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In 2011, the Minnesota Twins announced that legend Harmon Killebrew’s health was deteriorating and he was entering hospice care. Fans around the country, and especially in the Upper Midwest, chimed in to tell tales of Killebrew. I recall finding it interesting that very few of those stories had anything to do with anything that occurred on a baseball field. Most of these stories involved something he had told a kid, shaking hands with fans, his impeccably legible autograph, or some charitable event that he came to and inspired masses. People talked about how great he was as a person. His baseball prowess was hardly mentioned. His 573 home runs. His 1,584 RBI. His MVP. His six AL home run championships. His 11 All Star appearances. Those are all part of his story, but the stories people told were of Harmon Killebrew, the great human being. Following Killebrew’s death, the Minnesota Twins established the Harmon Killebrew Award for Community Service, and each year, the Twins have named one winner for each of their four full-season affiliates. Each affiliate’s GM nominated a recipient who exemplifies Killebrew through their work in the community.Yesterday, we announced that Brian Rapp was the 2019 Killebrew Award recipient for the Cedar Rapids Kernels. Today, we’ll discuss the 2019 Killebrew Award recipient of the Pensacola Blue Wahoos, right-hander Hector Lujan. Hector Lujan was the Twins 35th round pick in 2015 out of Westmont College. This isn’t his first Killebrew Award. He was the 2017 choice for the Cedar Rapids Kernels. He began the 2019 season in Ft. Myers but was moved up to Pensacola by mid-June. Combined, he posted a 2.76 ERA over 58 2/3 innings with 55 strikeouts. However, it is off the field where Lujan has also had a huge effect. Anna Striano is the Blue Wahoos Community Relations Manager, and she thought that Lujan was a terrific choice. She told Twins Daily recently, “Hector was our choice for the award because he truly lived out our mission - to improve the quality of life for those in our community.” She continued, ‘A regular visitor to our ‘autograph alley,’ Hector made time both before and after games to make sure that each child not only got the autograph that they were after, but also left with a smile on their face. As one of our players with the most community hours volunteered this season. Hector was consistently engaging with members of our community from all different walks of life. Whether it be visiting sick children in the hospital or catching a ceremonial first pitch, he was always the first to jump in when we needed volunteers, and always did so with a smile on his face.” The award does mean a lot to Lujan, and he appreciates the opportunities he has as a professional ballplayer. “It's an honor to receive an award named after Hall of Famer, Harmon Killebrew. It is also an honor to be a part of an organization that has such an impact on their community. The focus that Pensacola and the Twins have on the community was great! Lots of community interaction between the players and the fans. Hearing about the community leader that Harmon Killebrew was, I can only hope that throughout my baseball career and life, I can leave a mark on the community as he did. I want to be known as someone that gave all I had, both on and off the field and do whatever I can to help make a change in a good way in kids lives or even adults.” Striano mentioned a couple of the events that Lujan participated in. “Over the season, Hector visited Nemours Children’s Hospital on three separate occasions and stopped by the Studer Family Children’s Hospital as well. Hector was also a part of the ‘Hit a Homerun for Early Literacy’ program. During this event he read Clifford Makes the Team to an audience of about 50 children ranging in age from infancy to kindergarten. During each event Hector was always engaging and approachable – often going the extra mile to make these experiences truly memorable by creating personal interactions with each fan, patient, or person he encountered.” Lujan spoke of a couple of his favorite activities. “Two of my favorite things that I got to do were hospital visits and a boys and girls club baseball game.” Let’s start with his thoughts on visiting the local hospitals, bringing smiles to the kids and also listening to parents.. “Some of the activities that were great that I and some players were involved in were hospital visits to kids. Seeing the faces lit up on the kids when walking into the room really made our day. Talking to them and being able to hangout with them and have conversations with them was also fun being able to learn all sorts of things from them. The conversations with the parents and seeing how grateful they were when spending time with their kids was also great and it made us feel very grateful to see them happy by spending time with their kids and family.” Regarding the baseball games, Lujan noted, “The boys and girls club baseball game was a BLAST! Some police and fire department staff were there too which made it even more entertaining being able to play with them and have great conversations. ” Again, this is not new to Lujan. He not only has been doing work in the communities in which he has played as a pro baseball player but was involved in community in college and earlier. “It was a great time all around being able to participate in the community and represent the Pensacola Blue Wahoos and the Twins.” Striano summarize Lujan’s impact quite well in saying “To me, Hector is the embodiment of ‘it’s bigger than baseball,’ and we are proud to recognize and thank him for the work he did in the Pensacola community.” -------------------------------------------------------------- Previous Twins Double-A Killebrew Award winners: 2011 - Bobby Lanigan 2012 - Shawn Roof 2013 - Dan Rohlfing 2014 - Tony Thomas 2015 - Tim Shibuya 2016 - David Hurlbut 2017 - Travis Harrison 2018 - Chris Paul Other 2019 Killebrew Award Recipients Rochester Red Wings - Coming Soon Pensacola Blue Wahoos - Hector Lujan Fort Myers Miracle - Coming Soon Cedar Rapids Kernels - Brian Rapp Congratulations to Hector Lujan on earning the 2019 Harmon Killebrew Award for Community Service for the Blue Wahoos. 