Ted Schwerzler

A selloff is coming for the 2021 Minnesota Twins, and that's in large part because they've been a bad baseball team. To capitalize on being interesting down the stretch, there's some names that belong on the bump. Rocco Baldelli came into this season expecting to compete for a third straight division title. Between injuries and ineffectiveness, that reality isn’t going to play out. The second half now should be about evaluation for Minnesota. As 40-man and 26-man roster spots open up, it will be imperative for the Twins to look at fresh faces and see what they have. On the pitching side, here are some names to consider: Before individual deep dives, I think the trio of Josh Winder, Jordan Balazovic, and Cole Sands all fit here. Winder needs to debut, having already made his way to Triple-A. I can understand not starting the clock on Balazovic and Sands missed time due to injury. Of the names in this article, though, these are all the premier prospect types. There's also the recent call ups and guys with little time that need extended run. Throw Bailey Ober, Griffin Jax, and now Charlie Barnes into this category. Randy Dobnak and Lewis Thorpe (when healthy) would join them as well. Beau Burrows A former first-round pick and solid prospect for the Tigers, Burrows is now a reclamation project for the Twins. He was blown up in his Major League debut, and he was awful at Triple-A Toledo. Still just 24, Burrows is the exact type of prospect a team like the Twins should be taking a flier on. Strikeouts haven’t ever followed him in large quantities, but a new development infrastructure could bear fruit. He’ll need to accumulate a more substantial sample size at Triple-A St. Paul before getting a call but putting him out there with a tweaked repertoire may make for an interesting acquisition. Yennier Cano Signed by Minnesota back in 2019, Cano is now 27 and not a prospect. He was slow-played but has finally made his way to Triple-A St. Paul. The stuff has been legit at each professional level, and he’s currently rocking a 2.37 ERA across 30 1/3 innings between Double and Triple-A this season. With a 12.5 K/9 and just a 3.3 BB/9, that’s shaping up like an arm both Wes Johnson and Rocco Baldelli could utilize in relief. There’s not much reason to continue holding him back at this point, and Cano could resemble a late-blooming pen arm. Ian Hamilton Having been through injury, a car accident, and many hurdles halting his big league career, Hamilton is one of the few waiver claims from this winter that hasn’t shown up in Minnesota. He owns a 1.08 ERA across 25 innings for the Saints, but it comes with a gaudy 18 walks. The strikeouts are there (35), and he’s allowed just three homers which have helped limit the damage. With a high-velocity fastball, this is an arm the Twins need to take a look at before allowing him a new landing spot in 2022. Hector Lujan A 35th round pick back in 2016, Lujan has earned every single opportunity he’s been provided in pro ball. Now at Double-A Wichita, the 26-year-old owns a 2.49 ERA in 25 1/3 innings. His strikeout numbers are modest by today’s standards, but he’s been tremendous at limiting free passes (1.8 career BB/9). He pitched at Double-A back in 2019 and should already be getting run for the Saints. Maybe there isn’t a ton of upside here, but there’s also a seemingly safe floor that could factor in as a nice middle relief piece. Ryan Mason Picked in the 13th round of the 2016 draft, Mason has consistently climbed the ladder for the Twins. He’s at Double-A now and has compiled a 2.67 ERA in 30 1/3 innings. It’s been time for a promotion to Triple-A, and the 4.2 BB/9 in 2021 is uncharacteristic for a guy with a 1.9 BB/9 career mark. He gets his strikeouts, and Mason has never had an ERA north of 2.77 as a reliever. He’ll be 27 in 2022 and is already well above the average age of his current level. You’re probably not getting a high leverage guy here, but there’s no reason Mason can’t be seen as a middle innings gap guy. Jovani Moran Drafted out of school in Puerto Rico back in 2015, Moran is now 24 and playing at Double-A Wichita. It’s his second turn through the level, and he’s been dominant with a 1.91 ERA across 37 2/3 innings. He’s striking out over 15 batters per nine, and the career 4.1 BB/9 is workable in relief. Moran should get a bump to Triple-A in short order, and with some final tweaks, it could be a nice success story through a longer progression for the Twins. Chris Vallimont Minnesota acquired Vallimont alongside Sergio Romo back in 2019. He was a former 5th round draft pick and is now 24 at Double-A. The strikeout stuff has always been good, and while the walks are higher than you’d like for a starter, he’s done well to avoid damage. Vallimont owns a 3.96 ERA for Wichita this year, and despite throwing less than 40 innings, a promotion to Triple-A could make sense soon. Maybe he debuts in the bullpen for Minnesota, but I think this is an arm you’d like to see get some big-league run. MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email View full article

Although Oakland is currently looking up in their division, the need to increase their hold on a Wild Card spot is there, and Minnesota has the firepower to help them do just that. What’s Their Situation? The Oakland Athletics currently find themselves second in the American League West with a record of 52-40. They are 3.5 games back of the Houston Astros and have a 3.5 game lead on the Seattle Mariners for the 2nd Wild Card spot. Ideally, this is a team angling for a postseason berth. Unlikely to have the firepower necessary to catch Houston, hanging onto a Wild Card spot and going from there would seem to be a good goal. Traditionally the Athletics aren’t big spenders, but it’s hardly uncommon for them to see their names in the thick of things when the dust settles on the season. After beating the White Sox in the Wild Card round a year ago, Oakland would love to exact revenge against the division-rival Astros, who they bowed out against in the Division Series. What Do They Need? Bob Melvin’s club could probably use a bit more hitting help than pitching, given they’re within the top 10 in the latter while being outside it in the former. There’s power in the lineup, but the designated hitter spot could use an upgrade, and that’s exactly