Twins Minor League Week in Review (4/16-4/21): An Early Slide

[Ted Schwerzler]

The Minnesota Twins are off to a slow start at the major-league level this season, and they have seemingly sent that same vibe down to the farm system. With a Double-A split being the high-water mark, it was a week to forget.

Image courtesy of © Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Twins' minor-league system is still without some key contributors to start the season. Walker Jenkins hasn’t played since going down in the first game of the season, and Brooks Lee is still far from returning to game action. Cory Lewis is at least a couple of weeks from game action, and Matt Canterino hasn’t yet returned. Brent Headrick also joined the injured arms on the shelf; it’s been a multitude of maladies.

As Rocco Baldelli’s club looks for reinforcements, and players are shuffled throughout the system, remaining available while being productive in the early portion of the season could produce early promotions. As the weather warms, the hope would be that lineups across the system take another step forward.

WEEK IN REVIEW
Triple-A: St. Paul Saints

• Overall: 8-12 (1-5 last week), 10th place in the IL West
• Overview: It was a tough week going up against fourth-place Indianapolis, and despite having a rehabbing major leaguer in Max Kepler, they were shut down by starter Paul Skenes.
• 🔥Will Holland paced an otherwise lackluster St. Paul lineup with a .983 OPS and six RBIs, while launching a home run.
• 🔥Caleb Boushley put up a strong turn in his rotation spot, working six scoreless innings while striking out eight.
• 😏Anthony Prato was the only player to appear in all six of St. Paul’s games this week. He hasn’t taken off at the plate yet, but the 9/6 K/BB was again reflective of his solid approach.
• 😏Austin Schulfer returned from an early-season injury and recorded his first three scoreless innings of relief, striking out two.
• 🥶Chris Williams and Patrick Winkel got additional run for the Saints with Jair Camargo promoted to Minnesota. They combined to go 1-for-25, with Winkel recording the only base hit.
• 🥶Josh Staumont earned an option following his rehab assignment with two outings that resulted in three hits on four runs (despite a 5/1 K/BB)
• What’s Next: The Saints return for some home cooking against former Minnesota affiliate Rochester. The Washington affiliate is currently sixth in the IL East and sit at 9-9 on the year.

Double-A: Wichita Wind Surge

• Overall: 4-11 (3-3 last week) Fifth place in the Texas League North
• Overview: After being swept by Springfield in a tough road series two weeks ago, the Wind Surge came home and got a split. They also played a couple of games as their alter ego, the Chili Buns.
• 🔥Jake Rucker played in all six games for Wichita, and his .804 OPS paced the team this week. He launched a homer and recorded five RBIs.
• 🔥Marco Raya continues to get the kid gloves treatment, only going three innings in his scoreless start, but he had a 4/0 K/BB.
• 😏Emmanuel Rodriguez slowed the torrid offensive pace he kicked off the year with, but he posted 10 walks, which outpaced his nine strikeouts. He also stole four bases.
• 🥶Alerick Soularie hit the skids this week, going 0-for-10 across 13 plate appearances. He did steal a pair of bases.
• 🥶Miguel Rodriguez made a pair of appearances but allowed six runs (three earned) on six hits in just three innings. He did manage to avoid any free passes and had four walks.
• What’s Next: Heading on the road to face San Antonio, the Wind Surge will go to work against the 8-4 club that is presently the third seed in the Texas League South.

High-A: Cedar Rapids Kernels

• Overall: 6-8 (2-4 last week) Fourth place in the Midwest League West
• Overview: A successful homestand was followed by the opposite record when heading out to play the Timber Rattlers on the road.
• 🔥Luke Keaschall started the season with only designated hitter duties, but has since moved to the field, and he had a .930 OPS in six games this week. He had a pair of doubles and RBIs, with five walks.
• 😏Rubel Cespedes was also in all six games this week and posted an .830 OPS. While he did strike out six times, he recorded three doubles.
• 😏Ricardo Olivar only hit .263 in five games this week, but he slugged an impressive .526 behind a home run and pair of doubles.
• 😏Jacob Wosinski came on in a pair of games for relief work and tallied 4 1/3 innings with a 4/2 K/BB
• 🥶Andrew Morris turned in an ugly start, allowing five runs on ten hits in only 3 2/3 innings.
• 🥶Misael Urbina, Keoni Cavaco, and Nate Baez each got into three games, but they only recorded a single hit each, and all three posted four strikeouts.
• What’s Next: The Kernels come home and host Beloit for seven games, but the second of Saturday’s doubleheader they will be the away team as it’s an early-season makeup game. Beloit sits third in the Midwest League West at 9-5.

