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Here we are: the final minor league weekly recap of the season. Read all about the Twins week in Nick’s Week in Review . WEEK IN REVIEW Triple-A: St. Paul Saints Overall: 37-32 (1-5 last week) in the second half; second in the IL West by 1.5 games; tied for seventh overall in the International League. Overview: The Saints ended their week on a five-game losing streak, which quickly eliminated the idea that they were going to make one last push for the playoffs. 🔥: It wasn't a pretty week for the Saints, but you can always count on Yunior Severino to hit some home runs (and strike out). Severino hit two more, bringing his season total to 34 (in 451 at-bats). In his first 1,189 minor league at-bats (five years), he hit 39. (He also struck out 10 times... and 164 times on the year). 🔥: Simeon Woods Richardson struck out five in five innings, allowing only one run on three hits and three walks. 🔥: Trevor Larnach led the Saints with seven hits (including a home run). Larnach got significantly more at-bats in the minors this year (258) than last year (44), though his big-league at-bats were almost exactly the same from last year to this year. He was able to stay mostly healthy, but he'll be 27 when he reports to spring training next year... so it's do or die time for Larnach. 🤔: Nick Gordon started rehabbing with the Saints. He struck out in two of his seven hitless at-bats. 🥶: Randy Dobnak struggled in his lone start, allowing six runs on nine hits. He struck out four over 5 2/3 innings. 🥶: DaShawn Keirsey , who has had a better season than anyone anticipated he would, went hitless this week (13 at-bats). His batting average dropped from .298 to .265 over the course of the week. Keirsey has batted only .188 in the month of September What's Next: The Saints season will end their season by hosting Toledo. Double-A: Wichita Wind Surge Overall: 36-33 (2-4 last week) in the second half and finished two games behind Springfield in the division. Overview: Entering the final day of the regular season, there was a still a chance: a win and help. Wichita failed to get the win and their season was over. 🔥: Jake Rucker and Alex Isola led the Wind Surge offense with ten and nine hits, respectively. Both doubled and homered. 🔥: Pierson Ohl and Marco Raya had very good starts. Ohl allowed three hits, a walk and hit two batters in his start, but lasted 5 1/3 innings without giving up a run. Ohl struck out five. Raya gave up a hit and walk while striking out four in four innings. 😏: Chris Paddack struck out six in four innings as he works his way towards potentially joining the Twins for the playoffs. 🥶: Jaylen Nowlin had a poor ending to his season, allowing four runs on three hits (and two home runs) in three innings. Nowlin figures to start next season in Wichita's rotation and still has a chance at the big leagues, which is a victory in itself when you're a 19th round pick. 🥶: After his promotion to Wichita in mid-July, Tanner Schobel got off to a slow start - it took him until September to get his batting average over .200 - so his 5-for-22 week to end his season isn't a terrible outlier, but he also didn't take any walks or get an extra base hit. It was his first full professional season, so you'll take some struggles with the 126 games and 479 at-bats. High-A: Cedar Rapids Kernels Overview: After losing the opener of the West Division Championship Series to Peoria, the Kernels returned home and won their next two games to advance to the Midwest League Championship Series. Then they used a comeback win to take a one-game lead on Great Lakes. 🔥: Noah Cardenas had a champion-type box score for the past week. He was 4-for-10 with a double, three runs scored and batted in. Most impressively, though, he drew seven walks and didn't strike out. While the big hit might get the highlights, it's the great plate appearances that help teams win big games. 🔥: C.J. "Big Game" Culpepper struck out eight and only allowed one run on four hits and a walk over five innings to earn a playoff win. 🤨: Maybe Jose Salas has just been holding it in until the games were really, really important. He may have only had three hits in 15 at-bats, but he managed to drive in six runs by homering and tripling. 🥶: Christian MacLeod allowed four runs on three hits and three walks (and a hit batter) while striking out three and recording only four outs. (Luckily, the offense came through in that game.) 🥶: Emmanuel Rodriguez has always used walks to beef up his OBP. This week he was 2-for-20 with no walks and nine strikeouts. (But maybe the freezing emoji is the wrong call because he hit two huge home runs on Sunday.) What's Next: One more win and the players will get a new piece of jewelry. Or two more losses and an offseason full of disappointment. PROSPECT SUMMARY This Prospect Summary shows our current Twins Top 20 Prospect Rankings and how they performed last week. The Prospect Tracker will be updated periodically throughout the season. Notice that these pages now include stats and splits, as well as past article links, video and more. Season-long stats will be in parenthesis. 20. Brent Headrick, LHP, St. Paul: 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 3.1 IP, HB, 4 K. (1.30 WHIP, .254 BAA). (1.44 WHIP, .267 BAA ), 19. Cory Lewis, RHP, Cedar Rapids: 0-0, 2.25 ERA, 4 IP, 4 H, ER, HB, 4 K (1.06 WHIP, .198 BAA). 18. Jose Rodriguez, OF, FCL Twins: (.262/.325/.412. .737 OPS) 17. Danny De Andrade, SS, Fort Myers: (.244/.354/.396. .750 OPS), played five games (90 total games) at shortstop and committed two errors in 18 chances (15 errors in 326 total chances). Previously played one game at third base and had no errors in four chances. 16. Jordan Balazovic, RHP, St. Paul: 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 2.1 IP, 2 H, 2 K. (1.70 WHIP, .267 BAA); Minnesota: (1.56 WHIP, .274 BAA). 15. Simeon Woods Richardson, RHP, St. Paul: 0-0, 1.80 ERA, 5.0 IP, 3 H, 3 BB, 5 K (1.49 WHIP, .249 BAA); Minnesota: (1.56 WHIP, .274 BAA). 14. Yunior Severino, 3B, St. Paul: 4-18, 2 HR, 2 RBI, 2 R, 2 BB, 10 K. (AA/AAA combined .275/.352/.550. .902 OPS). 13. Kala'i Rosario, OF, Cedar Rapids: 3-15, HR, 2 RBI, 2 R, 4 BB, 7 K. (.252/.364/.467. .831 OPS). 12. Yasser Mercedes, OF, FCL Twins: (.196/.248/.381. .629 OPS) 11. Connor Prielipp, LHP, Cedar Rapids: Prielipp underwent season-ending elbow surgery. (1.75 WHIP, .294 BAA) 10. Luke Keaschall, 2B, Cedar Rapids: 4-13, 2 RBI, 3 R, 3 BB, 3 K. (rookie/l-A/h-A combined .288/.414/.477. .891 OPS), played four games (24 total) at second base and committed two errors in 22 chances (three errors in 83 total chances), played one game in centerfield (four games total) and committed no errors in no chances (no errors in two total chances), and played one game at third base (two total) and committed no errors in one chance (one error in three total chances). 9. Brandon Winokur, OF, FCL Twins: (.288/.338/.545. .883 OPS), played nine games at shortstop and committed two errors in 34 chances and played seven games at centerfield and committed no errors in 19 chances. 8. Tanner Schobel, INF, Wichita: 5-22, RBI, 3 K. (high-A/AA combined .265/.352/.424. .776 OPS), played four games (58 total) at second base and committed one error in 12 chances (10 errors in 224 total chances), played one game (59 total) at third base and committed no errors in no chances (four errors in 115 total chances), previously played five games at shortstop and committed no errors in 14 total chances. 7. Austin Martin, 2B/OF, St. Paul: 4-15, 2 2B, 3 RBI, 2 R, 8 BB, 3 K, 2 SB. (rehab/AAA combined .266/.389/.408. .797 OPS), played two games (38 total) at second base and committed no errors in 8 chances (four errors in 152 total chances), played two games (13 total) in left field and committed no errors in eight chance (no errors in 35 total chances). Previously played 11 games in centerfield and committed one error in 28 total chances. 6. David Festa, RHP, St. Paul: 0-1, 3.38 ERA, 2.2 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 K. (AAA/AA combined 1.39 WHIP, .246 BAA) 5. Charlee Soto, RHP: Did not pitch. 4. Marco Raya, RHP, Wichita: 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 4.0 IP, H, BB, 4 K. (AA/Hi-A combined 1.07 WHIP, .197 BAA) 3. Emmanuel Rodriguez, OF, Cedar Rapids: 3-13, 3B, 3 RBI, 3 R, 7 BB, 6 K. (.240/.400/.463. .863 OPS) 2. Walker Jenkins, OF, Fort Myers: 6-19, 2 3B, 4 RBI, 4 R, 3 BB, 5 K, SB, CS. (FCL/low-A combined .362/.417/.571. .988 OPS) 1. Brooks Lee, SS, St. Paul: 4-23, 2 2B, RBI, 7 R, 4 K. (AA/AAA combined .277/.349/.460. .809 OPS), played three games (106 total) at shortstop and committed no errors in 7 chances (18 errors in 437 total chances) and played one game (seven total) at third base and committed no errors in five chances (one error in 19 chances total chances). DESTINATION: The Show In this week's episode, Jeremy and JD tackle a variety of topics. Lots of Twins talk, especially regarding their 2023 draft class. Below is a quick out-take from the show. Click here to watch the full episode. You can find Destination: The Show on all major podcast platforms including Spotify, iTunes, iHeartRadio and Amazon Music. The show is available on Libsyn, our podcasting platform, in addition to YouTube.

TRANSACTIONS None Saints Sentinel St. Paul 5, Iowa 7 Box Score Patrick Murphy: 5 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 3 BB, 4 K HR: None Multi-hit games: Austin Martin (2-for-4, R, RBI) The Saints were eliminated from playoff contention on Saturday. Despite an incredible 80-62 record—good enough for 1st place in the International League West division—St. Paul trails two other teams in the International League in total record. With one of those teams being the seven games up Durham Bulls—victorious today while the Saints lost—the seven games remaining make it impossible for St. Paul to pass the Bulls, who own the tiebreaker over the Saints. It’s a tough outcome for a team that has played so well. Starter Patrick Murphy had seen better days. He oversaw runs in the first three frames, giving the Cubs a six-run advantage with some aid from poor defense. It was a rare stumble for the former reliever, who had dominated in his new role up to this point. Despite the immediate deficit, the bats rumbled, gestating for five innings before unleashing a pair of runs in the 6th and a trio of scores in the 8th. The first two plated when Gilberto Celestino swiped home after Iowa’s catcher fired a bad throw to 2nd in an attempt to catch Austin Martin stealing; Trevor Larnach then singled in Martin. The 8th was another democratic effort, with Michael Helman doubling, Martin grounding out, and Larnach coaxing in a final run with a sacrifice fly. That was it, though, as St. Paul finally receded and Iowa plated an unnecessary seventh run to bring the game to its eventual end. Technically old friend Nick Burdi pitched 2/3 of an inning for the Cubs. Minnesota’s 2014 2nd-round pick tossed three frames for the big-league club in 2023, but has spent most of the season in the minors; it’s the first pro season he has pitched in since 2020. Chicago’s 13th-best prospect—1st baseman Matt Mervis—doubled in four at-bats. Wind Surge Wisdom Wichita 7, Midland 8 Box Score Sean Mooney: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K HR: Alex Isola (20), Aaron Sabato (12) Multi-hit games: Alex Isola (2-for-4, HR, 2 R, RBI), Jake Rucker (3-for-4, 2 R), Ben Ross (2-for-3, 2 R, RBI, BB), Willie Joe Garry Jr. (2-for-4, 2B, RBI) Wichita blew a 7-4 lead in the 9th, losing in horrifying fashion in the penultimate game of their regular season. Sean Mooney was the starter, but Jaylen Nowlin entered after an inning as the bulk pitcher. He was inefficient. Midland pounced on the lefty for four earned runs, not punishing his walks, and instead choosing to blast two homers off him, giving them a slim advantage. It didn’t last. Wichita kept pace early with piranha-esque singles and stolen bases before transitioning to modern Twins ball, smacking extra-base hits around the field to eventually give the Wind Surge a hearty 7-4 lead heading into the 9th. But then, tragedy. Miguel Rodriguez earned the inning’s first out, completely unaware of the fortune change soon to occur. Two singles, a walk, and a fielding error knocked him out of the game, scoring a run in the process. With Francis Peguero tabbed as the man set to establish order, the RockHounds simply continued their terror; Max Muncy—no, not that one—smoked a bases-clearing double, handing Midland a lead unthinkable just two outs earlier. The Wind Surge never recovered. Wichita is technically still alive in their playoff race, needing a win on Sunday with a Cardinals’ loss to punch their ticket. Catcher Daniel Susac served as Midland’s best prospect; he homered and struck out twice. Kernels Nuggets The Kernels did not play on Saturday. They won their previous playoff series, sending them to the Midwest League championship against the Great Lakes Loons with game 1 starting on Sunday. Mussel Matters The Mighty Mussels’ 2023 regular season is over; they will not play again this year. TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Isaac Mattson Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Alex Isola PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed: #5 - Matt Wallner (Minnesota) - 1-3, BB, K #8 - Austin Martin (St. Paul) - 2-4, R, RBI #10 - Tanner Schobel (Wichita) - 0-1 #17 - Yunior Severino (St. Paul) - 0-3, BB, K #18 - Jose Salas (Cedar Rapids) - 0-4, K SUNDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS St. Paul @ Iowa (1:08 PM) - RHP David Festa Midland @ Wichita (1:05 PM) - TBD Cedar Rapids @ Great Lakes (12:05 PM) - LHP Christian MacLeod

Seemingly every day, Yunior Severino has continued to mash and hit home run after home run. Find out below how impressive his current streak is, and how unique his season has been in Twins minor-league history. And while it may not be as historically significant, you'll want to see the run that Wind Surge starter Pierson Ohl is on too. The Saints got a nice start from a prospect who appears to have turned around his season. The Wind Surge played another one-run game. And, it was a travel day for the Kernels as they head back home hoping to keep their season alive on Thursday night. All that and much more in Wednesday's Minor League Report. Here are the records of the Twins and their active affiliates through games on Wednesday. Minnesota Twins: 76-70 St. Paul Saints: 80-59 Wichita Wind Surge: 62-71 Cedar Rapids Kernels: 82-50 regular season (0-1 in playoffs) Let’s get to the report. As always, please feel free to discuss and ask questions. TRANSACTIONS Before the games on Sunday, the Twins activated Jorge Polanco from the Bereavement List. To make room, OF Gilberto Celestino was optioned having not played during his short stint with the big club. . SAINTS SENTINEL St. Paul 2, Louisville 3 (10 innings) Box Score Simeon Woods Richardson started on Wednesday afternoon for the Saints in Des Moines. He gave up one run on three hits over five innings. He walked three and struck out five batters. His ERA this season is now down to 4.92. Now, that may not sound great, but when the calendar turned to July, he was 0-5 with an ERA of 7.47 over 11 starts and 47 innings. However, since then, He is 6-1 with an ERA of 2.95 over 12 games (10 starts) and 61 innings. It has been gradual, but it’s great to see that improvement. Andrew Bechtold came on in relief for the sixth inning. He gave up three runs on three hits and a walk in 2/3 of an inning. However, both outs he recorded were on strikeouts. He has made 18 appearances out of the bullpen since trying to take up pitching on the fly. Blessed with a big arm that is capable of hitting the upper-90s with a fastball, it is worth a shot, and it will be interesting to see if he’s shown enough potential to invest another season in that transition. Bechtold can be a free agent at season’s end. If that happens, it will be interesting to see how he is utilized moving forward. So, it’s important to take his numbers - which haven’t been good - into proper perspective, understanding he hasn’t pitched since high school (10 years ago) and he’s doing it in Triple-A against a lot of veteran players. In 16 innings, he has an ERA of 11.81 and a WHIP at 2.63. He has 14 strikes, but 21 walks, in those 16 innings. But he is 2-1 if you’re interested in Win-Loss record for relievers. Michael Boyle came on and faced four batters. He got all four of them out, two on strikeouts. Jordan Balazovic gave up a hit and struck out one batter in a scoreless inning. The Saints took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first when Michael Helman scored on a Wild Pitch. The Saints took a 2-1 lead in the top of the fifth when Hernan Perez hit his 10th home run of the season. The Saints cut their deficit to 4-3 in the top of the seventh inning when Yunior Severino hit his 10th Saints homer and his 34th homer overall. He has homered in three straight games and in five of the past seven games. Only seven players in Twins minor-league history (62 seasons) have hit more home runs in a season than Severino. And he’s got nine games remaining to move up the lists. WIND SURGE WISDOM Wichita 1, Midland 2 Box Score Pierson Ohl continues to roll. The right-hander from Grand Canyon tossed 5 1/3 innings of scoreless ball in this game. He gave up three hits, walked one and struck out five batters. He also hit two batters. Early in June, Ohl was promoted to Wichita. In his first three Double-A starts, he went 0-2 with an ERA of 6.61 and opponents hit .297 against him. Since then, he has gone 7-1 with a 1.78 ERA in 13 games (11 starts). His WHIP has been 0.89, and opponents have hit just .198 off of him. He’s got 62 strikeouts and just 12 walks in 70 2/3 innings. Isaac Mattson got out of the sixth inning and then gave up a single run in the seventh inning on a solo homer. Sean Mooney came into a 1-1 tie in the top of the eighth inning. He recorded one out and gave up only an unearned run on two walks. Miguel Rodriguez came into the game with the bases loaded and one out. He got the final two outs of the eighth inning and allowed just one inherited runner to score. He then pitched a scoreless ninth inning. He had three strikeouts. The Surge did score the first run of the game in the second inning. Ben Ross drove in Alex Isola with a single. That was about it for the offense. They had just six hits, and Alex Isola went 3-for-4 in the game and is now hitting .280 on the season. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids vs. Peoria The Kernels have their backs to the wall in Round 1 of the Midwest League playoffs. Fortunately, the team will find their backs on the walls at their home stadium in Cedar Rapids. And, if they find a way to win Game 2, then Game 3 will be at home as well. They are sending righty Cory Lewis to the mound on Thursday night. He’s arguably been the best pitcher in the Twins organization this season. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Hitter of the Day – Yunior Severino (St. Paul) - 2-for-4, HR(10/34), R, RBI, K Pitcher of the Day – Pierson Ohl (Wichita) - 5.1 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, BB, 5 K, 83 pitches, 53 strikes (63.9%) PROSPECT SUMMARY Check out the Prospect Tracker for much more on the new Twins Top 20 prospects after seeing how they did on Wednesday. #1 - Brooks Lee (St. Paul) - 0-for-4 #7 - Austin Martin (St. Paul) - 0-for-3, BB, 2 K #8 - Tanner Schobel (Wichita) - 0-for-4 #14 - Yunior Severino (St. Paul) - 2-for-4, HR(10/34), R, RBI, 1 K #15 - Simeon Woods Richardson (St. Paul) - 5.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 3 BB, 5 K, 84 pitches, 53 strikes (63.1%) #16 - Jordan Balazovic (St. Paul) - 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 16 pitches, 11 strikes (68.8%) THURSDAY’S SCHEDULE AND PITCHING PROBABLES St. Paul @ Iowa (12:08 PM CST) - RHP Randy Dobnak (5-8, 5.10 ERA) Midland @ Wichita (7:05 PM CST) - RHP Travis Adams (4-10, 5.55 ERA) Playoffs: Game 2: Peoria @ Cedar Rapids (6:35 PM CST) - Cory Lewis (9-4, 2.49 ERA) Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Wednesday’s games or any other Twins minor league topics!

TRANSACTIONS RHP Jorge Alcala assigned to Low-A Fort Myers on MLB Rehab. Saints Sentinel St. Paul 3, Louisville 4 Box Score Bailey Ober: 5 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 K HR: None Multi-hit games: Jair Camargo (2-for-4, RBI, K) The Saints blew up late, falling to the Bats after an excellent start by Bailey Ober. Ober was magnificent; the tall righty allowed just three measly singles, slicing through the Bats with his typical efficient style (he only needed 65 pitches). He also struck out three. You couldn’t draw up a more “Bailey Ober” start if you tried. St. Paul’s offense was occasionally patient, taking six walks on the day, but their issue was glaring, standing out like a neon light cutting through the night sky: 17 strikeouts. Three separate hitters whiffed at least three times, with Anthony Prato catching the worst of it; he punched out four times. They did score, though—three times in fact—as DaShawn Keirsey Jr. and Austin Martin both knocked in a run with 1st inning singles. Jair Camargo added another with an infield hit in the 3rd inning. Old friend Alan Busenitz (he’s back!) saved the game for Louisville, striking out one in a perfect inning. Both Jonathan India and Joey Votto played for the Bats; the rehabbing big-leaguers may be seen wearing Reds uniforms when the Twins soon come to town, but for now, the duo is based in Louisville. Votto singled. Reliever Levi Stoudt is Cincinnati's only top-30 prospect at AAA; he pitched a scoreless frame. Wind Surge Wisdom Wichita 3, Corpus Christi 7 Box Score Travis Adams: 5 IP, 5 H, 4 ER, 3 BB, 6 K HR: None Multi-hit games: Tanner Schobel (2-for-4, RBI, K), Alex Isola (2-for-4, RBI) A dreadful 2nd inning cursed the Wind Surge to lose on Saturday. Travis Adams did recover to eventually finish the 5th inning, but the 2nd inning dragged him down, limiting the greatness of his pitching line. It’s a shame; the rest of his start was pretty good, with each other frame only once seeing a runner reach second base. The bats were productive, with all but two batters earning a hit. Few were damaging. Just two of the knocks went for extra-bases. Coordination proved to be the problem; Wichita never scored in an inning more than once, leaving their rallies short and unthreatening. Carlos Correa’s little brother, J.C. Correa, singled in three at-bats. Houston’s best prospect, however, is centerfielder Jacob Melton, and he walked and struck out twice. Kernels Nuggets Cedar Rapids 2, Wisconsin 3 Box Score John Klein: 5 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 4 K HR: None Multi-hit games: Misael Urbina (3-for-4, R, K) The Kernels lost a squeaker on Saturday. John Klein—the pride of Brooklyn Park—made his Kernels debut. The Iowa Central Community College product was excellent, whiffing four while only allowing two runs, giving up six hits in the process. He’s had quite the season, moving from the FCL to A+ ball, and he could see himself start to appear on prospect lists in the offseason. Cedar Rapids’ offense couldn’t support him, unfortunately, as a two-run Kala’i Rosario single represented the lone run-scoring hit of the night. The two RBIs pushed his season total to 94; he easily leads the Midwest League in RBIs; Jimmy Crooks is second with 73. The Kernels struck out 14 times, taking seven walks, while accruing six hits—all singles. Misael Urbina collected three singles and stole his sixth base of the season. Milwaukee’s 1st-round pick in 2023—Brock Wilken—struck out once in four at-bats. Mussel Matters Ft. Myers 4, Bradenton 5 Box Score Jose Olivares: 4 IP, 3 H, 4 ER, 4 BB, 7 K HR: None Multi-hit games: None Despite a four-run 2nd inning, the Mighty Mussels fell to the Marauders on Saturday. Not even a rain delay could stop them; Fort Myers weathered a break in the middle of their rally, returning to plate four runs off a variety of Piranha-esque outcomes—singles, walks, and sacrifice flies. That was it, though, as the Mighty Mussels only had four total bases on the game. They did reach base often, taking an astounding 13 walks, but finding the critical knock proved elusive, and they scored no runs after their early outburst. They should have. The Marauders struck back with a four-run frame of their own, knotting the game in the middle innings. Though they sat dormant for a while as well, a 9th inning sacrifice fly broke the tie. Danny De Andrade’s lead-off double went nowhere. Alec Sayre’s groundout to the pitcher ended the game. Rehabbing big-leaguer, Jorge Alcala, struck out two in a perfect inning. He maxed out at 98.4 MPH. Second baseman Mitch Jebb is Pittsburgh’s 9th-ranked prospect, and he walked while driving in a pair off two sacrifice flies. TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Bailey Ober Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Misael Urbina PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed: #1 - Brooks Lee (St. Paul) - 0-3, 2 R, 2 BB, K #2 - Walker Jenkins (Ft. Myers) - 1-5, RBI, 2 K #3 - Emmanuel Rodriguez (Cedar Rapids) - 0-4, BB, 4 K #5 - Matt Wallner (Minnesota) - 0-3, 2 K #8 - Austin Martin (St. Paul) - 1-3, RBI, K #10 - Tanner Schobel (Wichita) - 2-4, RBI, K #12 - Luke Keaschall (Cedar Rapids) - 0-4, R, BB #16 - Kala’i Rosario (Cedar Rapids) - 1-4, 2 RBI, BB, 2 K #18 - Jose Salas (Cedar Rapids) - 0-4, K SUNDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS St. Paul @ Louisville (12:05 PM) - RHP Blayne Enlow Wichita @ Corpus Christi (1:05 PM) - LHP Jaylen Nowlin Cedar Rapids @ Wisconsin (12:10 PM) - LHP Christian MacLeod Bradenton @ Fort Myers (11:00 AM) - RHP Ben Ethridge

