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After taking a week off for Thanksgiving, JD and Jeremy are back to talk about updated Top 30s and other things that have been happening in the baseball world. A big-time prospect is considering signing a record-breaking extension, an All-Star pitcher is on the move in free agency and the Winter Meetings are quickly approaching. 0:00 Intro 2:40 Will Jackson Chourio sign an extension? 9:50 Sonny Gray to the Cardinals and what that means for the Twins and their draft. The addition of another pick, which should come around #33, will be a boon to the team's bonus pool. 23:11 MLB Pipeline Top 30 updates 24:20 Brewers 31:16 Cubs 42:37 Twins 50:00 Listener Questions 57:22 What's Next? 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

These three Twins prospects struggled with performance or injuries this year. All will have something to prove coming off disappointing seasons. Image courtesy of Rob Thompson, St. Paul Saints Yesterday we took a look at the three biggest risers from the Twins system in 2023, comparing our preseason top prospect rankings against our latest postseason update to highlight three players who made huge jumps: David Festa, Tanner Schobel and Kala'i Rosario. Today, we'll take a look at the flip side: the prospects who fell farthest in our rankings from the beginning of the season to the end. No one should count any of these guys out, but they'll be looking to rebound and build back following campaigns that can only be labeled as major setbacks. Two of these players were acquired in high-profile trades, while the other was a high-stakes draft gamble that has so far failed to pay any dividends. Simeon Woods Richardson, RHP Preseason Rank: 6 Postseason Rank: 17 In 2022, Woods Richardson closed out a stellar first full season in the Twins system with an impressive major-league debut: five innings of one-run ball in Detroit. The right-hander, acquired alongside Austin Martin in exchange José Berríos at the previous deadline, excelled at both Wichita and St. Paul, setting himself up as ready-made MLB depth. He was riding high. This year was a totally different story. Woods Richardson's first half was a disaster – through 12 outings (11 at AAA, one in MLB), he had a 7.66 ERA and with a .932 opponent OPS. His velocity, stuff, and command all lagged. The big righty bounced back in the second half, posting much better numbers down the stretch for the Saints, but even then his peripherals were nothing special. He finished with a 4.91 ERA, 1.50 WHIP and 96-to-61 K/BB ratio in 114 innings. Age has always been on SWR's side, but at 23, he's not THAT young by prospect standards anymore. It's too soon to give up on him, but it might be time to start thinking hard about a future in the bullpen. (He completed six innings only three times in 22 starts at Triple-A.) Connor Prielipp, LHP Preseason Rank: 7 Postseason Rank: 13 High-risk, high-reward. That was always the book on Prielipp, and unfortunately we've seen all of that risk come to fruition in a young yet tumultuous pro career. The hope was that the left-hander's elbow troubles were behind him after undergoing Tommy John surgery while still in college at Alabama, where he was limited to just 28 total innings in three years. His upside when healthy was high enough for the Twins to set aside his injury concerns and draft the Wisconsin native 48th overall in 2022. Unfortunately Prielipp, who didn't pitch after being drafted last year, made only two appearances this year – one in April, one in June – before another surgery was deemed necessary for the elbow issues that continued to plague him. Over the past four years, between college and the pros, Prielipp has thrown a total of 34 ⅔ innings. There's no framing that fact, nor back-to-back UCL repairs, in any kind of positive light. But there is some semblance of good news: Prielipp's most recent surgery, an increasingly common variation of Tommy John surgery that involves an internal brace, is considered a bit less serious than the standard version. Prielipp turns 23 this offseason. He's got a long way to go in terms of getting healthy and building up strength, but the upside remains high if this second surgery takes. Jose Salas, 2B/3BSS Preseason Rank: 8 Postseason Rank: 23 The Twins thought they were getting themselves a find in Salas, who was added by the Marlins as an additional piece alongside Pablo Lopez in January's Luis Arraez trade. They weren't the only ones. Baseball Prospectus was very high on the teenaged infielder in the spring, ranking him #93 in their global top prospects list. The enthusiasm was easy to understand: Salas had put forth an impressive effort at age in 19 in Single-A, flashing speed, power, and contact hitting skills. Plus, he has good genetics – his younger brother Ethan Salas is considered a top-five prospect in baseball. Unlike Ethan, Jose did not improve his stock in 2023. It was a tough campaign for the 20-year-old as he onboarded into the Twins organization. Salas slashed .188/.263/.268 while spending nearly his entire season at High-A Cedar Rapids. His budding power took a nose dive and his plate discipline spiraled. The good news is that Salas still has plenty of time to turn it around, although he will (I believe) be eligible for the Rule 5 draft this offseason if the Twins don't add him to the 40-man roster (which they presumably won't). Perhaps this underwhelming season will temper the interest of other teams and prove to ultimately be a blessing in disguise for Minnesota – a la Jose Miranda. View full article

The 2022 MLB Draft was less than 12 months ago, meaning the drafted players have only begun their professional careers. Are there any standouts among last year's draft? Image courtesy of William Parmeter Major League Baseball's 2023 Draft is scheduled to start on July 9, 2023. Each team prepares for the draft with a specific plan, and sometimes those plans play out better than others. To prepare fans for the upcoming draft, this series will examine recent Twins drafts and how those players have performed so far in their professional careers. First Round: Brooks Lee The Twins were ecstatic that Lee fell to them with the eighth overall selection, especially since many pre-draft prognostications had him off the board before their pick. Evaluators viewed Lee as the most advanced college bat in the draft, and the Twins were aggressive with him during his professional debut. In 31 games, he hit .303/.389/.451 (.839) with six doubles and four home runs while splitting time between three levels. He finished the season as a starter in the Double-A line-up, including helping Wichita in the Texas League Championship Series. The Twins sent Lee back to Double-A for the 2023 season, where he has posted a .773 OPS including 23 doubles and four home runs through 57 games. He was a consensus top 50 prospect entering the season, so it will be interesting to see how he can improve in the second half. Second Round: Connor Prielipp, Tanner Schobel Prielipp was in the conversation for the first overall pick before suffering an elbow injury in college and having Tommy John surgery. Minnesota delayed his professional debut until the 2023 season. During spring, his pitching arm had some inflammation and soreness, so the Twins were taking it slow with him. Unfortunately, he's been limited to two professional