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Last night was the Jose Miranda show on the farm, and tonight pitching took center stage as top prospect Jordan Balazovic took his turn and twirled a gem for Wichita. TRANSACTIONS INF Drew Stankiewicz signed by Twins and assigned to St. Paul RHP Jonathan Cheshire placed on 7-day IL by Cedar Rapids (forearm strain) SAINTS SENTINEL St. Paul 7, Omaha 4 Box Score Lefty Andrew Albers went six innings for Saint Paul and picked up six strikeouts while walking none. He did allow three runs on seven hits before turning the ball over to the bullpen. Although last night was all about Jose Miranda, there’s still plenty of firepower in this Saints lineup. Brent Rooker crushed his 13th homer to open the game in the bottom of the first, and the two-run shot scoring J.T. Riddle put the good guys on top. Mark Contreras hit his 6th home run, a two-run bomb in the 3rd, giving St. Paul a 5-0 lead. Miranda followed up his big night at the plate with a stellar defensive play at the hot corner this evening. Former Tigers prospect Beau Burrows also made his Saints debut in this one. Drew Stankiewicz got the start at second base in his return to a familiar team, now as an affiliated pro player. After allowing the Storm Chasers to draw within two, Stankiewicz made his mark with a bases loaded walk, drawing an RBI. Willians Astudillo, who stole a base earlier in this one, singled in the 8th to drive in J.T. Riddle. The breathing room was nice a Omaha tried to make things interesting in the final half inning before Nick Vincent closed the door. WIND SURGE WISDOM Wichita 8, Amarillo 1 Box Score Twins star pitching prospect Jordan Balazovic was on the bump for Wichita in this one, and he posted an encouraging outing in every sense of the word. Working five and two-thirds, he allowed just two base runners, both on walks. Balazovic punched out six and threw 87 pitches on the evening. Recently promoted to Double-A, Trey Cabbage made his mark picking up his first double in the top half of the first inning to plate Spencer Steer. B.J. Boyd lifted his third homer of the season, a solo shot in the 2nd, to put Wichita ahead 2-0. The first crooked number of the night came on Steer’s first Double-A homer, a three run shot that was absolutely demolished. Widening the lead further, Boyd doubles in D.J. Burt before Chris Williams tripled to score Boyd adding two more in the 6th. Cabbage picked up his second double in the game, scoring Steer again, and continuing his strong evening. As big of an offensive night that Wichita had, the real story was on the mound. Yes, Balazovic was great, but so too was the bullpen in relief. Alex Phillips recorded four outs without a hit, punching out three, before Jhonleider Salinas worked a hitless inning of relief on his own. Salinas then got the first out in the 9th, two away from a combined no-hitter, before Luis Alejandro Basabe lifted a solo shot to right field. The no-hitter came up two outs short, and the shutout was gone with it. Adam Lau recorded the final two outs on what was a great night for the arms. Both of the recently promoted prospects, Steer and Cabbage, posted multi-hit nights, and were joined by B.J. Boyd to make it a trio. KERNELS NUGGETS Quad Cities 9, Cedar Rapids 4 Box Score Ben Gross was on the bump for Cedar Rapids and turned in five strong innings of work tonight. He allowed just a single run, on two hits and two walks, while also picking up five strikeouts. After making his High-A debut last night, Edouard Julien announced his presence today with a leadoff homer. Alex Isola then went yard, his fifth of the season, to put the Kernels ahead 2-1 in the 4th. Unfortunately, things got ugly for Cedar Rapids from there. Quad Cities tied the game in the 6th, and then pushed across six in the 7th and another in the 8th. Outfielder Max Smith came on to work the final inning for the Kernels. He got through his inning while recording one strikeout. Facing a massive deficit late, Seth Gray wasn’t ready to quit as his double drove in Daniel Ozoria to add a third run for Cedar Rapids. The Kernels had two runners on with just one out in the 9th, and Allante Hall drove in Gray on a groundout, but that’s where the rally ended. MUSSEL MATTERS Postponed (Rain) COMPLEX CHRONICLES No game TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – Jordan Balazovic (Wichita) – 5.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 6 K Hitter of the Day – Spencer Steer (Wichita) – 2-4, 3 R, 3 RBI, HR, BB, K PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed: #1 - Alex Kirilloff (Minnesota) – 1-4, 2 K #2 - Royce Lewis (Rehab) - Out for Season (torn ACL) #3 - Trevor Larnach (Minnesota) – 0-4, 2 K #4 - Ryan Jeffers (Minnesota) – Did not play #5 - Jhoan Duran (St. Paul) – Injured List (elbow strain) #6 - Jordan Balazovic (Wichita) – 5.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 6 K #7 - Keoni Cavaco (Fort Myers) – Injured List (concussion) #8 - Aaron Sabato (Fort Myers) – Postponed #9 - Matt Canterino (Cedar Rapids) – Injured list (arm strain) #10 - Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) – Out for Season (Tommy John surgery) #11 - Gilberto Celestino (Minnesota) – 1-1, R, RBI, HR(2) #12 - Brent Rooker (St. Paul) – 2-3, 3 R, 2 RBI, HR(13), 2 BB #13 - Matt Wallner (Cedar Rapids) – Injured List (wrist sprain) #14 - Misael Urbina (Fort Myers) – Postponed #15 - Cole Sands (Wichita) – Did not pitch #16 - Edwar Colina (Rehab) - 60-Day IL (elbow) #17 - Ben Rortvedt (Minnesota) – 0-3 #18 - Alerick Soularie (Complex) – N/A #19 - Jose Miranda (St. Paul) – 1-5, K #20 - Bailey Ober (Minnesota) – 3.1 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, 3 HR THURSDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Omaha @ St. Paul (7:05PM CST) – LHP Charlie Barnes (3-2, 3.94 ERA) Wichita @ Amarillo (7:05PM CST) – RHP Bryan Sammons (0-3, 6.45 ERA) Cedar Rapids @ Quad Cities (6:30PM CST) – RHP Cody Lawyerson (0-0, 3.00 ERA) Bradenton @ Fort Myers (6:00PM CST) – TBD Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Wednesday’s games View full article

