Seth Stohs

Age matters in prospect rankings. That's all. The Twins are in Win-Now mode, so the front office's job is to make sure they've got options in Triple-A to come up if needed. Broxton may have a role at some point. Riddle could. Derek Law should. The other thing is that this year, age means even less than normal. The 'prospects' are taken care of and they are going to play where it is best for their development. They've just missed a full year... Low A starters are normally 22. This year, it's OK if they're 23-24. St. Paul has a nice mix of veterans as well as a bunch of prospects.

I would think maybe others have skipped the DSL, but it's very rare. sounds like just a lot up in the air on the DSL... lots of kids in a small area. It may be limited.

St. Paul, Wichita and Cedar Rapids games will be on milb.tv.

I'm heading to Cedar Rapids for their opening series next week. looking forward to that! I'm hoping to get to Wichita once this summer sometime. I did look at how far Springfield is from Cedar Rapids... but the answer was too far. Be sure to send us some updates on the games you see in the comments of those minor league reports those nights. And if you get pictures, let us know!

Colina is on the Twins 60-Day IL with forearm/elbow issues. Urbina, Rodriguez and Raya are at the Twins complex in Ft. Myers. They'll play for the "GCL" team when it gets to that point. Of course, if needed, they could be promoted to Ft. Myers. Possible, but not likely they would play with the Mussels this year. Depends on need and injuries, etc. Danny De Andrade will be in the Dominican Summer League, if there is a Dominican Summer League this year. That's kind of still up in the air.

yes, that's because these guys are a lot of the 2019 draft picks, guys who likely would have been in Low A a year ago. Now they're here a year older. Of course, that doesn't matter even a little bit.

Learned also this afternoon that minor league Rule 5 pick Jhonleider Salinas will also be on the Wichita roster. Like Luis Rijo, visa issues made him late for camp.

I don't know a lot of specifics... Laweryson expects to be in Cedar Rapids by about late May. Rijo had some visa issues so he got to spring training late.

Balazovic is on the Wichita IL... I got that list just now... May be some IL... they also are accounting for taxi squad needs.

Javier is still just 22... just so much missed time... talent is certainly still there. I expect the same with Canterino, but they'll let them pitch.

In my projections, I had Celestino teetering between Cedar Rapids and Wichita. I think at some point we may see Rortvedt head to AA, but for right now, he's getting a nice opportunity.

Just got the IL list and added it to the article above. Balazovic Bray Lewis Vallimont Balazovic has an oblique injury, so they're starting him slowly.

