Seth Stohs

Here is the start of the minor-league signings for the offseason. It starts with the news of which Twins minor leaguers have elected free agency. The biggest name of the group is RHP Blayne Enlow. This forum thread should be used to share news of players the Twins sign to minor league deals, or when former Twins players and prospects sign elsewhere.

How do you replace a legend? Earlier this week, we learned that, after 40 years, Dick Bremer will no longer be the Twins TV play-by-play voice. But who will replace him? The short answer is, “Somebody.” Yes, somebody will get the job. Maybe it will be one of these people. Image courtesy of © Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports The general belief is that Cory Provus is the odds-on favorite to replace Dick Bremer in the TV booth. But let’s not stop there. Let’s throw out some other candidates (from the sane to the insane) with ties to the Twins. The Frontrunner Cory Provus Provus joined the Twins as their radio play-by-play voice a dozen years ago as a fresh-faced announcer. He had already worked with legends in the field, such as Bob Uecker with the Brewers and Jim Hughes and Ron Santo with the Cubs. For most of that time, he’s called all spring training games and all games throughout the season. Over the past couple of years, he has missed Saturdays in the fall, calling college football games for the Big Ten Network. Most agree that Cory does a terrific job of communicating to all generations of Twins fans through his ability to discuss and appreciate the history of the Twins while at the same time understanding and communicating current trends in the game. It should be a seamless transition from Bremer to Provus. Provus has relationships with Justin Morneau, LaTroy Hawkins, and Glen Perkins. He’s fully ingrained in the Twins media and community. Frankly, I can’t help but assume that Cory Provus gets job offers reasonably frequently. Moving from the #1 guy on the radio to the lead on the TV broadcast would mean a higher profile in a more secure industry and a decent pay raise. Radio Chops The next group could also be in consideration for the position, but if Provus lands the TV broadcast, these next candidates should be in line for Provus's radio role. Kris Atteberry The best Twins radio broadcasts are when Provus and Atteberry share the booth. Frankly, it’s time for Atteberry to take over the #1 spot on the radio. I don’t think there is more to say than that. It should be clear. However, this wouldn’t be a fun article if we only mentioned the favorites. We need more names. So, these next guys should be interviewed and strongly considered for the #1 spot, but with a mind that if Atteberry is #1, they need a quality #2. Sean Aronson The radio and TV voice of the Twins Triple-A affiliates does a fantastic job calling Saints baseball games. Having seen more of his work in recent years, it’s clear that he is remarkably prepared for both the season and individual games. He is a good communicator. He knows the game and the history of the game. And he has had a unique view of Twins players who have spent time with the Saints over the past three seasons. Josh Whetzel For those who have followed Twins minor-league baseball over the past decade or more, you know Josh Whetzel’s name. He is the play-by-play guy for the Triple-A Rochester Red Wings. He is also the voice of the University of Buffalo’s men’s basketball team. Since the Red Wings joined the Washington Nationals organization, Whetzel has joined the MLB broadcast for a weekend each year. He would be an incredible addition. Out of the Box Erik Bremer A sentimental choice, Erik Bremer is the son of Dick Bremer, so how cool would it be to keep Twins TV’s voice in the Bremer name for another three or four decades? However, this is not solely a sentimental choice. Erik Bremer has put together a robust portfolio for himself. He has done radio play-by-play for minor league teams and other sports. He has called college basketball and high school football. He has broadcast games in the Cape Cod League as well as minor-league games in cities such as Biloxi (Mississippi), Colorado Springs, Woodbridge (Virginia), and Fredericksburg (Virginia). He spent a winter in Australia calling Brisbane Bandits games in the Australian Baseball League. He has spent the last couple of seasons calling games for the Pensacola Blue Wahoos and also does television for the Pensacola Ice Flyers. While he is not yet 30, young Bremer has paid some dues already in his career. He is certainly deserving of an interview and a genuine opportunity. Marney Gellner She has been a part of Twins Baseball TV broadcasts for a long time. She has done in-studio work. She has done sideline reporting. She has been in the booth a couple of times. In the last couple of seasons, her summer focus has been Minnesota Lynx basketball. She is the play-by-play voice for their TV broadcasts, and she does the sideline reporting and in-studio work for the Wolves. Out of Our Minds? Nash Walker Walker is maybe not the #1 choice for this job if Vegas has such wagers available, but he’s #1 in the hearts and minds of Twins Daily. As you know, Nash is from Minnesota, and a year ago, he graduated from the University of Missouri with a degree in journalism. He has been writing for Twins Daily for several years, and I think you would agree that he has put together some great content. He is a fantastic writer. He is terrific with video. In addition, he spent the summer of 2022 calling games for the Palm Springs Power. He was a broadcaster with the Triple-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Reno Aces, in 2023. Since the season ended, he has become a full-time Communications Coordinator and will call games for them again in 2024. I mean, unless the Twins go to him. Gleeman and the Geek It would fit the idea of taking the broadcast in a different direction. Aaron Gleeman and Twins Daily’s John Bonnes have one of the most popular baseball podcasts in the world. Most Fridays, you can listen to their free podcast. In addition, they have one or two Patreon podcasts each week during the season and less frequently in the offseason. Well, along with that, how about the two of them chat while watching the ballgame from the booth? Who knows where the conversation will go? Would the graphics team be ready for their statistical analysis? Will they be able to avoid swearing for three straight hours, 162 times per season? The Trevors Trevor Plouffe has successfully made the transition from ballplayer to the media. His involvement at Jomboy Productions is fantastic. Plouffe also joined the Twins TV broadcasts at various times throughout the season in 2023. He was fantastic. Most who listened would likely agree. Following the end of the regular season, Trevor May went on his viral Twitch stream and announced that he was retiring from baseball. He will remain active in the game on his Twitch site, and I would think he would have more opportunities because he is good at it, and he’s always been fan-friendly. How interesting would it be to hear the analysis and conversations between Plouffe and May? How would they incorporate Morneau and Perkins into their broadcasts? I have do not doubt that they will figure it out. All four of them provide stellar informative content. View full article

