Ted Schwerzler

This weekend the Minnesota Twins are inducting legendary catcher, and hometown native, Joe Mauer, into their Hall of Fame. It’s the first stop on his Hall of Fame tour, and the hope should be that an eventual trip to Cooperstown is made as well. Image courtesy of David Berding-USA TODAY Sports Joe Mauer retired following the 2018 Major League Baseball season. Less than a year later, constituents were gathered at Target Field where the Minnesota Twins were retiring the number “7” forever. That move, to make sure no one would ever wear Mauer’s number again, serves as a much greater reminder of who Mauer was on the field. On Saturday, Mauer will join 37 other members of Minnesota’s Hall of Fame. The group includes broadcasters, players, and executives. Mauer’s enshrinement is a straightforward one, as he was among the best to ever wear a Twins jersey. What is neat about the timing is that Minnesota is bringing Mauer into their Hall of Fame during the same yearly cycle that he will be on the ballot for Cooperstown. When the BBWAA gets their official ballots for the next voting cycle, Mauer’s name will be listed along with Adrian Beltre, David Wright, Chase Utley, and even former Twins teammates Denard Span and Bartolo Colon. Many of the first-year players don’t have much of a hope to see a bronze plaque in Cooperstown, but like Beltre, Mauer should go in on his first ballot. Although Mauer’s case for enshrinement in Cooperstown has been debated by plenty of analysts across baseball, he seems more likely than not to get in. His career was stunted by injury, but Mauer was one of the best offensive catchers of all-time, and has three batting titles to show for it. He won an MVP, and nearly became the third player ever (joining Placido Polanco and Darin Erstad) to win Gold Glove awards at multiple positions. Playing in just shy of 1,900 career games, Mauer doesn’t have many of the counting stats typically aligned with automatic induction into The Hall. He is well short of 3,000 hits, topping out at 2,123, and hit just 143 career homers. To boil his career down to those statistics is doing a disservice however. Not only was Mauer a career .306 hitter with a 124 OPS+, but he played incredible defense behind the plate. As a catcher, Mauer’s 53.0 fWAR ranks 15th all-time. He’s just over two-points behind Yadier Molina, who is seen as a surefire first ballot guy despite producing so little offensively. With Molina having just retired in 2022, he won’t be eligible for balloting until 2027, and while it may be cool for the catchers to go in together, it would be sad to see Mauer wait that long. Back when Mauer hung up his cleats, doing so with one of the greatest moments Target Field has ever seen, baseball writer Jay Jaffe put together a piece outlining his credentials. Jaffe has long been a master of Cooperstown worthiness, and his closing statement regarding Mauer’s candidacy summed things up well. “Mauer nor Utley is a slam-dunk Hall of Famer, but both should benefit from the increasingly mainstream usage of advanced statistics in baseball coverage and from an evolving electorate that will soon include members from sabermetric sites…here’s hoping this pair will be part of Cooperstown’s Class of 2024.” We’re still many months away from seeing how the Hall of Fame vote will shake out, and you can bet @NotMrTibbs and his tracker team will keep us updated throughout the process. What seems fairly certain to think on though, is that this weekend’s Twins Hall of Fame ceremony won’t be the last of its kind for Mauer. Fans were given plenty of moments to smile upon throughout Mauer’s playing career, and the first of his retirement tour was in putting his jersey off limits. The Hall of Fame represents another stop, and Cooperstown after that. Maybe someday Target Field Plaza will put a statue up for him as well, and we’ll continue to see the man that was among the greatest catchers in baseball history get his due. View full article

