On Friday, the DSL Twins got a nice, late-inning win. That was, by far, the best game in the organization, well, other than the Twins big win over the Royals in their return to Target Field.
TRANSACTIONS
The Twins placed catcher Christian Vazquez on the Injured List with a shoulder infection. We certainly wish him a successful recovery.
Recently claimed Jhonny Pereda was called up from St. Paul. The 29-year-old from Venezuela. He has played in six games with the Saints. His last game played for St. Paul was on Tuesday night. He went 4-for-4 with a walk, a double and a home run. He had three runs and three RBI.
The Minnesota Twins signed LHP Jake Murray, an undrafted free agent from the Campbell Camels He made 15 starts for them and went 4-2 with a 6.49 ERA. However, in 59 2/3 innings, he had 34 walks and hit 16 batters, but he also struck out 82 batters. He was assigned to the FCL Twins and will likely pitch in the Bridge League the rest of the summer unless there is a need in Fort Myers. He will turn 25 later this month.
RHP Anthony Narvaez was assigned to the FCL Twins from the Mighty Mussels. Jonathan Stevens was assigned to the Mussels.
SAINTS SENTINEL
St. Paul 5, Iowa 10
Box Score
As the game started, the great Joey Chestnut and Notorious BOB began eating the six-foot loaded hot dog at CHS Field, affectionately called the “Land of 10,000 Calories.” The two finished it completely in 29 minutes!
And if you are going to Saturday’s Saints game, you can guarantee a special Joe Mauer bobblehead by purchasing a ticket here.
Marco Raya made the start for the Saints. He gave up a single run in the second and third innings and then gave up three runs in the fourth inning. He gave up five (4 earned) on seven hits. He walked three and had two strikeouts.
That’s where the pitching situation went a little weird. Lefty Christian MacLeod came in to start the fifth and really struggled with his control and command. He got two outs in the inning and gave up four runs on three walks and two hits. He threw 39 pitches and the team’s deficit reached eight runs. That meant a position player could pitch. But the Saints have a limited number of pitchers available. Anthony Prato came in from second base. MacLeod went out to right field. Gabriel Gonzalez came out of the game. Kyler Fedko was the DH, but he entered the game at first base which moved Jonah Bride to second base. Prato needed just five pitches to get the final out. Of course, it came on a fly out to the right fielder, Christian MacLeod.
MacLeod returned to the mound to start the sixth inning. The first batter he faced was Carlos Perez who hit his 21st homer of the season. Kevin Alcantara singled to right field (now occupied by Fedko). However, MacLeod settled in. He got a double play ball and a fly out.
The seventh inning started with a walk and a single, but again MacLeod responded. He struck out Cubs top prospect Owen Caissie. Rehabbing catcher Miguel Amaya flew out to left. He then struck out Jonathon Long to end the inning.
MacLeod’s final line was five runs on five hits and four walks in 2 2/3 innings. He also went 0-for-1 and watched three pitches right down the middle of the plate.
Jarret Whorff came in to pitch the eighth inning and tossed two scoreless innings. In the middle, he took a strike, then fouled off two pitches, took a ball and then flew out to right field. 0-for-1, but a nice effort.
The Saints got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the third inning on back-to-back, two-out doubles by James Outman and Kyler Fedko.
In the sixth inning, Fedko walked and Payton Eeles was hit by a pitch. After the MacLeod strikeout, DaShawn Keirsey Jr singled to drive in Fedko, and Eeles scored on a fielding error.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, Fedko absolutely crushed his first Saints home run.
In the bottom of the ninth inning, Jonah Bride led off with a walk and went to third base on a double by Anthony Prato. He scored on a ground out by Will Holland.
Fedko’s magical season continues to impress. He went 2-for-3 with a walk, his third double and his first Saints homer. Payton Eeles went 1-for-2 and was hit by a pitch twice.
WIND SURGE WISDOM
Wichita 5, NW Arkansas 9
Box Score
With two outs in the bottom of the first inning, Kala’i Rosario hit his 17th home run of the season.
