Seth Stohs

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The intent wasn't' to make you feel good. It was an acknowledgement that it was better than 10 homers in 46 2/3 innings.

Reality, Magill is getting a well-deserved opportunity. He is still young enough. He has plenty of fastball. He has OK secondary, ,and he's deserving of getting this time to find out what he can be given more high-leverage opportunities. I wrote in the final paragraph that it is a feel good story, but he's also got a mid-90s fastball and has more than held his own. He's also been in the big leagues for 5 months. This idea that he "can't be on a championship caliber team" is always one that annoys me. Even championship level teams have role players. Is Magill likely to be a guy that the team turns to in the playoffs? No. Even now he's probably #5 or 6 on an 8-pitcher bullpen. I just think making assumptions on guys in their 20 who are changing organizations or changing roles would be fool-hardy. Im glad the organization (and all organizations) continue to give opportunities to these kinds of guys. Do I think he's a core cog in the future? Probably not, but he deserves and has earned the opportunity.

Coming into the Twins afternoon game on Sunday, relief pitcher Matt Magill had been pitching well out of the Twins bullpen. He had an ERA of 3.55 and had earned more opportunities in higher-leverage situations. In 45 2/3 innings, he had allowed just seven homers. On Sunday, he worked an inning against the A’s and gave up three homeruns in one inning of work. Baseball guys are superstitious, right? I'll blame myself. Before the game, I spent some time talking with the 28-year-old reliever about his decision to sign with the Twins during the offseason, transitioning to the bullpen and more. It's really been quite the story that Magill has written for himself in 2018.During the offseason, the Twins were quite active in the free agent market. They signed Fernando Rodney, Zach Duke, Addison Reed, Lance Lynn and Logan Morrison to major league deals. In addition, they signed the likes of Ryan LaMarre, Gregorio Petit, Bobby Wilson, Jordan Pacheco, Myles Jaye, Nick Buss and Erick Aybar to minor league contracts with spring training invitations. And then they also signed several minor leaguers to minor league contracts without an official MLB spring training invitation. That group included LHP Casey Crosby, RHPs Omar Bencomo and Ryne Harper, OF James Ramsey, IF Jermaine Curtis, and catcher Wynston Sawyer (who was later given an official invite). Such is the nature of free agency, and as you can see, it is impossible to guarantee which move will be deemed successful as the season progresses. As you can assume from the first paragraphs and this article’s title, we’ll spend a little time talking about another free agent the Twins signed this past offseason, RHP Matt Magill. Matt Magill was drafted out of high school in the 31st round of the 2008 MLB draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers. In late April of 2013, Magill made his MLB debut for the Dodgers and recorded a quality start. He made six starts for Los Angeles and went 0-2 with a 6.51 ERA before being sent to the minor leagues. He made a return to the big leagues for five games in 2016 with the Cincinnati Reds. He spent the entire 2017 season in the San Diego Padres minor leagues. Magill was again a free agent, and he decided that signing with the Twins was the right thing for him to do. When Magill was asked about what went into the decision for him to sign with the Twins, he provided a couple of good reasons before acknowledging the biggest reason. “I knew that they had a good foundation intact, and I knew they really liked bringing guys up from within their organization. They really like to bring those guys up. I felt like they were going to be contending this year for sure too, and honestly, this was my only option this year too.” Magill continued, “This offseason, they were the only team that called me. So this was my option. That was the main reason. It made it more easy going into the situation knowing that they were contending for a playoff spot going into it. Also, I’ve heard only good things about this organization.” Magill is a great example of a lot of journeymen players who love the game and want to play until the uniform gets ripped off of their back, or until all options have been exhausted. Magill notes, “Honestly, they offered me the minor league spring training. I told them I would love to go just because I wanted a job. I wanted to pitch. I wanted to play. So when they gave me that opportunity, I was just excited. I wasn’t really worried about getting a big league camp invite. I just wanted to pitch. I wanted to play baseball, wherever that meant I was going to go play. They told me I would have some opportunities to go over and pitch on the big league side, so I was very excited for that. I just tried to make the most of the opportunity I was given.” The Twins kept their word. He pitched five innings over six games for the Twins in spring training. He gave up just one earned run. Most of his spring work came on the back fields of the Twins spring facilities. However, he was impressive, flashing a big fastball to go with a sharp slider. He began the 2018 season in Rochester, but he quickly impressed. Reports indicated that he was consistently hitting 96 and touched 98 at times. As we all recall, the Twins bullpen struggled early this season and with weather affecting so many games, the Twins had to make several moves. After just five outings (and 8 2/3 innings) in Rochester, Matt Magill was added to the 40-man roster and called up to the Twins in late April. Even he admits to being surprised. “I was very, very, very surprised. Honestly. Knowing that I wasn’t on the roster, I kind of came out of nowhere. I knew that it was going to be hard for me to get up to the big leagues. I would have to do everything I could. Not saying I don’t believe in my ability, but I know the business side of baseball sometimes prevents some guys who are really good at playing baseball to get to the big leagues.” In addition, he looked around during spring training and it added to his thoughts that it would be difficult for him to get a shot in the big leagues. “When I went to spring training, I saw the arms we had in our bullpen in Rochester. I thought it was going to be triple as hard because we have so many talented guys down there still. The future of the Twins, I just, it’s only going to look up because the arms they have down there are unbelievable.” Tyler Duffey, Alan Busenitz, Gabriel Moya, and John Curtiss have had some time in the big leagues this year. Nick Anderson and Jake Reed still have not had a big league opportunity (but should after Labor Day). Through the majority of his career, Magill has been a starter. He feels that experience has helped him in his time in the bullpen. “It helped me when I was doing the long role. It helped me set up hitters and feel like I could go length. I was very comfortable throwing multiple innings. I also was very comfortable coming in early in the game. That made it easier for me. I think it also helped me appreciate both sides of the game and both sides of the pitching aspect of it.” However, he has become much more comfortable coming out of the bullpen and gained confidence along the way. “Out of the bullpen is nice. You just go in and attack hitters. There is game plan, but you’re going in to get that one guy out at a time. Starting is a whole different mindset for me. I thought it was trying to build up to getting as many innings as you can for your team. (In the bullpen), it’s just about getting outs.” And for the most part, Matt Magill has done a real nice job of getting outs for the Twins. (Again, I’m accepting the blame for Sunday!) The Twins will certainly continue to evaluate Magill, along with those Rochester pitchers, over the final month to see determine potential roles for 2019 But when you consider that Magill didn’t have offers from other organizations and didn’t even get an invitation to big league camp, it has been a great story. And not just a feel-good story, but a story about a journeyman who throws 95-97 mph and has helped the Twins bullpen. Still just 28, he has a chance to stick around for a while. Click here to view the article

