Seth Stohs

The Twins signed him out of the USPBL (same day as Malik Barrington, and Jackson Hicks, and Ricardo Velez... July 21, 2021). So no, he'll likely never be on a prospect ranking. But, that doesn't mean he can't or won't get to the big leagues. First, he's left-handed, second, some video of his curveball makes it look legit. If he can add a couple of mph to his low-90s fastball, then maybe. Or maybe he can be the next Kody Funderburk. He's the kind that you just let keep pitching well and see where it goes. He's... in my opinion... the kind of minor leaguer you want to root for.

Where? Why? (Or did I need a #sarcasm included... if so, my bad!)

And where is that, or where should that be? Lewis is likely the better 3B. Correa's not moving off of short. Polanco should play 2B. Julien and Miranda can platoon at 1B. Lee could come up right now and play any of those four spots. Any of those players could miss time with injury and Lee would be ready to take their spot. Martin can play LF, CF, 2B. Larnach and Wallner can play the corners. And, it'll all paly out over the next 4 1/2 months. And depth is good.

That's what people would have said this year about Willi Castro or Donovan Solano too. Gordon's 2022 was equivalent to Castro's 2023... I would say that Castro is a little better defensively.

The front office provides Baldelli and the coaching staff with all kinds of data for them to review and study. Some is about Twins players, and some is about the other team. The players get as much information as they want as well... But as Tingler said... the manager is able to make decisions using that information, but also based on his knowledge of his team.

I like it a lot. There is such a strange part of fandom that doesn't get that this is the goal of all organizations and how they use analytics.

Camargo will have to be added before the end of the World Series when he again becomes a free agent. Last year, they were able to sign him to a minor-league deal. I can't imagine him not being a Rule 5 pick, so I think they need to add him. The Givens: Austin Martin and Emmanuel Rodriguez. The Tough Calls: Jose Salas, Yunior Severino, Ricardo Olivar. DaShawn Keirsey. - I'd add Severino. The power is legit, depth is good. - I'd very strongly consider Keirsey. He can play in the big leagues now, and he can be a late-inning defensive replacement, pinch runner, etc. - Ricardo Olivar... very tough. Put up strong numbers, but in Low-A. Intriguing player type because he can play LF and CF pretty well, but he also is a catcher. Lots of doubles, but could he stick? Rubel Cespedes is another from the Mighty Mussels, but as a corner infielder, he's probably left off for another year. - Jose Salas... The Twins kept playing him through Cedar Rapids championship run. Tells me they believe in him, or at least his defense, speed, and his potential.

Ump Scorecard for Wednesday night's game:

We already saw Baldelli pinch hit Solano for Kirilloff, and that could carry over to tonight. The overreaction isn't so much about potential lineup changes as it is about some of the big statements on if a player is or isn't clutch based on two games, or even five games, etc.

I definitely agree with this. Experience does matter. Having been there and done that matters. Doing well or doing poorly sets you up for the next time... That's another reason I believe that they need to go with the young guys and play the game situations as they have throughout the second half.

I would say the larger the sample, the more accurate it would be in being predictive. There's no way to know that in a 1 or 2 or even 5-game stretch. Royce Lewis was immensely clutch in his two games against the Jays. He hasn't been in his past two games against the Astros. What does this mean about his ability to perform in a highly stressful playoff environment? It means something he'll come through and sometimes he won't... just like in any day or week of the regular season. I never mean to downplay the playoffs. I get it. That is why they play the regular season and the ultimate goal is the World Series championship. Sonny Gray had one very good playoff start and one not so good. Does that mean he's not clutch? Pablo Lopez was great against the Jays and his Game 2 start vs Houston was legendary... What if there is a Game 5 in Houston on Friday night and he gives up 5 runs in 5 innings? What if he gives up 3 runs in 6 innings and they lose 3-2? Does that alter the narrative? Finally, was Jack Morris a clutch pitcher in the playoffs? Well, he sure was in Game 7 of the 1991 World Series. He lost game 4... and a look back at his playoff starts with the Tigers show he wasn't very good at all most of the time. I believe in clutch moments, clutch situations. We all know when somebody comes through in the clutch. But I don't believe that anyone can be clutch enough to know with any real certainty what's going to happen, good or bad. I don't believe in the alleged "Clutch Gene." What I do believe is that given a decent sample size of plate appearances, if a player is equally successful as his regular season numbers in clutch or high pressure situations, that's really good. Who has better playoff offensive numbers? Derek Jeter or A-Rod? Jeter has a few moments that stand out and he was good in the playoffs, but A-Rod was better and people said he couldn't come up big when needed (even though he did). Sorry that got long.

