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Minnesota Twins prospect Chris Williams doesn't catch much but he may be the only backstop in minor league baseball to be railroaded by a baserunner in 2023. It was also a dramatic moment in the game with the score tied 0-0 in the bottom of the ninth inning. It's too bad the Saints ended up being walked off shortly after that. Highlights of that game plus an overview of how some of the top Twins prospects in the Florida Complex League and Dominican Summer League are performing. View full video

Friday was a very busy day throughout the Twin entire system. Big innings defined the day for most of the offense Image courtesy of Ed Bailey, Wichita Wind Surge (photo of Marco Raya) The Minnesota Twins got tor runs off the batted of Here are the records of the six Twins affiliates through games on Friday. St. Paul Saints: 52-35 Wichita Wind Surge: 34-47 Cedar Rapids Kernels: 50-32 Fort Myers Mighty Mussels: 42-40 FCL Twins: 12-15 DSL Twins: 7-20 Let’s get to the report. As always, please feel free to discuss and ask questions. TRANSACTIONS Following the Twins win in Oakland, Dan Hayes tweeted that Jose Miranda will be going on the injured list. Matt Wallner will join the team in Oakland. Lefties Zach Neff and Josh Mitchell were deemed recovered from their Tommy John surgeries. They pitched in a couple of rehab games… and on Thursday, the Twins released them. Right-hander Juan Mercedes was promoted from the FCL Twins to the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels. John Klein was sent back to the FCL. RHP Eduardo Soriano was promoted from the DSL to the FCL Twins. In fun, former Twins prospect transactions, 2015 fourth-round pick Trey Cabbage was called up to the Angels and activated before Friday night’s game. In the game, he hit for second baseman Michael Stefanic SAINTS SENTINEL St. Paul 5, Durham 8 Box Score The Saints open up their “second half” at CHS Field. They fell behind early but quickly caught up and went ahead only to give up five in the ninth to fall to the Bulls. Louie Varland made the start. He was charged with three unearned runs on eight hits over the first four innings. He struck out seven batters without issuing a walk. Josh Winder came on and struck out three batters over 2 2/3 scoreless innings. Michael Boyle had a walk and a strikeout and recorded three outs. Patrick Murphy got the final out of the eighth inning. Then he came out for the ninth and gave up five runs on four hits and a walk. Austin Brice came on with two runners on base and allowed both to score. Anthony Prato got St. Paul on the board in the second with a two-run homer, his fifth since joining the Saints. In the third frame, Andrew Stevenson’s 10th homer tied the game at 3-3. Stevenson gave the team the 4-3 season with a single that drove in Prato. Gilberto Celestino gave the Twins another run in the seventh inning with a ground out that scored Stevenson. Stevenson went 3-for-5 in the game from the leadoff spot. Jair Camargo had two hits. Prato his his ninth double and fifth homer during his five weeks with the Saints. WIND SURGE WISDOM Wichita 3, Springfield 4 Box Score Like the Saints, the Wind Surge got a lead going into the late innings. Unfortunately, a big-inning was enough to give the team a loss. The Wind Surge powered their way to an early lead. Patrick Winkel drilled his fourth homer of the season in the second inning. In the fifth frame, DaShawn Keirsey hit his 10th home run. Aaron Sabato made it a 3-0 lead with a single that scored Yunior Severino. Highly-regarded Marco Raya made his second Double-A start and it went quite well. In 3 2/3 innings, he gave up no runs. He gave up just one hit and one walk, and he struck out four batters. He was more efficient with his pitches and was able to almost get through the fourth inning. He threw 51 pitches in the game. Isaac Mattson came on and walked two batters but no runners crossed the plate before he got the final out. David Festa returned to the team after his scoreless inning in Saturday’s Futures Game in Seattle. He got back in the action with two perfect innings. Three of the six outs came on strikeouts. However, Regi Grace came in for the seventh inning. He’s been the best reliever in the organization all season and really had his first rough outing of the year. He gave up four runs on four hits and a walk and recorded just one out. Denny Bentley came on and allowed an inherited runner to score, but he was able to provide five outs without any additional runs scoring. Alex Scherff struck out two batters in a one-hit ninth. Keirsey and Winkel each went 2-for-4 in the game with the home run. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 15, Beloit 2 Box Score The Kernels went to their old stomping grounds (well, the Twins old Midwest League affiliate grounds) and used a couple of big innings to record an easy win in the new stadium. Jorel Ortega put the Kernels on the scoreboard with a solo homer, his second since joining the team. He also kicked off a big, eight-run fourth inning when he singled with the bases loaded to score Kala’i Rosario. Misael Urbina walked to score Noah Cardenas. Jose Salas drove in Noah Miller on a fielder’s choice. Willie Joe Garry’s single then drove in Ortega to make it 5-0. Leadoff man Tanner Schobel kept things going with a two-run double to give the Kernels a 7-0 lead. Emmanuel Rodriguez followed with a triple and then scored on a Rosario sacrifice fly that made it 9-0 after four innings. Beloit hit a couple of solo homers in the bottom of the fifth frame, so that Kernels wanted to get that back… and more. In the top of the sixth, Rosario singled in Rodriguez with the 10th run. Then Noah Miller drove in Rosario with a single. Jorel Ortega’s second homer of the night (and third in his short time with the Kernels). The three-run shot made it 14-2. The Kernels added one more in the seventh inning as well. Zebby Matthews was one out from qualifying for the Win. He gave up two solo homers in the fifth inning, the only runs he gave up in 4 2/3 innings. (56 of his 80 pitches (70%) were strikes.) He struck out five and didn’t issue a walk. Malik Barrington “vultured” the Win to improve to 4-0. That said, he struck out three batters over 2 1/3 scoreless innings. He gave up two hits and walked one batter. Finally, John Wilson struck out two batters over two scoreless innings to close the door. The Kernels got contributions from everyone. Misael Urbina was the only player without a hit, but he had a bases-loaded walk. Noah Miller was the lone player with just one hit. Seven hitters had at least two hits Jorel Ortega, the team’s sixth-round pick a year ago, finished the game going 4-for-5 with the two home runs. He scored three runs and drove in five runs. Emmanuel Rodriguez went 3-for-5 with a walk and his third triple. He also stole his 11th base. Rosario went 2-for-4 with a walk. Noah Cardenas went 2-for-5 with a walk and his 14th double. Jose Salas was also 2-for-5. Willie Joe Garry was 2-for-4 with a walk. Tanner Schobel went 2-for-6 with his ninth double. MUSSEL MATTERS Fort Myers 6, Clearwater 2 Box Score Ft. Myers took the early lead and then had a big-inning late and held on for the win. Right-hander Ben Ethridge, the Twins 15th-round pick in 2022 from Southern Miss, finally earned his first Win of the season and as a professional. Coming into the night, he was 0-4 despite an ERA of just 2.49 and a WHIP at 1.06. After beginning the season