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Right-handed relief pitcher Brian Rapp recently completed his first full season in professional baseball, and his name will forever be linked to the great Harmon Killebrew. You will need to continue reading to find out how. Hall of Famer Harmon Killebrew is generally considered the greatest Twins player in their 59-season history in Minnesota. He was an imposing figure on the field, capable of altering a game with one swing of his mighty bat. Off the field, Killebrew was said to be one of the most genuinely compassionate man, respectful and helpful. Following the Hall of Famer’s death in 2011, the Twins announced the initiation of the Harmon Killebrew Award for Community Service. One player from each of the four Twins full-season affiliates would be presented with the award in recognition of their work in their community. Over the coming days, we’ll share with you the four 2019 recipients of the Harmon Killebrew Award for Community Service.The 2019 Harmon Killebrew Award for Community Service recipient for the Cedar Rapids Kernels is right-handed relief pitcher Brian Rapp. Rapp was the Twins 26th-round pick in 2018 out of Boston College where he pitched for four seasons. He pitched in Elizabethton the remainder of 2018. He spent the entire 2019 season pitching mostly out of the bullpen for the Kernels. He went 5-1 in 33 games and 65 2/3 innings. So no… On the field there are not a lot of similarities between the slugging Killebrew and pitching Rapp, but off the field they both value serving the communities in which they live. Rapp said, “I really enjoyed my time being in the Cedar Rapids community. We were so blessed to have some amazing fans and people welcome us not only to their homes but the city in general.” Aron Brecht works for the Kernels. One of his responsibilities is working with organizations in the community and scheduling players to participate in a variety of events. He appreciated all that Rapp did throughout the season. Brecht said, “Brian was the choice for the Harmon Killebrew Award because of his involvement in almost all of the 41 player appearances the Cedar Rapids Kernels scheduled this year. It wasn’t only his presence that won the award for him, but his engagement with folks of all ages.” Rapp worked with young kids through some school programs but also throughout the summer. He noted, “I went to reading programs we had set up with local elementary schools to read and act out books. Also met with other kids throughout summer to speak and just hang out, there were events to feed veterans and lastly a program called “Catch with a Cop.” Brecht found Rapp’s work with the Catch with a Cop most notable. “His work with kids and law enforcement officers during the Kernels five ‘Catch with a Cop’ programs – which has local at-risk children team up with local law enforcement to establish a positive and engaging relationship during a game of catch. Sometimes, the kids could be a little wary about warming up to the officers, and Brian regularly acted as the liaison between them by starting not only conversations and games of catch, but whiffle ball games and home run derbies, too.” The players who are really good at these community service opportunities are the ones who really enjoy the opportunity to be a role model. Rapp noted, “We had such great times. I really enjoy teaching young kids and being able to talk with them and get to know what’s going on in their lives because I was that kid when I was younger. I always looked up to older kids, especially athletes. When it came to professionals, I looked up and always aspired to work hard to get there myself one day and a lot of their messages stuck with me and helped drive me forward always. So in turn I try to always do the same.” Paying it forward, if you will. It is what makes Rapp appreciative of his opportunities, and it is what made Rapp the clear choice as the Kernels 2019 Harmon Killebrew Award for Community Service Recipient. Brecht concludes, “His fun personality was infectious and his attitude was incredible throughout the whole season and the Kernels thank him, and are proud to recognize him, for all of his work in the Cedar Rapids community.” ------------------------------------------------------ Previous Twins Low-A Killebrew Award winners: 2011 - Ryan O’Rourke 2012 - Corey Williams 2013 - Niko Goodrum 2014 - Tanner Vavra 2015 - Jared Wilson 2016 - Nelson Molina 2017 - Hector Lujan 2018 - David Banuelos Other 2019 Killebrew Award Recipients Rochester Red Wings - Coming Soon Chattanooga Lookouts - Coming Soon Fort Myers Miracle - Coming Soon Cedar Rapids Kernels - Brian Rapp Congratulations to Brian Rapp on earning the 2019 Harmon Killebrew Award for Community Service for the Cedar Rapids Kernels. Click here to view the article

