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A 2022 draft pick made his professional debut, a few hitters broke out, and Blayne Enlow had one of his best outings of the season. Read all about that and more in this edition of the minor league report. TRANSACTIONS OF Mark Contreras optioned to St. Paul Saints Sentinel St. Paul 5, Omaha 0 Box Score Ariel Jurado: 4 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K HR: John Andreoli (9), Jermaine Palacios 2 (11, 12), Braden Bishop (1) Multi-hit games: Michael Helman (2-for-5, 2B, R), Jermaine Palacios (2-for-5, 2 HR, 2 R, 3 RBI) St. Paul smothered their opponent on Saturday. Ariel Jurado earned the nod for the start on Saturday and was effective, if not sporadic. No Storm Chaser crossed home plate under his watch, but the righty only coaxed a single strikeout from his opponents, instead relying on his defense to make plays behind him. St. Paul’s bats were cleared for take-off; the team launched four home runs in their effort, with Jermaine Palacios’ second bomb acting as the lone non-solo shot. John Andreoli and Braden Bishop, perhaps united in their effort as former fringe Mariners, also homered. Bishop’s was his first of the season. Evan Sisk was the big-winner for Saints’ relievers; the lefty-handed return in the J.A. Happ trade pitched two shutout innings with a pair of strikeouts. Sisk will likely be in the majors sooner than later. Wind Surge Wisdom Wichita 5, San Antonio 1 Box Score Blayne Enlow: 4 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K HR: Jair Camargo (4) Multi-hit games: Chris Williams (2-for-4, 2B, R, RBI, BB), Ernie Yake (2-for-4, 2B, R), Leobaldo Cabrera (3-for-4, 2B, RBI) Wichita easily handled their opponent on Saturday. Blayne Enlow established order; the righty allowed one earned run over four frames, striking out an equal number of batters for good measure. It’s been an up-and-down season for Enlow, and this start was certainly one of the bright spots. Wichita’s offense ensured Enlow’s start would not go for naught; Chris Williams and Andrew Bechtold both doubled in the 1st inning, scoring three total runs. Leobaldo Cabrera returned with an RBI double in the third frame; Jair Camargo, just to be mean, blasted a solo shot in the 7th. Cody Laweryson worked three scoreless innings, striking out four batters with two hits allowed. Laweryson dropped his AA ERA to 1.03. Yes, that’s the correct number. Some guy named Fernando Tatís Jr. started for San Antonio and walked twice. Kernels Nuggets Cedar Rapids 1, Beloit 2 Box Score David Festa: 3 1/3 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 K HR: None Multi-hit games: Wander Javier (2-for-4), Jeferson Morales (2-for-4, RBI) The Kernels lost a low-scoring affair on Saturday. David Festa, newly anointed as the 13th best prospect according to this site, started for the first time since July 24th, allowing a pair of runs with, yes, a picked-off runner. Get used to reading that. Cedar Rapids struggled against Beloit’s pitchers. Perhaps they were baffled by the “Sky Carps” moniker—as the team changed their name for the night—or maybe they were offended that a pitcher named “Puckett” earned the save for the opposing team; in any case, the team did not hit. Will Holland earned the sole extra-base hit of the night, his 11th double of the season. Kernels’ relievers worked as their positional name implies, shutting out Beloit with 5 2/3 effective innings. Jon Olsen struck out four batters; Tyler Palm did not allow a baserunner. Mussel Matters Fort Myers 6, Bradenton 9 Box Score Mike Paredes: 4 1/3 IP, 10 H, 5 ER, 0 BB, 4 K HR: Carlos Aguiar (9) Multi-hit games: Misael Urbina (3-for-5, 2 2B, R, 2 RBI), Kala’i Rosario (2-for-5, RBI), Dillon Tatum (2-for-2, 2B, 2 R, 2 BB), Carlos Aguiar (2-for-4, HR, 2B, 2 R, 2 RBI) The Mighty Mussels could not steal command of the game on Saturday. Mike Paredes, fresh off winning the Twins Daily Minor League Starting Pitcher of the Month award, served up a clunker; the righty rushed through regression with whiplash intensity, allowing nearly as many hits (10) as outs (13). Fort Myers’ bats enjoyed the game far more; Carlos Aguiar and Misael Urbina clocked multiple extra-base hits while Noah Miller tripled for, appropriately, the third time. It was a tremendous effort, but the early deficit proved insurmountable. Jackson Hicks and Samuel Perez found better luck than Paredes—although Hicks walked four batters—but the Marauders still walked away with nine total runs; a total the Mighty Mussels fell short in chasing. Complex Chronicles FCL Twins 10, FCL Red Sox 11 Box Score Tomas Cleto: 2 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 2 K HR: Gregory Duran (2), Alex Isola (1), Ricardo Olivar (5) Multi-hit games: Tanner Schobel (2-for-5, 2 R), Danny De Andrade (2-for-5, R, RBI), Ricardo Olivar (3-for-4, HR, R, 3 RBI), Gregory Duran (2-for-5, HR, R, RBI) The FCL Twins lost a high-scoring affair. Recent 1st round pick Brooks Lee manned shortstop to start and netted a single out of three tries at the plate. Tanner Schobel—another 2022 draft pick—dropped in two singles while working as the designated hitter. Jorel Ortega debuted for the first time and promptly struck out in three at-bats. It’ll be on to the next one for him. Alex Isola started a rehab assignment, blasting a health-proving three-run homer while also walking. Dominican Dailies DSL Twins 4, DSL Rockies 10 Box Score Cesar Lares: 2 2/3 IP, 5 H, 5 ER, 2 BB, 4 K HR: Yasser Mercedes (4) Multi-hit games: Yasser Mercedes (2-for-4, HR, R, 3 RBI), Denyerbe Gervis (2-for-4, R), Juan Zapata (2-for-3, 2B, R) The DSL Twins were smoked on Saturday. Yasser Mercedes continued his head-turning start to the season; the athletic outfielder homered for the fourth time and swiped his 21st bag of the season. If you haven’t heard, I’m here to let you know—Mercedes is the real deal. Juan Zapata and Isaac Pena were the only other hitters with an extra-base knock on Saturday. TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Blayne Enlow Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Jermaine Palacios PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed: #2 - Brooks Lee (FCL Twins) - 1-3, R #7 - Noah Miller (Ft. Myers) - 1-5, 3B, K #9 - Matt Wallner (St. Paul) - 0-3, 2 BB #13 - David Festa (Cedar Rapids) - 3 ⅓ IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 K #14 - Edouard Julien (Wichita) - 1-5, 2 K #15 - Blayne Enlow (Wichita) - 4 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K #18 - Tanner Schobel (FCL Twins) - 2-5, 2 R, K #20 - Kala’i Rosario (Ft. Myers) - 2-5, RBI SUNDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS St. Paul @ Omaha (5:05 PM) - LHP Devin Smeltzer NW Arkansas @ Wichita (6:05 PM) - RHP Casey Legumina Beloit @ Cedar Rapids (2:05 PM) - TBD Bradenton @ Fort Myers (12:00 PM) - RHP Regi Grace View full article

