Cody Christie

The Minnesota Twins are dealing with another hit to their outfield depth, and this one removes a player who looked ready to contribute sooner rather than later. Alan Roden, acquired from Toronto in last summer’s Louis Varland deal, is expected to miss at least a month after suffering an injury to his right shoulder. Roden opened the season at Triple-A St. Paul after being optioned at the end of Spring Training, but he remained firmly on the radar as a likely call-up if the Twins needed help in the outfield. That opportunity will now be put on hold as the organization takes a cautious approach with his recovery. “He has a tear in his labrum,” general manager Jeremy Zoll said on Thursday. “It’s viewed as nonsurgical at this time. He’ll be down from all activity for about four weeks and then go from there. In theory, he could keep DHing, but to keep the recovery more predictable, everyone has agreed to just have him shut down for the next month.” The injury is specifically tied to Roden’s throwing shoulder, which is an important distinction. According to Zoll, it has not significantly impacted his ability to swing the bat, but the team is opting for a full shutdown rather than trying to manage the injury in a limited role. That decision prioritizes long-term health over any short-term production boost at the minor league level. Before going down, Roden was putting together an impressive stretch with St Paul. Through 19 games, he posted a .275/.425/.464 slash line while showing strong plate discipline with 17 walks compared to just 14 strikeouts. That combination of on-base ability and contact skills made him an intriguing depth piece, especially for a Twins roster that has dealt with its share of outfield uncertainty. It is also worth noting that, while the word 'tear' can sound alarming, it does not necessarily indicate a severe or complete structural issue. In many cases, what is labeled as a tear can be more minor in nature, and the Twins appear confident that rest and recovery will be enough to get Roden back on track without surgery. In the meantime, his absence creates a ripple effect. With Roden out of the picture for at least the next month, the Twins may have to look elsewhere if a need arises in the big league outfield. That could open the door for top prospects Walker Jenkins and Emmanuel Rodriguez, both of whom are already at Triple A and offer left-handed bats with center field capability. For Roden, this is another frustrating interruption. He saw regular action after joining the organization last season, before a thumb injury cut his year short. Now, just as he was building momentum again, he will be forced to reset once more. The Twins will hope that this is simply a temporary pause rather than a lingering issue. If Roden can return on schedule and pick up where he left off, he should still factor into the team’s plans at some point this season. Until then, Minnesota’s outfield depth will be tested, and opportunities may shift toward the next wave of talent waiting in St. Paul. View full rumor

Image courtesy of Rob Thompson, St. Paul Saints The Minnesota Twins have built a reputation for successfully transitioning young starters into high-impact relievers. Jhoan Duran, Griffin Jax, and Louis Varland all found another gear once they moved to the bullpen, turning raw stuff into late-inning weapons. That path has long felt like the most logical outcome for Marco Raya. So far, it has not been nearly as smooth. Raya’s move to relief did not come as a surprise. Having never thrown more than 97 2/3 innings in a season and dealing with workload limitations throughout his development, the writing had been on the wall. “I had an idea,” Raya said this spring. “I was open to it. … When they advised me I was moving to the ‘pen, I said, ‘Let’s run with it.’” The shift made sense on paper. Raya has always missed bats, carrying a 9.6 K/9 rate through the minors, backed by a lively fastball and sharp, high-spin breaking stuff that consistently challenged hitters more experienced than him. The hope was simple. Shorter outings, more aggression, and fewer opportunities for his control to derail him. But the transition has exposed the same issues that slowed his climb as a starter. Control remains the biggest obstacle. Raya walked 4.1 batters per nine innings in the minors, and instead of improving in relief, that number ticked up. The expectation that his arsenal would play better in shorter bursts has only partially materialized. There were flashes late last season. After a rocky bullpen debut on July 25 and a few more starts, Raya officially moved into a full-time relief role on August 21. He posted a 4.90 ERA over his final 18 1/3 innings, a modest step forward from the 6.27 ERA he carried across his previous 80 1/3 innings. Even then, the progress felt more incremental than transformational. The adjustment to relief goes beyond just pitching fewer innings. It requires a different mindset, quicker preparation, and the ability to flush bad outings almost immediately. “You get one or two minutes and just come in and be ready when you step on that rubber,” Raya said. “I’ve been working on that and getting that intensity a little higher. … Just routines and body movements on the mound, all the detail work.” That learning curve has followed him into 2026. Through his first eight appearances with Triple-A St. Paul, Raya has allowed runs in half of them. One outing in particular underscored how volatile things can be. On April 12, he recorded just one out while giving up six earned runs. It is the kind of blowup that tests a reliever’s ability to reset, something Raya is still learning. The Twins have not shied away from using him in different roles. Three of his outings have extended beyond one inning, suggesting the organization still sees some flexibility in how he can be deployed. There are also encouraging signs beneath the surface. Raya is striking out hitters at a career-best 11.6 per nine innings. But the problems are just as loud. He is walking 5.8 batters per nine and allowing 12.5 hits per nine, a combination that leaves little margin for error, no matter the role. That inconsistency mirrors what happened during his first exposure to Triple-A last season. After rising steadily through the system and remaining a fixture in prospect rankings, Raya hit a wall. Walks piled