Minnesota Twins Minor League Starting Pitchers of the Month: July 2025

[Steven Trefz]

Image courtesy of © Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

For the second month in a row, the minor league starter of the month got called up to fill the post-Paddack trade void in the rotation. While Pierson Ohl ’s first go-round in the bigs only lasted three innings, it begs the question of “Whose performance in July made him the ‘Next Man Up’ in August? These are the arms worth watching after their June 2025 performances across the affiliates.

Honorable Mentions

• LHP Christian MacLeod (Wichita/St. Paul): 3.50 ERA, 4 G, 18 IP, 14 H, 7 ER, 7 BB, 17 K, 1.17 WHIP, .200 BA
• RHP Joel Garcia (FCL Twins): 1.20 ERA, 3 G, 15 IP, 15 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, 12 K, 1.27 WHIP, .254 BA
• RHP Christian Becerra (Fort Myers): 0.95 ERA, 4 G, 19.0 IP, 10 H, 2 ER, 7 BB, 10 K, 0.89 WHIP, .156 BA
• LHP Kendry Rojas (New Hampshire AA/Buffalo AAA): 5.32 ERA, 5 G, 23.2 IP, 28 H, 14 ER, 4 BB, 36 K, 1.35 WHIP, .292 BA

#5 – RHP Adrian Bohorquez – Fort Myers Mighty Mussels
0.90 ERA, 5 G, 20.0 IP, 8 H, 2 ER, 5 BB, 20 K, 0.65 WHIP, .118 BA
Remaining at the number five spot for the second consecutive month is the 20-year-old hurler. The Twins signed Adrian Bohorquez to a minor league contract in 2023 out of his native Venezuela, and Adrian has bounced between the FCL Twins and the Mighty Mussels ever since. His June inclusion was based on fast improvement, but his July selection is based on domination. Bohorquez continues to climb up the prospect rankings, and I still wouldn’t be surprised if the 6’1”, 190 lb., 20-year-old pitches his way into some innings in Cedar Rapids before the year ends.

#4 - RHP Pierson Ohl, St. Paul Saints/Minnesota Twins
2.87 ERA, 5 G, 14.1 IP, 14 H, 5 ER, 3 BB, 16 K, 1.19 WHIP, .245 BA
Last month’s starter of the month made it to his MLB debut and is currently still in line to do some bulk work in the newest iteration of the Twins rotation. His innings per “start” actually declined in July, so it looks like he’s being groomed for a one-time through-the-rotation role. Ohl still brought it in St. Paul, and that’s why he achieved not one but two call-ups. The K/BB rate is still positive, and he performed consistently for the Saints. His first run at major league competition didn’t translate as well, but the raw materials are there for whatever role you want to call it. For now, I still keep him in the starter category, but the hope is that he succeeds and never needs to make this list again.

#3 - LHP Connor Prielipp, Wichita Wind Surge
1.20 ERA, 4 G, 15 IP, 12 H, 2 ER, 5 BB, 17 K, 1.13 WHIP, .245 BA
When the Twins drafted Connor Prielipp at pick number 48 in the second round in the 2022 draft out of Alabama, they hoped that they had found a rotation stalwart for the next decade. At 6’2”, 210 lbs, Prielipp is beginning to back up the hype at AA Wichita. After only entering 11 games in 2023 and 2024 combined, he is finally healthy and able to show his potential in actual games. The numbers that matter all improved in July, and while 2026 might start in St. Paul, there is hope that adding this lefty to the Twins rotation isn’t too far away. The trades of this deadline might bump Prielipp down in the team’s prospect rankings, but that’s more “Good on Falvey” than “Bad on Connor.”

#2 – RHP Ryan Gallagher – Wichita Wind Surge (stats from South Bend/Knoxville)
3.65 ERA, 4 G, 24.2 IP, 19 H, 10 ER, 5 BB 21 K, 0.97 WHIP, .209 BA
Ryan Gallagher came to the Twins organization from the Cubs in the Willi Castro trade, and he immediately jumped to the top of the prospect charts for his July performance at South Bend High-A and Knoxville AA. The 6’3”, 195 lb. pitcher was a sixth-round pick out of UC Santa Barbara by the Cubs in 2024, and at 22, he is on the fast track up a new organizational ladder now. He wasn’t phased by his last promotion, improving across his stat board in Knoxville in a short sample size. Here’s to hoping that production continues in Wichita!

