Twins Minor League Report (9/20): Kernels Win Midwest League Championship

Just four more games to go in the Twins minor league season. The Saints will play four more home games. The rest of the affiliates seasons are done. However, the Cedar Rapids Kernels season ended on Wednesday night in the best way a season can end... with a championship!! 

Let’s get to the report. As always, please feel free to discuss and ask questions. 

TRANSACTIONS
Before Wednesday’s morning game in Cincinnati, the Twins placed shortstop Carlos Correa on the Injured List. To take his spot on the Twins roster, the team called up outfielder Trevor Larnach. 

AWARDS
Before they played their games on Wednesday, the Cedar Rapids Kernels learned that several of their players were recognized for their work in the Midwest League. Former Twins draft pick, prospect, infielder and outfielder Brian Dinkelman was named the league’s Manager of the Year. The Kernels had the best record in the league at 82-50. This is his fourth season as the Kernels’ manager after spending several seasons as the team’s hitting coach. 

Outfielder Kala’i Rosario led the Midwest League with 21 home runs and 94 RBI. He was named a league All-Star and the Midwest League’s MVP. His 94 RBI were 21 more than second on the list. He ranked among the Top 10 in the league in Slugging Percentage (.467), OPS (.831), Hits (112), Doubles (27), and Walks (75). In addition, he had 13 outfield assists from his right field position. 

This is the second straight year in which a member of the Kernels was named the league’s MVP. Last season, you may recall, Christian Encarnacion-Strand won the award. 

In addition to Rosario, the Kernels had three more players make the postseason All Star team. Outfielder Emmanuel Rodriguez was named as the designated hitter. He hit .240/.400/.463 with 16 homers. He had 92 walks which was tied for best in the league. Infielder Tanner Schobel was named the All Star third baseman. He played 77 games for the Kernels before his promotion to Wichita. He was leading the league in home runs when he was promoted and still ranked in the top five in several other categories. Finally, Miguel Rodriguez was named the most dominant reliever. He also was promoted to Wichita but not until early August. He had a 2.85 ERA. He had 42 strikeouts and just 11 walks in 41 innings. He also had 14 Saves.

On Tuesday, Fort Myers catcher/outfielder Ricardo Olivar was named to the Florida State League All Star team. In 100 games, the 22-year-old from Venezuela hit .285/.403/.452 (.855) with 28 doubles, 10 homers, 58 RBI and 59 walks. In nearly 650 innings split between catcher and the outfield, he had just four errors on the season. 

SAINTS SENTINEL
St. Paul 6, Toledo 3
Box Score
Simeon Woods Richardson started on Wednesday night for the Saints against the Tigers top affiliate. He gave up a run in the top of the first and two in the third inning, but he kept battling and completed 5 2/3 innings. He gave up seven hits, walked two and struck out four batters. 

Austin Brice recorded four outs. He gave up two hits, but no runs. Finally Cole Sands worked two scoreless innings. He gave up just one hit and struck out two batters. 

The Saints tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the first inning when Brooks Lee’s eighth Saints double scored Austin Martin, who had doubled to lead off the inning.

Down 3-1, the Saints mounted a rally in the bottom of the fourth inning. The inning started with walks by Gilberto Celestino and Anthony Prato. That brought Chris Williams to the plate and along with giving the Saints a lead, he also made a little Saints history. His 21st home run of the year placed him ahead of Brent Rooker who had 20 homers for the Saints in 2021, their first year as a Twins affiliate.

Two batters later, Brooks Lee launched his fifth home run since joining the Saints to give the team a 5-3 lead.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, the team got a little insurance. Lee led off with a walk. Yunior Severino was then hit by a pitch. After a ground out advanced both runners, DaShawn Keirsey singled to drive in Lee with the team’s sixth run.

The Saints have just four more games remaining, but for those of you near the Twin Cities, all four games are at CHS Field. Check out a game or four this weekend. Click here to order tickets. 

And… be sure to watch The Saint of Second Chances on Netflix. Great documentary on former Saints owner Mike Veeck, his family’s history in the game, and how the Saints opportunity may have been the best thing for him.

KERNELS NUGGETS
MWL Championship Game 2
Cedar Rapids 4, Great Lakes 2  
Box Score
The teams got through four-and-a-half innings on Tuesday night before the rains came and the game was suspended. Righty Andrew Morris started the game and gave up one run on three hits over five innings. He had seven strikeouts with no walks.

On Wednesday, the game continued. The Kernels immediately tied the game in the bottom of the fifth inning when Carson McCusker singled in Luke Keaschall. 

In the top of the sixth, Mike Paredes came in and gave up two runs on three hits and a walk in just a third of an inning. None of the singles were hit hard, but they were very well placed. John Klein came in for his first Kernels appearance in Cedar Rapids. He gave up one run on three hits over 2 2/3 innings. He had five strikeouts. AJ Labas worked a scoreless ninth inning. 

Down 4-1 going to the bottom of the ninth, the Kernels mounted an intriguing comeback. The inning started with back-to-back walks to Jose Salas and Carson McCusker. Noah Miller followed with an RBI single to cut the deficit to 4-2. 