up, outings dragged on, and for the first time in his professional career, he looked overwhelmed rather than overpowering. Context matters. Raya reached Triple-A at just 22 years old after an aggressive promotion schedule. Struggles at that level are not uncommon, especially for pitchers still refining command. But they do shift the timeline from projection to proof. The bullpen was supposed to simplify things. Instead, it has reinforced the same question that has followed Raya throughout his career: Can he throw enough strikes for his stuff to matter? There are still reasons for optimism. Raya has said he likes how his body responds to more frequent usage, and he has leaned on conversations with experienced relievers to better understand the role. The raw ingredients remain intact, and there were glimpses of that upside during spring action. But until the control stabilizes, the transition that once looked like a fast track to impact is starting to feel more like another developmental hurdle. For now, Raya is still searching for the version of himself that the bullpen was supposed to unlock. Can Raya be successful in the bullpen? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View full article

Image courtesy of © Brad Penner-Imagn Images Connor Prielipp’s long road to the majors finally led him to the mound, and his debut showed both why the Twins are excited and where there is still room to grow. The 25-year-old left-hander worked four innings, allowing two runs while striking out six and walking none. He generated 10 swinging strikes and leaned heavily on his best pitch, navigating a dangerous lineup that featured Juan Soto and Francisco Lindor. After giving up a run on two hits in the first inning, Prielipp quickly settled in and retired the next eight hitters he faced. The early nerves were real, but they did not linger. “I’ve been calm my whole life, so it’s really not been a big problem for me,” he said. “But yeah, that first inning, the noise, it’s loud, it’s hard.” For a pitcher with limited professional experience and an extensive injury history, it was an encouraging first step. Beneath the surface, his debut revealed three key truths about his current profile. The Slider Is Already a Weapon Prielipp’s slider looked every bit like a big-league out pitch. He threw it 51% of the time and used it to rack up five of his six strikeouts. Hitters consistently chased it out of the zone, including seven whiffs on the pitch. Overall, it helped him to a 43.4% chase rate and a 35.3% strikeout rate for the entire game. The pitch showed sharp break and late movement, diving below barrels even when opponents were anticipating it. That level of confidence in a secondary pitch is rare, especially in a debut. Prielipp didn't just show the slider. He relied on it, and it carried him through much of the outing. Because he leaned on the pitch so heavily, it was also the one that took the most damage. Mets hitters produced a 62.5% hard-hit rate against his slider, with all four hits coming off it. Still, the expected slugging percentage was 165 points lower than the actual result, suggesting some of that damage may have come down to poor luck rather than poor execution. New Pitches Begin to Take Shape Another notable development was the use of his newer offerings. Prielipp mixed in both a curveball and a sinker, pitches he still considers recent additions to his arsenal. The sinker was introduced last season, while the curveball came out of a January pitching camp. The Twins were intentional about building his innings base before expanding his repertoire, and now those additions are starting to show up in games. “We kind of wanted to get through the [2025] season before trying anything else,” said general manager Jeremy Zoll. “[The curveball is] showing really good promise. It’s showing good early results. That’s all, really encouraging.” Neither pitch was a focal point in this start, but their presence matters. They give Prielipp more ways to attack hitters and could become critical as he faces lineups multiple times. This will be critical for him to stick as a starting pitcher. Fastball Command Remains the Next Step While the slider stole the show, Prielipp’s fastball still needs refinement. He topped out at 97.3 mph, but his command was inconsistent. Several fastballs missed high and out of the zone, limiting his ability to establish it early in counts. Some of that might have been nerves from making his debut, so it is something to monitor. That said, the pitch does have some natural synergy with his slider. Elevated fastballs can change a hitter’s eye level before the breaking ball drops out of the zone. Still, to stick in a starting role, Prielipp will likely need to rely on it more and locate it more effectively. His fastball was the lone pitch with a positive run value from his debut, but it had a 1.456 xSLG in limited use. With his current pitch mix, improving fastball command could be the key to unlocking another level of consistency. A Debut That Means More Prielipp’s journey to this point has not been straightforward. A 2022 draft pick out of Alabama, he has already undergone two Tommy John surgeries and entered pro ball with limited innings. That made his debut as much about perseverance as performance. “Whenever someone goes through as much adversity as someone like Connor did,” said Zoll, “going through two rehabs without pitching in meaningful games in pro ball yet, you’re just always rooting for someone like that to get a chance.” Now healthy, Prielipp is beginning to show why the Twins remained patient. The organization’s 2025 Minor League Pitcher of the Year is still something of a blank canvas, but the early returns are promising. Four innings is only a snapshot, but it was enough to highlight a legitimate out pitch, a developing arsenal, and a fastball that could determine his ceiling. For a first impression, that's more than enough to build on. What stood out about Prielipp’s debut? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View full article

