Seth Stohs

The Minnesota Twins and the Rochester Red Wings have now begun their All-Star breaks. Andrew Albers and Chris Colabello will be representing the Red Wings at the AAA game. The Twins showed again that if you can get to AAA, you have a shot to play with the Twins. On Sunday, three Twins players were sent back to Rochester while two Red Wings were promoted to the major leagues. Chris Herrmann and veteran Doug Bernier will be with the Twins along with a Player to be Named Later (likely Colabello on Friday). [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] Here is a look at what happened in the Twins farm system and at the Futures Game on Sunday: Futures Game The USA team topped the World Team 4-2 on Sunday afternoon in New York. Miguel Sano started for the World Team, played third base and batted fourth. He grounded out in his first at bat. He then walked and was hit by a pitch. In the ninth, he flew out to the warning track in center field. It was caught by Byron Buxton, who played the second half of the game. He batted twice and struck out swinging both times. Rochester 6, Pawtucket 2 Box Score Earlier in the day, Pedro Hernandez was placed on the disabled list with a strained left forearm, so Aaron Thompson got a spot start. The lefty worked the first three innings. He was charged with two runs on two hits and two walks while striking out three. Luis Perdomo came on and threw two shutout innings. He gave up one hit, walked two and struck out one. Cody Eppley struck out four in three perfect innings. Michael Tonkin, after returning from the Twins the night before, worked a 1-2-3 ninth. James Beresford went 3-5 and stole his second base. Jermaine Mitchell went 2-4 with his sixth triple. Chris Colabello doubled for the 24th time this season. The Red Wings now begin their All-Star break and return to action Thursday. New Britain 1, Trenton 0 Box Score Virgil Vasquez had his best performance of the season. The veteran was perfect through five. In the sixth inning, an error ended the perfect game, and it was followed by a walk. The no-hitter was broken up by the first batter of the 7th inning. Vasquez threw eight shutout innings. He gave up one hit, walked one and struck out nine. Edgar Ibarra got the first two outs of the ninth, and Dakota Watts got the final out for his third save. The Rock Cats also did not put up much offense. They managed five hits in the game; second baseman Eddie Rosario had three of the hits. Danny Ortiz added his fourth triple. Ft. Myers 7, Lakeland 8 (10 innings) Box Score This loss came in extra frames, and manager Doug Mientkiewicz didn’t get to see most of it. Stephen Wickens went 3-4 with two walks and his tenth double. He was caught stealing second base in the third inning. Mientkiewicz disagreed vehemently enough to get ejected. Aderlin Mejia went 2-5 with a walk, bringing his average to .335. Jhon Goncalves went 2-5 with a walk and his seventh stolen base. Evan Bigley homered for the first time with the Miracle. Mike Kvasnicka hit his seventh home run. Jason Wheeler started and went the first 4.2 innings. He gave up four runs on eight hits and four walks. He struck out just one. Nelvin Fuentes gave up two runs on six hits in 2.1 innings. He also struck out two without walking any. Jose Gonzalez gave up one run on two hits in his inning. Zack Jones struck out two over two scoreless innings. Ryan O’Rourke entered for the tenth inning, and he gave up a run on two hits to take the loss. Cedar Rapids 7, Bowling Green 6 Box Score For the second straight day, we start the Cedar Rapids report with “Adam Walker remains hot.” On this day, he went 2-3 with his 20th double. His college teammate Jonathan Murphy went 2-4 with a walk and his second double. Jorge Polanco was 2-5 with his fourth home run. Joel Licon and Jeremias Pineda were both 2-4. Dalton Hicks won the race to 30 doubles, first in the Twins organization. Lefty Mason Melotakis put together a solid quality start to earn the win and raise his record to 7-3. In six innings, he gave up two runs on five hits. He walked none (important for him) and struck out two. Alex Muren came on in the seventh and gave up four runs (3 earned) on four hits and recorded just one out which came on a strikeout. David Hurlbut came on and gave up one hit in two shutout innings. Tyler Jones got the final two outs to record his ninth save. Elizabethton 3, Greeneville 5 Box Score Randy Rosario is one of The Big Three starters at Elizabethton. All three dominated in their first three Appy League starts and, after Sunday, all three of them have struggled in their fourth start. Rosario went four innings and gave up four runs on seven hits. He walked one and struck out none. Tim Shibuya struck out two in two scoreless innings. Kuo Hua Lo walked one in a scoreless inning. C.K. Irby gave up one run on one hit and a walk in his inning. Bryan Haar led the offense. He went 3-4. Dereck Rodriguez went 2-4. Rory Rhodes hit his second home run. GCL Twins No games on Sundays. Thanks for checking out today’s Twins minor league report. Please feel free to discuss, comment or ask questions.

