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Aaron Whitefield didn't play baseball until he was 17. He's now a key contributor to the winningest team in the 2021 Twins' organization and has no plans of stopping there. Dive into the life of an elite teenage baseball prospect, and you'd likely stumble across words like Division One offers, top club programs, and Perfect Game showcases. Perhaps you'd see their name at the top of recruiting websites, videos on Hudl, and maybe even a baseball card or two sprinkled in. For Twins' prospect Aaron Whitefield? Not so much. Born and raised in Brisbane, Australia, baseball wasn't a cornerstone in Whitefield's life the way it is for many boys who grow up to be pro ballplayers in the United States. "Occasionally, I'd watch Yankees and Red Sox when they were on TV when I was younger, but before that, there was nothing, no baseball," Whitefield said. In fact, Whitefield first picked up a baseball at age 17. You read that right. Not seven, but 17. Like many good parents, Whitefield's parents put him in various sports as a child to help him improve as an athlete and find his passion. The result was a young Aussie who played soccer, rugby, and fastpitch softball. The latter of those came as a byproduct of rugby injuries. "I started playing softball when I was going through some rugby injuries at 13 or 14," Whitefield said. "That eventually helped the conversion to baseball, but at the time, I still hadn't touched a baseball." That conversion took place when a Cincinnati Reds scout approached the 17-year-old Whitefield at a national fastpitch softball tournament. "I was at a national fastpitch softball tournament, and a scout who was there told me that I should try playing baseball for a year," Whitefield recalled. "Then I met a guy from my hometown who had already signed to play baseball in the US named Connor MacDonald." MacDonald and his family helped Aaron mold his softball skills to baseball, both on and off the field. "(The MacDonald's) are a beautiful family. They helped me to where I am today," Whitefield said. "Connor's dad helped me with not only the physical side of baseball but the mental side as well." In just a year after learning arguably one of the most complex sports out there, Aaron signed his first professional contract with the Minnesota Twins in 2015 at the ripe age of 18. Ups and Downs After a brief stint of games in 2015, Whitefield played his first full minor league baseball season in 2016 with the Gulf Coast League Twins. Whitefield game out with a bang, posting a .298/.370/.366 (.737) slash line in 51 games. 2017 was no different, with Whitefield slashing .262/.318/.414 (.732) in 151 games for Class A Cedar Rapids. After two successful seasons, Whitefield hit a rut in 2018 and 2019, posting just a .205 batting average with stints in Rookie Ball, Single-A, Double-A, and a brief tenure with the Twins. Not the greatest duo of years for an organization looking for outfielders that can also hit. Yet 2021 has been a beacon of light for Whitefield, who has been consistent at the plate all year. The Aussie slashed .306/.358/.458 in the month of May and,297/.381/.374 in June. The resurgence is something that Aaron credits to finding a routine, something he observed from his peers. "Watching guys that I've played with like (Alex) Kirilloff, (Trevor) Larnach, Travis Blankenhorn, I got to watch what made them successful, and it was sticking with their routine every day, whether they went 0-for-4 or 4-for-4," Whitefield said. "That was something that I hadn't done until this year." It's no secret that baseball is as mental of a sport as it is physical. The ability to stay grounded with a consistent approach to preparation and hitting has kept Whitefield sound through the good and bad. "The last couple of years in the minors, I feel like I'd do really well for a week or two, and then I'd hit a downfall and didn't know how to get out of that," he recalled. "Now, whether I have one, or two bad games, I'm gonna get back in there, reset, but the routine for every game is going to be the same. That's the biggest reason why I've been able to find success and be consistent this year. Baseball is a game of consistency, mental consistency as well." That routine consists of some of the old-fashioned tactics that are commonplace in professional ball; tee work, flips, angled flips, and other cage work. However, one thing differs for Whitefield; he doesn't take on-field batting