Steve Lein

It took a lot for me to not mention what McAdoo did to their pitchers last night, so I'll add what the game summary from the Mussels said: "The performance marked the first time a Florida State League hitter notched six hits and drove in eight this year. Moreover, he set the Marauders franchise record for hits in a game." Absolutely monstrous performance!

Totally missed that. Has speed and the smarts too, apparently!

Not that anything was particularly difficult in the game yesterday, but Martin seemed to handle CF just fine. He has also only been playing the OF for the past few weeks.

The St. Paul Saints came home to face the Louisville Bats and one of their top prospects on Tuesday. It was also the first time Brooks Lee, Yunior Severino, and DaShawn Keirsey Jr. got to play in front of their home fans. They were joined by a former top prospect on a rehab assignment. They combined to bash the visiting team into submission. Image courtesy of Rob Thompson, St. Paul Saints (photo of Brooks Lee and Royce Lewis) Despite all that action in St. Paul, the Wind Surge also got perhaps their best starting pitching performance of the season, The Mighty Mussels racked up a bunch of hits, and a high school draftee went yard again in the FCL to lead his team to victory. Also, Chris Williams loves hitting on Tuesday’s… TRANSACTIONS After the big promotions last week from Wichita, the St. Paul Saints got even more star power for their lineup in the form of a rehabbing Royce Lewis. He batted second and played third base on Tuesday. SAINTS SENTINEL Louisville 4, St. Paul 14 Box Score While the story for the home town fans was certainly Royce Lewis and Brooks Lee suiting up for the Saints on Tuesday, they had a tall order in front of them from an on-paper perspective. That’s because they were facing the 2023 minor league strikeout leader and Cincinnati Reds number five prospect (according to MLB Pipeline), Connor Phillips. Promoted to Triple-A before July, Phillips had been lights out with the Louisville Bats in six starts, compiling a 1.95 ERA in 27 2/3 IP, including 32 strikeouts. He didn’t even finish the second inning. That’s because St. Paul's lineup made him work, tossing 52 pitches in his 1 1/3 innings, with just 25 for strikes. He recorded strikeouts on the first two hitters of the game, but like my eyes peeped watching on MiLB.tv (highly recommend if you’re still looking for a baseball fix, and/or are not able to watch the Twins), the lineup figured out he could only throw a slider with two-strikes and didn’t have command of his fastball to make anything else work. He ended up walking three, and allowing five earned runs on three hits, including allowing his first home run at Triple-A to Trevor Larnach in the second inning. It was Larnach's 10th with the Saints. Yunior Severino also launched his first Triple-A home run, and 25th of the season, in the third inning which made it 7-0 Saints early. Both home runs cleared the home run porch in right field, flying 460+ feet. (of note, the next time he came up Bats pitcher Randy Wynne quite obviously plunked Severino in retaliation and was ejected for it) Royce Lewis also had no intention of going unnoticed in the first game of his rehab assignment, launching his fifth Triple-A home run of the season in the fourth after a sac fly in the second. He finished 1-for-4 with two RBI. The Saints really broke it open in the fifth inning after the Wynne ejection and the bases became loaded. Austin Martin delivered an RBI single for one, before Chris Williams delivered a grand slam to make it 13-1. The Saints even got a solid outing from Simeon Woods Richardson, keeping the top hitting team in the International League at bay for most of his outing. Through five innings, Woods Richardson had allowed just one run on two hits and three walks, and maybe should have been pulled at that point with the big lead. Back out for the sixth, he recorded two more outs, but got tagged with two home runs to dampen his stat line. He struck out three in his 5 2/3 innings, picking up his fourth win of the year. Austin Schulfer delivered 1 1/3 scoreless relief innings, walking one and striking out two. Cole Sands finished off the final two frames, allowing two hits and notching four strikeouts. Martin finished 3-for-3 with a pair of runs scored, a double, RBI, walk, and his seventh stolen base. Williams was 2-for-4 with a walk and five RBI. Larnach also collected multiple hits and finished 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored in addition to the homer. Anthony Prato clubbed a double in two at-bats, drew three walks, scored three runs, and drove in one. Brooks Lee picked up his first hit at CHS Field in front of the home fans and finished 1-for-5. WIND SURGE WISDOM Wichita 5, NW Arkansas 2 Box Score The Wind Surge got a dominant effort from their starting pitcher, Pierson Ohl, on Tuesday, who very well could have gone the distance with 84 pitches (61 strikes) after his eight innings. He allowed just one run in the first inning, scattered seven hits, and struck out four on the night. Wichita pounced for two runs in the top of the first to give almost all the run support he would need to pick up his fourth win. Yoyner Fajardo led off the game with a single, stole his 35th and 36th bases, and scored the first run on a groundout from Alex Isola. A Seth Gray RBI single later scored Tanner Schobel, who drew a walk, for the early 2-0 lead. Dalton Shuffield added a sacrifice fly in the sixth, Fajardo an RBI double in the seventh, and Willie Joe Garry Jr. RBI triple in the eighth accounted for all five of the Wind Surge runs. Fajardo (2-for-5, R, 2B, RBI, 3 K), Aaron Sabato (2-for-3, R, 2B, BB, K), and Garry Jr. (2-for-4, 2 3B, RBI, 2 K) had multiple hits in the win. Miguel Rodriguez pitched the ninth inning, and surrendered one earned run on one hit. He struck out two batters. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 0, Quad Cities 7 Box Score Cedar Rapids hit the road eastward to the Quad Cities area, renewing the in-state rivalry for their series this week. While the Kernels sit atop the Midwest League West Division standings and the River Bandits the bottom, you can usually throw any of that info out when these teams face off. Case in point, Tuesday’s shutout of the visiting team. The Kernels drew seven walks as a team, but combined those with just two hits in the game. They were both doubles (from Ben Ross and Kyler Fedko), but came with nobody on base. As a team they were just 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position, and left nine men on base. Zebby Matthews made the start for Cedar Rapids and made it through 4 1/3 innings. He allowed five runs (four earned) on six hits and a pair of walks. He struck out six batters. Two home runs allowed did most of that damage. The bullpen trio of Niklas Rimmel (1 IP, H, 2 ER, 3 BB, K), John Stankiewicz (1 2/3 IP, 3 K), and John Wilson (1 IP, H, K) worked the rest of the game. Emmanuel Rodriguez finished 0-for-4 with a pair of strikeouts. Jorel Ortega was 0-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout. In addition to his double, Kyler Fedko also drew two walks. MUSSEL MATTERS Bradenton 13, Fort Myers 9 Box Score The Mighty Mussels got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the first on Danny De Andrade’s eighth home run of the season that made it 2-0. They went up 4-2 in the second after an RBI-double from Maddux Houghton and a wild pitch that later allowed him to scamper home. Unfortunately, that was the last lead they held the rest of the game. Fort Myers starter Jose Olivares finished the first four innings and got a lot of swings and misses, but was tagged for five runs (four earned) in his time on the mound. He gave up four hits, walked two, and struck out nine. Samuel Perez was charged with three earned runs on two hits and three walks in his 2/3 of an inning. Johnathan Lavallee (1 1/3 IP, H, 3 BB, K), Wilker Reyes (2 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, BB, 4 K), and Develson Aria (1 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, BB, 3 K) finished out the game for the Mighty Mussels, with the same type of results as Olivares. The 18 K’s from the staff pitching were impressive, but paired with 10 walks and 13 hits, you end up with a result like this. The lineup added a pair of runs in the eighth inning when De Andrade led off with a single and advanced to second on an error. A groundout from Rubel Cespedes brought him home before Jay Harry’s second double of the season gave them six on the scoreboard. In the bottom of the ninth down 13-6, they added a few more runs but fell short of an epic comeback. A pair of walks preceded put runners on for De Andrade, who drove them both in with a double. Rafael Cruz then scored De Andrade with a single for the final score. De Andrade (3-for-4, 2 R, 2B, HR, 4 RBI) and Cruz (4-for-5, 2B, RBI) had multiple hits to lead the offense. Each other hitter had one knock, and they totaled 14 hits as a team in the loss. COMPLEX CHRONICLES FCL Pirates 2, FCL Twins 3 Box Score Twins starter Eduardo Soriano delivered a scoreless first inning, but some walks caught up with him in the second. He finished 1 2/3 innings and was charged with two runs (one earned) on one hit and four walks. He struck out three. In the bottom of the second, the Twins put together a two-out rally thanks to some walks of their own. After loading the bases, Andres Centeno delivered a two-RBI single to tie the game. In the third, Brandon Winokur raced around the bases for an inside-the-park home run to make it 3-2. It was his second home run in nine games. That would be all the Twins needed, as the bullpen shut down the Pirates from there. Julio Bonilla (W, 3 1/3 IP, H, BB, K), Jeferson Lopez (H, 3 1/3 IP, 2 BB, 3 K), and Miguel Olivares (2/3 IP, BB, 2 K) all delivered scoreless outings and as a staff the Twins held the Pirates to just two hits in the game. Walker Jenkins followed Winokur’s blast with a single in the third and finished 1-for-3. Daniel Pena added the Twins' only other hit. DOMINICAN DAILY DSL Giants Orange 6, DSL Twins 6 (suspended in the bottom of the fifth) Box Score The Giants and Twins were only able to get through four-plus innings on Tuesday before the game was suspended, but in that time there was a lot of action. Starting pitcher Reynel Garcia got the short end of the stick because of his defense in the first, being charged with three unearned runs on only one hit. Oscar Paredes had a one-two-three second inning, before Adrian Bohorquez gave the bulk of the pitching work. In 2 2/3 innings, he allowed three runs (one earned) on five hits. He also struck out five. Jose Ojo got the final out of the fifth before the game was suspended. The Twins scored two in the first after loading the bases on a Junior Del Valle two-run single. They added three more in the third on a Moises Lopez double to score Dameury Pena, Jesus Peraza ground ball to score Lopez, and a wild pitch that allowed Carlos Silva to score. They scored their sixth run in the fourth when Pena and Del Valle each clubbed a double. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day - Pierson Ohl, Wichita Wind Surge (W, 8 IP, 7 H, 1 ER, 4 K) Hitter of the Day - Chris Williams, St. Paul Saints (2-for-4, 2 R, Grand Slam, 5 RBI, BB) PROSPECT SUMMARY #1 - Brooks Lee (St. Paul) -1-for-5, K #2 - Walker Jenkins (FCL) - 1-for-3 #3 - Emmanuel Rodriguez (Cedar Rapids) - 0-for-4, 2 K #5 - Matt Wallner (Minnesota) - 0-for-4, 2 K #8 - Austin Martin (St. Paul) - 3-for-3, 2 R, 2B (6), RBI, BB, SB (7) #10 - Tanner Schobel (Wichita) - 1-for-4, R, BB, 2 K #12 - Luke Keaschall (Fort Myers) - 1-for-4, R, BB, K #13 - Brandon Winokur (FCL) - 1-for-4, R, HR (2), RBI, K #14 - Simeon Woods Richardson (St. Paul) - W, 5 2/3 IP, 4 H, 4 R (3 earned) 4 BB, 3 K #16 - Kala’i Rosario (Cedar Rapids) - 0-for-3, BB, K #17 - Yunior Severino (St. Paul) - 1-for-4, 2 R, HR (1), 2 RBI, 2 K #20 - Jose Rodriguez (FCL) - 0-for-3, 2 K WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Louisville @ St. Paul (1:07 PM CDT) - RHP Randy Dobnak (4-5, 4.33 ERA) Wichita @ NW Arkansas (7:05 PM CDT) - RHP Carlos Luna (1-7, 5.54 ERA) Cedar Rapids @ Quad Cities (6:30 PM CDT) - RHP Kyle Jones (5-4, 4.52 ERA) Bradenton @ Fort Myers (6:00 PM CDT) - TBD DSL Reds @ DSL Twins (makeup of 7/26 postponement) Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Tuesday’s games! View full article