Right-hander David Festa is inching closer to getting back on a mound after dealing with a shoulder issue that surfaced during Spring Training. The next step in his progression is scheduled to come this week, as Festa is expected to face live hitters. If that goes well, a rehab assignment should not be far behind, putting him on a clearer path back to the Twins pitching staff. That timeline alone would be encouraging, but Festa’s situation carries another layer of intrigue. The Twins are in need of bullpen reinforcements, and his power arsenal could make him a natural fit in a relief role. General manager Jeremy Zoll acknowledged that the organization is actively evaluating how Festa might be used once he is healthy. “I know the role conversation remains a relevant question,” Zoll said. “We’re going to have more to come probably next week on that.” The uncertainty surrounding his role is tied, in part, to a string of health interruptions. Festa dealt with thoracic outlet syndrome symptoms during the 2025 season, and this spring brought a new issue. He was diagnosed with a shoulder impingement, an injury the Twins have indicated is unrelated to last year’s TOS concerns, but still enough to halt his throwing program for a couple of weeks. “I’ve kind of felt it on and off the last week or two,” Festa said in spring training. “Didn’t really say anything, because sometimes when you’re building up, you don’t always feel great. But once my bullpen wasn’t as good as it probably should’ve been, I just spoke up and got an image done. And everything lines up pretty well with what I’m feeling.” Following an MRI, Festa received an injection and was shut down for roughly two to three weeks. Now, with that downtime behind him, the focus shifts toward ramping back up and proving he can handle game intensity again. Originally a 13th-round pick in 2021, Festa moved quickly through the minor leagues and debuted in June 2024. His rookie season showed flashes of real promise. After a rocky introduction, he settled in with a 3.81 ERA and 69 strikeouts across his final 54.1 innings. His ability to miss bats with a three-pitch mix stood out immediately. Expectations rose heading into 2025, but the results never quite matched the underlying talent. Festa posted a 5.40 ERA over 53.1 innings, though inconsistency and lingering health concerns likely played a role. Even so, his 130 strikeouts against 42 walks in 117.2 career innings point to a pitcher with more upside than his surface-level numbers suggest, reinforced by a 4.27 FIP that paints a more optimistic picture. That upside is exactly why the Twins have a decision to make. As a starter, Festa has shown he can turn a lineup over and generate swings and misses. In shorter bursts, his velocity and raw stuff could tick up even further, potentially making him a high-leverage weapon out of the bullpen. That possibility becomes even more relevant when looking at the current state of Minnesota’s relief corps. The Twins have operated with the lowest average fastball velocity among MLB bullpens, a profile that can work when command and sequencing are sharp but leaves little margin for error. Adding a pitcher like Festa, who can bring power and miss bats, could give the group a different look and help balance the group. For now, the priority is simple. Festa needs to get through live batting practice, build up innings, and prove his shoulder can hold up. Once that box is checked, the Twins will have a much clearer picture not just of when he can return, but also of how he can make the biggest impact. View full rumor

Image courtesy of William Parmeter There's no easy way to spin the numbers, because they're as stark as they come. The Minnesota Twins currently have 36 players on their 40-man roster who were born in the United States or Puerto Rico. Even more telling, until they called up Kendry Rojas, their 26-man roster did not feature a single player born outside those areas. That's not just unusual. It's the most extreme concentration of American-born talent for any team in Major League Baseball, and it points directly to an organizational blind spot that has been years in the making. For a sport that has become increasingly global, Minnesota's lack of international presence stands out. Around the league, teams consistently rely on talent pipelines from the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, and beyond to fill out both their rosters and farm systems. The Twins, at least right now, are not doing that at the same level. When looking deeper into the roster construction, the issue becomes even clearer. The Twins do have a handful of foreign-born players on the 40-man roster, including Emmanuel Rodriguez, Gabriel Gonzalez, Rojas, and Hendry Mendez. But only Rodriguez was originally signed by the organization. The rest were acquired through trades, which undercuts the idea of a strong, homegrown international pipeline. That distinction matters. Gonzalez arrived in the Jorge Polanco deal. Rojas came over in a swap involving Louis Varland. Mendez was part of the return for Harrison Bader. The Twins are finding international talent, but they're not developing enough of it themselves. Beyond Rodriguez, the cupboard is not exactly overflowing with elite international prospects close to the majors. Eduardo Tait is the next notable name, and is the only foreign-born player on Twins Daily’s top 20 prospects list who is not already on the 40-man roster. He joined the system in last summer’s deal involving Jhoan Duran, reinforcing the same pattern. There are, however, signs of life in the lower levels. Adrian Bohorquez turned heads with a dominant stretch run last season, posting a 2.47 ERA and holding opponents to a .185 average after July 1. His ability to miss bats stands out, backed by a strong strikeout profile that suggests legitimate upside if his development continues on this path. Similarly, Santiago Castellanos made an immediate impression in the Dominican Summer League. His 2.79 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, and eye-catching strikeout rate over a limited sample created early buzz—the kind the organization has not consistently generated from its international classes in recent years. Another intriguing addition is Enrique Jimenez, who was once a top-50 international prospect and came over from Detroit in the trade involving Chris Paddack. Jimenez responded with a .982 OPS in a brief stint after joining the organization, offering a glimpse of what a higher-ceiling international bat could look like in this system. Still, those names represent projection more than certainty. The Twins’ recent international signing classes, including players like Daiber De Los