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All week here at Twins Daily, we have handed out awards for on-field performance. Today, we recognize Twins minor leaguers for their work off the field. Following the death of Minnesota Twins legend and Hall of Famer Harmon Killebrew, the organization announced initiated the Harmon Killebrew Award for Community Service. One player from each Twins minor league affiliate is recognized for their efforts in the community. Killebrew was a powerful man and an intimidating presence on the baseball field. However, he was known as a genuinely compassionate man, respectful and helpful.Twins Daily would like to congratulate the 2015 Harmon Killebrew Award for Community Service winners: Rochester Red Wings – Logan DarnellChattanooga Lookouts – Tim ShibuyaFt. Myers Miracle – Tanner VavraCedar Rapids Kernels – Jared WilsonHere is a little bit more on each of them. LOGAN DARNELL - Rochester Red Wings Darnell is a repeat winner for the Rochester Red Wings. A year ago, he wrote about work he had done with the Mary Cariola Children’s Center, a school for kids born with disabilities. He continued to do a lot of work in Rochester during the 2015 season as well. Darnell said, “It’s a privilege to be recognized with the award. Knowing all the other great teammates that I have, to be picked is an honor.” Red Wings GM Dan Mason raved about what Darnell has meant to the team and the city the last couple of years. “Logan’s humble and outgoing demeanor have endeared him to so many people in our community. There are a ton of reasons why he won this award again. He led our team in appearances in the community once again this year. Basically, when we have requests from schools, corporations, hospitals, charities, little leagues, we have a flyer in the clubhouse and ask for volunteers. Logan probably averaged two to three appearances per home stand. He did them because he enjoyed dealing with people and he knows and understands the kind of impact he can have on people as a professional baseball player. He really gets it. We were blessed to have many, many guys on our team this season who were first class and did a lot of appearances as well, but he did more than anyone.” The highlight event was one that Darnell himself sponsored. Here is Mason’s take on the event. “In April, Logan approached me and told me he wanted to sponsor a jersey auction night to raise money and awareness for the Alzheimer’s Association. He explained that he wanted to do something to honor his mom, and he wanted to use his current position in life as a professional baseball player to make a difference. He explained that his Dad and brother take care of his Mom and that because he’s on the road, he wanted to do something to give back. He said he wanted to sponsor the jersey for the local chapter. He also said that only one or two other players on our team were aware that his mom suffered from the disease, but that he was ready to let the world know so he could do his part to help others fight the disease. Our next step was to meet with the local chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, and it was quite honestly one of the more powerful meetings I’ve ever been a part of. He had a chance to meet the people from the local chapter and talk about what his family was going through and together we concocted a plan to raise some money and awareness. Logan then went to work. He designed the jerseys himself and bought purple stirrups for every player to wear as well that night. I called Gene Glynn who sent me 15-20 autographed items from members of the Twins which we auctioned off that night as well. We auctioned off the game-worn signed jerseys of each player. Bryan Donaldson of the Twins also helped by sending several authentic items for the auction. We ended up raising over $7000.” In a classy showing, the Red Wings flew Logan’s Dad and brother in for the game so they could be here and throw out a first pitch. Mason explained, “They spent the majority of the game mingling with our fans, many of whom told them of how Logan had impacted them over the course of his two-plus seasons with the Wings. It was the first time we’ve ever had a player sponsor a promotion and the event received a great deal of publicity for the Alzheimer’s Association.” It was a day that meant a lot to Darnell. He said, “The Alzheimer’s Day was awesome. Words can’t describe it. Having an idea and something that means a lot to me come together like it did was amazing. With the help of my teammates, the Red Wings, and guys in Minnesota at the time, helped raise around $7500 for that chapter!” Mason called it “a shining example of why Logan is a special person and extremely worthy of the Harmon Killebrew