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Despite being clear of the health woes that plagued him in 2025, Jackson Merrill has not been immune to the struggles of the collective San Diego Padres offense. In fact, he's largely been a driver of such struggles. As he approaches his first 300 plate appearances of the season, Merrill carries a line of just .213/.277/.358 with little power (.146 ISO) and a wRC+ of 79. Each of his strikeout (24.1 percent) and walk (7.8 percent) rates are up a touch, with very little batted ball luck on which to fall back (.259 BABIP). He's provided steady defense and been a force on the bases (12 steals), but there hasn't been much to generate excitement over his performance at the plate. The month of June has represented a turnaround in at least one respect, however. Merrill's power is beginning to show itself with more consistency than we'd seen in the first couple of months of the season. Many of the issues that we saw from Merrill have persisted even halfway this month. His slash still only features a batting average of .226 and on-base percentage lingering around .260. His wRC+ is still, technically, that of a below-average hitter at 93. His batted ball fortunes are worse than ever, at a .244 BABIP. The power, though, is of particular interest. Merrill's ability to impact a baseball game with one swing has started to appear, even in the face of continued struggle elsewhere. Merrill's ISO this month reads .210. Coming off a .130 figure in March & April and a .121 output in May, that's particularly encouraging. His three home runs this month match his total from March & April with half the month still to go. What's more is that Merrill's 52.1 percent hard-hit rate represents his highest in an individual month this year. That's by a fairly wide margin, too; he had rates of 44.2 and 47.7 percent in each of the the first two months. What's interesting in the re-emergence of his power is that it's largely come on the strength of his work against breaking pitches. While Merrill's best work in his career has come against the hard stuff (run values of six and seven in his first two seasons, respectively), his rookie year showcased an impressive standing against breaking pitches. This month, he's mashing them: His 61.5 percent hard-hit rate against breaking pitches this month is his highest against any of the three groups in any month thus far. He's finding the barrel at an obscene 23.1 percent clip, too, helping to drive that trend. Two of his three home runs this month have also come against breaking pitches. It's something that Merrill clearly recognizes, as well. His swing rate against breaking pitches is up at 68.2 percent this month, leading all pitch groups. What's encouraging about that is that while he's swinging at them more, he's not whiffing. Merrill's swing-and-miss rate against breaking pitches is actually down slightly from last month, while his fly-ball rate on contact has more than doubled to 53.8 percent. Whether or not this is a permanent trend, however, remains to be seen. Merrill's best work has always come against fastballs. They've served as the primary source of quality contact and subsequent power output in the small sample that his career still is. That breaking balls have jumped to the forefront of his production is an interesting development that doesn't feature a strong foundation on which to stand at this point. What may be more important in terms of that foundational skillset is that Merrill appears to be locking in his eye on some level. There's a pitch recognition happening here that is allowing him to jump on breaking pitches. Perhaps that's something that can carry over into the rest of his approach as he tries to reestablish himself as a multi-faceted offensive player. That's something that we'll have to continue to monitor given the minuscule sample with which we have to work. View the full article -
