Danchat

Every spring training, baseball writers document which player in camp has cut weight, hit the gym, and is generally in “the best shape of his life.”
“It’s one of those clichés that happens to be true,” said the Star Tribune’s Phil Miller. “There’s always a player who really got after it in the winter and it’s hard to miss.”
“I was on Jeopardy,” confirmed MLB.com’s Do-Hyoung Park.
For the Fargo Forum’s Steve Fraley, it’s another matter entirely.
“I have let myself go,” said Fraley. “Things are not good.”
Fraley, battling his second hangover of the weekday, confirmed to Twins Daily that he is in the worst shape of his life heading to Fort Myers.
“The thing they don’t tell you about cigarettes is how good they make you feel,” said Fraley. “You get up in the morning, reheat a cup of coffee, then light up that dart. Man. Then you figure out where you left your phone, dry swallow four Advils, and get on with the day.”
Fraley is in his fourth season of covering the Twins for the newspaper and says this is as slovenly as he’s ever been before Opening Day.
“I live right next to an Applebee’s,” said Fraley. “You just wander across the parking lot, settle in, order some nachos, and brother, you are feeling good in the neighborhood. Sometimes the Law & Order rerun is one I haven’t even seen yet.
“That said, the advancements they’ve made in nacho delivery technology have had some undesirable side effects. Going up a size on the board shorts and Hawaiian shirts this year, can’t smoke my way out of this one even though I plan to try.”
Fraley’s fellow scribes agree that it’s a struggle to get into the writer’s version of midseason form.
“I honestly don’t know what airport I’m landing in or how I’m getting to the park,” said The Athletic’s Aaron Gleeman. “I’m in the air right now.”
“Twice. I was on Jeopardy twice,” added Park.
Image license here.

We’ve received more straightforward news on the Max Kepler front these last few days. After speculation grew regarding the Twins possibly keeping the left-handed outfielder, Dan Hayes reports that Kepler sticking around is likely at this point. It’s been discussed how Max Kepler still has value in the right role to help the Twins if he stays. This news does make us second guess parting with Gio Urshela earlier this winter, however.
The Twins decision to trade Gio Urshela was straightforward at the time. Jose Miranda is getting a fair crack at being the everyday third baseman, and Urshela’s projected arbitration salary was a bit high for a player whose role wasn’t certain. They followed it up by signing Joey Gallo to a one-year, $11 million prove-it deal. This all but cemented the fact that Max Kepler was on the way out, as six left-handed corner outfielders on the 40-man roster is beyond excessive. With the addition of Gallo and Kepler apparently staying around, however, the Twins may have misplayed their hand.
It appears the plan with Kepler still being in the mix is for Joey Gallo to play a lot of first base in 2023. With Alex Kirilloff’s health being in question and Gallo having some experience there, it makes sense given the state of the current 40-man roster. Consider however that given Joey Gallo's recent offensive struggles, a fair bit of his floor value comes from his defense in the outfield. Perhaps his offense rebounds to passable levels for a first baseman, but his ability to cover ground and throw out runners on the base paths would be all but nullified by a move to first base. 
Make no mistake, the debate didn’t have to be Urshela vs Gallo for the first base platoon role. It seemed that the plan was to trade Max Kepler for much of the offseason. The Twins asking price appeared to have been high all along, but given the level of player Kepler is at this point and the context of the roster, it’s confusing why they’d play hardball on his price on the trade market.
Urshela was a far more valuable player than Kepler in 2022 by any Wins Above Replacement measure and was essentially given away for free because of his redundancy with Miranda moving over to the hot corner. The irony in this is that the Twins now have Gallo, Larnach, Gordon, Wallner, Kirilloff, and Kepler as left-handed corner outfield options and it appears they haven’t lowered their asking price at all. Kepler has a $10 million option for 2024, but do the Twins really plan on paying that if Kepler’s performance from the last two years continues?
The Twins current roster includes a massive left-handed logjam with players like Joey Gallo out of position where his skillset isn’t being maximized. Several young players such as Trevor Larnach and Matt Wallner who should be nearing their chance to show what they can do are now pushed further down the line by the excessive outfield depth chart. They could have a better platoon partner for Kirilloff and one more right-handed bat in Gio Urshela for less money, but instead, they traded this scenario away for a 19-year-old pitching prospect in the low minors.
It’s hard to say there weren’t miscalculations on the Twins part this offseason. Looking at the roster now, it becomes clear that Urshela’s value to the team exceeded the value he carried on the trade market. This is further exacerbated by the Twins appearing to overvalue Kepler on the trade market despite the obvious lack of need for him on the roster. If they valued Kepler this highly, why sign Joey Gallo at all as opposed to keeping Gio Urshela or designating that $11 million to a right-handed hitter with more experience at first base?
It’s possible Max Kepler is still traded before the season and that the roster makes a lot more sense on Opening Day. As things stand now, however, it sure looks like dumping Gio Urshela for anything they could get was a mistake. Do you agree?
 
 
 

The mutual affinity between Carlos Correa and the Twins does seem genuine. He appears very open to returning, and is at the very least giving Minnesota the time of day by entertaining offers, which is something we've rarely been able to say about top-tier free agents in past years. 
There have been reports of the Twins submitting multiple different proposals to Correa's camp, as the front office gets creative in trying to put forth a framework that entices him away from other monster offers he's sure to receive – while also not being so risk-filled and player-friendly as to defy their sensibilities.
That's a very difficult line to walk. Signing Correa would obviously be a precedent-shattering move for this franchise, at any level, and by all accounts they are ready to take that step. But it doesn't mean they'll hand Scott Boras a blank check. 
Is there a way the Twins could win the bidding for Correa without actually having the largest guaranteed offer? Is there are practical structure for a deal that doesn't force Derek Falvey and Thad Levine to abandon their regard for long-term planning?
I think maybe I've got something. But you tell me if it works for both sides.
Hypothetical Twins/Correa contract: 10 years, $325 million with two player opt-outs.
Here's how it breaks down, year by year:
Year 1: $40M
Year 2: $40M
Year 3: $40M
Year 4: $40M
*opt-out*
Year 5: $30M
Year 6: $30M
Year 7: $30M
*opt-out*
Year 8: $25M
Year 9: $25M
Year 10: $25M
It's a frontloaded contract that is essentially broken down into three parts. After earning $160 million in the first four years, Correa can opt out of six years and $165 million at age 32, or three years and $75 million at age 35.
The reason this feels like a realistic concept is that I can look at it from both sides and talk myself into it, even while accounting for the front office's known tendencies and preferences.
Why the Twins Like It
In trying to come up with this theoretical contract, I presupposed two things from the team's point of view:
They're willing to dish out huge salaries in the short term (they'd have happily paid out Correa's full three-year, $105 million contract), but they're deathly afraid of being burdened by gargantuan commitments for aging mid-30s players down the line. They recognize that player opt-outs are an effective mechanism for making contracts more appealing to players and their agents, but don't want to include them in a way that robs all of the team's upside from a deal. I believe the above framework satisfies their preferences on both fronts. The highest salaries are concentrated at the front of the contract, during Correa's prime years, so they'd be ostensibly paying most for his peak production. The diminishing salaries in the latter part of the deal reduce team downside to some extent should things go awry.
Meanwhile, the opt-outs probably aren't too inhibiting. If Correa chooses to re-enter the market after four or six great years the Twins will have been happy to have gotten them. 
Why Correa and Boras Like It
Well, for one thing, it's a legitimate all-time MLB free agent contract. Correa would tie Giancarlo Stanton and Corey Seager for the sixth-biggest guaranteed sum ever. His salary next year would be the highest for any position player in history, and second overall only to Max Scherzer ($43.3M).
These things matter to Correa and Boras – not sheerly out of greed, as some would proclaim, but to pave the way for future players and contracts. It's no coincidence the past contract made Correa the highest-paid infielder ever, just by a hair.
I also could see the frontloaded makeup of this framework having appeal to Correa, if he wants to be on himself an truly maximize his earnings. Should he tear it up while earning $160 million over the next four years, he could easily re-enter the market at 32 and seek another deal approaching $200 million.
Could It Really Happen?
Let's be clear: this contract would not only shatter precedence for the Twins, but for baseball at large. Of the 10 contracts that have ever been signed for $300 million or more, none came from teams outside of the major markets in Southern California, New York, Texas and Philadelphia. 
For Minnesota to be the first flyover mid-market club to break that barrier would be almost hilariously surreal, and yet, if ever there was a time I could see it happening, it's now. The Twins are ushering in a new era with a comprehensive rebrand and ownership shift. Out of sheer circumstance, they stumbled into getting acquainted with Correa and now have a verifiable IN with one of the most talented players in the world. They also have tremendously clear books going forward.
Do I think it will happen? No, I still don't. But I've talked myself into there being a path. What say you all?
 
 

It’s been six seasons since the Derek Falvey and Thad Levine regime in the Twins Front Office began. When they took over in 2017, they inherited a farm system that Baseball America ranked as 21 out of 30 in Major League Baseball. A system ranked 10th best in 2016 during Terry Ryan’s last season as the general manager. 
The top 30 Twins prospects from 2017 on MLB.com’s list have all made their way to different levels of the game. Some finished their season at the Major League level, others hurt but played at the Major League level for the season, or found themselves out of professional baseball completely this year.
Here’s how the top 30 Twins prospects from 2017 had their 2022 seasons end up. 
On Active Rosters for the end of 2022
1. Nick Gordon
The Twins' top prospect in 2017 had his best season in the Major Leagues for 2022 during his sophomore season. For a while, it seemed that the Twins’ first-round pick in 2014 might not make it to the big leagues. 
Fortunately, Gordon appears to have reached his potential this season. He played in 138 games around the diamond for the Twins and had a triple slash of .272/.316/.427 (.743).
Gordon’s future with the Twins seems all but secured until his free agency year in 2028. The team will likely look to him to be their super utility player. 
10. Lewin Diaz 
The Twins parted ways with Lewin Diaz in July of 2019 when they acquired Sergio Romo from the Miami Marlins. Diaz has remained in the Marlins system since that time and played in 58 big-league games this season. 
Diaz has not seen too much success at the Major League level since first being called up in 2020. Although he played his most career games this season, Diaz had a .169 batting average in 174 plate appearances with five home runs and 11 RBI. He is a plus-plus defensive first baseman.
Diaz has yet to find success in the Majors, but it's possible he can turn his career around at age 26 with the Marlins in 2023. 
11. JT Chargois 
JT Chargois made his MLB debut with the Twins in 2016 and pitched in 25 games with 23 innings of work that season. However, the low amount of innings kept him qualifying as a rookie in 2017 and on the Twins' top prospect list. 
Chargois was claimed off waivers to the Dodgers in 2018 and made a career as a journeyman reliever including spending time in Japan. This season he spent with the Tampa Bay Rays and had his best year yet. Chargois pitched in only 21 games but posted a 2.42 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, and walked only five batters in 22.1 innings of work with the Rays. Knowing how the Rays are with improving random relievers, Chargois may continue thriving in Florida as long as he remains with the Rays. 
13. LaMonte Wade Jr.
The Twins traded LaMonte Wade Jr. to the San Francisco Giants for reliever Shaun Anderson. The deal was certainly was a flop in 2021. Wade Jr.’s 2022 didn’t pan out as well as the previous season. He played in only 77 games and posted a triple slash of .207/.305/.359 (.665). 
Wade Jr. seems to remain in the Giants' plans as a backup outfielder and first baseman which may soon include the likes of Aaron Judge. He’ll certainly hope to improve in 2023 as he enters his final season in his 20s. 
24. Jose Miranda
Jose Miranda turned into the biggest rookie asset to the Twins' offense in 2022. He played in 125 games and split time between first and third base. Even with a slow start in his first 19 games, Miranda still slugged 15 home runs and led the Twins in RBI with 66. Miranda has lived up to expectations of being one of the Twins' top prospects in recent years but exceeded the expectations of someone ranked 24th in the system in 2017. 
There is still room for growth for Miranda as he looks to continue splitting time at the corners for the Twins in 2023. 
25. Akil Baddoo 
The Twins left Baddoo off their 40-man roster after the 2020 season. He was lost in the December 2020 Rule 5 Draft to the Detroit Tigers. After a strong rookie campaign with Detroit in 2021, Akil Baddoo came victim to the sophomore slump.  Baddoo played in just 73 games for the Tigers in 2022. His numbers completely plummeted, dropping to a triple slash of .204/.289/.269 (.558) in 225 plate appearances. The athletic outfielder is still very young and has much time ahead of his career having just turned 24 in August.
28. Luis Arraez
Luis Arraez used to be an overlooked prospect in the Twins farm system. Now he is an American League Batting Champion. 
With one batting title now on his resume, many expect more from Arraez. The only question surrounding Arraez for 2023 is where he will play in the field? His versatility at different positions is not the same caliber as Nick Gordon, but he is proven capable at multiple positions. 
30. Griffin Jax
The most improved pitcher on the Twins 2022 staff, Captain Jax made a complete turnaround in the Twins bullpen this season. Pitching in 65 games for the Twins, Jax posted a 3.36 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, and 3.17 FIP in 72 1/3 innings pitched. He will certainly be a key asset to the Twins' bullpen plans for 2023, likely continuing his role of high-leverage opportunities to start the season. 
Played in 2022 but were mainly hurt
3. Alex Kirilloff
His wrist injury continued to plague Alex Kirilloff in 2022. It kept him at St. Paul for some time in May and June. Having played in only 45 major-league games this year, Hopefully, Kirilloff's July surgery will have him ready for everyday play in 2023. The health of Kirilloff’s wrist will be the biggest concern in 2023, but as long as he remains strong, he can expect his first season with over 100 games in the big leagues. 
15. Mitch Garver 
Garver was traded to the Texas Rangers before the season for Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Ronny Henriquez. The former Silver Slugger had season-ending surgery in July to repair a torn flexor tendon in his right forearm. Prior to being sidelined with the torn tendon, Garver played in 54 games with the Rangers having caught in only 14 of those games. 
23. Huascar Ynoa (Braves)
Only making two starts with the Atlanta Braves, the former Elizabethton Twins pitcher that was traded for Twin-for-a-day, Jaime Garcia, had his 2022 season end with Tommy John surgery. Having the surgery done on September 7, Ynoa will not be returning to the Braves pitching rotation until 2024 in hopes of resurging his career from a successful 2021. 
Played in 2022, mostly in the Minors, Japan, or Indy Ball
2. Stephen Gonsalves 
This former top Twins pitching prospect had a short-lived 2022 season in the minors pitching in only eight games Triple AAA for the Iowa Cubs. His season ended early with Tommy John surgery. Gonsalves last pitched in the big leagues with the Red Sox for three games in 2021. 
4. Fernando Romero 
Fernando Romero was once a high-hope pitching prospect for the Twins rotation. His 2022 was spent between Japan's Central League and Eastern League. Romero pitched in 28 games between the leagues with a 4.49 ERA. 
5. Tyler Jay 
The Twins' top pick from 2015 had taken a leave of absence from baseball in 2020 and 2021. This year he found himself in Indy Ball playing in the Frontier League. He worked in 22 games and posted a 2.05 ERA with the Joilet Slammers. 
7. Travis Blankenhorn 
Travis Blankenhorn got a cup of coffee with the New York Mets this season, playing in one game in July. Other than that, the majority of his season was spent at Triple AAA Syracuse where he played in 91 games. 
12. Ben Rortvedt 
Flipped with Josh Donaldson to the New York Yankees in March, Ben Rortvedt battled injuries that kept him off the Major League active roster all season. When he was healthy, he spent his time between three of the Yankees Minor League affiliates playing in 48 games across the minors. 
14. Daniel Palka 
Daniel Palka hasn’t played in the Major Leagues since 2019. He spent 2020 in Korea and has been working his way back to the big leagues in 2021 and 2022. This season Palka was with the Mets organization and played 109 games with Syracuse. 
17. Wander Javier 
Wander Javier remains the only player from the Twins top 30 prospect list in 2017 that is in their farm system and has yet to make his major-league debut. Javier spent the majority of the year at High-A Cedar Rapids and finished the season playing seven games with the St. Paul Saints. He will become a minor-league free agent. Will the Twins bring him back? 
18. Lewis Thorpe 
This former farmhand’s story isn’t pretty in 2022. Lewis Thorpe made one start with the St. Paul Saints in April and found himself let go by the organization he joined in 2012. After being cut, Thorpe spent the remainder of the season with the Kansas City Monarchs (American Association). He made 16 starts and posted a 4.96 ERA for the season.
19. Trevor Hildenberger
One of the better minor-league stories of the season belongs to Trevor Hildenberger. Although he did pitch six games across the Giants system, he played a larger role toward the season’s end helping in the unionization of Minor League Baseball players. Hildenberger has been an active advocate in the unionization of Minor League Baseball for years and over the course of August, he spoke with many other minor league players to help advocate for them to vote yes for an election to make the unionization official. 
20. Jake Reed
Another former prospect who spent some time in the Majors this season with three teams, the Mets, Dodgers, and Orioles. In his 18 games in the big leagues, Reed posted an ERA north of 7.00. He pitched in 20 games between the Dodgers and Orioles minor league affiliates this season. He recorded his first MLB Save with the Dodgers this year. 
Out of Baseball by 2022
The list of players here did not play professionally at all in 2022 and have listed their last season playing professionally. 
6. Kohl Stewart (Hasn’t pitched since 2021)
8. Adalberto Mejia (Hasn’t pitched since 2021)
9. Felix Jorge (Hasn’t pitched since 2018)
16. Nick Burdi (Hasn’t pitched since 2020), spent 2022 on the IL. 
21. Mason Melotakis (Hasn’t pitched since 2021)
22. Zack Granite (Hasn’t played since 2021)
26. Lachlan Wells (Hasn’t pitched since 2019)
27. Randy Rosario (Hasn’t pitched since 2021)
29. Engelb Vielma (Hasn’t played since 2019)
Here are the totals for where the Twins top 30 prospects of 2017 ended up with their careers in 2022. 
Totals: 
8 players on Active MLB rosters
3 players who could be on Active Rosters but are hurt
10 players who are in the Minors, Japan, or Independent Ball
9 players completely out of baseball in 2022
The majority of these players are still in professional baseball, but only around a third of them (11 total) played roles on Major League rosters this season. 
Some of these players still have great chances of long careers (Arraez and Gordon). Others, not so much, but how do the current career payouts of these 30 players so far look to Twins fans? Leave your thoughts below.
 

