Ted Schwerzler

That should have been the decision a bit ago, but I'm with you. Has the makings of a dominant reliever.

Both. I'd guess his days at Double-A are limited to about 4.

Winokur is a five-tool high school kid. Can do it all, but raw. He was very highly rated. Neither Parker or Larson was signed. The deadline was the 25th, and neither were expected to sign.

5 walks is pretty rough though. He's really struggled with command, and the stuff just hasn't played well at all.

In the Complex League today, several Twins draft prospects made their professional debuts, and none were more impressive than Brandon Winokur. Yunior Severino went jack-job in his third straight game, while Zebby Matthews and Noah Miller shined for the Kernels. Check out all of the action within. Image courtesy of Ed Bailey, Wichita Wind Surge TRANSACTIONS OF Trevor Larnach optioned to Triple-A St. Paul UT Hernan Perez assigned to Single-A Fort Myers on minor league rehab assignment SAINTS SENTINEL Toledo 5, St. Paul 3 Box Score Simeon Woods Richardson took his turn Thursday for the Saints on Irish heritage night. He didn’t last five innings, but the 4 1/3 innings were quality allowing just a single run on two hits. Walks were a bugaboo as he racked up five of them, but the Saints starter kept damage at bay with six strikeouts to his credit. Trailing by one entering the third inning, Kyle Garlick stepped in for St. Paul and lifted a sacrifice fly to score Ernie Yake. That run knotted things up, and they would stay that way until the seventh inning. Austin Schulfer was looking to wriggle out of a bases loaded spot, but instead gave up a two-run single and the Saints found themselves in another deficit. With two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning, facing former Twins reliever Matt Wisler, Anthony Prato crushed a double off the left field wall driving in both Alex De Goti and Andrew Stevenson to even things back at three. Toledo added a run during their portion of the eighth inning, and then a tough play with the infield drawn in saw Chris Williams get no outs and another run score. He missed tagging the base at first, and made an errant throw to the plate attempting to cut down the run. St. Paul needed to come back from two runs behind with just three outs remaining. Yake stepped in needing to get things going, and it was clear Jair Camargo, Austin Martin, and Trevor Larnach were all unavailable as Toby Gardenhire didn't insert a pinch hitter. With the rain falling significantly, Stevenson singled to bring Prato up with a chance to tie the game. He drew a walk with fans behind the plate showing off their chests in the rain, and Garlick stepped in having a chance to win it. Coming through yet again, Garlick ripped a double to right field scoring Stevenson and putting the tying run just 90 feet away. Contreras popped out to right field, and that's where the rally ended. Prato and Yake both recorded a pair of hits on the evening. WIND SURGE WISDOM Wichita 4, Frisco 1 Box Score It was Pierson Ohl’s night for Wichita. He worked five innings of one-run ball. Ohl gave up three hits but walked just one and struck out five on the evening. Patrick Winkel opened the scoring during the first inning when his ground out allowed Brooks Lee to score from his leadoff walk. They did give the run back during the top of the second inning, but recaptured the lead during their half of the third inning. Yunior Severino crushed his 21st home run of the year, and third in three games, to score DaShawn Keirsey Jr. and make it a 3-1 ballgame. The fifth inning saw the Wind Surge add again when Jake Rucker ripped his 14th double of the season to score Winkel and push the lead to three. Alex Scherff came on for the final two innings and shut down Frisco allowing a single hit and giving up zero free passes. He punched out four to preserve the lead. Keirsey Jr. and Severino both finished with a pair of hits. Brooks Lee did grab one on the evening, and his days with Wichita are numbered. KERNELS NUGGETS Wisconsin 4, Cedar Rapids 3 (F/10) Box Score The Kernels went with Zebby Matthews for the start Thursday, and he worked six strong innings. Allowing just two runs on five hits, Matthews punched out seven on the evening and didn’t allow a single free pass. The Kernels were up against the Brewers starter Brandon Woodruff tonight who is working through a rehab assignment. He allowed one run on four hits while striking out three across four innings. After getting behind by a run in the second inning, the Kernels answered when Noah Miller singled home Misael Urbina to draw even. Wisconsin answered in the bottom half, but that lead wouldn’t hold. Again, it was Miller, this time with a fifth inning double to score Keoni Cavaco and even things up. Both sides remained tied through nine innings and extras were necessary. Because why not, it was again Miller in the 10th inning with a single to plate Cavaco for the second time, and the Kernels had their first lead of the night. Miguel Rodriguez walked the leadoff batter for Wisconsin, and a Robert Moore single scored two for the Timber Rattlers, walking off Cedar Rapids. Miller had three hits on the night with Jorel Ortega adding two of his own. MUSSEL MATTERS Palm Beach 9, Fort Myers 4 Box Score The Mighty Mussels turned to Jarret Whorff on Thursday. He worked four innings of three run baseball. Palm Beach scored on three hits and five walks, despite punching out five times during his outing. Giving up two runs in the third inning, Fort Myers responded with a pair of their own during the fourth inning. Rafael Cruz singled to drive in the rehabbing Hernan Perez, and Dylan Neuse cracked his fourth triple allowing Cruz to score. The game didn’t stay tied long after the Cardinals put up a three-spot in the fifth inning. Trying to mount a comeback, the Mighty Mussels started with one as Perez lofted a sacrifice fly to score Alec Sayre and make it a 5-3 game in the bottom of the fifth inning. Fort Myers couldn’t tack on more however, and a four-run eighth inning made it a laugher. One last gasp in the ninth inning saw Neuse drive in Cruz, but the 9-4 lead was enough for Palm Beach to hold on. Cruz and Maddux Houghton were the only Mighty Mussels to record a pair of hits on the night. COMPLEX CHRONICLES FCL Braves 7, FCL Twins 5 Box Score Thursday was a big day for 2023 Twins draft picks. The first three of them, Luke Keaschall, Jay Harry, and Brandon Winokur all made their professional debuts. Brayan Medina was on the bump Thursday for the FCL club and worked five innings of three-run baseball. He cruised through the first four before allowing two hits, and three walks to bite him. Medina did strike out three on the day. Looking to make a comeback in the sixth inning, it was the draftees that did some of the heavy lifting. After Daniel Pena singled to score Isaac Pena, Nate Baez grounded out and drove home Luke Keaschall on the play. Keaschall reached with a walk before stealing both second and third to set up the run. Jay Harry then walked before Brandon Winokur stepped in and launched his first professional home run, putting the Twins ahead 4-3. With the new draftees getting into just their first game, both Keaschall and Harry were lifted after the top of the sixth inning for Jankel Ortiz and Bryan Acuna. Unfortunately the Braves put up a four-spot in the seventh inning to regain the lead and they held it for good. Winokur did reach on a dropped third strike during the ninth inning, and Yasser Mercedes grounded out to bring him home. No one recorded multiple-hits, but each player making their pro debut made an impression. DOMINICAN DAILY DSL Dodgers Mega 9, DSL Twins 7 (F/6) Box Score Cristian Hernandez drew the start on Thursday and gave up just a single run through his first three innings. The wheels fell off a bit when he was unable to finish the fourth inning. Working 3 2/3 on the day, Hernandez gave up four runs on three hits and five walks. He did strike out five. Trailing 5-0 through five and a half innings, the Twins put up a four spot in their half. Unfortunately that one-run deficit wouldn’t hold as the Dodgers put up for more to open the sixth inning and stretch their advantage again. The Twins responded with three of their own in the sixth inning, but that still left them two short and the sides decided to wrap this one up there. The Twins spread out their six hits with no one recording more than one. Each of them were singles and opportunity passed them by going 3-for-14 with runners in scoring position while leaving 12 on base. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – Zebby Matthews (Cedar Rapids) - 6.0, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 7 K Hitter of the Day – Yunior Severino (Wichita) - 2-4, R, 2 RBI, HR(21), 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) - 1-3, R, 2 BB #3 - Emmanuel Rodriguez (Cedar Rapids) - 0-4, BB, K #10 - Tanner Schobel (Wichita) - 1-3, BB #11 - Yasser Mercedes (FCL Twins) - 0-4, RBI, K #12 - Luke Keaschall (FCL Twins) - 0-2, R, BB, K, 2 SB #13 - Brandon Winokur (FCL Twins) - 1-3, R, 2 RBI, HR(1), K #14 - Simeon Woods Richardson (St. Paul) - 4.1 IP, 2 H, R, ER, 5 BB, 6 K #16 - Kala’i Rosario (Cedar Rapids) - 1-5, 4 K #17 - Yunior Severino (Wichita) - 2-4, R, 2 RBI, HR(21), K #20 - Jose Rodriguez (FCL Twins) - 0-4, K FRIDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Toledo @ St. Paul (7:07PM CST) - LHP Dallas Keuchel Frisco @ Wichita (7:05PM CST) - RHP Marco Raya Cedar Rapids @ Wisconsin (6:40PM CST) - RHP Kyle Jones Palm Beach @ Fort Myers (6:00PM CST) - RHP Juan Mercedes Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Thursday’s games! View full article

