MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Twins didn't waste much time in signing two of their early draft picks. Second-rounder Mason Melotakis and fourth-rounder Zack Jones both signed contracts with the Twins on Friday at Target Field.
Melotakis, a left-hander from Northwestern State, was taken by the Twins in the second round with the 63rd overall pick. The 6-foot-3, 190-pound Melotakis can reach the upper 90s with his fastball and said he also throws a curveball, a slider that he classifies as a slurve, and is getting the feel for his changeup. He also hopes to develop a cutter.
Melotakis was taken on Day 2 of the draft, the second pick in round two on Tuesday. Three days later, he was at Target Field, putting pen to paper to make it official.
"I'm ready to get going. I tried to get up here as early as I can, that way I can in the system as early as I can and get a Twins uniform on," Melotakis said. " . . . I did expect it to go quickly. I didn't expect two days. I was expecting more of a week or so, but I'm glad it's two days."
Jones, a right-hander who pitched for San Jose State, was Minnesota's fourth-round pick (No. 130 overall). He made 19 appearances this season and was 3-4 with a 4.50 ERA, including seven saves. Like Melotakis, Jones wasted no time in joining the Twins organization.
"I've been waiting for this day for a long time," Jones said. "While you're waiting for it, it seems like it's taking forever. Now that it's actually here, it's kind of surreal."
Jones said he was expecting to go anywhere from the third to seventh rounds. During the draft, he was actually on the phone with the Washington Nationals when the Twins took him in the fourth round. He heard his family celebrating in the other room and ran to find out he had been drafted.
"I actually didn't get to see my name come up," Jones said.
Neither Melotakis nor Jones had spent much time in Minnesota, they said Friday, but they're both hoping to one day call Target Field home. In the meantime, they'll report to Elizabethton, the Twins' rookie league team.
"I'm going to be there for the summer, and hopefully not for long," Melotakis said.
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