Jump to content
Twins Daily
  • Create Account

Steve Lein

Twins Daily Contributor
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    2,751

  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    1

 Content Type 

Profiles

News

Tutorials & Help

Videos

2023 Twins Top Prospects Ranking

2022 Minnesota Twins Draft Picks

Free Agent & Trade Rumors

Guides & Resources

Minnesota Twins Players Project

Forums

Blogs

Events

Store

Downloads

Gallery

Blog Entries posted by Steve Lein

  1. Steve Lein
    The first time I remember watching Minor League Baseball was when I was 11 years old on vacation to visit family living in Appleton, Wisconsin. At the time, the city was home to a Midwest League affiliate of the Seattle Mariners, the Appleton Foxes. That season, they had a player who went on to become one of the greatest and most hated baseball players the game has ever seen—a wiry shortstop by the name of Alex Rodriguez who would make his Major League debut at just 18 years old later that same year.
     
    My experiences at those small stadiums, and later seeing those same guys play in the major leagues, sparked an immense interest for me in the prospects of my favorite game. When I got older, it was watching a kid younger than me being interviewed on ESPN after being drafted by the Minnesota Twins that sunk that hook in further and got me started blogging on the topic. Trevor Plouffe was his name, and since then I have always wished I had the level of skill required to get to where he was going. Instead, I settled for being a mediocre town ball player (but that was a lot of fun, too).
     
    As a big fan of the minors, top prospects lists have always been must-read material for me during the Major League Baseball offseason. There are incredibly detailed lists everywhere, including some of the best you will find right here on this site. But because there are so many such lists, I like to take a different approach to my own and look at the prospects you might see make their Major League debut with the Twins during the upcoming season. Some of them are “top” prospects, but they’re not the only ones who can make an impact in the majors in the year ahead.
     
    Players who made their MLB debut for the Minnesota Twins in 2017 included pitchers Justin Haley, Randy Rosario, Alan Busenitz, Aaron Slegers, Jason Wheeler, Trevor Hildenberger, Felix Jorge, John Curtiss, Nik Turley, Dietrich Enns, and Gabriel Moya. On the position player front they were joined by Mitch Garver, Niko Goodrum, and Zack Granite.
     
    If you think that list of players seems long (especially on pitchers), you would be right. The Twins set a club record for the number of different pitchers they used in an MLB season during the 2017 campaign, and they relied on their farm system heavily in that regard.
     
    Of that list Haley, Granite, Rosario, Hildenberger, and Goodrum were players I profiled in this column before the 2017 season started. It was a bit of an off year for me considering how long the actual list was and I only pegged those five (missing on the other nine), but in the prior year I did hit on every player that made their MLB debut with the Twins.
     
    From that extended list of the 2017 season Garver, Hildenberger, and Moya are (currently) the locks for the 2018 opening day roster, with Granite being optioned in the final round of cuts in favor of #SireOfFortMyers Ryan LaMarre. Haley, Rosario, Wheeler, Turley, and Goodrum are no longer with the organization while Busenitz, Slegers, Jorge, Curtiss, and Enns provide a solid list of pitching depth now with major league experience ticketed for AAA.
     
    The Minnesota Twins already have a strong young core of players in the majors, but as we saw last year a lot can happen during a 162-game season. So, who are the potential Next Minnesota Twins in 2018?
     
    Tyler Kinley (27 years old) – RHP
     
    The almost yearly Rule 5 draft pick, Kinley comes to Minnesota out of the Miami Marlins system. While many were perplexed that Kinley was selected when the Twins had already left several in-house prospects with similar profiles unprotected for the same draft, since then you may have heard a lot about what went into that process from the front office. There’s not much to really argue with, given the moves they’ve made and even if he’s the name you don’t know.
     
    Kinley can hit triple-digits with his fastball, and throws a slider in the 90’s. That kind of stuff is hard to find and it impressed Twins scouts enough to select him during the Winter League season where he posted a 0.47 ERA and allowed just 5 hits in 19 innings. He also struck out 32, a rate of 15.2 K/9IP that many players would be envious of. That followed his MiLB season across the A+/AA levels where he struck out 12.2 per nine.
     
    As you’ll often hear about with prospects of his ilk, the high K-rate does come with a high walk rate. This spring in 11IP he has struck out 12, but also issued 7 free passes. The hope would be he could be hidden at the back of the bullpen to not overexpose this flaw, and as the season goes on earn more trust with coaches. There’s also the possibility the Twins like him enough that they complete a trade with the Marlins to keep his rights and send him to the minors when any such roster move needs to be made.
     
    LaMonte Wade (24) – OF (TD’s #14 Twins Prospect)
     
    I have to admit, I love prospects like LaMonte Wade. He wasn’t drafted with much fanfare (9th round in 2015) and never gets talked about as having a standout tool, but just keeps getting the job done moving up the ladder. He does however happen to have one tool that isn’t part of the shed even though it’s the one that led the Moneyball revolution: plate discipline.
     
    All Wade has ever done since he’s had a bat in his hand is get on base—not even his dad could get him out throwing pitches to him in the back yard at five years old.
     
    Okay, that last part is made up but the first part is true and has been on display this Spring as he led the Major League team by drawing 8 free passes. Since being drafted Wade owns a career .404 on-base percentage in the minors, and he’s drawn more walks than he has struck out in each of his three professional seasons. It’s also an impressive rate at which he’s been able to coax these walks, sitting at 14.67% for his career. That’s elite territory and in a #FunWithNumbers comparison to Joe Mauer’s minor league career, you would think Mauer was a free-swinger.
     
    For this year Wade reminds me a lot of what Zack Granite was looking at heading into last season. With Byron Buxton, Eddie Rosario, and Max Kepler’s “nothing falls but raindrops” outfield there’s not much room for him to crack the roster on his own. He also hits left-handed so platooning with Kepler wouldn’t be ideal despite his lack of platoon splits. But injuries and other things happen, and Wade will be on the MLB doorstep at AAA. I think the ceiling here is a Denard Span type hitter built through a strong on-base percentage, just as a corner outfielder instead of in center. That’s an intriguing 4th outfielder option to have in the Twins back pocket at a minimum.
     
    Stephen Gonsalves (23) – LHP (TD’s #4 Twins Prospect)
     
    Gonsalves has been fantastic at every level he has pitched since being signed for above slot in the 4th round of the 2013 draft. He doesn’t get as much press nationally because that success has been built around his secondary skills rather than his pure stuff, but discounting what he does bring has been a fool’s errand for MiLB hitters since turning pro.
     
    He’ll sit in the low-90’s with his fastball and his best pitch is his changeup, but also throws a curveball, slider, and tinkers with a cutter to complete his repertoire. In 2017 he lowered his walk rate to a career best 2.5/9IP and gets above average marks from scouts for his control. He finished last year with four starts at AAA, three very good and one clunker that hampered his small-sample-size stats there and should be a big part of a stacked Rochester rotation to start the season. He’s probably not first in line for a call-up right away when a long-term need arises, but spot start duty is not out of the question as he was added to the 40-man roster this offseason.
     
    Barring any flare-ups with shoulder issues that have been intermittent in his minor league career, I fully expect Gonsalves to pitch with Minnesota during the 2018 season. He should slot in the middle of the Twins rotation in the near future.
     
    Fernando Romero (23) – RHP (TD’s #2 Twins Prospect)
     
    If you’re looking for that potential “ace” in the Twins system, your best bet may be Romero. If you’ve also paid attention this Spring you probably saw plenty of that potential, as he was arguably the best Twins pitcher before being reassigned in the first round of cuts. In 8 innings across 4 appearances, Romero did not allow a hit, walked only one, and struck out 8. That performance came on the heels of a 2017 season spent entirely at AA where he posted a 3.53 ERA and struck out 120 over 125 innings. Late in the year he was shut down as he neared an innings limit and showed signs of wearing down, but that’s not atypical for a pitcher who has missed nearly two full seasons of action due to injury (Tommy John Surgery in 2014, knee surgery in 2015).
     
    It’s this fact that makes me a bit more lukewarm on his potential with the Twins this season than most, despite his enticing stuff that includes a mid-to-high 90’s fastball. If I was making a prediction, I’d say he doesn’t start a game for them. He’s barely thrown even 300 innings in his MiLB career and his 125 from a season ago is where a starting prospect signed at his age should hope to be at already before reaching AA. What I do see happening is a return to AA to start the year due to the depth in front of him, a midseason or earlier bump to AAA, and provided he continues performing, a bump to the Minnesota bullpen as he nears an innings limit in what hopefully is a playoff push. The St. Louis Cardinals are known to have had some good success with this approach and Romero is a prime prospect for the Twins new regime to adopt this type of plan for during the 2018 season.
     
    Nick Gordon (22) – IF (TD’s #3 Twins Prospect)
     
    Gordon, along with the next player in this list, I am a lot more bullish on than a lot of people. That’s not just because he’s the first of two consecutive 1st round picks on this list I wrote the draft profile for on our favorite website since I began helping with our unparalleled MiLB reports (follow all our writers!!!).
     
    While it’s well known how he struggled in the 2nd half of last season at AA, batting just .221/.304/.305 after appearing in the Future’s Game midsummer, it amazes me how quickly his first half seems to be thrown away. That’s when he hit .315/.376/.504 and was the unquestioned MVP of his team, and perhaps the Southern League. Even with that swoon he ended the year top 5 in the circuit in runs scored (3rd – 80), hits (3rd – 140), doubles (tied for 5th – 29), and triples (tied for 1st – 9). In big league camp for most of Spring Training, Gordon was also a standout performer among their prospects as he hit .417/.440/.625 with a double and two triples in 24 at-bats.
     
    While questions remain about his long-term ability to play shortstop in the majors, I often find myself laughing at any takes that say he can’t or won’t play there for the Twins. That’s not because I think they’re incredibly right or wrong, but because this is the Minnesota Twins we’re talking about. In the past 13 seasons, 11 different players have opened the season at the position, and off the top of my head I’d argue Jorge Polanco’s 2017 may have been the best of those. There is an incredibly low bar here for a player to clear, both offensively and defensively. But don’t take that as a knock on Gordon skills, either.
     
    I think he will hit wherever he plays, with slugging numbers that sneak up on you as he racks up doubles and triples in the place of home runs with his also sneaky speed. At just 22 years old he’s also going to keep getting stronger. As for that defense that gets questioned, if you want a comparison I think your best fit is the player you hoped would be the starter on opening day before his unfortunate suspension. Gordon won’t be any different than Polanco has been, and that’s decidedly average or slightly worse, with the remaining potential for more than that in the future.
     
    With no other infielders on the 40-man roster besides those on the opening day roster, Gordon is suddenly very high on the organization’s depth chart. With another strong start to a season at AAA, he will likely get the call when the need arises.
     
    Tyler Jay (23) – LHP (TD’s #19 Twins Prospect)
     
    The second of those 1st round draft picks I wrote the draft preview for was the left-handed relief pitcher they selected in 2015, Tyler Jay.
     
    If you peruse that link, you likely know by now that the ship has sailed on Jay’s potential as a starting pitcher, but that shouldn’t discourage you about what potential remains. I think the comparison I made to Glen Perkins is still very much valid, though perhaps now the ceiling instead of the floor as a prospect.
     
    Transferred to a bullpen role for good before the start of last year, Jay had his season derailed in Spring Training by an injury that many initially thought would lead to thoracic outlet surgery (the same procedure Phil Hughes has yet to overcome). He would appear in two games in May with Chattanooga, then not again until August on a rehab tour at the CenturyLink Sports Complex with the MiLB season nearly over. With no surgery determined to be needed, Jay made up as much time as he could in the Arizona Fall League. Though that time was a mixed bag of results, it did provide some confidence on his health heading into the 2018 season.
     
    Jay is likely back with Chattanooga for the start of the MiLB season, but the plan for 2018 isn’t much different than it was a year ago. If he’s performing he should be a quick mover, with the Twins bullpen very much in sight before September.
     
    Zack Littell (22) – RHP (TD’s #11 Twins Prospect)
     
    Littell was plucked from the Yankees with the surprising double-deal of Jaime Garcia at the trade deadline last year and could prove to be a shrewd move on the new front office’s part. Not highly regarded, Littell put himself on the prospect radar with a 2017 performance that earned him the Fan’s Choice MiLBY award for Top Starting Pitcher. That was due to his nearly unblemished 19-1 record and 2.12 ERA on the season.
     
    Like Gonsalves, Littell gets by more on his pitchability than his pure stuff which limits his upside to a mid-rotation starter at this point, but over the past 2 seasons he has maintained a sub 3.00 ERA at each stop on his journey and his consistency start-to-start stands out. As one of the youngest starters in AA last season, his performance becomes even more impressive. Due to the depth in front of him he’s likely to spend at least a half-season back at AA but could be one of the first moves up when that depth is put to work.
     
    Brent Rooker (23) – OF/1B (TD’s #7 Twins Prospect)
     
    Although he’s only been in the organization for less than a season’s worth of baseball, Brent Rooker is the prospect I’m most interested to follow this season. After winning the Triple Crown in the SEC with the Mississippi State Bulldogs and being drafted by the Twins with the 35th overall pick, Rooker got his pro career started with a bang—18 of them to be exact. Those 18 home runs in 62 games after being drafted was the most by a Twins prospect in his draft year since 1990 and it’s hard to ignore his approach, preparation, and dedication to the art of hitting.
     
    Though his defensive position is undefined at this point he will get plenty of opportunity in the outfield, at first base, and as a designated hitter. As he puts it himself in a great Q & A courtesy of MLB.com’s Jonathan Mayo, “I'll play left field, first base, right field, I'll DH. Whatever gets me in the lineup and allows my bat to contribute as quickly as possible.” You also have to love the confidence.
     
    I think Rooker is going to mash for the Twins for a long time. In terms of this article it’s just a matter of how quick his bat can get him there. With his experience in the SEC and the advanced plan and preparation he brings to the plate every at-bat, I think that could be late in 2018. That becomes even more likely if he starts the year with the Chattanooga Lookouts.
     
    Other Names To Keep An Eye On:
     
    Lewis Thorpe (22) – LHP (TD’s #12 Twins Prospect): Thorpe has missed a full two seasons of action, but returned in 2017 to log 77 innings with Fort Myers and also made one start with Chattanooga. Added to the 40-man roster in the offseason, Thorpe should start back in AA. If he looks anything like when I interviewed him with Cedar Rapids, he could be knocking on the MLB door late in the year.
     
    Jake Reed (25) – RHP: Reed has made good impressions in Spring Training for a few years now, but his 2017 season was delayed by a shoulder injury that hampered his MLB debut plans. He allowed one run (on a HR) in 6 innings with 4 walks and 8 K’s this Spring in MLB camp. He’ll be a big part of Rochester’s bullpen to start the 2018 season, a phone call away.
     
    Mason Melotakis (26) – LHP: A left-handed bullpen arm that will be in AAA to begin the year. Melotakis was a 40-man roster add last year, but as reports of a diminished velocity surfaced he was removed during the season and cleared waivers. Whether or not he can throw a mid-90’s fastball anymore won’t be a problem if he can continue to post numbers like he has at AA.
     
    Kohl Stewart (23) – RHP: A lot has been made of Stewart’s lack of strikeouts since being drafted with the 4th overall pick in the 2013 draft. When you read scouting reports on him though, there’s still a lot to like. My favorite is the idea he doesn’t get hit hard, as evidenced by the fact he’s only allowed 17 home runs in 462 career innings (a rate of 0.33/9IP). If he finds a way to pile up some more K’s, Stewart could put himself back on the map as a prospect as he’s still just 23 years old. He should be in the Chattanooga rotation again to start his 2018 campaign looking to do just that.
     
    Jake Cave (25) – OF: Acquired from the Yankees on March 17th, Cave is another option to serve as a 4th outfielder with the Twins during the season. He had a breakout year of sorts during 2017, batting .305/.351/.542 with 20 home runs at the AA and AAA levels. Unlike LaMonte Wade above, Cave is on the 40-man roster so it could be easier to add him to the MLB roster if a need arises.
     
    Nick Anderson (27) – RHP: The Twins signed Anderson before the 2015 season after he had spent a few years in the independent leagues. Since then, he may be the most impressive reliever the Twins have had in the system as far as results go. In 2017 with Fort Myers and Chattanooga he posted a 1.00 ERA in 54 innings while notching 11 saves. He may not be considered a prospect due to his age (turns 28 in July) but numbers force the promotion issue sometimes, and that’s what Anderson has produced. He’s also #OneOfUs, as he went to high school in Brainerd, MN.
     
    Minor League Depth:
     
    Willians Astudillo (26) – C, Zack Jones (27) – RHP, Andrew Vasquez (24) – LHP, D.J. Baxendale (27) – RHP, Ryan Eades (26) – RHP
     
    These are the guys I think have the best chance to make their MLB debut in 2018, but as evidenced by last season’s roster turnover there’s likely a few I’ve missed. If you think I overlooked anyone, state your case in the comments! Hopefully when anybody does make their debut, they can emulate the results of Trevor Hildenberger last year!
  2. Steve Lein
    Top prospects lists have always one of the most fun things to read in the baseball offseason for me. Whether that’s by checking out the 2017 Prospect Handbook by Twins Daily’s own Seth Stohs and company, the great prospect capsules that are written on this site, or checking out any of the litany of lists available elsewhere, I can’t ever get enough. But because there are so many resources for this type of information, I like to take a little bit of a different look at prospects coming into a new year, and that means throwing out names that you might actually get to see in the majors with the Twins during the upcoming season.
     
    Players who made their Major League debut for the Twins in 2016 included pitchers Jose Berrios, Taylor Rogers, J.T. Chargois, Pat Dean, Alex Wimmers, and Adalberto Mejia. Byungho Park and James Beresford made their debuts on the position player front, and all of these players besides Mejia, who came over in the Eduardo Nunez trade during the season, were players I profiled in this column before the 2016 season started.
     
    From that list of debuts, only Rogers and Mejia made the opening day roster, but Berrios, Chargois, Wimmers, and Park all likely will make an impact with the major league team at some point during the upcoming season.
    With Miguel Sano, Byron Buxton, Max Kepler, Jorge Polanco, and Eddie Rosoria already being established in the majors, there’s not a ton of talent represented in this list on the position player front, but there is a bunch of ready or nearly ready pitching that could finally break through and begin to transform the Twins pitching staff that has been in desperate need of it for several seasons.
     
    So for 2017, who are the potential next Minnesota Twins?
     
    Justin Haley – RHP (TD’s #20 Twins Prospect)
     
    I’ll start with the gimme pick. Haley represents the almost yearly Rule 5 draft prospect that is likely to debut right off the bat for the Twins as they can’t send him to the minors without working out a trade. The Twins didn’t make a Rule 5 selection last year, but in 2015 it was J.R. Graham who came over from the Atlanta Braves. Haley is likely to play a similar role out of the Twins bullpen as Graham did, that of a long-man and spot-starter. There’s not much more upside to him than that, but he has a good track record of performance in the minor leagues and is ready to contribute in the majors. He finished the 2016 season with a 3.01 ERA in 146.2 innings pitched across AA and AAA, and was fantastic the offseason leagues, allowing just one earned run in 23 additional innings. Haley didn’t do anything this Spring to lose a spot on the roster, and there is a good chance you could see him make his debut against the Kansas City Royals at Target Field in the first series of the 2017 season.
     
    Stephen Gonsalves – LHP (TD’s #2 Twins Prospect)
     
    Gonsalves has done nothing but dominate the minor leagues every step of the way thus far in his career, and is likely to start the 2017 season in AAA just one final step away from making his MLB debut. His “stuff” has always been talked about as being behind his results, but eventually you have to accept the idea that he might just be pretty good at what he does. He saw a bump in his walk rate when he made the move to AA last season (4.5/9IP), but that also came with a jump in his strikeout rate (10.8/9IP) and a sterling 8-1 record and 1.82 ERA over thirteen starts. Don’t expect to ever see him lighting up radar guns, as a low-90’s fastball is likely the best you’ll ever see when he’s on the mound, but always remember to consider there’s more to a pitch and pitcher than just pure velocity. I’ve started to think of him as a left-handed Brad Radke-type, and while he walks far more than Radke ever did (3.5 BB/9IP vs. 2.0BB/9IP in the minors), he’s also struck out more (9.7K/9IP vs. 7.0K/9IP) with a superior WHIP. He had some shoulder trouble that kept him out most of the AFL season, and this came up again this Spring, but he was back to pitching on the Minor League side of the field before camp broke. If he continues as he has in the regular season throughout his MiLB career a mid-summer debut is certainly achievable for the young left-hander.
     
    Zack Granite – OF (TD’s #16 Twins prospect)
     
    If you really know your Twins prospects, Zach Granite is a guy that should remind you a lot of the career path of a current Minnesota Twins star, Brian Dozier. Both were below the radar college draftees (8th round for Dozier, 14th round for Granite) that weren’t necessarily expected to make an impact in the majors. Dozier did so by reinventing himself as a hitter once he reached the majors (his 42 home runs last year were more than double his career total in the minors over 365 games), and while I don’t believe that’s remotely possible with Granite, he brings a different skill set to the table. Granite was named the Twins 2016 Minor League Player of the Year after hitting .295/.347/.382 and leading the minors in stolen bases with 56 on the season. Granite’s plus speed also benefits him on defense, where he is an excellent center fielder and was able to show the major league staff some of his skills there this Spring. Added to the 40-man roster in the offseason, Granite will start in AAA and is likely high on the pecking order for a fill-in outfielder in the majors when the need arises.
     
    Nick Burdi – RHP (TD’s #17 Twins prospect)
     
    Nobody would be more disappointed with how their 2016 season went than Nick Burdi. After making an impression in Spring Training with the MLB team, he was able to make just three appearances with Chattanooga before a bone bruise in his pitching arm put him on the shelf. A setback in June proved to be the nail in his 2016 coffin, and he comes into the 2017 season looking to do the same things he’d hoped for a year earlier. He’s been trying out an alteration to his pitching mechanics in an effort to stay healthier moving forward, and reports from Spring Training still have him throwing in the high-90’s like he always has. Burdi is the definition of a power pitcher, and if you enjoyed seeing J.T. Chargois or Ryan Pressly hitting 95+ on the radar gun last year, you’ll enjoy seeing triple digits even more. Burdi also brings a high velocity slider with bite, and even if he’s walking a few batters, that combination will continue to rack up strikeouts in the majors. While it’s taken a little longer than he or a lot of fans had hoped, I still believe there’s potential Burdi is closing games for Twins in the future.
     
    Tyler Jay – LHP (TD’s #5 Twins prospect)
    Another pitcher who could be closing games for the Twins in the future is left-hander Tyler Jay. Drafted number six overall during the 2015 season, the Twins had visions of turning Jay into a starter despite performing in that role very little during his collegiate career. After what some would call an underwhelming year of development as a starter in the system, this Spring the new front office quickly identified this was not how they would like to proceed with him, announcing they’d be moving him into the bullpen to put him on a faster track to the majors. Back in 2015 I wrote the draft profile on Jay for Twins Daily, and much of what I wrote about there hasn’t changed. Starting in the future has not been completely ruled out by the Twins, but he could be an impact arm in the bullpen much sooner. Many will complain that he’s a top-10 pick that now may only ever be a reliever, but he could be an elite one with his stuff who also has the ability to go multiple innings when needed (as a junior in college, over half his appearances were 1+ innings). Think something like playoff Andrew Miller-Light. I believe the move to the bullpen was made so Jay could make an impact this year if he’s performing. He’ll be back in Chattanooga to start the year, but I would not be surprised if he’s bumped to AAA early in the summer and making a case for the majors before September rolls around.
     
    Daniel Palka – OF/DH (TD’s #14 Twins Prospect)
     
    To this point Daniel Palka is perhaps most famous for being the guy the Twins received in a trade for catcher/outfielder Chris Herrmann, but there’s a reason many believe that was a great trade for the Twins. Herrmann was admirable in the role the Arizona Diamondbacks employed him in 2016 (he hit .284/.352/.493 as the backup catcher and outfielder in 56 games), but Palka brings an elite skill to the plate with his power. His 34 home runs across double and triple-A were good for fourth in all of the minor leagues, and he was named Twins Daily’s 2016 Hitter of the Year for his efforts. His first exposure to AAA proved to be a challenge, as he hit just .232 in 54 games with 86 K’s, but he also slugged a robust .483 on those hits and will look to improve his plate discipline in 2017. He was added to the 40-man roster in the offseason and if and when there is a need for a power bat or a fill-in corner-outfielder, Palka could be the guy who gets the call. I see a September call-up as a more realistic scenario for Palka, but like Adam Walker before him, he will have to show an improved approach in AAA to make the necessary impression.
     
    Engelb Vielma – SS/IF (TD’s #18 Twins Prospect)
     
    Engelb Vielma is an especially intriguing prospect given how the Twins have handled the shortstop position in the majors over the past several seasons. They currently have Jorge Polanco manning the spot, and while his offensive punch has proved an asset in his short time, his defense at short has not. Vielma is the opposite. His defense gets universally rave reviews from scouts and is well known for making the flashy plays with his slick glove and plus arm from the hole, but there isn’t a great profile as a hitter. While he’s shown an ability to make contact, there is little to no semblance of power as evidenced by his .636 career OPS in the minors. If defense at short becomes a priority as the season goes on, Vielma will be the guy who gets the call, but it is also more likely he makes his impact as a utility infielder who actually has the chops to make a difference with defense, as opposed to someone like say, Danny Santana. If he’s getting on-base at a clip around .330 or above, he can provide enough offensive value, but I don’t think he’ll ever have a slugging percentage that eclipses that number.
     
    Jake Reed - RHP
     
    Another reliever with a mid-90’s arm, Reed spent the bulk of the 2016 in AA with the Chattanooga Lookouts, but ended his season by making nine appearances with the Rochester Red Wings. He creates some deception with an unorthodox looking delivery that includes a low arm slot, and although he’s not yet on the 40-man roster, results will get him to the majors at some point this year.
     
    Mason Melotakis - LHP
     
    Melotakis career thus far perhaps should have made the Twins learn their lesson much earlier, that drafting relievers and turning them into starters or bouncing players between those roles doesn’t work, both in results and overall pitcher health. Melotakis missed the 2015 season due to Tommy John surgery after being drafted as a reliever, spending a year as a starter, then returning to the bullpen. The Twins took it easy on Melotakis last season, as he did not appear in back-to-back games on any occasion, but should be ready to show off his mid-90’s velocity from the left-side at full capacity this year. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him start in AA again, but like several others in this list he’s an early bump candidate.
     
    Randy Rosario - LHP
     
    Rosario is another lefty that can bring mid-90’s velocity, and while he was a starter for his first five years in the Twins system, in 2016 he made his final nine appearances out of the bullpen at Fort Myers and then Chattanooga, along with his stint in the Arizona Fall League. This Spring after a brief stay with the Major League team, it was made official that Rosario would also be moved to the bullpen for the 2017 season, a role he also said he prefers. He will start 2017 with the Lookouts.
     
    D.J. Baxendale – RHP
     
    My first of a few darkhorse picks, Baxendale is a lesson to me in why you don’t ever need to put a successful collegiate starter in any league below the advanced single-A level after signing them. After he was drafted, he demolished rookie league and Midwest League hitters before doing the same to Florida State League hitters the next season and getting promoted to AA. For the next three years he languished at that level trying to put it all together as a starter, before finally getting the bump to AAA to end last season. Only thing was, all twenty-three of his appearances there came out of the bullpen. In that role he raised his strikeout rate into territory it hadn’t been since the low-levels, and was pitching in higher leverage roles as the season finished. He allowed just five earned runs in 35.0 innings with Rochester. Although he didn’t get an invite to MLB camp in Spring Training and he’s also not yet on the 40-man roster, it will be hard to ignore similar numbers out of the bullpen in 2017 when almost nobody in the major league ‘pen is a sure thing.
     
