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The Twins drafted 42 players in the June draft this year. A total of 1,216 players were selected in the 40 rounds of this year's draft. Brady Anderson, a right-handed pitcher from Florida Gulf Coast University, did not hear his name called. Needing a few arms to fill the GCL roster, the Twins called on Anderson. Anderson answered the call and pitched great throughout the rest of the summer. He started with the GCL Twins. In 27.2 innings, he went 2-0 with a 0.98 ERA, a .072 WHIP and a 25/2 K/BB rate. When the Cedar Rapids Kernels needed a starter, they had Anderson skip Elizabethton and jump right to the Midwest League. He continued to pitch well, going 3-1 wit ha 2.62 ERA in six starts. He also made a start for the Kernels in the playoffs. Recently, we caught up with the right-hander to learn a little more about him.Seth Stohs (SS): Growing up in Southwest Florida, who was your favorite team to follow? Who were some of your favorite players? Brady Anderson (BA): My favorite team was the Cardinals. My dad and mom are both from the Iowa-Illinois area, and my dad was a Cardinals fan and my mom a Cubs fan. I chose the Cardinals to root for. SS: Did you spend much time going to spring training practices and games growing up? BA: I went to spring training games when I was younger but haven't gone to any in a long time. I usually just went to regular season games. SS: What were some of the better memories of your high school baseball career? Did you play other sports or were you involved in other activities? BA: My greatest memories of high school baseball were just playing it with my friends. We never accomplished anything special, but all of my friends and brother played and it was just good to be around them all the time. I tried playing golf as well, but I was really bad at it. SS: What was the recruitment process like for you out of high school, and what was it about Florida Gulf Coast that made you want to go there? BA: I just loved the environment of FGCU. They started following me pretty early, and I loved the place whenever I visited. I decided pretty early on that I wanted to stay in Florida and attend a smaller D1 program that always had a good team, At the time of my commitment, they had won three straight conference titles. SS: Did you have the chance to speak with many scouts before the draft? Was there any thought that you might be drafted? What was your interaction with Twins scouts? BA: I didn't speak to anyone before or during the draft. The first time I heard from the Twins was the Monday after the draft when they called and said they needed another pitcher in the GCL and was wondering if I was interested. SS: What has the adjustment like for you, from the amateur/college game to the professional game, both on and off the field? BA: There actually wasn't much of a transition. Of course, it's a little different, but I spent three summers up in Willmar, Minnesota, playing for the Stingers in the Northwoods League. It was the same as it is here; play every day, long bus rides and late nights. The same off the field. I lived at a dorm on campus at FGCU and then lived at one during the GCL. When I was up in Cedar Rapids, I had a tremendous host family just like when I spent my three summers in Willmar. Of course, there are minor differences, but nothing major, or I really think my college days prepared me well. SS: You dominated the GCL, and have moved up to Cedar Rapids. To what do you attribute the instant success to? BA: I want to attribute my success to just working at it. I've spent my whole life trying to make it to this point, and now that I'm here, I just want to prove myself worthy every time I go out on the field. It definitely helped going to college and being able to fine-tune myself both on the mound and mentally as well. SS: What has the transition to Cedar Rapids and the Midwest League been like? You had a lot of success. BA: The transition to Cedar Rapids was an exciting one. I never really expected it, and it kind of caught me off guard. But I enjoyed the league and everything that it encompassed (town, host family, teammates, coaches, staff). I won't lie though, at first it was a little strange going from waking up early, game at noon, done by 4:00 day in the GCL, compared to the 6:30 game and done at 11. Took a few days to get that transition down, otherwise everything else went pretty smoothly. SS: What has the atmosphere been like around the Kernels, knowing that the playoffs were in reach. . BA: The atmosphere was exciting. It was cool to make the playoffs in my first professional season. You could tell that everyone wanted it, and people believed that we had a team capable of doing some damage in the playoffs. It was a fun atmosphere to be around and play in. SS: At this very early stage in your career, what would you say are your biggest strengths? BA: I would say my strengths are always wanting to improve myself in any way possible. I would also say my ability to adapt to different roles and my mental game. I would say, above all else, the mental game has helped me the most this first year. SS: What are the areas of your game that you would like to spend time working to improve in the offseason and going forward? BA: There really isn't just one or two areas that I want to work on. I want to try to get better in every aspect of my game. Everything can be improved in some way or fashion, and I want to try and improve it all. SS: Will you be going back to school in the offseason? What was your major in school? BA: I have actually been taking an online class ever since the middle of August. I actually already graduated with a degree in Accounting, and I'm currently pursuing my MBA. I have five classes left, and then I am done with it. SS: Who are some of the people who have helped you get to this point in your career? BA: I would definitely say my family. Not only did they allow me to play by taking me to places and paying for stuff, but they were out there every day with me practicing and helping me get better. Apart from them, I would say just about every coach I have ever had from travel ball to high school to college. I feel like I've taken a bit from each person that I've associated with over the years. I can't thank them all enough for what they have done for me. SS: Favorite baseball movie? BA: For the Love of the Game, The Natural is good as well. Thank you to Brady Anderson for taking time to thoughtfully respond to these questions. Congratulations on a terrific professional debut! Feel free to discuss below. Click here to view the article

