Lucas Seehafer PT

I think you make a great point and that's why trading Berrios now has always been unlikely. But all it takes is one team to put out a godfather offer and maybe the Jays are that team?

The Toronto Blue Jays entered the All-Star Break with a 45-42 record, 4.5 games back of the final American League Wild Card spot. The Jays reached the playoffs last season but otherwise haven't made the postseason since their back-to-back ALCS appearances in 2015 and 2016. Toronto is one of the teams most likely to make a move, and they could find an excellent trade partner in the Minnesota Twins. What's Their Situation? The Toronto Blue Jays entered the 2020 offseason with a clear goal in mind: return to the American League playoffs in 2021 and make some noise. The first step in attempting to accomplish this task was bringing in veteran offensive talent to complement young studs Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette, so they went out and spent big on shortstop Marcus Semien (1-year, $18 million) and outfielder George Springer (6-years, $150 million). The next step was to shore up the starting rotation, so they brought back Robbie Ray on a 1-year, $8 million deal and consummated a trade with the New York Mets for Steven Matz. The final step was to bet that their aforementioned young core would take the next step in their development and become legitimate All-Star talent. To this point, the Jays' plan has gone exceptionally well. While Springer has only appeared in 20 games due to oblique and quadriceps injuries, and Matz has mainly been mediocre (4.72 ERA), Toronto finds themselves in third place in the AL East and within striking distance of an AL Wild Card spot with 75 games remaining on their schedule. For this reason, in addition to the fact that they are hoping to (conveniently) return to the Bold North by July 30, there is perhaps no team more compelled to make a significant trade or two in the coming weeks than Toronto. What Do They Need? The Jays' offense was among the most fearsome in baseball during the first half of the season as they ranked second overall in home runs (130), OPS (.776), and OPS+ (110). Guerrero has officially completed his metamorphosis into one of the game's most feared sluggers, leading the team with 28 bombs and an absurd 1.089 OPS. Semien's production isn't far behind with his 22 homers and 4.3 WAR, and neither is Bichette's 16 dingers and 3.0 WAR. In all, the three form the foundation of a lineup that will leave any opposing pitchers shaking in their cleats should they qualify for the playoffs. While it may not be their greatest need, Toronto would likely benefit greatly from adding a fourth outfielder or a super-utility player that can slot into one of the corner outfield spots on occasion. Teoscar Hernandez, Randal Grichuk, and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. all have nice pop and are deserving to be full-time starters, but they sometimes struggle with reaching base consistently. Jonathan Davis, the Jays' primary fourth outfielder as of this writing, and his -0.3 WAR leaves a lot to be desired. Additionally, adding someone who can spell Cavan Biggio and his mediocre production at third base (.699 OPS) would be all the more valuable for Toronto. One could also argue that Toronto could benefit from buying a pure DH-type bat, but doing so would be more of a luxury than addressing a glaring need. If they believe Guerrero can be a passable first baseman and there will be enough at-bats for everybody once Springer returns to the lineup, pursuing DH options becomes much more palatable. Otherwise, Toronto would likely be better off seeking to remedy more pressing needs. Speaking of which: What the Jays truly need is pitching, particularly in the bullpen. General manager Ross Atkins told reporters in mid-June that the team would focus on adding bullpen arms as the season progressed and, so far, he has kept to his word. Toronto has already swapped first baseman Rowdy Tellez and second baseman Joe Panik for Trevor Richards and Adam Cimber to shore up the pen. (The Jays also added outfielder Corey Dickerson, though he has yet to appear in a game due to injury and a return date remains murky at best.) Still, Toronto would benefit from adding another arm, particularly one that could slot in alongside standout closer Jordan Romano in save situations and close scores late in games. Additionally, it may behoove the Jays to add one more starting pitcher. Hyun Jin Ryu and Robbie Ray have performed like legitimate number one and two options to date, but some degree of regression is inevitable. Adding a true ace or a competent number four starter would put them in a position to improve their pitching unit significantly. As a team, Toronto ranks 12th in ERA (3.99), 11th in ERA+ (112), and 16th in FIP (4.28). Which Twins Are the Best Fit? It wouldn't surprise me if reports started popping up that the Jays are among the most aggressive teams trying to pry Taylor Rogers away from the Twins. The fit makes too much sense. Toronto needs a lockdown bullpen arm, and Rogers will likely be the best reliever on the market. Add that he is left-handed while Romano is right-handed, and the fit becomes even more apparent. Similarly, Toronto is one of the more obvious landing spots for José Berríos should the Twins choose to move him. They need a pitcher with ace-level potential who lines up with the timeline of their young core. They also have a great farm system when looking strictly at their top 10 prospects, making them an ideal trade partner for the Twins. Finally, Luis Arraez's emergence as a super-utility man this season makes him a fantastic fit for Toronto. His ability to get on base would have Guerrero and company salivating, while his defensive versatility would allow for off-days for most of the Jays' primary offensive contributors. He may not be great anywhere, but Arraez is serviceable almost everywhere, and that has value. Michael Pineda, Hansel Robles, and Caleb Thielbar are also potential targets for Toronto should they seek to make a big splash elsewhere or not at all. Who Could the Twins Get Back? The Jays boast six prospects inside MLB Pipeline's top 100, headlined by No. 9 RHP Nate Pearson and No. 16 UTIL Austin Martin. Both players, including No. 90 RHP Alek Manoah, who has performed well for Toronto since being called up, are likely off-limits, even in a trade involving Berríos. Perhaps the most exciting prospect they could pry away from Toronto is No. 68 RHP Simeon Woods Richardson. Woods Richardson, who is currently pitching in Double-A at 20-years-old, stands 6-foot-3-inches tall and possesses four pitches - a fastball, slider, curve, and changeup - that are considered plus offerings. He has reasonable control and fits the physical profile that the Twins like in their pitching prospects (i.e. tall and athletic). In a best-case scenario, Woods Richardson develops into a José Berríos-Esque pitcher, making losing him more palatable for the Twins. An intriguing name that may be included in a deal for any of the three players listed above is utility man Otto Lopez. He's young, versatile on defense, has good bat-to-ball skills, and some power potential. Thus far, his power has primarily presented itself as a propensity to hit doubles, but a tweak here or there could turn that double power into home run power. Other prospects the Twins could potentially ask for are SS Jordan Groshans, ARHP Adam Kloffenstein, and CRHP CJ Van Eyk. 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