Award.” TIM SHIBUYA - Chattanooga Lookouts Tim Shibuya was the Twins 23rd round pick in 2011. When healthy, he has been a very productive pitcher. In 2015, he was healthy throughout the full season. He began with the Miracle, moved up to Chattanooga for a couple of months and then finished the season with a month with the Red Wings. Shibuya said, “The 2015 season was a productive year. It was nice to be able to move up and compete t a higher level and learn from some of the older guys. To be able to clinch a playoff spot was special. The best part of the year is being able to go to the field every day and be around the team.” In 2014, Shibuya was the Ft. Myers Miracle choice for the Killebrew Award for, among many other things, his work and time spent at the Buckingham Exceptional Student Center. This year, he continued his excellent work in the community and is the choice as the recipient for the Chattanooga Lookouts. “It’s an honor, especially considering how many other teammates are deserving of the award. I am lucky to be surrounded with such good people, from teammates, to coaches, and front office staff. It is just as special as last year. I am glad to have the opportunity to do work in the communities year after year.” Last offseason Shibuya spent his time in Ft. Myers kept himself busy. “I volunteered at the Lee County Animal Shelter. I worked a variety of baseball camps and even gave a speech at a high school banquet. I visited some of the local elementary schools and hospitals.” One event stood out for Shibuya this past season. “By far the most special moment was when I visited with a boy in Chattanooga with leukemia. He was the most positive and happy kid and his family and friends were an amazing support system. In late May, he could not get out of bed due to the treatment, but his attitude was amazing. And a couple months later, with his doctor's approval, he threw the ceremonial first pitch. The strength of kids never ceases to amaze me.” Shibuya represents the Minnesota Twins organization well. His attitude is simply, “If something pops up, I will try to help out at the event.” TANNER VAVRA - Ft. Myers Miracle Tanner Vavra was the Twins 30th round pick in 2013 out of Valparaiso University. He was the Killebrew Award winner for the Cedar Rapids Kernels in 2014. This year, he was the choice for the Ft. Myers Miracle. Ashley Adams, the Miracle’s Manager of Community Relations, said, “What made Tanner stand out among others was that he genuinely enjoyed volunteering his time this past season. That was the biggest thing I noticed. He got really interactive with the kids wherever we were. It was cool because at their ages, they sometimes don’t comprehend what he’s talking about, but love to interact! Tanner was really cool about talking about experiences he had or currently has in professional baseball. They would really get into it and ask a lot of questions.” Vavra is honored to receive the award for a second straight season. “It means a great deal. I try to give back to the community I am playing in as much as possible, and being recognized with an award like this is an honor.” He finds it very rewarding. “Volunteering in Ft. Myers was a lot different than Cedar Rapids, but it was equally rewarding. In Ft. Myers, we went to different schools, hospitals, and special needs facilities to speak to kids about various things.” In 85 games with the Miracle, Vavra hit .258/.346/.300 (.646). Solid numbers, but consider that he began the season by getting just one hit in 26 at bats (.038) through the season’s first month. However, at that point, he turned things around. Over his final 72 games played, he hit .285/.368/.332 (.700) with all nine of his extra base hits. “The FSL is known to be a tough league for hitters. Regardless, my start was extremely frustrating. After a few hitless games, I began to press too much and forgot about the process and began only to worry about the results. Once I settled down some and got back to what I was doing in spring training, I began to feel more comfortable. Once the second half started, I finally understood how to handle my role, and then I started to get some results. Then I began to play some more and I felt like it took off a little bit for me. I think playing more and more and knowing I was probably going to be in the lineup that day helped me get into a rhythm. Very happy with my second half and overall our team’s success finishing with the best record on our side is something to be proud of regardless of whether or not we made the playoffs.” Vavra will head to Australia soon where he will team with his brother, Trey, to play for Melbourne in the Australian Baseball League. Not only that, the brothers will play for their