TRANSACTIONS

With the St. Paul Saints RHP John Stankiewicz was sent back down to the Wichita Wind Surge, and SS Tanner Schobel was sent on a rehab assignment with the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels.

Down in Double-A, the Wind Surge activated RHP Tanner Andrews from the 7-day injured list, received OF Maddux Houghton from the Cedar Rapids Kernels, and placed RHP Kyle Bischoff on the 7-day IL.

In the Midwest League, the Kernels activated 3B Rayne Doncon from the temporary inactive list and RHP Spencer Bengard from the 60-day injured list. In addition, 2025 first round pick SS Marek Houston was promoted from Fort Myers to play shortstop and lead off for the Kernels in his league debut.

The Mighty Mussels received some reinforcements to start the week. OF Jacob McCombs and RHP Xavier Kolhosser were bumped up from the FCL Twins roster. OF Jayson Bass was moved down in a corresponding move.

SAINTS SENTINEL
Round Rock 4, St. Paul 11
Box Score

For the first time in franchise history, the St. Paul Saints were facing a team from the Pacific Coast League. To coincide with that first, this one also saw the Triple-A debut of top left-handed pitching prospect, Connor Prielipp.

He needed just nine pitches to retire the Express in order to start the game, and he punctuated it by striking out the last batter with a 98 MPH fastball for his first K.

It would be a bit of a mixed bag from there, as Prielipp ended up with 81 pitches (53 strikes, including 10 swinging) in just 3 ⅓ total innings, but that number is also a career high. He was charged with two earned runs on three hits, and a career high four walks, but did strike out five. The 98 MPH fastball is where he topped out, averaged nearly 96, and got swings and misses on all three of his offerings.

The Saints offense certainly had his back, as they scored six runs in the first two innings to put this one in the rearview mirror early, and it was mostly thanks to Kyler Fedko. His double in the first put runners in scoring position for DaShawn Keirsey, who drove them both in with an RBI single. In the bottom of the second his double bounced off and over the wall in left-center for an RBI after Payton Eeles drove in the first run of the inning with a single. Keirsey then delivered another RBI single that scored two thanks to an error to make it 6-1.

From there, the power of the Saints showed up. Aaron Sabato obliterated a ball 433 feet to center field for a two-run shot in the fifth. Fedko then launched his 25th home run of the year over the bullpen in left-center in the sixth. Carson McCusker, on a bit of a home run drought, blasted one 429 feet in the seventh for his 20th of the season, one shy of the Saints record.

After Prielipp’s debut was over, Jarret Whorff went the next 2 ⅓ innings to pick up the win. He walked one and struck out three. Aaron Rozek (1 IP, H, K), Noah Davis (1 IP, H, BB), and Trent Baker (1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, K) each pitched an inning of relief to close it out.

Fedko finished this game 5-for-5 with two doubles, the home run, four runs scored, and two RBI. If not for the odd bounce to send his second double out of play, he probably would have hit for the cycle, and the five hits tied the Saints franchise record. In addition to his outburst, Keirsey (3-for-5, R, 2B, 3 RBI, K), and Patrick Winkel (2-for-4, R, 2B) each had multiple hits.

WIND SURGE WISDOM
Wichita 10, Midland 4
Box Score

In a battle of top prospects, Walker Jenkins and the Wind Surge face off against the just promoted Leo De Vries and the RockHounds this week. 

Give round one to Captain America… Well, actually we’ll give it to another Wind Surge player making his own Double-A debut…

The Wind Surge jumped all over RockHounds starter James Gonzalez, starting with Jenkins, who hit the first pitch of the game on a line into right field for a single. Before the frame was over, Jenkins was hit by a pitch in his second at-bat against a new pitcher. Wichita sent 11 hitters to the plate in the opening frame, and in-between those two Jenkins at-bats Ben Ross hit a two-run homer, Jake Rucker a two-run double, and they had six total runs on the scoreboard.

They added two more in the second after Maddux Houghton led off with a double. A Nate Baez single and walk to Andrew Cossetti loaded the bases. Ross scored the first run with a sac fly, and Rubel Cespedes followed with an RBI single. They extended their lead to 9-0 in the third after another Houghton double, and then three consecutive two-out walks.

Right-hander Ricky Castro got the start and with all that run support, didn’t stay in the game long. He went the first 2 2/3 innings. The first two of which were scoreless, but ended up with two earned runs on three hits and two walks in his outing, striking out two. Jaylen Nowlin got the last out of the third and finished the fourth. He gave up one earned run on two hits and a walk. Jacob Wosinski (2 IP, 2 H, 3 K) and Mike Paredes (2 IP, H, ER, 2 BB, K) finished the game off from there.

The Wind Surge added a run in the seventh after three straight singles from Jenkins, Kala’i Rosario, and Houghton to make the final score. Houghton finished 4-for-5 with three runs scored, two doubles, and an RBI in first taste of double-A, but did not even start the game. He entered after Hendry Mendez got tangled up at third base on a tag-up play, and had to exit.

Jenkins (2-for-5, 2 R, K), Rosario (2-for-5, BB, 3 K), Baez (2-for-4, R, RBI, BB), and Cespedes (2-for-5, R, RBI, BB, 2) each had multiple hits.

Leo De Vries finished 0-for-4 with a walk in his Double-A debut.

KERNELS NUGGETS
Cedar Rapids 2, South Bend 3
Box Score

The Kernels got a strong effort from reigning Midwest League Pitcher of the Week, Ty Langenberg in this one. He completed seven innings, allowing just two earned runs on five hits and one walk, while striking out six. He threw 89 pitches, with 59 going for strikes (66%).

