Minor League Report 8/7 Walk-Off Winners

[Matt Braun]

Two teams in the system won via the walk-off on Saturday. Read all about that and more in this edition of the minor league report. 

TRANSACTIONS

• C Jeferson Morales promoted to A+ Cedar Rapids 
• RHP Luis Rijo placed on 7-day IL at A+ Cedar Rapids (right elbow sprain)
• C Allante Hall transferred to A Fort Myers
• LHP Sean Gilmartin placed on 7-day IL at AA Wichita 
• C Jair Camargo placed on 7-day IL at A+ Cedar Rapids retroactive to August 6th (right hamstring strain)
• RHP Josh Winder placed on 7-day IL at AAA St. Paul retroactive to July 22nd (right shoulder impingement)

Saints Sentinel
St. Paul 4, Louisville 2
Box Score
Ian Hamilton: 3 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 K
HR: None
Multi-hit games: None

St. Paul was nearly no-hit on Saturday.

Bo Takahashi held the squad hitless while he was on the mound but the team was able to pounce on rehabbing reliever Tejay Antone for their first hit, and their first run of the game.

The run tied the game; a fact aided in no small part by the Saints pitching staff on Saturday. It was a bullpen game and Ian Hamilton drew the first straw. Hamilton was able to shed his previous issues with command, and staunchly allowed no Reds hitter to reach base via the walk. All in all, Hamilton tossed three quality innings.

The game was even at one headed into the 9th inning. Ryan Mason ran into some trouble, and before anyone could even realize it, the bases were loaded. The Bats plated a run but nearly scored another if Jimmy Kerrigan did not hose the runner at home with a great play:

It looked as if Louisville was going to walk away with a win, but Mark Contreras had other plans. He sent a ball to what was previously an undocumented dimension with his game-tying blast:

Édgar García ran into some trouble in the top half of the 10th inning, but was able to escape any real damage. In the bottom half of the inning, Ben Rortvedt was called upon to pinch hit for J.T. Riddle and send the home crowd into a frenzy with a walk-off two-run bomb:

Wind Surge Wisdom
Wichita 5, Midland 4
Box Score
SP: Austin Schulfer: 5 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 K
HR: Caleb Hamilton (7), Jermaine Palacios (16)
Multi-hit games: Caleb Hamilton (2-for-3, HR, 2B, R, 4 RBI)

The Wind Surge won a thriller on Saturday.

Austin Schulfer carried the squad early with yet another wonderful start. The right-hander has been workhorse-like in 2021 with nearly 80 innings on the year; an impressive total considering the non-existent 2020 minor league season.

Caleb Hamilton backed his starter quickly with a 2nd inning, two-run homer. The 26-year-old is now creeping up on his career-high in homers for a season (9) which he set in 2017. 

In the least surprising news since the election of George Washington, Jermaine Palacios crushed his 16th homer of the year on Saturday. The blast moved Palacios into the top 10 for homeruns among all minor league shortstops. Yes, all of them. His new-found power is real and, if you happen to be the unfortunate soul pitching to him, terrifying.

The game was knotted at three headed into the 9th inning. The Rockhounds inched ahead thanks to a Jonah Bride homer, but the Wind Surge refused to end quietly. With the bases loaded, Caleb Hamilton sent everyone home with a sacrifice fly that scored not one, but two runs. Take a look for yourself:

Kernels Nuggets
Cedar Rapids 1, Quad Cities 4
Box Score
SP: Tyler Beck: 6 IP, 5 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 5 K
HR: None
Multi-hit games: None

The Kernels lost a clean game on Saturday.

Tyler Beck’s line looks uglier than reality. Four runs is poor no matter how it’s sliced, but Beck’s runs came in the form of a duo of two-run shots. The sudden nature of home runs reflects a pitcher who was more unlucky than poor. Two pitches made the difference between four earned runs and a potentially better outing.

In any case, the Kernels offense did little to help Beck. Wander Javier’s 7th inning triple was the lone extra-base hit by Cedar Rapids in the game. In total, only four base hits came off the bats of Kernels hitters on Saturday. 

For an inkling of good news from this game, Breckin Williams and Andrew Cabezas combined for three perfect innings of relief. The two righties punched out four batters in total.

Mussel Matters
Fort Myers 5, Dunedin 3
Box Score
SP: Miguel Rodriguez: 3 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
HR: None
Multi-hit games: Jesus Feliz (2-for-4, 2B, R, RBI), Willie Joe Garry Jr. (2-for-4, R)

Fort Myers won a (somewhat) close one on Saturday.

Despite falling down into a quick 1-0 pit, the Mighty Mussels easily rebounded. In the 2nd inning, Ruben Santana grounded home a run and Misael Urbina walked home another to steal the lead from Dunedin. Jesus Feliz singled home a third run in the 3rd inning, and a wild pitch in the 5th plated the final two runs scored by Fort Myers on the night. One has to unleash a truly reckless pitch to score two baserunners. If only the play was televised.

