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Arguably the most disappointing decision of Terry Ryan’s career as a general manager was non-tendering David Ortiz. When you release a player that becomes a Hall of Fame talent, it’s hard to overcome. Since then, two players were always discussed in the same breath as Ortiz. Because of their size and strength, Miguel Sano and Kennys Vargas were often compared to Ortiz. Image courtesy of Paul Rutherford-USA TODAY Sports Obviously neither Kennys Vargas or Miguel Sano were ever going to become the next David Ortiz, but both were lazily compared at every juncture. As big-time sluggers that failed to realize much of their potential for Minnesota, it was low hanging fruit to bring up that suggestion. Their careers are not at all the same, and Sano’s tenure with the Twins only ended last season. Entering 2023 though, both find themselves at a crossroads. On Thursday, the Cincinnati Reds signed Vargas to a minor-league deal. He received an invitation to big-league Spring Training, and it’s the first step on his path toward a return to the big leagues. The former Minnesota prospect hasn’t played in the majors since 2017, and after a stop overseas, he has spent time in the Dominican, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, and Mexico. Playing 85 games last year in Mexico, Vargas put up gaudy numbers. His .324/.462/.566 slash line was punctuated with 17 home runs and 17 doubles. He played another 50 games during both the Venezuelan and Mexican winter leagues, in which he recorded 10 homers and a pair of triples. Vargas spent all of 2018 at Triple-A Rochester for Minnesota. He posted just a .752 OPS, and while the power numbers played he whiffed plenty. After being part of the 2014 Futures Game at Target Field alongside teammate Jose Berrios, Vargas never really produced more than an average big leaguer. His career 102 OPS+ was compiled across 236 games. That Futures Game also included Joey Gallo, Jorge Lopez, Michael A. Taylor, and Alex Meyer. It remains improbable that a 32-year-old Vargas is now the best version of himself, but the Reds should hardly have an impossible roster to crack. On the flip side, you have Sano, who was in the big leagues as recently as 2022. Unfortunately, he was so terrible that in just 29 games, Sano generated -0.9 fWAR. He tore his meniscus and tried to return later in the year, but the knee was not in playing shape and ultimately he was shut down. A source indicated that Sano may potentially need more time yet to recover from his injury and that a mid-season signing could be likely. He has been training down in Tampa, Florida this winter, and a workout is now on the horizon. Darren Wolfson reports that Sano will host scouts next week. It is somewhat shocking that Sano couldn’t find a deal for 2023 before the likes of Vargas, but that is solely a reflection of where his knee is physically. Sano may be looking for a guaranteed Major League deal as well, but even with a universal designated hitter, his health and production of late have not been good at all. Sano has shown an ability to hit at the Major League level, and he did own a 112 OPS+ in 2021. He was an All-Star back in 2017 and posted a 139 OPS+ along with 34 homers for the Bomba Squad in 2019. Despite racking up strikeouts in droves, his bugaboo has largely been facing velocity. Maybe a team believes in his plate discipline enough to give him a shot, but they’ll need to see a good showing next week. At the end of the day, neither slugger is or was ever going to come close to Ortiz. It is shocking to see Sano the one still out in the cold heading into 2023, but he also has a reputation that may precede him. View full article

As we countdown the days to Target Fields's 1000th home run, let's countdown the Twins who made it happen. Here are the 11th through 15th best home run hitters in Target Field history and their biggest hits. 15: Jim Thome: 21 HR Thome became a home run legend during his Hall of Fame career. He hit the first walk-off home run in Target Field history, and it is still one of the best moments in Minnesota Twins history. 13. Oswaldo Arcia/ Kennys Vargas: 22 HR Arcia and Vargas were supposed to be part of the first wave of prospects that helped the Twins turn things around at the big-league level in the 2010s. That didn't come to fruition, but they each were known for their power in their prospect careers. 12. Mitch Garver: 27 HR During the Bomba Squad season, Garver had multiple important home runs. He broke Earl Battey's Twins single-season home run record, which stood since 1963. He also hit the home run that broke the season home run record. 11. Eduardo Escobar: 28 HR Escobar became a beloved figure in Twins history, and he has gone on to have a solid big-league career. His most valuable home run at Target Field came with the Twins trailing by two in the bottom of the eighth inning. Which home run do you remember the most? Which player do you think hits Minnesota's 1,000th home run at Target Field? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article

There’s certainly been more than a handful of promising Twins players that just haven’t worked out for one reason or another. Maybe the prospect status wasn’t there, or perhaps the realization of talent never happened. No matter the situation, there’s more than a handful of guys that we had always wished would pan out. As we trudge through this ugly lockout and look forward to the Twins revamping their 2022 roster, I found myself thinking back to some of the guys that could have been. Maybe they were fan-favorites we had hoped for more from, or perhaps a flash in the pan never extended. At any rate, these were some names that immediately came to mind. Oswaldo Arcia Arcia had a decently-long career with the Twins playing in 251 games. He was a top 100 prospect in 2013 and owned a career .901 OPS in the minors. The body type just suggested he should be able to rake even if he was a poor defender. The problem was that he couldn’t make contact. The strikeout rates were egregious, and the on-base ability was non-existent. I held out hope for quite a while, but it became evident he didn’t have it. At 30, Arcia did tear up the Venezuelan Winter League this year. ByungHo Park If there’s a What Could Have Been in recent memory, it’s Park for me. On top of acclimating to new teammates in a new country, Park dealt with a wrist injury in 2016 that he played through for most of the season. The .684 OPS was indicative of a guy who lost his power bat, and even the .823 mark at Triple-A Rochester didn’t afford him another opportunity. After playing in 2017 at Triple-A, he returned to the KBO and immediately posted a 1.175 OPS. Now 35, he’s at the tail end of his career, but there was a productive player here had circumstances worked out differently. Fernando Romero Probably the last pitching prospect Twins fans dreamed on before this current crop, Romero was supposed to be an impact arm. He was a top 100 prospect as recently as 2018 and owned a 3.57 ERA at Triple-A that year. The strikeouts never came, and his command got completely lost after transitioning to the bullpen. Visa issues kept him from being an option for Minnesota in 2020, and he’s since gone to Japan trying to find it again as a 27-year-old. Kennys Vargas Debuting for Twins fans at Target Field during the Futures Game alongside Jose Berrios, Vargas drew plenty of fanfare. He was seen as a David Ortiz protégé, and that’s a comparison no Minnesotan will ever turn away from. The 115 OPS+ in his debut season was a positive sign, but a .626 OPS the next year fell flat. Vargas seemed to come into his own for 47 games during 2016, where he posted an .833 OPS, but that was the height of his abilities. Vargas has been out of affiliated baseball since 2018 but did post strong numbers in Mexico and Puerto Rico this past season. At 31, though, it’s unlikely another chance is coming. Alex Burnett After posting a 1.85 ERA at Single and Double-A in 2009, it was hard not to get excited about Burnett pitching out of the pen. Making his debut in 2010, Burnett compiled a 5.40 ERA across 98 and 1/3 innings the next two seasons. He had mediocre defensive help, but his FIP still sat at just 4.60. He did manage a smoke-and-mirrors level of success with a 3.52 ERA in 2012 despite a 36/26 K/BB in 71 2/3 innings. It wasn’t ever that the ceiling was incredibly high, but I wanted to believe there was more for whatever reason. Max Kepler It’s understandably an egregious ask to put Kepler here, but given his ceiling, it also seems to make sense. Kepler has played 722 games for the Twins and posted just a .756 OPS. His .855 OPS in 2019 looked like a solid response to a contract extension, but it hasn’t been touched since. Kepler is an extraordinary defender, but the bat has always profiled as so much more, and a guy who deservedly flashed as a former top 100 prospect has largely failed to substantiate his ceiling. What other Twins players do you wish would have worked out? Are there some prospects you consistently expected to be great? View full article