Mick Abel has been on the injured list since April 20, but it appears his return may finally be right around the corner. According to recent reports, Abel was expected to travel with the Twins to Arizona this weekend, and the timing could line up perfectly. Minnesota has yet to announce a starter for Sunday's game, which just so happens to align with Abel's turn in the rotation. If that ends up being the case, it would be a significant boost for a pitching staff that's currently dealing with injuries. With Bailey Ober and Kendry Rojas both also on the shelf, the Twins have been forced to lean heavily on their organizational depth over the last few weeks. Beyond simply getting another arm back, though, Abel's return would bring back one of the most intriguing young starters in the organization. In fact, in his final two starts before landing on the injured list, Abel looked every bit the part of a future frontline starter. Facing the Tigers and Red Sox, he tossed 13 scoreless innings while allowing just eight hits and three walks. He struck out 16 batters during that span and consistently overpowered hitters from start to finish. For Twins fans, it was the first real glimpse of what Abel could become if everything clicks. And a huge reason for that optimism is his fastball. Quite frankly, I think Abel's four-seam fastball has the potential to become one of the best pitches in all of baseball. That's a bold statement, but the underlying numbers make a very strong case. During those final two starts before his injury, Abel generated a remarkable 38.5 percent whiff rate on his four-seam fastball. Even when looking at his full-season sample, the pitch owns a 33.8 percent whiff rate. That's an absurd number. Technically, Abel doesn't qualify for league leaderboards because he hasn't thrown enough innings, but among all eligible pitchers, that 33.8 percent whiff rate would rank second in the league (behind only Jacob Misiorowski). The pitch also owns a 118 Stuff+ rating, placing it comfortably among the best fastballs in baseball. So why is it so effective? A lot of it starts with Abel's arm slot. Despite standing at 6-foot-5, Abel releases the baseball from a relatively low arm angle. The delivery is very similar to Joe Ryan's in that regard, and it creates a flatter approach angle as the ball enters the strike zone. Many pitchers create a steeper downhill plane, but with how much induced vertical break Abel generates, it fools hitters up in the zone. That’s often led to swings underneath the ball, and the bat-tracking data supports exactly that. Time and time again, opposing hitters are getting under Abel's fastball rather than squaring it up. Even when they make contact, they're frequently missing the ideal contact point. The lower arm slot also creates additional horizontal movement. Because of the way the ball comes out of his hand, his fastball features more natural tail than a traditional over-the-top delivery. That same movement profile carries over to the rest of his arsenal as well, allowing his breaking pitches to generate additional side-to-side action. It's a unique combination of traits that makes his entire pitch mix play up. Then there's the physical component. Abel is already throwing around 95 MPH, but the radar gun doesn't tell the whole story. Thanks to his long frame and impressive mechanics, he's generating nearly seven feet of extension toward home plate. That means the ball is being released significantly closer to the hitter than average. As a result, his 95 MPH fastball effectively plays much harder. To hitters, it can look more like 98 or 99 MPH. When you combine that type of perceived velocity with the shape of the pitch, you're talking about a very difficult fastball to handle. Of course, it's not perfect yet. When Abel is pounding it at the top of the strike zone, it becomes incredibly difficult to do damage against. That's where the shape, approach angle, and velocity all work together at their best. The problem is that he hasn't consistently lived in that area. There have been plenty of occasions where he's left fastballs lower in the zone, and those mistakes have been hit hard. Ideally, his fastball and secondary