Go back through the minor league histories of most players who ultimately become big leaguers. You can often see a point in the career timelines where they went from just another young player trying to figure it all out to a legitimate professional ballplayer with a chance to make his dreams come true. A point at which a metaphorical switch was flipped. If Trey Cabbage’s dreams of playing Major League Baseball ultimately are realized, the spring of 2019 might just be the point in time that we identify his switch as having been flipped.The Minnesota Twins selected Cabbage with their fourth-round pick in the Amateur Draft in June, 2015, out of Grainger High School in Rutledge, Tennessee, and, like most high school draftees, they assigned him to their Gulf Coast League affiliate in Fort Myers. Also like most high school draftees, Cabbage found playing ball professionally, even at the lowest US-based levels, was nothing like high school. In his first four summers of pro ball, starting with that first summer with the GCL Twins and followed by about a season and a half each with Elizabethton and Cedar Rapids, Cabbage hit just .236 while striking out in almost one-third of his plate appearances. Of course, a propensity for strikeouts is something most organizations accept for their power hitters. The problem, for Cabbage, was that his eight home runs for the Kernels in 2018 constituted a career high in round trippers, which certainly threatened to disqualify him from membership in the “power hitter” club. While still just 21 years old, the 2019 season suddenly loomed as a critical year for Cabbage. Something had to change. Though this season is still less than a month old, it’s becoming clear that something has indeed changed for Cabbage. Maybe a couple of somethings. First, and most discernible to the casual observer, he’s up to 224 pounds and none of it is in places it shouldn’t be. If you’re one of those people who like to shake a player’s hand when you ask for his autograph, you might want to just settle for his signature. His handshake could affect your ability to sign your own name for a couple of days if you aren’t prepared for it. Even with the additional strength, though, it turns out the “something” that’s changed the most is the one square foot of space between Cabbage’s ears. photo by Steve Buhr Through Wednesday, he’s sporting a .364/.417./.705 (1.121 OPS) slash line that’s unlike anything the Twins have seen from him before. It takes more than additional strength to make that kind of turnaround, even if the season is less than a month old. Ironically, perhaps, the primary reason for his statistical turnaround may be a new personal disregard for the numbers. “Working with Pete Fatse, our hitting coordinator, and Ryan Smith, our hitting coach here, I’ve got more of a process-oriented mindset instead of a numbers mindset,” Cabbage explained this week. “Because if you’re worried about trying to get hits for the numbers, then you’re going to start manipulating your swing and that’s going to cause you to start overthinking and swinging at bad pitches. At least it does for me.” His manager, Brian Dinkelman, agrees and has seen the difference in Cabbage already. “I think the mental thing is probably the big thing for him. Just not trying to overthink things or change up too much all the time,” Dinkelman said. “Stick to what his plan is and swinging at strikes, that’s the main thing for him. Nobody hits really when they expand the zone. If you’re swinging at pitches in the zone, then you can do some damage. Once he makes contact with the ball, he usually hits it pretty hard.” Which brings us back to the subject of those strikeouts. Through Wednesday, Cabbage has been striking out just over one time every four plate appearances. Not a major reduction from the one-in-three rate previously, perhaps, especially considering the small sample size reflected in 11 games worth of plate appearances, but arguably a step in the right direction. Cabbage isn’t doing any one thing in particular to focus on reducing his strikeout rate but feels his new mental approach to hitting will take care of that. “I think with the mindset of doing more damage, the big thing was to zone up and not try to cover all 17 inches of the plate at all times,” he explained. “When you’re in an offensive count, there’s no need to be fighting off a pitch on the outer black – fighting off the nasty slider or change up that they’re throwing when you’re in an offensive count. You should look for pitches you can do damage. “So, (hitting coach Ryan Smith) was telling me to zone up and doing that has allowed me to have more of a clear vision of what I’m looking for. Not just be like, ‘Alright that looks like it could be a strike, let’s take a hack at it.’ That’s what I’ve done in the past and I was having too broad of a zone when I was ahead in the count.” photo by Steve Buhr Having suited up for the Kernels for 47 games in 2017 and the entire 2018 season, nobody could blame Cabbage for not wanting to spend any more time back in Cedar Rapids this season than is absolutely necessary. After all, the goal of every minor league player is to get promoted to the next level and, while he’s still close to the average age for a player at the Class A level, this is still his third calendar year with the Kernels. While Cedar Rapids understandably wasn’t his preferred destination to start the current season, Cabbage took the re-assignment to the Kernels in stride. “I was with the Fort Myers (Class High-A) group through most of spring training and I was busting my hind end trying to stay on that roster as long as I could and of course I wanted to start the season there,” he admitted. “But that’s out of my hands and all I can do is just go out and take care of my work and whatever happens, happens. “I won’t lie to you, I wanted to be there really bad, but there are a lot worse places to be than Cedar Rapids. I still have a job and I’m still playing.” photo by Steve Buhr He’s also not letting himself get distracted by thoughts of a potential promotion, even with his hot start. “If I was wishing, ‘Oh, I should be there, I’m out-playing somebody,’ that’s just bad karma, it doesn’t help anybody,” he said. “Then you start saying, ‘oh, well he got two hits, I’ve got to go get two hits.’ Then you press and overdo things. “I’m just trying to go out and play day by day and take care of myself. That’s how you got to the level where you’re at. You’ve got to take it one pitch at a time and make sure you beat the (pitcher) on every pitch that you see.” For those who have watched his on-deck circle routine for a couple of years (which always begins with a ‘Happy Gilmore’ hop-skip-swing), it’s natural to wonder if Cabbage is attributing any of his success to new routines, but that’s not really the case. Not too much, anyway. “I feel good at the plate right now. I’ve always been a routine-based guy, so I know what’s going on right now feels good, so I’m not thinking, ‘OK well this is good, if I do a little bit more, I can make it a little bit better,’ he explained. “I’m only a little ‘stitious,’ I’m not ‘SUPERstitious.’ So, I like to keep the same routine, but I’m not in a panic mode if something doesn’t go exactly right. It’s just coming in and getting the work in every day. Not trying to overdo it. Not trying to overthink it. And then when the game (starts), you go out and play. You’re not overthinking or over critiquing yourself pitch by pitch.” Other Kernels Notes Cedar Rapids’ record is just 5-8, tied for last place in the Midwest League’s Western Division currently.Cabbage has been the brightest spot in the Kernels’ lineup thus far, but others may be starting to step up and carry their share of the load.Michael Davis is now hitting .314 with an .862 OPS.Gabe Snyder, who joined the team last week, is slashing .455/.500/.773 (1.273 OPS) through his first six games in CR.Gabriel Maciel recently arrived and promptly went 3 for 5 in his first game with the Kernels.On the pitching side, most of the rotation has had a start that didn’t go particularly well and at least one other that went much better.Blayne Enlow has given up just one earned run, in total, over his last two starts.Jordan Balazovic struck out nine batters in each of his two starts this season.Josh Winder struck out nine batters over five innings pitched in his last start.Reliever Brian Rapp has a 0.78 WHIP and a 1.00 ERA over his first nine innings of relief work.Tyler Palm has a 0.86 WHIP and a 1.29 ERA over seven innings of relief.Zach Neff and Carlos Suniaga have each struck out nine batters over their first six innings out of the bullpen.Joe Record has yet to give up an earned run while striking out seven over 2.2 Innings Pitched over three relief appearances.Looking for more information on the Kernels? Check out these stories from the Cedar Rapids Gazette’s beat reporter, Jeff Johnson:Reliever Joe Record Looking Forward to First Pro Outing, Two Years in the MakingReliever Tyler Palm Takes the Road Less Traveled to Affiliated BallGabe Snyder Makes Good Early Impression for Kernels Click here to view the article

On Day 3 of the 2018 MLB Draft, Brian Rapp was the 26th round draft pick by the Minnesota Twins. Earlier this year, the 22-year-old was the ACC Pitcher of the Year at Boston College. Rapp signed quickly signed in Ft. Myers. He was assigned to Elizabethton. Recently, Twins Daily caught up with the 2018 draft pick. So keep reading and get to know him. Like other college pitchers, the Twins tend to be quite cautious with their innings and usage in their first season. He has pitched in 35 1/3 innings over nine games, including six starts. He has 34 strikeouts to go with just eight walks.We would like to thank RHP Brian Rapp for taking time to answer our questions. Please feel free to ask questions and congratulate him in the Comments below. Seth Stohs (SS): Growing up in New Jersey, who was your favorite team to follow? Who were some of your favorite players? Brian Rapp (BR): I actually grew up a huge Mets fan. My first favorite player I can remember was Robin Ventura because he wore the number four and that was always my number growing up. In terms of pitchers, one name that sticks out was definitely Al Leiter, who I actually have had the privilege of getting to know and talk pitching with a bunch as he is a family friend. A little later on I really loved watching Johan Santana pitch even before he was a Met. Believe it or not, the Minnesota Twins were always my go-to team in MVP Baseball ’05 because of Santana and the likes of young Joe Mauer and Morneau. It’s a pretty cool thing now being in the Twins organization myself! SS: You led your high school team in New Jersey to a lot of wins and a championship. 