The Twins had an option on Max Kepler's 2024 season at about $10 million. However, he is included in Keith Law's Top 50 Free Agents rankings at The Athletic. I obviously won't post all that Law writes, but here is how he ends the section on Kepler: What do you think? I think most would agree that the Twins were going to pick up Kepler's option already anyway, but I would have put him more in the 3 year, $36 million range for a deal... not a 4-year, $80 million or even 5 years, 120 million range is crazy. Sonny Gray, Kepler, and Kenta Maeda are in the top 25. List also includes #OldFriends such as Mitch Garver, Kyle Gibson, Eddie Rosario, etc.

There's an all-new Celebrity Jeopardy on... I'm sure I'll flip it on later.

And you rolled over in absolute shock!

On Monday night, the Texas Rangers took a 2-1 series lead over the Arizona Diamondbacks in the World Series. As soon as the final out of the World Series is in the books, there will be many new free agents. The Twins have the ability to keep a couple of intriguing minor leaguers from joining the ranks of free agents. Image courtesy of Rob Thompson, St. Paul Saints In reality, the World Series could be over as early as Wednesday night. At the latest, a Game 7 would be played on Saturday. When that final out is recorded, hundreds of players will become free agents. As you know, big league pitchers Sonny Gray, Dallas Keuchel, Kenta Maeda, Tyler Mahle, and Emilio Pagan, infielder Donovan Solano, and outfielder Joey Gallo will be among the newly-minted free agents. Five days later, they can start signing with other organizations. Things get interesting on the minor-league side, and it isn't always as easy to know who is a free agent. This year, players drafted in 2017 and not on a 40-man roster will become free agents. Those players signed contracts to play in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, and 2023. In addition, they were given credit for 2020 despite the season being cancelled by Covid. 2017 Draft Royce Lewis was the #1 overall pick in the 2017 draft. However, he was added to the Twins 40-man roster after the 2021 season and remains on the 40-man roster to this day. No, Royce Lewis will not be a free agent. The same is true for Bailey Ober, the team's 12th round pick in 2017. 2016 International Signings (or Earlier) In addition, players signed when they were 16 years old in 2016 who are not on the 40-man roster can also become free agents. The Twins didn't spend big on any one international prospect that year. While I found Wander Valdez and Jesus Feliz very interesting prospects, neither came close to the big leagues. One player signed that year was right-hander Prelander Berroa. However, he was traded to the Giants in the ill-fated Sam Dyson. He was later traded to the Mariners and made his MLB debut in 2023. What we can learn from Berroa, however, is that when a player is dealt to another organization, his free agency timeline doesn't change. In addition, a player signed in 2015 became a free agent after last year's World Series. When he signs another minor-league contract, he becomes a free agent again a year later. Case #1: C Jair Camargo That is the exact scenario that played out a year ago for catcher Jair Camargo. In fact, he was the one pending minor-league free agent a year ago that I recommended the Twins bring back. That is exactly what happened. The Twins and Camargo quickly came to terms on a one-year minor-league contract. The Twins have the same season again this year. Camargo signed with the Dodgers out of Colombia in 2015. He came to the Twins with Kenta Maeda in the Brusdar Graterol deal before the 2020 season. He had a breakout season in 2022 between Cedar Rapids and Wichita. Combined, he hit .262 (.793) with 18 home runs. With the minor-league signing last offseason, Camargo was left at risk to be lost in the Rule 5 draft. Fortunately, he was not selected. However, as a 23-year-old in 2023, Camargo jumped up to Triple-A St. Paul. In 90 games, he hit .259/.323/.503 (.826) with 16 doubles, 21 home runs and 63 RBI. If the two sides reach an agreement again quickly on a minor-league deal, there is no way that Camargo is not lost in the Rule 5 draft. A power-hitting catcher who is athletic and a solid-to-average defensive backstop? It's likely Camargo would be the first pick of the Rule 5 draft. The Twins were able to go through the entire 2023 season and only used two catchers, Ryan Jeffers and Christian Vazquez. That is not normal. Jeffers, 26, is entering his first arbitration season and won't be a free agent for three more years, after the 2026 season. Vazquez, 33, just completed his first season of a three-year, $30 million contract. Most years, the Twins bring in a veteran catcher or two on minor-league contracts. They essentially become the team's #3 catcher and can be recalled if and when needed. Examples of that in recent years include Tony Wolters, and later Mark Kolozsvary, in 2023. In 2022, veterans such as Chance Sisco, Grayson Greiner, and later Jose Godoy. Tomas Telis was a Triple-A catchers for the Twins for three years before that. What Should Happen? Before the World Series ends, the Twins should absolutely add Jair Camargo to their 40-man roster. That move can be done without a corresponding move as the Twins 40-man roster is already below 40. Camargo should go to spring training understanding that if Jeffers or Vazquez miss some time, he will be the first call. In addition, they should still bring in one more veteran catcher for St. Paul, and to work with other younger catchers in the organization. What Will Happen? The Twins will absolutely add Jair Camargo to their 40-man roster. Case #2: RHP Blayne Enlow The case for Enlow is a lot more difficult and a case could be made either way. In case you are new to Twins fandom, Blayne Enlow was the Twins third-round draft pick in 2017 out of high school in Louisiana. He dropped in the draft because he had a commitment to LSU and a specific number in mind that it would take to get him signed. Royce Lewis agreed to sign with the Twins well below slot and the extra money was used to sign Enlow. Enlow moved up the Twins organizational ladder slowly, but he was long a top 10 Twins prospect. He threw in the low-90s and was known to be able to spin the ball well. Unfortunately, he was not able to pitch in 2020. In 2021, he began at Cedar Rapids. Through three starts, he had a 1.84 ERA, and in 14 2/3 innings, he had 23 strikeouts. Missing bats was the one thing he needed to start doing. Unfortunately, in a bullpen, something didn't feel right in his elbow. Soon after, he had Tommy John surgery and missed the rest of that season. Still, the Twins had seen enough improvement and with his rehab that they added him to the 40-man roster after the season. He was able to return to the mound quickly, He threw 43 pitches in 1 2/3 innings of a May 7th rehab with Fort Myers, and the Twins deemed his rehab complete. They sent him to Double-A Wichita and he made 10 starts and 14 relief appearances. In 57 1/3 innings, he posted a 4.40 ERA. He had 64 strikeouts (10.0 K/9) but he also walked 30 batters (4.7 BB/9). Last offseason, the Twins were making player claims for pitchers such as Oliver Ortega. When they did that, Enlow was outrighted from the 40-man roster. He started the 2023 quite well. In Wichita, he made 11 appearances and went 3-1 with a 3.17 ERA. In 54 innings, he had 65 strikeouts (10.8 K/9) to go with just 13 walks (2.2 BB/9). He had found his lost control and he was still missing bats at career-high rates. He moved up to the Saints and made 15 appearances (12 starts). Things didn't go as well. He went 2-5 with a 7.94 ERA. In 45 1/3 innings, he had 44 strikeouts (8.7 K/9) and 19 walks (3.8 BB/9). He gave up a lot of hits and two homers per nine innings. Enlow will turn 25 in March. He's still young and still learning. He is a hard worker, and he knows the game well. However, he should have a lot of options this offseason. What Should Happen? I would