August was the month of offensive outbursts from the Dominican Summer League Twins to the Major League club itself. Highlighted by top prospects and the new faces of the 2023 draft class, seemingly everyone wanted to showcase their hitting ability this month. Choosing only five hitters felt wrong, so let's begin by celebrating the honorable mentions. Honorable Mentions Moises Lopez - DSL Twins - .306/.405/.528 (.933), 42 PA, 11 Hits, 4 BB, 12 K, two doubles, two home runs Brandon Winokur - FCL Twins - .296/.345/.556 (.901), 58 PA, 16 Hits, 3 BB, 17 K, five doubles, three home runs Luke Keaschall - Fort Myers Mighty Mussels - .292/.426/.472 (.898), 94 PA, 21 Hits, 15 BB, 20 K, eight doubles, one home run Andrew Cossetti - Cedar Rapids Kernels - .259/.440/.537 (.977), 75 PA, 14 Hits, 16 BB, 20 K, two doubles, three home runs Carson McCusker - Cedar Rapids Kernels - .255/.305/.636 (.941), 59 PA, 14 Hits, 3 BB, 21 K, three doubles, six home runs Noah Miller - Cedar Rapids Kernels - .281/.350/.494 (.844), 100 PA, 25 Hits, 10 BB, 22 K, eight doubles, three home runs Emmanuel Rodriguez - Cedar Rapids Kernels - .260/.402/.479 (.881), 92 PA, 19 Hits, 18 BB, 25 K, two doubles, four home runs Hernan Perez - St. Paul Saints - .310/.383/.643 (1.026), 47 PA, 13 Hits, 5 BB, 8 K, two doubles, four home runs Andrew Stevenson - St. Paul Saints - .275/.363/.525 (.888), 91 PA, 22 Hits, 10 BB, 19 K, four doubles, four home runs #6. Walker Jenkins - FCL Twins/Fort Myers - .333/.362/.469 (.831), 74 PA, 23 Hits, 5 BB, 9 K, four doubles, two home runs The number five overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft came out of the gates as advertised, lining a double over the FCL Rays third baseman head on his first-ever professional at-bat. After this memorable moment, Jenkins managed to hit .333/.390/.537 (.927) through 59 plate appearances with the FCL Twins before being promoted to the Fort Myers Might Mussels on August 22. Since joining Fort Myers, Jenkins has hit .333/.333/.400 (.733) through just 15 plate appearances, with his highlight moment coming last week when he hit a walk-off single in his second game with the Mighty Mussels. Jenkins has met expectations so far, and his somewhat surprising promotion to Single-A Fort Myers while being an 18-year-old fresh out of high school is a sign that the Twins view Jenkins as developmentally advanced. There is a lot of hype around Jenkins, and with hype comes pressure and expectations. Whether Jenkins will be able to meet those expectations long-term is yet to be seen, but he has undoubtedly impressed during his first cup of coffee in professional baseball. #5. Patrick Winkel - Wichita Wind Surge - .318/.410/.591 (1.001), 78 PA, 21 Hits, 11 BB, 18 K, six doubles, four home runs Number five on this list comes in the form of catching prospect Patrick Winkel. Winkel, 23, was drafted in the ninth round of the 2021 MLB Draft by the Minnesota Twins out of the University of Connecticut. While at the University of Connecticut, Winkel hit a .299/.357/.501 (.858) with 112 hits, 35 BB, 21 doubles, and 19 home runs over 430 plate appearances with the Huskies. Winkel had a relatively uninspiring 2022 season with the High-A Cedar Rapids Kernels, hitting just .254/.330/.391 (.721), but has elevated his game hitting .272/.373/.437 (.810) since joining the Double-A Wichita Wind Surge to begin the 2023 Texas League season. The left-handed hitting Winkel has a smooth and compact swing that stays in the strike zone, not too dissimilar to that of Max Kepler, which lends to him manufacturing good at-bats that tend to lead to production. Winkel has been incredible in August, exhibiting a great sense of contact while hitting an impressive six doubles and four home runs. Twins minor league catchers have been impressive this season, and Winkel is among the top of that group. Winkel's performance has landed him just behind another impressive standout member of the Wind Surge. #4. Yoyner Fajardo - Wichita Wind Surge - .341/.423/.568 (.991), 105 PA, 30 H, 12 BB, 15 K, six doubles, four home runs Number four on this list comes in the form of the speedy and versatile Fajardo. Fajardo started his professional career with the Pittsburgh Pirates organization, but began his first season in the Minnesota Twins minor league system in April with the Wichita Wind Surge. Fajardo, 24, has been impressive all season, but he elevated his performance to the next level in August. Beyond hitting .341/.423/.568 (.991), Fajardo stole 17 bases in August, nine more than the next closest player in the Twins minor league system. Fajardo steals bases at a high clip and has hit the ball hard all across the park, as illustrated by his 33 extra-base hits this season. Fajardo also provides value as a utility player, playing second base, third base, designated hitter, and all three outfield positions in his professional baseball career. Fajardo has predominately played left field this season at Double-A Wichita, but versatility is still a relevant aspect of his game. Fajardo has been a pleasant surprise this season, and hopefully he can finish out his best season as a professional baseball player on a high note. #3. DaShawn Keirsey Jr. - Wichita/St. Paul - .323/.458/.576 (1.034), 85 PA, 22 Hits, 12 BB, 16 K, three doubles, two home runs Keirsey Jr. started the month out at Double-A Wichita, but after just two games, he was promoted to Triple-A St. Paul. Since joining the Saints, Keirsey Jr. has hit .297/.416/.438 (.854) with 19 hits and four extra-base hits over 64 at-bats. Keirsey Jr. has played centerfield as well as both corner outfield spots and has been a steady left-handed bat at the top of the Wind Surge and now Saints lineup. Keirsey Jr., who I have ranked as the eighth-best prospect in the Twins system, is having his best season as a member of the Twins organization, leading those who follow the team to wonder if he has Major League aspirations in the near future. Keirsey Jr. is eligible for the Rule 5 Draft this upcoming offseason again, and if the Twins elect not to add him to the 40-man roster there is a relatively high chance he would get plucked by another team. If the Twins add Keirsey Jr. to the 40-man roster, Twins fans will likely watch him make his Major League debut next season. Keirsey Jr. had a great month of August, and his promotion to Triple-A St. Paul was well deserved. #2. Alex Isola - Wichita Wind Surge - .358/.424/.617 (1.041), 92 PA, 29 Hits, 10 BB, 17 K, three doubles, six home runs The runner-up for August 2023 Twins Minor League Hitter of the Month is C/1B/DH Alex Isola. Isola has built off his productive 2022 season with an even more impressive 2023 season, highlighted by his breakout month of August. Through 92 plate appearances, Isola has six home runs, which ties Carson McCusker of the Cedar Rapids Kernels for the minor league system lead in August. Not only is Isola hitting home runs, but he is making sufficient contact and hitting the ball around the park. Home runs are great, but when a C/1B/DH can consistently the ball around the field for contact it begins to feel like that player, in this case Isola, might be an exceptional talent. Isola has been incredible in August, and if it weren't for the resurgence of the winner below, he would have walked away with the honor of Twins Daily Hitter of the Month for August 2023. Winner: Austin Martin - St. Paul Saints - .357/.489/.600 (1.089), 90 PA, 25 Hits, 16 BB, 11 K, five doubles, four home runs The Twins Minor League Hitter of the Month for August 2023 is the number five overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft, Austin Martin. For the first time since he joined the Twins minor league system, Martin is playing like the star he was at Vanderbilt. The most notable way Martin plays like that is by spraying the ball across the park while generating hard contact. Martin had 25 hits in August, which is incredible, and nine of them were extra-base hits. Now, while only 36% of a player's hits being extra-base hits isn't all too encouraging, having Martin regain form as a hitter who sprays singles around the field is encouraging. While Martin mainly shoots singles and the occasional double around the field, he has added an essential element of power to his game, showcased by the four home runs he hit in August. Martin will likely never be a power hitter - that's just not who he is - but if he can hit three to four home runs a month while being an elite contact hitter, the Twins would have themselves an exceptional player. Not only is Martin hitting the ball exceptionally well, but he is providing adequate defense at both second base and centerfield while making the occasional highlight-worthy play. Martin's incredible month at the plate has earned him the honor of Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Month for August 2023.

Kyle Garlick signed a guaranteed contract to avoid arbitration before this season. Near the end of spring training, he was DFAd and outrighted to the Saints. He has played 14 games with the Twins, and when he was DFAd a second time, he decided to remain in the organization. Last week, the Twins claimed outfielder Jordan Luplow whose skill set is incredibly similar to Garlick's. On Wednesday night, Garlick reminds us that he doesn't want to be (and shouldn't be) forgotten. The short-season affiliates’ seasons came to an end on Tuesday. Here are the records of the Twins and their six affiliates through games on Wednesday. Minnesota Twins: 65-62 St. Paul Saints: 70-51 Wichita Wind Surge: 53-62 Cedar Rapids Kernels: 72-44 Fort Myers Mighty Mussels: 57-59 FCL Twins: 25-29 (season complete) DSL Twins: 14-37 (season complete) Let’s get to the report. As always, please feel free to discuss and ask questions. TRANSACTIONS -As we learned on Tuesday night, 2023 first-round pick, outfielder Walker Jenkins, was promoted to Low-A Fort Myers on Wednesday. He is expected to be in the lineup on Thursday. -Lefty Develson Aria and infielder Kamron Willman were transferred to the Development List of Fort Myers. SAINTS SENTINEL St. Paul 6, Omaha 4 Box Score Kyle Garlick had five hits to help lead the Saints to a two-run win in Nebraska. The Saints got off to a fast start. Andrew Stevenson started the game with a double and advanced to third on a throwing error. Austin Martin walked and then stole second base. Garlick ripped a single to center to score Stevenson. Brooks Lee followed with a single that drove in Martin with the second run. Garlick scored on a ground out. In the fifth inning, the Saints added another run. Anthony Prato doubled Garlick, who singled, to third base. Garlick scored on a Trevor Larnach sacrifice fly. That gave the Saints a 4-1 lead. Omaha came back and tied the game at 4-4 after eight frames. However, the Saints responded in the top of the ninth. With one out, Stevenson got on with a bunt single and his 41st stolen base advanced him to second base. After a pop out, Kyle Garlick came through again with an RBI double. Brooks Lee blooped a single to right field to drive Garlick in with the sixth run. Kyle Garlick went 5-for-5 with his 17th double. Andrew Stevenson went 3-for-5 with his 23rd double. Brooks Lee went 2-for-5. Anthony Prato went 2-for-4 with a walk and his 21st double. Blayne Enlow served as the Opener. He gave up a hit, walked one, and struck out three batters in two scoreless innings. Patrick Murphy came on and worked the next five innings. He was charged with two runs on three hits (two solo homers). He struck out nine batters. Kody Funderburk came on for the eighth inning and gave up a two-run homer that tied the game at four. However, he worked a scoreless ninth inning. So he had a blown save but then improved to 4-1. WIND SURGE WISDOM Wichita 5, Arkansas 1 Box Score The Wind Surge scored in four different innings, and they received some great pitching throughout this game to score a really nice win. David Festa’s season in Double-A has been filled with ups and downs, but his start on Wednesday night was definitely a positive. The Twins representative in the Futures Game this year gave up one run on just two hits over five innings. He had seven strikeouts without any walks. At that point, the bullpen came on and three pitchers each recorded four outs and kept Arkansas off the scoreboard. Lefty Aaron Rozek and right-hander Taylor Floyd each had two strikeouts. Alex Scherff struck out three batters and earned his fourth save. This is your Alex Isola Appreciation paragraph. On Wednesday, Isola went 3-for-4 with three RBI. He has now hit in 10 of his past 11 games. He has had seven multi-hit games including five games with three hits. In those 11 games, he is 22-for-42 and has hit .524/.580/.929 (1.509) with two doubles, five homers, and 16 RBI. He has seven strikeouts and just six walks. Isola got the Wichita scoring started in the first inning when he drove in Seth Gray with a single. The Surge’s second run came on a wild pitch. In the seventh inning, Isola drove in Tanner Schobel with a single to make it 3-1. The Wind Surge added two insurance runs in the ninth inning. The first came when Yoyner Fajardo scored on a wild pitch. And, of course, it was Isola who drove in the team’s final run with another single to score Gray. So, Alex Isola went 3-for-5. Seth Gray was 2-for-4 with a walk. Jake Rucker went 2-for-5. Tanner Schobel walked three times. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 8, South Bend 4 Box Score The Kernels bats were back on Wednesday night. They had three innings in which they scored more than one run. However, let’s start on the mound. Andrew Morris improved to 4-1 since joining the Kernels. He gave up three runs on nine hits and a walk. He had a walk with two strikeouts. Jordan Carr gave up one run on two hits (one was a solo homer) over three innings. He had three strikeouts to drop his season ERA to 1.48. John Stankiewicz worked a perfect ninth inning to shut the door. The Kernels fell behind 3-0 after two innings. In the top of the third, Emmanuel Rodriguez drove in two runs with his eighth double. It’s been a tough year for the recently-turned-20 Jose Salas. He came into the season hitting just .167 this season with the Kernels. Recently, his 17-year-old brother Ethan, who signed with the Padres in January, was promoted to Double-A. Jose Salas remains a solid prospect. He is very young for the High-A level, and he is a prospect that fans should not give up on. In this game, he went 3-for-4 with his 10th and 11th doubles, and he also stole his 18th base. It would sure be nice for him to end the season strong. Kyler Fedko went 2-for-3 with a walk and his fifth double. He stole his fourth base. Noah Miller went 2-for-4 with a walk and his 17th double. As you know, we have a sister site called North Side Baseball which covers the Chicago Cubs organization. South Bend is the High-A affiliate of the Cubs. Here is a quick look at how the North Side Baseball Cubs Top 20 Prospects in this game did in this game. #3 Matthew Shaw - 1-for-3, HBP #5 Kevin Alcantara - 1-for-4, K #11 Moises Ballesteros - 1-for-4, K #12 James Triantos - 2-for-4, 2 RBI MUSSEL MATTERS Daytona 3, Fort Myers 1 Box Score There was a pitchers duel in Fort Myers on Wednesday nights. Through seven innings, the score was tied at 1-1. Unfortunately, the Tortugas scored single runs in the eighth and ninth innings. Jack Noble got the start and gave up one run on five hits over five innings. He walked two and struck out two batters. Sam Perez came on and struck out three batters over two scoreless, hitless innings. Juan Mendez pitched the final two innings and gave up those runs. He gave up four hits, walked two, and struck out five batters. The Mussels had seven hits and walked four times. Danny De Andrade went 2-for-4. He also stole his 16th base. Rafael Cruz was also 2-for-4 and drove in the Mussels’ lone run. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Hitter of the Day – Kyle Garlick (St. Paul) - 5-for-5, 2B(17), 3 R, 2 RBI. Pitcher of the Day – David Festa (Wichita) - 5.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 7 K, 72 pitches, 48 strikes (66.7%) PROSPECT SUMMARY Check out the Prospect Tracker for much more on the new Twins Top 20 prospects after seeing how they did on Wednesday. #1 - Brooks Lee (St. Paul) - 2-for-5, 2 RBI, K #3 - Emmanuel Rodriguez (Cedar Rapids) - 1-for-4, BB, 2B(8), 2 RBI, 2K #6 - David Festa (Wichita) - 5.0 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 0 B, 7 K, 72 pitches, 48 strikes (66.7%) #7 - Austin Martin (St. Paul) - 0-for-3, 2 BB, R, SB(10) #8 - Tanner Schobel (Wichita) - 0-for-2, 3 BB, R, #10 - Luke Keaschall (Ft. Myers) - 1-for-4, 3 K #13 - Kala’i Rosario (Cedar Rapids) - 1-for-5, 2B(25), 3 K, OF Assist. #17 - Danny De Andrade (Fort Myers) - 2-for-4, R, K, SB(16) THURSDAY’S SCHEDULE AND PITCHING PROBABLES St. Paul @ Omaha (6:35 PM CST) - LHP Brent Headrick (4-2, 5.01 ERA) Wichita @ Arkansas (6:35 PM CST) - LHP Jaylen Nowlin (2-0, 2.08 ERA) Cedar Rapids @ South Bend (6:05 PM CST) - RHP Cory Lewis (4-1, 2.42 ERA) Daytona @ Fort Myers (6:00 PM CST) - RHP Miguelangel Boadas (0-2, 9.72 ERA) Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Wednesday’s games or any other Twins minor league topics!

