Nash Walker

The Twins made a wise choice in protecting Bailey Ober last offseason. It looks like they made two key mistakes in the same area by not adding Tyler Wells or Akil Baddoo to the 40-man roster. Let’s check in on these former Twins prospects. View full video

Cole Sands was dominant in a Wind Surge victory while the Mussels held on for a close win over Palm Beach. SAINTS SENTINEL Storm Chasers 3, Saints 2 Box Score Bryan Sammons: 3 2/3 IP, 5 H, 2 R/ER, 4 BB, 2 K HR: Jimmy Kerrigan (19), Drew Maggi (16) Multi-hit games: Kerrigan (2-for-4, HR) Bryan Sammons started this very tight game for the Saints and allowed two runs in 3 2/3 innings. The Saints’ bullpen, and especially Yennier Cano, was fantastic. Cano and Nick Vincent threw 5 1/3 scoreless innings in relief. Jimmy Kerrigan smashed his 19th homer of the season and Drew Maggi went yard for the 16th time in the seventh inning. Two solo homers was all the offense would provide in the loss. The Storm Chasers broke through in the 10th with an RBI single from Ryan McBroom. St.Paul went down quietly in the bottom half. The Saints fell to 58-56 after the loss. WIND SURGE WISDOM Wind Surge 6, Naturals 2 Box Score Cole Sands: 6 IP, H, 0 R/ER, 2 BB, 5 K HR: D.J. Burt (3), Leobaldo Cabrera (11) Multi-hit games: Burt (2-for-5, HR), Spencer Steer (3-for-4, 2 R), Cabrera (2-for-4, HR, 3 RBI) Cole Sands was terrific in Sunday’s win. He worked six scoreless innings, allowing only one hit while walking two and striking out five. Sands owns a 1.80 ERA with 17 strikeouts over his last 20 innings. D.J. Burt and Leobaldo Cabrera each blasted homers in the third to help the Surge get out to a 4-0 lead. Kody Funderburk allowed two runs in relief of Sands. Funderburk’s ERA with Wichita sits at a tremendous 1.02. The Wind Surge salvaged a series split with the Naturals. They remain in first place by 2.5 games in the Double-A Central - North. KERNELS NUGGETS Timber Rattlers 5, Kernels 4 Box Score Tyler Watson: 3 IP, 3 H, 4 R/ER, 3 BB, 3 K HR: None Multi-hit games: Aaron Sabato (2-for-5, 2 R), DaShawn Keirsey (2-for-3, 2 RBI), Jair Camargo (3-for-4, RBI) The Kernels failed to record an extra-base hit in its 5-4 loss Sunday. Tyler Watson struggled with his command, allowing four runs on three walks and three hits in three innings of work. Carlos Suniaga also walked three and allowed a run in relief. Steven Cruz supplied three innings of scoreless, hitless work, striking out three. Aaron Sabato continued a very nice weekend with two more hits. Sabato entered today hitting .263/.375/.737 with three homers over his last five games. The slugger absolutely mashed at North Carolina prior to struggling in Low-A, but he’s finally starting to click at the plate after the promotion. Despite the loss, the Kernels won four of six games this week against the Timber Rattlers, improving to 63-51 on the season. MUSSEL MATTERS Mighty Mussels 7, Cardinals 6 Box Score Brent Headrick: 2 IP, 4 H, 2 R/ER, BB, 5 K HR: None Multi-hit games: Jake Rucker (2-for-3, 2 RBI), Patrick Winkel (2-for-4, 2B, R, RBI) The Mussels had a huge second inning, thanks to RBI doubles from Alerick Soularie and Patrick Winkel, an error, an RBI single from Mikey Perez and a sacrifice fly from Jake Rucker. Fort Myers leaned on its bullpen to hold the lead as Logan Campbell, Juan Pichardo, A.J. Labas, and Matthew Swain combined for seven innings and just two earned runs. Brent Headrick started and struck out five in two innings while allowing two runs on four hits and a walk. It was a great week for the Mussels. They took five out of six games from Palm Beach on the back of some great offensive performances and big outs late. Fort Myers is 57-53. COMPLEX CHRONICLES The FCL Twins did not play Sunday. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day — Cole Sands: 6 IP, H, 0 R/ER, 2 BB, 5 K Hitter of the Day — Jimmy Kerrigan: 2-for-4, HR PROSPECT SUMMARY #1 - Royce Lewis (rehab) - Out for season (torn ACL) #2 - Austin Martin (Wichita) - Did not play #3 - Jordan Balazovic (Wichita) - Did not pitch #4 - Simeon Woods Richardson (Wichita) - Did not pitch #5 - Jhoan Duran (St. Paul) - Injured List (elbow strain) #6 - Jose Miranda (St. Paul) - Did not play #7 - Joe Ryan (Minnesota) - Did not pitch #8 - Matt Canterino (Cedar Rapids) - Injured List (right elbow strain) #9 - Chase Petty (Complex) - Did not pitch #10 - Keoni Cavaco (Fort Myers) - On Temporary Inactive List. #11 - Josh Winder (St. Paul) - Injured List (right shoulder impingement) #12 - Matt Wallner (Cedar Rapids) - 0-for-5, 2 K #13 - Gilberto Celestino (St. Paul) - 0-for-4, BB, 2 K #14 - Drew Strotman (St. Paul) - Did not pitch #15 - Noah Miller (Complex) - Did not play #16 - Brent Rooker (Minnesota) - 1-for-3, 2B, 2 RBI #17 - Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) - Out for season (Tommy John surgery) #18 - Misael Urbina (Fort Myers) - 1-for-5, 2 R, RBI #19 - Cole Sands (Wichita) - 6 IP, H, 0 R/ER, 2 BB, 5 K #20 - Spencer Steer (Wichita) - 3-for-4, 2 R View full article

Joe Ryan is exactly what Minnesota Twins fans have been clamoring for all season; a young, promising starter that lends a positive eye toward the future of the franchise. Ryan, using his quirky fastball delivery, lives up in the zone and befuddles opposing hitters, leading to dominant results early in his career. View full video