practice before games unless he's playing at a new ballpark with an unfamiliar batter's eye. "I don't actually hit BP on the field so I can focus more on hitting low line drives," Whitefield said. "If I hit BP on the field, I tend to get a bit pull-happy." After referencing the similarities between his batting practice routine and Shohei Ohtani's, Whitefield chuckled back with, "Hopefully, I can hit as many homers as him someday." Whitefield may not be the Bomba-machine that Shohei is, but the guy knows how to get on base. His 11 doubles, four triples, and 30 stolen bases speak for themselves. Whitefield's commitment to his routine will prove critical as ever as the season nears an end. Despite a recent slump, Whitefield has posted hits in his last two games and looks to finish the season strong. Aussie Brethren Twins' fans know well that Whitefield isn't the only Aussie that has shown success in the organization. Names like Lewis Thorpe, Grant Balfour, Liam Hendricks, and Luke Hughes have become commonplace in recent franchise history. Whitefield credits players like Hughes in helping him develop as a pro ballplayer. Yet in a sport that idolizes names like Mantle, Mays, and Ruth, Whitefield's podium of heroes looks a bit different. Names like former Brewer David Nillson, who coached Whitefield and honed in on his mental game, pop up on his Mount Rushmore. Stefan Welch, a former St. Louis Cardinals organization player, and former Seattle pitcher Ryan Rowland-Smith (a former Twins Rule 5 draft pick) serve as just a few names in Australian baseball lore that have inspired Whitefield. "I came into the game late, and I didn't know anything, so they were like the Derek Jeter's and David Ortiz's for me," Whitefield said. "They helped me become a baseball player a lot earlier than I should have been in the sense that guys begin playing this sport at age five. I was 15 years late." As Wichita dukes their way through the final six games of the year, Whitefield is excited for the Surge's quest towards a division title. Wichita sits three full games ahead of Frisco (Texas Rangers) as they head into their final series against Arkansas. And while the immediate goal revolves around winning games each night, Aaron has his sights set on reaching MLB play again. Whitefield knows that he doesn't have the extensive background that many of his peers have. That doesn't matter to him. "I think a lot of people forget how long that I've played baseball. My first two years, I was getting attention as a notable prospect, yet those were my first two years ever playing the sport," Whitefield said. "Then I had two bad years, and people were like 'ah this guy doesn't have it anymore.' This year is my sixth year of baseball, so kind of like coming out of playing high school and college. I want to show people that I can hit. My defense is there." Whitefield knows that he saw time with the Twins in 2019 because of his skills in the field and on the base path. Aaron knows the next step is proving that he can be a force at the plate, something he's confident he can accomplish through his new tactics. "I got up there because of my ability to base run and play defense; I need to show the Twins that I can be consistent at the plate, and my routine is huge for that." Check out more Twins Daily content on Aaron Whitefield! Get To Know: OF/2B Aaron Whitefield Aaron Whitefield: From Softball Diamonds to Diamond in the Rough Twins Spotlight: Aaron Whitefield View full article

And here is the Twins Almanac for the week of April 24th through April 30th. This week in Twins history Paul Molitor and Greg Myers each collected 5 RBI sas the Twins scored a team record 24 runs. Scott Erickson pitched the third no-hitter in Twins history. Camilo Pascual hit his second career grand slam. Harmon Killebrew hit both his first home run as a Twin and his 400th career home run this week in history. Mickey Hatcher tied Tony Oliva’s club record for consecutive hits. And Luke Hughes became the fifth Twin to homer in his first career at-bat. April 24, 1996 5 RBI Game for Both Molitor and Myers Paul Molitor was responsible for 10 of the record 24 runs the Twins scored in a 24-11 win at Tiger Stadium. Molitor went 2-for-5 with a walk, 5 RBIs and 5 runs scored (he reached on two fielder’s choices). Catcher Greg Myers went 5-for-6 with 5 RBIs and 3 runs scored. The Twins jumped out to a 6-1 lead after two innings, but had used three pitchers by the end of the third and trailed 