Low-A: Fort Myers Mighty Mussels

• Overall: 6-9 (2-4 last week) Fourth place in Florida State League West
• Overview: A 2-4 week on the road was followed by a 2-4 week at home. Fort Myers put up 16 runs on a Friday night win, but the offense was otherwise stifled.
• 🔥Maddux Houghton got into all six games this week and ripped off an impressive 1.283 OPS. He had just a pair of doubles for extra-base hits, but went 9-for-17 with five walks.
• 🔥Brandon Winokur and Gregory Duran both also tallied OPS totals over 1.000 for the week, and each recorded a home run; they combined for 13 walks.
• 🔥Rayne Doncon had a 1.008 OPS while batting .360, and he made a home of second base while picking up five doubles in six games.
• 😏Nolan Santos appeared in relief for two games and recorded a 3/1 K/BB while allowing only a single unearned run across 4 1/3 innings.
• 😏Charlee Soto made a three-inning start that included a 5/3 K/BB and two runs (one earned).
• 😏Angel Del Rosario recorded just three hits and a pair of walks, but he swiped five bases in the process.
• 🥶Xander Hamilton made two appearances in relief, but gave up three runs on four hits and a pair of walks in just 2 2/3 innings. He struck out three.
• 🥶Byron Chourio saw his hot start slow substantially, going just 1-for-10 this week with a 5/1 K/BB.

PROSPECT SUMMARY
#3 – Emmanuel Rodríguez (Wichita) – 3-19, 2 2B, RBI, 9 K, 10 BB, 4 SB
#4 – Gabriel González (Cedar Rapids) – 5-19, 3 2B, 4 RBI, 3 K, BB, 2 SB
#5 – Marco Raya (Wichita) – 3.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K
#6 – David Festa (St. Paul) – 4.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 5 K
#7 – Austin Martin (Minnesota) – 5-16, 2B, HR, 2 RBI, 2 K
#9 – Charlee Soto (Fort Myers) – 3.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 5 K
#10 – Brandon Winokur (Fort Myers) – 8-21, 2 2B, HR, 7 RBI, 5 K, BB
#11 – Tanner Schobel (Wichita) – 4-18, 2B, RBI, 6 K, 6 BB
#12 – Luke Keaschall (Cedar Rapids) – 7-20, 2 2B, 2 RBI, 4 K, 5 BB, SB
#13 – Kala’i Rosario (Wichita) – 4-16, 2B, RBI, 3 K, 6 BB
#14 – C.J. Culpepper (Cedar Rapids) – 3.1 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 3 K
#15 – Danny De Andrade (Cedar Rapids) – 4-19, 3 2B, 3 RBI, 5 K, SB
#16 – Yunior Severino (St. Paul) – 2-17, 2B, 6 K, 4 BB, SB
#19 – Ricardo Olivar (Cedar Rapids) – 5-19, 2 2B, HR, 3 RBI, 4 K, BB
#20 – Simeon Woods Richardson (St. Paul) – 5.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 4 K

PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
HITTER - Gregory Duran, Fort Myers

 

 

PITCHER - Caleb Boushley, St. Paul

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[Dman]

Very nice review.  Not much to add as it was well covered. I really like these write ups as we get an idea how things are going week to week. 

Hoping as guys get into the swing that more players heat up.  St. Paul; and Cedar Rapids players often start slow with the cold weather.  Things should start warming up and hopefully our guys warm up as well.

 

[jkcarew]

Some decent and good individual early results.

Team-wise, not so much. Seems like the teams that are off to a decent start with the bats, have pitching staffs that are off to bad starts…and vice-versa.

St Paul has been nothing short of horrendous with the bat in their hands. Exception: DeShawn Keirsey (although Will Holland and Anthony Prato have gotten off to solid starts, as well).

Too bad Keirsey isn’t on the 40-man.

[FlyingFinn]

If Cory Lewis just need a little extra time to ramp up, I would have thought he would be pitching three weeks into the season.

[FlyingFinn]

Post game show on the Twins radio just said that Brooks Lee has a herniated disk. Ouch!

[Seth Stohs]

45 minutes ago, FlyingFinn said:

Post game show on the Twins radio just said that Brooks Lee has a herniated disk. Ouch!

It was reported by Gleeman in The Athletic this morning. 

[roger]

Any word on when Prielipp will return?  Or is he out for the season?  Canterino and Prielipp may be the two best pitching prospects the Twins have had in awhile, at least in my opinion.  To get nothing years after picking them hurts, just plain hurts.

[h2oface]

The whole organization, at this point, is made up of losing teams. Hard to ignore. If it was a team that a Twins' fan disparages, they would take that as an even more convincing indicator about how horrible they are. Is is ignored when it is your team?