Steve Lein

He looked good last night. Still fell behind a couple hitters, but came back to get them with some nasty stuff. And he didn't miss anything badly, which is not usual from my observations earlier this year. A thread: I'll note that last night I wasn't seeing 100 or 101 on the radar gun readings like was common earlier this year. Saw 97's when I looked. Could have missed some, but maybe he's backed off a tad?

I watched this entire game. The inflated WHIP in this case was a huge red herring. I remember specifically three of those hits (and I believe there was another similar one), that went like this: 1. Swinging bunt. Too far from SWR off the mound but was fielded about 15-20 feet feet into the grass by the SS after charging from normal depth. There was no play. 2. Slow roller to the right side against a shift that got through said shift. 2nd Baseman ran about 40 feet to try and get it, missing it with a dive in the outfield grass. That's how slow it was. 3. Broken bat duck fart that managed to drop in shallow center. He threw 69% strikes, and had 19 swinging strikes. So while his ERA on the game was 3.60, and his whip 1.60, his FIP likely would work out to a negative number. The only knock I really would have, is it was five innings. I can't understate how good of a performance this was.

There was lots of action on the farm on Tuesday, as both the rookie leagues played pseudo-doubleheaders in addition to the regular slate. A top pitching prospect, and heck, the whole team, went off in Double-A, and a new top prospect hit a milestone in Cedar Rapids. TRANSACTIONS LHP Ryan Horstman was assigned to Wichita from Fort Myers. In Cedar Rapids, SS Dalton Shuffield was assigned from the FCL Down in Fort Myers, SS Daniel Ozoria was transferred to the development list, while OF Alex Sayre and SS Ben Ross were assigned from the FCL. In sadder transaction news, RHP Matt Canterino and LHP Steven Klimek were assigned to the Full Season Injured List. SAINTS SENTINEL Scranton/Wilkes-Barre 10, St. Paul 9 Box Score The Saints took a 9-0 lead in this one after the first two innings, so that should tell you about the disappointment that came late. Dereck Rodriguez made the start and was solid for five innings, the first four of those being of the scoreless variety. The RailRiders finally broke through for one in the fifth, before they’d decimate the St. Paul bullpen in the next three innings. Rodriguez allowed one run on four hits and three walks, while striking out four in his five innings. He had the big lead the entire time he was on the mound, as the home team used two walks, a single, and a hit by pitch in the bottom of the first, before a Chris Williams sac fly and Andrew Bechtold RBI single to take a 3-0 lead. They piled on six more in the second inning as seven straight hitters reached base, including a couple of RailRider errors to extend the inning, before Williams put an exclamation on it with a three-run home run for the 9-0 lead. Unfortunately, sixteen straight hitters after that were retired by Scranton/Wilkes-Barre pitchers, and a John Andreoli single in the eighth inning was the only offense they mustered the rest of the game. After Rodriguez’s exit, the bullpen trio of Ronny Henriquez (2 IP, 5 H, 6 ER, 2 BB, 4 K), Austin Schulfer (1/3 IP, 2 H, 2 ER), and Jovani Moran (1 2/3 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 4 K) couldn’t hold off the RailRider bats. Henriquez allowed two home runs, and Moran got charged with the blown save and loss after giving up the go-ahead home run in the eighth. Mark Contreras (2-for-3, R, RBI) was the only Saints hitter with multiple knocks, while Williams finished with four RBI, and Michael Helman chipped in a double. WIND SURGE WISDOM Tulsa 4, Wichita 17 Box Score This was just one of those games for the Tulsa Drillers. It’s always tough when you give up something like 17 runs, but they put forth a meager effort against Wichita’s pitching, which saw several records be set. To set the tone, Simeon Woods Richardson was on the mound for Wichita, and was electric for the first five innings. While he did allow seven hits, that number doesn’t tell an accurate story. I remember three balls that never should be counted as hits, including a sawed-off-bat fly ball that managed to fall safely into center field for a single. Woods Richardson was fooling RailRider hitters with the entirety of his arsenal, including 19 total swings-and-misses. Of his 87 pitches, 60 went for strikes (69%). His 10 strikeouts on the game are a new career high, and at one point he had struck out five straight hitters. It was a masterful performance. Then the bullpen followed him with perhaps an even more impressive four innings when it comes to punching out batters. Denny Bentley struck out two in a scoreless sixth inning, Alex Phillips picked up all six of his outs on K’s, and fireballer Steven Cruz added two more in a scoreless ninth inning. The 20 strikeouts in the game for Wind Surge pitchers set a club record and is the most strikeouts in any game in the Texas League this season. Jeez, I was so impressed by the pitching I even forgot about all the hitting, and patience… The Wind Surge lineup notched 14 hits, and matched that number by drawing 14 walks on the night as well. Will Holland had a double and a grand slam, in addition to three walks to reach base in all five of his plate appearances. He scored two runs and drove in five. Yunior Severino clubbed his first home run in a Wind Surge uniform, a three-run shot in the second inning that put Wichita in front. In a 10-run sixth inning, 14 straight hitters reached base, including an astonishing six straight walks that followed Holland’s grand slam, the culmination of five straight hitters reaching with hits. Aaron Sabato (2-for-4, 2 R, RBI, 2 BB), Cole Sturgeon (4-for-5, 2 R, 3 RBI, BB), and DaShawn Keirsey Jr. (2-for-4, 2 R, 2B, RBI, BB, K) joined Severino and Holland with multiple hit nights. In a game like this, it’s almost astonishing to see that Edouard Julian and Anthony Prato were the guys who didn’t get hits. Then again, Julien drew a walk and scored a run, and Prato drew four walks and scored three runs. If you’re in the “too long, didn’t read” crowd, the box score link above is highly recommended. KERNELS NUGGETS Wisconsin 2, Cedar Rapids 7 Box Score While it was pretty much a team-wide effort of domination for Kernels against Wisconsin on Tuesday night, I’d be remiss if I didn’t immediately point out the first professional home run of infielder Brooks Lee’s career: This two-run shot in the seventh inning pushed the lead to 7-2 for Cedar Rapids. They got there behind a solid effort from their pitching staff, led by starter Orlando Rodriguez. He struck out the first three hitters of the game, but the final pitch to the last one got away, so he had to strike out another. If you’re counting, that’s 4 K’s in one inning. He then struck out two more to start the second, two more in the third, and one in the fourth before he was lifted. In all, he tossed 3 1/3 innings, striking out nine. He was charged with two runs (one earned) on three hits. Derek Molina added 2 2/3 perfect innings to pick up the win, followed by two more perfect innings from Matt Mullenbach (2 K), before Samuel Perez (1 IP, H) finished off the victory for the home team. Before Lee’s blast, the Kernels built a 5-2 lead thanks to a sac fly from Jake Rucker in the first, an RBI single from Willie Joe Garry