FORT MYERS, Fla. -- The Twins are remarkably healthy this spring, as players underwent physicals on Monday, and manager Paul Molitor said there are no injury concerns with any of their players.
"Things are clean in the training room, which is really good," Molitor said.
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But it doesn't mean the Twins aren't monitoring players coming off injury, as they're being cautious with relievers Ryan Pressly and Mason Melotakis, but both have been on the same schedules as the rest of the pitchers in camp.
Pressly, 27, is coming off a torn lat muscle that forced him to miss the second half of last season, as he suffered the injury while pitching against the Royals on July 4. Pressly was aiming to return late last year, but suffered a setback in mid-August that forced him to shut it down for the rest of the season.
Pressly was medically cleared at the end of the season, but still hadn't faced any live hitters until this week. He said his throwing session against Byung Ho Park, Ryan Sweeney and John Hicks went as well as he could've hoped.
"I figured, since I hadn't faced a guy in eight months, I'd be a little bit wild, but I was throwing everything for a strike," Pressly said. "I was keeping everything down. Not a lot of solid contact anywhere. It was a good start. I kinda surprised myself."
Molitor said he wants to get a long look at Pressly this spring, as he was pitching well before the injury last year. Pressly had a 2.93 ERA with 22 strikeouts in 27 2/3 innings before injuring himself on a fastball that registered 98 mph.
"I think before he got hurt, we saw consistency starting to develop, which had been a little bit hit or miss for him," Molitor said. "So he feels really good. I know some of the work he's had to do. It was a tough injury. It puts a real fear into you when we're talking about something like a tear like that that he's trying to recover from. But he feels well."
Melotakis is also coming off a major injury, but his was Tommy John surgery in October 2014. Melotakis, though, didn't pitch last season outside of time in the instructional league. But the lefty has one of the more impressive arms in camp, and he was added to the 40-man roster in the offseason because of his immense potential.
Melotakis is one of several lefties competing for a spot in the bullpen. While he's a bit of dark horse, given he's coming off an injury and hasn't pitched above Double-A, Molitor made sure to watch him pitch during his first round of live batting practice on Sunday.
"It's good to put your eyes on people," Molitor said. "Melotakis can get your attention rather quickly, mixing pitches and that fastball."