    Trevor Hildenberger - RHP
     
    All Hildenberger has done is his MiLB career, is put up numbers. In his three seasons he holds a 1.47 ERA, has struck out 10.5/9IP, and walked just 1.1/9IP with an otherworldly 0.82 WHIP. He’s also racked up 46 saves. Hildenberger reminds me a lot of Pat Neshek, both in their deliveries (side-winders) and the results, though Hildenberger has been noticeably better in the minors in comparison. There is a reason he has been named Twins Daily’s Minor League Relief Pitcher of the Year the past two seasons, and barring injury you should see him join the bullpen carousel at some point in 2017.
     
    LaMonte Wade – OF (TD’s #15 Twins Prospect)
     
    Another darkhorse pick on this list for 2017, Wade is an outfielder who does a little bit of everything, despite not necessarily having a tool that stands out. He gets on base, plays good defense, and in general seems to impact every game in a different way. Many might try to tell you something has to give at some point, but it’s hard to ignore an .868 OPS over his first two seasons. He missed some time in 2016 to injury but should start the year in Chattanooga with an outside chance for an appearance in September if he continues performing in several facets of the game as he has thus far in his career.
     
    Niko Goodrum – UT
     
    Goodrum got a lot of run with the major league team this Spring Training and made appearances all over the diamond. He’s been slow to develop, but the talent the Twins saw in the 2nd round of the 2010 draft has started to show the last two seasons in AA. His path to the majors at this point is a utility role much like Danny Santana’s, and if he continues to show improvements in AAA their roles quite easily could be swapped at some point in 2017.
     
    Nick Gordon – SS (TD’s #4 Twins Prospect)
     
    I don’t really believe Nick Gordon will reach the majors at any point in 2017 other than a not that likely cup of coffee in September, but he’ll start the season in AA and I don’t see him staying there the whole season like he has in Cedar Rapids and Fort Myers the last two years. At this point I still think many evaluators are underrating his bat, and while I think his defense lags a bit behind, I do believe he is the shortstop of the future and will bring a much better overall package than the other names mentioned on this list at the position.
     
    Fernando Romero - RHP (TD's #1 Twins Prospect)
     
    Romero isn't as well known as he should be in prospect circles, but that will change in the upcoming season. He's gone under the radar because he missed nearly two full seasons due to Tommy John surgery. He was ready to go at the start of the 2016 season and made it through with no further issues, however he was handled with kid gloves as he pitched just 90.1 innings. If you're looking for a future ace in the Twins system, Romero is your guy. He's not tall but has size (6'0", 215+ lbs) which allows him to maintain mid-90's velocity throughout his starts, and he is capable of dialing it up to 100MPH. That velocity combined with with average to above-average flashing secondary pitches with room for further improvement give him plenty of projection. Due to his lack of innings, I don't think he'll be able to crack the Twins rotation this year, but a stint out of the bullpen when he's close to any imposed innings limit is not out of the question. 2017 could be a big year for Romero's national profile, but 2018 is when you can really expect big things in Minnesota.
     
    Kohl Stewart – RHP (TD’s #8 Twins Prospect)
     
    My final darkhorse pick for this season, my thought process here is much like the one I used to include Alex Wimmers on this list last a year ago. Stewart might have an even bigger hurdle to jump first because of the general belief he can’t strike people out, but I always like to point out his MiLB career ERA is better than another prospect who got far more acclaim for that type of thing in Jose Berrios. I’m not quite sure what has held Stewart back from maintaining his top-5 pick allure in his career thus far, but I can’t ignore the observations I hear from numerous sources about him: he has the stuff. That stuff includes a heavy fastball that he can alter to reach into the mid-90’s when he wants to, a vast repertoire of off-speed pitches, and competitive demeanor that check a lot of big-league talent boxes. Is 2017 the season he can maintain consistency? I think so.
     
    So there you have it, my picks for Twins prospects who you could see making their Major League debut at Target Field during the 2017 season. Who do you think will make their MLB debut for the Twins this season, and when?
  3. Steve Lein
    Twins prospects playing with the Surprise Saguaros helped them to a 4-2 record on the week, and they currently sit in second place in the West Division with a 9-7-1 overall record, one-and-a-half games behind the Peoria Javelinas.
     
    Stephen Gonsalves remained sidelined this week, but it was one for the hitters anyway. One prospect collected at least one hit in all four games he played while another continued to show an all-around game, but the biggest week came from a player at a position the parent organization should be keeping a keen eye on this offseason. A left-handed member of the bullpen also continued to stand out.
     
    Read on to see how each player fared on the week!
     
    (links provided to each player’s overall stats by clicking their name)
     
    Stephen Gonsalves – Did not pitch.
     
    Gonsalves continued to rest during the AFL season’s third week, but is still learning plenty while there with his teammates. Hopefully he can get back to adding some of those innings he’s looking for this week!
     
    Nick Gordon – 4 games, 5-17, 2B, BB, 5 K’s, 2 SB’s.
     
    Nick Gordon started out the week very well, collecting two hits in each of his first two games on the week to raise his average in the league to .406. In the small sample size that is the AFL, his 1-9 effort in the next two caused him to finish week three batting .341.
     
    Batting leadoff as the DH in Monday’s 7-2 loss, Gordon started the game with a single and added another with two outs in the seventh. He was left on base both times.
     
    Back to playing shortstop and hitting second on Wednesday, Gordon was instrumental in the Saguaros 6-1 win. His double in the first inning was the first of four consecutive hits in the frame, and he scored the first of three runs that would prove more than enough at the end. His two out single in the second came before a home run off the bat of Jose Trevino that put Surprise up 5-0. He also drew a walk in the sixth to reach base three out of five trips on the day.
     
    On Friday Gordon didn’t have quite as good of a day as he wore a sombrero with three strikeouts in five trips to the plate, but after his single in the fifth inning he also swiped second base for his third steal of the season.
     
    In the finale on Saturday Gordon was 0-4, but late in the game he beat out a double play ball to reach first, stole second base with two outs, and came around to score when a Twins teammate then lined a single to centerfield. The run put Surprise in front comfortable at 6-2.
     
    Mitch Garver – 3 games, 5-12, 2B, 2 HR’s, 5 RBI, 3 K’s.
     
    In his three games on the week, Garver again batted cleanup in each, and was behind the plate in two while the DH in another. In all three games the Saguaros were victorious, and Garver was a big reason why.
     
    In their 4-0 win against Glendale on Tuesday, Garver’s two-run home run in the fourth inning gave them a 2-0 lead. He had also singled in the first inning but was erased on a double play and finished the day 2-4.
     
    In Thursday’s tilt against Peoria, the score was 4-2 in favor of the Javelinas heading into the top of the ninth. After two quick outs, Garver ripped a double to left field that opened the flood gates. He moved to third on a wild pitch, then after a walk another wild pitch allowed him to scamper home to make in 4-3. Before the inning was over the Saguaros would put up five two-out runs and take the lead 7-4. They would hold on to win 7-5.
     
    On Saturday Garver was part of a power display from the Saguaros as they took down Scottsdale 6-3. As the DH in this one Garver started with strikeouts in his first two at bats, but would more than make up for those in his final two. With the score 2-1 in the bottom of the fifth, Garver blasted his third home run of the season, a two-run shot with two outs. In the seventh, after Gordon had stole second base, he added another two-out RBI with a single to left to drive him in.
     
    After week three, Garver is one of five players in the AFL with an OPS above 1.000 and is tied for the league lead in home runs with three.
     
    Tanner English – 4 games, 5-15, 1 R, HR, 2 RBI, BB, 5 K’s, SB.
     
    English picked up a hit in each of his four games on the week, including a big one in Surprise’s win on Thursday.
     
    Batting eighth and playing centerfield in the week’s first game on Monday, English singled in the fifth, but he and another runner were left stranded in scoring position with their team down 5-0 at the time. His other three plate appearances resulted in a groundout and two K’s and he committed his first error on defense on a hard line drive to him.
     
    In Tuesday’s shutout win, English was 2-4 batting ninth but was caught stealing after his first single of the game in the fifth. After his second single in the eighth he made it as far as third, but was ultimately left stranded.
     
    In the Saguaros comeback win on Thursday, English put the final nail in the coffin for the Javelina’s in the top of the ninth. His two-run homer capped their two-out scoring at five and provided the insurance needed to close out the 7-5 win.
     
    Batting ninth and playing centerfield again on Friday, English reached base twice in four trips via a single and walk, and also stole his first base of the AFL season. Both times he reached base he was stranded in scoring position as Surprise fell to Scottsdale 6-3.
     
    Mason Melotakis – 2 games, 2.0 IP, 1 H, 2 K’s, 1.50 ERA (overall).
     
    Melotakis again pitched in two games on the week and for one inning apiece, pitching the seventh in Tuesday’s 4-0 win and the sixth in Friday’s 6-3 loss.
     
    On Tuesday in his team’s shutout victory, he needed just ten pitches to put the Desert Dogs down one-two-three, including one strikeout.
     
    On Friday he needed only nine pitches to finish his inning, but he did allow a two-out single before striking out the final hitter of his inning.
     
    In his six innings out of the Saguaros bullpen Melotakis has allowed just one run on five hits and a walk, while striking out six. He’s also been very efficient, throwing over fifteen pitches in just one of those appearances, and not more than eleven in four others. Fifty-five of his seventy-seven total pitches have gone for strikes (71.4 percent).
     
    Randy Rosario – 1 game, 1.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 H’s, BB, K, 7.94 ERA (overall).
     
    Rosario made only one appearance on the week, and it came in Wednesday’s 6-1 win over the Scottsdale Scorpions.
     
    Unfortunately for Rosario, he was the one responsible for the Scorpions lone run. Summoned for the sixth inning, he quickly got the first out on groundout before a single, double, and walk would load the bases. The next hitter got an infield single hit toward Gordon at short to score the run. He then struck out Tim Tebow and got a flyout to end the threat and limit the damage.
     
    John Curtiss – 2 games, 2.0 IP, 1 R, 3 H’s, BB, 5 K’s.
     
    Curtiss saw action in the games on Wednesday and Saturday during the week, pitching an inning in each.
     
    In the 6-1 win on Wednesday, he was called upon for the eighth inning. He bookended his inning with strikeouts, and in-between he allowed a single put quickly picked off the runner at first base.
     
    On Saturday he again got the eighth inning, but ran into trouble early before recovering late. A walk and two singles scored a run before he was able to pick up his first out, but three strikeouts later he escaped the inning with limited damage. He also hit a batter after the first two strikeouts which loaded the bases, but got the final hitter looking to end the frame.
     
    In his 6.2 total innings pitched in the AFL thus far, Curtiss has now struck out eleven and lowered his ERA to 5.40 from 13.50 over his last four games (one run allowed in last 4.2 IP)
     
    Please feel free to ask questions and discuss the performances during the week!
  4. Steve Lein
    While the Minnesota Twins aren’t playing any October baseball for the sixth consecutive season, that doesn’t mean there isn’t baseball to pay attention to when it comes to your favorite team. The fall and winter seasons are full of other leagues both well-known and obscure where many of your favorite Major League players or prospects might be playing. You just have to know where to look for them.
     
    The most well-known of these leagues, is played during the months of October and November in the deserts of Arizona, and it is where you’ll likely see several future MLB superstars play before they ever make the debut in the show.
     
    The Arizona Fall League is a short season league where every team in Major League Baseball sends some of their Top Prospects. It is often used as a proving ground for players looking to take the final steps to their MLB dreams. Whether those players are elite talent looking to make a case for an early call-up the next season, or someone on the doorstep being evaluated for protection on the 40-man roster, these minor league games in October can determine a lot going into the offseason for their parent clubs.
     
    Each MLB team sends seven players to the league, and the six rosters are made up of the players from five different organizations that are rotated each year. Prospects from the Twins this season will be playing with those from the Boston Red Sox, Kansas City Royals, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Texas Rangers for the Surprise Saguaros.
     
    The Twins are represented in 2016 by position players Nick Gordon, Mitch Garver, and Tanner English; and pitchers Stephen Gonsalves, Mason Melotakis, Randy Rosario, and John Curtiss.
     
    It will be the second consecutive trip to the league for Mitch Garver, and Taylor Rogers played on that same Scottsdale Scorpions roster and made his MLB debut in with the Twins in 2016.
     
    While the Twins aren’t sending anybody whom approaches the prospect status of one of their soon to be teammates in Arizona, Yoan Moncada from the Red Sox, two of their players bring plenty of performance (Gonsalves) and pedigree (Gordon) qualifications with them, and who I’ll be watching the closest.
     
    - Stephen Gonsalves was named to both Baseball America’s and MLB.com’s 2016 All-Star team as the top left-handed starting pitcher after he went a combined 13-5 in 24 starts between the Fort Myers Miracle and Chattanooga Lookouts. In case you forgot, he was also Twins Daily’s unanimous Pitcher of the Year.
     
    With the Miracle he made eleven starts and was 5-4 with a 2.33 ERA. He struck out one per inning and maintained a WHIP below 1.00. After he pitched in the FSL All-Star game he was promoted to Chattanooga and was even better in traditional stat categories. In thirteen starts he was 8-1 with a 1.82 ERA and 1.08 WHIP. He struck out eighty-nine in 74.1 IP.
     
    Outside of his second start with the Lookouts, Gonsalves did not allow more than two runs in any of his other twelve AA starts and struck out eight or more in seven of them.
     
    On August 11thhe managed the first nine-inning complete game of his career, allowing just one unearned run on three hits and two walks, with eight strikeouts. Of note, is this was also the first time in Gonsalves’s career he had ever eclipsed more than seven innings in a start.
     
    Innings may be one thing besides his immense talent that has brought the lefty to Arizona this fall. In 2015 he pitched a total of 134.1 innings with Cedar Rapids and Fort Myers, and increased that total to just 140.0 with the Miracle and Lookouts in 2016.
     
    While on their own those totals are still impressive in a minor league season, the type of pitcher the Twins hope Gonsalves can become are expected to eclipse two-hundred innings over the course of a season once they reach the majors. An increasing innings limit is part of any prospects development plan as he progresses up the organizational ladder, and adding five or six starts in Arizona will help bring that total in line with such a plan.
     
    If he remains healthy and continues the success of 2016 out in the desert, starting 2017 in AAA is not out of the question and there should be no innings limit in place if and when he makes the Major League team’s roster.
     
    - Nick Gordon started the 2016 season as one of the hottest hitting prospects in the system, showing the benefits of the added muscle he worked to put on in the offseason. In April he hit .333/.363/.483 with nine extra-base-hits among his nineteen total hits on the month. He cooled off in May but came back to hit .286 and .330 in June and July. He played in the FSL All-Start game alongside Gonsalves, and would finish the year with a .721 OPS with twenty-three doubles, six triples, and three home runs.
     
    He continues to get solid reviews on his defense, showing top level instincts if not elite range and a strong arm from the deep in the hole. If you feel you can discern anything from fielding percentage, his .960 career mark at shortstop is better (if not by much) than Engelb Vielma’s in the system. He doesn’t necessarily have the flash of Vielma on defense, but has the ability to remain at short and brings much more with the stick.
     
    If history tells us anything, moving on to the Southern League from the FSL should see a bump in his overall batting line, and with a competent showing against the top-level pitching of the AFL, will increase his odds for a mid-season bump from AA to AAA, and one step away from joining his father and brother as a Major Leaguer.
     
    - Mitch Garver heads to the AFL for the second consecutive season, and will be looking to have the same type of success to help propel him to some at-bats in the majors early in 2017. In the league last fall, he batted .317/.404/.512 with five doubles, one home run, and nine RBI in twelve games.
     
    Garver began the 2016 season in Chattanooga alongside his friendly competitor at catcher, Stuart Turner. While Turner was behind the dish more often when they were both on the roster, Garver got plenty of time there and was also into worked into the lineup at Designated Hitter and First Base because he was hitting. His .753 OPS was second on the team amongst ‘regulars,’ and his sixty-six RBI led the roster despite his August promotion to AAA Rochester.
     
    With the Red Wings, Garver saw action in twenty-two games through the end of the year, and started at catcher in thirteen of them. He hit .329/.381/.434 in his short time there, and .270/.342/.422 with thirty doubles and twelve home runs overall on the year.
     
    Alongside his encouraging batting profile as a catcher, Garver also stood out defensively in 2016. While Turner has traditionally gotten more of the defensive praise between them at the position, failing to also recognize Garver for such skills is a disservice. In fact, Garver threw out runners at a higher clip than Turner on the year (48.1% to 39.6%), and also has done so for his career in the minors.
     
    With another solid showing in the AFL this fall, Garver can work his way into the catcher conversation for the Major League team heading into 2017.
     
    - Tanner English is not a name you may have heard too often in the Minor League Reports this past season, but that’s not because he had a bad year. Unfortunately for him, it was injuries that limited him to just forty-one games and one-hundred-forty-five at bats in 2016.
     
    He started the year in Fort Myers, but went on the disabled list in the middle of April. While rehabbing in an Extended Spring Training game before returning to the Miracle, he rolled his ankle and missed more time. He returned to the Florida State League on July 30th, and hit .247/.359/.481 in the month of August. With Rochester in need of an outfielder the final week of the season, it was he whom they summoned to play centerfield to end the season.
     
    English’s trip to the AFL is just as much about getting him some extra at-bats as it is his chance to make an impression. While he doesn’t necessarily have any loud tools, he does profile as a leadoff type hitter with good speed and was named the Twins top defensive outfielder in 2015 while playing in Cedar Rapids. He’s a bit further down the outfield pecking order at this point, but a strong showing in Arizona could put him on a path to AAA in 2017, and you never know when the Twins may need a fourth-outfielder type for their bench.
     
    - Mason Melotakis is a pitcher that always had intrigued me since the Twins selected him in the second round of the 2012 draft out of Northwestern State in Lousiana. This was the draft the Twins started shifting their focus to power arms, and Melotakis was a hard one to ignore with a mid-to-upper nineties fastball from the left side.
     
    Unfortunately for him and his arm, that same stuff that made him intriguing as a high draft pick didn’t quite transfer to a starting role, and the 2014 season saw him back in the bullpen before Tommy John surgery struck the lefthander and he missed all of 2015.
     
    Ready at the outset of the 2016 season, Melotakis was sent to Chattanooga and spent the entire season there while being monitored very closely. He did not once pitch on consecutive days, and never pitched more than one inning in any of his thirty-six appearances. Overall on the year Melotakis had a 2.96 ERA, with forty-two strikeouts and twelve walks in 33.1 innings pitched. He struck out ten in just 4.2 innings over the months of August and September to end the year and will look to continue that type of dominance in the AFL as he makes up some lost development time.
     
    - Randy Rosario is another Twins pitching prospect who has endured a Tommy John surgery in his career, with his coming during the 2014 season. He returned in 2015 with the Cedar Rapids Kernels and showed that he still had a big fastball post-surgery.
     
    He started with Fort Myers in 2016 and in April was just as good as the rest of the starters in the vaunted rotation, but was a bit up and down throughout the year. Still not even a year removed from returning to pitching, Rosario’s workload was limited by design as his season high for innings pitched to that point was just 61.2, but he did increase that number to 100.1 in 2016. At Fort Myers he was 6-6 with a 3.34 ERA, and got a late season promotion to Chattanooga to pitch out of their bullpen.
     
    While it remains to be seen if Rosario will start for the Surprise roster, it will be a good opportunity to log some extra time against top-flight competition and make up some development ground as he was added to the 40-man roster last offseason despite being pegged for the Florida State League and his relatively recent surgery. Still just twenty-two years old despite six years in the system, a strong showing in the AFL could be a catapult into the Twins plans for 2017 and beyond for the left-hander.
     
    - John Curtiss was drafted in the sixth round of the 2014 draft out of the University of Texas where he was a closer. He made starts in both the 2014 and 2015 seasons, but has settled into the bullpen and thrived.
     
    He made six appearances in the Midwest League to start the 2016 season, and when you see the stat lines for those games, you’ll understand why he was bumped up to the Florida State League so early: 1.0 IP, 3 K’s; 1.0 IP, K; 2.0 IP, 4 K’s; 2.0 IP, 5 K’s; 1.0 IP, 3 K’s, 1.0 IP, 2 H’s, 1 K.
     
    If you failed to read through that sequence, it will show he allowed just two hits and struck out seventeen in eight innings.
     
    He had a bit of a rough start in Fort Myers, but settled in when the calendar turned to July and was locking down the seventh and eighth innings for the Miracle. After the FSL All-Star game, Curtiss made twenty-four appearances and struck out forty-two in thirty-two innings pitched with a 1.69 ERA.
     
    His name may not be as well-known as several other bullpen arms in the Twins system, but Curtiss has worked himself into those conversations with his performance against both right and left-handed hitters in his career. Of note as a right-handed pitcher, was his .217 BAA and 34.6% strikeout rate against lefties in 2016. Curtiss will look to continue that success against his best competition yet in the AFL, and make a further impression on Twins coaches heading into 2017.
     
    - For each of these players, it's all about continuing their success of 2016 and making a further impression on Twins coaches. That's what I'll be watching for, what about you?
     
    Good luck to all of the players in the AFL for the Twins this season, and I’m looking forward to following along with everyone at Twins Daily!
     
    Please feel free to ask any questions about the AFL and discuss this week’s performances!
  5. Steve Lein
    As you will find out reading the rest of this report, I don’t have to say much more in this opening other than pitching was fantastic on this night throughout the Twins’ affiliates after the clunkers the MLB team put on display in their double-header.
     
    They were 6-0 on the day (7-0 if I include the DSL), and you can check out all the standout pitching performances, including Stephen Gonsalves achieving “Ace” status by taking down his fifth Southern League opponent in the Birmingham (Red) Barons in dominating fashion, by reading on!
     
    RED WINGS REPORT
    Rochester 5, Syracuse 3
    Box Score
     
    Rochester took an early lead in the first inning, thanks to a solo home run from Daniel Palka, his seventh with the Red Wings and twenty-eighth of the season. After that, it was a pitcher’s duel until the seventh inning.
     
    Red Wings starter Nick Greenwood went those first seven innings. Through the sixth, he had scattered just five hits in keeping the Chiefs off the board. Logan Schafer added a solo home run of his own in the top of the seventh for a 2-0 lead, but in the bottom frame the Syracuse lineup finally got to Greenwood.
     
    A single, double, and two-run single would tie the game before Greenwood induced a double-play ball to end the inning and his night. All told, he pitched seven innings, with two earned runs allowed on eight hits while striking out four. He factored into the decision as in the top of the eighth, Byron Buxton led off with a single and later scored after some small ball to put Rochester back out front 3-2.
     
    Sean Burnett came on and pitched a scoreless eighth, “retiring” all four hitters he faced as his lone strikeout ended up with the runner on first. He was credited with his ninth hold.
     
    The Red Wings pushed their lead to 5-2 in the top of the ninth thanks to an RBI double from Mitch Garver and RBI single from Leonardo Reginatto.
     
    Twins organization newcomer, Pat Light came on for the ninth and picked up his ninth International League save of the year and second with the Red Wings. Hopefully that was a good enough consolation prize, as he perhaps was supposed to be on his way to Minnesota earlier in the day. He allowed three hits and one run two score in the ninth, but also recorded all of his outs via the strikeout.
     
    Rochester got multi hit efforts from Palka (2-5, R, HR, RBI), Reynaldo Rodriguez (2-4, RBI), and Schafer (3-5, 2 R’s, HR, RBI) to lead their offense and improve to 66-53 on the season.
     
    CHATTANOOGA CHATTER
    Chattanooga 7, Birmingham 1
    Box Score
     
    The Lookouts got a dominating starting performance out of lefty phenom Stephen Gonsalves in this one, who finished it for his first nine-inning complete game of his career. Interesting enough, it was also the first time he had ever finished more than seven innings in a game.
     
    He allowed just one unearned run in the second inning thanks to a Heiker Meneses error that put a runner on second to start the inning. The rest of the game he allowed just two hits and two walks, and racked up eight strikeouts. From the third through the end of the ninth he faced the minimum, picking up three double-play balls to assist along the way. He improved his record with the Lookouts to 5-1, and lowered his ERA to 2.01.
     
    In support of Gonsalves catcher Stuart Turner had a big game, going 3-4 with a double and two RBI. Travis Harrison scored two runs and added a double. Edgar Corcino had two hits including an RBI triple. They scored four of their seven runs in the fourth inning, and added a single run in the sixth and two in the eight for the final score. Zach Granite stole his fortieth base of the year.
     
    Is it too early to discuss Gonsalves to AAA?! Outside of one short appearance on July 6th in which he allowed six runs, Gonsalves has allowed just two, zero, zero, one, two, one, and zero runs in each of his other starts with Chattanooga not including today’s gem. He is striking out 10.6/9IP in AA.
     
    MIRACLE MATTERS
    Charlotte 0, Fort Myers 1
    Box score
     
    Not to be outdone by Gonsalves, the Miracle also got a fantastic outing out of Cody Stashak in his second game in the Florida State League. He went the first seven innings, holding the Stone Crabs to just four hits and one walk. He Struck out two and improves to 2-0 with Fort Myers.
     
    The Miracle’s lone run came in the seventh inning to break the stalemate, as Tanner Witt led off with a double and would score on a double-play groundout off the bat of Alex Perez.
     
    Fort Myers got two hits on the game from Nick Gordon and Witt. Both of Witt’s hits were doubles to give him nine on the season.
     
    Randy Rosario finished the game’s final two innings, and picked up his first FSL save of the season in the process. He allowed no hits, walked one, and struck out two.
     
    KERNELS NUGGETS
    Cedar Rapids 2, Kane County 0
    Box Score
     
    Like their high-A friends, the Kernels also blanked their opponent on this night.
     
    Eduardo Del Rosario went the first five innings in this one and scattered five hits and a walk. He ran his pitch count a little high, at ninety-four four five innings, but went deep into several counts that primarily ended with strikeouts. He had eight for the game.
     
    The Kernels scored both their runs in the second inning, after Travis Blankenhorn led off the frame with his first Midwest League double. Later with the bases loaded and two outs, an error on a Luis Arreaz fly ball to left field would score both runs.
     
    Nelson Molina and Blankenhorn each had two hits on the game to lead the lineup.
     
    Cedar Rapids got two scoreless innings of relief from both Williams Ramirez (2.0IP, H, BB, 2 K’s) and Anthony McIver (2.0IP, H, 3 K’s). Ramirez got his fourth Hold, and McIver his seventh Save.
     
    The victory was manager Jake Mauer’s 300th with the Kernels, and they improved their record to 62-53 on the season and at 26-20 in the second half currently reside in second place in the Western division.
     
    E-TWINS E-NOTES
    Kingsport 2, Elizabethton 5
    Box Score
     
    In keeping with the day’s theme, the E-Twins also got a strong effort from their starting pitcher on Thursday night. In this one, it was right-hander Alex Schick.
     
    Kingsport took a 1-0 lead in the first inning thanks in part to an errant pickoff throw from Schick, but he settled in after that, scattering for hits and two walks in his six innings. He struck out five and improves to 4-1 with Elizabethton.
     
    He got plenty of offensive support, as Elizabethton scored two runs in the second, and three in the third to take the lead for good. The big blow was a two-run home run of the bat off Mitchell Kranson, his second of the year. Manuel Guzman added two hits, including a double. The bottom third of the order consisting of Trey Cabbage, Caleb Hamilton, and Robert Molina each added an RBI.
     
