Twins Minor League Report (4/18): Ober Leads Shutout, Wind Surge Blasts Off

[Steve Lein]

Bailey Ober, backed by an early grand slam and a couple of major-league rehabbers, led the St. Paul Saints to a shutout victory on Tuesday at CHS Field, while Wichita got three home runs to steal Game 1 of their series in Tulsa.

Image courtesy of Ed Bailey, Wichita Wind Surge (photo of Brooks Lee)

 

TRANSACTIONS

• OF Alex Kirilloff, IF Jorge Polanco, and RHP Josh Winder were all sent on rehab assignments to the St. Paul Saints, getting one step closer to rejoining the MLB club.
• OF Emmanuel Rodriguez was placed on the 7-day injured list for Cedar Rapids with a left abdomen strain.
• IF Michael Helman was sent on a rehab assignment to the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels.

SAINTS SENTINEL
Scranton/WB 0, St. Paul 6
Box Score

The St. Paul Saints nearly fielded a full MLB team on Tuesday, as Jorge Polanco, Alex Kirilloff, and Josh Winder joined the roster on rehab assignments along with Bailey Ober making the start.

Ober delivered another excellent start after his six shutout innings last Wednesday. He went five scoreless in this one, perhaps being lifted early as the Saints held a big lead. He allowed just three hits and one walk while punching out six. Of his 72 pitches, 47 went for strikes (65%) including nine swinging.

Mark Contreras got the party started for the Saints in the bottom of the first with a grand slam after Matt Wallner (walk), Kirilloff (single), and Chris Williams (single) loaded the bases.

Kirilloff and Contreras both added RBI singles in the fifth frame, and Ober and the rest of the Saints cruised from there.

Relievers Patrick Murphy (1 IP, 2 H, K), Cody Laweryson (1 IP), Dereck Rodriguez (1 IP, 3 K), and Brock Stewart (1 IP, 2 H, BB, 2 K) each contributed a scoreless inning to finish the first shutout of the 2023 season for the Saints.

Wallner (1-for-3, 2 R, 2B, 2 BB, K), Kirilloff (2-for-4, 2 R, RBI, K), Williams (1-for-2, R, 2 BB), Andrew Bechtold (0-for-2, 2 BB, K), Contreras (2-for-5, R, 5 RBI, K), and Tony Wolters (1-for-3, BB) all reached base multiple times. Polanco finished 0-for-4 with a walk and three strikeouts.

WIND SURGE WISDOM
Wichita 4, Tulsa 2
Box Score

Right-handed pitcher Blayne Enlow got the nod in the series opener against Tulsa and delivered a solid performance. He went six innings, needing just 69 pitches (46 strikes) to do so. He allowed two earned runs on four hits and a pair of walks while picking up five punch outs. Both his runs allowed came in the first inning, and from the second through the sixth he held the Drillers scoreless.

Wichita finally got on the scoreboard in the seventh inning, when DeShawn Keirsey Jr. delivered his first home run of the season to tie the game at two. Brooks Lee and Yunior Severino followed with solo shots of their own in the eighth to give them a 4-2 lead. Severino’s went to the opposite field, while Lee’s left the stadium:

Jose Bravo relieved Enlow in the seventh inning and recorded the next five outs, including two strikeouts. Left-hander Kody Funderburk came on for the final out in the eighth and gave up the Driller's first hit since the third inning, but retired the next hitter to keep the two-run lead intact. He remained in the game to close it in the ninth and it got interesting. He recorded two outs on just three pitches, then got up two strikes to the next hitter, but a chopper and then a seeing-eye single put the tying runs on base. A walk then loaded the bases before Funderburk finally buckled down and struck out the final hitter of the game to pick up his first save of the season.

Wichita recorded just five hits in the game, but three of them left the yard which led to their 4-2 win. Yoyner Fajardo (1-for-3, BB, K), Severino (1-for-3, HR, BB), and Pat Winkel (0-for-2, R, 2 BB) each reached base two times.

