Twins Minor League Report (6/8): Catchers Catch Fire with Power Outburst

[Nate Palmer]

TRANSACTIONS
The Minnesota Twins signed free agent RHP Failin Placencio to a minor league contract and assigned him to the DSL Twins. 

Cedar Rapids Kernels send OF Caden Kendle on a rehab assignment to FCL Twins.

The Twins traded #OldFriend Cash Considerations to the Arizona Diamondbacks for RHP Taylor Rashi. 

SAINTS SENTINEL
After a week at home in which the Saints went 5-1 against Indiana, the team will head on the road to face the Toledo Mud Hens. One of the highlights of the week will be the Saints lineup facing a scheduled rehab start by veteran starting pitcher Justin Verlander. At age 43, Verlander saw one outing with the Detroit Tigers before facing injury. In that one start, the right-hander only completed 3 2/3 innings and allowed five earned runs. 

Another name to watch from the Toledo side is top organizational prospect CF Max Clark. As a 21-year-old, Clark is hitting .257/.341/.390 (.731) to this point in 2026. Clark is certainly a player the Tigers hope Twins fans will have to see a lot of in the years to come. 

Alan Roden is also on rehab assignment with the FCL Twins and could be returning to the Saints soon. Before going down with a shoulder injury, Roden was hitting .275/.425/.464 (.889) for the Saints. 

WIND SURGE WISDOM
The Wind Surge did not have a good week. They went 1-5 while hosting San Antonio. They will leave Wichita for Tulsa this week, hoping to regain their winning form. As the Wind Surge visit Tulsa, they will face three top ten outfield prospects for the Los Angeles Dodgers. 

Josue De Paula leads the way for the Dodgers prospects. The 21-year-old left-hander is hitting .319/.420/.551 (.971) with 10 home runs. Fellow left-hander Zyhir Hope has also been hitting well with power, hitting .294/.351/.528 (.879) with 13 home runs. Rounding out the trio is right-handed hitting Mike Sirota, who has hit .339/.488/.602 (1.090) with 10 home runs of his own in 2026. 

KERNELS CHRONICLE
The Kernels managed a 2-3 week, with a Sunday rainout, as they hosted the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers this past week. This week, the Kernels travel to play the Lansing Lugnuts, an affiliate of the Athletics. The Kernels will face off against outfield prospect Devin Taylor. A left-handed hitting but right-handed throwing 22-year-old who is hitting .292/.425/.436 (.861 OPS). 

MIGHTY MATTERS
Coming off a 4-2 week, Fort Myers will host the Dunedin Blue Jays. This version of the Blue Jays boasts two top ten organizational prospects who each play the left side of the infield. JoJo Parker is 19 years old, bats left-handed, and has been hitting .226/.373/.367 (.740). Parker is joined by 18-year-old Juan Sanchez, who is batting .226/.315/.384 (.699) for the season. 

FCL TWINS
Twins 10, Braves 3
Box Score 
For the majority of Twins Territory, eyes were on the rehabbing Alan Roden, who started in left field for the FCL Twins. Roden went 2-for-3, with a double and a walk, driving in a run, and scoring a run, a positive development for Roden as he looks to return to the Saints soon. 

Roden was just a small part of the offensive output from the Twins as they scored 10 total runs on Monday. Catcher Miguel Caraballo had the biggest performance on the day. He went 3-for-4 with a home run, run scored, and three RBIs. Center fielder Teilon Serrano also homered for the Twins for his lone run but was on base two other times via walk and scored all three times he reached base. 

Hendry Chivilli rebounded from last Monday’s start, going 4 1/3 innings. He allowed no runs on three hits, no walks, and two strikeouts.  

Chivilli pitched in relief of the rehabbing Matt Barr who made his third rehab start in the FCL. He gave up two runs on three hits and a walk over 1 2/3 innings. He struck out three batters. Halton Hardy signed earlier in the week and made his affiliated debut. He gave up one run on one hit. 

