Ted Schwerzler

He threw a 30 pitch inning almost. Just pitch count.

Last season the Minnesota Twins wound up with the fifth overall pick during the 2023 Major League Baseball Amateur Draft. In a loaded class, there were a few standout prospects, and Walker Jenkins was the last remaining. Not deviating from a chalk decision, they clearly got it right. This season Paul Skenes became the first Pittsburgh Pirates rookie to make the All-Star Game. Dylan Crews was recently promoted to Triple-A, and Wyatt Langford made the Texas Rangers Opening Day roster. Max Clark remains at Low-A for Detroit, but he certainly isn’t Walker Jenkins. In their recent top 100 update, MLB Pipeline had Jenkins ranked fifth amongst all prospects in baseball. Baseball America followed suit by ranking him sixth. Both outlets did that despite the Twins prospect missing a significant amount of time during the first half after suffering a hamstring injury on Opening Day for Fort Myers. There was certainly a path for Jenkins to follow a Jackson Holliday trajectory for the Twins. He could have reached Double or Triple-A with an accelerated season this year, and being a 26-man roster consideration relatively quickly for Rocco Baldelli would have ensued in 2025. That isn’t going to play out following his injury, but he has returned and looked like every bit of the star Minnesota has hoped he would be. After a nine-game rehab assignment with the Complex League team in which he posted a .393/.514/.571 slash line, Jenkins has played 22 games for Fort Myers. He has just a .730 OPS, in part because the power stroke hasn’t taken off, but his .373 OBP tells the story. Jenkins has drawn 17 walks to just 13 strikeouts, and he’s forcing less talented pitchers to come into his hitting zone. Jenkins doesn’t expand, and his process is one that continually seeks to do damage. Hitting three home runs during his first professional season, Jenkins has blasted a pair in 2024. He is being eased back into action with the Mighty Mussels putting him at the designated hitter spot more often than centerfield, but those training wheels will ultimately fall off. Fort Myers needs a productive Jenkins the rest of the way to be relevant, and if they get the best version, then he could certainly finish the year with Cedar Rapids. Just 19 years old, Jenkins remains a raw product that is advanced beyond his age, and he should be expected to continually test the restraints of whatever level he plays. The second half of his season will largely define 2024 for Jenkins. Missing so much time to start the year has given him something of a failure to launch definition, but the talent picked right back up where it left off. There are few years in which an organization can grab a prospect at the fifth pick and be almost guaranteed a generational talent. That happened a year ago, and the Twins are just beginning to see the benefit of that. While Minnesota will have a down-the-board selection next week, continuing to develop and cash in on Walker Jenkins is something that the franchise can feel the effects of for years to come. Royce Lewis and Brooks Lee are here now, but Jenkins joining them is something the entire fanbase can get behind for the future. View full article

Alex Kirilloff is currently on the injured list with a back issue for the Minnesota Twins, but it’s hard to find a scenario where he fits into the future. Trading him for another player that could use a change of scenery makes sense. The Los Angeles Angels have just that player. When Alex Kirilloff was demoted, it was because he failed to produce at an acceptable level for Rocco Baldelli’s lineup. Outside of a strong April, he had put together weeks of futility and owns just an 83 OPS+ on the year. Making matters worse, he came up with a back injury that was undisclosed when initially told of his option by Baldelli, and it certainly wasn’t well received by the organization. He should be healthy prior to the deadline, and that would include playing games in a rehab assignment for Triple-A St. Paul. The Twins have Matt Wallner, Trevor Larnach, Carlos Santana, and Jose Miranda to cover any spots where Kirilloff would play. Presumably he could be buried behind both Edouard Julien and Yunior Severino as well. It would be unfortunate to deal Kirilloff at something near the bottom of his value, but it also may be a fool’s errand to think it peaks from here. He’s nearly 1,000 plate appearances into his major league career and has been exactly league average (100 OPS+). You need more from a first round pick, but the Los Angeles Angels may be interested in seeing if they can get it from him. On the flip side, the Minnesota Twins could use additional pitching depth. The Angels have Reid Detmers at a similar position in his career, and sending him out makes some sense. Detmers was the 10th overall pick in 2017, a year behind Kirilloff. He is a year younger, and hits arbitration for the first time next year. Like Kirilloff, Detmers is under team control through the 2027 season. Having thrown a no-hitter and posted a 3.77 ERA in 2022 as a rookie, it’s been a slow decline since. After a 4.48 ERA last year, Detmers has seen his ERA inflate to 6.14 this year. He owns a career-high 4.39 FIP, is walking a career-worst 3.9 batters per nine, and allowing home runs at a rate he has previously avoided. There’s a lot not to like with what is currently going on. However, the Twins have become synonymous with grabbing pitchers and adding velocity to make them a bit more effective. As a lefty, he would bring a southpaw to the rotation, and he isn’t a soft-tosser. Sitting around 94 mph on his fastball, Detmers also leans heavily on his slider, which is a pitch Minnesota loves. The Angels optioned Detmers to Triple-A at the beginning of June. Similarly to Kirilloff, they had seemingly grown tired with a level of mediocrity that was available on a per-start basis. Hoping that it would allow him to get right and provide a reset, Detmers has a pair of double-digit strikeout starts, but owns a 6.00 ERA in six games. A deal in which the Twins are trying to take on revived value makes a good amount of sense if Kirilloff is involved. On his own, he likely has negative trade value or brings very little of substance back. By finding the right return, a swap with shared upside could provide the organization with a solid path forward. Even if the Twins are fine moving on from the latest injury situation, it seems murky at best when considering where Kirilloff could play. These may be the final weeks for him in a Twins uniform, and it would bring an unceremonious end to a career expected to be much more prolific. View full article

