Seth Stohs

The Twins won the AL Central Division title on Sunday. In that moment, they knew they had the #3 seed in the American League playoffs and will take on the Houston Astros in the Wild Card round starting on Tuesday. On Tuesday morning, the Twins announced their 28-man roster for the Wild Card round. Game time is 1:00 central time today. Catchers (4): Alex Avila, Mitch Garver, Ryan Jeffers, Willians Astudillo The Twins are going with four catchers. That said, Astudillo’s ability to play some third base and pinch hit likely make him viable for this series. Infielders (5): Miguel Sano, Luis Arraez, Jorge Polanco, Ehire Adrianza, Marwin Gonzalez Obviously the big news here is that Josh Donaldson is not on the Twins roster for this series. Hopefully his calf heals up and he could be ready for a potential ALDS series. When trying to predict the roster, we assumed (and maybe just hoped) that Luis Arraez would be on the roster. Fortunately, he was activated from the Injury List on Saturday and played in two games. The fact that he returned with four hits on Saturday should make fans feel very comfortable. Outfielders/DH (6): Eddie Rosario, Byron Buxton, Max Kepler, Jake Cave, Alex Kirilloff, Nelson Cruz Clearly the surprise here is seeing Alex Kirilloff on the playoff roster. The Twins top pick in the 2016 draft has been working at the Twins alternate site in St. Paul and had recently been added to the team’s 40-man playoff pool. It is good to see that Byron Buxton is on the Wild Card roster. Buxton was suffering from mild concussions symptoms since being hit by a pitch in in the helmet on Friday night, but he has been cleared to play in this series. Starting Pitchers (3): Kenta Maeda (Game 1), Jose Berrios (Game 2), Michael Pineda (Game 3) We have really known the three starters for several days now, and it comes as no surprise. The nice thing to know is that Rich Hill pitched well down the stretch and had to have at least made that Game 3 starter decision interesting. Long Reliever Options (2): Jake Odorizzi, Randy Dobnak The Twins (and all teams) simply need to have at least one pitcher who could eat multiple innings and save the bullpen for the next day. Jake Odorizzi returns from the Injured List and is on the roster and can fill that role. Also, Randy Dobnak gets a roster spot for this series. Rich Hill, having pitched on Sunday would not be able to pitch until, maybe, Game 3 on Thursday, so he is not on the roster. Bullpen (8): Taylor Rogers, Sergio Romo, Tyler Duffey, Trevor May, Tyler Clippard, Matt Wisler, Caleb Thielbar, Cody Stashak. I think the surprise omission from this list is Jorge Alcala who has been pitching quite well out of the Twins bullpen. The rest of the bullpen is as expected. Also of note, Sean Poppen was DFAd to make room for Alex Kirilloff on the 40-man roster. So there it is, the Twins roster that will attempt to top the Houston Astros over the next few days. Taxi Squad: Pitchers; Jorge Alcala, Edwar Colina, Jhoan Duran, Rich Hill, Juan Minaya, Devin Smeltzer, Lewis Thorpe Infielders: Travis Blankenhorn, Josh Donaldson, Outfielders: LaMonte Wade, Jr. Here is the Game 1 lineup:

Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said before Game 1 on Tuesday. "It's a move that, once you get to know the player and the person, you're excited to make. He's a young guy. very mature guy." He added, "He doesn't seem to let very much affect him at all. A guy who worries about the things he can control, and that's it." Baldelli was talking about Alex Kirilloff, the Twins first-round draft pick in 2016 out of Plum High School in Pittsburgh, the 15th overall pick that year. The day he was drafted, he led his team to the state championship game. https://twitter.com/AKirilloff19/status/741112654320795649 Kirilloff had committed to Liberty University, but he quickly signed with the Twins and went to Elizabethton where he made a strong first impression. In 55 games, he hit .306/.341/.454 (.794) with nine doubles and seven home runs. Unfortunately, his season came to an end early when he hurt his elbow. In March of 2017, he had Tommy John surgery and missed that season. Rehab went well, and he returned to the diamond in 2018. He hit like he hadn’t missed a beat. In 65 games with the Cedar Rapids Kernels, he hit .333/.391/.607 (.999) with 20 doubles, five triples and 13 home runs. He was promoted to Ft. Myers, where he also played 65 games and hit .362/.393/.550 (.943) with 24 doubles and seven home runs. He helped the Miracle to the 2018 Florida State League championship. He jumped up prospect rankings nationally and was ranked as high as #9 on MLB.com’s rankings. In 2019, he was invited to his first big league