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With Austin Martin missing a few games in week three of the AFL season, it was up to another Minnesota Twins infielder prospect to take over the “hot-hitting” mantle. With all credit due to Martin so far during the AFL season, even he hasn’t done what Edouard Julien did to opposing pitchers in week 3. Image courtesy of Ed Bailey, Wichita Wind Surge (photo of Edouard Julien) Game Results: Monday, 10/17 | Glendale 6, Mesa 3 Tuesday, 10/18 | Mesa 6, Glendale 3 Wednesday, 10/19 | Salt River 4, Glendale 5 Thursday, 10/20 | Glendale 4, Peoria 3 Friday, 10/21 | Surprise 7, Glendale 2 Saturday, 10/22 | Glendale 7, Scottsdale 9 The Glendale Desert Dogs completed another .500 week, going 3-3 in their six games. Their 8-8 overall record (including one tie) is tied for third place in the standings, a half-game behind second place heading into week four. How did all of the Minnesota Twins prospects fare for the Desert Dogs in week three of the 2022 AFL season? IF Austin Martin Week: 2-for-9, 4 R, 1 BB, 1 K (3 games) Overall: .439/.538/.561 (1.099 OPS) Martin continued his scorching hot hitting to start the week, going 2-for-6 in Monday’s win over the Mesa Solar Sox. That gave him 13 hits in his last five games and he added another stolen base. In Tuesday’s loss to the Solar Sox, Martin got just two plate appearances, drawing a walk and getting hit by a pitch. After the HBP, he stole his seventh base of the season, moved to third on a balk, and scored on a groundout before being replaced in the field in the fifth inning (no reason has been given). He wouldn’t play again until Saturday when he went 0-for-3, but reached base in the game with another hit-by-pitch and also scored another run. On the week Martin played one game in center field, DH’ed, and finished his week up at shortstop after getting a few days off. IF Edouard Julien Week: 6-for-13, 6 R, 2 2B, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 5 BB, 3 K (4 games) Overall: .364/.543/.636 (1.179 OPS) Julien entered the week with no extra-base hits yet on the season and a .800 OPS. He finished it with three doubles, two home runs, and a 1.179 OPS that leads his team and ranks fourth in the AFL overall (Martin is fifth). It was a monster week for the infielder that just kept getting better. In Monday’s win, he was 1-for-3 with his first double, scored a run, and drew two walks. In Wednesday's win over Salt River, he added two more doubles, scored two runs, and drew another walk as the leadoff man with Martin out. While he was 0-for-3 in his next game, he continued to do what he’s known for, drawing a pair of walks and scoring another run. Then he turned it up to eleven on Saturday, batting in the cleanup spot as the DH. While his team lost the game, Julien did everything he could to help. His two-run homer in the first inning put them up 2-0 early. He added an RBI single in the fifth inning before his second two-run blast in the seventh got his team within three late. C/1B Alex Isola Week: 1-for-9, 1 R, 1 RBI, 2 BB, 1 K (3 games) Overall: .125/.250/.125 (.375 OPS) Isola saw action in three games on the week, including his first game at catcher in Friday’s loss to Surprise. In Monday’s win against Mesa, he got the first run of the game on the board for the Desert Dogs with his RBI single in the fourth inning that drove in Julien. Later in the frame, he’d score the go-ahead run on a wild pitch and he also drew a walk to lead off the seventh. RHP Jon Olsen Week: 3 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 5 K (1 start) Overall: 0-1, 9.75 ERA, 2.85 WHIP, .393 BAA, 8 BB, 9 K (6 2/3 IP) Olsen made the start in Friday’s 7-2 loss to the Surprise Saguaros, pitching into the fourth inning. He kept them scoreless for the first three frames, striking out one in the first, three in the second, and another in the third as Glendale had a 1-0 lead. A pair of walks to start the fourth inning put an end to his outing, but it was solid up until that point. Two runs were charged to him as his replacement gave up a single, and on the same play committed an egregious throwing error that allowed that batter to come all the way home for a 3-1 Saguaros lead. LHP Denny Bentley Week: 3 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K (2 appearances) Overall: 1-0, 3.68 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, .167 BAA, 7 BB, 4 K (7 1/3 IP) The lefty reliever made two appearances on the week, going multiple innings in Monday’s win over Mesa for his first hold of the season, and picking up his second in Thursday’s win over Peoria. He pitched the seventh and eighth innings against the Solar Sox, giving up a single, walk, and a solo home