#EyesClosedGang

Unconventional selection for the Falvine regime, but I like the gamble here. He may just be the Twins top pitching prospect.

I think Petty will slot somewhere 5-10. There's a legit argument for him to be considered the Twins top pitching prospect based solely.on raw stuff, age, and the ever nebulous "projectability." Untill we see them in game action to prove otherwise, I'd assume that Miller lines up closely with Cavaco.

Home runs by Alex Kirilloff and Jorge Polanco and an explosive eighth inning pushed the Minnesota Twins past the Detroit Tigers Saturday afternoon. Box Score Ober: 3 1/3 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 4 K Home Runs: Alex Kirilloff (8), Jorge Polanco (11) Top 3 WPA: Jorge Polanco .454, Luis Arraez .128, Alexander Colomé .124 Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) It appeared as though a win simply wasn’t in the cards for the Twins for the majority of the game on Saturday afternoon. Starting pitcher Bailey Ober started off the game strong, striking out the side in the first inning, but flamed out brightly during the Tigers’ second time through the order. Niko Goodrum and Zack Short crushed balls over the fence and Harold Castro brought in another to give Detroit a 4-0 lead after four innings. But, remarkably, things started to go the Twins’ way in the second half of the game. Derek Law and Danny Coloumbe came on in relief for Ober and pitched 3 ⅔ innings of scoreless ball. Alex Kirilloff blasted a home run over the right centerfield fence to cut the lead to 4-2 in the sixth. Jorge Polanco added three more in the seventh with his 11th home run of the season. Alexander Colomé pitched a scoreless top of the eighth inning after allowing a leadoff double and four Twins’ runners touched home in the bottom of the frame. After the dust had settled, the Twins had turned a 4-0 deficit with an 8.2% win expectancy into a 9-4 win, clinching a series victory over the Tigers. While their opponent was not exactly the same caliber of, say, a Chicago or Boston, the Twins’ win on Saturday should provide the masses with a breath of fresh air. The bullpen performed well, the offense came through in the clutch, one of the franchise’s premier prospects hit a mammoth bomb. At the end of the day, a quality win is a quality win, regardless of opponent. A Note on Ober Although Ober struggled against an iffy Tigers lineup, he continued to display signs of promise for the future. By now it has been well established that his fastball is significantly improved from the last time he played live ball in 2019 and it is that improvement that helped propel him into the majors this season. However, the key for him moving forward is all about process. At 92-94 mph, Ober isn’t going to overpower batters on a consistent basis. That is where his strong command and control comes into play. If he is able to place a 94 mph heater wherever he wishes, he becomes a much more dangerous opponent. However, over his last two starts, his command has been mediocre at best. He walked three during his win over the White Sox and two against the Tigers on Saturday. But, I wonder if the Twins are working with him on improving his pitch placement. Ober consistently works his fastball up in the zone with up-and-away being the second most frequent location it was deployed against Detroit; this is where his fastball is most effective. He couples his fastball with a sharp curveball down in the zone. In the minors, pitchers of Ober’s caliber can get away with somewhat shoddy pitch command/location. That won’t fly against a major league batting order. Making adjustments on the fly to where he is looking to throw the ball would help explain at least some of the control issues Ober has displayed as of late. His strikeout numbers are there, but once his command improves and he starts missing more barrels, he’ll be right in-line to contend for a rotation spot moving forward. Postgame Interviews Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT TOT Law 0 0 50 0 0 27 77 Thielbar 29 0 20 0 20 0 69 Duffey 17 0 0 15 0 21 53 Rogers 31 0 0 6 0 0 37 Robles 12 0 0 0 24 0 36 Colomé 0 14 0 0 0 17 31 Coulombe 0 12 0 0 0 13 25 Alcala 0 0 0 0 23 0 23 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

