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In Part 1 yesterday, we introduced you to former Twins minor league coach Frank Jagoda who took over as the Director of USA Baseball’s 18U program. Today I’m going to write about USA Baseball and some Minnesota connections. Over the years, several players from Minnesota have represented Team USA. Two Minnesota players have been invited to the Player Development Pipeline League this year. We will introduce you to them as well.When you think about hotbeds for baseball, which states do you think about? For me, I think of Georgia. I think of southern California and Florida. I don’t necessarily put Minnesota into that same category. However, seemingly each year there are a few Minnesota high school players who get drafted and more who wind up at Division I colleges. “Any organization will tell you; where the best players are, we will find them. In the past few years, we’ve had a few players from Wisconsin. We have a couple of players from Minnesota this year. We have a player from Wisconsin.” Frank Jagoda continued. “There are good players all over the place. At the PDP League this year specifically, we’re going to be well represented throughout our country with several different states that traditionally don’t see a lot of players involved. That’s exciting. For me, as the 18U national team director, I’m excited to get in those different areas, to dig in the weeds and find those kids, find ways to get them exposure and get them into our program.” And once they get to the PDP League, those players will be given every opportunity to be invited to the trials. The best players always tend to stand out. What an opportunity for the kids! First, it’s an opportunity to put on the Red, White and Blue uniform with USA across the chest. “Any time you get a chance to represent your country, you’re talking about something that’s larger than just the game. You’re talking about an entire nation that gets behind you when you go and do these things. There’s a lot of good baseball players out there. This isn’t just another travel ball tournament at some event. This is something that means much more. These are relationships you’re going to have the rest of your life. These are experiences you’re going to have for the rest of your life, and you may never get to wear the colors again. Or you’re fortunate and you’re like Joe Mauer and get to wear them four times. You just never know. This is just an opportunity. Some kids may never make the big leagues, but they got to wear their nations colors at 18 years old.” Joe Mauer is obviously the exception to many rules. But he isn’t the only Minnesota player to play for Team USA. Mauer played for Team USA in a couple of tournaments in 2000. Here are other Minnesota players who have made the 18U National Team 20 Man roster and competed internationally. 2012 - Ryan Boldt (Red Wing) 2000 - Joe Mauer (Cretin-Derham Hall) 1994 - Jason Dobis (Little Falls) 1992 - Chris Schwab (Cretin- Derham Hall) 1991 - Ryan Kjos (Hopkins) 1989 - Tom Nevers (Edina) 1989 - Chris Weinke (Cretin-Derham Hall) 1986 - Tom Quinlan (Hill-Murray) Recently, I was able to touch base with 1989 Team USA National Team member, infielder Tom Nevers. A year later, the Houston Astros selected Nevers with the 21st overall pick in the 1990 draft. He spent 13 seasons playing in affiliated baseball, reaching the Triple-A level, before retiring after the 2002 season. Nevers’ 1989 team won the gold medal in Trio Riveria, Quebec, beating Cuba in the championship game. “We had a nice blend of players from all around the country. This was back in the Olympic Festival days, and it was at Oklahoma’s college campus.” He went there to compete for his team, “I never really felt it was a tryout as I was more worried about winning the Gold on the North team, and we did that as well. We had a great, low-ego team. After the last game, they informed the players who made it, and I was fortunately one of them.” For much of Team USA, the team’s camp was a trip north. For Nevers, he just hopped on Highway 35 and headed south. “We had a camp in Des Moines, Iowa, and played Mexico, I believe, three times before heading to Quebec.” Representing Team USA meant a lot to Nevers, and he was unique. He was able to do so more than just once. “Wearing the USA colors is like nothing else. I was fortunate to compete internationally in hockey and baseball wearing those colors. Means a lot to me, to say the least.” Nevers, now 47, remains busy. He sells real estate for Edina Realty in Edina. He also has a baseball training facility with two-time World Series champion Gene Larkin called Nevers Larkin Baseball (Twitter). This is their 11th year of working together and he really enjoys it. He also does some coaching on his son’s baseball team and still tries to help out the Edina Legion program when he has time. 2019 Player Development Pipeline Invitations As alluded to yesterday and above, two players from Minnesota have accepted invitations to play in the PDP League in June. Burnsville High School junior OF/P Max Carlson and Rochester