Twins Minor League Report (4/11): E-Rod Walks it Off in Grand Fashion

[Steve Lein]

While their Major League brothers were “walking it off” at Target Field with a bunt, a top prospect in Cedar Rapids had grander ambitions on Tuesday night.

Image courtesy of William Parmeter (photo of Brent Headrick)

TRANSACTIONS

• The Cedar Rapids Kernels placed C Charles Mack on the 7-day injured list (concussion) and C Wilfri Castro was assigned from the FCL Twins in a corresponding move.
• OF/1B Alex Kirilloff was sent on a rehab assignment with the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels. He would bat third in the lineup and play first base in their game. 

SAINTS SENTINEL
St. Paul 10, Indianapolis 6 (12 innings)
Box Score

Brent Headrick made his second appearance of the young season for the Saints in this one, and it was much better than his first. He finished five innings, allowing just one run on four hits and one walk, while punching out eight. 50 of his 72 pitches went for strikes (69%), including thirteen swinging strikes.

St. Paul got on the scoreboard first, when Edouard Julien clubbed an RBI double in the third inning to score Tony Wolters. Of note, is Julien was removed from the game after just two at-bats, as he’s been booked a flight to Minneapolis!

Julien will be the first prospect from my preseason list to make his MLB debut for the Twins in 2023, and that will be especially fun for me since I’ll be at the game tomorrow.

The Saints extended their lead to 3-1 thanks to a wild pitch in the sixth and Julien’s replacement, Hernan Perez's RBI single in the seventh. The score remained that way until the bottom of the ninth when Indianapolis finally got to the St. Paul bullpen.

Patrick Murphy was summoned for the save opportunity and promptly loaded the bases. He managed to keep the game tied after allowing a two-run single, getting a strikeout and double-play ball to send it to extra innings.

St. Paul and Indianapolis traded runs in each of the 10th (one each) and eleventh (two each) before the Saints broke it open with four in the 12th inning. Jose De Leon then closed the game out by picking up a pair of strikeouts.

The Saints got multiple hits from Perez (2-for-3, 2 R, RBI, BB, K), Andrew Stevenson (3-for-6, 2 K, SB), and Wolters (3-for-4, 3 R, 2 2B), RBI, BB, K).

In relief of Headrick, Brock Stewart continued his promising start to the 2023 season, going three innings and allowing just one hit and one walk, while striking out four (he had struck out all seven hitters he had faced before this outing). 

WIND SURGE WISDOM
NW Arkansas 1, Wichita 3
Box Score

The Wind Surge grabbed an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first, after Brooks Lee led off the game for the home team with a double, and was driven in by a sac fly from Jake Rucker. 

They remained in the lead until the top of the fifth when the Naturals finally got a hit off starter Carlos Luna. He retired the first thirteen hitters of the game before allowing a solo home run to tie it at one in the fifth, and went on to finish 5 2/3 innings. Luna needed just 66 pitches (48 for strikes) while racking up 10 strikeouts in the outing. Kody Funderburk got the last out of the sixth and worked the next two innings, giving up two hits and one walk while striking out three. Alex Scherff finished off the game to pick up the win, walking one and striking out two in 1 1/3 innings pitched.

Wichita took back the lead in the bottom of the eighth inning as they loaded the bases with one out. A wild pitch allowed Lee to scamper home before a bases-loaded walk to Pat Winkel made the final score of 3-1. Of note during that sequence, is Aaron Sabato was hit by a pitch and left the game.

The teams combined for just five hits in the game with Wichita only collecting two. But they were able to take advantage of five walks and a pair of errors from the NW Arkansas defense late to steal the win in their home opener.

KERNELS NUGGETS
Quad Cities 4, Cedar Rapids 8
Box Score

Making the start for the Kernels was 2022 Fort Myers standout, Pierson Ohl. The right-hander finished five innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits and a walk, while punching out six. Malik Barrington was the first man on in relief and went the next two innings, allowing just one hit and one walk while striking out five. 