father, Twins bench coach Joe Vavra. “Australia is going to happen and I as well as my family are looking forward to it. It will be a great opportunity not only to play with my brother again and for my father to manage us, but also to learn from my dad and pay attention to the coaching/managing side of things.” JARED WILSON - Cedar Rapids Kernels The Twins really liked Wilson, enough that they drafted him after his junior season of college in 2012 and in the 19th round following his senior season in 2013. After pitching out of the bullpen most of 2013 and 2014, he began the 2015 season in the Kernels starting rotation. He made 12 starts for Cedar Rapids and a spot start in Ft. Myers. He was a Midwest League All-Star, and then he was moved back to the bullpen in the Kernels second half. He was also recently named the Kernels recipient of the Harmon Killebrew Award. Of the award, he said, “It’s an incredible honor to receive the Harmon Killebrew Award. Not only was he a Hall of Fame talent on the field, but a role model for all off the field. He's a legend in the Twins organization, not just for his incredible talent, but for his attentiveness and care towards others and I couldn't think of a higher honor than to be associated with his name. The fact that people never fail to mention his character and greatness as a person, as opposed to focusing strictly on his playing career, is a true testament to how special of a man he was.” According to Ryne George, the Kernels Community Relations Manager, “The first thing I noticed about Jared was his maturity as a baseball player on and off the field. Jared understood right away that kids in the Cedar Rapids community look up to Kernels players and Jared embraced that role without hesitation. Jared was my number one guy in the clubhouse I could approach if I needed a player for an appearance on short notice. Having somebody like that in the clubhouse is huge because then he can encourage other players to go out in the community more.” Wilson enjoyed the opportunity to get out in the community. “We are given a lot of opportunities through the Kernels to help out in the Cedar Rapids communities. We are given opportunities to help out at some of the local schools and their reading programs, which is my personal favorite, along with other events in the community such at the farmers' markets and street fairs. This year, we were also given the opportunity to help out with some of the youth teams in the area, and participate in a summer camp outing for children with hemophilia. It's a really good program that we have here and everyone takes a part in it. I'm very lucky to have had the opportunity to play for the Kernels. It's a great organization to be a part of, and a top notch Minor League affiliate. The people of Cedar Rapids are great and I can't thank my host family, Linda and LeRoy Mann, enough for all they have provided me throughout my time here.” George continued, “Jared also has a great sense of humor and was more than happy to co-star as a catcher in a Minion video put together to help promote Minion Night at the ballpark.” (Chris Mazza and Randy LeBlanc are also in the video.) George comments that in the last 12 months, they have scheduled over 150 community appearances with their mascot, Mr. Shucks, and just over 50 player appearances. He says, “Supporting the Cedar Rapids community isn’t restricted to just the Community Relations Manager. Different Kernels front office staff have helped out with programs that support military veterans, provide baseball equipment to kids who can’t afford to play and national programs like Junior Achievement and Big Brothers Big Sisters.” ----- One thing I have learned from following the Minnesota Twins organization from the big league level to rookie ball is that there are a lot of really good people, a lot of guys that are very happy to volunteer in the community. The four recipients of the 2015 Harmon Killebrew Award for Community Service exemplify what it means to be part of their communities and giving back. Congratulations to Logan Darnell, Tim Shibuya, Tanner Vavra, and Jared Wilson, the 2015 Killebrew Award winners for community service. Click here to view the article

