Seth Stohs

In recent years, Minor League Baseball has been the testing grounds for several potential rule changes designed to improve pace of play and encourage more action on the field. One of the rule changes that will go into effect for the 2023 season is larger bases, partially in an attempt to encourage more base-stealing. Image courtesy of Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports In 2022, the Minnesota Twins went 38-for-55 in stolen base attempts. Those numbers are, by far, the lowest in Major League Baseball. In the AL Central, the Tigers had 47 steals, the third-lowest in MLB, but they were caught 24 times. The White Sox ranked 24th with 58 steals, but they were only caught 10 times. On the other side of the spectrum, the Cleveland Guardians ranked third in baseball with 119 steals, and the Kansas City Royals tied for sixth with 104 steals. The question now becomes, how will the new rules – specifically the larger bases – alter how the Twins manage the running game, if at all? Will the team suddenly start attempting a lot of stolen bases? Could they steal more, but remain behind other organizations that already incorporated a running game into their strategy? There are several reasons that the Twins don’t run a lot. First and foremost, their 2022 roster did not include much speed or certainly many base stealers. While Byron Buxton and Nick Gordon have tremendous speed, they also don’t run a lot. The two were tied for the team lead with... six stolen bases. The idea is that they can score from first base on a double, so why risk getting thrown out on a stolen base attempt? Buxton has stolen bases at a high percentage over his career. However, with his leg issues in 2022, it made little sense for him to run. And now, with his recent arthroscopic knee surgery, it’s hard to imagine that he will do a ton of running moving forward. What happened in the Twins minor leagues, where the larger bases have already been utilized? Here is a quick look at where the Twins affiliate ranks relative to their minor-league level: Low-A: Ft. Myers Mighty Mussels - 179 SB, 67 CS (Ranked 13th of 30 teams) High-A: Cedar Rapids Kernels - 143 SB, 44 CS (Ranked 15th of 30 teams) Double-A: Wichita Wind Surge - 170 SB, 50 CS (Ranked 7th of 30 teams) Triple-A: St. Paul Saints - 136 SB, 29 CS. (Ranked 15th of 30 teams) MLB: Minnesota Twins - 38 SB, 17 CS. (Ranked 30th of 30 teams) So as you can see, the Twins affiliates all attempted a lot of stolen bases throughout the year. So was that just a player or two on each affiliate that accounted for a big chunk of his team’s steals? Let’s take a look at the organizational leaders in stolen bases, noting which leagues they played in during the course of the year. Mikey Perez 48/55 (Ft. Myers, St. Paul, Cedar Rapids) DaShawn Keirsey 42/49 (Wichita) Michael Helman 40/45 (Wichita, St. Paul) Austin Martin 35/41 (Wichita) Will Holland 32/38 (Cedar Rapids, Wichita) Yasser Mercedes 30/35 (DSL Twins) Mark Contreras 23/25 (St. Paul) Noah Miller 23/30 (Ft. Myers) Anthony Prato 22/28 (Cedar Rapids, Wichita) Luis Baez 20/23 (Ft. Myers) Daniel Ozoria 20/25 (all over) Edouard Julien 19/26 (Wichita) Jake Rucker 19/31 (Ft. Myers, Cedar Rapids, St. Paul) Alerick Soularie 18/23 (Cedar Rapids) Willie Joe Garry 17/21 (Cedar Rapids) It is noteworthy that three individuals stole 40 or more bases. Three others had 30 or more, including Yasser Mercedes who stole 30 bags in just 41 games in the Dominican Summer League. A total of 11 players had 20 or more steals on the season. Whether it was simply situational or if it was an intentional effort to better understand the effect of larger bases, the Twins had a lot of players running often in the minors. It certainly appears that organizationally the Twins aren’t against stealing bases. It’s really just clear that the big-league club was made up of players that didn’t really work to be a running team. Over time, as the composition of the roster changes, they certainly could run more. As a rookie in 2003, Rocco Baldelli stole 27 bases and was caught ten times. The following year, he went 17-for-21 in stolen base attempts. Jon Berti of the Marlins led baseball with 41 stolen bases. Jorge Mateo led the American League with 35 steals, one more than his Orioles teammate Cedric Mullins. Trea Turner stole 27 bases for the Dodgers this year, the most by an impending free agent. On the other side, Twins catchers did not have a very good year in terms of throwing out would-be base stealers. The Twins allowed 92 stolen bases and threw out just 23 runners. Their 20% caught stealing was tied for 26th in the league. That certainly is not a good number, but it is important to note that the league average was just 25% Did teams run against the Twins more than average? Technically, yes. There were 115 stolen base attempts against the Twins in 2022. The average was 110, so negligible. As the Twins look for a catcher, the ability to throw out base stealers should be one consideration, but it shouldn’t be among the top considerations. It can be worked on, to some degree (footwork, transition, release time, pop times), but it is just as important, and I might argue more important, for the Twins to have their pitchers focus a little bit more on trying to give their catchers a chance (change pitch timing, slide steps, etc.). Of those 92 stolen bases, how many times were we able to say “The catcher didn’t have a chance.” So as the offseason approaches, how do you think that the larger bases will factor into decisions? Will the team add some speed to the roster in an attempt to steal more bases? As they look for a #2 catcher, how important will (or should) their ability to throw out would-be base stealers? Share your thoughts below, and make sure to check out our Offseason Handbook content to identify targets who could improve the team's overall speed and base-stealing proficiency. View full article