Like the big league club, there was a rainout tonight on the farm. That didn’t stop Mark Contreras from having a big night for the Saints, or Misael Urbina driving in two for the Mighty Mussels. TRANSACTIONS DaShawn Keirsey Jr. activated from 7 day injury list by Cedar Rapids Kernels SAINTS SENTINEL St. Paul 6, Columbus 4 (F/10) Box Score Bryan Sammons took the ball for St. Paul to start this one and worked five strong innings. He allowed just one earned run on two hits. He did walk four but also struck out three batters. The bullpen was up to start the 6th inning. Jimmy Kerrigan kicked off the scoring for the Saints with his fifth homer of the year, a two-run shot that put St. Paul ahead 2-0 in the 4th frame. After giving a run back, Mark Contreras extended the lead with a solo blast of his own in the 6th inning. St. Paul allowed Columbus to tie things at three in the bottom of the 6th before distancing themselves for good in extras. Brent Rooker scored after J.T Riddle put the ball in play during the top of the 10th inning. Following that out, Roberto Pena drove in both Kerrigan and Willians Astudillo to give the good guys a three-run advantage. That held up as St. Paul allowed just one in the bottom half Pena was joined by Drew Maggi (2) and Contreras (3) as the batters to record multiple hits on the night. Andrew Vasquez got the win, his third, working two scoreless while recording two strikeouts. WIND SURGE WISDOM Postponed KERNELS NUGGETS Lansing 5, Cedar Rapids 4 Box Score Making the start in this one for Cedar Rapids was Tyler Beck. He went four innings and allowed just two hits. He was dominant, giving up a single free pass and punching out seven batters. Trey Cabbage started the scoring for Cedar Rapids with a fourth inning sacrifice fly that allowed Wander Javier to scamper home. With Lansing leading 2-1 in the 6th inning, Jair Camargo knotted things at two with an RBI single scoring Javier for a second time. Cedar Rapids then took their first lead in the 7th with a double from Spencer Steer and a single from Seth Gray. The Lugnuts evened the game at four in the 9th. A full inning of additional rules was completed before Lansing pushed one across in the 11th. A Zach Featherstone wild pitch was enough to give up the lead, and the 5-4 tally was where things finished. Steer and Gray were joined by Gabriel Maciel for two-hit evenings. MUSSEL MATTERS Fort Myers 7, Palm Beach 1 Box Score Sawyer Gipson-Long started this one for the Mighty Mussels and was sharp. He allowed only a single earned run on six hits over six innings. Gipson-Long gave up zero free passes and punched out five batters on the afternoon. Ft. Myers opened the scoring when Jeferson Morales singled in the 4th inning to score Aaron Sabato. They would add one run in the fifth inning when Morales drew an RBI by way of a hit-by-pitch, and Yunior Severino ripped his 10th double of the season. Up 5-0 heading into the 6th frame, Misael Urbina drove in Willie Joe Garry Jr. on a single to right field and the 6-0 lead would only be added to when Urbina pushed Justin Washington across with a sacrifice fly in the 8th inning. The Mighty Mussels allowed a lone Palm Beach run on the evening, and they tallied seven of their own without the benefit of a multi-hit game. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – Tyler Beck (Cedar Rapids) 4.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 7 K Hitter of the Day – Mark Contreras (St. Paul) 3-5, HR(4), 2 R, RBI, 2 K PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Prospects performed: #1 - Alex Kirilloff (Minnesota) – Postponed #2 - Royce Lewis (Rehab) - Out for Season (torn ACL) #3 - Trevor Larnach (Minnesota) – Postponed #4 - Ryan Jeffers (Minnesota) – Postponed #5 - Jhoan Duran (St. Paul) – 7-day IL (elbow strain) #6 - Jordan Balazovic (Wichita) – Did not pitch #7 - Keoni Cavaco (Ft. Myers) – IL (Concussion) #8 - Aaron Sabato (Ft. Myers) – 1-2, 2 R, 2 BB, 2B #9 - Matt Canterino (Cedar Rapids) – IL (elbow) #10 - Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) – IL (Tommy John surgery) #11 - Gilberto Celestino (Minnesota) – Postponed #12 - Brent Rooker (St. Paul) – 0-3, R, 2 K #13 - Matt Wallner (Cedar Rapids) – IL (hamate bone) #14 - Misael Urbina (Ft. Myers) – 1-3, R, 2 RBI, BB, K #15 - Cole Sands (Wichita) – 7-day IL (undisclosed) #16 - Edwar Colina (Rehab) - 60-Day IL (elbow) #17 - Ben Rortvedt (Minnesota) – Postponed #18 - Alerick Soularie (Complex) – N/A #19 - Jose Miranda (Wichita) – Postponed #20 - Bailey Ober (Minnesota) – Postponed SUNDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS St. Paul @ Columbus (1:05PM CST) – RHP Chandler Shepherd (2-2, 6.48 ERA) Wichita @ Midland (2:00PM CST) – TBD Lansing @ Cedar Rapids (2:05PM CST) – RHP Kody Funderburk (1-2, 4.15 ERA) Fort Myers @ Palm Beach (11:00AM CST) – RHP Louie Varland (3-1, 1.99 ERA) MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email View full article

