Steve Lein

They won't go over their pool of dollars, at least not into the territory where any penalty happens. They are one of the teams that never has. Multiple selections toward the end of the bonus pool rounds were made to save money so they could fit in Wachsmann's number.

Generous and brief description given in the summary... 14 pitches, 7 strikes. Couple balls hit hard against him. 106 MPH single and the last out was a 400-ft flyout that Jenkins jumped to catch at the wall in dead center and lightly landed into it with his recovered shoulder. His reaction was one of "I didn't mean to do that," lol.

The FCL season ends this week, though I'm not sure what day. My guess is Vahn Lackey will either go to Cedar Rapids, or spend a week or two with Fort Myers before going to Cedar Rapids. Would not surprise me if none of the pitchers see in-game action this season. Other college position players will likely start with the Mighty Mussels if they see the field this year.

Image courtesy of Malamut Photography (photo of Eduardo Tait) TRANSACTIONS The Minnesota Twins swapped RHP Woo-Suk Go and RHP Jack Anderson with the St. Paul Saints. The Saints also activated RHP Julian Merryweather from the 7-day injured list and his rehab assignment. In Double-A the Wichita Wind surge activated IF Jake Rucker from the injured list. SAINTS SENTINEL Columbus 13, St. Paul 2 Box Score While the Minnesota Twins took it on the chin against the Cleveland Guardians in the majors, the same happened in Triple-A to the Saints on Tuesday. The Columbus Clippers are the Guardians Triple-A affiliate, and while the Twins scrounged together 2 runs in Cleveland, that Saints managed just one at home in St. Paul. With the recall of Jack Anderson to the majors who was scheduled to start for the Saints, Matt Bowman stepped in to serve as a bit of an opener. The Clippers jumped all over him. He served up a pair of homers and four earned runs in 1 2/3 innings to kick this one off. He allowed four total hits, walked one, and struck out one. Grant Hartwig got the next 1 1/3 innings and was charged with two earned runs on two hits and a walk. The Clippers scored two runs in each of the first three innings. In the bottom of the third Noah Cardenas got the Saints on the scoreboard with a solo shot to left field to continue his recent power surge. There wasn’t much else to talk about when it comes to the Saints offense. Tristan Gray hit his first double with the Saints, Aaron Sabato hit his 23rd. Walker Jenkins finished 1-for-4. The team went 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position and left only five men on base. There were a couple major league rehabbers, however. Cole Sands gave up a leadoff single but retired the next three hitters he faced for a scoreless fourth inning. Marco Raya followed by not being able to complete the fifth. He served up a three-run homer and walked three in 2/3 of an inning, but his two outs came on strikeouts. Taylor Rashi (1 1/3 IP, H, BB, K), C.J. Culpepper (1 IP, H, ER, 2 BB), Raul Brito ( 1 IP, 2 BB, K), and catcher David Banuelos (1 IP, 2 H, 3 ER, BB) each pitched an inning to finish this one off. Just for giggles, Orlando Arcia hit a solo home run in the bottom of the ninth to make the final score. WIND SURGE WISDOM Midland 1, Wichita 4 Box Score Marek Houston started this one off for the Wind Surge by being hit by a pitch in the bottom of the first. Khadim Diaw followed with a double, and Andrew Cossetti delivered a sacrifice fly for an early 1-0 lead. In the bottom of the second Kyle DeBarge and Caden Kendle hit back-to-back two-out singles, executed a double steal to put themselves both in scoring position, and were rewarded for their effort when Jay Thomason brought them both in with a single. That 3-0 lead would hold up through the first four innings, as starter Chris Vallimont was more than effectively wild for Wichita. He walked three in his four innings but allowed just one hit while striking out four. The RockHounds finally scored a run against reliever Hunter Gregory, who gave up a solo homer but struck out three in the fifth. Darren Bowen (2 IP, BB, 3 K), Paulshawn Pasqualotto (1 IP, H, 2 K), and Kyle Bischoff (1 IP, 2 BB, 3 K) continued the trend of mowing down Midland hitters to close out the game. Wind Surge pitchers combined to allow just four hits and six walks, while striking out 16. Wichita added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth on a sac fly from Brandon Winokur. Andrew Cossetti had led off with a walk and advanced to third on a Billy Amick double. Houston finished this one 1-for-2 with a double, run scored, and his 13th stolen base with the Wind Surge. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 13, Dayton 14 (10 innings) Box Score Leadoff man Yasser Mercedes wasted little time getting this one started, taking a 3-1 pitch in the opening at-bat out deep to left field to portent the Kernels early fortunes in this one. In the top of the second the first two Kernels hitters were retired before Dameury Pena launched a liner into center field that turned into a little league homer. It bounced high off the wall and scooted past the center fielder, resulting in a triple in the book but also an error that allowed him to scamper all the way home standing up. Henry Kusiak followed by drawing a walk in front of Graham Brown’s sixth home run of the season to make it 4-0. Yasser Mercedes then walked in front of Eduardo Tait’s 17th home run of the season for the early 6-0 lead. The Dragons were able to answer with three runs in the bottom half against Kernels starter Ivran Romero, who would go on to finish four innings. He was charged with five earned runs on six hits and two walks, striking out three. Danny De Andrade added a solo home run in the third to make it 7-3, but after five innings it was tied up at seven. Cole Peschl was the first bullpen arm summoned and he gave up two earned runs on three hits in his lone inning, striking out one. Yehizon Sanchez was charged with three earned runs on three hits in his lone inning which put the Dragons up 10-9. After Brown had driven in two with a single in the sixth, the Kernels got three more in the seventh to again take back the lead. Enrique Jimenez drew a walk. Jacob McCombs got a bunt single. De Andrade reached on an error that allowed Jimenez to score. Miguel Briceno capped it off with a two-run single and 12-10 lead. Then a thunderstorm rolled through in the middle of the seventh, leading to an hour-and-a-half long delay, and bad omen for the Kernels. When play resumed Nick Trabacchi took the mound for Cedar Rapids and delivered a one-two-three inning, striking out two Dragons. Back out for the eighth he gave up a pair of hits, but also picked up another pair of strikeouts. In the top of the ninth the Kernels added an insurance run thanks to some good bounces. Jacob McCombs was hit by a pitch with two outs. A passed ball moved him to second, then De Andrade delivered an RBI single to give them a three-run lead. That run would prove necessary, as Trabacchi was tasked with closing it out, and was unable. He walked the first two batters of the inning ending his outing at 2+ innings. Jesse Bergin came on and picked up a strikeout, but a catcher's interference call, two run single (with one of the most