Ted Schwerzler

Last season Alex Kirilloff was limited to just 45 games for the Minnesota Twins after again dealing with a nagging wrist issue. After undergoing a much more aggressive bone-shaving surgery, it appears all systems are a go in 2023 for Kirilloff. Image courtesy of © Nick Wosika-USA TODAY Sports During spring training, whether Alex Kirilloff or Jorge Polanco would be ready for opening day with the Minnesota Twins was a constant topic. Byron Buxton was also in that group, but his ability to operate as the designated hitter rather than playing the field gave him an inside track. Neither Polanco nor Kirilloff wound up being healthy in time, and while the former has struggled to stay on the field, it has been the opposite for the latter. Kirilloff was taken during the 2016 draft and was the last pick by the former front office regime. Pairing him with Royce Lewis, the first selection by Derek Falvey and Thad Levine, seemed like an exciting duo to look forward to. While they played on some of the same teams throughout their minor league careers, the friends didn’t get significant run together at the highest level until this season. Having played the same 45 games he did a season ago, Kirilloff is much more settled at the plate. Of course, that has much to do with a wrist that seems healthy and functioning. It’s not as though Kirilloff’s production has blown the doors off of projections or that his power stroke is unmatched. He has roughly the same contact-generated stats, but it’s in his discipline at the plate that comfort appears to show. With a much better walk rate this season, waiting for a pitch he can do something with has been vital. He has been willing to take walks, and although the power hasn’t yet come, he’s been a lineup asset. When Kirilloff's nagging wrist plagued him, he could not drive the baseball. We haven’t seen that flipped on its head this season, but the willingness to spray the ball to the opposite field and wait in counts is a good sign. What needs to happen next is a level of growth in the power categories. Kirilloff has barreled just 6% of his batted balls, which is on par with where he was a season ago. His exit velocity, both average and max, remains down, although his hard-hit rate is 39% and represents a career-high. From a plate discipline standpoint, Kirilloff has tightened things up, as shown in his increase in walks. He’s chasing less than 30% of the time for the first season in his career, and his whiff rate is a manageable 10.1%. Patience and selection are to be commended, but being able to pair that with additional drive on the baseball is the next step. Rocco Baldelli has used Kirilloff in a few different spots this season. While playing first base and both corner outfield positions, his usage often comes at the expense of fellow lefties Joey Gallo or Max Kepler. Kirilloff establishing himself as a consistent regular down the stretch could do wonders for his career and the Twins’ trajectory. Minnesota has shielded Kirilloff from tough lefties to this point, which is a sensible stance given the outcomes in those spots. Still, the more Kirilloff can find pitches to drive from righties, the better his numbers will continue to be. Bolstering his OPS through on-base prowess was step one, but the growth of his slugging ability needs to come next. Comfort has returned to a guy that had it stripped from him each of the past two seasons. The further he gets away from pain, Kirilloff’s overall output should improve. He isn’t quite the prospect Minnesota thought they had a few years ago, but he isn’t far off. Kirilloff might launch something like 20-25 homers while batting right near .300. Finding a way for him to turn into a watered-down Paul Goldschmidt would be a big win for Minnesota. Getting him healthy was part of that process. View full article

The Minnesota Twins moved on from their former front office regime in an attempt to bring their baseball operations forward. Getting to a place that more closely replicates the game's current state, the Twins hired Derek Falvey and Thad Levine. The former came from Cleveland; his calling card was organizational pitching development. But has it worked? Image courtesy of © Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports In October 2016, the Minnesota Twins hired Derek Falvey as their executive vice president and chief baseball officer. He brought a substantial track record of success when looking at how the Guardians have churned out pitchers over the years, and the hope was that Minnesota could replicate that system. Now in season seven, it's worth wondering how well the belief in the process has paid dividends. Looking at the draft first, the Twins have made just one first-round pick that was a pitcher during Falvey's tenure. Surprisingly, they took a high school arm in the form of Chase Petty. There is almost nothing more volatile than a prep arm, but Petty and his high-velocity fastball at 26th overall made sense as a reasonable gamble. The most indicative of developmental results is how arms from the later round progress through the system. Perhaps nothing is more notable there than both Bailey Ober and Louie Varland. The former was a 12th-round pick during the 2017 draft, and he has elevated himself to the point of being a consistent rotation mainstay. He was left out of the Opening Day staff due to unprecedented depth, but he's pitched himself into ink. Even further out than Ober, Varland was taken in the 15th round during the 2019 draft from Concordia-St. Paul, a Division II program. He immediately saw velocity jump up as he went to work with a pro team, and he quietly climbed the ranks. Moving into actual prospect status for the Twins and eventually cracking the top 10, Varland forced his way into the rotation. We have seen him struggle with home runs thus far, but getting that under control can help him to take a massive next step. A bit further down the line, Minnesota can hang a hat on Randy Dobnak, who came out of nowhere to break through at the big league level. After an unfortunate injury, he hasn't seen sustained success, but earning a big payday and contributing at the highest level can be attributed to internal development. On the relief side, we have seen stories like Caleb Thielbar and Griffin Jax succeed at a very high level. The former was out of baseball and came back to be among baseball's most dominant left-handed arms. Thielbar has been wildly successful for Minnesota and a mainstay in a bullpen that has constantly shuffled arms. Although this regime did not draft Jax, they had a hand in shaping his current position. Moving on as a starter, Jax has pushed his stuff into high-leverage spots and has shown an ability to set up one of the game's best closers in Jhoan Duran. Only some prospects are a finished product too. While there are highly touted arms such as Connor Prielipp and Simeon Woods Richardson still waiting to put it all together on the farm, there are pitchers such as David Festa, Marco Raya, Cory Lewis, and C.J. Culpepper that are turning heads as they make their way through the system. Developing a pipeline is about more than just big league production, too. As we saw with Petty, having the depth to move prospects is a must. Making big trades meant having arms like Cade Povich and Brusdar Graterol. Flipping assets to grab arms like Joe Ryan and Pablo Lopez is less about the pitching development but adds to the overall depth. Overall, the Twins have yet to truly develop an ace, but that's not necessarily what Cleveland did. Ryan could wind up being Minnesota's Shane Bieber, and they've stockpiled some arms that could produce dividends to the tune of Triston McKenzie, Aaron Civale, and others. Cleveland's arms have come mainly into the system by fitting a mold. The organization takes big-bodied guys that can throw strikes. They then look to add velocity and help them grow. Corey Kluber was an example back in the day, and there have been many additions. The bar for what a pitching pipeline looks like is murky, but Minnesota being where they are now, is as good of a representation as we may see. The pipeline has been built through a combination of development and acquisition. Marrying those two together has created depth. The further this organization can get from needing to spend on big names or hoping to catch lightning in a bottle with Chris Archer or Dylan Bundy, the more self-sustaining it will be. It hasn't been perfect by any means, and we're still hoping to see the trend continue, but for now, the Twins' pitching pipeline is starting to come into focus. View full article

Just in time to bump Lee up too.

