Minor League Report (6/22): Mark and Miranda Mash

[Ted Schwerzler]

Both Mark Contreras and Jose Miranda had nice power displays tonight, while Austin Schulfer shoved on the mound for Wichita. There were a ton of transactions, and top prospects contributed for the big league club as well.

TRANSACTIONS:

• OF Gilberto Celestino recalled by Twins
• RHP Beau Burrows claimed by Twins and assigned to Saints
• INF Daniel Descalso opted out of his contract
• C David Banuelos transferred to Wind Surge
• RHP Peter Mooney and Brandon Koch activated by Wind Surge
• RHP Cole Sands and Hector Lujan placed on 7 day IL for Wind Surge
• RHP Carlos Suniaga reinstated from 7 day IL for Mighty Mussels
• RHP Sean Mooney placed on 7 day IL (strained neck) for Mighty Mussels
• RHP Luis Rijo placed on 7 day IL (forearm strain) for Kernels

 

SAINTS SENTINEL

Saints 8, Clippers 3

Box Score

Drawing the start for the Saints tonight was Chandler Shepherd. He came one out shy of six complete and allowed three runs on four hits and two walks. Each of the runs came on solo shots by Columbus hitters. Recently-signed veteran Kyle Barraclough picked up two outs in his Saints debut, walking one, and striking out one as well.

It wasn’t until the third inning that St. Paul got on the board, as Jimmy Kerrigan ripped a solo shot for his fourth of the season. After giving the tally, back in the bottom half, it was all Saints the rest of the way. Brent Rooker grabbed his 11th homer on a fourth inning solo shot before Mark Contreras went bopper for the second time on a three run blast in the sixth.

St. Paul capitalized on opportunity in the seventh inning with Tomas Telis starting the action by driving in a run on a single. Telis then scored on a wild pitch to end Rooker’s at bat, and Damek Tomscha crushed a double to plate Brent. Telis, Tomscha, and Contreras all had two-hit nights for the good guys.

 

WIND SURGE WISDOM

Wind Surge 6, Rock Hounds 1

Box Score

Austin Schulfer drew the start tonight for Wichita and he turned in six innings of great work. Allowing no runs on three hits, Schulfer issued just a single free pass and punched out six. His ERA dropped to 3.73 on the season.

Jumping out to an early lead, Jose Miranda continues to just torch the Double-A level. A solo shot to lead off the game was his 12th big fly of the year. B.J. Boyd then followed up with a two-run blast, his second, in the second inning to give Wichita a three-run lead.

Andrew Bechtold drove in Aaron Whitefield in the fourth inning, and then evening Midland’s tally in the eighth, Yeltsin Encarnacion plated Miranda following a one-out double in the ninth. Wilbis Santiago then drioe in Encarnacion, and the Wind Surge pushed their lead to 6-1.

Miranda enjoyed a four-hit night for the Wind Surge, while Boyd, Santiago, and Bechtold picked up two hits each. It’s becoming increasingly clear that Miranda won’t be at Double-A much longer.

KERNELS NUGGETS

Postponed (rain). Doubleheader on Wednesday.

 

MUSSEL MATTERS

Mussels 7, Cardinals 4

Box Score

Zarion Sharpe took the ball in this one for the Mussels. He went three innings while allowing just two runs on four hits. Sharpe punched out six and walked one. The two runs came on a first inning, two-run shot. It marked the UNCW alum's first professional start.

Trailing after the first frame, Fort Myers answered in a big way during the third. Edouard Julien roped his 12th double to knot the game at two. Aaron Sabato then plated Julien on a single before Yunior Severino went deep for his second homer of the season to push the lead to 5-2.

The Mighty Mussels weren’t done. They stretched things further in the fifth inning. Severino scored on a Charles Mack foul ball fly out, and Nick Anderson lifted a sacrifice fly to center allowing Will Holland to cross home plate. Even a late triple from the Cardinals wasn’t enough to make this closer than a three-run ballgame.

Carlos Suniaga was activated off the IL prior to this one and worked two hitless innings of relief, striking out two, and picking up his first win of the season. Osiris German also went two innings with no hits and struck out three in his relief work.

TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY

Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Austin Schulfer (Wichita) 6.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 K

Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Jose Miranda (Wichita) – 4-for-5, 2 R, RBI, HR(12), 2B

PROSPECT SUMMARY

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

#1 - Alex Kirilloff (Minnesota) – 2-for-4, 2 R, 2B

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

#3 - Trevor Larnach (Minnesota) – 1-for-5, R, RBI, HR(5), K

#4 - Ryan Jeffers (Minnesota) – 2-for-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, HR(5), K

#5 - Jhoan Duran (St. Paul) – 7-day injured list (elbow strain)

#6 - Jordan Balazovic (Wichita) – Did not pitch

#7 - Keoni Cavaco (Ft. Myers) – IL (concussion)

#8 - Aaron Sabato (Ft. Myers) – 1-for-4, R, BB, K

#9 - Matt Canterino (Cedar Rapids) – IL (right elbow strain)

#10 - Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) – IL (Tommy John surgery)

#11 - Gilberto Celestino (Minnesota) – 0-for-2

#12 - Brent Rooker (St. Paul) – 1-4, 2 R, RBI, HR(11), BB, K

#13 - Matt Wallner (Cedar Rapids) – IL (wrist sprain)

#14 - Misael Urbina (Ft. Myers) – 1-for-5, R, K

#15 - Cole Sands (Wichita) – Did not pitch

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

#17 - Ben Rortvedt (Minnesota) – Did not play

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

#19 - Jose Miranda (Wichita) – 4-for-5, 2 R, RBI, HR(12), 2B

#20 - Bailey Ober (Minnesota) – 4.1 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 2 K

 

WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

St. Paul @ Columbus (6:05PM CST) – RHP Rob Whalen (0-3, 7.71 ERA)

Wichita @ Midland (6:30PM CST) – RHP Josh Winder (2-0, 2.08 ERA)

Lansing @ Cedar Rapids (6:35PM CST) – RHP Andrew Cabezas (2-1, 3.62 ERA)

Ft. Myers @ Palm Beach (5:30PM CST) – RHP Miguel Rodriguez (2-1, 2.74 ERA)

 

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[D.C Twins]

Free Miranda!

[D.C Twins]

Hey! What about me?!

Yours Truly,

Julian

[Richard Swerdlick]

I wonder what the concern is regarding Tomas Telis. Is he not a good defensive catcher? He seems to hit for a decent average and power. He can play multiple positions too. Perhaps someone could enlighten me.

[Major League Ready]

How has Miranda done defensively this year?  Fangraphs rate his fielding below average.  I just got Milb TV so I can see these things for myself but I have not seen him play yet.  He is going to have a nice move up prospect boards especially if his defense has improved.

[Jeff A]

I see that Ernie De La Trinidad came out in the third inning.  Any word on what's up with him?

[MN_ExPat]

5 hours ago, Richard Swerdlick said:

I wonder what the concern is regarding Tomas Telis. Is he not a good defensive catcher? He seems to hit for a decent average and power. He can play multiple positions too. Perhaps someone could enlighten me.

He seems to have that career minor league journeyman stigma.  While his numbers in the Majors have been a little tepid, his (minor league) numbers have been fairly decent.  Beats me other than that.

[roger]

Another great start for Schulfer.  I think his last outing was also excellent, although I recall a real clunker earlier this year.  What are his prospects?  Does he have the stuff to be considered a possible Twins starter a year or two from now?

What has Rooker done the last week or two?  I know it seems like he hits a home run almost nightly.  Seems like the two players having the biggest years are Miranda and Julien.  I know Miranda is closer at AA, but which of the two do you think has the better future, Ted?  Is it likely for either/both to become future stars for the Twins?  

[Dman]

I guess Schulfer read my post that he isn't really a starter and should be a reliever, lol.  He pitched really well last night. Man the MiLB arms have been falling like flies lately.  Might be no one left standing at the end of the year.

Miranda with a huge game.  He was locked in last night.  Jullien was as well as he runs his OBP up to 505.  The hitting appears to be improving throughout the system.  The impressive thing to me is guys are taking walks.  They are forcing the pitcher to throw the ball across the plate and not getting themselves out. Steer has more walks than K's and Julien has 46 walks and 47 K's.  Both players look ready for new challenges.

[terrydactyls]

Julien's OBP of just over 50% is getting into slo-pitch softball territory.  Time to move him up.

[mikelink45]

I read the transactions and wonder what can be done to protect pitchers arms.   At the rate things are going every team will need 30 - 40 pitchers to make it through a season.  Something has to be figured out. 

[AceWrigley]

1 hour ago, mikelink45 said:

I read the transactions and wonder what can be done to protect pitchers arms.   At the rate things are going every team will need 30 - 40 pitchers to make it through a season.  Something has to be figured out. 

Pitching machines. Man, those things can fling baseballs all day.