Following the Minnesota Twins impressive series win in New York against the Yankees, GM Terry Ryan shuffled the roster. Down to Rochester go outfielders Oswaldo Arcia and Chris Parmelee, and infielder Eduardo Escobar. The Twins promoted infielder Doug Bernier and catcher/outfielder Chris Herrmann. This means there is one more player to be added to the 25 man roster. I believe it can be assumed that player will be 1B/OF Chris Colabello. The MLB and AAA All-Star breaks are at the same time, so Colabello will be able to participate in the home run contest and then the All-Star game. I assume he'll be promoted following the game. [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] Three weeks ago, many were touting Oswaldo Arcia as a potential American League Rookie of the Year candidate. However, he has been mired in an extreme slump the last couple weeks and clearly needed this. Parmelee began the season as the team's starting right fielder. He is fourth on the team with eight home runs, but is hitting just .223. His playing time has been fairly sporadic throughout the first half. Escobar got off to a fast start in April, but has not hit at all since. He is still just 24 and really needs to get some playing time in AAA. He was dubbed a utility infielder a year ago by the White Sox. Herrmann hit well in very limited time earlier in the season, but he has not hit at all in Rochester. After an 0-4 on Sunday, he is hitting .227 on the season, with a Escobaric .608 OPS. He can be the third catcher, allowing Doumit to play in right field. And, he can play in the outfield, as well. Bernier is a lesser known name. He is a minor league veteran. The 33 year old is hitting .295/.370/.407 with 23 extra base hits. Bernier went 0-4 in two games in 2008 with the Colorado Rockies, and this is his first time in the big leagues since. Along with the Rockies, he has spent time in the Yankees and Pirates organizations. This is a great story, if nothing else, of a guy not giving up. The Twins like having two infielders on the bench; Jamey Carroll is the other. The team has a spot on the 40 man roster for him. And, assuming the third player promoted is Colabello, I don't think anyone would question that. We hope he can get more consistent playing time in this, his third stint with the team. He has been our choice for Twins minor league player of the month in May and June. Overall with the Red Wings, he is hitting .354/.432/.652 (1.084) with 24 doubles and 24 home runs. He deserves an opportunity. Again, the Red Wings and the Twins begin their All-Star breaks now. The MLB All- Star game is Tuesday night while the AAA game is Wednesday night. Players will be with their second-half teams Thursday.

There was not much offense through the Minnesota Twins' farm system, with the usual exception of the Cedar Rapids Kernels. There was some very good pitching. There was the return of Nick Blackburn to an active roster as he made the start for the New Britain Rock Cats. Alex Wimmers returned to a mound for the first time since his Tommy John surgery last August. One constant through the 2013 season has been the pitching of Andrew Albers, and he was on the mound again for the Rochester Red Wings.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] On Sunday, be sure to watch Byron Buxton and Miguel Sano represent the Twins at the Futures Game. Here is a look at what happened in the Twins farm system on Saturday: Rochester 5, Pawtucket 1 Box Score Andrew Albers was back on the mound for the Red Wings and was terrific yet again. The Canadian southpaw went six innings to improve to 9-4. He gave up only an unearned run on five hits and a walk. He also struck out ten. Shairon Martis recorded his sixth save, of the three-inning variety. He gave up no runs on two hits and two walks. He struck out three. Eight Red Wings had one hit in this game. Five of them went for extra bases. Ray Olmedo hit his second home run, as did Chris Herrmann. Chris Colabello hit his 23rd double. Doug Bernier hit his 15th double. Jeff Clement hit his 13th double. New Britain 1, Trenton 5 Box Score After a few rehab starts with the GCL Twins, Nick Blackburn was sent to New Britain where he made the start on Saturday evening. He gave up five runs on seven hits and two walks in 4.2 innings. He struck out two. Bruce Pugh was terrific, not allowing a base runner in 2.1 innings. Edgar Ibarra and BJ Hermsen each threw a scoreless inning in relief. Angel Morales hit his second home run with the Rock Cats. He was 2-3 in the game. Eddie Rosario hit his seventh