Labor Day always marks the final regular season minor league games. The Rochester Red Wings and Chattanooga Lookouts seasons ended. Three more Red Wings players were called up to the Twins following the game. The Kernels, whose playoff run begins on Wednesday, began six hours late. See how they did and who they will play starting Wednesday. Ft. Myers and Elizabethton had the day off as they prepare for their upcoming playoff series.Keep reading to find out more on the night in the Twins minor league system on Monday afternoon, please feel free to discuss and ask questions. TRANSACTIONS The Twins announced that RHP Chase De Jong and John Curtiss will also be recalled and in uniform for the Twins on Tuesday.Logan Morrison has been placed on the 60-day disabled list, allowing the Twins to add Gregorio Petit to the roster and promote him as well. Tyler Watson started for the Kernels. The southpaw had a Quality Start. Despite giving up nine hits, he gave up just three runs over six innings. He struck out seven batters without a walk. Calvin Faucher threw a scoreless inning as well. Ricky Ramirez struck out two in a perfect eighth inning. The Kernels took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning. Jacob Pearson doubled and then scored on a single from Trey Cabbage. Trevor Larnach went 2-for-4. Following his double, the Twins top 2017 pick scored on a Michael Helman single. These two teams will begin a playoff series on Wednesday, also in Beloit. E-TWINS E-TALK Elizabethton Box Score The E-Twins begin the Appalachian League championship series on Tuesday. STARS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Hitter of the Day: Kennys Vargas, Rochester Red Wings (2-3, BB, 2-2B(23)). Twins Daily Pitcher of the Day: Chase De Jong, Rochester Red Wings (5 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 7 K) PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Midseason Top 20 Twins Prospects performed. #1 - Royce Lewis (Ft. Myers) - No Game Scheduled #2 - Alex Kirilloff (Ft. Myers) - No Game Scheduled #3 - Brusdar Graterol (Ft. Myers) - No Game Scheduled #4 - Nick Gordon (Rochester) - 0-3, BB, R, K #5 - Stephen Gonsalves (Minnesota) - Did not pitch #6 - Trevor Larnach (Cedar Rapids) - #7 - Brent Rooker (Chattanooga) - 0-4, 2 K #8 - Akil Baddoo (Cedar Rapids) - #9 -Wander Javier - out of for the season #10 - Zack Littell (Rochester) - Did not pitch #11 - Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) - Did not pitch #12 - LaMonte Wade (Rochester) - 1-5, 2 K #13 - Travis Blankenhorn (Ft. Myers) - No Game Scheduled #14 - Lewis Thorpe (Rochester) - Did not pitch #15 - Ben Rortvedt (Ft. Myers) - No Game Scheduled #16 - Yunior Severino (Elizabethton) - No Game Scheduled #17 - Lewin Diaz (Ft. Myers) - Out for the season (wrist) #18 - Ryan Jeffers (Cedar Rapids) - #19 - Jacob Pearson (Cedar Rapids) - #20 - Luis Arraez (Chattanooga) - 2-4, 2 RBI #21 - Jose Miranda (Ft. Myers) - No Game Scheduled *Since Wander Javier is out, I’d add #21 to the list. TUESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Rochester - Season Complete Chattanooga - Season Complete Palm Beach @ Ft. Myers (5:30 CST) - RHP Andro Cutura Cedar Rapids - Playoff series starts on Wednesday Elizabethton @ Princeton (6:00 CST) - RHP Austin Schulfer (Game 1 of Appy League championship series) GCL Twins - Season Completed Please feel free to ask any questions about Monday’s games, or ask any questions you may have. Click here to view the article

On Tuesday there was a long overdue doubleheader played in Rochester where the home team took both games, a postseason all-star was named, and another team got a walk-off win in extra innings to bring them within a half-game of playoff spot. To find out what happened in those games and how all your favorite Minnesota Twins prospects fared on Tuesday, keep reading and be sure to add to the discussion in the comments!TRANSACTIONS There were a few roster moves and an All-Star announcement in the system on Tuesday: In Chattanooga, infielder Sean Miller was released. No corresponding move was made at this time. Miller was a 10th-round pick for the Twins in the 2015 draft out of South Carolina.It was busy in Fort Myers, as the Twins signed pitcher Alex Phillips out of the independent Frontier League and assigned him to the Miracle where he would play a part in their game. They also placed Taylor Grzelakowski on the 7-day disabled list while activating Shane Carrier.Kennys Vargas was named an International League Postseason All-Star, and slots as the designated hitter on the roster. Vargas has been fantastic of late, with 20 hits including five home runs and 18 RBI since August 14th (14 games). RED WINGS REPORT Game 1: Buffalo 4, Rochester 5 (seven innings) Box Score In their regularly scheduled game, the Red Wings used one big inning and a timely hit from Byron Buxton late to secure a victory. Zack Littell made the start for Rochester, and completed six of the game’s seven innings. He allowed a single run in each of the first and third innings, then two in the fourth to tie the game. He gave his offense a chance by holding the Bisons scoreless in his final two innings, including striking out the last two hitters he faced with a runner in scoring position. He ended up with a win to even his record at 6-6 on the season when the home team struck in the bottom half of his final frame. The game was tied as the Red Wings lineup strung together five hits and a sacrifice fly in the third inning that was good for four runs of their own. Alex Perez, Byron Buxton, and Nick Gordon loaded the bases with singles to start it, Gregorio Petit drove in two of them with a double, then an RBI single from LaMonte Wade and sac fly from Zander Wiel finished it. In the bottom of the sixth Juan Graterol doubled to put himself in scoring position, then with two outs Buxton traded places with him for the deciding run. Lefty Andrew Vasquez got his first save opportunity since being promoted to Triple A in the top of the seventh, and while it got interesting, escaped a no-out situation with runners on second and third to record his first save with Rochester. He struck out the final two hitters to do so after fantastic barehanded fielder’s choice play from Petit at third base to cut a runner down at home: The top of the Red Wings lineup (Buxton, Gordon, Petit) combined to go 6-for-11 with three runs scored, four doubles, and three RBI on the game. Wade and Graterol also picked up multiple hits. Game 2: Buffalo 4, Rochester 6 (seven innings, makeup of 4/8 postponement) Box Score In game two, a makeup of a postponement due to snow all the way back in early April, Rochester pitched a bullpen game. D.J. Baxendale started and finished the first 2 1/3 innings. He allowed one run in the second and ran into some more trouble