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On Tuesday night (6:00 central time), Seth will be chatting with Twins minor league RHP Adam Bray on a new episode of Twins Spotlight. The discussion was live on the Twins Daily social media platforms, Twitter, Facebook or YouTube pages. Adam Bray grew up going to Twins games, watching Torii Hunter, Johan Santana and Joe Mauer. He went to Eden Prairie High School and won a state championship there, and also played on some great American Legion games too. In fact, they went to the national championship game two straight years and won the national title following his senior season. He went to Division I South Dakota State, and after four years there, he was the 33rd round pick of the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2015. He was traded to the Twins in spring training of 2018. That year, he pitched in Ft. Myers and then in the Arizona Fall League. In 2019, he split his season between AA Pensacola and AAA Rochester. We'll talk about all of that, but we'll also discuss his 2020 season, what he was able to do and what his offseason is bringing. He is just one step from reaching the big leagues with his hometown team. What would that mean? Join us to find out. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Please watch LIVE at 6pm (central time) tonight on the Twins Daily Twitter, Facebook or YouTube pages live. Also feel free to ask questions in the comments below or on those platforms during the show and we'll ask them. Subscribe to the Twins Daily podcast on Libsyn, Apple iTunes or anywhere you download podcasts. Here is the YouTube link where you can watch the show. More on Adam Bray: Spring Trade Brings Bray Back Home (July 2018) Follow Adam on Twitter at @Adam_Bray31. Follow Sawyer on Instagram at adam_bray31. Previous Episodes Click here to see more previous episodes of Twins Spotlight. Episode 7: Matt Wallner Episode 8: Brent Rooker Episode 9: Bailey Ober Episode 10: Talkin' Torii (with Jacque Jones, Royce Lewis, Niko Guardado) Episode 11: Top 60 Twins Players in 60 Seasons in Minnesota Episode 12: Charlie Mack Episode 13: Edwar Colina Episode 14: Tyler Wells Episode 15: Sawyer Gipson-Long Episode 16: Adam Bray View full article

One team sent their players to participate in all-star festivities and two games were suspended due to rain, leaving just one game played in full. How that game went and how the Miracle players performed in the Florida State League All-Star Game in this edition of the minor league report.RED WINGS REPORT Rochester suspended vs Charlotte The bats came out early in this game but it mattered not as the rain decided to come out as well and the game was suspended in the bottom of the third. The game will be continued tomorrow as the first game of a doubleheader. BLUE WAHOO BITES Pensacola 1, Tennessee 2 Box Score Jorge Alcala: 5 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 5 K, 66.3% strikes (53 of 80 pitches) HR: None Multi-hit games: Jaylin Davis (2-for-3, 2B, RBI, BB) The Blue Wahoos lost a close 2-1 game Saturday in the only game that was actually played in full in the Twins’ system. Jorge Alcala had a middling start but his strike rate indicates that he may have gotten unlucky in his walk and strikeout totals. Alcala was picked up by Adam Bray and Sam Clay who combined for 3 2/3 scoreless innings in relief with four combined strikeouts, two combined hits allowed, and no walks given up. The Blue Wahoos offense was largely stagnant all game as they could only put together six hits total and just a pair of extra-base hits. Jaylin Davis was the bright spot as he reached base three times and hit one of those aforementioned extra-base hits. MIRACLE MATTERS There was no Miracle game today because it was the all-star weekend for the Florida State League. The Miracle had four hitters in the starting lineup for the FSL South all-star squad along with two pitchers that entered the game. Lewin Diaz did not get a hit but started the scoring with a sacrifice fly in the first, Trevor Larnach went 1-for-2 with a single, Ryan Jeffers went 0-for-3, and Royce Lewis went 0-for-3. Johan Quezada and Alex Phillips combined for three scoreless innings to end the game and Phillips received the save. Here’s the box score if you care to read it. But that was not all as Ryan Jeffers participated in the home run derby before the game and made it to the finals but unfortunately did not win. Here is some footage of Jeffers hitting dingers, hopefully any fans in left field had some helmets: KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids suspended vs Clinton The Kernels started their game against the Clinton Lumberkings but Mother Nature had other plans and the rain started to fall after only a full inning was played. The game will be continued tomorrow as the first part of a doubleheader. TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Adam Bray, Pensacola Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Jaylin Davis, Pensacola PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed: #1 - Royce Lewis (Ft. Myers) - No game #2 - Alex Kirilloff (Pensacola) - Injured list #3 - Brusdar Graterol (Pensacola) - Injured list #4 - Trevor Larnach (Ft. Myers) - No game #5 - Wander Javier (Cedar Rapids) - Suspended game #6 - Brent Rooker (Rochester) - Suspended game #7 - Jhoan Duran (Ft. Myers) - No game #8 - Lewis Thorpe (Rochester) - Suspended game #9 - Blayne Enlow (Ft. Myers) - No game #10 - Akil Baddoo (Ft. Myers) - Tommy John surgery, out for year #11 - Nick Gordon (Rochester) - Suspended game #12 - Stephen Gonsalves (Rochester) - Injured list #13 - Ryan Jeffers (Ft. Myers) - No game #14 - Ben Rortvedt (Pensacola) - 1-for-4, K #15 - Yunior Severino (Cedar Rapids) - Injured list #16 - Gilberto Celestino (Cedar Rapids) - Suspended game #17 - Zack Littell (Rochester) - With the Twins-did not pitch #18 - LaMonte Wade (Rochester) - Suspended game #19 - Jorge Alcala (Pensacola) - 5 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 5 K #20 - Jose Miranda (Ft. Myers) - No game SUNDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Charlotte @ Rochester Game 1: (11:05 A.M.) - Continuation of suspended game. Tennessee @ Pensacola (1:05 P.M.) - RHP Andro Cutura Clinton @ Cedar Rapids Game 1: (2:05 P.M.) TBD Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss Saturday’s games. Click here to view the article

Minnesota Twins prospects finished their AFL regular season with the Salt River Rafters in the best way they could, by helping their team win the East Division and a spot in the circuit’s championship game.(This report includes the games played through 11/18 and the end of the AFL season) The Rafters went just 1-3 in their final four games, but that was enough thanks to their prior efforts. The Twins hitters had a solid week as they combined for a .374/.412/.438 slash line, and one continued his encouraging upward trend to finish his season strong. The pitchers didn’t fare quite as well, as they combined for a 6.00 ERA and 2.00 WHIP in nine innings pitched. To find out how all the Twins prospects finished their AFL campaigns and how the championship game went for the Rafters, keep reading! (links provided to each player’s overall AFL stats by clicking their name) Griffin Jax: 1 start, 4.0 IP, 6 H, 3 BB, 2 ER, 2 K; 3.86 ERA, 1.52 WHIP (overall). Jax put an end to his AFL season by starting Thursday’s 4-2 loss against the Glendale Desert Dogs after the Rafters had already punched their ticket to the championship game. After Salt River scored two in the top of the first, he gave those runs back with a rough inning of his own. The leadoff man singled and came around to score on a triple before another single tied the game. After another single and a mound visit he got a grounder to keep the game knotted after one. From there he was able to work around any baserunners, holding Glendale scoreless for the rest of his outing. He allowed a single and a walk in the second but got a double play ball to quash it. In the third he navigated around a one-out single with another ground ball and a K. In his final frame he walked a batter, but he was then cut-down trying to steal second base, so he faced just three hitters. On the game he threw 72 pitches, with 43 going for strikes. I’d say it was a mixed bag for Jax in the AFL as he walked a lot of batters and his WHIP wasn’t great for a starting pitcher, but he also didn’t give up a lot of earned runs. His 21 innings pitched ranked fourth on the team and his 3.86 ERA ranked third among the six pitchers who made starts for Salt River. I wouldn’t say his performance upped his stock any, but he’s pitched so little as a professional to this point there’s still plenty to work on and improve. Travis Blankenhorn: 2 games, 4-for-8, 2 R, BB, 3 K; .224/.352/.241 (overall). The (super?) utility man got in two of his teams four games on the