pitches should be attacking completely different planes. The fastball should be missing bats up, while everything else is meant to work underneath it. That's an adjustment that should come with continued experience. It's also worth noting that Abel has been unlucky in his small sample this season. Opposing hitters own a .386 batting average on balls in play against him, an extremely high number that almost certainly isn't sustainable over the long run. As that figure begins to normalize, some of the results should start moving in his favor as well. Still, the biggest takeaway isn't bad luck. It's the ceiling. Abel's fastball received a 65-grade evaluation when he was selected in the first round out of high school in 2020, and it's easy to understand why scouts were so excited about the pitch. The velocity, movement profile, extension, and bat-missing ability are all there. When a pitcher has the ability to dominate hitters with a fastball alone, it changes the entire equation. Those are the kinds of arms that develop into frontline starters. Mick Abel isn't there yet, but the ingredients are obvious. If he can stay healthy and continue refining the command of that four-seamer, the Twins may have a legitimate future ace returning to their rotation sooner rather than later. View the full article -
Abraham Toro powered Omaha with a triple, a two-run homer, and three hits, but St. Paul walked off the Storm Chasers 6 to 5. Andrew Morones struck out six over three scoreless innings in relief for Northwest Arkansas in a 9-to-1 loss to Tulsa. Kendry Chourio fanned 10 across 4 2/3 innings for Quad Cities in a 12-to-2 defeat, and Luis Valdez tossed two scoreless innings for Columbia in a 10-to-0 shutout at Hickory. Royals Transactions Kansas City Royals activated RHP Seth Lugo from the 7-day injured list. Kansas City Royals optioned RHP Mason Black to Omaha Storm Chasers. Toro's Power Not Enough As Storm Chasers Fall In Walk-Off Omaha collected 11 hits but stranded nine runners in a 6-to-5 walk-off loss to the St. Paul Saints. Toro led the way, going 2-for-5 with a triple, a home run, and two runs batted in. Drew Waters added two doubles, a run, and an RBI, while Matthew Lugo and Brett Squires each had two hits. Omaha jumped on the board in the second inning. Waters doubled to right to score Toro, and Brandon Drury followed with a single that brought Waters home, cutting the deficit to 3 to 2. The Storm Chasers tied it in the fifth when Squires singled home Lugo. Toro put Omaha ahead in the eighth with a two-run homer to left center that scored Luca Tresh, making it 5 to 4. Randy Dobnak took the bulk of the work, allowing three runs, all earned, on six hits with one walk and five strikeouts over 4 1/3 innings. The bullpen could not hold the late lead, as St. Paul tied the game in the ninth and pushed across the winning run to take it 6 to 5. Player AB R H RBI BB K Peyton Wilson 5 0 0 0 0 2 Matthew Lugo 5 1 2 0 0 1 Brett Squires 5 0 2 0 0 3 Luca Tresh 4 1 1 0 0 2 Abraham Toro 5 2 2 2 0 0 Drew Waters 4 1 2 1 0 0 Brandon Drury 3 0 1 1 1 0 Gavin Cross 3 0 0 0 1 0 Kevin Newman 4 0 1 0 0 2 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Randy Dobnak 4 1/3 6 3 3 1 5 1 Dan Altavilla 1 2/3 1 1 0 0 1 0 Andrew Pérez 1 0 0 0 1 2 0 Eric Cerantola 1 1/3 4 2 2 1 3 1 Naturals Bats Go Quiet In Lopsided Loss To Tulsa Northwest Arkansas managed just four hits and stranded five runners in a 9-to-1 loss to the Tulsa Drillers. Daniel Vazquez drove in the lone run, going 1-for-3 with a walk. Colton Becker added a double and scored the only run, while Rudy Martin Jr. and Omar Hernandez each chipped in a single. The Naturals scored their only run in the first inning, when Vazquez singled to left to bring home Becker and tie the game at one. Tulsa answered immediately, building a lead with a four-run second inning and never looking back. Hunter Owen had a rough outing, surrendering six runs, all earned, on seven hits with four walks and one strikeout across two innings. Morones was the bright spot out of the bullpen, working three