starts after being diagnosed with a forearm strain. The plan is to have him start a throwing program at the team's facilities in Fort Myers before beginning rehab outings with the organization's rookie league teams. Prielipp might have the highest ceiling of any pitching prospect in the organization, but he needs to be healthy to move up the ladder. Schobel played collegiately in the ACC, so the Twins weren't afraid to be aggressive with him during his pro debut. He got his feet wet in the FCL (four games) before finishing the season on the Fort Myers roster. In 32 games, he hit .237/.353/.298 (.651) with five extra-base hits and a 26-to-19 strikeout-to-walk ratio. His first full season started in the Midwest League, where he is slightly younger than the average age of the competition. He's splitting time between second and third base while posting a .749 OPS with 16 extra-base hits through 58 games. The Twins didn't have a third-round pick in 2022 because the team had to forfeit their selection after signing Carlos Correa. Houston received a compensatory pick in the 2022 draft since they tendered the qualifying offer to Correa following the 2021 campaign. Minnesota's first three picks were protected, so they surrendered their fourth pick. Fourth Round: Andrew Morris Morris entered college as a 17-year-old and pitched his first three seasons at Division II Mesa State in Colorado. In 2022, he transferred to Texas Tech, where he posted a 4.58 ERA with a 1.22 WHIP and 91 strikeouts in 88 1/3 innings. Last season, Minnesota only had him make one FCL appearance after signing with the organization. He also made an appearance for the Mighty Mussels in the playoffs. In 2023, he's made six appearances (five starts) for the Mighty Mussels while allowing 12 earned runs on 26 hits with a 10.4 K/9 in 26 innings. Other Prospects Still in the Organization Ben Ross (5th Round): Ross posted a .817 OPS in 24 Low-A games during his professional debut. He's played the 2023 season in Cedar Rapids, hitting .239/.307/.424 (.732). Defensively, he's played six different positions. Jorel Ortega (6th Round): Saw limited action (3 games) after signing last season due to breaking his wrist in his first Mussels at-bat. In 2023, he's posted an .876 OPS at Low-A while splitting time between third base and shortstop. Kyle Jones (7th Round): He made two scoreless appearances near the end of the 2022 season. Minnesota sent him to Cedar Rapids for the 2023 campaign. He has a 4.47 ERA with a 1.27 WHIP and a 43-to-13 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 11 appearances. Zebby Matthews (8th Round): Matthews posted a 2.56 ERA with a 0.93 WHIP and 12.3 K/9 in eight Low-A appearances to begin 2023. The Twins promoted him to High-A at the beginning of June, where he had one bad start (8 ER) and two starts of six innings while allowing one earned run or fewer. Cory Lewis (9th Round): Lewis has been outstanding during his professional debut. In his first 11 starts (39 1/3 innings), he has limited batters to a .174 BA and a 72-to-18 strikeout-to-walk ratio. People want to talk about his knuckleball but he has a full repertoire of pitches to keep batters off balance. Lewis is over a year younger than the average age of the competition in the Midwest League since his most recent promotion. Dalton Shuffield (10th Round): He played parts of five college seasons because of the extra eligibility due to the pandemic. Because of that, when there was a roster need, Shuffield played quite a bit in Triple-A in his pro debut and posted a .917 OPS across three levels. In 2023, he's combined for a .786 OPS in Fort Myers. Andrew Cossetti (11th Round): Cossetti has split time between Low-A and High-A during the 2023 season. He's played catcher and first base while combining for a .986 OPS in 50 games. Nate Baez (12th Round): Baez hit .279/.338/.508 (.846) in 19 games after signing last season. He is currently on the IL with a broken hamate bone. C.J. Culpepper (13th Round): Culpepper shares some similarities to Joe Ryan, and the Twins hope he can follow a similar development path. In 10 starts (40 1/3 innings), he's posted a 2.68 ERA with a 1.14 WHIP and 10.7 K/9. Omari Daniel (14th Round): The Twins drafted him out of high school and held off on his pro debut until 2023 since he was still rehabbing from Tommy John surgery. With the FCL Twins, he started the year 2-for-12 (.167 BA) with more walks (five) than strikeouts (four). Ben Ethridge (15th Round): Ethridge moved to a bullpen role in his senior season at Southern Mississippi, and the Twins have continued that role with Fort Myers. In 14 appearances (28 1/3 innings), he has a 2.86 ERA with an 8.6 K/9. Jankel Ortiz (16th Round): He went 3-for-12 (.250 BA) with four walks and a double in his pro debut. Ortiz made nine appearances in the Puerto Rican Winter League and posted a .978 OPS. He recently came off the IL and has cone 0-for-6 in his first two games in 2023. Alec Sayre (17th Round): Sayre has played all three outfield positions at Low-A in 2023. He's hitting .224/.364/.321 (.685) with seven extra-base hits in his first 44 games this season. Zach Veen (18th Round): Veen has pitched out of the Fort Myers bullpen during the 2023 campaign. In 18 appearances (28 innings), he has posted a 3.21 ERA with a 1.25 WHIP and a 9.0 K/9. OTHER POSTS IN THE SERIES -2021 Draft Retrospective -2020 Draft Retrospective -2019 Draft Retrospective -2018 Draft Retrospective -2017 Draft Retrospective -2016 Draft Retrospective What are your early impressions of the 2022 draft class? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article

Let's take a look at how the players in the Minnesota Twins 2022 Draft class are performing so far this season. Players discussed include Brooks Lee, Connor Prielipp, Tanner Schobel, Andrew Morris, Ben Ross, Jorel Ortega, Kyle Jones, Zebby Matthews, Cory Lewis, Dalton Shuffield, Andrew Cossetti, C.J. Culpepper, Ben Ethridge and Zach Veen. View full video

The Minnesota Twins are off to a strong start to 2023, how about their minor league system? Well, Andrew Cossetti has been a monster of a breakout prospect so far, leading the system in batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage. Here's a rundown of the latest news and notes (including good news on both Royce Lewis and Connor Prielipp) as well as a review of April's top performers across the system. View full video