Today, the Cedar Rapids Kernels announced their first Opening Day roster as the High Class-A affiliate of the Twins. After eight seasons as the team’s Low-A affiliate, the Kernels earned their promotion. Find out which players will start their season in Iowa.The Kernels became the Twins Low-A Midwest League affiliate in 2013. In 2021, they are now the team’s High-A affiliate. It’s an interesting case where a lot of the players who spent time in Cedar Rapids in 2019 are moving up the organizational ladder to start 2021, but remain with the same team. This roster has a lot of talent and should be fun to watch. Find out who is on their Opening Day roster, starting with the coaching staff. The Coaching Staff: Manager: Brian Dinkelman Pitching Coaches: Mark Moriarity, Richard Salazar Hitting Coach: Bryce Berg Coach: Jairo Rodriguez The Pitchers LHP: Kody Funderburk (24), Tyler Watson (23), Zach Featherstone (25) RHP: Melvi Acosts (25), Tyler Beck (25), Andrew Cabezas (24), Matt Canterino (23), Jonathan Cheshire (26), Blayne Enlow (22), Ben Gross (24), Jordan Gore (26), Tyler Palm (26), Derek Molina (23), Jon Olsen (23), Owen Griffith (23). The starting rotation of the Kernels is very exciting. Canterino and Enlow are also Top 10 Twins prospects and have high ceilings. Ben Gross was a tenth round pick in 2019 out of Duke. Jordan Gore is starting his transition from shortstop to pitcher. Inactive: Cody Laweryson (injured list), Luis Rijo (temporary inactive list). The Catchers Jair Camargo (21), Alex Isola (22), Chris Williams (24) Isola and Williams were in big-league spring training, though Williams hurt his shoulder playing some first base early in camp. Camargo came to the Twins in the Maeda/Graterol trade. The Infielders Seth Gray (22), Michael Helman (24), Wander Javier (22), Spencer Steer (23), Yeltsin Encarnacion (22), Gabe Snyder (26), Spencer Steer was part of big-league spring training. The 2019 third-round pick can play second and third base. Gray is an exciting third base prospect from the 2019 draft. Snyder was a Midwest League All Star in 2019 and provides a lot of power. Helman struggled with the Miracle in 2019, but he’s back in Cedar Rapids where he played great during his 2018 draft season. Wander Javier moves up to Cedar Rapids after his struggles with the Low-A Kernels in 2019. He remains a high ceiling prospect. Encarnacion is quietly a solid shortstop prospect with the glove and a developing bat. The Outfielders Trey Cabbage (24), DaShawn Keirsey (23), Gabriel Maciel (22), Matt Wallner (23), Minnesota native and 2019 first-round pick Matt Wallner returns to Cedar Rapids to start the 2021 season. Cabbage started showing his massive power potential in 2019 and looks to continue that. Keirsey had a great offseason and looks to stay on the field and produce in 2021. Maciel came to the Twins in the Eduardo Escobar trade. He’s got a lot of skills. Check out these Cedar Rapids Kernels sites and social media: Team Website Team Store Kernels on Twitter Kernels on Facebook Kernels on Instagram Kernels on YouTube All Ears podcast Minnesota Twins 2021 Top 20 Prospects with the Kernels 13. Matt Wallner, OF: 10. Blayne Enlow, RHP: 9. Matt Canterino, RHP: Click here to view the article