Jr. in the second, and a three-run homer from Jeferson Morales in the fourth. Lee (2-for-4, R, HR, 2 RBI) and Garry Jr. (2-for-4, RBI, K, 2 SB) led the way with two hits apiece. Alerick Soularie went 1-for-3 with two runs scored out of the leadoff spot, also drawing a walk and stealing a base. Mikey Perez scored two runs with a single, a walk, and another stolen base. As a team, they swiped six bases on the game. Lee did have two errors, one fielding, one throwing, playing shortstop. MUSSEL MATTERS Fort Myers 10, Palm Beach 1 Box Score The Mighty Mussels outhit the Cardinals 11-to-5 on the game, taking advantage of seven walks and timely hitting to put up double-digits on the scoreboard. Left-hander Jordan Carr made the start for Fort Myers and was excellent, pitching into the seventh inning. In all he completed 6 2/3 innings, allowing just a single run on four hits and a walk, while striking out four. It was his fifth win of the season, and he has yet to take a loss. Zaquiel Puentes finished off the game with 2 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing just one hit and striking out three. The good guys took the lead for the first time, and for good, in the top of the second inning when Noah Cardenas led off with a double, and was promptly driven in by a single from Keoni Cavaco. A pair of singles and a sac fly from Noah Miller in the third led to their second run, before a Carlos Aguiar homer in the fifth stretched their lead to 4-0. In the sixth Cavaco delivered an RBI double and they’d add another run on an RBI single from Alec Sayre in his FSL debut. In the seventh it was again Cavaco coming through, this time in the form of a sac fly to put them ahead 7-0. They tacked on three more runs in the ninth after loading the bases with three walks. Cardenas (2-for-2, 3 R, 2B, 2 BB), Cavaco (2-for-4, 2B, 3 RBI, K), Sayre (2-for-5, R, 2 RBI, K) and Aguiar (2-for-5, R, HR, 2 RBI, K) all had multiple hits. Dillon Tatum drew two walks, scored a run, and drove in a run. COMPLEX CHRONICLES Game 1: FCL Twins 7, FCL Braves 0 (Makeup of Aug. 15 PPD, 6+ innings) Box Score In game one of their doubleheader, the Twins shut out the Braves, jumping out front 6-0 after two and never looking back. Danny De Andrade and Gregory Duran each hit homers, with DeAndrade finishing 3-for-4, scoring two runs, driving in three, and also stealing a base. Third baseman Rafael Cruz also had multiple hits, going 2-for-4 with a run scored and two RBI. Develson Aria made the start and went the first three innings. He scattered four hits, walked one, and struck out seven. Jack Noble (IP, H, K), Jacob Edwards (IP, H, K), and Wilker Reyes (IP, H, BB, 2 K) finished out the final three innings, keeping the shutout intact. Game 2: FCL Braves 3, FCL Twins 1 Box Score The Twins managed just one hit in their second game of the day, being unable to take advantage of the six base on balls they were able to draw. They were 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position and left only six men on base. The rehabbing Austin Martin was 0-for-3, but drew one of those walks. Fredy Michel had the only hit, a single in the fourth inning, and also stole two bases, scoring their only run of the game. On the mound for his first rehab appearance and first game of the 2022 season, was Randy Dobnak. He pitched a clean first inning, retiring all three hitters including a strikeout, as he began to work his way back toward the majors. It was a bullpen-type game from there, with Michael Boyle (IP), A.J. Labas (2 IP), Zach Veen (IP), Danny Moreno (2/3 IP), and Cole Bellair (1 1/3 IP) all making appearances. Moreno was saddled with a blown save and loss, by allowing all three Braves runs. DOMINICAN DAILIES Game 1: DSL Cardinals 6, DSL Twins 13 (Completion of July 27 SUSP) Box Score The first game of the day for the DSL Twins was a completion of a game suspended back on 7/27. The Twins pounded out 15 hits, going 6-for-9 with runners in scoring position to keep the scoring train going in multiple innings. They put up four in the fifth, three in the sixth, and five in the eighth behind 13 singles and four walks. Isaac Pena had a triple, single, and sac fly to lead the way with six RBI in three at-bats, also drawing a walk and scoring a run. Ricardo Pena (2-for-4, 2 R, HR, RBI), Denyerbe Gervis (3-for-5, 2 R, RBI), and Bryan Acuna (3-for-4, 2 R, RBI) all had multiple hits. Anthony Narvaez had made the start and completed two innings back in July, allowing four runs (two earned) on four hits and a walk, while striking out three. Orlando Rubio went the next three innings before the game was delayed, allowing one run on two hits and two walks, along with striking out three of his own. When the game resumed today, it was Leonardo Lugo on the mound, and he was fantastic finishing the final four games. He gave up one run on three hits, walked none, and struck out eight. Game 2: DSL Cardinals 7, DSL Twins 4 Box Score The Twins outhit the Cardinals 10-to-6, but eight walks issued by Twins pitchers led to a losing effort on the scoreboard. Starting pitcher Miguel Olivares had an uncharacteristic outing, allowing three runs (two earned) on three hits, four free passes, and struck out just two. His two runs allowed in the second inning were the first earned runs he had allowed in his last 18 innings pitched. Jose Ojo (1/3 IP, H, 3 ER, 2 BB) and Juan Mercedes (2 2/3 IP, 2 H, ER, 2 BB, 5 K) finished the final three innings for the Twins bullpen. Leadoff man Yasser Mercedes led the way for the lineup with three hits in four at-bats and also stole second base each time he reached (giving him 27 steals in 36 total games). Luis Rodriguez added a double and scored a run, while Jose Rodriguez hit his 11th home run of the season, which ranks second in the DSL. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day - Simeon Woods Richardson, Wichita Wind Surge (W, 5 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, BB, 10 K) Hitter of the Day - Will Holland, Wichita Wind Surge (2-for-2, 2 R, 2B, GS HR, 5 RBI, 3 BB) PROSPECT SUMMARY #2 - Brooks Lee (Cedar Rapids) - 2-for-4, R, HR, 2 RBI #4 - Austin Martin (rehab, FCL) - 0-for-3, BB #6 - Simeon Woods Richardson (Wichita) - W, 5 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, BB, 10 K #7 - Noah Miller (Fort Myers) - 0-for-3, R, RBI, BB, K #9 - Matt Wallner (St. Paul) - 0-for-5, R, K #14 - Edouard Julien (Wichita) - 0-for-5, R, BB #16 - Ronny Henriquez (St. Paul) - 2 IP, 5 H, 6 ER, 2 BB, 4 K #17 - Cole Sands (Minnesota) - 1 IP, H, 2 K #19 - Alerick Soularie (Cedar Rapids) - 1-for-3, 2 R, BB, SB #20 - Kala’i Rosario (Fort Myers) - 0-for-4, R, BB, 2 K WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Scranton/WB @ St. Paul (7:07 PM CDT) - RHP Jordan Balazovic (0-5, 10.15 ERA) Tulsa @ Wichita (7:05 PM CDT) - RHP Cody Laweryson Wisconsin @ Cedar Rapids (6:35 PM CDT) - TBD Fort Myers @ Palm Beach (5:30 PM CDT) - TBD DSL Brewers 1 @ DSL Twins (10:00 AM CDT) - TBD Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Tuesday’s games! 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Haven't seen anything official, would guess it would be with the FCL Twins if he does at all this year. Is still working back from injury if I remember right. @Jeremy Nygaard answered the following on Twitter when I asked him if he thought he'd pitch this year: "I'd guess not, but it's probably 50/50. Think instructs would probably be more likely, but that's entirely a guess."

