Minnesotan Twins (in the Minors)

Joe Mauer has made many All-Star appearances to go with his batting titles, Gold Gloves, Silver Sluggers and MVP award. Glen Perkins has become one of the best relief pitchers in baseball in 2011. Both were Twins first-round draft picks from their home town state. There have been many other Minnesotans who have played for the Twins, like Hall of Famers Paul Molitor and Dave Winfield. Kent Hrbek is a Twins Hall of Famer from Bloomington. St. Paul native Jack Morris provided one of the greatest World Series pitching performances in history for the Twins. Pat Neshek mesmerized hitters out of the bullpen for a couple of years.

However, the Twins have been able to draft and sign several players from Minnesota. Right now, there are ten players from Minnesota in the farm system. Here is a quick look at each of them:

UPDATED - Toby Gardenhire

I am not smart and forgot Mr. Toby Gardenhire, the Twins 41st round pick and son of the Twins manager. He's been playing all over the infield and even caught a bit for the Red Wings. In 62 games, he is hitting .253/.284/.333 with ten doubles and two home runs.

Andy Baldwin

Baldwin is a Duluth, MN, native. He went to Oregon State and then became a 5th round pick of the Phillies in 2004. He quickly worked up the minor leagues and was then traded to the Seattle Mariners. He pitched for AAA Tacoma the past three years. This offseason, the Twins signed him to help their AAA Rochester roster. Now 28 years old, he is 4-7 with a 5.57 ERA for the Red Wings. In 86 innings, he has walked 22 and struck out 71.

Cole DeVries

Mark Dolenc

The Twins used their 15th round pick in 2006 on a very talented outfielder from Minnesota State-Mankato. He had graduated from Eagan high school. Now 26, Dolenc is in his second season with the AA New Britain Rock Cats. He is hitting .280/.331/.345 with eight doubles, three triples and a home run. He also has 13 stolen bases.

Nate Hanson

Hanson went to Eden Prairie High School and then the University of Minnesota. Following the 2008 college season, the Twins drafted him with their 28th round pick. In 2010 in Ft. Myers, he showed some power for the Miracle with 18 doubles and 11 home runs. He returned to the Miracle to start this season and hit .267/.327/.383 with 12 doubles and four home runs in 52 games before being promoted to AA New Britain. With the Rock Cats, he is hitting .245/.306/.372 with six doubles and two home runs in 26 games.

Matt Schuld

Derek McCallum

The Twins liked the Shoreview native so much, they drafted him twice. They selected him in the 50th round of the 2006 draft, but he instead went to play for the Gophers. Following a tremendous junior season in 2009, the 2B was taken by the Twins in the 4th round. He signed quickly and began his minor league career in Elizabethton. 2010 was a frustrating season for McCallum who was limited to just 47 games in Beloit due to two sepate injuries. He returned to the Snappers for the 2011 season where he hit .200/.278/.264 in his 39 games. he was promoted to Ft. Myers and hit .191/.295/.191 in 22 games (68 at bats). This weekend, the 23-year-old was returned to Beloit.

Roy Larson

Larson was another key component in those talented St. Thomas teams. The 22 year old Burnsville native signed in September and began his pro career this spring. At 6-5, Larson is currently playing 1B and 3B for Elizabethton. He has hit .250/.295/.350 in his first 40 at bats. He's got four doubles.

AJ Pettersen

Madison Boer

The Twins drafted Boer from the University of Oregon with their 2nd round pick in this year's draft. The 21 year old pitched for Eden Prairie High School before heading west to play for the Ducks. The hard-throwing right-hander has begun his career in Elizabethton where he is pitching at the end of games right now... and dominating. He is currently 2-1 with four saves and a 2.45 ERA in his seven appearances. In 7.1 innings, he has walked none and struck out 14. He could advance quickly in 2012!

John Krogstad

J. R. Krogstad was born in Crookston and grew up in Erskine. He did not play baseball in high school in South Dakota because it wasn't offered. Instead, he got heavily involved in paleantology. But friends encouraged him to go to the American Baseball Institute in Florday. He did, and recently he went to Ft. Myers for a tryout with the Twins who kept him around. He has pitched in two games (2.2 scoreless innings) for the GCL Twins. (Check out this article in the Crookston Times, the town where he still has family and friends.)

The Twins drafted another former Gophers pitcher TJ Oakes in the 41st round of the 2011 draft. In the 16th round, they drafted the 2011 Mr. Baseball Austin Malinowski, a pitcher from Centennial High School. Add 2010 25th round pick, North Dakota native Andy Leer, who is playing in Beloit this year, and the Twins do a nice job of keeping several local ball players in their system. I think that is a good thing.

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