Today the St. Paul Saints announced their first Opening Day roster as an affiliate of the Minnesota Twins. Many of these players have been working at CHS Field, but find out more about who you can see when you go to Twins Triple-A games in St. Paul.CHS Field is beautiful. Maybe you’ve already been there for some Saints games, but if not, you will certainly want to make the trek east of the river starting this year. The Saints are now the Triple-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins. You can watch future Twins working and preparing to get the call across the Mississippi River to join the Twins at Target Field, and you can do so with the great atmosphere that the staff at CHS Field provide. Let’s take a look at the team’s 2021 Opening Day roster, starting with the coaching staff and working through the players. The Coaching Staff: Manager: Toby Gardenhire Pitching Coaches: Cibney Bello, Mike McCarthy Hitting Coach: Matt Borgschulte Coach: Tyler Smarslok The Pitchers LHP: Andrew Albers (35), Charlie Barnes (25), Daniel Coulombe (31), Devin Smeltzer (25), Lewis Thorpe (25), Andrew Vasquez (27), Brandon Waddell (26). RHP: Shaun Anderson (26), Jhoan Duran (23), Luke Farrell (29), Ian Gibaut (27), Ian Hamilton (25), Griffin Jax (26), Derek Law (30), Robinson Leyer (27), Juan Minaya (30), Bailey Ober (25), Chandler Shepherd (28), Glenn Sparkman (28). The Saints have quite the pitching staff. There are prospects like Jhoan Duran, Griffin Jax Charlie Barnes and Bailey Ober. There are veterans with a lot of big league time like Andrew Albers, Juan Minaya, Glenn Sparkmann, Luke Farrell and Derek Law. There are guys like Lewis Thorpe and Devin Smeltzer who have had a role with the Twins the past two seasons. The Catchers Caleb Hamilton (26), Roberto Pena (28), Ryan Jeffers (23), Tomas Telis (29). Ryan Jeffers was optioned to St. Paul on Friday. He should get the majority of the starts behind the plate and potentially DH when he’s not catching. He will need consistent at bats again and remains the likely catcher of the future. Hamilton can catch, but he can also play first base, third base and in left field. Telis is a veteran with big-league time in parts of four seasons. In 2019 at Rochester, he hit .330. Roberto Pena has been in pro ball since signing with the Astros in 2010. He’s also been in the White Sox, Rays and Angels organizations. The Infielders Travis Blankenhorn (24), Nick Gordon (25), Drew Maggi (31), Zander Wiel (28) JT Riddle (29) and Tzu-Wei Lin (27) were DFAd on Friday, so it will be interesting to see if either is claimed. If not, they could be on this roster too. Nick Gordon was called up to the Twins last weekend but didn’t get into a game. The former first-round pick (2014) can play both middle infield positions. He just needs to get at bats and stay healthy. Blankenhorn saw one game with the Twins, and it didn’t go well for him, but don’t let that alter your thoughts on him. He’s a big kid, capable of playing third base and second base, and he has power potential. Maggi is a minor league veteran who played well in Double-A and Triple A in 2019. Zander Wiel had a monster season in Rochester in 2019 and has been in big-league spring training the past two years. The Outfielders Keon Broxton (30), Trevor Larnach (24), Rob Refsnyder (30), Brent Rooker (26). Rooker was optioned to the Saints on Friday after playing in a handful of games with the Twins following a stint on the Injured List. He will be a middle of the lineup bat. Larnach is the #3 Twins prospect and 2018 first round pick. His bat has nearly as much potential as Alex Kirilloff. He just needs time and some at bats. Refsnyder has several years with MLB time but hopes to get back to the big leagues this year. Broxton is interesting because just a few years ago, he had a 20/20 season for the Brewers. He’s a strong defender, capable of playing all three outfield spots. Check out these St. Paul Saints sites and social media: Team Website Team Store Saints on Twitter Saints on Facebook Saints on Instagram Saints on YouTube Minnesota Twins 2021 Top 20 Prospects on the Saints roster: 20. Bailey Ober, RHP: 12. Brent Rooker, OF: 5. Jhoan Duran, RHP: 4. Ryan Jeffers, C: 3. Trevor Larnach, OF: Click here to view the article