run. Against the Javelinas he came on for the seventh inning, striking out one in a scoreless frame. RHP Ryan Shreve Week: 1 2/3 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 1 K (1 appearance) Overall: 0-0, 3.38 ERA, 1.63 WHIP, .269 BAA, 6 BB, 5 K (8 IP) Shreve was the first reliever summoned in Wednesday’s 4-3 win over Salt River, coming into the game in the middle of the third inning with his team up 2-1 at the time. He retired both hitters he faced to keep them out front, but a pair of singles in the fourth inning led to the Rafters tying the game at two before he was able to get out of the inning. RHP Francis Peguero Week: W, 2 IP, 1 H, 2 K (1 appearance) Overall: 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, .095 BAA, 6 BB, 5 K (6 1/3 IP) Peguero is becoming somewhat of a finisher for his Desert Dogs roster, as he again was the final pitcher for his team in his only appearance of the week. He got credited with the win by pitching the eighth and ninth innings against the Rafters on Wednesday, as the Desert Dogs scored three in the bottom of the eighth to take a 5-4 lead after his one-two-three top half. He allowed a single in the ninth but struck out one in each of his frames to secure the win. Please feel free to ask questions and discuss the prospects playing in the AFL this week! View full article

The story of Week 2 in the Arizona Fall League for Minnesota Twins prospects was again Austin Martin. After finishing Week 1 with a three-hit outburst, he added 11 hits in four games in Week 2, including a breakout performance of sorts in a blowout win. Image courtesy of Ed Bailey (Wichita Wind Surge), Steve Buhr (Cedar Rapids Kernels) Game Results: Monday, 10/10 | Glendale 8, Salt River 3 Tuesday, 10/11 | Glendale 20, Salt River 4 Thursday, 10/13 | Glendale 7, Mesa 9 Friday, 10/14 | Scottsdale 2, Glendale 0 Saturday, 10/15 | Mesa 1, Glendale 1 The Glendale Desert Dogs again went .500 on the week, which is odd as they played five total games. That’s the nature of the Arizona Fall League, as they blew out the Salt River Rafters, outsourcing them 28-7 in their two games to start the week’s action, but then fell to Mesa and Scottsdale in close contests before a game with Mesa was called with the score tied 1-1 after eight innings. They’ll enter Week 3 with a record of 5-5-1 and a game and a half behind the league-leading Surprise Saguaros. How did all of the Minnesota Twins prospects fare for the Desert Dogs in week two of the 2022 AFL season? IF Austin Martin Week: 11-for-18, 2 R, 6 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K, 2 SB (4 games) Overall: .500/.575/.656 (1.231 OPS) Martin played in four of the Desert Dogs' five games this week and batted leadoff in each. He played two games at shortstop, one in center field, and DH-ed in the other. He was on fire all week, collecting three or more hits in three of those games, and is now batting .500 going into Week 3. In Monday’s 8-3 win over Salt River, he was 3-for-4 with a double and a stolen base. He followed that up with a 4-for-6 effort in the Desert Dogs' destruction of the Rafters on Tuesday, where he scored two runs and drove in five. He fell a triple shy of the cycle and hit the first pitch of the game out to left-center for his first AFL home run. His quietest game of the week came in Thursday’s loss to Mesa, but he still reached base multiple times with a single and a walk. After a day off on Friday, he closed out his week with three more hits in four at-bats in their tie with the Solar Sox. He also drove in their only run with his single in the eighth inning. After two weeks, Martin leads the AFL in hits with 16, is third with five stolen bases (has been caught once), and is fifth in OPS with a 1.231 mark. Martin will look to continue his scorching hot hitting in Week 3, but Twins fans should be ecstatic about what he’s showing in the AFL so far. IF Edouard Julien Week: 3-for-6, 2 R, 3 BB, 2 K (2 games) Overall: .300/.500/.300 (.800 OPS). Julien got the start in just two games on the week, serving as the DH in the blowout of Salt River, and playing second base in Friday’s 2-0 loss against Scottsdale. He batted seventh in the lineup in the 20-4 win and finished 2-for-3 with two runs scored, and keeping with his professional theme, drew three walks to reach base in five-of-six trips. On Friday, he knocked one base hit in three at-bats, batting second in the lineup. His hit came in the bottom of the first inning, and he reached third base before their early rally got stalled. They then went on to be shut out as the Desert Dogs managed just three hits total in the game. While Julien is still looking for his first extra-base-hit of the AFL season, he has reached base