Lee Mazzilli's son selected by Twins

MINNEAPOLIS -- The Twins tapped into some Major League bloodlines during Day 2 of the First-Year Player Draft on Tuesday. Minnesota used its ninth-round pick to select Connecticut second baseman LJ Mazzilli, son of former player and manager Lee Mazzilli.

LJ, a 6-foot, 190-pounder, hit .339 with a .548 slugging percentage for the Huskies in 2012, earning First-Team All-Big East honors.

"His bat is a premium tool," Twins vice president of player personnel Mike Radcliff said. "He's been a guy that's impressed us with not just his ability to hit, but he also has some pop for a guy his size."

His father, Lee, played 14 big league seasons with the Pirates, Rangers, Yankees, Blue Jays and Mets, and he was a member of New York's 1986 World Series champion team. He was selected as an All-Star in 1979 and finished his career with a .259 batting average and a .359 on-base percentage.

Lee served as first-base coach for the 2000 World Series champion Yankees and managed the Orioles from 2004-05.

Radcliff said the Twins aren't sure what position LJ will end up playing.

"He's a pretty good athlete," Radcliff said. "We'll start him off at second base and see how that goes."