Twins Minor League Report (7/24): Caden Kendle, Marek Houston Come Up Clutch in Wind Surge Walkoff Win

[Seth Stohs]

Image courtesy of Greta Riedl, Wichita Wind Surge (photo of Jaime Ferrer)

TRANSACTIONS   
Shortstop Kaelen Culpepper was activated from the Injured List on Friday. To make room on the Saints roster, infielder Orlando Arcia was released. 

Catcher Ricardo Pena was promoted from Fort Myers to Cedar Rapids. 

Several members of the FCL Twins were added to the Fort Myers roster on Friday. OF Jhomnardo Reyes was one of them. He hit third in the Mussels lineup on Friday night. Catcher Victor Leal and RHP Matt Barr also were assigned to Fort Myers.      

Vahn Lackey on Vahn Lackey
The Twins top pick in this month’s MLB draft, Vahn Lackey, was at Target Field on Friday. He met players, coaches, and the manager. He got to see Target Field from most every angle. He even got to talk to the media. Here are a couple of those appearances to help you get to know him.

He spent the top of the third inning with the Twins TV crew (Cory Provus, Glen Perkins, and Pablo Lopez). 

Earlier in the day, he was on WCCO Radio with Jason DeRusha for a terrific segment. Listen here.  

SAINTS SENTINEL
St. Paul 5, Columbus 6 
Box Score
The Saints and Clippers went back and forth. Through six innings, the Clippers led 3-2. They added a run in the seventh, eighth, and ninth innings to increase the lead to 6-2. The Saints attempted to come back but their rally in the bottom of the ninth fell just short. 

The bottom of the first started with two strikeouts. Kaelen Culpepper returned to the Saints lineup and singled in his first at-bat. Aaron Sabato singled to center and Culpepper advanced to third. I’m sure the Clippers were surprised when Sabato stole second, maybe surprised enough that Culpepper came home on a double steal. 

In the bottom of the fourth, Sabato showed his power to go with his speed. He launched his 18th home run of the season which tied the game at 2-2. 

Ryan Gallagher made the start. He worked the first five innings. He gave up three runs on five hits and two walks. He also struck out five batters. 

Marco Raya pitched a perfect sixth inning with a strikeout. Recently-demoted Woo-Suk Go from the bullpen to start the seventh inning, but he didn’t get that opportunity. He ran in from the bullpen. An umpire checked Go’s glove and found something, maybe a sticky substance. After nearly five minutes of conversation that included manager Brian Dinkelman, the umpires, Go and his translator. Eventually, he was ejected before throwing a pitch.

C.J. Culpepper came in and gave up two runs on three hits in 1 2/3 innings. Taylor Rashi gave up one run on two hits and a walk in 1 1/3 innings.  

Down 6-2, Cody Morissette led off the inning with his seventh double. Noah Cardenas followed and drilled his ninth home run to make it 6-4.   

Kyler Fedko singled and went to third base on Gabriel Gonzalez’s double. Following a pitching change, Kaelen Culpepper grounded out to shortstop, but Fedko scored the team’s fifth run. Unfortunately, back-to-back strikeouts ended the game with the Saints behind by one run. 

Fedko went 3-for-5. Sabato was 2-for-4 with a walk, his 18th homer, and his fourth stolen base. Morissette was 2-for-3 with a walk and his seventh Saints double. Gonzalez’s double was his 17th of the year. Culpepper went 1-for-5 in his return to the Saints lineup. He stole his 16th base. 

WIND SURGE WISDOM
Wichita 6, Midland 5 (10 innings)
Box Score
This was a fun back-and-forth game, and fortunately the Wind Surge came up with some clutch hits in the latter innings and extra innings. 

Midland jumped up to a 3-0 lead before the Wind Surge even got to take an at-bat. Wichita picked away from the lead. In the bottom of the third inning, Jaime Ferrer crushed a homer way over beyond the fence in center field, his fourth Double-A dinger. 

Down 4-1 in the bottom of the fifth, Kyle DeBarge led off with a walk. With one out, Ferrer doubled  him to third. Marek Houston drove in DeBarge with a sacrifice fly to make it 4-2. 

That is where the score remained until the bottom of the eighth. Let’s take a step back and talk pitching for a minute. Preston Johnson started and gave up four runs on five hits and four walks. He struck out three batters. Jacob Webb gave up two hits and a walk in a scoreless fifth inning. Hunter Gregory struck out four batters in two scoreless innings. He gave up one hit and one walk. Paulshawn Pasqualotto pitched a scoreless eighth inning.   

