Twins Minor League Week in Review (4/22-4/29): Between the Raindrops

Big-league pitchers Jhoan Durán and Justin Topa kicked off rehab assignments with the Triple-A club, while prospect Aaron Sabato started a rehab assignment with Low-A Fort Myers. Despite a lack of wins, there were some strong pitching performances throughout the system this week.

Both the hitter and pitcher of the week come from the two lowest rungs of the system, and each player showed out with some impressive production.

WEEK IN REVIEW
Triple-A: St. Paul Saints

• Overall: 10-15 (2-3 last week), 10th place in the IL West
• Overview: Rainouts were the theme of the weak. With two games postponed (and one not made up), it was touch-and-go every day for St. Paul. Both Durán and Topa pitched in rehab action.
• 🔥Will Holland stayed hot, playing in three of the five games, and going 3-for-6 with a double, triple, and four walks.
• 🔥Caleb Boushley made another strong start, working six scoreless innings. He worked around six hits and posted a 4/0 K/BB.
• 😏David Festa made the shortest start of all Saints pitchers this week, going just 3 1/3 innings, but his five strikeouts were a team-high total.
• 😏DaShawn Keirsey Jr. and Anthony Prato both played in all five games this week and went an equal 7-for-18.
• 🥶Matt Wallner’s cold streak has continued; he went 4-for-18 with a 5/2 K/BB
• 🥶Joe Gunkel’s 4 1/3 innings were rough, to the tune of seven runs on nine hits.
• What’s Next: Louisville heads to town for a second straight home series. The Bats are currently fifth in the International League West.

Double-A: Wichita Wind Surge

• Overall: 7-14 (3-3 last week), 5th place in the Texas League North
• Overview: Grabbing their first road win of the season, the Wind Surge ripped off three in a row from Thursday through Saturday.
• 🔥Carson McCusker played in five of the six contests this week and went 8-for-22. He had a double and three RBIs as well.
• 🔥Andrew Cossetti appeared in all six games this week for Wichita, and his four RBIs paced the team.
• 😏Jarret Whorff went just 3 2/3 innings, but gave up only a single run and posted a 5/0 K/BB.
• 😏Aaron Rozek worked two games in relief, totaling eight innings of work in which he gave up only a single run.
• 🥶Ben Ross played in all six games for Wichita but went just 2-for-18 with seven strikeouts.
• What’s Next: A second straight road series looms, this time with NW Arkansas. The Naturals are just ahead of Wichita in the Texas League North at 9-11.

High-A: Cedar Rapids Kernels

• Overall: 10-10 (4-2 last week), 4th place in the Midwest League West
• Overview: Playing Beloit with a couple of makeup games sprinkled in, the Kernels got a six-game week in despite having both Friday and Sunday’s games rained out.
• 🔥Gabriel González was on fire this, going 7-for-22. He cracked off four doubles, a triple, and a home run, with 6 RBIs.
• 🔥Rubel Céspedes had another strong week, going 6-for-16 with a pair of doubles and a home run.
• 🔥Andrew Morris got back on track with a six-inning scoreless start and a 5/1 K/BB
• 🔥John Klein and Zebby Matthews both made strong starts, allowing just a single run each across 5 and 5 2/3 innings, respectively. Klein struck out six, with Matthews adding seven.
• 😏Luke Keaschall didn’t hit as well this week, but posted a strong .391 OBP and a team-high three stolen bases.
• 🥶Danny De Andrade went just 2-for-15 this week with no extra base hits and five strikeouts.
• 🥶Jacob Wosinski gave up seven runs (six earned) across just 2 2/3 innings of relief work this week.
• What’s Next: Another home series is on deck, with Peoria coming to Cedar Rapids. They trail the Kernels in the standings at 7-14 for fifth in the Midwest League West.

Low-A: Fort Myers Mighty Mussels

• Overall: 8-13 (2-4 last week), 4th place in Florida State League West
• Overview: Continuing the theme of the past two weeks, Fort Myers recorded their third straight 2-4 week at home against Palm Beach.
• 🔥Jose Rodriguez was 7-for-23, with three doubles and a home run. His eight RBIs and 13 total bases were tops on the team.
• 🔥Ross Dunn was lights out in his start, going five scoreless innings allowing just two hits and a walk. He struck out eight.
• 😏Brandon Winokur was a solid 6-for-20 with a pair of doubles and stolen bases.
• 😏Ty Langenberg worked 5 1/3 innings during his start in which he allowed just a single run on six hits and a walk while striking out six.
• 🥶Omari Daniel scuffled, to the tune of a 2-for-17 week with a 10/0 K/BB
• 🥶Cole Elvis was hitless in four games going 0-for-10 with an 8/1 K/BB
• What’s Next: Fort Myers goes on the road to Bradenton and will match up with a 4-17 squad that is sixth in the Florida State League West

PROSPECT SUMMARY
#1– Walker Jenkins (Fort Myers) – Hamstring strain
#2 – Brooks Lee (St. Paul) – Herniated disc
#3 – Emmanuel Rodriguez (Wichita) – 2-6, 2B, BB, K, SB
#4 – Gabriel Gonzalez (Cedar Rapids) – 7-19, 4 2B, 3B, HR, 6 RBI, 3 BB, 4 K
#5 – Marco Raya (Wichita) – 2.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 3 K
#6 – David Festa (St. Paul) – 3.1 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K
#7 – Austin Martin (Minnesota) – 3-21, 2 2B, 2 RBI, 3 BB, 6 K, 2 SB
#8 – Cory Lewis (Wichita) – Build up
#9 – Charlee Soto (Fort Myers) – 3.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
#10 – Brandon Winokur (Fort Myers) – 6-20, 2 2B, 2 RBI, BB, 7 K, 2 SB
#11 – Tanner Schobel (Wichita) – 5-23, 2B, 3B, 3 RBI, 5 BB, 9 K, 2 SB
#12 – Luke Keaschall (Cedar Rapids) – 4-18, 2B, 3 BB, 4 K, 3 SB
#13 – Kala’i Rosario (Wichita) – 5-24, 2 2B, 3 RBI, 2 BB, 8 K
#14 – C.J. Culpepper (Cedar Rapids) – 5.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 5 K
#15 – Danny De Andrade (Cedar Rapids) – 2-15, 3 BB, 5 K, 2 SB
#16 – Yunior Severino (St. Paul) – 3-15, HR, RBI, 2 BB, 5 K
#17 – Matt Canterino (IL) – Shoulder injury
#18 – Connor Prielipp (IL) – UCL Surgery
#19 – Ricardo Olivar (Cedar Rapids) – 4-14, 2 2B, 2 RBI, BB, 4 K
#20 – Simeon Woods Richardson (Minnesota) – 5.0 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 6 K

Hitter of the Week - Gabriel González (Cedar Rapids) - 7-19, 4 2B, 3B, HR, 6 RBI, 3 BB, 4 K

Pitcher of the Week - Ross Dunn (Fort Myers) - 5.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 8 K

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!