Joe Ryan lives on his fastball that rides at 91-92mph, which doesn't exactly stun MLB hitters in 2021. But his movement, his ability to work around the zone, and his developing pitches make him a potential force to be reckoned with in coming seasons. View full video

Nash Walker breaks down Josh Donaldson's home run against the Detroit Tigers, examining how Josh generates his power from his legs and uses a snap effect to get his bat barrel through the zone rapidly and induces so many longballs from his relatively small frame. View full video

The Wind Surge saved the system from a sweep with another come-from-behind win. See all that happened in the Twins minor leagues on Sunday. TRANSACTIONS: C Ben Rortvedt recalled to the Minnesota Twin LHP Charlie Barnes optioned to the St.Paul Saints SAINTS SENTINEL Game one: Mud Hens 10, Saints 9 Box Score Drew Strotman: 2 2/3 IP, 3 H, 6 R/ER, 6 BB, 2 K HR: None Multi-hit games: Jose Miranda (2-for-7, 2B, 2 RBI, R), Tomás Telis (3-for-7, 2B, R), Gilberto Celestino (3-for-7, RBI, R), Ben Rortvedt (2-for-6, RBI, R), Jimmy Kerrigan (2-for-5, 2 R, BB), Drew Maggi (3-for-4, R, 2 RBI) This wild affair finally finished Sunday afternoon, unfortunately in a loss for St. Paul. The game was halted Saturday night in the 14th inning due to curfew. No inning could start after 1:30 am local time. Drew Strotman started and once again struggled with his command. Strotman has walked nearly 13% of batters he’s faced since being traded to the Twins. Offensively, the Saints got plenty. Eight of their nine starters recorded a hit and three recorded three hits each. The Saints issued 14 walks and pitched with runners in scoring position 27 times. Game two: Mud Hens 9, Saints 8 Box Score Beau Burrows: 4 IP, 4 H, 8 R/ER, 4 BB, 6 K HR: None Multi-hit games: Jose Miranda (2-for-5, RBI), Tomás Telis (2-for-5, RBI), Drew Stankiewicz (2-for-5, 2 R), JT Riddle (2-for-4, 2B, 2 R, RBI, BB), David Bañuelos (2-for-5, 3B, 2 RBI) This one came down to the wire with the tying run on second in the ninth. Jose Miranda and Tomás Telis each drove in a run with singles in the eighth, but the Saints couldn’t get Miranda back to the plate in the ninth. Twins fans may need to get used to watching Riley Greene do damage. The top Tigers prospect blasted a two-run homer off Beau Burrows in the first. Greene is ranked as the No. 7 prospect in baseball via MLB Pipeline. His teammate, Spencer Torkelson, is ranked No. 4. The Saints fell to 53-49 after the losses. WIND SURGE WISDOM Surge 8, Drillers 6 Box Score Austin Schulfer: 5 IP, 5 H, 4 R/ER, 3 BB, 4 K HR: Austin Martin (3), Leobaldo Cabrera (9), Caleb Hamilton (8) Multi-hit games: Martin (3-for-4, HR, 2B), Cabrera (2-for-3, HR, 3B, 3 R, RBI, BB), Aaron Whitefield (2-for-4, 2 2B, R, RBI) The Drillers got out to a 2-0 lead before Austin Martin hit his second homer in as many days. Martin is six for his last nine with two homers, a double and five runs driven in. Leobaldo Cabrera stayed hot with a triple and a homer. Cabrera entered the game hitting .255/.371/.509 in 35 games with the Wind Surge. Austin Schulfer came into the game with a 2.84 ERA over his last four starts. He battled through five hits and three walks in Sunday’s win, providing five innings. Schulfer’s ERA on the season rose to 4.38. The first-place Surge have shown incredible fight and tenacity, especially over the last few weeks. The offense is clicking on all cylinders and Martin’s ability to sparkplug at the top of the lineup is benefitting the group. KERNELS NUGGETS Snappers 9, Kernels 8 Box Score Aaron Rozek: 3 1/3 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 7 K HR: Aaron Sabato 2 (2), Alex Isola (11), Jeferson Morales (4) Multi-hit games: Sabato (2-for-4, 2 HR, BB), Isola (5-for-5, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI) Alex Isola was three for his last 28 entering Sunday’s game. He turned it around in a big way. Isola homered in his first at-bat, drove in a run with a single in his second, singled in his third and singled again in his fourth. Oh, and he singled again in the 10th inning. Aaron Sabato also had a great day at the dish, hitting his first two home runs for the Kernels. Sabato earned a promotion after a hot start to the month in Fort Myers. He’s now hit nine homers in 19 August games. The Kernels are 56-46 after the walk-off. They still sit 11 games behind the Quad Cities powerhouse (67-33) in the High-A Central. MUSSEL MATTERS Marauders 22, Mussels 5 Box Score Landon Leach: 2 2/3 IP, 4 H, 9 R, 4 ER, 4 BB, 2 K HR: Christian Encarnación-Strand (2) Multi-hit games: Jesús Feliz (2-for-4, RBI), Willie Joe Garry Jr. (2-for-4, R) Yes, you read that right. The Mussels gave up 22 runs while allowing zero home runs. The Marauders went 21-for-49 (.429) with eight doubles and 20 runs driven in. Bradenton went 14-for-30 (.467) with runners in scoring position. It was a hitting clinic. It was out of character for the Mussels to pitch so poorly considering they have the second-lowest ERA (4.03) in the Low-A