Bloor signs with Twins

Local pitcher Kyle Bloor had a lifetime unforgettable memory last week when he signed his first professional contract with the Minnesota Twins.

“It’s still starting to settle down a little bit here, (but) not fully,” said Bloor.

“It’s exciting. It’s something I’ve dreamed of for a very long time and you think it’s never going to happen, and then all of sudden you’re here and it’s awesome.”

Bloor spent a few years playing college ball down in the States with Tennessee Weseleyan and Colby Community College in Kansas where he developed his game right out of high school.

“So got a lot of experience there throughout the years and then in the last year things have started to really get going for me working on a lot of new things and everything,” said Bloor.

He also played a summer with the Lethbridge Bulls in 2021 when they won the WCBL championship and most recently in November had signed with Sioux City in an independent league.

The ball got rolling for Bloor while working out with Prairie Baseball Academy.

“So I knew that there was still a next step,” said Bloor.

“So I was working really hard over the break ... with the coaches there at PBA and I threw a video on (X) actually of me throwing my first live of the year and velocity was really good, it caught some eyes from teams up in the US here.”

PBA head coach Todd Hubka knew people that were going to Arizona to play and asked if Bloor could join them and knowing a few MLB teams were watching.

“So went up to Arizona (two weeks) ago, I was able to start a game against the Chicago Cubs minor league team actually. So it was a test right off the start to see how it went,” said Bloor.

Bloor felt he did well and fit in during the opportunity.

“Then it was within two days (I) got a call about the Twins wanting to sign,” said Bloor.

Bloor did have some contact with the Twins last year but things didn’t turn out for him there.

“So I ended up going to a work out with them,” said Bloor.

“So they had a bunch of their top prospects down there that they were planning on drafting and signing. So went down there, threw with them, had a good showing there as well (and) just didn’t happen to go as planned with the draft and signing. There’s a little bit of history there with them. So when they found out when I was going to down Arizona, it was like another opportunity to look at me. They just so happen to be there and they’re the ones that got their hands on me.”

Bloor now turns the signing into his everyday job. “It’s awesome being with an organization now but I mean there’s a lot of steps still to get to the big leagues,” he said.

“It’s just the beginning for me. So hoping to make an early jump in the organization, put (in) a good impression off the start and work my way into the AA/AAA organization and really have the dream come true with a big league start.”

Bloor played his way through the ranks in Lethbridge including American Legion program throughout high school.

“So being able to go down to the States and play for American Legion was honestly the biggest thing I’d say because it brings you down to where the scouts ... are,” said Bloor.

“So that was kind of the first look for me with quality coaches and I mean social media as well. Social media helped me a ton and I think that’s a new thing in this day is posting videos because now scouts, coaches, they don’t have to travel anywhere, they just (go through) (X) (and) you get contacted by them.”

Another big impact for Bloor was his former pitching coach, Omar Kadair.

“As soon as I started American Legion at 14, he was my pitching coach, and helped me with everything honestly ... to get started with my pitching side of things,” said Bloor.