Absolutely nothing. He's in a slump in the late season of his first full professional season. Happens to them all... well, apparently except Alex Kirilloff...

Following the 2012 season, the Minnesota Twins made the decision to end their time in Beloit. They worked out a Player Development Agreement with the Cedar Rapids Kernels starting in the 2013 season. On Monday night, the Kernels clinched a 2018 playoff berth with a win. It marks the sixth straight season (all six with the Twins) that the Kernels will be in the playoffs. Jake Mauer managed the first four teams. Tommy Watkins was there in 2017. Congratulations to Toby Gardenhire and his coaching staff on another strong, successful season in Iowa!Keep reading to find out more on the night in the Twins minor league system on Mondays, please feel free to discuss and ask questions. TRANSACTIONS RHP Omar Bencomo was activated from the Lookouts DL. Clark Beeker was returned to the Miracle.RED WINGS REPORTRochester 3, Syracuse 6 Box Score When Fernando Romero left the mound with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning, the Red Wings held a 3-1 lead. Ryne Harper came on and allowed both inherited runners to score. Harper went another two innings after getting the third out of the sixth inning.He gave up five hits, walked one and struck out four in his 2 1/3 innings. Romero ended up giving up three runs on eight hits over his 5 2/3 innings. He struck out six without issuing a walk. Byron Buxton had a single and his ninth double in the game. He was the lone Red Wings batter with more than one hit. Johnny Field, Kennys Vargas and Juan Graterol each added a double. CHATTANOOGA CHATTER Chattanooga 4, Jacksonville 1 Box Score Casey Crosby was the team’s “opener” on Monday. The left-hander gave up two hits and walked two over two shutout innings. He struck out three. Omar Bencomo went the next five innings to win for the eighth time this season. He gave up five hits without allowing a run. He walked none and struck out four. Devin Smeltzer pitched a scoreless eighth inning. He was charged with a run in the ninth inning and recorded one out. Cody Stashak got the final two outs to record his fourth save. Andy Wilkins had another strong game. He went 1-for-2 with two walks and his 10th home run. Brent Rooker drove in a run with his 32nd double. Jimmy Kerrigan’s sixth double drove in a run as well. MIRACLE MATTERS Ft. Myers 3, Bradenton 2 Box Score Brusdar Graterol turned 20 years old on Sunday. On Monday, he made his first start as an non-teenager. He threw 5 2/3 scoreless innings. He gave up four hits, walked on and struck out six. Colton Davis came on and struck out three over the next 2 1/3 innings. He gave up no runs on no hits and no walks. He did hit one batter. Kevin Marnon recorded the save despite giving up two runs on three hits in the ninth inning for the save. Alex Kirilloff led the offense. He went 3-for-4 with two RBIs. He had RBI singles in his final two at-bats. Caleb Hamilton’s 18th double drove in the team’s first run. Aaron Whitefield was back in the leadoff spot and responded by going 2-for-4 with his sixth double. Royce Lewis was moved to the #3 spot in the lineup for this game. He went 0-4 and is now 5-for-48 (.104) in his last 12 games. Just a reminder, slumps can happen to anyone. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 5, Kane County 1 Box Score The Cedar Rapids Kernels will head to the Midwest League playoffs for the sixth straight season (also their sixth straight season as a Twins affiliate). Randy Dobnak has been a key starter for the Kernels throughout the season. With seven innings of one-run ball on Monday night, he earned his tenth win of the year. He gave up three hits, walked two and struck out four. Jared Finkel worked the final two innings without allowing a run. He gave up one hit, walked two, hit one and struck one out. Michael Davis continued his impressive professional debut. On this night, the shortstop went 2-for-3 with his eighth home run and three runs driven in. In 36 games with the Kernels (he played three games for Elizabethton), the 24th round pick from Texas Tech has nine doubles and eight home runs. He is now hitting .292 as well. Victor Tademo, making his Midwest League debut, hit his first home run of the season. He had spent the majority of this season in extended spring training and in the GCL (though he also played a few games with the Miracle). E-TWINS E-TALK Elizabethton 6, Pulaski 2 Box Score The E-Twins are approaching the playoffs and got a strong all-around game on Monday night. Luis Rijo started and went just two innings, but he was perfect and struck out four. Brian Rapp worked the next three innings. He gave up two runs on five hits and two walks while striking out three. Blair Lakso struck out four, and walked two, over three no-hit innings. Tanner Howell worked a scoreless ninth inning, striking out one. Jean Carlos Arias led the offense. He went 2-for-4 with a walk, his third triple, and his third stolen base. Jared Akins had two hits in three at bats. Trevor Casanova knocked his 14th double, and he had a walk. Ricky De La Torre doubled for the 10th time. GCL TWINS TALK The GCL Twins season came to an end on Saturday. They finished with a 32-24 record which was 1 1/2 games behind the GCL South Division champion GCL Red Sox. STARS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Hitter of the Day: Michael Davis, Cedar Rapids Kernels (2-3, HR(8), 3 RBI). Twins Daily Pitcher of the Day: Brusdar Graterol, Ft. Myers Miracle (5.2 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 1 IBB, 6 K) PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Midseason Top 20 Twins Prospects performed. #1 - Royce Lewis (Ft. Myers) - 0-4, K #2 - Alex Kirilloff (Ft. Myers) - 3-4, 2 RBI #3 - Brusdar Graterol (Ft. Myers) - 5.2 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 6 K (88 pitches, 59 strikes) #4 - Nick Gordon (Rochester) - 1-4, K #5 - Stephen Gonsalves (Minnesota) - No game scheduled #6 - Trevor Larnach (Cedar Rapids) - 0-4 #7 - Brent Rooker (Chattanooga) - 1-4, 2B(32), RBI, R, K #8 - Akil Baddoo (Cedar Rapids) - 0-4, K #9 -Wander Javier - out of for the season #10 - Zack Littell (Rochester) - Did not pitch #11 - Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) - Did not pitch #12 - LaMonte Wade (Rochester) - 1-4, R, RBI #13 - Travis Blankenhorn (Ft. Myers) - 0-3 #14 - Lewis Thorpe (Rochester) - Did not pitch #15 - Ben Rortvedt (Ft. Myers) - Did not play #16 - Yunior Severino (Elizabethton) - Did not play #17 - Lewin Diaz (Ft. Myers) - Out for the season (wrist) #18 - Ryan Jeffers (Cedar Rapids) - 1-4 #19 - Jacob Pearson (Cedar Rapids) - 1-2, BB, R, RBI, K #20 - Luis Arraez (Chattanooga) - Did not play #21 - Jose Miranda (Ft. Myers) - 0-4 *Since Wander Javier is out, I’d add #21 to the list. TUESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Buffalo @ Rochester (DH 4:05 CST) - RHP Zack Littell (5-6, 3.42 ERA), TBD Jacksonville @ Chattanooga (6:15 CST) - RHP Sean Poppen (5-6, 3.44 ERA) Bradenton @ Ft. Myers (5:30 CST) - RHP Andro Cutura (4-6, 3.88 ERA) Cedar Rapids - No game scheduled Pulaski @ Elizabethton (6:00 CST) - TBD GCL Twins - Season Completed Please feel free to ask any questions about Monday’s games, or ask any questions you may have. Click here to view the article