spring training and went 8-for-26 (.308). He played 94 games for the Double-A Pensacola Blue Wahoos. He hit .283/.343/.413 (.756) with 18 doubles and nine home runs. He also played 35 games at first base, a position he hadn’t played some he had done so on the national circuit during his summers in high school. He was invited to Twins spring training this year for a second time. He went 9-for-21 (.429) with two doubles and two home runs. https://twitter.com/twinsdaily/status/1233490888992661508 Unfortunately, the global pandemic delayed the season. He was likely to head back to Double-A Pensacola for a short stint, or maybe even just would have started at Triple-A Rochester. Instead, he was added to the Twins 60-player pool for Summer Camp and has spent the past two months where he has continued to work in the outfield and at first base. And on Monday night, Kirilloff got the phone call that every ballplayer dreams of. Twins manager Rocco Baldelli called him and told him that he was on the Twins Wild Card playoff roster. Baldelli said, "Chatted with him for a little while and also told him that he was going to make our playoff roster. The tone on the other end of the line did not change a ton. I think he said, 'Oh yeah. That's awesome.' And that was essentially it. That's exactly what I expected to get from him. If I had gotten anything different from him, then I would have been concerned. But that's Alex Kirilloff, a really, really talented young player, and a guy we're going to see out there. I can see getting him into these games and helping us win." Kirilloff acknowledged, "Sometimes my emotions don't match up with my reaction. I was surprised, and definitely happy and excited for the opportunity. We've stayed ready all summer." It will be interesting to see what role he will play through the Twins playoff run, regardless of how long it lasts. Kirilloff added, "If there's an opportunity where I'm needed, my job is just to stay ready and to do my best." As a star throughout his baseball-playing career, Kirilloff has really never had to pinch hit much. "Pinch hitting is, I can't really say, is something I'm too familiar with. I am familiar with what I do to prepare in my approach throughout my at bat. That's something that I will lean upon as called upon." https://twitter.com/SethTweets/status/1310975010799050755 Derek Falvey noted before Tuesday's game that with using just 13 pitchers on the 28-man roster. "Thinking about how we could maximize some of the potential matchups and opportunities over the course of a two or three game series, just felt like he could fit with Josh being clearly down and the ability to play the outfield. Rocco has a lot of options now as he works through managing a game, and we have some protection in a few spots. Also, he is a good hitter, and he's someone we think can help us." After the phone call, he called his parents and his wife. His wife, Jordan, and their daughter were in St. Paul for a little over a month. If he were to play during the series, he would become the first Twins player to make his Major League debut in the playoffs. Let’s take a quick look at his journey to the big leagues. More On Alex Kirilloff Twins Daily Draft Preview: Alex Kirilloff (June 2016) Get To Know: Twins Outfield Prospect Alex Kirilloff (January 2017) Twins Daily 2018 Top Prospects: #3 Alex Kirilloff (February 2017) Seth’s Twins Talk (Episode 2) (January 2018) Twins Daily 2018 Top Prospects: #5 Alex Kirilloff (February 2018) Lewis, Kirilloff Provide High Character, Huge Potential (May 2018) Looking Back: Twins Take Four Prep Hitters Atop 2016 Draft (August 2018) Twins Daily 2019 Top Prospects: #2 Alex Kirilloff (February 2019) Alex Kirilloff Should Make his Twins Debut in 2020 (November 2019) Twins Daily 2020 Top Prospects: #2 Alex Kirilloff (February 2020) Twins’ Top Outfield Prospects Shine in Shortened Spring (April 2020) Reviewing Minnesota’s Recent First Round Picks (June 2020) Alex Kirilloff, Trevor Larnach or Brent Rooker: Which Top Prospect Should the Twiins Call Up? (August 2020) Twins Most Impactful Roster Additions Will Likely Come from St. Paul (August 2020)

