September 3 was a busy day for big league debuts in a Minnesota Twins uniform.
A.J. Achter (P) – September 3, 2014 – Drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 46th round of the 2010 MLB June Amateur Draft. Closed out a Twins 11-4 win over the White Sox at Target Field with a perfect 9th inning on 10 pitches.
Matt Fox (P) – September 3, 2010 – Drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 1st round (35th pick) of the 2004 amateur draft. Fox debuted at Target Field in a start against the Texas Rangers going 5.2 innings (90 pitches) and allowing 2 runs on 4 hits and a walk but got a ND for his efforts. It was his one and only game for the Twins and one of only 4 big league games he would appear in.
Jason Pridie (OF) – September 3, 2008 – Traded by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays with Brendan Harris and Delmon Young to the Minnesota Twins for Eddie Morlan, Jason Bartlett and Matt Garza on November 28, 2007. Pridie debuted as a pinch-runner and remained in the game going 0 for 1 with a walk and a run scored at Rogers Centre in a Twins 5-4 loss to the Blue Jays.
Nick Blackburn (P) – September 3, 2007 – Drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 29th round of the 2001 MLB June Amateur Draft. Debuted at the Dome in relief against the Indians in a 5-0 Twins setback. Blackburn pitched one inning allowing no runs and one hit while throwing just 6 pitches.
Scott Leius (SS/3B) – September 3, 1990 – Drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 13th round of the 1986 amateur draft. Debuted in a Twins 9-5 victory at County Stadium over the Brewers. Leius was the starting shortstop hitting ninth and was 1 for 3 with a single in his first at bat.
Tim Teufel (2B) – September 3, 1983 – Drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 2nd round of the 1980 amateur draft. Teufel debuted at the Dome as the starting second baseman hitting second and went 1 for 4 but the Twins took a pounding from the O’s by a 13-0 score.
Gary Ward (OF) – September 3, 1979 – Signed by the Minnesota Twins as an amateur free agent in 1972. Debuted at Met Stadium as a pinch-runner in a Twins 1-0 defeat at the hands of the Kansas City Royals.
Randy Bass (1B) – September 3, 1977 – Drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 7th round of the 1972 amateur draft. Bass debuted as a pinch-hitter against the Yankees at the Met and struck out. I know this might come a shock to some but the Twins lost 7-4.
Eric Soderholm (3B) – September 3, 1971 – Drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 1st round (1st pick) of the 1968 amateur draft (January Secondary). Soderholm had an interesting big league debut at the Met although the Twins lost to the Oakland A’s 9-4. Soderholm playing third base and hitting seventh went 1 for 2 with a home run, scored twice, was HBP, had a IBB, and knocked in one.
Steve Brye (OF) – September 3, 1970 – Drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 1st round (17th pick) of the 1967 amateur draft. Brye debuted at County Stadium as the starting LF and was 0 for 1 with a walk. The Brewers beat the Twins 8-3.
Jim Ollom (P) – September 3, 1966 – Drafted by the Minnesota Twins from the New York Yankees in the 1963 first-year draft. Ollom debuted against the Yankees at the Met in a 7-4 losing cause. Ollom was the Twins third pitcher of the day and he lasted 2 innings giving up a home run, 2 runs, 2 hits, and a walk while striking out 3.
You can check out other Major League Debuts as Twins that I have done by going here.