Former Cy Young award winner Dallas Keuchel made his Minnesota organization debut for the Saints today, and C.J. Culpepper dazzled on the mound for Fort Myers. There were a few standout performances worth checking into. Image courtesy of William Parmeter, Fort Myers Mighty Mussels TRANSACTIONS RHP Josh Winder recalled by Twins from Triple-A St. Paul OF Kyle Garlick cleared waivers and accepted assignment to Triple-A St. Paul SAINTS SENTINEL Toledo 7, St. Paul 3 Box Score After signing with the Twins on a minor league deal recently, Dallas Keuchel made his 2023 professional debut. He worked four innings and allowed just a single run. The lefty gave up four hits, and the lone run came on a solo blast. He struck out four batters. Keuchel got 11 whiffs on 54 pitches and his velocity topped out at 88.1 mph. He worked predominantly with his sinker, changeup, and cutter. St. Paul gave Keuchel some run support in the second inning when Elliot Soto and Andrew Stevenson both singled in runs. Mark Contreras and Anthony Prato came around to score making it a 2-0 game. After an Andrew Knapp home run put the Mud Hens on the board, Anthony Prato took a bases loaded walk to push Chris Williams across the plate. That’s when the Saints scoring ended, and a six-run inning for Toledo in the sixth did them in. With the rain coming, and it being getaway day, this one ended after the inning. WIND SURGE WISDOM Arkansas 3, Wichita 1 Box Score The Wind Surge went with Travis Adams to start this game, and he worked 4 1/3 innings. Adams allowed three runs, two earned, on four hits and a walk. He struck out four batters during his outing. With Arkansas scoring single runs in the first and second innings, Wichita answered during the bottom of the second. Ernie Yake hit his first Double-A double of 2023 and drove in Alerick Soularie in the process. Down by one until the fifth inning, the Wind Surge continued to keep things close. Arkansas added another tally in the fifth inning and a comeback was going to be necessary. Unfortunately for Wichita, the hits never came and the one run on seven hits were all the could muster for the day. Soularie and Yake led the club with a pair of hits each. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 6, Beloit 0 Box Score These two teams got together for some extended action on Sunday afternoon. Picking up their suspended game from Saturday, Cedar Rapids was able to reel off a 10-6 victory. With some brief downtime in between, Mike Paredes was ready to go for the regularly scheduled tilt. Orlando Rodriguez started the shortened second game and worked five scoreless innings. He allowed only two hits with no walks while striking out a pair. Neither side got on the board in the first two frames, but Tanner Schobel changed that in the third inning. His single brought home Kyler Fedko before Jorel Ortega doubled to drive in Emmanuel Rodriguez and Schobel. Ortega later came around to score on a Misael Urbina single and the Kernels had a 4-0 lead. Continuing to make his mark on this one, Schobel blasted his 10th home run of the season, a two-run shot scoring Fedko, and Cedar Rapids led 6-0. In the sixth inning, Urbina reached on a throwing error which allowed both Ben Ross and Ortega to come home. Up 8-0, the three runs Beloit pushed across in the seventh inning wound up being inconsequential. Schobel, Ortega, and Fedko all recorded two hits. MUSSEL MATTERS Fort Myers 9, Tampa 1 Box Score C.J. Culpepper was on the bump for the Mighty Mussels on Sunday afternoon, and he did not disappoint. Allowing just a single hit across six innings, Culpepper didn’t give up a walk and was nearly perfect. He struck out five batters and dropped his ERA to 2.33 on the season. Ricardo Olivar scored the game’s first run on a wild pitch from Baron Stuart in the third inning. With the bases loaded, Dylan Neuse drew a walk to bring Danny De Andrade home and make it a 2-0 lead early. In the fifth inning Neuse found a pitch he liked and clubbed his third homer of the season. A two-run shot, Rubel Cespedes also came home on the big fly. Adding again in the sixth inning it was De Andrade recording his eighth double of the year. Coming through with the bases loaded, his big hit brought Gregory Duran, Luis Baez, and Olivar all across the plate. Now up 7-0, this one had been blown open. With the inning still going, Cespedes hit his ninth home run of the year and scored De Andrade to make it a 9-0 lead. Tampa added a single run in the ninth, but it was nothing close to threatening an actual comeback. Cespedes put up a three-hit day while Olivar, De Andrade, and Duran all had two hits of their own. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – C.J. Culpepper (Fort Myers) - 6.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 K Hitter of the Day – Rubel Cespedes (Fort Myers) - 3-4, 2B(13), HR(8), 2 R, 2 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: #2 - Royce Lewis (Minnesota) - 3-4, 2 R, RBI, BB #3 - Emmanuel Rodriguez (Cedar Rapids) - 0-2, 2 BB, K #4 - Edouard Julien (Minnesota) - 2-4, 2B(8), BB, K #9 - Matt Wallner (St. Paul) - 0-3 #12 - Jose Salas (Cedar Rapids) - 0-2, 2 BB #13 - Noah Miller (Cedar Rapids) - 0-4, 2 K #14 - Jordan Balazovic (Minnesota) - 0.2 IP, H, BB, K #15 - Brent Headrick (Minnesota) - 0.1 IP, K Each full season affiliate is off until Wednesday this week. Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Sunday’s games! View full article

On the corners there are more than enough suitors internally. Meaning the Twins have outfield options to move on from Kepler, so trading for a corner outfielder doesn't make a ton of sense.

