Seth Stohs

We are now one week from the MLB trade deadline. For the first time, there will be just one trade deadline, July 31st. Each day at Twins Daily, we will discuss some topic related to the trade deadline briefly to get your thoughts. Beyond that, we will highlight some of the rumors of that day, providing a place for the topic and the rumors to be discussed. Check back each day for more.As I mentioned, we are one week from the July 31st trade deadline. In years past, there were two trade deadlines. July 31st was the non-waiver trade deadline, meaning anyone can be traded up until that point. Then there was a second trade deadline at the end of August in which players had to be put on trade waivers to be traded. It’s a little more complex than that, but no need to dive into something that is no longer a thing this year. The decision to have just one trade line was made this past offseason. A big reason for it was because of how slow the offseason free agency was. When the best free agents were still available in March and a couple were still available in June, they thought something needed to happen. The idea was first proposed by the MLB Players Association to “"to protect the competitive integrity of the 162-game regular season, create more certainty for players and force teams to decide earlier whether they are buyers or sellers." Many thought it would create more activity at the deadline. So far it hasn’t, unless trades of Homer Bailey or Andrew Cashner or Martin Maldonado excite you. Why? At the end of the day, a deadline is a deadline. Right now, the “sellers” are asking for the world in terms of prospect return. No rational GM is going to do that. Right now, most of the National League teams are still in playoff contention, at least to some degree. There are at least seven of the American League teams vying for five playoff spots as well. A few may choose to “Sell” by the time the deadline rolls around, but until then, they might as well keep playing. Consider that the Giants have won 16 of their last 19 games and are now nearing a Wild Card spot. Does that mean that Madison Bumgarner and their slew of relief pitchers are still unavailable? Probably, at least for now. Because of those names (and others) likely not being available right now, Jon Heyman thinks it could cause the Toronto Blue Jays to try to deal Marcus Stroman more quickly. Earlier this week, Andrew Thares asked what it might take for the Twins to acquire Stroman. Ultimately a deadline is a deadline. The fact that there is just one only means that there are more buyers (usually) at the July deadline than there might be if there was still an August deadline. GMs don’t want to overpay, and that’s what the sellers are trying to get in return right now. And the only thing that will force those sellers hands is the deadline. So I expect there may be a few traded trickling in over the next few days, I think that most trades will happen in the final 24-48 hours leading up to the July 31st deadline… same as it always has been. Deadline Discussions MLB Trade Rumors created a poll asking readers to give their thoughts on the Pirates potentially trading left-handed reliever Felipe Vasquez, quietly one of the best relievers in baseball. What makes him intriguing (and very, very costly) is that he signed a four year, $20 million contract a couple of years ago. Looking into his contract, he is owned $5.25 million in 2020 and $7.25 million in 2021.Even better, he has two options in the deal in which he could get $10 million in 2022 ($1 million buyout) and 2023 ($500K buyout) if things are going well. Thieres wrote about Vasquez in our Potential Bullpen Target series.Old Friend Rhett Bollinger reported last Friday that the Angels had DFAd RHP Matt Harvey. On Tuesday, The Dark Knight officially became a free agent. Could he be a match for the Twins, maybe not as a starter, but as a long relief option?Jim Duquette in The Athletic wrote about six players he believes should not be traded right now, and that list includes four pitchers that have been linked to the Twins (to some degree) over the last month.Ken Rosenthal (The Athletic) asked if the Twins should have jumped on relievers sooner?And from our Forums, USA Chief writes an embattled plea to the Twins front office to make a move to help this Twins bullpen, and soon!Also in our Forums, there are threads dedicated to Noah Syndergaard and Matthew Boyd.On his most recent episode of The Scoops podcast, Darren Wolfson chatted with Trevor Hildenberger. As it relates to the trade deadline, he also spoke with Twins CBO Derek Falvey. Listen here.Over the next week, we will provide a daily Trade Deadline thread in which we will discuss a topic briefly and provide some of the day’s rumors. Use this thread to discuss Twins rumors. Obviously if and when the Twins make a move, we will have an article ready to discuss that, but this should be a fun gathering ground for Twins rumors. If you see a Twins rumor, post it in the comments. Otherwise, let’s discuss. This is a big week for the 2019 Twins. Click here to view the article

it really is a remarkable story... He and Taylor Grzelakowski were signed together, and both have done well and moved quickly (Gelly last year, Dobnak this year).

