Lucas Seehafer PT

Last summer Larnach slugged .216 against sliders and only hit one extra base hit against them (a home run).

Fort Myers' gamers were washed out and St. Paul's game was cut short due to rain. Cedar Rapids' loss was delayed for over and hour due to rain. It also rained in Arkansas, but Wichita was able to pick up the win. TRANSACTIONS RHP Cole Sands promoted to Minnesota Twins RHP John Stankiewicz promoted to High-A Cedar Rapids C Chance Sisco placed on IL (left knee strain) SAINTS SENTINEL Game 1: Nashville 7, St. Paul 3 Game 2: Nashville 12, St. Paul 3 (Final, 5 innings) Game 1 Box Score Game 2 Box Score The Saints wrapped up the game from the previous evening and got demolished through five innings of the one scheduled for Saturday before the rain mercifully ended their misery. The Sounds launched four home runs off the St. Paul pitching staff, who surrendered 19 total runs—all of them earned. The only member of the Saints with a notable performance at the plate was top prospect Royce Lewis. Across the two games, Lewis walked five times, stole his fifth base of the season, and drilled his third home run to raise his slash line to .320/.441/.587 with a 6:5 K:BB ratio in 21 games. With Lewis’s sustained elite performance out of the gate, the conversation now turns from “Is he still good?” to “When will he be called up?” While his play has certainly warranted said conversation, the fact of the matter is that he likely won’t appear in a Twins uniform any time soon. There are a few reasons for this, the most important being that the Twins likely want him to get as many reps as possible. Prior to the season, Lewis had not appeared in a game since he dominated the Arizona Fall League in 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic as well as a torn ACL. He’s accumulated only 93 plate appearances thus far since his return, which is a miniscule amount in the grand scheme. Additionally, the Twins—who have won eight of their last nine contests—would have no place to play him regularly. Lewis has only appeared at shortstop and designated hitter for St. Paul and the Twins currently have those positions locked up by Carlos Correa and a bevy of hitters. Lewis could theoretically play in any of the three outfield positions—though he has only ever played six games in the outfield, all in center, during his minor league and fall league career—but as of this writing Trevor Larnach and Max Kepler are crushing baseballs, Alex Kirilloff is on the verge of returning from the IL, and Byron Buxton is the best baseball player on the planet. There just isn’t room for Lewis on the soon-to-be 26-man roster at the moment. Lewis will get his time in the sun, just don’t expect it to be anytime soon, barring catastrophe. Let him rip, let him get comfortable, he’ll be a Major Leaguer soon enough. TJ White hit his fifth homer of the young season. Corey Ray and Mark Mathias each hit their first home runs for Nashville. Brice Turang added a double. WIND SURGE WISDOM Wichita 9, Arkansas 4 Box Score The Wind Surge scored five runs in the first inning to propel them to victory over the Travelers. Matt Wallner smashed two home runs and drove in three runs to lead Wichita offensively. The Forrest Lake native began the season on a freezing cold 3-for-42 streak, but has 10 hits in his last 19 at-bats with three home runs and nine RBI. Wallner possesses the most raw power in the Twins system having hit 27 home runs in 150 minor league games. He’s likely destined to be a designated hitter at the MLB level should he reach that point as his defense in right field remains suspect at best; in many respects, he profiles similar to that of former Twin Brent Rooker. Alex Isola (1-for-3, HR, 3 RBI) and DaShawn Keirsey (1-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI) were the only other Wichita athletes to convert extra base hits. Ben Gross started on the bump for the Wind Surge but was knocked out after three innings. He surrendered four runs—three earned—and issued four walks. Luckily for Wichita, Kody Funderburk, Bryan Sammons, Steven Cruz, and Austin Schulfer shut down the Arkansas offense, striking out 10 and allowing only six runners to reach base. KERNELS NUGGETS Beloit 7, Cedar Rapids 1 Box Score The Kernel’s hot offense was quieted and their pitching was hit relatively hard Saturday night as Cedar Rapids fell convincingly to the Sky Carp. Sawyer Gipson-Long got the start for the Kernels and while he wasn’t at his sharpest, he did perform better than his rather pedestrian stat line (4 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 4 K). The Beloit batters had a difficult time making hard contact against Gipson-Long’s fastball-slider mix with only a handful of balls reaching the outfield. Gipson-Long—one of the most underrated pitching prospects in the Twins system—has posted a 20:3 K:BB ratio to go along with a 2.65 ERA in 17 innings this spring. Aaron Rozek came on in relief for Gipson-Long and pitched uncharacteristically poorly, serving up two home runs in 2 2/3 innings and issuing only his second walk of the season. Tyler Palm pitched the final 1 1/3 innings and allowed only one hit and run. Christian Encarnacion-Strand (2-for-4) and Seth Gray (2-for-4) were the lone Kernels to register multiple hits. Wander Javier (1-for-4, 2B, R) provided the team’s sole extra-base knock. MUSSEL MATTERS Fort Myers vs. Clearwater, Rained Out x2 While the Mighty Mussels games were canceled on Saturday, that didn’t stop the team from announcing some good news. Jordan Balazovic will be making a rehab start for the team on Sunday. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – RHP Sawyer Gipson-Long (Cedar Rapids): 4 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 4 K Hitter of the Day – RF Matt Wallner (Wichita): 3-for-4, 2 HR, 3 RBI PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the current Twins Daily Top 20 performed: #1 - Austin Martin (Wichita) - 1-for-5, R #2 - Royce Lewis (St. Paul) - 2-for-3, HR, RBI, 5 BB, SB #3 - Jose Miranda (St. Paul) - 2-for-6, 2B, RBI #4 - Jordan Balazovic (St. Paul) - IL (Will pitch Sunday for Fort Myers) #5 - Joe Ryan (Minnesota) - Did Not Pitch #6 - Matt Canterino (Wichita) - Did Not Pitch #7 - Jhoan Duran (Minnesota) - 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K #8 - Simeon Woods Richardson - Did Not Pitch #9 - Josh Winder (Minnesota) - Did Not Pitch #10 - Noah Miller (Ft. Myers) - Did Not Play #11 - Gilberto Celestino (Minnesota) - 1-for-4, BB, R #12 - Matt Wallner (Wichita) - 3-for-4, 2 HR, 3 RBI #13 - Cole Sands (Minnesota) - Did Not Pitch #14 - Louie Varland (Wichita) - Did Not Pitch #15 - Emmanuel Rodriguez (Ft. Myers) - Did Not Play #16 - Ronny Hendriquez (St. Paul) - Did Not Pitch #17 - Blayne Enlow (Wichita) - IL #18 - Spencer Steer (Wichita) - 1-for-5 #19 - Edouard Julien (Wichita) - 0-for-3, 2 BB #20 - Steve Hajjar (Ft. Myers) - Did Not Pitch SUNDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS St. Paul vs. Nashville ( PM CST) - RHP Dereck Rodriguez (1-0, 0.77 ERA) Wichita @ Arkansas (1:35 PM CST) - RHP Chris Vallimont (0-2, 12.19 ERA) Cedar Rapids @ Beloit (1:05 PM CST) - LHP Cade Povich (1-0, 0.93 ERA) Fort Myers vs. Clearwater (1:00 PM CST) - RHPs Sonny Gray and Jordan Balazovic will be making rehab starts. View full article

