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Twins Minor League Weekly Review (6/18-23): Winning Ways Continue – Twins Minor League Talk

Posted on by Vaseline

Although the St. Paul Saints didn’t make it a second straight win, they continued to win, and so did the rest of the Minnesota Twins farm system.

Image courtesy of Rob Thompson, St. Paul Saints

TRANSACTIONS:

COMPLEX CHRONICLES
FCL rays 7, FCL twins 5
Box score

Juan Cota made the start for the Twins and worked two innings, allowing just one hit while striking out one. Anthony Narvaez pitched four innings, and while he allowed three runs (two earned), he struck out five while walking none.

Daniel Pena started the game with his first home run of the year, a solo shot in the first inning. The Rays tied the score in the fourth inning and added two more in the fifth. Yasser Mercedes singled to Gabriel Gonzalez (who is still recovering while anticipating a return to Cedar Rapids) in the sixth inning to make it a 3-2 game.

A three-spot for the Rays in the seventh inning gave them a 6-2 lead, and they added a seventh run in the ninth inning. However, the Twins would not leave quietly and Mercedes scored its third home run of the season. Ariel Castro followed with another explosion in the ninth inning, and his two-run shot scored Moises Lopez to make it a 7-5 game. Gonzalez stepped in with two outs and the bases loaded, but his groundout ended the game.

Pena, Mercedes and Hendry Chivilli all had a few goals. The Twins struckout fourteen times during the game.

DOMINICAN DAILIES
DSL Cardinals 7, DSL Twins 3
Box score

Leonardo Rondon made the start and threw four innings of one-run baseball. He allowed three hits and struck out six. Anderson Chacon took the loss in relief.

Yandro Hernandez opened the score in the fourth inning with his first professional homerun. The Cardinals tied the score in the bottom half and raced out to a 6-1 lead in the fifth inning. Eduardo Beltre grounded out but drove in Merphy Hernandez during the sixth inning and Alver Medina singled Luis Rodriguez in the seventh inning to make it 6-3.

The Cardinals added another run in the seventh inning, ending at 7-3. Seven of the nine Twins batters hit.

WEEK IN VISIT
Triple-A: St. Paul Saints

  • Overall: 38-36 (5-1 last week) Tied for second in the IL West
  • Overview: The Saints reeled off 11 straight wins and snapped what could have been two consecutive streaks with a 20-9 loss on Sunday.
  • Brooks Lee continues to rake at Triple-A, hitting .455 (10-22) with three doubles and three home runs. His 11 RBI led the team.
  • Diego A. Castillo played in all six games and went 8-for-20 with three doubles and two homeruns.
  • Yunior Severino (.471), Will Holland (.438) and Edouard Julien (.364) all helped pace the lineup.
  • DaShawn Keirsey Jr. returned and hit a home run while going 4-for-10 in two games.
  • Caleb Boushley was named International League Pitcher of the Week for his seven-inning scoreless start, allowing only three hits and striking out five.
  • David Festa struck out six more batters in 5 2/3 innings of work.
  • Randy Dobnak walked about five but struck out four during a five-inning outing in which he gave up just one run.
  • What’s next: St. Paul will play the Iowa Cubs, taking on the second-worst team in the IL West.

Double-A: Wichita gust

  • Overall: 31-38 (4-2 last week) Fifth place in the Texas League North
  • Overview: Another series win moves the Wind Surge towards .500 this year as the first half ended this week.
  • Dalton Shuffield went 6-for-12 in five games with a double and a home run. He also stole three bases.
  • Jefferson Morales led the club with five RBI this week.
  • Luke Keaschall had a pedestrian week by his standards, but still hit .250 with a double.
  • Cody Laweryson struck out six in 2 1/3 innings of scoreless relief.
  • John Stankiewicz worked 4 1/3 innings of scoreless relief while striking out four.
  • Zebby Matthews was great again with a five-inning start, allowing just one hit and striking out six.
  • Travis Adams and Jaylen Nowlin led the club with seven strikeouts each.
  • What’s next?: The Wind Surge welcomes NW Arkansas to Wichita to begin their second half.