    Quin Grogan pitched into the ninth inning, but was lifted after allowing two runners on and uncorking a few ill-timed wild pitches. His final line included 2.1 innings pitched and one run allowed on one hit and one walk, while striking out one. Hector Lujan finished the ninth for his second Appalachian League save. He retired both men he faced on groundouts, but the first of those scored the run credited to Grogan.
     
    Elizabethton improves to 25-22 on the short season, and are 1.5 games back of Johnson City for the West Division lead.
     
    GCL TWINS TAKES
    Twins 4, Orioles 3
    Box Score
     
    It was a team effort on the pitching front for the GCL Twins in this one, as they used five pitchers on the night, with all of them recording a finished game notch in their stats.
     
    Justin Fox got the Win as the starter. He went five innings, allowing just one run on five hits and two walks. He struck out three.
     
    Daniel Martinez, Garrett Kelly, and Callan Pearce all picked up Holds for their efforts. Martinez pitched a scoreless sixth, Kelly a scoreless seventh and eighth, and although he was charged with two runs (one earned) Pearce also was credited the ‘H’ after Zach Strecker came on with the tying runner on first in the ninth.
     
    Strecker got the Save by striking out the first batter he faced, and getting a fly out to end the game.
     
    The Twins scored single runs in each of the third, fourth, seventh, and ninth innings to give themselves enough cushion. No hitter had more than one hit, but Gorge Munoz, Brian Olson, and Lean Marrero each had doubles, and Aaron Whitefield slugged his second home run of the season to lead the offense.
     
    TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY
     
    Pitcher of the Day – Stephen Gonsalves, Chattanooga Lookouts (CG-W, 9.0IP, 0 ER’s, 3 H’s, 2 BB, 8 K’s)
    Hitter of the Day – Logan Schafer, Rochester Red Wings (3-4, 2 R’s, HR, RBI)
    Also a special shout-out to the DSL Twins centerfielder, Humberto Muldanado, who was 3-5 with three runs scored, two doubles, a triple, and three RBI’s to lead the DSL Twins to a 12-8 victory against the DSL Orioles2.
     
    FRIDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS
     
    Scranton/Wilkes-Barre @ Rochester (6:05PM CST) – LHP Jason Wheeler (9-3, 2.97 ERA)
    Chattanooga @ Birmingham (7:055PM CST) – RHP Aaron Slegers (8-6, 3.59 ERA)
    Charlotte @ Fort Myers (6:05PM CST) – RHP Fernando Romero (3-2, 2.79 ERA)
    Cedar Rapids @ Kane County (6:30PM PM CST) – RHP Miles Nordgren (3-61, 3.16 ERA)
    Kingsport @ Elizabethton (6:00PM CST) – RHP Sean Poppen (2-3, 3.34 ERA)
    GCL Red Sox @ GCL Twins (11:00AM CST) – TBD
     
    Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss Thursday’s games.
  6. Steve Lein
    The Minnesota Twins were unable to complete their comeback against the Boston Red Sox on Sunday afternoon, but there were still five other games to be played in the minor leagues for the organization.
     
    Lefthander Stephen Gonsalves was on the mound for the Lookouts, and put zeroes on the board for the first five innings of a game that went into extras. How did he and Chattanooga finish? Rochester got little offense and Elizabethton traded blows with their Appalachian League rival, Johnson City. Were they able to come out on top? 2016’s top draft pick also continued a hot stretch in the Appy League. Just how hot has it become?
     
    To find out the answers to those questions and how the rest of the affiliates fared on Sunday, keep reading!
     
    RED WINGS REPORT
    Rochester 0, Syracuse 6
    Box Score
     
    Rochester starter Pat Dean got roughed up for six runs in five innings of work. He allowed eight hits, including two home runs, walked two, and struck out two. Five of those six runs came in the third inning, and Dean did recover and finish two more innings. Ryan O’Rourke (1.2IP, 2 K’s), D.J. Baxendale (0.1IP, K), and J.T. Chargois (1.0IP, 1 H) combined to pitch three scoreless innings of relief.
     
    Top pitching prospect Reynaldo Lopez held the Red Wings to just four hits on the day, and they didn’t have a single plate appearance with a runner in scoring position. Lopez threw a complete game shutout, striking out seven along the way.
     
    John Ryan Murphy was 2-3 in the game. James Beresford and Jorge Polanco added the other singles for Rochester.
     
    CHATTANOOGA CHATTER
    Chattanooga 3, Jackson 4 (12 innings)
    Box Score
     
    Chattanooga took the first lead of the game in the top of the fourth inning as they sent eight men to the plate and scored three runs on two hits and two walks in the inning. The big hit was an Edgar Corcino triple to score two and put the Lookouts out front 3-0.
     
    Lookout’s starter Stephen Gonsalves was effectively wild for the games first five innings, as he held the Jackson Generals scoreless despite five walks and three hits allowed. He also did not strike out a single hitter.
     
    It finally caught up to him in the sixth. He walked the first two men he faced, including a wild pitch, before Raul Fernandez came in from the bullpen. Both inherited runners would score, one on a bases loaded passed ball, and the other on a ground out. Fernandez would allow a run of his own to on a single to tie the game at three. He came back out for the seventh and allowed a double, but struck out two to finish the inning.
     
    Mason Melotakis walked three hitters around two consecutive K’s in the eighth before Zack Jones was brought on with the bases loaded. He got a fly out to end the inning and keep the game tied. Jones added a scoreless bottom of the ninth to push the game to extra innings.
     
    Trevor Hildenberger was the next reliever up for the Lookouts, and went one-two-three in each of the tenth and eleventh innings, striking out two along the way. He came back out for the twelfth and struck out the first batter of the inning, but a throwing error on a ground ball to third baseman Niko Goodrum put the winning run on base. A single to the next batter moved him to third and an intentional walk loaded the bases with one out. The next batter sent a ground ball through the hole on the right side and brought in the walk-off winning run for Jackson.
     
    The Lookouts have the day off on Monday and head back home for a five-game series starting on Tuesday against the Tennessee Smokies after losing the five-game set with the Generals 4-1.
     
    MIRACLE MATTERS
    Fort Myers 2, Clearwater 7
    Box score
     
    The Miracle fell behind early in the second inning, as starter Miles Nordgren ran into trouble. The Threshers scored three runs on four singles and a wild pitch in the inning, and another potential run was erased on a 1-2-3 double play ball. Nordgren allowed one more unearned run in the fourth and finished five innings in the game. He allowed six hits and walked two while striking out three.
     
    The first three runs against Nordgren would be all Clearwater needed in the game, as Fort Myers managed just five hits. Reynaldo Rodriguez hit his second Florida State League home run of the year. Joe Maloney, Trey Vavra, Tanner Witt, and Brian Olson all had singles.
     
    Michael Theofanopoulos threw a scoreless sixth and struck out two. Luke Westphal allowed three runs (zero earned) in the seventh to put the final score on the board, thanks to a throwing error charged to third baseman T.J. White. Yorman Landa started the eighth and struck out two, but allowed a double and two walks to load the bases before Nick Anderson came on and ended the threat with a strikeout of his own.
     
    The Miracle lost the four-game series with the Threshers 3-1 and are now and even 50-50 on the season. They return home to Fort Myers on Monday to take on the Palm Beach Cardinals.
     
    In the bottom of the twelfth and a runner on second base, Corcino sent a single into right field, but D.J. Hicks was out at home on the throw, keeping the game tied for the Generals.
     
    KERNELS NUGGETS
    Dayton 6, Cedar Rapids 10
    Box Score
     
    Cedar Rapids fell behind 2-0 before their first at bat, but responded with six runs of their own in the first two innings to take an early 6-2 lead.
     
    An RBI double from Sean Miller, an RBI single from Jaylin Davis, and a two-run triple from Chris Ibarra put the Kernels out front 4-2 after one. A bases loaded walk from Luis Arreaz and a run scoring double play ball in the second made it 6-2
     
    Kernels starter Cody Stashak recovered from the first inning runs to pitch four straight scoreless innings. He allowed two more runs in the sixth but finished the inning. In his six innings he allowed the four runs on six hits and two walks. He struck out four and improves to 7-5 on the season.
     
    Cedar Rapids added four more runs in the seventh inning thanks to bases loaded walks from Davis and Ibarra, and a two-RBI ground-rule double off the bat of Rainis Silva to make it 10-4.
     
    Reliever Andrew Vasquez picked up his first hold with the Kernels, throwing two scoreless innings and striking out four. Cam Booser allowed two runs on one hit and two walks in the ninth inning. He struck out one.
     
    The Kernels offense got multi-hit efforts from Miller (2-3, 2 R’s, 2B, RBI, BB) and Nelson Molina (2-4, R, 2B). Casey Scoggins drew four walks and scored three runs out of the leadoff spot.
     
    The Dragons and Kernels wrap up their three-game series with a high-noon rubber match tomorrow at Veterans Memorial Stadium.
     
    E-TWINS E-NOTES
    Johnson City 4, Elizabethton 5
    Box Score
     
    The Twins and Cardinals traded blows in this one, as Elizabethton scored one in the bottom of the first to take the early lead thanks to an errant pick-off throw with runners on the corners.
     
    Right fielder Alex Kirilloff may have saved a run in the first inning, as he cut down a runner at third on a single for the outfield assist and the innings first out. It was the beginning off a good day that brought his average on the year up to .383. He singled in the bottom of the inning to move Ariel Montesino into scoring position for the errant pickoff (Kirilloff was also thrown out at third trying to stretch the error into a two-base error).
     
    Johnson City scored two runs in the third against Elizabethton starter Jose Martinez to go up 2-1, and scored a third in the fourth thanks to an error. Kirilloff scored the Twins second run in the bottom of the fourth, as he singled and scored on a single from Shane Carrier to bring them within one.
     
    The Cardinals went up 4-2 in the top of the fifth as another Twins error led to another unearned run for their starter. Martinez would finish six innings, allowing four runs (two earned) on nine hits while striking out four.
     
    In the bottom of the fifth Elizabethton tied the game at four, with the tying run being driven in by none other than Alex Kirilloff. Luis Martinez had driven in Robert Molina with a double earlier in the inning.
     
    In the bottom of the sixth the Twins took back the lead thanks to an RBI single from Martinez to drive in Carrier, and the bullpen took it from there.
     
    Quin Grogan recorded five outs and allowed three hits and a walk, but got some help thanks to a 9-6-4 double play that was started by Kirilloff in right field. The runner on first also tagged on the fly and shortstop Montesino cut the throw off and nabbed the trailing runner at second. Kirilloff got credit for his second outfield assist of the game.
     
    Grogan got a double play ball in the eighth but then allowed a double that summoned Johan Quezada from the bullpen. He got the final out of the inning, and though he walked the bases loaded in the ninth, he also struck out two including the final out of the game to pick up his second save with Elizabethton.
     
    Kirriloff finished 3-4 with a run scored and RBI and is second in the Appalachian League in batting average. He also owns a ten game hitting streak over which time he is 21-44 (.477) with two doubles, three home runs, fourteen runs scored, and ten RBI. Carrier (2-4, R, RBI), Molina (2-4, R), and Martinez (2-3, R, RBI) also added multiple hits.
     
    GCL TWINS TAKES
     
    The GCL Twins, like most the rest of the Gulf Coast League, had the day off on Sunday. They get back to action tomorrow morning on the road against the GCL Orioles.
     
    TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY
     
    Pitcher of the Day – Andrew Vasquez, Cedar Rapids Kernels (Hold, 2.0IP, BB, 4 K’s)
    Hitter of the Day – Casey Scoggins, Cedar Rapids Kernels (0-1, 3 R’s, 4 BB) (Because I love a day like that out of a leadoff hitter!)
     
    MONDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS
     
    Rochester @ Pawtucket (6:05PM CST) – LHP Nick Greenwood (2-1, 3.75 ERA)
    Chattanooga – Scheduled day-off.
    Palm Beach @ Fort Myers (6:05PM CST) – RHP Keaton Steele (4-9, 4.64 ERA)
    Dayton @ Cedar Rapids (12:05PM PM CST) – LHP Lachlan Wells (2-2, 2.05 ERA)
    Elizabethton @ Pulaski (6:00PM CST) – TBD
    GCL Twins @ GCL Orioles (11:00AM CST) – TBD
     
    Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss Sunday’s games.
  7. Steve Lein
    In the Minor Leagues on Sunday afternoon for the Twins, one affiliate pounded out fourteen hits and scored nine runs, but ended up losing in a slugfest. Another got all the runs they would need in a victory in one inning. In Chattanooga, a top prospect and 2016 performer was on the mound for his AA debut. How would it go?
     
    To find out how it all went down in the minors on Sunday, keep reading!
     
    RED WINGS REPORT
    Rochester 3, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre 2
    Box Score
     
    Rochester got all the offense they would need to take the lead and keep it in the seventh inning, when they scored all three of their runs.
     
    Jorge Polanco led off the inning with his seventh AA home run of the year to make it 2-1. Daniel Palka followed with a double and moved to third on a Byung-Ho Park single. They each would move up a base on a passed ball to tie the game at two, before Wilfredo Tovar drove in Park with a double of his own for the lead.
     
    Andrew Albers made the start for the Red Wings, and it was of the quality variety. He picked up the win to improve to 7-3, going six innings and allowing two earned runs on seven hits and two walks, while striking out six.
     
    Marcus Walden pitched two perfect innings, striking out one, and Alex Wimmers picked up his eighth save with a one-two-three ninth, punctuating the game with a strikeout.
     
    Palka was the only hitter in the Red Wings lineup with multiple hits, going 2-2 with a run scored, double, and two walks.
     
    CHATTANOOGA CHATTER
    Chattanooga 4, Tennessee 5
    Box Score
     
    Lefty Tyler Jay was on the mound for the Lookouts in this one, making his AA debut. He ran into some early trouble, but finished five innings and didn’t factor into the decision.
     
    Chattanooga’s offense gave him an early 3-0 lead, as a two-run double from D.J. Hicks in the first was followed by an RBI single from Zach Granite in the second.
     
    In the Smokies half of the second inning it was a walk and four singles, including three ground balls that found their way through the infield that led to the a 3-3 tie. It remained that way until the fifth, when Jay gave up his first AA home run to the leadoff man. All told, Jay allowed four earned runs on six hits and two walks, while striking out four.
     
    The Lookouts again tied the game in the sixth, as back-to-back doubles from Travis Harrison and Leonardo Reginatto made it 4-4.
     
    Ryan Eades came on in relief of Jay, and would finish the game but would end up being hit with the loss when he allowed a solo-home run to the second batter he faced. He went three innings, allowing the lone run on three hits and a walk. He struck out five.
     
    Chattanooga’s lineup got multi-hit efforts from Granite (2-3, R, RBI, 2 BB), Reginatto (2-4, 2B, RBI), and Niko Goodrum (2-4, R, 2B). Granite added two outfield assists from center on the defensive side.
     
    MIRACLE MATTERS
    Dunedin 6, Fort Myers 1
    Box score
     
    Dominican pitcher Fernando Romero made his fourth start with the Miracle in 2016, and scattered six hits over five innings before a fifty-five minute rain delay would end his game. He allowed two runs (one earned), and struck out 3.
     
    The Blue Jays got single runs off of him in the first and second innings for an early 2-1 lead, and that would be all they needed as the Miracle offense was held at bay.
     
    Fort Myers was outhit in the game just 10-8, but their loan run didn’t come until the bottom of the ninth with the game seemingly out of reach. Alex Perez singled in Nick Gordon, who had doubled two batters earlier.
     
    For the game the Miracle were just 1-9 with runners in scoring position, and left only six men on base. Gordon and Joe Maloney were each 2-4. T.J. White added a double out of the leadoff spot.
     
    In relief of Romero, John Curtiss and Todd Van Steensel each pitched two innings and allowed two runs. Between them there were four hits allowed, two walks, and they each struck out three.
     
    KERNELS NUGGETS
    Kane County 11, Cedar Rapids 9
    Box Score
     
    Both the Kernels and Cougars brought their bats in this one, as the teams combined for twenty runs on twenty-seven hits and nine walks.
     
    Cedar Rapids got on the board with three runs in the bottom of the first. It was a single, sacrifice bunt, single, RBI single, pop-out, double-steal of home, and RBI single sequence to score them. Zander Wiel and Nelson Molina picked up the RBI’s, and Jaylin Davis got the steal of home.
     
    Kernel’s starter Sam Gibbons lost his early lead in the top of the second when he gave up a 2-RBI triple that was followed by a two-run home run. Kane County added two more in the fourth with a based loaded 2-RBI single to make it 6-3 to end Gibbons start. He went 3.1 innings, allowing six runs on seven hits and two walks, while striking out four. Andrew Vasquez came on in relief and stranded two runners, and Cedar Rapids would get those runs back and more in their half of the frame
     
    Casey Scoggins reached on an error to lead off, and Jaylin Davis drew a two-out walk to bring up Wiel. His 2-RBI triple was followed by a two-run home run from J.J. Fernandez for a 7-6 score. It would stay that way until the seventh, as Vasquez finished two more scoreless innings. He walked one and struck out two in 2.2 innings.
     
    Kuo Hua Lo came on for the seventh, but before the inning was done it was 8-7 Cougars and he had a blown save added to his line. He would also pitch the eighth, but allowed two runs on three hits and one walk in two innings. He notched 3 K’s. Michael Cederoth pitched the ninth, and had a worse go, allowing three runs (two earned) on three hits and a walk in his inning. He picked up two of the outs via strikeouts.
     
    The Kernels added two runs in the bottom of the ninth thanks to a Brian Olson double to score Davis and Molina, who had singled and walked respectively, but Rainis Silva grounded out to end the game.
     
    Jermaine Palacios (3-5, R) and Fernandez (3-5, R, 2B, HR, 2 RBI) each had three hits. Zander Wiel was 2-5 with the triple, two runs scored, a stolen base, and three RBI. Molina (2-3, R, RBI, BB), Davis (2-3, 3 R’s, 2 BB, SB) also collected multiple hits for the home team.
     
    E-TWINS E-NOTES
    Greeneville 4, Elizabethton 1
    Box Score
     
    Amaurys Minier slugged his third home run of the year as part of a 3-4 game at the plate, but the rest of his teammates combined for just three other hits in twenty-nine at bats. Minier’s home run came in the seventh inning to pull the Twins within one of the Astros at the time. Lewin Diaz and Minier also added doubles.
     
    Right-hander Sean Poppen made the start for Elizabethton and went the first five innings. He allowed one run on four hits and a walk, while striking out six. Austin Tribby was the first reliever up, and pitched into the seventh. He allowed one run on three hits in 1.1 innings. All four of hits outs came on strikeouts. Quin Grogan went the next 1.1 innings. He game up two runs on four hits and walk while striking out one. Patrick McGuff then made his Appalachian League debut. In his 1.1 innings he walked one and struck out two.
     
    The E-Twins fall to 7-10 on the young season and will wrap up their three game series with the Astros in a rubber match Monday night.
     
    GCL TWINS TAKES
     
    The GCL Twins, like the rest of the Gulf Coast League, enjoyed the afternoon off on Sunday. They get back to action tomorrow morning against the GCL Orioles.
     
    TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY
     
    Pitcher of the Day – Andrew Albers, Rochester Red Wings (W, 6.0IP, 2 ER’s, 7 H’s, 2 BB, 6 K’s)
    Hitter of the Day – J.J. Fernandez, Cedar Rapids Kernels (3-5, R, 2B, HR, 2 RBI
     
    MONDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS
     
    Rochester – Scheduled day off.
    Chattanooga @ Tennessee (6:05PM CST) – TBD
    Dunedin @ Fort Myers (10:35AM CST) – RHP Miles Nordgren (0-0, -.— ERA)
    Kane County @ Cedar Rapids (12:05PM PM CST) – RHP Eduardo Del Rosario (0-2, 6.25 ERA)
    Greeneville @ Elizabethton (6:00PM CST) – TBD
    GCL Orioles @ GCL Twins (11:00AM CST) – TBD
     
    Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss Sunday’s games.
  8. Steve Lein
    Max Kepler officially made his presence felt in a Twins uniform on Sunday afternoon, giving the home team a walk-off victory with his first career home run, a three run shot in the tenth inning to give Minnesota a 7-4 victory. Too many more, Max! Prost!
     
    In the minors on Sunday, one hitter continued his impressive display of power and a top prospect made the start in Fort Myers, but would they do enough to help their teams to victory?
     
    Before we get to the games however, it was announced this afternoon that J.T Chargois would be sent back down to AAA after just one appearance in which he struggled. He will be replaced by waiver claim Neil Ramirez who has pitched just nine and a third innings with the Cubs and Brewers this year to the tune of a 5.79 ERA. He has walked eight and struck out thirteen.
     
    Infielder Chris Ibarra was also assigned to the Kernels roster before Sunday’s game, and he had a nice first day in the Midwest League.
     
    Let’s check out all the action from Sunday in the Minor Leagues!
     
    RED WINGS REPORT
    Toledo 7, Rochester 9
    Box Score
     
    Rochester starter Logan Darnell kept the Toledo offense out of the game through most of it due both to effective pitching and fortunate defensive bounces. He faced the minimum through the first four innings, and in the fifth kept the Mud Hens off the board by inducing a double-play ball after a leadoff single was followed by a double to put runners on second and third.
     
    The Red Wings starter was spotted an early 1-0 lead in the second inning when Eddie Rosario led off with a single, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt, and scored on a Tommy Field single to left field. The Red Wings added three runs in the bottom of the fifth after a leadoff double from Adam Brett Walker was followed by singles from Carlos Paulino and James Beresford to make it 2-0. Walks to Jorge Polanco and Kennys Vargas made it 3-0, and a ground ball off the bat of Rosario made 4-0.
     
    Darnell continued to keep Toledo off the board through the seventh, when Rochester extended their lead to 7-0 thanks to a 2-RBI double from Rosario and Wilfredo Tovar sac fly to score Rosario. The eighth is when the Mud Hens finally broke through.
     
    A double, single, and walk loaded the bases in the top of the eighth before a sac fly for the first out of the inning made it 7-1 in favor of the home team. Another sac fly made it 7-2 before Darnell finished the inning and his day. Overall, he pitched 8 innings with two runs (one earned) allowed on seven hits and two walks, while striking out four.
     
    In the bottom of the eighth the Red Wings added to their lead thanks to a Beresford double to score Walker, who had walked, was followed by a single from Schafer to bring in Beresford and make it 9-2. Little did Darnell know, these two runs would be necessary for him to factor into the decision as the Rochester bullpen nearly imploded in the ninth.
     
    David Martinez got the innings first two outs, but ended up allowing five runs on five hits before Nick Greenwood finished the game with a groundball back at him with runners on first and second. Ryan O’Rourke had been summoned in between, but gave up a run scoring double and walk to the only two batters he faced to make it even more interesting.
     
    The Rochester offense was led by Rosario (2-4, 2 R’s, 2B, 2 RBI), Beresford (2-5, 2 R’s, 2B, 2 RBI), and Schafer (3-5, R, 2B, RBI) who had multiple hits. Walker scored two runs on a walk and his seventh double.
     
    CHATTANOOGA CHATTER
    Chattanooga 4, Tennessee 5
    Box Score
     
    Chattanooga scored first in this one when a Levi Michael triple in the second inning to score one was followed by a ground-rule double off the bad of Shannon Wilkerson to make it 2-0.
     
    Lookouts starter David Hurlburt gave them right back in the bottom of the inning after loading the bases with no outs. A single scored one, and with two outs an Engelb Vielma fielding error scored another to tie the game.
     
    The red hot Daniel Palka stepped to the plate for the second time in the game in the third, and launched a…double… to right field to score Zach Granite to make it 3-2. Granite was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning and stole his organization leading twenty-eighth base.
     
    The score would remain 3-2 until the bottom of the sixth, when the Smokies got three consecutive two-out singles to tie the game. Hurlburt’s day would be done after the inning and allowed the three runs (two earned) on nine hits and a walk. He struck out two.
     
    Tennessee took the lead for good in the bottom of the seventh when Omar Bencomo entered the game and an error, triple, and sac fly made it 5-3 Smokies.
     
    Chattanooga pulled within one in the eighth when Palka finally delivered a home run in his fourth at-bat (took him long enough…), a solo shot, but got no run runner into scoring position afterward. It was his sixteenth home run of the year and added to his league leading total.
     
    Mason Melotakis allowed two hits in the eighth, but no runs in pitching the final inning for the Lookouts.
     
    MIRACLE MATTERS
    Fort Myers 2, Lakeland 4
    Box Score
     
    Stephen Gonsalves was on the hill for the Miracle, but didn’t have enough consistency to keep his team close enough in this one. He struck out two in the first, two in the third, and two in the fifth, but in between and amongst his eight K’s on the game allowed four earned runs on five hits and two walks, and left the game after five innings down 4-2.
     
    The Miracle offense got single runs in the first and fourth innings thanks to a Chris Paul RBI double, and Edgar Corcino RBI ground ball to score Paul, respectively, but couldn’t string anything else together on the day. As a team they were just 1-9 with runners in scoring position and left nine men on base.
     
    Paul went 3-4 with a double and a triple, and Alex Real added two hits to lead the lineup.
     
    The bullpen combination of Brandon Peterson (2.0 IP, 1 BB, 3 K’s) and Luke Bard (1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 BB) pitched three scoreless innings to finish the game.
     
    KERNELS NUGGETS
    Cedar Rapids 1, Peoria 3
    Box Score
     
    Cedar Rapids took the lead 1-0 in the second inning due to a sac fly from J.J. Fernandez, but were unable to scrounge together any more runs for the game despite outhitting the Chiefs 8-6 for the game.
     
    Peoria scored all three of their runs in the third inning against Kernels starter Dereck Rodriguez. It was a two out rally that consisted of two walks and three singles to plate the runs. Rodriguez would finish six innings on the day, allowing those runs on five hits and four walks, while striking out five. The loss put his record at just 1-8 on the season with Cedar Rapids.
     
    Sam Gibbons pitched the final two innings, allowing no runs on one hit. He struck out one.
     
    The Kernels offense got multiple hits from Sean Miller (2-4, 2B) and Chris Ibarra (2-4). Zander Wiel added his thirteenth double of the year.
     
    TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY
     
    Pitcher of the Day – Logan Darnell, Rochester Red Wings (W, 8.0 IP, 7 H’s, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K’s)
    Hitter of the Day – Daniel Palka, Chattanooga Lookouts (2-4, R 2B, HR, 2 RBI)
     
    MONDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS
     
    Rochester – Scheduled off day.
    Chattanooga @ Tennessee (6:05PM CST) –RHP Aaron Slegers (3-4, 3.71 ERA)
    Fort Myers @ Lakeland (5:00PM CST) – RHP Randy LeBlanc (0-1, 7.20 ERA)
    Burlington @ Cedar Rapids (6:35PM CST) – LHP Sam Clay (4-2, 2.43 ERA)
     
    Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss Sunday’s games.
  9. Steve Lein
    In the Minor Leagues on Sunday, all four of the Twins’ full season affiliates were in action including Kyle Gibson on the mound in Rochester looking to come out healthy before rejoining Minnesota’s rotation.
     
    In the other games, one pitching staff vied for a no-hitter (could they complete it?), a manager was thrown out in the first inning, and big innings early and late led to another’s demise.
     
    To find out how it all went down in the minors on Sunday, Read on!
     
    RED WINGS REPORT
    Rochester 8, Louisville 6
    Box Score
     
    Kyle Gibson was on the mound for the Red Wings to make his rehab start after experiencing some stiffness in his back before his previously scheduled return last week against the Tampa Bay Rays. His offense spotted him a 2-0 lead in the second inning when Adam Brett Walker launched a two-run home run to left center. It was his eleventh home run of the season, good for second on the International League leaderboard on the year.
     