Nothing official but from the at-bats I've seen it looks like he's not holding back. Drove one to the RF corner yesterday that hooked just foul.

The St. Paul Saints, Wichita Wind Surge, and Cedar Rapids Kernels all picked up wins on Wednesday. Fort Myers fell to Clearwater. TRANSACTIONS None SAINTS SENTINEL St. Paul 3, Nashville 2, (10 innings) Box Score The Saints escaped victorious during a matinee affair Wednesday afternoon, toppling the Sounds on a walk-off frozen rope off the bat of Royce Lewis. Lewis hit his ninth double of the season during an earlier at-bat and finished the day 2-for-4. The Twins' top prospect is slashing .309/.407/.559 with two home runs and three stolen bases in 18 games this spring, though perhaps most notably his is 17:10 K:BB ratio. Not only has Lewis’s power and speed returned following his ACL injury last spring, but he has adopted a more discerning eye at the plate; prior to the 2022 campaign, he had a career 120:53 K:BB ratio in 302 minor-league contests. But Lewis wasn’t the only top Twins prospect who had himself a game. José Miranda also went 2-for-4 at the plate with a double and home run. Miranda’s solo shot gave the Saints a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth. Miranda started off the season sluggish with the bat, but since April 16th, the Twins future third baseman has gone 12-for-40 (.300) with seven doubles and a home run. He has looked more comfortable at the plate as of late and has begun to drive balls that he had been previously pounding into the ground. Devin Smeltzer was once again nails on the mound, striking out three and allowing only one earned run in five innings; the lefty has now surrendered only three earned runs in 19 innings for the Saints. Drew Strotman, Tyler Bashlor, and Jake Petricka combined to strikeout five and held Nashville to a single run in three innings. Yennier Cano pitched the Saints’ final two frames, striking out two and picking up the win. Following the game, @Ted Schwerzler chatted with Devin Smeltzer about his health issues last year and how happy he is to be healthy and performing this year. Alex Kirilloff also talked about his wrist and potential return to the Twins lineup. WIND SURGE WISDOM Wichita 7, Arkansas 4 Box Score Louie Varland looked much better during his outing against the Travelers than he did in his previous start. The former Concordia Golden Bear tossed 5 1/3 innings and struck out four while allowing only four Arkansas batters to reach base. Varland worked in his changeup more tonight than he did his last outing and while the command wasn't anything to write home about, it was effective enough to throw opposing batters off the scent of his fastball and slider. On a couple of occasions, Varland's third pitch moved like a potential plus offering. Edouard Julien, who recently returned from a brief IL stint, remained hot, going 2-for-5 with his second hit being his first Double-A home run. He's 6-for-18 since returning to line up with a home run, triple, and double. Julien rose up prospect ranking boards last summer due to his unique combination of on-base skills, power, and speed. While he wasn't considered a significant prospect out of Auburn—he was the Twins 18th round pick in 2019—Julien has kept virtually the same production in the minors as he did in the SEC. In 127 college games, Julien slashed .266/.393/.501 with 27 home runs and 10 stolen bases. In 120 MiLB games entering Wednesday, he has slashed .268/.433/.476 with 18 home runs and 37 stolen bases. At his current pace, Julien may reach St. Paul by the middle or end of the summer. Cole Sturgeon also had a big game for the Wind Surge as he went 2-for-3 with a home run and three RBI. Spencer Steer also contributed two hits and elevated his batting average to .319. Alex Scherff converted the save. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 2, Beloit 1 Box Score The Kernels also squeaked out a win on Wednesday, taking down the Sky Carp in a low-offense affair. Casey Legumina, Miguel Rodriguez, and Denny Bentley pitched a gem for Cedar Rapids as they combined to strikeout 14 Beloit batters while surrendering only five hits and a single walk. Wander Javier’s third double of the season was the lone extra base hit for the Kernels. Alerick Soularie (1-for-3) and Will Holland (1-for-4) each knocked in RBIs. Seth Gray and Javier each picked up two hits a piece. MUSSEL MATTERS Clearwater 6, Fort Myers 1 Box Score Well, let's just say that it wasn't Fort Myers' night. The Mighty Mussels struggled...mightily...both against the Threshers as well as themselves. Clearwater stung the Fort Myers pitchers for six runs on 13 hits, four of which went for extra bases, while the defense registered three errors and a passed ball. The lone Mighty Mussel pitcher to find success on the bump was Juan Mendez who threw two innings of hitless ball, striking out three. Mikey Perez's second double of the season was the only hit Fort Myers was able to muster. Keoni Cavaco drove in the team's only run. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – RHP Casey Legumina (Cedar Rapids): 5 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 8 K Hitter of the Day – INF José Miranda (St. Paul): 2-for-4, 2B, HR, RBI PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the current Twins Daily Top 20 performed: #1 - Austin Martin (Wichita) - 1-for-4, RBI, BB, SB #2 - Royce Lewis (St. Paul) - 2-for-4, 2B, RBI, BB #3 - Jose Miranda (St. Paul) - 2-for-4, 2B, HR, RBI #4 - Jordan Balazovic (St. Paul) - IL (likely a rehab start this weekend) #5 - Joe Ryan (Minnesota) - 7 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 9 K #10 - Noah Miller (Ft. Myers) - 0-for-3, K #12 - Matt Wallner (Wichita) - 1-for-2, 2 BB #14 - Louie Varland (Wichita) - 5 1/3 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K #15 - Emmanuel Rodriguez (Ft. Myers) - 0-for-3, BB, K #17 - Blayne Enlow (Wichita) - IL (expecting to pitch in May) #18 - Spencer Steer (Wichita) - 2-for-5 #19 - Edouard Julien (Wichita) - 2-for-5, HR, RBI SATURDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS St. Paul vs. Nashville (6:37 PM CST) - RHP Ronny Henriquez (0-0, 0.00 ERA) Wichita @ Arkansas (6:35 PM CST) - RHP Simeon Woods Richardson (1-0, 0.00 ERA) Cedar Rapids @ Beloit (6:35 PM CST) - LHP Brent Headrick (1-1, 3.35 ERA) Fort Myers vs. Clearwater (6:00 PM CST) - RHP John Stankiewicz (2-0, 1.13 ERA) Feel free to ask questions and discuss. View full article

According to Baseball Savants, Buxton's is tied with Miguel Sano and Nelson Cruz for the 8th furthest since 2015. Top 3: Sano: 496 Sano: 495 Vargas(!): 483 Jim Thome hit one in 2011 that went 490 ft.