I'm certain he wasn't thinking about his hamstring when he was batting. His concentration is just fine. and players go from clutch to non-clutch to hot to cold all of the time, for like 22-23 weeks in the season. They all want to be hot and clutch at all times, especially in the playoffs, but that's not realistic.

What does the ability to survive on land or in water have to do with it though?

No chance. But I'd have Lewis, Kirilloff, Wallner, Julien all playing. They're facing a right-hander.

Not only did the ball stay down, but it was bounding back and forth like it was moving with some english. Definitely NOT a 'routine' double play. Yes, knock it down, try to get the one out... but WAY too much being made of that one play. Gray relies on spin, and movement because of the spin... Today, there was some spin, but very little movement... That's why the shadows didn't effect their hitters like they did the Twins hitters who were trying to hit balls that not only spun, but dropped and darted. With no spin on pitches they were looking for... and they did a nice job of sticking to a game plan.

Two options... Overreact to a couple of bad games against strong teams, or show those guys you believe in them and their future in this organization. Reason #8942 why I hate the playoffs... everything gets overanalyzed and blown way out of proportion. A two-game slump... and its the end of the world. Of note - Solano pinch-hit for Kirilloff with a right-hander on the mound. That's probably a sign of things to come tomorrow, maybe. Wallner didn't and worked two really good plate appearances. I hope not. Go with the guys that got you there. Stick to the platooning, and go from there. Wallner, Kirilloff, Lewis, Julien... all a big part of the Twins future, and that's a good thing. Stand by them. Or don't, that's the purpose of having all this depth. Try to live another day and get to a Verlander-Lopez game 5... that's the goal at this point. But against Urquidy, do you want them to go with Solano at 1st, Farmer at 3rd, Castro in LF with Taylor in CF. Could have Vazquez catch, and let Jeffers DH?

Game's been over for 20 minutes... I'm all good. Just have to hope for a better game tomorrow.

I mean, the guys in the booth don't decide what is shown on TV.

I wasn't a fan of AJ Pierzynski as a player. His perceived arrogance on the field annoyed me, and I thought it would in the booth too. Adam Wainwright just finished playing, so I don't expect him to add anything more than things he might do or about players he's faced over the years. Adam Amin is the play-by-play guy. I was surprised in Game 1 that I was actually really impressed with the call of the game. That doesn't mean I will be in the remainder of the games, but for one game, I thought they did well. Unlike many of the national guys, AJ does have a relationship with the Twins and has done several of their games, and has played against the organization. And I do think he is good in terms of analysis. I think he does a nice job of just calling it as he sees it and analyzing. I actually think Wainwright did a nice job in explaining some things from a pitcher's perspective. He also didn't force things. He didn't overanalyze and talk just to talk. And I thought Amin did a nice job of using both of them and calling the game. Overall, did they talk more knowledgeably about the Astros? Of course, they're the team that has been to the ALCS the last 5-6 years. We all know a ton about them. But they had a good enough knowledge of the Twins players. There was praise for Verlander... as their should have been. But they also fully acknowledged his early innings struggles, but he worked out of them. They were honest about Ryan Pressly's track record in equal parts with his 2nd half struggles. So yeah, I thought they did a nice job... I don't expect it to be a Twins broadcast team. I understand the Astros history. But I thought the conversation and analysis were very fair, very good. Do you agree? Disagree? Discuss.

Walker JenkinsBrooks LeeEmmanuel RodriguezCharlee SotoMarco RayaYunior SeverinoDavid FestaAustin MartinDanny De AndradeKala'i RosarioTanner SchobelYasser MercedesBrandon WinokurNoah MillerLuke KeaschallAndrew MorrisRicardo OlivarCory LewisMatt CanterinoPierson Ohl

Walker JenkinsBrooks LeeEmmanuel RodriguezCharlee SotoMarco RayaYunior SeverinoDavid FestaAustin MartinDanny De AndradeKala'i RosarioTanner SchobelYasser MercedesBrandon WinokurNoah MillerLuke KeaschallAndrew MorrisRicardo OlivarCory LewisMatt CanterinoPierson Ohl

