Ted Schwerzler

Every player wants to stay for the right money. Find that amount, agree to it.

The Minnesota Twins are coming to a crossroads on a few of their cornerstones. When considering what’s next for Jose Berrios, the only answer should be to hand him a blank check. Yes, Berrios wants a hefty payday, and no, he isn’t one of the top 10 pitchers in baseball. The three players he’s most closely tied to in this contract situation are Luis Severino, Aaron Nola, and Lance McCullers. The former two got paid prior to the 2019 season. McCullers just got his payday. They are all 27 years old, save for Nola who just recently had a birthday. None of that trio would qualify as top 10 pitchers in the game either. Nola and Severino took four-year deals at $45M and $40M, respectively. McCullers agreed to a five-year deal that starts in 2022 and is for $85M. Jose reportedly wanted something close to what the Phillies and Yankees did for their starters; that isn’t happening now. He’s going to get something closer to what the Astros paid out, and that’s more than a fair valuation. I don’t think Berrios would find a $17M AAV on the open market, but I’d be shocked if he couldn’t get something in the $12-15M range. Really though, this conversation is less about dollars and more about sense. Over the winter Minnesota paid J.A. Happ $8M and Matt Shoemaker $2M both on one-year deals. That $10M has immediately become a sunk cost as both have been downright terrible, and the stability intended for the back of the rotation has been non-existent. I’d have preferred to see the Twins aim higher when rounding out the group, but we’ve seen that troubles there as guys like James Paxton haven’t even thrown a pitch for their new team. I think the point with Berrios is this, you already have a commodity that you know, he should be entering his prime, and there’s never been a question of his durability. Sure, he’s faltered in August and September, but it hasn’t ever been injury related. He’s not an ace, and he may be a borderline number two at times, but it’s fair to say he’s a top-half of the rotation arm that flashes even more when he’s on. The alternative is one of unknown, or one I think we can bet against. Touching again on the unknown, you’re dealing with bargain bin arms hoping that a middle-of-the-road veteran is enough for the sake of stability. Maybe they’re injured, ineffective, or both. The option we can probably bet against is a big ticket purchase. Trevor Bauer made a good deal of sense from a roster construction standpoint, but he was never going to be interested in Minnesota, and the Twins were never going to drop that kind of coin. Nothing precludes the Twins from spending, but top free agents don’t see this as a destination either. Looking ahead to the upcoming offseason, there’s more than a few veteran arms that should hit the market. Plenty of them will be paid handsomely, and some of them may even be interested in talking with the Twins. Giving Jose Berrios something like $80M over the next five years isn’t going to stop any opportunity to engage those arms either. If development continues to happen, you’d hope this rotation has a desire to include Jordan Balazovic and Jhoan Duran as soon as next season. Maybe one of them turns out to be an ace, and maybe neither do. Either way, pitching being a focus, moving on from Berrios solely to pay someone in hopes of replicating his production seems silly. Finding an ace is among the most difficult things to do in baseball. There’s maybe 10 of those guys in the game, most are developed internally, and if they do ever hit the open market Minnesota isn’t the first choice they’ve got on their list. Building a rotation with guys that all have the ability to pitch like an ace on any given night is a much more attainable goal, and both Kenta Maeda and Berrios fit that bill. Beyond there the Twins don’t have answers. Michael Pineda has been a steadying presence, and maybe they bring him back again this winter, but Berrios should be inked into that future as much as anyone. It's easy to spend someone else’s money, and the Pohlad’s have plenty of it, but the thought process runs deeper than that. Plenty of money comes off the books again this winter, and while 2021 has been a disaster, a new opportunity to reload will be in front of Derek Falvey and Thad Levine. Including someone like Berrios as part of that makes more sense than it does finding the next guy discarded from another organization to replace him. 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