in the third, finishing with two runs allowed on five hits and a walk. He struck out one. Nick Anderson got his team through the fifth inning, allowing one run on two hits and a walk in 2 2/3, striking out four. He notched his seventh win of the season. John Curtiss closed out the final two innings for his tenth save. He gave up a run on a solo-homer that made it the final of 6-4, but also struck out two. The Red Wings runs came courtesy of RBI doubles from Jeremy Hazelbaker and Alex Perez in the second inning, a two-run double from Kennys Vargas and RBI single from Hazelbaker in the third, and finally an RBI single from Nick Gordon in the fifth. They racked up eleven hits as a team with Gordon leading the way with a 3-for-4 showing, along with multiple hits from Gregorio Petit (2-for-4, R, 2B) and Hazelbaker (2-for-3, R, 2B, 2 RBI). CHATTANOOGA CHATTER Jacksonville 9, Chattanooga 2 Box Score Tyler Jay got the opener role in this one and delivered a scoreless first inning. He gave up one hit and struck out one leading into ‘starter’ Sean Poppen’s game. The Jumbo Shrimp jumped all over Poppen and the Lookouts were not able to recover. Although he finished four innings, Poppen’s line included seven runs (six earned) on ten hits and one walk in his time. He struck out three and allowed two home runs. Anthony Marzi came on for the sixth and would finish 1 2/3, allowing two runs on two hits and two walks along with picking up two K’s. Sam Clay finished the seventh and added a scoreless eighth, striking out four of the five hitters he faced. Williams Ramirez finished off the game for the home team with a one-two-three ninth, striking out one. On offense Chattanooga tallied seven hits and two walks, but they didn’t lead to many scoring opportunities as they were just 0-for-3 with runners in scoring position and grounded into four double plays. Jordan Gore collected multiple hits with a 2-for-3 night. Brent Rooker finished 1-for-4 while an Andy Wilkins home run and Jimmy Kerrigan sac fly led to their only runs. It was the Lookouts final home game of the season and they close it out with a five-game set across the state of Tennessee in Jackson starting on Thursday. MIRACLE MATTERS Bradenton 1, Fort Myers 2 (10 innings) Box Score The Miracle’s tilt with the Marauders on Tuesday was a good old-fashioned pitcher’s duel, with the score being just 1-0 Fort Myers heading into the top of the ninth inning. Starting for the home team was Andro Cutura, and he delivered six scoreless innings in his start, scattering five hits and one walk while striking out five. In the sixth, he worked around a hit-by-pitch and a double to start the inning by getting a shallow fly out and two K’s to end his night. The Miracle took the 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third after Travis Blankenhorn led of the frame with his 21st double and would later score on a sac fly from Ernie De La Trinidad. Hits were scarce for them, as they had just five as a team through nine. Ryan Mason came on from the bullpen for the seventh and eighth frames, keeping his team in front by allowing just one hit and a walk while striking out three. Adam Bray and his 1.27 ERA with Fort Myers came out for the top of the ninth and Bradenton was able to tie the game with three singles and saddle him with his first blown save of the year. The newly signed Alex Phillips was summoned for the tenth and got all three hitters he faced, including a K, to keep the Marauders off the board. In the bottom of the inning, after an intentional walk to Caleb Hamilton and a passed ball to advance the runners to second and third, Blankenhorn brought in the walk-off run with a single to center field. The win brings the Miracle to within a half-game of the Charlotte Stone Crabs in the Florida State League South division with five games to play. KERNELS NUGGETS Scheduled Day Off The Kernels wrapped up a Midwest League title in the second half on Monday and will finish off their regular season with a five-game series at home against the Burlington Bees starting Wednesday. They will kick off the MWL playoffs a week from Wednesday, against whomever comes out on top of a current half-game difference in the Western Division standings between Kane County, Beloit, and Wisconsin (Quad Cities and Peoria already qualified in the first half, so are ineligible). E-TWINS E-TALK Pulaski 5, Elizabethton 8 Box Score The E-Twins got all the run support they would need in the third inning when they batted around and plated six runs, but they also had pushed a run across in each of the first two innings to account for their eight runs on the scoreboard. Yunior Severino got them started with his eighth home run in the first, and they made it 2-0 on a bases-loaded passed ball in the second before the big outburst in the third. Gilberto Celestino (2-for-4, R, 2B, K), Jared Akins (2-for-3, 2 R, 2B, RBI, BB, K, SB), and Lean Marrero (2-for-4, R, 2B, 2 RBI, K) collected multiple hits in the contest to lead the way. Andrew Cabezas got the start and served as an opener, pitching just the first inning. He went one-two-three including strikeouts of the game’s first two hitters. Prelander Berroa went the next 2 1/3, allowing three runs on two hits and three walks while striking out two. Juan Gomez got the win with the next 2 2/3, where he allowed an unearned run on four hits and two walks. He struck out three. J.T. Perez was the next man up and allowed a run on three hits, along with picking up four K’s in two innings. Jacob Blank closed it out for his first professional save with a one-two-three ninth, striking out two. STARS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Pitcher of the Day – Andro Cutura, Fort Myers Miracle (6 IP, 0 R, 5 H, BB, 5 K) Twins Daily Hitter(s) of the Day – Travis Blankenhorn, Fort Myers Miracle (2-for-4, R, 2B, Game Winning RBI) TOP PROSPECT SUMMARY #1 - Royce Lewis (Fort Myers) – 0-for-4, 2 K #2 - Alex Kirilloff (Fort Myers) – 0-for-4, K #3 - Brusdar Graterol (Fort Myers) – Did not pitch #4 - Nick Gordon (Rochester) – (2 games) 4-for-8, 2 R, RBI, K #5 - Stephen Gonsalves (Minnesota) – Did not pitch. #6 - Trevor Larnach (Cedar Rapids) – Scheduled Day Off #7 - Brent Rooker (Chattanooga) – 1-for-4 #8 - Akil Baddoo (Cedar Rapids) – Scheduled Day Off #9 -Wander Javier – Out for the season. #10 - Zack Littell (Rochester) –.W, 6 IP, 4 ER, 8 H, BB, 5 K #11 - Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) – Scheduled Day Off #12 - LaMonte Wade (Rochester) – (2 games) 2-for-6, RBI, K #13 - Travis Blankenhorn (Fort Myers) – 2-for-4, R, 2B, RBI #14 - Lewis Thorpe (Rochester) – Did not pitch #15 - Ben Rortvedt (Fort Myers) – Did not play #16 - Yunior Severino (Elizabethton) – 1-for-5, HR (8), 2 K #17 - Lewin Diaz (Fort Myers) – Out for the season. #18 - Ryan Jeffers (Cedar Rapids) – Scheduled Day Off #19 - Jacob Pearson (Cedar Rapids) – Scheduled Day Off #20 - Luis Arraez (Chattanooga) – Did not play WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Buffalo @ Rochester (6:05PM CST) – RHP Chase De Jong (1-3, 3.81 ERA) Bradenton @ Fort Myers (6:00PM CST) – RHP Clark Beeker (4-7, 4.73 ERA) Burlington @ Cedar Rapids (6:35PM CST) – RHP Blayne Enlow (3-5, 3.24 ERA) Pulaski @ Elizabethton (6:00PM CST) – TBD Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Tuesday’s games! 