Matt Wallner

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Matt Wallner
Minnesota Twins
Outfielder
Born: (1997-12-12) December 12, 1997 (age 24)
Forest Lake, Minnesota
Bats: Left
Throws: Right

Matthew Wallner (born December 12, 1997) is an American professional baseball outfielder in the Minnesota Twins organization.

Amateur career[]

Wallner graduated from Forest Lake Area High School in Forest Lake, Minnesota, where he played baseball. As a junior, he committed to play college baseball at the University of North Dakota.[1] However, during his senior year, North Dakota dropped baseball for financial reasons, and he then signed with the University of Southern Mississippi.[2][3] As a senior, he pitched to a 7-1 record with a 0.95 ERA along with batting .382 with ten home runs and was named Minnesota Mr. Baseball.[4][5] Following his senior season, Wallner was selected by the Minnesota Twins in the 32nd round of the 2016 Major League Baseball draft.[6] However, he did not sign, and instead chose to honor his commitment to the University of Southern Mississippi.

In 2017, as a freshman at USM, Wallner hit .336 with 19 home runs and 63 RBIs in 66 games. He also appeared in nine games out of the bullpen, compiling a 1.84 ERA.[7] He was named Freshman of the Year by Conference USA (C-USA), Baseball America, and D1Baseball.com.[8][9] He also garnered Freshman Hitter of the Year honors from the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.[10] In addition, he was named to the C-USA All-Freshman Team as well as the C-USA Second Team, and was also named a Freshman All-American by multiple outlets including the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.[11][12] As a sophomore in 2018, Wallner batted .351 with 16 home runs and 67 RBIs in 62 games while pitching to a 7.98 ERA in 14+2⁄3 innings.[13][14] He was named to the C-USA First Team and once again was named an All-American by various publications.[15][16] Following the season, he played for USA Baseball as a member of the Collegiate National Team.[17] He also played in the Cape Cod Baseball League for the Falmouth Commodores.[18][19] Prior to the 2019 season, Wallner was named a preseason All-American by Baseball America, Collegiate Baseball Newspaper, D1Baseball.com and Perfect Game.[20][21] During the year, he hit his 54th career home run, becoming USM's all-time record holder.[22] Wallner batted .323 with 23 home runs and sixty RBIs for the season, earning a spot on the C-USA First Team.[23][24] He finished his collegiate career with a school record 58 home runs.[25]

Professional career[]

Wallner was selected by the Minnesota Twins with the 39th overall pick in the 2019 Major League Baseball draft.[26][27] He signed for $1.8 million, and was assigned to the Elizabethton Twins of the Rookie-level Appalachian League.[28][29] He was promoted to the Cedar Rapids Kernels of the Class A Midwest League in August.[30] Over 65 games between the two clubs, Wallner slashed .258/.357/.452 with eight home runs and 34 RBIs.[31] He did not play a minor league game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.[32]

To begin the 2021 season, Wallner returned to Cedar Rapids, now members of the High-A Central.[33] In late May, he was placed on the injured list with a right wrist sprain.[34] It was later revealed that he broke a hamate bone and required surgery.[35] He was activated on July 20.[36] Over 68 games with Cedar Rapids, Wallner slashed .265/.350/.504 with 15 home runs and 47 RBIs.[37] He was selected to play in the Arizona Fall League for the Scottsdale Scorpions after the season.[38]

References[]

