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The Saints opened the season in front of a sellout crowd of 8294 at CHS Field on Thursday, May 18th. Even through the rain and cold, good baseball and fun prevailed, with St. Paul defeating the Gary Southshore Railcats en route to taking the series three games to one.The first game of the series used a formulas that the Saints hope will work all year: solid pitching + longball = win. Starter Mark Hamburger pitched 8.1 strong innings allowing only two unearned runs and striking out eight. Tony Thomas and Nate Hanson both sent a pitch over the fence to provide all the offense the team would need in the 5-2 win. The second game saw the pitching staff stand strong again and hold off the Railcats for a 2-1 victory. Four different St. Paul pitchers combined to keep the Gary Southshore offense at bay, while the Saints offense did just enough to secure the win. Tanner Vavra scored the winning tally in the bottom of the seventh on a RBI fielder’s choice by Breland Almadova. Saturday’s game three was postponed due to rain and rescheduled as part of a doubleheader Sunday afternoon. In the American Association, a doubleheader is a little different than in the major leagues. The teams play two seven-inning games back to back with only a twenty minute break in between. Game one followed the same script as the first two games of the series. John Straka pitched 5 scoreless innings followed by the Saints bullpen shutting down the Railcats for the remainder of the tilt. Tim Colwell hit a solo shot and Tony Thomas blasted his second homer of the home stand to secure the 4-0 win for our local team. The final game saw something that the Saints had not run into before in an opening series at CHS Field: a loss. Gary scored early and often while holding off a couple of Saints rallies for a 10-3 victory. My MVP for the home stand is Tony Thomas. Thomas reminded us quickly that he is one of the Saints big boppers this season. He hit .286 with a double, 5 runs scored, 2 HRs and 4 RBI in the first four games. Now, on to the fun. Opening night began with local musician, HarMar Superstar, singing a rocking version of the Mary Tyler Moore theme song by home plate. Live musicians are an aspect the Saints and musical director Andy Crowley have been infusing more and more into the pregame and in-between inning festivities. I think it really adds to the fun atmosphere in the ballpark. It wouldn’t be a Saints game without all the zaniness that goes on in the stands and on the field during the inning breaks. Entertainment Director, Brian Kelly and his team of Ushertainers, along with Director of Marketing and Promotions, Sierra Bailey and her team continue to put on a great show for the fans. From between-inning races to Chef Sharte taking a pie to the face, the fun never stops. Keep up the great work everybody! One promotional change from the weekend due to the rainout is that Star Wars Night has been rescheduled to Sunday, August 6th. After the second game of the doubleheader, the team boarded their bus and headed out on the road for a quick three-game series against North Division foe, the Sioux Falls Canaries. To say there was some runs scored in this series may be an understatement. The Saints cruised to a 12-5 victory in game one behind two Tony Caldwell home runs and a 5 for 6 night for Breland Almadova. Almadova also had 3 RBI and was a home run shy of hitting for the cycle. The second game saw Mark Hamburger toss a complete game and the offense put up a crooked number again, taking down the Canaries, 8-3. This was Hamburger’s 13th career complete game putting him one behind the American Association record held by Ben Moore. If, and more than likely when, Hamburger ties and breaks the record the most eye-popping stat will be how many fewer games it took him to get there. Ben Moore tossed 14 complete games in 121 starts. It has only taken Hamburger 43 starts to get to 13. Game three, we lost 16-3. Enough said. After a day off the Saints return home Friday, May 26th to face the Kansas City T-Bones for three games. KC comes into the series with a 1-5 record. While the Saints sit at 5-2 on the young season. Promotions for the holiday weekend include the first bobble head of the year, double fireworks and food trucks. Starting off the fun is Friday Night Fireworks shooting off to the music of the Beatles.The first 1,500 fans Saturday will receive an Ila Borders 25th Anniversary Season bobble head during You Play Like a Girl! Night. And Sunday is Military Appreciation Night followed by a Food Truck rally on the field and a Fireworks Super Show. After the upcoming home stand the Saints head back out on the road for 13 straight games. This is the team’s longest road trip of the year, due to the high school baseball tournament being played at CHS Field. The boys first make a stop in Cleburne, TX for four games against the Railroaders and three against the Salina Stockade. Then they travel to Grand Prairie, TX for three against the AirHogs. Lastly they stop in Kansas City for three against the T-Bones, finally returning home again, June 12th. That’s a pretty long time to be away from the ballpark; you might want to swing by during this weekend’s gorgeous weather…. For more on the Saints, including tickets to this weekend's games, stop by SaintsBaseball.com Click here to view the article

Eight times in his career Harmon Killebrew hit 40 or more home runs. In 2016, Brian Dozier became the only other player in Minnesota Twins history to top the 40 home run mark. Killebrew led the American League in home runs six times. He also led the league in walks four times. Those of you reading a site dedicated to Minnesota Twins baseball know how great Harmon Killebrew was as a player. For many, it took his death in 2011 to realize the person he was. Yesterday, we wrote about the Cedar Rapids recipient of the Harmon Killebrew Award. For more on the award, click here. Today we want to highlight the Harmon Killebrew Award for Community Service recipient for the Ft. Myers Miracle, Trey Vavra. Vavra was the Twins 33rd-round pick in 2014 out of Florida Southern. He hit 20 doubles for Elizabethton that summer. In 2015, he moved up to Cedar Rapids. He was hitting .346/.406/.538 (.944) through 42 games with the Kernels before his season came to an unfortunate end due to an ankle injury and subsequent surgery. He spent last offseason playing in Melbourne, Australia. He was a member of the Melbourne Aces where he played with his older brother Tanner who was the Miracle recipient of the Killebrew Award in 2015 and the Cedar Rapids recipient in 2014. The siblings played for their father, Joe, a long-time Twins coach. ---------------------------------------------------------- Learn much more about Trey Vavra in this Twins Daily Get To Know ‘Em article from last year. ---------------------------------------------------------- Vavra played in 125 games in 2016 for the Miracle. Overall, he hit .230/.316/.326 (.642) with 17 doubles and eight home runs. He was a Florida State League All-Star and, at season’s end, was named the Miracle recipient of the Killebrew Award. We’ll be profiling all four of the 2016 Harmon Killebrew Award recipients this week. If you missed one, Check out the winners here: Cedar Rapids Kernels: Nelson Molina Ft. Myers Miracle: Trey Vavra Chattanooga Lookouts: Rochester Red Wings: Previous Winners: 2015, 2014, 2013,The award means a lot to Vavra. “The award was great to receive. I am truly lucky to have received it! I never met Mr. Killebrew, but his reputation is something I definitely remember and take seriously.” He continued, “Great to have an award with such a highly-regarded name.” The Ft. Myers Miracle organization does a tremendous job reaching out and staying very active in southwest Florida. Steve Gliner is the Miracle’s COO. He explained, “Having our players and staff involved in the Southwest Florida community is one of the best ways we can give back to the region that has supported the Miracle so well over the last 25 seasons. In the case of our players, we get requests for all kinds of community involvement including visiting schools and hospitals, helping kids learn the game of baseball via small camps and clinics, and having a presence at community events all throughout the year. The Minnesota Twins do a fantastic job of encouraging players to become involved in the communities in which they play. This helps us get great participation from the players and field staff all throughout the season. It means a great deal to us to be able to give back each season and throughout the year.” Vavra was quite active throughout the season. “I ‘worked’ primarily with the Boys and Girls club and Keep On Playing in Fort Myers. We did camps every month, followed with a point of emphasis on several topics like teamwork, perseverance, honesty, etc. Marnie Schneider coordinated that and she is great at explaining everything we did! Also did things with the handicapped, helped out with kids camps, and read to kids/played catch with at the Sanibel library.” Marnie Schneider is the director of Keep on Playing. Of Vavra’s presence at the clinics, she was quite impressed. “Trey is a man with a super big heart, who's full of grace. Keep On Playing was fortunate to have Trey participate in each of our baseball clinics this season. Trey made such a positive impact with the kids we work with, and he was always the last one to leave our clinics, always making sure