in the bullpen, this was his sixth consecutive appearance as a start. I could argue that his Friday night start was his best yet, but he’s had a few good starts. In this game, he tossed five shutout innings. He gave up just two hits, walked one and struck out two batters. He dropped his season ERA to 2.23. Wilker Reyes struck out four batters over the next two innings. He gave up no hits and no runs and walked two batters. Ricardo Velez pitched a scoreless eighth inning but gave up a two-run homer in the ninth. The Twins signed Carson McCusker recently after spending three seasons with Tri-City in the Frontier League. That was after four seasons at Oklahoma State. In the first inning, he gave the Mussels a 2-0 lead with his fifth home run in his 10th game. He went 3-for-4 and is now hitting .439 with a 1.270 OPS. The Mussels grabbed some insurance runs in the eighth inning, turning a 2-0 lead to a 6-0 lead. Rubel Cespedes hit his 19th double which scored two runs. Rafael Cruz drove Cespedes in with a single. Ricardo Olivar concluded the scoring by knocking in Cruz with the fourth run of the inning. Danny De Andrade went 2-for-5 with his 11th and 12th doubles. COMPLEX THOUGHTS from FLORIDA FCL Twins 9 FCL Red Sox 8 Box Score In a day filled with big innings, it was very true in the FCL game on Friday. The Twins had a four-run second inning and kept piling on runs including two runs in the top of the ninth. That gave them a 9-2 lead, but the Red Sox countered with six runs in the bottom of the ninth. Thankfully the Twins stopped the bleeding just in time. In this game, it was all about the offense. Yasser Mercedes is a top ten Twins prospects according to Twins Daily and other places. But he got off to a very slow start in his Stateside debut. Coming into Friday’s game, Mercedes was hitting just .157/.228/.255 (.483) with two doubles and a homer. He had played in just 13 games. In this game, we were reminded of the talent that he has. He went 4-for-5 with his second and third home runs. He stole his fourth base. He scored three runs and drive in four runs. After this game, he is still hitting just .214 with a .685 OPS. Not great, but adding .200 points of OPS in one day is a good start. Keoni Cavaco was sent back to the FCL Twins after hitting below .200 with the Kernels in the first half. It appears to be an opportunity for a restart for Cavaco, a chance to play against a lower level of competition, hopefully experience some success, gain some confidence, work on some things, and then see where it goes. In his second FCL game, he had a single, double and triple over five at-bats. He scored two runs and drove in three runs. Harold Grant went 2-for-5 and his two-run homer in the ninth inning proved to be more important than originally thought. It was his second homer. Brayan Medina made the start. In 4 2/3 innings, he gave up two runs on three hits. He walked four batters and struck out three batters. Cleiber Maldonado then struck out five batters over 2 1/3 scoreless innings. Lopez came on and worked a scoreless eighth inning. However, in the ninth frame, he gave up six runs on five hits and two walks. Yon Landaeta came on with two runners on base and both scored. However, he struck out two batters and was able to get the third out before the Red Sox were able to tie it up. The Twins scored runs in four of the first five innings. Normally that, and the nine runs that came with it, would be considered good. And it is. However, when the pitchers give up runs in each of the five innings, and 17 runs in those innings, it isn’t great. Jeicol Surumay started. In 1 2/3 innings, he gave up four runs (3 earned) on three hits and three walks. Cristian Hernandez came on and was charged with eight runs (5 earned) on eight hits and three walks over 2 1/3 innings. Eider Machuca came on and gave up five runs (4 earned) on three hits and a walk and recorded just one out (despite two strikeouts!). Jose Ojo came and allowed one inherited runner to score. But he got five outs without any more runs crossing the plate. The best news to come out of this game was the return of Hendry Chivilli. He hadn’t played since opening day, June 5. He went 1-for-3 with a walk and a stolen base. Dameury Pena went 2-for-2 Ariel Castro went 2-for-4. Yilber Herrera was 1-for-3 with a walk. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Hitters of the Day – Jorel Ortega (Cedar Rapids) - 4-for-5, 2 HR(3), 3 R, 5 RBI. Yasser Mercedes (FCL Twins) - 4-for-5, 2 HR(3), 3 R, 4 RBI, SB(4). Pitcher of the Day – Ben Ethridge (Fort Myers) - 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, BB, 2 K. 77 pitches, 46 strikes (59.7%) PROSPECT SUMMARY Check out the Prospect Tracker for much more on the new Twins Top 20 prospects after seeing how they did on Wednesday. (Note - our next prospect rankings update will come after the draft.) #1 - Brooks Lee (Wichita) - 1-for-4 #3 - Emmanuel Rodriguez (Cedar Rapids) - 3-for-5, 3B(3), 2 R, RBI, BB, 2 K, SB(11). #4 - Edouard Julien (Minnesota) - 2-for-3, 2B(11), RBI, K. #6 - Marco Raya (Wichita) - 3 2/3 IP, H, 0 R, BB, 4 K, 51 pitches, 34 strikes (66.7%). #8 - David Festa (Wichita) - 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K, 25 pitches, 16 strikes (64.0%). #9 - Matt Wallner (St. Paul) - 1-for-4, BB,K. E(5). #10 - Yasser Mercedes (FCL Twins) - 4-for-5, 2 HR(3), 3 R, 4 RBI, SB(4). #11 - Austin Martin (St. Paul) - 1-for-4, BB, K, SB(1) (2B, batted second) #12 - Jose Salas (Cedar Rapids) - 2-for-5, R, RBI, K. #13 - Noah Miller (Cedar Rapids) - 1-for-5, BB, 2 R, RBI, BB, 3 K. #14 - Jordan Balazovic (Minnesota) - 1 IP, H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K. 17 pitches, 11 strikes (64.7%) #18 - Jose Rodriguez (FCL Twins) - 1-for-5, K. #19 - Yunior Severino (Wichita) - 1-for-4, 2B(12), R, 2 K.. SATURDAY’S SCHEDULE AND PITCHING PROBABLES Durham @ St. Paul (7:07 PM CST) - LHP Brent Headrick (3-1, 4.05 ERA) Springfield @ Wichita (6:05 PM CST) - RHP Pierson Ohl (1-2, 4.73 ERA) Quad Cities @ Cedar Rapids (6:35 PM CST) - RHP Kyle Jones (4-4, 4.53 ERA) Fort Myers @ Jupiter (5:30 PM CST) - LHP Jarrett Whorff (2-0, 1.71 ERA) FCL Red Sox @ FCL Twins (9:00 AM CST) - TBD DSL Guardians Red @ DSL Twins (10:00 AM CST) - TBD Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Friday’s games or any other Twins minor league topics! 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With the Minnesota Twins still off, and the full season leagues getting one more day of rest, it was the FCL Twins show today on the farm. TRANSACTIONS No transactions took place in the system. A couple more draft signings have rolled in, and the report day for many of them down in Fort Myers is Sunday. COMPLEX CHRONICLES FCL Orioles 4, FCL Twins 1 Box Score As the lone game on the farm today, the spotlight was all on the FCL Twins. Jacob Wosinski made the start and worked 1 1/3 innings. He gave up two runs on three hits while striking out two. He did avoid any walks. The Orioles got on board with two runs in the second inning, then plated another pair in the third. They attempted to mount a comeback, but a fifth-inning run was all they could push across. Yasser Mercedes reached on a fielder's choice to second base, and Byron Chourio scored on the play. Mercedes drove in the day's lone run and drew a walk. The Twins tallied just four hits in this one, but Chourio and Bryan Acuna also drew walks. Each of the four base hits were singles. Carlos Gutierrez was outstanding in relief, working three perfect innings and striking out three. DOMINICAN DAILY An already slow day on the farm got slower when the Twins DSL, set to play the DSL Reds this morning, had their contest postponed due to rain. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – Carlos Gutierrez (FCL Twins) - 3.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K Hitter of the Day – Byron Chourio (FCL Twins) - 1-3, R, BB 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: #10 - Yasser Mercedes (FCL) - 0-3, RBI, BB, K #18 - Jose Rodriguez (FCL) - 0-4, 2 K FRIDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Durham @ St. Paul (7:07PM CST) - TBD Springfield @ Wichita (7:05PM CST) - RHP Marco Raya Cedar Rapids @ Beloit (6:35PM CST) - RHP Zebby Matthews Clearwater @ Fort Myers (6:00PM CST) - RHP Ben Ethridge Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Thursday’s games! View full article

