Matt Braun

Image courtesy of David Malamut (photos of Hendry Mendez and Ryan Gallagher) It’s been a few days since Minnesota’s whirlwind trade deadline. How is everyone doing? Frankly, the phrenetic pace at which everything occurred made it difficult for me to fully understand the nature of what just happened. Things certainly changed; but just how much? And how do we make sense of it beyond the obvious financial incentives? Today, we’ll observe the moves through the lens of the major league roster. I’ll be honest: this will be a granular article, though I’ll add analysis where I see fit. At hand is a discussion on options, 40-man roster considerations, arbitration, prospect timelines, and all that joyous nerd stuff that you, the advanced baseball fan, care so much about. Let’s start with the players who arrived as big leaguers. Already on the 40-man: James Outman joins the team with a year of service time already under his belt; he’ll potentially be arb-eligible post-2026, and is in his final option year. That final point is a critical one: acquiring Outman was a head-scratcher—the last thing the team needed was a left-handed outfielder—and the Twins don’t have much time to potentially fix him. He can’t go back to the minors in 2026 without being DFA’d, thus exposing him to waivers. If he doesn’t turn it around in St. Paul soon, his time in Minnesota will be curt. Taj Bradley becomes a Twin with a year of service time as well, making him potentially arb-eligible post-2026. He has an option year remaining. Minnesota has, well, options with him: the rest of 2025 could be spent entirely on adjustments and finding familiarity in the organization with no concern for roster shenanigans. The best news? If everything goes well, and Bradley hits his stride in 2026, the Twins will have three more years with the righty, as he enters arbitration prior to the 2027 season. Mick Abel still has not exhausted rookie eligibility, meaning the team has basically forever (six years) to mold the 23-year-old to their vision. He has two more option years after this season. I believe Alan Roden has passed the rookie threshold through time spent on the active roster, though he’s short on at-bats. It’s a moot point given that the Twins sent him straight to the big-league club, anyways, and look to give him consistent playing time. Because that clock has started, he won’t potentially be arbitration eligible until after the 2027 season, and he has two option years left after 2025. The team has the time and resources to be patient with the 25-year-old outfielder. Players eligible for the Rule-5 draft in 2025: Now we’ll begin to cover the players who will need to be added to the 40-man roster to avoid possible selection in the Rule-5 draft this year. Here’s a quick primer on the subject for those unaware of details about the draft. The three players eligible following this season are Hendry Mendez, Matt Mikulski, and Kendry Rojas. With all due respect to the athletic abilities of Mikulski, his inclusion in the Carlos Correa deal was pure eyewash; he’s 26 and hasn’t made it out of A+ ball since being drafted in 2021. I doubt he remains in the organization following this season. Mendez is an interesting case. He’s displayed legitimate hitting ability throughout his time in the minors yet hasn’t been healthy enough to push himself into a higher echelon of prospect conversation. Again, the Twins have enough major-league outfielders to go around—and there’s three (four if you count Luke Keaschall; maybe a fifth depending on how much you like Kala’i Rosario) outfield prospects at AA and higher who will demand priority over the 21-year-old. I don’t think the organization will add him to the 40-man roster, but it’s also unclear at the moment whether another team will pick him. He’s a tweener. Consider this a José Miranda situation. Finally, Rojas will certainly be added to the 40-man roster. No more analysis is needed. 2026 Sam Armstrong was the lesser-heralded pitching prospect arriving in the Willi Castro deal. His numbers are simply fine, but he deserves a spot in the AA rotation, and the Twins won’t have to decide whether to protect him until next year. By then, the answer should be apparent. 2027 We have a quartet of players for this year: Enrique Jimenez, Eduardo Tait, Ryan Gallagher, and Garrett Horn. We can bunch them as “international youngsters” and “college arms.” Let’s start with the pitchers. As 22-year-olds, their worthiness to be added to the 40-man roster should be self-evident by 2027. In fact, one would expect their major-league impact to arrive a year earlier, if either is, indeed, a legitimate prospect. Gallagher has the leg up in performance and level (he’s at AA), though Horn isn’t far behind, as he was sent to A+ ball, which would be his first taste of play at the level. I’m not going to insult your intelligence by predicting whether actual teenagers will still be notable catching prospects in two years. The only conclusion here is that the Twins can place the pair in the slow cooker for some time before they need to worry about pushing their development to the big leagues. 2029 Yes, this baby goes all the way out to 2029, which will happen when you trade for someone born the year Obama was first elected president. Geremy Villoria is so far away from 40-man consideration that this paragraph’s sole purpose is to be a reminder to set an alarm four years in the future. Broadly speaking, it seems that the Twins either focused on immediate talent or guys who won’t affect the roster until years down the road. Most executives will say they look for a blend of talent age, and Minnesota was no different here. The optimistic view is that the initial wave—Bradley, Abel, and Roden—will stabilize the club, while players like Tait and Gallagher serve as reinforcements. Hovering above all of this is the seemingly imminent arrival of Walker Jenkins, Kaelen Culpepper, and Emmanuel Rodriguez, if he could ever stay healthy. At the very least, they appeared to have avoided an overwhelming wave of needed 40-man additions in any one year and instead should shuffle in talent through the seasons. Keep an eye out for 2027, especially. Though 40-man implications aren't the sole driver of determining when a player becomes a big leaguer, it's a good predictor of one's timeline. Teams generally make prospects potential players when they have to, unless someone suddenly Juan Sotos their way through the minors. Consider these years to be approximations of when these players should become Twins. View full article