The Loons manager, Daniel Nava, went to his closer, lefty Benony Robles. The southpaw got Emmanuel Rodriguez to strike out on three pitches. Kala’i Rosario came to the plate with chants of “MVP! MVP!” ringing through the stadium. He fell behind 1-2 but was able to work a walk to load the bases with one out. 

Unfortunately, an infield fly and a strikeout ended the game and sent this series to a winner-take-all Game 3. 

MWL Championship Series Game 3
Cedar Rapids 7, Great Lakes 6  
Box Score
Because of the suspended game, Game 3 was reduced to just a seven inning game. Despite jumping out to a big lead early, this game wasn’t decided until that 21st out landed in Emmanuel Rodriguez’s glove. The Kernels won their first Midwest League championship since 1994! 

In the bottom of the first inning, the Kernels got singles from Noah Miller and Kala’i Rosario. Miller scored on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Andrew Cossetti to give the team the 1-0 lead. 

Starting pitcher Cory Lewis had his second straight 1-2-3 inning in the top of the second, and the Kernels supported him in grand style in the bottom of the inning. Luke Keaschall and Noah Cardenas started the inning with walks. After a strikeout, Carson McCusker walked to load the bases. Following a pitching change, there was another strikeout. But Emmanuel Rodriguez came to the plate and launched his third home run of this three-game series, a grand slam to give the Kernels a 5-0 lead after two innings.

Lewis gave up a leadoff single in the third inning, but the runner was quickly erased on a Miller-to-Keaschall-to-Ortega double play. So through three innings, Lewis faced nine batters. Lewis gave up a run in the fourth inning on a walk and later a single. However, the fifth inning did not go well for him. After a leadoff single, he got a fly out and a force out. Things were looking good. However, back-to-back singles gave the Loons a second run and ended Lewis’s game. Gabriel Yanez came with runners on the corners. Catcher Dalton Rushing, the top prospect in the Dodgers organization and a Top 50 prospect in the game, greeted him with a two-run double which cut the Kernels lead to 5-4. 

The Kernels responded well in the bottom of the fifth inning. Rodriguez led off with a walk, and Rosario followed with a single. A wild pitch advanced runners to second and third base. After one out, Jorel Ortega walked to load the bases. Luke Keaschall followed by working a walk that scored Rodriguez. Noah Cardenas then flew out to left field, deep enough to allow Rosario to score a second insurance run and make it 7-4 Kernels. 

Yanez remained in the game for the sixth inning. He got a groundout and a strikeout before giving up a double. Manager Brian Dinkelman went to his closer, John Stankiewicz, hoping for a four-out save. The right-hander recorded a strikeout to end the threat. The Kernels coaxed three more walks in the bottom of the sixth but were unable to add on. 

On to the top of the seventh inning, three outs from a championship… but it couldn’t just be easy, right?

Stankiewicz started the inning with an infield pop out. However, the next batter was hit by a pitch. However, a ground ball to short meant a force out at second but no out at first base. That brought Rushing to the plate again. And, as you would expect, he launched a long home run to cut the Kernels lead to 7-6.

Fortunately, after falling behind the next batter 2-0, Stankiewicz got a flyout to Emmanuel Rodriguez. He made the catch, and the celebration ensued!

TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY
Hitter of the Day – Brooks Lee (St. Paul) - 2-for-3, 2B(8), HR(5), 2 R, 2 RBI, K 
Pitcher of the Day – John Klein (Cedar Rapids) - 2.2 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 5 K, 45 pitches, 32 strikes (71.1%)

PROSPECT SUMMARY
Check out the Prospect Tracker for much more on the new Twins Top 20 prospects after seeing how they did on Wednesday. 

#1 - Brooks Lee (St. Paul) - 2-for-3, BB, 2B(8), HR(5), 2 R, 2 RBI, K.
#3 - Emmanuel Rodriguez (Cedar Rapids) - Game 2 (1-for-4, BB, 3 K), Game 3 (1-for-2, 2 BB, HR(3), 2 R, 4 RBI)
#7 - Austin Martin (St. Paul) - 1-for-4, BB, 2B(11), R, 2 K
#10 - Luke Keaschall (Cedar Rapids) - Game 2 (2-for-4, R, K), Game 3 (0-for-1, 2 BB, R, RBI)
#13 - Kala’i Rosario (Cedar Rapids) - Game 2 (0-for-4, BB, K), Game 3 (2-for-3, BB, R, SB, K).
#14 - Yunior Severino (St. Paul) - 1-for-2, BB, 2B(2), HBP
#15 - Simeon Woods Richardson (St. Paul) - 5.2 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 4 K, 95 pitches, 61 strikes (64.2%)
#19 - Cory Lewis (Cedar Rapids) - Game 3 (4.2 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, 69 pitches, 45 strikes (65.2%))

THURSDAY’S SCHEDULE AND PITCHING PROBABLES
Toledo @ St. Paul (6:37 PM CST) - RHP Randy Dobnak (5-9, 5.31 ERA)  

Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Wednesday’s games or any other Twins minor league topics!

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