AL 1B: Vlad Guerrero AL SS: Jeremy Pena AL RF: Kyle Tucker Arraez, Correa and Kepler were robbed!!! Or not. I don't know.

You mean... besides "...because he's Carlos Correa", right?

I was going to say when he returns and wins a Cy Young Award, but I think Verlander was out a couple of times this season, though that may have been part of the plan to give him time off.

So, we don't want Rodon or deGrom or Scherzer... Or Verlander, or Kershaw, or Tyler Anderson... No Eovaldi.

Days after the conclusion of an injury-plagues 2022 Minnesota Twins season, head trainer Michael Salazar was relieved of his duties. On Thursday, the Twins announced his replacement. They have hired Nick Paparesta from the Oakland A's organization. Image courtesy of Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports The Twins have found their Injured List to be as full as their Active Roster a lot the last few years. Whether it was his fault or not, Michael Salazar took the hit for the injuries when the Twins fired him after the season. On Thursday, Nick Paparesta, who has been the Oakland A's Head Athletic Trainer for the past 12 seasons, was hired in the same role for the Twins. Before getting that job, he had spent three seasons as an Assistant Athletic Trainer with the Tampa Bay Rays. He had spent two years in their minor league system. And before that, he spent 11 seasons in the Cleveland organization, including four at Triple-A Buffalo. 1996 Watertown card. It appears to be a lateral move for the veteran trainer, and yet, he grew up in North Ft. Myers, so at least for spring training and the offseason, it's a chance to return home. Did you know that each year MLB recognizes the "Major League Athletic Training Staff of the Year" with an award. His training staffs won the award in 2009 (with the Rays) and in 2018 (with the A's). Paparesta has even been selected as an All Star when he served as the head athletic trainer for the American League in the 2017 All Star game. The 49-year-old comes to the Twins organization hoping to find ways to keep the Twins players off of the Injured List and on the field. For much more on Paparesta, check out this 12+ minute interview from about a year ago. View full article