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? BR: During my years at Delbarton, I had a ton of unbelievable experiences. I really was so privileged to go there. Playing for the baseball program and Coach Bruce Shatel was something I had always wanted to do from the time I was able to read the sports section in the newspaper. I would say my favorite memory was winning the prestigious Morris County Tournament in 2012. Still to this day, it is up there as one of my favorite all time teams and clubhouses. We were just a tough, tight-knit group of guys, old and young that came together as brothers and were able to cap that off with a championship. Delbarton preaches brotherhood, as it is ingrained in us and you really saw it come to life, it was pretty cool. I also played basketball and soccer early on as well. SS: What was the decision like for you to attend the IMG Academy your senior year, and what was that experience like for you? BR: It was honestly one of the hardest decisions I had to make especially at that age. Delbarton was a dream for me and playing for that program was such a privilege. But when the opportunity presented itself, I really had to take time to think and consider IMG. I was a big soccer player growing up and actually had the opportunity to train with the ODP (Olympic Development Program), which coincidentally was held at IMG so I knew what it was all about. Luckily my best friend still to this day, Luke Bonfield, who was just in the National Championship with Arkansas and drafted by the Mets, decided to go as well and room together which helped lead me to my decision. Looking back, I ultimately think it was the best decision for my baseball career. Not only was I surrounded by top tier talent and facilities, but the experience taught me how hard I have to work in the game of baseball. I would go to class in the mornings and then be on the field from 1:30- 4:30/5, then go lift, and on non-lift days go to yoga or agility class. It was run basically like a college program, which helped my transition to college the following year. SS: What was the recruitment process like for you, and what was it about Boston College that made it the right choice for you? BR: My recruitment process started and ended pretty quickly. It was always a dream of mine to play baseball in the ACC, and I had talked to schools starting my freshman year and by the time my sophomore year came and I took my visit to BC, I really fell in love with the place and decided to commit. I really believed in the vision Coach Gambino had and that was something I wanted to be a part of. I also wanted to go to a school with high academic prestige, as I knew how important a strong degree is especially after your playing career is over. On top of all that I also grew up outside of NYC so I loved the idea of being in a big city and I ultimately could not be happier with the decision I made. My time at BC was unbelievable and will always be a major highlight in my life. SS: What were a couple of your highlights from your college years? BR: The biggest highlight for me was our 2016 postseason run. We made the ACC tournament and then the Ole Miss Regional, which we hadn’t done in years. We then went on to win that Oxford Regional and play in Game Three of our Super Regional against our conference opponent Miami. It still stings coming up one game short of the ultimate goal of going to Omaha but the brotherhood of that team will always stick out to me and something I will cherish for the rest of my life. Not only were we talented but we were as tight as can be and you could see that in our play. We had 11 pro guys on that squad all in which we still talk and I personally have leaned on a bunch during my transition to pro ball. *** Fun Fact, Fellow Twin and Ft. Myers Miracle Joe Cronin was my senior captain and leader of that great team. SS: Did you have the chance to speak with many scouts before the draft? What was your interaction with the Twins scout? BR: I was fortunate enough to be able to go through the process my junior year in which I met with many scouts throughout the year. It ultimately was a true blessing to be able to play this past spring focused on my play and really enjoying the game. I had met personally with John Wilson and then spoke to him again prior to the draft this June. John had actually watched me play in high school so it’s pretty cool to come back and ultimately get signed by him. He has been an unbelievable help during this transition and is an absolute wealth of knowledge that I know I can always lean on. I will forever be appreciative of him for believing in my abilities. SS: The Twins took you in the 26th round. Was that about where you were expecting to be selected? How did you find out that you had been drafted? How busy was your phone at that moment? BR: A scout in a meeting once told me you can’t have expectations going into the draft or no matter what, it will disappoint. I went into it this June with the mentality that there are tons of talented guys but I am right there with them. Whenever I hear my name called, no matter where, I would work harder than anyone else and take advantage of this honor and opportunity I was given. I received the call from John right as my name was to be announced. It was a pretty surreal moment. I was with my Mom and Dad and it definitely was a very emotional moment. From that point on until the next day or so