Twins Minor League Report (6/25): Keuchel Debuts, Mussels Flex

[Ted Schwerzler]

Former Cy Young award winner Dallas Keuchel made his Minnesota organization debut for the Saints today, and C.J. Culpepper dazzled on the mound for Fort Myers. There were a few standout performances worth checking into.

 

Image courtesy of William Parmeter, Fort Myers Mighty Mussels

TRANSACTIONS

• RHP Josh Winder recalled by Twins from Triple-A St. Paul
• OF Kyle Garlick cleared waivers and accepted assignment to Triple-A St. Paul

SAINTS SENTINEL 
Toledo 7, St. Paul 3
Box Score

After signing with the Twins on a minor league deal recently, Dallas Keuchel made his 2023 professional debut. He worked four innings and allowed just a single run. The lefty gave up four hits, and the lone run came on a solo blast. He struck out four batters. Keuchel got 11 whiffs on 54 pitches and his velocity topped out at 88.1 mph. He worked predominantly with his sinker, changeup, and cutter.

St. Paul gave Keuchel some run support in the second inning when Elliot Soto and Andrew Stevenson both singled in runs. Mark Contreras and Anthony Prato came around to score making it a 2-0 game.

After an Andrew Knapp home run put the Mud Hens on the board, Anthony Prato took a bases loaded walk to push Chris Williams across the plate. That’s when the Saints scoring ended, and a six-run inning for Toledo in the sixth did them in. With the rain coming, and it being getaway day, this one ended after the inning.

WIND SURGE WISDOM
Arkansas 3, Wichita 1
Box Score
The Wind Surge went with Travis Adams to start this game, and he worked 4 1/3 innings. Adams allowed three runs, two earned, on four hits and a walk. He struck out four batters during his outing.

With Arkansas scoring single runs in the first and second innings, Wichita answered during the bottom of the second. Ernie Yake hit his first Double-A double of 2023 and drove in Alerick Soularie in the process.

Down by one until the fifth inning, the Wind Surge continued to keep things close. Arkansas added another tally in the fifth inning and a comeback was going to be necessary. Unfortunately for Wichita, the hits never came and the one run on seven hits were all the could muster for the day.

Soularie and Yake led the club with a pair of hits each.

KERNELS NUGGETS
Cedar Rapids 6, Beloit 0
Box Score
These two teams got together for some extended action on Sunday afternoon. Picking up their suspended game from Saturday, Cedar Rapids was able to reel off a 10-6 victory. With some brief downtime in between, Mike Paredes was ready to go for the regularly scheduled tilt.

Orlando Rodriguez started the shortened second game and worked five scoreless innings. He allowed only two hits with no walks while striking out a pair.

Neither side got on the board in the first two frames, but Tanner Schobel changed that in the third inning. His single brought home Kyler Fedko before Jorel Ortega doubled to drive in Emmanuel Rodriguez and Schobel. Ortega later came around to score on a Misael Urbina single and the Kernels had a 4-0 lead.

Continuing to make his mark on this one, Schobel blasted his 10th home run of the season, a two-run shot scoring Fedko, and Cedar Rapids led 6-0.

In the sixth inning, Urbina reached on a throwing error which allowed both Ben Ross and Ortega to come home. Up 8-0, the three runs Beloit pushed across in the seventh inning wound up being inconsequential.

Schobel, Ortega, and Fedko all recorded two hits.

MUSSEL MATTERS
Fort Myers 9, Tampa 1
Box Score
C.J. Culpepper was on the bump for the Mighty Mussels on Sunday afternoon, and he did not disappoint. Allowing just a single hit across six innings, Culpepper didn’t give up a walk and was nearly perfect. He struck out five batters and dropped his ERA to 2.33 on the season.

Ricardo Olivar scored the game’s first run on a wild pitch from Baron Stuart in the third inning. With the bases loaded, Dylan Neuse drew a walk to bring Danny De Andrade home and make it a 2-0 lead early. In the fifth inning Neuse found a pitch he liked and clubbed his third homer of the season. A two-run shot, Rubel Cespedes also came home on the big fly.

Adding again in the sixth inning it was De Andrade recording his eighth double of the year. Coming through with the bases loaded, his big hit brought Gregory Duran, Luis Baez, and Olivar all across the plate. Now up 7-0, this one had been blown open. With the inning still going, Cespedes hit his ninth home run of the year and scored De Andrade to make it a 9-0 lead.

Tampa added a single run in the ninth, but it was nothing close to threatening an actual comeback. Cespedes put up a three-hit day while Olivar, De Andrade, and Duran all had two hits of their own.

TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY
Pitcher of the Day – C.J. Culpepper (Fort Myers) - 6.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 K
Hitter of the Day – Rubel Cespedes (Fort Myers) - 3-4, 2B(13), HR(8), 2 R, 2 RBI, K

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:

#2 - Royce Lewis (Minnesota) - 3-4, 2 R, RBI, BB
#3 - Emmanuel Rodriguez (Cedar Rapids) - 0-2, 2 BB, K
#4 - Edouard Julien (Minnesota) - 2-4, 2B(8), BB, K
#9 - Matt Wallner (St. Paul) - 0-3
#12 - Jose Salas (Cedar Rapids) - 0-2, 2 BB
#13 - Noah Miller (Cedar Rapids) - 0-4, 2 K
#14 - Jordan Balazovic (Minnesota) - 0.2 IP, H, BB, K
#15 - Brent Headrick (Minnesota) - 0.1 IP, K

Each full season affiliate is off until Wednesday this week. Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Sunday’s games! 