Thursday afternoon, Rawlings Baseball announced the 2022 Rawlings Gold Glove Award Finalists. The Twins had three players named as finalists. See who else was named a finalist and discuss how many are deserving. Image courtesy of Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports Keep up with which Twins, if any, are named 2022 Rawlings Gold Glove finalists. The finalists are being announced by Rawlings, approximately 5 minutes apart, so this article will be updated over the next hour. So check back often. In September, Cody Christie looked at which Twins players were on pace to be a Gold Glove finalist. Today, we find out which players are finalists. NL Pitchers: Tyler Anderson (Dodgers), Corbin Burnes (Brewers), Max Fried (Braves) AL Pitchers: Jose Berrios (Blue Jays), Shane Bieber (Guardians), Jameson Taillon (Yankees) Twins fans got to see the incredible athleticism that Berrios brought to the mound during his years with the Twins. It wasn't until after last season that he was first names a finalist. Can he win his first Gold Glove this year? NL Catchers: Travis d'Arnaud (Braves), Tomas Nido (Mets), JT Realmuto (Phillies) AL Catchers: Sean Murphy (A's), Cal Raleigh (Mariners), Jose Trevino (Yankees) NL First Base: Paul Goldschmidt (Cardinals), Matt Olson (Braves), Christian Walker (Diamondbacks) AL First Base: Luis Arraez (Twins), Vladimir Guerrero Jr.(Blue Jays), Anthony Rizzo (Yankees). Luis!! Coming into the season, Luis Arraez didn't have a full-time position. In fact, he wasn't in the Opening Day lineup. Since then, he has been named an All Star, won the Rod Carew American League Batting Championship, and now he has been named a finalist for Gold Glove at first base. NL Second Base: Jake Cronenworth (Padres), Tommy Edman (Cardinals), Brendan Rodgers (Rockies) AL Second Base: Andres Gimenez (Guardians), Jonathan Schoop (Tigers), Marcus Semien (Rangers) Jonathan Schoop has always been a solid defensive player, at least when he has played second base. The former Twins' defense has been acknowledged as a Gold Glove finalist. NL Shortstop: Ha-Seong Kim (Padres), Miguel Rojas (Marlins), Dansby Swanson (Braves) AL Shortstop: Xander Bogaerts (Red Sox), Carlos Correa (Twins), Jeremy Pena (Astros) The Twins star was a Gold Glove and the Platinum Glove winner a year ago. Can he repeat? Or will the kid who took his spot in Houston surpass him? NL Third Base: Nolan Arenado (Cardinals), Ke'Bryan Hayes (Pirates), Ryan McMahon (Rockies) AL Third Base: Matt Chapman (Blue Jays), Ramon Urias (Orioles), Jose Ramirez (Guardians) Twins fans may be a little surprised not to see Gio Urshela on this list. While he made a lot of very memorable, incredible plays, the defensive metrics are not quite as high on him. NL Left Field: Ian Happ (Cubs), David Peralta (Diamondbacks), Christian Yelich (Brewers). AL Left Field: Andrew Benintendi (Royals/Yankees), Steven Kwan (Guardians), Brandon Marsh (Angels) No Nick Gordon!? NL Center Field: Trent Grisham (Padres), Victor Robles (Nationals), Alek Thomas (Diamondbacks) AL Center Field: Cedric Mullins (Orioles), Myles Straw (Guardians), Michael A. Taylor (Royals) Again, it's a case of too few games and too few innings in center field for Byron Buxton. If he qualified, he would likely win every year. Maybe. NL Right Field: Mookie Betts (Dodgers), Juan Soto (Nationals/Padres), Daulton Varsho (Diamondbacks) AL Right Field: Jackie Bradley, Jr (Red Sox/Blue Jays), Max Kepler (Twins), Kyle Tucker (Astros). #MightyMax! After his defense has been snubbed in recent years, Max Kepler has been named a finalist for the AL Right Field Gold Glove. While he was unable to run during September, the defense he provided in right remained fantastic! NL Utility: Brendan Donovan (Cardinals), Tommy Edman (Cardinals), Daulton Varsho (Diamondbacks) AL Utility: DJ LeMahieu (Yankees), Whit Merrifield (Royals/Blue Jays), Luis Rengifo (Angels) Daulton Varsho was named a finalist for the Gold Glove at two positions on the same day that the Twins named him the Dick Siebert Award winner for the Upper Midwest Player of the Year. There you have it. The finalists for 2022 Gold Glove Awards. The Twins have three Gold Glove finalists, Luis Arraez, Carlos Correa, and Max Kepler. How do you feel about that? Should others have been finalists? Should those three have been finalists? Share your thoughts below. View full article

Not sure on that... Low average. Some power. Defense OK.