Santos, Eduardo Beltre, Victor Leal Jr., Santiago Leon, Haritzon Castillo, and Teilon Serrano, are filled with lottery tickets rather than near-term impact players. That's par for the course for international markets, but the Twins have lacked the volume of hits needed to balance that risk. Part of the explanation lies in organizational change. In 2024, longtime international scouting leader Fred Guerrero departed after nearly two decades with the club. Minnesota brought in Roman Barinas from the Los Angeles Dodgers and shifted oversight to assistant general manager Daniel Adler, while also adding Kevin Goldstein as a special assistant following his time with the Houston Astros. Those are meaningful changes, but they come with a built-in delay. International prospects are often signed at 16 years old, and development timelines can stretch six or more years before a player is ready to impact the major-league roster. Even Rodriguez, one of the system’s success stories, signed back in 2019 and is only now knocking on the door of the majors after navigating multiple injuries. That timeline explains the current roster imbalance. It's both understandable and (nonetheless) concerning. The Twins may very well be in the early stages of correcting their international approach, but the major-league roster is a snapshot of what came before. Right now, that snapshot reveals an organization that has not produced enough international talent internally to keep pace with the rest of the league. The hope is that the next wave changes that narrative. Prospects like Bohorquez, Castellanos, and Jimenez offer reasons for optimism, while the revamped scouting infrastructure could yield stronger classes moving forward. But until those players develop into legitimate major-league contributors, the Twins will continue to feel the effects of a system that has lagged behind in one of baseball’s most important talent pipelines. The current roster didn't blink into existence overnight. It reflects past strategy, past results, and a gap the organization is still working to close. The club's failures over the last two seasons can be partially traced to this shortcoming. Hopefully, this and future years will be defined by the way the team addresses it. Should fans be concerned with the lack of international players on the Twins’ roster? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View full article

Image courtesy of © Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sport Even hitting records tell the story of how the game has changed at the plate, but pitching records show that evolution more clearly. The modern pitcher is handled carefully, protected from overuse, and often asked to dominate in shorter bursts, rather than grind through entire games. That shift has left a collection of Minnesota Twins pitching records standing tall, with little reason to believe they will ever be seriously threatened. Santana at His Absolute Peak When Johan Santana was at his best, there may not have been a more dominant arm in baseball. His single-game team record of 17 strikeouts still feels attainable on the surface, but it requires a perfect blend of efficiency, dominance, and managerial trust that is rarely seen now. His 33 consecutive scoreless innings during the stretch from late August into September of 2004 might be even more impressive. Pitchers today are often limited by pitch counts before they can string together outings long enough to threaten a streak like that. It takes not only dominance, but durability and consistency over multiple starts. One might be more likely to leave before tiring and giving up a run, but that's easily offset by having to string together five or six straight starts with your 'A' stuff, rather than four or five. Santana did it in, basically, four starts, plus small pieces of the outings on either end. Then there are the 17 consecutive wins spanning the 2004 and 2005 seasons. With starters now often removed earlier in games and bullpens playing a larger role in decisions, stacking wins in that fashion has become increasingly unlikely. Even elite pitchers struggle to control that stat in the modern era. When Starters Carried Everything Looking back at the workloads of past generations almost feels like reading fiction. Bert Blyleven and Jim Kaat were asked to do things that simply are not part of today’s game plan. Blyleven’s 325 innings pitched in 1973 stands as a staggering total. In a time when 180 innings is often viewed as a benchmark of durability, adding another 145 frames feels nearly impossible. That same season included 25 complete games by Blyleven; the entire league had 29 in 2025. Kaat’s 42 starts in 1965 is another mark that reflects a completely different era. With five-man rotations now standard and teams occasionally using six, the opportunity to even approach that total no longer exists—unless, of course, another usage revolution is around the corner. A designated opener could "start" 50 times in a season, but that feels unlikely. Blyleven’s 2,035 career strikeouts with the Twins reflect both longevity and consistency. Players change teams more frequently now, and maintaining that level of production with a single organization is increasingly rare. A pitcher might pile up more punchouts in one year than Blyleven ever did, but avoiding the scalpel and sticking around long enough before free agency beckons feels like a tall order. The Records That Sneak Up on You Some of the most unbreakable records are not the flashiest ones. They're the totals that quietly pile up over time or exist because the game no longer creates the same opportunities. Eddie Guardado appeared in 648 games as a left-hander for the Twins. Relievers today are often used in more specialized roles, and careers are less likely to stay anchored with one franchise long enough to build that kind of total. Then there's Jim Merritt, throwing 13 innings in a single game on July 26, 1967. It's difficult to imagine any modern pitcher even being allowed to attempt such a feat. Between pitch counts, bullpen depth, and injury prevention, that record feels completely untouchable. That season, pitchers went at least 10 innings in a game 54 times. The post-World War II peak for that total came in 1976, when there were 85 10-inning appearances. Since the league expanded to 30 teams in 1998, however, there have only been eight total instances of this. The last was by Cliff Lee, in 2012. What stands out most about these pitching records is how clearly they highlight the evolution of baseball. Santana’s dominance represents the bridge between eras, while Blyleven and Kaat belong to a time when pitchers were expected to carry a workload that would be unthinkable today. The modern game values efficiency, health, and longevity in a different way. That's not criticism; it's just reality. But it does mean that many of these records are protected not just by greatness, but by philosophy. That combination is what makes them feel permanent. What other pitching records are unbreakable for the Twins? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View full article

