Twins All-Star Miguel Sano accused of sexual assault

Minnesota Twins All-Star Miguel Sano has been accused of sexual assault by a photographer who tweeted her account of the 24-year-old slugger repeatedly grabbing and trying to kiss her after an autograph signing.

‘Every time I have to hear about how great people think Miguel Sano is, I’m reminded of how awful he actually is and how he hurt me,’ wrote Betsy Bissen, whose Twitter bio lists her as a photographer for the blog TwinsDaily.com in addition to a role with the minor league St. Paul Saints.

Neither Bissen, the Twins, nor TwinsDaily.com have responded to requests for comment. Bissen did tweet that the ‘Twins knew nothing’ about the incident.

Bissen’s lengthy Twitter post included the hashtag ‘#metoo,’ in reference to the growing movement of sexual assault victims breaking their silence about the issue.

According to Bissen, she spent around 10 minutes trying to fight off the aggressive advances of Sano.

Just 24, Sano plays third base when he isn’t serving as Minnesota’s designated hitter. He was named to his first American League All-Star team during the 2017 season 

‘I pulled back as he held onto my wrist,’ she explained. ‘It hurt, how badly he was grabbing at my wrist, but he wouldn’t let go. I wasn’t going to give up my fight though.

‘He then leaned down and tired to kiss me, more than once,’ she continued. ‘Every time he did, I said no and kept pulling back. I was in a squatted position with my wrist throbbing. I screamed, no one came to help me. He finally gave up after a solid ten mins (sic) of me fighting to pull me thru (sic) that door.’

Bissen’s statement initially described an incident in which a married first base coach asked for her number. 

She then followed with her description of the encounter with an ‘athlete,’ who she revealed to be Sano in her final paragraph.

After an autograph signing at a store in which Bissen says she volunteers, Sano allegedly insisted that she join him, his agent, and her employer at the nearby Apple store.

‘As him, his agent, and the guy I worked for walked away, he grabbed my wrist and made me go with them. (I didn’t want to cause a scene, so I went along),’ she wrote.

Bissen did not reveal Sano’s name until the final paragraph. ‘Every time I have to hear about how great people think Miguel Sano is, I’m reminded of how awful he actually is’

‘We spend around a half hour inside that store before it was time for him and his agent to leave,’ Bisset continued. ‘Their car was pulled around to a back hallway door. As we got outside, the athlete decided he needed to use the restroom. I asked my boss where it was and pointed to the door we just walked thru (sic). Apparently I was too close, and the athlete took that as a signal that I wanted him to grab me and try to take me back thru (sic) that door.’

It was then that the aforementioned assault allegedly took place.

‘I don’t even want to think of what he may have done, had he got me thru (sic) that door,’ she wrote. ‘No, he didn’t rape me, but he sure did assault me. When I said no, it should have been the end of it. He should have respected that and stopped. Instead, he hurt me and kept going.

‘The next day, my body was sore all over from having to fight off this athlete that thought he was entitled to take advantage of me against my will,’ she continued. ‘It’s not just the recaps of my fellow women who have been thru situations of their own that remind me of what happened, it’s every baseball game, every write up about him that rehashes this.’

Sano, who was named to the American League All-Star team in 2017, has been mentioned in several reported trade rumors recently. However, Bissen wrote that her decision to come forward was unrelated to any potential roster moves the Twins are considering.

Former Twins infielder Trevor Plouffe reached out to Bissen to offer his support 

A Twitter user with the handle @TCAnelle was retweeted by Bissen

Bissen explained why she waited several years to come forward: ‘I want nothing more than to feel free of this burden I’ve carried with me since 2015’

Bissen: ‘I don’t even want to think of what he may have done, had he got me thru (sic) that door. No, he didn’t rape me, but he sure did assault me. When I said no, it should have been the end’

Bissen remained active on social media in the hours after making her announcement 

Some on Twitter questioned Bissen’s timing, but others were quick to defend her.

Infielder Trevor Plouffe, who played for the Twins between 2010 and 2016, wrote to Bissen on Twitter.

‘I’m so sorry about this,’ he wrote. ‘I understand why you didn’t, but I wish you would have come to me.’

Bissen also retweeted one Twins fan who claimed to know about the incident for some time.

‘For anyone doubting her, she told me and other friends/family right after it happened,’ read a tweet from someone with the handle @TCAnelle. ‘It was her story to share on her own timetable. Stop before questioning why she waited until now. There have been enough #metoo stories that illustrate why women wait to speak out.’

Sano finished third in the American League Rookie of the Year voting in 2015, which is when the assault allegedly took place, according to Bissen.

In 2017 the part-time third baseman and designated hitter had a career-high 28 home runs and 77 RBIs for a Twins team that finished in second place in the A.L. Central Division with a record of 85-77.

In 2017 Sano knocked a career-high 28 home runs and added 77 RBIs for a Twins team that finished in second place in the A.L. Central Division with a record of 85-77