It feels good to be able to write about actual minor league baseball action again. After it being shelved in 2020 and the only updates coming from unattended alternate site workouts, real games taking place is a welcomed reality. For Minnesota, there’s been lots of graduations from the farm, and even more shifting. Traditionally this top 15 update has come after the Major League Baseball draft. With the timing of that event being shifted into July, I wanted to keep things consistent. Coincidentally, it was this exact date last year that the previous midseason update dropped. If you’d like to take a look at where I had guys coming into 2021, you can find all archived rankings below. Let’s get into it! 2016 Top 15 Prospects 2017 Top 15 Prospects 2018 Top 15 Prospects 2019 Top 15 Prospects 2020 Top 15 Prospects 2021 Top 15 Prospects 15. Jose Miranda IF While he’s never made a top 15 for me before, Miranda has consistently been a “just missed” type. That doesn’t happen when you’ve got a .919 OPS in your first 37 games at Double-A. Lots of hype for Jose has been built around his bat and the work he did last year during the downtime. Looks like that was right. 14. Cole Sands RHP A 5th round pick back in 2018, Sands is now nearly 24 and at Double-A. He’s got 31.2 innings under his belt thus far for Wichita and owns a dazzling 2.84 ERA. The 5.1 BB/9 isn’t a great look, but the 11.9 K/9 continues his strength of being able to punch batters out. He was impressive when I saw him during Spring Training in 2020, and the arrow continues to point up. 13. Misael Urbina OF Signed out of Venezuela, Urbina has made his stateside debut in 2021. He’s struggled in Low-A thus far, but there’s speed and defensive ability here. He also may run into a good amount of pop and he’s just 19 years old. 12. Gilberto Celestino OF Forced into action for the Twins this year due to outfield injuries, Celestino is up ahead of schedule. He’s played just 21 games at the Double-A level for Minnesota, and the bat still has a ways to go. He’s a plus defender with good speed, and if he can hit at all, there’s a fourth outfielder at worst here. 11. Matt Wallner OF One of the most athletic Twins prospects, Wallner has hit everywhere he’s gone in the system. He owns a 1.005 OPS in his first 17 games at High-A but has been shelved with a wrist injury. Would not be shocked to see him be a solid corner outfielder with a plus arm and plus bat. Just need to get him healthy and back on the field. 10. Brent Rooker OF/1B It continues to be tough sledding for Rooker when looking for big league playing time. He’s a liability in the field and that bat absolutely has to play. It has again at Triple-A this season, where he’s got an .861 OPS for the Saints. If the Twins need bodies though, it’s been in the outfield, and he just can’t really help there. Should they choose a more rotation DH situation going forward, Rooker will factor in nicely. 9. Josh Winder RHP Another 2018 draft pick, Winder has impressed coming out of the Virginia Military Institute. Now 24 and at Double-A, he’s arguably been the best arm on the farm. He’s got a 2.16 ERA across 41.2 IP and his 10.8 K/9 pairs well with a 1.7 BB/9. He’ll be a Triple-A option soon and pitching 125 innings back in 2019 should work in his favor as far as workloads go. 8. Blayne Enlow RHP This one hurts, because Enlow could’ve found himself even higher on this list had his year gone differently. After 14.2 IP and a 1.84 ERA, Enlow underwent Tommy John surgery and will be out well into 2022. He’s still just 22, but it would’ve been great to see him at Double-A this season. 7. Matt Canterino RHP Another arm of concern here, Canterino is currently shelved and it’s murky as to when he’ll return. He owns a 1.00 ERA and 35/3 K/BB at High-A in 18 innings this year. It’s clear he’s ready for a step up in competition, and maybe should’ve even started at Double-A, but again, health is the chief concern. 6. Aaron Sabato 1B Do I love that Sabato has just a .668 OPS at Low-A in his first 36 professional games? No. Do I love that he has a 22% walk rate in those games? Yes. He’s got an advanced eye in a league where plenty of pitchers are fighting command. The power is real and should eventually play. 5. Keoni Cavaco SS Recently having turned 20, Cavaco is getting acclimated at Low-A. He has just a .673 OPS but seemed to be putting some positive developments together prior to a concussion related injury stint. This is a big year of growth for him and seeing some of the tools that had him shooting up draft boards would be exciting. 4. Jhoan Duran RHP A late start to the year set the timetable back some, but Duran should still be expected to reach the majors in 2021. He’s been both lights out and wild at times for the Saints, but it’s clear why there’s so much to like with him. A triple-digit fastball that he does have good command of is going to play. 3. Trevor Larnach OF It won’t be long and Larnach will have graduated from this list. He isn’t higher because I’m not sold on him being a perennial All-Star type, but there’s nothing to suggest he’s not a starting corner outfielder for a long time. The bat has contact and power, and the eye has quickly established itself. The kid is good. 2. Jordan Balazovic RHP Starting the year on the IL wasn’t ideal, but Balazovic has now taken three turns in the Double-A Wichita rotation. He’s racked up 16 strikeouts in his first 9.2 IP, and this may be the Twins next best shot at developing an ace. There’s an outside chance he could make a start in Minnesota later in 2021. 1. Royce Lewis SS Done for 2021 before he started, Royce Lewis tore his ACL, and it was discovered on intake. The year of development being missed after a lost 2020 and tough 2019 isn’t ideal. His character continues to suggest he’ll dominate rehab, and the ceiling remains as high as anyone within the organization. For more from Off The Baggy, click here. Follow @tlschwerz