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The big league club found another way to lose a game. It’s a good thing we all have the minor league box scores and games to watch and follow, right? The Red Wings had a big night against a rehabbing big leaguer. A couple of the Twins’ big power hitting prospects had big games. Royce Lewis. Alex Kirilloff. Brent Rooker. Byron Buxton. Each of them had a noteworthy night.Keep reading to find out more on the night in the Twins minor league system on Monday. As always, please feel free to discuss and ask questions. TRANSACTIONS The Twins activated SS Jorge Polanco from the restricted list.To make room for Polanco on the 40-man roster OF Ryan LaMarre was designated for assignment.To make room for Polanco on the 25-man roster, SS Ehire Adrianza was placed on the disabled listIn addition, Adalberto Mejia was optioned back to Rochester with RHP Zack Littell being recalled from the Red Wings.Following the game, the Twins optioned Littell to Rochester. Another arm will be brought up for Tuesday's game.Monday was July 2nd, the first day of the 2018-19 international signing period. The Twins already used $2.5 million of their cap to sign Yunior Severino. On Monday, they signed OF Misael Urbina from Venezuela for $2.75 million AWARDS Lewis Thorpe was named the Pitcher of the Week in the Southern League.Jordan Balazovic was named the Pitcher of the Week in the Midwest League.RED WINGS REPORTRochester 6, Pawtucket 2 Box Score The Red Wings went with a bullpen game on the mound, and the bullpen did very well. Four pitchers combined to give up just two runs on the way to a Red Wings win. DJ Baxendale made the start. He gave up two runs on three hits and a walk in the first three innings. He struck out three. Luke Bard tossed the next three innings. He gave up two hits, but no runs, while striking out one. Jake Reed was next and he walked one and struck one out over two scoreless innings. John Curtiss finished with a scoreless ninth inning. He both walked and struck out one batter. Most of the Red Wings offense came in the first three innings when they scored five runs off of rehabbing Red Sox starter Drew Pomeranz. Byron Buxton got things going with a leadoff home run. In the second inning, Edgar Corcino hit his first Triple-A home run, and LaMonte Wade added a solo home run in the third inning. Vargas went 2-for-5 on the game. He added his ninth double to this tenth home run and drove in three runs. Corcino went 2-for-4. Gregorio Petit went 2-for-4 with a walk. Buxton went 1-for-4 with a walk and his second home run of the Red Wings season. He also struck out twice. CHATTANOOGA CHATTER Chattanooga 4, Tennessee 5 (10 innings) Box Score The Lookouts scored a run in the top of the 10th inning. Unfortunately, they gave up two runs in the bottom half of the inning to take a loss. Lewis Thorpe was back on the mound the day that the Southern League named him its pitcher of the week. The southpaw gave up one run on three hits and a walk over the first 2 2/3 innings. He struck out three. Unfortunately, the rains came, and Thorpe’s night was done. Andrew Vasquez, another talented left-hander, came on and got the team through the fifth inning. He gave up just one hit and struck out four. Cody Stashak was very impressive in his outing. He got six outs and five came via the strikeout. Williams Ramirez did not have an impressive outing. He faced three batters. Two got hits and one walked. He was replaced by Ryne Harper, but two of Ramirez’s runs scored. Harper went 2 2/3 innings. He didn’t give up a run until the two runs in the 10th inning. Brent Rooker led the offense. He hit his 14th home run and his 18th double. Alex Perez went 2-for-5. Tanner English was 2-for-4 with his second home run of the season. MIRACLE MATTERS Ft. Myers 11, Charlotte 3 Box Score The Miracle bats were busy on Monday night. Alex Kirilloff led the way. He went 3-for-5 with his first Miracle triple. He drove in three runs. He also stole his first base with the Miracle. Mark Contreras had two hits, a walk and his 11th double. He stole his eighth base. Travis Blankenhorn had two hits including his 16th double. Miguel Sano went 2-for-4 with a walk. Aaron Whitefield was 2-for-4 with his fourth steal and scored three runs. Andro Cutura went the first three innings for the Miracle. He gave up one run on two hits and a walk. Hector Lujan went the middle three innings. He gave up two hits and a walk, but no runs. Ryan Mason recorded his fourth save. He gave up two runs on four hits over three innings. He walked one and struck one out. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 3, Wisconsin 9 Box Score Tyler Watson returned to the Kernels from the Miracle. He threw two scoreless innings to start, but then he gave up six runs (five earned) in the third inning. In total, he gave up six hits and walked two in 2 2/3 innings. Melvi Acosta gave up an unearned run on three hits over 3 1/3 innings. He struck out six without walking any. Jared Finkel went the final two innings. He gave up two runs on three hits and a walk. He struck out three. Jacob Pearson got the Kernels off to a good start. He homered in the top of the first inning to give the team a 1-0 lead. It was his third homer. He added a single as well. Royce Lewis extended his on-base streak to 15 games. He went 2-for-5. Jean Carlos Arias hit his 10th double. E-TWINS E-TALK Elizabethton , Princeton Box Score This game has been postponed by rain. The teams will try to play two games on Tuesday. GCL TWINS TALK GCL Twins 12, GCL Orioles 2 Box Score The GCL Twins improved to 7-5 with a big win against the Orioles. Six Twins had multi-hit games. Yeltsin Encarnacion led off and went 2-for-5 with a walk. Tyler Webb went 2-for-4 with a walk. He scored three runs. Janigson Villalobos went 2-for-4 with two walks and his second double. Victor Tademo had a single and a double. Edgar Herrera went 2-for-4 with a walk. Estamy Urena went 2-for-5 with his second and third doubles. Zach Featherstone returned to the mound and started with a 1-2-3 first inning. Michael Montero came on and threw the next four innings. He gave up two runs on five hits and a walk. He struck out one. Dylan Stowell threw two scoreless innings, allowing just one hit. He struck one out. Osiris German struck out three over the final two innings. He walked just one. STARS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Hitter of the Day: Alex Kirilloff, Ft. Myers Miracle (3-5, 3B(1), 3 RBI, SB(1)) Twins Daily Pitcher of the Day: Cody Stashak, Chattanooga Lookouts (2 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 K) PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed. Please note that we will be updating our Top Prospect rankings so this list will be updated soon. #1 - Royce Lewis (Cedar Rapids) - 2-5, K #2 - Fernando Romero (Rochester) - Did not pitch #3 - Nick Gordon (Rochester) - 0-5 #4 - Stephen Gonsalves (Rochester) - Did not pitch #5 - Alex Kirilloff (Ft. Myers) - 3-5, 3B(1), 3 RBI, K, SB(1) #6 - Wander Javier - out of for the season #7 - Brent Rooker (Chattanooga) - 2-5, 2B(18), HR(14), R, 2 RBI, K #8 - Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) - Did not pitch #9 - Brusdar Graterol (Ft. Myers) - Did not pitch #10 - Akil Baddoo (Cedar Rapids) - 1-4, 2B(13), BB #11 - Zack Littell (Minnesota) - 0.1 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 0 K, 1 HBP #12 - Lewis Thorpe (Chattanooga) - 2.2 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K #13 - Lewin Diaz (Ft. Myers) - 1-4, BB #14 - LaMonte Wade (Rochester) - 1-4, HR(2), R, RBI #16 - Ben Rortvedt (Ft. Myers) - 2-5, R, K #17 - Travis Blankenhorn (Ft. Myers) - 2-6, 2B(16), 2 RBI, K #18 - Yunior Severino (Elizabethton Twins) - Did Not Play #19 - Tyler Jay (Chattanooga) - Did not pitch #20 - Felix Jorge (Chattanooga) - Disabled List, began rehab on June 19. DFAd over the weekend. TUESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Rochester @ Pawtucket (5:15 CST) - RHP Fernando Romero (1-1, 2.33 ERA) Chattanooga @ Tennessee (6:00 CST) - RHP Omar Bencomo (5-2, 3.19 ERA) Ft. Myers @ Charlotte (5:35 CST) - RHP Clark Beeker (3-5, 3.63 ERA) Cedar Rapids @ Wisconsin (6:35 CST) - RHP Randy Dobnak (5-2, 4.14 ERA) Elizabethton @ Princeton (6:00 CST) - RHP Pedro Garcia (1-1, 9.00 ERA) GCL Orioles @ GCL Twins (11:00 am CST) - TBD Please feel free to ask any questions about Monday’s games, or ask any questions you may have. Click here to view the article