Well, that's kind of what I'm curious about? Just four pitches that didn't go where they were supposed to,, or something more? We may never know.

He's been pitching, so what news are we looking for?

Twins v. Yankees… Always entertaining and always fun to see the Twins win! Rochester wasn’t scheduled to play on Monday, and Ft. Myers and Elizabethton were rained out. However, there was still a lot of action in the Twins minor leagues on Monday. A top prospect homered in Cedar Rapids, though two infielders ended up pitching for the Kernels. The GCL Twins swept a doubleheader on Monday. And Pensacola won with a walkoff!Find out everything that happened happened in the Twins system on Monday, starting with the transactions of the day. TRANSACTIONS The Twins placed 1B CJ Cron on the IL (thumb), and they officially optioned RHP Zack Littell.LHP Lewis Thorpe was promoted while RHP Cody Stashak was added to the 40-man roster and then the 25-man roster.RHP Randy Dobnak was promoted to AAA Rochester.Infielder Michael Helman was placed on the Miracle Injured List with a right forearm fracture.RED WINGS REPORTRochester Box Score Travel Day for the Red Wings. BLUE WAHOOS BITES Pensacola 5, Mobile 3 Box Score The Wahoos grabbed an early 2-1 lead in this game, and extended it to 3-1 in the 7th innings. However, Mobile grabbed one run in the 8th and another in the 9th inning to tie it. But outfielder Mark Contreras didn’t want extra innings and ended the game with a two-run walk-off homer in the bottom of the ninth to give Pensacola the win. GCL TWINS TAKES Game 1 - GCL Twins 6, GCL Pirates 0 Box Score Dakota Chalmers returned to the mound for another rehab start. The right-hander gave up just one hit over five shutout innings. He walked four and struck out five batters. Junior Navas gave up just one hit over the final two innings. The Twins scored six runs. Sergio Toribio walked twice and had a sacrifice fly. He drove in two of the runs. Francisco Martinez tripled. LaRon Smith doubled. Keoni Cavaco had a single and an RBI. Game 2 - GCL Twins 9, GCL Pirates 4 Box Score The Twins came away with the doubleheader sweep. Wander Valdez hit a three-run homer, his fourth of the short-season. Francisco Martinez went 2-for-4 with a double. Jake Hirabayashi tripled. Donny Breek started and went the first three innings. He was charged with an unearned run on one hit and four walks. He struck out three batters. Steven Theetge came on for his professional debut. He gave up one run on two hits and a walk over two innings to record his first professional Win. Petru Balan gave up two runs on three hits over the final two innings. He struck out three. TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day - Griffin Jax, Pensacola Blue Wahoos Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Brian Navarreto, Pensacola Blue Wahoos PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Midseason Top 20 Twins Prospects performed: #1 - Royce Lewis (Ft. Myers) - Rained Out #2 - Alex Kirilloff (Pensacola) - 2-4, K #3 - Brusdar Graterol (Pensacola) - Injured List (shoulder) #4 - Trevor Larnach (Pensacola) - 0-4, 3K #5 - Wander Javier (Cedar Rapids) - 1-4, R, RBI, HR(5) #6 - Jordan Balazovic (Ft. Myers) - Rained Out #7 - Keoni Cavaco (GCL Twins) - 1-4, RBI, 3K #8 - Brent Rooker (Rochester) - Injured List (groin). #9 - Jhoan Duran (Ft. Myers) - Rained Out #10 - Blayne Enlow (Ft. Myers) - Rained Out #11 - Lewis Thorpe (Minnesota) - In Progress #12 - Nick Gordon (Rochester) - No Game Scheduled. #13 - Ryan Jeffers (Ft. Myers) - .Rained Out. #14 - Luis Arraez (Minnesota) - In Progress #15 - Matt Wallner (Elizabethton) - Rained Out #16 - Ben Rortvedt (Pensacola) - 0-4, 3 K #17 - Akil Baddoo (Ft. Myers) - Injured (Tommy John) #18 - Jorge Alcala (Pensacola) - Did Not Pitch. #19 - Misael Urbina (DSL Twins) - Did Not Play #20 - Travis Blankenhorn (Pensacola) - Injured List TUESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Norfolk @ Rochester (6:05 CST) - TBD Mobile @ Pensacola (6:35 CST) - LHP Bryan Sammons (2-3, 5.26 ERA) Ft. Myers @ Dunedin (DH @ 12:00 CST) - RHP Cole Sands (3-2, 2.04 ERA), RHP Jhoan Duran (2-8, 3.16 ERA) Cedar Rapids - No Game Scheduled Princeton @ Elizabethton (5:30 CST) - RHP Tyler Benninghoff (2-1, 6.38 ERA) GCL Pirates @ GCL Twins (11:00 CST) - TBD Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss the Monday games or any other minor league topics you would like. Click here to view the article

