Ted Schwerzler

Minnesota had three selections in the first two rounds of the 2022 Major League Baseball draft. They were hoping to hit on talent early as their 3rd round selection was forfeited by signing Carlos Correa. The Twins landed on a shortstop from Virginia Tech, Tanner Schobel, with their Competitive Balance B selection. Looking at the MLB.com pre-draft rankings, Tanner Schobel found himself checking it at 96th. He started every game of his college career, and has played both up-the-middle positions. Schobel broke out in a big way playing in the Cape Cod League last summer, and he continued to ride that momentum towards a solid season with the Hokies. Looking forward to getting his professional career started, Schobel was kind enough to answer a few questions first. Twins Daily: You started all 111 games during your college career. Making a pretty substantial offensive leap over the last two seasons, what would you attribute most to the growth? Tanner Schobel: Through my two seasons at Virginia Tech I would attribute my growth to the scouting reports that our coaches put in place for us as well as developing and maturing in the weight room as well as in my workouts on the field. Also being around experienced players like Gavin Cross, Nick Biddison, Cade Hunter, and many more I was able to grow in my game and learn from them. TD: Power production showed up this season, was there a change in approach to generate that? How much do you lean into analytics when looking to improve your swing? TS: My power numbers were much better this season due to getting stronger in the weight room and paying closer attention to detail. In our pre-game and pre-weekend scout meetings, I would recognize patterns that pitchers would fall into. I would study the at bats before me and get a good idea of what kind of pitch I was getting in which counts. I would also try and pick up on the locations that the pitchers were trying to target. By doing this I had a game plan and a set approach and was able to put good swings on pitches that I was comfortable doing damage with. TD: As a defender ,the Twins tabbed you as a shortstop. Having played second base as well, is there a side of the diamond you feel more comfortable on? How would you describe your defensive abilities? TS: At school, I was very comfortable filling in whatever role my coaches wanted of me. If it was at second base, I would do my best to be the best second baseman. If it was at shortstop, I would do my best to be the best shortstop. I am very comfortable on both sides of the infield and view myself as the type of player that can play any position asked of me to help our team win the most amount of games. TD: When transitioning to pro ball, what is the one thing about your game you feel most confident in and where's an area you look forward to further developing? TS: Going into professional baseball I am most confident in my knowledge of the game, especially in the batter's box. Being able to have a set game plan and approach that I developed throughout college and have been successful with is really exciting for me moving forward. I understand the game is only getting harder and that I will have to make adjustments physically and mentally but I feel like I have a very good foundation and am excited to get going with it. As I continue to grow in professional baseball I am looking forward to becoming more versatile and learning from the very talented and hardworking players around me. There are things within my game that I may not notice that my teammates and coaches will point out and I’m excited to soak in a ton of information to help me be the best baseball player I can be. TD: What do you know about the Minnesota Twins? Have you ever been to Target Field? TS: What I know about the Minnesota Twins is that they are very good at developing their players within the organization from top to bottom and that they want their players to succeed and will give them every opportunity to succeed. I have never been to Target Field before or Minnesota in general but I am excited to make it there someday and compete for the Twins. TD: Either as a person or a player, what is something you want Twins Territory to know about you? TS: Something I want Twins Territory to know about me is they will get nothing but my absolute best and I’m excited to win a whole lot of ball games with them. View full article

Now taking place during the All-Star Break, MLB teams have the opportunity to improve their farm systems through the amateur draft. Following a down 2021 season, the Twins found themselves near the top of each round. With their 7th-round selection, they took right-handed pitcher, Kyle Jones, from the University of Toledo. A Michigan native, Kyle Jones is a four-year senior from the University of Toledo. A starting pitcher for the Rockets, Jones was a workhorse throwing 91 1/3 innings this past season. He posted a 4.24 ERA alongside 11.3 K/9. He became the third pitcher Minnesota selected in the 2022 MLB draft, and was noted as a high-character guy by a few different people I reached out to. I caught up with Jones after his selection to ask a few questions and introduce him to Twins Territory. Twins Daily: Working as a starter this season for Toledo, what does your repertoire look like and what is your best pitch? Kyle Jones: As a starter this year for Toledo, I worked with a four-seam fastball, spike curveball, and splitter. This summer I have been working on adding a cutter to my arsenal as well. My best pitch has always been my curveball since it has been hard with late break. My splitter played pretty well this year in spots and I’m excited to gain confidence with it. TD: How do you set yourself up to attack hitters? What type of pitcher would you describe yourself as and what goes into your preparation? KJ: I try to get ahead in the count as early as possible to reduce walks and let my offspeed work. I see myself as a pitchability guy since I can get swings and misses on my offspeed and fill up the strike zone. I stick to my weekly routine as much as possible to make sure that I am ready to go whenever I get on the mound. This includes mobility, conditioning, lifting, and a weekly bullpen. TD: The 114 strikeouts across just 91 1/3 innings are more than impressive, but then paired with just 25 walks, your ability to command the zone looks even better. What do you think can separate you as a pitcher in professional baseball? KJ: I think that being able to throw three pitches for strikes without walking many will be a separator for me professionally. I also think that being routine-oriented can help me stay healthy and consistent throughout the season. TD: Minnesota is trending towards an organization that heavily employs advanced analytics. What is your background with using the data and incorporating it into the way you pitch? KJ: I love having access to analytics whenever I have the chance. In the past, I have done pitch design sessions and training with Rapsodo which has been great for me to learn about my arsenal and metrics. Being at a mid-major, we do not always have access to Trackman data during the season, but I try to use it whenever I have the chance. I am really looking forward to diving deeper into the analytical part of pitching and am excited that the Twins will be able to provide that. TD: What do you know about the Minnesota Twins? Have you ever been to Target Field? KJ: Growing up in Detroit, I had watched the Tigers play the Twins, but have never been to Minnesota or Target Field. I know they have been playing some good baseball recently and am excited to contribute to the organization! TD: What is something you want Twins Territory to know about you as a person or player? KJ: I just want to say that I can’t wait to get down to Fort Myers and get going with the Twins. I also want to give a shoutout to my family for all the love and support throughout my career as well as to all my coaches who have gotten me to where I am today. View full article