Target Field is getting winterized; TC Bear is ready to hibernate; the Twins Daily community is reviewing 2022, previewing 2023, and looking for sources of non-Twins baseball discussion to fill the void.
@wsnydes asks, How did your preseason win prediction go? Were you one of the "lucky" folks who predicted 78 wins? If so, are you satisfied with yourself now? Next season, please try to use your prognostication powers for good, not evil mediocrity!
Don't care to look back? You're not alone. @Danchat is ready to look ahead at 40 Man Roster Management For 2023. Woods Richardson was already the "big name" addition, in more ways than one, but there are likely to be more.
Also looking ahead, @mikelink45 shares My questions for next season. Do you have any answers? The Twins front office may randomly select one answer to try. If your answer is selected, you could win a Drew Maggi MLB game-used bat!
In the minor league forum, @DJL44 shares the story of Doug Deeds, a former Twins farmhand reflecting on the difficult decision of When to hang it up. If only Deeds could have once played in an injury-ravaged organization like the 2022 Twins, he may have made a MLB appearance.
Finally, for those Twins fans not ready to hang it up for 2022, you can discuss all of the playoff action with fellow bitter, jaded fans in The 2022 MLB Postseason Thread from @cHawk.
What storyline are you following in the postseason, or in the Twins hot stove offseason? Share it in the forums!

Weekly Snapshot: Mon, 7/25 through Sun, 7/31
***
Record Last Week: 1-4 (Overall: 53-48)
Run Differential Last Week: -14 (Overall: +26)
Standing: 1st Place in AL Central (1.0 GA)
Last Week's Game Results:
Game 97 | MIL 7, MIN 6: Bundy, Bullpen Let Down Bats in Loss
Game 98 | MIL 10, MIN 4: Tellez Sinks Twins with Pair of 3-Run Homers
Game 99 | SD 10, MIN 1: Ryan Gives up 5 Home Runs in Laugher
Game 100 | MIN 7, SD 4: Sonny Plays Stopper, Correa Steps Up
Game 101 | SD 3, MIN 2: Offense Goes Quietly, Twins Drop Series
NEWS & NOTES
Miguel Sanó was back ... then he wasn't. Following a three-month rehab from knee surgery, the slugger was activated ahead of Tuesday's game. Appearing in three games, he went 0-for-6 with four strikeouts, then went back on the injured list with knee inflammation. Evidently the injury flared up during a slide in the final game of his rehab.
For Sanó, whose career was basically on the line this year, it's another terrible break. He was in need of a good season to resuscitate his sagging stock ahead of his date with free agency. Instead, his body is letting him down and he may find himself settling for a minor-league deal in the offseason. It seems likely (to me, anyway) we've seen him for the last time in a Twins uniform.
Sanó was far from the biggest loss for the lineup. Max Kepler went on the injured list alongside him, with his fractured pinky toe proving too much to play through. Most perturbingly, Alex Kirilloff came out of Saturday's game with wrist soreness. More on that later.
Filling in these key roster spots are names like Tim Beckham and Mark Contreras. They're deserving of chances, and both great stories in their own right, but it's tough to be leaning on unproven Triple-A players at a time like this. The Twins are in the grinder right now. 
Alas, the pitching staff also keeps getting blindsided by crushing blows. Danny Coulombe, who's been unable to fight his way back from a hip injury, is now out with season-ending surgery. Meanwhile, Josh Winder landed on the injured list again due to his recurring shoulder impingement. He's been shut down and sent to Fort Myers as the team tries to figure out what's going on. They aren't calling this a season-ending move for him, but it very well could be.
HIGHLIGHTS
For me personally, the biggest highlight of the week was traveling to San Diego and taking in a couple of games at Petco Park. The stadium lived up to the hype, and the downtown gameday experience far exceeded all expectations. Admittedly, it felt a lot easier to ride out a rotten week for the Twins while enjoying an incredible city and soaking in the vibes of sold-out summer games in perfect weather.
I realize this does little for any of you. I'm sorry. 
My own experiences aside, there were some legitimately good moments on the field, even as the Twins bumbled through a sloppy 1-4 week. José Miranda stood out as the biggest bright spot, starting every game and going 8-for-19 with two homers and five RBIs. 
He has suddenly become the pivotal force in the middle of the order, with an aggressive free-swinging approach that yields powerful drive after powerful drive. Opposing pitchers just can't find a way to stop the kid. He even made a few nifty plays defensively at third base.
Byron Buxton was the other explosive performer in a generally underwhelming week from the offense. He homered three times and stole a base (notable after the previous week's PRP injection in his knee). 
On the pitching side, Sonny Gray was good. 
LOWLIGHTS
Gray's solid outing on Saturday – 5 IP, 1 ER – was much needed in the wake of three straight duds from the rapidly unraveling Twins rotation. Dylan Bundy and Chris Archer were bad against Milwaukee, but Joe Ryan's clunker to open the Padres series took the cake. 
In 4 ⅔ innings, the right-hander was knocked around for 10 earned runs on FIVE homers. It was a very odd game for Ryan, who also struck out seven and set a career high with 15 swings and misses. His stuff was either really working or really not working, and that's a scarily unpredictable proposition for a guy who'd likely be starting in the postseason.
One could argue that Rocco Baldelli hung Ryan out to dry on Saturday night, but who can really blame him with a bullpen that continues to inspire zero confidence. Tyler Duffey has fallen back into the pits after a modest run of effectiveness – he took the loss with a brutal ninth-inning appearance in Milwaukee on Tuesday, and then endangered a six-run lead in the ninth on Saturday by coughing up a three-run HR.
Caleb Thielbar is gearing up for a return, which will be helpful, but this bullpen continues to look direly undermanned, with a void of trustworthy options beyond Jhoan Duran and Griffin Jax. 
The pitching staff needs impact reinforcements, and they'll likely get some within the next couple days. Even then, the Twins are clearly gonna need the offense to carry the load if they're going to hang on for a playoff berth and hope to make any noise. That's where the past week proved most unsettling.  
The team pitched well enough to win on Sunday for a change, but the offense could not answer the call in a 3-2 loss, coming up empty outside of solo homers from Miranda and Luis Arraez. Carlos Correa had a big two-run homer on Saturday night, but otherwise went 1-for-20 on the week. Gary Sanchez went 1-for-10 with seven strikeouts, wrapping up a month of July in which the now-starting catcher slashed .149/.245/.234.
The lineup is lagging and will now be without Kepler for however long it takes his toe to get right. Meanwhile any small hope of Sanó coming in and lighting any sort of spark is gone. But the Kirilloff news is easily the most gutting on the lineup front.
I don't want to make a mountain out of a molehill, but the revelation from Baldelli that "Kirilloff's wrist got to the point where he couldn't swing" strikes me with possible season-sinking implications. I had remarked a few days earlier about how Kirilloff was noticeably reverting to the habit of topping every pitch – that tendency was a clear indicator of how his wrist issues were impeding his swing before he went to the minors, received a cortisone shot, and got back on track. Following his initial power surge, he had one of the highest grounder rates in the league in July.
Kirilloff was such a huge factor in the offense's midsummer success, slashing .307/.328/.548 with 17 RBIs in his first 18 games back after being recalled from Triple-A. But his gradual regression back into an unimposing ground-ball machine was painfully evident, and the numbers back it up. Sadly, news of his wrist re-emerging as a debilitating factor comes as no surprise.
Several of the key young players that the Twins were hoping to rely on this year – Coulombe, Royce Lewis, Chris Paddack – are already gone for the season. Several others – Kirilloff, Winder, Jorge Alcala, Matt Canterino, Randy Dobnak – are persistently plagued and repeatedly sidelined by mysterious injuries and conditions that the players and medical staff can't seem to solve. 
It makes you wonder, at this critical moment ... is the structural core of this team good enough to be fixed up for a successful stretch run? Or are we flailing against inevitability?
TRENDING STORYLINE
That question weighs heavily with the trade deadline looming at 5:00 PM CT on Tuesday. The philosophical dilemma I pondered over the All-Star break – how much does it make sense to sacrifice key future capital in a leveraged market to aid a deeply flawed current roster? – has only grown murkier in two weeks since. The Twins have gone 3-4, watched their division lead shrink to one, and absorbed bad break after bad break on the health front, as outlined above.
The Twins, Guardians and White Sox are bunched in the standings, each separated by a game apiece. They are all looking to add ahead of Tuesday's deadline, and are pretty much in direct competition to address semi-similar weaknesses in a finite seller's market. It's going to be fascinating to see how things play out between these three competing clubs as they set themselves up for the final stretch in a division that's very much there for the taking.
LOOKING AHEAD
The Twins have seven home games in the week ahead, setting the tone for a month in which 20 of their 28 games will be played at Target Field. 
MONDAY, 8/1: TIGERS @ TWINS – LHP Tarik Skubal v. TBD
TUESDAY, 8/2: TIGERS @ TWINS – RHP Matt Manning v. RHP Chris Archer
WEDNESDAY, 8/3: TIGERS @ TWINS – LHP Tyler Alexander v. RHP Joe Ryan
THURSDAY, 8/4: BLUE JAYS @ TWINS – RHP Alek Manoah v. RHP Sonny Gray
FRIDAY, 8/5: BLUE JAYS @ TWINS – RHP Ross Stripling v. RHP Dylan Bundy
SATURDAY, 8/6: BLUE JAYS @ TWINS – RHP Jose Berrios v. TBD
SUNDAY, 8/7: BLUE JAYS @ TWINS – RHP Kevin Gausman v. RHP Chris Archer

You can go more in-depth on any specific player in the Twins Daily Draft Tracker. 
I'll give you the class overview here. 
All of the Top 10 round selections and seven of the Day 3 selections are signed, sealed and delivered. We'll keep you updated at Twins Daily as they all embark soon on their professional careers. 
Only Brooks Lee (first round) and Connor Prielipp (second round) came in over slot. Surprisingly enough, Lee's bonus was more over slot than Prielipp's. Both figure to enter the Twins Top 10 prospects and it isn't out of the question to consider Lee and Prielipp the organization's top hitting and pitching prospect, respectively. 
In order to get both players signed to over slot deals, the Twins had to shave money off their Day 2 picks. Each one of those players came in under slot - between $24,100 and $178,500 - to guarantee the Twins could make that happen.
Now that the dust has settled and figures are public, there are a few interesting tidbits.
The Twins spent $9,933,700 of their $10,081,500 bonus pool, meaning they still have $147,800 remaining to spend. Additionally, they could spend 105% of their bonus pool without any penalty. That means the Twins could spend up to $651,875 more.
Omari Daniel has not signed yet, but he will be reporting to Fort Myers this weekend and is likely to forego his college eligibility to begin his professional career. Sources have indicated that Daniel's bonus will not exceed $125,000, which would require the signing team to dip into their bonus pool.
So that leaves Garrett McMillan (Alabama) and Korbyn Dickerson (Kentucky prep committed to Louisville). Both have said publicly they will not be signing and that would be the expected outcome. The Twins could offer either one $272,800 (sixth round money) to sign. That would put them right at the limit of their bonus pool. If they wanted to use the 5% extra, they could sign either to $776,875 (which is basically third round money) or they could offer each $450,937 (late fourth round money). 
A late signing after professing publicly that a player is returning isn't unprecedented. The Twins signed Edouard Julien for $493,000 in 2019 after he stated he was going back to Auburn
As the signing deadline approaches next week, the only question remains... will either McMillan or Dickerson change their mind?