The Twins have pushed their lead to a season-high six games. Read all about it in Nick’s Week in Review. WEEK IN REVIEW Triple-A: St. Paul Saints Overall: 26-19 (3-3 last week) in the second half; In first place in the IL West by half a game; in fourth place in the International League. Overview: The Saints had a chance to separate themselves from Iowa, but struggled to a split with Indianapolis. 🔥: Yunior Severino had a big week, hitting three home runs among his seven hits. He's shown to have a ton of power this season, but the strikeouts are and will reman a problem. He struck out 10 times in 19 at-bats this week. 🔥: Simeon Woods Richardson (five innings, two runs, six strikeouts) and Joe Ryan (rehab, four innings, one run, seven strikeouts) both had really good starts. Blayne Enlow also struck out three in two perfect innings. 🔥: DaShawn Keirsey (seven hits, triple), Austin Martin (six hits, two home runs) and Andrew Stevenson (six hits, two doubles home runs.) all had good offensive weeks. It was also nice to see Gilberto Celestino (five hits, double, triple) get back on track. 🥶: Two starts for Randy Dobnak , but it was a rough week. He pitched 6 1/3 innings and allowed 12 runs (10 earned) on 19 hits and five walks. He struck out seven. 🥶: Trevor Larnach struck out 11 times in 19 at-bats. He only had one hit. What's Next: The Saints head to Omaha, who is currently in last place in the IL West. Double-A: Wichita Wind Surge Overall: 24-21 (5-1 last week) in the second half with a half-game lead. Overview: The Wind Surge has won three straight series and been very hot since the promotions of their best three offensive players. 🔥: Pierson Ohl has been on fire. In two starts, he completed eleven innings and allowed only three runs on five hits and a walk. He struck out nine. 🔥: Alex Isola and David Banuelos had huge weeks. Isola had 12 hits in 23 at-bats. He had three home runs and scored eight runs while driving in six. Banuelos had nine hits, including three doubles and a home run. He drove in seven. 🔥: Travis Adams allowed a single run on two hits and three walks over 6 2/3 innings. He struck out two. He had a no-hitter through the first six innings. 🥶: Dalton Shuffield was 3-for-18. He did steal two bases though. 🥶: Carlos Luna allowed five runs on 11 hits this week. What's Next: The Wind Surge head to Arkansas (18-26), the first-half champion, to try to extend their lead in the Texas League North. High-A: Cedar Rapids Kernels Overall: 31-17 (5-1 last week) in the second half, four games ahead of Peoria. The Kernels have clinched a postseason berth. Overview: The Kernels got some separation from Peoria with a huge week. 🔥: Noah Miller led the offensive charge with seven hits, including three doubles. 🔥: Kyle Jones made a scoreless four-inning start. C.J. Culpepper, Andrew Morris, and Zebby Matthews all allowed one earned run in their starts. 🔥: Kala'i Rosario had two home runs in his four hits and drew three walks. He did strike out seven times though. 🥶: This is usually where you get a weekly Misael Urbina and/or Jose Salas update. They could both be here... but people are more interested in Emmanuel Rodriguez , who went 4-for-18 with six strikeouts. 🥶: Cory Lewis gave up three earned runs in his start, tied for the most he's allowed with the Kernels. What's Next: The Kernels head to South Bend (19-28). It's a match-up of the hottest team in the league and one of the coldest teams in the league. Low-A: Ft. Myers Mighty Mussels Overall: 22-26 (4-2 last week) in the second half, 9.0 games out of first place. Overview: It's been a turnaround for Fort Myers, who have put up a +24 run differential in the second half, but still find themselves far behind Lakeland, Clearwater and Bradenton. 🔥: Danny De Andrade had another big week and jumped into the TwinsDaily Top 20 prospects. His two home runs led the team as did his six runs batted in and three stolen bases. 🔥: John Klein struck out eight over six one-hit, one-walk innings and earned his first victory of the season in his best start as a professional. 🔥: Jay Harry had a very successful week at the plate batting .522 (12-23). He also led the team with three doubles and walked and struck out twice. As most college hitters should - with the elimination of short-season rookie ball - he's proving that he may be too advanced for this level. 🥶: Miguelangel Boadas made a start, but couldn't make it out of the third inning before allowing eight runs on six hits, three hit batters and two walks. 🥶: Maddux Houghton and Gregory Duran were the only hitters to bat below .200 on the week. What's Next: Fort Myers will play host to Daytona (21-25). Rookie: FCL Twins Overall: 23-29 (2-2 last week) on the season. 6.5 games behind the FCL Pirates in the FCL South. 😍: Walker Jenkins didn't have a great week, but still had a very good week with some promising signs. Among his five hits, he doubled and hit a home run. Most encouraging though, is that he struck out and walked twice each. 🔥: Brandon Winokur continues to strike out too much (four times in eighteen at-bats is good for him), but he keeps swinging. He had seven hits including three doubles and a home run. 🔥: On a staff where only six pitchers threw more than two innings, Kyle Bischoff's week really stands out. In two appearances, he pitched seven innings. He allowed three hits and hit a batter, but surrendered no runs and struck out 10. 🤔: Devin Kirby made his professional debut with six strikeouts over three innings. Kirby is unique in that he throws a legit knuckleball. He's an undrafted free agent from Connecticut. 🥶: Bryan Acuna (1-9, 2 K) and Byron Chourio (1-7, 2 K) both struggled this week. Rookie: DSL Twins Overall: 14-36 (0-3 last week) on the season. 26.0 games back in the DSL South. 🔥: Javier Roman and Moises Lopez tied for the team lead in hits with four each. They both had a double as well. 🔥: Yency De Jesus seems to get an update every week. He struck out six in four innings and neither of the two runs he allowed were earned. He only gave up one hit, but the four walks were too much. 🥶: Hendry Chivilli had another lackluster week, collecting only two hits in 12 at-bats. One of those hits was a grand slam, but two-thirds of the at-bats resulted in strikeouts. PROSPECT SUMMARY This Prospect Summary shows our current Twins Top 20 Prospect Rankings and how they performed last week. The Prospect Tracker will be updated periodically throughout the season. Notice that these pages now include stats and splits, as well as past article links, video and more. Season-long stats will be in parenthesis. 20. Brent Headrick, RHP, St. Paul: 1-0, 9.00 ERA, 4.0 IP, 3 H, 4 ER, HRA, BB, 4 K (1.39 WHIP, .267 BAA). 19. Cory Lewis, RHP, Cedar Rapids: 0-0, 6.23 ERA, 4.1 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 5 K (1.03 WHIP, .191 BAA). 18. Jose Rodriguez, OF, FCL Twins: 6-19, 2B, HR, 3 RBI, 3 R, 2 K, CS. (.257/.319/.410. .729 OPS) 17. Danny De Andrade, SS, Fort Myers: 5-19, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 7 R, BB, 3 K, 3 SB, CS. (.242/.357/.398. .755 OPS), played 77 total games at shortstop and committed 13 errors in 278 chances and one game at third base and had no errors in four chances. 16. Jordan Balazovic, RHP, Minnesota. St. Paul: (1.60 WHIP, .261 BAA); recently optioned to St. Paul. 15. Simeon Woods Richardson, RHP, St. Paul: 0-1, 3.60 ERA, 5.0 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, HRA, BB, 6 K (1.58 WHIP, .263 BAA); Minnesota: (1.85 WHIP, .313 BAA) 14. Yunior Severino, 3B, St. Paul: 7-19, 3 HR, 4 RBI, 5 R, BB, 10 K. (AA/AAA combined .286/.363/.566. .929 OPS). 13. Kala'i Rosario, OF, Cedar Rapids: 4-18, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 2 R, 3 BB, 7 K. (.260/.373/.478. .851 OPS). 12. Yasser Mercedes, OF, FCL Twins: Did not play. (.196/.248/.381. .629 OPS) 11. Connor Prielipp, LHP, Cedar Rapids: Prielipp underwent season-ending elbow surgery. (1.75 WHIP, .294 BAA) 10. Luke Keaschall, 2B, Fort Myers: 5-19, 2 2B, HR, 5 RBI, 7 R, 3 BB, 5 K, 2 SB. (rookie/l-A combined .263/.430/.386. .816 OPS), played four games (13 total) at second base and committed no errors in 13 chances (one error in 33 total chances) and one game in centerfield (two total) and had no chances. Previously played one game at third base and committed one error in two chances. 9. Brandon Winokur, OF, FCL Twins: 7-18, 3 2B, HR, 6 RBI, 3 R, 4 K. (.288/.338/.545. .883 OPS), played one game at shortstop (nine total) and committed no errors in three chances (two errors in 34 total chances) and played three games (seven total) at centerfield and committed no errors in eight chances (no errors in 19 total chances). 8. Tanner Schobel, INF, Wichita: 5-21, 4 RBI, 3 R, 5 K, SB. (high-A/AA combined .263/.351/.436. .787 OPS), played four games (43 total) at second base and committed no errors in 14 chances (8 errors in 174 total chances), played one game (56 total) at third base and had no chances (four errors in 109 total chances). 7. Austin Martin, SS, St. Paul: 6-19, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 4 R, 2 BB, 3 K, CS. (rehab/AAA combined .268/.373/.415. .788 OPS), played three games (seven total) in centerfield and committed no errors in five chances (no errors in 14 total chances), played six games (27 total) at second base and committed two errors in 20 chances (two errors in 109 total chances), played three games (seven total) in left field and committed no errors in four chances (no errors in 14 total chances). (This must have not been updated last week, so these are two-week totals.) 6. David Festa, RHP, Wichita: On the Temporary Inactive List. (1.43 WHIP, .257 BAA) 5. Charlee Soto, RHP: Has not played in a professional game. 4. Marco Raya, RHP, Wichita: 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 2.0 IP, H, 3 K. (AA/Hi-A combined 1.17 WHIP, .210 BAA) 3. Emmanuel Rodriguez, OF, Cedar Rapids: 4-18, 3B, 3 RBI, 3 R, 3 BB, 6 K. (.227/.390/.441. .831 OPS) 2. Walker Jenkins, OF, FCL Twins: 5-18, 2B, HR, 2 RBI, 4 R, 2 BB, 2 K, CS. (.340/.380/.574. .954 OPS) 1. Brooks Lee, SS, St. Paul: 6-20, 3 2B, 3B, HR, 4 RBI, 2 R, 2 BB, 3 K. (AA/AAA combined .286/.355/.465. .820 OPS), played four games (92 total) at shortstop and committed one error in 22 chances (15 errors in 377 total chances) and played one game (three total) at third base and committed no errors in one chance (one error in seven chances total chances). PLAYERS OF THE WEEKHITTER - Alex Isola, Wichita PITCHER - Pierson Ohl, Wichita Old tweet; still plays:

TRANSACTIONS None Saints Sentinel St. Paul 4, Indianapolis 5 Box Score Simeon Woods Richardson: 5 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 6 K HR: Yunior Severino (2) Multi-hit games: Yunior Severino (2-for-4, HR, 2 R, RBI), Gilberto Celestino (3-for-3, R, BB), DaShawn Keirsey Jr. (2-for-4, R) The Saints made it close on Saturday. Simeon Woods Richardson continued to pitch effectively on Saturday; the 22-year-old held an ERA of 2.96 in July, and now he’s at a 2.79 mark in August. It took a while for the bats to get going, but when they did, they did so with gusto. Yunior Severino blasted a 461 foot moonshot to center, apparently clearing the batter's eye for the first time since St. Paul became an affiliate of the Twins. More runs soon followed for the Saints—they plated a trio in the 8th—but Indianapolis struck for three before they could, leaving St. Paul with a one run disadvantage. All three runs scored off a Hernán Pérez double. The heart of St. Paul’s lineup came up in the 9th, but they went down 1-2-3. Brooks Lee’s sharp lineup was the only non-strikeout. Indianapolis possesses a few notable players. The first, Quinn Priester, started for the first time since his brief, ineffective stint with the Pirates. He pitched four shutout innings. The other—Canaan Smith-Njigba—is brothers with Jaxon Smith-Njigba, whom the Seahawks just selected in the 1st round of the NFL Draft in May. Wind Surge Wisdom Wichita 2, Springfield 11 Box Score Curtis Taylor: ⅓ IP, 2 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 3 K HR: None Multi-hit games: Alex Isola (3-for-4, 2B, R), David Bañuelos (3-for-4, 2B, RBI) The Wind Surge were thoroughly blown out on Saturday. It’s never great when your starter can’t finish the first inning; it’s even worse when he can only find one out. The Cardinals lineup struck him for four earned runs, turning a leadoff double into a nightmare frame. The more astute amongst us may notice that Taylor earned three strikeouts but only one out. That means that—yes—twice a man reached first on a wild pitch strikeout. Sometimes, it may have been better to avoid the ballpark altogether. Wichita’s bats weren’t up to the herculean task of matching their opponents, but two batters—Alex Isola, and David Bañuelos—collected three hits in the game. For Isola, the game was simply a continuation of an outstanding August; he’s now slashing .295/.396/.659 in the month. Will Holland swiped his 24th base of the season. Cardinals leadoff man Victor Scott II is St. Louis’ 4th-best prospect; he went 3-for-5, with a walk, a stolen base, and a caught stealing. Kernels Nuggets Cedar Rapids 6, Wisconsin 5 Box Score C.J. Culpepper: 5 ⅔ IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K HR: Ben Ross (17), Kyler Fedko (4) Multi-hit games: Ben Ross (2-for-5, HR, 3B, R, 3 RBI), Jorel Ortega (2-for-4, 3B, RBI), Kyler Fedko (2-for-3, HR, 2 R, RBI, BB) The Kernels won on a walk-off on Saturday. Cedar Rapids blew a lead late, coming close to sending their fans home disappointed, before they struck with a run in the 9th, overcoming the Timber Rattlers for an exciting win. Starter C.J. Culpepper was strong as usual, reaching the sixth inning while only allowing one run along the way. He struck out four and walked two. His bullpen couldn’t hold the lead, however, as Alejandro Hidaglo and Malik Barrington allowed runs to eventually knot the game at five. It stung for a Cedar Rapids offense that had been explosive up to that point. They collected a perfectly normal nine hits, but fully loaded them with extra-base hits, giving them two doubles, two triples, and two homers respectively in the game. With Emmanuel Rodriguez on first, Jorel Ortega blasted one out to left field, greeting the yellow home run line in left with a startling crack. The shot didn’t clear the fence, but it was enough to plate Rodriguez, who ran like lightning to score off the hit. Big leaguer Jesse Winker played 1st base for the Timber Rattlers, singling once in three at bats. Milwaukee’s 1st-round pick in 2023—3rd baseman Brock Wilken—singled twice in four trips to the plate. Mussel Matters Ft. Myers 4, Palm Beach 0 Box Score John Klein: 6 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 8 K HR: None Multi-hit games: Jay Harry (2-for-3, R, BB) Mighty Mussels pitching and defense allowed just one hit on Saturday. John Klein was dominant. The Brooklyn Park native diced up Palm Beach’s lineup, tossing six scoreless innings with eight punchouts and two baserunners allowed. The 21-year-old has been fairly nondescript outside of an incredible debut start for the FCL Twins on June 10th, but starts like this will certainly put him on the prospect map. The Fort Myers offense wasn’t overwhelming, but that did everything they needed to do to support their excellent pitching. Maddux Houghton scored on an error. Luke Keaschall—the man on base because of the mistake—scored on a single. Later efforts pushed Fort Myers’ scoring to four runs. That was enough. The Mighty Mussels swiped three bases on Saturday—one each from Maddux Houghton, Luke Keaschall, and Rubel Cespedes. The Cardinals’ 21st overall pick in 2023—and outfielder named Chase Davis—walked once in three plate appearances. Complex Chronicles Game One: FCL Twins 1, FCL Red Sox 2 (7 Innings) Box Score Spencer Bengard: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K HR: None Multi-hit games: None The FCL Twins lost the first game of their doubleheader against the FCL Red Sox on Saturday. The bats were cool all game; the Twins collected just two hits—singles from Brayan Acuna and Walker Jenkins. They did take three walks, though. It was a bullpen day on the mound with Devin Kirby pitching the bulk of the game’s innings. His relation to Seattle’s George and Nintendo’s pink blob is unclear. His pitching was excellent, though, as he punched out six over just three frames of work. The team committed four errors, three of which came from 3rd baseman Issac Pena. Game Two: FCL Twins 5, FCL Red Sox 0 (7 Innings) Box Score Nolan Santos: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K HR: Jose Rodriguez (6), Jankel Ortiz (2) Multi-hit games: Walker Jenkins (2-for-4, 2B, R, RBI), Brandon Winokur (2-for-4, 2B, R, RBI), Jose Rodriguez (3-for-4, HR, R, 2 RBI) The FCL Twins took game two, though. The bats were much more potent in their second look at FCL Red Sox pitching. It started early, as Brandon Winokur knocked in a pair in the 1st inning, setting the expectations for the game. Later extra-base hits by Jose Rodriguez, Walker Jenkins, and Jankel Ortiz brought the team to five runs. 2023 draftee Nolan Santos started the game for the Twins. The 7th-round selection out of Bethune-Cookman University—the alma mater of a handful of former big leaguers—pitched one scoreless inning, striking out a batter in the process. Kyle Bischoff inhaled the plurality of innings, though, as he whiffed six over four scoreless frames. FCL Twins pitchers struck out 21 batters in the doubleheader. Dominican Dailies DSL Twins 3, DSL Phillies White 5 Box Score De Jesus: 4 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 4 BB, 6 K HR: Junior Del Valle (1) Multi-hit games: None The DSL Twins reached halfway to Satan on Saturday. That is, each number in their “R,” “H,” and “E” column was 3. As you could probably predict, that didn’t go well for them; DSL Twins pitchers actually never allowed an earned run, as, instead, all five runs were unearned. DSL Twins hitters had a tough time at the plate, striking out 11 times while earning just three hits. Junior Del Valle’s homer served as the long extra-base knock. Big-name international signing, Hendry Chivilli, continued his abysmal start to affiliated ball, striking out three times while committing his 12th error of the season. The 17-year-old has plenty of time to turn it around, but his Twins introduction has not gone well so far. TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – John Klein Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Ben Ross PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed: #1 - Brooks Lee (St. Paul) - 1-4, 2B, BB #2 - Walker Jenkins (FCL Twins) - 3-6, 2B, R, RBI, BB #3 - Emmanuel Rodriguez (Cedar Rapids) - 1-4, 3B, R, RBI, BB, K #8 - Austin Martin (St. Paul) - 1-5, 2 K #10 - Tanner Schobel (Wichita) - 1-4, R, 2 K #12 - Luke Keaschall (Ft. Myers) - 2-4, R, K #13 - Brandon Winokur (FCL Twins) - 2-7, 2B, R, RBI, 2 K #14 - Simeon Woods Richardson (St. Paul) - 5 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 6 K #15 - Jordan Balazovic (Minnesota) - 1 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 0 K #17 - Yunior Severino (St. Paul) - 2-4, HR, 2 R, RBI, 2 K #18 - Jose Salas (Cedar Rapids) - 0-4, 2 K #20 - Jose Rodriguez (FCL Twins) - 3-7, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI, K SUNDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Indianapolis @ St. Paul (2:07 PM) - RHP Randy Dobnak Springfield @ Wichita (1:05 PM) - RHP Pierson Ohl Wisconsin @ Cedar Rapids (1:00 PM) - RHP Zebby Matthews Fort Myers @ Palm Beach (10:00 AM) - RHP Jose Olivares

Before we get to the Wednesday game recaps, you may have noticed on Tuesday that the Twins Daily Prospect Rankings have been updated. A few quick notes on the updated rankings: Matt Wallner has graduated from 'prospect' status as he surpassed the 130 at-bat threshold this week. No change at the top. Brooks Lee moved up to St. Paul and has remained atop our rankings. Walker Jenkins stayed at #2, and Emmanuel Rodriguez stayed at #3. Several players moved up a rung or so due to Wallner's graduation. Brandon Winokur and Luke Keaschall have made strong first impressions and are now in the organization's top ten prospects. Fort Myers shortstop Danny De Andrade jumps into the Top 20 at #17. He is one of the youngest players in the Florida State League and has more than held his own. The other next player in the Top 20 is 2022 draft pick and Kernels starting pitcher Cory Lewis. The pitcher with the knuckleball is much more than that one pitch, and he has found success in his promotion to the Kernels. The biggest drop in the rankings is Simeon Woods Richardson. He has had a tough 2023 season with the Saints, but he has actually been pretty solid in the past month. Here are the records of the Twins and their six affiliates through games played on Wednesday. Minnesota Twins: 63-59 St. Paul Saints: 66-49 Wichita Wind Surge: 49-60 Cedar Rapids Kernels: 67-43 Fort Myers Mighty Mussels: 53-56 FCL Twins: 21-27 DSL Twins: 14-33 Let’s get to the report. As always, please feel free to discuss and ask questions. TRANSACTIONS There were no transactions in the Twins organization on Wednesday. SAINTS SENTINEL St. Paul 3, Indianapolis 4 Box Score In his previous start, Louie Varland had his best start of the season. He wasn’t quite to that level in this game, but he posted another Quality Start. In 6 2/3 innings, he gave up three runs (just one earned) on six hits. He walked three and struck out five batters. Jovani Moran got the final out of the seventh inning and worked a scoreless eighth frame. He gave up one hit and walked two batters. Of course, that lack of command is why he was returned to St. Paul recently and what has kept him from becoming a consistently-dominant reliever. He needed 35 pitches to get four outs, and just 19 were strikes. Oliver Ortega came on for the ninth inning of a 3-3 game. He gave up an unearned run on two hits and an intentional walk. The Saints got on the scoreboard in the third inning. DaShawn Keirsey led off the inning with a single and went to third base on a double off the bat of Hernan Perez. Keirsey scored on an Andrew Stevenson single. Perez scored on a Brooks Lee double play. Then down a run in the sixth inning, Gilberto Celestino hit a one-out double. Walks by Yunior Severino and Austin Martin loaded the bases for Chris Williams. Williams hit a sacrifice fly to score Celestino and tie the game. Andrew Stevenson again led the Saints offense. The leadoff man went 3-for-4 with his 20th and 21st doubles and an RBI. The big difference in this game was the four errors committed by the Saints, three by better-than-average outfielders. WIND SURGE WISDOM Wichita 5, Springfield 1 Box Score Let’s jump straight to the big story of the day. Travis Adams came into the game with a 2-8 record and an ERA of 6.24. Selected as a starting pitcher with incredible control, Adams worked hard and in 2022 was touching 97 mph. He gave up four or more runs in five of his 20 starts coming into the night, but he didn’t complete the fifth inning very often (seven times). He had one game in which he went six innings and gave up just one run. On this night, Adams was absolutely on his game. In fact, Adams had a no-hitter through six innings in this game. He only had two strikeouts, but he got nine ground outs and four pop outs to infielders. He had three walks and two strikeouts. Of his outing, Adams said, "I just continued to get weak contact like I have been really all season. Struggled getting first-pitch strikes throughout the game, so just kind of battled and executed some good pitches to get that weak contact." He's been putting in a lot of work over the past months. "The splitter has been a pitch I've worked on for the last couple of months, and it worked good for most of the game... until the home run." Adams said with a chuckle. He continued, "The curveball was effective, as well, throwing it hard tonight. Fastball later in the count helped me a lot tonight to get swing and misses and soft contact jamming guys." Thomas Saggese led off the top of the seventh inning by knocking his 20th homer of the season on an 0-2 pitch. Adams responded by getting the next two batters out. After a two-out single, Taylor Floyd came in and gave up a single, but he got the third out before another run scored. Hunter McMahon and Francis Peguero each pitched a scoreless inning to close out a 5-1 win. Adams was given some early run support as well. Yoyner Fajardo tripled to start the bottom of the first. Tanner Schobel knocked him in with a sacrifice fly. In the second inning, Willie Joe Garry’s first Wind Surge double drove in Jake Rucker and Alerick Soularie. In the third inning, Alex Isola hit his 16th homer of the season (and fourth in his past three games). Isola led the way with a 3-for-4 day. He now has a five-game hitting streak. He is now 10-for-17 with a double and four home runs. He also has five walks with just two strikeouts. Yoyner Fajardo went 2-for-4 with his fifth triple. Alerick Soularie added his third double. Brooks Lee was a doubles machine in Wichita and added his first Triple-A double in the ninth inning. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 1, Wisconsin 9 Box Score Christian MacLeod made the start for the Kernels. He gave up two runs through the first four innings. He left the game down 3-0 in the fifth inning with two runners on base. Niklas Rimmel came in and walked three batters which allowed both of MacLeod’s runners to score. So MacLeod was ultimately charged with five runs on six hits and two walks in four innings. He struck out four. Rimmel didn’t give up any runs of his own and recorded the three outs. Michael Paredes came on to start the sixth inning. He gave up four runs (3 earned) on five hits and got just two outs. Matthew Swain came on with two runners on and stranded them. He went 1 2/3 innings and gave up no runs on one hit. He walked three and struck out two batters. John Wilson gave up a hit and walked two over 1 2/3 scoreless innings. The Kernels offense was pretty well silenced by the Timber Rattlers Cameron Wagoner and Stiven Cruz. Wagoner gave up one run over the first five innings. Andrew Cossetti hit a solo homer in the fourth inning. It was his sixth homer since joining the Kernels. With two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, Jefferson Morales hit his fifth homer of the season. Andrew Cossetti finished 1-for-2 with a walk and was hit by a pitch to go with the homer. Keoni Cavaco went 2-for-4, the only Kernels batter with more than one hit. If you’re in Cedar Rapids, this would be a fun series to watch. The Brewers affiliate just promoted 18-year-old Luis Lara to Wisconsin. Their 2023 first and third round picks, Brock Wilken and Mike Boeve, were recently promoted to the Rattlers. Robert Moore and Ben Metzinger both went 2-for-2 with three walks in this game. Moore is a Top 20 prospect. In addition, a rehabbing Jesse Winker made the trip to Iowa. And if anyone is able to take photos of Kernels or Timber Rattler players, please send me a message. MUSSEL MATTERS Fort Myers 4, Palm Beach 5 (game suspended Top 5) Box Score With two outs in the top of the fifth inning and Maddux Houghton at the plate, the rain came. There was a delay before the game was suspended. It will be completed before the regularly-scheduled game on Thursday. COMPLEX THOUGHTS from FLORIDA No Game Scheduled. The regular season for the Florida Complex League concludes in a week. It will be interesting to see how many players are pushed up to Ft. Myers, or maybe even Cedar Rapids, to keep their seasons going. COMPLEX THOUGHTS from BOCA CHICA The Twins and Nationals were supposed to make up a game from July 4th, but it was instead canceled. Time is running out on the schedule. The season ends in a week. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Hitter of the Day – Alex Isola (Wichita) - 3-for-4, HR(16), R, RBI Pitcher of the Day – Travis Adams (Wichita) - 6.2 IP, 2 H, R, 3 BB, 2 K. 89 pitches, 51 strikes (57.3%) PROSPECT SUMMARY Check out the Prospect Tracker for much more on the new Twins Top 20 prospects after seeing how they did on Wednesday. The rankings were just updated on Tuesday. #1 - Brooks Lee (St. Paul) - 1-for-4, 2B(1), K #3 - Emmanuel Rodriguez (Cedar Rapids) - 1-for-4, 2K #7 - Austin Martin (St. Paul) - 1-for-3, BB, K, #8 - Tanner Schobel (Wichita) - 0-for-3, SF, RBI, K #10 - Luke Keaschall (Ft. Myers) - 1-for-2, BB, 2B(4), 2 R, SF, RBI, #13 - Kala’i Rosario (Cedar Rapids) - 1-for-4, 3 K #14 - Yunior Severino (St. Paul) - 1-for-3, BB, 2 K #17 - Danny De Andrade (Fort Myers) - 0-for-2, RBI THURSDAY’S SCHEDULE AND PITCHING PROBABLES Indianapolis @ St. Paul (7:07 PM CST) - RHP Blayne Enlow (2-5, 9.85 ERA) Springfield @ Wichita (7:05 PM CST) - LHP Aaron Rozek (2-3, 6.11 ERA) Wisconsin @ Cedar Rapids (6:35 PM CST) - RHP Andrew Morris (2-1, 2.81 ERA) Fort Myers @ Palm Beach (2:45 PM CST) - RHP Jack Noble (0-2, 3.26 ERA) FCL Orioles @ FCL Twins (11:00 AM CST) - TBD DSL Twins @ DSL Phillies White (9:00 AM CST) - TBD Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Wednesday’s games or any other Twins minor league topics!