KERNELS NUGGETS
Cedar Rapids 2, Beloit 6
Box Score

Lefty Jaylen Nowlin took the mound for the Kernels looking to rebound from a rough outing his last time out. He did so for the first four innings, facing the minimum and racking up six strikeouts, but the wheels fell off in the fifth. The first five hitters of the inning reached base, resulting in three runs and he recorded just one out before being lifted. In all, Nowlin went 4 1/3 innings, giving up three hits and two walks, while striking out seven.

John Stankiewicz got them out of the fifth with no further damage but ran into similar trouble in the seventh. In his two innings, he allowed three runs on two hits and a walk. He struck out two. Charlie Neuweiler finished the game with 1 2/3 scoreless innings. He gave up one hit and struck out three.

The Kernels lineup, down Emmanuel Rodriguez who was placed on the injured list on Tuesday, managed just five hits in the game. They actually scored first in the top of the fifth, when Willie Joe Garry Jr. drove in Jose Salas with a single, but Noah Miller’s inside-the-park home run in the eighth was their only other run-scoring play in the game.

Miller finished the game 2-for-4, while Ben Ross, Salas, and Garry Jr. accounted for their other three hits. Salas also stole two bases.

MUSSEL MATTERS
Jupiter 5, Fort Myers 1
Box Score

C.J. Culpepper made his second start of the young season for the Mighty Mussels in Tuesday’s series opener and retired the first six hitters of the game. He ran into trouble in the third, however, and before it was over the Hammerheads had taken a 4-0 lead. Culpepper finished four innings, allowing four runs on four hits and two walks, while striking out five.

Fort Myers scored their only run of the game in the bottom of the fourth, thanks to Andrew Cossetti’s second home run of the season (108.4 mph, 27 degree angle, 432 feet). He finished the game 2-for-4. Michael Helman had two hits in three at-bats, including a double, in the first game of his rehab assignment. As a team, the Mighty Mussels were 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position and left only five men on base for the game. 

A.J. Labas allowed one run on two hits in 2 1/3 innings of relief. Gabriel Yanez finished the game with 2 2/3 scoreless innings, striking out four.

TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY
Pitcher of the Day - Bailey Ober, St. Paul Saints (W, 5 IP, 3 H, BB, 6 K)
Hitter of the Day - Mark Contreras, St. Paul Saints (2-for-5, R, GS, 5 RBI, K)

PROSPECT SUMMARY
#1 - Brooks Lee (Wichita) - 1-for-4, R, HR, RBI
#5 - Edouard Julien (Minnesota) - 0-for-1, K (pinch-hit for Willi Castro)
#8 - Jose Salas (Cedar Rapids) - 1-for-3, R, K, 2 SB
#11 - Matt Wallner (St. Paul) - 1-for-3, 2 R, 2B, 2 BB, K
#14 - Noah Miller (Cedar Rapids) - 2-for-4, R, HR, RBI, K
#18 - Tanner Schobel (Cedar Rapids) - 0-for-4, K
#20 - Misael Urbina (Cedar Rapids) - 0-for-4, K

WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS
Scranton/Wilkes Barre @ St. Paul (6:37 PM CDT) - RHP Aaron Sanchez (0-0, 3.65 ERA)
Wichita @ Tulsa  (11:05 AM CDT) - RHP David Festa (1-0, 2.61 ERA)
Cedar Rapids @ Beloit (6:35 PM CDT) - RHP Kyle Jones (0-1, 3.18 ERA)
Jupiter @ Fort Myers (6:00 PM CDT) - LHP Develson Aria (0-0, 6.00 ERA)

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

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[tony&rodney]

Brooks Lee had his best swing of the year, very smooth.

[FlyingFinn]

Ober two straight great games. He's ready if needed. Kirilloff has been getting a bunch of hits. Polanco is playing every day. Winder is with the Saints. There's 4 guys who are ready to help the Twins by May.