like to see the Twins try to sign Enlow and keep him around another season. He lost a full season to Covid. He lost a full season due to Tommy John surgery, and that 2022 season was more about getting through the season healthy. Since he's at Triple-A and healthy, give him another six-to-eight weeks as a starter. If that doesn't go great, move him to the bullpen full-time. See how he can perform in that role where he can air it out more often and see if it can play out. The hope would, of course, be that he becomes a dominant reliever and either help the Twins in the season's second half or make himself an easy addition to the 40-man roster. If the Twins don't add Enlow to the 40-man roster, they should still attempt to sign him to a minor-league deal. However, Enlow should certainly take advantage of his free agency, talk to any and all teams that show interest and do what is best for him. Of course, that means, which team does he think he has the best opportunity to get called up to the big leagues and live out his lifelong dream. What Will Happen? I would be surprised if the Twins added him to the 40-man roster, and that's probably the right decision. I would like to think that the Twins would make him a fair minor-league offer. However, Blayne Enlow needs to go to an organization that needs pitching in the upper-levels of their minor-league system and there is more opportunity than there would be with the Twins. Other Free Agents There is one other member of the Twins 2017 draft class that is still in the organization is Andrew Bechtold. He was the Twins fifth-round pick out of Chipola. He played all over the infield during his early years in pro ball. Blessed with a huge arm, his most natural position is third base. He also spent a lot of time at second base earlier in his career and at first base the last couple of seasons. In 2021, he started working bullpens in the catchers gear and ended the season making one start behind the plate. That year, he went to the Arizona Fall League and caught some more. In 2023 with the Saints, Bechtold added another position. Because of his arm, he was given a chance to pitch out of the Saints bullpen. He made 20 appearances, and in 18 innings, he had 24 walks and 16 strikeouts. Nothing like learning on the job in the highest level of the minor leagues. What I'd Like to See Happen? I would really like to see the Twins bring Andrew Bechtold back and give him a real opportunity on the mound. See where it goes. Let him hit. Let him catch. Let him play the corner infield spots. It doesn't need to be an everyday role, but building his versatility can hopefully keep his career going. Gilberto Celestino came off of the 40-man roster as the playoffs were about to begin. He was outrighted, but because it was his first outright, he could not elect free agency. Once the World Series ends, Celestino will become a free agent. But could the Twins add the still-just-24-year-old before then and keep a right-handed outfield bat on the roster, at least for right now? Right-hander Alex Scherff was the Red Sox fifth round pick in 2017 out of high school in Texas. He came to the Twins in a July trade deadline deal in 2021 that involved Hansel Robles. Once a very exciting prospect, injuries have really cost hi a lot of consistent development time. This year, he posted a 3.57 ERA in 53 innings at Wichita. he had 66 strikeouts but also walked 31 batters. He made five appearances with the Saints. Not a guy that would be considered for the 40-man roster, but an intriguing arm worthy of a minor-league deal. Obviously this is not a complete list of potential minor-league free agents (meaning, guys who could be free agents in the next several days), but these are certainly names that likely received quite a bit of conversation in the Twins offices. If you were Derek Falvey, Thad Levine, Jeremy Zoll, Alex Hassan, Drew MacPhail, a minor league coach or coordinator and could have your voice heard, what would you recommend? View full article