With the Major League Baseball Trade Deadline moved to August 2 this year, the Minnesota Twins have nine games left before the opportunity to acquire talent comes and goes. There’s no denying Derek Falvey and Thad Levine have work to do in that area, but how realistic is it that they have the talent to move? Now, to be completely fair, the Minnesota Twins farm system has plenty of talent. While the group may not be topping charts across the league as a whole, there’s a glut of future Major Leaguers within the ranks. The larger question here is to what extent are Minnesota’s prospects coveted by other organizations, and what can they realistically bring in return. That question is not easy because so many of the Twins top prospects have recently graduated. Jose Mirnada is thriving at the Major League level. Alex Kirilloff looks healthy and competitive. Gilberto Celestino may be near his ceiling, but it’s clear he’s a capable big-league outfielder. Trevor Larnach is currently hurt, but has flashed being an impact bat. There shouldn’t be any desire to trade Royce Lewis, and Jhoan Duran may wind up as Minnesota’s best rookie. The top of the farm system is now being coached by Rocco Baldelli. After recently updating my top 30 prospects following day one of the Major League Baseball Draft, each of Minnesota’s three picks has found their way into the group. I can’t imagine a scenario in which any of them are considered in a package right now, and that’s before considering the complications limiting any of them being moved. At the top of the group, you find Austin Martin. Looking to increase his power potential, Martin has changed his swing and approach this season. What was once a high-average hitter is a guy posting a .691 OPS and no longer a shortstop. He’s far too young to suggest this is a bust, but the prospect luster around him when acquired in exchange for Jose Berrios has worn a bit. Simeon Woods-Richardson has taken over for Jordan Balazovic as Minnesota’s top pitching prospect, but he’s currently on the injured list and his rebound has been just to the tune of 53 innings this season. Matt Canterino looks like he could be a dominant reliever, but there has to be a better string of health there. Speaking of Balazovic, he’s looked completely lost at Triple-A and couldn’t be dealt at a time where his value looks any lower. Realistically speaking, the first two names that come to mind when constructing a trade package are Spencer Steer and Matt Wallner. The former is following a path similar to that of Miranda last season and has done incredibly well at both Double and Triple-A. Steer should absolutely be a name that the Twins start conversations with, but I don’t know that a recent addition to the back half of top 100 lists will be enough of a building block to land a big-name starter like Frankie Montas. In Wallner, Minnesota has a better version of what Brent Rooker could have been. Wallner is a massive power bat that has made strides when it comes to controlling the strike zone. It will be interesting to see if he can keep that up while remaining at Triple-A, but there’s a saving grace in the outfield. Wallner isn’t exactly Max Kepler out there, but his massive arm provides plenty of assist opportunity. The Twins didn’t work him as a pitcher in pro ball, but that could be a fallback option for an acquiring team if need be. Ultimately I think it’s evident that Minnesota has the pieces to acquire just about any amount of relief help they need. On the starting front though, especially the big-name talents, it’s hard to imagine a scenario in which prospects alone are enough to get a deal done. View full article

The Minnesota Twins are just a couple of weeks from the Major League Baseball Trade Deadline. Needing to get better before that point, they’ll have to look at which pieces they’re willing to swap for new talent. Focusing on the rotation and bullpen, they have more than a few options to consider. Looking at teams that could consider being sellers, I came up with 49 names as part of a Trade Deadline Manifesto. Any number of those players could be had, and there will be plenty of buyers looking to acquire their talents. Although Minnesota could use a bat, and now with the injury to Ryan Jeffers, some catching help, the focus should still be on the mound. Using Baseball Trade Values in an attempt to build some realistic packages, here’s a trio of options for Minnesota to consider. Working from a starter to a package and finally just bullpen help, you decide if the juice is worth the squeeze on any of these swaps. Minnesota Twins get: Frankie Montas Oakland Athletics get: Spencer Steer, Matt Canterino, Steven Hajjar, Marco Raya Arguably the most discussed name on the open market, Montas’ value is a complete question mark right now due to his health. If the shoulder isn’t serious, he’s going to be moved and Oakland should command a haul. He’s probably not quite the level of Luis Castillo, but that could help Minnesota’s chances to land him. Whatever you make of it, they are currently the betting favorite to do so per Bovada. Netting an ace like Montas, who is also under team control through 2023, isn’t going to come cheap. In this scenario, Minnesota would need to part with one of their Futures Game participants in Steer. Canterino is probably a reliever, but he could be an elite one at that. Hajjar is a former 2nd round pick, while Raya was a 4th round pick. Both have started their professional careers on a high note and the early returns look promising. It’s fair to suggest this may still not be enough and that makes the Twins give even greater. Minnesota Twins get: Jose Quintana, David Bednar Pittsburgh Pirates get: Matt Wallner, David Festa, Aaron Sabato This is a tricky swap given the amount of team control Bednar still has to his credit. He’s a reliever and is already 27-years-old, but he also has earned his first All-Star appearance and looks the part of among the best arms on the