Biography

When 2001 began, few baseball fans knew how to spell Pierzynski and Mintkiewicz, let alone tell you what position they played. Well, that has changed in a big way. A.J. (the catcher) and his teammate Doug (the first baseman) were two of the biggest reasons why the Twins vaulted to the top of the American League's Central Division during the first half of the season. A.J. played every day against right-handed pitchers and was especially tough in June when he hit a torrid .372, with two home runs and 15 RBI, in 23 games. A free swinger, he generally hits for a high average when putting the first pitch into play. A.J. finished third on the team in doubles (33) as he hit a solid .289, with seven homers and 55 RBI.

A.J., which stands for Anthony John, began 2000 in New Britain (AA), before jumping to Salt Lake (AAA) and finally Minnesota. Recalled by the Twins on August 12, he secured the regular catching job after Chad Moeller went down with a knee injury and didn't disappoint. A.J. hit .333 in September, finishing his first extended bit of major-league action at .307, with two homers and 11 RBI, in 33 games. He also threw out five of the 13 runners (38 percent) who attempted to steal off him. A.J. was a third-round draft choice of the Twins in June 1994 out of Dr. Phillips High School in Orlando, Fla.