I'd be surprised to great extent if he debuts in a close-and-late situation. Same with Thorpe. Thorpe probably around in case a starter doesn't get through 5.

Dustin Morse just tweeted the Twins Transactions. As Jeremy Nygaard was first to mention, Cody Stashak was added to the 40 and 25 man roster. In addition, Lewis Thorpe was called up. To make room, Zack Littell was optioned and CJ Cron placed on IL.

I think Alcala's future is in the bullpen. But, if he's working as a starter or as a bullpen guy, which will give him the better ability to work on: 1) pitching with some longevity. 2) where will he get to work out of tough situations more often?

Yeah, his rankings have almost nothing to do with any stats in the GCL, whether he was hitting .180 or .380 or anywhere in between. Sample size just way too small.. and he's so young.

Nick Gordon has really played well in 2019. Hopefully Twins fans or those in the game haven't given up on his MLB future. I think it's still quite bright.

And that one isn't happening anytime soon.

I would think quite awhile since he's so young.

https://www.skornorth.com/twins-2/2019/07/the-case-for-trading-royce-lewis/ As the trade deadline gets closer, Jake Depue from Skor North outlines the reasons to consider trading Royce Lewis.Agree? DIsagree?

The Minnesota Twins just announced that RH RP Matt Magill has been DFAd. Kohl Stewart recalled, likely in a new role.

I think the big thing is that he missed just over a week...I'm told he's not hurt. Could just be developmental work. Could be something else. Don't be surprised if it continues next year. Remember Royce Lewis didn't play on Wednesdays or Sundays for most of the season. On those Wednesdays,, I have heard that he was doing some intense lifting and weight training program. High School kids typically play 2-3 games per week. This transitionary year had Lewis playing 4 games most weeks last year. Now this year he is playing every day (almost). You only really see it with first full season guys coming right out of high school. The college guys are typically playing 4-5 games a week, so their progression is to 5-6 games per week, or more. So, I don't worry about it...I'm certain he's getting his work in.

Not mentioned, E-Twins outfielder Max Smith tossed a perfect ninth inning last night.

He had played in four straight GCL games before today...

Fair enough. Knowing who is a starter or a reliever in the GCL can be tough because they''re all just getting their work in. You're right that he should have been included and certainly is a prospect. I had him with relievers.