Offense was on display across the Twins' minor league organization on Sunday, leading to wins for all four teams that played. Read all about Jermaine Palacios' walk-off, Aaron Sabato's monster day, Carlos Aguiar's near-cycle, and much more! TRANSACTIONS Minnesota Twins sent LHP Caleb Thielbar on a rehab assignment to St. Paul Saints. SAINTS SENTINAL St. Paul 8, Iowa 4 (10 innings) Box Score Ice in his veins. Knotted at four with two outs and the bases loaded in the 10th inning, "Big Game" Jermaine Palacios broke on the draw. On the first pitch of his at-bat, Palacios launched a ball over the left-center field wall and onto the outfield concourse to walk off the Saints in the series finale against Iowa. Palacios wasn't the only offensive star on the day; St. Paul mounted a crucial three-run third inning thanks to an RBI single from Spencer Steer and a two-run homer courtesy of Jake Cave . The 29-year-old may have gray hair on that luscious beard, but his swing looked as ageless as ever over the past week. Cave hit safely in all six games against the I-Cubs and recorded multi-hit performances in three of those six games. His whopping on-base streak may have ended earlier this month but Cave has recorded an impressive July, slashing .263/.388/.563 with six homers, 18 RBI, and 17 runs. Palacios' statement of a game didn't just feature his walk-off grand slam. Trailing 4-3 in the eighth innings, Palacios lined a double to right field that scored Cave from second base. Palacios and Cave certainly stole the show at the plate, yet Sunday's matinee featured a flurry of quality pitching performances. Starting pitcher Ariel Jurado allowed just one run on three hits while striking out seven through four innings. The Aguadulce, Panama native was perfect in the walks category and his seven strikeouts were a season-high. Making his first appearance upon return from the IL Twins' bullpen staple Caleb Thielbar tossed a perfect fifth inning, drawing a groundout and pop out along with a strikeout. After a pair of scoreless innings from Tyler Thornburg and Ian Hamilton, RHP Michael Feliz put the nail in the coffin for the Saints, pitching a perfect ninth and tenth inning. WIND SURGE WISDOM Wichita 5, Northwest Arkansas 3 Box Score Speed kills. Scoring off of two wild pitches, Deshawn Keirsey Jr. touted a multi-hit game with a triple to propel the Surge to a Sunday afternoon victory over Northwest Arkansas in Wichita. Keirsey Jr. got the party started in the second inning when he took a 2-1 pitch to right field for a leadoff triple (3). Just two batters later, Keirsey Jr. scooted home when a pitch to Ernie Yake squeaked to the right of the Travelers' catcher. Wichita remained silent until putting together a massive four-run eighth inning. Keirsey Jr. led off that inning with a walk and scored on another wild pitch. The mishap wasn't Northwest Arkansas' only in the inning: on a double steal from Edouard Julien and Yake, a botched throw allowed Yake to score from third. Chris Williams and Yake both tallied RBI singles to contribute to the four-run frenzy. Keirsey Jr. wasn't too shabby in the field either, robbing an extra-base hit to record the final out of the sixth inning. Highly-touted pitching prospect Simeon Woods-Richardson returned to the bump for the first time since June 11, pitching 2 2/3 innings of scoreless ball. Woods-Richardson allowed four hits and walked three while striking out four. Not a bad first day back at the office for a guy who will certainly play a critical role for the organization's pitching staff in years to come. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 9, Wisconsin 2 Box Score Runs were the main course for the Kernels on Sunday afternoon in Cedar Rapids. Thanks to a three-hit, two-homer, five RBI showing from slugger Aaron Sabato, the Kernels notched their 59th win of the season. Sabato got things started right away with a two-run shot in the first inning to put Cedar Rapids on the board. Just four pitches later, Yunior Severino launched a ball over the center-field wall to give the Kernels a 3-0 lead. Sabato struck again in the third inning with an RBI double that scored Jake Rucker (who also scored on Sabato's first-inning bomb). The party continued in the fifth. With Rucker on base, Sabato took a 3-2 pitch over the left-field wall to give the Kernels a 7-0 lead. Sunday continued a red-hot July for Sabato. Hitting safely in seven of his last eight games, Sabato is slashing .273/.375/.709 in the month of July. Sabato now has two three-hit games on the season and Sunday marked the first time that Sabato has mashed two homers and a double in his time with Cedar Rapids. Cedar Rapids used five pitches to defeat the Timber Rattlers. Starting pitcher Orlando Rodriguez pitched 2 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing two hits and three walks while striking out one. Red-hot Bobby Milacki (W, 5-0) followed Rodriguez with 2 1/3 innings of one-hit, scoreless ball while striking out two. Milacki now has an impressive 1.97 ERA on the season. MUSSEL MATTERS Fort Myers 8, Tampa 6 Box Score Despite falling to an early 3-0 deficit, the Mussels used six extra-base hits to power past the Tarpons to cap off the week in the Sunshine State. Five Mighty Mussels tallied multi-hit games and left-fielder Carlos Aguiar tallied a double, triple, and homer in Sunday's victory. Aguiar put the Mussels on the board in the fourth inning with a solo homer on a 1-1 pitch. Misael Urbina followed suit with a two-run RBI single to knot the game at three. The fun came in the sixth. Leading off for Fort Myers, Aguiar punched a 1-1 pitch to right field for a leadoff triple that eventually turned into a 'little league home run' when Tampa's second baseman botched a throw on the relay, allowing Aguiar to score. The play was critical, as Fort Myers' next three batters struck out. It may not count as a homer, but hey, a run's a run, no matter how it happens! Knotted in a dog fight, the Mussels provided enough insurance in the eighth inning to secure the win. Following an RBI single from Daniel Ozoria, Urbina launched a two-run homer over the left-field wall to seal the deal for Fort Myers. The Mussels went all out from the bump in their victory over the Tarpons, using six different pitchers. Starting pitcher Jordan Carr lasted two innings, allowing three runs on four hits. Reliever Niklas Rimmel (W, 4-1) was rock-solid on the back end of the game, pitching 1 2/3 innings of scoreless ball while walking two and striking out three. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Hitter of the Day: Aaron Sabato (Cedar Rapids) - 3-for-4, 2 HR, 2B, 3 R, 5 RBI Pitcher of the Day: Ariel Jurado (St. Paul) - 4 IP, 0 R, 3 H, 0 BB, 7 K PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed. # 5 - Simeon Woods Richardson (Wichita) 2.2 IP, 0 R, 4 H, 3 BB, 4 K #6 - Spencer Steer (St. Paul) - 1-for-5, R #12 - Matt Wallner (St. Paul) - 0-4, 2 K #15 - Edouard Julien (Wichita) - 0-for-2, R, 3 BB, K #16 - Christian Encarnacion-Strand (Wichita) - 1-for-2, BB, K MONDAY'S PROBABLE STARTERS FCL Twins @ FCL Orioles 11:00am CST DSL Rockies @ DSL Twins 9:00am CST View full article