scoreless innings while allowing one hit, walking two, and striking out six. Chase Jessee followed with three innings, allowing one run on two hits, and Brandon Johnson gave up two runs in the ninth. Player AB R H RBI BB K Rudy Martin Jr. 4 0 1 0 0 2 Colton Becker 4 1 1 0 0 0 Sam Kulasingam 4 0 0 0 0 1 Carson Roccaforte 3 0 0 0 1 2 Daniel Vazquez 3 0 1 1 1 1 Omar Hernandez 4 0 1 0 0 0 Connor Scott 3 0 0 0 0 0 Canyon Brown 3 0 0 0 0 2 Alberto Rodriguez 1 0 0 0 2 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Hunter Owen 2 7 6 6 4 1 0 Chase Jessee 3 2 1 1 3 4 0 Brandon Johnson 1 2 2 2 2 1 0 Andrew Morones 3 1 0 0 2 6 0 Chourio Strikes Out 10 But River Bandits Drop Slugfest Quad Cities piled up 12 runners left on base and could not string together offense in a 12-to-2 loss to the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers. Erick Torres had the lone multi-hit day at 2-for-4, while Asbel Gonzalez, Ramon Ramirez, Luke Pelzer, Derlin Figueroa, and Angel Acosta each added a single. Figueroa and Tyriq Kemp drove in the runs. The River Bandits got both of their runs in the first inning. Figueroa singled home Blake Mitchell, and Kemp followed with a sacrifice fly that scored Ramirez to tie the game at two. The offense went silent from there as Wisconsin pulled away, scoring 10 unanswered runs. The River Bandits left 12 runners on base and went 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position. Chourio was sharp at times and overpowering with the strikeout, fanning 10 batters over 4 2/3 innings, but he was charged with seven runs, five earned, on seven hits and a home run while issuing no walks. Mason Miller allowed one run over 2 1/3 innings, and Ryan Ure was tagged for four runs in two innings to close it out. Player AB R H RBI BB K Asbel Gonzalez 4 0 1 0 1 3 Blake Mitchell 3 1 0 0 2 3 Ramon Ramirez 4 1 1 0 1 2 Luke Pelzer 4 0 1 0 1 0 Derlin Figueroa 5 0 1 1 0 3 Tyriq Kemp 3 0 0 1 0 0 Connor Rasmussen 4 0 0 0 0 1 Erick Torres 4 0 2 0 0 0 Angel Acosta 3 0 1 0 1 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Kendry Chourio 4 2/3 7 7 5 0 10 1 Mason Miller 2 1/3 2 1 1 1 1 0 Ryan Ure 2 3 4 4 1 1 0 Fireflies Shut Out At Hickory In Quiet Night At The Plate Columbia was held to three hits and was shut out 10 to 0 by the Hickory Crawdads. Hyungchan Um, Sean Gamble, and Angel Ramirez each had a single, and Yandel Ricardo and Josh Hammond drew the only walks. The offense never advanced a runner across the plate. The Fireflies went 1-for-4 with runners in scoring position and left five runners on base. The damage came in the fifth inning, when Hickory broke the game open with six runs to turn a manageable deficit into a rout. The Crawdads had taken an early lead with three runs in the third and tacked on another in the seventh. Coleman Picard absorbed the loss, allowing three runs, all earned, on five hits with one walk and two strikeouts over 2 2/3 innings. Randy Ramnarace was charged with five runs, though none were earned, across two innings. Valdez finished strong, striking out three over two scoreless innings while allowing two hits and two walks. Player AB R H RBI BB K Yandel Ricardo 3 0 0 0 1 2 Josh Hammond 3 0 0 0 1 0 Stone Russell 4 0 0 0 0 3 Hyungchan Um 4 0 1 0 0 1 Sean Gamble 3 0 1 0 0 0 JC Vanek 1 0 0 0 0 1 Roni Cabrera 3 0 0 0 0 1 Angel Ramirez 3 0 1 0 0 1 Ivan Sosa 3 0 0 0 0 1 Josi Novas 3 0 0 0 0 2 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Coleman Picard 2 2/3 5 3 3 1 2 0 Randy Ramnarace 2 2 5 0 2 1 0 Brandon Herbold 1 1/3 1 1 0 2 1 0 Luis Valdez 2 2 1 0 2 3 0 Top-20 Prospect Performance Kendry Chourio: 4 2/3 IP, 7 H, 7 R, 5 ER, 0 BB, 10 K, 1 HR David Shields: DNP Sean Gamble: 1-for-3 Blake Mitchell: 0-for-3, 2 BB, 3 K Josh Hammond: 0-for-3, BB Ramon Ramirez: 1-for-4, R, BB, 2 K Drew Beam: DNP Asbel Gonzalez: 1-for-4, BB, 3 K Ben Kudrna: DNP Carson Roccaforte: 0-for-3, BB, 2 K Yandel Ricardo: 0-for-3, BB, 2 K Felix Arronde: DNP Blake Wolters: DNP Michael Lombardi: DNP Luinder Avila: DNP Steven Zobac: DNP Frank Mozzicato: DNP Daniel Vazquez: 1-for-3, RBI, BB, K Warren Colcano: 0-for-2, 1 BB Shane Panzini: DNP View the full article -
