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Front Page: Twins Minor League Report (8/3): Near No-Hitter for Pensacola, Seth Gray Slugs Walk-Off Grand Slam for E-Town

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Matt Braun GCL Twins

Matt Braun

Twins Daily Contributor
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It was another very fun day in the Twins’ minor league system as nearly every team who played won their game and there was a no-hitter flirtation. There were also some bombs hit by some top prospects which is always fun. All that and more in this edition of the minor league report.TRANSACTIONS

 

SS Mike Miller signed and assigned to AAA Rochester

 

LHP Lewis Thorpe optioned to AAA Rochester

 

OF Jake Cave recalled by Minnesota

 

RHP Zack Littell recalled by Minnesota

 

RHP Williams Ramirez released by AA Pensacola

 

2B Yunior Severino activated from the 7-day IL for A Cedar Rapids

 

RHP Matt Canterino promoted to A Cedar Rapids

 

RHP Cody Laweryson assigned to Elizabethton Twins

 

RHP Benjamin Dunn assigned to Elizabethton Twins

 

RED WINGS REPORT

Rochester 7, Pawtucket 4

Box Score

 

Drew Hutchison: 5 ⅓ IP, 8 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 4 K, 64.8% strikes (59 of 91 pitches)

HR: Brandon Barnes (25)

Multi-hit games: Alejandro De Aza (2-for-4, 2B, 2 R, RBI), Ronald Torreyes (3-for-5, 2B, R, RBI)

 

The Red Wings won a pretty clean game this Saturday.

 

It was the new guys in the lineup who proved to be the major force as Mike Miller, Brandon Barnes, and Alejandro De Aza all had an extra-base hit and at least one run scored. Mike Miller is the newest of those guys and he made his Rochester debut with a double and a walk. If he continues to do this, they may start to really like him over there.

 

Alejandro De Aza now has an OPS over 1.000 with the Red Wings so he seems ready in case the Twins (knock on wood) would ever need some more OF depth.

 

Ryan Eades worked a great outing in relief of Hutchison as he got five outs with three coming via strikeout and just one hit allowed. All in all, Rochester pitching struck out ten without walking a single batter.

 

BLUE WAHOO BITES

Pensacola 3, Birmingham 1

Box Score

 

Bryan Sammons: 6 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 5 BB, 6 K, 56% strikes (56 of 100 pitches)

HR: Larnach (3), Costello (3)

Multi-hit games: Ivan De Jesús Jr. (2-for-3, 2B)

 

Bryan Sammons was very very good on Saturday, notably so with a pair of goose eggs in more than one stat up there. Unfortunately, the five walks inflated the pitch count so he could not go any deeper for the no-hitter.

 

Gabriel Moya relieved Sammons and gave up the first hit for the Barons in the eighth off a cheeky infield pop-up that didn’t get any home cooking from the official scorer. Either way, the Blue Wahoos’ pitching allowed only a single run on the day.

 

Trevor Larnach had been having a somewhat rough time recently in his first games at AA, but he hit his third home run at AA on Saturday and that had to have felt good. In fact, the first three Blue Wahoos’ hitters (Lewis, Kirilloff, and Larnach) all had a hit. What are we nicknaming this group? The trifecta? C(Rush)? Let us think about it at least.

 

MIRACLE MATTERS

Ft. Myers 3, Lakeland 4

Box Score

 

Blayne Enlow: 6 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 4 K

HR: None

Multi-hit games: Yeltsin Encarnacion (2-for-4, R)

 

The Miracle lost a heartbreaker this Saturday.

 

They got out to a lead first thanks to a Gabriel Maciel single in the third inning that scored Ernie De La Trinidad.

 

Blayne Enlow was on the bump and he did the job as he went six innings with just one earned run. Normally I have the pitch count but MiLB.com has it that he threw forty-two pitches and well, I can tell you that that is not true.

 

The Miracle added two more runs in the seventh off an Aaron Whitefield single to put the game at 3-1. Zach Neff working in his second inning in relief of Enlow in the eighth allowed four straight batters to reach and two runs to make it a 4-3 deficit. The Miracle could not recover.