No Buxton, but Royce Lewis and Carlos Correa are back! Image courtesy of ​ Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports The Minnesota Twins had to submit their Wild Card Round roster by 10:00 this morning, 5 1/2 hours before Game 1. There were certainly a lot of questions, but now we have answers. Pitchers (12) Starters: Pablo Lopez, Sonny Gray, Joe Ryan Bullpen: Jhoan Duran, Griffin Jax, Caleb Thielbar, Brock Stewart, Emilio Pagan, Louie Varland, Chris Paddack, Kody Funderburk, Kenta Maeda. Position Players (14) Infielders: Alex Kirilloff, Edouard Julien, Jorge Polanco, Carlos Correa, Donovan Solano, Kyle Farmer, Royce Lewis Outfielders: Max Kepler, Michael A. Taylor, Matt Wallner, Willi Castro, Andrew Stevenson Catchers: Ryan Jeffers, Christian Vazquez. For those interested, the Blue Jays roster includes 12 pitchers and 14 hitters. View full article

All week, we have been handing out the Twins Daily Minor League Awards. Today, we conclude that series by recognizing the top hitters in the Minnesota Twins organization during the 2023 season. Image courtesy of Rob Thompson, St. Paul Saints We have been handing out proverbial hardware this week at Twins Daily. Dameury Pena is our Short-Season Hitter of the Year. Juan Cota is our Short-Season Minor League Pitcher of the Year. Kody Funderburk was named the Minor League Reliever of the Year. Cory Lewis is the choice for Minor League Starting Pitcher of the Year. Today, we announce our Twins Minor League Hitter of the Year. You might agree with our choice when you're done reading this article, but hopefully, you will see many excellent options. There were several solid offensive performances this season by players up and down the organizational ladder. Does this year's winner fit well into our list of previous winners? Certainly. PREVIOUS WINNERS 2012 - Oswaldo Arcia 2013 - Miguel Sano 2014 - Mitch Garver 2015 - Max Kepler 2016 - Daniel Palka 2017 - Mitch Garver 2018 - Alex Kirilloff 2019 - Trevor Larnach 2021 - Jose Miranda 2022 - Matt Wallner Here are the guys that rounded out the Hitter of the Year ballots: Honorable Mentions 2B/OF Austin Martin, 24, St. Paul - 59 G, 54-205, .263/.387/.405 (.791), 11-2B, 6-HR, 28 RBI, 36 BB, 43 K. C/OF Ricardo Olivar, 22, Fort Myers - 100 G, 106-372, .285/.403/.452 (.855), 28-2B, 2-3B, 10-HR, 58 RBI, 59 BB, 93 K. IF Jorel Ortega, 22, Fort Myers/Cedar Rapids - 120 G, 117-456, .257/.361/.445 (.807), 34-2B, 5-3B, 14-HR, 75 RBI, 69 BB, 133 K. IF/OF Anthony Prato, 25, Wichita/St. Paul - 115 G, 92-361, .255/.402/.435 (.847), 25-2B, 2-3B, 12-HR, 60 RBI, 79 BB, 104 K. C/1B Chris Williams, 26, St. Paul - 95 G, 73-309, .236/.352/.495 (.846), 13-2B, 2-3B, 21-HR, 75 RBI, 51 BB, 122 K. Others Receiving Votes Kyle Garlick, Trevor Larnach, Alex Isola, Noah Cardenas, Yoyner Fajardo, Rubel Cespedes. Twins Minor League Hitter of the Year Here are the top seven players for the Twins Daily Hitter of the Year, leading up to the choice for Twins Minor League Hitter of the Year. 7. OF DaShawn Keirsey, Jr., 26, Wichita / St. Paul 130 G, 144-490, .294/.366/.455 (.821), 18-2B, 8-3B, 15-HR, 61 RBI, 50 BB, 124 K. Keirsey was the Twins fourth-round pick in 2018 out of the University of Utah. After he missed time with injuries in 2019 and 2021, he has been one of the organization's more exciting and underrated prospects. His combination of speed with some power is very intriguing. He can be a top-of-the-order type of Hitter or hit anywhere in the lineup. He takes pitches, knows the strike zone, gets on base, and once there, he can steal bases. After stealing 42 bases in 2022, he stole 39 bags in 2023. Defensively, he has excellent speed and range and can play all three outfield positions. 6. SS Brooks Lee, 22, Wichita / St. Paul 125 G, 138-501, .275/.347/.461 (.808), 39-2B, 3-3B, 16-HR, 84 RBI, 56 BB, 91 K For many, Brooks Lee was the best pure hitter in the 2022 draft, and somehow, he was available for the Twins with the eighth overall pick. He signed fairly quickly, and after four games in the FCL games, he played in 25 games for Cedar Rapids and the final two games in Wichita, where he was also on the Wind Surge playoff roster. He spent most of 2023 with the Surge and played well. In 87 games, he hit .292/.365/.476 (.841). He hit 11 homers, and his 31 doubles led the league at the time of his promotion. He ended the season with 38 games in St. Paul. He hit just .237/.304/.428 (.731), but he added eight doubles, three triples, and five home runs. Lee strikes me as