    The game stayed that way until the bottom of the fourth, when a one-out error from Wilfredo Tovar at shortstop was followed by three consecutive singles to even the score at two. A walk would load the bases, but Gibson escaped any further damage by inducing a double-play ground ball to end the threat.
     
    The Red Wings lineup responded by getting back those runs and more for Gibson over the next two innings. Jorge Polanco hit his second AAA home run of the year in the fifth to spark a three run rally. His blast was followed by singles from Kennys Vargas and Eddie Rosario, who were both driven in on a Tommy Field double to put them back out front 5-3. In the sixth, a triple off the bat of Tovar scored Carlos Paulino, and Tovar would score the second run of that inning on a Logan Schafer single to make it 7-3.
     
    Gibson allowed a walk and a double in the bottom of the sixth, but no runs and ended his night in line for the win. In his six innings he allowed two runs (one earned) on seven hits and three walks, while striking out two. Of his ninety-one pitches, just fifty-three went for strikes in his tune-up.
     
    Rochester’s bullpen made the game a little interesting late, as each of Dan Runzler, Alex Wimmers, and Sean Burnett allowed at least one run in their inning. It was another error from Tovar and two wild pitches that led to Runzlers run allowed in the seventh and a solo home run against Wimmers in the eighth that made it 7-4 heading into the ninth.
     
    Rochester got an insurance run on a sac fly from Walker to score Rosario, and luckily they would not need it as they got just the one after loading the bases with nobody out.
     
    Burnett allowed two doubles and a sac fly that scored two runs in the ninth, but closed out the 8-6 victory to put the Red Wings out front in the International League North Division by a half-game.
     
    CHATTANOOGA CHATTER
    Jacksonville 3, Chattanooga 1
    Box Score
     
    Chattanooga manager Doug Mientkiewicz was ejected from the game before the Lookouts came to bat in the bottom of the first inning. It wasn’t clear anywhere for this writer as to why the skipper was ejected, but the lineup responded by loading the bases with nobody out.
     
    Unfortunately, they were unable to push a run across as Travis Harrison and D.J. Hicks went down on strikes and a ground-out from Mitch Garver ended the inning with no runs scored. It was a prelude to how Chattanooga’s day would go as they finished 0-5 on the day with runners in scoring position, and left nine men on base.
     
    Their lone run came in the eighth inning as a Harrison double scored Leonardo Reginatto from first after he reached base on a single.
     
    D.J. Baxendale made the start for the Lookouts, and finished five innings. The first four were scoreless to match his opponent, but in the fifth a leadoff single and walk put a runner in scoring position, and a sac-bunt followed by a sac-fly scored the first run of the game for a Suns lead. Baxendale’s night was done after five as he had already thrown ninety-four pitches. He allowed just three hits, walked two, and struck out three.
     
    Corey Williams was the first reliever out of the bullpen, and allowed a run in each of the sixth and seventh innings on five hits and a walk. Mike Strong pitched two scoreless innings to finish the game, allowing two hits and a walk. He struck out one.
     
    With the loss, the Lookouts fall to 26-30 on the season, and look to even up the series with Jacksonville tomorrow night.
     
    MIRACLE MATTERS
    Daytona 4, Fort Myers 0
    Box Score
     
    If you thought the team vying for a no-hitter in the lead was one of Minnesota’s affiliates, you would only be right if it was referring to their lineup. Unfortunately for the Miracle and their fans, it was the Daytona Tortugas staff that had their number on this night.
     
    Randy LeBlanc was on the hill to make his Florida State League debut, and after allowing just four earned runs in his last fifty-six Midwest League innings, unfortunately he allowed four earned runs in his first five innings with the Miracle to be saddled with the loss. The big damage came in the fifth inning, as a walk, hit-batter, double, and triple allowed plated three runs to make it 4-0. In five innings, LeBlanc allowed the four runs on six hits and three walks, while striking out just one.
     
    The bullpen trio of Todd Van Steensel, Brandon Peterson, and Yorman Landa combined for four scoreless innings after LeBlanc, allowing two hits and two walks while striking out six between them.
     
    The start for the Tortugas went to left-hander Ismael Guillon, and despite being a bit wild for the first four innings by surrendering four walks, did not allow a hit. He was followed by four hitless innings from his team’s bullpen to bring them into the ninth inning looking to make history.
     
    Fortunately for the Miracle Tanner Witt’s single to lead off the inning held off any more infamy for the game.
     
    Witt also drew two walks on the game, and the only other two baserunners for the Miracle on the night were Nick Gordon (0-3, BB) and Edgar Corcino (0-2, 2 BB). As expected for a team almost being no-hit, the Miracle had just three at-bats with runners in scoring position and left only five men on base for the game.
     
    KERNELS NUGGETS
    Peoria 9, Cedar Rapids 4
    Box Score
     
    The Chiefs jumped out to a big early lead by scoring four runs in the top of the second inning off of Kernels starter Eduardo Del Rosario, who was making his Midwest League debut in LeBlanc’s spot of the Cedar Rapids rotation.
     
    Cedar Rapids got one of those runs back in the bottom of the second on an RBI single from Brad Hartong to score Nelson Molina, who had doubled. Singles from Alex Perez and Sean Miller in the third made it 5-2 in favor of Peoria, but the Kernels would get no closer than that.
     
    Del Rosario finished four innings in his debut, allowing five earned runs on six hits and a walk, and striking out one. He was relieved by Anthony McIver who pitched two scoreless innings before running into trouble in the seventh. Three consecutive singles brought in one run and he was lifted for Michael Cederoth with one out. Both of the inherited runners would score on another single before Cederoth coaxed two groundballs to get out of the inning down 8-2.
     
    Cederoth ran into trouble of his own in the eighth, allowing a walk and two singles to score one before inducing an inning ending double play.
     
    In the bottom of the eighth the Kernels pushed across two runs as LaMonte Wade led off with a single, scored on a double from Zander Wiel, and a single from J.J. Fernandez later in the inning would bring in Wiel to make the final score of 9-4.
     
    Michael Theofanopoulos pitched a scoreless ninth, allowing one hit and a walk, but the Kernels went down one-two-three in the bottom of the inning to lose the rubber match of their three game series with the Chiefs.
     
    The Kernels are off on Monday but remain at home to face the Kane County Cougars in a three game starting on Tuesday night.
     
    TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY
     
    Pitcher of the Day – Yorman Landa, Fort Myers Miracle (1 IP, 1 H, 3 K’s)
    Hitter of the Day – Adam Brett Walker, Rochester Red Wings (2-4, R, HR, 3-RBI)
     
    MONDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS
     
    Buffalo @ Rochester (6:05PM CST) – RHP Jose Berrios (3-2, 3.27 ERA)
    Jacksonville @ Chattanooga (6:15PM CST) – TBD
    Daytona @ Fort Myers (6:05PM CST) LHP Tyler Jay (4-4, 2.44 ERA)
    Cedar Rapids – Scheduled day off.
     
    Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss Sunday’s games.
  10. Steve Lein
    In the majors on Sunday afternoon, Tyler Duffey gave the Twins a quality start but fell to 0-2 on the year as the MLB was unable to muster much offense against Jose Quintana and the White Sox. In the minors, two of the Twins affiliates enjoyed days off while in the two games played each team got a similar performance to Duffey’s from their starters and both matchups proved to be pitching duels to the very end.
     
    To find out who did what and how it all went down, keep reading!
     
    RED WINGS REPORT
    Rochester 3, Pawtucket 2
    Box Score
     
    Lefthander Logan Darnell toed the rubber for the Red Wings on Sunday afternoon and besides one blip in the form of a two-run home run allowed in the fourth inning, kept the Red Sox at bay. In fact, after giving up that homer, Darnell proceeded to retire the last eleven hitters he faced en route to finishing seven innings. He allowed the two runs on two hits and three walks, while striking out one.
     
    Rochester got on the board first in the third inning as Buck Britton led off the inning with a double, was bunted to third base, and scored on a Byron Buxton groundout. Kennys Vargas would add their second run in the fourth inning, as he led off the frame with a solo home run to right field, his second of the year.
     
    With the game tied at two in the top of the fifth inning, Buxton delivered a solo home run of his own to put Rochester out front for good. It was his third home run in his past six games at AAA, and is now batting .276/.344/.534 in fourteen games with Rochester.
     
    Alex Wimmers came on in relief of Darnell and worked two innings to pick up his first AAA save. He walked one and struck out two, including the final out of the game for the exclamation point.
     
    As a team Rochester managed just six hits, but it was plenty in support of their pitchers who surrendered only two. James Beresford was the only hitter with multiple hits, going 2-4 on the day.
     
    CHATTANOOGA CHATTER
    Chattanooga 2, Mobile 1
    Box Score
     
    After giving up a walk to start the game, starter Ryan Eades settled in and retired the next eight hitters before walking the same guy again in the third inning. Through four innings both teams had combined for just six baserunners. Daniel Palka did try to score on a Mitch Garver single in the fourth, but got thrown out at home for the third out of the inning.
     
    The Lookouts were able to break through in the fifth as a the first three hitters of the inning loaded the bases. Ryan Walker brought in the game’s first run with a sacrifice fly, and Zach Granite brought in the second with an RBI groundout.
     
    Eades continued to scatter baserunners through the seventh inning and left the game after seven innings in line for the win. He allowed no runs on four hits and two walks while striking out three BayBears hitters on the day.
     
    Trevor Hildenberger came on for the eighth inning and picked up his first hold in AA. He allowed a single and struck out one.
     
    J.T. Chargois was summoned for the ninth inning, and after recording an out made it a little interesting by giving up a solo home run to make the score 2-1. The next batter singled and was pinch ran for, but Shaggy and catcher Garver completed the strike-him-out-throw-him-out double play to end the game. It was Chargois’ seventh save of the season with the Lookouts, and he has yet to blow a save opportunity in his minor league career, improving to a perfect 26-26 in that category.
     
    The offense got multiple hit efforts from Garver (2-4) and Reginatto (2-4, R) to lead the way. Travis Harrison had his seven game hitting streak snapped with an 0-4 day that included three strikeouts. T.J. White (3) and Palka (2) added stolen bases to the effort.
     
    MIRACLE MATTERS
     
    The Miracle had the day off on Sunday afternoon. They open an away-home-away-home four game series with the Bradenton Marauders on Monday night. Their starter for tomorrow’s game is listed as to be determined, but it is Stephen Gonsalves’ turn in Fort Myers six-man rotation.
     
    KERNELS NUGGETS
     
    The Kernels also enjoyed a free Sunday after completing a 3-3 road trip. They will face off against the Kane County Cougars for a three game series in Cedar Rapids starting tomorrow night. Cody Stashak will take the mound for the home team.
     
    TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY
     
    Pitcher of the Day – Ryan Eades, Chattanooga Lookouts (W, 7IP, 0 R’s, 4 H’s, 2 BB’s, 3 K’s)
    Hitter of the Day – Byron Buxton, Rochester Red Wings (1-4, R, HR, 2 RBI)
     
    MONDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS
     
    Gwinnett @ Rochester (6:05PM CST – TBD
    Pensacola @ Chattanooga (6:15PM CST) – TBD
    Fort Myers @ Bradenton (5:30PM CST) – TBD
    Kane County @ Cedar Rapids (6:35PM CST) – RHP Cody Stashak (2-1, 1.66 ERA)
     
    Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss Sunday’s games.
  11. Steve Lein
    While Alex Meyer was making his first start in the Majors with the Twins on Tuesday night, three of their four full season affiliates were in action in the Minors including another former top prospect taking the hill. That pitching prospect wasn’t the one who stole the headlines on this night however, and a hitter in the Midwest League did all the heavy lifting in a Kernels win.
     
    To find out who did what and where in the minors on Tuesday, read on!
     
    TRANSACTIONS
     
    Trevor Plouffe’s recall to the Twins and Jorge Polanco’s option back to AAA were made official on Tuesday. Plouffe was in action at 3B for the Twins, while Polanco did not play for the Red Wings.
     
    RED WINGS REPORT
    Rochester 3, Syracuse 8
    Box Score
     
    Syracuse starter A.J. Cole’s bid for a no-hit shutout lasted exactly two pitches on Tuesday evening, as Byron Buxton sent his 0-1 pitch into the left-field stands to lead off the game. It was Buxton’s first home run of the year and his second in a Red Wings uniform.
     
    The 1-0 lead didn’t last long however, as a wild pitch from Rochester’s Logan Darnell allowed a run to score in the bottom of the first and tie the game at one.
     
    It would only get worse for Darnell, as the Chiefs took the lead 2-1 in the second after a leadoff double, single, and sac fly, then exploded for five more runs in the third with four of them charged to the starter, and a 7-1 lead they would not relinquish.
     
    Darnell lasted just 2.1 innings, allowing the six runs on seven hits and two walks, while striking out none.
     
    Rochester put two more runs on the board in the fifth courtesy of a Juan Centeno home run, his first of the year, and an RBI single from James Beresford that scored Buxton, who drew a walk earlier.
     
    Taylor Rogers came on in relief Darnell and worked the next 3.1 innings, allowing one run (unearned) on four hits and two walks while striking out for. Alex Wimmers made his second AAA appearance after him, and pitched 1.1 scoreless innings, striking out two. Dan Runzler worked the eighth and gave up one run on two hits and a walk. He struck out one.
     
    Buxton and Centeno led the offense with two hits each, including their home runs. Buxton also scored two runs and stole his first base of the year in AAA.
     
    CHATTANOOGA CHATTER
     
    The Lookouts had a scheduled off day on Tuesday, and open a five game road series with the Mobile BayBears on Wednesday night. D.J. Baxendale is scheduled to open the series on the mound for Chattanooga.
     
    MIRACLE MATTERS
    Fort Myers 5, Palm Beach 3
    Box Score
     
    Kohl Stewart was on the mound for the Miracle looking to continue his newfound level of success in the Florida State League early on in the 2016 season. He wasn’t nearly as electric on this night as he had been to this point, but still managed to pick up his second win of the season. In five innings, he allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits and four walks, while striking out three. Of his 83 pitches, just 43 of them went for strikes.
     
    Fort Myers tied the game at two in the top of the third inning thanks to a two-run home run from Edgar Corcino, his second of the year. They’d take the lead for good in the fourth thanks to a two-out rally.
     
    Chad Christensen got the rally started with a walk and stole his fourth base of the season. He was followed by Kevin Garcia who was hit by a pitch, then singles from Ryan Walker and Corcino would result in three runs and a 5-2 lead.
     
    Brian Gilbert came on for the sixth inning in relief of Stewart and surrendered an RBI double to make the final score of 5-3. John Curtiss pitched two scoreless innings to earn a hold, and Yorman Landa was summoned for the ninth inning and picked up his first save with the Miracle, allowing one hit and striking out one.
     
    Logan Wade (3-4) and Corcino (2-4, R, HR, 4 RBI, BB) led the offense with multiple hits. If you’re keeping track, that makes consecutive days where Corcino has homered and driven in four. Alex Swim added a double and Ryan Walker scored two runs, walked twice, and collected the fifth RBI.
     
    Another story coming out of this game, was the result of Stewart’s final out of the fifth inning, as he wasn’t the only player who’s night ended on that play. Nick Gordon made the play on a shallow pop fly to right field, but he collided with Chad Christensen in the process. Both players had to the leave the game.
     
    KERNELS NUGGETS
    Cedar Rapids 3, Lansing 0
    Box Score
     
    Randy LeBlanc took the mound for Cedar Rapids Tuesday afternoon looking to continue his early 2016 success as he started the day with a 2-2 record and sparkling 1.50 ERA.
     
    The Lugnuts loaded the bases with three singles in the bottom of the first, but LeBlanc got the final two batters of the inning to line and ground out to Jermaine Palacios at short to end their only real threat of the night. LeBlanc would go on to retire the next eight hitters after that point, and scattered just four more singles over the next six innings to record his third win of the year. In his seven total innings, he allowed seven hits and zero walks while striking out five and lowering his ERA on the year to 1.16.
     
    LeBlanc was matched for the first half of the game by Lansing starter Conor Fisk, who held the Kernels lineup at bay with just two hits and one walk allowed in five innings.
     
    Cedar Rapids was finally able to break the 0-0 tie on the scoreboard in the seventh inning, as A.J. Murray slugged his third home run of the season to put them out front.
     
    They added two insurance runs in the ninth on a LaMonte Wade solo home run, his second of the season, and Murray added an RBI single to score Zander Wiel who had followed Wade’s home run with a single of his own.
     
    Reliever Nick Anderson worked the final two innings for the Kernels, retiring every batter he faced including three strikeouts to pick up his first save of the season.
     
    TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY
     
    Pitcher of the Day – Randy LeBlanc, Cedar Rapids Kernels (W, 7IP, 0 R’s, 7H’s, 0 BB’s, 5 K’s)
    Hitter of the Day – Edgar Corcino, Fort Myers Miracle (2-4, R, HR, 4 RBI, BB)
     
    MONDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS
     
    Rochester @ Syracuse (9:35AM CST) – LHP Pat Dean (0-3, 3.00 ERA)
    Chattanooga @ Mobile (6:35PM CST) – RHP D.J. Baxendale (1-3, 3.41 ERA)
    Fort Myers @ Palm Beach (5:30PM CST) – TBD, but Tyler Jay (1-2, 5.12 ERA) has followed Stewart so far on the year.
    Cedar Rapids @ Lansing (6:05PM CST) – RHP Andro Cutura (2-1, 6.30 ERA)
     
    Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss Sunday’s games.
  12. Steve Lein
    The 2015 season was deemed “the year of the prospect” across all of the Major Leagues, as young prospects made their presence felt throughout year. The Chicago Cubs made the early waves, keeping stud power hitter Kris Bryant down for two weeks to avoid Super 2 conditions, and also saw Top 100 players Addison Russell, Jorge Soler, and Kyle Schwarber make their MLB debuts en-route to a Wild Card finish. Shortstop Carlos Correa exploded onto the scene in Houston and helped propel the Astros to their first playoff appearance in ten years. The New York Mets had Noah Syndergaard and Steven Matz pitching for them in the postseason, and Michael Conforto hit two home runs in game 4 of the World Series. Corey Seager and Joc Pederson made their debuts with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Francisco Lindor with Cleveland, Joey Gallo with the Rangers… Sorry, I’m out of breath and I haven’t even got to the Twins yet. Needless to say, they were well represented as well as anybody in the “year of the prospect.”
     
    Players who made their Major League debut for the Twins in 2015 included starting pitcher Tyler Duffey; relievers J.R. Graham and Ryan O’Rourke; and position players Eddie Rosario, Miguel Sano, Byron Buxton, and Max Kepler.
     
    From that list Sano, Buxton, and Rosario are locks to be on the 2016 roster, while all the pitchers were in Spring Training camp battling for the final spots in the rotation and bullpen. Max Kepler is destined to begin the year in Rochester, a phone call away (that has already come)
     
    Sano was without a doubt the crowning achievement in their 2015 class, slashing .269/.385/.530 with 18 home runs and 52 RBI in 80 total games after his debut on July 2nd. Rosario was called up to be a brief “fill-in” for injury, but never left because all he did was collect extra base hits (18 2B’s, 15 3B’s, and 13 HR’s) and throw runners out from left field (16 assists, 2nd in majors) in 122 games. He introduced himself to all of us by hitting a home run on the first pitch he saw in the majors. In a twist of fate for a devout prospect follower like me, I was sitting in a suite of Globe Life Park watching the Twins lose to the Rangers when the news came down that Byron Buxton was on a plane to Texas for his debut the next day. The logistics didn’t work to stay around another night to catch his debut, but we were in St. Louis the next night to catch his first career hit. You will all remember it was a triple (obviously), but the most (not-so) fascinating thing about it to me was what my ‘stopwatch’ said as he strolled into third (
    ). Duffey started ten games down the stretch and went 5-1 with a 3.10 ERA to help keep the Twins in the playoff picture until the final weekend. 
    As we look to a new season, it will be hard to match the string of debuts from Twins farmhands of last year. But whereas 2015 was the year of the position prospect, 2016 is likely to be the year of the pitcher for the home team.
     
    And those arms I’m about to discuss are going to bring some straight fire to an organization infamous for its “throw it over the plate and let ‘em hit it” philosophies that had led to four straight ninety-plus loss seasons.
    So let’s take a look at some players that could make (or have already made) their MLB debut for the Minnesota Twins in 2016:
     
    Byung Ho-Park
     
    Park was the Twins only splash move of the offseason, coming over from the NBO in Korea after laying waste to the league for the past three seasons. He brings legitimate power for a foreign league hitter and was not overwhelmed by increased velocity in Spring Training. As the MLB season has gotten underway, it’s been apparent that the adjustment period the Twins brass suggested would be needed is indeed the case, as to this point he has struck out twelve times in twenty-three plate appearances. But he also has shown his power with a 441 foot blast in Kansas City for his first Major League home run. If and when he gets it going, he is going to be fun to watch.
     
    Jose Berrios (TD’s #2 Twins prospect)
     
    Terry Ryan was in Rochester, NY last August to watch Berrios (and granted, others) in action for the Red Wings as MLB rosters were soon to expand for September. Berrios went 7 innings in both of the starts Ryan was on hand for, allowing just one earned run on eight total hits and a single walk, while striking out ten and twelve hitters respectively. Apparently, it didn’t matter if Ryan had saw Cy Young himself in those games as word came down soon after that Berrios was going to be shut down for the year, and not be called up to help the Twins in their push for the postseason. Berrios struggled some in Major League camp this spring, and was unspectacular (besides the 9 K’s) in his season debut with the Red Wings in cold weather, but as soon as a need arises in the Twins rotation and they open up a 40-man roster spot, he should be in the majors to stay. If that comes as soon as May or June, he is a popular pick to be on leader ballots for Rookie of the Year. Tyler Duffey is likely ahead in the pecking order at this point, but performance can change that on a start-to-start basis.
     
    Nick Burdi (TD’s #10 Twins prospect)
     
    I was able to catch Burdi in Cedar Rapids two years ago (http://twinsdaily.com/_/minnesota-twins-news/minnesota-twins-minor-leagues/color-me-and-joe-mauer-impressed-r2962), and he is as exciting of relief prospect to watch throw as you will find. Some bad news came down at the end of Spring Training where he held his own in the big league camp, when he was shut down with some “forearm tightness.” Anything injury related to the pitching arm of Twins hurler’s rightfully should have one concerned, but to this point there have been no indications something worse is going on. That’s the good news. The bad news is the injury has delayed Burdi’s 2016 debut, but when he is back on the mound he’ll likely find himself in AA to start, with a quick promotion to AAA in the cards if he performs as he had in the Arizona Fall League and this Spring. We hear all the talk about the big arms coming up in the Twins system, and Burdi’s is the cream of the crop. I have little doubts he’ll be closing games for the Twins in the future and I can’t wait to see three digits on the gun at Target Field.
     
    J.T. Chargois (TD’s #15 Twins prospect)
     
    Chargois was also impressive in Spring camp with the Twins, pitching four innings and allowing just one hit. Like Burdi, Shaggy brings big velocity in the mid-90’s and a swing-and-miss breaking ball that has allowed him to rack up 75 strikeouts in 64 career innings in the minors before the start of this season, a rate of 10.5 K’s/9IP. In Chattanooga to start the year, he’s made two appearances and has been just about as dominant as possible, striking out five of the six hitters he’s faced and allowing no baserunners. He could also be a quick call up to AAA, and then the doorstep of the majors and is already on the 40-man roster so his path to an MLB debut is easier than some others on this list.
     
    Taylor Rogers (TD’s #16 Twins prospect)
     
    With Glen Perkins hitting the disabled list, lefty Rogers is on his way to Minnesota as I write this. While he doesn’t bring as big of an arm as others on this list, he has displayed one skill throughout his minor league career that is more than intriguing, and that’s his sheer dominance of same-handed hitters. Up to this point, they’ve managed just a .499 OPS against him in the minors and he’s struck out a whopping 30% of them. Obviously he hasn’t been as good vs. right-handers, but unlike some other lefty specialists he is able to get them out and a good enough clip to have remained a starter throughout his MiLB progression. He’ll likely work the middle innings out of the Twins bullpen and be brought in for the tough lefty assignments in later innings.
     
    Jake Reed (TD’s #20 Twins prospect)
     
    Another reliever with a mid-90’s arm, Reed made a name for himself in 2014 after being drafted in the 5th round by allowing just one earned run in 31 IP between Elizabethton and Cedar Rapids. Reed had some struggles at AA in 2015 that saw him earn a demotion back to Fort Myers (so did Burdi), but earned his way back to AA after a strong showing in the Arizona Fall League for the second season in a row. Torii Hunter was a big fan of his work in Spring Training, calling him “nasty” during an interview on one of the television broadcasts, and this is helped by his somewhat unorthodox looking delivery (low arm slot). Brad Brach of the Orioles reminded me of him a little bit while I was out in Baltimore for the Season opener, to give you an idea of what I’ve seen in Reed.
     
    Adam Brett Walker (TD’s #11 Twins prospect)
     
    Walker is perhaps the most divisive prospect in the Twins system, as he brings Miguel Sano level power and production despite striking out at an alarming rate in his MiLB career. He’s led every league he’s ever played at in home runs in the minors, and in 2015 at Chattanooga, his 31 homers led the league by 14 in that category. His 105 RBI’s in the Southern League were also 31 more than the next player on the list. The large caveat there is his 195 strikeouts in 133 games led the league by 57 as well. He hasn’t had a great walk rate to go along with the HR’s and K’s that might make him somewhat of a poor man’s Jim Thome, but it has been on the uptick since he’s been in the system, posting a rate mark of 9.1% in 2015. If he can get on base at a clip around .300 when he makes it to the majors, his power should play enough to be a useful bat in the lineup. That is the key thing he needs to work on in AAA this year. He was added to the 40-man roster in the offseason, so at a minimum we should see him in September if he’s still crushing bombs at Frontier Field in Rochester.
     
    Other Notable Names:
     
    Pat Dean – Was protected on the 40-man roster after a 2015 season that saw him lead the International League in Innings Pitched with a sub 3.00 ERA. There’s not an upside beyond a back-of-the rotation starter here, but Dean shares several similarities to one of the guys in front of him on the starting pitching pecking order. Like Tommy Milone, Dean is left-handed and doesn’t throw hard, but consistency still speaks volumes to the Twins, and that’s what Dean has brought already in AAA.
     
    James Beresford
    Beresford has spent his past 3 seasons in AAA playing primarily second base for the Red Wings, but has played all around the diamond during his spring training experiences with the Major League club. He has hit for a solid average in each season at AAA, though it comes with little to no pop in his bat. With the defensive chops to field multiple infield positions and be consistent if not spectacular at all of them, a utility role with the Twins is not out of the question if the need arises. If nothing else, I would love to finally see him get a small cup of coffee in September.
     
    Yorman Landa
    Landa was quite a surprise addition to the 40-man roster this offseason as he had made just fifteen appearances with the Low-A Cedar Rapids Kernels in 2015 after returning from season ending shoulder surgery the year prior. Those appearances did include a 1.67 ERA and more than a strikeout per inning, but it’s hard to see a scenario where Landa jumps from single-A ball to the majors in his first full season back, let alone stick with another MLB team’s bullpen for an entire season. Like several of the other’s on this list, he brings mid-90’s or higher velocity but has yet to ratchet in his control, walking 5.2 per 9IP in his MiLB career thus far.
     
