Twins Minor League Week in Review (8/21-8/27)

[Jeremy Nygaard]

Another good week on the farm. Big wins. Hot teams. Playoff races. 

And a fun promotion. 

You can read all about it within. 

 

Image courtesy of William Parmeter (photo of Walker Jenkins)

The FCL and DSL affiliates are done for the season. The Kernels are in the playoffs. How many other teams will qualify?

The Twins keep pace and keep their lead at six games. Read all about it in Nick’s Week in Review. 

WEEK IN REVIEW 
Triple-A: St. Paul Saints

• Overall: 29-22 (3-3 last week) in the second half; In first place in the IL West by half a game; in fourth place in the International League.
• Overview: The opportunity to make up ground on Worcester presented itself, but the Saints split with last-place Omaha and remain two and a half games out of a playoff position.
• 🔥: Hernan Perez had eight hits in 17 at-bats and three of those hits went for a team-leading three home runs. He also drove in a team-leading ten runs.
• 🔥: Austin Martin (eight hits, two doubles, home run and four stolen bases) and Andrew Stevenson (ten hits, two doubles, home run, two stolen bases) have both been on a hot streak.  
• 🤔: The Saints pitching staff had a rough week. Only two members of the staff made it through the week without allowing an earned run. Neither of those pitchers recorded more than eight outs.
• 🥶: Louie Varland lasted four innings in his start. He gave up seven runs (four earned) on six hit and three walks. He struck out three. Varland has been suggested as a bullpen piece for the Twins moving forward.
• 🥶: Trevor Larnach has been bad and doesn't even look like a candidate to take the extra roster spot the Twins will have this week. He was 1-18, with 11 strikeouts.
• What's Next: The Saints host Columbus (23-36). St. Paul leads Nashville by a half-game. Nashville travels to Durham, who the Saints trail by a game.

Double-A: Wichita Wind Surge

• Overall: 29-22 (5-1 last week) in the second half and has pushed their division lead to 3.5 games. 
• Overview: The Wind Surge has won four straight series and continue to be on a tear since the promotions of their best three offensive players.
• 🔥: Pierson Ohl continues to be great. In 5 2/3 shutout innings this week, Ohl gave up four hits and a walk. He struck out eight.
• 🔥: Yoyner Fajardo (seven hits, home run, stolen base) and Alex Isola  (nine hits, double home run) led the Wind Surge offense. 
• 🔥: David Festa  returned after a 10-day break and threw five two-hit, one-run innings. He struck out seven. 
• 🥶: Dalton Shuffield struggled again. He was 2-for-11 in four games and struck out three times.
• 🥶: Miguel Rodriguez  picked up a save, but in his two outings (two innings), he gave up six hits and three runs (two earned), He struck out two. 
• What's Next: The Wind Surge host San Antonio (25-26), but it's San Antonio who is guaranteed a spot in the postseason. 

High-A: Cedar Rapids Kernels

• Overall: 35-19 (4-2 last week) in the second half, four games ahead of Peoria. The Kernels have clinched a postseason berth.
• Overview: The Kernels had a very good week, but Peoria kept pace. 
• 🔥: Noah Miller led the offensive charge again with eight hits, six runs and seven runs batted in. All were team highs. 
• 🔥: Kyle Jones had another excellent start. He allowed only one run on four hits in six innings. He struck out seven.
• 🔥: Carson McCusker and Andrew Cossetti  both hit two runs on the week. 
• 🥶: Emmanuel Rodriguez went 5-for-20 and struck out nine times. Kala'i Rosario went 4-for-20 and struck out ten times. 
• 🥶: C.J. Culpepper  had a round one-inning start. He surrendered five runs on seven hits.
• What's Next: The Kernels host Lake County (28-24).