egregious defensive positioning blunders I think I’ve ever seen. Seriously, watch this highlight in the game summary link above. Enrique Jimenez’s reaction as a catcher on the hit says it all), and a sac fly sent this one to extra innings. Trabacchi was charged with two earned runs on two hits and two walks. Henry Kusiak delivered a single to move the Kernels ghost runner to third, but a double-steal attempt was sniffed out by the Dragons and turned into a double-play after the pitch was a strikeout to end the Kernels attempt. In the bottom half Bergin picked up a strikeout, but after a walk and a steal of third base, a sac fly walked it off for the Dragons just before midnight in Dayton, Ohio. MUSSEL MATTERS Fort Myers 2, St. Lucie 8 Box Score Right-hander Eric Hammond took the bump for the Mighty Mussels on the road against the Mets and worked a quick one-two-three bottom of the first. In the second he started off the inning by hitting a batter and walking the next one before a pair of outs put runners on the corners. The Mets executed a double-steal that included a throwing error to take an early 1-0 lead. In the bottom of the third it unraveled for Hammond, as two singles, two walks, and a double charged him with four more runs and ended his outing after 2 2/3 innings. He allowed three hits, walked three, and struck out four. Relievers Nick McAuliffe (1 1/3 IP, H, BB, K) and Dylan Questad (2 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, K) got the pitching staff through the sixth inning in a 7-0 hole before the Mighty Mussels offense was able to get on the scoreboard. In the top of the seventh Irvin Nunez and Ricardo Paez led off by trading places with doubles for their first run of the game. After a pair of walks to load the bases, a groundout from Jayson Bass scored their second run of the frame, but that was it in the game. Righty Mike McKenna finished off the final two innings for Fort Myers, allowing a lone run on a solo homer in two innings. As a team the lineup managed just five hits, finished 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position, and left nine men on base. Nunez finished 2-for-3 with a run scored, a walk, and a pair of doubles. Quentin Young added a double. Ramiro Dominguez batted first in the lineup and drew three of their five walks as a team. COMPLEX CHRONICLES FCL Orioles 9, FCL Twins 8 Box Score The Twins took a 7-1 lead into the top of the sixth inning, but the bullpen melted down and their ninth inning rally came up short. Starting pitcher Halton Hardy was fantastic over the first five innings. He allowed just one unearned run on three hits and a walk, while striking out four. As soon as the bullpen was called upon, the Orioles pounced. Cleiber Maldonado was charged with three earned runs on three hits and two walks in 2/3 of an inning. Matthew Becker got the final out of the sixth. Santiago Rojas had a scoreless seventh but gave up three runs (one earned) in the eighth. He finished 1 2/3 innings, striking out three. Matthew DesMarets ended up charged with the loss by allowing two earned runs on one hit and two walks to finish off the game. He struck out three. The Twins took a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first behind a two-run homer from Teilon Serrano and a two-run single with two outs and the bases loaded from Jose Barrios. Yilber Herrera chipped in an RBI single in the third and Barrios clubbed another two-run homer in the fifth that made it 7-1 before the bullpen collapsed. In the bottom of the ninth the Twins loaded the bases, but a wild pitch was the only play that resulted in them scoring a run before a fly out ended the game. Jhomnardo Reyes (2-for-5, R, K), Darwin Almanzar (2-for-3, 2 R, 2 BB, K), and Barrios (2-for-3, R, HR, 4 RBI, 2 BB) each had two hits in the loss. DOMINICAN DAILY DSL Tigers 10, DSL Twins 12 (7 innings) Box Score The Twins were down 7-3 in the sixth inning, but exploded for nine runs in the bottom half to take a lead, and held on in the seventh for the win. Agustin Campusano made the start and delivered two scoreless innings before running into trouble in the third. He finished 2 1/3 innings and ended up being charged with four earned runs on five hits and three walks. He struck out two. Juan Collado went the next 2 ⅔, allowing two runs (one earned) on one hit and two walks while striking out three. Herkyn Taveras (1 IP, 3 H, ER, K), Juan Quinones (2/3 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, BB, K), and Failin Placencio (1/3 IP, BB, K) finished off the final two innings and held onto the Twins lead with white knuckles. The Twins lineup scored their first two runs of the game in the bottom of the fourth on a single, a walk, and a pair of errors from the Tigers defense. Enmanuel Merlo added an RBI single in the fifth before the offense took advantage in the sixth. The first 10 hitters reached base (four singles, five walks, and a hit-by-pitch) against two different pitchers before an out was recorded. Jhon Gonzalez (2-for-4, R, RBI), Merlo (3-for-3, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB), and Anibel Beltre (3-for-4, 2 R, RBI) had multiple hits, though they had no extra-base-hits as a team in the game. Jefferson Abreu drove in three. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – Halton Hardy, FCL Twins (5 IP, 3 H, R (0 ER), BB, 4 K) Hitter of the Day – Graham Brown, Cedar Rapids Kernels (2-for-4, R, HR, 4 RBI, BB, 2 K) PROSPECT SUMMARY Check out the Prospect Tracker for much more on our Twins Top 20 prospects after seeing how they did today. #1 - OF Walker Jenkins (St. Paul): 1-for-4 #4 - C Eduardo Tait (Cedar Rapids): 1-for-4, R, HR (17), 2 RBI, BB, K #5 - SS Marek Houston (Wichita): 1-for-2, R, 2B, K, SB #7 - LHP Kendry Rojas (Minnesota): 2 1/3 IP, H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 K #8 - OF Hendry Mendez (St. Paul): 0-for-4, 2 K #12 - 3B/CF Brandon Winokur (Wichita): 0-for-2, RBI #13 - C/OF Khadim Diaw (Wichita): 1-for-3, 2B, BB #14 - 3B/SS Quentin Young (Fort Myers): 1-for-4, 2B, K #17 - RHP C.J. Culpepper (St. Paul): 1 IP, H, ER, 2 BB #18 - OF Yasser Mercedes (Cedar Rapids): 1-for-4, 2 R, HR (7), RBI, BB, 2 K #19 - 1B/3B Billy Amick (Wichita): 1-for-4, 2B, K #20 - 2B/OF Kyle DeBarge (Wichita): 1-for-4, R, SB WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Columbus @ St. Paul (1:07 PM CDT) - LHP Aaron Rozek (2-1, 3.34 ERA) Midland @ Wichita (7:05 PM CDT) - RHP Ty Langenberg (0-4, 5.03 ERA) Cedar Rapids @ Dayton (6:05 PM CDT) - LHP Cesar Lares (0-4, 15.98 ERA) Fort Myers @ St. Lucie (10:10 AM CDT) - RHP Callan Fang (3-1, 1.00 ERA) FCL Twins @ FCL Red Sox (11:00 AM CDT) - TBD Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Tuesday’s games! View full article

The issue has never been about permanently moving Prielipp to the bullpen. At 84+ innings this season, he is already setting a career high for innings pitched. It is literally uncharted territory for him. It's about preserving him for the future so that he can eventually be a 150+ inning starter. Doing so this year would be a malpractice. So instead of shutting him down for the rest of the year in late August or September, you move him into the pen so you can get those last 20 innings out of him while trying to make the playoffs instead of getting nothing from him.

