Minor League Report (8/19): Oh, ho, ho, it's Maggi(c)!

[David Youngs]

Drew Maggi lit things up in the capital city and the Wichita offense continued to impress. Read up on all the action across the Twins farm system! 

TRANSACTIONS

• Minnesota Twins selected the contract of RHP Kyle Barraclough from St. Paul Saints.
• Minnesota Twins selected the contract of LHP Andrew Albers from St. Paul Saints.

• Minnesota Twins optioned RHP Edgar Garcia to St. Paul Saints.
• Minnesota Twins sent RHP Beau Burrows outright to St. Paul Saints.
• St. Paul Saints released CF Keon Broxton.

SAINTS SENTINEL 
St. Paul 9, Iowa 5

Box Score

The St. Paul Saints found themselves in a hole on Thursday night at CHS Field, trailing 4-2 after the fifth inning with only four hits. 

That all changed with one swing from Drew Maggi in the bottom of the sixth inning. 

Maggi launched a bases-loaded 3-2 pitch over the left-field wall to give the Saints a lead they wouldn’t look back on. 

Maggi’s slam was put into motion by a pair of singles from Tomas Telis and Mark Contreras and a throwing error that put Sherman Johnson on base. 

From there, it was all “Maggic” 

Maggi’s homer (12) only kick-started that the St. Paul offense. Contreras punched an RBI single in the seventh to score Trevor Larnach, kicking off a three-run inning for the Saints. Johnson would later score two runs of his own, pushing a single up the gut that scored Ian Miller and Telis to put the Saints up 9-4.

Contreras was brilliant on the evening. Not only did his mid and late-inning hits count, but he got the party started for the Saints in the first with a double and a run (courtesy of a Gilberto Celestino double). 

 

Beau Burrows and Andrew Vasquez gave up a combined four runs in the first five innings. After that, it was pure gold from the St. Paul bullpen. 

Ian Gibaut (W, 1-3), Yennier Cano, and Ian Hamilton were lights out for the remainder of the game, giving up two hits, three walks, and zero runs while striking out seven. Cano earned his fourth hold of the year, and Hamilton continued his dominant stretch, shaving his ERA down to 2.85

Playoff Watch

Thursday’s win puts the Saints just 1.5 games behind first-place Toledo. St. Paul is now in sole place of second place in the Triple-A Central East Division. Triple-A postseason format can be viewed here.

WIND SURGE WISDOM

Wichita 14, Springfield 6

Box Score

The Wind Surge put up yet another football-like score on Thursday night, defeating Springfield by a score of 14-6.

The Surge put up a total of 21 hits, including a four-hit night from BJ Boyd and three-hit evenings for Spencer Steer, Andrew Bechtold, and DJ Burt. 

Bechtold and Leobaldo Cabrera each launched homers for Wichita and Bechtold knocked his 20th double of the season. 

 

Starting pitcher Austin Schulffer (W, 4-7) was solid, going five innings and striking out five while giving up four runs on seven hits. The Wichita bullpen was even more stellar on the night. Alex Phillips, Zach Neff, and Adam Lau combined for three innings of two-run ball while striking out five.

Playoff Watch

Tonight's win puts Wichita atop the Double-A Central league! The Surge are 54-39, 0.5 games above Frisco (Texas).

The top two teams in the Double-A Central League will compete in a five-game series for the league title. 

KERNELS NUGGETS

Cedar Rapids 9, Wisconsin 8
Box Score

Down 8-4 going into the sixth inning, it looked like Cedar Rapids' winning streak would end at three games. 

Think again. 

After a three-run sixth inning, Edouard Julien, Wander Javier, and Yunior Severino tag-teamed for a two-run ninth to walk the Kernels off in their largest comeback of the season. 

Julien led off the inning with a single and stole second on a 2-2 count with Severino at the plate. His aggressive baserunning paid off. Severino lined the next pitch over the left fielder's head, advancing all the way to third and scoring Julien. The Iowa magic was capped off when Javier lined a single to right to score pinch-runner Daniel Ozoria for the winning run. 

"Baseball's unlike any other sport in the fact that their isn't a time clock," Skipper Brian Dinkleman said after his team's longest game of the season. "It was a true team win."

In a battle that saw hits and runs throughout the course of the game, the Kernels saw different players step up at different times. 

The Kernels scored their first run in the first inning when Julien touched home on a fielder's choice from Wander Javier. Cedar Rapids would double their runs scored in the second inning. After a trio of walks, Julien punched a single to center to score Jeferson Morales and Michael Helman. 

Despite giving up eight runs in the first four innings, the Kernels continued to knock on the door. Yunior Severino worked some two-out magic in the fourth when he crushed a double to left that moved Julien to third. Julien scored two batters later, thanks to a single from Alex Isola. 

Trailing by four heading into the sixth, Cedar Rapids third basemen Seth Gray put the team on his back. After a single from Severino and a walk from Isola, Gray launched a three-run shot (9) to bring the Kernels within one. 