Although the big league club has struggled with offense over the course of the 2023 season, the minor-league system had more than a few prospects put up big offensive numbers this month. The choice for a winner was close, but plenty of names were worthy of consideration. Image courtesy of Ed Bailey, Wichita Wind Surge As was the case last month for the Minnesota Twins, their offensive output was not ideal. There’s not much expectation these prospects could replicate this level of production at the highest level immediately, but there were a few slash lines that the Twins wish they were seeing in Rocco Baldelli’s lineup. Before getting into the top five, here are a few honorable mentions. HONORABLE MENTIONS Kyle Garlick - St. Paul Saints - 22-57, .386/.487/.719(1.206), 7 2B, 4 HR, 28 RBI, 12 BB, 24 K Andrew Stevenson - St. Paul Saints - 28-83, .337/.409/.578(.987), 5 2B, 5 HR, 19 RBI, 7 BB, 24 K Noah Cardenas - Cedar Rapids Kernels - 23-60, .383/.441/.567(1.008), 5 2B, 2 HR, 11 RBI, 7 BB, 17 K Ben Ross - Cedar Rapids Kernels - 17-63, .270/.343/.524(.867), 7 2B, 3 HR, 11 RBI, 4 BB, 19 K Carson McCusker - Fort Myers Mighty Mussels - 28-95, .295/.350/.537(.886), 2 2B, 7 HR, 8 BB, 35 K Ricardo Olivar - Fort Myers Mighty Mussels - 21-80, .263/.422/.488(.909), 10 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 12 RBI, 16 BB, 12 K Jankel Ortiz - FCL Twins - 7-28, .250/.405/.429(.834), 3B, HR, 4 RBI, 5 BB, 9 K Isaac Pena - FCL Twins - 12-37, .324/.405/.405(.810), 2B, 3B, 2 RBI, 5 BB, 9 K Dameury Pena - DSL Twins - 20-43, .465/.511/.651(1.162), 4 2B, 2 3B, 7 RBI, 4 BB, 2 K THE TOP FIVE HITTERS Number 5 - Wichita Wind Surge - OF DaShawn Keirsey Jr. - 25-95, .263/.340/.463(.803), 3 2B, 2 3B, 4 HR, 10 RBI, 11 BB, 36 K The Twins selected Keirsey Jr. as a fourth-round pick back during the 2018 Major League Baseball draft. He has been somewhat of a slow-burn type of prospect, and repeating Double-A Wichita for the second straight season, he has put things together in a big way. July was a great month for the outfielder, and he’d probably already be in St. Paul if the top of the Twins system wasn’t so outfield heavy. The power has come on in a big way this year, and 13 homers on the season is one shy of doubling his output last season. Keirsey Jr. should soon get a chance to prove it at the highest level of the farm system, and he’ll have the opportunity to factor in as a fourth outfielder type. Number 4 - Cedar Rapids Kernels - C/1B Andrew Cossetti - 19-52, .365/.485/.615(1.100), 5 2B, 3B, 2 HR, 11 RBI, 11 BB, 10 K Playing in his first professional season after being selected in the 11th round of the draft last year, Cossetti has shown extremely well in two spots. He earned an early-season promotion from Fort Myers, and has continued to hit for the Cedar Rapids Kernels. He now owns a .923 OPS at High-A, and that’s while coming out of the gates a bit slow. At 23 years old, he is a bit senior for the level, but he’s been exceptional at the plate hitting for power while showing a high level of discipline. Minnesota’s system is not currently ripe with catching talent, so Cossetti should continue to force his own opportunities with this level of play. Number 3 - St. Paul Saints - IF Anthony Prato - 21-61, .344/.494/.738(1.232), 9 2B, 5 HR, 18 RBI, 16 BB, 17 K The Saints needed an infielder when Prato was promoted earlier this season, and he may have been bored doing Double-A for a second straight season. With just a .553 OPS through 43 games for Wichita, it’s hard to suggest he earned the move up. In reaching St. Paul though, he’s validated the move and has a whopping 1.151 OPS through 37 games. Prato has looked the part of a very strong defensive third baseman, and he’s hitting the cover off the baseball. While he isn’t on the Twins 40-man roster at this point, it’s worth wondering if he’s starting to creep in on the opportunities that would have been ticketed for Jose Miranda. Number 2 - Wichita Wind Surge - SS Brooks Lee - 31-85, .365/.433/.600(1.033), 5 2B, 5 HR, 20 RBI, 10 BB, 10 K Since the Twins selected Lee last year with the eighth overall pick all he has done is hit. His .846 OPS at Double-A Wichita this season has been impressive, and he’s tapped into some nice power having launched 11 longballs this season. July was a great month for the top prospect, and he’s all but certain to reach Triple-A in August. Brooks Lee will have an outside chance to make the Opening Day roster for the Twins next spring, but a better bet is that he factors in at second or third base sometime next summer. Minnesota will continue to hope for this sustained level of production, and nothing we’ve seen from him yet has suggested it will slow. And the Twins Minor League Hitter of the Month is: Wichita Wind Surge - IF Yunior Severino - 26-76, .342/.432/.750(1.182), 4 2B, 9 HR, 19 RBI, 10 BB, 21 K The former Atlanta Braves prospect has broken out in a way national outlets always hoped he would. Tied to Kevin Maitan as the cream of that international crop, Severino is launching baseballs for the Wind Surge. This month he had hits in 17 of 20 games played, and he homered in five straight contests. After hitting 19 round-trippers last season, he has already surpassed that number in fewer games during 2023. The bugaboo to Severino’s game is his swing-and-miss tendencies. Racking up a 91/39 K/BB last year, focusing on controlling the zone a bit more was a must in 2023. This season he has a 114/34 K/BB, and having already seen the pitching at Double-A, a better adjustment would have been nice. He’ll still probably see a late season promotion to Triple-A, but the strikeout numbers have to get in check. Minnesota would love to have another option for a power bat at the corner infield spots, and Severino has played plenty of third base. Wichita has used him at second base sporadically this season as well, but opportunity on the big league roster could come elsewhere. We want to congratulate Wind Surge infielder Yunior Severino, Twins Daily’s choice for Minor League Hitter of the Month for July 2023. Feel free to share your thoughts and ask questions. View full article

The Minnesota Twins made a trade for Dylan Floro a few days ago. On August 1, the Major League Baseball trade deadline, they sat on the sidelines and did nothing. Image courtesy of Peter Aiken-USA TODAY Sports Entering the day with a one game lead over the Cleveland Guardians, the Minnesota Twins had an opportunity to enrich their 26-man roster and further expand the AL Central division lead. Rather than do that, they decided to hang onto veterans and prospects alike, while hoping the answers remain in house. It’s hard to fault Derek Falvey and Thad Levine for thinking they did enough this offseason. Carlos Correa was brought back, Byron Buxton was supposed to be healthy, and they added a slugger in Joey Gallo. Despite those things all being true, the team has underperformed to this point. Adding some help made sense, but instead, the front office is banking on those within the clubhouse turning it around. Even with Wes Johnson jetting for the college ranks last year, Pete Maki has the pitching staff looking like one of the best in baseball. Sonny Gray publicly stated a desire to have starters pitch deeper this spring, and they have. Joe Ryan, Pablo Lopez, Kenta Maeda, and Bailey Ober have all been good on the bump. More often than not though, they haven’t seen any sort of run support. This season the Twins have been terrible against left-handed pitching, and it makes very little sense given their talented right-handed hitters. Heading into the deadline, a right-handed bat always seems to make sense, especially with the left-handed outfield logjam including Max Kepler, Gallo, Trevor Larnach, and Matt Wallner. Rather than add though, Minnesota decided to implore the guys already here to do something. Correa is having an uncharacteristic season and has been subpar across the board. Somehow, Buxton has hit righties better than lefties, and even with his streakiness, the inability to punish southpaws has been mind-numbing. Rocco Baldelli has platooned his lineups more often than not, and even with matchup advantages, Minnesota continues to fail. Beyond the lineup, the Twins bullpen appeared to need help. It’s been Jhoan Duran, Griffin Jax, and pray for rain. Jorge Lopez was moved because he hasn’t been good, but even in getting Caleb Thielbar or Brock Stewart back, Minnesota is constantly looking for guys to simply get outs on a nightly basis. The reliever market is always flush with options, and Minnesota not finding one to their liking is certainly interesting. They didn’t need to pay a premium for an arm like Aroldis Chapman, but doing nothing to bolster a group that has seen Cole Sands take a spot for serious time seems odd. At this point, the Twins are in first place atop baseball’s worst division. They didn’t need to make monumental moves in order to keep Cleveland at bay, but doing nothing is curious. The Guardians traded a starting shortstop in Amed Rosario, and they capitalized on starter Aaron Civale. Another team seemingly bowing out shouldn’t have been seen as enough to stay put. Minnesota’s front office is apparently content with where the club is, and demanding those in the clubhouse to step up. That’s a fine stance if we had seen any indication they would thus far, but to go without adding for a team that should make the postseason is quite a strategy. Maybe Derek Falvey and Thad Levine know this group isn’t a deep contender, but they could have made moves without mortgaging the future. I have no idea if the brass got gun shy following a year where they were blown up, but either way, the 2023 trade deadline isn’t something anyone should be putting on their resume in Minnesota. There is little to no reason for a winning team to bring in reinforcements, and the Twins opted against it despite being in the driver's seat. Now, we see how it plays out. View full article

If pitchers are going to St. Louis, it's going to be along the lines of Varland, Festa, Raya, etc.

