Twins Minor League Report (9/20): That's All, Folks

[Matt Braun]

Image courtesy of Rob Thompson (photo of Aaron Rozek)

TRANSACTIONS

No moves were made on Sunday. 

AWARDS
On Saturday, we began to hand out Twins Daily's minor-league awards this weekend. Here are the awards handed out so far and what's coming.

Saturday: DSL Twins Hitters
Sunday: DSL Twins Pitchers
Monday: FCL Twins Hitters
Tuesday: FCL Twins Pitchers
Wednesday: Twins Minor League Hitter of the Year
Thursday: Twins Minor League Pitcher of the Year
Friday: Twins Minor League All Star Team 

Saints Sentinel
St. Paul 3, Columbus 5
Box Score
Aaron Rozek: 5 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 4 K
HR: Tanner Schobel (7)
Multi-hit games: Kala’i Rosario (2-for-4, R), Tanner Schobel (2-for-4, HR, 2B, 2 R, RBI), Jake Rucker (2-for-3, RBI, BB)

The Saints lost to close out their season on Sunday.

Given that the squad had already been eliminated from postseason contention, Sunday’s matters were lithe and lighthearted, more akin to the final day of school before Summer break. Kala’i Rosario started in center for just the third time this season. Aaron Sabato didn’t play. Noah Cardenas lumbered to his third stolen base of the season. Jake Rucker probably tried to pitch. All in good fun for a team celebrating an enormously successful year.

St. Paul’s 82-67 record is the second-best in their franchise’s history, and the 251 homers hit by the team were the second-most by any affiliated minor league club, only behind the 2019 El Paso Chihuahuas mark of 258 (who also enjoyed the help of the most juiced ball in American baseball history).

The best Saints team for winning percentage goes to the independent 2015 iteration, who won 74 games while losing just 26, good for an unthinkable .740 mark. That team hit for a .810 OPS and pitched to a 3.14 ERA, collectively. Lefty Pedro Hernández was the only player on the team with MLB experience (and if you recall his 14 games pitched for the 2013 Twins, then you’re the biggest sicko reading this post). That team won their division but lost to the Sioux City Explorers in the Semifinals, who themselves went 75-25 that year. 

Tanner Schobel smacked the final blast of the season, a screaming liner that fended off gravity just enough to clank off Columbus’ left field net. 

Though five innings of work have seen prettier outcomes, Aaron Rozek’s day on the mound set a new single-season career-high in frames with 124 2/3, eking past his 2024 mark of 122.  The lefty also set a career-high with 104 strikeouts. Not bad for a hurler concluding his sixth season in the Twins system. One of these days he’ll assimilate into being the St. Paul pitching coach. 

We're certain that the Twins are quite thankful that the Mets released him at the end of spring training after taking him with a minor-league Rule 5 pick last December.  

St. Paul’s other two runs came in the fourth off a Tristan Gray sacrifice fly, and a Jake Rucker single. 

Wind Surge Wisdom

The Wind Surge season has ended. Come back in 2027 to read more about them. 

Kernels Nuggets

The Kernels season has ended. Come back in 2027 to read more about them.

Mussel Matters

The Mighty Mussels season has ended. Come back in 2027 to read more about them. 

TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY
Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Garrett Acton? Sure
Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Tanner Schobel

PROSPECT SUMMARY
Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed:

#7 – Hendry Mendez (St. Paul) - 0-4, BB
#9 – Gabriel Gonzalez (St. Paul) - 0-4, BB

MONDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS
All play in the Twins’ minor league system has concluded. Thank you all for another great year.

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