  MINNESOTA TWINS $651,875     Player Round Slot Bonus $147,800     Brooks Lee, SS, Cal Poly 1 $5,442,400 $5,675,000 -$232,600     Connor Prielipp, LHP, Alabama 2 $1,662,700 $1,825,000 -$162,300     Tanner Schobel, SS, Virginia Tech"}" style="font-size:9pt; padding:2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align:bottom">Tanner Schobel, SS, Virginia Tech CB $1,002,000 $1,002,000 $0     Andrew Morris, RHP, Texas Tech"}" style="font-size:9pt; padding:2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align:bottom">Andrew Morris, RHP, Texas Tech 4 $533,300 $500,000 $33,300     Ben Ross, SS, Notre Dame Coll."}" style="font-size:9pt; padding:2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align:bottom">Ben Ross, SS, Notre Dame Coll. 5 $398,500 $220,000 $178,500     Jorel Ortega, 2B, Tennessee"}" style="font-size:9pt; padding:2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align:bottom">Jorel Ortega, 2B, Tennessee 6 $301,200 $250,000 $51,200     Kyle Jones, RHP, Toledo"}" style="font-size:9pt; padding:2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align:bottom">Kyle Jones, RHP, Toledo 7 $235,600 $176,700 $58,900     Zebby Matthews, RHP, W. Carolina"}" style="font-size:9pt; padding:2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align:bottom">Zebby Matthews, RHP, W. Carolina 8 $187,900 $125,000 $62,900     Cory Lewis, RHP, UC-Santa Barbara"}" style="font-size:8pt; padding:2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align:bottom">Cory Lewis, RHP, UC-Santa Barbara 9 $164,100 $140,000 $24,100     Dalton Shuffield, SS, Texas State"}" style="font-size:9pt; padding:2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align:bottom">Dalton Shuffield, SS, Texas State 10 $153,800 $20,000 $133,800     Andrew Cossetti, C, St. Joseph's"}" style="font-size:9pt; padding:2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align:bottom">Andrew Cossetti, C, St. Joseph's 11 - $125,000       Nate Baez, C, Arizona State"}" style="font-size:9pt; padding:2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align:bottom">Nate Baez, C, Arizona State 12 - $125,000       C.J. Culpepper, RHP, Cal Baptist"}" style="font-size:9pt; padding:2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align:bottom">C.J. Culpepper, RHP, Cal Baptist 13 - $125,000       Omari Daniel, SS, The Walker School 14 - Agreed       Ben Ethridge, RHP, So. Miss."}" style="font-size:9pt; padding:2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align:bottom">Ben Ethridge, RHP, So. Miss. 15 - $125,000       Jankel Ortiz, SS, Ac. Pres. HS (PR) 16 - $125,000       Alec Sayre, OF, Wright State"}" style="font-size:9pt; padding:2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align:bottom">Alec Sayre, OF, Wright State 17 - $100,000       Zachary Veen, LHP, Point Loma 18 - $80,000       Garrett McMillan, RHP, Alabama 19 - intends to return to Alabama     Korbyn Dickerson, OF, Trinity HS (KY) 20 - intends to go to Louisville                

With obvious needs like bullpen depth and another starting pitcher staring them in the face, sources familiar with the Twins front office say they have a singular focus headed into the All-Star break:
The godless Chicago White Sox. In particular, the manager’s job security.
Tony La Russa, the 76-year-old DUI enthusiast and leader of the godless Chicago White Sox, has appeared befuddled and bewildered at times. His team, heavily favored to win the AL Central, has struggled mightily all season long and continues to trail the first-place Twins in the standings. Given the talent on White Sox roster, Minnesota is banking on the manager continuing to waste it at every turn.
“Obviously, we would love to reinforce the bullpen,” said a front office source. “The thing is, that takes money and prospects. Keeping Tony in charge on the South Side costs us nothing. We'll be putting a lot of encouragement on our social channels and via group chat with White Sox players and staff. Lots of 'Really admire what you're doing' and 'Looks like you're turning things around, we just hope we can get a wild card.' Stuff like that.”
Unlike godless Chicago White Sox teams of the past, this roster is loaded with likeable, talented players. Liam Hendriks, Tim Anderson, Dylan Cease, the unbuttoned majesty of Eloy Jimenez. Sources say it’s dumbfounding that they’ve been unable to catch an overperforming, banged-up Twins team with a threadbare bullpen. Minnesota aims to keep it that way.
“Another front-line starting pitcher would be terrific, especially if you’re looking towards the playoffs,” said the source. “But you have to get there first. Letting Tony cook is the best way to ensure that.”
Observers close to the situation agree.
“Not a lot of managers could pull off what La Russa is doing,” said a Twins coach. “He’s a legend for a reason.”
“I heard he might start every inning with an intentional walk on Saturday,” said an MLB source. “It’s unorthodox to be sure, but he says that it sets up the double play every time. That’s just facts. He’s a Hall of Famer.”
 

Transactions:
OF Matt Wallner has been promoted to Triple-A St. Paul C David Banuelos activated off IL by St. Paul RHP Ben Heller signed by Minnesota and assigned to Triple-A St. Paul INF Christian Encarnacion-Strand has been promoted to Double-A Wichita C Roy Morales transferred to Double-A Wichita from St. Paul C Frank Nigro was transferred to Single-A Fort Myers from Wichita C Alex Rodriguez was transferred to FCL Twins from Fort Myers CF Kennie Taylor activated off IL by Cedar Rapids C Jair Camargo begins rehab assignment for Wichita with FCL INF Ernie Yake begins rehab assignment for Wichita with FCL Making his Double-A debut this season, Wallner raked after a slow start. Across 78 games he posted a .299/.436/.597 slash line with 24 home runs. He’s reigned in the strikeouts to the tune of a manageable 107/62 K/BB, and he finished his time with the Wind Surge putting up a 4-for-4 effort on Wednesday night.
Encarnacion-Strand was Minnesota’s 4th round pick in 2021, and he spent 74 games this year with High-A Cedar Rapids. Encarnacion-Strand got off to a hot start and has maintained the production to the tune of a .296/.370/.599 slash line. His 20 home runs are eye-popping, and the power plays well from the hot corner.
Both players will now get extended run at the next level of the farm, likely remaining there through the duration of the season. Wallner joins teammate Spencer Steer as representatives for the MLB Futures Game taking place on Saturday in Los Angeles as part of the All-Star festivities.

SAINTS SENTINEL 
Toledo 10, St. Paul 1
Box Score
 
Former top Twins pitching prospect Jordan Balazovic was on the bump for the Saints tonight. He’s really struggled this year and couldn’t escape that same fate tonight. He went just two innings and allowed four runs on five hits. Balazovic gave up a walk, and a homer, while striking out one.
Toledo scored first tallying two in the first frame. Then Kody Clemens, son of Roger Clemens, crushed a two-run bomb in the next frame. Down 4-0 in the third inning, rehabbing Miguel Sano roped a line drive single to plate Spencer Steer for the Saints first run.
 
It continued to go sideways from there and by the time St. Paul batted in the 7th inning, they trailed 8-1. Failing to score in their half of the frame, the Saints Ariel Jurado served up two more on an 8th inning Mud Hens blast. Wallner was hitless to this point, and Sano's two raps didn't matter. It was a laugher at 10-1.
WIND SURGE WISDOM
Wichita 11, Arkansas 5
Box Score
 
Wichita went with Cody Laweryson tonight and he turned in a good outing. Working 3 1/3 innings, the righty allowed no runs on three hits. He allowed two walks but also struck out two batters.
The Wind Surge jumped ahead early when Andrew Bechtold blasted his 12th homer of the year, a solo shot to left-center. Chris Williams continued his hot hitting, and his 13th double scored Cole Sturgeon to give the good guys a 2-0 lead in the 2nd inning.
Not content with the first bit of production, Wichita went back to work in the 3rd inning. Williams hit his 12th homer of the year, this one a grand slam, to drive in Roy Morales, Bechtold, and Sturgeon. Then Edouard Julien took advantage of a fielding error allowing Anthony Prato to race home and make it a 7-0 lead.
The Travelers got on the board with a 5th inning solo blast, but it was quickly negated when Prato scored on Ozoria’s fielder’s choice. Then the newly-promoted Christian Encarnacion-Strand recorded his first Double-A hit, a double, scoring both Ozoria and Julien making it 10-1.
Offense remained the name of this game into the late innings. Arkansas drew closer with four runs in the 6th inning, but Williams answered with his 13th homer, and second of the game, to push the lead back up to 11-5.
Bechtold and finished with four hits tonight while Williams had three hits and six RBI. Sturgeon also had a multi-hit game.
 
KERNELS NUGGETS
Cedar Rapids 5, Beloit 1
Box Score
 
David Festa has cruised this season for the Kernels and tonight was more of the same. He worked six innings allowing a single run on four hits. The righty picked up six punchouts and walked three. His ERA on the year is down to 1.86.
Run production was in short supply tonight. Kyle Fedko ripped a solo shot in the 1st inning to make it 1-0, and then a passed ball allowed Alerick Soularie to scamper home. Despite giving up a run in the 6th inning, Cedar Rapids maintained the tight lead.
After both Fedko and Soularie reached base in the 8th inning, Yunior Severino doubled the lead on a single and gave the Kernels breathing room to the tune of 4-1. Will Holland wanted to make sure a save situation wasn’t necessary, so his sacrifice fly in the 9th inning scored Wander Javier did just that.
With eight hits total on the night, two hits came from each of Fedko, Severino, and Pat Winkel.
 
MUSSEL MATTERS
Postponed
Tonight's game has been postponed due to unplayable field conditions.
COMPLEX CHRONICLES
FCL Pirates 7, FCL Twins 4
Box Score
Infielder Ernie Yake was rehabbing while on the injured list today with the FCL Twins. He was 0-for-3 with two strikeouts and played second base. Jair Camargo was also playing as part of a rehab assignment. As the designated hitter, Camargo was 1-for-4 with a triple and an RBI. Luis Rijo was recently removed from the 60-day injured list and transferred to the FCL so he could continue to rehab. Today, he made another start. He went four innings while allowing two runs and striking out four. It was the first of his six appearances this season in which he’s allowed an earned run.
DOMINICAN DAILIES
DSL Twins 6, DSL Colorado 5
Box Score
Outfielder Yasser Mercedes was 4-for-5 including a leadoff homer in this one for the Twins. Anderson Nova also had a two-hit game while Anthony Narvaez punched out four across 2 2/3 innings of one-hit relief work.
TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY
Pitcher of the Day – David Festa (Cedar Rapids) - 6.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 6 K
Hitter of the Day – Chris Williams (Wichita) - 3-4, 2 R, 6 RBI, 2B, 2 HR(13)
PROSPECT SUMMARY
We will again keep tabs on the Twins top prospects. You’ll probably read about them in the team sections, but if they aren’t there, you’ll see how they did here. 
Here’s a look at how the current Twins Daily Top 20 performed:
#6 - Spencer Steer (St. Paul) - 1-2, R, BB, K
#7 - Jordan Balazovic (St. Paul) - 2.0 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
#12 - Matt Wallner (St. Paul) - 0-3, K
#15 - Edouard Julien (Wichita) - 1-4, R
#16 - Christian Encarnacion-Strand (Wichita) - 1-5, 2 RBI, 2B, K
#18 - David Festa (Cedar Rapids) - 6.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 6 K
FRIDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS
Toledo @ St. Paul (7:07PM CST) - RHP Aaron Sanchez
Arkansas @ Wichita (7:05PM CST) - LHP Kody Funderburk 
Cedar Rapids @ Beloit (6:35PM CST) - RHP Sean Mooney
Clearwater @ Fort Myers (3:30PM CST/Game 2 to follow) - TBD/TBD
Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Thursday’s games! It sure is exciting to have all four Twins full-season affiliates and the two Complex Season affiliates back and playing,
 

November 28, 2007
Tampa Bay Received: Matt Garza, Jason Bartlett, Eddie Morlan
Minnesota Received: Delmon Young, Brendan Harris, Jason Pridie
Minnesota’s first trade with Tampa Bay was its biggest as it included vital pieces from both teams’ rosters. The Twins acquired Delmon Young to be a right-handed bat to slide in between Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau. He never lived up to his potential as the number one overall pick, but he played parts of ten big-league seasons. Minnesota was his only stop where he posted an OPS+ over 100, and he finished in the top-10 for the AL MVP in 2010. Pridie only got six plate appearances with the Twins and never recorded a hit. Harris posted a .669 OPS in three years with the Twins before being packaged with JJ Hardy in the infamous trade for Brett Jacobson and Jim Hoey.

Tampa ended up getting the two best players in this trade. Matt Garza pitched over 1700 big-league innings and accumulated a 12.5 WAR. Garza won the 2008 ALCS MVP for Tampa, his first season with the club. Jason Bartlett played three seasons in Tampa, including his lone All-Star season, where he had a 132 OPS+ and a 6.2 WAR. Morlan topped out at Double-A, but it’s clear the Rays ended up with the better package of players. 
Winner: Tampa Bay

July 31, 2015
Tampa Bay Received: Alexis Tapia, Chih-Wei Hu
Minnesota Received: Kevin Jepsen
At the trade deadline, Minnesota found themselves in contention and wanted to add a late-inning bullpen arm. Kevin Jepsen posted a 1.61 ERA with a 0.89 WHIP in 29 appearances through the rest of the 2015 season. Unfortunately, Minnesota fell short of qualifying for the playoffs, but Jepsen couldn’t have pitched much better in his first season for the Twins. Alexis Tapia never made it out of High-A in the Rays system, while Chih-Wei Hu was limited to 11 big-league appearances. In his second season with the Twins, Jepsen pitched horribly, and the team released him on July 11, 2016. Even with this poor ending, Jepsen provided the 2015 Twins with solid innings for a contending team. 
Winner: Minnesota

June 24, 2016
Tampa Bay Received: Oswaldo Arcia
Minnesota Received: Cash Considerations
Oswaldo Arcia was supposed to be part of the first wave of prospects that helped turn things around for the Twins. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen, as he posted a .732 OPS in over 250 games for the club. In June 2016, the Twins sent Arcia to the Rays for cash considerations. He’d only play in 21 games for Tampa as he appeared in games for four different big-league clubs that season. Minnesota shed Arcia, and Tampa got a player that accumulated negative value while playing for them. 
Winner: Minnesota

February 17, 2018
Tampa Bay Received: Jermaine Palacios
Minnesota Received: Jake Odorizzi
This trade was a slam dunk win for the Twins. Jake Odorizzi pitched parts of three seasons in Minnesota with a 107 ERA+ and an All-Star appearance in 2019. Jermaine Palacios topped out at Double-A in the Rays organization before resigning with the Twins. His unique prospect journey has come full circle this year as he made his big-league debut for the Twins. 
Winner: Minnesota

July 22, 2021
Tampa Bay Received: Nelson Cruz, Calvin Faucher
Minnesota Received: Joe Ryan, Drew Strotman
Last summer’s blockbuster trade looks to be working out significantly in favor of the Twins. Nelson Cruz played 55 games for the Rays and posted a .725 OPS. Since rookie ball, Calvin Faucher has yet to post a sub-4.00 ERA at any level. Minnesota received six years of team control over Joe Ryan, an AL Rookie of the Year contender, and Drew Strotman, a solid organizational depth piece. Even if Ryan regresses, the Twins are still getting more value from him than what the Rays got from Cruz. 
Winner: Minnesota

Do you agree with the winners named above? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. 

Injuries are having a major impact across baseball, as teams scramble to field healthy rosters and make constant transactions with their minor league affiliates. No team has been more affected than the Minnesota Twins, who announced Thursday that they are placing their entire 40-man roster on the 10-day injured list.
“We were almost halfway there already,” said manager Rocco Baldelli. “And given how banged up our quote-unquote healthy guys are, it felt like the right move.”
To take their place, the Twins are relying on a forgotten World War I-era rule that allowed teams to backfill rosters with “strapping farmhands, eccentrics, spinsters, and gifted children from the area as our stout young lads take it to the Kaiser” in an emergency.
Sources say Major League Baseball leadership is furious, but their hands are tied.
“It was only meant to apply when players got drafted or volunteered for military service,” said a source close to MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred. “We now realize the vague wording gives teams like Minnesota some wiggle room. Unfortunately, the rule is very specific about the only person who can nullify the rule: Woodrow Wilson, who has died.”
The Twins are said to be scouting local high schools, rec centers, and playgrounds for “big kids” who could handle the physical rigors of professional baseball and give Minnesota a chance to compete in the wide-open AL Central.
“One of our scouts saw a kid named Cotter playing pick-up basketball at a park in northeast Minneapolis,” said Baldelli. “He was a good 4-5 inches taller than all these rickety dad types he was playing against. Just dominating them. Long story short he’s playing first base Friday and Saturday. He has Confirmation at his church on Sunday so we might build in a rest day, we’ll see how things develop.”
As for why the team is not using their own minor leaguers, Baldelli was uncharacteristically blunt.
“Fuel costs make all these call-ups crazy expensive, and a lot of these kids already have bus passes or a parent with a Honda Odyssey for carpooling. Also, the rest of the month we play Cleveland, Oakland, Kansas City, and Detroit. If we fielded a team of dogs in people clothes, we might go .500.”
 

