He graduated from Del City High School in Del City, Oklahoma. He attended Seminole State College. The 6-4, 227 pound right-hander was originally drafted by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the 34th round of the 2000 amateur entry draft. The Minnesota Twins then drafted him in the 29th round of the 2001 amateur entry draft. The Minnesota Twins signed him on May 21, 2002. From 2002 to 2007, he pitched 6 seasons for the Minnesota Twins minor league system. In 138 minor league appearances, he pitched 702 innings, posting 40-40 record with 434 strikeouts and a 3.68 ERA. His best season in the minors came in 2007, and after the season Baseball America ranked him as the Twins\' No. 1 prospect.\n', '

Blackburn started his 2007 season with the Rochester Red Wings, where he pitched in 17 games. In those 17 games, he pitched 110.2 innings, posting a 7-3 record with 57 strikeouts and a 2.11 ERA. He was called up by the Twins in September. He made his major league debut on September 3, 2007, in a home game against the Cleveland Indians. In his major league debut, he pitched 1 inning of perfect baseball as a relief pitcher. He went on to pitch 6 games in 2007, all as a relief pitcher. He picked up his first hold on September 10, 2007, in a road win against the Kansas City Royals. Through his first 4 games as a Twins relief pitcher, he posted a 2.70 ERA; however, he gave up 8 earned runs in his last two appearances, raising his season total ERA to 7.71.\n', '

Blackburn pitched 9 innings in spring training for the Minnesota Twins, posting a 3.00 ERA, earning him a starting spot on the 2008 rotation. He picked up his first major league win on April 19, 2008, in a home game against the Cleveland Indians, pitching 7.2 innings of shutout baseball.\n', '

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