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Hall of Famer Harmon Killebrew is generally considered the greatest Twins player in their 58-year 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 men, 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 2018 recipients of the Harmon Killebrew Award for Community Service.The 2018 Harmon Killebrew Award for Community Service recipient for the Rochester Red Wings is right-handed relief pitcher Jake Reed. On the field, it was a real solid season for the hard-throwing right-hander. His overall numbers were terrific. He posted a 1.89 ERA with a 1.15 WHIP. In 47 2/3 innings, he walked 21, but he struck out 50 batters. He missed some time early in the season, but since June 1, he was tremendous. Over the season’s final three months, his ERA was just 1.43 and opponents hit just .167 off of him. It is difficult to understand why he did not receive a September call up based on his statistical line, especially late in the season. As impressive as he was on the mound for the Red Wings, he made a strong impression in the Rochester community as well. Red Wings General Manager Dan Mason nominated Reed saying, “Jake has been a phenomenal representative for the Red Wings and the Twins in our community this season volunteering at a variety of both corporate partner events as well as community events.” The list of activities that Reed helped with in the community was quite lengthy. Mason continued, “Some of the community events he participated in include: delivering meals with Meals on Wheels. Speaking engagement for Rochester Regional Hospital, Foodlink Summer kickoff, USSSA clinic, School of the Holy Childhood ( for mentally challenged kids) clinic, Challenger Baseball World Series here at Frontier Field, Red Wings Baseball camp, and another Challenger baseball camp. ” Reed truly appreciated the opportunities he had to work in and for the community thanks to the Red Wings. He said, “The Red Wings have been one of the best organizations I have ever seen as far as the opportunities they give us players to get out into the community and serve. We have done everything from visiting hospitals and running baseball camps, to delivering meals to less fortunate families and working alongside the Challenger baseball league in Rochester, which has been my favorite.” But, according to Mason, Reed went above and beyond the team-sponsored activities. “On his own time, without anyone in our office asking him, Jake visited a Challenger baseball field on his own on a Saturday morning in June. He also can often be seen before games chatting with fans and signing autographs, doing his best to provide lifelong memories for our fans. He truly understands his responsibilities as a professional baseball player on and off the field.” Reed deserved a September call up because of his work on the field for the Red Wings in 2018. However, he fully understands his role in society and the opportunities and the platform he’s been given and chooses to use it for good. He noted recently that he really appreciates receiving the honor and having his name associated with someone like Harmon Killebrew. He said, “This award actually means a lot. I will be honest. Not getting the call at the end of the season was disappointing. But getting this reward definitely reminded me of why God actually has me playing this game. It’s not about baseball. It really isn’t. It’s about loving and serving the people that you come into contact with, and the great thing about baseball is it gives us players plenty of opportunity to do so. I think men like Harmon Killebrew have set the example for us as far as what it looks like to be more than a baseball player.” Reed joined Episode 7 of Seth’s Twins On Deck Podcastlast offseason to talk about the work he’s done on the field, but also to discuss his faith as it is a very important an instrumental part of his life. Previous Red Wings Killebrew Award winners: 2011 - Kyle Gibson 2012 - JR Towles 2013 - Brian Dinkelman 2014 - Logan Darnell 2015 - Logan Darnell 2016 - Logan Darnell 2017 - DJ Baxendale 2018 - Jake Reed Congratulations to Jake Reed on earning the Harmon Killebrew Award for Community Service for the Rochester Red Wings. Over the coming days, we will share the stories of the Killebrew Award winners for the Chattanooga Lookouts, Ft. Myers Miracle and Cedar Rapids Kernels (in which there is an interesting tie to Killebrew himself). Click here to view the article

Harmon Killebrew leads the Minnesota Twins organization in several career statistics including games played, home runs, RBI, walks and OPS. He was also a leader off the field. When he passed away back in 2011, his off-field leadership and service was praised by the Twins and people around the game of baseball. The Twins initiated the Harmon Killebrew Award for Community Service given annually to one player from each of the four Twins minor league affiliates. Today we highlight the 2017 Harmon Killebrew Award winner from the Chattanooga Lookouts, outfielder Travis Harrison.Travis Harrison was one of two supplemental first-round picks by the Twins in 2011. He spent 2012 in Elizabethton where he won a championship. He was part of the first season of the Cedar Rapids Kernels as a Twins affiliate in 2013. In 2014, he moved from third base to the outfield and advanced to Ft. Myers where he was a key cog in the Miracle’s Florida State League championship. In 2015, he was part of the Southern League champion Chattanooga Lookouts. He’s remained with the Lookouts the last two years and is currently a free agent. Off the field, Harrison is a really good, giving person. He was very involved with several youth programs. He’s done that and more in the community every year and in the offseasons as well. One area he got quite involved with was the Hydrocephalus Association. According to Dan Kofp, Lookouts PR director, “This year Travis served as the team's ambassador for the Hydrocephalus Association. Along with appearing in their campaign videos Travis also led a clinic for kids with Hydrocephalus. He was also an