The way it was, up until like two years ago, is international signing could begin on July 2nd. Now it is January 15th. So, Javier signed on July 2nd of 2015, but those signings don't play until 2016. And that is spelled out in the contract. Now the guys sign in January and play already in June when the DSL starts up, so their timeline SHOULD now be the same as drafted players.

Correct... That is due to the timing from Article completion to it getting published.

On Tuesday, the Twins began their 40-man roster cleanup. When the World Series is complete, several players will become free agents. The Twins will have several minor-league players becoming free agents. We will explain which players are eligible for free agency, and in today's installment, I'll write about three hitters that I think the Twins should try to bring back. Image courtesy of Steve Buhr, Twins Daily (left: Jair Camargo, right: Wander Javier) Immediately following the completion of the World Series, players eligible for free agency will officially become free agents. The Twins have over 30 minor leaguers eligible for free agency at that time including 11 hitters. Here are three that I think the Twins should attempt to retain. But first, let's talk about the team's transactions from Tuesday and which players are eligible for free agency. Tuesday Transactions Let’s start by going through the Twins-related transactions from Tuesday. RHP Jhon Romero and LHP Devin Smeltzer were outrighted and sent to the Saints. Three players were claimed by other organizations. C/1B Caleb Hamilton was claimed by the Boston Red Sox. OF Jake Cave was claimed by the Baltimore Orioles. SS Jermaine Palacios was claimed by the Detroit Tigers. The Twins roster is currently at 47 players (27 pitchers, 20 hitters). There are still 10 players on the 60-Day IL that will soon have to be removed from the 60-Day IL. About ten players will either become free agents or have a player or team option on their 2023 seasons. Minor-League Free-Agent Hitters Let’s start the regularly-scheduled portion of today’s article by considering who is eligible to become a minor-league free agent. Sometimes, they are called six-year minor-league free agents because they become free agents after they have played six minor-league seasons. Of course, being on the 40-man roster means that they won’t be a free agent. At that point, the three option years come into play Players drafted in 2016 can be minor-league free agents. For example, LHP Zach Featherstone was the Twins 12th round pick in 2016. He’s missed a lot of time with injuries. If the Twins don’t add him to the 40-man roster before the end of the World Series, Featherstone will be a free agent. Alex Kirilloff. Jose Miranda. Griffin Jax. Jordan Balazovic. Each of these players was also drafted by the Twins in 2016. Each of them is currently on the 40-man roster. Because of that, they cannot become free agents. Devin Smeltzer cleared waivers and was outrighted and sent to St. Paul. However, since he was drafted by the Dodgers in 2016, he will become a free agent after the World Series. Had Caleb Hamilton cleared waivers, he would have been a free agent also. That’s important because of the Red Sox DFA and he clears, he can be a free agent. That tells me that the Red Sox are likely to keep him on their roster throughout the offseason. However, if the Twins remove any of them from the 40-man roster, they can choose to become a minor-league free agent. International players signed in 2015 can be minor-league free agents Wander Javier signed with the Twins on July 2, 2015, as a 16-year-old from the Dominican Republic. Jair Camargo signed with the Dodgers on July 10, 2015, out of Colombia. Their pro careers began in the Dominican Summer League in 2016. Of note, Jhon Romero cleared waivers on Tuesday, but at the end of the World Series, he will become a free agent. Veterans Players signed as minor-league free agents will again become minor-league free agents. Occasionally there are two-year minor-league contracts. One example of that is veteran Brock Stewart. The Twins signed the former top prospect late this summer. He finished his rehab and pitched in some games late in the season. He should come into 2023 fully healthy and ready to compete for a return to the big leagues in a bullpen role with the Twins. Three Hitters to Keep It is probably worth noting that as a minor-league free agent, players can actually make some decent money. Obviously, that is based on their level of play, age, and competition for the player’s services. Often, minor-league contracts will come with an invitation to big-league spring training. #1 - Catcher