Matt Braun

Image courtesy of Rob Thompson, St. Paul Saints (photo of Ryan Gallagher) TRANSACTIONS No moves were made on Wednesday. Saints Sentinel St. Paul 4, Louisville 1 Box Score Ryan Gallagher: 6 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 9 K HR: None Multi-hit games: Kaelen Culpepper (2-for-4, 2 2B, R, 2 RBI), Gabriel Gonzalez (2-for-4) The Saints breezed to a win on Wednesday. Don’t look back in anger? Sure. But many Louisville hitters must have stared backwards in angst or frustration. Ryan Gallagher was a menace: the righty whiffed a season-high nine across an also season-high six innings of work, allowing a lone earned run in the process. He earned 12 swing-and-misses over 80 pitches. It was a superlative performance from a hurler who entered the day with an ERA over 6 with St. Paul, and ends it at… 5.99. a A step in a journey that hopefully has many more like this. The Saints did need many runs on the day, so the mild four-score (no Lincoln) total they received turned out to be plenty. Kaelen Culpepper started out the day with a double whacked off rehabbing big leaguer Nick Lodolo, and a Gabriel Gonzalez single and Walker Jenkins double play ushered in the first run of the game. Three empty frames begat a fruitful middle-innings excursion, in which Culpepper once more dropped his barrel on a low Lodolo changeup for a double—this time to plate two. Cody Morissette then smacked a two-bagger the next inning to score the fourth and final run of the day. Ruddy Gomez, Marco Raya, and Julian Merryweather combined for three scoreless innings out of the bullpen. Merryweather struck out three to earn the save. The Bats are an affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds, who recently called up outfielder Héctor Rodríguez, a long-time antagonist in these writeups. In his stead, infielder Leo Balcazar, ranked 16th on the team, served as the best prospect on Wednesday. He went 0-4. Wind Surge Wisdom Wichita 7, NW Arkansas 6 Box Score Sam Armstrong: 5 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 2 K HR: Graham Brown (1) Multi-hit games: Khadim Diaw (2-for-3, R, 2 BB) A late surge delivered a win to Wichita on Wednesday. Down two in the fifth, the Wind Surge decided to run wild. Marek Houston stole, and then stole some more, concluding his odyssey with a safe swipe of third. Then Khadim Diaw walked. Of course he stole second. A wild pitch advanced Houston to the dugout, high-fiving his teammates, while Diaw took third. A Brandon Winokur sacrifice fly plated the trailing Diaw. Wichita returned the following inning to plate one more, with Kyle DeBarge doubling and Jay Thomason singling to send the Wind Surge into the lead. Naturally, NW Arkansas responded with immediate vigor. A lead for all of a deep breath. Three scored on a homer and—like Wichita before them—they tagged on one more run in a follow-up inning. That could have been the game. Better teams have folded in such a scenario. But Wichita’s batters felt themselves in a vengeful mood—and they struck with a violent, deadly, deciding blow. Three walks fattened the bases. One pitcher gave way to another. Fortune remained displeased. The incoming Zachary Cawyer surrendered one of the free passes before settling in against Graham Brown. He fired a fastball to the outfielder and Brown crushed the offering to center, sending the ball over the fence for a grand slam, his first AA hit. Drew Beam, the starter for the Naturals on Wednesday, ranks as the 12th-best prospect in the Royals system. He allowed three earned runs in six innings. Kernels Nuggets The Kernels attempted to play but were thwarted by mother nature, who ended matters in the bottom of the 3rd in a 1-1 game. The match will be continued on August 6th. Mussel Matters Fort Myers 4, Bradenton 2 Box Score Callan Fang: 3 1/3 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 4 K HR: None Multi-hit games: Aidan Teel (2-for-4, 2B, R, RBI), Quentin Young (2-for-4, R) The Mighty Mussels were victorious on Wednesday. This was not the offensive explosion of Sunday’s match; rather, this time, the Mighty Mussels proved they had finesse, too, and turned six hits and six walks into four runs. How? Let’s see together. A Quentin Young single, a Charlie Scholvin hit by pitch, and a wild pitch placed two on with one out. Yovanny Duran grounded out to coax Young home. The third continued the shenanigans. With the walks and passed balls and the like. Two free passes set up Aidan Teel with an opportunity to crack the game in half, and he did exactly that, driving in a run with a double mere inches away from a homer. No problem: Bryce Fowler cleaned up the scraps with a two-run single. The aforementioned Fowler was an undrafted signee out of the University of Alabama. He literally signed over the past weekend. Perhaps he and Connor Prielipp and Riley Quick can wax mirthfully on the days of Nick Saban in years of yonder. Callan Fang tossed a season-high 63 pitches across 3 1/3 innings of work, allowing one earned run. He struck out four and walked three. Michael Hilker netted an old-school save with 2 1/3 frames to end the game, striking out five without allowing a run. Somewhere, Goose Gossage smiles (probably not). Bradenton shortstop Wyatt Sanford ranks as the fourth-best prospect in the Pirates’ system. He homered once in four at-bats. Dominican Daily The DSL Twins did not play as rain poured down and washed away any possibility of a game. TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Ryan Gallagher Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Graham Brown PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed. Click here to rank your post-trade deadline Top 20 prospects now. #1 – Walker Jenkins (St. Paul) - 0-4 #2 – Vahn Lackey (Fort Myers) - 0-2, BB, K #3 – Kaelen Culpepper (St. Paul) - 2-4, 2 2B, R, 2 RBI, 2 K #5 – Marek Houston (Wichita) - 1-5, R, 2 K #7 – Eduardo Tait (Cedar Rapids) - 2-4, BB #11 – Gabriel Gonzalez (St. Paul) - 2-4, K #13 – Carson Tinney (Fort Myers) - 0-3, R, BB, 2 K #14 – Khadim Diaw (Wichita) - 2-3, R, 2 BB #15 – Brandon Winokur (Wichita) - 1-4, RBI, K #17 – Quentin Young (Fort Myers) - 2-4, R, K #18 – Ryan Gallagher (St. Paul) - 6 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 9 K THURSDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Louisville @ St. Paul (7:07 PM) - RHP Zebby Matthews Wichita @ NW Arkansas (7:05 PM) - RHP Ty Langenberg Cedar Rapids @ South Bend (6:05 PM) - RHP Adrian Bohorquez Fort Myers @ Bradenton (5:30 PM) - RHP Matt Barr DSL Nationals @ DSL Twins (10:00 AM) - TBD View full article