Not to mention, the big trades they made last year are almost universally disliked because they have aged poorly (despite being good moves at the time).

August 1st is quickly approaching and the Minnesota Twins are leading the AL Central. They should be expected to win the division, and that could be argued as true even without reinforcements. They will bring some in, but don’t expect the big splashes. Image courtesy of Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports A season ago Derek Falvey and Thad Levine swung some of the biggest trades in franchise history. They acquired Sonny Gray before the season, sending top pitching prospect Chase Petty to Cincinnati. They flipped Taylor Rogers on the doorstep of Opening Day to acquire Chris Paddack and Emilio Pagan. Then at the deadline they went gangbusters adding Tyler Mahle, Michael Fulmer, and Jorge Lopez. The trades the front office made prior to the season have worked out well for the Twins, but the group they made at the deadline have virtually all blown up. Mahle blew out his arm. Lopez has often looked lost. While Fulmer was fine, he faded down the stretch. Aside from the Baltimore deal, none of those swaps were all the egregious when considering track record and future value. Still though, even with a sound process, Minnesota has to feel a bit more cautious. Then there’s the reality that Rocco Baldelli’s roster doesn’t have many openings. Where are the Twins going to play new faces? Would Paul Goldschmidt or Cody Bellinger find their way into a regular rotation? Sure they would. Do the Twins really want to part with the prospect capital and further complicate a left-hand heavy outfield, or move Alex Kirilloff around the diamond? Max Kepler has played right field all year in spite of Matt Wallner’s emergence, and that is a swap that could have been made internally. Left field is manned by Joey Gallo and whatever other rotational outfielder figures in. Michael A. Taylor is stretched as an every day player, but his defense has been exceptional with Byron Buxton unable to contribute defensively. Buxton himself blocks the designated hitter spot. Second base has been taken over by Edouard Julien with Jorge Polanco coming back. No one is bumping Carlos Correa off of shortstop, and the starting rotation may be among the best in baseball. While Minnesota has succumbed to a level of mediocrity for most of the year, the reality is that it’s a byproduct of already-talented players underperforming. The Twins simply don’t have enough positional flexibility, or openings, for the front office to add like crazy this season. It still stands to reason that a right-handed bat makes sense. Ideally, that player would also play the outfield, and come with some team control. The Twins haven’t been keen on trading for rentals, and someone like Dylan Carlson would fit that bill nicely. He’s still going to command a premium being under team control through 2026, but Carlson is just a 24-year-old with league average offensive numbers and can play strong defense. Beyond that type of addition, it makes sense for Baldelli to be given more help in the bullpen. With both Brock Stewart and Caleb Thielbar still on the injured list, the group of Jhoan Duran, Griffin Jax, and Jorge Lopez need more help. Emilio Pagan has rebounded nicely, but finding a way to avoid rostering Cole Sands or cycling through arms has to be a goal. The Twins aren’t going to go and grab the best closer on the market, but getting someone capable of pitching in high-leverage situations, and propping up the overall ability of the bullpen, seems like a logical ask. Those types are always plentiful, and they shouldn’t cost much in terms of exchanged assets. Minnesota is absolutely looking to play well into the playoffs. Just because they have a weak schedule the rest of the way doesn’t mean they’ll coast and be content with where they are now. They aren’t going to blow the doors off the competition at the deadline, and their ability to win in October centers much more around the players already in the clubhouse. Inserting Royce Lewis and Jorge Polanco back into the lineup should help. The rotation will continue to give them a chance. How far they go from there is up to the performers needing to show up. I’m not sure what should be considered a well-executed trade deadline for Minnesota this year, but temper expectations if you think big names will be acquired. View full article