In 2022, the Twins selected right-handed pitcher CJ Culpepper from California Baptist University in the 13th round of the draft. He made 10 starts and posted a 2.33 ERA and a 1.01 WHIP. He finished the season with 11 starts in Cedar Rapids. Overall, he worked 86 innings and had 89 strikeouts with just 32 walks. He was a key contributor in the Kernels Midwest League championship. In this interview, we get to know about Culpepper's background in baseball, from his youth days in southern California, to playing water polo in high school, to picking a college and eventually being drafted. Get to know CJ Culpepper. View full video

In this week’s Twins Spotlight, we learn more about one of the exciting pitchers from the Twins 2022 draft. C.J. Culpepper began his first full professional season in Fort Myers before helping the Cedar Rapids Kernels to the Midwest League championship. Image courtesy of William Parmeter If you listened to last week’s episode of Destination: The Show, Cedar Rapids Kernels pitching coach Jonas Lovin was asked about CJ Culpepper. He concluded his comments by saying. “CJ had a really good year and progressed really well throughout the year. He’ll be one that, I’m sure, Twins fans will be seeing down the road and will be looking forward to following, and he’ll keep working.” Seven players selected by the Twins in the 2019 draft have already reached the big leagues. Two others spent most of the 2023 season with the Triple-A St. Paul Saints. Matt Canterino returns in 2024 with an eye on the big leagues, too. However, among many Twins fans, there is excitement around the pitchers they selected in the 2022 draft. Kyle Jones (7th round) spent the entire season with the Kernels. Cory Lewis (9th), Zebby Matthews (8th), Andrew Morris (4th), and CJ Culpepper (13th) all started the season in Fort Myers, but each spent most of the second half making starts in Cedar Rapids. In addition, Ben Ethridge (15th) and Zach Veen (18th) remained in Fort Myers, pitching very well, and are now pitching in the Arizona Fall League. Of course, Connor Prielipp (2nd) started the season with the Kernels, but unfortunately, he made just one start and later had elbow surgery. The group has become quite close over the past year. Culpepper said, “We’ve all become really close, and that’s good. All of us are different. We pitch differently. It’s cool to talk to them about what they do mechanically.” While Culpepper hasn’t added a knuckleball to his in-game pitch repertoire, he’s learned a lot about the pitch from his time with Cory Lewis. “Playing catch with him (Lewis) isn’t too much fun either. It’s scary. It’s terrifying.” (You can watch the full 49-minute interview right here, or you can right-click on the video and watch/listen to it in another tab so you can continue perusing Twins Daily while watching the interview.) C.J. Culpepper grew up in southern California, and baseball has been a big part of his life. His mom tells him that from when he was two, he was always playing ball. Culpepper’s earliest memory is one that many of us can understand and appreciate. “The earliest memory I can think of is having my dad coaching me all growing up. I always thought that was really cool. Being able to share that experience with him and having his knowledge get dropped down to me is pretty cool. It’s just something I’ve cherished for the longest time.” He was always young for his grade and spent three seasons on the Rancho Cucamonga varsity team. He had played soccer in his younger years. Like Twins starter Joe Ryan, Culpepper also played water polo in high school. “My mom said, ‘You’re going to play water polo.’ So I really shouldn’t say No.'" He also participated in the Garciaparra Baseball Group team from Inland Empire, a southern California team. They played in the Jupiter tournaments in Florida, key events for high school players to be seen by scouts from every organization, as well as many colleges. California Baptist jumped from Division I to Division II for the 2019 season. Upon visiting, Culpepper quickly knew that it was the place he wanted to play ball. He had a strong relationship with the coaches, and it was a place where he could continue to grow his faith. He had a handful of games pitched in 2020 before Covid ended the season. As a sophomore, he had 38 strikeouts in 30 innings out of the Lancers’ bullpen. That summer of 2021 marked a crucial point in C.J. Culpepper’s baseball career. He went