Walker Jenkins His debut is likely incoming as soon as a spot opens. Pohlad is doing everything he can to earn back trust and excitement from fans. Jenkins will help provide some of that while they're in the playoff hunt. More hitter than slugger right now. Can handle CF, but would be plus in a corner.Vahn Lackey There is a legitimate argument for Lackey at #1, but it's hard for me to do so immediately when Jenkins is already at the top of the system. He will reside there soon enough. Kaelen Culpepper If not for his injury, Culpepper may already be on the Twins roster. He has proved he can play shortstop and has been one of the most exciting prospects in the system the last two years, but will he end up the long-term answer there?Emmanuel Rodriguez Longer-term injury stints continue to be the only thing holding Rodriguez back. Definition of a glass canon. May only be rivaled in the raw power category by newcomer Carson Tinney.Marek Houston Has hit the ground running in Double-A. Could push for late season appearance with the Saints. MLB ETA is now trending toward 2027. Would move Culpepper off of shortstop.Riley Quick Despite his mediocre ERA in Cedar Rapids, Quick is being pushed to double-A because of his stuff under the hood. In 41 1/3 innings at high-A, he punched out 61. An elite 13.3K/9IP rate. Eduardo Tait Tait is not hitting a lot this season (.216 average), but the contact has been loud (17 doubles and 15 homers) in Cedar Rapids. Lackey is likely to join him in the catchers corps with the Kernels.Kendry Rojas Showing he can help the major league squad. Trending more towards as a reliever, but is still only 23-years old so no need to close the door on starting yet.Dasan Hill It hasn't been the best for Hill in 2026, while he's pitched through some minor injury issues. Has struggled to command his arsenal, which includes a ton of movement but is also erratic.Hendry Mendez Continues to hit everything at every stop, but is still a work-in-progress on defense. Didn't really take to 1B as many hoped for. May need to add more power to his game for the hitting aptitude to be able to push him to the next level.Gabriel Gonzalez Down year thus far but had a solid month of July, OPS-ing .912. Has debuted in 2026 so is a reinforcement phone call away at any point.Charlee Soto Did finally return to the mound on 6/11, but has been his lone appearance since. Likely to be slow-played for the rest of the season if he did not have any setbacks. Results will need to catch up with the stuff in 2027.Carson Tinney This man hits bombs of the nuclear variety. Strikeouts are biggest risk to holding him back. Strong work-ethic and desire to improve provide optimism.Brandon Winokur Recently promoted to double-A, where he may sink or swim. Tools are loud, but inconsistent.Khadim Diaw Strong hitter profile and good athleticism that is pushing him more toward outfielder than catcher, as he struggles mightily controlling the running game of opponents. When catching, teams steal well over 3 bases per game and he has nabbed just 6 of 103 attempts against him on the year.Brett Renfrow Good size and starter's repertoire that plays up when he is in command of it. Consistency will be the key to reach his starting rotation ceiling.Ricardo Olivar Another player who just seems to hit wherever he goes. Is finally in triple-A after a power surge in Wichita, where he slugged .613 with 20 XBH's in 32 games, including 10 homers.Quentin Young Strikeout concerns are very present, but the power is tantalizing. Will continue to fall unless he can get the strikeout percentage into the 30% range instead of well over 40%.Jhomnardo Reyes 18-year old outfielder that is making a case for time with the Mighty Mussels after the FCL season concludes with his .965 OPS that leads the Twins and ranks top 5 in the league as a whole.Ethan Wachsmann Wake Forest commit who the Twins made room with their late bonus pool picks to be able to sign him away from it. Big and projectable.

