Ted Schwerzler

The Minnesota Twins selected Nick Gordon with the 5th overall pick in the 2014 Major League Baseball draft. It took him seven years to make his Major League debut, not uncommon for a high school kid, but the longevity with the organization may be coming to an end. Gordon wasn’t necessarily considered a reach in the draft. It was hopeful that he’d stick at shortstop and add some to his frame developing some gap power. He’s faired better than both Brady Aiken and Tyler Kolek, the two high school draftees before him, but Aaron Nola, Michael Conforto, Trea Turner, Matt Chapman, and Michael Kopech are some of the names taken later in the first round. As mentioned, it took Gordon a while to establish himself as a professional. Small in stature, it was going to be a process for him to acclimate to playing a full season both physically and mentally. Gordon had the benefit of his father Tom Gordon, and brother, Dee Strange-Gordon, having already seen success at the highest level. A Top-100 prospect prior to the 2015 season, plenty was made of what Gordon would eventually amount to. Last season the Twins needed Gordon. After Byron Buxton was lost to injury, he proved valuable as a fill-in centerfielder. He wound up playing every position on the diamond aside from first base, pitcher, or catcher. Thrust into a super-utility role, Gordon appeared over his head at the plate. An 80 OPS+ was an accumulation of a .240/.292/.355 slash line. In 200 at-bats, Gordon posted just 14 extra-base hits with a gaudy 55/12 K/BB ratio. Still, coming into 2022, there was every reason to assume he could play the super-utility role at the back end of the bench once again. The problem is that Minnesota is now better than needing that type of player at the end of their bench. Gordon is once again not hitting, and now he’s become the low man in the pecking order at every position he can play. The one facet to his game that seemed appealing off the bench, his speed, has been nonexistent. Manager Rocco Baldelli hasn’t had many spots to utilize Gordon as a pinch-runner, and the former first-rounder has just one steal in three attempts this season. After going 10-for-11 in stolen base chances last year, it’s now something of an afterthought when it comes to Minnesota’s plans. In 2021 there was a depth issue for the Minnesota Twins. As injuries mounted, Gordon found himself a way to create value. In learning positions on the fly, he was able to secure playing time in multiple spots across the roster. Top prospects like Alex Kirilloff and Trevor Larnach were both injured. The big league club needed to call upon a Double-A centerfielder that wasn't ready. The 26-man was truly a mess on any given day. It's a testament to Gordon's willingness and adaptability that he could immediately step in. Minnesota needed that and he was there. It's in that vein that he's proven worthy of a Major League roster spot even if it isn't on his present team. Having to find a way to roster a healthier-looking Alex Kirilloff, a breakout in Royce Lewis, and even a rebounding Jose Miranda, there’s just no room for Gordon. The difficulty here is that this will end Gordon’s time with the organization. Out of options, he’ll go on waivers and it would be shocking if he is not claimed. He’s a fringe Major League talent that would be better suited for an organization ripe with opportunity. Minnesota is looking ahead to the Postseason though, and every game he’s on the roster they are keeping a bigger talent at bay. In a season where offense is down across the board, Gordon's .627 OPS is hardly a death sentence. Versatility is something that many organizations hold in a high regard, especially in an era where pitching is so specialized. Finding a fit with a team that likes to run a bit more could help Gordon maximize his value as well. No matter how you break down his game, it's clear that someone will take a shot at utilizing the body of work. What could've been stalled out from a long battle with Covid or a slow trajectory on the farm has instead turned into a usable big league talent. It's a testament to Minnesota that their current depth has provided an opportunity to raise the water level, but there's definitely going to be guys caught in the shuffle. You always hope for a first-round pick to see success in the drafting organization. On one hand, Gordon achieved the goal of reaching the highest level. On the other hand, with the prospect status and Futures Game appearance, you know the hope was for more. Minnesota can see him in the opposing dugout down the line, but it’s become time to cut the cord here. View full article

The St. Paul Saints have three of the best hitting prospects for Minnesota at the top of their lineup and each looked the part tonight. Down in Florida, Kyle Schmidt flexed his muscles and pitching was lights out from Steven Hajjar. Transactions: RHP Ben Gross placed on Injured List by Wichita SAINTS SENTINEL St. Paul 8, Indianapolis 1 Box Score St. Paul gave the ball to Mario Sanchez tonight and he was great. Working six innings, Sanchez allowed just one run on four hits while striking out five and walking none. Even without the offensive explosion, he’d have kept the good guys in it. Getting behind 1-0 on some poor throwing in the 1st inning, St. Paul charged back in the 4th inning. Alex Kirilloff flashed some much-needed power with a two-run homer to right-center that also brought in Royce Lewis. Tonight was Lewis' second game at the hot corner for St. Paul and he quickly saw the opportunity for a web gem. In the 5th inning the Saints continued to add and did so in a big way. First Lewis drove in Derek Fisher with a single. Then Kirilloff singled to right scoring Lewis, and Spencer Steer followed with his first Triple-A home run, a two-run blast plating Kirilloff. The Saints weren’t satisfied with their lead and Jose Godoy drove in a run with Jermaine Palacios scoring on his ground out in the 6th inning before Mark Contreras drove in Kirilloff with a single of his own. Now up by seven runs, St. Paul had seen plenty of production from their 10 hits tonight. Lewis, Kirilloff, and Steer all had multi-hit games tonight for St. Paul. WIND SURGE WISDOM Corpus Christi 9, Wichita 5 Box Score Twins pitching prospect Blayne Enlow was making his third start since returning from Tommy John surgery tonight. It was a rough one as he allowed five runs on five hits in just three innings. Although Enlow struck out three batters, he walked four and his season ERA is up to 7.59. Wichita jumped out to an early lead with Chris Williams launching a three-run blast in the top of the 1st inning. It was his second dinger of the year. Corpus Christi immediately answered with two of their own in the bottom half. Matt Wallner, who’s been going very well at the plate of late, launched his 9th home run in the 3rd inning. With Austin Martin on base, Wallner’s homer was a two-run blast and erased the two earlier Corpus Christi runs. Although Martin is going through it offensively, he did swipe his 19th base of the season tonight. Unfortunately that’s where the momentum shifted as the home team grabbed three runs in the bottom half of the third inning and then a two-run homer in the 5th inning put them on top for their first lead of the game. In the 7th inning Corpus Christi pushed across two more and the Wind Surge were looking at a four-run deficit. Scoring four runs on five hits was nice, but that wasn’t going to get it done for Wichita this evening. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 9, Wisconsin 0 Box Score Sawyer Gipson-Long worked six innings tonight for the Kernels and he was sharp. Allowing no runs on just two hits, Gipson-Long worked around four walks and punched out seven. His season ERA drops to 2.15 with this performance. Neither team jumped out to an early lead, but Cedar Rapids was able to break the zeroes in the 5th inning. Recently promoted Kyler Fedko reached on a fielder’s choice with Jair Camargo scoring on a throwing error. Wander Javier then roped his 6th double of the season to score Seth Gray and Fedko before an Alerick Soularie ground out brought Javier home. Things again got quiet until the 7th inning when Aaron Sabato stepped in and grounded a single to center, scoring Anthony Prato. Cedar Rapids had a five-run lead and with Wisconsin generating just two hits on the night that seemed like plenty of breathing room. Still not content, the Kernels went back to work in the 8th inning. A Will Holland single plated Fedko again before a Prato single scored Alerick Soularie. Christian Encarnacion-Strand made his presence felt hustling down the line and giving Holland a chance to score on an errant throw. Then with two on, Sabato came through again and his 5th double of the season drove in Prato. Adding four more runs in, this one was over before Wisconsin would even get their last raps. Despite the run production, Prato was the only Cedar Rapids batter with a multi-hit effort on the evening. MUSSEL MATTERS Fort Myers 8, Bradenton 0 Box Score Fort Myers turned to prospect Steven Hajjar tonight and he was nothing short of exceptional. Working 5 2/3 innings, Hajjar allowed just two hits and a walk. He punched out a whopping ten hitters and lowered his ERA to 2.17 on the season. Jumping on the board early, Fort Myers tallied their first run when Noah Cardenas put a ball in play to score Mikey Perez. Cardenas was doubled up on the grounder so no RBI was recorded, but it started the cascade in the run column. The 5th inning was highlighted in a big way when Kyle Schmidt went out deep to centerfield for a grand slam. Cardenas, Kala’i Rosario, and Dylan Neuse all touched home plate with him on the big fly. Two more came across in the 7th inning when a botched play at shortstop allowed both Emmanuel Rodriguez and Cardenas to scamper home. Rosario made sure the Mighty Mussels weren’t done when he pushed Keoni Cavaco across the plate on a force out. Following up his earlier grand slam, Schmidt added a solo shot in the 9th inning to push the lead back to seven. Giving up two runs to Bradenton in the bottom of the 8th inning, the six-run deficit was as close as they’d get. Tonight’s run production was a team effort as the lone batter for Fort Myers with two hits was Schmidt. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Hitter of the Day – Kyle Schmidt (Ft. Myers) - 2-5, 2 R, 5 RBI, 2 HR(4) Pitcher of the Day – Steve Hajjar (Ft. Myers) - 5.2 IP 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 10 K PROSPECT SUMMARY We will again keep tabs on the Twins top prospects. You’ll probably read about them in the team sections, but if they aren’t there, you’ll see how they did here. Here’s a look at how the current Twins Daily Top 20 performed: #1 - Austin Martin (Wichita) - 0-3, R, BB, K #2 - Royce Lewis (St. Paul) - 2-5, 2 R, RBI #3 - Jose Miranda (Minnesota) - 2-4, R, 2B #4 - Jordan Balazovic (St. Paul) - Did Not Pitch #5 - Joe Ryan (Minnesota) - Covid-IL #6 - Matt Canterino (Wichita) - Did Not Pitch #7 - Jhoan Duran (Minnesota) - Did Not Pitch #8 - Simeon Woods Richardson (Wichita) - Did Not Pitch #9 - Josh Winder (Minnesota) - Did Not Pitch #10 - Noah Miller (Ft. Myers) - 1-4, 2 K #11 - Gilberto Celestino (Minnesota) - 1-2, RBI #12 - Matt Wallner (Wichita) - 1-3, R, 2 RBI, BB, HR(9) #13 - Cole Sands (St. Paul) - Did Not Pitch #14 - Louie Varland (Wichita) - Did Not Pitch #15 - Emmanuel Rodriguez (Ft. Myers) - 1-4, R, 3 K #16 - Ronny Hendriquez (St. Paul) - Did Not Pitch #17 - Blayne Enlow (Wichita) - 3.0 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 4 BB, 3 K #18 - Spencer Steer (St. Paul) - 2-4, R, 2 RBI, 2B, HR(1) #19 - Edouard Julien (Wichita) - IL #20 - Steve Hajjar (Ft. Myers) - 5.2 IP 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 10 K FRIDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Indianapolis @ St. Paul (7:07PM CST) - RHP Dereck Rodriguez Wichita @ Corpus Christi (7:05PM CST) - RHP Matt Canterino Wisconsin @ Cedar Rapids (6:35PM CST) - RHP John Stankiewicz Fort Myers @ Bradenton (5:300PM CST) - TBD Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Thursday’s games! It sure is exciting to have all four Twins full-season affiliates back and playing. View full article

The AL Central was expected to be among the weaker divisions in baseball and so far that’s been accurate. With Minnesota the current favorite and Chicago trying to hold serve, everyone else has gone backwards. Only the top two teams have a winning record across their last ten games. The Standings: Minnesota 27-18 Chicago 22-22 Cleveland 18-23 Detroit 16-28 Kansas City 15-28 This week we saw the Tigers rip off a few wins and they’ve jumped the Royals to get out of the cellar in the division. Chicago is still treading water despite adding consistently to their negative run differential. Although the Twins have a lead in the division, they’ve dropped back-to-back games against Detroit and Kansas City rather than adding on. The Stories: Chicago signed reliever Joe Kelly this offseason to help bolster their relief corps. They moved on from Craig Kimbrel and having another high leverage arm to pair with Liam Hendriks sounded like a good idea. Unfortunately, he’s been injured and on Thursday Chicago placed him back on the IL with a left hamstring strain. Dallas Keuchel was brutalized against the Red Sox this week, and with an ERA over 7.00, it’s worth wondering how long they’ll continue to trot him out there. Tim Anderson had another consistent week at the dish and again looks zeroed in on a batting title. Obviously, there were disappointing storylines this week involving Anderson and former Twins third basemen Josh Donaldson. The Yankees' third baseman uttered disrespectful comments in what he called an inside joke, but no one seemed to get it but him. After dealing with Covid issues last week the Guardians were happy to have manager Terry Francona back in the dugout. Their coaching staff had been riddled with the virus having only pitching coach Carl Willis available to the team. On Thursday the club placed slugger Franmil Reyes on the injured list with right hamstring tightness. It’s unfortunate to see Cleveland struggle so mightily with much of it coming on the mound. Shane Bieber has regressed, Cal Quantrill looks uninspiring, and Triston McKenzie is spotty at best. Although things are bleak at the big league level, top prospect George Valera has been on a tear in May. He’s still at Double-A, but there’s no reason to rule out a 2022 debut. The Tigers are beginning to look at bit better and while Miguel Cabrera is once again batting .300, Javier Baez continues to provide little of substance. Manager A.J. Hinch was hoping to see big performances from his young players, and rookie Spencer Torkelson is starting to turn a corner. Going 7-for-22 during a recent road trip, Torkelson contributed three doubles and a homer. The batting average isn’t where you’d like to see it, but there are definitely positives to be seen here. Tarik Skubal continues to be the best arm in Detroit and his latest outing has his ERA sitting at a shiny 2.44. There’s a real reason to believe he could make the All-Star team this year, and his emergence as a staff ace is exciting for Tigers fans. Mike Matheny has seen his club