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Tomorrow we will start sharing the Twins Daily Top 30 Twins Prospects heading into the 2023 season. Today, you can see some of the depth in the organization with others who were outside our Top 30 but showed up on some Top 30 lists. Image courtesy of Ed Bailey, Wichita Wind Surge (photos of Holland, Laweryson), William Parmeter (photo of Cardenas) In the past, we have presented our selections for the Top 20 Twins prospects before each season. In 2022, that list was the starting point for the Prospect Tracker which we updated at the beginning of each month and after the trade deadline, and then at the end of the season. Since the season’s end, there have been several changes. Several players became free agents. The Twins lost a couple of pitchers in the minor-league portion of the Rule 5 draft. They made a couple of trades to bring in new talent from the Angels and Marlins while sending two upper-level relievers to the Royals. In addition, our minor-league writers have learned more and more about several prospects, particularly those drafted or signed most recently. With all that said, this year, we are moving to a Top 30 Twins prospect rankings for a couple of reasons. First, ten of our minor-league writers provided a list of their Top 30 Twins prospects. Second, why not recognize another ten Twins prospects at this time of year? Now, we are going to do that by adding just one more article. Tomorrow, we will share our choices for Twins Prospects 21-30. With the current schedule, starting next week, we will be jumping into the Top 10 prospects. However, today, we will be starting this series by sharing a list of Honorable Mentions, or Also Received Votes, if you prefer. Even within this group, which could make up our prospects from around 31 through around 45, there are several future big-leaguers in the group, a couple that we could see in 2023. I’ve really enjoyed writing this Honorable Mention article because it can show the organization’s depth. If we are being honest, it can also show the limitations of prospect ranking. This can be former prospects coming off of bad years. It can be recently-acquired players (via trade or draft) that may not be the top picks but there is something intriguing. There may be players who have never been looked at as top prospects but continue to consistently get moved up and keep themselves in the conversation. In 2019, Luis Arraez and Jordan Balazovic appeared in this range of the list. The 2020 Honorable Mention article named players such as Jorge Alcala, Bailey Ober, and Akil Baddoo.) Last year’s Honorable Mentions were quite interesting. It included 2021 picks that have been traded in key trades such as Cade Povich and Christian Encarnacion-Strand. It also contained 2019 pick Sawyer Gipson-Long who was traded to the Tigers at the deadline. Casey Legumina was traded to the Reds for Kyle Farmer after being added to the Twins' 40-man roster. Oh, and wait until you see which players jumped from Honorable Mention last year into the Top 10 this year. Before we start, the following players are no longer “prospects” according to Baseball-Reference: Jose Miranda, Gilberto Celestino, Joe Ryan, Jovani Moran, Josh Winder, and Jhoan Duran. FIRST-ROUND FEATURE 2019 first-round pick Keoni Cavaco fell out of the top 20 last year and this year, out of the top 30. Honestly, the tools, speed, power, and arm strength are all still there. He returned to the Mighty Mussels in 2022 but made the move to third base. In 99 games, he hit .231/.275/.397 (.672) with 18 doubles, five triples, and 11 home runs. He missed a little time. He should move out of the Florida State League, so don’t give up on him yet. UTILITY TYPES IN UPPER LEVELS They may not be top prospects, but you have to have noticed that this organization places a lot of value on versatility and being able to play multiple positions. That becomes more valuable as guys reach the upper levels. Michael Helman’s ‘stock’ soared in 2022 when he split his season between Wichita and St. Paul. In 135 games, he hit .258/.337/.432 (.769) with 23 doubles and 20 homers while stealing 40 bases in 45 attempts. Drafted as an infielder, he has played all three infield and outfield spots over the past two seasons. Anthony Prato was a 7th-round pick from UConn in 2019. He split 2022 between Cedar Rapids and Wichita. Combined, he played 60 games in left field, 34 games at second base, 22 games at third base, and 12 games at shortstop. He also made starts, and first base and in right field. He played a combined 132 games and hit .285/.383/.444 (.827) with 30 doubles, eight triples, and 10 homers. He also stole 22 bases. Will Holland was the Twins 5th round pick in 2019 from Auburn. While he was drafted as a shortstop and made 15 starts at that position in Cedar Rapids, he has made a pretty clear transition to the outfield. He is arguably the fastest player in the organization and has played a lot of center field. After a late-season promotion to Wichita, he played solely in the outfield, playing more in the corners with DaShawn Keirsey in center. In 116 games, he hit .227/.339/.366 (.705) with 13 doubles, six triples, and nine homers. He also stole 32 bases in 38 attempts. BACKSTOPS The Twins added Christian Vazquez this offseason to team with Ryan Jeffers behind the plate. They have also added several veteran backstops, including Tony Wolters , Grayson Greiner and Chance Sisco, to play in St. Paul along with David Banuelos. While the Twins don’t have any high-ranking catcher prospects, there are a few intriguing guys who can catch if needed. Chris Williams was the team’s 8th-round pick in 2018 from Clemson. He played 117 games between Wichita and St. Paul. He hit .246/.343/.500 (.843) with 21 doubles and 28 home runs. While he made 81 starts at first base, he continued to get time behind the plate with 21 starts. A 29th-round pick in 2019 from TCU, Alex Isola, missed time in 2022 with an injury. However, he made 17 starts at first base and 17 more behind the plate. He got a few at-bats and continued to work in the Arizona Fall League where he caught three times and played 12 games at first base. Noah Cardenas was the team’s 8th-round pick in 2021 out of UCLA. He was the Twins Daily Minor league All-Star catcher in 2022 when he hit .261/.421/.413 (.834) with 18 doubles and nine homers. He started at first base 25 times and at catcher 56 times. He has thrown out 29% of would-be base stealers. WE HARDLY KNOW YE, YET There are several players that we just need to learn more about, and they fit in this category. Alejandro Hidalgo is the 19-year-old right-hander that the Twins received in the Gio Urshela deal. In Low-A in 2022, he made ten starts and went 0-3 with a 4.62 ERA and 1.36 WHIP. In 39 innings, he walked too many (19) but had an impressive 58 strikeouts (13.4 K/9). He currently has a low-90s fastball, but a changeup that can be really, really good. He is definitely one to watch in 2023. Brayan Medina was part of the Opening Day trade between the Twins and Padres. The 20-year-old pitched in just 10 games for the FCL Twins in 2022. It didn’t go well. In 23 2/3 innings, he struck out 24 batters, but he also walked 20 batters. Ariel Castro signed with the Twins about two weeks ago as a 16-year-old from Venezuela for $2.5 million. He hits left-handed, and he’s from Cuba. He’s got a sweet swing, but it’ll be fun to start following his career, which is likely to start in the DSL this year. Players from the 2022 draft to get some Top 30 recognition include right-handed pitcher Andrew Morris (4th round, Texas Tech) and Cory Lewis (9th round, UC-Santa Barbara), and infielders Ben Ross (5th round, Notre Dame College, OH), and Omari Daniel (14th round, The Walker School in Georgia). The reports are very interesting on both Lewis and Ross. INTERESTING ARMS Cody Laweryson’s 2022 season started a little late, but it ended spectacularly. The 2019 14th-round pick from Maine played in the Arizona Fall League in 2021. He began with 16 games (2 starts) in Cedar Rapids and posted a 2.57 ERA and 1.06 WHIP. He finished the season with 19 games, including eight starts, in Wichita. He dominated to the tune of a 1.06 ERA and a 0.95 WHIP. In 94 2/3 innings, he had 111 strikeouts. He doesn’t throw really hard, but he’s got a funky delivery and hides the ball well. (See Laweryson's episode of Twins Spotlight.) Sean Mooney had Tommy John surgery in 2019 and the Twins selected him with their 12th-round pick that year. Since his return, he’s struggled to pitch consistent innings, but he has been a strikeout machine. In 2022 in Cedar Rapids, he posted a 3.30 ERA, and in 60 innings, he walked 30 but struck out 82 batters. Travis Adams split the 2022 season between Ft. Myers (15 starts) and Cedar Rapids (7 starts). He went a combined 6-8 with a 3.93 ERA. He had 108 strikeouts in 100 2/3 innings and had just 26 walks. While the numbers don’t jump out, the 2021 sixth-round pick is incredibly intriguing and could jump into the Top 20 a year from now. ---------------------- That is a lot of talent, and those are guys who rank outside of the Twins Daily Top 30 prospects. Check back over the next two weeks to see who our 2023 Top 30 Twins Prospects are. View full article