Today the Wichita Wind Surge announced their first Opening Day roster as an affiliate of the Minnesota Twins. Find out which prospects will be joining the celebration as Wichita opens its new state-of-the-art stadium.The Wichita Wind Surge will open up its first season as a Twins affiliate on Tuesday. Let’s take a look at their Opening Day roster, starting with the coaching staff. The Coaching Staff: Manager: Ramon Borrego Pitching Coaches: Luis Ramirez, Virgil Vasquez Hitting Coach: Ryan Smith Coach: Joe Mangiameli The Pitchers LHP: Josh Mitchell (26), Jovani Moran (24), Zach Neff (25), Bryan Sammons (26), RHP: Yennier Cano (27), Dakota Chalmers (24), Calvin Faucher (25), Tom Hackimer (26), Hector Lujan (26), Ryan Mason (26), Alex Phillips (26), Cole Sands (23), Austin Schulfer (25), Josh Winder (24). Winder and Sands are two exciting members of the Twins 2018 draft. Both will start, as will Sammons and Chalmers. Mitchell came to the Twins in the minor league Rule 5 draft from the Royals. The southpaw hit 100 mph this winter. Moran and Neff have both been impressive at times in their career, including strong AFL performances. Cano is from Cuba and needs innings. Hackimer and Mason were in spring training and at the alternate site until recently. Schulfer has greatly increased his velocity since being drafted. The Catchers Roy Morales (25), Nick Garland (26), David Banuelos (24). Banuelos had a strong showing in spring training as a non-roster invite. Morales is from Puerto Rico. Originally signed with the Marlines, but he has spent the past two seasons in the independent American Association. He played for Winnipeg and Sioux Falls in 2020. Garland had signed with the Twins in 2020 and is back this year. He spent some time with the Pirates organization but has played in the independent Frontier and Atlantic Leagues. The Infielders Andrew Bechtold (25), Jose Miranda (22), Peter Mooney (30), Jermaine Palacios (24), Damek Tomscha (29). Miranda was part of that vaunted 2016 top four draft pick group, and he had a great winter in Puerto Rico and performed well in spring training. Bechtold was the team’s fifth round pick in 2017 and spent 2019 in Cedar Rapids and Ft. Myers. Yes, Jermaine Palacios is back in the organization. Remember, he became a big prospect and was dealt to Tampa Bay for Jake Odorizzi. Didn’t pan out for him there, but he re-signed with the Twins this spring. Mooney is a minor league veteran who signed with the Twins before the 2019 season as well. Tomscha is another veteran with ties to the independent leagues. The Iowa native spent 2020 in Sioux Falls before playing in Australia this winter. The Outfielders Gilberto Celestino (22), Mark Contreras (26), Ernie de la Trinidad (25), Jimmy Kerrigan (27), Aaron Whitefield (24), We saw the debut of speedy Australia Aaron Whitefield to start the 2020 season. Celestino is on the 40-man roster and we saw his tremendous talent in the outfield and with his bat this spring. Contreras won a minor league Gold Glove for his work in 2019. De La Trinidad split 2019 between Ft. Myers and Pensacola. Kerrigan hit for power and both Pensacola and Rochester in 2019. Injured List RHP Jordan Balazovic RHP Adam Bray RHP Chris Vallimont SS Royce Lewis Check out these Wichita Wind Surge sites and social media: Team Website Team Store Wind Surge on Twitter Wind Surge on Facebook Wind Surge on Instagram Wind Surge on YouTube Surge Cast: Episode 1 Minnesota Twins 2021 Top 20 Prospects with the Wind Surge 19. José Miranda, 3B/2B: 15. Cole Sands, RHP: 11. Gilberto Celestino, OF: Click here to view the article