Cedar Rapids had a scheduled day off. Ft. Myers had a weather-induced day off. However, Chattanooga played two and the Red Wings played a one-run game. Adam Brett Walker had another big game. He added to his Southern League-leading HR, RBI and SLG% totals, but my sense is that when people are talking tomorrow about the Twins, another member of the Lookouts roster this season will be mentioned first.TRANSACTIONS It appears that Jorge Polanco is on his way to Minneapolis and should be ready to play on Wednesday night.To make room for Polanco, Eddie Rosario is being placed on Paternity Leave. With an off-day on Thursday, Rosario will miss just one game. Will be interesting to see if Polanco stay beyond the one game. SOUTHERN LEAGUE ALL STARS On Tuesday, the Southern League announced their All-Stars and the Lookouts were represented mightily. Byron Buxton, Miguel Sano, Jorge Polanco and Adam Brett Walker were all named as All-Star hitters while J.O. Berrios, D.J. Baxendale and Zack Jones all will represent Chattanooga on the mound. RED WINGS REPORT Rochester 4, Indianapolis 5 Box Score The Red Wings got the tying run on base with two outs in the ninth inning but were unable to bring him in and fell 5-4 to Indianapolis. Taylor Rogers made the start and was solid through five innings. However, he gave up three in the sixth inning to take the loss. He was charged with five runs on nine hits in 5.2 innings. He walked one and struck out two. Caleb Thielbar went 1.1 perfect innings. Michael Tonkin struck out four batters in two shutout innings. Danny Santana made his first appearance with the Red Wings. He went 1-4 with a double and two RBI. Oswaldo Arcia and Ryan Wheeler were both 2-4. Danny Ortiz went 1-3 with a walk and his 15th double. Josmil Pinto went 1-4 and also had two throwing errors in the game. CHATTANOOGA CHATTER Game 1 – Chattanooga 6, Jackson 2 Box Score In the first of two games, the Lookouts got a very good start from J.O. Berrios and consistent hitting for a nice win. The Lookouts scored six runs in the seven-inning game, but they never scored more than two runs in an inning. Adam Brett Walker again led the way. He went 2-3 with his 14th double, his 16th home run and four RBI. He now has 50 on the season. Max Kepler went 2-4 with his fourth triple. Byron Buxton and Miguel Sano each went 1-3 with a walk. Buxton stole his 20th base. J.O. Berrios improved to 7-3 on the season. He went 6.1 innings and was charged with two runs on six hits. He walked one and struck out five. Cole Johnson came on to get the final two outs and earn his second save. Jorge Polanco went 0-2 with two walks in the game. Reports following game 1 indicated that Polanco was informed that he was being promoted to the big leagues. Game 2 – Chattanooga 2, Jackson 2 Box Score The Lookouts took a 3-0 lead in the fourth inning and held on for the win. Max Kepler walked and Travis Harrison was hit by a pitch. Mike Gonzales belted a double which scored both of them. He later scored on a single by Byron Buxton. Buxton went 1-2 with two walks. Heiker Meneses went 2-3 and stole his fifth base of the season. It was a bullpen game for the Lookouts. Tim Shibuya started and went the first three innings. He gave up just two hits. Madison Boer pitched a scoreless innings. Jake Reed pitched a scoreless fifth inning. He then gave up a two-run homer in the sixth inning to cut the Lookout lead to just one. J.T. Chargois came on for the bottom of the seventh inning. He got three hitters in order, the final out coming on a strikeout, for his first Lookouts save. MIRACLE MATTERS Ft. Myers @ Lakeland Box Score This game was postponed by rain and will be made up as part of a doubleheader on Wednesday. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids Box Score No Game Scheduled. TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Tim Shibuya, Chattanooga Lookouts Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Adam Brett Walker, Chattanooga Lookouts WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Indianapolis @ Rochester (12:35 CST) – LHP Pat Dean Chattanooga @ Jackson (7:05 CST) – LHP Brett Lee Ft. Myers @ Lakeland (DH @ 4:00) – LHP Mat Batts, RHP Ryan Eades Great Lakes @ Cedar Rapids (6:35 CST) – RHP Felix Jorge Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss the Tuesday games. Click here to view the article

Each month here at Twins Daily, we will be posting choices for Twins minor league relief pitcher, starting pitcher and hitter of the month. First, I want to share with you some of the top relief pitchers in the Twins minor league system in the month of April. I'll follow up over the next 24 hours with the starting pitcher and hitter of the month. There were a lot of very strong April performances out of the bullpen at the Twins affiliates. Below you’ll find the Top 6 relief pitchers in April.First, a few relievers worthy of mention: RHP Michael Tonkin – 8 G, 0-1, 5 S, 2.45 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, 7.1 IP, 5 H, 2 BB, 10 KRHP Todd Van Steensel – 7 G, 0-2, 1.35 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 13.1 IP, 8 H, 8 BB, 22 KRHP Randy LeBlanc – 5 G, 1-0, 2.45 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 11.0 IP, 10 H, 2 BB, 15 KRHP Zach Tillery – 5 G, 1 GS, 