Last week was the first of the year that featured Monday games for the Twins farm system. A couple of top prospects also made their way to the big leagues. Image courtesy of Ed Bailey, Wichita Wind Surge TRANSACTIONS: RHP Zack Weiss rehab transferred from Fort Myers to St. Paul OF Maddux Houghton transferred from Fort Myers to St. Paul INF Rubel Cespedes activated from IL by Cedar Rapids. INF Danny De Andrade underwent season-ending ankle surgery. LHP Connor Prielipp has been cleared to start throwing. WEEK IN REVIEW Triple-A: St. Paul Saints Overall: 44-42 (3-3 last week) Third place in the IL West Overview: The Saints were at home against Gwinnett and split the series. Three of the six games saw a side score double-digit runs. Matt Wallner batted 6-for-12 in three games before earning a promotion to St. Paul. Chris Williams batting .333 in five games while blasting four homers and driving in seven runs. Randy Dobnak led the team with five strikeouts. Diego Castillo was back after re-signing and worked two scoreless innings. What’s Next: A trip to Louisville is on deck. Brock Stewart will join St. Paul for a rehab assignment. Double-A: Wichita Wind Surge Overall: 35-46 (2-4 last week) Fifth place in the Texas League North Overview: Playing a Monday game, and having one contest suspended, it was a down week for Wichita against the Drillers. Luke Keaschall was selected by the Twins to take over for Brooks Lee in the Futures Game. Carson McCusker batted .417 over six games while racking up three doubles and a pair of home runs. Jake Rucker hit .346 across six games, he drove in four. Marco Raya struck out a team-high seven batters. Cory Lewis worked a four inning start allowing just one hit while striking out four. Kyle Jones made a three inning scoreless start while striking out three. What’s Next: Playing Springfield on the road, it’s a touch test against the top Texas League North squad. High-A: Cedar Rapids Kernels Overall: 48-31 (4-2 last week) Second place in the Midwest League West Overview: The Kernels knocked off Quad Cities to stay ahead of them in the standings. Rayne Doncon blasted three home runs and hit .400 while driving in eight runs. Gabriel Gonzalez was back after a lengthy stay on the injured list. He batted .400 and hit a pair of home runs with seven RBI. Tyler Dearden made a good first impression by batting .467 with a pair of doubles in four games. Kyle Bischoff worked 2 2/3 scoreless in relief and struck out a team-high six batters. Jordan Carr and Ty Langenberg both had scoreless starts of 5 2/3 innings. They each struck out four. Jeremy Lee worked a five inning scoreless start while striking out five. What’s Next: A date with Beloit on the road looms. Low-A: Fort Myers Mighty Mussels Overall: 42-37 (5-1 last week) Third place in Florida State League West Overview: Picking up a place in the standings, Fort Myers was just a win away from a sweep against Bradenton. Byron Chourio had 10 total bases and hit a dinger while driving in five runs. Wilfri Castro and Dameury Pena both hit a pair of home runs. Walker Jenkins batted .294 while drawing seven walks. Spencer Bengard worked a scoreless six innings while striking out five and walking none. Tanner Hall only turned in three innings for his start, but struck out seven. Paulshawn Pasqualotto worked three innings of relief and struck out six. What’s Next: Back home to face Tampa, the Mighty Mussels tangle with the Florida State League West’s worst team. Complex League: FCL Twins Overall: 22-25 (2-4 last week) Fourth place in Florida Complex League South Jayson Bass batted .500 across 12 at bats and recorded both a double and triple. Yasser Mercedes hit a pair of home runs while driving in five and tallying 11 total bases. Adrian Bohorquez struck out a team high five batters. Juan Cota worked three scoreless innings during his start. Dominican Summer League: DSL Twins Overall: 7-8 (2-3 last week) Sixth place in Dominican Summer League South Victor Leal, Eduardo Beltre, and Irvin Nunez all hit home runs. Carlos Silva had a pair of doubles. Melvin Rodriguez worked three innings in relief and struck out four. Cristian Hernandez’s eight strikeouts were a team high. PROSPECT SUMMARY #1– Walker Jenkins (Fort Myers) – 5-15, 4 R, 3 RBI, 7 BB, 3 K, 3 SB #2 – Brooks Lee (Minnesota) – 9-19, 3 R, 2B, HR, 6 RBI, BB, 2 K #4 – David Festa (Minnesota) – 5.0 IP, 9 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 0 BB, 6 K #5 – Gabriel Gonzalez (Cedar Rapids) – 8-20, 2 R, 2B, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 2 K #6 – Marco Raya (Wichita) – 4.0 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 7 K #7 – Charlee Soto (Fort Myers) – 4.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 6 K #8 – Austin Martin (Minnesota) – 1-5, R, BB, K #9 – Luke Keaschall (Wichita) – 5-22, 3 R, 2 2B, RBI, 4 BB, 6 K, SB #11 – Simeon Woods Richardson (Minnesota) – 11.2 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 4 BB, 8 K #13 – Tanner Schobel (Wichita) – 2-20, 2 R, 2B, 2 RBI, 4 BB, 4 K #14 – Zebby Matthews (Wichita) – 6.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 6 K #15 – Cory Lewis (Wichita) – 4.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 4 K #18 – Yunior Severino (St. Paul) – 5-21, 2 R, 2 2B, RBI, 2 BB, 8 K #20 – Ricardo Olivar (Cedar Rapids) – 7-14, 7 R, 2B, 2 3B, 3 RBI, 4 BB, 2 K Hitter of the Week - Carson McCusker (Wichita) - 10-24, 5 R, 3 2B, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 3 BB, 7 K, SB Pitcher of the Week - Jeremy Lee (Cedar Rapids) - 5.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 K View full article

When the Minnesota Twins ultimately begin to make moves prior to the 2024 Major League Baseball trade deadline, it should be assumed pitching will be the focus. If it’s a starter, then one from the Toronto Blue Jays could make sense. Chris Paddack just returned from a trip to the injured list. Needing a reset as he builds back up from a season missed due to Tommy John surgery, that wasn’t a surprising situation. His absence allowed top pitching prospect David Festa to take a couple of turns at the big league level. It didn’t go well. Simeon Woods Richardson has been nothing short of a godsend for the Twins this season. His stability at the back of the rotation has single-handedly shored up depth concerns. He is positioning himself well for rookie of the year consideration, and has mitigated what has been a tough year for Louie Varland. The Twins aren’t bringing Jose Berrios back, and Alek Manoah underwent elbow surgery. There are three other names that could work though: Yusei Kikuchi Making $10 million in the final year of a $36 million deal for Toronto, Kikuchi has been better than his 4.12 ERA would suggest. His strikeout rates are some of the highest he has experienced over the course of his career, and he has never walked less batters. Kikuchi owns a 3.62 FIP, and he did experience postseason pitching last year against Minnesota during the wild card round. His cost would likely be relatively modest given the numbers and salary. Minnesota could eat more of the remaining considerations of the deal in order to lessen the prospect return. He isn’t going to be a top option in Rocco Baldelli’s rotation, but he could slot in behind Bailey Ober. Chris Bassitt For a team seemingly unwilling to spend, Bassitt presents a bit more difficult situation when it comes to his contract. He is under team control through 2025 and is set to make $22 million next year. That isn’t an outrageous amount for a quality starter, and he has received Cy Young votes in three of the past four seasons. Bassitt has been incredibly consistent. Owning a 3.43 ERA through 18 starts this year, he has backed it with a 3.76 FIP. He’s basically a lock to throw near 200 innings, average around a strikeout per inning, and keep you constantly in a position to win games. Like Kikuchi, he isn’t a top-of-the-rotation arm, but he’s someone you would feel comfortable working in a playoff series behind Pablo Lopez and Joe Ryan. Kevin Gausman The biggest name of the trio, and a former Cy Young winner, Gausman is owed $23 million each of the next two seasons. That is a number Toronto would likely be inclined to buy down in exchange for better prospect capital. The Twins haven’t swung a deal for a starter of this magnitude since acquiring Sonny Gray from the Cincinnati Reds. Gausman has not been the same pitcher this season, but his 3.86 FIP is much better than the 4.64 ERA suggests. He is allowing more hits and home runs, but the strikeouts and command are all still part of his game. At just 33 years old, there’s reason to believe the Twins could get him back on track, and not paying a premium for the peak version, may allow them to extract extra value out of the performance. It would seem likely that the easiest match for Minnesota and Toronto involves Kikuchi. The greatest possible difference maker though, is Gausman, and he’s the type of arm they have been seeking since Gray signed with the Cardinals this offseason. Which arm would you be most interested in, and what price would you pay to land them? View full article