Recently I was chatting with a former Minnesota Twins minor leaguer. I think if you asked him, he would have called himself a suspect instead of a prospect. We were talking about current prospects, and I made the comment that I always have a soft spot for guys who either weren’t drafted or were drafted in the late rounds. 
Mark Contreras wasn’t a late-round pick, but he fits into another similar category. He was a ‘Senior Sign.’ In 2017, the Twins had the top overall pick and signed Royce Lewis. He signed for under-slot value to allow the team to also draft and go way over-slot RHP Blayne Enlow in the third round. In addition, the Twins drafted three college seniors with their eighth (Bryan Sammons), ninth (Contreras), and tenth (Calvin Faucher) round picks and signed each of the for just $10,000. 
It’s a strategy every team uses to manipulate the current draft slot system. The Twins have had success with several senior signs. In 2013, they drafted Mitch Garver, a senior catcher from the University of New Mexico, in the ninth round. In 2008, Brian Dozier, a shortstop from Southern Mississippi, was the Twins' eighth-round pick. 
With that as the backdrop, let’s take a look back at the baseball career and timeline of Mark Contreras, all of which has led him to his first big-league call-up today. 
High School: Canyon Springs High School in Moreno Valley, California
Contreras was a four-year starter in high school. He worked hard on the field and in the classroom. He was known already then for his great defense. He played in the infield, mostly at third base until his senior season when he moved to shortstop. 
College: UC-Riverside 
Despite all of his high school successes - his team won the league championship all four years, he was all-league his final three years - he didn’t have a lot of college offers. He stayed fairly close to home and enrolled at UC-Riverside. 
As a freshman, he played in just 19 games and went 4-for-27 (.148). His sophomore year, an opening presented itself in the outfield. His coach asked how comfortable he would be in the outfield. Contreras replied, “If I’m in the lineup, it doesn’t matter. I’d love to play.” 
He showed it could do just that, hitting .284 with ten doubles. In his junior season, he played in 55 games and hit .332/.407/.430 (.837) with 14 doubles and a homer. He went undrafted. 
He returned for his senior season and hit .366/.427/.558 (.985) with 11 doubles, eight triples, and two homers in 42 games. 
 
 
Northwoods League: Rochester Honkers
His time with the Saints and Twins does not mark his first time playing ball in Minnesota. In the summers of 2015 and 2016, he played for the Rochester Honkers. 
“That was fun. Meeting new guys. The competition was great. The success our first year. We got to the semi-finals. The St. Cloud Rox kept kicking our butt. They put it on us. Going back for another year was great. Playing in Rochester exposes you to a lot of excellent players from around the country.”
Professional Baseball: Minnesota Twins 
As mentioned, Contreras became the Twins’ ninth-round draft pick in 2017. He signed quickly at $10,000 and went to Elizabethton. In 43 games, he hit .275/.319/.421 (.740) with nine doubles, two triples, and four home runs. 
In 2018, he played in 97 games with Ft. Myers and hit .212/.302/.361 (.663) with 15 doubles, four triples, and nine home runs. He also stole 12 bases. He did hit .440 in seven games in Cedar Rapids at the end of the season. 
2019 was a tough season for Contreras. He played in 27 games for Ft. Myers and hit just .101 with three doubles. He moved back and forth to Double-A Pensacola several times. In 85 games with the Blue Wahoos, he hit .210/.279/.381 (.660) with 12 doubles, three triples, and ten home runs. 
Double-A manager Ramon Borrego talked last year about the challenge for Contreras, moving back and forth between Ft. Myers and Pensacola. It was difficult to get into any sort of routine. He later said, “That back-and-forth helped me understand the mental grind of the game.” 
To illustrate that, Contreras was named a Rawlings Minor League Gold Glove Award winner. Defense has always been an important part of his game, and he is capable of playing all three outfield positions very well. 
The home run power he started to show at the end of 2019 was something he wanted to continue to improve upon in 2020. Unfortunately, there was no 2020 minor league season due to the pandemic. He spent the whole lost season, working with his dad, hitting every weekday. 
It helped. In 2021, Contreras’s prospect stock rose with his play at the highest level. He began the season in Wichita, and like in 2019, he moved back and forth between Double-A and Triple-A a couple of times. In 19 games at Double-A, he hit .269/.355/.448 (.803) with four doubles and two homers. In 95 games at Triple-A, he hit .248/.335/.493 (.828) with 26 doubles and 18 home runs. 
In 2022, he has hit .239/.350/.489 (.838) with five doubles, five homers, and five stolen bases. 
 
 
The Call 
Being just a short drive from Target Field has been a motivator to Twins prospects the last two seasons. Contreras said last year,  “We're 20 minutes from Target Field, and being so close to that… We know we're so close.”
He has seen several of his current and former teammates get The Call. He noted, “"It's definitely amazing to see my teammates that I grinded a whole year at High-A or Double-A with getting their opportunity to be in the big leagues. Not just there and back, but proving that they can be in the big leagues. Trevor Larnach. Alex Kirilloff. Luis Arraez is one of the best hitters I've seen. Griffin Jax got his opportunity this year, and he's doing what he needs to do. Charlie Barnes just got called up the other day, and he had a great outing for his first start. We were drafted in the same year. I know there's a lot more that I've played with. Akil Baddoo is getting his opportunity. It's very motivating because it shows that they're getting the chance to show.”
Last summer, he also told me, “I'm not there, so the goal is to take care of the What, and then the When will happen.”
Tuesday became the When for Mark Contreras when he was called up to the Twins for the first time. With the team having two players on the Covid list, Contreras (and Jharel Cotton) did not need to be added to the 40-man roster. It’s very possible that if Luis Arraez is activated on Wednesday, Contreras could be on a plane to Columbus to meet the Saints.
 
 
Scouting Report 
Let's start with the defense. Again, Contreras is a plus-defender at all three outfield positions. He isn't a burner, but he gets good jumps. He also has a very strong arm. Offensively, he has power. After 20 combined homers in 2021, Contreras has five homers in 26 games for the Saints this year. Only Matt Wallner, with six, has more homers in the Twins minor leagues. A left-hander, he will strike out quite a bit, but he has learned which pitches he can do something with and can really drive. Contreras is a team player who will do what he can to help the team win. 
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For much, much more on Mark Contreras, click here to see all of the Twins Daily articles Contreras has been tagged in. 
 

Last Week's Game Results:
Game 10 | MIN 8, BOS 3: Garlick, Polanco Homer as Twins Split in Boston
Game 11 | KC 4, MIN 3: Duffey Implodes as Twins Waste Winnable Game
Game 12 | KC 2, MIN 0: Another Solid Pitching Performance Gets Wasted
Game 13 | MIN 1, KC 0: Joe Cool Dazzles, Slough of Singles
Game 14 | MIN 2, CWS 1: Twins Catch Break, Win Thriller
Game 15 | MIN 9, CWS 2: Buxton, Bundy Lead in Comfortable Win
Game 16 | MIN 6, CWS 4: Twins End White Sox Sweep with a Bang
Weekly Snapshot: Mon, 4/18 through Sun, 4/24
***
Record Last Week: 5-2 (Overall: 8-8)
Run Differential Last Week: +13 (Overall: +2)
Standing: 1st Place in AL Central (0.5 GA)
NEWS & NOTES
Thankfully it was a week filled with more good news than bad news on the injury front. 
First, the bad news: Jorge Alcalá was moved to the 60-day injured list with his elbow inflammation showing no signs of improvement. He'll be out until at least June, dealing a serious blow to the Twins' bullpen outlook. Replacing him on the 40-man roster is José Godoy, who joined the team as a third catcher.
The additional depth was needed with Minnesota's top two backstops experiencing some (hopefully minor) issues. Gary Sánchez was scratched on Saturday due to abdominal tightness and Ryan Jeffers was scratched on Sunday due to a knee contusion. Neither player was placed on IL, although seemingly neither was available on Sunday.
With a cortisone injection improving the condition of his ailing right wrist, Alex Kirilloff is set to start a brief rehab stint in St. Paul on Tuesday. He may rejoin the Twins next weekend. Meanwhile, Byron Buxton is already back and making a HUGE impact. We'll get to that shortly.
HIGHLIGHTS
The refreshingly impressive Twins rotation kept on rolling in Boston, Kansas City, and back home into Minneapolis. Check out the yeoman’s work in each successive game Monday through Saturday:
Dylan Bundy @ BOS: 5.1 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 6 K Chris Archer @ KC: 4.1 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 5 K Chris Paddack @ KC: 5 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 4 K Joe Ryan @ KC: 6 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 K Bailey Ober vs. CWS: 5 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 6 K Dylan Bundy vs. CWS: 5 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K Add in Chris Archer's so-so effort on Sunday (3 IP, 2 ER) and the rotation posted a 2.21 ERA in seven games last week. Starting pitching is carrying this team in April.
Joe Ryan's outing was perhaps the most critical of the bunch last week – he was masterful Thursday in a 1-0 victory where the Twins needed every bit of his greatness. With a marked increase in his slider usage (up to 31.2% in his first three starts, from 16.0% in 2021) Ryan continued to relentlessly attack the zone while inducing whiffs and weak contact.
Dylan Bundy lowered his ERA for the season to 0.59 (third-lowest in baseball) with a pair of excellent starts. His early success owes to a few factors, but a big one is that he's pounding the strike zone at one of the highest rates in the league. His fastball has been extremely effective, despite ranking in the 9th percentile for velocity (averaging just 89.0 MPH). Hitters are batting .133 against it with zero extra-base hits through three starts. 
The offense's breakout on Saturday, which saw them score more runs (9) than they had in the previous four games (6) was keyed in part by Luis Arraez, who went 4-for-5 in the contest and is now slashing .354/.426/.458 after a 9-for-21 run.
But the true star of the week – and stop me if you've heard this before – was Buxton. He only started three games, taking a few games off to make sure all was well with his sore knee, but the team's best player wasted no time making his presence felt.
After a 1-for-4 game as DH against Kansas City on Thursday, Buxton started in center at Target Field on Saturday night and went 4-for-4 with a home run, HBP, and three runs scored. On Sunday, he came through with a clutch game-tying two-run homer in the seventh and then walked it off with an epic three-run blast in the 10th. It was a really special moment.
There really aren't words to describe what Buxton is doing right now. He's single-handedly winning ballgames. He has hilariously accumulated 1.4 fWAR in a span of 10 games. His WPA in Sunday's game alone (0.761) was higher than all but seven MLB players had accumulated ALL season. This is amazingly fun to watch. 
I continue to believe Buxton's contract extension will go down as the most important move this franchise has ever made. 
LOWLIGHTS
Up and down the lineup, hitters continue to generally struggle. Carlos Correa finally notched some hits, going 6-for-22, but they were all singles and he also mixed in three GIDPs. Trevor Larnach, who went 2-for-22 with eight strikeouts, looks like he belongs in Triple-A (and will likely soon head back). Max Kepler failed to register an extra-base hit or RBI; his slugging percentage sits at .300 yet he's still batting fourth or fifth every time he's in the lineup.
But make no mistake: Miguel Sanó continues to be the biggest laggard on offense for the Twins. Following a 2-for-22 week, his slash line sits at an embarrassing .083/.224/.146, and the supposed slugger has produced just one home run and three RBIs in 15 games.
It's a weird deal with Sanó. The process isn't bad. He's taking good at-bats and making hard contact, with barrel and chase rates that rank among the best in the league. But there's constantly no payoff and it's hard to view it all as just bad luck. On Sunday, in a key spot with the tying run on second in the 10th, he got the green light on a 3-0 count and popped out to the catcher. I mean come on dude.
On the bullpen front, Tyler Duffey coughed up another close lead and saw it turn into a loss on his ledger. While his meltdown Tuesday in Kansas City was less damaging than the blown save against Seattle – this time the offense had three chances to tie or take a lead, although of course they failed – it was substantively much uglier. 
Rather than getting dinked and dunked on a string of hits like in his first blown save, Duffey gave up a pair of long home runs in KC on absolute meatballs left out over the plate. 
He left that outing with the worst Win Probability Added (-0.88) of any pitcher or hitter in the big leagues. With his season starting to feel like an Alex Colomé redux, Duffey bounced back on Friday night. 
Rocco Baldelli gave a strong vote of confidence to his embattled veteran, handing Duffey the ball with a one-run deficit in the eighth against the top of the Chicago order, and Duff delivered: a 1-2-3 inning with two strikeouts. Hopefully it's a sign of stabilization to come, because the Twins really need Duffey to be a Dude in that bullpen – especially in light of the unfortunate Alcalá news.
TRENDING STORYLINE
What is the plan with Gilberto Celestino? That is the big looming question in my mind right now. He's 23 years old, and still very much a developing prospect – he's played a total of 75 games above Single-A in the minors – yet for some reason Celestino is relegated to stagnation on the big-league bench. He's been with the Twins since Opening Day, accruing just 10 at-bats (with one hit) in three weeks. 
I get that the 40-man roster situation is a bit challenging, but this is getting ridiculous. Not only does Celestino offer very little as a bench player for the Twins, but more importantly, this is terrible for his development. He needs regular at-bats. I understood carrying him as a short-term patch while the Twins pursued Justin Upton, but if that's not happening ... what are we doing here exactly?
LOOKING AHEAD
Having passed their first test against an AL Central contender in flying colors, the Twins will now welcome another one to Target Field as Detroit visits for a three-game series. We're slated to see old friend Michael Pineda on Wednesday night. Then it's off to a Tampa for three games against the always-tough Rays.
It feels like the Twins have faced an inordinate number of left-handed starters early on this year, and that trend continues with (at least) four southpaws on the upcoming docket. The health situations of Sánchez and Jeffers will be worth closely monitoring.
TUESDAY, 4/26: TIGERS @ TWINS – LHP Eduardo Rodriguez v. RHP Chris Paddack
WEDNESDAY, 4/27: TIGERS @ TWINS – RHP Michael Pineda v. RHP Joe Ryan
THURSDAY, 4/28: TIGERS @ TWINS – LHP Tarik Skubal v. RHP Bailey Ober
FRIDAY, 4/29: TWINS @ RAYS – RHP Dylan Bundy v. TBD
SATURDAY, 4/30: TWINS @ RAYS – RHP Chris Archer v. LHP Shane McClanahan
SUNDAY, 5/1: TWINS @ RAYS – RHP Chris Paddack v. LHP Josh Fleming