that, even if we were way over time, the kids all had a chance to play baseball and learn something. The kids all gravitate to Trey, and he is able to communicate his love for baseball through his involvement and care. Being a professional athlete is a responsibility that Trey clearly cherishes, and he understands the job comes with responsibilities. He hits it way out of the park every time, not only when he's at bat, but when he's volunteering his time which he does so effortlessly. He makes us all want to be better. That's what a pro he is!” Gliner said of the Miracle’s choice of Vavra as its Killebrew Award recipient, “Trey was a clear choice to represent the Miracle for the Killebrew Award. Trey would always volunteer his time for any community appearance we had on the calendar. When he attended these events, he was always personable and willing to help and participate in any way. He shows tremendous leadership when he shows up to an appearance. He would always immediately jump in and take charge by asking what was needed, and then take the ball and run with it. There was not an event that he would say no to.” Vavra said he is not going to play winter ball this year. He has a plan for his offseason. “I plan on working, training, and getting my lower half as strong and quick as it was before I got injured.” The Florida State League can be grueling for the players. The heat and humidity has a tendency to wear out players over the course of the season. It’s very rigorous physically, but can be equally difficult mentally. Yet through it all, Vavra was willing to volunteer his time and energy to helping youth in any way he could. Gliner added, “The impact he had on the kids was just awesome to witness firsthand.” We’ll give the final word to Marnie Schneider. “I know that Trey has influenced more than a few kids who only watched football before. He turned them into huge baseball, Twins, and Miracle fans!! Trey, simply put, is a star and exactly what we want our role models to be!” Click here to view the article

It’s been awhile since we provided the Twins Daily readers with an update on how Twins players are performing (or have performed) in the Winter Leagues. There have been 13 Twins players to play in Venezuela so far this winter. Eight Twins have played in the Dominican Winter League. Seven current Twins (and several former Twins) have played in the Australian Baseball League this year. Finally, Reynaldo Rodriguez is playing in the Mexican Winter League.Below you will find how they’re doing. AUSTRALIAN BASEBALL LEAGUE There are six current Twins players who are participating in the Australian Baseball League. There are a lot of former Twins and Twins farmhands. For instance, Luke Hughes is hitting under .200, but he’s in the middle of the Perth lineup. Allan de San Miguel, twice a member of the organization, has six home runs. He spent time with Rochester last year. There are several, such as Josh Dean and Jacob Younis who didn’t get out of the rookie leagues with the Twins. For Melbourne, Tanner Vavra has played primarily shortstop and second base and bats second. He is hitting .317/.430/.416 (.846) with five doubles, a triple and a home run. He has 12 walks to go with 12 strikeouts. He has also been hit by a pitch eight times in 33 games.Trey Vavra has primarily been playing first base, but has made a handful of starts at second base as well. In 34 games, he is now hitting .281/.363/.469 (.832) with six doubles and six home runs. He has walked 14 times and struck out 16 times.Logan Wade has returned for Brisbane after missing about a month with injury. In 13 games, he has hit .256/.304/.349 (.653) with a double and a homer.Aaron Whitefield has played in 15 games for Brisbane. He is hitting .325/.325/.350 (.675) with a double.Aaron Thompson, who spent much of the first half of 2015 with the Twins, has pitched 8.1 innings over seven games with Canberra. He’s 1-0 with a 5.40 ERA. He’s given up nine hits, walked seven and struck out 12.Loek Van Mil has pitched just four times so far for Adelaine. He’s 1-0 with a 2.45 ERA. In 3.2 innings, he has given up three hits, walked one and struck out three.Todd Van Steensel just returned to the mound for Sydney. He’s pitched just three times over the last week. He has given up two runs on two hits and three walks in just 2.1 innings.DOMINICAN WINTER LEAGUE The Dominican League can be tough as well. There are eight current members of the Twins organization who have played in the league at some point this winter. Five of them spent time with the Twins in 2015. Recently-signed Buck Britton played two games in the DWL in late October and early November and went 1-5.Miguel Sano played 15 games before being shut down to concentrate on his conditioning and learning the outfield. In that time, he hit .241/.344/.426 (.770) with four doubles and two homers. He walked eight times.Danny Santana has settled in at second base after playing around the diamond early in the season. In 25 games, he has hit .305/.320/.411 (.730) with five doubles, a triple and a home run.Eduardo Nunez just recently started playing. He has played in just five games, but he is hitting .316/.356/.368 (.718) with a double in those games.Jorge Polanco has played in 37 games. He is hitting .238/.329/.320 (.648). He has one doubles, three triples and a home run thus far.Catcher Carlos Paulino has played in 35 games. He is hitting .259/.322/.463 (.785) with five doubles, a triple and five home runs.Ryan O’Rourke pitched in four games in a one-week stretch in the Dominican. He worked three innings. He gave up three earned runs on three hits and a walk. He struck out two.Recently-signed Fernando Abad has pitched six times including two starts. He has worked a total of eight innings. He’s given up nine earned runs on 13 hits and four walks. He has also struck out ten.MEXICAN WINTER LEAGUE As of right now, just one Twins player is playing in the Mexican Winter League. Reynaldo Rodriguez has already had 162 at bats over 46 games played. He is hitting .247/.346/.494 (.839) with eight doubles, a triple and ten home runs.VENEZUELAN WINTER LEAGUE There are a lot of current, former and future Minnesota Twins playing in the Venezuelan Winter League. Eduardo Escobar has played in 14 games. In 51 at-bats, he has hit .314/.327/.412 (.739) with five doubles.Heiker Meneses was brought back and gets a second-straight spring training invite with the Twins. He’s played in 39 games already and has hit .230/.322/.270 (.592) with four doubles.Another non-roster invite to spring training in Wilfredo Tovar. He’s now played in just two games and is 2-8.Engelb Vielma began the year playing. He played in 18 games and hit .208/.269/.250 (519) with two doubles. He then spent some time in Ft. Myers working on his strength.Luis Arraez was an intriguing name to get to know in the GCL this year. He has played in 10 games and is 6-22. He’s hitting .273/.333/.364 (.697) with a triple.Levi Michael got off to a slow start in Venezuela, but through ten games, he is now hitting .314/.467/.400 (.867) with three doubles. He has eight walks to go with nine strikeouts.Omar Bencomo has made 11 starts in the VWL. He is 3-3 with an impressive 2.97 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP. In 57.2 innings, he’s given up 57 hits, walked 12 and inexplicably struck out just 18.Logan Darnell has pitched in ten games including six starts. In 37.2 innings, he has allowed 39 hits, walked six and struck out 20. He is 1-2 with a 2.87 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP.Yorman Landa was recently added to the Twins 40-man roster. He’s pitched in 8.1 innings over 10 appearances. He’s given up five earned runs on five hits and five walks. He’s struck out four. He is 1-1 with a 5.40 ERA but a 1.08 WHIP.Recently signed Buddy Boshers has pitched 32 innings over 25 appearances already. He is 3-0 with a 2.25 ERA and a 0.94 WHIP. He has given up just 22 hits, walked eight and struck out 35.David Hurlbut has made the most of his opportunity in Margarita. Last night, he threw five shutout innings. A week earlier, he threw five shutout innings. Six days prior to that, he gave up one run in five innings. So, in 15 total innings, he has given up just one run on ten hits. He has walked seven and struck out just five. He is 1-0 with a 0.60 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP.Sometimes opportunities are brief in Venezuela. DJ Baxendale made two appearances before Thanksgiving. In just 1.1 innings, he gave up five earned runs on four hits and two walks.Brett Lee made two appearances early in the season as well. In 6.1 innings, he gave up four runs on four hits and two walks. He struck out two.Feel free to leave any questions or comments below Click here to view the article

