Twins Minor League Week in Review (4/23-4/28): Winning Baseball is Fun

[Cody Christie]

Nearly every affiliate had a winning week in the organization. Strong pitching and even better hitting highlighted the week that was in the Twins farm system. Let’s dive in. 

Image courtesy of Rob Thompson, St. Paul Saints (McCusker), David Malamut (Culpepper), William Parmeter (Chourio)

TRANSACTIONS

• 1B Yunior Severino placed on the 7-day injured list. Strained right hamstring. 
• 3B Royce Lewis sent on a rehab assignment to St. Paul. 
• C Diego Cartaya sent outright to St. Paul. 
• Wichita activated RHP Pierson Ohl from the 7-day injured list.
• Cedar Rapids activated SS Kaelen Culpepper from the 7-day injured list. 
• RHP Michael Tonkin sent on a rehab assignment to St. Paul.
• RHP Matt Canterino released by the Twins.

 TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE CONTENT

• Twins Release Matt Canterino. What’s Next for the Once-Promising Prospect?
• Twins Minor League Report (4/27): Jose Salas, Kaelen Culpepper Drive Mussels, Kernels to Wins
• Twins Minor League Report (4/26): Close Losses in the Afternoon, High-Ceiling Lefties Dominate the Night Games
• Twins Minor League Report (4/25): Royce Lewis Rehabs; Cole Peschl Demands Attention
• Twins Minor League Report (4/24): Jay Thomason, Maddux Houghton Muscle Fort Myers to Extra-Inning Win
• Twins Minor League Report (4/23): Ricardo Olivar Can't be Contained
• Scouting the Saints: Zebby Matthews, Carson McCusker, Emmanuel Rodriguez Show Their Stuff
• Catcher Diego Cartaya Isn't Long for Minnesota Twins' 40-Man Roster
• Twins Minor League Report (4/22): Grand Slams, A Walk-Off, and a Gong Show
• Twins Minor League Week in Review (4/15-4/21): Mighty Mussels Shutout Parade

WEEK IN REVIEW
Triple A: St. Paul Saints
Overall: 11-13 (8.5 Games Out of First)
Last Week: 4-3

• Toby Gardenhire earned his 300th win as manager of the Saints. The only manager with more victories in the entire history of the franchise is George Tsamis, who won 954 games from 2003-20.
• Zebby Matthews failed to make it through the fifth inning for the second consecutive start. In 4 2/3 innings, he allowed two runs on two hits and five strikeouts. He issued a career-high four walks. 
• Patrick Winkel and Anthony Prato hit back-to-back homers in Saturday’s game. For Winkel, it was his second of the season, and second in as many games. For Prato, it was his first of the year. 
• On Friday night, Royce Lewis made his first rehab game appearance for the Saints. He went 1-for-3 with a double. On Sunday, he went 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs. 
• Darren McCaughan pitched 5 shutout innings and Anthony Misiewicz tossed the final 2 innings as the Saints pitched a 3-0 shutout to split a doubleheader on Friday night. McCaughan allowed just one hit in his appearance, while walking two and striking out seven—four of them looking. Misiewicz allowed one hit and struck out two.
• Patrick Winkel hit his first home run of the season, a solo shot, as part of the team’s Friday night victory.  
• St. Paul split a doubleheader on Wednesday. In Game 1, Mickey Gasper cracked his second home run in as many games to put the Saints up 2-1. Later that inning, Carson McCusker continued his hot start to the year with an RBI double. He is second in Triple A in average exit velocity. 
• Mike Ford capped the team’s scoring in the third. Emmanuel Rodriguez walked to start the frame, before Ford delivered a two-run blast, his third longball of the season. 
• Andrew Morris started Game 1 of the doubleheader and went 4-plus innings, allowing one unearned run on five hits while walking three and striking out two.
• Tuesday started the week with a bang—or several of them. They mashed four home runs (two grand slams) and racked up 16 runs scored. Eight of nine Saints collected a hit, with five having multi-hit days. Eight of nine scored a run, and seven of nine knocked home a run as the Saints pounded out 16 hits.
• McCusker and Ryan Fitzgerald hit the grand slams. Fitzgerald went 3-5 with a career high-tying five RBIs and three runs scored.
• Reliever Travis Adams pitched the final 4 innings; did not allow a run on three hits, while striking out four; and picked up his second four-inning save in as many appearances.

What’s Next: The Saints head to Omaha to face the Storm Chasers for the start of a six-game set on Tuesday. These two teams split a six-game series earlier in the month. 