Southeast. Third baseman Christian Encarnación-Strand, the Twins’ fourth-round pick in this year’s draft, hit a solo homer in the ninth. He’s recorded a hit in all six games since debuting. Struggles continued this week for Twins’ top prospects Keoni Cavaco and Misael Urbina. Cavaco went 1-for-14 with a single and no walks while Urbina went 3-for-18 with three singles and five walks. Both are sporting an OPS at .600 or below. COMPLEX CHRONICLES The FCL Twins did not play Sunday. TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Adam Lau (1 ⅔ IP, 0 H, 0 R/ER, 2 K, 0 BB) Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Alex Isola (5-for-5, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI) PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed: #1 – Royce Lewis (Rehab) - Out for season (torn ACL) #2 – Austin Martin (Wichita) - 3-for-4, HR, R, 2 RBI #3 – Jordan Balazovic (Wichita) - Did not pitch #4 – Simeon Woods Richardson (Wichita) - Did not pitch #5 – Jhoan Duran (St. Paul) - Injured List (Right Elbow Strain) #6 – Jose Miranda (St. Paul) - 4-for-12, 2B, 3 RBI, R #7 – Joe Ryan (St. Paul) - Did not pitch #8 – Matt Canterino (Cedar Rapids) - Injured List (Right Elbow Strain) #9 – Chase Petty (Complex) - Did not pitch #10 – Keoni Cavaco (Fort Myers) - 0-for-4, RBI, R #11 – Josh Winder (St. Paul) - Injured List (Right Shoulder Impingement) #12 – Matt Wallner (Cedar Rapids) - 0-for-5, 2 K #13 – Gilberto Celestino (St. Paul) - 3-for-7, RBI, R #14 – Drew Strotman (St. Paul) - 2 2/3 IP, 3 H, 6 ER, 6 BB, 2 K #15 – Noah Miller (FCL Twins) - No game #16 – Brent Rooker (Minnesota) - 0-for-4, 3 K #17 – Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) - Out for Season (Tommy John surgery) #18 – Misael Urbina (Fort Myers) - 1-for-3, BB #19 – Cole Sands (Wichita) - Did not pitch #20 – Spencer Steer (Wichita) - 1-for-4, R, RBI View full article

Developing quality starting pitching is undoubtedly the most crucial task on the Twins’ to-do list for 2022 and beyond. Top prospect Jordan Balazovic’s development is critical. The Twins selected Balazovic in the fifth round of the 2016 Draft. The Canadian right-hander was just a thin 17 year old with projectable growth. After the draft, he made a solid first impression, pitching to a 1.97 ERA in 32 innings for the GCL Twins. Even with reasonably good numbers through his first two seasons, Balazovic struck out just 45 of the first 316 batters he faced while walking 25. There wasn’t a ton of reason for excitement. Balazovic posted a 4.91 ERA in the GCL in 2017, again with modest strikeout numbers. Gaining strength and more experience, “Jordy Blaze” took a big step forward in 2018. Balazovic pitched for Cedar Rapids alongside Brusdar Graterol, Jhoan Duran, Randy Dobnak, and Bailey Ober. Balazovic wasn’t the shining star of the staff, but he started gaining legitimate steam as a prospect because of how he was getting outs. His strikeout rate jumped 16.5% from his first two years in the GCL, and the stuff was developing at an encouraging rate. Balazovic posted his first sub-four ERA at Low-A, pitching to older hitters in 240 out of 254 plate appearances. Balazovic dominated right-handed hitters with sharper stuff and an increased feel. Righties hit .188/.245/.316 and struck out over 40% of the time. Balazovic finally appeared on the Twins’ Top-30 at MLB Pipeline. His 2019 breakout felt inevitable. Spending most of his time at High-A, Balazovic was excellent. He posted a 2.69 ERA in a career-high 93 ⅔ innings with 129 strikeouts and 25 walks. Perhaps most encouragingly, lefties hit just .189 with a .501 OPS in 185 plate appearances. Balazovic throws a fastball that averages 94-97 MPH with a sharp breaking ball and an underrated changeup. He has a unique delivery with noted deception. His teammate in Wichita, Spencer Steer calls Balazovic’s stuff “absolutely electric.” “It’s really fun to watch him overpower guys.” Balazovic has had an up-and-down season at Double-A, with flashes of brilliance and stretches of poor command. He had a four-start period of 25 2/3 innings where he didn’t allow a run. Then he allowed 15 runs over his next three starts. Then he gave up zero earned runs in 13 2/3 innings before another tough outing Thursday. Overall, he has a solid 3.62 ERA with a 24% strikeout rate and a 9% walk rate. A strong finish could help Balazovic reach St. Paul before the season’s end, with a call-up to the Twins looming in 2022. He’ll turn 23 in September. Prospect progression is seldom linear, and that is doubly true for pitching prospects. While the Twins have stockpiled some intriguing arms, Balazovic has emerged as the best among them, increasing the stakes for his development. The Twins will be defined by how Balazovic and his pitching counterparts pan out and how soon that takes place. MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email View full article

