Steve Lein

Because he is being called up today to pitch for the Twins! 😁

It was a big day on the farm for the Minnesota Twins affiliates. One of the parent club’s best players began a rehab assignment, a 17-year-old drove in seven runners on the day, and a few familiar names made impacts for the opposing team in Triple-A. Oh, and the Mighty Mussels threw a no-hitter as a pitching staff, yet almost lost. Image courtesy of Rob Thompson, St. Paul Saints (photo of Royce Lewis) TRANSACTIONS In good news for the parent club fans, IF Royce Lewis was sent on a rehab assignment with the St. Paul Saints on Tuesday. He played third base and batted second in the lineup. Down in Florida, the Mighty Mussels released OF Ryan McCarthy, activated RHP Devin Kirby, and got RHP Kyle Bloor back from the injured list. They also received RHP Justin Topa for his rehab assignment. Fort Myers also sent RHP Jacob King to the FCL for a rehab assignment. In the Complex League, the Twins released OF Anderson Nova, C Giovanny Rivero, and 2B Harold Grant. SAINTS SENTINEL Omaha 3, St. Paul 1 Box Score The Saints got a fantastic start from Louie Varland at CHS Field, as he completed six dominant innings. He allowed just two hits, walked one, and struck out seven Storm Chasers, including five in a row at one point. He probably could have gone longer too, as he was at just 76 pitches (54 for strikes) when his game was done. Since allowing 11 earned runs upon his most recent return to triple-A, Varland has allowed just two earned runs in his last 19 1/3 innings over four starts. His ERA in that time is 0.93, and he has struck out 21. Also of note, was the return of Royce Lewis to the playing field, as he began his rehab assignment with the Saints. He finished 0-for-3 and struck out twice and was subbed out in the eighth inning. The Saints took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning after Alex Isola led off the inning with a double. With two outs, DaShawn Keirsey Jr. was able to bring him in with a single. There wasn’t much else for offense in the game for St. Paul, much to Varland’s dismay. They collected just three other hits, all singles, and weren’t able to bring anyone else in with their chances. They finished 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position, and left seven men on base. Keirsey and Isola each had two of those five total hits, and Payton Eeles reached base twice with a single and a walk. The rest of the lineup finished 0-for-20 with eight strikeouts. After Varland was lifted, the Storm Chaser started to find some life. Caleb Baragar pitched a scoreless seventh inning, but had to work around a single and a walk. After an #OldFriend appearance from Tyler Duffey, Josh Winder was called on for the eighth. He gave up a pinch hit solo home run to Twins spring training invite, Brian O’Keefe to tie it at one before a single and a double threatened to break it open. But he recovered and struck out the next two to keep it tied. Jeff Brigham was brought on for the ninth and bookended a walk with a pair of strikeouts, before he too gave up a home run for a 3-1 Omaha lead. All three of his outs came on K’s, but the damage was done. The Saints did threaten in the bottom half, loading the bases with two outs, but it was another #OldFriend in Evan Sisk who was called upon to get left-hander Eeles for the final out, and he did, inducing a grounder to first base. WIND SURGE WISDOM Wichita 3, Amarillo 12 Box Score Left-hander Jaylen Nowlin made the start for the Wind Surge, pitching into the sixth inning. He gave up one run in the first after a two-out triple and a balk. He worked around some baserunners in the next three innings, but kept the Sod Poodles off the scoreboard. The Wind Surge were able to tie the game at one in the top of the fourth thanks to a Ben Ross home run, his seventh of the season. Nowlin gave that run back in the fifth by allowing a home run, but escaped anything else thanks to a couple strikeouts and a runner being thrown out at home. Wichita took their first lead of the game in the top of the sixth when Jorel Ortega launched his seventh home run of the year, scoring Noah Cardenas to make 3-2 Wind Surge. Manager Ramon Borrego probably should have seen the signs the inning before, but allowed Nowlin to come back out for the sixth. A walk and a single sandwiched around a flyout put an end to his outing. Ricardo Velez came on with one out and wasn’t able to get the remaining two. Two more runs were charged to Nowlin, and he became the victim of three of his own. Scott Engler had to get the final out, but allowed a three-run homer himself, putting the Wind Surge down 9-3 when it was all said and done. Nowlin pitched 5 1/3 innings and allowed four earned runs on eight hits and a pair of walks. He struck out seven. Relievers Jared Solomon (1 IP, 2 H, ER, 2 K) and Kyle Bischoff (1 IP, 2 H, 2 ER) finished off the final two innings, but weren’t able to get out unscathed, either. Eight of the nine batters in the Wichita lineup had a hit, but eight was also their total for the game. Kyler Fedko and Carson McCusker added doubles to the effort. As a team they finished 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position and left nine men on base for the game. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 9, Quad Cities 8 Box Score The Kernels built a large lead in this one, and then did almost everything they could to lose it on the road against the River Bandits. In the top of the first the Cedar Rapids lineup took advantage of some walks for a 3-0 lead. Ricardo Olivar and Gabriel Gonzalez drew them, then Kevin Maitan drove in the first run of the game with a double. Rubel Cespedes followed with an RBI single. Jay Harry capped the inning with a sac fly. Ty Langenberg took the mound for the Kernels and went the first four innings. He was charged with three earned runs on seven hits and two walks. He struck out five. Cedar Rapids added three more runs in the fourth. Misael Urbina drew a leadoff walk. Jose Salas reached base on a bunt attempt and an error moved them both up a base. Rayne Doncon delivered a two-RBI double. A few batters later, Maitan's second double of the game drove in Doncon for a 6-2 lead. In relief of Langenberg, Rafael Marcano went the next two innings. He was charged with one earned run on a pair of walks, while striking out one. It was another three-run inning for Cedar Rapids in the sixth. This time it was courtesy of a three-run homer from Rubel Cespedes, his 11th of the season. With the 9-4 lead, after six, the Kernels bullpen made it hard on themselves. A.J. Labas (1 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 2 BB) and Gabriel Yanez (2 IP, 2 H, ER, 2 BB, 3 K) allowed Quad Cities to get within one. In the bottom of the ninth they were able to load the bases with two outs, and a wild-pitch put the tying run 90-feet away, and the winning run right behind it. But Yanez was able to get a flyout to put an end to their comeback attempt. Maitan (2-for-4, 2 R, 2 2B, 2 RBI, K) and Cespedes (2-for-4, R, 4 RBI, BB, 2 K, SB) led the way with multiple hits. Five of the Kernels nine hits went for extra-bases. In notable occurrences, Gabriel Gonzalez finished 0-for-2, but drew three