There was a brief moment of concern surrounding Mick Abel this week, but the Minnesota Twins appear to have avoided a worst-case scenario. When Abel experienced soreness following a bullpen session, the organization opted for caution, and the MRI results delivered encouraging news. “We felt like if we aggressively treat it, get him on some anti-inflammatories and play it safe on the front end, it’ll be something that will be relatively quick and short,” general manager Jeremy Zoll said. “We didn’t want to try to chase it and then make it potentially worse later by trying to prolong this.” That measured approach reflects both the Twins' current pitching depth and the importance of Abel to the organization’s long-term plans. Originally selected 15th overall by the Philadelphia Phillies in 2020, Abel arrived in Minnesota with plenty of intrigue. He was part of last summer’s headline-grabbing deal that sent Jhoan Duran to Philadelphia, with catching prospect Eduardo Tait also coming back in return. At the time, the move signaled a shift toward reshaping the Twins' pitching pipeline. Now 24 years old, Abel’s development path has not been perfectly linear. Once a staple on top 100 prospect lists, his stock dipped entering 2025 before rebounding in a big way. He reached the majors with Philadelphia and pitched well enough to reestablish himself as a meaningful trade asset. Abel did not enter spring training with a guaranteed role, but he forced the Twins’ hand with a dominant showing in the Grapefruit League. Across 22 innings, he posted a 2.05 ERA with a 32.9% strikeout rate and just a 4.9% walk rate, looking every bit like a pitcher ready to contribute at the major league level. The regular season has brought some ups and downs, which is to be expected for a young arm finding his footing. After being hit hard in his first two outings, Abel responded with authority. He delivered 13 consecutive shutout innings across starts against Detroit and Boston, compiling a 16-to-3 strikeout-to-walk ratio in the process. Through 20 1/3 innings, Abel owns a 3.98 ERA with a 24.7% strikeout rate and a 10% walk rate. Underlying metrics paint an even more encouraging picture. His 2.79 FIP suggests better days ahead, while a 3.93 SIERA reinforces the idea that he has been a steady contributor. For the Twins, the decision to pause rather than push reflects both confidence and caution. Elbow inflammation is not something to ignore, especially for a pitcher with Abel’s workload trajectory, but it is far from a devastating diagnosis. The focus now shifts to recovery and timing. If the inflammation responds well to treatment, Abel could return without missing significant time and continue building on what has been a promising start. In a season where pitching depth is already being tested, keeping Abel healthy matters. The early signs suggest the Twins have navigated this situation correctly, giving themselves a chance to have one of their most intriguing young arms back on the mound sooner rather than later. View full rumor

The Minnesota Twins are adding another experienced arm to the organization, agreeing to a minor league deal with veteran right-hander Luis García. The 39-year-old reliever is expected to report to Triple-A St. Paul, giving the Twins a no-risk opportunity to evaluate whether he still has something left in the tank. García opened the season with the New York Mets after signing a one-year deal worth $1.75 million over the winter. That partnership didn’t last long. After just six appearances, the Mets decided to move on, cutting ties following a brief stretch where García struggled to find consistency. In 6 1/3 innings, he allowed five earned runs on 11 hits while walking two and striking out four. It’s an ugly line on the surface, but it also represents a very small sample size. For a pitcher with García’s track record, six outings are hardly enough to draw a definitive conclusion. Still, the Mets saw enough to pivot quickly, eating the remainder of his salary rather than attempting to stash him in the minors. That decision opens the door for Minnesota. Even at 39, García isn’t far removed from being a useful bullpen piece. Just last season, he logged over 50 innings across multiple teams while posting a 3.42 ERA. He leaned on a heavy sinker that generated ground balls at an impressive clip, helping him work around less-than-elite strikeout and walk numbers. It wasn’t dominant, but it was effective, and that’s exactly the type of profile the Twins have targeted in the past when building bullpen depth. The concern now is whether that version of García still exists. Early returns this season showed a noticeable dip in velocity. His sinker, which sat in the upper 90s a year ago, has backed off by a couple of miles per hour. His secondary pitches have followed a similar trend. For a pitcher who relies on movement and weak contact, even a slight drop in stuff can make a meaningful difference. That’s where this signing becomes interesting. Minnesota doesn’t need García to be a high-leverage weapon. They don’t even need him in the majors right away. What they do need is depth, especially with the unpredictable nature of modern bullpens. By bringing him in on a minor league deal, the Twins can give him time to work in St. Paul, evaluate his stuff in a lower-stakes environment, and determine if any adjustments can help him regain effectiveness. There’s also a financial advantage built into the move. Because the Mets released him, they remain responsible for the bulk of his salary. If García works his way onto Minnesota’s roster, the Twins would only owe him the prorated league minimum. For a team always mindful of payroll flexibility, that’s about as low-risk as it gets. If it clicks, the Twins could uncover a steady veteran capable of soaking up innings and generating ground balls in the middle innings. If it doesn’t, they can move on without consequence. Moves like this rarely grab headlines, but they often matter over the course of a long season. Bullpen attrition is inevitable, and organizations that can cycle through experienced options tend to weather that storm better than most. For now, García is simply the latest name added to that mix. Whether he becomes anything more will depend on what he shows in St. Paul and whether the Twins can help him turn back the clock, even just a little. View full rumor