Century High School SS/P Mac Horvath will head to the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, in mid-June. Horvath has been playing on the national summer baseball circuit for several years already. He has incredible speed. He is playing mostly shortstop now, but some scouts can see him shifting to centerfield in the future if it is needed because his speed will play there. He is not a bulky kid, by any means, but he has a real short stroke and can surprise by producing quite a bit of power. He also has a very strong arm with a fastball (or throw from shortstop) that can top 90 mph as well. Max Carlson is another player who has been known nationally for a few years already. While he is a good outfielder and one of Burnsville’s top hitters, he is very intriguing as a pitcher. A scouting report might indicate that he can have real electric stuff at times. He has a fastball in the low-90s with a sharp slider. He profiles as a starter because he also have a good changeup with fade. He has a smooth delivery. Carlson is the younger brother of Sam Carlson who was a second-round draft pick of the Seattle Mariners in 2017. He had Tommy John surgery in 2018 and recently began throwing bullpens again. He was a part of USA Baseball in 2016. He played in the 40-player trials but was cut when the 20-man roster was set. In 2017, Carlson was playing for the Minnesota Blizzard and they scrimmaged the 18U national team. Carlson said, “I played against the 18U Team USA team with (Ethan) Hankins, (Kumar) Rocker, (Triston) Casas, and that is kind of what led me to wanting to represent my country in the USA uniform. I was 15 at the time, and I looked up to those guys. The PDP League is the first step on that journey to making Team USA and I'm extremely excited to compete at IMG.” While ultimately the goal for these two and the others going to Bradenton is to make the final 20 player roster and play for Team USA in South Korea in August, it’s equally important to know that these players are going to be given a great opportunity to further develop their skills. Jagoda says, “We’re confident with what we have developmentally, the programs and processes that we have in place as an organization, we’re developing a true developmental organization for these kids as well as an opportunity to represent their country overseas.” Much has been written at Twins Daily and elsewhere about how much technology is used on the back fields and in player development. Jagoda points out that these players at the PDP League will have the same opportunities. Jagoda explained, “Yes, they are there to compete for their national team, but also to get better. We’re going to be using all the new data and technology initiatives. We’re going to be able to streamline and personalize developmental plans. We’ll be able to provide them feedback and instruction based on them, and we’re not going to blanket those things. Our players are really going to be able to tap in on the development side of things. We’re trying to provide a first-class development experience, and at the end of it, you might have a chance to compete for your country.” Players will get an iPad and be sent their data and video in real time. They will be provided an experience not unlike what they might experience in professional baseball. It is great to know that players from Minnesota have competed in international competitions and more continue to get that opportunity. The future is bright for Horvath and Carlson. Both have committed to the University of North Carolina. Both could be high draft picks in the 2020 MLB Draft. And we wish both the best as they compete and develop with Team USA in the PDP League. Click here to view the article

The Twins made a somewhat surprising choice at 1-1 by selecting SS/CF Royce Lewis, who is represented by Scott Boras. The rumor was that it was a money-saving pick. And Mike Radcliff said the Twins had big plans at 35 and 37. So we spent the next nearly three hours watching the names that might be tumbling down the draft boards.Does either outfielder Brent Rooker or RHP Landon Leach equate to a "big plan?" Only time will tell. Here is a very brief description of each. Comp Round A; 35th overall - Brent Rooker, OF, Mississippi State Rooker put up video game numbers after re-entering the draft after not signing with the Twins last year. I'd expect Rooker to make his way to Cedar Rapids this year and could move relatively quickly. Not a pick that should command much of extra bonus money. Rooker reminds me a bit of a right-handed version of Daniel Palka. 2nd round; 37th overall - Landon Leach, RHP, Ontario (Canada) prep A big-bodied (6' 4", 220 lb) prep, Leach is projectable and currently features a three-pitch mix which includes a low-90s fastball, a curveball and a changeup, Leach has had success while competing on a Canadian national team. Leach is committed to Texas. Minnesota prep pitcher Sam Carlson has likely priced himself out of getting drafted in the Top 10 rounds. It appears likely that he'll head to Florida. (EDIT: Interestingly, Carlson was drafted by the Mariners 55th overall. This is a puzzling one... if he's signable here, what gives...?) Greg Deichmann, who was drafted by the Twins last year but instead returned to LSU, was taken in the second round. The Twins will be first on the clock tomorrow afternoon when the 3rd round starts with the 76th overall pick. So what do you think after three picks? Click here to view the article