I mean, I think a guy with 15 extra base hits in 34 games in a full season leagues less than two months after being drafted is worthy of discussion and conversation. Even if it doesn't make him a Top 50 guy.

I think that the Top 30 mentioned in these articles is the Twins Daily Top 30 Midseason Prospect rankings... Those guys weren't in the organization yet, so yup, they're not in it.

Ratings also don't have a ton to do with statistics and performance, but instead about upside... so rankings are always just for fun and for discussion... it's a projection. I don't think anyone says it's "reality."

Tyler Wells is a top 20 for me. Was at the midseason. Dude's got a chance.

He's been in pro ball for 2 months... And, I never said anything about changing his prospect status... And, I've quit caring about age to level of competition. It' silly for four-year college guys, especially in their first year of ball.

I feel like we should be talking more about Michael Davis. Later round pick in June, but quickly moved up to Cedar Rapids and has shown power, despite a low-ish batting average, while playing a solid shortstop.

Joe Mauer had been given Wednesday afternoon off in Chicago. On Thursday night, the Twins returned home to Target Field and Mauer was back in the lineup, Mauer singled to tie Rod Carew for second on the Twins all-time hits list. On Friday, he executed a perfect hit-and-run for a single and hit #2,086, passing the great Carew. On Saturday night, the Minnesota Twins honored Hall of Famer Jim Thome in a pregame ceremony. Joe Mauer caught the ceremonial first pitch from his former teammate and then went out and added two more base knocks on his quest toward catching Kirby Puckett atop the Twins all-time hit list. Or just to end his season strong.There are a lot of similarities between Jim Thome and Joe Mauer, though they may not be obvious at first glance. Sure, Mauer has been mostly a singles and doubles hitter, batting for high average while Thome knocked over 600 home runs in his career. Mauer is long and lean while Thome is power-packed and burly. Hey, there’s a reason that the Paul Bunyan comparisons (and bobbleheads) have been made. But as Paul Molitor discussed the impact that Thome made in his brief time in Minnesota, it was natural for the conversation to swing toward Mauer and his accomplishments on and off the field. Jim Thome spent the 2010 season with the Twins and hit 25 home runs. In 2011, he played with the Twins until an August 25th trade sent him back to Cleveland. According to Molitor, Thome certainly made an impact. “He did. I think it’s to his credit that, although the time wasn’t very long, there was a bigger impact that maybe didn’t match up with the time.” Molitor continued, “What he did on the field was obviously impressive, added to his Hall of Fame credentials, but the influence he had on our group of young players. I remember in spring training, he’d go over to to the minor league fields to get extra at bats. Just the way he responded to those young kids and the example he set (provided an impact). He never took himself too seriously. It was always about enjoying the game and trying to make people around him better. It’s nice that we have the chance to honor him tonight.” But both Jim Thome and Joe Mauer are such nice people, caring people. Generally, they are quiet people as well. But don’t doubt their drive. Players don’t achieve as much as Thome and Mauer have in their careers without being extremely competitive and driven. Molitor noted. “I don’t think that you should be misled by the external demeanor or the fire of both of those guys. For a long time, I’d be asked ‘What’s Joe like in the clubhouse?’ He’s top shelf. You may not see it. He handles the ups and downs without the heavy outbursts. But even last night, in talking to his teammates, it was about staying in the moment and looking forward to come out today and trying to win a baseball game.” He noted that Mauer and Thome are strong leaders. “People define vocal. Vocal doesn’t mean volume.” Jim Thome’s career began in 1991 in Cleveland. At that time, Molitor’s Milwaukee Brewers were still in the American League. Then Molitor moved to the Blue Jays and ended his career with three years for the Twins. So, he saw a lot of Thome through the 1998 season when Molitor retired. Molitor noted that it’s been a long time, but he remembers Thome’s early years. “I remember him coming up as a third baseman. I’m not sure if I bunted on him somewhere along the way. You could tell early on. A guy who was exuberant on the field and played with passion and his power stuck out back then as a young player, maybe a little smaller version of the current Jim Thome. His run in Cleveland. Transition to first baseman. DH. Turned into one of the better power hitters of his generation.” In the same way that Thome had an impact on the field and in the clubhouse, Mauer still is having an impact. One way that he does that is providing a game ball after each Twins win. The ball doesn’t always go to the obvious choice. According to Molitor, “I think his biggest intent in getting up there is to make sure he recognizes all the little contributions. It’s not always about the two-run homer or the 7-inning shutout. It can be about a guy making a play or advancing a runner or battling with two strikes.” After the Friday night game when Mauer passed Rod Carew on the Twins all-time hit list, Molitor addressed the team following the game. “We took a moment. Talked about the history of the organization, how far back it goes, and over that span of time, Joe has more hits than anyone wearing this uniform than anyone else except one guy. It speaks a lot.” The Twins have stated publicly that they have not approached Mauer about a contract extension, and the Mauer side hasn’t reached out to them about his plans beyond 2018 when his contract ends and he can become a free agent. Mauer continues to do so much around the community. You may hear often about the work he and his wife Maddie do with the Gillette’s Childrens Hospital, but we have probably all heard stories of things that Mauer has done in the community which have never been made public. Mauer has been making an impact in the Twin Cities for a couple of decades. Jim Thome impacted this community for a couple of seasons. Both are Hall of Famers on and off the field. Click here to view the article

The game really changes on the Eddie Rosario fly out in the bottom of the 7th. He came up with two on and two outs and crushed a Familia fastball fastball. Some (ok me) thought it was gone, but it was caught at the wall... Instead of being up 5-4 going to the 8th inning, they remained down 4-2 and the A's scored two right in the top of the 8th.

Added a few quotes from Molitor and Gonsalves from after the game in the clubhouse...

Nothing official yet on Wilson/Astudillo, though it does make sense. I'm sure we'll hear in the morning when that early-morning Rochester to Minneapolis direct flight gets here.

Yup, he's 4 for his last 31 (7 games) and 2 for his last 21 (4 games). Nothing to worry about... but that FSL can drain guys... we also forget that he and Kirilloff are finishing up their first full MiLB seasons... they've got to be wearing down... Not as an excuse, but it would be understandable. Then again, they have like 10-11 games left, they could each get 20 more hits and we won't be surprised. Ha!

Maybe people saw this on Twitter, but Andrew Vasquez was promoted to Rochester today. Casey Crosby off the DL for Chattanooga.

Correct... we have a tendency to blame the player... It could be the injuries have taken away some ability. It could be that he just shouldnt have been drafted where he was in the first place... but he can't just say no. I know I wouldn't. We have this tendency, I think, to place struggles on the field with some sort of character flaw, and that's not fair at all. I often hear people say that Player X "didn't reach his potential." Well, maybe that player did. The truthful saying would be that Player X "didn't reach his perceived potential" or "didn't reach what I wanted him to." Disclaimer: I personally haven't' given up on Jay. He's made it through this season relatively healthy. Maybe he gets a full offseason and takes a step next year.

