Top Twins Minor League Performers in Season's First Half

[Seth Stohs]

Heading into Wednesday afternoon's game in Atlanta, the Twins have played 81 games. Officially, the season is now in its second half. So are the minor league teams. Today we’ll discuss who the top hitters and pitchers have been in the Twins minor leagues in the first half.

Image courtesy of William Parmeter (photos of Regi Grace, Chris Williams, Cory Lewis)

The All-Star festivities are still over a week from now. David Festa will represent the Twins organization in Seattle for the Futures Game. Three of four Twins affiliates are over .500 at this point. Cedar Rapids won the Midwest League West Division first half title and earned a playoff berth.

Several prospects have taken a step back, due to performance or injury. Others have had a breakout seasons so far. There have been MLB debuts. The Twins have signed several players to minor league deals, and there have been a lot of releases. The Florida State League and Dominican Summer League Twins have introduced us to more prospects to get to know.

The 2023 draft is about 10 days away, and we will get to know another 15-21 players.

But what we want to do here today is acknowledge some of the top performers through half of the season (full-season affiliates). At the end of the year, we will again announce our Minor League Hitter, Starting Pitcher, Relief Pitcher of the Year and name our Twins minor league All Stars. The players written about below are halfway there, but will they be the same candidates for the year-end awards? It certainly is possible, or more players may emerge in the second half. Let’s get to it.

Seven Twins Daily minor-league writers voted on these first half awards. Each ranked their top 5 hitters, top 4 starting pitchers, and top 3 relief pitchers. Votes were tallied and below are the results.

Top First Half Relief Pitcher
Regi Grace, RP, 23
Cedar Rapids Kernels/Wichita Wind Surge
23 G, 32 2/3 IP, 2-2, 6 Saves, 1.38 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, 3.3 BB/9, 11.0 K/9

The Twins drafted Regi Grace in the 10th round of the 2018 draft out of high school in Mississippi. Grace has become a reminder to all of us that players and people develop at different paces. He spent 2018, 2019 and began 2021 in the Florida Complex League before ending that season with the Mussels. He was moved to the bullpen in 2022. He pitched in 56 2/3 innings over 33 games and posted a 4.45 ERA. He ended the season with three games in Cedar Rapids.

In the first half of 2023, Grace has been the top minor league reliever. He began the season in Cedar Rapids and in 17 games and 23 1/3 innings. He had 2-2 went five saves. He had a 1.16 ERA and a 0.73 WHIP. He walked five and struck out 30 batters. After a slow rise in his first five professional seasons, Grace was promoted to Double-A Wichita by mid-May. He has made six appearances and has a 1.93 ERA. He didn’t give up a run in his first five outings.

#2: RHP Patrick Murphy, 28, St. Paul Saints: 24 G, 33 1/3 IP, 5-0, 1.62 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, 5.7 BB/9, 11.1 K/9
#3: LHP Kody Funderburk, 26, Wichita Wind Surge/St. Paul Saints: 25 G, 34 2/3 IP, 1-0, 1.00 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 4.4 BB/9, 13.5 K/9.

Top First Half Starting Pitcher
Cory Lewis, SP, 22
Ft. Myers Mighty Mussels/Cedar Rapids Kernels
12 GS, 54 1/3 IP, 7-3, 2.15 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, 3.1 BB/9, 12.4 K/9

Just under a year ago, the Minnesota Twins made Cory Lewis their ninth-round draft pick out of UC-Santa Barbara. Over his two seasons in the Big West, he went 16-5 with ERAs of 3.38 ERA and 3.57. He became a popular draft prospect because of the fact that he throws a knuckleball as part of his regular pitch mix. After signing, he didn’t pitch in 2022.

He began the 2023 season in Ft. Myers. He went 4-3 with a 2.75 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP over nine starts. In 39 1/3 innings, he gave up 26 hits, walked 15 and struck out 55 batters. He earned his promotion to Cedar Rapids where he has made three starts. He is 3-0 with a 0.60 ERA and a 0.80 WHIP over 15 innings. He has walked four and struck out 20 batters.

#2: RHP Marco Raya, 20, Cedar Rapids Kernels: 10 GS, 31 IP, 0-1, 3.19 ERA, 0.81 WHIP, 1.7 BB/9, 10.2 K/9.
#3: RHP C.J. Culpepper , 21, Fort Myers Mussels: 11 GS, 46 1/3 IP, 4-3, 2.33 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 2.9 BB/9, 10.3 K/9.
#4: RHP Blayne Enlow, 24, Wichita Wind Surge/St. Paul Saints: 13 G, 11 GS, 61 1/3 IP, 4-2, 4.11 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 2.5 BB/9, 10.9 K/9
#5: RHP Zebby Matthews, 23, Fort Myers Mussels/Cedar Rapids Kernels: 12 G, 10 GS, 55 IP, 4-2, 3.76 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 1.0 BB/9, 10.6 K/9

Top First Half Hitter
Chris Williams, 1B, 26
St. Paul Saints
49 G, 200 PA, 48-for-168, .286/.392/.607 (.999) with seven doubles, a triple, 15 homers, 45 RBI. 29 BB, 65 K.