trend backward the past week. They’ve gone just 3-7 over their last ten and the ugliest outing was giving up a six-run lead to the divisional rival Twins. Brewer Hicklen, a 7th-round pick from UAB, made his Major League debut on Thursday night against Minnesota. Top prospect M.J. Melendez had a nice game earlier in the week against Arizona and continues to fill in nicely for Salvador Perez. Regarded as Kansas City’s top prospect, his bat has played very well. Similar to Detroit, Kansas City is heavily reliant on youth right now and they’re going to take their lumps. Although Bobby Witt Jr. still isn’t hitting exceptionally well, he made an outstanding diving play at shortstop against the Twins on Thursday night. The Week Ahead: Minnesota continues to play through the AL Central for the rest of the month and during the first week of June. Three games remain at home against the Royals before heading to Detroit. The Twins play the Tigers five times in four days. The scheduled doubleheader was originally set to take place after the All-Star game but is now slated for Tuesday to close out the month. With a pair of off-days sprinkled in, Chicago gets a crosstown series with the Cubs before going north of the border to play the Blue Jays. They’ll eventually get an easier swing playing some of the Central opposition, but the beginning of June is brutal for them with matchups against the Rays and Dodgers. Cleveland flip flops with Minnesota as they finish playing in Detroit over the weekend and then welcome Kansas City for a three-game tilt next week. View full article

The Minnesota Twins went into the offseason needing to revamp a starting rotation that had lost both of its top arms and needed a significant talent infusion. When the dust settled it appeared that Derek Falvey and Thad Levine were fine leaning heavily on Joe Ryan and Bailey Ober. Turns out, they look right. Last season Bailey Ober made his Major League debut starting 20 games for a bad Twins team. A 12th-round pick in 2017 and never a top prospect, Ober performed well above his expected water level. The 4.19 ERA wasn’t earth-shattering, but it came with over a strikeout per inning, and if he was able to be just a bit more stingy with the longball, another step forward could be taken. Despite a brief stint on the injured list this season, Ober has now made five starts and owns a 2.55 ERA. His 3.26 FIP suggests he’s not pitching much over his head, and while the strikeouts have tailed off a bit, he’s allowing just 0.7 HR/9 and has cut the H/9 down by one to 8.0. In an age where velocity reigns supreme, Ober is doing it with a fastball that averages just 92 mph. Of course, the fact that he’s 6’9” and basically putting the ball across the plate out of his hand doesn’t help opposing hitters to sit on his pitches. The step forward is also evident in the peripherals. Ober is allowing 5% less hard contact this season, dropping the hard-hit rate against him down to 32%. Both his xFIP and xERA are hovering in the 4’s, but his whiff and chase rates are both slightly up from where they were last season. It’s a small sample size thus far in 2022, but the body of work is starting to become substantial. The thought on Ober was that he’d provide Minnesota great depth if pushed to Triple-A. Instead, he was tabbed as a rotation mainstay from the get-go and has continued to look the part of found money when it comes to projecting prospects. On the flip side, Joe Ryan has been a top-100 prospect after being drafted in the 7th round of the 2018 Major League Baseball draft. It will forever be mind-boggling that Minnesota wrangled him from the Rays in exchange for a few months of an aging Nelson Cruz, but here we are. Ryan’s debut was extremely limited last season. He made five starts down the stretch and posted a 4.05 ERA. The 3.43 FIP suggested more was there and the 10.1 K/9 was hard not to get excited about. If Ober’s numbers were small and tough to get behind, however, then Ryan’s were minuscule. Instead of hedging their bets, Minnesota named Ryan their Opening Day starter even after acquiring potential ace Sonny Gray. Now eight starts into his 2022 campaign, Ryan may be the frontrunner for the 2022 American League Rookie of the Year award. He has a dazzling 2.28 ERA and is still sitting strong with an 8.7 K/9. Maybe being helped by the deadened baseball, his 0.6 HR/9 is more than halved from what it was a season ago, but the 3.24 FIP suggests his stuff is as good as advertised. Like Ober, Ryan doesn’t pump velocity on his fastball. Averaging just 92.4 mph on the pitch, which is a one mph jump from 2022, his ability to spin the pitch and get movement is where the success comes from. Minnesota has gotten Ryan into a more slider-focused repertoire this season, pushing roughly 10% of the fastball usage to his newly featured offering. The results haven’t produced a shift in chase rate or whiff rate, but they’ve helped to hold the status quo on what were already impressive results. Admittedly we’re still early in the 2022 season. The combined total here is just 13 starts. Knowing the rotation needed to be reconfigured though, both Ober and Ryan were immediately penciled in as key pieces and that may have seemed like a leap. The Twins' front office seemingly knew what they had, however, and the developmental path for both arms continues to remain strong. View full article

The Minnesota Twins have promoted a handful of their top prospects early on in 2022. You are familiar with names like Royce Lewis and Jose Miranda. You probably also know names like Jordan Balazovic and Simeon Woods-Richardson. It’s great to have top prospects, but it’s the emergence of guys like Bailey Ober that can help sustain big league dominance. It’s worth noting some of those potential players. Although the Twins have seen their farm system ranked among the lower half from most publications, that’s not to say there isn’t a significant amount of talent in the organization. The top of Minnesota’s prospect list may be a bit light after the first few names, but it seems the depth and opportunity for middle-tier names to produce could be immense. Looking at each of the four full-season minor league affiliates, here’s a name to watch throughout the rest of the summer. St. Paul Saints - Caleb Hamilton C/3B I liked Kevin Merrill in this spot originally given his previous draft position as a first-rounder, and the potential he could wind up being the depth Minnesota sought in Tim Beckham or Daniel Robertson. That said, he was sent back to Double-A despite a decent start so he'll need to work his way back up. With the Twins needing catching depth behind their big-league starters, it's nice to see Caleb Hamilton having somewhat of a breakout year. A 23rd-round pick back in 2016 out of Oregon State, Hamilton has just a .672 OPS over the course of his professional career. He did make a quick Triple-A cameo back in 2019 with Rochester, but he's found a home at St. Paul this season. It's a small sample size, but the .279 batting average over 20 games is easily a career-high. He doesn't have a ton of pop, but the .405 OBP is indicative of the best plate discipline he's shown over the course of his career. Splitting time at catcher and third base, his 44% caught stealing rate is something to note. Minnesota doesn't put a ton of emphasis on throwing out runners, but if Hamilton can control them and continue to hit, he may find his way onto the 40-man in a pinch. Wichita Wind Surge - Andrew Bechtold C/3B Before a rewrite, Spencer Steer was featured in this space. The infielder isn't generally considered at the top of the Twins prospect lists, but