A small item in the Star Tribune on July 9, 2009, noted some international player signings by the Twins:
"The most promising of the international prospects the Twins have either signed or have reached agreement with are Jorge Polanco and Jonatan Ynojoso, a pair of shortstops from the Dominican Republic. Mike Radcliff, the Twins vice president of player personnel, said both have offensive upside.
"The Twins also have agreements with Australian righthander Mark Trau and German outfielder Max Kepler. Kepler is considered to be the top prospect out of Europe but is very raw."
Who would have thought that, 10 years later, Kepler and Polanco would not only be leading the Twins' surge to a major league-best 37-17 record, but that both would have signed team-friendly, long-term contracts?
Twins Chief Baseball Officer Derek Falvey and General Manager Thad Levine made it a priority this offseason to sign some of their young, high-potential players to extensions. That led to Polanco and Kepler getting five-year deals in February — $25.75 million for Polanco and $35 million for Kepler. Kepler is signed through the 2024 season, when he will be 31.
"I'm super grateful for [the extension]," he said.
Did he ever think this kind of career was possible when he was playing baseball in Germany?
"I don't know, [I] just put in the work, made sacrifices," he said. "Where other kids were having fun, I was at the field playing baseball."