Image courtesy of Thieres Rabelo TRANSACTIONS The Minnesota Twins sent RHP Garrett Acton and RHP Cole Sands on rehab assignments in the Florida Complex League. The St. Paul Saints also sent RHP Julian Merryweather on a rehab assignment in the FCL. MINOR LEAGUE LINKS! With the MLB All Star Break in session, all four of the Minnesota Twins full-season affiliates get the time off as well. The St. Paul Saints, Wichita Wind Surge (soon to be Turbo Tubs), Cedar Rapids Kernels, and Fort Myers Mighty Mussels all resume play on Friday with abbreviated weekend series. In the case of the Saints and Kernels however, fans will get bonus baseball on Saturday as they each have games being made up with doubleheaders. In lieu of their recaps, let’s get you caught up on everything that’s been going on in the Twins minor league system and draft with a Twins Daily-centric Link-O-Rama! (Gleeman never renewed the trademark, I called the USPTO to check). Walker Jenkins was “Mic’d Up” during the Futures Game broadcast and spoke about something I could get behind…: “Saw Ken Griffey in the dugout. I’m like, I may have to, may have to pick his brain a little bit.” …Even if that idea is more like Captain Obvious to this elder-millennial than Captain America… If you weren’t already lurking in the forums or following the excellent work of our resident draft guru Jamie Cameron, the MLB Draft was conducted over the weekend. The Twins took standout college catching performer Vahn Lackey #3 overall and followed that up with another powerful catching prospect in Carson Tinney, before kicking off a run of nine straight pitchers with Brett Renfrow out of Virginia Tech to finish the 10 bonus pool rounds. You can learn more about all of their 2026 selections as well as follow along with their signings here. In draftees out of their 2025 class, right-handed pitcher Riley Quick, my own “Dark-Horse” MLB Debut candidate from during spring training, has held up his end of the bargain. After dominating in three games with Fort Myers, he was bumped to Cedar Rapids, and now after 11 starts and 41 1/3 innings with the Kernels, he’s on his way to Wichita to surge through Double-A. Quick is also joining the only Twins selection who was picked by them earlier last season, in shortstop Marek Houston, who has already hit the ground running in the ICT along with fellow infielder Caden Kendle and pitcher Ruddy Gomez. While his start in Double-A wasn’t necessarily as “hot” as those above, Brandon Winokur has some of the loudest tools in the organization and is also now in Wichita. While the Major League roster flirts with .500 and a Wild Card spot coming out of the break, Sam Caulder sees multiple Culpepper’s and utility man Ben Ross as potential prospect options to help the Twins down the stretch. Back to Vahn Lackey, the crown jewel of the 2026 draft class. While he is going to firmly reside at #2 in my own rankings, Cody Christie walks us through the arguments for #3, #2…or even #1. The oddest thing for me about their 2026 draft class, is surely the fact the Twins assembled an entire roster stable of battery mates only in the top 10 rounds. Those early catchers specifically, should allow the Twins to focus developmental efforts on the rest of their backstops. Thanks for playing (and reading) along with all the excellent work over the busy weekend from our writers covering the draft and all other things Twins baseball. Now let's get to the rookie league action from Tuesday! COMPLEX CHRONICLES FCL Braves 3, FCL Twins 11 (7 innings) Box Score Fans of the Atlanta Braves farm system might argue their FCL squad got the short end of the stick in this one, as five pitchers from higher levels in the Twins system made “rehab” appearances at the Twins complex in Fort Myers. They included starter Ross Dunn (2 IP, K) and Cleiber Maldonado (1 IP, BB) from the Cedar Rapids Kernels, Cole Sands (1 IP, 2 K) and Garret Acton (2/3 IP, H, 3 ER, 3 BB, K) from the Minnesota Twins, and Julian Merryweather (1 IP, H, K) from St. Paul Saints. The Braves only runs came on a home run that Acton gave up in top of the fourth inning, and they had just one other hit in the contest. FCL regulars Geremy Villoria (1/3 IP) and Matthew DesMarets (1 IP, 2 K) recorded the four other outs. Another rehabber on the offensive side of the ball, infielder Jake Rucker, provided the biggest knock of the game for the Twins, with a 2-run homer in the third inning that made the score 6-0. He finished 1-for-3 with three RBIs and two walks. Overall, while 11 runs looks a lot like it was a hitting clinic from the home lineup, it was actually walks that haunted the Braves pitchers. As a team the Twins drew 12 free passes, and despite finishing just 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position, still put up crooked numbers in the second, third, and fourth innings. Victor Leal finished 2-for-4 with three runs scored and two doubles. Yovanny Duran went 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored, a walk, and his 30th stolen base of the season (in 31 attempts). DOMINICAN DAILY DSL Phillies 16, DSL Twins 0 (7 innings) Box Score On the opposite end of the spectrum from their Florida Complex League mates, the DSL Twins pitchers had trouble getting and of the Phillies out, and the lineup managed just four hits on the game. Luis Suarez had half of those, finishing 2-for-3 on the day turning over the lineup. Outfielders Abel Sosa and Jhon Gonzalez had the other two hits, with Gonzalez’s coming in the form of a double. Daiyer Barboza drew a pair of walks out of the leadoff spot and that was pretty much it on the hitting side. As a team they finished 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position and left 10 men on base. Right-hander Herkyn Taveras was the standout on the pitching side for the Twins, pitching three scoreless innings and allowing just two hits. Unfortunately, those three innings were the last of them, after this one was already well out-of-hand. Yosangel Braffit got the start and took the brunt of the damage, though I have to admit I don’t know why you would send him out for a second inning after he had already surrendered 10 runs in the first. He was unceremoniously charged with 12 runs (10 earned) on 10 hits and two walks in his 1 2/3 innings to start the game, striking out one. Failin Placencio finished off the second inning, and got one out in the third, allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits and a walk. Jesus Moreno went the next 1 2/3 innings, surrendering two earned runs of his own on three hits and a walk. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – Cole Sands and Matthew DesMarets, FCL Twins (each with 1 IP and 2 K) Hitter of the Day – Jake Rucker, FCL Twins (1-for-3, R, HR, 3 RBI 2 BB) TOP 20 PROSPECT WEEK IN REVIEW #1- Walker Jenkins (Saints)- .313/.389/.438, .826 OPS, 2 2B #4- Eduardo Tait (Kernels)- .150/.227/.200, .427 OPS, 1 2B #5- Marek Houston (Wind Surge)- .385/.448/.769, 1.218 OPS, 2 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR #6- Riley Quick (Kernels)- 4 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 4 BB, 5 K #7- Kendry Rojas (Twins)- 2 IP, 2 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 3 K #8- Hendry Mendez (Saints)- .222/.333/.333, .667 OPS, 2 2B #9- Dasan Hill (Kernels)- 2 2/3 IP, 0 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K #10- Gabriel Gonzalez (Saints)- .222/.222/.222, .444 OPS #12- Brandon Winokur (Kernels)- .217/.308/.435, .742 OPS, 1 3B, 1 HR #13- Khadim Diaw (Wind Surge)- .200/.261/.250, .511 OPS, 1 2B #14- Quentin Young (Mussels)- .071/.133/.071, .205 OPS #15- Ryan Gallagher (Saints)- 3 2/3 IP, 8 H, 6 ER, 2 BB, 5 K #17-C.J. Culpepper (Saints)- 2 2/3 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 3 K #18- Yasser Mercedes (Kernels)- .240/.296/.440, .736 OPS. 2 2B, 1 HR #19- Billy Amick (Wind Surge)- .353/.381/.353, .734 OPS #20- Kyle Debarge (Wind Surge)- .211/.318/.368, .687 OPS, 1 HR WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS DSL Twins @ DSL Rangers Blue (10:00 AM CDT) - TBD Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Tuesday’s games! View full article

Rosario has been...interesting...so far in triple-A. He has 6 hits (all singles) in 15 plate appearances...with 8 strikeouts. SSS caveat of course, but that's a .857 BABIP so far, haha! (one of the hits in this one was a swinging bunt, so he's got a rabbit's foot or something!)