Alex Kirilloff was the Twins first round draft pick in 2016. When the new front office took over, they went with Royce Lewis the next year, and then followed up with Trevor Larnach. Since that point I’ve contended the separation between Kirilloff and Larnach shouldn’t have been presumed to be much. We’re now seeing that take shape. Kirilloff is playing through an injury, and while he’s having himself a nice debut, I don’t think it’s quite to the level he’ll reach in short order. That’s given way for Larnach to shine though, and he’s done exactly that. Trevor was thrust into a Major League role given the Twins outfield health issues. Having played just three games at Triple-A, and only 43 at Double-A two years ago, a premature call-up is probably fair to suggest. Despite taking some time to acclimate, he’s begun to settle in. Now with 31 games under his belt, the former Oregon State Beaver owns a .263/.386/.421 slash line. The .807 OPS isn’t all that noteworthy, but the 131 OPS+ plays, and the number that jumps off the page is the .386 OBP backed by a strong 33/14 K/BB. Larnach hasn’t yet ran into much power. He has just nine extra base hits, of which only three have left the yard. That isn’t to suggest the process isn’t sound, though. Drafted with notes of high exit velocities, that has played out at the highest level. Larnach owns a 37.1% hard hit rate and a 14.5% barrel rate. His xSLG sits 40 points higher at .466 and he owns a max exit velo of 116 mph. I don’t think you’ll find anyone jumping to suggest that Larnach is otherworldly on either of the corners, but it’s more than apparent he can stick. With the bat profile he has, a traditional corner outfielder with pop is exactly what he’s trending towards. This isn’t a finished product by any means, but I think the Twins have to be thrilled with the early returns. Recently at Fangraphs, Paul Sporer also took a look into where Larnach could go from here. Both Larnach and Kirilloff should be mainstays in the Minnesota lineup for years to come. We have seen both of them bat in the heart of the order this year, and while that’s more reflective of circumstance, they’ve held their own plenty. In lieu of so many injuries having piled up on the Twins this season, it’s been nice to see opportunity parlayed into production for a guy like Larnach. Not every prospect comes up and flourishes. The Seattle Mariners just had to demote top prospect Jarred Kelenic after a terrible start. Baseball is hard, and even moreso when the runway for readiness hasn’t been there in a traditional sense. Give it to Larnach for battling that adversity and still producing at the level he is. While Kirilloff is still my pick to be the better player with a more likely shot to win a batting title, I wouldn’t be shocked to see Larnach round out into a more complete specimen with an opportunity to bang 40 homers in a single season. It’s been a good start, and this is just the beginning. For more from Off The Baggy, click here. Follow @tlschwerz

