Minnesota Twins Minor League Hitters of the Month - June 2025

[Matthew Taylor]

Image courtesy of Rob Thompson, St. Paul Saints

Last month, outfielder Gabriel Gonzalez claimed the esteemed title of Minnesota Twins Minor League Hitter of the Month. As the calendar turned to June, several new names joined the conversation, and a first-time winner stepped up to take home the top honor.

Before we get into the top five, a pair of strong performers just missed the cut.

Honorable Mentions
Danny De Andrade quietly pieced together a quality month for Cedar Rapids. Over 102 plate appearances, the 21-year-old infielder posted an .873 OPS with 3 home runs and 20 RBI. Wichita catcher Andrew Cossetti also made a strong push, especially considering the strides he’s made compared to a tough 2024 campaign. Cossetti turned in a .995 OPS in 62 June plate appearances, but the limited playing time ultimately held him out of the top five.

Let’s dive into the standouts who did make the cut.

5. Kyler Fedko – OF, Wichita
101 PA, .278/.356/.522 (.879 OPS), 6 HR, 18 RBI, 18 K, 9 BB
Fedko continued to flash his power in the Texas League, finishing June with a .879 OPS across 101 plate appearances. His 6 home runs brought his season total to a league-leading 17, and all 6 blasts came in the final 12 games of the month. Fedko capped the month with a monster performance on June 27 when he went 3-for-4 with two homers and six RBI against the Springfield Cardinals. The late-month surge secured his spot in this ranking and further solidified his reputation as one of the organization’s most consistent sluggers.

4. Edouard Julien – 2B, St. Paul
108 PA, .284/.417/.500 (.917 OPS), 5 HR, 13 RBI, 25 K, 18 BB
Julien’s June resurgence in St. Paul has brought him back into the spotlight. After struggling upon his demotion, the 25-year-old rediscovered his form with a .917 OPS and 5 home runs over 108 plate appearances. He showed significant improvement in plate discipline, drawing 18 walks and pushing his on-base percentage to .417, a stark contrast to the .288 OBP he posted during his stint with the Twins earlier this year. Julien’s production in June makes a strong case that his return to the majors could be right around the corner.

3. Gabriel Gonzalez – OF, Wichita
95 PA, .366/.436/.488 (.924 OPS), 10 2B, 5 RBI, 10 K, 10 BB
After winning the May award, Gonzalez followed up with another stellar month. The 20-year-old tallied a .924 OPS in 95 plate appearances despite not hitting a home run. Instead, he doubled ten times and struck out just 10 times while walking 10 times, a sign of his growing comfort and vision at the plate. Since his promotion to Wichita on May 20, Gonzalez has posted a .938 OPS with an almost even strikeout-to-walk ratio. He remains one of the brightest rising stars in the Twins system.

2. Kala’i Rosario – OF, Wichita
105 PA, .282/.419/.529 (.948 OPS), 3 HR, 23 RBI, 25 K, 18 BB
Rosario was red-hot in June and gave this month’s winner a run for his money. The 22-year-old outfielder delivered a .948 OPS in 105 plate appearances, collecting 13 extra-base hits and walking 18 times. He etched his name in the box score with one of the most memorable games of the month, hitting for the cycle on June 25 as part of a 4-for-5 day. After a sluggish start to the year, Rosario is heating up and proving why he remains a prospect to watch.

1. Aaron Sabato – 1B, Wichita/St. Paul
102 PA, .337/.418/.651 (1.070 OPS), 6 HR, 21 RBI, 19 K, 12 BB
It’s time to give credit where it’s due. Aaron Sabato has turned his career around in 2025 and his June performance earns him the title of Minor League Hitter of the Month. The 26-year-old slugger posted a 1.062 OPS with 6 home runs and 21 RBI in 102 plate appearances. Even more encouraging than the power was his improved approach at the plate, as he struck out in just 19 percent of his trips. Sabato was promoted to Triple-A on June 12, a long-awaited next step five years after being selected in the first round. He’s continued to produce at the higher level and has pushed his way into the fringes of the big league conversation. It’s a feel-good story and one that Twins fans will be rooting for as the summer continues.

Congratulations to Sabato and the rest of this month’s standout performers. Will Sabato carry the momentum into July or will a new name rise to the top next month?

What do you think of this month’s list? Did we get it right? Let us know in the comments below.

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[LA Vikes Fan]

We need a 1B at the MLB level badly. I would argue that is the biggest hole in the current lineup. Is Sabato a quality 1B with the glove?

[DJL44]

Is Sabato already ahead of Miranda on the orgainzational 1B depth chart? If not, he will be soon.

Danny DeAndrade is one of the youngest players for the Kernels. Good to see him performing well.

[LambchoP]

I think if Royce Lewis can start hitting again, maybe they could try him at 1b starting next year which would open 3rd base for Lee who is better defensively. I would rather they trade for or go out and sign a power hitting true first baseman but we all know that won't happen. Maybe if France is traded at the deadline they can give Julien or Saboto a shot. Why not let some of the kids get a chance, seasons basically over anyways.

[AceWrigley]

3 hours ago, LA VIkes Fan said:

We need a 1B at the MLB level badly. I would argue that is the biggest hole in the current lineup. Is Sabato a quality 1B with the glove?

Meh.

[DocBauer]

DeAndrade is still really young, and he's got a lot of talent. Staying healthy is key for him as most of his 2024 was ruined by injury.