There are nights when the conversation after a game centers on a big swing or a dominant pitching performance. Then there are nights like this one, where the spotlight shifts squarely behind the plate. On Sunday, home plate umpire Hunter Wendelstedt had a difficult outing in the matchup between the Cincinnati Reds and Minnesota Twins, missing 22 ball and strike calls over the course of the game. Notably, sixteen of those calls went against Cincinnati, including four blown strikeouts, ultimately creating a +2.78 run value in favor of Minnesota. Despite that imbalance, the Reds walked away with a 7-4 win in 10 innings, overcoming both the Twins and a strike zone that never quite settled in. Missed calls occur in every game, but this game's total and several key mistakes significantly affected the outcome and further highlight debates on umpire reliability. It was also the seventh game this season in which an umpire has missed 20 or more ball-and-strike calls, continuing a trend that has kept the automated ball-strike system in the conversation around the league. The Calls That Mattered Most While the total number is eye-opening, a few specific moments carried the most weight in terms of run expectancy. In the top of the fourth inning, with one out and a runner on first, Bailey Ober appeared to lose a full count battle against Spencer Steer. A pitch ruled a strike should have been ball four, ending the at-bat and putting another runner aboard. Instead, the Reds lost that opportunity. An inning later, Ober benefited again. Facing Matt McLain with two outs and a runner on second in a 1-2 count, a pitch off the plate was called strike three to end the inning. That erased a chance for Cincinnati to extend the frame and potentially push across a run. Minnesota was not entirely immune. In the bottom of the seventh, Connor Phillips appeared to punch out Trevor Larnach on a full count with two outs and nobody on. Instead, the pitch was called a ball, resulting in a walk that prolonged the inning. Still, the overall trend was clear. The majority of impactful misses leaned in Minnesota’s direction. To Cincinnati’s credit, the game did not spiral. Even with the inconsistencies, the Reds continued to grind through at-bats and leaned on timely hitting to keep things close. They also successfully used a challenge in extras, a fitting end on a night where the strike zone had been under scrutiny from the first inning on. For Minnesota, this is a frustrating kind of loss. The numbers suggest they were on the favorable side of the missed calls, yet they still could not convert that advantage into a win. Games like this highlight a larger issue. Even when external factors tilt in a team’s favor, execution still determines the outcome. The Twins had opportunities, some aided by the strike zone, but could not deliver the knockout blow. Umpiring will always be part of the game’s human element, but nights like this add fuel to the ongoing debate about consistency and potential technological solutions. When 22 calls are missed, and the imbalance is this pronounced, it becomes impossible to ignore. View full rumor

Image courtesy of Rob Thompson, St. Paul Saints Kendry Rojas was originally singed by the Toronto Blue Jays in October 2020 for $215,000. At the time, he was viewed as a projectable arm with a lean frame, intriguing athleticism, and the foundation of a three-pitch mix that could grow into something more. His career since then has been a steady climb marked by flashes of upside, interrupted development, and one very rocky introduction to his new organization. Rojas made his debut in the Florida Complex League in 2021, getting his first taste of professional competition in the United States. In 23 2/3 innings, he posted a 2.28 ERA with a 0.80 WHIP and 14.8 K/9. The results were less important than the foundation. He showed a loose arm, the ability to spin a breaking ball, and enough feel for a changeup to project as a starter long term. It was a developmental year in every sense, focused on acclimation and building a baseline. The Blue Jays assigned Rojas to Single-A Dunedin in 2022, where he began to face more advanced hitters. He combined for a 3.98 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP in 40 2/3 innings. He held his own, flashing bat missing ability (10.2 K/9) while continuing to refine his command. His fastball velocity began to tick up, and his slider started to emerge as his most consistent weapon. There were still bouts of wildness (4.2 BB/9), but the overall trajectory pointed up. Rojas returned to Dunedin for much of the 2023 season, continuing to build innings and experience. He pitched a career-high 84 innings, while still being over two years younger than the average age of the competition in the FSL. The numbers did not jump off the page (3.75 ERA, 8.8 K/9) , but evaluators remained encouraged by the underlying traits. The strike throwing still came and went, but the ingredients of a legitimate prospect were becoming clearer. Just as it looked like Rojas might take another step forward in 2024, injuries got in the way. A shoulder issue limited him to under 65 innings, disrupting his development, costing him valuable innings. In limited action, he posted a 2.59 ERA with a 1.12 WHIP and increased his strikeout rate to 9.9 K/9. For a pitcher who already had a relatively light workload, the missed time was significant. It created more pressure on him to make up for lost reps upon his eventual return. Rojas returned to the mound in 2025 but missed the first two months with an abdominal strain. Once healthy, he worked his way back and pitched well enough