On the farm tonight for the Twins, multiple affiliates were involved in games with gaudy numbers while there were a couple of standout pitching and hitting performances. This was a night with plenty to offer. TRANSACTIONS RHP Luis Rijo activated from inactive list for Cedar Rapids OF Leobaldo Cabrera promoted to Double-A Wichita RHP Jason Garcia signed by Twins as a FA and assigned to Double-A Wichita SAINTS SENTINEL Omaha 16, St. Paul 9 Box Score Byron Buxton being back in the lineup was the story for this one, but veteran Chandler Shepherd wore a tough outing. Giving up 11 runs on 14 hits and coming an out shy of four complete innings, this was one to forget for the Saints starter. On the flip side, Buxton was playing tonight after wet conditions earned him a scratch last night. He went 2-for-3 with five RBI and two dingers on the evening. If there was any question about him being ready for a return to the Twins, they’ve been answered. Down 5-0 before they stepped in, Buxton’s first brough St. Paul back in the sense of a 5-2 deficit. Trailing 10-2 when they batted again, both Keon Broxton and Buxton went deep to close the deficit by a 10-6 tally. Buxton then added a sac fly to drive in a run and make it 11-7 in the 4th, but Omaha went on to blow things open. Brent Rooker roped his 8th homer of the year, this one in the 7th, to make it 16-8, but the game was all but decided. Drew Maggi homered for the first time in 2021 to draw the deficit a bit closer, but Omaha was able to secure a final out. Maggi and David Banuelos joined Buxton in the multi-hit category with the catcher adding three for his night. WIND SURGE WISDOM Tulsa 12, Wichita 10 Box Score Twins top pitching prospect Jordan Balazovic got the start in this one and was chased after just two innings. Throwing 53 pitches, he allowed four runs on four hits while walking two and striking out three. Hector Lujan came on in immediate relief and his four strikeouts in 3.1 IP of hitless baseball may have been the difference. Ernie De La Trinidad kept up his hot hitting while ripping a first inning dinger. B.J. Boyd then followed up with a homer that left the stadium entirely. After leading 3-0 through one, De La Trinidad took a HBP in the 2nd that scored another. Tulsa drew back even after the 2nd, but Jermaine Palacios added a two-run blast in the 4th before Caleb Hamilton went yard on a solo shot in the 5th. Hamilton then plated a pair in the 6th on a single and Andrew Bechtold ripped his 3rd homer of the year in the 7th. Cedar Rapids held a commanding 10-4 lead heading into the bottom half of the 7th inning. With two outs in the bottom of the 9th, Tulsa watched Carlos Rincon step in and blast a three-run shot to center that tied this one up. Calvin Faucher was tagged for five runs in the effort and Ryan Mason came on to force extras. While Mason was able to extend it to the 10th, Jeren Kendall got hit for a two-run homer that completed the comeback for the Drillers. Hamilton, Bechtold, and Morales all recorded two hits on the evening for Wichita. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 10, Beloit 7 Box Score Taking the ball to start this one, Jon Olsen lasted just one out into the fourth inning. He gave up four runs on five hits while walking three and fanning four. It was a tough go, but Cedar Rapids battled and was well positioned late. After trailing 1-0 to start this one, Trey Cabbage ripped a bases clearing single that put Cedar Rapids ahead 4-1 in the 3rd inning. Beloit knotted things up and took the lead in the 4th, while Griffin Conine used his 9th homer of the season extending things to 7-4 by the bottom of the 5th. From there the Kernels came answering back. Michael Helman went deep on a two-run shot in the 6th, before Trey Cabbage blasted his 5th dinger in the 7th to put Cedar Rapids back out ahead. Ryan Shreve recorded seven outs for Cedar Rapids in relief, and while allowing zero hits and a single walk, he punched out five. Alex Isola ripped his third homer of the season in the 9th and scored Gabe Snyder, to put the final tally at 10-7. Cabbage and Helman were the long Cedar Rapids hitters to grab two tallies in the hit column. Melvi Acosta picked up his third saved while recording five outs and punching out three. MUSSELS MATTERS Fort Myers 19, Jupiter 3 Box Score Sean Mooney was great tonight for Fort Myers, but with 19 runs, he certainly didn’t need to be. At any rate, he blanked Jupiter across four hitless innings allowing just a single walk. He struck out seven and exited with an ERA that now stands at 0.57. The offense came early and often in this one. Aaron Sabato started his big night with a first inning double that scored the game’s first run. Kyle Schmidt then reached on a fielder’s choice that plated two more with an error. Jeferson Morales made it hurt with his fourth homer extending the lead to 5-0. In the 5th, Schmidt singled plating recently signed Nick Anderson, and Edouard Julien kept up his hot hitting with a double that scored Sabato. In the 6th Anderson singled on a play that plated two, and Sabato drove in both Misael Urbina and Anderson on his own. Up 11-0 before Jupiter scored in the top of the 7th, Fort Myers had this one in the bag. Sabato capped off his impressive night with the third homer of his season, coming in the 8th inning. Morales doubled plating Yunior Severino and then Severino would drive in Sabato on a double of his own in the 9th. When the dust settled on the final inning the Mighty Mussels added another three and had scored in six of nine innings. Every Fort Myers batter recorded a hit in this one (save for Cavaco who walked prior to being lifted), and six batters had multi-hit efforts. It was every bit the rout you’d expect in a 19-run effort. Sabato had a three hit night and was joined by Edouard Julien (3), Severino (3), Morales (2), Justin Washington (4), and Ruben Santana (2) with multi-hit efforts. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – Sean Mooney (Fort Myers) 4.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 7 K Hitter of the Day – Aaron Sabato (Fort Myers) – 3-for-4, 4 R, 4 RBI, 2 BB, 2B, HR(3) PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed: #1 - Alex Kirilloff (Minnesota) –1-for-1 (left with ankle injury) #2 - Royce Lewis (Rehab) - Out for Season (torn ACL) #3 - Trevor Larnach (Minnesota) – 1-for-3, BB #4 - Ryan Jeffers (Minnesota) – Did not play #5 - Jhoan Duran (St. Paul) – Did not pitch #6 - Jordan Balazovic (Wichita) – Did not pitch #7 - Keoni Cavaco (Fort Myers) – 0-for-0, R, BB #8 - Aaron Sabato (Fort Myers) – 3-for-4, 4 R, 4 RBI, 2 BB, 2B, HR(3) #9 - Matt Canterino (Cedar Rapids) – Did not pitch #10 - Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) – Injured List (Tommy John surgery) #11 - Gilberto Celestino (Minnesota) – 1-for-4 #12 - Brent Rooker (St. Paul) – 1-for-4, R, RBI, BB, K, HR(8) #13 - Matt Wallner (Cedar Rapids) – Injured List (wrist sprain) #14 - Misael Urbina (Fort Myers) – 1-for-6, 2 R, BB, 3 K #15 - Cole Sands (Wichita) – Did not pitch #16 - Edwar Colina (Rehab) - 60-Day IL (elbow) #17 - Ben Rortvedt (Minnesota) – 0-for-2, K #18 - Alerick Soularie (Complex) – N/A #19 - Jose Miranda (Wichita) – 0-for-4, 2 R, BB, K #20 - Bailey Ober (Minnesota) – Did Not Pitch FRIDAY'S PROBABLE STARTERS Omaha @ St. Paul (7:05PM CST) – RHP Rob Whalen (0-1, 1.08 ERA) Wichita @ Tulsa (7:05PM CST) – RHP Chase Vallimont (0-2, 5.63 ERA) Cedar Rapids @ Beloit (6:35PM CST) – RHP Andrew Cabezas (2-1, 2.42 ERA) Fort Myers @ Jupiter (5:30PM CST) – RHP Miguel Rodriguez (1-0, 1.35 ERA) Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Thursday’s games! 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I'm really pulling for Varland as a CSP alum myself. He's older than most of the competition at FM though, so would like to see him jump a level soon.