I would guess that Andrew Vasquez has passed him by in terms of 40-man roster pecking order... though not protecting Jay would make him a solid, maybe even strong candidate to be selected.

Yes... previous high was 6.

It was another busy day in the Minnesota Twins minor league system. Each of the affiliates played. Zander Wiel recorded his first Rochester hit. Clark Beeker was solid in his first Double A start. Alex Kirilloff kept up an impressive streak while Taylor Grzelakowski continued an impressive season with another strong game. Akil Baddoo and Trevor Larnach powered the Kernels to a win. The E-Twins needed 11 innings and got great relief work from Jacob Blank while Jean Carlos Arias had a couple of big hits. The GCL Twins tried to come back from a big deficit in a rare night game in the Gulf Coast League.Keep reading to find out more on the night in the Twins minor league system on Wednesday. As always, please feel free to discuss and ask questions. TRANSACTIONS Utility man Taylor Motter was released by the Twins. He’d been playing in Rochester. RED WINGS REPORT Rochester 2, Pawtucket 7 Box Score Fernando Romero was on the mound for the Red Wings. The right-hander went the first three innings. He gave up three runs on four hits. He walked a batter, hit a batter and struck out two in three innings. Tyler Duffey came on and gave up two runs on four hits in two innings. He struck out three. Ryne Harper gave up two runs on three hits over 2 2/3 innings. He walked two, hit one and struck out two. John Curtiss got the final four outs. Kennys Vargas had another strong game. He went 2-for-3 with a walk and his 16th double. Zander Wiel had a hit in his fist at bat, the first hit of his Triple-A career. Byron Buxton went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts. CHATTANOOGA CHATTER Chattanooga 2, Montgomery 3 Box Score Clark Beeker made his first Double-A start for the Lookouts on Wednesday night. The right-hander from Davidson gave up just two hits over four shutout innings. He struck out two without issuing a walk. Anthony Marzi came on and worked the next two innings. The left-hander gave up one run on two hits and a walk. Tyler Jay worked the final two innings and gave up two runs (1 earned) on two hits, a walk and a hit batter. The Lookouts had just five hits in this game. Jaylin Davis provided the offense with a two-run, first-inning homer, his sixth with the Lookouts. Brent Rooker had a single and was hit by a pitch. MIRACLE MATTERS Ft. Myers 6, Palm Beach 1 Box Score Andro Cutura missed nearly two seasons after Tommy John surgery. On Wednesday, he turned 25 and celebrated with a Win. The right-hander gave up just one run on four hits in seven innings. He walked three and struck out four. Adam Bray gave up two hits over two scoreless innings to end the game. Taylor Grzelakowski led the way with a 3-for-5 game. He hit his 23rd double. Mark Contreras went 2-for-4 with a walk and his 15th double. Eddie De La Trinidad was 2-for-5 with his second double. Ben Rortvedt went 2-for-4 with his seventh Miracle double. Caleb Hamilton went 2-for-3 with a walk. Ryan Costello also had two hits. Alex Kirilloff extended his on-base streak to 33 games. Jose Miranda also doubled. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 8, Wisconsin 4 Box Score Akil Baddoo paced the way early for the Kernels. In the first inning, he began the game with his 11th triple. An inning later, his 11th home run was a two-run shot that was the big hit in a five-run inning. Baddoo also walked once. Trevor Larnach went 3-for-5 with his sixth double and his second home run. Michael Helman went 2-for-4 with his third double. Michael Davis went 2-for-4 with his eighth double. Trey Cabbage knocked his 19th double, which Ben Rodriguez’s first triple drove in two runs. Blayne Enlow made the start. He gave up one run on four hits over five innings to pick up his third win of the year. He