I would argue they have the perfect situation for him to make starts. Go 6-man, or have him pitch the days they skip someone. It's obvious to me the starting staff is wearing down at this point. Which is not uncommon, but what was their strength early isn't so much anymore.

I don't disagree, but it was a point of emphasis being made on the broadcast.

Good organizational depth. 24-year old getting his first action at the double-A level this year. He has stood out in a quite a few of my reports this year I feel like, hitting .300 with 30 steals, but is another lefty corner outfielder, lacking some thump.

It's definitely past time, in my opinion. Along those lines, the Dallas Keuchel thing just confuses me to no end.

While there were likely some jitters from prospects throughout the Minnesota Twins farm system as the MLB trade deadline loomed, especially looking back on last year, there ended up not being any drama to worry about. The Kernels broke off some lug nuts and Wichita didn’t get drilled in their home stadiums, but the Saints did get clipped on the road. A couple of 2023 draft picks also were promoted. Image courtesy of William Parmeter, MIghty Mussels (photo of Jorel Ortega) TRANSACTIONS 2023 Draftees, 2B Luke Keaschall and SS Jay Harry were assigned to the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels from the FCL Twins, and made their Low-A debuts. RHP Devin Kirby, signed on July 27th, was assigned to the FCL Twins. The burly (5-10, 220 pounds) right-hander signed with the Twins after spending the past two seasons at the University of Connecticut. This season, he went 7-1 with a save and a 4.35 ERA in 25 relief appearances. In 49 2/3 innings, he walked 11 and struck out 43 batters. SAINTS SENTINEL St. Paul 7, Columbus 15 Box Score Andrew Stevenson led off the game with his 13th home run of the season, and Jair Camargo followed in the second with his 15th long ball. They also had left-hander Brent Headrick on the mound, so things were looking good early for the Saints on the road. In the bottom of the second, Headrick gave back that early lead as four hits and a sac fly tied the game at two, but it could have been worse. With the game still tied going into the bottom of the fifth, it got worse. The first nine hitters of the inning reached base, with Headrick being lifted after five of them. His game ended after four-plus innings pitched in which he allowed seven runs (six earned) on eight hits and three walks. He struck out three. The Clippers ended up scoring eight total runs in the fifth to take a 10-2 lead, and it didn’t get much better from there. Relievers Austin Brice (1 IP, 2 H, 3 ER, BB, 2 K), Patrick Murphy (1 IP, 2 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, K), and Cody Laweryson (1 IP, 5 H, 2 ER) all got tagged for runs as well. Austin Schulfer managed to finish the game with a scoreless inning. He gave up one hit, one walk, and struck out one. Down 15-2 in the ninth inning, the Saints did find some life, but it was too little too late. Anthony Prato drew a walk to start the frame, Trevor Larnach moved him to second with a single, and Kyle Garlick drove him in with a double. Mark Contreras added an RBI single in front of an RBI double from Austin Martin. Tony Wolters added a sac fly and Martin was able to score after an error to make the final of 15-7. Larnach was the only hitter in the lineup with multiple knocks, as he finished 2-for-5 with a run scored. As a team the Saints were 3-for-7 with runners in scoring position, but left only five men on base for the game. WIND SURGE WISDOM Tulsa 1, Wichita 3 Box Score David Festa took the bump for the Wind Surge in Tuesday’s series opener against the Tulsa Drillers, still building back up his stamina after appearing in the Future’s Game over All-Star Weekend. In the first, he worked around a pair of singles and a walk by striking out three batters. He tossed perfect innings in the second and third innings. In the fourth, a single and a walk around another strikeout put an end to his outing after 63 pitches. In total, he went 3 1/3 innings, gave up three hits, two walks, and punched out six. The Wichita lineup gave him some early run support, as a DaShawn Keirsey Jr. double in the first was followed by a Yunior Severino single for a 1-0 lead. In the second, Tanner Schobel led off with a walk before Yoyner Fajardo launched his fifth home run of the season. From there, it was all about the pitching from both sides. Isaac Mattson contributed 1 2/3 scoreless innings after Festa’s exit. He walked one and struck out two. Regi Grace was charged with one run (unearned) in his 1 2/3 innings. He gave up one hit, walked one, and struck out one. Denny Bentley struck out two in an inning of work, before Francis Peguero recorded the final four outs without allowing a run. Fajardo led the offense with a two-hit night, including the home run, while Brooks Lee contributed his Texas League leading 31st double of the season. KERNELS NUGGETS Lansing 9, Cedar Rapids 12 Box Score Both teams had big innings throughout the contest, but Cedar Rapids was really in control throughout. They built an 8-1 lead after two innings, and every time the Lugnuts got close, the Kernels had an answer. A Jorel Ortega double in the bottom of the first put them in front 2-0 early, and then they tacked on a bunch more in the second. Ben Ross had a two-run triple and Ortega added his fifth home run in the six-run frame. Starting pitcher C.J. Culpepper didn’t have his best outing, but the lineup had his back plenty. In four innings, he surrendered five runs (four earned) on five hits and three walks. He struck out four. Alejandro Hidalgo came on for the fifth and went the next 1 1/3 innings. He was hit for three earned runs on four hits and two walks, and struck out one. Mike Paredes (2 1/3 IP, H, ER, BB, 2 K) and Miguel Rodriguez (1 1/3 IP, H, BB, K) were then able to stabilize the later innings. Rodriguez picked up his 13th save. Cedar Rapids got a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the seventh on a two-run single from Noah Miller. He finished 2-for-4 with a run scored, three RBI, and a walk out of the leadoff spot. Joining him with multiple hits in the game were Ortega (2-for-3, R, 2B, HR, 4 RBI, 2 BB, SB) and