my phone was blowing up from friends, family, and former teammates throughout the years. It was a very cool moment one that I’m super appreciative for all the support. SS: What has the adjustment been like for you so far, from the college game to the professional game, both on and off the field? BR: On the field the biggest adjustment is being at the park everyday and throwing everyday. In college we always had at least one off day per week and for me as a weekend guy I pitched once a week. It honestly isn’t a major adjustment but at first being on a new 5 day/6 day rotation and not having that extra day was something my arm and body needed to adjust to. Overall, my experience has been great. The one thing we do have is more time to solely focus on our craft and nutrition, which was pretty hard to do being in school. SS: What has the Elizabethton experience been like for you at the ballpark or away from it? BR: E-Town overall has be a great experience. Like I often tell people, I’m so appreciative to play this great game and at this level. This game has already taken me places like Elizabethton and all throughout the Appalachians in which this city boy from NJ/Boston would most likely never think to do o. The fans are awesome and filled with really great people. Off the field you can definitely see the difference compared to the Northeast and being in a city. The pace is definitely very slow compared to up to north but it is a change of pace that I definitely have learned to really appreciate. SS: Which pitches do you throw? What do you consider your out pitch? BR: I throw a four-seam, sinker, curveball, slider and changeup. In terms of an out pitch for me it really depends on my feel that day whether it’s my slider or curveball. SS: At this very early stage in your career, what would you say are your biggest strengths? BR: I’d like think that my biggest strength is my desire to learn and absorb as much knowledge as I can. You can learn so much about this game through watching others and talking with others. It really doesn’t matter who it’s with. Talking about the game, being receptive to ideas, and mixing and matching ideas and information into your own game is what it’s all about. There is so much information out there. Being an attentive student of the game is a strength that I look to hopefully continue to utilize. SS: What are the areas of your game that you would like to spend time working to improve in the offseason? BR: Like I said previously, there is so much out there to learn, especially in the pitching world. I think continuing to work on that side of the game along with getting stronger and eating right will be a great focus of mine! SS: What do you have planned for the offseason? What was your major in school? BR: My plan this offseason is to live and train in Boston and work with Dr. Mike Reinold and Champion PTP (former Head Red Sox Trainer) and possibly with Eric Cressey in Hudson, MA. I’m lucky to be able to live up in Boston with those two strong resources around, as they are two of the best in the business. My older brother is also an Army Ranger and is stationed on Oahu, HI, so my girlfriend Bella and I are going to head out there for two weeks around Thanksgiving time which we’re really excited about. I graduated from BC with a double major in Applied Psychology and Communication with a focus in Management and Leadership. This offseason I will also look to continue and finish studying to take my Series 7 Exam as well. SS: Who are some of the people who have helped you get to this point in your career? BR: First and foremost, my parents are the reason I am where I’m at today. Both of them taught me how to be a good person and how hard you have to work to be successful. The countless hours in the car driving me to practices and games and flying all over the place with me is just the tip of the iceberg. They have sacrificed so much for me to chase my dream and I will forever be grateful. I really am thankful to all the great coaches I had throughout my amateur career as well, as I was blessed with so many great ones. My high school coach Bruce Shatel was one that really stands out. He was the definition of a true mentor. He introduced me to the important mental side of the game especially from a pitching perspective. He always believed in me and allowed me to be myself, which really helped me flourish into the player I was to become. Not many coaches with his resume and accomplishments allow for that and that is what makes him so special and successful. And lastly, Mike Gambino. He instilled in all of us who play for him the importance of a hard work ethic, integrity, and having a vision. Character, Toughness, and Class are the three staples of our program at BC that I will always conduct myself in accordance. SS: Favorite Baseball movie? I hate this question because as a baseball guy there are way too many good ones. But if I had to choose, I guess you have to go with the classic Field of Dreams with Costner! “If you build it, he will come!” And most likely, Rapp will spend time in Cedar Rapids in 2019, approximately one hour from the Field of Dreams movie site. (Note - the first few times I went to Cedar Rapids, I made the trek up to Again, a huge Thank You to Elizabethton pitcher Brian Rapp for taking time to answer our questions. We wish him well the remainder of the season. Feel free to ask questions in the comments below. Click here to view the article