In the long history of the Twins franchise, Preston Johnson is not the only player to be the father of twins. (We’re looking at you, Joe Mauer!) But Johnson certainly has a case for having the cutest pair of twins.
The 26-year-old right-hander tossed a career-high five innings for Double-A Wichita in its 11-7 defeat to Tulsa on Thursday night at Equity Bank Park, but more importantly, he got to do so with his 5-month-old kids -- Ann Leigh and Will -- in attendance.
His task Thursday wasn’t an easy one -- the Double-A Tulsa lineup features three of MLB’s top 19 prospects, the Dodgers' Josue De Paula (No. 4), Mike Sirota (No. 11) and Zyhir Hope (No. 19). After allowing three runs in the first, Johnson settled in to retire nine batters in a row, including striking out Sirota.
It’s been a circuitous route back to the Minors for Johnson, who in April served as the Opening Day hurler for the Mississippi Mud Monsters of the Frontier League, an MLB Partner League. Johnson, a seventh-round selection of the Orioles in 2022 out of Mississippi State, has found a new home in the Minnesota organization, having signed as a free agent on May 18.
After all, it just feels right -- a dad of twins grinding his way up toward one day potentially pitching for the Twins.