Image courtesy of © Ken Blaze-Imagn Images Box Score Joe Ryan: 6 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 4 K Home Runs: None Bottom 3 WPA: Alan Roden (-.252), Kody Funderburk (-.193), Mickey Gasper (-.189) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) Still reeling from the Great Restructure of 2025, the Twins had to play ball. Though emotions still ran high from the day prior, these games nonetheless must be played—even if the team most closely resembles a zombie, or perhaps an organism controlled by a parasite long after it died. So, bring on your huddled masses—your Austin Martins, Edouard Juliens, and Erasmo Ramírezs—because these games matter to them. And someone has to play them. Friday’s opponent was the Cleveland Guardians. Hey, at least the inevitable heartbreak will feel numb this time. No need to re-explore the third track off Elton John’s Honky Château. Joe Ryan appeared disinterested initially. And a little lethargic. His stuff was fine, yet his typical calm demeanor read more aloof than usual; no play exemplified this more than when José Ramírez stole second off him in the game’s opening frame with a cartoonish jump so large he could have run safely to Dayton. Cleveland scored runs in the first and second off the righty. Fortunately, the malaise was short-lived, as Ryan settled into a scoreless groove for four frames, eventually allowing him to walk off the mound with a respectable two-run, six-inning start under his belt. He whiffed four. Ryan Jeffers, Matt Wallner, and their Merry Men of Hitters Still on the Team had their hands full with Guardians starter Gavin Williams. A practitioner of stuff, not command, the tall righty overpowered the Twins with his assortment of high-velocity fastballs and sweeping breakers. They were utterly baffled; Williams shut them out for six frames with two threats—a close attempt by Brooks Lee to score on a hit to the outfield in the third, and a base-loaded opportunity in the fourth—serving as the only real threats to his dominance. Yet, providence evidently deemed the Twins a useful vessel for her unusual methods. With Williams gone, Minnesota placed two men on base, coaxing Guardians manager Stephen Vogt to call on Hunter Gaddis out of the bullpen. Gaddis elicited a meager check-swing by Martin that dribbled the ball in front of the plate. The pitcher pounced. He saw a vision. There he is, Jeter-ing the ball to first in miraculous fashion. The ESPN Top 10 would certainly include his play. The Not Top 10, it turns out. Gaddis hurled the ball beyond Carlos Santana, who awkwardly tipped it into no-man’s land, allowing the eventual game-tying run to score. The game sat at two a piece for a time. Neither side looked vigorous in their scrap to score again. Twice, a Cleveland batter flew out to right field the warning track in the ninth. Matt Wallner was unenthused both times. The game lurched into extras with the Twins' offense still stuck in neutral. They couldn't score their Manfred runner. The Guardians did. This time, Kyle Manzardo was the hero. With a great lacking in clutchness, the Twins reminded us that, though the players may change, the jerseys still restrain them from being able to win a close game against the Cleveland Guardians Notes: Joe Ryan's four strikeouts give him an Ozzy-inspired 666 in his career, good for 16th in team history. He's 49 behind Eric Milton. Austin Martin set an MLB career-high with three hits in a game. José Ramírez became the 17th player in MLB history with 275+ homers and 275+ steals in his career. Post-Game Interview: What’s Next? The Twins and Guardians play again on Saturday, with the highly-anticipated TBD (likely Bailey Ober) is set to pitch against Tanner Bibee with first pitch arriving at 3:10 PM. Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet View full article

Image courtesy of David Malamut (photo of Kyle DeBarge) TRANSACTIONS LHP Jaylen Nowlin transferred to AAA St. Paul RHP John Stankiewicz transferred to AAA St. Paul RHP Connor Gillispie outrighted to AAA St. Paul RHP Pierson Ohl optioned to AAA St. Paul RHP Noah Davis recalled by Twins RHP Logan Whitaker transferred to AA Wichita Saints Sentinel St. Paul 3, Toledo 4 (8 Innings) Box Score Darren McCaughan: 5 ⅔ IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 5 K HR: None Multi-hit games: None The Saints lost in a rain-called game. Frankly, the rain didn’t mask any particularly intriguing performance. Carson McCusker doubled in a run. José Miranda knocked in two in the sixth. Payton Eeles reached base three times. Darren McCaughan threw 97 pitches. This concludes the notable events and outcomes from the game. Eeles is slashing .333/.415/.444 in 22 games in July. Old friend Akil Baddoo went 0-4 for the Mud Hens. Luke Keaschall is slashing .205/.304/.205 in his rehab assignment. Third baseman Hao-Yu Lee is the seventh-best prospect in the Tigers' system. He singled once in four trips to the plate. Wind Surge Wisdom The Wind Surge were rained out on Wednesday. They will play two on Thursday. Kernels Nuggets Cedar Rapids 7, Lansing 3 Box Score Chase Chaney: 4 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 K HR: Brandon Winokur (14) Multi-hit games: Kyle DeBarge (2-for-4, 2B, 2 R, BB), Billy Amick (2-for-4, R, BB), Andy Lugo (2-for-3, R) The Kernels cruised to a win on Wednesday. It always helps to start the game with a four-spot. A trio of singles, and Kyle DeBarge’s 53rd stolen base of the season, plated a run and left two more men waiting on the basepaths. They didn’t stay there long. Brandon Winokur worked the count to 2-0 before smoking a three-run shot over the left field bleachers. That’s back-to-back games with a homer for the 20-year-old. And he tied a career-best with 14 long balls on the year. A Maddux Houghton knock in the fifth plated another run; a second man touched home off a wild pitch. A Jay Thomason sacrifice fly in the eighth capped the scoring for the night. Cedar Rapids walked a preposterous 10 times against just four strikeouts. Extreme patience or a result of unseasoned A+ ball pitchers? Sometimes these things happen in the lower levels of the minors. Kyle DeBarge stole his 53rd and 54th base of the season. The Twins franchise single-season record is 62, set by Chuck Knoblauch in 1997. The organization's minor league record dating back to 2006—the extent that Fangraphs’ data reaches—is 56 by Zack Granite in 2016. In his Kernels debut, Ruddy Gomez pitched a pair of scoreless innings with four strikeouts. No player ranked in the Athletics’ top-30 played on Wednesday. Mussel Matters Fort Myers 3, Bradenton 4 Box Score Adrian Bohorquez: 4 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 8 K HR: Yasser Mercedes (8) Multi-hit games: None The Mighty Mussels were nearly no-hit on Wednesday. For seven full innings, Fort Myers didn’t have a hit. They had two runs—give thanks to a boatload of free passes and a sacrifice fly—but a baseball falling safely onto the Earth eluded them. As you may presume, this wasn’t dominance; the Mighty Mussels took six walks and were hit by two pitches by the time Yasser Mercedes strode to the plate in the eighth. Then, the 20-year-old put the whole thing to bed, launching a solo shot deep into the Florida night to ensure history would not be made in this game. Though he walked off the mound with two runs on his ledger Adrian Bohorquez continued to flash the strikeout stuff that put him on the prospect map last year. The righty whiffed eight in his start, the second time he had done so in 2025, and walked just one, a critical