double. Ft. Myers 1, Lakeland 4 Box Score Matt Summers gets the loss in this game, though he did pitch quite well. He went 7.2 innings and gave up two runs (1 earned). He gave up seven hits, walked none and struck out three. Corey Williams got the final four outs, one on a strikeout. He gave up two runs on one hit and four walks. Mike Kvasnicka went 2-4. Evan Bigley hit a double. Cedar Rapids 6, Bowling Green 3 Box Score Adam Walker remains hot with the bat. He went 2-4 with his 19th double and his 16th home run. Tyler Grimes went 2-4, including an inside-the-park home run. It was his sixth homer of the season. Jeremias Pineda went 3-4 with his second double. Jorge Polanco went 2-4. Tim Atherton improved to 5-2 with a 2.45 ERA. The Australian right-hander gave up one run on two hits over six innings. He walked two and struck out four. Steven Gruver then gave up two runs on four hits in his two innings. Tyler Jones recorded his eighth save, striking out two in one inning. Elizabethton 1, Greeneville 2 Box Score It was a very good pitcher’s duel in the Appy League on Saturday night. South African lefty Hein Robb was charged with two runs on five hits in six innings. He walked one and struck out two. Dallas Gallant and Brian Gilbert each pitched a scoreless inning. The E-Twins had just five hits. Dereck Rodriguez is now hitting .322 after going 2-4. Bryan Haar went 2-4 as well. GCL Twins 3, GCL Red Sox 1 Box Score A couple rehab stints took place in this rain-shortened 5.2 inning game on Saturday. Michael Gonzales returned to the field for the first time since breaking the hamate bone his hand. In his first at bat, he homered. Chad Christensen went 1-2 with his first professional home run. Jonatan Hinojosa went 1-3 with a triple. The big story will be that Alex Wimmers returned to a mound in a game for the first time since he underwent Tommy John surgery last August. The 2010 first-round pick went three shutout innings. He gave up just one hit, walked none and struck out two. Chih-Wei Hu went the final 2.2 innings. He gave up one run on two hits and a walk while striking out two. Thanks for checking out today’s Twins minor league report. Please feel free to discuss, comment or ask questions.

After eight Minnesota Twins minor league games to report on Thursday night, it was nice that all six Twins' affiliates played just one game on Friday night. There were a couple of one-run losses, and a walk-off win. Two teams had little offense, and the one team that seemingly gets big offense every day did so again. Brett Lee was easily the pitcher of the day with a complete game when his team needed it the most. With the extreme struggles and frustrations surrounding the Twins' big league team, it’s nice to have some good teams and terrific prospects to follow throughout the minor leagues. Here is a look at what happened in the Twins farm system Friday:[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] Rochester 7, Pawtucket 8 Box Score PJ Walters returned to the Red Wings rotation Friday night. He started with three scoreless innings before giving up one in the fourth and three in the fifth. He allowed those four runs on five hits in 4.1 innings. He walked four and struck out three. Luis Perdomo gave up two runs on a hit and two walks over 1.2 innings. He struck out three. Blake Martin gave up two runs on two hits and two walks (while striking out two) in one inning. AJ Achter threw a 1-2-3 inning. Antoan Richardson provided much of the offense on this night. The speedster went 4-5 with three doubles (12 on the year). Chris Colabello went 1-3 with two walks. Doug Bernier hit his fifth triple. New Britain 1, Trenton 4 Box Score The offense was pretty much non-existent for the Rock Cats in this game. They managed just six hits. Miguel Sano and Josmil Pinto were both 1-2 with two walks. DJ Baxendale took the mound. The righty gave up three runs (2 earned) on nine hits and a walk in 4.2 innings. He struck out two. After that point, the bullpen got some usage. Cole Johnson came on and struck out two over the next four outs. BJ Hermsen gave up a hit and recorded a strikeout in his scoreless inning. Dan Turpen entered and gave up a run on a hit and recorded just one out. Tom Stuifbergen came on and got the final two outs of that inning. Matt Hauser worked a scoreless inning. Ft. Myers 0, Lakeland 5 Box Score Speaking of little offense, the Miracle were shut out Friday night. Jhon Goncalves went 2-3 with a walk and his 18th double. Byron Buxton went 1-3 with a walk. Levi Michael went 1-2 with two