The Minnesota Twins acquired Jorge Lopez at the trade deadline last season, and now with days to go until that point this year, he’s headed to Miami. The Marlins are sending Minnesota veteran right-handed reliever Dylan Floro. Image courtesy of © Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports Per Craig Mish, the Minnesota Twins are Miami Marlins are once again trade partners. After doing a deal for Pablo Lopez over the winter, Derek Falvey is sending his other Lopez to South Beach. This time Luis Arraez isn’t involved, but Jorge Lopez is being sent out in exchange for Dylan Floro. Floro is a free agent at the end of the season and is signed to a one-year deal worth $4.2 million. He has a 4.54 ERA on the year which isn’t dazzling, but it’s the 2.78 FIP that allows Minnesota something to work with. Floro is an eight-year MLB veteran, and his 9.3 K/9 this season is the second highest mark of his career. The 32-year-old is in his third season with the Miami Marlins, and brings a fastball that sits in the low-90s. He’s a sinker and slider pitcher, which could play well with how Minnesota likes to utilize those offerings. In shipping out Lopez, Minnesota pulls the band-aid off one of their most aggressive trades last season. Lopez was a first-time All-Star for the Baltimore Orioles, but it was just the first year in which he had been a full-time reliever, and the track record of success wasn’t there. He of course bombed in Minnesota, and dealt with mental health issues as well. When spending time away from the team earlier this season Lopez opened up, mentioning he was dealing with things surrounding his son. His son does have health complications, and being in Miami would give him an opportunity to be closer to home. The Twins likely consulted with Lopez through this deal, and sough to find an opportunity where he could also regain his footing. Lopez posted a 4.37 ERA with Minnesota after his acquisition last season, and that number had ballooned to 5.09 this season with a FIP near 6.00. Lopez had shown elite closer stuff a year ago, and there obviously had to be more than just what was going on between the lines that was weighing on him. For the Twins, moving on from Lopez is even tougher considering they watched Yennier Cano become an All-Star this year for Baltimore, and it was Cade Povich who highlighted the prospect return. Lopez simply never got things going for Rocco Baldelli’s club, and the 2023 season didn’t go better than he was down the stretch last year. It is interesting that Miami makes this deal in that Floro clearly has the better underlying numbers, but they could be intrigued by getting Lopez right and keeping him in 2024 through his final year of arbitration. The Twins will hope that Floro can be a leverage arm in their bullpen, and in making the swap, they’ll have another usable talent behind both Jhoan Duran and Griffin Jax. Floro should join Minnesota in Kansas City on Friday. The club has already announced the move. View full article