development given his early-season issues with free passes. He ends July with a 0.90 ERA in the month, along with 20 strikeouts in 20 innings and just five walks. A final ninth-inning rally fell short as Jefferson Valladares smashed a grounder directly towards second baseman Wyatt Sanford with one out and the bases loaded, leading the infielder to snag the ball, step on second, and end the game with an easy throw to first. Like the Kernels, the Mighty Mussels walked more than they struck out on Wednesday, doing so at a seven-to-five clip. Eduardo Beltre went 0-3 with a walk and two strikeouts in his Fort Myers debut. Pittsburgh’s sixth-ranked prospect, Edward Florinto, played center field, going 0-3, with a strikeout. TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Adrian Bohorquez Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Brandon Winokur PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed: #2 – Luke Keaschall (St. Paul) - 0-3, R, BB #11 – Brandon Winokur (Cedar Rapids) - 1-4, HR, R, 3 RBI, BB #14 – Kyle DeBarge (Cedar Rapids) - 2-4, 2B, 2 R, BB #16 – Billy Amick (Cedar Rapids) - 2-4, R, BB #19 – Eduardo Beltre (Fort Myers) - 0-3, BB, 2 K THURSDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS St. Paul @ Toledo (6:05 PM) - RHP Marco Raya Wichita @ Amarillo (7:05 PM) - RHP John Klein Wichita @ Amarillo (Game Two) - TBD Cedar Rapids @ Lansing (6:05 PM) - RHP Ty Langenberg Fort Myers @ Bradenton (5:30 PM) - RHP Jason Doktorczyk DSL Twins @ DSL Phillies Whites (10:00 AM) - TBD View full article

Image courtesy of David Berding-Imagn Images A Bill Smith draftee in 2009’s first round, Kyle Gibson was a 6’6” righty out of the University of Missouri was in the final class of players selected with the Metrodome in mind. He rocketed through three levels of the minors in 2010, and surely would have graced the dismal, pitching-starved 2011 squad if his right elbow didn’t pop, requiring Tommy John surgery. Still, he returned to the mound near the end of 2012 and debuted for the Twins in 2013. Somehow, there are still four active players left from the 2013 team Gibson graced, and all of them are pitchers: Ryan Pressly, Liam Hendriks, Caleb Thielbar, and Michael Tonkin. Two of them are Cubs at present. Go figure. Struggles in Gibson’s rookie year augured a solid 2014 and an above-average 2015, in which he tossed 194 ⅓ innings with a 3.84 ERA, displaying early a skillset that would net him jobs in MLB even in the late stages of his career. There were always pitchers with better stuff—a more visceral pitch mix, perhaps blow-you-away velocity—but few hurlers in his time could pitch as often as Gibson. Lord did he pitch. Using “innings eater” as a term to damn with faint praise is dying in the modern age as pitching injuries rack up like a WW1 trench battle body count, yet—no matter the hat he wore—there stood Gibson: 60 feet, six inches away from the mound, ready to ride his sinker/slider mix to the ends of the earth. At the time of his announcement, the righty was seventh amongst active pitchers in innings pitched with 1,878. Though he was less effective in 2016 and 2017, Gibson, at 30, turned in his best year as a Twin in 2018. He racked up a career-high 196 ⅔ innings, struck out a career-high 179 batters, and pitched to a career-low 3.62 ERA. At least part of his success could be tied to a refined approach with his slider, which went from an ordinary offering to a deadly weapon. Gibson battled through health issues in 2019, which caused him to shed weight, and pushed the Twins—dying for starting pitching at season’s end—to try him in the bullpen leading into the playoffs. Indeed, he pitched the first of four career postseason outings in relief during a 10-4 Game One loss to the Yankees. That was the end of his time in Minnesota. Gibson latched on with the Rangers with a three-year pact prior to the 2020 season. Though that year was a wash (wasn’t it for everyone?) Gibson found a gear similar to 2018 during his 2021 campaign, which made the righty an All-Star for the first time. Thrilled with the excellent play, the Rangers were nonetheless out of contention and a few months away from handing out $500 million to the double-play tandem that would lead them to a World Series. So, at the trade deadline, they sent the veteran to Philadelphia, where he would provide critical depth for a team that eventually made it to the Fall Classic. All things that are Gibson must return to equilibrium, though, and the move to the Phillies marked the beginning of his work as a traveling arm. He moved on to explore the bays of Baltimore in 2023. Then he teamed up with other former Twins pitchers Sonny Gray and Lance Lynn to play in the shadows of the Gateway Arch in 2024. Returning for an Orioles respite in 2025, Gibson made just four starts before flocking to Tampa Bay’s AAA team. Without a clear path to the major-league starting rotation, the 37-year-old found the extra time around his family more appealing than looking elsewhere for work. The totality of Gibson’s baseball career—like most who seek shelter in the game—will likely be lost to the sands of time. Few will find amazement from the one-time All-Star who only led a league in something twice: in starts in the AL with 33 in 2023, and in hits allowed with 198 the same year. But Gibson played a critical part as one amongst the rank-and-file who create the tapestry of baseball we observe and enjoy every day. His occasional brilliance as a talented youngster inspired hopeful Twins fans during the dredges of Target Field’s early years, while his work as a veteran presence and reliable arm placed him playoff teams for three straight years between 2021 and 2023. He has undoubtedly altered the game for the better, even if he had a habit of driving us mad during his starts. View full article

Image courtesy of Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images Box Score Chris Paddack: 5 IP, 8 H, 5 ER, 2 BB, 5 K Home Runs: Byron Buxton (22), Willi Castro (10) Bottom 3 WPA: Chris Paddack (-.236), Brooks Lee (-.151), Harrison Bader (-.097) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) The last time the Twins were in Colorado felt different. The 2023 squad chomped on Coors Field as their victory cigar, claiming two final wins in what was window dressing for an already postseason-bound team. They had the liberty of using a position player pitcher to conclude the final game—and the season. This squad, however, is barely clinging onto life. The 2025 Twins are squabbling in an AL wild card melee, constantly oscillating their playoff chances between “unlikely” and “possible.” Minnesota entered Friday on something of a hot streak, with three straight series wins (and also three straight missed sweep opportunities). How would they fare in the first game since the All-Star break? Early? Poorly. Very poorly. Exceedingly poorly. Through 5,116 games as a franchise, the Rockies had never started a game with four consecutive extra-base hits, yet that’s exactly what they did Friday, going double, double, triple, homer to