where rumors have them focusing. Jon Heyman recently noted that Oakland would be seen as a legitimate landing spot for the services of Twins slugger Nelson Cruz. Oakland’s starters have been a top 10 group in baseball, but their bullpen has compiled just the 21st ranked unit in terms of fWAR. Plucking from the 25th best unit in Minnesota doesn’t provide many options, but there are at least two that come to mind. Which Twins Are the Best Fit? Buyers for a designated hitter aren’t plentiful. Only half of the sport uses one, and half of that half are uncompetitive. Cruz works in Oakland though, and he’d have to be seen as their most desired target from Minnesota. Should the Twins want to try and increase the return, packaging the Dominican slugger, adding an arm makes some sense. Taylor Rogers is the most premium of relief options, but someone like Hansel Robles could help as well. They have made impact moves for starters previously, and Jose Berrios would resemble that, but Minnesota also has both J.A. Happ and Michael Pineda on the block. Who Could the Twins Get Back? There’s not much hope for a massive return when considering any of the expiring veteran contracts the Twins have. As good as Nelson Cruz has been, the market simply won’t be there to drive the price up too high. That being said, the Athletics have some nice names in their system, and throwing in someone like Taylor Rogers may move the needle. Arguably the most untouchable from Oakland would be 18-year-old shortstop Robert Puason. Short of including Jose Berrios, he’s not coming back to the Twins. Someone like Daulton Jefferies or Greg Deichmann could have appeal as they are both now older prospects. Jefferies is a former first-round pick who got blasted in his big league debut and has scuffled at Triple-A this year. Deichmann was a 2017 2nd round pick but is now having his best pro season as a 26-year-old at Triple-A. If Minnesota wants to try and get creative, working a way to nab Jesus Luzardo would be somewhat of a coup. He hasn’t panned out as expected, but the prospect hype was all there, and a change of scenery could do him well. I can’t imagine anyone from 15-30 in the Athletics prospect rankings being off the table in a swap that includes Nelson Cruz. Grant Holmes is a 25-year-old Triple-A arm, and Austin Beck was the 6th overall pick as an outfielder back in 2017. View full article

We are just weeks from the 2021 Major League Baseball trade deadline, and there is no denying the Minnesota Twins are destined to be sellers. To what extent, though, will highlight just how bad the front office sees the fall. Coming into 2021 this was supposed to be a good Major League roster. Rocco Baldelli was piloting a club coming off two-straight AL Central division titles, and there was no reason to believe they wouldn’t contend with the rival Chicago White Sox. Fast forward to where we are now, and the reality couldn’t be further from that promise. Minnesota has dealt with a plethora of injuries. Byron Buxton leads the team with 2.7 fWAR yet has played just 27 games. Kenta Maeda took massive steps backwards, Josh Donaldson has been good not great, and injuries have crushed the roster all over. Ineffectiveness first from the bullpen, and then sustained by the rotation, have worked wonders to sink an already bludgeoned ship. So, it’s not about if pieces move; that’s a certainty. Now, we’re going to find out if the front office sees a way forward, or if they’re admitting a massive miscalculation in what they have. As Nick Nelson pointed out yesterday, the Twins most desirable talents are a duo (trio?) of players they shouldn’t want to trade. Jose Berrios and Taylor Rogers (along with the unmentioned Buxton) are worthy of the biggest haul. For a team that should be in a position to retool and reset before 2022 kicks off, moving any of them would suggest a disbelief in that being a workable process. There’s no doubt that signing Jose Berrios and Byron Buxton to long term deals makes sense from a talent perspective. They aren’t players you can just replace, and without considering alternative ramifications, they are assets you should want on your roster until they leave on their own volition. It also stands to reason that dealing them prior to their final year of team control would increase the return. No matter what prospect capital is brought back, the impact won’t immediately be felt and may never come to fruition. Maybe Miguel Sano and Max Kepler aren’t the players Derek Falvey and Thad Levine envisioned them to be when offering contract extensions. That’s an unfortunate reality, more so with the tools Kepler should possess, but one that’s ultimately understandable. You’d be trading either at a low point in their value, but there’s a very clear backup plan in each scenario as well. Making deals that involve either of those two wouldn’t necessarily shift the future course for this club. On the flip side, having to replace the ace of a staff on a bad rotation, the lockdown arm in a bad bullpen, or arguably the most athletically-gifted player in the sport is going to be a catastrophic hurdle in the near future. If that’s what’s deemed necessary, then the ultimate direction envisioned by this front office has been incredibly poorly executed, and we’re starting over from the prospect level. Give it to Falvey and Levine; their infrastructure has seemed sound. There’s been decent development on the farm, and while injuries have hurt that progression plenty in 2021, it doesn’t take away from what appears to be coming. If a complete rebuild of the Major League roster needs to take place at this point though, it looks as if the last two division titles and supplementation of that core may have been more about timely circumstances than well designed execution. The duo doesn’t have a great free agency track record, and while they’ve made a few shrewd deals, largely they’ve failed to evaluate their own near-ready and currently available big league talent. When the calendar flips on July the Twins should have a vastly different looking roster. That’s expected. If even one of three key names move, well then, this front office has much less going for it than was originally thought. MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email View full article