It was a typically weird week for the Twins, which you can read about in Nick’s Week in Review. For all things minor-league related, keep reading. WEEK IN REVIEW Triple-A: St. Paul Saints Overall: 23-16 (5-1 last week) in the second half; In first place in the IL West by half a game; tied for third place in the International League. Overview: A huge week for the Saints, adding Royce Lewis to the newly-promoted prospects and taking five of six from Louisville. 😍: Hello Royce! Lewis hit two home runs in 13 rehab at-bats. It shouldn't be long until Minneapolis takes him back. Sorry St. Paul. 🔥: Austin Martin turned in another big week. His seven hits led the team and he also stole three bases while showing off his power by hitting a home run. He also doubled. May Martin be making his way into the centerfield conversation? 🔥: Louie Varland pitched the same day as Dallas Keuchel and showed, over 7 1/3 shutout innings, that maybe he deserves the spot with the Twins. He struck out six while allowing three hits and walking one. 🔥: Jair Camargo had a big week, homering twice and doubling twice in his five total hits. Trevor Larnach also added two home runs. 🔥: Ronny Henriquez (4 2/3 innings), Randy Dobnak (four innings), Patrick Murphy (four innings), Austin Schulfer (3 2/3 innings), Jovani Moran (2 2/3 innings), and Andrew Bechtold (two innings) all threw multiple shutout innings (in addition to Varland) for the week. 🥶: It wasn't a great week for Carlos Luna , who surrendered eight earned runs in 2 2/3 innings. 🥶: Kyle Garlick was 1-for-10 and struck out five times. Those wondering why Garlick wasn't the right-handed bat that was called up on just need to look at his stats. What's Next: The Saints will look to continue their dominance at home against Indianapolis (19-19) Double-A: Wichita Wind Surge Overall: 19-20 (4-2 last week) in the second half; 1.0 game back in the Northern Division. Overview: Despite losing their best three offensive players last week, Wichita is 6-4 in their last ten games and creeping up the standings. 🔥: Pierson Ohl is dealing. In his eight-inning start this past week, Ohl allowed a single run on seven hits and no walks. He only had four strikeouts, but he continues to impress at the Double-A level. 🔥: Alex Isola led a balanced attack, pacing the team with 13 total bases on six hits, including a double and a team-leading two home runs. He was tied for second with six runs scored and had a team-high eight RBI. 🔥: Regi Grace remains an interesting bullpen arm. He pitched 6 1/3 innings over two appearances, allowing only one run on three hits, a walk, and a hit batter. He struck out only three. 🔥: Patrick Winkel had four doubles this week after two doubles and two home runs last week. Jake Rucker had two doubles and two triples. 🥶: Will Holland went hitless in 14 at-bats. 🦃: Marco Raya is here for the third straight week. He did get outs this week (three) and only gave up one run, but struggled with the walks (four). What's Next: The Wind Surge head to Springfield (20-19) to try to close the one-game gap in the Texas League North. High-A: Cedar Rapids Kernels Overall: 26-16 (3-3 last week) in the second half, one game ahead of Peoria. The Kernels have clinched a postseason berth. Overview: The Kernels remain the drivers seat of the Midwest League West. 🔥: Carson McCusker has adjusted nicely to high-A ball, leading the team with 14 total bases on a team-high six hits. He had two doubles, two home runs and team-leading seven RBI. He did, however, strike out seven times without taking a walk. 🔥: It seems like there's always at least a 2012 draft pick starter or two that needs to be highlighted. Andrew Morris picked up another win, allowing only an unearned run on four hits and a walk over five innings. He struck out three. Cory Lewis struck out six over 4 1/3 innings. Of his four runs allowed, only one was earned. C.J. Culpepper - who might just end up being the best of the lot - struck out seven in five innings. Mike Paredes struck out eight in four two-hit innings. 🔥: Ben Ross also had two home runs and two doubles (among his five total hits). He drew seven walks and struck out nine times. 🥶: Two of the bigger disappointments this year have been former first-round pick Keoni Cavaco and recently-acquired Jose Salas . Cavaco was 1-for-10 with seven strikeouts. This year might be the end of the line for him. He was a swing-for-the-fences pick... and the team struck out. Salas is back with the team after going to the FCL for a bit. He was 2-for-18 with five strikeouts, but he did manage to steal two bases. A top-10 prospect in the organization to the start the year, he's really fallen off. 🥶: Zebby Matthews gave up six hits and issues two walks in 4 1/3 innings. It wasn't a typical Zebby performance, but he still struck out eight. What's Next: The Kernels host Wisconsin (21-21). The Timber Rattlers trail the Kernels by five games. Low-A: Ft. Myers Mighty Mussels Overall: 18-24 (3-3 last week) in the second half, 10.0 games out of first place. Overview: Another split. The last-place Mighty Mussels have a +5 run differential though. The bad luck may be attributed to the franchise replacing the classic Miracle-palm-tree-M hat with... whatever is happening now. 🔥: Danny De Andrade - my personal #8 prospect - led Fort Myers with eight runs, nine hits and three doubles on his way to a 1.416 OPS. 🔥: Juan Mendez pitched 3 1/3 hitless innings over his two appearances. He struck out seven and allowed two walks. 🥶: Johnathan Lavallee had a week so bad, it has to be mentioned. In three appearances he pitched 2 1/3 innings. He allowed only two hits, but issued 11 walks and hit a batter. The result was eight earned runs. 🥶: Luke Keaschall was 2-for-16, but his line was made respectable by drawing four walks. He also stole four bases and tried out centerfield. What's Next: On the road to Palm Beach (19-21). Rookie: FCL Twins Overall: 21-27 (4-2 last week) on the season. 7.5 games behind the FCL Pirates in the FCL South. 😍: Walker Jenkins led the team in at-bats (21), hits (7), total bases (13), runs batted in (7) and stolen bases (2). It's not too early to call him the real deal. He's the real deal. It's also not too early to suggest a promotion. It's not going to harm him to see some low-A pitching before the end of the season. And, realistically, it's also not going to hurt him to be a part of the high-A playoffs. Is that too aggressive? Maybe. But Jenkins is that type of special. 🤔: Brandon Winokur strikes out too much (eight times this week), but getting time at shortstop is a fun development. Is he going to stay there? Noooooooo... but that's not to suggest he couldn't play third base. Versatility rules. 🤩: Five 2023-drafted pitchers made their professional debuts - Nolan Santos, Ty Langenberg, Xander Hamilton, Spencer Bengard and Hector Garcia Jr. - by pitching an inning each. Santos gave up a hit and struck out two. Langenberg allowed an unearned run on a hit and a walk while striking out two. Hamilton picked up a save despite giving up an earned run while striking out two. Bengard issued a walk and struck out one. Garcia gave up a run on a hit and walk and struck out one. Rookie: DSL Twins Overall: 14-33 (5-1 last week) on the season. 23.5 games back in the DSL South. 🔥: Junior Del Valle has been in DSL for three years. He's steadily improving. This past week, he had five hits in 12 at-bats. He stole two bases. 🔥: Yency De Jesus gets a nod every week. He struck out eight in five innings. He allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits and a walk. 🥶: Hendry Chivilli appeared to be turning the corner, but went only 1-for-16 last week with six strikeouts. PROSPECT SUMMARY This Prospect Summary shows our current Twins Top 20 Prospect Rankings and how they performed last week. The Prospect Tracker will be updated periodically throughout the season. Notice that these pages now include stats and splits, as well as past article links, video and more. Season-long stats will be in parenthesis. 20. Jose Rodriguez, OF, FCL Twins: 3-13, 2B, HR, R, 2 BB, 4 K. (.250/.317/.399. .716 OPS) 19. Brent Headrick, RHP, St. Paul: (1.42 WHIP, .271 BAA); recently optioned to St. Paul. 18. Jose Salas , INF, Cedar Rapids: 2-18, RBI, 2 R, 5 K, 2 SB. (.174/.257/.249. .506 OPS), played one game (14 total) at shortstop and committed no errors in 11 chances (four errors in 154 chances total), played one game (15 total) at third base and committed one error in two chances (four errors in 34 total chances), played four games (44 total) at second base with two errors in 18 chances (five errors in 179 total chances). 17. Yunior Severino, 3B, St. Paul: 4-17, 2B, 3B, HR, 4 RBI, 5 R, 3 BB, 3 K. (AA/AAA combined .281/.361/.552. .913 OPS). 16. Kala'i Rosario, OF, Cedar Rapids: 5-20, 3B, 3 RBI, 2 R, 3 BB, 7 K. (.262/.375/.474. .849 OPS). 15. Jordan Balazovic, RHP, Minnesota. St. Paul: (1.60 WHIP, .261 BAA); currently pitching out of the Twins bullpen. 14. Simeon Woods Richardson, RHP, St. Paul: 1-0, 4.76 ERA, 5.2 IP, 4 H, 4 R (3 ER), 4 BB, 3 K (1.62 WHIP, .266 BAA); Minnesota: (1.85 WHIP, .313 BAA) 13. Brandon Winokur, OF, FCL Twins: 3-20, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 3 R, 2 BB, 8 K. (.275/.339/.569. .908 OPS), played four games at shortstop (eight total) and committed one error in 14 chances (two errors in 31 total chances) and played two games (four total) at centerfield and committed no errors in three chances (no errors in 11 total chances). 12. Luke Keaschall, 2B, Fort Myers: 2-16, RBI, 4 R, 5 BB, 4 K, 4 SB. (rookie/l-A combined .263/.455/.316. .771 OPS), played four games (nine total) at second base and committed no errors in 8 chances (one error in 20 total chances) and one game in centerfield and had no chances. Previously played one game at third base and committed one error in two chances. 11. Yasser Mercedes, OF, FCL Twins: Did not play. (.196/.248/.381. .629 OPS) 10. Tanner Schobel, INF, Wichita: 5-23, 2 2B, RBI, 6 R, 4 BB, 3 K, CS. (high-A/AA combined .265/.357/.447. .804 OPS), played four games (39 total) at second base and committed two errors in 18 chances (8 errors in 160 total chances), played three games (55 total) at third base and committed no errors in two chances (four errors in 109 total chances). 9. Connor Prielipp, LHP, Cedar Rapids: Prielipp underwent season-ending elbow surgery. (1.75 WHIP, .294 BAA) 8. Austin Martin, SS, St. Paul: 7-15, 2B, HR, 5 RBI, 5 R, 3 BB, 2 K, 3 SB. (rehab/AAA combined .260/.372/.382. .754 OPS), played four games in centerfield and committed no errors in nine chances and played four games (21 total) at second base and committed no errors in 17 chances (two errors in 89 total chances). Has also played four games in left field and committed no errors in 10 chances. (Not so sure we can call him a shortstop prospect anymore.) 7. David Festa, RHP, Wichita: 0-0, 1.80 ERA, 5 IP, 3 H, ER, 3 BB, 4 K. (1.43 WHIP, .257 BAA) 6. Charlee Soto, RHP: Has not played in a professional game. 5. Matt Wallner, OF, Minnesota: St. Paul (.291/.403/.524. .927 OPS); currently with the Twins. 4. Marco Raya, RHP, Wichita: 0-1, 9.00 ERA, 1.0 IP, 1 ER, 4 BB. (AA/Hi-A combined 1.20 WHIP, .212 BAA) 3. Emmanuel Rodriguez, OF, Cedar Rapids: 4-18, HR, 2 RBI, 6 R, 4 BB, 7 K, CS. (.228/.394/.448. .842 OPS) 2. Walker Jenkins, OF, FCL Twins: 7-21, 2B, 3B, HR, 7 RBI, 2 R, BB, 5 K, 2 SB. (.333/.371/.545. .916 OPS) 1. Brooks Lee, SS, St. Paul: 6-20, HR, 4 RBI, 3 R, BB, 3 K, SB. (AA/AAA combined .285/.355/.461. .816 OPS), played three games (88 total) at shortstop and committed no errors in 13 chances (14 errors in 355 total chances) and played one game (two total) at third base and committed no errors in three chances (one error in six chances total chances). PLAYERS OF THE WEEK HITTER - Danny De Andrade, Fort Myers. PITCHER - Louie Varland, St. Paul.

I will be the first to tell you that age-related-to-level of competition ultimately isn't terribly important as it relates to a player potentially helping a big-league team. We all know of many examples of players who didn't debut in the big leagues at 26, 28, or even 33 years old. And while in many cases that may hurt their chances of having enough longevity to get to the Hall of Fame, that player can still be an impact player for several years. On the other hand, age-to-level of competition tends to be a huge factor in prospect rankings, and understandably so. It is the outliers that move more quickly and get challenged at higher levels. If you were to just look at Marco Raya's season stats and compare him to other starting pitchers at Cedar Rapids or Wichita, they don't compare well. However, the fact that Raya turned 21 a week ago and is five years younger than the average player in the league matter. First, I will share the youngest Twins players, and then under each affiliate's section, I'll post the youngest players as well. For the two rookie-level leagues, I split them into pitchers and hitters. Here are the records of the Twins and their six affiliates through games on Sunday. Minnesota Twins: 62-58 St. Paul Saints: 66-47 Wichita Wind Surge: 47-60 Cedar Rapids Kernels: 66-42 Fort Myers Mighty Mussels: 52-56 FCL Twins: 21-26 DSL Twins: 12-33 Let’s get to the report. As always, please feel free to discuss and ask questions. TRANSACTIONS No transactions on Sunday. SAINTS SENTINEL St. Paul 6, Louisville 8 (6 innings-rain) Box Score The rains came and this game shut down early. But enough happened in 2/3 of a game, that after a short rain delay, they called it a full game. The Saints started with a six-run first inning. Unfortunately, the Bats scored two in the top of the second and then had a six-run inning of their own. Then things went quiet until the rains came. Carlos Luna made his first Saints start. The first inning went well. He got a fly out and then struck out the next two batters. With one out in the bottom of the first, Royce Lewis singled, scored second, and then scored on a single by Brooks Lee. After a ground out for the inning’s second out, Anthony Prato singled in Lee. After stealing second base, Jair Camargo walked. Gilberto Celestino drove in Prato with a single. Austin Martin stayed hot and hit a three-run homer. After DaShawn Keirsey singled, the Bats brought in former Twins prospect Casey Legumina who got a strikeout to end the inning. The Twins 10th-round pick in 2019 struck out three more batters in the second inning. Unfortunately, Luna’s final line didn’t look great. In 2 2/3 innings, he gave up eight runs on seven hits and a walk. Two, three-run homers accounted for all six runs in the third inning. Ronny Henriquez came on and got the final out of the third inning and then worked two more innings. He gave up a total of just one hit and one walk, and he struck out four batters. Andrew Bechtold had a 1-2-3 sixth inning. Royce Lewis went 2-for-3, the only Saints player with more than one hit. He appears healthy and should be in a Twins uniform on Tuesday when the Tigers come to town. WIND SURGE WISDOM Wichita 9, NW Arkansas 8 (10 innings) Box Score David Festa was on the mound to start this game. The hard-throwing righty went the first five innings. He gave up just one run on three hits. He walked three and struck out four batters. Alex Scherff came on to start the sixth inning. He gave up two runs on one hit and one walk and recorded just one out. Miguel Rodriguez came on and was charged with three unearned runs n two hits and two walks before getting third final out of the inning. Down 6-3, the Surge scored five runs in the top of the seventh inning to reclaim the lead. Alex Isola came to the plate with the bases loaded and crushed a grand slam. It was his second homer of the game and 14th of the season. Two batters later, Patrick Winkel doubled to score Jake Rucker and make it 8-3. Francis Peguero worked a scoreless seventh inning but gave up one run in the eighth frame to make it 8-7. Isaac Mattson came in for the ninth and gave up a run to tie the game 8-8 and send the game to an extra inning. In the 10th inning, Winkel added another double which scored Isola with the go-ahead run. Mattson got the 10th inning and got three outs before even the Manfred Man was able to score which gave the Wind Surge a one-run lead. Alex Isola led the way for the offense. He went 3-for-5 with two homers and six RBI. Pat Winkel was 2-for-5 and hit his 13th and 14th doubles. Seth Gray was also 2-for-4. Jake Rucker hit his third triple. In addition, Yoyner Fajardo had a single and a walk. He also stole his 40th base of the season. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 4, Quad Cities 2 Box Score Jorel Ortega’s sixth Kernels homer gave the team a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning. They gave up two runs in the bottom of the second inning, but that was it. The Kernels staff pitched terrific, and the offense came through with big moments in the late innings to lead Davenport with the win. So let’s start with the pitching. C.J. Culpepper gave up two runs on three hits over five innings. He walked two and had seven strikeouts. Alejandro Hidalgo came on and worked 2 2/3 scoreless innings. He gave up just one hit, walked two and struck out four batters .Jordan Carr gave up two hits, but he got the final four outs, two on strikeouts. Quad Cities pitching was also very good and the River Bandits held a 2-1 lead heading into the eighth inning. However, with one out in the top of the eighth inning, Carson McCusker took a 2-0 pitch and deposited over the left field wall to tie the game at 2-2. It was his third homer since joining the Kernels. With two outs in the top of the ninth and the score still tied, Noah Cardenas doubled to score Ortega and give the Kernels the lead. Andrew Cossetti singled to score Cardenas with an insurance run. The Kernels only had four hits in the game, but all four of them drove in a run. Jorel Ortega was the lone player to reach base twice, he had a walk to go with his homer. MUSSEL MATTERS Fort Myers 14, Bradenton 7 Box Score No surprise that a game like this took over three-and-a-half hours. There were a lot of runs (21), a lot of hits (19), a lot of walks (21) and 13 pitchers used. Fortunately, the Mighty Mussels doubled-up the Marauders on the scoreboard. Let’s get the pitching part out of the way first, as it really wasn’t too pretty. John Klein made the start. He gave up two runs on four hits (one homer) and three walks in 4 2/3 innings. He had four strikeouts. Gabriel Yanez gave up a run on one hit (a homer) and three walks in 1 1/3 innings. He added two strikeouts. Johnathan Lavallee gave up one run on three walks (no hits) and got two outs. Jackson Hicks gave up one run on three walks (no hits) and got two outs. Zach Veen came on and faced two batters. He got both of them out, one on a strikeout. Develson Aria came in to start the ninth and gave up two runs on one hit and, you guessed it, three walks in 2/3 of an inning. Sam Perez gave up a hit before recording a strikeout to end the game. If you weren’t keeping count through that paragraph, that’ seven runs on seven hits and FIFTEEN walks. Yikes. Fortunately, the Fort Myers bats really muscled up and had some big innings. They led the game 6-0 after two innings and 8-0 after four frames. They added a field goal in both the seventh and eighth innings. The big hit of the four-run second inning was a three-run homer by infielder Yohander Martinez. It was his second long ball of the season. In the seventh inning, he drove in another run with his third double of the year. In the ninth, Rubel Cespedes drilled his 10th home run, a two-run shot. Cespedes went 3-for-5 with four RBI. Yohander Martinez went 2-for-2 with a walk. He was hit by a pitch and hit a double and homer. Danny De Andrade went 2-for-3 with two walks in the game. The Mussels also stole seven bases in the game. Luke Keaschall had three steals. Maddux Houghton stole two bags. COMPLEX THOUGHTS from FLORIDA COMPLEX THOUGHTS from BOCA CHICA TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Co-Hitter of the Day – Alex Isola (Wichita) - 3-for-5, 2-HR(14), 3 R, 6 RBI. Pitcher of the Day – David Festa (Wichita) - 5 IP, 3 H, R, 3 BB, 4 K. 66 pitches, 41 strikes (62.1%) PROSPECT SUMMARY Check out the Prospect Tracker for much more on the new Twins Top 20 prospects after seeing how they did on Wednesday. The rankings will again be updated soon. You can help us by providing your rankings in this fun-to-use tool. #1 - Brooks Lee (St. Paul) - 1-for-2, BB, R, RBI, K, SB(1) #5 - Matt Wallner (Minnesota) - 0-for-4 #7 - David Festa (Wichita) - 5 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 4 K, 66 pitches, 41 strikes (62.1%) #8 - Austin Martin (St. Paul) - 1-for-3, HR(2), 3 RBI, R, #10 - Tanner Schobel (Wichita) - 0-for-3, BB, HBP, 2 R, K #12 - Luke Keaschall (Ft. Myers) - 0-for-2, BB, HBP, R, RBI, 3 SB(6) #16 - Kala’i Rosario (Cedar Rapids) - 0-for-4, 3 K #17 - Yunior Severino (St. Paul) - 0-for-2, BB #18 - Jose Salas (Cedar Rapids) - 0-for-4, K. (played 2B) MONDAY’S SCHEDULE AND PITCHING PROBABLES FCL Braves @ FCL Twins (11:00 AM CST) - TBD DSL Phillies White @ DSL Twins (DH at 9:00 AM CST) - TBD Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Sunday’s games or any other Twins minor league topics!