integral part in bringing awareness to their brand new national "No More Brain Surgeries" campaign.” It was something that meant a lot to Harrison. “I was involved deeply with the Hydrocephalus Association and got very close with some kids that have it.” But he stayed even more busy. Kopf added, “The outfielder also was the first to volunteer for any community event and even played catch with Tennessee Congressman Chuck Fleischmann when he was in town.” As I noted, working in the community and enjoying time with children is something Harrison has always done. As Harrison said recently, “I appreciate the award, but I don't do those things for an award. I don't think anybody does. I just love seeing people happy, especially people that are not as blessed as I am. When I see an opportunity where I can help make somebody happy or even make there day a little better, i'll do it every time. Whether it's signing and autograph and helping a kid who can barely walk to the batter's box with with me, I really enjoy it.” Kopf summarized the effect that Travis Harrison had in the Chattanooga community, and it likely echoes the feelings of those he worked closely within each of the cities he has lived and played in. “2017 marked Travis' third season with the Lookouts and his third year as a member of the Chattanooga community. Overall Travis was an outstanding liaison to Chattanooga and his presence will be missed by the local community.” Cedar Rapids Kernels: Hector Lujan Ft. Myers Miracle: Kevin Garcia Chattanooga Lookouts: Travis Harrison Rochester Red Wings: DJ Baxendale Click here to view the article

Eight times in his Hall of Fame career Harmon Killebrew hit over 40 home runs. Six times he led his league in homers. He played on 11 All Star teams. However, it was off the field where Killebrew made a name for himself during and after his career. His kindness was evident during his career, and he worked tirelessly after his career as well to help those in need. When Killebrew passed away in 2011, the Twins initiated the Harmon Killebrew Award for Community Service. Each of the Twins four full-season affiliates would have one recipient each year. Today, we will share the story of the Rochester Red Wings 2017 recipient, DJ Baxendale.DJ Baxendale was the Twins 11th round draft pick in 2012 out of Arkansas. After pitching in the College World Series that year, he pitched out of the bullpen at Elizabethton and Cedar Rapids. He spent the next three seasons as a starting pitcher. He made the Southern League All Star team in 2016 as a starter, but following the All Star game, he moved up to Rochester and worked primarily out of the bullpen. While he didn’t get invited to big league camp, Baxendale pitched a couple of times for the Twins in spring training. He even got to pitch against the Twins, for Team USA, in an exhibition game. He spent most of this season in Rochester this year where he posted a 2.98 ERA in 54.1 innings. He was sent back to Chattanooga late in the season where he did some spot starting and helped the Lookouts to a share of the Southern League championship. Baxendale also assisted his community in Rochester and for his efforts, he earned a 2017 Harmon Killebrew Award. When told of the honor, Baxendale told Twins Daily, “Harmon Killebrew was not only a great baseball player but also one of, if not the greatest humans to ever play the game of baseball. To be honored with an award that accompanies his name is truly one of the greatest honors I could ever receive. He epitomized what it means to be a Minnesota Twin and to play the game on and off the field the ‘Twins Way.’” According to Dan Mason, the GM of the Rochester Red Wings, Baxendale was one of many members of the Red Wings roster that kept busy in the community. “It was a tough call this year because we had some other guys that did a lot of work in the community as well but he did more than anyone.” Baxendale said that he participated in many community service events, “ranging from baseball camps at the field to player appearances throughout the city.” He added, “Some of the most memorable experiences for me were working with the local Miracle League in camps and events with special needs children and adults. It really puts into perspective how lucky we are to play baseball professionally, a game that all people enjoy and love.” Mason described even more of the activities that Baxendale did in Rochester. “DJ was a tremendous representative for the Red Wings in the community participating in countless events around town including but not limited to visits to schools, area hospitals, client events, youth baseball clinics, fundraisers for non-profits, our Challenger Baseball event, and the City of Rochester Clean Sweep where he volunteered to pick up debris around town. He treated his adopted hometown (Rochester ) as if it were his own and gave back to so many people and organizations in our community. We were fortunate to have many outstanding baseball players like DJ on the Red Wings this season but even more fortunate to have some phenomenal PEOPLE represent us, the Twins, and the game of baseball in such an incredibly positive manner.” Baxendale understands the role he has and has a strong perspective on what he can do with it. “I feel that it is important for me to give back because of my platform. I have the unique ability to be able to reach out to people because I am a professional baseball player. All of our fans stay loyal to the team regardless of who is playing and I want to show them that we care about them and their community as much as they care about us. Life is all about reciprocity. I want to always give back as much if not more as people give to me.” It’s a good lesson for all of us. We all have a platform, whether it’s 10s of thousands of twitter followers or family and friends in your community. We too need to find ways to be helpful in our communities. Cedar Rapids Kernels: Hector Lujan Ft. Myers Miracle: Kevin Garcia Chattanooga Lookouts: Rochester Red Wings: DJ Baxendale Click here to view the article