Should the Twins focus their July trade deadline attention on the bullpen, or should they also consider adding a starting pitcher? Either way, potential trade partners have certainly been scouting the Twins minor league system. No doubt they have studied and viewed each of the Twins minor league starting pitchers. In the paragraphs that follow, we take a look at the Twins starting pitchers throughout the organization and think about which players these teams might target. Minnesota Twins: Jose Berrios (25), Jake Odorizzi (29), Kyle Gibson (31), Martin Perez (28), Michael Pineda (30) That is the Twins current starting rotation. To be honest, it has been pretty strong. Jose Berrios has taken another step forward and was an All-Star for the second straight season. Jake Odorizzi had a very strong first half, at one time winning ten straight games, on his way to his first All-Star Game. Kyle Gibson has had some ups and downs throughout the season. Martin Perez was shockingly good through the first six to eight weeks of the season. Then after a few rough starts, he has been solid again the last couple of outings. And, Michael Pineda has been really consistent. Almost every game, you can rely him him giving up two of three runs in about six innings. That’s a pretty reliable starting five. The Twins have also had five or six spot-starts from Triple-A guys who have performed admirably as well.Rochester Red Wings: Drew Hutchison (28), Sean Poppen (25), Devin Smeltzer (23), Kohl Stewart (24), Lewis Thorpe (23), Stephen Gonsalves (24-IL) The AAA depth has now all seen time in the big leagues. Hutchison spent a few years with the Blue Jays and recently signed with the Twins. Stewart and Gonsalves debuted in 2018. Gonsalves has been hurt but recently started throwing again and hopes to be able to pitch by season’s end. Smeltzer, Poppen and Thorpe have debuted in 2019. The front office could use one or two of these pitchers in trades. However, they have had time to evaluate them and consider whether they could be starters or relievers for the Twins for the next four to six years. Remember that as many as four of the Twins five starting pitchers could be free agents after this season. Having MLB ready starting options will be important. So while any of these guys could be second or third pieces in a big deal, it’s nice to have the depth for 2020. Pensacola Blue Wahoos: Jorge Alcala (23), Charlie Barnes (23), Edwar Colina (22), Randy Dobnak (24), Griffin Jax (24), Bryan Sammons (24), Tyler Wells (24-IL), Randy LeBlanc (27-IL), Andro Cutura (25-IL), Brusdar Graterol (20-IL) Tyler Wells was the Twins Daily Minor League Starting Pitcher of the Year in 2018, but he had Tommy John surgery in May. Randy LeBlanc had Tommy John surgery last year. Andro Cutura returned from missing nearly two years due to Tommy John, so they have limited his innings. But Brusdar Graterol is the top prospect here, and the hard-throwing righty is on the IL with shoulder impingement. Jorge Alcala has struggled at times, but he works in the upper-90s and has three pitches. His future may be in the bullpen (most likely). Edwar Colina is another upper-90s guy who was just promoted to Double-A. He is a pitcher as well, not just a hard thrower. Jax and Dobnak have both been good this season despite not having the same overpowering fastballs, but they are both very smart pitchers. Lefties Barnes and Sammons have both come up from Ft. Myers and done well. They both rely on command and control and mixing their pitches. Ft. Myers Miracle: Jordan Balazovic (20), Jhoan Duran (21), Blayne Enlow (20), Bailey Ober (23), Cole Sands (21), Tyler Watson (22), Lachlan Wells (22) The current Miracle starting staff is really exciting in terms of prospects. There have been several reports of scouts in the seats at Hammond Stadium. Jordan Balazovic has risen up quickly on prospect rankings. Keith Law was ahead of the game on this, but Balazovic has earned his ranking by combining his great stuff with projectability and great numbers too. He represented the Twins in the Futures Game. Duran is another who is pitching much better than his 1-8 record might indicate. He’s another guy who hits triple digits multiple times each game. Enlow started out slowly but since joining the Miracle, he has been fantastic. His velocity is up and his breaking pitches remain very good. Ober has just returned from another injury, but when he has been healthy, he has been really good. Sands has done well in his pro debut after being the Twins fifth-round pick a year ago.. He began in Cedar Rapids before moving up to