Start here: Names to Watch for Minnesota Teoscar Hernandez - Seattle Mariners Tommy Pham - New York Mets Harrison Bader - New York Yankees Brooks Raley - New York Mets Kyle Finnegan - Washington Nationals David Bednar - Pittsburgh Pirates Paul Goldschmidt - St. Louis Cardinals Josh Hader - San Diego Padres Brad Hand - Colorado Rockies Go here:

Your clock is broken. The deadline is 8/1 at 5pm

I don't think that's how it works though. You need three strong starters in the postseason and the Twins appear to have that. There are no guarantees in this sport, and acting like mortgaging the future guarantees anything is shortsighted. The Mets spent $100M more than any other team and are selling off halfway through the season. One team wins a World Series every year, and it's rarely the best team from any given point during the season. Position yourself to make it into the postseason, and then see where the chips fall. Any team can get hot for a month.

Today is the day, the 2023 Major League Baseball trade deadline is upon us. While some teams have already kicked off the frenzy, others are still waiting to make their move. Expect the Minnesota Twins to be involved, and stay caught up with everything taking place throughout the day. Image courtesy of Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK For decades, the Major League Baseball trade deadline has been July 31 at 3pm CT. Last season was the first year the day was altered, and because of the lockout, it sat on August 2nd at 5pm CT. Now in the midst of a normal season for the first time in what feels like forever, the newly-adopted trade deadline falls on August 1st at 5pm CT. Deals will still trickle in well beyond that point, but moves must be filed with the commissioner’s office by that time. Despite the deadline being the first day in August, there have already been a handful of moves made. First let’s get caught up on those: Los Angeles reunited with fan favorite Enrique Hernandez on July 25. Minnesota acquired Dylan Floro while sending out Jorge Lopez. Cleveland parted with Amed Rosario for Noah Syndergaard. The Angels grabbed Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez from the White Sox. Milwaukee swung a deal for Carlos Santana from the Pirates. Miami added David Robertson from the Mets. Lance Lynn and Joe Kelly left Chicago to go play for the Dodgers. Kendall Graveman went back to the Astros with the White Sox selling off. Max Scherzer moved to Texas with Steve Cohen paying down his salary. The Cardinals parted with Jordan Hicks as he pairs with Jordan Romano and the Blue Jays (if and when Romano comes off the Injured List). St. Louis shipped out Jordan Montgomery and Chris Stratton, headed to the Rangers. Kansas City flipped Nicky Lopez to Atlanta. C.J. Cron and Randal Grichuk left the Rockies and headed to join Shohei Ohtani. Cleveland cashed in on Aaron Civale sending him to the Rays. Seattle moved closer Paul Sewald to Arizona. The Brewers grabbed Mark Canha as another bat. Jeimer Candelario goes back to the Chicago Cubs. San Francisco helped Seattle to continue making moves in acquiring A.J. Pollock and Mark Mathias. Jose Cuas left Kansas City moving to the north side of Chicago as well. Oakland sent Sam Moll to the Cincinnati Reds. Arizona grabbed Jace Peterson from the Athletics. With moves being made by both the Milwaukee Brewers and Chicago Cubs, there is no better time check out both Brewer Fanatic and North Side Baseball for the breakdowns. What Has the AL Central Done? Outside of Minnesota flipping Lopez for Floro, the Twins have sat back. All of their division rivals, save for the Detroit Tigers, have been active ahead of the deadline. It’s clear that the Chicago White Sox are in a selloff. They have moved veterans on expiring deals, and have been fielding calls on Luis Robert and Dylan Cease. It doesn’t appear either of them will be moved, but Eloy Jimenez could probably still be had, and if anyone was willing to take Tim Anderson or Yoan Moncada, they could be moved as well. Chicago has a controllable relief arm in Aaron Bummer, but Keynan Middleton still represents a rental. Yasmani Grandal will be a free agent this winter as well. Kansas City, like Chicago, has been in a selloff as well. Cuas and Lopez have already been moved. Maybe Amir Garrett entices someone, but Carlos Hernandez and Scott Barlow are still the prizes from one of baseball’s worst teams. Both bring team control, Hernandez more than Barlow, but each has plenty to like as a late-inning or high-leverage reliever. They started the process in June when they traded Aroldis Chapman to the Rangers. It’s the Cleveland Guardians that may be the most interesting team thus far in the Central. Despite being right there with Minnesota, they have made moves from the big league roster. Amed Rosario has not been good this year and is a free agent at the end of the season, but they now insert Gabriel Arias into a much more significant role. Maybe it gets Brayan Rocchio a look, but either way, it’s a big responsibility during a division race. Syndergaard gets a rotation spot, while both Shane Bieber and Triston McKenzie may return, Cleveland's group is less certain than it was a few weeks ago. They also moved on from Aaron Civale, who is often hurt, and having a career year. They capitalized on value, but instead returned a first base prospect in Kyle Manzardo. He’s got a legit hit tool, but Josh Bell is on the roster until they deal him, and Josh Naylor was already slated to play first base into 2024. How the Guardians handle the rest of the deadline should be fascinating. What Can Still Happen Chicago is bleeding pieces at an alarming rate, and they should continue to sell. The bulk of their biggest expected options to go are now gone, but maybe someone springs for Cease or Giolito. Kansas City is relatively empty at this point as well, save for the two relievers. Detroit should be more active in selling on Tuesday with Michael Lorenzen looking like one of the best bets to go. How Cleveland positions themselves after the first couple of moves remains to be seen. Minnesota still has yet to act, and while Floro may be a slight come up, they really haven’t improved the roster yet. A right-handed bat is still needed for Rocco Baldelli’s lineup, and at least one reliever makes sense. Although Caleb Thielbar is returning, Jovani Moran has looked shaky at best, so a southpaw could be a driving factor as well. Teams have also been calling on both Sonny Gray and Kenta Maeda, maybe Derek Falvey does something shocking with his depth. As of last night, here's what the Twins were linked to courtesy of Nick Nelson. What Does Minnesota Have Looking at the Twins Daily Top 20 Prospects list, there are more than a few exciting names. Walker Jenkins isn’t eligible to be traded and isn’t going anywhere, and whether he’s one or two in the pecking order, Brooks Lee isn’t moving either. Beyond that, everyone should probably be on the table. Emmanuel Rodriguez could go for the right haul, and Marco Raya would be expected to bring a big return. The outfield log jam seems to need clearing up, and deadline day could do that. Joey Gallo has to have negative value at this point, and Max Kepler has been on fire, so the two that seem most likely are Matt Wallner and Trevor Larnach. Minnesota would need a good return to move either controllable players, but that is a position of depth. Maybe Jorge Polanco has appeal being an impending free agent, but the Twins seem most well-positioned to grab players that would require more mid-level prospects in exchange. After swinging big on names like Tyler Mahle, Michael Fulmer, and Jorge Lopez last season, this would probably be best categorized as a boring trade deadline. In a bad division though, they don’t need substantial moves, and making the playoffs gives them an opportunity to make noise. With strong pitching, they could have just enough to eek out a series or two come October. Names to Watch for Minnesota Teoscar Hernandez - Seattle Mariners Tommy Pham - New York Mets Harrison Bader - New York Yankees Brooks Raley - New York Mets Kyle Finnegan - Washington Nationals David Bednar - Pittsburgh Pirates Paul Goldschmidt - St. Louis Cardinals Josh Hader - San Diego Padres Brad Hand - Colorado Rockies Make sure to check back often today and keep up on the discussion. Look for updates at Twins Daily, Brewer Fanatic, and North Side Baseball throughout the day. Who do you think still gets moved, and who do you want to see wearing a new uniform when the dust settles? View full article