At that point in the game, the River Bandits were up 3-2, with the Kernel's runs coming on a wild pitch in the third inning and an RBI groundout from Willie Joe Garry Jr. in the fifth. They would take a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the eighth on RBI singles from Tanner Schobel and Ben Ross.

Iowa native Matt Mullenbach delivered a scoreless eighth inning and was back out for the ninth, and if not for the solo home run he allowed, we would not have seen what happened in the bottom of the ninth.

Tied at four, the Kernels' Noah Cardenas, Garry Jr., and Noah Miller all drew walks to load the bases for top outfield prospect Emmanuel Rodriguez with no outs. He jumped on the first pitch he saw and, well, enjoy:

The walk-off grand slam was Rodriguez’s first home run of the season, the Kernels only extra-base hit on the game (they were outhit 10-to-5 as a team), and he finished 1-for-3 with two runs scored, two walks, and four RBI. Joining him with two runs scored were Miller (0-for-3, 2 BB, K), Cardenas (0-for-2, BB, 2 K), and Garry Jr. (1-for-3, RBI, BB, K, SB). Tanner Schobel chipped in two hits and an RBI.

MUSSEL MATTERS
Fort Myers 0, Clearwater 6
Box Score

The Mighty Mussels were blanked by the Threshers on Tuesday, as they managed just three hits and three walks in the game. Jorel Ortega provided their only extra-base hit with a double. They were just 0-for-2 with runners in scoring position as a team, leaving only four men on base.

The biggest story among the hitters in this one was the rehabbing major leaguers, including the beginning of a rehab assignment for Alex Kirilloff. He picked up one of their three hits, finishing 1-for-3 with a strikeout. Fellow rehabber Jorge Polanco also was 1-for-3 playing second base, struck out twice, and both major leaguers were substituted to begin the eighth inning.

Righthander Tomas Cleto made the start for Fort Myers and went the first four innings. He allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits while striking out two. Josh Winder made his second rehab appearance for the Mighty Mussels, pitching the fifth inning and setting the Threshers down in order, including a strikeout to end his inning. Wilker Reyes then went multiple innings but allowed runs in each before being lifted for Jackson Hicks with two outs in the eighth. Reyes was charged with four earned runs on six hits and two walks in 2 1/3 innings while striking out two.

TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY

Pitcher of the Day - Carlos Luna, Wichita Wind Surge (5 2/3 IP, H, ER, 10 K)
Hitter of the Day - Emmanuel Rodriguez, Cedar Rapids Kernels (1-for-3, 2 R, GS, 4 RBI, 2 BB, 2 K)

PROSPECT SUMMARY

#1 - Brooks Lee (Wichita) - 1-for-3, 2 R, 2B, BB
#3 - Emmanuel Rodriguez (Cedar Rapids) - 1-for-3, 2 R, GS, 4 RBI, 2 BB, 2 K
#5 - Edouard Julien (St. Paul) - 1-for-2, 2B, RBI
#8 - Jose Salas (Cedar Rapids) - 0-for-4, 2 K
#11 - Matt Wallner (Minnesota) - 0-for-4, 3 K
#14 - Noah Miller (Cedar Rapids) - 0-for-3, 2 R, 2 BB, K
#18 - Tanner Schobel (Cedar Rapids) - 2-for-4, RBI
#20 - Misael Urbina (Cedar Rapids) - 0-for-3, BB, 2 K

WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

St. Paul @ Indianapolis (10:05 AM CDT) - RHP Bailey Ober (0-1, 6.75 ERA)
NW Arkansas @ Wichita  (7:05 PM CDT) - RHP Blayne Enlow (0-0, 1.80 ERA)
Quad Cities @ Cedar Rapids (6:35 PM CDT) - LHP Jaylen Nowlin (0-0, 0.00 ERA)
Fort Myers @ Clearwater (5:30 PM CDT) - RHP C.J. Culpepper (2023 debut)

Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Tuesday’s games!