Today, the Ft. Myers Mighty Mussels announced their first Opening Day roster as the team’s Low-A affiliate. Who will be starting their season playing their home games at Hammond Stadium?The Twins flip-flopped the location of their High-A and Low-A affiliates. Now, the natural progression up the organizational ladder is to move from the Ft. Myers complex to the Ft. Myers Mighty Mussels. Certainly much simpler than going from Ft. Myers to Cedar Rapids and back to Ft. Myers. Let’s get to know their Opening Day roster, starting with the coaching staff. The Coaching Staff: Manager: Brian Meyer Pitching Coaches: Peter Larson, Carlos Hernandez (Hernandez is currently in Venezuela. Dan Urbina is coaching with the Mussels.) Hitting Coach: Derek Shomon Coach: Rayden Ogando The Pitchers LHP: Denny Bentley (22), Brent Headrick (23), Juan Pichardo (22). RHP: Steven Cruz (21), Osiris German (22), Sawyer Gipson-Long (23), Regi Grace (21), Bradley Hanner (22), Casey Legumina (23), Hunter McMahon (23), Sean Mooney (23), Miguel Rodriguez (22), Ryan Shreve (22), Matthew Swain (23), Louie Varland (23). Much of this pitching staff is comprised of pitchers drafted out of college in 2019, making their full season debuts: Gipson-Long (6th), Legumina (8th), Headrick (9th), Mooney (12th), Varland (15th), Shreve (16th), Hanner (21st), Swain (23rd). Bentley, Cruz, German and Rodriguez pitched in Elizabethton in 2019. Bentley pitched two scoreless innings for Triple-A Rochester on the final weekend of the 2019 season. Juan Pichardo pitched in the Dominican Summer League in 2019. Regi Grace was the Twins ninth-round pick in 2018 out of high school in Mississippi. Hunter McMahon came to the Twins last year from the Nationals in the Ryne Harper trade. The Catchers Charlie Mack (21), Jeferson Morales (21), Kyle Schmidt (23). Kyle Schmidt was part of the Twins developmental camp in spring training. He is a very strong defensive catcher. Mack was the Twins fifth round pick in 2018. He has been making the translation from infielder to catcher. He’s got a smooth, left-handed swing. Morales spent 2018 in the DSL and 2019 in the GCL. He’s not a big guy, but a good athlete behind the plate. The Infielders Keoni Cavaco (19), Will Holland (23), Edouard Julien (22), Daniel Ozoria (20), Aaron Sabato (21), Yunior Severino (21), Wander Valdez (21). The past two Twins first-round draft picks find themselves in the Mighty Mussels infield. Aaron Sabato was part of the Twins development camp and played in big-league spring training games. There will be some adjustment to the pro game, but his bat will push him up quickly. Cavaco was the top pick in 2019 and excited to get back on the field. Holland was a top ten round picks in 2019 out of college at Auburn where he teamed with Julien, who is returning from Tommy John surgery. Ozoria came to the Twins in the John Curtiss trade. Severino is still very young and can hit. Valdez is a big lad and has a ton of power potential. The Outfielders Leobaldo Cabrera (23), Willie Joe Garry (20), Anthony Prato (22), Max Smith (24). After a few seasons in the Yankees organization, the Venezuelan Cabrera found himself released. In 2019, he hit seven homers in the Empire League, a non-profit, non-paying developmental league. Their purpose is just this, to provide opportunities for players to get signed by affiliated leagues. Garry, Jr. spent 2019 in Elizabethton. He is a really good athlete with speed and developing power. Max Smith spent four seasons at UNLV and was drafted in 2019. Anthony Prato was a top ten pick from Connecticut in 2019 as an infielder. He's moving to the outfield. INJURED LIST LHP Erik Cha (23), IF Ruben Santana (23), 2B/OF Alerick Soularie (21), RHP Carlos Suniaga (23), RHP Dylan Thomas (24). Feel free to ask questions about the Mighty Mussels or any of the players in the comments below. Check out these Ft. Myers Mighty Mussels sites and social media: Team Website Team Store Mighty Mussels on Twitter Mighty Mussels on Facebook Mighty Mussels on Instagram Minnesota Twins 2021 Top 20 Prospects with the Mighty Mussels 8. Aaron Sabato, 1B:. 7. Keoni Cavaco, SS: Click here to view the article