Image courtesy of Ed Bailey, Wichita Wind Surge (photo of Marek Houston) TRANSACTIONS The Minnesota Twins selected the contract of the recently acquired RHP Woo-Suk Go as well as recalled OF Alan Roden from the St. Paul Saints. RHP Cole Sands was also sent on a rehab assignment with St. Paul. Also, in Triple-A RHP Paulshawn Pasqualotto was sent back to Wichita as LHP Aaron Rozek was activated from the temporarily inactive list. RHP Julian Merryweather was sent on a rehab assignment with Fort Myers. SAINTS SENTINEL St. Paul 7, Iowa 4 Box Score As the Saints have been known to do this season, they jumped on Cubs pitching early to build a big lead, then let John Klein and the pitching staff do the rest. In the top of the second walks to Aaron Sabato and Orlando Arcia along with a single from Kala’i Rosario loaded the bases with one out. Cody Morissette delivered a sac fly for the game's first run, before Ben Ross launched a two-run double off the tall wall in center field 3-0 lead. In the third the rehabbing Ryan Jeffers led off the inning by launching his second home run during his cameo with the Saints to make it 4-0. They added three more runs in the inning as Sabato (walk), Arcia (single), and Gabriel Gonzalez (RBI single) followed by reaching base. Rosario added an RBI single and later scored on a double steal that included a throwing error for a 7-0 lead. The bats went quiet from there, but there was no worry as starting pitcher John Klein was locked in. After a leadoff double to start the game, he retired the next eight hitters, and didn’t have much trouble until the fourth. A leadoff double and an error led to his only real blemish on the pitching line, an unearned run. In all he completed five innings to earn his second win of the season. He scattered four hits, walked one, and struck out four, throwing 49 of his 70 pitches for strikes (70%). Cole Sands came on for the sixth to start his rehab assignment, retiring the Cubs in order on 12 pitches. C.J. Culpepper (1 1/3 IP, ER, BB, 2 K), Grant Hartwig (1/3 IP, 2 H, BB), and Taylor Rashi (1 1/3 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, K) held off the Cubs the rest of the way. Walker Jenkins (2-for-5) and Rosario (2-for-4, 2 R, RBI, SB) had multiple hits. Matt Wallner added a double. Sabato (0-for-3, 2 R, 2 BB, K), Arcia (1-for-4, 2 R, BB), and Rosario all scored two runs. WIND SURGE WISDOM NW Arkansas 1, Wichita 12 Box Score The NW Arkansas Naturals came to Wichita and ran into a Wind Surge that would have blown down some of their trees back in The Natural State. Wichita jumped out to a 9-1 lead after three innings and led to a position player taking the mound late. The first gust came from Marek Houston on the first pitch of the game from the Naturals. He took an inside pitch out to the berm in left field for his first home run with the Wind Surge, and sixth of the season. He wasn’t done, either. In the bottom of the second, Garrett Spain led off with his 14th double and Kyle DeBarge followed with a single and subsequently stole second base. Caden Kendle delivered a sac fly for his first RBI in Double-A, and Quinn McDaniel later followed with a double to drive in their second run of the inning. That brought up Houston, whose RBI single made it 4-1 Wichita. The bottom of the third is where the straight-line winds peaked. Khadim Diaw and Billy Amick hit back-to-back singles to lead it off. Two strikeouts later, Kendle launched his first home run with Wichita, scoring all three of them. Singles from Caleb Roberts and McDaniel led into Houston, who lined one down the left field line, got a fortunate bounce off the wall, and stretched it all the way into a triple with hustle, making it 9-1. Preston Johnson got the start for Wichita and kept the Naturals floundering over his four innings. He allowed just one earned run on three hits, while striking out four and landing 44 of his 62 pitches for strikes (71%). Darren Bowen was the first reliever summoned and went the next two innings to be credited with the win. He allowed one hit, walked one, and struck out one to improve to 4-0 on the season. The trio of Nick Mikolajchak (1 IP, BB), Jacob Webb (1 IP, H, 2 K), and Kyle Bischoff (1 IP, K) all added a scoreless inning to run this one out. The Wind Surge added another three runs in the bottom of the sixth to turn this one into a mercy-rule affair. Brandon Winokur led off with a triple for his first hit in Double-A, and scored on a sac fly from Diaw. Amick (single), Spain (double), and DeBarge (2-run single) finished it off. Despite finishing a double shy of the cycle (3-for-5, R, 3B, HR, 4 RBI) Houston didn’t even lead the team in hits. That was Amick, who finished 5-for-5 with two runs scored. Spain (2-for-5, 2 R, 2 2B, 3 K), DeBarge (2-for-4, R, 2 RBI, BB, K, SB), Kendle (2-for-3, R, HR, 4 RBI, BB), and McDaniel (2-for-4, 2 R, 2B, RBI, BB, K) all had two hits apiece as well, with the Wind Surge tallying 18 total in the game. KERNELS NUGGETS South Bend 7, Cedar Rapids 5 (10 innings) Box Score The Kernels struck first in the bottom of the third inning after Henry Kusiak delivered a two-out double. Yasser Mercedes followed with an RBI single for a 1-0 lead. It stayed that way until the top of the fifth as starting pitcher Xavier Kolhosser kept the Cubs in check for the first three innings. He gave up just two hits and struck out one, throwing 44 pitches (29 for strikes). Nick Trabacchi came on to start the fourth and though he walked a pair of hitters, delivered a scoreless frame. In the fifth, that luck ran out as three singles and a double turned into a 3-1 Cubs lead. Trabacchi was charged with three earned runs on four hits and two walks in his 1 2/3 innings. Christian Becerra got the final out of the fifth and added a scoreless sixth, despite walking the bases loaded. In the bottom of the fifth, Cedar Rapids answered the South Bend rally with four runs of their own to take back the lead. Dameury Pena and Jose Salas got it started with a pair of walks. Rayne Doncon and Kusiak added RBI singles to tie it, then Jacob McCombs tacked on two more with a single of his own to make it 5-3 after five. In the top of the seventh Nolan Santos came on from the bullpen and the Cubs pounced. A single, double, and single before he recorded an out shrunk their lead to one, before a sac fly tied it up at five. To his credit he kept it that way into the ninth inning, finishing 2 2/3 innings in his outing. He gave up two earned runs on three hits and two walks, striking out one. With the go-ahead run on second base with two outs in the ninth, the Kernels went to Mitch Mueller, who recorded the final out and gave the Kernels lineup a chance. Graham Brown did his job by getting on base with a single to leadoff. Doncon did his with a sacrifice bunt that put him in scoring position, bringing up Kusiak. His single was hit a bit too hard into center field so Brown had to be held at third, before the next two