market. Quintana has thrived for the Pirates and has previously experienced success as a frontline starter. He’s a free agent at the end of the season, but could provide valuable innings down the stretch. With Ke’Bryan Hayes and O’Neil Cruz manning the left side of the infield, Pittsburgh may be more inclined to target Wallner from the Twins than Steer. Festa was a 13th round pick out of Seton Hall, but he’s posted a dominant 2.01 ERA across his first 80 2/3 professional innings. The hope for the Pirates on Sabato would be that a change of scenery could help him. He’s flopped hard as a big bat prospect that’s limited to anything beyond first base. This could be an area for additional value to be squeezed from this trade if they are able to make it work. Depending on the market for Bednar, this return could be entirely too light. Minnesota Twins get: Daniel Bard Colorado Rockies get: Kala’i Rosario, Steven Cruz This is the type of deal Minnesota should have plenty of ammunition for. They need help in the bullpen, so any amount of relievers on deals that expire this season make sense. Bard is 37-years-old and his journey back to the big leagues is well documented. The 2.02 ERA and 20 saves has him looking like one of the best closers on the market. Pairing Bard at the back of the bullpen with Jhoan Duran would be a nice come-up for Minnesota. Rosario might be a lot to give up for an aging reliever, but there’s also a ton of volatility with a hitter so young and so strikeout prone. The power is absolutely there, and that would play nicely in Colorado, but it’s hard to project if he’ll ever make enough contact for it to matter. Cruz has one of the biggest fastballs in Minnesota’s system, but command has been a problem. He’s 23-years-old and at Double-A, so there’s still time for someone to make it work. What do you think? Are you in on any of these trades? Is there a prospect that is completely hands off for you? View full article

The date was July 14, 2008, and Yankee Stadium was buzzing with the excitement of baseballs being launched into the night. Kicking off the All-Star Game festivities was Chris Berman’s shining moment, the Home Run Derby. This particular event was highlighted by Josh Hamilton’s crazy performance, but everyone in Twins Territory remembers it for a different reason. Minnesota Twins first basemen Justin Morneau capture the MVP trophy in 2006, and in 2007 he became an All-Star for the first time. A two-time All-Star in 2008, Morneau participated in his second Major League Home Run Derby. Through the first 95 games that year, all played before the break, Morneau walloped 14 homers. The field was split between American and National League participants, with Morneau being joined from the division by Cleveland’s Grady Sizemore. The format was different than it is today, with 10 outs being available and the rounds being untimed. As long as the baseball was sent into the bleachers, a tally was added to the total. There were no distance challenges and the goal was simple. Following a set by rock band 3 Doors Down, The Derby was set to get underway. Vladimir Guerroro was the 2007 victor, but was absent as he opted to spend time with his family. This time around, it was anyone’s opportunity to capture the crown. Selected first overall by the Tampa Bay Rays in the 1999 Major League Baseball draft, Josh Hamilton had finally surfaced in the big leagues during the 2007 season. Making his debut with the Cincinnati Reds, Hamilton posted a ludicrous .922 OPS over the course of 90 games. With a troubled past and demons he had seemed to fight off, Hamilton appeared firmly entrenched with a focus on baseball. In 2008 Hamilton made the All-Star Game for the first time. Now a member of the Texas Rangers, his 21 homers prior to the break were plenty noteworthy, but nobody was prepared for what would happen that night in Yankee Stadium. Over the course of his 10 outs, Hamilton blasted a ridiculous twenty-eight baseballs into the seats. It immediately became a record for the most home runs hit in any single round of The Derby. Some were majestic while others were wall-scrapers, but in total, Hamilton put on a performance that left fans awestruck. Needing three other contestants to join Hamilton, fans at Yankee Stadium saw Morneau hit eight, Ryan Braun hit seven, and Lance Berkman hit eight to round out the finals field. Although the rounds were untimed, there was no denying that the work put in by Hamilton during the opening salvo took its toll. That’s when Morneau went to work. Minnesota’s representative put up a solid number with nine in round two. With 17 dingers hit combined between the first two rounds, Morneau was sitting pretty. Braun matched his first round total pushing his overall to 14, while Berkman ended with six in round two tying Braun on the overall mark. Hamilton knowing he could take a rest, voluntarily ended his round with four homers using just four outs. It was here, on the final stage of The Derby, that Morneau found himself with an opportunity. Although Morneau hadn’t captured the crowd like Hamilton had, he was ultimately in the same place. Both players were gassed at this point, Morneau had enough in the tank to finish with five in his final round while Hamilton wound up with just three. There’s no denying the talk of this derby has always been Hamilton’s insane round, but Justin Morneau and those around Twins Territory will never forget who took the crown. Morneau talks of the experience fondly and brought it up on a broadcast over the weekend. He went on to celebrate that night, and then played an integral part during the All-Star Game the following night. Over the years there have been multiple moments that define All-Star action, and Morneau’s Home Run Derby exploits could be up there with Torii Hunter’s catch against Barry Bonds in Milwaukee. Thinking back across all of them, what are some of your favorites? View full article

With the Major League season taking a break for the All-Star festivities, the vast majority of the minor leagues follow suit as well. None of the full season leagues are in action until Friday, with the Florida Complex League returning to action on Thursday. Today's action was solely marked by the Dominican Summer League taking place. Of course with virtually all of the action on hold, getting your fix from a prospect standpoint can still be had through the Major League Baseball draft. Since the league moved the draft to All-Star Week, Minnesota is currently working on an influx of new minor league talent. The draft can be consumed today through the Twins Daily Draft Tracker, and you can catch up on picks from the first two rounds by checking out how thrilled Minnesota was with the way the board fell to them. A rundown of each pick from the first night is found by player. Check out Brooks Lee here, Connor Prielipp here, and Tanner Schobel here. As the players sign and some of them get into action the rest of the summer, make sure to check out the Twins