week, again playing the outfield in Tuesday’s loss to the Scottsdale Scorpions, and was back at second base in their division clinching win against Glendale on Wednesday. Batting ninth and playing in left against the Scorpions, Blankenhorn helped start a two-out rally for the Rafters in the seventh inning with the game still tied at zero. His single put a runner into scoring position for the top of their order, and his teammate brought them both in with a triple for 2-0 lead. It went downhill from there for Salt River and one of Blankenhorn’s organizational teammates as they ended up losing 4-2 and postponing their division title hopes for another day. He finished 1-for-4 while striking out three times. They were able to take care of the division on Wednesday, with Blankenhorn taking the leadoff spot in the lineup. He led off the bottom of the first for the Rafters with a bunt single, drew a walk in the third, singled in the fifth, reached on an error in the seventh, and singled in the eighth to be a model of that spot in the batting order. He scored the go-ahead run in the seventh inning and his team held on to punch their ticket to the AFL Championship with a 4-3 win. The most noteworthy aspect of Blankenhorn’s time in the AFL, for me, was the time he spent playing in the outfield on Tommy Watkin’s squad. I’d expect he gets some more run there during the 2019 minor league season, and due to his overall athleticism, he could turn into a nice super-utility type in the future if the Twins pursue that any further. You would like to see a slugging percentage that outpaces an on-base percentage by .100 points instead of the other way around in AFL play, but the uptick in walks and relative lack of strikeouts was a good sign. The overall slash numbers weren’t there by any stretch, but he also had some big games in other ways that don’t necessarily stand out statistically. Hector Lujan: 2 appearances, 2.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R (0 earned), BB, 2 K; 5.59 ERA, 1.86 WHIP (overall). The righthander made his first appearance of the week in Monday’s 5-4 loss to Peoria, and unfortunately he contributed to the negative effort, but it wasn’t all his fault. After the Javelina’s had tied it at three in the bottom of the ninth (foreshadowing the championship game), Lujan was summoned for the bottom of the tenth with Salt River now up by one. The runner starting the frame on second base moved to third on a fly ball for the first out then scampered home after a wild pitch to tie the game once again. After a single and a strikeout, the final batter of the game send a line drive into center field and it was misplayed, allowing that runner to score all the way from first. Despite no earned runs allowed, Lujan was saddled with a blown save and a loss. In his second appearance of the week, Lujan was the first pitcher summoned in relief of Griffin Jax in Thursday’s loss to Glendale. Out for the start of the fifth, Lujan delivered a one-two-three inning, punctuating the effort with a strikeout for the third out. Back out for the sixth he got a ground out but followed it up with a walk and resulting in an end to his AFL season. Lujan could definitely take his time in the AFL as a learning experience as he faced stiffer competition than he ever had to this point in his minor league career. He was put into a tough spot in some games and things just didn’t go his way. He’s been very good in Cedar Rapids and Fort Myers the past two seasons, and he’ll see if he can continue that trend in Double A next year. Jaylin Davis: 2 games, 2-for-8, R, 2B (2), RBI, K; .279/.323/.311 (overall). To close out his AFL season, Davis also appeared in two games on the week and continued a positive second half of the schedule. In Monday’s loss to Peoria he batted seventh in the lineup and finished 1-for-4. His one-out double in the seventh led to him scoring the go-ahead run before the Javelina’s tied it in the ninth and win it in the tenth. It was his second double in the league. In their win on Wednesday against Glendale Davis again finished 1-for-4 while slotted sixth in the batting order. He was responsible for getting the Rafters on the scoreboard in the fourth inning, when his single drove in a runner to tie the game at one. Salt River made it interesting again in the bottom of the ninth, but the defense cut a tying runner down at home before finishing off the Desert Dogs and clinching their division. It was a tale of two halves for Davis in the AFL, as in the first three weeks of the season he combined to go 7-for-32 (.219) with one walk compared to an alarming fifteen strikeouts in eight games. But he then finished the final three weeks by going 10-for-29 (.345) with two doubles and two walks while only striking out six times in seven games. Like Blankenhorn, his OBP outpaced his slugging percentage and the overall numbers aren’t necessarily apparent, but the adjustments made by him were. Devin Smeltzer: 1 appearance, 0.1 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, BB; 5.87 ERA, 2.35 WHIP (overall). Smeltzer got just one appearance in the season’s final week and it’s probably one he’d like to forget before starting his offseason routine. It came in Monday’s extra-inning loss to the Javelina’s where he was the first man out of the bullpen after the Rafter’s starter went the first five innings. Salt River had a 2-0 lead at the time, and Smeltzer was greeted by a bunt that went for a single on his first pitch and maybe threw him off a little bit. He followed that by issuing a walk before a double tied the game at two. A single to the next batter brought an end to his outing in which he was charged with a blown save. Like his fellow reliever Lujan, Smeltzer can reflect on his time in the AFL as a great learning experience as he continues a transition into relief pitching. He got knocked around a little bit with a WHIP of 2.35 in only 7.2 innings but should have a good idea on what he can and can’t do against the more advanced hitters he might continue to face at Double A in 2019. Adam Bray: 2 appearances, 2.2 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 3 K; 2.63 ERA, 1.10 WHIP (overall). The reliever’s first appearance of the week came in Tuesday’s loss to Scottsdale, and it was of the multiple inning variety. With the game tied at zero in the fifth inning, he was summoned from the bullpen with two outs and a runner in scoring position. He got his man to end the threat and back out for the sixth he delivered a one-two-three inning including a pair of strikeouts. With his pitch count still low he again came out for the seventh and got the first man out (five in a row) before a couple of singles brought on another pitching change. That pitcher gave up a double to score both of the runners Bray was responsible for, so his line looks a little worse than it was. In total he went 1 2/3, allowing two runs on two hits while striking out two. In Thursday’s loss to the Desert Dogs Bray finished the game for the Rafters, again coming in from the bullpen in the middle of the inning. This time it was after Glendale had already scored two runs on a triple to take a 4-2 lead. With no outs and a runner on third, Bray got a ground out, strikeout, and a tapper back to him on the mound to keep the score as it was and finish his AFL season with a clean outing. Bray was the best performing of the Twins relievers sent to Arizona by far and one of the better one’s on the Rafters staff. His 13 2/3 innings pitched ranked second among his bullpen peers and his 2.63 ERA third. He went 1-0 in his 10 appearance and was also one of three relievers on the team to pick up a save. I’d expect the Minnesota native to get a crack at Double A to start next season. AFL Championship Game: With the Salt River Rafters crowned the East Division winners of the AFL, they faced off against the West winning Peoria Javelina’s in the title game on Saturday. Unfortunately, none of the Twins prospects appeared in the game, and hopefully that’s only because Tommy Watkins didn’t want to seem like he was playing favorites… (I kid) Maybe he should have though, as his team couldn’t quite close it out. The Rafters took an early 2-0 lead thanks to a pair of RBI singles while their starter, Jordan Yamamoto of the Miami Marlins, kept Peoria at bay for four innings. The first run came courtesy of Miami Marlins’ prospect Monte Harrison in the second, and they took a 2-0 lead in the fourth thanks to the Washington Nationals’ Daniel Johnson. Salt River took that 2-0 lead all the way into the bottom of the ninth inning, then things turned the other way for Peoria. A leadoff walk, double, and a wild pitch brought in the first run of the game for the Javelinas and with nobody out they had the tying run on third base before an RBI single brought the game into extra innings. It was the bottom of the tenth when Peoria walked it off in dramatic fashion. With one out, Atlanta Braves prospect Braxton Davidson stepped into the batter’s box, and did this: Along with an epic bat flip, Davidson also injured himself rounding the bases so instead of being able to celebrate with this teammates on the field and in the clubhouse, he was carted off to the hospital. Originally feared to be a broken foot, it luckily appears that is not the case. Congrats to the Peoria Javelina’s, and thank you for following the Twins prospects in the AFL with me! Please feel free to ask questions about the AFL and the players who were there! Click here to view the article