In 2021, the Wind Surge joined the Twins family of affiliates and had a really strong roster. The team had the league’s best record during the regular season and finished second in the postseason tournament. 
Several return to Ramon Borrego’s roster from last year, and this should again be a very strong roster. His coaching staff is different, but starting a roster with seven top prospects and some other very intriguing prospects is a great place to start. 
Here we will introduce you to the 2022 Wichita Wind Surge Opening Day roster with a tweet-length bio. For much more on each player, click the hyperlink with the name and see all of the Twins Daily stories in which each player is tagged. There are some terrific prospect on this roster, and there are some great stories as well. 
COACHING STAFF 
Manager: Ramon Borrego 
Hitting Coach: Derek Shomon 
Pitching Coaches: Pete Larson, Dan Urbina 
Catcher Coach: Joe Mangiameli
PITCHERS 
RHP Argenis Angulo (28) - signed as free agent this offseason after posting a 7.33 ERA in 43 innings at AAA Las Vegas (A’s). Spent 2014-2020 with the Cleveland organization.  RHP Matt Canterino (24) - Twins Daily’s #6 prospect may have the best pure stuff. Healthy after throwing in just five games at Cedar Rapids in 2022. Could move quickly.  RHP Steven Cruz (22) - Young. Hits 100 at times. Control questionable at times. Probably a bullpen arm, pitched at Ft. Myers last year and just two games at High-A Cedar Rapids.  LHP Zach Featherstone (26) - drafted as a hitter, and then had Tommy John. Came back last year and was strong as Kernels closer. Pitcher in Arizona Fall League in 2021.  LHP Kody Funderburk (25) - another college two-way player, Funderburk has spent time as a starter and reliever.  RHP Ben Gross (24) - 10th round pick in 2019 from Duke. Graduated from Princeton in three years. Also has a nice three-pitch mix and throws strikes.  RHP Steven Klimek (28) - Pitched in Orioles’ system since drafted in 2015. Spent 2021 at AA Bowie. Bullpen depth.  RHP Brandon Lawson (27) - Has pitched in Rays, Giants and Astros organizations. Last season at Astros’ AA affiliate in Corpus Christi. Can eat innings.  LHP Bryan Sammons (26) - 8th round pick in 2017, Sammons split the 2021 season between Wichita (3-4, 6.44 ERA) and St. Paul (1-3, 6.61 ERA). Very starter with four pitches.  RHP Alex Scherff (24) - Came to Twins from Red Sox organization in deadline deal of Hansel Robles. Rehabbed the rest of 2021. Former prospect slowed by injuries. Has a chance.  RHP Austin Schulfer (26) - 19th round pick in 2018, he led Twins minor leaguers with 110 innings pitched in 2021, all for Wichita. He went 6-8 with a 4.34 ERA. 105 strikeouts.  LHP Evan Sisk (24) - Came to Twins at 2021 deadline in the J.A. Happ / John Gant trade. Lefty reliever pitched in the AFL after the 2021 season.  RHP Chris Vallimont (25) - Hard-thrower came to Twins in the Lewin Diaz / Sergio Romo trade in 2019. Struggled to 6.03 ERA in 21 Wichita starts last season, but struck out 130 batters in 91 innings (also 61 walks). Added to Twins 40-man roster after season.  RHP Louie Varland (24)- Twins Daily’s #14 prospect was the Twins and Twins Daily’s Minor League Pitcher of the year in 2021 after dominant numbers in Ft. Myers and Cedar Rapids. St. Paul native struck out 142 batters in 103 innings.  RHP Tyler Viza (27) - Signed with Twins just last week. He spent 2013-2019 in Phillies organization, reaching AAA. Last year, started for Independent Kane County before ending season with five starts for AA San Antonio (Padres).  RHP Simeon Woods Richardson (21) - Twins Daily’s #8 prospect came to the team in the 2021 deadline deal from Toronto with Austin Martin for Jose Berrios. Hard thrower has a strong repertoire of pitches. Last year was strange, started at AA, went to the Olympics but didn’t pitch, traded, and came to the Twins. Will get a chance to start fresh in 2022.  CATCHERS 
Alex Isola (23) - 29th round pick in 2019, he spent 2021 with the Kernels where he showed a good approach at the plate and some power. Good defensive catcher.  Dennis Ortega (24) - Venezuelan backstop joined the Twins this spring after spending 2014-2021 with the Cardinals organization. Reached AAA in 2021 and hit .231 over 57 games.  Chris Williams (25) - 8th round pick in 2018 from Clemson, Williams struggled at the season’s start in Cedar Rapids. Moved up to Wichita and produced nine extra base hits in 28 games.  INFIELDERS 
Andrew Bechtold (25) - 5th round pick in 2017, Bechtold broke out with the Wind Surge in 2021. He hit .239/.328/.459 (.786) with 23 doubles and 18 homers. Corner infielder also did work behind the plate and hopes to add that versatility to his game.  Michael Helman (25) - 11th round pick in 2018 from Texas A&M. In Cedar Rapids last year, he hit .246/.336/462 (.798) with 21 doubles, four triples and 19 home runs. Went to Arizona Fall League. The infielder also played all three outfield spots (and well) in 2021.   Edouard Julien (22) - Twins Daily’s #19 prospect, Julien led minor league baseball in walks in 2021. In Ft. Myers, he showed a great eye and plate discipline while rediscovering base stealing. In Cedar Rapids, he added the power that made him an intriguing draft prospect.  Austin Martin (23) - Martin was the #5 overall pick in the 2020 draft out of Vanderbilt. He came to the Twins in the Jose Berrios deal. He played 37 games for the Wind Surge in 2021 and returns in 2022, likely to play some shortstop and see if his offseason work will help him add power to his game. He ranked as the Twins #1 prospect heading into this season.   Spencer Steer (24) - The Twins 18th-ranked prospect, Steer busted out with 24 home runs between Cedar Rapids (10) and Wichita (14) in 2021. Able to play three infield positions, Steer is an intriguing prospect heading into 2022.  OUTFIELDERS 
Leobaldo Cabrera (24) - The Twins signed Cabrera last spring out of the Empire League. He was known for a strong arm and some power potential. After getting part-time play in Ft. yers and Cedar Rapids, he moved up to Wichita and hit 11 home runs in 52 games. Still young enough to be intriguing.  DaShawn Keirsey (24) - 4th round pick in 2018 from Utah, Keirsey played 45 games in Cedar Rapids in 2021. He had several stints on the Injured List and was unable to get into a flow. However, he had four doubles, four triples and seven home runs. He is a terrific defensive center fielder and incredibly fast and athletic. Here’s to his health in 2022!  Cole Sturgeon (30) - former 10th round pick of the Red Sox in 2014, he remained in their organization through 2019. He has played for three independent teams over the past two seasons. The Twins signed him in the offseason and he provides quality depth.  Matt Wallner (24)  - Another Minnesotan, Wallner in the #12 prospect at Twins Daily heading into the season. He got off to a fast start in Cedar Rapids, but he lost two months with a broken hamate bone. Finished the season with 15 homers in 66 Kernels games. Went to AFL and hit six homers in 18 games.   What are your thoughts on this roster? Who will move up quick? Who will jump up the prospect rankings?
 

As many Minnesotans return to the physical office, men like Josh Kinney await. He has two goals: Drop a “Mondays, am I right?” as early as possible on the first day of the week, and to rob his co-workers of even fleeting joy.
“Lots of people on my floor are Twins fans, couple of them have season tickets,” said the Shorewood native. “I saw the news about Carlos Correa (the new Twins shortstop) and want to make sure they know the club is still in desperate need of pitching.
“I figure they’ll be coming into the break room, maybe to get some coffee or water. I can see the optimism in their eyes. That’s when I strike. ‘Saw that the Twins got Correa. Does he pitch?’ Then I give them a fake laugh and/or shoulder punch and exit the room. Devastation.”
This vile behavior is nothing new for the St. Thomas graduate.
“I guess I knew I was a buzzkill at a young age,” said Kinney, a human resources generalist for Best Buy. “We’d be opening presents at Christmas and I’d be sure to let my siblings know who got the most expensive gifts, right in front of my folks. I could always count on one of them to start wailing and my Mom to get furious. At least until Mom left with her yoga instructor. Then Dad would just give us cash and watch the loudest cable news channel he could find.”
Kinney’s co-workers say his ability to pee on any campfire is unsurpassed.
“We had an Oscars pool one year, like a $10 entry fee, nothing major,” said Betsy Mick, a senior digital strategist. “Josh sent a department-wide email to let everyone know that the winner needs to claim the prize money on their taxes. He CC’ed the IRS. It was remarkable.”
Kinney says his Correa-derived cruelty should be a durable form of death-by-small-talk for months.
“Even if they shore up the rotation, which they won’t, I’ll shift to reminding them he can opt out after this season, which he will,” said the monster. “If things go south and they have to trade him before that, and they will, I’ll remind them of the success rate for prospects.”
Kinney laughed and excused himself to remind a Vikings fan of Kirk Cousins' extension.
 
Image license here.

The international market has been a key source of talent in the Twins system, yielding not only big-league players like Jorge Polanco, Max Kepler, and Miguel Sanó, but also several of their current most intriguing prospects. 
They'll be adding to that pool when the following expected signings become official. The Twins have a $5,721,500 bonus pool for international signings this year and it appears this is how they'll be divvying up a large chunk of it.
Yasser Mercedes, OF – Dominican Republic ($1.7 million)
DOB: 11/16/2004 (17 years old) 6'3", 180 lbs | Bats R, Throws R Ranked #17 by MLB Pipeline Read our profile on Mercedes The headliner of this year's Twins international class is a big lean outfielder with an impressive and balanced skill set. Speed and defense are considered his biggest strengths currently, leading many to believe he can stick in center field. 
According to MLB Pipeline, "Mercedes has some of the best tools in this year’s class, but it’s his ability to use those tools in games that’s helped him become one of the most intriguing prospects on the international market."
Yilber Herrera, SS – Dominican Republic ($700K)
DOB: 1/15/2005 (17 years old) 6'0", 155 lbs | B: S, T: R Ranked #35 by MLB Pipeline Read our profile on Herrera "Think of a young Jorge Polanco. That’s the best way to describe the athletic Herrera." So claims MLB Pipeline's writeup on this switch-hitting shortstop, and this description comes as music to the ears of Twins fans. 
The Venezuelan infielder is currently known as more of a contact hitter with quick hands, but there is hope he'll start to develop substantial power as he grows into his frame. That's basically the path Polanco took on his way to becoming one of the best slugging middle infielders in the majors.
Bryan Acuña , SS – Venezuela ($650K)
DOB: 8/11/2005 (16 years old) 5'11", 155 lbs | B: R, T: R Ranked #39 by MLB Pipeline Read our profile on Acuña You probably recognize the last name. Yes, Bryan is the younger brother of Braves superstar Ronald Acuña Jr. He's been on the international scouting radar for sometime, and while he's not viewed as one of the premier talents in this class, it bears noting that his older brother signed with Atlanta for a mere $100K back in 2014.
He's currently listed as a shortstop, but Acuña is unlikely to stick there. His bat is expected to be his ticket to advancement; he already has a good feel for hitting and the hope is that he'll add power he muscles up. 
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Since Buxton first joined the team in 2015, he’s only had one year with 500 plate appearances, and indeed only one with over 331. His injuries have ranged from seemingly self-inflicted problems due to his aggressive defense in center field, to worrisome nagging injuries like hip strains and foot injuries, to flukey injuries like a broken finger from being hit by a pitch.
On the other hand, he’s been absolutely elite defensively throughout his time with the Twins, and recently his offense has reached a similar level. This year he hit .306 with 19 home runs in just 61 games, a pace that makes him a 50-home run threat over a full season. He’s also only 27 years old, entering the peak period of many players' careers.
He is due to be a free agent next offseason, compelling the Twins to either sign him to an extension or trade him this offseason, lest they risk having him leave next year for nothing more than a compensatory draft pick. That urgency is further heightened by the threat of an impending work stoppage starting as soon as Wednesday night. If an extension or trade iss not made by then, there is a chance any such move would be delayed until some unknown point in a potentially compressed offseason, or thwarted altogether.
A deal would likely represent the biggest deal the Twins have made since they signed Joe Mauer to a contract extension in 2010 for $184 million dollars. That deal was also for a rare talent who contributed defensively, was at the peak of his ability, and on the verge of free agency. 
The deal with Mauer aged poorly, as leg problems and concussions limited his ability to stay at catcher and stay in the lineup. With Buxton having more health questions, the reality is it makes him more affordable; it’s unlikely the Twins could complete a deal without the built-in discount his health history affords them. 
The Mauer deal also took place as the Twins were completing a run of division-winning seasons and trying to lengthen their competitive window. Twins’ management’s next to-do for this offseason is to find some starting pitchers whom Buxton’s Gold Glove can assist with his range in center field. While the size of Buxton’s deal is likely significant, the Twins entered the offseason with as much as $50M or so to spend on free agents. A deal with Buxton is likely to maintain that capability.
Indeed, Ken Rosenthal has just published contract details:
The extension  guarantees $15M per year (except this year, when he still would've been under arbitration) plus very large bonuses for MVP bonuses and a series of $500K bonuses if he stays healthy for over 500 plate appearances. It is a very creative contract. I can't think of any that has had a bonus structure remotely similar to it. The deal essentially rewards Buxton extra money for staying healthy for a full season, handsomely for MVP-caliber production, but still guarantees him base salary commensurate to a top center fielder. 
If the Twins had traded Buxton instead, it would be hard for them to pretend that they could expect to be competitive in 2022. They would have lost their best offensive and defensive player, while also trying to replace 60% of their starting rotation. Retaining Buxton keeps the option of competing in 2022 alive. It should also make him one of the core pieces of the next competitive Twins team. Further pieces will still need to be assembled, but the deal represents a serious effort by the Twins to compete by locking up high-end home-grown talent for a long time.
We'll add details as they emerge. In the meantime, give us your initial thoughts below. 

In an alternate universe, the Twins very well could've been matched with Gray from the very start. They held the No. 4 overall pick in the 2013 draft, with a clear need for pitching, and he was considered the top college arm after Stanford's Mark Appel, who went to Houston first overall. The Twins had deeply scouted their eventual pick, prep pitcher Kohl Stewart (who turned out to be a disastrous bust). But if the University of Oklahoma star Gray hadn't been claimed one spot ahead of Minnesota, by the Rockies at No. 3, would the Twins have opted for the far less risky commodity?
Alas, we will never know. But now the Twins have an opportunity to reunite with the pitcher they just missed. As for Gray, his journey with the Rockies could best be described as ... rocky. 
Jon Gray's Tenure in Colorado
The top draft pick established himself accordingly in the minors, and emerged as a consensus top-20 prospect after dominating the low minors. He moved quickly to the majors and finished sixth in Rookie of the Year voting.
His performance in that rookie season of 2016 – 168 IP, 4.61 ERA, 3.60 FIP, 9.9 K/9, 1.26 WHIP – would basically set the benchmark for Gray. He was more or less that same guy throughout his time with the Rockies, with some high points and low points mixed in. He completes his run in Colorado with a 4.59 ERA and 3.91 FIP, displaying the gap one expects from a pitcher in Coors.
While we all know the mile-high environment suppresses pitching results, Gray has failed to break through on any merit. He's never posted an ERA lower than 3.67, and he has a 4.19 FIP over the past four seasons. His year-to-year performance places him firmly in the "mid-rotation starter" category, which helps explain why Colorado didn't want to commit for $18.4 million. Gray likely would've accepted the QO, if offered. Instead he'll turn to the open market for a longer-term deal.
The Rockies reportedly reached out with an extension offer before season's end, but were rejected. Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post posited that Gray "is likely seeking a three- or four-year deal at about $9 million-$10 million a season." That's right in Minnesota's wheelhouse, for their second rotation addition if not their first. Is Gray worthy of an intense pursuit?
3 Things to Know About Jon Gray
He's durable. But not super durable.
Gray has mostly avoided arm injuries throughout his professional career, despite hurling a fastball in the mid-90s plus a consistently heavy dose of sliders. He did miss a bit of time with an elbow flexor injury this past June, though he returned without issue. 
Gray ended up throwing 149 innings this year, which is almost exactly what he averaged from 2016 through 2019. He's never thrown more than 173 innings in a season but he's also never missed more than a handful of starts in a season, save for 2017 when a stress fracture in his foot cost him two months. 
In Colorado, Gray has mostly been treated as a five-and-fly type, pitching five or at most six innings before giving way to the bullpen. Some might say that fits the Twins' style of management. I'd argue its more reflective of the sport's evolution at large, but alas, it adds to the sense of alignment.
He gets strikeouts, but doesn't make people chase.
Gray has averaged more than a strikeout per inning in every full season he's pitched, including 2021 where he averaged 9.5 K/9. However, he did so this year with a chase rate ranking in the 5th percentile of all major-leaguers. O-Swing % represents the percentage of pitches where a batter swings outside the zone, and in this category Gray's 25.8% mark in 2021 would've ranked 29th out of 35 pitchers who pitched for the Twins this year, surpassing only Beau Burrows, Shaun Anderson, Kyle Barraclough, Andrew Albers, Edgar Garcia, Brandon Waddell and Willians Astudillo. Yeesh.
The latest season was no outlier. Since his debut in 2015, Gray ranks 54th out of 54 pitchers (800+ IP) in chase rate. 
It's impressive Gray has been able to find relative success despite this critical shortcoming. But it also speaks to a potential opportunity to level-up. If Gray could make more batters chase out of the zone, he'd likely cut down on his mediocre walk rates, increase his already-good strikeout rates, and unlock greater overall efficiency.
Undoubtedly his coaches in Colorado were working on this fairly obvious fix, but maybe a new voice helps him turn a corner — perhaps via increased usage of the changeup and curveball, which have generated his highest chase rates this year despite being his least-used offerings.

