Seth Stohs

I purpose? HA!!

Has anyone else watched "Dumb Money: The Game Stop Story"? It's actually a pretty good movie. Just came out on Netflix a few weeks ago. I mean, it's not like a cinematic work of art, but I thought it was good and kind of told the story such that someone like me could even understand. Also, Seth Rogen is in it...

On the New Heights podcast today, Travis Kelce said they had a coach who literally went through the Overtime rules every single day From the sounds of it, a lot of the 49ers weren't aware of the playoff rules. I rarely listen to postgame shows, but I happened to be flipping around... And Maurice Jones-Drew (I think he's on NFL Network) asked both Mahomes and Reid (separate interviews) about how nervous they were as the overtime clock was dropping down 6, 5, 4 seconds.... They both answered it nicely, like 'we new we had time for another play on that end, but we weren't nervous.' I don't know that they realized MJD clearly didn't know the OT rules either.

Roger... We need to have breakfast for lunch again sometime... I love your love for the Wisconsin players, and I don't blame you. I ranked Noah MIller #27 solely because of his defense. There just haven't been numbers so far offensively. That isn't to say that it won't develop and he won't continue to develop. I don't worry much about Florida State numbers. He had some decent stretches during the year, and I like the Brian Dinkelman generally kept him in the leadoff spot to keep getting him at bats. Definitely no reason to give up on him, and he's going to get every opportunity. The question becomes, if he continues to be a .210 hitter with an OPS around .600 three years from now, would an MLB team play him at shortstop for 140 games in a season and bat him ninth? He does a lot of things well, and no one questions his work ethic... but until there is some semblance of consistent, decent offense, I just can't move him too much higher. And I love watching highlights of him playing defense. As for Prielipp, I'll send out some feelers. I know he's been in Ft. Myers working out and running and participating in a lot, but I have not yet seen him pitch a bullpen or off a mound. I wish I had 24/7 access to video from there though. He very well might be.