TRANSACTIONS OF Alec Sayre activated from 7-day IL (A-Fort Myers) SS Dalton Shuffield sent to a rehab assignment (FCL Twins) Saints Sentinel St. Paul 5, Omaha 8 Box Score Dallas Keuchel: 6 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 3 K HR: Jorge Polanco (1), Andrew Stevenson (11), Jair Camargo (14) Multi-hit games: Andrew Stevenson (2-for-4, HR, R, 2 RBI), Jorge Polanco (2-for-3, HR, R, RBI), Mark Contreras (2-for-3, 2B, RBI) The Saints imploded late, allowing four runs in back-to-back frames to lose on Saturday. Dallas Keuchel shocked many earlier in the week, forgoing his opt-out to stay with St. Paul for the near future. His attachment was a reward for both sides; Keuchel continued to suppress runs, tossing six scoreless innings with just two hits allowed on 73 pitches. Jorge Polanco—rehabbing, perhaps soon to move to third base—smoked a solo shot to center to start the scoring. He wasn’t the only Saint homering to center; Andrew Stevenson blasted a two-run shot to give St. Paul a healthy 4-0 lead. It appeared the Saints were well on their way to a breezy victory, but fortune changed immediately when Keuchel left the game. Blayne Enlow imploded; the righty allowed seven earned runs over 1 1/3 innings, mixing in a pair of pickoff throwing errors to completely alter the shape of the game, turning it from an in-hand win for St. Paul to a sudden, heartbreaking deficit. Jair Camargo blasted a solo homer in the ninth, but that was all for the offense, and the Saints could only watch their once hard-earned lead dissipate into nothingness. Kansas City’s 3rd-ranked prospect, Nick Loftin, singled and struck out in four at-bats. Wind Surge Wisdom Wichita 2, Amarillo 8 Box Score Travis Adams: 5 2/3 IP, 8 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 6 K HR: Alex Isola (12) Multi-hit games: None The Wind Surge scored twice in the first, and failed to do anything with it, eventually losing big to the Sod Poodles on Saturday. Let’s start with the good news: Alex Isola homered on his birthday. The fresh 25-year-old blasted a two-run shot in his first at-bat, giving the Wind Surge an early advantage. Unfortunately, the rest of the game only delivered bad news. Starter Travis Adams coughed up two runs of his own in the first—he gave up three over the course of his start—and Amarillo really stepped on the gas when Wichita’s bullpen entered the game. Each reliever allowed at least one run, leading to five extra runs, and a dominating, suffocating win for the Sod Poodles. Yoyner Fajardo swiped his 27th base of the season. The fifth-best prospect in MLB, Jordan Lawler, doubled twice and walked in an impressive showing out of the two-hole. Kernels Nuggets Cedar Rapids 3, Peoria 2 Box Score Kyle Jones: 6 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 K HR: None Multi-hit games: None The Kernels scored early, late to win their game on Saturday. It started quickly; Noah Miller walked and Ben Ross was hit by a pitch, placing the first two men of Cedar Rapids’ lineup on base to start the game. A passed ball moved both runners up. Kala’i Rosario wasn’t fancy—he didn’t need to be—and a simple well-placed groundout plated the first run of the game. Kyle Jones appreciated the support. The sinking groundball specialist gobbled up six efficient innings, only needing 62 pitches (with 48 strikes) to carry his team deep into the ballgame. He punched out two. The eighth saw a similar situation as the first, with Rosario, again, stepping up to the plate with runners in scoring position. The infield was in, but a second well-placed groundball caused the second baseman to hesitate slightly, allowing the speedster Mikey Perez to scamper home on Rosario’s second RBI of the night. The lead held, and Miguel Rodriguez was the reliever who slammed the door in the ninth. The usually stacked Cardinals minor league system lacked a true dominant prospect playing in Saturday’s game, but the wonderfully named Jimmy Crooks—13th in the system—caught and went hitless in four at-bats. Mussel Matters Ft. Myers 3, Bradenton 2 Box Score Andrew Morris: 6 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 8 K HR: Carson McCusker (7) Multi-hit games: Carson McCusker (2-for-5, HR, R, 2 RBI), Dylan Neuse (2-for-4, 2B) The Mighty Mussels won their game on Saturday… eventually. Andrew Morris was masterful. Minnesota’s fourth-round pick in 2022 set a professional career-high in strikeouts, punching out eight batters over six frames of work. He allowed one earned run. There was an early stumble—Bradenton knocked him for two runs in the first two innings—but Morris locked in, allowing one lonely hit in his last four innings of work. It was a well-deserved win that he did not get. The Mighty Mussels and Marauders settled into an extended Cold War, wiping out nearly the entire game with stranded runners and batters walking back to the dugout; no team scored between second and ninth innings. But Fort Myers broke through eventually, plating two off a clutch two-out Carson McCusker homer. The rain came, forcing the bottom of the ninth to wait a little, but Gabriel Yanez was unfazed, tossing a clean inning to end the game—perhaps some time later than they hoped. Ricardo Olivar did not take an at-bat on Saturday, walking all four times he stepped up to the plate. 2nd baseman Termarr Johnson served as Bradenton’s finest prospect; the 26th-best prospect in MLB went hitless in four trips to the plate. Complex Chronicles FCL Twins 2, FCL Red Sox 4 Box Score John Klein: 5 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 4 K HR: Endy Rodriguez (2) Multi-hit games: Dalton Shuffield (2-for-4) The FCL Twins fell to the FCL Red Sox on Saturday. Rehabbing minor leaguer, Dalton Shuffield, collected a pair of hits out of the leadoff spot, also stealing a base for good effect. The rest of the offense mostly didn’t show up, though; Endy Rodriguez had the only extra-base hit with a fifth inning solo shot. They did find other ways to score, as Andres Centeno and Bryan Acuna executed a double steal, allowing Centeno to swipe home for the second run of the game. It was the FCL Twins’ final score. John Klein wasn’t great on the mound, but reliever Miguel Olivares was; he struck out two in a scoreless frame. Dominican Dailies DSL Twins 0, DSL NYY Yankees 3 Box Score Juan Cota: 4 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 K HR: None Multi-hit games: None The DSL Twins lost quietly on Saturday. The bats were silent; Hendry Chivilli was the sole extra-base hit earner, and he was promptly left stranded on second—along with every other DSL Twins hitter that reached base. Juan Cota was solid on the mound, tossing four frames with no earned runs and six punchouts. Defense proved to be the Achilles Heel, as they committed four errors, leading to two unearned runs scoring. Somehow, neither team got a hit with runners in scoring position. TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Dallas Keuchel Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Andrew Stevenson PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed: #1 - Brooks Lee (Wichita) - 1-4, K #5 - Matt Wallner (Minnesota) - 0-4, K #8 - Austin Martin (St. Paul) - 0-0 #10 - Tanner Schobel (Wichita) - 0-4, K #11 - Yasser Mercedes (FCL Twins) - 0-3, K #15 - Jordan Balazovic (Minnesota) - 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K, W #16 - Kala’i Rosario (Cedar Rapids) - 1-3, 2B, 2 RBI, BB #17 - Yunior Severino (Wichita) - 0-3, R, K #20 - Jose Rodriguez (FCL Twins) - 1-3 SUNDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS St. Paul @ Omaha (5:05 PM) - RHP Randy Dobnak Wichita @ Amarillo (6:05 PM) - LHP Aaron Rozek Peoria @ Cedar Rapids (1:05 PM) - LHP Christian MacLeod Fort Myers @ Bradenton (11:00 AM) - RHP Ben Ethridge

As you all know, Wins and Losses are not as important in affiliated, minor-league baseball as player development. So, the fact that all four affiliates lost on Wednesday night doesn't matter at all in the big pitcher. Of course, you also like to think that part of the development process is learning how to win, and that development and improvement could lead to more Wins over time. There have been several days when all four affiliates have won. And, three of the four Twins affiliates have winning records. St. Paul Saints: 22-17 Wichita Wind Surge: 16-18 Cedar Rapids Kernels: 19-16 Fort Myers Mighty Mussels: 20-15 Let’s get to the report. As always, please feel free to discuss and ask questions. TRANSACTIONS No transactions on Wednesday. However, three Twins players left their Wednesday afternoon game in Los Angeles. Nick Gordon has a fractured shin. Jorge Polanco has a “minor” hamstring strain. And, Joey Gallo left after being hit in the foot with a foul ball. In other words, the Twins have an off day on Thursday, but expect them to make some moves before their Friday night game in Anaheim, and you'll want to watch the Saints and Wind Surge lineups on Thursday. SAINTS SENTINEL St. Paul 3, Columbus 4 Box Score The Saints fell behind 2-0 in the second inning. Both runs were unearned after a throwing error by starter Simeon Woods Richardson. The Clippers added a third run in the third inning. The Saints scored one in the fourth and one in the sixth inning to cut the lead to just one. Columbus scored a run in the bottom of the sixth inning. So when the Saints added one more run in the top of the seventh, it only cut the deficit to one, and that is where the score remained. Woods Richardson has had a tough start to his season. In this game, he went five innings and was charged with all four runs (two earned). He gave up six hits, walked four and struck out three batters. Connor Sadzeck, who has spent big-league time with the Rangers, Mariners and Brewers, came in and allowed an inherited runner to score. However, he worked two innings and gave up just one hit. Josh Winder pitched a scoreless eighth inning. He walked one and struck out one. He also had two pitch-clock violations. On the offensive side, the Saints got two hits from Andrew Stevenson, Jose Miranda, and Mark Contreras. Contreras, Chris Williams, and Andrew Bechtold each hit a double. Elliot Soto had to leave the game in the second inning because of injury. Manager Toby Gardenhire was told to leave the game in the fifth inning by the umpire for disagreeing with the call on a double play. WIND SURGE WISDOM Wichita 1, Arkansas 2 Box Score Carlos Luna made his sixth start of the season for the Wind Surge. He gave up two runs on two hits and two walks. Unfortunately, the runs scored in the fifth inning on a Connor Hoover two-run home run that put Arkansas ahead 2-1. Unfortunately, that was the end of the scoring in the game. Luna got one more out in the sixth inning before Alex Scherff came in to replace him. He gave up two hits, but he recorded five outs, four of them on strikeouts. Michael Boyle gave up four hits, but no runs in 1 1/3 innings. Hunter McMahon came on and walked two before getting the final two outs in the ninth. Wichita had plenty of opportunities in the game. They had nine hits and two walks, but they went 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position and left nine runners on base. Yoyner Fajardo continues to rake. The minor-league Rule 5 pick from the Pirates is now hitting .315 after going 2-for-4 with a walk in this game. He also stole his 13th base. Alex Isola went 2-for-4 and his fourth-inning, solo home run scored the lone run on the day. Pat Winkel had a single and a walk, and Seth Gray hit a double. As with the Saints game, the Wind Surge manager didn’t get to see the end of the game from the home-team’s dugout. He was ejected in the seventh inning for arguing a call at first base. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 4, Peoria 6 Box Score Pierson Ohl had his first tough start of the season for the Kernels. He gave up five runs (4 earned) on six hits over four innings. However, it won’t surprise you to hear that he had five strikeouts and no walks. In 30 innings this season, he now had 31 strikeouts… and just two walks. John Stankiewicz worked two scoreless innings and gave up only one hit. Malik Barrington worked 1 1/3 innings. He gave up one run on three hits and two walks. Niklas Rimmel got the final five outs, two on strikeouts. He gave up just one hit. Kala’i Rosario had two of the team’s seven hits in the game including his 10th double. Misael Urbina and Jose Salas each had a double. Kyler Fedko mashed his first home run of the season. Tanner Schobel had a single and a walk. Unfortunately, the Kernels also had 14 strikeouts in the game. MUSSEL MATTERS Fort Myers 1, Lakeland 7 Box Score A short start with minimal offensive production is not a great means to victory in baseball at any level. The Mussels have been playing well of late, but not so much on this night. Lefty Develson Aria was on the mound to start and tossed a scoreless first inning. However, the southpaw gave up five runs on three hits and two walks in 1 2/3 innings. Jackson Hicks came on and got out of that second inning, but he gave up two runs on two hits in the third frame. He recorded four outs, all four on strikeouts. The Mussels were down 7-0 after three innings, but if you’re looking for positives, the pitching over their final five innings was good. Danny Moreno, just added to the roster, tossed three scoreless innings. He gave up just one hit, walked three, and struck out two batters. Then Juan Mendez struck out three batters over two scoreless innings. He gave up one hit and one walk. Fort Myers managed just five hits in the game and walked twice. Dylan Neuse went 1-for-2 with a double and a walk. They went 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position and left six runners on base. Fun with Statcast (Here are the reports on the four Mighty Mussels pitchers in this game. If not interested, scroll down to the Hitter and Pitcher of the Day.) Lefty Develson Aria wasn’t in the game long. He threw 47 pitches and 22 of them were four-seam fastballs. He got 12 swings on that pitch including seven whiffs. His fastball ranged between 91.4 mph and 94.2 mph. It averaged 93.2 mph. His next most-used pitch was his changeup, with 17 of them. The velocity on those pitches were between 87.9 mph and 91.1 mph with an average of 89.7. One of two things is going on there. First, it’s possible they were being recorded wrong and maybe should have been called ‘sinkers.’ However, if those were in-fact changeups, then one thing to work on is throwing that about 7-10 mph slower to keep the hitters off balance. He threw six sliders that averaged 80.3 mph. Jackson Hicks threw 23 pitchers, 14 of them were sliders. He got 12 swings on the slider including nine whiffs! The slider’s average velocity was 83.4 mph. He threw just five fastballs which averaged 90.7 mph. Danny Moreno is one of those names that we’ve seen in the Twins organization for quite some time. He signed with the Twins way back in July of 2017. He pitched in the DSL in 2018. He worked two games in the GCL in 2019 before the arm injuries started. He also pitched out of the GCL Twins’ bullpen in 2021 and 2022. Wednesday night was his first game of the year. So why keep the 23-year-old around? Well, 39 of his 57 pitches were designed as sinkers. Those pitches were clocked between 92.6 and 96.4, with an average of 94.6. He also threw some sliders, changeups and a slower curveball. Finally, Juan Mendez came in. Of his 36 pitches, 16 were four-seam fastballs, and 14 were sliders. Those fastballs were thrown between 95.1 mph and 98.5 mph. Three of the pitches were over 98.0 mph. He got just two whiffs on that pitch. However, he got whiffs on six of the 14 sliders he threw, especially good when he only got nine swings on it. The slider was between 81.9 and 84.4 mph. He also threw five cutters, which could have been sliders and called-out differently. The pitches act very similarly, but the velocity separation is really solid. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – Danny Moreno (Fort Myers Mighty Mussels) - 3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 3 BB, 2 K. 57 pitches, 30 strikes. Hitter of the Day – Alex Isola (Wichita Wind Surge) - 2-for-4, HR(5), R, RBI, 2 K. PROSPECT SUMMARY Check out the Prospect Tracker for much more on the new Twins Top 20 prospects after seeing how they did on Wednesday. #1 - Brooks Lee (Wichita) - 0-for-4, K #2 - Royce Lewis (St. Paul-on Rehab) - Scheduled Day Off. #3 - Emmanuel Rodriguez (Cedar Rapids) - 0-for-4, 3 K. #4 - Edouard Julien (St. Paul) - 0-for-3, K #7 - Simeon Woods Richardson (St. Paul) - 5.0 IP, 4 R, 2 ER, 6 H, 4 BB, 3 K (87 pitches, 52 strikes) #9 - Matt Wallner (St. Paul) - 0-for-4, 4 K #12 - Jose Salas (Cedar Rapids) - 1-for-4, 2B(4), R, RBI. #13 - Noah Miller (Cedar Rapids) - 1-for-4. #19 - Yunior Severino (Wichita) - 1-for-4, K. THURSDAY’S SCHEDULE AND PITCHING PROBABLES St. Paul @ Columbus (6:05 PM CST) - LHP Brent Headrick (1-0, 5.60 ERA) vs RHP Aaron Civale. Arkansas @ Wichita (7:05 PM CST) - RHP Blayne Enlow (0-1, 3.56 ERA) Peoria @ Cedar Rapids (6:35 PM CST) - LHP Jaylen Nowlin (1-3, 3.96 ERA) Fort Myers @ Lakeland (5:30 PM CST) - RHP C.J. Culpepper (1-2, 3.09 ERA) Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Wednesday’s games!

Game Results: Tuesday, 11/8 | Glendale 9, Peoria 3 Wednesday, 11/9 | Glendale 10, Mesa 4 Thursday, 11/10 | Salt River 2, Glendale 5 The Glendale Desert Dogs finished their season strong, going 3-0 in their final three games to secure the #2 spot in the standings. In the past, this meant they’d be playing in the AFL Championship game, but the league implemented a four-team playoff this season so they would have to win another game to make it that far. IF Austin Martin Week: 4-for-12, 4 R, 2 RBI, 1 BB (3 games) Overall: .373/.454/.482 (.936 OPS) Martin finished his AFL season with another solid week, batting .333 in three games and continuing to be a menace from the top of the order, scoring at least one run in each. He played center field in his first game of the week, then was back at shortstop for the last two. In Tuesday’s win over Peoria, he helped key a six-run fifth inning with a single that loaded the bases. He’d later score on a bases-loaded single and finished 1-for-5. He was 2-for-4 and scored two runs in Wednesday’s 10-4 win over Mesa, leading off the game with a single, advancing to second base on a wild pitch, and scampering home on Edouard Julien’s single that followed for the game's first run. He’d cross the plate for the second time in the eighth to cap the Desert Dogs scoring on the game. He did it a little differently in Thursday’s win over Salt River, finishing 1-for-3 but that lone hit, a single in the sixth inning, drove in two runners to tie the game at two, and Glendale went on to add three more runs in the frame to take the game and secure their playoff position. Martin was the epitome of your “prototypical leadoff hitter” in his time in the desert, getting on base at a .454 clip (ranking 6th in AFL play), stealing 10 bases (3rd), and scoring 23 runs in 21 games (2nd, to only Julien’s 24). His .936 OPS also ranked 11th in the circuit, while his 31 total hits were second to League MVP Heston Kjerstad’s 35, and his .373 batting average came in at third overall. I’ve followed this league for a long time, and just like Royce Lewis’ MVP campaign of 2019 (where he had a .975 OPS after a .661 in the regular season), this performance absolutely should restore some prospect luster for Austin Martin. Now the Twins just need to find him a position, but I can see him functioning as a very athletic super-utility type when it comes to defense in the majors, much like how Luis Arraez got his start. IF Edouard Julien Week: 5-for-7, 3 R, 4 RBI, 3 BB, 2 K (2 games) Overall: .400/.563/.686 (1.249 OPS) Julien saw action in two of their three wins on the week, batting second in each and serving as the second baseman in one and designated hitter in the other. He got on base in four of his five trips to the plate against the Javelinas on Tuesday, finishing 2-for-3 with a run scored, RBI, and two walks. In Wednesday’s big win over Mesa, it was Julien driving the ship, as his three singles in four at-bats led to three RBI and a pair of runs scored. Two of his hits came in a seven-run eighth inning that the Desert Dogs used to blow the game open. He led off the inning with a single and trotted home on a home run to the next batter that gave Glendale the lead 5-4. After they had batted around, his two-RBI single made the score 9-4. He also drew a walk to reach base in four of five trips for the second time during the week. While he didn’t take home the AFL MVP award (Heston Kjerstad is a top 100 prospect, which has always factored into this award’s voting), instead having to settle for the Breakout Player of the Year Award, Julien was the best hitter in the entire AFL this year by a decent margin. He ranked first in runs scored (24), walks (23), batting average (.400), on-base percentage (.563), and OPS (1.249). He was also third in total hits (28), second in slugging percentage (.686), tied for second in home runs (5), tied for third in RBI (17), and also stole six bases which ranked top ten in his 21 games played. If Julien wasn’t a top-ten Minnesota Twins prospect before this, he should be there firmly now. Just imagine the pitch counts a lineup starting with Martin, Julien, and Luis Arraez could run up on starters in the majors someday soon. C/1B Alex Isola Week: 2-for-6, 1 R, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 BB (2 games) Overall: .228/.343/.316 (.659 OPS) Like Julien, Isola made the start in two of the Desert Dogs' three games on the week, playing first base in the games on Tuesday and Thursday. He scored a run and drew two walks in his first game of the week, finishing 1-for-3 out of the sixth spot in the lineup. He moved up to the cleanup position in the batting order for Thursday’s win over Salt River, and his two-RBI double in the sixth inning broke a 2-2 tie and put the Desert Dogs out front for good. While Isola didn’t see as much action at the catcher position as he may have liked, he did improve as a hitter as the season wore on, moving into the middle of Glendale’s batting order for the final few weeks of the season after beginning as their number nine hitter. He also displayed a strong eye at the plate, drawing 10 walks compared to just 11 strikeouts on the season in his 16 games. His five doubles also matched Julien’s total and were second on the Desert Dogs to just Austin Martin on the season. RHP Jon Olsen Week: Did not pitch Overall: 2-1, 5.27 ERA, 1.83 WHIP, .288 BAA, 10 BB, 17 K (13 2/3 IP) Olsen did not pitch in any of Glendale’s final regular season games, but that was because they had him slotted for something better, which we will recap further below. Overall on the season, Olsen’s stats may not look that great in the above, but what was important for him was getting some innings against increased competition after missing multiple seasons of development time. He recovered from a poor first outing in the AFL to be solid down the stretch, getting the win and allowing just one earned run in his last two starts. Over those final seven innings, he gave up just four hits, walked two, and struck out eight. LHP Denny Bentley Week: Did not pitch Overall: 1-0, 3.18 ERA, 1.85 WHIP, .189 BAA, 14 BB, 9 K (11 1/3 IP) The left-handed Bentley did not make any appearances in the final three games of the AFL regular season, but he did pitch in the playoffs. He ends his regular season campaign with a solid ERA and batting average against numbers, but the walks remain worrisome as he issued them at a far higher rate than he piled up strikeouts. He has excelled particularly against same-sided hitters, but the command of his pitches will continue to be an area to work on for him. He ended his 2022 season in the bullpen of the Wichita Wind Surge, and I’d expect him to remain there to start the 2023 season. RHP Ryan Shreve Week: 1 2/3 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K (1 appearance) Overall: 1-0, 1.84 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, .152 BAA, 8 BB, 12 K (14 2/3 IP) Shreve was the only pitcher to make an appearance in any of the regular season games this week, and it came Wednesday’s win over Mesa. He was the first reliever summoned in the game, with one out in the bottom of the fourth after Glendale’s starter had given up the lead. He came in with a runner on third base and walked the first batter, but recovered to strike out the next two and keep the Solar Sox from expanding their lead. Back out for the fifth, he delivered a one-two-three inning, needing just five pitches to do so. Shreve was one of the Desert Dogs' top performers out of their bullpen, ranking second on their team in ERA (1.84) and WHIP (1.02) while holding hitters to a team-best .152 batting average against. He gave up a few walks early in the campaign, but over his final three weeks struck out seven compared to just two walks allowed in his final 6 2/3 innings. RHP Francis Peguero Week: Did not pitch Overall: 1-1, 2.45 ERA, 1.64 WHIP, .227 BAA, 8 BB, 9 K (11 IP) Like three of the other four pitchers on this list, Peguero did not make an appearance in any of Glendale’s final three regular-season games but did see action in the playoffs. New to the Minnesota Twins organization for 2022 after being part of the Sonny Gray trade package from the Cincinnati Reds, there wasn’t a lot known about this pitcher. While he walked basically nobody during the season with Wichita, that number spiked significantly in AFL play. Despite that, he was still good at keeping runs off the scoreboard, finishing several of the games for the Desert Dogs. AFL Playoffs Friday, 11/11 - Semifinal | Peoria 3, Glendale 6 In the semifinal game against the Peoria Javelinas on Friday, the Twins' own Jon Olsen made the start for the home team. He went the first two innings, pitching a scoreless first before running into trouble in the second. He got two quick outs, but the next five hitters would reach base via walks or singles before they were able to escape by catching a runner trying to advance an extra base on the last of those hits. Before it was over he had allowed three runs, and the Javelinas had an early 3-0 lead. After clawing back with a pair of runs of their own in the second, it was Alex Isola who tied the game for Glendale with his home run to left-center leading off the fourth. Francis Peguero came out of the bullpen for the fifth and delivered a scoreless inning in his only appearance of the week. He allowed a single to the leadoff man but got outs from the next three hitters, including one strikeout to keep the game tied at the time. In the bottom of the seventh, it was Austin Martin who gave the Desert Dogs their first lead with an RBI single, and they would hold on to win and advance to the championship game against the Surprise Saguaros. Martin was 1-for-3 with a run scored, RBI, and walk in this one, playing centerfield while Edouard Julien finished 1-for-4 with three strikeouts. Isola finished 1-for-3 with two runs scored and a walk in addition to the big home run. Saturday, 11/12 - Championship Game | Glendale 6, Surprise 7 (11 innings) The title game against Surprise was a back-and-forth affair throughout, with either team never leading by more than two runs, and the game being tied on five separate occasions. Martin was again the leadoff man playing center field to start, followed by Julien at his usual second base spot. Isola was also at first base, hitting sixth. Julien drew a walk in the first but was thrown out trying to steal second base to end the inning. This would be a familiar theme on the night for him, as he drew a walk in four of his six plate appearances, finishing 0-for-2 with a run scored in the game. In the top of the sixth, his walk to lead off resulted in him scoring a run to give Glendale a 3-2 lead. He also made a play in the extra innings to keep it going: Pitchers Denny Bentley and Ryan Shreve both made appearances in this one, being the first two relievers out of the bullpen after their starter was done. Bentley came on with one out in the third after a home run tied the game at one, and allowed a walk but otherwise got out of the inning. He also got two quick outs in the fourth before another walk brought on Shreve for the final out. Shreve then picked up a pair of strikeouts in the fifth, but an error led to a 2-2 tie after five. Tied at four after nine innings, the game went to extras, where the teams again traded blows, each scoring one run in the tenth, but Martin did his best to win the game for Glendale in both the ninth and eleventh innings. He was at the plate with the score 4-4 in the ninth, when his groundball to short ended with the runner coming home being thrown out. Then in the eleventh with two outs and runners on first and second, Martin delivered a single into right field to give the Desert Dogs a 6-5 lead. It took only two batters with the runner starting on second base for Surprise to dash their hopes in the bottom half, as two consecutive RBI singles won the game for the team that ended the regular season with the best record. Martin finished 1-for-6 with an RBI, and Isola was 0-for-4 with a walk in the championship game. While they weren’t able to take it home, it was an exciting game and season for Twins prospects. Austin Martin and Edouard Julien were fantastic throughout, leading Glendale to the final game and coming as close as they possibly could to winning it for them. Congrats on all the players for a fun season, and I look forward to 2023! Please feel free to ask questions and discuss the prospects playing in the AFL this week!