to earn a promotion to Triple-A Buffalo. Some around the league viewed the jump as aggressive, potentially a move by Toronto to boost his profile ahead of the trade deadline. Shortly after that promotion, Rojas was dealt to the Minnesota Twins alongside Alan Roden in exchange for Louis Varland and Ty France. The Twins were intrigued by the upside and quickly plugged him into the Triple-A St. Paul rotation. The results were rough. Rojas posted a 6.59 ERA over 27 1/3 innings, striking out 28 but walking 23. His inability to consistently find the strike zone put him behind hitters and forced him into unfavorable counts. He also pointed to difficulties adjusting to the Triple-A baseball, noting changes in feel that impacted his grip and pitch characteristics. It was a frustrating stretch, but not one that erased his long-term outlook. Now entering his age-23 season, Rojas is getting a chance to reset. For the first time since the trade, he has the benefit of a full offseason to settle in with his new organization. He missed time to start the year with a minor hamstring injury, and the Twins have been slowly building him back up. He’s only pitched 7 1/3 innings in 2026. Updated Scouting Report Rojas remains a high upside arm built around a lively fastball and two legitimate secondary pitches. His fastball has taken a step forward, now sitting in the 95-96 mile-per-hour range and touching 98. The added velocity gives him a larger margin for error, though there are still questions about the pitch’s shape. At times, it plays flatter than ideal, which can limit its effectiveness at the top of the zone. His slider is still his best pitch. Thrown in the upper 80s, it generates a high rate of swings and misses against both right- and left-handed hitters. It has the potential to be a true out pitch at the next level. The changeup has also taken a step forward, coming in at a similar velocity band with late movement that allows it to play well off the fastball. It gives him a weapon to neutralize right-handed hitters and adds to his overall versatility. The biggest question remains command. His walk rates have been elevated throughout his career, and his struggles in Triple-A highlighted how quickly things can unravel when he falls behind in counts. There have been signs of improvement in small samples this spring, but sustaining that progress will be key. Because of his frame and command profile, there is some reliever risk. However, the combination of three quality pitches and improving velocity gives him a legitimate chance to stick in a starting role if everything comes together. What Comes Next with the Twins The Twins sent Rojas back to Triple-A St. Paul to open the 2026 season, where he continued to develop as a starter. The focus will be on refining his fastball shape, maintaining his velocity gains, and throwing more consistent strikes. However, there was a need for a lefty in the bullpen with Kody Funderburk stepping away from the team on paternity leave. There are multiple paths here. In a best-case scenario, Rojas develops into a mid-rotation starter capable of missing bats and providing value over multiple innings. If the command does not reach that level, his arsenal could still make him a valuable late-inning bullpen option where his stuff might play up. For now, the Twins will be patient. Rojas’ introduction to the organization may have been rocky, but his story is far from written. At 23 years old with a power arm and improving secondaries, he remains one of the more intriguing pitching prospects in the system, even if he still has plenty to prove. What stands out about his minor league journey? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View full article

Image courtesy of Rob Thompson, St. Paul Saints The Minnesota Twins have done plenty to feel good about early in the season, but this past weekend was a reminder that good vibes do not always equal sustainable offense. Against the Cincinnati Reds, Minnesota found itself grinding through multiple tight games, struggling to deliver the one big swing that changes everything. That swing exists in St. Paul. And it is attached to Emmanuel Rodriguez. At some point, a team that has overperformed needs to decide whether it is content staying afloat or ready to push forward. The Twins are at that crossroads already. If they want to keep this early momentum from fading into mediocrity, the answer is obvious. Call up Rodriguez. The Spark This Lineup Lacks There is a difference between scoring runs and threatening to score runs. Right now, Minnesota is doing just enough of the former while lacking too much of the latter. Rodriguez changes that instantly. Few prospects in baseball can impact a game with one swing the way he can. His elite bat speed and natural strength have produced some of the loudest contact in the organization, including a 116.6 mph home run over the weekend that traveled 439 feet and left little doubt off the bat. That kind of power is not just impressive. It is disruptive. Pitchers have to approach him differently. Mistakes do not get fouled off or rolled over. They get punished. And that is exactly what this lineup is missing. Nothing Left to Prove in Triple-A At a certain point, development stops being about refinement and starts being about opportunity. Rodriguez has reached that point. He has now spent parts of three seasons at Triple-A (74 games), producing across the board and flashing the same elite traits that have kept him on top prospect lists for years. Across his minor league career, he owns a .913 OPS with a massive .423 on base percentage, showing both patience and impact power. He owns the four hardest-hit balls in the organization this season, including a 451-foot grand slam that jumped off his bat at 113.6 mph. This isn’t a new trend for him as he’s been posting numbers like that throughout his career. In 2025, his 109.1 mph exit velocity placed him in the 99th percentile at Triple-A, while his top mark of 113.6 mph sat in the 95th percentile. This season, he is barreling the baseball more than ever as well, with a hard-hit rate up to 50%, and no one at Triple A has a harder hit. Even this season, the underlying indicators remain strong. He is walking, hitting the ball hard, and continuing to show that rare blend of power and on base ability that plays at any level. Keeping him in St. Paul is no