If you haven’t heard much about Edwar Colina, that’s OK. Twins Daily has enjoyed covering the right-hander for a few years now. Colina signed as an 18-year-old in late September of 2015 from Venezuela. He spent a season in the Dominican Summer League. He moved up to Elizabethton in 2017 and was named the Appalachian League Pitcher of the Year. In 2018, he spent most of the season at Cedar Rapids where he went 7-4 with a 2.48 ERA in 98 innings. He finished that season with two starts in Ft. Myers. In 2019, he started in Ft. Myers and pitched very well in both Ft. Myers and Pensacola. In 92 2/3 combined innings, he posted a 2.23 ERA and recorded more than a strikeout per inning. He also pitched in two games in Triple A. He earned his first invitation to big-league spring training this year and was impressing the coaching staff at that time. He stuck around Ft. Myers throughout the quarantine. Unfortunately, he came down with Covid-19, so he was unable to join the Twins immediately at the start of Summer Camp. However, he quickly passed the tests and was able to do some rehab work at the Twins facilities in Ft. Myers before joining those players working at the Twins alternate training site in St. Paul. He said, “After everything started, I was in Ft. Myers. I kept working, never stopped. So I was ready for this.” Ready for this? Yes. Expecting this? No. Sure, earlier this week we learned that Colina was on the team’s 12-player playoff taxi squad, but when Colina woke up this morning, he had no idea what news was coming his way. “I was coming down to the breakfast room (when he found out). I was not expecting this. It was a big surprise and I was very excited.” Colina added. “It’s hard to explain how I feel right now. It’s something I’ve been waiting for my whole career. I don’t have the words to explain how I feel right now.” While it may have surprised Colina, Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said that it was something that they have been thinking about for a long time. “We’ve talked a lot about Colina throughout the year. He’s a very exciting young arm. The kind of guy that has the stuff that can potentially be dominant in a shorter stint-type of role.” It is fun to think about what Colina could do for a bullpen in the future. It’s exciting to think what he could do in a role yet this season. Baseball is for people of all shapes and sizes. Jorge Alcala is tall and thin and uses a whip-like arm action to reach into the upper-90s. Edwar Colina stands just 5-11 and weighs in around 250 pounds. He hits triple-digits by driving with his massive lower half. That’s right. Triple digits. And not “just” 100. There are some reports that he’s reaching that number that Brusdar Graterol reached in a start in Pensacola last year that got everyone excited. Colina didn’t want to verify that report, but said humbly, and with a smile, “I don’t know about that.” But what is really exciting is that his fastball may not even be his best pitch. Colina noted, “I think my best pitch right now is my slider. I’ve been working so hard on it.” What has he been working on with that pitch? I’ve been trying to be more aggressive with my slider. Throwing it more, getting it better. That is basically what I’ve been working on. More from a former minor league teammate, Nick Brown: It will be interesting to see how Colina is used through this final weekend of the season. Is he just another arm available in case they need one? Could he be a potential bullpen arm in the playoffs? Baldelli only said that he would be used, “We have an excellent group in our bullpen, so we probably have these innings covered for a period of time. You want to use all your bullets, and he is certainly a guy that can miss a ton of bats and has great stuff. Get him activated. Get him into a game or two. Evaluate at that point if what we’re looking at is a good option.” Who knows? If he handles his opportunities this weekend well and is able to keep cool and calm while displaying a potentially dominant pitch mix, he could be part of the playoff bullpen. Colina isn’t concerned about what role he will be used in this weekend or going forward. He feels ready and prepared for anything. “I’ve been working a lot of different spots in the bullpen since spring training, so I will be ready for anything.” Colina ranked #16 in Twins Daily's 2020 Prospect Rankings. When Colina makes his MLB debut this weekend, he will be the 24th pitcher to throw for the Twins this season and the 44th player. The Other Side To add Colina to the 40-man roster, someone had to be removed. In this case, the Twins DFAd Homer Bailey. Rocco Baldelli acknowledged that it wasn’t easy to do. “Homer Bailey, unfortunately we had to Designate for Assignment. That was not an easy thing either. Obviously we’re going to use his spot and have an opportunity to watch Colina pitch. Homer was a real professional in every way for us. Didn’t get the opportunity to pitch as much as we wanted him to, as much as he wanted to. He handled everything the right way. He worked hard. He was able to get out there late in the season and helped us to win a game in an important time in the year for us. We’re thankful for everything he brought to the table, and we’re sad to see him go.”

