Twins Minor League Report (5/31): Wallner Wallops the Baseball

[Ted Schwerzler]

There were a pair of matinee games on the Twins farm on Wednesday, but nothing jumped out more than the brutality that Matt Wallner displayed on pitched baseballs for the Saints in New York. There was also a noteworthy pitching performance for Cedar Rapids. Read more within.

 

Image courtesy of Nick Wosika-USA TODAY Sports

TRANSACTIONS

• INF Seth Gray promoted to St. Paul from Wichita
• RHP Jaylen Nowlin added to Development List for Cedar Rapids
• C Kyle Schmidt transferred from Cedar Rapids to Fort Myers

SAINTS SENTINEL 
St. Paul 6, Buffalo 2
Box Score
Aaron Sanchez took the ball this afternoon for the St. Paul Saints, and while he was on the mound for the Matt Wallner show, there is no denying he put in a good day’s work on his own as well. Working five innings of one-run (unearned) baseball, Sanchez allowed just four hits while striking out and walking one a piece.

The game got going with a bang when a Wallner single literally put a hole in the outfield fence. One batter later Kyle Garlick blasted his sixth homer of the year and St. Paul was up 2-0. In the fifth inning Jose Miranda added again when his broken bat flare just over shortstop, scored Alex De Goti.

Buffalo answered with a run of their own in the bottom of the fifth inning, but Wallner erased that with his sixth home run, a seventh inning solo shot. Putting three balls in play today, each of them were absolutely demolished.

Once again the Bisons added a run, this time in the seventh inning, but Miranda continued his solid effort with his first home run for the Saints this season. The two-run shot also brought in De Goti and made it a 6-2 final.

Miranda had a much-needed strong game with a trio of hits, as did Wallner, while the pair combined to be the only batters with a couple of hits on the day.

WIND SURGE WISDOM
Wichita 7, Tulsa 2
Box Score
Carlos Luna took his turn tonight for the Wind Surge. Working four innings of two-run baseball, all of the damage came on a pair of solo shots. He danced around four hits and a walk while also striking out three.

Wichita got behind after a Diego Cartaya solo home run in the second inning, but they quickly answered in the third inning with big production of their own. Yoyner Fajardo crushed his tenth double to drive in Armani Smith and Anthony Prato. Then, with the bases loaded. Yunior Severino clubbed home run number 12 in grand fashion. Fajardo, Brooks Lee, and Alex Isola all crossed the plate ahead of him.

The Drillers answered by scoring a single run of their own in the fourth inning, but it hardly wiped away the damage that had been done. Smith then drove in DaShawn Keirsey Jr in the sixth inning to push the Wind Surge lead back to five.

Keirsey Jr. was able to pick up a pair of hits tonight as did Smith before being lifted for Will Holland late.

KERNELS NUGGETS
Cedar Rapids 3, Lansing 2
Box Score

The Kernels turned to Kyle Jones for a matinee tilt in Lansing. He worked five innings and allowed just one run on two hits and a walk. The Cedar Rapids pitcher also struck out a trio of Lugnuts batters.

After four innings of scoreless baseball the Kernels decided they had enough when the fifth inning struck. Keoni Cavaco blasted a solo shot for his third dinger of the year, and Tanner Schobel followed him with his fourth, another solo shot. Up 2-0, the Kernels were able to withstand the single Lansing run in the bottom half of the fifth inning.

Kicking off the eighth inning, Jose Salas ripped his sixth double of the season which plated Noah Miller and made it a 3-1 game. Lansing again answered in the bottom half, but their lone run still left them one short.

Schobel was joined by Kala’i Rosario with a pair of hits on the day. Rosario is now at an .870 OPS for the season.

MUSSEL MATTERS
Postponed

Scheduled to play today, the Mighty Mussels were rained out and will be back in action tomorrow evening against St. Lucie.

TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY
Pitcher of the Day – Kyle Jones (Cedar Rapids) - 5.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
Hitter of the Day – Matt Wallner (St. Paul) - 3-5, 2 R, RBI, HR(6)

PROSPECT SUMMARY
We will again keep tabs on the Twins top prospects. You’ll probably read about them in the team sections, but if they aren’t there, you’ll see how they did here.  Here’s a look at how the current Twins Daily Top 20 performed:

#1 - Brooks Lee (Wichita) - 1-3, R, BB, K
#4 - Edouard Julien (Minnesota) - 0-5, BB, 3 K
#9 - Matt Wallner (Minnesota) - 3-5, 2 R, RBI, HR(6)
#12 - Jose Salas (Cedar Rapids) - 1-4, R, 2B(6)
#13 - Noah Miller (Cedar Rapids) - 1-4, R
#19 - Yunior Severino (Wichita) - 1-4, R, 4 RBI, HR(12), K

THURSDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS
St. Paul @ Buffalo (10:05AM CST) - RHP Cody Laweryson
Tulsa @ Wichita (7:05PM CST) - RHP Aaron Rozek
Cedar Rapids @ Lansing (6:05PM CST) - RHP Pierson Ohl
St. Lucie @ Fort Myers (6:00PM CST) - RHP Andrew Morris

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

View full article

[LiamC]

Minor nit-pick—I don't think either Miranda or Wallner managed to reach double-digit hits on the day (although what a sight to behold if one did!)

Thanks for the write-up!

[Ted Schwerzler]

40 minutes ago, LiamC said:

Minor nit-pick—I don't think either Miranda or Wallner managed to reach double-digit hits on the day (although what a sight to behold if one did!)

Thanks for the write-up!

Miranda could use that luck right now!

[mnfireman]

Wallner = Nothing left to prove in the minors.

[FlyingFinn]

Wallner goes on these hot streaks. The Twins should have rode this hot streak until he didn't hit for a couple games.

 

[CRF]

It's time to move on from Kepler, and put Wallner out in RF. We have to get these young guys playing in the majors. 

[Doctor Wu]

Did Aaron Sanchez actually pitch well this time? 

[MABB1959]

1 hour ago, CRF said:

It's time to move on from Kepler, and put Wallner out in RF. We have to get these young guys playing in the majors. 

If they released him and someone picked him up would that team take on his contract.  Is their a team that would possibly do that?  If so that would be a win-win, Kepler may do better on another team and stop the almost automatic out for the Twins?  Did they maybe learn a team friendly deal isn't always the best?  I really believe his is done and Wallner has earned his spot.  Right???

[jmlease1]

6 minutes ago, MABB1959 said:

If they released him and someone picked him up would that team take on his contract.  Is their a team that would possibly do that?  If so that would be a win-win, Kepler may do better on another team and stop the almost automatic out for the Twins?  Did they maybe learn a team friendly deal isn't always the best?  I really believe his is done and Wallner has earned his spot.  Right???

Hard to say. He's still got value as a player, but if he's not hitting and not an option in CF, then you basically need a team who thinks "we can fix him" and who knows if that team is out there at his price on contract. Feels like they're trying to get to the trade deadline and maybe move him then.

Wallner is overqualified for AAA, but his defense is shaky and until the Twins decide to move on from Kepler, he's going to have to fight his way up.

Good to see Miranda making good contact again. Hope he finds some power in his bat as well and gets back his plate discipline.

[MABB1959]

2 minutes ago, jmlease1 said:

Wallner is overqualified for AAA, but his defense is shaky and until the Twins decide to move on from Kepler, he's going to have to fight his way up.

They have coaches in the big leagues to work with him on defense right?  He is not going to get the experience need to improve his defense in AAA?

[tony&rodney]

All credit for Matt Wallner continuing to focus at the plate. He has looked really tuned in and willing to smash the ball to all fields in this streak. It seemed that Wallner was prone to looking for pitches to pull late last season and early this year for the Twins. The Twins will need to evaluate their options and think hard about what Wallner's bat could mean for their season. There may be some hesitancy to move on from Joey Gallo or Max Kepler ( a long time favorite of mine), but Falvey and his study group have a real hot hitter in AAA. Who is likely to help the team win games? 

[Dman]

Really nice to see Miranda with a three hit game.  His bat has been so empty for so long hopefully this game was a confidence builder. 

Man Wallner showing the FO he is ready for more MLB.  BA just under .300 and OPS at .956.  Those are dominant numbers for AAA.  If you are Kepler or Gallo you better make sure those hammies are rock solid or Wallner might get another 15 day tryout and never look back.  He really looks dialed in right now.