clock Chris Paddack for four runs through as many batters. Welcome to the second half. The Rockies struck for a fifth run in the second before entering a slumber. Meanwhile, the Twins started lethargic and remained stalled for most of Kyle Freeland’s time on the mound. Byron Buxton cracked a solo homer in the fifth—that one was for the Home Run Derby pessimists—yet no other legitimate scoring threat came to fruition while the lefty stood on the mound. Well, there was one. Carlos Correa started the sixth with a walk, and Ty France followed with a single. Staring at a tremendous chance to score at least one run, Minnesota’s next three hitters pooped their pants as all three struck out swinging. Freeland entered the frame with zero strikeouts in the start. It’s incredible how funny this game can be. The botched rally portended a sixth run for Colorado the next half-inning; evidently the dredges of dower baseball proved to be a launching point, though, as Freeland’s exit for the game sparked a sign of life. Buxton outran an infield hit, and Ryan Jeffers served a single into right. As unbelievable as it may be given the ugliness of what came before, the Twins were a swing away from jumping back into things—and Willi Castro provided that swing, crushing a first-pitch sinker 439 feet out to dead center. That proved to be the end of excitement. The Twins never scored again. Their bats petered out against the back end of the Colorado bullpen, leading to an empty and disappointing start to the season's second half. Notes: Ryan Jeffers earned his first four-hit game since May 17th. Christian Vázquez caught in his 912th career game, the fourth-most amongst active catchers. Byron Buxton is slashing .556/.586/.1.074 in his last seven games. Post-Game Interview: What’s Next? The Twins and Rockies match up once more for a rare Saturday evening game as the highly anticipated TBD takes on Antonio Senzatela. First pitch is at 7:10 PM. Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet View full article

Image courtesy of Matt Blewett-Imagn Images Box Score Joe Ryan: 5 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K Home Runs: Trevor Larnach (13) Top 3 WPA: Trevor Larnach (.181), Jhoan Durán (.161), Joe Ryan (.145) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) It’s a little early in the season for spectacle, yet the demand for a show never ceases. The Twins entered their final series before the All-Star break with the hottest ticket in town: not only would they send their newly minted All-Star, Joe Ryan, to the mound; the Pirates were ready to counter with pitching supernova Paul Skenes. Plus, Nelly is in the house for a post-game concert. Where else would you want to be? Somehow, Ryan pitched five innings. Through pure guile he did it. The righty stretched the term “laborious” to the point where even the viewer felt strained. He needed more than 30 pitches to work through a somehow scoreless first before another cumbersome frame pushed his pitch count over 50 across just six outs. At that point, he didn’t need a mound visit; he needed an oil change. And maybe a shot of whiskey. Yet, he found a way to net outs, with an even more fastball-heavy approach than usual—and Ryan walked off the mound after the fifth inning with a lead and an ordinary pitching line. Yeah, a lead. Go figure. You don’t need this author to soliloquy until his prose turns purple about how good Paul Skenes is. Since his first overall selection two years ago, he’s smoothly transitioned into being one of the game’s most dominant pitchers… ever (for a pitcher his age.) Early on, it appeared the Twins would be the latest to succumb to his reign. They couldn’t hit anything. Skenes diced and dazzled with a perfect initial trip through the order, earning first pitch strikes to every batter. Someone in the TD group chat wondered if a no-hitter was in order. Grousing and grumbling took place in households across Minnesota. Byron Buxton lessened the qualms with a leadoff infield single in the fourth, quickly advancing to second on a groundout. Enjoying the team’s first chance with a runner in scoring position, Trevor Larnach worked the count full before seeing a curveball neatly placed in the middle part of the strike zone. One sweet lefty swing later, and the Twins had suddenly warted Skenes for two runs. The great running of the bullpens froze the score in place, as hurlers of various skills and walks of life danced their routine on the mound, holding hitters at bay with monotonous consistency. There was one important event, though. Tommy Pham sharply doubled off the right field overhang, sending defensive replacement DaShawn Keirsey Jr. scampering to the wall. He played the bounce well and gunned down the runner attempting to stretch the hit to a double. Unfortunately, Pham’s helmet drove into Carlos Correa’s left leg, and the shortstop crumpled to the ground. He officially exited the game with a mild ankle sprain. The injury neutered what should have been a celebratory tone at Target Field, as the back-end fire-breathers in Minnesota's bullpen carried the game to its endgame with little dramatics. Even a runner on second in the ninth felt trivial, with Jhoan Durán displaying full command of his legendary stuff in a ninth that ended with two hitters striking out with ease. Time for the Nelly concert. I hope he starts with Country Grammar. Notes: Joe Ryan earned his 646th career strikeout, the 16th-most in Twins history. He's 69 away from tying Eric Milton. Griffin Jax locked down his 20th hold of the season, tying him for the 4th-most in MLB. Danny Coulombe appeared in his 323rd MLB game. Trevor Larnach's 48 home runs since 2021 are the 6th-most by a Twin. Post-Game Interview: What’s Next? The Twins and Pirates will grow closer to wrapping up the first half with a penultimate game on Saturday. Mike Burrows is scheduled to pitch opposite the feisty and mercurial TBD. First pitch is at 1:10 PM. Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet View full article

