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For the Twins to sustain their success in the rotation, they'll need more young starters to step up the way Joe Ryan, Bailey Ober and Louie Varland did in 2023. Which minor-league pitchers in the system have that immediate impact in them? Image courtesy of Ed Bailey, Wichita Wind Surge (photo of David Festa) The top-tier Minnesota Twins rotation in 2023 was headlined by veterans Sonny Gray and Pablo López, who both made the All-Star team and received Cy Young votes. Kenta Maeda's resurgent campaign also did yeoman's work. But the contributions of younger starters who stepped up should not be overlooked. Joe Ryan and Bailey Ober were key cogs in the Minnesota rotation, combining for more than 300 innings and a whole bunch of quality starts. The Twins went 32-23 in their starts (.581), because (outside of an ugly stretch from Ryan when he was pitching hurt) they both always gave the team a good chance. When you can win at a clip like that behind your mid-rotation starters, that's a pretty foolproof formula for success. Louie Varland also played an important role in the journey of the 2023 Twins rotation. He stepped in as quality depth early on, while the unit was still stabilizing, and posted a 3.51 ERA across seven starts between April and May. These impact arms are exactly the prototype that Derek Falvey was recruited to produce: acquired at low cost (Ryan for a deadline rental, Ober and Varland with late-round draft picks) and developed into legit big-league assets. With Gray and Maeda moving on, the trio will likely be counted on more heavily in 2024. And with financial resources limited, the Twins might be counting on the next wave of internally-developed starters to provide depth next year and beyond. Who's got next? These seven prospects represent the best hope for meaningful pipeline impact in the rotation over the next season or two. Excluded from this list are a couple of top prospects who are multiple years away from the majors due to injuries (Connor Prielipp) or age (Charlee Soto). David Festa, RHP Age: 23 Finished 2023 Season: Triple A Don't be deceived by Festa's so-so ERA between Double A and Triple A this past year (4.19): he's a highly-regarded prospect who piled up 119 strikeouts in 92 innings and pitched in the 2023 Futures Game. A late-round draft pick (13th) in 2021 who has increased his fastball velocity dramatically in the Twins system, Festa follows very much in the footsteps of Ober and Varland. He still has an important hurdle (too many walks) to clear, but Festa is on the precipice of the big leagues and will likely get a long look in big-league camp next spring. Among pitchers on this list, he probably ranks highest at the intersection of upside and readiness. He turns 24 in March. Simeon Woods Richardson, RHP Age: 23 Finished 2023 Season: Triple A Woods Richardson is right on par with Festa in terms of readiness, but his perceived upside has fallen off a cliff since the Twins first acquired him in the Jose Berrios trade at the 2021 deadline. The 2023 season saw his post a sub-20% strikeout rate in St. Paul, despite having two full seasons' worth of experience in the high minors. SWR's flat fastball and lagging control have thrown his future into doubt, especially as a starter, so his place in this starting pipeline list is tenuous. Then again, he's got a pretty good physical workload base (around 115 innings pitched in each of the past two seasons) and pitched well in the second half for the Saints (2.92 ERA in his final 12 starts), so for now, he's certainly in the mix. At this moment, Woods Richardson is probably sixth on Minnesota's starting pitching depth chart. Marco Raya, RHP Age: 21 Finished 2023: Double A Raya is probably significantly farther away than the previous two, for the same reasons why SWR is so close: development and workload. Whereas SWR has thrown 400 innings in parts of five minor-league seasons, the 21-year-old Raya has thrown fewer than 130 in two seasons. Moreover, the Twins have been carefully managing his usage; he never threw more than four innings or 60 pitches in a start this year. That all points to the Twins proceeding very cautiously and conservatively with their 2020 draft pick, although Raya can expedite his own journey through his performance, which he already (more or less) has. The righty finished his latest campaign at Double A. I suspect one or more of the polished pitchers below him will leapfrog Raya in the coming year, but since he's advanced further in the system than any of them, the young hurler currently stands above them on this list. Cory Lewis, RHP Age: 23 Finished 2023: High A Lewis is one of the most intriguing arms in the Twins' system, for a specific reason: he throws a knuckleball and it looks legit. Very few major-league pitchers are able to master the knuckler, but those who do can pretty reliably give hitters fits, as Lewis did in 2023 when he posted a 2.49 ERA, 10.5 K/9 and 2.9 BB/9 between Low A and High A. He allowed just six homers in 102 innings across 22 starts. He was named Twins Minor League Pitcher of the Year, an honor that went to Varland each of the past two seasons. C.J. Culpepper, RHP Age: 22 Finished 2023: High A Stop me if you've heard this before: Culpepper was a 13th-round draft pick by the Twins who has significantly improved his velocity as a pro to put himself on the prospect radar. (You heard it earlier in this very article.) The California Baptist University product garnered a lot of strong reviews during his first full pro season in 2023, handling himself well at two levels of A ball as a 21-year-old. As opposed to starters who succeed on a specialized three-pitch mix, Culpepper unleashes a diverse arsenal with at least six different offerings, a la Sonny Gray. He showed solid command and kept the ball in the yard while tossing 86 innings in his first pro season. It's not unthinkable that he could put himself in line for a 2024 debut, though the following year feels more likely. Zebby Matthews, RHP Age: 23 Finished 2023: High A Matthews was selected in the eighth round of last year's draft, within five rounds of Lewis (9th) and Culpepper (13th), in what is looking to be a fruitful stretch of sleeper college arms harvested by the Twins. Of course, the coming year will tell us a lot about the true viability of this trio, as they start graduating to the high minors and facing advanced hitting. Success for college pitchers in A ball is not necessarily all that telling, though it is encouraging. Like Lewis and Culpepper, Matthews offered plenty of positive signs during his first full season in the system, posting a 3.84 ERA, 9.6 K/9, and 1.3 BB/9 between Ft. Myers and Cedar Rapids. He threw 105 innings to build a strong workload baseline and implant himself in the starting pipeline. Like Culpepper, he relies on a deep repertoire, more than specific standout pitches, so it will be interesting to see if he can develop a true weapon to elevate his game. Andrew Morris, RHP Age: 22 Finished 2023: High A Yet another product of the 2022 draft class, Morris was a relatively high-profile pick as a fourth-rounder who received a $500,000 bonus. He achieved stellar results in his first full go against pro competition, posting a 2.88 ERA over 84 innings between the two A-ball levels. Morris is more of a "floor over ceiling" guy, according to MLB Pipeline, but he could factor as a back-of-rotation option for the parent club as soon as this year. Who's your guy in this group? Weigh in. View full article

