Pat Dean Interview

Pat Dean, a left-handed pitcher out of Boston College, was kind enough to take time out of his busy schedule to talk about his time with the Twins so far and what the future holds for him.

Kevin Lewis: You were selected in the 3rd round by the Minnesota Twins this past June. It must have been a great moment. What was your reaction like and how much does it mean to you being drafted by a team that has a good track record of developing pitchers?

Pat Dean: It was one of the biggest moments of my life, no doubt about that. I remember watching the computer with my family and girlfriend, anxiously waiting to hear my name called on the draft tracker. Once I heard that the Twins had selected me, I had all kinds of emotions going through me. Knowing that I would be playing professional baseball, and to be fortunate enough to be playing with a great organization that is well known for player development, it is a dream come true.

KL: If you were a scout before the draft, what would you scouting report say about Pat Dean?

PD: My scouting about myself would most likely say that I am a hard-working, competitor. Location is how I find my success. I am a student of the game, always learning ways to make myself a better player.

KL: You signed very quickly with the Twins after being drafted and then you were sent to the Twins rookie ball team, Elizabethton. Very similar to your Boston College days, you were put in the bullpen to start with, then made your way to the rotation. You had an astonishing 37-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio. You have a track record of being a very accurate pitcher. What can you attribute to that?

PD: That can be attributed to catch in the back yard with my father. When I was younger, any time I threw a ball that got past him, I would have to go chase after it. We live on a hill so the ball usually went pretty far. I eventually figured out the easiest way to not get exhausted is to throw strikes. I think that was the beginning to my accuracy.

KL: As you get into the groove of things in the 2011 season, are there a few things, or maybe just one thing you feel you need to work on as you make your way through the minor league system?

PD: To me, everything can always be better. No one is perfect, and I know none of my pitching skills are. So it is important for me to be constantly learning new ways to get better. My goal this season is to work on something or learn something new every day that will in turn make me a better pitcher.

KL: Growing up as a young baseball player, who was you favorite player and what team did you grow up rooting for?

PD: I grew up a Yankees fan, and always enjoyed watching Andy Pettite pitch.

KL: I typically ask this question, but if you were to give the young baseball players of today a word of advice as they continue to improve, what would it be?

PD: My word of advice would be to always work hard. It takes no talent to do that. If you have a goal or a dream, don’t let anyone stop you from achieving it. Anything can happen if you put the time and effort in.

KL: I’d like to thank Pat Dean for taking time. Pat will be someone to keep an eye on this season as he hopefully makes his way through the system quick and we see him in the Twin Cities in a few years.