We are closing in on the 2017 Major League Baseball Draft. Since last September, we knew the Twins would have the #1 overall pick. The Twins scouting department has been hard at work ever since putting together reports and traveling all over to find players, not only for that first pick, but for the other 40 draft picks they’ll make between Monday night and Wednesday. It will be a fun three days for fans, but there are a bunch of baseball fans in Minnesota who will be watching the draft a little more closely this year. As I have in the past, I like to write up an article on players from Minnesota who could be selected in the draft. That includes players from Minnesota playing in-state or elsewhere. It also includes players from Minnesota colleges. Clearly the name-to-know in this grouping today is Sam Carlson. We have discussed him quite a bit already on Twins Daily, with profiles and Q&As with the right-hander. But there are several other Minnesotans who will be playing close attention on Days 2 and 3 as well.Find out today which players with Minnesota ties could live out a dream by hearing their names called as a 2017 MLB Draft pick over the next three days. SAM CARLSON Just this last week, Sam Carlson helped lead the Burnsville Blaze high school baseball team to the state tournament. His team will start tournament play on Thursday. On Friday night he graduated. However, as big and as fun as Thursday will be for Carlson, Monday will be a very big day for him as well. As we know, he has a chance to become the first pitcher drafted out of a Minnesota high school in the first round of the MLB draft. At 6-4 and 205 pounds, Carlson plays center field when he isn’t pitching, but it is on the mound where his future is very bright. He has a commitment to the University of Florida to pitch, but he is also expected to be selected somewhere in the second half of the first round. For Twins fans, it might be more ideal for him to fall into the team’s lap with the 35th overall pick. As a junior, Carlson was throwing a fastball in the 87 to 89 mph range. Last summer, he was hitting 91-93 mph in the national prep circuit. This spring, he has been clocked between 91-95 mph. And some scouts believe that he’s got room to grow yet and potentially add a couple more ticks to that velocity. He’s got a full mix of pitches including a very good changeup. He worked on a slider that can be more of a swing-and-miss pitch to go with a slower curveball. In a recent Q&A with Twins Daily, Carlson said he is “extremely comfortable with all my pitches to the point where, depending on the batter, any one of them can be an out pitch.” It’s probably a dream to think Carlson could last until the Twins’ second pick, but if he does, they should lock him up! But wait… there’s more… MICHAEL BAUMANN The Twins drafted right-hander Michael Baumann in the 34th round of the 2014 draft out of Mahtomedi High School where he teamed with Kentucky’s Friday night starter, sophomore Sean Hjelle. Baumann obviously did not sign, instead attending Jacksonville University. Following a great freshman season, Baumann’s stock was likely at its highest. He’s continued to pitch well. This spring, he started slow due to a bout with mono, but he gained strength as the season went on. He has a fastball that sits in the mid-90s and has touched 97. It has some natural movement to it as well. He has a solid slider in the mid-80s. He also has a slow curveball, but it’s definitely his third pitch. At 6-5 and 225 pounds, it’s possible he could continue to add strength and some velocity. While 37 might be a little early for him, if he’s there in the third or fourth round, the Twins should consider him as well. SEVERAL GOPHERS COULD BE DRAFTED The Minnesota Gophers had another solid season. Predicted to finished sixth in the Big 10, they finished fourth in the regular season and third in the Big Ten tournament. Left-hander Lucas Gilbreath is the name to watch early on in the draft. The left-hander from Westminster, Colorado, came to the Gophers three years ago even though he had been drafted by the Rockies in the 36th round of the 2014 draft. He pitched some as a freshman. He was very good as a sophomore working out of the bullpen. This season, he became the Gophers’ Friday night starter. He struggled a little early in the adjustment, but figured things out in a hurry. He went 5-2 with a 2.66 ERA in 14 starts. In 81.1 innings, he walked 32 and struck out 92. Gilbreath’s fastball sits anywhere between 88 and 93, touching 94 at times. He also has an above average curveball. A third pitch could make him a starter long term. If not, he could do well as a lefty reliever. He could be drafted anytime on Day 2, depending on