in half his plate appearances and trails only teammate Matt McLain in walks drawn overall, with eight in six games. C/1B Alex Isola Week: 1-for-5, 1 RBI (1 game) Overall: .133/.235/.133 (.368 OPS) Alex Isola got into only one game during the week, and that came in Monday’s 8-3 win over the Salt River Rafters. He batted ninth in the lineup, played first base, and finished 1-for-5 with an RBI. His single in the top of the sixth inning drove in the Desert Dogs' third and final run of the inning, putting them out front in the game 3-1 at the time. While it has to be disappointing to play in only one game during the week, the player rotation hopefully gets him more time in Week 3. RHP Jon Olsen Week: 2 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 K (1 appearance) Overall: 12.27 ERA, 3.82 WHIP (3 2/3 IP) The right-hander made one appearance on the week, as the first reliever summoned in Friday’s 2-0 loss to the Scottsdale Scorpions. He came on to start the fourth inning and after a leadoff walk got the next hitter to line into a double play. He allowed a single and hit a batter before getting a groundout for a scoreless frame. Back out for the fifth, he got a strikeout before a walk and a triple led to an earned run, but he finished off the final two hitters with two more strikeouts to end his outing on a high note. Olsen’s numbers in the AFL likely aren’t going to ever look great after his first outing of the season last week, but he can be encouraged by the strikeouts that came late in this one moving forward. And he only had a couple of rehab outings during the season after undergoing Tommy John surgery a year ago. LHP Denny Bentley Week: 1 1/3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K (1 appearance) Overall: 4.15 ERA, 1.62 WHIP (4 1/3 IP). Bentley came out of the bullpen for just one appearance during the week. He entered the blowout game against Salt River in the seventh inning with the game already well out of hand. His predecessor had loaded the bases with one out, and after a sac fly made it 19-2, Bentley entered the game to try and keep it moving. He gave up a single that made it 19-4 but was not charged with either of those runs. He then got a pop-out to end the inning before coming back out for the eighth with a clean slate. He walked one batter but retired all three others, including a strikeout. In a positive change from week one, 14 of his 24 pitches in this one went for strikes (58%) as he looks to keep his pitches in the zone better. RHP Ryan Shreve Week: 3 1/3 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 5 BB, 2 K (2 appearances) Overall: 2.84 ERA, 1.74 WHIP (6 1/3 IP). Shreve made two appearances on the week, going more than one inning in both of them. In Monday’s win over the Rafters, he was the first reliever summoned. He came into the game to start the fourth inning. He promptly gave up a solo home run but got some help from his defense to keep that run as his only one allowed during the week. After a walk to the next hitter, he got a pair of flyouts before his defense executed a nice relay throw to catch the runner trying to stretch a single into a double. Back out for the fifth, he picked up a strikeout but then loaded the bases before he was removed from the game. His pitching counterpart Ben Harris picked him up by getting a double-play grounder. In Friday’s loss to Scottsdale, Shreve finished the game for Glendale, pitching two shutout innings. He gave up two walks, but no hits and struck out one to keep the game close in the final two innings. RHP Francis Peguero Week: 2 IP, 1 H, 2 BB, 2 K (2 appearances) Overall: 0.00 ERA, 1.62 WHIP (4 1/3 IP). The little-known right-hander made two appearances. He finished the game for Glendale in both of them. In Tuesday’s big win over the Salt River Rafters, he walked the first batter of the ninth inning but proceeded to strike out two of the next three to close it out. In Saturday’s tie with the Mesa Solar Sox, he took over for the “extra” eighth inning with the score still 0-0, and a runner starting on second base. He gave up his first hit of the season to put runners on the corners before a double-play ball allowed the first run of the game to score. As it was the “ghost” runner, it was of the unearned variety. Another batter reached due to an error before giving up a walk, but he then got a lineout to keep his team in it, and Austin Martin was able to tie it with his RBI single before it was called. Please feel free to ask questions and discuss the prospects playing in the AFL this week! (Another Austin Martin highlight for tax) View full article

