Twins Minor League Report (6/4): Zebby Deals and Schmidt Rakes

[Ted Schwerzler]

The Twins saw some big offensive performances in the system today, and Zebby Matthews highlighted the pitching portion of things. Check out all of the action below.

TRANSACTIONS

• LHP Caleb Thielbar activated from rehab assignment with St. Paul
• RHP Cole Sands was placed on the Injured List. 

SAINTS SENTINEL 
St. Paul 8, Buffalo 5
Box Score

Rehabbing Minnesota Twins starter Kenta Maeda worked three innings for the Saints. He allowed two runs on five hits including a home run. Maeda struck out four in what was his second time rehab start with St. Paul.

The hot-hitting Matt Wallner continues to make a case for playing with Minnesota rather than with the Saints. His 12th double of the season allowed for Andrew Stevenson to race home.

 

Buffalo took a 2-1 lead in the second inning, but St. Paul broke out with six runs in the third inning. Jose Miranda singled in Stevenson to start things off, and then Wallner’s 13th double brought Miranda home. Edouard Julien lifted his fifth home run of the season, a three-run shot scoring Trevor Larnach and Wallner. Before the inning was over, Elliot Soto grounded into a double play that still allowed Mark Contreras to come home.

In the fourth inning Julien kept going with a double, his 11th of the year, and Miranda raced across the plate. Up 8-2, that was enough to withstand a pair of Bisons runs for the attempted comeback.

Stevenson grabbed three hits out of the leadoff spot with Miranda, Wallner, Julien, and Tony Wolters all tallying two apiece. Brent Headrick operated as the long man after Connor Sadzeck took over for Maeda. He pitched five innings and picked up his third win of the season.

 

WIND SURGE WISDOM
Tulsa 6, Wichita 5 (F/10)
Box Score

It was David Festa's day for the Wind Surge and he worked 3 2/3 innings. Giving up two runs in the outing, he allowed four hits while walking none and striking out three. Blayne Enlow also got some work in relief. He went three innings and allowed a pair on a hit and a walk. He struck out three as well.

By the time Wichita stepped in for the fifth inning the Wind Surge found themselves looking at a 4-0 deficit. Posting three runs, they nearly came all the way back in that inning alone. Anthony Prato dropped down a sacrifice bunt that was misplayed and allowed Aaron Sabato to score the first run. Will Holland then recorded his fifth double of the season to drive in Prato before Yunior Severino plated Holland with a single of his own.

In the seventh inning DaShawn Keirsey Jr. clubbed his fifth dinger of the year to even the score.

Needing extras to sort this one out, the Drillers put pressure on by scoring a pair in the top of the tenth inning. Alex Isola drew a bases loaded walk in the bottom half to bring home David Banuelos, but Wichita left the bags loaded.

Keirsey Jr. and Holland both had a pair of hits while Patrick Winkel picked up three.

KERNELS NUGGETS
Lansing 3, Cedar Rapids 2
Box Score

Zebby Matthews took his turn for the Kernels and was again great for Cedar Rapids. He worked six innings allowing just a single run on a solo shot. He limited the Lugnuts to only three hits and struck out six while walking zero.

Getting behind in the first inning, Cedar Rapids answered with a run in the third inning. Ben Ross used a sacrifice fly to drive in Tanner Schobel. After they gave back the lead in the seventh inning, Kala’i Rosario answered with a solo shot to draw things even. It was his ninth of the season.

Unfortunately the Kernels gave up a Lansing run in the eighth inning and that was enough to drop this contest. 

MUSSEL MATTERS
Fort Myers 8, St. Lucie 3
Box Score

The Mighty Mussels used Wilker Reyes as an opener. He went two innings and allowed a single run on a hit and a walk. He struck one out. Jarret Whorff picked up his second win of the season going three innings. He allowed just one run on three hits but struck out five and walked none.

St. Lucie kicked off the scoring first with a run in the second inning. In the bottom half, Kyle Schmidt hit his first Low-A home run of the year and his three-run shot brought in Rubel Cespedes with Alec Sayre.

Fort Myers extended their lead during the third inning when Cespedes got aboard on a fielder’s choice. A rehabbing Gilberto Celestino scored and the bases were loaded. Schmidt then drove in both Mikey Perez and Cespedes with a single to centerfield. Up 6-1, Fort Myers had a commanding grasp of the lead.

With St. Lucie looking to claw back in the game, it wasn’t until the sixth inning that the Mighty Mussels added again. Luis Baez ripped his first double of the year to score Schmidt, and then Baez came home on a wild pitch. The 8-3 tally is where this one ended.

Schmidt was the only batter to record a multi-hit game, but his 3-for-3 effort also came with five RBI.

TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY
Pitcher of the Day – Zebby Matthews (Cedar Rapids) - 6.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 6 K
Hitter of the Day – Kyle Schmidt (Fort Myers) 3-3, 2 R, 5 RBI, 3B, HR(1)

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) - 0-0, BB (pinch hit)
#2 - Royce Lewis (Minnesota) - 0-4
#3 - Emmanuel Rodriguez (Cedar Rapids) - 1-3, BB
#4 - Edouard Julien (St. Paul) - 2-4, R, 4 RBI, BB, 2B, HR(5)
#8 - David Festa (Wichita) - 3.2 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
#9 - Matt Wallner (St. Paul) - 2-5, R, 2 RBI, 2 2B(13)
#12 - Jose Salas (Cedar Rapids) - 1-4, 2 K
#13 - Noah Miller (Cedar Rapids) - 1-4
#15 - Brent Headrick (St. Paul) - 5.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 4 K
#17 - Blayne Enlow (Wichita) - 3.0 IP, H, 2 R, 2 ER, BB, 3 K
#19 - Yunior Severino (Wichita) - 1-5, RBI, 2 K

 

TUESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS
Iowa @ St. Paul (7:07PM CST) - TBD
Wichita @ San Antonio (7:05PM CST) - TBD
Cedar Rapids @ Dayton (6:05PM CST) - TBD
Clearwater @ Fort Myers (6:00PM CST) - TBD

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

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[FlyingFinn]

Zebby Matthews continues his fine work, up one level now. Great job.

[ashbury]

Unless they plan more rehab for him, 3 innings from Maeda does not suggest he's ready, at least not for the major league rotation. 45 pitches before being pulled, likewise.  Bullpen, or more rehab time, seem like the choices.

[Blyleven2011]

The affiliates did better today than yesterday  , that is good  ...

Looks like Lee got the day off but did pinch hit with a walk ... 

Zebby and Cory Lewis seem to be pitchers to watch along with enlow and I haven't heard much on balazovic  (  Blaze) , is he injured  ???

[stringer bell]

1 hour ago, ashbury said:

Unless they plan more rehab for him, 3 innings from Maeda does not suggest he's ready, at least not for the major league rotation. 45 pitches before being pulled, likewise.  Bullpen, or more rehab time, seem like the choices.

I think they will use all 30 days of Maeda’s rehab, particularly since there are no easy bullpen or rotation moves to be made. I think Maeda has to prove that his current stuff can get hitters out. 

[Nashvilletwin]

Saints lineup with Wallner, Miranda, Julien and Larnach is better than the Twins lineup with MAT, Castro, Kepler, Garlick, Solano, Gallo. Somehow those Saints four have to get the ABs and innings those Twins six are getting. That’s exactly what we need to do to invest in the future. 

[AceWrigley]

Whorff getting the win for Fort Myers. Good to see his years at Star Fleet haven't diminished his pitching skills.

[AceWrigley]

40 minutes ago, Nashvilletwin said:

Saints lineup with Wallner, Miranda, Julien and Larnach is better than the Twins lineup with MAT, Castro, Kepler, Garlick, Solano, Gallo. Somehow those Saints four have to get the ABs and innings those Twins six are getting. That’s exactly what we need to do to invest in the future. 

Noted but, Castro and Solano are playing pretty good I think. Now if we can just get some offense from Kepler, Correa, and Buxton life as a Twins fan would be much more enjoyable.

[ashbury]

50 minutes ago, Nashvilletwin said:

Saints lineup with Wallner, Miranda, Julien and Larnach is better than the Twins lineup with MAT, Castro, Kepler, Garlick, Solano, Gallo. Somehow those Saints four have to get the ABs and innings those Twins six are getting. That’s exactly what we need to do to invest in the future. 

Who do you propose play CF, without the names you slated for replacement, considering Buxton is too banged up at the moment even to DH, and Nick Gordon is out with a broken leg?

Wallner and Larnach among your wishlist would be poor options there, and the other two aren't even respectable infielders at present.

[Doctor Wu]

Yes indeed, we need to keep Solano and Castro in the lineup; both are both hitting very well lately, and you can't say that for many of the other regulars outside of Kiriloff and Jeffers. Plus, Castro is stealing some bases! But sure, I think Wallner deserves a promotion ASAP, and Larnach is due for a recall soon too. If you find positions for them, or perhaps at DH, then we might need Julian and  Miranda back at some point, but I'd rather both of those guys work on their defense and/or pitch selection in AAA at this juncture. 

[mikelink45]

12 hours ago, Nashvilletwin said:

Saints lineup with Wallner, Miranda, Julien and Larnach is better than the Twins lineup with MAT, Castro, Kepler, Garlick, Solano, Gallo. Somehow those Saints four have to get the ABs and innings those Twins six are getting. That’s exactly what we need to do to invest in the future. 

I think you just posted my post without my knowing it. Thanks for the comment because that's exactly what I thought

[roger]

Four very hot bats at St. Paul.  Only problem is only Larnach is barely ok defensively.  Not so much from Wallner, Miranda and Julien.  Hopefully, they make good use of their time in AAA and work to become at least average in the field.

Will Wallner or Larnach continue hitting well if brought up to the Twins full time?  Sure would like to think so.  I have been amongst the biggest fans of Max Kepler since he was signed way back whenever.  But then I value defense.  Max plays right field as well as anyone and when healthy, runs well.  But not only has he been in a hitting slump seemingly forever, but his legs seem to be a problem every month or so. 

Love what he has brought to the Twins, but the Twins need more punch in their lineup and Max has been an automatic out for too long  Don't know what move the FO will make, but they need either Larnach or Wallner back, soon.  

[nicksaviking]

Encouraging stuff, the young guys are the only hope of saving this team from offensive malaise. 

I do love Will Holland's photo and bio in the link above too! Must have went to one of those old timey photo booths you see in re-created pioneer villages.