Several Minnesota Twins minor leaguers are playing in a Winter League abroad. We have been posting weekly updates from the Arizona Fall League, and Steve Lien will post this week's later today. But there are also players playing in Venezuela, the Dominican Republic, Mexico and Australia. Check out how they've done in the early stages of the Winter Leagues.Venezuela Winter League The Venezuelan baseball league began about two weeks ago. Several Twins minor leaguers are playing. Here is a quick update of how they have done to this point. Shortstop Argenis Diaz is playing for Aragua. He is hitting .500/.571/1.000 (1.571). Sounds great, but he has just six at bats so far. He is 3-6 with a double and a triple. One walk.Infielder Jose Martinez is also playing for Aragua. He is 6-34, hitting .176/.222/.176 with two walks.Heiker Meneses plays for LaGuiara. He is hitting .208/.345/.250 (.595) with a double and two walks. He is 5-24.Engelb Vielma is also playing for Aragua. He is 9-47, hitting .191/.255/.234 (.489). He has two doubles, two walks and two stolen bases.Omar Bencomo was signed in early August by the Twins out of independent baseball. He is pitching for Margarita. He has made four starts and is 0-1 with a 3.60 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP. In 20 innings, he has given up 23 hits, walked four and struck out nine.Brett Lee has pitched twice for Caracas. The lefty is 0-0 with a 5.68 ERA and a 1.58 WHIP. In 6.1 innings, he has given up eight hits, walked two and struck out two.Logan Darnell has pitched twice, making one start. In 9.1 innings, he has given up four hits, two walks and struck out eight. He is 0-0 with a 0.96 ERA and a 0.64 WHIP. Opponents are hitting just .121.Dominican Winter League Game has been played in the Dominican for the last two weeks as well. Carlos Paulino is playing for Gigantes. He has gone 9-28. He’s hitting .321/.457/.357 (.814) with a double. He has also walked seven times already.Jorge Polanco plays for Escogito. He is hitting .293/.396/.463 (.859). He is 12-41 with two triples and a home run. He has seven walks to go with just six strikeouts.Righty Adrian Salcedo pitched just once and went two innings. He gave up one hit, walked one and struck out three. He also got the Win in that game.Mexican Winter League The Mexican Winter League gets started pretty quickly following the major league regular season. To this point, two Twins minor leaguers have played. Reynaldo Rodriguez plays for Obregon. The first baseman is hitting .236/.313/.472 (.785). He has gone 17-72. He has three doubles, a triple and four home runs. He has also walked eight times.Mark Hamburger is also playing for Obregon. The reliever has pitched 10.1 innings in 13 appearances. He is 1-2 with a 6.97 ERA and a 1.94 WHIP. He’s given up 16 hits, walked four and struck out seven.Puerto Rico Winter League This is a short report. Games started in Puerto Rico this weekend and just one Twins player played so far. Danny Ortiz played for Mayaguez and went 0-5 on opening night. Australian Baseball League Teams is the ABL typically play Friday through Sunday. Often they play doubleheaders on Saturdays. The stats below are through Sunday afternoon’s games (even though it’s posted Sunday morning). Geography and time zone knowledge reminds us that they are 15-19 hours ahead of us in the United States. Here are the Twins minor leaguers who have played so far. There are several former Twins players who are also in the league including Luke Hughes who plays for Perth. Allan de San Miguel is the catcher and cleanup hitter for the Perth Heat. Through two weekends, he has hit .240/.296/.320 (.616). He has gone 6-25 with a walk and two doubles.Catcher Michael Quesada is playing for Sydney. He is hitting .235/.458/.294 (752) with a double. He is 4-17 with five walks. He has also been hit twice.Logan Wade played the first weekend, but not the second weekend, for Brisbane. He went 3-10 with a home run.Also playing for Brisbane is outfielder/second baseman Aaron Whitefield. He has not yet played in the States. He has started the season by going 8-26. He’s hitting .308/.308/.308 (.616).Tanner Vavra played for Melbourne. He has primarily played second base but also seen time at shortstop. He had a big game on Sunday afternoon. He is 5-18, hitting .278/.409/.500 (.909) with three walks, a double and a homer. He hit a home run on Sunday afternoon to tie the game at one. In his next at bat, with runners on second and third and two outs, he doubled in both runs.Trey Vavra also plays for Melbourne. He is playing first base and batting third. He is hitting .393/.414/.536 (.950) with a walk, a double and a home run. He is 11-28.As you recall, Joe Vavra – Tanner and Trey’s dad – became the first active MLB coach to also be a manager in the Australian Baseball League when he agreed to manage Melbourne. He had previously managed in the ABL back in the early 90s when he was a coach in the Dodgers farm system.Major League Baseball provides a lot of dollars for the ABL. The league is full of players from Australia, but it also includes players from minor league teams in the States and teams in Japan. We will post an update on the goings-on in the Winter Leagues from time to time. Please feel free to ask quest Click here to view the article

All week here at Twins Daily, we have handed out awards for on-field performance. Today, we recognize Twins minor leaguers for their work off the field. Following the death of Minnesota Twins legend and Hall of Famer Harmon Killebrew, the organization announced initiated the Harmon Killebrew Award for Community Service. One player from each Twins minor league affiliate is recognized for their efforts in the community. Killebrew was a powerful man and an intimidating presence on the baseball field. However, he was known as a genuinely compassionate man, respectful and helpful.Twins Daily would like to congratulate the 2015 Harmon Killebrew Award for Community Service winners: Rochester Red Wings – Logan DarnellChattanooga Lookouts – Tim ShibuyaFt. Myers Miracle – Tanner VavraCedar Rapids Kernels – Jared WilsonHere is a little bit more on each of them. LOGAN DARNELL - Rochester Red Wings Darnell is a repeat winner for the Rochester Red Wings. A year ago, he wrote about work he had done with the Mary Cariola Children’s Center, a school for kids born with disabilities. He continued to do a lot of work in Rochester during the 2015 season as well. Darnell said, “It’s a privilege to be recognized with the award. Knowing all the other great teammates that I have, to be picked is an honor.” Red Wings GM Dan Mason raved about what Darnell has meant to the team and the city the last couple of years. “Logan’s humble and outgoing demeanor have endeared him to so many people in our community. There are a ton of reasons why he won this award again. He led our team in appearances in the community once again this year. Basically, when we have requests from schools, corporations, hospitals, charities, little leagues, we have a flyer in the clubhouse and ask for volunteers. Logan probably averaged two to three appearances per home stand. He did them because he enjoyed dealing with people and he knows and understands the kind of impact he can have on people as a professional baseball player. He really gets it. We were blessed to have many, many guys on our team this season who were first class and did a lot of appearances as well, but he did more than anyone.” The highlight event was one that Darnell himself sponsored. Here is Mason’s take on the event. “In April, Logan approached me and told me he wanted to sponsor a jersey auction night to raise money and awareness for the Alzheimer’s Association. He explained that he wanted to do something to honor his mom, and he wanted to use his current position in life as a professional baseball player to make a difference. He explained that his Dad and brother take care of his Mom and that because he’s on the road, he wanted to do something to give back. He said he wanted to sponsor the jersey for the local chapter. He also said that only one or two other players on our team were aware that his mom suffered from the disease, but that he was ready to let the world know so he could do his part to help others fight the disease. Our next step was to meet with the local chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, and it was quite honestly one of the more powerful meetings I’ve ever been a part of. He had a chance to meet the people from the local chapter and talk about what his family was going through and together we concocted a plan to raise some money and awareness. Logan then went to work. He designed the jerseys himself and bought purple stirrups for every player to wear as well that night. I called Gene Glynn who sent me 15-20 autographed items from members of the Twins which we auctioned off that night as well. We auctioned off the game-worn signed jerseys of each player. Bryan Donaldson of the Twins also helped by sending several authentic items for the auction. We ended up raising over $7000.” In a classy showing, the Red Wings flew Logan’s Dad and brother in for the game so they could be here and throw out a first pitch. Mason explained, “They spent the majority of the game mingling with our fans, many of whom told them of how Logan had impacted them over the course of his two-plus seasons with the Wings. It was the first time we’ve ever had a player sponsor a promotion and the event received a great deal of publicity for the Alzheimer’s Association.” It was a day that meant a lot to Darnell. He said, “The Alzheimer’s Day was awesome. Words can’t describe it. Having an idea and something that means a lot to me come together like it did was amazing. With the help of my teammates, the Red Wings, and guys in Minnesota at the time, helped raise around $7500 for that chapter!” Mason called it “a shining example of why Logan is a special person and extremely worthy of the Harmon Killebrew Award.” TIM SHIBUYA - Chattanooga Lookouts Tim Shibuya was the Twins 23rd round pick in 2011. When healthy, he has been a very productive pitcher. In 2015, he was healthy throughout the full season. He began with the Miracle, moved up