Buxton's .761 WPA in this game alone would have ranked 8th overall among active players in WPA entering Sunday.

Mentioned this on Twitter the other day, I would be surprised if he's not at Triple-A by late June/early July. That would have him in pace to reach the majors at some point next season. I really want to see him get more at-bats at Double-A in particular to see if his HR power appears or not. If it does, he's worthy of being the No. 1 prospect in the system. If not, he's Luis Arraez with more speed (still a really good player!).

The St. Paul Saints joined the Minnesota Twins as winners Friday night while the rest of the farm system dropped their contests. TRANSACTIONS INF Keoni Cavaco activated from IL. INF Edouard Julien activated from IL C Chris Williams moved to the Developmental Roster SAINTS SENTINEL St. Paul 9, Toledo 4 Box Score The Saints were the lone Twins’ affiliate to pick up a win Friday night thanks to a six-run eighth inning. On the night, St. Paul registered 11 hits and drew seven walks against the Mud Hens. Jake Cave led the Saints with three hits in six at-bats, including a double, raising his batting average on the young season to .302. Utility man Jermaine Palacios also tallied a multi-hit game (2-for-5) with his double being St. Paul's only other extra-base hit save for Mark Contreras’ (1-for-4) two-run home run in the third inning. Royce Lewis remained on a tear, reaching base three times in six plate appearances and driving in a run. Fellow top prospect Jose Miranda went 1-for-4 with his single plating two runners. Derek Fisher (1-for-4), Daniel Robertson (1-for-4), and Jose Godoy (1-for-5) also picked up hits. JC Ramirez started on the bump for St. Paul and was touched for four runs in 3 2/3 innings. However, the bullpen did not cave for the remainder of the game as Jake Petricka, Trevor Megill, Tyler Bashlor, and Yennier Cano tossed the final 5 1/3 innings, surrendering four hits and walks, but striking out seven and not allowing a run. Cano, a 28-year-old fireballer who slots somewhere in between former Twin Edwar Colina and Jhoan Duran in terms of talent and potential, has now struck out eight batters and only walked one in seven innings. WIND SURGE WISDOM Midland 10, Wichita 8 Box Score Louie Varland did not have his best stuff as the 2021 Twins Minor League Pitcher of the Year fell victim to the Rockhounds' offense. Varland was sitting 95-97 mph with his fastball for the majority of his outing, but he lacked command of his curveball and Midland took advantage. Varland served up three home runs and six runs overall (three earned) in five innings, striking out four and walking two batters. Friday’s start was emblematic of why it is difficult for two-pitch pitchers to find success as starters at the MLB level. Today's hitters, even those at Double-A, are able to mash upper-90s heat if they know it is coming and doubly so when they know that the opposing pitcher isn’t going/able to drop in a breaking ball or other off-speed pitch into the zone. Varland has shown enough during his brief time in the minors to suggest that he is an MLB talent, but unless he greatly improves the command of his breaking pitch or further develops his nascent changeup, it will be unlikely that he reaches the precipice as a starter. There is no shame in that. Varland could be another Duran-type for the Twins in short stints, but he needs more refinement if he wishes to do so. Bryan Sammons and Austin Schulfer each threw two innings in relief with the former allowing four runs while the latter punched out two and kept his ERA at 0.00. Offensively, the Wind Surge faired much better. Austin Martin’s bat continues to wake up following his slow start to the season as his 2-for-4 night leaves his batting average a .296. (Quick aside: Martin continued to display why many questions his ability to stick at shortstop long-term as he registered his fifth error of the season on a routine ground ball. Martin has all the physical tools to play shortstop. However, he looks much more comfortable in centerfield as well as during his appearances at second base. He’s a smooth athlete