It was a big night in the Midwest League for the players of the Cedar Rapids Kernels, as they got the opportunity to play on the “Field of Dreams” in Iowa, made famous by a movie that came out well before any of them were ever born. Besides that spectacle, there was a career best outing from a starting pitcher, and a three-hit night that brought one prospect’s average to nearly .300 on the season, complimenting his well-over .400 on-base-percentage that is begging for a promotion. TRANSACTIONS In Triple-A, RHP Ben Heller was transferred to the Development List. Wichita released C/1B Dennis Ortega. 2022 2nd round draft pick SS Tanner Schobel, and 6th rounder 2B Jorel Ortega, were promoted to Fort Myers from the FCL. Also in Fort Myers, CF Zach Huffins was transferred to the 60-day IL. SAINTS SENTINEL Columbus 6, St. Paul 0 Box Score Clippers starter Xzavion Curry actually had a no-hitter going into the sixth inning, before Mark Contreras finally put a notch up on the scoreboard with a one-out single. Matt Wallner followed later in the inning with a single of his own, but that was all the Saints got on the night, even after Curry’s outing came to an end after six innings. Aaron Sanchez, in his first start back with the Saints after making a spot start with the Twins, made it into the fifth inning for the home team. In 4 1/3 innings, Sanchez surrendered three runs (two earned) on three hits, three walks, and struck out three. Jovani Moran finished the fifth, allowing a run of his own, and got the first two outs in the sixth, allowing two hits and striking out three in 1 1/3 innings. Daniel Gossett got the final out in the sixth and allowed a hit. Jharel Cotton (IP, K), Drew Strotman (IP, H, K), and Michael Feliz (IP, 2 H, 2 ER, BB, 2 K) finished off the final three innings for the pitching staff. While only Contreras and Wallner collected hits, first baseman Roy Morales did draw three walks. As a team the Saints drew five walks, struck out thirteen times, and were 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position, leaving six men on base. WIND SURGE WISDOM Corpus Christi 2, Wichita 9 Box Score The Wind Surge laid waste to the Hooks in this one, outhitting the visiting team 14-to-5 on the game, en-route to a big win in the ICT. Edouard Julien led the way with three hits in four at-bats, including a triple. He also drew a walk and scored a run out of the leadoff spot. Joining him with multiple hits on the game were Yunior Severino (2-for-5, 2 R, RBI, 2 K), Chris Williams (2-for-5, 2 R, RBI, K), Cole Sturgeon (2-for-4, R, 2 RBI, K), and Anthony Prato (2-for-3, 2 RBI, BB, K). The only hitter not to collect a hit on the game was catcher Andrew Bechtold, but he also chipped in two walks and scored two runs. Jair Camargo provided the only extra-base-hit besides Julien’s, with an RBI double in the fifth. Since 12 of their hits were singles along with four walks, they had a lot of opportunities with runners in scoring position, going 7-for-16 as a team in those situations. Kody Funderburk made the start for Wichita and went the first 2 2/3 innings. The Hooks actually took the first lead of the game in the third inning, chasing Funderburk after a pair of singles and three walks had led to the first two runs of the game. In total, the left-hander gave up three hits, three walks, and struck out two. Denny Bentley got credited with his fifth win of the season pitching the next 2 1/3 scoreless innings. He allowed one hit, one walk, and struck out five. Alex Phillips (1 2/3 IP, H, BB, 2 K), Bryan Sammons (1 1/3 IP, 3 K), and Steven Cruz (1 IP, 2 BB, 2 K) finished the final four scoreless innings as their lineup pulled away to seal the win. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 2, Quad Cities 7 Box Score The Cedar Rapids "Bunnies" and Davenport "Blue Sox" faced off on Tuesday in the #MiLBatFieldofDreams game on Tuesday night, and what an experience it had to be for the Twins and Royals farmhands to kick off their series. As just under 100 miles separate both Cedar Rapids and Quad Cities, Iowa, with Dyersville and the Field of Dreams site about an hour and a half away from each, their selection to play in the game was more than fitting. For Cedar Rapids pitcher Matt Mullenbach, it was perhaps even more memorable as he grew up near Des Moines, even though he had never actually been there before (Don't worry, he grew up a Twins fan and his middle name is Kirby, and his parents got engaged at the Field of Dreams, and...). “Bunnies” manager Brian Dinkelman even had nothing but good things to say about the experience, equating the venue to a “Major League Field just stuck in the middle of corn” (which I hope someone pointed out the obvious there, haha). Being the former Minnesota “Town Team” player that I was, Iowa baseball historian John Liepa’s look back on the significance of the “Bunnies” and “Blue Sox” names chosen for this game was a fascinating read in anticipation of the game as well. As for the game, the “Blue Sox” went to work quickly, scoring two runs off “Bunnies” starter Aaron Rozek in the first inning thanks to a two-run homer from Juan Carlos Negret. They chased Rozek in the third after another home run, double, walk and a single around a groundout and an error led to three more runs. In his 2 1/3 innings, Rozek was charged with five runs (three earned) on five hits and two walks, while striking out two. Derek Molina got them through the fourth with 1 2/3 scoreless innings, facing five hitters and retiring them all. Mullenbach then got the fifth inning in his home state, delivering a scoreless frame of his own, working around a single and a walk while striking out one. Tyler Palm was summoned for the sixth, and the “Blue Sox” added on a couple more runs with an RBI double and single before he a pair of flyouts. In the top of the seventh inning, the “Bunnies” finally broke through against their opposing starter, when Jake Rucker led off the frame with a double (that landed between three fielders), and came around to score their first run of the game on an RBI single from Kyler Fedko. Later in the inning, Fedko scored to close the deficit to five on a sacrifice fly from Jeferson Morales, but that would be as close as they got. Miguel Rodriguez (IP, K) and Hunter McMahon (IP, K) finished the game with a pair of scoreless innings. Although the “Bunnies” were only outhit 8-to-7 by the “Blue Sox,” it was the latter that got the big blasts in the form of two home runs, and two RBI doubles. Rucker finished 2-for-3 with the double and a run scored to lead the Kernels. Alerick Soularie and Will Holland also added doubles to the effort. Fedko scored one run, drove in one, and stole a base in his three at-bats. MUSSEL MATTERS Fort Myers 3, Jupiter 0 Box Score The Mighty Mussels got six far-better-than-quality innings out of left-hander Jaylen Nowlin, who picked up his fourth win of the season with a scoreless outing. He allowed the Hammerheads just four hits, while striking out eight, all on just 63 pitches (45 for strikes). Included in those strikes, were 10 of the swinging variety and in just two innings did he throw more than 10 pitches. It was an absolutely dominant and efficient outing from the young hurler. His lineup put him in front before he ever took the mound, and who knows, that might have helped him mow through Jupiter hitters with extra confidence. To lead off the game, singles from Misael Urbina and Tanner Schobel, and a walk from Noah Cardenas loaded the bases for Jorel Ortega, before he drove in two of them with a single that put them in front for good at 2-0. They added an insurance run in the seventh thanks to a Carlos Aguiar ground-rule double to drive in Keoni Cavaco, who had singled earlier in the inning. Relievers Jackson Hicks (2 IP, 2 H, BB, 3 K) and Niklas Rimmel (IP, H, K) completed the shutout for the pitching staff, with Rimmel picking up his second save of the season. COMPLEX CHRONICLES FCL Twins 2, FCL Rays 1 (6 innings) Box Score The FCL Twins tied the game at one in the fifth inning, when first baseman Breilin Ramirez hit his second home run of the season. They took the lead 2-1 in the sixth when the rehabbing Alex Isola scored from third on a wild pitch after leading off the inning with a walk. The Rays outhit the Twins 3-to-2 in the game, but since hits were so hard to come by that means Twins pitchers also were fantastic on Tuesday. Ryan Horstman made the start and struck out two in his two innings, allowing the Rays lone run on two hits. Pierce Banks (2 IP, H, K) and Cole Bellair (2 IP, 2 K) chipped in two scoreless innings apiece, giving the Twins a chance. Bellair picked up his first professional win in the process. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day - Edouard Julien, Wichita Wind Surge (3-for-4, R, 3B, BB, K) Hitter of the Day - Jaylen Nowlin, Fort Myers Mighty Mussels (W, 6 IP, 4 H, 8 K) PROSPECT SUMMARY #7 - Noah Miller (Fort Myers) - 0-for-2, 2 BB, K #9 - Matt Wallner (St. Paul) - 1-for-4, K #14 - Edouard Julien (Wichita) - 3-for-4, R, BB, K #18 - Tanner Schobel (Fort Myers) - 1-for-4, R, K #19 - Alerick Soularie (Cedar Rapids) - 1-for-4, 2B, K #20 - Kala’i Rosario (Fort Myers) - 0-for-3, BB, K WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Columbus @ St. Paul (1:07 PM CDT) - RHP Dereck Rodriguez (6-4, 4.28 ERA) Corpus Christi @ Wichita (7:05 PM CDT) - TBD Cedar Rapids @ Quad Cities (6:30 PM CDT) - TBD Fort Myers @ Jupiter (5:30 PM CDT) - LHP Jordan Carr (4-0, 3.22 ERA) Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Tuesday’s games! View full article