Alejandro Hidalgo put a zero on the board in the first inning. Unfortunately, he gave up five runs on three hits and three walks in the second inning. Michael Martinez walked one, hit one, and had one strikeout in a scoreless inning. Ricky Castro gave up four runs on six hits (including two homers). He had five strikeouts and no walks. Hunter Hoopes struck out four batters over the final two innings. He gave up no runs and one hit.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, Rubel Cespedes walked with one out. Ben Ross followed with his ninth home run of the year which cut the deficit to 5-3.
Going to the bottom of the seventh, the Wind Surge were down 9-3. Jake Rucker led off with a single and scored on Kaelen Culpepper’s eight Wichita home run.
Rosario went 2-for-4 with a walk and the home run. Walker Jenkins went 2-for-4. Hendry Mendez was 1-for-3 and walked twice.
KERNELS NUGGETS
Cedar Rapids 2, West Michigan 13
Box Score
The Kernels led 1-0 after one-half inning thanks to a Brandon Winokur single that drove in Kyle DeBarge. That was the high point of the game for Cedar Rapids. West Michigan took a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the third. They scored two more in the bottom of the fifth inning. And then an eight-run seventh inning for the Whitecaps put the game well out of reach.
The Kernels scored a second run in the top of the ninth to cut their deficit to 13-2 when Jefferson Valladares hit his first Kernels homer.
The Kernels had 10 hits in the game, but they went 1-for-10 and left 11 runners on base. Kyle DeBarge went 1-for-3 with two walks. He stole his 58th and 59th stolen bases. Maddux Houghton went 2-for-3 with a walk. He also stole two bases. Winokur went 3-for-4 and stole his 22nd base of the season.
Jose Olivares started and gave up three runs on three hits. In three innings, he had four walks and struck out three batters. Chase Chaney came in and gave up five runs on five hits over 3 1/3 innings. He walked two and struck out three batters. Ivran Romero came in and gave up five runs on four hits and a walk. He recorded just one out. Matt Mikulski got the final out of the seventh inning, but not before walking three batters. Wilker Reyes struck out two batters in a perfect inning.
MUSSEL MATTERS
Fort Myers 2, Clearwater 5
Box Score
In a way, the Mussels played this game a little short-handed. First-round pick Marek Houston was in Minneapolis. Normally the top draft pick comes to Target Field to sign, but the Twins were out of town and Houston wanted to get started. He signed in Fort Myers, along with the other 2025 draft picks and non-drafted free agents. He has played in six games for Fort Myers. But on Friday night, Houston was brought to the Twin Cities and Target Field to meet front office personnel, players and coaches, take some batting practice with the team, and meet with the media. He spent time in the radio and TV booths as well.
While not perfect, this was a really well-pitched game. Through seven innings, the Mussels were down 2-1. A three-run eighth inning for the Threshers provided plenty of run support and Fort Myers wasn’t able to mount a comeback.
Lefty Michael Carpenter started for the Mussels and went the first four innings. He gave up two runs (1 earned) on four hits and a walk. He struck out five batters. Eli Jones came on and worked the final five innings. He gave up three runs in the eighth, though just one run was earned. He gave up four hits, walked one and had four strikeouts.
The Mussels got on the board with a run in the bottom of the seventh inning. Harry Genth and Dameury Pena started the inning with walks. Then they were successful on a double steal. With one out, JP Smith singled to center to drive in Genth with the first run.
Down 5-1 in the bottom of the eighth, Eduardo Beltre led off with a double and then stole third. He scored on a ground out by Bryan Acuna.
Acuna had three hits in the game, all singles. JP Smith, the Twins 17th-round pick last month had another three-hit game. He was 3-for-5 and has at least one hit in all five games he has played since going 0-for-4 in his first professional game. He ends the game hitting a robust .370 with two doubles, a triple, and a home run.
DOMINICAN DAILIES
DSL Twins 7, DSL Mariners 5
Box Score
It was a back-and-forth game in the DSL on Friday afternoon. The Twins jumped ahead and didn’t give up the lead. But when the Mariners tied it back up, the Twins showed resolve and jumped back ahead to secure the win.
Juan Quinones made the start and tossed three scoreless innings. He gave up two hits, walked two, and had five strikeouts.