The Minnesota Twins didn’t have Edouard Julien on the roster to start the 2023 Major League Baseball season, and there have been a couple of times, after being added, that he was sent back to St. Paul. Now here to stay, his performance may end a 27-year-drought for the organization. Image courtesy of Matt Blewett-USA TODAY Sports With a strong performance during the World Baseball Classic, Edouard Julien put himself on the national map. He then started well for Triple-A St. Paul and forced his way up to the majors when the second base position became a cause for concern. Having filled in for both Kyle Farmer and Donovan Solano, it was in early June that Julien really got going after taking over for Jorge Polanco. He has played in 33 games since that recall and owns a .356/.436/.594 slash line with nine doubles and five home runs. On the season, he has nine dingers, and his 154 OPS+ is beyond impressive. It’s all reflective of a plate approach that is disciplined but focused. Leading the Twins with 1.0 fWAR, he’s also a candidate to take home American League Rookie of the Year honors. Among 401 rookie hitters to make their debut this season, Minnesota’s Julien ranks 10th in fWAR. Among American League hitters, he trails only former Twins prospect Luke Raley, Josh Jung, Gunnar Henderson, and Masataka Yoshida. Each of them are within striking distance with games to play however, and Julien has positioned himself well despite the fact that he has played at least 30 less games than all of them. For Julien to continue rising toward the top of the ranks, he’ll need to stick with this consistent level of hitting. Although he is not the same batting average stalwart that former second baseman Luis Arraez is, Julien’s game has much more to it. Even while not scratching a .400 average at any point this year, Julien’s OPS is well above that of Arraez. The league will continue trying to adjust to Julien, but he has the benefit of a weaker schedule and an already sound process. By drawing walks and attacking hittable pitches, Julien has shown an impressive output of driving the baseball. He just reached 10 homers on the season, and should land beyond fifteen when the dust settles. Racking up 20 or more doubles seems likely, and the more Minnesota can get the offense rolling, the more Julien should be expected to be in the middle of it. Minnesota’s last Rookie of the Year winner was Marty Cordova way back in 1995. The former 10th round pick put up an .839 OPS that year and launched a career-best 24 homers. He beat out Garret Anderson and Andy Pettitte to take home the honor, and his six voting points over Anderson made it an incredibly close race. I don’t expect Julien to run away with the award, so him winning it could provide another opportunity for a close victory. He’ll need to track down Raley, Yoshida, and Jung first, but consistently pushing for more isn’t something that should come as a shock. Maybe Royce Lewis or Matt Wallner would have been considered the Twins favorites to factor in entering the season, but Julien has held his own and continued to overcome the pressure. As we have seen, very little seems to phase Julien, and Rocco Baldelli will want that unwavering resolve in the batter’s box the rest of the way. If Julien can provide that, Minnesota will have a strong chance to do damage in the postseason, and he could be rewarded individually as well. The Twins could use another Rookie of the Year award winner to get behind, and Julien’s staying power at this level looks to be something for the long haul. View full article

I mean, it's literally in the article...

The Minnesota Twins are going to deal for talent in the next week. They are the best team in the AL Central, and they lead the division. They do need to supplement the roster as they look toward the postseason. Image courtesy of Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports Looking at the Twins roster, there are a couple of key areas they’ll need to add. The outfield has been entirely left-handed heavy, and the bullpen is very heavily-reliant on Jhoan Duran and Griffin Jax. If there is a straightforward opportunity to add, it’s in both of those key areas. Recently, Lou Hennessy brought up the St. Louis Cardinals Dylan Carlson. The bigger names are Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado, but it’s the switch-hitting outfielder that seems most reasonable. Under team control through 2026, Carlson would not come cheap, and pitching prospects Louie Varland and David Festa could both be a fit. Beyond hitting though, it’s the bullpen where Rocco Baldelli needs help. Jhoan Duran can’t continually go multiple days in a row, and Jorge Lopez has been shaky behind Griffin Jax. Minnesota doesn’t need to add closer types, but pushing Cole Sands, Oliver Ortega, and even Jovani Moran down a bit is a good overall outcome. So, where do the Twins look for arms when they didn’t spend money on the bullpen this off-season? They clearly weren’t interested in Royals Aroldis Chapman, and flipping for Matt Moore at this point seems unlikely. A couple of names make sense though, and individually they provide unique skill sets. Julian Merryweather The Chicago Cubs are expected to be sellers. Marcus Stroman and Cody Bellinger are the peak of their assets, but other alternatives exist. Merryweather was a fifth-round pick by Cleveland back in 2014 which provides a connection to Derek Falvey. He didn’t debut in the big leagues until 2020 with the Toronto Blue Jays, and this is his first season with the Cubs. Merryweather had previously never thrown more than 27 big-league innings in a season, but he has racked up nearly 50 innings in 2023. His ERA (4.01) is nothing to write home about, but all of the underlying numbers are better. As of July 24th, he had a 3.52 xERA, 3.33 FIP, and 3.82 xFIP. Pair that with an impressive 12.2 K/9 and there’s clearly something there. The Cubs have seen Merryweather strand over 75% of base runners this year, and that comes despite an inflated .358 BABIP. He’s done a good job keeping the ball in the yard, and his 24.5% hard hit rate this season is impressive in and of itself. Merryweather is also throwing his fastball at a career-best 97.9 mph, and Minnesota would certainly hope to have opportunity to increase that. Under team control through 2026, Merryweather presents a muted opportunity along the lines of Jorge Lopez a season ago. There is no reason a premium should need to be paid, and youth isn’t on the 31-year-old's side, but there is projectable talent for both the present and future here. Brent Suter Maybe you remember Suter from his days with the Milwaukee Brewers, or even his cameo playing as a cast member of Dumb and Dumber. Either way, he’s been a relief arm for eight years, and is someone the Twins could nab from the Colorado Rockies. Suter is in his first season away for the Brewers, and he has posted a 2.62 ERA across 44 2/3 innings. He’s not a massive strikeout guy, and the 3.22 FIP suggests some room for regression, but allowing just two homers has been reflective of an ability to keep the ball in the yard. Suter is a lefty that could supplement a bullpen featuring only the injured Caleb Thielbar, and a still green Jovani Moran. Looking under the hood, Suter owns a 2.58 xERA but pairs that with a 4.37 xFIP. This is one of the best seasons he’s had during his career, and it’s not shocking that it has come on a 20.2% career-low hard hit rate. He isn’t a velocity guy, and he really doesn’t even miss bats, but inducing medium and weak contact is something that sets him apart. It would be surprising to see the Twins make massive splashes at the trade deadline, but they should add a reliever or two. Both of these names make sense, and either could help to make sure Rocco Baldelli isn’t praying for Duran on a nightly basis. View full article