In this week’s Twins Spotlight, we learn more about one of the exciting pitchers from the Twins 2022 draft. C.J. Culpepper began his first full professional season in Fort Myers before helping the Cedar Rapids Kernels to the Midwest League championship. Image courtesy of William Parmeter If you listened to last week’s episode of Destination: The Show, Cedar Rapids Kernels pitching coach Jonas Lovin was asked about CJ Culpepper. He concluded his comments by saying. “CJ had a really good year and progressed really well throughout the year. He’ll be one that, I’m sure, Twins fans will be seeing down the road and will be looking forward to following, and he’ll keep working.” Seven players selected by the Twins in the 2019 draft have already reached the big leagues. Two others spent most of the 2023 season with the Triple-A St. Paul Saints. Matt Canterino returns in 2024 with an eye on the big leagues, too. However, among many Twins fans, there is excitement around the pitchers they selected in the 2022 draft. Kyle Jones (7th round) spent the entire season with the Kernels. Cory Lewis (9th), Zebby Matthews (8th), Andrew Morris (4th), and CJ Culpepper (13th) all started the season in Fort Myers, but each spent most of the second half making starts in Cedar Rapids. In addition, Ben Ethridge (15th) and Zach Veen (18th) remained in Fort Myers, pitching very well, and are now pitching in the Arizona Fall League. Of course, Connor Prielipp (2nd) started the season with the Kernels, but unfortunately, he made just one start and later had elbow surgery. The group has become quite close over the past year. Culpepper said, “We’ve all become really close, and that’s good. All of us are different. We pitch differently. It’s cool to talk to them about what they do mechanically.” While Culpepper hasn’t added a knuckleball to his in-game pitch repertoire, he’s learned a lot about the pitch from his time with Cory Lewis. “Playing catch with him (Lewis) isn’t too much fun either. It’s scary. It’s terrifying.” (You can watch the full 49-minute interview right here, or you can right-click on the video and watch/listen to it in another tab so you can continue perusing Twins Daily while watching the interview.) C.J. Culpepper grew up in southern California, and baseball has been a big part of his life. His mom tells him that from when he was two, he was always playing ball. Culpepper’s earliest memory is one that many of us can understand and appreciate. “The earliest memory I can think of is having my dad coaching me all growing up. I always thought that was really cool. Being able to share that experience with him and having his knowledge get dropped down to me is pretty cool. It’s just something I’ve cherished for the longest time.” He was always young for his grade and spent three seasons on the Rancho Cucamonga varsity team. He had played soccer in his younger years. Like Twins starter Joe Ryan, Culpepper also played water polo in high school. “My mom said, ‘You’re going to play water polo.’ So I really shouldn’t say No.'" He also participated in the Garciaparra Baseball Group team from Inland Empire, a southern California team. They played in the Jupiter tournaments in Florida, key events for high school players to be seen by scouts from every organization, as well as many colleges. California Baptist jumped from Division I to Division II for the 2019 season. Upon visiting, Culpepper quickly knew that it was the place he wanted to play ball. He had a strong relationship with the coaches, and it was a place where he could continue to grow his faith. He had a handful of games pitched in 2020 before Covid ended the season. As a sophomore, he had 38 strikeouts in 30 innings out of the Lancers’ bullpen. That summer of 2021 marked a crucial point in C.J. Culpepper’s baseball career. He went to the Cape Cod League and pitched well against top competition. In 15 2/3 innings over 10 appearances, he went 1-0 with four saves, a 1.72 ERA and a 0.77 WHIP. He also had 23 strikeouts and just two walks. His performance gave him a lot of confidence heading into his junior season. In 2022, he joined the starting rotation for California Baptist. He went 5-3 with a 3.26 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP. He also had 76 strikeouts in 69 innings. In July, he heard various things from his advisor leading to the draft. In fact, on Day 2, his advisor said a team asked if he would take a specific signing bonus if they drafted him. He agreed. Unfortunately, that team picked someone else with that pick. On Day 3, he spent the day with his parents. They were “watching” the draft online, and in the 13th round, they saw CJ’s name pop up on their computer screen. “Right when they saw my name, they were so happy. Tears started coming down. They just realized that this is what he’s been working for, and now it’s starting. They were just so ecstatic.” He continued, “It was a fun day, for sure.” It’s similar to one of his first days in Fort Myers after signing. He found himself on one of the back fields, playing catch, when he stopped and looked around a bit, thinking, “This is something I’ve been working for my entire life, and now I’m here. I was just in awe. It was definitely an experience that I’ll cherish, for sure.” Fortunately, there were several players around him that he knew to some degree. During his season with Yarmouth–Dennis in the Cape Cod League, he was on the same team as catcher Nate Baez (12th round) and first-round pick Brooks Lee. Also on the team was 2023 10th-round pick Ross Dunn. While Culpepper was the lone player that the Twins drafted from California Baptist, they added more in 2023. In the 15th round, the Twins selected right-handed pitcher Spencer Bengard from the school. In the 16th round, the Twins took righty Anthony Silvas from Riverside City College. However, he spent the 2022 season at California Baptist. Following the draft, the Twins signed right-hander Liam Rocha as a non-drafted free agent. He spent three years at Cal Baptist. With that background, it’s also quite exciting to think about his pitch mix. The right-hander throws a four-seam fastball, a cutter, a slider, a sinker, a changeup, and a curveball. In college, his fastball was generally between 89 and 93 mph. In 2023, Culpepper was not only 93-95 mph, but he touched 97 at times and was able to maintain that velocity later in games. (Of note, I forgot to ask Culpepper if he has ever actually thrown a kitchen sink.) More important than just having all of those pitches, it’s about those pitches being good, being effective. And with all the work that the Twins pitching development group does watching videos, reading the Statcast data, and developing a plan for him, still throwing all six pitches speaks to their effectiveness. Culpepper admits. “I’m pretty comfortable with all the pitches that I have. Whatever the situation and the count allows me to throw. I’m comfortable enough with all of them.” Returning to last week’s Destination the Show, you heard Kernels pitching coach Jonas Lovin talk about Culpepper. “CJ’s great. He’s a really hard worker, and he’s a really good thinker. He does a really good job of asking good questions and thinking through what he can improve upon.” Lovin later added, “CJ is so unique because he throws so many different pitches. He throws six different pitches, and they’re all good. He does a good job commanding them in the strike zone, and they all move a decent amount. After spending most of his life in California, Culpepper is spending this offseason in Tennessee. Maybe it’s to work on something else that he can bring with him to Minnesota. When he played in the Cape, his host family got him excited about fishing by taking him out often. Where he lives in Tennessee, he says he’s got a lake 10 minutes away and some canals and rivers nearby to work on his newfound passion. He said he would also like to get into hunting sometime but hasn’t found a group to take him out yet. I’m just guessing that if CJ Culpepper gets to the big leagues with the Twins, he will have several new friends willing to show him the ropes. For more Twins Daily content in which C.J. Culpepper has been tagged, click here. Here was his Twins Daily Draft page from 2022. View full article