which person saw him on which day. 3B Micah Coffey, 1B Toby Hanson and OF Alex Boxwell are all are possible late Day 2 guys though Day 3 is maybe more likely. Coffey came to Minnesota from Illinois. The 6-1, 200 pound junior was second team Big Ten this year. He hit .340/.396/.493 (.889) with 15 doubles, two triples and four homers. Hanson is from Delano. The 6-2, 220 pound junior played in all 57 games for the Gophers this year. He hit .319/.350/.477 (.827) with 14 doubles, four triples, five home runs and a team-leading 57 RBI. Boxwell missed time due to injury, but his tools are rather good. The Coon Rapids native played a lot of center field early in the season. He hit just .253/.329/.438 (.767) with a double, four triples and six home runs. He’s currently playing in the Cape Cod League but there’s a chance he too is taken late on Day 2 or early Day 3. 2B Luke Pettersen hit .354 (tops on the team) with a .411 on-base percentage. He had eight doubles. The junior from Minnetonka could be a Day 3 guy. Then there are a couple of seniors that could be taken at any time. If the right scout saw them on the right day, maybe they’re a late Day 2 senior signing type, or more likely they’re late Day 3 guys. OF Jordan Smith from Eden Prairie hit .309/.406/.480 (.886) with 13 doubles, two triples and six home runs. Closer Brian Glowicki came to the Gophers from Downers Grove, Illinois, where he played with Zach Burdi and watched Nick Burdi when he was younger as well. He set the Gophers’ single-season saves record with 16 this year. He also went 2-1 with a 2.20 ERA and 39 strikeouts in 32.2 innings. Toby Anderson struggled as a starter early in the season, but if a scout saw him pitching out of the bullpen in the Big Ten tournament, maybe he saw something to make him a late-round pick as well. MANKATO STARTING PITCHERS The Minnesota State - Mankato baseball team had another strong season in 2017 under the direction of coach Matt Mager. The team went 46-11 overall and 35-5 in the conference. Left-hander Brody Rodning is one pitcher to watch late on Day 2 or sometime Day 3. The Gaylord (MN) native went to Sibley East High School where he had three letters each in football, basketball and baseball. On the mound, he struck out 81 batters in 38 innings as a senior. He went to Mankato where he was quickly put in the starting rotation and succeeded. As a junior this season, he went 6-4 with a 3.47 ERA. He struck out 77 batters in 70 innings. He is 6-1 and about 190 pounds. He has five pitches. His fastball is mostly 88-91 mph, though he can touch 93, but he throws with a crossfire that adds some deception. He throws both a slider and a curveball as well as a cutter. He also throws a changeup. Right-hander Dalton Roach went 10-1 with a 1.56 ERA as a junior this season. The Eau Claire native struck out 128 batters while walking just 12 over his 86.2 innings in 2017. Like Rodning, Roach came in as a freshman and immediately made an impact. He has an upper-80s fastball that reaches into the 90s. As you would guess, he’s got really good control and command of the strike zone. He’s got a four-pitch mix and uses his pitches effectively. He could be a mid-Day 3 guy. Red-shirt junior Nick Belzer is from Ankeny High School in Iowa. On the season, he went 6-2 with a 3.58 ERA in 60.2 innings. He walked 22 and struck out 77. The 6-2, 185 pound right-hander reaches into the low 90s at times. He may be one to watch in the late rounds as well. Junior Ricky Digurgilliers is 6-3 and 200 pounds. He went 7-0 with a 1.75 ERA in 51.1 innings, mostly out of the bullpen. Senior Mitchell Bauer is from Maple Grove. He’s 6-2 and 195 pounds. He went 9-0 with a 2.91 ERA in 86.2 innings. He walked 28 and struck out 70. Both pitch in the mid-80s for the most part so are unlikely to be drafted, but Bauer may garner interest from some teams. STILL MORE... Dalton Lehnen is a junior left-handed pitcher from Lakeville. After high school, he went to the University of Cincinnati for two years before transferring to Augustana for his junior season. He posted a 2.60 ERA with 61 strikeouts in 52 innings. He throws a fastball between 93 and 96 mph so most see him as a power bullpen arm going forward. He has the makings of a solid breaking ball, slider, that he’ll need. His control and command can also struggle at times. He is another late Day 2, early Day 3 guy. Rollie Lacy is a right-handed pitcher out of Creighton University in Omaha. He graduated from Holy Family High School where, as a senior, he posted a 0.00 ERA in 34 innings. He is now a red-shirt junior. He has been the team’s Friday night starting pitcher since his sophomore season. At 6-4 and 195 pounds, Lacy typically will sit 89-91 mph. He has a lot of sink and also throws a slurve. This year, he went 5-2 with a 2.54 ERA. In 88.2 innings, he struck out 83 and walked just 18. He’ll likely be an early Day 3 guy because he doesn’t have a ton of velocity, but he is one who could go through the lower levels fairly quickly. Of course, not all of these guys will necessarily be drafted, and it’s possible, maybe likely, I was off on the rounds for those that do get selected. While Sam Carlson is the name that so many Minnesota fans know, there are quite a few more players that have a chance to hear their name called on MLB.com’s coverage. It’s a big three days for a lot of people. We at Twins Daily would like to extend our best wishes to all of these players and others selected in the MLB Draft. Click here to view the article