walks and scored a run. MUSSEL MATTERS Fort Myers 2, Dunedin 1 (6 innings) Box Score The Mighty Mussels game against the Blue Jays in Dunedin on Tuesday was cut short by rain, but the victory will still be remembered in the history books. That’s because it was also their fifth no-hitter as a team in the last four seasons. Pitchers Ross Dunn, the rehabbing Justin Topa, and Wilker Reyes combined for the six no-hit innings, and Byron Chourio’s two out, two-run double came just in the nick of time to put them in front. Dunn went the first three innings, and was actually charged with an unearned run. That’s because in the bottom of the second a two-out walk was followed by an error that allowed a run to score, putting the Blue Jays in front 1-0. It remained that way as Topa made his first appearance of his rehab assignment. He walked one and struck out one in his lone inning. Reyes then retired all six hitters he faced, including three on strikeouts before the lightning and rain made it official. In the top of the sixth Fort Myers finally took the lead with a two-out rally. Angel Del Rosario got it started with a single, and Walker Jenkins followed with a double to put them both into scoring position. Chourio then traded places with Jenkins and put them in front 2-1. Thank goodness, as it sure would have been weird to lose a no-hitter effort, even if it was a shortened game. All three of the Mighty Mussels hits came in that sixth inning, so it was almost a combined no-hit effort from both teams. In fact, Blue Jays starter Ryan Watson was perfect for 17 hitters before Del Rosario got him with that single. COMPLEX CHRONICLES FCL Orioles 4, FCL Twins 6 Box Score Making the start for the FCL squad was the rehabbing Jacob King, making his first appearance since August 19th of last season. He struck out the first hitter he faced, but that was as good as it would get in his return to the mound. The next two batters drew a walk, before an RBI single scored the first run of the game for the Orioles. Another walk and a fielder’s choice later King’s return to the mound was over. The Twins lineup had no issues bouncing back in the bottom of the first. Dameury Pena led off with a single, Yasser Mercedes drew a walk, and Bryan Acuna loaded the bases with a single of his own. Jayson Bass grounded into a fielder’s choice, but a throwing error on the play allowed two runs to score. A wild pitch would score another run before Ariel Castro capped off the four run inning with an RBI single. Four consecutive singles from Acuna, Bass, Javier Roman, and Castro in the second scored another run for a 5-1 Twins lead. After King’s exit in the first, the Twins got 3 1/3 innings from Juan Cota. He allowed one earned run on three hits and two walks, while striking out two. Miguel Cordero (2 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, BB) and Cleiber Maldonado (S, 1 IP, H, K) finished the final three innings. The Twins added an insurance run in the sixth when Yasser Mercedes led off with a double, and Bass traded places with him two batters later. Acuna (2-for-4, 2 R, K), Bass (2-for-4, R, 2 RBI) and Castro (2-for-4, RBI, K) each had multiple hits to lead the offense. DOMINICAN DAILY Game 1: DSL Twins 7, DSL Rangers Red 8 (8 innings) Box Score The Twins and Rangers Red team’s went into “extra” innings in the first game of their doubleheader Tuesday morning. The Rangers jumped out to a 3-0 lead after two against Twins starter Yoel Roque. In all, Roque pitched 2 1/3 innings, allowing three earned runs on four hits and five walks. He struck out one. The Twins lineup bailed him out in the top of third however, putting up four runs of their own to take the lead. Back-to-back doubles from Nestor Urbina and Merphy Hernandez got that scoring started, before Eduardo Beltre ended it with a three-run home run, his fifth of the year. Reliever Jose Vasquez got the Twins through the fifth inning without allowing a run. In his 2 2/3 he allowed two hits and struck out six. Fabian Herrera came on for the sixth inning and went one-two-three to keep his team out front. The Twins added three insurance runs in the top of the seventh to make it 7-3 going into the Rangers last at-bat. Urbina delivered a single and Hernandez drew a walk to put two men on base, and like he did earlier in the game Beltre brought them in with another three-run blast. Herrera was back out to finish this one, but it got away from his defense. A leadoff single was followed by a pop out and strikeout, but an error allowed a run to score and extended the inning. A double to make it 7-5 was followed up with a game-tying home run that then extended the game. Herrera was charged with four unearned runs on three hits and two strikeouts in his 1 2/3 innings. Daniel Manzueta got them out of the inning with the score now tied at seven. The Twins went down in order in the top of the eighth, and it didn’t take long for the Rangers to walk them off in the bottom half. The leadoff man singled to center to score the ghost runner, and the Rangers completed their comeback in game one. Beltre was a one-man wrecking crew for the Twins, finishing 3-for-4 with his two home runs, and six RBI. His six total home runs ranks tied for fourth in the DSL. Urbina had two hits in three at-bats and scored two runs. Game 2: DSL Rangers Red 0, DSL Twins 3 Box Score The day’s second game was a makeup of a rainout back on July 19th. Santiago Rojas made the start for the Twins and delivered four scoreless innings. He allowed two hits, walked three, and struck out three. The lineup got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth inning. Daiber De Los Santos reached base on an error to lead it off. Eduardo Beltre then drove him in with a double. After a pair of walks, Luis Rodriguez delivered a sac fly for the 2-0 lead. In the fifth Nestor Urbina hit his first home run of the season, a solo shot to put the Twins up 3-0. After Rojas, right-hander Anderson Ramos pitched three scoreless, and hitless, innings of his own, striking out four to pick up the win. Beltre again led the way for the Twins with two hits in three at-bats. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day - Fort Myers Mighty Mussels (6 IP, 0 H, R, 3 BB, 6 K) Extra shout-out to Louie Varland, St. Paul Saints (6 IP, 2 H, BB, 7 K) Hitter of the Day - Eduardo Beltre, DSL Twins (5-for-7, 3 R, 2B, 2 HR, 7 RBI) PROSPECT SUMMARY #1 – Walker Jenkins (Fort Myers) – 1-for-3, R, 2B #2 – Brooks Lee (Minnesota) – 0-for-3, BB, K #5 – Gabriel Gonzalez (Cedar Rapids) – 0-for-2, R, 3 BB, K #8 – Austin Martin (Minnesota) – 0-for-4, K #9 – Luke Keaschall (Wichita) – 1-for-4, BB, K #10 – Brandon Winokur (Fort Myers) – 0-for-3 #11 – Simeon Woods Richardson (Minnesota) – 6 IP, 3 H, BB, 5 K #13 – Tanner Schobel (Wichita) – 0-for-3, BB #18 – Yunior Severino (St. Paul) – 0-for-4, K WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Omaha @ St. Paul (1:07 PM CDT) - RHP David Festa (3-3, 4.03 ERA) scratched. Wichita @ Amarillo (7:05 PM CDT) - RHP Travis Adams (4-6, 4.86 ERA) Cedar Rapids @ Quad Cities (6:30 PM CDT) - RHP John Klein (6-2, 4.59 ERA) Fort Myers @ Dunedin (5:30 PM CDT) - TBD Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Tuesday’s games View full article