10-7 at the end of four innings. But the Twins kept adding on, outscoring the Tigers 17-1 over the final five innings. They scored in every inning but the fourth, never scoring more than 5 runs in an inning, which they did in the eighth. http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w413/mjohnso9/20160423_080543_zpsyfgsqcho.jpg April 25, 1961 Fred Bruckbauer Has Career ERA of Infinity With the Twins already trailing 7-2 in Kansas City after three innings, Fred Bruckbauer, a 22-year-old New Ulm native and alumnus of St. Mary’s High School (Sleepy Eye, MN) and the U of M, made his major league debut, coming in to pitch to the Athletics in the bottom of the fourth. Bruckbauer gave up 3 runs on 3 hits and a walk before being pulled without recording an out. Unfortunately, this was Bruckbauer’s one and only big league appearance. Since he never recorded an out, his ERA is infinity. The Twins went on to lose the game 20-2. April 26, 1986 Dome Roof Deflates, Twins Lead Collapses The Twins led the California Angels 5-1 in the bottom of the eighth on a stormy night in Minneapolis when a tear caused the Metrodome roof to deflate. The L.A. Times described the scene, with “80-m.p.h. winds tearing holes in the fiberglass dome and whipping through the stadium, sending speakers and light standards swaying on their cables like yo-yos in a wind tunnel… Above the third base line, a geyser of water shot through a drainage hole in the roof, dousing a handful of spectators.” The roof was re-inflated and, remarkably, the game was only delayed nine minutes. The Twins went on to score once more in the eighth, with Mickey Hatcher driving in Steve Lombardozzi with a sacrifice fly. With a 6-1 lead in the ninth, starting pitcher Frank Viola gave up a leadoff double to Brian Downing and a two-run home run to George Hendrick before being relieved by closer Ron Davis with the Twins still up 6-3. Davis gave up a single and a two-run home runs to the first two men he faced. With one out he walked pinch-hitter Reggie Jackson, representing the tying run. After striking out Bobby Grich for the second out, Ron Davis gave up a go-ahead, two-run homer to Wally Joyner, who had made his major league debut less than three weeks earlier. Tom Brunansky, Roy Smalley and Gary Gaetti went down in order in the bottom of the ninth and the Twins lost 7-6. http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w413/mjohnso9/20160423_082732_zpsxvhqgjiz.jpg April 27, 1965 Camilo Pascual Hits Second Career Grand Slam Camilo Pascual allowed just 1 run on 2 hits in an 11-1 Twins win on the road in Cleveland. With the Twins already leading 3-0 with two out in the first inning, Pascual hit his second career grand slam, the only grand slam by a pitcher in Twins history. Pascual hit his first grand slam in the Senators’ final season in Washington, on August 14, 1960 in a 5-4 win in the first game of a doubleheader at Yankee Stadium. The Senators won the second game 6-3 in 15 innings. http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w413/mjohnso9/20160423_081710_zpshkyemg6k.jpg April 27, 1969 Killebrew’s 400th Home Run Harmon Killebrew hit his 400th career home run with two out in the top of the first inning of an afternoon game in Chicago. Down a run in the seventh, Rod Carew hit a two-run homer and pitcher Dave Boswell and the Twins went on to win 4-3. The top of the Twins lineup that day went Tovar, Carew, Killebrew, Oliva, Alison. All told, Killebrew hit 573 home runs, fifth most in baseball history at the time he retired, and still 11th all-time in 2016. He hit 84 home runs as a member of the Washington Senators, 14 as a Kansas City Royal in 1975 and 475 in a Twins uniform. http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w413/mjohnso9/20160423_082301_zpsolrsofse.jpg April 27, 1994 Scott Erickson No-Hitter Scott Erickson pitched the first no-hitter at the Metrodome, the third no-hitter in Twins history, and the first since Dean Chance threw one in the second game of a doubleheader in Cleveland in 1967. Erickson, who had led the American League with 20 wins and finished second in Cy Young voting in 1991, was coming off of a ‘93 season in which he led the league with 19 losses and 266 hits allowed. The Twins scored in each of the first four innings to lead the Milwaukee Brewers 5-0. Milwaukee’s first baserunner, John Jaha, reached on a hit-by-pitch leading off the 6th. With two out in the ninth, Erickson walked two batters before getting