Minor League Report (6/27): The Surge Goes On For Wichita

[Nash Walker]

The Wind Surge and Kernels combined for three wins Sunday behind incredibly strong pitching performances. 

TRANSACTIONS

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SAINTS SENTINEL

Saints 6, Clippers 8

Box Score

Chandler Shepherd: 4 ⅓ IP, 9 H, 5 R/ER, BB, K

Home runs: Damek Tomscha (6)

Multi-hit games: Tomscha (2-for-4, HR, 2 RBI)

The Twins defeated Cleveland today at Target Field, but the Saints were beaten by two of their major league regulars on rehab assignments. Franmil Reyes homered for the Clippers to tie the game at one and Roberto Pérez added an RBI single in the fifth. 

Willians Astudillo and Mark Contreras notched back-to-back RBI singles in the third before Cleveland top prospect Nolan Jones blasted a three-run homer to break the game open in the fifth. Or was it a home run? 

Astudillo was later ejected for arguing balls and strikes. 

WIND SURGE WISDOM 

Game one: Surge 3, RockHounds 0

Box Score

Game two: Surge 10, RockHounds 4

Box Score

Chris Vallimont: 5 ⅔ IP, 0 R/ER, 2 BB, 9 K

Home runs: Wilbis Santiago (1), Aaron Whitefield (3), Andrew Bechtold (6), José Miranda (13), Jermaine Palacios (9)

Multi-hit games: Whitefield (G1: 2-for-4, HR, G2: 2-for-4, 2 RBI), Santiago (2-for-3, HR), Peter Mooney (2-for-3), Miranda (2-for-4, HR), BJ Boyd (3-for-4, 2 RBI)

Chris Vallimont absolutely dealt for the Surge in game one of the doubleheader Sunday. Vallimont was part of the deal that brought Sergio Romo to Minnesota in 2019, and looks to be much more than just a PTBNL.

With a rotation of Vallimont, Jordan Balazovic, Josh Winder, Austin Schulfer and Cole Sands (injured list), the Surge should be tough to hit. 

In game two, Schulfer threw five scoreless innings. José Miranda homered and singled before being lifted for a pinch runner in the seventh. Aaron Whitefield had himself a day, notching four hits in the two games with a homer. Wichita has a really good ball club. 

KERNELS NUGGETS

Kernels 6, Lugnuts 0

Box Score

Kody Funderburk: 4 IP, 0 H, 0 R/ER, 6 BB, 4 K

Home runs: DaShawn Keirsey (1), Jair Camargo (9)

Multi-hit games: Trey Cabbage (2-for-4, 2 RBI), Keirsey (2-for-3, HR, 2B)

Kody Funderburk started for the first time since June 15th and didn’t allow a hit over four innings. Funderburk worked around six walks and struck out four. The Kernels’ bullpen was fantastic in relief, pitching five scoreless innings to shutout the Lugnuts. 

Trey Cabbage got the scoring going in the first with a two-run single before DaShawn Keirsey hit an inside-the-park homer to take a 5-0 lead. 

It was a great day for the Kernels as the offense continues to impress, even without standout slugger Matt Wallner. 

MUSSEL MATTERS

Cardinals 9, Mussels 8

Box Score

Louie Varland: 4 ⅔ IP, 7 H, 2 R, ER, BB, 5 K

Home runs: None

Multi-hit games: Will Holland (2-for-3, 2 2B, BB), Justin Washington (2-for-3, 2B, 4 RBI, BB)

Louie Varland, a St.Paul native and 15th round pick in 2019, lowered his ERA to 1.98 on the season with another great performance. Varland was throwing 100 MPH in videos of his bullpen sessions during the offseason. He’s striking out Low-A hitters at a 37% clip.

The Mussels’ bullpen didn’t fare as well as Varland, allowing seven runs in 3 ⅔ innings. The Mussels held an 8-4 lead into the ninth before Palm Beach rallied for five runs to steal the game.

Fort Myers is 28-20 on the season, and like Wichita, continue to score runs without a middle-of-the-order bat in 2019 first-round pick Keoni Cavaco. 

 

TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY

Pitcher of the Day – Chris Vallimont (Wichita) -  5 ⅔ IP, 0 R/ER, 2 BB, 9 K

Hitter of the Day – Aaron Whitefield (4-for-8, HR, 3 RBI)

 

PROSPECT SUMMARY

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

#1 - Alex Kirilloff (Minnesota) – Did not play

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

#3 - Trevor Larnach (Minnesota) – 1-for-3, RBI, BB

#4 - Ryan Jeffers (Minnesota) – 0-for-2, 2 BB

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

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

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

#8 - Aaron Sabato (Ft. Myers) – 0-for-5

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

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

#11 - Gilberto Celestino (Minnesota) – 0-for-4

#12 - Brent Rooker (St. Paul) – 0-for-3, BB

#13 - Matt Wallner (Cedar Rapids) – IL (hamate bone)

#14 - Misael Urbina (Ft. Myers) – 0-for-4, BB

#15 - Cole Sands (Wichita) – 7-day IL (undisclosed)

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

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

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

#19 - Jose Miranda (Wichita) – 2-for-8, HR, 3 RBI

#20 - Bailey Ober (Minnesota) – Did not play

 

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[Melissa]

Wichita has it going!