On Tuesday afternoon, the Twins announced their 2024 Spring Training non-roster invitees. They identified 19 players who will join the 40 players on the Twins' 40-man roster in Fort Myers. Brooks Lee will participate in his second big-league spring training in as many years. Image courtesy of Rob Thompson (photos of Brooks Lee, David Festa, DaShawn Keirsey) Nineteen players signed to minor-league contracts for the 2024 season were invited to big-league spring training on Tuesday. Well, they were probably called weeks ago, but you know what I mean. They will have nine pitchers (8 right-handed), four extra catchers, four infielders, one outfielder and a utility player (though I would designate two of the infielders as utility players). Pitchers and catchers were to report today (February 13) with their first workout on Wednesday. Position players are set to report on Saturday with the first full-squad workout on Sunday. Here is a quick look at the players who received spring training invitations. At the end, I also wrote up little sections on several other players that the Twins signed to minor-league contracts this offseason but did not receive the formal invitation to big-league camp. You may see several of them during spring training games as well. Right-Handed Pitchers Ryan Jensen (26) - He was the first round pick of the Cubs in 2019 out of Fresno State. In 2023, he pitched in 14 Double-A games and 16 Triple-A games for the Cub. DFAd by the Cubs in early August, he was claimed by the Mariners. He pitched in 13 games for them over the final two months. In 64 1/3 innings, he had 78 strikeouts, but he also walked 54 batters. After season, he was DFAd and claimed by the Marlins. They tried to sneak him through waivers, but the Twins claimed him. The Twins then claimed Daniel Duarte and DFAd Jensen. This time, he cleared waivers and was outrighted to St. Paul. Jensen throws hard, mid 90s, and typically gets a lot of ground balls. As important, he has two options remaining if the Twins do put him back on their 40-man roster at some point. Matt Bowman (32) - a Princeton alum, Bowman was the 13th round pick of the Mets in 2012. He debuted as a 24-year-old in 2016 after being St. Louis’s . He pitched in 156 games out of the Cardinals bullpen over three seasons. In 2019, he pitched in 27 games for the Reds. In September 2020, he had Tommy John surgery. After the season, he signed a two-year minor-league deal with the Yankees, but he missed the 2021 and 2022 seasons rehabbing. He re-signed for one more minor-league seasons. He was called up in mid-September and pitched in three games. The Twins signed him in January. Jeff Brigham (31) - Brigham has been in pro ball since being drafted in 2014. He made his MLB debut with four starts for the Marlins in 2018. The following season, he pitched in 32 games for Miami and was 3-2 with a save and a 4.46 ERA. In 2020, he pitched in just one inning in one game. He didn't pitch in 2021, but he made 16 appearances for the Marlins in 2022. Last year, he pitched in 37 games for the Mets. He was 1-3 with a 5.26 ERA. In 37 2/3 innings, he had 52 strikeouts and 18 walks. Daniel Duarte (27) - The Twins claimed Daniel Duarte off of waivers, and less than two weeks later, he was DFAd to make room for Jay Jackson on the 40-man roster. However, Duarte cleared waivers and will remain in the organization, at least for now. The hard-throwing right-hander debuted in 2022 with three games for the Reds. In 2023, he went 3-0 with a save and a 3.69 ERA in 31 2/3 innings. Duarte went unclaimed and was invited to Twins big-league spring training. Ronny Henriquez (23) - Look at that again. Ronny Henriquez is still just 23 years old. The Twins acquired him in the Mitch Garver trade before the 2022 season. He pitched 11 2/3 innings over three relief appearances for the Twins that season. He missed much of the first half of the 2023 season with injury and ended the season going 5-3 with a 5.68 ERA in 57 innings out of the Saints bullpen. He had 49 strikeouts, but also had 36 walks. He was non-tendered after the season, but the Twins re-signed him quickly to a minor-league deal. In his 18 games and (24 ⅓ innings), he was 1-0 with a 4.44 ERA. He had 17 strikeouts to go with 12 walks. Jordan Balazovic (25) - The Twins fifth-round pick in the 2016 MLB draft has certainly had his fair shares of ups and downs. Jordan Balazovic made his MLB debut last season with the Twins and got 65 days of service time. Just last week, he was DFAd so that the Twins could claim Zack Weiss. However, he cleared waivers and will remain in the Twins organization with a spring invitation. Keith Law was one of the first to put him on the prospect map and did so very early in his career. In 2021, he went 5-4 with a 3.62 ERA at Double-A Wichita with just over a strikeout per inning. However, in 21 starts for St. Paul in 2022, he was 0-7 with a 7.39 ERA. He began that season with an oblique injury. He began the 2023 season on the IL with a wired-shut mouth after an altercation at a Ft. Myers establishment the night before big-league camp began. He made three starts and was quickly moved to the bullpen. Now off of the 40-man roster, he can relax and get ready for spring training and a long season. Just 25, he’s going to get more opportunities. Randy Dobnak (29) - The first player that made us all aware of the United Shores Professional Baseball League. Dobnak jumped into the spotlight in 2019 when he came up and went 2-1 with a 1.59 ERA in nine games (5 starts). He had 23 strikeouts and got a ton of ground balls. In 2020s short season, Dobnak got off to a great start but struggled a big late in the year. Overall, he was 6-4 with a 4.05 ERA. Before the season, he agreed to a five-year, $9.25 million with options that could have kept him in the organization through 2028. However, early in that 2021 season, Dobnak injured his finger and really struggled with command and became quite hittable. He rehabbed it for a long time, and that didn’t really help. He finally needed