What a difference a week can make in the small sample size of the Arizona Fall League as the Salt River Rafters followed up their string of blowouts in week 4 with a bunch of close one-run games in week five. They finished the week with a record of 2-3, but remained on top of the East Division standings heading into a final push for a Championship Game appearance.(This report includes the games played through 11/11) The standout of the week was a pitcher hailing from the Air Force Academy, who may have earned an “Ace” moniker for his start on Friday if striking out opposing hitters in a baseball game was treated the same as downing enemy fighter jets in dogfights. The Minnesota Twins pitching prospects in the AFL combined for a 3.96 ERA and 1.65 WHIP on the week while allowing four earned runs on eight hits and seven walks allowed and striking out twelve. Their two hitters finished just 3-for-18, slashing .167/.286/.222 with two RBI, but reversing a trend by walking more times (3) than they struck out (2) on the week. Keep reading to discover how each of the Twins prospects performed in the penultimate week of the AFL season! (links provided to each player’s overall AFL stats by clicking their name) Griffin Jax: 1 start, 5.0 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 1 ER, 5 K; 3.71 ERA, 1.35 WHIP (overall). Jax got the starting nod for his team on Friday as they faced off against the Mesa Solar Sox on the road and it was all about how he finished this one, putting together his longest and most impressive start of the AFL season. Mesa got their first at-bat against Jax started with a single from Detroit Tigers top prospect Daz Cameron who promptly stole second base to put himself in scoring position. A double a few batters later brought him in to tie the game at one, but that would be all the Solar Sox would muster against Jax on the game. He retired the next seven hitters in a row and 14 of the final 17 in his game after giving up that double, going hitless along the way with only two walks and a hit-by-pitch allowed. On the game he finished five innings, exiting the game with Salt River up 2-1. He threw 78 pitches in the outing with 44 going for strikes. 12 of those were of the swinging variety and he struck out five on the game, including Cameron twice and as his final out of the day to get some revenge. Unfortunately, Salt River went on to lose this one 5-4 after his solid outing. The next night during the AFL’s Military Appreciation Game, Jax was interviewed about what has gone on in his minor league career as he was an active duty member of the Air Force after he was drafted. Listening to the full interview (7 ½ minutes long) is worth it! Travis Blankenhorn: 3 games, 0-for-11, 2 BB, K, SB; .196/.317/.236 (overall). The infielder played in three games on the week with his first two starts coming at second base, and his final one coming in the outfield. In Tuesday’s 3-2 win over the Scottsdale Scorpions Blankenhorn batted seventh in the lineup and finished 0-for-3. In the seventh inning with the score tied at two he drew a one-out walk and got into scoring position by stealing his third base of the year. He got as far as third base, but his teammates weren’t able to bring him all the way home to take the lead. In the eighth inning he helped do so in a different way, by being in the batter’s box when a wild pitch brought in the go-ahead run. The next day in an 8-7 loss to Peoria, Blankenhorn was slotted fifth in Tommy Watkin’s lineup, but it was just one of those days. He finished 0-for-5 with four of those outs coming on ground balls and was the only Rafters starter not to pick up a hit on the game. To end his week on Saturday he batted sixth and found himself playing left field for the second time in the AFL in a 7-2 loss to Mesa. He finished this one 0-for-3 with a strikeout but did draw a walk in the sixth inning when Salt River finally got on the scoreboard (he reached third base). The notable thing in this one, was Blankenhorn flashing some leather out in left: Along with any further experience in the outfield, he’ll look to get back to his hitting ways in the season’s final week! Hector Lujan: 2 appearances, 2.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R (1 earned), 2 BB, 3 K; 7.04 ERA, 1.96 WHIP (overall). Lujan’s first appearance of week five came in Monday’s 4-3 extra-inning victory against the Surprise Saguaros. He got the extra-inning and made it a little interesting, loading the bases with nobody out after a couple of walks, but buckled down and got the next three hitters without allowing a run to put his team in position to walk it off. When they did in the bottom half of the tenth, Lujan was credited with his first AFL win (1-0). His fastest pitch of the outing registered at 95.5 MPH per the Gameday gun. He wouldn’t pitch again until Friday when he and Adam Bray backed up Jax’s start against the Solar Sox. He came on for the bottom of the seventh with the score now tied at two, and he left with his team down by a pair. A leadoff double was followed by a single before he picked up a strikeout (Cameron’s third of the game), but a wild pitch play that also included a throwing error on Lujan allowed both runners to score. Perhaps a little ticked off, he got back to business and struck out the next two hitters to end his game. In total he was charged with two runs (one earned) along with picking up three K’s. Jaylin Davis: 2 games, 3-for-7, R, 2B (1), 2 RBI, BB, K; .283/.321/.302 (overall). The outfielder played in two games on the week, manning right field in Monday’s win versus Surprise and Wednesday’s loss against Peoria. In their extra-inning affair with the Saguaros, Davis picked up a sharp groundout in the bottom of the second to get the Rafters on the scoreboard and added another RBI with his first AFL double in the fourth when they were able to tie the game at three. He added a single to lead off the seventh to finish the game 2-for-4. On Wednesday Salt River scored first and led 7-5 going into the eighth inning with Davis doing his part, but the bullpen couldn’t hold the lead in the loss. Davis led off the fourth with a single and scored on a double from the next hitter that made it 5-4 Javelinas and followed that up by reaching base on a throwing error by the shortstop that allowed a run to score and gave the Rafters the lead in the fifth. In his final at-bat in the seventh he drew a two-out walk before Peoria took the game in the final two innings. Devin Smeltzer: 1 appearance, 0.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R (1 earned) 2 BB; 3.80 ERA, 1.97 WHIP (overall). After appearing in the Fall Stars Game last week, Smeltzer got in only one appearance, with it coming in Wednesday’s loss to Peoria. It was a bummer for him as well, as he contributed to his team losing their late two-run lead. Out front 7-5 going into the eighth, Smeltzer came on and promptly allowed a home run to the leadoff man. That was followed by a single, a sacrifice bunt, and two walks to load the bases before he was pulled. The Javelina’s went on to tie the game on an error a few batters later and ultimately took the lead in the ninth. Adam Bray: 2 appearances, 2.0 IP, 2 H, BB, 4 K; 1.64 ERA, 1.18 WHIP (overall). The Minnesota native got in on two games on the week, partnering with Lujan out of the bullpen on both Monday and Friday. In the win against Surprise he was the first reliever summoned to start the sixth with the game tied at three and made quick work of the Saguaros hitters. He retired them one-two-three, punctuating his outing with a strikeout on a full count fastball up in the zone. On Friday Bray relieved Jax for the sixth inning with the score 2-1 Rafters but left his starter with a no-decision after the first batter he faced doubled into center field and came around to score on a single a few batters later. He would be charged with his second blown save in the AFL but on the positive side, he recorded all three of his outs via strikeout and 19 of his 28 pitches went for strikes. Other AFL and Minor League Links: - Baseball America released their Top 10 Twins Prospect list for 2019 on Monday with former Pioneer Press beat writer Mike Berardino again taking the reins and chatting about it yesterday. His full article is behind their paywall, but you can also see how he ranked them and join the discussion about it here on Twins Daily. - Also included in Berardino’s chat, was an update on the status of outfielder Luke Raley. He left the game in the sixth inning way back on October 15th, and we now know that was due to a strained throwing shoulder (his left). - Another of the Twins M.I.A. prospects also had quite a big week, but it obviously wasn’t on a baseball field. Brent Rooker got married to his longtime girlfriend on Saturday, so as someone who just recently got engaged himself, congratulations to the happy couple! https://www.instagra.../p/Bp5tAFuBu1-/ - Along with their Top 10 list, Baseball America has also been unveiling their Top 20 prospects in each league of the minors. Again, you’ll run into paywall blockades if you attempt to go further into each specific list but Royce Lewis is highlighted as the number one guy in each of the Midwest and Florida State League entries, and I’d imagine Alex Kirilloff isn’t far behind. Ryan Pressly trade acquisition Gilberto Celestino also tops the list for the New York-Penn League. Please feel free to ask questions about the AFL and the players who are there! Click here to view the article

