Twins Daily Minor League Starting Pitcher of the Month - June 2024

Recent updates to prospect lists have had Twins prospects David Festa and Zebby Matthews showing up among the top 100. They aren’t the only arms who have had standout seasons throughout the system, though, and June brought some stellar performances.

Let’s get into it:

4. Jose Olivares (Fort Myers) - 4 G, 16.1 IP, 2.76 ERA, 14 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 4 BB, 20 K
Signed as an international free agent out of Venezuela, Olivares started with a rehab assignment in the Complex League and then quickly elevated back to Fort Myers. He was virtually lights-out in June, and for a rotation seeking a level of stability, he was able to provide it. Olivares is 21 years old and could be an option to see Cedar Rapids by the end of the season, if he is going to continue pitching like this.

3. Randy Dobnak (St. Paul) - 5 G, 25.1 IP, 2.13 ERA, 20 H, 10 R, 6 ER, 12 BB, 29 K
Dobnak’s story is well-documented, and he has certainly been through the wringer trying to get back to the big leagues. Pitching well this season for the Saints, his June had him in consideration to replace Chris Paddack in Rocco Baldelli’s rotation. Ultimately the spot went to top prospect David Festa, but Dobnak could be among the next pitchers considered. He would need a 40-man spot, and his walks still leave a bit to be desired, but the repertoire now includes an impressive changeup and he’s racking up strikeouts.

2. Zebby Matthews (Wichita) - 4 G, 23.2 IP, 1.90 ERA, 16 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 26 K
Showing up on Baseball America’s top 100 prospects, Matthews is exploding onto the scene with his ridiculous strikeout-to-walk numbers. It would be impressive to see him give 2014 Phil Hughes a run for his money. Matthews is already 24, and was an eighth-round pick, but he’s making quick work of Double-A Wichita this season. Despite beginning the year with High-A Cedar Rapids, it still stands to reason that he could earn a promotion to Triple-A St. Paul before the calendar turns. He is certainly a part of Minnesota’s pitching pipeline at this point, and Matthews presents another future rotation option.

Pitcher of the Month - Andrew Morris (Wichita) - 5 G, 26.2 IP, 1.01 ERA, 16 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 5 BB, 27 K
Racking up multiple minor league pitcher of the week honors in June, it’s not a shock that Morris would be the choice for pitcher of the month. Taken in the fourth round of the 2022 Major League Baseball Draft, the same year that Matthews was drafted, the Texas Tech product has continued to make his name known throughout the system. Now 22 years old, Morris is in a similar spot to Matthews. He has pitched at both Cedar Rapids and Wichita this season, and continued performance wouldn’t take a trip to St. Paul out of the question.

During 2024 as a whole, Morris has pitched virtually the same amount at both High-A and Double-A. Surprisingly, he has gotten even better with the rise in level. While his strikeout rate has dipped slightly, he is allowing even fewer hits and simply dominating opposing hitters. Morris is someone that wouldn’t have been extremely notable on organization prospect lists even a year ago, but at this point he is a name to be reckoned with.

What do you think of the starting pitcher of the month choice for June? How would your list look?

Interested in learning more about the Minnesota Twins' top prospects? Check out our comprehensive top prospects list that includes up-to-date stats, articles and videos about every prospect, scouting reports, and more!