he recently received a promotion to Triple-A St. Paul and it's hardly unearned as he's been great. I'd like to think people know who Matt Wallner is, and are still checking on Austin Martin even with the slow start. Blayne Enlow is back from Tommy John and hoping to settle in, and Edouard Julien should be a well-known name. It came down to two 26-year-olds, Michael Helman and Andrew Bechtold, with the latter being chosen. Bechtold was selected in the 5th round of the 2017 draft. He was drafted as a third baseman but has begun to move behind the plate this season. Minnesota sent him to the Arizona Fall League last year, and he's come out strong to start 2022. His 18 homers were a career-best in 2021, and he appears poised to best that this season. Previously a big strikeout guy, he's also reigned in the plate discipline and is providing strong on-base numbers despite a lower average. The Twins catching depth is pretty minimal on the farm, but the position change could lead to Bechtold being a late bloomer. Cedar Rapids Kernels - David Festa RHP If you’ve followed the Twins Daily Minor League Report at all then the obvious name here is Christian Encarnacion-Strand. He was on the edge of the top 30 prospect lists coming into the season, but would be ranked substantially different at this point. He’s destroyed High-A pitching and probably needs a new challenge soon. Aaron Sabato is the former first-round pick, and Wander Javier used to have some steam. Instead, this is the first pitcher noted. David Festa doesn’t have a long list of career accomplishments, but he’s definitely starting to turn heads. Festa was a 13th round pick back in 2021 and has just 37 professional innings under his belt. After opening at Single-A Fort Myers to start 2022, he earned a quick promotion following five dominant starts. His Cedar Rapids debut came with six strikeouts and no walks, which really highlights much of the promise. To date in 2022, Festa owns a 1.57 ERA and a 39/6 K/BB across 28 2/3 innings. Having just turned 22-years-old, he’s going to be on the higher end of ages in the Midwest League soon, but he could push for time at Double-A Wichita before the year is over. The developmental arc for Festa is one worth monitoring, and this is the type of arm working out that makes organizations smile. Fort Myers - Emmanuel Rodriguez OF This might be cheating because some prospect lists had Rodriguez in or near the top 10 for Minnesota. While Keoni Cavaco and Noah Miller are the former high-round picks, and Steven Hajjar has looked the part, it’s Rodriguez who has been an enticing player since signing as an international free agent. At 18-years-old in the FCL last season Rodriguez posted an .870 OPS. He didn’t hit for average but drew walks and had plenty of pop. 10 homers as a teenager is always going to turn heads, and he hasn’t stopped doing that this season. Now playing in the full season Florida State League, Rodriguez owns a .907 OPS and has a whopping .466 OBP. His plate discipline is impressive and his ability to do damage makes him a constant threat at that plate. If this type of production continues throughout a full season, I’d be far from shocked to see him make massive moves on prospect lists prior to the 2023 season. Who are you most interested in hearing about outside of the top Twins prospects? Has there been a name that has impressed you the most in 2022? View full article

St. Paul, MN - Spencer Steer was promoted to Triple-A St. Paul on Monday after a successful second turn through Double-A Wichita. Steer was drafted in the third round of the 2019 Major League Baseball draft out of Oregon, and he’s now one step away from an eventual Major League debut. Collegiate powerhouse Oregon featured Steer primarily at shortstop in his junior year, although he played at the hot corner some. In his final college season, he posted a .958 OPS with six homers across 56 games. He was drafted as a solid defender with a good bat that had the ceiling of a solid regular at the highest level. It was hard to be unimpressed by Steer in his professional debut. Across 64 games the infield posted an .809 OPS and made quick work of the Appalachian League before earning a promotion to Cedar Rapids. Shelved, like everyone else in 2020, Steer opened last season as a 23-year-old a bit above the average at the Single-A level. His .915 OPS there showed he was ready for more, and the Twins gave him 65 games at Double-A Wichita in the inaugural season for the new affiliate. Again getting close to the higher end of the average age at Double-A, Steer made quick work of another level. In 35 games this season he posted a .976 OPS and clubbed eight home runs. He often played up the middle with top prospect Austin Martin, and the two combined to play strong defense for the Wind Surge. Maybe most surprisingly for Steer’s game has been the development of power. He hit just 12 long balls in 163 college games and then had just four in his first 64 professional games. When coming back from the Covid shutdown, Steer flashed his hard work. 24 dingers split between Cedar Rapids and Wichita last season was six times his previous career-high. Already with eight this season, it doesn’t appear the power surge was a fluke. The Twins have used Steer all over the infield as a minor leaguer. He’s probably best cast at second or third base, but he’s adequate at shortstop too. Playing alongside another top prospect in St. Paul, Royce Lewis and Steer can certainly feed off of each other as was the case with the situation down in Kansas. It’s probably lofty to suggest that Steer has the pedigree to be a perennial All-Star or something of that sort, but there’s no denying he’s looked the part of a Major League regular at each stop throughout the system. Obviously, the Twins have a current answer at shortstop, and Lewis appears tabbed for the future. Gio Urshela doesn’t look like a mainstay, and while Jorge Polanco is penciled in at second, he’s always going to need days off. Having a depth piece like Steer is some nice found money in the prospect world. I don’t know that Steer has a calling card of sorts yet. Luis Arraez plays all over the place and has a bat that simply doesn’t slump. His plate discipline is unmatched and it makes him one of the toughest outs in the game. Nick Gordon also plays everywhere, but it’s his speed that separates him. Steer could wind up being a big bat off the bench with the pop he’s shown, or he could just be a solid all-around utility man. Not yet on the 40-man roster, Steer will need to earn one more promotion in order to make his dreams come true. The journey got a bit closer when he singled up the middle in his second at-bat for the Saints. He’ll show he belongs here in time too, and then comes the final step. View full article