When the Minnesota Twins rescued Ryan Pressly from the Boston Red Sox prior to the 2013 Major League Baseball season, they didn’t realize he would be such a strong Rule 5 Draft come up. Having now played for the Houston Astros longer, it would have been fun for Derek Falvey to bring him home. Of course the greatest Minnesota Twins Rule 5 Draft selection in franchise history will forever be Johan Santana. However, selecting Ryan Pressly and watching him turn into one of the best relievers in the big leagues has to rank up there. Having won a World Series with the Houston Astros, and getting a $30 million deal prior to the 2023 season, the 2024 trade deadline would have been a good time to bring him home. There are arguably fewer places on the roster where the Twins need help than in their bullpen. By adding high-quality relievers, everyone else gets pushed back a notch, and the overall water level rises. It would have been easier to suggest that an underwhelming Houston team was going to sell a few weeks ago, but their winning ways have them more focused on catching the Seattle Mariners. Pressly is a native Texan, and Houston couldn’t embody where he finds comfort more, but returning to Minnesota would have bolstered a bullpen that needs his presence. He is making $14 million this season and will trigger a $14 million option next year. That's a bit rich for the Twins' blood, but an exception could have been made. This season, Pressly has a 4.01 ERA for the underachieving Houston Astros. However, his 2.45 FIP is beyond solid, and he is still striking out more than ten batters per nine innings. He has never allowed fewer home runs throughout his career, and an inflated number of hits is throwing his WHIP out of whack. There are some reasons to be cautious, of course. Pressly is now 35 years old and will play at 36 years old next season. His average fastball velocity is the lowest it has been since 2014, and he’s still using the pitch a good amount. He is generating fewer chases and isn’t causing opposing hitters to whiff as much. On the flip side, the Twins organization he would be joining substantially differs from the one he left. Having been dealt during the 2018 season, Pressly has never played for Rocco Baldelli. Paul Molitor and his coaching staff seemed to struggle with communication with their bullpen in particular. Derek Falvey and Thad Levine have installed Baldelli, along with a plethora of coaches who are capable of disseminating information and generating buy-in. What Pressly has grown familiar with in Houston is now much more closely aligned with how the Twins handle business. He was teammates with both Carlos Correa and Christian Vazquez. Each can speak to the quality of their current employer, and it would be fun to see a full circle moment pairing the departed leverage arm with Jorge Alcala, one of two players the Twins received in the Pressly trade. There’s almost no question about whether the Twins will add pitching help at the deadline. A starter could certainly be a consideration, but relief help makes a good amount of sense as well. Prioritizing a southpaw to supplement Steven Okert, Kody Funderburk, and Caleb Thielbar may be the goal, but adding a postseason-tested arm with familiarity has appeal. Ryan Pressly isn’t a Minnesotan, and the Twins are hardly to be considered his home, but the franchise took a shot on him and sparked his career. Allowing him to impact them this season and next would have been something of a storybook ending. View full article

Of course it’s the starting rotation that gets most of the praise for any team, but it’s the bullpen that locks down and wins games. The Minnesota Twins churning out more relief prospects would be beneficial for the big league bullpen, and there were some strong showings in June. Image courtesy of William Parmeter Matt Canterino may be the biggest name among bullpen prospects for the Minnesota Twins, but he has been unable to stay healthy and hasn’t got his career going. Seeing arms like Jhoan Duran, Jorge Alcala, and Griffin Jax develop through the system is something that Rocco Baldelli would certainly welcome more of. Not all relievers are former starters, and some are just destined to work dominant outings in short bursts. June had a few standout performances, so let’s get into them. 4. Ronny Henriquez (St. Paul) - 7 G, 2.25 ERA, 12.0 IP, 13 H, 8 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 10 K Acquired from the Texas Rangers in the Mitch Garver trade, Henriquez has been up and down with the Twins plenty during his young career. He is on the 40-man roster once again, after being jettisoned this offseason, and his work at Triple-A St. Paul this season has continued to keep him as an option. After struggling in 2023, and not making it to the big leagues, Henriquez appears to have turned a corner. His walk rates have come down significantly, and while he is giving up too many longballs, his strikeout rate is impressive. 3. Scott Engler (Wichita) - 7 G, 1.59 ERA, 11.1 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 5 BB, 13 K At 27 years old, Engler certainly doesn’t have prospect luster anymore, but playing for his hometown Wichita team has been a great story. Spending the entirety of his professional career with the Texas Rangers organization after being drafted in the 16th round back in 2016, he is looking to earn a shot at Triple-A. Engler’s walk rates have been gaudy all season, but he has never allowed less hits or home runs. June was a standout month in that not only did the opposition fail to do anything against him, but he also was stingy with his free passes and everyone benefited from the uptick in performance. 2. Gabriel Yanez (Cedar Rapids) - 7 G, 0.84 ERA, 10.2 IP, 10 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 8 K In his second season with the Twins organization, Yanez is now operating as the closer for High-A Cedar Rapids. He was a perfect 5-for-5 in save opportunities during June, and he allowed just a single earned run. At 24 years old, he could probably use a new challenge being moved up to Double-A Wichita, but this has unquestionably been the best and most productive season of Yanez’s professional career. Yanez hasn’t been a big strikeout guy this season, but he has yet to allow a home run in 36 innings. Reliever of the Month - Samuel Perez (Fort Myers) - 6 G, 1.29 ERA, 14.0 IP, 8 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 6 BB, 14 K Signed out of the Frontier League during the 2021 season, Perez has spent the vast majority of his time in the Twins system with Low-A Fort Myers. He put up a solid 3.30 ERA in 62 2/3 innings last year and has a better 2.84 ERA thus far in 2024. Striking out double-digit batters per nine for the first time in his career, Perez is pushing the envelope when it comes to figuring out his stuff and utilizing it in the best way. Hit hit and home run rates have been solid in 2024 as well, and a return to Cedar Rapids could be on deck. Perez would be a late-blooming prospect in that he’s already 24 years old, but relievers often take time to come around. Continuing this development following a strong June could make his 2024 season one to remember, and if his career takes off from here, then this will be a month to look back on. What do you think of the Twins Minor League Reliever of the Month selection? How would your list have looked? View full article