Man, I wish this idea was true for prospects in the Twins system... Falvey and Levine are maybe slowly changing their position to your line of thinking if they draft top "hitters," but it's also not all that true yet based on the evidence. Aaron Sabato, Brent Rooker, and Trevor Larnach all spent varying amounts of time in the rookie leagues or low-A to start their careers, definitely a lot more than Brooks Lee's 4 total games. I definitely thought that Lee should go to Cedar Rapids to start or very early like this, but it wouldn't have surprised me at all if he only played in Fort Myers this year because I know this history. So, if nothing else, this is a pleasant surprise for me! Now it becomes the question of how well he can do to convince them to get to double-A to start 2023.

I don't know. Noelvi Marte was probably the highest rated prospect that got moved (can argue Hassell, but Gore and Abrams have graduated), and Edwin Arroyo is a top 100 guy too. The similar deal from the Twins would have been Royce Lewis and Spencer Steer, and then SWR/Povich/Hajjar/etc... and another high-upside pitcher. Is that the deal you wanted to make, or is what they actually did way better than that? I'm the latter by a longshot.

I don't disagree with much of anything you say, really. We have a different value calculation, I suppose. Petty definitely has kid gloves on him, he'll probably end up around 80-90 innings pitched total this year. Good, not great, numbers as a 19 year-old. Probably makes optimism for him higher, and then I look at Andrew Painter's numbers (also can look at Jackson Jobe's and Frank Mazzicato's for that TINSTAAPP HS pitcher comparison). I thought the pitcher would have been in the close to the majors mold, specifically Winder, but there would have been more included in that type of deal, too. Was hard for me to argue the 1-for-1 swap, even if that guy was Chase Petty.

For me there's not much to hate about it, though it was kind of surprising Petty was the name at the time. The highest ceiling I've seen for him, is that he becomes exactly what Sonny Gray already is and has been for years, a #2 type starter. So it was a Now vs. Future play. And that probability he reaches that ceiling isn't that high for High School pitchers to begin with, even worse for one's known primarily for velocity. He's been okay in Cincinnati's system so far, not dominant by any means, and also got rocked in his first A+ outing over the weekend. We like to dream on prospects (I am one of the guiltiest ones of that!), but it's still a fools errand, especially on pitchers (TINSTAAPP and all).

Yeah, his K-rate is 24.5%, along with a 19.7% walk rate this year. This is definitely not an issue.

I really would love to see them send Brooks Lee to Cedar Rapids right away, but I don't think the Twins see a lot of value in the level of competition their players face immediately after being drafted (and maybe they're correct). So I expect Fort Myers where he can just be a dude in their complex for a month or two.

WHIP is still up around 1.60 since start of June, so the walks are still a recipe for disaster. But it has been an improvement.

Definitely a guy who could be moved up at any point now.