The Minnesota Twins have arguably the best roster in the American League Central, but they have done very little to capitalize on opportunity and put distance between them and the competition. Looking at the trade deadline as an opportunity to improve, does the roster actually allow them an ability to do so? Image courtesy of Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports Coming into the season Derek Falvey and Thad Levine did plenty to put a strong foot forward with 2023 being an opportunity to rebound. Joey Gallo was a decent bet as a comeback player, and Carlos Correa was signed to a long-term deal. Donovan Solano has proven to be a great utility option, and Kyle Farmer has been the glue guy you want in a clubhouse. If there were glaring areas that went untouched, it was the addition of a right-handed outfield bat, and the bullpen. Now though, with slightly more than a month until the Major League Baseball trade deadline, is there truly an opportunity for Minnesota to get better? The first part of the equation is what the club would be willing to give up. A season ago we saw aggressive moves made when parting with prospects like Spencer Steer, Christian Encarnacion-Strand, Cade Povich, and Yennier Cano. Those types are less evident across the Twins current top prospect landscape. Royce Lewis and Brooks Lee aren’t going anywhere. Edouard Julien and Emmanuel Rodriguez are likely untouchable as well. Dipping down beyond that, you get into players like Matt Wallner, Simeon Woods Richardson, Jose Salas, and David Festa. The former is really the only one that is currently producing, and he could find immediate time with the Twins should they move on from Max Kepler. Dealing anyone else at a depreciated value seems less than ideal. You could attempt to put Jose Miranda in this group as well, but piecing him out at pennies on the dollar doesn’t seem like a wise move. Then there is the current roster construction for Rocco Baldelli’s big league club. The infield spots are all but established with Alex Kirilloff at first, and Julien at second while Jorge Polanco is shelved. The left side isn’t changing, and catcher is already a committed spot with Ryan Jeffers eating into Christian Vazquez’s time despite his $30 million offseason deal. In the outfield there is need for center help behind Michael A. Taylor since Byron Buxton can’t play the field. On the corners though, there are more than enough suitors to make things work. Minnesota built rotation depth behind their top starters thanks to the emergence of Bailey Ober and Louie Varland. The latter is not quite there, but he can continue to be a security blanket for Kenta Maeda with the veteran returning from injury. Another arm may make sense, but it would need to be one near the top of the stable. If anything, the bullpen is where you have the most straightforward path to add. Behind Jhoan Duran, Griffin Jax, and the nice surprise that has been Brock Stewart, leverage spots generate nail biting for the Twins. Jorge Lopez has regressed and may not work his way back, while Emilio Pagan has continued to show he can’t be trusted in key spots. Minnesota continues to work arms through, and while Caleb Thielbar has a spot when healthy, he’s been limited with injury of late. A season after going gangbusters at the deadline, it seems unlikely for Minnesota to have a similar path this time around. Both in assets they want to part with, and places to put new talent, there are more questions than answers. Adding a right-handed outfield bat and a reliever this offseason seemingly would’ve been much more straightforward simply dealing in dollars. The front office will need to acquire reinforcements of some sort if they want this group to hang onto the division, and make noise in the postseason. However, the way in which they find avenues to make it work could take a great deal of juggling. View full article