The Twins minor league season is almost complete, which is kind of sad. But, what is good to see is that a lot of minor leaguers are ending the season very strong. Today we begin to hand out our August minor league awards, and we will start with the starting pitchers. In all the years and months of me doing these, I have never seen a month with so many really strong starting pitching performances. Just look at those who were selected as honorable mention to see how strong they were in the month.Let’s get right to it. Before we get to our Top 5 starting pitchers for the month of August, here is that extensive list of others who deserve to be recognized for a strong month. Actually, there are a ton of honorable mentions AND I had to do a Top 6 starters just to write more about another Twins starting pitching prospect. This is a good thing (even if it's more work!). HONORABLE MENTION Jordan Balazovic - GCL - 6 GS, 2-1, 2.33 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 27.0 IP, 25 H, 4 BB, 13 KTyler Beardsley - Elizabethton/Cedar Rapids - 5 GS, 2-2, 2.57 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 28.0 IP, 22 H, 7 H, 17 KMiguel DeJesus - GCL/Elizabethton - 5 GS, 0-2, 2.74 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 23.0 IP, 16 H, 9 BB, 17 KClark Beeker - Elizabethton - 6 G, 3 GS, 1-1, 1.52 ERA, 0.85 WHIP, 23.2 IP, 15 H, 5 BB, 26 KRyan Eades - Chattanooga - 6 G, 4 GS, 1-0, 2.22 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 24.1 IP, 22 H, 5 BB, 24 KTyler Fox - GCL - 5 G, 4 GS, 1-0, 1.96 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 23.0 IP, 19 H, 6 BB, 15 KNick Greenwood - Rochester - 5 GS, 3-1, 2.25 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, 36.1 IP, 30 H 5 BB, 17 KBo Hellquist - 6 G, 5 GS, 3-2, 2.43 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 29.2 IP, 26 H, 5 BB, 23 KTyler Wells - 5 GS, 4-1, 2.57 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 28.0 IP, 20 H, 9 BB, 31 KKeaton Steele - 5 GS, 3-2, 1.91 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 33.0 IP, 28 H, 5 BB, 22 KCody Stashak - 3 GS, 0.0, 0.54 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, 16.2 IP, 13 H, 3 BB, 10 KTHE TOP SIX STARTING PITCHERS #6 - Dereck Rodriguez - Ft. Myers - 5 GS, 2-2, 1.87 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, 33.2 IP, 27 H, 3 BB, 18 K The first two months of the season were really tough for Rodriguez. He struggled to throw strikes and command the strike zone. He was hit often and hit hard. Then in early June, a switch flipped and he turned it on. Soon after, he was promoted to Ft. Myers and he's been very good there. He's been throwing a lot more strikes and hasn't been getting hit as hard. He's got a few fewer strikeouts, as you'd expect from a higher level, but his command is much improved. #5 - Lachlan Wells - Cedar Rapids Kernels - 4 GS, 3-0, 1.46 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 24.2 IP, 18 H, 8 BB, 20 K Signed out of Australia, Wells has moved quickly to start his career. A year ago, he debuted in the GCL and pitched well. He pitched for Australia in the World Cup at the end of last season. He began this season in extended spring training but before the Elizabethton season started, he was moved up to the Kernels. He has been terrific since. He continues to grow. The left-hander stands 6-1 and 186 pounds but he still has room to grow. In 12 starts with the Kernels, Wells (19) is 6-4 with a 1.77 ERA. #4 - Eduardo Del Rosario - Cedar Rapids Kernels - 5 GS, 3-0, 1.69 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 26.2 IP, 21 H, 7 BB, 34 K Like Wells, Eduardo Del Rosario began the season in extended spring training after a solid 2015 in the Gulf Coast League. He was promoted in June to the Kernels and really struggled early, but he appears to be figuring some things out. As you can see from the numbers, he had a terrific month of August. Del Rosario is a wiry sort. He is 6-0 and about 160 pounds. Overall, the 21-year-old is 6-3 with a 3.65 ERA in 15 Kernels starts. #3 - Fernando Romero - Ft. Myers Miracle - 4 GS, 2-1, 1.16 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, 23.1 IP, 16 H, 4 BB, 29 K Like Wells and Del Rosario, Romero began the season in EST. However, he was there because he had missed the two previous seasons with Tommy John surgery and a knee surgery. He was called up to Cedar Rapids in mid-May. He made only a handful of starts before moving up to the Miracle where he didn't miss a beat. He's young and has very few innings above the Gulf Coast League, but he has the stuff of a true ace, something Twins fans have been longing for. He continued his strong showing in August, right up until he was shut down with about two or three starts to go after hitting his predetermined innings limit. After posting a 1.93 ERA in five Kernels starts, he ended his time with the Miracle with a 1.88 ERA in 11 starts. #2 - Brady Anderson - Cedar Rapids Kernels - 5 GS, 3-0, 1.24 