In 2022, the Twins selected right-handed pitcher CJ Culpepper from California Baptist University in the 13th round of the draft. He made 10 starts and posted a 2.33 ERA and a 1.01 WHIP. He finished the season with 11 starts in Cedar Rapids. Overall, he worked 86 innings and had 89 strikeouts with just 32 walks. He was a key contributor in the Kernels Midwest League championship. In this interview, we get to know about Culpepper's background in baseball, from his youth days in southern California, to playing water polo in high school, to picking a college and eventually being drafted. Get to know CJ Culpepper. View full video

Kernels co-pitching coach Jonas Lovin discusses C.J. Culpepper, who is steadily climbing up the Top 30 prospect rankings. View full video

Episode 10 of Destination: The Show is a 47-minute interview with Cedar Rapids Kernels co-pitching coach Jonas Lovin. The entire episode consists of his personal journey in baseball, general player development questions, specific player questions and listener questions. Image courtesy of Thiéres Rabelo It's a Twins-heavy episode, but there's a lot of interesting notes from Jonas Lovin about communication between teams, goals for players and how teams handle promoted players. Regardless of what team you cheer for, it's full-on nerding-out about the finer points of baseball. 0:00 - Intro 1:51 - What was Jonas' personal journey through baseball and how did he get connected with the Twins. 5:32 - How different is coaching at the collegiate level than the professional level? And how have the Twins supported you? 7:42 - What type of conditions do you try to create to help players thrive? 12:03 - How do you blend the old-school with the new-school way of thinking? 13:19 - Player development - new promotions, getting information, setting goals. 15:23 - How clear is the 2024 pitching forecast? 17:00 - The 2022 Draft Haul with specific time stamps for each of the following pitchers: 18:34 - Corey Lewis 21:17 - CJ Culpepper 23:01 - Zebby Matthews 27:40 - Andrew Morris 29:36 - Kyle Jones 31:30 - How good will the competition in between those players be and what's the biggest step going to be to have success at AA. 34:30 - How impressive was Connor Prielipp when healthy? 35:45 - Listener Questions 41:41 - We ask Jonas to make "under-the-radar" picks for pitchers that he coached. You can support the show by downloading it from wherever you get your podcasts, leaving us a positive review and five star rating at iTunes or Spotify, retweeting show related content on Twitter, and subscribing to the Twins Daily YouTube page. You can follow us @DTS_POD1, @J_D_Cameron, @Jeremynygaard, and @TheodoreTollef1 on Twitter. Send us your prospect and draft related questions for our next episode. 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. View full article

Yesterday, we announced Kody Funderburk as the Twins Daily relief pitcher of the year. Today, we shift our attention to the starting pitchers, and there were several very impressive pitching prospects who took bit strides in 2023. If we have learned anything over the past couple of years, it's that when the Twins draft a college pitcher on the third day of the draft, don't just assume they will be an organizational filler. Who knows? That Day 3 draft pick may become an organizational thriller (like Louie Varland, Bailey Ober). A look through the top starting pitchers in the Twins minor leaguers, we see more examples of this. Pitchers drafted out of college on Day 2 or 3 fill up much of this list. The Twins 2022 college draft picks helped lead the Cedar Rapids Kernels to the Midwest League championship this year. It's fun to see these pitchers enter the organization with one scouting report, and one or two years later, they have added four to six mph of velocity and a second and/or third pitch that are now at least an average pitch. Before getting into the top four starters, here are some others who received votes. . Others Receiving Votes RHP C.J. Culpepper, 21, Fort Myers/Cedar Rapids: 21 GS, 86.0 IP, 72 H, 31 BB, 89 K, 3.18 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 3.2 BB/9, 9.3 K/9. RHP Andrew Morris, 22, Fort Myers/Cedar Rapids: 18 G, 17 GS, 84.1 IP, 86 H, 19 BB, 79 K, 2.88 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 2.0 BB/9, 8.4 K/9. RHP Marco Raya, 21, Cedar Rapids/Wichita: 22 GS, 62.2 IP, 45 H, 22 BB, 65 K, 4.02 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 3.2 BB/9, 9.3 K/9. RHP Louie Varland, 25, St. Paul: 16 G, 15 GS, 81.2 IP, 84 H, 26 BB, 88 K, 3.97 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 2.9 BB/9, 9.7 K/9. Others Receiving Votes Blayne Enlow, Ben Ethridge, Ronny Henriquez, Simeon Woods Richardson Twins Minor League Starting Pitcher of the Year Here are the top four vote-getters for Twins Starting Pitcher of the Year. 4. RHP David Festa, 23, Wichita/St. Paul 24 G, 22 GS, 92.1 IP, 86 H, 42 BB, 119 K, 4.19 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, 4.1 BB/9, 11.6 K/9. Festa was the Twins 13th round pick in 2021 out of Seton Hall. He had a tremendous first full season in pro ball in 2022. After five starts (with a 1.50 ERA) in Fort Myers, he moved up to Cedar Rapids and went 7-3 with a 2.71 ERA. In 103 2/3 innings, he had 108 strikeouts with 34 walks. As important as the numbers, Festa had developed some really awe-inspiring “stuff,” including a fastball in the upper 90s. The 23-year-old began this season in Wichita and pitched in 21 games (19 starts). He went 3-3 with a 4.39 ERA, and in 80 innings, he struck out 104 batters. He also walked 34 batters. In July, he pitched an inning in the Futures Game. He ended his season with three starts for the Saints. He was 1-1 with a 2.92 ERA. He had 15 strikeouts in 12 1/3 innings. He also walked nine batters. He will need to hone in on his control, but David Festa should spend the 2024 season at St. Paul, eagerly awaiting an opportunity. He should continue to start, but like Louie Varland this year, Festa has the arm to finish the season as a dominant, late-inning reliever if needed. 