Both Mark Contreras and Jose Miranda had nice power displays tonight, while Austin Schulfer shoved on the mound for Wichita. There were a ton of transactions, and top prospects contributed for the big league club as well. TRANSACTIONS: OF Gilberto Celestino recalled by Twins RHP Beau Burrows claimed by Twins and assigned to Saints INF Daniel Descalso opted out of his contract C David Banuelos transferred to Wind Surge RHP Peter Mooney and Brandon Koch activated by Wind Surge RHP Cole Sands and Hector Lujan placed on 7 day IL for Wind Surge RHP Carlos Suniaga reinstated from 7 day IL for Mighty Mussels RHP Sean Mooney placed on 7 day IL (strained neck) for Mighty Mussels RHP Luis Rijo placed on 7 day IL (forearm strain) for Kernels SAINTS SENTINEL Saints 8, Clippers 3 Box Score Drawing the start for the Saints tonight was Chandler Shepherd. He came one out shy of six complete and allowed three runs on four hits and two walks. Each of the runs came on solo shots by Columbus hitters. Recently-signed veteran Kyle Barraclough picked up two outs in his Saints debut, walking one, and striking out one as well. It wasn’t until the third inning that St. Paul got on the board, as Jimmy Kerrigan ripped a solo shot for his fourth of the season. After giving the tally, back in the bottom half, it was all Saints the rest of the way. Brent Rooker grabbed his 11th homer on a fourth inning solo shot before Mark Contreras went bopper for the second time on a three run blast in the sixth. St. Paul capitalized on opportunity in the seventh inning with Tomas Telis starting the action by driving in a run on a single. Telis then scored on a wild pitch to end Rooker’s at bat, and Damek Tomscha crushed a double to plate Brent. Telis, Tomscha, and Contreras all had two-hit nights for the good guys. WIND SURGE WISDOM Wind Surge 6, Rock Hounds 1 Box Score Austin Schulfer drew the start tonight for Wichita and he turned in six innings of great work. Allowing no runs on three hits, Schulfer issued just a single free pass and punched out six. His ERA dropped to 3.73 on the season. Jumping out to an early lead, Jose Miranda continues to just torch the Double-A level. A solo shot to lead off the game was his 12th big fly of the year. B.J. Boyd then followed up with a two-run blast, his second, in the second inning to give Wichita a three-run lead. Andrew Bechtold drove in Aaron Whitefield in the fourth inning, and then evening Midland’s tally in the eighth, Yeltsin Encarnacion plated Miranda following a one-out double in the ninth. Wilbis Santiago then drioe in Encarnacion, and the Wind Surge pushed their lead to 6-1. Miranda enjoyed a four-hit night for the Wind Surge, while Boyd, Santiago, and Bechtold picked up two hits each. It’s becoming increasingly clear that Miranda won’t be at Double-A much longer. KERNELS NUGGETS Postponed (rain). Doubleheader on Wednesday. MUSSEL MATTERS Mussels 7, Cardinals 4 Box Score Zarion Sharpe took the ball in this one for the Mussels. He went three innings while allowing just two runs on four hits. Sharpe punched out six and walked one. The two runs came on a first inning, two-run shot. It marked the UNCW alum's first professional start. Trailing after the first frame, Fort Myers answered in a big way during the third. Edouard Julien roped his 12th double to knot the game at two. Aaron Sabato then plated Julien on a single before Yunior Severino went deep for his second homer of the season to push the lead to 5-2. The Mighty Mussels weren’t done. They stretched things further in the fifth inning. Severino scored on a Charles Mack foul ball fly out, and Nick Anderson lifted a sacrifice fly to center allowing Will Holland to cross home plate. Even a late triple from the Cardinals wasn’t enough to make this closer than a three-run ballgame. Carlos Suniaga was activated off the IL prior to this one and worked two hitless innings of relief, striking out two, and picking up his first win of the season. Osiris German also went two innings with no hits and struck out three in his relief work. TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Austin Schulfer (Wichita) 6.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 K Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Jose Miranda (Wichita) – 4-for-5, 2 R, RBI, HR(12), 2B PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed: #1 - Alex Kirilloff (Minnesota) – 2-for-4, 2 R, 2B #2 - Royce Lewis (Rehab) - Out for Season (torn ACL) #3 - Trevor Larnach (Minnesota) – 1-for-5, R, RBI, HR(5), K #4 - Ryan Jeffers (Minnesota) – 2-for-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, HR(5), K #5 - Jhoan Duran (St. Paul) – 7-day injured list (elbow strain) #6 - Jordan Balazovic (Wichita) – Did not pitch #7 - Keoni Cavaco (Ft. Myers) – IL (concussion) #8 - Aaron Sabato (Ft. Myers) – 1-for-4, R, BB, K #9 - Matt Canterino (Cedar Rapids) – IL (right elbow strain) #10 - Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) – IL (Tommy John surgery) #11 - Gilberto Celestino (Minnesota) – 0-for-2 #12 - Brent Rooker (St. Paul) – 1-4, 2 R, RBI, HR(11), BB, K #13 - Matt Wallner (Cedar Rapids) – IL (wrist sprain) #14 - Misael Urbina (Ft. Myers) – 1-for-5, R, K #15 - Cole Sands (Wichita) – Did not pitch #16 - Edwar Colina (Rehab) - IL (elbow) #17 - Ben Rortvedt (Minnesota) – Did not play #18 - Alerick Soularie (Complex) – N/A #19 - Jose Miranda (Wichita) – 4-for-5, 2 R, RBI, HR(12), 2B #20 - Bailey Ober (Minnesota) – 4.1 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 2 K WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS St. Paul @ Columbus (6:05PM CST) – RHP Rob Whalen (0-3, 7.71 ERA) Wichita @ Midland (6:30PM CST) – RHP Josh Winder (2-0, 2.08 ERA) Lansing @ Cedar Rapids (6:35PM CST) – RHP Andrew Cabezas (2-1, 3.62 ERA) Ft. Myers @ Palm Beach (5:30PM CST) – RHP Miguel Rodriguez (2-1, 2.74 ERA) MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email View full article

