Zepp was born in Detroit, Michigan, and became a "superstar" while attending Redford High School in that city. After graduating from high school, Zepp declined the opportunity to play professional baseball and instead enrolled at the University of Michigan. While attending Michigan, Zepp reportedly "lost his velocity and confidence" as a pitcher. He was drafted but did not sign on three occasions while attending school: by the Milwaukee Braves in the 33rd round of the 1965 Major League Baseball Draft; by the Detroit Tigers in the eighth round of the 1966 MLB Draft; and by the Boston Red Sox in the seventh round of the 1967 MLB Draft.\n', '

Zepp graduated from the University of Michigan in the spring of 1968 with a master\'s degree in marketing. After receiving his degree, Zepp sought to pursue his dream of playing Major League Baseball, but most clubs were not interested in a 22-year-old rookie. Zepp noted, "I finally went begging for a chance to play. When I decided I was in good enough shape, I went to some of the old scouts who had seen me play. I felt I wouldn\'t embarrass any team that signed me and this was important. Minnesota Twins\' scout Frank Franchi convinced the club to give Zepp a chance, and he was signed by the Twins as an amateur free agent.\n', '

After signing with the Twins, Zepp was assigned for the remainder of the 1968 season to the Wisconsin Rapids Twins where he compiled a 4-6 record and a 3.00 earned run average (ERA) in 14 games. During the winter following the 1968 season, Zepp played in the Florida Instructional League where he worked on developing a changeup pitch and led the circuit with a 1.14 ERA.\n', '

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