Matt Wallner smashed his way through the upper minors on the way to making his big league debut. Here's why Wallner was the unanimous choice for Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Year. Image courtesy of Rob Thompson, St. Paul Saints (graphics by Thieres Rabelo) Last season, Jose Miranda compiled one of the best minor league seasons in Twins' history. He was named the Twins Daily 2021 Minor League Hitter of the Year, and fans have seen how he has translated that into a successful rookie campaign. For the second consecutive season, there was a clear choice for the organization's Minor League Hitter of the Year, with Matt Wallner cementing himself into the team's long-term plans. Wallner grew up in Forest Lake, MN, and was impressive as a high school slugger. Minnesota took him in the 32nd round of the 2016 MLB Draft (as a pitcher), but Wallner was committed to playing at the University of Southern Mississippi. He became a three-year starter at the school while averaging over 19 home runs per season with a 1.113 OPS. He helped his draft stock significantly, and the Twins took him with the 39th overall pick in the 2019 MLB Draft, this time as a three-time All-American outfielder. Wallner showed some power in the lower minors as his OPS was .810 or higher in 2019 and 2021. For the most part, he was slightly older than the average age of the competition at each level, so it would have been nice to see him post even better offensive numbers. He missed over two months of the 2021 season with a broken hamate bone, so the Twins decided to find him some extra at-bats after the minor league season concluded. His performance in the 2021 Arizona Fall League might have been what pushed him to a tremendous 2022 campaign. In 18 games, he went 20-for-66 (.303 BA) with two doubles and six home runs, which resulted in a 1.011 OPS. Minnesota sent Wallner to Double-A to start the 2022 campaign, where he was younger than the average age of the competition at his level for the first time since 2019. His season started slowly as he posted a .200 BA and a .741 OPS in April. His bat started to heat up in May when he hit seven doubles and six homers in 24 games (.984 OPS). However, the month of June is where he solidified his prospect status. As the calendar flipped to June, Pitchers couldn't find a way to retire Wallner. He got on base in 50% of his plate appearances for the month. In 27 games that month, he only failed to reach base in three contests. He had two multi-homer games and seven games where he walked twice or more. Wallner ended the month hitting .345/.500/.714 (1.214) with five doubles, one triple, and eight home runs. July saw Wallner's bat cool off a bit, but the month also saw some other impressive feats. He represented the Twins at the 2022 Futures Game in Los Angeles and hit a two-run homer in a tie game. Minnesota also promoted him to Triple-A, where he was four years younger than the average age of the competition. After adjusting to St. Paul, Wallner posted a .978 OPS with 17 doubles, three triples, and six home runs in 39 games from August 2- September 15. With the big-league club struggling, there was some question about why the team wasn't promoting Wallner for the team's playoff push. He quickly made his mark with the Twins as his first big-league hit was a home run with his family in attendance. It was a perfect way to cap a tremendous 2022 season, and there is little doubt that Wallner's powerful bat will be part of the Twins line-up for most of the next decade. Runner-Up: Edouard Julien, IF AA Stats (113 G): .300/.441/.490 (.931), 19 2B, 3 3B, 17 HR, 67 RBI Like Wallner, Julien was drafted out of college in 2019 but was taken in the 18th round. In his first two professional seasons, he has combined for a .922 OPS while moving from Low-A to Double-A. He was a staple in the Wind Surge line-up this season and faced older pitchers in over 87% of his plate appearances. Defensively, Minnesota had him focus on second base in 2022, so that's his most likely path to the big leagues. Second Runner-Up: Chris Williams, 1B/C AA/AAA Stats (109 G): .255/.352/.528 (.880), 21 2B, 1 3B, 28 HR, 88 RBI Williams posted impressive power numbers, including double-digit home runs at Double- and Triple-A. Minnesota took him in the 8th round of the 2018 MLB Draft from Clemson. The 2022 season was the first where most of his plate appearances came as a first baseman instead of a catcher. This may have helped his power numbers increase, as he could keep his legs stronger throughout the season. Honorable Mention: Noah Cardenas, C/1B Low-A Stats (99 G): .261/.421/.413 (.834), 18 2B, 1 3B, 9 HR, 43 RBI Minnesota took Cardenas with their 8th-round pick in 2021 from UCLA. He impressed in his first full professional season as he caught over 460 innings and played time at first base. Cardenas led the team in many offensive categories. His prospect stock will continue to rise if he can hit for power while continuing to catch. What impressed you the most about the names mentioned above? Should a different player have made the list? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. PREVIOUS WINNERS: 2012 - Oswaldo Arcia 2013 - Miguel Sano 2014 - Mitch Garver 2015 - Max Kepler 2016 - Daniel Palka 2017 - Mitch Garver 2018 - Alex Kirilloff 2019 - Trevor Larnach 2021 - Jose Miranda View full article

After winning Game 1 of their postseason series last night, the Wichita Wind Surge were traveling on Wednesday. That left the St. Paul Saints as the only affiliate in action, and unfortunately, they fell short on the road. TRANSACTIONS RHP Austin Schulfer placed on 7-day concussion IL by St. Paul C David Banuelos activated from 7-day concussion IL by St. Paul SAINTS SENTINEL Indianapolis 7, St. Paul 1 Box Score Jordan Balazovic drew the start today for St. Paul and was chased after three innings. He allowed five runs on six hits while striking out four. Balazovic did give up a walk and was burned by two homers. A five-run 3rd inning by Indianapolis put St. Paul in a bad spot early. They gave up two more in the 6th inning and before recording their first run, the Saints were staring at a seven-run deficit. Ryan Jeffers, still working his way back on a Major League rehab assignment, hit a homer in the 8th inning to make sure the Saints wouldn’t be shut out. Trevor Larnach, also rehabbing, went 1-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout as the designated hitter. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – Melvi Acosta (St. Paul) - 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 1 K Hitter of the Day – Chris Williams (St. Paul) - 1-2, 2 BB PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the current Twins Daily Top 20 performed: #9 - Matt Wallner (Minnesota) - Twins Play Wednesday night in Kansas City. #11 - Jordan Balazovic (St. Paul) - 3.0 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 1 BB, 4 K THURSDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS St. Paul @ Indianapolis (6:05PM CST) - RHP Randy Dobnak Wichita @ Tulsa (7:05PM CST) - RHP Daniel Gossett Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Wednesday’s games! Twins Daily Short Season Pitcher of the Year Twins Daily Short Season Hitter of the Year View full article