to have surgery. In 2023 in St. Paul, he made 26 starts and five relief appearances. He was 5-9 with a 5.13 ERA over 126 1/3 innings. That is likely where he will start the 2024 season, but it would be another great story if he got called up to the Twins again. (Correction... Dobnak did not have an surgeries on his finger.) David Festa (23) - Festa was the Twins 13th round pick in 2021 out of Seton Hall. Since joining the Twins organization, he has added about five mph to his fastball and is now a guy with three potentially plus big league pitches (fastball, slider and changeup). In 2022, he played at both A-ball levels and combined to go 9-4 with a 2.43 ERA and 108 strikeouts in 103 2/3 innings. He began 2023 in Wichita and went 3-3 with a 4.39 ERA. In 80 innings, he had 104 strikeouts with 33 walks. He ended the season with three starts at St. Paul. He represented the Twins organization in the Futures Game. He is the Twins Daily #6 prospect. There is a good chance that he debuts during the 2024 season. Left-Handed Pitchers Jovani Moran (26) - Moran was the Twins seventh round pick in 2015 out of the Carlos Beltran Baseball Academy in Puerto Rico. He’s always had a tremendous changeup, but he fought injuries early in his career. He debuted with the Twins late in the 2021 season. In 2022, he worked had 54 strikeouts and just 18 walks over 40 2/3 innings in 31 appearances for the Twins. In 2023, he had 48 strikeouts and 27 walks in 42 1/3 innings over 43 Twins games. Lots of strikeouts, but also throwing strikes is crucial for him. He was optioned late in the season and soon after went on the IL. After the season, he had Tommy John surgery and the Twins non-tendered him. However, they locked him in on a two-year minor-league contract right away. So, he won’t pitch in 2023, but he could still hang out at big-league spring training. Catchers Chris Williams (27) - After starring at Clemson, the Twins made Williams their eighth round pick in 2018. Since signing, he has continually shown big power, but that is especially true the last two seasons. Between Wichita and St. Paul in 2022, he hit .246 with 21 doubles, 28 homers and 89 RBI. Last year, in 95 Saints games, he hit .236 with 13 doubles and 21 home runs. While he has played more first base in pro ball, he has caught more than 20 games each of the past four seasons. Patrick Winkel (24) - Patrick Winkel was the Twins ninth-round pick in 2021 out of the University of Connecticut. He played 21 games for the Mighty Mussels that summer. Even though he missed time early in the season with injury, he was pushed to High-A Cedar Rapids for the 2022 season. In 54 games, he hit .254 with nine doubles and six homers. He moved up to Double-A Wichita in 2023, and in 88 games, he hit .266/.362/.424 with 16 doubles and 10 homers. Winkel is considered very strong behind the plate as well. Alex Isola (25) - In 2023, Alex Isola made 49 starts at first base and just 13 starts behind the plate. He has basically been moved to first base, in part to keep his bat in the lineup most days, but with the need for lots of bullpen catchers in spring training, I would add Isola. In 110 games at Wichita last year, he hit .279/.366/.480 (.846) with 22 doubles and 20 home runs. Brian O'Keefe (30) - O'Keefe is new to the organization. Going way back, he was the seventh round pick of the St. Louis Cardinals out of St. Joseph's (alma mater of Andrew Cossetti). He made his MLB debut with two games for the 2022 Seattle Mariners. He went 1-for-3 with a walk. In 2023, he got into eight games for the M's. He went 2-for-19 (.105), but both hits were doubles!! Infielders Brooks Lee (23) - Brooks Lee is preparing for his second full minor-league season by heading to his second straight big-league spring training. The eighth overall pick in the 2022 draft was the Twins Minor League Player of the Year in 2023. In 87 games for Wichita, he hit .292/.365/.476 (.841) with 31 doubles and 11 homers. He moved up to Triple-A St. Paul and in 38 games hit .237/.304/.428 (.731) with eight doubles, three triples, and five home runs. He played mostly shortstop, but it’s likely he’ll start playing all over the infield starting this spring. Aaron Sabato (24) - Sabato was the Twins top pick (27th overall) in 2020 out of North Carolina. While he hasn’t hit for average and he has struck out a ton, Sabato has shown his power when he has been healthy. Unfortunately, he missed time each of the past two seasons with wrist injuries. In 2023, he hit .221/.329/.430 with 19 doubles and 12 homers in 77 games. He played 18 games in the Arizona Fall League and hit .215 with three doubles and seven home runs (tied with Kala’i Rosario for league lead). Outfielders DaShawn Keirsey (26) - Drafted in the fourth round of the 2018 draft out of Utah, DaShawn Keirsey, Jr. has been healthy the last two seasons and shown what kind of player he can be. There was a lot of concern that the Twins might lose the athletic outfielder in the Rule 5 draft. He began the 2023 season with 91 games in Wichita. He hit .305/.363/.488 with 17 doubles, five triples, and 13 home runs. He moved up to Saint Paul and hit .264/.375/.364 with a double, three triples, and two home runs in 39 games. In total, he had 39 stolen bases in 44 attempts. Keirsey also plays tremendous outfield defense. He can play all three outfield positions, but he is legitimately the fastest player in the Twins organization and profiles well in center field. Utility Players Niko Goodrum (31) - The Twins drafted Niko Goodrum out of high school in Georgia in the second round of the 2010 draft. He slowly worked his way up the organizational ladder until September of 2017 when he was called up to the Twins. He had one hit in 18 plate appearances. After the season, he was DFAd. He signed with the Detroit Tigers and got the chance to play all over the diamond. In 131 games, he hit .245 with 29 doubles and 16 home runs. In 2019, he was their regular shortstop and hit .248 with 27 doubles and 12 homers in 112 games. He struggled