Carrollton Native Sam Coonrod With Blazing 97 MPH Fastball and Teague Conrad, Signed by Twins

SAUGET – The Gateway Grizzlies are pleased to announce that both Teague Conrad and Sam Coonrod have been signed by the Minnesota Twins, becoming the first Grizzlies to be picked up by an MLB organization in 2025 as well as the 53rd and 54th such players in club history.

Hailing from nearby Carrollton, Coonrod came to the Grizzlies this offseason with a wealth of experience at the highest level of pro baseball, having appeared in 115 major league games with the San Francisco Giants, Philadelphia Phillies, and New York Mets. The 32-year-old got back into the game with the Grizzlies after not pitching in 2024, and immediately put his name on the map once again, featuring a high-octane fastball that reached as high as 97 miles per hour early in the 2025 campaign with Gateway.

He used that pitch as well as several quality off-speed offerings to dominate the competition. In six games, the right-hander recorded three saves, and allowed just two singles and two walks in six and one-third innings, striking out 15 without allowing a run. He will be sent straight to Triple-A, joining the St. Paul Saints as he looks to return to MLB with the Twins organization.

Originally from Schaumburg, Illinois, Conrad was selected 28th overall in the 2024 Frontier League Draft by Gateway after completing his college career at SIUE. He was also initially released by the Grizzlies out of spring training in 2024, but re-signed after a couple of weeks, and by season’s end was one of the top rookie starters in the Frontier League.

In 18 starts in 2024, Conrad went 7-4 with a 3.29 ERA, 90 strikeouts, and 49 walks in 101 1/3 innings. This season, the right-hander took home Frontier League Pitcher of the Week honors after tossing eight brilliant innings on May 15 against the Mississippi Mud Monsters, allowing just one unearned run and retiring 15 batters in a row at one point. He will join the Single-A Fort Myers Mighty Mussels in the Twins organization.

The Grizzlies are back at home tonight as they look to avoid a sweep against the Florence Y’alls. Lukas Veinbergs will pitch for Gateway against Florence southpaw Eli Majick, with first pitch scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT at Arsenal BG Ballpark.

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