When Harmon Killebrew passed away in 2011, the Twins developed the Killebrew Award for Outstanding Community Service. The players are nominated by each affiliate's general manager based on how much the players do in the community, whether it is reading for kids at school or participating in special camps or visiting hospitals. St. Paul Saints (Catchers David Banuelos and Frank Nigro) Banuelos was the Killebrew Award winner in 2018 when he played with the Kernels as well. In 2022, the Saints recognized him for his work at each of the team's kid baseball camps. He took a strong leadership role in those camps, making sure that the kids were having fun and getting to interact with all the kids. He also participated in the team's annual ACES bowling event. Banuelos has been in big-league spring training the past few years because he is fantastic behind the plate. While he hit just .204, he added seven doubles and eight home runs in 55 games. The Saints referred to Frank Nigro as an "unsung hero" involved in community service initiatives. When he was in St. Paul, he was always willing to volunteer his time. He encouraged kids as they headed back to school this fall with a video message. He also spent time visiting kids in the hospital. Nigro, 25, spent time in the FCL, at Ft. Myers, in Cedar Rapids, and with the Saints, and he had just 34 at-bats in 18 games played. Wichita Wind Surge (Catcher/First Baseman Alex Isola) Alex Isola is also now a two-time Killebrew Award recipient. He won the award in 2021 with the Kernels. The Wind Surge recognized Isola for being a "strong advocate for the team, its fans and the entire Wichita community." Isola went to the team's McConnell Air Force Base Nose Art Ceremony. He also helped the team announce their alternate identities, the Turbo Tubs and the Tumba Vacas. He was always signing autographs for Twins before and after home games. Isola is currently playing in the final week of the Arizona Fall League. The 24-year-old played in 58 games for the Surge this year and hit .286 with nine doubles, 10 homers and 40 RBI. He missed nearly two months with an injury. Cedar Rapids Kernels (RHP Bradley Hanner) Brad Hanner was the Kernels choice for the Killebrew Award as he kept busy volunteering throughout the 2022 season. He was a "standout" during the Twins' organization-wide Week of Service. He assembled boxes at the local Meals on Wheels location to help pre-package meals. He brought breakfast to the elderly several mornings with his host family. The 23-year-old went above and beyond, always spending talking to the fans and signing autographs. Hanner was one of the Kernels top bullpen arms, especially in the first half. In 39 games, he went 7-4 with a 4.60 ERA. In 58 2/3 innings, he had 65 strikeouts. Ft. Myers Mighty Mussels (Catcher Noah Cardenas) Noah Cardenas spent his first full professional season with the Mighty Mussels. The team's front office recognized Cardenas for "his fantastic participation and engagement in community events during the season." He was "always courteous to fans, employees, and community members." The 23-year-old backstop hit .261 with 18 doubles and nine home runs. He also walked 73 times and walked 70 times. Past Killebrew Award Winners 2011: Rochester: Kyle Gibson, New Britain: Bobby Lanigan, Ft. Myers: Reggie Williams, Beloit: Ryan O'Rourke. 2012: Rochester: JR Towles, New Britain: Shawn Roof, Ft. Myers: Andy Leer, Beloit: Corey Williams. 2013: Rochester: Brian Dinkelman, New Britain: Dan Rohlfing, Ft. Myers: Stephen Wickens, Beloit: Niko Goodrum. 2014: Rochester: Logan Darnell, New Britain: Tony Thomas, Ft. Myers: Tim Shibuya, Cedar Rapids: Tanner Vavra. 2015: Rochester: Logan Darnell, Chattanooga: Tim Shibuya, Ft. Myers: Tanner Vavra, Cedar Rapids: Jared Wilson. 2016: Rochester: Logan Darnell, Chattanooga: David Hurlbut, Ft. Myers: Trey Vavra, Cedar Rapids: Nelson Molina. 2017: Rochester: DJ Baxendale, Chattanooga: Travis Harrison, Ft. Myers: Kevin Garcia, Cedar Rapids: Hector Lujan. 2018: Rochester: Jake Reed, Chattanooga: Chris Paul, Ft. Myers: Tyler Wells, Cedar Rapids: David Banuelos. 2019: Rochester: Jake Reed, Pensacola: Hector Lujan, Ft. Myers: Calvin Faucher, Cedar Rapids: Brian Rapp. 2021: St. Paul: Sherman Johnson, Wichita: Hector Lujan, Cedar Rapids: Alex Isola, Ft. Myers: Jeferson Morales.

Last winter, the Twins traded from a position of strength (catcher) for a position of need (shortstop). Ryan Jeffers was handed the keys as the team’s top catcher while the team traded Mitch Garver to the Rangers. Jeffers posted an 86 OPS+, but he was limited to 67 games due to a broken thumb. Following the World Series, Gary Sanchez and Sandy Leon will become free agents, so the Twins need someone else to join Jeffers at the big-league level. Could there be an internal option? Triple-A: Andrew Bechtold (ETA: 2023), David Banuelos (ETA: 2023) Bechtold is an intriguing prospect because of his defensive flexibility. During the 2022 season, he played over 390 innings at catcher and third base. Offensively, he hit .233/.329/.400 (.728) with 16 doubles and 19 home runs in 123 games between Double-A and Triple-A. He is Rule 5 eligible, so the Twins will need to add him to the 40-man roster to avoid the risk of losing him. Banuelos is in his fifth professional season and has played 85 games at Triple-A over the last two seasons. Minnesota acquired him in 2017 for $1 million in international bonus pool money. Defense is his calling card, as he has a .653 OPS in 85 Triple-A games. Like Bechtold, he is Rule 5 eligible, so the Twins need to add him to the 40-man roster before December’s draft. Double-A: Alex Isola (ETA: 2024), Kyle Schmidt (ETA: 2024) Minnesota took Isola in the 29th round of the 2019 MLB Draft, and he has consistently risen through the Twins system since then. In 2022, he was limited to 61 games as he split time between first base and catcher. With Wichita, he hit .286/.377/.471 (.848) with nine doubles and ten home runs. Minnesota sent him to the AFL to recoup some of his missing time this season, but he has seen limited catching innings. Schmidt was a 33rd-round pick in 2019, but his college experience helped him move through three levels for the second consecutive season. He caught over 260 innings in 2022 and made 15 starts at first base. In 56 games, he hit .207/.270/.306 (.576) with four doubles and five home runs. He never played more than 30 games at any level, so it will be interesting to see if the Twins let him get comfortable at one level in 2023. High-A: Pat Winkel (ETA: 2025), Andrew Cossetti (ETA: 2025) Even with college experience, Winkel was younger than the average age of the competition at his level for the second consecutive season. In his second professional season, he got on base over 33% of the time and combined for 15 extra-base hits in 54 games. All his defensive appearances came behind the plate, where he caught nearly 390 innings. He posted an .858 OPS in college, so the Twins hope to see more of that hitter in the future. Cossetti is an intriguing name from the 2022 draft class. Minnesota took Cossetti in the 11th round of the 2022 MLB Draft from St. Joseph's University. After signing, he was limited to one appearance with the FCL Twins. It seems likely for him to get plenty of catching time in Cedar Rapids next season because of his college experience. Low-A: Noah Cardenas (ETA: 2025), Dillon Tatum (ETA: 2025), Nate Baez (ETA: 2026), Ricardo Olivar (ETA: 2026) Cardenas made his full-season debut in 2022 after being drafted in 2021. He played in 99 games for Fort Myers, where he hit .261/.421/.413 (.834) with 18 doubles and nine home runs. He walked (73 BB) more than he struck out (70 K), and caught over 460 innings. Throughout his college and professional career, he has shown a keen eye at the plate, which helps him get into favorable counts where his power can be utilized. Tatum spent most of 2022 in Fort Myers but got a brief taste of Double-A due to a catching need late in the season. He hit .177/.321/.300 (.621) with 15 extra-base hits in 74 games. As he moves up, he needs to make regular contact and cut back on his strikeout totals (93 K in 74 games). He is strong defensively behind the plate and caught two no-hitters this season, but there is always room for players of his ilk in an organization. Baez was a 12th-round pick in 2022 and only appeared in 19 games after signing with the Twins. In his final collegiate season, he posted a .965 OPS, so it will be interesting to see if his bat develops in the Twins’ system. Olivar played most of last season with FCL Twins, where he hit .349/.442/.605 (1.046) with 12 doubles, three triples, and five home runs. He can play catcher, second base, and all three outfield positions. His bat is good enough that the team tries to fit him in the line-up as much as possible. Catching depth is something to watch in any organization. The Twins have drafted multiple college catchers in recent years to add to that depth, but only some of those catchers offer a lot of upside. There are some very intriguing bats in the names mentioned above, and many catchers have some defensive flexibility which could prove valuable. However, none of the catching options look ready to fill a full-time role at the big-league level. Will the Twins turn to any of these options in 2023? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion.

Game Results: Monday, 10/24 | Scottsdale 12, Glendale 14 Tuesday, 10/125 | Glendale 3, Surprise 9 Wednesday, 10/26 | Peoria 5, Glendale 5 Thursday, 10/27 | Salt River 9, Glendale 6 Friday, 10/28 | Surprise 1, Glendale 11 Saturday, 10/29 | Mesa 10, Glendale 3 The Glendale Desert Dogs continued to play around .500 baseball in Week 4, winning two games and losing three, along with ending their sixth game in another tie. Despite that, the good competition in the AFL has them just two games back of first place in the standings, well within striking distance of an appearance in the title game heading into the season’s penultimate week. Edouard Julien came on strong in Week 3 of the AFL season, how did he and the rest of the Minnesota Twins prospects perform for the Desert Dogs in Week 4? IF Austin Martin Week: 4-for-22, 5 R, 2 2B, 2 BB, 4 K, SB (5 games) Overall: .349/.447/.460 (.907 OPS) Martin cooled off a bit in Week 3 after having a blazing start to his Arizona Fall League campaign. Despite that, he played in five of six games, all from atop the lineup for the Desert Dogs, and still managed to score five runs on the week. He made three starts at shortstop, one in center field, and was also the designated hitter for one game. His best game of the week came in Monday’s 14-12 win over Scottsdale, in which he was 3-for-5 with a double and scored three runs. In Saturday’s 10-3 loss to Mesa, he chipped in another double, drew a walk, scored two runs, and stole his eighth base of the season. IF Edouard Julien Week: 7-for-18, 6 R, 2 2B, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 2 BB, 5 K, 3 SB (5 games) Overall: .373/.536/.706 (1.242 OPS) Julien ended his Week 3 with a monster performance, that he incredibly matched with his first game of Week 4. For the second consecutive game, he launched two home runs, finishing 4-for-5 with four RBI in Monday’s win over the Scorpions. He also added a double and scored three runs. He reached base at least once in each of his five games on the week, playing second base in four games and serving as the designated hitter in the other. He added another double in Wednesday’s tie with Peoria, and also stole three bases on the week. Heading into Week 5, Julien leads the AFL in runs scored, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and OPS. He also ranks Top 3 in home runs, batting average, and walks. This is an MVP-level performance from another Twins prospect in the league if he keeps this up after Royce Lewis took home that honor in 2019, and Matt Wallner was worthy of consideration in 2021. C/1B Alex Isola Week: 5-for-11, R, 2 2B, 4 RBI, 3 BB, 4 K (3 games) Overall: .229/.357/.314 (.671 OPS) Isola had a breakout Week 4 performance, improving his numbers across the board with hits in each of his three games. He played first base in two of those games, and another at catcher to close out his week on Friday. He especially made his mark in Wednesday’s tie against Peoria, collecting three hits in four at-bats, including two doubles and two RBI. He also drew a walk in each of his appearances on the week to raise his on-base percentage during the AFL season to .357. RHP Jon Olsen Week: W, 4 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 4 K (1 start) Overall: 1-1, 5.91 ERA, 1.88 WHIP, .300 BAA, 8 BB, 13 K (10 2/3 IP) Olson got the start in Friday’s 11-1 win over Surprise and was dominant in his four innings to pick up the win. He faced the minimum number of hitters, allowing just one single that was erased on a strike-’em-out-throw-’em-out double play in the second inning with teammate Alex Isola. Of his 52 pitches in the game, 35 went for strikes (67%) and the outing was a tremendous boost of confidence for a pitcher who has had the kitchen sink thrown at him since being drafted in 2018. LHP Denny Bentley Week: 3 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 7 BB, 4 K (2 appearances) Overall: 1-0, 3.48 ERA, 1.94 WHIP, .182 BAA, 14 BB, 8 K (10 2/3 IP) While Bentley continued to struggle with his command, walking seven hitters in two appearances on the week, he has been able to limit the damage by not allowing any big hits. In Thursday’s 9-6 loss to Salt River, he pitched the fourth and fifth innings, walking four but also punching out four as he proves to be an enigma for opposing AFL hitters. RHP Ryan Shreve Week: 3 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 4 K (2 appearances) Overall: 1-0, 2.45 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, .194 BAA, 6 BB, 9 K (11 IP) Shreve made two perfect appearances on the week, picking up the win with two hitless innings against Scottsdale on Monday, and a one-two-three ninth inning in the tie with Peoria on Wednesday. He struck out two hitters in each outing and has been one of the top performers for the Desert Dogs out of their bullpen thus far. In the game on Monday, Shreve was summoned after six straight hitters had reached base, culminating with a grand slam that gave Scottsdale a 7-5 lead, but his offense answered with nine runs of their own over the next three innings to put him in line for the win. RHP Francis Peguero Week: 3 2/3 IP, 7 H, 5 R (2 earned), 1 BB, 3 K (3 appearances) Overall: 1-0, 1.80 ERA, 1.60 WHIP, .225 BAA, 7 BB, 8 K (10 IP) Peguero finally ran into some trouble in Week 4, giving up a run in each of his three outings after not allowing any prior. Of his five runs allowed on the week, just two were earned as his defense let him down in Thursday’s loss to Salt River as a two-out, three-run homer came after a throwing error to start off the inning. Please feel free to ask questions and discuss the prospects playing in the AFL this week! In things I find interesting for Major League Baseball’s future, the AFL was experimenting with a “challenge” system for balls and strikes in some games during the season, and the results sound promising and fun for both fans and players! It is similar to the system that was used at times in the Florida State League this season.

Game Results: Monday, 10/3 | Peoria 5, Glendale 3 Tuesday, 10/4 | Glendale 11, Salt River 9 Wednesday, 10/5 | Glendale 5, Surprise 6 Thursday, 10/6 | Glendale 8, Peoria 9 Friday, 10/7 | Scottsdale 6, Glendale 10 Saturday, 10/8 | Glendale 13, Scottsdale 11 As a team, the Glendale Desert Dogs racked up a ton of runs on the week, averaging more than eight per game. They also gave up runs in bunches, however, and because of that finished an even 3-3 on the week. Twins Daily's Seth Stohs also caught up with a few of the prospects before their seasons began, and you'll find some quotes below. How did all of the Minnesota Twins prospects fare for the Desert Dogs in Week 1 of the 2022 AFL season? IF Austin Martin: 4 games - 5-for-14, 6 R, 3 RBI, 3 BB, 1 K, 3 SB; .357/.526/.357 (.883 OPS) overall. Martin played four games on the week, playing shortstop in three of them, and DH-ing in the other. He batted in the sixth spot in the lineup in each game and scored at least one run in all of them. While he didn’t pick up any extra-base hits on the week, he was on base over half the time and active while there, stealing three bases and leading the team with six runs scored. As their primary shortstop on the week, he committed one throwing error, but otherwise made all the plays that came his way. He ended the week with a big game on Saturday, finishing 3-for-5, with two runs scored, two RBI, and two stolen bases in Glendale’s 13-11 win over Scottsdale. IF Edouard Julien: 4 games - 3-for-14, 3 R, 1 RBI, 5 BB, 5 K, 1 SB; .214/.421/.214 (.635 OPS) overall. Julien also saw action in four games, splitting his time with two games at second base, and two as the designated hitter. In the first game of the week, he was in the cleanup spot but batted seventh in his three other contests. Despite only three singles on the week, Julien did reach base in each game, and at least twice in three of his four games, as he continued to control the strike zone, drawing five walks total. His best game of the week came in Thursday’s 9-8 loss to Peoria, in which he finished 1-for-2, scored a run, stole a base, and drew two walks. C Alex Isola: 3 games - 1-for-10, 1 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB, 2 K; .100/.250/.100 (.350 OPS) overall. Isola played in three games during the week, getting the start at first base in all of them and hitting at the bottom of the Desert Dogs' batting order. He was responsible for the second RBI of the season in Monday’s opener, as he reached base via an error but his ball in play would have scored the run either way. He also picked up his only hit of the week in this one, a single in the ninth inning, and also reached base a third time thanks to another error. His second RBI of his season came in the same fashion as the first, as a ground ball to third allowed Austin Martin to score in Friday’s 10-6 win. While he didn’t catch any games on the week, I do expect we’ll see a few of those as the season goes on, and it's one of the things he is looking forward to working on in the AFL. When asked what he wanted to work on, he told Seth, "I'm really trying to focus on my defense and show that I can catch and play first at a high level." He added, "Looking forward to the experience and competition of playing against some of the best players in the minor leagues." He was also excited to be playing in the league, saying "I actually went (while in) high school and watched Francisco Lindor play here. It was for a tournament and we happened to go. I remember being very impressed. It's amazing to think I'm actually here now!" RHP Jon Olsen: 1 start - 1 2/3 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 3 BB, 1 K; 21.60 ERA, 6.00 WHIP (1 2/3 IP) overall. Olsen made the start in Friday’s 10-6 win over the Scottsdale Scorpions, but he needed some help from his offense as he wasn’t as sharp as he would like to be in his first game. The first batter he faced doubled, then a pair of walks and singles led to a 3-0 lead for the Scorpions. Back out for the second inning, he allowed one run before loading the bases with two outs, putting an end to his outing after 1 2/3 innings. He threw 49 pitches, with 25 of them going for strikes (51%). Thankfully, his offense let him off the hook, scoring ten runs over the next three innings and the bullpen held up for the win. LHP Denny Bentley: 2 appearances - 3 IP, 0 H, 2 ER, 5 BB, 2 K; 6.00 ERA, 1.67 WHIP (3 IP) overall. Bentley made two appearances on the week, picking up the win in Tuesday’s game against Salt River. In that one, Bentley was the first reliever out of the bullpen after Glendale fell behind 6-1 after the first inning. He delivered two scoreless frames as his team stormed back, scoring eight runs in the fourth inning that put them in front before he was replaced. He allowed no hits, walked two, and struck out one. In Friday’s 10-6 win over Scottsdale, Bentley came on for the fifth inning and despite making it through the frame and not allowing a hit, gave up two runs thanks to three walks and a couple of wild pitches. He’ll look to keep it in the zone better in week two of the AFL season, as just 21 of his 52 pitches (40%) thus far have gone for strikes. When asked what he looking forward to while playing in the AFL, Bentley answered "To play at Chase Field. Having never played in a major league stadium before, I can't wait to see what it's like being on the field at night and want to try to hit the pool out in right-center, LOL!" He also has plenty he wants to work on, saying "I'm going to be working on commanding my off-speed in the zone at the higher levels. It's good to have [those pitches] that you can land in the zone early. Always working on control in the zone. Out of the bullpen is huge because you usually come into the game with runners on. I'm honored to represent the Twins and I'm really thankful to be here." RHP Ryan Shreve: 2 appearances - 3 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K; 3.00 ERA, 1.00 WHIP (3 IP) overall. Shreve’s first appearance of the week came in the season opener, where he was the first reliever summoned for the fourth inning. He pitched two scoreless frames, allowing one hit and striking out one as he kept the game scoreless to that point. He needed just 17 pitches to finish those two innings, with 12 of them going for strikes (71%). He came on for the sixth inning in Thursday’s 9-8 loss to Peoria, with the score 2-1 Javelinas at the time. He picked up a strikeout to start the frame, but a walk was followed by a double and a sac fly that made the score 3-1 before it was over. He threw 25 pitches in this one, with 13 of them going for strikes (52%). Asked what he was looking forward to most in the AFL, Shreve responded "Competing on a big stage against high-level competition and continuing to learn from it." He also has a plan for his time there, saying "I'd like to continue developing my pitches and stay comfortable in my mechanics." RHP Francis Peguero: 2 appearances - 2 1/3 IP, 0 H, 4 BB, 1 K; 0.00 ERA, 1.71 WHIP (2 1/3 IP) overall. Like his other two reliever teammates, Peguero also made two appearances on the week, finishing the game in Wednesday’s 6-5 loss to Surprise, and pitching the sixth inning in Friday’s 10-6 win over Scottsdale. He entered the game on Wednesday in the seventh inning after Surprise had extended their lead to 6-2, and got a lineout to end the threat. In the eighth, he walked the leadoff man and was called for a balk, but recovered to get a pair of groundouts and a flyout to give his team a chance. They almost accomplished that task with three runs in the top of the ninth but fell one short of tying the game. In Friday’s contest, Peguero had to work to finish his lone inning, as he walked the bases loaded, but mixed in a strikeout and was able to escape without allowing a run. Please feel free to ask questions and discuss the prospects playing in the AFL this week!