Image courtesy of Rob Thompson (photo of Carson McCusker) TRANSACTIONS C Jeferson Morales released (St. Paul) LHP Anthony Misiewicz selected by Twins Saints Sentinel St. Paul 5, Iowa 3 Box Score José Ureña: 2 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 5 K HR: Carson McCusker (17) Multi-hit games: Edouard Julien (3-for-4, 2B, R) St. Paul clawed back from a three-run deficit to win on Wednesday. Early pitching returns were fraught and poor; José Ureña was ambushed for two first-inning runs, while Erasmo Ramírez allowed his first score as a Saint. What could have easily spiraled into a disaster suddenly morphed into a fostered and successful pitching effort thanks to Cory Lewis and Cody Laweryson. The former hurler walked four, but whiffed seven. Effectively wild? The Cubs couldn’t scratch a hit off him across 76 pitches. It was his first scoreless outing since April 2nd. The latter pitcher delivered the final two frames with signature nonchalance. Entering the eighth down 3-2, the Saints had a chance to alter their luck. Jonah Bride walked. Edouard Julien singled. Standing at the plate with his eye on damage, Carson McCusker received a 93 MPH fastball down the middle. What a gift. What a splendid gift. The right-handed slugger swung and belted the offering 431 feet out to dead-center to vault St. Paul into the lead. Saints pitching struck out 16 batters on Wednesday. 43rd-overall ranked prospect Owen Caissie DH’d for the Cubs, walking twice in five plate appearances. Wind Surge Wisdom Wichita 4, San Antonio 6 Box Score Connor Prielipp: 3 ⅔ IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 K HR: Nate Baez (3) Multi-hit games: Kaelen Culpepper (2-for-3, 2B, R, BB), Nate Baez (2-for-4, HR, R, 2 RBI) I don’t have anything clever. The Wind Surge lost on Wednesday. Kaelen Culpepper is a baseball-hitting force the greatness of which is indescribable by our limited human lexicon. He’s batting .433 in July with more walks than strikeouts. Sure. He’s batting .349 since his promotion to Wichita. Sure. At this point, they should probably just skip formalities and send him to first base when he steps to the plate. Not too far behind him is Gabriel Gonzalez, who’s hitting a relatively measly .393 in July, but with a .553 OBP. That mark is at .423 for the season. That’s two legitimate contact superstars on the same team. The one who brought the thump on Wednesday, yet, was Nate Baez, who launched his sixth homer of the season in the fifth. Connor Prielipp has pitched 43 2/3 innings in 2025, 20 2/3 more than his previous season high. San Diego Padres’ 16th-ranked prospect Romeo Sanabria pinch-ran and later struck out. Kernels Nuggets Cedar Rapids 10, Peoria 5 Box Score Tanner Hall: 3 IP, 3 H, 5 ER, 2 BB, 0 K HR: Billy Amick (2) Multi-hit games: Billy Amick (2-for-4, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI, 2 BB), Danny De Andrade (3-for-6, 3B, R, 4 RBI), Poncho Ruiz (2-for-3, 2B, 2 R, 2 BB), Misael Urbina (2-for-5, 2B, 3 RBI), Caden Kendle (2-for-5, 2B, R), Justin Connell (2-for-4, 2B, 3 R, BB) The Kernels scored 10 unanswered runs to win on Wednesday. For the second time in three starts, Tanner Hall went three innings while allowing five runs. Repetition may be inevitable in human life, but the 2023 4th-rounder may need to look elsewhere to satisfy his pattern-seeking brain. Fortunately, Cedar Rapids’ bats were revved and ready to attack the ball with gusto. They woke up from a four-inning slumber to plate a four-piece in the fifth, with a three-run homer by Billy Amick serving as the frame’s big blast; Misael Urbina concluded events with a run-scoring single. Unsatisfied, they returned the next inning with an even stronger offensive; this time plating five in a fate-altering onslaught. Caden Kendle began action with a double, and a pair of walks loaded the bases for Danny De Andrade. An ordinary, unclever hitter would have selected something boring—perhaps a run-of-the-mill single—to complete the job. De Andrade doesn’t live like that. He clears the bases with triples. At least, he did so this time. Urbina, whose nickname should be “cleanup,” added a two-run double in the sixth, and one final RBI knock by De Andrade in the seventh capped the scoring for the night. The Chiefs were so stunned, they could do nothing to fight back: Jacob Kisting, Logan Whitaker, Jeremy Lee, and Paulshawn Pasqualotto held them scoreless until the game reached its inevitable ending. The Chiefs are an affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals. Their best prospect in the game—the 24th team-ranked and tremendously named Travis Honeyman—went 0-2, 2 BB. Mussel Matters Fort Myers 2, Clearwater 3 Box Score Michael Carpenter: 2 ⅔ IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 K HR: None Multi-hit games: Dameury Pena (2-for-4, 2B, R, RBI, BB) The Mighty Mussels lost late on Wednesday. Michael Carpenter was not the sharpest. Things were going right, then they took a left, as a scoreless first portended a laborious second, with a pair of runs scoring against the southpaw. That only tied the score, though; a Daniel Pena sacrifice fly and Dameury Pena RBI single gave Fort Myers two runs of their own. They would never score again. The next seven frames were fruitless, despite consistent threats. Despite Dylan Questad’s excellent 4 ⅓ inning effort in relief, he surrendered a run in the eighth, suffering a hard-luck loss. Fort Myers’ .635 team OPS is the worst in the Florida State League. MLB.com’s 63rd-ranked overall prospect, catcher Eduardo Tait, singled once in four at-bats. TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Cory Lewis Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Billy Amick PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed: #1 – Walker Jenkins (Wichita) - 0-3, R, K #3 – Emmanuel Rodriguez (St. Paul) - 0-3, R, RBI, BB, K #4 – Kaelen Culpepper (Wichita) - 2-3, 2B, R, BB #5 – Connor Prielipp (Wichita) - 3 ⅔ IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 K #9 – Brandon Winokur (Cedar Rapids) - 1-5, 3 K #10 – Kyle DeBarge (Cedar Rapids) - 1-6, R #12 – Billy Amick (Cedar Rapids) - 2-4, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI, 2 BB #13 – Gabriel Gonzalez (Wichita) - 1-3, 2B, R, RBI, BB, 2 K #17 – Cory Lewis (St. Paul) - 4 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 4 BB, 7 K #19 – Danny De Andrade (Cedar Rapids) - 3-6, 3B, R, 4 RBI #20 – Payton Eeles (St. Paul) - 0-3, BB, K THURSDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Iowa @ St. Paul (7:07 PM) - RHP Marco Raya San Antonio @ Wichita (7:05 PM) - RHP Darren Bowen Cedar Rapids @ Peoria (6:35 PM) - RHP Jose Olivares Fort Myers @ Clearwater (5:30 PM) - RHP Eli Jones FCL Twins @ FCL Rays (9:00 AM, Completion of July 8 Game) - TBD FCL Rays @ FCL Twins (11:00 AM) - TBD DSL Rangers Red @ DSL Twins (10:00 AM) - TBD View full article

Image courtesy of Ed Bailey, Wichita Wind Surge (photo of Ricardo Olivar) TRANSACTIONS No moves were made on Sunday. Saints Sentinel St. Paul 1, Gwinnett 12 Box Score Connor Gillaspie: 3 ⅔ IP, 8 H, 9 ER, 4 BB, 1 K HR: Patrick Winkel (6) Multi-hit games: None The Saints were crushed on Sunday. Evidently, the team takes the day of rest a little too seriously: St. Paul is 1-6 in their last seven series finales and have been outscored 68-38 during those games (h/t Sean Aronson.) Few escaped the carnage unscathed. Or at least a little embarrassed. Starter Connor Gillespie was knocked around for nine runs, with a seven-run fourth serving as the damage’s zenith. It’s probably not your day when David Fletcher is hitting homers off you. The bats didn’t do any better. They struck out 15 times. They went 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position. A seventh-inning solo shot from Patrick Winkel marked the only run they could push across. Old friend Sandy León caught for the Stripers and went 0-for-5. Erasmo Ramírez pitched his third scoreless inning for the Saints. Gwinnett is an affiliate of the Atlanta Braves. Their habitual prospect fast-tracking has left their system thinner than usual; as a result, their best youngster on Sunday was reliever