There was another walkoff for the Kernels today, and Randy Dobnak was nothing short of lights out for the Saints. Maddux Houghton kept the Fort Myers lineup rolling, and it was a busy day on the farm. Image courtesy of Rob Thompson, St. Paul Saints (photo of Randy Dobnak) TRANSACTIONS RHP Aaron Sanchez released from St. Paul OF Luis Baez released from Fort Myers SAINTS SENTINEL Omaha 3, St. Paul 1 Box Score It was Randy Dobnak’s night on the bump for St. Paul, and he worked four innings of very strong baseball. Allowing only a single run on four hits and a walk, Dobnak also struck out six and continued a stretch of solid performances. Two-way player Andrew Bechtold then took over in relief. The Saints called him Bechtani tonight, which is amazing. After getting down in the first inning, it took the Saints a bit to score, but they finally broke through during the sixth inning. Mark Contreras roped his 17th double of the season to bring home Kyle Garlick and even the score at one. Omaha added a pair in the seventh inning, and it was up to St. Paul to find an answer in the ninth inning. After Garlick struck out, Contreras singled to bring the tying run to the plate. Chris Williams struck out swinging, but Jair Camargo made it first and third with two outs. Austin Martin stepped in and got down 0-2 before battling back to a full count. He punched out on a cutter and that’s how the game ended. Contreras grabbed two hits off the bench for Trevor Larnach and Camargo followed his lead. Rehabbing Jorge Polanco was 1-for-2 with a HBP and didn't have a ball hit to him. This was his first game at third base since 2016. WIND SURGE WISDOM Wichita 12, Amarillo 6 Box Score Taking the ball for Wichita was Aaron Rozek, but it was an abbreviated outing with the starter working just three innings. Rozek gave up a pair of runs on three hits and two walks. He struck out two, but both of the runs came on solo shots in the first inning. Answering and taking the lead during the fifth inning, Wichita first got an RBI double from David Banuelos when he drove in Seth Gray. Then DaShawn Keirsey Jr. tripled home Will Holland and Banuelos. The good guys had their first lead of the night. Yunior Severino singled to score Keirsey Jr. and double up Amarillo. In the sixth inning, Gray singled home Jake Rucker. Later in the inning, Gray stole home on a double steal with Banuelos. With two more runs, the Wind Surge led 6-2. The Sod Poodles scored a run in the sixth inning, but the Wind Surge quickly responded. During the seventh inning, Yoyner Fajardo singled home Severino. Next, Rucker doubled to drive in Alex Isola and Fajardo. Gray continued his hot hitting with a ground-rule double. Jake Rucker scored to make it a 10-3 lead. Amarillo had yet to record an out during the inning. Tanner Schobel did flew into a double play. However, Gray scored their 11th run on the play. Amarillo drew closer in the bottom of the seventh inning with two runs. Ivan Melendez homered for Amarillo in the eighth inning to make it an 11-6 game, but Will Holland answered with a solo blast in the ninth. Wichita stayed out in front and their commanding lead was enough. Rucker recorded three hits in the game. Keirsey Jr., Severino, Fajardo, Gray, and Banuelos each added two hits. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 7, Peoria 6 Box Score Christian MacLeod drew the start on Sunday for Cedar Rapids and went 5 2/3 innings. He allowed just one run on four hits and a pair of walks. MacLeod struck out five and his ERA dropped to 3.22 on the year. After allowing Peoria to take a lead during the third inning, the Kernels answered and jumped ahead in the fourth inning. Jorel Ortega singled to center scoring both Emmanuel Rodriguez and Kala’i Rosario. In the sixth inning, Noah Cardenas doubled for the 16th time this season, plating Rodriguez to make it a 3-1 game. Noah Miller drove in Andrew Cossetti on a seventh-inning double play. After giving up the lead, the Kernels found themselves down 6-4 heading to the bottom of the ninth. Cedar Rapids mounted a comeback. Cossetti scored when Rosario was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. Still down a run, Ben Ross singled to drive in Willie Joe Garry, Jr., and Emmanuel Rodriguez for another walk off win. Cardenas was 3-for-3 on the day to lead the Kernels offense. MUSSEL MATTERS Fort Myers 11, Bradenton 7 Box Score Samuel Perez started on Sunday for the Mighty Mussels and went three innings. He allowed two runs on three hits (including a home run). He struck out three batters. During the first inning, Perez served up a two-run blast putting Fort Myers behind. Maddux Houghton singled to score Gregory Duran in the second inning and put the Mighty Mussels on the board. Entering the eighth inning down 7-1, Fort Myers was sick of playing from behind and responded in a big way. Rubel Cespedes blasted a solo shot for his ninth homer on the year. Dillon Tatum drove home Duran. Trailing by four entering the top of the ninth inning, Fort Myers exploded for eight runs. Carson McCusker doubled to drive in Danny De Andrade before a dropped third strike to Rafael Cruz allowed McCusker to scamper home. Tatum took a bases-loaded walk, bringing home Kamron Willman, and Houghton singled in Duran and Alec Sayre to give the team a lead. Ricardo Olivar crushed his eighth home run of the season, a three-run shot that gave the Mighty Mussels up 11-7. Jackson Hicks worked two scoreless innings of relief and punched out three batters. He gave up no hits or walks. He recorded his fourth win of the season. Houghton had three hits while Olivar, De Andrade, and Cespedes each had a pair. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – Randy Dobnak (St. Paul) - 4.0 IP, 4 H, R, ER, BB, 6 K Hitter of the Day – Maddux Houghton (Fort Myers) - 3-5, R, 3 RBI 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: #3 - Emmanuel Rodriguez (Cedar Rapids) - 1-3, 3 R, 2 BB, K #5 - Matt Wallner (Minnesota) - 2-2, R, 2B, BB #8 - Austin Martin (St. Paul) - 0-4, 2 K #10 - Tanner Schobel (Wichita) - 1-4, RBI, BB, K #16 - Kala’i Rosario (Cedar Rapids) - 1-3, R, RBI, BB, 2B, 2 K #17 - Yunior Severino (Wichita) - 2-4, R, RBI, BB, 2 K TUESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Toledo @ St. Paul (7:07PM CST) - TBD Frisco @ Wichita (7:05PM CST) - TBD Cedar Rapids @ Wisconsin (6:40PM CST) - TBD Palm Beach @ Fort Myers (5:00PM CST) - TBD Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Sunday’s games! 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The Minnesota Twins had 11 picks in the first 10 rounds of the 2023 Major League Baseball Draft. They used more than half on pitchers, and selected Jack Dougherty from Ole Miss as part of that group. Image courtesy of Jaylynn Nash-USA TODAY Sports Pitching for Ole Miss, Jack Dougherty put up big strikeout numbers while splitting time as both a starter and a reliever. Although he was a little snakebit by home runs in 2023, he has consistently shown an ability to miss bats over the course of his college career. It remains to be seen how the Twins will develop him, but there is plenty to like about the profile. Dougherty will soon head to Fort Myers as he starts his professional career, but first he had some time to introduce himself a bit further. Twins Daily: Three years of SEC baseball in which your innings increased each season is no joke. What about your time at Mississippi has you most ready for pro ball? Jack Dougherty: I think Ole Miss has more than prepared me for professional baseball. Day in and day out I get to face top round guys and the constant competition there is something that really prepared me for this. TD: Obviously you worked mainly as a reliever in college, does your mentality or approach change at all when you're starting? Do you go about attacking hitters differently? JD: Starting and relieving is fairly similar to me mentally, the name of the game is get the hitter out so it doesn’t really matter if it’s the first inning or the ninth. TD: You have had some nice strikeout rates over the course of your career, and home runs weren't really an issue until this past season. Was there something you felt different about in 2023? JD: 2023 was a tough year for us all around but it was just a little weird to go between starting and relieving from a routine standpoint. It was a little difficult to get in a groove when things are changing week to week. TD: Velocity hasn't necessarily been your calling card, but the Twins have done a good job of adding to that. What are you most excited about when it comes to your continued professional development? JD: I think just being able to really dive into my flaws and perfect my craft is something I really look forward to. I’m very intrigued by pitching in general, so really getting into that is exciting to me. TD: With a fastball and slider combination, what does your complete arsenal look like and what is your level of comfort in using those pitches? JD: I throw fastball, slider, cutter, and changeup. I felt my changeup was a little under used and I’m excited to see what that can turn into. TD: Looking at the Twins, what do you know about the organization, Minnesota, or Target Field? JD: I’m not too familiar with the Twins organization but I know it’s filled with rich history and some great players and I’m looking to cement my name next to those! TD: After so many years of pushing towards this goal and now achieving it, what's the first thing you're doing to celebrate? JD: It was really special to hear my name called in the draft but my goal is much bigger than that. I did take a little time to celebrate with the people closest to me and just embrace them and thank them for what they have done for me. Welcome to Twins Territory, Jack! View full article