I believe they are limited to like 30-33 players and when the MLB team is on the road, five guys are on the taxi squad. They also have a lot of pitchers working there. Could be something like 14-16 pitchers so you could just have 7 position players on a side... stuff like that.

Things will change quickly as players return from the COVID-IL. Simmons should be back soon, I would think. Until then, I'd think you'd go with Gordon/Polanco at 2B/SS with Arraez in LF. When Simmons or Riddle come back, I would think Lin and Riddle would go down. I think Gordon becomes a utility guy until the AAA season starts. I think he should continue playing as much as possible to get ABs that he's missed the last couple of years.

It’s been a long and sometimes grueling road for Nick Gordon since he was the Twins first-round pick in 2014 out of high school, but finally on Friday, that road will lead him from CHS Field to Target Field for his first promotion to the big leagues. As you will see below, Nick Gordon has been frequently written about at Twins Daily over the years. He has been gracious with his time and I have had the pleasure of talking with and interviewing him several times. Gordon's rise to the big leagues was not meteoric, and in fact, the past few years it has felt almost glacial. But reports are out there, and I have been able to confirm, that Nick Gordon will be recalled to the Twins on Friday. Below, I will place the timeline of Gordon's career, and insert several articles that I encourage you to click into and read. First, it has also been reported that Alex Kirilloff is going to be called up on Friday with Miguel Sano going on the Injured List. Don't be surprised if there are a couple more transactions before Friday night's game too. ------------------------------------------------- Darren Wolfson tweeted it first. Nick Gordon will be promoted to the big leagues. In 2014, the Twins made Nick Gordon the fifth overall pick in the draft following a fantastic career at Olympia High School in Orlando, Florida. As you know, he is the son of Tom “Flash” Gordon and the half-brother of former All Star and batting champion Dee Strange-Gordon. However, he was drafted on his own merits. READ: Nick Gordon: Beyond the Bloodlines The Twins sent him straight to Elizabethton where he hit .294 in 57 games. In 2015, he moved up to Cedar Rapids where he hit .277 in 120 games. In 2016, he moved up to Ft. Myers where he hit .291 in 116 games. Following the season, he went to the Arizona Fall League where he hit .346 in 21 games. READ: In His Own Words: Nick Gordon’s 2016 Season READ: Juan Hillman, Nick Gordon Share Bond of Brotherhood Through those first three years of pro ball, he hit five combined home runs. In 2017 in Double-A Chattanooga, he hit .270 with 29 doubles, eight triples and nine home runs in 122 games as a 21-year-old, That summer, he had the opportunity to play in the Futures Game, and get a picture with Christina Milian. READ: Nick Gordon on his First Half, Futures Game and More In the offseason, he continued to workout with Hall of Famer Barry Larkin and other All Star caliber infielders such as Francisco Lindor and his brother Dee Strange-Gordon. He also dropped his first rap album under the name G Cinco. It was successful, and something he enjoyed. Even then, he was quick to point out. “All in all, I’m a baseball player. For me, hopefully someday, I’ll be on ESPN rather than MTV.” Also, in September of 2018, Gordon’s son Jaxon was born. READ: After Rap Debut, Nick Gordon has Twins Debut in Sight. On the 40-man roster, Gordon began the 2019 season on the injured list due to a stomach ailment. However, he spent the season as a 23-year-old and hit .298 with 29 doubles, three triples and four home runs in just 70 games. Unfortunately, his season ended early after being hit in the knee with a pitch. Late that season, he said, “I actually couldn’t walk. It was a little tough to walk for a week. It was difficult, a lot of pain. It was very unusual, kind of a freak accident.” It cost him the rest of the season. READ: Catching Up with Nick Gordon And then came 2020. Gordon returned to big-league spring training, but was sidelined with the same stomach ailment. Then came the COVID outbreak. When the Twins came together in St. Paul in July, Gordon was not able to. He had tested positive for COVID. Reports are that it really hit him hard. Fortunately, he has recovered and is working in St. Paul. On Thursday, John Bonnes was at the field and reported this… Soon after, Gordon received the news that he is headed from St. Paul to Minneapolis and will be at Target Field in a Twins uniform for the first time. Hopefully his family will be there. Dee Strange-Gordon recently signed with the Milwaukee Brewers. Hopefully he’ll be allowed to leave the alternate site to be in Minneapolis. Dee Strange-Gordon, then with the Marlins came to Ft. Myers for a spring training game and spent time on the Hammond Stadium back fields watching and supporting Nick during his first spring training. Twins Daily Top Prospects 2015 - #6 Twins Daily Top Prospects 2016 - #4 Twins Daily Top Prospects 2017 - #4 Twins Daily Top Prospects 2018 - #3: Twins Daily Top Prospects 2019 - #12 View full article