to the Cape Cod League and pitched well against top competition. In 15 2/3 innings over 10 appearances, he went 1-0 with four saves, a 1.72 ERA and a 0.77 WHIP. He also had 23 strikeouts and just two walks. His performance gave him a lot of confidence heading into his junior season. In 2022, he joined the starting rotation for California Baptist. He went 5-3 with a 3.26 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP. He also had 76 strikeouts in 69 innings. In July, he heard various things from his advisor leading to the draft. In fact, on Day 2, his advisor said a team asked if he would take a specific signing bonus if they drafted him. He agreed. Unfortunately, that team picked someone else with that pick. On Day 3, he spent the day with his parents. They were “watching” the draft online, and in the 13th round, they saw CJ’s name pop up on their computer screen. “Right when they saw my name, they were so happy. Tears started coming down. They just realized that this is what he’s been working for, and now it’s starting. They were just so ecstatic.” He continued, “It was a fun day, for sure.” It’s similar to one of his first days in Fort Myers after signing. He found himself on one of the back fields, playing catch, when he stopped and looked around a bit, thinking, “This is something I’ve been working for my entire life, and now I’m here. I was just in awe. It was definitely an experience that I’ll cherish, for sure.” Fortunately, there were several players around him that he knew to some degree. During his season with Yarmouth–Dennis in the Cape Cod League, he was on the same team as catcher Nate Baez (12th round) and first-round pick Brooks Lee. Also on the team was 2023 10th-round pick Ross Dunn. While Culpepper was the lone player that the Twins drafted from California Baptist, they added more in 2023. In the 15th round, the Twins selected right-handed pitcher Spencer Bengard from the school. In the 16th round, the Twins took righty Anthony Silvas from Riverside City College. However, he spent the 2022 season at California Baptist. Following the draft, the Twins signed right-hander Liam Rocha as a non-drafted free agent. He spent three years at Cal Baptist. With that background, it’s also quite exciting to think about his pitch mix. The right-hander throws a four-seam fastball, a cutter, a slider, a sinker, a changeup, and a curveball. In college, his fastball was generally between 89 and 93 mph. In 2023, Culpepper was not only 93-95 mph, but he touched 97 at times and was able to maintain that velocity later in games. (Of note, I forgot to ask Culpepper if he has ever actually thrown a kitchen sink.) More important than just having all of those pitches, it’s about those pitches being good, being effective. And with all the work that the Twins pitching development group does watching videos, reading the Statcast data, and developing a plan for him, still throwing all six pitches speaks to their effectiveness. Culpepper admits. “I’m pretty comfortable with all the pitches that I have. Whatever the situation and the count allows me to throw. I’m comfortable enough with all of them.” Returning to last week’s Destination the Show, you heard Kernels pitching coach Jonas Lovin talk about Culpepper. “CJ’s great. He’s a really hard worker, and he’s a really good thinker. He does a really good job of asking good questions and thinking through what he can improve upon.” Lovin later added, “CJ is so unique because he throws so many different pitches. He throws six different pitches, and they’re all good. He does a good job commanding them in the strike zone, and they all move a decent amount. After spending most of his life in California, Culpepper is spending this offseason in Tennessee. Maybe it’s to work on something else that he can bring with him to Minnesota. When he played in the Cape, his host family got him excited about fishing by taking him out often. Where he lives in Tennessee, he says he’s got a lake 10 minutes away and some canals and rivers nearby to work on his newfound passion. He said he would also like to get into hunting sometime but hasn’t found a group to take him out yet. I’m just guessing that if CJ Culpepper gets to the big leagues with the Twins, he will have several new friends willing to show him the ropes. For more Twins Daily content in which C.J. Culpepper has been tagged, click here. Here was his Twins Daily Draft page from 2022. View full article