the dangerous Greg Vaughn to fly out to Alex Cole in left. Erickson struck out five Brewers, including the DH Greg Vaughn twice and former Twins catcher, Brian Harper. Kirby Puckett went 4-for-5 with an RBI. http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w413/mjohnso9/20160423_081915_zpsfqfpv7mp.jpg April 28, 1985 Mickey Hatcher Ties Tony O.’s Consecutive Hit Record Mickey Hatcher went 4-for-5 in a 10-1 Twins win over Oakland at the Metrodome. Having gone 5-for-5 the previous day, Hatcher’s 4 hits tied Tony Oliva’s 1967 team record of 9 consecutive hits. Todd Walker matched the feat in 1998. http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w413/mjohnso9/20160423_082146_zpsd7b72pmf.jpg April 28, 2010 Hughes Homers in First MLB At-Bat Leading off the top of the third with the Twins already up 2-1 on a Thome home run, Luke Hughes lifted Max Scherzer’s 2-2 pitch to right for an opposite field home run in his first major league at-bat. Hughes originally came up to bat in the second when Delmon Young was thrown out trying to steal third for the third out of the inning. The Tigers would come back and win the game 11-6. Six Twins have homered in their first major league at-bat: Rick Renick, Dave McKay, Gary Gaetti, Andre David, Hughes and Eddie Rosario. Between August 26th and September 20th, 1981, Kent Hrbek, Tim Laudner and Gary Gaetti each homered in their first major league game. April 29, 1962 Twins Hit Six Solo Home Runs In the second game of a doubleheader in Cleveland, the Twins hit six solo home runs, one each by Lenny Green, Don Mincher, Zoilo Versalles and Bill Tuttle, and two by Johnny Goryl. The Twins scored in each inning but the third and ninth and won the game 7-3. The Twins did not hit a home run in game one, winning 8-4. http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w413/mjohnso9/20160423_082822_zpsjbtlx94n.jpg April 30, 1961 Killebrew’s First HR as a Twin Trailing the White Sox 5-2 in the bottom of the 11th in Bloomington, Harmon Killebrew hit his first home run in a Twins uniform after having hit 84 as a Washington Senator. The White Sox held on to win 5-3 with Bob Shaw pitching all eleven innings. For the history of the Minnesota Twins, told one day at a time, follow @TwinsAlmanac on Twitter, and like The Twins Almanac on Facebook. For the stories of the Major Leaguers who grew up in Minnesota, follow @MajorMinnesota. Click here to view the article

And here is the Twins Almanac for the week of April 24th through April 30th. This week in Twins history Paul Molitor and Greg Myers each collected 5 RBI as the Twins scored a team record 24 runs. Scott Erickson pitched the third no-hitter in Twins history. Camilo Pascual hit his 2nd career grand slam. Harmon Killebrew hit both his first home run as a Twin and his 400th career home run this week in history. Mickey Hatcher tied Tony Oliva’s club record for consecutive hits. And Luke Hughes became the fifth Twin to homer in his first career at-bat. http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w413/mjohnso9/20160423_083303_zps6wofircu.jpg April 24, 1996 5 RBI Game for Both Molitor and Myers Paul Molitor was responsible for 10 of the record 24 runs the Twins scored in a 24-11 win at Tiger Stadium. Molitor went 2-for-5 with a walk, 5 RBI and 5 runs scored (he reached on two fielder’s choices). Catcher Greg Myers went 5-for-6 with 5 RBI and 3 runs scored. The Twins jumped out to a 6-1 lead after two innings, but had used three pitchers by the end of the third and trailed 10-7 at the end of four innings. But the Twins kept adding on, outscoring the Tigers 17-1 over the final five innings. They scored in every inning but the fourth, never scoring more than 5 runs in an inning, which they did in the eighth. http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w413/mjohnso9/20160423_080543_zpsyfgsqcho.jpg April 25, 1961 Fred Bruckbauer Has Career ERA of Infinity With the Twins already trailing 7-2 in Kansas City after three innings, Fred Bruckbauer, a 22 year old New Ulm-native and alumnus of St. Mary’s High School (Sleepy Eye, MN) and the U of M, made his Major League debut coming in to pitch to the Athletics in the bottom of the fourth. Bruckbauer gave up 3 runs on 3 hits and a walk before being pulled without recording an out. Unfortunately, this was Bruckbauer’s one and only big league appearance. Since he never recorded an out, his ERA is infinity. The Twins went on to lose the game 20-2. April 26, 1986 Dome Roof