Double A: Wichita Wind Surge
Overall: 12-9 (2.0 Games Out of First)
Last Week: 4-2

• Congratulations to Wind Surge broadcaster Tim Grubbs, who broadcast his 4,000th Minor League Baseball game this week. 
• Connor Prielipp, Mike Paredes, Michael Martinez, and Angel Macuare combined for a shutout on three hits on Saturday night. The Wind Surge infield also turned three double plays, two of them being inning-enders.
• Paredes has thrown 17 2/3 innings without an earned run this season, and leads the team in wins (3).
• Darren Bowen retired 13 of the first 14 batters he faced in his fourth start of the season. He finished with one earned run allowed on four hits, with three strikeouts and no walks. 
• Pierson Ohl returned from the injured list and picked up his first victory. He relieved Bowen and pitched three shutout innings with four strikeouts and only one hit allowed. 
• Jarret Whorff has yet to surrender an earned run in Wichita this season, over 7 2/3 innings pitched.
• Tanner Schobel reached base in 17 consecutive games before his streak ended on Friday. On Sunday, he recorded his second three-hit performance of the season. He has a team-leading seven multi-hit games. 
• On Wednesday, Wichita trailed 6-2 heading into the bottom of the eighth inning, before rattling off five unanswered runs to win their fourth straight game. Kyler Fedko drove in the winning run with a single in the 10th inning. 
• John Stankiewicz earned the victory, his first decision of the season, after throwing a scoreless 10th inning with a strikeout.
• Wichita produced their highest winning margin of the season on Tuesday, winning 12-1. Kala’i Rosario started the scoring with a solo home run, and Aaron Sabato hit a go-ahead double later that inning. In the eighth, the Wind Surge sent 12 men to the plate and scored nine runs. Jorel Ortega connected for a pinch-hit grand slam, the first in franchise history.
• Mike Paredes earned the win to improve to 2-0 on the season after three innings of one-hit baseball with a walk and a strikeout out of the bullpen.

What’s Next: Wichita will open a six-game road series against the Frisco RoughRiders on Tuesday at 12:05 PM CST. 

High A: Cedar Rapids Kernels
Overall: 12-8 (2.0 Game Out of First)
Last Week: 3-3

• Kaelen Culpepper drove in five runs on two hits and a three-run homer on Sunday. He finished the week hitting .353/.450/.529 after coming off the IL.
• Tanner Hall pitched five strong innings, allowing one unearned run on five hits with two walks and three strikeouts.
• Cedar Rapids got caught in a pitchers’ duel on Friday night. Alejandro Hidalgo got the start and posted his best outing of the season. He pitched five shutout innings, allowing just one hit while striking out seven.
• In his third start of the season, Ty Langenberg posted his best outing of the campaign. He did not allow a run across four innings of work with three strikeouts and no walks, facing just 12 batters to record 12 outs. 
• Logan Whitaker took over for Langenberg and did not allow a run in two innings of relief, retiring the side in order in both frames while notching three strikeouts.
• Kyle DeBarge got the week started with a bang for Cedar Rapids. Trailing by a run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, he crushed a walk-off three-run home run. Earlier in the game, he had connected for a triple. 
• Jose Olivares did not allow a run across three innings of work with five strikeouts while issuing just one walk and one hit.
• Danny De Andrade slashed .333/.474/.733, with three doubles, one home run, and three steals. 

What’s Next: Cedar Rapids continues the second half of their 12-game homestand on Tuesday night with the first of six games against South Bend at 6:35 PM CST.

Low A: Fort Myers Mighty Mussels
Overall: 12-9 (Tied for First)
Last Week: 4-2

• Jose Salas drove in six runs on Sunday, the most in a game for a Mussels hitter this season. 
• Dasan Hill tossed 3 1/3 scoreless innings and struck out a season-high eight batters, which included a stretch of five consecutive strikeouts. The only hit he allowed was an infield single. Hill touched 98 MPH on the radar gun for the first time this season.
• Byron Chourio has been masterful at the top of the Fort Myers lineup. On Sunday, he reached base three times to extend his on-base streak to 18 games. It was also the 12th time he reached base safely to start the game. 
• Cole Peschl dominated in his third appearance of the season. He struck out a season-high nine batters while throwing five scoreless innings for the second outing in a row. His 80 pitches matched the most by a Mussel pitcher this season. Peschl has now thrown 14 innings without allowing an earned run to start his career.
• Yasser Mercedes stole four bases in one game, the most by a Mussel this season. 
• Maddux Houghton came off the bench on Thursday to deliver the game-winning hit, a three-run home run in extra innings. He added an incredible catch in the bottom half of the inning to rob an extra-base hit.
• Earlier in that game, Jay Thomason launched a moonshot home run (421 feet). He homered again on Sunday, a three-run shot. He leads the team in home runs this season. 
• Jason Doktorczyk pitched four solid innings, as he allowed one unearned run on a wild pitch. He limited batters to two hits with two strikeouts and a walk. His season ERA dropped to 1.15. 
• Ivran Romero continued his scoreless streak to start the season. On Wednesday, he pitched two scoreless innings with only one hit allowed. He has seven shutout innings for the year. 
• Fort Myers got their week started with a solid performance on both sides of the ball. Yasser Mercedes and Jose Rodriguez both hit two-run homers in the same inning with triple-digit exit velocities. For Mercedes, it was his first of the year. Rodriguez hit his homer at 113 mph. 
• Dylan Questad allowed a two-run homer and then settled in. He retired the next six men he faced. The homer was the lone hit Questad would yield in his five innings of work.
• The bullpen of Hunter Hoopes, Liam Rocha, and Tyler Stasiowski combined to allow one run on four hits while striking out seven batters across four innings. Fort Myers pitching totalled 13 strikeouts to three walks on the night.