One of the smaller school players drafted this year by the Minnesota Twins was 16th round pick Anthony Silvas. Out of Riverside College in California, Silvas is excited to make a name for himself at the next level. Image courtesy of Riverside College Athletics Anthony Silvas was at Cal Baptist in 2022 alongside fellow Twins draftee Spencer Bengard. He then transferred to Riverside College and put up strong strikeout numbers that dominated opposing hitters. As a power pitcher, he’s an intriguing arm for the Twins to mold at the next level. Heading to Fort Myers before kicking off his professional career, Silvas couldn’t be more excited about starting this new chapter in baseball. He shared some insight into draft day, his abilities, and who he is. Twins Daily: After all of these years of hard work, what was draft day like for you? Did you have any idea of where you were going? Anthony Silvas: I kind of had an idea. Some things did happen to fall back a bit. I expected a late day three or maybe a free agent signing. When the Twins called me in the 12th round, they said they wanted to make a deal happen soon. It was an unbelievable feeling, and then hearing my name called was emotional, very surreal. They called me in the 12th and then the area scout let me know they were working on it. TD: Putting up strong numbers at Riverside last year, what led to some of that success? AS: I had a really good fall. I had a terrible summer before and I had to do some things to get the feel back. Going into winter I didn’t take a day off. TD: On the mound, what does your process look like, and what do you throw? AS: I’m a four-pitch guy. I have a four-seam fastball, a slider, a circle change, and a curveball. Occasionally I have a two-seam. I consider myself more of a power pitcher, a fastball and slider type of guy. It’s been hard to master the slider and curveball at the same time. The velocity is up there, I sit 94 mph and have topped out around 97 mph. TD: From a development perspective at the next level, what are you most excited about? AS: I’m excited for everything! Just to even get there. The training, the housing, the nutrition. Everything that it comes with. I’m excited for it all. Weightlifting, rehab, everything that I’m going into. Seeing guys play, and being a part of the organization in general. TD: Being from California, what do you know about the Twins organization, state, Target Field? AS: I’ve only talked to my area scout. As far as the Twins organization, just everything historically is cool. Some of my favorite players were there, like Torii Hunter and David Ortiz (we laughed about how this one still hurts). Realizing those guys got drafted by the same organization, and now I’m a part of it, that’s insane to me. TD: Outside of baseball, what do you like to do for fun? AS: I’m usually in the gym every single day. I like working out. Whether it’s a day full of cardio or whatever. I picked up a new hobby. I like to go fishing a lot. It’s something I always wanted to do as a kid but never was able to until this year. I love fishing, I’d do it all day if I could. Welcome to Twins Territory, Anthony! View full article