No, he did not get "rocked." One iffy inning against a good hitting team (they led the league in avg./OBP, and had the fewest strikeouts) where his pitch count got ran into the high 30's, which means any pitcher's game is over. If not for a squibbed grounder against a shifted infield (I mentioned in the comments of the MiLB report that night it was one of the worst swings I'd ever seen), he'd have been fine. He did walk two guys (in one inning!), though... 😉

While you are/were taking in the Major League All Star Game tonight, there were a couple of minor league games still being played down on the farm. A lights out starting pitcher in the system also got bumped to just a step away from the big leagues, after dominating so far this season at Cedar Rapids and Wichita. Image courtesy of Ed Bailey, Wichita Wind Surge (photo of Zebby Matthews) TRANSACTIONS Perhaps the biggest news coming out in Twins Territory today, was that RHP Zebby Matthews was promoted from Wichita to the St. Paul Saints. On the year thus far, he holds a 1.85 ERA, 0.76 WHIP, and has struckout 91 hitters compared to just six walks in 78 total innings. In other Triple-A moves, the Twins traded cash considerations to the New York Mets for the services of 3B Rylan Bannon, and he was assigned to the Saints. RHP Caleb Boushley was outrighted back to Triple-A from the Twins. Down in Fort Myers, the Mighty Mussels placed RHP Julio Bonilla on the 7-day injured list. In the Complex League, RHP Hunter Hoopes was assigned to the Twins roster. While all of the full-season affiliates get the same days off as the major leaguers for the All Star Game festivities, both short season teams were still in action on Tuesday. COMPLEX CHRONICLES FCL Braves 13, FCL Twins 3 Box Score Twins starting pitcher Juan Cota worked around a leadoff double with a pair of strikeouts in the first inning, before unraveling in the second. The Braves took advantage of two hit batters, two walks, two singles, two doubles, and a sac fly to take a 7-0 lead. Cota recorded two outs in the frame, finishing with 1 2/3 innings pitched. All seven runs were earned. The Twins scored their first run of the game in the bottom of the second after Hendry Chivilli led off with a single. He was able to get 90-feet away on a groundout to the next batter, and came home on another grounder from Amilcar Vasquez. Kyle Bloor came on in relief for Cota and finished the third inning. In his 1 1/3, he allowed three hits, but no runs. Miguel Cordero went the next three innings, with the Braves eventually getting to him too. He was charged with six earned runs on six hits and a pair of walks, while striking out two. Alejandro Crisostomo finished off the game for the Twins with a scoreless seventh, though he did load the bases with a pair of singles and a walk. He struck out two. The Twins lineup added single runs in the third and fourth innings to make the final. A Jayson Bass groundout with the bases loaded in the third made it 7-2. Omari Daniel launched his first home run in the fourth. As a team the Twins finished 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position, and left seven men on base. Bryan Acuna (2-for-3, BB, K) and Daniel (2-for-3, 2 R, HR, RBI) led the way with two hits each. Bass added his sixth double of the season. Yasser Mercedes finished 1-for-4. DOMINICAN DAILY DSL Marlins 5, DSL Twins 1 Box Score This game remained scoreless until the fifth inning, as both team’s starting pitchers had excellent outings. For the Twins, that was right-hander Anderson Chacon. In his five innings, he allowed just one earned run on three hits. He walked none and struck out three. He retired the first seven hitters of the game before allowing a single in the third, then retired seven more in a row before a single and double broke up his shutout. In comparison, Estarlin Francisco of the Marlins allowed only one hit, a triple to Merphy Hernandez in the second, and otherwise cruised through his five innings. Nestor Cafe came into the game to start the sixth, and the Marlins were relieved as they greeted him for a pair of runs in each of the next two frames. In all, Cafe pitched 1 1/3 innings, being charged with four earned runs on two hits and three walks. He struck out one. Sebastian Pulido (1 2/3 IP, 2 H) and Fabian Herrera (1 IP, K) finished off the final two-plus innings for the Twins. The lineup scored their only run of the game in the sixth inning after Francisco’s exit for the Marlins. Nestor Urbina drew a leadoff walk and moved to second on a wild pitch. Two batters later Daiber De Los Santos brought him in with an RBI single. The early triple from Hernandez, his first of the season, and Santos’ single were the Twins' only two hits of the game. As a team they also drew two walks and struck out only six times. They were 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position, leaving only three men on base for the game. Eduardo Beltre and Urbina drew the two walks. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day - Anderson Chacon, DSL Twins (L, 5 IP, 3 H, ER, 3 K) Hitter of the Day - Omari Daniel, FCL Twins (2-for-3, 2 R, HR (1), RBI) PROSPECT SUMMARY #9 – Luke Keaschall (Wichita) – Taking the place of Brooks Lee on the American League roster in the Future’s Game on Saturday, Keaschall entered the game at second base in the fifth inning. His lone at-bat came against St. Louis Cardinals #2 prospect (per MLB.com) Quinn Mathews, who ranked second in the NCAA in strikeouts last year to #1 overall pick, and starter for the National League in the All Star Game tonight, Paul Skenes. Mathews got Keaschall swinging. Despite that (wink), Keaschall was still named the Twins Minor League Hitter of the Week. Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Tuesday’s games! View full article

The pitch count would be the cause for ending his outing.

Probably because he was 24/25 reaching double-A and eligible for minor league free agency. Not much more to it than that I wouldn't think. Was a late round draftee out of High School they were able to sign for about round 9 money. I love these observations for him, though. He is probably a lot more AA/AAA player than A+. I would expect him to be moved up relatively soon.

Another signing out of the Independent Leagues, which I must say, the Twins are doing really well with to bolster their system this year (Eeles went straight from Cedar Rapids to St. Paul). Deardon was in the Red Sox system from 2017 until last year, reaching double-A for the bulk of his time there, and had a cup of coffee at triple-A. Was very good in the Atlantic League, ranking top 10 in batting average (.361), slugging (.634), and OPS (1.044), with 12 home runs in 55 games. Is also one of the youngest guys you'll find on those leaderboards.

He got ran up to 37 pitches in the third inning. He's fine otherwise. Couple long at-bats and an error contributed. Twins for several years now have auto-removed any pitcher who throws 30+ pitches in any inning.

Yes, definitely way too many pitches in the inning. He was going to be lifted if he didn't get the last guy out. I disagree though with your thoughts on Cossetti contributing to any of that as the catcher. Matthews couldn't put hitters away in the third. There was a 7-pitch at-bat with four foul balls, a wild pitch that was definitely his fault, and an 11-pitch at-bat with five more foul balls. I'm not saying Cossetti is a good catcher or not, but this had a lot more to do with Matthews not quite executing and the Cardinals doing what they do, and being tough outs. One of the hits was from a lefty that shot the ball to where the shortstop should be if they weren't shifted. It was honestly one of the worst swings I've ever seen, but it was an RBI single in the book. Cossetti was an excellent batter last night, though. Along with his two hits, he also just missed a go-ahead liner foul down the line in the 10th before working a 9-pitch walk.