Unlike “normal” seasons, the 2020 postseason roster will utilize a 28-man roster, as teams have done since the third week of this abbreviated season. However, no matter what the roster count is, the last roster spots always create some quality discussion. The first thing that they’ll need to determine is how many hitters and pitchers they will want. Remember, the Wild Card series is a Best of Three series. For my purposes here, I am going to say that the Twins will go with 13 pitchers and 15 hitters. It’s very possible that they would go with just 12 pitchers for a short series as well. The Hitters (15) Catchers (3) - Mitch Garver, Ryan Jeffers, Alex Avila Mitch Garver is being given opportunity here late in the season to regain his 2019 form, or something resembling it. Last night’s mammoth home run helps, of course. Ryan Jeffers also has earned a spot on the roster because he really came on strong in recent weeks too. Alex Avila is a terrific backup, and right now having a third catcher makes sense, especially since Garver and Avila are just recently back from their Injured List stints. Infielders (6) - Miguel Sano, Luis Arraez, Jorge Polanco, Josh Donaldson, Ehire Adrianza, Marwin Gonzalez. The only question here is if Luis Arraez is able to return. We learned on Tuesday that he sprained his ankle in an intrasquad game on Monday and needed a little more time. One would think the team would like to get him some at bats over the final four games of the season. But if he’s deemed healthy, he will be on the roster. No other surprises in this group. Outfielders (4) - Eddie Rosario, Byron Buxton, Max Kepler, Jake Cave Also, no surprises here. The Twins three outfielders have all impacted a few games of late, and Jake Cave has had some strong moments this year and in the past. He’s also been a pinch-running option for the team. Designated Hitter (1) - Nelson Cruz It certainly is concerning that Cruz hasn’t played for nearly a week with “minor soreness” in his knee and hip. The whole purpose of that is to make sure the MVP candidate is ready for the postseason. That is 14 spots, so the team needs just one more hitter on the roster. Here are the candidates: LaMonte Wade, Jr. - Wade has been on the big-league roster about half of the 2020 season. Early in the season, he didn’t get much playing time. Since his return, he’s provided solid outfield defense and done a nice job in a few games at first base. He puts together great at bats and gets on base which could be important in pinch-hitting duties. Willians Astudillo - Do the Twins need a fourth catcher? No. But in talking about the final ‘hitter’ spot on the roster, Astudillo might make sense as a pinch hitting option. Travis Blankenhorn - Blankenhorn can play second base, third base, first base and a little in the outfield. A depth piece, he could pinch hit or pinch run. Royce Lewis - Since we’d be looking for players to fit certain roles, the team could use a speed guy. The speediest of options would be Royce Lewis. Could he make his MLB debut in the playoffs in a late-inning pinch-running situation? I'm "voting" for Lewis because I think that is a role that could be most useful to the team in a short series. Of course, my 'vote' doesn't hold much weight. The Pitchers (13) Starters (3) - Kenta Maeda, Jose Berrios and either Michael Pineda OR Rich Hill I think we can all agree that Kenta Maeda and Jose Berrios are going to be in the rotation. Maeda starting on Wednesday lines him up perfectly for Game 1. Having pitched on Sunday night, Berrios may be more in line for a Game 3 start, which would be fine too. Two weeks ago, I think we mostly agreed that Pineda would be the logical, mayb easy, choice for the third starting spot. He’s been just fine, but so has Rich Hill who has been good in four of his past five starts and has a ton of playoff experience. My assumption is that one of the two will be the third starter, if needed, in the Wild Card series. The other could be left off the Wild Card roster, set up to start Game 1 of an ALDS series. Long Relief (1) - Randy Dobnak Because of the starter situation explained above, I think Dobnak can fill the role of long reliever. It’s an important role because, even with a deep bullpen, it would be good to not have to use up all of those arms in a blowout situation. Relievers (7) - Taylor Rogers, Sergio Romo, Tyler Duffey, Tyler Clippard, Trevor May, Matt Wisler, Jorge Alcala. While there may be questions about individual roles in the bullpen, these seven names are the Givens to make the playoff roster. Who will be the closer? What is the pecking order that Rocco Baldelli and Wes Johnson will use in the Wild Card series? Those are questions for other article. But there is no doubt that these seven will be on the roster (pending something happening over the next four or five days). So, now we are at 