 

Aaron Whitefield had a good game as he reached base three times and knocked in a run. ( The second run that scored on his single was not counted as an RBI because that run scored on a throwing error.) He was also picked off once but I won’t dwell on the negative.

 

KERNELS NUGGETS

Cedar Rapids 3, Burlington 2

Box Score

 

Matt Cantinero: 2 ⅔ IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 4 BB, 3 K, 47.7% strikes (31 of 65 pitches)

HR: Wander Javier (7)

Multi-hit games: Gilberto Celestino (2-for-4, R)

 

Matt Cantinero made his Kernels debut and did not allow any hits or runs but fought his command as he failed to hit the 50% strike mark. I watched some of his start and it looked like he could not keep the breaking ball down specifically but this was most likely just nerves. Also, his delivery has more funk than a Red Hot Chili Peppers album from the 80’s.

 

The Kernels only scored one time and it was from Wander Javier who blasted a three-run homer in the sixth inning to take the lead. It has not been the easiest of time for Wander at Cedar Rapids but the power is starting to flash as this was his second homer in nine games.

 

Yunior Severino made his return to the Kernels’ lineup and he got a hit while striking out twice.

 

E-Town E-Notes

Elizabethton 9, Bristol 6

Box Score

 

Ryley Widell: 4 ⅓ IP, 6 H, 5 ER, 3 BB, 2 K

HR: Seth Gray (8)

Multi-hit games: Seth Gray (2-for-5, HR, 2B, 1 R, 4 RBI), Anthony Prato (3-for-3, 2 R, RBI)

 

Good pro tip: if you give up a lot of runs, make sure to score more runs. Thanks, I’ll be here all week.

 

It was looking bleak for Elizabethton as they were down headed into the bottom of the ninth and there were some shenanigans regarding the sprinkler system:

 

 

Anyway, it was a 6-4 game in favor of Bristol in the ninth before a Willie Joe Garry Jr. single scored a run to make it a little closer. DaShawn Keirsey walked to load the bases before Seth Gray hit a walk-off grand slam. That was Gray’s second extra- base hit of the day and he chose a great time to do it.

 

 

GCL Twins Takes

GCL Twins postponed

 

The GCL Twins were postponed today so I have nothing to tell you here, move on.

 

TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY

 

Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Bryan Sammons

Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Seth Gray

 

PROSPECT SUMMARY

Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed:

 

#1 - Royce Lewis (Pensacola) - 1-for-4, 3B, R

#2 - Alex Kirilloff (Pensacola) - 1-for-4

#3 - Brusdar Graterol (Pensacola) - IL

#4 - Trevor Larnach (Pensacola) - 1-for-4, HR, R, RBI, 2 K

#5 - Wander Javier (Cedar Rapids) - 0-for-2, 2 R, 2 BB, K

#6 - Jordan Balazovic (Ft. Myers) - Did not pitch

#7 - Keoni Cavaco (GCL Twins) - Postponed

#8 - Brent Rooker (Rochester) - Injured list

#9 - Jhoan Duran (Pensacola) - Did not pitch

#10 - Blayne Enlow (Ft. Myers) - 6 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 4 K

#11 - Lewis Thorpe (Rochester) - Did not pitch

#12 - Nick Gordon (Rochester) - Day to day

#13 - Ryan Jeffers (Pensacola) - Did not play

#14 - Luis Arraez (Twins) - Did not play

#15 - Matt Wallner (Elizabethton) - 0-for-4, R, K

#16 - Ben Rortvedt (Pensacola) - 1-for-3, BB

#17 - Akil Baddoo (Ft. Myers) - Out for year with Tommy John surgery

#18 - Jorge Alcala (Pensacola) - Did not pitch

#19 - Misael Urbina (DSL Twins) - 0-for-4, R, BB

#20 - Travis Blankenhorn (Pensacola) - IL

 

SUNDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

Rochester @ Pawtucket (12:05 A.M.) - RHP Adam Bray

Birmingham @ Pensacola (5:05 P.M.) - RHP Edwar Colina

Fort Myers @ Lakeland (12:00 P.M.) - RHP Bailey Ober

Burlington @ Cedar Rapids (2:05 P.M.) - RHP Tyler Palm

Bristol @ Elizabethton (5:00 P.M.) - RHP Tyler Benninghoff

 

Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss Saturday’s games.