to Chattanooga for a couple of months and then finished the season with a month with the Red Wings. Shibuya said, “The 2015 season was a productive year. It was nice to be able to move up and compete t a higher level and learn from some of the older guys. To be able to clinch a playoff spot was special. The best part of the year is being able to go to the field every day and be around the team.” In 2014, Shibuya was the Ft. Myers Miracle choice for the Killebrew Award for, among many other things, his work and time spent at the Buckingham Exceptional Student Center. This year, he continued his excellent work in the community and is the choice as the recipient for the Chattanooga Lookouts. “It’s an honor, especially considering how many other teammates are deserving of the award. I am lucky to be surrounded with such good people, from teammates, to coaches, and front office staff. It is just as special as last year. I am glad to have the opportunity to do work in the communities year after year.” Last offseason Shibuya spent his time in Ft. Myers kept himself busy. “I volunteered at the Lee County Animal Shelter. I worked a variety of baseball camps and even gave a speech at a high school banquet. I visited some of the local elementary schools and hospitals.” One event stood out for Shibuya this past season. “By far the most special moment was when I visited with a boy in Chattanooga with leukemia. He was the most positive and happy kid and his family and friends were an amazing support system. In late May, he could not get out of bed due to the treatment, but his attitude was amazing. And a couple months later, with his doctor's approval, he threw the ceremonial first pitch. The strength of kids never ceases to amaze me.” Shibuya represents the Minnesota Twins organization well. His attitude is simply, “If something pops up, I will try to help out at the event.” TANNER VAVRA - Ft. Myers Miracle Tanner Vavra was the Twins 30th round pick in 2013 out of Valparaiso University. He was the Killebrew Award winner for the Cedar Rapids Kernels in 2014. This year, he was the choice for the Ft. Myers Miracle. Ashley Adams, the Miracle’s Manager of Community Relations, said, “What made Tanner stand out among others was that he genuinely enjoyed volunteering his time this past season. That was the biggest thing I noticed. He got really interactive with the kids wherever we were. It was cool because at their ages, they sometimes don’t comprehend what he’s talking about, but love to interact! Tanner was really cool about talking about experiences he had or currently has in professional baseball. They would really get into it and ask a lot of questions.” Vavra is honored to receive the award for a second straight season. “It means a great deal. I try to give back to the community I am playing in as much as possible, and being recognized with an award like this is an honor.” He finds it very rewarding. “Volunteering in Ft. Myers was a lot different than Cedar Rapids, but it was equally rewarding. In Ft. Myers, we went to different schools, hospitals, and special needs facilities to speak to kids about various things.” In 85 games with the Miracle, Vavra hit .258/.346/.300 (.646). Solid numbers, but consider that he began the season by getting just one hit in 26 at bats (.038) through the season’s first month. However, at that point, he turned things around. Over his final 72 games played, he hit .285/.368/.332 (.700) with all nine of his extra base hits. “The FSL is known to be a tough league for hitters. Regardless, my start was extremely frustrating. After a few hitless games, I began to press too much and forgot about the process and began only to worry about the results. Once I settled down some and got back to what I was doing in spring training, I began to feel more comfortable. Once the second half started, I finally understood how to handle my role, and then I started to get some results. Then I began to play some more and I felt like it took off a little bit for me. I think playing more and more and knowing I was probably going to be in the lineup that day helped me get into a rhythm. Very happy with my second half and overall our team’s success finishing with the best record on our side is something to be proud of regardless of whether or not we made the playoffs.” Vavra will head to Australia soon where he will team with his brother, Trey, to play for Melbourne in the Australian Baseball League. Not only that, the brothers will play for their father, Twins bench coach Joe Vavra. “Australia is going to happen and I as well as my family are looking forward to it. It will be a great opportunity not only to play with my brother again and for my father to manage us, but also to learn from my dad and pay attention to the coaching/managing side of things.” JARED WILSON - Cedar Rapids Kernels The Twins really liked Wilson, enough that they drafted him after his junior season of college in 2012 and in the 19th round following his senior season in 2013. After pitching out of the bullpen most of 2013 and 2014, he began the 2015 season in the Kernels starting rotation. He made 12 starts for Cedar Rapids and a spot start in Ft. Myers. He was a Midwest League All-Star, and then he was moved back to the bullpen in the Kernels second half. He was also recently named the Kernels recipient of the Harmon Killebrew Award. Of the award, he said, “It’s an incredible honor to receive the Harmon Killebrew Award. Not only was he a Hall of Fame talent on the field, but a role model for all off the field. He's a legend in the Twins organization, not just for his incredible talent, but for his attentiveness and care towards others and I couldn't think of a higher honor than to be associated with his name. The fact that people never fail to mention his character and greatness as a person, as opposed to focusing strictly on his playing career, is a true testament to how special of a man he was.” According to Ryne George, the Kernels Community Relations Manager, “The first thing I noticed about Jared was his maturity as a baseball player on and off the field. Jared understood right away that kids in the Cedar Rapids community look up to Kernels players and Jared embraced that role without hesitation. Jared was my number one guy in the clubhouse I could approach if I needed a player for an appearance on short notice. Having somebody like that in the clubhouse is huge because then he can encourage other players to go out in the community more.” Wilson enjoyed the opportunity to get out in the community. “We are given a lot of opportunities through the Kernels to help out in the Cedar Rapids communities. We are given opportunities to help out at some of the local schools and their reading programs, which is my personal favorite, along with other events in the community such at the farmers' markets and street fairs. This year, we were also given the opportunity to help out with some of the youth teams in the area, and participate in a summer camp outing for children with hemophilia. It's a really good program that we have here and everyone takes a part in it. I'm very lucky to have had the opportunity to play for the Kernels. It's a great organization to be a part of, and a top notch Minor League affiliate. The people of Cedar Rapids are great and I can't thank my host family, Linda and LeRoy Mann, enough for all they have provided me throughout my time here.” George continued, “Jared also has a great sense of humor and was more than happy to co-star as a catcher in a Minion video put together to help promote Minion Night at the ballpark.” (Chris Mazza and Randy LeBlanc are also in the video.) George comments that in the last 12 months, they have scheduled over 150 community appearances with their mascot, Mr. Shucks, and just over 50 player appearances. He says, “Supporting the Cedar Rapids community isn’t restricted to just the Community Relations Manager. Different Kernels front office staff have helped out with programs that support military veterans, provide baseball equipment to kids who can’t afford to play and national programs like Junior Achievement and Big Brothers Big Sisters.” ----- One thing I have learned from following the Minnesota Twins organization from the big league level to rookie ball is that there are a lot of really good people, a lot of guys that are very happy to volunteer in the community. The four recipients of the 2015 Harmon Killebrew Award for Community Service exemplify what it means to be part of their communities and giving back. Congratulations to Logan Darnell, Tim Shibuya, Tanner Vavra, and Jared Wilson, the 2015 Killebrew Award winners for community service. Click here to view the article