Enlow with another decent outing. I liked his strike rate. Keirsey with a clutch homer late to tie it. He is great base stealer and has good raw power. He plays CF. I just think he is someone that could make the majors someday. He has some tools. Lee and Severino with homers to win it for the Wind Surge.

Miller yet another 2 hit game. Wow.

[ashbury]

1 hour ago, FlyingFinn said:

Ober two straight great games. He's ready if needed.

Apart from 2 games not really demonstrating readiness, after 2 bad ones, I also wish they would let him pitch more than 5 innings (73 pitches) at a time before calling him up.  (Last game was 6 innings but an unbelievable 67 pitches.)  Let him keep going, let's find out!

Otherwise he'll be the drain on the bullpen that we thought the team just got itself past.  Or, will being in the majors suddenly make him the guy they trust to throw 100 quality pitches?

[wabene]

5 hours ago, ashbury said:

Apart from 2 games not really demonstrating readiness, after 2 bad ones, I also wish they would let him pitch more than 5 innings (73 pitches) at a time before calling him up.  (Last game was 6 innings but an unbelievable 67 pitches.)  Let him keep going, let's find out!

Otherwise he'll be the drain on the bullpen that we thought the team just got itself past.  Or, will being in the majors suddenly make him the guy they trust to throw 100 quality pitches?

The answer your looking for is 56 innings pitched last year. You gotta think when they do call him up they will let him run. If they pitch him like last year and limit the innings that will be disappointing and effect the bullpen as you mention. 

[Doctor Gast]

7 hours ago, FlyingFinn said:

Ober two straight great games. He's ready if needed. Kirilloff has been getting a bunch of hits. Polanco is playing every day. Winder is with the Saints. There's 4 guys who are ready to help the Twins by May.

Enlow with another decent outing. I liked his strike rate. Keirsey with a clutch homer late to tie it. He is great base stealer and has good raw power. He plays CF. I just think he is someone that could make the majors someday. He has some tools. Lee and Severino with homers to win it for the Wind Surge.

Miller yet another 2 hit game. Wow.

Noah Miller has been impressive, When Brooks Lee gets promoted to AAA, IMO Miller  should take his place AA.

Polanco may be ready health wise but his hitting has been disappointing. He may needs a little bit more time to get his feel back. 

It's understandable that Ober had a couple of bad starts after the emotional let down of being sent down after a great ST. Ober has yet missed a turn or had any injury problems. Ober will be a great asset when he gets recalled.

[miracleb]

Severino is definitely one to watch!

[wsnydes]

Nice to see Kirilloff racking up the hits.  Good to see both he and Polanco in St. Paul too.

I like that Enlow had an efficient outing.  The start was a good one to build from.

And I agree with @ashbury, I wish they'd give Ober some more leash.  Maybe they're limiting his pitches after an injury year, but I don't remember reading anything to that effect.

[roger]

Great night for Ober, AK, Miller and Enlow.  And also Polo, just being on the field is a plus.

It is early and last year Miller's bat struggled as the season wore on.  If he can continue hitting anything like the start to this season, his prospect status will skyrocket.  He is what, three years away from the Twins?  Could fit nicely when they will begin considering Correa moving to third.  Gotta love a young shortstop who has zero doubts about his remaining at short. 

Have my fingers crossed that Winder will have a couple very good outings so he can join the Twins in a couple weeks and strengthen the back end of that pen.

[2wins87]

8 hours ago, miracleb said:

Severino is definitely one to watch!

Yeah I'm very excited about his start after what he did last year.  I think the strikeouts are elevated because it is early with a small sample, but we'll have to watch where his K rate settles.

All of his HR are from the left side this year, but he's only had 4 PA as a RHB, and showed more power per plate appearance as a RHB last year.  I think he has a real chance to mash from both sides which is exciting.

Definitely moved into my top 20 already and continues to have helium.