There have been many twists and turns, and teams, in the baseball life of Minnesota Twins and St. Paul Saints pitcher Andrew Albers. He is beginning his third stint in the Twins organization and looking to contribute any way he can. Andrew Albers grew up in North Battleford, Saskatchewan, Canada. It isn’t exactly a baseball hotbed. As Albers said during a Saints press conference on Friday, “Most (Canadian) ballplayers come from BC (British Columbia) or Ontario.” However, scouts found him and he was drafted out of high school but chose to attend the University of Kentucky. The Padres drafted him in 2008 and he pitched in a handful of games for their rookie Arizona League team. He got hurt, missed the 2009 season and was released. He pitched some for Quebec in the independent Atlantic League. That could have been the end of Andrew Albers' baseball career. Instead... The next offseason, he pulled a lot of strings, made a lot of phone calls and sent a lot of e-mails in an attempt to sign with an affiliated team including driving from Saskatchewan to Arizona, In fact, as the story goes, the Twins said they might be interested, but they wouldn't be able to have anyone see him in Arizona for a couple of weeks. Albers gave it some thought, called the Twins scout back and said he would drive from Arizona to Ft. Myers for the tryout. If they liked him, they would sign him and reimburse his travel expenses. If not, he would say Thank You and, well, probably just hope for some travel expense reimbursed. The Twins gave him a shot. In 2011, he spent time in Ft. Myers and Double-A New Britain. He spent 2012 with the Rockcats. He began the 2013 season at Triple-A Rochester, but he was pitching well, and the Twins called him up to make a couple of starts. In his MLB debut, he tossed 8 1/3 scoreless innings. In the next game, he threw a complete game shutout. Not promised a big-league spot in 2014, he signed with Hanwha in the Korean Baseball Organization. In 2015, he signed with the Toronto Blue Jays and got to pitch in one game for the team from his home country. He pitched in Venezuela that offseason and then returned to the independent leagues in 2016 for Lancaster to start the season, but he quickly signed with the Twins and went to Rochester before pitching in six games for the Twins. In 2017, he went 12-3 with a 2.61 ERA in Gwinnett (Atlanta AAA) but was traded/sold to the Mariners in August. They called him up and he went 5-1 with a 3.51 ERA in nine games and six starts. He went to Japan in 2018 and went 9-2 with a 3.08 ERA. He received an offer to extend his deal for two years and accepted it. Unfortunately, he was “nicked up” and didn’t pitch as well as he would have liked. Albers thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity he had in Japan. ““I really enjoyed the experience there. Was treated very well by the organization. It was great to immerse yourself in a different culture. I enjoyed my experience in Japan much more than I did in Korea. Really enjoyed the way they played the game. The fans there are tremendous. They just do a tremendous job creating a great atmosphere. It’s all really positive. They’re extremely respectful. The team itself, they take really good care of you. I had a really great time there. Was very thankful for that opportunity. I was glad that I was able to go over there and do that.” Late this offseason, he and his agent sent out e-mails to several teams to see if any might be interested in his pitching services for this season. “The Twins showed some interest, so it was a pretty easy decision for me to end up back here. Obviously have some fond memories here with the organization. Some things have happened in the past and couldn’t be happier to be back.” While he got to spring training late due to visa issues, Albers feels like it only took him a couple of weeks to feel as if he had caught up. Albers is currently in St. Paul, working out at the alternate site. His manager with the Saints in 2021 will be Toby Gardenhire. Gardenhire’s final season as a player in the Twins organization was 2011 when he played 103 games in Rochester. That was Albers first year in the organization, and he split the year between Ft. Myers and New Britain. While they never played together, they both recall a time they played against each other. In September of 2012, there was a WBC Qualifier tournament in Germany. Gardenhire (and a 19-year-old Max Kepler) played for Team Germany. In the championship game, Germany faced Team Canada. Andrew Albers made the start for Canada and gave up one run over six innings and Canada advanced to play in the 2013 WBC. Gardenhire recalls, “I think I was like 0-for-3 off of him in the game. So it’s funny that now we’ve come full circle, I’m managing and he’s still pitching.” (online research shows that Gardenhire was indeed 0-for-3 in the game.) Albers said that he certainly remembered that game. “Any time I get to play for Team Canada, I treasure those moments. It was a lot of fun.” Albers is just three years younger than the 38-year-old Gardenhire. “Obviously I played for his dad in ‘13, so that’s a really interesting relationship there. I guess that’s when I really know that I’m getting up there in age when I start playing for both father and son as managers. I try not to think about it that much.” But there is value in having a guy like Albers on the roster. Gardenhire has seen it already in their brief time together. “It’s cool having Albers around because he has so much experience, and he’s been around and done so much. He’s had conversations with all the guys about different things. I’ve heard him talk to guys about playing in Japan. He’s been around so much.” He continued, “It’s cool having a guy like that. He knows how to get his work done. He knows everything he has to do. He’s just staying ready to go. Once the season starts, he’s a guy that’s reliable. You know what you’re going to get from him because he’s done it so many times. He’s been in those situations before.” Albers relishes the role of a mentor for other players, but he doesn’t push anything on his teammates. “I think that’s an important part to play. Obviously you hope that you can provide some experience to help the younger guys.” He continued, “If somebody comes up and has a question for me or we can just have a discussion about baseball. I love that. I think the biggest thing is just to be open