Jose Miranda made Minnesota Twins history on Friday night against the Houston Astros, but the rest of the lineup failed to get the job done. Pablo Lopez was again shaky and the series kicked off with a loss. Image courtesy of © Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports Box Score SP: Pablo Lopez 5.0+ IP, 8 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 2 BB, 6 K (91 pitches, 62 strikes, 8 whiffs) Home Runs: Jose Miranda(9), Carlos Correa (11) Bottom 3 WPA: Pablo Lopez (-.330), Josh Winder (-.169), Carlos Correa (-.143) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) 90 Feet at a Time The Minnesota Twins needed Pablo Lopez to continue looking like the starter he had in recent outings against the Oakland Athletics and Seattle Mariners. After just an eight-pitch first inning, Lopez ran into trouble during the second. With a pair on and no one out, Houston continued to single runners around the bases. Yainer Diaz, Jon Singleton, and Jeremy Pena all scored to make it 3-0. Facing the Astros Shawn Dubin, Jose Miranda extended his hitting streak to nine games with a second inning single. Following his 5-for-5 day on Thursday, it was also his sixth straight hit. The Twins loaded the bases in front of Brooks Lee, and the rookie ripped another single to drive in Minnesota’s first run. Willi Castro drew a bases loaded walk to score Carlos Santana and make it a 3-2 game, but Carlos Correa left the sacks packed when his pop out ended the inning. Yes Way, Jose After Dubin got Trevor Larnach on strikes, Miranda stepped in with his six straight hits and made it a seventh. Ripping a solo shot down the left field line, the Twins suddenly had tied the game at three, and Miranda’s dinger made it eight straight plate appearances with a hit as well. That matched Joe Mauer’s streak from the 2006 season, and another hit would match a team record. Looking for a quick zero, Lopez started his inning getting Pena to ground out to the guy he took over for. Correa continues to be a defensive wizard for Minnesota, and his latest web gem was nothing short of spectacular. Of course you may have become accustomed to these plays from the Twins shortstop, but he is nothing to take for granted. Stepping in looking to tie the record (held by Tony Oliva, Mickey Hatcher, and Todd Walker), Miranda ripped a double just over third base. Manuel Margot, who came on and walked for Larnach, motored around from first base to score the go-ahead run. A ninth straight hit surpassed Mauer’s streak and gives him a chance to set a new franchise record during his next plate appearance. Margot was thrown out on a Max Kepler dribbler that could have made it a 5-3 game, but the Twins kept the pressure on. Buxton roped a double to Yordan Alvarez in left field, and with two outs, Minnesota had runners on second and third. Unable to plate either, the one-run lead is what the Twins took to the sixth inning. More Singles, Less Pablo As was the case during the first inning, Houston stacked singles against the Minnesota starter. Three in a row to lead off the sixth inning knotted things at four and sent Lopez to the showers. The Twins starter didn’t record an out in the sixth inning, and left with Jorge Alcala inheriting runners on first and second. He got Jake Meyers to strike out swinging, but Joey Loperfido bounced a ground rule double off of the chalk line to make it a 6-4 Houston lead. Alcala walked the bases loaded before getting Alvarez to roll over and stop the bleeding. Josh Winder took over in the seventh inning and it was his first appearance since September 2023. He immediately struck out Yainer Diaz, and his strikeout of Singleton featured a 96.9 mph fastball to end it. That happened to be the hardest-thrown pitch of his entire major league career. Meyers doubled after Pena reached on a nubber back to the mound, and Houston pushed the lead to 7-4. Winder plunked Loperfido on the foot with a slider, and the outing took a turn following two quick outs. Cesar Salazar grounded out up the middle to end the inning. History for Jose Miranda stepped in against Bryan Abreu in the seventh inning, and his single through the hole at second base gave him a hit in his tenth consecutive plate appearance. A new Twins record had been established, and he was just one hit away from tying the major league record at eleven. Kepler took a solid swing and sent a ball back up the middle. Miranda came around to score and Santana found himself just 90 feet away. Unfortunately Buxton was unable to cash in a run, and it was up to Lee with runners on the corners and two outs. Abreu got him looking to keep the lead intact and push Minnesota to 2-for-12 with runners in scoring position on the evening. After Winder sent Jose Altuve out of the game after hitting him on the wrist, Houston quickly made it hurt with traffic on the bases for Alvarez. He dumped a run-scoring single into left field. Diaz poked a ball to the same spot and loaded the bases against Winder loading the bases, and despite working around Singleton, Pena lofted a ball to Margot in left field. It bounced off his glove, and the Astros pushed it to 9-5 on the error. Meyers lifted a sac fly to Buxton and Minnesota’s deficit was now 10-5. Vazquez attempted to give the Twins life as he led off the eighth inning with a single against Luis Contreras. Loperfido made an insane catch on a Castro fly out though, and sucked the air out of any potential rally. 9th Inning Frenzy The Twins failing to capitalize was the name of the game tonight. Of course they came up short in the eighth inning, and Kody Funderburk allowing additional runs to the Astros made any sort of a last ditch effort even more difficult. Alex Bregman got him for a three run blast, and it took Funderburk nearly 30 pitches to get through the frame. Austin Martin pinch hit for Miranda in the ninth inning, meaning his attempt to tie the MLB record for consecutive hits, will go into tomorrow against Hunter Brown. Margot went down quickly, but Martin did single in his pinch hit spot. Kyle Farmer got an at bat and went down on strikes. Kepler beat out an infield single before Buxton singled to left field to drive in a run. Lee then continued to hit and singled home Kepler to make it a 13-7 game. Vazquez lofted a run-scoring double down the left field line, and all of a sudden the Twins were making it interesting again. Castro was up with runners on second and third. He worked a three-two count before drawing a walk which forced Joe Espada to turn to closer Josh Hader. Correa was Minnesota's batter, looking to extend his hitting streak as he stepped in having