Twins Minor League Report (5/24): Royce Incoming, Raya Dominant, Maitan Slam Leads Kernels to Win

[Ted Schwerzler]

The big news for the farm system on Friday was that Twins star Royce Lewis would be joining the St. Paul Saints on Saturday to kick off a rehab assignment, Wichita starter Marco Raya twirled a gem though, and recently signed prospect Kevin Maitan went yard for a big one with the Kernels. Check in to all of the action here.

Image courtesy of Ed Bailey, Wichita Wind Surge

TRANSACTIONS

• RHP Caleb Boushley optioned to St. Paul
• RHP Jorge Alcala recalled by Minnesota
• OF Carlos Aguiar activated by Fort Myers from IL
• RHP Cory Lewis began rehab assignment with FCL Twins

SAINTS SENTINEL
St. Paul 7, Buffalo 4
Box Score
The big news for the Saints today was Royce Lewis being on a plane to join the team and start his rehab assignment on Saturday. Looking to rejoin the Twins for the first time since Opening Day, the star third baseman will be looking to make quick work of Triple-A while the Twins brass will wisely be patient.

Caleb Baragar got the start and it was an abbreviated one. He allowed four runs on five hits through three innings. He walked three and struck out two batters.

Down 3-0 after the first inning, St. Paul got on the board in the third inning. Austin Martin drove in Anthony Prato with a sacrifice fly before DaShawn Keirsey Jr. used the same strategy to score Diego A. Castillo. The Saints gave up another run in the fourth inning and were down 4-2.

St. Paul took their first lead in the sixth inning. Michael Helman singled home Martin before a Yunior Severino drove in Keirsey Jr. and Helman on a single which gave them a 5-4 lead.

In the eighth inning, the Saints added two more runs on a Patrick Winkel single. St. Paul had breathing room with a 7-4 score. Hobie Harris had his best outing of the season striking out five in three flawless innings of relief. Diego Castillo recorded his fifth save of the season. Earlier in the game, Josh Winder worked two innings of scoreless relief allowing just one hit and striking out three batters.

Severino had two hits in the game, and Winkel recorded a pair of RBI.

WIND SURGE WISDOM
San Antonio 1, Wichita 0
Box Score
Marco Raya was the mound for the Wind Surge, and he was virtually untouchable. He walked two but struck out six batters over four innings of scoreless, hitless work.

Travis Adams came in out of the bullpen. It is just the second time he has done that in 57 professional appearances. He gave up one run on three hits and a walk in four innings. He had four strikeouts. Miguel Rodriguez had a walk and a strikeout in a scoreless ninth inning.

San Antonio scored a run in the seventh inning on a solo home run. The Missions had just three hits. Wichita had just four hits. Emmanuel Rodriguez had a single and a walk. Aaron Sabato and Kala'i Rosario each hit a double.

KERNELS NUGGETS
Cedar Rapids 6, Peoria 4
Box Score
Christian MacLeod made an abbreviated start. The lefty went three innings and allowed one run on two hits and three walks. He struck out four batters and kept the Kernels in the contest. 

Another lefty, Jordan Carr, came into the game. He tossed four innings and was charged with three runs on eight hits. He had four strikeouts and no walks. Rafael Marcano, another left-hander, gave up a hit and a walk but no runs in his inning. Jacob Wosinski struck out two batters in a scoreless ninth for his fourth save of the season.

Ricardo Olivar evened things at one with a fourth inning double that scored Luke Keaschall, and then the Kernels took a big lead in the sixth inning. Kevin Maitan blasted his second home run in a week since joining the Kernels, and this was one of the grand slam variety. Keaschall, Olivar, and Rayne Doncon all scored on the big fly to put Cedar Rapids up 5-1.

Peoria drew within one during the bottom of the sixth inning, but Dalton Shuffield provided breathing room in the eighth inning with a double that scored Maitan and made it 6-4.

Olivar, Maitan each had two hits. Jose Salas went 2-for-3 with a walk and his fourth double. Keaschall’s hitting streak came to an end, but he was 0-for-2 with three walks.

MUSSEL MATTERS
Daytona 7, Fort Myers 4
Box Score
Lefty Cesar Lares drew the start Friday night for the Mighty Mussels and went 4 1/3 innings. He was charged with five runs (3 earned) on six hits. He walked one but struck out six batters.

Down 2-0 in the fourth inning, Maddux Houghton doubled home Poncho Ruiz to cut the deficit in half.

Dayton pushed their lead to a 6-1 by the fifth inning, and it wasn’t until the eighth inning that Fort Myers answered. Payton Eeles scored on a wild pitch before Kyle Hess tripled home Brandon Winokur. Ruiz singled in Hess but 6-4 was as close as they could get. The Tortugas scored a seventh run in the bottom of the eighth inning and won by three.

Ruiz and Houghton both finished with two hits. Aaron Holiday struck out four in relief.

COMPLEX CHRONICLES
FCL Twins 5, FCL Red Sox 4
Box Score
Brooks Lee batted leadoff as the designated hitter on Friday. Walker Jenkins made his first rehab start in center field, batting second. Cory Lewis kicked off a rehab assignment, making his first appearance of the season.

Jenkins singled in his first-inning at-bat. He was replaced on the base paths by Yasser Mercedes who hit into a force out. After a Dameury Pena single, Jayson Bass singled to score Mercedes with the game’s first run. They took a 2-0 lead when Ricardo Pena singled in Pena. 

Lewis worked the first two innings. He gave up one run on one hit and a walk. He had three strikeouts. He will certainly build back up for a bit before moving to Wichita. The Red Sox added two more runs in the fourth inning to take a lead, but Lee scored on a passed ball. On that pitch, Mercedes walked. He stole second base and tried to score on a Jayson Bass single but was thrown out at home. 