The name of the game was tight contests tonight on the farm. With Fort Myers postponed for the evening, two of the three contests player were barnburners. TRANSACTIONS It isn't an official transaction yet, but we can confirm that LHP Charlie Barnes will be called up to the Twins from St. Paul and make his MLB debut this weekend. Phil Miller (Star-Tribune) reported that he will start on Friday night. RHPs Luis Blanco and Carlos Velasquez and OF Fernando Vargas were released. The Twins released RHP Jordan Milbrath, the Minnesotan who was pitching for the Wichita Wind Surge. They signed RHP Mitchell Osnowitz and assigned him to Wichita. SAINTS SENTINEL St. Paul 9, Columbus 8 Box Score Ian Hamilton worked as an opener for the Saints in this one and went three innings allowing a single run on just one hit. He fanned four and walked one. The lone run came on a solo shot. Following the Clippers lead in the 3rd, St. Paul came roaring back. Jimmy Kerrigan stayed hot driving his eighth homer, a two-run blast, in the bottom half of the 3rd inning. Brent Rooker followed up his big night with a sacrifice fly in his second at bat that pushed Keon Broxton across the plate. The Saints surrendered the lead in the top of the 4th, but Broxton singled in Damek Tomscha to knot things at four in the bottom half of the inning. A pair of homers put Columbus ahead 7-4 going into the bottom half, but the Saints weren’t done either. Broxton continued his heroics, this time with a solo blast. Jose Miranda followed with a dinger of his own, and Brent Rooker then left the yard for his 18th Saints homer. Three blasts had things all even at seven. Needing to break the tie, it was back to the longball, and this time from Drew Maggi. A two-run shot scored Tomscha and gave the Saints just enough breathing room to withstand a 9th inning Columbus run. The 12 hits for St. Paul were spread across the board with only Maggi and Broxton recording multi-hit games. WIND SURGE WISDOM Wichita 9, Tulsa 3 Box Score While the final tally is noteworthy given the win secured for Wichita, a key takeaway in this one is that starter Cole Sands was back on the bump. After missing time due to injury, he pitched two innings and allowed just two hits and punched out three. Following his abbreviated return, recently-promoted Kody Funderburk made his Double-A debut. He went five innings allowing one unearned run on four hits. Funderburk struck out five and walked just two. Converted-infielder Jordan Gore also made his Double-A debut in relief for the Wind Surge. He went 1 2/3 innings and allowed one walk while recording a strikeout. Wichita got on the board early in this one. Andrew Bechtold drove in Trey Cabbage on a 2nd inning single before Jermaine Palacios plated Bechtold with a single of his own. Wilbis Santiago then doubled to score both Palacios and Chris Williams making it a four-run bottom half. After giving up a run in the top of the third, Wichita answered in a big way. A five-run bottom half was sparked by a Bechtold double, Palacios single, and Williams three-run blast. Tulsa tacked on two runs late, but the six-run cushion was enough to get a victory. Aaron Whitefield joined the aforementioned performers with a multi-hit effort of his own. KERNELS NUGGETS South Bend 8, Cedar Rapids 7 Box Score Tyler Beck got the start for Cedar Rapids and went five strong innings. He allowed just two runs on three hits while striking out six and walking one. Cedar Rapids scored first when Alex Isola blasted a solo shot as the second batter of the game. After allowing South Bend a one-run lead in the 2nd, Gabriel Maciel hit his second homer of the year for the Kernels to knot it at two. A balk then scored Edouard Julien in the 5th before the Cubs pushed across three in the 6th. Once again, some poor play afforded Cedar Rapids an opportunity, and Julien took advantage, racing home on a wild pitch. South Bend got the errant run back in the bottom of the 7th, but another wild pitch in the top of the 8th allowed Jair Camargo to score and brought the Kernels within one. Isola then stepped in and ripped his ninth double, plating both Michael Helman and Max Smith. Now leading 7-6, Cedar Rapids was ahead for the first time since the second batter of the game. The lead didn't last long as South Bend was able to draw even before the close of the 9th. After failing to plate the runner from second in the top half, Cedar Rapids gave up a bunt single allowing a run on a throwing error to take a tough luck loss in the bottom of the 10th. MUSSEL MATTERS Postponed - Rain COMPLEX CHRONICLES No game scheduled TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – Ian Hamilton (St. Paul) – 3.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K Hitter of the Day – Keon Broxton (St. Paul) – 2-3, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB, K, HR(5) PROSPECT SUMMARY Take note that we have finished our midseason update, so there is a new list! Here is a look at how the Twins Daily Midseason Top 20 Twins Prospects performed: #1 – Royce Lewis (Rehab) – Out for season (torn ACL) #2 – Jhoan Duran (St. Paul) – Injured List (elbow strain) #3 – Jordan Balazovic (Wichita) – Did not pitch #4 – Matt Canterino (Cedar Rapids) – Injured List (right elbow strain) #5 – Jose Miranda (St. Paul) – 1-4, R, RBI, HR(5) #6 – Keoni Cavaco (Fort Myers) – Postponed #7 – Gilberto Celestino (Minnesota) – All Star Break #8 – Josh Winder (St. Paul) – Did not pitch #9 – Aaron Sabato (Fort Myers) – Postponed #10 – Matt Wallner (Cedar Rapids) – Injured List (wrist sprain) #11 – Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) – Out for Season (Tommy John surgery) #12 – Bailey Ober (Minnesota) – All Star Break #13 – Cole Sands Cole Sands (Wichita) – 2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K #14 – Brent Rooker (St. Paul) – 1-3, R, 2 RBI, HR(18) #15 – Misael Urbina (Fort Myers) – Postponed #16 – Spencer Steer (Wichita) – Did not play #17 – Wander Javier (Cedar Rapids) – 0-5, 2 K #18 – Alerick Soularie (Complex) – N/A (foot injury) #19 – Edwar Colina (Rehab) – Injured List (elbow) #20 – Chris Vallimont (Wichita) – Did not pitch THURSDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Columbus @ St. Paul (7:05PM CST) – RHP Chandler Shepherd (3-4, 6.75 ERA) Tulsa @ Wichita (7:05PM CST) – Jordan Balazovic (1-1, 3.56 ERA) Cedar Rapids @ South Bend (6:05PM CST) – RHP Louie Varland (0-0, 0.00 ERA) Jupiter @ Fort Myers (6:00PM CST) – LHP Aaron Rozek (0-0, 0.00 ERA) Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Wednesday’s games! 