Daily prospect rankings as they'll begin to be included in the top 30 should merit determine placement. DOMINICAN DAILIES DSL Mariners 7, DSL Twins 6 (F/8) Box Score Leonardo Lugo was on the mound today for the Dominican Twins and worked three innings of three-hit baseball. Unfortunately three runs were also scored against him. Lugo tallied four strikeouts and two walks. The Twins got on the board first when Jose Rodriguez ripped a single to drive in Yasser Mercedes. Rodriguez wound up going 3-for-3 today, including a pair of doubles, and now owns a 1.102 OPS on the season. The Twins scored again in the 2nd inning, this time on a wild pitch, and Bryan Acuna was plated in the third to even the score at three. Despite having allowed runs the Twins continued to add on their own. Daniel Pena drove in Ricardo Pena with a 4th inning single, and a Rafael Cruz double made it 5-3 in the 5th inning. Junior Marino drove in Cruz on a sac fly before the frame was over and the Twins now had doubled up the Mariners. This game featured fives errors and things were extremely sloppy on the Twins side. The Mariners tied things up at six despite tallying just three hits through 6 innings. Allowing another run in the 8th inning, the Twins found themselves walked off. The Twins DSL team is off tomorrow before facing the DSL White Sox on Wednesday. THE CARD MARKET Much of the allure behind Bowman prospect trading cards from Topps is being able to capitalize on the emergence of a young talent. Collecting cards and autographs of minor league players prior to their big league debuts is what drives true prospectors. For Minnesota, names like Austin Martin and Keoni Cavaco have been hot over the past few seasons following their acquisitions. Based on the performance thus far, that should highlight all you need to know about the difficulty to accurately project who will consistently produce. That being said, the Dominican Summer League team has been a key area of interest this season following the Twins signing of Bryan Acuna. Brother to Atlanta Braves superstar, the Acuna name is always going to carry some massive expectations. The Twins Acuna was not a huge international signee, and he was ranked just the 39th best international prospect by MLB Pipeline. Still, with autographs and chase cards, he was among the hottest two find when the product released. Now with some of his prices dropping, the opportunity to get in appears a bit better. With a two-hit game today, Acuna's OPS is up to .619. He's still incredibly raw and is among the youngest players in the league at just 16-years-old. Acuna turns 17 in August. View full article

In the final update before we hit the All-Star Break, we saw the AL Central become the only division with just a single team above .500 following a Guardians loss on Wednesday. It’s been a weird year for the division, and competitiveness may be interesting when we get to October. The Standings: Minnesota 49-41 Cleveland 43-44 (4.5 GB, 3.0 GB of 2nd Wild Card) Chicago 43-45 (5.0 GB) Detroit 37-52 (11.5 GB) Kansas City 35-53 (13.0 GB) Chicago again continues to get in their own way while they have gained ground on Cleveland thanks to a horrid stretch from Terry Francona’s club. Detroit and Kansas City haven’t figured to be in play even before Opening Day and the question now is just how far they’ll fall by season’s end. The Stories: After a strong first-half performance by more than a few Minnesota Twins players, both Byron Buxton and Luis Arraez were named to the American League All-Star team. Buxton has a slugging-heavy OPS while Arraez looks like the second coming of Rod Carew. Kenta Maeda has thrown 85 mph in a recent bullpen and looks toward a return later this season. Following his most recent outing, Josh Winder was optioned to Triple-A St. Paul. It appears starter Chris Archer will rejoin the rotation and take the final turn against Chicago before the break. Just days after returning to the lineup for Chicago, Eloy Jimenez exited Wednesday with leg tightness. Yasmani Grandal is inching closer towards a return for the White Sox and is expected to rejoin the club following the All-Star break. He has been sidelined dealing with back spasms. Tony La Russa continues to be the gift that keeps on giving in terms of mind-boggling decisions. This week he had his pitcher walk Guardians star Jose Ramirez after getting behind 0-1 in a count while Chicago was trailing by 4. A couple of less than ideal contributors have their status currently up in the air for Francona’s club. Luke Maile took a foul tip to the catcher’s mask and it didn’t look good. Starter Aaron Civale has also been sent for an MRI after dealing with right wrist pain during his latest start. Jose Ramirez did make waves this week when he announced that he would participate in the Home Run Derby during the All-Star game festivities in Los Angeles. It’s been an up and down year for Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal. Overall though, he’s nearly hit 100 mph and while he owns a 4.11 ERA the 3.02 FIP suggests he’s been even better. In a year lost for much of the team, he’s been a bright spot. Miguel Cabrera has been selected to participate in the All-Star game by way of Commissioner Rob Manfred. Very little has gone right for Kansas City this season and now they’ve entered the territory of self-inflicted wounds. Heading to Toronto for a final series prior to the All-Star break, Kansas City placed nearly 50% of their 26-man roster on the restricted list. That also includes key trade chip, Andrew Benintendi, who Jon Heyman now reports is not of interest to the Yankees because of the inability to compete. The Week Ahead: A fitting end to the first half for Minnesota, they’ll tangle with the Chicago White Sox. Despite expecting to battle with one another, the Twins own a 5-1 record with a +18 run differential against Chicago this season. After playing the Tigers in Detroit four times over three days last week, Cleveland closes out by welcoming them four a traditional four-game series. Mike Matheny’s Royals club goes north of the border to play the Blue Jays in Toronto. As mentioned, they’ll do so needing to replace a whopping 10 players on their active roster. For a team that’s already one of the worst in baseball, they’ll be a skeleton crew in Canada to close it out. What are you looking forward to this week? What’s your favorite part of the All-Star festivities? View full article