The Twins' minor league seasons are underway, and there are top prospects to follow at every level. Here are Minnesota's most and least aggressive prospect assignments in the farm system. Image courtesy of William Parmeter Earlier this week, MLB Pipeline examined minor league rosters across baseball and found the most and least aggressive prospect assignments. Player development only sometimes follows a linear path. Some players need to repeat a level to prove their performance was legitimate. Other players must repeat a level because they struggled in the previous campaign. Here's a look into the Twins farm system and some of the most and least aggressive assignments. Most Aggressive Danny De Andrade, Low-A Age: 19 De Andrade is the only teenager on the Fort Myers roster, and he's two years younger than any other player on his team. Last season, he played 48 games with the FCL Twins, where he was nearly two years younger than the average age of the competition. In 204 plate appearances, he hit .242/.333/.371 (.704) with nine doubles, one triple, four home runs, and a 34-to-19 strikeout-to-walk ratio. He's young for his level, but the Twins believe he can find success while facing older competition. Emmanuel Rodriguez, High-A Age: 20 Eyes across the baseball world will be on Rodriguez this season after a breakout 2022 campaign. In 47 games, he hit .272/.493/.552 (1.044) with five doubles, three triples, nine home runs, and more walks (57) than strikeouts (52). His season ended early after injuring his knee on a slide into second base, so the Twins could have sent him back to Low-A, where he'd still be young for the level. Instead, he's among a handful of top prospects on the Cedar Rapids roster. Connor Prielipp, High-A Age: 22 Entering the season, Prielipp had yet to throw a professional inning after being drafted by the Twins in the second round last June. He had the potential to be a first-round pick, but some teams avoided him because he was returning from Tommy John surgery. The Twins could have let him get his feet wet in Fort Myers, but the club has confidence that he is one of the organization's top pitching prospects. He's over a year younger than the average age of the competition in the Midwest League, so he should pitch the bulk of his innings at High-A in 2023. Least Aggressive Brooks Lee, Double-A Age: 22 Lee is considered the top Twins prospect by many national outlets. The Twins were very aggressive with him after taking him in the first round last year. He played at three different levels and finished the season in Wichita. Twins fans saw a lot of Lee during spring training as he played in 14 games and had 47 plate appearances. An argument could have been made for Lee to begin the year at Triple-A, but the Saints roster has more veteran players ahead of Lee on the depth chart. If Lee continues to perform well, he should reach Triple-A in the season's second half. Edouard Julien, Triple-A Age: 23 Julien is looking to build off a breakout season between Double-A and the Arizona Fall League. He came to spring training with a chance to break camp with the big-league club. He posted a 1.114 OPS this spring and was impressive during the World Baseball Classic while serving as Canada's lead-off hitter. Jorge Polanco's injury could have opened an opportunity for him to make his big-league debut. Still, the Twins thought getting some experience at the Triple-A level was more important. Author's note: Julien was called up earlier this week to take Joey Gallo's roster spot. Should the Twins have been more or less aggressive with these prospect assignments? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article

The Twins top four affiliates have all been in action over the last week. The Saints were the first teams to get started and the rest just wrapped up their first series on Saturday (and had the day off on Sunday). All will be back in action on Tuesday. Image courtesy of © Dave Nelson-USA TODAY Sports (Brooks Lee and Edouard Julien) If you missed it, read Nick's Twins Week in Review after you've read about the minor league week. TRANSACTIONS With no Monday Minor League Report, we will include all transactions that we've missed. But with the lack of games on Sunday, there haven't been any moves. RESULTS Friday (3/31): Saints Battle, but Fall Short in Season Opener Saturday (4/1): Four Homers Lead St. Paul to First 2023 Victory Sunday (4/2): Saints Take Series One Thursday (4/6): Affiliates Get Underway Friday (4/7): Everyone Gets a Win! Saturday (4/8): Connor Prielipp Debuts in Twins' System; Zebby Matthews Silences for Fort Myers Sunday (4/9): Saints Bested on Easter MORE TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE CONTENT Wind Surge Roster Preview Kernels Roster Preview Mighty Mussels Roster Preview TUESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS St. Paul @ Indianapolis (5:05PM CST) - LHP Brent Headrick (0-0, 11.25 ERA) NW Arkansas @ Wichita (7:05PM CST) - TBD Quad Cities @ Cedar Rapids (6:35PM CST) - RHP Pierson Ohl (season debut) Fort Myers @ Clearwater (5:30PM CST) - RHP Tomas Cleto (season debut) WEEK IN REVIEW Triple-A: St. Paul Saints (Week: 4-4) Overall: 4-4, 2.0 games back in the International League West. Overview: After dropping the season opener, the Saints were able to get back on track with two wins before Minnesota weather pushed the home opener back and forced the team to play five games in four days, alternating between losing and winning. Hitters: The veteran outfield of Mark Contreras, Kyle Garlick and Ryan LaMarre have led the offense. But all eyes will be on newly-minted Top 100 prospect Edouard Julien, who already has two home runs and an OBP of .417. Matt Wallner was recalled to Minnesota to replace the injured Max Kepler. Pitchers: Bailey Ober has not been as sharp as he was this spring, already walking five in 6 2/3 innings. But aside from Louie Varland, pretty much everyone has struggled. We're going to chalk this up to early-season cold weather and just assume that since Varland is "one of us" that weather will never effect him. What's Next: a trip to Indianapolis (5-4), including a 10:05 am start time on Wednesday morning, if you're into that sort of thing. Double-A: Wichita Wind Surge (Week: 2-1) Overall: 2-1, 1.0 game back in the Texas League North. Overview: Hard to complain about starting your season with a series win, especially when you don't hit very well (.204/.286/.245), Hitters: Newcomer Yoyner Fajardo has been Wichita's best hitter through the first series. Fajardo joined the Twins after previously being in the Pirates organization. Last season, Fajardo tore up high-A ball (1.059 OPS) while primarily playing second base and right field. He's logged all of his innings for the Wind Surge in left field so far. Having just turned 24, Fajardo is still young enough to catch some prospect-watchers' attention... but we are talking about only three games. Brooks Lee is name to watch for this team and you'll be able to follow his progress in each one of these reports. Pitchers: The Twins traded away so many prospect that would be at this level (or higher), but managed to hold on to David Festa, who was nearly perfect in his debut. Blayne Enlow also had a nice performance (six strikeouts in five innings) in his second go-around at AA. What's Next: The Wind Surge will welcome Northwest Arkansas (1-2) to Wichita for a six-game set that begins on Tuesday. High-A: Cedar Rapids Kernels (Week: 3-0) Overall: 3-0, tied for first in the Midwest League West Overview: A sweep on the road over Peoria is a great way to start a season: two one-run wins before finishing it out in a convincing four-run win. Hitters: Slow starts for big names like Emmanuel Rodriguez (.093) and Misael Urbina (.182), but others - like Keoni Cavaco, Noah Cardenas and Noah Miller - stepped up. Despite striking out 41 times in three games, the Kernels put together 16 runs on 25 hits (with only two home runs). A strikeout ended exactly one-third of the team's at-bats, so that's something to keep an eye on. Pitchers: A mixed bag of results for the three starters. Jaylen Nowlin didn't give up any runs, but walked three in four innings. Kyle Jones struck out six and walked none in 5.1 innings. Connor Prielipp was up-and-down in his long-awaited professional debut. What's Next: Six games of home-cooking against Quad Cities (0-3). Book your