    Mason Melotakis
    Like Landa, Melotakis was also somewhat surprisingly added to the 40-man roster, was in big-league camp with the Twins, and is also returning from a missed season due to injury. In his case it was Tommy John surgery that had him sit out all of 2015, but he’s ready to go at the outset of 2015. The Twins drafted him in the second round of the 2012 draft as a big relief arm from a small school, Northwestern State (Lousiana). They tried him as a starter in Cedar Rapids, but quickly discovered that what made him an attractive pick in the 2nd round didn’t quite come through in a starting role. Before his surgery, Melotakis was back in a relief role throwing his mid-90’s fastball from the left-side and had earned a mid-season jump to AA.
     
    Randy Rosario (TD’s #19 Twins prospect)
    The third surprise add to the 40-man roster front this offseason, was the addition of another lefty in Rosario who has yet to pitch above A-ball. At 21 years old Rosario still holds some projection and the name Francisco Liriano is thrown around as a comparison from coaches, but he’s hardly an asset that required protection at this point of his career. It’s hard to envision Rosario in the Florida State League to start the year, but a quick bump is not out of the question if he’s performing due to his 10 starts already in the Midwest League from 2015.
     
    Tyler Jay (TD’s #5 Twins prospect)
    With the Twins transitioning Jay to a starting role that he only a few times took in college at the University of Illinois, it’s highly unlikely Jay will work his way onto the MLB roster. However, there are many that believe he could be the first 2015 draft pick to make it that far due to the quality of his stuff and his advanced command. He was fantastic in his first start of the 2016 season in Fort Myers, working five innings and scattering three hits and three walks with seven K’s. Due to his collegiate career, a dominating first half will have him in AA after the All-Star break, and who knows, if the Twins are in a pennant race near the end of the year, his lefty-arm might be too enticing to keep out of the bullpen in a push.
     
    IF Levi Michael
    One of the forgotten first round draft picks of the Twins, Michael has fought the injury bug ever since he’s gotten into the system, playing in only 65 and 63 games each of the past two seasons. When on the field in Chattanooga last year, Michael showed some life with a batting line of .267/.369/.434, good for an OPS basically the same as Adam Brett Walker. He’s back in AA to start 2016 and looking to make the jump to AAA at some point during the season. He is another option for a utility role down the line if he’s performing.
     
    SP/RP Alex Wimmers
    The second of the forgotten first round picks is pitcher Alex Wimmers who showed a ton of promise in Fort Myers after being drafted, but quickly fell off the face of the earth the next year. He’s been solid if not spectacular since, working as both a starter and reliever at times. He’s currently working out of the bullpen at AA, where he had a 2.91 ERA and struck out 23 in 21.2 IP in 2015. He doesn’t have the velocity of the other names on this list, but does still have the pedigree of a first round talent looking to come full circle in his development. I would view him as a strong candidate for a September call-up if he posts strong numbers out of the bullpen again.
     
    So there you have it, my picks for Twins who you could see at Target Field in 2016 making their Major League debut. Hopefully for all of them, it goes a little bit like Eddie Rosario’s did last year once they get there!
  13. Steve Lein
    Twins prospects in the Arizona Fall League are playing for the Scottsdale Scorpions this season, and they started off the week with three consecutive wins, scoring twenty-two runs in the process. They hit a wall on Thursday however, and lost the last three games of the week, scoring only once in each game. At this point of the season Scottsdale leads the East division with a 16-10 record.
     
    Twins hitting prospects didn’t have much success on the week, but the bullpen again displayed some dominance. Read on to check out how they all did in week five of the 2015 Arizona Fall League season!
     
    (links provided to each player’s overall stats by clicking their name)
     
    Adam Brett Walker – 4 games, 3-14, 2 R’s, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 1 BB, 7 K’s.
     
    Walker played in four games on the week, collecting one hit in three of the games, including a two-run home run in Wednesday’s 7-5 win. His blast got the Scorpions on the board and closed the lead to 3-2. He drew his only walk of the week in the fourth inning to load the bases, but all runners ended up stranded.
     
    His RBI single in Monday’s 10-8 win over Salt River came in their five run eighth inning to make the score 5-3. He came around to score the tying run and the game went extra innings before Scottsdale came out on top. He also struck out three times on the day.
     
    In Thursday’s 2-1 loss, Walker singled to lead off the third inning, but was erased on a Stuart Turner double play ball. He struck out two more times.
     
    On Friday Walker was held in check with an 0-3 day that included two more strikeouts, and was in the on-deck circle with the score 2-1 when a double-play ended the game.
     
    Stuart Turner – 2 games, 0-8, 1 RBI, 2 K’s.
     
    Turner again started two games at catcher during the week, but didn’t make much noise as he was held hitless.
     
    One of the times he did put the ball in play however, he picked up an RBI as he reached base on a throwing error.
     
    In Monday’s game, Turner allowed two steals, but cut another runner down in his game on Thursday.
     
    Mitch Garver – 3 games, 1-9, 1 R, 3 K’s.
     
    Garver made the start at catcher in three games this week, but didn’t have much success at the plate either.
     
    His only hit on the week came in Tuesday’s 5-4 win, when he led off the three run fifth inning with a single. He then came around to score from second on an infield single that was deflected by the pitcher.
     
    Garver cut down the only runner to attempt a steal on him during the week in Tuesday’s win.
     
    Nick Burdi – 2 games, 2 IP, 0 R’s, 0 H’s, 0 BB’s, 2 K’s, 0.00 ERA.
     
    Burdi made two appearances on the week, and continued his AFL dominance though both of those appearances came in losing efforts.
     
    On Thursday Burdi pitched the ninth inning to finish the game, and set the Surprise lineup that included Jurickson Profar and Gary Sanchez in order. He struck out one and got the latter two hitters to tap out to first base.
     
    In Saturday’s 5-1 loss, Burdi pitched the eighth inning, again finishing the game for the Scorpions. He again set the hitters down in order, bookending this one-two-three inning with strikeouts.
     
    Trevor Hildenberger – 2 games, 4.0 IP, 0 R’s, 3 H’s, 0 BB’s, 4 K’s, 0.00 ERA.
     
    Hildenberger also saw action in two games on the week, going multiple innings in each appearance.
     
    He was the first pitcher in relief after Taylor Roger’s start in Monday’s game, allowing three hits but no runs in two innings, helped by a runner who was caught attempting to stretch a single into a double. This resulted in the triple later in the inning resulting in no damage to the scoreboard. He struck out two.
     
    He was again the first pitcher summoned after the Scorpions starter was done on Friday. He made quick work of his opponents, setting them down one-two-three in each of the sixth and seventh innings. He struck out two in the sixth on six pitches, and needed only one more for the third out.
     
    Jake Reed – 2 games, 1 Win, 1 Save, 2.0 IP, 2 R’s (0 earned), 2 H’s, 0 BB’s, 2 K’s. 0.00 ERA.
     
    Reed managed to keep his ERA at a perfect 0.00 on the AFL season thanks to his defense in Monday’s extra inning win.
     
    He came on for the eleventh inning, and the leadoff man reached on an error. This runner and a second came around to score after Reed got the next two outs, resulting in each run being unearned. The walk-off home run from the Scorpions Sam Travis gave Reed his first AFL win.
     
    In Wednesday’s 7-5 win against Glendale, Reed picked up his third AFL Save with a one-two-three ninth inning, striking out the last hitter of the game to slam the door.
     
    Taylor Rogers – 2 games started, 8.0 IP, 4 R’s (3 earned), 7 H’s, 4 BB’s, 7 K’s. 3.38 ERA.
     
    Starts from Rogers bookended the week for the Scorpions, and he went four innings in each contest.
     
    On Monday, after a Snapper-Mow-Em-Down first inning, Rogers got into trouble by walking the first two hitters of the second inning. A passed ball from Turner put the runner on third and a sac fly brought him home for the unearned run and an early 1-0 lead.
     
    In the third inning, a walk and stolen base put a runner in scoring position, and a two-out single brought in the second run of the game for Salt River. Rogers allowed a single in the fourth inning, but struck out one and escaped with no further damage.
     
    On Saturday, Rogers again started the game with a one-two-three first inning, and escaped a second and third threat after consecutive errors in the second inning. In the third, Mesa loaded the bases with two outs, but Rogers again got out of the jam with a ground ball to end the threat. They finally got two him in the fourth after he started the inning off with two strikeouts. A hit-by-pitch, single, and double to the next three hitters brought in two runs, but with the help of Garver’s heads up play, the third out was made at third base after the throw home on the double wasn’t in time.
     
    QUICK HITS
     
    -Nick Burdi is catching the eyes of a lot of people in the AFL. Check out this video of one his K’s on the week.
     
    Please feel free to ask questions and discuss the performances during the week!
  14. Steve Lein
    The Minnesota Twins club in the Arizona Fall League, the Scottsdale Scorpions, went 2-4 on the week to put their overall record at 4-5.
     
    Bullpen arms from the organization had a stellar week, one catcher continued to hit and another continued to showcase his defense, and all of Adam Brett Walker’s skills were displayed.
     
    Read on to check out how each prospect did in week two of the 2015 Arizona Fall League season!
     
    (links provided to each player’s overall stats by clicking their name)
     
    Adam Brett Walker – 4 games, 5-17 (.294), 2 R’s, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 2 BB, 8 K’s.
     
    Walker started the week off with a game that could be considered a microcosm of hit prospect profile, going 2-5 with solo home run and two RBI in Monday’s 10-6 win against the Mesa Solar Sox. The home run came in the eighth inning and provided an additional insurance run. In his first three at-bats of the game however, he was 0-3 with three strikeouts, two of the swinging variety.
     
    In the rematch with Mesa on Tuesday, Walker drew a walk in the fifth inning, a moved station-to-station around the bases to score a run from third on a single. He struck out swinging in his final two at-bats to finish 0-3.
     
    Walker was hitless again in Thursday’s 5-4 loss, reaching base once in five plate appearances by drawing a walk in the fifth inning. He struck out swinging in his final two at-bats again.
     
    Walker’s final game of the week provided some redemption, going 3-5 with three singles against Peoria on Saturday. All three of the singles were line drives into center field. He struck out swinging once.
     
    Stuart Turner – 2 games, 1-7 (.142), 1 R, 2 BB’s, 4 K’s.
     
    Turner started at catcher and batted ninth in the lineup in two games for the Scorpions this week.
     
    On Tuesday, Turner drew a walk in his first at-bat, and scored on the Clint Frazier home run that followed. He singled in the seventh inning but was stranded, and struck out twice on the day.
     
    In Thursday’s 7-6 loss to the Surprise Saguaros, Turner was 0-4 with two strikeouts. In the sixth inning Turner drew a walk, but was erased at second base on a steal attempt.
     
    In the third inning, Turner gunned down a runner of his own, catching Minnesota native Michael Reed at second base. That’s 3-5 catching runners on steal attempts for Turner in three games.
     
    Mitch Garver – 2 games, 4-10 (.400), 2 R’s, 2 RBI, 2 K’s.
     
    Just like Turner, Garver made two starts at catcher on the week. He batted ninth in Monday’s 10-6 win, and eighth in Friday’s 10-1 win, going 2-5 in each contest.
     
    On Monday, Garver singled in his first at bat and later scored on a double from Mike Gerber. His single in the eighth inning scored Christian Arroyo after Walker’s home run to add another insurance run.
     
    In the blowout win on Friday, Garver drove in a run with a single in the six-run third inning for the Scorpions as they blew the game open.
     
    In the seventh, his picked up his second single of the day and came around to score on a Frazier single for the 8-1 lead.
     
    Nick Burdi – 1 game, 1 IP, 0 R’s, 1 H, 0 BB’s, 1 K, 0.00 ERA.
     
    After not getting into any official action in the season’s first week, Burdi pitched the final inning of Wednesday’s blowout loss.
     
    The leadoff man picked up an infield single, but Burdi induced a four-six-three double play to the next hitter to bring up Yankees catching prospect Gary Sanchez, batting third in the Surprise lineup. Burdi sent him down swinging to end the inning on a high note.
     
    Trevor Hildenberger – 2 games, 2.0 IP, 0 R’s, 2 H’s, 0 BB’s, 2 K’s, 0.00 ERA.
     
    Hildenberger made two appearances on the week, pitching in the games on Monday and Friday.
     
    With the first game of the week tied at 3-3, Hildenberger worked around a one-out double to pitch a scoreless fifth inning.
     
    On Friday, after surrendering a leadoff single, Hildenberger mopped up the 10-1 victory by striking out the last two hitters of the game in the ninth inning.
     
     
    Jake Reed – 2 games, 2.1 IP, 1 H, 0 BB’s, 3 K’s, 0.00 ERA.
     
    Reed also saw his first official action of the AFL season, appearing in the same two games as Hildenberger on the week.
     
    On Monday, Reed was relieved by Hildenberger for the fifth, after entering the game with two outs in the third inning, after starter Austin Kubitza’s day ended by giving up three-run home run. Reed got a ground out to end the inning and faced the minimum in the fourth by striking out the leadoff man and inducing a double play after one out single.
     
    Reed pitched the sixth inning in Friday’s win, bookending a tapper back to him on the mound with two strikeouts for a quick one-two-three inning.
     
    Taylor Rogers – 1 game started, 4.0 IP, 4 ER’s, 5 H’s, 3 BB’s, 4 K’s. 9.00 ERA.
     
    Pitching as a starter for the Scorpions, Rogers got the ball to start the game on Wednesday against Surprise.
     
    He got through the bottom of the first with a one-two-three inning, striking out leadoff man Dustin Fowler, and worked around a one-out single in the second inning with two strikeouts and the runner being erased at second base on a steal attempt (not by Turner or Garver).
     
    In the third inning, Rogers got into a bit more trouble. The leadoff man doubled to left field, moved to third on a groundout, and then scored on a single for the Saguaros first run of the game. Rogers would pick up another strikeout, and escape the inning with runners on first and second by getting Gary Sanchez to ground out.
     
    It got worse for Rogers in the fourth inning however, as a single and walk put runners on for Aledmys Diaz from the Cardinals organization, who launched his first home run of the AFL season and gave his team a 4-0 lead. Rogers walked the next man he faced, but with a crafty lefty pickoff move, caught the runner attempting to steal. He finished the fourth and his day by getting a pop-out to second base.
     
    QUICK HITS:
     
    - How they draw it up in the future: Twins relief prospects combined to pitch 5.1 scoreless innings on the week, allowing just four hits while picking up six strikeouts.
     
    - If you’re behind their paywall, Baseball America posted their Minnesota Twins 2015 Draft Report Card on Thursday. They selected Travis Blankenhorn as the best pure hitter, Kolten Kendrick as the best power hitter, and Logan Wade as the fastest baserunner. Tyler Jay was noted throughout the pitching comments for his fastball, slider, and command. Also discussed, is how the failure to sign second round pick Kyle Cody, a starter from Kentucky, hurt the Twins ability to get creative with their signings.
     
    Please feel free to ask questions and discuss the performances during the week!
  15. Steve Lein
    Kyle Gibson continued his breakout campaign against the Detroit Tigers on Sunday afternoon, helping the Twins complete a series win against their division rival heading into the All Star Break. Miguel Sano also delivered his second career home run, avoiding the silent treatment in the dugout for the first of many more times.
     
    Oh, and news flash: The Twins Have the Second Best Record in the American League!
     
    In the minors on Sunday, there was one game that had a ton of offense, and a bunch more with not so much. One former first round pick (supplemental round) had a big day, the guy batting behind him added to his home run totals, and a converted outfielder continued to shine in Elizabethton’s starting rotation.
     
    Read on to find out what happened and where!
     
    TRANSACTIONS
     
    First, there were a slew of transactions in Chattanooga before the games on Sunday.
     
    In Chattanooga, Travis Harrison was activated from the disabled list and had a big impact on their game. Zach Jones was also sent down to Fort Myers after his recent struggles, with Matt Summers being called up in his place. First baseman
     
    Mike Gonzales was also released by the Twins from the Lookouts roster. He is twenty-seven years old and had spent seven years in the Twins organization, reaching as high as AA.
     
    RED WINGS REPORT
    Rochester 1, Syracuse 4
    Box Score
     
    Greg Peavey was on the mound for the Red Wings, and dueled with the Chiefs’ Taylor Jordan for much of the early going. It was still tied at zero into the fourth inning, before the home team struck first against Peavey.
     
    A two out double put a runner in scoring position, and the following single brought him home for the 1-0 lead. The Chiefs would add two more in the fifth, when the first three hitters all singled to score one, and a later double would score the second. Peavey would escape that inning without any more damage, and finished his day with a one-two-three sixth. He allowed the three runs on eight hits and one walk, while striking out two.
     
    Rochester was unable to get on the board until the eighth inning, when Jorge Polanco led off with a double, and scored later on a Chris Herrmann sacrifice fly.
     
    Polanco was a stud on Sunday afternoon, going 4-4 on the day with a double and a run scored, raising his average with the Red Wings to .366. He didn’t get much help from the rest of the offense however, as they were unable to string enough hits together behind him to make a difference on the scoreboard. As a team they were 1-12 with runners in scoring position and left seven men on base.
     
    Caleb Thielbar threw a scoreless seventh inning, allowing one hit and striking out two; while Aaron Thompson pitched the bottom of the eighth, allowing one run on two hits to make the score 4-1.
     
    Danny Ortiz led off the ninth with a double, and Jose Martinez moved him to third with a single that brought the tying run to the plate with nobody out. But Wilkin Ramirez flew out to old friend Darin Mastroianni in center field, and Argenias Diaz grounded into a double play to end the game.
     
    With the loss, Rochester finishes the first half of their International League season with a record of 49-42, and sit in first place in the North Division.
     
    CHATTANOOGA CHATTER
    Mississippi 11, Chattanooga 10
    Box Score
     
    The game in Chattanooga on Sunday afternoon was a roller coaster for each side, as they combined for twenty-one runs on twenty-nine hits, and changed leads four times.
     
    Mississippi put a crooked number up in the first, as three singles and a wild pitch combined to plate two runs off Lookout’s starter Jason Wheeler.
     
    They got both those runs back in the bottom of the second as Travis Harrison led off with a walk, and Stephen Wickens, Marcus Knecht, and Stuart Turner all singled to make it 2-2.
     
    Wheeler settled down after the first inning and finished seven innings, scattering a total of nine hits. He allowed three runs (two earned), did not walk a batter, and struck out three.
     
    Mississippi took back the lead 3-2 in the sixth when the Braves got a double and single in succession, but they handed the lead to Chattanooga in the bottom of the inning.
     
    Wickens drew a walk and was followed by a Knecht single, before Stuart Turner greeted the bullpen with a 2-RBI double to make it 4-3. They tacked on three more runs in the seventh inning as Harrison (2-R HR) and Adam Brett Walker (solo HR) connected for back to back blasts. They were Harrison’s fourth of the season, and Walker’s twenty-fourth.
     
    Brandon Peterson was summoned from the bullpen for the top of the eighth inning, having not allowed a run since his promotion to AA, and in 26.0 innings overall since May 5th. The streak was not to continue any further, as a single and triple quickly put an end to it. A later double would score a second run to make the score 7-5.
     
    The Lookouts got back those runs and more again in the bottom of the frame, as two singles and a walk would load the bases, and Harrison would clear them with a double to make it 10-5 going into the ninth.
     
    J.T. Chargois recorded the first two outs quickly, but then all hell broke loose against the reliever and home team. A walk, single, and a double would score two, before another single, and two walks would score a third and leave the bases loaded for Matt Summers.
     
    Mississippi brought in Pinch Hitter Rio Ruiz, who drew an RBI walk to make it 10-9, then a double from Sean Godfrey would put the Braves ahead 11-10.
     
    Deflated by the bullpen implosion, Chattanooga’s offense went down one-two-three in the bottom of the inning to take the loss, and look to avoid a five-game home-series sweep byMississippi on Monday.
    MIRACLE MATTERS
    Clearwater 4, Fort Myers 1
    Box Score
     
    Lefthander Stephen Gonsalves was on the mound for the Miracle, making his fifth Florida State League start. He wasn’t his greatest, but also wasn’t helped much by his defense, as two of his three runs allowed were unearned after a throwing error from Alex Swim in the fourth.
     
    Gonsalves’s day would come to an end in the sixth inning, as a throwing error from T.J. White after two singles to start the inning would load the bases. Nick Burdi came into the game and shut down the threat with two strikeouts and an infield pop out.
    Overall on the day Gonsalves pitched five innings, allowing the three runs (one earned) on eight hits and four walks. He struck out two.
     
    The Miracle offense closed the score to 3-1 in the fourth, when a Mitch Garver double scored Ryan Walker, who had singled to lead off the inning, but that is as close as they would get.
     
    Burdi also came out for the seventh, and set the Threshers down one-two-three while adding another strikeout. It was then Tyler Jay’s turn in the eighth, and he struck out all three hitters he faced.
     
    Todd Van Steensel came on in the ninth and promptly loaded the bases with two walks and single. He allowed one run on a single before managing to wiggle out of the jam by inducing a 1-2-3 double-play.
     
    Fort Myers would go down in order in the bottom of the ninth to hand Gonsalves his first loss in the FSL, though he did lower his ERA to 2.61.
    KERNELS NUGGETS
    Cedar Rapids 1, Kane County 3
    Box Score
     
    Despite each team collecting ten hits, there wasn’t much in the run columns on the scoreboard for either team, as they combined for just one extra-base hit on the day.
     
    The Cougars took the lead 1-0 in the bottom of the fourth off Kernels starter Sam Gibbons, as a double from Marty Herum led off the inning, and a sac bunt and sac fly brought him home.
     
    It would remain that way until the eighth inning, as Gibbons scattered seven hits and a walk over 5.1 innings while striking out three, and reliever Luke Bard added 2.2 scoreless frames, striking out two. Cougars starter Markus Solbach scattered nine hits over seven innings of his own, striking out four.
     
    In the eighth inning the Kernels finally got to him, as a Nick Gordon single brought home Sean Miller from second to tie the game. Miller had led off the inning with a single of his own, and was moved into scoring position on a Tanner English sacrifice bunt.
     
    With a tie-game heading into the bottom of the ninth in Kane County, the Kernels went to lefthander Brandon Bixler, who had allowed at least one run in each of his past four outings.
     
    He got two outs, but that trend continued and sent the Kernels into the dugout with a loss, as pinch-hitter Ildemaro Vargas blasted a two-run home run just over wall in the gap in left center for the 3-1 walk-off victory.
     
    The win pushed Kane County’s (15-3) second half Western Division lead to four games over the Kernels (11-7).
     
    E-TOWN E-NOTES
    Johnson City 3, Elizabethton 2
    Box Score
     
    Elizabethton’s game on Sunday was also easy on the scoreboard operators, as they got another fantastic pitching performance from Derek Rodriguez.
     
    The Cardinals got on the board early with a run in the first inning as a single and stolen base put a runner in scoring position. A fielding error from first baseman Amaurys Minier would then allow that run to scamper home.
     
    From there on Rodriguez was in control. He finished six innings, allowing just the one unearned run on four hits and one walk in six innings. He struck out six and his ERA in four starts in the Appalachian League sits at 1.61.
     
    Elizabethton took the lead in the second inning, when Nelson Molina launched his first home run of the season, a two-run shot to right field making the score 2-1.
     
    Anthony Mciver added two scoreless innings in relief of Rodriguez to keep it that way until the ninth inning for Jose Abreu.
     
    With one out and a runner on second, Johnson City’s Luke Doyle sent a liner into centerfield for a single. The runner was waved around third but the throw beat him home to keep the lead with two outs. The next hitter grounded to third, but the throw was misplayed by Tyler Kuresa for an error on the first baseman, and the tying run came around to score before Abreau got the third out.
     
    Elizabethtons lineup was retired in order in the bottom of the ninth to send the game to extra innings.
     
    Abreu came out for another inning, but did not record an out, and the three singles surrendered brought home the go-ahead run for the Cardinals. Logan Lombana came in to replace Abreu with two runners on an escaped any more damage by retiring all three hitters he faced.
     
    Down 3-2 in the tenth, the Twins got the tying run on base after a Kamran Young single, but pinch hitter A.J. Murray would ground into a double play to end the game.
     
    Murray was pinch hitting for Wade, who was 2-4 in the game before that at-bat. Molina also added two hits, including the home run to lead the offense.
     
    GCL TWINS TAKES
     
    The Gulf Coast League Twins, like the rest of the GCL, had the day off on Sunday. They host the GCL Rays on Monday.
     
    TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY
     
    Pitcher of the Day – Derek Rodriguez, Elizabethton Twins (6.0 IP, 4 H’s, 0 ER’s, BB, 6 K’s)
    Hitter of the Day – Travis Harrison, Chattanooga Lookouts (2-4, 2 R’s, 2B, HR, BB, 5 RBI)
     
    MONDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS
     
    Rochester – International League All-Star Break.
    Mississippi @ Chattanooga (6:15 PM CST) – LHP David Hurlbut (4-4, 5.57 ERA)
    Clearwater @ Fort Myers (6:05 PM CST) – RHP Aaron Slegers (6-4, 3.07 ERA)
    Cedar Rapids @ Kane County (6:35 PM CST) – LHP Luke Westphal (1-1, 4.50 ERA)
    Johnson City @ Elizabethton (6:00 PM CST) – RHP Alex Tapia (1-1, 2.76 ERA)
    GCL Rays @ GCL Twins (11:00 AM CST) – TBD
     
    Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss Sunday’s games.
  16. Steve Lein
    There was plenty of action on Sunday, as both the Rochester Red Wings and Elizabethton Twins played double-headers. There was a walk-off blast in one game, a few stellar pitching performances, and an ongoing winning streak on the line.
     
    There was also an incredible display of power from the middle of the lineup for one affiliate (I’ll let you guess which one…), as the players involved continue to one-up each other.
     
    There was so much action I couldn't limit the players of the day to just one name, either. Read on to find out all about it!
     
    RED WINGS REPORT
    Game 1: Charlotte 0, Rochester 1
    Box Score
     
    In the first game of their double-header, both teams combined managed just nine hits on the day and a single run. Luckily for the Red Wings, it was they who scored it.
     
    An error by Charlotte’s shortstop in the third inning allowed Doug Bernier to reach base. He moved to third on a James Beresford single, and was driven in on a single to left from Eric Fryer.
     
    That’s all starter Tyler Duffey would need. He pitched the seven inning complete game shutout, scattering just four hits and one walk along the way. He struck out four.
     
    Beresford was 2-4 on the day and is batting .328 on the year, and Jose Martinez added the only extra-base hit for the Red Wings, a double.
     
    Game 2: Charlotte 4, Rochester 5 (11 innings)
    Box Score
     
    Greg Peavey made the start for Rochester in the second game, and gave up single runs in the second and third innings to put them down 2-0 early, but a three run fourth put Rochester out front 3-2 after four.
     
    Reynaldo Rodriguez and Oswaldo Arcia singled to start the inning, and Wilkin Ramirez put the crooked number on the board with his second home run of the year.
     
    The score would remain that way until the seventh and final inning, when Michael Tonkin was summoned for the save opportunity. A one-out walk put the tying run on base, and it moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. Tonkin was hit with the blown save after an RBI single to centerfield, before escaping the inning via a strikeout with runners on first and second.
     
    A.J. Achter pitched the first two extra innings, allowing just one walk while striking out three to keep the game tied. Lester Oliveros pitched a scoreless tenth inning by striking out two around two singles, but ran into more trouble in the eleventh after recording two quick outs.
     
    A single, walk, and wild pitch put a runner on third, and he was driven in on a single from the Knights’ Micah Johnson to make it 4-3.
     
    The middle of the Rochester lineup was due up in the bottom of the eleventh, and Arcia singled to put the game tying run on base with one out. All he had to do was trot around the bases, as Ramirez followed with his second home run of the game, a walk-off blast to left field for the 5-4 extra inning win.
     