Cossetti's calling card has always been bat potential. I'm still wondering, as a work in progress behind the plate, if he wouldn't be better as a 1B? But the bat potential has always been intriguing if he can be at least a decent/solid backstop.

FEDKO: A late blooming 25yo that wasn't on anyone's radar? He's got a really good OB%, and is on pace for a 20/20 season. I don't see how he's blocked by anyone at AAA. It's time to see what he might do at St Paul.

JULIEN: Long term, I'm having a hard time seeing his future with the Twins despite looking like a potential fixture following 2023, considering Lewis, Lee, Keaschall, Culpepper, and probably DeBarge as well. But if he really has adjusted, and really found himself as a hitter again, you find room for quality hitters. And the Twins offense needs a spark for sure. A role as a 1B/2B/DH might not be out of the question still.

GONZALEZ: Despite being a year older, and healthier, is part of the reason his K/BB looking even better at AA...SSS granted...because the pitchers have better control? If he's really and truly reigned in some of his over aggressive tendencies for maximum contact due to development, perhaps facing arms with better control has him more focused on his personal hitting zone? Might he be due for a cup of coffee at St Paul to end the season?

ROSARIO: I think a lot of people have been selling him short. He made a lot of improvement in 2023 and was the league MVP. His 2024 was delayed/ruined by injury. Then he got off to a horrible start this season. He's been really good since then. He's not old, he's not a horrible athlete, and he has a big arm and potentially really good power. Like GG, he doesn't have to be a great OF to be viable. But he at least has to be solid. As I stated in another OP, he and GG, and Fedko, and perhaps Olivar might provide even more OF depth and possibilities fairly soon for the Twins beyond Rodriguez and Jenkins.

SABATO: Hold up your hand if you were a bit surprised the Twins held on to him following 2024? I honestly thought 50/50 just for depth purposes. His 2024 was the worst season of his pro career thus far. Maybe it's just because he was a 1st round pick, or maybe the Twins still saw something we couldn't. But the 2025 version of him was the hitter the Twins THOUGHT they were drafting, and that we as fans hoped we would get.

He only recently turned 26yo. And he's had some injuries. But you just don't usually expect a #1 pick to "find himself" as a late 25yo. But honestly, do we care? The Dodgers Max Muncy didn't become a quality, regular ML player until he was 27yo. And since then, he's been very, very good.

I ONLY use Muncy as an example for a late blooming player, and NOT as an expected comp. Let me make that very clear. But let's take a moment to look at Sabato's combined numbers in 2025 so far between Wichita and his recent AAA promotion:

14Dbls/ 12HR/ 39RBI/ .289/ .383/ .518/ .902 in 253 PA in right about half a season. 

This is not even the same ballplayer that was being labeled a bust before this season. What does it mean going forward? Who knows? There's still a major jump to the ML level, pun slightly intended. 

But considering what he did in 2yrs of college, his draft status as maybe the biggest and best BAT in the 2020 draft, and his breakthrough...and there's been some interesting reports about changes he's made...perhaps we need to re-examine his ML potential. 

Perhaps, just perhaps, he wasn't a bust as a draft pick after all. We'll see how the rest of the season goes, but if France were moved, or an injury were to happen, maybe he should be looked at later in the season? 

 

[Mike Sixel]

IMO people have been sleeping on DeAndrade.....

[twinstalker]

One prospect in the group (Gonzalez), two if you include the HM De Andrade.

[Fred]

13 hours ago, Mike Sixel said:

IMO people have been sleeping on DeAndrade.....

Earlier this year I tuned in to a Cedar Rapids game. They had Amick at first, DeBarge at second, Culpepper at short, De Andrade at third, Gonzalez in right, and Winokur in center. I thought "the future looks good for the Twins". I hope I live long enough (77years old) to see it play out.

[Fred]

21 hours ago, AceWrigley said:

Meh.

France has been a beast with RISP. It burns me to see the Twins losing the LOB battle constantly, so I appreciate that. But, yeah, he doesn't hit much otherwise. He had a reputation of being a real "Clank" (the sound of the ball hitting his glove) at first, but I haven't seen much evidence of that. There are enough prospects in the system that they might deal France before the deadline.

[Fred]

On 7/5/2025 at 9:52 AM, LA VIkes Fan said:

We need a 1B at the MLB level badly. I would argue that is the biggest hole in the current lineup. Is Sabato a quality 1B with the glove?

Catcher needs some attention, too.

[Major League Ready]

I suspected Sabato was just on a hot streak to start the year.  It sure looks real now.  He as obviously made some impactful changes.  It sure would be nice if this guy comes out of nowhere to be a quality MLB bat.  We are due for some nice surprises.  Really liking the GG break-out as well.   

[AKTwinsFan]

Julien deserves a shot sometime soon. He could platoon 2nd base or come in as a pinch hitter late games. He's hitting well and we need some hitting! 

[Ghost of Kirby Puckett]

15 hours ago, Mike Sixel said:

IMO people have been sleeping on DeAndrade.....

Not me. I've been with you the entire time on him. If he stays healthy..................

[gman]

18 hours ago, Mike Sixel said:

IMO people have been sleeping on DeAndrade.....

I check in on DeAndrade at least once a month. I thought he had a good chance to be the Twins future shortstop, although he doesn't appear to be playing much at shortstop now with Culpepper there.

[gman]

I would like to see Jenkins and Rodriguez start making this list.