The Twins farm system was highlighted by the Cedar Rapids Kernels tonight, and with the big league club off, there was no need for transactions across the entirety of the system. SAINTS SENTINEL Iowa 12, St. Paul 2 Box Score Rob Whalen started in this one, and he wore it for the Saints. Allowing nine runs on ten hits, across just 3 1/3 innings, this was a start he’ll look to forget. Yennier Cano was the first reliever on, and he made his Triple-A debut in this one. Only place to go from here is up for him as he allowed a walk and grand slam before escaping the inning. By the time Saint Paul batted in the bottom of the 4th inning they trailed 12-0. Damek Tomscha plated the first run for the home team on a ground out that scored Drew Maggi in the 4th. Daniel Descalso hit a homer in the 7th, his second of the season, to give the Saints their only other run of the evening. Both Ian Giabault (2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K) and Andrew Vasquez (2.0 IP, 0 H, 2 BB, 3 K, nevermind that he needed a 9th inning triple play to escape the inning) worked scoreless relief efforts to stop the bleeding for Saint Paul. Only Descalso would finish with a multi-hit effort in this one. WIND SURGE WISDOM Springfield 5, Wichita 3 Box Score Austin Schulfer took the ball in this one and twirled six scoreless innings for the Wind Surge. He surrendered just six hits and struck out four while walking none. It was a strong effort from the righty starter. Wichita took the lead in the 6th inning after Roy Morales drove in both Jermaine Palacios and Caleb Hamilton on a single. Then Aaron Whitefield ripped his 5th double of the season to score Andrew Bechtold. Unfortunately, the lead was squashed in the next half inning and the clubs would stay tied until the 9th. Ryan Mason came on in the 8th inning and nearly made it through a scoreless 9th before Delvin Perez beat him for a two-run homer to make it 5-3. That’s where the final would stand in this one, but multi-hit efforts came from Jose Miranda (2-for-5) and Andrew Bechtold (2-for-3). KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 12, South Bend 4 Box Score Starting this one for Cedar Rapids, Andrew Cabezas worked 5 1/3 innings allowing four runs on four hits and two walks. He punched out four and gave up a single homer. Cedar Rapids trailed 3-0 after the first inning as South Bend jumped out to an early lead. In the 5th, Seth Grady plated Spencer Steer on a double to score the Kernels first run. Gabe Snyder then drove in Gray on a single of his own, and last night’s hero Michael Helman used a sac fly to score Wander Javier. Through five everything was even. It was the 6th inning where Cedar Rapids would do more damage. Facing a one-run deficit, Gray walked in a run before Gabriel Maciel scored on a wild pitch. Javier then drove a sac fly to score Steer again and the Kernels pushed their lead to 6-4. In the 7th Cedar Rapids added again. Maciel singled to drive in Helman and Steer continued his torrid stretch with homer number nine on the season. Spencer plated three on the bomb and the score was now 10-4. He’s now got an .855 OPS on the year for the Kernels. Cedar Rapids wasn’t done and Max Smith continuing his hot streak wasn’t unexpected. He singled in the 8th to score both Javier and Helman en route to a 12-4 final tally. Wander finished with two hits on the evening, and Smith completed a ridiculous 5-for-5 effort to propel the Kernels to a win. Asking manager Brian Dinkelman about Wander Javier specifically he said, "Confidence is part of it. He had a really good series up in Beloit last week. He can do damage on a lot of pitchers. Another good night for him.." Asking about Spencer Steer's approach and where he's at this season Dinkelman said, "Spencer always gives us good at bat. He controls the strike zone. He's a good table setter for us." MUSSEL MATTERS Game 1: Fort Myers 3, Lakeland 1 (F/7) Box Score Sean Mooney got the start in this one but was lifted after recording just a single out. He gave up one run on one hit and a walk during his outing. Denny Bentley came on in relief to strike out five across 3 1/3, while allowing no hits and a single walk. He picked up the win. Steven Cruz followed Bentley and nearly matched him identically. He too went three and one-third but allowed a lone hit instead of a walk. The length earned him his first save of the season. Getting behind 1-0 in the first, Fort Myers then did their damage on with the longball. Misael Urbina hit his first stateside homer in the 3rd inning, a two-run shot, to put the Mighty Mussels in the lead. Charles Mack then spanked a dinger on a liner in the 4th, and the 3-1 tally would be enough to get the victory in this one. Yunior Severino was the lone batter to record two hits for Fort Myers in this one. Game 2: Fort Myers 6, Lakeland 4 (6/Suspended) Box Score Miguel Rodriguez took the ball in game two as Fort Myers played a twin bill after yesterday’s postponement. He allowed four earned on five hits in five innings. Rodriguez also punched out seven while issuing no free passes. The Mighty Mussels opened up an early 3-0 lead in the 1st on the nightcap thanks to RBI by Edouard Julien, Yunior Severino, and Aaron Sabato. Jeferson Morales then doubled in the 2nd to extend things by another run before Misael Urbina plated Morales on a fielder’s choice. After giving back four runs and squandering most of the lead, Fort Myers got another jolt when Julien went deep for the third time in 2021. His 5th inning dinger put them ahead 6-4. Weather got this one again however, and action was suspended before the bottom of the 6th inning could get underway. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day- Austin Schulfer (Wichita) 6.0 IP, 6 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K Hitter of the Day- Max Smith (Cedar Rapids) 5-for-5, 2 R, 2 RBI PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed: #1 - Alex Kirilloff (Minnesota) – No Game #2 - Royce Lewis (Rehab) - Out for Season (torn ACL) #3 - Trevor Larnach (Minnesota) – No Game #4 - Ryan Jeffers (Minnesota) – No Game #5 - Jhoan Duran (St. Paul) – Did not pitch #6 - Jordan Balazovic (Wichita) – Did not pitch #7 - Keoni Cavaco (Ft. Myers) – Injured list (concussion) #8 - Aaron Sabato (Ft. Myers) – 1-for-5, RBI, BB, K (2 games) #9 - Matt Canterino (Cedar Rapids) – Injured list #10 - Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) – Underwent Tommy John surgery #11 - Gilberto Celestino (Minnesota) – No game #12 - Brent Rooker (St. Paul) – 0-for-3, K #13 - Matt Wallner (Cedar Rapids) – Injured List (Hamate bone) #14 - Misael Urbina (Fort Myers) – 1-for-5, 2 R, 3 RBI, BB, K (2 games) #15 - Cole Sands (Wichita) – Did not Pitch #16 - Edwar Colina (Rehab) - 60-Day IL (elbow) #17 - Ben Rortvedt (Minnesota) – No game #18 - Alerick Soularie (Complex) – N/A #19 - Jose Miranda (Wichita) – 2-for-4 #20 - Bailey Ober (Minnesota) – No Game FRIDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Iowa @ St. Paul (7:05PM CST) – LHP Andrew Albers (2-2, 7.03 ERA) Springfield @ Wichita (7:05PM CST) – RHP Josh Winder (2-0, 2.16 ERA) South Bend @ Cedar Rapids (6:35PM CST) – RHP Ben Gross (3.86 ERA) Lakeland at Ft. Myers (Game 1: 3:30PM CST) – RHP Brent Headrick (2-2, 3.04 ERA) View full article

The Twins have started to turn things around as of late, but are still 11 games below .500 nearly a third of the way through the season. Certainly there is a chance for the squad to go on a long win streak, which features the next 12 games against the lowly Orioles and the free falling Kansas City Royals, but injuries are still piling up, and we've seen the Twins play just as bad as the two aforementioned squads. As of now, I still firmly sit in my stance that the front office would be best suited to have a fire-sale at the deadline, moving every expiring deal, and taking offers on players with only one year of team control left. This group of players is highlighted by Jose Berrios, Byron Buxton, and Taylor Rogers. If they get a 'blow your socks off" offer, I see no reason not to take it. Today we take a look at some infielders that the Twins should get an extended look at in the second half of 2021. RH C Ryan Jeffers Jeffers was fantastic as a rookie, featuring a fantastic defensive game behind the dish, and was part of what appeared to be a two-headed monster catching duo headed into the 2021 season. However, Garver got off to a slow start, and Jeffers was flat out bad. Jeffers was performing so poorly in limited at bats that the front office sent him down to AAA Saint Paul where he's been given the opportunity to start nearly every day, whether behind the dish or as the DH. Jeffers has returned to form at the plate, OPSing .753 for the Saints, including three home runs and four doubles. Jeffers is also using a patient approach, drawing 10 walks in 77 PA. He is still having trouble with strikeouts, with a K rate of 25 percent, but hitting the ball hard while playing fantastic defense at a premium position is worth giving a look at. When Jeffers was up, he was only starting against RH which puts him in a hole. If the Twins are out of things come July, I'd like to see Jeffers split time with Garver, including against southpaws. MIF S Nick Gordon Nick Gordon isn't the top 50 prospect that he was a few years ago, and he hasn't put up great numbers in the high minor leagues, but I believe that Gordon can be a utility infielder at a minimum. The one thing holding back Gordon right now are the facts that he struggles against left handed pitchers, which is a bad thing for a platoon bat, and can no longer play shortstop, at least over a full season. However, Gordon has succeed in the young campaign with the Saints, hitting .393, including a homer and a triple. He has also added four stolen bags, which we saw on display in Gordon's MLB debut, where he stole second base twice. If Gordon can play a strong second base, and potentially develop an average glove at third, and fill in in left field a few times a year, which with his speed I think is a possibility, he is an MLB bench bat. There is a very strong chance we see a ton of Nick Gordon, and the front office either commits to him as an MLB utility player, or removes him from the 40 man roster. 