Minor league seasons are complete, but the Arizona Fall League is just getting started. Here are four things to watch with Twins prospects this fall. Image courtesy of Ed Bailey (Wichita Wind Surge), Steve Buhr (Cedar Rapids Kernels) Some of baseball's best prospects head to Arizona every year to showcase their skills against other top players. Throughout the AFL's history, some of the league's biggest stars have gotten their careers boosted by a strong AFL performance. AFL Games started this week, and the Twins are sending some of their top prospects with something to prove. Can Austin Martin Have a Wallner-Type Breakout? Last year, the Twins sent Matt Wallner to the AFL because he missed time during the season with an injury. In 18 games, he hit .303/.405/.606 (1.011) with two doubles and six home runs. Wallner carried that performance over to the 2022 season, where he posted a .953 OPS between Double- and Triple-A. Also, he was recently named the TD Minor League Hitter of the Year. Martin dealt with a wrist injury during the 2022 season, but he ended the year strongly. Now, Minnesota hopes Martin can follow the same path as Wallner from the AFL to making his big-league debut. Is Edouard Julien the Twins' Second Baseman of the Future? Julien is coming off a breakout season at Double-A, where the 23-year-old was over a year younger than the average age of the competition. In 113 games, he hit .300/.441/.490 (.931) with 19 doubles, three triples, and 17 home runs. Defensively, the Twins had moved Julien around during his first two professional seasons, but he played the entire 2022 season at second base. Jorge Polanco has one guaranteed year left on his contract with the Twins controlling the next two seasons as well. If Julien continues to develop, he has a chance to become the heir apparent to Polanco in the Twins infield. Can Denny Bentley Become a Dominant Reliever? Minnesota's front office hasn't spent a lot on bullpen arms in recent years, instead relying on the farm system to produce cheaper relief options. During the 2022 season, the Twins used younger organizational arms like Jhoan Duran, Jovani Moran, and Griffin Jax to impact the bullpen. Bentley spent the majority of the 2022 season at Double-A and posted an 11.8 K/9 across 55 2/3 innings. His WHIP has been high during his first two professional seasons because he allows more than 7.0 H/9 and close to 5.0 BB/9. Bentley will need to improve in both of those areas if he wants to become a dominant reliever at the big-league level. What Do the Twins Have in Francis Peguero? The Twins acquired Peguero as part of the Sonny Gray trade, and his professional career has seen some ups and downs. His debut in the Twins system was delayed because of an injury, and then he made 17 appearances out of the Wind Surge bullpen. In August, he posted a 3.65 ERA with a 0.89 WHIP in nine appearances, but his strikeout totals have remained low. He can hit in the mid-90s with his fastball, so the AFL will allow him the opportunity to work on his secondary pitches. Can one of his secondary offerings improve enough for him to limit hits and start collecting more strikeouts? Check out the TD AFL Preview to read more about the other Twins prospects participating in the 2022 AFL. Which of the prospects above has the most to prove? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article

Minnesota's coaching staff has focused heavily on sliders under the tutelage of pitching coach Wes Johnson. Here are the best sliders among the team's top prospects. As pitchers move through a farm system, the organization hopes to use technology and data to help them improve their pitching repertoire. On the 20-80 scouting scale, nearly all of the sliders below have room to grow this season, which can be dangerous for opposing batters. 5. Ronny Henriquez, RHP Current Slider/Future Slider: 50/55 Don't let Henriquez's small stature deceive you. He is a legitimate starting pitching prospect. He joined the Twins organization from Texas as part of the Mitch Garver trade. Last season, he spent time at High- and Double-A, where he posted a 4.71 ERA with a 1.10 WHIP and 105 strikeouts in 93 2/3 innings. At both levels, he was more than two years younger than the average age of the competition. Henriquez is already on the 40-man roster, so there is a good chance he will make his debut in 2022. 4. Jordan Balazovic, RHP Current Slider/Future Slider: 50/55 Balazovic has come a long way since he was a lanky Canadian high school pitcher in the 2016 draft. His velocity has increased throughout his professional career, leading to an increased walk rate as he adjusts to his ever-changing repertoire. His slider is one of three pitches with a future grade of 55 or higher. He uses a delivery that makes it tough to pick up the ball, which makes his offspeed offerings even more dangerous. A back injury kept him from debuting until later in the 2021 season. Otherwise, he may have joined Bailey Ober and Joe Ryan at the big-league level. 