3. RHP Zebby Matthews, 23, Fort Myers/Cedar Rapids 22 G, 20 GS, 105.1 IP, 96 H, 15 BB, 112 K, 3.84 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 1.3 BB/9, 9.6 K/9. A native of North Carolina, Zebby Matthews began his college career at Walters State. In 2020, he transferred to Western Carolina and went 3-1 before the season ended due to Covid. Over the next two seasons, he went 10-8 and posted sub-4.00 ERAs both years. In 157 innings, he had 182 strikeouts and just 28 walks. The Twins drafted him in the 8th round in 2022. He pitched in just two games. Matthews began the 2023 season at Fort Myers. However, after eight games (7 starts), he went 3-1 with a 2.56 ERA and was promoted to Cedar Rapids. He made 14 games (13 starts) for the Kernels. As he did in college, he continued to show great control. In 105 1/3 total innings, he has 112 strikeouts with just 15 walks. Matthews has a fastball that reaches 94-95 mph. He has also developed a sweeper and cutter, making them effective secondary pitches. The combination of three potentially average-or-better pitches and his ability to throw strikes and command the zone makes him very intriguing. 2. RHP Pierson Ohl, 24, Cedar Rapids/Wichita 24 G, 21 GS, 127.1 IP, 117 H, 18 BB, 115 K, 3.32 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 1.1 BB/9, 9.1 K/9 A southern California native, Ohl headed east, to Phoenix and Grand Canyon University for his college years. As a freshman, he posted a 3.45 ERA in 16 starts. He had a 2.89 ERA through his four pre-Covid starts in 2020. Then in 2021, he went 10-2 with a 2.60 ERA. Over those final two college seasons, he struck out 120 batters and walked just 13. Based on those numbers, the Twins had to be thrilled to draft him in the 14th round in 2021. He spent the entire 2022 season at Fort Myers and went 6-7 with a 3.53 ERA. In 91 2/3 innings, he had 101 strikeouts and just 13 walks. Oh began the 2023 season in Cedar Rapids where he pitched in eight games (7 starts). He started the season with five really good starts and had just two walks and 26 strikeouts in 26 innings. But then, over the next three starts, he gave up 15 runs (13 earned) in 14 1/3 innings, which made it very interesting that he was promoted to Double-A. He gave up nine runs in 10 2/3 innings in his first two Wichita starts. However, over his final 14 starts, he went 7-2 with a 2.00 ERA. In 76 1/3 innings, he struck out 65 and walked just 13. Opponents hit just .197 against him. While working as a starter, he touched 97 on the radar gun, well above the high-80s, low-90s he threw when drafted. He also has a good curveball and a change-up that can be very good most days. 1. RHP Cory Lewis, 22, Fort Myers/Cedar Rapids 22 GS, 101.1 IP, 74 H, 33 BB, 118 K, 2.49 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 2.9 BB/9, 10.5 K/9 I’m sure you won’t be surprised to learn that Cory Lewis was a star on his Marina High School baseball team. He was a four-year letter winner. He was the league’s freshman of the year. He was named the league’s top pitcher as a sophomore. He was also All-League as a first baseman. He was the league’s MVP his senior season. After high school, he went to UC-Santa Barbara. He was set to redshirt his first year, which worked out fine since it was the Covid season. In 2021, he pitched in 15 games and made 10 starts. He was 7-4 with a 3.38 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP. In 80 innings, he had 86 strikeouts to go with 31 walks. In 2022, he made 16 starts and went 9-1 with a 3.57 ERA. In 88 1/3 innings, he had 107 strikeouts and 42 walks. As a redshirt sophomore, Lewis was the Twins ninth-round pick in 2022. He didn’t pitch at all in the Twins organization. So he made his professional debut in 2023, and it went well. He began the season with nine starts in Fort Myers. He went 4-3 with a 2.75 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP. In 39 2/3 innings, he struck out 55 batters and issued 15 walks. In mid-May, he threw the first 5 2/3 innings of a combined no-hitter for the Mussels. He was promoted to Cedar Rapids where he made 13 starts. He was 5-1 with a 2.32 ERA. In 62 innings, he had 63 strikeouts and 18 walks. And all that work led him and the Kernels to their Midwest League championship. Twins Director of Player Development Drew MacPhail began by simply saying, “Big Game Cory!” He continued, “Not only did Cory Lewis dominate across two levels this year. He also pitched in two, winner-take-all playoff series at Cedar Rapids (including a championship rubber match) and dominated both outings! Not only does Cory have outlier fastball pitch qualities and traditional secondary offerings, but he pairs that with an 84 mph knuckleball that got outlier miss across Low A and A+ this year.” You’ve been reading about Lewis throughout the season here at Twins Daily, so you knew he threw a knuckleball. However, he is not a knuckleball pitcher, per se. He doesn’t just throw a 60 mph knuckleball every pitch. No, with Lewis, the knuckleball is just one of his quality pitches. He threw it about 10% of the time in 2023, and as Mr. MacPhail noted, he throws it hard, generally between 82 and 85 mph. That is very unusual. And those pitches are typically seen heading toward the plate at less than 200 RPMs. Lewis has a fastball in the 91-93 mph range, but he can throw it very well up in the zone. He also has a solid changeup, curveball and slider. It will be interesting to see how his pitch repertoire changes as he continues to move up the organizational ladder. Congratulations to Cory Lewis on winning the Twins Daily Starting Pitcher of the Year award for 2023. He’s obviously joining an impressive group of previous winners. And congratulations to all of the pitchers mentioned in today’s articles on fantastic 2023 seasons! Join us in congratulating Lewis and the rest of these pitchers and discussing them and the Twins pitching pipeline in the comments below. For more Twins Daily content on the pitchers mentioned in today's article, click on the links below: Cory Lewis, Pierson Ohl, Zebby Matthews, David Festa, CJ Culpepper, Andrew Morris, Marco Raya, Louie Varland, Blayne Enlow, Ben Ethridge, Ronny Henriquez, Simeon Woods Richardson. Previous Starting Pitcher of the Year Winners: 2022 winner - Louie Varland 2021 winner - Louie Varland 2019 winner- Randy Dobnak2018 winner - Tyler Wells2017 winner - Stephen Gonsalves2016 winner - Stephen Gonsalves2015 winner - Jose Berrios2014 winner - Jose Berrios2013 winner - Taylor Rogers 2012 winner - BJ Hermsen View full article

Not enough people are talking about how good the pitchers drafted in 2022 have been. View full video

While the St. Paul Saints coughed up an early lead, both the Wind Surge and Kernels found themselves victorious. For Cedar Rapids, that means they'll head to the Midwest League Championship series. Image courtesy of Ed Bailey, Wichita Wind Surge (photo of Yoyner Fajardo) TRANSACTIONS LHP Brent Headrick optioned to St. Paul RHP Bailey Ober recalled by Minnesota UTIL Nick Gordon begins a rehab assignment with St. Paul RHP Brock Stewart begins a rehab assignment with St. Paul SAINTS SENTINEL Iowa 7, St. Paul 6 Box Score Former Twins pitcher Stephen Gonsalves was on the bump Friday night for Iowa against St. Paul. The Saints gave the ball to Blayne Enlow looking to bounce back from the defeat on Thursday. Enlow worked an abbreviated three inning outing allowing two runs on five hits. He didn’t surrender a walk and struck out one. After Matt Mervis drove in the game's first run for Iowa, the Saints responded as Kyle Garlick doubled home Trevor Larnach in the top of the second inning. St. Paul then loaded the bases against Gonsalves, still with no outs, and added a second run with Anthony Prato taking a walk to drive in Garlick. Austin Martin also drew a walk to drive in DaShawn Keirsey