Week 3 of the Arizona Fall League season saw the Salt River Rafters climb into first place in the East Division as they went 4-2 in their six games. Travis Blankenhorn filled the runs scored category on the stat sheet in four games, including a game in which he crossed home plate for over half his teams total on the scoreboard. Griffin Jax put in a fine starting effort in another game his team ended up losing, and a reliever picked up his first save in the AFL.(This report includes the games played through 10/28) The Minnesota Twins’ group pitching prospects put up a combined 3.60 ERA and 1.20 WHIP on the week in 10 innings pitched, while the two remaining hitting prospects combined to go just 5-for-24 with 10 strikeouts, but all the players had their moments on the week. Keep reading to find out just how much Blankenhorn had to run, and how all the other Twins prospects fared in Week 3 of the AFL season! (links provided to each player’s overall AFL stats by clicking their name) Brent Rooker: Will not play in AFL (ankle injury). As updated in last week’s AFL report, Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com had an update on Rooker’s status as part of an interview with Travis Blankenhorn and updates on all the Twins prospects participating in the AFL. They’ve decided to shut him down due to his ankle injury rather send him out to Arizona for an abbreviated stay. Guess that means we will just have to wait until Spring Training to see him back in action! Griffin Jax: 1 start, 4.0 IP, 3 H, BB, 1 ER, 3 K; 3.38 ERA, 1.38 WHIP (overall). In their 6-5 loss to the Scottsdale on Thursday, Jax got the starting nod and did his part with four strong innings. He allowed one earned run on three hits and a walk while striking out three in the outing. He sent the Scorpions down in order in the third and his run allowed came with two outs in the second inning after his only walk was followed by a triple. The leadoff man for Scottsdale also started the game with a single, but Jax picked him off at first base later in the frame. He threw 53 pitches (31 for strikes), including six swinging strikes and recorded four groundouts compared to two flyouts on the game. When he was done the Rafters held a 4-1 lead, but their bullpen would implode in the seventh inning, allowing the Scorpions to score five runs and take the lead for good. Luke Raley: Did not play, removed from roster; .214/.333/.357 (overall). In the same article from Jonathan Mayo above, news first came out that Luke Raley had been removed from the Rafters roster. He was removed to start the bottom of the sixth inning in Salt River’s 13-4 loss against Peoria on 10/15, and that appears it will be it for the outfielder in the AFL. If I’m able to find any updates on the reason why he was removed (I’d assume an injury of some sort at this point), I’ll be sure to update you all! Hector Lujan: 2 appearances, 1 Hold, 2.0 IP, 3 H, 0 BB, 2 ER, 2 K; 9.64 ERA, 2.14 WHIP (overall). Lujan and the rest of the Minnesota Twins reliever prospects made their first appearances of the week in Tuesday’s 7-5 win at home against the Surprise Saguaros. Lujan would come on for the eighth inning with the score 7-3 in favor of Salt River, but a single, ground-rule double, and an RBI groundout put closed that gap to three before he escaped further damage. Of his just 10 pitches in the inning, eight went for strikes as Saguaros hitters were aggressive, including top prospect Vladimir Guerrero Jr. who swung at the first pitch he saw and flew out to center field. Lujan topped out at 95.8 MPH on the Surprise gun in this one (it seems to be random which game of the day will log pitch speeds in the Gameday logs). His second appearance of the week came in Friday’s 9-2 win over Peoria and he was the first reliever summoned in this one with Salt River out front 3-1 through five innings. He was credited with a hold as he kept his team in front but did allow the second of the Javelina’s runs on the day. It came courtesy of a solo home run on his first pitch of the inning, but he responded well by retiring the next three hitters, including two strikeouts. Of his twelve pitches in this one, eight went for strikes including four swinging. Travis Blankenhorn: 4 games, 3-for-12, 6 R, 2B, RBI, 3 BB, 3 K, SB; .188/.316/.250 (overall). The infielder was very active again this week, as he appeared in four of his teams six games, starting it off with a bang on Tuesday against Surprise. Blankenhorn scored four of his team’s seven runs in the victory batting second in the lineup and playing second base. He had two hits in three at-bats along with drawing two walks that led to all that running. He scored all the way from first base on triples from Rockies prospect Tyler Nevin in both the first and fourth innings. In between he led off the third with a walk, stole second base, and then scored on a single. In the sixth he led off the inning with a single and would score two batters later. His two hits on the day also gave him a four-game hitting streak. His second game of the week was notable for other reasons than his hitting line, as he would finish 0-for-4 with two strikeouts in the Rafters loss to Scottsdale on Thursday. It was noteworthy because he played the entire game in left field. This outfield exposure in the AFL comes after he logged 36 innings there for Fort Myers this past season. It will be interesting to see if his movement outside the infield diamond continues this fall and into next season. In Friday’s 9-2 win over Peoria Blankenhorn would again cross home plate multiple times despite a 0-for-3 game at the plate. Batting eight and back to playing second base, he led off the seventh by drawing a walk and would later score on a single. Then in the eighth he hit a grounder that was turned into a force out at second before a single brought him and another runner in for the Rafter’s final tally of nine runs. He would end his week by entering Saturday’s 11-5 loss to Peoria as a defensive replacement in the middle of the sixth inning. He would get a couple of at-bats in and made the most of his first one by delivering an RBI double into left field that gave Salt River the last of their five runs on the day. He reached first on another fielder’s choice in the eighth to finish 1-for-2. Devin Smeltzer: 2 appearances, 2.0 IP, 3 H, 0 BB, 2 K; 1.50 ERA, 1.33 WHIP (overall). Smeltzer was the first of the Twins three relievers to appear in Tuesday win over the Saguaros, coming in for the seventh inning with the score 7-2 in favor of the Rafters. He struck out the first hitter he faced and got a ground ball for the first two outs, but consecutive doubles would score a run before his catcher caught the runner attempting to steal third for the final out. In his inning of work, he threw 18 total pitches with 12 going for strikes. He worked around 90 MPH with his fastball in this one. In Friday’s win against the Javelina’s, Smeltzer was the next man up after Lujan and pitched the seventh inning with the game now well in hand 7-2. He again struck out the first batter of the inning before allowing a single to the next batter. But he quickly erased the possibility of further threat by inducing a double-play ball to end the inning and his appearance after just 11 pitches (8 for strikes, 1 swinging). Jaylin Davis: 3 games, 2-for-12, R, BB, 7 K; .219/.242/.219 (overall). Davis had another quiet week, picking up two singles and a walk in his three games, but those also came with seven strikeouts including a golden sombrero effort in one of them. He was the only Twins prospect to appear in Monday’s 8-5 win versus the Saguaros, playing left field and batting eighth in the lineup. He would lead off the eighth inning with a single to finish 1-for-4 on the day, before being erased on a double-play to the next hitter. In the first inning of this one, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit a ball to Davis in left, and regretted trying to stretch it into a double on him: Playing right field and batting sixth in Wednesday’s 10-9 win over the Scorpions, Davis finished 1-for-3 and scored a run in the sixth inning after drawing a walk that made it 7-5 Rafters. He struck out twice in this one. Friday’s effort as the DH batting fifth in the lineup is one he’d like to put behind him as quickly as possible even though his team was victorious in blowout fashion. In five trips to the plate he went down on strikes four times, including three swinging. Over the past two weeks Davis has struck out in 12 of his 23 at-bats so I’m sure he’ll be trying to cut those down and close out his AFL season on a positive note. Adam Bray: 2 appearances, 1 Save, 2.