with quick feet but lacks the arm strength or sure-handedness that are needed for success at arguably MLB’s most important defensive position. His strengths play much better in either the outfield or a less demanding infield position like second or even third.) Spencer Steer had the best night at the plate across all levels, going 4-for-5 and driving in two runs. Michael Helman (1-for-4, 2 RBI, BB) launched his third home run of the season in the fifth inning and Dennis Ortega (2-for-5) contributed Wichita’s only other extra base hit, a double. Cole Sturgeon (1-for-5, 2 RBI), Andrew Bechtold (1-for-4, RBI), and Edouard Julien (0-for-3, RBI) were the other Wind Surge players to register RBIs. KERNELS NUGGETS Peoria 8, Cedar Rapids 2 Box Score Very little went right for the Kernels on Friday. Offensively, Cedar Rapids only managed five hits, all of them singles, and struck out 10 times. A silver lining: Christian Encarnacion-Strand remained hot, going 2-for-5 to raise his batting average to .434 and OPS to 1.229 across his first 55 plate appearances of the season. One might argue that Encarnacion-Strand has already earned a promotion to Double-A, but with Steer and Miranda still in the minors and playing the same position, it would seem as though a call-up is still a month or two away. The other three Kernels to reach base via hit were Wander Javier (1-for-4, RBI), Willie Joe Garry Jr. (1-for-3), and Jeferson Morales (1-for-3, BB). Brent Headrick’s strong start to the season hit a pothole against the Chiefs as he was unable to make it out of the fourth inning after walking four batters, serving up a home run, and surrendering three earned runs. Miguel Rodriguez provided a nice respite for 2 1/3 innings, striking out two and keeping the Peoria bats at bay. However, they woke up after he exited, torching Cody Laweryson and Andrew Cabezas for five runs. Tyler Palm pitched the final frame, striking out the side, despite loading the bases. MUSSEL MATTERS Dunedin 2, Fort Myers 1 Box Score The Blue Jays and Mighty Mussels combined for three runs and all of them came in the ninth inning. Noah Cardenas’ (1-for-2, BB) second home run of the season put Fort Myers on the board during the top of the final frame, but the Mighty Mussels walked the bases loaded in the bottom of the inning before Gabriel Martinez hit a walk-off two-run single. John Stankiewicz once again dazzled as he struck out nine batters and allowed only a single hit in five innings. The 23-year-old now boasts a 1.13 ERA with a 7:1 K:BB ratio over the first 16 innings of the season. Hunter McMahon tossed three innings in relief, walking and striking out one batter. Emmanuel Rodriguez broke out of his 0-for-12 slump by going 1-for-3 with a double. However, he exited the game earlier for a currently unknown reason. Kyler Fedko (1-for-3), Dillon Tatum (1-for-3), and Jake Rucker (1-for-4, 2B) also registered hits. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – RHP John Stankiewicz (Fort Myers): 5 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 9 K, 78 pitches Hitter of the Day – INF Spencer Steer (Wichita): 4-for-5, 2 RBI PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the current Twins Daily Top 20 performed: #1 - Austin Martin (Wichita) - 2-for-4, #2 - Royce Lewis (St. Paul) - 1-for-4, RBI, 2 BB, 2 R #3 - Jose Miranda (St. Paul) - 1-for-4, 2 RBI, BB, R #10 - Noah Miller (Ft. Myers) - 0-for-4 #11 - Gilberto Celestino (Minnesota) - Defensive Replacement #14 - Louie Varland (Wichita) - 5 IP, 4 H, 6 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, 3 HR #15 - Emmanuel Rodriguez (Ft. Myers) - 1-for-3, 2B, BB #16 - Ronny Hendriquez (St. Paul) - Did Not Pitch #18 - Spencer Steer (Wichita) - 4-for-5, 2 RBI #19 - Edouard Julien (Wichita) - 0-for-3, RBI SATURDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS St. Paul @ Toledo ( 4:05 PM CST) - RHP Chi Chi Gonzalez (2-0, 2.35 ERA) Wichita vs Midland (6:05 PM CST) - RHP Brandon Lawson (0-1, 17.18 ERA) Cedar Rapids vs Peoria (2:05 PM CST) - RHP Sawyer Gipson-Long (1-0, 1.00 ERA) Fort Myers @ Dunedin (5:30 PM CST) - RHP Travis Adams (1-0, 0.90 ERA) View full article