and hit just .184 in the Covid-shortened 2020 season and hit .214 in 2021. He played in 15 games for the 2022 Astros. In 2023, he began the season with the Red Sox Triple-A affiliate before getting the opportunity to play in Korea for a couple of months. The Twins signed him early in the offseason, and the assumption is that he’ll play all over the field. Michael Helman (27) - Helman had a real breakout season in 2022. In 135 games, he hit .258/.337/.432 with 23 doubles, three triples and 20 home runs. He also was 40-for-45 in steal attempts. He earned an opportunity to go to big-league spring training. Unfortunately, he was hurt throughout camp. He got into some game with the Saints early in the season before he dislocated a shoulder and had to miss a couple more months. There’s little doubt he would have debuted at some point in 2023 if not for the injuries. Helman can play all three outfield spots well, and he can play all four infield spots. He even started out his college career as a catcher. Anthony Prato (25) - In 2019, Anthony Prato was the Twins seventh round pick out of UConn. His breakout came in 2022 at Cedar Rapids and carried over to his time with Wichita. 2023 was a tale of two seasons for Prato. He began with 43 games in Wichita. He hit .171 with five extra base hits. He had a .553 OPS. Almost inexplicably, he was promoted to St. Paul. In 72 Triple-A games, he hit .302/.452/.539 (.990) with 23 doubles, a triple, and 10 home runs. Yes, a .990 OPS! He can play all three infield positions and the corners in the outfield. Which of these players have a chance at an Opening Day roster spot? Which might we see at some point during the season? Other Minor-League Signings this offseason that did not receive a spring training invitation. Beau Burrows (27) - Beau Burrows is Back! Yes, that Beau Burrows, the former first round pick of the Tigers who pitched in five games for the 2021 Twins. Yes, the Beau Burrows who gave up 15 hits (5 Home Runs) and eight walks over 9 1/3 innings with the Twins. What has he been up to since then? In 2022, he went 8-6 with a 7.18 ERA with the Dodgers Triple-A club in Oklahoma City. In 2023, he pitched in 36 games (10 starts) for Gwinnett, the Triple-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves. He went 3-5 with a 5.67 ERA in 73 innings. A.J. Alexy (25) - AJ Alexy debuted with the Rangers as a 23-year-old in 2021. He went 3-1 in five games (4 starts). He pitched in four more games for the Rangers in 2022 but posted an 11.57 ERA in seven innings. Since then, he was DFAd and claimed by the Nationals. When the Nationals DFAd him a few weeks later, the Twins sent a DSL player to the Nationals to add Alexy. Three weeks later, the Twins DFAd Alexy, and he was claimed by the White Sox. He posted a 12.00 ERA in 16 games for Triple-A Charlotte before they released him. He ended his season with an 11.81 ERA in six games in the independent Atlantic League. The Twins still like his arm and signed him to a minor-league deal in mid-December. Hobie Harris (30) - Hobie Harris was drafted in the 31st round of the 2015 draft by the Yankees out of the University of Pittsburgh. He remained in the Yankees organization through the 2019 season, though he topped out at Double-A. He was the Rule 5 pick by the Blue Jays after that season. He didn’t pitch in 2020. He spent the 2021 season in the Toronto organization. In 2022, he posted a 2.04 ERA in 53 games with the Brewers Triple-A affiliate in Nashville. Last offseason, he signed with the Nationals and as a 29-year-old, he made the opening day roster. Jared Solomon (26) - Solomon was the Reds 11th round draft pick in 2017 out of Lackawanna College in Pennsylvania. In 2016, he had pitched in five games for the Randy Dobnak-led Alderson-Broaddus Battlers. He was added to the Reds’ 40-man roster after the 2020 season. Unfortunately, he missed the 2021 season following Tommy John surgery. He made his debut in May of 2022, and posted a 10.80 ERA over 8 1/3 innings over nine appearances. He was non-tendered, but he stayed with the Reds on a minor-league deal in 2023. However, he posted a 10.29 ERA over 26 relief appearances and 28 innings. He had 28 walks and 22 strikeouts. So, the Twins pitching development staff must see something of interest. Joe Gunkel (32) - Gunkel has had a long and winding road in baseball that has brought him to the Twins this spring. Originally the Red Sox 18th round pick in 2013 out of West Chester University in Pennsylvania. He spent time with the Sox, Orioles, Dodgers, and Marlins organizations. Following the 2019 season, he signed to play for Hanshin in Japan. In 2023, he pitched for Fukuoka Softbank. A strike thrower, he had just 12 walks and 66 strikeouts in 96 total innings pitched. Caleb Boushley (30) - Born in Hortonville, Wisconsin, Boushley went to UW-La Crosse. In 2017, he was the 33rd round pick of the Padres. Following the 2021 season, the Brewers claimed him off of waivers. In 2022, he went 12-2 with a 3.25 ERA in 25 starts at Triple-A Nashville. Things didn’t go as well in 2023. He made 26 starts and three relief appearances. He was 9-8 with a 5.11 ERA in 135 2/3 innings. However, Boushley received his first big-league promotion for the final series of the season. In a game against the Cubs, he came into the game with two outs in the eighth inning. He got that final out, and worked two more innings. He gave up just one run on one hit in 2 1/3 innings. He struck out five batters and was credited with the Win. No surprise to anyone that he was DFAd after the season but what a story. What a memory! He signed a minor-league deal with the Twins last month. Agustin Ruiz (24) - The Twins recently signed outfielder Agustin Ruiz on a minor-league deal. After spending over six years in the Padres organization, he spent 2023 with Binghamton, the Double-A affiliate of the Mets. In 105 games, he hit .203/.300/.401 with 15 doubles, two triples, and 18 home runs. There are a couple in this group that could be interesting as well. View full article

