RIVERSIDE, Calif. - Two-time All-Big West and Big West All-Academic selection Mark Contreras' contract was picked up by the Minnesota Twins this week. Contreras played for UC Riverside from 2014-17 and was named UCR's Male Student-Athlete of the Year in 2017. 

Contreras, 27, has spent the past four years in the minors after playing rookie ball in 2017, and has hit .239/.350/.489 in 26 games for Triple-A St. Paul this season, adding five homers and five steals.

A native of nearby Moreno Valley, Contreras was taken in the ninth round of the 2017 First Year Player Draft by Minnesota. Contreras' final season in Riverside saw him lead the squad in batting, on-base percentage, slugging, triples and stolen bases while tying an NCAA record with three triples against San Diego State on April 25.

Prior to UC Riverside, Contreras was a four-year letterwinner at Canyon Springs High School and was a four-year Inland Empire champion.