Both Charles Mack and Nick Anderson reached base four times on Saturday. They combined for enough walks to challenge an old-persons home. 

But that’s enough for the offense. Let’s honor the pitchers who paved the path for the Mighty Mussels on Saturday. Beyond Miguel Rodriguez, whose great performance was self-evident, Zarion Sharpe held the Blue Jays scoreless for four crucial innings. Combining both of their pitching lines gives you one singular starter who gave up just one run over seven innings of work. That will play.

Originally, I had written that the Mighty Mussels “won a comfortable one on Saturday”, but that became false in the 9th inning. Steven Cruz was called upon to guard a four-run lead. He would end the game with a two-run lead. But hey, the size of the lead does not matter at all as long as it holds. 

Complex Chronicles
Game one: FCL Twins 5, FCL Red Sox 11
Box Score
SP: Erasmo Moreno: 3 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
R: Emmanuel Rodriguez (5)
Multi-hit games: Emmanuel Rodriguez (3-for-4, HR, 2B, 2 R, RBI)

This game was a continuation of the battle that began yesterday, but was suspended. Perhaps the FCL Twins would have preferred it if the matchup was just canceled instead.

FCL Twins pitchers were struck well and often by the FCL Red Sox offense. No Twin escaped the endeavor without a wounded ERA with the lone exception of John Wilson. 

There was good news on the offensive front, however. Emmanuel Rodriguez knocked around a pair of extra-base hits, and Alerick Soularie finally graced a baseball diamond as a member of the Twins. Other than that, it is best to leave this game to the history books.

Game two: FCL Twins 5, FCL Red Sox 1
Box Score
SP: Develson Aria: 3 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 4 K
HR: Alerick Soularie (1), Ricardo Oliver (1)
Multi-hit games: Alerick Soularie (2-for-2, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI), Alexander Pena (2-for-4, RBI)

While the first game was considerably unremarkable, game two was anything but. This type of glow-up has not been seen since George Gordon Meade took over command of the Army of the Potomac.

In a level of irony well-suited for Alanis Morissette, the FCL Twins scored as many runs in this game as they had in the previous encounter. Alerick Soularie demanded that his presence be acknowledged as he blasted his first career homer in the first inning of the game. In all, three runs would be scored before three outs were netted.

All three pitchers for the FCL Twins left the game with a clean slate. Develson Aria proved that he is more than just a phenomenal name, and he held the Red Sox scoreless in his start. Danny Moreno and Samuel Perez were called upon to relieve Aria, and both players evaded allowing any earned runs.

TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY
Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Austin Schulfer
Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Caleb Hamilton

PROSPECT SUMMARY
Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed:
#1 – Royce Lewis (Rehab) – Out for season (torn ACL)
#2 – Jhoan Duran (St. Paul) – Injured List (elbow strain)
#3 – Jordan Balazovic (Wichita) – Did not pitch
#4 – Matt Canterino (Cedar Rapids) – Injured List (right elbow strain)
#5 – Jose Miranda (St. Paul) - 0-3
#6 – Keoni Cavaco (Fort Myers) – 0-4, 2 K
#7 – Gilberto Celestino (St. Paul) – 1-4, R, K
#8 – Josh Winder (St. Paul) – Injured List (Right Shoulder Impingement)
#9 – Aaron Sabato (Fort Myers) – Did not play
#10 – Matt Wallner (Cedar Rapids) – 0-4, K

#11 – Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) – Out for Season (Tommy John surgery)
#12 – Bailey Ober (Minnesota) – 4 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K
#13 – Cole Sands (Wichita) – Did not pitch
#14 – Brent Rooker (Minnesota) – 1-5, 2 R, K
#15 – Misael Urbina (Fort Myers) – 0-4, BB, K
#16 – Spencer Steer (Wichita) – 0-4, K
#17 – Wander Javier (Cedar Rapids) – 1-4, 3B, 2 K
#18 – Alerick Soularie (FCL Twins) – 2-5, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB, K
#19 – Edwar Colina (Rehab) – Injured List (elbow)
#20 – Chris Vallimont (Wichita) – Did not pitch

SUNDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS
Dunedin @ Fort Myers (10:00 AM) RHP Sawyer Gipson-Long
Midland @ Wichita (12:05 PM) RHP Cole Sands 
Quad Cities @ Cedar Rapids (1:05 PM) RHP Cody Laweryson
Louisville @ St. Paul (1:05 PM) LHP Lewis Thorpe 

 

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[bean5302]

Palacios just continues to show he has nothing to prove at AA. Of course, Palacios can play shortstop in AA because the Twins have decided to move Martin to center field where he lacks the range to excel. I'm sure Palacios would be promoted except he's blocked by Nick Gordon at AAA so the Twins can get a good long look at young prospect Andrelton Simmons, our future franchise shortstop.

[mikelink45]

Five of our prospects injured list - then I read the transactions and it looks like all our pitchers are going down.  Is this common amongst the other minor leagues?  Is there something wrong with  the mechanics, the coaching?  It is depressing to see so many good arms shut down.  It will be all BP games pretty soon and over use will destroy the relievers too.  What can be done?