and 11th-ranked player, Jhancarlos Lara. He allowed a run in one inning of work. Wind Surge Wisdom Wichita 15, Tulsa 13 Box Score John Klein: 2/3 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 0 K HR: Kala’i Rosario (9), Ricardo Olivar (10) Multi-hit games: Kaelen Culpepper (3-for-4, R, BB), Walker Jenkins (2-for-4, 3 R, 2 RBI, BB), Gabriel Gonzalez (2-for-3, 4 R, 2 BB), Kala’i Rosario (2-for-4, HR, 2 R, 4 RBI, BB), Ricardo Olivar (3-for-4, HR, 2B, R, 7 RBI), Nate Baez (2-for-5, 3B, R) The Wind Surge won a blistering slugfest on Sunday. You know, there was a time Wichita was losing 7-0. John Klein could not find anything that worked; even the “unearned” runs were a function of his own error, making him fully culpable for the onslaught. Aaron Rozek entered with two outs, allowed the inherited run to score, and then surrendered the sixth and seventh runs of the frame. When the Wind Surge started hitting, their win probability stood at 5.7%. Here’s a short summary of the action: Wichita’s first five hitters in the lineup reached base at least three times. Here’s a longer summary of the action: fueled by a Kala’i Rosario grand slam, the Wind Surge started systematically chipping away at the lead, needing just two innings total to knot the game at eight. By the third, they were ahead. The Drillers briefly retook an advantage before a final Wichita blitz sealed the game for good. Once again, Olivar provided a critical knock, as his sky-scraping fly ball to right-center fell safely and cleared the bases. Olivar ended the day with seven RBIs. The game was the biggest comeback win in Wind Surge history. The Drillers are, of course, an affiliate in the famous Dodgers minor league system. None of their top 30 prospects appeared in Sunday’s game. Kernels Nuggets Cedar Rapids 3, Quad Cities 5 Box Score Alejandro Hidalgo: 4 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 4 K HR: None Multi-hit games: None The Kernels' offense short-circuited on Sunday. The River Bandits brought pressure first. Quad Cities jumped on starter Alejandro Hidalgo for three runs in the first, capped by a two-run shot by Carson Roccaforte, his third homer of the series. Kernels' pitching celebrates his departure. Cedar Rapids plated a run in response by turning a Billy Amick hit by pitch into a manufactured trip around the plate; he eventually scored on a wild pitch. Then things turned lukewarm. Not quite cold. The Kernels found reaching first base easy; yet the journey beyond proved to be a difficult endeavor. Between the first and ninth frames, a Cedar Rapids runner reached second base just twice. No one touched third. By the time Kyle DeBarge and Amick worked to score two in the ninth, the team ran out of outs. The aforementioned Roccaforte is the 21st-ranked prospect in the Royals system. He may need to jump a few spots. Mussel Matters Fort Myers 7, Bradenton 5 Box Score Jason Doktorczyk: 5 IP, 5 H, 4 ER, 0 BB, 2 K HR: Caleb McNeely (2) Multi-hit games: Dameury Pena (2-for-5, R, RBI), Emmanuel Rodriguez (3-for-4, 2 RBI, BB), Peyton Carr (3-for-4, 2B, R) The Mighty Mussels rallied for seven runs in the ninth to stun Bradenton on Sunday. Let’s jump to the consequential inning. Daniel Pena walked, Peyton Carr singled, and Yohander Martinez was hit by a pitch. Angel Del Rosario’s flyball to center was too short to score a run, but Javier Roman pushed across Fort Myers’ first run by reaching on a fielding error. Dameury Pena singled. Emmanuel Rodriguez singled. Suddenly, the score stood at 5-4, and the offensive malaise that came before was long forgotten. A new pitcher coaxed a groundout from Yasser Mercedes, yet he hung a breaker that Caleb McNeely leaned back and obliterated, sending the runners into a frenzy until everyone realized his hit had safely cleared the fences for a walk-off three-run homer. It was the first walk-off homer for the Mighty Mussels since August 27th, 2024. Brandon Winokur supplied the blast. Rehabbing minor leaguer Emmanuel Rodriguez singled thrice and walked while playing center field for all nine innings. Marauders’ shortstop Wyatt Sanford is the 8th-ranked prospect in the Pirates system. He doubled and tripled in three at-bats. TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Pierson Ohl Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Ricardo Olivar PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed: #1 – Walker Jenkins (Wichita) - 2-4, 3 R, 2 RBI, BB #3 – Emmanuel Rodriguez (Fort Myers) - 3-4, 2 RBI, BB, K #4 – Kaelen Culpepper (Wichita) - 3-4, R, BB #9 – Brandon Winokur (Cedar Rapids) - 0-3, BB, K #10 – Kyle DeBarge (Cedar Rapids) - 1-5, K #12 – Billy Amick (Cedar Rapids) - 0-3, R, RBI #13 – Gabriel Gonzalez (Wichita) - 2-3, 4 R, 2 BB #18 – Ricardo Olivar (Wichita) - 3-4, HR, 2B, R, 7 RBI #19 – Danny De Andrade (Cedar Rapids) - 1-4, BB #20 – Payton Eeles (St. Paul) - 1-4, 2B, 2 K MONDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS FCL Twins @ FCL Orioles (9:00 AM) - TBD DSL Twins @ DSL NYY Yankees (10:00 AM) - TBD View full article

Image courtesy of © Brad Rempel-Imagn Images Box Score Cole Sands: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K Home Runs: Kody Clemens (10) Top 3 WPA: Kody Clemens (.264), Jhoan Durán (.242), Willi Castro (.215) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) Invigoration can only last so long. As of Saturday, Minnesota’s dramatic 4th of July walk-off was as ancient as the Sumerians. The win could possibly kick-start a streak of quality play, but whether such an outcome comes to fruition rests entirely on the Twins, their gumption, and the bare-hanging threads of the starting rotation. For the first time since 2022, Cole Sands started a major league game. His appearance was faux, though; he was just the opener, here to set up Travis Adams as the bulk pitcher. Indeed, Adams entered in the seco—oh wait, that’s Danny Coulombe. Ok, following the veteran lefty, Adams finally arrived on a major-league mound, ready to showcase his stuff at the highest level. Unfortunately, for the 25-year-old, it seemed that the Rays were intimately aware of his scouting report. They pounced on everything. Fastballs? Tattooed. His menagerie of breakers? Smoked. He didn’t earn his first strikeout until his 18th batter, as Tampa Bay’s batters collected nine hits, three of which went for doubles, and plated at least one run in each inning the Sacramento State product pitched in. The good news is that it’s over: the nerves of a debut will never strike again. Now he’ll just face the usual pressures of everyday modern life and the horrors that come with the burden of knowledge. The Twins offense was up for a fight, even if their early returns were tepid. They loaded the bases with no one out against Taj Bradley in the second, but could only plate one run on a cheeky Royce Lewis squibber. Something about that man and full bases creates an unshakable aura. A potential Byron Buxton grand slam fell short at the warning track. The bats laid dormant during Tampa’s turn to plate runs; what was an early lead dissipated into