At 31-yeard-old, Max Kepler is now the most tenured member on the Minnesota Twins’ roster. Entering year nine with the Twins, Kepler approaches the game differently as a veteran on he field.

Kepler has been a popular name that pops up in trade rumors with the Twins, Kepler has heard it all before.

“There’s been times before, when I was younger, where I would really buy into it, and it would send me on an emotional roller coaster,” said Kepler. “It’s out of my control, so I was just focusing on what I can control, which is getting better as a baseball player.”

Last season, Kepler went from a first half slump at the plate hitting below .200, but ended the season as one of the best hitters for the Twins. He not only found a way to hit, but found a process on how to relax.

“It starts with waking up in the morning, to finishing my day with breathing exercises and meditative states,” said Kepler.

When asked if baseball is a mind, body, soul approach, Kepler said, “I think it is. It’s 90 percent mental, so you want to be here and be completely present when you are, but also be able to separate from the game.”

If Kepler slumps at the plate, there is one place he rarely fails, Kepler owns right field.

“When I came up the the big league level, someone told me, if you’re not getting hits, take them away,” said Kepler.”I was struggling with a slump at the time, so I became more eager on defense.”

Kepler is entering the final season of a five year, $35 million deal with the Twins.