I know that this is the Minor League Report, but I’d be remiss to not mention the Brian Dozier walk-off, three-run homer to give the Minnesota Twins an 8-6 win against Detroit. Miguel Sano, Eddie Rosario and Danny Santana all have been in the Twins farm system this year and each contributed in that ninth inning rally. Rule 5 pick JR Graham threw three scoreless innings. Ryan O'Rourke, who began the season in Chattanooga, struck out two in a perfect inning. Another reminder than getting to know these players before they arrive in a Twins uniform is important and fun!There were seven games in the Twins farm system on Friday, plus a bunch of news and transactions. Check it all out below. TRANSACTIONS There was a bit of movement in the Twins farm system on Friday. First, a bit of news. Max Kepler, who has been out for a couple of games with a sore shoulder, has been ruled out of the Futures Game on Sunday. He was replaced by, you guessed it, a Royals’ prospect. With Travis Harrison placed on the disabled list a few days ago and Kepler out, the Lookouts needed some outfield help. The other night, pitcher Tim Shibuya was out in right field for a couple of innings (and actually played well and got an assist). Marcus Knecht was promoted from Ft. Myers to the Lookouts. Also, the Twins signed veteran minor leaguer Shannon Wilkerson to play in the outfield. He was an eighth-round pick of the Red Sox in 2009 and got to AAA with them in 2014. This year, he went unsigned and was playing for the York Revolution of the independent Atlantic League. Third baseman TJ White was promoted from Cedar Rapids to Ft. Myers on Friday as well. Twins Daily also learned the Twins third-round pick Travis Blankenhorn was being promoted from the GCL Twins to the Elizabethton Twins. RED WINGS REPORT Game 1 - Rochester 0, Syracuse 4 Box Score Taylor Rogers was on the hill for the Red Wings in game one. The left-hander was charged with four runs on ten hits and three walks in six innings. He struck out five. He falls to 7-6 with a 3.19 ERA. The Red Wings hitters managed just three hits in this game. Eric Farris hit his eighth double, the lone extra base hit. Game 2 - Rochester 11, Syracuse 2 Box Score As poor as the offense was in the first game, they made up for it (if that is possible) in game 2. As you might guess, Oswaldo Arcia played a large role in that. He went 2-3 with two walks, his ninth double, his eighth home run and three RBI. In his final plate appearance, he worked a walk with the bases loaded. It brought up Reynaldo Rodriguez who promptly launched a grand slam, his eighth home of the year. Rodriguez had five RBIs in the game. James Beresford went 2-3 with a walk. Chris Herrmann and Wilkin Ramirez each had a double. Logan Darnell made another spot start. The lefty went the first 3.1 innings. He gave up two runs on four hits and a walk. Mark Hamburger worked the next 2.2 innings and gave up two hits and a walk, but no runs. He struck out three. Cole Johnson pitched a scoreless final inning. CHATTANOOGA CHATTER Chattanooga 0, Mississippi 9 Box Score This was a reasonably close game until the late innings. Brett Lee gave up nine hits, but just two runs, in four innings. Alex Muren threw two more scoreless innings. Jake Reed came on for the seventh and gave up two runs that inning. He was then charged with two more in the eighth. He gave up four runs on three hits and two walks in 1.1 innings. Zack Jones came on for him. He was only able to record one out. He was charged with three runs on one hit and four walks. DJ Johnson got the final out of the eight and pitched a scoreless ninth. Newcomer Shannon Wilkerson led off and went 1-3 with a walk. Marcus Knecht batted sixth and went 1-3 with a walk and a double. Levi Michael also had a double. MIRACLE MATTERS Ft. Myers 0, Clearwater 3 Box Score Mat Batts just continues to impress. The lefty had another terrific start. In this game, he got a no-decision despite throwing seven shutout innings. He gave up five hits, walked two and struck out ten. It was his second straight game without allowing an earned run. His Miracle ERA drops to 1.71. Brian Gilbert came on for the eighth. He was charged with three runs on two hits and a walk in the inning. Matt Summers gave up a hit in a scoreless ninth inning. Not much offense for the Miracle in this one. Tanner Vavra continues to hit well. He went 2-3 with his fourth and fifth doubles of the year. Zach Granite and Jason Kanzler each added a single. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 3, Kane County 8 Box Score Zach Tillery has been terrific for the Kernels this year in whatever role he’s been given. He continues to start. In this game, he gave up one run on six hits and a walk in 5.2 innings. He struck out two. Mike Theofanopoulos got the final out of the sixth inning, but not before giving up two hits, three walks and two runs. Jared Wilson gave up two runs on four hits over the final two innings. Tanner English, Max Murphy and Rafael Valera each went 2-4. Murphy has the only RBI for the Kernels in the game. E-TWINS E-NOTES Elizabethton 2, Kingsport 3 Box Score The E-Twins fall a game below .500 (8-9). Sam Clay made his first start. The lefty gave up one run on three hits and three walks in just 2.2 innings. He struck out two. 2015 pick Nate Gercken gave up one run on three hits over 4.1 innings. He walked none and struck out three. Alex Robinson got two outs. He gave up one run on one hit and one walk. He struck out one. Logan Lonbana got the final out. Manuel Guzman led the offense. He went 3-3 with a walk and his fifth stolen base. Tyler Kuresa went 3-4 including his fourth home run of the short season. LaMonte Wade hit his second home run. GCL TWINS TAKES GCL Twins 1, GCL Red Sox 5 Box Score Williams Ramirez made the start in this game and was terrific. He threw five shutout innings and gave up just one hit. He walked three, but he struck out seven. Hector Lujan came on to start the sixth. He gave up five runs (three earned) on two hits and two hit batters and recorded just one out. Rich Condeelis went the next 1.2 innings, walking one and striking out one. Max Cordy pitched one scoreless inning. The Twins managed just four hits in this game. Jermaine Palacios went 2-4. Luis Arraez hit his fourth double. Palacios is now hitting .389 while Arraez is hitting .328. The GCL Twins fall to 9-8 on the season. TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Mat Batts, Ft. Myers Miracle Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Oswaldo Arcia, Rochester Red Wings SATURDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Rochester @ Syracuse (6:05 CST) – LHP Pat Dean Mississippi @ Chattanooga (6:15 CST) – TBD Clearwater @ Ft. Myers (5:05 CST) – RHP Kohl Stewart Cedar Rapids @ Kane County (6:30 CST) – LHP Randy Rosario Johnson City @ Elizabethton (5:00 CST) – RHP Cody Stashak GCL Red Sox @ GCL Twins (9:00 CST) – TBD Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss the Friday games. Click here to view the article

Trey Vavra got the day off on Monday. On Tuesday, he went 3-5 including a big three-run homer that jump-started a big offensive game for the Cedar Rapids Kernels. On Wednesday night in Wisconsin, Vavra went 4-4 in the Kernels win. As you’re reading this, he is hitting a robust .372 with seven extra base hits in his 11 games. Trey Vavra is the son of Minnesota Twins bench coach Joe Vavra and the younger brother of Ft. Myers infielder Tanner Vavra. You’ll find out below that his family support is very important to his development.It has been a long and winding road to professional baseball for Vavra. It’s been a good story to this point since he signed with the Twins after being their 33rd round draft pick in 2014. Treysen Vavra was born about a month before the Minnesota Twins won the World Series in 1991 and grew up in Menomonie, Wisconsin. He played baseball and hockey growing up. In fact, he was leaning toward playing hockey rather than baseball after high school. “All through the summer, I was deciding whether I was going to play hockey or baseball,” Trey said, “I decided I was going to play hockey. I had a whole bunch of Juniors teams that I had the opportunity to go play for. I had it all lined up to go to Alaska to play. That was kind of the route I was looking to go to. Then Tanner got red-shirted, so I decided I’d go play baseball. Tanner was playing at Madison Area Technical College. They had been teammates in hockey, but the two had not been teammates often in their youth baseball. So it was a good opportunity for both of them. “For hockey, we were teammates all the way up. Two years in a row, I got to play on varsity with him. For baseball, I was a sophomore. He was a senior. I just got called up for playoffs, so not much there. Obviously I was the little brother tagging along. If someone didn’t show up, I’d play outfield, but that’s when we were little.” Trey Vavra played in two NJCAA World Series at Madison, finishing third (with Tanner) and then fourth. Both years, he was named the Most Outstanding Defensive Player and to the All-Tournament team. Following his two years of junior college, Vavra accepted a full-ride scholarship to Division I Eastern Illinois. He played every game and hit well. In fact, he was named the team’s MVP. However, he wasn’t drafted. The school proved not to be a great situation for him on the baseball field. A straight-A student, there were also academic reasons that he decided to transfer following that school year. During his summers, he played in the Northwoods League, for the Duluth Huskies. “It was awesome. I got to stay at my aunt in Superior. That was incredible. Obviously she is a huge supporter of me.” Four of his teammates were playing at Florida Southern, a Division II school in Lakeland, Florida. That’s where Vavra decided to spend his final year of baseball eligibility. The school also gave him the opportunity to graduate with a degree that year. He explained, “I went to Eastern Illinois. I was under the impression that I could get out of school in two years because I was a straight-A student. First academic meeting, I learned that was not the case. I lost most of my credits when I transferred there,” He continued. “So then I went to Florida Southern and I got all those credits