The Minnesota Twins haven’t seen Yasser Mercedes get off to a hot start this year for the FCL team, but he blasted his first dinger of the season. Christian MacLeod shoved for Cedar Rapids, and plenty of action was worth tuning into. TRANSACTIONS OF Trevor Larnach optioned from Minnesota to St. Paul RHP Ronny Henriquez placed on 7-day IL for St. Paul with an oblique strain OF Ryan LaMarre placed on development list by St. Paul RHP Alex Scherff promoted from Wichita to St. Paul LHP Denny Bentley placed on development list by Wichita RHP Alex Phillips added by Wichita from FCL Twins RHP Taylor Floyd added by Wichita from Milwaukee Brewers organization SAINTS SENTINEL Louisville 6, St. Paul 3 Box Score As they have been doing for some time now, the St. Paul Saints had Jordan Balazovic working in a piggy back role behind Cody Laweryson. The latter turned in three innings of two-run ball on a pair of solo homers. He struck out two and walked one. Balazovic then came in and worked just a single inning while allowing two runs on three hits and a walk. He gave up a dinger while striking out just one. Kyle Garlick got the Saints on the board first with a sacrifice fly that scored Andrew Stevenson, but that was St. Paul’s only lead of the night. A rehabbing Joey Votto blasted a solo shot in the bottom of the first inning, and from there it was the Jason Vosler show for Louisville. Stevenson did hit a solo shot in the seventh inning to make it a 5-2 score, and Chris Williams continued to destroy baseballs with his 13th dinger in the eighth inning and sixth in his past three games. Down 5-3 though, that was as close as the Saints would get. Stevenson and Anthony Prato were the lone Saints to record a pair of hits. Former Twins prospect Christian Encarnacion-Strand went 1-for-4 with an RBI. WIND SURGE WISDOM Midland 8, Wichita 7 Box Score It was Pierson Ohl’s turn for the Wind Surge, and he went six inning while allowing just two runs on four hits. Both runs scored on solo shots, and his six strikeouts came without walking a single batter. (Editor's Question: Did he walk any married players?) Wichita got on the board first when Aaron Sabato doubled in Brooks Lee during the first inning. That was quickly wiped away in the bottom half as Midland evened things up, but then there was a lull until the fifth inning. DaShawn Keirsey Jr. ripped his second triple of the season, scoring Will Holland to take the lead, and Lee singled in Keirsey Jr. to make it a 5-3 game. Pat Winkel then blasted his sixth double of the season to score Lee, and Sabato doubled for the second time on the evening to drive home Winkel. A four run inning was achieved and the score was 5-1 after the fifth. Adding in the sixth inning, Lee grabbed his 22nd double of the year to plate Keirsey Jr., and Wichita now led 6-1. Midland grabbed a run back in the bottom half before Holland drove in Sabato during the top of the seventh inning. Things went haywire for the Wind Surge in the eighth inning when they allowed three Midland runs to score and the lead was now wiped out. Not able to add in the top half of the ninth inning, Wichita needed to blank Midland in the bottom half. Instead the RockHounds grabbed a run on a throwing error by Lee and that was enough for the walk-off win. Both Keirsey Jr. and Lee had three hits. Winkel and Sabato each added a pair of their own. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 6, South Bend 5 (F/12) Box Score The Kernels went with Christian MacLeod tonight and he worked four innings allowing just a single run. Giving up five hits, MacLeod kept the bases clear by issuing no walks and striking out six on the evening. Both sides failed to reach the scoreboard until the fourth inning. After South Bend put up a run, Kala’i Rosario continued his strong season by blasting home run number eleven. The two-run tank brought home Emmanuel Rodriguez as well and put Cedar Rapids on top. After allowing South Bend to take the lead in the fifth inning, Tanner Schobel put the Kernels back even in the bottom half. His seventh double of the season scored Jose Salas and made it a 3-3 game. Working through nine innings neither side could find an advantage, and it wasn’t until the 10th inning that runs again came across. First South Bend scored their fourth run of the game and then Andrew Cossetti used a sacrifice fly to drive in Noah Miller to tie it again. Needing the 11th inning, it was South Bend driving in a run during the top half to take the 5-4 lead, but the Kernels answered when Kyler Fedko scored on a throwing error. Onto the 12th inning, Cedar Rapids held South Bend in the top half and then walked it off in the bottom half. Ernie Yake singled home Miller and that was enough to grab the victory. Racking up only five hits, no Kernels batters had multi-hit games. Despite striking out 11 times as a team, they did draw eight walks. MUSSEL MATTERS Fort Myers 7, Bradenton 4 Box Score Andrew Morris made the start tonight for Fort Myers and he went six innings allowing only three runs on four hits and two walks. The Texas Tech product struck out six batters on the evening. The Mighty Mussels jumped out to an early lead when Rubel Cespedes blasted a solo shot for his sixth homer of the year. After giving up the lead in the second and seeing Bradenton add in the fourth inning, Fort Myers clawed back. Gregory Duran hit his first home run of the season to make it a 3-2 score in the fifth inning, and then Ricardo Olivar lifted a two-run shot, scoring Danny De Andrade to take a 4-3 lead in the sixth inning. After the Marauders evened things in the seventh inning, Rafael Cruz crushed his third home run of the year, and his three-run shot scored both Olivar and Cespedes to make it a 7-4 game. That’s where things ended, and Fort Myers grabbed the victory. With just six hits in the contest, no Mussels batters recorded more than a single hit in the contest. Zach Veen grabbed the win in relief. COMPLEX CHRONICLES FCL Twins 6, FCL Braves 2 Box Score Jack Noble got the start today for the FCL team and was sharp across five innings. He scattered six hits allowing just two runs and struck out seven while walking none. Daniel Pena started the scoring for the Twins with a two-run blast that scored Bryan Acuna in the bottom of the second inning. Isaac Pena then followed a Jose Rodriguez third inning double with one of his own to make it a 3-0 game. He later came around to score on a throwing error. Star prospect Yasser Mercedes clubbed his first home run of the year, a two-run blast scoring Giovanny Rivero, making it 6-0 through four innings. He also had a double. The