Minor League Report (5/16): Late Inning Terrors

[Nash Walker]

Just the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels found a way to win Sunday, but plenty of Twins minor leaguers played well across the system. 

TRANSACTIONS
- RHP Chris Vallimont transferred to Low-A Fort Myers on minor league rehab

SAINTS SENTINEL
Iowa 8, St.Paul 3
Box Score

Randy Dobnak: 5 IP, 4 H, 0 R/ER, 1 BB, 5 K
HR: None
Multi-hit games: Nick Gordon (2-for-3, BB, R)

Randy Dobnak started Sunday afternoon’s game for the Saints after a walk-off win last night. Dobnak entered the game with a 5.40 ERA in two starts. Dobber pitched well Sunday, striking out five over five scoreless innings. Ryan Jeffers notched an RBI double in the first inning before a Damek Tomscha RBI single and a Keon Broxton sacrifice fly. 

Lewis Thorpe followed Dobnak with two scoreless innings of his own and Andrew Vasquez struck out the side in the eighth. 

The Saints held a 3-0 lead until the 9th inning when Ian Gibaut allowed three singles, a HBP, two walks, and two doubles. Iowa took a resounding 8-3 lead and stole the series finale. 

WIND SURGE WISDOM
Amarillo 7, Wind Surge 4
Box Score

Cole Sands: 4 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 5 BB, 5 K
HR: Miranda (4)
Multi-hit games: José Miranda (2-for-4, HR, 3 RBI), Gilberto Celestino (2-for-4, 2B)

José Miranda has absolutely mashed out of the gate. He homered again Sunday in the third inning, increasing his OPS to 1.052 on the young season. Miranda now has four homers in just 50 plate appearances. 

Gilberto Celestino, who has struggled offensively thus far, recorded two hits in the loss. Celestino ranks 11th on Twins Daily’s top prospects list, primarily because of his stellar defense but also a developing right-handed swing. 

Wind Surge starter Cole Sands battled his command and issued five walks in what was undoubtedly his shakiest start of the season. Sands was drafted in the fifth round out of Florida State in 2018 and entered Sunday with a 2.90 ERA in 20 minor league starts.

Ernie De La Trinidad pulled the Surge within one in the eighth before Miranda drove him in with an RBI single. 

Following the trend of the organization today, Wichita allowed two runs to score on a fielding error in the 9th inning. José Herrera followed that up with a single and Amarillo took a 7-4 lead & win. 

KERNELS NUGGETS
Quad Cities 3, Cedar Rapids 2
Box Score

Andrew Cabezas: 5 IP, 2 H, 1 R/ER, 0 BB, 6 K
HR: Gabe Snyder (4)
Multi-hit games: Wander Javier (2-for-4)

RHP Andrew Cabezas was outstanding Sunday and now owns a 1.00 ERA and eight strikeouts over his first nine innings. His efforts weren’t enough to overcome an equally great start from Quad Cities’ Angel Zerpa.

First baseman Gabe Snyder got the scoring going with a solo home run in the fourth inning. Snyder, a 26-year-old 21st round pick from 2018, is hitting .297/.409/.730 with four home runs on the season. 

Vinnie Pasquantino answered with a solo homer of his own to tie the game at one in the fifth. A half-inning later, Michael Helman drove in Snyder and gave the Kernels a 2-1 lead. Again, Pasquantino took it back, this time on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the sixth. 

Kernels reliever Jon Olsen entered a 2-2 tie in the 8th and gave up back-to-back singles from Michael Massey and Pasquantino before chucking a wild pitch. Quad Cities went up 3-2 and didn’t look back. 

MUSSEL MATTERS
Fort Myers 5, Clearwater 2 
Box Score

Chris Vallimont: 3 IP, 2 H, 0 R/ER, 0 BB, 6 K
HR: Wander Valdez
Multi-hit games: Misael Urbina (2-for-3, BB, RBI)

Chris Vallimont, who came over from Miami in the 2019 trade for Sergio Romo, was reinstated and made his first start of the year Sunday. Vallimont pitched at both A-levels in 2019 and posted a 3.24 ERA with a 30% strikeout rate. Vallimont’s excellence was on full display as he struck out six over three scoreless innings. 

Louie Varland relieved and struck out seven over four scoreless innings of his own. Varland, a St.Paul native, has been fantastic this season, striking out 17 over 8 ⅔ innings with a 2.16 ERA. 

Misael Urbina went 2-for-3 with an RBI single and watched his OPS rise to .829. 3B Wander Valdez drove in three runs, including a two-run homer. 

TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY

Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Andrew Cabezas
Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – José Miranda

PROSPECT SUMMARY

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

#1 - Alex Kirilloff (Minnesota) – Injured List (wrist)

#2 - Royce Lewis (Rehab) - Out for Season (torn ACL)

#3 - Trevor Larnach (Minnesota) – 3-for-5, 2 K

#4 - Ryan Jeffers (St. Paul) – 1-for-3, 2B, RBI, BB, K

#5 - Jhoan Duran (St. Paul) – Injured List

#6 - Jordan Balazovic (Wichita) – Injured List (back)

#7 - Keoni Cavaco (Ft. Myers) – 0-for-3, BB, 2 K

#8 - Aaron Sabato (Ft. Myers) –0-for-4, K

#9 - Matt Canterino (Cedar Rapids) – DNP

#10 - Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) – DNP

#11 - Gilberto Celestino (Wichita) – 2-for-4, K

#12 - Brent Rooker (St. Paul) – DNP

#13 - Matt Wallner (Cedar Rapids) – 0-for-4, 3 K

#14 - Misael Urbina (Ft. Myers) – 2-for-3, RBI, BB

#15 - Cole Sands (Wichita) – 4 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 5 BB, 5 K

#16 - Edwar Colina (Rehab) - 60-Day IL (elbow)

#17 - Ben Rortvedt (Minnesota) – 1-for-1

#18 - Alerick Soularie (Complex) – N/A

#19 - Jose Miranda (Wichita) – 2-for-4, HR, 3 RBI, K

#20 - Bailey Ober (St. Paul) – DNP

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[mikelink45]

 "Ian Gibaut allowed three singles, a HBP, two walks, and two doubles. Iowa took a resounding 8-3 lead and stole the series finale."

Yes another scrub we knew we could make into a RP star.

I want the team to continue to make changes until we get a roster we can live with.  Rob the minors, make the majors an interesting team again. 

[Danchat]

Thorpe in the pen, I see... I think they're prepping for him to take over Thielbar's spot. Dobnak should then get Shoemaker's spot in the rotation.

Good to see Miranda raking, perhaps this will be the year he puts it all together. If he does, I could see him debuting sometime in 2022.

By the way, going over who is Rule 5 eligible this winter:

Rule 5 Eligible (Notable names)

Blayne Enlow
Chris Vallimont
Josh Winder
Cole Sands
Royce Lewis

Previously R5 Eligible
Jose Miranda
Wander Javier
Griffin Jax

I missed hearing about how Miranda was eligible... they will need to protect him next year.

[Seth Stohs]

28 minutes ago, Danchat said:

I missed hearing about how Miranda was eligible... they will need to protect him next year.

2016 draft pick out of high school, just like Kirilloff, Rortvedt and Baddoo. 

[AceWrigley]

Looks like Gibaut is about ready for the Twins pen.

[Twinfan603]

With the way the Twins are going, I'm ready to see Gordon playing every day in Minneapolis. Let's see what he's got and trade Simmons for whatever we could get.

[roger]

Great start by Dobnak with an excellent 2 inning stint from Thorpe.  Which do you think will fly west with the Twins and start one of the games in Thursday's doubleheader in L.A?

See that Whitefield wasn't in the lineup yesterday.  If memory serves, he was also out on Saturday.  Is he banged up?  Or maybe driving to St. Paul?

Great seeing Javier with a multi-hit game.  But even better seeing Urbina with another 2 hit game.  Seems like he is settling in and could/should be on the move to Cedar Rapids by summer.  Could we finally have one of these young stars who breaks in at 20 or 21 years old?

[Seth Stohs]

13 minutes ago, roger said:

Great start by Dobnak with an excellent 2 inning stint from Thorpe.  Which do you think will fly west with the Twins and start one of the games in Thursday's doubleheader in L.A?

See that Whitefield wasn't in the lineup yesterday.  If memory serves, he was also out on Saturday.  Is he banged up?  Or maybe driving to St. Paul?

Great seeing Javier with a multi-hit game.  But even better seeing Urbina with another 2 hit game.  Seems like he is settling in and could/should be on the move to Cedar Rapids by summer.  Could we finally have one of these young stars who breaks in at 20 or 21 years old?

 

Since Dobnak started on Sunday and threw almost 90 pitches, I would assume he won't start on Thursday. Maybe that's why Thorpe has been working less but consistently?

Whitefield just missed Sunday's game. he's fine. Just a day off. 

I'd be shocked of Urbina jumped up to Cedar Rapids this summer, but he had a really nice week in Ft. Myers. 

[MMMordabito]

13 hours ago, Danchat said:

Thorpe in the pen, I see... I think they're prepping for him to take over Thielbar's spot. Dobnak should then get Shoemaker's spot in the rotation.

Good to see Miranda raking, perhaps this will be the year he puts it all together. If he does, I could see him debuting sometime in 2022.

By the way, going over who is Rule 5 eligible this winter:

Rule 5 Eligible (Notable names)

Blayne Enlow
Chris Vallimont
Josh Winder
Cole Sands
Royce Lewis

Previously R5 Eligible
Jose Miranda
Wander Javier
Griffin Jax

I missed hearing about how Miranda was eligible... they will need to protect him next year.

Pineda, Colome, Cruz, Simmons, Happ and Robles.  There's your six spots.

[Scott51104]

Wallner has pretty good stats so far (.283 avg; 858 OPS) despite having 24 SOs in 46 ABs. His BA when putting the ball in play is .591 - haven't figured the OPS but it would be impressive. Somewhat similar situation for Sabato (21 SOs in 41 ABs) though the numbers are lower than for Wallner.

[KirbyHawk75]

When are all the injured prospects due back?  With the Twins playing terrible it is disheartening to see all their top prospects out.