and approachable. You’re a little bit older now, but at that same time you try to be one of the guys and have fun with them. Obviously I think I appreciate it more now having spent some time internationally where you can’t necessarily communicate with a lot of your teammates. So that part of it’s a lot of fun.” All that said, Albers may not throw hard, but he can pitch, and he can keep batters off balance. He hopes to help whichever team he is playing for, be it the Saints or the Twins. “Anything I can do to help the club, right? Whatever role they see me in. We’ve talked a little bit about that, whether it’s going to be a middle to long guy, or a starter. I’m trying to get extended a little bit here in St. Paul right now just so that I’m available if the need arises, and if they feel I can contribute hopefully up there with the big league club at some point this year. It’s one of those things where you’re just trying to get yourself ready as best you can. Trying to prepare yourself for whatever role that they think you can help in. That’s what I’m doing. That’s my approach.” Andrew Albers is 35 and has had some great experiences and memories throughout his baseball career, a career that could have ended 12 years ago when he was hurt and released. Despite a fastball that likely won’t hit 90 mph, he has had four stints in the big leagues with three different organizations. He’s represented Canada in several international competitions. He’s played in Japan and Korea, and he’s now back with the Twins for a third time. This is a guy who is appreciative of his opportunities. “I’m just thankful that I have an opportunity and then hopeful that I get an opportunity up there. Just going to try to prepare for whatever that opportunity may be.” OH CANADA! There are currently four Canadians in Twins minor league spring training in Ft. Myers. Right-handed pitchers Jordan Balazovic and Landon Leach, infielder Edouard Julien and catcher LaRon Smith. Albers noted the age gap between him and those players, so he hadn’t met any of them until this spring when he met Balazovic at big-league spring training. “I met Balazovic this spring, was really impressed with him. Impressive character, seems like he has a good head on his shoulders, obviously throws the ball real well. He then gave a lot of credit to Greg Hamilton who has been very instrumental in the Canadian Junior National team which has helped player development in the country. Albers mentioned Josh Naylor. Mike Soroka. Cal Quantrill and Tyler O’Neill as big-league guys from that program. MY HOW THINGS HAVE CHANGED Albers was in the Twins organization from 2011 to 2013, in 2016 and now in 2021. It’s fair to say that things have changed quite a bit since his previous stints. “It’s almost like it’s a whole new organization. Obviously with the new front office and bringing in some different guys, the philosophy’s changed from what it used to be, certainly from 2013 and then even from ‘16. The last few years, there have been a lot of changes, or at least it seems like a lot of changes to me.” While he hadn’t previously been brought up with the analytics and technology that the Twins now use, he is excited about it and how it is being communicated and how he’s able to put what he’s learning into action in St. Paul. “I think they’re doing a great job here getting guys that are extremely knowledgeable with the analytics. Obviously that’s part of the game now. You get the older guys like me where it’s a lot of new information, but they're doing a great job communicating to me what they’re looking for, what they think can help me improve." He gave a real-life example of this. "That’s the great thing about being here in St. Paul right now. I’m getting the opportunity to work on some of those things in a low-stress environment. If you’re trying to work on increasing the depth on your slider, you can go out and do it in your game and you don’t have to worry if you give up a couple of hits or some runs." We have heard a lot about how the Twins now have individual improvement plans. "I think they’re doing a good job giving guys plans going forward on what they think they can improve on in order to give themselves a better chance of not only getting to the big leagues but being successful once they get there." Yes, Albers plainly sees that changes in the organization since his previous stints and again points out the importance of how the information is communicated. How can a player improve? What can they tinker with or alter or add, but also what is it that has worked for you in the past? "When I first got here in ‘13, they weren’t very analytically based. I would say that’s changed substantially over the past three or four years. They do a great job communicating it to us. Certainly they rely heavily on it not only in the big leagues but even at the minor league level. The thing that I really appreciate as someone new here, they do a great job communicating their expectations, communicating what they want you to try, and at the same time they realize you’ve had some success in the past a certain way and they don’t want you to change exactly who they are.” THE SAINTS EXPERIENCE Finally, Albers has played in the independent leagues and appreciates those opportunities. He was well aware of the St. Paul Saints and looks forward to playing in front of fans at CHS Field. “The ballpark looks like it could be great. Obviously it’ll be a lot nicer once you get fans in here. I’ve heard nothing but great things about how the Saints run their program, they draw really well here in the summer, and that was as an indy league team. It will be interesting to see as a Triple-A team. I wouldn’t expect there not to be a fall off, maybe even an increase. I’ve heard a lot of great things about their on-field promotions and how they get people to the ballpark. I’ve heard they create a great atmosphere. So I’m really looking forward to seeing that. Really looking forward to getting to be a part of it and hopefully have some success along the way.” For More Twins Minor League/Saints Content at Twins Daily, click these links: Kirilloff Preparing for Big-League Opportunity The Brightest, Anonymous Superstar: My Conversation with Tzu-Wei Lin Twins Minor League Report: Depth Camp Opportunities Twins Minor League Report: Follow the Affiliates Toby Gardenhire is Following in his Father's Footsteps View full article