trip to Cedar Rapids soon while they have all the prospects. Low-A: Ft. Myers Mighty Mussels (Week: 2-1) Overall: Season: 2-1, tied for first in the Florida State League West Overview: After dropping the opener to Dunedin on Thursday, the Mighty Mussels came back to win the series with victories on Friday and Saturday. The team got help from appearances from Jorge Polanco and Josh Winder. Hitters: 2022-draftee Dalton Shuffield kept the power going by hitting his first home run - and Fort Myers only home run - this season after swatting four last year in 25 games. Shuffield was one of hit hitters with multiple hits in the opening series. Jorel Ortega had two doubles. The team was also successful in all six of their steal attempts. Pitchers: A trio of last year's draft picks made the starts for the Mighty Mussels. Zebby Matthews (8th round) struck out seven in five scoreless innings. Andrew Morris (4th round) also struck out seven, but allowed three runs on eight hits in 4 1/3 innings. Cory Lewis (9th round) had a rough pro debut. What's Next: A trip north up the coast to Clearwater (2-1) to begin a six-game series on Tuesday. 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 on the first of each month 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. Misael Urbina, OF, Cedar Rapids: 2-11, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 R, 3 BB, 3 K. (.182/.357/.273. .630 OPS) 19. Jose Rodriguez, OF: Extended Spring Training 18. Tanner Schobel, 2B, Cedar Rapids: 3-14, HR, 3 RBI, 2 R, 4 K. (.214/.214/.429. .643 OPS), played two games at second base (one error in 11 chances) and one game at third base (no errors in no chances). 17. Ronny Henriquez, RHP: On Minnesota’s injured list with elbow inflammation. 16. Jordan Balazovic, RHP, St. Paul: 0-0 (6.75 ERA), 1.1 IP, H, ER, 2 BB. (2.25 WHIP, .250 BAA) 15. Matt Canterino, RHP: Still recovering from Tommy John surgery. 14. Noah Miller, SS: 5-15, 2B, RBI, 2 R, 5 K. (.333/.333.400. .733 OPS), played shortstop in all three games and committed no errors in 17 chances. 13. David Festa, RHP, Wichita: 1-0 (0.00 ERA), 5.0 IP, H, 8 K. (0.20 WHIP, .067 BAA) 12. Yasser Mercedes, OF: Extended Spring Training 11. Matt Wallner, OF, St. Paul: 5-20, 2 2B, 3B, HR, 6 RBI, 4 R, 2 BB, 9 K. (.300/.364/.650. 1.014 OPS) Recalled to Minnesota 10. Austin Martin, SS: Martin is still recovering from an arm injury. 9. Louie Varland, RHP, St. Paul: 1-0 (1.80 ERA), 5.0 IP, 4 H, ER, BB, 9 K. (1.00 WHIP, .222 BAA) 8. Jose Salas, INF: 1-8, R, BB, 3 K (.125/.222/.125. .347 OPS), played one game at second base (no errors in four chances) and one game at third base (no errors in five chances). 7. Connor Prielipp, LHP, Cedar Rapids: 0-0 (6.75 ERA), 4.0 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 3 K. (1.75 WHIP, .294 BAA) 6. Simeon Woods Richardson, RHP, St. Paul: 0-1 (4.91 ERA), 3.2 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, HR, 2 BB, 6 K. (1.64 WHIP, .267 BAA) 5. Edouard Julien, 2B, St. Paul: 8-29, 2B, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 9 R, 7 BB, 12 K, 1/1 SB. (.276/.417/.517. .934 OPS), played two of three games at second base and committed one error in 28 chances. (DH in the other game.) 4. Marco Raya, RHP: Getting a late start to the season after some arm soreness. 3. Emmanuel Rodriguez, OF, Cedar Rapids: 1-11, 3B, 2 RBI, 2 R, 2 BB, 6 K. (091/.267/.273. .540 OPS) 2. Royce Lewis, SS: Lewis is still recovering from his second ACL surgery. 1. Brooks Lee, SS, Wichita: 4-13, 2B, RBI, 4 R, BB, 2 K. (.308/.357/.385. .742 OPS), played all three games at shortstop and committed no errors in 12 chances. PLAYERS OF THE WEEK will return next week when all teams have a full week of action. Please feel free to ask questions and discuss the players and the teams in the COMMENTS below. View full article

(Bangs table) Connor Prielipp, Connor Prielipp, Connor Prielipp! And Zebby Matthews too. Image courtesy of William Parmeter (photo of Zebby Matthews) TRANSACTIONS OF Matt Wallner recalled from Triple-A St. Paul to Minnesota Saints Sentinel Game One (7 Innings): St. Paul 7, Iowa 9 Box Score Aaron Sanchez: 4 IP, 2 H, 4 ER, 3 BB, 4 K HR: None Multi-hit games: Ryan LaMarre (3-for-3, 2 2B, R, 4 RBI), Andrew Bechtold (3-for-4, 2B, RBI) The Saints lost a nasty, brutish, and short opening game of their doubleheader on Saturday. It was a match neither side excelled in; both pitching staffs allowed seven walks, finding themselves outside of the strike zone and reliant on poor discipline to earn outs. Success with this strategy wavered. The Cubs struck first, ambushing starter Aaron Sanchez in the third for a pair of runs; they could now claim the lead. The Saints responded—immediately softly; eventually prevailing—as a run-scoring wild pitch broke ground for a go-ahead two-run Ryan Lamarre double in the following frame. The fifth was chaos; a trio of Cubs runs were countered by four overwhelming Saints scores, handing St. Paul a two-run cushion heading into the sixth inning. They needed more. Iowa scored twice in the sixth, then ran it back in the seventh, finally burying St. Paul for good with nine runs to their seven; no Saints’ pitcher escaped without damage to their ERA and egos. Seiya Suzuki played five innings on a rehab assignment; he collected a single and a walk. Technically old friend, Nick Burdi, struck out the side in the seventh to end the game. Iowa’s best prospect—Brennan Davis—walked once in four trips to the plate. Game Two (7 Innings): St. Paul 8, Iowa 5 Box Score Randy Dobnak: 1 2/3 IP, 4 H, 4 ER, 4 BB, 3 K HR: Andrew Bechtold (1) Multi-hit games: Edouard Julien (3-for-4, 2B, 2R), Kyle Garlick (2-for-4, R, RBI), Andrew Bechtold (2-for-3, HR, R, 2 RBI) Game two was a similarly sloppy pitching performance by St. Paul, but one they were able to overcome. Randy Dobnak struggled. A passable first frame begat a dreadful second filled with walks, hits, and runs—a pitcher’s worst nemesis. Dereck Rodriguez was forced to save his friend early, entering the game with two outs and soaking up 13 outs to save his team from potential disaster. Nick Neidert—Iowa’s starter—fared no better. Allowing an astounding 11 hits over 2 1/3 innings, Neidert coughed up eight runs (four earned) and couldn’t escape the third, needing Anthony Kay to graciously relieve him. The game entered a strange quiet stage following the third; neither team scored as a scattered selection of baserunners all found themselves stranded, unable to find their way home. Andrew Stevenson, Hernán Pérez, and Andrew Bechtold all collected two RBIs; Edouard Julien enjoyed a trio of hits. Manager Toby Gardenhire spoke highly of Bechtold after the game. “Bech's one of those guys where he's had a lot of success going up the minor leagues at different levels,” he said. “He's got a lot of tools, he's got a lot of power, he can do a lot of things. Him having days like this, I just hope it's a building block toward him consistently being able to do what we all know he can do. Because he's got a lot of tools and I hope he can just build off of this one and keep it rolling a little bit longer.” (Quote via Twins Daily’s resident journalist, Theo Tollefson.) Old friend, Tyler Duffey, tossed a scoreless inning with two strikeouts. Wind Surge Wisdom Wichita 4, Springfield 9 Box Score Travis Adams: 2/3 IP, 5 H, 6 ER, 2 BB, 1 K HR: None Multi-hit games: None Wichita lost an uncompetitive match on