It was the MLB trade deadline on Tuesday, and the Minnesota Twins were one of the most aggressive buyers throughout the day. They acquired three MLB pitchers and a depth catcher, and in doing so parted with the #6, #10, #16, #19, and #20 prospects in their system per our own rankings—which will be receiving an update with a lot of changes tomorrow—as well as several other minor leaguers. TRANSACTIONS By acquiring MLB talent and giving up nothing but prospects, there was a lot to follow when it comes to transactions in the minors. Try to keep up… Trade #1: Twins acquire RHP Jorge Lopez from the Baltimore Orioles, sending off Cedar Rapids’ LHP Cade Povich (#10 TD prospect), RHP Yennier Cano (St. Paul), RHP Juan Nunez (DSL), and LHP Juan Rojas (FCL) in the deal. Trade #2: Twins acquire RHP Tyler Mahle from the Cincinnati Reds, trading away St. Paul IF Spencer Steer (#6 TD Prospect), Wichita slugger Christian Encarnacion-Strand (#16 TD Prospect), and Fort Myers LHP Steve Hajjar (#19 TD prospect) in the swap. Trade #3: In a depth trade between division rivals, the Twins sent RHP Ian Hamilton to the Cleveland Guardians for C Sandy Leon. Leon was assigned to triple-A after the move. Trade #4: Twins acquire RHP Michael Fulmer from the Detroit Tigers, parting with Wichita RHP Sawyer Gipson-Long (#20 TD prospect) to get Fulmer to swap clubhouses at Target Field. To cover the exiting players and corresponding moves with the Twins (IL: Miguel Sano (60 Day), Alex Kirilloff (10 Day); Paternity: Gilberto Celestino; DFA: Jharel Cotton, Aaron Sanchez), the St. Paul Saints received RHP Ben Heller and C Frank Nigro from the Florida Complex, as well as IF Mikey Perez from Fort Myers. OF Jake Cave also had his contract selected by the Twins. In Double-A, the Wind Surge transferred C Dennis Ortega from the IL to the Development List. For the Mighty Mussels, RHP Zaquiel Puentes was assigned from the FCL, and RHP Regi Grace was activated from the injured list. Did I miss any?! Probably… SAINTS SENTINEL St. Paul 13, Omaha 4 Box Score If you were worried that the St. Paul Saints would lose some firepower sending off their top-hitting prospect earlier in the day, you would have been wrong. Very Wrong. Saints starter Devin Smeltzer was spotted a big lead before he ever took the mound, and his lineup continued to provide him breathing room as the game went on. The first three hitters of the game reached base for St. Paul, with Matt Wallner’s double scoring two before John Andreoli clubbed the team’s first home run of the game, making it 4-0 after a half-inning. Smeltzer was able to battle through five innings, surrendering four runs of his own on five hits and a walk, but also struck out six Storm Chasers. Of his 79 pitches, 54 went for strikes (68%) including 12 swinging. The Saints used the long ball to extend their lead throughout the rest of the game, with Michael Helman blasting a pair of homers, including a two-run blast in the fourth and solo shot in the eighth, with David Banuelos adding another two-run dinger in the sixth. Helman, in fact, was electric in every at-bat, becoming the second player in affiliated franchise history to ever collect five hits in a game, joining Jose Miranda who did the same in his triple-A debut last year on his 23rd birthday. Relievers Juan Minaya and Drew Strotman combined to hold the Storm Chasers scoreless over the final four innings. Minaya was nearly perfect, hitting the first batter he faced with a pitch but retiring the next six in a row, including one strikeout. Strotman worked around one hit allowed and three walks in the final two frames by inducing two inning-ending double play balls. WIND SURGE WISDOM Wichita 3, San Antonio 4 Box Score The Missions jumped on Wichita starter Casey Legumina in the first two innings, and Wichita needed to claw their way back the rest of the game. Legumina got the first two hitters of the game, but a single and a walk were followed by a two-run triple and an RBI double that put them ahead 3-0 early. An error against the leadoff man in the second led to their fourth run a few batters later. In all, Legumina finished four innings, allowing four runs (three earned) on six hits and a walk. He struck out two. The Wind Surge got their first run of the game in the top of third after DaShawn Keirsey Jr. led off the inning with a single. He advanced to second on a groundout, then third on a balk, before scoring on another groundout off the bat of Ernie Yake. The bullpen trio of Bryan Sammons (2 IP, H, 3 K), Steven Cruz (1 IP, 2 K), and Denny Bentley (1 IP, BB, K) kept the Missions off the board and gave Wichita a chance the rest of the way. In the eighth, the Wind Surge had the bases loaded with no outs, but a sac fly and RBI groundout were all they could muster after a pitching change, getting within one heading to the ninth. They went down one-two-three and fall to 51-45 on the season, but still lead the North division with a 16-12 record in the second half. Julien (2-for-4, R, K) and Nash Knight (2-for-4, K) had multiple hits. The Wind Surge did not have an RBI come from a hit in the scorebook, were 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position, and left six men on base for the game. KERNELS NUGGETS Beloit 11, Cedar Rapids 6 Box Score Luis Rijo took the mound for the Kernels and his outing was predictive of how it would go for their pitchers as a whole, and not in a good way. In his 3 2/3 innings, Rijo ended up surrendering four earned runs on six hits and a pair of walks, while only picking up one strikeout. Bradley Hanner got them through the fourth, allowing one inherited runner to score, but allowed four straight hits to open the fifth, culminated by a grand slam that put the Sky Carp in front 8-3. Matt Mullenbach finished the fifth and added a scoreless sixth before he too, ran into some trouble in the seventh. While both his runs allowed were unearned due to an error, it was 10-3 after seven. Jon Olsen (1 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 K) and Ryan Shreve (1 IP) finished off the game for the Cedar Rapids pitching staff. The Kernels did have a lead after the third inning, thanks to an RBI single from Yunior Severino in the first that he followed up with a two-run homer in the third that made it 3-2. This continues a scorching hot start to the second half of the season for the infielder. While they did rack up 13 hits as a team, they were just 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position, compared to 15 hits and a 6-for-16 effort from Beloit to account for the scoring discrepancy. Kyler Fedko (3-for-5, 2 R, 2B), Rucker (2-for-5, R, 2B, HR, 2 RBI, K), Severino (2-for-4, 2 R, 2B, HR, 3 RBI, K), Gray (2-for-5, RBI, K), and Will Holland (2-for-4) all had multiple hits in the loss. MUSSEL MATTERS Bradenton 2, Fort Myers 1 (7 innings) Box Score After a two-hour delayed start, the Mighty Mussels game on Tuesday would only go seven innings. Fort Myers probably would have liked to have those two more. Right-hander Pierson Ohl took the bump and was fantastic over his five innings. He allowed no runs, scattered five hits, and struck out seven Marauders, including all three in the fourth inning. He left the game with a 1-0 lead, but it could have been more, as the Mighty Mussels managed to only scratch one run across the plate in the second inning after having the bases loaded with no outs. That run came in the form of a sac fly from Daniel Ozoria to score Dillon Tatum, who had drawn a walk to lead off the frame. They loaded the bases again in the third but were unable this time to score any runs, as hits were hard to come by for the home team. They had just three singles in the game, were 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position, and left only five men on base. After Ohl’s game was done, Malik Barrington came on for the sixth and Bradenton took advantage of two consecutive walks and a wild pitch to start the inning. Barrington would record just two outs, allowing the go-ahead runs on a flyout and single before being replaced by Zaquiel Puentes. Puentes finished the final 1 1/3 innings, striking out two in his first Mighty Mussels game of the season. COMPLEX CHRONICLES FCL Orioles 1, FCL Twins 7 (7 innings) Box Score The Twins used a five-run fifth inning to pull away from the Orioles, and kept them in check the rest of the way to secure the victory. Veteran Ryan Horstman started on the mound and struck out all three hitters he faced in the first. Develson Aria then went the next three innings, allowing one run on four hits while striking out six. Leyner Ponce (1 IP, 2 BB, K), Cole Bellair (1 IP, H, K), and Ricardo Velez (1 IP, K) each tacked on a scoreless inning. With the bases loaded in the fifth, the Twins got a 2-run single from Andres Centeno, which was followed by a two-run double off the bat of Gregory Duran that made the score 6-1. Willie Joe Garry Jr. tacked on an RBI single to cap the scoring. Garry Jr. (2-for-4, RBI) and Duran (2-for-3, 2 R, 2B, 2 RBI, BB) each had two hits, and Jefferson De La Cruz added a 2-RBI triple in the fourth. DOMINICAN DAILIES DSL Twins 4, DSL Miami 0 (7+ innings) Box Score The Twins pitching staff held Miami to just four hits in the game, which was called official in the bottom of the seventh inning. DSL standout Miguel Olivares picked up his first win of the year by finishing five innings. He allowed three hits, walked one, and punched out five, lowering his ERA in 39 total innings to just 1.15. Leonardo Lugo picked up his first save by going 1+ innings, allowing one hit, one walk, and striking out one. The offense was led by two hits from Brayan Acuna (2-for-4, RBI) and Anderson Nova (2-for-3), and got a triple from Yasser Mercedes, and two-run homer from Ricardo Pena. Mercedes also stole two bases, giving him 20 on the season in 30 games. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day - Pierson Ohl, Fort Myers Mighty Mussels (5 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 7 K) Hitter of the Day - Michael Helman, St. Paul Saints (5-for-5, 4 R, 2B, 2 HR, 3 RBI) PROSPECT SUMMARY #8 - Noah Miller (Fort Myers) - 0-for-3 #12 - Matt Wallner (St. Paul) - 1-for-5, R, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 K #15 - Edouard Julien (Wichita) - 2-for-4, R, K WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS St. Paul @ Omaha (7:05 PM CDT) - RHP Ronny Henriquez (1-4, 5.71 ERA) Wichita @ San Antonio (7:05 PM CDT) - TBD (Sawyer Gipson-Long had been scheduled) Beloit @ Cedar Rapids (12:05 PM CDT) - LHP Aaron Rozek (7-4, 4.35 ERA) Bradenton @ Fort Myers (6:00 PM CDT) - LHP Jaylen Nowlin (3-3, 4.24 ERA) Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Tuesday’s games! View full article

"Highly-touted pitching prospect Simeon Woods-Richardson returned to the bump for the first time since June 11, pitching 2 2/3 innings of scoreless ball. Woods-Richardson allowed four hits and walked three while striking out four. Not a bad first day back at the office for a guy who will certainly play a critical role for the organization's pitching staff in years to come. " Both Blayne Enlow and Simeon Woods Richardson returned to the mound earlier in the week on Tuesday, as an FYI.

