The Natural? Twins sign undrafted truck driver w/100 mph fastball

That was the Twins finding him and signing him to a minor league contract worth $250,000, well above the typical undrafted free agent pay scale.

Poulson didn't pitch much in high school and gave up baseball to for a few years to drive a truck for his dad's excavation company in northern California. He went back to school a couple years ago and played both football and baseball at Santa Rosa Junior College -- yeah, they still call it that. In the spring, he did nothing to call attention to himself: an ERA over 8.00 and more walks than innings pitched. But this summer, for the independent Healdsburg Prune Packers (what a name!) he is 1.45 and more than twice as many strikeouts as innings pitched. Not only that, but his fastball is regularly 98-99 mph and touches 100 frequently.

I just want to know: Where were the Royals' scouts? :laugh:

 

This is a great story. It's possible the Royals didn't have any money left in the draft pool fund. Here's the local article on this:

http://www.startribune.com/sports/twins/269141081.html