We set a record for page views yesterday, approaching 100,000. A lot of that was on our Day 1 Draft Day thread. And starting at about the 500th comment or so, the reaction could be summarized in three letters: W. T. F. To the community’s credit, that was not the thought process immediately, when the Twins surprised everyone by picking prep shortstop Royce Lewis first overall. That’s because a good chunk of the wonks on this site understand there is a strategy that can accompany just such a pick, one which I explained in a series of tweets, starting with this one, yesterday afternoon. You can click through, but I’ll give the gist…Saving money on the first overall pick is a common strategy for MLB teams and has been used with much success. Drafting Lewis, who was considered along with Kyle Wright and Brendan McKay, to be a half step below Hunter Greene in terms of talent, could essentially give the Twins extra quality in some of their following picks. Again, click on the tweet for the details. So Lewis was the surprise pick at #1, but we heard reports that he was the pick because he gave the Twins a discount which they could use to essentially accumulate higher picks later in the draft. That’s a solid strategy; additional quality picks helps both with risk mitigation and with higher upside. And it costs nothing but a little negotiation. Plus, selfishly, it makes the rest of the night that much more fun. The Twins had two more picks last night, the 35th and 37th picks and lots of leftover money. Signing Lewis “below slot” gave them the opportunity to sign some higher ranked players who seemed to “tumble” down the draft board, not because there was anything wrong with them, but because they wanted more money than teams above the Twins in the draft (but below them in leftover money) could offer. What’s more, the most obvious of those players was a high school pitcher from Burnsville. Sam Carlson was projected to be a mid-first round pick. He’s a pitcher. He’s a hometown boy. And the fact that he was available at pick 35 made it seem like the Twins and he had conspired to allow him to fall into the Twins lap. Except that isn’t what happened. The Twins picked a college outfielder, Brent Rooker at 35. They picked a prep (Canadian) pitcher, Landon Leach, at 37. Both are legitimate top 100 prospects, but neither was a top 20 or even perceived to be a top 30 pick. In fact, one could reasonably project that both of them could also sign “under slot.” Carlson ended up going 55th to the Mariners who don’t seem to have the money to sign him. So WTF happened? We won’t find out all the signing amounts for several days, but I’ll float some scenarios, and you can add your own in the comment below. 1. Lewis didn’t sign for less than slot. I think that it’s already been reported that he did, but these moves make a lot more sense if Lewis' agent, Scott Boras, didn’t let Lewis sign for less than slot, or something happened that the Twins weren’t sure they had that extra money. 2. The Twins got sniped before #35. Whoever the Twins targeted with the 35th pick, was taken before they got their pick. Which would mean that either the player’s agent was incompetent, or the Twins didn’t get word to the player to make sure teams knew they needed to pass, or another team called their bluff or figured out a way to get their own leftover money. 3. A Carlson deal fell through. But they why do the Mariners take him at #55? They have to know they can sign him if they're going to use their second round pick on him, right? 4. The Twins have no intention of using their whole $14M draft budget. They saved money to save money. This just seems crazy. It would be a complete betrayal. 5. They're going to use the money on Day 2. OK, but now the top picks are already done. (Late add: track the Day 2 moves on Twins Daily's Day 2 Thread!) We are all left scratching our heads. Perhaps we'll get more information that clarifies what we witnessed. Or maybe this is the mess it appears to be. Click here to view the article