a four-run deficit capable of pushing the watcher to forget Minnesota once held the advantage. The sixth was the turning point. Bradley surrendered two runners. He punched out Matt Wallner to collect the frame’s second out, but Kevin Cash pulled his starter in favor of Kevin Kelly, the reliever who suffered the loss on Friday. Lewis drilled his second pitch to center for the third baseman’s second RBI of the game. A pulse. Then, with two on and a chance to tie the game, Kody Clemens saw a middle-middle fastball and drove the pitch deep out to left field, carrying, carrying, carrying, until it safely fell into the bleachers. As unlikely as odds once looked, the Twins had knotted the game. The seventh and eighth innings came and went with occasional drama, yet neither squad could find the critical separation needed to pull ahead. Jhoan Durán pitched two clutch innings to give the home team a chance to win in the bottom half of the ninth. Byron Buxton started with a walk. Then Willi Castro slashed a single to right, allowing the speedy center fielder to dash to third with no one out. Finally—with likely no one in the stadium expecting it—Brooks Lee bunted. Yandy Díaz had no choice but to give a half-assed Olé as he watched the ball bound fair over first base. Game over. Twins win. Notes: Jhoan Durán pitched multiple innings for the first time in 2025. Travis Adam's nine hits allowed ties a Twins record for most in an MLB debut (h/t Aaron Gleeman.) Adams is also the fourth player selected by the Twins in the 2021 draft to make his MLB debut. The other three did so with other teams (h/t Jamie Cameron.) Danny Coulombe appeared in his 320th career MLB game. Post-Game Interview: What’s Next? The Twins and Rays will play again on Sunday, with Joe Ryan set to face off against Drew Rasmussen. First pitch is at 1:10 PM. Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet View full article

Image courtesy of Ed Bailey, Wichita Wind Surge Gabriel Gonzalez is raking. The 21-year-old is slashing .341/413/520 across 321 plate appearances split between A+ Cedar Rapids and AA Wichita (updated following play on 7/4.) He’s not even using the lower level to inflate those numbers; Gonzalez’s OPS is above .900 for both teams. He already has more hits in 2025 than he had over 81 games in 2024. You’d be forgiven if you forgot about Gonzalez, given that he was a part of the four-player return the Twins netted for Jorge Polanco before the 2024 season. Justin Topa and Anthony DeSclafani were the big-leaguers, and therefore claimed attention; Gonzalez—and Darren Bowen—were unproven, even if the outfielder was a notable prospect. Some consternation for Gonzalez stems from his “swing often and crack line drives” approach atypical for a player these days. “He’s chase prone but has the bat-to-ball skills to make up for this to some degree,” wrote Eric Longenhagen in 2024. “He can absolutely punish fastballs, but it’s a very aggressive approach that can lead to too much chase, especially against softer stuff,” explains his MLB.com writeup. That can be a strange profile to understand. Maybe he’s Nick Castellanos. Maybe he’s Ernie Clement. Maybe he’s somewhere in the middle. Aiding his profile is an encouraging walk-to-strikeout rate: the righty has just one more free pass than punchout at AA, and he’s at 27 walks to 37 strikeouts overall in 2025. He’s already walked more than he did in 2024. His 12.3% strikeout rate is the lowest of his career. Though considerations for a major league spot are still a ways away, a path for Gonzalez does exist. He’s perhaps the slightest step further ahead than Walker Jenkins, his teammate on the Wind Surge. Emmanuel Rodriguez is ahead of him in prospect status and level, yet his constant injuries have blurred a vision of him in a daily big league role. Minnesota’s current cadre of outfielders? Byron Buxton and his whelming group of merry men. Harrison Bader might not be a Twin by August, and neither Trevor Larnach nor Matt Wallner have played well enough to demand a lineup spot written in pen. It’s a bit strained—squinting and minor mental gymnastics are required—but Gonzalez could at least get a shot by 2026. In any case, the Twins will need to add him to the 40-man roster after this season to avoid Rule-5 draft eligibility. Gonzalez may also be a lesson for amateur prospect evaluators: always consider a player’s age relative to their level. One year is long enough for a player to improve drastically; just ask Pablo López, who had a 5.04 in A+ ball as a 21-year-old, then zoomed to the majors the next year after dominating AA. It’s sometimes lost that these are young men still developing mentally and physically. Life strengthens all of us differently. Sometimes the 21-year-old we see today is utterly unlike the 20-year-old we met just last year. Gonzalez is a fascinating player. He harkens back to a young Luis Arraez, in that he might not be one of the best prospects in baseball, but his profile and performance demand a look at the major-league level. For a franchise stuck in a quagmire of redundant, lifeless hitters, Gonzalez’s line drives could be a reprieve, a legitimate unique skill set to set apart and push forward an organization looking for answers. View full article

ah **** I screwed that up huh

Image courtesy of William Parmeter, Fort Myers Mighty Mussels (photo of Dameury Pena) TRANSACTIONS INF Jonah Bride outrighted to AAA St. Paul LHP Kody Funderburk recalled by Twins Saints Sentinel St. Paul 1, Gwinnett 2 Box Score José Ureña: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K HR: None Multi-hit games: None The Saints lost a close affair on Wednesday. With Bailey Ober a fresh victim of the IL, Minnesota’s fully evaporated starting pitching depth threw the rotation’s status into the land of theories and speculation. They need innings, but there are only so many healthy arms. The Twins clarified the situation by sending newcomer José Ureña out for 18 pitches while having Darren McCaughan cover five frames. In short: we know nothing. McCaughan did pitch well, with his outing being of the shutout variety. St. Paul’s lone score arrived in the third when Carson McCusker smoked a single into the outfield, plating Austin Martin on the play. It seemed like Saints pitching would hold up that one run, yet Pierson Ohl surrendered a deciding two-run shot in the seventh. So it goes. Yunior Severino walked three times. He walked six times total in June. Old friend Sandy León caught for the Stripers and went 0-3. The Gwinnett Stripers are an affiliate of the Atlanta Braves. Their 28th-ranked prospect, outfielder Carlos Rodriguez hit third and doubled once in four trips to the plate. Wind Surge Wisdom Wichita 1, Tulsa 2 Box Score Mike Paredes: 3 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K HR: Ricardo Olivar (9) Multi-hit games: None The Wind Surge were walked off on Wednesday. You may need some sort of scientific equipment to read Mike Paredes’ season ERA. The righty continued his domination, tossing three shutout innings in what is more of the same