I'm interested to see what the F.O. does. Their track record clearly indicates that they love college boppers and toolsy, hit-tool oriented prep shortstops in the first round. They usually spring on college arms in the 3-5th rounds. Pitching will always be a need, but the farm system could really use an influx of hitting talent, imo. Personally, I'd go either college bat or college pitcher first.

No, he's definitely a starter at the MLB level. His ceiling is probably something like a decent No. 2/great No. 3. His changeup is good from what I saw, he just doesn't throw it much. Could be something Wes Johnson tweaks once he makes it to the majors. Functionally, his curveball works as a third pitch because he employs it in different scenarios than the slider and it is just different enough in velo, movement, etc. to keep batters on their toes.

Your point about the science and lack of support for the innings/pitch limit is a good one, but the difficult thing about baseball (and really anything medically-related, tangential or otherwise) is that it takes a long time to implement new practices. That and while we're starting to understand that innings and pitch limits don't have as great of an impact on injury occurrence as we once thought, we're not particularly close to finding a better answer either, placing everyone in a tough spot. As far as Balazovic specifically, I think they're just being overly cautious due to 1. the back injury he suffered and 2. the rash of arm injuries among pitchers in their farm system. It would be a brutal blow to lose Duran, Balazovic, Canterino and Enlow to injury all in one summer (though only Enlow has undergone surgery at this point). I think we'll see Balazovic on the Twins next summer towards the end of the season.