Earlier this week, we posted Part 1 of a Q&A with Burnsville High School's Sam Carlson. The right-handed pitcher and outfielder is believed to be a mid-to-late first round pick on June 12. The questions in Part 2 of the Q&A are different than part 1, so continue reading to learn more about the hard-throwing right-hander. His team's playoffs start on Thursday, so we can watch them through their playoff run.Seth Stohs (SS): Growing up in Burnsville, did you get to a lot of Twins games? Who have been some of your favorite players to watch? Sam Carlson (SC): Yes. Growing up I loved watching the Twins. When I was in elementary school, I was obsessed with Joe Mauer. My parents brought me to a clinic one time where I had the chance to hit with him using his "Joe Mauer Quick swing" machine. He was my role model growing up. SS: How has the 2017 Burnsville season been? What is the outlook for your team as you head into the playoffs? SC: - Our season has been a lot of fun. This is an end to a time where I get to play baseball with my closest friends who I have grown up playing with. Coming into the playoffs we have high hopes, just like any year. We have a really good shot at making a run and bringing home a championship. We just have to be ourselves and play our game like we have been. SS: How has your season been gone personally, both on the mound, in the field and with the bat? SC: Personally, I felt like I have performed pretty well. In the end, none of my personal goals mean anything unless they are helping the team win games. I believe that I have helped aid our team both on the mound with consistent pitching and at the plate with some flare, leading us to a lot of fun victories. SS: How many summers have you spent playing in national circuit tournaments such as Perfect Game? Is it something you recommend for other talented players in high school? SC: The summer circuit is a blast. This past summer, playing at TOS, Atlanta WWBA, Area Code and having an opportunity to play for a spot on Team USA was a blast. I would totally recommend this to all players because you only get one shot to live up these opportunities. SS: Have you played with or against some of the other top high school talent in the 2017 draft, like Hunter Green, Royce Lewis, MacKenzie Gore or Shane Baz? SC: I played with Shane Baz and against Royce Lewis and Hunter Greene at the USA Baseball 40 man trials. They are all extremely great young talents that I enjoyed playing with and against. SS: At what point did you start to see scouts in the stands, and for those of us who haven’t experienced that, what goes through your mind, or how do you put that out of mind? SC: Over time you get used to the scouts being there. It is pretty cool for the first couple of times during the summer circuit but you get used to it. It's a special feeling knowing they are there to see you perform after all of the hard work you have put in behind the scenes. SS: When you’re pitching well, what pitches do you throw and what is the key to your success? What would you call your out-pitch? SC: I am extremely comfortable with all of my pitches to the point where depending on the batter, any one of them can be an out-pitch. SS: What was it about Florida that made you commit to the SEC powerhouse? I assume that you had plenty of good options. SC: Being on campus at Florida was something that I fell in love with. The great baseball program, the academics and weather were very intriguing to me. I grew up a Gators fan for one reason or another and after seeing Logan Shore go there. it felt like it was meant to be. SS: Do you read draft profiles and player rankings to see where your name is? And, how does it feel to be called things like “the best draft prospect from Minnesota since Joe Mauer?” SC: Sometimes I come upon things, but I do not worry about them at all. I just try to perform and compete every time I step on the field. It is an honor to have that said about me, but I have a long road ahead. I still have a lot to prove. SS: How have you been able to be a “regular high school kid” (homework, prom, etc.)? SC: Yes I have. My last year of high school has been really fun. I had a great time with all of my friends at Prom this year. I also have really enjoyed all of the time with my friends and family. SS: Do you participate in other sports or school activities throughout the year? SC: I do not play in any sports since I have been focused on training for baseball year round. SS: As the draft approaches, how do you balance the idea of going to a top college baseball program versus signing a professional baseball contract? SC: I try not to worry about it. When the time comes, I will know what I am doing and be very happy about my decision. SS: Who are some of the people in your life who have helped you get to where you are today as a player and person? SC: I want to credit Ty McDevitt, Alec Crawford, Adam Barta, Joe Loftus, Justin Gominsky, Brent Peters and Eddie Gerald for being some of the most influential coaches in my life. My parents and community have helped shape me into the person I am today and I am very thankful to have all of their support for the past couple of years. We would like to thank Sam Carlson for taking time out of his schedule. Burnsville's playoff run starts on Thursday. The draft is coming up. He's a busy young man, but in less than a month, he will have a big decision, though a decision without a downside. Best wishes to Sam Carlson in the playoffs, in the draft and going forward. Click here to view the article