The Minnesota Twins farm system is replete with talent. But even so, some names haven't gotten the attention they deserve. Here are a few such names. Jair Camargo, C High-A Cedar Rapids stats: 28 PA, .333/.357/.741, 3 HR, 2 2B, .407 iso, .429 BABIP, 32.1% K-BB% Camargo is a stocky catching prospect who was originally obtained by the Twins in February 2020 along with Kenta Maeda as part of the deal that sent Brusdar Graterol to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Seen as simply a throw-in at the time, he has grown from a light-hitting teenager to a 22-year-old with legitimate pop. Prior to joining the Twins system, Camargo smacked 18 doubles in 79 games with the Dodgers Single-A affiliate in 2019, suggesting he had some power to unlock with appropriate tweaks to his swing. Well, unlock some power he has as 16 of his 27 career minor league home runs have come over his last 78 games, including three in his first seven games this season. (Note: Camargo, like all minor league athletes, did not play games during the 2020 season due to the pandemic.) His numbers are bolstered at the moment by small sample sizes and an unsustainably high BABIP, but the evolution he has displayed since joining the Twins is encouraging and suggestive of changes that will stick. However, Camargo’s game is not without its faults. His 35.7% strikeout rate is exceedingly high for the low minor leagues and his microscopic 3.6% walk rate is not only suggestive of poor discipline overall but has also prevented him from ever posting an OPS over .719. Additionally, he provides little to write home about defensively behind the plate. But among the Twins’ catching prospects, Camargo’s bat is perhaps the most exciting. Cedar Rapids Starting Pitchers LHP Aaron Rozek: 10 IP, 8 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 13 K LHP Cade Povich: 9 2/3 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 17 K RHP Sawyer Gipson-Long: 9 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 14 K LHP Brent Headrick: 9 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 16 K The Kernels starting rotation has eviscerated opponents through each of their first two starts this season. They own a combined 1.19 ERA with a 15:1 K:BB ratio and have surrendered only a single home run. And only one of them—former Nebraska Cornhusker and 2021 third round pick Cade Povich—is universally considered a top prospect. At this time last season, Rozek was pitching in Indy ball. Headrick was selected in the ninth round in 2019 out of Illinois State. Gipson-Long—who, full disclosure, I voted as the TwinsDaily preseason Minor League Pitcher of the Year—was taken in the sixth round of the same draft. The Twins minor league coaching staff has developed all four into legitimate threats to appear at Target Field one day, which is a great accomplishment for all parties involved. John Stankiewicz, RHP Low-A Fort Myers stats: 11 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 19 K Stankiewicz signed with the Twins as an undrafted free agent during the summer of 2020 and all he has done since is strike batters out. In 36 1/3 minor league innings, the former Atlantic 10 Pitcher of the Year has struck out 49 batters—he has a 47.5% K rate through his first two starts this spring—and owns a 2.48 ERA. According to Eric Longenhagen at FanGraphs, Stankiewicz owns two pitches that could play at the MLB-level. His fastball sits in the low-90s while his slider is, get this, considered a plus offering. For an undrafted free agent, Stankiewicz has already exceeded expectations. Though, if he continues to progress at his current pace, he may just blow them out of the water. Anthony Prato, INF High-A Cedar Rapids stats: 47 PA, .351/.468/.514, 1 HR, 1 2B, 1 3B, .162 iso, .480 BABIP, 6.4 K-BB% Prato’s bat doesn’t have pop. Defensively, he doesn’t necessarily do anything that stands out. However, what the 2019 7th round pick does exceptionally well is get on base and steal bases. Since beginning his minor league career, Prato has never posted an OBP below .370 and has successfully stolen 15 bases in 19 attempts. In a sense, Prato is the free version of Edouard Julien, a fellow 2019 Twins draftee who rocketed up prospect boards last summer due to his uncanny ability to reach base. Julien has more power—18 home runs and 28 doubles in his career compared to Prato’s three and 14, respectively—is a more prolific base stealer (35 steals in 40 attempts), and is a sounder glove in the field. However, Prato could act as a capable facsimile in the right situation. What are your thoughts on these unheralded prospects. Are there other Twins minor leaguers who are not getting as much attention as they should? Leave your COMMENTS below. View full article

