Montclair Prep Coach Denies Contract Report

Montclair Prep baseball Coach Kelly Paris denied reports Tuesday that he has signed a contract to play as a replacement player for the Minnesota Twins.

Paris, 37, was hired last year to replace Walt Steele. Paris said he has had discussions with the Twins but declined to sign.

“I’m the head coach at Montclair Prep, period,” Paris said. “We talked about it, but it isn’t going to happen.”

According to the Associated Press, newspapers in the Twin Cities have identified at least 11 players who have signed with the Twins, though the club will not make any roster announcements until Thursday, the first day of spring training.

Paris, a former All-City Section standout at Taft High, played with four teams in his five-year major league career.

He batted .218 in a total of 91 games with the St. Louis Cardinals, Cincinnati Reds, Baltimore Orioles and Chicago White Sox before retiring in 1988.

The Twins also reportedly have signed Brad Komminsk and Dave Jeltz, both former big-league players.