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Presley called up, makes Twins debut

ARLINGTON -- The Twins officially recalled outfielder Alex Presley from Triple-A on Sunday, the day after the club acquired him in the trade that sent Justin Morneau to the Pirates.

Presley, who was the first of Minnesota's September callups, also made his Twins debut, leading off and playing in center field. He made an immediate splash, going 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored to help lead the Twins to a 4-2 victory.

Presley said he's excited for a chance to make an impact with his new club, and he's expected to see plenty of time in center and atop the batting order this month. It'll be a welcome change for Presley, who was up and down between Pittsburgh and Triple-A Indianapolis this year and saw his time in center blocked by Pirates star Andrew McCutchen.

"It's always important when you get the opportunity to contribute and play well," Presley said. "Going into next season, this could be a good springboard for me. I'm looking to take advantage of this opportunity."

Presley, 28, had a .298/.376/.427 line with five homers, 17 doubles, six triples and 17 stolen bases in 89 games at Triple-A this year.

He can play all three outfield positions, and has appeared in 204 career games with the Pirates, hitting .261/.299/.419, which is a step below his career .309/.377/.460 line in 285 games at Triple-A. But next year will be a big one for him, as Twins general manager Terry Ryan confirmed he'll be out of Minor League options.

Presley said it was an honor being traded for a player as popular as Morneau, but said he's not going to try too much or press as a result of being traded for such a big-name player.

"He's well-liked in Minnesota, but I don't feel any pressure coming in," Presley said. "He's a great player and I'm sure he'll do well in Pittsburgh. So I'll try my best to take advantage of this opportunity."

Rhett Bollinger is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Bollinger Beat, and follow him on Twitter @RhettBollinger.
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