Misael Urbina (2-for-4, 3 R, 2B, BB). Ross, Andrew Cossetti, and Mikey Perez also each scored two runs. Emmanuel Rodriguez had a double, two walks, two RBI, and two stolen bases. It was a solid effort all around from the lineup that amassed 10 hits and 10 walks as a team. MUSSEL MATTERS Fort Myers 3, Dunedin 4 Box Score The Mighty Mussels jumped out to an early lead against the Blue Jays on Tuesday, scoring three runs in the first two innings. Hernan Perez led off the game with a walk and moved to third base on a Danny De Andrade double. Luke Keaschall, making his Fort Myers debut, then gave them their first run with a sac fly. Later in the first, Rafael Cruz delivered an RBI single for a 2-0 lead. In the second, Perez singled, stole second base, and then scored on a Ricardo Olivar single. Keaschall added his first double in his next at-bat, but that was it for scoring on the game for the Mighty Mussels. Despite their 12 walks as a team, they finished just 2-for-12 with runners in scoring position and left 16 men on base. Starter Jose Olivares was solid for almost six frames, missing a quality effort by just one out, but as a consolation prize matched his career high longest outing. In his 5 2/3 IP, he allowed just two runs (one earned) on three hits and a walk. He struck out four. After falling behind early, the Blue Jays chipped away all game, scoring single runs in each of the fourth, sixth, and seventh innings to tie it. Juan Mendez was hit with a blown save for his 1 1/3 innings. He allowed one run on one hit and one walk. Ricardo Velez came on for the eighth and struck out all three hitters he faced. Back out for the ninth, it was a leadoff walk that did him and the Mighty Mussels in. He got the next two outs, including another K, but a single was enough to bring that leadoff man in from second for a Dunedin walk-off. Olivar (2-for-4, RBI, BB) and Keaschall (2-for-3, 2B, RBI, BB, K, SB) had multiple hits in the losing effort. Dylan Neuse added a double. Jay Harry finished 0-for-3 with two walks in his Florida State League debut. COMPLEX CHRONICLES FCL Orioles 6, FCL Twins 4 (7 innings) Box Score The Twins scored first in this one, thanks to the speed and hustle of Yasser Mercedes. Although he struck out to lead off the bottom of the first, the pitch got away from the catcher and he reached base. He then stole second, his sixth of the season, before Jose Rodriguez promptly drove him in with an RBI single and early 1-0 lead. The Twins starting pitcher, Eduardo Soriano, kept it that way until the fourth inning. He had retired nine in a row to that point, including five on strikeouts, before a walk to begin the top of the fourth. After a flyout, an error on shortstop Brandon Winokur opened the floodgates. A single, another walk, and six stolen bases later the Orioles had a 4-1 lead. Soriano came back out for the fifth, but another pair of walks put an end to his game after 4 1/3 innings. He ended up charged with all six Orioles runs (three earned) on one hit and four walks, and struck out six. The Twins added one run in the bottom of the fifth, and two in the sixth to make the final score, but couldn’t come all the way back. Daniel Pena and Cole Elvis delivered RBI doubles, and Poncho Ruiz added a sac fly. Pena (2-for-3, 2B, RBI, BB) and Andres Centeno (2-for-2, 2 BB) collected multiple hits. The bullpen duo of Kyle Bischoff (1 2/3 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 3 K) and Miguel Olivares (1 IP, K) finished the game for the Twins. DOMINICAN DAILY DSL Twins 2, DSL Phillies Red 6 (7 innings) Box Score The Twins were ambushed by the Phillies Red squad and were never able to claw their way back into it. Starting pitcher Adrian Bohorquez was only able to finish one inning in this one, as the game was delayed by lightning before the top of the second. He was charged with two earned runs on three hits and a walk in his time on the mound. Eider Machuca took over when the game resumed and completed two innings. He allowed three runs (zero earned) on two hits and struck out four. Relievers Jose Betancourt (1 IP, 2 H, ER, K) and Luis Rincon (2 IP, H, BB, 2 K) finished off the final three innings. Heading into the seventh and final inning, the Twins lineup had just four singles and a walk to their ledger, but finally were able to put something together. Carlos Silva drew a one out walk and was followed by a double from Junior Del Valle to put runners on second and third. Javier Roman then delivered a two-RBI single to put them on the scoreboard. One out and a pair of walks later the Twins had the bases loaded with a slim chance to tie the game, but a pitching change put an end to their rally with a strikeout. Dameury Pena was the only hitter with multiple knocks, finishing 2-for-2. Moises Lopez stole his eighth base. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day - Jose Olivares, Fort Myers Mighty Mussels (5 2/3 IP, 3 H, 2 R (1 earned) BB, 4 K) Hitter of the Day - Jorel Ortega, Cedar Rapids Kernels (2-for-3, R, 2B, HR, 4 RBI, 2 BB, K, SB) PROSPECT SUMMARY #1 - Brooks Lee (Wichita) - 1-for-4, 2B #3 - Emmanuel Rodriguez (Cedar Rapids) - 1-for-3, R, 2 RBI, 2 BB, K, 2 SB #5 - Matt Wallner (Minnesota) - 1-for-3, R, 2B #7 - David Festa (Wichita) - 3 1/3 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 6 K #8 - Austin Martin (St. Paul) - 1-for-4, R, 2B, RBI, K #10 - Tanner Schobel (Wichita) - 0-for-1, R, 2 BB #11 - Yasser Mercedes (FCL) - 0-for-3, R, SB, K #12 - Luke Keaschall (Fort Myers) - 2-for-3, 2B, RBI, BB, K, SB #13 - Brandon Winokur (FCL) - 1-for-4, R, 2 K #16 - Kala’i Rosario (Cedar Rapids) - 0-for-4, 2 K #17 - Yunior Severino (Wichita) - 1-for-2, RBI, 2 BB, K #19 - Brent Headrick (St. Paul) - L, 4 IP, 8 H, 6 ER, 3 BB, 3 K #20 - Jose Rodriguez (FCL) - 1-for-5, RBI, K WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS St. Paul @ Columbus (6:05 PM CDT) - RHP Simeon Woods Richardson (3-5, 5.93 ERA) Tulsa @ Wichita (7:05 PM CDT) - RHP Pierson Ohl Lansing @ Cedar Rapids (12:05 PM CDT) - RHP Zebby Matthews (3-1, 4.74 ERA) Fort Myers @ Dunedin (5:30 PM CDT) - RHP Jarret Whorff (2-2, 2.93 ERA) DSL Orioles Orange @ DSL Twins (completion of 7/17 suspended game) Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Tuesday’s games! View full article

