Balazovic carving path into Twins' Future
CLEVELAND -- In another year, Jordan Balazovic would have been defending the World. However, the All-Star Futures Game changed formats this year, going from a U.S. vs. The World matchup to one between American and National leagues -- mimicking the actual All-Star Game. In other words, this Canadian will wear
CLEVELAND -- In another year, Jordan Balazovic would have been defending the World. However, the All-Star Futures Game changed formats this year, going from a U.S. vs. The World matchup to one between American and National leagues -- mimicking the actual All-Star Game. In other words, this Canadian will wear a jersey with "American" emblazoned across his chest.
While it may seem a lost opportunity to represent his home and native land, Balazovic isn't about to get lost in the details.
"It doesn't really matter," he said. "I've played with guys from all over the world. Nothing different. ... I don't mind. It would have been cool to play for the World, but also just being here is awesome. Can't complain."
Maybe that's because the 20-year-old right-hander -- MLB.com's No. 100 overall prospect -- has had one of the most winding roads to the Futures Game at Progressive Field.
For starters, Balazovic was taken in the fifth round of the 2016 Draft out of St. Martin Secondary School in the Toronto suburb of Mississauga. That makes him the fourth-lowest drafted player in the 2019 showcase, ahead of only seven-rounders Sam Huff (Rangers) and Jarren Duran (Red Sox) and Indians outfielder Daniel Johnson, who was taken one pick after Balazovic. By comparison, 26 of the 50 players on the AL and NL rosters were taken in the first or competitive balance rounds.
Given his cold-weather background and raw nature coming from the prep ranks, Balazovic was put on the slow road through the Minnesota system, playing in the complex-level Gulf Coast League in both 2016 and 2017. After posting a 4.91 ERA with 29 strikeouts over 40 1/3 innings in that second GCL campaign, he was held back in extended spring training last year before joining Class A Cedar Rapids in June. He finished with a 3.94 ERA over 61 2/3 frames but showed signs of promise with a 30.7 percent strikeout rate and 4.3 K/BB ratio.
That promise has led to a true breakout in 2019. The Twins returned the righty to the Midwest League, where he made his first true Opening Day roster and saw him dominate with a 2.18 ERA and 33 strikeouts against four walks over 20 2/3 innings in four starts before he got his first bump to Class A Advanced Fort Myers. He's been in the Florida State League and has continued to settle in nicely with a 3.00 ERA and 58 punchouts over 45 innings. The rest of the prospect world has taken notice, and not only has Balazovic rocketed from his preseason ranking at No. 19 in a crowded Twins system to his current spot at No. 5, he also got the call for Sunday's game, his first All-Star Game of any kind since going pro three years ago.
"I don't even have words for it, honestly," he said. "Last year, I started in extended. Got called up for an outing. Got sent back down. Then a week later, got called up again and spent the rest of the season there. Now, everything's going by so quick. It feels like it's happening so fast. It's awesome trying to take it all in."
Behind Huff, AL rallies for tie in Futures Game
Balazovic's rise to prospect prominence might look like one of fits and starts, but in truth, it's more typical development, even if it's not the one normally seen by Futures Game stars. One of the biggest keys to that ascent has been adding velocity over his four seasons in the Minors to the point where he throws regularly in the mid-90s, a jump that came after Balazovic realized what his physique could handle over a full season in the pros.
"I put on a little bit of weight since last year and I feel like that's allowed me to use my lower half more than before," said the right-hander, who's listed at 6-foot-4 and 175 pounds. "That's probably the biggest thing, knowing my body a little bit more and how it can handle the extra weight."
That was on full display on June 12 when Fort Myers visited Tampa, which just happened to have rehabbing former NL MVP Giancarlo Stanton. In the slugger's first at-bat, Balazovic gave Stanton three pitches. Called Strike. Foul. Swinging strike. All fastballs.
"Normally, I'll be at 95-96, but I turned around and saw 97 and thought, 'Well, OK,'" Balazovic said. "That felt good."
But a fastball alone does not a starting pitching prospect make, and Balazovic draws above-average grades for his slider. But it's the changeup that the Twins hurler credits with helping make his jump. Often an unused pitch by prep players until they reach the pros, Balazovic's change has improved to the point where it's confusing hitters -- given the similarity to the fastball without the velocity -- and becoming more than just a show-me offering.
"I was happy I got the chance to go back to [Cedar Rapids], just so I could work on that pitch and be able to use it in certain counts, like when I'm behind," Balazovic said. "Just get that comfortability with it. I feel like that helped me a lot to move up to [Class A Advanced], and it's just gotten better since then. That and my breaking ball and tunneling the fastball with my breaking ball. I've been using that sequence a lot more. I feel like that helped me get those swings and misses."
The improvement of all three offerings and Balazovic's ability to throw them for strikes has led the righty to fan 33.8 percent of the batters he's faced this season between Cedar Rapids and Fort Myers. That's 13th-best in the Minors among the 500 pitchers who've thrown at least 60 innings. And it's the jump in stuff and results that has Balazovic standing out in the loaded system of the AL Central leaders that already features fellow Futures Gamer Royce Lewis and fellow Top-100 prospects Alex Kirilloff, Brusdar Graterol and Trevor Larnach. And it secured a spot on the AL roster Sunday.
But don't worry -- even with the format change, Balazovic was quick to point out there's still a Canadian flag patch on the left side of his uniform, right below his heart. And there's a Twins logo near his right shoulder, his pitching shoulder. Both serve as a reminder of how far he's come to reach this point and how far he has to go.