The affiliates of the Minnesota Twins put up some impressive offensive numbers on Tuesday. But they also had a couple of their Top pitching prospects working. Find out how they did, and which teams were able to win. We'll give you one here. The Cedar Rapids Kernels became the first Midwest League team to win 50 games. Minnesota Twins affiliates got a lot of hits on Tuesday night, and they went big with them as well. One of their opponents would have been happy if even half of the hits they allowed to the good guys went for singles, but instead, 80% of them went for extra bases in a blowout. Multiple hitters didn’t produce an out in their games, including one who collected four doubles in a breakout performance. There was even a walk-off home run, from a player who had done the same thing just days ago. This is all without even mentioning a pitcher by the name of Cade Povich, who would be the lead story for his performance on almost any other night... Heck, just keep reading, you’re not going to want to miss the action from Tuesday night! TRANSACTIONS The Twins send 3B Miguel Sano on a rehab assignment to the St. Paul Saints. The Wichita Wind Surge activated RHP Alex Phillips. Blayne Enlow and Jordan Gore placed on the Covid IL. C Alex Rodriguez was assigned from the FCL Twins to the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels. According to his twitter page, and some great artwork, RHP Ben Heller announced he had signed with the Twins. He pitched for the Yankees in 2020 and in 2021, he has a stress fracture in his elbow. SAINTS SENTINEL Toledo 3, St. Paul 4 (suspended in the bottom of 2nd inning) Box Score While the Twins were able to keep their game going across the river in Minneapolis, the Saints didn’t have as much luck over in Lowertown St. Paul. After taking a 4-3 lead on a two-RBI double from the rehabbing Miguel Sano, the game was delayed and not able to be resumed. It will be completed on Wednesday in full, and be followed by a regularly scheduled seven-inning contest. Cole Sands made the start and allowed three runs on four hits and two walks in his two innings, though he did strike out four. Mark Contreras and John Andreoli had contributed doubles, and Michael Helman had slugged his fifth home run with the Saints before play was stopped. WIND SURGE WISDOM Arkansas 8, Wichita 10 Box Score After building a big lead early, the Wind Surge risked squandering a solid effort from right-hander Louie Varland late at home on Tuesday against the Travelers. They built an 8-1 lead after four innings, largely behind the bat of outfielder DeShawn Keirsey Jr. His first double in the second inning got them on the board, and he would score their second run on an RBI single from Anthony Prato. His second double of the game in the third inning plated two more runs, and he’d eventually score from third when Matt Wallner was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded that made the score 7-1. They pushed it to 8-1 in the fourth after a single from Keirsey Jr. loaded the bases, and Prato followed up with another RBI single. Varland was solid through his first five innings, scattering four hits and one walk, but finally got into trouble he couldn’t overcome in the sixth. Three consecutive singles and a walk put an end to his game after 5 1/3 innings pitched. His final line included three earned runs on seven hits and two walks, while striking out four. Alex Scherff got the Wind Surge out of the sixth inning without allowing another run, but the Travelers jumped on him in the seventh. A pair of walks, two doubles, and a grand slam brought Bryan Sammons out from the bullpen, and he allowed a double of his own that ended up tying the game at eight. Sammons was able to pitch a one-two-three eighth inning to keep the game tied, but the offense had gone cold since the fourth. Besides Keirsey Jr., that is. He tacked on doubles in each of the sixth and eighth innings, giving him four on the game, but his teammates weren’t able to get on base in front of him or drive him in after. Alex Phillips struck out two in a perfect ninth inning, and after the Wind Surge went down in similar fashion the game went to extras, where Osiris German was tabbed. He got a strikeout before allowing an infield single but was able to induce an unassisted double-play liner to first baseman Chris Williams to keep the game knotted at eight. In the bottom half, Andrew Bechtold wasted little time, taking the second pitch of his leadoff at-bat into the bullpen in right-center, for his 11th home run of the year, and the walk-off exclamation win. It was his second walk-off homer in less that a week. The Wind Surge finished the game with fifteen hits, led by Keirsey Jr’s 5-for-5 game that included four doubles, two runs scored, three RBI, and his 24th stolen base of the season. Edouard Julien (2-for-5, R, BB, 2 K), Bechtold (2-for-5, 2 R, HR, 2 RBI, BB, K), and Prato (3-for-5, 2 RBI) also had multiple hits in the win. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 11, Beloit 0 Box Score Rather than ramble on-and-on about how thoroughly the Cedar Rapids Kernels took care of former Twins affiliate Beloit tonight, I’ll just give you my watching-the-game-Tweet-synopsis: The Kernels ended the game with 15 hits, and 12 were for extra-bases. Kyler Fedko and Jake Rucker each had two doubles. Jeferson Morales had a double and a triple. Christian Encarnacion-Strand and Wander Javier each had a double and a home run. In fact, the only hitters in the lineup to not collect an XBH, were third baseman Seth Gray and catcher Pat Winkel. Encarnacion-Strand and Javier each drove in three runs, and CES’s home run was remarked on the broadcast as being one of the longest balls hit in Beloit on the season as it exited the stadium over the bullpen in left field. While the offensive onslaught was more than impressive, it also shouldn’t overshadow the starting pitching effort from left-hander Cade Povich. He picked up an easy win, his sixth of the season, by completing six scoreless innings. He allowed just three hits, walked one, and struck out 10 Sky Carp hitters on the night. He was in command all game, with 59 of his 88 pitches going for strikes (67%), including an eye-popping 18 swinging strikes. While his last outing wasn’t the greatest in the end result, combined with this one he has struck out 21 hitters in his last 11 innings pitched and has a K-rate of 12.5/9IP on the season. Derek Molina was also impressive out of the bullpen for two innings, retiring every hitter he faced, including four strikeouts of his own. Matt Mullenbach finished the game for the Kernels with one-two-three ninth, making sure to end the pain as quickly as possible for the home team. MUSSEL MATTERS Clearwater 5, Fort Myers 9 Box Score Both teams scored runs in each of the first three innings of this game, but the Mighty Mussels were the only ones to put up crooked numbers and jumped out to a big lead. Starting pitcher Travis Adams worked hard to get through 4 2/3 innings, allowing four total runs working into the fifth inning. He allowed six hits, walked two, and struck out one. Samuel Perez got the final out of the fifth and worked a scoreless sixth, allowing a run of his own on a homer, and striking out one. Despite that, Fort Myers was always out front thanks to their offense. Misael Urbina led off the game for the home team with a single, and would later score on an RBI groundout from Kala’i Rosario. Mikey Perez followed that with a double to score Noah Miller, who had drawn a walk, and it was 2-1 after one. In the second frame, Nelson Roberto delivered an RBI triple and was followed by a sac fly from Urbina that made it 4-2. In the third Rosario led off the inning with a home run, then four consecutive hitters reached base, with Carlos Aguiar’s double driving in two more that made the score 7-3. Aguiar made it 8-5 with a home run of his own in the fifth, before Urbina reached on an error to lead off the sixth, moved to third on a groundout, and scored on a wild-pitch to account for all the Mighty Mussels' scoring. Jordan Carr finished off the final three innings, allowing just one hit and striking out one to be credited with the win. Aguiar led the offense with his big 4-for-4 night. He scored two runs, stole a base, and drove in three. Miller (2-for-4, R, BB, K, SB) and Rosario (2-for-4, R, 2B, HR, 2 RBI, K) also joined him with multi-hit games. COMPLEX CHRONICLES FCL Twins 4, FCL Pirates 5 Box Score Down in the Florida Complex League, the FCL Twins made a late rally and had the tying run just 90 feet away, but fell short on the road against the FCL Pirates. Juan Rojas took the mound to start the game for the Twins and allowed two runs on four hits and a walk in his four innings. Highly notable, however, was that of his 12 outs recorded, a whopping 10 of them came on strikeouts, including the first six hitters of the game, and eight of the first nine. He likely wore down a little, as both of his runs and three of his hits allowed, came in his final inning. But that’s a nice game to hold your hat on for the 18-year-old lefty from Venezuela who was a standout in the DSL last season. Francis Peguero notched a scoreless inning in the fifth, allowing one hit and striking out one. He was followed by Develson Aria who went the final three innings, allowing three runs in the sixth, but recovered to throw scoreless frames in his final two. The Twins got on the board in the sixth inning thanks to an error after Danny De Andrade and Ricardo Olivar reached base by a hit-by-pitch and walk, respectively, to start it. Down 5-9 in the ninth, Fredy Michel got a one-out rally started by drawing a walk, and was followed by singles from Yonardy Soto and De Andrade to bring him home. Alexander Pena then drove them both in with a triple that made it 5-4, but Andres Centeno went down swinging to end the game. DOMINICAN DAILIES DSL Twins 7, DSL Angels 5 Box Score The DSL Twins used two big innings, including a four-run ninth, to overcome the Angels and pick up the win on Tuesday. In the fifth inning, they took advantage of poor defense and wild pitches to score their first runs of the game. After Anderson Nova led off the inning with a single, three consecutive errors and a pair of wild pitches led to three runs and the lead for the Twins. Miguel Olivares made the start and went five strong innings. He allowed two runs on two hits and one walk, while striking out five. In 21 1/3 innings on the year, Olivares owns a 2.11 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, and has struck out 25. Leonardo Lugo was charged with a blown save in his 2 1/3 innings, allowing the Angels to retake the lead with two runs allowed on three hits (including a home run) and three walks. He struck out one. Jose Brito picked up the win by finishing the final 1 2/3, allowing one run on two hits and a walk, while picking up two K’s. Down 4-3 heading into the ninth, the Twins again took advantage of poor defense. Bryan Acuna led off with a single, then two more errors allowed him to score. A walk and a sac fly later, and the Twins had the lead again, but Luis Rodriguez also tacked on some insurance runs with a two-RBI single to close the scoring. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day - Cade Povich, Cedar Rapids Kernels (W, 6 IP, 3 H, BB, 10 K) Hitter of the Day - Carlos Aguiar, Fort Myers Mighty Mussels (4-for-4, 2 R, 2B, HR, 3 RBI) DeShawn Keirsey Jr, Wichita Wind Surge (5-for-5, 2 R, 4 2B, 3 RBI) PROSPECT SUMMARY #8 - Noah Miller (Fort Myers) - 2-for-4, R, BB, K, SB (18) #10 - Cade Povich (Cedar Rapids) - W, 6 IP, 3 H, BB, 10 K #11 - Louie Varland (Wichita) - 5 1/3 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 4 K #12 - Matt Wallner (Wichita) - 0-for-4, RBI, BB, HBP, 3 K #15 - Edouard Julien (Wichita) - 2-for-5, R, BB, 2 K #16 - Christian Encarnacion-Strand (Cedar Rapids) - 2-for-5, R, 2B, HR (19), 3 RBI #17 - Cole Sands (St. Paul) - 2 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 4 K (game suspended) WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Toledo @ St. Paul (7:07 PM CDT) - RHP Ronny Henriquez (1-3, 6.15 ERA) Arkansas @ Wichita (12:05 PM CDT) - RHP Sawyer Gipson-Long (1-4, 7.54 ERA) Cedar Rapids @ Beloit (7:35 PM CDT) - TBD Clearwater @ Fort Myers (11:00 AM CDT) - RHP Jaylen Nowlin (3-3, 4.78 ERA) DSL Twins @ DSL Nationals (10:00 AM CDT) - TBD Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Tuesday’s games! 