3. Francis Peguero, RHP Current Slider/Future Slider: 55/55 Peguero was the prospect included in the Sonny Gray trade with the Reds. Last season, he pitched in relief at High-A, where he had a 4.96 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP in 32 2/3 innings. His fastball velocity increased from the low-90s to the upper-90s last season. This increase in velocity projects to help his secondary pitches to play better as he moves closer to the big leagues. Even with the better fastball, his strikeout numbers dropped last season, so he will be a player to watch this season. He is 24-years-old, but he will fit into the team's upper-level bullpen pitcher over the next couple of years. 2. Sean Mooney, RHP Current Slider/Future Slider: 55/60 Mooney may be an unfamiliar name to some Twins fans, but his slider is still one of the system's best. Minnesota selected Mooney in the 12th round back in 2019 from St. John's. He injured his elbow during his collegiate career and had Tommy John surgery. Since returning to the mound, he utilizes a low-slot arm angle that helps him to have a great slider and an above-average changeup. Last season was his professional debut, and he posted a 3.64 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP in 13 appearances. Over 42 innings, he struck out 71 batters, so a healthy Mooney looks like he can be a pitching weapon. 1. Matt Canterino, RHP Current Slider/Future Slider: 55/60 There's a reason Canterino is considered one of the organization's top pitching prospects. His fastball ranks near the top of the farm system, and his top-ranked slider adds even more to his arsenal. He has a four-pitch mix that can make him a dominant starting pitcher, but there have been health concerns throughout his professional career. Minnesota is confident in him bouncing back this season and proving he can stay in a starting role. However, his fastball-slider combination is enough to make him a dominant reliever if the team needs to make future adjustments. Who do you think has the best slider in the Twins system? Should someone else make the list? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. OTHER POSTS IN THE SERIES — Top Fastball Prospects — Top Power Tool Prospects — Top Hit Tool Prospects — Top Speed Tool Prospects View full article

The Minnesota Twins have announced that they have acquired RHP Sonny Gray from the Cincinnati Reds, along with RHP Francis Peguero, in exchange for 2021 top pick Chase Petty. Why would you trade your 19-year-old first-round pick from 2021? Well, it is to acquire your Opening Day starter. No, we don't know that officially yet, but Sonny Gray has an excellent track record of success. Gray is a 32-year-old right-hander. Last year with the Reds, he went 7-9 with a 4.19 ERA. In 135 1/3 innings, he had 155 strikeouts. He pitched for the Oakland A's from 2013-2017 before heading to the Yankees at the 2017 trade deadline. He remained in New York through the 2018 season. He signed with the Reds before the 2019 season. Overall, he his 82-72 with a 3.61 ERA over 1,267 1/3 innings in his career. Gray was the 18th overall pick in the 2011 draft out of Vanderbilt University. Francis Peguero is a 24-year-old who signed with the Reds from the Dominican Republic back in 2017. He has worked out of the bullpen throughout his career. In 103 innings in his career, he has struck out 116 batters while walking just 21 batters. He spent the full 2021 season at High-A Dayton. To get something, you have to give up someone, right? Well, the Twins traded their top pick from last year's draft, Chase Petty, to the Reds. He pitched in just two games after being drafted last year. He was touted for his triple-digit fastball, and he's got some really good secondary pitches to go with it. The sky is certainly the limit, but that's the price for a quality, top-of-the-rotation arm. For those who say that this is unlike the Twins to trade a top pitching prospect. Recall just a couple of years ago when the team traded a top 5 prospect in Brusdar Graterol to the Dodgers in the deal for Kenta Maeda. In addition, Gray's contract was for $30.5 million over three years. However, there is also an option for the 2023 season at $12 million. It would seem a pretty easy decision unless things unravel for a pitcher with a great track record. A quick search of how often Sonny Gray has been tagged in Twins Daily articles shows that he has been on fans' radars for awhile. Share your thoughts on this trade in the COMMENTS below. View full article