I'm not sure how to take that, but... HA! If that's the number, and I'm sure it's somewhere around that, they're down about $15M in revenue, so about $7.5 million in payroll... But until Friday, they didn't know what that number would be. If it had been like $20 million, that would have been like $20 million drop in payroll. Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if the Twins make 2-3 moves yet over the next 3-5 days.

The Twins are generally between 18-22 in revenues and between 16-22 in payroll. Other than that, payroll is what it is.

I do like the strategy of claiming big arms or guys with something to work on, and then claim more and DFA guys and hope that a few get through waivers and can stick in the organization. I do think Balazovic will be claimed, but we'll see.

Today, we step into the Top five in our Twins Daily prospect rankings, with a look at a pitcher whom Twins fans are likely to see pitching crucial innings in the second half of 2024. David Festa is our choice for the Twins' No. 5 prospect. Find out what makes him so exciting for fans and scouts alike. Image courtesy of Ed Bailey, Wichita Wind Surge This is a hard-throwing starting pitcher with three pitches that may already be league-average or better. Provided he has a healthy and encouraging spring, he will also start the season with the Saints, just one call away from The Show. David Festa Age: 23 (DOB: 3/8/00) 2023 Stats (AA/AAA): 92 ⅓ IP, 4.19 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, 11.6 K/9, 4.1 BB/9. ETA: 2024 2023 Ranking: 13 National Top 100 Rankings BA: NR | MLB: NR | ATH: NR | BP: NR One of the more exciting developments in the Minnesota Twins organization over the past half-dozen years is the player development department’s ability to boost velocity; add or subtract a pitch; and develop legitimate pitching prospects from Day 2 and Day 3 of the MLB Draft into ones with value commensurate to a typical Day 1 pick. Bailey Ober and Louie Varland are Day 3 pitchers who will be essential cogs in the Twins' pitching staff in 2024. Kody Funderburk, Brent Headrick, and Josh Winder should add depth to the bullpen. Fellow Top 30 Twins prospects like Cory Lewis, C.J. Culpepper, Zebby Matthews, Andrew Morris, and Pierson Ohl also fit that mold. In 2024, we should start seeing another example of great scouting and player development work. David Festa was the Twins' 13th-round pick in 2021, out of Seton Hall University. When drafted, he was working in the low 90s with his fastball. His pitch profile is much different today. What's to Like When you see Festa, especially on a mound, you see what scouts would like. Festa stands 6-foot-6, and he’s lean, not yet touching 200 pounds. He has long arms and gets really good extension. After sitting in the low 90s in college, Festa consistently sits 95-96 mph and touches 97-99 with his fastball. He also has a slider that he throws in the upper 80s, which can make right-handed batters look silly. An outstanding changeup that darts down and away from a left-handed batter rounds out his repertoire. So, that’s three MLB-quality pitches when he’s on, which is pretty exciting. In the Twins Player Development tweet below, check out his seven strikeouts. Against right-handers, they came with the slider. Against left-handers, you can really see how good his changeup can be. He was the Twins representative at the Futures Game last summer. He worked a scoreless inning. He got Justin Crawford and Jackson Merrill out. Victor Scott hit a single off of a 96.8 mph fastball. With two outs, Brewers top prospect Jackson Chourio came to the plate. He struck him out on three straight sliders between 88.4 and 89.6 mph. He threw nine fastballs that sat between 95.8 and 97.6. He threw six changeups between 87.7 mph and 89.5 mph. He threw four sliders. What's Left to Work On A quick look at his statistics shows that, after walking just 3.0 batters per nine innings between two levels in 2022, Festa walked 4.1 batters per nine innings between Double-A and Triple-A in 2023. Likely, that’s a case of the hitters in the upper levels not expanding the strike zone. Also, he had nine walks in 12 1/3 innings at Triple-A, but remember, they played with the electronic strike zone, which did not call a high strike. Other than control and command, it’s just about cleaning things up and gaining more consistency with each of his pitches. It’d be nice to make his slider a little more sharp or his changeup a bit more deceptive. And, if he were to be able to establish a fourth pitch (maybe a slower curveball in the low 80s with depth?). It doesn't have to even be a great pitch, just something for the batter to keep in the back of his mind. What's Next Assuming health, Festa will receive an invitation to big-league spring training. There, he will get a chance to work with Pete Maki and Luis Ramírez, while continuing to work with Saints pitching coach Peter Larson. With just over a dozen innings under his belt with St. Paul, Festa should begin the 2024 season with the Saints. He should continue to make starts and build up strength and stamina. While the odds of him making the Twins Opening Day roster are probably slim and none, the chance for him to be the first or second starter called up when they need an injury replacement or a spot starter is good. There is a very good chance that Festa will debut for the Twins in 2024. It’s a matter of continuing to progress and then getting an opportunity. A specific goal should be working more innings and building up his pitch and innings count. Assuming the Twins are competing for a division title again in 2024, Festa could be brought up as a late-inning, potentially dominant one or two-inning reliever (like Varland did in September 2023). What do you think of David Festa and his future? What excites you most about his potential, and what are your biggest concerns? Join the discussion and comment below. View full article

100% agree... Definitely not embarrassed. As the author said, none of the free agents that they signed should put any fear in the Twins. They've had a nice offseason, and spending money is fun, but will they finish higher than 3rd in the division?

According to Robert Murray, the Minnesota Twins have agreed to terms with 36-year-old reliever Jay Jackson on an MLB contract. The deal is pending a physical. Image courtesy of Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports The Twins are already projected to have one of the top bullpens in baseball heading into the 2024 season. On Sunday night, news broke that, pending physical, the Twins have agreed to terms with veteran Jay Jackson. Last season with the Blue Jays, Jackson went 3-1 with a 2.12 ERA in 25 games and 29 2/3 innings. He had a 0.91 WHIP. He had signed a minor-league deal with the Jays, but was released just before the season started. He stayed with Toronto and spent a good chunk of the season in the majors, but was designated for assignment Oct. 1. Jackson pitched in two games for the Braves in 2022. He missed missed three months with a lat strain and was then optioned. He worked in 23 games for the Giants in 2021. In late August 2020, he signed with the Reds and was on their 60-man player pool. He pitched for Chiba Lotte in Japan earlier in 2020, but he was arrested on suspicion of cannabis possession and released.. In 2019, he worked in 28 games for the Brewers. Before that, his only big-league experience came in 2015 when he pitched in six games for the Padres. From 2016-2018, he pitched for Hiroshima. Jackson's fastball sits at an average of 93.3 mph, but he only threw it 40% of the time. 60% of his pitches are sliders at about 85 mph. Is it possible that we have another Matt Wisler on our hands? Could the Twins brass tell him to literally just throw sliders 90 percent of the time and see what happens? Here is a quick look at the Twins bullpen, with spring training set to begin soon (assuming health): The Givens: Jhoan Duran, Griffin Jax, Caleb Thielbar, Brock Stewart, Justin Topa. The 40-man options: Jorge Alcala, Jordan Balazovic, Daniel Duarte, Kody Funderburk, Brent Headrick, Jackson, Cole Sands, Josh Staumont, Louie Varland, Josh Winder. 40-Man Roster Spots Obviously Jackson, and Carlos Santana, will need to pass physicals, and when they do, two players will need to be removed from the 40-man roster. This is the kind of deal that requires no grand conclusions or recriminations. It'll cost the Twins just about $250,000 more than the league minimum to add Jackson to the mix, protecting themselves from the impact of possible or lingering injuries to any of (especially) Stewart, Alcalá, Balazovic, or Staumont. He's well-traveled, and has been viewed as a positive clubhouse presence at several stops. He might not have relief ace upside, but he has that slider, and no one can ever have too much pitching. View full article

