Who's Left in St. Paul?

[stringer bell]

Since the delayed start of the 2022 major league season, the Twins have called up a host of players from their Triple A affiliate in St. Paul. Some guys like Gilberto Celestino, Trevor Larnach and (I guess) Kyle Garlick played little if at all for the Saints. Since then, top prospects Jose MIranda and Royce Lewis have been recalled. Yesterday, Jharel Cotton and Mark Contreras were recalled to the Twins. It was posted on this site (unofficially) that Cuban righty Yennier Cano will be recalled today.

Looking at the box scores of the last couple days, I don't see much help available across the river in St. Paul. There are several pitchers with big league experience, but that would be middle inning relievers and sixth or seventh starter options. Several position players have major league experience, but none could be called a prospect. Jermaine Palacios would be a fun story if he was promoted, but he probably wouldn't move the needle much for the Twins. 

It has become common to populate AAA with guys with limited upside. It seems to me that this is exactly what is left in St. Paul as we reach mid-May. I wonder if some promotions from Wichita are in order. The top 7 in their lineup last night had OPS over .700, with the lowest being Austin Martin, who is among the league leaders in steals and is still rated as a top prospect. A number of the Wind Surge pitchers have also done well, including Simeon Wood Richardson, Louie Varland and Matt Canterino, and four or five relief options.

 

[Rosterman]

Remember that players will have to go back to St. Paul when the Twins activate Bundy, Ober, Correa, Larnach, Arraez. Plus the fates of Garlick and Romero when they are activated. 

There's also a host of hitters (Robertson, Beckman, Cisco) that will come back to the team. St. Paul has been carrying 32+ players since baseball began (not counting injured guys).

Yes, the Twins have mined the prospects (or have they - Moran needs to come back) . Balazovic has returned. You need playes to replace any that move, and that usually happens once the draft happens.

Megill, Minaya, Smeltzer are vets that could still get a call. Palacios is a possible abck-up infield replacement if we lose Gordon for any length of time. Cano, Gore, Hamilton, Sands, Henriquez, Strotman should all get a shot sometime this season.

[wsnydes]

This is where the lopsidedness of the 40 man plays into things too.  I think it was a reasonable approach to keep so many pitchers on it considering the number of wild cards they had to start the season.  The position players were a much better known commodity.  It was probably a safe assumption that some of the extra arms would be DFA candidates by this point, freeing up spots for more position players.  I don't think that's happened, to the extent that I figured it would anyway.  That's partially because of injuries, and partly because many of the young arms have actually produced so they're not getting the extended looks on other pitchers.  The short spring training hurt this approach too since that likely plays into the injury situation this team, and most others, are dealing with.

[yeahyabetcha]

Pitching wise the Twins look to have plenty of options.  As far as position players, getting Buxton, Correa, Arraez, Larnach and Garlick all back and healthy would help the most.  

[jimbo92107]

I'd promote Martin and Richardson to AAA right now, make sure they don't utterly collapse from the mental strain of it all, then use them as the next guys up.

[Unwinder]

20 minutes ago, jimbo92107 said:

I'd promote Martin and Richardson to AAA right now, make sure they don't utterly collapse from the mental strain of it all, then use them as the next guys up.

I agree wholeheartedly on SWR, but would take Steer or Wallner or Julien over Martin until he works his way out of whatever he's going through.