Great questions, and great responses...

He talks about that in great detail and what Dr. Meister and the Twins staff have been telling him.

I think really it is a case where it doesn't matter too much. I think they should get him to Wichita fairly quickly... whether that's April 2nd or May 2nd doesn't really matter much... And, depending on how things progress, he could be in St. Paul by June 2nd. I would say that's a pretty aggressive return and it can't be about stats as much as healthy and process and pitches, etc. But also the long-game of the 2024 season and how to have him available in October should be considered.

I would hope his Age wouldn't factor into their decision-making. They need to do what is right for him, but also right for the organization. Let's just say he debuts in July at 26. The Twins will hold his rights through the 2030 season, and that encapsulates his entire 'prime.'

From the conversation, it sounds like he'll be given the chance to start and they'll go with that but obviously listen to his body, listen to his arm, etc. So yeah, I think they'll ease him in for the first month and see where he's at. But hopefully by May or at least June he'll go a bit longer. I also think he can be great in the role Louie Varland had in September and that may be a good way to limit his innings.

On the offseason debut of Twins Spotlight, Matt Canterino provides us with an update on his rehab and much more. Image courtesy of Ed Bailey, Wichita Wind Surge Late in September, the Twins had taken over the American League Central and were playoff-bound. After starting all season, Louie Varland was moved to the bullpen, and he aired it out, sitting in the upper 90s and breaking off some really sharp sliders. In addition, Chris Paddack came off of the Injured List. The 27-year-old from Cedar Park, Texas, hadn’t pitched since April 2022 after his second Tommy John surgery. On September 24th, Paddack ran from the Target Field bullpen to the Target Field mound, but before he could throw a pitch, the rains came, and a delay pushed back his return to MLB game action. Two days later, he finally had the opportunity. In his first inning, Paddack struck out the side and let out a yelp, releasing pent-up emotion that was fun for Twins fans to see. At that same time, Twins pitching prospect Matt Canterino was sitting in his room in Fort Myers watching the game, about 13 months into his Tommy John recovery. Was seeing that performance motivational for the 25-year-old from Southlake, Texas? “I would say it was more joy for Chris than anything. I saw his process. I saw how hard he worked every day. And I saw how much he got to know some of the minor leaguers and formed relationships with people that he didn’t have to in Fort Myers. It was a lot of joy for him, knowing it was a culmination of everything he’s been working on.” Nevertheless, seeing Paddack’s return come to fruition is something that the two Texans who grew up about three hours apart talked about while they worked and rehabbed in Fort Myers. Canterino noted, “he was a great teammate to rely upon in the process, especially because we were in fairly similar spots in rehab the entire year. I was able to bounce a lot of ideas off of him, and we were able to have a lot of good conversations about how we wanted to develop and how we wanted to be better than we were pre-surgery. I’m really thankful for that friendship.” (this video can also be found by clicking on this link. If you right-click and select Open Link in New Tab, you can watch this while continuing to read this article or others at Twins Daily.) Now Canterino is ready to show that he is back. However, let’s not minimize the timeline. The first issue came early in the 2021 season after just five (dominant) starts in Cedar Rapids. He had a 0.86 ERA, a 0.67 WHIP, and 43 strikeouts to just four walks in 21 innings. He spent the rest of the 2021 season in Fort Myers rehabbing. He worked two innings in a game for the Mussels later that summer, but it didn’t feel right. He began 2022 with the Double-A Wichita Wind Surge. He was being eased in, working three innings at a time and then four innings. However, after 11 games and 34 1/3 innings (with 50 strikeouts but also 22 walks). He went and met Dr. Meister in Texas, and while they had met before, this was the first time they had mentioned the term “Tommy John surgery.” Meister and Dr. Camp (the Twins' surgeon) were on the same page. They could give it one more try just rehabbing, but he had been doing that for a long time. Canterino had given it “one more try,” and the pain was terrible after one inning in the GCL. He had never had a complete tear, but the ligament was compromised enough. Rehab hadn’t worked. So, on August 25th, 2022, Canterino had Tommy John surgery. Dr. Meister’s timeline is a 14-month plan to return to competitive pitching. For the first six months, there was no throwing. It’s all about building strength