2-0, 1.88 ERA, 0.63 WHIP, 14.1 IP, 6 H, 3 BB, 14 KTHE TOP SIX RELIEF PITCHERS Number 6 – Cedar Rapids – LHP Cameron Booser - 6 G, 0.90 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, 10.0 IP, 5 H, 4 BB, 18 K The Twins signed the left-hander as a non-drafted free agent late in 2013. In a recent Twins Daily story on Booser, we learned that he’s had a lot of injuries and is now finally healthy. He’s also blessed with an upper-90s fastball and a very good slider. And, he’s still learning. Once he shows that the control he’s shown so far this season is legit, he could move quickly. He turns 23 on Monday. Number 5 - Rochester – Lester Oliveros - 6 G, 1.69 ERA, 0.84 WHIP, 10.2 IP, 6 H, 3 BB, 21 K The 26-year-old appears to be completely back after having Tommy John surgery and missing the 2013 season. He was very good in 2014, and he’s off to a great start in 2015. Oliveros came to the Twins from the Tigers in August of 2011 in the Delmon Young trade. Oliveros made his first start since he played in the Venezuelan Summer League in 2006. He went four innings and struck out nine. He is good at missing bats! He should be up with the Twins, or at least he should be soon. Number 4 – Ft. Myers – Brandon Peterson - 7 G, 0.84 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 10.2 IP, 5 H, 7 BB, 14 K Peterson was the Twins 13th round pick in 2013 out of Wichita State. He went to Burnsville High School. In his first full season, he was the choice for Twins Minor League Reliever of the Year for what he did with Cedar Rapids and Ft. Myers. In 40 games and 57.1 innings, he posted a 1.57 ERA, 0.98 WHIP. He also walked 19 and struck out 84. The 23-year-old returned to the Miracle to start this season and is experiencing the same success. Number 3 – Chattanooga – Zack Jones - 7 G, 1.29 ERA, 0.71 WHIP, 7.0 IP, 4 H, 1 BB, 13 K Jones was the Twins fourth-round pick in 2012 out of San Jose State. An aneurysm near his shoulder and a blood clot cost him most of the 2014 season. However, he did return in time to be the Miracle closer for their championship run last year. The hard-throwing righty had a great first month as the closer in Chattanooga. He is 5-5 in save opportunities. The problem he has had in his young career has been throwing strikes, but he did a great job of that in the season’s first month. Number 2 – Cedar Rapids – Trevor Hildenberger - 5 G, 0.90 ERA, 0.70 WHIP, 10.0 IP, 6 H, 1 BB, 13 K Hildenberger was the Twins 22nd round pick a year ago out of the University of California (Berkeley) where he was a very good closer. He throws from a three-quarter arm slot and throws a lot of strikes. For the Kernels, he has thrown in various roles already. Sometimes it’s just one inning, but he has been stretched out and thrown as many as three innings already. He should be the first Kernels reliever promoted to the Miracle when there is a need. And the Twins Minor League Relief Pitcher of the Month is: Ft. Myers – Tim Shibuya - 6 G, 0.66 ERA, 0.73 WHIP, 13.2 IP, 9 H, 1 BB, 13 K Shibuya was the Twins 23rd round pick in 2011 out of UC-San Diego. That season, he was the Appalachian League Pitcher of the Year. Since then, he has continued to pitch well, when healthy. He returned to the Miracle to start the 2015 season. He pitched really well in April with the team, and as soon as there was a need in Chattanooga, he was the one promoted. He has missed at least some time with an injury each of the last three seasons. However, he has had the right mindset in his rehab and come back strong. He told Twins Daily, “It is always frustrating to get hurt, no matter how the results turn up on the field. But it is something you have to get over quickly so it doesn't affect your physical rehab. Having a good mindset each day is vital to being able to get all of your work in each day. ” Shibuya is a tremendous athlete and fields his position very well. A year ago, his manager Doug Mientkiewicz touted him as the best defensive pitcher he’s ever seen. Shibuya takes a lot of pride in his defense and continues to work on it. He said, “Playing defense has always been my favorite part about baseball, and I enjoy being the fifth infielder. My parents constantly hit me ground balls at short so I am very grateful for their commitment over the years. Our coaching staff in the Twins organization also stresses fielding. We typically have some sort of PFP a few times per week to stay sharp.” Shibuya put up great numbers in April. Asked what his keys to success were, he said, “I didn't do anything too much different than my normal pitch plan. I tried to work in and out with the fastball and get quick outs on the ground. I'd use some off-speed in certain situations, but for the most part I located well down in the