I'd look specifically at the Dodgers, without knowing if there's actually any success stories there off the top of my head. Despite all their winning (means not having high draft picks) and free-agent spending (meaning they also have been losing a lot of high draft picks, didn't pick until #36 this year), they consistently year-in and year-out still have one of the top farm systems (they also do really well internationally). Examples of what they did this year, as relevant to the discussion: Pick 190, SS Bryan Gonzalez from Carlos Beltran Baseball Academy (HS), overslot by ~$100K Pick 250, OF Jaron Elkins, Goodpasture Christian School (HS), overslot by ~$210K Pick 550, LHP Sterling Patrick, South Hills HS, over"slot" by ~$200K For me, all of these guys are comparable to the two high-schoolers the Twins took with their last picks, in that they don't show up in any draft rankings, but are obviously liked by internal scouting departments. Even $400K can get these types to sign if you know your targets well enough.

I would trade Larnach for a rental in a heartbeat. The facts are, Larnach has had many opportunities, and never been able to run with it. Sure, you can blame a couple of injuries, but that doesn't change the fact that Matt Wallner has now surpassed him. He's redundant no matter what you think of his remaining potential to break out. Would love to get Hader for him. But I don't think Larnach alone gets that done either. The other idea I've kicked around is wondering if the Angels need a LHH. Swap Larnach for Jo Adell (but is injured at the moment).

Jenkins hasn't really been assigned anywhere yet, but I'd expect him to get at least 100 at-bats somewhere, starting perhaps next month. It almost assuredly will be on the FCL squad, as well as any of the other high school bats. The Twins haven't really sent HS pitchers to play much in the summer they are drafted, so I wouldn't necessarily expect Charlee Soto to make an appearance. Chase Petty pitched in 2 games after he was drafted, for a total of five innings. Most of the college draftees will get some run with the FCL squad to get acclimated, before moving onto Fort Myers or Cedar Rapids, depending mostly on their age and experience.

I was at spring training for an extended period before that season, and spent over a week watching games on the back fields. He was playing with the Beloit roster that included Miguel Sano, Eddie Rosario, and Kennys Vargas. It was a stacked lineup, and Sano and Rosario had battled for the Appalachian League home run title the year before and Kepler was on that team too. While I watched (think it was 5 games total),Kepler was, far and away, the best player on the team, and on the diamond period, every game while I was there. I still have my notebook around here somewhere. He clubbed line drives to all fields, ran like a deer, and was fantastic in the outfield. He made everyone else look slow. Then he didn't even play for Beloit that season, instead relegated back to Elizabethton where he broke out.