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 29.0 IP, 25 H, 6 BB, 17 K Anderson reported to EST after signing with the Twins as a non-drafted free agent out of Florida Gulf Coast University in Ft. Myers. Likely signed to fill innings in the GCL, Anderson dominated that league. When the Kernels needed a starter in early August, they didn't turn to an Elizabethton starter. Instead, Anderson skipped the Appy League and went into the Kernels rotation. He gave up three runs in five innings in his first outing. Over his final four outings (24 innings), he gave up just one run. Non-drafted signees are typically just happy for an opportunity. However, once given that opportunity, Anderson has fully taken advantage of it. And the Twins Minor League Starting Pitcher of the Month is... Chattanooga – LHP Stephen Gonsalves - 5 GS, 3-2, 0.28 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, 34.2 IP, 25 H, 8 BB, 38 K Gonsalves (22) is the veteran of this group of Top 5 starters. He was solid in Ft. Myers to start this season (5-4, 2.33 ERA), but after one rough outing with the Lookouts - his second with the team - he has dominated Southern League hitters. In his first August outing, he threw six innings with no earned runs. Then he threw a complete game shutout. The next two starts he threw six shutout innings. In once start, he held a no-hitter through six innings. Aside from a game with a bunch of walks, Gonsalves has figured out a way to get hitters out. In the offseason, he added to his pitch repertoire with a slider/cutter pitch. He said it has been a huge strikeout pitch for him, especially against left-handers. Gonsalves has eaten a lot of innings, though the occasional control issues have kept him from pitching more. He has struck out more in AA than he did in Ft. Myers. With the Lookouts, he went 8-1 with a 1.82 ERA. In August, Gonsalves allowed hitters to bat just .125/.227/.144 (.371) against him. During the month, he gave up just two extra-base hits, both doubles. He’s also allowed just one home run during his time with the Lookouts as well, and three all season. Gonsalves has just continued to improve as he has moved up the Twins system. That's what I like to see, certainly what he would like to see, and most important, it's what the front office hopes to see as well. There is a decent chance that Gonsalves will be the organization's #1 prospect heading into the 2017 season. There is a good chance that we will see him in big league spring training, and there is a strong chance that we will see him in a Twins uniform, making starts, sometime during the 2017 season. The Twins have one more spot available for them for the Arizona Fall League. Don't be surprised if that pitcher is Gonsalves. There were so many strong starting pitching performances in August, but the choice of Stephen Gonsalves was very easy. Feel free to discuss below. Feel free to agree or disagree with the order, if you like as I went back and forth many times, but congratulations these individuals on a terrific month. Click here to view the article

The Twins lost their 10th straight on Sunday afternoon, wrapping up one of the worst series we've seen this year, part of one of the worst stretches of Twins baseball we've seen since losing became so popular at 1 Twins Way. In addition to losing the game, the Twins lost Danny Santana to the DL with a sprained shoulder. Transaction Report: The injury to Danny Santana led to a late scratch for Rochester's Logan Schafer as the Twins selected his contract before the Red Wings started on Sunday evening. Why the Twins decided to promote Schafer is a mystery. Let the fans get a good look at players they've never heard about, probably. Anyways, Randy LeBlanc was promoted from Fort Myers to Chattanooga, and to replace LeBlanc, the Miracle received Brian Olson from the GCL Twins (from the other side of the MiLB complex in Fort Myers).Continue reading to find out more detail about Sunday in the Twins farm system: RED WINGS REPORT Scranton Wilkes-Barre RailRiders Box Score Byron Buxton was 1-5 with four strikeouts and a single. John Ryan Murphy had a nice night at the plate, 3-4 with a strikeout. Adam Walker had a pair of doubles (and a pair of strikeouts) as part of his 2-4 night. Despite what Murphy and Walker did for the Wings, they managed just one run; maybe it was because as a team they struck out 22 times and worked just two walks. That might have something to do with it. Jason Wheeler gave up three runs over seven innings, spreading six hits and three strikeouts. He gave up one home run, but was tagged with the loss despite the quality start because of the flummoxed Red Wings hitters. D. J. Baxendale pitched 2.0 innings of scoreless relief, giving up one hit and striking out a pair of RailRiders. Final: RailRiders 3, Red Wings 1 LOOKOUTS LOOK-IN Mississippi Braves @ Chattanooga Box Score With a 4-0 lead after four innings, the Lookouts were in good shape, attacking the Braves' starter Sean Newcomb. Aaron Slegers, starting for the Lookouts, went seven innings, gave up two runs on six hits. He struck out six, walked two, and left the game with a lead and an opportunity to pick up a win. But it wasn't meant to be as the Lookouts couldn't push any more runs across the board, and Zack Jones gave up a run in the eight and two more in the ninth to blow the save and the game. Jones' final line was 2.0 innings pitched, three hits, three runs, a walk and three strikeouts. The loss drops him to 2-2. Third baseman Ryan Walker left the game in the fourth inning after being hit in the hand by an errant pitch. He was replaced by Tanner Witt. Zach Granite had another great game with the bat, 3-5 with a double and two runs scored, plus a stolen base (and he was caught stealing). The rest of the Lookouts had just five hits. Twins former