11 pitchers which means we have room for two more pitchers. The candidates: Cody Stashak - I think that last night’s impressive outing might be enough to push Stashak from On The Bubble to a lock. He hadn’t been as sharp since returning from a month on the IL, but he sure looked strong on Tuesday. Caleb Thielbar - Another that should be a lock, but it might be more about which team they match up with and their lineup potential. Devin Smeltzer - Really it depends on if the Twins might want a second long reliever. In a three-game series, if you feel like need two long relievers, you probably aren’t in a good situation, at all. Smeltzer would be a good option. Jake Odorizzi/Homer Bailey - Both are options to fill a long-relief role. Bailey returned to the mound on Tuesday and looked good for three innings before not getting an out in the fourth. Odorizzi has been snake bit this season. But he was an All Star last year and could start on Sunday. If he does, he probably wouldn’t be able to pitch in the Wild Card round, but he could be the fifth starter in a later series. Jhoan Duran - Why not throw a surprise name into this? Could Duran make his MLB debut in a playoff role too? Not likely, but worth spending a minute just thinking about what he (or Edwar Colina) could do in a relief inning or two for the Twins. My non-counting votes would go to Stashak and Thielbar. Both are very deserving. Of course, the Twins could decide to go with 14 pitchers and 14 hitters. That could be more likely in the next round when there are more games (if the Twins get there)... We’ll worry about that later though. Let's see how we feel after seeing a playoff game won... and then a playoff series won!

Travis Blankenhorn began the 2019 season at High-A Ft. Myers. After just 15 games, he moved up to Double-A Pensacola where he hit .278 with 18 doubles and 18 homers in 93 games. In his time with the Blue Wahoos, he had the opportunity to see several of his teammates move up and eventually debut with the Twins in 2019. “Seeing all those guys up there is awesome.” Blankenhorn said in a Get To Know ‘Em podcast last October. He said was excited to see teammates such as Luis Arraez, Randy Dobnak, Devin Smeltzer, and several other pitchers (as well as one of his best friends Jaylin Davis with the Giants) debut and contribute with the Twins. “Just watching them go up there and have success is awesome. We all love it. We’re all cheering for them. Obviously I think that’s a good motivation that we’re not too far away… It could happen like that.” Tuesday night in Chicago, it is Travis Blankenhorn’s turn to make his MLB debut. He batted seventh and played second base in a Twins lineup filled with its regulars. The lineup also included Ryan Jeffers behind the plate and Randy Dobnak on the mound. All three of them began the 2019 season together with the High-A Ft. Myers Miracle. 2020 has been a unique year, and that is true for players making their major-league debuts too. Normally, a player would be in a minor league clubhouse or a hotel room when their manager would call them to let them know they were needed in the big leagues. Blankenhorn was already in Chicago. For the second time this season, he was a part of the Twins taxi squad. He was also part of the taxi squad for the doubleheader in St. Louis. As a taxi squad member, he can work with the team before the game, take some BP, field grounders, etc., but when the game starts, he had to go into the stands. So on Monday, Blankenhorn was going about his game-day routine. He said, “I was already here. I was on the field. Took some ground balls. Went out to the outfield to shag and that’s when he (bench coach Mike Bell) came up and told me. So I definitely think it’s one of the more unique ways to find out.” Bell shared his version of telling Blankenhorn that something was up, “You know it’s going to happen. It’s really cool. It’s such a unique year. His family’s not here. Those things go through your mind. When it became official, I had to run out on the field. I just downplayed it. I said ‘Hey Rocco needs you. No big deal.” Who knows what he thought. He might have thought he had to drive back home to the alternate site.” Blankenhorn said that he ran in to talk to Baldelli. That’s when he got The Call. He was a big leaguer. He had some phone calls to make, but very quickly.He called his parents and his fiance. “I couldn’t talk long though because my BP group was up, and I wanted to hit. Short phone call.” All this happened about 90 minutes before game time. ------------------------------------------------- I tweeted about a week before the season that it sure would have been great if MLB had found a way to safely allow family at a player's MLB debut. https://twitter.com/SethTweets/status/1284940034341314564 Mike Bell agreed that it’s unfortunate, but obviously we