I very much agree with everything you said. One thing I'm going to watch with SWR is how his endurance holds up. His windup has a lot of moving parts, which could lead to fatigue. I think we saw that last night when he cruises through the first three innings, but the struggled with command in the last two. He looked pretty tired in the 5th inning. I think it'll improve as the season progresses and he build up stamina but something to monitor.

Nothing that I've heard.

With Miranda, I think it's a couple things. 1. His short spring due to being on the 40-man during the lockout and 2. To my eye, his hips are opening up too quickly as he swings, which is causing him to reach too much with his hands. There are a number of pitches that's he's pummeled into the ground that he would hit in the air last summer. Not too concerned as it's still super early and his technical issues are very fixable.

The Minnesota Twins' minor league starting pitchers dominated and a couple of young prospects crushed multiple home runs as the farm system combined to go 3-1 Friday night. TRANSACTIONS OF Kyle Garlick selected by the Minnesota Twins RHP Dereck Rodriguez designated for assignment SAINTS SENTINEL St. Paul 6, Indianapolis 4 Box Score The Saints bounced back nicely after getting no-hit Wednesday and snowed out Thursday to pick up their sixth win of the young season. Devin Smeltzer started on the bump, going five scoreless innings, striking out three, and allowing only three Indianapolis batters to reach base. The lefty has yet to allow an earned run across his first nine innings, successfully piggybacking off of a strong Spring Training in which many thought he would be the final addition to the Twins bullpen. Mario Sanchez struggled in his two innings of relief, surrendering three runs. However, Yennier Cano and Juan Minaya shut the door on Indianapolis to secure the win. Mark Contreras and Royce Lewis powered the Saints offensively as the two combined to go 4-for-7 with two doubles, a home run, and four RBI. At 27 years old and over four years of minor league experience, you won’t find Contreras’s name on most Twins top prospect lists. However, he has a sweet swing and good pop from the left side of the plate. He can also play a capable right field. Should the Twins deal with multiple long-term injuries in the outfield this summer, it would not surprise to see Contreras get a call up. Curtis Terry (1-for-4, 2 RBI) also belted a home run, while Chance Sisco (1-for-3, BB), Jermaine Palacios (1-for-4, R), and Elliot Soto (1-for-3, R) contributed hits. WIND SURGE WISDOM Wichita 4, Northwest Arkansas 2 Box Score The Wind Surge picked up their second win of the season Friday night thanks to a solid outing from Simeon Woods Richardson as well as a combination of aggressive base running and timely hitting. Woods Richardson looked like a top 100 prospect during his first three innings of work as he effectively mixed his fastball with his loopy curve and running changeup. While he only picked up three strikeouts on the night, Natural batters from either side of the plate were largely unable to make solid contact against Wood Richardson. However, his last two frames were more laborious as he surrendered two hits, an unearned run, and lost some of his command. Cody Funderburk came on in relief for Woods Richardson and pitched three solid innings. He struck out one and allowed one earned run. Austin Schulfer picked up the save with a scoreless ninth. Alex Isola led the Wind Surge at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a home run and RBI. Spencer Steer added an RBI of his own on a double after Austin Martin (0-for-2, 3 BB, 4 SB) stole second. Michael Helman (1-for-3) also drove in Martin on a triple. Dennis Ortega (2-for-5), Andrew