Month: May 2017

Minnesota Twins 2005 first round pick dead at the age of 30 from cancer

Henry Sanchez

Former Minnesota Twins minor league player Henry Sanchez passed away on April 30, 2017 at the age of 30 after a four-year battle with a rare soft-tissue cancer called synovial sarcoma. Sanchez was one of San Diego County’s great sluggers while attending Mission Bay High School. 

Henry Thomas Sanchez Jr. was drafted by the Minnesota Twins as a first baseman out of high school in 2005 as a supplementary first round selection and 39th pick over-all in what a very good draft with numerous 2005 first rounders playing in the big leagues today. The Twins used their first pick in round one to select RHP Matt Garza 25th over-all. Only 11 of the 48 players picked in the first round in 2005 failed to reach the big leagues, unfortunately; for Sanchez and the Twins he was one of those unlucky eleven players.

Henry Sanchez signed with Minnesota for a reported $900,000 and reported to the 2005 Twins Gulf Coast League Twins to start his pro career. Injuries derailed the big league hopes of Sanchez who was compared to big-league sluggers Andres Galarraga and Prince Fielder but Sanchez never appeared in more than 60 games in a season and never hit more than 6 home runs. The power that Sanchez had never had a chance to blossom and his baseball career came to an abrupt end when the Twins released him in 2009. Sanchez was suspended by MLB for 50 games in April 2009 after testing positive for a drug of abuse in violation of the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.

Services for Henry Sanchez were held May 7, 2017. Our condolences to all of Henry’s family and friends.

Former Mission Bay baseball standout Henry Sanchez dies

Henry Thomas Sanchez Jr. Obituary

Major League Debuts as Minnesota Twins – Julio DePaula

The only player to make his major league debut as a Minnesota Twin on May 14, ten years ago today, was Twins right-handed pitcher Julio DePaula.

Julio DePaula

Julio DePaula (P) – May 16, 2007 – Signed by the Minnesota Twins as an amateur free agent on July 10, 1999.

To see other Major League Debut’s as Minnesota Twins

Major League Debuts as Minnesota Twins – G. Jones, Filson, & Redfern

The following players made their major league debut on this day in a Minnesota Twins uniform.

Garrett Jones

Garrett Jones (1B/OF) – May 15, 2007 – Signed as a Free Agent with the Minnesota Twins on May 24, 2002.

Pete Filson (P) – May 15, 1982 – Traded by the New York Yankees with Larry Milbourne, John Pacella and cash to the Minnesota Twins for Roger Erickson and Butch Wynegar on May 12, 1982. 

Pete Redfern

Pete Redfern (P) – May 15, 1976 – Drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 1st round (1st pick) of the 1976 amateur draft (January Secondary). Redfern was drafted in January and pitching for the Twins in May with 4 games of minor league experience. Earned a “W” in his first big league game.

To see other Major League Debut’s as Minnesota Twins

According to ELIAS – Jose Berrios

It’s a new year and a new Berrios

Jose Berrios

Jose Berrios, making his 2017 major-league debut, allowed one run on two hits over 7.2 innings to earn the victory in the Twins’ 4–1 win at Cleveland yesterday afternoon. Last season, Berrios’ total of 14 starts was the highest by any AL pitcher who did not face a batter in the seventh inning or later as a starting pitcher.

Major League Debuts as Minnesota Twins – Mike Milchin

The only player to make his major league debut as a Minnesota Twin on May 14 was Twins left-handed pitcher Mike Milchin.

I can’t find a Twins picture of Mike Milchin. He was a 1B/P on the 1988 USA Olympic Gold Medal Team.

Mike Milchin (P) – May 14, 1996 – Signed as a Free Agent with the Minnesota Twins on December 7, 1995.

Mike Milchin pitching in a Minnesota Twins road game on July 25, 1996. (Courtesy of the Minnesota Twins)

According to ELIAS – Sano & Santana

Sano and Santana combine for first-of-a-kind Twins win

Ervin Santana

The Twins’ two best players this season, Miguel Sano and Ervin Santana, were the stars of a 1-0 victory for Paul Molitor’s squad in Cleveland last night. Sano’s first-inning home run, his 10th homer of the season, provided the game’s only run while Santana went seven innings to lower his ERA to 1.50. That’s the lowest ERA for a Minnesota pitcher through his first eight starts of a season since Scott Erickson began the 1991 season at 1.44 through eight starts. Erickson went on to win 20 games that season and the Twins went on to win the World Series.

Miguel Sano

How often do you see a 1-0 game in which the only run comes on a first-inning homer? Well, there were no such games in the major leagues all of last season and only one in 2015 (Albert Pujols supplied the home run against the A’s on June 13 of that year, and C.J. Wilson earned the victory). Moreover, it was the first 1-0 victory featuring a first-inning home run in the history of the franchise, dating back to its beginnings in Washington in 1901.

Major League Debuts as Minnesota Twins – Reboulet

The only player to make his major league debut as a Minnesota Twin on May 12 was Twins utility infielder Jeff Reboulet.

Jeff Reboulet (2B/SS/3B) – May 12, 1992 – Drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 10th round of the 1986 amateur draft. Reboulet struck out as a pinch-hitter (for Randy Bush) in his big league debut against Boston Red Sox pitcher Tom Bolton at the Metrodome but reached first base on the wild pitch.

2017 MLB Draft order announced

Draft order and slot amounts can be seen by clicking on the draft logo.

Major League Baseball will hold day one of the 2017 MLB Draft on Monday, June 12th at MLB Network’s Studio 42 in Secaucus, New Jersey. This year’s Draft will begin live on MLB Network and MLB.com at 7:00 pm (ET). To the start of the Draft, MLB Network will air a Draft preview show, also simulcast on MLB.com, at 6:00 p.m. (ET).

For the third time in team history, the Minnesota Twins will have the first overall selection of the Draft. In 2001, Minnesota drafted Joe Mauer with the top overall selection. The Twins also held the first overall pick in 1983, when they selected pitcher Tim Belcher, though he did not sign. The Twins will select three times in the top 37 slots (1, 35 and 37).

The 2016 first round selection was the Phillies high school outfielder Mickey Moniak and he is currently playing in class A ball. Three of the number one overall selections (Moniak in 2016, Brady Aiken a LHP high school pitcher selected in 2014 by Houston, and Mark Appel a collegiate RHP selected by Houston but now with Philly in 2013) in the last four years have yet to reach the majors.

According to ELIAS – Miguel Sano

Sano homers on his birthday in consecutive years

Miguel Sano

Miguel Sano hit a home run on his birthday last year and did it again last night against the White Sox. Six other active players homered on their birthday in consecutive seasons: Dustin Pedroia (2007–08), Mark Reynolds (2009–10), Mike Trout (2012–13), Trevor Plouffe (2012–13), Brandon Phillips (2014–15) and Nelson Cruz (2014–15).

Major League Debuts as Minnesota Twins – Dean, Kelly, Pazik

The following players made their major league debuts as Minnesota Twins on this day, May 11th. None of their debuts went particularly well.

Pat Dean – Credit: Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports

Pat Dean (P) – May 11, 2016 – Drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 3rd round of the 2010 MLB June Amateur Draft

Tom Kelly (1B/OF) – May 11, 1975 – Signed as a Free Agent with the Minnesota Twins in April 1971.

Mike Pazik (P) – May 11, 1975 – Traded by the New York Yankees with cash to the Minnesota Twins in May 1974.