zone. Our catching core in the organization are phenomenal all around and call a great game so it was nice working in sync with them.” In April, Shibuya pitched in various roles. He can pitch one inning, or as he did more often, pitches two or three innings. It’s a role that he enjoys. “I go into the game with the mentality that my job is to get outs, whether that is in the third inning or ninth inning. I feel like I can be pretty versatile and enjoy the different situations.” He is continuing to work on pitches and just wants to get innings. “I have located my fastball and cutter well so far. I would like to continue to improve my breaking ball to be able to get more comfortable with it in different situations. That will come with time and reps I believe. ” As the calendar turned to May, he was promoted to Chattanooga and threw two scoreless innings in his Double-A debut. If the trend continues, the 25-year-old could keep marching up the organizational ladder. So what do you think? I’ve ranked the top six bullpen arms in the Twins organization in April, along with a few more than deserve to be recognized for their great start to their 2015 season. Who would your choice be? How would you rank these guys (and feel free to include others)? Click here to view the article

A discussion of the greatest players in Minnesota Twins history is certain to prominently include Harmon Killebrew. In the batter’s box, he was an imposing figure, capable of altering a game at any time. His name appears at or near the top of most statistical categories in Twins history. However, he was also known as a genuinely compassionate man, respectful and helpful. Recently, the Twins announced the Harmon Killebrew Award for Community Service, given to one Twins minor leaguer at each of the four four-season affiliates. Each affiliate’s GM nominated a recipient who exemplifies Killebrew through his work in the community.Twins Daily would like to congratulate the 2014 Harmon Killebrew Award winners: Rochester Red Wings – Logan DarnellNew Britain Rock Cats – Tony ThomasFt. Myers Miracle – Tim ShibuyaCedar Rapids Kernels – Tanner VavraTwins Minor League Director Brad Steil said, “In partnership with our minor league affiliates, we encourage our players to be active in their community and emphasize the importance of having a positive impact in society beyond the playing field. In the minor leagues, our players take part in all kinds of activities, including school reading programs, hospital visits, working with disabled youth and youth baseball clinics. These experiences help our players understand responsibility, compassion and giving back. Ultimately it helps them mature and grow as people.” Here is a little bit more on each of the winners. LOGAN DARNELL It was an exciting year for the left-hander whom the Twins drafted in the sixth round in 2010 out of the University of Kentucky. Following the 2013 season, the Twins added him to their 40 man roster. He went to big league camp in February before heading to Rochester to start the season. On May 2, Logan Darnell was promoted to the Minnesota Twins and four days later he made his debut with three perfect innings out of the bullpen. It was his lone appearance during his two-week stint with the Twins before heading back to Rochester where he remained until he was a September call-up. With the Red Wings, he went 7-6 with a 3.60 ERA. However, he also was important to the community of Rochester which is why he was the winner of the award. Recently Logan Darnell told Twins Daily, “It’s a great honor to get (the Killebrew Award). After baseball, it’s things like this that I’ll remember more than any athletic awards.” Minor league players are encouraged to participate in various activities in the community during their seasons. Darnell said that he “did a lot of camps, and whatever they asked us to do.” However, he certainly had a project that he was very proud of supporting. “My favorite was working with an organization called Mary Cariola which is a school for kids that were born with disabilities. It is a great thing they do at that school. It makes you realize that sports aren’t everything, and you can make their day just by showing up.” (Learn more about the Mary Cariola Children’s Center on their website or on Twitter.) TONY THOMAS 28-year-old Tony Thomas signed a minor league contract with the Twins shortly before spring training. He was the Cubs third round pick in 2007 and stayed with them through the 2010 season. He spent 2011 through 2013 with the Red Sox organization where he primarily played for AAA Pawtucket. He was sent to AA New Britain where he was an Eastern League All-Star in 2014. He did a little bit of everything for the Rock Cats. He played 53 