Cedar Rapids pitcher Tyler Watson pitched 2 2/3 innings, giving up six runs on eight hits while striking out two. Highly-touted reliever Derek Molina followed Watson on a night that wasn't his best. Molina lasted 2/3 of an inning, striking out one while giving up two earned runs. 

Osiris German and Denny Bentley came up next in the firing line of Kernels' pitchers. Both were magnificent, combining for 3 2/3 scoreless innings and striking out five. 

Playoff Watch

Tonight's win puts the Kernels at 52-41, 9.5 games behind league leader Quad Cities (Kansas City). The victory placed Cedar Rapids a full two games ahead of third-place Lake County (Cleveland). 

For in-depth information on High-A playoff format, click here. 

MUSSEL MATTERS
Game 1: Fort Myers 6, Dunedin 2
Box Score

Two things are inevitable in the state of Florida:

1. Jimmy Buffett is king
2. It rains. A lot. 

The second of those halted Wednesday’s game against the Blue Jays in the fourth inning, with the Mussels leading 1-0. That game was resumed prior to Thursday’s scheduled game against Dunedin. 

Needless to say, it was worth the wait for Fort Myers. 

After the Jays scored two in the bottom of the fourth to take the lead, Fort Myers roared back with five unanswered runs to win the multi-day game 6-2.

Four Mighty Mussels had multi-hit games, including Misael Urbina, who knocked a sixth-inning solo shot to ignite the late-inning scoring spree. On Wednesday, Jesus Feliz hit his own solo homer in the second inning to put Fort Myers on the board. Willie Joe Garry Jr. and Kyler Fedko also had multi-hit games. 

Fedko’s first hit of the night game in the seventh inning. The 2021 12th round pick out of Uconn punched a 1-0 pitch to right field to score Will Holland from second, giving the Mussels a 3-2 lead. 

Fort Myers clung to a 3-2 lead going into the top of the ninth. Yet like a heavy downpour, the Mussels offense washed away any chances of a Dunedin victory with a three-run inning. After leading off with a walk, Patrick Winkel advanced to second courtesy of a Garry Jr. single. Fedko then laced a single that advanced Garry Jr. to second. Winkel attempted to score on the play but was gunned out at home. 

But with two outs and runners at first and third, Tennessee Volunteer alum Alerick Soularie punched a single to left that would score Garry Jr. and advance Fedko to third. Soularie and Fedko would both score thanks to a single from Aaron Sabato. 

The Fort Myers pitching staff was excellent throughout the game. Starting pitcher Aaron Rozek tossed three scoreless innings while striking out four on Wednesday night. When the game resumed on Thursday, Bradley Hanner went 2 ⅓ innings, giving up two runs on three hits while striking out one. The real gem of the night was Matt Mullenbach (W, 1-0), who locked things down in the final 3 ⅓ innings, giving up no runs on three hits while striking out five and walking none. 

Game Two: Dunedin 2, Fort Myers 0 (7 innings)

Box Score

After one of their best offensive performances of the year, Fort Myers was shut down in game two thanks to quality Dunedin pitching. The Mussels were no-hit in the shortened-game format and drew three walks on the night. Dunedin pitcher Trent Palmer (W, 2-2) pitched the entire game for the Blue Jays. 

Palmer, a native of Rochester, MN and graduate of Anoka High School was pleased yet humble following his incredible outing. 

"Sometimes you have bad stuff and get outs. Sometimes you have good stuff and get hit and thankfully tonight it was right at our position players who were amazing!" Palmer said to Seth Stohs of Twins Daily.

The fact that the Minnesota native pitched a no hitter against a Twins affiliate made it even more special. 

"It was even better than I could have imagined considering I grew up going to Twins games at the Dome and Target Field all the time!"

Palmer was stellar, but Fort Myers starter Casey Legumina was nothing short of excellent. Legumina (L, 2-2) pitched four innings of one-run ball, striking out seven and walking none. The Gonzaga alum pounded the zone all night, with 43 of his 66 pitches called for strikes. 

Reliever Juan Pichardo was also rock-solid on the night. Pichardo followed Legumina by throwing two innings of one-hit, one-run ball while striking out five. The only hit he surrendered was a sixth-inning triple. 

The Fort Myers staff didn't give up a walk in the game. 

COMPLEX CHRONICLES
FCL Rays 4, FCL Twins 3
Box Score

Four innings of scoreless pitching from Giovahniey German wasn’t enough to push the FCL Twins past the rays on Thursday afternoon. The FCL Rays scored four runs in the fifth inning off of FCL Twins pitcher Danny Moreno to seal the deal in a tightly contested ball game. 

The Twins struck first with two runs in the third inning. Rubel Cespedes launched a homer (2) over the right-field fence to give the Twins a 1-0 lead. Kala’i Rosario would later punch an RBI single into the outfield to score Zander Wiel. 

And even though the team lost, the most exciting play of the day (and arguably the season) came in the eighth inning when Wiel touched all four bags on an inside-the-park home run. Wiel has been on a rehab assignment at the complex following a quad injury. Twins Daily co-owner Seth Stohs chatted with Zander over the offseason. Give it a watch!

