ST. PAUL – Cool, calm, and collected. That’s the mindset approach on the mound the Minnesota Twins’ top pitching prospect, Simeon Woods Richardson, has for himself going into his 2023 season.
The 22-year-old pitched five innings for the Twins at the end of the 2022 season making his major league debut against the Detroit Tigers on October 2. Woods Richardson debuted five days after his birthday, and though it was a limited experience, he didn’t miss out on a moment of the opportunity.
“I loved it,” Woods Richardson said. “Being around the guys, watching them, and picking their brains a little bit. Even though I had one day I tried to soak it all up, the outing was great for me and my family. I think I just learned how to control the situation, talk about breathing, talk about meditation, put yourself in that realm to compete, and help your team win every single day.”
Meditation has been a longstanding practice for Woods Richardson personally and professionally over the last two years. He said that practicing meditation has been helpful in relieving his stress and anxiety and finding his inner core on and off the mound.
“People get caught up on not being in the present, and that’s what meditation does for me, it keeps me in the present moment,” Woods Richardson said. “Not to get too ahead of myself, you can’t dwell on the past. Today’s today, let’s be better today, so let’s find something to achieve today. Let’s find something to work on, and you could see the progression of work getting better and better day by day.”
One thing that Woods Richardson has found to work on with Saints pitching coach Pete Larson is making his slider his most effective breaking ball pitch.
“It was a new pitch and a work in progress last year,” Larson said. “He needed something a little bit harder than the curveball. The slider is something harder, and you get a little bit left turn action. Once he got that then he worked with all quadrants of the strike zone which was really cool and it’s changed his life trajectory.”
“All the hard work we put in day in and day out since Double-A trying to figure out a new slider,” added Woods Richardson. “Trying to figure out how the shape is going to be how can we get swings and misses how can we use it better for my arsenal. It’s been a great tool. I have had more windows to use it more and open it up, and it’s good fun.”
The Saints added Larson to their coaching staff this season after he spent the 2022 season as a pitching coach with Minnesota’s Double-A team, the Wichita Wind Surge. Being able to work with someone familiar with his arsenal has made the start of the 2023 season all the more beneficial for Woods Richardson in St. Paul.
“It’s really easy to have a connection that’s already there, especially a guy like Pete,” said Woods Richardson. “He understands, listens, and wants to be there and help you understand how to get you better, and he wants to get you to the next level. And that’s what we want and couldn’t ask for anything more in our pitching coach. He wants you to succeed as badly as you want to for yourself.”
In addition to being reunited with Larson in the Saints’ clubhouse this year, Woods Richardson is surrounded by a plethora of pitching talent, including Louie Varland, Bailey Ober, Randy Dobnak, and Aaron Sanchez. While in big league camp at Spring Training in Fort Myers, Woods Richardson described himself as being a fly on the wall while around big leaguers like Sonny Gray, Pablo López, and friend Joe Ryan.
“I try to absorb as much as I can,” he said. “I’m still one of the youngest guys here. I may not carry myself like it, but I’m still one of the youngest guys here. So to sit back and watch these guys work to watch how they go about their day, go about the routine go about their preparation day by day. Hopefully, it rubs off on me because, at the end of the day, we all want to win the World Series. That’s everybody’s goal here.”
Minnesota’s starting rotation has been dominant in their first time around the order to start the 2023 season. As long as all five remain healthy, the timetable of Woods Richardson’s return to the Major Leagues isn’t clear. But that isn’t weighing him down as Woods Richardson has faith that Larson and the rest of the Saints coaching staff will do what they can to help get him back on the Twins’ active roster later this season.
“I think it’s just being consistent,” said Larson. “He’s on the 40-man roster, so he’s always an option. Keeping him rolling on that path and holding those standards to make sure he’s ready whenever he is needed. We have a goal we have targets in place and meeting those expectations and standards. And he works, so no doubt he’s gonna get back up there.”
“If it’s putting my head down, studying in the books and watching film or breaking down mechanics, breaking down pitch arsenals and reading swings, reading hitters,” said Woods Richardson, “Whatever we got to do, we’ll do it, that’s all I’m here for. As I said, I try to stay in the present moment. As long as I stay on task at hand, I think the day-by-day progression will show itself.”