Image courtesy of Mark J. Rebilas, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect Batter’s box antics are nothing new. Humans are creatures of habit, and hitters are even more so. The maniacal, unthinking routines of players at the plate are a part of their personhood; reflecting character and philosophy, even if they aren’t fully aware of what they’re doing, much less why they’re doing it. Luke Keaschall is one of these people. Let’s look at a sample of his behavior from just one game. We start with the mild: a good-not-great sweeper from Eduard Bazardo that Keaschall saw all the way for an easy take. In response, he digs in aggressively with his back foot, though hesitates slightly, as if he found and then took aim at an especially ugly bug. He does this move often. Typically in frustration after a poor take. TUFYd1lfWGw0TUFRPT1fQUFBQ1ZWSURCd0FBWGxKVEJRQUhDUVZVQUFOWEFBQUFCMVFGQWxVSFYxZFJBbFJW.mp4 The next is a twist, literally. An outside sinker from Michael Rucker never darts back to the zone, and our hero lets everyone know it, shaking his head with an Arraez-ian vigor before rotating in a half-Chubby Checker. He concludes his antics with the common movements of an anxious hitter, with spit, adjustments, and a stare-off towards nowhere in particular as he prepares for the next offering. TUFYd1lfWGw0TUFRPT1fQjFWU0IxTlNVZ1VBRFZwVEJBQUhBUUlBQUFBQ1d3Y0FCbGNNQXdwUUNWQUdWZ1JT.mp4 Keaschall is a habitual shaker. He can’t help it. And with a career walk rate of nearly 10%, he’s earned the right to communicate to players and fans alike what he believed the relationship between any given pitch and the strike zone to be. This kind of self-affirmation may seem indulgent—and perhaps it is—but when the line between ball and strike, out and hit, is razor thin, constant positive feedback could help a batter stay on top of their game. Or at least help them fend off the madness innate in the 162-game slog. Or maybe they were crazy all along. Perhaps it's no surprise, then, that Keaschall is Challenger. His right hand might as well be magnetically connected to his helmet. He leads all Twins hitters with 21 challenges, though his success rate is a tepid 52%. Still, his massive challenge rate has neutered four strikeouts and added two walks, making his attempts to thwart the home plate umpire an overall net positive for the team, even if it may result in a flustered feeling. Keaschall doesn’t care. He knows his process is sound. The downside of his tendencies played out on Friday night, with the youngster reminding us of the visceral embarrassment that arrives when one protests what turns out to be just. Bryce Miller spots a perfect pitch. His 0-1 fastball beautifully clips the bottom outside edge of the strike zone. Keaschall disagrees. He shakes as he pulls himself back, hears the umpire call the pitch a strike, and taps his helmet before Alan Porter can fire his finger gun towards the first base dugout. He will fail this in his contest. Yet, you can understand his desire to alter reality: the difference between an 0-2 deficit and a 1-1 count is massive for a hitter. If he can impart that change, fortune swings slightly back into his favor. The 23-year-old ended up with an infield single anyways. Ball don’t lie? TUFYd1lfWGw0TUFRPT1fQTFWUVhRQlNVMUFBWEZ0VFVBQUhCUUlFQUZnRkJsVUFWd1pYVkFFRFYxWUVCd1ZY.mp4 Our final take is the most inspiring. A straight-up workout routine. Keaschall spits on a pretty good curve that darts into the dirt before smoothly dropping into a tucking stretch. Maybe he wanted to get closer to the ball and the catcher to tell both that he saw through their shenanigans; the tricky breaking ball was not enough to coax a swing. And he gets real low: for a second, he compacts himself lower than Cal Raleigh, whose position demands a perpetually calcified crouch. He then steps back and adjusts his person with a similar vigor as example two. TUFYd1lfWGw0TUFRPT1fVlZSUlVsQUJVbEVBQ1ZJRlV3QUhCQUVFQUFBTkFWY0FWRlVCVWd0WEJ3QlVCRmRT.mp4 These probably aren’t even the best examples of the energy Keaschall exudes at the plate. They just happened to be from the most recent game. Watch any at-bat of his closely, and you’ll see any and all types of movement, the kind of jittery motions that rival David Byrne at his most eccentric. It's an art in itself. Players may be professionals, but that will never stop them from being strangely human. View full article

Image courtesy of William Parmeter (photo of Carson Tinney) TRANSACTIONS RHP Raul Brito released RHP Xavier Kolhosser placed on 7-day IL (A+ Cedar Rapids) LHP Michael Carpenter activated from 7-day IL (Cedar Rapids) INF Jay Thomason activated from temporary inactive list (AA Wichita) RHP Jack Anderson optioned to AAA St. Paul C Enrique Jimenez transferred to 60-day IL (Cedar Rapids) Saints Sentinel St. Paul 4, Omaha 2 Box Score Trent Baker: 2 ⅓ IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 K HR: None Multi-hit games: Walker Jenkins (3-for-5), Hendry Mendez (2-for-4, 2 2B, 2 RBI) The Saints were victorious on Sunday. It was an ordinary, garden-variety win. Not that there’s anything wrong with such a thing. The Saints’ pitching staff allowed a smattering of baserunners, but found outs at critical junctures, holding the Storm Chasers to a meager 1-8 showing with runners in scoring position. Ruddy Gomez was probably the happiest of the bunch. He washed away his two-run Saints debut earlier in the week with a scoreless inning and the win. Julian Merryweather nailed down the save. 75% of St. Paul’s runs came on a two-out rally in the third. A pair of strikeouts appeared to steer the frame into empty territory. Then, Kaelen Culpepper smacked a double and Matt Wallner walked. Kyle Fedko bulleted a double into the left field corner to score them both; Hendry Mendez swapped places with his outfield brethren on a double of his own. Mendez added on with a final insurance sacrifice fly in the ninth, which proved unnecessary when the aforementioned Merryweather quickly earned the game’s final three outs. Vibes surrounding the win were neutered when, with two outs in the ninth, Kyler Fedko chased a ball hit into the left field corner and crumpled on a non-contact play. He lay hidden behind the wall for some time as his teammates gathered to check on the outfielder, who had to be helped onto his feet before he was carted off the field. Omaha is an affiliate of the Royals system, which claims four players on MLB.com’s top 100 prospect list. None played in this game; the best youngster the Storm Chasers had to offer was the franchise’s 26th-ranked player, outfielder Gavin Cross. He went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts. Wind Surge Wisdom Wichita 2, Springfield 9 Box Score Cory Lewis: 4 IP, 3 H, 5 ER, 3 BB, 3 K HR: Caden Kendle (2), Jaime Ferrer (5) Multi-hit games: None The Wind Surge were thumped on Sunday. Caden Kendle and Jaime Ferrer hit home runs in the third. The Ferrer homer was the final hit Wichita earned on the day. Wichita hitters took six walks—demonstrating that they weren’t helpless on Sunday—though, for whatever reason, getting hits to fall proved difficult. Just one of 13 balls in play resulted in a knock. Jaylen Nowlin was the only Wind Surge pitcher to escape without an earned run attached to him. MLB’s 12th-overall prospect, catcher Rainiel Rodriguez, collected three hits, including a homer and a double. Kernels Nuggets Cedar Rapids 2, Peoria 3 Box Score Ivran Romero: 3 1/3 IP, 2 H, 3 ER, 5 BB, 6 K HR: None Multi-hit games: Eduardo Tait (2-for-4, BB), Jayson Bass (2-for-5, K), Graham Brown (3-for-4, 2 2B, RBI) The Kernels squandered a winnable game on Sunday. Runs were hard to come by for Cedar Rapids. 11 hits—five of them doubles—should score a team more than two runs; yet the team found placing men on far easier than bringing them home, and a rough 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position did not help their chances of winning. The first run came on a Jose Salas sacrifice fly in the second. The next arrived on a Graham Brown double that eked beyond the third baseman and slowly tucked itself into the left field corner. Perhaps no sequence better encapsulated Cedar Rapids’ futility with men on than the ninth. Eduardo Tait singled and was pulled for a pinch-runner. Yasser Mercedes slammed a double into center. With men on second and third with no one out, Danny De Andrade went down swinging. No matter. They still had two outs to play with. Jayson Bass hit a dribbler fielded by the pitcher, who spun around and caught Byron Chourio advancing too far after third. A weak rundown ended with the lead running Chourio out, as the trailing Mercedes—who tried to run to third—scampered back to second, resulting in the team losing their man on third and an out without any other advancement. Salas then grounded out to end the game. The Kernels bullpen combined to pitch 5 2/3 scoreless innings with seven strikeouts and one hit allowed. Emmanuel Rodriguez was scratched from the lineup with thumb soreness. Like us all, he’s day-to-day. Chiefs’ center fielder Tai Peete clocks in as the 16th-best prospect in the Cardinals’ system. He singled and walked in four trips to the plate. Mussel Matters Fort Myers 20, Palm Beach 3 Box Score Merit Jones: 4 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 5 K HR: Carson Tinney (1), Luis Fragoza (11) Multi-hit games: Ramiro Dominguez (2-for-6, 2B, 2 R, 2 RBI), Vahn Lackey (2-for-5, 4 R, RBI, 2 BB), Carson Tinney (2-for-4, HR, 3 R, 3 RBI, 2 BB), Colby Turner (2-for-3, 2B, 4 R, 4 RBI, 2 BB), Aidan Teel (3-for-5, 2B, 2 R, RBI), Luis Fragoza (3-for-6, HR, R, 5 RBI), Charlie Scholvin (3-for-4, R) The Mighty Mussels crushed their opponents on Sunday. Do you think Fort Myers is enjoying the injection of college talent? The 2026 draftees combined for 12 hits, 14 runs, and nine RBIs on Sunday as they spearheaded the third Fort Myers 20-run game since 1992. Though attention will obviously go to what occurred in the batter’s box, the mound provided some history as well: starter Merit Jones collected his 102nd strikeout of the season, the most in a year for Fort Myers since the ditched the “Miracle” moniker after 2020. He’s also second in innings pitched with 93 ⅔. After the game, the righty said “[the records are] truly a blessing,” and that he’s grateful to “have gotten so many opportunities here.” He also leads the FSL in innings pitched this year. Alright, on to the offensive explosion. What a melee. Fort Myers piled up 10 runs in the second alone, with a Carson Tinney vapor shot and a Luis Fragoza grand slam serving as the biggest knocks of the frame. That Tinney blast—a 114.9 MPH projectile that stayed in the air for maybe four seconds—was hit harder than any Twins batted ball this year. On top of the 18 hits, Fort Myers also took nine walks and endured five hit by pitches. The only inning where a Mighty Mussels batter didn’t reach base was the ninth—and that was only because they didn’t play a bottom of the ninth. Five runs scored in the eighth thanks to an assembly line of walks, hit by pitches, and two singles. Three in the seventh concluded matters with Colby Turner and Aidan Teel, brother of Kyle, earning RBIs on doubles. Matthew Dalquist and Michael Hilker combined for five shutout innings out of the bullpen, striking out nine. Cardinals DH Yairo Padilla is the 13th-ranked player in the system. He went 0-4 as the DH. TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Matthew Dalquist Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Carson Tinney PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed: #1 – Walker Jenkins (St. Paul) - 3-5, K #2 – Vahn Lackey (Fort Myers) - 2-5, 4 R, RBI, 2 BB, 2 K #3 – Kaelen Culpepper (St. Paul) - 1-4, 2B, 2 R, BB, 2 K #5 – Marek Houston (Wichita) - 0-3, BB, 2 K #7 – Eduardo Tait (Cedar Rapids) - 2-4, BB #8 – Kendry Rojas (Twins) - 1 IP, 2 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 1 K #10 – Hendry Mendez (St. Paul) - 2-4, 2 2B, 2 RBI, K #11 – Gabriel Gonzalez (St. Paul) - 0-3, BB #13 – Carson Tinney (Fort Myers) - 2-4, HR, 3 R, 3 RBI, 2 BB #15 – Brandon Winokur (Wichita) - 0-3, BB, K MONDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS DSL Phillies @ DSL Twins (10:00 AM) - TBD View full article