for the 2021 18th-rounder. He even picked off a runner. Ricardo Oliver homered. Our analysis of Wichita’s scoring on Wednesday has concluded. Gabriel Gonzalez remains one of the hottest hitters in maybe the entire Twins system? In all of minor league baseball? Amongst anyone who plays professional baseball? The superlatives undersell the 21-year-old’s .341/.411/.511 slash line on the season. And he only improved those numbers by going 1-2 with two walks. He also stole a base. Former Twins farmhand Noah Miller played shortstop for the Drillers and went 1-3 with a walk. He was the highest-ranked prospect for the Drillers playing in Wednesday’s game. Kernels Nuggets Cedar Rapids 6, Quad Cities 5 Box Score Tanner Hall: 4 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 6 K HR: Billy Amick (1) Multi-hit games: Billy Amick (2-for-5, HR, R, RBI) The Kernels eked out a win on Wednesday. Tanner Hall shook off his previous two clunkers to put forth one of his better starts of the season: a four-shutout-inning outing in which he allowed just one baserunner. He needed just 52 pitches. Cedar Rapids scored first in the fourth thanks to an RBI groundout by Andy Lugo and a run-scoring wild pitch against the following batter. Then Billy Amick homered in the sixth to extend the lead to three. That’s when weird things started to happen. The two teams exchanged runs before Paulshawn Pasqualotto melted down with an uncharacteristic four-run frame, including a back-breaking three-run homer. Matters appeared dire, but then—with the bases loaded—Kyle DeBarge grounded a ball up the middle and the River Bandits' defense blew chunks all over themselves. It scored two runs. We take those. The River Bandits committed five errors; three of which were catcher’s interferences; with two of those occurring in a critical go-ahead ninth inning. Take a step back, dude. The Quad Cities River Bandits are an affiliate of the Kansas City Royals. Their 21st-ranked prospect, Carson Roccaforte, played center field and homered and doubled in four plate appearances. Mussel Matters Fort Myers 1, Bradenton 2 Box Score Michael Carpenter: 1 ⅔ IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 2 K HR: Dameury Pena (5) Multi-hit games: Dameury Pena (2-for-4, HR, R, RBI) The Mighty Mussels fell in a low-scoring affair on Wednesday (there’s a pattern if you noticed). Evidently, Michael Carpenter is not in the baseball gods’ good graces. His recent hot streak turned chilly; a reminder that fortune can switch up fast. No other force is more amazing at turning loving into hatred. Adrian Bohorquez pitched on a different wavelength. The Venezuelan righty—mired in a disappointing season to this point—fired off five scoreless frames in relief, punching out five as his fastball topped out at 97.7 MPH. A lone baserunner reached off an errant curveball plunk. It was easily the best start of the year for the 20-year-old. Fort Myers’ only run came in the sixth thanks to a Dameury Pena homer. Bradenton is an affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. A talented system, the best of their well-regarded youngsters populate their AAA team, leaving their 8th-ranked prospect, Wyatt Sanford as the Marauders' most notable player. He went 0-4. TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Adrian Bohorquez Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Dameury Pena PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed: #1 – Walker Jenkins (Wichita) - 0-3, BB #4 – Kaelen Culpepper (Wichita) - 1-4, K #9 – Brandon Winokur (Cedar Rapids) - 0-3, R, BB, K #10 – Kyle DeBarge (Cedar Rapids) - 1-5, 2B, K #12 – Billy Amick (Cedar Rapids) - 2-for-5, HR, R, RBI, K #13 – Gabriel Gonzalez (Wichita) - 1-2, 2 BB #18 – Ricardo Olivar (Wichita) - 1-4, HR, R, RBI, 3 K #19 – Danny De Andrade (Cedar Rapids) - 0-3, R, BB, K #20 – Payton Eeles (St. Paul) - 1-3, BB, K THURSDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS St. Paul @ Gwinnett (6:05 PM) - RHP Cory Lewis Wichita @ Tulsa (6:30 PM) - LHP Connor Prielipp Cedar Rapids @ Quad Cities (6:00 PM) - RHP Jose Olivares Fort Myers @ Bradenton (5:30 PM) - RHP Dylan Questad FCL Orioles @ FCL Twins (9:00 AM) - TBD FCL Orioles @ FCL Twins (Game Two) - TBD DSL Twins @ DSL Cardinals (10:00 AM) - TBD View full article

Image courtesy of © Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images A desecration in athletic form. During their 3-0 loss, there was never a time in which the Twins appeared worthy of standing on the same field as Tarik Skubal and the Tigers. Rather, they were rendered a comedic sideshow in an opportunity rarely allotted to them. It had been five years since the last time Minnesota was on ESPN. It may be five more before their next showcase, on whatever network then carries such a thing. I was not excited for this game. I had a feeling that playing against the best team in the AL—and probably the best pitcher in baseball—would turn the showcase from a revelation of a rarely-seen team into an extended mockery; display of foolishness; a reminder that the Twins are no longer the alpha dogs in the division and that (in this form) they may never be. Detroit has zoomed past them. They run the show. The Tigers have found the glorious combination of young, actualized talent and veteran savvy that turns good teams great. It helps that Tarik Skubal is a bad man. He's a bad, bad, bad man. There's a unique sinking feeling—one we all know—that comes with facing an ace starting pitcher. Everyone attached to the opposing organization understands acutely that the men we root for every day are likely to be truly embarrassed. So they were. Skubal struck out eight of the team's first nine batters. The other out was a soft pop fly. He ended with seven shutout innings and 13 strikeouts. Minnesota hitters either fell over trying to hold back on the changeup, or were three days late on the fastball. They accrued just a single and a walk, and even that felt like a miracle. Given the spectacle of the situation—with the national broadcast and show-stopping ace—the Twins gave the country precisely what they wanted. They were sacrificial lambs, walked to a symbolic slaughter against which they couldn't fight back. Not with this lineup. Not with how they hit against lefties. Not when part of their resistance included the now-jettisoned Jonah Bride. Ultimately, there's little about this game that tells us anything we didn't already know about this team. The organization is dogged by a glacial conservatism inherent in the front office's nature, amplified by ownership's sudden purse-closing following the 2023 season. In recent years, they've rarely come out ahead of the curve. Instead, they've chosen to sit and wait, and wait, and wait, and wait, and wait for... something. Perfect health? Perhaps a silver-bullet prospect? A high-interest account to mature, so they can sign someone for more than $4 million? Who knows. In their stead, the team has been overtaken, and thoroughly overmatched by the class of the AL. Sunday was the perfect example of their failures. View full article