Jr. making it a 3-1 game headed to the bottom of the second. With Iowa grabbing a run back in the third inning, St. Paul looked to find some extra breathing room again. Entering in the fourth inning, Twins reliever Brock Stewart made his first game appearance since June 25. Picking up where he left off, he struck out two of the three hitters he saw. Ronny Henriquez came on and worked a scoreless fifth inning of relief, but going back out for the sixth inning proved to be a disaster. He allowed five runs and recorded just two outs before Jordan Balazovic came on to take over. Continuing to run out former Twins prospects, the Cubs sent Nick Burdi to the mound in the eighth inning, and the 2014 second round pick worked a scoreless frame against his former organization. Closing out the game for Iowa was former Minnesota reliever Tyler Duffey . St. Paul tried to put together a rally in the ninth inning with Michael Helman grabbing a one-out single before Martin walked for the third time in the game. He got Lee to strike out on a ball in the dirt and it was on Trevor Larnach to extend the game. He blasted a pitch on the outside edge over the wall to bring St. Paul back within one. Garlick went down swinging to end the game. Nick Gordon was 0-for-3 in his appearances at the dish Friday night. With just seven hits to their credit, only Gilberto Celestino and Larnach recorded two on Friday night. WIND SURGE WISDOM Wichita 7, Midland 0 Box Score Marco Raya was on the bump Friday night for the Wind Surge. He worked four innings of scoreless baseball allowing just a single hit and walk. Raya struck out four, and has now allowed just two earned runs over his past 17 innings pitched. It took a few innings for a run to come across the board, but Yoyner Fajardo plated a pair when he blasted his ninth home run, scoring Will Holland, in the third inning. A couple innings later, Jake Rucker took a ball over the fence for his ninth home run, and the solo shot made it a 3-0 game. Getting in the box score again, Fajardo tripled for the eighth time and drove in Alerick Soularie making it a 4-0 lead by the end of the fifth inning. Patrick Winkel joined the home run pair by blasting his tenth, a solo home run, in the sixth inning to make it a 5-0 game. The Wind Surge kept adding in the seventh inning, and it was again Fajardo at the center of it. His single drove in Holland before Winkel used a sacrifice fly to make it 7-0. Rehabbing Twins reliever Jorge Alcala worked 1 1/3 innings and struck out four batters. He did allow a hit and a walk. Taylor Floyd closed out the game with 1 2/3 innings of work. Fajardo was the highlight reel Friday with three hits. Both Winkel and Holland had two of their own. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 9, Peoria 3 Box Score Looking to win two in a row and utilize the home field advantage, Cedar Rapids sent C.J. Culpepper to the mound on Friday night. He was nearly flawless going five innings and allowing just a single earned run on four hits and a walk. Culpepper also struck out eight. The Kernels jumped out to an early lead, scoring four runs in the first inning. Andrew Cossetti singled home Emmanuel Rodriguez before Jorel Ortega drove in Kala’i Rosario with a single of his own. Luke Keaschall then singled in Cossetti and Jose Salas brought Ortega home on a ground out. Chasing the four-spot, Peoria did grab a run of their own in the top of the second inning. The Kernels answered that in the fifth inning when Noah Cardenas singled home Ortega and put the good guys back up by a grand slam. The two sides stretched and then the Kernels flexed their muscle again. In the bottom of the the seventh inning Cardenas singled home Cossetti before Jose Salas tripled in Keaschall and Cardenas to make it an 8-1 game. With time running out, the Kernels were inching their way towards a Midwest League Western Division championship. Piling on for good measure, Keaschall drove in Rodriguez before Peoria stepped in for their final at-bats, trailing 9-1. Kyle Jones remained on the mound and closed the game out working two innings, allowing just a pair of meaningless ninth inning runs. Both Keaschall and Cardenas grabbed three hits while Ortega had a pair of his own. Cedar Rapids will take on the Dodgers affiliate, the Great Lakes Loons, in the Midwest League Championship series. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – C.J. Culpepper (Cedar Rapids) - 5.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 8 K Hitter of the Day – Yoyner Fajardo (Wichita) - 3-5, R, 4 RBI, 3B, HR(9) PROSPECT SUMMARY We will again keep tabs on the Twins top prospects. You’ll probably read about them in the team sections, but if they aren’t there, you’ll see how they did here. Here’s a look at how the current Twins Daily Top 20 performed: #1 - Brooks Lee (St. Paul) - 0-4, 2 K #3 - Emmanuel Rodriguez (Cedar Rapids) - 0-3, 2 R, 2 BB, 2 K #4 - Marco Raya (Wichita) - 4.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB 4 K #7 - Austin Martin (St. Paul) - 0-2, RBI, 3 BB, 2 K #8 - Tanner Schobel (Wichita) - 1-4, K #10 - Luke Keaschall (Cedar Rapids) - 3-5, R, 2 RBI, K #13 - Kala’i Rosario (Cedar Rapids) - 1-4, R, BB, 2 K #16 - Jordan Balazovic (St. Paul) - 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 K SATURDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS St. Paul @ Iowa (6:08PM CST) - RHP Patrick Murphy Midland @ Wichita (7:05PM CST) - RHP Jaylen Nowlin Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Friday’s games! View full article

Royce Lewis did it again. He set the Minnesota Twins single-season record by hitting his fourth grand slam of the season. He’s also the fastest player to five career grand slams by nearly a half season. That big blast led the Twins to a 10-2 victory over the White Sox Friday. In the minors, Brock Stewart and Nick Gordon both began their rehab assignments with St. Paul and the Kernels won their elimination game in convincing fashion. Cedar Rapids advances to the Midwest League Championship, a best-of-three series. View full video

The Minnesota Twins were off Thursday but there was still plenty of minor league action. Alex Kirilloff played first base and had three hits for the Saints while Louie Varland came out of the bullpen and threw fire. Varland topped out over 100 mph and had his velo up over 2 mph on his fastball from usual. Additional highlights of Tanner Schobel, C.J. Culpepper, a Walker Jenkins update and much more. View full video