If you happen to be at the Twins complex in Fort Myers today and see a long, lanky, right-handed pitcher who looks like he’s only been in the organization for a couple of days, be sure to wish a happy 23rd birthday to Darren Bowen. I recently touched base with the Twins newest pitching prospect about getting traded to the organization and much more. Image courtesy of William Parmeter On Monday afternoon in Arizona, right-handed pitcher Darren Bowen was playing a round of golf with some fellow Mariners pitching prospects who were in town for a camp. On the 18th hole, Bowen’s phone was ringing in the cart. He walked over to it, saw the name of the person calling, looked up at his teammates, and said, “I definitely just got traded.” His buddies laughed and said he was not getting traded. He answered. On the other end of the phone call was Andy McKay, the Mariners assistant GM. After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Bowen asked, “Where am I going?” More chuckling before McKay said, “We’re sending you to Minnesota in the (Jorge) Polanco trade.” Over the next 10-15 minutes, he estimates that as many as 10 people from the Twins called to congratulate him and let him know they were excited to have him. Bowen’s first phone call went to his girlfriend. After telling her that he had been traded, she told him she had already arranged to fly to Arizona to surprise him for his birthday this weekend. She wasn’t sure if he was messing with her. Ultimately, he was not. The Twins gave him the option of going home until the start of spring training or coming straight to Fort Myers. He thought, “I’m already building up. I’m going to get way more out of it. I’m going to learn more about you guys. You guys are going to learn more about me if I’m down there.” On Wednesday, he flew to Fort Myers, and on Thursday, he went through his first day of work in the Twins organization. In our conversation, Bowen said that he heard a lot from the Twins area scout in North Carolina, Ty Dawson, before and even during the draft. Since the trade, some have reported that the Twins were very interested in drafting Bowen on Day 3 of the 2022 draft. So, what’s to like? The short answer is, “A lot!” One of the first things you notice when watching Bowen pitch is his tremendous athleticism. He currently stands about 6-3 tall and is a lean 183 pounds, though, in college, he was closer to 170 pounds. He also is very competitive. Bowen has some exciting pitches. In the video above, he goes through his pitches and provides velocity ranges, movement, and other analytical data. There was a feeling that he had the potential for growth and development. He was an intriguing prospect from a small town and made good at a Division II college. What could he do working under a player/pitcher development system as advanced as the Twins (and the Mariners)? Bowen is interested in the analysis. He’s excited to work on some mechanical things he had not done while with the Mariners. He wants to take in and use as much of that information as possible to succeed. Some that I’ve talked to about Bowen have referenced his “unwavering work ethic” and “determination to excel.” There is a strong self-confidence with Bowen that he can get anyone out, and the example he used was falling behind on a great college hitter 3-0 and then striking him out on three fastballs over the plate. He understands that filling up the strike zone is a good thing. You’ll enjoy watching and listening to the Twins Spotlight video with Darren Bowen. Take a listen and leave your comments. Feel free to ask Darren questions, and maybe he’ll even reply. If not, wish him a Happy Birthday! View full article

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The Twins announced on Friday afternoon that they have claimed right-handed pitcher Daniel Duarte off of waivers from the Texas Rangers. To make room on the 40-man roster, right-hander Ryan Jensen was Designated for Assignment. Image courtesy of © Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports Duarte, a 27-year-old right-hander, pitched in 31 games in 2023 for the Cincinnati Reds. In that time, he went 3-0 with a 3.69 ERA despite a 1.39 WHIP. In 31 2/3 innings, he had 23 strikeouts but also walked 20 batters and gave up five home runs. He had made his MLB debut in 2022 when he worked in three games out of the Reds bullpen. The Reds had DFAd him early in the month and the Rangers acquired him for Cash. He was DFAd earlier this week to clear space on the Rangers roster for David Robertson and Travis Jankowski. His fastball sits between 94 and 96 mph (throwing both a sinker and a four-seam). The Minnesota Twins had claimed Ryan Jensen from the Marlins on January 4. The Twins would certainly love to see him clear waivers so that they could send him to Triple-A. The Twins roster remains at 40 players. That includes 21 pitchers, three catchers, seven infielders, seven outfielders, and two utility players. View full article