With a return potentially right around the corner, it's worth revisiting why there's so much excitement surrounding Mick Abel. View the full article -
The Sounds said goodbye to their first-half playoff hopes, while the Shuckers inched closer to clinching. We try to explain why incredible Maryvale right fielder Alexander Frias hasn't landed in Wilson yet. Transactions: Nashville Sounds activated RHP J.B. Bukauskas from the 7-day injured list. SS/3B Cristopher Acosta placed on ACL Brewers’ 7-day injured list Acosta last played on June 8th. Nashville Pre-Game Media Notes Final: Memphis (Cardinals) 4, Nashville 1 Box Score and Game Log Via the Sounds, game details, and we encourage readers to always review affiliate write-ups as part of their Link Report routine: Sounds Eliminated from First Half Playoff Race - Stallings shined in team-high 11th start of season The game summary didn't include video of the Luis Lara RBI single in the 5th that drove in Ethan Murray for the Sounds' lone run, but you can see it here. On the same play, Ramon Rodriguez is out at the plate as the video is unfortunately too reminiscent of the key play in the parent club's loss in Atlanta Friday night. Speaking of reminiscent with the big-league Brewers, this didn't cost the Sounds the game but reminds us of the Jake Woodford era: Lara joined Eddys Leonard (you read about Leonards' three walks in the summary) to reach base more than once, as Lara was hit by a pitch. It's true that Lara has cooled in June (.467 OPS in 11 games), but I've seen too many online concerns about that tiny sample vs. the weight of Lara's incredible work the prior two full months. Concerns? Jett Williams has a .239 OBP in June, and his 0-for-4, three K night in the leadoff spot dragged his overall numbers further. Yes, four HR's this month is helpful, but what seemed an imminent call-up is now anything but. Williams isn't going to supplant Joey Ortiz as part of an MLB platoon soon despite an .862 OPS vs. AAA southpaws this season. Williams started his second game at shortstop since Cooper Pratt's call-up. Brock Wilken was on the bench again, as his days off become more frequent. Catch up with the latest Biloxi pre-game audio interview archives Biloxi Pre-Game Media Notes Final, Game One: Biloxi 14, Columbus (Braves) 3, seven innings as scheduled Box Score and Game Log Game Two: Biloxi 1, Columbus 1, Suspended heading to the bottom of the 3rd in Biloxi, scheduled for seven innings Box Score and Game Log Shuckers Magic Number Drops to Two, Game Two Suspended in Third Inning - Made records four RBI in game one, four Shuckers record multi-hit efforts Thankfully, the Shuckers socials were all about it, as was MiLB Pipeline. Specific to Jesús Made, here are the four RBI from Game One followed by his run-scoring hit in Game Two: You are invited to visit the Shuckers' 'X' feed for the Jacob Hurtubise, Blake Burke, Josh Adamczewski, Eric Brown, Jr. and Andrew Fischer highlights, as well as the game-ending double play. Whenever three runs scored on an extra-base hit, it'll get placed in this Link Reporter's submission, as Dylan O'Rae matched Made's earlier such knock with one of his own: No concerns with O'Rae and Adamczewski exiting the opening game, those were "blowout moves" as each was in the starting lineup for Game Two. Despite not walking a batter (one HBP), starting RHP Jaron DeBerry needed 93 pitches to gut out five innings of eight-hit, two-run ball for the win. Still, a solid outing. Pretty cool how the Shuckers host New Orleans Saints legends each year. Wisconsin Pre-Game Media Notes (download link) Final: Wisconsin 12, Quad Cities (Royals) 2 Box Score and Game Log Via the Timber Rattlers, game details: Bitonti Blasts Bandits with Five-Hit, Four-RBI Night - Wisconsin wins second half opener 12-2 We always tell you that game summaries are a must-see, must-read, and this is a perfect example. No just for all the embedded highlights, but also the eye-opening bookend notes from Chris Mehring