first-round pick Levi Michael was 0-2 with a walk and two strike outs and is hitting just .220/.296/.302 as a 25-year old in AA. Final: Braves 5, Lookouts 4 MIRACLE MATTERS Fort Myers @ Jupiter Hammerheads Box Score The Miracle jumped ahead 2-1 in the seventh and then added three more in the top of the eighth for good measure, taking down the Hammerheads 5-1. Tanner English led off for the Miracle and was 2-5 with a pair of runs scored. Trey Vavra had a pair of hits as well, including a run scored, a walk, and an RBI. Brad Hartong also contributed a pair of singles from the 9th spot in the order. Keaton Steele picked up his seventh win of the year, moving to 7-11 with a 3.66 ERA. He pitched 6.0 innings of five-hit baseball. He gave up just one unearned run, walked one, and struck out four. Nick Anderson picked up a hold with 2.0 innings of hitless relief work, and John Curtiss finished things off with a 1-2-3 ninth. Final: Miracle 5, Hammerheads 1 KERNELS KORNER Cedar Rapids @ Clinton Lumber Kings Box Score The Kernels won their seventh straight on Sunday afternoon and could clinch a playoff spot as early as Monday evening if things break right for them. On Sunday the Kernels were powered by their pitching staff. Brady Anderson moved to 3-0 with 6.0 innings of four-hit baseball. He walked none, gave up no runs, and struck out four. He was replaced by Logan Lombana who pitched 2.0 innings. Lombana gave up a run on three hits and struck out three. Tom Hackimer earned the save with a clean ninth inning, including a strike out. Nelson Molina was the hero of the day for the Kernels, with a 3-4 game that included a double, a solo home run and two runs scored. Jaylin Davis added a solo home run as well, part of his 2-4 night. Final: Kernels 4, Lumber Kings 1 E-TWINS E-NOTES Elizabethton @ Greenville Astros Box Score Quite a wild back-and-forth game in the Eastern League for the E-Twins and the Greeneville Astros. The E-Twins scored eight runs on nine hits and four walks. They were led by Amaury Minier, who was 2-5 with a home run and two RBIs. Alex Kiriloff was 0-3 before being replaced by Roberty Gonzalez in the bottom of the sixth. The stat sheet reads as a defensive substitution, but Kiriloff is just 4-32 and has just two hits in his last seven games, so read between the lines a bit for the 18-year old. E-Twins starter Ryan Mason lasted just 4.1 innings, giving up four runs on four hits and two walks. He struck out one and gave up a solo home run. He was replaced by Alex Robinson, who gave up three runs (all unearned) over 1.2 innings. He struck out three, walked two and gave up ZERO hits. Rough way to let three runs across the plate. Quin Grogan pitched the final three innings, picking up a blown save and the win thanks to some late inning heroics from the bats. Quin gave up two hits, walked no one and struck out five. Final: E-Twins 8, Astros 7 TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Hitter of the Day - Zach Granite - Chattanooga Pitcher of the Day - Brady Anderson - Cedar Rapids MONDAY'S PROBABLES Rochester - Tyler Duffey (0-0, 1.72) Chattanooga - Randy LeBlanc (1st AA Start) Fort Myers - Luke Westphal (2-0, 2.79) Cedar Rapids - Eduardo Del Rosario (5-2, 3.81) E-Twins - Clark Beeker (0-0, 1.80) GCL Twins - Tyler Fox DSL Twins - TBD Please ask questions and discuss the Sunday games. -ERolf Click here to view the article

The Twins lost their 10th straight on Sunday afternoon, wrapping up one of the worst series we've seen this year, part of one of the worst stretches of Twins baseball we've seen since losing became so popular at 1 Twins Way. In addition to losing the game, the Twins lost Danny Santana to the DL with a sprained shoulder. Transaction Report: The injury to Danny Santana led to a late scratch for Rochester's Logan Schafer as the Twins selected his contract before the Red Wings started on Sunday evening. Why the Twins decided to promote Schafer is a mystery. Let the fans get a good look at players they've never heard about, probably. Anyways, Randy LeBlanc was promoted from Fort Myers to Chattanooga, and to replace LeBlanc, the Miracle received Brian Olson from the GCL Twins (from the other side of the MiLB complex in Fort Myers). Continue reading to find out more detail about Sunday in the Twins farm system: RED WINGS REPORT Scranton Wilkes-Barre RailRiders Box Score Byron Buxton was 1-5 with four strike outs and a single. John Ryan Murphy had a nice night at the plate, 3-4 with a strike out. Adam Walker had a pair of doubles (and a pair of strike outs) as part of his 2-4 night. Despite what Murphy and Walker did for the Wings, they managed just one run, maybe it was because as a team they struck out 22 times and worked just two walks. That might have something to do with it. Jason Wheeler gave up three runs over seven innings, spreading six hits and three strike outs. He gave up one home run, but was tagged with the loss despite the quality start because of the flummoxed Red Wings hitters. D. J. Baxendale pitched 2.0 innings of scoreless relief, giving up one hit and striking out a pair of RailRiders. Final: RailRiders 3, Red Wings 1 LOOKOUTS LOOK-IN Mississippi Braves @ Chattanooga Box Score With a 4-0 lead after four innings, the Lookouts were in good shape, attacking the Braves' starter Sean Newcomb. Aaron Slegers, starting for the Lookouts, went seven innings, gave up two runs on six hits. He struck out six, walked two, and left the game with a lead and an opportunity to pick up a win. But it wasn't meant to be as the Lookouts couldn't push any more runs across the board, and Zack Jones gave up a run in the eight, and two more in the ninth to blow the save, and the game. Jones' final line was 2.0 innings pitched, three hits, three runs, a walk, and three strike outs. The loss drops him to 