[2wins87]

9 hours ago, ashbury said:

Apart from 2 games not really demonstrating readiness, after 2 bad ones, I also wish they would let him pitch more than 5 innings (73 pitches) at a time before calling him up.  (Last game was 6 innings but an unbelievable 67 pitches.)  Let him keep going, let's find out!

Otherwise he'll be the drain on the bullpen that we thought the team just got itself past.  Or, will being in the majors suddenly make him the guy they trust to throw 100 quality pitches?

I disagree actually.  Keep him at 70-85 pitches in AAA to keep his arm slightly fresher.  Most of the strength building/maintenance work happens in the background between starts anyway.

Maybe his first MLB start is capped at 85-90 pitches or something, but it really shouldn't be an issue to ramp up from 75 to 100 in the majors.

[Steve Lein]

5 minutes ago, 2wins87 said:

All of his HR are from the right side this year, but he's only had 4 PA as a RHB, and showed more power per plate appearance and a RHB last year.  I think he has a real chance to mash from both sides which is exciting.

I think you meant to say "from the left side this year"! Tonight's home run went opposite field closer to down the line than the gap in left field.

[2wins87]

29 minutes ago, Steve Lein said:

I think you meant to say "from the left side this year"! Tonight's home run went opposite field closer to down the line than the gap in left field.

Yeah I fixed it.

The power is legit.  I think the other two might have been pretty close to straightaway center if my memory serves.

[jmlease1]

very happy to see Noah Miller off to a good start at the plate. That "HR" is inflating his SLG a bit, but he's still off to a very nice start at the dish, getting hits and taking some walks. The glove looks pretty smooth with him, so it really comes down to how much his hit tool develops. If he can keep making consistent good contact I think we'll all be pretty pleased. (I'm less concerned about his power production at age 20)

Enlow is off to a good start as well. It'll be interesting to see where he finishes the season. Maybe he's finally all the way back from injury. Dude has had some tough breaks: missed a key developmental year in 2020, major injury in 2021 after starting the season looking strong, tough year breaking back in as a pitcher in 2022 while also moving up a level, to getting left off the 40-man this season. He's 24 and we've been waiting and hoping for a long time with him, but if he's able to get it back together for the full season then he's an interesting player to watch.

[Beast]

Such a waste having Ober down in AAA spinning 5 inning shutouts.

Get him up here.  Piggy back him off another one of these starters that cant finish 5-6 innings.  He’s probably better than Maeda and Mahle right now.  Last night would’ve been a good example.  He could’ve come in and thrown 3-4 innings after Gray, you don’t burn every quality bullpen arm we have, and we probably win the game.

[nicksaviking]

5 hours ago, 2wins87 said:

I disagree actually.  Keep him at 70-85 pitches in AAA to keep his arm slightly fresher.  Most of the strength building/maintenance work happens in the background between starts anyway.

Maybe his first MLB start is capped at 85-90 pitches or something, but it really shouldn't be an issue to ramp up from 75 to 100 in the majors.

Yeah, I don't think we know the strategy from this distance, but I tend to think it's this one. The Twins would rather save the bullets for when he gets called up. Because while they MAY limit him at the MLB level because they don't want him going through the order three times, I don't think that would be the intention in AAA, I think it would be just an attempt to keep him healthy.

[bowserthedog]

Where would Bailey Ober rank on the twins top 30 if he were still considered a prospect?

 

[jimbo92107]

It does sound wasteful to have Ober pitching shutout ball in St Paul while Maeda is wondering if his arm will fall off in Mpls. Give the veteran a couple weeks to stretch and recover while Ober takes a couple turns in the rotation. Frankly, I'd like to do something similar with Mahle, whose stuff does not look sharp. Let Varland take his spot for a couple turns. Lopez, Ryan, Gray, Ober, Varland. I bet we could survive with that group. 

[bowserthedog]

Any reason why Yunior Severino is not one of the twins top 30 prospects?