Half of the Twins' minor league teams won and the other half lost and none of the games were particularly close. TRANSACTIONS None SAINTS SENTINEL Iowa 15, St. Paul 2 Box Score Whew baby this one got ugly and fast! In his last start approximately one week ago, Saints pitcher Chandler Shepherd tossed five innings of two-hit shutout baseball against a stout Omaha Storm Chasers offense. Unfortunately, Friday night’s start did not go so smoothly. The I-Cubs touched Shepherd for five runs in the first inning and nine overall en route to clobbering the Saints. Offensively, Willians Astudillo went 2-for-4, while Damek Tomscha and Roberto Peña added doubles. But other than that, not much went St. Paul’s way tonight. It may be best to just pretend as if this game never happened... WIND SURGE WISDOM NW Arkansas 10, Wichita 2 Box Score ...And it’s probably safe to do so with this one as well. The Wind Storm only mustered five hits all evening - two coming off the bat of outfielder Ernie De La Trinidad who was later replaced by Trey Cabbage; no word as to why - and did not score beyond the second inning. Leobaldo Cabrera drove in both runs with a double. Starting pitcher Jason Garcia was removed due to injury after 3 ⅓ innings, in which he walked four, struck out three, and allowed five runs, though only three were earned. Adam Lau tossed 3 ⅔ innings of scoreless ball in relief. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 9, Peoria 8 Box Score Hey, this game went well!...At least it did until the ninth inning. The Kernels took an 8-3 lead into the final frame when the Chiefs scored five runs off Zach Featherstone, who had largely been untouchable to this point all season. However, Cedar Rapids quickly scored in the bottom of the inning after Seth Gray walked, Wander Javier was plunked, and DaShawn Keirsey doubled to deep center to end the game. Starting pitcher Kody Funderburk was on fire to start the game, throwing six innings, striking out six, walking one, and allowing two runs, neither earned. (This one went really late due to an extended rain delay, well, delaying the start of the game as well as the ninth inning chicanery.) You won’t find Funderburk’s name on any list of the Twins' top or even notable prospects, but his numbers - 3.18 ERA, 59 Ks in 45 ⅓ innings, 3.19 FIP - are pretty difficult to ignore at this point. His stuff won’t blow you away - I’d argue his slider is his best pitch - and would likely be best served as a reliever if/when he makes it to the major leagues, but thus far this season he has been more productive than many of the pitchers in the Twins system, which is pretty much all anyone can ask of him. Shortstop Wander Javier connected for his eighth home run of the season - and his second in as many days - en route to going 2-for-4 with a double and three RBI. His batting average remains precariously near the Mendoza Line - it’s .217 as of this writing - but his OPS has finally soared north of .700 - if .702 can be considered "soaring - which is rather encouraging. (For reference, the average OPS in MLB is around .715.) Outfielder Max Smith also had himself a night, going 2-for-2 with a home run, double, two walks and two RBI. MUSSEL MATTERS Fort Myers 13, St. Lucie 5 Box Score This one wasn’t even as close as the scoreboard may suggest, which suggests that it was particularly close. Ft. Myers put the Mighty in Mussels tonight, scoring 13 runs on 10 hits, led primarily by Yunior Severino, who went 2-for-5 with a double, home run, and five RBI; he has been on a tear as of late, elevating his batting average to .249 and OPS to .771. While Severino has yet to live up to the significant level of hype he garnered when he signed with the Twins back in late 2017, his play lately has been more than encouraging. It’s easy to forget, but he’s only 21-years-old and had one season lost due to COVID and another marred by a controversy that was not of his doing. If anything, his level of play at the moment should be viewed as impressive and encouraging for the future. Speaking of impressive and encouraging, starting pitcher Louie Varland continued his run of dominance Friday night by striking out 10 batters across five innings while only walking one; his ERA stands at 2.09 after allowing two earned runs to score. At this point, Varland has done enough at the Low-A level to warrant a promotion and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him awarded one after the All-Star break. He has 76 strikeouts with a 4.8 K:BB ratio in 47 ⅓ innings! COMPLEX CHRONICLES FCL Red Sox 6, FCL Twins 1 Box Score Aaand back to the losing. 2017 second-round pick Landon Leach got the start tonight for the baby Twins and tossed three scoreless innings, but he walked two and was unable to pick up even a single strikeout. Luis Baez came off the bench, smacked a double, and later scored on a one of Alexander Pena’s two singles to score the team’s lone run. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – RHP Louie Varland (Ft. Myers): 5 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 10 K Hitter of the Day – 2B Yunior Severino (Ft. Myers): 2-for-5, HR, 2B, 5 RBI Honorable Mention of the Day - LHP Kody Funderburk (Cedar Rapids): 6 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 K PROSPECT SUMMARY Take note that we have finished our midseason update, so there is a new list! Here is a look at how the Twins Daily Midseason 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) – 1-for-4, 2 K #6 – Keoni Cavaco (Fort Myers) – 1-for-4, BB #7 – Gilberto Celestino (Minnesota) – Did not play #8 – Josh Winder (St. Paul) – Did not pitch #9 – Aaron Sabato (Fort Myers) – 0-for-2, RBI, 3 BB #10 – Matt Wallner (Cedar Rapids) – Injured List (hamate bone surgery) #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 (St. Paul) – 1-for-4 #15 – Misael Urbina (Fort Myers) – 1-for-3, RBI, BB #16 – Spencer Steer (Wichita) – 0-for-4, K #17 – Wander Javier (Cedar Rapids) – 2-for-4, 2B, HR, 3 RBI #18 – Alerick Soularie (Complex) – N/A (foot injury) #19 – Edwar Colina (Rehab) – Injured List (elbow) #20 – Chris Vallimont (Wichita) – Did not pitch SATURDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS St. Paul @ Iowa (7:08 PM CST) – (Beau Burrows: 1-1, 5.75 ERA) NW Arkansas @ Wichita (6:05PM CST) – (Jordan Balazovic: 1-1, 4.44 ERA) Peoria @ Cedar Rapids (6:35PM CST) – (Jon Olsen: 0-3, 3.65 ERA) Fort Myers @ St. Lucie (5:10PM CST) – (Bobby Milacki: 0-0, 4.41 ERA) FCL Twins vs. FCL Red Sox (9:00AM CST) - (TBD) 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