High-A: Cedar Rapids kernels

  • Overall: 39-28 (3-2 last week) Second place in the Midwest League West
  • Overview: While they closed out the first half in Peoria, the Kernels started their second half with a 2-1 record.
  • Nate Baez hit .357 with a 1.257 OPS this week, including two home runs in five games.
  • Payton Eeles continues to crush after his recent promotion, going 6-for-17 with a double, triple and home run.
  • Rayne Doncon (.386) and Ricardo Olivar (.308) both hit over .300 for the Kernels this week.
  • Christian MacLeod was unhittable and threw six innings with one hit, while striking out ten.
  • Ty Langenberg struck out seven in his five-inning start.
  • Gabriel Yanez recorded a pair of saves in 2 2/3 scoreless innings while striking out four.
  • What now? Cedar Rapids, host to Beloit, welcomes the team that finished just behind them in the first half standings.

Low-A: Fort Myers mighty mussels

  • Overall: 34-34 (4-2 last week) Fourth place in Florida State League West
  • Overview: The Mighty Mussels finished their first half with a winning week, taking down St. Lucie.
  • Michael Clayton owned a 1.224 OPS in four games while launching a pair of dingers.
  • Rixon Wingrove led the team with 6 RBI while posting a .990 OPS.
  • Walker Jenkins hit his first home run of the season.
  • Ricky Castro made his first affiliate start and worked four innings while allowing one hit and striking out nine.
  • Spencer Bengard didn’t give up a run in a two-hit start in which he pitched six innings and struck out seven.
  • Charlee Soto pitched four scoreless innings while striking out five, posting the best start of his career.
  • Paulshawn Pasqualotto struck out six in three scoreless innings of relief.
  • Nolan Santos recorded seven strikeouts in 3 1/3 innings of relief across two appearances.
  • What’s Next: Fort Myers, host to Tampa, gets the worst team in the Florida State League West this week.

Complex competition: FCL Twins

  • Overall: 17-17 (2-4 last week) Third place in Florida Complex League South
  • Gabriel Gonzalez began a rehab assignment, played in three games and went 3-for-12.
  • Jayson Bass hit .417 in five games while driving in three runs for the team.
  • Yilber Herrera hit the only home run of the week.
  • Kyle Jones made a three-inning start in which he was perfect and struck out four.
  • Liam Rocha led the team with five strikeouts in two appearances, totaling five innings.

Dominican summer league: DSL Twins

  • Overall: 7-8 (2-3 last week) Sixth place in Dominican Summer League South
  • Luis Fragoza hit .500 in four games, while recording a double and triple.
  • Daiber De Los Santos had two home runs this week to lead the team. His five RBI were also team high.
  • Edouard Beltre homered and drove in three runs while batting .273.
  • Ricardo Paez hit a home run and a double while posting a 1.375 OPS in three games this week.
  • Melvin Rodriguez struck out seven batters over a five-inning start while allowing just one run.
  • Anderson Ramos worked two games in relief and went 4 2/3 scoreless.

OUTLOOK SUMMARY
#1 – Walker Jenkins (Fort Myers) – 5-23, 4 R, HR, 5 RBI, 2 BB, 3 K
#2 – Brooks Lee (St. Paul) – 10-22, 7 R, 3 2B, 3 HR, 11 RBI, 2 BB, 2 K, SB
#4 – David Festa (St. Paul) – 5.2 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 0 BB, 6 K
#5 – Gabriel Gonzalez (Cedar Rapids) – Rehab with FCL – 3-12, RBI, BB
#6 – Marco Raya (Wichita) – 3.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K
#7 – Charlee Soto (Fort Myers) – 4.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 5 K
#8 – Austin Martin (Minnesota) – 6-14, 4 R, 3 BB, 3 K, 2 SB
#9 – Luke Keaschall (Wichita) – 6-24, 4 R, 2B, 3 BB, 7 K
#11 – Simeon Woods Richardson (Minnesota) – 6.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 6 K
#13 – Tanner Schobel (Wichita) – 4-24, 2 R, 2B, BB, 7 K, SB
#14 – Zebby Matthews (Wichita) – 5.0 IP, H, BB, 6 K
#15 – Cory Lewis (Wichita) – 3.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K
#18 – Yunior Severino (St. Paul) – 8-17, 2 R, 2B, HR, 4 RBI, 4 BB, 5 K
#20 – Ricardo Olivar (Cedar Rapids) – 4-13, 5 R, 2 2B, HR, 4 RBI, 4 BB, 2 K

Hitter of the Week – Brooks Lee (St. Paul) – 10-22, 7 R, 3 2B, 3 HR, 11 RBI, 2 BB, 2 K, SB

Pitcher of the Week – Christian MacLeod (Cedar Rapids) – 6.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 10 K

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