A trio of games were affected by weather on Tuesday, with one being canceled, another made final early, and the third being delayed about an hour. A top pitching prospect was facing a top offense in the Texas League, and a major league reliever made his first rehab appearance in triple-A. Image courtesy of Ed Bailey, Wichita Wind Surge (photo of Luke Keaschall) TRANSACTIONS In transaction news that should be music to Minnesota Twins Fans ears, RHP Brock Stewart was sent on a rehab assignment with the St. Paul Saints, and he would make an appearance in Louisville. Also in triple-A, Zack Weiss’s rehab assignment was transferred from Fort Myers to St. Paul, RHP John Stankiewicz was assigned back to Wichita, and OF Maddux Houghton was assigned back to the Mighty Mussels. In the Midwest League, 3B Rubel Cespedes was activated from the 7-day injured list. SAINTS SENTINEL St. Paul 1, Louisville 8 (5 innings) Box Score Rain put this game into a delay in the bottom of the fifth inning, which eventually led to it being made final. Caleb Boushley made the start and went the first three innings. The Bats jumped him for four runs in the first, and three more in the second to build an early 7-0 lead. He allowed seven hits and walked two, along with picking up three strikeouts. Brock Stewart came on to begin the fourth inning and his rehab assignment, and former Saint Tony Kemp drew a walk against him as the first hitter he’s faced since May 1st. He picked up a strikeout to the next hitter, and walked another before inducing a double-play ball for a scoreless outing. Per Baseball Savant, Stewart averaged about 95 MPH with his fastball, topping out at 96.9, and got five swinging strikes on his 21 pitches. Ronny Henriquez gave up a home run in the bottom of the fifth to make the final score, and got a groundout before the tarp came out. The Saints scored their only run in the top of the third inning, thanks to Edouard Julien’s fourth home run of the year with St. Paul. Otherwise, a Jair Camargo double and Chris Williams single were their only other hits in the game. They were 0-for-3 with runners in scoring position, and left only two men on base as a team. On the good side, they did not strike out a single time as a team either. WIND SURGE WISDOM Wichita 6, Springfield 7 (10 innings) Box Score As I’ve mentioned before, it is always fun for me to see a Minnesota Twins affiliate playing at one of the many minor league stadiums I’ve had the pleasure of visiting. Hammons Field in Springfield, MO is one of my favorites. Making it even more exciting tonight, was having right-hander Zebby Matthews on the mound for the good guys. One thing to keep note of as this recap goes on, is the Springfield Cardinals came into this series leading the Texas League in batting average, on-base percentage, and have had the fewest strikeouts as a team. Zebby strikes guys out, doesn’t walk anybody, and limits hits. Sounds like a story of unstoppable force, meeting an immovable object. Which would prevail? Before Matthews even took the mound however, the Wind Surge lineup had a lot to say. Luke Keaschall led off the game with a home run off the foul pole on a 2-0 pitch. After a pair of strikeouts the hitters also realized that Cardinals pitcher Edwin Nunez has trouble throwing strikes, and if not throwing it to the backstop, would groove you one if you waited. Aaron Sabato was hit by a pitch, Carson McCusker moved him to third on a single, then Tanner Schobel drove one in with a single of his own. Andrew Cossetti got hit by another pitch to load the bases, before two wild pitches made it 4-0 Wind Surge before Matthews took the mound.He breezed through the Cardinals lineup for two innings. He struck out the first hitter of the game on three pitches (as well as the sixth), three total through two, and needed just 23 pitches to retire all six hitters. The immovable object certainly took the first few rounds. But you know what they say about unstoppable forces. The Cardinals lineup started to make Matthews work in the third inning. It took seven pitches to get a flyout, then a single put the first runner of the game on base. He proceeded to pick up his fourth strikeout to the next batter, but a pair of walks (gasp!) sandwiched around a single loaded the bases with two outs and scored the Cardinals first run of the game. That was the first time this season Matthews had walked two hitters in any game, let alone the same inning. Then a hard hit grounder ricocheted off Jake Rucker at first base for an error, and two runners came into score to make it 5-3 Wind Surge. Before it was done, Matthews had thrown 37 pitches in the inning, which means his outing was over. In all he was charged with three runs (one earned) on two hits and two walks, while striking out four. It was his shortest outing of the year. Wichita added a single run in each of the third and fourth innings, as they stayed in front 6-4. A Carson McCusker single was followed by an Andrew Cossetti RBI double in the third. Singles from Ben Ross and Keaschall in the fourth allowed Jake Rucker to drive in one with a sac fly. The Wind Surge bullpen didn’t have better luck than Matthews against that top hitting offense, either. John Stankiewicz allowed one run on two hits in 1 1/3 innings, striking out one. Cody Laweryson was the victim of four hits and two earned runs in 1 2/3, but did strike out three. Taylor Floyd did his best to give Wichita a chance, going two hitless innings and striking out two. Miguel Rodriguez pitched a one-two-three ninth, but with the runner on second in the tenth wasn’t able to keep Springfield from walking it off. He got a strikeout before a single and sac fly ended this one. Keaschall led the way for Wichita with three hits in five at-bats. His home run was his third of the season in double-A. McCusker (2-for-5, 2 R, K) and Andrew Cossetti (2-for-3, 2B, RBI, BB) also had two hits. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 3, Beloit 5 Box Score Speaking of stadiums I’ve been to…oh wait, the Snappers…(ahem) Sky Carp… don’t play (thankfully) at Pohlman Field anymore! The beautiful ABC Supply Stadium (never been) was finished in 2021 and was built to meet the requirements from Major League Baseball for their MiLB stadiums, which Pohlman…definitely did not. You could call it “charming,” I guess. Anyway, like the Saints this game was delayed due to rain, but they were able to get back underway and finish a full nine innings. Lefty Jordan Carr took the bump for the Kernels, and pitched until that delay in play came in the sixth inning. He worked through some adversity, allowing five runs (three earned) on nine hits in his five total innings. He struck out one and walked nobody. Cedar Rapids scored their first run of the game in the fourth inning after Gabriel Gonzalez led off with a double. A pair of groundouts later he was able to score to make it 3-1 at the time. In the top of the fifth they managed to tie the game at three after Tyler Dearden followed suit with a leadoff double of his own. Agustin Ruiz traded places with him on his own double. Then later, Gonzalez drove him in with a single. After the delay, it was Jarret Whorff in for Carr, and he finished out the final three innings and was solid. He allowed just two hits, one walk, and struck out four to keep the Sky Carp lead at two. Unfortunately, the Kernels couldn’t mount any more rally’s either. Gonzalez (2-for-4, R, 2B, RBI), Kevin Maitan (2-for-4, 2B), and Dearden (2-for-3, R, 2B) each had two hits in the loss. In positive news, infielder Rayne Doncon was named the Midwest League player of the week on Monday after hitting .400 and blasting three home runs. MUSSEL MATTERS Daytona 9, Fort Myers 0 Box Score This was one the Mighty Mussels are certainly going to throw in the garbage bin and never lift the lid back open from. They collected just two hits, finishing 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position, and leaving only six men on base for the game. They did manage to draw six walks, but never sent more than four hitters to the plate in any inning. Carlos Aguiar and Yohander Martinez collected the only hits, both singles. Isaac Pena and Aguiar also each drew two walks. On the mound Cesar Lares made the start, and was ambushed from the get-go. A walk to the first hitter of the game led to a two-run homer that made it 2-0 early. The Tortugas added another in the first after a single and RBI double. It was similar in the third inning, when a single-single-home run sequence made it 6-0. He did finish the third inning, but that was it. He was charged with six earned runs on seven hits and a walk, while striking out two. Ben Ethridge (2 IP, 2 H, ER, 2 K), Wilker Reyes (2 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, BB), and Samuel Perez (2 IP, H, 2 K) each pitched two innings out of the bullpen to finish out the game. COMPLEX CHRONICLES FCL Rays 8, FCL Twins 9 Box Score The Twins fell behind 7-0 after the top of the fourth inning, but used a few big innings of their own to come storming back. Starting pitcher Juan Cota went the first three innings. He allowed only one earned run of those alluded to on one hit and two walks in his time on the mound. He also struck out two. Kyle Bloor was the victim of five earned runs in the fourth inning. He recorded only two outs, gave up three hits and a walk, and struck out two. Miguel Cordero finished the fourth and also pitched the next three innings. He was charged with two earned runs on four hits and a walk, but calmed everything down by striking out five to pick up his first win of the season. Matthew Helwig finished off the final two scoreless innings, allowing one hit and one walk to pick up his first save. The Twins offense came alive in the bottom of the fourth, cutting that early lead to three. Three one-out walks loaded the bases for Amilcar Vasquez, who cleared the bases with a three-run double. Vasquez would score their fourth run of the inning a wild pitch a few batters later. They tied the game at seven in the bottom of the fifth with a two-out rally. Javier Roman singled, and Hendry Chivilli drew a walk in front of Yilber Herrera, who launched his second home run of the season. #WalksWillHaunt After falling behind 8-7 in the top of the seventh, they took back the lead in the bottom half. Bryan Acuna and Roman got on base with singles. Acuna would score on a wild pitch, and Herrera would drive in Roman with a sac fly to take the lead for good. Roman had three hits in three at-bats, scored three runs, and also drew a walk. Vasquez finished 2-for-4 with a double and three RBI. Herrera drove in four and drew a walk in addition to his homer, scoring two runs as well. DOMINICAN DAILY DSL Twins @ DSL Cardinals, Canceled - Lightning The DSL Twins game Tuesday morning was canceled due to lightning in the area, and will not be made up. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day - Jarret Whorff, Cedar Rapids Kernels (3 IP, 2 H, BB, 4 K) Hitter of the Day - Luke Keaschall, Wichita Wind Surge (3-for-5, R, HR, RBI) PROSPECT SUMMARY #5 – Gabriel Gonzalez (Cedar Rapids) – 2-for-4, R, 2B, RBI #9 – Luke Keaschall (Wichita) – 3-for-5, R, HR (3), RBI #13 – Tanner Schobel (Wichita) – 1-for-5, R, RBI, K #14 – Zebby Matthews (Wichita) – 3 IP, 2 H, 3 R (1 ER), 2 BB, 4 K #18 – Yunior Severino (St. Paul) – 0-for-2 #20 – Ricardo Olivar (Cedar Rapids) – 0-for-3, BB WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS St. Paul @ Louisville (5:35 PM CDT) - RHP David Festa (3-2, 3.77 ERA) Wichita @ Springfield (7:05 PM CDT) - RHP Kyle Jones (0-0, 0.00 ERA) Cedar Rapids @ Beloit (6:35 PM CDT) - RHP Mike Paredes (1-0, 2.70 ERA) Daytona @ Fort Myers (11:05 AM CDT) - RHP Ricky Castro (3-1, 4.29 ERA) DSL Twins @ DSL Rangers Red (10:00 AM CDT) - TBD Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Tuesday’s games! View full article

Good call. Bad word since my intent with it conflicts with the baseball terminology.