 

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ashbury Cooperstown

ashbury

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De Aza! I forgot to mention in my comments about Friday's game, that he had a really nice catch in RF. I thought the ball was laced for extra bases, but he tracked it well and got to it just in time. I don't take that for granted in AAA.

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Monkeypaws GCL Twins

Monkeypaws

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Sammons seems to be quality since the Twins drafted him. Good lefties are hard to find.

 

I really appreciate the links to MiLB, and usually look those over, and click the links to players I want to know more about. 

 

This team pic of Matt Cantinero made my day:

http://www.milb.com/images/683764/t492/180x270/683764.jpg

Looks too happy to be a pro athlete.

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rdehring GCL Twins

rdehring

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And those Red Wings keep on winning and are now 2 games over .500.  Has anyone else noticed how the roster makeup of AAA teams has changed.  AAA once was the level for your best prospects.  But AAA teams now have a few top prospects mixed in with an assortment of AAAA players and guys they sign from Independent ball to Asia.  Most of those players are older and have some major league experience.  As a result, most top prospects can be found working their way up the ladder in AA.

 

Great starts by Sammons, Enlow and Canterino (MiLB sp?).  A bit surprised to see Canterino pitch as I thought they were going to give him the summer off after his heavy use at Rice U this spring.  But sure like the results, even in small doses.  And back-to-back very good outings by Moya.  Could he make it in time for the playoff run?

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Seth Stohs GOAT

Seth Stohs

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And those Red Wings keep on winning and are now 2 games over .500.  Has anyone else noticed how the roster makeup of AAA teams has changed.  AAA once was the level for your best prospects.  But AAA teams now have a few top prospects mixed in with an assortment of AAAA players and guys they sign from Independent ball to Asia.  Most of those players are older and have some major league experience.  As a result, most top prospects can be found working their way up the ladder in AA.

 

Great starts by Sammons, Enlow and Canterino (MiLB sp?).  A bit surprised to see Canterino pitch as I thought they were going to give him the summer off after his heavy use at Rice U this spring.  But sure like the results, even in small doses.  And back-to-back very good outings by Moya.  Could he make it in time for the playoff run?

 

That is what AAA is... a couple of prospects and a bunch of veterans looking for another opportunity. And it makes sense for the organizations too. They don't have to rush the prospects, and if they need guys called up for a couple of games, they can call up guys and not feel bad about DFAing them again a couple of days later. (See Torres, Carlos)

 

I'm surprised Canterino is pitching, but they are definitely not having him throw a lot of pitches. 

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rdehring GCL Twins

rdehring

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That is what AAA is... a couple of prospects and a bunch of veterans looking for another opportunity. And it makes sense for the organizations too. They don't have to rush the prospects, and if they need guys called up for a couple of games, they can call up guys and not feel bad about DFAing them again a couple of days later. (See Torres, Carlos)

 

I'm surprised Canterino is pitching, but they are definitely not having him throw a lot of pitches. 

Thanks for the update on Julien, Seth.  Had forgotten about his signing near the end of the signing period.

 

Agree about AAA. Also agree that it makes sense. Was just reminiscing that it seems to have changed from what it was 10-20 years ago.  Or at least what I remember from back then.

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ashbury Cooperstown

ashbury

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Was just reminiscing that it seems to have changed from what it was 10-20 years ago.  Or at least what I remember from back then.

Perhaps so. Someone could do a deeper study, but just this quick and dirty look at Twins AAA affiliates at 20 year intervals of average age (weighted by PA or IP or something, I believe) indicates a possible trend:

 

1979 Toledo Mud Hens: batters 24.5 pitchers 24.7

1999 Salt Lake Buzz: batters 25.5 pitchers 25.7

2019 Rochester Red Wings: batters 26.8 pitchers 26.4

 

QED. :)

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