I think, to a certain extent, that's why fielding percentage is outdated.

Starting for Wichita and Fort Myers today, Cole Sands and Louie Varland turned in a pair of dominant performances. Both clubs ended up on the short end of the stick, but day game baseball was highlighted by pitching performances. TRANSACTIONS OF Gilberto Celestino recalled from Saints by Twins RHP Erik Manoah Jr. signed by Twins and assigned to Fort Myers OF Anthony Prato placed on IL with left hamate fracture SAINTS SENTINEL Omaha 5, St. Paul 2 Box Score Kenta Maeda was the headliner tonight for St. Paul making a rehab start in his journey back to the Twins. He allowed just a single hit, one that left the yard, but punched out five while walking just one in four innings. Top pitching prospect Jhoan Duran came on in relief and went 4.1 innings on his own. He allowed three runs (two earned) on six hits and two walks. He did strike out six on the evening. Byron Buxton was intending to play the field in this one but did not make the start (due to the wet conditions that led to a delayed start time). The game was tied at two going into the 9th before a throwing error and triple gave Omaha a 5-2 lead. #OldFriend Anthony Swarzak struck out the side for Omaha in the bottom of the ninth inning. WIND SURGE WISDOM Tulsa 1, Wichita 0 Box Score Cole Sands took the mound to start this one and turned in a great performance. He worked into the sixth inning, recording one out, and blanked the Drillers allowing just one hit and three walks. He punched out eight on the day and lowered his ERA to 2.84. Jose Miranda kept hitting, and he was joined by Caleb Hamilton in picking up a multi-hit effort in this one. Nothing was strung together for the Wind Surge though, and they entered the bottom of the 9th locked in a 0-0 contest. After Jovani Moran worked 1.2 scoreless, Yennier Cano came in to record the final six outs. He came up one short though after a bases loaded single with two outs plated the game’s only run, and the game-winner for Tulsa. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 8, Beloit 2 Box Score Kody Funderburk toed the rubber in this one to start, and he nabbed his first win of 2021 for the Kernels. Turning in five innings of two-run baseball, the Cedar Rapids starter gave up just three hits and a walk while punching out 12. Cedar Rapids jumped out to a lead on the game’s first at bat. The hot hitting Spencer Steer ripped his first of two homers on the night. He’d finish 3-for-5 with two runs and four RBI. After Steers second homer, coming in the third, Cedar Rapids added three more in the fourth inning. Gabriel Maciel plated Michael Helman on a sac fly before Steer’s double scored Leobaldo Cabrera and Chris Williams. Providing additional distance, Alex Isola homered in the 7th, and Wander Javier continued his nice stretch with a solo shot in the 9th. Isola joined Steer as the only other hitter with a multi-hit effort, grabbing two on the evening. Jordan Gore was incredible in relief throwing three scoreless without a hit or walk and punching out eight. Zach Featherstone then worked a scoreless 9th to close this one out. MUSSELS MATTERS Jupiter 4, Fort Myers 3 Box Score In the middle of May Louie Varland put up a stinker for the Mighty Mussels. Since then, he’s been nails and was so again today. Throwing six innings of shutout work, the 2019 draft pick allowed just two hits and two walks while punching out 11. His ERA is down to 2.42 on the year, and the 23-year-old could soon be looking for a new challenge. Keoni Cavaco scored the game’s first run on a triple from Yunior Severino in the 4th inning. Cavaco had a great day for himself going 3-for-4 with a double at the dish. Jeferson Morales joined him as the only other Mighty Mussels batter to record a multi-hit game. Morales scored on Severino’s triple as well, and that gave Fort Myers the early lead. After tallying his third hit of the day, all singles, Morales came around to score on an error in the 9th. Steven Cruz had plunked a batter with the bases loaded earlier allowing Jupiter a run, but Morales got it back and pushed the lead back up to 3-1. Unfortunately, it was a tough outing for Mighty Mussels reliever Bradley Hanner. Taking over for Cruz to start the 9th, he walked the bases loaded before a single tied the game at three. Things got wonky with two outs. Hanner got a strikeout on a 2-2 count, but the wild pitch allowed Jupiter batter Aquimedes Cumana to reach first base anyways. Nasim Nunez then walked, Hanner’s 5th of the day, and Fort Myers lost on a walk off walk. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – Louie Varland (Ft. Myers) 6.