The Wind Surge had a tremendous week, taking five out of six from Springfield on the road. The Mussels also thrived offensively while the Kernels and Saints had trouble tacking on. Let's get you caught up on a busy day for the system! TRANSACTIONS RHP Luke Farrell added to St.Paul Saints (ML rehab) LHP Kody Funderburk activated to Wichita from injured list LHP Adam Rozek promoted to Cedar Rapids SAINTS SENTINEL Iowa 5, Saints 2 Box Score Drew Strotman: 4 IP, 7 H, 2 R/ER, 2 BB, 4 K HR: Byron Buxton (3) Multi-hit games: Tomás Telís (2-for-5, 2B) Drew Strotman made his fifth start as a Saint and his second straight against the Iowa Cubs. Strotman worked around seven hits and a couple walks, allowing two runs in four innings. He threw 81 pitches and 44 for strikes (54%). Byron Buxton hit a mammoth, 445-foot homer to left in his first at-bat. It was a vintage Buck bomb: The Saints trailed 2-1 until David Banuelos scored on an error in the seventh. Yennier Cano and Luke Farrell combined for three scoreless innings and six strikeouts out of the bullpen. Unfortunately, Robinson Leyer and Nick Vincent allowed a run, and the Cubs took a 5-2 lead into the bottom of the ninth. The Saints are now a half-game back of Toledo for first place in the Triple-A East Midwest. They would probably like to keep Buxton for a few more games. WIND SURGE WISDOM Wind Surge 11, Cardinals 7 Box Score Chris Vallimont: 5 IP, 5 H, 5 R/ER, 2 BB, 4 K HR: Trey Cabbage (14) Multi-hit games: Austin Martin (2-for-5, 2B, 2 RBI, 3 R), BJ Boyd (3-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 R), Cabbage (3-for-4, HR, 6 RBI, BB) The Surge kept it rolling offensively in Sunday’s barrage. BJ Boyd continued his torrid stretch with three more hits and a double. Trey Cabbage also stayed hot and homered. Austin Martin also drove in a run with a double. Chris Vallimont started for Wichita and allowed five runs on five hits and two homers. Vallimont has allowed 28 runs over his last 26 innings. One culprit: he’s given up seven homers over his last six starts. The Surge took five out of six from Springfield and are now in first place by five games over Tulsa in the Double-A Central. KERNELS NUGGETS Wisconsin 6, Kernels 2 Box Score Ryan Shreve: 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R/ER, 0 BB, 5 K HR: None Multi-hit games: Matt Wallner (2-for-4, BB), Jeferson Morales (2-for-3, 2B, R) The Kernels had trouble keeping their offense going Sunday. Wander Javier got things started with an RBI single in the first before Jeferson Morales scored on a wild pitch in the second. Cedar Rapids took a quick 2-0 lead, protected by Ryan Shreve. Unfortunately, that was all for the bats. Wisconsin scored six straight runs on two homers and three RBI singles. The Kernels struck out 17 times and mustered only seven hits in the loss. The Kernels still boast a 53-43 record and sit in second place in the High-A Central, albeit ten games behind the powerhouse Quad Cities River Bandits. MUSSEL MATTERS Fort Myers 10, Dunedin 5 Box Score Bobby Milacki: IP, 2 H, R/ER, BB, K HR: Patrick Winkel (1) Multi-hit games: Alerick Soularie (2-for-6, RBI), Keoni Cavaco (3-for-6, R), Jesús Feliz (3-for-5, 2 R, BB), Winkel (3-for-4, HR, 4 RBI, 2 BB), Willie Joe Garry Jr. (2-for-5, 2B, 4 RBI), Kyler Fedko (2-for-4, RBI, BB) The Mussels recorded 15 hits in Sunday’s thrilling win. Dunedin held a 5-4 lead in the eighth before Willie Joe Garry Jr. busted things open with a bases-clearing double. Garry Jr. drove in four from the seven spot in the lineup, while Patrick Winkel plated four of his own from the six spot. The Mussels walked nine times and went 6-for-17 with runners in scoring position, taking advantage of baserunners with good at-bats. Winkel walked twice with the bases loaded, contributing to his big day. Juan Pichardo pitched two scoreless innings in relief, allowing the Mussels to stick around late. Fort Myers is enjoying the spark from their new primary leadoff man Alerick Soularie. Drafted in the second round in 2020, Soularie missed the first half of the season with an injury. Steven Cruz was also outstanding in relief, striking out five over three scoreless innings. COMPLEX CHRONICLES THE FCL TWINS DON’T PLAY ON SUNDAY TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day- Steven Cruz: 3 IP, H, R, 0 ER, BB, 5 K Hitter of the Day- Trey Cabbage: 3-for-4, HR, 6 RBI, BB PROSPECT SUMMARY Our most recent (post deadline and draft) prospect rankings are up! Check them out here. #1 - Royce Lewis (rehab) - Injured List (ACL) #2 - Austin Martin (Wichita) - 2-for-5, 2B, 3 R, 2 RBI #3 - Jordan Balazovic (Wichita) - Did not pitch #4 - Simeon Woods Richardson (Wichita) - Did not pitch #5 - Jhoan Duran (St. Paul) - Injured List (elbow strain) #6 - Jose Miranda (St. Paul) - 1-for-4, BB #7 - Joe Ryan (St. Paul) - Did not pitch #8 - Matt Canterino (Cedar Rapids) - Injured List #9 - Chase Petty (Complex) - Did not pitch #10 - Keoni Cavaco (Fort Myers) - 3-for-6, R #11 - Josh Winder (St. Paul) - Injured List (shoulder) #12 - Matt Wallner (Cedar Rapids) - 2-for-4, BB #13 - Gilberto Celestino (St. Paul) - 1-for-3, 2B, 2 BB #14 - Drew Strotman (St. Paul) - 4 IP, 7 H, 2 R/ER, 2 BB, 4 K #15 - Noah Miller (Complex) - Did not play #16 - Brent Rooker (Minnesota) - Did not play #17 - Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) - Out for season (Tommy John surgery) #18 - Misael Urbina (Fort Myers) - 0-for-4, 2 BB #19 - Cole Sands (Wichita) - Did not pitch #20 - Spencer Steer (Wichita) - Did not play View full article