What’s Next: Fort Myers heads home for a quick three-game series against Jupiter before finishing the week with a three-game set at Tampa. 

PROSPECT SUMMARY
Check out the Prospect Tracker for much more on our Twins Top 20 prospects. And, be sure to note the new, updated Top 20 rankings. Roster assignments below are subject to change as some players have yet to be assigned or are in Extended Spring Training. 

1. Walker Jenkins (Wichita): On injured list
2. Emmanuel Rodriguez (St. Paul): 2-8,1 R, 1 BB, 3 K, 2 SB
3. Luke Keaschall (Minnesota): 7-19, 3 2B, 2 RBI, 4 R, 5 BB, 2 K, 5 SB
4. Charlee Soto (Cedar Rapids): Did not pitch
5. Andrew Morris (St. Paul): 4 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 2 K
6. Marco Raya (St. Paul): 1.2 IP, 6 H, 7 ER, 3 BB, 1 K
7. Kaelen Culpepper (Cedar Rapids): 6-17, 1 HR, 7 RBI, 2 R, 3 BB, 1 K
8. Brandon Winokur (Cedar Rapids): 4-20, 2 2B, 1 BB, 6 K, 1 SB
9. Cory Lewis (St. Paul): 3.2 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
10. Connor Prielipp (Wichita): 3 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
11. Dasan Hill (Fort Myers): 3.1 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 8 K
12. C.J. Culpepper (Wichita): On injured list
13. Kyle DeBarge (Cedar Rapids): 5-22, 1 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 3 R, 2 BB, 5 K, 3 SB
14. Eduardo Beltre (DSL Twins): In Extended Spring Training
15. Yasser Mercedes (Fort Myers): 4-19, 1 2B, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 2 R, 3 BB, 7 K, 5 SB
16. Rayne Doncon (Cedar Rapids): On injured list
17. Billy Amick (Cedar Rapids): 4-18, 2 RBI, 2 R, 2 BB, 6 K 
18. Kala’i Rosario (Wichita): 8-24, 2 2B, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 5 R, 3 BB, 6 K
19. Gabriel Gonzalez (Cedar Rapids): 4-20, 2 R, 1 BB, 2 K
20. Ricardo Olivar (Wichita): 9-23, 2 2B, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 5 R, 2 BB, 6 K

PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Hitter of the Week: Ryan Fitzgerald (St. Paul)
9-for-21, .429/.520/.667 (1.187), 2 2B, 1 HR, 14 TB, 6 RBI, 6 R, 4 BB, 3 K

Pitcher of the Week: Cole Peschl (Fort Myers)
5 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 9 K, 80 pitches (51 strikes), 63.8 strike%

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[tony&rodney]

The guy in the picture is Carson McCusker. If he isn't in your top 20 prospect list, you are not paying attention to the Twins minor league players.

[FlyingFinn]

Does Winkel have a chance of being a backup MLB catcher? He had a nice week with a couple homers and his stats seem at least as good as Camargo. I believe he's okay on defense as well but someone can correct that if I'm wrong. 

Cardenas with his first good week of the year at Wichita. Sabato (after a good first few games) and Cossetti (struggled at the plate for about a year now), not a good week.

Hess, De Andrade, Culpepper with great weeks at the plate while Urbina is like Sabato, just has never lived up to the hype, with one more tough week.

Thomason with 5 homers in 2 weeks. Impressive. 11 hits on the year and hitting .200, still has things to work on. That league is tough for homers though.

[FlyingFinn]

Odd that Soto didn't pitch at all during the week.

[Mike Sixel]

Time to promote DeAndrade. Free up short stop reps for him and those in A. 