Tuesday saw the return of a pair of top pitching prospects in Double-A, but it was power from the lineups for Cedar Rapids and Wichita that led their teams to victories. TRANSACTIONS There were a slew of transactions in the system leading into Tuesday’s games. RHP Tyler Viza was released from the St. Paul Saints roster, and RHP Daniel Gosset was assigned from the Wind Surge in his place.. In Double-A, RHP Francis Peguero was assigned to Wichita from Cedar Rapids, RHP Simeon Woods Richardson, and RHP Blayne Enlow were activated from the injured list. SS Kevin Merrell was released, and RHP Melvi Acosta was placed on the development list. In Fort Myers, LHP Ryan Horstman was sent on a rehab assignment with the FCL Twins, and LHP Jesus Toledo was released. SAINTS SENTINEL Iowa 6, St. Paul 2 Box Score Devin Smeltzer took the hill for the Saints on Tuesday and was solid through his five innings. He allowed just one run on four hits and a walk while punching out six Cubs hitters. Despite that effort, he wasn’t in line for a win as his offense struggled just as much against the opposing pitchers. They did manage to tie the game at one in the bottom of the fifth by stringing together three singles, the third of which was the RBI variety off the bat of Tim Beckham. Drew Strotman was summoned for the sixth inning and allowed a hit, a walk, and an unearned run for the Cubs to retake the lead. Juan Minaya came on for the seventh and delivered a scoreless inning. In the bottom half, the Saints put together a two-out rally, started by a Spencer Steer walk. Jake Cave then brought him home with a double to tie the game at two. Back out for the eighth, Minaya ran into trouble and a fielders choice grounder allowed another go-ahead run to score for the Cubs. Minaya finished 1 1/3, striking out one. With rain and lightning rearing its head by this point, the game was at risk of being suspended at any point. They made it into the top of the ninth inning and Evan Sisk had recorded three outs by that point, including two K’s, but a single and a walk in the ninth came before being delayed. When play resumed, Wladamir Pinto was brought in to pitch, and it didn’t go well. A double, walk, and sac fly resulted in three more runs for the Cubs, and a 6-2 lead. A pair of walks to start the bottom of the ninth gave some good vibes, but they were quickly erased by a double-play ball from Steer, and a strikeout from Cave to end the game. The Saints got multi-hit efforts from Beckham (2-for-4, RBI, K) and Jermaine Palacios (2-for-4, 2 K). As a team, they were 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position and left nine men on base. WIND SURGE WISDOM NW Arkansas 3, Wichita 9 Box Score Wichita took the lead early and never looked back in this one, putting it well out of reach late. Blayne Enlow was given the start after being activated from the injured list and pitched the first two innings. He faced the minimum and allowed just a walk, and struck out one. Simeon Woods Richardson joined him on the return from the IL, and went the next two innings, allowing one hit and striking out two. The Wind Surge had taken a 2-0 lead in the first inning thanks to a two-run home run from Chris Williams, his 18th of the season. The game was relatively quiet from there until the seventh, when Wichita extended their lead to 5-0 thanks to a three-run bomb from Cole Sturgeon. They tacked on four more in the eighth thanks to a two-run single from Christian Encarnacion-Strand, sac fly from Williams, and RBI double from Andrew Bechtold. After Enlow and Woods Richardson were done, Cody Laweryson (3 IP, 4 H, BB, 2 K), Alex Phillips (2/3 IP, 3 H, ER, BB, K), and Denny Bentley (1 1/3 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, BB, K) finished off the win for Wichita. Encarnacion-Strand (2-for-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, K), Sturgeon (2-for-3, R, HR, 3 RBI, 2 BB), Bechtold (2-for-4, 2B, RBI, BB, K), and Nash Knight (2-for-3, R, BB, K) each had two hits in the win. Out of the leadoff spot, Edouard Julien went 1-for-4, scored two runs, and drew a walk. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 10, Wisconsin 4 Box Score The Kernels fell behind 4-1 through four innings in this one but came back big late to take care of the Timber Rattlers. John Stankiewicz made the start and completed three innings, allowing two earned runs on four hits and two walks, while striking out two. While warming up for the fourth inning, he appeared to suffer an injury and had to leave the game. Tyler Palm replaced him and went the next two innings. He allowed two runs of his own on two hits and two walks. Cedar Rapids got on the scoreboard first in the opening frame, when Yunior Severino doubled, and a relay throw got away from the shortstop allowing Aaron Sabato, who had drawn a walk, to scamper home. They didn’t score again until the sixth, and that’s when the tides began to turn. They closed the gap to 4-3 thanks to a Severino two-run homer. They tied it at four in the seventh on a sac fly from Will Holland to score Wander Javier, who had led off the inning with a double. They took a 5-4 lead in the eighth when, you guessed it, Severino added another RBI double to his ledger. Orlando Rodriguez (2 IP, 3 H, 2 K), Hunter McMahon (1 IP, 2 K), and Jon Olsen (1 IP, 2 K) combined to shutout Wisconsin after the fourth inning. In the ninth, the Kernels blew it wide open thanks to some wild pitching, and a big blast from one of their sluggers. Javier led off with a single, then a pair of walks and a hit by pitch scored the first run, and left the bases loaded for Sabato. He cleared them on a 3-1 pitch, sending a 436-foot blast out of the stadium in dead center to put an exclamation on the win. Sabato finished 1-for-3, but reached base three times and scored three runs, in addition to the grand slam. Severino drove in four with his 3-for-5 night, including two doubles and a home run of his own. Javier also chipped in two hits, including a double, drew a walk, and scored two runs (don’t look now, but Javier has an .870 OPS since the start of June). MUSSEL MATTERS Tampa 7, Fort Myers 2 (10 innings) Box Score Jaylen Nowlin took the mound for the Mighty Mussels and was solid over his five innings. He allowed two runs on five hits and one walk while striking out five. Both runs came in the third inning, in which he allowed three singles. Jackson Hicks pitched two scoreless innings of relief, walking one and striking out three. He was followed by John Wilson who got them to extra innings with two scoreless frames. Back out for the tenth, however, he was charged with three earned runs on two hits and two walks, striking out one in his 2 2/3 innings. The Fort Myers lineup was actually being no-hit through six innings, but Noah Miller finally led off the seventh with a single to end that bid. He was caught stealing during the next at-bat, but Keoni Cavaco added a single of his own and two players were hit by pitches to load the bases, but they weren’t able to cash in. In the bottom of the ninth, it was again Miller getting a rally started, as he drew a leadoff walk. Cavaco and Kala’i Rosario then each followed with a single to get the Mighty Mussels on the board, before a pair of groundouts were enough to get Cavaco home to tie the game and send it to extra innings. But it unraveled pretty quickly for Wilson on the mound, and Johnathan Lavallee wasn’t able to limit the damage either, allowing two hits, a walk, and two runs (one earned) of his own as they fell behind 7-2. Cavaco’s two hits led the offense, who had just four hits on the night as a team. They were 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position and left only six men on base for the game. COMPLEX CHRONICLES FCL Braves 2, FCL Twins 5 (6+ innings) Box Score There were several games in the Florida Complex League on Tuesday that were affected by rain, and the Twins game was called official after being suspended in the top of the seventh. Brayan Medina pitched the first four innings, allowing two runs on a homer in the first inning, but didn’t allow any other damage after that, retiring 11 to finish his outing. He walked none and struck out four. Ryan Horstman (1 IP, K), Zaquiel Puentes (1 IP, 2 BB), and Yon Landaeta (2 BB) made appearances out of the bullpen. The Twins tied the game in the second inning, thanks to a two-run double from Ismael Perez. In the third, Danny De Andrade put them in front for good with a solo home run, his second of the season. Perez added another RBI double in the fourth, then a sac fly in the sixth to cap the scoring before the game was called. Perez (2-for-2, 2 2B, 4 RBI) and Gregory Duran (2-for-2, R, BB) each had two hits in the win. DOMINICAN DAILIES DSL Twins 3, DSL Colorado 6 Box Score The Twins got a solid start from right-hander Miguel Olivares, who finished five scoreless innings and left with his team-leading 3-0. He allowed just one hit, walked two, and struck out three. Relievers Oscar Paredes (2 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, BB, K) and Leonardo Lugo (2/3 IP, 2 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, K) combined to allow six runs and Colorado to come back. Jose Brito got the last out of the game for the Twins. Leading the lineup was Jose Rodriguez, who went 2-for-4 including a two-run home run, his ninth of the season. Bryan Acuna also had two hits, including a double, and stole a base. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day - Devin Smeltzer, St. Paul Saints (5 IP, 4 H, ER, BB, 6 K) Hitter of the Day - Yunior Severino, Cedar Rapids Kernels (3-for-5, R, 2 2B, HR, 4 RBI, K) PROSPECT SUMMARY #4 - Simeon Woods Richardson (Wichita) - 2 IP, H, 2 K #6 - Spencer Steer (St. Paul) - 1-for-4, R, BB #8 - Noah Miller (Fort Myers) - 1-for-3, R, BB, K #12 - Matt Wallner (St. Paul) - 1-for-4, 2 K #13 - Blayne Enlow (Wichita) - 2 IP, BB, K #15 - Edouard Julien (Wichita) - 1-for-4, 2 R, BB #16 - Christian Encarnacion-Strand (Wichita) - 2-for-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, K WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Iowa @ St. Paul (1:07 PM CDT) - RHP Aaron Sanchez (3-1, 4.50 ERA) NW Arkansas @ Wichita (7:05 PM CDT) - RHP Casey Legumina Cedar Rapids @ Wisconsin (12:10 PM CDT) - TBD Tampa @ Fort Myers, Game 1 (3:30 PM CDT) - RHP Pierson Ohl (4-5, 4.37 ERA) Tampa @ Fort Myers, Game 2 - TBD DSL Cardinals @ DSL Twins (10:00 AM CDT) - TBD Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Tuesday’s games! 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See, I would categorize this as a major success in Falvey drafting/developing a good pitcher, not a failure. Where he was drafted should have, literally zero, bearing on the value of the guy they have now. What you're missing in this assessment, is who have the Twins even drafted as a pitcher in higher rounds to expect Falvey to have "been able to make anything stick"? The list since 2017 when Falvey took over is the following (Winder was drafted in 2018): Landon Leach (Rd. 2) Blayne Enlow (Rd. 3) Charlie Barnes (Rd. 4) Cole Sands (Rd. 5, and only pitcher they drafted before Winder) Matt Canterino (Rd. 2) Sawyer Gipson-Long (Rd. 6) Marco Raya (Rd. 4) Chase Petty (Rd. 1, traded for Sonny Gray) Steve Hajjar (Rd. 2) Cade Povich (Rd. 3) Christian Macleod (Rd. 5) Travis Adams (Rd. 6) That's it. That's the list. And only 5 of those names I would even call one's that could have even reached the majors by now (and 2 of them have). So like...who do you think the Twins had invested draft capital into that came with expectations to be more than Winder has been by this point? Because the reality is it's basically nobody.

