Twins Minor League Report (9/25): Wind Surge Walloped

[Seth Stohs]

We are down to the final week of minor league baseball in the Twins organization. On Sunday night, the Wichita Wind Surge played game one of the Texas League Championship Series in Frisco, Texas. The Saints will conclude their season with a three-game series starting on Monday. 

Image courtesy of Ed Bailey, Wichita Wind Surge

The Wind Surge are in the championship series. We'll alter the "normal" template and order of the minor league report today and start with them.. 

On Sunday night, the Wind Surge were in Frisco for Game 1 of the Texas League Championship Series. Unfortunately, it did not go well for Wichita. However, they will make the drive back to Wichita where they will host Frisco for Game 2 on Tuesday and, hopefully, Game 3 on Wednesday. 

 

 

Turnabout is fair play, I guess. In the semi-final series, the Wind Surge beat Tulsa by a combined, two-game score of 28-2. On Sunday, the Wind Surge were on the other side of a blowout game. 

Lefty Kody Funderburk got the Game 1 start for the Wind Surge. In the regular season, he had gone 10-5 with a 2.94 ERA. He had made 17 starts and 15 relief appearances. On this day, it didn't translate. He gave up one run in the first inning and then four runs in the second inning. In his 1 1/3 innings, he gave up five runs on four hits and four walks. 

Osiris German came on and allowed one inherited runner to score but that was it. He struck out two batters in 1 2/3 innings. 

In the top of the fourth inning, Yunior Severino put the Wind Surge on the board with a solo home run. 

Blayne Enlow worked the fourth and fifth innings. After a scoreless inning, he gave up a solo homer to Scott Kapers. Wichita was down 6-1 heading into the sixth inning. 

Jordan Gore came in to pitch the sixth inning. He recorded one out. Unfortunately, he walked two batters and then gave up an RBI single. He then walked the bases loaded before being replaced by Francis Peguero. His first batter faced was Scott Kapers who hit a grand slam to put the game out of reach. (Should I mention that Kapers batted ninth? He went 2-for-5 with five RBI in the game?) 

Denny Bentley and Aaron Rozek each pitched a scoreless inning. Jair Camargo scored Will Holland with a single in the top of the eighth inning. Severino added a sacrifice fly that scored Austin Martin and give us the final score of 11-3. 

Severino went 1-for-2 with a walk, his home run and two RBI. Jair Camargo and Brooks Lee each went 2-for-4 in the game. 

The Rangers have a solid minor-league system, and the Frisco RoughRiders roster includes several of the organization's top prospects. Consider the pitching staff includes the likes of Jack Leiter, Antoine Kelly, Owen White, and Avery Weems. They never did activate their 2022 top pick Kumar Rocker who will participate in the Arizona Fall League.  Several of the top prospects were moved to Double-A over the past several weeks. 

The top six hitters in their lineup on Sunday night are Top 30 prospects. Jonathan Ornelas is the Rangers #22 prospect according to MLB Pipeline (Not top 30 at Baseball American). He was the RoughRiders leadoff man in this game and went 4-for-5 in the game. Outfielder Evan Carter (#1 at MLB Pipeline #3 at Baseball America) batted second and went 0-for-1 but walked four times. Justin Foscue (#5 at MLB Pipeline, #9 at BA) was the Rangers first-round pick in 2020. He went 2-for-5 with three RBI in the game. Batting fourth was OF Aaron Zavala (#11 MLB Pipeline, #12 at BA) who walked twice. Thomas Saggese (#20 MLB Pipeline) had a double and a walk. Luisangel Acuna (#7 MLB Pipeline, #6 Baseball America) walked once. 

Game 1: Frisco 11, Wichita 3
Box Score 

SAINTS SENTINEL
The Saints had a scheduled off day on Sunday as they returned home from Indianapolis. On Monday, the team will start its final series of the 2022 season. They have three home games against the Omaha Storm Chasers at CHS Field. Tickets for all three games are available at the Saints website. 

TRANSACTIONS
Utility man Elliot Soto was activated from the Injured List. Also, RHP Aaron Sanchez cleared waivers and was outrighted to the Saints. It will be interesting to see if he reports or elects free agency this late in the season. 

PITCHING PROBABLES
Monday
Omaha @ St. Paul (7:07 pm) - RHP Jackson Kowar (4-10, 6.16 ERA) vs RHP Simeon Woods Richardson (1-0, 2.64)

Tuesday
Game 2: Frisco @ Wichita (7:05 pm) - TBD vs LHP Brent Headrick (8-2, 2.34)
Omaha @ St. Paul (7:07 pm) - LHP Angel Zerpa (0-0, 1.59 ERA) vs RHP Jordan Balazovic (0-7, 7.81 ERA)

Wednesday
Game 3 (if necessary): Frisco @ Wichita (7:05 pm) - TBD vs TBD 
Omaha @ St. Paul (7:07) - RHP Alec Marsh (1-0, 1.80 ERA) vs TBD

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Last week, Twins Daily handed out our 2022 Minor League Awards. If you missed any of them, see below. 

Short-Season Hitter of the Year: Jose Rodriguez
Short-Season Pitcher of the Year: Miguel Olivares
Minor League Hitter of the Year: Matt Wallner
Minor League Starting Pitcher of the Year: Louie Varland 
Minor League Relief Pitcher of the Year: Evan Sisk 
 

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[Blyleven2011]

It would be nice if Wichita wins the series  ,,, if would help ease the pain of the twins September alittle bit ...

[TwinsDr2021]

SWR should be pitching for the Twins on Tuesday piggy backed with Ober and not in Saint Paul today!

[AceWrigley]

Gotta get J.B. a victory.

[Game7-91]

2 hours ago, AceWrigley said:

Gotta get J.B. a victory.

RHP Jordan Balazovic (0-7, 7.81 ERA)