In February 2021, the Atlanta Braves placed Kyle Garlick on waivers. He never played for Atlanta, and lasted just 14 days in their organization. Minnesota claimed him on February 11 and one of the greatest platoon players in club history was officially starting his journey. When the Twins claimed Kyle Garlick, he had just 42 Major League games under his belt. A former 28th-round pick by the Los Angeles Dodgers, Garlick had posted a paltry. 691 OPS and had only eight extra-base hits to his credit. He saw success to the tune of a 117 OPS+ in his first 30 games with the Dodgers, but then failed to replicate that production with a -3 OPS+ playing 12 games with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2020. As a 29-year-old, Minnesota saw him as an option to be their fourth outfielder. Possessing a left-hand-heavy group, Garlick presented a platoon bat that could play on the corners. Although not a given to make the 2021 roster, he was activated on April 29, 2021, and the intentions of his usage immediately became evident. Minnesota wanted him almost entirely to face left-handed pitching. Of his 107 plate appearances last season, 63 of them came against southpaws. He posted an .878 OPS and clubbed four of his five dingers against them. The downside was a lopsided 19/2 K/BB and the eventual sports hernia injury that ended his season on July 24. The production as a whole was hardly noteworthy, just a .745 OPS and 103 OPS+, ultimately making him dispensable and leading to an outright off the 40-man roster in November. Wanting to keep him in the organization and see what could happen, Minnesota gave Garlick a Spring Training invite as a non-roster player for 2022, and he became a necessary addition to the active roster just a few games into the season. Now with 19 games played this season, and a brief stint on the injured list interrupting continuity, Garlick looks like one of the league’s best platoon players. Minnesota has received a 1.011 OPS out of Garlick, equating to a 198 OPS+. He already has four homers to his credit and the 7/6 K/BB has made his plate discipline that much scarier for the opposition. The sample size remains extremely small thus far, but the Twins have done well to put Garlick in advantageous situations once again. Across 40 plate appearances, Garlick has seen a lefty 25 times. In those matchups he owns a .350/.440/.800 slash line with three homers and eight RBI. Going so well at the plate, Garlick came up in the biggest spot of his season on Sunday when he faced tough Kansas City Royals righty Scott Barlow, and took him deep for a two-run blast. The proverbial leash for Garlick has to have grown to immense proportions at this point. Although he hasn’t had a significant opportunity to cement the production as sustainable, he remains an oddity on a roster chock full of left-handed outfielders. Whether Trevor Larnach, Max Kepler, Nick Gordon, or Alex Kirilloff flank Byron Buxton on a regular basis, there has to be a power-hitting option that can swap in for them. Gilberto Celestino has done an amazing job to stake claim as a regular this season, but it’s Garlick who can bring the same thump on the corners. Minnesota had to proceed with caution following a surgical procedure (sports hernia) for their platoon player, but bringing him back on a non-guaranteed deal has worked out fabulously thus far. Garlick will forever be overmatched against a consistent barrage of right-handed pitching, but if Rocco Baldelli continues to pull the right strings for his 30-year-old slugger, Garlick could have a truly magical season pounding southpaws into the dirt. A late-round pick that bounced around after some early success, Garlick seems to have found both a home and a calling in Minnesota. If he can keep mashing taters, he’ll continue to find his name on the lineup card. View full article

In this week’s AL Central Division update we see the consistency of play across the division that may go unmatched the rest of the way. Four of five teams are 5-5 over their last 10 with the Guardians being just 4-6. Minnesota still leads the division as we look to close out the second month of the season. The Standings: Minnesota 22-16 Chicago 19-19 Cleveland 16-19 Kansas City 14-23 Detroit 13-25 No team in the division currently has a winning streak going, while Cleveland is bringing up the rear holding a three-game losing streak. The Guardians have a +2 run differential despite being in third place while the White Sox have outperformed expectations given their -27 run differential. The Stories: While not to the level of Boston, the White Sox slow start is at least somewhat surprising. They’ve dealt with injury and been on the wrong side of some unfortunate games. Ultimately though, the White Sox have an ugly run differential and play some of the worst defense in the league. Tim Anderson is still hitting, but his work in the field has been atrocious. Jose Abreu has just a .625 OPS thus far and is well off his .832 mark from 2021. Despite the solid average, Luis Robert just crossed the .800 OPS threshold on Thursday. There should be plenty of room for that number to rise. Thus far, Tony La Russa’s management of a young star like Andrew Vaughn has been perplexing to say the least. This team has the talent to rush to the top, but it will be interesting to see how they manage their way forward. I’d wager that Terry Francona expected this Guardians team to be a bit better. Andres Gimenez has hit the ball well, and Jose Ramirez continues to be among baseball’s best at the hot corner. Cal Quantrill was solid again on Thursday but took a no-decision as Cleveland lacked run support. Shane Bieber hasn’t been the 2020 version of himself and Steven Kwan has come back down to earth a bit. Ramirez is the one to watch over the next week as he left Thursday’s game with a bruised shin and is being called day-to-day. Kansas City wasn’t expected to be good this year, but I don’t know if they were pegged to be this bad. Bobby Witt Jr. is settling into life as a Major Leaguer, and despite bumps in the road, has shown why his prospect stock was so high. Salvador Perez was recently placed on the injured list with a thumb sprain which opened the door for star prospect M.J. Melendez to enter the lineup. He and Witt both homered for the Royals against the White Sox on Wednesday night. Veteran outfielder Michael A. Taylor was placed on the Covid-IL before Wednesday’s game after being scratched from the lineup. There was reason to believe A.J. Hinch could take the Tigers a step forward this season but the results haven’t materialized. Eduardo Rodriguez is expected to be placed on the injured list with what’s being called a “left-side” injury. Michael Pineda broke a finger last Saturday, and Casey Mize has been on the injured list since April 15 due to a right elbow strain. Matt Manning, already on the injured list with right shoulder inflammation, is working his way back through a rehab assignment. Meanwhile, key free-agent signing Javier Baez is batting just .204 with a .554 OPS, and last year’s Rule 5 darling Akil Baddoo was optioned to Triple-A. The Week Ahead: Minnesota kicks off a weekend series against Kansas City at Kauffman Stadium before returning home to host both Detroit and those same Royals. The Twins will be looking to exact revenge on the Royals after they dropped two of three during the season’s first month. Rocco Baldelli’s club already has a series sweep of the Tigers and owns a +12 run differential against the divisions cellar dwellers. Looking to close the gap at the top, Chicago has a tough test going out east to play the New York Yankees over the week. Aaron Boone has the Bronx Bombers currently going as one of baseball’s best teams. The White Sox do get a reprieve following an off day as the Red Sox come to town. Boston has failed to meet expectations thus far, and Tony La Russa’s club could be getting them at the right time. Similar to what Minnesota is seeing from a schedule construction standpoint, Cleveland hosts the Tigers for three at home before traveling to Houston for a three-game set. They’ll then close out the road trip with another series against Detroit. Between hosting and traveling to face the Twins, Kansas City gets a quick two-game set against the NL West Arizona Diamondbacks. What are you looking forward to for the Twins this week? How are you evaluating the competition? Share your thoughts in the comments below! View full article