While a pair of games got rained out, there was still plenty of action in the minor league system on Tuesday. A rising pitching prospect continued his stretch of dominance in Double-A. A Future’s-Game-Elect hitter in Triple-A continued his home run binge. The Minnesota Twins top-rated prospect also filled up the stat sheet for Fort Myers. Image courtesy of Ed Bailey, Wichita Wind Surge (photo of Andrew Morris) TRANSACTIONS Down in Florida, the Mighty Mussels sent RHP Kyle Bloor to the FCL Twins on a rehab assignment. He made the start on Tuesday morning with them. Preseason waiver claim, RHP Zack Weiss, came off the 60-day injured list last week and began a rehab assignment. Today, this assignment was transferred from the FCL Twins to Fort Myers. SAINTS SENTINEL Gwinnett 2, St. Paul 5 Box Score Veteran Randy Dobnak took the bump for the Saints on Tuesday and was very effective, if a bit inefficient. His only run allowed came after he was hit in the calf by a 105 MPH liner in the top of the third inning. He shook it off and finished five innings to pick up his seventh win of the season. He allowed just one run on five hits and a walk, while striking out two. His pitch count did get high at 92 in those innings, with 56 going for strikes (61%). The Saints went marching in the second inning, with Patrick Winkel and Brooks Lee wanting all their numbers for the game. DaShawn Keirsey Jr. and Diego Castillo led off the inning with consecutive walks, before Winkel drove them both in with a double. Alex Isola then drew a walk to put two men on before a pair of strikeouts brought Lee to the plate. He did as he has been doing, and launched his seventh home run of the season making it 5-0. The offense went quiet from there, as they were outhit 9-6 as a team, but the damage had been done as the color guard of relievers locked it down after Dobnak’s exit. Ronny Henriquez gave up one run on two hits in two innings, but struck out five. Jeff Brigham worked around a pair of walks in a scoreless eighth. Nick Wittgren then picked up his second save with a scoreless ninth, allowing two hits and striking out one. Matt Wallner led the way with two hits, including a double, in four at-bats. Lee did not collect another hit in three other trips, but did plenty of damage. Edouard Julien was 1-for-4. Keirsey Jr. stole his 19th base of the season. WIND SURGE WISDOM Tulsa 2, Wichita 6 Box Score The Wind Surge took an early lead in this one and never looked back, scoring runs in four of the first five innings. They scored first in the second after Tanner Schobel led off the frame with a walk. A wild pitch moved him to third and he was able to cross the plate on a groundout. In the third inning four walks combined to lead to a pair of runs and 3-0 lead. They extended that to five in the fourth thanks to doubles from Jorel Ortega and Jeferson Morales, as well as an RBI single from Jake Rucker. In the sixth a Noah Cardenas single brought in their final run of the game. The game was never in much doubt thanks to a fantastic effort from starting pitcher Andrew Morris. He picked up his fourth win with Wichita by pitching into the seventh inning. He allowed just three hits (all singles) and no runs in his 6 1/3 innings pitched. He did walk three, but combined that with nine strikeouts to keep the Drillers from striking any oil. He threw 95 pitches, with 67 going for strikes (71%), including a double-A leading 20 swings and misses on the day. Since giving up five runs in a start for the Kernels on April 17th, Miller has made 11 starts split between Cedar Rapids and Wichita, totaling 62 1/3 innings. He’s allowed just eight earned runs, walked twelve, and struck out 63 in that time. Good for a 1.16 ERA and .470 OPS against. Jared Solomon pitched into the eighth, and was charged with both of Tulsa’s runs in the game. In one inning pitched he gave up those two runs on two hits and two walks. He struck out one. Taylor Floyd then got them to the ninth, but an error and hit-by-pitch prompted Ramon Borega to go back to the bullpen before it got out of hand. Floyd allowed one hit and struck out one. Cody Laweryson got the final two outs to ensure the victory. The Wind Surge had only seven hits on the game, but paired those with seven walks. Morales (2-for-3, R, 2B, RBI, BB, K) and Cardenas (2-for-2, RBI) each had two hits. Luke Keaschall finished 1-for-4 with a double and two strikeouts. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids @ Quad Cities, Postponed - Rain (Makeup on July 3rd) The rain just won’t stop battering the Midwest, and the Kernels and River Bandits tilt fell victim to it on Tuesday. The game will be made up as part of a doubleheader tomorrow, with the first game beginning at 4:30 PM. Both games will be shortened to seven-inning contests. MUSSEL MATTERS Fort Myers 6, Bradenton 4 Box Score The Mighty Mussels lineup and bullpen combined to outlast the Marauders on Tuesday, getting a victory on the road to improve to three games above .500 on the season. It also put them at 8-2 in the second half, which is the best record in the Florida State League. They put three runs on the scoreboard in the second inning. Wilfri Castro got it started with a one-out double. Ryan McCarthy followed him with a double to put two runners in scoring position. Angel Del Rosario brought their first run of the game in with a single and moved to second on a throw home. Walker Jenkins then followed with a two-run single to make it 3-0. Starting pitcher Ricky Castro gave all three of those runs back in the bottom of the inning, but went on to finish five innings. In total, he allowed four earned runs on four hits and five walks, while striking out seven. He picked up his third win of the season. The Mussels pushed across a single run in each of the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings to reach their total of six. In the fourth it was four walks to Jenkins, Isaac Pena, Daniel Pena, and Yohander Martinez. In the fifth McCarthy led off with a walk, stole second base, and was moved to third with sac bunt before he was able to score on an Isaac Pena groundout. Jenkins also drew another walk and stole a base in the frame. In the sixth Carlos Aguiar doubled and was brought in by a single from McCarthy to cap their scoring. After Castro’s exit, the bullpen trio of Wilker Reyes (IP, H, 2 K), the rehabbing Zack Weiss (IP, H), and Nolan Santos (2 IP, 3 K) kept the Marauders from breaching any gates with four scoreless innings combined. McCarthy (2-for-3, 2 R, 2B, RBI, 2 BB, SB) and Del Rosario (2-for-4, R, RBI) each had two hits from the bottom of the lineup to lead the way. Jenkins finished 1-for-3 with a run scored, two RBI, three walks, and stole his first two bases of the season with the Mighty Mussels. COMPLEX CHRONICLES FCL Pirates 3, FCL Twins 4 Box Score Making the start for the Twins FCL squad on Tuesday morning was right-hander Kyle Bloor, on a rehab assignment from the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels. As he is listed as a relief pitcher, he only threw one inning. A walk and a double led to a run for the Pirates, but that would be all and he picked up a strikeout. Joel Garcia then was given the “piggy-backer” role and went the next five innings. He was charged with two earned runs on three hits and struck out four. The Twins scored their first run of the game in the third to tie it at one. Dameury Pena led off with a single. He advanced to second on a ground out from Bryan Acuna. Two batters later, he scored on a single from Jayson Bass. They tacked on their other three runs in the sixth. Bass started the rally with a one-out walk. Javier Roman put multiple ducks on the pond with a single. With two outs, Ariel Castro cashed them and himself in with an inside-the-park home run to put them ahead 4-3. Cleiber Maldonado shut the door in the final inning, ending the game with a strikeout. Pena (2-for-3, R) and Castro (2-for-3, R, HR, 3 RBI, K) had multiple hits in the win. DOMINICAN DAILY DSL Rangers Red @ DSL Twins, Postponed - Rain (Makeup on July 10th) The DSL Twins were also rained out on Tuesday and will be back in action on the Fourth of July against the DSL Rockies on the road. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day - Andrew Morris, Wichita Wind Surge (6 1/3 IP, 3 H, 3 BB, 9 K) Hitter of the Day - Walker Jenkins, Fort Myers Mighty Mussels (1-for-3, R, 2 RBI, 3 BB, 2 SB) PROSPECT SUMMARY #1 – Walker Jenkins (Fort Myers) – 1-for-3, R, 2 RBI, 3 BB, 2 SB #2 – Brooks Lee (St. Paul) – 1-for-4, HR (7), 3 RBI, K #8 – Austin Martin (Minnesota) – Pinch ran in the 8th inning. #9 – Luke Keaschall (Wichita) – 1-for-4, 2B, 2 K #13 – Tanner Schobel (Wichita) – 0-for-2, R, RBI, 2 BB, K WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Gwinnett @ St. Paul (6:07 PM CDT) - RHP Caleb Boushley (8-2, 3.48 ERA) Tulsa @ Wichita (6:35 PM CDT) - RHP Zebby Matthews (2-1, 1.75 ERA) Cedar Rapids @ Quad Cities (6:00 PM CDT) - RHP Jeremy Lee (1-3, 4.76 ERA) Fort Myers @ Bradenton (5:30 PM CDT) - LHP Ross Dunn (1-1, 4.84 ERA) Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Tuesday’s games! View full article