He's one of the youngest starting pitchers in free agency.
By nature, free agents tend to be past 30, and sometimes well past 30, because it takes six-plus years to reach that point. But Gray's reaching the open market on the early side, as a collegiate top draft pick who was fast-tracked to the big leagues by age 23. He just wrapped up his age-29 season and turned 30 a few days ago on November 5th. 
Given his relative lack of career earnings (he's banked about $16 million total up to this point), Gray may value the security of a longer-term deal at a reasonable sum, which holds appeal for teams given his age. In this respect, and also because he won't cost a draft pick to sign, Gray feels like a good fit for the Twins with their stuck-in-between status of contending and rebuilding. He could be a real difference-maker in 2022 but also '23 and '24. 
Jon Gray and the Twins
An important thing to recognize about free agency is that you're not paying for what someone has done, you're paying for what they are going to do. No one can predict the future, obviously, but there are numerous indicators and signs. It's foolish to treat history as the only impactful one.
Teams (including the Twins) didn't fixate on the past when they went hard after Zack Wheeler a couple years ago in free agency, despite his unspectacular career numbers (3.77 ERA, 3.71 FIP, 1.29 WHIP, 100 ERA+). The Phillies ultimately won out, signing Wheeler to a $118 million contract, and they've been richly rewarded as he's been one of the best pitchers in baseball since, posting a 2.82 ERA in two ultra-durable seasons. 
Now, I'm not saying Gray is anywhere close to the same as Wheeler, whose flaws were less readily apparent and his upside more so. Because of that, he won't get a deal anywhere near that same range. But there will be plenty of teams intrigued by his seemingly unscratched potential, and it would be no surprise if a modest bidding war breaks out. In the Offseason Handbook we projected a $10 million yearly salary, figuring he'd land a deal in the 3 years, $30M range, which jibes with what the Denver Post projected he would get. However, it would come as no shock at all if his eventual price tag climbs considerably higher. Ricky Nolasco territory (4 years, $49M) seems achievable.
Would the Twins go that high? Should they? Are they even a destination of interest to Gray, whose own preferences will ultimately play a pivotal role in where he lands?
It's hard to say. But what's clear is that Twins fans should be paying close attention to him, because there's little doubt Minnesota will be in the running. And despite expectations that this offseason would crawl its way to an early stop with a lockout looming, LA's signing of Andrew Heaney on Monday throws this presumption into doubt. 
Teams are out here looking to score early values on the market. If the Twins are serious about Gray, they'd be wise to make their intentions known quickly (if they haven't already).
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What are the Twins Daily Community Awards, you ask? For a long time, we wanted to recognize the best contributors to our awesome community and earlier this summer, we handed out the first prizes to our top community members.
We offer two prizes for the Top Post (the comment that receives the most user reactions) and Top Blog Entry (the blog entry that receives the most user comments) but we also try to recognize others who contribute to the Twins Daily experience through popular content or prolific status in the forums and blogs, perhaps doubly so given how easy it was to give up on this team in June, much less continue giving it your attention through the end of September.
Without further ado, let’s get to the winners…
Top Post of the Second Half of the 2021 Season goes to…
Honorable Mention: @wsnydes and the article In Defense of the Twins Front Office for his comment with 28 reactions from other users. During a season when the front office (deservedly) took a lot of heat from fans over their offseason choices leading up to the 2021 season, wsnydes took a more tempered approach in suggesting that they’ve had quite a bit of success in the past and how they deal with adversity for the first time since taking the reins will be quite telling. Does the front office deserve this kind of leeway? Who knows? Stay tuned!

The Top Post and Prize Winner: @jmlease1 and the topic Three Things to Like (and Hate) about the Nelson Cruz Trade for his comment with 31 reactions from other users. jmlease1 had good things to say about the Nelson Cruz trade and the upside of trading an expiring contract and receiving pitching to fill an immediate need in return… which feels even more prescient now after witnessing Joe Ryan’s glorious mane baffle hitters through his first handful of Major League starts. While this front office has certainly made some questionable moves over the years, early returns on the Cruz trade look outstanding.
In recognition of jmlease1’s popular post, they shall receive the most incredible prize to memorialize the 2021 Minnesota Twins’ season, particularly the outstanding bullpen that sunk the season before it even began; an item perfect for any mantle or centerpiece in the home to spur conversation… a commemorative display featuring the amazing 1984 season of Twins reliever and overall menace to baseball fans across all of Minnesota, Ron Davis.
You can witness the awesome interactivity of this display in the video below...
Ron Davis Prize.mp4
Blog Entry of the Second Half of the 2021 Season goes to…
Honorable Mention: @LA VIkes Fan and the entry Nick Gordon Sent to AAA - Is He a Long Term Player? with 34 user comments. Nick Gordon was something of a catalyst for Twins fans this season, with fans taking (sometimes over-the-top) opinions about a player who profiles as a tenth or eleventh man on the roster. Either way, LA Vikes Fan used a tried-and-true method to easily create a popular blog entry: pose a question and ask for opinions. Like our blog entry winner from the first half of the season about the history of Twins left fielders, this rewarded the entry with over 30 comments as it seemed like everyone had a pretty strong opinion about Gordon during the second half of this season. Probably because there wasn’t much else worth talking about.

The Top Blog Entry and Prize Winner: @bean5302 and the entry No, Top FA Starters Are Not Risky with 46 user comments. The moment I saw this entry, I suspected it would end up walking away with the most popular blog entry award. Nothing fires up a fan base - particularly we Twins fans - more than a conversation about spending on top-shelf free agent pitching. In this entry, bean5302 makes a convincing point that it’s better to pay big for a single player than to dispense those same dollars over multiple players.
Congratulations, bean5302! For this effort, we’ve found the perfect gift for a nascent Twins blogger… a Twins-branded keyboard! It’s WIRELESS, even!
Did I mention it’s a hot dog?
It’s definitely a hot dog. Because offering a prize that isn’t just plain weird in one way or another isn’t really our style here at Twins Daily. Why is this keyboard a hot dog? God only knows because I can’t imagine why anyone in their right mind would buy this ridiculous thing and not something cool like a photo of Target Field or Byron Buxton… or frankly, I could make a convincing argument that a keyboard with TC Bear on it makes more sense than this thing.
BUT IT’S WHAT YOU GET, BEAN.
Either way, we all look forward to the brilliant blog posts you type on this weirdly branded-but-in-the-most-esoteric-way-possible input device!
Most Read Blog Entry of the Second Half of the 2021 Season…
@mike8791 and the entry The Dust Has Settled - What's Next, Part 2 with the visually pleasing number of 1,111 readers. Sorry, mike8791, no prizes are awarded for this honor except a good ol’ slap on the back from the Twins Daily community but we like to also point out those who create popular content through sheer reader numbers. And you topped the list in this regard with a post-deadline entry examining where the Twins are heading next: a rebuild or retool?
Most Popular Topic of the Second Half of the 2021 Season…
@Danchat and the topic 40 Man Roster Management For 2022 saw over 1,700 readers click in and check out their topic. Ah, a classic way to climb the Twins Daily leaderboard is to go the nuts-and-bolts route. In this post, Danchat examines the 40-man roster and various options available to the Twins going forward. Well done, chap!
Prolific Posters of the Second Half of the 2021 Season…
We like to give a hat tip to the posters who contribute the most to Twins Daily over the course of a season and year. For the second half of the season, we saw stalwart posters @Mike Sixel accumulated 2,087 reputation points and @ashbury, ever the bridesmaid but never the bride, once again takes second place with 1,130 reputation points.
And that’s all, folks…
Once again, a big thank-you goes out to the entire Twins Daily community and the wonderful content you bring to the site. All of you, whether you comment once or 800 times, fill the second half of Twins Daily with the best Twins content found anywhere on the internet.
That’s all the back-slapping I have in me today so see you all again next spring, Collective Bargaining Agreement and greedy MLB ownership willing…

Okay, let me start by saying this is an absolutely terrible idea. If you want a serious look at bullpen options for 2022, check out Jamie Cameron’s article from Friday on that very topic. Astudillo will never be seriously considered as a pitcher, partially because selling such a decision to the fanbase unironically would be impossible, but what if he was? What if he got a full sixty innings of relief work?
As a primer, let’s look at Astudillo’s pitching numbers from 2021. He was given four opportunities to toe the rubber, all as a mop-up dude in blowout losses. In those four games, he pitched four full innings and allowed only one (rather infamous) run. That’s an ERA of 2.25, which is better than every actual reliever the Twins put out there this year except for four innings of Devin Smeltzer and 12 innings of Nick Vincent. Also, with only one hit allowed all year, Astudillo’s WHIP of .750 was second on the club, trailing only Smeltzer.
On the other hand, having walked two and struck out exactly zero (0) hitters, Astudillo’s strikeouts per walk rate is in the mud (at 0.00), but, as Twins fans, we like to pretend that Wes Johnson can fix everything, so let’s assume he gets at least a strikeout every two innings out of Astudillo. 
Now, obviously, La Tortuga’s four innings pitched is a ridiculously small sample size, but if that’s the type of thing that bothers you, this may not be the article for you, because this entire flimsy argument is based on that small sample size. And, even with that said, we’ve seen position players be immediately terrible on the mound before, and the fact that Astudillo gave the Twins even just four innings of competence means something. 
With his stats settled (just don’t look at his FIP), let’s examine Astudillo’s stuff. According to FanGraphs, Willians has a fastball that sits in the low-80s, a seldom-used changeup in the low 60s and a heavily-used eephus that comes in at a bizarrely slow 45 miles per hour. Now he’s certainly not blowing up the radar gun, but he can throw each of these pitches for strikes (a remarkable skill) and pitchers have gotten Major League hitters out before with little velocity. Heck, Jamie Moyer’s fastball was tipping the scales at 78 mph when he was pitching real innings in the majors as a 49-year-old. 
The key is the difference in velocity between your fastest and slowest pitch. In Moyer’s autobiography, Just Tell Me I Can’t, he repeatedly mentioned that he aimed for a 10 mph difference between his fastball and changeup velocity. Well, check out Astudillo; he’s got a 35+ mph difference between his fastest and slowest pitch. This overlay shows you exactly what that looks like:
I mean, these pitches cross the plate in completely different time zones. And, it’s not as if those are the only two pitches he throws. If that were the case, hitters could either sit on one or the other and smack the baseball into next week. But Astudillo can get the ball across the plate at virtually any velocity between 45mph and 85 mph, so hitters never really know when the pitch is going to cross. With this bizarre pitch arsenal, there is reason to believe that Astudillo would be unpredictable enough on the mound to have real success. Just check out this highlight tape:
It’s clear that big league hitters just simply don’t know what to do with 45 mph over the middle, and then after seeing it a few times, Astudillo shows them the same delivery but fires it in at 72, which is suddenly way too fast to adjust to. 
Now, obviously, professional hitters would be able to adjust to Astudillo’s antics if he actually became a full-time reliever. The eephus surely wouldn’t be as effective the 100th time Astudillo threw it and his fastball might start to look like batting practice fodder more than anything else. But, given that Astudillo is the only guy in the league that pitches like he does, I’m just not sure hitters would be spending time preparing for the one at-bat a series they might get off him. 
And, even if they did, it might not matter. When you spend all your career preparing for—and all day hitting off of—high velocity, high spin rate guys, adjusting to hitting off Astudillo likely feels like playing a completely different sport. And that might be just enough to make him viable as a full-time reliever. 
Again, Falvey and Levine certainly won’t be able to trot out an Opening Day roster that has Astudillo as a pitcher, because, you know, we want the team to be good. However, if the team is going to be bad again—if we make it to July and Minnesota baseball is just as depressing as it was this year—I’d love to see him coming out of the bullpen on a regular basis. I only kind of believe he could do it, but if the Twins are going to be bad, I’d rather they be fun to watch.
What do you think? Could La Tortuga actually do it? Let us know in the comments!
 

The results speak for themselves. Miranda is having a monstrous season in the minors. He’s taken his advanced approach, one of the reasons he was selected 73rd overall as a 17-year-old in the 2016 Draft, and combined it with newly-developed patience and power. 
The most encouraging aspect of Miranda’s toolbox is that he isn’t selling out for pop. He’s maintained a 13% strikeout rate while consistently making hard contact. Miranda has gone from a .252/.302/.369 slash, empty batting average low-minors hitter to a true damage bat at the highest levels. 
There are many reasons to be excited. Miranda has power to all fields, makes consistent contact, barely strikes out, and hits the ball with authority.  
Entering Sunday, Miranda is hitting an insane .343/.405/.593 with 25 homers and 23 doubles in 94 games. He’s split time at Wichita and St.Paul, crushing equally at both stops. 
Let’s look at three ways the Twins could get Miranda into a full-time role for the final 35 or so games:
1. DFA Andrelton Simmons, move Jorge Polanco to SS, slot in Miranda at 2B/3B
I’m confident in saying this is the crowd favorite. Simmons has been abysmal offensively and offers no future value. Even so, the Twins have expressed a desire to keep his glove behind their young pitchers and keep Polanco at second base. At this point, I’d call this unlikely. 
2. DH Josh Donaldson, move Luis Arraez to LF, slot in Miranda at 3B
This one makes the most sense. The problem: what happens to Brent Rooker? With Byron Buxton on the mend and Max Kepler in right, Rooker would be the odd man out in this scenario. Plus, the Twins would have to stop playing Jake Cave against righties. Unlikely. 
3. DH Miguel Sanó, slot in Miranda at 1B
Miranda has started at first base in 22 games this season. To avoid a part-time DH role, the Twins could give the reigns to Sanó, who will probably fill that spot in 2022. Again, how is Rooker getting at-bats? 
Ultimately, there is no simple way to promote Miranda. He shouldn’t play in anything but a full-time role. Without an injury, we may not see him in a Twins uniform until next spring.
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Be sure to read Nick’s Twins Week in Review from yesterday, and then jump into the minor league week. 
Before we get started, let’s check out the FCL Twins game and the transactions from Monday. 
TRANSACTIONS
RHPs Tyler Beck and Erik Manoah, Jr. were promoted from Cedar Rapids to Wichita.  RHP Sawyer Gipson-Long was promoted from Ft. Myers to Cedar Rapids.   
FCL Twins Talk
FCL Twins 1, FCL Braves 5
Box Score 
The FCL Twins managed just five hits on Monday. Alerick Soularie had three of them including his first double. Shouldn’t be long before he joins the Mighty Mussels. A rehabbing Anthony Prato had one hit as well. 
Juan Mendez made the start. He went 3 1/3 innings and gave up two runs on one hit and one walk. He struck out six batters. John Wilson got the next five outs and gave up just one hit. Jackson Hicks made his affiliated-ball debut. He gave up two runs (1 earned) on two hits over three innings. He struck out three. Hicks signed with the team last month out of the USPBL. Rafael Feliz gave up an unearned run in his inning. 
With that, let’s look at Week 14 in the Twins minor leagues: 
RESULTS
Triple-A: St. Paul Saints: Week (4-2, hosting Louisville), overall (44-39)
Double-A: Wichita Wind Surge: Week (5-1, hosting Midland), overall (49-35)
High-A: Cedar Rapids Kernels: Week (1-5, hosting Quad Cities), overall (45-39)
Low-A: Ft. Myers Mighty Mussels: Week (3-3, hosting Dunedin), overall (43-38) 
Complex League FCL Twins: Week (1-1), overall (7-19)
 