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Miguel Sano hit the first two home runs of his rehab assignment. Marco Raya was on the bump again. Will Holland made one of the best catches you may see in the Twins system all year. St. Paul and Wichita each played extra-inning games. Read about all of this and more in Saturday’s Minor League Report! Let’s see what happened this Saturday in the Twins organization. TRANSACTIONS 2B Nash Knight was assigned to Wichita from Round Rock Express (Rangers organization) RHP Luis Rijo was assigned to FCL from Cedar Rapids, after being removed from the 60-Day IL. OF Misael Urbina was assigned to Fort Myers from FCL Twins SAINTS SENTINEL St. Paul 9, Louisville 10 Box Score The Saints lost a heartbreaker on Saturday night. This game had so many lead changes; it was unfortunate to see St. Paul come out on the losing end. Aaron Sanchez took the hill for the Saints in this one. He threw six innings, allowing three runs while striking out four, keeping the Saints in the game and giving them a chance to win. Sanchez allowed three early runs to Louisville, so the Saints were in an early hole. Michael Helman singled in a run to give the Saints their first run of the night and cut the deficit to two. A few innings later, John Andreoli hit a solo shot, his seventh of the year, to cut the deficit down to just one run heading into the bottom of the sixth. The Saints brought in recently DFA’d reliever Juan Minaya to try to keep it a one-run game heading into the eighth inning. Unfortunately, he allowed four runs in the bottom of the seventh to put the Saints down by five runs, seeming like an insurmountable deficit. With six outs to go and needing five runs, the Saints started a comeback. Tim Beckham, Mark Contreras, and Jermaine Palacios all had two-out RBI singles in the top of the eighth, and Caleb Hamilton hit an RBI double to close the gap to just one run. After Drew Strotman threw a scoreless top of the eighth, the Saints tied the game in the top of the ninth when Jake Cave hit a sac-fly to score Andreoli. Evan Sisk continued to have an outstanding season when he threw a scoreless ninth to bring his season ERA down to 1.01 in 35 innings. The Saints took advantage of the runner on second base rule in the tenth when Curtis Terry doubled in the go-ahead run, and Roy Morales scored a run with a single to give the Saints a two-run lead with three outs to go. Ian Hamilton came on for the tenth and got two quick outs before an RBI single brought the game to 9-8. Louisville brought on a pinch hitter who quickly got to two strikes but hit a walk-off homer to give Louisville the come-from-behind victory. Helman, Terry, and Andreoli all had multi-hit performances to lead the offense in this game as the Saints fall to 40-42 on the season. WIND SURGE WISDOM Wichita 3, Amarillo 6 Box Score In another extra-inning affair, the Wichita Wind Surge fell in a heartbreaker to the Amarillo Sod Poodles, 6-3. Kody Funderburk took the ball for Wichita, and he was excellent once again, throwing five innings without allowing an earned run. He now has a 2.78 ERA in 55 innings in 2022. Andrew Bechtold started the scoring in the bottom of the fourth when he singled to score Edouard Julien. The RBI was Bechtold’s 30th of the year. After Funderburk committed an error, the Sod Poodles capitalized with a sac-fly to tie the game at one in the top of the fifth. However, the game didn’t stay like that for long, as Wind Surge newcomer Nash Knight blasted a homer into the left-center field bullpen just one half-inning later. In the top of the seventh, Cody Laweryson allowed his first home run of the year in 45 innings to former Twin catcher Juan Centeno. The game remained deadlocked at two through the ninth inning, thanks to two scoreless innings of relief from Alex Scherff. In extra innings, the Wind Surge did not fare well as Melvi Acosta allowed three hits and two walks, which led to the Sod Poodles scoring four runs to take a four-run lead with three outs to play. Julien hit an RBI single in the bottom of the tenth, but it wasn’t enough to take down the Sod Poodles (great name, by the way) as Wichita fell 6-3 to bring their record to 40-39. KERNELS NUGGETS GAME 1 Cedar Rapids 5, Quad Cities 1 Box Score The Kernels were in control in game one of this doubleheader as they cruised to an easy 5-1 victory. Sean Mooney started on the hill for Cedar Rapids, going three innings, allowing one unearned run while striking out three. Alerick Soularie and Yunior Severino homered in their first at-bats to give the Kernels an early 2-0 lead. The homers were Soularie’s ninth and Severino’s fourth of the season. In the top of the fourth, Will Holland made one of the year's best catches. Rubendy Jaquez hit a scorching line drive to center, and Holland initially didn’t get a good jump but made up for it with incredible speed and a great diving catch to prevent extra bases. The Kernels tacked on three insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth thanks to a two-run double from Seth Gray and an RBI single from Wander Javier to increase the lead to four. Orlando Rodriguez got the win for the Kernels, throwing 2 2/3 innings of hitless relief while striking out three batters. The win was Rodriguez’s first of the year. Soularie and Gray each had multi-hit games to lead the offense to an easy win to at least guarantee a doubleheader split. GAME 2 Cedar Rapids 2, Quad Cities 5 Box Score The Kernels had a rough go of things in the second game of this double-header, as they couldn’t get much going offensively after a tough start. The Twins Daily June Minor League Pitcher of the Month Aaron Rozek made a start for Cedar Rapids in game two. He had a rough start to the game, allowing five first-inning runs before eventually settling down. He went three innings, allowing five runs on seven hits while striking out three. This first-inning deficit was too much for the Kernels to overcome, as they could only muster up two runs on three hits in seven innings for the loss. Wander Javier, Kyler Fedko, and Jeferson Morales picked up the lone hits for Cedar Rapids in a pretty uneventful game. Bradley Hanner, Tyler Palm, and Matt Mullenbach were great out of the bullpen for Cedar Rapids, combining for four scoreless innings with ten strikeouts as they looked dominant. The Kernels had to settle for a doubleheader split on the day, and their record fell to a very impressive 