in the shoulder, elbow, and forearm. Over the next six months, throwing is built up slowly. The first three months involve throwing on flat ground, and the next three months include a return to a mound. That leaves two months where the focus can be on a return to pitching. While he is very competitive on the mound, Canterino appreciated the process. “I am a pretty process-oriented person, and I like hitting little check marks along the way. Everything is written out and well-recorded within the rehab. The Twins do a great job of that. I was able to keep hitting those check marks and able to stay optimistic with how things were progressing.” The most challenging part, he said, was “just building up to go home for the offseason. I wasn’t building up to face hitters in any games. I still have to wait for spring training.” However, before heading to Texas for the offseason, he was able to get back on the mound and face live batters. What was the goal? What was the plan for facing live batters? “(It marks) The last step to start building up to be ready in games. So, we definitely pushed it a bit. We wanted to see where I was at so we could get an accurate judge. This is what you need to work on this offseason. This is what you need to be ready for coming into spring training. It definitely was a little bit of Let it Rip in terms of velocity and using offspeed pitches as well. So it was good.” How did it go? “I was missing bats, so that was good. I was up to 96 (mph). My slider felt completely returned to normal. My changeup felt completely returned to normal. And I was getting swings and misses on all of them. You never want to put too much stock into the results of those things, but in terms of my process, going through, getting ready, Letting it Rip, and recovering the next day, it was exactly what I wanted to do.” Canterino is set to enjoy his offseason. He’s got a couple of trips planned and will spend time with his closest support group. But he will also be working on improving to impress in Fort Myers in spring training. “I feel like I’m back to where I was, and I know that I’m going to come to spring training and be able to compete for a job and show that I can still compete at the highest level.” From Paddack’s return, Canterino notes. “This is doable. There will be ups and downs, but this is doable. You can get back, treat the rehab process with a lot of respect, and give it the attention it deserves. You can come back even better than wherever you were when you had to go down.” Canterino was the Twins second-round pick in 2019. His goal in 2023 is to get to the big leagues, where seven from his draft class have already played. He was excited to watch Matt Wallner, Brent Headrick, Louie Varland, and Edouard Julien play critical roles at various times for the Twins during the season and playoffs. “I was beyond happy for my friends that debuted this year and got to be big-time contributors both during the regular season and in the playoffs.” In conclusion, it was great to catch up with Matt Canterino. The interview is about 42 minutes long, and we talked about several other topics beyond what you read above. You’ll want to take a listen. But it was also great to see the excitement on his face and hear it in his voice as he talked about looking ahead. I’ll leave you with a few final quotes that are exciting. “I feel strong. I feel ready. This is the moment to prove it now.” “I just want to be the best teammate I can be. I just want to get back there and play baseball with the boys.” “I love baseball. I want to be able to contribute. I want to be a part of that winning culture that the Twins are establishing.” Matt Canterino was previously a guest on Episode 2 of Twins Spotlight back in October of 2020. That episode was more of a Get to Know 'em show, and as you can imagine, Canterino is fantastic at that. View full article

Minnesota Twins right-handed pitching prospect Matt Canterino had Tommy John surgery in August of 2022. He spent the entire 2023 season rehabbing in Fort Myers. Find out how he has handled his recovery, what he has learned about himself and where he is at heading into the offseason. He also was a cheerleader from afar of his Twins teammates and kept in contact with several players from an impressive 2019 Twins draft class. What are the hopes and goals for 2024? Starter? Reliever? Find out more in this interview. View full video

Hader never had a long-term contract. He went year-to-year, so there isn't anything similar to compare it to.

And if that's the case... there's no reason for the Twins to do it. Then they might as well go year to year and avoid the risk... Of course then Duran takes the risk of getting hurt and never reaching those Hader dollars.

Obviously US Bank Stadium is only used by the Gophers when they can't play outside. If they can play at all these other stadiums, they could just play at their beautiful, fairly new stadium on campus.