On most nights when Twins top prospect Emmanuel Rodriguez has the production he did this evening that would be the story, but it’s probably going to be trumped when a Cy Young is signed to the farm system. Check out all of the action within. Image courtesy of Steve Buhr, Twins Daily (photo of Emmanuel Rodriguez) TRANSACTIONS Twins sign LHP Dallas Keuchel and assign him to Triple-A St. Paul. RHP Andrew Cabezas was released by Double-A Wichita RHP Issac Mattison was signed by Double-A Wichita INF Kamron Willman signed as UDFA and assigned to Single-A Fort Myers SAINTS SENTINEL Toledo 6, St. Paul 0 Box Score Despite being without Jordan Balazovic, who was recently promoted to the Twins, St. Paul went with an opener in Cody Laweryson tonight. He was attempting to follow Randy Dobnak’s strong start last night, and went two innings while allowing just a single unearned run on a hit and two walks. The Saints gave up runs in the first, third, and fifth innings while failing to score on their own. Mustering just two hits, it was tough going for the lineup tonight. After allowing three more in the eighth inning, the 6-0 deficit all but sealed this one. Of note, infield prospect Andrew Bechtold did work as a reliever, throwing a scoreless inning while giving up a hit and a walk with a strikeout. WIND SURGE WISDOM Wichita 6, Arkansas 6 (in progress) Box Score It was a David Festa start for the Wind Surge, and he gave Wichita five innings of work but yielded three runs on four hits and a pair of walks. Festa did strike out eight on the evening which was nice to see. Alex Isola started the scoring when he launched double number 11 to score Yunior Severino in the first inning. The second inning saw Brooks Lee drive in Will Holland with a ground out and Wichita was off and running. During the third inning Aaron Sabato singled home Jake Rucker before Alerick Soularie drew a bases loaded walk to plate Isola. Up 4-0 headed to the fourth inning, Wichita felt a decent cushion. The Travelers came back in the fourth inning scoring three to draw within one, but an Isola home run in the bottom half made it a 6-3 game. The sixth inning saw things get knotted up when Isiah Gilliam hit his 12th home run of the season, and with two aboard, it was a new ballgame. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 6, Beloit 5 Box Score There haven’t been many bad Zebby Matthews outings this year, but this was probably one of the tougher ones for the Twins prospect. Working 3 2/3 innings, Matthews gave up three runs on four hits and a walk. He did strike out one, but two homers tagged him for damage. Beloit plated three runs during the third inning on a pair of longballs before the Kernels answered in the fourth inning. Emmanuel Rodriguez blasted his ninth dinger of the year before Misael Urbina doubled in Noah Cardenas to draw within one. An inning later Rodriguez recorded his second triple, scoring both Andrew Cossetti and Tanner Schobel to make it a 4-3 game. In the sixth inning Urbina launched his third homer of the season, and the insurance run was needed given Zach Zubia’s solo shot for the Sky Carp in the seventh inning. Jorel Ortega put the Kernels back ahead by a pair when he doubled for the first time at High-A, driving in Noah Miller, and making it a 6-4 game. Beloit answered with one in the ninth inning, but that wasn’t enough to extend the game. Rodriguez recorded three hits while Urbina and Ortega both grabbed a pair of their own. MUSSEL MATTERS Game 1: Fort Myers 2, Tampa 0 (F/7) Box Score Playing a twin bill today it was Andrew Morris starting game one for the Mighty Mussels. He worked five scoreless innings while allowing just two hits and a walk. He did strike out a pair and dropped his ERA to 3.48 on the season. Fort Myers scored both of their runs on poor defensive plays by the Tarpons. A fourth inning wild pitch allowed Danny De Andrade to score the game’s first run, and a passed ball later in the inning brought home Kyle Schmidt. That was enough to secure the win during a game that had just a combined five hits. De Andrade recorded a pair of his own during Game 1, and Mikey Perez grabbed thee walks. Game 2: Fort Myers 7, Tampa 6 (F/7) Box Score In the nightcap it was Jose Olivares working four innings. He didn’t fare well allowing five runs on six hits and a walk. The two strikeouts were noteworthy, but also overshadowed by a home run. Olivares now owns a 6.60 ERA this season. Rafael Cruz kicked off the scoring with a ground rule double in the first inning. Ricardo Olivar scored and put Fort Myers in the lead. Heading to the fifth inning the Mighty Mussels trailed 5-1, but Olivar blasted his sixth homer with Maddux Houghton on to make it a 5-3 game. After another Tampa run scored in the fifth, Danny De Andrade drove in Dillon Tatum with a sacrifice fly during the seventh. Rubel Cespedes then recorded his 12th double scoring Houghton again, and Olivar raced home on a passed ball. When the seventh inning ended, it was a new game knotted at six. In the ninth inning newly signed Kamron Willman made his mark with a single that scored Olivar and gave Fort Myers a 7-6 lead. Gabriel Yanez held on working 2 1/3 innings of scoreless baseball to record his third win of the season. Cespedes and Houghton both recorded a pair of hits and the Mighty Mussels grabbed two wins on the day. COMPLEX CHRONICLES FCL Twins 6, FCL Rays 0 Box Score Jack Noble was great again for the FCL Twins today. Working 5 2/3 scoreless, he gave up just three hits. Noble did work around four walks but struck out right on the day as well. He dropped his ERA to 1.72 in the process. Bryan Acuna gave the Twins their first scoring opportunity in the first inning when his ground out resulted in an error plating both Isaac Peña and Jose Rodriguez. Then in the sixth inning the Twins added again as a Peña ground out led to an Omari Daniel run. Alex Rodriguez scored on a wild pitch, and it was a four-run game headed to the seventh inning. Another wild pitch, this one in the eighth inning, allowed Daniel to score for the second time. Rodriguez then lifted a single to center that brought Fredy Michel in. The six runs were enough to hold up against the blanked Rays, and Rodriguez capped off his day going 4-for-4 with a walk. DOMINICAN DAILY DSL Twins 12, DSL Cardinals 9 Box Score It wasn’t the cleanest game for Cristian Hernandez, but he started and his four runs (two earned) weren’t enough to sink the Twins. Star catcher Carlos Silva was back in the lineup today following a hit by pitch, but he was 0-for-4 on the day. Jayson Bass paced the lineup going 4-for-5 with a double, and Javier Roman had a two-hit day of his own while playing first base. Although Ariel Castro was just 1-for-6, he did score a run and drove in a pair. The Twins wound up winning by three runs after picking up the separating tallies during the 10th inning. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – Jack Noble (FCL Twins) - 5.2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 4 BB, 8 K Hitter of the Day – Emmanuel Rodriguez (Cedar Rapids) - 3-4, 2B, 3B, HR(9), 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: #1 - Brooks Lee (Wichita) - 0-4, RBI #2 - Royce Lewis (Minnesota) - 2-4, RBI #3 - Emmanuel Rodriguez (Cedar Rapids) - 3-4, 2B, 3B, HR(9), R, 3 RBI #4 - Edouard Julien (Minnesota) - 0-1, K #8 - David Festa (Wichita) - 5.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 8 K #9 - Matt Wallner (St. Paul) - 0-3, BB, 2 K #13 - Noah Miller (Cedar Rapids) - 1-3, R, BB #18 - Jose Rodriguez (FCL) - 4-4, R, RBI, BB #19 - Yunior Severino (Wichita) - 1-2, 2 R, BB FRIDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS St. Paul @ Toledo (6:05PM CST) - RHP Louie Varland Arkansas @ Wichita (7:05PM CST) - RHP Carlos Luna Beloit @ Cedar Rapids (6:35PM CST) - RHP Marco Raya Fort Myers @ Tampa (5:30PM CST) - TBD Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Thursday’s games! View full article

More than 60 games into the 2023 season it seems as though players are settling in, and the landscape of the sport is starting to take shape. No matter how drastic the rules have changed, one thing remains constant; Max Kepler is holding back the Twins. Image courtesy of Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports This offseason it appeared that Max Kepler’s days in Minnesota were numbered. Going into 2022, it could have been argued that the time to trade him had presented itself, but never more did it feel necessary than this winter. Despite a banning of the shift, expecting the German native to reinvent who he is as a player seemed lofty at best. There were stories written about Kepler going to Paris in hopes of finding himself. There was a discussion that the limiting of defensive shifting would help his average. The reality though, is that Kepler remains the same flawed player he has always been. Aside from 2019, when the Twins turned into the Bomba Squad and Rob Manfred gave us the joys of a juiced baseball, Kepler has struggled to be an average producer in the lineup. His current career 100 OPS+ puts him at exactly replacement level, and that’s propped up by the 123 OPS+ he generated in 2019. In the four seasons since 2019, Kepler has owned a 94 OPS+ with a .307 on-base percentage. His approach at the dish is one that simply does not work, and it’s made the entirety of his value be derived from defense. An inability to put lift on the ball, his insistence to roll ground balls to the second baseman is as guaranteed of an out as there is. Now, rather than trading Kepler for whatever value there was this offseason, he’s little more than a boat anchor taking the Twins down with him. Derek Falvey and Thad Levine suggested that they had suitors for Kepler this winter, but it seemed the return wasn’t up to the standards they saw as a fair return. Having dipped into the negative numbers for fWAR, Kepler’s defensive value isn’t even providing a net-positive impact at this point for Minnesota. If he could have generated a relief pitcher or some sort of a flier this offseason, that’s now even less likely. Making $8.5 million in the final year of his extension (with a $1 million buyout for 2024), the Twins fumbled an opportunity to allocate those funds elsewhere. Had Kepler been traded, the assumption would be that another team is taking on that contract, and Rocco Baldelli’s roster may have had additional opportunity to supplement. With the Twins holding onto Kepler, they never moved those dollars to another asset, and his presence is actively stopping Matt Wallner from making a leap. Despite a strong showing in a brief cameo with Minnesota this year, and continued dominance at Triple-A for the Saints, Wallner must watch patiently as Kepler keeps his roster opportunity at bay. Over the weekend, it didn’t go unnoticed that Kepler was benched across multiple games, and while right-handed pitchers were on the mound. Alex Kirilloff manned right field at times, and the Twins basically defined Kepler as little more than a defensive replacement. When he misplayed a Javier Baez triple on Sunday, only to casually lob the ball back in, the effort then becomes a question. The reasons for which Kepler remains on the Minnesota roster are likely few and far between. After an offseason of opportunity, it seems as though an attempt to save face could be the culprit. Overplaying their hand, the Twins may have had a higher belief in Kepler despite what the market was telling them, and now they are watching it all go belly up right in front of their eyes. Whether by a DFA, release, or unlikely trade, finding a way to move on from Kepler at this point is a must. Wallner presents an opportunity for a team treading water to take a step forward, and ripping off the band-aid has to happen sooner rather than later. Minnesota made a mistake this winter, and it only gets worse the longer they let it take place. View full article

