With Twins, Presley seeks outfield routine

CHICAGO -- Before being traded from the Pirates to the Twins in exchange for Justin Morneau on Aug. 31, outfielder Alex Presley found himself in an organization with a young outfield that appears to be cemented for years to come, anchored by Andrew McCutchen and Starling Marte.

So when Presley put on a Twins uniform for the first time, he knew September would be a chance for him to make an impression in his quest to become an everyday player in the big leagues.

"It's a good opportunity to be able to get consistent at-bats and show what I can do on a regular basis," said Presley, who went into Wednesday's series finale against the White Sox hitting .297 (19-for-64) with three doubles, a homer and seven RBIs in 16 games for the Twins.

"It seems wide open here right now. In Pittsburgh, there are a couple of [outfield] positions that are pretty much set for years to come most likely, so it's definitely a good chance to try to make a name for myself in a new place."

Presley, who had multiple trips between the Pirates' Triple-A affiliate and the big league club, said the key to his ability to stay consistent has been keeping his routine.

"You just try to do the same thing every day," he said. "You know what works for you and [while] it was tough to go up and down, to try to keep a rhythm at the plate, the routine and things of that nature are big to perform on the field no matter what the circumstances."