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Here are the week’s Twins minor league-related articles. 
Twins Minor League Week in Review: Complex Struggles but Success Everywhere Else  The Twins Bought Low on Austin Martin Twins Minor League Relief Pitcher of the Month - July 2021   Tuesday: Austin Martin Makes Twins Debut  Twins Claim RHP Ralph Garza Jr.  Wednesday: Sabato’s Blasts, Martin’s Heroics  Thursday: Shootout in Wichita, Pitcher’s Duel in St. Paul  Friday: Affiliates Feast on Home Cooking  Scouting Twins Prospects: Cole Sands  St. Paul to Stardom: Louie Varland is the Real Deal  Saturday: Walk-off Winners  Sunday: (Gonna Make You Sweat) Everybody Pitch Now TD Top Twins Prospects (Post Draft and Post Trade Deadline): 26-30  HIGHLIGHTS
We will start with the Twins choices for the organizational hitter and pitcher of the week, and then mention several other Twins prospects who had good Week 14 performances
Twins Player of the Week: Jermaine Palacios, Wichita Wind Surge      
A former Twins top prospect, Palacios was sent to the Rays in exchange for Jake Odorizzi. He struggled with Tampa, especially in Double-A. The Twins outbid teams to bring back Palacios this offseason. He signed with the Twins with the understanding that Royce Lewis would be the Wichita shortstop to start the season, and he would need to move around the diamond. Instead, Lewis hurt his knee and Palacios played shortstop nearly every day. He plays great defense there, and he has provided strong offense as well. Then last week, the Twins acquired shortstop/center fielder Austin Martin from the Rays, and Palacios needed to move around the infield. He played a game at second base. Then he played a game at third base. Then Martin moved out to center, and Palacios got to play some games at shortstop. It’s fair to say that Palacios handled it well, and was out to prove something. In six games, he hit .304/.385/.783 (1.167) with two doubles, three homers and seven RBI. He also stole two bases. In 76 games this season, he has hit .261/.351/.467 (.818) with 12 doubles and 16 home runs. 
Twins Pitcher of the Week: Jovani Moran, St. Paul Saints  
Moran has had a terrific season, and his adjustment to Triple-A has gone swimmingly. This past week, he tossed 5 1/3 scoreless innings over two games. He gave up no hits. He issued zero walks. He did hit a batter. He also struck out six batters. In seven games since joining the Saints, he is 1-0 with a save. He’s got a 1.80 ERA and a 0.47 WHIP. In 15 innings, he has four walks and 23 strikeouts. (13.8 K/9) That is after he worked 20 games in Double-A Wichita to start the season. There, he went 2-1 with two saves and a 1.91 ERA and 0.74 WHIP. In 37 2/3 innings, he walked 14 and struck out 64 batters (15.3 K/9). So, overall, he’s got a 1.88 ERA, a 0.67 WHIP, just 3.1 BB/9 and 14.9 K/9. Yes, in his 52 2/3 innings, he has 87 strikeouts. The 2015 seventh round pick from Puerto Rico appears to be ready for one more promotion this season. 
Other Strong Performances this Week

St. Paul Saints
Ben Rortvedt is getting much more playing time now with the Saints, and he’s performing. This past week, he played in five games and hit .357/.400/.857 (1.257) with a double and two home runs including a pinch-hit, extra-innings, walk-off, two-run homer.  
Mark Contreras played in five games. He hit .294/.316/.706 (1.022) with a double and two home runs, including a game-tying home run in the ninth inning of the Rortvedt Walkoff Game. 
The Saints also got some very nice bullpen work. Kyle Barraclough struck out six batters over five scoreless innings. He gave up just one hit. Edgar Garcia also worked in three games. He threw four scoreless innings and gave up two hits and a walk. Chandler Shepherd had a terrific start, tossing six shutout innings. He gave up just four hits and walked none. Andrew Albers gave up one run over seven innings in his start. Drew Strotman gave up just one run on four hits over five innings in his start.  
Wichita Wind Surge
Trey Cabbage had a big week. He played in all six games and hit .375/.423/.875 (1.298) with a double, triple and three home runs. 
In his first week with the Twins organization, Austin Martin played in all six games and hit .400/.571/.500 (1.071) with two doubles. He also walked six times and struck out just once. BJ Boyd played just twice and went 3-for-7 (.429) with a double and a home run. Caleb Hamilton played in three games and had a double, triple and home run. 
Martin and Hamilton each had a walkoff this week. 
 
Jordan Gore worked three scoreless, hitless innings and gave up only a walk. He struck out four. Austin Schulfer provided a solid start. He gave up one run on five hits and two walks over five innings. He struck out six. Cole Sands struck out 11 batters over 8 2/3 innings in his two starts while posting a 3.12 ERA. 
Cedar Rapids Kernels
Max Smith had a strong week again. He played in five games and hit .357/.471/.571 (1.042) with a home run and three walks. DaShawn Keirsey, Jr, hit two home runs. Yunior Severino went 9-for-24 (.375) with a double over his six games. 
Breckin Williams worked three innings over two relief appearances. He gave up only an unearned run and struck out four. Osiris German struck out four batters over three innings over two games. In addition, he also received his high school equivalency through the Twins academy on Monday.
Ft. Myers Might Mussels
Aaron Sabato played in four games this past week. He went 2-for-11 (.182), but the two hits were both home runs, one in each game of a doubleheader. 
The highlight for the organization was the return of Matt Canterino. He worked two perfect innings on Sunday in his first rehab appearance. Matthew Swain struck out five batters over a three-inning performance. Bobby Milacki made one start and gave up just one earned run over four innings. He struck out five batters. Aaron Rozek worked twice out of the bullpen and gave up just one run over four innings. He also struck out five batters. 
FCL Twins 
Emmanuel Rodriguez had just seven at bats, but he had four hits including two doubles and a home run. Alerick Soularie finally got to make his professional debut after hurting his foot in spring training. In his three rehab games, he is 5-for-9 (.555) with a double and a home run. Ricardo Olivar also hit a home run. 
 
Lowlights
We are talking about small samples for these six-game weeks, so it’s important not to make any big decisions or develop a full impression on a player from this small size. It’s just a reminder of the fact that baseball is hard, and all players have good and bad stretches.  
St. Paul Saints
Nick Gordon will finally get every day playing time. In his return to the Saints, he played four games and went 2-for-15 (.133). Keon Broxton went 1-for-10 (.100). JT Riddle played in three games and went 0-for-8. 
Rafael Garza’s first appearance with a Twins affiliate didn’t go great. He gave up three runs on two hits and two walks and recorded just two outs. 
Wichita Wind Surge
Both Aaron Whitefield and Andrew Bechtold went 3-for-20 (.150), though each had a home run, and Bechtold also had a double.  
Sean Gilmartin gave up four runs on four hits in his innings of work before going on the Injured List. Jordan Balazovic went 4 2/3 innings in his start. He gave up six runs on eight hits, two walks and a hit batter. Alex Phillips gave up four runs on four hits (2 HR) over 3 2/3 innings over two appearances. 
Cedar Rapids Kernels
Seth Gray went 3-for-23 (.130). Michael Helman went 2-for-18 (.111). Gabriel Maciel went 1-for-9 (.111). Edouard Julien went 1-for-10 (.100). Matt Wallner went 2-for-22 (.091). 
Tyler Watson has been really good this season, but he had a rough one this past week. The lefty gave up six runs on four hits and two walks over 3 1/3 innings in his start. Cody Laweryson gave up four runs on six hits and three walks over just 2 2/3 innings in his start. Even Ben Gross had an off start. He gave up seven runs on eight hits (3 HR) and a walk in 4 1/3 innings. He’s been pretty terrific of late.  
Ft. Myers Might Mussels
Ruben Santana played in all six games and went 0-for-16. Misael Urbina went 1-for-18 (.056) over his six games. The one hit was a home run. Keoni Cavaco played in five games and went 2-for-19 (.105). Will Holland was 2-for-16 (.125) though he had a home run. 
 
TRENDING STORYLINE  
One very cool benefit of the Twins academies both in Ft. Myers and in the Dominican Republic is that beyond baseball work, they are able to take classes. There is a program which allows players to take classes and receive their high school equivalency and graduate. On Monday, there was a virtual celebration of the graduates from 2020 (were not able to celebrate in person) and 2021. Here is the list of Twins players who have received their diplomas.
2021 Graduating Class 
Carlos Aguiar Luis Baez Miguelangel Boadas Rubel Céspedes Gregory Durán Osiris Germán Oscar Paredes Alexander Peña Emmanuel Rodríguez Endy Rodríguez Malfrin Sosa 2020 Graduating Class 
Develson Aria Rafael Feliz Giovahniey Germán Argenis Jiménez Jeferson Morales Juan Pichardo Breilin Ramírez Wilker Reyes Carlos Suniaga Wander Valdez Join us in congratulating each of these, well, student-athletes. 
 
PROSPECT SUMMARY
This Prospect Summary shows our Midseason Twins Top 20 Prospect Rankings. As you have seen, we have started to share the Twins Daily Top 30 Prospect rankings after the draft and trade deadline. Here is Part 1.  
#1 - Royce Lewis (Wichita) - Out for Season (torn ACL)
#2 - Jhoan Duran (St. Paul) – 5 G, 4 GS, 16.0 IP, 16 H, 13 BB, 22 K, 5.06 ERA, 1.81 WHIP (on IL with a right forearm strain) 
#3 - Jordan Balazovic (Wichita) – 12 GS, 57.1 IP, 55 H, 21 BB, 68 K, 4.24 ERA, 1.33 WHIP
#4 - Matt Canterino (Cedar Rapids) – 4 GS, 18.0 IP, 10 H, 3 BB, 35 K, 1.00 ERA, 0.72 WHIP (went on the IL with right elbow strain, made first rehab appearance for Ft. Myers, 2 perfect innings)
#5 - Jose Miranda (St. Paul) – 82 games, .337/.401/.587 (.987) with 19 doubles, 22 homers, 63 RBI, 30 BB, 52 K
#6 - Keoni Cavaco (Ft. Myers) – 45 games, .249/.323/.341 (.664) with 6 doubles, 2 triples, 2 homers, 19 RBI, 17 BB, 57 K, 5 SB
#7 - Gilberto Celestino (St. Paul) – Wichita (21 games, .250/.344/.381 (.725) with 5 doubles, 2 homers. 11 BB, 24 K), St. Paul (7 games, .250/.276/.464 (.740) with 2 homers, 6 RBI, 1 BB, 6 K), Minnesota (22 games, .140/.183/.298 (.482) with 3 BB, 13 K)
#8 - Josh Winder (St. Paul) - 14 GS, 72.0 IP, 55 H, 13 BB, 80 K, 2.63 ERA, 0.94 WHIP
#9 - Aaron Sabato (Ft. Myers) – 75 games, .185/.364/.309 (.674) with 13 doubles, 6 homers, 32 RBI, 67 BB, 101 K
#10 - Matt Wallner (Cedar Rapids) – 33 games, .279/.338/.558 (.896) with 5 doubles, 2 triples, 9 homers, 23 RBI, 10 BB, 49 K.
#11 - Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) – 3 GS, 14.2 IP, 13 H, 6 BB, 23 K, 1.84 ERA, 1.30 WHIP (underwent Tommy John surgery on June 9th)
#12 - Bailey Ober (Minnesota) – St. Paul (4 GS, 16.0 IP, 13 H, 5 BB, 21 K, 2.81 ERA, 1.13 WHIP), Minnesota (12 GS, 52.1 IP, 53 H, 15 BB, 56 K, 4.99 ERA, 1.30 WHIP)
#13 - Cole Sands (Wichita) – 12 G, 11 GS, 49.1 IP, 33 H, 21 BB, 64 K, 2.79 ERA, 1.12 WHIP
#14 - Brent Rooker (St. Paul) – St. Paul (58 games, .239/.368/.566 (.934) with 8 doubles, 1 triple, 19 homers, 37 BB, 74 K), Minnesota (23 games, .176/.235/.374 (.608) with 6 doubles, 4 homers, 6 RBI, 6 BB, 27 K)
#15 - Misael Urbina (Ft. Myers) – 73 games, .193/.295/.294 (589) with 7 doubles, 4 triples, 4 homer, 46 RBI, 37 BB, 60 K, 12 SB)
#16 - Spencer Steer (Wichita) - 79 games, .255/.363/.497 (.860) with 11 doubles, 2 triples, 19 homers, 48 RBI, 45 BB, 67 K)
#17 - Wander Javier (Cedar Rapids) - 77 games, .219/.273/.415 (.688) with 12 doubles, 9 triples, 10 homers, 41 RBI, 20 BB, 112 K)
#18 - Alerick Soularie (FCL Twins) – 3 games, .556/.636/1.000 (1.636) with 1 doubles, 1 homer, 3 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K)
#19 - Edwar Colina (Minnesota) - 60-Day IL (had surgery on his right elbow to remove bone chips)
#20 - Chris Vallimont (Wichita) - 15 GS, 64.1 IP, 60 H, 40 BB, 102 K, 4.76 ERA, 1.55 WHIP

LOOKING AHEAD
Ft. Myers @ Bradenton (Sean Mooney, Landon Leach, Casey Legumina, Miguel Rodriguez, Bobby Milacki, Aaron Rozek):
Cedar Rapids @ Peoria:(Ben Gross, Louie Varland, TBD, Jon Olsen, Sawyer Gipson-Long, TBD)
Wichita @ Tulsa: (Jordan Balazovic, Bryan Sammons, Chris Vallmont, Austin Schulfer, Cole Sands, Jordan Balazovic)
St. Paul @ Indianapolis: (Andrew Albers, Drew Strotman, Chandler Shepherd, TBD, TBD, TBD)

Feel free to ask any questions you like.
 

Rocco Baldelli came into this season expecting to compete for a third straight division title. Between injuries and ineffectiveness, that reality isn’t going to play out. The second half now should be about evaluation for Minnesota. As 40-man and 26-man roster spots open up, it will be imperative for the Twins to look at fresh faces and see what they have.
On the pitching side, here are some names to consider:

Before individual deep dives, I think the trio of Josh Winder, Jordan Balazovic, and Cole Sands all fit here. Winder needs to debut, having already made his way to Triple-A. I can understand not starting the clock on Balazovic and Sands missed time due to injury. Of the names in this article, though, these are all the premier prospect types. There's also the recent call ups and guys with little time that need extended run. Throw Bailey Ober, Griffin Jax, and now Charlie Barnes into this category. Randy Dobnak and Lewis Thorpe (when healthy) would join them as well.
Beau Burrows

A former first-round pick and solid prospect for the Tigers, Burrows is now a reclamation project for the Twins. He was blown up in his Major League debut, and he was awful at Triple-A Toledo. Still just 24, Burrows is the exact type of prospect a team like the Twins should be taking a flier on. Strikeouts haven’t ever followed him in large quantities, but a new development infrastructure could bear fruit. He’ll need to accumulate a more substantial sample size at Triple-A St. Paul before getting a call but putting him out there with a tweaked repertoire may make for an interesting acquisition.