Image courtesy of Steven Bisig, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect Box Score Zebby Matthews: 5+ IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 10 K Home Runs: Brooks Lee (16), Royce Lewis (11), Ryan Jeffers (10) Top 3 WPA: Luke Keaschall (.240), Royce Lewis (.150), Brooks Lee (.120) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) No preamble tonight. The author is annoyed at how late this game started. Zebby Matthews barely knew what happened. At one point he was a starter anointing the beginning of the game; 30 pitches later, matters were turgid and anxious. What happened? Cole Young struck out on four pitches. Randy Arozarena walked following the same amount of offerings - a contradiction Matthews would have to ponder only after his night ended. Dominic Canzone then shot a double into right, but the righty with the iron jaw delivered three sliders to Julio Rodríguez to strike him out. Another four-pitch walk. Perhaps that one confounded our hero: he spent nine pitches on a weary and not particularly intimidating version of Cal Raleigh, with the final selection—a no-nothing hanger of a changeup—making its home in the right field stands after bouncing. Two runs. Finally, a strikeout to end the frame. The inning was so extended and lethargic that the Twins literally traded for another pitcher while it happened. Unbothered, Minnesota responded with a fruitful frame of their own. Josh Bell doinked a pitching wedge into right field and watched the two following batters get out. But just when it seemed like the Twins might waste an opportunity with a leadoff runner, Brooks Lee worked the count to 3-1, got a cement mixer, and deposited the pitch 367 feet away into the right-field stands. Gifted a tied game, Matthews pitched like a rejuvenated man, coaxing a strikeout from Colt Emerson and a groundout from Victor Robles. The latter may have been a 10-pitch excursion, but at least fortune turned towards him, radiating a golden, warm smile. This could be the start of the redemption. Cole Young vaporized a solo homer. Though it appeared we were in for a barn-burner, the early action receded, giving way to the common ebbs and flows of a baseball game. It would be inaccurate to say that nothing happened; rather, conflict settled. Chances rose and fell. Runners occasionally reached base only to slowly trudge back to their dugouts after their teammates failed to bring them home. The innings flipped like the pages in a good book, and we were suddenly in the seventh with the same score that ended the second. The bullpens were now in control. Never a more terrifying thing. Like giving nuclear codes to a drunk at a bar. Jose A. Ferrer had earned the final two outs of the sixth, so he was sent out in the seventh to continue his work. His first sinker to Royce Lewis missed high. His second sinker almost cleared the Mariners bullpen. A rally killer? Not so fast. Alan Roden collected an infield single and Lee flew out. By now, Mariners manager Dan Wilson had seen enough of his lefty and called in Eduard Bazardo to quell the rally. On a 1-1 count, he unleashed one of his signature boring sinkers to Luke Keaschall, and the young infielder was able to pull his hands in enough to line the pitch safely down the left field line, sending Roden gallivanting around the bases with a gait and hustle reminiscent of a middle schooler running home on the last day of school. Kody Funderburk handed off to Tommy Nance who handed off to Andrew Morris. No Mariner could score. In the meantime, Ryan Jeffers gave the bullpen a little more breathing room with a 372-foot blast when Bazardo's sweeper was sweepless in Seattle. Yoendrys Gómez emerged to end the ninth and keep the good vibes going as re-enforcements made their way out west. The righty didn't make it easy; attitudes grew terse and muscles tensed as he walked two batters, but Gómez settled down and punched out Mitch Garver on a sweeper to notch the save. Notes: Zebby Matthews set a single-game MLB career-high with 10 strikeouts. Kody Funderburk, Tommy Nance, Andrew Morris, and Yoendrys Gómez combined for four no-hit, shutout innings out of the bullpen. Brooks Lee tied his career-high mark of 16 homers in a season set in 2025. He did so in 102 fewer plate appearances this year. Ryan Jeffers' season wRC+ of 162 is the highest for any primary catcher post-2020 (min. 190 plate appearances). Luke Keaschall slashed .323/.447/.462 in July. Post-Game Interview: What’s Next? The Twins and Mariners take mercy on those East of the Rockies, with a delightful 3:10 PM Saturday start. Connor Prielipp is set to take the mound opposite Logan Gilbert. Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet MON TUE WED THU FRI TOT Rojas 0 0 52 0 0 52 Funderburk 0 27 0 0 19 46 Gomez 0 0 0 21 25 46 Rogers 0 0 0 27 0 27 Morris 0 0 0 12 6 18 Anderson 0 13 0 0 0 13 Adams 0 11 0 0 0 11 Nance 0 0 0 0 11 11 View full article

