PaddleHeads Shortstop Kamron Willman signs with Minnesota Twins
Willman will join the Single-A affiliated Fort Myers Mussels on Tuesday
Missoula, MT. -- Following a breakout start to his 2023 campaign, PaddleHeads shortstop Kamron Willman signed with the Minnesota Twins yesterday afternoon. A native of Bakersfield, California, Willman competed at Kansas State University and the University of New Mexico before joining the PaddleHeads in 2022. In his first season with the team, Willman hit .322/.399/.469. Willman becomes the 14th Missoula PaddleHeads player to be signed by a Major League Team since they became an independent team in 2021.
Willman's 2023 season got off to a scalding hot start. Hitting .427/.494/.640 in 89 plate appearances through 21 games, Willman's offensive potency as both a power threat and an intelligent baserunner made him a fixture of the PaddleHeads lineup. The everyday shortstop and nine-hole hitter is a model of consistency and is loved on the field and in the clubhouse for his leadership role.
"The Minnesota Twins are getting a great player," commented PaddleHeads President Matt Ellis. "He has a legitimate chance to play in the big leagues someday. It will be fun to watch him move up the Twins system over the next few years."
Willman's dexterity and grit make him an impending defensive presence in the field. The PaddleHeads' clubhouse manager frequently remarks that Willman's uniform is the hardest to wash because he spends the most time diving in the dirt. Willman's nine double plays and team-leading 60 assists make up for increased stain remover costs -- it's the price you pay for Kamron Willman's kind of hustle.
PaddleHeads fans have grown familiar with the sight of Willman on second base raising his hands in the air on either side of his head like moose antlers. The dugout returns the symbol as the team's celebration of an extra-base hit. Willman's eight doubles, one triple, and two home runs in 2023 granted him plentiful opportunities to "Paddle Up" with his teammates from the base path before jetting off to Florida to join the Twins' Single-A club.
The Fort Myers Mighty Mussels compete in the Florida State League and are managed by Brian Meyer. Willman is the third PaddleHead to sign with an MLB club since the end of the 2022 season, making him the 14th MLB signing since the PaddleHeads became an MLB Partner League Independent franchise in 2021.
Follow the PaddleHeads on all social media platforms or at www.gopaddleheads.com to keep up with Willman and stay up to date on the latest happenings around the franchise.
The PaddleHeads return home on Friday, June 23rd to kick off a three-game series with the Idaho Falls Chukars. Tickets for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday's games are available at www.gopaddleheads.com or by visiting the team's box office in the PaddleHeads Post store at 140 N. Higgins Ave.
Missoula begins a three-game series tonight in Idaho Falls. Winners of 10 of their last 11 games, the PaddleHeads look to increase their five-game lead in the Pioneer League North Division. Listen to all the action on ESPN Missoula 102.9 FM or online at flobaseball.tv.