After the Red Sox scored again in the sixth inning, the Twins responded right away. A Harold Grant ground out brought home Ricardo Pena before a Lee single scored Hendry Chivilli to give the Twins the 5-4 lead.

Knuckleballer Devin Kirby stayed on to close it out, and the Twins improved to 10-4 on the year. Lee went 3-for-4, and Jenkins played five innings in the outfield. Bass and Ricardo Pena went 2-for-3.

TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY
Pitcher of the Day – Marco Raya (Wichita) - 4.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 6 K
Hitter of the Day – Kevin Maitan (Cedar Rapids) - 2-4, 2 R, 4 RBI, HR(2), K

PROSPECT SUMMARY
#1– Walker Jenkins (Fort Myers) – 1-for-3 (played CF)
#2 – Brooks Lee (St. Paul) – 3-for-4, R, RBI (DH)
#3 – Emmanuel Rodriguez (Wichita) – 1-for-3, BB, 2 K, CS(3)
#6 – Marco Raya (Wichita) – 4.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 6 K, 60 pitched, 39 strikes (65.0%)
#8 – Austin Martin (St. Paul) – 1-4, R, RBI, K
#9 – Luke Keaschall (Cedar Rapids) – 0-for-2, 3 BB, 2 R, K (DH)
#10 – Brandon Winokur (Fort Myers) – 1-for-5, R, K, SB(11)
#12 – Kala’i Rosario (Wichita) – 1-for-4, 2B(13), K
#13 – Tanner Schobel (Wichita) – 1-for-4, K
#15 – Cory Lewis (Wichita) – 2.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K (Rehab FCL)
#18 – Yunior Severino (St. Paul) – 2-4, R, RBI, K
#20 – Ricardo Olivar (Cedar Rapids) – 2-for-4, BB, 2B(9), R, K (played LF)

SATURDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS
St. Paul @ Buffalo (5:05 PM CST) – RHP David Festa (0-1, 3.18 ERA)
Wichita vs San Antonio (6:05 PM CST) – TBD
Cedar Rapids @ Peoria (7:05 PM CST) – RHP Darren Bowen (2-2, 4.61 ERA)
Fort Myers @ Daytona (5:35 PM CST) – LHP Ross Dunn (0-0, 2.49 ERA)

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

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[FlyingFinn]

Yesterday was the day to attend the FCL Twins game - Lewis, Jenkins and Lee all playing.

[Guest]

Any special reason Jenkins left CF early?

[terrydactyls]

Jenkins singled in the first inning, was replaced on the bases by Yasser Mercedes, but played five innings.  Does the Complex League allow re-entry?

[SD happy]

18 minutes ago, terrydactyls said:

Jenkins singled in the first inning, was replaced on the bases by Yasser Mercedes, but played five innings.  Does the Complex League allow re-entry?

Mercedes hit into a force out.

[Doctor Gast]

Great news, Lewis in AAA & Lee should join him soon. Raja is young & talented the secret is preserving his young arm & exposing him to hitters much older than him. As many are anxious to see him pitch deeper into games. IMO they are proceeding with him properly.

[DocBauer]

1 hour ago, Doctor Gast said:

Great news, Lewis in AAA & Lee should join him soon. Raja is young & talented the secret is preserving his young arm & exposing him to hitters much older than him. As many are anxious to see him pitch deeper into games. IMO they are proceeding with him properly.

Raya up to 60 pitches per appearance pretty consistently now. Just speculation on my part how he's been used so far, but I'm betting he's released to 70 or more pitches each turn by July. Sort of a slower version of the ramp up Festa was on and spoke about.

[roger]

Another great game Saturday from Lee and Jenkins.  Lee was 3-4 with a walk.  Jenkins was 2-5.  Lee was at shortstop and Jenkins the DH.  Both had one strikeout.  Would think its getting close to time that both move up.

[terrydactyls]

4 hours ago, SD happy said:

Mercedes hit into a force out.

It took a while but I finally figured out what you meant,  It was really unclear in the writeup unless you saw the game.

[bean5302]

I am so excited for Royce Lewis. I can't help rooting for him. Even though it's logically hard to believe he'll stay healthy, the world deserves it!

[jmlease1]

19 hours ago, DocBauer said:

Raya up to 60 pitches per appearance pretty consistently now. Just speculation on my part how he's been used so far, but I'm betting he's released to 70 or more pitches each turn by July. Sort of a slower version of the ramp up Festa was on and spoke about.

I hope that they continue to give him more; at a certain point he has to show he can throw 80+ pitches and be effective if he's going to stay as a starter. He did great in this outing, and that's good. But he's so hard to evaluate when he's still only throwing 50-60 pitches and 3-4 innings.

Love seeing Jenkins, Lee, and Cory Lewis all on the stat sheet. Love seeing the injured guys getting back into it. Lewis is probably going to need several starts to get going and get ramped up, but just seeing him throwing again is good news. 

[bean5302]

1 hour ago, jmlease1 said:

I hope that they continue to give him more; at a certain point he has to show he can throw 80+ pitches and be effective if he's going to stay as a starter. He did great in this outing, and that's good. But he's so hard to evaluate when he's still only throwing 50-60 pitches and 3-4 innings.

Love seeing Jenkins, Lee, and Cory Lewis all on the stat sheet. Love seeing the injured guys getting back into it. Lewis is probably going to need several starts to get going and get ramped up, but just seeing him throwing again is good news. 

80 pitches for a guy like Raya is 4-5 innings. He needs to get into the 90s to be able to deliver 5 innings reliably. 2 years ago, the Twins were letting him get to 80, but at least they're letting him out of the 40s, now.