While #5 overall pick Walker Jenkins was in the house at Target Field on Tuesday, the minor league system he is soon to join was in full swing. There was strong pitching, as multiple affiliates nearly had no-hitters, and strong hitting as multiple batters in St. Paul nearly hit for the cycle. Image courtesy of Ethan Chapman (photo of Cory Lewis) TRANSACTIONS Left-handed reliever Caleb Thielbar was sent on a rehab assignment with the St. Paul Saints, and he made an appearance in their game against Toledo. In Cedar Rapids, LHP Zarion Sharpe was released, and LHP Jordan Carr was activated from the injured list. Down in Fort Myers, C Frank Nigro was assigned to the Mighty Mussels from the FCL Twins. SAINTS SENTINEL Toledo 7, St. Paul 14 Box Score Louie Varland took the mound for the Saints, but wasn’t as sharp as we’ve become accustomed to. He finished just 3 2/3 innings, and was charged with six runs (five earned) on nine hits and a walk, striking out four. The most damage came on a three-run homer in the third inning, and his team was down 6-2 upon his exit. Thankfully for the Minnesota native, the rest of his pitching staff and the lineup, picked him up. The Saints cut into that lead in the bottom of the fourth inning, when team MVP Andrew Stevenson launched his 12th home run of the season, a three-run shot to make it 6-5. They took the lead in the bottom of the fifth thanks to an RBI double from Anthony Prato and an RBI single off the bat of Alex De Goti. In relief of Varland, the Saints got a solid outing from Michael Boyle, who allowed just a walk in 1 1/3 innings, striking out two. Caleb Thielbar then made his first appearance of his rehab assignment. He walked one and struck out one in his inning. Cody Laweryson got hit with a blown save by allowing one run on two hits in his lone inning, striking out two. But he also got the win because the lineup took off after that. A six-run bottom of the seventh put this one away, with the big hits coming from a Prato home run, and bases loaded double from Gilberto Celestino, who also homered earlier in the game. Stevenson finished 4-for-5 with four runs scored and three-RBI, only missing a triple in his bid for the cycle. Prato also came a triple shy of the cycle. He went 3-for-5 with a pair of runs scored and three RBI. Celestino scored three runs and drove in three with two hits in five at-bats. As a team, the Saints also drew a club-record 13 walks on the night, which is how you end up with 14 runs total. Jorge Polanco played third base and was 1-for-4 with a run scored and two walks. He had one error. Austin Martin was in center field, but was removed from the game in the fifth inning with an apparent foot injury. WIND SURGE WISDOM Frisco 10, Wichita 4 Box Score Wind Surge starter Chad Donato got knocked around by the RoughRiders in the first inning, and the home team was unable to recover. Donato recorded just two outs, and before the Wind Surge could get anyone warmed up, he had been charged with nine runs (eight earned) on nine hits. Regi Grace and the rest of the bullpen admirably righted the ship after Donato’s exit, but it was too little, too late. Grace pitched 2 1/3 innings. he walked two and struck out three batters. Denny Bentley was charged with Frisco’s only other run, but completed three innings. He allowed four hits and struck out four batters. Curtis Taylor allowed one hit and struck out two in his two innings. Francis Peguero finished it out with a one-two-three ninth, all on K’s. Wichita got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the third inning, thanks to David Banuelos’ eighth home run of the season. They added three more in the fourth inning on Yunior Severino’s 19th home run and a two-run triple from Yoyner Fajardo. Brooks Lee was 2-for-4 out of the leadoff spot, and Fajardo also had two knocks and stole his 30th base. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 4, Wisconsin 1 Box Score Pitchers Cory Lewis and Mike Paredes combined to hold the Timber Rattlers to just one hit, and home runs from Andrew Cossetti and Kala’i Rosario were plenty of ammo to back them up on offense. Lewis got the starting nod and continued his string of strong performances to pick up his fourth win. He finished five innings, allowed just one run on one hit and one walk, and notched three strikeouts on just 59 pitches. Paredes finished the final four innings to pick up his first save of the season. He allowed no hits, walked two, and struck out three batters. The Kernels took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second when they loaded the bases with one out, and Kyler Fedko delivered a sacrifice fly. Cossetti led off the fifth with his ninth double, and later scored on another sacrifice fly from Emmanuel Rodriguez to go up 2-1. Rosario led off the eighth with his 14th home run, and Andrew Cossetti led off the ninth with his fifth home run with Cedar Rapids to provide insurance runs. Noah Cardenas (3-for-4, 2B) joined Rosario (2-for-4, R, 