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 11 K Hitter of the Day – Keoni Cavaco (Ft. Myers) 3-for-4, R, 2B PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed: #1 - Alex Kirilloff (Minnesota) – 2-for-4, R, 3B #2 - Royce Lewis (Rehab) - Out for Season (torn ACL) #3 - Trevor Larnach (Minnesota) – 1-for-4, 2 K #4 - Ryan Jeffers (Minnesota) – 0-for-4, 2 K #5 - Jhoan Duran (St. Paul) – Did not pitch #6 - Jordan Balazovic (Wichita) – Did not pitch #7 - Keoni Cavaco (Fort Myers) – 3-for-4, 2B, R #8 - Aaron Sabato (Fort Myers) – 0-for-4, 2 K #9 - Matt Canterino (Cedar Rapids) – Did not pitch #10 - Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) – Injured List (right elbow strain - to have Tommy John surgery) #11 - Gilberto Celestino (Minnesota) – 1-for-4, R (first MLB hit) #12 - Brent Rooker (St. Paul) – 1-for-4, K #13 - Matt Wallner (Cedar Rapids) – Injured List (wrist sprain) #14 - Misael Urbina (Fort Myers) – 0-for-3 #15 - Cole Sands (Wichita) – 5.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 8 K #16 - Edwar Colina (Rehab) - 60-Day IL (elbow) #17 - Ben Rortvedt (Minnesota) – Did Not Play #18 - Alerick Soularie (Complex) – N/A #19 - Jose Miranda (Wichita) – 2-for-3, BB, K #20 - Bailey Ober (Minnesota) – Did Not Pitch THURSDAY'S PROBABLE STARTERS Omaha @ St. Paul (7:05PM CST) – RHP Chandler Shepherd (1-1, 3.86 ERA) Wichita @ Tulsa (7:05PM CST) – RHP Jordan Balazovic (0-0, 0.00 ERA) Cedar Rapids @ Beloit (6:35PM CST) – RHP Jon Olsen (0-3, 3.86 ERA) Fort Myers @ Jupiter (5:30PM CST) – RHP Sean Mooney (0-1, 0.77 ERA) Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Wednesday’s games! 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A year ago, the Minnesota Twins were one of the top-10 defensive teams in all of baseball. Looking to take a step forward, that became a focus this offseason. The result has been nothing short of a disaster. In 2020 Minnesota finished the season with 17 DRS (defensive runs saved). That was good for 8th in Major League Baseball. Only 11 teams finished with a double-digit mark, and only the Pirates missed the Postseason among teams performing better than the Twins. Removing Eddie Rosario from left field and swapping Jorge Polanco to the right side of the diamond was supposed to push the needle upwards, but plans haven’t gone as expected. Originally the Twins targeted Marcus Semien for their shortstop vacancy. He ultimately chose to sign with the Toronto Blue Jays and is having a career year. They pivoted to Andrelton Simmons and that looked like a great decision given his defensive wizardry. It comes with the caveat that he’s virtually a negative asset in the lineup, but that has only compounded Minnesota’s problems, not acted as an ignitor for them. Simmons has drawn criticism of late due to some costly miscues. Overall, however, he’s been as billed. In terms of DRS, he ranks 6th among MLB shortstops, but his 10 OAA is 2nd best at the position. Polanco has never put up that production, and the tandem of him and Luis Arraez was substantially stretched. Simba is tracking towards something like 10 DRS in 2021, which wouldn’t touch his otherworldly numbers, but is on par with where he was at in 2019. The bigger problem for Minnesota is that their injuries have hit most often in the outfield. Regardless of Alex Kirilloff not being the Opening Day left fielder, defensively that was a position of weakness. While Rosario previously underwhelmed in the role, he was a more natural fit athletically. Kyle Garlick, Brent Rooker, and Kirilloff have all spent time in the corners, and none will ever grade out positively. Throw in extended absences from Byron Buxton and Max Kepler to find yourself with a doomsday scenario. Minnesota’s -10 DRS in the outfield is 28th in baseball, better than only the Mariners and Reds. Another area of issue is at the hot corner. Formerly a defensive stud at third, we’ve seen Josh Donaldson flash more than we’ve seen him be reliable. The consistency has been there from a playing time perspective, but he’s put up a -2 DRS and is on track for his worst season defensively. Sure, aging obviously factors into that reality, but this was a guy that posted a 10 DRS for the Braves in 2019. He’s failed to be positive by DRS standards for much of his career, but a career worst slide with a strong shortstop next to him probably wasn’t expected. The laundry list of issues for this Twins collection is by no means short in 2021. They haven’t hit and they haven’t pitched. When they’ve done one, they haven’t done the other. At all times though, they’ve been poor defensively, and constructed in a way in which was a point of emphasis, that’s been a tough pill to swallow. 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