Joining infielders Austin Martin and Edouard Julien on the roster of the Glendale Desert Dogs will be catcher Alex Isola, and pitchers Denny Bentley (LHP), Jon Olsen, Francis Peguero, and Ryan Shreve. Countless numbers of top prospects have gone through the Arizona Fall League, which is often used as a proving ground for those near the top of their team’s system looking to make their jump to the majors. It’s also a mechanism utilized to help make 40-man roster decisions heading into the next season and to make up for lost development time among players. Last season, for example, the Twins were represented by pitchers Kody Funderburk, Cody Laweryson, Evan Sisk, and Zach Featherstone as well as hitters Matt Wallner, Andrew Bechtold, and Michael Helman. Almost all of these players took that experience and ran with it in 2022, pushing themselves up the organizational ladder and having great seasons in many different ways. So who are the players for the 2022 season? IF/OF Austin Martin (Twins Daily’s #4 prospect) Austin Martin came to the Twins from the Toronto Blue Jays in the Jose Berrios trade, after being drafted fifth overall in the 2020 MLB Draft. His elite contact ability and athleticism had him in the running for the first overall pick and was widely considered as perhaps the best overall hitter in the class after hitting .368/.474/.532 in his career at Vanderbilt. It hasn’t necessarily played out that way so far for Martin as a professional, but the potential still remains. Martin missed over a month this season with a wrist injury, so he’s in the AFL both looking to make up for lost time, and attempting to recapture some of that “top prospect” status. His inclusion reminds me a lot of Royce Lewis’ during the 2019 season, where he had struggled in High-A and Double-A, but went on to win the AFL’s Most Valuable Player award while playing all over the diamond. For more Twins Daily content on Austin Martin, click here. IF/OF Edouard Julien (TD’s #14 prospect) Julien continues to fly a bit under the radar as a prospect despite owning a career OPS over .900 in two minor league seasons, spending all of this season at Double-A Wichita. Known primarily for his ability to draw a walk, Julien has also demonstrated some pop and speed since turning pro, slugging 35 home runs, and stealing 51 bases in his career thus far. The Twins took him in the 18th round of the 2019 draft out of Auburn, and they have to be ecstatic about the return they’ve received thus far. He may not have a defined defensive position at this point, but he has played second base exclusively during the 2022 season, after splitting time in the infield and outfield in 2021. His time in the AFL will likely be spent proving his hitting prowess is no fluke, and perhaps seeing if he can handle multiple positions. For more Twins Daily content on Edouard Julien, click here. C Alex Isola Isola joined the Twins organization in the 2019 draft, being selected in the 29th round out of Texas Christian University. He’s spent his career in the minors splitting time between catcher, first base, and designated hitter. His bat has continued to develop since turning pro, improving a .243/.342/.425 line with Cedar Rapids in 2021, to .286/.384/.473 line with Wichita this season. He will likely continue to work on his receiving skills once a week in the desert, while also getting plugged in at first base or designated hitter. He also missed two months of the 2022 season with an injury, so he’s getting the opportunity to make up for missed at-bats as well. We've written several articles on Alex Isola at Twins Daily. Check them out here. RHP Jon Olsen Projected to go much higher in the 2018 draft initially, Olsen fell to the Twins in the 12th round due to undergoing Tommy John surgery, and then later had a Thoracic Outlet procedure. Because of that and the COVID pandemic, Olsen has pitched less than 100 innings in four seasons since being drafted. Olsen is the most likely of the four pitchers the Twins are sending to the league to start games for the Desert Dogs, but it’s all about simply getting on the mound and throwing innings for the right-hander. He’s pitched just over 20 innings for the Cedar Rapids Kernels this season, and it will be interesting to follow if he can keep his strikeout rate up against the improved competition. For more Twins Daily content on Jon Olsen, click here. LHP Denny Bentley Bentley was drafted by the Twins in the 33rd round of the 2018 draft out of Howard Community College, a well-known JUCO program in Texas. He’s been purely a reliever since then, posting excellent strikeout rates as well as high walk rates, while pitching at five different levels thus far, including a brief jump to Rochester in 2019. He’s spent the 2022 season split between Cedar Rapids and Wichita, accumulating a 3.52 ERA, three saves, and 71 strikeouts in 53 2/3 innings (11.9K/9IP) thanks in large part to an improving slider. He was Twins Daily’s choice for MiLB Relief Pitcher of the Month in June after being promoted to Wichita. Like several relievers before him (think Jovani Moran), Bentley will look to keep his strikeouts up and bring his walks down against the better competition in the AFL, and perhaps improve his stock in the system. Bentley has frequently been mentioned and a strong candidate for Relief Pitcher of the Month. For more, click here. RHP Ryan Shreve Shreve made his mark on the Twins system during the 2021 season, after being taken in the 16th round of the 2019 draft from Pacific University. He accumulated 73 strikeouts in 49 2/3 innings, a drastic increase from his college days, that was good for a 3.62 ERA at three levels, holding hitters to a .167 average in the Midwest League. He suffered a shoulder impingement early in the 2022 season, and upon his return, the strikeouts didn’t come back right away. He got stronger as the season wore on, however, and since the start of July owns a 1.26 ERA over 28 2/3 innings, striking out 32 and walking just 8. For those efforts, he took home Twins Daily’s Relief Pitcher of the Month award for August. In the AFL he will look to keep up that momentum heading into the 2023 season, adding innings to his ledger after the missed time. For more Twins Daily content on Ryan Shreve, click here. RHP Francis Peguero Peguero came to the organization just before the 2022 season started, as part of the trade package that netted the Twins Sonny Gray from the Cincinnati Reds. He was signed by the Reds in the 2017 international signing period and has since made it to Double-A, appearing in 15 games for the Wind Surge this year. He did not appear in games until July as he dealt with an injury, so his time in the AFL is also about making up innings and allowing the Twins to get a better idea of what they have with the 25-year-old right-hander. He boasts a mid-90s fastball, doesn’t walk anybody, and can pick up strikeouts in bunches at times, but has had trouble limiting contact, allowing well over a hit per inning in his career. He will likely use the AFL to work on his secondary offerings with a plethora of new coaching voices, to see if he can unlock any new tricks. He hasn't been in the organization long, but Peguero has been mentioned in a few Twins Daily articles. Click here for more. What do you think of the contingent the Minnesota Twins are sending to the Arizona Fall League? What are you looking for out of the prospects above?

It may have taken until the 29th round for the Twins to draft Alex Isola, but don’t let that pedigree fool you; the right-handed hitter is in the midst of a breakout season with the Wichita Wind Surge, potentially forcing his name into discussions for a major league future. Following Saturday's game, Isola's slash line stood at .294/.385/.487 over 221 plate appearances at AA. Isola’s path to the present is unique; a Utah-to-Yavapai (JuCo)-to-TCU pipeline making him something of a journeyman at 24 years old. He didn’t plan for such an odyssey; other events, such as the recruiter who brought him to Utah leaving, forced him to follow his baseball instincts, blazing a trail that will likely remain untouched by another player. While unusual, his backstory led him to meet his current girlfriend at Utah, and his stint at TCU allowed him to catch Nick Lodolo and Brandon Williamson, pitchers currently in the upper levels of the Reds organization. (Williamson is a Minnesota native, a graduate of Martin County West HS in Sherburn.) As for his strategy at the plate, Isola has always understood the strike zone well, but recent changes have unlocked extra-base authority in his game. “I think I started to tap into that power last year,” said Isola; “I kind of learned how to use my legs a little bit more…this year was just kind of being a little bit more aggressive and just knowing what I’m trying to look for.” If strikes aren’t on the menu, Isola is okay with taking a walk; he’s done so at a 13.1% clip with Wichita. Working on his swing has been critical: “I think, for me personally, I haven’t always been the most talented [hitter]. I had to really work and learn about the mechanics of the swing because to me hitting is two things: mechanics and then your approach; like, are you swinging at the right pitches? If you don’t have a good swing, but you swing at the right pitches, you can give yourself a chance.” With both, however, you can find great success. Advanced training has also aided Isola’s growth; the Twins are a forward-thinking club, and their tools include a particular device that can mimic that day’s starting pitcher, giving Wichita hitters a chance to understand their opponent before stepping into the box. “A lot of teams have this,” explained Isola; “we have one of these machines where you put an iPad in, and you can basically simulate the starter or whoever you’re facing, that pitcher’s pitches, and it’ll shoot out the way his pitches move.” As a catcher, Isola’s baseball perspective is different than your typical position player; he plays part athlete and part psychologist when handling pitchers. “The fun part of catching is that everybody is different, so what I’d say to one guy I’m not going to say to another guy.” “I think it’s my job to kind of get them right, know how to get the most out of them, when to push them, when to not say anything, when to keep it light.” The most important thing? “They need to feel that you’re working your butt off. It’s not about me; it’s about them. When they have success, I’m successful.” Naturally, the topic of Wichita’s recent no-hitter came up in the conversation. While Isola handled 1st base, not catcher, that day, he illuminated the game and breathed life into an exceptional performance. Daniel Gossett, the pitcher on the mound for that game, had lost his mechanics recently; “Goose (Gossett) for like two weeks has just been trying to search for his mechanics…that day he was just frustrated before the game.” Of course, Gossett pitched a gem of a no-hitter, striking out 10 batters while allowing just three walks. “As the game went on, he just kept getting better,” described Isola; “We had some amazing defensive plays in there; Austin Martin made a sick play early in the game, and then [Anthony] Prato made a really good catch at the wall.” Most did their best to follow no-hitter protocol, but “a couple [of] people” broke the rules. “[A no-hitter] is one of the coolest things in baseball…I don’t know if I’ll ever be a part of another one.” Isola understands that consistency drives performance; his brush with Twins players during spring training 2020 (pre-COVID) taught him that focused work separates the minor league players from the major league regulars. “They’re no different than me or any other person; they have the same wants, desires, [and] fears.” Their ability to be consistent stands out. “We all have a stretch where we could be in the big leagues, but can you do it day in and day out? The number one thing I took away was watching their process of how they go about it; there’s no wasted practice.” Finally, Isola likes the group of guys they have at Wichita. Despite graduations and trades upsetting the team’s infrastructure, the Wind Surge keep a calm and relaxed clubhouse. “We’re a really loose group; we have fun.” The hitters specifically have an identity: “We’re just tough at-bats; [Derek Shomon] calls us “the wOBA dogs.” While some may ignore minor league standings, Wichita remains adamant about winning the division and advancing throughout the playoffs. “The minor leagues are about development, but we’re already here; we might as well win it.” Wichita finished Saturday's play with a six-game lead in the Texas League.

Previous 2022 Hitters of the Month - April: Christian Encarnacion-Strand We’ll take a look at the top five hitters of the month, but before diving into it, let’s start with an honorable mention. Honorable Mention - Will Holland - Cedar Rapids Kernels 19-71, .268/.350/.507 (.857), two doubles, three triples, and three home runs Holland was a 5th round pick from Auburn by the Twins during the 2019 Major League Baseball draft. This has been one of his better months as a professional, and he now has an .800 OPS for Cedar Rapids.. It would be good for Holland to parlay a hot start into an eventual promotion to Double-A Wichita. Top Five Hitters Number 5 - Wichita Wind Surge - C Alex Isola - 22-68, .324/.425/.500 (.925), three doubles, three home runs Isola was a late-round selection in 2019, grabbed by Minnesota in the 29th round. Making his Double-A debut after a solid 2021 playing at High-A Cedar Rapids, Isola got hot in May. He’s never been a high batting average guy, but the .297 batting average this season is more than nice to see. Isola has a good amount of power and strong plate discipline. With Minnesota needing catching depth at the highest levels, his emergence early this season could afford more opportunity as the season rolls on. Number 4 - Fort Myers Miracle - SS Noah Miller - 30-87, .345/.457/.517 (1.006), five doubles, two triples, two home runs A first-round pick for the Twins last season, Miller looks the part of a true shortstop. He’s held down the position well thus far during his professional career, and his bat broke out in a big way during May. Speed is part of Miller’s game and that was evidenced by the pair of triples. He’s probably not going to hit a ton of homers, but he draws a lot of walks and already has 13 stolen bases in 15 attempts this season. Number 3 - Fort Myers Miracle - INF Mikey Perez - 21-82, .256/.361/.524 (.885), seven doubles, five home runs Minnesota grabbed Perez in the 15th round of last year’s draft out of UCLA. His pro debut was a good one, but it consisted of just 10 games last season. After a slow start in April, Perez turned it on in a big way last month. The 12 extra-base hits in just 23 games are impressive, and for a guy that never really hit for power in college, a month with five home runs is a development the Twins have to be excited about. Number 2 - Wichita Wind Surge - OF Matt Wallner - 25-84, .298/.422/.595 (1.017) seven doubles, six home runs Wallner was a first-round pick for the Twins in 2019 after he had been a 32nd-round selection out of high school (as a pitcher) three years prior. Spending three years at Southern Mississippi was the smart route for him. He improved his stock immensely, and Wallner has flashed big tools. He’s got one of the best arms in the system and hits for some of the most power. There’s always been a considerable amount of swing-and-miss in his game, but Wallner is now showing a stronger sense of plate discipline as well. He’ll have plenty of months where he hits lots of dingers. If he has a June that looks like his May, he could push a ticket to St. Paul. And the Twins Minor League Hitter of the Month is: Wichita Wind Surge/St. Paul Saints - INF Spencer Steer - 28-90, .311/.388/.678 (1.066), six doubles, nine home runs At one point it, could’ve been argued that Steer was among the most underrated prospects in the Twins system, but I think we’ve blitzed by that point. He was rewarded with a promotion to Triple-A St. Paul recently and has continued to crush the ball there. Steer was a third-round pick in 2019 and has hit at every stop of the farm. The 24 dingers last season showed the work he put in while minor league baseball was canceled in 2020. He’s already got ten homers this season and two of them have come in his week with the Saints. Steer has an exceptional approach at the plate and is a well-balanced hitter. He has quickly become someone that the Twins can look at as a future fixture in their lineup. The Twins current middle infield is a bit crowded with superstars and top prospects, but at some of the most impactful positions on the diamond, that’s a great problem to have. Steer will be tested plenty at Triple-A, but being 24-years-old, he could factor in as part of the next wave. Minnesota has to be impressed with the career trajectory thus far, and a strong May has made 2022 an exciting start. We’d like to congratulate Spencer Steer, Twins Daily’s choice for Minor League Hitter of the Month for May 2022. Feel free to share your thoughts and ask questions below.

SAINTS SENTINEL St. Paul 1, Omaha 5 Box Score The Saints were unable to mount much offense on Tuesday, finishing the game with just three hits and four walks, while striking out 14 times as a team against the Storm Chasers in Omaha to open their series. They were 1-for-4 with runners in scoring position, leaving only five men on base for the game. They scored their lone run in the fifth inning when Curtis Terry led off with a double, and came around to score later on a single from Kevin Merrell. Merrell finished 2-for-3, leaving the rest of the lineup not named Terry 0-for-22 on the night. St. Paul did get a decent pitching performance from starter Chi Chi Gonzalez, who went the first five innings. He allowed two runs (one earned) on five hits and two walks, along with picking up six strikeouts. Ronny Henriquez came on in relief to start the sixth and delivered a quick one-two-three frame on just eight pitches. The seventh was a different story, however. He walked the first three hitters, hit another batter, then surrendered a grand slam before his outing was ended. He was charged with five runs on two hits and three walks in 1 1/3 innings. Ian Hamilton was able to prevent any more damage in the frame, but allowed a run of his own in the eighth for Omaha’s final tally. WIND SURGE WISDOM Springfield 9, Wichita 11 Box Score Top pitching prospect Matt Canterino took the mound for the Wind Surge, looking to continue his streak of five starts without allowing a run to the opposition. He wasn’t able to come out unscathed in this one however, as there were fireworks from both lineups on a windy night in Wichita. The Cardinals and Wind Surge combined for 20 runs on 29 hits (14 for extra bases), and 14 walks between them. The right-hander did showcase his devastating stuff in his outing, sitting mid-90’s with his fastball and missing bats with all his pitches (11 swinging strikes total). But a few more than usual also connected with barrels, as he got tagged for some loud outs and hits, including his first home run allowed of the season. In 3 2/3 total innings, Canterino was charged with four runs on five hits and two walks, while punching out six. All that considered, he looked very good again to these amateur eyes, and I thought he might get a fifth inning with his pitch count where it was when he started the fourth inning. Down 4-0 after Canterino left the game, the Wind Surge lineup got to work, tying the game at five thanks in large part to an Alex Isola Grand Slam in the fifth. In relief of Canterino, Casey Legumina allowed four runs of his own pitching into the sixth. In 1 2/3 total innings gave the lead back to the Cardinals on two hits and four walks, while striking out one. With one out in the sixth inning, Kody Funderburk came on and got them through the seventh, allowing two hits, a walk, and striking out two. Down 8-5 heading into the bottom of the seventh, the Wind Surge lineup batted around en route to take their first lead of the game. Isola led off the frame with another double, and five hits and a walk later they were up 11-1. Dennis Ortega (in the game to replace an injured Edouard Julien) and Wallner each had a two-RBI single in the inning to account for most of the runs. Wichita had bases-loaded situations in several innings and were able to cash them in with some big hits to secure the win. Six of the nine hitters in their lineup collected multiple knocks, with Isola leading the way with a big 3-for-5 night including two runs scored, two doubles, the grand slam, and five RBI. Steven Cruz closed out the win with two innings, allowing three hits and a run in the ninth, but striking out five to pick up his first save of the season. KERNELS NUGGETS Lake County 5, Cedar Rapids 1 Box Score Fresh off of a 5-1 series win against the Peoria Chiefs last week where they outscored their opponent 47-12, the Kernels were unable to continue popping in this one, and instead were left with a bunch of Old Maids. They had just four hits as a team, and their one run came on a Willie Joe Garry Jr. home run in the third inning that gave them an early 1-0 lead. It remained that way until the sixth inning, as until that point starting pitcher Sean Mooney had stifled the Captains in a similar fashion. He allowed no runs in five total innings, allowing just one hit, walking three, and striking out six. He was a bit effectively wild, with just 46 of his 82 pitches going for strikes (56 percent), but got the job done. Bobby Milacki was brought on to start the sixth, and a pair of singles and a double led to the tying run. In the seventh Milacki got one out before a walk and a single ended his outing. He went 1 1/3 innings, allowing four hits, walking one, and striking out one. Orlando Rodriguez came on to escape that jam and also delivered a scoreless eighth inning. He struck out two and walked one in 1 2/3 innings pitched. In the ninth the Kernels brought on Andrew Cabezas, looking to keep the score tied and give his lineup a chance. Unfortunately, a one-out error seemed to derail his outing, and three batters later a three-run home run made the score 5-1 and put it out of reach. Cedar Rapids finished this one just 0-for-2 with runners in scoring position, left only four men-on-base, and struck out 18 times as a team, including the last 11 outs of the game. They’ll look to get back to their winning ways on Wednesday with Aaron Rozek on the mound. MUSSEL MATTERS Game 1: Clearwater 5, Fort Myers 4 (11 innings, completion of game suspended on 5/1) Box Score This game was suspended before the top of the 11th inning got started over two weeks ago, with the score tied at four. Sonny Gray and Jordan Balazovic had both made rehab appearances on that day. When it resumed, something you’ll likely only ever see in the minor leagues happened. With the runner starting on second base, Fort Myers pitcher Matthew Swain was hit with consecutive balks to give the Threshers a 5-4 lead. He retired all three hitters he faced, including a pair of strikeouts, but whatever was the cause of those balks (likely rule changes being forgotten in the moment) the Mighty Mussels found themselves down. The lineup was unable to score one of their own, with Mikey Perez, Noah Miller, and Emmanuel Rodriguez going down in order to end the game. Miller (2-for-4, R, 2 RBI, SB) and Kyler Fedko (2-for-4, R, RBI, BB, K) had multiple hits able to become official to lead the team. There were no extra base hits for the Mighty Mussels, and they were unable to take advantage of 10 walks as they finished 1-for-16 with runners in scoring position, and left 13 men-on-base for the game. Game 2: Fort Myers 5, Clearwater 4 Box Score In their regularly scheduled contest, the Mighty Mussels got a quality effort out of their starting pitcher, right-hander Travis Adams. He went six innings, allowing three runs on five hits and a walk, while striking out six to pick up his third win of the season. Adams has gone at least five innings in all six of his starts so far this season, and the three runs allowed in this one are a season-high. He’s been the model of consistency for the Mighty Mussels, sporting a 2.03 ERA, 0.68 WHIP, and a 28:5 K-to-BB ratio in 31 innings thus far. Fort Myers got single runs in each of the first, third, and fourth innings to keep the game tied at three while Adams was on the mound. Emmanuel Rodriguez scored in the first on an error after reaching base on a hit-by-pitch. The Noah’s, Miller and Cardenas, each had doubles in the third for their second run. Kala’i Rosario tripled and scored on a Luis Baez singled in the fourth to account for those tallies. They took a 4-3 lead in the top of the seventh thanks to a double-steal after three batters had drawn walks in the frame, allowing Adams to be in line for the win. They added a needed insurance run in the top of the ninth, as an errant throw from the Threshers catcher on a steal attempt allowed pinch-runner Dylan Neuse to scamper home for a 5-3 lead. In relief of Adams, right-hander Juan Mendez went two scoreless innings, allowing one hit, walking two, and striking out two. Hunter McMahon was brought on for the save opportunity in the ninth, and although he made it a bit interesting allowing a single and run-scoring double to start the inning, was able to finish it off with a pair of K’s and groundout for his third save. The lineup didn’t get multiple hits from any batter, but drew five walks and only struck out five times. They also stole five bases as a team and two others were thrown out, so they were running all game. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day - Sean Mooney, Cedar Rapids Kernels (5 IP, H, 3 BB, 6 K) Hitter of the Day - Alex Isola, Wichita Wind Surge (3-for-5, 2 R, 2 2B, GS (5), 5 RBI) PROSPECT SUMMARY #1 - Royce Lewis (Minnesota) - 2-for-4, 2B, HR (2), RBI #4 - Jose Miranda (Minnesota) - 0-for-4, 2 K #7 - Josh Winder (Minnesota) - L, 3 2/3 IP, 9 H, 5 ER, 2 BB, K #9 - Matt Canterino (Wichita) - 3 2/3 IP, 5 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 6 K #10 - Emmanuel Rodriguez (Fort Myers) - 0-for-3, R #11 - Noah Miller (Fort Myers) - 1-for-4, R, 2B, K #14 - Ronny Henriquez (St. Paul) - 1 1/3 IP, 2 H 5 ER, 3 BB #16 - Spencer Steer (Wichita) - 2-for-6, 2 R, 2B, K #18 - Christian Encarnacion-Strand (Cedar Rapids) - 0-for-4, 2 K #19 - Edouard Julien (Wichita) - 1-for-2, BB, K (left game with injury) WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS St. Paul @ Omaha (6:35 PM CDT) - RHP Jake Faria (0-2, 7.17 ERA) Springfield @ Wichita (7:05 PM CDT) - RHP Louie Varland (4-1, 3.69 ERA) Lake County @ Cedar Rapids (6:35 PM CDT) - LHP Aaron Rozek (4-1, 4.73 ERA) Fort Myers @ Clearwater, Game 1 (11:00 AM CDT) - RHP Pierson Ohl (1-1, 5.50 ERA) Clearwater @ Fort Myers, Game 2 (makeup of 4/30 PPD) - RHP Mike Paredes (0-1, 3.31 ERA) Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Tuesday’s games!