back. If you get A’s in all your credits, they transfer universally. I didn’t know that at the time.” Vavra graduated a year ago with a degree in Business Administration. The Florida Southern decision was also good for Vavra on the baseball field. The head coach for Florida Southern is former big leaguer Lance Niekro, the son of former Twins pitcher, Joe Niekro, and the nephew of Hall of Fame pitcher Phil Niekro. Lance Niekro spent parts of four seasons with the San Francisco Giants and is still just 36 years old. Vavra recalls, “Phil was at all of our games, all of our home games.” But it wasn’t just the Niekro family that sat in the stands of Florida Southern games. “One of the assistant coaches was Colin Kaline. Al Kaline is his grandpa. The Tigers are right there in Lakeland. He came to all of our games. Charley Manuel came out to scout most of us for the Phillies. We had all of those guys there. ” Vavra played well. He led the conference in most offensive categories including hits, doubles and home runs. He began to hear from a lot of scouts early in the season. When draft day came in June of 2014, he wasn’t sure where he would go or when. Was he expecting to still be there when the Twins picked in the 33rd round? “No! They projected me to go anywhere from 15 to 20, somewhere in there. As a senior, I kind of expected to go around the 20th round. It didn’t work out.” Though his dad and brother were in the Twins organization, he wasn’t necessarily expecting to be taken by the Twins. “I actually didn’t talk to the Twins nearly as much as the other teams. After those rounds passed, I was just looking to get picked so that I could keep playing and didn’t have the Indy ball route. I just wanted to keep playing and very thankful that the Twins picked me up.” Trey Vavra signed quickly and was assigned to the Elizabethton Twins. He adjusted well to pro ball and had a terrific season with the E-Twins. In 50 games, he hit .319/.392/.454 (.846) with 20 doubles and a home run. It was important for him to succeed right away and know that he belonged. He said, “Everyone is a top-tier player. For me, as a 33rd round pick, I was trying to just fit in, rather than be The Man at first. At this level, everyone is the same. Once you’re drafted, it’s what you do with your opportunity. That’s the biggest thing I had to overcome, just to go out there and play.” He was able to learn under the tutelage of the veteran coaching staff at Elizabethton. Manager Ray Smith was in his 28th season on the Elizabethton coaching staff, 21 of them as manager. Hitting Coach Jeff Reed was in his 13th season as the Elizabethton hitting coach. Vavra had not met either of the former big leaguers previously, but he said he learned a tremendous amount from each. “Those are two great coaches to start out with. Jeff was out there every day working with me. I couldn’t thank him enough. We got into a routine, and he helped me not just hit the ball the other way, or hit the ball pull side, but drive the ball. He told me to not get some complacent hitting singles, but drive the ball.” Vavra has played several positions defensively. In college, he mainly played first base and third base and also got some time in the outfield. With Elizabethton, he played first base and left field. He knows that being able to play different positions will be important to his playing career. Following the Elizabethton season, he was invited to the Twins Florida Instructional League where he added another position to his resume. “I played 3B and 1B in college, spotty outfielder once in a while. I’d never caught before, in a game, before Instructs. That’s kind of the new project. I don’t really care as long as I get to hit.” In fact, he believes that his defensive versatility helps him on the offensive side of the game, especially on the bases. “Playing out there, playing all the different positions, it helps me offensively too. What they’re doing. How they’re playing me. What’s a tough throw for the left fielder if he’s going to the gap? Be more aggressive on the base paths.” Hitting is what Trey Vavra likes to do the most. How does he describe himself as a hitter? “That’s my thing, is to stay in the gaps. I’ve been taught that all the way up. Work off the other side. If the guy comes up, you can pull the hands. I just try to stay the other way, drive the ball the other way, up the middle, left-center. If the guy tries to run one in on me, I can still react in.” THE VAVRA FAMILY Treysen Vavra is the middle child of Joe and Lesa Vavra. Tanner is the eldest son, currently an infielder with the Miracle. Terrin is the youngest, a senior in high school who, as one might expect, is quite a baseball player. As you know, Joe has held several jobs within the Twins organization including third base coach and hitting coach of the big league club before being named the team’s bench coach by manager Paul Molitor. Lesa Vavra has been a huge influence on her boys and their paths. She did it all for the family. According to Trey, “Mom was the taxi. She’s the rock, for sure. My dad’s gone pretty much nine months out of the year. She always keeps us positive. It’s crazy how much she’s done for us. She keeps all of our schedules straight. When I was in college, she had her iPad watching me in college, listening to Tanner’s game and watching Terrin’s game. Or vice versa. In high school, we all played three sports, so she led all of our stuff for that.” He continued, “My mom was our hitting coach when he’s (Dad) not there. It’s kind of funny. She’s the one getting all the phone calls and then he gets the fun ones. When we played well, we called him.” Joe was always a good ear for the boys, but he has also let them be themselves. “The one thing I would say, from him, is he always says ‘Hit the ball hard. Drive the ball.’ That always stuck with me. If you’re struggling, it’s real easy to just flip the balls and get your hits rather than drive the ball hitting line drives. Nothing mechanical with him. He doesn’t talk to us any about mechanics because he’s not here. It’s just ‘Be on time and go out there and drive the ball.’” It is also very clear that Trey really looks up to and admires his older brother, Tanner. “In terms of what he’s done for me, talk about a story of never letting anything get in your way. Talk about a worker. He set the tempo for how to act as a professional for me. Not even as a professional, but as a college player, and how you work. Like I said, I was going to play hockey so I went the route to go ‘play’ baseball. He was like ‘No, you don’t just play. You’ve got to work at it.’ That’s helped me a lot. I can’t say enough good things about him.” Likewise, Tanner is very proud of Trey. “Trey is a great kid, and a great brother. He's a good person and a good ball player. Off the field he is a simple guy. He will probably be fishing with Max Murphy and never has given anyone problems. On the field, he is simply going to give his best every play and going to try to find a way to win. He is a competitor and a good teammate. They don't come much better than him.” Regarding their youngest brother, Terrin, Trey beams with pride. “He’s the best of the three of us. What hurts him is he’s in the middle of nowhere in Wisconsin. Exposure-wise, it’s tough. He’s got a dozen-and-a-half D1 offers right now. He throws 90 off the mound in high school, plays short, bats left-handed. He’s going to find a spot somewhere.” LOOKING FORWARD Trey Vavra is off to a terrific start with the Cedar Rapids Kernels. Through his first 11 games, he has hit .372/.400/.698 (1.098) with three doubles, a triple, three home runs and 11 RBI. If there were a Player of the Half-Month of April, he would likely be the front-runner. His hitting coach this year with the Kernels, Tommy Watkins, is really impressed with Vavra and his approach at the plate. “Vavra has an idea. He’s a baseball guy, been around the game. He knows how to handle the bat. He’s very easy to work with. He has a plan. For him, it’s just fine-tuning.” Vavra doesn’t like to make statistical goals for his season. “I try not to put any numbers out there because you can either trap yourself getting to that number or if you pass that number. So I’m just trying to stay on the path that I was on last year and continue to drive the ball. Obviously we want to win the whole thing. It’s pretty early, but we’ve got a good group of guys. Hopefully we can keep winning.” On the current Cedar Rapids Kernels’ roster, you will find that 17 players were drafted in 2014. “A lot of these guys are from E-Town last year, and we played together in the playoffs with them. You know what guys can do and what guys can’t do. You start playing off that. You have guys from last year’s team like (Zach) Granite and (Zack) Larson. Larson is our middle of the lineup guy. Granite’s a guy that’s going to steal a lot of bags and get on base and create some havoc out there. I’m pretty excited about it.” He concluded by saying, “That’s what we have to do, just go out there and stay on the path, try not to get to up or too down.” It’s early, but there have already been a lot of “ups” in Trey Vavra’s professional career. Hopefully he’ll continue to take professional at-bats, drive the ball and then make adjustments. That’s the key for every ballplayer, whether a first round pick, or a 33rd round pick. He’s on a good team with close teammates and coaches who are very supportive and encouraging. As you read above, he also has some very strong family support. He’s certainly a player that Twins fans can cheer for. Click here to view the article