I was there too! Sano looked pretty good. He also hit the pitch before his 2nd HR, basically out of the stadium, but foul down the left field line. That was a slick play by Palacios diving toward the middle and flipping the ball with his glove to 2nd base! Cave made that mistake, but that wild pitch should have ended in an out at home. Banuelos didn't know where it went, but Petricka had the wherewithal to chase it down near the Mudhens dugout. He had plenty of time to get it back to Banuelos (runner was trying to score from 2nd base, and was dead to rites), but rushed it. Banuelos had to leap away from home to catch the throw and the slide beat him back to home. It was a fun game!

Being a lefty is a big help for Povich, but I don't think I'd put his ceiling at the top of the Twins SP prospects. Doesn't mean he can't end up being the best of them, but the pure "stuff" isn't necessarily on the level of others. He's a good strike-thrower though, too, which can make lesser stuff play up. For CES at 3B, I'd say his glove definitely needs to do some catching up to his bat to stick there. I'd move Javier up soon and see what happens. He's been around forever and might as well find out which it is.

The affiliates of the Minnesota Twins put up some impressive offensive numbers on Tuesday. But they also had a couple of their Top pitching prospects working. Find out how they did, and which teams were able to win. We'll give you one here. The Cedar Rapids Kernels became the first Midwest League team to win 50 games. Minnesota Twins affiliates got a lot of hits on Tuesday night, and they went big with them as well. One of their opponents would have been happy if even half of the hits they allowed to the good guys went for singles, but instead, 80% of them went for extra bases in a blowout. Multiple hitters didn’t produce an out in their games, including one who collected four doubles in a breakout performance. There was even a walk-off home run, from a player who had done the same thing just days ago. This is all without even mentioning a pitcher by the name of Cade Povich, who would be the lead story for his performance on almost any other night... Heck, just keep reading, you’re not going to want to miss the action from Tuesday night! TRANSACTIONS The Twins send 3B Miguel Sano on a rehab assignment to the St. Paul Saints. The Wichita Wind Surge activated RHP Alex Phillips. Blayne Enlow and Jordan Gore placed on the Covid IL. C Alex Rodriguez was assigned from the FCL Twins to the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels. According to his twitter page, and some great artwork, RHP Ben Heller announced he had signed with the Twins. He pitched for the Yankees in 2020 and in 2021, he has a stress fracture in his elbow. SAINTS SENTINEL Toledo 3, St. Paul 4 (suspended in the bottom of 2nd inning) Box Score While the Twins were able to keep their game going across the river in Minneapolis, the Saints didn’t have as much luck over in Lowertown St. Paul. After taking a 4-3 lead on a two-RBI double from the rehabbing Miguel Sano, the game was delayed and not able to be resumed. It will be completed on Wednesday in full, and be followed by a regularly scheduled seven-inning contest. Cole Sands made the start and allowed three runs on four hits and two walks in his two innings, though he did strike out four. Mark Contreras and John Andreoli had contributed doubles, and Michael Helman had slugged his fifth home run with the Saints before play was stopped. WIND SURGE WISDOM Arkansas 8, Wichita 10 Box Score After building a big lead early, the Wind Surge risked squandering a solid effort from right-hander Louie Varland late at home on Tuesday against the Travelers. They built an 8-1 lead after four innings, largely behind the bat of outfielder DeShawn Keirsey Jr. His first double in the second inning got them on the board, and he would score their second run on an RBI single from Anthony Prato. His second double of the game in the third inning plated two more runs, and he’d eventually score from third when Matt Wallner was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded that made the score 7-1. They pushed it to 8-1 in the fourth after a single from Keirsey Jr. loaded the bases, and Prato followed up with another RBI single. Varland was solid through his first five innings, scattering four hits and one walk, but finally got into trouble he couldn’t overcome in the sixth. Three consecutive singles and a walk put an end to his game after 5 1/3 innings pitched. His final line included three earned runs on seven hits and two walks, while striking out four. Alex Scherff got the Wind Surge out of the sixth inning without allowing another run, but the Travelers jumped on him in the seventh. A pair of walks, two doubles, and a grand slam brought Bryan Sammons out from the bullpen, and he allowed a double of his own that ended up tying the game at eight. Sammons was able to pitch a one-two-three eighth inning to keep the game tied, but the offense had gone cold since the fourth. Besides Keirsey Jr., that is. He tacked on doubles in each of the sixth and eighth innings, giving him four on the game, but his teammates weren’t able to get on base in front of him or drive him in after. Alex Phillips struck out two in a perfect ninth inning, and after the Wind Surge went down in similar fashion the game went to extras, where Osiris German was tabbed. He got a strikeout before allowing an infield single but was able to induce an unassisted double-play liner to first baseman Chris Williams to keep the game knotted at eight. In the bottom half, Andrew Bechtold wasted little time, taking the second pitch of his leadoff at-bat into the bullpen in right-center, for his 11th home run of the year, and the walk-off exclamation win. It was his second walk-off homer in less that a week. The Wind Surge finished the game with fifteen hits, led by Keirsey Jr’s 5-for-5 game that included four doubles, two runs scored, three RBI, and his 24th stolen base of the season. Edouard Julien (2-for-5, R, BB, 2 K), Bechtold (2-for-5, 2 R, HR, 2 RBI, BB, K), and Prato (3-for-5, 2 RBI) also had multiple hits in the win. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 11, Beloit 0 Box Score Rather than ramble on-and-on about how thoroughly the Cedar Rapids Kernels took care of former Twins affiliate Beloit tonight, I’ll just give you my watching-the-game-Tweet-synopsis: The Kernels ended the game with 15 hits, and 12 were for extra-bases. Kyler Fedko and Jake Rucker each had two doubles. Jeferson Morales had a double and a triple. Christian Encarnacion-Strand and Wander Javier each had a double and a home run. In fact, the only hitters in the lineup to not collect an XBH, were third baseman Seth Gray and catcher Pat Winkel. Encarnacion-Strand and Javier each drove in three runs, and CES’s home run was remarked on the broadcast as being one of the longest balls hit in Beloit on the season as it exited the stadium over the bullpen in left field. While the offensive onslaught was more than impressive, it also shouldn’t overshadow the starting pitching effort from left-hander Cade Povich. He picked up an easy win, his sixth of the season, by completing six scoreless innings. He allowed just three hits, walked one, and struck out 10 Sky Carp hitters on the night. He was in command all game, with 59 of his 88 pitches going for strikes (67%), including an eye-popping 18 swinging strikes. While his last outing wasn’t the greatest in the end result, combined with this one he has struck out 21 hitters in his last 11 innings pitched and has a K-rate of 12.5/9IP on the season. Derek Molina was also impressive out of the bullpen for two innings, retiring every hitter he faced, including four strikeouts of his own. Matt Mullenbach finished the game for the Kernels with one-two-three ninth, making sure to end the pain as quickly as possible for the home team. MUSSEL MATTERS Clearwater 5, Fort Myers 9 Box Score Both teams scored runs in each of the first three innings of this game, but the Mighty Mussels were the only ones to put up crooked numbers and jumped out to a big lead. Starting pitcher Travis Adams worked hard to get through 4 2/3 innings, allowing four total runs working into the fifth inning. He allowed six hits, walked two, and struck out one. Samuel Perez got the final out of the fifth and worked a scoreless sixth, allowing a run of his own on a homer, and striking out one. Despite that, Fort Myers was always out front thanks to their offense. Misael Urbina led off the game for the home team with a single, and would later score on an RBI groundout from Kala’i Rosario. Mikey Perez followed that with a double to score Noah Miller, who had drawn a walk, and it was 2-1 after one. In the second frame, Nelson Roberto delivered an RBI triple and was followed by a sac fly from Urbina that made it 4-2. In the third Rosario led off the inning with a home run, then four consecutive hitters reached base, with Carlos Aguiar’s double driving in two more that made the score 7-3. Aguiar made it 8-5 with a home run of his own in the fifth, before Urbina reached on an error to lead off the sixth, moved to third on a groundout, and scored on a wild-pitch to account for all the Mighty Mussels' scoring. Jordan Carr finished off the final three innings, allowing just one hit and striking out one to be credited with the win. Aguiar led the offense with his big 4-for-4 night. He scored two runs, stole a base, and drove in three. Miller (2-for-4, R, BB, K, SB) and Rosario (2-for-4, R, 2B, HR, 2 RBI, K) also joined him with multi-hit games. COMPLEX CHRONICLES FCL Twins 4, FCL Pirates 5 Box Score Down in the Florida Complex League, the FCL Twins made a late rally and had the tying run just 90 feet away, but fell short on the road against the FCL Pirates. Juan Rojas took the mound to start the game for the Twins and allowed two runs on four hits and a walk in his four innings. Highly notable, however, was that of his 12 outs recorded, a whopping 10 of them came on strikeouts, including the first six hitters of the game, and eight of the first nine. He likely wore down a little, as both of his runs and three of his hits allowed, came in his final inning. But that’s a nice game to hold your hat on for the 18-year-old lefty from Venezuela who was a standout in the DSL last season. Francis Peguero notched a scoreless inning in the fifth, allowing one hit and striking out one. He was followed by Develson Aria who went the final three innings, allowing three runs in the sixth, but recovered to throw scoreless frames in his final two. The Twins got on the board in the sixth inning thanks to an error after Danny De Andrade and Ricardo Olivar reached base by a hit-by-pitch and walk, respectively, to start it. Down 5-9 in the ninth, Fredy Michel got a one-out rally started by drawing a walk, and was followed by singles from Yonardy Soto and De Andrade to bring him home. Alexander Pena then drove them both in with a triple that made it 5-4, but Andres Centeno went down swinging to end the game. DOMINICAN DAILIES DSL Twins 7, DSL Angels 5 Box Score The DSL Twins used two big innings, including a four-run ninth, to overcome the Angels and pick up the win on Tuesday. In the fifth inning, they took advantage of poor defense and wild pitches to score their first runs of the game. After Anderson Nova led off the inning with a single, three consecutive errors and a pair of wild pitches led to three runs and the lead for the Twins. Miguel Olivares made the start and went five strong innings. He allowed two runs on two hits and one walk, while striking out five. In 21 1/3 innings on the year, Olivares owns a 2.11 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, and has struck out 25. Leonardo Lugo was charged with a blown save in his 2 1/3 innings, allowing the Angels to retake the lead with two runs allowed on three hits (including a home run) and three walks. He struck out one. Jose Brito picked up the win by finishing the final 1 2/3, allowing one run on two hits and a walk, while picking up two K’s. Down 4-3 heading into the ninth, the Twins again took advantage of poor defense. Bryan Acuna led off with a single, then two more errors allowed him to score. A walk and a sac fly later, and the Twins had the lead again, but Luis Rodriguez also tacked on some insurance runs with a two-RBI single to close the scoring. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day - Cade Povich, Cedar Rapids Kernels (W, 6 IP, 3 H, BB, 10 K) Hitter of the Day - Carlos Aguiar, Fort Myers Mighty Mussels (4-for-4, 2 R, 2B, HR, 3 RBI) DeShawn Keirsey Jr, Wichita Wind Surge (5-for-5, 2 R, 4 2B, 3 RBI) PROSPECT SUMMARY #8 - Noah Miller (Fort Myers) - 2-for-4, R, BB, K, SB (18) #10 - Cade Povich (Cedar Rapids) - W, 6 IP, 3 H, BB, 10 K #11 - Louie Varland (Wichita) - 5 1/3 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 4 K #12 - Matt Wallner (Wichita) - 0-for-4, RBI, BB, HBP, 3 K #15 - Edouard Julien (Wichita) - 2-for-5, R, BB, 2 K #16 - Christian Encarnacion-Strand (Cedar Rapids) - 2-for-5, R, 2B, HR (19), 3 RBI #17 - Cole Sands (St. Paul) - 2 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 4 K (game suspended) WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Toledo @ St. Paul (7:07 PM CDT) - RHP Ronny Henriquez (1-3, 6.15 ERA) Arkansas @ Wichita (12:05 PM CDT) - RHP Sawyer Gipson-Long (1-4, 7.54 ERA) Cedar Rapids @ Beloit (7:35 PM CDT) - TBD Clearwater @ Fort Myers (11:00 AM CDT) - RHP Jaylen Nowlin (3-3, 4.78 ERA) DSL Twins @ DSL Nationals (10:00 AM CDT) - TBD Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Tuesday’s games! 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