Before any action above the Complex League took place today, the big news was Matt Wallner and Christian Encarnacion-Strand earning their promotions. Wallner is now back home in Minnesota at Triple-A, while Encarnacion-Strand heads to Double-A Wichita. Transactions: OF Matt Wallner has been promoted to Triple-A St. Paul C David Banuelos activated off IL by St. Paul RHP Ben Heller signed by Minnesota and assigned to Triple-A St. Paul INF Christian Encarnacion-Strand has been promoted to Double-A Wichita C Roy Morales transferred to Double-A Wichita from St. Paul C Frank Nigro was transferred to Single-A Fort Myers from Wichita C Alex Rodriguez was transferred to FCL Twins from Fort Myers CF Kennie Taylor activated off IL by Cedar Rapids C Jair Camargo begins rehab assignment for Wichita with FCL INF Ernie Yake begins rehab assignment for Wichita with FCL Making his Double-A debut this season, Wallner raked after a slow start. Across 78 games he posted a .299/.436/.597 slash line with 24 home runs. He’s reigned in the strikeouts to the tune of a manageable 107/62 K/BB, and he finished his time with the Wind Surge putting up a 4-for-4 effort on Wednesday night. Encarnacion-Strand was Minnesota’s 4th round pick in 2021, and he spent 74 games this year with High-A Cedar Rapids. Encarnacion-Strand got off to a hot start and has maintained the production to the tune of a .296/.370/.599 slash line. His 20 home runs are eye-popping, and the power plays well from the hot corner. Both players will now get extended run at the next level of the farm, likely remaining there through the duration of the season. Wallner joins teammate Spencer Steer as representatives for the MLB Futures Game taking place on Saturday in Los Angeles as part of the All-Star festivities. SAINTS SENTINEL Toledo 10, St. Paul 1 Box Score Former top Twins pitching prospect Jordan Balazovic was on the bump for the Saints tonight. He’s really struggled this year and couldn’t escape that same fate tonight. He went just two innings and allowed four runs on five hits. Balazovic gave up a walk, and a homer, while striking out one. Toledo scored first tallying two in the first frame. Then Kody Clemens, son of Roger Clemens, crushed a two-run bomb in the next frame. Down 4-0 in the third inning, rehabbing Miguel Sano roped a line drive single to plate Spencer Steer for the Saints first run. It continued to go sideways from there and by the time St. Paul batted in the 7th inning, they trailed 8-1. Failing to score in their half of the frame, the Saints Ariel Jurado served up two more on an 8th inning Mud Hens blast. Wallner was hitless to this point, and Sano's two raps didn't matter. It was a laugher at 10-1. WIND SURGE WISDOM Wichita 11, Arkansas 5 Box Score Wichita went with Cody Laweryson tonight and he turned in a good outing. Working 3 1/3 innings, the righty allowed no runs on three hits. He allowed two walks but also struck out two batters. The Wind Surge jumped ahead early when Andrew Bechtold blasted his 12th homer of the year, a solo shot to left-center. Chris Williams continued his hot hitting, and his 13th double scored Cole Sturgeon to give the good guys a 2-0 lead in the 2nd inning. Not content with the first bit of production, Wichita went back to work in the 3rd inning. Williams hit his 12th homer of the year, this one a grand slam, to drive in Roy Morales, Bechtold, and Sturgeon. Then Edouard Julien took advantage of a fielding error allowing Anthony Prato to race home and make it a 7-0 lead. The Travelers got on the board with a 5th inning solo blast, but it was quickly negated when Prato scored on Ozoria’s fielder’s choice. Then the newly-promoted Christian Encarnacion-Strand recorded his first Double-A hit, a double, scoring both Ozoria and Julien making it 10-1. Offense remained the name of this game into the late innings. Arkansas drew closer with four runs in the 6th inning, but Williams answered with his 13th homer, and second of the game, to push the lead back up to 11-5. Bechtold and finished with four hits tonight while Williams had three hits and six RBI. Sturgeon also had a multi-hit game. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 5, Beloit 1 Box Score David Festa has cruised this season for the Kernels and tonight was more of the same. He worked six innings allowing a single run on four hits. The righty picked up six punchouts and walked three. His ERA on the year is down to 1.86. Run production was in short supply tonight. Kyle Fedko ripped a solo shot in the 1st inning to make it 1-0, and then a passed ball allowed Alerick Soularie to scamper home. Despite giving up a run in the 6th inning, Cedar Rapids maintained the tight lead. After both Fedko and Soularie reached base in the 8th inning, Yunior Severino doubled the lead on a single and gave the Kernels breathing room to the tune of 4-1. Will Holland wanted to make sure a save situation wasn’t necessary, so his sacrifice fly in the 9th inning scored Wander Javier did just that. With eight hits total on the night, two hits came from each of Fedko, Severino, and Pat Winkel. MUSSEL MATTERS Postponed Tonight's game has been postponed due to unplayable field conditions. COMPLEX CHRONICLES FCL Pirates 7, FCL Twins 4 Box Score Infielder Ernie Yake was rehabbing while on the injured list today with the FCL Twins. He was 0-for-3 with two strikeouts and played second base. Jair Camargo was also playing as part of a rehab assignment. As the designated hitter, Camargo was 1-for-4 with a triple and an RBI. Luis Rijo was recently removed from the 60-day injured list and transferred to the FCL so he could continue to rehab. Today, he made another start. He went four innings while allowing two runs and striking out four. It was the first of his six appearances this season in which he’s allowed an earned run. DOMINICAN DAILIES DSL Twins 6, DSL Colorado 5 Box Score Outfielder Yasser Mercedes was 4-for-5 including a leadoff homer in this one for the Twins. Anderson Nova also had a two-hit game while Anthony Narvaez punched out four across 2 2/3 innings of one-hit relief work. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – David Festa (Cedar Rapids) - 6.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 6 K Hitter of the Day – Chris Williams (Wichita) - 3-4, 2 R, 6 RBI, 2B, 2 HR(13) 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: #6 - Spencer Steer (St. Paul) - 1-2, R, BB, K #7 - Jordan Balazovic (St. Paul) - 2.0 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 1 K #12 - Matt Wallner (St. Paul) - 0-3, K #15 - Edouard Julien (Wichita) - 1-4, R #16 - Christian Encarnacion-Strand (Wichita) - 1-5, 2 RBI, 2B, K #18 - David Festa (Cedar Rapids) - 6.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 6 K FRIDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Toledo @ St. Paul (7:07PM CST) - RHP Aaron Sanchez Arkansas @ Wichita (7:05PM CST) - LHP Kody Funderburk Cedar Rapids @ Beloit (6:35PM CST) - RHP Sean Mooney Clearwater @ Fort Myers (3:30PM CST/Game 2 to follow) - TBD/TBD Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Thursday’s games! It sure is exciting to have all four Twins full-season affiliates and the two Complex Season affiliates back and playing, View full article

