Cole Sands #44

Bryson Cole Sands...Goes by middle name, Cole...Instagram: @colesands_26...Attended North Florida Christian High School in Tallahassee, Fla., where he went 5-1 with a 0.32 ERA, 73 strikeouts and 32 hits allowed in 66.1 innings his senior season...As a senior in 2015, participated in the Under Armour All-American Game at Wrigley Field and was ranked as the 60th-best prospect by Perfect Game and named a First-Team All-American by Louisville Slugger...Pitched three seasons at Florida State University, going 19-15, 4.73 ERA (228.1 IP, 120 ER), 87 walks and 210 strikeouts...Father, David, also attended Florida State...His older brother, Carson, was selected by the Cubs in the fourth round of the 2014 First-Year Player Draft and played four seasons in the minors from 2014-17...Switched from No. 77 to No. 44 during 2023-24 offseason, when the Twins acquired Ryan Jensen off waivers...Was one of four players in club history to wear uniform No. 77, joining Tony Batista (2006), Fernando Romero (2018-19) and Andrew Alberts (2021)...Claims his hidden talent is that he's "sneaky good" at golf.

2023

Made Twins Opening Day roster for first time in career after pitching in second career Spring Training...spent most of season as long-man out of Twins bullpen. A Had four different stints with the Twins on season, splitting the season between Minnesota and Triple-A St. Paul...Posted a 0.73 ERA (12.1 IP, 1 ER) in first seven appearances with Twins from April 3-May 30, an Anthony Rizzo home run on April 13 at New York-AL being only run allowed in that span...Tied career-high by walking five batters on May 13 vs. Chicago-NL (2.0 IP)...Struck out season-high four batters three times: May 22 vs. San Francisco (2.0 IP), May 30 at Houston (2.1 IP) and Sept. 3 at Texas (2.0 IP)...Placed on 15-day injured list with Minnesota on June 4 with right shoulder impingement...Pitched in two games on rehab assignment with St. Paul and reinstated on July 5...Optioned to Triple-A St. Paul on Sept. 4, where he finished the season...Spent the final week of the season throwing to rehabbing hitters (Buxton, Correa, Lewis, etc.) to be ready for postseason...Allowed earned runs in just three of 15 appearances with Twins on season, finishing with a 3.74 ERA (21.2 IP, 9 ER) with Minnesota...Combined to go 0-2, 2.41 ERA (52.1 IP, 14 ER) with 23 walks, 62 strikeouts and a .191 opponent batting average in 34 games between St. Paul and Minnesota combined.

2022

Pitched in first career Major League Spring Training after being added to Twins 40-man roster Nov. 19, 2021...Optioned to Triple-A St. Paul March 23...Appeared in four games (3 starts) for the Saints from April 4-24 and was recalled by Minnesota April 30 (Bailey Ober - IL)...was the first of seven stints with the Twins on the season (2 of which were 29th man recalls). ...Florida native made Major League debut in relief May 1 at Tampa Bay, allowing two runs on three hits in 2.0 innings pitched...recorded first major league strikeout in that game, fanning Brandon Lowe...Placed on Minnesota's 15-day Injured List on Aug. 24 with a right elbow contusion after being struck by a comebacker off the bat of Yuli Gurriel August 23 at Houston...reinstated Sept.8...Earned first career save Oct. 5 at Chicago-AL in the club's final game, allowing one unearned run on four hits in 4.0 innings pitched in a Twins 10-1 victory...Went 0-0, 3.44 ERA (18.1 IP, 7 ER) in eight relief appearances for Minnesota and 0-3, 9.49 ERA (12.1 IP, 13 ER) in three starts...Combined to go 3-9, 5.65 ERA (92.1 IP, 58 ER) with 37 walks and 100 strikeouts in 30 games (16 starts) between St. Paul and Minnesota on season...Ranked in the 88th percentile in baseball in curveball spin rate at 2812 rpm...Ranked as Twins 24th-best prospect in organization by MLB.com after season.

2021

Began the season with Double-A Wichita and spent the entire year with the Wind Surge...Missed time on the 7-day Injured List from June 21-July 14 with a right elbow strain...Matched his career-high with 10 strikeouts on August 14 at Tulsa (5.2 IP, 2 R/ER, 1 BB)...Went 2-0, 0.00 ER-(17.0 IP) with seven walks and 14 strikeouts across his last three regular-season starts...Started the first game of the Double-A Central Championship Series at Northwest Arkansas, taking the loss (5.0 IP, 7 H, 5 R/ER, 1 BB, 1 HB, 4 K)...Held right-handed batters to a .167 (25-for-150) batting average in the regular season, while lefties hit .243 (34-for-140) against him...Allowed three-or-fewer earned runs in 18 of 19 outings...also struck out at least six batters six times, including at least eight batters thrice...Went 4-2, 2.46 ERA (80.1 IP, 22 ER) with 35 walks, 96 strikeouts and a .203 opponent batting average in 19 games (18 starts)...the Wind Surge went 12-7 when he pitched...Finished the season as the 19th-best prospect in the Twins system, per MLB.com...entered 2022 ranked 17th...Added to the Twins 40-man roster Nov. 19.

2020

 Did not play, as the minor league season was cancelled due to COVID-19...participated in Twins Instructional League during Oct. in Fort Myers

2019

2018