3B/2B RH Jose Miranda At only 22 years old and no spot on the 40 man roster, I don't think it's too likely that we see Miranda in Minnesota this year, but I don't think that should be the case. Miranda was mediocre in the low minors, but started the season at AA Wichita, and has gotten off to a blazing hot start. Miranda has hit .309, and has an OBP of .372 in 18 games. Jose has shown the pop that we've seen in the past with 5 homers in 68 at-bats, as well as 3 doubles. Fangraphs had Miranda ranked as the 20th Twins' prospect heading into the year, with a game power grade of 50, and a hit tool of 55, but doesn't love the defense as they note he's likely a "shift-enabled" 2nd or 3rd basemen. Miranda has good bat to ball skills which have shown well in AA, with only 10 strikeouts in 78 plate apperances. It is worth noting that Miranda is rule-5 eligible this upcoming off-season, and will have to be added to the 40 man, as he will certainly be taken if not added. I hope the Twins get out in front of things with Miranda, and see what he can do in 2021 at the big league level.

After dropping their opener yesterday, the St. Paul Saints won convincingly on Wednesday afternoon marking the first victory as an affiliate of the Minnesota Twins. The production was highlighted from some longballs by big name prospects.TRANSACTIONS • Lewis Thorpe recalled by Twins with Brandon Waddell optioned to Triple-A • Caleb Hamilton moved from Rochester to Wichita. SAINTS SENTINEL St. Paul 10, Omaha 4 Box Score For years, the partnership between the Minnesota Twins and St. Paul Saints has been something of desirability for fans across the metro. That reality came true this offseason, and now the new Triple-A club has their firs affiliated victory. Lefty Charlie Barnes was on the bump and got the win with a quality start allowing just three runs on seven hits across five innings of work. The Saints to a lead on a Ryan Jeffers sacrifice fly in the first inning. After giving it back briefly in the bottom half, Toby Gardenhire’s squad would regain it before running to hide the rest of the way. Drew Maggi, Tzu-Wei Lin, and Rob Refsnyder all drove in runs during the second inning, and then the boppers stepped in. Heralded Twins outfield prospect Trevor Larnach was playing in just his second Triple-A game, and he launched a three run homer in the fourth inning extending the lead to a 7-2 mark. Brent Rooker would follow that with a solo blast of his own and this one was all but over. Refsnyder did more damage in the 6th adding a solo shot for St. Paul’s 10th run of the game. Although Zander Wiel and Lin didn’t record a hit, St. Paul racked up 12 of them as a team. Juan Minaya and Ian Gibault struck out two and three respectively in their relief work. WIND SURGE WISDOM Wichita 5, Springfield 4 Box Score In their second game as an established franchise, as well as second game as an affiliate of the Minnesota Twins, Wichita won in comeback fashion. Now 2-0 in history, the question really becomes whether or not they'll ever actually lose a game. Jose Miranda opened the scoring in this one with a two-run homer scoring Gilberto Celestino in the top half of the third inning. After giving a run back in the bottom half, the Wind Surge tacked on another thanks to a wild pitch that allowed Aaron Whitefield to scamper home in the 5th. Facing a one run deficit in the 7th, Wichita again leaned on Whitefield. First his triple allowed Damek Tomscha to score, and then yet another wild pitch gave him the opportunity to cross the plate again. Ryan Mason came on to record his first save of the year and punched out three while getting four outs in the contest. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 7, Peoria 6 Box Score Welcome to the Matt Wallner show. The 39th overall pick in the 2019 MLB draft put up quite a performance going 3-for-4 with a pair of big flies tonight for the Kernels. His first contribution in the bottom half of the third inning with Cedar Rapids down by three. A sacrifice fly opened the scoring and it was off to the races. After Peoria tacked on two more in the 4th inning, Wallner came to bat in the bottom half of the 5th. He sent this ball over the fence, plating Seth Gray, for a two-run shot. Then again in the 7th Wallner stepped up and delivered his second blast of the evening, this one being of the three run variety, scoring Spencer Steer and Gray to give Cedar Rapids a 6-5 lead. With the game tied in the bottom of the 9th Gabe Snyder doubled to score Gray for the third time, and allow a home team walkoff. MUSSEL MATTERS Fort Myers 13, Bradenton 4 Box Score The artist formerly known as the Miracle got out to a big lead early in this one, and they made sure to never leave it in doubt. A five-run first inning was punctuated by a Max Smith grand slam that brought in Aaron Sabato Edouard Julien, and Kyle Schmidt. After giving two back in the bottom half, the Mighty Mussels had a quick answer. Smith was plunked with the bases loaded and earned the RBI driving Keoni Cavaco in from third base. An uncorked wild pitch gave Julien an opportunity to score, and a Yunior Severino single added two more. When the dust settled on the second Fort Myers had a 9-2 lead. In the 5th inning Anthony Prato would plate the 10th run on a wild pitch before Cavaco drove in the 11th following a Willie Joe Garry Jr. steal into scoring position. Will Holland launched his first homer of the year in the 6th inning, and yet another wild pitch gave Severino an opportunity to race home before the inning was done. Hunter McMahon got the win and was impressive in relief. Working 4.2 innings of two hit ball, he punched out six for the Mighty Mussels while allowing just a single free pass. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – Hunter McMahaon (Fort Myers) - 4.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 K Hitter of the Day – Matt Wallner (Cedar Rapids) – 3-for-4, 2 R, 6 RBI, 2 HR(2) PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed: #1 - Alex Kirilloff (Minnesota) – Did not play #2 - Royce Lewis (Rehab) - Out for Season (torn ACL) #3 - Trevor Larnach (St. Paul) – 2-for-5, 2 R, 3 RBI, HR(1) #4 - Ryan Jeffers (St. Paul) – 1-for-4, RBI #5 - Jhoan Duran (St. Paul) – Did not pitch #6 - Jordan Balazovic (Wichita) – Injured List (back) #7 - Keoni Cavaco (Ft. Myers) – 3-for-5, 2 R, RBI, BB, K #8 - Aaron Sabato (Ft. Myers) – 1-for-4, R, 2 BB 2 K #9 - Matt Canterino (Cedar Rapids) – Did not pitch #10 - Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) – Did not pitch #11 - Gilberto Celestino (Wichita) – 0-for-3, R, 2 BB, 3 K #12 - Brent Rooker (St. Paul) – 2-for-5, R, RBI, HR(1) #13 - Matt Wallner (Cedar Rapids) – 3-for-4, 2 R, 6 RBI, 2 HR(2) #14 - Misael Urbina (Complex) – N/A #15 - Cole Sands (Wichita) – Did not pitch #16 - Edwar Colina (Rehab) - 60-Day IL (elbow) #17 - Ben Rortvedt (Minnesota) – Did not play #18 - Alerick Soularie (Complex) – N/A #19 - Jose Miranda (Wichita) – 1-for-4, R, 2 RBI, BB, HR(1) #20 - Bailey Ober (St. Paul) – Did not pitch THURSDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS St. Paul @ Omaha (6:35PM CST) – RHP Randy Dobnak Wichita @ Springfield (7:05PM CST) – RHP Cole Sands Peoria @ Cedar Rapids (6:35PM CST) – RHP Blayne Enlow Fort Myers @ Bradenton (5:05PM CST) – RHP Sean Mooney Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Wednesday’s games! Click here to view the article

One week from today the 2020 Major League Baseball season is expected to get underway. With substantial testing protocols and fanless action, this will be a season unlike any other. It isn’t the first baseball season to get started this year though. That honor belongs to the American Association.Here in Twins Territory, the independent baseball league should be recognizable immediately due to the success of the St. Paul Saints. CHS Field is a gorgeous park nestled next to the highway 94 and highway 52 split, home to the 2019 Champions. It's currently being used as the satellite location for the Minnesota Twins. Much like the NBA plans to do, the American Association created a bubble model to go forth with their season using regional hubs. Playing as the defending champs, St. Paul will look to defend their title with all games in 2020 being played in Sioux Falls, SD. In an effort to dive more into the American Association, the St. Paul Saints, and the path paving the league is going in 2020, I connected with a journalist synonymous to Indy Ball. Chelsea Ladd, founder of Dugout Dish and contributor to both Pitcher List and Prospects Live, is among the best resources in the nation when it comes to baseball off the beaten map. It was a fun conversation, and here’s what she had to share: Twins Daily: First off, let's get to know you. What's Chelsea Ladd's story with baseball, and how did covering Indy Ball become your sweet spot? Chelsea Ladd: I grew up around baseball. I was actually born during an Atlanta Braves and Montreal Expos game. My mother was in labor and my father, who is a die-hard Braves fan kept hoping they would get through one more inning before I arrived. He jokes that he won twice that night — he became a girl dad and his Braves won. I played softball from fourth grade until my senior year of high school. I’m left-handed and despite wanting to be the female Mike Piazza, I started pitching in sixth grade. I grew up a Mets fan even though I grew up two hours away from Busch Stadium. Back when I was younger, ESPN didn’t have much softball coverage, so I leaned on baseball. At the age of 10, I made a promise to myself that I would be on Baseball Tonight when I grew up. I lost that promise along the way but last year I found it again. I went through skin cancer at 19 and my softball career was completely over at that point; then a divorce in 2018 and the death of my dog in March of 2019. After the death of my dog, my anxiety was at a very high point. He passed-away traumatically in my family’s home and my love for baseball and writing was a grieving technique. The first professional baseball game that my parents took to me to was an Evansville Otters game — a team within the Independent Frontier League. I have always had a love for independent baseball. The grind that these men go through to play the game they love is incredible. The talent within each league is remarkable and my end all goal with covering indy ball is to get these guys noticed — to give them the kind of recognition they truly deserve. TD: You created your main platform Dugout Dish roughly one year ago. What spawned the site, and what do you see as the next evolution in coverage from here? CL: Dugout Dish is officially a year old as of July 11 and I could not be prouder. As mentioned before, I used writing and baseball as a way to grieve the loss of my family dog. I wanted to be able to promote the game and share my love. My dream as a young girl was to be able to be in the baseball industry and I finally took the leap to getting that dream back. As far as coverage, I’ll be branching into more independent baseball and MiLB coverage in the future. With Indy and MLB returning, expect a lot of this type of content on the site. I’m