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R (0 earned), 2 K; 1.29 ERA, 1.00 WHIP (overall). Bray was the final of the three Twins relievers to appear in Tuesday’s win over the Saguaros and tasked with closing out a three-run lead in the ninth inning. The leadoff man singled to start a rally, but a pop-out and a K got him one out away from picking up his first save in the AFL. Before he was able to coax a groundout to finish that off, a throwing error on a steal attempt and wild pitch resulted in an unearned run, but it was a Save all the same. Of his 14 pitches in this one, 10 went for strikes (2 swinging) and he sat around 90 MPH with his fastball on the day with his strikeout coming on a curveball toward the dirt. In Friday’s drumming of the Javelinas, Smeltzer again was summoned to finish the game, but no save would be in line as his team led by seven runs. He struck out the first hitter of the inning before giving up a single, but that would be it for his opponent as he quickly retired the next two hitters. Other AFL and Minor League Links: - The AFL’s Fall Stars Game rosters were announced on Monday, and the Twins Devin Smeltzer will be their lone representative on the East squad. It’s not really an “all-star” game in the sense of the league’s performers, but it’s always fun to see the level of prospect talent represented. Top hitting prospect Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and top pitching prospect Forrest Whitley highlight each roster and the game on Saturday in Surprise will include 13 of MLB.com’s Top 100 prospects. - MiLB.com’s fun “MiLBY Awards” are being handed out this week, and the Twins own Alex Kirilloff took home the honor as the staff pick for 2018’s Breakout Prospect. There’s a lot of good information in that link so definitely take a look, but the spray chart that reminds me of a Rorschach inkblot test is the best part in my opinion (behold the symmetry!). Please feel free to ask questions about the AFL and the players who are there! Click here to view the article

The Salt Rivers Rafters finished week two of the Arizona Fall League season with a 3-3 record, including going 2-1 in games decided by just one run. Their lone starting pitching representative made his first start of the AFL season, each reliever saw action in two games, and an infielder got his bat going. But along with Brent Rooker, another outfielder has ended up missing in action.As a staff the Twins pitchers combined for a 1.80 ERA and 1.10 WHIP in 10 total innings pitched, while the hitters managed only a .153/.214/.192 slash line with three RBI, two walks, and eight K’s on the week. To find out everything that happened in week two of the AFL season for the Twins prospects, keep reading! (links provided to each player’s overall AFL stats by clicking their name) Brent Rooker: Did not play (ankle injury). I haven’t heard any updates on Rooker’s status since the injury news broke before opening day last week, so we’ll still have to wait and see if he gets healthy enough to play some games in Arizona. Griffin Jax: 1 start, Loss, 3.0 IP, 3 H, BB, 1 ER, K; 4.50 ERA, 1.75 WHIP (overall). After making a single relief appearance in week one, Jax got a starting opportunity on Friday of week two. He did well as far as the box score goes, but nonetheless was charged with the loss as he allowed the only run of the game in Salt River’s 1-0 loss to Glendale. He went one-two-three in the first inning, but the Desert Dogs got a two-out double to score a runner from first for the 1-0 lead in the second, and that would be enough as the Rafters were only able to muster five singles as a team. Back out for the third inning Jax allowed a single, but then finished his day with a double play ball. In the outing 26 of his 44 pitches went for strikes including three swinging, and he walked one and struck out one. Luke Raley: 1 game, 0-for-2, R, BB, K; .214/.333/.357 (overall). Raley began the week for Salt River on the right foot by leading off their game on Monday with a walk and scoring the game’s first run, but from there it went sideways for him and his team in a 13-4 loss to Peoria. After reaching first base, two wild pitches put him on third and a sacrifice fly brought him in for a 1-0 lead. The Rafters would stretch that to 4-0 heading into the bottom of the fifth, but it was all Javelina’s from there. Raley got two more at-bats including a strikeout and a ground out before he would be removed the game heading into the bottom of the sixth inning. There has been no status update I’ve been able to find, but since then Raley has not appeared in any more games. Whatever ails him, hopefully he is back in the Rafter’s lineup soon! Hector Lujan: 2 appearances, 2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 BB, 0 ER, K; 10.13 ERA, 2.63 WHIP (overall). Lujan bounced back well from his first appearance in the AFL last week, delivering scoreless outings in both of his appearances during week two. The first of those came in Tuesday’s 2-1 win over the Mesa Solar Sox. He pitched the bottom of the seventh inning with the game tied at one, setting down the opposition in order. Of his 12 pitches, nine went for strikes and he struck out the final batter he faced. His second outing of the week came on Friday against Glendale, and he pitched a scoreless sixth inning to keep his team within one run. He did allow singles to the first two hitters he faced but got a lineout and a double-play ball to erase the threat. He also threw just eight pitches to the four batters he faced, with seven of them going for strikes. Of interesting note for me, is the Twins relief pitchers each appeared in the same games on the week with Adam Bray going before Lujan, and Devin Smeltzer after, each time. Travis Blankenhorn: 4 games, 3-for-13, 2B, 2 RBI, BB, 2 K; .150/.261/.200 (overall). The infielder was a busy man in week two as he appeared in four of Salt River’s six games on the week, including three in a row from Thursday through Saturday. In Tuesday’s game against Mesa, Blankenhorn played second base and hit in the seventh spot in the order. He finished 0-for-3 with a walk and stole a base, but was still looking for his first hit of the fall after their win. He did get close, as his final at-bat of the day was a deep fly ball to center field that got run down, but also advanced runners to second and third. He would finally get that hit on Thursday in his first at-bat against Glendale in their 2-1 extra-inning win, a single up the middle with one out in the third inning. He’d go 0-for-2 including a strikeout in his other at-bats, but he got things moving in the right direction on this day. He was also the man in the batters box when the Desert Dogs pitcher balked in the winning run. The entire Rafter lineup was pitiful on Friday, but Blankenhorn did collect one of their five singles on the day in the 1-0 loss. He also stole his second base of the AFL season to put himself as one of the only runners to get in to scoring position on the game. Blankenhorn would make it a hitting streak on Saturday batting out of the leadoff spot, and nearly was able to tie the game for his team in the bottom of the ninth. With the score 6-3 in Peoria’s favor and a couple ducks on the pond with nobody out, he lined a double into left field to score them both and make it 6-5. In scoring position representing the tying run, he unfortunately was left stranded as the next three hitters went strikeout, fly out, fly out to end the game. I’m watching to see if he can continue the momentum he built in week 3. Devin Smeltzer: 2 appearances, 2.0 IP, H, BB, 2 K; 0.00 ERA, 1.25 WHIP (overall). As mentioned above, Smeltzer followed Lujan out of the bullpen in the Rafter’s games on Tuesday and Friday. In the win on Tuesday against Mesa, that meant he came on for the eighth inning with the game still