Twins Minor League Starting Pitcher of the Month – RHP Mick Abel – St. Paul Saints (stats from Lehigh Valley)
2.64 ERA, 3 G, 17 IP, 10 H, 5 ER, 6 BB, 14 K, 0.94 WHIP, .163 BA
The pitching prize of the 2025 trade deadline for the Minnesota Twins comes in the right arm of Mick Abel. The former 2020 first round (15th overall) selection of the Philadelphia Phillies was part of the bounty received for Jhoan Duran . The Phillies got immediate fire in their bullpen, and the Twins hope they received a rotation linchpin for years to come. Abel is a lanky 6’5”, 190 lb., righty who is only 24 years old and already has six games of major league experience under his belt. Both Abel and Taj Bradley (fresh off of one excellent AAA start with the Rays) will spend the start of August in St. Paul, but don’t be surprised to see both of them off this list for good and in a Twins uniform soon. Welcome to Minnesota Mick, feel free to strike out as many people as possible while you're here!

July has come and gone, but several starting pitchers in the Twins organization made their mark and hope to continue that success into the dog days of summer. Three of the starters on this list just became Twins at the end of July through trades that rocked the organization, but hopefully left the starting rotation depth in a much healthier and happier place for 2026 and beyond. 

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How would your ballot look for the Twins Minor League Starting Pitchers of the Month? Let us know in the comments.

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[bunsen82]

Haha,  nice way to include the new traded prospects.  For me Bohorquez and Priellip by far had the best months and it isn't even really close.   Bohorquez is no longer just looking like a flyer and Priellip looks like are best chance at an elite arm, but he does have company in Abel.  

I feel like this would be an opportunistic spot for that meme from the star wars prequels of Anakin to Padme.  Anakin saying something to effect we have lots of arms in the minor leagues and Padme responds "Some of these arms have to pan out at the MLB level right?"    

These prospects are all a crapshoot.  

[LA Vikes Fan]

Speaking of which, does it cost a year of service time for Prielipp to get a start or 3 in Minnesota this year? It would be nice to gauge where he is. 

[Dman]

My man Bohorquez gave me quite the scare starting the year not being able to find the strike zone.  Happy to see him putting up some nice numbers last month. I agree with the OP that it would be nice to see what he can do at HIgh A.

Nice numbers for Prielipp too.  Glad his arm is holding up.  They might want to get him some AAA reps as well.  They also could call him up since he will be on the 40 man the end of this year anyway.  It's a lost season would be nice to see how his arm plays at MLB level.

Gallagher got blown up badly in his debut.  It's a very Twinsy profile though and I expect they will work on some things.  He was all around the zone, but the other team was getting a ton of solid contact.  He gave up three Home runs.  Nice to see him on the list.  Hopefully the next time out will be better.

Abel is stud at AAA. Just needs to translate it.  Hopefully that happens sooner rather than later.

[FlyingFinn]

2 hours ago, LA VIkes Fan said:

Speaking of which, does it cost a year of service time for Prielipp to get a start or 3 in Minnesota this year?

Just the # of days he's in the majors, not a full year (might be some minimum of 10 or 15 just for getting called up, someone else can help out with that).

[FlyingFinn]

More good news for Bohorquez. He got promoted to Cedar Rapids.

[tarheeltwinsfan]

1. Bohorquez, 2. Prielipp had the best July stats of the 5 named pitchers. I understand Abel may be the best prospect, but the criteria is which Twins' minor league starter had the best July, 2025? I really did enjoy your article and the great information about each of the 5 named starters. Thank you.  

[Otaknam]

Gallagher’s stats this month pitching for the Cubs minors: 365 ERA, 4 G, 24.2 IP, 19 H, 10 ER, 5 BB 21 K, 0.97 WHIP, .209 BA. How shocking to learn that some teams actually allow their starters to pitch six innings in the minors. And more than once! I’m hoping the next Twins regime isn’t so completely welded to analytics, and realizes that sometimes other factors are more important. For example, showing confidence in your players to face a lineup a third time instead of letting an algorithm make all the decisions.