The Twins were off on Thursday while the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels got back into action after Hurricane Idalia. Take a look at the action of the farm, and check in as to where Minnesota's call-ups may come from. Image courtesy of William Parmeter TRANSACTIONS RHP Hunter McMahon promoted to St. Paul from Wichita LHP Jovani Moran placed on 7-day IL for St. Paul (Left forearm strain) SAINTS SENTINEL St. Paul 8, Columbus 7 (F/10) Box Score Louie Varland was scheduled to start on Thursday night but instead was used as a bulk reliever out of the bullpen to transition him toward the Twins postseason plans. Francis Peguero gave up four runs (one earned) before turning the ball over to Varland in the third inning. Louie worked four innings of one-run baseball out of the bullpen, and he gave up just three hits and a walk while striking out four. Columbus grabbed a 4-0 lead in the first inning, but St. Paul wasn’t deterred and battled back. Chris Williams blasted his 20th homer to put the Saints on the board in the third inning and make it a 4-1 game. After giving one back in the fourth inning, St. Paul buckled down. DaShawn Keirsey Jr. drove home Trevor Larnach and made it a 5-2 game before Larnach launched his ninth double in the sixth inning to bring home Alex Kirilloff and make it a 5-3 game. Jair Camargo followed with a ground out that plated Larnach, and Hernan Perez cleared the bases with his ninth home run of the year. With Anthony Prato and Keirsey Jr. coming in on the big fly, St. Paul had a 7-5 lead. Columbus clawed back in the seventh inning and tied things up at seven. Both sides drew even through regulation, and the pair needed extras. In the bottom of the tenth inning, Perez stepped in with the bases loaded, and his single drove Brooks Lee home to win the game. Alex Kirilloff and Keirsey Jr. recorded three hits, while Perez and Larnach had two of their own. WIND SURGE WISDOM San Antonio 8, Wichita 6 Box Score Cedar Rapids gave the ball to Carlos Luna on Thursday night, and he turned in 5 1/3 innings of five-run baseball. Six hits did him in, and four home runs did in the Wind Surge starter. Despite walking no one and striking out six, getting around the long ball was challenging. Getting down 1-0 in the first inning, Tanner Schobel tied things with his second home run in the bottom half. By the bottom of the sixth inning, Wichita faced a 5-2 deficit, and Patrick Winkel’s single to score Michael Helman only made it a three-run game. Alerick Soularie launched his ninth home run of the season during the seventh inning to bring Wichita within two, but the Missions added three in the eighth inning to stretch their lead. Wichita responded with Winkel driving in Willie Joe Garry Jr. during the bottom half, but they were still doubled up. It wasn’t until Aaron Sabato sent a two-run blast, scoring Alex Isola, that the Wind Surge were again within two. While Wichita grabbed ten hits on the night, only Winkel could record two alone. The Wind Surge came up a pair short. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 12, Lake County 1 Box Score The Kernels turned to C.J. Culpepper for the night, and he held Lake County scoreless for 4 2/3 innings. Culpepper gave up just two hits and two walks while striking out five. He dropped his ERA to 3.58 on the year. The sides stayed scoreless until the fifth inning, and Cedar Rapids took charge. With the bases loaded, Kala’i Rosario walked in Jeferson Morales to score the game's first run. A passed ball then allowed Noah Miller to score, and a balk scored Ben Ross. Another balk brought Rosario home, and the Kernels led 4-0 without doing much in offensive production. Jose Salas singled home Jorel Ortega before the inning ended, and the good guys had a 5-0 lead. Lake County answered with a run in the sixth inning, but that only brought them within four. Rosario blasted his 19th home run of the season in the bottom half, and the three-run shot also scored Miller and Ross to make it an 8-1 game. During the seventh inning, Kyler Fedko singled home Luke Keaschall, and Miller brought home Jose Salas on a ground out. Ross then made it 11-1 with a sacrifice fly to score Fedko, and this one was plenty in hand. In the bottom of the eighth inning, Andrew Cossetti launched his ninth home run of the year to make it an 11-run lead, and the Kernels never felt much competition. Grabbing eight hits on the evening, Keaschall and Salas recorded a pair apiece. MUSSEL MATTERS Fort Myers 7, Clearwater 4 Box Score Back in action after Hurricane Idalia presented adverse weather conditions, Jack Noble took the mound for Fort Myers. He worked six innings of three-run baseball on Friday night. Noble allowed just three hits and three walks while striking out four. The Mighty Mussels jumped out to an early lead when Ricardo Olivar doubled for the 25th time to bring home Walker Jenkins. Rubel Cespedes then lofted a sacrifice fly later in the inning to make it a 2-0 game as Olivar scored on the play. Clearwater got both runs back in the bottom of the first inning, but the Mighty Mussels flexed again in the fifth. With the bases loaded, Danny De Andrade took a walk to bring home Maddux Houghton the easy way. In the sixth inning, Alec Sayre launched his fourth home run of the season to make it a 4-2 game, and Fort Myers was primed for a big frame. Olivar followed with a single to score Jay Harry before Jenkins came home on a throwing error. Up 6-2, De Andrade then singled home Olivar on a base hit back to the pitcher, and it was a wide 7-2 margin. Clearwater grabbed a run back in the sixth inning with a solo home run in the ninth inning, but the 7-4 deficit was as close as things got. The Mighty Mussels put up nine hits on the night, with three coming from Olivar and two from Jenkins and De Andrade. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – C.J. Culpepper (Cedar Rapids) - 4.2, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB 5 K Hitter of the Day – Ricardo Olivar (Fort Myers) - 3-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2B(25), 3B(2), BB, K PROSPECT SUMMARY We will again keep tabs on the Twins top prospects. You’ll probably read about them in the team sections, but if they aren’t there, you’ll see how they did here. Here’s a look at how the current Twins Daily Top 20 performed: #1 - Brooks Lee (St. Paul) - 0-5, K #2 - Walker Jenkins (Fort Myers) - 2-4, 2B(2), BB #8 - Tanner Schobel (Wichita) - 1-4, R, RBI, K #10 - Luke Keaschall (Cedar Rapids) - 2-5, R, 2B, 2 K #13 - Kala’i Rosario (Cedar Rapids) - 1-3, HR(19), 2 R, 4 RBI, 2 BB, K #14 - Yunior Severino (St. Paul) - BB #17 - Danny De Andrade (Fort Myers) - 2-4, 2 RBI, BB FRIDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Columbus @ St. Paul (7:07PM CST) - RHP Simeon Woods Richardson San Antonio @ Wichita (7:05PM CST) - RHP Marco Raya Lake County @ Cedar Rapids (6:35PM CST) - RHP Alejandro Hidalgo Fort Myers @ Clearwater (3:00PM CST) - RHP Miguelangel Boadas Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Thursday’s games! View full article

The Minnesota Twins farm system had a little bit of everything today with some strong pitching performances as well as a few notable days at the plate. Check them all out withing. Image courtesy of William Parmeter, Fort Myers Mighty Mussels TRANSACTIONS RHP Juan Mendez reinstated from the 7 day IL by Fort Myers SAINTS SENTINEL St. Paul 6, Omaha 5 Box Score Brent Headrick was on the bump tonight for the Saints and he turned in somewhat of a mixed bag. Despite allowing just a single run on one hit, he also had no strikeouts and issued four free passes. Rehabbing Twins infielder Jorge Polanco made an appearance in the field, playing second base, and he batted in the two-hole. Omaha got ahead in the second inning when former Twins infielder Jermaine Palacios drove in Brewer Hicklen. He then doubled the lead with his ninth homer of the season, a fifth inning solo shot. Trevor Larnach put the Saints on the board in the sixth inning with his eighth homer of the year, and that power is something Minnesota would like to see more of. During the seventh inning St. Paul took the lead, adding again with some power. Andrew Bechtold’s ninth homer scored Jair Camargo before Kyle Garlick doubled home both Alex De Goti and Austin Martin. Now up 5-2, the Saints were in a good position. After allowing a run to Omaha in the eighth