Saturday. Travis Adams… well, the line speaks for itself. After receiving a duo of first innings runs, Adams struggled to collect outs in the first, watching line drives shoot around the field as Springfield put up seven runs before Wichita could find the elusive third out. The game became a slog; the closest the Wind Surge came to threatening the lead came after a fifth-inning Aaron Sabato sacrifice fly moved the game to an 8-4 affair; Springfield tacked on another score the following frame out of spite. DaShawn Kiersey Jr. sparked in the three-hole, reaching base twice, stealing twice, and scoring twice to give him an aesthetically pleasing—and offensively stimulating—box score line. Brooks Lee and Jake Rucker both doubled; Aaron Sabato earned three RBIs. Springfield’s best prospect—Mike Antico—tripled and drove in two runs; he also struck out three times. Kernels Nuggets Cedar Rapids 8, Peoria 4 Box Score Connor Prielipp: 4 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 3 K HR: None Multi-hit games: Noah Miller (2-for-5, 2B, R, RBI), Kala’i Rosario (2-for-5, R), Tanner Schobel (2-for-5, R), Keoni Cavaco (2-for-4, 2B, R, 2 RBI) Cedar Rapids won comfortably on Saturday. Connor Prielipp hadn't seen a competitive game in two years, and he pitched like it. With rust fully set in still, Prielipp got knocked around a bit, unwinding in the fourth as a singles-focused attack proved too much for the lefty, dirtying his line with three earned runs. Still, the relief for Prielipp must be immense; he can continue to find his footing in the coming months; Saturday’s start was simply a way to wet his toes. Fortunately, the Kernels were up to the challenge offensively, as their bats totaled 11 hits and eight runs—more than enough to best the Chiefs. It was an all-around effort, with every starter outside of Willie Joe Garry Jr. scoring a run; he offered an RBI, proving that no batter would be left behind. Cedar Rapids’ bullpen proved worthy as well; Orlando Rodriguez, John Wilson, Niklas Rimmel, and Charlie Neuweiler combined to toss five scoreless frames, carrying the to its ninth-inning conclusion. Mussel Matters Fort Myers 8, Dunedin 5 Box Score Zebby Matthews: 5 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 7 K HR: None Multi-hit games: Ricardo Olivar (2-for-5, 2 R, RBI), Carlos Aguiar (2-for-4, R, RBI), Jorel Ortega (2-for-5, 2 2B), Rubel Cespedes (2-for-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB), Andrew Cossetti (2-for-3, 2B, R, BB), Dalton Shuffield (2-for-3, 2 RBI, BB) Fort Myers escaped a ninth-inning nightmare, walking away on Saturday with a closer win than they hoped. Zebby Matthews was magnificent. Minnesota’s 8th-round pick in 2022 eviscerated the Blue Jays lineup, punching out seven batters over five tidy innings; three measly singles served as the only blemishes on his line. The Western Carolina product—the college of Greg Holland and current Saint, Tyler White—may make a name for himself this season with more outings like this. And his offense had his back—but it did take a while. Four empty innings only proved to be the build-up towards a fifth-frame eruption; the Might Mussels plated five runs off a flurry of knocks, releasing more hit singles than Earth Wind and Fire. With three more runs in their back pocket, Fort Myers nearly ruined the operation; reliever Gabriel Yanez struck out the first batter he faced before allowing four hits—including a stomach-sinking two-run shot to pull the game within four. Fortunately, Zach Veen clogged the bleeding, ending the deathbed rally before it could reverse the roles. Jorge Polanco played seven innings, doubling and walking twice in four trips to the plate. Dunedin’s best prospect—Tucker Toman—singled, walked, and struck out twice in four plate appearances. TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Zebby Matthews Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Andrew Bechtold PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed: #1 - Brooks Lee (Wichita) - 1-5, 2B, R, 2 K #3 - Emmanuel Rodriguez (Cedar Rapids) - 1-4, 3B, R, RBI, BB, 3 K #5 - Edouard Julien (St. Paul) - 3-8, 2B, 2 R, BB, 4 K #7 - Connor Prielipp (Cedar Rapids) - 4 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 3 K #14 - Noah Miller (Cedar Rapids) - 2-5, 2B, R, RBI, 3 K #18 - Tanner Schobel (Cedar Rapids) - 2-5, R, K #20 - Miseal Urbina (Cedar Rapids) - 1-5, 2B, R, RBI, 2 K SUNDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Iowa @ St. Paul (2:07 PM) - RHP Simeon Woods Richardson (Most of MiLB is off for Easter Sunday) View full article

The Minnesota Twins are 6-2 to open the 2023 season after Kyle Farmer and Byron Buxton each supplied a three-run home run at Target Field this afternoon. Joe Ryan struck out 10 batters in that game. Over on the minor league side, Edouard Julien, Brooks Lee, Connor Prielipp and Emmanuel Rodriguez are among the prospects featured tonight. View full video

Cedar Rapids got ALL the prospects. Almost literally! On Monday, the Cedar Rapids Kernels announced their Opening Day roster for the 2023 season. Players and staff flew from Ft. Myers to eastern Iowa on Sunday. This is their tenth season as a Twins affiliate, and they are hoping to make this their tenth straight season of reaching postseason play. Image courtesy of Cedar Rapids Kernels Let's take a look at the Kernels Opening Day roster. This group of prospects is incredibly exciting, filled with talented, high-upside players. You’ll definitely want to book a trip or four to Cedar Rapids this season! Even if it is just to see one of the biggest scoreboards in minor-league baseball (or the cool things they can do with their lights!). Coaching Staff Brian Dinkelman is back for his fifth season as the Kernels manager. Before taking that role, he was the team’s hitting coach for three seasons. Former Astros pitcher Carlos Hernandez is in his sixth season in the Twins organization. This will be his first season as Kernels’ pitching coach after filling the same role for Ft. Myers the past three seasons. Jonas Lovin joined the Twins organization this winter. This is his first professional coaching job. The 27-year-old had been the pitching coach at Iowa Central Community College. Another new Twins coach in 2023 is hitting coach Corbin Day. He grew up in the Cedar Rapids area and before joining the Kernels, he was at Kirkwood Community College (just outside Cedar Rapids) where he played for two years before playing two seasons at Mount Mercy U in Cedar Rapids. Finally, former Twins minor-league catcher Yeison Perez joins the Kernels staff. He transitioned from player to coach in 2019. He spent the past two seasons in the FCL. Starting Pitchers: Alejandro Hidalgo, Jaylen Nowlin, Pierson Ohl, Kyle Jones, Connor Prielipp. Connor Prielipp has looked dominant in spring training videos, but the Twins 2nd round pick in 2022 will make his pro debut with the Kernels. Jaylen Nowlin, a 19th round pick from 2021, made himself into the one of the top left-handers in the organization with his impressive strikeout rate. He had 111 strikeouts in 71 innings (14.1 K/9) He ended 2022 with three starts for Cedar Rapids. Kyle Jones was the Twins 7th round pick out of the University of Toledo. Pierson Ohl was drafted in the 14th round of the 2021 draft. He has terrific control. Last year in Ft. Myers, he had 101 strikeouts and just 13 walks in 91 2/3 innings. Alejandro