batters went down to send it to extras. With the Manfred man on second base, a steal attempt went south for the Kernels as an error led to the runner scoring to give the Cubs the lead. They added a solo home run later in the frame to give themselves a two-run cushion. Mueller finished 1 1/3 innings, and was charged with two runs (none earned) to take the loss as Cedar Rapids went down in order to end the game. Kusiak led the way for the offense, reaching base each time he came up. He finished 3-for-3 with two runs scored, a double, RBI, and a walk. McCombs finished 2-for-5 with a pair of RBI and added his 10th double of the season. MUSSEL MATTERS Bradenton 4, Fort Myers 3 Box Score Ramiro Villanueva made the start for the Mighty Mussels but was only able to complete one-plus inning as his pitch count got run up to 36 (with 20 going for strikes) early. He was charged with two earned runs on four hits and two walks, with one of those runs coming in each of the first and second innings. He was relieved by Nick McAuliffe who only was able to go one inning himself, as the game was delayed in the top of the third. McAuliffe allowed one hit and struck out one. The rehabbing Julian Merryweather came on when play resumed and added a scoreless inning, though dealt with some traffic on the bases. He allowed two hits, walked one, and struck out two. Fort Myers got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth as walks to JP Smith and Byron Chourio, and a single from Irvin Nunez loaded the bases with one out. All they were able to get however, was a sac fly from Ricardo Paez that made it 2-1 Marauders. Merit Jones came out of the bullpen for the top of the fourth and completed the next three innings. He scattered four hits and two walks to the tune of just one earned run thanks to four strikeouts. Eric Hammond finished the final three innings for the pitching staff, allowing one earned run on two hits and two walks. He struck out three. The Mighty Mussels put together a two-out rally in the bottom of the seventh, but it wasn’t quite enough to complete a comeback. Miguel Briceno delivered a two-out double to get it started. Ramiro Dominguez followed with an RBI single to make it 4-2. A single from Jayson Bass got them within one before Bradenton recorded the final out of the inning. Paez led off the bottom of the ninth with a single and moved into scoring position on a walk to Merphy Hernandez, who represented the winning run. But a flyout and two strikeouts followed to send the Hammond Stadium faithful home disappointed. Dominguez (2-for-4, R, 2B, RBI, K) and Bass (2-for-5, 2B, RBI, K) each had two hits in the loss. COMPLEX CHRONICLES FCL Rays 3, FCL Twins 2 (7 innings) Box Score Twins starting pitcher Cristian Hernandez nearly escaped a bases loaded jam to begin this one, getting two outs after loading the bases, but a walk and two-run single put the Rays up 3-0 after the top of the first. He settled in from there, putting up zeroes over his next three innings being effectively wild. In four total he was charged with those three earned runs on three hits and five walks, while striking out five. Right-handed reliever Carter Holjes finished off the final three scoreless innings, allowing just one hit and one walk, and striking out three. After falling behind, the Twins offense responded in the bottom of the third. Daiber De Los Santos led off with a single, stole second base, and later scored on an RBI single from Jhomnardo Reyes. In the bottom of the fifth they added another run on a passed ball after De Los Santos and Yovanny Duran hit back-to-back singles to start it. But that was as close as they could get. Duran and De Los Santos each finished 2-for-3. Yilber Herrera added a double. DOMINICAN DAILY Game 1: DSL Twins 10, DSL Phillies 13 (7 innings) Box Score The two teams combined to use 11 pitchers in this one, which was the completion of a game that was suspended back on June 25th. The Phillies jumped out to a 7-0 lead against Twins pitchers Yolcar Garcia (1 2/3 IP, 5 H, 7 ER, 3 BB, 2 K) and Juan Germosen (1/3 IP, BB). In DSL rule quirks anybody who is a fan of Minnesota’s Town Ball Leagues will recognize, Germosen came into the game for the final out of the first inning, and Garcia reentered the game as the pitcher for the start of the second. When they resumed play this morning Yosangel Braffit (2 1/3 IP, 4 H, 6 R (4 ER) 3 BB), Nolwer Barboza (2/3 IP), and Aldwin Morillo (1 IP, H, BB, K) finished off the rest of the game. The Twins lineup scored their first two runs in the top of the fourth inning thanks to Abel Sosa's RBI single. A throwing error on a pickoff attempt scored the other. In the fifth Enmanuel Merlo launched a three-run homer. In the sixth three balks helped contribute to a four-run frame but Sosa also delivered another RBI single. Fabian Ulloa added an RBI single in the seventh. Game 2: DSL Phillies 12, DSL Twins 6 (6 innings) Box Score While the two teams were able to get in both of their games while dealing with the weather, this one was also cut short due to it. The Phillies again bludgeoned Twins pitching, with starter Jeremy Jimenez (2 2/3 IP, 3 H, 3 R (2 ER), BB, 2 K) and relievers Sebastian Echavarria (2 1/3 IP, 4 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, K) and Herkyn Taveras (1/3 IP, 5 H, 5 ER, 2 BB) all suffering from some bruises. The hitters again fared better, with Daiyer Barboza (2-for-3, R, 2B, K, 2 SB) and Juan Holmann (2-for-2, 2 R, HR, RBI) collecting a pair of hits, and the team recording nine total. Jefferson Abreu added a home run to the effort, driving in two. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – John Klein, St. Paul Saints (W, 5 IP, 4 H, ER, BB, 4 K) Hitter of the Day – Marek Houston, Wichita Wind Surge (3-for-5, R, 3B, HR, 4 RBI) PROSPECT SUMMARY Check out the Prospect Tracker for much more on our Twins Top 20 prospects after seeing how they did today. #1 - OF Walker Jenkins (St. Paul): 2-for-5, K #4 - C Eduardo Tait (Cedar Rapids): 0-for-4, BB, 2 K #5 - SS Marek Houston (Wichita): 3-for-5, R, 3B, HR (1), 4 RBI #10 - OF Gabriel Gonzalez (St. Paul): 1-for-5, RBI, K #12 - 3B/CF Brandon Winokur (Wichita): 1-for-5, R, 3B, K #13 - C/OF Khadim Diaw (Wichita): 1-for-4, R, RBI #14 - 3B/SS Quentin Young (Fort Myers): 0-for-4, 2 K #17 - RHP C.J. Culpepper (St. Paul): 1 1/3 IP, ER, BB, 2 K #18 - OF Yasser Mercedes (Cedar Rapids): 1-for-4, RBI, 2 K #19 - 1B/3B Billy Amick (Wichita): 4-for-5, 2 R #20 - 2B/OF Kyle DeBarge (Wichita): 2-for-4, R, 2 RBI, BB, K, SB (20) WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS St. Paul @ Iowa (12:08 PM CDT) - LHP Aaron Rozek (4-1, 2.97 ERA) NW Arkansas @ Wichita (7:05 PM CDT) - RHP Chris Vallimont (0-1, 5.40 ERA) South Bend @ Cedar Rapids (12:05 PM CDT) - RHP Riley Quick (0-2, 4.34 ERA) Bradenton @ Fort Myers (6:05 PM CDT) - RHP Jason Reitz (0-1, 2.86 ERA) Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Tuesday’s games! View full article