[Cody Christie]

11 hours ago, tony&rodney said:

The guy in the picture is Carson McCusker. If he isn't in your top 20 prospect list, you are not paying attention to the Twins minor league players.

I think he could crack into the Twins Daily top 20 later this year. He’s a very unconventional prospect because he is older than most.

[Cody Christie]

8 hours ago, FlyingFinn said:

Odd that Soto didn't pitch at all during the week.

I thought the same but I think it is part of managing his innings. Last week, Dasan Hill didn’t make an appearance. Perhaps they are on similar pitching plans.

[Jocko87]

13 hours ago, tony&rodney said:

The guy in the picture is Carson McCusker. If he isn't in your top 20 prospect list, you are not paying attention to the Twins minor league players.

We can't even agree on what a prospect is much less a top 20 of them.

[Jeff K]

1 hour ago, Jocko87 said:

We can't even agree on what a prospect is much less a top 20 of them.

I think it's important to consider relative readiness to help the Twins this year which is why I have McCusker in the top 10.

[LambchoP]

I think Mccusker should replace Keirsey on the major league roster. I like him as a pinch runner and he's good defensively, but it sure looks like he won't be able to hit in the bigs. Let's see if the big man can. Too bad Wallner is going to be out awhile. Getting Lewis and Castro back should help weed out some of the DFA guys on the roster. 

[Cody Christie]

2 minutes ago, LambchoP said:

I think Mccusker should replace Keirsey on the major league roster. I like him as a pinch runner and he's good defensively, but it sure looks like he won't be able to hit in the bigs. Let's see if the big man can. Too bad Wallner is going to be out awhile. Getting Lewis and Castro back should help weed out some of the DFA guys on the roster. 

Earlier today, I wrote about some of the expected timelines for those players returning from injury. 

 

[LambchoP]

I wish we'd get some kind of update on Eeles. It's like the guy doesn't even really exist lol .....

[Cody Christie]

2 hours ago, LambchoP said:

I wish we'd get some kind of update on Eeles. It's like the guy doesn't even really exist lol .....

He is in Fort Myers ramping up for an eventual rehab assignment. I don't have a specific timeline as to when that might happen. 

[Cody Christie]

2 hours ago, LambchoP said:

I think Mccusker should replace Keirsey on the major league roster. I like him as a pinch runner and he's good defensively, but it sure looks like he won't be able to hit in the bigs. Let's see if the big man can. Too bad Wallner is going to be out awhile. Getting Lewis and Castro back should help weed out some of the DFA guys on the roster. 

I think they like McCusker getting regular at-bats in the minors. I think they are fine with Keirsey getting sporadic playing time with the Twins. The late inning outfield with Buxton, Bader, and Keirsey is fun to watch.  

[SF Twins Fan]

Has anyone heard an update on Walker Jenkins?  I haven't seen anything since he went down with an ankle injury the 2nd game of the season.

[tony&rodney]

4 hours ago, Jocko87 said:

We can't even agree on what a prospect is much less a top 20 of them.

There will never be any agreements on prospects, especially in baseball. Before the internet, before milb.com, there were magazines that printed box scores, stats, and there were articles. Today there is a proliferation of data collected by a host of people. The data largely reflects the opinion of the collector as it would be highly unlikely for separate individuals to agree on what they saw .... cue witness testimony in car accident cases who are standing right next to each other. So there is always disagreement.

Given the above, it is still a common activity to rank and comment on prospects and people are interested in the players. Not everyone has the time to become familiar with any prospects much less the pile of hopefuls within any organization. Some look over a few data points and their favorite statistics, which may be fun or interesting for such individuals. It is likely that few people watch 5 minor games per week, simply due to the time required for such an endeavor. Watching the games via milb.com is not as useful as watching the games in person, but I would forward an idea that it far exceeds poring over data and statistics. This would be even more true for those with a lengthy background playing, coaching, managing, or scouting players as compared to a common fan. The point remains though that despite a raft of tools to sift through the value of prospects, people will still have their own order and there will be disagreements.

[Cody Christie]

1 hour ago, SF Twins Fan said:

Has anyone heard an update on Walker Jenkins?  I haven't seen anything since he went down with an ankle injury the 2nd game of the season.

The Twins have been very quiet on this. Not sure what is happening.

[Cody Christie]

8 hours ago, Cody Christie said:

I thought the same but I think it is part of managing his innings. Last week, Dasan Hill didn’t make an appearance. Perhaps they are on similar pitching plans.

Never mind. Soto is injured. The Kernels announced: RHP Charlee Soto has been placed on the 7-day IL with a right triceps strain.