This afternoon the Saints used a pair of first blasts to grind out a victory while the Wind Surge found themselves on top after a strong strikeout performance by their starting pitcher. Image courtesy of Rob Thompson - St. Paul Saints TRANSACTIONS Infielder Elliot Soto placed on 7-day concussion IL by St. Paul Pitcher Ronny Henriquez recalled by Minnesota Twins Pitcher Dereck Rodriguez optioned to Triple-A St. Paul SAINTS SENTINEL St. Paul 3, Louisville 1 Box Score Wrapping up their home series against the Louisville Bats, St. Paul turned to Ariel Jurado for Sunday’s matinee. He was great allowing just a single run (unearned) on two hits and a walk. Jurado punched out three in his six innings of work. After the Bats took a first-inning lead, St. Paul responded when Chris Williams blasted his tenth Triple-A dinger in the bottom of the inning. Then in the third inning, recently-promoted Wander Javier crushed his first Triple-A home run to give St. Paul their first lead of the game. Joining the first career Triple-A homer party, Dalton Shuffield blasted one to right-center field. He was Minnesota’s 10th-round pick in the 2022 MLB Draft. Brock Stewart turned in a scoreless inning of relief with a strikeout, and Jake Jewell recorded his fifth save while recording six outs, allowing no baserunners, and striking out three. St. Paul goes on the road tomorrow before returning to play their final homestand next week. WIND SURGE WISDOM Wichita 5, Midland 3 Box Score Kody Funderburk was on the bump to close out the regular season for the Wind Surge. They’ll have a day off Monday before starting their postseason against the Tulsa Drillers on Tuesday. Funderburk worked around traffic, but gave up just two runs on four hits while striking out eight in four innings of work. After getting behind in the third inning, DaShawn Keirsey Jr. put the Wind Surge on top when he blasted a two-run homer. Keirsey Jr.’s seventh of the season brought in Leobaldo Cabrera and Wichita found themselves in the run column. Wichita allowed Midland to even things in the 4th inning, but immediately took back the lead in the fifth inning. Anthony Prato lifted a sacrifice fly to score Will Holland, and then Jair Camargo jacked a two-run blast to bring in Brooks Lee. A late hit by Midland brought in another run, but Wichita held on to win their final game of the regular season TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – Ariel Jurado (St. Paul) - 6.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K Hitter of the Day – Chris Williams (St. Paul) - 2-4, R, RBI, HR(10) 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: #2 - Brooks Lee (Wichita) - 3-5, R, K #9 - Matt Wallner (Minnesota) - 2-3, K MONDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS St. Paul @ Indianapolis (5:35PM CST) - TBD Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Sunday’s games! It sure is exciting to have all four Twins full-season affiliates back and playing. View full article

I mean, was Matt Wallner not going to hit? TRANSACTIONS OF Carlos Aguiar reinstated from 7-day IL at Ft. Myers Cedar Rapids placed RHP Luis Rijo on 7-day IL LHP Jovani Moran optioned to St. Paul Saints Sentinel St. Paul 9, Omaha 4 Box Score Jordan Balazovic: 4 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 K HR: Chris Williams (8) Multi-hit games: Matt Wallner (3-for-4, 2 2B, R, 3 RBI, 1 BB), Cole Sturgeon (3-for-4, 2 R, RBI, BB) St. Paul won decisively on Saturday. It was an all-around offensive breakout; eight batters scored a run in an 11-hit, seven-walk effort. Matt Wallner may have collected the most RBIs, but this was a democratic affair; the lone hitter to not score a run drove one in. Chris Williams swatted a solo home run. Jordan Balazovic pitched arguably his best outing on Saturday; the righty struck out six while allowing a lone run over his four innings of work. It may not be the most impressive start ever, but a step in the right direction is always welcome. Michael Feliz netted four outs with one strikeout; Williams’ AAA OPS is now over 1.000. Wind Surge Wisdom Wichita 2, Springfield 8 Box Score Brent Headrick: 5 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 7 K HR: None Multi-hit games: Yunior Severino (2-for-4), Anthony Prato (2-for-4, 2B) Wichita played a game to forget on Saturday. The defense was the major bugaboo; the team committed five errors, with two blunders attributed to Yunior Severino and three stemming from Jair Camargo. It’s difficult to win many games with that sort of performance. Brent Headrick worked around his fielders in admirable fashion, allowing two earned runs over five innings with seven strikeouts. The lefty has 42 strikeouts over 29 innings since the beginning of August. Both runs scored late as Ernie Yake singled home a runner in the 7th, and DaShawn Keirsey Jr. brought one in with a 9th inning sacrifice fly. Keirsey also sto le two bases, giving him 37 on the season. Blayne Enlow struck out four over two innings; Anthony Prato’s double was the sole extra-base hit. Kernels Nuggets The rain ended this game before it could start; the Kernels will play a doubleheader on Sunday. Mussel Matters Fort Myers 6, Bradenton 3 Box Score Tomas Cleto: 4 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 4 BB, 4 K HR: Nate Baez (1) Multi-hit games: Kala’i Rosario (2-for-4, 2 R), Nate Baez (2-for-4, HR, 2B, R, 3 RBI) The Mighty Mussels won a tame game on Saturday. Nate Baez dominated the story; the catcher cracked a double and blasted a homer on his way to three RBIs. He hasn’t played much this year—the 2022 draft pick has just 47 at-bats—but more games like this could set the foundation for a phenomenal 2023 season. Kala’i Rosario was the Robin to Baez’s Batman, drumming a double and scoring a pair of runs in Saturday’s effort. Tomas Cleto was effectively wild. The starter allowed a single hit but walked four in his scoreless outing, perhaps even flummoxing himself regarding pitch location. It was no matter; Cleto walked away with a sparkling ERA, and that is all the Mighty Mussels could ask for. Noah Miller tripled for the 4th time this season; Niklas Rimmel pitched two scoreless innings to end the game. TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Brent Headrick Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Matt Wallner PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed: #4 - Austin Martin (Wichita) - 1-4 #7 - Noah Miller (Ft. Myers) - 1-5, 3B, K #9 - Matt Wallner (St. Paul) - 3-for-4, 2 2B, R, 3 RBI, 1 BB #11 - Jordan Balazovic (St. Paul) - 4 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 K #14 - Edouard Julien (Wichita) - 0-3, BB, 2 K #15 - Blayne Enlow (Wichita) - 2 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 4 K #20 - Kala’i Rosario (Ft. Myers) - 2-for-4, 2 R SUNDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Omaha @ St. Paul (5:07 PM) - RHP Josh Winder Wichita @ Springfield (6:05 PM) - TBD Cedar Rapids @ Dayton (12:09 PM) - TBD Fort Myers @ Bradenton (11:00 AM) - LHP Jordan Carr View full article

We have reached September, and the minor-league seasons will be coming to an end in just a couple of weeks. At that point, a couple of Twins affiliates will be participating in the playoffs. But today let's celebrate the top hitters from the month of August. Before jumping into the top five hitters of the month, here are some of the honorable mentions. HONORABLE MENTIONS IF/OF Michael Helman - St. Paul Saints - 26-101, .257/.321/.465 (.786) with 4 doubles, 1 triple, 5 home runs, 23 R, 10 RBI, 10 BB, 21 K. C Jair Camargo - Wichita Wind Surge - 23-82, .280/.344/.561 (.905) with 2 doubles, 7 home runs, 14 R, 18 RBI, 9 BB, 26 K. IF/OF Anthony Prato - Wichita Wind Surge - 21-83, .253/.431/.422 (.853) with 6 doubles, 1 triple, 2 home runs, 18 R, 12 RBI, 24 BB, 24 K. C Alex Isola - Wichita Wind Surge - 20-68, .294/.351/.500 (.851) with 5 doubles, 3 home runs, 11 R, 13 RBI, 5 BB, 11 K. IF Jake Rucker - Cedar Rapids Kernels - 27-101, .267/.330/.455 (.785) with 6 doubles, 1 triple, 3 home runs, 13 R, 17 RBI, 8 BB, 28 K. OF Misael Urbina - Ft. Myers Mighty Mussels - 29-100, .290/.372/.460 (.832), 8 doubles, 3 home runs, 15 R, 10 RBI, 13 BB, 26 K. OF Yasser Mercedes - DSL Twins - 20-49 - .408/.453/.633 (1.086), 4 doubles, 2 triples, one home run, 14 R, 7 RBI, 3 BB, 7 K, 13-14 SB. THE TOP FIVE AUGUST HITTERS Number 5 - Wichita Wind Surge - 2B Edouard Julien - 27-93, .290/.426/.573 (.899), 3 doubles, 1 triple, 4 home runs, 18 R, 13 RBI, 21 BB, 30 K. Julien’s background is pretty unique. He grew up in Quebec where he spoke French and went to a secondary school that also taught Spanish. He became well known in scouting circles playing on the Canadian national teams. He was drafted out of high school, but he went to Auburn University. It was there that he learned