When the Twins drafted Chris Williams out of Clemson in the eighth round of the 2018 draft, it was because 1.) he was a senior sign, and 2.) he had shown massive power in college, and 3.) despite shoulder issues, there was some thought that he could become a catcher. At Clemson, he hit 40 home runs n three seasons, including 32 homers over his final two seasons.

After signing, he was sent to Elizabethton and was named the Twins Daily Short-Season Minor League Hitter of the Year. He split 2019 between Low-A Cedar Rapids and High-A Fort Myers. After the missed 2020 season, he began the 2021 season at High-A Cedar Rapids where he hit .100 over 17 games. He was moved up to Double-A Wichita where he started making much better contact because he was playing more. Williams really broke out last year. In 75 games at Wichita, he hit .277 with 16 doubles and 18 homers. He ended the season with 42 games at St. Paul and added five doubles and 10 home runs. In 117 total games, he hit .246/.343/.500 (.843) with 21 doubles, 28 homers, and 89 RBI.

In April, he hit .229 with one homer. In May, he hit .241 with four homers. However, since the start of June, he has been amazing. He has played in 18 games and has at least one hit in 16 of them. He is hitting .364/.469/833 (1.302) with 10 homers. He hit three homers in a game on a Tuesday, then hit two more on Wednesday, and then another on that Thursday. He’s been on fire, and our voters have made him the top Twins minor league hitter in the first half.

#2: OF Matt Wallner, 25, St. Paul Saints: 55 G, 247 PA, 60-for-203, .296/.413/.537 (.950) with 18 doubles, two triples, nine home runs, and 38 RBI. 32 BB, 75 K.
#3: C/1B Andrew Cossetti, 23, Ft. Myers Mussels/Cedar Rapids Kernels: 53 G, 216 PA, 51-for-173, .295/.421/.555 (.976) with 16 doubles, one triple, nine home runs, and 40 RBI. 30 BB. 37 K.
#4: OF Kala’i Rosario, 20, Cedar Rapids Kernels: 62 G, 273 PA, 64-for-229, .280/.396/.515 (.911) with 14 doubles, two triples, 12 home runs, and 46 RBI. 41 BB. 71 K.
#5: 2B Jorel Ortega, 22, Ft. Myers Mussels, Cedar Rapids Kernels: 65 G, 294 PA, 72-for-294, .289/.398/.494 (.892), with 24 doubles, three triples, seven home runs, 44 RBI. 42 BB. 64 K. 17 SB.

 

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[Dman]

Grace is a good story.  I was pretty much ready to give up on him.  It shows that pitchers are often times just a refined pitch away being OK to great.  Hoping he finishes strong we desperately need dominant pen arms.

Seems like a lot people on the board were Lewis believers even before the season started and he hasn't disappointed.

Williams and Wallner look like monster bats but really like what Cossetti, Ortega and especially what Rosario have done the first half.  High A has almost half the top 30 in it and if these breakouts hold the top 30 is going to change. I really like Cardenas's bat but I think Cossetti has him beat.  Should be a good battle all the way up.

Hopefully some the younger guys bats catch fire in 2nd half.  Need more breakouts.  St Paul and Cedar Rapids are must watch affiliates right now.

[Mike Sixel]

Great stuff, thanks,

I prefer the Saints OF to the Twins at this point......and hope against hope they move 2 or 3 up, and likewise promote guys from lower levels in kind....

[Matt Braun]

That Kernels rotation is looking incredible these days. Not sure if there’s a real weakness. 

[roger]

Looking at Grace, Williams and others, Seth, it is evident that the lost 2020 season will continue having an effect on an entire generation of prospects.  With that said, I am elated at how well Regie Grace is pitching.  Will he continue this excellence and join the Twins next year?  Sure would be nice to get another top arm for the back end of that bullpen.

Thought that fivesome of starting pitchers is an interesting, and exciting, group.  Will one or more form that pipeline fans are expecting from this front office?

Also found it interesting who isn't on these lists, Brooks Lee.  

[DJL44]

Regi Grace will be Rule 5 draft eligible in December. He's exactly the kind of player you trade for deadline help because someone will pick him in the draft if not protected.

[tarheeltwinsfan]

Thanks for this super update on some of the Twins minor leaguers who are performing well.  Fingers crossed for them.  Come on Brooks Lee. 

[Seth Stohs]

Just FYI - From a point perspective, Brooks Lee would have been next on the list (6th).  Of the 7 "ballots," he only appeared on one. Yunior Severino was next. Keirsey and Cespedes after that. 

Williams was first on 3 ballots, and second on 3 more. Wallner, Cossetti, Rosario and Lee each had one first place vote. 

[Mike Sixel]

1 minute ago, Seth Stohs said:

Just FYI - From a point perspective, Brooks Lee would have been next on the list (6th).  Of the 7 "ballots," he only appeared on one. Yunior Severino was next. Keirsey and Cespedes after that. 

Williams was first on 3 ballots, and second on 3 more. Wallner, Cossetti, Rosario and Lee each had one first place vote. 