walks. Manuel Soliman started and went 4.1 innings. He was charged with four runs on seven hits. He walked three and struck out two. Chad Rodgers came on and gave up one run on two hits in 2.2 innings. He walked one and struck out two. Zack Jones pitched the final two innings. He gave up two hits and no runs; he struck out four. Cedar Rapids 7, Dayton 1 Box Score On Thursday night, Kernels pitchers gave up 13 runs on 11 hits and ten walks. Manager Jake Mauer was none too happy about it, and he told the Metro Sports Report after the game, “We’ve just got to get better. These guys have to find a way to throw the ball over the plate.” Later, he added, “You’ve got to go out there and you’ve got to compete. It’s your day. You just have to do it one day a week. That’s all we ask.” On Friday night, Brett Lee competed, giving Mauer and his Kernels teammates exactly what they needed. The left-hander went nine innings for his team. He gave up one run on five hits. He threw strikes, walked one and he struck out three. He improved to 6-4 with a 3.54 ERA on the season. Photo by Cedar Rapids Kernels Adam Walker led the offense. He gave the Kernels an early lead with a long, three-run home run, his fifteenth of the season. He was 2-4 and added another RBI. Dalton Hicks went 1-3 with a walk and his 29th double. Elizabethton 6, Bristol 5 Box Score The E-Twins came from behind to win this game. Down a run in the 8th frame, Stuart Turner doubled in the tying run. Then, with two on and two out in the bottom of the ninth, Mitch Garver singled in Bryan Haar with the winning run. Haar was 3-4 with a walk and his second double in the game. Garver was 3-5. Turner was 2-5 and the double was his first of the year. Rory Rhodes and Ryan Walker each added two hits. Yorman Landa started and was charged with three runs (2 earned) on five hits in five innings. He walked four and struck out six. Brandon Peterson gave up two hits in a scoreless inning. Andrew Ferreira gave up two runs on one hit and three walks in his inning. Brandon Bixler struck out four over two scoreless innings. GCL Twins 7, GCL Red Sox 8 Box Score The GCL Twins fell behind early in this one, tried to claw its way back and fell just short. Sam Gibbons started. He was charged with seven runs (3 earned) on seven hits; he walked one and struck out none. Lewis Thorpe came on and worked the next 3.2 innings. He gave up only an unearned run on three hits. He walked none and struck out five. Dan Sattler pitched another scoreless inning. Miguel Gonzalez gave up one hit and struck out three over two scoreless innings. Amaurys Minier went 2-5 with his fourth home run. Jason Kanzler was 2-4 with a triple, three RBI and his fifth stolen base. Brian Navarreto and Jonatan Hinojosa each went 2-5. Adonis Pacheco was 1-2 with two walks and his fourth double. Thanks for checking out today’s Twins minor league report. Please feel free to discuss, comment or ask questions.

Rain was a big part of the story in the Minnesota Twins farm system on Wednesday. On Thursday, two Twins' affiliates played double-headers, so there were a total of eight games to follow. Another day… another Chris Colabello home run. Colabello often speaks of only worrying about things that are in his control. He can’t control when Terry Ryan will call him up, but he can control his approach at the plate.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] And frankly, his numbers have to be making Mr. Ryan consider ways to get him back on the Twins roster. I’m thinking Ryan is happy to have Colabello putting up the kinds of numbers that make him think of changing the major league roster. Two other players launched homers to put themselves in a tie for third place in the organization in home runs. There were a couple very strong pitching performances, but there were also a couple pitchers who would like a mulligan. Here is a look at what happened in the Twins farm system on Thursday: Rochester 7, Pawtucket 6 Box Score Chris Colabello was at it again on Thursday night. He went 2-5 with his 24th home run, a majestic blast estimated at 450 feet to straight-away center. Jermaine Mitchell went 2-3 with two walks and his 14th double. Eric Farris went 2-4 with his third home run. Logan Darnell’s most recent start was tremendous. This one wasn’t as good. Through the first four innings, he gave up just one run. However, he gave up five runs in the fifth inning without recording an out. Overall, he was charged with six runs on eight hits. He walked two and struck out four in four innings. Aaron Thompson came on