Unfortunately for him and the Kernels, their offense wasn’t able to ever give him any breathing room. The Cubs plated one in the first on a double-play ball, then their second run against Langenberg in the sixth after a leadoff walk scored on a double.

The Kernels tied the game at one in the top of the fourth with a minor two-out rally. Caden Kendle singled, moved to second on a wild pitch, and scored on a throwing error. They took a 2-1 lead in the fifth after Marek Houston collected his first hit in the Midwest League. After his single he stole second base, then came home on an RBI knock from Eduardo Tait. But that was all the offense would get.

Nick Trabacchi came on in relief of Langenberg to start the eighth and worked a one-two-three inning. Back out for the ninth, it immediately went the wrong way. He walked the first two hitters before a sac bunt put the winning run 90-feet away. A liner into right was caught, but the throw home was not in time and the Kernels were walked-off.

Kendle led the way with two hits in four trips to the plate. He doubled, scored a run, drew a walk, and struck out once. Marek Houston finished his Midwest League debut 1-for-4 with a run scored, walk, stolen base, and pair of strikeouts.

MUSSEL MATTERS
Tampa @ Fort Myers (Postponed, rain)

The series opening tilt between the Mighty Mussels and Tarpons at Hammond Stadium was postponed by persistent rain on the gulf coast of Florida on Tuesday. They will try to play a doubleheader tomorrow, with game one starting around 3:30 PM CDT in the afternoon.

DOMINICAN DAILIES
Monday: DSL Phillies Red 7, DSL Twins 8
Box Score

The Twins rallied from a three-run deficit to take this one late as the bullpen kept them close enough over the final five innings.

Omar Montano took the hill and went the first three innings. He was charged with three earned runs on five hits, while striking out three. Juan Figaro pitched the fourth inning and allowed two earned runs on one hit and four walks. Aaron Carranzo (1 IP, H, K), Agustin Campusano (1 IP, BB), Brandy Ceballos (1/3 IP, 2 R, 3 BB), Marlon Mirabel (2/3 IP, 2 H, BB), and Nestor Cafe (2 IP, BB, K) kept the Phillies in check enough the rest of the way.

Joyner Perez tied the game at three in the third with a two-run single. Jose Barrios hit a solo home run in the fourth. Down by three in the seventh the Twins took advantage of an error and a double-steal to pull within one. In the bottom of the eighth Jamesson Val tied the game at seven with a triple, and another error put them up by one for good. Jhomnardo Reyes (2-for-4, 2B, K) was the only hitter with multiple knocks.

Tuesday: DSL Mets Orange 9, DSL Twins 8
Box Score

The Twins held a lead through most of this one, but weren’t able to hold on in the end as the Mets scored seven runs over the final four innings to come back.

Right-hander Rey Pacheco got the start and went the first four-plus innings. He scattered two six hits to the tune of two earned runs, and struck out four in 4 2/3. Jensi Infante came in for the final out of the fifth and started the sixth as well. He only recorded one other out, allowing two earned runs on two hits and a walk in 2/3 of an inning.  Jeicol Surumay then came on, and went the next 1 2/3. He was charged with three earned runs on three hits and one walk, while striking out two. Still up by one to start the eighth, Jesus Gomez (1 IP, H ER, 2 BB, 2 K) and Yordi Jose (1 IP, 2 H, ER, 2 BB, 2 K) weren’t able to close it out.

The Twins took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the third on a two-run single from Santiago Leon. They stretched their early lead to 5-1 in the fourth thanks to RBI singles from Dencer Diaz and Gerardo Cardona, as well as a wild pitch. Joyner Perez capped the Twins scoring in the sixth with a two-run double.

Darwin Almanzar (2-for-5, R) and Diaz (2-for-5, 2 R, RBI) led the way with two hits apiece.

TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY
Pitcher of the Day – Ty Langenberg, Cedar Rapids Kernels (7 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, BB, 6 K)
Hitter of the Day – Kyler Fedko, St. Paul Saints (5-for-5, 4 R, 2 2B, HR, 2 RBI)

PROSPECT SUMMARY
Check out the Prospect Tracker for much more on our Twins Top 20 prospects after seeing how they performed on Tuesday.

#1 – Walker Jenkins (Wichita): 2-for-5, 2 R, K
#2 – Luke Keaschall (Minnesota): 1-for-4, 3 K
#5 – Eduardo Tait (Cedar Rapids): 1-for-4, RBI, K
#6 – Connor Prielipp (St. Paul): 3 1/3 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, 5 K
#13 – Marek Houston (Cedar Rapids): 1-for-4, R, BB, 2 K, SB (1)
#14 – Brandon Winokur (Cedar Rapids): 0-for-4, 2 K
#17 – Kyle DeBarge (Cedar Rapids): 0-for-5, 3 K
#20 – Hendry Mendez (Wichita): 1-for-1 (had to leave game in top of the first)

WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS
Round Rock @ St. Paul (7:07 PM CDT) – LHP Kendry Rojas (1-1, 5.79 ERA)
Wichita @ Midland (6:30 PM CDT) – RHP Darren Bowen (3-7, 5.33 ERA)
Cedar Rapids @ South Bend (6:05 PM CDT) – RHP Jacob Kisting (2-3, 2.28 ERA)
Tampa @ Fort Myers, Game 1 (3:30 PM CDT) – RHP Michael Ross (4-4, 3.00 ERA)
Tampa @ Fort Myers, Game 2 (30 min after game 1) – TBD

Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Tuesday’s games! 

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!

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