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After Covid shortened the Major League Baseball amateur draft to just five rounds last year, we’re back to more of a traditional length with a 20 round event in 2021. The Twins have two first round selections and will bolster their farm system with new names. As I have done in previous seasons, here’s a place you can track each of Minnesota’s selections in one place. The previous drafts can be found at the links below. This article will be updated throughout the draft. 2018 Class 2019 Class 2020 Class The picks: Round 1, Pick 26: Chase Petty, RHP Mainland Regional HS (@ChasePetty11) Comp A, Pick 36: Noah Miller, SS Ozaukee HS (@NoahMiller_21) Round 2, Pick 61: Steven Hajjar, LHP Michigan (@StevenHajjar) Round 3, Pick 99: Cade Povich, LHP Nebraska (@Cpo22) Round 4, Pick 128: Christian Encarnacion-Strand, 3B Oklahoma State (@c_encarnacion13) Round 5, Pick 159: Christian MacLeod, LHP Mississippi State (@christian44mac) Round 6, Pick 189: Travis Adams, RHP Sacramento State (@yah_travis4sf) Round 7, Pick 219: Jake Rucker, 3B Tennessee (@jake_rucker) Round 8, Pick 249: Noah Cardenas, C UCLA (@Noah_cards55) Round 9, Pick 279: Patrick Winkel, C Connecticut (@patrick_winkel) Round 10, Pick 309: Ernie Yake, SS Gonzaga Round 11, Pick 339: Brandon Birdsell, RHP Texas Tech Round 12, Pick 369: Kyler Fedko, OF Connecticut (@KylerFedko4) Round 13, Pick 399: David Festa RHP Seton Hall (@DavidFesta13) Round 14, Pick 429: Pierson Ohl, RHP Grand Canyon University (@Pierson_Ohl) Round 15, Pick 459: Mikey Perez, SS UCLA Round 16, Pick 489: Jonathan Lavallee, RHP Long Beach State (@jonathanlaval5) Round 17, Pick 519: Dylan Neuse, 2B Texas Tech (@DNeuse_09) Round 18, Pick 549: Mike Paredes, RHP San Diego State (@swanky_p) Round 19, Pick 579: Jaylen Nowlin, LHP Chipola College (@NowlinJaylen) Round 20, Pick 609: Dillon Tatum, C UC-Irvine For more from Off The Baggy, click here. Follow @tlschwerz

There were a couple of gaudy box scores on the farm tonight for the Twins, but it was down in Cedar Rapids where a walkoff blast from Wander Javier that the highlight of the evening came from. TRANSACTIONS Twins traded cash considerations with Rangers for RHP Joe Kuzia and assigned him to Wichita SAINTS SENTINEL St. Paul 10, Iowa 3 Box Score Charlie Barnes toed the rubber for the Saints tonight and went 5 1/3 innings. He allowed three runs on five hits and struck out four. Thanks to the lineup putting up 10 prior to his departure, St. Paul was well in the lead. The Saints did all over their damage in the 3rd and 4th innings. Willians Astudillo kicked off the scoring with a double as St. Paul had the bases loaded. A Mark Contreras triple then plated Astudillo before Damek Tomscha drove in Contreras with a single, and Jimmy Kerrigan cleared the bases with his 7th homer. In the 4th the Saints got a pair of homers from Drew Maggi (a two-run shot plating Jose Miranda) and Astudillo on a solo blast. Miranda keeps hitting and nabbed a two-hit night out of the leadoff spot while he was joined by Astudillo, Contreras, and Tomscha with two hits apiece. Ian Hamilton and Kyle Barraclough combined to finish the final 3 2/3 innings allowing just a single hit and punching out four. WIND SURGE WISDOM NW Arkansas 10, Wichita 1 Box Score This one wasn’t pretty for Wichita as they surrendered a six spot in the top half of the first inning. Austin Schulfer has had better outings, and he allowed six runs (four earned) while recording just three outs. Wichita scored their lone run on an Aaron Whitefield double, his eighth, in the 4th inning. Jermain Palacios scored and that was the extent of the offense with Wichita generating just a grand total of two hits. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 4, Peoria 1 Box Score Tyler Beck got the start for Cedar Rapids tonight and turned in 2 2/3 innings of scoreless ball allowing just two hits. Derek Molina followed him for 2 1/3 innings allowing a single hit and punching out four. This one stayed even at 0-0 through nine complete innings. Peoria pushed across their free runner in the 10th prior to Michael Helman driving in Seth Gray in the bottom half. Ryan Shreve then blanked the Chiefs in the 11th and allowed Cedar Rapids an opportunity to win it. Shortstop Wander Javier stepped in with Jair Camargo and Gray both on base, he then blasted his 7th homer of the season to walk it off for the home team. Helman was the only Kernels batter to record two hits on the evening. MUSSEL MATTERS Fort Myers 9, St. Lucie 6 Box Score Sawyer Gipson-Long began this one on the bump for Fort Myers, but unfortunately, he lasted just 2 2/3 innings giving up six runs on five hits. The bullpen came in and slammed the door however, with three different pitchers combining to allow just a single run. Aaron Sabato opened the scoring for the Mighty Mussels with a solo homer, his fourth longball of the season. Then after getting behind 6-1 in the 3rd, Fort Myers went to work. Charles Mack swatted a three run bomb before Misael Urbina drove in Willie Joe Garry Jr. on a sac fly. Jeferson Morales then collected his 14th double allowing Keoni Cavaco to score and the game was even at six headed to the bottom of the 7th. In the 8th Cavaco recorded his 4th double of the year scoring Mack, and Morales sped around the bases for an inside-the-park homer in the 9th. COMPLEX CHRONICLES FCL Twins 11, FCL Orioles Orange 8 Box Score Kala’I Rosario just keeps crushing for the FCL squad. He had another two-hit effort today and now owns a 1.029 OPS on the season. Emmanuel Rodriguez went 2-for-4 with his second homer and tallied four RBI to drive the victory home. Shortstop Luis Gomez tallied three hits on the afternoon, and the trio of Wilfri Castro, Rubel Cespedes, and Luis Baez all picked up a pair of hits on their own. Castro and Baez both collected triples today. On the bump, Develson Aria picked up the victory working 1 2/3 scoreless in relief while punching out four. Matt Mullenbach worked 2 1/3 scoreless while striking out three, and Ramon Pineda grabbed his second save of the season working 1 2/3 innings. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – Derek Molina (Cedar Rapids) 2.