English. In 2019, he helped lead the Tigers to the College World Series. He was a draft-eligible sophomore, and the Twins used their 18th-round pick to select him. He fully intended to go back to school, but as the deadline to sign, the Twins ponied up and gave him fourth-round money and he signed. However, he did not make his pro debut until 2021 after Tommy John and the lost 2020 season. Between Ft. Myers and Cedar Rapids, he hit .267/.434/.480 (914) with 28 doubles, 18 homers, and 72 RBI. He also had 34 stolen bases in 39 attempts. He led all of minor-league baseball with 110 walks. He began the 2022 season with Wichita, and he remains hitting near the top of the Wind Surge lineup. In 99 games, he has hit .293/.436/.501 (.938) with 16 doubles, three triples, and 17 home runs. In other words, he had a fantastic month of August, but it was actually a little below his season average. His .438 on-base percentage ranks fifth in minor-league baseball, just .015 behind the top spot. His 88 walks rank 10th in the minor leagues, just two behind Matt Wallner for the organization lead. Julien’s combination of approach at the plate, power, and speed are incredibly exciting. As a 2019 draft pick, he would appear to be a given to get added to the 40-man roster in November. He is the #14 Twins Prospect on this site. (For more past Edouard Julien content from Twins Daily, click here.) Number 4 - St. Paul Saints - C/1B Chris Williams - 13-54, .241/.368/.667 (1.035), 3 doubles, 1 triple, 7 home runs, 12 R, 19 RBI, 12 BB, 21 K. Like many Twins, Williams didn’t hit for average for the Saints this past month, but he continues to take strong at-bats, walks a lot, and his power just continues to be immense. Williams was the Twins' eighth-round pick in 2018 out of Clemson. That summer, he was the Twins Daily short-season Minor League Hitter of the Year. Following the missed 2020 season, Williams went to High-A Cedar Rapids where, in 17 games, he went 5-for-50. Yes, he was hitting .100 when he was promoted to Wichita. In 28 games with the Wind Surge, he hit .225/321/.405 (.935) with five doubles and three home runs. He began this season with the Wind Surge again. In 75 games, he hit .277/.372/.542 (.915) with 16 doubles, 18 homers, and 58 RBI. Something had clicked and his massive power was showing. And his seven August homers came in his 17 games with the Saints. A catcher, he also plays a lot of first base. He’s got a strong arm. He has worked really hard and is in better shape, and with that, improved stats and his power is back. It will be very interesting to see if he is added to the team’s 40-man roster this offseason. (More Chris Williams content at Twins Daily, click here.) Number 3 - Ft. Myers Mighty Mussels - C Noah Cardenas - 23-71, .324/.467/.507 (.974), 4 doubles, 3 home runs, 11 R, 9 K, 18 BB, 9 K. The Twins drafted Noah Cardenas out of UCLA in the eighth round of the 2021 draft. After signing, he played in 13 games in the FCL last summer and hit .300/.400/.500 (.900) with a double and a homer. The 22-year-old has played in 94 games this season for Ft. Myers. He has hit .253/.417/.403 (.820) with 15 doubles, nine homers, and 38 RBI. So, as you can see, his approach and power in August really shone through. First, as you see, he had 18 walks to go with just nine strikeouts (on the season, he has 70 walks to go with 68 strikeouts). That’s a strong knowledge of the strike zone, an ability to see pitches well, and an ability to put the ball in play. But he also has displayed the ability to drive the ball, for doubles and over the fence. Cardenas is a good athlete, especially with the “especially for a catcher” mantra. He’s got good speed and runs the bases well. He is well respected behind the plate and has done a really nice job receiving. He is definitely a catching prospect to watch. (For more Noah Cardenas content on Twins Daily, click here.) Number 2 - St. Paul Saints - OF Matt Wallner - 25-95, .263/.412/.495 (.907), 8 doubles, 1 triple, 4 home runs, 18 R, 15 RBI, 21 BB, 32 K. You know the story. Minnesota’s top high school player in 2016 from Forest Lake, drafted by the Twins in the 32nd round as a pitcher. Went to Southern Mississippi and became an All-American outfielder. In 2019, he was the 39th overall pick in the draft by his home team Twins again. He was also the short-season hitter of the year in 2019. You know about his season. He has been a finalist for this award throughout the 2022 season. After a slow start, Wallner hit .299/.436/.597 (1.033) with 15 doubles and 21 homers in 78 games. In 37 games since joining the Saints, he has hit .245/.379/.453 (.832) with 10 doubles and five home runs. 25 doubles and 26 home runs. Yes, he’s still striking out a lot, but he’s also walking at an incredible clip. Only seven players in minor-league baseball have walked more than he has (89). He ranks #23 in home runs, #17 in RBI, #23 in OBP, and #19 in OPS. Yes, he got off to a slow start in Wichita. Yes, he got off to a slow start in St. Paul. But, the Twins #9 prospect has shown an ability to make adjustments and start hitting the ball really hard quickly. And, he has some impressive exit velocities, including the 117 mph home run that he crushed in the Futures Game. Is Wallner ready for the big leagues? I don’t know. There may be a ton of strikeouts, but if he can also take some walks, we know that he’s going to hit some lasers. It is likely he will debut early in the 2023 season after being added to the 40-man roster in November. For more Matt Wallner content on Twins Daily, click here. And the Twins Minor League Hitter of the Month is: Cedar Rapids Kernels/Wichita Wind Surge - OF Will Holland - 24-73, .329/.427/.589 (1.017), 3 doubles, 2 triples, 4 home runs, 15 R, 12 RBI, 14 BB, 20 K. Will Holland and Edouard Julien comprised the left side of the infield for the 2019 Auburn Tigers team that played in the College World Series. Julien was taken in the 18th round due to questions of whether he would sign. Holland, a tremendously athletic player from Atlanta, was the Twins fifth-round pick. He fell in the draft after a disappointing junior season which followed an incredible 2018 season in college. The Twins were thrilled to see a player that was projected as a first or second-round pick just six months earlier in the fifth round. Things haven’t gone really smoothly for Holland in his pro career. Like others, he did not have a 2020 season. In 2021, he spent the full season in Low-A Ft. Myers. In 76 games, he hit just .214/.336/.401 (.736) with 15 doubles and 10 homers. He also stole 19 bases. Even with the struggles, you could see that he does have pop in his bat and that he has elite speed. It is unlikely that you would find a faster player in the Twins' minor leagues. While he missed some time with injury, he showed an ability to play a very good center field. He’s got a strong arm and incredible range. But, he also showed some very good instincts out in center, especially someone who hasn’t played there a lot. Holland began the 2022 season with Cedar Rapids. In 85 games, he hit .225/.331/.362 (.694) with 12 doubles, four triples, and six home runs. He also stole 21 bases in 25 attempts. On August 9th, he started in center field for the Kernels at the Field of Dreams ballpark. The next day, he was promoted to the Wind Surge. In his seven games for the Kernels in August, he had 10 hits. In his first five games with Wichita, he had eight hits including a double, a triple, and three homers. He had a five-RBI game in which he was 2-for-2 with three walks, a double, and a homer. Just as interesting, he played center field the first time games and then just twice more over the remaining 15 games of the month. For the first time, he played in left field and right field. With Holland and DaShawn Keirsey, Jr. in the outfield, they can cover some major ground. It has been a breakout season for Will Holland. Will it be enough to get him a spot on the Twins' 40-man roster? He has great speed, is a great athlete, has shown some pop, and can really play strong defense in the outfield as well as at shortstop. (For more Will Holland content at Twins Daily, click here.) Join us in congratulating Wind Surge outfielder Will Holland, Twins Daily’s choice for Minor League Hitter of the Month for August 2022. Feel free to share your thoughts and ask questions. PREVIOUS 2022 WINNERS April 2022: Christian Encarnacion-Strand, Cedar Rapids Kernels May 2022: Spencer Steer, Wichita Wind Surge/St. Paul Saints June 2022: Matt Wallner, Wichita Wind Surge July 2022: Christian Encarnacion-Strand, Cedar Rapids Kernels/Wichita Wind Surge View full article