regarding Eric Bitonti's Thursday night, as well as his place in T-Rat history regarding multiple five-hit efforts. Braylon Payne scored each of the three times he reached as his OPS now sits at .989. Josiah Ragsdale doubled and tripled and isn't far behind in OPS at .904. Adam who? Andrew who? As we await the return of Luis Pena (apparent minor hamstring issue), the Wisconsin lineup should maintain enough firepower to function well, even without any significant backfills for the Adamczewski and Fischer departures. The roster will be a bit top-heavy and will need the bottom of the order to provide production more often. We have solved the Wande Torres mystery. The talented but often frustrating 21-year-old, no longer the 190 pounds listed on his player page, simply needs to pitch on the 19th of the month, or at least be convinced it's the 19th each time he takes the mound. Check out Torres' game log, littered with rough efforts, but two games in particular stand out. The River Bandits starter, RHP Kendry Chourio (a Venezuelan native and apparently a popular surname in that country), was the first 18-year-old to pitch in a High-A contest since 2021 when the Marlins' Eury Perez did so. The Rattlers scoring seven runs against him (five earned) is impressive but also note that Chourio walked none (one HBP, Payne) and struck out ten in 4.2 innings. Thankfully the Royals AA affiliate isn't in the Southern League but look for this young man's future career path. Wilson Pre-Game Media Notes Final: Charleston (Rays) 4, Wilson 2 Box Score and Game Log Wilson Bats Quieted in Second Half Opener - Mills Provides Offense with Homer We love much of what you're doing, 18-year-old Brady Ebel, but the RiverDogs' starter set the tone in the 1st inning and finished with no walks and nine K's: Wilson RH starter Tyler Renz tossed scoreless ball through three innings, but a pitching line can be impacted by a single pitch, and Renz knew this one was a mistake: Newcomer RHP Bryce Schaum has not been scored upon in four outings, but the 23-year-old got help from plenty of hands in the 9th: Brady Marget singles on a line drive to left fielder Tyler Rodriguez. Brendan Summerhill out at home on the throw, left fielder Tyler Rodriguez to catcher Rylan Mills to second baseman Luis Lameda to catcher Rylan Mills to shortstop Juan Ortuno to right fielder José Anderson to first baseman Frederi Montero. Alberth Palma to 3rd. Brady Marget to 2nd. Your box score review will show a quiet night outside of the Mills blast. Thankfully this output, so common in April, is pretty rare for the Warbirds these days. Final: ACL Guardians 14, ACL Brewers 11 Box Score and Game Log This was such a good point made by my fellow Link Reporter "Ro" in our forum thread: The only thing holding up (Frias') promotion to Wilson is probably the ACL squad’s lack of depth -> just 3 bench position players, one of which (OF Kenny Fenelon) is probably not available after exiting Tuesday’s game early. What is going on, Brewers Player Development? Is the organization right up against the 165-man stateside player limit? Can't ever remember a complex league team, even after the consolidation to one Arizona League squad, being so lean from a position player standpoint. For this game, other than the sidelined Fenelon, the only bench players were 1B/C Jonathan Rangel and catcher Freider Rojas. 18-year-old 2025 bonus baby Brailyn Antunez (1.023 OPS in 13 June games) homered (his 5th), singled, walked twice, stole his 9th base in 12 tries, Gee, the Cleveland kids played clean defense and did not allow any unearned runs. The A-Crew committed four errors and allowed three unearned runs. Gee, look at the final score. But let's not kid ourselves. Maryvale pitchers walked 12 (three wild pitches) and only fanned two. Maryvale batters went 5-for-23 (wow, 23!) with RISP. Cleveland batters were 6-for-18, so a combined 41 AB's with RISP in this three-hour, 36-minute contest for the legions in attendance. Earlier in the day, we indicated that RHP Hayden Vucinovich was lined up to pitch on