Deflates, Twins Lead Collapses The Twins led the California Angels 5-1 in the bottom of the eighth on a stormy night in Minneapolis when a tear caused the Metrodome roof to deflate. The L.A. Times described the scene, with “80-m.p.h. winds tearing holes in the fiberglass dome and whipping through the stadium, sending speakers and light standards swaying on their cables like yo-yos in a wind tunnel… Above the third base line, a geyser of water shot through a drainage hole in the roof, dousing a handful of spectators.” The roof was re-inflated and, remarkably, the game was only delayed nine minutes. The Twins went on to score once more in the eighth, with Mickey Hatcher driving in Steve Lombardozzi with a sacrifice fly. With a 6-1 lead in the ninth, starting pitcher Frank Viola gave up a leadoff double to Brian Downing and a two-run home run to George Hendrick before being relieved by closer Ron Davis with the Twins still up 6-3. Davis gave up a single and two-run home run to the first two men he faced. With one out he walked pinch-hitter Reggie Jackson, representing the tying run. After striking out Bobby Grich for the second out, Ron Davis gave up a go-ahead, two-run homer to Wally Joyner, who had made his Major League debut less than three weeks earlier. Tom Brunansky, Roy Smalley and Gary Gaetti went down in order in the bottom of the ninth and the Twins lost 7-6. http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w413/mjohnso9/20160423_082732_zpsxvhqgjiz.jpg April 27, 1965 Camilo Pascual Hits Second Career Grand Slam Camilo Pascual allowed just 1 run on 2 hits in an 11-1 Twins win on the road in Cleveland. With the Twins already leading 3-0 with two out in the first inning, Pascual hit his second career grand slam, and the only grand slam by a pitcher in Twins history. Pascual hit his first grand slam in the Senators’ final season in Washington, on August 14, 1960 in a 5-4 win in the first game of a doubleheader at Yankee Stadium. The Senators won the second game 6-3 in 15 innings. http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w413/mjohnso9/20160423_081710_zpshkyemg6k.jpg April 27, 1969 Killebrew’s 400th Home Run Harmon Killebrew hit his 400th career home run with two out in the top of the first inning of an afternoon game in Chicago. Down a run in the seventh, Rod Carew hit a two-run homer and pitcher Dave Boswell and the Twins went on to win 4-3. The top of the Twins lineup that day went Tovar, Carew, Killebrew, Oliva, Alison. All told, Killebrew hit 573 home runs, 5th most in baseball history at the time he retired, and still 11th all-time in 2016. He hit 84 home runs as a member of the Washington Senators, 14 as a Kansas City Royal in 1975, and 475 in a Twins uniform. http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w413/mjohnso9/20160423_082301_zpsolrsofse.jpg April 27, 1994 Scott Erickson No-Hitter Scott Erickson pitched the first no-hitter at the Metrodome, the third no-hitter in Twins history, and the first since Dean Chance threw one in the second game of a doubleheader in Cleveland in 1967. Erickson, who had led the American League with 20 wins and finished second in Cy Young voting in 1991, was coming off of a ‘93 season in which he led the league with 19 losses and 266 hits allowed. The Twins scored in each of the first four innings to lead the Milwaukee Brewers 5-0. Milwaukee’s first baserunner, John Jaha, reached on a hit-by-pitch leading off the 6th. With two out in the ninth, Erickson walked two batters before getting the dangerous Greg Vaughn to fly out to Alex Cole in left. Erickson struck out five Brewers, including the DH Greg Vaughn twice and former Twins catcher, Brian Harper. Kirby Puckett went 4-for-5 with an RBI. http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w413/mjohnso9/20160423_081915_zpsfqfpv7mp.jpg April 28, 1985 Mickey Hatcher Ties Tony O.’s Consecutive Hit Record Mickey Hatcher went 4-for-5 in a 10-1 Twins win over Oakland at the Metrodome. Having gone 5-for-5 the previous day, Hatcher’s 4 hits tied Tony Oliva’s 1967 team record of 9 consecutive hits. Todd Walker matched the feat in 1998. http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w413/mjohnso9/20160423_082146_zpsd7b72pmf.jpg April 28, 2010 Hughes Homers in First MLB At-Bat Leading off the top of the 3rd with the Twins already up 2-1 on a Thome home run, Luke Hughes lifted Max Scherzer’s 2-2 pitch to right for an opposite field home run in his first Major League at-bat. Hughes originally