Joseph Patrick Mauer...2001 graduate of Cretin-Derham Hall (MN) High School where he played baseball, basketball and football... led football team to two straight appearances in the Minnesota Class 5A Championship Game, winning the state title in 2000...named Gatorade's National Player of the Year, Parade and USA Today Player of the Year and Reebok/ESPN High School All-American in football...signed a letter of intent to play football at Florida State University...was All-State in basketball in junior and senior seasons...tied a national high school record by homering in seven consecutive games...was District V Player of the Year and Gatorade Player of the Year in 2001...was a member of the Team USA Junior National Team, 1998-2000...voted Best Hitter at the world tournament in Panama in 2000...became the seventh Minnesotan to be selected in the first round and the first to be selected first overall...designates time and effort in support of Twins' Rookie League and R.B.I programs... is an active member of the Minnesota Action Team, an expanding national youth volunteer initiative run by the Major League Baseball Players Trust and Volunteers of America.