Image courtesy of Rob Thompson, St. Paul Saints (photo of Henry Mendez) TRANSACTIONS With Byron Buxton going on the injured list, INF Tristan Gray recalled by Twins LHP Michael Carpenter sent to A Fort Myers on Minor League Rehab. RHP Jason Reitz was placed on the 7-Day Injured List. Saints Sentinel St. Paul 4, Omaha 3 Box Score Trent Baker: 3 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K HR: Hendry Mendez (6) Multi-hit games: Kaelen Culpepper (2-for-4), Hendry Mendez (2-for-4, HR, R, 2 RBI), Cody Morissette (2-for-4, 2B, RBI) The Saints struck late to win on Wednesday. A rain delayed the start of the game, though the drizzle and mist did nothing to dampen a Saints offense that scored immediately. Walker Jenkins walked and Kaelen Culpepper shot a single to right. Up with a chance to strike first, Matt Wallner opted for a cool, democratic sacrifice fly to usher his leadoff comrade home. Though they may have been undampened initially, the lineup quickly turned soggy; the bats fell cold for five tortuous frames in which they squelched and pleaded, yet no Saints runner advanced beyond first base. Only twice did a runner even reach safely; both times a double play curtly cut their adventure down. All the while, the pitching effort started by Trent Baker and continued by Garrett Acton wobbled and toppled. Ruddy Gomez—new to AAA baseball and its details and differences—greeted the level with a walk. A double and sacrifice fly branded him with his inaugural earned run. A wild pitch made it two. C.J. Culpepper’s one earned run a frame later proved to be good news, relatively. Fortunately, by the time of Culpepper’s lapse, the game was simply tied. Hendry Mendez sat on a lethargic breaker from veteran Matt Moore—yes, that one—and drove the offering into right field for an RBI. Then Cody Morissette pounced on a sky-high heater and bludgeoned the wall for a run-scoring double. Tied, Mendez acted. Though you do not see it. Justin Topa explains enough: with a smooth transition from pitched ball to snapped head, he reveals that something has happened, and that something was a solo homer shot the other way to give the Saints a lead they would not relinquish. Rehabbing big leaguer Garrett Acton fired a clean frame, striking out one over 14 pitches. No member of the Royals’ top 30 prospect list played in the game on Wednesday. Wind Surge Wisdom Wichita 4, Springfield 7 Box Score Preston Johnson: 4 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 5 K HR: None Multi-hit games: Khadim Diaw (2-for-4, RBI), Kala’i Rosario, (2-for-4, R) The Wind Surge stumbled in the seventh to fall on Wednesday. First inning two-run blasts don’t tend to help winning. More at 11. The opening blast, hit by Deniel Ortiz, stuck Wichita in a deficit they would actually climb out of—before slipping and plunging back down into the depths dug by themselves early on. A third run came in the third. A counterattack the Wind Surge broke the seal in the fourth, with a Brandon Winokur single dawning the scoring before the bats returned with trio in the fifth. Marek Houston netted a pair with a double smoked down the left field line, and Khadim Diaw followed his friend with a liner beyond the third baseman to score Houston. An empty sixth perhaps fed Wichita a false confidence; as the seventh crushed their hopes for a glorious comeback win. The Cardinals struck with vigor, doubling around the field, taking hit by pitches, and reaching two outs before destroying the Wind Surge’s dreams with a back-breaking two-run homer. In response, two Wichita attempted rallies came up short. The smacker of that two-run homer was the 12th-ranked prospect in all of baseball, catcher Rainiel Rodriguez. He accrued three hits in the game. Kernels Nuggets Cedar Rapids 6, Peoria 10 Box Score Kolten Smith: 4 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K HR: Jose Salas (4) Multi-hit games: Dameury Pena (2-for-3, R, RBI, 2 BB), Eduardo Tait (2-for-5, 2 RBI), Andy Lugo (2-for-4, 2 2B, RBI) The Kernels fell apart and lost on Wednesday. Well, it wasn’t Kolten Smith’s fault. The righty enjoyed perhaps his finest start as a Kernel. He navigated a shaky first and nurtured his outing accordingly, turning what could have been a dead-on-arrival start into four respectable frames. He allowed one earned run. He struck out five. And the Kernels had the lead. Two arrived in the first on a Danny De Andrade double; one came in the second thanks to an Eduardo Tait single. Andy Lugo added a fourth run with an RBI double. Then the trouble started. Cleiber Maldonado started the downfall, though none could have known it at the time, as his work resulted in only one run. Reed Moring suffered the brunt of the collapse. In his Cedar Rapids debut, nonetheless. Four homers. Eight earned runs. Scores in every inning he oversaw except for one. Some part of him likely wanted to crawl into some unseen hiding place, but he took the violence naked and blatant in front of all to see. Better luck next time, youngster. Chiefs starter Yhoiker Fajardo clocks in as the ninth-best prospect in the Cardinals’ system. He surrendered four earned runs in three innings. Mussel Matters Fort Myers 5, Palm Beach 19 Box Score Michael Carpenter: 1 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K HR: JP Smith II (13, 14) Multi-hit games: Emmanuel Rodriguez (2-for-5, 2B, R), JP Smith II (2-for-4, 2 HR, 2 R, 3 RBI), Bryan Acuña (2-for-4, R) The Mighty Mussels were decimated on Wednesday. Amazingly, the Cardinals racked up 29 hits without hitting a home run. Every Fort Myers pitcher allowed at least one earned run. This concludes the pitching portion of the writeup. Rehabbing prospect Emmanuel Rodriguez DH’d after playing left field for a portion of Tuesday’s Mighty Mussels game. He whiffed thrice—perhaps his famous sweeping stroke is still a touch slow—but earned two hits, including a triple. JP Smith II had the game of the day at the plate. He sent a fastball beyond the center field wall in the fourth and then made the batter’s eye his target once more with a blast in the eighth. Palm Beach’s leadoff hitter, Sebastian Dos Santos, is the 12th-best prospect in the Cardinals system. He played shortstop and collected four hits. TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Kolten Smith Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – JP Smith II PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed: #1 – Walker Jenkins (St. Paul) - 0-2, R, 2 BB, K #3 – Kaelen Culpepper (St. Paul) - 2-4, K #4 – Emmanuel Rodriguez (Fort Myers) - 2-5, 3B, R, 3 K #5 – Marek Houston (Wichita) - 1-5, 2B, R, RBI, 2 K #7 – Eduardo Tait (Cedar Rapids) - 2-5, 2B, 2 RBI #8 – Kendry Rojas (Twins) - 3 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 4 K #10 – Hendry Mendez (St. Paul) - 2-4, HR, R, 2 RBI #14 – Khadim Diaw (Wichita) - 2-4, RBI #15 – Brandon Winokur (Wichita) - 1-4, RBI, 2 K #17 – Quentin Young (Fort Myers) - 1-3, BB, 2 K THURSDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS ST. Paul @ Omaha (7:05 PM) - RHP Ryan Gallagher Wichita @ Springfield (7:05 PM) - RHP Chris Vallimont Peoria @ Cedar Rapids (6:35 PM) - RHP Adrian Bohorquez Palm Beach @ Fort Myers (6:05 PM) - RHP Jason Reitz DSL Rangers Red @ DSL Twins (10:00 AM) - TBD View full article

I cannot be held responsible for what gets written in the delirium of the final game of the night (you are correct, that paragraph was confusing).

