Sean Poppen #63

Sean Russell Poppen...Is a 2012 graduate of Cape Henry Collegiate High School in Virginia Beach, VA, where he was a four-year letterwinner as an outfielder and pitcher... Was a two-time All-Tidewater Conference of Independent Schools selection...Was a member of two state championship teams and threw a no-hitter as a senior...Was a member of National Honor Society and National Spanish Honor Society... Was valedictorian of senior class, a national AP scholar and president of drama club...Is a graduate of Harvard University, where he played four seasons (2013-2016) of baseball... Posted a 4.39 ERA (211.1ip/103er), 74 walks and and 175 strikeouts in 39 appearances (35 starts) with the Crimson.

2020

Began season at Minnesota’s alternate training site...Was recalled on 8/2 and made two appearances (3.0ip/1er) before being optioned on 8/9... Was recalled to be 27th man for doubleheader on 8/15, but did not pitch; was optioned back...Was recalled on 8/22... Pitched 2.0 hitless innings on 8/25 at Cleveland...Made final appearance on 9/8... Was designated for assignment on 9/29 and was claimed off waivers by PIttsburgh on 10/1.

2019

Began season with Triple-A Rochester....Made Triple-A debut April 10 at Syracuse and earned the win after allowing two runs on five hits and three walks with five strikeouts in 5.0 innings....Named Twins minor league Pitcher of the Week in consecutive weeks June 9 and June 16 for Rochester...for the week of June 9, went 1-0, 0.75 ERA (12.0 IP, 1 ER) with 13 strikeouts in two starts; for June 16, went 1-0, 1.50 ERA (6.0 IP, 1 ER) with nine strikeouts in one start....Split first half of season mostly between Rochester and Double-A Pensacola....Contract selected by Minnesota June 19....Made major league debut on June 19 vs. Boston and allowed three runs on five hits with two strikeouts over 4.0 innings pitched...became the first pitcher from Harvard University to appear for the Twins and only the second Harvard product to ever play for Minnesota, joining Mike Stenhouse in 1985....Became the 22nd pitcher since 1961 to record three groundball double plays in his major league debut....Finished season on Injured List with a right elbow contusion....Combined to go 7-4, 4.32 ERA (98.0 IP, 47 ER) with 49 walks and 116 strikeouts in 24 games (16 starts) between all three levels combined.

2018

Split season between Fort Myers (Twins’ High-A) and Chattanooga (Twins’ AA)…Went 6-9 with a 3.45 ERA (127.2ip/49er) 39 walks and 123 strikeouts in 26 games (20 starts) between the two teams...Began season with Fort Myers and recorded his first professional save on Opening Day (4/5 vs. Charlotte)…Allowed just one run in 12.0 innings and struck out 12 batters in his final two appearances with Fort Myers...Was promoted to Chattanooga on 5/30 and CAREER HIGHLIGHTS lost each of his first three Double-A starts thru 6/11...Picked up his first win with Chattanooga on 6/16 at Birmingham; a 5.0-inning complete game (shortened due to rain)…Won three straight decisions from 7/20 thru 8/5...Pitched his second complete game on 8/18 at Mississippi (6.0ip/1r).

2017

Went 9-4 with a 3.17 ERA, 122 strikeouts and 25 walks in 25 starts while splitting season between Cedar Rapids (Twins’ Low-A) and Fort Myers...Posted minor league career highs in wins, starts (25) and innings pitched (139.0ip)...Was selected to the Midwest League mid-season All-Star team after going 5-1 with a 2.80 ERA (74.0ip/23er) in 12 starts during the first half...Was transferred to Fort Myers on 7/1 and finished season with the Miracle...Was named Florida State League Pitcher-of-the-Week for the week of 7/10-16 after going 2-0 with a 0.63 ERA (14.1ip/1er) in two starts.

2016

Went 3-4 with a 2.70 ERA (53.1ip/16er) in 12 games (11 starts) during first professional season...Began season with Elizabethton in the Appalachian League after being selected by Minnesota in the 19th round of the First-Year Player Draft in June...Suffered losses in two of his first three starts before winning back-to-back starts on 7/17 (5.0ip/0er) and 7.23 (5.2ip/1er)...Made final four appearances with Cedar Rapids... Made his only relief outing in final appearance on 9/5 and picked up the win after tossing 3.0 scoreless innings.