Image courtesy of David McQueen (photo of Griffin Jax)

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    When the Twins made Griffin Jax their third-round draft choice in 2016, he became the highest player ever selected from the Air Force. At the time, it was assumed that Jax would be able to play full-time upon his graduation in May of 2017. That was something that was allowed for athletes, to immediately pursue a professional career after graduation.

    However, in April of 2017, the Department of Defense changed its policy. Now it would be required to serve two years of active duty after graduation before a person could even apply to serve out their time on reserve status for the purpose of playing pro sports.

    Jax, who pitched in four games for Elizabethton in 2016 after the draft, figured he would only be able to pitch in the Twins organization during his leaves from his active duty. Last summer, he pitched one game for Elizabethton before making four starts for the Cedar Rapids Kernels. Having graduated, he was assigned to serve in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The assumption was that he would do the same in 2018 and maybe even 2019.

    However, in December Jax applied for the military’s World Class Athlete Program which allows active-duty military personnel to make training for the Olympics their full-time responsibility. Because of Jax’s draft position and his signing bonus, he was able to fit the “World Class Athlete” criteria. Also, because baseball is again an Olympic sport Jax can be training toward that goal.

    That’s complex, but it gets even more confusing in a way because military personnel can’t earn a second income. In other words, the Twins could not pay Jax to play for the organization. That’s why it took from December (when Jax applied for the program) until into April (when Jax was approved). Finally, an agreement was made that the Twins could “outfit, feed and cover Jax’s travel.” However, the Air Force will pay him.

    Jax made his way to Ft. Myers on April 24th to begin his extended spring training. On Friday, Jax threw his first live batting practice. It’s something he will likely do another time or two over the next week. At that point, he may make a start or two in EST games. And then he should be assigned to a full-season roster. After just four starts in Cedar Rapids in 2017, he could go there. Depending on where he’s at, he could jump directly to the Ft. Myers Miracle.

    All that is to be determined over the next week or two. For now, Jax is just excited to be back on the mound and to have some resolution to his situation.

    As he told The Gazette (Colorado Springs) after the decision, “It was just an awesome feeling hearing, 'yes,' finally.”

    Seth Stohs has been blogging about the Minnesota Twins since May 2003. A founder and owner of Twins Daily, Seth has been a Twins fan for 40 years and has a passion for covering the minor leagues and prospects.
    Follow Seth Stohs on Twitter: sethtweets

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    Featured Comments

    Taildragger8791

    Taildragger8791 1,614

  • Verified Member

    • Posted

     

    If 30 more sign up with the Air Force Academy that will cost US taxpayers 30 x $100,000 for the cost of 4 years at this elite academy...which is $3,000,000 for their educations then $50,000 per year for these 30 to play baseball while in the US Air Force. That's $1,500,000 more tax dollars to pay these "world class athletes" to play baseball for 1 year. 4 years of this would be $6,000,000. Add that to the cost of the education and you get a grand total of $9,000,000 for these 30 "world class athletes" to do what Griffin Jax will be doing, minus his 1 year of actual service in the military. Let's hope these 30 don't each attract 30 more world class athletes to attend the Air Force Academy. 

     

    Reality is those 30 aren't very likely to actually get drafted by a professional team or approved for the world class athlete program, though. Just knowing they have the option if they're eventually good enough helps avoid losing quality recruits who otherwise don't want to give up on their athletic potential at the age of 18. It's a net benefit to the academies and it's a drop in the bucket for overall spending.

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    Mike Sixel

    Mike Sixel 41,021

  • Old-Timey Member

    • Posted

     

    Some folk get too caught up with age (I guess because it is easy to measure and compare?)  This guy is a legit prospect, regardless of age.

     

    Because pitchers lose velocity as they age. Because he's not really pitched much in 1-2 years. Because he's not in A ball yet (though will be). Age matters. A lot. 

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    ashbury

    ashbury 48,546

  • Old-Timey Member

    • Posted

    Add that to the cost of the education and you get a grand total of $9,000,000 for these 30 "world class athletes"

    Which works out to something under 3 cents for every man, woman and child in the country. Three cents here, and three cents there, for this program and that, and pretty soon you're talking about a whole dollar. :) All in all, there are other reasons to debate this military policy than monetary.

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    gil4

    gil4 2,525

  • Verified Member

    • Posted

     

    If 30 more sign up with the Air Force Academy that will cost US taxpayers 30 x $100,000 for the cost of 4 years at this elite academy...which is $3,000,000 for their educations then $50,000 per year for these 30 to play baseball while in the US Air Force. That's $1,500,000 more tax dollars to pay these "world class athletes" to play baseball for 1 year. 4 years of this would be $6,000,000. Add that to the cost of the education and you get a grand total of $9,000,000 for these 30 "world class athletes" to do what Griffin Jax will be doing, minus his 1 year of actual service in the military. Let's hope these 30 don't each attract 30 more world class athletes to attend the Air Force Academy. 

    There will be no additional cost to taxpayers. There will just be 30 marginal candidates who will have to attend college elsewhere.  (OK, I guess there will be $15 postage plus the cost of printing 30 more rejection letters.)

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    gil4

    gil4 2,525

  • Verified Member

    • Posted

     

    Because pitchers lose velocity as they age. Because he's not really pitched much in 1-2 years. Because he's not in A ball yet (though will be). Age matters. A lot. 

     

    Do we know the loss of velocity is due to aging, not wear and tear?

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    Mike Sixel

    Mike Sixel 41,021

  • Old-Timey Member

    • Posted

     

    Do we know the loss of velocity is due to aging, not wear and tear?

     

    "know"? good question.....but do you think athletes get more or less athletic, as they age?

     

    From what I've read, its both, but hard to say how much is from what cause. And yes, there are plenty of examples of gaining velocity as you age, just as there are many more showing it drops. 

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    amjgt

    amjgt 3,009

  • Verified Member

    • Posted

     

    "know"? good question.....but do you think athletes get more or less athletic, as they age?

     

    From what I've read, its both, but hard to say how much is from what cause. And yes, there are plenty of examples of gaining velocity as you age, just as there are many more showing it drops. 

     

    Does athleticism contribute to pitch speed?

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    Mike Sixel

    Mike Sixel 41,021

  • Old-Timey Member

    • Posted

    Does athleticism contribute to pitch speed?

    Of course it does. Your body is aging, as long as you live. There are peak athletic years, and then general decline. I can't tell if that was a serious question.

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