In what has been a horrific season for the Twins, many have flocked to minor league box scores to see the damage Jose Miranda did that day. When in the world will he take the shuttle to Minneapolis? The results speak for themselves. Miranda is having a monstrous season in the minors. He’s taken his advanced approach, one of the reasons he was selected 73rd overall as a 17-year-old in the 2016 Draft, and combined it with newly-developed patience and power. The most encouraging aspect of Miranda’s toolbox is that he isn’t selling out for pop. He’s maintained a 13% strikeout rate while consistently making hard contact. Miranda has gone from a .252/.302/.369 slash, empty batting average low-minors hitter to a true damage bat at the highest levels. There are many reasons to be excited. Miranda has power to all fields, makes consistent contact, barely strikes out, and hits the ball with authority. Entering Sunday, Miranda is hitting an insane .343/.405/.593 with 25 homers and 23 doubles in 94 games. He’s split time at Wichita and St.Paul, crushing equally at both stops. Let’s look at three ways the Twins could get Miranda into a full-time role for the final 35 or so games: 1. DFA Andrelton Simmons, move Jorge Polanco to SS, slot in Miranda at 2B/3B I’m confident in saying this is the crowd favorite. Simmons has been abysmal offensively and offers no future value. Even so, the Twins have expressed a desire to keep his glove behind their young pitchers and keep Polanco at second base. At this point, I’d call this unlikely. 2. DH Josh Donaldson, move Luis Arraez to LF, slot in Miranda at 3B This one makes the most sense. The problem: what happens to Brent Rooker? With Byron Buxton on the mend and Max Kepler in right, Rooker would be the odd man out in this scenario. Plus, the Twins would have to stop playing Jake Cave against righties. Unlikely. 3. DH Miguel Sanó, slot in Miranda at 1B Miranda has started at first base in 22 games this season. To avoid a part-time DH role, the Twins could give the reigns to Sanó, who will probably fill that spot in 2022. Again, how is Rooker getting at-bats? Ultimately, there is no simple way to promote Miranda. He shouldn’t play in anything but a full-time role. Without an injury, we may not see him in a Twins uniform until next spring. MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email View full article

The system went 3-0 and outscored opponents 26-9 Sunday. The Wind Surge smashed seven homers, Matt Canterino was phenomenal in his return to Cedar Rapids, and José Miranda added two more extra-base hits to his amazing Baseball Reference stats page. TRANSACTIONS: C Nick Garland released from organization. OF Nick Anderson released from organization. SAINTS SENTINEL Saints 8, Indianapolis 0 Box Score Andrew Albers: 8 IP, 5 H, 0 R/ER, 0 BB, 5 K HR: José Miranda (11) Multi-hit games: Miranda (2-for-5, HR, 2B, 2 R, RBI), Mark Contreras (2-for-5, 2 RBI, R), Drew Stankiewicz (2-for-4, 2B, RBI, R) Andrew Albers put together his best start of the season for the Saints, tossing eight scoreless innings and striking out five. Albers now owns a 2.94 ERA with 42 strikeouts in 49 innings pitched this season for St. Paul. He’s a call-up candidate with Michael Pineda hitting the injured list (oblique). The Saints’ offense scored 41 runs over this six-game series with Indianapolis. They tacked on eight today, thanks to a five-run first and another José Miranda homer. Miranda’s excellence has been well-documented, but it’s truly remarkable what he’s done in the high minors. He’s hitting .347 with a 1.028 OPS in 41 games for the Saints. St. Paul improved its record to 48-41 and will head home to take on the Iowa Cubs. Now back from Japan, newly acquired starter Joe Ryan could make his Saints debut during the series. WIND SURGE WISDOM Surge 14, Drillers 8 Box Score Jordan Balazovic: 1 2/3 IP, 6 H, 6 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 0 K HR: BJ Boyd 2 (13, 14), Andrew Bechtold (14), Leobaldo Cabrera (4), Jermaine Palacios (18), Chris Williams (3), Trey Cabbage (13) Multi-hit games: Boyd (2-for-5, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 2 R), Palacios (3-for-4, HR, 3 R, RBI, BB), Cabrera (2-for-4, HR, 2B, 2 RBI, R, BB), D.J. Burt (2-for-3, 2B, 3 R, 2 BB) Another home run barrage for the Surge began less swimmingly. Jordan Balazovic struggled with his command, walking three in a very short outing. None of the six runs scored against him were earned, however, as the Surge made some throwing errors in the field. Wichita entered the game with a league-leading 26 homers in August. They bashed seven more in Sunday’s win. Trey Cabbage hit his seventh homer of the month and BJ Boyd hit another two bombs himself. Boyd has four homers in his last two games and nine over his last 13 games. It was a big win for Wichita as they extend their lead over Tulsa to four games. Wichita is in first place with a 52-38 record after the road series split. KERNELS NUGGETS Kernels 4, Chiefs 1 Box Score Matt Canterino: 3 IP, 0 H, 0 R/ER, 1 BB, 8 K HR: Michael Helman (11), Alex Isola (9) Multi-hit games: Edouard Julien (2-for-3, 2B, RBI, 2 