came up to bat in the second when Delmon Young was thrown out trying to steal third for the third out of the inning. The Tigers would come back and win the game 11-6. Six Twins have homered in their first Major League at-bat: Rick Renick, Dave McKay, Gary Gaetti, Andre David, Hughes and Eddie Rosario. Between August 26th and September 20th, 1981, Kent Hrbek, Tim Laudner and Gary Gaetti each homered in their first Major League game. April 29, 1962 Twins Hit Six Solo Home Runs In the 2nd game of a doubleheader in Cleveland, the Twins hit six solo home runs, one each by Lenny Green, Don Mincher, Zoilo Versalles and Bill Tuttle, and two by Johnny Goryl. The Twins scored in each inning but the third and ninth and won the game 7-3. The Twins did not hit a home run in game one, winning 8-4. http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w413/mjohnso9/20160423_082822_zpsjbtlx94n.jpg April 30, 1961 Killebrew’s First HR as a Twin Trailing the White Sox 5-2 in the bottom of the 11th in Bloomington, Harmon Killebrew hit his first home run in a Twins uniform after having hit 84 as a Washington Senator. The White Sox held on to win 5-3 with Bob Shaw pitching all eleven innings. For the history of the Minnesota Twins, told one day at a time, follow @TwinsAlmanac on Twitter, and like The Twins Almanac on Facebook. For the stories of the Major Leaguers who grew up in Minnesota, follow @MajorMinnesota.

Yesterday, Seth wrote more than 1700 words about spring training (1735; I counted), God bless him. I’m glad he has the patience for that stuff, because I sure don’t. We focus on spring training because there’s nothing else to focus on that matters. But, really, when we pretend that the outcomes matter even a little, we’re generally kidding ourselves. Kidding ourselves like I was last week when I speculated that Ryan Sweeney might have a shot to make this team. In retrospect, of course he doesn’t. I was (and presumably remain) an idiot who was hoping that there was at least a little drama this spring. But, in reality, 24 of the 25 roster spots were essentially preordained coming into camp, with eleventy billion pitchers fighting it out for the last spot in the bullpen. A spot that probably won’t be worth more than a win above replacement over the course of 2016.Spring stats can also be incredibly misleading. Seth discussed Luke Hughes yesterday, for instance, and his knack for impressive March performances that won him a spot on the Twins’ bench in 2011 and 2012. Seth implies that the regular playing time Hughes received those springs helped him, and that the inconsistent playing time he got as a Twin disrupted his rhythm and prevented him from being a success. With all due respect, I think that’s ridiculous because it ignores who Hughes was facing and the context in which he was facing them. As Seth himself points out, even the greatest pitchers of our generation use spring training to work out the kinks, and couldn’t give a damn if some replacement-level Aussie takes them deep on the fourth slider in a row. Moreover, Hughes was also getting plenty of plate appearances against the Double- and Triple-A pitchers in the same boat he was. When Hughes got to the majors, he performed exactly like you’d expect a hacktastic middle infielder would. Oh, spring training is important; don’t get me wrong. Guys need the time to get back in shape after the offseason. As Seth points out, guys who have not been healthy need an opportunity to show that they’re recovered. But it’s essentially a tune-up. A four week long Leap Day. Nothing anybody does really matters, unless they get hurt. And none of the decisions a good club makes in March is going to have a significant impact on their regular season. I’m not complaining, however. After all, bad organizations are the ones that are swayed by unexpectedly strong spring performances. Take Luke Hughes, for instance. Or three years ago, when the Twins talked themselves into Aaron Hicks as the Opening Day center fielder at least in part because of his spring training, in particular his three-homer game. The club lost 96 games. That same year, the Orioles got excited by Jake Fox’s 10 spring training home runs and brought him north for Opening Day. They lost 93 games, Fox was DFA’d in June, and hasn’t ever appeared in the majors again. So, sure. Try to read the tea leaves. Marvel at Byung-ho Park’s three homers. Ponder whether Fernando Abad’s four innings are more meaningful than Taylor Rogers’ four innings or Ryan O’Rourke’s four innings. Worry about Ricky Nolasco’s 7.36 ERA or Byron Buxton’s .200 batting average. I can’t do it. None of it means anything to me. And it shouldn’t to the Twins either. Good teams have a plan and stick to it, and the lack of drama in Fort Myers is the best lack of news I’ve had in a long time. It's a sign that, maybe, the Twins are a healthier organization than I've given them credit for. Click here to view the article