I went with the biggest ones that have been more recent. You aren't wrong in that the first three unequivocally were good moves by this front office. The point wasn't to highlight bad trades, but rather suggest they have shown a willingness to gamble on upside, and that the Jorge Lopez was the lone instance that they deviated from it.

I mean, it's also why they haven't parted out their top prospects in trades.

As the trade deadline gets closer, and knowing the Minnesota Twins could use help in 2023, it makes sense to look back at how this front office has made moves. They seem to have a pattern when it comes to extracting value, and it hasn’t always gone the right way for them. What can we learn for the moves yet to come? Image courtesy of Jordan Johnson-USA TODAY Sports Whether evaluating offseason or deadline deals, the Twins have made a handful of aggressive moves over the past couple of years. Derek Falvey and Thad Levine have sought to construct a roster capable of sustained winning, and they have done so in looking to provide depth across all position groups. Not knowing exactly what the Twins targets will be, or where, we can gain an understanding of what this regime has previously tried to do when acquiring value. The Mahle Move Last season, the Twins attempted to sustain their division lead by acquiring a starting pitcher. Rather than going for Frankie Montas, who was the top arm with the big name, they looked at the Reds Tyler Mahle. He put up very good underlying numbers in 2021 and a tweak or two could be argued to push him toward being an ace. In parting with both Spencer Steer and Christian Encarnacion-Strand, Minnesota saw two prospects that were really bat-only players. Steer has some positional flexibility, but shouldn't be expected to win any Gold Gloves. Encarnacion-Strand was definitely not going to defend at all, and that left both behind at least a few players in the pecking order. Two prospect bats for a starting arm with upside is where this one likely fell. The Paddack Acquisition Although it was moving their closer Taylor Rogers for a San Diego reliever in Emilio Pagan, the Opening Day trade was absolutely about Chris Paddack. Minnesota’s front office was clearly unsure of Rogers’ health coming off an injury, and heading into free agency, he wasn’t likely going to be back. Pagan gave the Twins an opportunity for an immediate relief replacement, but Paddack and his team control were too much to pass up. He could be had for a reliever because the health and durability concerns are real, but that was baked into the cost. Paddack looked strong for Minnesota before blowing out last season, but he’ll get an opportunity to contribute again as he works his way back. Capitalizing on a leverage reliever for a shot at a proven arm (when healthy) seems to be this thought process. Working Into Maeda When the Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers were attempting to swap pieces for Mookie Betts, Minnesota did well to get involved. Needing serious pitching help at the time, Kenta Maeda was an arm that had shown good run in California. He’d been bumped from the rotation at times, but also flashed much of the promise that made him a heralded free agent acquisition. Despite not having much firepower in relief, the Twins gave away Brusdar Graterol. Though he could pump triple-digits and looked like a future closer, finding an opportunity to get a high quality starter out of him was definitely a win. Maeda’s contract was written to plan for injury, ultimately happening for the Twins, but not before some very strong work after coming to Minnesota. Swapping a reliever for a starter with upside again was the gamble being taken. Lopez For Closer Last season, when the Twins needed help at the deadline, they looked at the bullpen as an area to upgrade. Jorge Lopez was an All-Star for the Baltimore Orioles, and despite a career of futility as a starter, 48 innings as a reliever made him coveted. The Twins wanted Lopez so badly they parted with a prominent pitching prospect in Cade Povich, and also parted with Yennier Cano. The former was the prize of this package while the latter was a likely DFA candidate for Minnesota during the offseason. Relief pitching can be fickle and nothing highlights that more than the directions Lopez and Cano have gone since. Minnesota made this move at the height of a reliever’s value and did so, giving up a prospect that could burn them later. Starting With Lopez Arguably the most contentious trade the Twins have made in recent years involved Luis Arraez. The Miami Marlins had a few coveted pitchers and while the Twins would've liked to grab Cy Young winner Sandy Alcantara, they did well to target Pablo Lopez. Coming off of three strong years posting a 3.52 ERA, Lopez has underlying numbers that suggest he can be a quality arm with the ability to pitch up in the rotation. Minnesota needing pitching and to create depth, he was acquired and then extended to a long term deal. It was never going to be easy moving on from Arraez. He was absolutely a fan favorite and is elite when it comes to arguably the most important skill in the game, hitting. Now batting .400 with Miami, there was never a doubt that he would be an asset with the bat. Minnesota didn't believe in his knees long term, and as a poor defender, it was clear that was a price they felt comfortable paying to get a good pitcher. Again, a difficult pill to swallow, a relatively one-dimensional hitter was the guy they felt ok with using to acquire strong pitching. For the most part we can see that this front office has looked for unique ways to generate additional value. Whether that be gambling on injury as was the case with Maeda and Paddack, or playing for upside with blocked prospects as they did with Mahle. The outlier seems to be a true go-for-it type or immediate move that Lopez could be defined as, and that’s an outcome they’ll need to avoid in the future. If there's a win for both sides, the most straightforward move to pin that on would have been the Marlins trade. How the Twins navigate this trade deadline remains to be seen, but the pattern is an established one. Clearly they have a level of risk tolerance that trends towards them seeking future value with some current question. They have often avoided reactionary moves as a whole. That plan is an understandable one, but they need it to bear more fruit than they have seen of late. View full article