Image courtesy of Rob Thompson (photo of Hendry Mendez) TRANSACTIONS INF Quinn McDaniel assigned to A+ Cedar Rapids INF Tanner Schobel assigned to AA Wichita All Twins selections from the 2026 draft were signed (including Vahn Lackey, who signed for $9,740,500) Saints Sentinel St. Paul 9, Columbus 0 Box Score Aaron Rozek: 4 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K HR: Kyler Fedko (17), Ben Ross (9), David Bañuelos (4), Matt Wallner (16), Hendry Mendez (5) Multi-hit games: Hendry Mendez (3-for-4, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI), Ben Ross (2-for-4, HR, R, RBI), David Bañuelos (2-for-4, HR, R, RBI) The Saints decimated their opponent on Wednesday. Five homers? And a shutout? In the same game? Even Odysseus didn’t dominate the cyclops in a manner like this. Kyler Fedko started matters with an opposite-field swat that simply refused to fall back to the ground; then, Ben Ross and David Bañuelos went back-to-back to push the lead to 4-0. Mere batters later, Matt Wallner stepped to the plate and smacked a Wallner-ian blast; pulled with a regal authority and such grand power that even the pitcher had to admire what served as his demise. Hendry Mendez swept a two-run shot into what lies beyond the field of men and game—where the common person can grasp a ball and declare themselves an actor in the sport. The five homers accounted for all nine of St. Paul’s runs in the game; they went 1-2 with runners in scoring position. The shutout was an effort combined between Aaron Rozek, Garrett Acton, Julian Merryweather, Alejandro Hidalgo, and Eric Orze, with the former going for four frames with an equal amount of strikeouts, and the latter four combining for the final five frames and three strikeouts. The aforementioned Acton did so in his inaugural Saints’ outing, as he had previously made three rehab outings in the lower levels of the minors. Ralphy Velazquez, ranked as the 35th-best prospect in baseball, played first base for the Clippers, and went 0-for-3. Wind Surge Wisdom Wichita 7, Midland 5 Box Score Ty Langenberg: 4 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 0 K HR: Billy Amick (21) Multi-hit games: Marek Houston (2-for-4, RBI), Caden Kendle (2-for-4, 2 R, RBI), Jake Rucker (2-for-4, RBI), Jaime Ferrer (2-for-4, R, RBI The Wind Surge were victorious on Wednesday. Four consecutive innings with a score, followed by a pause for a breath, then one more run for good measure. That was the Wind Surge philosophy, as nearly the entire lineup earned a hit and as they went 5-12 with runners in scoring position. 3-8; 1,1,1,3,0,1. The streak that won them the game. Marek Houston broke the shutout with an RBI knock and it only continued from there, with Billy Amick homering the following inning, and Khadim Diaw doubling in the fifth, with the extra-base hit proving controversial enough to cause the RockHounds umpire to be ejected (this author believed the ball to be fair, but more power to those who complain, apparently). And the manager, by the way, is 2018 Twins legend Gregorio Petit. The sixth upended the streak with three runs, rather than the typical one, as Kendle, Jake Rucker, and Jaime Ferrer delivered the goods with singles. A balk in the eighth concluded matters. Midland outfielder Devin Taylor—the sixth-best prospect in the Athletics’ system—collected three hits in five at-bats on Wednesday. Kernels Nuggets Cedar Rapids 5, Dayton 6 Box Score Cesar Lares: 4 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 6 K HR: Jose Salas (4) Multi-hit games: Yasser Mercedes (2-for-4, 2B, R, RBI, BB), Enrique Jimenez (3-for-4, 2B, RBI, BB), Miguel Briceno (3-for-4, 2B, R, RBI, BB) The Kernels fell short on Wednesday. 12 hits yet woe and plunder upon them; for the Dragon potency strikes with a mightier awe. Or, at least a timelier one. Only the nerds care, anyways. Cesar Lares’ ERA remains in the double digits, as it has for over a month now. The poor fellow. An eight and then 10 run outing will do that. He found a relative modicum of success on Wednesday, with two earned runs spread across four innings, a 4.50 ERA anathema to the finest of hurlers, yet sweet nectar to a lefty scrounging for any minute luck the game may horribly provide. Miguel Briceno “the .331 man” started the scoring for Cedar Rapids with an RBI double in the second, and Enrique Jimenez knocked in another the following frame. Two empty innings begat a resurgence, albeit a minor one, with a run scoring on a Yasser Mercedes infield hit in the sixth. Soon, swelling in nature, two crossed home when Jose Salas swatted a homer down the right field line. Do the Dragons play in Dayton’s downtown? The surrounding buildings speak to a city that offers fairly well-known cover bands and a restaurant featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives 10 years ago. How bizarre. Third baseman Tyson Lewis clocks in as the third-best prospect in the Reds system; he went 0-4, with a pair of strikeouts. Mussel Matters Fort Myers 12, St. Lucie 9 Box Score Callan Fang: 2 ⅔ IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 4 BB, 1 K HR: Luis Hernandez (1), Ricardo Pena (1), Quentin Young (11) Multi-hit games: Jayson Bass (2-for-6, R), JP Smith II (2-for-4, 2B, 2 R, RBI, 2 BB), Luis Hernandez (2-for-3, HR, 2 R, RBI, BB) The Mighty Mussels out-slugged their opponents on Wednesday. It started in the second. It only finally stopped in the seventh. Luis Hernandez initiated the scoring with a solo shot slugged out to left-center, opening a Pandora’s Box that no St. Lucie pitcher could shut regardless of the quality of their attempt. A Luis Fragoza sacrifice fly in the third added on—and ushered in a moment of silence; the kind of tepid quiet that could seemingly cut either way; either in complete silence or the calm before a run-scoring storm. This one was the latter. The fifth opened. The terrible fifth. Fragoza started the frame by reaching on a strikeout. The bizarre nature of the inning should have alerted all to what may portend. JP Smith II doubled, Quentin Young scored one on a sacrifice fly, and Harry Genth drove in another with a single. Two arrived in the sixth off a Smith single and a run-scoring wild pitch. With seven in their pocket, the Mighty Mussels were not satisfied—and the score was only tied. Once more for a final offensive? Sure, they thought. They set their Trojan Horse for a final, successful, brutal attack that would once and for all end the threat they sought to silence. Ricardo Pena homered for the first time since May 27th, 2025, a two-run shot. Then, with two on, Young found the right-center wall a worthy target for his blasting, sending the ball sailing with a Nick Castellanos-esque hack and irregular intentions. The St. Lucie Mets employ the labor of the sixth-ranked prospect in the team’s system, infielder Elian Peña. He collected two hits in five at-bats. Complex Chronicles FCL Twins 8, FCL Red Sox 5 Box Score Michael Carpenter: ⅔ IP, 2 H. 2 ER, 1 BB, 0 K HR: None Multi-hit games: Yovanny Duran (2-for-2, 2B, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB), Victor Leal (2-for-4, 2B, R, RBI) An FCL game? On Wednesday? It’s more likely than you think. A remake of a previously weather-prevented match, the FCL game on Wednesday played out like a classic low-level game; when the stolen base portion of the box score reads like a Cormac McCarthy sentence, you know things got weird. Every batter in the lineup outside of Acuña reached base safely. 18-year-old Yovanny Duran displayed an elder understanding of what it means to hit leadoff, earning two hits and two walks in four plate appearances. He also stole three bases, perhaps revealing that he may secretly be Rickey Henderson in a teenager’s body. Reliever Cristian Hernandez provided bulk innings in an impressive manner, totaling 5 ⅓ frames with two earned runs. He struck out seven, his second-highest total this year outside his 11 K outing on June 16th. Minor league rehabbers Bryan Acuña and Michael Carpenter played in the game, with the former going 0-4 and the latter earning two outs with 30 pitches before being relieved. Center fielder Harold Rivas ranks as the 18th-best prospect in the Red Sox system, and he went 1-4 with a run scored. TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Cristian Hernandez Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Hendry Mendez ft. Yovanny Duran PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed: #1 – Walker Jenkins (St. Paul) - 1-5, R, K #5 – Marek Houston (Wichita) - 2-4, RBI, K #7 – Eduardo Tait (Cedar Rapids) - 1-5, K #10 – Hendry Mendez (St. Paul) - 3-4, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI #11 – Gabriel Gonzalez (St. Paul) - 0-4 #14 – Khadim Diaw (Wichita) - 1-4, 2B, RBI #15 – Brandon Winokur (Wichita) - 1-3, 2 R, BB #17 – Quentin Young (Fort Myers) - 1-4, HR, R, 4 RBI THURSDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Columbus @ St. Paul (7:07 PM) - RHP Ricky Castro Midland @ Wichita (7:05 PM) - RHP Cory Lewis Cedar Rapids @ Dayton (6:05 PM) - RHP Kolten Smith Fort Myers @ St. Lucie (3:00 PM) - RHP Reed Moring Fort Myers @ St. Lucie (Game Two) - TBD FCL Twins @ FCL Orioles (9:00 AM) - TBD DSL Twins @ DSL Tigers 2 (10:00 AM) - TBD View full article

