Twins right-hander Trevor May has accumulated around 69,000 followers on Twitter and 132,000 followers on video streaming site Twitch largely because of his favorite off-field hobby.
May, an avid video game player, found an online community eager to watch him offer commentary over his gameplay. He competes in titles such as "Fortnite" and "Sea of Thieves," but he also puts in work on "MLB The Show 19," where he can compare his real-life baseball experiences to the simulation.
He told "ChangeUp" hosts Adnan Virk and Scott Rogowski that the differences between "MLB The Show" and the actual big leagues amuse him and in turn help him amuse his viewers.
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"I talk about the stuff that's not real, that's not anything we do," May said. "Because they built the whole background in (the game mode) Road to the Show where you talk to your manager, you talk to your teammates and you're building relationships."
During the Twins' season, May still finds time to hone his second, online-based craft. Often, that requires early morning streaming on Twitch.
I'll be posting these helpful stream schedules each weekend to keep you up on when I'll be live next! It will always be pinned to the profile! Here's May 10th-16th. pic.twitter.com/P8Ewag5HDe
— Trevor “IamTrevorMay” May (@IamTrevorMay) May 10, 2019
May has created a third baseman in "MLB The Show's" story mode, which starts him in the minors and allows him to work up to the major leagues by performing well with his player in the game. He said his player was drafted by the White Sox, meaning he could eventually be promoted to a division he's part of in real life.
As he chronicles his virtual journey on Twitch for thousands of viewers at a time, he hopes to bring them a collision between existences.
"My goal," May said, "is to get me to the big leagues so I can face my real self."