It's also a not very well kept secret that Burress is not actually even 5-foot-9.

Trust me, there was no sweeping under the rug here. That's such a random assumption to make, haha! I did not see this story, didn't hear it mentioned on the game's broadcast, nor saw it anywhere else (shrugs). But it is a great note to include, and thank you for those who commented to bring attention to it! Kudos to Walker for sure!

I think this is a very real point that I'm sure many teams are considering with their top prospects. They also have to wrestle this against whether bringing that player up can help them compete this year. I think the Twins should already know that answer (and it's no), but ownership also expressed coming into the year, rather implausibly I might add, that they wanted to try and make the playoffs. So who knows. Personally, I don't think a below .500 record at this point puts you in that conversation, even if you're only 3.0 games back of the wild-card. Most teams are still within 5 games, which swings either way depending on the week.

Not sure it's a pitch count related thing, necessarily. But typically if Twins pitchers throw more than 30 pitches in an inning, or have multiple in a row that they go over 20-something, their day is done.

It did not look good for Culpepper, but I'm with you. Fragoza has been a revelation with Fort Myers! Definitely a name to keep an eye on. Hard to ignore 19 XBH, including 9 HR's in just 30 games on the big MLB spring training fields. Going back to 2021, the most homers from any Mussell was Brandon Winokur's 14 in 2024, and that was in 94 games. On Jenkins, while watching the game I literally clapped and said "good job, Walker" because he pulled up on a long drive to dead-center that hit off the wall and didn't try to get it by crashing into it. Could he have caught it? Yes. Did he need to? Heck no.

Image courtesy of Rob Thompson, St. Paul Saints (photo of Kaelen Culpepper) TRANSACTIONS RHP Eduardo Salazar was activated from the 7-day injured list. The Minnesota Twins organization signed RHP Jesus Moreno and assigned him to the DSL Twins roster. SAINTS SENTINEL Buffalo 6, St. Paul 12 Box Score The St. Paul Saints scored seven runs in the first inning of this one, the third time this season they have done so, putting this one out of reach for Buffalo before most fans had even finished their first beverage. Alan Roden led off the bottom of the first with his eighth homer. Kaelen Culpepper and Walker Jenkins followed with singles. Matt Wallner was hit by a pitch. Orlando Arcia and Gabriel Gonzalez delivered RBI singles. Then Cody Morissette clubbed a grand slam for the exclamation point. While that start was exciting, what was not was the second at-bat of the frame for Culpepper. He took a mid-90’s fastball off his hand and although he ended up going to first base, he did not take to the field in the top of the second. Ben Ross came on as his replacement. Left-hander Aaron Rozek made the start at CHS Field, and finished the first four innings. He gave up three earned runs on four hits and two walks, while punching out seven. Noah Cardenas added a solo home run in the third, and Wallner hit a two-run shot in the fourth to make it 11-3. Ross and Jenkins had each doubled in front of Wallner’s blast. Jenkins led off the bottom of the sixth with a triple, putting him a home run shy of the cycle, and scored on another RBI single from Arcia for their final tally. Relievers Raul Brito (1 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, BB, K), Grant Hartwig (1 2/3 IP), Jake Higginbotham (1 1/3 IP, 3 H, ER, K) and Taylor Rashi (1 IP, H, 2 K) combined to keep the Bisons at bay over the final five innings. Jenkins finished 3-for-5 with three runs scored, his eighth double, and second triple of the season, driving in one. Roden, Ross, Wallner, Arcia, and Cardenas all collected two hits as the Saints racked up 17 as a team. They went 6-for-11 with runners in scoring positing, left just six men on base, and struck out only four times on the night. WIND SURGE WISDOM Tulsa 11, Wichita 8 (10 innings) Box Score The last place Wichita Wind Surge welcomed the Texas League leading Tulsa Drillers to Equity Bank Park Tuesday night, and had them on the ropes heading into the ninth inning. Wichita got on the scoreboard first in the bottom of the first after Jay Thomason led off with a single, and Khadim Diaw drew a walk in front of clean-up hitter Billy Amick. He drove them both in with a double and 2-0 lead after one. Spencer Bengard took the starting duties and completed three innings. He was charged with two earned runs on three hits and two walks, while striking out four. Amick put the Wind Surge back in front in the third with another RBI double to bring in Garrett Spain, who had singled to lead off the frame. Jaime Ferrer added an RBI single that made it 4-2. The Drillers answered back in the fourth off Wind Surge reliever Darren Bowen. He gave up three runs (two earned) on four hits and a walk in his lone inning, striking out one. No pitcher came out unscathed for the home team, as Zach Vennaro (1 IP, H, ER, 2 BB, 3 K), Paulshawn Pasqualotto (2 IP, 2 H, ER, 3 K), and Jacob Webb (2 IP, 2 H, ER, 2 BB, 3 K) each gave up one run through the ninth. But the Wind Surge had answered in the bottom of the seventh to give them the lead before that. Amick reached on an error to start the inning. Kyle DeBarge drove him in with a single. Ferrer’s double tied the game at seven, then a sacrifice fly from Jose Salas put them in front. Webb delivered a scoreless eighth inning and got two outs in the top of the ninth before an RBI single tied the game. The Wind Surge got shut down in the bottom half to send it to extra innings. Sam Ryan took on those extra duties and had trouble keeping the ball in the strike zone. After a pop-out he walked the next two hitters to load the bases, before a wild pitch gave the drillers the lead. Another intentional walk, an RBI single, and a sacrifice fly gave them a three-run cushion before the home team could escape. They went down one-two-three in the bottom of the tenth to come out on the losing end after being one out away from victory. On offense Thomason (2-for-5, R, BB, K, SB), Spain (2-for-5, 2 R, HR, RBI, K), Amick (2-for-4, 2 R, 2 2B, 3 RBI, BB), and Ferrer (2-for-5, R, 2B, 2 RBI) each collected two hits. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 3, Quad Cities 8 Box Score Brandon Winokur stepped into the batter's box at 6:34 PM CDT for Tuesday night’s first pitch, and seconds later it left the ballpark for a 1-0 lead. Dasan Hill took to the bump for the Kernels, and despite keeping the River Bandits off the scoreboard, labored through just 1 2/3 innings on 54 total pitches, with 32 going for strikes (59%). He did rack up five strikeouts via some extended at-bats and allowed one hit, but two consecutive walks to load the bases ended his outing in the middle of the second after a visit to the mound from trainers. Yehizon Sanchez got the final out of the second and completed two more. He was charged with one earned run on four hits and a walk in 2 1/3 innings, striking out three. Cedar Rapids took back the lead in the top of the fifth. Yasser Mercedes led off with a walk, and Henry Kusiak then launched his second home run with the Kernels for a 3-1 lead. Nick Trabacchi delivered a one-two-three fifth inning but wasn’t as lucky in the sixth. A pair of two-run homers put the River Bandits in front 5-3 and they wouldn’t look back. Trabacchi was charged with four earned runs on three hits and a walk in his two innings to take the loss. He struck out one. Adam Falinski (1 2/3 IP, 2 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 2 K) and Brian Zeldin (1/3 IP H, K) finished off the final two innings. Winokur (2-for-4, R, HR, RBI) and Danny De Andrade (2-for-4, 2 K) each had two hits in the loss. As a team the Kernels went 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position and left just five men on base. MUSSEL MATTERS Fort Myers 5, Clearwater 4 Box Score The Mighty Mussels traveled north on I-75 to face the Threshers this week, the low-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies. Righty Kolten Smith made the start and finished the first four innings. Outside of the second inning where Clearwater racked up three hits and three runs, he scattered just two other hits in his other three scoreless innings. He was charged with three earned runs on five hits while striking out three. Fort Myers started chipping away at that lead in the top of the third, and after the fifth they had it tied up. Merphy Hernandez led off the third with a single, stole second for his 24th swipe of the season, and scored after an errant pickoff throw toward second base. In the top of the fourth Luis Fragoza crushed his ninth home run of the season at 105 MPH. In the fifth, Irvin Nunez led off with a single, moved up both bases on wild pitches, then scored on an error that would have ended the inning. Reliever Callan Fang took over for Smith to start the fifth and was excellent over the next three innings, allowing just two hits and striking out three. In the top of the eighth Quentin Young delivered a one-out single in front of Nunez, who hit his second home run of the year to give them their first lead of the game. The Threshers answered with one run of their own in the bottom half, but that would be it as Eric Hammond buckled down and finished off the game for his first save. The run was unearned, and over his two innings he allowed one hit, walked two, and struck out one to end the game. Nunez led the way on offense with two hits in four at-bats, including the homer. He also scored two runs. Ryan Sprock (0-for-3, 2 BB, K) and Ramiro Dominguez (1-for-3, 2 BB) each drew a pair of walks from the top of the lineup. COMPLEX CHRONICLES FCL Pirates 1, FCL Twins 2 (7 innings) Box Score The Pirate’s leadoff man, Darell Morel, hit his third home run of the season to start the top of the first inning and give his squad a one-run lead. The Twins answered with a run of their own in the bottom half as Yovanny Duran drew a leadoff walk, stole his 19th base of the season, and scored on a single from Jhomnardo Reyes. The fact the Twins went on to win this one from there was quite miraculous, as that would be their only hit of the game. They added the winning run in the bottom of the fifth thanks to a walk, hit-batter, and a wild-pitch that allowed Darwin Almanzar to scamper home. The Twins pitching staff allowed only four hits of their own, striking out 10 compared to just one walk. Billy Oldham started and although he gave up the homer, struck out the next three hitters. Jake Hunter gave up one hit and one walk in his two innings, striking out two. Cristian Hernandez got the bulk work and finished off the game, allowing just two hits and striking out five over the final four innings. DOMINICAN DAILY DSL Twins 3, DSL Rockies 13 (7 innings) Box Score The Rockies scored in six of seven innings, bludgeoning Twins pitchers on their way to a blowout. Right-hander Yosangel Braffit made the start and delivered a scoreless first inning. He went on to finish the second but was charged with seven earned runs on four hits and five walks in his two innings. He struck out three. Herkyn Taveras (2 IP, H, ER, 3 BB, K), Jeremy Jimenez (1 IP, 3 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, K), and Aldwin Morillo (1 IP, ER, 4 BB) combined to allow the final six runs over their five-relief innings. The Twins lineup was outhit 8-6 in the game, with Daiyer Barboza (2-for-3, 2 R, HR, RBI, BB, SB) and Misael Rodriguez (2-for-3) collecting two-thirds of those knocks. Jhon Gonzalez and Fabian Ulloa added singles, while Luis Duarte drew two walks in three at-bats and scored a run. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – Cristian Hernandez, FCL Twins (W, 4 IP, 2 H, 5 K) Hitter of the Day – Walker Jenkins, St. Paul Saints (3-for-5, 3 R, 2B, 3B, RBI) PROSPECT SUMMARY Check out the Prospect Tracker for much more on our Twins Top 20 prospects after seeing how they did today. #1 - OF Walker Jenkins (St. Paul): 3-for-5, 3 R, 2B, 3B, RBI #2 - IF Kaelen Culpepper (St. Paul): 1-for-1, R, HBP (left game) #4 - C Eduardo Tait (Cedar Rapids): 0-for-4, 2 K #8 - OF Hendry Mendez (St. Paul): 1-for-5, K #9 - LHP Dasan Hill (Cedar Rapids): 1 2/3 IP, H, 2 BB, 5 K #10 - OF Gabriel Gonzalez (St. Paul): 1-for-4, R, RBI #12 - 3B/CF Brandon Winokur (Cedar Rapids): 2-for-4, R, HR (10), RBI #13 - C/OF Khadim Diaw (Wichita): 0-for-3, R, BB, 2 K #14 - 3B/SS Quentin Young (Fort Myers): 1-for-3, R, BB, 2 K #18 - OF Yasser Mercedes (Cedar Rapids): 1-for-3, BB, K, SB (17) #19 - 1B/3B Billy Amick (Wichita): 2-for-4, 2 R, 2 2B, 3 RBI, BB #20 - 2B/OF Kyle DeBarge (Wichita): 1-for-5, R, RBI, 2 K WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Buffalo @ St. Paul (7:07 PM CDT) - RHP Ty Langenberg (3-2, 3.63 ERA) Tulsa @ Wichita (7:05 PM CDT) - RHP Chris Vallimont (0-1, 2.70 ERA) Cedar Rapids @ Quad Cities (6:30 PM CDT) - RHP Riley Quick (0-2, 4.86 ERA) Fort Myers @ Clearwater (5:30 PM CDT) - RHP Ramiro Villanueva (0-2, 4.38 ERA) Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Tuesday’s games! View full article