A discussion of the greatest players in Minnesota Twins history is certain to prominently include Harmon Killebrew. In the batter’s box, he was an imposing figure, capable of altering a game at any time. His name appears at or near the top of most statistical categories in Twins history. However, he was also known as a genuinely compassionate man, respectful and helpful. Recently, the Twins announced the Harmon Killebrew Award for Community Service, given to one Twins minor leaguer at each of the four four-season affiliates. Each affiliate’s GM nominated a recipient who exemplifies Killebrew through his work in the community.Twins Daily would like to congratulate the 2014 Harmon Killebrew Award winners: Rochester Red Wings – Logan DarnellNew Britain Rock Cats – Tony ThomasFt. Myers Miracle – Tim ShibuyaCedar Rapids Kernels – Tanner VavraTwins Minor League Director Brad Steil said, “In partnership with our minor league affiliates, we encourage our players to be active in their community and emphasize the importance of having a positive impact in society beyond the playing field. In the minor leagues, our players take part in all kinds of activities, including school reading programs, hospital visits, working with disabled youth and youth baseball clinics. These experiences help our players understand responsibility, compassion and giving back. Ultimately it helps them mature and grow as people.” Here is a little bit more on each of the winners. LOGAN DARNELL It was an exciting year for the left-hander whom the Twins drafted in the sixth round in 2010 out of the University of Kentucky. Following the 2013 season, the Twins added him to their 40 man roster. He went to big league camp in February before heading to Rochester to start the season. On May 2, Logan Darnell was promoted to the Minnesota Twins and four days later he made his debut with three perfect innings out of the bullpen. It was his lone appearance during his two-week stint with the Twins before heading back to Rochester where he remained until he was a September call-up. With the Red Wings, he went 7-6 with a 3.60 ERA. However, he also was important to the community of Rochester which is why he was the winner of the award. Recently Logan Darnell told Twins Daily, “It’s a great honor to get (the Killebrew Award). After baseball, it’s things like this that I’ll remember more than any athletic awards.” Minor league players are encouraged to participate in various activities in the community during their seasons. Darnell said that he “did a lot of camps, and whatever they asked us to do.” However, he certainly had a project that he was very proud of supporting. “My favorite was working with an organization called Mary Cariola which is a school for kids that were born with disabilities. It is a great thing they do at that school. It makes you realize that sports aren’t everything, and you can make their day just by showing up.” (Learn more about the Mary Cariola Children’s Center on their website or on Twitter.) TONY THOMAS 28-year-old Tony Thomas signed a minor league contract with the Twins shortly before spring training. He was the Cubs third round pick in 2007 and stayed with them through the 2010 season. He spent 2011 through 2013 with the Red Sox organization where he primarily played for AAA Pawtucket. He was sent to AA New Britain where he was an Eastern League All-Star in 2014. He did a little bit of everything for the Rock Cats. He played 53 games at second base, 33 games at shortstop and three games at third base. He also played 27 games in left field and 12 games in right field. At the plate, he hit .241/.302/.411 (.712) with 29 doubles, six triples and 12 home runs. Thomas was quite active in various community activities in New Britain. He said, “I have been to the Children’s Hospital. I have done a few baseball camps and clinics in our stadium and offsite, going to Little Leagues. Also, I went to the public library to read to kids.” Though Thomas was new to the Twins organization and never met Killebrew, he understands fully the meaning of this award. “To win any award named after a Hall of Famer is an honor in itself. To win one named after Harmon Killebrew in the Twins organization is unbelievable. The man took pride in what he did, and it showed in his performance on and off the field. It makes me proud to be in the Minnesota Twins organization.” TIM SHIBUYA Tim Shibuya was the Twins 23rd round pick in 2011. He began this season in Ft. Myers where he went 7-4 with a 3.64 ERA. He made 28 appearances, including 10 starts. He was willing to pitch in a variety of roles for Doug Mientkiewicz’s Miracle staff. His season ended prematurely with an arm injury, but his work in the community continued. The Miracle have an event every year that players really enjoy. They host an annual special needs camp. Shibuya noted, “The entire Miracle team worked a special needs camp with the Dave Clark Foundation. About 30 kids came out for this camp and we were all blown away by the kids and their families. It was a great experience, one none of us will forget about anytime soon. ” Shibuya involved himself in other functions as well. “I was lucky enough to be able to visit Buckingham Exceptional Student Center and spend time with students with moderate-to-severe disabilities. We played T-ball with them, and it was so inspiring to see their excitement being outside and enjoying baseball. Some students struggled sitting up on their own power so we laid down in the grass or in their classrooms and hung out with them and enjoyed being in their company. ” Shibuya is not one to take his job for granted and understands his role in positively effecting young kids lives. “I spoke with a few foster kids and their legal guardians and showed them around our temporary home of Jet Blue Park. Hearing their stories and understanding their situation makes you realize how special of a job we have. The strength and maturity of these kids is amazing considering how much they have gone through.” Though Shibuya never had the chance to meet Killebrew, he is honored to win this award. “To win an award like this is a great honor, especially when it is named after someone like Mr. Killebrew. There is a reason the community award is named after such a legendary figure. When you hear his name you think about humility, class, professionalism and character.” TANNER VAVRA Tanner Vavra was the Twins 30th round pick in 2013 out of Valparaiso University. He starred in the Northwoods League during his collegiate years as well. With Cedar Rapids this year, he played in 81 games and hit .258/.345/.326 (.671) with 16 extra base hits. Vavra is a baseball guy from a baseball family. His father, Joe, is the Twins third base coach. His brother, Trey, was a Twins draft choice in 2014 and one of the better hitters for Elizabethton this year. Vavra knows baseball, but he also understands the role of being involved in the community and embraced that in Cedar Rapids. Vavra noted, “I try to do anything and everything I can in the community. Here in Cedar Rapids, they do a great job of helping out and getting in the community. I was happy to have the opportunity to get out and volunteer.” Though Vavra isn’t certain if he ever met Killebrew, he knows about his greatness. “I have heard his countless stories and attitude toward this great game of baseball and how he gave back to the communities around the country.” He continued, “It’s an honor to have received this award, and a privilege to have given back to the Cedar Rapids community.” ----- One thing you would learn if you follow the Minnesota Twins organization from the big league level to rookie ball is that there are a lot of really good people, a lot of guys that are very happy to volunteer in the community. Darnell said, “There are a lot of guys on the Rochester team that went out and helped too. (It was a) great group of guys there that care for the community. There are a lot of guys with a gift of serving others and guys that like to have fun!” Congratulations to Logan Darnell, Tony Thomas, Tim Shibuya and Tanner Vavra, the deserving 2014 Killebrew Award winners for community service. Click here to view the article