The Twins Daily Top Prospect series continues today, with our choice for the Twins' No. 9 prospect. Brandon Winokur is another highly-talented prospect from Southern California. He might be one of the best athletes in the organization. Image courtesy of Thiéres Rabelo Prospects are not always easy to rank, and the smaller a “sample size” we have, the harder it is to rank that player. Our choice for the ninth-ranked Twins prospect coming into 2024 has just 17 games of pro ball under his belt. Before last July, he had played zero games above high school. However, he was impressive in those 17 games, and his raw tools have Twins fans (and prospect rankers) excited. Brandon Winokur Age: 19 (DOB: 12/16/04) 2023 Stats (FCL): 71 PA, .288/.338/.546, 5 2B, 4 HR, 0 SB, 122 wRC+ ETA: 2028 2023 Ranking: NR National Top 100 Rankings BA: NR | MLB: NR | ATH: NR | BP: NR It's hard not to get excited when you talk about high-school players with tremendous upside and potentially five-tool talent. It’s also important to remember that having tools is insufficient. How many of those tools will develop into skills over the coming seasons to help the player make the big leagues and thrive when they get there? When Twins fans look at the team’s 2023 draft, there are at least two players with five-tool potential. Today, we will discuss third-round pick (82nd overall) Brandon Winokur, a five-tool talent from Edison High School in Huntington Beach, California. What's to Like There are a lot of attributes to like with Winokur, on and off the baseball diamond. The first thing you notice is that he stands out on the field--literally. At the draft, Winokur was listed at 6-foot-5 and 210 pounds. There are rumors that he has grown another inch in the offseason. Beyond simple height, Winokur is incredibly athletic. Before high school, he played football, basketball, volleyball, soccer, and track. He comes from a family of athletes. His father was a track and field decathlete in college. Brandon’s younger brother is one of the top volleyball players in California. The most obvious “tool” for Winokur is his power and, more importantly, his power potential. While he’s had the size and talent since he was in his early teens, he achieved a strong power display in his senior season of high school. That isn’t likely to immediately translate to pro ball, but it should be exciting when it does. Winokur has a very strong arm. He pitched in high school and has a fastball reaching into the mid-90s. That’s a valuable trait, whether he is on the left side of the infield or in the outfield. He also has plus speed. Some reports indicate that sometimes it can take a few steps for him to get going, but he runs well. Again, it's all part of him being a great all-around athlete. That leads us to defense. While there may be questions about what position he will play long-term, there is a belief that he can stick at shortstop or in center field. As we see the emergence of 6-foot-7 shortstops such as Elly De La Cruz and Oneil Cruz, height doesn’t have to be a reason not to play shortstop. Aaron Judge does a very solid job in center field for the Yankees. Video of Winokur at shortstop shows very clean footwork, soft hands, and a strong arm from a lower release point. Of course, as he continues to grow, work, and mature, that could change. He is known to work hard in the weight room, in the batting cage, on the track, and on his mental game, which shows uncanny maturity. What's Left to Work On I mean, dude just turned 19 in December, and he stands five promotions from the big leagues. So yes, he has room to grow each and every aspect of his game. As it is for many young power hitters, the primary focus will be making contact. Right now, there is a lot of swing-and-miss in his game. His 17-game pro debut in the Florida Complex League was impressive, particularly the nine extra-base hits, but it was a tiny sample in an unfamiliar environment. We don’t want to make too much of anything. However, it’s hard not to notice his walk rate was just 5.6%, while his strikeout percentage was 32.4% Beyond that, he’ll need to keep working and keep adjusting. What's Next Assuming health, Winokur will likely spend the entire season with the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels. I would guess that the organization has worked on a plan for where to play Winokur. That would include half of his games at shortstop and half in center field. Thinking out loud, I would guess that Walker Jenkins will start the season as the Mussels' starting center fielder. After a half-season, he will be promoted to High-A Cedar Rapids. If that’s the case, I can see Winokur being the primary shortstop in the season’s first half and then move out to center field for the second half. What do you think of Brandon Winokur and his future? What excites you most about his potential, and what are your biggest concerns? Join the discussion and comment below. For much more content from Twins Daily on Brandon Winokur, click here. View full article

Full Transparency... here is where I ranked these guys: Zebby Matthews: 22 Simeon Woods Richardson: NR Ricardo Olivar: 20 Connor Prielipp: 21 Matt Canterino: 14