    CHATTANOOGA CHATTER
    Chattanooga 9, Montgomery 8
    Box Score
     
    The Chattanooga lineup pounded out thirteen hits as a team providing a ton of offense, though it was just enough to escape with the victory after an eventful ninth inning.
     
    The Lookouts jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first after Max Kepler drove in Miguel Sano, who had doubled. Montgomery tied the game at one in the second inning with a sac fly, but the score would remain that way until the sixth as starter Jose Berrios was brilliant.
     
    In seven innings, Berrios allowed just the one run on two hits and a walk. He struck out six and seventy of his ninety-seven pitches went for strikes. He retired thirteen in a row at one point, and struck out the last two hitters he faced in the game. He left with the score 5-1 in favor of the Lookouts.
     
    They pushed two runs across in each of the sixth and seventh innings, thanks to a two-run home run from Adam Brett Walker in the sixth, and a two-run double from Kepler in the seventh.
     
    The Biscuits lineup woke up after Berrios left however, and made the score 5-4 in the eighth as D.J. Baxendale was greeted with a solo home run, and two batters later a two-run shot reached the seats. He finished the inning with a strikeout to escape any more damage.
     
    The middle of the lineup got all of the runs back for Baxendale in the ninth, as singles from Jorge Polanco and Heiker Meneses were the prelude to a three-run Sano blast into right, and a Walker double brought home Kepler and a 9-4 cushion for the bullpen.
     
    Zach Jones walked the first batter he faced, and then picked up the first two quick outs, before his control became an issue again. Three more walks and two wild pitches brought the first run of the inning across, and a triple would clear the bases for three more. Jones was then relieved by Tim Shibuya with the tying run on third, but he got a fly out to right field to end the game.
     
    Berrios improved to 8-3 on the season, and lowered his ERA to 3.08. Shibuya picked up his first save of the year.
     
    The big names in the lineup: Polanco (3-4, 2 R’s, 2B, BB), Sano (3-5, 3 R’s, 2B, HR, 3 RBI), Kepler (3-3, 2 R’s, 2B, 3 RBI, 2 BB), and Walker (2-4, R, 2B, HR, 3 RBI, BB); collected multiple hits and filled up the stat sheet for Chattanooga.
     
    Over their last ten games Sano, Kepler, and Walker have been otherworldly in the three, four, and five spots in the lineup:
     
    Sano: 14-40 (.350), 13 R’s, 6 2B’s, 4 HR’s, 11 RBI, 5 BB’s, 9 K’s.
    Kepler: 21-38 (.553), 8 R’s, 2 2B’s, 4 3B’s, 9 RBI, 7 BB’s, 6 K’s.
    Walker: 14-39 (.359), 7 R’s, 2 2B’s, 5 HR’s, 12 RBI, 5 BB, 17 K’s.
     
    Insanity!
    MIRACLE MATTERS
    Fort Myers 2, Dunedin 7
    Box Score
     
    While they racked up eight hits as a team, they were just 2-11 with runners in scoring position and left ten men on base.
     
    Mat Batts was on the hill for Fort Myers, but was only able to make it through 3.2 innings, thanks in part to his defense. In the third two runs had scored after a walk, double, and single; but Batts had countered with a strikeout for the second out. A ground ball to first base was then misplayed by Bryan Haar to prolong it, and a single would drive in the third run for the early Blue Jays lead. Batts would finish his outing with four runs allowed (three earned) on eight hits and one walk, striking out five.
     
    Dunedin would add single runs in the fourth, sixth, seventh, and eighth innings to put their final total on the board.
     
    Jason Kanzler made the score 4-1 with his fifth home run of the season in the fifth innning, and they’d get as close as 4-2 after an RBI single from Engelb Vielma in the sixth.
     
    Chad Christensen (2-5), Kanzler (2-4), and Vielma (2-4) had multi-hit games to lead the offense.
     
    Brian Gilbert was the first man up in relief, and finished the sixth inning. He allowed one run on two hits over his 2.1 innings, walking one and striking out one. Tyler Jay then made his second appearance for the Miracle and recorded two quick outs before consecutive extra base hits led to his first run allowed as a pro. He picked up a strikeout to end the threat. Todd Van Steensel came out for the eighth inning, and he was tagged with a solo home run along with picking up a strikeout.
     
    The Fort Myers Miracle were riding a ten game winning streak coming into this one, but that’s as far as they could take it.
    KERNELS NUGGETS
    Quad Cities 6, Cedar Rapids 1
    Box Score
     
    Cedar Rapids was unable to string any offense together, totaling just five hits and one walk on the day. They left just four men on base and were 0-4 with runners in scoring position.
     
    Alex Real provided their only notch on the scoreboard with a solo home run leading off the fourth inning that made the score 3-1.
     
    Zach Tillery made the start for the Kernels, and allowed single runs in the second, third, and fourth innings before being lifted. His line was three earned runs on seven hits and two walks and five strikeouts in four innings.
     
    Michael Theofanopoulos pitched three innings in relief, allowing one run on three hits and a walk. Brandon Bixler finished the game by allowing two runs on three hits and two walks in two innings. He struck out one.
     
    The top four hitters in the Kernels lineup - Tanner English, Nick Gordon, Edgar Corcino and Real – were 1-4 on the day. Jorge Fernandez provided the only other base hit of the day.
     
    Top 2015 draft pick of the Houston Astros, Alex Bregman, slugged his first professional home run off Tillery in the third inning.
     
    E-TOWN E-NOTES
    Game 1: Pulaski 6, Elizabethton 2
    Box Score
     
    The Elizabethton Twins also played a double-header on Sunday, and in game one they fell behind early and were unable to claw back.
     
    Pulaski pushed across two runs in each of the first and second innings, and the home team couldn’t quite match them to put the score at 4-2 after two.
     
    Manuel Guzman went station to station in the first, and scored on a wild pitch, while Amaurys Minier led off the second with his first home run of 2015.
     
    In the third, three consecutive singles loaded the bases to start the inning, but the Twins were unable to scratch a run across after a pop-out double play behind third base that resulted in the runner being thrown out at home after tagging up. They would not threaten again.
     
    Guzman was the only hitter to pick up multiple hits, going 2-4 with a run scored. Kamran Young, LaMonte Wade, Daniel Kihle, and Ariel Montesino pitcked up the rest of their seven hits. As a team they left five men on base and were 1-7 with runners in scoring position.
     
    Lefthander Brandon Easton started the game, and allowed the first four runs. He lasted just 2.1 innings, as four walks and four hits got him into trouble. He struck out three.
     
    Nate Gercken would go the next 3.2 innings, and surrendered two runs on five hits, while striking out four. Josh Guyer would pitch a scoreless final inning, striking out two along the way.
     
    Game 2: Pulaski 0, Elizabethton 4
    Box Score
     
    In the game two, Cody Stashak and Onesimo Hernandez combined to shutout the Yankees. Stashak went the first four innings, allowing just one hit and one walk, while striking out four. Hernandez allowed just one hit over the final three innings and struck out six.
     
    Elizabethton scored all four of their runs in the fifth inning. A Nelson Molina single brought in A.J. Murray, who had doubled, for the game’s first run. Manuel Guzman singled with the bases loaded to score the second, and a LaMonte Wade walk and Amaurys Minier sac flay would finish it off. Murray (2-3, 2B) was the only hitter to collect multiple hits or an extra-base hit.
     
    GCL TWINS TAKES
     
    The Gulf Coast League Twins, like the rest of the GCL, had the day off on Sunday. They travel to face the GCL Rays Monday morning.
     
    TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY
     
    Pitcher(s) of the Day – Tyler Duffey, Rochester Red Wings (7 IP, CG-SO, 4 H’s, 1 BB, 4 K’s)
    Jose Berrios, Chattanooga Lookouts (7 IP, 1 R, 2 H’s, 1 BB, 6 K’s)
    Hitter(s) of the Day – Miguel Sano, Max Kepler, and Adam Brett Walker; Chattanooga Lookouts (8-12, 6 R’s, 3 2B’s, 2 HR’s, 9 RBI).
    Wilkin Ramirez, Rochester Red Wings (3-5, 2 R’s, 2B, 2 HR’s, 5 RBI)
     
    MONDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS
     
    Pawtucket @ Rochester (6:05 PM CST) – RHP Ervin Santana (2-0, 2.84 ERA)
    Chattanooga @ Montgomery (&:05 PM CST) – LHP Jason Wheeler (0-0, -.-- ERA)
    Fort Myers @ Dunedin (5:30 PM CST) – RHP Kohl Stewart (3-4, 3.62 ERA)
    Cedar Rapids @ Wisconsin (7:05 PM CST) – RHP Sam Gibbons (1-2, 6.20 ERA)
    Bristol @ Elizabethton (6:00 PM CST) – TBD
    GCL Twins @ GCL Rays (11:00 AM CST) – TBD
     
    Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss Friday’s games.
  17. Steve Lein
    Brian Dozier put the Minnesota Twins out front 1-0 immediately in the series opener with their cross-state rival Milwaukee Brewers, leading off the game with his fifteenth home run of the season. It was the eleventh time in his career he has led off a game in such fashion.
     
    Four of their six minor league teams also jumped out to leads after the first inning, but what happened next for the parent club after Dozier’s home run was telling throughout the MiLB action on the night.
     
    To find out how it all went down, keep reading!
     
    TRANSACTIONS
     
    First, there were some significant transactions on Friday.
     
    As reported yesterday, top pitching prospect Alex Meyer was promoted to the Twins to pitch out of their bullpen. The move was made official today and Meyer will be ready to make his Major League debut in Milwaukee.
     
    That exciting news was also met with some bad news, as Byron Buxton is headed to the Disabled List with a sprained thumb. The Twins recalled Danny Santana in his place.
     
    Also on the move to Rochester, is Aaron Hicks to begin a rehab assignment, and the Red Wings also activated Nate Hanson from their disabled list.
     
    On to the action from Friday night!
     
    RED WINGS REPORT
    Charlotte 3, Rochester 1
    Box Score
     
    Lefthander Pat Dean was on the hill for Rochester, and was fantastic. In seven innings, he allowed just two runs while scattering seven hits and two walks. He struck out three. Both runs came in the third inning, as a couple of doubles scored one, and a single scored the other.
     
    Charlotte’s starter was just as good, however. Erik Johnson bettered Dean with a line of: 7 IP, 4 Hits, 1 Run, 1BB, and 8 K’s. Johnson currently leads with International League with eighty-eight strikeouts, and was the league’s pitcher of the week coming into the game after two shutout performances in his prior two starts.
     
    The Red Wings lone run of the game came in the fifth, when a double from Carlos Paulino brought home Ryan Wheeler who had singled.
     
    As a team Rochester left just four men on base while going 1-4 with runners in scoring position, so their opportunities were very few and far between. James Beresford and Oswaldo Arcia picked up the other two hits. Aaron Hicks was 0-4 with two strikeouts in his first game of rehab.
     
    Lester Oliveros pitched a scoreless eighth inning, allowing one hit but striking out three. Michael Tonkin allowed one run on three hits in the ninth in his first appearance back with the Red Wings. He struck out one.
     
    CHATTANOOGA CHATTER
    Chattanooga 6, Montgomery 7
    Box Score
     
    The Montgomery Biscuits handed the Lookouts the 2-0 lead after one inning as Levi Michael led off the game by getting hit with a pitch and stealing second base. Miguel Sano sent a pitch into centerfield that resulted in a fielding error that scored Michael and put him on second base. Max Kepler followed with an RBI single.
     
    Alex Wimmers was on the mound for Chattanooga coming off a 3-0 stretch in which he had allowed zero runs in seven plus innings each game, totaling 21.2 innings pitched. Over that time frame he had given up just eight hits and six walks, while striking out twenty three.
     
    He was able to continue this scoreless stretch for four innings, but it was clear he didn’t have the same stuff as Montgomery managed four hits and three walks in those innings. They finally got to him in the fifth.
     
    A triple, sac fly, single, double, single and another sac fly would tie the game at three before Wimmers was lifted for Brandon Peterson. He recorded a strikeout to end the inning.
     
    The Lookouts would take back the lead in the seventh inning, when the Biscuit’s bullpen came into play. Sano came to the plate with runners on the corners, and put himself into scoring position with an RBI double. Kepler was then intentionally walked to load the bases before Travis Harrison picked up an RBI on a fielder’s choice ground ball.
     
    An RBI single from Michael would add another insurance run in the eighth to make the score 6-3, and fireballer Zach Jones came on to pitch. The leadoff man singled before a consecutive strikeouts got the Biscuits manager ejected, but it may have sparked his team. Consecutive singles loaded the bases, and exactly what you hope doesn’t happen, did. Leadoff man Joey Rickard’s first home run of the year, in fifty-nine games played, was a grand slam to put Montgomery ahead 7-6.
     
    Sano led off the ninth inning with his third double of the game to put the tying run at second base, but he remained there for a Kepler strikeout, Harrison ground out to the pitcher, and a hit-by-pitch to Heiker Meneses. That brought big moment kingpin Adam Brett Walker to the batters box. In a cruel twist of fate, he drew a walk to load the bases. (They probably weren’t pitching much to him!)
     
    Stuart Turner wouldn’t get a chance to be a hero, as Walker was caught napping with his bases-loaded lead at first base, leading to snap-throw pickoff from Biscuits catcher Justin O’Connor to end the game.
     
    Michael (2-3, 2 R’s, RBI, BB), Sano (3-5, R, 3 2B’s, RBI), Kepler (2-4, 2 RBI, BB), and Niko Goodrum (2-4, R) picked up multiple hits for the Lookouts.
    MIRACLE MATTERS
    Charlotte 4, Fort Myers 5 (15 innings)
    Box Score
     
    Fort Myers also jumped out to an early lead in the bottom of the first inning by taking advantage of a couple walks. Zach Granite led off the game with one, Aderlin Mejia followed with a single and after an Alex Swim fielder’s choice, Marcus Knecht drew a walk to load the bases.
     
    Mitch Garver promptly cleared them with a double to make the score 3-0.
     
    Chih-Wei Hu made the start for the Miracle, and he began by striking out the side in the opening frame, including a rehabbing Grady Sizemore of the Philadelphia Phillies as the game’s first hitter. He’d allow a few singles but no runs going into the fourth inning, when the Stone Crabs struck back.
     
    A home run from Mike Marjama would make the score 3-1 after the fourth, and in the fifth two doubles around a Sizemore single would tie the game at three.
     
    Hu would finish six innings, allowing three runs on eight hits, but struck out ten Stone Crabs hitters along the way. Those ten strikeouts matched his season high back on April 17th.
     
    Brian Gilbert came on for the seventh and started the inning with a walk. That brought up Sizemore who doubled down the right field line to bring in a run, giving Charlotte a 4-3 lead.
     
    The eighth inning marked the professional debut of the Twins 2015 First Round draft pick, lefthander Tyler Jay from the University of Illinois. I checked into the Fort Myers broadcast to catch the action, and I liked what I heard. The first batter he faced doubled to left field, but Jay worked around it, getting the next three batters, including a strikeout on an 86 MPH, hard breaking slider. He had a brisk pace and utilized a consistent 94-96 MPH fastball, and another one of his sliders registered at 88. Congrats on a successful debut, Tyler!
     
    Todd Van Steensel came on for the top of the ninth, and had a one-two-three inning, including another strikeout of Sizemore.
     
    The Miracle weren’t able to manage much after the first inning. From the second inning through the eighth, they registered just three hits and were unable to string any of them together to add some runs to the scoreboard.
     
    Then they almost walked it off in the ninth.
     
    Down by one, Garver was hit by a pitch and replaced on the bases by Jason Kanzler to start the frame. Bryan Haar followed with a single, and a bunt attempt by Chad Christensen was misplayed on the force play at third, loading the bases with the winning run in scoring position.
     
    The first opportunity went to Logan Wade. His groundball to short with the infield in led to a force out at home for the innings first out. Engelb Vielma then grounded one to short resulting in the same outcome. Zach Granite would be next.
     
    His line drive single to centerfield brought in Christensen and Wade was waved around third, but the throw from center field beat him to the plate to end the inning, sending it to extra-innings.
     
    Leftfielder Marcus Knecht was a defensive hero in the tenth, as he made a nice running catch on the first hitter of the frame to rob a base hit, and would record the final out on a leaping, crashing into the wall catch to rob a potential go-ahead home run. Guess who was coming up the next inning?
     
    Knecht didn’t bring the game-winner home in this at-bat, or his next, but in the fifteenth inning he stepped to the plate again with the bases loaded.
     
    He literally walked it off this time, drawing a free pass to push the game-winning run across the plate. In a strange statistical anomaly, it was the fourth time this season he picked up an RBI with a bases loaded walk.
     
    In extra innings, Van Steensel combined with Alex Muren and Matt Summers to keep the Stone Crabs off the scoreboard. Muren went three innings, allowing four hits but no runs because of five strikeouts, and Summers got credited the win with two perfect innings.
    KERNELS NUGGETS
    Quad Cities 4, Cedar Rapids 3 (10 innings)
    Box Score
     
    As is the theme, the Kernels also took a first inning lead against the first half division winning Quad Cities River Bandits in this one. Top draft pick Alex Bregman of the Houston Astros was also making his professional debut for the opposing squad.
     
    Cedar Rapids begin the game with walks to Edgar Corcino and Nick Gordon, and a single from Zack Larson loaded the bases. Alex Real then brought in the first run of the game with another single, and a T.J. White groundout allowed Gordon to scamper home for a 2-0 lead after one inning.
     
    Ethan Mildren made the start for Cedar Rapids and kept Quad Cities off balance all night. He scattered five hits and two walks over six innings while striking out three and allowing no damage to the scoreboard. It was still 2-0 Kernels when he was relieved by Luke Westphal to start the seventh.
     
    A leadoff triple would lead to a 2-1 game on a groundout to Gordon at shortstop.
     
    The Kernels got the run back in the bottom half of the inning when White lined a double to left field, and went station to station on groundouts from Jorge Fernandez and Brian Navarreto to make the score 3-1.
     
    Trevor Hildenberger came into pitch the eighth, and was not his usual unhittable self. He picked up a strikeout on his first, fourth, and seventh hitters of the inning, but in between four singles pushed two runs across home plate to tie the game at three. Hildenberger was charged with his first blown save of the year. He would come back out for the ninth inning, and although he escaped with no further damage, he was struck with two more base hits.
     
    Out to pitch in extra innings, was the also recently unhittable Randy LeBlanc, who brought with him a twenty-six inning scoreless streak. He made it 26.1 innings to set the season high for the Kernels, but got no further. A triple to the second batter of the inning put the runner is prime scoring position for a sac fly and 4-3 River Bandits lead.
     
    In the bottom half, Cedar Rapids got the tying run in scoring position, but a Gordon fly out and Larson strikeout would end the game in ten.
     
    Alex Real (2-4, RBI) and White (2-4, R, 2B, RBI) picked up multiple hits, and Corcino reached base three times via walk to lead the offense. They were outhit thirteen to five as a team.
     
    E-TOWN E-NOTES
    Pulaski 1, Elizabethton 4
    Box Score
     
    Like their big-brother affiliates, the Elizabethton Twins also struck in the first frame for an early lead. Fortunately for them, they were able to hang onto that lead, and were never really threatened.
     
    Their three runs in the first came on a three-run home run from Tyler Kuresa, his second in three games.
     
    It was more than enough as Twins starting pitcher Andro Cutura allowed just three hits to Pulaski in five innings. He walked two and struck out six. Relievers Anthony Mciver, Alex Robinson, and Jose Abreu did not allow any other hits to finish the game.
     
    Mciver struck out two in two perfect innings. Robinson hit a batter and walked two to load the bases for Abreu, who then also hit a batter to bring in Pulaski’s only run. He retired the next three hitters to escape the inning and worked a perfect ninth, striking out the final hitter of the game to pick up the save.
     
    Elizabethton’s fourth run scored on a Kamron Young single in the seventh to score Nelson Molina. Lamonte Wade was only hitter in the lineup to record multiple hits, going 2-4. A.J. Murray added a double.
     
    GCL TWINS TAKES
    Twins 1, Red Sox 5
    Box Score
     
    There was little offense for the Twins in this one, as they managed just four hits as a team, leaving only six men on base, and were 1-4 with runners in scoring position. Two of those four hits came from fourth round draft choice Trey Cabbage, who played third base in this contest. He also picked up their only RBI by driving in catcher Brian Olson, who had tripled in front of him in the ninth inning. Leadoff man Luis Martinez added a double.
     
    Luis Hernandez started the game for the Twins, and was roughed up to the tune of six runs (five earned) on six hits and two walks in just 2.1 innings. He did strike out three. Moises Gomez, Callan Pearce, and Brandon Poulson combined to finish the final 5.2 innings, allowing no runs on five hits and one walk. Poulson struck out two in the eighth inning after the first man up reached base on a Cabbage throwing error from third.
     
    TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY
     
    Pitcher of the Day – Chih-Wei Hu, Fort Myers Miracle (6 IP, 8 H’s, 3 ER’s, 0 BB’s, 10 K’s)
    Hitter of the Day – Miguel Sano, Chattanooga Lookouts (3-5, R, 3 2B’s, RBI)
     
    SATURDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS
     
    Charlotte @ Rochester (6:05 PM CST) – LHP Tyler Duffey (2-4, 3.35 ERA)
    Chattanooga @ Montgomery (6:35 PM CST) – LHP Brett Lee (0-1, 5.09 ERA)
    Fort Myers @ Dunedin (5:30 PM CST) – TBD
    Quad Cities @ Cedar Rapids (6:35 PM CST) – RHP Keaton Steele (2-2, 3.16 ERA)
    Pulaski @ Elizabethton (5:00 PM CST) – RHP Cody Stashak (0-0, -.-- ERA, 13th Round Pick out of St. Johns)
    GCL Red Sox @ GCL Twins (9:00 AM CST) – TBD
     
    Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss Friday’s games.
  18. Steve Lein
    In the minors on Sunday every game was a close and hard fought battle, unlike the Minnesota Twins against Chris Archer. There was a dynamic pitching duel in one, and another that went back and forth seemingly every inning. When the dust settled, the Twins affiliates went 2-2 on the day.
     
    There was also some action on the roster front, as one (surprise?) major league was sent to AAA, and a few pitching spots were shuffled.
     
    Read on to find out what happened across all four affiliates!
     
    TRANSACTIONS
     
    First, there was some notable movement on the MLB and MiLB rosters after the action today. DH Kennys Vargas was optioned by the Twins, and will head to Rochester where he can work every day as the Twins face a National League lineup on Tuesday in Pittsburgh after a day off tomorrow. Eduardo Nunez has been activated from the disabled list to take his spot.
     
    In the Midwest League, pitchers Sam Clay and C.K. Irby will head back to Extended Spring Training, while Yorman Landa (recovered from shoulder surgery) and Keaton Steel have been called up.
     
    RED WINGS REPORT
    Lehigh Valley 3, Rochester 5
    Box Score
     
    The Red Wings were the first to tally on a run on the scoreboard in the fourth inning, when Wilkin Ramirez, Ryan Wheeler, and Nate Hanson all singled to start the frame. Hanson’s single brought home Ramirez, but he was erased on a double-play ball and Wheeler would be stranded at third to end the inning.
     
    Rochester would add its final four runs in the fifth inning, however, providing plenty of insurance for the home team.
     
    James Beresford led off the inning with a walk, Eric Fryer was hit by a pitch, and Josmil Pinto singled home Beresford for the first run. Danny Ortiz then drew a walk to load the bases and force a pitching change. Ramirez lifted a Sac Fly to centerfield, scoring Fryer, before Wheeler doubled to bring home Pinto and Ortiz for a 5-0 lead.
     
    Taylor Rogers made the start for Rochester, and made quick work of the Iron Pigs batting order. He needed just sixty-four pitches to finish six innings. Rogers allowed just one earned run on four hits, walked none, and struck out four while improving his record to 3-2 with a 3.31 ERA on the season.
     
    Tim Stauffer came out for the seventh inning and was able to work a scoreless inning around two walks and a single. He wouldn’t be as lucky in the eighth.
     
    Three consecutive singles loaded the bases, and Lester Oliveros was summoned. The only batter he faced hit a sac fly to make the score 5-2, and Caleb Thielbar then gave up a run-scoring single before ending the inning.
    A.J. Achter pitched a one-two-three ninth inning to notch his fourth save of the season.
     
    Rochester’s lineup tallied eleven hits on the game, with Fryer (2-4, R), Pinto (2-4, R, RBI), and Wheeler (3-4, 2B, 2 RBI) collecting multiple hits. Hanson and Ramirez also collected an RBI.
    CHATTANOOGA CHATTER
    Montgomery 2, Chattanooga 1
    Box Score
     
    The Lookouts game on Sunday was a pitcher’s duel throughout, as both teams managed just three combined runs on the day.
     
    Chattanooga scored their's quickly, when they jumped out to an early lead in the bottom of the first inning. Byron Buxton reached on an error, Jorge Polanco singled, and Max Kepler drew a walk to load the bases. Adam Brett Walker II then stepped into the box, and drew an RBI walk for a 1-0 lead.
     
    The score remained 1-0 until the top of fifth, when a leadoff triple put the tying run ninety feet away against Lookouts starter Tyler Duffey. Duffey would strikeout the next two hitters, but a double from Johnny Field finally brought in the run and tied the game at one. Duffey would then strike out the next hitter for the third out.
     
    Though Duffey finished seven innings and was very good, he did allow some loud contact as six of his seven hits allowed went for extra bases (five doubles, one triple). He was able to limit the damage however, by striking out a career high twelve hitters. Duffey lowered his ERA to 2.56 on the season, and his now fifty-four strikeouts on the season give him the Southern League lead over teammate Jose Berrios, who pitches tomorrow.
     
    Madison Boer came on for the eighth inning, and escaped a two-out threat with a groundout to end the inning after consecutive singles and a wild pitch put runners on second and third. He wouldn’t be so lucky in the ninth, as a single, sacrifice bunt, and groundout put the go-ahead runner on third, and a single brought him home for the 2-1 lead.
     
    Mike Gonzalez led off the bottom of the ninth for the Lookouts, and was called out on strikes and what was likely a controversial call, because hitting coach Chad Allen was subsequently ejected. Carlos Paulina and Heiker Meneses would both follow that by grounding out to third, ending the game.
     
    The Chattanooga lineup managed just six hits on the game, and they were all picked up by just three hitters. Jorge Polanco and Paulino both were 2-4, while Max Kepler kept up his hot-hitting ways, going 2-2 on the night with two walks. All other hitters in the lineup combined to go 0-22 with eleven strikeouts (three each for Sano and Mike Gonzalez, two each for Buxton and Walker). As a team the lineup went 0-10 with runners in scoring position, and left eight men on base.
    MIRACLE MATTERS
    Fort Myers 5, Jupiter 3
    Box Score
     
    Kohl Stewart was on the hill for his second start after coming off the disabled list, and pitched much better in this one. He was left with a no-decision, but went five innings, scattering six hits and walk, allowing just two runs (one earned) while striking out four. He allowed the runs in the first inning after two doubles, and in the fifth after a leadoff single and error put a runner on third base, then the single that followed brought him home. Stewart would finish his day with the game tied 2-2.
     
    Luke Westphal came on and picked up the win after throwing 1.1 innings of relief, he allowed one run on two hits and a walk, but struckout three. Brian Gilbert went the next 1.2 innings, finishing the eighth inning with a scoreless outing. J.T Chargois picked up his third save of the year with a one-two-three ninth, striking out the last hitter of the game looking.
     
    Fort Myers took the lead for good in the seventh inning, when Zach Granite started the inning with a walk, a Chad Christensen double brought him home from first base, and a Michael Quesada single scored Christensen to make the score 4-2.
     