Ft. Myers a month ago.Tyler Watson came to the organization from the Nationals and has continued to develop each of his pitches. And Lachlan Wells, a former Top 30 Twins prospect, returned to the Miracle last week after missing the last season-and-a-half due to Tommy John. And the Australian is still just 22! Cedar Rapids Kernels: Andrew Cabezas (22), Tyler Palm (24), Luis Rijo (20), Austin Schulfer (23), Kai-Wei Teng (20), Josh Winder (22), Kody Funderburk (22-IL) Often in the lower levels you can figure out prospect status by age-to-level-of-competition, and that is likely the case with this group. Rijo came to the Twins a year ago in the Lance Lynn deal and has been really good the last month. Teng was signed out of Taiwan, and at 20, he has been very impressive since joining the Kernels. In his most recent start, he was hitting 96 with a good pitch mix. But Winder was a seventh-round pick a year ago and has been very good too. He was the Twins Daily Minor League Starting Pitcher of the Month in June. Schulfer has probably been the Kernels most reliable, consistent pitcher all season. He began the year in the bullpen in long relief, but gradually moved into the rotation. Cabezas was the Twins Daily short-season Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2018. He’s had some ups and downs but when he’s been on, he’s had some really strong games. Palm has bounced around a bit. He signed a year ago out of the independent leagues, but he’s very tall and touches the mid-90s. Funderburk was drafted a year ago out of college where he was a very good two-way player. He doesn’t throw real hard, but when healthy, he has provided quality innings. Elizabethton Twins: Prelander Berroa (19), Sawyer Gipson (21), Ben Gross (22), Andriu Marin (20), Ryley Widell (22), Tyler Benninghoff (21) Tanner Brubaker (21-IL), Brent Headrick (21-IL), Casey Legumina (22-IL), Much of this group was drafted in 2019 and are looking to just make a good first impression in limited innings in their pro debuts. Benninghoff was the Twins 11th- round pick in 2016 and signed for well over slot. Immediately, he had Tommy John surgery and returned briefly at the end of last year in the GCL. He’s moved up this year and is one to watch. Prelander Berroa is not a big kid, but he is likely the top prospect in this group. He throws hard and has some pitches to work with. Widell was their 7th round pick in 2017, but he missed 2018 season due to a couple of bouts with mono. GCL Twins: Donny Breek (19), Matt Canterino (21), Niklas Rimmel (19), Michael Montero (19-IL), Jon Olsen (22-IL), Regi Grace (19-IL). This is another intriguing group, even with the injuries. We knew that the Twins probably wouldn't have second-round pick Canterino pitch too much this year, so he could stay in the GCL or potentially move up a level. Breek was signed out of The Netherlands and Rimmel grew up in Germany. Both were well known prospects in Europe and intriguing as prospects. Montero is also one to watch, but he just had Tommy John surgery last week. Olsen had Tommy John last year while at UCLA and is still recovering this season. Grace has the size and projectability to be really good, but he is young and will be taken care of. Twins Daily Top 40 Midseason Prospects #3 - Brusdar Graterol #6 - Jordan Balazovic #9 - Jhoan Duran #10 - Blayne Enlow #11 - Lewis Thorpe #18 - Jorge Alcala #21 - Stephen Gonsalves #24 - Edwar Colina #28 - Matt Canterino #29 - Devin Smeltzer #32 - Griffin Jax #33 - Tyler Wells #34 - Cole Sands #37 - Kohl Stewart #38 - Bailey Ober #40 - Sean Poppen Have Hit 100 mph in 2019: Brusdar Graterol, Jhoan Duran, Jorge Alcala, Edwar Colina Outside Top 40, but Teams May Ask: Charlie Barnes, Lachlan Wells, Luis Rijo, Kai-Wei Teng, Josh Winder, Prelander Berroa. Summary: Teams in contact with the Twins will certainly ask for Brusdar Graterol and Jordan Balazovic, and while neither might be completely untouchable, the Twins would be wise to only deal them if completely overwhelmed. Duran is just behind those two but should also only be available if the return package is strong and multi-year. He and Enlow could be available. Personally, I would put Edwar Colina in that same category as well. Beyond that, one would think that the other starting pitchers are available. However, this is why depth in prospects, not only in pitching but also at all positions, is so important for the Twins to acquire and maintain. Click here to view the article

Per Dave Schwartz,,

Trevor Larnach has been promoted to AA Pensacola. Travis Blankenhorn placed on the Injured List.

Updated...thank you!