games at second base, 33 games at shortstop and three games at third base. He also played 27 games in left field and 12 games in right field. At the plate, he hit .241/.302/.411 (.712) with 29 doubles, six triples and 12 home runs. Thomas was quite active in various community activities in New Britain. He said, “I have been to the Children’s Hospital. I have done a few baseball camps and clinics in our stadium and offsite, going to Little Leagues. Also, I went to the public library to read to kids.” Though Thomas was new to the Twins organization and never met Killebrew, he understands fully the meaning of this award. “To win any award named after a Hall of Famer is an honor in itself. To win one named after Harmon Killebrew in the Twins organization is unbelievable. The man took pride in what he did, and it showed in his performance on and off the field. It makes me proud to be in the Minnesota Twins organization.” TIM SHIBUYA Tim Shibuya was the Twins 23rd round pick in 2011. He began this season in Ft. Myers where he went 7-4 with a 3.64 ERA. He made 28 appearances, including 10 starts. He was willing to pitch in a variety of roles for Doug Mientkiewicz’s Miracle staff. His season ended prematurely with an arm injury, but his work in the community continued. The Miracle have an event every year that players really enjoy. They host an annual special needs camp. Shibuya noted, “The entire Miracle team worked a special needs camp with the Dave Clark Foundation. About 30 kids came out for this camp and we were all blown away by the kids and their families. It was a great experience, one none of us will forget about anytime soon. ” Shibuya involved himself in other functions as well. “I was lucky enough to be able to visit Buckingham Exceptional Student Center and spend time with students with moderate-to-severe disabilities. We played T-ball with them, and it was so inspiring to see their excitement being outside and enjoying baseball. Some students struggled sitting up on their own power so we laid down in the grass or in their classrooms and hung out with them and enjoyed being in their company. ” Shibuya is not one to take his job for granted and understands his role in positively effecting young kids lives. “I spoke with a few foster kids and their legal guardians and showed them around our temporary home of Jet Blue Park. Hearing their stories and understanding their situation makes you realize how special of a job we have. The strength and maturity of these kids is amazing considering how much they have gone through.” Though Shibuya never had the chance to meet Killebrew, he is honored to win this award. “To win an award like this is a great honor, especially when it is named after someone like Mr. Killebrew. There is a reason the community award is named after such a legendary figure. When you hear his name you think about humility, class, professionalism and character.” TANNER VAVRA Tanner Vavra was the Twins 30th round pick in 2013 out of Valparaiso University. He starred in the Northwoods League during his collegiate years as well. With Cedar Rapids this year, he played in 81 games and hit .258/.345/.326 (.671) with 16 extra base hits. Vavra is a baseball guy from a baseball family. His father, Joe, is the Twins third base coach. His brother, Trey, was a Twins draft choice in 2014 and one of the better hitters for Elizabethton this year. Vavra knows baseball, but he also understands the role of being involved in the community and embraced that in Cedar Rapids. Vavra noted, “I try to do anything and everything I can in the community. Here in Cedar Rapids, they do a great job of helping out and getting in the community. I was happy to have the opportunity to get out and volunteer.” Though Vavra isn’t certain if he ever met Killebrew, he knows about his greatness. “I have heard his countless stories and attitude toward this great game of baseball and how he gave back to the communities around the country.” He continued, “It’s an honor to have received this award, and a privilege to have given back to the Cedar Rapids community.” ----- One thing you would learn if you follow the Minnesota Twins organization from the big league level to rookie ball is that there are a lot of really good people, a lot of guys that are very happy to volunteer in the community. Darnell said, “There are a lot of guys on the Rochester team that went out and helped too. (It was a) great group of guys there that care for the community. There are a lot of guys with a gift of serving others and guys that like to have fun!” Congratulations to Logan Darnell, Tony Thomas, Tim Shibuya and Tanner Vavra, the deserving 2014 Killebrew Award winners for community service. Click here to view the article