tied at one. After two quick outs it got a little interesting as he gave up a single and a walk, but got the next batter to fly out to right field to give his offense the chance they needed in the ninth. Smeltzer threw 15 pitches in his inning of work, with nine going for strikes. He also picked up the win thanks to his offense in the top of the ninth. Following Lujan in Friday’s pitcher’s duel in Glendale, Smeltzer delivered a dominant one-two-three seventh inning. He needed just 10 pitches (seven for strikes) and struck out the first two batters he faced swinging before getting an infield popup on his first pitch to his final batter. Jaylin Davis: 3 games, 1-for-11, R, RBI, 5 K; .250/.250/.250 (overall). Week 2 didn’t go nearly as well for Davis as week 1, but he still made a big impact in one his games. On Monday Davis got the start as the designated hitter batting seventh in the lineup. He ended up 0-for-4 with a pair of strikeouts, but there wasn’t much to talk about all around in the 13-4 blowout loss to Peoria where Salt River collected just three hits as a team and struck out 13 times. It was better for Davis and the Rafter’s on Thursday, as he singled in the eighth inning before being stranded on second with the score knotted at zero, before getting another opportunity in the tenth. With the bases loaded, one out, and his team now down 1-0, Davis managed to tie the game at one with an RBI grounder to short. It was of the RBI variety because he beat the double-play turn to first that would have ended the game. The balk with Blankenhorn at the plate to win it for Salt River came next. Friday’s 1-0 loss against Glendale was again a tough one for all the Rafter’s lineup, with Davis contributing an 0-for-3 effort along with two more strikeouts. Davis will look to get back to his early hitting ways in week three. Adam Bray: 2 appearances, 3.0 IP, 3 H, ER, 2 K; 1.80 ERA, 1.00 WHIP (overall). Bray’s first appearance on the week preceded Lujan and Smeltzer in Wednesday’s 2-1 win against the Solar Sox. He was the first reliever summoned with a 1-0 Salt River lead after their starter went five innings. He ended up charged with a blown save as a one-out triple was followed by a single to tie the game before he got the next two hitters. Of his 11 pitches, eight went for strikes and he also threw a wild pitch. It was nearly an all-Twins-pitchers game on Friday with Jax making the start and the relievers following him, and they were all very good, but the Glendale staff was just a little better in the 1-0 loss. Bray came on in relief of Jax for the fourth inning and went the next two frames. He allowed just one hit and struck out two. He retired the side in order in the fourth and faced only seven hitters total in his two innings. 20 of his 28 pitches went for strikes, including five swinging. Other AFL and Minor League Links: - The highly regarded John Sickels of MinorLeagueBall.com, has started his offseason top 20 prospects lists like he always does, by leading off with his look at the Minnesota Twins. Royce Lewis and Alex Kirilloff get A grades. Also higher on 2018 first round pick Trevor Larnach than I’ve seen elsewhere and mentions that the system is loaded. - Travis Blankenhorn talks about working on his consistency in the AFL with MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo. Also some unfortunate updates on a couple of players included in that link: Luke Raley has been removed from the Rafters roster but the reason is not specified (I would assume an injury). The Twins have also decided to shut down Brent Rooker, so he will not participate as hoped. Please feel free to ask questions about the AFL and the players who are there! Click here to view the article

The AFL season’s first week was a little lacking on opportunities for Twins pitchers and the well-known name among their position players is currently missing in action (for good reason), but a couple of outfielders had big games to stand out amongst their organizational peers. The hometown prospect also notched one of the Salt River Rafter’s two victories on the week in extra innings.So how did each of the Twins prospects fare in the first week of the AFL season? Keep reading to find out! (links provided to each player’s overall AFL stats by clicking their name) Brent Rooker: Did not play (ankle injury). Unfortunately Twins fans are going to have to wait a little while for Rooker to appear in the AFL, as news broke before opening day that he was dealing with an injury: Hopefully he is able to play some games soon! Griffin Jax: 1 appearance, 1.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R (1 Earned), 0 BB, 0 K; 9.00 ERA (overall). In their 6-2 loss to the Scottsdale Scorpions on Friday, Jax was the first man summoned from the bullpen to start the bottom of the third inning. He was greeted by a triple from the first batter he faced and found himself in trouble immediately. That runner scored on a groundout to the next batter and he’d get another ground ball for the second out before more trouble came. A single, wild pitch to move the runner into scoring position, and another single to score him soured his line before he got a fly out to end the inning. Of his 30 pitches, just 18 went for strikes and those included one swinging strike and nine foul balls. If he’s not starting I’d expect Jax to be tabbed for more than one inning, but 30 pitches early in the AFL season is on the high end for anybody. I will be curious to see if he starts any games moving forward. Luke Raley: 3 games, 3-for-12, 2 R, 3B, 3 RBI, 2 BB, 2 K, SB; .250/.357/.417 (overall). Raley made the start in three games on the week, playing left field for one of those and right field in the others. In the season opener on Tuesday the 9th, Raley was a big contributor to the Rafters 10-8 win against the Surprise Saguaros out of the leadoff spot. He finished 2-for-4 and drove in three runs to lead the offense. His first single of the game came in the top of the third with two outs, then he capped a five-run fourth inning with a sacrifice fly that put Salt River out front 5-3. In the top of the eighth with the score 7-6 in favor of the Rafters, Raley added some insurance with a two-out single that drove in two runs to cap a solid AFL debut. I said in last week’s AFL preview that you could see a leadoff profile in there, so it will be fun to see how much time he spends there during this season. When he was back in action on Thursday for Salt River’s 7-6 win against the Scottsdale Scorpions, he wasn’t back in the leadoff spot, but it also says a lot about a guy when he’s penciled in the three-hole instead. In six plate appearances he didn’t pick up any hits but did draw two walks and scored a run. It just so happens that one of those walks came while he led off an inning (then he promptly stole second base), and the other was of the intentional variety with the game on the line in the 11th inning. Before that intentional walk, Raley also erased the runner starting the 10th on second base with an outfield assist from right field. Raley finished his week with a 1-for-4 effort in the 6-2 loss against Scottsdale on Friday, where he again batted third in the lineup. With two outs in the top of the 6th, he clubbed his first extra-base-hit of the AFL season, a triple to right field and would score on a single from the next batter. He did strike out twice in this game, but overall a solid first week from an outfielder new to the Twins organization. Hector Lujan: 1 appearance, 0.2 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, BB, K; 40.50 ERA (overall). Lujan made just one appearance in the AFL season’s opening week, and I’m sure it’s one he’d like to put out of his mind as soon as possible. Though they would end up winning the game in extra innings, Lujan was charged with a blown save after coming on for the top of the seventh in Thursday’s tilt versus Scottsdale. The first four hitters he faced all reached base, and his first out of the frame also resulted in his third earned run that gave the Scorpions a 5-3 lead. He picked up a strikeout before another single ended his day. His numbers will likely appear skewed for the rest of his time in the AFL because of this game, but a positive sign is 17 of his 23 pitches went for strikes in the outing, including topping out at 96 MPH on the radar gun with his fastball. Travis Blankenhorn: 2 games, 0-for-7, R, 2 BB, 2 K; .000/.222/.000 (overall). Blankenhorn played in two games on the week, leading off in Wednesday’s 11-9 loss to the Saguaros, and batting seventh in Friday’s 6-2 loss on Friday. He played second base in both contests. In his debut on Wednesday, he led off the game by striking out on a pitch in the dirt but reached first base after a throwing error from the catcher. He would get to third on a single from the next batter and score the first of four runs in the inning