inning, St. Paul responded with Garlick’s second double of the game. The ninth inning two-bagger brought home recently promoted Ernie Yake and made it a 6-3 game. Omaha answered with two runs in the ninth despite having two outs, but Patrick Murphy slammed the door before the tying run could be scored. Martin had two hits on the night as did Garlick. Polanco went 0-for-3, with a walk. WIND SURGE WISDOM Wichita 4, Amarillo 1 Box Score David Festa went tonight for the Wind Surge, and despite lasting only three innings, he was great. The Twins prospect allowed only two hits and gave up a single walk while striking out six on the evening. Getting on the board first, Wichita loaded the bases in the first inning and Aaron Sabato drew a walk allowing Yunior Severino to stroll across the plate. In the seventh inning Severino launched his 18th homer of the season, and the eighth inning saw Jake Rucker send a two-run shot to left center, bringing home Yoyner Fajardo as well. Up 4-0, Wichita was on cruise control. Denny Bentley and Regi Grace both worked scoreless appearances for the Wind Surge, shutting things down and keeping the lead in tact. Alex Scherff did give up a run in the ninth, but that's where this one ended. Severino finished with three hits on the day while Fajardo and Rucker both had two of their own. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 9, Peoria 3 Box Score The Kernels sent C.J. Culpepper to the mound tonight and he turned in five innings of shutout baseball. The Cedar Rapids starter allowing just three hits and two walks while striking out four and keeping his ERA at 0.00. Cedar Rapids scored the game’s first run when Emmanuel Rodriguez raced home on a first inning wild pitch. THey added in the fourth inning after Andrew Cossetti blasted his fourth dinger, this one a grand slam, scoring Ben Ross, Jorel Ortega, and Misael Urbina. In the fifth inning Cedar Rapids tacked on again when Ross ripped a double to bring home Kala’i Rosario, and Noah Cardenas singled in Ross. Up 7-0, this one looked to be in the bag. Peoria did plate two in the sixth inning on a home run, but Keoni Cavaco erased one with his fourth home run of the year, a sixth inning solo shot. Peoria clawed back with a run in the seventh inning, but Cedar Rapids plated another on an Ortega sacrifice fly in the eighth inning to score Noah Miller. The tilt ended without ever being close. Rodriguez recorded three hits while Ben Ross had two of his own on the evening. MUSSEL MATTERS Fort Myers 11, Bradenton 7 (F/10) Box Score Jose Olivares took the ball tonight for Fort Myers, and while he only worked 4 2/3 innings, he gave up no runs on two hits and four walks. Working around the damage, Olivares struck out eight on the night. The Mighty Mussels took a first inning lead when Ricardo Olivar recorded his seventh home run of the season, a solo shot. They then added two more when Rafael Cruz blasted a two-run shot to left center in the second inning. Gregory Duran scored on the play and it was a 3-0 game. In the fourth inning, Duran homered, and his third of the season was a solo blast to make it 4-0. Bradenton didn’t find the scoreboard until the seventh inning, and they were able to plate just a single run. Fort Myers answered with a Cruz single in the eighth inning that scored Kyle Schmidt and Duran. A 6-1 game at this point, it appeared to be a rout. Deivis Nadal was not satisfied with the effort and blasted a grand slam in the bottom of the eighth to bring the Marauders within one. Despite being outhit 13-5, they were within striking distance. Ricardo Velez then gave up a solo shot in the bottom of the ninth allowing Bradenton to tie things up at six. Needing extras to sort everything out, Fort Myers made use of the inherited runner and then some. Schmidt’s single plated Dylan Neuse before Cruz drove home Schmidt with a single of his own. Yohander Martinez drove a sacrifice fly to score Duran, and Carson McCusker singled home Cruz. Before the inning wrapped up, Rubel Cespedes singled home Olivar and it was an 11-6 lead. Fort Myers did give one back in the bottom half, but their lead was far too much to overcome. McCusker, Cespedes, Schmidt, Martinez, and Olivar grabbed a pair of hits with Duran netting three and Cruz grabbing four. COMPLEX CHRONICLES FCL Pirates 8, FCL Twins 7 Box Score It was Brayan Medina’s day on the mound, he of the Taylor Rogers trade to San Diego. Going five innings, Medina allowed just two runs on three hits and a pair of walks. He did strike out four. After trailing initially, the Twins scored on a bases loaded walk from Jose Rodriguez during the third inning. Alec Sayre came home, and then Isaac Pena scored on a wild pitch. Allowing another run in the bottom half, the Twins replicated their run in the fourth inning. This time Jankel Ortiz drew a bases loaded walk to bring home Endy Rodriguez. Andres Centeno then scored on Sayre’s at bat. In the fifth inning it was Yasser Mercedes making his mark. A longball for his fifth homer of the year made this a 5-2 game, and a Rodriguez double brought home Daniel Pena pushing the score to 6-2. Heading to the ninth, the Pirates had nearly come all the way back making it just a one-run game. Thankfully Rodriguez singled in Pena to provide necessary breathing room as the Pirates closed the gap to one again in the bottom of the ninth. Needing to close it out, Bryan Acuna made a throwing error allowing two Pirates runs to score, and the Twins found themselves getting walked off. Rodriguez’s four hit day was just a home run shy of the cycle. He accounted for half of the team’s hits. DOMINICAN DAILY DSL Giants Black 18, DSL Twins 13 Box Score It was one of those days in the Dominican Summer League where both teams erupted for a plethora of runs. Cristian Hernandez lasted just three innings as the Twins starter allowing six runs on three hits and four walks. Despite scoring double-digits, Javier Roman was the only Twins player to hit a home run on the day. Star international free agent signing Ariel Castro went 2-for-6 with a double, pair of runs scored, and three RBI on the day. Roman put up three hits in the losing effort and drove in four runs. Angel Trinidad also had a nice game with three hits, including two doubles. Hendry Chivilli did play today and was 0-for-4 with two runs on a pair of walks. The teams combined to score 31 runs on 29 hits. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – C.J. Culpepper (Cedar Rapids) - 5.0, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 4 K Hitter of the Day – Rafael Cruz (Fort Myers) - 4-5, 2 R, 4 RBI, 2B, HR(5), K PROSPECT SUMMARY We will again keep tabs on the Twins top prospects. You’ll probably read about them in the team sections, but if they aren’t there, you’ll see how they did here. Here’s a look at how the current Twins Daily Top 20 performed: #1 - Brooks Lee (Wichita) - 1-5, K #3 - Emmanuel Rodriguez (Cedar Rapids) - 3-4, R, 3B, BB, K #5 - Matt Wallner (Minnesota) - 2-4 #7 - David Festa (Wichita) - 3.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 K #8 - Austin Martin (St. Paul) - 2-5, R, 2 K #10 - Tanner Schobel (Wichita) - 0-3, 2 BB, 3 K #11 - Yasser Mercedes (FCL Twins) - 1-5, R, RBI, HR(4), K #16 - Kala’i Rosario (Cedar Rapids) - 1-4, R, BB, K #17 - Yunior Severino (Wichita) - 3-5, 2 R, RBI, 2B, HR(18) #19 - Brent Headrick (St. Paul) - 3.0 IP, H, R, ER, 4 BB FRIDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS St. Paul @ Omaha (7:05PM CST) - RHP Simeon Woods Richardson Wichita @ Amarillo (7:05PM CST) - RHP Marco Raya Peoria @ Cedar Rapids (6:35PM CST) - RHP Zebby Matthews Fort Myers @ Bradenton (5:30PM CST) - TBD Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Thursday’s games! View full article