[jmlease1]

Cabbage needs to move up soon, see if he can do this against better competition. Right now, he's the adult beating up on kids (at least a little). Not sure we're going to learn much more about him in A-ball.

Nice performance from Vallimont. He's always been able to get Ks, and his walk rate isn't bad (it's not stellar, but you live with it if he's getting 14/9 on his K rate!). He's still a little too hittable, though. But he's definitely showing he was worth making a run at in the Romo trade. As another one in the legion of players who really needed the development time last year that he didn't get, it's good to see him respond well to the challenge of AA.

[roger]

Watched the Saints game yesterday because my son and his wife took their 4 year old daughter to her first baseball game.  He sent a picture showing her sound asleep by the third inning.  But the third inning in Columbus was around 3pm, which is her normal nap time.

Really aren't a lot of prospects on that team.  Does anyone know if most of AAA are teams filled with players who are older with a little bit of MLB time?  Interesting to see the Clippers play with both Reyes and Perez on rehab assignments.

Has anyone else taken notice of how Whitefield has been hitting of late?  His average is well over .300 and he hits the occasional four bagger.  With his speed and defense, he has a good chance of playing for the Twins or another team next year or beyond.  Also great seeing Javier follow up his two hit game with a 1-4 game.  

When I looked at the Fort Myers score I thought their usually stellar pitching let them down.  Then saw that Varland had another top start, it was the bullpen that dropped the ball. 

[Dman]

1 hour ago, jmlease1 said:

Cabbage needs to move up soon, see if he can do this against better competition. Right now, he's the adult beating up on kids (at least a little). Not sure we're going to learn much more about him in A-ball.

Nice performance from Vallimont. He's always been able to get Ks, and his walk rate isn't bad (it's not stellar, but you live with it if he's getting 14/9 on his K rate!). He's still a little too hittable, though. But he's definitely showing he was worth making a run at in the Romo trade. As another one in the legion of players who really needed the development time last year that he didn't get, it's good to see him respond well to the challenge of AA.

Totally agree with you.  Vallimont had the bases loaded with no outs in his final inning.  He saved himself by striking out the next two batters and then Moran came out and K'd the last guy. He was lucky as he was just a bloop hit away from disaster but his ability to strike guys out can be an equalizer.  While I like Vallimonts stuff I wonder if he ends up in the pen as some predicted early on for him.  He seems to tire as the game goes on that is when he appears to get "more hittable" IMO.

Interestingly he and Varland have almost identical stats.  Varland at A ball and Vallimont at AA.  Both have excellent\elite K rates but both could stand be just a bit less hittable.

 

[4twinsJA]

MiLB season 40% complete, couple of weeks to midpoint, look for some moves next few weeks. The longer it goes, I am thinking Winder will be like Celestino and just have a day at AAA then to Twins. On side note, Twins lead MLB with 14 FA signings from development league, a lot of injuries in the system for the Twins.

[Seth Stohs]

16 hours ago, jmlease1 said:

Cabbage needs to move up soon, see if he can do this against better competition. Right now, he's the adult beating up on kids (at least a little). Not sure we're going to learn much more about him in A-ball.

Done. 

He had a very nice June in Cedar Rapids. 

[Seth Stohs]

11 hours ago, 4twinsJA said:

MiLB season 40% complete, couple of weeks to midpoint, look for some moves next few weeks. The longer it goes, I am thinking Winder will be like Celestino and just have a day at AAA then to Twins. On side note, Twins lead MLB with 14 FA signings from development league, a lot of injuries in the system for the Twins.

Only had to wait a couple of hours! 

[Seth Stohs]

15 hours ago, roger said:

Really aren't a lot of prospects on that team.  Does anyone know if most of AAA are teams filled with players who are older with a little bit of MLB time?  Interesting to see the Clippers play with both Reyes and Perez on rehab assignments.

Has anyone else taken notice of how Whitefield has been hitting of late?  His average is well over .300 and he hits the occasional four bagger.  With his speed and defense, he has a good chance of playing for the Twins or another team next year or beyond.  Also great seeing Javier follow up his two hit game with a 1-4 game.  

When I looked at the Fort Myers score I thought their usually stellar pitching let them down.  Then saw that Varland had another top start, it was the bullpen that dropped the ball. 

Absolutely normal for AAA rosters to be like that. Before the season, I though the Saints were pretty lucky and might get prospects like Kirilloff, Larnach, maybe Jeffers, Duran... But instead, Rooker, Jax and Ober have been the prospects there. 

Whitefield has been very good again.