 

 

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[FlyingFinn]

Nice game by Headrick, who did much better starting than relieving. Carlos Luna with a David Festa type game, 5 innings, 10 K's, one hit. It appears he's an older player, so maybe not much of a prospect?? E-Rod has struggled early. Still taking walks and he really has a flare for the dramatic, beating the Yanks in spring training and now with a game ending grand slam. 

Polanco and Kirilloff were 2 for 6 and Winder pitched a shutout inning in relief (is he a reliever now?) but the rest of the team was dreadful, 1 for 21 hitting and not pitching well either.

[Doctor Wu]

Nice slam by Rodriguez! Excited about his potential!

[Doctor Gast]

Love E Rod's potential. Like Hendricks game. Winder makes sense at RP for a time because he's good there at least until he gets 100% & eased back into SP. RP is Winder's  best shot at MLB.

• The Cedar Rapids Kernels placed C Charles Mack on the 7-day injured list (concussion) and C Wilfri Castro was assigned from the FCL Twins in a corresponding move.

My question is did Castro (C) (rookie)  jumped over low A to high A, replacing Mack (C)? or was there a high A catcher promotion from low A that corresponded and Castro was temporarily promoted to low A?

With a back up of INFers in high A, When is (AA) Lee going to be promoted to AAA? 

[cheeseheadgophfan]

Such a smooth swing from E-Rod to hit that ball 400+ feet off of a lefty....

[terrydactyls]

I think Julien should have been the hitter of the day going 1-2 with an RBI, and a plane ticket to Target Field.

[Dman]

Luna got my attention last night.  He is older at 26 with some mixed results stat wise.  He had a very rough year last year but his 2021 was pretty good.  Not sure what he throws or how hard but domination like that generally doesn't come easy.  Hard to say how tough the opposing lineup is as well but at any rate that was a very good start.

Still watching Ohl who had a tough start to his pro career but really came on strong mid year last year.  Guy does not like to walk anybody so was surprised he even had one walk in the box score.  He just attacks all the time.  Have to believe that is gonna pay off for him in the end as he will know what works and what doesn't as he moves around the zone.  Hoping he can be a 4th 5th starter type at some point.

Headrick was looking more like his old self in this one.  Happy to see a quick bounce back.  Still have high hopes for him.

Rodriguez has no trouble accessing power.  Hopefully he can find a bit more consistent contact though.

[Steve Lein]

1 hour ago, Doctor Gast said:

• The Cedar Rapids Kernels placed C Charles Mack on the 7-day injured list (concussion) and C Wilfri Castro was assigned from the FCL Twins in a corresponding move.

My question is did Castro (C) (rookie)  jumped over low A to high A, replacing Mack (C)? or was there a high A catcher promotion from low A that corresponded and Castro was temporarily promoted to low A?

With a back up of INFers in high A, When is (AA) Lee going to be promoted to AAA? 

I think the Castro move was simply easier to accomplish for the short-term rather than moving up someone from the Mighty Mussels roster while they're on the road. We'll see what they do with Castro when Mack comes back.

I expect Lee to be in Wichita at least through May unless something weird happens. As for that backup of infielders at Cedar Rapids, most of them are playing at that level for the first time, only Jose Salas was there last year for any amount of time (48 games). They'll sort themselves out.

[Steve Lein]

1 hour ago, terrydactyls said:

I think Julien should have been the hitter of the day going 1-2 with an RBI, and a plane ticket to Target Field.

Unfortunately, he gets docked for not finishing his game... 😉

[Eris]

Can someone comment on the quality of defense Emmanuel Rodriguez provides in CF. Is he a legit MLB defensive CF. 

[roger]

Last night may be the best evening in a long time.  Polanco, Kirilloff and Winder all appeared in a baseball game.  OK, it was at Low-A, but it is an early step to all three being back with the Twins by mid-May at the latest.

Getting a healthy Winder back in the Twins pen will strengthen the back end of that bullpen, strengthen it a lot.  On the flip side, I don't know where roster spots are going to come from when Polanco, Kirilloff, Gallo and Kepler all return.