on a pickoff attempt gone awry for Surprise. He also drew the fourth walk of six total in the eighth inning that led to another four runs, but that was as close as his team would get. Against Scottsdale on Friday he drew a walk in the seventh inning as Salt River tried to claw their way back into the game but ended up stranded on third base. Blankenhorn will look to pick up his first hit in week 2. Devin Smeltzer: 1 appearance, 2.0 IP, 3 H, 2 K; 0.00 ERA (overall). Another new player to the Twins organization, Smeltzer made a single appearance in Salt River’s 11-9 loss to Surprise on Wednesday. He was one of the two Rafter’s pitchers out of six to not allow a run in the game, and as a feather in his cap that came across two innings pitched. He worked around an infield single in the fifth, and a pair of singles in the sixth to complete his scoreless outing. He finished with two strikeouts and 23 of his 35 total pitches went for strikes, including four swinging strikes. Glancing through his pitch log and correlating some of his scouting reports, he’s not ever going to be a power bullpen arm (no pitch over 90 MPH in this outing), but a deep repertoire and funky delivery has kept hitters off-balance to this point. Fangraphs also likes his curveball, changeup, and command enough to see some major league value in the future. Jaylin Davis: 2 games, 4-for-9, R, 3 RBI, 3 K; .444/.444/.444 (overall). Davis started two consecutive games during the week, once as the DH and once as the left fielder, batting eighth in both lineup constructions. In Wednesday’s loss to the Saguaros, Davis was a standout for the Rafters as the designated hitter. He finished 2-for-4 with two K’s, but also racked up three RBIs. He also came through in the clutch, as his two-out single in the bottom of the first drove in two runs, and another two-out single in the eighth brought in the first of four runs in the frame to bring the home team back within two. In Thursday’s win against Scottsdale he again picked up a pair of hits for the home team but wouldn’t get further than second base. After reaching base on a fielder’s choice in the sixth, Davis also picked up his first stolen base of the AFL season. He’ll look to pick up his first extra-base hit this week. Adam Bray: 1 appearance, 2.0 IP, 2 BB, 2 K; 0.00 ERA (overall). Bray made his lone appearance on the week in the Rafter’s win against Scottsdale on Thursday. He was also credited with the win as he took over in extra innings, completing both the 10th and 11th without allowing the runner starting on second base to score. He was assisted in the 10th inning by Raley’s outfield assist, then worked around a walk with a couple of strikeouts for a scoreless 11th before his team pushed the winning run across in the bottom half. Other AFL and Minor League Links: - One of the fun events that is part of the AFL is the Bowman Hitting Challenge, which Twins prospect Chris Paul won last year. Unfortunately for the 2018 version, rains owned the day and the event was cancelled: -Fangraph’s Eric Longenhagen took a look at the AFL rosters after they were announced, and singled out Brent Rooker’s ability to identify breaking balls as his lone note on Twins prospects. -MLB Pipeline announced their 2018 Twins Hitting and Pitching Prospects of the Year, with Alex Kirilloff and Brusdar Graterol taking home those honors. -In their 2018 Toolshed Power Rankings, MiLB.com ranks the Salt River Rafters at number five. A weakness called out is their lack of star power. Please feel free to ask questions about the AFL and the players who are there! Click here to view the article

Earlier this week, we announced the Twins Daily Minor League Hitter (Ryan Jeffers) and Starting Pitcher (Bailey Ober) of the Month.Tonight we will write about several Twins minor league relief pitchers, culminating with this month’s choice for Relief Pitcher of the Month. For the first time, we have a repeat winner. Previous Relief Pitchers of the Month for 2018: April 2018: Nick Anderson, Rochester Red Wings May 2018: Todd Van Steensel, Chattanooga Lookouts June 2018: Jovani Moran, Cedar Rapids Kernels July 2018: Well, just keep reading (if you happened to not look at the graphic that you clicked on to read this story.)Before we share our choices for the Twins Minor League Top Five Relievers for July, here are some terrific bullpen performances that just missed the cut. HONORABLE MENTION Erik Cha- GCL Twins, 7 G, 1.64 ERA, 0.82 WHIP, 11.0 IP, 8 H, 1 BB, 8 KRyan Eades - Chattanooga Lookouts, 6 G, 2.19 ERA, 0.73 WHIP, 12.1 IP, 9 H, 0 BB, 12 KRegi Grace - GCL Twins, 3 G, 0.00 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, 8.1 IP, 6 H, 2 BB, 7 KRyne Harper - Chattanooga Lookouts/Rochester Red Wings, 8 G, 1.42 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 12.2 IP, 11 H, 2 BB, 15 KZach Neff - Elizabethton Twins, 9 G, 2.70 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 13.1 IP, 11 H, 5 BB, 18 KDerek Molina - Elizabethton Twins/Cedar Rapids Kernels, 7 G, 1.42 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 12.2 IP, 3 H, 12 BB, 22 KAndrew Vasquez - Chattanooga Lookouts, 9 G, 2.16 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 16 H, 1 BB, 29 KTHE TOP FIVE RELIEF PITCHERS #5 - Jose Martinez - Cedar Rapids Kernels - 8 G, 1.20 ERA, 0.87 WHIP, 15.0 IP, 9 H, 4 BB, 16 K You may not have heard of Jose Martinez, but this is his sixth season in the Twins organization. Signed in 2013 out of Venezuela by Jose Leon, Martinez spent the 2014 and 2015 seasons in the Dominican Summer League. He spent the last two seasons in Elizabethton. He has spent this entire season with the Kernels in Cedar Rapids.In 28 total games, he has worked 53 2/3 innings. He’s got a 4.53 ERA. He has 50 strikeouts and 21 walks. He was very good in July and ended the month with six scoreless outings covering 11 1/3 innings. He recorded a save in three of his final four outings during the month. #4 - Jake Reed - Rochester Red Wings - 8 G, 2.03 ERA, 0.68 WHIP, 13.1 IP, 4 H, 5 BB, 11 K Reed was the Twins fifth-round draft pick in 2014 out of the University of Oregon. He flew up the system, pitching in the Arizona Fall League that year and starting the 2015 season in Chattanooga. However, he has fought some injuries and still has yet to receive the call up. However, if his past two months are any indication, just maybe it will come this year. In July, opponents hit just .095/.224/.143 (.367) against him. Reed has a fastball in the mid-90s that runs in on a right-hander, and he compements it with a mid-80s slider that darts away from a right-hander. #3 - Adam Bray - Ft. Myers Miracle - 9 G, 0.98 ERA, 0.71 WHIP, 18.1 IP, 8 H, 5 BB, 19 K Adam Bray had a fantastic baseball career if he had just quit playing after a high school state championship and a national championship with his American Legion team. He went to South Dakota State and then was drafted by the Dodgers. This March, he was acquired by the Twins in a trade. He didn’t join the Miracle until the end of June. As you can see from his numbers, he pitched a lot, and he pitched quite well. Opponents hit just .136/.212/.220 (.432) off of him during the month, and he struck out more than a batter per inning. Get to know a little more about Adam Bray from this story. #2 - Cody Stashak - Chattanooga Lookouts - 9 G, 0.00 ERA, 0.82 WHIP, 13.1 IP, 7 H, 2 BB, 16 K Stashak was drafted as a starting pitcher out of St. Johns in the 13th round of the 2015 draft. He was a pretty solid, underrated starter. In 2016, he posted a 2.80 ERA between Cedar Rapids and Ft. Myers. Last year, he posted a 3.60 ERA between Ft. Myers and Chattanooga. This year, the move was made to the bullpen and it has been successful. In 43 2/3 innings so far this year for the Lookouts, he has a 3.09 ERA and 60 strikeouts to go with just 13 walks. In July, he didn’t give up a run, earned or unearned. Opponents hit just .179/.220/.256 (.476) against him during the month. At 6-2 and thin, Stashak throws in the low 90s with a good pitch mix. He’s got good control and command. And the Twins Minor League Relief Pitcher of the Month is: Ft. Myers Miracle – LHP Jovani Moran - 8 G, 1.13 ERA, 0.56 WHIP, 16.0 IP, 8 H, 1 BB, 22 K Moran is the choice for Minor League Relief Pitcher of the Month for the second straight month. The difference, of course, is that he was a member of the Cedar Rapids Kernels throughout the month of June. At the end of the month, Moran was promoted to Ft. Myers and hasn’t missed a beat. The 2015 seventh-round pick from Puerto Rico has pitched in different roles in his short time with the Miracle, averaging two innings per outing. In July, opponents hit just .148/.164/.204 (.367) against him. In large part, the 22:1 strikeout to walk ratio helps with that. The 21-year-old missed the 2016 season after having surgery to remove bone spurs from his elbow. He returned strong in 2017, and he was the Twins Daily short-season Minor League Pitcher of the Year. For Elizabethton, he gave up just one run in 24 2/3 innings (0.36 ERA), and had just six walks to go with 45 strikeouts. Moran is not a big guy .He stands 6-foot-1 and weighs in at about 170 pounds. He’s got a good whip action and some deception in his delivery. His fastball reaches into the low-90s, and he’s got a good slider and changeup. He really just needs to keep working and developing, and gaining strength could help him add a little more velocity. He’s a really good athlete who fields the position well. There were several strong relief pitcher performances in July throughout the Twins minor league system. It was a good month for each of these pitchers mentioned today, but for the second straight month, Congratulations to Jovani Moran. He is the Twins Daily Minor League Relief Pitcher of the Month for July 2018. Click here to view the article