and gave up one hit over the next 2.2 innings. Cody Eppley got the next four batters out. Shairon Martis came on and pitched a scoreless ninth inning for his fifth save. New Britain 2, Trenton 0 Box Score Lefty Pat Dean was terrific. He threw 7.2 scoreless innings: he allowed six hits, walked one and struck out four. Dakota Watts came on and got the final four outs, two on strikeouts, to complete the shutout. As you would expect from such a low-scoring game, there was not much offense. Miguel Sano hit his fourth double. Jordan Parraz went 2-2 with a walk and his second stolen base. Game 1 – Ft. Myers 1, Jupiter 6 Box Score The first game is the completion of a game that had been suspended in the fifth inning on Wednesday. Kyle Davies started the game and went the first five innings. He gave up three runs (2 earned) on four hits and three walks. He struck out four. Matt Tomshaw came on when the game resumed. The southpaw gave up three runs on five hits in four innings. He walked one and struck out three. Kennys Vargas provided the offense. He went 2-4 with his 14th home run of the year. Game 2 – Ft. Myers 2, Jupiter 6 Box Score Taylor Rogers was activated from the disabled list and made the start. He gave up six runs on five hits and four walks in just two innings. Adrian Salcedo threw three innings and gave up one hit. Ryan O’Rourke worked the final two innings and gave up one hit. Again, there was not much offense for the Miracle. Aderlin Mejia went 2-4 with his 13th stolen base. Stephen Wickens hit his third homer of the year. Cedar Rapids 9, Dayton 13 Box Score The Kernels fell behind early, attempted a comeback, but fell short. Josue Montanez had been terrific in his previous two starts. This one didn't go as well. The lefty gave up ten runs (9 earned) on seven hits and six walks in four innings. He struck out three. Hudson Boyd came on and gave up an unearned run on a hit and two walks in three innings. He struck out three. Madison Boer pitched the game’s final two innings. He gave up two runs on three hits, walking two and striking out two. Jonathan Murphy went 3-5. Fellow Jacksonville U alum Adam Walker went 1-2 with three walks and his 14th home run. Jorge Polanco had two hits, including his 23rd double. Jeremias Pineda and Tyler Grimes each went 2-4. JD Williams added his eighth home run. Travis Harrison walked three times. Photo by: Rinaldi Photos Game 1 – Elizabethton 5, Bristol 4 Box Score Rain on Wednesday created this double-header. Earlier in the day, these games looked uncertain, but the weather finally did cooperate. Felix Jorge proved human in this start. He gave up four runs (3 earned) on six hits in five innings. He walked three and struck out six. Ethan Mildren walked two in a scoreless inning. Dallas Gallant then struck out two in a 1-2-3 inning, gaining the win when the Twins came from behind with two runs in the final inning. Javier Pimentel went 2-3 with his sixth double. Zach Granite was 2-3 with a walk. Kelvin Ortiz hit his first home run. Dereck Rodriguez hit his sixth double, and Ryan Walker hit his third double. Game 1 – Elizabethton 6, Bristol 11 Box Score It was a doubles day for Dereck Rodriguez; he went 2-3 with his seventh and eighth doubles. Romy Jimenez went 2-3. Bryan Haar hit his fourth triple. Bryan Santy and Carlos Avila each hit his first double of the year. Josh Burris made the start. He gave up six runs on three hits in three innings. He walked six and struck out five. Carson Goldsmith gave up three runs on one hit and three walks and recorded just one out. The out he got was a strikeout. Andre Martinez finished that inning by getting the final two outs, though he did walk two. Twins fifth-round pick Aaron Slegers made his first professional appearance with a perfect inning. Austin Malinowski gave up two runs (1 earned) on two hits in his inning, while striking out three. GCL Twins 6, GCL Orioles 2 Box Score Damian Defrank started and gave up one run on four hits and two walks in three innings. He struck out two. Then Stephen Gonsalves came on and was impressive. In three scoreless innings he held the Orioles hitless, walked one and struck out three. Josh Guyer worked a scoreless inning, though he gave up one hit and walked one. Markus Solbach gave up an unearned run over his two innings. Joel Polanco went 2-3 with a walk. Jason Kanzler was 2-4 with his fourth double. Evan Bigley’s rehab continues. Here he had a triple and three RBI. Thanks for checking out today’s Twins minor league report. Please feel free to discuss, comment or ask questions.

