Minor Leagues

Since we last weighed in, the Blue Wahoos have been hit with an injury bug (especially on their pitching staff) that led to them fading into second place in the Southern League South Division standings. But that didn’t stop them from having six players selected to the Southern League All-Star Game, which will take place in Biloxi, Mississippi, the home of the Shuckers, on Tuesday night.

The Elizabethton Twins are coming off back-to-back Appalachian League Championships and the club has qualified for the postseason in four of the last five seasons. Hopes are high again in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. With a handful of returning players and a new crop of rookies, can the E-Twins continue their winning ways?

Happy Father’s Day to all of those across Minnesota Twins Territory! For myself on Father’s Day, I’m thankful that my dad introduced me to the outdoors, hunting, fishing, and appreciating what hard work is while growing up. Also, for putting up with all of my shenanigans. I hope you’re catching some fish up at the cabin and I can’t wait to join you several more times through the summer!

In the minor leagues on Sunday afternoon there was extra baseball(!) for all those fathers bringing their families to the games in Rochester and Cedar Rapids. Those teams each won both of their games, and in the process one of them clinched a wild card behind the big bat of an outfielder. In addition, a lefty who Twins fans got familiar with not long ago struck out double-digit hitters in his outing.

Now that the 2019 MLB Draft is behind us, it is time to sit back and wait for news on when each of the 41 picks will either sign or decided to forgo their opportunity to play with the Twins. As the signings start coming in, this page will consistently be updated, so be sure to check back to keep up to date with all of the signings.

One team sent their players to participate in all-star festivities and two games were suspended due to rain, leaving just one game played in full. How that game went and how the Miracle players performed in the Florida State League All-Star Game in this edition of the minor league report.

You may not have heard as much about him as other Twins prospects, but Sean Poppen is making himself a pitching prospect to watch in the season’s second half. The 25-year-old from Harvard hits 96 and has a good three-pitch mix. Meanwhile, a Tommy John pitcher was activated by the Miracle. A Kernels starter was terrific in his return from the IL. So much going on in the Twins minor league system.


Misael Urbina Update - On Thursday, he went 2-for-5 and is now hitting .313.

The Twins have been churning through relievers, but Jake Reed is still waiting for his opportunity. At least he's making good use of his time. Reed has been tinkering with his mechanics, and has been on a nice roll over the past month down in Rochester.

Tonight the farm saw a handful of total team efforts. Lewis Thorpe looked as sharp as he’s been at any point this year, while Andrew Bechtold put up a strong performance for Cedar Rapids. The Wahoos walked it off in extras and there were fireworks from a former Twins minor league coach.

In the years of writing the minor league report, one message has remained true: A winning tradition starts in an organization’s minor leagues. Twins fans are seeing the results of a winning tradition at the big-league level. Multiple players on the big-league roster were parts of winning clubs on their way to Target Field. That winning tradition continued Tuesday night.

“Triple-L,” “Give ‘em HeLLL,” however you want to say it, “Lewis, Lewin and Larnach” is all Fort Myers Miracle manager Toby Gardenhire has to remember when it comes to filling out the top of his lineup card as his team makes a drive to lock up a postseason spot by winning the South Division of the Florida State League this week.

The Twins used the sixth overall pick of the 2015 MLB Draft on left-handed pitcher Tyler Jay. The southpaw has dealt with a variety of injuries that cost him his velocity and the electricity on his pitches. He was back in Double-A for a fourth straight season. On Monday, the Twins cut ties with Jay, trading him to the Reds for cash. Hopefully a fresh start helps Jay find his stuff again.

When you look through this summer’s Fort Myers Miracle roster, you can see it’s packed with several of the Minnesota Twins’ top prospects. At least ten players were selected within the top five rounds of the annual MLB amateur entry draft and others were international players that garnered hefty signing bonuses.

Eight players among MLB.com’s pre-season top 30 Twins prospects are currently toiling in the Florida heat for the Miracle and another is currently on the Fort Myers Injured List.