After plenty of anticipation, Jordan Balazovic made his Minnesota Twins debut. While he's not the same prospect that was once thought of as a legit starter, the scoreless outing was an impressive one. More action on the farm within. Image courtesy of Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports TRANSACTIONS RHP Jordan Balazovic promoted to Minnesota Minnesota Twins end OF Gilberto Celestino’s rehab assignment and option him to St. Paul SAINTS SENTINEL St. Paul 12, Louisville 5 Box Score Aaron Sanchez took the ball today for St. Paul and worked five innings. He gave up five runs (three earned) on four hits and four walks. Command was not at all to be found, but he did strike out three. Making it five, and benefitting from the bats, he did get his fourth win. The Saints jumped out to an early lead when Matt Wallner drove in Andrew Stevenson on a first inning sacrifice fly. Trevor Larnach then followed suit to score Jose Miranda and make it a 2-0 game. After St. Paul gave up the lead in the second inning, they put up a five-spot during the third inning to take the lead for good. Miranda’s second homer was a two-run blast making it 4-3, then Mark Contreras went yard to drive in Larnach on his seventh home run. Andrew Bechtold rounded out the scoring with a single to score Jair Camargo and make it a 7-3 game. In the fourth inning Wallner ripped his 17th double to drive in Stevenson. As Max Kepler continues to struggle for the Twins, Wallner stays putting on the pressure. A Contreras ground out made it a 9-3 lead. Adding again in the fifth inning, Stevenson singled in Bechtold and gave the Saints a ten-spot. Louisville did answer with two in the bottom half, but the sixth inning saw Anthony Prato drive in Wallner, and Bechtold drove in Larnach. The 12-5 score is where this ended. Stevenson grabbed three hits today with both Miranda and Bechtold having a pair each. WIND SURGE WISDOM Wichita 5, Midland 3 Box Score The Wind Surge went with Travis Adams today. He lasted three innings, giving up three runs on three hits, and a pair of walks. Adams did strike out one but also allowed a pair of home runs. Wichita’s bullpen saw five relievers combine for six scoreless innings allowing no hits with seven strikeouts and no walks. Seth Gray kicked off the scoring when his fifth double brought home DaShawn Keirsey Jr. in the first inning. Getting behind 3-1, Wichita answered during the fifth inning. David Banuelos blasted his fourth homer before Gray singled in Keirsey to even things at 3-3. Aaron Sabato put the Wind Surge ahead when his seventh double scored Yunior Severino. A wild pitch put Wichita up 5-3 and that’s where the score held. Both Severino and Gray recorded a pair of hits today. Brooks Lee had the day off. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 14, South Bend 2 Box Score A slight rain delay kept these teams off the field, but this one eventually got underway. It was Kyle Jones on the bump for Cedar Rapids this afternoon and the lineup gave him breathing room with seven early runs. He went four innings of scoreless baseball allowing just two hits and a walk while striking out four. After a scoreless first inning, Jose Salas reached on a fielding error that allowed Noah Miller to score. ANother fielding error, this on an Andrew Cossetti batted ball, gave Salas the opportunity to score and make it a 2-0 game. In the fourth inning it was the same culprits with Salas recording his second homer of the season, and the three run shot brought home both Miller and Misael Urbina. Cossetti then launched his third High-A homer to make it 7-0. The fifth inning saw more corn cob action with the Kernels scoring five. A Noah Miller double brought in Kala’i Rosario before an Urbina single scored Noah Cardenas and Miller. Kyler Fedko then drove in Urbina with Tanner Schonel lifting a single of his own to plate Salas. South Bend did answer with two in the seventh inning, but Schobel and Emmanuel Rodriguez each drove in a run during the bottom half to make it a 14-2 game. Even with Cedar Rapids grabbing 14 runs on 13 hits, it was just Cardenas, Miller, Urbina, and Salas grabbing multiple hits. MUSSEL MATTERS Bradenton 4, Fort Myers 3 Box Score Fort Myers had Develson Aria on the mound this afternoon. It was a short outing as he lasted just two innings while giving up three runs on three hits. He also walked three and struck out that same amount. The Mighty Mussels scored first when Yohander Martinez recorded his first home run during the second inning. Mikey Perez was on, making it a two-run blast. By the fourth inning Bradenton had added four of their own and doubled up the Fort Myers score. Jorel Ortega did single in Maddux Houghton in the fifth inning, but that was as close as they would get. With only six hits on the day, Martinez and Houghton were the only players to record a pair of hits today. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – Jordan Balazovic (Minnesota) - 3.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, BB, 2 K Hitter of the Day – Jose Miranda (St. Paul) - 2-for-5, 3 R, 2 RBI, BB, 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: #2 - Royce Lewis (Minnesota) - 1-2, RBI, K #4 - Edouard Julien (Minnesota) - 0-4, R, BB, 2 K #9 - Matt Wallner (St. Paul) - 1-3, R, 2 RBI, 2B, K #12 - Jose Salas (Cedar Rapids) - 2-5, 3 R, 3 RBI, HR(2), K #13 - Noah Miller (Cedar Rapids) - 2-4, 3 R, RBI, BB, 2B(5) #14 - Jordan Balazovic (Minnesota) - 3.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, BB, 2 K #19 - Yunior Severino (Wichita) - 2-3, R, BB TUESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS St. Paul @ Toledo (6:05PM CST) - TBD Arkansas @ Wichita (7:05PM CST) - TBD Beloit @ Cedar Rapids (6:35PM CST) - TBD Fort Myers @ Tampa (5:30PM CST) - TBD Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Sunday’s games! View full article

Thanks, both of them have been great!