Low-A: Ft. Myers Mighty Mussels

• Overall: 27-27 (5-1 last week) in the second half, but remain 9.0 games behind Lakeland.
• Overview: Fort Myers has been very hot lately, but the FSL West is loaded with good teams.
• 🔥: Luke Keaschall  led the Fort Myers offense with seven hits, seven runs and four doubles. He also tripled and drew five walks. The eight strikeouts weren't great. 
• 🔥: John Klein had another great start. He struck out nine over six one-hit shutout innings. He did issue three walks..
• 🔥: Great week for a number of pitchers: Ricardo Velez, Samuel Perez, Zach Veen, Sean Mooney, Danny Moreno, Miguelangel Boadas, Matt Gabbert and Wilker Reyes all pitched multiple shutout innings.
• 😍: Walker Jenkins was promoted and after struggling in his debut, got the walk-off hit in his second game. He hasn't hit for power or drawn any walks (yet), but it's going to be fun watching Jenkins continue his season.
• 🥶: Nolan Santos allowed multiple runs (on two hits and two walks) and only retired two batters.
• 🥶: Kyle Schmidt went 0-for-13 on the week. But a lot of bad luck as he only struck out one time.
• What's Next: Fort Myers head to Clearwater (31-23). This is a chance to make up some ground.

PROSPECT SUMMARY 
This Prospect Summary shows our current Twins Top 20 Prospect Rankings and how they performed last week. The Prospect Tracker will be updated periodically throughout the season. Notice that these pages now include stats and splits, as well as past article links, video and more. Season-long stats will be in parenthesis. 

• 20. Brent Headrick, RHP, St. Paul: 0-0, 6.75 ERA, 4.0 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 3 ER, HBP, BB, 6 K (1.37 WHIP, .263 BAA).
• 19. Cory Lewis, RHP, Cedar Rapids: 0-0, 7.36 ERA, 3.2 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, HRA, 2 BB, 7 K (1.06 WHIP, .197 BAA).
• 18. Jose Rodriguez, OF, FCL Twins: 2-4, 2 R, BB. (.262/.325/.412. .737 OPS)
• 17. Danny De Andrade, SS, Fort Myers: 6-22, 2 2B, HR, 5 RBI, 3 R, 2 BB, 6 K, SB. (.244/.354/.404. .758 OPS), played five games (82 total games) at shortstop and committed no errors in 17 chances (13 errors in 295 total chances). Previously played one game at third base and had no errors in four chances. 
• 16. Jordan Balazovic, RHP, St. Paul: 0-0, 9.00 ERA, 1.0 IP, H, ER, BB (1.61 WHIP, .262 BAA); Minnesota: (1.85 WHIP, .313 BAA).
• 15. Simeon Woods Richardson, RHP, St. Paul: 1-0, 4.50 ERA, 6.0 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 3 K (1.57 WHIP, .262 BAA); Minnesota: (1.56 WHIP, .274 BAA).
• 14. Yunior Severino, 3B, St. Paul: 3-16, RBI, 2 R, BB, 7 K. (AA/AAA combined .282/.357/.551. .908 OPS).
• 13. Kala'i Rosario, OF, Cedar Rapids: 4-20, 2B, 3 RBI, 4 R, 3 BB, 10 K. (.257/.369/.467. .836 OPS).
• 12. Yasser Mercedes, OF, FCL Twins: Did not play. (.196/.248/.381. .629 OPS)
• 11. Connor Prielipp, LHP, Cedar Rapids: Prielipp underwent season-ending elbow surgery. (1.75 WHIP, .294 BAA)
• 10. Luke Keaschall, 2B, Fort Myers: 7-22, 4 2B, 3B, 3 RBI, 7 R, 5 BB, 8 K. (rookie/l-A combined .278/.434/.443. .877 OPS), played six games (19 total) at second base and committed no errors in 27 chances (one error in 60 total chances). Previously played in centerfield (two games) and had no chances and one game at third base and committed one error in two chances. 
• 9. Brandon Winokur, OF, FCL Twins: Did not play. (.288/.338/.545. .883 OPS), played one game at shortstop (nine total) and committed no errors in three chances (two errors in 34 total chances) and played three games (seven total) at centerfield and committed no errors in eight chances (no errors in 19 total chances). 
• 8. Tanner Schobel, INF, Wichita: 5-18, 3B, 3 RBI, 4 R, 5 BB, 2 K. (high-A/AA combined .264/.357/.434. .791 OPS), played five games (48 total) at second base and committed one error in 17 chances (9 errors in 191 total chances), played no games (56 total) at third base (four errors in 109 total chances).
• 7. Austin Martin, 2B/OF, St. Paul: 8-19, 2 2B, 1 HR, RBI, 5 R, 3 BB, 2 K, 4 SB. (rehab/AAA combined .268/.373/.415. .788 OPS), played one game (eight total) in centerfield and committed no errors in six chances (no errors in 20 total chances), played three games (30 total) at second base and committed two errors in 12 chances (four errors in 121 total chances), played one games (eight total) in left field and committed no errors in six chances (no errors in 20 total chances). 
• 6. David Festa, RHP, Wichita: 1-0, 1.80 ERA, 5 IP, 2 H, ER, 7 K. (1.36 WHIP, .249 BAA)
• 5. Charlee Soto, RHP: Has not played in a professional game.
• 4. Marco Raya, RHP, Wichita: 0-0, 3.38 ERA, 2.2 IP, 2 H, ER, 2 BB, K. (AA/Hi-A combined 1.19 WHIP, .212 BAA)
• 3. Emmanuel Rodriguez, OF, Cedar Rapids: 5-20, 2B, 2 RBI, 5 R, 6 BB, 9 K, 4 SB. (.229/.392/.436. .828 OPS)
• 2. Walker Jenkins, OF, FCL Twins/Fort Myers: 7-22, 2B, 5 RBI, 2 R, 2 BB, 2 K, SB. (FCL/low-A combined .333/.378/.507. .9885 OPS)
• 1. Brooks Lee, SS, St. Paul: 6-22, 2B, 4 RBI, R, 3 BB, 6 K. (AA/AAA combined .285/.355/.458. .813 OPS), played three games (95 total) at shortstop and committed two errors in eight chances (17 errors in 385 total chances) and played one game (four total) at third base and committed no errors in three chances (one error in ten chances total chances). 

PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
HITTER - Hernan Perez, St. Paul

 

PITCHER - David Festa, Wichita

 

 

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[Blyleven2011]

Playoff races , affiliates are playing good ball  ....

To bad larnach can't seem to get his game figured out  , I can't see him coming up when rosters expand ... 

I hope larnach goes to driveline this winter and can get things figured out with the off speed stuff , it's become psychological  to him by now and needs help , he could be traded this off season  or if not , 2024  is  probably his last chance in the Twins  organization  .. 

[mikelink45]

Have the Twins blown Larnach's chances?  Sometimes mental aspects out do the physical.  

Oh well, I will be in Canada working for the next month, still checking in, but not as well connected.  Good luck to my Twins.  

[FlyingFinn]

Larnach and Celestino - potential. Stevenson and Kiersey - AAA results. Martin - both. I'm not sure Larnach and Celestino will still be on the 40 man next spring.

[FlyingFinn]

Festa up to the Saints according to the Twins radio broadcast crew.

[Richard Swerdlick]

I am guessing that the Twins sent Bailey Ober to St. Paul simply to rest him and to free up a roster spot. I don't believe that he will pitch again until he is recalled by the Twins.

[Dman]

Hate to keep repeating myself but Miller is really having a breakout month.  If his bat is this good moving forward he is going to be one heck of a good player.

[Mike Sixel]

4 minutes ago, Dman said:

Hate to keep repeating myself but Miller is really having a breakout month.  If his bat is this good moving forward he is going to be one heck of a good player.

I'm hopeful.

[PDX Twin]

Do some/most of the minor leagues end next week, or do they now play into September?

[stringer bell]

3 hours ago, PDX Twin said:

Do some/most of the minor leagues end next week, or do they now play into September?

Saints play through the 23rd IIRC. The lower minors seasons end a bit sooner. 

[SwainZag]

21 hours ago, mikelink45 said:

Have the Twins blown Larnach's chances?  Sometimes mental aspects out do the physical.  

Oh well, I will be in Canada working for the next month, still checking in, but not as well connected.  Good luck to my Twins.  

Injuries probably blew Larnach's chances.  Hard to blame the team.  If a player really wants to get back he has to put in the work and get back.