Back to the bottom of the eighth. The first two batters struck out. Tanner Schobel singled to shortstop. Andrew Cossetti walked. Garret Spain ran for Cossetti. Billy Amick then walked to load the bases. Following a pitching change, Caden Kendle came up clutch and drove in two runs to tie the game at 4-4.   

Pasqualotto went back out for the top of the ninth. He gave up a run on a walk and two hits. Midland had a 5-4 lead with runners on second and third and just one out. However, Pasqualotto struck out the next two batters to keep the deficit at just one run. 

With one out in the bottom of the ninth inning, Marek Houston hit his third Surge homer to tie the game at 5-5.   

Kyle Bischoff came on for the top of the 10th inning. The inning started with the Manfred Man on second base. Bischoff walked the next two batters. However, he got a strikeout, followed by a fly out to very shallow center field and another strikeout to escape the inning unscathed. 

Garrett Spain started at second in the bottom of the 10th. Billy Amick singled down the third base line. That brought Caden Kendle to the plate, likely the batter that the team wanted at that moment. He responded with a single that drove in Spain with the game-winning run.   

The 24-year-old Kendle has now played in a dozen games for Wichita. With a 3-for-5 game on Friday night, he is now 23-for-43, hitting .535/.585/.721 (1.306) with five doubles and a homer. Kendle is the Twins fifth round draft pick in 2024 out of UC-Irvine. He had started the season with 32 games in Cedar Rapids. He hit .288/.406/.510 (.916) with eight doubles and five homers.

Marek Houston also had some big moments, twice tying the game. He was 2-for-4 with his third homer. Jaime Ferrer was 2-for-4 with his eighth double and fourth homer. Khadim Diaw went 2-for-5 with his fourth Double-A double.  

KERNELS CHRONICLES
Cedar Rapids 7, Dayton 9
Box Score
The game went back and forth, but after scoring six runs between the fourth and fifth innings, the Kernels held a 7-5 lead. However, Dayton scored the final four runs 

Adrian Bohorquez started and gave up four runs on five hits and three walks. He also didn’t record a strikeout and had two errors on pickoff throws. Michael Ross came on and gave up two runs on seven hits over the next 2 2/3 innings. Yehizon Sanchez tossed 1 2/3 scoreless innings despite giving up a hit and a walk. He also left two runners stranded. Jesse Bergin gave up two runs on three hits in the eighth inning to take the loss.   

Dameury Pena went 2-for-2 with a walk, his third double, and three RBI. Danny De Andrade went 2-for-5 with his ninth home run of the season. Quinn McDaniel had the only other extra base hit, his fourth Kernels triple. Jose Salas was 1-for-3 and was hit by a pitch twice. 

MIGHTY MATTERS
Fort Myers 9, St. Lucie 3
Box Score
Hard to believe, but through four innings, this one was a 1-0 game. The Mussels bats showed up in the fifth inning and put up three consecutive crooked numbers. 

The Mussels took that 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning when catcher Irvin Nunez drilled a 400-foot home run. 

As impressive, the Mussels' starting pitching has been really good this series. Reed Moring and Merit Jones were good in the team’s doubleheader on Thursday. Jason Reitz started on Friday. He fought some control issues, but the end results were pretty strong. He tossed four scoreless, hitless innings. He walked four and struck out one batter. 

Billy Oldham came on in relief. He was charged with two runs on four hits and a walk. He struck out three. Nick McAuliffe recorded the next four outs before Michael McKenna gave up one run on two hits over the final 1 2/3 innings.  

In the top of the fifth inning, Luis Fragoza came to the plate with the bases loaded and two outs. He cleared the bases on a double down the left field line to make it 4-0.   

In the top of the sixth, Quentin Young led off with a single. Nunez followed with a double to drive him in with a double. Two batters later, Harry Genth made it 7-2 with his second Mussels homer of the season.   

Jhomnardo Reyes led off the top of the seventh with a single. He moved to second on a ground out and then third on a wild pitch. JP Smith walked, and Reyes scored on a passed ball. After a pitching change, Young walked. Smith scored after a pickoff throw went into the outfield. 