I said this last week, that if Lee started playing another position, that his callup may be imminent... He's played 2B and 3B in his past two games... And also, his RH OPS is now higher than his LH OPS... and it's over 1.000 combined. 🤔

I laughed at that, too! I was like, did you not see the bat toss?! He knew he got it. Though I will say the ball was flying a lot further than one might expect. Lot of deep fly outs and stuff off the wall from both teams.

The St. Paul Saints continued their recent binge of home runs down in Iowa on Tuesday, with another blast from a top prospect putting them ahead for good. Wichita had a lead multiple times, but would need a comeback to end it that way. Cedar Rapids and Fort Myers had trouble stringing any hits together, and the FCL Twins weren’t able to finish even half of their doubleheader. Image courtesy of Rob Thompson, St. Paul Saints (photo of Brooks Lee) TRANSACTIONS Before any action on Tuesday the Minnesota Twins recalled RHP Ronny Henriquez from the St. Paul Saints. The Saints also assigned LHP Aaron Rozek back to the Wichita Wind Surge. Down in the Florida State League, C Daniel Pena was activated from the 7-day injured list for the Mighty Mussels, and C Cole Elvis was sent back to the FCL Twins. SAINTS SENTINEL St. Paul 6, Iowa 5 Box Score These two teams combined for 11 runs in this one, with eight of them coming because of the longball, as the ball was flying down in Des Moines, IA. The Saints got home runs from the bats of Will Holland (two-run shot) and Brooks Lee (solo) in the top of the sixth inning, with Lee’s putting them ahead 6-5. They also got “just-misses” off the bats of Tony Kemp earlier in the game (two-run double), and Yunior Severino (double) later. Kemp’s hit off the top of the wall in right-center (Iowa’s stadium has tall walls basically everywhere), and Severino’s the top of the wall down the left field line, as he caught up to a 100 MPH fastball just enough to keep it in play. Lee’s home run was his fourth in his last six games, and of note if you are worried why the Twins aren’t having him play second base…he was at third in this one. He also just makes plays and is why I don’t find moving him around to be all that necessary for him to play anywhere else on the dirt. Making the start for the Saints was right-hander Adam Plutko, and he was the victim of the Cubs long-ball parade. He gave up a lot of loud contact, and three of the six hits he allowed left the yard. In his 4 2/3 innings, he gave up five earned runs, walked one, and struck out four. Jordan Balazovic came on to get out of the fifth inning, and got them through the seventh. He allowed one hit and struck out one in 2 1/3 innings. Nick Wittgren got the final two innings to pick up his first save with the Saints. Edouard Julien (2-for-4, BB, 2 K, SB), Severino (2-for-4, R, 2B, BB), and Kemp (2-for-4, R, 2 RBI, BB) had multiple hits in the win. Over the last three weeks and 22 games, the Saints have hit 42 of their 97 home runs on the season. WIND SURGE WISDOM NW Arkansas 8, Wichita 6 Box Score Pierson Ohl looked in control of this one early, retiring the first seven Naturals hitters of the game and keeping them scoreless through three. A solo home run finally got to him in the fourth, and the fifth got even worse even though he was able to finish it. In total, Ohl was charged with four earned runs on eight hits in five innings. He didn’t walk anybody, but he also didn’t strike anybody out. While he was still on the mound, the Wind Surge had taken a couple of leads for him. In the bottom of the third Carson McCusker reached base on an error, and Luke Keaschall drove him in with a sac fly two batters later for the 1-0 lead. With the game tied in the bottom of the fourth, Aaron Sabato launched his eighth home run of the season, a two-run shot that made it 3-1. After falling behind 4-3, Wichita put up another crooked number in the sixth. Jeferson Morales led off the inning with a double before Sabato was hit by a pitch. An error off the bat of Kyler Fedko tied the game at four, and then a Noah Cardenas double put them ahead by two. Scott Engler was the first reliever summoned after Ohl’s exit, and he pitched a scoreless sixth inning. Back out for the seventh he allowed a two-run homer to again tie the game. In his two innings he gave up two hits, walked one, and struck out three. John Stankiewicz finished off the final two innings, allowing one run in each for the final of 8-6. He gave up four hits and struck out three. Wichita got a couple of baserunners in the bottom of the ninth thanks to singles from McCusker and Ben Ross, but Luke Keaschall went down swinging and Jake Rucker popped out to end the game. Morales was the only Wind Surge hitter with multiple hits in the game, going 2-for-3 with a double, walk, and pair of runs scored. Sabato and Cardenas each drove in two runners. Keaschall had an off night, picking up an RBI but also a golden sombrero in his four at-bats. KERNELS NUGGETS Beloit 7, Cedar Rapids 2 Box Score The Kernels struck first and last against the Twins former affiliate, but in between it was all Snappers. Payton Eeles started off the game by reaching on an error, moved to second on a ground out, and came around to score on a Rubel Cespedes single to take a 1-0 lead after one. Starting pitcher Jordan Carr had trouble from the get go. Though his first inning was scoreless, he did have to work around a pair of walks. He wasn’t as lucky in the second, third, and fourth innings as Beloit built a 7-1 lead before his night was done. He allowed seven earned runs on nine hits and two walks in his 3 2/3 innings pitched, striking out one. The bullpen did pick him up, even if the offense wasn’t able to, finishing the game with five plus scoreless innings. Kyle Bischoff walked one and struck out two in 1 1/3 innings. Rafael Marcano went the next three innings. He allowed three hits, walked one, and struck out one. Juan Mercedes finished off the game with a scoreless ninth, allowing two hits while striking out one. Cedar Rapids scored their second run of the game in the bottom of the eighth after Eeles drew a walk and moved to second on a passed ball. He scored on a single from Ricardo Olivar. The Kernels only extra-base hit of the game came off the bat of Nate Baez. Eeles drew two walks in addition to scoring both their runs. MUSSEL MATTERS Tampa 15, Fort Myers 4 Box Score The Mighty Mussels took an early lead in this one, but just as quickly as they did so, it disappeared and turned into a rout. Walker Jenkins led off the game for the home team with a single, but got caught stealing third base later in the inning. That was too bad, as a Matt Clayton double a few batters later could have been of the bases clearing variety instead of just a two-RBI one. An Angel Rosario double in the second inning scored another run for the early 3-1 Fort Myers lead. But in the top of the third the Tarpons became the first team to really get Fort Myers starter Ricky Castro, who came into the game with a 0.00 ERA and 19 strikeouts in his first 12 professional innings. Before the third was over Tampa had taken a 5-3 lead. Castro had a one-two-three fourth inning, but back out for the fifth he wasn’t able to record an out before being pulled. In total, Castro was charged with his first seven runs (six earned) as a pro by giving up five hits (including two homers) and two walks. He did strike out four. Jack Noble got them out of the fifth but was charged with one earned run of his own. He gave up two hits, including the Tarpons third home run of the game, and struck out two. Ross Dunn was then the next victim, as the visiting team racked up six more runs while he was only able to record two outs. He allowed six hits, a walk, and struck out two. Samuel Perez went the next 2 1/3 innings, keeping the Tarpons off the board with no hits, one walk, and four strikeouts. Ben Ethridge got the final inning, allowing one run on two hits. The Fort Myers lineup got multiple hits from Byron Chourio (2-for-5, 2 R) and Isaac Pena (2-for-4, R, 2B, K). Jenkins finished 1-for-5. COMPLEX CHRONICLES FCL Braves 1, FCL Twins 7 (5 innings) Box Score The FCL squad was meant to play a doubleheader on Tuesday, but rain cut the first game short and washed out the matinee. The Twins scored one in the first as the rehabbing Gabriel Gonzalez launched a solo home run. They took command in the third thanks to an error, an RBI double from Yilber Herrera, wild pitch, and Harold Grant RBI single for a 5-1 lead. They added another pair of runs in the fourth thanks to sac flies from Cole Elvis and Gregory Duran. Making the start for the Twins was Joel Garcia, and he went the first four innings. He allowed one earned run on three hits, while striking out three. Eider Machuca pitched their final inning, allowing two hits but no runs before the game was called. Herrera (2-for-3, R, 2B RBI) and Grant (2-for-3, 2B, RBI) led the way with two hits apiece. Jayson Bass scored two runs and stole a base. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day - Samuel Perez, Fort Myers Mighty Mussels (2 1/3 IP, BB, 4 K) Hitter of the Day - Tony Kemp, St. Paul Saints (2-for-4, R, 2B, 2 RBI, BB) PROSPECT SUMMARY #1 – Walker Jenkins (Fort Myers) – 1-for-5 #2 – Brooks Lee (St. Paul) – 1-for-4, R, HR (5), RBI, BB #5 – Gabriel Gonzalez (rehab w/FCL Twins) – 1-for-3, R, HR (1), RBI #8 – Austin Martin (Minnesota) – game in progress #9 – Luke Keaschall (Wichita) – 0-for-4, RBI, 4 K #13 – Tanner Schobel (Wichita) – 1-for-4, 2B, K, SB #18 – Yunior Severino (St. Paul) – 2-for-4, R, 2B, BB #20 – Ricardo Olivar (Cedar Rapids) – 1-for-4, RBI, K WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS St. Paul @ Iowa (12:08 PM CDT) - RHP David Festa (3-2, 3.77 ERA) - we have a sneaky suspicion that someone else might be starting for the Saints on Wednesday. NW Arkansas @ Wichita (12:05 PM CDT) - RHP Andrew Morris (2-1, 1.71 ERA) Beloit @ Cedar Rapids (12:05 PM CDT) - RHP Mike Paredes (1-0, 2.70 ERA) Tampa @ Fort Myers (6:05 PM CDT) - RHP Tanner Hall (0-0, 4.08 ERA) DSL Twins @ DSL Padres Brown (10:00 AM CDT) - TBD Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Tuesday’s games! View full article