BB), Yunior Severino (2-for-5), Isola (2-for-4, HR, 2 RBI, R, BB), Helman (2-for-3, HR, 2B, RBI, 2 R, BB) Matt Canterino was absolutely dominant in his abbreviated return from an elbow injury. He struck out eight of the 10 batters he faced with just one walk of top prospect Jordan Walker. Canterino owns a 0.78 ERA with 45 strikeouts in 23 innings this season. Michael Helman got things going for Cedar Rapids with a solo homer on the first pitch of the third inning. Alex Isola then went yard in the fourth, giving the Kernels a 2-0 lead. Cody Laweryson did an excellent job filling innings after Canterino, striking out six and not allowing a run in four innings of work. The Kernels have certainly enjoyed the return of Matt Wallner from the injured list. The lineup is deeper and presents an opportunity to balance out production. With the activation of Canterino, Cedar Rapids could really start to click. MUSSEL MATTERS GAME POSTPONED DUE TO WEATHER COMPLEX CHRONICLES THE FCL TWINS DID NOT PLAY SUNDAY TWINS DAILY’S MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PITCHER OF THE DAY: ANDREW ALBERS: 8 IP, 5 H, 0 R/ER, 0 BB, 5 K TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE HITTER OF THE DAY: BJ BOYD: 2-for-5, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 2 R PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed: #1 – Royce Lewis (Rehab) – Out for season (torn ACL) #2 – Austin Martin (Wichita) - 1-for-6, R #3 – Jordan Balazovic (Wichita) – 1 2/3 IP, 6 H, 6 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 0 K #4 – Simeon Woods Richardson (Wichita) - Did not pitch #5 – Jhoan Duran (St. Paul) - Injured List (Right Elbow Strain) #6 – Jose Miranda (St. Paul) - 2-for-5, HR, 2B, 2 R, RBI #7 – Joe Ryan (St. Paul) - Did not pitch #8 – Matt Canterino (Cedar Rapids) - 3 IP, 0 H, 0 R/ER, BB, 8 K #9 – Chase Petty (Complex) - Did not pitch #10 – Keoni Cavaco (Fort Myers) - Did not play (game postponed) #11 – Josh Winder (St. Paul) - Injured List (Right Shoulder Impingement) #12 – Matt Wallner (Cedar Rapids) - 0-for-3, BB #13 – Gilberto Celestino (St. Paul) - 1-for-3, R, 2 BB #14 – Drew Strotman (St. Paul) - Did not pitch #15 – Noah Miller (Complex) - Did not play #16 – Brent Rooker (Minnesota) - Did not play #17 – Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) - Out for Season (Tommy John surgery) #18 – Misael Urbina (Fort Myers) - Did not play #19 – Cole Sands (Wichita) - Did not pitch #20 – Spencer Steer (Wichita) - Did not play View full article

The Wind Surge won a thrilling, back-and-forth affair while Tyler Beck shined for the Kernels. On a very active day for the system: TRANSACTIONS RHP Hector Lujan was activated from the 7-day Injured List. RHP Joe Kuzia was moved to the development list. Mighty Mussels reinstated RHP Sean Mooney from the 7-day injured list Mighty Mussels placed LHP Brent Headrick on the 7-day injured list (right oblique strain) SAINTS SENTINEL Indianapolis 12, Saints 5 Box Score SP: Chandler Shepherd: 4 IP, 11 H, 8 R/ER, 0 BB, 2 K HR: Gilberto Celestino (1), Keon Broxton (9) Multi-hit games: Celestino (2-for-5, HR), Drew Maggi (2-for-4, R, BB), Sherman Johnson (2-for-4, 2B, RBI, R, BB), Broxton (2-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI, R, BB) Chandler Shepherd had trouble early in Sunday’s start. He allowed two three-run homers in the first, including one to a rehabbing Colin Moran. The Saints then fell down 7-0 in the third on an RBI single. Finally making his debut at Triple-A, Gilberto Celestino homered in the third and added a single in the fifth. Celestino jumped from Double-A to the Twins and moved back and forth in the transaction wire before finally debuting for the Saints Sunday. The Saints left 21 runners on base, scoring only five runs on 12 hits and five walks. Keon Broxton continued his torrid stretch with two more hits and two RBI. Broxton entered Sunday hitting .297/.403/.656 over his last 22 games. Both Sherman Johnson and Drew Maggi also posted an OPS over 1.000 in July. WIND SURGE WISDOM Surge 11, Naturals 10 Box Score SP: Chris Vallimont: 4 ⅓ IP, 5 H, 6 R/ER, 5 BB, 6 K HR: Hamilton (6) Multi-hit games: BJ Boyd (3-for-6, 2 RBI), Caleb Hamilton (2-for-3, HR, 4 RBI, 2 BB), Andrew Bechtold (2-for-5, 2B, BB), The Wind Surge jumped out to a 4-0 lead thanks to a Roy Morales RBI single and a Caleb Hamilton three-run homer. Things began to unravel in the third. Chris Vallimont walked five and allowed six runs in 4 ⅓ innings. Vallimont has walked 18 over his last five starts, contributing to a 7.48 ERA over that span. The Naturals scored nine unanswered runs and buried the Surge by the fifth inning. Or that’s how it looked until Wichita’s offense put together a threat in the seventh, loading the bases with one out. Leobaldo Cabrera and Caleb Hamilton each drew bases-loaded walks before BJ Boyd singled in two more runs to pull the Surge within one. Wichita wasn’t done. In the eighth, D.J. Burt drove in two more with a double to take the lead. Aaron Whitefield later singled to put the Surge up 11-9. An RBI single for the Naturals pulled them back within one, but Wichita held on for an 11-10 win. The Surge recorded 12 hits and walked 12 