The Minnesota Twins will need to be buyers during this trade deadline season, and their chief concern comes on the mound. While there’s any number of names they could target, working with a contender may actually be an avenue as well. What if the San Diego Padres are willing to move Blake Snell? San Diego acquired the former Cy Young Award winner from the Tampa Bay Rays in a 4-for-1 swap. Blake Snell has been with the Padres for two seasons now, but is a free agent after the 2023 campaign. While he wasn’t one of the 49 names previously discussed as a trade candidate, it’s becoming more evident that even a winner like San Diego may be open to moving him. Dennis Lin covers the Padres for The Athletic and had this to say in his latest mailbag, “If the Padres trade a starting pitcher, they likely would prefer to move Blake Snell. He’s making $5 million more than Mike Clevinger, and unsurprisingly, the team has been frustrated with the left-hander’s lack of performance. It would be selling low on Snell, but the Padres want to clear payroll for other needs.” After posting a 1.89 ERA with the Rays during his Cy Young season in 2018, he’s since failed to post an ERA below 3.00. With the Padres, Snell has made 36 starts and owns a 4.32 ERA. His ERA+ in that time sits at only 90. The good news is that Snell has continued to be a dominant strikeout arm, and he’s actually been better at limiting the longball. His 3.75 FIP also suggests that he’s also a bit better than the ERA picture paints. San Diego has an embarrassment of riches on the mound right now, and that affords them the luxury of moving someone like Snell. While he’s not in a great place from a production standpoint, he’s still plenty capable of being a top-of-the-rotation arm. Mike Clevinger could be a name teams are interested in as well, but San Diego dumping Snell’s salary would be a benefit to a team dealing with Luxury Tax ramifications. Looking at Snell’s advanced analytics and underlying numbers, much of what made him a Cy Young winner still remains. His hard hit rate hasn’t fluctuated, and he’s actually shaved roughly eight percent from his line drive rate. The velocity is as good as it’s ever been and his swing rates are also strong. By virtually all measurements, there’s no reason why Snell can’t contribute to a higher level than he has been. Although San Diego would be selling low given the current performance, I’d imagine much of a return for Snell would be reflective of the money a team needs to take on. Under contract for $13.1 million this season, Snell is set to be paid $16.6 million next year. That’s a good amount of salary to take on in the middle of the season, and is also a motivating factor for him to be moved by the Padres. The more San Diego eats, the better their expected return should be. That works on the flip side too, however, in that an acquiring team like the Twins may need to give up considerably less if they take on the entirety of his bill. The reality is that high-level starters are going to be highly-coveted on the trade market and there aren’t a ton of options to work with. Luis Castillo remains amazing for the Reds, but teammate Tyler Mahle is now on the injured list. Frankie Montas had a scare for Oakland, and his arm now has plenty of questions around it. Teams could dip down a level to the Pirates Jose Quintana, but the emergence of other options is beneficial. The Twins dealt with San Diego prior to Opening Day this season when they acquired Chris Paddack and Emilio Pagan for Taylor Rogers. Maybe the two front offices get together again and can work out another pact for a second starter. What do you think? Would you be interested in the Twins adding Blake Snell? What level of a prospect are you comfortable giving up? View full article

Coming into this season, it was clear there was a changing of the guard behind the plate for the Minnesota Twins. Mitch Garver was sent to the Texas Rangers in exchange for Isiah Kiner-Falefa, and Gary Sanchez was acquired from the New York Yankees. Now halfway into the year, it’s the one position where offensive production is lacking. Ryan Jeffers was seen as a bat-first player when the Twins drafted him, and there were questions as to whether he’d ever stick behind the plate. Fast forward to where we are now, and Jeffers has turned himself into one of the better receivers across the league. Unfortunately, the bat that played over 26 games in 2021 has been nonexistent the past two seasons. Garver and Jeffers split time last season, with the latter getting in 85 games. Across 293 plate appearances for the Twins last season, Jeffers put up a .670 OPS which translated to an 84 OPS+. In 206 plate appearances thus far this season he owns a lesser .666 OPS but given offensive decline as a whole, that translates to a better 92 OPS+. That means Jeffers has failed to be a league-average hitter for either of the past two seasons. The Twins Trade Manifesto: 49 Possible Deadline Targets Maybe that works as his framing plays, but it’s not as though Jeffers is a stalwart in all areas with the glove. Jeffers has already allowed five passed balls in 230 less innings than he recorded six last season. Although the Twins receiving style doesn’t necessarily put emphasis on catching base stealers, Jeffers has thrown out just six of 35 base runners. That 17% falls well below the 24% league average, a mark that Jeffers was within one percent of last season. Then there’s Gary Sanchez. It’s been peaks and valleys with the former Yankees backstop. Sanchez owns a better .702 OPS and has basically been league average with his bat the past two seasons. Offensively he’s not the complete non-factor he was in 2018 or 2020, but at league-average, his approach leaves plenty to be desired. Through 67 games, Sanchez has hit 10 homers, a bit behind his pace from last season that resulted in 23 longballs. His on-base production has dipped significantly however, in that he owns an ugly 73/17 K/BB. Last season, despite a .204 average, he posted a .307 OBP. This season there’s just a 60 point split between the two, and his .281 OBP has resulted in a power-or-nothing approach. Defensively Sanchez has fewer passed balls than his teammate, and throwing out seven of 23 would-be-base-stealers has him above league average at 30%. He’s not as good of a receiver, but has made notable strides that Minnesota no doubt appreciates. These two players combined could probably provide something of more use, but on their own each is coming up just short. That leaves the front office with a question as to whether this is a position to address before the trade deadline flies by. One of the biggest names available from a hitting standpoint is veteran catcher Willson Contreras. The Chicago Cubs backstop is all but certain to be moved as he’s a free agent following this season. His .867 OPS is otherworldly at a position not typically ripe with offense production. He’s also solid behind the dish defensively, and would give Minnesota an option to upgrade their worst position. How a catcher factors in for the Twins remains intriguing. Jeffers, Sanchez, and a third player would not all fit on the active roster. Someone would almost have to be moved in any deal that acquires the position, but that could send ripple effects through the clubhouse. There’s also the reality that Minnesota’s 40-man roster is incredibly thin behind the plate after the two included on the 26-man roster, and having options for the future needs to be a focus. I still think it’s unlikely the Twins trade for a bat, especially in needing so much pitching help, but if they do, adding to a position of need and swinging for one of the best in the game at it would hardly be unwelcomed. What do you think? Should the Twins add a catcher at the deadline? Is someone like Contreras going to cost too much? View full article