walked one, hit two and struck out eight batters. Jared Finkel went the next 2 2/3 innings. He gave up three runs on five hits and a walk. Derek Molina got the final four outs and gave up just one hit. E-TWINS E-TALK Elizabethton 2, Greeneville 1 (11 innings) Box Score Jean Carlos Arias has struggled since being demoted to the E-Twins. He had an early single. In the ninth inning, he singled in the game-tying run. And in the bottom of the 11th inning, he singled in Trevor Casanova with the game-winning run. DaShawn Keirsey had a single and two walks. Tyler Palm had another strong start. The lanky right-hander started with six scoreless innings. His final line was one run over 6 1/3 innings. He walked one, hit one and struck out four. Augustana University’s Jacob Blank came on and gave up just one hit over the final 4 2/3 innings. He intentionally walked one and struck out five to record his first professional win. GCL TWINS TALK GCL Twins 7, GCL Rays 8 Box Score The Twins played a rare night game in the Gulf Coast League. A six-run fourth inning put the Twins in a hold. However, in the seventh inning, they mounted a comeback. They scored six runs of their own to tie the game. However, in the bottom of the inning, they gave up what proved to be the game-winning run. Prelander Berroa started and gave up seven runs (just two earned) on eight hits and a walk over the first 3 2/3 innings. He struck out four. Denny Bentley came on and finished out the fourth and worked a scoreless fifth inning. Steven Cruz gave up one run on one hit and three walks over the next 1 2/3 innings. He struck out two. Petru Balan got the final four outs. He gave up one hit, walked two and struck out one. Shane Carrier had two doubles in the game. Estamy Urena was 2-for-4 with a walk. Victor Tademo also had two hits in the game. STARS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Hitter of the Day: Jean Carlos Arias, Elizabethton Twins (3-5, game-tying and game-winning hits). Twins Daily Pitcher of the Day: Jacob Blank, Elizabethton Twins (4.2 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 IBB, 5 K) PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Midseason Top 20 Twins Prospects performed. #1 - Royce Lewis (Ft. Myers) - 1-5 #2 - Alex Kirilloff (Ft. Myers) - 1-5, 2B(23), R, RBI, K #3 - Brusdar Graterol (Ft. Myers) - Did not pitch #4 - Nick Gordon (Rochester) - 1-4, R, K #5 - Stephen Gonsalves (Minnesota) - Did not pitch #6 - Trevor Larnach (Cedar Rapids) - 3-5, 2B(6), HR(2), 2 R, 2 RBI #7 - Brent Rooker (Chattanooga) - 1-3, HBP, R, K #8 - Akil Baddoo (Cedar Rapids) - 2-4, BB, 3B(11), HR(11), 2 R, 2 RBI #9 -Wander Javier - out of for the season #10 - Zack Littell (Rochester) - Did not pitch #11 - Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) - 5 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 8 K) #12 - LaMonte Wade (Rochester) - 0-4, K #13 - Travis Blankenhorn (Ft. Myers) - Did not play #14 - Lewis Thorpe (Rochester) - Did not pitch #15 - Ben Rortvedt (Ft. Myers) - 2-4, 2B(7), R #16 - Yunior Severino (Elizabethton) - 0-1 #17 - Lewin Diaz (Ft. Myers) - Out for the season (wrist) #18 - Ryan Jeffers (Cedar Rapids) - 1-5, R #19 - Jacob Pearson (Cedar Rapids) - Did not play #20 - Luis Arraez (Chattanooga) - 1-3 #21 - Jose Miranda (Ft. Myers) - 1-4, 2B(3), R, RBI, K *Since Wander Javier is out, I’d add #21 to the list. THURSDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Pawtucket @ Rochester (6:05 CST) - RHP Zack Littell (4-6, 3.63 ERA) Chattanooga @ Montgomery (6:35 CST) - RHP Sean Poppen (5-6, 3.55 ERA) Ft. Myers @ Palm Beach (5:30 CST) - LHP Bryan Sammons (1-1, 8.20 ERA) Cedar Rapids @ Beloit (7:00 CST) - RHP Melvi Acosta (2-4, 2.56 ERA) Greeneville @ Elizabethton (6:00 CST) - RHP Andrew Cabezas (1-3, 2.95 ERA) GCL Twins - No Game Scheduled Please feel free to ask any questions about Wednesday’s games, or ask any questions you may have. Click here to view the article