Lee's been good, just not dominant like many of us hoped. Would be nice to have one insanely fast riser, great player rise up under this FO. 

[FlyingFinn]

1 hour ago, Matt Braun said:

That Kernels rotation is looking incredible these days. Not sure if there’s a real weakness. 

Yes, that was going to be my post - #1 Kernels, #2 yep, #3 the same and #5 is another Kernels starter. 

All the ratings in the article seem about right. Good job.

[Seth Stohs]

More background on the voting... 

Regarding the Starting Pitchers, Cory Lewis was the #1 choice for 6 of the 7 voters. Didn't show up in the top four of the other voter. Raya got the other #1 vote. 

On the reliever side, Grace received four first-place votes. The other first-place votes went to Murphy, John Stankiewicz and Miguel Rodriguez. Looking at Murphy's numbers... too many walks, but lots of Ks. Might need a shot, like Stewart got. 

 

[SD happy]

Is Chris Williams considered a prospect? Or is he a career minor leaguer having a good year?

[jkcarew]

I can’t help but be wary of the hitting stats for the Saints. Something about that ballpark and/or league. The TEAM’s average OPS is well into the 800’s. Pretty much everyone that is anyone has slashed even BETTER than Wallner for their cup of tea with the Saints…Kirilloff, Larnach, Lewis, Williams, Helman Farmer…; Andrew Stevenson was about a 750 OPS’er in AAA, and last year he was into the 800’s and this year approaching 900.

Having said that, need to get Wallner up and see how it goes.

[Mike Sixel]

Just now, jkcarew said:

I can’t help but be wary of the hitting stats for the Saints. Something about that ballpark and/or league. The TEAM’s average OPS is well into the 800’s. Pretty much everyone that is anyone has slashed even BETTER than Wallner for their cup of tea with the Saints…Kirilloff, Larnach, Lewis, Williams, Helman Farmer…; Andrew Stevenson was about a 750 OPS’er in AAA, and last year he was into the 800’s and this year approaching 900.

Having said that, need to get Wallner up and see how it goes.

Some of those guys are clearly MLB players, I'd hope they slash well in AAA. 

[jkcarew]

9 hours ago, Matt Braun said:

That Kernels rotation is looking incredible these days. Not sure if there’s a real weakness. 

The average age of the pitchers at Cedar Rapids is 23.4, for hitters it’s 21.5. I’d love to see a weighted average of the respective ages based on PA and innings pitched…the discrepancy would be much greater…the older guys are getting the lions share of the innings (Raya just getting started), while the very youngest are getting the most PA.

I think it’s skewing how we perceive the results there so far. Generalizing…pitchers are probably overperforming a bit relative to real potential, while the bats may be underperforming relative to real potential.

[jkcarew]

Error

Edited June 29, 2023 by jkcarew

[jkcarew]

1 hour ago, Mike Sixel said:

Some of those guys are clearly MLB players, I'd hope they slash well in AAA. 

True…but they’re also struggling to put up numbers in the majors. It just causes me to temper my expectations of Wallner. It doesn’t change my desire to see more (much more) of him.

[Trov]

I need to push back on Cossetti a bit.  He had great time in low A for just over a month, where he was 2 years older than average player.  Moved up and hitting decent, but still a year older than average player.  You have him on there, but Lee does not make the list at all, which is fine as he has been okay as well, heating up lately, but Lee is at AA 2.5 years younger than average player. Cossetti is a year older than Lee and yet to sniff AA.  Not discounting what he did for a month in low A, but if you really look at age and level, Cossetti, in my mind, is having not that great of a year.  I am not saying Lee for sure is better, just used him as example.  E-Rod is having a better time at high A and is 3 years younger than Cossetti.  Sometimes I think if guys do better than expected, we say they are doing well, where if a guy is doing about the same, but lower than expected we say they are struggling, which may be true.  

[Otaknam]

I was hoping for a description of the pitchers’ repertoire, what kind of breaking ball do they throw? Knee buckling curve, hard slider? What kind of change of pace pitch do they have? Especially fast ball speed and movement, since that can what separates them. Do they have a solid three pitch mix? I’m also hoping that Enlow gets a shot this year. His stats say that he is doing well. What is his fastball velocity sitting at after TJ surgery? Good column though. 

[Mike Sixel]

1 hour ago, Trov said:

I need to push back on Cossetti a bit.  He had great time in low A for just over a month, where he was 2 years older than average player.  Moved up and hitting decent, but still a year older than average player.  You have him on there, but Lee does not make the list at all, which is fine as he has been okay as well, heating up lately, but Lee is at AA 2.5 years younger than average player. Cossetti is a year older than Lee and yet to sniff AA.  Not discounting what he did for a month in low A, but if you really look at age and level, Cossetti, in my mind, is having not that great of a year.  I am not saying Lee for sure is better, just used him as example.  E-Rod is having a better time at high A and is 3 years younger than Cossetti.  Sometimes I think if guys do better than expected, we say they are doing well, where if a guy is doing about the same, but lower than expected we say they are struggling, which may be true.  

The list was about performance, not prospect status. I mean, they have Lee as the top prospect.....