The date was June 12 and the opponent was Tampa Bay. Tyler Duffey entered a game for the Minnesota Twins tasked with pitching the 8th inning of a 5-0 game. As he had done multiple times before, Duffey served up a dinger and it appeared as though there was no end in sight to his freefall. Maybe now he’s started to turn a corner? There’s no denying that Tyler Duffey was once among the Twins most trustworthy relievers. Across 2019 and 2022, Duffey posted a solid 2.31 ERA in 80 appearances spanning 81 2/3 innings. His 12.5 K/9 was shiny, and it was backed by a curveball that kept hitters guessing even with a fastball that didn’t light up the radar gun. He allowed just 2.2 BB/9 and posted a WHIP below 1.00. His 2.91 FIP across that span also suggested this wasn’t a mirage. Then 2021 happened. After being a primary setup man for former closer Taylor Rogers, Duffey blew up to the tune of a 3.18 ERA with a 3.49 FIP and a 4.19 xFIP. He lost roughly four strikeouts per nine innings, and double the number of free passes he was issuing. The chief concern was a velocity drop that happened in 2020 not rectifying itself. After holding around 94 mph on his fastball at his best, Duffey’s primary offering was down to just 92 mph. Without being able to throw a fastball by hitters, and the inability to locate his curveball, a recipe for disaster was realized. On June 12, when Duffey served up the dinger against the Rays, it capped off a three-appearance run in which he’d allowed a home run every time out. Duffey recorded just 3 2/3 innings during the stretch and gave up a whopping seven runs on seven hits and three walks. His ERA sat at a season-worst 6.38. This wasn’t the first bad stretch either. Duffey took a blown save against the Mariners to end the second game of the season, and then he gave up a pair of homers to blow another game against the Royals a few weeks later. At some point, the definition of insanity was going to be reached here. Everything Duffey was doing wasn’t working. Minnesota had pushed him into the lowest of leverage roles, and even when the moments were inconsequential his stuff didn’t generate outs. Having used a changeup during his days as a starter, and crediting former pitching coach Wes Johnson for urging him to go back to it, Duffey changed things up. Up until June 12, Duffey had used his changeup just 1% of the time being a two-pitch pitcher with the fastball and curveball. He generated just a 10.7% whiff rate and was getting batters to chase 31.1% of the time. Fast forward to where we are now and this is a different pitcher. Sure, the sample size is just 13 innings across 10 games, but that represents roughly one-third of his season. Duffey is still throwing his fastball 50% of the time, but he’s dropped the curveball usage and is pushing his changeup out 12.3% of the time. It’s resulted in a hard-hit rate of only 20.5% and has generated chase swings nearly 5% more often. At some point, pitchers need to reinvent how their arsenal works with one another. It’s beyond clear Duffey’s velocity has been put out to pasture, but while his curveball was no longer the pitch it once was, turning back to a changeup that helped him as a starter made sense. There’s no denying the Twins need all they can get from the bullpen, and Duffey re-establishing himself as a usable piece would be a good thing. There’s still reason for concern as Duffey has given up hits in eight of the ten appearances we’re talking about here, but keeping runs off the board is the larger point. He’s basically switched spots with Emilio Pagan in the pecking order, and the Twins righting Duffey’s bullpen-mate would be another strong step in helping to preserve leads. View full article

Although the Minnesota Twins have basically gone wire to wire thus far, no one else seems to want to challenge them. Detroit has taken down the White Sox and Guardians of late, which has increased Minnesota’s lead and provides opportunity for the Twins to run and hide. The Standings: Minnesota 47-38 Cleveland 40-40 (4.5 GB, 3.0 GB of 2nd Wild Card) Chicago 39-42 (6.0 GB) Detroit 35-47 (10.5 GB) Kansas City 30-51 (15.0 GB) After jumping a few games over .500, the Guardians have come cratering back to treading water. Similarly, the White Sox can’t quite get over their bugaboo of surpassing and maintaining the .500 mark. Detroit has gone on a nice little run, their 7-3 record over the last 10, including a four-game sweep over Cleveland and a Thursday win over the White Sox. The Stories: Although the Twins couldn’t do much against the Guardians and wound up playing eight games with no change in standings, they handled the White Sox in two of three games. A crazy game with five blown leads continues to highlight the problems for Minnesota’s bullpen and kept them from a sweep. Jorge Polanco enjoyed a birthday dinger, then followed it up the following day. There was also the fun father-son moment with a fan grabbing Byron Buxton’s walkoff homer against the Baltimore Orioles. Chicago got a boost to their lineup in the form of Eloy Jimenez returning from the injured list. He played a pivotal role in Chicago’s win against Minnesota when he launched his 2nd dinger of the season on Wednesday. Although Tony La Russa’s club was excited to get Jimenez back, they did lose Jake Burger to a bone bruise, and Vince Velasquez was placed on the injured list with a blister. Cleveland seemed to be riding high after holding serve against the Twins but then were swept in four games over three days by the Tigers. With so few games played in relation to their competition, a string of doubleheaders will make things difficult for the Guardians down the stretch. In the last week alone Terry Francona’s club had to play three separate twin bill’s. Star prospect George Valera is set to represent Cleveland in the Futures Game in Los Angeles. Although Javier Baez has been a massive flop in Detroit thus far, he did provide a solo shot to help sink Chicago on Thursday night. Beau Brieske was great allowing just two hits over 6 1/3 innings. Veteran pitcher Wily Peralta suffered a hamstring strain and A.J. Hinch doesn’t see him coming back until August. Outfielder Austin Meadows should be back sooner as he finished his first rehab game working his way into action from an Achilles injury. Starting pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez continues to remain on the restricted list while the Tigers have had no contact with him. He went