Twins Minor League Report (6/20): Lee Blasts Two Homers for Saints

A couple oddities in the Wichita game - Morris only went four innings after giving up just one run (guess he threw 80 pitches so not as odd as I thought). Sabato pulled very early in the game as well.

• RHP Jay Jackson DFA’d by Minnesota

Well, that wasn't a shock, but the fact that they released another pitcher to bring back Jackson last week (or was it the week before?) was the real puzzling move. This bullpen remains a work in progress. Sorry, this should probably go in the other forum, but I just noticed the transaction in this article, thus the comment. 

Good to see Gabriel Gonzalez starting his rehab in Florida, looking forward to seeing him and the Kernels in person in July.  Lee will be making his MLB debut soon and Wallner his another dinger (and also had three Ks.)    As Larnach cools off, I could see he and Wallner doing a switcheroo.

1 hour ago, mikelink45 said:

When do Lee and Wallner come up.  If Kepler is out Wallner is a natural replacement.  Who does Lee replace?  What a nice conundrum. 

Like the last poster I am puzzled over the Jackson DFA and wonder why it didn't happen earlier. 

Lee would play 2nd most likely.  Then Castro will be freed to move back to OF.  Really if Kepler goes down, Lee could be the call up and you use Castro mainly as OF. 

How about an occasional update on the status of Kiersey Jr and Erod.

8 minutes ago, Old Crow said:

How about an occasional update on the status of Kiersey Jr and Erod.

How about hearing about Topa and Stewart?

2 hours ago, Doctor Wu said:

• RHP Jay Jackson DFA’d by Minnesota

Well, that wasn't a shock, but the fact that they released another pitcher to bring back Jackson last week (or was it the week before?) was the real puzzling move. This bullpen remains a work in progress. Sorry, this should probably go in the other forum, but I just noticed the transaction in this article, thus the comment. 

They released Castillo to bring Varland up for the spot start. They added Jackson because they needed another warm body. They could have re-signed Castillo and added him back (he's a free agent) but chose not to. I expect them to fill that 40th roster spot with a waiver claim soon.

17 homers for Wallner. Dudes been hitting lately. If Kepler hits the IL I say give Wallner a shot to see if he can keep it going in the bigs. By the all-star break I think Lee will force the twins to call him up. Santana at first, Lee at second. Miranda dh'ing. Lewis and Correa on the left side, that's a solid infield!

I say to heck with this talk about getting Brooks Lee up by or just after the All Star Game.  Get him up NOW !!  DFA Farmer and make Lee your full time 2B.  Move Castro to full time LF (it's his strongest defensive position).  If Max has to go on the IL get Wallner up at least for the time Max is on the IL.  Brooks Lee can also play some SS when it's time to DH Correa once Julien makes it back to the big club.  

To me, it doesn't look like Wallner has figured much out.  Nothing significant has changed.  He still strikes out waaaay too much.  But the dude has 17 HR's.  He is who he is...a guy with tremendous power who whiffs a LOT.  Unless they want to finally give Kiersey a chance just bring up the 2nd coming of Joey Gallo and hope he makes just a little more contact than Gallo.  Might as well find out now because Max is gone at the deadline or after the season and Kirilloff looks like he'll never figure it out.  Larnach is back to hitting groundballs to 1B 50% of the time and the Twins should at least promote E-Rod to St. Paul before calling him up 8/1 or 9/1. 

At this point, I'd rather just go with Funderburk and call up Varland to be a part of the pen than waste time with all the bullpen retreads the FO signed.  They have all been disappointments.  Okert has been passable but seemed like he pitched so scared his last couple outings missing time after time with his backdoor breaking ball.  His constant nibbling put him in precarious positions to succeed.  Thielbar should be traded or DFA'd within a week.  

The Twins have rallied to within 6.5 games of Cleveland but wasting AB's on guys like Farmer when Brooks Lee should be up isn't helping.  I think Jocko nailed it when he said the roster moves in the next week should be VERY INTERESTING.  Because it's time to make them.    

I see Lee played 2nd but hasn’t he mostly been playing SS?  I wonder if he would get called up to play second with so little experience there. He’s kind of a thick bodied guy - looks like a third baseman to me. 

There are some who are concerned that Lee doesn't mash LHPs & that playing around 75% of the time at 2B isn't enough. But since Lee's return to AAA he's been mashing LHPs. I'm all for holding back Lee at AAA as long as possible but we need him at 2B now. Since he'll be needed at 2B, someone needs to tell the FO that he'll need time at 2B to get ready & Julien finally at 1B.

58 minutes ago, TopGunn#22 said:

I say to heck with this talk about getting Brooks Lee up by or just after the All Star Game.  Get him up NOW !!  DFA Farmer and make Lee your full time 2B.

I don't think that is the plan or they would have Brooks Lee actually playing 2B in the minor leagues. I wouldn't want to bring up a rookie to start in the majors at a position they have never played in the minors at all.

Lee would also have to be really good to be a better option than Willi Castro. Castro has been very good at 2B. There really aren't that many open spots on the roster. Farmer is barely getting any playing time.

The hitting potential of a Twins infield in 2025 with Lewis, Correa, Lee, and Miranda/Julien is tantalizing indeed. The power production is a good indicator that the back isn't giving him any trouble, I think. He hasn't played a ton yet, but all systems look go. If he hadn't gotten hurt early i think we would have already seen him at target Field. let him keep pushing. Good to see him get some time at 2B; that seems to be where he's going to get the first opportunity.

8 minutes ago, chpettit19 said:

FYI, Lee started at 2B yesterday. Certainly not any sign of a move today, but they do look like they're starting that plan.

Good. Getting Julien time at 1B should also be part of that plan.

Fair about Wallner, but I'm really excited to see he's cut down his K rate by 10 points. Makes me optimistic that he can come back up and basically be the guy he was last year. 

12 minutes ago, stringer bell said:

Having Julien (2B-1B), Miranda (1B-3B), Lee (2B-SS-3B), Correa (SS) and Lewis for 2025 and on would be a strong, deep, versatile infield. 

Ya! This is the kind of dreaming on the minors that helps to take the sting out of a couple of tough losses by the big club. If I didn't have the minors to dream on, I don't know how I'd get through a big league season that will always include at least 50 plus losses, lol.

Lee 2 dingers from the right handed box is just some sweet music.

1 hour ago, jmlease1 said:

The hitting potential of a Twins infield in 2025 with Lewis, Correa, Lee, and Miranda/Julien is tantalizing indeed. The power production is a good indicator that the back isn't giving him any trouble, I think. He hasn't played a ton yet, but all systems look go. If he hadn't gotten hurt early i think we would have already seen him at target Field. let him keep pushing. Good to see him get some time at 2B; that seems to be where he's going to get the first opportunity.

Are we certain Julien will ever return?  I am not.  And his play at St. Paul doesn't have anyone all that excited.  Seems same old, same old.

7 minutes ago, roger said:

Are we certain Julien will ever return?  I am not.  And his play at St. Paul doesn't have anyone all that excited.  Seems same old, same old.

Oh, I'm sure he will at some point.  You don't hit an OPS+ of 132 as a rookie and then never see the majors again, barring injury.

Now that doesn't mean he will ever be starting regularly at 2B for the Twins again.  He could get permanently passed by any number of players.  However he will get a shot again, somewhere, even if the Twins give up and trade him (which wouldn't be the worst idea in the world... he has substantial value yet and the Twins have a large number of potential future solutions for 2B between Castro, Lee, Martin, and the fast rising Luke Keaschall).