Image courtesy of Malamut Photography (photo of Yasser Mercedes) TRANSACTIONS LHP Connor Prielipp sent to AAA St. Paul on rehab LHP Ross Dunn sent to A Fort Myers on minor league rehab Saints Sentinel St. Paul 5, Louisville 1 Box Score Connor Prielipp: 3 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K HR: Kala’i Rosario (1), Aaron Sabato (17) Multi-hit games: Walker Jenkins (2-for-4, 2B, R, RBI), Aaron Sabato (2-for-4, HR, 2B, R, 2 RBI), Gabriel Gonzalez (2-for-4, 2B), Kala’i Rosario (2-for-3, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI) The Saints cruised to victory on Sunday. “Was I supposed to be rusty?” -Connor Prielipp, probably. The rehabbing lefty was utterly phenomenal, corkscrewing Louisville hitters into the dirt with his dastardly, cunning breaking stuff. The poor AAA batters quickly realized why the Wisconsin’s time at the level was previously curt. He ended the day with three strikeouts spread across a trio of scoreless frames. St. Paul opted for an efficient day of plating runs, selecting the third frame as the vessel for the majority of their scoring; four runners would safely touch home plate in the inning. The first, Cody Morissette, trotted, as did Kala’i Rosario after him, as the latter singed his inaugural AAA homer out to left center. Observing the power of… power, Aaron Sabato followed suit, selecting Walker Jenkins as his trailing, sauntering mate. Have you ever seen anything as beautiful as Walker Jenkins slapping a double the other way? Not since Joe Mauer have the Twins had a lefty with the ability to make the simple pleasure look like art from a master craftsman. The seventh inning knock capped St. Paul’s scoring for the day. John Klein, Eduardo Salazar, and Trent Baker each put forth two scoreless innings of relief to carry Prielipp’s excellent effort to the finish line (though Baker was struck for a solo homer to soil the shutout). The Bats employ an outfielder by the name of Héctor Rodríguez. The bastard. He’s terrorized the Saints all season—though his .902 OPS indicates that no one is safe from his wrath. The fourth-ranked player in the Reds’ system homered once in four at-bats on Sunday. Wind Surge Wisdom Wichita 12, Arkansas 7 Box Score Preston Johnson: 3 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 6 K HR: Jay Thomason (2) Multi-hit games: Khadim Diaw (2-for-5, 2 R, BB), Andrew Cossetti (2-for-5, R, 3 RBI), Brandon Winokur (2-for-5, R), Garrett Spain (2-for-4, 2 R, RBI, BB), Kyle DeBarge (2-for-4, R, 2 RBI, BB), Jaime Ferrer (2-for-4, 2B, R, RBI, BB) The Wind Surge came out on top in an arms race on Sunday. Wichita had more hits than Motown. Ok, that’s not true, but the offensive display was impressive: every batter earned a knock, and seven hitters reached base multiple times. Only four extra-base hits betrays that Wichita also stole six bases without being caught once. It was a pestering unseen outside the dreams of small-ball tacticians of years past. And most of the action was in the bookends. No Mrs. Robinson, instead it was Cossetti, Amick, Spain, and Ferrer who delivered the goods in the first, though, admittedly, Paul Simon chose a more lithe surname than any of the four Wind Surge fellas. Woah, woah, woah. Two more scored in the second off a Cossetti knock, and four dormant innings begat a lone seventh-inning score made suddenly crucial as it was just a 7-6 lead before the knock (Kyle DeBarge provided the hit). Entering the ninth up 8-7, the Wind Surge reached deep down and procured one final, concluding rally. With a man on first, squeezed an awkward fly ball beyond a slightly too lethargic center fielder, whose dive for the ball portended a miss, a ball nestled in the outfield, and a mad dash around the bases. The runner scored. DeBarge claimed third. Ferrer walked and stole second, an action soon rendered unnecessary as Jay Thomason walked to the plate and sliced a three-run homer to left field. Kyle Bischoff set down the Travelers in order to end the game. The Travelers are an affiliate of the Mariners. While Wichita missed the deadly, excellent 1-2 punch of overall top-10 arms Kade Anderson and Ryan Sloan, they encountered the team’s 12-ranked prospect, pitcher Teddy McGraw. Not a country singer, nor a long-lost Tug descendent, he allowed four runs in one inning of work. Kernels Nuggets Cedar Rapids 11, Beloit 15 Box Score Michael Ross: 2 ⅓ IP, 6 H, 7 ER, 2 BB, 1 K HR: Graham Brown (5), Andy Lugo (3) Multi-hit games: Yasser Mercedes (3-for-6, 2B, R, 3 RBI), Miguel Briceno (4-for-4, 4 R, BB), Andy Lugo (2-for-4, HR, 3 R, 4 RBI, BB) A hitting melee broke out on Sunday. Nolan Santos pitched a scoreless ninth inning for the Kernels. Every other pitcher line requires parental consent to disseminate. Cedar Rapids’ 14 hits broke down as follows: three doubles, two homers, and nine singles. A bit tepid for an 11-run day? So thought this author. Going 7-for-15 with runners in scoring position helps, as does cracking a Grand Slam in the bottom of the ninth. Sky Carp hurlers are still looking for ways to get Miguel Briceno out; they never did it on Sunday. The left fielder collected four singles and walked once, digging a well-worn trench between the right-handed hitter’s batter's box and first base that he could adventure between blindfolded. Graham Brown authored Cedar Rapids’ other homer. In an unusual performance, every time Yasser Mercedes earned a hit on Sunday, it scored a run. He drove a single to center in the second, snuck a grounder into left in the fourth, then served a double down the left field corner in the sixth. No big, opulent blasts for the 21-year-old; he preferred to scrap for his RBIS. Every starter in the lineup outside of Jose Salas accrued at least one hit. The Sky Carp are a member of the Marlins organization. Fittingly—in tying with the bird team theme—they are spearheaded by the team’s sixth-ranked prospect, Starlyn Caba, who becomes a flying and normal type Pokemon if his “n” is dropped. He totaled two hits and walked once in six plate appearances. Mussel Matters Fort Myers 3, Lakeland 4 Box Score Ross Dunn: 1 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 K HR: Ramiro Dominguez (9), Jake Rucker (1) Multi-hit games: Jake Rucker (2-for-3, HR, R, RBI, 2 BB), Harry Genth (2-for-4) The Mighty Mussels came up short on Sunday. Minor league rehabbers flocked to the game and gathered united in their attempts to heal their ailments and re-sharpen their baseball acumen. Some found better fortune than others. Jake Rucker was an offensive firehose: the infielder smacked a pair of hits—including a homer—and walked twice. He now carries a 1.667 OPS in three games with the Mighty Mussels. The pitchers? Maybe skip talking to them after Sunday’s events. The starter, Ross Dunn, fired with scattershot results, walking a pair in a two-run first; just 16 of his 31 pitches went for strikes. Julian Merryweather had the opposite problem: he located the zone just fine but surrendered a two-run homer that counted as just one earned run, as an error preceded it. So, it goes. At least he struck out two and topped out at 98 MPH. Hidden in the hefty seven-man pile of pitchers sent to the mound on Sunday was the awesome outing by Merit Jones. What a gem. He went three scoreless while piling up six strikeouts, as his non-fastballs befuddled Lakeland hitters. Ramiro Dominguez obliterated a homer to start the game. Was his or Rucker’s more aesthetically brilliant? None can definitively say. The Flying Tigers are the winged affiliate of the land-based Detroit Tigers organization. Their fifth-ranked prospect, DH Thayron Liranzo singled and walked in three plate appearances. TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Merit Jones Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Miguel Briceno ft. Aaron Sabato PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed: #1 – Walker Jenkins (St. Paul) - 2-4, 2B, R, RBI #4 – Eduardo Tait (Cedar Rapids) - 1-5, 2B, RBI, 3 K #5 – Marek Houston (Wichita) - 1-5, 2 R, BB, 3 K #10 – Gabriel Gonzalez (St. Paul) - 2-4, K #12 – Brandon Winokur (Wichita) - 2-5, R #13 – Khadim Diaw (Wichita) - 2-5, 2 R, BB #14 – Quentin Young (Fort Myers) - 0-3, BB, 3 K #18 – Yasser Mercedes (Cedar Rapids) - 3-6, 2B, R, 3 RBI, K #19 – Billy Amick (Wichita) - 1-5, 2B, R, 2 RBI #20 – Kyle DeBarge (Wichita) - 2-4, 3B, R, 2 RBI, BB MONDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS FCL Twins @ FCL Pirates (11:00 AM) - TBD DSL Marlins @ DSL Twins (10:00 AM) - TBD View full article