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K Hitter of the Day – Keoni Cavaco (Fort Myers) – 2-4, R, 2 RBI, BB, 2B PROSPECT SUMMARY Take note that we have finished our midseason update, so there is a new list! Here is a look at how the Twins Daily Midseason Top 20 Twins Prospects performed: #1 – Royce Lewis (Rehab) – Out for season (torn ACL) #2 – Jhoan Duran (St. Paul) – Injured List (elbow strain) #3 – Jordan Balazovic (Wichita) – Did not pitch #4 – Matt Canterino (Cedar Rapids) – Injured List (right elbow strain) #5 – Jose Miranda (St. Paul) – 2-3, 2 R, 2 BB, K, 2 2B #6 – Keoni Cavaco (Fort Myers) – 2-4, R, 2 RBI, BB, 2B #7 – Gilberto Celestino (Minnesota) – 0-3, R, K #8 – Josh Winder (St. Paul) – Did not pitch #9 – Aaron Sabato (Fort Myers) – 2-5, R, RBI, K, HR(4) #10 – Matt Wallner (Cedar Rapids) – Injured List (hamate bone surgery) #11 – Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) – Out for Season (Tommy John surgery) #12 – Bailey Ober (Minnesota) – Did not pitch #13 – Cole Sands (Wichita) – Did not pitch #14 – Brent Rooker (St. Paul) – 0-4, R, BB, 2 K #15 – Misael Urbina (Fort Myers) – 1-3, RBI, BB #16 – Spencer Steer (Wichita) – 0-4, K #17 – Wander Javier (Cedar Rapids) – 1-5, R, 3 RBI, K, HR(7) #18 – Alerick Soularie (Complex) – N/A (foot injury) #19 – Edwar Colina (Rehab) – Injured List (elbow) #20 – Chris Vallimont (Wichita) – Did not pitch FRIDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS St. Paul @ Iowa (7:08 PM CST) – RHP Chandler Shepherd (3-3, 5.85 ERA) NW Arkansas @ Wichita (7:05PM CST) – RHP Jason Garcia (1-1, 4.82 ERA) Peoria @ Cedar Rapids (6:35PM CST) – LHP Kody Funderburk (1-3, 3.66 ERA) Fort Myers @ St. Lucie (5:10PM CST) – RHP Louie Varland (3-2, 1.91 ERA) FCL Twins @ FCL Red Sox (11:00AM CST)- TBD Feel free to ask questions and discuss Thursday’s games View full article

Flashback to 2011 and the Minnesota Twins found themselves at 41-48 when the All-Star Break took place. Just a few weeks later, they were a dismal 55-75 shipping Jim Thome to Cleveland. It’s happening again, but Nelson Cruz will hurt worse. Don’t get me wrong, I remember Thome’s time with the Twins fondly. His first season, the year Target Field opened, the slugger that tormented Minnesota for all those years put up a 1.039 OPS across 108 games. A year later he’d record his 600th career home run, only further cementing his place in Cooperstown. Thome was adopted as the Twins lumberjack, and his power played in the role perfectly. When Thome was dealt however, it was clear this was the beginning of the end. Not only did the Twins stink, but he’d lost over 200 points on his OPS from the year prior and sending him to a mediocre Cleveland club was about a proper sendoff as much as it was an asset acquisition. He’d make stops in Philadelphia and Baltimore during 2012, but the end came just 58 games into his season. At the end of the day, Thome was an integral part of a very good 2010 club, but then watched as the age counter flipped to 40 and Father Time proved undefeated yet again. Enter Minnesota’s current designated hitter. Nelson Cruz has now played 247 games in a Twins uniform. That’s roughly 50 games more than Thome, but Cruz went through the shortened 2020 season stunting that growing total. He was the unquestioned leader of the Bomba Squad, a club that hit a Major League record 307 dingers. Despite playing for the organization between ages 38-41, he’s compiled a .307/.389/.607 slash line and 75 homers across that stretch. Age notwithstanding, he’s been among baseball’s best in his latest years. When Derek Falvey ultimately deals Cruz later this month, it will feel different as well. He’s not going back to Seattle or Texas. This isn’t a sendoff and Cruz isn’t riding off into the sunset. Two likely landing spots include the Oakland Athletics and Toronto Blue Jays. Minnesota will be looking to maximize value, and Cruz will be counted upon as a lineup fixture. This is a true asset, no longer a privilege for Minnesota to enjoy because the 2021 season fell flat. It’d be silly to assume that Cruz will continue this level of production for another decade. Even another couple of years would be unprecedented. What he’s doing now though, is something that any contending team needing a designated hitter should covet. That makes his market limited in that half the league is then cut in half again, but you can bet that suitors will fight for his services. There’s also not going to be a reunion tour. Minnesota and Cruz’s camp played a staring contest this winter. Neither wanted to blink first, but a return always seemed to be the best fit for both sides. As the Twins head into 2022 with uncertainty, the luxury of a big money designated hitter doesn’t seem reasonable. On top of that, we won’t know the direction chosen by the front office until July 31 comes and goes with Taylor Rogers, Jose Berrios, and Josh Donaldson still wearing Twins threads. When the dust settles on this eventual move the Twins will have dealt one of the best power hitters ever to wear a Minnesota uniform. While Cruz’s time was ultimately brief, the impact (and especially that felt in 2019) will be talked about for years to come. Nelson was a late blooming player that never stopped getting better, has continued to impart wisdom on the game’s next generation, and his absence will sting more than just a bad team shedding moveable parts. MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email View full article

Yeah, these three are really the linchpins to what happens moving forward. You're either all in on the starter and centerfielder or you're all out on everything.

I understand where you're coming from, but disagree on the premise. Often times the highest leverage isn't in the 9th inning. That's why saves are a dumb statistic. You could be "closing" the game at any point from the 6th on. Colome has gone belly up on his career norms, and Robles has been about as expected. Duffey taking a step back has really hurt. More to the point, I don't care if Rogers pitches the 9th, but if you're moving him it better be for a haul because fixing the bullpen is much more difficult when also now needing to replace one of the best arms in baseball.

To be fair, we're talking about a couple of sub-10 game sample sizes. He'll get a shot when Cruz is traded and then he'll immediately have to make it stick.