longer about development, and it’s time for the Twins to make a move. The Injury Clock Is Real This is the uncomfortable part of the conversation, but it cannot be ignored. Rodriguez has dealt with injuries throughout his career, ranging from knee and thumb issues to hip and oblique problems. He has averaged well under a full season’s worth of games, with durability being the one thing that has consistently held him back. That reality should not scare the Twins away from promoting him. It should push them toward it. There are only so many bullets in the gun. If Rodriguez is going to impact this organization, it should happen in Minneapolis, not in St. Paul. Waiting for the perfect moment risks missing the moment entirely. Fit Matters Less Than Impact Yes, the Twins already have left handed hitters. Yes, the roster construction is not perfectly clean. That should not matter. Rodriguez is not a depth piece or a bench option. He is a potential difference maker. When a player has this kind of upside, you do not wait for a perfect opening. You create one. Move pieces around. Rotate the outfield. Let him DH when needed. The specifics can be figured out later. What cannot be manufactured is his skill set. The Twins have surprised people to start the year, but surprises fade quickly when the offense stalls. This weekend showed just how thin the margin can be when timely hitting disappears. Rodriguez represents more than just a prospect promotion. He represents urgency. He represents upside. He represents the willingness to turn a good start into something more meaningful. At some point, a team has to decide it wants more. For the Twins, that decision should come with one phone call to St. Paul. Is the time right to call up Rodriguez? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View full article

Image courtesy of William Parmeter The early weeks of the minor league season are often about shaking off rust and adjusting to new levels, but a trio of Twins arms is already in midseason form. From Triple-A St. Paul to Low-A Fort Myers, Minnesota’s pitching pipeline is flashing both upside and results. This week’s hot sheet highlights three standout performances that underscore just how deep this system has become on the mound. LHP Connor Prielipp (St. Paul Saints) How He Got Here: Prielipp enters the season as the Twins' top pitching prospect, and he has done everything possible to build off a tremendous 2025 campaign. Finally healthy after years of elbow issues and multiple surgeries dating back to his college days, Prielipp captured Twins Minor League Pitcher of the Year honors and climbed to Triple-A by season’s end. Minnesota handled him with care, limiting him to 82 2/3 innings, but that total still exceeded his combined workload from 2020 through 2024. Hitting the Hot Button: Prielipp wasted no time setting the tone in his start last week. He retired the first five hitters he faced before allowing a two-out single in the second inning. That minor blemish did little to slow him down as he quickly induced a ground ball to end the frame. The third inning was where everything clicked. Prielipp struck out the side on just 12 pitches, overpowering hitters with efficiency and command. His only real mistake came in the fourth inning when he surrendered a leadoff home run, briefly trimming the Saints' lead. Outside of that swing, he was dominant. Prielipp worked five innings, allowing just one run on four hits while walking one and striking out a career high eight. It looked every bit like a pitcher knocking on the door of the big leagues. LHP Kendry Rojas (St. Paul Saints) How He Got Here: Rojas arrived in the organization as part of the deal that sent Louis Varland to the Toronto Blue Jays. At the time, Twins officials viewed him as an underrated arm with the potential to crack top 100 prospect lists. That optimism took a hit after a rough introduction to Triple-A, where he allowed 25 runs in 27 1/3 innings. Injuries have also played a role, limiting him to just 280 innings across five professional seasons since signing out of Cuba. Hitting the Hot Button: Rojas followed Prielipp in the start mentioned above, as he continues to build back up after opening the year on the injured list. His fastball showed life immediately, punching out the first batter he faced. He scattered a couple of singles across the sixth and seventh innings but otherwise kept hitters off balance. The only moment of trouble came in the eighth when he allowed a single and a walk with two outs, but he responded by striking out the next hitter to escape the jam. Rojas finished with 3 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing three hits and one walk while striking out two. More importantly, he looked healthy and in control, which is exactly what the Twins need from him at this stage. RHP Riley Quick (Fort Myers Mighty Mussels) How He Got Here: Quick’s path to pro ball has been about patience and recovery. After returning from Tommy John surgery at the University of Alabama, he posted a 3.92 ERA with 70 strikeouts in 62 innings. The Twins selected him with the 36th overall pick in the 2025 draft and signed him for $2.69 million. Rather than rushing him, Minnesota opted to hold him back until 2026 to carefully manage his workload. Hitting the Hot Button: Quick is already rewarding that patience. In his second professional start, he tossed three hitless innings while striking out five hitters on just 48 pitches. Through his first two outings, Quick has yet to allow a hit across five innings while racking up ten strikeouts. The raw stuff that made him a first-round pick is showing up immediately, and the early results suggest he could move quickly if he continues to throw strikes and maintain his health. This week’s hot sheet is a reminder that Minnesota’s pitching pipeline is more than just potential. Prielipp looks like a near-ready big league contributor, Rojas is showing signs of reclaiming his trajectory, and Quick is flashing the upside that made him a high draft pick. If this is what the early season looks like, the Twins may soon face a different kind of challenge, figuring out how to fit all of this pitching talent into their long-term plans. What stood out about these prospects over the last week? What other prospects are you keeping an eye on? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View full article