It's clear to me he was bored in Wichita to start the year. I think, at this point, I believe in Prato more than Miranda.

In the first year of the new Major League Baseball draft lottery, the Minnesota Twins couldn’t have been more fortunate. Moving up to the fifth overall pick in a loaded draft, they had an opportunity to select prep outfielder Walker Jenkins and exercised it. Image courtesy of Michael Cuneo/STARNEWS / USA TODAY NETWORK While Dylan Crews and Paul Skenes, both stars at LSU, were often talked about as the top pick, it was accepted that five players would have potentially been first overall picks in most other drafts. That included Florida’s Wyatt Langford and prep stars Max Clark and Walker Jenkins. With the board falling as it did, Sean Johnson was able to grab the talented young slugger committed to North Carolina. It took a bit for him to sign as super-agent Scott Boras attempted to work out the most lucrative signing bonus, ultimately coming in just over slot. Now inked, and having seen his future home of Target Field, he’s down in Fort Myers and ready to go. Before he gets into game action, Jenkins spared some time to talk about the next step in his baseball journey. Twins Daily: With this draft having multiple players graded out as a first overall type of talent, how cool was it being thought of among that group? What was the draft experience like? Walker Jenkins: I mean, it’s awesome. All of those guys considered in that top five are great ballplayers. To be categorized in that area is an honor, to be totally honest. The draft experience was amazing. To have my family and everyone that supported me there for me, and being with me, it was awesome. TD: Coming out of high school and having already committed to North Carolina, once you start coming into your own, when does it transition to thinking about becoming a pro right from the prep ranks? WJ: I always kind of looked at things as having stepping stones, and goals or check marks along the way. The first goal was to commit somewhere for college and possibly go play at that level. Obviously you want to get drafted as high as you can out of high school, but it doesn’t always work that way. With the pressure of being a high school kid that’s committed, it’s something that you just kind of have to learn to deal with. I feel like you have to accept that pressure to be successful at the next level, regardless of where that’s at. TD: You played in the PDP league alongside of fellow Twins draftees Charlee Soto and Brandon Winokur. What is your relationship like with them, and how cool does it feel to go into an organization having familiar faces with you? WJ: It was really cool. We all texted each other when the draft was over. We all played on the same PDP team so we got to build a bit of a relationship. It’s nice having some guys going into this. It’s a whole new world, and something you’re not familiar with, so having some guys to do it with me makes it a lot easier. TD: Knowing you still have areas to grow, what are you most looking forward to when it comes to being around professional staff and facilities? WJ: I think constantly being around guys that know so much and can help my game all around. Baseball is such a game of adjustments, pitch-to-pitch, play-to-play, and having guys that can spot the small things and help you make those adjustments is something I’m looking forward to the most. TD: You have been classified as a corner outfielder, and sometimes those players get pigeon-holed as being a big power hitter. What is your game in your eyes? WJ: I definitely say I’m an all-around player. I don’t think people give me enough credit for my athleticism sometimes. I think I have the ability to stick in centerfield. Ultimately that comes down to the coaches, what they think. I’m going to do everything I can to help whatever team I’m on win. TD: Jumping from high school to pro ball, what do you anticipate being the most notable part of the jump in competition? Having played against such high-level competition on the traveling circuits, how has that prepared you? WJ: Some of the arms I have seen and the competition levels that I’ve been a part of have helped to prepare me for this. Seeing guys mid-to-upper 90’s on a daily basis with really good stuff is going to be an adjustment. I’m not going to go and bat four, five, six-hundred all the time, like in high school. The mental side will also be an adjustment. Dealing with more failure, because that’s going to come whether I want it to or not, both those things I’ll need to adjust to and prepare for. TD: Joining the Twins organization and being from the east coast, what does your familiarity with the organization and history of the club look like? WJ: I don’t know too much in general, I’m still learning. Going to Target Field was the first time I’ve ever been to the state of Minnesota. I thought it was gorgeous, the state, the stadium. The people were amazing. I’m continuing to learn about the organization. Obviously I know about different players from being coached by several of them. Guys like Joe Mauer who are going to be Hall of Famers, you just hear about them. TD: Outside of baseball, and just leaving high school, how do you get away from the game or what do you do for fun? WJ: My favorite thing is just hanging out with friends. I enjoy spending quality time with guys. I enjoy hunting and fishing, and enjoy playing other sports as well. Welcome to Twins Territory, Walker! View full article