times, including three walks each for Burt and Cabrera. Note: SS/OF Austin Martin, acquired from Toronto in the José Berríos trade, is expected to join the team Tuesday in Wichita. KERNELS NUGGETS Kernels 3, Timber Rattlers 0 Box Score SP: Tyler Beck: 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R/ER, 2 BB, 5 K HR: None Multi-hit games: Michael Helman (2-for-5, R), Alex Isola (3-for-4, 2B), Daniel Ozoria (2-for-4, 2B, RBI, R) Tyler Beck entered the game with a 1.91 ERA over his last 28 1/3 innings with 33 strikeouts and an opponent OPS of .509. He continued his dominance Sunday in a sterling start. Beck threw five strong innings, allowing only two hits and zero runs with five strikeouts. Beck, a 30th round pick by the Twins in the 2019 Draft, could be a candidate for a promotion to Wichita soon. Matt Wallner has picked up right where he left off after missing extended time with a wrist injury. Wallner started the day hitting .324/.375/.784 in nine games since his return. He drove in another run in the first on a groundout. Daniel Ozoria had a very nice afternoon, notching two hits and an RBI groundout himself. The Kernels’ bullpen was outstanding in relief, with Erik Manoah Jr., Osiris Germán and Zach Featherstone combining for four scoreless innings and seven strikeouts. MUSSEL MATTERS The game today between the Mighty Mussels and the Clearwater Threshers was cancelled due to COVID-19 issues within the Threshers organization. COMPLEX CHRONICLES The FCL Twins did not play Sunday (off-day). TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Tyler Beck: 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R/ER, 2 BB, 5 K Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Caleb Hamilton: 2-for-3, HR, 4 RBI, 2 BB PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed: #1 – Royce Lewis (Rehab) – Out for season (torn ACL) #2 – Jhoan Duran (St. Paul) – Injured List (elbow strain) #3 – Jordan Balazovic (Wichita) – Did not pitch #4 – Matt Canterino (Cedar Rapids) – Injured List (right elbow strain) #5 – Jose Miranda (St. Paul) - Did not play #6 – Keoni Cavaco (Fort Myers) – No game #7 – Gilberto Celestino (St. Paul) – 2-for-5, HR, RBI, R #8 – Josh Winder (St. Paul) – Did not pitch #9 – Aaron Sabato (Fort Myers) – No game #10 – Matt Wallner (Cedar Rapids) – 0-for-4, RBI, K #11 – Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) – Out for Season (Tommy John surgery) #12 – Bailey Ober (Minnesota) – Did not pitch #13 – Cole Sands (Wichita) – Did not pitch #14 – Brent Rooker (Minnesota) – 1-for-4 #15 – Misael Urbina (Fort Myers) – No game #16 – Spencer Steer (Wichita) – Did not play #17 – Wander Javier (Cedar Rapids) – 0-for-4, 2 K #18 – Alerick Soularie (Complex) – N/A (foot injury) #19 – Edwar Colina (Rehab) – Injured List (elbow) #20 – Chris Vallimont (Wichita) – 4 ⅓ IP, 5 H, 6 R/ER, 5 BB, 6 K View full article

The system had a few strong performances, some weak ones, and a huge swing from Jesús Feliz in a walk-off Mussels win. TRANSACTIONS: C Ben Rortvedt transferred from Minnesota to Triple-A St.Paul SAINTS SENTINEL Storm Chasers 9, Saints 6 Box Score Griffin Jax: 6 IP, 5 H, 3 R/ER, BB, 5 K HR: José Miranda (8), Jimmy Kerrigan (10) Multi-hit games: Miranda (3-for-5, HR, 2 RBI), Kerrigan (2-for-4, HR), Drew Stankiewicz (2-for-4, R) José Miranda has dominated this space almost every single night and Sunday was no different. Miranda recorded three more hits, including a solo homer. The breakout prospect entered the game hitting .323/.389/.625 (1.014 OPS) in 23 games with the Saints. Keon Broxton has had a very nice month in St.Paul. He started the day with a stellar .278/.385/.648 slash line in July, bouncing back from a brutal June where he hit just .138/.286/.190. He singled Sunday to drive in the Saints’ first run and then stole his ninth base of the season. Ian Hamilton, usually a lockdown option for the Saints late in games, walked three and allowed a single without recording an out. Hamilton has had walk issues so far this year with a 15.5% free-pass rate entering the game. The Saints couldn’t recover from the five-run seventh. WIND SURGE WISDOM Travelers 7, Wind Surge 5 Box Score Jordan Balazovic: 5 IP, 5 H, 3 R/ER, 5 BB, 4 K HR: None Multi-hit game: D.J. Burt (2-for-4, 3B, RBI, R), Wilbis Santiago (2-for-3, 2B, BB), Caleb Hamilton (2-for-4) Jordan Balazovic saw his stunning 25 ⅔ scoreless innings streak come to an end in Sunday’s walk-off loss. Balazovic struggled with his command, walking five Travelers and striking out four. His ERA on the season rose to 2.74. The Surge quickly responded after falling down 1-0 in the first. Aaron Whitefield singled home D.J. Burt in the next half inning, and Wilbis Santiago doubled behind him to take a 2-1 lead. That wouldn’t last long. The Travelers tied the game immediately and just kept clawing back, coming back from 4-2 and 5-3 deficits to eventually walk off the Surge in the bottom of the ninth. Jake Scheiner blasted a two-run homer to win it. KERNELS NUGGETS Snappers 4, Kernels 0 Box Score Cody Laweryson: 5 IP, 3 H, R/ER, BB, 8 K HR: None Multi-hit game: None The Kernels mustered up just two hits in their shutout loss Sunday. Jair Camargo singled in