I get to do a "I told you so"

May 3rd was the last game Alex Kirilloff played for the Minnesota Twins prior to hitting the injured list with a wrist issue. He’s now been back for 16 games, but it’s clear this isn’t the same player. Something of an inevitable outcome seems to be looming. Following his placement on the shelf, Minnesota sent Kirilloff to see a hand specialist and he was given a cortisone shot. He has been able to play through the injury without and notation of pain publicly. That said, it’s fair to take a look at the results and see that this simply isn’t the same player. When the Twins were scuffling through injuries and looking to crawl back towards contention in 2021, it made sense for them to push their top hitting prospect to be back on the field. These at bats are vital for his development, and as a player that will be relied upon heavily in 2022, big strides this year are monumental. At some point though, the sagging results become detrimental in terms of confidence and expected outcomes. Let’s look at the numbers. On May 3 Kirilloff was slashing .214/.227/.571 with a 56.7% hard hit rate and a 26.7% barrel rate. His average exit velocity on batted ball events was a strong 96.5 mph. Fast forward to today and he’s got 68 plate appearances since returning to the lineup. The slash line includes a better average and OBP at .254/.309, but the .302 slugging is the real problem. Kirilloff has just three extra-base hits, all doubles, and his hard hit rate has fallen to 26.1%. The barrel rate is way down to just 6.5% and his average exit velocity has dropped to 90.1 mph. As is the case with wrist injuries, and as we’ve heard Justin Morneau talk about on recent Twins broadcasts, there’s just no way to generate power without that hand strength. Nelson Cruz dealt with a tendon issue in 2019. It eventually ruptured and that outcome was a positive in terms of future ability. While Kirilloff’s situation is not the same, the current results lag because of the present condition. I am not a doctor and have no idea what the timetable for healing from surgery looks like. Maybe Minnesota is having him play because the offseason is going to give enough runway for a healthy 2022 regardless. At some point though, you have to question whether the outcomes aren’t providing a more damaging view of the current process. The Twins aren’t going anywhere in 2021, and it’s evident that this version of Alex Kirilloff isn’t the one that anyone involved wants to see either. Only the player knows what the actual pain threshold looks and feels like at this point, but you don’t need to dive to deep beyond the box score to see that this isn’t what anybody signed up for. For more from Off The Baggy, click here. Follow @tlschwerz

This is my point with almost everyone mentioned in this article. 2022 is not a rebuild unless the evaluation of Sano, Kepler, Polanco, and Buxton is all way off. Get guys ready the rest of the way so you aren't dealing with a Kirilloff type situation on Opening Day. Sure, they won't be guaranteed or consistent, but they'll be acclimated.