someone whose tools and athleticism won't jump off the charts. He may not stand out if you were to watch one game. But his at-bats will be good, and he will make all of the plays at shortstop. And at the end of the year, he will be hitting .280ish, get on base about 35% of the time, hit a ton of doubles and up to 20 homers, and have a high fielding percentage. When drafted, we knew his floor was high. Then he put up these solid numbers as a 22-year-old in his first full professional season, and it's fair to say that his ceiling also continues to move up. 5. OF Emmanuel Rodriguez, 20, Cedar Rapids 99 G, 85-455, .240/.400/.463 (.863), 13-2B, 9-3B, 16-HR, 55 RBI, 92 BB, 134 K Like Lee, Rodriguez is a consensus top-50 prospect in baseball, and for a good reason. He originally signed as a top international free agent in 2019. Unfortunately, he was unable to make his pro debut until 2021. In the GCL, he began to show his immense power potential with 10 home runs in 37 games. He spent the 2022 season in Fort Myers, where he hit nine home runs in just 47 games before a season-ending knee injury. There were some question marks coming into this season, but E-Rod was pushed to Cedar Rapids and continued his rise. He missed some time early in the season with an injury, and he wasn't consistent throughout the year, but the power was there. And considerable speed continued to be a big part of his game. Along with his 38 extra base hits, he had 20 stolen bases in 25 attempts. Defensively, he does a nice job in center field and has good range. Rodriguez certainly profiles as a modern player. He is unlikely to hit for a very high average. However, he will take a ton of walks and hit for plenty of power. The key will be to keep his strikeout rate as low as possible because good things happen when he puts the ball in play. He has a flair for the dramatic. In the Midwest League championship series, he hit two home runs in Game 1 to help the Kernels to a comeback win. Then, in the decisive Game 3, hit a big grand slam to put the Kernels ahead early and held on to win the league's championship. 4. OF Kala'i Rosario, 21, Cedar Rapids 118 G, 112-445, .252/.364/.467 (.832), 27-2B, 3-3B, 21-RBI, 94 RBI, 75 BB, 157 K Rosario was the Twins fifth-round pick in 2020 out of high school in Hawaii. The previous summer, he and Red Sox prospect Blaze Jordan put on shows in home run contests nationwide. Of course, Rosario's pro debut didn't start until 2021. In the GCL that year, he hit .277 with 10 doubles, four triples, and five homers on his way to the Twins Daily Short-Season Minor League Hitter of the Year. In 2022, he moved up to the Mighty Mussels. In 109 games, he hit .239/.320/.408 (.727) with 21 doubles, three triples, and 12 home runs. Not huge numbers, but he held his own for a 19-year-old in the pitcher-friendly atmosphere. The Twins were aggressive with him in 2023, and he proved them right. In 118 games in Cedar Rapids, he hit .252/.364/.467 (.832) with 27 doubles and three triples. His 21 homers and 94 RBI led the Midwest League and earned him the league's MVP award. No surprise Rosario will have to work hard to cut down the strikeouts as he continues to grow and develop. He will get some extra opportunities in the Arizona Fall League over the next six weeks. Will the Twins add him to their 40-man roster in November? That will be an interesting decision. 3. OF Andrew Stevenson, 29, St. Paul 106 G, 132-416, .317/.395/.522 (.916), 23-2B, 7-3B, 16-HR, 57 RBI, 42 BB, 97 K Stevenson was the second-round pick of the Nationals in 2015 out of LSU. Just over two years later, he made his big-league debut. Between 2017 and 2020, he played in 139 games for the Nationals. Then, in 2021, he played in 109 games for the Nationals. He spent the full 2022 season with Matthew Lecroy at the Rochester Red Wings. The Twins signed him on a minor-league deal in early March and sent him to the Saints. While he provided a potentially young team with a veteran presence and some depth, I can't imagine they believed he would put up the tremendous numbers he did. He hit for average. He has on-base, leadoff batter skills. He has some extra base hit power with his 23 doubles, seven triples, and 16 home runs. He had 44 steals in 49 chances. What a great season, he 100% earned and deserved his call to the Twins in late August. He can be a pinch-runner and late-inning defensive replacement in the big leagues. He also takes the kind of plate appearances that he can be a fourth or fifth outfielder. 