Josh Winder returned from the injured list, Billy Hamilton made an impact in his debut, and a traded away top Twins draft pick even made the start against his former organization. While all four affiliates were able to jump out to early leads, would they be able to hold them? TRANSACTIONS OF Billy Hamilton was officially assigned to the St. Paul Saints, and batted leadoff in their game, playing centerfield. RHP Josh Winder was also activated from the injured list and made the start for the Saints. IF Tim Beckham elected free agency after his DFA earlier in the week. SAINTS SENTINEL Omaha 6, St. Paul 10 Box Score Josh Winder returned from the injured list and made the start in St. Paul on Tuesday, and Billy Hamilton was also making his organizational debut as the designated hitter in the leadoff spot. Besides those storylines, it was an entertaining game to watch for a variety of other reasons. The Saints took little time putting a crooked number up on the scoreboard, as walks from Michael Helman and Matt Wallner preceded a three-run bomb from guess who? If you answered anything but Chris Williams, we need to have a chat. It was William’s 7th home run with the Saints, in just his 16th game with the team (that’s a higher pace than Aaron Judge this year, if you were curious), and his 25th of the year in total. On the mound Winder came out throwing 96MPH, looking plenty ready from a velocity standpoint, but was definitely shaking off some rust as he had just one appearance on his rehab assignment. He battled through it however, finishing four innings and allowing two runs on four hits and two walks, while striking out two. He threw 57 pitches, and could be brought back to the Twins later in some form as early as this week if there is a need. The lineup added two more runs in the second inning after four consecutive walks and an RBI single from Mark Contreras. In that sequence, Hamilton and Helman also executed a double steal. Hamilton led off the fourth inning with a double, and would later score on a wild pitch that made the score 6-2. This is what his speed can do: After Winder’s exit, the Saints got a scoreless fifth inning from Ben Heller (IP, BB, 2 K), but wildness from Tyler Thornburg (2/3 IP, 2 H, 4 R, K, 2 HBP) let the Storm Chasers tie the game in the sixth. Austin Schulfer stopped the bleeding and picked up the win with 1 1/3 innings, allowing one hit and striking out one, as the Saints took advantage of Omaha miscues in the bottom half of the sixth to pull back out front for good. After drawing a walk in each of his prior three plate appearances, Wallner finally got a pitch he liked and cut it in half, almost literally, sending a screaming line drive into the gap in right center to start the inning. Mark Contreras drove him in with a double a batter later, then the Benny Hill theme song began to play. A Jermaine Palacios blooper fell in between three players in shallow right, John Andreoli put down a bunt nobody was ready for to drive in another run, and then a slow ground ball got under the glove of the third baseman for an error that allowed another run to score for a 9-6 lead. It was an odd sequence to watch live, trust me. The Saints would add one more insurance run in the eighth, when Palacios hit a slow grounder away from a shift, and the throw was late and sailed over first base, allowing Contreras to scamper home after he had hit another double. Jharel Cotton (IP, BB, 2 K) and Michael Feliz (IP, K) finished off the game for St. Paul with scoreless innings. Contreras led the way with two doubles among his four hits on the night, Palacios was 3-for-5, and Williams drove in four runners. Hamilton, Helman, Wallner, and Contreras each scored two runs on the game, and as a team they swiped five bases, including three from Helman. WIND SURGE WISDOM Wichita 6, Springfield 7 Box Score Always fun to write about a matchup in a stadium I’ve had the pleasure of watching multiple games at in my life, as the Wind Surge traveled to Springfield, MO and Hammons Field to face off with the Cardinals on Tuesday (check out Ebbets Field Bar if ever in the area!). Wichita jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first as a two-out walk from Jair Camargo was followed by a two-run bomb from Alex Isola. They added to that lead in the fourth with another two-out rally, when Yunior Severino clubbed a double and was driven in by an Anthony Prato single. Starter Daniel Gossett, thrower of a recent no-hitter, was solid through five innings in this one. Despite surrendering five walks, he allowed just two hits and struck out nine, so was able to limit the damage to just one run. Unfortunately, his bullpen wouldn’t fare as well, as their 3-1 lead turned into a four run deficit after the seventh inning. Fireballer Steven Cruz pitched a scoreless sixth, but three singles and just one out chased him in the seventh. Blayne Enlow was brought on to try and limit the damage, but four singles and a sac fly led to three runs being charged to each of them. Enlow did add a scoreless eighth, going one-two-three with a clean slate. Down 7-3 in the top of the ninth, Camargo sparked a comeback with a one-out solo home run. Isola then singled before Aaron Sabato got them within one with a bomb of his own. Anthony Prato would reach base with a single to put the tying run on base, but a groundout would leave them falling short. Isola (2-for-4, 2 R, HR, 2 RBI) and Prato (2-for-4, RBI) had multiple hits. With three of their eight hits going for home runs, the Wind Surge had just one at-bat with runners in scoring position, and left only two men on base for the game. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 6, Dayton 7 Box Score In what would be a universal theme on the night, the Kernels were also able to take the first lead against the Dragons on the road. Of note in this one, is they did it against the Twins 2021 1st round draft pick, Chase Petty. Singles from Kyler Fedko and Wander Javier started the second inning, and they loaded the bases when Jeferson Morales was hit by a pitch. One out later, Charles Mack delivered a two-run single to put them out front early. They’d tack on three more in the fourth thanks to an RBI triple from Willie Joe Garry Jr., that was followed by a home run from Jake Rucker for a 5-1 lead. Petty’s day would be done after four, allowing five runs on seven hits and two hit batters against his former organization. He did strike out six. Starter Orlando Rodriguez was, in comparison, dominating for Cedar Rapids. In his five innings he allowed just one run on four hits, and struck out eight Dragons. Of his 66 pitches, 44 went for strikes (67%), including 11 swinging strikes. Cedar Rapids would add a run in the sixth thanks to doubles from Morales and Rucker that made it 6-1. That’s where the good things stopped for the Kernels, however. After Rodriguez’s exit, Dayton was quick to adjust to the bullpen. Matt Mullenbach got just one out in the sixth, allowing two runs on three hits and a walk. While Matthew Swain got them out of that inning, he ended up allowing three runs of his own in the seventh on two hits and a walk. Derek Molina came on in the seventh with one out, and gave up two doubles, allowing the Dragons to take a 7-6 lead and the Kernels were unable to respond. Rucker (2-for-5, R, HR, 2 RBI, K), Morales (2-for-2, 2 R, 2B, SB), and Mack (2-for-3, 2B, 3 RBI, BB) had multiple hits in the game. The Twins 2022 1st round draft pick, Brooks Lee, was 0-for-4 with a pair of strikeouts, but did reach base when Petty hit him with a pitch in the first inning. MUSSEL MATTERS Fort Myers 9, Bradenton 11 Box Score The Mighty Mussels also struck first in this one, taking advantage of a pair of walks from Misael Urbina and Noah Miller to lead off the game. A fly out from Tanner Schobel moved Urbina to third base, and he and Miller then executed a double steal for the game’s first run. They’d add another run in the top of the third when Miller reached base on a strikeout-wild-pitch to open the frame. He moved to third on two consecutive groundouts before Ben Ross drove him in with a single and a 2-0 lead. In a bullpen game from Fort Myers, Michael Boyle got the start and pitched into the second inning. He walked two and