The Saints played Sunday’s latest game on the farm, and after each of the other three Twins affiliates lost, they came out with a victory. Louie Varland was great, and the power show continued. Image courtesy of Rob Thompson, St. Paul Saints TRANSACTIONS LHP Caleb Thielbar completed rehab assignment and was activated by Twins` SAINTS SENTINEL St. Paul 7, Toledo 2 Box Score Louie Varland toed the rubber Sunday for St. Paul and turned in the kind of outing everyone wants to see. He worked six innings allowing just a single run on two hits. The run came on a solo shot, and he allowed only a single walk. Varland struck out seven. St. Paul started the scoring when Trevor Larnach blasted his ninth homer of the year, scoring Anthony Prato, and making it 2-0 in the first inning. Kyle Garlick made it back-to-back jacks with a solo shot, his 11th. In the third inning St. Paul added again. This time Alex De Goti hit a three-run jack-job that brought in both Austin Martin and Ernie Yake. Up 6-0, the Saints were able to weather a pair of solo shots from Toledo. They got one of the runs back in the eighth inning when Garlick drove in Prato on a single. Six of the nine players in St. Paul’s lineup recorded a hit today, and each of them had exactly two hits. Prato, Larnach, and Garlick paced the top of the lineup. Mark Contreras added a pair from the middle, and Martin paired with De Goti for their two in the bottom half. With the victory, Toby Gardenhire gets his 200th win as the Saints manager. WIND SURGE WISDOM Frisco 8, Wichita 5 Box Score Wichita went with Jaylen Nowlin for the start on Sunday afternoon. He worked 3 2/3 innings of one-run baseball. He allowed only two hits, but did issue three free passes. Nowlin also struck out five during his outing. Frisco kicked the scoring off with a run during the third inning and Wichita responded when Yoyner Fajardo homered in the bottom of the fourth inning. The teams traded runs in the fifth inning with Aaron Sabato singling home Yunior Severino to knot things up. The RoughRiders pulled away with a three-spot in both the sixth and eighth innings, and Wichita didn’t have enough of an answer. Brooks Lee singled with the bases loaded to drive in Sabato, Fajardo, and Severino, but they still came up three short. Severino’s home run streak came to an end at five games, and Lee may find a plane ticket in his locker in the coming days. Lee and Sabato both had two hits while Fajardo recorded three. KERNELS NUGGETS Wisconsin 4, Cedar Rapids 0 Box Score The Kernels went with Andrew Morris Sunday afternoon, and he had traffic on the bases often. With four runs scoring on 10 hits, he did his best to work around baserunners allowing no walks. Morris did strike out a pair. Wisconsin did most of their damage during a three-run fourth inning, and then added another run during the fifth inning. Cedar Rapids managed just two hits on the day, one each coming from Andrew Cossetti and Dalton Shuffield. MUSSEL MATTERS Palm Beach 5, Fort Myers 2 Box Score Jack Noble drew the start Sunday for Fort Myers and he worked 4 2/3 innings allowing two runs on four hits and a pair of walks. Noble was good at putting hitters away registering seven strikeouts on the afternoon. The sides matched zeroes through the first four innings before Palm Beach grabbed a pair in the fifth inning. Fort Myers had gotten on base with both Ricardo Olivar and Rafael Cruz drawing walks, but they ended the sixth inning with no hits. Palm Beach added another three runs in their half of the seventh inning, and they nearly made it through the bottom half with the no-hitter intact. Instead, Cruz blasted his sixth homer and put Fort Myers on the board with their first hit and run. Cruz homered for the second time on the afternoon, hitting another solo shot in the ninth inning, but that was the extent of the Mighty Mussels comeback. Cruz was the lone batter with multiple hits for Fort Myers. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – Louie Varland (St. Paul) - 6.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 7 K Hitter of the Day – Rafael Cruz (Fort Myers) - 2-3, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2 HR(7), BB, K PROSPECT SUMMARY We will again keep tabs on the Twins top prospects. You’ll probably read about them in the team sections, but if they aren’t there, you’ll see how they did here. Here’s a look at how the current Twins Daily Top 20 performed: #1 - Brooks Lee (Wichita) - 2-5, 3 RBI #5 - Matt Wallner (Minnesota) - 1-3, R, RBI, HR(5), K #8 - Austin Martin (St. Paul) - 2-4, R #10 - Tanner Schobel (Wichita) - 0-4 #16 - Kala’i Rosario (Cedar Rapids) - 0-4, 3 K #17 - Yunior Severino (Wichita) - 1-4, R, BB, 3 K TUESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS St. Paul @ Columbus (6:05PM CST) - TBD Tulsa @ Wichita (7:05PM CST) - TBD Lansing @ Cedar Rapids (6:35PM CST) - TBD Fort Myers @ Dunedin (5:30PM CST) - TBD Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Sunday’s games! View full article

When the Minnesota Twins went into the offseason they had serious questions behind the plate. A season ago, Ryan Jeffers failed to establish himself as an everyday option, then got injured, and the front office was forced to scramble down the stretch. That couldn’t be less true in 2023. Image courtesy of Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports When Derek Falvey tricked the New York Yankees into eating Josh Donaldson’s albatross of a contract, he brought in Gary Sanchez to play alongside of Ryan Jeffers. Unfortunately, Sanchez couldn’t find the success he had shown earlier in his career, and he was below average posting an 88 OPS+ while still playing relatively poor defense. By the end of the season, Minnesota needed to acquire Sandy Leon simply to have a warm body behind the plate. The Twins had already put Jose Godoy and Caleb Hamilton behind the plate, and the system had no one else to turn to. Ben Rortvedt was sent to New York in the Donaldson deal, and the offseason became one of questions. The Twins went out and got Christian Vazquez off the free agent market. A well-respected veteran with a World Series ring to his credit, Vazquez seems to be the perfect type of addition for a clubhouse that needed a new vibe. He had played with winners in Boston and Houston during his career. His production landed him a three-year deal worth $30 million. Unfortunately, he hasn’t been as billed on the field. Through July 28, Vazquez has played 67 games and owns an awful 70 OPS+. That’s well below his 84 OPS+ career mark, and it’s even further from the 94 OPS+ he put up since 2019. Fortunately for Minnesota, Jeffers has been a saving grace. With only Edouard Julien ahead of him in fWAR among position players (1.9), Jeffers has already compiled a 1.5 fWAR in 2023. That mark is already a career best, and he still has plenty of runway to add for Minnesota. How Jeffers got there is somewhat of a perfect scenario for the Twins. Drafted as what some considered a reach, and with the potential that he wouldn’t stick behind the plate, he has turned that narrative on its head. After flashing a 119 OPS+ during his first 26 big league games, he’s expanded upon that this season owning a 128 OPS+ across 60 games. For Minnesota, Jeffers owns a .281/.385/.438 slash line. He’s done a great job cutting down on strikeouts and honing in at the plate. He is tracking well behind the career-best 14 home runs he hit during the 2021 season, but he should surpass the 10 doubles that sit as a high water mark. Picking certain spots on the bases, he has also stolen three bases after having none through the first three seasons of his career. As a defender, Jeffers has always had a calling card as a pitch framer. That hasn’t slipped this season, and he’s turned himself into an all-around defender. With two blocks above average on Statcast’s new leaderboard, Jeffers is among the top 20 across baseball when it comes to keeping the ball in front of him. His pop time sits at 1.97 which checks in above average, and for the first time in his career he’s well above league average when it comes to throwing out base runners. With a 28% caught stealing rate, and the league sitting at just 21%, Jeffers has controlled the running game better despite stealing being more prevalent than ever across recent seasons. There is still more to be done with Jeffers’ game as he looks to bring back some of the power he showed during the 2021 season. His hard hit rates are at a career low, and his barrel rate is way down. The outcomes have room to improve, but the process remains solid. Chasing at a manageable clip and controlling the zone, even better results may be on the way. Jeffers isn’t a free agent until 2027, meaning he’s under team control for an entire year beyond the duration of Vazquez’s contract. He just recently turned 26 years old and is pushing to be on the heavier side of a timeshare is something that Minnesota could consider for him in the seasons ahead. The Twins cemented certainty behind the dish when they signed Vazquez, and the emergence of Jeffers has brought the tandem to a whole new level. They both have combined to receive one of the best pitching staffs in baseball, and the results from the rotation shouldn’t be far removed from the backstop performances either. At some point the front office wanted to see the player they envisioned when drafting him in the second round of the 2018 MLB Draft. Now beginning to see glimpses, continued development from here would be shined upon. For more Twins Daily content on Ryan Jeffers, click here. A search of Twins Daily contains eight pages of articles in which Ryan Jeffers has been tagged. View full article