Wanna know who I think is one of the most overrated players in the league? Pete Alonso, LOL. I'd trade a lottery ticket for him as a rental (think Spencer Steer or Christian Encarnacion-Strand), that's about it. Definitely not someone on a top-100 list, which is both Festa and Keaschall. Putting them both in one deal is just insanity. I also don't think the Mets will be sellers, or most of the NL for that matter. There's only 2 teams that aren't within 1.5 games of the wild card (Rockies and Marlins).

All this data is really weird to look at for him, haha. His hits have basically all come on stuff out of the zone. Everything in the zone is "cold" but he's put the bat on everything, too. Only 5 swings and misses, but a ton of foul ball results. His timing just might be a tad off still, so I think the "just missing the barrel and about to break out" comment is on the money. Let's hope!

As an amendment to this comment, and to demonstrate the small sample size of this year: Lee had an .600 OPS so far this season as a RH batter after Tuesday. On Wednesday, he hit 3 doubles (all of which were like exactly the same 🤣) as a righty, and now that OPS is .875. I did and do not, at all, think his "hitting" or any perceived lack thereof as a righty was keeping him in the minors. As soon as there is a need on the Twins in the infield, I'd bet he is the guy.

Personally, I don't think he needs them. Might as well let him keep working to stay at SS (which I think he can play in MLB just fine). In my experience, it is the "fringe" guys that get moved around in the minors, not the studs. This helps them see if they can handle a utility role as that "fringe" type player. I don't see that being the case with Lee, but if this does start happening, I'd take it as a hint his promotion is imminent. He's still not hitting as a right-hander, but the lefty stroke is ready for the big lights.