struck out two in 1 1/3 innings. John Wilson got the final two outs in the second before giving way to Brock Stewart in the third. He promptly surrendered a solo home run to the first hitter he faced, but got out of the inning without any further damage. In the top of the fourth the Mighty Mussels got their big inning after loading the bases with no outs. Noah Miller drew another walk with them juiced to score the first run, and then a sac fly from Schobel led to two more runs thanks to an error on the throw from center field. Back out for the fifth, Stewart was unable to finish the inning as walks and wild pitches led to a pair of runs. Mike Paredes got the final out of the fourth with the score 5-3, but would allow three of his own in the fifth to tie the game at six. Fort Myers was able to add single runs in the fifth and sixth innings courtesy of an RBI single from Rubel Cespedes and Ben Ross sac fly, respectively, but the bullpen wasn’t able to hold their lead for long. After Paredes delivered a scoreless sixth (2 1/3 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 2 K in total), A.J. Labas was brought on to start the seventh and the 7-6 lead turned into an 11-7 deficit heading into the ninth. The good guys made it interesting, as three straight singles scored a run and put ducks on the pond, before another pair of walks from Urbina and Miller brought in a second run and loaded the bases with two outs. It would end there however, as Schobel struck out swinging to end the game. Four Mighty Mussels had multiple hits in the game, but Alec Sayre was the only one in the lineup to get one for extra bases, a double. Thanks to 12 free passes they were able to score their nine runs, as they went just 3-for-15 with runners in scoring position. Miller drew five walks total, scored two runs, and stole his 21st base of the season in the loss. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day - Orlando Rodriguez, Cedar Rapids Kernels (5 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 8 K) Hitter of the Day - Mark Contreras, St. Paul Saints (4-for-5, 2 R, 2 2B, 2 RBI) PROSPECT SUMMARY #2 - Brooks Lee (Cedar Rapids) - 0-for-4, HBP, 2 K #4 - Austin Martin (Wichita) - 0-for-4 #7 - Noah Miller (Fort Myers) - 0-for-1, 2 R, 2 RBI, 5 BB, SB #9 - Matt Wallner (St. Paul) - 1-for-2, 2 R, 2B, 3 BB #14 - Edouard Julien (Wichita) - 1-for-4, K #15 - Blayne Enlow (Wichita) - 1 1/3 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, BB #18 - Tanner Schobel (Fort Myers) - 0-for-4, RBI, BB, K #20 - Kala’i Rosario (Fort Myers) - 1-for-5, R, K WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Omaha @ St. Paul (7:07 PM CDT) - RHP Louie Varland (1-0, 1.06 ERA) Wichita @ Springfield (6:35 PM CDT) - TBD Cedar Rapids @ Dayton (6:05 PM CDT) - RHP Luis Rijo (0-3, 7.80 ERA) Fort Myers @ Bradenton (11:00 AM CDT) - RHP Pierson Ohl (6-7, 3.43 ERA) Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Tuesday’s games! We are also conducting a survey on Twins Daily’s minor league coverage, and would love for you to participate. Please take a few minutes to answer some questions and provide your feedback! View full article

The Minnesota Twins scored 10 runs against the Red Sox en route to their fifth straight victory. Nick Gordon had a special night, hitting a grand slam and driving in six runs. Also featured in tonight's recap are Josh Winder, Chris Williams, Alex Isola, Jair Camargo, Aaron Sabato, Jake Rucker and more. View full video

The Return of Randy continued in Iowa on Sunday with the Saints, and that game had plenty of run scoring. After playing one game over two days, the Mighty Mussels played two games on Sunday. Some impressive offensive performances. And we'll keep you updated on the Wichita game throughout the night. TRANSACTIONS OF Billy Hamilton was officially assigned to the FCL Twins. As you know, the FCL season is complete, so this is just a formality. Will be interesting to see where he is assigned in a few days, or if he goes directly to the big-league club. RHP Randy Dobnak was sent to the Saints to continue his rehab assignment. The Mighty Mussels played OF Carlos Aguilar on the Injured List on his 21st birthday. SAINTS SENTINEL St. Paul 13. Iowa 12 Box score Man! I heard it was a wild one… so of course, it was Randy Dobnak who was credited with the win in this topsy-turvy, series-ending win for the Saints. The Saints started with three runs in the top of the first inning, but they gave up five runs in the bottom of the inning. In the fourth frame, it was the Saints that put a five spot on the board, and they followed it with three more runs in the fifth. They held a 13-9 lead going into the bottom of the eighth, but the Cubs scored three to cut the Saints’ lead to just one at 13-12. However, no runs were scored by either team in the ninth inning and the Saints had their win. Strange to start a summary of a game in which Iowa scored 12 runs with the Saints pitchers, but let’s do just that. Dereck Rodriguez was on the mound to start. He gave up five runs on four hits and three walks, and he only recorded two outs. Drew Strotman got the final out of the first inning and then one out in the second frame. He was charged with one run on three hits and a walk. Juan Minaya calmed things down by getting the final two outs of the second frame and three quick outs in the third as well. Randy Dobnak’s rehab assignment was transferred to the Saints on Sunday morning. He entered the game in the fourth inning with an 8-6 Saints lead. He gave up two runs that inning. Then gave up another run in the bottom of the fifth inning. In all, he gave up three runs on four hits and two walks, and a hit batter, over his two innings. He struck out two batters. Evan Sisk got the sixth inning. He struck out two in a scoreless inning. Jake Jewell came on and got four outs, though he gave up three runs (1 earned) on three hits. Jharel Cotton came on and got the final two outs of the eighth inning, holding that one-run lead. Brad Peacock came on in the bottom of the ninth and gave up a hit and a walk, but no runs, to record the Save. As you’d expect in a 13-run game, there were several stars on the Saints’ offense. Chris Williams went 3-for-4 with a walk and a double, and he drove in four runs in the game. Matt Wallner went 2-for-4 with a walk and his fourth St. Paul homer. Nash Knight hit his first Saints homer, one of his two hits. Elliot Soto walked four times. John Andreoli and Mark Contreras each drove in two runs as well. WIND SURGE WISDOM Frisco 3, Wichita 4 Box Score Down 3-2 going to the ninth inning, Yunior Severino crushed a home run to tie the game at three. Unfortunately, Frisco scored a run in the bottom of the ninth to gain the walk-off win. Back to the beginning, lefty Brent Headrick made the start and was fantastic. He gave up one run on six hits and a walk. He also struck out nine batters. Veteran Ryan Horstman came on and gave up two runs on two hits and only got two outs. Osiris German came on and gave up two hits, but he recorded four outs, two on strikeouts. Along with his homer, Severino also had a walk and a double. Jair Camargo also had two hits. Aaron Sabato added his first double with the Surge. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 7, Lake County 8 Box Score After a rare off day, Brooks Lee returned to the Kernels lineup with a 3-for-5 game to bump his batting average to .322. Mikey Perez was 2-for-3, with two walks. He also added his 13th Kernels stolen base. Wander Javier had the biggest hit of the day for Cedar Rapids. He hit a two-run homer, his 12th of the season, and drove in another run with a sacrifice fly. Jake Rucker drove in two runs with a triple. RHP Tyler Palm started and gave up two runs on three hits and two walks over 1 2/3 innings. Brad Hanner got the final out of the second inning, but he then gave up three runs on three hits in the third frame. Bobby Milacki gave up one run on two hits in the fourth inning. Ryan Shreve was charged with two unearned runs on one hit and one walk over two innings. Miguel Rodriguez and Hunter McMahon each tossed a scoreless inning. MUSSEL MATTERS Game 1: Fort Myers 2, Lakeland 4 Box Score After completing approximately 2/3 of a game over the previous two days, the Mussels were able to complete two seven-inning games on Sunday morning. Tanner Schobel led the way in the first game. He went 2-for-2 with a walk and a stolen base. Rubel Cespedes went 2-for-3. Luis Baez had the lone extra base hit, his second double. Noah Miller had a single and followed with his 20th stolen base of the season. Kala’i Rosario stole his seventh bag. The right fielder also had two outfield assists, throwing out one runner at the plate and another at third base. Tomas Cleto made the start and tossed four scoreless innings. He gave up two hits but walked none and struck out three batters. Zaquiel Puentes was charged with four runs on four hits and a walk over his two innings of work. Anthony Escobar worked a scoreless inning. Game 2: Fort Myers 4, Lakeland 9 Box Score Misael Urbina shook off a rough Game 1 to have a strong Game 2. He struck out all four times he batted in the first game. In this game, he went 2-for-3 with a walk and his 16th double of the year. Nate Baez went 2-for-2 with a walk. Luis Baez hit his first home run of the season, a big three-run shot in the fourth inning. It came in his 194th plate appearance of the season. Regi Grace started the second game. He was charged with three runs on four hits over three innings. He walked two and struck out three batters. John Wilson came on for the fourth and gave up three runs on two hits and a walk in the inning. Juan Mendez was charged with two runs on three hits and a walk in 1 1/3 innings. Niklas Rimmel gave up one run on two hits over the final 1 2/3 innings. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – Tomas Cleto (Ft. Myers) - 4.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K. Hitter of the Day – Chris Williams (St. Paul) - 3-4, BB, 2B (2), R, RBI. PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the current Twins Daily Top 20 performed: #1 - Royce Lewis (Minnesota) - Injured List But Lewis and Jeffers sure seemed to enjoy their State Fair appearance earlier in the day on Saturday. #2 - Brooks Lee (Cedar Rapids) - 3-5, R #4 - Austin Martin (Wichita) - 0-4, K #7 - Noah Miller (Ft. Myers) - Game 1 (1-4, R, SB (20)), Game 2 (0-3, HBP, 2 K) #9 - Matt Wallner (St. Paul) - 2-4, BB, HR (4), 2 R, 2 RBI #18 - Tanner Schobel (Fort Myers) - Game 1 (2-2, BB, RBI, SB (3)), Game 2 (1-4, RBI, 2 K, SB (4)) #20 - Kala'i Rosario (Fort Myers) - Game 1 (1-3, R, K, SB (7)) TUESDAY’S MATCHUPS There are no minor-league games scheduled for Monday. Teams will return to action on Tuesday. The Saints will host Omaha. The Wind Surge will travel to Springfield. After a week in Lake County, the Kernels stay out east and will take on Dayton. Ft. Myers will head to Bradenton. That is exciting as Bradenton is the lone Florida State League to share their games on MILB dot TV. Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Sunday’s games. View full article

Minnesota Twins manager Rocco Baldelli was ejected by the umpiring crew in Houston after there was a misunderstanding over what was counted as a mound visit. Rocco left the dugout after a benches-clearing incident, was credited as having made a mound visit and not made aware of that fact. Later in the inning, Twins pitching coach Pete Maki went out for a visit and the Twins were forced to remove starter Aaron Sanchez because it was technically their second visit of the inning. Ooof. Down in the minors, Chris Williams continued to mash for the Saints and Austin Martin was running wild for the Wind Surge. All that and more in tonight's recap. View full video

Ron Gardenhire was inducted into the Minnesota Twins Hall of Fame prior to Saturday night's game. Unfortunately, the Twins fell in extras to the Rangers 4-3. Here are some highlights from that game plus Chris Williams, Kody Funderburk, Jair Camargo, Yunior Severino, Blayne Enlow, Jake Rucker Pat Winkel and more. View full video

There was lots of action on the farm on Tuesday, as both the rookie leagues played pseudo-doubleheaders in addition to the regular slate. A top pitching prospect, and heck, the whole team, went off in Double-A, and a new top prospect hit a milestone in Cedar Rapids. TRANSACTIONS LHP Ryan Horstman was assigned to Wichita from Fort Myers. In Cedar Rapids, SS Dalton Shuffield was assigned from the FCL Down in Fort Myers, SS Daniel Ozoria was transferred to the development list, while OF Alex Sayre and SS Ben Ross were assigned from the FCL. In sadder transaction news, RHP Matt Canterino and LHP Steven Klimek were assigned to the Full Season Injured List. SAINTS SENTINEL Scranton/Wilkes-Barre 10, St. Paul 9 Box Score The Saints took a 9-0 lead in this one after the first two innings, so that should tell you about the disappointment that came late. Dereck Rodriguez made the start and was solid for five innings, the first four of those being of the scoreless variety. The RailRiders finally broke through for one in the fifth, before they’d decimate the St. Paul bullpen in the next three innings. Rodriguez allowed one run on four hits and three walks, while striking out four in his five innings. He had the big lead the entire time he was on the mound, as the home team used two walks, a single, and a hit by pitch in the bottom of the first, before a Chris Williams sac fly and Andrew Bechtold RBI single to take a 3-0 lead. They piled on six more in the second inning as seven straight hitters reached base, including a couple of RailRider errors to extend the inning, before Williams put an exclamation on it with a three-run home run for the 9-0 lead. Unfortunately, sixteen straight hitters after that were retired by Scranton/Wilkes-Barre pitchers, and a John Andreoli single in the eighth inning was the only offense they mustered the rest of the game. After Rodriguez’s exit, the bullpen trio of Ronny Henriquez (2 IP, 5 H, 6 ER, 2 BB, 4 K), Austin Schulfer (1/3 IP, 2 H, 2 ER), and Jovani Moran (1 2/3 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 4 K) couldn’t hold off the RailRider bats. Henriquez allowed two home runs, and Moran got charged with the blown save and loss after giving up the go-ahead home run in the eighth. Mark Contreras (2-for-3, R, RBI) was the only Saints hitter with multiple knocks, while Williams finished with four RBI, and Michael Helman chipped in a double. WIND SURGE WISDOM Tulsa 4, Wichita 17 Box Score This was just one of those games for the Tulsa Drillers. It’s always tough when you give up something like 17 runs, but they put forth a meager effort against Wichita’s pitching, which saw several records be set. To set the tone, Simeon Woods Richardson was on the mound for Wichita, and was electric for the first five innings. While he did allow seven hits, that number doesn’t tell an accurate story. I remember three balls that never should be counted as hits, including a sawed-off-bat fly ball that managed to fall safely into center field for a single. Woods Richardson was fooling RailRider hitters with the entirety of his arsenal, including 19 total swings-and-misses. Of his 87 pitches, 60 went for strikes (69%). His 10 strikeouts on the game are a new career high, and at one point he had struck out five straight hitters. It was a masterful performance. Then the bullpen followed him with perhaps an even more impressive four innings when it comes to punching out batters. Denny Bentley struck out two in a scoreless sixth inning, Alex Phillips picked up all six of his outs on K’s, and fireballer Steven Cruz added two more in a scoreless ninth inning. The 20 strikeouts in the game for Wind Surge pitchers set a club record and is the most strikeouts in any game in the Texas League this season. Jeez, I was so impressed by the pitching I even forgot about all the hitting, and patience… The Wind Surge lineup notched 14 hits, and matched that number by drawing 14 walks on the night as well. Will Holland had a double and a grand slam, in addition to three walks to reach base in all five of his plate appearances. He scored two runs and drove in five. Yunior Severino clubbed his first home run in a Wind Surge uniform, a three-run shot in the second inning that put Wichita in front. In a 10-run sixth inning, 14 straight hitters reached base, including an astonishing six straight walks that followed Holland’s grand slam, the culmination of five straight hitters reaching with hits. Aaron Sabato (2-for-4, 2 R, RBI, 2 BB), Cole Sturgeon (4-for-5, 2 R, 3 RBI, BB), and DaShawn Keirsey Jr. (2-for-4, 2 R, 2B, RBI, BB, K) joined Severino and Holland with multiple hit nights. In a game like this, it’s almost astonishing to see that Edouard Julian and Anthony Prato were the guys who didn’t get hits. Then again, Julien