11/05/24
July 30, 2014
Holy Sidd Finch! Minnesota Twins Sign Unknown with 100-Mph Fastball: The Minnesota Twins have signed a 24-year-old who throws a 100-mph fastball but has never been drafted. Brandon Poulson of the Healdsburg Prune Packers, a collegiate summer league team, got a $250,000 deal. He's a 6-foot-6 right-hander and fitness freak who was timed at a 6.6-second 60-yard dash in his socks and has a 40-inch vertical leap. "He's a physical specimen. He's got the best pure arm strength I've ever seen," said Twins scout Elliott Strankman.
If I had to stand in the box against a guy with ballistic heat who had trouble finding the strike zone, I would probably qualify for designation as an honorary prune packer on a gastroenterological basis.
posted by beaverboard at 06:36 PM on July 30, 2014
It's a low-risk signing. Maybe he can be coached up...no harm in trying.
posted by TheQatarian at 08:25 PM on July 30, 2014
I remember a pitcher like that in the Florida State League ( Class A ) several years ago. He threw some serious heat but had control problems. He never made it because he couldn't throw strikes consistently. The players hated batting against him becuase he was dangerous.
posted by JohnSoCal at 11:51 AM on August 02, 2014
Wonder if he's related to Ryne Duren. Does he wear coke bottle glasses?
posted by pullmyfinger at 07:40 PM on August 03, 2014
In all seriousness, I hope it works out for him; he sounds like a physical specimen, and if they teach him to increase his accuracy by taking a few mph off the ball, he could make it; and who wouldn't root for a story about a young guy from nowhere making it to the bigs?