Buyers or Sellers They’re buyers. The Diamondbacks currently hold a 2.5 game lead in the National League Western Division over the Los Angeles Dodgers. However, their 47 victories is the lowest of any division leader. They’ll want to hold off the Dodgers, the Rockies are just 4.5 games back, and ignoring the Giants (who are 6.5 games back) would probably not be wise either. What They Need Heath Bell is their closer. The 35-year-old veteran has 15 saves this year, but he also has a 4.59 ERA and a WHIP of 1.50. David Hernandez was a terrific set up man last year for the D-Backs, but this year, he has a 4.58 ERA. Veteran lefty Tony Sipp has an ERA of 4.10 ERA and a WHIP of 1.44. It doesn’t look like the Diamondbacks will need to make a move for a starting bat, though they may be interested in more depth. The three starters with the lowest OPS are catcher Miguel Montero, 3B Martin Prado and outfielder Jason Kubel. I think each will continue to play as they are veterans who have performed well in the past. What Might Work The Diamondbacks biggest needs are in the bullpen. Could they be in the market for Glen Perkins? Most likely not as the Diamondbacks do not have many high-end prospects that they would be willing to deal. They aren’t likely to trade lefty Tyler Skaggs. Archie Bradley is certainly not available in any deal. Would the D-Backs see guys like Jared Burton or Brian Duensing as bullpen arms who could help them down the stretch? Also, both are under team control for at least one more year. Sleeper Targets Jake Barrett –RHP – AA – 21 years old Barrett will turn 22 years old this month. The relief pitcher was the team’s third round pick in 2012 out of Arizona State. He began the season in High-A and was moved up to AA at the end of June. Overall, he is 3-1 with a 1.93 ERA in 33 relief appearances. In 32.2 innings, he has given up 23 hits, walked ten and struck out 38. His fastball is clocked at 93-96 mph, but he has touched 98. Kevin Munson – RHP – AA – 24 years old Another reliever, Munson was promoted to AAA at the end of June. He was the AA closer and limited opponents to just a .157 batting average. Overall, he is 2-3 with a 3.35 ERA. In 37.2 innings, he has given up 22 hits, walked 17 and struck out 47. He does that with a fastball that runs at 91-95 mph. Chris Owings – SS – AAA – 22 years old This shortstop is almost allergic to walking, but he is young and putting up impressive numbers, albeit in the Pacific Coast League. The former (2009) supplemental 1st round pick is hitting .354/.375/.506 (.881) with 23 doubles, three triples, 11 home runs and 64 RBI. He also has 15 stolen bases. He has walked just 13 times all season, but he is at least intriguing. Dream Target Tyler Skaggs – LHP – MLB –22 years old Yes, this is absolutely a pipe dream. However, if the Twins are going to consider trading closer Glen Perkins (and his immensely team-friendly contract), and if the Diamondbacks really want improvement at the back of the bullpen, the Twins should be asking for Skaggs. At AAA Reno, he went 6-6 with a 4.26 ERA. However, in 76 innings, he gave up just 76 hits, walked 28 and struck out 87. He has made five starts for the Diamondbacks this season and is 2-1 with a 4.03 ERA. He also has 25 strikeouts in 29 innings. Skaggs throws a fastball in the low-90's, but is able to touch 94. He also is said to have a terrific 12-6 curveball and a still-improving but potentially very good changeup. At 6-4 and just 195 pounds, he still can grow and gain velocity.