June is over and the first games of July are in the book for the Minor League affiliates. While the Big League team continues to slide further out of contention, let’s take a look at how things are going down on the farm.Transactions – None RED WINGS REPORT Lehigh Valley 6 @ Rochester 7 Box Score The Red Wings went ahead 3-0 in the bottom of the second inning but then gave up two runs in the third and fourth, and another in the fifth falling behind 5-3. The Red Wings tied the game in the bottom of the sixth before falling behind in the top of the next inning. In the bottom of the eighth, Cameron Rupp homered to tie the game and then Gregorio Petit struck out but advanced to first on a wild pitch. Petit would eventually come around to score on a Nick Gordon line drive to put the Wings ahead for good. Kennys Vargas was 3-for-4 with two runs, two doubles and a strikeout. The only other Wings hitter with multiple hits was Byron Buxton, 2-for-5 with a double, an RBI and a strike out. Giving up six runs means that the pitching staff wasn’t great, but they did enough to help the team win. Start Kohl Stewart made it through 6.0 innings but gave up 10 hits and five runs, all earned. He walked one and struck out six. Nick Anderson came in for 2.0 innings and got the W thanks to those late runs the Red Wings scored, even though he gave up a solo home run, the only hit he allowed. Alan Busenitz earned his third save of the year for Rochester with a scoreless ninth inning. CHATTANOOGA CHATTER Chattanooga 3 @ Tennessee 5 Box Score After the lead swapped hands a couple of times in the first few innings, the Smokies pulled ahead in the fifth inning for good to drop the Lookouts a game below .500, 39-40. The Lookouts managed just seven hits, one apiece from everyone except Brent Rooker, Jaylin Davis, and pinch hitter Sean Miller. Andy Wilkins made the most of his hit, a solo home run in the top of the eighth inning to get the Lookouts close enough for a bloop and a blast to tie the game. Anthony Marzi was tagged with the loss, giving up three runs on five hits over 5.0 innings. He walked two and didn’t strike anyone out. Paco Rodriguez gave up a run in the sixth inning, he gave up a hit, struck out one, and walked three in 1.0 innings of work. Todd Van Steensel pitched the final two frames, giving up a run on a hit and two walks. He struck out two. MIRACLE MATTERS Lakeland 11 @ Fort Myers 3 Box Score The Miracle gave up 19 hits and four walks, falling to Lakeland 11-3 on Sunday, dropping the Miracle to 34-44 on the season. Alex Kirilloff was 2-for-4 with a strike- out and Miguel Sano was 2-for-4 with a two-run home run. Ben Rortvedt also had a pair of hits, both singles. Travis Blankenhorn was just 1-for-3 but put his lone hit over the fence. The whole of the pitching staff struggled except for Adam Bray, who pitched the final 1.2 innings and keeping the Lakeland Flying Tigers off the board. All other Miracle pitchers gave up at least two runs. Brusdar Graterol gave up five runs on nine hits in just 3.0 innings. Brady Anderson also pitched 3.0 innings and was just a bit better than Graterol, giving up four runs on seven hits. Colton Davis managed 1.1 innings and gave up two runs on three hits before turning the ball over the Bray who finished things up. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 8 @ Burlington 0 Box Score Bryan Sammons turned in the best pitching performance of the night across the Twins affiliates. Sammons went 6.0 innings, struck out six, gave up six hits, walked zero, and kept the Burlington Bees off the board. Jose Martinez was the first man up in relief, going 2.0 innings. He gave up three hits, struck out three and kept the shutout intact. Calvin Faucher finished the game for the Kernels, giving up one hit in 1.0 inning. The Kernels scored eight runs on Sunday, five in the third and three more in the seventh. The Kernels actually scored more runs (8) than they had hits (7), and were outhit by the Bees who had 10 hits. Akil Baddoo led off for the Kernels and was 2-for-4 with a double, a walk, and two runs scored. Jose Miranda was the only other Kernels hitter with multiple hits, 2-for-4 with a double, a home run, and three RBIs. Royce Lewis was 1-for-5 with a run scored and an RBI. Elizabethton Twins Talk Elizabethton 7 @ Princeton 8Box Score Four errors hampered the E-Town Twins and their ninth inning comeback came up a run short, despite putting a five-spot on the board. Chris Williams led all hitters going 3-for-5 with two home runs and FIVE RBIs. Alex Robles was 2-for-5 with a pair of doubles and Albee Weiss and Ariel Montesino each added a pair of hits as well. Starting for the Twins was Brian Rapp, who managed just 3.2 innings before he was replaced by Christian Broussard. Rapp gave up two runs, one earned, and six hits. Broussard gave up four runs on six hits over 2.1 innings. Juan Gamez finished the game with 2.0 innings, giving up a pair of runs on two hits and a walk. TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Bryan Sammons, Cedar Rapids Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Kennys Vargas, Rochester TOP 20 PROSPECT PERFORMANCE Royce Lewis, Cedar Rapids – 1-5, 1 R, 1 RBI, 2 KNick Gordon, Rochester – 1-5, 1 RBI, 2 KAlex Kirilloff, Fort Myers – 2-4, 1 R, 1 KBrent Rooker, Chattanooga – 0-4, 2 KBrusdar Graterol, Fort Myers – 3.0 IP, 9 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 1 BB, 3 KAkil Baddoo, Cedar Rapids – 2-4, 2 R, 1 2B, 1 BBBen Rortvedt, Fort Myers – 2-4, 1 2BTravis Blankenhorn, Fort Myers – 1-4, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBIYunior Severino, Elizabethton - 1-5, 1 KMONDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Rochester (6:15pm) – TBD Chattanooga (6:00pm) – Lewis Thorpe (4-4, 4.06) Fort Myers (5:35pm) – TBD Cedar Rapids (7:05pm) – Tyler Watson (2-2, 3.96) Elizabethton (6:00pm) – Kody Funderburk (0-0, 0.00) Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss Sunday's games. Click here to view the article

Life as a minor league player can be tough. Few players ever get to live out their dream as a regular player at the big league level. For every player who realizes their dream, another player is forced to be released or find another organization to keep his dream alive. Right-handed pitcher Zack Jones was released from the Twins organization on Sunday. The 27-year old was drafted by the organization in the fourth round of the 2012 MLB Draft. He pitched seven years in the minor leagues and reached Triple-A once in 2016. This actually came in the Brewers organization after being taken by Milwaukee in the Rule 5 Draft. This year with the Lookouts he had a 2.49 ERA in 25.1 innings with a 39 to 25 strikeout to walk ratio. He was over 2.5 years older than the competition in the Southern League.RED WINGS REPORT Rochester 2, Buffalo 3 Box Score Rochester jumped out to a 1-0 lead without recording a hit in the second inning. With one out, Jake Cave and Kennys Vargas coaxed back-to-back walks. Cameron Rupp moved both runners into scoring position with a groundout. Then with Gregorio Petit batting, a wild pitch allowed Cave to scamper home. Aaron Slegers started for the Red Wings and he saw the lead disappear in the bottom half of the second. With two outs, Slegers allowed a solo home run. He walked the following batter and then a throwing error by third baseman Taylor Featherston allowed an unearned run to score. Overall, Slegers lasted five frames, struck out four and walked two. The Red Wings tied the game in the top of the fifth. Zack Granite led off the inning with a walk before moving to second on a LaMonte Wade single. Nick Gordon grounded out into a near double play to allow Granite to score. However, his hustle down the line forced the pitcher to drop the ball while covering first. Jake Reed took over for Slegers in the sixth and promptly gave up a lead-off double. After a ground out and a sacrifice fly, Bufflo had taken a 3-2 lead. Tyler Duffey and Nick Anderson combined for two shutout innings. Anderson pitched a perfect ninth with a pair of strikeouts. Vargas was the lone Rochester hitter with multiple hits. He finished 2-for-3 with a walk and a double. Granite and Wade both reached base twice. CHATTANOOGA CHATTER Chattanooga --, Birmingham – (Cancelled – Rain) Chattanooga and Birmingham sat in a rain delay before the game was eventually cancelled. The Lookouts finished the first half with a record of 36-33. The club will return home on Thursday to face the Biloxi Shuckers to kick off the second half. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 3, Peoria 12 Box Score Cedar Rapids took a first inning lead thanks to back-to-back hits from Jacob Pearson and Alex Kirilloff. Pearson singled with one out before Kirilloff cracked his 19th double of the season. Pearson came all the way around from first to score. Later in the game, Kirilloff collected his 20th double. Jordan Balazovic took his first loss after allowing three earned runs on eight hits. He struck out six and walked two. In relief of Balazovic, Jose Martinez surrendered three earned runs on four hits in 2 2/3 innings. Tanner Kiest ran into a little trouble in the late innings as he allowed six earned runs on five hits while recording only two outs. Calvin Fauchers finished off the final two outs for the Kernels and without allowing a run. Pearson and Kirilloff got the offense started again in the sixth. With two outs, both batters walked before a Jose Miranda single singled to drive in Pearson. Cedar Rapids loaded the bases the bottom of the ninth but only pushed across one run. STARS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Hitter of the Day: Alex Kirilloff, Cedar Rapids (2-for-4, 2 2B, RBI, BB) Twins Daily Pitcher of the Day: Aaron Slegers, Rochester (5.0 IP, 1 ER, 4 K, 2 BB) TOP PROSPECT SUMMARY Here is a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed: #3 – Nick Gordon (Rochester) – 0-4, K #5 – Alex Kirilloff (Cedar Rapids) – 2-4, 2 2B, RBI, BB #10 – Akil Baddoo (Cedar Rapids) – 0-5, BB, K MONDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Fort Myers vs. Tampa (6:00 CST) – TBD GCL Twins vs. GCL Orioles (11:00 AM CST) – TBD Please feel free to ask any questions about Sunday’s games, or ask any questions you may have. Click here to view the article

All four of the Minnesota Twins minor league affiliates were in action on Tuesday night, and they went a perfect 4-0. Four home runs powered the Miracle lineup with Ervin Santana rehabbing, the lineup and bullpen picked up starter Stephen Gonsalves for the Red Wings, Lewis Thorpe pitched arguably his best game of the season for the Lookouts, and behind their stars the Kernels clawed back for a victory.To find out exactly how each of the affiliates pulled out their wins, read on and be sure to add to the discussion in the comments! TRANSACTIONS Before the games on Tuesday, there were several moves in the system: Recent waiver claim and utility man Taylor Motter was assigned to Triple-A.SP Myles Jaye was traded to Cleveland for cash considerations and assigned to the Indians Triple-A team.Chattanooga activated SP Kohl Stewart from the temporary inactive list.OF Shane Carrier was assigned to Fort Myers from Cedar Rapids.Ervin Santana officially sent on rehab assignment to the Miracle.OF Jared Foster was released from Fort Myers.1B Robby Rinn was assigned to Cedar Rapids from Elizabethton’s roster.RED WINGS REPORTRochester 11, Durham 8 Box Score The Red Wings went up 1-0 after the top of the first thanks to an RBI single from Kennys Vargas to score Willians Astudillo, but it went downhill quickly from there. Starting Pitcher Stephen Gonsalves was roughed up by the Durham lineup in the bottom half, including a leadoff home run for the Tampa Bay Rays affiliate. Three walks and two more hits, including a bases clearing double ended the lefty’s night after recording just two outs. All told, Gonsalves gave up five runs. Of his 38 pitches, just 18 went for strikes and his ERA rose to 4.00. Luckily for Gonsalves, he wouldn’t end up on the hook for a loss as his Rochester teammates did their best to pick him up. A three-run third inning, two-run fourth, and another in the fifth put them up 7-5. Gabriel Moya pitched three innings of shutout relief, getting them into the fourth. He allowed two hits and struck out two. Jake Reed went the next 2 1/3 innings, but did allow single runs in the fifth and sixth for a 7-7 tie. Nick Anderson was summoned for the seventh frame, and went one-two-three, striking out two. He did the same in the eighth and back out for the ninth a leadoff walk led to an unearned run. Anderson got the win with his three innings, giving up just one walk and striking out four. His ERA is a 1.16 for the season. The Red Wings tacked on four more runs in the eighth for their final tally. They sent 10 men to the plate in the inning and got six singles, a fielding error, and a sac fly to account for those runs. Astudillo and Chris Carter each picked up three hits on the night. Kennys Vargas hit a three-run home run and had four RBIs. Jake Cave (solo) and Taylor Featherston (two-run) added home runs. As a team they racked up fifteen hits and were 9-for-16 with runners in scoring position. CHATTANOOGA CHATTER Chattanooga 1, Birmingham 0 Box Score For the first five innings of this one, the Lookouts had a good old-fashioned pitching duel with the Barons. On the bump for Chattanooga was lefty Lewis Thorpe, while Birmingham sent out #OldFriend Matt Tomshaw. Thorpe would complete five innings, allowing just three hits and two walks, while striking out eight. Tomshaw went seven innings, allowing one run (unearned) on five hits and a walk and struck out four. The Lookouts got their run in the seventh inning, as an error on Tomshaw on a bunt from Edgar Corcino got him all the way to third, and a Ryan Walker single brought him in. Todd Van Steensel and Ryne Harper combined for four shutout and hitless innings. They each struck out three in two innings apiece. Van Steensel recorded his fifth win and Harper his fifth save. Corcino finished 2-for-4. Sean Miller added his first double and Chris Paul drew two walks in the win. MIRACLE MATTERS Fort Myers 8, Clearwater 1 Box Score The rehabbing Ervin Santana was on the mound for the Miracle and looked much better from a stat line perspective than his first outing with Chattanooga. He hit his pitch count after one batter in the fourth and finished with 3 1/3 innings pitched. He allowed one run on two hits (triple and double in the first), walked one, and struck out three. According to the Fort Myers twitter account, Santana’s velocity still wasn’t quite there, but the results were certainly more encouraging: From there it was the Fort Myers lineup that shined. They racked up eight runs on nine hits, including home runs from Jimmy Kerrigan (to lead off the game), Shane Carrier (two run shot to cap a five run third inning), and solo shots from Jaylin Davis and Joe Cronin in the sixth. Ryan Mason was credited with the win after following Santana with 2 2/3 scoreless innings. He gave up one hit and struck out three. Logan Lombana got them to the ninth inning, allowing three hits but no runs in two scoreless frames. Alex Robinson finished the game with a one-two-three ninth, including a strikeout. In addition to the home runs, the Miracle got doubles from Mitchell Kranson and Caleb Hamilton. Kerrigan scored two runs and drove in two with a 2-for-5 night at the plate. KERNELS NUGGETS Wisconsin 5, Cedar Rapids 6 Box Score The Kernels fell behind in this one but battled their way back for the come-from- behind victory. Royce Lewis and Alex Kirilloff led the offense. Lewis finished 2-for-4 with a run scored, double, and two RBI. Kirilloff went 3-for-4 with a double and three RBI, giving him 41 on the season in 46 games. Jordan Gose scored two runs from the nine hole in the lineup. Lewis’ double in the seventh scored two runs and Kirilloff drove him in with a single to tie the game at five. An RBI double from Robby Rinn in the eighth put the Kernels ahead for good in his Midwest League debut. Bailey Ober started for Cedar Rapids and allowed all five of the Timber Rattlers runs. They scored three in the third and one in each of the fourth and fifth to take the lead. Ober finished 5 2/3 innings, allowing those runs on ten hits and a walk. He also struck out eight. Melvi Acosta finished the final 3 1/3 innings, allowing no hits and striking out two. He retired all ten men he faced to pick up his first win. STARS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Pitcher of the Day – Lewis Thorpe, Chattanooga Lookouts (5 IP, 3 H, 2 BB, 8 K) Twins Daily Hitter of the Day – Kennys Vargas, Rochester Red Wings (2-for-4, R, HR, 4 RBI, BB) TOP PROSPECT SUMMARY 1. Royce Lewis (Cedar Rapids) – 2-for-4, R, 2B, 2 RBI 2. Fernando Romero (Minnesota) – Did not pitch. 