If 2021 is the year of Josh Winder’s breakout, then 2019 was the year of Jordan Balazovic. The Minnesota Twins’ 2016 fifth-round pick out of Canada shot up the internet’s various prospect ranking systems thanks to an electric fastball and the projectability of his 6-foot-5-inch, 215 pound frame. There are arguably no more important attributes a pitcher can possess in the modern iteration of major league baseball than heat and projectability and Balazovic has both in spades. After missing the first couple months of the season thanks to an ailing back, Balazovic has made six starts for the Double-A Wichita Wind Surge, hurling a total of 24 ⅓ innings with his last start on June 30 (5 ⅔ innings) being his longest of the season. He currently owns an uninspiring 4.44 ERA, though 10 of the 12 runs he has surrendered came during two of his first four starts. Over his last 10 ⅓ innings, Balazovic has allowed two earned runs while striking out 14 batters and walking only two. Balazovic possesses a funky-ish delivery that isn’t so much violent as it is...flaily? This delivery is simultaneously one of his strengths as well as a weakness, at least potentially. The sheer volume of movement of his limbs not only serves as a peripheral distraction, but also helps hide the ball remarkably well, making it difficult for opposing batters to get a solid read on which pitch is barreling towards the plate. Combine that with his healthy wingspan and Balazovic has a natural proclivity for getting people out with his heater (more on that in a second). However, this extraneous movement also likely increases the amount of torque placed on his shoulder and back, in particular, potentially threatening his durability. (There’s no way to know for sure unless the Twins allow us to strap electrodes on him and register the force these structures are exposed to and I don’t think Twins Daily has either that kind of budget or access.) That said, Balazovic pushes off well with his back leg, which is the main reason why he is able to sit 93-95 mph with his fastball. Speaking of which, Balazovic’s fastball is, in my estimation, one of the better ones in the Twins’ system. He most frequently unloads the pitch near the top of the zone and while command can sometimes be an issue - his 7.1% BB% is tied for the second highest of his career - the fastball can touch as high as 97 mph and possesses great rising action. Of course, Balazovic’s fastball doesn’t actually rise - that would either 1. defy the laws of physics or 2. suggest that he’s secretly Tyler Rogers in disguise - but rather it simply appears as though it is rising to the batter. One of the worst pitches a hurler can have is a fastball that neither sinks nor plays tricks with opponent’s mind and luckily Balazovic checks at least one of those boxes. As for his other pitches, Balazovic infrequently throws a changeup that sits 87-90 mph with tailing/sinking movement as well as a slider and curveball that are essentially the same pitch, though the slider is both a little faster (83-86 mph versus 81-83 mph) and has a slightly sharper break. The fastball and slider are the two pitches he relies on most frequently to rack up strikeouts and induce outs, in general. The curveball is most often employed in the middle of an at-bat while his changeup is very frequently an afterthought. Watching Balazovic, it’s easy to get excited for what his future holds and it’s apparent why many in and around MLB think that he is perhaps the Twins’ top pitching prospect; he simply looks like a modern day pitcher and has the stuff of one, too. If he can stay healthy, keep the walks low, and keep the ball in the park, he has the potential to be a very solid pitcher with a long career. 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

Jovani Moran and Josh Winder are definitely the closest to MLB ready, in my estimation, and also are pretty much the only two who are healthy at this point (sounds like Winder is going to be ok after taking a ball off the neck in his last start). I'm pretty high on both, but we probably won't see extended looks at either until next summer.

Wow, great work. Goes to show that the vast majority of the time, waiver moves - whether pick ups or losing players - rarely matter in the grand scheme. We - myself included - sometimes get a little irritated when the Twins drop someone like a Chalmers or Blankenhorn, but this high suggests that doing so will almost never have any consequences despite their perceived upside.