48-32. MIGHTY MUSSELS MATTERS Fort Myers 8, Tampa 3 Box Score The Fort Myers Mighty Mussels continued their winning ways Saturday, picking up a sizable victory over Tampa by a score of 8-3. Twins Daily’s #9 prospect Marco Raya made a start on the mound for the Mighty Mussels, and he had his usual strikeout stuff, going four innings while allowing two runs and striking out six. Raya has 52 strikeouts in 43 innings at Fort Myers this year and has yet to turn 20 years old. The Mighty Mussels needed a response, with Raya giving up two early runs. They got a big one in the top of the fourth when Keoni Cavaco hit a solo shot, and Carlos Aguiar hit a two-run shot to give them the lead. After taking the lead, the Mighty Mussels never looked back, outscoring Tampa 5-1 the rest of the game to coast to an 8-3 win. Aguiar added his second homer of the game in the top of the eighth inning to add a little extra insurance. Pierson Ohl got the win in relief of Raya, throwing five innings of one-run ball with ten strikeouts as he completely baffled Tampa. Aguiar went 3-for-4 with a pair of homers to lead the offense in this one. Cavaco, Mikey Perez, and Rubel Cespedes all had two-hit performances to add to the Fort Myers offensive show. Fort Myers improves to 44-32 on the year with the win. COMPLEX CHRONICLES FCL Twins 12, FCL Red Sox 9 Box Score Rehabbing first baseman Miguel Sano played his fifth game with the FCL Twins and had his best performance, going 2-for-4 with two homers and not striking out. This is excellent progress for Sano, who the Twins hope can significantly impact the lineup after the all-star break. Ricardo Olivar added three hits to lead the offense, while Breilin Ramirez and Danny De Andrade each added two hits. DOMINICAN DAILIES DSL Twins 4, DSL Cubs Red 0 Box Score Cesar Lares was dominant on the mound for the DSL Twins, throwing five scoreless innings while striking out six batters to pick up the first win of his professional career. On the offensive side, Yasser Mercedes hit his first professional homer in the first inning of this game, while Rafael Cruz continued his offensive tear by hitting his fourth homer of the year. Cruz is now hitting .333/.441/.613 (1.054) with four homers in 75 at-bats this year. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – Pierson Ohl (Fort Myers) - 5 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 10 K Hitter of the Day – Carlos Aguiar (Fort Myers) - 3-for-4, 2 R, 3 RBI, 2 HR PROSPECT SUMMARY We will again keep tabs on the Twins' top prospects. You’ll probably read about them in the team sections, but if they aren’t there, you’ll see how they did here. Here’s a look at how the current Twins Daily Top 20 performed: #8 - Noah Miller (Fort Myers) - 0-for-4, R, BB #9 - Marco Raya (Fort Myers) - 4 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 6 K #12 - Matt Wallner (Wichita) - 1-for-3, 2 BB #15 - Edouard Julien (Wichita) - 1-for-3, R, RBI, 2 BB #16 - Christian Encarnacion-Strand (Cedar Rapids) - 0-for-4, R, BB NEXT DAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS St. Paul @ Louisville (12:05 PM CST) - RHP Dereck Rodriguez (5-2, 4.98 ERA) Amarillo @ Wichita (1:05 PM CST) - RHP Daniel Gossett (1-1, 1.96 ERA) Quad Cities @ Cedar Rapids (2:05 PM CST) - RHP John Stankiewicz (2-4, 6.32 ERA) Fort Myers @ Tampa (11:00 AM CST) - TBD Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Saturday’s games! Thank you for reading, and Go Twins! View full article

For both Wichita and Cedar Rapids the scoring was the highlight tonight, but that’s not to overshadow a strong pitching performance and a rout led by the bats down in the complex league. TRANSACTIONS: The Twins traded Saints LH RP Andrew Vasquez to the Dodgers for minor league catcher Stevie Berman. RHP Jason Garcia promoted from Double-A to St. Paul C Kyle Schmidt promoted from High-A to St. Paul RHP Ben Gross promoted from High-A to Wichita IF Andrew Bechtold placed on 7-day IL SAINTS SENTINEL Postponed (Rain) WIND SURGE WISDOM Wind Surge 10, Travelers 3 Box Score Twins pitching prospect Jordan Balazovic threw tonight for the Wind Surge, and it was a bit of a mixed bag. He gave up nine hits in just 4 2/3 innings, but he also limited the damage to just three runs (two earned) while walking two and striking out three. Hardly dominant, but he did work around danger. After getting down in the 1st inning, Wichita took the lead in the 4th inning and never looked back. Leobaldo Cabrera tallied his fifth double of the season scoring Austin Martin and Roy Morales. D.J. Burt then singled to drive in Trey Cabbage and Cabrera, doubling the tally to four. Arkansas made noise in the 5th inning, but Jermaine Palacios lifted his 19th homer of the year in the top of the 6th inning to make it a 5-3 lead. Aaron Whitefield then singled in the 7th inning scoring Burt and extending the lead before Cabrera, Burt, and Whitefield drove in runs on a trio of singles in the 8th inning. Palacios pushed across Wichita’s 10th run scoring Cabbage in the 9th on a single, and the 17 hits for the Wind Surge resulted in double-digit runs. Arkansas used a 9th inning grand slam in an effort to make things interesting, but the 10-7 score held strong. Morales and Burt both recorded three hits on the evening, while Palacios picked up a four-hit effort. Cabbage, Cabrera, and Whitefield all had two-hit nights for Wichita in the rout. KERNELS NUGGETS Kernels 12, River Bandits 2 Box Score It was a Louie Varland start tonight for the Kernels, and that’s good news when you’re looking for a win. The righty went five strong innings and allowed just one run on three hits. He struck out eight and worked around three walks. His ERA drops to 1.85 since the promotion to High-A Cedar Rapids. Cedar Rapids gave up the first run tonight on a 4th inning single, but they quickly erased the deficit with a crooked number in the bottom half. Aaron Sabato recorded his third Kernels double to score Alex Isola before a Michael Helman single plated Matt Wallner. Wander Javier then grounded into a fielder’s choice that featured a Quad Cities throwing error, and Sabato was able to scamper home. Before the inning ended, Seth Gray hit a two-run single driving in both Helman and Javier. Tacking on in a big way again, it was a seven-spot in the 6th inning for the home team. Javier’s 14th double drove in Helman before a Gray single brought Wander across the plate. Edouard Julien crushed his ninth dinger with the Kernels, a three-run blast, making it 10-1. Isola followed up with a solo shot of his own, his 12th of the year, and Helman picked up another