In 2011, Twins (and Baseball) Hall of Famer Harmon Killebrew passed away. 573 career home runs, all but 14 with the Twins. He was inducted into the baseball Hall of Fame in 1984 and was an original Minnesota Twins Hall of Famer. When discussing or ranking the list of great Minnesota Twins in history, you don’t have to scroll down to find Harmon Killebrew’s name. As great as he was on the baseball field, most who knew him will tell you that he was an even better man. Killebrew was tremendous in the community throughout his entire life. So, when he passed away, the Twins announced the Harmon Killebrew Award for community service. Each season, there would be one minor league player from each of the four full-season minor league affiliates. Over the next couple of days, we’ll highlight the four 2017 Killebrew Award winners.We’ll start this series today with the 2017 Killebrew Award winner for the Ft. Myers Miracle, catcher Kevin Garcia. Kevin Garcia grew up in southern California. He went to high school in Calexico, California, a small town on the US border with Mexico. Following high school, he went to Loyola Marymount. In 2014, he was drafted in the 30th round by the Toronto Blue Jays. After two seasons, he was let go and the Twins quickly swooped in and signed the backstop. He split the 2016 season between Cedar Rapids and Ft. Myers. In 2017, he began with Ft. Myers and played a bit more. In 58 games, he hit .254/.318/.264 (.582). Through much of the season, he had a batting average at or near .300.He had a brief stint midseason with the Chattanooga Lookouts. People talk about his ability behind the plate and how well he can call a game. Whether he is playing or not, he has tremendous leadership skills. Who knows, he could be a terrific coach when his playing days are complete. He is bilingual which certainly is helpful as a teammate or as a coach. photo by Linwood Ferguson But it was off the field where Kevin Garcia made a huge impact. He was a stalwart, willing to help out whenever he could. Dominique Miranda-Dubay is the Miracle’s social media coordinator and also ran all of the Miracle’s public appearances. Of Garcia, she said, “Throughout the season we had 9 player appearances, Kevin Garcia went to 8. Over the course of the season he accumulated 20 hours in community service. No matter what type of appearance we did, Kevin always showed up with energy, excited to impact the community, connect with fans or inspire young athletes to follow their dreams.” She continued, sharing more of the specific events at which Garcia worked and led. “Starting with the Disability, Dream, Do camp, it was obvious he truly enjoyed being a role model in more ways than just on the field. This season Kevin was involved in the D3 camp, our Miracle baseball camp, talking to classrooms of children in at-risk schools, participating in a Little League practice with children with disabilities, prepping and serving meals at the Community Cooperative Soup Kitchen, speaking with young athletes at a summer sports camp, and greeting kids at a school to talk about our last home game in addition to appearing on the school news. While there were other players who also dedicated their time, Kevin was certainly a unanimous decision with his humble attitude and using his role as an athlete to give back to others. After a night on the road with an 8 am appearance the next morning Kevin would show up on time, with a big smile ready to go. With anything we asked of him on appearances, he would go the extra mile to introduce himself to people, share his story, and immerse himself in the moment. Kevin was also known for regularly staying on the field after games, win or lose to meet fans, take pictures and sign autographs which did not go unnoticed. He was a very dependable player to have this season outside of his duties on the field and very deserving of the award.” Giving back is important and almost second-nature to Kevin Garcia. He told Twins Daily, “Giving back to the community is something that is always going to be meaningful. Like I said before, we sometimes don't realize how blessed we are and how much of an impact we can make in the community.” As you’ve seen, Garcia remained quite busy even when he wasn’t at the baseball field. “We went from making some appearances in elementary schools to giving food to the homeless, and it's something incredible. Sometimes we don't realize how blessed we are and how this game can help you and help others.” Garcia just turned 25 years old last week, but he understands the history of the game and understands the role that Harmon Killebrew played on and off the field in Twins Territory. “Harmon Killabrew had an amazing career and his numbers were ridiculous, but he was also known for the type of person he was. He was a class act guy and always treated people with respect. He never "big leagued" anyone. To win an award named after a guy like that is an honor.” Andrew Seymour was the Miracle General Manager. He noticed the effect that Garcia had on fans. “While there were many strong candidates for this award… Kevin Garcia was phenomenal. He did early morning appearances at schools, community centers, camps & daycares… his tireless community work was infectious. Always thoroughly engaging with all of our fans at games, Kevin was a fan favorite at Hammond Stadium. Fans were drawn to his enthusiastic energy on and off the field.” S Most important, Garcia hopes that through his efforts in the community and as a role model that he can inspire the next generation to help people in their lifetimes. “It goes from a simple high five to a fan or an appearance at a school that will inspire kids and say I want to be like the players and give back to the community. If we keep that train moving we will keep on growing as human beings and helping others grow, which at the end of the day is what team is all about. Making each other better. The community and players. That's what we are, a huge team.” Special thank you to the Ft. Myers Miracle for sharing all of these pictures of Kevin Garcia in the community. Click here to view the article