They tried to pitch Severino inside.  I don't think the home run ball he hit was even a strike but legend of Severino grows.  HIs numbers are similar to Wallners dominant for the level.  His BABIP is at .402 right now and I have been saying regression is coming for the last two weeks but he keeps on hitting.

Rosario with two more hits.  HIs batting line looks really well rounded.  He will be at AA sometime in June.  Right now Cedar Rapids needs his bat in the lineup as he is the best hitter on that team IMO.

All three of those hitters are having exceptional years at the plate and look like future Twins.

[saviking]

Saints get Wallner Twins get Kepler. If it was a trade the Twins got fleeced

[DJL44]

1 hour ago, MABB1959 said:

If they released him and someone picked him up would that team take on his contract.  Is their a team that would possibly do that? 

Cleveland would take Kepler in a heartbeat.

[Major League Ready]

1 hour ago, MABB1959 said:

If they released him and someone picked him up would that team take on his contract.  Is their a team that would possibly do that?  If so that would be a win-win, Kepler may do better on another team and stop the almost automatic out for the Twins?  Did they maybe learn a team friendly deal isn't always the best?  I really believe his is done and Wallner has earned his spot.  Right???

No.  The new team pays the prorated portion of league minimum.  

[FlyingFinn]

3 hours ago, Doctor Wu said:

Did Aaron Sanchez actually pitch well this time?

Two games in a row. If we have double-header due to a rainout, we may see him. He also has an opt out in his contract so him pitching well lately could make him take that chance that some MLB team wants him now.

[Mike Sixel]

I mean, I'd move Kepler and call up Wallner, but I understand why that isn't happening (also, not likely to happen until July anyway).

[2wins87]

3 hours ago, MABB1959 said:

If they released him and someone picked him up would that team take on his contract.  Is their a team that would possibly do that?  If so that would be a win-win, Kepler may do better on another team and stop the almost automatic out for the Twins?  Did they maybe learn a team friendly deal isn't always the best?  I really believe his is done and Wallner has earned his spot.  Right???

Even with his typical 95 wRC+ Kepler is easily a starting caliber player putting up at least 2 WAR each of the last 6 full seasons thanks to his defense.  Not sure where the fit is but yes another team would have no second thoughts about picking up the contract, which is why he would be traded rather than dropped.

I don't think the FO is as ready to move on as most fans, but when they are I don't think they are wrong that he has some sort of trade value.  The trade value is probably not as high as they believe it should be but it's still there.

[Mike Sixel]

Zack twink

1:34

Was Emmanuel rodriguez over hyped... or it there not a reason to worry yet. Thank! Happy birthday

 

Keith Law

1:34

He's very young, with less than a half-season in low A last year, and it's only two months.

[Larry Janisewski]

2 hours ago, 2wins87 said:

Even with his typical 95 wRC+ Kepler is easily a starting caliber player putting up at least 2 WAR each of the last 6 full seasons thanks to his defense.  Not sure where the fit is but yes another team would have no second thoughts about picking up the contract, which is why he would be traded rather than dropped.

I don't think the FO is as ready to move on as most fans, but when they are I don't think they are wrong that he has some sort of trade value.  The trade value is probably not as high as they believe it should be but it's still there.

Keep Kepler in RF, Buxton to CF, and Wallner to DH. Everybody happy. If Buxton gets hurt in CF-----that's just the way things go. At least Twins would be using all of Buxton's strengths.

[ashbury]

8 hours ago, MABB1959 said:

If they released him and someone picked him up would that team take on his contract.  Is their a team that would possibly do that?  If so that would be a win-win, Kepler may do better on another team and stop the almost automatic out for the Twins?  Did they maybe learn a team friendly deal isn't always the best?  I really believe his is done and Wallner has earned his spot.  Right???

As stated above, if the Twins release him, they are on the hook for the remaining money, regardless of if another team signs him or he takes up high school coaching or insurance selling or beach combing.  But there is a step that comes first.  To release Kepler they must first designate him for assignment and they can put him on waivers.  If a team claims him from waivers, that team gets the remaining contract too.  The Twins could hope two teams want him, in which case those teams might vie to claim him.  (But if there were actual demand like that, then probably a trade could have been worked out with the highest bidder getting him.  And if only one team wants him, they would just wait for his release.  Of course teams don't operate with perfect information about each other.)