gone 0-for-5 on the evening. He blasted a grand slam off the Astros closer, and all of a sudden the Twins trailed by just one. Margot was in a good spot, going against a lefty but swung at an ugly pitch to end the game and come up just short. Minnesota finished 6-for-16 with runners in scoring position but left nine on base. Recording 17 hits on the evening, they could have seen a better result with just a bit more from the bullpen. Notes David Festa was sent out following the Twins victory against the Detroit Tigers on Thursday. His turn in the rotation doesn’t come up again until Monday against the White Sox. Josh Winder took his roster spot, but a corresponding move would make sense to grab a starter. Louie Varland did not fare well on Thursday night for the Saints, and Caleb Boushley was roughed up his last time out as well. Randy Dobnak, although needing a 40-man roster spot, could be a consideration. Of course, Chris Paddack will be eligible to come off the Injured List then as well. Baldelli noted Paddack was trending well, and he would make the most sense. Brock Stewart’s timeline was recently reported as August into September. He threw live batting practice today at Target Field, and has thrown at CHS Field as well. He did hit teammate Kyle Farmer though. Hitting 95-96 mph on Friday, a rehab assignment soon would have him back much more quickly than the grim reports. A Whole New Ballgame in Blaine Having watched multiple Twins games in person this season, and taking them in at different establishments throughout the Twin Cities, I tried the newly opened The Ball Park in Blaine on Friday night. Think Top Golf for baseball. Six HitTrax suites are set up in the back of the restaurant area, and they feature fun family games for all levels. Four traditional batting lanes exist in the back, and their intention is more traditional development. With Xbox setups and a candy wall, everyone in the family can come watch you train. Beyond just the entertainment setup, The Ball Park is also a full-fledged restaurant. With 36 pour-your-own taps adorning a wall, and a full bar, there are options for everyone. Boasting a menu curated by an executive chef, everything from small plates to full-size entrees are available. A patio wraps around the building with plenty of sunlight and open air. Even if you weren’t to step foot in the batter’s box, the ambience of baseball is worth the price of admission. Owners Tim Sanders and Ryan Carlson sought out to use the since vacated Gander Mountain space not far from the National Sports Center, and initially thinking of a baseball training facility, they expanded on the idea. With a limited number of cages throughout the northern part of the metro area, The Ball Park has utility in multiple different capacities. They seemingly have thought of everything, and despite having opened just last week, it has been well-received as one of the most unique venues with few like it across the country. What’s Next? Joe Ryan will start for Minnesota against Hunter Brown and the Astros. The Twins saw Brown earlier this season and will look to even the series with an opportunity to win it on Sunday. Unfortunately, as has been the case in Minnesota much of the summer, rain is again in the forecast. Postgame Interviews Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet View full article

Lots of big flies took place during action for the Twins affiliates on Friday and they nearly found themselves sweeping the competition. Image courtesy of Rob Thompson, St. Paul Saints CURRENT W-L Records Minnesota Twins: 49-38 St. Paul Saints: 43-41 Wichita Wind Surge: 35-45 Cedar Rapids Kernels: 47-31 Fort Myers Mighty Mussels: 41-37 FCL Twins: 20-24 DSL Twins: 13-10 TRANSACTIONS RHP David Festa optioned to Triple-A St. Paul RHP Josh Winder recalled by Minnesota from Triple-A St. Paul RHP Jose Olivares placed on Fort Myers' 7-Day Injured List SAINTS SENTINEL St. Paul 11, Gwinnett 5 Box Score Looking to rebound from the drubbing last night, Adam Plutko was on the bump. He worked six innings allowing four runs on six hits. He gave up a pair of walks and struck out four. The Stripers jumped out to a 3-0 lead early, but the Saints weren’t going away quickly. Anthony Prato ripped a triple with the bases loaded, scoring Diego A. Castillo, Chris Williams, and Payton Eeles to tie the game at three. A third inning run gave Gwinnett the lead, but Williams launched his seventh home run to tie things at four in the fourth inning. The fifth inning saw Williams drive in Yunior Severino and DaShawn Keirsey Jr. on a single, and he hit the ball to left fielder Eddie Rosario. Yes, that one. Edouard Julien drove in Prato on a sixth-inning single, and WIlliams homered for the second time to make it 8-4 in the seventh inning. The eighth inning saw Julien launch a three-run homer to drive in Eeles and Prato putting St. Paul up 11-4. The Stripers got a ninth-inning home run against the recently re-signed Matt Bowman, but they couldn’t claw all the way back. The Saints recorded 10 hits and got three of them from Williams with Julien grabbing a pair of his own. WIND SURGE WISDOM Tulsa 7, Wichita 0 Box Score Marco Raya was on the bump for Wichita and worked four innings while allowing two runs on five hits. He walked a pair and struck out seven, but exited with his lineup needing to provide some help. The Wind Surge bullpen continued to bleed runs, and only the combination of Jared Solomon and Ricardo Velez were able to provide scoreless outings in relief. Wichita recorded just six hits throughout the game, and a pair each came from Jorel Ortega and Jake Rucker. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 11, Quad Cities 4 Box Score It was John Klein’s night for the Kernels and he turned in six innings of three-run baseball. Scattering seven hits, Klein walked just one while striking out a pair. Trailing by one after the first half inning, Cedar Rapids responded with a four-spot. Ricardo Olivar singled home Rayne Doncon before a Nate Baez single brought home Olivar and Jay Harry. Tyler Dearden then singled to drive home Agustin Ruiz and make it a 4-1 game. In the second inning Gabriel Gonzalez drove in Olivar on a single, but the River Bandits plated two more in the third inning to make it 5-3. Another big inning commenced in the sixth with Gonzalez launching his third home run of the season, and Harry followed his lead with his seventh. Dearden then scored Baez on a double and it was an 8-3 lead. Doncon homered for the seventh time this season with a seventh inning solo shot, and Harry brought in Olivar with a sacrifice fly. After Quad Cities answered with one in the eighth inning, Misael Urbina singled home Dearden to make it an 11-4 game. The River Bandits got one back in the ninth inning, but 11-5 is how this one ended. The Kernels recorded 17 hits with Dearden recording four of them. Both Gonzalez and Baez had three hit nights. Doncon and Olivar both had a pair. MUSSEL MATTERS Fort Myers 7, Bradenton 3 Box Score Dealing with weather yet again, because of course they were, Fort Myers got off to a late start. Charlee Soto worked four innings allowing a pair of runs on four hits and two walks. He struck out six. Walker Jenkins was back in the lineup for Fort Myers, but for the 13th time in just 22 games, he was operating as the designated hitter. Coming back from the Opening Day hamstring injury, it seems extreme caution is being exercised. Down 2-0 after the top