3. Nick Gordon (Rochester) – 0-for-5, 4 K 4. Stephen Gonsalves (Chattanooga) – 2/3 IP, 5 ER, 3 H, 3 BB, K 5. Alex Kirilloff (Cedar Rapids) – 3-for-4, 2B, 3 RBI 6. Wander Javier (Cedar Rapids) – Out for season with injury. 7. Brent Rooker (Chattanooga) – 0-for-4, K 8. Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) – Did not pitch. 9. Brusdar Graterol (Cedar Rapids) – Did not pitch. 10. Akil Baddoo (Cedar Rapids) – Did not play. 11. Zack Littell (Chattanooga) – Did not pitch. 12. Lewis Thorpe (Chattanooga) – 5 IP, 3 H, 2 BB, 8 K 13. Lewin Diaz (Fort Myers) – 0-for-4, K 14. LaMonte Wade (Chattanooga) – 0-for-4, 2 K 15. Mitch Garver (Minnesota) – 1-for-3, BB, 2 K 16. Ben Rortvedt (Cedar Rapids) – 1-for-4 17. Travis Blankenhorn (Fort Myers) – Scheduled day off. 18. Yunior Severino (Extended Spring Training) 19. Tyler Jay (Chattanooga) – Did not pitch. 20. Felix Jorge (Rochester) – Disabled List, still no official timetable for return WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Rochester @ Durham (12:05PM CST) – RHP Aaron Slegers (5-2, 3.27 ERA) Chattanooga @ Birmingham (12:30PM CST) – RHP Kohl Stewart (3-2, 5.90 ERA) Fort Myers @ Clearwater (11:00AM CST) – RHP Brady Anderson (0-4, 5.33 ERA) Wisconsin @ Cedar Rapids (12:05PM CST) – RHP Blayne Enlow (0-1, 3.28 ERA) Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Tuesday’s games! Click here to view the article

CEDAR RAPIDS - This report comes to you directly from Cedar Rapids where I will be the next few days. Tomorrow will be a busy day with some interviews and a double header, but it will be a fun day. On this night, Kennys Vargas and newcomer Chris Carter provided some power for the Red Wings. Chattanooga got a strong start, and so did the Kernels. There was a near cycle in Cedar Rapids too.Keep reading to find out more on the night in the Twins minor league system on Friday. As always, please feel free to discuss and ask questions. TRANSACTIONS RHP Logan Lombana reinstated from the DL for Ft. Myers.LHP Paco Rodriguez promoted to Chattanooga.For Chattanooga, LHP Casey Crosby was placed on the DL with a left elbow impingement.The Lookouts also placed RHP Kohl Stewart on the temporary inactive list.IF Sean Miller was sent to Chattanooga from Rochester.The Red Wings added OF Jake Cave back to their roster.1B Chris Carter reported to Rochester.1B Brock Stassi was released by the organization.RED WINGS REPORTGame 1 - Rochester 8, Buffalo 9 Box Score He was due for a rough one, and on Friday night, Aaron Slegers had a rough one. He came into the game with a shiny 1.97 ERA through his first eight starts. After giving up nine runs on 11 hits over just 4 2/3 innings on Friday night, his season ERA jumped to 3.27. Jake Reed and Gabriel Moya got the final four outs which gave the Red Wings a chance to come back. The Red Wings had plenty of offense. Kennys Vargas went 2-for-4 with two, three-run home runs. He’s got five on the season now. Newcomer Chris Carter went 2-for-3 with a walk and a home run in his first game for the Red Wings. Zack Granite went 2-for-4 with his second double of the year. Jake Cave went 3-for-4 and added his second home run. He also made a couple of nice plays on defense. Game 2 - Rochester 1, Buffalo 2 Box Score Game 2 was much more of a pitcher’s game. Miles Jaye started and gave up two runs on just two hits. He did walk four and struck out three. Luke Bard worked a scoreless seventh inning. Nick Gordon went 2-for-3 and, and Leonardo Reginnato hit his first home run of the season. CHATTANOOGA CHATTER Chattanooga 5, Montgomery 1 Box Score The Lookouts got strong pitching and enough hitting to come up with a nice win on this night. Omar Bencomo improved to 4-0 with seven strong innings. He gave up one run on four hits. He gave up four hits, walked two and struck out seven. Todd Van Steensel picked up his fourth save with two scoreless innings. He gave up one hit, walked one and struck out tree. Tanner English led the offense. He went 2-for-2 with two walks and stole his ninth base. Chris Paul was 1-for-3 with a walk and his 13th double. MIRACLE MATTERS Ft. Myers , Charlotte Box Score Rain in for Ft. Myers postponed this game. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 9, Clinton 2 Box Score Bryan Sammons came into this game without a win despite a solid 2.91 ERA in his first seven starts of the season. On this night, he pitched his best game of the season, and his offense provided him with plenty of run support. The 23-year-old lefty gave up just a solo home run over his six innings. He gave up a total of three hits, walked none and struck out eight. Nick Brown came on and recorded his first save with three innings of work. He gave up only a solo home run and struck out two. The two Clinton home runs were hit by first baseman Ryan Costello, who had three of the LumberKings’ five hits. The Kernels scored nine runs on 13 hits. They were led by Jean Carlos Arias who was a home run shy of the cycle. He hit his third double and second triple of the season. Ben Rortvedt also had a strong night at the plate. The catcher went 3-for-3 with a walk and his second triple. Shane Carrier crushed his fourth and fifth doubles of the season. Royce Lewis had his fifth double and drove in three runs. STARS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Hitter of the Day: Kennys Vargas, Rochester Red Wings (2-6, 2 home runs, 6 RBI) Twins Daily Pitcher of the Day: Bryan Sammons, Cedar Rapids Kernels (6 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 8 K) PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed: #1 - Royce Lewis (Cedar Rapids) - 1-4, 2B(5), 3 RBI, K #2 - Fernando Romero (Minnesota) - Pitching late on Friday night. #3 - Nick Gordon (Rochester) - 2-7, 2 K #4 - Stephen Gonsalves (Rochester) - Did Not Pitch #5 - Alex Kirilloff (Cedar Rapids) - 1-3, BB, R #7 - Brent Rooker (Chattanooga) - 1-4, K #8 - Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) - Did Not Pitch #9 - Brusdar Graterol (Cedar Rapids) - Did Not Pitch #10 - Akil Baddoo (Cedar Rapids) - Disabled List #11 - Zack Littell (Rochester) - Did Not Pitch #12 - Lewis Thorpe (Chattanooga) - Did Not Pitch #13 - Lewin Diaz (Ft. Myers) - Rained Out #14 - LaMonte Wade (Chattanooga) - Disabled List #15 - Mitch Garver (Minnesota) - Late Game #16 - Ben Rortvedt (Cedar Rapids) - 3-3, BB, 3B(2), R #17 - Travis Blankenhorn (Ft. Myers) - Rained Out #19 - Tyler Jay (Chattanooga) - Did Not Pitch SATURDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Buffalo @ Rochester (6:05 CST) - LHP Dietrich Enns (2-0, 2 6.03 ERA) Montgomery @ Chattanooga (6:15 CST) - LHP Anthony Marzi (0-2, 6.04 ERA) Ft. Myers @ Charlotte (DH @ 3:00 CST) - RHP Tyler Wells (3-2, 3.09 ERA), TBD Cltinton @ Cedar Rapids (DH @ 5:05 CST) - RHP Brusdar Graterol (2-0, 0.93 ERA) Please feel free to ask any questions about Friday’s full schedule of games, or ask any questions you may have. Click here to view the article