After looking at the players who just missed our Top 20 Twins prospect rankings yesterday, today we look at those who ranked 16th through 20th in our poll of Twins Daily minor-league writers. In this group, you'll find four pitchers and an intriguing catcher. Image courtesy of Thiéres Rabelo Last night, we began the 2024 Twins Daily Top Prospects series with a way-too-deep dive into the deeper end of the Minnesota Twins system. The honorable mentions are broken into several categories of players who fell just outside the Top 20. There are certainly players in that group who will play in the big leagues. With that said, the odds of an MLB future increase as we jump into the Top 20 of our list. In today’s group of five players, we find an intriguing group that includes players whose careers have been affected by injury. 20. Zebby Matthews, RHP Age: 23 2023 Stats (Low-A/High-A): 105 1/3 IP, 3.84 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 9.6 K/9, 1.3 BB/9 Matthews was the Twins' eighth-round pick in 2022 out of Western Carolina. In his final year there, he had 122 strikeouts and just 21 walks over 95 2/3 innings. Matthews is a strike-throwing machine. In his 105 1/3 innings, he had 112 strikeouts and just 15 walks. Matthews sits in the low 90s. He reworked his slider and made it break much more, which made it much more of a weapon for him. He began the season with eight appearances in Fort Myers, where he went 3-1 with a 2.56 ERA. In 38 2/3 innings, he had 53 strikeouts and just five walks. He moved up to Cedar Rapids and made 14 appearances, 13 of them starts. He went 4-2 with a 4.59 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP. He will need to continue to work and develop, like any prospect in A-ball. He will work to add some velocity and hone a third pitch. 19. Simeon Woods Richardson Age: 23 2023 Stats (AAA): 113 2/3 IP, 4.91 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, 7.6 K/9, 4.8 BB/9 2023 Stats (MLB): 4 2/3 IP, 9.64 ERA, 2.14 WHIP, 9.6 K/9, 5.8 BB/9 It was a tale of two seasons for Woods Richardson. He had a rough first half of his 2023 season, and a much-improved second half didn’t make the overall numbers look pretty. However, the Sugar Land native was very good over the season's final three months. 2023 Stats (April - June): 51 2/3 IP, 0-5, 7.66 ERA, 1.90 WHIP, 7.8 K/9, 5.4 BB/9 2023 Stats (July - Sept)): 66 2/3 IP, 7-1, 3.11 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 7.6 K/9, 4.5 BB/9 I may be wrong, but to me this speaks to Woods Richardson's character, mental fortitude, and willingness to work and make adjustments. He will need to continue working on his control and command, but the second-half numbers should give reason for some optimism. What is also important to note is that he will spend the entire 2024 season at age 23. His velocity was down slightly in 2023, usually sitting 89-90 and touching 92. But he worked on some mechanical things this offseason to get that number back up. He’s young and talented. 18. Ricardo Olivar, C/OF Age: 21 2023 Stats (Rookie/A): 449 PA, .285/.403/.452, 28 2B, 10 HR, 58 RBI Olivar signed with the Twins in 2019, out of Venezuela. Because of Covid, his pro career did not begin until 2021. He started in the FCL and hit .204 in 34 games and 59 plate appearances. He returned to the FCL in 2022 and was much improved. In 40 games and 154 plate appearances, he hit .349/.442/.605, with 12 doubles, three triples, and five home runs. He played 100 games for the Mighty Mussels in 2023 and hit well throughout the season. He struck out in 21% of his plate appearances. He walked 13% of the time, and was hit by a pitch 16 times. Olivar is intriguing because he is young and has a couple of plus tools. He isn’t tall, but he is built quite strong. He’s got work to do behind the plate. He hasn’t thrown out many base stealers in his career. He also has the speed and athleticism to play in the outfield. He had played quite a bit of center field, but spent more time in left field in 2023. He also played 22 games at DH, which tells us that they really wanted his bat in the lineup, and rightfully so. Our Jamie Cameron wrote about what makes Olivar such a fun enigma earlier today. 17. Connor Prielipp, LHP Age: 23 2023 Stats (Hi-A/FCL): 6 2/3 IP, 6.75 ERA, 1.80 WHIP, 9.5 K/9, 5.4 BB/9 Last year had to be an incredibly frustrating one for Prielipp. The Tomah, Wis. native went to the University of Alabama. He was terrific in four starts before the 2020 Covid season ended. In 2021, he made three starts for the Crimson Tide before his elbow blew up. He had Tommy John surgery and rehabbed through the rest of the 2021 year and well into 2022. Nevertheless, the Twins love his upside, talent, and stuff and used their second-round pick on the southpaw. In 2023, he was the talk of Fort Myers. The hitters and pitchers were talking about how good he looked. He was throwing hard, consistently in the mid-90s. And his slider was lights out, getting a ton of swings and misses. He started the season with High-A Cedar Rapids. He made one start and gave up four runs (3 earned) on five hits and two walks over four innings. He struck out three batters. But then he didn’t pitch, and soon afterward, we found out he was back in Fort Myers with elbow pain. Two months after his first start, he made a start in the FCL. He went 2 2/3 innings and gave up two runs on three hits and two walks. And that was it. Soon after, we learned that he was having another elbow surgery (not Tommy John). His season was over. His talent and ceiling remain very high. However, since graduating from high school in 2019, he has thrown a total of 34 2/3 innings. He has already been in Fort Myers this spring and hopes that 2024 is the season that everything comes together. 16. Matt Canterino, RHP Age: 26 2023 Stats (AA): Did Not Pitch Canterino was the Twins' second-round pick in 2019, out of Rice University. Since then, he has worked a total of 85 innings. When minor-league ball returned in 2021, Canterino went to Cedar Rapids. He completely dominated the level for five starts. He had 43 strikeouts and four walks in 21 innings. Unfortunately, he hurt his elbow and spent the rest of the season rehabbing, hoping to return. In 2022, he started the season at Wichita. He threw three innings most times out, and again, he had a 1.83 ERA and 50 strikeouts in 37 innings. Unfortunately, his elbow just never got right. Following the season, he had Tommy John surgery and spent all of 2023 rehabbing. By season’s end, Canterino threw some live batting practice. He was hitting 97 mph. He felt good about his breaking pitches and his changeup. He has had a reasonably normal offseason and will head to spring training ready to compete for a big-league job. He is training to be a starter but is certainly open to a role in the bullpen if that is earned. Canterino is tough to rank. Assuming health, he has as much talent and stuff and potential to dominate as any other pitcher on the Twins farm. However, he has pitched so little over the past four years that we can’t be entirely confident about how much he can do. While I typically don’t think that injury should push a prospect very far down rankings, I also acknowledge that 'age to level of competition' is a factor in prospect rankings. However, as a Twins fan, his prospect ranking doesn’t matter as much as him simply getting right. The Twins control his rights until he completes six years of service. Feel free to discuss these prospects and ask as many questions as you like in the COMMENTS below. I will try to get to as many of them as possible. For more Twins Daily content on these five Twins prospects, click on the link with their name here: Matt Canterino, Connor Prielipp, Ricardo Olivar, Simeon Wood Richardson, and Zebby Matthews. Previous Installments Honorable Mention Prospects 16-20 Prospects 11-15 - Coming Soon! View full article