of the second inning, Fort Myers went to work in the bottom half. Carlos Aguiar hit his third home run of the season and Walker Jenkins singled home Wilfri Castro to tie the contest. Byron Chourio homered in the third inning to give Fort Myers a lead before Castro’s first home run of the season drove in Aguiar and made it 5-2 in the sixth inning. Yohander Martinez reached on an error that scored Ryan McCarthy to make it 6-2. Another run scored for the Marauders in the seventh inning, but Martinez evened the score with a single, scoring McCarthy in the eighth inning. The Mighty Mussels held on for a 7-3 victory. Chourio was responsible for two of the Fort Myers seven hits. COMPLEX CHRONICLES FCL Red Sox 3, FCL Twins 0 (F/7) Box Score Adrian Bohorquez was tagged for three runs across five innings and the Twins lineup was never able to bounce back. Kyle Bloor and Cleiber Maldonado both worked a scoreless inning of relief. The Twins had just four hits, with them being distributed evenly. They struck out 11 times on the afternoon, and drew just four walks. DOMINICAN DAILIES DSL Twins 9, DSL Tigers 2 5 Box Score The Twins faced off against the Tigers second DSL squad on Friday. Putting up nine runs, they helped to bail out starting pitcher Enyer Cepeda, who gave up three runs in one inning of work. Yoel Roque struck out five across 2 2/3 innings of relief, and Melvin Rodriguez picked up his first career win by working three scoreless innings and striking out four. Ricardo Paez recorded two of the Twins eight hits, and Irvin Nunez hit his first career home run. The grand slam was one of two hits for Nunez, and he drove in five RBI. Eduardo Beltre continues to hit, and his 1-for-2 day upped his average to .395. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – Charlee Soto (Fort Myers) – 4.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 6 K Hitter of the Day – Tyler Dearden (Cedar Rapids) - 4-5, R, 2 RBI, 2 2B PROSPECT SUMMARY Check out the Prospect Tracker for much more on the Twins Top 20 prospects after seeing how they did on Thursday. #1– Walker Jenkins (Fort Myers) – 1-5, K #2 – Brooks Lee (Minnesota) – 3-5, 2B(1), R, 2 RBI #5 – Gabriel Gonzalez (Cedar Rapids) – 3-6, R, 2 RBI, HR(3), 2 K #7 – Charlee Soto (Fort Myers) – 4.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 6 K #8 - Austin Martin (Minnesota) - 1-1, R #9 – Luke Keaschall (Wichita) – 0-4, K #13 – Tanner Schobel (Wichita) – 0-3, BB #18 – Yunior Severino (St. Paul) – 1-4, R, BB, 2 K #20 – Ricardo Olivar (Cedar Rapids) – 2-4, 3 R, RBI, 2 BB, K, 3B SATURDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS St. Paul vs Gwinnett (6:37 PM CST) – RHP Aaron Rozek (0-0, 18.69 ERA) Wichita vs Tulsa (7:00 PM CST) – RHP Cory Lewis (0-1, 2.61 ERA) Cedar Rapids @ Quad Cities (6:35 PM CST) – RHP Christian MacLeod (2-1, 3.13 ERA) Fort Myers @ Bradenton (5:05 PM CST) – RHP Jose Olivares (2-1, 2.73 ERA) Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Friday’s games! 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As the Major League Baseball season barrels towards the trade deadline, the Minnesota Twins are well positioned to add. The big league club is holding its own, and while they still trail the Cleveland Guardians, a few reinforcements could help to close the gap. Expecting the Minnesota Twins to add lineup help seems pretty unlikely. Brooks Lee is getting an opportunity right now, and Matt Wallner has been knocking on the door of a promotion for a while. DaShawn Keirsey Jr. could be a consideration, and the hope would be that Edouard Julien ultimately turns things around and returns to the big leagues. Short of a catcher to replace Christian Vazquez, if it’s not going to be Jair Camargo, there aren’t many places for upgrades. The opposite is true in both the starting rotation and bullpen. Both groups have some really soft spots at the bottom of their pecking order, and that's probably where Derek Falvey should focus the vast majority of his energy and resources. Looking specifically at the relief corps, Minnesota needs an upgrade. Caleb Thielbar isn’t cutting it. Cole Sands and Steven Okert remain shaky. Josh Staumont could hit regression hard. Here are six names for the Twins to consider: Kenley Jansen (Red Sox) This is arguably the least likely arm to be considered for a handful of reasons. First, while they aren’t going to win the division, the Red Sox are squarely in the Wild Card race. Why they would deal their closer, who is performing well, remains unclear but they are apparently open to it. He also is making $16 million this year, and although Minnesota would need to pay just a prorated portion of that, it requires ownership spending money. However, Jansen was a swap I liked before the season, and if he could be added to the group of high-leverage arms that includes Griffin Jax and the current version of Jhoan Duran, sign me up. Fernando Cruz (Reds) If Cruz strikes you as something of a Jorge Lopez scare, I get it, but there are differences here. Yes, he is older at 34, and he has just over 100 big-league innings under his belt. However, he has a track record of success as a reliever, unlike Lopez, and his secondary numbers are even better. Cruz is a strikeout machine, and while he is under team control through 2028, there’s really no reason for the Reds to hang onto a reliever who won’t be around when they are competitive. Cruz is a strikeout machine, costs the major league minimum, and would be an excellent addition for Rocco Baldelli. Given the team control, though, he probably costs something like the Cade Povich and Yennier Cano return for Minnesota. Right now, that may mean moving C.J. Culpepper or Cory Lewis. Kirby Yates (Rangers) Expecting the reigning World Series champs to sell may be presumptuous, but if the Rangers are still 10 games under .500 at the deadline, they may pick the more conservative path. Max Scherzer would be fun from a starting perspective, and David Robertson works as a reliever, but both have gaudy price tags. Yates, however, is owed just $4.5 million this season, and is an impending free agent. With years of closing experience, he is currently putting up the best numbers he ever has as a big leaguer. A sub-1.00 ERA is backed by a dazzling FIP, and his strikeout rates remain strong. Yates may be the most coveted reliever on the trading block, and that means the price will be steep even if he is an aging veteran rental. Andrew Nardi (Marlins) Maybe this inclusion is surprising, but take a closer look. With Thielbar struggling a lefty could be prioritized to pair with Okert and Kody Funderburk. Nardi isn’t arbitration-eligible until 2026, and he’s only 25 years old, but the Marlins have zero direction. He owns a bloated 5.12 ERA this season, but has a 2.53 FIP. He’s giving up hits in front of a terrible Miami defense. Last season, across 57 1/3 innings, Nardi owned a 2.67 ERA. He records a bunch of strikeouts, has a chase rate of 37%, and has consistently been at a 13% whiff rate throughout his career. Sitting at 94 mph on his fastball, he isn’t a soft-tosser, and throwing a slider more than 40% of the time, he’s right up the Twins' alley. Yimi Garcia (Blue Jays) Currently on the injured list, the Twins would need to evaluate the Blue Jays reliever cautiously or watch the Target Field's faithful grab their pitchforks. Across 28 innings this year, Garcia has posted a 2.57 ERA and has the highest strikeout rate of his career. Jordan Romano has