2-2. Third baseman Ryan Walker left the game in the fourth inning after being in the hand by an errant pitch. He was replaced by Tanner Witt. Zach Granite had another great game with the bat, 3-5 with a double and two runs score, plus a stolen base (and he was caught stealing). The rest of the Lookouts had just five hits. Twins former first round pick Levi Michael was 0-2 with a walk and two strike outs and is hitting just .220/.296/.302 as a 25-year old in AA. Final: Braves 5, Lookouts 4 MIRACLE MATTERS Fort Myers @ Jupiter Hammerheads Box Score The Miracle jumped ahead 2-1 in the seventh and then added three more in the top of the eighth for good measure, taking down the Hammerheads 5-1. Tanner English led off for the Miracle and was 2-5 with a pair of runs scored. Trey Vavra had a pair of hits as well, including a run scored, a walk, and an RBI. Brad Hartong also contributed a pair of singles from the 9th spot in the order. Keaton Steele picked up his seventh win of the year, moving to 7-11 with a 3.66 ERA. He pitched 6.0 innings of five-hit baseball. He gave up just one unearned run, walked one, and struck out four. Nick Anderson picked up a hold with 2.0 innings of hitless relief work, and John Curtiss finished things off with a 1-2-3 ninth. Final: Miracle 5, Hammerheads 1 KERNELS KORNER Cedar Rapids @ Clinton Lumber Kings Box Score The Kernels won their seventh straight on Sunday afternoon and could clinch a playoff spot as early as Monday evening if things break right for them. On Sunday the Kernels were powered by their pitching staff. Brady Anderson moved to 3-0 with 6.0 innings of four-hit baseball. He walked none, gave up no runs, and struck out four. He was replaced by Logan Lombana who pitched 2.0 innings. Lombana gave up a run on three hits and struck out three. Tom Hackimer earned the save with a clean ninth inning, including a strike out. Nelson Molina was the hero of the day for the Kernels, with a 3-4 night that included a double, a solo home run, and two runs scored. Jaylin Davis added a solo home run as well, part of his 2-4 night. Final: Kernels 4, Lumber Kings 1 E-TWINS E-NOTES Elizabethton @ Greenville Astros Box Score Quite a wild back and forth game in the Eastern League for the E-Twins and the Greeneville Astros. The E-Twins scored eight runs on nine hits and four walks. They were led by Amaury Minier, who was 2-5 with a home run and two RBIs. Alex Kiriloff was 0-3 before being replaced by Roberty Gonzalez in the bottom of the sixth. The stat sheet reads as a defensive substitution, but Kiriloff is just 4-32 and has just two hits in his last seven games, so read between the lines a bit for the 18-year old. E-Twins starter Ryan Mason lasted just 4.1 innings, giving up four runs on four hits and two walks. He struck out one, and gave up a solo home run. He was replaced by Alex Robinson, who gave up 3 runs (all unearned) over 1.2 innings. He struck out three, walked two, and gave up ZERO hits. Rough way to let three runs across the plate. Quin Grogan pitched the final three innings, picking up a blown save and the win thanks to some late inning heroics from the bats. Quin gave up two hits, walked no one, and struck out five. Final: E-Twins 8, Astros 7 TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Hitter of the Day - Brady Anderson - Cedar Rapids Pitcher of the Day - Zach Granite - Chattanooga MONDAY'S PROBABLES Rochester - Tyler Duffey (0-0, 1.72) Chattanooga - TBD Fort Myers - Randy LeBlacn (5-7, 4.70) Cedar Rapids - Eduardo Del Rosario (5-2, 3.81) E-Twins - Clark Beeker (0-0, 1.80) GCL Twins - TBD DSL Twins - TBD Please ask questions and discuss the Sunday games. -ERolf

How many doubleheaders can be played in one day? The Twins farm system tried their best to maximize the answer to this question on Tuesday. There were a trio of doubleheaders up and down the Twins system on Tuesday. The Miracle, Kernels, and DSL Twins all had to make up from some weather issues in the last month. This led to a jam-packed Monday schedule with plenty of chances for players to shine. Chattanooga had a scheduled day off and the GCL Twins were postponed but all the other teams were in action. Which players would stand out above the crowd? Read on to find out.RED WINGS REPORT Rochester 0, Buffalo 3 Box Score For his third straight start, Nick Greenwood pitched at least seven innings and allowed three runs or fewer. On Monday night he tossed seven innings while scattering seven hits. He struck out three and walked three but left the mound trailing 2-0. Neil Ramirez came on in relief and allowed a solo home run during his inning of work. Unfortunately, the Rochester offense couldn't get going in this one. The team combined for five hits, went 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position, and left six men on base. Adam Brett Walker collected two of the team's six hits but he also struck out twice. Daniel Palka added his 12th double, the team's lone extra-base knock. Mitch Garver reached base twice and is hitting .375 since being promoted. Byron Buxton was 0-for-4 out of the leadoff spot. The loss drops the Red Wings to 68-56 on the season as they sit nine games out of first place in the International League North. Luckily, Rochester finds themselves 4.5 games behind Lehigh Valley for the wild card spot with 19 games to play. This includes what could be a pivotal four-game home-and-home series to end the regular season against Lehigh Valley. MIRACLE MATTERS Fort Myers 1, St. Lucie 0 (Game 1- 8 Innings) Box Score In what was scheduled to be a seven-inning contest, the pitching staffs for both teams combined to put up zeros until the eighth frame. Christian Ibarra singled to lead-off the inning and was immediately replaced with pinch runner Sean Miller. With Nick Gordon batting, Miller advanced