Bechtold (1-for-4, RBI) and DaShawn Keirsey (1-for-3, BB, R) also contributed hits. KERNELS NUGGETS Quad Cities 8, Cedar Rapids 3 Box Score A strong start from Brent Headrick and another two home run game from Christian Encarnacion-Strand was not enough to propel the Kernels past the River Bandits on Friday. Headrick tossed the first four innings of the game, surrendering only one hit and striking out eight. The lefty’s performance was largely derived from the success of his slider, which had Quad Cities batters off guard all evening. Unfortunately, Cody Lawyerson and Andrew Cabezas were unable to build off of Headrick’s dominance and combined to surrender eight runs, all earned, over their 3 ⅓ innings. Matt Mullenbach pitched the final ⅔ innings, striking out and walking one. Encarnacion-Strand was the lone Kernel to register a multi-hit game, slugging two home runs and driving in all three of Cedar Rapids’ runs. He now has five dingers and 20 RBI across his first 30 at-bats of the season. Anthony Prato (1-for-4, BB, R), Aaron Sabato (1-for-4), and Charles Mack (1-for-4, 2B) logged the Kernels other hits. MUSSEL MATTERS Fort Myers 12, Jupiter 0 Box Score Fort Myers dominated the Hammerheads Friday behind the thrust of overwhelming play from starting pitcher John Stankiewicz and burgeoning power hitter Emmanuel Rodriguez. Stankiewicz tossed six scoreless innings, striking out 10 Jupiter batters and limiting the Hammerheads to three singles. Through two starts, the former undrafted free agent owns a 1.64 ERA to go along with 19 strikeouts and only two walks. Hunter McMahon and Mike Paredes combined to strike out four batters across three scoreless innings of relief. Rodriguez belted two home runs in four plate appearances, raising his batting average and OPS to .409 and 1.618, respectively. Kyler Fedko (3-for-4, 2 RBI, 3 R) and Kyle Schmidt (2-for-4, 4 RBI, R) also launched home runs. Dylan Neuse added the Mighty Mussels only other extra base hit, a double. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – RHP John Stankiewicz (Fort Myers): 6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 10 K, 65 pitches Hitter of the Day – Christian Encarnacion-Strand (Cedar Rapids): 2-for-5, 2 HR, 3 RBI PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the current Twins Daily Top 20 performed: #1 - Austin Martin (Wichita) - 0-for-1, 3 BB, 4 SB, R #2 - Royce Lewis (St. Paul) - 2-for-3, 2B, RBI, R #3 - Jose Miranda (St. Paul) - 0-for-4, 2 K #4 - Jordan Balazovic (St. Paul) - IL #5 - Joe Ryan (Minnesota) - 6 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 7 K #6 - Matt Canterino (Wichita) - Did Not Pitch #7 - Jhoan Duran (Minnesota) - 2 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 4 K #8 - Simeon Woods Richardson (Wichita) - 5 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 K #9 - Josh Winder (Minnesota) - Did Not Pitch #10 - Noah Miller (Ft. Myers) - 0-for-4, BB, K, R #11 - Gilberto Celestino (Minnesota) - Did Not Play #12 - Matt Wallner (Wichita) - Did Not Play #13 - Cole Sands (St. Paul) - Did Not Pitch #14 - Louie Varland (Wichita) - Did Not Pitch #15 - Emmanuel Rodriguez (Ft. Myers) - 2-for-4, 2 HR, BB, 3 R #16 - Ronny Hendriquez (Development List) - Did Not Pitch #17 - Blayne Enlow (Wichita) - IL #18 - Spencer Steer (Wichita) - 1-for-3, 2B, RBI, 2 K #19 - Edouard Julien (Wichita) - IL #20 - Steve Hajjar (Ft. Myers) - Did Not Pitch SATURDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS St. Paul vs. Indianapolis (2:07 PM CST) - LHP Lewis Thorpe Wichita @ Northwest Arkansas (6:05 PM CST) - RHP Chris Vallimont (0-1, 67.50 ERA) Cedar Rapids @ Quad Cities (6:30 PM CST) - RHP Sawyer Gipson-Long (0-0, 0.00 ERA) Fort Myers vs. Jupiter (6:00 PM CST) - RHP David Festa (1-0, 0.00 ERA) View full article