It’s just two weeks from the start of spring training in Florida and Arizona. However, if you like watching baseball, there is a WBC Qualifier tournament that started on Thursday in Australia (Wednesday night in the States). There are 14 players with Minnesota Twins ties in this tournament (11 from Australia, 3 from South Africa). As you recall, the first World Baseball Classic was in 2006. Japan topped Cuba for that championship. In 2009, Japan won again. In 2013, it was the Dominican Republic that claimed the title. Team USA has finished fourth place once, their only trip to the Final Four.Certainly there is no surprise that Team Australia is littered with players with Twins connections. The Twins and legendary scout Howie Norsetter have always signed players from Down Under. Briefly, here are the players who have spent time in the Twins system who are on the Australian team. James Beresford played in the ABL after the holidays for Joe Vavra’s Melbourne Aces team. First, it allowed Beresford more time in front of one of the Twins coaches, but it also helped him prepare for this tournament. Beresford has been in the Twins organization since signing in 2005. He was an International League All-Star for the Rochester Red Wings in 2015 and will return again to the organization in 2016. Todd Van Steensel has been in the Twins organization twice. He pitched for Elizabethton in 2011 but was released after the season. He returned before the 2014 season after becoming a strong relief pitcher prospect while pitching in the ABL and in Europe. He has put up strong numbers the last two seasons, including more than a strikeout per inning. He should move up to Chattanooga for the 2016 season. Sam Gibbons has a nice showing once he was promoted to Cedar Rapids in 2015. He posted a 2.89 ERA as a 21-year-old in 15 starts. He signed with the Twins in July of 2011. He is certainly one to watch in 2016. Logan Wade signed with the Twins as a 19-year-old in 2011. He was the number three hitter and shortstop for the Brisbane Bandits team that just won the Claxton Shield (ABL championship) last week. Apparently his father has five Claxton Shield titles. Wade played in Ft. Myers last year. Aaron Whitefield was also on that championship Brisbane team. He is a 19-year-old who signed with the Twins in May. He has been playing baseball now for about a year now after playing softball for years. In fact he’s represented Australia in international softball tournaments. At 6-4 and 200 pounds with very good speed, he is certainly intriguing. He played in just seven games in the GCL in 2015. Luke Hughes signed with the Twins in 2002 and gradually worked his way up the system.In 2010, as a 25-year-old he made his major league debut and in his first at-bat, he homered against Max Scherzer. He played in 96 games for the Twins in 2011 and hit seven homers. He played just four games for the Twins in 2012 before being DFAd and claimed by the A’s. He has not played in the big leagues since 2012. He has played for Perth each winter. Allan de San Miguel signed as a 16-year-old catcher in 2004. Out of necessity, he played 11 games for Ft. Myers as a 17-year-old in 2005, but overall, his progression through the Twins system was slow. An organizational player, in 2009 he actually played games for Beloit, Ft. Myers, New Britain and Rochester. After the 2010 season he moved on to the Orioles. In 2015, he was back with the Twins, providing some catching depth and getting a few games in for Rochester. He remains a free agent. Peter Moylan may not be a name you necessarily associate with the Twins. However, that is where he made his US start. Kind of. He signed with the Twins as a 16-year-old in 1995. He pitched for the GCL Twins in 1996 and 1997, and posted ERAs of 4.08 and 4.05. The Twins let him go, and he did not play again in the States until 2006 when he went to AAA for the Braves and despite a 6.83 ERA in 35 games, he debuted in the big leagues with 15 games. He has played in eight big league seasons