Hidalgo came to the Twins this offseason from the Angels in the Gio Urshela deal. He won’t turn 20 until late May! For those curious, Marco Raya is going to be in Cedar Rapids. He’s rehabbing a “minor shoulder” issue but should join the Kernels in May. Christian MacLeod was the Twins fifth round pick in 2021, but he had Tommy John surgery early in 2022. He’s ready to go, but they’re (wisely) going to be cautious with him. Again, no need to rush them back into the cold of the Midwest League. Relief Pitchers: Malik Barrington, Jordan Carr, Regi Grace, Matt Mullenbach, Charlie Neuweiler, Niklas Rimmel, John Stankiewicz, Matthew Swain, Miguel Rodriguez, Orlando Rodriguez, John Wilson There are several intriguing names on this list. Regi Grace was a former 10th-round pick. He has slowly progressed and is ready for this jump. Malik Barrington is a big, strong guy with good stuff out of the bullpen. Barrington and Jordan Carr were signed the same day out of the USPBL. Matt Mullenbach is in his third season in the Twins organization. He is an Iowa native. Niklas Rimmel signed with the Twins in 2017 from Berlin. Miguel Rodriguez and Orlando Rodriguez both spent a little time with the Kernels a year ago. Matthew Swain is 6-7 and throws really hard. He was the Twins 23rd round pick in 2019, and the Twins have been quite patient, but he’s been impressive. Finally, John Stankiewicz was a non-drafted free agent signing after the shortened 2020 draft. He began the 2022 season on an incredible run in Ft. Myers before ending his season with the Kernels. John Wilson is a left-hander, also signed in 2020, who has fought a lot of injuries since being a freshman All American in college. He continues to work his way back. Charlie Neuweiler is new to the organization very recently. He was the Royals' fifth-round pick in 2017 out of high school in New York. In 2022, he spent most of the season with Quad Cities, though he also made two appearances in Double-A and pitched in one Triple-A game too. Catchers: Noah Cardenas, Charles Mack, Jeferson Morales Noah Cardenas was the Twins eighth-round pick in 2021 out of UCLA. Last year in Ft. Myers, he was named the Twins Daily All Minor League catcher last year. Charles Mack was drafted out of high school in New York in the sixth round of the 2018 draft. He spent last year in Ft. Myers, continuing his transition to catching. Jeferson Morales signed with the Twins in 2016. Last year, he played in Cedar Rapids but fought injuries much of the season. He can also play in the outfield. Infielders: Keoni Cavaco, Noah Miller, Ben Ross, Jose Salas, Tanner Schobel, Ernie Yake. What a group of intriguing prospects. Jose Salas ranks the highest in our prospect rankings. He came to the Twins with Pablo Lopez (and Byron Chourio) in the Luis Arraez trade. He will turn 20 in three weeks and ended the 2022 season at High-A. Keoni Cavaco was the Twins first round pick (13th overall) in the 2019 draft. While his prospect glimmer has faded, the tools are still there. He has soft hands and a strong arm that translates well at third base. He’s got good speed and power potential too. Maybe getting out of Florida will be what it takes to get him going. Noah Miller was the Twins Competitive Balance pick in 2021 out of high school in Wisconsin. He struggled with the bat in Ft. Myers last season, but he is tremendous defensively at shortstop. His brother, Owen Miller, was traded from Cleveland to his hometown Milwaukee Brewers in the offseason. Tanner Schobel was the Twins Competitive Balance pick in 2022 after the 2nd round. He played/starred at Virginia Tech. Ben Ross was their fifth round pick from Division II Notre Dame College. He has really impressed in his short time in the organization with his all-around game. Ernie Yake was the team’s 10th round pick in 2021 out of Gonzaga. In 2022, he played in the FCL, in Ft. Myers, in Wichita, and in St. Paul… Now he will get some time in Cedar Rapids. Outfielders: Kyler Fedko, Willie Joe Garry, Emmanuel Rodriguez, Kala’i Rosario, Misael Urbina. Obviously everyone will want to talk about Emmanuel Rodriguez, and for good reason. He’s really good, and one of the top prospects not only in the organization but also a global top 100 prospect after his incredible 2022 season. Unfortunately, that season was just two months long after he had knee surgery, but he’s back and ready to go again. Misael Urbina is also a very good prospect. A seven-figure bonus baby from 2018, he has spent the past two seasons with the Mighty Mussels. Last year, he missed several months due to a visa issue. Kala’i Rosario was their fifth round pick in 2020 out of high school in Hawaii where he was one of the top high school power prospects in the draft. Willie Joe Garry can absolutely fly. He’s a very good outfielder. There is a lot of talent and he’s looking forward to putting it together with the bat this year. Kyler Fedko spent much of the second half of the 2022 season with the Kernels. He was the team’s 12th round pick in 2021 out of UConn. TWINS DAILY TOP 20 PROSPECTS #3 - Emmanuel Rodriguez #4 - Marco Raya #7 - Connor Prielipp #8 - Jose Salas #14 - Noah Miller #18 - Tanner Schobel #20 - Misael Urbina View full article

Across all of Major League Baseball during the 2022 season, 303 players made their Major League debut, with a hefty tally of 13 from the Minnesota Twins organization contributing to that number. Image courtesy of Ed Bailey, Wichita Wind Surge (photo of Edouard Julien) Those Next Minnesota Twins consisted of position players Jose Miranda, Royce Lewis, Mark Contreras, Jermaine Palacios, Caleb Hamilton, and Matt Wallner. Joining them from the pitching side were Jhoan Duran, Josh Winder, Cole Sands, Yennier Cano, Louie Varland, Ronny Henriquez, and Simeon Woods Richardson. 11 of those names were profiled in this same column before the start of last season, missing out on only Hamilton and Wallner, as the Twins minor league depth was relied upon in a “break glass in case of emergency” fashion due to the well-chronicled injury issues on the big league roster. Many things will have to go wrong, or right depending on which side of the glass half full or empty pendulum you swing, for the Twins to get even close to that number again during the 2023 season. Most of those 2022 debuts are now firmly-rooted depth on the 40-man roster, with Duran, Miranda, Sands, and if not for injury, perhaps Henriquez and Winder earning their full-time pinstripes. It is not a question of if a player will make a debut for the Twins in 2023, only when, so who are some of those potential Next Minnesota Twins for 2023? ON THE 40-MAN ROSTER: As mentioned, the Twins' 40-man roster depth is full of players who have already had at least a cup of coffee in the majors, as the set of names available for this category consists of just four players. It omits pitcher Matt Canterino, who is recovering from Tommy John Surgery and will likely not pitch in 2023. The fun thing here is that depth also consists of a lot of the organization's “top prospects,” so the St. Paul Saints are going to be a popular ticket throughout this season (count me in for attending the “They’re One of Us” double bobblehead game on August 29th, featuring Louie Varland and Matt Wallner). Edouard Julien (23 years old on opening day), IF - Twins Daily’s #5 Prospect (Julien made his MLB debut on 4/12 against the Chicago White