the second and Gabriel Maciel singled in the third, accounting for the entire Cedar Rapids offense. Snappers starter George Soriano struck out eight in four outstanding innings. The top four hitters in the Kernels’ lineup (Edouard Julien, Michael Helman, Matt Wallner and Wander Javier) combined to go 0-for-16 with nine strikeouts. Cody Laweryson put together one of his best starts of the year, striking out a season-high eight Snappers. Laweryson tied his season high with five innings pitched and has allowed just two runs over his last nine innings (two starts). MUSSEL MATTERS Mighty Mussels 6, Tortugas 5 Box Score Zarion Sharpe: 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R/ER, 2 BB, 5 K HR: Charles Mack (5), Jesús Feliz (2) Multi-hit games: Mack (2-for-4, HR, BB), Feliz (3-for-5, HR, 2B, 2 RBI) Jesús Feliz played hero in a thrilling walk-off win for the Mussels Sunday. Leading off the bottom of the ninth, Feliz blasted a 1-0 pitch to left center and saved the Mussels bullpen after they allowed three runs in the eighth. Not only did Feliz end the scoring, he also got the Mussels on the board with a two-out RBI double in the first. Charles Mack added on with a solo homer in the fifth and Yunior Severino and Keoni Cavaco each plated runs with singles in the sixth. Before the Feliz heroics, Zarion Sharpe was fantastic in his fourth start for Fort Myers. Sharpe struck out five and didn’t allow a run. He lowered his ERA to 4.50 after beginning the day at 5.33. COMPLEX CHRONICLES THE FCL TWINS DID NOT PLAY TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Cody Laweryson: 5 IP, 3 H, R/ER, BB, 8 K Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Jesús Feliz: 3-for-5, walk-off HR, 2B, 2 RBI PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed: #1 – Royce Lewis (Rehab) – Out for season (torn ACL) #2 – Jhoan Duran (St. Paul) – Injured List (elbow strain) #3 – Jordan Balazovic (Wichita) – 5 IP, 5 H, 3 R/ER, 5 BB, 4 K #4 – Matt Canterino (Cedar Rapids) – Injured List (right elbow strain) #5 – Jose Miranda (St. Paul) - 3-for-5, HR, 2 RBI #6 – Keoni Cavaco (Fort Myers) – 1-for-4, BB, R #7 – Gilberto Celestino (Minnesota) – Did not play #8 – Josh Winder (St. Paul) – Did not pitch #9 – Aaron Sabato (Fort Myers) – Did not play #10 – Matt Wallner (Cedar Rapids) – 0-for-4, 2 K #11 – Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) – Out for Season (Tommy John surgery) #12 – Bailey Ober (Minnesota) – Did not pitch #13 – Cole Sands (Wichita) – Did not pitch #14 – Brent Rooker (Minnesota) – 1-for-4, HR #15 – Misael Urbina (Fort Myers) – 0-for-4, BB, R #16 – Spencer Steer (Wichita) – 1-for-4 #17 – Wander Javier (Cedar Rapids) – 0-for-4, 2 K #18 – Alerick Soularie (Complex) – N/A (foot injury) #19 – Edwar Colina (Rehab) – Injured List (elbow) #20 – Chris Vallimont (Wichita) – Did not pitch View full article

Very few in Twins history have come in and made as much of an impact as Nelson Cruz. For your work on the field, off the field, and so much more, thank you Nelly! Cruz joined a Twins club flush with young talent, a group that was ready to take the next step. They were missing exactly what he is: an established veteran leader who could guide them in their quest to win. To say Cruz accomplished that in Minnesota would be an understatement. It wasn’t long before the home crowd at Target Field erupted every time Nelly came to the plate. He became the man, the face of the exceptional 2019 offense that hit the most home runs in MLB history. But it was more than the unbelievable production out of the three spot in the lineup; Nelly set the tone. His calm, cool approach fit in seamlessly with Rocco Baldelli’s mantra, and the Twins thrived behind his leadership. Not only did Cruz undoubtedly elevate his teammates, he just had the best offensive season of his storied career. Cruz hit a remarkable .311/.392/.639 with 41 homers and 26 doubles in his first 120 games as a Twin. Nelly finished in the top-10 for A.L. MVP and won his third Silver Slugger. It was a top-10 offensive season in Twins history. Cruz became a staple in the Minnesota sports scene, named as the Star Tribune’s Sportsperson of the Year. His value was immeasurable, and the Twins picked up his $12 million option for 2020 less than a week after elimination. In addition to his excellence in the batter’s box, Cruz is known for his incredible work in the community. Nelly won the esteemed Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award in 2020 for his exceptional leadership for the Boomstick23 Foundation. Cruz once again led the Twins’ offense in his second season in Minnesota, hitting .303 with a .992 OPS and this time finishing sixth in A.L. MVP voting. He drove in the only two runs the Twins scored in the postseason. He won his second straight Silver Slugger Award. In his curtain call this summer, Cruz returned to the Twins and hit .294/.370/.537 with 19 homers, 13 doubles and a triple in 85 games before the Twins traded him to Tampa Bay. His production will be missed in the heart of the Twins’ order. More than anything, though, the person is who left the biggest impact. Thank you, Nelson Cruz! Read more on the trade. View full article