since, only missing the 2014 season due to Tommy John surgery. Trent Oeltjen signed with the Twins in 2000. He slowly worked his way up the system. Two years in Elizabethton. Two years in Quad Cities. Two years in Ft. Myers. He had a strong 2006 in New Britain and was solid in Rochester in 2007, but he became a free agent and signed with the Diamondbacks. He played 24 games for the Diamondbacks in 2009 and a combined 75 games for the Dodgers between 2010 and 2011. He continued playing AAA ball through the 2014 season. He played for Sydney in the ABL after the 2014 season but announced that it would be his final season. He retired and didn’t play in 2015 but he’s still on their roster. He is one of the more respected players in Australia. Matt Williams pitched in the Twins minor league system starting in 2005 and culminating with 28 games in New Britain in 2010. Since then, he has been one of the better relief pitchers in the Australian Baseball League and has competed in many international competitions. He is arguably best known, however, for a fantastic beard. Download attachment: Matt Williams.jpg Ryan Rowland-Smith never pitched in a regular season game for the Twins or any of their minor league affiliates. However, the Twins picked the then-22-year-old in the December 2004 Rule 5 draft. He went to spring training with the Twins but was returned to Seattle in late March. He debuted with the Mariners in July of 2007 and pitched 115 games for the Mariners between 2007 and 2010. He played AAA ball for five organizations between 2011 and 2013. Arizona signed him before 2014. He made the Opening Day roster but he was released early in the season and hasn’t played since. The Twins have signed a lot of players from Australia and several of them have pitched in the big leagues. Many played for the Twins including Grant Balfour, Glenn Williams, Michael Nakamura, and even Melbourne Ace’s GM Justin Huber. The Phillipines and New Zealand are also in the Sydney WBC Qualifier but they don’t have any Twins connections. However South Africa does have three players with Twins ties. Here is a little bit on each. (Quick Update/Correction - Eric Farris, who got a couple of cups of coffee with the Brewers in 2011 and 2012 and spent 2013-2015 with the Red Wings, was added to the Phillipines roster.) Hein Robb signed with the Twins in 2008 but spent a year pitching in Australia before coming to the States in 2010. He pitched for the GCL Twins in 2010 and 2011. He was with Elizabethton in 2012 and 2013. In 2013, he also pitched in three games for Cedar Rapids. He played independent ball in 2014. He has been on the South African WBC teams since 2009 when he was just 17 years old. Callan Pearce signed with the Twins in July of 2013. He has pitched in the GCL the last two years. He is a great athlete and can throw into the low-90s but he has struggled with his control. 19-year-old Rowan Ebersohn was the starting left fielder and seventh-place hitter for South Africa in their first game of the tournament. Just 5-9 he is stocky, strong and still fast. He played in just 27 games in the GCL and hit just .193, but he showed great improvement even during the three months he was with the team. (In Game 1, Ebersohn went 0-3 with a walk and a hit by pitch.) So there you have it, plenty of reasons to watch the WBC qualifying tournament the next few days. Sure, Team Australia’s games will be played at 2:30 a.m. (Central time) in the United States, but they will be fun to watch. Next month, there will be two more WBC Qualifier Tournaments. In Mexicali, Team Mexico will host the Czech Republic, Nicaragua and Germany. We have already been told that Max Kepler will not be playing for the German team as he will be at Twins big league camp, hoping to earn an Opening Day roster spot. Also in mid-March in Panama City, Panama will host Colombia, France and Spain. The games will be played at Rod Carew Stadium. The fourth WBC Qualifier will not be until late September. In the Bronx, teams from Brazil, Great Britain, Israel and Pakistan will compete for the fourth Qualifier spot in the 2017 WBC. The four teams to win the Qualifiers will join the teams that finished in the top 12 of the 2013 WBC. Those countries are the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Japan, the Netherlands, Cuba, the United States, Italy, Chinese Taipei, South Korea, Venezuela, and Canada. Again, the World Baseball Classic will begin in 2017. Click here to view the article