University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Matt Wallner Promoted to Minnesota Twins
9/17/2022 10:34:00 AM | Baseball
HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Former Southern Miss outfielder Matt Wallner (Forest Lake, Minn.) has been promoted by his hometown team, the Minnesota Twins, and will join the Major League club in Cleveland this weekend as the two organizations battle for the 2022 American League Central Division crown.
Wallner appeared in 128 games - between both Double A Wichita and Triple A St. Paul this season - producing a combined .277 batting average with 32 doubles, four triples, 27 home runs and 95 RBI to go along with an on-base percentage of .412 and a slugging percentage of .512. He becomes the third former Southern Miss player promoted to the big leagues this season and 22nd overall.
The other two players promoted to the Major Leagues this season included Cincinnati Reds catcher Chuckie Robinson and left-handed pitcher Kirk McCarty to the Cleveland Guardians.
McCarty, plays with fellow pitcher and former Southern Miss teammate, Nick Sandlin. Wallner, along with McCarty and Sandlin, are all expected to be active for the weekend series at Progressive Field.
In three years with the Golden Eagles, Wallner appeared in 189 games and posted a .337 batting average with 39 doubles, two triples, a school-record 58 home runs and 190 RBI. The three-time All-America selection garnered both National Freshman of the Year by Baseball America and Freshman Hitter of the Year by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association in 2017.
With a short professional season in the summer of 2019, followed by no minor league season in 2020 due to the pandemic, Wallner rose quickly through the Twins organization by starting his first year in Double A earlier this spring. He will have played in 261 minor league games prior to his debut in the big leagues, having posted a .269 batting average with 67 doubles, eight triples, 50 home runs and 176 RBI during his time as a professional.
Earlier this season, he earned the Texas League Player of the Week once and was named to the Futures Game back in July in which he homered at Dodger Stadium.
Wallner becomes the second former Golden Eagle to make his MLB debut with the Twins, with the other being Brian Dozier in 2012.
The Twins and Guardians are scheduled to play a split doubleheader Saturday – 12:10 p.m. and 6:10 p.m. CT – and will finish the series with a 12:40 p.m. CT contest Sunday and a 12:10 p.m. CT clash on Monday.
Wallner appeared in 128 games - between both Double A Wichita and Triple A St. Paul this season - producing a combined .277 batting average with 32 doubles, four triples, 27 home runs and 95 RBI to go along with an on-base percentage of .412 and a slugging percentage of .512. He becomes the third former Southern Miss player promoted to the big leagues this season and 22nd overall.
The other two players promoted to the Major Leagues this season included Cincinnati Reds catcher Chuckie Robinson and left-handed pitcher Kirk McCarty to the Cleveland Guardians.
McCarty, plays with fellow pitcher and former Southern Miss teammate, Nick Sandlin. Wallner, along with McCarty and Sandlin, are all expected to be active for the weekend series at Progressive Field.
In three years with the Golden Eagles, Wallner appeared in 189 games and posted a .337 batting average with 39 doubles, two triples, a school-record 58 home runs and 190 RBI. The three-time All-America selection garnered both National Freshman of the Year by Baseball America and Freshman Hitter of the Year by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association in 2017.
With a short professional season in the summer of 2019, followed by no minor league season in 2020 due to the pandemic, Wallner rose quickly through the Twins organization by starting his first year in Double A earlier this spring. He will have played in 261 minor league games prior to his debut in the big leagues, having posted a .269 batting average with 67 doubles, eight triples, 50 home runs and 176 RBI during his time as a professional.
Earlier this season, he earned the Texas League Player of the Week once and was named to the Futures Game back in July in which he homered at Dodger Stadium.
Wallner becomes the second former Golden Eagle to make his MLB debut with the Twins, with the other being Brian Dozier in 2012.
The Twins and Guardians are scheduled to play a split doubleheader Saturday – 12:10 p.m. and 6:10 p.m. CT – and will finish the series with a 12:40 p.m. CT contest Sunday and a 12:10 p.m. CT clash on Monday.
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