2B, HR, RBI, K) and Cossetti (2-for-3, 2 R, 2B, HR, RBI, BB) with multiple hits in the game. MUSSEL MATTERS Palm Beach 3, Fort Myers 1 Box Score The Mighty Mussels were unable to muster much offense at Hammond Stadium on Tuesday. Their lineup collected just three hits. Ben Ethridge made the start and finished 3 2/3 innings. He was charged with two earned runs on five hits and a pair of walks. He had three strikeouts. Danny Moreno recorded the next seven outs and allowed one hit and a walk to get them to the seventh inning. He struck out one batter. Juan Mendez gave up one more run to the Cardinals in the top of the seventh to make it 3-0 Cardinals. He recorded three strikeouts. In the bottom of the seventh, the Mighty Mussels were finally able to mount a threat when Rubel Cespedes drew a leadoff walk and Rafael Cruz was hit by a pitch. With two outs, Alec Sayre put them on the board with an RBI single. However, they also ran into the third out at third base on the play which ended the inning. Zach Veen finished the game for Fort Myers, allowing one hit in two innings. He struck out two batters. Sayre had two of the team's three hits in the game, while Ricardo Olivar notched the other. COMPLEX CHRONICLES FCL Braves 3, FCL Twins 2 (10 innings) Box Score Starter Eduardo Soriano completed the first three innings for the Twins and allowed two runs (one earned) on one hit and two walks. He had two strikeouts. The Twins tied the game in the fourth inning when Dalton Shuffield, Nate Baez, and Yasser Mercedes hit consecutive singles to start the frame and load the bases. A pair of wild pitches resulted in their only runs of the game. Shuffield, on a rehab assignment, finished 3-for-4 with a run scored out of the leadoff spot. Jose Rodriguez added a pair of hits, including a double, in four at-bats. The rest of the team managed just three hits, and they finished just 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position, leaving seven men on base. After Soriano’s exit, the bullpen trio of Pierce Banks (2 IP, 1 H, 2 BB, 4 K), Jeferson Lopez (1 IP, 1 BB, 1 K), and Kyle Bischoff (3 IP, 3 K) got them through the ninth with the score still tied. Miguel Olivares was brought on for the start of the 10th inning and got two quick outs before a single drove in the go-ahead run. The Twins then went down in order in the bottom half, to fall to the Braves. DOMINICAN DAILY DSL Twins 2, DSL Mariners 3 (8 innings) Box Score Neither team was able to score a run during the scheduled seven innings, and in fact, the Twins had a no-hitter going into the extra eighth frame. Adrian Bohorquez made the start and went the first two innings. He issued two walks and struck out one batter. Yency De Jesus took over to start the third inning and walked only two over the next five innings. He had five strikeouts. The Twins had some threats and had five hits to the Mariners zero hits through seven innings. However, they ran themselves into outs multiple times which kept them off the scoreboard. With the runner on second to start the extra inning, an error on a pickoff and then an RBI single from Angel Trinidad scored the first run of the game. A single from Jayson Bass later in the frame put a runner on third, and a passed ball led to their second run. Back out to try and finish off their no-hitter, De Jesus ran out of gas. A leadoff walk was followed by the first Mariners hit of the game which loaded the bases. Then they scored their first run on a wild pitch. A sacrifice fly tied the game at two. The Mariners walked it off with their second single of the game, putting a damper on a solid team effort. Trinidad (2-for-2, RBI) and Bass (2-for-4, K) each had multiple hits in the loss to lead the offense. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day - Cory Lewis, Cedar Rapids Kernels (W, 5 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K) Hitter of the Day - Andrew Stevenson, St. Paul Saints (4-for-5, 4 R, 2B, HR (12), 3 RBI, BB, SB(34)) PROSPECT SUMMARY #1 - Brooks Lee (Wichita) - 2-for-4, K #2 - Walker Jenkins (FCL) #3 - Emmanuel Rodriguez (Cedar Rapids) - 0-for-4, RBI, 3 K #5 - Matt Wallner (Minnesota) - 1-for-4, R, HR (2), 2 RBI, 3 K #8 - Austin Martin (St. Paul) - 1-for-2, R, K (left game in 5th inning due to injury) #10 - Tanner Schobel (Wichita) - 0-for-4, K #11 - Yasser Mercedes (FCL) - 1-for-4, K #16 - Kala’i Rosario (Cedar Rapids) - 2-for-4, R, 2B, HR (14), RBI, K #17 - Yunior Severino (Wichita) - 1-for-3, R, HR (19), RBI, BB, K #20 - Jose Rodriguez (FCL) - 2-for-4, K WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Toledo @ St. Paul (1:07 PM CDT) - LHP Brent Headrick (3-1, 3.76 ERA) Frisco @ Wichita (12:05 PM CDT) - RHP David Festa (2-2, 4.79 ERA) Cedar Rapids @ Wisconsin (12:10 PM CDT) - RHP C.J. Culpepper (2-0, 0.00 ERA) Palm Beach @ Fort Myers (11:00 AM CDT) - RHP Jose Olivares (2-3, 6.14 ERA) DSL Reds @ DSL Twins (makeup of 7/13) - TBD Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Tuesday’s games! View full article