Sox, going 0-for-2 with a walk.) A prospect darling due to his on-field performance since being drafted in the 18th round in 2019, all Julien has done since becoming a pro is get on base. For almost inexplicable reasons, he spent all of the 2022 season with the Wichita Wind Surge, where he hit .300/.441/.490, leading the Texas League in on-base percentage and then following that up by tapping into even more power in the Arizona Fall League. He took home the Breakout Prospect Award while there, though arguably could have been the MVP as he led the circuit in batting average, on-base percentage, and OPS. He followed that up by impressing with Team Canada in the World Baseball Classic and with the Twins this spring. With injury questions looming around infielders Jorge Polanco and Alex Kirilloff, if the veteran backups the Twins went out and got aren’t holding up their end of the bargain, Julien could be given a shot early. Jordan Balazovic (24), RHP - TD’s #16 Prospect (Balazovic made his MLB debut on 6/18 vs the Detroit Tigers. He came on in relief during the fifth inning, and pitched the next 3 2/3, allowing no runs on two hits and one walk, while striking out two.) Almost everything went wrong for Balazovic during the 2022 season, where he was a borderline top-100 prospect at its outset. Then he was knocked around in triple-A for the entire year and plummeted to the point he’s not even a top 10 prospect for the Twins in our own rankings to start in 2023. I will say that I got to see him in St. Paul late in the 2022 season, and he showed plenty of flashes of what made him so highly regarded in that game, including mid-90’s velocity as a starter, so I’m not giving up on him by any means. Brent Headrick (25), LHP (Headrick made his MLB debut on 4/19 at Fenway Park. He pitched three innings, allowing one run on one hit and two walks, while striking out three.) Added to the 40-man roster in the 2023 offseason after he spent only half of 2022 in double-A, Headrick has impressed the organization this Spring, appearing in three games and striking out 10 in seven innings that were good for a 2.57 ERA. He looks ticketed for the triple-A rotation, which was already crowded, so that says a lot about how the Twins view his potential. He was fantastic with Cedar Rapids last year, going 8-2 with a 2.34 ERA in 15 starts, before finishing the year with double-A and absolutely dominating in two postseason starts, allowing zero earned runs and punching out 19 while walking none in 12 innings. TOP PROSPECTS While this category is a little light this year, that’s because all of that prospect depth I’ve mentioned already got their feet wet last season. That doesn’t mean this section isn’t still exciting, because one name was arguably the top hitter in all of college baseball last season. The other is a former top-five draft pick coming off a stellar resurgence in the Arizona Fall League. Brooks Lee, IF (22) - TD’s #1 Prospect Lee had quite the 2022 season as he transitioned from college to the pros. First, by reinforcing the notion he was a top hitter in his draft class by batting .357/.462/.664 for his father’s Cal Poly squad, getting drafted 8th overall, and finally ending his introduction to pro ball in the double-A playoffs with Wichita. In a little talked-about blurb in his career, he was already familiar with Minnesota, having played for the Willmar Stingers of the Northwoods League during the summer of 2021. In 31 games in the minors last season, he hit .303/.389/.471 overall, clubbing six doubles and four home runs, while striking out in just 14.4% of his plate appearances against a walk rate of 11.5%. All these numbers mean, is he did everything expected of a prospect of his pedigree, and then some, after a long year of baseball. While there are questions about his ability to handle shortstop in the majors, that’s not much of a concern while Carlos Correa is around, and his bat will always be his calling card. He’s perhaps the top hitter prospect the Twins have had since that Mauer guy, and I think you’ll see a lot of similarities in their games when he arrives. If all goes according to plan, he will be in St. Paul in midsummer and just how good he’s hitting, from both sides of the plate, will determine if he forces the issue or not. I just love the swing he put on this pitch for Cedar Rapids last year, and hope to see it at Target Field soon: Austin Martin, IF/OF (24) - TD’s #10 Prospect The caveat here with Martin is he’s been dealing with an elbow issue this spring, and it could end his season with Tommy John surgery before it even starts. While this isn’t as serious for position players as it is for pitchers, it’s still a disappointing cloud to have hanging over him after his excellent showing in the Arizona Fall League to close out his 2022 season. In 90 games with Wichita in 2022, perhaps the best thing Martin did was achieve a .367 on-base percentage. But that came with just a .316 slugging percentage resulting in a sub .700 OPS, hardly impressive for a prospect with his pedigree. This can perhaps be blamed on an altering of his approach in search of power, but if so, it probably should have been abandoned well before it was. Sent to the AFL, Martin appeared to embrace just being himself (not unlike the stories of Byron Buxton and Royce Lewis), and the results he and the Twins had been looking for followed. In 21 games, he batted .374/.454/.482 and stole 10 bases in 11 attempts, being named to the All-AFL team in the process. The parallels to Lewis here are undeniable, unfortunately, the injury part of that is in play as well. MINOR LEAGUE DEPTH: It is some slim pickings again in this category, as veteran and already debuted prospect depth dominates the roster of the St. Paul Saints. It’s likely a fairly well-established pecking order to join the big league club when a need arises at this point. But teams will almost always need a third catcher during the grind of the MLB season, and with St. Paul just miles away from Target Field you never know who may be the guy that is available the day an extra arm is needed across the river. Jair Camargo, C (23) Carmargo is ticketed to start the season with the St. Paul Saints after spending the bulk of his 2022 season with the Wichita. He clubbed 18 home runs in 74 games, including 12 in 46 games with the Wind Surge after a midseason promotion. Listed as a sturdy 5’ 10” and 230 lbs Camargo looks the part of a catcher and utilized his arm strength to throw out 38% of would-be base stealers in double-A. Austin Schulfer, RHP (27) Schulfer was absolutely dominant out of Wichita’s bullpen for the first two months of the 2022 season, amassing seven saves and striking out 30 in 23 innings in his first 15 appearances. That also came with a minuscule 0.39 ERA and 0.65 WHIP before being promoted to St. Paul. He wasn’t nearly as good there for the rest of the season, but it is hard to ignore what he did before then. He should play a big role in the Saints bullpen for all of 2023, and if he’s performing when a fresh arm is needed could find himself spending a lot of time on the Green Line during the season. Michael Helman, IF/OF (26) A typical utility player prospect, Helman has been a swiss army knife for whatever team he has played for since the Twins drafted him in the 11th round back in 2018. He had an OPS of .840 for Wichita last season before being promoted to