RBI on a single to score Wallner. With 12 hits recorded by the Kernels tonight, there was a trio of hitters putting up multi-hit efforts. Isola and Gray both recorded two while Michael Helman went 3-for-5 on the evening. MUSSEL MATTERS Tortugas 9, Mussels 1 Box Score A.J. Labas made his first start for the Mighty Mussels tonight, just his second appearance for the club. The recently-signed righty from LSU recorded just two outs, however, and gave up five runs on six hits while both walking and striking out a single batter. After the Tortugas put up a five spot in the home half of the 1st inning, Fort Myers was going to be up against it all night. Daytona added another run in the 2nd inning and then two more in the 4th inning. Trailing 8-0, the Mussels needed a response. Christian Encarnacion-Strand provided the first offense for Fort Myers. His 7th inning single scored Will Holland and they finally found themselves with a tally in the run column. Encarnacion-Strand compiled two hits on the evening and was joined with that designation by Jake Rucker. COMPLEX CHRONICLES FCL Twins 15, FCL Orioles Orange 2 Box Score Niklas Rimmel took the ball for the Twins FCL squad today and worked two innings giving up a single run on two hits. Brandon Koch started his rehab stint and came on in relief punching out two. Juan Mendez worked three innings and earned his second win of the season. DaShawn Keirsey also kicked off his rehab while leading off. He went 1-for-3 with two runs scored before being lifted. Three runs crossed in the first as Noah Miller roped his third double of the season to score Keirsey. A Rubel Cespedes single then scored both Emmanuel Rodriguez and Kala’i Rosario. Entering the 4th inning leading 4-1, the Twins added in some less conventional ways. Miller and Rodriguez both drew RBI on bases loaded hit by pitches and then Keirsey scored on a wild pitch with the bases still chucked. Leading 7-1, Rosario drove in another on a ground out, and it wasn’t until a Carlos Aguiar single that a run scored on a hit. Another goofy run scored in the 7th inning when Rodriguez came home on an Orioles balk. The tally stood at 11-2 going into the 9th inning. Because this one wasn’t enough of a laugher yet, Aguiar crushed a grand slam that pushed the final total to 15-2. TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Louie Varland (Cedar Rapids) - 5.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 8 K Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Jermaine Palacios (Wichita) - 4-5, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB, HR(19) PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed: #1 – Royce Lewis (Rehab) - Out for season (torn ACL) #2 – Austin Martin (Wichita) - 0-4, R, BB, K #3 – Jordan Balazovic (Wichita) - 4.2 IP, 9 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 K #4 – Simeon Woods Richardson (Wichita) - Did not pitch #5 – Jhoan Duran (St. Paul) - Injured List (Right Elbow Strain) #6 – Jose Miranda (St. Paul) - No game #7 – Joe Ryan (St. Paul) - Did not pitch #8 – Matt Canterino (Cedar Rapids) - Injured List (Right Elbow Strain) #9 – Chase Petty (Complex) - Did not pitch #10 – Keoni Cavaco (Fort Myers) - 0-3, BB, 3 K #11 – Josh Winder (St. Paul) - Injured List (Right Shoulder Impingement) #12 – Matt Wallner (Cedar Rapids) - 1-3, 2 R, 2B, BB, 2 K #13 – Gilberto Celestino (St. Paul) - No game #14 – Drew Strotman (St. Paul) - No game #15 – Noah Miller (FCL Twins) - 2-4, 2 R, RBI, 2B, BB #16 – Brent Rooker (Minnesota) - 1-2, K #17 – Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) - Out for Season (Tommy John surgery) #18 – Misael Urbina (Fort Myers) - 0-2, 2 BB, K #19 – Cole Sands (Wichita) - Did not pitch #20 – Spencer Steer (Wichita) - 1-4, BB, 2 TRANSACTIONS RHP Miguel Rodriguez reinstated from 7-day IL at A Fort Myers RHP Ramon Pineda transferred from FCL Twins to A Fort Myers Saints Sentinel St. Paul 9, Toledo 9 (Paused game) Box Score Drew Strotman: 2 2/3 IP, 3 H, 6 ER, 6 BB, 2 K HR: None Multi-hit games: Well, I had a write-up here, but apparently the game ran so late that it was paused due to a curfew. I'll leave the box score link so that people can check it out as they please, but know that the game is not technically finished. Also know that this is the first time I have ever seen something like this happen in a minor league game. Weird stuff. Wind Surge Wisdom Wichita 13, Tulsa 4 Box Score Cole Sands: 3 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 K HR: Leobaldo Cabrera (8), Andrew Bechtold (16), Austin Martin (2), Spencer Steer (13) Multi-hit games: Spencer Steer (2-for-4, HR, 2B, 4 R, 2 RBI, BB), Austin Martin (3-for-5, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI), Wichita gave Tulsa the business on Saturday. ...Oh, I need to say more? (Editor's Note: Yes, please.) Here are a few questions: Is it a good thing when eight out of nine of your batters get a hit? Is it a good thing when six different hitters earn an RBI? Is it a good thing when your 1-2 hitters combine for six runs? I’m not a baseball expert, but I tend to think that the answer to all of those questions is yes. Tulsa actually had the first lead of the game but a homer by Leobaldo Cabrera put the lead firmly in Wichita’s grasp. They would not let go. With five runs already on the board, Andrew Bechtold demolished a three-run homerun to make it a cruel seven-run lead. With a nine-run lead, Austin Martin clobbered a homer to make it an evil 11-run lead. Finally, with 12 runs on the board, Spencer Steer obliterated a solo shot to add a cherry on top of this battered cake. Tulsa actually out-hit the Wind Surge on Saturday which is objectively hilarious. Cabrera: Bechtold: Martin: Steer: Cole Sands allowed only one run over three innings but was inefficient as he tossed 80 pitches in order to do so. From there the combination of Kody Funderburk, Zach Neff, and Hector Lujan took Wichita to the finish line on Saturday. Kernels Nuggets Cedar Rapids 1, Beloit 6 Box Score Ben Gross: 5 IP, 10 H, 6 ER, 0 BB, 8 K HR: None Multi-hit games: Daniel Ozoria (2-for-3, RBI) Cedar Rapids had the lone offensive dud on Saturday. Ben Gross brought the strikeouts, but the Snappers proved resilient, and dropped 10 hits on the starter. It was an all-or-nothing approach that netted Beloit six extra-base hits off of Gross en route to a lead that would never really be challenged. The lone Kernels run came thanks to a Daniel Ozoria infield single in the 5th inning. The team put together just six hits on the night, but oddly enough, three of those hits were doubles. In another odd turn, both