Fans and journalists alike learned a valuable lesson early Saturday morning — namely that sleep is for the weak of will — as many awoke to the one good piece of news going on at the moment: Carlos Correa is a Minnesota Twin. Correa, who had only been linked to the Twins in the most daydreamy of scenarios (if that), put pen to paper on a 3-year, $105.3 million contract, making him the highest-paid infielder in MLB history. He will immediately slot in as the team’s starting shortstop and help form one of the league’s most dynamic up-the-middle trios alongside Jorge Polanco and Byron Buxton. The 2012 No. 1 overall pick lived up to the hype during his seven seasons with the Houston Astros, slashing .277/.356/.481 and slugging 133 home runs, culminating in a 5.8 fWAR performance last summer that netted him a top five finish in MVP voting. But his excellence isn’t secluded to the plate. He’s also pretty proficient with the glove, registering 12 outs above average in 2021 and 27 since Statcast was implemented in 2016. (He won the American League’s Platinum Glove last summer, joining Buxton as the only Twins to have brought home the award.) To put it bluntly: In a league replete with shortstop talent, Correa is without question among the best, if not the best all around. Baseball is not like other sports in that a supreme individual talent can single-handedly carry a team into World Series contention. One need not look any further than the Los Angeles Angels for proof. However, the signing of Correa lends even further credence to the Twins’ belief that they can compete not only for an American League Central title, but perhaps more this season. Correa’s signing coupled with the trades for Sonny Gray, Gio Urshela, and Gary Sanchez has transformed the Twins from a team with two starting pitchers and no clear plan for the future to one that is perhaps a single piece away from being a true threat in the A.L. And with rumors swirling that they have significant interest in Oakland A’s pitchers Frankie Montas and Sean Manaea — both of whom figure to be very gettable at the moment — that single piece may soon arrive. The Twins now boast a lineup consisting of three players — the aforementioned Buxton, Correa, and Polanco — who registered at least 3.9 fWAR last season, with Sanchez, Urshela, and Max Kepler having accomplished the feat in the past as well. Add in promising youngsters Alex Kirilloff, Ryan Jeffers, and Trevor Larnach as well as the ever-steady Luis Arraez and the Twins could have a lineup on par or greater than 2019’s much-beloved Bomba Squad. However, their offseason remains incomplete. The Twins still need to add at least one more starting pitcher as well as a bullpen arm or two. They could also use another veteran catcher to supplement Jeffers and Sanchez, neither of whom is considered a sure thing at the moment. At this point, there is little reason why the Twins shouldn't open the gates to their farm system to usher in a Montas-caliber pitcher. While they lack elite truly elite prospects — though many have made the argument that Austin Martin is — the overall depth of the Twins' system is undoubtedly enticing to other teams. They could part with multiple of their top 10 prospects and still be full of talent. As such, this is the exact moment in which they should be aggressively shopping their minor league prospects and it would come as a bit of a shock if they weren't. But despite the prolonged nature of the offseason and the periods of wondering what the heck they were up to, the patience of Derek Falvey and Thad Levine once again paid off. The Twins have their shortstop (albeit perhaps for only one season). The Twins have their top-end starting pitcher (and perhaps another on the way). The Twins have had a great offseason. Now all that can be done is to wait to see how they tie a bow on it all. MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook, or email — Read more from Lucas here View full article

Other names to keep an eye on, in no order: Encarnacion-Strand Rodriguez Steer Mercedes Rosario