 

[DJL44]

1 hour ago, mikelink45 said:

Is this common amongst the other minor leagues?

 

It is incredibly common for young pitchers to get injured. Of the pitchers who get drafted, 30-40% will require a surgery while in the minor leagues.

[FanFromPhilly]

The link for the St. Paul boxscore is to a game from July 31.

[terrydactyls]

9 hours ago, bean5302 said:

Palacios just continues to show he has nothing to prove at AA. Of course, Palacios can play shortstop in AA because the Twins have decided to move Martin to center field where he lacks the range to excel. I'm sure Palacios would be promoted except he's blocked by Nick Gordon at AAA so the Twins can get a good long look at young prospect Andrelton Simmons, our future franchise shortstop.

I would love to see Miranda and Palacios man the left side of the infield for the remainder of the season.  Time for "early" spring training to begin.

[puckstopper1]

The link and the score line of the Saints game is from July 31.

 

Saints Sentinel
St. Paul 5, Indianapolis 6
Box Score

[jmlease1]

9 hours ago, bean5302 said:

Palacios just continues to show he has nothing to prove at AA. Of course, Palacios can play shortstop in AA because the Twins have decided to move Martin to center field where he lacks the range to excel. I'm sure Palacios would be promoted except he's blocked by Nick Gordon at AAA so the Twins can get a good long look at young prospect Andrelton Simmons, our future franchise shortstop.

Not that simple. Palacios was awful at AA in the Rays system, so it's not like he had nothing to prove. He's been playing very well and may have rehabbed his status as an actual prospect and not a bust, but he's not ruining baseballs the way Jose Miranda was. Nick Gordon is back at AAA because he wasn't great in MLB, and the Twins got an actual CF healthy. Gordon isn't really blocking anyone at SS in AAA; if anyone is doing that it's JT Riddle, who has no future with the team.

For all that Andrelton Simmons is awful at the plate, he's still a superior defensive player and there's something to be said for having some basic competence in the field at the MLB level, especially when you're testing young pitchers.

[roger]

Is it correct that Wander Javier’s 9th triple is tied for the MiLB lead?  This kid has so much potential/talent, really hope the Twins can hang on to him for another year to see him put it all together.

was yesterday the first games for Soularie coming off the IL?  If Palacios moves up, I don’t want to see him next to Miranda because I want to see Miranda at Target Field.

[bean5302]

1 hour ago, jmlease1 said:

Not that simple. Palacios was awful at AA in the Rays system, so it's not like he had nothing to prove. He's been playing very well and may have rehabbed his status as an actual prospect and not a bust, but he's not ruining baseballs the way Jose Miranda was. Nick Gordon is back at AAA because he wasn't great in MLB, and the Twins got an actual CF healthy. Gordon isn't really blocking anyone at SS in AAA; if anyone is doing that it's JT Riddle, who has no future with the team.

For all that Andrelton Simmons is awful at the plate, he's still a superior defensive player and there's something to be said for having some basic competence in the field at the MLB level, especially when you're testing young pitchers.

It's pretty simple in my opinion. Palacios is 24 and is a decent fielding shortstop who's maintained a cumulative .800 OPS throughout the entire season and 333 plate appearances now. His AA performance 2 years ago for Tampa showed strong enough peripherals with a 10% walk rate and 19% K rate and some bad luck with a .229 BABIP. Palacios is flashing plus power this year to go along with his plus base running and decent walk rate and while he's getting old for his level at 24, it's not like he's 26 or 27 and past prospect age.

• May - .311/.398/.478 .876 OPS
• June - .250/.348/.490 .838 OPS
• July - .221/.303/.364 .667 OPS
• Aug - .208/.321/.625 .946 OPS

Either he's a prospect or he's not. He's rule 5 eligible and I'd be surprised if he wasn't selected in the rule 5 draft if left off the roster. Now, it's entirely possible Palacios will never pan out. His batting average is pretty ugly after all, and that 20% K rate is going to increase at MLB. It'd be better to know if the Twins are wasting shortstop talent or a 40 man roster spot when both are desperately needed.

Honestly, I can't see a spot where we agree. I don't believe keeping a declining shortstop on an expiring contract playing every day in a lost season when there are two borderline, but potential MLB caliber shortstop prospects in the high minors who are both rule 5 eligible. There is no better time to look at the older borderline prospects. Gordon was in MLB until a few days ago. Riddle is blocking nobody. He's a journeyman utility player who's played 2B, 3B, SS and LF this year with a .555 OPS.

[Cornholio]

I see Canterino is back on the mound for FM. Two clean innings.

[Danchat]

Emmanuel Rodriguez has hit 5 HRs in his first 60 PAs in the minors... not bad for an 18 year old.

As for Palacios, I think it will come down to whether the FO thinks he can handle SS well enough. If he can, he should be protected and should see some time in AAA soon.