A handful of years back I wrote something along the lines of the Twins most necessary move was to deal Glen Perkins. He was competing at an All-Star level, and Minnesota was beyond terrible with no end in sight. A bad team didn’t need a closer, and the haul should’ve been handsome. In a similar spot, the Twins may be ill-advised to make that move with Taylor Rogers. Yes, the Major League club is not good. No, the farm system doesn’t have a ton of immediate answers. This season isn’t going to result in a second-half turnaround, and a bullpen that’s already bad isn’t and hasn’t been saved by one good arm. The key difference here, however, is how Derek Falvey and Thad Levine view themselves in 2022. Although good teams don’t necessarily need a closer, they absolutely need a strong bullpen. Moving Taylor Rogers with another year of team control, and as one of the most dominant relief arms in the sport, would suggest they don’t view a run coming in the year ahead either. Rocco Baldelli has seen his lineup come around over the past handful of weeks, but it’s still been pitching that has failed this club. While the rotation is chiefly to blame, supplementing and retooling the bullpen is a must for next season. Doing that with the additional hole that Rogers’ absence would cost becomes difficult. This season Rogers owns a 2.65 ERA along with a 12.2 K/9 and 1.9 BB/9. In 2020 he posted an outlying 4.05 ERA, but it was hiding a 2.84 FIP and still fell in line the strikeout and walk rates across his career. The uncharacteristic 1.500 WHIP got Taylor last year and pitching in a short season without opportunity for positive regression didn’t help. His counting numbers are now back to who he always has been, and what the expectation should be. Baseball right now remains enamored with high leverage relievers. This winter we saw the Chicago White Sox drop $54 million on Liam Hendriks. I don’t now what Rogers will earn two seasons from now, but he’ll be hitting the free agent market at the same age Hendriks did this year. Saves are a goofy stat, but they do get paid for at least in arbitration, and Rogers currently has more than Hendriks did when he was signed by the South Siders. Maybe a team will blow the Twins away with a couple of top tier prospects. That doesn’t seem like a great bet given the relief trade market often seems to be filled with organizations looking to be opportunistic and capitalize on a veteran’s immediate success without much of a long-term commitment. If Falvey can find a taker willing to pony up though, then that’s a move Minnesota should consider. If flipping Rogers is being done because he fits the category of desirable asset and the return is just good enough, I’d hope that this front office would reconsider. Maybe they don’t have intentions to reload in 2022, or they see that as a lofty goal. Either way, venturing down the path to relevance in the season ahead gets unquestionable tougher by taking an arm like Rogers out of an already deficient area of this roster. Maybe you shouldn’t pay for relief help. The Twins best bullpen acquisitions this year were a waiver claim and a guy that cost $2 million. You certainly shouldn’t piece out the pen before you have to when you’re trying to re-ignite it though. For more from Off The Baggy, click here. Follow @tlschwerz

Matt Braun kicked off the Twins Daily Midseason Top 20 Prospect Rankings. He shared the honorable mentions and then went through the last quarter on the list. Looking ahead to the final five before getting into the top ten, that’s where we find ourselves now. It is worth noting that prospect graduations have and will happen throughout 2021. Names like Kirilloff, Larnach, Jeffers, Gordon, and Rortvedt are no longer eligible for consideration. With that said, let’s get into who’s next. 15. Misael Urbina OF Age: 19 ETA: 2024 2021 Stats (A): 42 G .191/.298/.268 3 2B 3 3B HR 24 RBI 23 BB 39 K 2021 Ranking: 14th Minnesota signed Urbina out of Venezuela back in 2018 during the International Signing Period. Jesse Sanchez called him, “one of the most coveted prospects from Venezuela in this year's international class” at the time. The bonus came in at $2.75 million, and that’s indicative of how the Twins see his tools developing. Urbina is playing in his first stateside season this year, and while the numbers aren’t gaudy by any means, controlling the strike zone is something he’s shown a strong ability to do as a young player. 14. Brent Rooker OF/1B Age: 26 2021 Stats (AAA): 43 G .243/.386/.547 6 2B 13 HR 28 RBI 31 BB 54 K 2021 Ranking: 12th Rooker was the 35th overall pick by Minnesota back in the 2017 draft. He made his MLB debut in 2020 before injury ended his season with just seven games played. Rooker has appeared in just eight games for the Twins this year going 3-for-29. Despite crushing Triple-A, his opportunities have been limited with the outfield capabilities being stretched, and him not being a true fit at first base. Should the Twins deal Nelson Cruz, Brent would appear to be in line for substantial big league at bats as the DH. 13. Cole Sands RHSP Age: 23 2021 Stats (AA): 31 2/3 IP, 2.84 ERA, 1.263 WHIP, 3.10 FIP, 30.7 K%, 13.1 BB% 2021 Ranking: 15th Sands was a 5th round selection in the 2018 draft and it didn’t take long to see that Minnesota had something special here. There’s velocity, there’s command, there’s a real starting pitcher. Sands dominated three separate levels in 2019, and has picked up where he left off in 2021. The 11.9 K/9 is a strong number at Double-A, and while the command has slipped some, there’s no long term worry there. Currently injured, Minnesota hopes to have Cole back on the bump sooner rather than later. 12. Bailey Ober RHSP Age: 25 2021 Stats (AAA): 16 IP, 2.81 ERA, 1.125 WHIP, 1.67 FIP, 32.3 K%, 7.7 BB% 2021 Ranking: 20th Now in the big leagues taking regular turns with the Twins, Ober parlayed his quick Triple-A success into six turns in the big league rotation. He owns a 5.84 ERA there but has been bit most by the home run. Strikeouts and command continue to play, while his velocity has seen an uptick and is, in part, what has elevated his prospect status. There’s a good back-end rotation piece here, and it’d be a good bet he gets plenty of leash to showcase that the rest of 2021. 11. Blayne Enlow RHSP Age: 22 2021 Stats (A+): 14 2/3 IP, 1.84 ERA, 1.295 WHIP, 2.80 FIP, 39.0 K%, 10.2 BB% 2021 Ranking: 10th Arguably one of the most exciting prospects to see showcased following the 2020 minor league hiatus, Enlow came out as expected. He below the doors of High-A hitters and looked the part of a prospect that could put together an amazing season. Unfortunately, it ended quickly as he’s now recovering from Tommy John surgery, but look for him to be back stronger on the back half of 2022, and still with a ceiling that could be among the highest in the system as far as pitchers go. View full article