He helped his high school team win a Minnesota state baseball championship. In the summer, he was a big part of an American Legion National championship. He achieved his goal of going to a Division I college to play baseball. He was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers, fulfilling a goal of being a professional baseball player. This spring, Adam Bray’s career pushed him in a new direction. The goal remains the same, but now that goal involves eventually playing for his home state Recently, Twins minor league right-handed pitcher Adam Bray answered questions for Twins Daily.Today, let’s get to know him a little bit.Adam Bray grew up in the shadows of the Metrodome. Not the actual shadows , of course, there weren’t any houses that close to the Metrodome. However, Bray certainly was a big Twins fan. “I have been a Minnesota Twins fan since I was young,” Bray recently told Twins Daily. “I grew up going to games at the Metrodome with my parents and friends. My favorite memory was getting to go on the field and watching batting practice for my birthday. My favorite Twins players were Torii Hunter, Johan Santana, and Joe Mauer.” As he grew up, Bray played on some of the best youth teams around. He played for Eden Prairie High School, one of the biggest high schools in the state, and they do a lot of winning. Bray noted, “My favorite memory from high school was winning the Minnesota State High School League State championship in 2010 at Target Field, and earning the win as the pitcher.” But Bray was a multi-sport athlete and very active in high school. “I played football for four years at Eden Prairie, and I played basketball for one year. In addition, I was involved with FCA and PROP.” In the summers, he was a big part of some really, really great American Legion teams. After his junior season, the team went to the national championship and finished as the runner-up. Following his senior season, the team got back, and this time they won the American League World Series. “I loved being part of two very talented and fun teams, both of which made it to the championship game. That’s one of the best experiences of my baseball career! Not many teams have done that.” Despite the high school and Legion success at one of the best programs in the state, he didn’t have a lot of offers coming out of high school. Bray noted, “I had very few offers coming out of high school. I had two NCAA Division I programs looking at me, and the rest of the programs were out of Division II or III, and junior colleges. My dream and goal was to play Division I baseball.” Bray decided to fulfill that Division I dream and went to South Dakota State University in Brookings, South Dakota. “SDSU had a unique community. I liked how the athletics were on the rise, and how supportive the community was about the programs there.” He was able to make the weekend rotation for SDSU as a freshman and had a real strong career full of highlights. “Winning the Summit League tournament in 2013 and playing in a regional was a big highlight of my career.” Following his four seasons at South Dakota State, Bray was selected late in Day 3 by the Los Angeles Dodgers. It was another dream to cross off the list of goals. “Ahead of the draft, I had talked to several teams that said they were looking at acquiring me in the late rounds. I was eager for the opportunity to have a chance to play professional baseball. On the third day of the MLB Draft, I learned that I was picked in the 33rd round by the Los Angeles Dodgers while sitting at home with my mom. I was thrilled to have a chance to continue to play baseball. It was a very emotional day for both of us.” He spent that 2015 season in Ogden with the Dodgers’ rookie Pioneer League team. In 2016, he split the season between the Low A Midwest League and High-A California League. He started the 2017 season back with Rancho Cucamonga where he went 7-3 with a 4.44 ERA in 26 games (19 starts). He even made one start for the Dodgers AAA affiliate in Oklahoma City. There have been many adjustments for Bray during his three-plus professional seasons. “The game is much faster. You are facing the best of the best every night, and now it’s a business. It’s important to work hard everyday, and to surround yourself with good people.” He went to spring training this year hoping to continue to work his way up the Dodgers’ organizational ladder, but one day he was pulled out of the locker room and told that he had been traded. “It was a Thursday morning, and I was getting ready for the day at Camelback Ranch and I was sitting at my locker. Our farm director, Brandon Gomes, pulled me outside of the locker room and told me I had been traded to the Minnesota Twins. I couldn’t believe it and was shocked. I told him, ‘You’re kidding me!’ He said he wasn’t. I asked him what was coming next, and he said I needed to pack the bags. The Minnesota Twins were in contact with me later. I called my fiancé and shared the news with her, and then my parents. It was exciting!” As you would expect, there has been an adjustment to joining a new organization. Bray noted, “I only have good things to say about both organizations. I am blessed, and beyond grateful to have played in such a classy organization with the Dodgers. My time with the Twins has been great thus far. I think the hard part coming to the Twins was getting adjusted to how they run things here, and also meeting everyone.” On Thursday night, Bray came out of the Miracle bullpen and threw two scoreless innings. He struck out four batters. In nine outings since joining the Miracle in late June, he has worked out of the bullpen, throwing anywhere from one inning to three innings. He has posted a 1.02 ERA and a 0.91 WHIP over his first 17 2/3 innings. He has given up ten hits, walked six and struck out 17 batters. In years past, he worked mostly as a starter, but he got in quite a bit of time as a reliever as well, and that’s something he believes is important for him. “My versatility is one of my biggest strengths as a pitcher. I have been both a starter, and a reliever in my career. I throw lots of strikes while not walking many batters.” The 25-year-old righty isn’t a finished product on the mound by any means, and he knows he’s got some things to work on. “I am working on improving my ability to read hitters tendencies and swings. I feel that by watching what a hitter does can tell you a lot about how to pitch him. It also helps that we have more data on hitters than ever before.” Bray is also quick to credit others who have helped him reach this point in his career. “First and foremost my parents have been a huge part of why I’m at the place I am today! The support they provide is amazing. Other people are my Grandpa (aka “my number 1 fan”) who passed away two years ago, my fiancé, and high school and college coaches. I have so many people that have helped me get to where I am today but those are some very special people.” Now he’s living a dream, playing in the organization he grew up watching. The goal is to play on the field where he watched the Twins play, and where he played in a state championship game in high school Of the idea of playing for the Twins, Bray has given it some thought. “I am truly honored to be a part of a team and organization I grew up watching. The Twins are a classy organization, and it would be a dream come true to put on a big league uniform in front of the hometown crowd in Minneapolis!” In case you were wondering, Bray is a Health Education major with a minor in Health Science. He is just a couple of credits left to earn his degree. And, most important for you to know, Bray points out that his favorite baseball movie is either The Sandlot or Moneyball. A huge Thank You to Adam Bray for taking time to answer our questions to thoroughly and completely. Please feel free to wish him well in the Comments below, and you can also ask any questions you like. Click here to view the article