The Minnesota Twins have a couple of key areas where they need to add prior to Tuesday’s Major League Baseball trade deadline. While a right-handed bat still makes sense, the bullpen getting reinforcements is a must as well. Is Josh Hader the missing piece? Image courtesy of Ray Acevedo-USA TODAY Sports Derek Falvey kicked off the Twins trade season by flipping Jorge Lopez to the Miami Marlins for Dylan Floro. Minnesota pulled the band-aid off a move that blew up. A year ago, the Twins sent Cade Povich and Yennier Cano to the Baltimore Orioles for their all-star closer. Unfortunately, Lopez never found it with the Twins. Getting a fresh start in Miami could help him regain form, and Floro gets an opportunity to find his strong peripherals with a new team. No matter how much the Twins benefit from Floro pitching innings rather than Lopez, they unquestionably need additional help in relief. Caleb Thielbar will return from the injured list later this week, but Brock Stewart is apparently hiding in a bunker somewhere, yet to be heard from after being shut down due to maintenance prior to the All-Star Game. That has left Rocco Baldelli trying to find ways for Jhoan Duran and Griffin Jax to do everything on a near nightly basis. If the Twins are going to add a reliever, a lefty makes some sense, and swinging big would define Josh Hader. The San Diego Padres were reportedly turning away interest in both Hader and Blake Snell, but the team has continued to look like they’ll miss the playoffs, and both are free agents after the season. The Twins starting rotation doesn’t have room for Snell, even though he’s been great, but Hader would fit wonderfully at the back of a bullpen needing some help. Having pitched for the Milwaukee Brewers over six seasons, Hader is more than familiar with the Midwest. He has never worked in the American League, but that could benefit both him and the Twins with opposing batters being less familiar with him. After a speed bump of a year in 2022, in which he was still an all-star, Hader has re-established his strong performances. Although he posted a 5.22 ERA last season, he had a 3.45 FIP to go along with it, and was largely victimized by the longball. Across 40 games and 38 innings for San Diego this season, Hader owns a ridiculous 0.95 ERA and has saved 24 games. He has a 13.7 K/9 and has allowed just a single home run. To put it simply, he has been lights out. With that reality, his services aren’t going to come cheap, even for a couple of months as a rental. Fangraphs recently predicted Minnesota would land Hader, and that the cost would be pitching prospects Marco Raya and Brent Headrick. Raya is among one of the most promising arms in the system, and Headrick had already made his major-league debut. Raya would be the big piece, but both represent what should be seen as consistent major league talent. Recently Cody Christie looked at three bold predictions for Minnesota at the deadline, and Hader’s acquisition was among them. He wondered whether that price was too steep, and that is definitely the decision the Twins front office must weigh. Even if he is a name they are considering, the cost of how much his impact is felt has to be deemed significant. Also worthy of consideration with Hader is how he would adjust Baldelli’s pecking order. Minnesota has not been rigid with save opportunities and the use of Duran, but he has been the de facto closer. In grabbing Hader, Duran would likely be bumped from the ninth inning. That could be disappointing given the impact of saves in arbitration, but also would allow the flamethrower to be a true fireman and pitch during the highest -leverage spots before the game ends. It’s becoming wildly evident that relying on Duran and Jax as much as the Twins have had to is wearing on them. The former has been atrocious in July, and both often enter with little breathing room given an offense failing to produce on a routine basis. Maybe a middle reliever costs less, but that doesn’t solve a need to give the best arms some help. It’s entirely possible that pair would welcome another top-tier addition, in part to save their own productivity. Maybe Minnesota sees an acquisition of Hader as an opportunity to open dialogue for the future as well. The Twins have not traditionally spent much (see: anything) on the bullpen, but Hader being retained on an extension or through free agency could change that. Playing at $14.1 million this year, it’s not crazy to think he could wind up with somewhere near Edwin Diaz money in his new deal ($21.3M AAV). The Chicago White Sox have shown that paying handsomely for a bullpen doesn’t necessarily work out, but it’s clear the relief group needs help. It remains to be seen how big of a swing the Twins take on the bullpen. Adding to the middle of the group provides some needed depth, but it's a significant addition that the group gets better from the top down. Hader being added may hurt, but he generates extra wins, it could make everything feel a bit better. View full article