DSL TWINS
Twins 9, Mets Orange 5
Box Score 

The Mets were able to score first in Monday’s matchup with the Twins, but it was the Twins and their bats that would prevail in their 9-5 victory. The Twins were held scoreless by the Mets until the fifth inning when Abel Sosa hit a two-run home run for his third on the season, and Luis Duarte hit a solo home run, his first of the young DSL season. The pair of long balls put the Twins up 3-1. 

Duarte wasn’t finished displaying power with his homer in the fifth. The right-handed-hitting catcher hit another solo home run in the 9th inning to give the Twins an insurance run to go up 6-3. It was a Jhon Gonzalez double and an Enmanuel Merlo 2-RBI single that helped the Twins reach nine total runs scored for the day. 

Agustin Campusano improved on his opening start by going 3 1/3 innings, striking out five batters, issuing three walks, and cutting back to two earned runs from five last week. Miguel Martinez did an exceptional job once again in relief, tossing 4 2/3 innings, allowing two hits, one unearned run, walking two batters, and striking out five. Right-hander Aldwin Morillo recorded the save in ugly fashion, giving up two runs in the ninth before shutting the door on the Mets. 

TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY
Luis Duarte: 2-4, 2 HR
Hendry Chivilli: 4 1/3 IP, 0 ER, 3 H, 0 BB, 2 Ks

TOP 20 PROSPECT WEEK IN REVIEW
#2- Kaelen Culpepper (Saints)- .368/.478/.684, (1.162) 2 HR. 
#4- Connor Prielipp (Twins)- 1-1, 10 1/3 IP, 10 H, 6 ER, 3 BB, 14K
#5- Eduardo Tait (Kernels)- .304/.386/.609 (.993), 1 2B, 2 HR
#6- Dasan Hill (Kernels)- 0-1, 2 2/3 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 5 K
#7- Marek Houston (Kernels)- .375/.524/.750 (1.274), 2 HR
#8- Riley Quick (Kernels)- 4 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 6 K
#10- Gabriel Gonzalez (Saints)- .176/.333/.176 (.510)
#11- Charlee Soto (Kernels)- 1 IP, 2 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 2 K. 
#12- Andrew Morris (Twins)- 1 GS, 4 1/3 IP, 9 H, 5 ER, 1 BB, 8 K
#13- Hendry Mendez (Saints)- .292/.370/.417, (OPS), 1 HR
#14- Quentin Young (Mussels)- .158/.182/.316 (.498), 1 2B, 1 3B
#15- Brandon Winokur (Kernels)- .222/.462/.556 (1.017), 2B, 3B, HR
#16 Ryan Gallagher (Saints)- 5 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 4 BB, 4K
#17-C.J. Culpepper (Saints)- 2 1/3 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 2 BB
#19- Khadim Diaw (Kernels)- .353/.522/.471 (.992), 2 2B
#20- Kyle Debarge (Wind Surge)- .167/.318/.222 (.540), 1 2B

TUESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS
St. Paul Saints @ Toledo- RHP Ryan Gallagher
Wichita Wind Surge @ Tulsa- TBD
Cedar Rapids Kernels @ Lansing- TBD
Dunedin @ Fort Myers Mussels - TBD
FCL Pirates @ FCL Twins - TBD
DSL NYY Yankees @ DSL Twins - TBD

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[LyleCole]

Yep....  we got ourselves another designated for assignment TREASURE.

[Bangkok Twins Fan]

The Minnesota Twins signed free agent RHP Failin Placencio to a minor league contract 

Hmm ... an unfortunate first name, but maybe the Twins organization can get him succeedin very soon.

[thelanges5]

Roden looking good so far. When does Jenkins start his rehab assignment?

[Dman]

Duarte was not a name I was familiar with.  I'll be adding him to my list with that 2 homer day.  Small size and DSL numbers don't mean much but just having power that early is impressive.