to second on a wild pitch. Gordon was able advance Miller to third on a deep fly to left. Joe Maloney brought home Miller on a ground ball single. Maloney finished the game 2-for-4 with the only RBI for either team. Alex Perez picked up a pair of hits in three trips to the plate. Nick Gordon and Christian Ibarra both finished 1-for-4. Overall, the team went 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position. Sam Clay had orginally started this resumed game and made it through one inning. He walked two and didn't allow an earned run. Luke Westphal and Michael Theofanopoulos each pitched 3.1 scoreless innings while combining to strike out seven. Todd Van Steensel picked up his third win after recording the final out of the eighth inning. Fort Myers 6, St. Lucie 8 (Game 2) Box Score Game two started off worse for Fort Myers as they saw St. Lucie jump out to an 8-1 lead by the end of the third. Joe Maloney had spotted the Miracle an early 1-0 lead on his third home run. In the fifth inning, Fort Myers tried to crawl back into the contest. Alex Perez walked in front of a Trey Vavra single. Following a double play, Tanner English slashed a triple to score Perez. Sean Miller drove in English with a double. Things got even more interesting in the final frame. After back-to-back singles from Brad Hartong and Daniel Kihle, Christian Ibarra hit a three-run blast to cut the lead to 8-6. The comeback attempt ended there as the next two batters failed to reach base. Randy LeBlanc started and was charged with eight earned runs on 10 hits. He struck out one and walked two. Cam Booser tossed three shutout frames while striking out six. It was the first time all season Booser pitched more than two innings and the six strikeouts tied a career high. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 1, Peoria 10 (Game 1- 7 Innings) Box Score Sam Gibbons was roughed up in this one for seven earned runs in less than five innings of work. The Chiefs pounded out four first inning runs on the way to the blowout win. Gibbons walked two and struck out two as he was charged with his first loss since May 5. Max Cordy allowed two runs on four hits with three strikeouts in relief. Luis Arraez was the lone batter to record multiple hits as he finished 2-for-3. Travis Blakenhorn picked up his third double since being promoted and he scored the team's only run. J.J. Fernandez finished 1-for-3 with an RBI. On the defensive side of the ball, Zander Wiel was charged with his 15th error at first base. Cedar Rapids 7, Peoria 2 (Game 2- 7 Innings) Box Score Cedar Rapids didn't want a nail-biter in game two as they pounded out seven runs on ten hits. Travis Blankenhorn hit his first Low-A home run, a two-run shot to give the Kernels a 2-1 lead. In the fifth inning, Cedar Rapids pushed across four runs with the biggest hit being a two-run triple by Zander Wiel. He finished the game 2-for-3 with a double, a triple and two runs scored. Blankenhorn and Jaylin Davis both picked up two hits and combined for four RBI. Brady Anderson pitched six strong innings by allowing one run on four hits. He struck out four and walked one. In four of his last five starts, he has pitched six innings and allowed one run or fewer. Williams Ramirez ran into a little trouble in the final frame as he walked a couple of batters with two outs but it wasn't nearly enough E-TOWN E-NOTES Elizabethton 7, Johnson City 17 Box Score The E-Twins found themselves in the middle of quite the slugfest but they didn't have nearly enough firepower on this night. Johnson City pounded out 17 runs on 21 hits with all but one batter in their line-up reaching base multiple times. Ryan Mason started and was charged with seven earned runs on nine hits. He struck out two and walked one. Quin Grogan allowed five runs in his three innings with a pair of strikeouts. Austin Tribby closed things out as he allowed five runs in the final two frames. Lewin Diaz collected his eighth home run, a three-run shot in the third inning. This kept the game closer at the time. Ariel Montesino scored a pair of runs out of the lead-off spot and hit his third double. Caleb Hamilton drove in two runs as part of a multi-hit night. Alex Kirilloff went 0-for-5 but managed to score a run. The E-Twins might have been looking forward to Wednesday's day off a little early as the club will have to recover from this lopsided affair. TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – Brady Anderson, Cedar Rapids Kernels Hitter of the Day – Joe Maloney, Fort Myers Miracle WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Rochester at Buffalo (12:05 CST) - LHP Andrew Albers (9-5, 3.51 ERA) Chattanooga vs. Montgomery (6:05 CST) - LHP Stephen Gonsalves (5-1, 2.01 ERA) Fort Myers @ St. Lucie (5:30 CST) - RHP Miles Nordgren (0-3, 6.14 ERA) Cedar Rapids @ Peoria (7:00 CST) - RHP Eduardo Del Rosario (4-2, 4.38 ERA) Elizabethton- Scheduled Off Day GCL Twins @ GCL Rays (11:00AM CST) - TBD Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss Tuesday’s games. Click here to view the article