Braves got two back in the fifth inning, but that’s where the shutdown happened. Andres Centeno wiped one out with a double scoring Mercedes, after a double of his own, in the bottom of the sixth and that 7-2 score held. Mercedes and Rodriguez both had a pair of hits on the day with Acuna joining them. DOMINICAN DAILY DSL Phillies Red 15, DSL Twins 10 Box Score Things haven’t started great for the DSL Twins and that didn’t change today. With a 1-6 record coming into the game, they gave up an 11 spot to the DSL Phillies in the third inning. Cristian Hernandez was charged with nine runs across just 2 2/3 innings of work. Ariel Castro, the top international free agent signing for Minnesota, hit his first professional home run in this game. Fellow top signing, catcher Carlos Silva, was lifted for a pinch runner after being hit by a pitch. Jayson Bass and Moises Lopez both recorded hits for the Twins club in the sixth inning to put up a four spot. Down 15-7 at that point though, it was too little, too late. The Twins tried to extend their rally in the eighth inning with a wild pitch scoring Denyerbe Gervis and Javier Roman doubling in two, but 10 runs wasn’t going to get it done today. Both Moises Lopez and and Ricardo Pena grabbed three hits on the day while Gervis had a pair of his own. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – Christian MacLeod (Cedar Rapids) - 4.0 IP, 5 H 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 6 K Hitter of the Day – Yasser Mercedes (FCL) - 2-5, 2 R 2 RBI, 2B(2), HR(1), 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) - 3-5, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2B, K #2 - Royce Lewis (Minnesota) - 1-4, R, 2 K #3 - Emmanuel Rodriguez (Cedar Rapids) - 0-4, R, BB, 2 K #9 - Matt Wallner (St. Paul) - 0-3, BB, K #10 - Yasser Mercedes (FCL) - 2-5, 2 R 2 RBI, 2B(2), HR(1), 2 K #12 - Jose Salas (Cedar Rapids) - 1-3, R, BB, K #13 - Noah Miller (Cedar Rapids) - 0-4, 2 R, BB #14 - Jordan Balazovic (St. Paul) - 1.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, BB, K #18 - Jose Rodriguez (FCL) - 2-5, R, 2B(3) #19 - Yunior Severino (Wichita) - 1-5, 4 K FRIDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS St. Paul @ Louisville (6:15PM CST) - RHP Kenta Maeda Wichita @ Midland (7:00PM CST) - RHP David Festa South Bend @ Cedar Rapids (6:35PM CST) - RHP Marco Raya Fort Myers @ Bradenton (5:30PM CST) - RHP Jose Olivares Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Thursday’s games! View full article

Happy Short Season Opening Day! Let’s take a look out the short season Twins prospects to keep an eye on as many continue and some start their path to Major League Baseball. Who is only a handful of short years away from their MLB debut? View full video

In coming years, bigger bases and fewer pick-off attempts might change a team's base-stealing tendencies. Here are five Twins prospects to watch during the 2023 season because of their speed tool. Image courtesy of Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports The Twins have been a poor base running team in recent years, which projects to stay the same in 2023. Last season, Minnesota ranked last in baseball with 38 stolen bases, and FanGraphs ranked the team second to last in BsR, an all-encompassing base running statistic. Some of Minnesota's best base running prospects could help the team's running game in 2023 and beyond. Scouts and front office personnel use a 20-80 scale to evaluate players' tools. This ranking system also projects how those tools will change as the player develops. Speed is one tool that tends to decline as players age, and that reflects in the projections. Below are the top five Twins prospects regarding current and future speed potential. 5. Yasser Mercedes, OF Current Speed/Future Speed: 55/50 Mercedes quickly impacted the 2022 Dominican Summer League after signing with the Twins for $1.7 million out of the Dominican Republic. Born in Puerto Rico, he hit .355/.421/.555 (.975) with 13 doubles, three triples, and four home runs in 41 games. Even more impressively, he stole 30 bases in 35 attempts. He turned 18 in November, so he projects to become more physically mature. All his defensive innings came in center field last season, and the Twins hope he can stick at the position for the long term. Mercedes is a five-tool talent, and speed might be his worst tool when he reaches Target Field. 4. Ben Ross, UTL Current Speed/Future Speed: 60/55 The Twins took Ross with their fifth-round pick in last June's draft out of Notre Dame College (Ohio). Ross was a tremendous hitter in college as he batted .405/.471/.758 (1.229) and showed to be a baserunning threat. He played 22 of his 24 games at Low-A during his professional debut and went a perfect 6-for-6 in stolen base attempts. Since turning pro, the Twins have adjusted his swing, and he has added muscle to his frame. His speed can help him stick at shortstop, but he will likely move around the diamond to multiple defensive positions. He will likely begin 2023 in Fort Myers and is a prospect to watch during the 2023 campaign. 3. Jose Salas, SS Current Speed/Future Speed: 60/55 Salas was the top-ranked prospect acquired from the Marlins as part of the Luis Arraez-Pablo Lopez trade. In 2022, he went 33-for-34 in stolen base attempts between Low-A and High-A. He is a very athletic player that projects to add more weight to his body, which will likely take away from his speed before he reaches the big leagues. For now, he's considered a shortstop, but he might lose some quickness and shift to second base, third base, or the outfield. Salas was over three years younger than the average age of the competition in the Midwest League, so the Twins can have him start the 2023 season in Cedar Rapids. 2. Will Holland, SS/OF Current Speed/Future Speed: 70/65 The Twins selected Holland in the fifth round of the 2019 MLB Draft from Auburn University. His speed helps him on both sides of the ball, and that's one reason the Twins have used him at shortstop and in the outfield. Last season, he went 32-for-36 in stolen base attempts between High-A and Double-A. For a player with limited power, he doesn't make consistent contact (.227 BA in 2022), and he strikes out a lot (137 K in 116 G). His numbers did improve when he got to Double-A, so there is hope he can continue to develop at that level in 2023. 1. Royce Lewis, SS/OF Current Speed/Future Speed: 70/65 Evaluators have praised Lewis' speed since he was an amateur, but that was before two major knee surgeries. He returned strongly from the first surgery and is on pace to return to action later this year. His rehab work from the first knee surgery strengthened him and increased his speed. Lewis averaged 25 steals per season in both years, where he played over 50 games. Last season, he went 12-for-14 in stolen base attempts at Triple-A. Overall, he is a smart base runner with the speed to cause havoc for the opposition. Who do you think has the best speed tool in the Twins system? Should someone else make the list? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. OTHER POSTS IN THE SERIES -Power Tool -Hit Tool 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