Even though their game was shortened due to the rain in the Twin Cities Tuesday night, the Saints were able to pull out a victory at CHS Field thanks to the powerful bat of top prospect Brooks Lee. A starter set a career high in strikeouts to lead Cedar Rapids to a series opening victory, and a recent independent league signing also made an impact in his high-A debut. Image courtesy of Rob Thompson, St. Paul Saints (photo of Brooks Lee) TRANSACTIONS The St. Paul Saints activated C Chris Williams ahead of their series opener against the Toledo Mudhens. Down in the Florida State League, the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels activated RHP Julio Bonilla from the 7-day injured list. SAINTS SENTINEL Toledo 4, St. Paul 5 (6 innings) Box Score The same rain that delayed the Twins game in Minneapolis, eventually got to the Saints and CHS Field in St. Paul, cutting this one short in the top of the sixth. Starting pitcher Adam Plutko pitched all 5 1/3 innings for the Saints, getting through five with three earned runs on six hits, two walks, and two strikeouts. He gave up a solo homer immediately before the tarp came out, accounting for his fourth run allowed and seventh hit on his ledger, so the interruption came at a convenient time. The Saints fell behind 3-0 after the top of the second, but got a two-out rally started in the bottom half. After two quick outs to start the frame, Diego Castillo put them on the board with a solo home run, his fourth of the season. Patrick Winkel (walk), Will Holland (single) and Edouard Julien (walk) then all reached base to load the bases. Brooks Lee then cleared them with a grand slam the opposite way, his second home run of the year, to put them out front 5-3. Lee (2-for-4, R, GS, 4 RBI) and Castillo (2-for-2, R, 2B, HR, RBI, BB) each had two hits. Matt Wallner and Yunior Severino each drew a walk and struck out twice in three trips to the plate. WIND SURGE WISDOM Wichita 2, Arkansas 3 Box Score Wichita scored first in this one after Jake Rucker drew a one-out walk in the opening frame, and was driven in by a double from Jeferson Morales. Kyler Fedko followed with a single but Morales had to be held up at third base, and from there the Wind Surge had just one more hit in the game. The Travelers answered that opening salvo with two runs of their own in the bottom half against starter Cory Lewis. He walked the first batter he faced, and served up a home run to the next one, putting them down 2-1. Lewis was good from there though, working around three more hits allowed and one more walk to finish three innings. In all he surrendered those two earned runs on four hits and a pair of walks, while striking out four. He threw 61 pitches, with 36 going for strikes (59%) so his pitch did get run up a bit. Aaron Rozek came on to start the fourth inning and would go on to finish the game. In his five innings he scattered six hits, good for just one earned run, while striking out six. The Wind Surge were able to pull within one in the top of the eighth when Jorel Ortega drew a walk to lead off the inning. A pair of wild pitches later had him on third base, and Rucker brought him in with a sac fly. Unfortunately as alluded to, they weren’t able to find that needed hit after the first inning. They finished 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position and left eight men on base for the game. Luke Keaschall (1-for-4) picked up their third and final hit in the third inning. Rucker scored a run, drove in one, and drew a walk. KERNELS NUGGETS Peoria 2, Cedar Rapids 5 Box Score The Kernels got started quickly in this one, scoring three runs over the first two innings for an early lead. A Rayne Doncon RBI single got them on the scoreboard in the first, and a Nate Baez two-run shot, his eighth of the season, made it 3-0 heading into the third inning. It stayed that way for the next four innings, as Cedar Rapids got a monumental effort from starter Christian MacLeod. He retired the first 10 Chiefs of the game before allowing a double and a walk to consecutive batters in the top of the fourth inning. He shrugged that off and proceeded to then retire the next seven to end his day. In six shutout frames, MacLeod allowed just those two baserunners, and racked up 10 total strikeouts to set a career high. He needed just 76 pitches to make it through his six innings, with 51 going for strikes (67%), including an impressive 16 swinging. Peoria certainly was happy he was lifted at that pitch count, as they finally got on the scoreboard immediately after his exit. Kyle Bischoff came on to start the seventh, and promptly gave up a single that was later followed by a two-run homer to make it 3-2 and putting MacLeod’s effort in jeopardy. He settled in though, and finished the inning with no further damage and added a scoreless eighth to keep them out front. The lineup then added some insurance in the bottom half of the eighth when Baez drew a walk and Payton Eeles was hit by a pitch. A wild pitch moved them each up a base before Kyle Hess sent a sacrifice fly into right field to score one, and a wild throw allowed Eeles to score as well and make it the final of 5-2. Gabriel Yanez pitched a one-two-three ninth, picking up his third save and striking out two. The Cedar Rapids offense was led by Doncon (2-for-4, RBI, K) and Baez (2-for-3, 2 R, HR, RBI, BB) who each collected two hits, and Eeles (1-for-2, 2 R, 3B), who was making his Midwest League debut and has been nothing short of amazing since joining the Twins organization out of the Atlantic League in early May. MUSSEL MATTERS Fort Myers 1, St. Lucie 6 Box Score The Mighty Mussels weren’t able to put together much offense on Tuesday, ending the game with just two hits on their ledger on the road in St. Lucie. One of those hits was a single from Walker Jenkins, with the other coming off the bat of Carlos Aguiar. Fort Myers did score a run in the top of the sixth, thanks to three walks and a hit by pitch that credited Yohander Martinez with an RBI. Isaac Pena drew three walks by himself, but as a team they were 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position and left nine runners on base for the game. Left-hander Ross Dunn made the start and finished the first four innings. He gave up three runs in the first but settled down pretty well with three scoreless frames after that. In total he was charged with three runs on three hits and three walks, while striking out one. Jack Noble (2 IP, ER, BB, K) and Xander Hamilton (2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, BB, K) each allowed a run or more in their two innings. COMPLEX CHRONICLES FCL Twins 7, FCL Orioles 3 Box Score The FCL Twins utilized a big second inning to take down the Orioles Tuesday afternoon. Yasser Mercedes got the barrage started with a single and stole his 17th base of the season. Ariel Castro then followed with a single of his own. A Gregory Duran ground out scored the first run of the game, then a walk to Hendry Chivilli preceded a two-run double from Jayson Bass for a 3-0 lead. The inning continued with a run-scoring error and a walk, before an RBI single from Daniel Pena added another tally. Castro then punctuated the inning by straight stealing home for the early 6-0 lead. Joel Garcia made the start and went the first three, scoreless innings. He allowed one hit and struck out two. Eider Machuca gave up a pair of runs in his inning on one hit and a walk. He struck out one. Matt Helwig was credited with the win after his two innings. He was charged with one unearned run on one hit while striking out one. Eduardo Soriano finished the game with a scoreless frame, walking one. The Twins scored their final run in the top of the sixth after Chivilli led off the inning with a walk. He moved to second on a wild pitch, and then third on a balk before Ricardo Pena brought him in with an RBI single. Bass paced the offense with a double and single in three at bats, scoring a run and driving in two. DOMINICAN DAILY DSL Twins 6, DSL Mets Orange 9 Box Score The Twins struck early in this one, taking a 3-0 after the top of the first. Their first five hitters all punched ground ball singles through the infield, with the final one from Ramiro Dominguez driving in two. They would tack on two more in the third to take a 5-0 lead, thanks to a Daiber De Los Santos RBI groundout, and RBI single from Merphy Hernandez. The pitching staff got three scoreless innings from Aaron Carranza (IP, H, 2 K) and Yoel Roque (2 IP, 5 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 4 K) as they built that 5-0 lead, but Roque didn’t record an out in the fifth and the Mets pulled within one. The lineup added an insurance run in the top of the sixth on a sac fly from Dominguez, but it wouldn’t be enough to hold off the Orange squad. Sebastian Pulido (2 IP, 3 K) got them to the sixth inning, but Manuel Compres (2/3 IP, 0 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, K) and Daniel Manzueta (1/3 IP, 0 H, 2 ER, 2 BB) couldn’t find the strike zone, combining for four hit-by-pitches in addition to four walks, and this one got away. Hernandez (2-for-4, R, RBI), Eduardo Beltre (2-for-3, 2 R, BB), and Victor Leal (2-for-4, K) led the way with two hits apiece in the loss. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day - Christian MacLeod, Cedar Rapids Kernels (W, 6 IP, H, BB, 10 K) Hitter of the Day - Brooks Lee, St. Paul Saints (2-for-4, R, GS HR (2), 4 RBI) PROSPECT SUMMARY #1 – Walker Jenkins (Fort Myers) – 1-for-4 #2 – Brooks Lee (St. Paul) – 2-for-4, R, GS HR (2), 4 RBI #8 – Austin Martin (Minnesota) – 2-for-3, R, BB, K, SB (5) #9 – Luke Keaschall (Wichita) – 1-for-4 #13 – Tanner Schobel (Wichita) – 0-for-4, 3 K #15 – Cory Lewis (Wichita) – L, 3 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K #18 – Yunior Severino (St. Paul) – 0-for-2, BB, 2 K #20 – Ricardo Olivar (Cedar Rapids) – 1-for-4, R, BB WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Toledo @ St. Paul (1:07 PM CDT) - RHP Ronny Henriquez (1-2, 3.75 ERA) Wichita @ Arkansas (6:35 PM CDT) - RHP Pierson Ohl (3-4, 5.03 ERA) Peoria @ Cedar Rapids (12:05 PM CDT) - TBD Fort Myers @ St. Lucie (12:10 PM CDT) - RHP Ricky Castro (2-0, 0.00 ERA Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Tuesday's games! View full article