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[FlyingFinn]

I think Schobel is ready to be moved up to Wichita, along with Rosario probably. And Wichita needs all the help they can get.

[Dman]

I said it in the last minor league thread and now Cespedes has upped his OPS to 1.068 in June.  He has been hitting the ball hard slugging .649.  A tough May is keeping his overall numbers down but if can keep things going in July maybe he has turned a corner?

Schobel with double digit HR's now and top top 10 in the Midwest league in OPS behind Rosario and Rodriguez. Lot's of good hitters at High A so no wonder their record as a team is so good.  Pitching has been pretty good at that level as well.

Several players look like they could move up but might be hard to find room.  Nice to see the bats getting hotter. 

[RpR]

How come Stevenson has never made up to play a game for the Twins?

[Devilsadvocate]

1 hour ago, RpR said:

How come Stevenson has never made up to play a game for the Twins?

There's other OF options currently on the 40 man roster that they want ABs for. Longer term players. Adding Stevenson to the 40 man also means you need to free up a spot via DFA or otherwise of someone currently on the 40 man. 

[Seth Stohs]

9 hours ago, RpR said:

How come Stevenson has never made up to play a game for the Twins?

They can't find a way to keep Larnach and Wallner up in the big leagues... not sure how Stevenson would get there. He can play CF, so I guess if Taylor got hurt, they could justify bringing him up. 

[Dman]

Kuechel hasn't been good since 2020 but it was nice to see a solid first outing with the Saints.  Hopefully he has a good month of work and can help the Twins in some way down the line.

[jmlease1]

Nice to see Rosario have a big game; he's been scuffling a bit lately. That said, I am impressed that he's been maintaining plate discipline even when the hits having been falling as easily; lots of young players start to expand the strike zone when they go through a cold patch and Rosario hasn't done that.

Schobel is on a real heater. He's really pounding the ball and looks ready for a move up.

Be nice if Salas, Miller, and Urbina could get on a run at the plate too. (Cavaco just looks like a bust)

[Ted Schwerzler]

13 hours ago, FlyingFinn said:

I think Schobel is ready to be moved up to Wichita, along with Rosario probably. And Wichita needs all the help they can get.

Just in time to bump Lee up too.

[FlyingFinn]

36 minutes ago, Ted Schwerzler said:

Just in time to bump Lee up too.

And/or Severino, though his K rate is disturbing. As if the Saints need any more talent. Those higher ticket prices may be worth it.

[nicksaviking]

Outside observers on June 9th: Did Anthony Prato really deserve a promotion?

Anthony Prato on June 26th: How ya like me now, posers.

Also, I really, really hope the Twins don't have to turn to Keuchel, and I hope he hasn't jumped Varland in the pecking order just because once upon a time he had a big name.

[Jocko87]

59 minutes ago, Ted Schwerzler said:

Just in time to bump Lee up too.

Whats the hurry? He's not exactly busting the door down.

[CRF]

Keuchel and his 88 mph express don't exactly inspire confidence. We sure don't need another Smeltzer. I hope he doesn't get the call.

[Jocko87]

58 minutes ago, CRF said:

Keuchel and his 88 mph express don't exactly inspire confidence. We sure don't need another Smeltzer. I hope he doesn't get the call.

I think he's covering innings so others can keep getting the call.  The taxi squad has plenty of guys to rotate but missing those innings take a toll on the Saints.  They had a position player pitching the other day.  If he shows out great, flip him at the deadline.  It's also a solid for Boras.

[nicksaviking]

4 hours ago, Jocko87 said:

I think he's covering innings so others can keep getting the call.  The taxi squad has plenty of guys to rotate but missing those innings take a toll on the Saints.  They had a position player pitching the other day.  If he shows out great, flip him at the deadline.  It's also a solid for Boras.

I hope so, but Keuchel seems like the kind of pitcher who'd take a MiLB deal only if he thought he'd get a call up. And the Twins already have Aaron Sanchez basically filling the same role. Neither of whom I'd want getting a promotion in anything other than a one-off start that doesn't mesh with Varland's schedule. I'd rather they dip down to Wichita to get Enlow up anyway. 

Though, I can't imagine Keuchel would have any trade value at the deadline.

[Jocko87]

1 hour ago, nicksaviking said:

I hope so, but Keuchel seems like the kind of pitcher who'd take a MiLB deal only if he thought he'd get a call up. And the Twins already have Aaron Sanchez basically filling the same role. Neither of whom I'd want getting a promotion in anything other than a one-off start that doesn't mesh with Varland's schedule. I'd rather they dip down to Wichita to get Enlow up anyway. 

Though, I can't imagine Keuchel would have any trade value at the deadline.

I can’t imagine him signing with a team who’s strength is starting pitching if that was his goal. How far down the depth chart would it have to go?  His role in the org has to be covering AAA innings.  

I don’t think the return would be high either but if you can get a rookie ball lottery ticket it’s worth the contract and goodwill with Boras.