Take your pick with where your attention was going tonight on the farm for the Twins. Two top pitching prospects were on the bump, Royce Lewis returned to the Saints, Trevor Larnach was on a rehab assignment, and Cedar Rapids put up runs in bunches. There was a lot to be excited about. Transactions: RHP Jharel Cotton outrighted to St. Paul OF Trevor Larnach begins MLB rehab assignment with Wichita SAINTS SENTINEL Omaha 11, St. Paul 2 Box Score The storyline here was the return of Royce Lewis to the St. Paul lineup. He was leading off and playing shortstop, which is the position Minnesota had suggested they wanted him to get consistent run at. On the mound was top pitching prospect Jordan Balazovic, but this one was a tough outing. Working just four innings, Balazovic gave up six runs on six hits. He did walk just one while punching out five. It didn’t take long for the storyline to take center stage. Lewis led off the game seeing just two pitches. The first he took, and the second he blasted over the centerfield wall for his fourth home run of the season. Unfortunately for the Saints, they didn’t score again until facing a 6-1 deficit. Kevin Merrell took his turn sending one out of the park when he hit his second dinger of the year. Omaha continued to add on in this one, bringing home runs in each of the 5th, 6th, and 7th innings. Two runs was all the Saints could muster tonight, despite getting seven hits. Lewis answered in a big way going 3-for-3 and looking every bit the star he appeared to be in the brief 11 game cameo with the Twins. It’s been a tough stretch for the Saints as they’ve now dropped 10 in a row. WIND SURGE WISDOM Wichita 6, Springfield 5 Box Score So much to like in Wichita tonight with Simeon Woods Richardson making the start, and Trevor Larnach becoming the first major league player to play a rehab assignment for the Wind Surge. Throw in that it was alternate jersey day playing as the Turbo Tubs and you’ve got yourself a great time. Woods Richardson continued his strong campaign working five innings allowing just two runs. Although he did give up six hits, Woods Richardson walked just one and struck out four. His ERA on the season is now 2.39. After getting behind in the 3rd inning, Wichita evened things up during the bottom half. Spencer Steer, who has had a great 2022 season, ripped his 13th double to plate DaShawn Keirsey. After Springfield again too the lead in the 5th inning, the Turbo Tubs answered in the bottom half. Larnach blasted a three-run homer to right field scoring Keirsey and Austin Martin. Steer then continued to rake and crushed his 8th homer of the season. Unfortunately, Steven Klimek ran into trouble for Wichita during the 8th inning and surrendered three runs (two earned). That allowed Springfield to knot things at five and make this one a tight contest in the late innings. Not looking to be outdone, the Turbo Tubs got turbo charged in their half of the 8th inning. Minnesota native Matt Wallner stepped in and crushed one nearly to Forest Lake, 440 feet, to regain the lead. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 11, Lake County 2 Box Score Cade Povich took the ball tonight for the Kernels and was nothing short of dominant. He worked 5 1/3 innings allowing just two hits and blanking the opposition. Povich issued just a single free pass and punched out five. Cedar Rapids didn’t wait long to break this one open as Seth Gray crushed his third homer of the season in the bottom of the first, scoring Christian Encarnacion-Strand, to put the Kernels up early. In the second inning the good guys got another crooked number. Willie Joe Garry Jr. tallied his third triple scoring Jeferson Morales and then Wander Javier homered for the fourth time to drive them both in. Up 5-0 with Will Holland on base, Encarnacion-Strand recorded his sixth blast and made it 7-0. Waiting a couple innings to further the damage, recently promoted Kyler Fedko stepped in for the bottom of the 5th inning. With Aaron Sabato and Gray on board, Fedko crushed homer number two and made it a 10-0 game. Morales then added on his own, a solo shot to center, and it was an 11-0 laugher. Cedar Rapids gave back two in the 7th inning, but this one was well in hand and closed out by scoreless innings from Tyler Palm and Denny Bentley. The 11 hits matched the run total, and multi-hit efforts came from Sabato, Gray, Morales, and Garry Jr. The five home runs tonight were a season-high for Cedar Rapids. MUSSEL MATTERS No game Fort Myers is scheduled to play a doubleheader tomorrow against Clearwater. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – Cade Povich (Cedar Rapids) - 5.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB 5 K Hitter of the Day – Seth Gray (Cedar Rapids) - 2-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, HR(3) PROSPECT SUMMARY We will again keep tabs on the Twins' top prospects. You’ll probably read about them in the team sections, but if they aren’t there, you’ll see how they did here. Here’s a look at how the current Twins Daily Top 20 performed: #1 - Austin Martin (Wichita) - 1-4, R #2 - Royce Lewis (St. Paul) - 3-3, R, RBI, HR(4) #4 - Jordan Balazovic (St. Paul) - 4.0 IP, 6 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 1 BB, 4 K #8 - Simeon Woods Richardson (Wichita) - 5.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 4 K #12 - Matt Wallner (Wichita) - 2-4, R, RBI, HR (7) #18 - Spencer Steer (Wichita) - 2-4, R, 2 RBI, 2B, HR(8) FRIDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS St. Paul @ Omaha (6:35PM CST) - RHP Mario Sanchez Wichita @ Springfield (7:05PM CST) - LHP Blayne Enlow Lake County @ Cedar Rapids (6:35PM CST) - RHP Sawyer Gipson-Long Fort Myers @ Clearwater (DH @ 3:00PM CST) - RHP Steven Hajjar/TBD Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Thursday’s games! It sure is exciting to have all four Twins full-season affiliates back and playing. View full article

It’s happening, and that's not a great thing. Carlos Correa is returning to the Minnesota Twins lineup this afternoon and star prospect Royce Lewis is being optioned to Triple-A. The hope is that this wouldn’t be the outcome, but it’s now what we’re faced with. The Twins only have one plausible way to save face on this. Make it short. Royce Lewis made his debut for the Twins on May 6, and he went on to play a total of 11 Major League games. Lewis has slashed .308/.325/.564 while filling in for Carlos Correa, and he has contributed six extra-base hits, two of which have left the yard. Maybe most importantly in assessing how he’s looked offensively is that Lewis struck out just five times across 40 plate appearances. It seemed pretty silly to bet against a player with this much talent after talking to him this offseason. Still, though, there was going to be a prove-it period for a guy who hadn’t played a game in two seasons. Lewis did that, tearing up Triple-A while playing in the cold. He earned this promotion with a .310/.430/.563 line across his first 24 games for the St. Paul Saints. When in the lineup for Minnesota, he looked the part of a regular in every sense of the word. Unfortunately, this storyline appeared likely from the moment it was announced Correa’s injury wasn’t serious. While it’s great that the Twins get back their major offseason acquisition, it left a huge question mark as to how Lewis would find his way into the lineup. After all, a talent this good couldn’t sit on the bench. That leads us to where we are now, and the only way Minnesota can save face. Lewis has played four innings at the hot corner in his professional career, and he’s never played a corner outfield position. I don’t think he’s