    The Miracle would give back one of the runs in the bottom half of the inning, but added another insurance run in the eighth on a wild pitch to score Logan Wade, who had led off the inning with a single.
     
    The lineup was led by Chad Christensen who picked up three hits, including two doubles, scored two runs, and drove in two. Jason Kanzler (2-5, R) and Marcus Knecht (2-4, 2B, RBI) also picked up multiple hits, and Kanzler also stole his eighth base of the year.
    KERNELS NUGGETS
    Quad Cities 6, Cedar Rapids 5
    Box Score
     
    It was a back and forth affair in Cedar Rapids on Sunday afternoon, but the Kernels weren’t able to stay on top, eventually falling 6-5 after they were unable to match the go-ahead run scored in the top of the ninth with one of their own in the bottom half.
     
    Quad Cities scored took the first lead in the third inning, when the first run of the game scored on a sac fly. Cedar Rapids would jump ahead in their turn in the third, when Pat Kelly led off the inning with a triple to right field, and Tanner English, Trey Vavra, and T.J. White were all hit by pitches. A single from Blake Schmit scored Kelly, and the final HBP to White forced home English.
     
    The Kernels would add a run in the fifth inning when singles by White and Brett Doe put runners on the corners, then a Wild Pitch allowed White to scamper home.
     
    The home team didn’t hold their 3-1 lead for long, as the River Bandits tied the game in the sixth with two runs off starter Jared Wilson to end his night. He would finish the sixth inning, but a leadoff walk and home run from Sean McMullen made it 3-3 upon his exit.
     
    Cedar Rapids quickly responded to take back the lead in the bottom of the sixth, taking advantage of two Quad Cities errors to put Schmit and Max Murphy on first and second for Zack Larson, who singled to make the score 4-3.
     
    This lead wouldn’t last either, as Zach Tillery came on in relief, and promptly allowed a double and a hit batter to put two runners on to start the inning, and then an RBI single and sac fly to scored two runs to make it 5-4 in favor of the River Bandits.
     
    Trey Vavra took it upon himself to tie the game 5-5 in the bottom of the eighth, when he clubbed his fourth home run of the year to centerfield (actually his fifth, but that one came in a suspended game that will be finished tomorrow, so he is not yet credited for it), but Tillery was unable to keep the scoreboard knotted in the eighth, as an RBI single with two outs brought in the go-ahead run.
     
    The Kernels threatened in the bottom of the ninth, as Tyler Kuresa doubled with one out, and was lifted for pinch runner Nick Gordon, but Pat Kelley struck out swinging and Tanner English grounded out to strand him at second and end the game.
     
    TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGE PLAYERS OF THE DAY
     
    Pitcher of the Day – Tyler Duffey, Chattanooga Lookouts (7.0 IP, 1 R, 7 H’s, 3 BB’s, 12 K’s)
    Hitter of the Day –Chad Christensen, Fort Myers Miracle (3-4, 2 R’s, 2 2B’s, 2 RBI)
    MONDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS
     
    Durham @ Rochester (6:05 CST) – LHP Tommy Milone (2-0, 0.00 ERA)
    Montgomery @ Chattanooga (10:15 AM CST) – RHP Jose Berrios (4-1, 2.60 ERA)
    Fort Myers @ Bradenton (5:30 PM CST) – TBD
    Cedar Rapids @ Peoria (Regularly scheduled game to finish after postponed game, 7:00 PM CST) – RHP Mat Batts (3-1, 2.34 ERA)
    Peoria @ Cedar Rapids (5:00 PM CST, finish of postponement of May 14th game, Cedar Rapids leads 6-2 heading into the bottom of the fourth inning)
    Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss the Sunday games.
  19. Steve Lein
    Only two of the Minnesota Twins four full-season affiliates were in action on Sunday afternoon, but there was enough offense provided for all of them by the lineup in Chattanooga lineup as they won their fourth straight game with General Manager Terry Ryan in attendance.
     
    There was also a League ERA leader on the mound looking for his third win of the season.
     
    Read on to find out how it all happened!
     
     
    RED WINGS REPORT
    Rochester 1, Louisville 3
    Box Score
     
    A Rochester lineup without outfielders Eddie Rosario and Aaron Hicks was unable to muster much offense in Louseville, as Bats starter Jon Moscot shut them down to the tune of just three hits and one run in eight innings.
     
    The damage came from the bat of Reynaldo Rodriguez, who slugged his second home run of the year in the fourth inning. He also singled in the first inning, accounting for two of the team’s three hits. Wilkin Ramirez had the other, a single, and also drew a walk. That was it for the Red Wings offense as they did not have a single at-bat with runners in scoring position on the day, and left only two men on base.
     
    Left-hander Jason Wheeler made the start for the Red Wings, and did his best to match Moscot, pitching into the eighth inning. He finished 7.1 innings, allowing three earned runs on six hits, while striking out three. It was back-to-back home runs to start the fifth inning that put the game out of reach, 3-1.
     
    CHATTANOOGA CHATTER
    Jackson 3, Chattanooga 16
    Box Score
     
    Starter D.J. Baxendale entered the day as the Southern League ERA leader, with a mark of 0.86. On the year, he had started five games for the Lookouts and pitched six or more innings each game, totaling 31.1 innings while striking out 29.
     
    He would end the day no longer leading the league in ERA, nor did he pitch six innings, but did pick up his third win. His pitch count got up there pretty fast in this one, as it took 107 pitches to finish five innings. He allowed two earned runs on six hits, one a solo home run, and two walks. He struck out five.
     
    With the game in hand at that point already, at 8-0, Cole Johnson came in and pitched the next two innings. He gave up one run on three hits and struck out two. Nick Burdi then came on and lowered his ERA to 7.50, pitching two scoreless innings. He allowed two hits and one walk, while striking out three.
     
    The Lookouts offense exploded early and often in this one, as General Manager Terry Ryan looked on. They hung crooked numbers on the scoreboard in the first (2), third (3), and fourth (2) innings, and added another in the fifth to build the 8-2 lead.
     
    Jorge Polanco scored Byron Buxton from third after he was hit by a pitch to leadoff the game with a Sac Fly in the first, and Miguel Sano followed with a double that scored Stephen Wickens. Sano added his first RBI Sac Fly of the day in the third inning, and was followed by Adam Brett Walker II’s Florida State League leading eighth home run of the season, a two run shot that scored Travis Harrison.
     
    Buxton drew a walk in the fourth inning, and scored on a Polanco single before Sano added his second run scoring Sac Fly to make the score 7-2.
     
    Max Kepler led off the fifth inning with a double and came around to score on a Buxton single to get them to the eight runs.
     
    The next inning, Chattanooga would bring thirteen men to the plate, and extend their lead to 15-3. Harrison, Walker II, Kepler, and Heiker Meneses would club doubles around a single from Polanco and a walk from Stuart Turner to score the first four runs of the inning. Buxton then brought home Turner with a single and came around to score on a single from Sano after an error off the bat of Wickens allowed Meneses to score from third.
     
    Polanco added an RBI triple in the eighth inning to finish the scoring on the game.
     
    Six hitters had multiple hit games, including Buxton (2-4, 3 R’s, 2 RBI, BB), Wickens (3-5, 4 R’s), Polanco (4-5, R, 3B, 3 RBI), Sano (2-4, 2B, 4 RBI), Walker II (2-5, 2 R’s, 2B, HR, 4 RBI), and Kepler (3-5, 2 R’s, 2 2B’s, RBI). Harrison was 1-3 with a double and drew three walks, and Meneses added a double and an RBI to the effort. Catcher Stuart Turner was the only batter without a hit on the day, but drew a walk and scored a run.
     
    Quite the day for several players with the GM in attendance!
     
    MIRACLE MATTERS
     
    The Fort Myers Miracle had the day off on Sunday and will resume their homestand with a four game series against the Dunedin Blue Jays Monday Night.
     
     
    KERNELS NUGGETS
     
    It was a scheduled day off for the Cedar Rapids Kernels as well, as they returned home from a 6-0 road trip against the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers and Beloit Snappers. They will host the Peoria Chiefs.
     
     
    TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGE PLAYERS OF THE DAY
     
    Pitcher of the Day – Nick Burdi, Chattanooga Lookoutss (2.0 IP, 0 R’s, 2 H’s, BB, 3 K’s)
    Hitter of the Day – Entire Chattanooga Lookouts lineup (18 H’s, 6 2B’s, 3B, HR, 15 RBI, 5 BB). Okay, if I have to pick one, it’s Adam Brett Walker II (2-5, 2 R’s, 2B, HR, 4 RBI).
     
    MONDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS
     
    Toledo @ Rochester (6:05 CST) – LHP Pat Dean (2-2, 2.45 ERA)
    Chattanooga @ Birmingham (7:05 PM CST) – RHP Alex Wimmers (0-0, 6.43 ERA)
    Dunedin @ Fort Myers (6:05 PM CST) – RHP Aaron Slegers (1-2, 3.64 ERA, tentative)
    Peoria @ Cedar Rapids (6:35 PM CST) – RHP Jared Wilson (3-0, 2.42 ERA)
    Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss the Sunday games.
  20. Steve Lein
    A former first round pick delivered a walk-off victory in Chattanooga on Sunday afternoon, in a game where both teams combined for thirty-hits and twenty-seven runs to provide the most entertaining game of the year. Elsewhere, there were three quality starts from starting pitchers, and standout games from several hitters.
     
    Read on to hear all about the slugfest in Chattanooga, and everything else that happened in Sunday’s action!
     
    RED WINGS REPORT
    Norfolk 3, Rochester 7
    Box Score
     
    Rochester started the game off with a bang, scoring four runs in the first inning to chase Norfolk starter Zach Davies from the game after recording just two outs.
     
    Eddie Rosario started the early rally with a walk, and an error put Reynaldo Rodriguez and Rosario on first and second. Josmil Pinto singled and Rosario raced home, but was thrown out at home for the second out. An Eric Fryer single brought Rodriguez home from third for the game’s first run, then Danny Ortiz brought home two more with a triple to centerfield. He would score on a single from James Beresford to make it 4-0 after the first inning, and Davies was gone from the game.
     
    Rochester struck for two more runs in the fifth inning on singles from Jose Martinez and Beresford, and Aaron Hicks led off the sixth with a home run to left center to put them up 7-1.
     
    Alex Meyer made the start for the Red Wings, and delivered a quality start. It was not without it’s warts as he allowed three runs on six hits and four walks, but limited the damage by scattering them and tallying six strikeouts. He pitched into the eighth inning, but walked the first two batters and was replaced by Caleb Thielbar. Sixty-Three of his one-hundred and four pitches went for strikes on the afternoon.
     
    Thielbar allowed the two inherited runners to score in the eighth while recording one out before being lifted for A.J. Achter. He finished the game for his first save of the year, striking out one in 1.2 innings.
     
    Hicks (2-5, R, 2B, HR, RBI), Fryer (3-5, 2 R’s, RBI), Ortiz (2-4, 2 R’s, 3B, 2 RBI), and Beresford (2-4, 2 RBI) had multiple hits on the day for the offense.
     
    CHATTANOOGA CHATTER
    Jacksonville 13, Chattanooga 14
    Box Score
     
    It was all fireworks all the time in Chattanooga, as the teams combined for thirty hits and twenty-seven runs on the game.
     
    Jacksonville jumped out to an early 3-0 lead, before the Lookouts struck for six runs in the bottom of the third.
    The inning got started with a leadoff triple from Max Kepler, his second on the season, and he scored on an error by the first baseman that came off the bat of Stuart Turner. A Heiker Meneses single moved put runners on first and second, and they both raced home when Byron Buxton tripled to left. Buxton would score on Dalton Hicks single, then Miguel Sano punctuated the inning with a two run home run to left. The triple and home run were both Buxton and Sano’s fifth of the year.
     
    Lookouts starter Greg Peavey would give the lead back immediately in the fourth inning as a hit batter, two singles, and a double tied the score at 6-6 and brought Dallas Gallant into the game. Another double would plate two more runs and give Jacksonville the lead 8-6.
     
    Chattanooga would tie the game at eight in the bottom half when a Levi Michael double brough home Matt Juengel, and a Hicks sac fly brought home Meneses from third base.
     
    The score remained tied until the bottom of the seventh, when Adam Brett Walker II hits his sixth home run of the year, a solo shot, to make it 9-8. The lead again would not hold as Jake Reed ran into trouble in the top of the eighth, allowing three consecutive singles to score two, and a triple that brought in two more to make the game 12-9 in favor of the Suns.
     
    The Lookouts were not about to back down however, and again tied the game in the home team’s half of the inning when Buxton and Meneses scored on a Levi Michael triple after singling themselves, and Sano brought home Michael with a Sac Fly to make it 12-12.
     
    Nick Burdi came in to pitch the ninth inning, and after recording an out, gave up a triple to Kenny Wilson to put the go-ahead run on third. A Sac Fly would give the Suns the lead before Burdi finished the inning with a strikeout.
     
    You just knew the Lookouts lineup was going to give up in this one, and Walker led off the bottom of the inning with a double to left. A Kepler single and stolen base put the game winning run on second, and a walk to Turner loaded the bases. The tying run scored when Meneses drew a second consecutive walk, and Byron Buxton stepped into the box with the game winning run on third.
     
    He popped out in foul territory (wink), but the 2012 first round got picked up by 2011’s first round pick, Levi Michael. His single to left on an 0-1 count brought Kepler racing home to start the walk-off celebration:
     
    [VIDEO]
     
    The Lookouts offense pounded out thirteen hits and was 6-14 with runners scoring position. Buxton (2-6, 2 R’s, 3B, 2 RBI), Michael (3-6, R, 2B, 3B, 4 RBI), Walker (2-5, 2 R’s, 2B, HR, RBI), Kepler (2-4, 2 R’s, 3B, BB, SB), and Meneses (2-4, 3 R’s, RBI, BB) filled up the stat sheet for Chattanooga.
     
    All four pitchers for Chattanooga gave up an earned run, but the offense would not let them down. Burdi picked up the win to make him 2-3 on the season.
    MIRACLE MATTERS
    Charlotte 5, Fort Myers 2
    Box Score
     
    This one was a pitcher’s duel until Fort Myers starter Brett Lee left the game after six innings. He allowed just one run on five hits and four walks, while striking out two.
     
    Brian Gilbert pitched a scoreless seventh but two walks and a single to start the eighth put the go-ahead run on the scoreboard, and runners on the corners for J.T. Chargois. A groundout and single brought in the inherited runners for a 4-1 Stone Crabs lead before Chargois recorded a strikeout to escape the inning.
     
    Fort Myers got one back in the bottom of the eighth, when a Marcus Knecht Sac Fly brought in Niko Goodrum, but that’s all the Miracle were able to scratch by.
     
    Charlotte added an insurance run in the ninth off Brandon Peterson, and reliever Brad Schreiber struck out Tanner Vavra, Engelb Vielma, and Zach Granite to end the game.
     
    Goodrum was 2-3 on the day with a run scored, a walk, and his fourth stolen base, Knecht and Vielma each recorded an RBI, and Tanner Vavra added a double to lead the offense. As a team they were 1-9 with runners in scoring position and left eight men on base.
    KERNELS NUGGETS
    Clinton 5, Cedar Rapids 2
    Box Score
     
    Clinton jumped out to an early lead against Cedar Rapids starter Felix Jorge in the second inning, when consecutive singles put runners on base for first baseman Kristian Brito. His first home run of the year made the score 3-0, and provided all the offense Lumberjack starter Pat Peterson would need.
     
    Jorge finished with a quality start, going six innings and allowing the three runs on nine hits and one walk. He struck out five.
     
    Sam Clay allowed two runs on two hits and three walks in two innings, giving Clinton some insurance, and Michael Theofanopoulos finished the game with a scoreless ninth.
     
    Although they had ten hits as a team, including multi-hit efforts from Max Murphy (3-4), Pat Kelly (2-5, R, 3B), and Trey Vavra (2-4, R, 2B), they managed just one RBI (Jorge Fernandez) and left ten men on base.
     
    TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGE PLAYERS OF THE DAY
     
    Pitcher of the Day – Alex Meyer, Rochester Red Wings (W, 7.0IP, 3 ER’s, 6 H’s, 4 BB, 6 K’s)
    Hitter of the Day – Levi Michael, Chattanooga Lookouts (3-6, R, 2B, 3B, 4 RBI, Game-winning single)
     
    MONDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS
     
    Rochester – Scheduled Day Off
    Jacksonville @ Chattanooga (6:15 PM CST) – RHP D.J. Baxendale (2-0, 1.97 ERA)
    Bradenton @ Fort Myers (6:05 PM CST) – LHP Luke Westphal (0-1,6.57 ERA)
    Cedar Rapids @ Wisconsin – RHP Jared Wilson (2-0, 1.65 ERA)
    Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss the Sunday games.
  21. Steve Lein
    Even though the Twins lost yesterday at the hands of David Price and the Detroit Tigers, it’s hard not to be excited for MLB Opening Day. The start of the baseball season means summer is just around the corner, and the prospect of spending afternoons and evenings at Target Field gets me all giddy, even if the opening day roster doesn’t.
     
    You see, despite the fact this roster is currently loaded with veterans and retreads, both new (Tim Stauffer, Blaine Boyer, Ervin Santana, Shane Robinson) and old (Torii Hunter) that don’t necessarily instill immediate confidence, the youth movement we’ve all been waiting for was finally taken out of neutral and eased into first gear late last season.
     
    Players who made their Major League Debut for the Twins in 2014 included pitchers A.J. Achter, Logan Darnell, Yohan Pino, and Trevor May, and position players Jorge Polanco, Danny Santana, and Kennys Vargas.
     
    It was May, Santana, and Vargas’ debuts in particular that signaled Terry Ryan finally releasing the clutch on a farm system that could be the equivalent of a Ferrari. While they’re barely out of the starting gate, the performances of Santana (.319/.353/.472, 41 XBH’s and 20 SB in 101 games) and Vargas (.274/.316/.456, 9 HR and 38 RBI in 53 games) in the latter portion of 2014 put some pretty good tread to tar on this track.
     
    While May will have to wait a bit longer to get back in the Twins rotation on this track, Santana and Vargas have been handed the keys to the 2015 revolution out of gate, and are poised to be infused with nitrous-boosters throughout the year.
     
    Top 100 prospects lists and team specific Top 10’s are always fun to read and one of my favorite parts of the baseball offseason whether it’s reading the great capsules here on Twins Daily, or checking out the litany of lists available elsewhere. But since there are so many of them, I like to take a little bit of a different look at prospects coming into a new season, and that means throwing out names that you might have a chance to actually see in the Majors during the upcoming season.
     
    Usually when I’ve done this list, there haven’t necessarily been a whole lot of Top-10-type prospects that populate it because they’ve been so far away from the Majors, but this year is different, and this Ferrari of a Farm System is ready to roll with those types of players littering AA and AAA for the Twins.
     
    So let’s take a look at some players that could make (or have now made) their MLB debut for the Minnesota Twins in 2015:
     
    J.R. Graham
     
    Graham was the Twins Rule V draft pick coming into the season which gave him a leg up on the competition to both make the roster, and his MLB debut. When healthy, which has been a big question mark in recent seasons, Graham brings legit velocity and was once a Top 5 prospect for the Atlanta Braves. On my trip down to Spring Training last month, Graham registered the highest radar gun readings of anyone I saw, Twins or otherwise (including Alex Meyer), so the Twins are banking on the potential he has to evolve into a useful bullpen piece after flaming out as a starter.
     
    Eddie Rosario (TD’s #8 Prospect)
     
    A disappointing 2014 season for Rosario began with a 50-game drug suspension, and he did nothing to help improve his stock going into 2015 with an underwhelming .672 OPS at AA when he finally got on the field. But he reversed that trend in a big way with a strong showing in the Arizona Fall League, which is a proving ground for top prospects. His performance there put him in the competition for the centerfield job this spring, but he didn’t quite do enough. If he’s strong out of the gate at AAA Rochester, Rosario could be the first outfielder called up to fill in for an injury.
     
    Jason Wheeler
     
    The big left-hander has gone a bit unnoticed in a farm system that includes Top 100 pitching prospects like Meyer, Kohl Stewart, and Jose Berrios, but has been a workhorse in the minors since being drafted out of Loyola Marymount University in the Eighth Round of the 2011 draft. He pitched at three levels in 2014, ending his season with a start in Rochester, and totaled 158 innings with a 2.68 ERA and 1.190 WHIP on the season. He doesn’t have big velocity for a pitcher his size (6’6”, 255) nor does he rack up strikeouts (6.6K/9IP), but he doesn’t issue free passes (2.1BB/9IP) and gets a lot of ground balls to profile as a back-end starter. He’s on the 40-man roster, so his route to a 2015 debut is easier than a few others on this list. I was also impressed watching one of his outings this spring on the backfields down in Fort Myers.
     
    Alex Meyer (TD’s #5 Prospect)
     
    If not for a (repeated) shoulder injury near the end of 2014, Meyer may not have been eligible for this list in 2015, but it wasn’t meant to be. There’s no denying his ability, as he brings mid-to-high 90’s velocity and a wipeout slider out of his 6’9” frame that has placed him high on Top 100 lists since he was drafted. And despite the limitations (85 pitches or 6 innings) put on him in 2014 in an effort to keep him healthy the entire season, he still led the International League in strikeouts with 153 in 130.1 innings (10.6K/9IP). He can get wild as we all know, but when taken together with his penchant for strikeouts, he is able to limit the damage, as evidenced by his solid 3.52 ERA at AAA, which also ranked 6th in the league. Trevor May is probably in front of him on the call-up depth chart, but if Meyer doesn’t make his debut in 2015, something has gone extremely wrong.
     
    Miguel Sano (TD’s #2 Prospect)
     
    Sano was primed to burst onto the scene in 2014 after a season that saw him smash 35 home runs between Fort Myers and New Britain, but a cloud was also hanging over him that reared its head in his first Spring Training game, and that was his right elbow. After Tommy John surgery Sano is back to being healthy heading in to 2015, and will be part of perhaps the scariest lineup in all of the minor leagues at Chattanooga to start. Thus far he has had zero setbacks, and though he only collected two hits in Major League camp this spring, they were both mammoth HR’s, and he also displayed good patience and hit several other balls extremely hard, including one that prompted this reaction from me on the back fields after being sent to the Minor League camp. Sano is without a doubt THE GUY I’m looking forward to debuting in 2015, and let’s hope that the end to the second movie being made about him comes sooner rather than later.
     
    Jose Berrios (TD’s #3 Prospect)
     
    Berrios vaulted up prospect lists in 2014 as he burned through the Florida State League to the tune of a 1.97 ERA in 16 starts and 96 innings while striking out 109 hitters. He also made 8 starts at AA and 1 at AAA, but was noticeably less effective. He’s not on the 40-man roster yet, so his path to a 2015 is more clouded than others, but it’s also hard to put anything past him due to his work ethic and desire, which has been on full display this offseason if you follow him on social media circles. His size will always be a question mark, as he lacks the prototypical height and fastball plane of a top of the rotation starter, but he also brings surprising velocity and a diverse mix that he has full control over. He’ll start the season in AA, but could easily find himself in Rochester by July, just a phone call away from the majors.
     
    Nick Burdi (TD’s #10 Prospect)
     
    Burdi is the closest thing to a blue-chip pure relief prospect you will find in all of the minor leagues, and that’s because of his 100+MPH heat and a slider that comes in at 90+. He had a very forgettable MiLB debut, where he walked all four batters he faced, but after that minor setback, he struck out 38 hitters in just 20.1 innings between Cedar Rapids and Fort Myers while allowing just 13 hits and 6 walks. I was able to catch him while he was with the Kernels last season, and he’ll give you as exciting of an inning as you can imagine out of the bullpen. On several other teams, I have to believe he’d already be in the majors, but with the Twins we may have to wait until after the All-Star Break or longer.
     
    Byron Buxton (TD’s #1 Prospect)
     
    I honestly don’t actually believe that Buxton will make it to the majors this season, but there is a reason he’s one of the best prospects in all of baseball: He’s shown he can hit, has burgeoning power, can steal a ton of bases and run down fly balls with his speed, and has a big arm that he used to throw mid-90’s from a mound in high school. He’s a genuine five-tool prospect. The reason I think it will be hard for him to debut in 2015, is because he was so incredible in 2013, and then had everything possible that could go wrong for him in 2014, that it would be hard to reproduce. Then again, the Twins outfield situation is dire, so it may become a necessity at some point if he’s doing anything close to what he did in 2013 with his bat.
     
    Other Notable Names:
     
    RP Jake Reed – The Oregon closer made a name for himself after being drafted in the fifth round of last year’s draft by allowing just 1 earned run and 11 hits along with racking up 39 strikeouts over 31 innings pitched for Elizabethton and Cedar Rapids.
     
    IF Levi Michael – The first forgotten 1st round draft pick finally showed some life in 2014, though he wasn’t able to play a full season, hitting .313/.389/.387 across three levels, including .340/.444/.358 in 15 games at AA.
     
    SP/RP Alex Wimmers – The second forgotten 1st round pick also was able to get his career back on track in 2014 while making most of his appearances as a reliever. In 84 innings at Fort Myers and New Britain, Wimmers struck out 97 hitters and improved as the season went on.
     
    RP J.T. Chargois – The first half of the former Rice University closer committee drafted in 2012 missed all of 2013 and 2014 due to injury, but is back to pitching and flashing the same 100 MPH velocity he did when the Twins selected him in the 2nd round. Could be a fast mover if it all comes back.
     
    SP Tyler Duffey – The second half of the Rice University closer committee, drafted in the 5th round of 2012's draft, has been the Twins best reliever to starter conversion, and made three starts at AAA in 2014. Like Wheeler, he has the potential to be a back-end starter in the majors.
     
    IF James Beresford – The Australian native has spent the past 2 seasons at AAA in a utility role and has hit for a solid average. With the ability to field multiple infield positions, he could find himself in the same role with the Twins if the need arises.
     
    RP Ryan O’Rourke – O’Rourke is the unique LOOGY reliever who absolutely dominates same-handed hitters, but struggles to get anyone else out. It’s a luxury to be able to have his type of arm in a major league bullpen, but there are plenty of situations where it can be of use.
     
    SP Taylor Rogers – Rogers spent all of 2014 in AA, and will find himself in the rotation at AAA to begin 2015. He’s buried on the starting pitching depth chart, but is in the same position as Wheeler and Duffey as a future back-end starter candidate.
     
    Cheers to the 2015 MLB season, and to the potential debuts of the next great Minnesota Twins!
  22. Steve Lein
    The Arizona Fall League season started last week on Tuesday, and Minnesota Twins Minor Leaguers Byron Buxton, Eddie Rosario, Max Kepler, Taylor Rogers, Jason Adam, Zack Jones, and Jake Reed all helped the Salt River Rafters compile a 4-1 record to open play.
     
    So let’s check out what each of those players did in the season’s first week!
     
     
    Byron Buxton – 4 games, 5-17, 4 R’s, 2 RBI, 2 BB’s, 4 K’s, 1 SB, 2 Errors.
     
    Buxton batted leadoff and played centerfield in all four games on the week, getting a day off after the first two games.
     
    In the season opener, Buxton was 0-4 but scored a run after drawing a walk and stealing second base. He also committed a fielding error in the first inning after misplaying a single up the middle. Buxton also committed a fielding error in game two as he works off some rust after missing almost the entire 2014 season.
     
    He collected multiple hits in games two and four during the week, going 2-5 and 2-4 with a BB and 2 RBI respectively, and finished the week by collecting a single in Saturday’s game to put his batting average at .294 after week 1.
     