Yennier Cano

Signed by Minnesota back in 2019, Cano is now 27 and not a prospect. He was slow-played but has finally made his way to Triple-A St. Paul. The stuff has been legit at each professional level, and he’s currently rocking a 2.37 ERA across 30 1/3 innings between Double and Triple-A this season. With a 12.5 K/9 and just a 3.3 BB/9, that’s shaping up like an arm both Wes Johnson and Rocco Baldelli could utilize in relief. There’s not much reason to continue holding him back at this point, and Cano could resemble a late-blooming pen arm.

Ian Hamilton

Having been through injury, a car accident, and many hurdles halting his big league career, Hamilton is one of the few waiver claims from this winter that hasn’t shown up in Minnesota. He owns a 1.08 ERA across 25 innings for the Saints, but it comes with a gaudy 18 walks. The strikeouts are there (35), and he’s allowed just three homers which have helped limit the damage. With a high-velocity fastball, this is an arm the Twins need to take a look at before allowing him a new landing spot in 2022.

Hector Lujan

A 35th round pick back in 2016, Lujan has earned every single opportunity he’s been provided in pro ball. Now at Double-A Wichita, the 26-year-old owns a 2.49 ERA in 25 1/3 innings. His strikeout numbers are modest by today’s standards, but he’s been tremendous at limiting free passes (1.8 career BB/9). He pitched at Double-A back in 2019 and should already be getting run for the Saints. Maybe there isn’t a ton of upside here, but there’s also a seemingly safe floor that could factor in as a nice middle relief piece.

Ryan Mason

Picked in the 13th round of the 2016 draft, Mason has consistently climbed the ladder for the Twins. He’s at Double-A now and has compiled a 2.67 ERA in 30 1/3 innings. It’s been time for a promotion to Triple-A, and the 4.2 BB/9 in 2021 is uncharacteristic for a guy with a 1.9 BB/9 career mark. He gets his strikeouts, and Mason has never had an ERA north of 2.77 as a reliever. He’ll be 27 in 2022 and is already well above the average age of his current level. You’re probably not getting a high leverage guy here, but there’s no reason Mason can’t be seen as a middle innings gap guy.

Jovani Moran

Drafted out of school in Puerto Rico back in 2015, Moran is now 24 and playing at Double-A Wichita. It’s his second turn through the level, and he’s been dominant with a 1.91 ERA across 37 2/3 innings. He’s striking out over 15 batters per nine, and the career 4.1 BB/9 is workable in relief. Moran should get a bump to Triple-A in short order, and with some final tweaks, it could be a nice success story through a longer progression for the Twins.

Chris Vallimont

Minnesota acquired Vallimont alongside Sergio Romo back in 2019. He was a former 5th round draft pick and is now 24 at Double-A. The strikeout stuff has always been good, and while the walks are higher than you’d like for a starter, he’s done well to avoid damage. Vallimont owns a 3.96 ERA for Wichita this year, and despite throwing less than 40 innings, a promotion to Triple-A could make sense soon. Maybe he debuts in the bullpen for Minnesota, but I think this is an arm you’d like to see get some big-league run.
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To find out just how ridiculous Jose Miranda was in his triple-A debut, keep reading!!! (I guess you can find out how the rest of the Twins prospects did on this night if you want, too…)

TRANSACTIONS
The Cedar Rapids Kernels placed 1B Gabe Snyder on the 7-day injured list with a right wrist sprain. RHP Zaquiel Puentes was assigned to Fort Myers from the Florida Complex League, and in a corresponding move LHP John Wilson was assigned to the FCL from the Mighty Mussels. SAINTS SENTINEL
Omaha 4, St. Paul 15
Box Score

Let’s talk about Jose Miranda.

He was promoted to the St. Paul Saints yesterday, after crushing the double-A central league to the tune of a .345/.408/588 batting line. He led the league in runs, hits, home runs, RBI, and batting average. In addition to the holding the league’s traditional triple crown, his .996 OPS ranked third in the circuit.

Today was also his birthday, turning 23 years old while making his triple-A debut. The Saints put him in the leadoff spot, but he should probably be bumped down a spot or two after this performance.

Leading off the game for St. Paul in the bottom of the first, he worked a good at-bat and clubbed a 3-2 pitch for his first home run in triple-A, and fourteenth of the season.
 
In his next at-bat he was chomping at the bit and swung at the first pitch (which he has been known for in the past), and it resulted in… a slow roller for an infield single (get ‘em any way you can!).

Despite it being only the third inning, he came up for the third time with the bases loaded. He was grooved a fastball and did not miss, smashing his second home run of the game, this one of the grand slam variety.
 
That made the game 8-2 at that point and there were still six more innings for Miranda to continue and flex his muscles. *SPOILER ALERT* He definitely kept flexing his muscles.

He led off the bottom of the fifth with another solo blast, pushing the Saints lead to 10-2. Did I mention it’s his birthday?!
 
In the sixth Miranda added a double down the line the opposite way, and would score on a Brent Rooker single that made the tally 15-2. He would get one more at-bat and though he grounded into a double-play, it was quite the scene to hear the fans at CHS Field give him a standing ovation as he trotted back to the dugout for the first time after leaving the batter’s box. He now leads triple-A with 3.333 OPS.

Miranda was not the only Saints player to flex some muscle in this game either as his mystical aura granted strength to the rest of the lineup. Damek Tomscha also went yard sale twice, his seventh and eighth blasts of the season. Rooker and Mark Contreras each hit solo home runs in the fifth. As a team they collected 18 hits, with 11 of them going for extra-bases.

Though it is kind of a side note at this point, there was also some good Saints pitching, as they set a team record with 16 strikeouts on the game with a bullpen outing. Yennier Cano started and went the first two innings, allowing one run on four hits and striking out two. Robinson Leyer allowed one run on two hits and a walk while striking out one. Kyle Barraclough recorded his fifth win of the season with two scoreless frames, allowing two hits, a walk, and striking out four. Ian Hamilton allowed a solo home run but struck out four in his two innings. Andrew Vasquez finished the final two frames, allowing one run on two hits and a walk. He struck out five.

WIND SURGE WISDOM
Wichita 3, Amarillo 4
Box Score

The Wind Surge could have used a couple of Miranda’s RBI on this night, as their comeback fell short in the late innings.

Jason Garcia made the start and went the first four innings. He allowed four runs (three earned) on five hits and three walks, while striking out six. The bullpen trio of Calvin Faucher, Zach Neff, and Ryan Mason gave Wichita a chance with four scoreless frames to end the game. They allowed just two hits and a walk, and struck out two amongst them.

Down 4-0 going into the seventh, an error put a runner on base and recent minor league free agent signing D.J. Burt cashed him in with a two-run homer, his first with the Wind Surge. In the top of the ninth Jermaine Palacios got them within one with a solo shot, his tenth of the year, and Trey Cabbage followed with a single to put the tying run on base with two outs, but it was not meant to be as the next hitter went down swinging.

For the game Wichita collected just four hits, with Burt (2-for-4, R, HR, 2 RBI, K, SB) collecting half of them. They had just two at-bats with runners in scoring position and left only two men on base for the game.

KERNELS NUGGETS
Cedar Rapids 1, Quad Cities 0
Box Score

The Kernels and River Bandits renewed their rivalry on Tuesday night with a pitchers’ duel in Davenport, Iowa.

For Cedar Rapids it was left-hander Tyler Watson who got the start, and he went the first four innings, keeping the Quad Cities lineup off-balance. He allowed just one hit and struck out four, lowering his ERA on the season to 2.45. He was efficient as well, throwing just 49 pitches, 37 for strikes (75.5%).

Tyler Palm came on for the fifth and delivered a one-two-three inning. Zach Featherstone was next man up from the bullpen and went the next two plus innings. He allowed one hit, walked two, and struck out two. He came out to start the eighth but walked the first batter before being supplanted by Jordan Gore, who worked around that inherited runner and a single for a scoreless frame. Back out for the ninth and the closing opportunity, Gore finished the job to pick up his first save.

The Kernels offense managed to put a run on the board in the fourth inning, taking advantage of a leadoff walk from Wander Javier. He would score on a DaShawn Keirsey single three batters later for the 1-0 lead that would turn out to be enough for the win.

The teams combined for only six hits (three apiece) on the game, but the Kernels did draw seven walks. Javier was 1-for-3 with the run scored and drew a walk. Max Smith stole his second base of the year. Another top performing prospect in the organization so far this season also made his debut at a new league in this one, with Edouard Julien going 0-for-3 with a walk.

MUSSEL MATTERS
Bradenton 7, Fort Myers 2
Box Score

The Mighty Mussels scored first in this one thanks to a Yunior Severino RBI double in the first, but that was all they would muster until the ninth and the Marauders kept adding runs in between.

Starting pitcher Miguel Rodriguez went five innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits and three walks, while striking out six. Carlos Suniaga gave up two runs on three hits and a walk in his lone inning. Juan Pichardo surrendered two runs on one hit, a homer, and a walk. He struck out one. Zaquiel Puentes made his FSL debut to finish the game and allowed two hits and struck out one.

In the ninth Fort Myers was able to score a run after a leadoff walk from Kole McKinnon, who would score after an error on a groundball off the bat of Wander Valdez.

As a team the Mighty Mussels managed just four hits, but were able to draw seven free passes. They just could not manufacture or piece together anything from those, as they went 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position.

COMPLEX CHRONICLES
FCL Twins 2, FCL Orioles Black 6
Box Score

In their second game of their short season, the Florida Complex League (FCL) Twins were bludgeoned by the Orioles Black squad. Outhit 13-3, the game could have been a lot worse than the score of 6-2 but the Orioles had just one extra-base hit.

The RBIs for the FCL Twins came from Frank Nigro on a single, and a bases loaded walk to Nelson Roberto in the fourth inning. Outfielder Emmanuel Rodriguez, a top-rated international prospect in 2019, was 0-for-3 with a walk and two strikeouts.

Of note on the pitching front, was 2017 2nd round draft pick Landon Leach pitched for the first time in three seasons. He started the game and pitched one inning, allowing two earned runs on three hits, but he also struck out three.

Aaron Rozek (from Burnsville, MN, one of us!) pitched a scoreless second inning, allowing one hit and striking out two in his professional debut. Develson Aria added two scoreless frames, allowing one hit, walking two, and striking out one. Wilker Reyes got the bulk of the innings finishing 3 1/3 and striking out eight, but allowed four runs on seven hits two walks as well. Ramon Pineda (of brotherly relation to Michael) finished the final 2/3, allowing one hit and striking out one.

TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY

Pitcher of the Day – Tyler Watson, Cedar Rapids Kernels (4.0 IP, H, 4 K)
Hitter of the Day – JOSE MIRANDA, ST. PAUL SAINTS (5-for-6, 4 R, 2B, 3 HR, 6 RBI)
 
PROSPECT SUMMARY

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

#1 - Alex Kirilloff (Minnesota) – 1-for-4, RBI, K
#2 - Royce Lewis (Rehab) - Out for Season (torn ACL)
#3 - Trevor Larnach (Minnesota) – 1-for-3, 2 R
#4 - Ryan Jeffers (Minnesota) – 0-for-3
#5 - Jhoan Duran (St. Paul) – Injured List (elbow strain)
#6 - Jordan Balazovic (Wichita) – Did not pitch
#7 - Keoni Cavaco (Fort Myers) – Injured List (concussion)
#8 - Aaron Sabato (Fort Myers) – 1-for-3, R, BB, K
#9 - Matt Canterino (Cedar Rapids) – Did not pitch
#10 - Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) – Out for Season (Tommy John surgery)
#11 - Gilberto Celestino (Minnesota) – Did not play
#12 - Brent Rooker (St. Paul) – 2-for-4, R, HR, 3 RBI, BB
#13 - Matt Wallner (Cedar Rapids) – Injured List (wrist sprain)
#14 - Misael Urbina (Fort Myers) – 0-for-3, 2 BB
#15 - Cole Sands (Wichita) – Did not pitch
#16 - Edwar Colina (Rehab) - 60-Day IL (elbow)
#17 - Ben Rortvedt (Minnesota) – Did not play
#18 - Alerick Soularie (Complex) – N/A
#19 - Jose Miranda (St. Paul) – DID YOU NOT READ THE REPORT?!?!?
#20 - Bailey Ober (Minnesota) – Did not pitch

WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

Omaha @ St. Paul (7:05PM CST) – LHP Andrew Albers (2-3, 5.70 ERA)
Wichita @ Amarillo (7:05PM CST) – RHP Jordan Balazovic (0-1, 5.79 ERA)
Cedar Rapids @ Quad Cities (6:30PM CST) – RHP Ben Gross (2-0, 2.78 ERA)
Bradenton @ Fort Myers (6:00PM CST) – LHP Brent Headrick (3-2, 2.87 ERA)

Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Tuesday’s games!

LaMonte Wade Jr. was an easy player to like. He slowly worked his way up through the minors over five years using his patient plate approach and solid outfield defense and found himself on the back end of a deep outfield rotation in 2019 and 2020. Nobody expected Wade to be a star player, but he seemed like the kind of solid contributor that fills out the edges of a competitive roster. He slashed .211/.336/.388 in a Twins uniform, played decent defense in the outfield, and even filled in at first base on occasion.
It basically came down to a battle between Wade and Jake Cave for a roster spot last winter. To Cave’s and the Twins credit, he was fantastic, especially against righties prior to his disastrous 2020 season in which he was 18% below league average offensively. Cave’s prior play ultimately won him the roster spot as the Twins rightfully were planning on a rebound. Wade was eventually shipped to San Francisco for a high upside arm in Shaun Anderson.
 
 
Now I like Shaun Anderson despite his struggles in a Twins uniform and I liked the trade at the time. He’s a high octane righty with a nasty slider that he struggles to locate. Plenty of adjustments that can be made. Unfortunately Anderson never figured it out in his brief time with the Twins, as he was claimed off waivers by Texas after posting a 9.35 ERA and 4.90 FIP in 8.2 innings. Meanwhile LaMonte Wade Jr. is slashing .257/.350/.443 with the Giants. No explanation is needed on Jake Cave’s performance.
 
 
This wasn’t a noteworthy outcome in a vacuum, mistakes happen. I find it significant for two reasons however. 
First of all, this move symbolizes the entire offseason in my eyes. Was it an exciting move? No. You could make out what the Twins were trying to do however and it didn’t take much to get excited over someone they handpicked that was so under the radar. The same could be said for the signings of Robles, Happ, Shoemaker, Simmons and Colomé. Much like all of these but Robles however, it’s hard to imagine a scenario where the outcome could’ve been worse.
Second, for whatever reason for all of the mistakes that were made this offseason, Shaun Anderson (who has minor league options and is 26 years old) is the first addition the front office has admitted failure on by placing him on waivers. Meanwhile J.A. Happ, Matt Shoemaker and Alexander Colomé continue to “eat innings” with absolutely zero chance of having any future on this team beyond 2021. It’s simply baffling.
This move didn’t change the course of the Twins success in 2021, but it’s incredibly frustrating because it embodies the offseason perfectly. The majority of this winters acquisitions were sensible at the time but look absolutely horrible in retrospect as pretty much anything that could have gone wrong did.
The result of such a string of lame duck acquisitions leaves Twins fans’ faith wavering, as all of the good will built up throughout 2019 and 2020 was undone in one fell swoop of atrocious pitching additions.
The Twins will enter the 2021 offseason with ample money to spend and plenty of holes to fill. Can so many disastrous moves be chalked up to bad luck? Can Twins fans feel good about an upcoming offseason of acquisitions that will surely be relied upon to get back on track in 2022?
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