Just outside the Top 10 Twins prospects, you will see names featured that can make big impact at all levels of the Twins farm system. See which prospects ranked 11 through 15. Image courtesy of Rob Thompson (Wallner), Steve Buhr (Festa), William Parmeter (Miller) The outliers of the top 10 Twins prospects feature names that became more commonly known to avid Twins fans this last season. Two pitchers and three hitters are a part of this section of the rankings, and all have great potential to be big names for the Twins in the coming seasons. Here are the 11-15 ranked prospects going into the 2023 season. 15. RHP Matt Canterino Age: 25 2022 (Rk, AA): 12 starts, 37 IP, 1.95 ERA, 34.7% K, 15.3% BB Canterino showed great flashes of success at Double-A Wichita last season posting a 1.95 ERA in 37 innings pitched. His pitches are still ranked at an average level in scouting grads with his slider and change-up as the outliers graded at 60 per FanGraphs, putting those pitches slightly above average. The greatest struggle that Canterino has had in his professional career so far is his command of the strike zone. Canterino can top out at 97 and 98 mph with his fastball and if he can get his command under control as he recovers from Tommy John surgery, that can make him a greater threat to hitters on the mound. The downside for Canterino is he is going to miss most, if not all, of the 2023 season due to undergoing Tommy John surgery last August. If things progress well, there is a slight chance he could see some time on the mound come September. 14. SS Noah Miller Age: 20 2022 (A): 108 games, .212/.348/.279, 12 2B, 2 HR, 23/30 SB, 23.5% K, 16.2% BB Noah Miller, the Twins second, first-round pick in 2021 out of high school in Wisconsin, played his first full season of professional ball in Ft. Myers. While his offense didn't develop, he did work counts, take his walks and put the ball in play. His power was limited to just two home runs and a .279 slugging percentage. Miller is still very young, having just turned 20 in November. There is still room and plenty of time for his power to develop. He is seen more as a contact hitter, that being his best attribute with a scouting grade of 60 according to FanGraphs. He is already arguably the best defensive shortstop in the Twins minor leagues right now. He provided consistency and the occasional web gem for the Mighty Mussels. No surprise as those who watched some spring training games saw what he could do late in big-league spring games. The hope for Miller is to develop his all-around game in 2023 to reach High-A Cedar Rapids before the season's end. 13. RHP David Festa Age: 23 2022 (A/A+): 18 starts, 103.2 IP, 2.43 ERA, 23.1% K, 8.6% BB David Festa pitched in only four games after being drafted in the 13th round by the Twins in 2021. In 2022, he became a starter and worked 103 2/3 innings. His story is very similar to Louie Varland's a year earlier. Day 3 draft pick dominated in the two A-ball levels. Now, Festa will have to show what he can do against hitters in the upper levels of the minor leagues. Festa’s performance across the 2022 season showed great development in his pitch command. His 34 walks to 108 strikeouts between Low-A and High-A brought about a 3.18 K/BB ratio, which shows great potential for better command development in his second full season. The scouting grade rankings for Festa still place him at an overall average ranking, but the 6’6 righty will do what he can to show he has a place in a future Twins rotation. Those numbers should change as his fastball was sitting 96-97 most of the year and touch 98 and 99 later in the season too. He will need to continue working on his secondary pitches as well. 12. Yasser Mercedes Age: 18 2022 (Rk): 41 games, .355/.421/.555, 13 2B, 4 HR, 30/35 SB, 19.9% K, 10.2% BB Yasser Mercedes has only been in the Twins organization for a little over a year when he signed for $1.7 million, but he already made himself a standout in the DSL in 2022. Mercedes posted a fantastic triple slash and showed mature plate discipline for a 17-year-old across 176 plate appearances. Mercedes's skill set based on scouting grades is also a good place for him to be at his age with nothing ranking below an average grade of 50. Speed seems to be his greatest attribute as the youngster stole 30 bases in 35 attempts last season, being one of only six players in the Dominican Summer League to reach the 30 stolen base threshold. He also has power potential, plays solid defense and has a strong arm. It will still be a long while before Mercedes ends up in a Twins uniform, but the potential this 18-year-old has shown indicates that he could be the Twins' best prospect a couple of years from now. 11. Matt Wallner Age: 25 2022 (AA/AAA): 128 games, .277/.412/.542, 32 2B, 27 HR, 9/14 SB, 31.3% K, 18.1% BB The Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Year in 2022 and Forest Lake native made a name for himself throughout the 2022 season. Matt Wallner may have the best throwing arm in the outfield in all of the Twins organization right now, and he will have a chance to show it off at CHS Field and Target Field in 2023. Wallner’s power as a left-handed hitter also makes him a standout in the Twins system. Granted, the current Twins outfield depth with Joey Gallo, Max Kepler, Nick Gordon, Michael A Taylor, Trevor Larnach, and Byron Buxton will likely leave Wallner starting his season with the St. Paul Saints. However, he will do his best like his teammate and fellow Minnesota native, Louie Varland, to make managerial choices for the 26-man roster as hard as possible. Feel free to discuss these prospects and ask as many questions as you like in the COMMENTS below. For more Twins Daily content on these five Twins prospects, click on the link with their name here: Matt Canterino, Noah Miller, David Festa, Yasser Mercedes, Matt Wallner. Previous Installments Honorable Mention Prospects 21-30 Prospects 16-20 Prospects 11-15 Prospect #10: Coming Monday! View full article

Matt Canterino and David Festa are two of the top pitching prospects in the Twins’ system, and both show up here in the 11-15 range. Yasser Mercedes had an incredible stint in the DSL, Matt Wallner looks like a 30-homer bat and Noah Miller’s defense at shortstop is dazzling. View full video

During a short season, it can be challenging for hitters to separate themselves from other players at their level. In one of this season's closest voting results, each of the top three candidates was considered for the Twins Daily Short-Season Hitter of the Year. Image courtesy of Instagram (graphics by Thieres Rabelo) Minnesota signed Jose Rodriguez as part of the 2022 international signing period. At the time, the Twins were signing other players for higher signing bonuses, which may have helped Rodriguez fly under the radar. As a 17-year-old, Minnesota had him spend the entire season in the Dominican Summer League, where he showed why he might be a prospect to keep an eye on in the years to come. The DSL Twins started their season in June, and Rodriguez slowly started to see his bat warm up. In his first 18 games, he went 17-for-61 (.279 BA) with three doubles, two triples, and two home runs. For the month, he had three games with three or more hits. It was an impressive start to the season, especially since he faced older pitchers in all but 12 of his plate appearances this year. July was Rodriguez's most impressive month as he hit .333/.414/.747 (1.161) with eight doubles, one triple, and seven home runs. He added on three stolen bases and a 19-to-10 strikeout to walk ratio. Rodriguez had a 14-game on-base streak that saw him go 22-for-52 (.423 BA) with 14 extra-base hits. In August, he posted a .919 OPS with nine extra-base hits in 15 games. To end the season