Absolutely would be for this. It's Mike "all he does is win, win, win" Paredes, after all... (11-0 as long-man last season in Wichita, which led the Texas League)

The comparison I would make is Luis Arraez. The Twins had to play him somewhere because the bat was that pesky and good. They have very comparable hitting profiles, but in the prospect comparison, Mendez's OPS at AA and AAA is considerably higher. While I don't think Mendez necessarily will win batting titles, what he does do a lot better is draw walks, so I think the final output can be similar.

Mendez is by far the biggest riser in my voting for the Top 20 prospects this season. He was #17 in Spring Training, and I had him at #6 in the recent update. I'm a believer, because he's a hitter. Needs to come back from his shoulder injury and they have to find him a defensive position, but his bat is going to play.

I think he has a nasty curve ball. Really tough when he can locate it. Fastball up to 97. Last 6 appearances: 8 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 7 K, .333 OPS against.

To explain how I worded that section, he wasn't actually throwing more strikes or being more efficient. The results do look better from the box score. But his strike % on the year before this game was 58%, which is higher than the number he achieved with his 32 pitches in this one. He also had a wild pitch and hit a batter. It was surprising that they took him out after only two, but I like the idea suggested of wanting him to have a more successful outing after not pitching last week.

"Still, Roden is making a strong case for an extended look. He's also a much better defender than Wallner, which will enter the equation as the two continue to push for their chances." Roden is a "better" defender than Wallner, but lets be honest, we're talking about two guys who are both below average. I went to the Saints doubleheader last Thursday. They both had ugly moments, but Roden was the one who stood out more in that regard. Granted, he's just returned from being out and was in centerfield, which he should never play in the majors, but I'd keep such expectations in check. He might be as serviceable as Larnach has become.