One more month left in the minor league season. It is hard to believe. Today we hand out our final award of the month to the top starting pitcher in the Twins system in July. It is another familiar name in these awards, but it is a deserving recipient. Before jumping to our starting pitcher honorable mentions and top five for July, a quick reminder that we have handed out awards to Kernels 1B Zander Wiel as Twins Minor League Hitter of the Month, and to Lookouts closer Trevor Hildenberger as Twins Minor League Relief Pitcher of the Month. Check out those articles if you missed either of them.Let’s get to the starters, and before going to our Top 5 starting pitchers for the month of July, here are a few others who deserve to be recognized for a strong month. LHP Stephen Gonsalves (Chattanooga) - 6 GS, 3-1, 2.67 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 33.2 IP, 22 H, 18 BB, 41 KRHP Kohl Stewart (Chattanooga) - 5 GS, 4-1, 2.28 ERA, 1.63 WHIP, 27.2 IP, 32 H, 13 BB, 17 KRHP Eduardo Del Rosario (Cedar Rapids) - 5 GS, 3-0, 2.83 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 28.2 IP, 23 H, 13 BB, 30 KRHP Dereck Rodriguez (Cedar Rapids) - 5 GS, 2-2, 3.13 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 31.2 IP, 24 H, 9 BB, 27 KLHP Taylor Clemensia (GCL) - 5 G, 4 GS, 0-1, 1.66 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, 21.2 IP, 8 H, 12 BB, 25 KRHP Miguel De Jesus (GCL) - 5 GS, 2-1, 2.52 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 25.0 IP, 20 H, 10 BB, 25 KRHP Huascar Ynoa (GCL) - 5 GS, 0-3, 2.82 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 22.1 IP, 19 H, 6 BB, 29 KTHE TOP FIVE STARTING PITCHERS Number 5 – Ft. Myers – RHP Randy LeBlanc - 5 GS, 3-2, 2.53 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 32.0 IP, 26 H, 6 BB, 24 K LeBlanc was spectacular the first two months this season, his first in the organization as a full-time starter. He went 6-2 with a 0.74 ERA and a 0.82 WHIP in nine starts. In early June, he was promoted to Ft. Myers where he experienced some rough starts. He has made some of the necessary adjustments and had a really nice month of July. While he isn’t a big strikeout pitcher, he is known more for his ability to get ground balls. For the month, opponents hit .224/.270/.267 (.537) off him. In ten starts now with the Miracle, he is 4-5 with a 4.25 ERA. Those numbers will look much better if he can end the season with another strong month in August. Number 4 - Cedar Rapids – LHP Lachlan Wells - 6 GS, 2-3, 2.57 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 35.0 IP, 29 H, 7 BB, 29 K The career to this point of 19-year-old Lachlan Wells is lining up pretty closely with the career of fellow Australian lefty Lewis Thorpe. Wells was in the GCL last year where he went 5-2 with a 2.09 ERA before leaving to play for Team Australia. He began this season in extended spring training, but just as the short-season teams were starting, he was promoted to Cedar Rapids. He made one start in June before putting together a very nice July. He had one start of six shutout innings with eight strikeouts. He had another start where he went eight shutout innings with nine strikeouts. It was an impressive debut in the Midwest League where he is almost three years younger than the average player. Opponents hit just .227/.277/.328 (.605) off him. Number 3 – Ft. Myers – RHP Fernando Romero - 5 GS, 2-1, 2.00 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 27.0 IP, 23 H, 5 BB, 26 K After missing about two seasons due to Tommy John surgery and a knee surgery, Romero came back strong. He returned to Cedar Rapids in mid-May and stayed there for a month. He went 4-1 with a 1.93 ERA in five starts before being promoted to Ft. Myers. He has now made seven starts for the Miracle. In his five July starts, opponents hit just .230/.274/.300 off him. He continued to miss bats while throwing a lot of strikes. Still just 21 years old, I may have ranked him too low when I had him at #7 in my mid-season Twins prospect rankings. He should shoot up that list and national lists this offseason. Number 2 - Gulf Coast League – RHP Brady Anderson - 6 G, 4 GS, 2-0, 1.08 ERA, 0.72 WHIP, 25.0 IP, 17 H, 1 BB, 22 K The Twins signed Brady Anderson as a non-drafted free agent following the draft this June. No surprise that he did well against Gulf Coast League kids, but it was the dominance that makes you wonder why he went undrafted out of Florida Gulf Coast. In his final three starts with the GCL Twins, he gave up no runs on six hits and no walks in 17 innings. For the month, GCL hitters posted a .187/.213/.209 (.422) line against him. In fact, he pitched well enough that when the Cedar Rapids Kernels needed a starter last night, it was Anderson who they had skip Elizabethton and jump to the Midwest League where he gave up three runs in five innings. Anderson is already 23 and will turn 24 in November, but this isn’t a prospect ranking. It’s about performance, and Anderson was tremendous in July. And the Twins Minor League Starting Pitcher of the Month is: Rochester – RHP Jose Berrios - 5 GS, 3-2, 2.08 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, 34.2 IP, 25 H, 8 BB, 38 K Berrios is no stranger to winning ‘awards’ from Twins Daily. He has won numerous monthly awards the last three seasons and has won the Pitcher of the Year Award in 2014 and 2015. The 22-year-old was the 32nd overall pick in the 2012 draft out of his high school in Puerto Rico. His rise has been impressive and the Twins have moved him up quite quickly (though not quickly enough for many fans). He was given an opportunity to make the Twins Opening Day roster this year but his control and command were not good. After three starts in Rochester, he was called up to the Twins. Things didn’t go terribly well for him in four starts and he was sent back to Rochester. Most notably, he just walked too many batters. Back in Rochester, he continued to struggle a bit for about five starts. However, since mid-June, he has turned things around and been quite good. The walks were down. The strikeouts were up. He flirted with a no-hitter into the 7th inning in one game. He threw a nine inning, complete game shutout in another. Opponents hit just .207/.254/.314 (.568) off of him in July. He’s been another pitcher in his final eight starts in Rochester, and that’s why it was an easy choice to call him back up to start on August 1st. His return was strong. After allowing three runs in the first inning, he calmed down and gave up just those three runs over six innings. Hopefully his days in Rochester are behind him for good. There were several strong starting pitching performances in July, but the choice of Jose Berrios was pretty clear. Feel free to discuss below. Feel free to agree or disagree with the order, if you like, but congratulations these individuals on a terrific month. Congratulations to the July Twins Daily Minor League Starting Pitcher of the Month for 2016, Jose Berrios. Click here to view the article