on a strong note, Rodriguez went 3-for-5 with two home runs and five RBI on August 18th. Ranking teenage prospects before they sign can be challenging for evaluators, but Rodriguez showed he might have been a steal from last year's signing class. Runner-Up: Ricardo Olivar, C/OF Rookie League Stats (40 G): .349/.442/.605 (1.046), 12 2B, 3 3B, 5 HR, 23 RBI Olivar has a unique skill set as the Twins use him as a catcher and an outfielder. His bat is so good that there is no wonder the team wants him in the lineup as much as possible. Last season, he struggled in his professional debut with a .686 OPS in 34 games for the FCL Twins. In July and August this season, he combined to hit .344/.446/.677 (1.123) with 18 extra-base hits in 27 games. His performance earned him a September promotion to Fort Myers, where he played three games, including a 2-for-4 effort in his final appearance. Second Runner-Up: Yasser Mercedes, OF DSL Stats (41 G): .355/.421/.555 (.975), 13 2B, 3 3B, 4 HR, 20 RBI, 30 SB Mercedes ranked as one of the best international prospects in this year's signing class, and he showcased all of his tools in his professional debut. He hit for average and power, played terrific outfield defense, and stole 30 bases in 41 games. Mercedes had multiple hits in 16 games, and he saw his OPS increase each month of the season. He's one of the team's top prospects, and he should rise on prospect rankings this winter based on his professional debut. Honorable Mentions: Rafael Cruz, 1B/3B (FCL/DSL): .297/.398/.558 (.956), 8 2B, 4 3B, 9 HR Cruz saw his OPS jump over 370 points in his second professional season. Alexander Pena, 1B/3B (FCL): .317/.374/.537 (.910), 7 2B, 1 3B, 3 HR Pena repeated the FCL as a 20-year-old but saw a significant increase in his power production this season. Bryan Acuna, SS (DSL): .310/.409/.393 (.803) 12 2B, 0 HR, 9 SB, 20 BB Acuna showed he can hit for average and draw walks, and his power will develop as he adds to his frame. Anderson Nova, OF (DSL): .355/.465/.476 (.932) 8 2B, 2 3B, 1 HR Nova drew 21 walks in 40 games to help boost his OBP, which is good to see from a 17-year-old. Which players will most likely impact the Twins down the road? Who would you vote as the short-season hitter of the year? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. PREVIOUS WINNERS: 2016 - Lewin Diaz 2017 - Akil Baddoo 2018 - Chris Williams 2019 - Matt Wallner 2021 - Kala’i Rosario View full article

There was lots of action on the farm on Tuesday, as both the rookie leagues played pseudo-doubleheaders in addition to the regular slate. A top pitching prospect, and heck, the whole team, went off in Double-A, and a new top prospect hit a milestone in Cedar Rapids. TRANSACTIONS LHP Ryan Horstman was assigned to Wichita from Fort Myers. In Cedar Rapids, SS Dalton Shuffield was assigned from the FCL Down in Fort Myers, SS Daniel Ozoria was transferred to the development list, while OF Alex Sayre and SS Ben Ross were assigned from the FCL. In sadder transaction news, RHP Matt Canterino and LHP Steven Klimek were assigned to the Full Season Injured List. SAINTS SENTINEL Scranton/Wilkes-Barre 10, St. Paul 9 Box Score The Saints took a 9-0 lead in this one after the first two innings, so that should tell you about the disappointment that came late. Dereck Rodriguez made the start and was solid for five innings, the first four of those being of the scoreless variety. The RailRiders finally broke through for one in the fifth, before they’d decimate the St. Paul bullpen in the next three innings. Rodriguez allowed one run on four hits and three walks, while striking out four in his five innings. He had the big lead the entire time he was on the mound, as the home team used two walks, a single, and a hit by pitch in the bottom of the first, before a Chris Williams sac fly and Andrew Bechtold RBI single to take a 3-0 lead. They piled on six more in the second inning as seven straight hitters reached base, including a couple of RailRider errors to extend the inning, before Williams put an exclamation on it with a three-run home run for the 9-0 lead. Unfortunately, sixteen straight hitters after that were retired by Scranton/Wilkes-Barre pitchers, and a John Andreoli single in the eighth inning was the only offense they mustered the rest of the game. After Rodriguez’s exit, the bullpen trio of Ronny Henriquez (2 IP, 5 H, 6 ER, 2 BB, 4 K), Austin Schulfer (1/3 IP, 2 H, 2 ER), and Jovani Moran (1 2/3 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 4 K) couldn’t hold off the RailRider bats. Henriquez allowed two home runs, and Moran got charged with the blown save and loss after giving up the go-ahead home run in the eighth. Mark Contreras (2-for-3, R, RBI) was the only Saints hitter with multiple knocks, while Williams finished with four RBI, and Michael Helman chipped in a double. WIND SURGE WISDOM Tulsa 4, Wichita 17 Box Score This was just one of those games for the Tulsa Drillers. It’s always tough when you give up something like 17 runs, but they put forth a meager effort against Wichita’s pitching, which saw several records be set. To set the tone, Simeon Woods Richardson was on the mound for Wichita, and was electric for the first five innings. While he did allow seven hits, that number doesn’t tell an accurate story. I remember three balls that never should be counted as hits, including a sawed-off-bat fly ball that managed to fall safely into center field for a single. Woods Richardson was fooling RailRider hitters with the entirety of his arsenal, including 19 total swings-and-misses. Of his 87 pitches, 60 went for strikes (69%). His 10 strikeouts on the game are a new career high, and at one point he had struck out five straight hitters. It was a masterful performance. Then the bullpen followed him with perhaps an even more impressive four innings when it comes to punching out batters. Denny Bentley struck out two in a scoreless sixth inning, Alex Phillips picked up all six of his outs on K’s, and fireballer Steven Cruz added two more in a scoreless ninth inning. The 20 strikeouts in the game for Wind Surge pitchers set a club record and is the most strikeouts in any game in the Texas League this season. Jeez, I was so impressed by the pitching I even forgot about all the hitting, and patience… The Wind Surge lineup notched 14 hits, and matched that number by drawing 14 walks on the night as well. Will Holland had a double and a grand slam, in addition to three walks to reach base in all five of his plate appearances. He scored two runs and drove in five. Yunior Severino clubbed his first home run in a Wind Surge uniform, a three-run shot in the second inning that put Wichita in front. In a 10-run sixth inning, 14 straight hitters reached base, including an astonishing six straight walks that followed Holland’s grand slam, the culmination of five straight hitters reaching with hits. Aaron Sabato (2-for-4, 2 R, RBI, 2 BB), Cole Sturgeon (4-for-5, 2 R, 3 RBI, BB), and DaShawn Keirsey Jr. (2-for-4, 2 R, 2B, RBI, BB, K) joined Severino and Holland with multiple hit nights. In a game like this, it’s almost astonishing to see that Edouard Julian and Anthony Prato were the guys who didn’t get hits. Then again, Julien drew a walk and scored a run, and Prato drew four walks and scored three runs. If you’re in the “too long, didn’t read” crowd, the box score link above is highly recommended. KERNELS NUGGETS Wisconsin 2, Cedar Rapids 7 Box Score While it was pretty much a team-wide