Marco Raya twirled a gem on the farm again, and Dallas Keuchel's impending opt out was a point of consternation. Read more in the farm report below. Image courtesy of Ed Bailey, Wichita Wind Surge (photo of Marco Raya) TRANSACTIONS Dallas Keuchel decided to extend his opt out with the Twins to August 1. SAINTS SENTINEL Omaha 5, St. Paul 4 Box Score Simeon Woods Richardson got the start on Friday for the Saints, and he went five strong innings. He allowed just two runs on five hits. His command was better in this game. He didn't give up a walk, and he still put away four Omaha hitters via strikeouts. The third inning saw Omaha plate two runs and take the lead, but St. Paul stormed backed in the fifth inning. Austin Martin singled home Ernie Yake before Kyle Garlick drew a bases loaded walk to bring in Alex De Goti. Gilberto Celestino then singled home Martin, and it was a 4-2 lead for the Saints. Unfortunately, they didn't add the rest of the game. Cody Laweryson struck out two batters over two scoreless innings. Michael Boyle tossed a scoreless eighth frame. Josh Winder came in for the bottom of the ninth inning to protect a two-run lead. He gave up three runs on three hits and two walks and recorded just one out. Andrew Stevenson was the lone Saints hitter to record a pair of hits on the evening. WIND SURGE WISDOM Amarillo 3, Wichita 2 Box Score The Wind Surge went with top pitching prospect Marco Raya on Friday night, and he twirled four strong innings. He gave up just a single run on two hits. Raya avoided free passes and punched out four in the process. After giving up a first-inning solo blast, the Sod Poodles didn't score again until they added a pair of runs in the seventh inning. Needing a rally to stay alive, David Banuelos homered for the seventh time to make it a 3-1 game in the eighth inning. Yoyner Fajardo continued to produce with a ninth-inning single, but no one followed Severino home. Tanner Schobel was left on third base. Severino had two singles in the game. Will Holland had two hits, including his eighth double of the season. Pierson Ohl gave up two runs on three hits and two walks (one intentional) in the final four innings. He had seven strikeouts. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 8, Peoria 5 Box Score The Kernels gave Zebby Matthews the ball on Friday night, and he turned in five innings of three-run baseball. Matthews gave up five hits but walked no one and struck out six batters. After allowing an opening inning blast to Peoria, Cedar Rapids went to work if the bottom of the first. Kala'i Rosario launched his 13th dinger of the season which also drove in Noah Miller. That was followed by solo shots from Ben Ross (14th) and Jorel Ortega (4th) to make it a 4-1 game entering the second inning. In the fourth inning, Willie Joe Garry Jr. singled home Andrew Cossetti before Miller smacked his fifth big fly to make it a 7-1 game. Peoria tried to claw back in the sixth inning and drew within four, but Garry Jr. launched his third homer or the year in the bottom half to make it an 8-3 contest. Although Peoria again added in the eighth inning, the two runs weren't enough to make a difference. Miller led off and went 2-for-3 with a walk. He also stole his ninth base. Garry Jr. batted ninth. He was also 2-for-3. A.J. Labas gave up two runs on five hits and recorded three outs. Niklas Rimmel came into the game with the bases-loaded in the eighth frame. One run scored on a sacrifice fly, but Rimmel got all six batters he faced out, four on strikeouts. MUSSEL MATTERS Bradenton 11, Fort Myers 3 Box Score Jarret Whorff took the ball for Fort Myers and things went sideways early. He lasted just 2 1/3 innings and gave up five runs on six hits and four walks. Whorff struck out out four, but the damage had been done. Down 11-0 heading to the ninth inning, Fort Myers was essentially playing for pride. After Danny De Andrade was hit by a pitch and Kamron Willman walked, Rubel Cespedes singled home Danny De Andrade for the team's first run. It came on their first hit. Later, Yohander Martinez added a two-out single that drove in two runs and finish out the scoring. COMPLEX CHRONICLES FCL Twins 6, FCL Red Sox 3 (F/7) Box Score Zarion Sharpe drew the start for the Twins as his rehab continued. He gave up one run on two hits over two innings. He struck out a pair. Jacob Wosinski gave up two runs on four hits in one innings. Matt Gabbert came on and struck out four batters over the final four scoreless innings. The Red Sox and Twins matched tallies in the second and third innings. Getting down one, the Twins responded with Isaac Pena singling home Jose Rodriguez. Then getting down two in the third inning, Harold Grant doubled home both Yasser Mercedes and Byron Chourio. Rodriguez’s fifth inning homer, his fourth, provided the Twins with their first lead. Adding another pair in the sixth inning, the Twins saw Fredy Michel race home on a Giovanny Rivero groundout before Anderson Nova singled home Endy Rodriguez. That was enough to secure the victory in this one. Rodriguez doubled along with his homer on Friday, and his two hits represented the only Twins player recording a multi-hit effort. This was a seven-inning game because the teams also completed a previously-suspended game. Box Score here. DOMINICAN DAILY DSL Phillies Red 4, DSL Twins 2 (F/7) Box Score The good news is that Friday the DSL Twins kept the opposition in single digits. The bad news is that they dropped another game and now are 7-24. Leonardo Lugo got the start and worked three innings allowing two runs (one earned) on a hit and two walks. He did strike out three. The Twins were down 2-0 after the first inning, but got on the board in the third inning when Dameury Pena singled home Angel Trinidad. The Phillies extended the lead to 4-1 in the fifth inning, and the Twins could only answer with one run in the seventh inning. Carlos Silvas was back in the lineup working behind the dish today, and Hendry Chivilli led off. Only Ewing Matos, who drove in Jesus Peraza for the second run, had a pair of hits today for the Twins. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – Marco Raya (Wichita) - 4.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 K, 47 pitches, 37 strikes, 78.7% Hitter of the Day – Jose Rodriguez (FCL Twins) - 2-4, 2B, HR(4), RBI, 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) - 0-4, K #3 - Emmanuel Rodriguez (Cedar Rapids) - 0-3, K #4 - Marco Raya (Wichita) - 4.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 K, 47 pitches, 37 strikes (78.7%) #5 - Matt Wallner (Minnesota) - 1-3, R, BB, K #8 - Austin Martin (St. Paul) - 1-5, R, RBI, K #10 - Tanner Schobel (Wichita) - 0-3, BB #11 - Yasser Mercedes (FCL Twins) - 1-3, R #14 - Simeon Woods Richardson (St. Paul) - 5.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER , 0 BB, 4 K #16 - Kala’i Rosario (Cedar Rapids) - 1-4, R, 2 RBI, HR9(13) #17 - Yunior Severino (Wichita) - 2-4, R #20 - Jose Rodriguez (FCL Twins) - 2-4, 2B, HR(4), RBI, K SATURDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS St. Paul @ Omaha (7:05PM CST) - LHP Dallas Keuchel Wichita @ Amarillo (7:05PM CST) - RHP Travis Adams Peoria @ Cedar Rapids (6:35PM CST) - RHP Kyle Jones Fort Myers @ Bradenton (5:30PM CST) - RHP Andrew Morris Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Friday’s games! View full article