2. C/1B Andrew Cossetti, 23, Fort Myers / Cedar Rapids 95 G, .287/.426/.534 (.960), 23-2B, 4-3B, 15-HR, 63 RBI, 64 BB, 79 K Cossetti grew up in the northwest suburbs of Philadelphia and stayed home for college by attending St. Joseph's University. He spent four seasons playing in the A10. He played 47 games as a freshman and 10 games before the Covid shutdown of the 2020 season. In 2021, he hit .318 (1.170) with 16 homers. Then in 2022, he hit .327 (1.167) with 19 home runs in 54 games. After that season, he played 28 games in the MLB Draft League and hit .410 (1.112) with 13 extra base hits. The Twins used their first pick on Day 3 of the 2022 draft. He played in just one FCL Twins game after signing. He began the 2023 season in Ft. Myers and started fast. In 35 games, he hit .330/.462/.607 (1.069) with 11 doubles and six home runs. He was promoted to Cedar Rapids, and after a slow start, he hit .262/.406/.492 (.898) with 12 doubles, three triples, and nine home runs over 60 games. Considering the power potential Cossetti has shown, his 79 strikeouts in 392 plate appearances (20.2%) is very solid. Defensively, he is a work in progress behind the plate, but he knows what he needs to work on and will do so in the Arizona Fall League. He made 44 starts this season as a catcher and 20 at first base. 1. IF Yunior Severino, 23, Wichita / St. Paul 120 G, 127-467, .272/.352/.546 (.898), 17-2B, 3-3B, 35-HR, 84 RBI, 51 BB, 173 K Severino was a high-profile international signing by the Atlanta Braves in 2016. When the Braves were found to have violated rules, Severino and others were deemed free agents. The Twins swooped in and signed him to a second seven-digit signing bonus. He has been moved up consistently by the Twins since the lost 2020 season. It has been a consistent improvement from year to year. In 2021, he hit eight homers. He hit 19 homers in 2022 between High-A and Double-A. This year, he tied for the minor-league lead with 35 home runs. "Anytime you tie for first in the minor leagues in home runs, you're deserving of Minor League Hitter of the Year consideration," said Twins Director of Player Development Drew MacPhail. He continued, "Yunior's calling card is his massive raw power and ability to hit the ball hard - which he did an awesome job of translating into games this year." It is hard to believe that it has been over seven years since Severino signed, yet he is still just 23. He is still growing physically and in his knowledge of the game. A big part of his power development may sound simple, but it's huge. He kept the ball off the ground. He hit many more line drives, and 35 fly balls became home runs. MacPhail said, "(That was) an issue he's worked hard at over the course of his career." For the Twins player development team, from the front office to the coaches and coordinators, it has to be a lot of fun and a source of pride to work with a kid over the years and see the work rewarded. Now the question becomes, will he be added to the team's 40-man roster this fall? He'd be a quick addition as soon as the Twins playoff run ends, hopefully after a third World Series title. The next question is a lot more complicated. Where will he play? MacPhail noted, "What won't go mentioned, but equally impressive, is the work and dedication Yunior put into his defense this year." So, we are going to mention it here. In 2023, he made 64 starts at third base and 21 at second base. He also made 14 starts at first base after joining the Saints. The infield has plenty of options on a potential Twins' 2024 roster that already includes Alex Kirilloff, Edouard Julien, Carlos Correa, Royce Lewis, Jose Miranda, and Jorge Polanco (who has two options remaining). Add in Severino, Brooks Lee, and Austin Martin; it is a good "problem." Congratulations to Yunior Severino on his fantastic 2023 season. He earned himself the Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Year award. In addition, join us in congratulating the others written about today. Also, with our Top 7, the Honorable Mentions and the others that received votes deserved recognition. To read much more Twins Daily content on each of these players, click on their names below. Yunior Severino, Andrew Cossetti, Andrew Stevenson, Kala’i Rosario, Emmanuel Rodriguez, Brooks Lee, DaShawn Keirsey, Austin Martin, Ricardo Olivar, Jorel Ortega, Anthony Prato, Chris Williams, Kyle Garlick, Trevor Larnach, Alex Isola, Noah Cardenas, Yoyner Fajardo, Rubel Cespedes. View full article