Peschl named 2026 Harmon Killebrew Award winner
Cedar Rapids Kernels
CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – The Minnesota Twins have named Kernels right-handed pitcher Cole Peschl as the 2026 Cedar Rapids selection for the Harmon Killebrew Award of outstanding community service.
In the community, Peschl coached at the 2026 Kernels Youth Baseball Camp at Veterans Memorial Stadium. He volunteered in a local Talented and Gifted Classroom, where he read with the class and answered questions about what it was like to be a professional athlete. As part of the Twins Week of Service, he attended a local hospital and participated in an array of activities, including signing autographs and meeting with patients and families. A Sunday fixture on the field, Peschl was always one of the last players standing to give out autographs and connect with every fan that greeted him.
Peschl, 23, was drafted by the Twins in the 15th round of the 2024 draft out of Campbell. On the mound, the Fairmont, West Virginia native has made a team-high 36 appearances out of the Cedar Rapids bullpen this season, pitching to a 3-1 record and a 3.94 ERA with 55 strikeouts in 64 innings pitched. To start the season, Peschl did not allow a run across his first seven outings, holding batters to a .030 batting average in the month of April.
The Harmon Killebrew Award is awarded for outstanding minor league community service. Following the Hall of Famer’s death in 2011, the Twins have annually recognized a player from each of the organization’s full-season affiliates. Each player is nominated by their respective general manager for their service within the affiliate’s community. A plaque is awarded, in addition to an on-field presentation during spring training. This year’s winners were active in the organization-wide Minnesota Twins Week of Service, in addition to finding other ways to help their local affiliate communities.
The Kernels sit at 47-79, with just four games left in the 2026 season. The Cedar Rapids schedule in 2027 begins in Beloit on Friday, April 2nd, before opening up Veterans Memorial Stadium for the season on Tuesday, April 6th.