When looking at the landscape of a Major League Baseball amateur draft focus is understandably placed on players taken in the first round. Those are the guys that organizations need to pan out, but the players they attribute scouting acumen to are those drafted later. In 2022, it seems they hit a home run with ninth-round pick Cory Lewis. Image courtesy of Ethan Chapman The 22-year-old Cory Lewis was selected 264th overall as a pitcher from the University of California, Santa Barbara. The institution name is a mouthful, but the Gauchos have put together a recent run of NCAA tournament appearances with Lewis contributing to both the 2021 and 2022 squads. Used as a starter during his senior season, Lewis tallied 88 1/3 innings to the tune of a 3.57 ERA. The eye-popping statistic was the 107 strikeouts, and while there were too many walks with 42 across that workload, it was clear there was something to like for the next level. Minnesota did snag him under slot at $140k, but this wasn’t your castaway senior sign. Immediately after signing, I heard from Ethan Chapman of Full Circle Sports Management. As Lewis’ agent, it was clear his goal was to be excited for his client, but this wasn’t just a message filled with air, and the substance spoke to a young man with a future. Full Circle recently landed Joe Musgrove a $100 million deal with the San Diego Padres, and helping to position one of the game’s up-and-coming arms for such a payday speaks volumes. Chapman wasn’t blowing smoke, and he knew Lewis had stuff that would play. When seeking clients to help, there has to be differentiators that motivate interest and Chapman put it simply with Lewis in saying, “Cory’s work ethic and understanding of his abilities are what separates him. He obviously has an interesting pitch mix, but he is also knowledgeable of his offerings and how to use them effectively. He’s someone that will earn everything he gets.” Making his professional debut this season at Low-A with the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels, Lewis made quick work of a level he was too advanced for. Across nine starts Lewis posted a sparkling 2.75 ERA with a 12.6 K/9. He was part of a combined no-hitter during May, and elevated the staff to unexpected heights. That was enough for the Twins to make a move and decide a challenge at High-A Cedar Rapids was necessary. Now through two starts for the Kernels, Lewis hasn’t slowed down. He’s given up just a single run on five hits and three walks across 10 innings while striking out 17. Assuming he reaches Double-A this year is probably a lofty expectation, but there is no denying that he is positioning himself well for future growth. How Lewis gets batters out is also unconventional in and of itself. This isn’t a guy who throws in the upper 90s, but the Twins have helped to add velocity onto the fastball following the draft. With the ability to touch mid-90s with his heater, a secondary knuckleball offering makes him somewhat of a unicorn. Gone are the days that Tim Wakefield, R.A. Dickey, and Phil Niekro could exist while throwing dancing slop towards the plate. No one currently in the game is classified as a knuckleballer, and those that have been during recent memory generally wind up being a flash in the pan. Lewis being able to play with a full arsenal alongside of a knuckleball makes him somewhat of an anomaly, and it could do wonders for the progression of his career. Lewis shoots it straight with the offspeed pitch saying, “I’m more so a pitcher with a knuckleball rather than a knuckleball pitcher.” Lewis knows that he has plenty to work on, but also understands there is much to build off of utilizing the early groundwork he has laid. While the stage has gotten more substantial, and the outcomes impact his future, he says “being present in the moment and realizing that it’s still just the same game I’ve been playing for years” remains the focal point. The Twins have seen recent success in developing later round picks like Bailey Ober and Louie Varland. Being able to generate big league talent from picks directly tied to deep scouting is what can help an organization sustain success. As Rocco Baldelli has seen arms like Tyler Mahle and Kenta Maeda go down this year, he’s needed to rely on depth that the organization has incorporated. Bringing a guy like Lewis along in that vein would be another success story, and the progression at this rate could have him being an option much sooner than originally anticipated. Royce Lewis is going to be a cornerstone in the lineup for Minnesota’s foreseeable future. Having Cory Lewis ascend to that level in the rotation would be nothing short of a substantial developmental achievement. Here’s to hoping they can cross paths and contribute at the same level for years to come. View full article