The Minnesota Twins are entering the home stretch of their 2023 regular season, and with sights set on the postseason, getting every back healthy and ready to contribute is of the utmost importance. As Royce Lewis returns from an oblique injury, a new spot could be his next opportunity. Image courtesy of Nick Wosika-USA TODAY Sports Last season. the Minnesota Twins signed Carlos Correa to be their starting shortstop. When he went down with an injury, top prospect Royce Lewis stepped up in a big way. Despite being sent down when Correa returned, Lewis forced the hand of the big league club. He took over in centerfield and made it just three innings before a fluke knee injury occurred after a collision with the outfield wall. Now, with the Twins having suggested that they’d prefer not playing him in the outfield this season, current roster construction makes that arguably the best place to supplement the roster. By the time Lewis returns for Minnesota, Jorge Polanco will likely have taken over as the regular at third base. While Edouard Julien is not a good defender, his bat and youth have him entrenched at second base. Polanco shifting across the diamond makes sense. Correa will continue at shortstop, and putting Lewis at first base as opposed to Alex Kirilloff would be nonsensical. What does make perfect sense is playing Lewis in a spot where he may very well see the bulk of his career playing time. Lewis is an exceptional athlete, and he has displayed an ability to play up the middle for years. He looked the part of a shortstop before being bumped to the hot corner, and he handled centerfield fine in limited looks down on the farm and in the Arizona Fall League. Of course there is the fear of growing pains, and getting to know outfield configurations, but the fluky re-injury of his ACL should not be a deterrent to future plans. Rocco Baldelli could insert Lewis in centerfield upon his return from the injured list. The Twins have needed a right-handed bat out there all year, and while Michael A. Taylor holds the lumber from that side of the plate, he rarely does anything with it. As long as Byron Buxton remains a full-time designated hitter, expecting Taylor to produce on a daily basis will come with suboptimal results. With Lewis in the outfield, Minnesota could have their most ideal offensive infield configuration, while also still finding an opportunity to play a great stick in Lewis. If Buxton were able to man centerfield on a regular basis, this wouldn’t be a consideration, but it’s one that could help the Twins to get the most out of their lineup in October. The process to score at least four runs during any given game has to be the focal point for Minnesota. They have been tough to beat when accomplishing that feat, and for a lineup that has done less with more all season long, they can’t afford to leave ammo unused. Maybe Buxton returns to health for 2024, and Lewis isn’t needed in center. Having that ability in his back pocket is something of a benefit to such a talented player, and it doesn’t seem that Minnesota’s $100 million man is going to force the question at all during this current season. Lewis has already stepped up in big spots, and this would be a way for him to do so yet again. It remains to be seen if Minnesota will make the tough decision and put him out there. The injury he suffered a year ago will unquestionably be on everyone’s mind, but there is no straightforward suggestion that he’s more likely to be hurt in center than he is at third. Trying to play chicken with injury is a losing game, and putting the best lineup configuration on the field each night should be the goal. If everyone is healthy when he returns, Royce Lewis should be the Twins starting centerfielder. View full article