  1. ^ "USM's Matt Wallner: The real deal". Mississippi Today. 22 March 2017. Retrieved April 12, 2019.
  2. ^ "College choice unraveled, Forest Lake ace Wallner keeps impressing". StarTribune. Retrieved April 12, 2019.
  3. ^ "Prep baseball signee leaning toward USM". Clarion Ledger. Retrieved April 12, 2019.
  4. ^ "East Metro baseball player of the year: Matt Wallner of Forest Lake". Twin Cities Pioneer Press. 15 June 2016. Retrieved April 12, 2019.
  5. ^ "Forest Lake's Matt Wallner named Mr. Baseball". MN Baseball Hub. 2 July 2016. Retrieved April 12, 2019.
  6. ^ "Wallner's Draft experience means going to a game". MLB.com. Retrieved April 12, 2019.
  7. ^ "AP: Southern Miss star Matt Wallner 'could be the best two-way player in the nation'". Hattiesburg American. Retrieved May 31, 2019.
  8. ^ "Baseball America tabs Southern Miss' Matt Wallner as top freshman". Sun Herald. Retrieved April 12, 2019.
  9. ^ "Southern Miss' Matt Wallner named national Freshman of the Year, again". Sun Herald. Retrieved April 12, 2019.
  10. ^ "USM's Wallner named nation's top freshman". Hattiesburg American. Retrieved April 12, 2019.
  11. ^ Isbell, Tim. "Southern Miss baseball dominates C-USA postseason honors". sunherald.
  12. ^ "Southern Miss' Matt Wallner picks up another honor". Sun Herald. Retrieved April 12, 2019.
  13. ^ "Matt Wallner thrives in first two college seasons". The 3rd Man In. Retrieved April 12, 2019.
  14. ^ "Southern Miss baseball 2019: All-star roster, Matt Wallner key for 'rebuilding' season". Clarion Ledger. Retrieved May 31, 2019.
  15. ^ "BASE: 2018 Awards Announced". Conference USA.
  16. ^ Haeger, Jeff (December 17, 2018). "USM's Matt Wallner named All-American".
  17. ^ "Southern Miss star Matt Wallner named to USA Baseball's Collegiate National Team". Hattiesburg American. Retrieved April 12, 2019.
  18. ^ "#44 Matt Wallner". pointstreak.com. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
  19. ^ "Matt Wallner Making The Most Of Summer In The Cape Cod League". Baseball America. Retrieved April 12, 2019.
  20. ^ "How does All-American's Matt Wallner's injury affect the Golden Eagles?". Clarion Ledger. Retrieved May 31, 2019.
  21. ^ "USM's Wallner selected preseason All-America". WDAM 7. Retrieved May 31, 2019.
  22. ^ "Matt Wallner becomes USM's home run king". Baseball America. Retrieved May 31, 2019.
  23. ^ Jun 4th 2019 - 1am, Brad Elliot Schlossman. "Twins draft one-time UND baseball recruit No. 39 overall; would have been program's highest-ever pick". Grand Forks Herald.
  24. ^ "Matt Wallner Becomes Highest Ever Drafted Golden Eagle with Pick by Twins". Southern Miss.
  25. ^ By. "'I wouldn't change one thing.' Southern Miss' Matt Wallner drafted by hometown team". sunherald.
  26. ^ "Former Forest Lake pitcher-turned-hitter Matt Wallner realizes dream of being drafted by Twins — twice". Star Tribune.
  27. ^ Helf, Betsy; Bhelf (4 June 2019). "Twins draft collegian Matt Wallner of Forest Lake with No. 39 pick".
  28. ^ https://www.wdam.com/2019/06/18/wallner-twins-come-terms/
  29. ^ https://www.johnsoncitypress.com/Baseball/2019/06/21/Twins-Wallner-found-common-ground-three-years-later.html?ci=stream&lp=1&p=
  30. ^ https://www.milb.com/cedar-rapids/news/matt-wallner-joins-kernels-from-elizabethton/c-310186220
  31. ^ https://www.prospects1500.com/al-central/twins/10-names-you-need-to-know-minnesota-twins/
  32. ^ https://www.si.com/mlb/2020/06/30/minor-league-baseball-season-canceled-2020-coronavirus
  33. ^ https://www.thegazette.com/minor-league-sports/opening-night-roster-for-cedar-rapids-has-been-announced/
  34. ^ https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/twins-matt-wallner-out-with-wrist-injury/
  35. ^ https://www.ballysports.com/north/news/opponents-in-constant-danger-of-striking-out-versus-twins-pitching-prospect-vall
  36. ^ https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/twins-matt-wallner-returns-from-il/
  37. ^ https://www.twincities.com/2021/10/06/forest-lakes-matt-wallner-among-twins-prospects-headed-to-arizona-fall-league/
  38. ^ https://www.mlb.com/news/arizona-fall-league-rosters-2021-prospect-loaded?t=mlb-pipeline-coverage[bare URL]

External links[]

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