At Twins Daily, we write about the Minnesota Twins and their minor league system. But we also celebrate baseball in Minnesota. We have had articles with Minnesota Gophers players, and we have articles on the St. Paul Saints at times. We would love to see readers start their own blogs for their favorite Minnesota high school, college, wood bat summer league team or more. We also cover the MLB draft thoroughly. The Minnesota Twins have the number one pick, but Burnsville high school senior RHP/OF Sam Carlson is also very possibly going to be be drafted in the first round. We want to celebrate that as well. In fact, we want to enough that both Off the Baggy and Seth have had Q&As with the talented, hard-throwing right-hander. Fortunately, the interviews contained different questions, and so we are going to have two separate Q&As with Sam Carlson. Today, we share Ted's Q&A with Sam Carlson. Later this week, Seth will post his Q&A with Carlson.Right now, Sam Carlson is a senior at Burnsville High School. In a matter of a couple of weeks, he'll very likely be able to call himself a professional baseball player. On top of being tabbed as a first-round pick in the upcoming major league baseball draft, Carlson is expected to be the first prep pitcher ever taken that high from the state of Minnesota. That level of hype comes with big shoes to fill, but Carlson appears ready. I had the privilege of speaking with Carlson as his final high school season winds down. He's done pitching in the regular season for Burnsville, but obviously has postseason aspirations. With a busy next few weeks ahead, he'll have plenty on his plate, but if there's someone that can take it all in stride, it appears to be him. Covering a handful of different baseball related topics, here's how our discussion went. Off The Baggy: Starting off with your senior season at Burnsville, how much has it felt like a whirlwind? You've had a great season, managed school, and have had a large audience each time you've taken the mound. Sam Carlson: My senior season has been one to remember. Our playoffs begin soon and we are looking to make a run. It is my last time playing with some of my friends who I have played with since I was 10 years old. Between balancing school, baseball and my personal life, it hasn't been too bad. I have really enjoyed it and wouldn't change it for anything. OTB: Looking ahead to college, I know you've committed to Florida. What drew you to the SEC and ultimately landed you with the Gators? SC: I wanted to play for the Florida Gators since I was a kid. For one reason or another, it was my dream school. Seeing Logan Shore go there, who played for the same club team I did growing up, gave me hope that I could do the same one day. After going through the recruiting process and taking my visits I felt like it was the best fit for me, with an outstanding baseball program, great academics and intriguing weather for a Minnesotan. Everything seemed to fall in place for me and I knew I made the right decision committing to Florida. OTB: Obviously the MLB draft has to come up. Have you thought at all about being the first ever first-round prep pitcher from Minnesota? What would that mean to you? SC: It has been pretty cool to see stuff like that. Whatever happens I want to represent Minnesota the best I can and prove to people around the country that we have talent up here, it is just sometimes overlooked. I want to make people from our state proud with whatever the next step I take is. OTB: When looking at the next level, college or pro, what separates you? What do you think puts you in the best position to compete and excel? SC: What I think separates me at the next level is my ability to pitch. I am able to use my change-up in a way that a lot of players don't figure out for a long time. I also think that my maturity and self-control on the mound give me an advantage at the next level. OTB: A lot is always going to be made about velocity on the mound, but tell me about your pitch offerings and your style in attacking opposing hitters? SC: I have a three pitch mix with my fastball, slider and change-up. I am able to throw all three pitches for strikes especially when I am down in the count. My style is not to blow it by hitters, but rather to learn from them throughout the game and pitch to them in an effective way. I think my secondary offerings are pitches that are above average which leads to my unique style of pitching. OTB: How has the draft process been for you? Have you enjoyed the extra attention, or has it been something you've used to motivate yourself and just continue to go about your game? SC: The draft process has been fun for me. When I am between the lines I don't worry about anything going on in the stands. It is very motivating seeing all of my hard work pay off, but in the end it just motivates me even more. Hopefully this is just the beginning. It indeed feels like this is just the beginning for Sam. Whatever path he chooses, there's sure to be plenty of success ahead. Likely with the Twins out of the picture, Carlson will create fans for a new organization from all over the state. He has the chops to pitch in the big leagues one day, and he's well on his way there. For more from Off The Baggy, click here. Follow @tlschwerz Click here to view the article