November 10, 2010 – The Minnesota Twins have signed 27 year old free agent pitcher Eric Hacker to a major league contract and placed him on the 40 man major league roster. The 6’1” right handed Hacker, a Texas native, was originally drafted by the New York Yankees in the 23rd round of the 2002 amateur draft. Hacker spent the 2002 and 2003 seasons in the Yankees minor league system and then sat out all of 2004 due to right elbow surgery. Hacker only pitched 10 games in 2005 in the Yankee system and then sat out 2006 with shoulder inflammation. Hacker was back with the Yankees system in 2007 and 2008 but was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates in May of 2009. Hacker made his major league debut with the Pirates in September of 2009 but only pitched in relief in 3 games throwing 3 innings while giving up 4 hits, 2 walks and 2 earned runs. At the end of the 2009 season Hacker was granted free agency and signed with the San Francisco Giants and he spent the entire 2010 season with Fresno in AAA where he started 29 games and was 16-8 with an ERA of 4.51 and a WHIP of 1.47 in a hitter’s league. Hacker allowed 185 hits in 165 innings and struck out 129 while walking 62. His average start lasted less than 6 innings. After talking with some members of the Twins organization it seems that the Twins scouts like Eric Hacker a lot and the Twins management trusts their scouts and have full confidence in them to find players that will help to make the Twins a better team. Only time will tell if Eric Hacker is that diamond in the rough that everyone is looking for or another pitcher that is just hanging on.