understand. “One big thing that this whole year has taken away from some of these young guys making their debuts is their families aren’t in the stands. It’s unique. I’m sure they’ll never forget it. I hate it for them, but you just keep going back to what the world’s dealing with. Gosh, there’s just so much going on. We’re all pretty fortunate here.” Regardless, Monday was an exciting day for Blankenhorn. “There was actually a point in the game where I thought I could have gone in yesterday. Definitely an unreal moment. Just finding out an hour before the game that you’re not going to be sitting in the stands today. You’re actually going to be in the dugout. It was definitely a good feeling. Crazy. Crazy day, for sure.” -------------------------------------------------- So now to the actual baseball side of things. We all love the human element of a big league promotion and Major League debut, but why was Blankenhorn called up, and how can he contribute to the Twins over the final 11 games? First, on Monday, the Twins were without Eddie Rosario and Miguel Sano, and Marwin Gonzalez was a late scratch due to illness. The team needed an extra bench bat for the game, and they optioned lefty Devin Smeltzer to add him. It is possible that he could be the player optioned to make room for Jake Odorizzi, who will come off the Injured List on Wednesday and make the start. Twins Daily's Matthew Trueblood wrote earlier today that he'd like to see Blankenhorn play... everyday! ------------------------------------------------------ Blankenhorn debuted at second base on Tuesday night, and that has certainly been his primary position in the minor leagues the last couple of seasons. https://twitter.com/SethTweets/status/1278019202515861505 As you can see, he played a lot of third base early in his career. In 2019, he added left field to his positions played list. However, there is no question that he has mostly worked in the infield. He said that after getting his pre-game infield work done, he goes out to the outfield to shag fly balls and work on reads. At the Twins alternate site in St. Paul, however, Blankenhorn said he has worked exclusively in the infield. Before Tuesday night’s game in Chicago, Baldelli said of Blankenhorn, “I think Blank’s strength defensively is the fact that he can do a lot of different things for you. He’s worked really hard in the infield. He’s gotten to the point where he’s a very competent second baseman and you can feel really good about him getting the job done. Our ability to put him in the lineup comes down to him being very proficient in different spots. I’m looking forward to watching him go.” -------------------------------------------- Baldelli also gave a lot of credit to the the Twins minor league coaches and coordinators. He noted that a lot of good work is being done at CHS Field. “Our guys have done a tremendous job over in St. Paul. JP Martinez has run that camp over there flawlessly in a situation that is very, very challenging. Our guys have got a ton of work.” Baldelli continued, “ I know he’s spent a lot of time with our player development guys, with our coaches, with Billy Boyer on a lot of different spots all over the infield.” Billy Boyer is the Twins minor league infield and base running coordinator. He’s been working with the group in St. Paul this summer. Boyer said of Blankenhorn, “I feel great about where he is with his defense. Blank and our staff have put a ton of time, effort and focus on developing his defensive skill set both at second base and third base. Couldn’t be more proud of him, to see all the time and effort paying off for him.” 2020 has been a strange year. Being at the alternate site is not the same as playing a minor league season, but Blankenhorn said that he and the others in St. Paul are putting in a lot of good work. “We were all just grinding over there. Everyone knows that there’s a chance. We were all just trying to stay ready. Trying to get our at bats. Trying to get our work in. And going to the field everyday knowing that there’s an opportunity that if something would happen, we would be the guys to go over there (Target Field and the MLB roster). It was definitely a grind trying to stay ready over there.” ------------------------------------------------------ Blankenhorn was the Twins third round draft pick in 2015 out of high school in Pottsville, Pennsylvania. He was a great three-sport athlete who could have played any of three sports in college. He was a really good defensive back and kick returner on his high school’s football team. He was a big-time shooter on his team’s high school basketball team. And obviously, it appears, he made the right choice in going the way of baseball. But he was a raw, athletic kid when he was drafted. He has had to work hard. He has had to make several adjustments along the way. He has