"It's awesome what I've accomplished," he said. "But it's not the end goal. That's where my focus is: just try to do the best I can and force their hand. I'm not trying to do anything else but throw the baseball."
Sam Dykstra is a reporter for MiLB.com. Follow and interact with him on Twitter, @SamDykstraMiLB.
Orioles' Honeycutt joins The Show Before the Show
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Red Sox prospect rips double THROUGH Fenway-esque scoreboard
Red Sox No. 4 prospect Franklin Arias, an infielder for High-A Greenville, REALLY didn’t want to let visiting Asheville score any runs in the top of the eighth inning on Friday night. With runners on first and second base in the bottom of the fourth, Arias showed he apparently held
April's hottest hitting prospects -- one for each organization
The Minor League season is a month old and several of the game's best hitting prospects are off to fast starts. Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony is tearing up Triple-A (just like he did at the end of last year), Padres shortstop Leo De Vries is leading the High-A Midwest
Check out the best -- and wackiest -- Minor League promos happening in May
Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from the Baseball Traveler newsletter, presented by Circle K, is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.
MiLB podcast coming LIVE to a Somerset this June
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
New ballparks highlight 2025 MiLB road trip stops
Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from the Baseball Traveler newsletter, presented by Circle K, is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.
Minor League Baseball partners with TruGreen
FRANKLIN, Tenn. -- TruGreen, the nation's leading lawn care treatment provider, is proud to announce a groundbreaking partnership with Minor League Baseball that includes activations across all 120 clubs, a makeover of the home dugout in each market, sponsorship of select MiLB team grounds crews, and a new initiative called
Podcast explains why the Syracuse Mets are looking for Jim Morrison
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Dash im-prom-tu promo and Mets' Suero joins the podcast
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Minor League Baseball partners with Circle K
Minor League Baseball announced a new national partnership with Circle K, which will see the convenience store giant become the “Official Convenience Store of Minor League Baseball.” During the 2025 season, the Circle K brand will be integrated into the MiLB in-stadium experience through in-game video board assets at most
These 15 moments led to season No. 15 of Minor League road trips
Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from his newsletter is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.
MiLB podcast crew makes Opening Day predictions
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Everything you need to know for Triple-A Opening Day
First, there was big league Opening Day. Now it's Triple-A's turn to take the spotlight. The Minor League season opens Friday when the Triple-A International League and Pacific Coast League seasons get underway for the first of MiLB’s two Opening Days. And right out of the gates, several of baseball's
Top prospects to watch at Triple-A -- one for each organization
It’s Triple-A’s turn up to bat on Friday. The regular season begins for the Minor Leagues’ highest level one day after the action starts on the Major League side. Fun fact: it’ll be the earliest start to a Minor League season since 1951 (March 27). Double-A, High-A and Single-A will
Here's where every Top 100 prospect is expected to start the season
The 2025 Opening Day prospect roster announcements began last week when the Cubs informed Matt Shaw (MLB No. 19) he was making the trip overseas to compete in the Tokyo Series. Roki Sasaki (No. 1) also received the good news, but his assignment was much less of a surprise. Now
Nationals prospect King joins MiLB podcast
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Here are the 2025 All-Spring Breakout Teams
Fifteen games, several jersey swaps and countless highlights later, the second edition of Spring Breakout has officially concluded – and it lived up to its billing. Of the 16 contests sprinkled across four days, only one game (Dodgers vs. Cubs) was rained out. Coincidentally, the Cubs were one of two
Rox young sluggers aim to bring pop back to Coors Field
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Coors Field may provide the best run-scoring environment in Major League Baseball, but the Rockies haven’t taken advantage of it in recent years. Even without adjusting for Coors, they have fielded offenses worse than the league average the past three seasons, and they scored the fewest runs
Astros brass sees potential in consistently 'underranked' farm system
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- The last time the Astros landed in the top 10 of MLB Pipeline’s farm system rankings was before the 2019 season. Since those rankings expanded to all 30 teams ahead of the 2020 season -- 11 lists in total -- they’ve never ranked higher than
Complete results and highlights from Spring Breakout
The second edition of MLB Spring Breakout is complete, and there was no shortage of highlights from the future stars of Major League Baseball over the four-day showcase. Here's a complete breakdown of the 16-game exhibition:
Southpaw Spring Breakout: White Sox future on display with Schultz, Smith
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- If all goes as planned for the White Sox, left-handers Hagen Smith and Noah Schultz won’t spend much time following each other to the mound in a single game. Schultz, the No. 1 White Sox prospect and No. 16 overall, per MLB Pipeline, and Smith, who is
In first pro game, Rainer offers pop, promise to Tigers fans
NORTH PORT, Fla. -- Bryce Rainer’s pro career consisted of workouts and batting practice until Sunday.
'Me and Brady on the dirt again': House, King reunite at Spring Breakout
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- The 2025 Spring Breakout was a flashback for Brady House and Seaver King. Over 10 years ago, the infielders were travel ball teammates in Georgia who shared the dream of making it to the Major Leagues. Now, they are top prospects in the same organization,
Lambert -- 'an adrenaline guy' -- hoping to be next Mets bullpen gem
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Ryan Lambert loves throwing hard. He relishes the idea of getting to two strikes and blowing hitters away. “Get me in a game,” Lambert said, “cool things will happen.”
Stewart embraces Spring Breakout: 'What's not to love?'
PHOENIX -- Sal Stewart was one fired-up Reds prospect. On Sunday in the first inning during the organization's 9-7 Spring Breakout win over Brewers prospects, Stewart lifted a 2-2 pitch that sailed over the center fielder's head to the wall. Already not known as a speedster, he stumbled running between