Although it was fireworks postgame for the St. Paul Saints, they provided plenty during the game as well. Weather shortened some of the action elsewhere, but there were plenty of notable performances to check in on. Image courtesy of Rob Thompson, St. Paul Saints TRANSACTIONS C Nate Baez activated from 60-day IL by Fort Myers C Dillon Tatum placed on development list by Fort Myers SAINTS SENTINEL St. Paul 8, Toledo 2 Box Score Friday saw Dallas Keuchel take the ball in what we can assume will be his final start with the St. Paul Saints as his August 1 opt-out date looms. He was opposed by former Twins prospect, Sawyer Gipson-Long, who Minnesota sent to the Tigers last year in the Michael Fulmer trade. Trevor Larnach was also back in the Saints lineup after being optioned to make room for Byron Buxton. He batted third and started in right field. In the third inning, with Tigers top prospect Colt Keith up, Keuchel spiked a pitch that got away from catcher Jair Camargo just enough to allow the runner to cross home. Keith then reached on a single, but Keuchel got Tyler Nevin to end the inning. After Camargo singled in the fourth inning, Austin Martin stepped in and yanked a pitch down the left field line. It stayed inside of the pole and was deposited into the Toledo bullpen putting St. Paul up 2-1. Tigers prospect Justyn-Henry Malloy did get Keuchel for a homer to center in the fifth inning, but the damage was limited to one. Mark Contreras stepped in and took the first pitch of the sixth inning out to right center field, putting the Saints back on top. Martin then beat out a check-swing single for his third hit of the night before Chris Williams drew a walk. Ernie Yake stepped in and blasted a three-run shot to right field, and St. Paul was up 6-2. With the big lead, Keuchel’s night was done. He ends his sixth start for the Saints owning a 1.13 ERA and toting a 28/12 K/BB. Rehabbing Twins reliever Caleb Thielbar took over to work the seventh inning. For good measure, St. Paul added again in the eighth inning, and it was Yake launching his second homer of the night. This one was a solo shot to make it a 7-2 game. Gilberto Celestino took a hit-by-pitch with the bases loaded to drive home Andrew Stevenson and make it an 8-2 lead. Oliver Ortega slammed the door during his second inning of work, striking out five of the six batters he saw, and the fireworks could be joyous. Both Martin and Yake had three-hit nights for the Saints. Talking after the game tonight, Keuchel felt good about his outing saying, "My in-zone pitches were better than they have been, and I felt good about how I have been trending. I've pushed myself this week in the bullpen with how hot it was." After a longer middle inning allowing some traffic, Keuchel buckled down. "As my body has felt better, I've been trying to move quicker. It just so happened I was moving too quick for my own good and a lot of borderline, non-competitive pitches got me in situations I don't want to be in. I knew if I could go back and fill up the middle of the zone I was going to be fine." Knowing that this is his last start for the Saints, Keuchel said, "I know my opt-out is on Tuesday. Derek (Falvey) and the organization have been very transparent with me. A lot of teams that need help still are figuring out moves in the big leagues. This is a place that I want to be, and I'd still like to be up with Minnesota. I have provided what I needed to do, and shown myself what I am still capable of doing." Keuchel is able to be traded by the Twins as he does not have 10-5 rights, and doesn't have a no-trade clause with a minor-league deal. He isn't focused on being on the farm either. "I still think I have velocity in the tank I haven't shown. I don't really need to show a flash of 91 mph at this point. I'd rather pitch, show myself I can do it, and let that play out. My numbers kind of speak for themselves. One way or another, I don't think there's any possibility of me coming back and playing for a minor league team." With the Saints out on the road next week, Keuchel will throw a bullpen in St. Paul on Sunday and is going to go about like he's pitching on Wednesday. He doesn't anticipate traveling with the team, and awaits whether a ticket to St. Louis needs to be booked. "There's still deals that are going to be made. I'm going to enjoy some golf and keep working on my craft." Working in what he anticipates being his final rehab assignment, Thielbar said he expects to rejoin the Twins in St. Louis. "It felt great tonight, velocity and stuff were there. Command was good. I was happy compared to the other night." Having been through this process once before this year, Thielbar noted his mechanics were a bit different last time he came back. "I focused on staying on my back leg a little bit too much, and I ended up starting to stride a bit open. I think that put a bit more pressure on that area than it was used to. I don't think it will be an issue again." Unfortunately, oblique issues just pop up, and Thielbar noted there has been a ton of them in the league this year, including teammate Royce Lewis . "I don't know why that has happened, unfortunate that it happened twice to me, but I think I got the root problem figured out. I'm hopeful with how slow we've taken it this time." WIND SURGE WISDOM Frisco 10, Wichita 7 Box Score Wichita turned to Marco Raya on Friday night, and he couldn’t make it through the third inning. Raya gave up eight runs on six hits and a walk in just 2 1/3 innings. He struck out two batters. Wichita got on the board first. Tanner Schobel crushed his first Double-A home run. His two-run shot in the second inning scored Patrick Winkel and put the Wind Surge on top. Aaron Sabato followed with his own two-run shot, scoring Alex Isola, and doubling the lead. Raya ran into some trouble during the third inning. After giving up two runs and having the bases loaded, Raya walked in a run before another four crossed for Frisco. Carlos Luna allowed an inherited runner to score before giving up one of his own. What was once a 4-0 lead became a 9-4 deficit, and the Wind Surge had work to do. After giving up another run during the top of the eighth inning, Wichita finally was able to answer with one of their own. Yunior Severino stayed hot and blasted his 22nd of the season. Schobel led off the bottom of the ninth with a walk, and Yoyner Fajardo singled. Jake Rucker singled them both home to draw closer. It wasn't quite enough as they fell three short. Sabato had a pair of hits on the evening. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 3, Wisconsin 3 (Susp/9) Box Score Kyle Jones took the pill for Cedar Rapids Friday and worked five innings of two run baseball (one earned), while scattering five hits. He did walk three but struck out four. Trailing 1-0 through three innings, Andrew Cossetti put the Kernels on the board with a single, scoring both Noah Miller and Jorel Ortega in the fourth inning. Wisconsin responded with a tying run in the bottom half, things were again even. A sixth inning wild pitch gave Emmanuel Rodriguez the opportunity to race home and regain the lead, but it was short-lived when Cossetti sailed a throw into centerfield on a steal attempt. Wisconsin again had knotted things, this time at three, in the seventh inning. Neither team having added, and entering the bottom of the ninth inning, lightning decided to make an appearance and delayed the game. With weather not moving out of the area, this one would be called for the evening. MUSSEL MATTERS Fort Myers 6, Palm Beach 5 Box Score It was Juan Mercedes making the start Friday night for the Mighty Mussels. He has struggled on the bump for Fort Myers this season, and Palm Beach got to him early again. Working just three innings on the evening, Mercedes allowed three runs (two earned) on two hits and four walks. He struck out two. After giving up a run in the top of the first inning, the Mighty Mussels answered and even things in the bottom half. Carson McCusker grounded out to drive in Hernan Perez and both teams were off and running. Palm Beach added in the second, third, and sixth innings to make it 5-1. Fort Myers got back on the board during their own half of the sixth inning when Maddux Houghton drove in Rubel Cespedes with a sacrifice fly. Fort Myers added again in the eighth inning, Gregory Duran scored McCusker on a ground out before Houghton singled in Alec Sayre to make it a one-run ballgame. Perez then struck out swinging, but the ball got away allowing Houghton to score and tie the game. Sayre singled in the ninth inning, and with two outs, Duran ripped his 10th double allowing him to come around and score. Fort Myers finished the comeback with a walkoff. Sayre recorded a pair of hits on the night. COMPLEX CHRONICLES FCL Red Sox 4, FCL Twins 1 (Susp/4) Box Score For the second straight day a trio of new draftees got into FCL action. Luke Keaschall and Jay Harry played second and third respectively, while Brandon Winokur got his first start in the field, playing shortstop. Carlos Gutierrez gave up four runs on six hits and a pair of walks before rain suspended action. The Twins pitcher struck out five and allowed a homer during his outing. The lone Twins run Friday came on an Anderson Nova ground out that scored Jose Rodriguez. DOMINICAN DAILY DSL Colorado 10, DSL Twins 4 Box Score The Twins did get on the board first on Friday, and while they matched Colorado with a run apiece in the second and third innings, they added one in each of the third and fourth to take a lead. Unfortunately that two-run advantage was wiped away and the Twins didn’t find another chance to score the rest of the day. Hendry Chivilli, their second top prospect from the international free agency class, clubbed his first professional home run. Junior Del Valle, Javier Roman, and Dameury Pena all had a pair of hits on the day. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – Dallas Keuchel (St. Paul) - 6.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 8 K Hitter of the Day – Ernie Yake (St. Paul) - 3-4, 2 R, 4 RBI, 2 HR(2) PROSPECT SUMMARY We will again keep tabs on the Twins top prospects. You’ll probably read about them in the team sections, but if they aren’t there, you’ll see how they did here. Here’s a look at how the current Twins Daily Top 20 performed: #1 - Brooks Lee (Wichita) - 1-5 #3 - Emmanuel Rodriguez (Cedar Rapids) - 1-3, R, 2B, BB, 2 K #4 - Marco Raya (Wichita) - 2.1 IP, 6 H, 8 R, 8 ER, 1 BB, 2 K #5 - Matt Wallner (Minnesota) - 0-5, 2 K #8 - Austin Martin (St. Paul) - 3-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, HR(1) #10 - Tanner Schobel (Wichita) - 1-2, R, 2 RBI, HR(1), 2 BB #12 - Luke Keaschall (FCL Twins) - 0-2, K #13 - Brandon Winokur (FCL Twins) - 0-2, 2 K #17 - Yunior Severino (Wichita) - 1-4, R, RBI, HR(22), K #20 - Jose Rodriguez (FCL Twins) - 1-2, R SATURDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Toledo @ St. Paul (7:07PM CST) - RHP Randy Dobnak Frisco @ Wichita (6:05PM CST) - RHP Travis Adams Cedar Rapids @ Wisconsin (6:40PM CST) - RHP Christian MacLeod Palm Beach @ Fort Myers (5:00PM CST) - RHP Ben Ethridge Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Friday’s games! View full article