The All-Star break popped up at the worst possible time for the hottest offense in baseball. But hopefully Eduardo Nunez will continue to swing a hot bat on Tuesday as he represents the Twins for the American League.Even though MLB games won’t resume until Friday, Monday’s schedule consisted of a nearly full slate for the Twins affiliates. In good news, Jason Wheeler will start for the International League in the AAA All-Star Game on Wednesday. In other news, the Twins released Kevin Jepsen today. They’ll be on the hook for the remainder of his salary (less the prorated minimum when he signs with another team). Let’s check out the rest of the games. RED WINGS REPORT Rochester - OFF DAY At the All-Star break, the Red Wings are 52-40, 4.5 games off of the division pace, but good for only a half-game deficit in the wild card race. CHATTANOOGA CHATTER Chattanooga 6, Tennessee 7 Box Score Felix Jorge made his AA debut for the Lookouts on Monday. He squared off against Jen-Ho Tseng, a well-regarded prospect in his own right, who was pursued heavily by the Twins as an international free agent in 2013. Jorge’s night started off as well as you’d hope: He faced nine batters and retired them all, four on strikeouts and four on ground balls. But when the lineup turned over, so did the results. After getting the leadoff batter out, extending his streak to 10 straight, Jorge gave up five consecutive singles, resulting in three runs. Two more singles and a blast resulted in three more runs in the fifth inning. A walk and two more singles plated one more run and Jorge’s night was over: 5 1/3 innings, 10 hits, seven runs, a walk and four strikeouts. The bullpen trio of Zack Jones, Mason Melotakis and Raul Fernandez combined for five strikeouts and three shutout innings. Chattanooga scored first in the third inning when Niko Goodrum singled in Leo Reginatto, who doubled. They tacked on two more in the third inning thanks to a handful of singles and a balk. A Ryan Walker double and Stuart Turner home run contributed to the final three runs. Walker and Mitch Garver both had two hits. Only D.J. Hicks didn’t get a hit. The Lookouts are now 46-42 on the season. MIRACLE MATTERS Fort Myers 1, Dunedin 5 Box Score Miles Nordgren dominated for six innings before running into big trouble. Nordgren made it through the seventh, but not before giving up five hits, four runs (three earned) and a walk. He struck out two. Entering the seventh, Nordgren had only allowed one hit. Luke Bard (a run on two hits, walk and strikeout) and Brandon Peterson (walk, two strikeouts) each pitched an inning. Offensively, Fort Myers collected only four hits. Brad Hartong doubled. LaMonte Wade, Tanner Witt and Daniel Kihle added singles. The Miracle are 12-7 in the second half, holding a one-game lead in the FSL South. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 4, Kane County 0 Box Score The offense got on the board when Luis Arraez drove in Jermaine Palacios, who tripled, on a sacrifice fly. It was all the Kernels would need - though they’d get more - to win the game. Arraez and Nelson Molina each had two-hit games. Zander Wiel had a two-run home run, his sixth of the season. Casey Scoggins had a double. Molina also stole a base, his third. Eduardo Del Rosario pitched five shutout innings, somewhat miraculously. He put nine runners on base - five hits and four walks - and struck out five. Anthony McIver pitched three scoreless innings, striking out two. Tom Hackimer, completed the shutout. E-TOWN E-NOTES Elizabethton 4, Greeneville 12 Box Score The E-Twins trailed 4-3 entering the ninth inning, but an eight-run frame ended all hopes for the home team. The offense wasn’t particularly good, but it was moot when the bullpen fell apart. E-town combined for only six hits, two from Shane Carrier, who provided the team with its only extra-base hit, a double. Alex Kirilloff was 0-4 with a strikeout; he played center field. Jose Martinez started the game and pitched five innings. He allowed three runs and struck out three. Alex Robinson pitched a scoreless frame. Griffin Jax struck out four in two innings. Jax gave up a solo home run though and was charged with the loss. Johan Quezada recorded two outs. He walked two and allowed four hits. He allowed six earned runs before being replaced by Hector Lujan, who allowed two more runs to score. Elizabethton drops to 7-11 GCL TWINS TAKES GCL Twins 4, GCL Orioles 2 Box Score The piggyback tandem of Taylor Clemensia (hit, three walks, four strikeouts) and Brady Anderson (five hits, two runs, seven strikeouts) each pitched four innings before Onas Farfan allowed a hit in the ninth inning, picking up the save. Competitive Balance pick Jose Miranda led the offense today, picking up three hits, including his first extra-base hit, a double. He drove in two runs. Jorge Andrade and Tyree Davis each also had multi-hit games and doubled. Andrade stole a base. Aaron Whitefield singled twice. TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – Miles Nordgren, Fort Myers Hitter of the Day – Jose Miranda, GCL Twins TUESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Chattanooga at Tennessee (6:05 CST) - LHP Stephen Gonsalves (2-1, 4.91 ERA) GCL Twins at GCL Orioles (11:00AM CST) - TBD Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss Monday’s games. Click here to view the article