credentialed with indy teams and a minor league team. TD: The NBA is returning through a centralized bubble model, but they aren't the only league. The American Association is using regional hubs as well. How has that worked and how has it made the game different? CL: So far, the regional hubs for the American Association have worked very well. There was a brief moment when the Milwaukee Milkmen had to postpone a game due to two players testing positive. The team has since been tested and everyone has since been negative. It has not made the game much different from what I have seen. Of course, rules are in place to keep everyone safe during this uncertain time but in the first few weeks back, everything is going smoothly. I spoke with Commissioner Schaub earlier in the month and the main goal and motto for this season is, “For the Love of the Game.” TD: With a physical presence in Missouri and Kentucky, what can you tell us about covering the St. Paul Saints from afar. What are some of the highlights from AA ball in general? CL: While many baseball fans often do not know what independent baseball is, many know who the St. Paul Saints are. The entire organization is truly a blessing to the independent baseball community. Of course, there are rumblings of the Saints becoming an affiliate to the Twins — which would be incredible for the organization. Sadly, the men who play for the team would more than likely have to search for a new home if that were to happen. A few guys worth keeping tabs on: Ryan Zimmerman, Troy Alexander, Chris Chinea, Mikey Reynolds, and Matt Solter. Across the league, teams are showing up and showing out. The Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks recorded 13 strikeouts against the Chicago Dogs. The Sioux Falls Canaries are leading the standings, as of the weekend, they were leading with five game winning streak. Right now, it is the perfect time for someone to become a fan of the American Association. What Joshua Schaub and his league are doing is truly inspiring for many. You can purchase a subscription to watch the games, an indy ball version of MLB.tv without blackouts. Other leagues are doing the same — despite the Frontier League cancelling the season, the GM of the Washington Wild Things has formed a four-team league that includes the Black Sox Professional Baseball team. Each game is streamed for fans to view. TD: As Major League Baseball prepares for a return, how does that shift your coverage, and what expansions into big league and prospect narratives are you excited about? CL: I’m ultimately excited about Dylan Carlson under the lights at Busch Stadium. The opportunity to see younger guys who might have had to wait to play if we were having a normal 162-game season. My coverage on Dugout will not shift much thankfully because I currently cover all levels of professional baseball. But it’ll be nice to have fresh information on MLB teams for Dugout’s content. TD: How has dealing with a global pandemic challenged your baseball coverage, and what has it forced you to change. Keeping a job within the industry during this time is no doubt difficult. What has helped you to stay creative? CL: I went from three jobs in February to one in March due to COVID-19. I freelanced for my town’s newspaper, worked and wrote for a local radio station, and as tech at an eye surgeon’s office. As of right now, I’m only working at the radio station, but I have been blessed with the opportunity. I went from having my entire summer planned where I would be spending my time between Marion, Illinois, Washington, Pennsylvania, Evansville, Indiana, Springfield, Missouri and St. Louis, Missouri to spending my summer in Kentucky and virtually covering games for the teams still playing this summer. I’ve added multiple series to my website to stay fresh and have at least one post weekly. I have In the Press Box, In the Dugout, Swinging into History and Women Who Inspire. I have also kept my podcast going with new episodes — I have had guest appearances by Jessica Kleinschmidt and a few friends within the baseball community. TD: As you've grown your platform to now include bylines at Pitcher List and Prospects Live, what are some of your future goals? What's next for you and Dugout Dish? CL: My goal has always been to eventually write for Major League Baseball. It has been a dream of mine since childhood and I can only hope that one day, it comes true. As I’ve dove into the baseball industry more, I realized a lot of my heart belongs to Minor League Baseball and Independent Baseball. Any way that I can promote the game and help the guys who might not get recognition, actually get recognition, that’s something I cherish. That’s one of my ultimate goals at the end of the day. Indy ball and Minor League ball deserve so much and if I can be a part of that, I’ve done my job. TD: Let's wrap with this, assuming baseball does return in its full (but modified) capacity, what are you most looking forward to this season. Is there a particular narrative or story you're anticipating playing out? CL: I would love to see the season run as smooth as it possibly can despite the odds against it. As far as a narrative or story, I am excited to see how small market teams and teams that are often quickly out of the running for October baseball do with a 60-game schedule. Follow Chelsea and check out her work here. MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email Click here to view the article