That's far too kind a compliment to be placed among those masters but I appreciate being appreciated.

It looks like he's getting a bunch of credit for the error in third inning. In WPA's view, he moved the runner to third and placed himself at first, turning a situation where a run was possible, but unlikely, into one where a run was extremely likely to score. Should he actually get credit for that? I don't think so. But that's the logic.

Image courtesy of David Banks-Imagn Images Box Score Starting Pitcher: Bailey Ober – 5 ⅓ IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 7 K Home Runs: Ryan Jeffers (8) Top 3 WPA: Ryan Jeffers (.130), Bailey Ober (.090), Tristan Gray (.090) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs): Baseball has returned from its break. Even a sport needs a sojourn. The time off offered a reset—the kind of mental and physical break needed as players and coaches and executives gather their senses midway through the seasonal slog. In their foray into action rebooted, the Twins gathered at Wrigley Field to play against the Cubs. Bailey Ober took the mound, his first start in the hallowed grounds. With a shuttered sigh, he walked Pete Crow-Armstrong to start the game. Was anyone surprised when he immediately stole second? Then a second walk. Then an RBI single. Perhaps Ober should have considered himself lucky to escape the frame with just the lone run against him; he coaxed a strikeout from Alex Bregman and a double play off the bat of Ian Happ. The Twins responded with silence. If you choose not to decide, then you still have made a choice, of course. Colin Rea had them under his thumb. Alan Roden challenged a strike three obvious to the blind and dead. But it was a ruse; Minnesota had a plan after all. Luke Keaschall reached on an infield single in the third, and he made third while keeping Tristan Gray safe on a soft chopper with subtle acumen. The grounder found the second baseman, and the second baseman should have found the shortstop on a force play, but Keaschall blocked the line of sight—and slightly deflected the ball with an unruly, flailing arm—and caused the ball to smack Dansby Swanson square in the jaw, bloodying his square jaw. He would be fine. The Cubs lead would not be. Trevor Larnach slashed a single to left to score one. Then Ryan Jeffers swatted a sweeper that caught too much of the plate, sending the offering 369 feet out to left field for a short, yet potent three-run homer. The teams traded zeroes for two frames, with little resistance from either offense. Attempts were stifled. Balls in play found unforgiving gloves. It was a usual seesaw baseball streak; with scoreless innings and defeated hitters trudging back to the dugout after unsuccessful attempts to add on. The score changed but the deficit righted itself, as the Cubs plated a run on a wild pitch in sixth, and the Twins pushed across a run of their own thanks to a Ryan Kreidler pinch-hit single in the seventh. By now, the entering of the bullpens hadn’t changed either side’s fortune; matters were as they stood when the starters roamed the field. Andrew Morris gave way to Yoendrys Gómez and the lead remained true: Minnesota held still as the victors, besting the Cubs with only tepid resistance from the home team lineup. The Twins bullpen held them scoreless, a statement seemingly impossible in games past. Perhaps something has finally changed. Perhaps this iteration of the Twins have finally found themselves. We shall soon see. Post-Game Interview: Notes: Luke Keaschall is slashing .318/.436/.466 in his last 30 games. Bailey Ober has a 2.61 ERA in two starts since returning from the IL. Andrew Morris' scoreless streak extended to 18 innings. His ERA has dropped from 5.28 to 3.26. Ryan Jeffers' season wRC+ of 164 is the highest of his career and would be the highest mark for a qualified Twins catcher since 2009 Joe Mauer (170). What’s Next? The Twins and Cubs trek back to Wrigley Field on Saturday, with Taj Bradley set to start against Matt Boyd. First pitch arrives at 1:20 PM. Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet MON TUE WED THUR FRI TOT Nance 0 0 0 0 25 25 Gómez 0 0 0 0 22 22 Morris 0 0 0 0 14 14 Rogers 0 0 0 0 2 2 Rojas 0 0 0 0 0 0 Go 0 0 0 0 0 0 Adams 0 0 0 0 0 0 Funderburk 0 0 0 0 0 0 View full article

And I didn't think he deserved the promotion! Happy to be wrong

Correct. I misinterpreted his FanGraphs page, though the end result sentiment is the same.

Image courtesy of Ed Bailey (photo of Marek Houston) TRANSACTIONS No moves were made on Wednesday. State of the System With just one DSL game on the agenda today, it felt wrong to leave a dearth of unused report space here, unwritten and blank, with the lone match as the only discussion point. What fun is that? So, I thought I would shoot from the hip a bit about the state of the farm system, how the minor league season has gone, and how the draft class looks to affect matters. First, this year has been a little disappointing amongst the best in the system. Not bad, just a little disappointing. Perhaps no individual outcome so far has been worse than Emmanuel Rodriguez, who continues to be plagued by injuries, and is suddenly staring down the barrel of having three option seasons burned before he can even reach the majors (though he'll likely be granted a fourth-year option). That’s tough. Not just for Rodriguez’s development, but for the Twins, who could run into roster logistical issues trying to integrate him into the major league roster (assuming he stays healthy enough to even be able to play). So, thank the Lord for Marek Houston. What a season so far. He’s hit the ground running, and hitting, and fielding. He played his way to AA less than a month ago and has played essentially the same in a small sample; he remains a contact-oriented slick-fielding machine more akin to a shortstop in the aughts and throughout the 2000s before the position grew as powerful as any on the diamond (not that the 6’3” Houston doesn’t look the modern part). Between him and Kaelen Culpepper, it seems likely the Twins have a shortstop of the future currently residing in their farm system. The pitching is… in a strange place. It’s hard to say the group is weak considering Connor Prielipp and Andrew Morris graduated into major league contributors, which places them in an awkward “non-prospect youngster” tier. Still, matters aren’t ideal. Dasan Hill has struggled mightily. Charlee Soto is technically back but only has 2 2/3 innings under his belt. Riley Quick has struggled to throw strikes. Kendry Rojas has struggled to throw strikes. Adrian Bohorquez has struggled to throw strikes. Marco Raya and C.J. Culpepper are relievers. There’s no one yet like a Zebby Matthews or David Festa from years before who breaks out as a late-round college pitcher the team develops into a major league arm. Finally, I’m beyond excited for Vahn Lackey. What a dynamo. The Twins found themselves in a situation like 2023, with an opportunity to take one of the few blue-chip guys in the draft, and Lackey was their reward. He’ll add a solid injection into what is already a thoroughly talented system, and—like with Houston and Culpepper—Minnesota now likely has a long-term fixture at catcher in their organization, whether it be Lackey or Eduardo Tait. Dominican Daily DSL Twins 7, DSL Rangers Red 8 Box Score Yolcar Garcia: 3 2/3 IP, 4 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 2 K HR: None Multi-hit games: Juan Holmann (2-for-4, 2 RBI, BB), Anibal Beltre (2-for-5, 2B, R) The DSL Twins lost on a walk-off on Wednesday. This was a DSL game through and through, with hits and walks aplenty, and unearned runs costing the Twins badly. Anibal Beltre led the charge offensively: the 17-year-old stroked a double, and singled. The lineup as a whole flourished, with every batter sans Emmanuel Merlo reaching base safely, and only the aforementioned Merlo and Jeferson Abreu failed to get a hit. Alam Soriano was perhaps the best pitcher of the day, though Arthur De La Cruz flashed quality until the ninth collapsed on him. Soriano covered 3 1/3 innings, allowing a run when Carlos Done tripled for the second time of the day and scored on a sacrifice fly. De La Cruz breezed through the eighth before an error greeted him in the ninth. Faced with trouble, De La Cruz surrendered a single, struck out two, walked two, then watched helplessly as Wisarly Rosario gave up the game-winning knock. TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Alam Soriano Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Anibal Beltre PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed: THURSDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS FCL Pirates @ FCL Twins (11:00 AM) - TBD View full article