operated as Toronto’s closer, but Garcia has experience there as well. He’s in the final year of a $16 million deal and owed just a prorated portion of his $5 million salary. Set to throw off a mound again soon, seeing Garcia back in game action for a couple of weeks before the deadline would make him much more appealing. Nick Mears (Rockies) Taking on anything from the Rockies comes with a caution tag, but Mears may be the perfect buy-low candidate. The 27-year-old righty owns a 5.92 ERA but has a 2.79 FIP. He’s actually been terrible on the road, as opposed to pitching at Coors Field, but a better-equipped organization may be the key to unlocking his full potential. There isn’t a significant track record of success, and Mears can’t be the only pitcher Minnesota would acquire, but he would be a nice second addition to the group. Already boasting a 96.7 mph fastball, it would not be shocking to see Minnesota push him toward triple digits by the time he reaches free agency in 2028. The Twins should stay far away from Mason Miller. He's been great, and it's good that the Oakland Athletics have something redeemable about them, but let someone else pay that freight. What do you think, which names of this group are most intriguing to you and why? View full article

A handful of Minnesota Twins pitching prospects showed out over the last month, and for a big-league club that needs more in the rotation, that’s great to see. Check out who took the minor league starting pitcher of the month honors for June. Image courtesy of Ed Bailey, Wichita Wind Surge Recent updates to prospect lists have had Twins prospects David Festa and Zebby Matthews showing up among the top 100. They aren’t the only arms who have had standout seasons throughout the system, though, and June brought some stellar performances. Let’s get into it: 4. Jose Olivares (Fort Myers) - 4 G, 16.1 IP, 2.76 ERA, 14 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 4 BB, 20 K Signed as an international free agent out of Venezuela, Olivares started with a rehab assignment in the Complex League and then quickly elevated back to Fort Myers. He was virtually lights-out in June, and for a rotation seeking a level of stability, he was able to provide it. Olivares is 21 years old and could be an option to see Cedar Rapids by the end of the season, if he is going to continue pitching like this. 3. Randy Dobnak (St. Paul) - 5 G, 25.1 IP, 2.13 ERA, 20 H, 10 R, 6 ER, 12 BB, 29 K Dobnak’s story is well-documented, and he has certainly been through the wringer trying to get back to the big leagues. Pitching well this season for the Saints, his June had him in consideration to replace Chris Paddack in Rocco Baldelli’s rotation. Ultimately the spot went to top prospect David Festa, but Dobnak could be among the next pitchers considered. He would need a 40-man spot, and his walks still leave a bit to be desired, but the repertoire now includes an impressive changeup and he’s racking up strikeouts. 2. Zebby Matthews (Wichita) - 4 G, 23.2 IP, 1.90 ERA, 16 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 26 K Showing up on Baseball America’s top 100 prospects, Matthews is exploding onto the scene with his ridiculous strikeout-to-walk numbers. It would be impressive to see him give 2014 Phil Hughes a run for his money. Matthews is already 24, and was an eighth-round pick, but he’s making quick work of Double-A Wichita this season. Despite beginning the year with High-A Cedar Rapids, it still stands to reason that he could earn a promotion to Triple-A St. Paul before the calendar turns. He is certainly a part of Minnesota’s pitching pipeline at this point, and Matthews presents another future rotation option. Pitcher of the Month - Andrew Morris (Wichita) - 5 G, 26.2 IP, 1.01 ERA, 16 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 5 BB, 27 K Racking up multiple minor league pitcher of the week honors in June, it’s not a shock that Morris would be the choice for pitcher of the month. Taken in the fourth round of the 2022 Major League Baseball Draft, the same year that Matthews was drafted, the Texas Tech product has continued to make his name known throughout the system. Now 22 years old, Morris is in a similar spot to Matthews. He has pitched at both Cedar Rapids and Wichita this season, and continued performance wouldn’t take a trip to St. Paul out of the question. During 2024 as a whole, Morris has pitched virtually the same amount at both High-A and Double-A. Surprisingly, he has gotten even better with the rise in level. While his strikeout rate has dipped slightly, he is allowing even fewer hits and simply dominating opposing hitters. Morris is someone that wouldn’t have been extremely notable on organization prospect lists even a year ago, but at this point he is a name to be reckoned with. What do you think of the starting pitcher of the month choice for June? How would your list look? View full article

The St. Paul Saints had a testy matchup go sideways while the Kernels put up runs in bunches. The lower levels of the system showed out on the Fourth of July, and the Minnesota Twins affiliates all enjoyed some good action. Image courtesy of David Malamut (@MWLArchives on X) CURRENT W-L Records Minnesota Twins: 49-38 St. Paul Saints: 42-41 Wichita Wind Surge: 35-43 Cedar Rapids Kernels: 44-29 Fort Myers Mighty Mussels: 40-37 FCL Twins: 19-22 DSL Twins: 12-10 TRANSACTIONS RHP Diego Castillo signed with Minnesota and has been assigned to Triple-A St. Paul RHP Matt Bowman signed with Minnesota and has been assigned to Triple-A St. Paul RHP Jordan Balazovic has signed with the Doosan Bears of the KBO of the KB OF Dalton Shuffield placed on IL by Wichita INF Payton Eeles transferred from Cedar Rapids to St. Paul SAINTS SENTINEL Gwinnett 11, St. Paul 0 Box Score Louie Varland made the start for St. Paul and it was an abbreviated mess. An elongated first inning had Chris Williams coming on in relief, and Varland returned in the second inning with runners on first and third before allowing a dinger. In total, he worked 2 2/3 innings allowing two runs on four hits and three walks while striking out just one. Matt Wallner and Diego A. Castillo both recorded a pair of hits, but the Saints were trumped by an 11-0 tally. After struggling to keep the Stripers in control on Wednesday night, it was more of the same on Thursday. Relievers Diego Castillo and Matt Bowman both rejoined the squad, and broadcaster Sean Aronson was set for a promotion to the big leagues in a few days. The Saints saw a decent amount of turnover this week, but finding a win against Gwinnett continued to escape them. WIND SURGE WISDOM Wichita 1, Tulsa 1 (Susp/6) Box Score Kyle Jones made the start in what was his Wichita debut. He went three scoreless allowing just a single hit and scattering a pair of walks. Jones also walked two while striking out three. Carson McCusker blasted his sixth home run of the season in the fourth inning to make it a 1-0 game, but Tulsa tied it in the fifth inning. Rain caused the game to be suspended before the sixth inning could start. Luke Keaschall and McCusker both had a pair of hits by that point. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 8, Quad Cities 5 Box Score Ty Langenberg took the ball for the Kernels and turned in 5 2/3 innings of two-run (unearned baseball). He did walk four while allowing a pair of hits, but he also struck out four and kept the damage to a minimum. Jay Harry opened the scoring on a second inning groundout that scored Kevin Maitan and made it 1-0. In the third inning, Rayne Doncon singled home Misael Urbina before Ricardo Olivar tripled Doncon in. Gabriel Gonzalez then singled to drive in the game’s fourth run and the Kernels had a 4-0 lead. Urbina scored Harry with a fourth inning single before Gonzalez doubled home Olivar in the fifth inning. Up 6-0, the Kernels were comfortably in the lead. The River Bandits clawed back and made it a one-run game by the seventh inning, but Agustin Ruiz went yard in the bottom of the frame to make it an 8-5 game. The Kernels saw Urbina go 3-for-3 while Olivar and Gonzalez each contributed a pair of hits. A.J. Labas got the hold while Kyle Bischoff recorded a save. MUSSEL MATTERS Fort Myers 2, Bradenton 1 Box Score Spencer Bengard got the ball on Independence Day and was lights out. He worked six scoreless innings, dancing around six hits, while also striking out five and walking none. It would have been hard to have a better showing prior to the fireworks. Both sides remained scoreless through the first four frames. Nick Lucky scored the game’s first run on a fifth inning wild pitch, and Byron Chourio drove in Walker Jenkins during the sixth inning. Despite giving a run back to Bradenton in the eighth inning, Fort Myers held on. With just four hits, the Mighty Mussels didn’t have anyone record a pair. They also carried a 12/2 K/BB on the evening. Xander Hamilton picked up his fifth save working 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief. COMPLEX CHRONICLES FCL Orioles 3, FCL Twins 1 Box Score Eduardo Soriano drew the start for the Twins and worked four innings. He gave up three runs on five hits while walking a pair and striking out three. Despite Jayson Bass scoring Bryan Acuna on a first inning single, the Orioles quickly tied things and took the lead. The Twins couldn’t draw even and ultimately fell by the 3-1 tally. Bass recorded the lone hit of the game while the Twins went 13/3 from a K/BB perspective. DOMINICAN DAILIES DSL Twins 8, DSL Rockies 4 Box Score Leonardo Rondon took the ball and worked four innings while allowing just a single run on five hits. He walked one but struck out three on the afternoon as well. Recording 13 hits on the afternoon, Carlos Silva paced the squad with three of them. He pushed his OPS to .865 this season, and continues to look the part of a promising prospect. Eduardo Beltre, Ramiro Domingeuz, and Guillermo Sosa each had a pair of hits. Eudy Garcia got the win in relief, and Neftali Rodriguez also worked a scoreless inning. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – Spencer Bengard (Fort Myers) - 6.0 IP, 6 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 K Hitter of the Day – Carlos Silva (DSL Twins) - 3-3, R, 2 RBI, 2B(5) PROSPECT SUMMARY Check out the Prospect Tracker for much more on the Twins Top 20 prospects after seeing how they did on Thursday. #1– Walker Jenkins (Fort Myers) – 1-4, R, K #2 – Brooks Lee (Minnesota) – #5 – Gabriel Gonzalez (Cedar Rapids) – 2-4, 2 RBI, 2B #8 – Austin Martin (Minnesota) – #9 – Luke Keaschall (Wichita) – 2-2, BB #10 – Brandon Winokur (Fort Myers) – #13 – Tanner Schobel (Wichita) – 0-2, K #14 – Zebby Matthews (Wichita) – 6.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 6 K #18 – Yunior Severino (St. Paul) – 1-4, 2 K #20 – Ricardo Olivar (Cedar Rapids) – 2-4, 2 R, RBI, 3B FRIDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS St. Paul vs Gwinnett (7:07 PM CST) – RHP Adam Plutko (2-1, 4.75 ERA) Wichita vs Tulsa (7:05 PM CST) – RHP Marco Raya (0-1, 4.75 ERA) Cedar Rapids @ Quad Cities (6:30 PM CST) – RHP John Klein (5-2, 4.66 ERA) Fort Myers @ Bradenton (5:30 PM CST) – RHP Charlee Soto (0-3, 6.58 ERA) Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Thursday’s games! 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When the Minnesota Twins broke camp and headed to the regular season, Trevor Larnach was not on the roster. Dealing with turf toe, and having already been optioned to minor league camp, his fate had been determined. Then he was needed, and this time he answered the call. Image courtesy of © John Froschauer-USA TODAY Sports After Matt Wallner struggled to get going out of the gate this season, he was sent back to Triple-A St. Paul looking for a reset. That meant a healthy Trevor Larnach was going to get an opportunity, but having previously failed to capitalize on it, expectations were uncertain. Through his first month in the big leagues during the 2024 season it appeared as though he was going to stick. The results were immediately positive, and Alex Kirilloff had all but flamed out after a strong April. The even better news is that Larnach’s current career-best 110 OPS+ is probably just scratching the surface. Larnach has never batted .256 for Minnesota previously, and his .440 slugging percentage is reflective of a power stroke that was dreamt on when drafting him out of Oregon State. Having notably been attacked with breaking stuff in years past, Larnach is laying off unhittable pitches and striking out at just an 18% clip. Facing the least amount of fastballs, and most amount of sliders he ever has, pitchers still aren't beating him. While he could afford to add back into his walk rate, when swinging, the former Beaver is looking to do damage. Some of Larnach’s hard hit rate has slipped, but his 92 mph average exit velocity is a career high. It was because of his ability to drive the baseball that he found himself in the first round of the 2018 Major League Baseball draft in the first place, and he has found it at the highest level. Making some slight changes to his setup and swing, he has begun to unlock a new level. Owning just a .271 BABIP, Larnach has been incredibly unlucky. Projected values have his batting average at .291, slugging at .511, and wOBA at .361. Each of those is a significant jump for his actual numbers, and continuing to produce the same batted ball outcomes will ultimately turn the tide in his favor. Rocco Baldelli needs to continue seeing this sort of performance from Larnach. With Wallner having heated up at Triple-A, he could be called upon at any moment. Max Kepler is entrenched as the Twins regular right fielder, and Willi Castro is also capable of cycling in at left field. Larnach has likely distanced himself from Kirilloff, but none of the playing time can be taken for granted. With eight home runs through 50 games this season, there’s a very straightforward path for him to reach double-digits for the first time in his career. Although he is already 27 years old, Larnach could simply be a late-bloomer coming into his prime, and seeing a 20 or 30 home run season come to fruition in the next season or so would hardly be a shock. As the Twins look at roster reconfiguration next year, what Larnach is able to prove or substantiate this season will go a long way towards determining his future with the franchise. He hits arbitration for the first time in 2025, and could be an extension candidate if a bigger breakout is seen on the horizon. The Twins have never gotten more than 79 games in a single season from Larnach. Due to both injury and ineffectiveness, he has routinely been shuttled between the big leagues and the farm. Seeing that storyline break this year, and with just under 80 games yet to go, reaching 115 or so played could have Larnach reaching numbers that he should have always been seen as capable of. View full article