Irvin Nunez hit his fifth double and fourth home run in the game. Byron Chourio went 2-for-5. Merphy Hernandez hit his first double. Fragoza hit his 15th double and drove in three runs. Jhomnardo Reyes went 1-for-3 with a walk in his Mussels' debut. 

COMPLEX CHRONICLES
DSL Twins 2, DSL Tigers 3
Box Score
The Twins got terrific pitching performances from their opener and bulk pitcher on Friday. They just didn’t get much offense, and a late, late rally gave the Tigers the walk-off win. 

Camilo Made worked the first inning. He faced three batters and struck out two of them. Yolcar Garcia came in to start the second inning and tossed four scoreless innings. He gave up three hits, walked one, and he struck out three batters. 

There was an empty scoreboard until the top of the third when, with one out, Misael Rodriguez singled and stole second. Daiyer Barboza singles, but Rodriguez was thrown out at home. Fortunately, Jhon Gonzalez followed with his fourth triple of the season to drive in the Twins first run. 

An inning later, Anibal Beltre started things with a one-out single. Fabian Ulloa moved him to third with another single. Beltre scored on a sacrifice fly by Luis Duarte. 

The Twins led 2-0 through five innings. Jeremy Jimenez came in and gave up a run in the bottom of the sixth. Then, with just one out recorded in the bottom of the seventh, he gave up two runs and the Twins lost in walk-off fashion. 

Anibal Beltre went 2-for-3 with his fifth double. Uloa was also 2-for-3. Gonzalez’s triple was his fourth of the year. 

PLAYERS OF THE DAY
Hitter(s) of the Day  
Caden Kendle (Wichita): 3-for-5, 3 RBI, K, SB(5).
Kyler Fedko (St. Paul): 3-for-5, R, K
Marek Houston (Wichita): 2-for-4, R, 2 RBI, K, SF, HR(3)
Irvin Nunez (Fort Myers): 2-for-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, K  

Pitcher(s) of the Day 
Jason Reitz (Fort Myers): 4 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 1 K, 69 pitches, 36 strikes (52.2%)   

PROSPECT SUMMARY
Check out the Prospect Tracker for much more on our Twins Top 20 prospects after seeing how they did today. Notice that the prospect rankings have been updated to include the 2026 draft picks. 

In addition, keep up with the Twins draft pick signings at our Twins 2026 Draft Board. As you’ll be able to see, all 21 players have signed. They have also signed four undrafted pitchers.

#1 - OF Walker Jenkins (St. Paul) - Did Not Play.
#2 - C Vahn Lackey (Signed) -
#3 - IF Kaelen Culpepper (St. Paul) - 1-for-5, R, RBI, 2K, SB(16) (batted third, DHd)
#4 - OF Emmanuel Rodriguez (St. Paul) - Injured List (thumb)
#5 - SS Marek Houston (Wichita) - 2-for-4, HR(3), R, 2 RBI, K (batted first, played SS)
#6 - RHP Riley Quick (Wichita) - Did Not Pitch
#7 - C Eduardo Tait (Cedar Rapids) - 0-for-4, BB, R, K (batted second, played catcher)
#8 - LHP Kendry Rojas (Minnesota) - Did Not Pitch. 
#9 - LHP Dasan Hill (Cedar Rapids) - Did Not Pitch.
#10 - OF Hendry Mendez (St. Paul) - Did Not Play.
#11 - OF Gabriel Gonzalez (St. Paul) - 1-for-4, BB, 2B(17), 2 K
#12 - RHP Charlee Soto (Cedar Rapids) - Didn’t pitch
#13 - C Carson Tinney (Signed) -
#14 - C/OF Khadim Diaw (Wichita) - 2-for-5, 2 K
#15 - 3B/CF Brandon Winokur (Wichita) - Did Not Play.
#16 - RHP Brett Renfrow (Signed 2026 Pick) -
#17 - 3B/SS Quentin Young (Ft. Myers) - 1-for-4, BB, R, 2 K (batted sixth, played SS)
#18 - RHP Ryan Gallagher (St. Paul) - 5 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, 76 pitches, 52 strikes (68.4%)
#19 - RHP James Ellwanger (Ft. Myers) - 60 Day Injured List (right elbow sprain)
#20 - RHP Ethan Wachsmann (Signed 2026 draft) - 