    Above all else for now, it is good to see Buxton on the field!
     
     
    Eddie Rosario – 4 games, 8-18, 2 R’s, 3 RBI, 0 BB, 2 K’s, 3 SB, 1 Error.
     
    Rosario had a rough 2014 season just like Buxton, but for different reasons. After missing the season’s first 50 games due to a drug suspension, he never really got going at AA with the New Britain Rock Cats.
     
    But whatever ailed him there hasn’t shown in his first four games in the AFL, as he notched two hits in each of his four games to compile a batting average of .444 for the Rafters lineup. He primarily was in the two-hole behind Buxton on the scorecards.
     
    In addition to the impressive start with the bat, Rosario has also swiped three bases to pace the league in that category.
     
     
    Max Kepler – 2 games, 2-9, 1 R, 0 BB, 0 K’s, 1 SB, 2 Outfield-Assists
     
    Kepler appeared in two games, playing RF in both contests.
     
    He collected a single in each game, and has also nabbed two runners on the bases with Outfield Assists, which is good to see. I also expect he’ll get some work at 1B with the Rafters, but for now they’re using his, and the rest of the Twins position player’s athleticism, to roam their outfield.
     
     
    Taylor Rogers – 1 Game Started, 2.2 IP, 1 ER, 3 H’s, 2 BB’s, 3 K’s. 4.09 ERA.
     
    Rogers is the only Twins pitcher to be used in a starting role thus far, and though it wasn’t a bad performance by any means, he didn’t last very long as he racked up the general pitch limit of fifty for starters in the AFL relatively quickly, with only 29 for strikes.
     
    In his first inning he struck out two batters, but also walked two before surrendering and RBI single. Kepler limited the damage for him as he notched one of his OF-assists on a throw to third base on the same play.
     
    Rogers pitched a 1-2-3 second inning, before two singles in the third put an end to his day.
     
     
    Jason Adam – 2 games, 3 IP, 4 ER’s, 6 H’s, 1 BB, 1 K. 12.00 ERA.
     
    Adam was roughed up in his first appearance, coming into the season opener for the fifth inning.
     
    Top prospect Brandom Nimmo led off that inning with a ground-rule double, a walk, and a second ground-rule double to score Nimmo before he recorded his first out. A wild-pitch plated the second run, and an RBI single the third before he induced an inning-ending double play.
     
    In his second appearance Adam pitched two frames, allowing one run on three hits. The run scored on (another) ground-rule double and besides a fielding error by Rafter shorstop Trevor Story, pitched a clean seventh inning.
     
     
    Zack Jones – 1 game, 2 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 1 BB, 3 K’s. 0.00 ERA.
     
    Jones had just one appearance during the week, but made the most of his two innings, pitching the seventh and eighth on Thursday. He surrendered only a walk and a single, while also picking up three K’s, including the last hitter he faced. 22 of his 34 pitches went for strikes, which is a good sign after he missed much of the season.
     
     
    Jake Reed – 2 games, 3 IP, 0 ER, 2 H’s, 1 BB, 5 K’s. 0.00 ERA, 1 Win, 1 Save.
     
    Reed was a very strong performer for bullpens of Elizabethton and Cedar Rapids after he was drafted in the Twins in the fifth round this year, where he compiled a 0.29 ERA in 31 IP, racking up 39 K’s and a WHIP of just 0.45. With a strong AFL performance, he could find himself on a very fast track to the MLB bullpen in 2015.
     
    In his first game on Wednesday, he pitched the fifth and six innings to pick up the win. In the fifth he struck out the side that included Brandon Nimmo, L.J. Mazzilli, and Greg Bird in the Scottsdale lineup. He also went 1-2-3 in the sixth while adding a fourth strikeout.
     
    In his second appearance on Saturday, Rafters manager Andy Haines brought him in for the ninth inning, and though he made it interesting, surrendering a walk and two singles to load the bases, he picked up the save while adding another strikeout.
     
    Notes
     
    -The Rafters lead the AFL East Division with a 4-1 record after the first week of the season.
    -None of the fifteen hits from Twins position players during the week went for extra bases.
    -Twins hitters combined to bat .341 with 7 R’s, 5 RBI, and 5 SB.
    -Twins pitchers compiled a 4.41 ERA in 10.2 IP, with 12 H’s, 5 BB’s and 12 K’s.
  23. Steve Lein
    I was able to be talked into taking a trip down to Cedar Rapids on Saturday to catch Joe Mauer playing with the Kernels. For this particular game they had a cool promotion, where it was “Jimmy Buffet Night,” complete with the Kernels wearing special jerseys, which were auctioned off after the game. Mauer’s took in $1,000.
     
    After the game, when told that was probably a record for the Kernels jersey auctions, beating Byron Buxton by $250, Mauer remarked, “I’m glad to raise some money. If I was down here and he was playing, I’d probably get his too.”
     
    That was pretty cool to see, but my particular interest in this game was tied to a couple of the Kernels’ pitchers. Lewis Thorpe, who made the start and picked up his third victory of the year, and Nick Burdi who closed out the ninth inning for his fourth save.
     
    Thorpe has been heralded as perhaps the best prospect to ever come out of Australia, and acknowledged by several outlets coming into the year as a guy who could move up prospect lists pretty quickly. Armed with a four pitch mix and extreme willingness to work hard and improve his game and his body (he added about 50 lbs and 5+MPH to his frame and velocity last season), Thorpe is definitely a pitcher to keep a close eye on going forward, and one not to forget among the glut of pitching talent the Minnesota Twins now seem to possess.
     
    Asked to describe his arsenal of pitches after the game, Thorpe gave a pretty good scouting report on himself, “My go to pitch is mostly my fastball and changeup. And now, the curveball and slider have picked up astonishingly. I can throw those pitches now where I want them, they’re nice and hard, and good sharp break.”
     
    If you go by the “+2” rule everybody in the know talks about with the Veteran Memorial Stadium radar gun, Thorpe sat 91-93MPH all night with his fastball (from the windup and stretch), and touched 95. His curveball was sharp and came in around 75, while the changeup sat around 80 and the slider at 84.
     
    I thought everything looked great and when I asked him what he thought he did well and what was working for him in the game, he agreed.
     
    “I think everything was working tonight. Just down in the zone, throwing it where I wanted to throw it at times I needed to throw it. Just regrouping and getting those low strikes. Everything was working tonight.”
     
    Even Mauer noted his effectiveness, “Threw the ball well. His curveball looks pretty nasty, mixing speeds. Second start I’ve seen him throw and he was pretty good today.”
     
    He retired the first seven batters of the game, before a low-line drive single was snuck between the shortstop and third baseman in the third inning. It wouldn’t matter much, as Thorpe paid close attention to the runner at first, and it paid off as he nabbed him with a quick throw.
     
    “Pretty good pickoff move I found out first hand,” Mauer would also add.
     
    Thorpe didn’t record his first K of the night until the last out of the third inning, but nobody had come close to squaring him up to that point. There were two weak infield line drives along with a tapper back at him on the mound in the first, then two easy ground balls including a broken bat, and another tapper to him in the second.
     
    It was the fourth inning when Thorpe really started to dial it in, as in each of the next three innings he would pick up two of the outs via K’s. In the fourth it was two swinging strikeouts on fastballs at 92 and 93, and the two in the sixth were swinging K’s on a nice changeup and a dirty curveball. Like he said, everything was working for him.
     
    Needless to say, Thorpe had control of the game for all of his six innings, in which he allowed just four hits and two walks, while striking out seven. An unearned run scored in the fifth, the only one I didn’t chart (you can blame me, Lewis), after the inning was started with the only loud contact of the night against him, a double from Kane County’s Jeffrey Baez to left field. He came around to score after Thorpe misfired his throw toward Mauer at first base on the next hitter’s bunt attempt.
     
    Unfazed and quick to refocus, he proceeded to strike out the next two batters to end the inning.
     
    When asked about that sequence and how he felt in those situations, Thorpe remarked, “I’m calm. I clear myself off. I need to get myself back in the zone, throw strikes. Lost it for a couple of those batters, found myself down to that lefty, but got a good strikeout out of that.”
     
    Dallas Gallant came on in relief for the seventh inning, but six innings was all it would take for Thorpe to leave me with a good impression. While being chauffeured around the Kernel’s facilities after he was done, a friend (of mine and Twins Daily) asked what I thought of Thorpe’s outing. I pondered the question for a moment, trying to think of the right word, but it wasn’t hard.
     
    “I was impressed.”
     
    With the opportunity that was presented to chat with Thorpe post game, I also asked if he had any specific goals going into the end of the year, and what he was going to work on in the offseason.
     
    “Get Stronger is a big key now. Work hard in the offseason, and if I go to instructs, probably the most likely, work on my mechanics more and make sure I have them all down pat so I don’t lose focus. That’s going to be a big key for me this year working into the offseason.”
     
    I also asked if he had picked up anything from Mauer or Ricky Nolasco while they had been around, and he was glowing in praise of the Twins rehabbers.
     
    "Just the way they act around the clubhouse. Both those guys are so good to us. They talk to us, teach us, having their presence around is amazing. I love having [them] around, but they're not going to be here for much longer. They're going to go back up with Minnesota and do their thing up there."
     
    After Gallant finished the eighth, it was the next pitcher that intrigued me warming up in the Kernel’s pen, 2014 second round fireballer Nick Burdi. I was quick to go back and find my seat behind home plate to take in the action.
     
    His first pitch of his outing registered 98 on the scoreboard, which as mentioned above, should equate to 100MPH with a properly calibrated gun. It was bounced to second base for an easy 4-3 putout. The fastball to start the next hitter came up as 99 (101) on the board, and the third pitch of this at bat was the first slider of his outing, clocked at 89 (91) though taken low and away for a ball. It was then a 94MPH (96) fastball that was sent down the left field line for a double, and a game-tying threat from Kane County.
     
    The next sequence from Burdi was the most telling for me and his future MLB prospects, however. A three pitch K, in which he used every bullet in his gun. It was started with a 94 MPH (96) heater for strike one, followed by an 86 MPH (88) swing-and-miss slider for strike two, and finally an 87 MPH (89) changeup that froze the batter as it darted down on the outside corner for strike three and a looking-K. Nasty, nasty stuff. In fact, take a look for yourself:
     
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hS9Z49Y4cY&feature=youtu.be
     
    The final batter of the game took a slider for strike one, before popping out to the catcher just behind home plate on a fastball to end the game.
     
    If you ignore Burdi’s now irrelevant Midwest League debut, he has appeared in twelve games, totaling thirteen innings pitched, with just eight hits, four walks, and two earned runs allowed, while racking up twenty six strikeouts.
     
    Mauer was even asked if he would like to grab a bat and stand in against Burdi, he laughed.
     
    “I’ve seen it before. Not from him, but he’s got a great arm and I imagine I’ll probably see him pretty soon.”
     
    One can hope, Joe.
  24. Steve Lein
    The big news in Twins Territory on Friday was the promotion of Trevor May, who will make his MLB debut against the Oakland Athletics on Saturday, opposing recent A’s acquisition Jeff Samardzija. The Twins options Chris Colabello after Friday's game to the necessary room for May.
     
    Kyle Gibson took the mound for the Twins on Friday in Oakland, and until the fifth inning was continuing to resemble a revelation for their rotation. That’s when Oakland struck for four runs and a nearly insurmountable lead against lefty Scott Kazmir. The Twins would get to him in a big way the seventh, but at that point their five runs on the board were not enough to put them out front. In the ninth inning, Josh Willingham was just feet away from notching a go-ahead home run against his former team and closer Sean Doolittle, but his blast drifted just foul, and he took a called third strike on the next pitch to end the game.
     
    In the minors, one starter flirted with a no-hitter only to end up being one-upped by another who finished a complete-game shutout, and a certain rookie-free-agent/mythical-flamethrower made his professional pitching debut with Elizabethton.
     
    RED WINGS REPORT
    Rochester 11, Indianapolis 4
    Box score
     
    Rochester scored single runs in each of the first two innings, then bludgeoned the Indians for six total runs in the fifth and sixth innings, and three more in the ninth en route to the blowout. Six hitters tallied multiple hits, including Doug Bernier (3-5), Chris Herrmann (2-4), Josmil Pinto (2-3), Wilkin Ramirez (2-5), Aaron Hicks (2-5), and Deibinson Romero (3-5).
     
    Bernier hit his sixth home run of the season to lead off the game, and Aaron Hicks added a long blast in the second to put the Red Wings in front 2-0. In the fifth, it was a leadoff single from Romero and extra base hits from Herrmann (3B), Pinto (2B), Danny Ortiz (2B), and finally a Ramirez single that scored four runs, then a string of singles in the sixth that scored two more. The Rochester lineup was 8-15 with runners in scoring position on the night.
     
    Mark Hamburger made the start, and pitched 6.1 (extra) quality innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on three hits and three walks. What gets lost in that overall line is the fact he held a no hitter intact through six of those innings. It unraveled for him quickly in the seventh however, which led to the Indians three runs before Stephen Pryor would finish the inning. Hamburger struck out just one, but recorded twelve groundouts compared to just four flyouts.
     
    In his return to Rochester, Logan Darnell pitched the next 0.2 innings of relief, and surrendered a run after a double, wild pitch, and RBI groundout in the eighth. Michael Tonkin finished the final 1.1 innnings, striking out one.
     
    The victory brought the Red Wings within one and a half games of the first place Syracuse Chiefs.
     
    ROCK CATS REVIEW
    New Britain 0, Erie 6
    Box Score
     
    Starter Pat Dean was roughed up for twelve hits and six earned runs in just 3.1 innings, and the Rock Cats were unable to mount any threats against Seawolves pitchers in this one, racking up just six hits and going 0-7 on the night with runners in scoring position.
     
    Jorge Polanco was 2-4, and Eddie Rosario collected the only extra base hit for New Britain, his fourteenth double of the year in the sixth inning.
     
    Alex Wimmers came on for 2.2 innings of relief, allowing just one hit while striking out four, and Jim Fuller added two scoreless innings while New Britain limped to the finish in this one.
     
    MIRACLE MATTERS
    Fort Myers 4, St. Lucie 0
    Box Score
     
    Fort Myers was able to collect some retribution for the AA shutout, by doing the same to their high-A opponent, the St. Lucie Mets.
     
    Brett Lee was on the mound looking to atone for his last start, in which he lasted just four innings and allowed four runs. He did that and more, pitching the complete game shutout, scattering seven hits and three walks, while striking out four. He also induced three double plays, and none of the St. Lucie hits went for extra bases. The win gives him a 9-3 record on the year in fifteen starts, and lowered his ERA to 1.89, which would rank fourth in the FSL if he had 3 more innings under his belt, and just ahead of former teammate, Jose Berrios.
     
    The Mets actually outhits the Miracle 7-6, but RBI triples from Stuart Turner in the seventh, and Max Kepler in the ninth gave Lee all the support he would need. Kepler was 2-3 on the night, while Travis Harrison was 1-3 with a walk and two runs scored. Byron Buxton rough stretch continued, as he went 0-4 with two strikeouts on the night, and is batting just .171 in his last ten games.
     
    In The Sandlot-esque fashion, Jason Kanzler entered the game in the top of the ninth as a pinch runner for Dalton Hicks, moved to second on a wild pitch, and then proceeded to steal third base. He would then take home as part of a double-steal with Adam Brett Walker II for the Miracle’s third run of the game.
     
    KERNELS NUGGETS
    Kane County 6, Cedar Rapids 5
    Box score
     
    Cedar Rapids fell behind early, as starter Stephen Gonsalves had some trouble in the first inning, as leadoff singles from the first two batters, a walk, and a bases clearing double put them in the hole 3-0.
     
    They would get two back in the second courtesy of sacrifice fly’s from Michael Quesada and Chad Christensen that plated Max Murphy and Logan Wade, but were unable to mount any more offense until the ninth inning.
     
    Gonsalves would retire nine in a row after the early hiccup, but was only able to finish four innings, allowing the three earned runs on five hits and a walk, while striking out five. In four starts (technically, but really three) with the Kernels, Gonsalves has now pitched sixteen innings with a 2.25 ERA, and sixteen strikeouts compared to just four walks.
     
    Chriss Mazza (2 IP, 3 H’s, 2 ER’s 3 K’s) and Hudson Boyd (2 IP, 2 H’s, 1 BB, 1 ER, 2 K’s) combined to pitch the next four innings, allowing three runs on five hits and a walk while striking out five, Josue Montanez finished the game with a scoreless inning and two K’s.
     
    The Kernels mounted a furious comeback in the bottom of the ninth, which included an RBI single from the rehabbing Joe Mauer, and a Mitch Garver double that scored Engelb Vielma and Mauer to bring them within one. But strikeouts from Alex Swim and Logan Wade with the bases loaded would end the game in losing fashion.
     
    Mauer was 3-5 on the night, while Vielma (2-4), Swim (2-5, 2B) and Murphy (2-4, 2B) would also collect multiple hits.
     
    E-TWINS E-NOTES
    Danville 0, Elizabethton 7
    Box Score
     
    2014 third round draft choice and fireballer, Michael Cederoth made the start for Elizabethton, and was effectively wild in helping them post another shutout, allowing just one hit but four walks, while striking out four in 5.2 innings.
     
    There was also another (recently) well-publicized fireballer who made his professional debut in this one, and that of course means Sidd Finch, err, Brandon Poulson, took the mound in this one. I would say it went well, even though he didn’t strike out like twelve in his one-inning of work. In fact, he didn’t strike out anybody and walked the first batter he faced, but also saw just three batters as he induced a double play ball and weak pop-up for his three outs. I don’t know about you, but I’m certainly looking forward to seeing what this guy can do!
     
    C.K. Irby (1.1 innings) and Cameron Booser (1 inning) also pitched scoreless innings, with Irby striking out four and Booser striking out two.
     
    The E-Town offense was led by none other than Nick Gordon, who was 3-4 with a double, run scored, and RBI to raise his average back to just shy of .300 on the season. Brett Doe added a RBI triple to the effort, while leadoff man Jeremias Pineda went 1-3 with two walks and three runs scored.
     
    GCL Twins Takes
    GCL Twins 3, GCL Red Sox 2
    Box Score
     
    The GCL Twins took this one from the Red Sox at Jet Blue Park, behind a strong start from Josh Guyer, who went five innings and allowed just two runs on five hits and a walk. He struck out three. Jhon Silva, Leonel Zazueta (Win), and Trevor Hildenberger (Save) combined for four innings of scoreless relief, four hits and one walk allowed, with four strikeouts.
     
    A Nelson Molina triple scored the first run of the game for the Twins in the third inning, and they added two more in the seventh courtesy of two singles, two sacrifice bunts, and an error to head back home across Fort Myers and Daniels Parkway to the Lee County Sports Complex with the victory.
     
    DSL Twins Dialed In
    DSL D-backs 2, DSL Twins 3
    Box Score
     
    Starter Moises Gomez (4 IP) and “long reliever” for the night, Randolph Perez (5 IP), combined for all nine innings, surrendering just two earned runs on five hits and two walks, while striking out four apiece.
     
    Luis Martinez was 3-4 with two doubles, Emmanuel Morel 2-4 with and run scored, and Roni Tapi added an RBI double in the win.
     
    TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY
    Pitcher – Brett Lee, Fort Myers Miracle (9IP, CG-SO, 7 H’s, 3 BB’s, 4 K’s)
    Hitter – Doug Bernier, Rochester Red Wings (3-5, 2 R’s, BB, HR, 2 RBI)
     
    SATURDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS
    Rochester @ Indianapolis – Alex Meyer (6-4, 3.05 ERA), 6:05PM CST
    New Britain @ Erie – Taylor Rogers (8-6, 3.92 ERA), 6:05PM CST
    Fort Myers @ Palm Beach – TBD, 5:35PM CST
    Kane County @ Cedar Rapids – Lewis Thorpe (2-2, 4.53 ERA), 5:05PM CST
    Danville @ Elizabethton – Sam Gibbons (3-2, 3.40 ERA), 5:00PM CST
    GCL Twins @ GCL Red Sox – TBD, 9:00AM CST
    DSL Twins @ DSL D-backs – TBD, 9:30AM CST
  25. Steve Lein
    The Tampa Bay Rays finished off a three game sweep of the Minnesota Twins on Sunday afternoon with a 5-3 victory in the heat at Target Field. Kevin Correia wasn’t able to continue his recent run of solid pitching, as he lasted just four innings and gave up runs in each of the first three.
     
    In the minors, the starting pitching was the story of the day, but in a good way as all four full-season affiliate starters pitched into the sixth inning. Read on to find out what happened in the minor leagues on Sunday.
     
    RED WINGS REPORT
    Rochester 14, Norfolk 2
    Box score
     
    Pedro Florimon (3), Nate Hanson (2), and Danny Ortiz (5) all homered in this game, while accounting for eight of the Red Wings fourteen runs. Florimon’s was a solo-blast, Hanson’s a three-run shot, and Ortiz’s a Grand Slam in the eighth inning.
     
    In addition to Hanson (3-4, R, 2B, HR, BB, 4 RBI) and Ortiz (2-5, R, HR, 5 RBI), rightfielder Chris Rahl (4-5, 3 R’s, 3 2B’s, 3 RBI) and centerfielder Eric Farris (2-5, 2 R’s, 2B, RBI) each collected multiple hits. All batters in the lineup reached base and scored at least one run.
     
    Logan Darnell made the quality start for Rochester, pitching 6.1 innings in which he allowed just two earned runs on six hits and two walks. He struck out two. The two runs came in the third inning when Steve Lombardozzi and Christian Walker bookended a 3-hit inning with doubles.
     
    Lester Oliveros finished the seventh inning and eighth with 1.2 perfect innings of relief, striking out two in the process, and Michael Tonkin pitched a scoreless ninth.
     
    ROCK CATS REVIEW
    New Britain 6, Reading 5
    Box Score
     
    New Britain was largely dominated by Reading’s starter, Adam Loewen, for six innings before breaking through in a big way in the seventh. Down 3-0 going into the inning, The Rock Cats strung together a Hit-by-pitch (Reynaldo Rodriguez), double (Brandown Waring), and walk to load the bases (Stephen Wickens), before an ejection (Coach Chad Allen) on a Catcher Interference call (Tony Thomas), and a Grand Slam (Aaron Hicks) put five runs on the board.
     
    Starter Jason Wheeler gave up a two-run home run in the first inning, but settled down nicely and allowed just one more run in the fourth to also log a quality start. On the day, Wheeler went seven innings and allowed just five hits and a walk, with three strikeouts.
     
    Matthew Summers took over in the eighth, and recorded two outs before loading the bases. He was then replaced by Mason Melotakis, who gave up a two-run single to tie the game before picking up a strikeout to end the threat.
     
    In the top of the ninth, Tony Thomas would put New Briatain back in the lead with his seventh home run of the year to left field.
     
    Melotakis would work a 1-2-3 bottom of the inning to pick up the Win.
     
    For the game, Rodriguez and Waring (2B) each had two hits while Thomas (2) and Hicks (4) collected all of the RBI’s to lead the Red Wings.
     
    MIRACLE MATTERS
    Brevard County 4, Fort Myers 7
    Box Score
     
    Tim Shibuya was the third of the Twins affiliate’s starting pitchers on the day to give a quality start, and he also did so with a seven inning effort. He scattered seven hits and a walk to allow only one earned run, while striking out five.
     
    The early lead for the Kernels was provided by the bat of Adam Walker, who doubled in the third inning to score Jorge Polanco and Dalton Hicks. Walker went to third on the throw, and then scored on a Mike Gonzalez single.
     
    The needed insurance runs came in the sixth inning courtesy of the bat of Niko Goodrum, who crushed a three-run home run to put the Miracle in front 6-1.
     
    B.J. Hermsen came on to pitch the eighth, and allowed consecutive singles and a three run home run to the first three batters he faced, before recording all three outs to finish the inning with a 6-4 lead.
     
    Fort Myers would add another run in the bottom of eighth on a Goodrum double, before Todd Van Steensel finished the game with with a scoreless ninth inning to pick up his first Florida State League Save.
     
    Goodrum (2-3, R, GS, BB, 4 RBI), Stuart Turner (2-3, 2 R’s, BB), and Travis Harrison (3-4, 2B) led the Miracle offense. The three hits continue a torrid hitting pace in July for Harrison. On the month he is batting .361/.418/.475, with four doubles and a home run in 16 games. His average on the season is now up to .292, and though the home runs aren’t there yet, he does rank third in the FSL in doubles, with 24.
     
    Byron Buxton did not play for the second day in a row after being hit by a pitch on Friday.
     
    KERNELS NUGGETS
    Fort Wayne 2, Cedar Rapids 0
    Box score
     
    This game at Perfect Game Field lasted just over two hours, as both teams combined for just nine hits and two runs on the day.
     
    Not to be outdone by his fellow Sunday starters, Ryan Eades also threw six innings of quality baseball for Cedar Rapids. It was a big bounce-back game for him, as in each of his previous four starts he had allowed at least five runs, and never made it into the sixth inning. In this one he allowed just five hits, one walk and one earned run while striking out two. Alex Muren and Jared Wilson combined for three innings of perfect baseball in relief, picking up three K’s along the way.
     
    Unfortunately for Eades, the games two runs were scored by the TinCaps, and the Kernels offense was held silent the entire game. J.D. Williams (2-3), Alex Swim and Michael Quesada were the only batters with a hit, and they were all singles.
     
    E-TWINS E-NOTES
     
    The Elizabethton Twins played a double-header on Sunday, with the second game a make-up of their rain out from last night.
     
    Game 1: Burlington 0, Elizabethton 8
    Box Score
     
    In the first regularly scheduled game, Elizabethton scored early and often on their way to the seven-inning shutout.
     
    First-baseman Tyler Kuresa was the star in this one, going 3-4 with a double, his third and fourth home runs of the year, and three RBI. Max Murphy slugged his eighth home run, and Brett Doe added his first.
     
    Derrick Penilla made the start for Elizabethton, and pitched five scoreless innings. He allowed just two hits and struck out four. Samuel Clay struck out three in his one inning, and Koa Hua Lo pitched a perfect seventh inning.
     
    Game 2: Burlington 3, Elizabethton 1
    Box Score
     
    Michael Cederoth made the start for Elizabethton in the makeup game and pitched 4.2 innings, surrendering seven hits, three walks, and three earned runs before he was chased in the fifth. John Curtiss was the first reliever summoned, and recorded all four of his outs with strikeouts, before Randy LeBlanc pitched a perfect final inning with one K.
     
    On offense, Blake Schmit picked up the only Twins RBI with a Sac Fly in the fifth, while as a team they collected just five hits. Centerfielder Austin Diemer hit his fourth double.
     
    TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY
    Pitcher – Tim Shibuya, Fort Myers Miracle (7.0 IP, 7 H’s, 1 BB, 1 ER, 5 K’s)
    Hitter – Nate Hanson, Rochester Red Wings (3-4, R, 2B, HR, BB, 4 RBI)
     
    MONDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS
    Rochester @ Durham – Sean Gilmartin (1-1, 4.13 ERA), 6:05PM CST
    Altoona @ New Britain – TBD, 6:05 CST
    Brevard County @ Fort Myers – Matthew Tomshaw (8-2, 2.88 ERA), 6:05PM CST
    Fort Wayne @ Cedar Rapids – Chih-Wei Hu (1-0, 3.00 ERA), 12:05PM CST
    Burlington @ Elizabethton – Stephen Gonsalves (2-0, 2.25 ERA), 6:00PM CST
    GCL Twins @ GCL Orioles – TBD, 11:00AM CST
    DSL Twins @ DSL White Sox – TBD, 9:30AM CST
×
×
  • Create New...