Image courtesy of Ed Bailey (photo of Marek Houston) TRANSACTIONS RHP Jack Anderson claimed and optioned to AAA St. Paul Saints Sentinel St. Paul 5, Iowa 4 Box Score Aaron Rozek: 4 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 0 K HR: Kyler Fedko (16), Ben Ross (8) Multi-hit games: Kyler Fedko (2-for-5, HR, R, RBI), Aaron Sabato (3-for-5, R), Ben Ross (2-for-3, HR, 2 R, RBI, BB) The Saints eked out a win on Sunday. The Cubs struck first, with James Triantos jumping on an Aaron Rozek fastball in the second, launching the pitch above the elevated wall in left field. St. Paul was in a responding mood, however, as the Cubs could only celebrate having the lead for five batters before they suddenly were at a disadvantage. How? A Matt Wallner hit by pitch—shocker—an Aaron Sabato single, and an Orlando Arcia double smoked down the left field line. One inning later, Ian Daugherty extended the lead with his first AAA hit. Moisés Ballesteros struck back with a solo homer—these Cubs seem to favor the long ball—which perhaps gave Kyler Fedko a wild idea. Why doesn’t he homer, too? Brilliant. Seeing some logic in this thinking, Ben Ross, too, homered, giving St. Paul their fifth and final run of the day. Iowa struck for two in the ninth, but Trent Baker steeled himself, remained resolute, and whiffed Christian Betancourt on three pitches to end the game. The aforementioned Triantos ranks as the seventh-best prospect in the Cubs system, and he added a double in a 2-4 day. Wind Surge Wisdom Wichita 8, NW Arkansas 5 Box Score Chris Vallimont: 3 ⅔ IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 3 K HR: Jaime Ferrer (3), Marek Houston (2) Multi-hit games: Marek Houston (3-for-4, HR, 2B, 3 R, 2 RBI, BB), Jaime Ferrer (2-for-4, HR, 2 R, RBI) The Wind Surge rode an explosive offense to victory on Sunday. Someone let Marek Houston know that Twins Daily writers are running out of superlatives to shower him with. His supernova season remains shining and dominant: on Sunday, he collected three hits—two for extra bases—and took a walk, his first time reaching base four times in a game at AA. Watch him uncork one over the berm and into the scattered fans in left field: Art. Further down the lineup, Jaime Ferrer also had a potent day at the ballpark. He actually preceded Houston’s bomb with a tank out to right-center—a blast self-evidently impressive yet accentuated even further by the fact that he scored a direct hit onto the bouncy house beyond the outfield wall. Ruddy Gomez dominated the game’s final two frames, striking out three without allowing a run. His season ERA sits at 2.30. Billy Amick’s 61 RBIs are good for sixth-most in the Texas League. The outfielder Carson Roccaforte is the 16th-ranked player in the Royals system. He tripled once in five trips to the plate. Kernels Nuggets Cedar Rapids 2, Iowa 5 Box Score Dasan Hill: 2 2/3 IP, 0 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K HR: Jose Salas (3) Multi-hit games: None The Kernels struggled to get their bats going on Wednesday. Four hits. Two walks. Hey, at least half of their knocks went for extra-bases! They plated two, at least, as Jose Salas blasted a solo homer and Henry Kusiak drove in the aforementioned Salas with a double socked into the left-center gap. Pitching wise, Dasan Hill put forth one of the strangest pitching lines you’ll ever see. No hits? Two earned runs? Spread across two innings? The first score came on a walk, balk advancement, stolen base, and RBI grounder sequence, while the second arrived on a walk, two steals, and run-scoring wild pitch progression. Both unusual events. Occurring in back-to-back frames. It’s been that kind of season for the young lefty. Yasser Mercedes stole his 36th base of the season, the 21st most of all qualified batters across all of MiLB, which totals 1,321 players. Kane Kepley, the fifth-ranked prospect in the Cubs system, tripled once in three at-bats on Sunday. His alliterative name remains exceedingly pleasant to write. Mussel Matters Fort Myers 2, Bradenton 5 Box Score Merit Jones: 5 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K HR: Luis Fragoza (10) Multi-hit games: Luis Fragoza (2-for-4, HR, 2B, 2 R, RBI) The Mighty Mussels found little offense and lost on Sunday. Though most of the bats oscillated between cold and tepid, Luis Fragoza continued to be a right-handed firecracker. The 19-year-old blasted one way out to left-center, not quite hammered enough to cause the outfielders to remain stationary yet crushed enough that they realized how feeble their efforts were before they could even touch the warning track. He also doubled in the ninth. Fragoza might be the breakout Twins hitter of the low minors. He’s slashing a robust .343/.392/.650 in 137 at-bats for the Mighty Mussels this season, again, as a 19-year-old in his first taste of pro ball above the rookie levels. On the mound, Merit Jones enjoyed arguably his best start of the season, going five shutout innings with four strikeouts to lower his season ERA below “4”. He threw 58 pitches and earned eight swings-and-misses. The Marauders are, naturally, an affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates, though this author must note a "marauder" sounds far more intimidating than a pirate, even if the words are synonymous. Anyways, their best prospect was the 21st team-ranked Edgleen Perez, who went 1-4 from the catcher position. TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Merit Jones Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Marek Houston PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed: #1 – Walker Jenkins (St. Paul) - DNP (went 0-2 with two walks in the Futures Game) #4 – Eduardo Tait (Cedar Rapids) - 0-4, 2 K #5 – Marek Houston (Wichita) - 3-4, HR, 2B, 3 R, 2 RBI, BB #8 – Hendry Mendez (St. Paul) - 0-4, 2 K #12 – Brandon Winokur (Wichita) - 0-2, 2 BB #13 – Khadim Diaw (Wichita) - 1-4, BB #14 – Quentin Young (Fort Myers) - 1-4, K #18 – Yasser Mercedes (Cedar Rapids) - 0-4 #19 – Billy Amick (Wichita) - 1-2, R, RBI, K MONDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS FCL Twins @ FCL Braves (11:00 AM) - TBD DSL Twins @ DSL Rangers Red (10:00 AM) - TBD View full article