Jair Camargo Camargo came to the Twins in 2020 with Kenta Maeda in the deal that sent Brusdar Graterol to the Dodgers. He split the 2020 season between Cedar Rapids and Wichita. In 77 games, he hit .262/.310/.483 (.793) with 11 doubles and 18 home runs. While he still didn’t walk much, his approach at the plate was much improved. And he became a reliable middle-of-the-order hitter for his teams. Defensively, he has work to do behind the plate, but he does continue to improve. He is athletic and has a strong arm. In 2022, he threw out 38% of would-be base stealers at both Cedar Rapids and Wichita. Camargo may not be one of the Twins more well-known prospects, but he is a name to know. He just turned 23 on July 1st. I don’t know what kind of offers he could get as a minor-league free agent, but I would prioritize bringing him back. Ideally, the Twins would offer him a fantastic minor-league deal and get him to sign it after the Rule 5 draft so they don’t have to worry about him being selected. If not, they may need to consider adding him to the 40-man roster, and if that’s the case, they might as well do it before the World Series ends to avoid the risk of losing him. #2 - Infielder Wander Javier In 2015, Javier was one of the top 16-year-olds available in the international market. The Twins signed him to a $4 million bonus. This summer, Twins Director of Player Personnel Mike Radcliff acknowledged on Bally Sports that the Twins also had an agreement with Juan Soto before he backed out and signed with the Nationals for $1.5 million. While he put up some strong numbers in the rookie leagues, he also missed a lot of time due to injury. He played just nine games in 2016 in the DSL. He missed all of 2018 with a shoulder injury that cost him time early in 2019. Then, he didn’t play in 2020. In 2021, he stayed in Cedar Rapids, though the league had changed from Low-A to High-A. He hit .225 with a .280 on-base percentage, but he also had 15 doubles, 10 triples, and 12 home runs in 96 games. He returned to the Kernels this year, and in 109 games, he hit .209 with a .273 on-base percentage. He hit 14 doubles, five triples, and 12 home runs. He ended the season with seven games for the Saints and had two hits in 20 at-bats including a home run. So why would I want the Twins to bring back Javier? Well, he will turn 24 near the end of December. He is a very good athlete, and while he just has not hit at High-A, he has the speed and strength to develop at some point. Maybe. Defensively, he is a better-than-average defensive shortstop with good range and a strong arm. The Twins have had him play almost exclusively at shortstop throughout his time in the organization. However, after 2022 top pick Brooks Lee joined the Kernels, Javier played mostly third base and a couple of games at second base. I wouldn’t mind it if the Twins brought him back and used him as a utility infielder. He has had the pressure of his signing bonus all these years, and maybe being able to remove some of that might help. Of course, potentially the best way for him to do that would be to get a new start elsewhere. #3 - Outfielder Leobaldo Cabrera Leobaldo Cabrera, a 24-year-old outfielder from Venezuela has had an interesting career. He originally signed with the Yankees back in July 2015 for $250,000. A year later, they signed his brother Oswaldo Cabrera. Leobaldo was released by the Yankees in 2018. Oswaldo made his MLB debut in August. The Twins allowed Leobaldo to spend a weekend with his family to be at his brother’s debut. In 2019, Cabrera began to play in the independent Empire League. The Twins liked his power potential and his big outfield arm and in April of 2021, they signed him as a depth piece in the minor leagues. He began in Ft. Myers where he rarely played where he played five games. Then he moved up to Cedar Rapids and only played 14 games. But then he went to Double-A Wichita and hit .235/.335/.482 (.817) with seven doubles and 11 homers in 52 games. He re-signed with the Twins and spent the whole season in Wichita. In 83 games, he hit .223/.309/.356 (.665). When you consider he started the season by going 0-for-32 in April, it’s not quite so far. He is still just 24. He has some right-handed power, and like his brother, he has a rocket for an arm. He’s also just a pretty good defensive outfielder. Other Soon-To-Bee Minor-League Free Agents C/1B Roy Morales IF Nash Knight IF Elliot Soto OF John Andreoli OF Braden Bishop OF Cole Sturgeon C Chance Sisco OF Zach Huffins Would you be interested in seeing the Twins bring any of these hitters back? I’ll be back soon with the potential minor-league free agents. View full article