teams had matching one walk, 14 strikeout performances by their respective pitching staffs (and lineups, technically). But, Beloit bunching their extra-base hits proved to be a wise strategy as they easily beat Cedar Rapids on Saturday. Mussel Matters Fort Myers 6, Bradenton 8 Box Score Miguel Rodriguez: 1 IP, 4 H, 4 ER, 3 BB, 0 K HR: Jesus Feliz (7) Multi-hit games: Jake Rucker (2-for-5, 3 R), Will Holland (3-for-4, 2B, R, RBI) Fort Myers was unable to recover from a 4-0 deficit on Saturday. Starter Miguel Rodriguez had one to forget. The righty was activated just before the game and more than a bit rusty on Saturday. Allowing three walks over just a single inning more or less speaks for itself. Let’s hope that Rodriguez can get back on the horse the next time he’s called upon. To their credit, the Mighty Mussels did not lie down and let the Marauders win this game without a fight. They were down by a score of 7-1 before a burning offensive spirit took hold across the dugout. Jesus Feliz kicked off the rebuttal with a solo homer in the 7th while Will Holland doubled home a run later in the inning. This would be just the first attack. Kyler Fedko unloaded the bases in the 8th with a double that was followed by the classic double error on the part of the Marauders. Unfortunately, the fight would end there. Bradenton plated one more run in the 9th, and Fort Myers fell narrowly short of a victory. Casey Legumina provided a strong effort in the loss. He was able to siphon off the bleeding over five strong innings of one-run ball in relief of Rodriguez. Complex Chronicles The FCL Twins game was suspended in the 8th inning on Saturday. Nash will have the update for you on this game when it is completed on Sunday. TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Casey Legumina Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Spencer Steer PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed: #1 – Royce Lewis (Rehab) - Out for season (torn ACL) #2 – Austin Martin (Wichita) - 3-5, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI, K #3 – Jordan Balazovic (Wichita) - Did not pitch #4 – Simeon Woods Richardson (Wichita) - Did not pitch #5 – Jhoan Duran (St. Paul) - Injured List (Right Elbow Strain) #6 – Jose Miranda (St. Paul) - Suspended game #7 – Joe Ryan (St. Paul) - Did not pitch #8 – Matt Canterino (Cedar Rapids) - Injured List (Right Elbow Strain) #9 – Chase Petty (Complex) - #10 – Keoni Cavaco (Fort Myers) - Did not play #11 – Josh Winder (St. Paul) - Injured List (Right Shoulder Impingement) #12 – Matt Wallner (Cedar Rapids) - Did not play #13 – Gilberto Celestino (St. Paul) - Suspended game #14 – Drew Strotman (St. Paul) - 2 2/3 IP, 3 H, 6 ER, 6 BB, 2 K #15 – Noah Miller (FCL Twins) - 1-3, RBI, BB, 2 K #16 – Brent Rooker (Minnesota) - 0-1, R, BB, K #17 – Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) - Out for Season (Tommy John surgery) #18 – Misael Urbina (Fort Myers) - 1-3, 2 BB #19 – Cole Sands (Wichita) - 3 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 K #20 – Spencer Steer (Wichita) - 2-4, HR, 2B, 4 R, 2 RBI, BB WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS St. Paul @ Columbus (5:15CT PM) RHP Bryan Sammons (0-2, 5.86 ERA) Wichita @ Arkansas (7:10CT PM) TBD Quad Cities @ Cedar Rapids (6:35CT PM) RHP Sawyer Gipson-Long (2-1, 2.12 ERA) Fort Myers @ Daytona (6:05CT PM) RHP Matthew Swain (6-2, 4.99 ERA) If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to ask below. 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There is no question how important signing international players is to MLB organization. One strong signing class can alter a franchise’s future as Minnesota’s current core includes Miguel Sano, Max Kepler, and Jorge Polanco, who were all signed during the same international signing period.Normally, the signing period opens in July, but this year it got pushed back as teams dealt with the pandemic. Now it will open at 8 AM Central Friday, January 15 with some big names to keep an eye on. Top of the Class Many consider Cuban outfielder Yoelqui Cespedes to be the top available player during the signing period. He is the younger half-brother of outfielder Yoenis Cespedes. Since he is already 23-years old, he could move quickly to get to the big-leagues and there are many that consider him a five-tool talent. Other top players expected to sign include Oscar Colas, Wilman Diaz, Carlos Colmenarez, and Armando Cruz. However, the Twins are not expected to sign any of the top five players in this class. Recent Minnesota Signings Minnesota has been focused on outfielders in the international market over the last three seasons. Back in 2017, the club signed Venezuelan outfield Carlos Aguiar for a $1 million signing bonus. Minnesota’s 2018 class included Venezuelan center fielder Misael Urbina. Last year’s two biggest names were Emmanuel Rodriguez ($2.5 million) and Malfrin Sosa ($900,000) out of the Dominican Republic. How Can the Twins Spend? Minnesota has $6.431 million to spend in the current international signing period. This is tied for the highest total with Cincinnati, Detroit, Miami, Milwaukee, and Tampa Bay. MLB.com is expecting the Twins to be very aggressive as the signing period opens. Who Will the Twins Target? After focusing on outfielders for three years, the Twins will turn to the infield at the top of their 2020-21 signing class. Minnesota has been rumored to be tied to Venezuelan shortstop Danny De Andrade, who MLB.com ranks as the 16th best prospect in the entire class. The 16-year-old comes in at 6-feet tall while weighing 160 pounds. Even though he is Venezuelan, he has been training for multiple years in the Dominican Republic with Jamie Ramos, a member of MLB’s Trainer Partnership Program. His defensive skills are strong enough to stick at shortstop, but there is some concern that he will need to move to third base because of his size. He can drive the ball to all fields and his bat speed helps to separate him from other international prospects. His body has plenty of room to add strength and he is very projectable. The Twins are also connected to shortstop, Fredy LaFlor, MLB.com’s number 28 prospect in the class. They compare him to a young Eduardo Escobar and that would certainly make Minnesota fans happy. Scouting reports have him starting his career at shortstop, but he also can shift to center field or second base. He’s a switch hitter with a quick swing. What are your thoughts on this year’s international signing class? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email Click here to view the article