The Minnesota Twins established a new front office under Derek Falvey and Thad Levine with the expectation that organizational pitching woes would be averted. It started that way, but things flopped hard in 2021. Across the division in Cleveland, Falvey grew a reputation for being able to develop pitching. Minnesota needed to overhaul that aspect of their development, and the early returns were promising. Despite the Bomba Squad emerging in 2019, Minnesota also became the best pitching version of itself that the franchise had seen in years. Taylor Rogers was elite, Tyler Duffey was transformed, and a number of fliers worked out. Enter 2021 and things couldn’t be further from that reality. This Twins club owns the 29th overall fWAR mark from their pitching staff, and both starters and relievers have been collectively terrible. The lineup took a bit to get going, but it hasn’t been an issue for weeks. With the White Sox now having all but ended Minnesota’s chances in the year ahead, a look at 2022 puts both Falvey and Levine squarely on the hot seat. Given the amount of talent eyeing a return on this roster, and the unexpected nature of these results, a full rebuild should not be the course of action in 2022. Reloading and trying it again with some new pieces makes all the sense in the world. What the front office must not do again however, is look to shop in the bargain bin and think the process will entirely translate into results. I have long harped on the infrastructure brought in by this front office as being exceptional. That still rings true. Wes Johnson is a good pitching coach, and throughout the farm there’s intelligent instructors. At some point though, you can’t bank entirely on a blueprint squeeze more juice from an already cashed fruit. J.A. Happ and Matt Shoemaker were fine back-end additions, but they both relied entirely on depth with nothing done to raise the water level. From the vantage point we have now, walking through this smoldering warzone, Falvey has virtually nothing to show for this season. The plethora of waiver claims all failed to pan out, save for the small sample of Luke Farrell. Happ and Shoemaker have been terrible. Randy Dobnak was extended, then optioned, and has never had a real defined role. On the farm, each of the top prospects has now gone down with arm issues, likely due to the year off. Yes, Josh Winder and Jordan Balazovic look good, but there’s more reason to be cautious than excited at this point. In the year ahead it will be on the Twins to use their depth as a fall back plan rather than seeing it as a source of reliance. Signings like Happ and Shoemaker indicated a belief one or both would soon be bumped as prospects came for their spots. Now Shoemaker is gone entirely, and the lack of options becomes even more glaring with yet another miss added to the books. Jose Berrios has been good, but not yet elevated to the next step, and now the talk of trading him lands even more into a questionable realm for me. Over the winter the plan has to be pitching, spending on it, and making sure it’s right. Relief arms are generally fickle year over year. Expecting Alexander Colome to fall this hard wasn’t a good bet. In 2022 you can reshuffle that group and bring in new faces, but they can’t be supplemented with a bunch of fall back options just ran out in case of emergency. The starting staff needs a legit arm that slots in to the top three, and that’s on top of paying or at least keeping Berrios. One bad season in the midst of such turnaround isn’t going to cost the front office their jobs, but there is plenty of reason to question why Derek Falvey hasn’t come through with his calling card should we see two years’ worth of these results. It’s time to right this ship, fix it, and prove the belief has been warranted. Dollars, development, whatever path you want to take, pitching can not be a problem for the Twins in the year ahead. MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email View full article

Last night was the Jose Miranda show on the farm, and tonight pitching took center stage as top prospect Jordan Balazovic took his turn and twirled a gem for Wichita. TRANSACTIONS INF Drew Stankiewicz signed by Twins and assigned to St. Paul RHP Jonathan Cheshire placed on 7-day IL by Cedar Rapids (forearm strain) SAINTS SENTINEL St. Paul 7, Omaha 4 Box Score Lefty Andrew Albers went six innings for Saint Paul and picked up six strikeouts while walking none. He did allow three runs on seven hits before turning the ball over to the bullpen. Although last night was all about Jose Miranda, there’s still plenty of firepower in this Saints lineup. Brent Rooker crushed his 13th homer to open the game in the bottom of the first, and the two-run shot scoring J.T. Riddle put the good guys on top. Mark Contreras hit his 6th home run, a two-run bomb in the 3rd, giving St. Paul a 5-0 lead. Miranda followed up his big night at the plate with a stellar defensive play at the hot corner this evening. Former Tigers prospect Beau Burrows also made his Saints debut in this one. Drew Stankiewicz got the start at second base in his return to a familiar team, now as an affiliated pro player. After allowing the Storm Chasers to draw within two, Stankiewicz made his mark with a bases loaded walk, drawing an RBI. Willians Astudillo, who stole a base earlier in this one, singled in the 8th to drive in J.T. Riddle. The breathing room was nice a Omaha tried to make things interesting in the final half inning before Nick Vincent closed the door. WIND SURGE WISDOM Wichita 8, Amarillo 1 Box Score Twins star pitching prospect Jordan Balazovic was on the bump for Wichita in this one, and he posted an encouraging outing in every sense of the word. Working five and two-thirds, he allowed just two base runners, both on walks. Balazovic punched out six and threw 87 pitches on the evening. Recently promoted to Double-A, Trey Cabbage made his mark picking up his first double in the top half of the first inning to plate Spencer Steer. B.J. Boyd lifted his third homer of the season, a solo shot in the 2nd, to put Wichita ahead 2-0. The first crooked number of the night came on Steer’s first Double-A homer, a three run shot that was absolutely