an option at first base, and that’s probably for the best when considering how limiting the position would be for his abilities. What it all boils down to is a guy needing to get comfortable in new roles. I can’t imagine a shift to third base would be anything monumental for Lewis. He hung in just fine as a Major League shortstop, and the throws would be less demanding from the hot corner. He’s played centerfield, and he provides a right-handed outfield bat if Minnesota wants to go that route. Left field at Target Field takes a bit of getting used to, but it would be more about reading the ball from that portion of the field that he’ll get an opportunity to see for the Saints. The path forward is as straight as can be for Minnesota’s front office. Lewis must be given starts at multiple positions as quickly as possible. He’s already shown an ability to produce offensively at the Triple-A level, and the early Major League returns are more than promising. Once he’s acclimated to new roles around the diamond, and that shouldn’t take long, a recall has to be scheduled. Correa was the get of the winter and Lewis plays the same position. It’s understandable to take a step back even after a great 11-game debut. If Lewis isn’t on the fast track to return to playing everywhere, or if this winds up being service time suppression, then there’s no denying the move was a poor one. The Twins aren’t running away with the division by any means, and the lineup needs to be infused with all the talent it can handle. Ultimately, a positive takeaway here is that the Twins aren't afraid to act aggressively with a top talent that has missed so much time. Lewis was never going to factor into the shortstop plans this season with Correa here unless the opportunity arose and he'd earned it. Playing just 24 games after two years off, he became the obvious choice. As he goes back, he can be utilized at shortstop and elsewhere on the field, again allowing for aggressive action when an opportunity presents itself. There are no grandiose declarations to be made from a sample size as small as 11 games. There’s also no excuse for a player to be held back from contribution while failing to exhaust every opportunity to find a workable path forward. Royce Lewis is here, the time is now, and getting him back across town can’t be more than a three-week process. View full article

Right before the 2022 Major League Baseball season was set to commence, the Minnesota Twins decided to shake up their roster. Flipping closer Taylor Rogers to the San Diego Padres for Chris Paddack and Emilio Pagan, it’s now on the latter to provide value for the season ahead. It’s understandable that a controllable starter like Chris Paddack may have been available for a lesser return given his elbow issues. Unfortunately, they reared their head just a few starts into 2022 and now it appears he’ll undergo surgery to fix the problem that was already there. Emilio Pagan was hardly a throw-in, however, and despite his 4.83 ERA last season, he’s just a few years removed from being one of baseball’s more dominant relievers. Pagan, who recently turned 31-years-old, posted a 2.31 ERA in his lone season with the Tampa Bay Rays. Acting as their closer that year, he recorded 20 saves and worked 70 innings. His 12.3 K/9 was a career-high, and the 1.7 BB/9 was near a career-low. The 3.30 FIP suggested it was all pretty solidly rooted in advanced statistics as well. Of course, he wasn’t the same pitcher the past two seasons for the Padres, and that’s likely why they were willing to upgrade the back end of their pen. For Minnesota, needing to replace Rogers, Pagan would immediately become an option should he find a way to harness his former glory. Things started ugly for the Twins' new closer as he took the loss in his second appearance, and blew a save in just his third try. Through his first six outings this year Pagan had just a 7/6 K/BB and appeared to be doing a tightrope act each time he took the mound. Since that point though, Pagan has pitched another six innings and has not allowed an earned run. His 8/4 K/BB is more manageable and the ERA is down to 1.54. While the free passes remain an issue, he’s worked around the danger thanks to a career-best 5.4 H/9. It’s not as though Pagan simply lost the ability to find the zone. He’s an established veteran with more than 200 Major League innings under his belt, and in that time he surrendered just a 2.3 BB/9. The gaudy 7.7 BB/9 comes from something else, and he was asked about it following his fifth save of the season. Having basically always been a two-pitch pitcher, and really only one when you consider the secondary offering is a version of the other, Pagan changed his repertoire this season. He’s traditionally been categorized as a fastball and slider guy, although most reporting systems call his secondary offering a cutter. This offseason he added a splitter and it’s drastically different from what he already brings to the table. During Spring Training, and still then with the Padres, San Diego manager Bob Melvin said, “He’s coming up with a new pitch. He’s throwing a split(-fingered fastball) a lot. … I think a third pitch will serve him well. Typically, a bullpen guy, especially late innings, is more of a two-pitch guy. But I think a third pitch will be good for him. Fastball, sliders are mostly hard (stuff). This is kind of a slower pitch, goes in a different direction, and gives the hitter something else to think about. He’s thrown it in a game and feels confident about it.” To this point in 2022, the splitter has been a focal point for Pagan. He’s thrown it over 17% of the time, and it’s drastically changed the cutter usage. In developing a new pitch and then utilizing it in games, it’s understandable there would be some hiccups and likely control or command issues. As he continues to find comfort with the offering, the walks should subside back down to his career norms. Rocco Baldelli has a very good thing going at the back of his pen right now. Whether going with rookie fireballer Jhoan Duran, or veteran-tested Pagan, he’s got capable arms to mix and match for any situation. The more Minnesota can lean into both of them shutting down the opposition, the better they’ll find themselves positioned to close out games in routine fashion. View full article

The Minnesota Twins are 35 games into their 2022 Major League Baseball season. Star centerfielder Byron Buxton has played in just 23 of them, or 65.7%. That’s apparently a threshold both parties (team and player) intend to uphold, but what does that look like when the dust settles? It became clear following a Saturday night game against the Cleveland Guardians, in which Byron Buxton should’ve been called upon to pinch-hit, that rest and caution remain paramount for the organization. Rocco Baldelli has consistently rested players with the hopes of keeping them fresh, and while the current state of Minnesota’s Injured List would suggest that as not bearing fruit, it also doesn’t appear as something the organization will move off of. Relating to Buxton specifically, he’s dealing with the same right knee soreness that immediately looked like a season-ending injury. Sliding into second base, he punched the ground in anguish and a question as to whether his knee was torn up immediately came into question. Returning to the lineup less than a week later, he’s still dealing with the after-effects, even if an MRI revealed no serious damage. It’s not as though Buxton hasn’t been productive. Quite the opposite actually, as he’s been a monster through the 23 games he has been on the field. Buxton owns a .259/.330/.706 slash line and is just one homer shy of the American League lead with 11. He’s yet to triple but does have five doubles to his credit, and a few recent walks make the 28/6 K/BB ratio more workable. Through 134 innings in the outfield, Buxton has been worth 1 Defensive Run Saved and 2 Outs Above Average. Following Sunday’s game against the Guardians, one in which Buxton was back in centerfield and Minnesota won, he said, "We've got a process, process of me staying on the field, trying to play 100 games. So however that looks, who knows? But that's what we have, a plan here, and it's what we're going to stick to." As unfortunate or disappointing as that may be, it’s clear that Buxton is in lockstep with manager Rocco Baldelli regarding that plan. After the loss to the Guardians on Saturday night, Minnesota’s manager said in regards to the decision against pinch-hitting Buxton, “"It wasn't going to be an option. Ultimately, we discussed that as a group, but ultimately I make that decision. When we make the decision before the game, we don't change what we're going to do when the game gets going." Those notes in conjunction with one another suggest the Twins are firmly set in a plan to have Buxton play right around 60% of their games this season. The good news is that even through that few contests, extrapolating his numbers gets a gaudy amount of production. You’d be looking at something like 21 doubles, 47 homers, and 7.4 fWAR. Putting up those statistics in 162 games would be generous for most. If Buxton was able to continue that pace over just 100, it would be nothing short of unfathomable. On the defensive side of things, it may be hard to find the same rhythm. Buxton has been worth just one DRS thus far and contributed only 2 OAA. Gilberto Celestino has done an amazing job filling in, so maybe it matters less, but Buxton’s Gold Glove prowess is always going to be missed. When looking at this decision by Minnesota, there are a couple of things to consider. First and foremost is that not all players can operate as a designated hitter, or without being constantly involved in the game flow. Buxton has suffered without playing the field, and missing over one-third of the games will certainly threaten any attempt to create consistency. The other problem is the assumption that disjointed time off will prevent further injury or advance healing. After all, Buxton was injured on a play where he slid into second base, and also suffered an injury running to first base following a dropped third strike. It’s not as if he’s being threatened in instances that won’t routinely present themselves. His body may simply be less durable than others, and that leaves him susceptible in all capacities. Maybe most interesting here is who the Twins have as a manager. Baldelli himself was on a path to being one of baseball's best players and constant injuries derailed his career. Buxton certainly is involved throughout this planning process, as is Baldelli, but the front office must be clued in too. The Twins training staff is probably weighing in with their expertise, and we don't completely know what the injury was given the designation simply being soreness. Maybe this is something Baldelli himself has implored Buxton to consider knowing what consistent injury and health issues can do to the overall length of a playing career. What do you think? Are the Twins actually able to prevent further injury by trying to avoid consistent games played? Does Buxton benefit from time down to heal completely? What should happen here? View full article

This offseason, after dealing Mitch Garver to the Texas Rangers, Minnesota flipped Josh Donaldson and Ben Rortvedt to the New York Yankees for Gio Urshela and Gary Sanchez. They filled two starting lineup spots with the trade, but there’s yet to be production from either player. In 2019 and 2020 the former Guardians veteran became one of baseball’s best at the hot corner. Gio Urshela posted a .310/.359/.523 slash line and hit 27 homers across 175 games. The Yankees made him a fixture in their lineup and he was seen as a key contributor after taking the position from Miguel Andujar. Urshela went through it for the first time since his breakout last year. After posting a 134 OPS+ in 2019 and 2020, he contributed a below league-average 95 OPS+. Given his dealings with Covid multiple times, as well as suffering injury, it was explainable why the production had dipped. The hope for Minnesota was undoubtedly that a change of scenery and clean bill of health would result in rebounding to where he was at his peak. Now 30-years-old, Urshela is 27 games into his Twins career and the 83 OPS+ is a bottoming out of sorts. He hasn’t dropped to the irrelevance of his time in Cleveland, but at a time when offense is down across the board, he’s finding ways to contribute even less. Urshela is not a hulking slugger by any means, but across nearly 100 plate appearances he has just three extra-base hits and only one homer. If there’s a silver lining for Urshela, it’s that we may just be dealing with a small sample. His expected batting average is 30 points higher at .263 and his xwOBA sits near the 2019 mark at .338. He’s at his career average when it comes to hard-hit rate, and Urshela still has a good process at the plate posting just a 12/9 K/BB. Rocco Baldelli is certainly hoping his third basemen figures it out, otherwise, that could be an avenue for someone like Royce Lewis or Luis Arraez to steal playing time. Behind the dish was never going to be a calling card for Gary Sanchez, regardless of a new change in scenery. He’s a rough backstop, but his bat used to carry him. Coincidentally, Sanchez’s 83 OPS+ is the exact same mark as his trade partner, Urshela. There was a time the Dominican native was competing for Rookie of the Year awards and picking up All-Star game selections. 2019 and his .841 OPS seem like a distant memory at this point, however. The last two seasons in New York equated to a 90 OPS+ for Sanchez, and he’s now dipped well below. Across 80 plate appearances, Sanchez owns a .203/.263/.338 slash line. He is a power producer but has homered only once while tacking on seven doubles. Unlike Urshela, Sanchez’s expected batting average is actually worse than what he’s generated and although the xwOBA is better, it’s insignificant with just an eight-point swing. Sanchez is still hitting with a similar hard-hit rate to when he was at his best in 2019, but he’s bumped the fly all rate up to 53% and halved a very solid 20% line drive rate from that season. Getting too far under the baseball, and being bit by a ball that’s deadened, Sanchez has just a 3.6% HR/FB ratio after seeing a whopping 26.4% ratio in 2019. Although he’s making the most contact of his career, pitchers are also forcing him to chase at a career-worst rate. For Sanchez the bat has to play for there to be any value. He’s been worth -0.3 fWAR because it hasn’t and his time behind the dish will always be flawed. Minnesota doesn’t have other options at catcher and that makes the leash extremely long here. Still, getting him anything more than rotational at-bats becomes unnecessary if this is the production Baldelli can expect. It was a fine move to swap out Josh Donaldson. His place in the clubhouse may not have been ideal, and the move freed up the opportunity to sign Carlos Correa. That said, the Twins can’t afford to have a lineup with two players producing so little offensively. New York has bit Minnesota plenty over the years, and right now it’s happening from within. How long are you willing to wait and find out if these two find it? View full article