effort of domination for Kernels against Wisconsin on Tuesday night, I’d be remiss if I didn’t immediately point out the first professional home run of infielder Brooks Lee’s career: This two-run shot in the seventh inning pushed the lead to 7-2 for Cedar Rapids. They got there behind a solid effort from their pitching staff, led by starter Orlando Rodriguez. He struck out the first three hitters of the game, but the final pitch to the last one got away, so he had to strike out another. If you’re counting, that’s 4 K’s in one inning. He then struck out two more to start the second, two more in the third, and one in the fourth before he was lifted. In all, he tossed 3 1/3 innings, striking out nine. He was charged with two runs (one earned) on three hits. Derek Molina added 2 2/3 perfect innings to pick up the win, followed by two more perfect innings from Matt Mullenbach (2 K), before Samuel Perez (1 IP, H) finished off the victory for the home team. Before Lee’s blast, the Kernels built a 5-2 lead thanks to a sac fly from Jake Rucker in the first, an RBI single from Willie Joe Garry Jr. in the second, and a three-run homer from Jeferson Morales in the fourth. Lee (2-for-4, R, HR, 2 RBI) and Garry Jr. (2-for-4, RBI, K, 2 SB) led the way with two hits apiece. Alerick Soularie went 1-for-3 with two runs scored out of the leadoff spot, also drawing a walk and stealing a base. Mikey Perez scored two runs with a single, a walk, and another stolen base. As a team, they swiped six bases on the game. Lee did have two errors, one fielding, one throwing, playing shortstop. MUSSEL MATTERS Fort Myers 10, Palm Beach 1 Box Score The Mighty Mussels outhit the Cardinals 11-to-5 on the game, taking advantage of seven walks and timely hitting to put up double-digits on the scoreboard. Left-hander Jordan Carr made the start for Fort Myers and was excellent, pitching into the seventh inning. In all he completed 6 2/3 innings, allowing just a single run on four hits and a walk, while striking out four. It was his fifth win of the season, and he has yet to take a loss. Zaquiel Puentes finished off the game with 2 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing just one hit and striking out three. The good guys took the lead for the first time, and for good, in the top of the second inning when Noah Cardenas led off with a double, and was promptly driven in by a single from Keoni Cavaco. A pair of singles and a sac fly from Noah Miller in the third led to their second run, before a Carlos Aguiar homer in the fifth stretched their lead to 4-0. In the sixth Cavaco delivered an RBI double and they’d add another run on an RBI single from Alec Sayre in his FSL debut. In the seventh it was again Cavaco coming through, this time in the form of a sac fly to put them ahead 7-0. They tacked on three more runs in the ninth after loading the bases with three walks. Cardenas (2-for-2, 3 R, 2B, 2 BB), Cavaco (2-for-4, 2B, 3 RBI, K), Sayre (2-for-5, R, 2 RBI, K) and Aguiar (2-for-5, R, HR, 2 RBI, K) all had multiple hits. Dillon Tatum drew two walks, scored a run, and drove in a run. COMPLEX CHRONICLES Game 1: FCL Twins 7, FCL Braves 0 (Makeup of Aug. 15 PPD, 6+ innings) Box Score In game one of their doubleheader, the Twins shut out the Braves, jumping out front 6-0 after two and never looking back. Danny De Andrade and Gregory Duran each hit homers, with DeAndrade finishing 3-for-4, scoring two runs, driving in three, and also stealing a base. Third baseman Rafael Cruz also had multiple hits, going 2-for-4 with a run scored and two RBI. Develson Aria made the start and went the first three innings. He scattered four hits, walked one, and struck out seven. Jack Noble (IP, H, K), Jacob Edwards (IP, H, K), and Wilker Reyes (IP, H, BB, 2 K) finished out the final three innings, keeping the shutout intact. Game 2: FCL Braves 3, FCL Twins 1 Box Score The Twins managed just one hit in their second game of the day, being unable to take advantage of the six base on balls they were able to draw. They were 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position and left only six men on base. The rehabbing Austin Martin was 0-for-3, but drew one of those walks. Fredy Michel had the only hit, a single in the fourth inning, and also stole two bases, scoring their only run of the game. On the mound for his first rehab appearance and first game of the 2022 season, was Randy Dobnak. He pitched a clean first inning, retiring all three hitters including a strikeout, as he began to work his way back toward the majors. It was a bullpen-type game from there, with Michael Boyle (IP), A.J. Labas (2 IP), Zach Veen (IP), Danny Moreno (2/3 IP), and Cole Bellair (1 1/3 IP) all making appearances. Moreno was saddled with a blown save and loss, by allowing all three Braves runs. DOMINICAN DAILIES Game 1: DSL Cardinals 6, DSL Twins 13 (Completion of July 27 SUSP) Box Score The first game of the day for the DSL Twins was a completion of a game suspended back on 7/27. The Twins pounded out 15 hits, going 6-for-9 with runners in scoring position to keep the scoring train going in multiple innings. They put up four in the fifth, three in the sixth, and five in the eighth behind 13 singles and four walks. Isaac Pena had a triple, single, and sac fly to lead the way with six RBI in three at-bats, also drawing a walk and scoring a run. Ricardo Pena (2-for-4, 2 R, HR, RBI), Denyerbe Gervis (3-for-5, 2 R, RBI), and Bryan Acuna (3-for-4, 2 R, RBI) all had multiple hits. Anthony Narvaez had made the start and completed two innings back in July, allowing four runs (two earned) on four hits and a walk, while striking out three. Orlando Rubio went the next three innings before the game was delayed, allowing one run on two hits and two walks, along with striking out three of his own. When the game resumed today, it was Leonardo Lugo on the mound, and he was fantastic finishing the final four games. He gave up one run on three hits, walked none, and struck out eight. Game 2: DSL Cardinals 7, DSL Twins 4 Box Score The Twins outhit the Cardinals 10-to-6, but eight walks issued by Twins pitchers led to a losing effort on the scoreboard. Starting pitcher Miguel Olivares had an uncharacteristic outing, allowing three runs (two earned) on three hits, four free passes, and struck out just two. His two runs allowed in the second inning were the first earned runs he had allowed in his last 18 innings pitched. Jose Ojo (1/3 IP, H, 3 ER, 2 BB) and Juan Mercedes (2 2/3 IP, 2 H, ER, 2 BB, 5 K) finished the final three innings for the Twins bullpen. Leadoff man Yasser Mercedes led the way for the lineup with three hits in four at-bats and also stole second base each time he reached (giving him 27 steals in 36 total games). Luis Rodriguez added a double and scored a run, while Jose Rodriguez hit his 11th home run of the season, which ranks second in the DSL. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day - Simeon Woods Richardson, Wichita Wind Surge (W, 5 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, BB, 10 K) Hitter of the Day - Will Holland, Wichita Wind Surge (2-for-2, 2 R, 2B, GS HR, 5 RBI, 3 BB) PROSPECT SUMMARY #2 - Brooks Lee (Cedar Rapids) - 2-for-4, R, HR, 2 RBI #4 - Austin Martin (rehab, FCL) - 0-for-3, BB #6 - Simeon Woods Richardson (Wichita) - W, 5 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, BB, 10 K #7 - Noah Miller (Fort Myers) - 0-for-3, R, RBI, BB, K #9 - Matt Wallner (St. Paul) - 0-for-5, R, K #14 - Edouard Julien (Wichita) - 0-for-5, R, BB #16 - Ronny Henriquez (St. Paul) - 2 IP, 5 H, 6 ER, 2 BB, 4 K #17 - Cole Sands (Minnesota) - 1 IP, H, 2 K #19 - Alerick Soularie (Cedar Rapids) - 1-for-3, 2 R, BB, SB #20 - Kala’i Rosario (Fort Myers) - 0-for-4, R, BB, 2 K WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Scranton/WB @ St. Paul (7:07 PM CDT) - RHP Jordan Balazovic (0-5, 10.15 ERA) Tulsa @ Wichita (7:05 PM CDT) - RHP Cody Laweryson Wisconsin @ Cedar Rapids (6:35 PM CDT) - TBD Fort Myers @ Palm Beach (5:30 PM CDT) - TBD DSL Brewers 1 @ DSL Twins (10:00 AM CDT) - TBD Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Tuesday’s games! 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A 2022 draft pick made his professional debut, a few hitters broke out, and Blayne Enlow had one of his best outings of the season. Read all about that and more in this edition of the minor league report. TRANSACTIONS OF Mark Contreras optioned to St. Paul Saints Sentinel St. Paul 5, Omaha 0 Box Score Ariel Jurado: 4 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K HR: John Andreoli (9), Jermaine Palacios 2 (11, 12), Braden Bishop (1) Multi-hit games: Michael Helman (2-for-5, 2B, R), Jermaine Palacios (2-for-5, 2 HR, 2 R, 3 RBI) St. Paul smothered their opponent on Saturday. Ariel Jurado earned the nod for the start on Saturday and was effective, if not sporadic. No Storm Chaser crossed home plate under his watch, but the righty only coaxed a single strikeout from his opponents, instead relying on his defense to make plays behind him. St. Paul’s bats were cleared for take-off; the team launched four home runs in their effort, with Jermaine Palacios’ second bomb acting as the lone non-solo shot. John Andreoli and Braden Bishop, perhaps united in their effort as former fringe Mariners, also homered. Bishop’s was his first of the season. Evan Sisk was the big-winner for Saints’ relievers; the lefty-handed return in the J.A. Happ trade pitched two shutout innings with a pair of strikeouts. Sisk will likely be in the majors sooner than later. Wind Surge Wisdom Wichita 5, San Antonio 1 Box Score Blayne Enlow: 4 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K HR: Jair Camargo (4) Multi-hit games: Chris Williams (2-for-4, 2B, R, RBI, BB), Ernie Yake (2-for-4, 2B, R), Leobaldo Cabrera (3-for-4, 2B, RBI) Wichita easily handled their opponent on Saturday. Blayne Enlow established order; the righty allowed one earned run over four frames, striking out an equal number of batters for good measure. It’s been an up-and-down season for Enlow, and this start was certainly one of the bright spots. Wichita’s offense ensured Enlow’s start would not go for naught; Chris Williams and Andrew Bechtold both doubled in the 1st inning, scoring three total runs. Leobaldo Cabrera returned with an RBI double in the third frame; Jair Camargo, just to be mean, blasted a solo shot in the 7th. Cody Laweryson worked three scoreless innings, striking out four batters with two hits allowed. Laweryson dropped his AA ERA to 1.03. Yes, that’s the correct number. Some guy named Fernando Tatís Jr. started for San Antonio and walked twice. Kernels Nuggets Cedar Rapids 1, Beloit 2 Box Score David Festa: 3 1/3 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 K HR: None Multi-hit games: Wander Javier (2-for-4), Jeferson Morales (2-for-4, RBI) The Kernels lost a low-scoring affair on Saturday. David Festa, newly anointed as the 13th best prospect according to this site, started for the first time since July 24th, allowing a pair of runs with, yes, a picked-off runner. Get used to reading that. Cedar Rapids struggled against Beloit’s pitchers. Perhaps they were baffled by the “Sky Carps” moniker—as the team changed their name for the night—or maybe they were offended that a pitcher named “Puckett” earned the save for the opposing team; in any case, the team did not hit. Will Holland earned the sole extra-base hit of the night, his 11th double of the season. Kernels’ relievers worked as their positional name implies, shutting out Beloit with 5 2/3 effective innings. Jon Olsen struck out four batters; Tyler Palm did not allow a baserunner. Mussel Matters Fort Myers 6, Bradenton 9 Box Score Mike Paredes: 4 1/3 IP, 10 H, 5 ER, 0 BB, 4 K HR: Carlos Aguiar (9) Multi-hit games: Misael Urbina (3-for-5, 2 2B, R, 2 RBI), Kala’i Rosario (2-for-5, RBI), Dillon Tatum (2-for-2, 2B, 2 R, 2 BB), Carlos Aguiar (2-for-4, HR, 2B, 2 R, 2 RBI) The Mighty Mussels could not steal command of the game on Saturday. Mike Paredes, fresh off winning the Twins Daily Minor League Starting Pitcher of the Month award, served up a clunker; the righty rushed through regression with whiplash intensity, allowing nearly as many hits (10) as outs (13). Fort Myers’ bats enjoyed the game far more; Carlos Aguiar and Misael Urbina clocked multiple extra-base hits while Noah Miller tripled for, appropriately, the third time. It was a tremendous effort, but the early deficit proved insurmountable. Jackson Hicks and Samuel Perez found better luck than Paredes—although Hicks walked four batters—but the Marauders still walked away with nine total runs; a total the Mighty Mussels fell short in chasing. Complex Chronicles FCL Twins 10, FCL Red Sox 11 Box Score Tomas Cleto: 2 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 2 K HR: Gregory Duran (2), Alex Isola (1), Ricardo Olivar (5) Multi-hit games: Tanner Schobel (2-for-5, 2 R), Danny De Andrade (2-for-5, R, RBI), Ricardo Olivar (3-for-4, HR, R, 3 RBI), Gregory Duran (2-for-5, HR, R, RBI) The FCL Twins lost a high-scoring affair. Recent 1st round pick Brooks Lee manned shortstop to start and netted a single out of three tries at the plate. Tanner Schobel—another 2022 draft pick—dropped in two singles while working as the designated hitter. Jorel Ortega debuted for the first time and promptly struck out in three at-bats. It’ll be on to the next one for him. Alex Isola started a rehab assignment, blasting a health-proving three-run homer while also walking. Dominican Dailies DSL Twins 4, DSL Rockies 10 Box Score Cesar Lares: 2 2/3 IP, 5 H, 5 ER, 2 BB, 4 K HR: Yasser Mercedes (4) Multi-hit games: Yasser Mercedes (2-for-4, HR, R, 3 RBI), Denyerbe Gervis (2-for-4, R), Juan Zapata (2-for-3, 2B, R) The DSL Twins were smoked on Saturday. Yasser Mercedes continued his head-turning start to the season; the athletic outfielder homered for the fourth time and swiped his 21st bag of the season. If you haven’t heard, I’m here to let you know—Mercedes is the real deal. Juan Zapata and Isaac Pena were the only other hitters with an extra-base knock on Saturday. TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Blayne Enlow Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Jermaine Palacios PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed: #2 - Brooks Lee (FCL Twins) - 1-3, R #7 - Noah Miller (Ft. Myers) - 1-5, 3B, K #9 - Matt Wallner (St. Paul) - 0-3, 2 BB #13 - David Festa (Cedar Rapids) - 3 ⅓ IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 K #14 - Edouard Julien (Wichita) - 1-5, 2 K #15 - Blayne Enlow (Wichita) - 4 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K #18 - Tanner Schobel (FCL Twins) - 2-5, 2 R, K #20 - Kala’i Rosario (Ft. Myers) - 2-5, RBI SUNDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS St. Paul @ Omaha (5:05 PM) - LHP Devin Smeltzer NW Arkansas @ Wichita (6:05 PM) - RHP Casey Legumina Beloit @ Cedar Rapids (2:05 PM) - TBD Bradenton @ Fort Myers (12:00 PM) - RHP Regi Grace View full article