I think Nick Gordon is a pretty known commodity at this point. He doesn't have the arm to play anywhere but 2B, and his bat probably is average at best there. I'd still play him a ton this year, and maybe see if you can develop some outfield ability. He falls short of being a utility guy though with no SS/3B reliability, and having a pinch runner type isn't really a thing anymore.

To say that 2021 has not gone as expected for the Minnesota Twins would be putting it lightly. After winning back-to-back AL Central Division titles, this team wasn’t supposed to flop so hard. Now that they have, here’s how they should use the rest of the season. Unfortunately, a series loss against the Baltimore Orioles after the one-third mark of the season should be the proverbial nail in the coffin for this team. Injuries have piled up, and Rocco Baldelli has been tasked with finding enough beating hearts to compile lineups on a nightly basis. With that as the new reality, making sure that 2021 is used productively to set up 2022 now must be the goal. Both Alex Kirilloff and Trevor Larnach have debuted for the Twins. They represent the organization's two best pure hitting prospects, and neither should be sent back to the minors the rest of the way. Getting them regular reps is a must and making sure they’re comfortable to contribute out of the gate next year has to be the focus. Who should join them though? Jhoan Duran Pitching prospect number one, Duran got off to a late start this year dealing with a minor injury. He’s now taken a couple of turns at Triple-A St. Paul and looks every bit the dominant piece that the Twins have been waiting on. Maybe he’s not an ace, but he throws triple-digits and has strikeout stuff. Getting him something like 10 starts at the major-league level this season makes too much sense. Allocate the workload expected for Matt Shoemaker and J.A. Happ to other guys, this being the number one option. Matt Canterino Starting at High-A never made sense for Canterino. He’ll soon be 24 and is clearly advanced well beyond that level. He should be at Double-A already, and Triple-A by the end of the summer. I don’t know if Canterino necessarily needs big league starts, but there’s no reason for him not to throw major-league innings this year. He’s got dominant strikeout stuff and could be usable in both a starting and relief role. Expecting him to contribute in 2022 makes a lot of sense, so getting the jitters out now needs to happen. Jordan Balazovic This one is a bit trickier given the injury situation. He’ll begin at Double-A Wichita this weekend, but as the Twins top pitching prospect, the stuff could push him along quickly. Balazovic has as high of an upside as anyone in the system. If Derek Falvey is going to develop his own Jose Berrios or better, this is the kid. I’d like to see him get at least one or two starts for Minnesota before the year is over. Josh Winder Another arm in the vein of Canterino, Winder was given more of an aggressive starting point. Having dominated Double-A over his first five outings, it’s time for a step up. He should spend a couple of months with the Saints at Triple-A, and then a 40-man addition along with a big league promotion makes sense. A 7th round pick in 2018, Winder will be 25 by 2022 and could certainly be an arm that the Twins look at when filling out the rotation. Cole Sands A 5th round pick back in 2018, the former Florida State Seminole has done nothing but impress in pro ball. He’ll turn 24 next month and has started strong at Double-A Wichita. There’s been a bit less command in 2021 than previous seasons, but the strikeout stuff plays. Getting him to Triple-A by mid-summer with an end-of-year promotion to the big leagues seems like the right timetable. Another guy that could be called upon in the rotation for '22, there’s no reason not to get his feet wet. Jose Miranda Losing Travis Blankenhorn over a middling reliever wasn’t ideal, but it’s Miranda that likely made him dispensable. The 2nd round pick in 2016 was Rule 5 eligible this winter but went undrafted. He’s crushed Double-A to start the year and owns a .920 OPS. There’s not much reason to keep him down longer, and he could quickly emerge as the next utility option with a bit stronger bat. He’s not a shortstop, but he can play third base, and I wouldn’t be shocked if Minnesota pushes for some outfield flexibility. 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

Check out my article tonight. Still bet he's here for at least a few starts.

With you there. His usage has been all over the place. Though the velocity dip won't play as a starter, his stuff isn't good enough. If it doesn't rise as a reliever, then it's going to be problems all together. Sad really.

I tweeted last night that Barnes is going to pitch for the Twins. Wouldn't be shocked if it's mid-summer or sooner.

Have to wonder how the Saints have adjusted to that from a marketing standpoint.

The one I'm most disappointed about right now is Enlow. He got hurt during the year, it's an elbow, and he looked ready for a breakout.