He's only started 7 of his 95 MiLB appearances, so the Twins have never really viewed him as anything but a reliever. I'd say that right now, his fastball and changeup are legit MLB pitches, but his slider is his true third pitch and it will likely only ever be average at best. It just doesn't have the attributes you'd like to see from a true third option in an arsenal; it's more of an occasional offering to keep batters honest. That could always change, but I feel comfortable saying that it will never usurp his fastball and definitely not his changeup. To your point, I agree that his command is probably his biggest weakness at this point, but a slightly better Hansel Robles is a darn good option out of the pen. If that's his floor, which it may or may not be, he's in a really good spot.

Yes, it's due to COVID protocols, but once they clear testing and whatnot they can be called up right away.

While the likes of Jhoan Duran, Jordan Balazovic, and Josh Winder garner most of the headlines, Double-A relief pitcher Jovani Moran may just be the most sure-thing pitching prospect in the Twins' farm system. The Minnesota Twins farm system is chock-full of intriguing arm talent, particularly when it comes to starting pitching. But while names such as Jhoan Duran, Jordan Balazovic, and Josh Winder grab the majority of the headlines, perhaps no single pitcher in the system is more ready for major league action than reliever Jovani Moran. The Twins selected the 24-year-old lefty with the 200th pick of the 2015 draft out of the Carlos Beltran Baseball Academy located in Florida, Puerto Rico. Since putting pen to paper and officially signing with the Twins, Moran has experienced bouts of incredible success and overall mediocrity, though his performance to date this summer has catapulted him into the franchise's Top 30 prospects according to MLB Pipeline. As of this writing, he owns a 1.91 ERA and 0.70 WHIP to go along with 55 strikeouts in 33 innings for Double-A Wichita. From a purely physical standpoint, nothing about Moran stands out. He's listed at 6-foot-1-inches tall and 165 pounds with an athletic, if a little slender, frame. That said, his mechanics are fluid and repeatable - he only throws out of the stretch - and generates good forward thrust with his powerful legs. Moran primarily utilizes his 4-seam fastball, which sits 92-94 mph, though it can touch as high as 96 mph, to begin at-bats and mixes in an average slider that has good, but not overwhelming, bite. However, the pièce de résistance of Moran's arsenal is his Johan Santana-like changeup, blasphemous as that may sound. His changeup "poofs" - for lack of a more technical scouting term - out of his hand and floats towards the catcher's mitt seemingly in slow motion while opposing batters corkscrew themselves into the ground. Batters know the changeup is coming, but the similar arm slots combined with the 10-12 mph difference between it and his 4-seamer keeps them on their heels. It is this combination that has led Moran to post the highest strikeout rate (45.8%) and second-best xFIP (2.09) among all minor league pitchers who have thrown at least 30 innings this season. However, Moran is not without his warts. He often falls behind in the count due to average command of his fastball and slider and has escaped multiple full-counts throughout the course of the season. (Note: His overall control is fine - he's walked only 11 batters in 33.0 innings - but his ability to place the ball where he wants it with every pitch is lacking. Think of control as accuracy, but command as precision. He can throw strikes, just not always in the location he and/or the catcher want.) Of the 12 hits he has allowed this summer, three have been home runs and his high leg kick, even with runners on base, leaves him susceptible to stolen base attempts; in the some-15 innings I've watched him throw this season, I have yet to seem him unleash a pick-off attempt. Additionally, Moran has a history of elbow and shoulder injuries, though he has not been placed on the injured list since July of 2019 and has not undergone any major surgeries (i.e. Tommy John). That said, the numbers and video speak for themselves. Moran is one of the most untouchable relievers in all of Minor League Baseball and owns one of the league's most dominant pitches in his legitimate 70-grade changeup. It would not be surprising to see Moran take the hill at Target Field at some point this season, despite not currently being on the 40-man roster, and one could easily make the argument that he has earned the right to be called up directly from Double-A. In all likelihood, though, he will see some time in St. Paul despite the Twins' bullpen woes and his consistent dominance at one of the minor league's top levels. But there is a legitimate argument to be made that he is the most likely candidate in the system to be the future ace of the Twins' bullpen due in large part to his ability to throw strikes and strike batters out. 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

He was looked incredible in his debut against a really good Triple-A offense. Fastball sat in the mid-90s and his changeup was devastating. A very encouraging and exciting first glimpse!

Thanks Darwin! I would assume either Saturday or Sunday. Both are currently listed as TBD by milb.com and Winder's last start with Wichita was on June 23. Tuesday at the absolute latest.