on the list for “personal matters” on June 13 and hasn’t pitched in the big leagues since May. After giving him a five-year contract this offseason, things couldn’t be going more poorly. Andrew Benintendi has been a bright spot for the Royals and is almost certain to be a veteran name drawing trade interest later this month. Star rookie Bobby Witt Jr. was hit by a pitch on the hand this week and has been held out of action but looks like he’ll avoid a trip to the injured list. Kansas City has not been good this year, and already down clubhouse leader Salvador Perez, they need an infusion of as much talent as they have available to them. The Week Ahead: The Twins matched up with the Rangers this offseason when they sent Mitch Garver to Texas for Isiah Kiner-Falefa. They’ll now see their former Silver Slugger for the first time with a three-game series on tap over the weekend. Milwaukee then comes to town before the White Sox invade Target Field a final time prior to the All-Star break. It’s a divisional week for the White Sox as they continue a series with Detroit at home before a trip to Cleveland. Chicago has four games in three days with the Guardians and then ends the first half in Minnesota. Cleveland begins a series with the Royals on Saturday and then has another doubleheader looming Tuesday. They finish their first half against the Tigers to close out a stretch of 11 games in 10 days. Finishing the first half entirely on the road, Detroit wraps up with Chicago before a doubleheader in Kansas City and a weekend series with Cleveland. After the AL Central opponents leave Kauffman, the Royals head north of the border to face the Blue Jays for a four-game set wrapping up their first half. What are you looking forward to this week? What are the storylines to watch over the final week in the first half? View full article

Today prospects Spencer Steer and Matt Wallner were announced as Futures Game participants prior to their contests. Unfortunately weather caused issues for both Cedar Rapids and Fort Myers, although St. Paul did come out with a win. Transactions: Spencer Steer and Matt Wallner named to Futures Game roster. SAINTS SENTINEL St. Paul 5, Louisville 4 Box Score Star pitching prospect Jordan Balazovic got the start tonight for St. Paul. He went just two innings throwing 49 pitches. Balazovic gave up three runs on six hits while striking out three. This is now the fifth straight start in which Balazovic has been limited to less than 50 pitches. Tim Beckham, who has been red hot since joining the Saints, started the scoring with a solo blast in the top of the 1st inning. After giving up three runs in the bottom of the 2nd inning, St. Paul had work to do. Caleb Hamilton doubled home Michael Helman in the 6th inning to bring the good guys back within one, and then Helman drove in Jake Cave on an 8th inning sacrifice fly to tie it. Standing on third, Braden Bishop raced home after a passed ball and the Saints had regained the lead. Providing a bit of breathing room, Bishop singled in the top of the 9th inning to score Elliot Soto and give St. Paul a two-run lead. That was necessary as a Louisville solo shot in the 9th inning brought the lead back down to one. Beckham and Helman had two-hit nights for the Saints while Ronny Henriquez was great in relief working four scoreless innings and striking out four. WIND SURGE WISDOM Amarillo 6, Wichita 3 Box Score Sawyer Gipson-Long took the ball tonight for Wichita and worked four innings. Amarillo hit him around a bit as the Turbo Tubs starter gave up five runs on nine hits. Gipson-Long did avoid free passes while fanning four. Former Twins backstop Juan Centeno started the damage when he hit a solo shot in the 2nd inning. From there it would be 5-0 before Wichita got on the board. Playing as the Turbo Tubs tonight, Chris Williams erased the zero with his 10th homer of the season. Leobaldo Cabrera then singled to drive in Andrew Bechtold and make it a three-run game. After giving up a 7th inning solo shot, the Turbo Tubs found themselves behind by four runs and the only comeback they could muster was a wild pitch allowing Wallner to scamper home after a leadoff double in the 9th inning. Seven of the nine Wichita batters recorded hits tonight, but Cole Sturgeon and Matt Wallner were the only batters to have two. KERNELS NUGGETS Postponed The Kernels game was postponed tonight due to wet field conditions. It will be played as part of a double header on Saturday. MUSSEL MATTERS Tampa 3, Fort Myers 2 (F/6) Box Score Originally scheduled for a double header with two 7-inning games, the Mighty Mussels had another weather delay tonight that changed things to one 9-inning affair. Jaylen Nowlin drew the start for Fort Myers tonight and worked four innings of three-hit baseball. He did allow three runs but posted four strikeouts while walking two. The Mighty Mussels waited out a delay only to find themselves playing just six innings after all. Keoni Cavaco smacked his 5th dinger of the season, driving in Noah Cardenas, to make it 2-0 in the top of the 2nd inning. Unfortunately, that was the lone production for Fort Myers, and a three-run 5th inning for Tampa did them in. Five hits were scattered throughout the lineup tonight, but three of them went for extra bases with Kala’i Rosario recording a triple. COMPLEX CHRONICLES FCL Orioles 6, FCL Twins 4 Box Score Miguel Sano played first base today for the FCL Twins and went 1-for-3 with a run scored. He also struck out once. Sano continues to progress through what’s expected to be a lengthy rehab assignment. Yonardy Soto, Ricardo Olivar, and Fredy Michel all had two-hit games. DOMINICAN DAILIES DSL Twins 8, DSL Phillies Red 3 Box Score Yasser Mercedes had a three-hit game with a double while Isaac Pena was 4-for-5 in the contest. The Twins pounded out 16 hits and tagged each of the three different Phillies pitchers for multiple runs. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – Ronny Henriquez (St. Paul) - 4.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K Hitter of the Day – Michael Helman (St. Paul) - 2-4, R, RBI, 2B, 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: #4 - Jordan Balazovic (St. Paul) - 2.0 IP,, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 3 K #7 - Spencer Steer (St. Paul) - 1-4, BB, 2 K #9 - Noah Miller (Ft. Myers) - 1-3 #13 - Ronny Hendriquez (St. Paul) - 4.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K #15 - Matt Wallner (Wichita) - 2-4, 2B, R, BB, K #16 - Edouard Julien (Wichita) - 0-4, BB, 3K FRIDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS St. Paul @ Louisville (6:05PM CST) - RHP Aaron Sanchez Amarillo @ Wichita (7:05PM CST) - LHP Blayne Enlow Quad Cities @ Cedar Rapids (6:35PM CST) - RHP Sean Mooney Fort Myers @ Tampa (5:30PM CST) - TBD Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Thursday’s games! It sure is exciting to have all four Twins full-season affiliates and the two Complex Season affiliates back and playing. View full article