The Twins grabbed the lead in the bottom of the third. With one out, Teilon Serrano reached on an error. Santiago Leon walked. A double steal with a throwing error allowed the first run to score. After the second out, Joyner Perez singled to drive in Leon with the second run. Yovanny Duran walked. Jose Barrios followed with a single that drove in Perez with the third run.
Nestor Cafe came on for the Twins and gave up two runs in the top of the fourth inning. In total, he went two innings and gave up two runs on one hit and two walks.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, the Twins got those two runs back. With one out, Duran walked and stole second. Barrios reached on a fielder’s choice and then stole second base. Jamesson Val singled in Duran, and then he stole second while Barrios stole third. He scored on a throwing error to make it 5-2.
Aaron Carranza came on to start the sixth inning, but he gave up three runs on two hits and three walks and recorded just two outs. Marlon Mirabal came in and got the final out without further damage, but the score was tied at five.
Mirabal, a lefty from Cuba, signed with the Twins in December. He worked the final 3 1/3 innings and didn’t allow a run. He gave up four hits, walked one and had four strikeouts.
Still tied in the bottom of the eighth, Jhomnardo Reyes led off with a pinch-hit walk. With one out, Darwin Almanzar reached on a fielding error which allowed Reyes to score the go-ahead run. Perez followed with a double to make it 7-5.
Perez had two of the team’s four hits including his fourth double. Santiago Leon, Yovanny Duran and Cristian Bonifacio each had two walks. The team had 10 walks in the game. They also had eight stolen bases with Jamesson Val and Jose Barrios each stealing two bags.
PLAYERS OF THE DAY
Hitter of the Day
Kyler Fedko (St. Paul): 2-for-3, BB, 2B(3), HR(1), 2 R, 2 RBI.
Pitcher of the Day
Marlon Mirabal (DSL Twins): 3 1/3 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K.
PROSPECT SUMMARY
Check out the Prospect Tracker for much more on our Twins Top 20 prospects after seeing how they did today.
#1– Walker Jenkins (Wichita) – 2-for-4, HBP, K (played DH)
#2 – Luke Keaschall (Minnesota) – 2-for-4, 2 RBI (played 2B)
#3 – Kaelen Culpepper (Wichita) – 1-for-5, HR(8), R, 2 RBI, 2 K (played SS)
#5 – Eduardo Tait (Cedar Rapids) – 1-for-4, 2 K
#11 – Gabriel Gonzalez (St. Paul) – 0-for-2 (played RF)
#12 – Marco Raya (St. Paul) – 4 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 2 K, 94 pitches, 60 strikes (63.8%)
#13 – Marek Houston (Fort Myers) – Traveled to Minnesota, met Twins personnel and Twin Cities media.
#14 – Brandon Winokur (Cedar Rapids) – 3-for-4, RBI, SB(22) (played SS)
#17 – Kyle DeBarge (Cedar Rapids) – 1-for-3, 2 BB, R, 2 SB(59)
#20 – Hendry Mendez (Wichita) – 1-for-3, 2 BB (played LF)
SATURDAY PITCHING PROBABLES
Iowa @ St. Paul (6:37 PM CT) – TBD
NW Arkansas @ Wichita (6:05 PM CT) – RHP Ryan Gallagher (0-0, 10.80 ERA)
Cedar Rapids @ West Michigan (6:05 PM CT) – LHP Garrett Horn (1st start in Twins organization)
Clearwater @ Fort Myers (5:05 PM CT) – LHP Dasan Hill (0-1, 2.79 ERA)
DSL Rangers @ DSL Twins (9:00 AM CT) – TBD
CURRENT W-L Records
Minnesota Twins: 57-60
St. Paul Saints: 49-61
Wichita Wind Surge: 56-50
Cedar Rapids Kernels: 59-46
Fort Myers Mighty Mussels: 45-59
FCL Twins: 39-20 (finished 2nd in FCL playoffs)
DSL Twins: 20-28
Please feel free to ask questions about the teams, the rosters, and discuss today’s games, or anything else Twins minor-league related!
Interested in learning more about the Minnesota Twins’ top prospects? Check out our comprehensive top prospects list that includes up-to-date stats, articles and videos about every prospect, scouting reports, and more!