Josh Winder pitched like a future MLB starter en route to being named the Twins Daily Minor League Starting Pitcher of the Month for June. Honorable Mentions: LHP Brent Headrick, Low-A: 1-1, 1.71 ERA, 21 IP, 30 K, 10 BB, 1.24 WHIP RHP Sawyer Gipson-Long, Low-A, 3-0, 2.91 ERA, 21 2/3 IP, 31 K, 5 BB, 1.25 WHIP Number 5: RHP Chris Vallimont, Double-A Stats: 2-2, 3.22 ERA, 22 1/3 IP, 34 K, 10 BB, 1.39 WHIP On the surface, Vallimont's numbers from May are arguably better than the ones he posted in June. However, the big difference was his uptick in innings. Vallimont faced exactly twice as many batters in June as he did in May - 96 versus 48 - and essentially maintained his strikeout rate. While he wasn't fantastic, he was good, which was enough to come in fifth in the vote. Number 4: RHP Ben Gross, High-A Stats: 2-0, 1.54 ERA, 23 1/3 IP, 29 K, 10 BB, 1.37 WHIP Gross will be 25-years-old before the end of the season meaning the odds that he ever reaches the majors are dwindling with each passing day. That said, his performance during the month of June was rather encouraging. Compared to May, Gross pitched six more innings, struck out seven more batters, allowed four fewer runs, and dropped his overall ERA from 4.15 to 2.66. Number 3: RHP Austin Schulfer, Double-A Stats: 1-1, 1.75 ERA, 25 2/3 IP, 28 K, 8 BB, 1.29 WHIP Like Gross, Schulfer saw his performance improve dramatically as the calendar turned from May to June. A 19th-round pick in the 2018 draft, Schulfer dropped his ERA from 5.31 to 3.33 after allowing seven less earned runs and striking out twice as many batters in 5 1/3 more innings. Again, his future may not be in the majors as he is already 25-years-old and owns a FIP north of 3.50 in his minor league career, however, it's always intriguing anytime a player posts a month as successful as Schulfer. Number 2: RHP Louie Varland, Low-A Stats: 1-0, 0.40 ERA, 22 1/3 IP, 29 K, 5 BB, 0.90 WHIP For as mediocre as Varland's May was, his June was absolutely superb. Piling up strikeouts has never been an issue for the former Concordia-St. Paul Golden Bear, but what changed for the 23-year-old in June was his ability to combine his punch outs with preventing the long ball. Varland struck out 29 batters in June compared to his 28 in May while seeing his home runs allowed (0 versus 2) and walks issued (5 versus 10) drop precipitously subsequent to a 59% increase in innings pitched (22 1/3 versus 14). Varland owns the raw stuff to be a contributor in some capacity at the major league level. The key with him, as is the case with many minor league pitchers, is improving his command to the point he did in June. If he can keep the walks low and and long ball few and far between, he could find himself pitching at Target Field someday. Number 1: RHP Josh Winder, Double-A (recently promoted to Triple-A) Stats: 2-0, 2.37 ERA, 30 1/3 IP, 35 K, 4 BB, 0.96 WHIP In a Twins' farm system that is replete with talent, perhaps no pitching prospect is more under-appreciated than Josh Winder. Winder, who did not even crack Twins Daily's Top 20 prospect list prior to the start of the season, finished in second place during last month's Starting Pitcher of the Month race after posting some ridiculous numbers and he continued his streak of dominance as spring turned to summer en route to winning this past month's honors. Unlike contemporaries Matt Canterino and Jhoan Duran, Winder possesses fluid mechanics with a consistent, repeatable motion. He get's good push off from his back leg which reduces the strain placed on his shoulder and elbow. He's only been placed on the injured list once in his minor league career, a stint that lasted exactly one week. Winder's owns a classic pitch arsenal consisting of a four-seam fastball, curveball, slider, and change-up. His fastball sits in the low- to mid-90s, though it can touch as high as 96 mph, and is graded as a 50-55 on the traditional 20-80 scouting scale according to FanGraphs. While he doesn't have one pitch that stands out as more impressive than the others, all four are at least average offerings, which has the benefit of raising his floor as a prospect. It this fact, along with his string of consistent positive performances, that drove Winder to be named to the 2021 Futures Game alongside a host of top-tier MLB prospects. Winder may never find himself among the Twins' top-10 prospects, however, arguably no pitcher in the system has risen their stock more than he has compared to prior to the season beginning. 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