With his third season as a minor-league manager now behind him, Jake Mauer of the Fort Myers Miracle continues to work his way up the Minnesota Twins' organization in order to hopefully catch his brother one day.
Once an All-American second baseman who signed with the Twins in 2001, the 33-year-old Mauer originally managed Minnesota's rookie league club before taking on the organization's Single-A affiliate. And despite a 60-75 overall record in year three that left the Miracle short of the postseason, Mauer remains quite content with his current role.
"I'm trying to improve each year," Mauer told Charley Walters of the Pioneer Press. "[Twins minor league director Jim] Rantz will put us where he thinks we'll do a great job, and I'll be happy. As long as they'll have me, I'll keep doing it."
Aside from how young he is and the great start he's had to his managerial career, Mauer knows that he still faces an uphill battle in order to get to the majors one day. Although for a man who gets to watch his younger brother, Joe, take the field in front of millions on a daily basis, nothing should appear out of reach at this point.
"I'm still fairly young," Mauer said. "Without a doubt, that's the goal."
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