Kyle Gibson was back on the mound for the Minnesota Twins in Tampa on Tuesday night. On Tuesday afternoon, Michael Tonkin got the news he was promoted to the Twins as lefty Caleb Thielbar went on the bereavement list. Best wishes to the Thielbar family. It was also a tough day for a couple Twins minor leaguers. Kaleb Merck (Kernels) and Luis Nunez (E-Twins) were both given their releases by the Twins. At the same time, one of the Twins high draftees made his professional debut. And, I’m sure you’ll be shocked, Chris Colabello makes an appearance in this report after another big game. [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] Rochester 7, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre 8 Box Score On Tuesday afternoon, the Red Wings fell behind and tried to come back, but they came up one run short. Pedro Hernandez gave up seven runs on ten hits and a walk over six innings. He struck out five. Michael Tonkin gave up a hit and struck out one in a scoreless inning. Shairon Martis went the final 1.2 innings. He gave up one run on two hits and a walk while striking out two. Chris Colabello again was the hitting star. He went 3-4 with his 22nd homer, tying Miguel Sano for the organizational lead. James Beresford was also 3-4 with his first stolen base. He is now hitting .323 in 21 games with the Red Wings after hitting .316 in New Britain earlier in the season. Ray Olmedo hit his 10th double and his first home run in the game. Eric Farris also had two hits. New Britain The Rock Cats and the rest of the Eastern League are currently on their All-Star break. Ft. Myers 5, Jupiter 2 Box Score Tyler Duffey won his second consecutive start. He gave up two runs on five hits and a walk in six innings, striking out five out. Jose Gonzalez came on and worked two scoreless innings. He gave up two hits, walked two and struck out four. Corey Williams gave up a hit and struck out one to record his 10th save. Lance Ray went 2-3 with his first home run of the season. Last year he hit thirteen for the Miracle and sixteen for Beloit two years ago. He was in only his 22nd game with the Miracle this year because he has been hurt. Byron Buxton was 1-3 with a triple and his second stolen base. Stephen Wickens was 1-3 with his fourth and fifth stolen bases. Kennys Vargas hit his 25th double. Cedar Rapids The Kernels had a scheduled off day. Elizabethton 4, Burlington 5 Box Score The Elizabethton Twins came up a run short in this loss. Rory Rhodes went 2-5 with his seventh double. Ryan Walker was 2-4 with his second double. Bryan Haar added two hits. Dereck Rodriguez went 1-1 with two walks and his first home run of the season. Tanner Mendonca made the start. He gave up two runs on three hits in four innings, walking four and striking out two. Tim Shibuya came on and gave up three runs (two earned) on four hits over three innings. He walked two and struck out four. Twins 2013 second-round pick Ryan Eades made his professional debut in the seventh inning. He worked one inning and gave up two hits, but no runs and he struck out one. Kuo Hua Lo struck out two in his perfect inning of relief. GCL Twins 2, GCL Rays 3 Box Score The GCL Twins had a couple good offensive performances, but were unable to plate enough runs to overcome the Rays. Zach Larson went 2-2 with two walks, his third double and his third stolen base. Jason Kanzler went 1-2 with three walks, his first home run and his third stolen base. Fernando Romero started and gave up two runs in four innings. He allowed four hits, walked one and struck out three. Dan Sattler continues his road to recovery. He struck out two in two scoreless innings. Leonel Zazueta gave up one run on three hits and a walk in 2.1 innings. He struck out three. Miguel Gonzalez came on and got one out. Thanks for checking out today’s Twins minor league report. Please feel free to discuss, comment or ask questions.

This is really late. Typically, I post my choices for the monthly minor league award winners within days of the end of the month. Because of a trip to Cedar Rapids and a bum computer, the Hitter of the Month for June is a little tardy. But, better later than never, I guess. The players listed below performed well and deserve to be recognized. It was another good month for the hitters. We have a repeat winner and a few of the top prospects in this month’s report. In fact, there were enough who warranted recognition that I included a Top 6 and some Honorable Mentions. Let’s get to it. Here are my selections for the Top 6 Minnesota Twins Minor League hitters in June: [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] Number 6 – Rochester – Doug Bernier - (35-100) .350/.416/.540 (.956) with ten doubles, three triples, one home run and 15 RBI. Bernier signed a minor league contract with the Twins before spring training this year. The middle infielder played his college ball at Oral Roberts and then spent 2002 through 2008 with the Colorado Rockies. He played two games for the Rockies in 2008. He then spent 2009 with the Yankees AAA team. He spent 2010 with the Pirates AAA team. He had