TRANSACTIONS The Minnesota Twins selected the contracts of RHP Jharel Cotton and OF Mark Contreras in advance of their series opener with the Houston Astros. In Fort Myers, the Mighty Mussels placed RHP Logan Campbell on the 7-day injured list, and in a corresponding move activated RHP Niklas Rimmel. SAINTS SENTINEL St. Paul 6, Columbus 7 (12 innings) Box Score The way these teams traded runs and leads throughout the game, it was no surprise they needed extra-innings to reach a conclusion. The Saints tied or took the lead four different times, and the Clippers did the same. St. Paul got the first run on the scoreboard in the third, when Ernie Yake drove in Caleb Hamilton with a single. They tied the game at three in the top of the seventh, thanks to a 2-run home run from Hamilton, his second of the year. Down 5-3 in the ninth, RBI singles from Derek Fisher and Hamilton sent the game to extra innings. In the tenth, the Saints were able to get their free runner across the plate to take a 6-5 lead courtesy of a Jake Cave single, but Columbus was able to match it in the bottom half to extend it further. That’s where the luck ran out for the good guys. In the twelfth, the Clippers were finally able to walk it off with a two-out double that was just out of the reach of left-fielder Cole Sturgeon. On the pitching front, the Saints got a decent effort from diminutive starting pitcher Ronny Henriquez, who completed 4 2/3 innings. He allowed two earned runs on three hits (one home run) and a walk, while striking out four. JC Ramirez got the next four outs, allowing a home run of his own. Jovani Moran allowed two runs on three hits while striking out one in the seventh. Juan Minaya pitched two scoreless innings to get the game into extra innings, where Trevor Megill took over. He pitched two innings, allowing one of the inherited runners to score, walked one, and struck out two. Wladimir Pinto was charged with the loss after allowing the walk-off double. Jermaine Palacios (2-for-5, 2 R, 2B, K), Hamilton (4-for-5, 2 R, HR, 3 RBI), Roy Morales (2-for-5), and Yake (2-for-5, R, RBI) each collected multiple hits in the loss. WIND SURGE WISDOM Wichita 4, NW Arkansas 7 Box Score The Wind Surge opened their series with the Travelers by sending right-hander Ben Gross to the bump. He went the first two innings, working around a double in the first and a walk in the second for a scoreless outing. He struck out three. Steven Klimek was brought on to start the third inning and ran into a bunch of trouble. Before it was over NW Arkansas had a 4-0 lead, but Klimek was able to come back and deliver a scoreless fourth inning. The Wichita lineup was able to get three of those runs back right away in the top of the fourth, when Matt Wallner led off the inning with a walk. He was followed by back-to-back blasts from Alex Isola and Andrew Bechtold to make it 4-3. From there, the Wind Surge got two scoreless innings of relief from Tyler Viza, who continued his early season dominance with three strikeouts against one walk and one hit allowed. In 18 1/3 innings pitched so far on the season, Viza owns a 0.49 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, while racking up 29 K’s (14.2/9IP). Osiris German came on for the start of the seventh inning, and was greeted by four consecutive hits that led to two more runs and a 6-3 lead for the home team. In the eighth, Alex Scherff gave up a solo home run to account for the final Travelers run on the scoreboard. Wichita was able to add a single run in the eighth, but they had a bigger opportunity for a comeback as Austin Martin, Edouard Julien, and Spencer Steer all got at-bats with the bases loaded. Martin struck out, the lone run scored on a passed ball during Julien’s at-bat (BB), and then Steer flew out to left, so it was not to be. Bechtold (2-for-4, R, 2B, HR, RBI, K) was the only Wind Surge player to pick up multiple hits, but Julien (1-for-2, 3 BB), Martin (1-for-4, BB, 2 K), Isola (1-for-3, 2 R, HR, 2 RBI, 2 BB), and Leobaldo Cabrera (0-for-2, 2 BB, K) all reached base multiple times. Despite all those opportunities, they were unable to cash them in by going 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position, and leaving 11 men on base for the game. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 10, Peoria 1 Box Score The Kernels lineup popped often in this one, and along with poor defense from the Chiefs (4 errors), led to a blowout victory on the road in their series opener. Jair Camargo, Will Holland, and Alerick Soularie all hit home runs for Cedar Rapids, while Christian Encarnacion-Strand added a double, and Willie Joe Garry Jr. a triple. Those five extra-base hits were the majority of the Kernels eight hits in the game, and drove in six of their ten runs. Jeferson Morales led the way with three RBI, and Anthony Prato, Soularie, and Holland each scored two runs. Cedar Rapids got another strong start from left-hander Brent Headrick, who went the first five innings to pick up his fourth win. He allowed just two hits, walked one, and struck out six. Headrick has now gone 16 innings without allowing a run over his last three starts. In that time, he’s allowed just six hits, walked two, and struck out 23. Matt Mullenbach allowed the Chiefs lone run in his two innings of relief. He gave up one hit and struck out two. Derek Molina walked one and struck out two in a scoreless inning, and Tyler Palm finished off the win with a scoreless ninth. The Kernels improve to as stellar 20-8 on the season, and lead the Midwest League West division by two games. MUSSEL MATTERS Palm Beach 0, Fort Myers 3 Box Score This game was all about pitching for the Mighty Mussels, as you can’t do much better than a no-hitter! It is the 4th no-hitter in franchise history, with the last coming on September 18th, 2021 when the Mighty Mussels defeated the Tampa Tarpons 3-0. This one was a lot like that one, as it was a combined effort from multiple pitchers. Last year’s 13th-round draft pick, Right-hander David Festa, got the start and was spectacular for the first six innings. He walked the second batter of the game but retired the next 10 in a row before issuing his second walk in the fourth. He picked up two strikeouts in five of his six innings, and finished with 11 on the game, also notably topping out at over 99 MPH with his fastball. With Festa at 84 pitches (52 for strikes, 22 (!) swinging) after the sixth inning, the Mighty Mussels went to reliever Jaylen Nowlin, their 19th round draft pick in 2021, to start the seventh. He delivered two more hitless frames, retiring all six men he faced, including three strikeouts of his own. Hunter McMahon was brought on for the ninth to finish it off, and he did just that thanks in part to a nice play of his own. After a leadoff walk, he was able to work around it by getting a groundball out and then snagging a liner right back at him, where he was able to double-off the runner at second base to end the game. In all, Mighty Mussels pitchers combined to allow just three baserunners on walks, and struck out 14 Cardinals. Fort Myers got all the runs they would end up needing in the bottom of the first inning when Noah Miller was able to come around to score on an outfield error after reaching base with a walk. The lineup went on to add single runs in the fifth and eighth innings thanks to a wild pitch and solo home run from Mikey Perez, his second of the season. While as a team they also managed just two hits in the game, the Mighty Mussels were able to take advantage of eight walks, including three from Miller, and two from catcher Dillon Tatum. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day - David Festa, Fort Myers Mighty Mussels (W, 6 IP, 3 BB, 11 K) Hitter of the Day - Caleb Hamilton, St. Paul Saints (4-for-5, 2 R, HR, 3 RBI) PROSPECT SUMMARY #1 - Royce Lewis (Minnesota) - 0-for-3, K #2 - Austin Martin (Wichita) - 1-for-4, BB, 2 K #3 - Joe Ryan (Minnesota) - L, 4 IP, 4 H, 4 ER, 5 BB, 3 K #4 - Jose Miranda (Minnesota) - 0-for-4 #10 - Emmanuel Rodriguez (Fort Myers) - 0-for-2, BB, K #11 - Noah Miller (Fort Myers) - 0-for-1, R, 3 BB #14 - Ronny Henriquez (St. Paul) - 4 2/3 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, BB, 4 K #16 - Spencer Steer (Wichita) - 0-for-5, K #18 - Christian Encarnacion-Strand (Cedar Rapids) - 1-for-5, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 K #19 - Edouard Julien (Wichita) - 1-for-2, 3 BB WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS St. Paul @ Columbus (6:05 PM CDT) - RHP Chi Chi Gonzalez (2-1, 4.87 ERA) Wichita @ NW Arkansas (7:05 PM CDT) - RHP Matt Canterino (0-1, 1.62 ERA) Cedar Rapids @ Peoria (11:05 AM CDT) - RHP Sean Mooney (0-0, 1.69 ERA) Palm Beach @ Fort Myers (6:00 PM CDT) - RHP Travis Adams (1-0, 1.80 ERA) Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Tuesday’s games!

TRANSACTIONS The Twins announced Sunday morning that pitchers Sonny Gray and Jordan Balazovic were assigned to Low-A affiliate Fort Myers for rehab assignments and are available to pitch Sunday. In addition, Marco Raya was activated by Ft. Myers. he is scheduled to start on Tuesday. SAINTS SENTINEL St. Paul and Nashville were postponed due to Weather. The Saints were unable to play their series finale against the Nashville Sounds on Sunday due to wet grounds at CHS Field. The makeup game has yet to be rescheduled for a later date. WIND SURGE WISDOM Wichita 4, Arkansas 3 Box Score SP: Chris Vallimont - 4 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 4 BB, 4 K HR: Cole Sturgeon (3), Alex Isola (3) Multi-hit games: Isola (3-4, R, 2B, HR, 2 RBI) The Wind Surge completed their series victory over the Travelers Sunday afternoon in a 4-3 victory that gave the Wind Surge a 5-1 series win. Chris Vallimont was on the mound for his fifth start of the season for the Wind Surge. Vallimont had a strong first inning but struggled in the second and third giving up two runs in the second on a bases-clearing double by Travelers catcher Jake Anchia. Vallimont allowed the Travelers third and final run to score on a wild pitch in the bottom of the third. Vallimont cooled off in the fourth inning but was taken out for the day afterward. Alex Isola carried the Wind Surge lineup to victory with his 3-for-4 performance at the plate coming a triple short of the cycle. Isola also hit the game-winning home run in the top of the sixth that gave the Wind Surge their 4-3 lead. Cole Sturgeon hit his third home run of the season in the fifth inning against Travelers starter George Kirby. The Wind Surge will be returning home for their next series starting Tuesday against the Tulsa Drillers. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 6, Beloit 13 Box Score SP: Cade Povich 4.1 IP, 8 H, 6 ER, 2 BB, 6 K HR: Aaron Sabato (2), Jeferson Morales (1) Multi-hit games: Anthony Prato (2-3, R, 2B, RBI (14) 2 BB), Jair Camargo (2-4, R, BB, K) The Kernels completed their final game against the Beloit Sky Carp with a loss that split the six-game series between the two teams. The 13-6 loss is the largest for the Kernels on the season so far. Kernels starter Cade Povich made his third start of the season but was roughed up over 4 1/3 innings pitched. The Sky Carp scored three runs against him in the second and three more to knock him out in the fifth inning. Povich still did have three strong innings. throwing scoreless first, third, and fourth innings. The Kernels offense did their best to keep up but fell short in the later innings as the Sky Carp tagged on three insurance runs in the bottom of the seventh and four more in the bottom of the eighth. Kernels left fielder Anthony Prato and catcher Jair Camargo both had strong games at the plate, but it was first baseman Aaron Sabato’s two-run homer in the top of the ninth that brought the Kernels back into the game. Even though they fell short and lost 13-6 The Kernels will be returning home for their next series against the Quad City River Bandits which will be their second series against them for the season. MUSSEL MATTERS Fort Myers 4, Clearwater 4: Suspended in the top of the 11th Box Score SP: Sonny Gray 3 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 K HR: None Multi hit games: Noah Miller (2-3, R, BB), Kyler Fedko (2-4, R, RBI (14), BB, K) The Mighty Mussels game against the Clearwater Threshers was suspended in the top of the 11th due to rain. The suspended game will resume during the Mighty Mussels next match up against the Threshers the week of May 16. Both Sonny Gray and Jordan Balazovic pitched for the Mighty Mussels during Sunday’s game. Gray made his rehab start and nearly three perfect innings for Fort Myers save for a fielding error in the top of the first and a single in the top of the second. Gray did not allow any walks and struck out five in his appearance. Balazovic came into the game right after Gray for two innings. Balazovic did not have as strong a performance as Gray as he gave up four runs on four hits and two walks in his first appearance for the 2022 season. He has been rehabbing a knee injury. The Mussels will begin their next series on Tuesday night at home against the Cardinals Single-A affiliate, the Palm Beach Cardinals. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – Sonny Gray (Fort Myers) - 3 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 K Hitter of the Day – Alex Isola (Wichita) - 3-4, R, 2B, HR, 2 RBI PROSPECT SUMMARY We will again keep tabs on the Twins top prospects. You’ll probably read about them in the team sections, but if they aren’t there, you’ll see how they did here. #2 - Austin Martin (Wichita) - 1-2, R, 2B, K #5 - Jordan Balazovic (Fort Myers, Rehab) - 2 IP 4 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, K #7 - Josh Winder (Minnesota) - 6 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 7 K (1st career MLB Win) #11 - Noah Miller (Ft. Myers) - 2-3, R, BB #13 - Cole Sands (Minnesota) - 2 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 2 K #16 - Spencer Steer (Wichita) - 0-3, R, BB #17 - Cade Povich (Cedar Rapids) - 4.1 IP, 8 H, 6 ER, 2 BB, 6 K #18 - Christian Encarnacion-Strand (Cedar Rapids) - 0-3, RBI (24), BB, K #19 - Edouard Julien (Wichita) - 1-4, 2B, 2 K TUESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS All Twins Minor League Affiliates are off on Monday and will resume their games on Tuesday, May 3. The only Monday in which there will be minor-league games is July 4th (and some for the Saints in September). Iowa @ St. Paul (6:37 PM CST) - TBD Tulsa @ Wichita (7:05 PM CST) - TBD Quad Cities @ Cedar Rapids (6:35 PM CST) - TBD Fort Myers @ Lakeland (5:30 PM CST) - RHP Marco Raya Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Sunday’s games as the second weekend of the Minor and Major League seasons has concluded.

I can remember talking with a long-time Twins executive a long time ago. He used the phrase "catcher attrition," and I've never forgotten that. It is hard to develop catchers and get them to the big leagues. It is a tough position physically. Not only do they have to try to develop as a hitter, but they have to develop as a catcher. They need to work on improving their ability to block pitches, have good footwork and develop arm strength and accuracy. Now, a huge focus is on presenting pitches, which has a huge impact on plate appearances. It is a physically grueling position. Not only is catching tough on the knees, but foul tips can be incredibly painful. Now try to hit when you can't feel your legs. While the Twins have Mitch Garver, Ryan Jeffers and Ben Rortvedt with big league time, they also have some catchers to watch in High-A and Double-A (as well as a few in the lower levels too). This grouping of five hitting prospects includes three catching prospects who, in my opinion, do have the potential to be big leaguers in some role or capacity if things shake out right for them. In addition to three catchers, this group also contains a couple of high-ceiling hitters looking to find their position. They both could take big jumps up this list in 2022. Let's continue the countdown. #20 - C/OF Jeferson Morales 2021 STATS: .255/.370/.438, 24 2B, 12 HR, 53 RBI, 18.4 K%, 12.0 BB%, 12/15 SB Jeferson Morales may not be a household name among Twins fans, but he has been in the organization since signing out of Venezuela in October of 2016. He played in the DSL in 2018 and the GCL in 2019. Like others, he did not have a 2020 season. He began the 2021 season in Ft. Myers where he hit .237/.377/.407 (.783) with 19 doubles and seven homers. He finished by hitting .301/.350/.516 (.866) with five doubles and five homers in 25 games in Cedar Rapids. He also stole 12 bases. Morales is interesting. While he stands just 5-8 (in his spikes, probably), he has shown really good power. He’s got a good approach at the plate, willing to take his walks. He plays behind the plate where he is a good athlete but has a lot of room for improvement. He also played a lot in the outfield as well. He will turn 23 in May. He should start with the Kernels and hope to get to Double-A by season’s end. #19 - C/1B Alex Isola 2021 STATS: .243/.342/.425, 15 2B, 17 HR, 52 RBI, 21.3 K%, 12.7 BB%, 1/1 SB The Twins selected Alex Isola out of TCU in the 29th round of the 2019 draft. After signing, he played seven games at Elizabethton before moving up to Cedar Rapids. Like others, he missed the 2020 season, but he was invited to Twins spring training as a part of the depth camp in 2021. When the season began, he returned to Cedar Rapids, which of course was now the High-A affiliate. He is solid behind the plate, strong and athletic with a good, accurate arm (though he threw out just 8% of base stealers in 2021). His season started out slow in terms of batting average, but he was still getting on base. As it approached midseason, he put things together and started adding more and more power. He played a lot at first base just to keep his bat in the lineup most games. He should head back to big-league spring training before jumping up to Wichita to start the season. #18 - C Jair Camargo 2021 STATS: .236/.279/.418, 7 2B, 13 HR, 36 RBI, 37.9 K%, 4.3 BB%, 3/4 SB The Twins acquired Jair Camargo in the Brusdar Graterol/Kenta Maeda deal with the Dodgers. He had originally signed in July of 2015 out of Colombia. He moved up the Dodgers system slowly including playing in the Midwest League in 2019. He didn’t play in 2020, of course, but the Twins sent him to Cedar Rapids for the 2021 season. He played in 71 games, most behind the plate, but also a dozen games at first base. He fits the look of a catcher, compact and strong. He has room to improve behind the plate in all areas, but he is a good athlete and has a strong arm. He threw out 23% of base stealers. Camargo does have some real power. He hit 13 homers and several of them went to the opposite field. There isn’t a pitch that Camargo won’t swing at. In 316 plate appearances, he walked just 12 times! That may be the key to any future success he has moving forward. Camargo won’t turn 23 until July. #17 - 2B/OF Alerick Soularie 2021 STATS: .240/.367/.360, 4 2B, 3 HR, 15 RBI, 24.7 K%, 15.3 BB%, 9/10 SB The Twins drafted Alerick Soularie in the second round of the 2020 draft after a powerful career at the University of Tennessee. In 76 games between 2019 and 2020, he hit .336/.448/.586 (1.034) with 15 doubles and 16 homers. He also stole ten bases in 11 attempts. 2021 was set to be his professional debut, but a foot injury in spring training meant that his professional debut was delayed until August. After about a week in the FCL to get some live game action, he moved up to the Mighty Mussels and played 28 games. While he didn’t hit for average, he showed patience and a good eye at the plate. He played a combined 22 games at second base and nine games in left field. If I were to guess, I think he’ll end up in the outfield, but of course having some flexibility won’t hurt at all. Soularie is 22 years old. He should spend most of 2022 in Cedar Rapids. #16 - 2B/3B Yunior Severino 2021 STATS: .273/.372/.430, 29 2B, 2 3B, 8 HR, 70 RBI, 29.4 K%, 12.2 BB%, 3/3 SB The 22-year-old Yunior Severino has already had an interesting career. He originally signed with Atlanta, but when they were caught for transgressions in their international scouting, he became a free agent and signed quickly with the Twins before the 2018 season. In 2019, he played just 22 games in Cedar Rapids because of a wrist injury. After a lost 2020, he began 2021 in Low-A Ft. Myers. While his overall numbers look solid, the splits are interesting. In 63 games in Ft. Myers, Severino hit just .245/.347/.393 (.740) with 17 doubles and five homers. He moved up to Cedar Rapids and in 35 games, he hit .321/.414/.493 (.907) with 12 doubles and three homers. His 29 doubles were behind only Jose Miranda in the Twins system. Reports are that he hit the ball hard in Ft. Myers, but that league can really hurt offensive output. If he can stay healthy, he could have a breakout season in 2022. I think this is a pretty interesting group of prospects. First, I think having depth of catchers is a good thing. All three are potentially strong offensively. Each has some defensive talent and some work to do yet. Severino and Soularie both present high-ceiling offensive potential, though each will need to find a defensive home or get better around the diamond. There is certainly talent in this group. Feel free to discuss and ask questions. Previous Rankings Hitters Part 1: 26-30 Hitters Part 2: 21-25 Hitters Part 3: 16-20 Pitchers Part 1: 26-30 Pitchers Part 2: 21-25 Pitchers Part 3: 16-20