The Minnesota Twins haven’t seen Yasser Mercedes get off to a hot start this year for the FCL team, but he blasted his first dinger of the season. Christian MacLeod shoved for Cedar Rapids, and plenty of action was worth tuning into. TRANSACTIONS OF Trevor Larnach optioned from Minnesota to St. Paul RHP Ronny Henriquez placed on 7-day IL for St. Paul with an oblique strain OF Ryan LaMarre placed on development list by St. Paul RHP Alex Scherff promoted from Wichita to St. Paul LHP Denny Bentley placed on development list by Wichita RHP Alex Phillips added by Wichita from FCL Twins RHP Taylor Floyd added by Wichita from Milwaukee Brewers organization SAINTS SENTINEL Louisville 6, St. Paul 3 Box Score As they have been doing for some time now, the St. Paul Saints had Jordan Balazovic working in a piggy back role behind Cody Laweryson. The latter turned in three innings of two-run ball on a pair of solo homers. He struck out two and walked one. Balazovic then came in and worked just a single inning while allowing two runs on three hits and a walk. He gave up a dinger while striking out just one. Kyle Garlick got the Saints on the board first with a sacrifice fly that scored Andrew Stevenson, but that was St. Paul’s only lead of the night. A rehabbing Joey Votto blasted a solo shot in the bottom of the first inning, and from there it was the Jason Vosler show for Louisville. Stevenson did hit a solo shot in the seventh inning to make it a 5-2 score, and Chris Williams continued to destroy baseballs with his 13th dinger in the eighth inning and sixth in his past three games. Down 5-3 though, that was as close as the Saints would get. Stevenson and Anthony Prato were the lone Saints to record a pair of hits. Former Twins prospect Christian Encarnacion-Strand went 1-for-4 with an RBI. WIND SURGE WISDOM Midland 8, Wichita 7 Box Score It was Pierson Ohl’s turn for the Wind Surge, and he went six inning while allowing just two runs on four hits. Both runs scored on solo shots, and his six strikeouts came without walking a single batter. (Editor's Question: Did he walk any married players?) Wichita got on the board first when Aaron Sabato doubled in Brooks Lee during the first inning. That was quickly wiped away in the bottom half as Midland evened things up, but then there was a lull until the fifth inning. DaShawn Keirsey Jr. ripped his second triple of the season, scoring Will Holland to take the lead, and Lee singled in Keirsey Jr. to make it a 5-3 game. Pat Winkel then blasted his sixth double of the season to score Lee, and Sabato doubled for the second time on the evening to drive home Winkel. A four run inning was achieved and the score was 5-1 after the fifth. Adding in the sixth inning, Lee grabbed his 22nd double of the year to plate Keirsey Jr., and Wichita now led 6-1. Midland grabbed a run back in the bottom half before Holland drove in Sabato during the top of the seventh inning. Things went haywire for the Wind Surge in the eighth inning when they allowed three Midland runs to score and the lead was now wiped out. Not able to add in the top half of the ninth inning, Wichita needed to blank Midland in the bottom half. Instead the RockHounds grabbed a run on a throwing error by Lee and that was enough for the walk-off win. Both Keirsey Jr. and Lee had three hits. Winkel and Sabato each added a pair of their own. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 6, South Bend 5 (F/12) Box Score The Kernels went with Christian MacLeod tonight and he worked four innings allowing just a single run. Giving up five hits, MacLeod kept the bases clear by issuing no walks and striking out six on the evening. Both sides failed to reach the scoreboard until the fourth inning. After South Bend put up a run, Kala’i Rosario continued his strong season by blasting home run number eleven. The two-run tank brought home Emmanuel Rodriguez as well and put Cedar Rapids on top. After allowing South Bend to take the lead in the fifth inning, Tanner Schobel put the Kernels back even in the bottom half. His seventh double of the season scored Jose Salas and made it a 3-3 game. Working through nine innings neither side could find an advantage, and it wasn’t until the 10th inning that runs again came across. First South Bend scored their fourth run of the game and then Andrew Cossetti used a sacrifice fly to drive in Noah Miller to tie it again. Needing the 11th inning, it was South Bend driving in a run during the top half to take the 5-4 lead, but the Kernels answered when Kyler Fedko scored on a throwing error. Onto the 12th inning, Cedar Rapids held South Bend in the top half and then walked it off in the bottom half. Ernie Yake singled home Miller and that was enough to grab the victory. Racking up only five hits, no Kernels batters had multi-hit games. Despite striking out 11 times as a team, they did draw eight walks. MUSSEL MATTERS Fort Myers 7, Bradenton 4 Box Score Andrew Morris made the start tonight for Fort Myers and he went six innings allowing only three runs on four hits and two walks. The Texas Tech product struck out six batters on the evening. The Mighty Mussels jumped out to an early lead when Rubel Cespedes blasted a solo shot for his sixth homer of the year. After giving up the lead in the second and seeing Bradenton add in the fourth inning, Fort Myers clawed back. Gregory Duran hit his first home run of the season to make it a 3-2 score in the fifth inning, and then Ricardo Olivar lifted a two-run shot, scoring Danny De Andrade to take a 4-3 lead in the sixth inning. After the Marauders evened things in the seventh inning, Rafael Cruz crushed his third home run of the year, and his three-run shot scored both Olivar and Cespedes to make it a 7-4 game. That’s where things ended, and Fort Myers grabbed the victory. With just six hits in the contest, no Mussels batters recorded more than a single hit in the contest. Zach Veen grabbed the win in relief. COMPLEX CHRONICLES FCL Twins 6, FCL Braves 2 Box Score Jack Noble got the start today for the FCL team and was sharp across five innings. He scattered six hits allowing just two runs and struck out seven while walking none. Daniel Pena started the scoring for the Twins with a two-run blast that scored Bryan Acuna in the bottom of the second inning. Isaac Pena then followed a Jose Rodriguez third inning double with one of his own to make it a 3-0 game. He later came around to score on a throwing error. Star prospect Yasser Mercedes clubbed his first home run of the year, a two-run blast scoring Giovanny Rivero, making it 6-0 through four innings. He also had a double. The Braves got two back in the fifth inning, but that’s where the shutdown happened. Andres Centeno wiped one out with a double scoring Mercedes, after a double of his own, in the bottom of the sixth and that 7-2 score held. Mercedes and Rodriguez both had a pair of hits on the day with Acuna joining them. DOMINICAN DAILY DSL Phillies Red 15, DSL Twins 10 Box Score Things haven’t started great for the DSL Twins and that didn’t change today. With a 1-6 record coming into the game, they gave up an 11 spot to the DSL Phillies in the third inning. Cristian Hernandez was charged with nine runs across just 2 2/3 innings of work. Ariel Castro, the top international free agent signing for Minnesota, hit his first professional home run in this game. Fellow top signing, catcher Carlos Silva, was lifted for a pinch runner after being hit by a pitch. Jayson Bass and Moises Lopez both recorded hits for the Twins club in the sixth inning to put up a four spot. Down 15-7 at that point though, it was too little, too late. The Twins tried to extend their rally in the eighth inning with a wild pitch scoring Denyerbe Gervis and Javier Roman doubling in two, but 10 runs wasn’t going to get it done today. Both Moises Lopez and and Ricardo Pena grabbed three hits on the day while Gervis had a pair of his own. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – Christian MacLeod (Cedar Rapids) - 4.0 IP, 5 H 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 6 K Hitter of the Day – Yasser Mercedes (FCL) - 2-5, 2 R 2 RBI, 2B(2), HR(1), 2 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) - 3-5, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2B, K #2 - Royce Lewis (Minnesota) - 1-4, R, 2 K #3 - Emmanuel Rodriguez (Cedar Rapids) - 0-4, R, BB, 2 K #9 - Matt Wallner (St. Paul) - 0-3, BB, K #10 - Yasser Mercedes (FCL) - 2-5, 2 R 2 RBI, 2B(2), HR(1), 2 K #12 - Jose Salas (Cedar Rapids) - 1-3, R, BB, K #13 - Noah Miller (Cedar Rapids) - 0-4, 2 R, BB #14 - Jordan Balazovic (St. Paul) - 1.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, BB, K #18 - Jose Rodriguez (FCL) - 2-5, R, 2B(3) #19 - Yunior Severino (Wichita) - 1-5, 4 K FRIDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS St. Paul @ Louisville (6:15PM CST) - RHP Kenta Maeda Wichita @ Midland (7:00PM CST) - RHP David Festa South Bend @ Cedar Rapids (6:35PM CST) - RHP Marco Raya Fort Myers @ Bradenton (5:30PM CST) - RHP Jose Olivares Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Thursday’s games! View full article