AL Wild Card: Guardian over Rays, Blue Jays over Mariners NL Wild Card: Cardinals over Phillies, Mets over Padres ALDS: Yankees over Guardians, Astros over Blue Jays NLDS: Dodgers over Mets, Braves over Cardinals ALCS: Astros over Yankees NLCS: Dodgers over Braves World Series: Astros over Dodgers

I came away immensely impressed by him, and in interactions with him since then. As for Sunday's start, how he does really doesn't matter at all. That he's getting the opportunity to get his feet wet is what matters.

Why the vitriol? He isn't doing or saying anything that wasn't expected. He was always going to opt-out. That was clear from Day 1. I thought he phrased it very well. It's actually a really good analogy, very true. Also, why would he get any less than Seager got? He's still young for a free agent, so he should get 10 years (like Seager), but certainly would get at least 8 years. And he'll get $30-35 million per year. At the lowest, he's looking at 8 years and $240 million, and at the highest, it could be 10 years and $325 million. All of that is more than 1 year, $35.1 million. Pretty sure none of us would do any different.

It was a running full speed toward a wall, taking a look at said wall (looking away from the ball) and then just an error. Not a lack of hear or 'brain.' I mean, we could look at every error, or poor running play and say it's lack of heart. I think @Doc Munson said it right when he said "perceived" lack of heart. To those watching on TV or in the stands who don't get the game, it can look like lack of caring. Especially when the guys handle it well and don't outwardly show their disappointment or anger in self.

Lewis would have been hugging Hamilton too. Very high character... Also, Mark Contreras... high character also, and apparently a pretty solid hugger.