Kevin Correia posted his fifth quality start in his last seven games, but Glen Perkins blew the save in the ninth and Anthony Swarzak gave up a Seth Smith home run in the tenth. The Twins lost 5-4. The Twins will now head to Oakland to start a four-game series. Two Twins affiliates had the day off on Wednesday, but there was still plenty of action in the Twins farm system. Here is the Minor League Report for Wednesday:RED WINGS REPORT Rochester had no game scheduled Wednesday. ROCK CATS REVIEW New Britain 5, Akron 6 Box Score The Rock Cats went into the bottom of the ninth, holding on to a 5-4 lead. Unfortunately, a solo homer followed by a single, a sacrifice bunt and a single led to a loss. Virgil Vasquez started and gave up four runs on eight hits in six innings. He didn’t allow a walk and struck out six. Ryan O’Rourke struck out two in a scoreless seventh inning. Cole Johnson pitched a scoreless eighth inning. Johnson came out for the ninth inning and gave up the two runs on three hits to take the loss. Down 4-3 going into the sixth, Brandon Waring and Mike Gonzales hit back-to-back home runs to give the Rock Cats the lead. It was Waring’s 12th home run, and Gonzales’ second with the Rock Cats and 11th overall this season. Eddie Rosario and Tony Thomas each had two hits. Jorge Polanco hit a two-run double early in the game. The Rock Cats are now 55-60 on the season. MIRACLE MATTERS Ft. Myers 5, St. Lucie 6 Box Score The Miracle held a 5-1 lead going into the bottom of the sixth. Unfortunately, five unearned runs came across the plate, and the team lost 6-5. Matt Tomshaw made the start. The left-hander gave up six unearned runs on ten hits and two walks in six innings. He struck out two. Todd Van Steensel pitched the final two innings. He gave up no runs on two hits and two walks and he struck out two. Levi Michael went 2-5 and knocked his first home run of the year. Adam Walker went 2-3 with a walk. Travis Harrison went 1-3 and walked twice. Tyler Grimes, playing at third base on this night, went 1-2 with two walks. Dalton Hicks had a two-run double early in the game. Byron Buxton went 0-5 and is now 2-19 in his last five games. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 1, Wisconsin 6 Box Score Joe Mauer played six innings at first base for the Kernels in his second rehab game. He went 0-3 in the game and is now 1-6 in his two rehab games. He is scheduled to have Thursday off and will then play in Cedar Rapids this weekend. Mitch Garver went 2-3 with a walk. Tanner Vavra went 3-4 and stole his sixth base. Chih-Wei Hu started and was very good through three shutout innings. However, he was charged with six earned runs in the fourth inning. In all, he gave up six hits, walked two and struck out two. Brandon Bixler threw two shutout innings. Josue Montanez struck out three over two scoreless innings. Nick Burdi came on for the ninth and struck out two and walked one. He was clocked at 101 mph. The Kernels are 57-58 overall this season, but this is the first series they have lost in a month, according to the team. E-TWINS E-NOTES Elizabethton did not have a scheduled game on Wednesday. GCL TWINS TAKES GCL Twins 2, GCL Red Sox 3 Box Score For the third time in two days, the GCL Twins lost a one-run game to the GCL Orioles. They fall to 14-27 on the season. Lefty David Hurlbut made his first appearance on the mound in about two months. He gave up two runs (one earned) on two hits and a walk in three innings. Seth Wagner came in and worked the next five innings. He gave up just one run on four hits. He didn’t walk any and struck out one. Trevor Hildenberger worked a perfect ninth inning. Corey Wimberly and Zach Granite continued their rehab stints in this game. They were the top two hitters in the lineup and each went 1-4 in the game. Rainis Silva went 2-4. TJ White played in his second game and collected his first professional hit. TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Seth Wagner, GCL Twins Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Tanner Vavra, Cedar Rapids Kernels THURSDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Rochester @ Indianapolis (6:05 CST) – Sean Gilmartin New Britain @ Akron (6:05 CST) – Tyler Duffey Ft. Myers @ St. Lucie (6:35 CST) – Ethan Mildren Kane County @ Cedar Rapids (6:35 CST) – Mat Batts Danville @ Elizabethton (6:00 CST) – TBD GCL Twins @ GCL Orioles (11:00am CST) – Brandon Easton Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss the Wednesday games. Click here to view the article

On Saturday, MLB held its third day of the draft. It covered rounds 11 through 40 and lasted over six hours to complete. However, at the end of the day, the Minnesota Twins had made 40 picks this year. Day 3 was filled with a pitching-led theme again. The Twins drafted a bunch of power arms, looking to accumulate pitchers with velocity that they can work with on command and control. They took a couple of high-potential pitchers in Florida prep Taylor Blatch and Logan Shore [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]although both are likely to go to college instead of signing. The Twins also accumulated plenty of talent to help fill their GCL and Elizabethton rosters. Below, you will find each of the Twins draft picks, and on many of them, Twins Daily's draft expert Jeremy Nygaard added some brief comments. It's taken two days to get through ten rounds of the MLB Draft. On Saturday, a conference call of 30 teams, each making 30 picks, will complete the 2013 draft. It'll be rapid fire throughout the day. As soon as one team makes a selection, the next will get about 5 seconds to make their pick. It's actually quite something to listen to. As Twins picks are made, we will continue to update the Twins selections below. Please comment throughout the day with your thoughts. The Twins have made ten picks through the first ten rounds. They have chosen six pitchers (4 college, 2 high school), three catchers (2 college, 1 high school) and a college third baseman. What will they do with their final 30 picks? Well, we can be assured that they will continue to find more pitching, but will they be able to find any hidden gems in the late rounds? Of course, only time will tell. Day 3 40th Round (1190) - Kelly Starnes - OF - Los Medanos College (CA) 39th Round (1160) - Seth Wagner - LHP - Mifflin County HS (PA) 38th Round (1130) - Javier Salas - RHP - U of Miami 37th Round (1100) - Julien Service - OF - Northeast Texas CC 36th Round (1070) - Joe Greenfield - RHP - Eastern Illinois U 35th Round (1040) - Nick Lemoncelli - LHP - Lower Columbia College (WA) 34th Round (1010) - Ivory Thomas - CF - Cal St. Dominguez Hills 33rd Round (980) - Stephen Stensley - OF - University HS (Louisiana) 32nd Round (950) - Carlos Avila - SS - Cal St. Dominguez Hills 31st Round (920) - AJ Bogucki - RHP - Boyertown HS (PA) 30th Round (890) - Tanner Vavra - 2B - Valporaiso (3B Coach Joe's son) 29th Round (860) - Logan Shore - RHP - Coon Rapids HS (MN) 28th Round (830) - Chris Erwin - LHP - Grayson HS (GA) 27th Round (800) - Tyler Blatch - RHP - Jensen Beach HS (FL) Blatch, who doesn't even check in at six feet, is going to tough to sign with his 95 mph fastball and two solid off-speed offerings. 26th Round (770) - Ryan Halstead - P - Indiana 25th Round (740) - Chad Christianson - OF - Nebraska Christianson started at SS for two years before moving to the outfield for his last two years. Showed more strength as a junior than he did as a senior. 24th Round (710) - Brandon Easton - LHP - Lakeland CC Easton is also a high-K pitcher (78 in 59.2 IP) and big (6-6). Easton was the OCCAC Pitcher of the Year. (Easton is in MLB's database as a 1B, but he's a pitcher.) 23rd Round (680) - Zach Hayden - RHP - South Carolina - Aiken Hayden struck out 41 in 21 innings for the Pacers this year. He also walked 23. 22nd Round (650) - Alex Swim - C - Elon University Swim is a senior who stole 15-of-18 bases and started all 64 games. 21st Round (620) - Tyler Stirewalt - RHP - Fresno State Stirewalt is a project. He walked-on the Fresno State football team for three years before switching over to baseball in 2012. Obviously athletic, Stirewalt can hit 94. 20th Round (590) - Jason Kanzler - CF - Buffalo Fifth-year senior, batting .330 with some power (12 HRs) and speed (21 SBs). 19th Round (560) - Jared Wilson - RHP - UC Santa Barbara A fifth-year senior with big arm strength and a lack of control. Good fastball and curve, but any success will depend on figuring out how to make it goes where he wants it to. 18th Round (530) - Ryan Walker - SS - Texas-Arlington Walker will be a solid shortstop for the E-town Twins, batted .304 in 58 games for the Mavericks. 17th Round (500) - Tanner Mendonca - RHP - Sacremento State Good body with a fastball up to 94 and a decent breaking ball. 16th Round (470) - Brandon Bixler - LHP - Florida Gulf Coast Bixler offers two pretty significant pieces: first, his ability to miss bats - a good fastball with two solid secondary pitches (curveball and change-up). Secondly, he doesn't always throw it in - or near - the strike zone. Bixler is also about 5-10, 160. 15th Round (440) - Derrick Penilla - LHP - Mt San Antonio College Not a lot of info out there on Penilla, a lefty. Started for MSAC and averaged over a strikeout per inning. 14th Round (410) - Zack Granite - CF - Seton Hall Three-year starter and leadoff centerfielder for the Pirates. Granite is small, but gets on base and has good speed. 13th Round (380) - Brandon Peterson - PHP - Wichita State Stop me if you've heard this: A college reliever who should get a shot to start in pro ball. Features a low-90s fastball and a slider. Was successful as Wichita State's closer with a ceiling as a set-up man if the starter thing doesn't work. 12th Round (350) - Ethan Mildren - RHP - Pittsburgh A tall, groundball pitcher who throws four pitches, including a low-90s fastball. 11th Round (320) – Nelson Molina - SS - Puerto Rico HS 6-3, 170, skinny and weak but very projectable. A scout's dream that could stick at shortstop with soft hands, quick release, but lacks the cannon arm. Day 2 10th Round (290) - C.K. Irby - RHP - Samford University 9th Round (260) - Mitchell Garver - C - U of New Mexico 8th Round (230) - Dustin DeMuth - 3B - U of Indiana 7th Round (200) - Brian Gilbert - RHP - Seton Hall University 6th Round (170) - Brian Navarretto - C - Florida (High School) 5th Round (140) - Aaron Slegers - RHP - U of Indiana 4th Round (110) - Stephen Gonsalves - LHP - California (High School) 3rd Round (78) - Stuart Turner - C - U. of Mississippi Day 1 2nd Round (43) - Ryan Eades - RHP - LSU (College) 1st Round (4) - Kohl Stewart - RHP - Texas (High School) View full article