struck out a lot, and then made adjustments. He has added a lot of power to his game as he has matured physically and mentally. It’s all part of the (often quite non-linear) player development path of a prospect. “If you look at my swing from when I first got to the Twins until now, I think I’ve changed a couple of times. Picking and choosing what is best for me. I think last year I learned a lot about myself as a hitter and I’m just trying to continue going off of that.” In last year’s Get to Know ‘Em podcast, he talked about how valuable his experience in the 2018 Arizona Fall League was for him. He was able to pick people’s brains, get other thoughts and ideas and incorporate it into his game, into his approach, and into his swing. As for getting at bats in St. Paul, it certainly wasn’t a typical schedule, but as Baldelli notes, they have been able to get their work in and when they have come over from CHS Field, they have been ready to contribute right away. Because there are only so many pitchers there, there are different schedules. They don’t play regular games. Some days they may get a bunch of at bats. Some days maybe one at bat. Some days they may not get any at bats. “They’ve gotten a ton of at bats ultimately. Is it typical? Is it what we’re used to judging guys off of? No. But it’s certainly a spot where we’re getting our guys enough work where we feel really good putting them in major league games when they get over here. We have no hesitation getting Blank out there, and he’s ready to go too. I think you could actually look at it, not from the way we feel about it, but from the way the players feel about it. The players have shown up here throughout, ready to go. Those guys are ready.” Blankenhorn added, “If you look at the group of pitchers we had over there, the people that came over, I think we definitely had some quality at bats against some quality pitching. I think that was a big part of staying ready.” --------------------------------------------------------- Blankenhorn recently turned 24. If asked what type of player I think he can be, I would look to Marwin Gonzalez as a relatively good comp. Gonzalez is a switch-hitter. Blankenhorn is left handed only. But I can see a situation where Blankenhorn is a solid hitter with some power who is going to strikeout a bit. Defensively, he won’t be great at any one position, but he will be adequate at third base and potentially in the corner outfield spots, and I think he can be solid defensively on the right side of the infield. He could be a solid regular starter at second base if needed, but a large piece of his value comes from his versatility. It should allow him to play in the big leagues for a number of years. It’s a role that Blankenhorn has embraced over the last couple of seasons. He wants to play all over the diamond. “I’m just going to go wherever they tell me to.” ------------------------------------------------------- Blankenhorn's Debut (1-for-3, HBP, 2B) In his first at-bat, Blankenhorn popped up the first pitch to third base. The second at bat was a fly out to left field. In his third plate appearance, he was hit by a pitch in the elbow armor. In the ninth inning, Blankenhorn had that moment, connecting for a two-out double over the right fielder’s head. https://twitter.com/TFTwins/status/1306072858104340491 Following the game, his manager said, “It’s a huge moment for any player. Anyone that’s been in the big leagues and had an opportunity to have a first like that... It’s certainly a moment and an emotion that you always remember. Sometimes you don’t remember every aspect of your first game, or every aspect of your first hit, but there are certainly some snap shots that he will never forget, and he gets to take with him wherever he goes. We know he’s a good offensive player, a good young offensive player, and seeing him put a good swing on the ball like that is very nice.” Blankenhorn said later that it was "an unreal moment, getting on that field for the first time. That's what I've been dreaming about since Little League." He continued, "Getting that first hit out of the way on the first night was definitely nice. (I'm) going to find a case for that baseball and keep it somewhere safe!" More on Travis Blankenhorn Get to Know: Infielder Travis Blankenhorn (October 2015) Catching Up With Twins Infield Prospect Travis Blankenhorn (November 2016) 2017 Twins Daily Prospect #9 (February 2017) 2018 Twins Daily Prospect #17 (February 2018) 2018 Twins Daily Midseason Prospect #13 (July 2018) 2020 Twins Midseason Prospect #20 (June 2019) Episode 6: Get to Know Travis Blankenhorn, LaMonte Wade (October 2019) Duran Headlines Twins Roster Additions (November 2019) 2020 Twins Daily Prospect #18 (February 2020) 5 Questions with Twins Prospect Travis Blankenhorn (April 2020) Play Blankenhorn Everyday! (September 2020)