TINSTAAPP!!! 🤣

Having Paul Skenes at #16 was surprising to me, but he is the top rated pitcher I guess.

Behind paywall: https://theathletic.com/4703833/2023/07/21/mlb-top-prospects-2023-minor-leaguers/ Law is pretty high on the Twins top prospects, with three of them in his top 25: 17. Brooks Lee: "Lee’s a high floor guy, as it’s very hard to imagine he’s less than a regular, although I think the only way he’s a true star is if he’s a consistent .300+ hitter and gets toward that power ceiling." 22. Emmanuel Rodriguez: "A centerfielder now, Rodriguez probably moves to right before too long, but the potential for a .400 OBP with 25 homers there would make him at least an above-average regular." 25. Walker Jenkins: "This is, as they say, what they’re supposed to look like, and I could easily see him becoming a .280+ hitter with 25-30 homers and strong OBPs." In our recent top 20 update voting, I rated them Walker Jenkins, Brooks Lee, Emmanuel Rodriguez, but I wouldn't argue with anyone mixing them around. The ceiling for Jenkins was my differentiator. On his offseason list from January, Law had Rodriguez at #48, and Lee at #51.

Yeah, it's probably Ober or Raya as the starting point or the Cardinals don't even want to talk to Falvey. Can guarantee BTV will show as a massive overpay for anyone that were to get Goldy (like 50+ for the 16 they rate Goldy, would be my guess). Also highly doubt he'd waive his no-trade, certainly not for the Twins. He would be the perfect player for them to get, I just don't see how it works from either side.

Holy cow, what's the distance on a "solar homer"?! 😉 I'll disagree somewhat with Seth's assessment. Lee is ready for everything as a hitter from the left side, certainly triple-A. Would like to see a bit more from him on the right-side, but only 19% of his plate appearances have come from there, so it's not like the difference is unexpected. If he's not moved up to triple-A when all the new draftees start getting into game action, I'll have questions.

There can be many reasons, and I very likely could be wrong, but it has been used to give guys a break who are struggling. Get them to their headquarter facility and put in some work away from the pressure. Keoni Cavaco just returned from such a stint.

It's now 4 ER in his last 28 innings after this outing for Dobnak. He's not on the 40-man so have to believe he's still a bit down the pecking order, but a spot start for him or Keuchel isn't out of the question if that need comes up. E-Rod is evening out a bit as the season has progressed. K's are down, walks are elite. Had a good June from a batting average perspective, not the same in July but his OBP is still over .400 for the month. All good signs!

Likely not a long-term thing, so they are just filling the bench in an interim fashion.