drew a walk and scored a run, and Prato drew four walks and scored three runs. If you’re in the “too long, didn’t read” crowd, the box score link above is highly recommended. KERNELS NUGGETS Wisconsin 2, Cedar Rapids 7 Box Score While it was pretty much a team-wide effort of domination for Kernels against Wisconsin on Tuesday night, I’d be remiss if I didn’t immediately point out the first professional home run of infielder Brooks Lee’s career: This two-run shot in the seventh inning pushed the lead to 7-2 for Cedar Rapids. They got there behind a solid effort from their pitching staff, led by starter Orlando Rodriguez. He struck out the first three hitters of the game, but the final pitch to the last one got away, so he had to strike out another. If you’re counting, that’s 4 K’s in one inning. He then struck out two more to start the second, two more in the third, and one in the fourth before he was lifted. In all, he tossed 3 1/3 innings, striking out nine. He was charged with two runs (one earned) on three hits. Derek Molina added 2 2/3 perfect innings to pick up the win, followed by two more perfect innings from Matt Mullenbach (2 K), before Samuel Perez (1 IP, H) finished off the victory for the home team. Before Lee’s blast, the Kernels built a 5-2 lead thanks to a sac fly from Jake Rucker in the first, an RBI single from Willie Joe Garry Jr. in the second, and a three-run homer from Jeferson Morales in the fourth. Lee (2-for-4, R, HR, 2 RBI) and Garry Jr. (2-for-4, RBI, K, 2 SB) led the way with two hits apiece. Alerick Soularie went 1-for-3 with two runs scored out of the leadoff spot, also drawing a walk and stealing a base. Mikey Perez scored two runs with a single, a walk, and another stolen base. As a team, they swiped six bases on the game. Lee did have two errors, one fielding, one throwing, playing shortstop. MUSSEL MATTERS Fort Myers 10, Palm Beach 1 Box Score The Mighty Mussels outhit the Cardinals 11-to-5 on the game, taking advantage of seven walks and timely hitting to put up double-digits on the scoreboard. Left-hander Jordan Carr made the start for Fort Myers and was excellent, pitching into the seventh inning. In all he completed 6 2/3 innings, allowing just a single run on four hits and a walk, while striking out four. It was his fifth win of the season, and he has yet to take a loss. Zaquiel Puentes finished off the game with 2 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing just one hit and striking out three. The good guys took the lead for the first time, and for good, in the top of the second inning when Noah Cardenas led off with a double, and was promptly driven in by a single from Keoni Cavaco. A pair of singles and a sac fly from Noah Miller in the third led to their second run, before a Carlos Aguiar homer in the fifth stretched their lead to 4-0. In the sixth Cavaco delivered an RBI double and they’d add another run on an RBI single from Alec Sayre in his FSL debut. In the seventh it was again Cavaco coming through, this time in the form of a sac fly to put them ahead 7-0. They tacked on three more runs in the ninth after loading the bases with three walks. Cardenas (2-for-2, 3 R, 2B, 2 BB), Cavaco (2-for-4, 2B, 3 RBI, K), Sayre (2-for-5, R, 2 RBI, K) and Aguiar (2-for-5, R, HR, 2 RBI, K) all had multiple hits. Dillon Tatum drew two walks, scored a run, and drove in a run. COMPLEX CHRONICLES Game 1: FCL Twins 7, FCL Braves 0 (Makeup of Aug. 15 PPD, 6+ innings) Box Score In game one of their doubleheader, the Twins shut out the Braves, jumping out front 6-0 after two and never looking back. Danny De Andrade and Gregory Duran each hit homers, with DeAndrade finishing 3-for-4, scoring two runs, driving in three, and also stealing a base. Third baseman Rafael Cruz also had multiple hits, going 2-for-4 with a run scored and two RBI. Develson Aria made the start and went the first three innings. He scattered four hits, walked one, and struck out seven. Jack Noble (IP, H, K), Jacob Edwards (IP, H, K), and Wilker Reyes (IP, H, BB, 2 K) finished out the final three innings, keeping the shutout intact. Game 2: FCL Braves 3, FCL Twins 1 Box Score The Twins managed just one hit in their second game of the day, being unable to take advantage of the six base on balls they were able to draw. They were 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position and left only six men on base. The rehabbing Austin Martin was 0-for-3, but drew one of those walks. Fredy Michel had the only hit, a single in the fourth inning, and also stole two bases, scoring their only run of the game. On the mound for his first rehab appearance and first game of the 2022 season, was Randy Dobnak. He pitched a clean first inning, retiring all three hitters including a strikeout, as he began to work his way back toward the majors. It was a bullpen-type game from there, with Michael Boyle (IP), A.J. Labas (2 IP), Zach Veen (IP), Danny Moreno (2/3 IP), and Cole Bellair (1 1/3 IP) all making appearances. Moreno was saddled with a blown save and loss, by allowing all three Braves runs. DOMINICAN DAILIES Game 1: DSL Cardinals 6, DSL Twins 13 (Completion of July 27 SUSP) Box Score The first game of the day for the DSL Twins was a completion of a game suspended back on 7/27. The Twins pounded out 15 hits, going 6-for-9 with runners in scoring position to keep the scoring train going in multiple innings. They put up four in the fifth, three in the sixth, and five in the eighth behind 13 singles and four walks. Isaac Pena had a triple, single, and sac fly to lead the way with six RBI in three at-bats, also drawing a walk and scoring a run. Ricardo Pena (2-for-4, 2 R, HR, RBI), Denyerbe Gervis (3-for-5, 2 R, RBI), and Bryan Acuna (3-for-4, 2 R, RBI) all had multiple hits. Anthony Narvaez had made the start and completed two innings back in July, allowing four runs (two earned) on four hits and a walk, while striking out three. Orlando Rubio went the next three innings before the game was delayed, allowing one run on two hits and two walks, along with striking out three of his own. When the game resumed today, it was Leonardo Lugo on the mound, and he was fantastic finishing the final four games. He gave up one run on three hits, walked none, and struck out eight. Game 2: DSL Cardinals 7, DSL Twins 4 Box Score The Twins outhit the Cardinals 10-to-6, but eight walks issued by Twins pitchers led to a losing effort on the scoreboard. Starting pitcher Miguel Olivares had an uncharacteristic outing, allowing three runs (two earned) on three hits, four free passes, and struck out just two. His two runs allowed in the second inning were the first earned runs he had allowed in his last 18 innings pitched. Jose Ojo (1/3 IP, H, 3 ER, 2 BB) and Juan Mercedes (2 2/3 IP, 2 H, ER, 2 BB, 5 K) finished the final three innings for the Twins bullpen. Leadoff man Yasser Mercedes led the way for the lineup with three hits in four at-bats and also stole second base each time he reached (giving him 27 steals in 36 total games). Luis Rodriguez added a double and scored a run, while Jose Rodriguez hit his 11th home run of the season, which ranks second in the DSL. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day - Simeon Woods Richardson, Wichita Wind Surge (W, 5 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, BB, 10 K) Hitter of the Day - Will Holland, Wichita Wind Surge (2-for-2, 2 R, 2B, GS HR, 5 RBI, 3 BB) PROSPECT SUMMARY #2 - Brooks Lee (Cedar Rapids) - 2-for-4, R, HR, 2 RBI #4 - Austin Martin (rehab, FCL) - 0-for-3, BB #6 - Simeon Woods Richardson (Wichita) - W, 5 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, BB, 10 K #7 - Noah Miller (Fort Myers) - 0-for-3, R, RBI, BB, K #9 - Matt Wallner (St. Paul) - 0-for-5, R, K #14 - Edouard Julien (Wichita) - 0-for-5, R, BB #16 - Ronny Henriquez (St. Paul) - 2 IP, 5 H, 6 ER, 2 BB, 4 K #17 - Cole Sands (Minnesota) - 1 IP, H, 2 K #19 - Alerick Soularie (Cedar Rapids) - 1-for-3, 2 R, BB, SB #20 - Kala’i Rosario (Fort Myers) - 0-for-4, R, BB, 2 K WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Scranton/WB @ St. Paul (7:07 PM CDT) - RHP Jordan Balazovic (0-5, 10.15 ERA) Tulsa @ Wichita (7:05 PM CDT) - RHP Cody Laweryson Wisconsin @ Cedar Rapids (6:35 PM CDT) - TBD Fort Myers @ Palm Beach (5:30 PM CDT) - TBD DSL Brewers 1 @ DSL Twins (10:00 AM CDT) - TBD Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Tuesday’s games! 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