demolished. Widening the lead further, Boyd doubles in D.J. Burt before Chris Williams tripled to score Boyd adding two more in the 6th. Cabbage picked up his second double in the game, scoring Steer again, and continuing his strong evening. As big of an offensive night that Wichita had, the real story was on the mound. Yes, Balazovic was great, but so too was the bullpen in relief. Alex Phillips recorded four outs without a hit, punching out three, before Jhonleider Salinas worked a hitless inning of relief on his own. Salinas then got the first out in the 9th, two away from a combined no-hitter, before Luis Alejandro Basabe lifted a solo shot to right field. The no-hitter came up two outs short, and the shutout was gone with it. Adam Lau recorded the final two outs on what was a great night for the arms. Both of the recently promoted prospects, Steer and Cabbage, posted multi-hit nights, and were joined by B.J. Boyd to make it a trio. KERNELS NUGGETS Quad Cities 9, Cedar Rapids 4 Box Score Ben Gross was on the bump for Cedar Rapids and turned in five strong innings of work tonight. He allowed just a single run, on two hits and two walks, while also picking up five strikeouts. After making his High-A debut last night, Edouard Julien announced his presence today with a leadoff homer. Alex Isola then went yard, his fifth of the season, to put the Kernels ahead 2-1 in the 4th. Unfortunately, things got ugly for Cedar Rapids from there. Quad Cities tied the game in the 6th, and then pushed across six in the 7th and another in the 8th. Outfielder Max Smith came on to work the final inning for the Kernels. He got through his inning while recording one strikeout. Facing a massive deficit late, Seth Gray wasn’t ready to quit as his double drove in Daniel Ozoria to add a third run for Cedar Rapids. The Kernels had two runners on with just one out in the 9th, and Allante Hall drove in Gray on a groundout, but that’s where the rally ended. MUSSEL MATTERS Postponed (Rain) COMPLEX CHRONICLES No game TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – Jordan Balazovic (Wichita) – 5.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 6 K Hitter of the Day – Spencer Steer (Wichita) – 2-4, 3 R, 3 RBI, HR, BB, K PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed: #1 - Alex Kirilloff (Minnesota) – 1-4, 2 K #2 - Royce Lewis (Rehab) - Out for Season (torn ACL) #3 - Trevor Larnach (Minnesota) – 0-4, 2 K #4 - Ryan Jeffers (Minnesota) – Did not play #5 - Jhoan Duran (St. Paul) – Injured List (elbow strain) #6 - Jordan Balazovic (Wichita) – 5.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 6 K #7 - Keoni Cavaco (Fort Myers) – Injured List (concussion) #8 - Aaron Sabato (Fort Myers) – Postponed #9 - Matt Canterino (Cedar Rapids) – Injured list (arm strain) #10 - Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) – Out for Season (Tommy John surgery) #11 - Gilberto Celestino (Minnesota) – 1-1, R, RBI, HR(2) #12 - Brent Rooker (St. Paul) – 2-3, 3 R, 2 RBI, HR(13), 2 BB #13 - Matt Wallner (Cedar Rapids) – Injured List (wrist sprain) #14 - Misael Urbina (Fort Myers) – Postponed #15 - Cole Sands (Wichita) – Did not pitch #16 - Edwar Colina (Rehab) - 60-Day IL (elbow) #17 - Ben Rortvedt (Minnesota) – 0-3 #18 - Alerick Soularie (Complex) – N/A #19 - Jose Miranda (St. Paul) – 1-5, K #20 - Bailey Ober (Minnesota) – 3.1 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, 3 HR THURSDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Omaha @ St. Paul (7:05PM CST) – LHP Charlie Barnes (3-2, 3.94 ERA) Wichita @ Amarillo (7:05PM CST) – RHP Bryan Sammons (0-3, 6.45 ERA) Cedar Rapids @ Quad Cities (6:30PM CST) – RHP Cody Lawyerson (0-0, 3.00 ERA) Bradenton @ Fort Myers (6:00PM CST) – TBD Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Wednesday’s games View full article

The Minnesota Twins have not been good for the vast majority of 2021. It’s gotten late early, and their season will be determined before the All Star break commences. Which way they go is up to these next two weeks of action. Prior to Sunday’s finale against Cleveland, veteran Josh Donaldson called a player’s only meeting. These types of closed door hoorah’s always have a way of becoming public, and the hope is that while the content stays behind closed doors, the results are visible to those outside of the room. Donaldson did his part in the tilt that followed, but it’s the Twins schedule right now that will dictate the response. Kicking off a four game set against the Chicago White Sox, Minnesota will see each of Chicago’s best starters. Trailing in the division by 11.5 games, and 10 under .500, the Twins are in do or die territory. Playing better baseball and catching the South Siders in a bit of a slide may help, but the only thing that matters is results. Rocco Baldelli’s club isn’t afforded the opportunity to play a schedule of splits anymore, they have to win series. Anything less than three of four against the White Sox won’t cut it. From there, Minnesota heads to Kansas City for three prior to returning home for a seven game homestand with Chicago (3) and Detroit (4). It’s in these contests right now that the Twins season will be determined. The expectation is, and as it should be, that they’ll be sellers at the deadline. A team sitting at 33-43 nearing the end of June has no business making the Postseason. Regardless of expectations for this club, they’ve fallen flat and failed to make what was expected to be a compelling two-team AL Central race anything but. The division still isn’t great, but it’s on the Twins to prove they belong in any sort of second-half conversation. That Donaldson was even in a position to give the Twins a speech necessitating a jump start is noteworthy in and of itself. He hit the shelf early and has since been one of the most consistently available bodies. Now looking to lead both by example and motivationally, it’s put up or shut up time for the whole squad. Minnesota still can’t pitch, they’re 29th in fWAR among all staffs across the majors, and help isn’t readily available on the farm. The offense has come around however, and if they can go on a run during these next two weeks, they’ll be rewarded with the return of MVP candidate Byron Buxton. Expecting 2021 to go like this was not in the cards for Derek Falvey and Thad Levine. This is the hand they played though, and now they’ll have two weeks to see if there’s any ace left up their sleeve. If not, it’s going to become a selloff of veterans and a turn to reload in 2022. For more from Off The Baggy, click here. Follow @tlschwerz