St. Paul, and is a ready replacement on the Twins bench for the likes of Donovan Solano or Nick Gordon, should they miss any time. He also stands to be one of the biggest beneficiaries of the new bases and pitching rules, as he swiped 40 bags in 45 attempts last season. Cody Laweryson, RHP (24) Laweryson split his 2022 season between Cedar Rapids and Wichita, making appearances as both a starter and reliever at both stops. The fun quirk with his stat lines over the season, was his dominance when thrust into a starting role (0.84 ERA, 0.89 WHIP), but he was also very good coming out of the bullpen (2.25 ERA, 1.06 WHIP) and increased his strikeout rate from 9.9 to 11.1 per 9IP. It will be curious to see if the Twins continue to utilize him in this way, or cut him loose out of the bullpen full-time with Wichita to start the 2023 season. Never know, maybe pretty soon he can do this on the big league stage: DARK HORSES: Now we get to some shots in the dark, or players who could come out of nowhere to make a surprise debut. They might be a well-known name but not that far up the ladder at the start of the season, returning from an injury so they may have been forgotten some, or have a unique pitch or other ability that could pay off big if other areas develop as well. Blayne Enlow, RHP (24) Enlow made it through waivers after being removed from the 40-man roster early this offseason, and I’m hoping the Twins will end up ecstatic about this fact in the near future. Highly regarded coming out of high school, Minnesota was able to keep him away from his commitment to LSU by going over slot in the third round of the 2017 draft. He made three excellent starts and looked to be breaking out for Cedar Rapids to start his 2021 season, before having to undergo Tommy John surgery. Notable about his recovery, however, is he was pitching again in games in less than a year, though those came with perhaps expected struggles. The reins should be off in 2023, and I’m looking for a bounce-back season from the right-hander. Perhaps with a Tyler Duffey-like resurgence out of a bullpen with his big curveball. Connor Prielipp, LHP (22) - TD’s #7 Prospect Yeah, I’m gonna be that guy. In the conversation to go number one overall in the draft before having to undergo Tommy John surgery during the 2021 season, Prielipp slipped to the Twins in the second round in 2022 and is loaded with upside. A left-hander with a mid-90’s fastball and wipeout slider, Prielipp struck out basically everyone he faced in the SEC (15.1K/9IP rate), the big asterisk there being it was just 28 total innings over two seasons. But reading stuff like this is exactly why I’m placing him here: Now, there are absolutely going to be innings and probably other limitations on Prielipp this season, but the pipedream scenario I envision for a debut to happen in 2023 is like that of Chris Sale way back when, where he’s just too good to not utilize as a weapon from the bullpen in a playoff push. These are just some of the names I’d love to see don the new Minnesota Twins uniforms for the first time this season. When do you think any of them will arrive at Target Field? Who are you looking forward to the most even though that answer is Edouard Julien? Who are some of the players you think I may have missed? Let’s play ball! View full article

Twins Daily recently finished counting down the club's top prospects entering the 2023 season. Let's examine the crystal ball and project who will rank as the team's top prospect in two years. Image courtesy of Steve Buhr (Rodriguez), William Parmeter (Raya), Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports (Salas) Minnesota's farm system has some strong players at the top, but not all of them will still qualify as prospects over the next two years. Last year at this time, I projected the team's top-5 prospects entering the 2024 season, and so far, those rankings are doing reasonably well. A lot can happen in one year for a team's farm system, so who will be the Twins' top prospect in 2025? 1. Emmanuel Rodriguez- OF Current TD Ranking: 3 ETA: 2025 Rodriguez topped this list at the same point last season, and he's only solidified his prospect status over the last year. He's a Top-100 global prospect, and there was a good chance he would have moved higher on the list if he hadn't been injured last season. He has one of the best power bats in the Twins system, and there is a chance he will move into the top 10 on national prospect lists with another strong year. During the 2023 season, Rodriguez should spend most of the year at High-A, where he will be younger than the average age of the competition. He should be on track to debut in 2025 if he continues on his current development path. 2. Marco Raya- SP Current TD Ranking: 4 ETA: 2025 Raya has pitched 65 innings in his professional career, but Baseball Prospectus has him ranked as baseball's 53rd overall prospect. He was three years younger than the average age of the competition at Low-A last season while posting a 3.05 ERA and a 73-to-23 strikeout-to-walk ratio. He has one of the highest ceilings of any pitching prospect to come through the Twins system in quite some time. However, he is a long way from Target Field, and a lot can go wrong with a pitching prospect on their way to the big leagues. Raya can be the team's top prospect entering next season if he puts together even better numbers at High-A. 3. Connor Prielipp- SP Current TD Ranking: 7 ETA: 2024 Prielipp is one of the most intriguing pitching prospects in the Twins system, even though he has yet to make his professional debut. He was in the conversation for being selected near the top of the 2022 MLB Draft, but he fell to the second round after undergoing Tommy John surgery. He pitched in pre-draft workouts leading into the draft so teams could see how his rehab was progressing. MLB.com already has Prielipp ranked as the team's top pitching prospect. There is no reason to rush him next season, but there is a chance he will pass Raya over the next two years. 4. Jose Salas- INF Current TD Ranking: 8 ETA: 2025 Salas was one of two prospects in the Pablo Lopez and Luis Arraez trade earlier this winter. He was considered one of the Marlins' top prospects at the time of the trade. Last season, he hit .250/.339/.384 (.723) with 20 doubles, four triples, and nine home runs in 109 games. He only had one at-bat versus a younger pitcher last season, and Miami sent him to the Arizona Fall League as a 19-year-old. He likely spends most of the year in Cedar Rapids with a chance to reach Double-A by the season's end. 5. Yasser Mercedes- OF Current TD Ranking: 12 ETA: 2026 Mercedes was one of the top international prospects available during the 2022 signing period, and he showcased his skills during his professional debut. Minnesota sent him to the Dominican Summer League, and he hit .355/.421/.555 (.975) with 13 doubles, three triples, and four home runs in 41 games. He was also a threat on the bases by going 30-for-35 in stolen base attempts. It seems likely for him to make his stateside debut in 2023, and he could have an Emmanuel Rodriguez-style breakout if everything goes well. The Twins have a top-5 draft pick in 2023, so that player will also likely be in the mix to be at the top of this list. Who do you think will be the team's top prospect in 2025? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article