We are down to the final week of minor league baseball in the Twins organization. On Sunday night, the Wichita Wind Surge played game one of the Texas League Championship Series in Frisco, Texas. The Saints will conclude their season with a three-game series starting on Monday. Image courtesy of Ed Bailey, Wichita Wind Surge The Wind Surge are in the championship series. We'll alter the "normal" template and order of the minor league report today and start with them.. On Sunday night, the Wind Surge were in Frisco for Game 1 of the Texas League Championship Series. Unfortunately, it did not go well for Wichita. However, they will make the drive back to Wichita where they will host Frisco for Game 2 on Tuesday and, hopefully, Game 3 on Wednesday. Turnabout is fair play, I guess. In the semi-final series, the Wind Surge beat Tulsa by a combined, two-game score of 28-2. On Sunday, the Wind Surge were on the other side of a blowout game. Lefty Kody Funderburk got the Game 1 start for the Wind Surge. In the regular season, he had gone 10-5 with a 2.94 ERA. He had made 17 starts and 15 relief appearances. On this day, it didn't translate. He gave up one run in the first inning and then four runs in the second inning. In his 1 1/3 innings, he gave up five runs on four hits and four walks. Osiris German came on and allowed one inherited runner to score but that was it. He struck out two batters in 1 2/3 innings. In the top of the fourth inning, Yunior Severino put the Wind Surge on the board with a solo home run. Blayne Enlow worked the fourth and fifth innings. After a scoreless inning, he gave up a solo homer to Scott Kapers. Wichita was down 6-1 heading into the sixth inning. Jordan Gore came in to pitch the sixth inning. He recorded one out. Unfortunately, he walked two batters and then gave up an RBI single. He then walked the bases loaded before being replaced by Francis Peguero. His first batter faced was Scott Kapers who hit a grand slam to put the game out of reach. (Should I mention that Kapers batted ninth? He went 2-for-5 with five RBI in the game?) Denny Bentley and Aaron Rozek each pitched a scoreless inning. Jair Camargo scored Will Holland with a single in the top of the eighth inning. Severino added a sacrifice fly that scored Austin Martin and give us the final score of 11-3. Severino went 1-for-2 with a walk, his home run and two RBI. Jair Camargo and Brooks Lee each went 2-for-4 in the game. The Rangers have a solid minor-league system, and the Frisco RoughRiders roster includes several of the organization's top prospects. Consider the pitching staff includes the likes of Jack Leiter, Antoine Kelly, Owen White, and Avery Weems. They never did activate their 2022 top pick Kumar Rocker who will participate in the Arizona Fall League. Several of the top prospects were moved to Double-A over the past several weeks. The top six hitters in their lineup on Sunday night are Top 30 prospects. Jonathan Ornelas is the Rangers #22 prospect according to MLB Pipeline (Not top 30 at Baseball American). He was the RoughRiders leadoff man in this game and went 4-for-5 in the game. Outfielder Evan Carter (#1 at MLB Pipeline #3 at Baseball America) batted second and went 0-for-1 but walked four times. Justin Foscue (#5 at MLB Pipeline, #9 at BA) was the Rangers first-round pick in 2020. He went 2-for-5 with three RBI in the game. Batting fourth was OF Aaron Zavala (#11 MLB Pipeline, #12 at BA) who walked twice. Thomas Saggese (#20 MLB Pipeline) had a double and a walk. Luisangel Acuna (#7 MLB Pipeline, #6 Baseball America) walked once. Game 1: Frisco 11, Wichita 3 Box Score SAINTS SENTINEL The Saints had a scheduled off day on Sunday as they returned home from Indianapolis. On Monday, the team will start its final series of the 2022 season. They have three home games against the Omaha Storm Chasers at CHS Field. Tickets for all three games are available at the Saints website. TRANSACTIONS Utility man Elliot Soto was activated from the Injured List. Also, RHP Aaron Sanchez cleared waivers and was outrighted to the Saints. It will be interesting to see if he reports or elects free agency this late in the season. PITCHING PROBABLES Monday Omaha @ St. Paul (7:07 pm) - RHP Jackson Kowar (4-10, 6.16 ERA) vs RHP Simeon Woods Richardson (1-0, 2.64) Tuesday Game 2: Frisco @ Wichita (7:05 pm) - TBD vs LHP Brent Headrick (8-2, 2.34) Omaha @ St. Paul (7:07 pm) - LHP Angel Zerpa (0-0, 1.59 ERA) vs RHP Jordan Balazovic (0-7, 7.81 ERA) Wednesday Game 3 (if necessary): Frisco @ Wichita (7:05 pm) - TBD vs TBD Omaha @ St. Paul (7:07) - RHP Alec Marsh (1-0, 1.80 ERA) vs TBD IN CASE YOU MISSED IT Last week, Twins Daily handed out our 2022 Minor League Awards. If you missed any of them, see below. Short-Season Hitter of the Year: Jose Rodriguez Short-Season Pitcher of the Year: Miguel Olivares Minor League Hitter of the Year: Matt Wallner Minor League Starting Pitcher of the Year: Louie Varland Minor League Relief Pitcher of the Year: Evan Sisk View full article

While it wasn't a long career, and the overall numbers don't look great, Hildenberger was very good his first couple of seasons, and until Molitor decided to use him almost literally every day, he was very effective. My bigger point is more that guys like this aren't considered maybe the "priority" prospects, but if they keep playing well in their opportunities, they can stick around and every once in a while they get to the big leagues, which is a remarkable outcome.

I would assume they'll try to bring back Jermaine Palacios even if he is removed from the 40-man roster after the season. Austin Martin will move up to St. Paul. I would assume the Royce Lewis will spend a little time there, whether it's rehabbing or some extended time. Helman will be there. Brooks Lee will likely spend part of the season there. Edouard Julien will be there.