The Minnesota Twins selected pitcher Nolan Santos from Bethune-Cookman in the seventh round of the 2023 Major League Baseball Draft. Having played through the Covid season, and experiencing a couple different summer leagues, he’s more than tested for professional baseball. Image courtesy of B-CU Athletics Nolan Santos got experience playing in the Midwest when he showed up with Waterloo in the Northwoods League after his first year of college. Last summer, he experienced the MLB Draft League playing for Frederick. Strong numbers have always been synonymous with his game, but the 138 strikeouts in just 97 1/3 innings last year were more than impressive. Minnesota prioritized pitching in the draft, and Santos was the fourth they took within their first eight picks. He should have plenty of opportunity to impress now turning professional, and he gave me some insight into who he is before the journey gets started. Twins Daily: It was 2022 that your workload really started to increase and the numbers followed suit. What did you learn as an incoming freshman and playing in the Northwoods League that set you up for success? Nolan Santos: 2022 was technically my third year in college, although only my first full year at Bethune-Cookman University. 2020 was my freshman year, and COVID canceled that. I played at Miami-Dade College in the spring of 2021, then that summer played in the Northwoods League. Going through those different levels and challenges built mental toughness in me. Grit and hard work are really important in this sport because it is a sport of failure. Being able to understand failure and build from it, and listening to any and every coach I could has helped me thus far. TD: You saw another jump in performance this year, more strikeouts, and consistently put up strong numbers. How did you attack hitters this season, and what development do you feel like your game had? NS: This year, the mindset was to attack early, often, and fast. The pitch clock was introduced and implemented more, so working on my pace on the mound was important. It also keeps hitters uncomfortable the faster I am able to work. I also tried to maintain nutrition and strength while improving my mobility this spring, implementing yoga into my weekly regimen before outings. TD: Tell us about your process and style on the mound. What is your arsenal and what do you feel comfortable with? NS: I’m a competitor first, so I have relied on that my entire life. I haven’t always had electric velocity, but I try to command the zone well to get outs. I like to play with some emotion, because at the end of the day this is a game I love, and I enjoy every second I am on that field. My arsenal consists of a four-seam fastball, curveball, slider, and split-change that I have been playing with over the summer. I feel comfortable with all my pitches. The least comfortable pitch though is the split-change since it is so new. It’s a work in progress though. TD: You participated in the MLB Draft League this summer. What was that experience like, and how do you feel like it set you up for pro ball? NS: The MLB Draft League was a great experience. The level of competition is great, and the guys that I was surrounded by in my locker room are great. Understanding how to do things on your own is the main thing I picked up. I also understood how to call my own game much better by reading the hitters' patterns and swings. TD: Going into the next step of your career, where do you feel like you have the greatest opportunity to develop as a pitcher and player? NS: I feel like I need to improve on my mobility and prioritize it the way I do with strength training. Having good mobility will only help me as it can unlock velocity and keep me durable on the field throughout the season. TD: What is your knowledge of the Minnesota Twins organization? Have you spent time in Minnesota or been to Target Field? NS: I know some of the great players who have come through this organization, like Torii Hunter, Justin Morneau, Kirby Puckett, Joe Mauer, Rod Carew, etc. One of my coaches this past summer while playing on the Frederick Keys was Jacque Jones who played for the Twins as well. I have never been to Minnesota or Target Field, but I know from watching games on TV and playing The Show that the field is beautiful. I can only imagine what the rest of the great state has to offer. TD: Finally, give me some of your favorite things to do outside of baseball that help you reset and get away from the game? NS: I enjoy going to watch movies in the theater, especially Marvel movies. A lot of my down time I use for myself to catch up on rest. I also enjoy going to the gym because it does help me reset my mind from the field and other things that may be on my mind. Welcome to Twins Territory, Nolan! View full article