Dallas Keuchel continued to work well for the Saints while a few other Twins minor league pitchers showed out. Runs came across and Carson McCusker put his mark on the day. Check out more action from the farm within. TRANSACTIONS 1B/3B Keoni Cavaco activated from Cedar Rapids Development List and transferred to FCL Twins RHP John Klein transferred from FCL Twins to Fort Myers RHP Ricky Mineo placed on IL by Fort Myers with a right forearm strain LHP Zarion Sharpe was sent on a rehab assignment with the FCL Twins. He last pitched for the Mighty Mussels in 2021 where he sent 6-2 with a 3.62 ERA. He has been out with arm injuries and Tommy John surgery. RHP David Festa was placed on the temporarily inactive list. (Gasp!) Nothing to worry about. He will head to Seattle to prepare for Sunday's Futures Game. SAINTS SENTINEL St. Paul 4, Iowa 1 Box Score Thus far Dallas Keuchel has been north of short of great since joining the Twins organization. That continued tonight for the Saints as the former Cy Young went 5 2/3 innings allowing five hits and four walks. No runs scored, and he struck out four as well. In the seventh inning, Matt Wallner drew a bases-loaded walk to open the scoring on the evening. Anthony Prato walked home and the tie was broken. Kyle Garlick then singled to score Alex De Goti. Trevor Larnach followed with a sacrifice fly that plated Andrew Stevenson. Jair Camargo added his own sacrifice fly which drove in Wallner to make it 4-0. David Bote scored in the eighth inning to put the Cubs on the board but that was as far as the rally would get. Mark Contreras recorded three hits on the night as the lone Saints hitter with more than one hit. Ronny Henriquez earned the win working 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief. WIND SURGE WISDOM Tulsa 6, Wichita 4 Box Score Making his Double-A debut, Marco Raya was on the bump tonight for Wichita. He lasted just two innings allowing a pair of runs, but gave up just one hit while striking out three and walking four. After a scoreless first inning, the Wind Surge took a 2-0 lead in the second inning thanks to an Alerick Soularie bases loaded walk on a wild pitch. Seth Gray scored on the play, and then Soularie came home after Will Holland struck out on a dropped third strike. Allowing a pair of walks in the third inning, Raya saw both runners come around to score and tie it at two. A four-run, fourth inning gave Tulsa a 6-2 lead, and the Wind Surge found themselves in a hole. The Wind Surge loaded the bases in the ninth inning. Brooks Lee took a bases-loaded walk to score Soularie. Holland scored on a Yoyner Fajardo ground out. However, that was as close as they were able to get. Gray was the lone hitter to record a pair of hits on the night. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 5, Quad Cities 3 Box Score Making his second start for the Kernels, C.J. Culpepper sought to continue his scoreless innings streak. He didn’t allow a run through five innings to stretched the streak to 11 scoreless at High-A. Culpepper gave up three hits but issued no walks and struck out six batters. Kala’i Rosario kicked off the scoring during the first inning when he singled home Emmanuel Rodriguez. Noah Cardenas blasted his third homer of the season during the second inning to score Noah Miller and make it a 3-0 game. In the fifth inning, Cedar Rapids added again. Miller singled home Rodriguez before Cardenas brought home Rosario with a single of his own. When the frame was over, the Kernels led 5-0. The River Bandits added three in the seventh inning, and River Town kicked off that scoring with a single. Fortunately the Kernels still placed a dam between their lead that kept the rivers at bay. This one ended in a 5-3 win for Cedar Rapids. Rosario recorded three hits on the night with Cardenas adding a pair of his own. MUSSEL MATTERS Fort Myers 3, Jupiter 0 (F/10) Box Score The Mighty Mussels gave Jack Noble the ball, and he was nothing short of exceptional. The recently-promoted righty twirled six innings of scoreless baseball. He allowed just two hits and two walks while punching out six batters. Danny Moreno came on and worked two scoreless innings with Jackson Hicks pushing it through the ninth inning still scoreless. Carson McCusker and Rafael Cruz both had two hits thus far, but no runs crossed the plate. Heading into extras, and with the inherited runner on third after a misplayed Dylan Neuse sacrifice bunt, McCusker blasted a three-run homer to take the lead. Hicks locked down the bottom half and it was a 3-0 victory for the good guys. McCusker finished with three hits on the night. COMPLEX CHRONICLES FCL Red Sox 4, FCL Twins 1 Box Score Cesar Lares took the ball for the Twins, but he lasted just two innings. He gave up three runs on three hits. The Red Sox jumped out to an early lead with a first-inning run, and then added another pair in the second inning. Looking to get back in it, the Twins scored when Jankel Ortiz singled home Andres Centeno in the fourth inning. The Red Sox wiped that run away with another of their own in the fifth inning, and the 4-1 lead was enough for a victory. Ortiz had two of the three hits on the day for the Twins with Byron Chourio grabbing the other. DOMINICAN DAILY DSL Cardinals 7, DSL Twins 2 Box Score It has been a rough start to the season for the DSL Twins and they dropped to 6-17 on the year. The Cardinals kicked things off with a two-run first inning, and they repeated that tally in the fourth and seventh innings. Moises Lopez and Ricardo Pena combined to score the Twins first run when they stole second and home respectively in the second inning. Unfortunately, the Twins only added one other run. Lopez lifted a sacrifice fly during the seventh inning to score Pena. The Twins outhit the Cardinals by a 6-5 tally, and Jayson Bass was responsible for two of them. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – Jack Noble (Fort Myers) - 6.0 IP, 2 H 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 6 K Hitter of the Day – Carson McCusker (Fort Myers) - 3-5, R, 3 RBI, HR(3), 2 K PROSPECT SUMMARY We will again keep tabs on the Twins top prospects. You’ll probably read about them in the team sections, but if they aren’t there, you’ll see how they did here. Here’s a look at how the current Twins Daily Top 20 performed: #1 - Brooks Lee (Wichita) - 1-2, RBI, 3 BB, 2B(26) #3 - Emmanuel Rodriguez (Cedar Rapids) - 1-4, 2 R #4 - Edouard Julien (Minnesota) - 0-1, K #6 - Marco Raya (Wichita) - 2.0 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 R, 4 BB, 3 K= #9 - Matt Wallner (St. Paul) - 0-3, R, RBI, 2 BB, K #12 - Jose Salas (Cedar Rapids) - 0-3 #13 - Noah Miller (Cedar Rapids) - 1-3, R, RBI, BB, K SATURDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS St. Paul @ Iowa (6:08PM CST) - RHP Simeon Woods Richardson Wichita @ Tulsa (7:05PM CST) - RHP Travis Adams Quad Cities @ Cedar Rapids (6:35PM CST) - RHP Cory Lewis Fort Myers @ Jupiter (5:00PM CST) - RHP Miguelangel Boadas FCL Twins - No Game Scheduled DSL Twins @ DSL Rockies (10:00AM CST) - TBD Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Friday’s games! View full article