UPCOMING PROBABLES
Saturday, July 25
Columbus @ St. Paul (6:37 pm CT) - RHP Trent Baker (3-3, 6.53 ERA) 
Midland @ Wichita (6:05 pm CT) - TBD
Cedar Rapids @ Dayton (6:05 pm CT) - LHP Dasan Hill (1-7, 6.18 ERA)  
Ft. Myers @ St. Lucie (5:10 pm CT) - RHP Ramiro Villanueva (0-4, 4.81 ERA)  
FCL Twins - Season Complete. 
DSL Rangers @ DSL Twins (10:00 am CT) - TBD

CURRENT W-L Records
Minnesota Twins: 51-54
St. Paul Saints: 56-43
Wichita Wind Surge: 35-57
Cedar Rapids Kernels: 37-55
Fort Myers Mighty Mussels: 50-42
FCL Twins: 33-26
DSL Twins: 10-26 

Please feel free to ask questions about the teams, the rosters, and discuss today’s games, or anything else Twins minor-league related! 

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[Hawkeye Bean Counter]

Well drama in the minors.  A couple decent wins 1 in extras but let’s get to what is actually starting to hit the wires. Woo Suk Go was tossed for illegal substances in his glove for his first appearance with the Saints. Definitely not what you would call a first good impression.  He will be suspended the question is how long and will the Twins just drop him from the 40 man.  

[Road trip]

I was skeptical about Houston's bat.  I may have been wrong.  Higher OPS now at Wichita than he had at A ball.  I haven't watched him other than highlights, but his stats say St Paul next year, and then maybe it won't be long until the big squad?  By all accounts his glove work is already top quality.

[DJL44]

52 minutes ago, Hawkeye Bean Counter said:

Well drama in the minors.  A couple decent wins 1 in extras but let’s get to what is actually starting to hit the wires. Woo Suk Go was tossed for illegal substances in his glove for his first appearance with the Saints. Definitely not what you would call a first good impression.  He will be suspended the question is how long and will the Twins just drop him from the 40 man.  

It should be a 10 game suspension 

[DJL44]

Caden Kendle is becoming the new Kyler Fedko.

[tony&rodney]

1 hour ago, Road trip said:

I was skeptical about Houston's bat.  I may have been wrong.  Higher OPS now at Wichita than he had at A ball.  I haven't watched him other than highlights, but his stats say St Paul next year, and then maybe it won't be long until the big squad?  By all accounts his glove work is already top quality.

Marek Houston has made a number of small adjustments. One of the changes is that he looks to go big on certain pitches. That was the home run. I have watched parts of many minor league games. I have time. I rarely watch the highlights because I prefer to see the context. Houston is a good shortstop but because he was initially touted as a strong glove/weak bat, the glove was oversold. He is more consistently really good than spectacular. He won't remind you of Greg Gagne but he is much better than Brooks Lee. I believe the Twins are watching how quickly Houston has evolved as a hitter and will push him to St. Paul next year. Any AAA player is just a step away, with opportunity just an injury or other circumstances giving a. guy their shot.

[D.C Twins]

My irrational optimism for Houston gets a tinge more rational with each passing day :)

[Jeff K]

Welcome back Kaelen Culpepper.  Hopefully he performs well the next couple of weeks and comes up in early August.

[rdehring]

As I was reading this over coffee, was wondering how long you have been doing this Seth?  Recall those lunches we used to have.  What was it, 20 years ago?  Or 25?

Beginning to wonder what the future holds for this Kendle kid?  It was only two-years ago that he was drafted in the 5th round out of college.  Big year with two moves to his third level this year.  A lot of players struggle when moving up to AA.  Not Kendle.

I see the opener for the DSL Twins yesterday was Camilo Made.  Any relation to the Brewers uber prospect with the same last name, who is also from the D.R.?

[DJL44]

1 hour ago, Jeff K said:

Welcome back Kaelen Culpepper.  Hopefully he performs well the next couple of weeks and comes up in early August.

It would be quite difficult for him to hit worse than Kreidler.

[MMMordabito]

Has Sabato done enough to get a look, or is his best hope getting a chance to be a DH for the A's, Royals or Rays?

[DJL44]

12 minutes ago, MMMordabito said:

Has Sabato done enough to get a look, or is his best hope getting a chance to be a DH for the A's, Royals or Rays?

I think Sabato might need to get some work in on Duolingo. His best chance for money is overseas.