With only two scheduled games in the Twins system, it could have been a quiet day in the minor leagues. However, Rochester and Chattanooga played a pair of tight games. Some big name prospects played roles in the outcomes of both games. Two former first-round picks, Kohl Stewart and Tyler Jay, pitched in Chattanooga. Top prospect Fernando Romero faced off against Japanese sensation Shohei Ohtani. Which prospects stood out in Sunday’s action? I’m glad you asked…ROSTER MOVES RHP Calvin Faucher assigned to Cedar Rapids from Fort Myers RHP Moises Gomez assigned to Elizabethton from Cedar Rapids RHP Derek Molina assigned to Elizabethton from Cedar Rapids INF Nelson Molina released from Fort Myers RED WINGS REPORT Rochester 3, Scranton/WB 1 Box Score Rochester jumped out to an early lead and tried to hold on for the win. In the second frame, Kennys Vargas singled and Wynston Sawyer moved him to second with a single of his own. Nick Buss provided the big hit of the inning as he smashed a three-run home run. It was his first home run since joining the Twins organization. He had 11 home runs in the Pacific Coast League last season. Myles Jaye started and tried to take advantage of the early runs. He pitched five innings and allowed one run, a solo home run, while striking out two and walking two. In three of his last four starts, he has held the opposition to one earned run. Jake Reed, Alan Busenitz, and John Curtiss combined for four shutout innings. For Reed and Busenitz, they each recorded their first hold. It was the second save for Curtiss. Busenitz pitched the seventh and the eighth inning and allowed only one base runner on a walk. He struck out three and his Triple-A ERA is down to 0.90. Vargas was the lone Red Wings hitter to finish with multiple hits but he also struck out twice. He’s hitting .189 for the season. Sawyer reached base three times in four at-bats. Ryan LaMarre added his first double since being sent back to Rochester. CHATTANOOGA CHATTER Chattanooga 10, Tennessee 11 (12 Innings) Box Score Kohl Stewart was flying through the first five innings of this game before running into trouble in the sixth. Through five innings, he had allowed one run, a home run. In the top of the sixth, Stewart allowed a lead-off single before striking out a batter. The next batter reached on an error by TJ White. Then Stewart proceeded to allow four straight hits as five runs would score in the inning. Overall, he allowed four earned runs (six total runs) on seven hits with six strikeouts and no walks. Things got crazy from there as the two clubs combined for 13 runs from the sixth inning to the end of the game. Unfortunately for Chattanooga, Tennessee scored 10 of the final 13 runs. Out of the 11 runs scored by the Smokies, four of them were unearned. Every pitcher besides Tyler Jay saw an unearned run score while he were on the mound. Ryne Harper stuck out five in 2 2/3 innings but he allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits. Sam Clay took the loss, his third, after allowing an unearned run in the final frame. He struck out four and walked one in 2 1/3 innings. Chattanooga had plenty of offensive chances. The club went 7-for-21 with runners in scoring positon and left 11 men on base. Brent Rooker collected his third home run, a solo shot, in the sixth inning. Alex Perez reached base five times in the game as part of a three-hit effort. He also led the team with three RBIs. Brian Olson went 3-for-6 with an RBI and Nick Gordon added a pair of hits. STARS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Hitter of the Day: Alex Perez, Chattanooga (3-for-4, 3 RBI, 3 R, 2 BB) Twins Daily Pitcher of the Day: Myles Jaye, Chattanooga (5.0 IP, 1 ER, 2 K, 2 BB) TOP PROSPECT SUMMARY Here is a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed: #3 – Nick Gordon (Chattanooga) – 2-6, R, 2 K #7 – Brent Rooker (Chattanooga) – 1-6, HR, R, RBI, K #14 – LaMonte Wade (Chattanooga) – 1-6, RBI #19 – Tyler Jay (Chattanooga) – 1.2 IP, 2 ER, K, 2 BB MONDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Chattanooga vs. Tennessee (6:15 CST) – RHP Omar Bencomo (2-0, 2.97 ERA) Fort Myers @ Jupiter (5:30 CST) – RHP Sean Poppen Cedar Rapids vs. Quad Cities (6:35 CST) – TBD Please feel free to ask any questions about Sunday’s games, or ask any questions you may have. Click here to view the article

There was only one Twins minor league affiliate whose game was postponed. Of course, only two of the four teams were even scheduled to play. The result? Well, tonight’s Twins Minor League Report has a few transactions and a Rochester Red Wings game story. But it was a good game in which Kennys Vargas and Tyler Duffey starred, and Fernando Romero started. Keep reading to find out more on the night in the Twins minor league system.TRANSACTIONS With Ryan LaMarre headed to Puerto Rico as the Twins 26th man, relief pitcher Ryne Harper was promoted to the Red Wings. Cody Stashak was then promoted from Ft. Myers to Chattanooga to take Harper’s spot. Presumably Ft. Myers will add a pitcher on Tuesday when they return to play. Will that be a pitcher from Cedar Rapids, or will they just bring someone over from extended spring training for a game or two? RED WINGS REPORT Rochester 6, Charlotte 3 Box Score The Red Wings traveled to Charlotte from Gwinnett after being rained out on Sunday. There’s no question that Kennys Vargas would much prefer to be hanging out in Puerto Rico than in North Carolina this week. But after a DFA-filled spring training, he’s not on the 40-man roster, and not with his countrymen Jose Berrios and Eddie Rosario in the Caribbean. Maybe he decided to take it out on the baseball. Or maybe he just wanted to lead the Red Wings to a win, and that’s what he did. Vargas got the Red Wings on the board in the top of the first inning with a sacrifice fly. In the sixth inning, he knocked his first home run of the season to give the team a 3-2 lead. In the seventh inning, he gave the team some insurance with another sacrifice fly. He ended the game 2-3 and added his first double of the season to go with his first home run. Taylor Featherston found himself on base often. He went 1-2 with three walks. Jake Cave reached three times via the walk. Brock Stassi was 1-3 with a walk. Fernando Romero was supposed to start on Sunday, but instead he made the Monday night start. He gave up two runs on four hits and three walks. He struck out four batters. However, he came out one out shy of being able to record a win, 4.2 innings, because his pitch count was already at 81 (48 strikes). Tyler Duffey came on and got the final out of the fifth inning. He then worked three more innings. In his 3.1 innings, he gave up just one hit. He didn’t issue any walks and struck out six. 28 of his 37 pitchers were strikes. John Curtiss came on for the ninth inning. He gave up a run on two hits. He struck out two. CHATTANOOGA CHATTER Chattanooga, Jacksonville The Lookouts were scheduled to start a home series against Jacksonville, but rains caused the game to be postponed. The teams will play a doubleheader on Wednesday. MIRACLE MATTERS The Miracle had a scheduled off day on Monday. KERNELS NUGGETS The Kernels had a scheduled off day on Monday. It will be interesting to see if they are able to play in Beloit starting on Tuesday. Steve Buhr recently caught up with Kernels manager Toby Gardenhire who said that the team has “a lot of guys are doing some really good things.” STARS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Hitter of the Day: Kennys Vargas, Rochester Red Wings Twins Daily Pitcher of the Day: Tyler Duffey, Rochester Red Wings TOP PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects (or, I guess just “Prospect” tonight, performed: #2 - Fernando Romero (Rochester) - 4.2 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 4 K TUESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Rochester @ Charlotte (6:04 CST) - LHP Dietrich Enns Jacksonville @ Chattanooga (6:15 CST) - RHP Zack Littell Ft. Myers @ Dunedin (5:30) - RHP Sean Poppen Cedar Rapids @ Beloit (6:35 CST) - RHP Edwar Colina Please feel free to ask any questions about Monday’s game, or ask any questions you may have. Click here to view the article