spent 2011 and 2012 with the Yankees AAA squad. Overall with the Red Wings, he is hitting .297/.368/.398 (.766) with 13 doubles, three triples and three homers. He was very good in June. Number 5 – Ft. Myers – Kennys Vargas - (28-79) .354/.420/.544 (.965) with nine doubles, two home runs and 17 RBI. Vargas is still just 22 years old, but many forget how little baseball he has played over the last couple years. In 2011, he played in just 44 games. In 2012, he played in only 41 games. The Twins had him stick around Ft. Myers much of last offseason, and he remains with the Miracle, having now played 78 games in Ft. Myers. On the season, he is hitting .298/.373/.528 (.902) with 24 doubles, a triple and 13 home runs while driving in 63 RBI. Eddie Rosario and Miguel Sano have moved up, yet Vargas hit well in June without them around. I suspect he will move up at some point this season. Number 4 – Cedar Rapids/Ft. Myers – Byron Buxton - (33-93) .354/.412/.548 (.960) with five doubles, five triples, 1 home run and 19 RBI. After a tremendous April, Buxton had a more pedestrian May. He even went through a mini-slump. However, in June, Buxton did exactly what you would hope a top prospect would do; he made some adjustments and had a strong month. In 72 at-bats with the Kernels, he hit .361/.420/.597 (1.017) with ten extra base hits; he then got the promotion that fans had been clamoring for. Despite starting out his tenure with the Miracle going 2-13, he then proceeded to have five straight multi-hit games and ended the month strong. He was also named to represent the Twins in the Futures Game. Number 3 – Cedar Rapids – Dalton Hicks - (36-108) .333/.372/.620 (.992) with ten doubles, seven home runs and 33 RBI. The 23-year-old first baseman was the Twins 17th round pick out of Central Florida. He split time in Elizabethton last year, but this year he has been the Kernels every day first baseman. Overall this year he has hit .298/.359/.498 with 26 doubles and 13 home runs. His 77 RBI lead the Midwest League (by a large margin). Listed at 6-5 and 228 pounds, Hicks has a long, but very powerful swing. He was tremendous in June and is a leader on the Kernels roster. I believe that if (or when) Kennys Vargas gets a promotion to New Britain, Hicks will move up to Ft. Myers. Number 2 – Ft. Myers/New Britain – Miguel Sano - (19-82) .232/.336/.646 (.982) with three doubles, two triples, nine home runs and 22 RBI. Sano was named to the Florida League All-Star team in early June. However, the day after the Miracle clinched the first half title and a playoff spot, he (and Eddie Rosario and Angel Morales) were promoted to the New Britain Rock Cats. Let’s not pretend that the lack of batting average for Sano is not a big deal, especially when it comes with many strikeouts, but he’s still so early in his New Britain tenure that it’s not worth worrying about quite yet. Despite a lack of singles, Sano’s power has been tremendous in New Britain. In June with the Rock Cats, he had ten extra base hits in 62 at bats, with just four singles. His power potential is immense, and fans are rightfully excited about what he can become. He will just need to work on his K-Rate to help avoid a case of BrandonWood-itis. The June Minnesota Twins Minor League Hitter of the Month is... Rochester Red Wings 1B Chris Colabello (34-94) .362/.451/.660 (1.111) with four doubles, no triples, eight home runs and 26 RBI. I am certain I sound like a broken record, but the Chris Colabello story should be talked about more, and he should be getting even more attention. He debuted with the Twins in May and still was the choice for minor league hitter of that month. This month, he spent the entire time with the Red Wings and still was incredible. He hits for average, takes walks and hits for power. He is the force in the middle of the Red Wings lineup that has helped them get back over .500 again. Overall, in 77 games with the Red Wings this year, he has hit .358/.436/.653 with 22 doubles, 21 homers and 67 RBI. He was recently named to the International League All-Star team, and frankly, he’s been one of the best handful of players at any level of minor league baseball. There were several strong performances in June that weren’t included in the Top 6. Here are six Honorable Mentions: Josmil Pinto (Rock Cats) – (25-89) .281/.407/.449 (.856) with six doubles, three home runs and 15 RBI. Nate Hanson (Rock Cats) – (29-93) .312/.350/.516 (.866) with 11 doubles, one triple, two homers and 18 RBI. Matt Koch (Miracle) – (23-70) .329/.382/.586 (.967) with six doubles, four homers and 14 RBI. Travis Harrison (Kernels) – (23-90) .256/.382/.489 (.871) with nine doubles, four home runs and 17 RBI. Jorge Polanco (Kernels) – (31-96) .322/.377/.469 (.846) with seven doubles, two triples, one home run and 23 RBI. JD Williams (Kernels) – (29-91) .319/.404/.440 (.844) with two doubles, three triples, one home run, and 14 RBI. It was another very solid month for Twins minor league hitting prospects which is always fun to see. We hope that can continue into July Feel free to comment and discuss.