 

After Moreno’s rocky fifth inning, the Twins’ bullpen locked in. Juan Mendez and Elpidio Perez combined for three innings of scoreless baseball. Mendez struck out four batters in his two innings on the bump.

TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY

Twins Daily is all about community. YOU choose who tonight's (8/19) Hitter and Pitcher of the Day are!

 

PROSPECT SUMMARY

Our most recent (post deadline and draft) prospect rankings are up! Check them out here.

#1 - Royce Lewis (rehab) - Injured List (ACL)

#2 - Austin Martin (Wichita) - Did not play

#3 - Jordan Balazovic (Wichita) - Did not pitch

#4 - Simeon Woods Richardson (Wichita) - Did not pitch

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

#6 - Jose Miranda (St. Paul) - 0-for-5

#7 - Joe Ryan (St. Paul) - Did not pitch

#8 - Matt Canterino (Cedar Rapids) - Did not pitch

#9 - Chase Petty (Complex) - Did not pitch

#10 - Keoni Cavaco (Fort Myers) - Game 1: 0-for-5, 3 K

                                                         Game 2: Did not play

#11 - Josh Winder (St. Paul) - Injured List (shoulder)

#12 - Matt Wallner (Cedar Rapids) - Did not play

#13 - Gilberto Celestino (St. Paul) - 1-for-4, RBI, K

#14 - Drew Strotman (St. Paul) - Did not pitch

#15 - Noah Miller (Complex) - Did not play

#16 - Brent Rooker (Minnesota) - 0-for-1, K

#17 - Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) - Out for season (Tommy John surgery)

#18 - Misael Urbina (Fort Myers) - Game 1: 2-for-4, HR, R, RBI, BB, K

                                                       Game 2: 0-for-3, K

#19 - Cole Sands (Wichita) - Did not pitch

#20 - Spencer Steer (Wichita) - 3-for-5, 2B, 2 R, K

FRIDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS
Iowa @ St. Paul (7:05PM CST) – RHP Joe Ryan (4-3 3.63 ERA)
Wichita @ Springfield (7:05PM CST) – RHP Cole Sands (2-1, 2.83 ERA)
Wisconsin @ Cedar Rapids (6:35PM CST) – RHP Sawyer Gipson-Long (0-1, 7.20 ERA)
Fort Myers @ Dunedin (5:30PM CST) – RHP Sean Mooney (0-1, 0.84 ERA)

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[Bill Tanner]

Thanks for the great write up, David.  I also appreciate your additional playoff updates for the three teams in the hunt.

Noting the long-awaited Joe Ryan start for the Saints tonight, have there been any hints from the organization as to when we'll see SWR make his Wichita debut?  Unlike Ryan, SWR didn't even throw in the Olympics.  But he'll be the last acquisition to make a debut.

[Seth Stohs]

1 hour ago, Bill Tanner said:

Thanks for the great write up, David.  I also appreciate your additional playoff updates for the three teams in the hunt.

Noting the long-awaited Joe Ryan start for the Saints tonight, have there been any hints from the organization as to when we'll see SWR make his Wichita debut?  Unlike Ryan, SWR didn't even throw in the Olympics.  But he'll be the last acquisition to make a debut.

Because of that, he was going to get a few bullpen first. I would guess next week. 

[roger]

I am not able to vote in the above poll, however, my hitter of the day would be Severino.  Four hits, including a pair of doubles is another outstanding day in what has been a remarkable streak since moving up to Cedar Rapids.

[Unwinder]

The Saints dumping Broxton is going to be hard on my foster daughter who has a crush on him. Hope he figures it out somewhere else.

[Otaknam]

Regarding Shulffer, since when is  going five innings and striking out five while giving up four runs on seven hits considered a solid a solid start? Any pitcher doing that consistently will have a nice minor league career.

[Dman]

3 hours ago, Unwinder said:

The Saints dumping Broxton is going to be hard on my foster daughter who has a crush on him. Hope he figures it out somewhere else.

Wondering if they are giving him a chance to catch on with a playoff team. Maybe no one wants him but it seems odd that they let him go the last week players can be added to the roster and still be eligible for the playoffs.   They must be doing him a solid unless they want Whitefield at AAA so they can play Martin in center at AA.

[Unwinder]

3 minutes ago, Dman said:

Wondering if they are giving him a chance to catch on with a playoff team. Maybe no one wants him but it seems odd that they let him go the last week players can be added to the roster and still be eligible for the playoffs.   They must be doing him a solid unless they want Whitefield at AAA so they can play Martin in center at AA.

Gardenhire seems to indicate that he's been let go due to his struggles at the plate, but MLB Trade Rumors notes his usefulness to a contending team. My guess is that the timing is exactly for the reason you say.

He's definitely the most impressive defender I've had the privilege of seeing at CHS Field, much more fun than the times I've bought left-field tickets just to have a front-row seat for Rooker serving as a warm body. The crowd loves him too, he always had fun clowning around for people yelling stuff at him from the rail at center field.