his 19th birthday, and sure enough, he did. Vucinovich will continue to work on things as he's now walked 27 in 15.2 innings. It does make you appreciate what other recent high school picks like Renz and Jayden Dubanewicz accomplished when they toiled in the desert. Final: DSL Brewers Gold 11, DSL Athletics 4 Box Score and Game Log The Golden Boys improved to 4-10 with this win, scoring in four of the first five innings to jump to an 11-1 lead before quietly coasting in the latter innings. Still just 17 years old, Venezuelan LHP Santiago Martinez now has a 19-to-3 K-to-BB mark through three appearances. After pitching five, then four, innings in his first two outings, he was lifted with two outs in the 3rd here, immediately after retiring two batters, the last on a strikeout. Hopefully the young man is OK. Angeni Fernandez did not come cheap last January with a $500,000 bonus for the still-just-16-year-old Dominican native. Thus far, he has started seven games in center field, three in left, and the right-handed batter started his third game at second base here. Fernandez singled twice and drew four walks, that'll lift one's OBP quickly (now .477 through 13 games). Ricki Moneys has ten hits in his last five games and with all due respect to the younger crowd here, this late rock legend namesake says his bat was Shakin': Final: DSL Royals Fortuna 3, DSL Brewers Blue 0 Box Score and Game Log The rare day when the now 9-4 Blue squad is outperformed by their DSL mates on the Gold side. Blue batters outhit the Royals 6-5, including doubles for 16-year-old Leanders Matos and catcher Yoneiker Lugo, but stranded nine with a 1-for-8 with RISP effort, obviously no RBI in the shutout loss. Lugo grounded out to end the 6th and was then replaced the next half-inning, so as we so often say, something to monitor. RHP Justin Lugo, a Dominican native not related to his aforementioned Venezuelan batterymate, had the strongest of the three Blue pitching lines, though all three hurlers were solid. I'll be back for you Sunday AM, and the only reason seven games are scheduled rather than eight is that the two DSL squads again face each other. As our good friend Javik in Biloxi reminds us: Hope it's a wonderful Saturday for all! Organizational Scoreboard including starting pitcher info, game times, MiLB TV links, and box scores Current Milwaukee Brewers Organization Batting Stats and Depth Current Milwaukee Brewers Organization Pitching Stats and Depth View the full article -
When Jared Young returned to the New York Mets' lineup on May 26 after missing more than six weeks with a torn left meniscus, attention quickly shifted toward the most visible results. After all, home runs are usually the fastest way to attract attention in Major League Baseball. Young was placed on the injured list on April 13 and required a six-game rehabilitation assignment between St. Lucie and Syracuse before being cleared to return. Since coming back, he has hit four home runs and posted a .750 OPS over his first 18 games, providing a meaningful contribution to a Mets offense that has searched for production throughout the lineup. However, the home runs do not appear to be the most interesting part of the story. A deeper look suggests that Young's offensive development has far less to do with a power surge and much more to do with the way he is building each plate appearance. That evolution begins with swing decisions. Plate Discipline 2025 2026 Chase Rate 28.7% 26.3% Zone Swing Rate 67.3% 73.1% In-Zone Contact Rate 81.8% 87.2% Strikeout Rate 34.0% 21.6% The decline in his chase rate may seem modest in isolation, but it becomes more meaningful when viewed alongside the rest of his profile. Young is chasing fewer pitches outside the strike zone while increasing the frequency with which he swings at strikes. In other words, he is becoming more selective without becoming passive. Naturally, the most significant change in Young's profile is his strikeout rate. After striking out in 34.0% of his plate appearances last season, that figure has fallen to 21.6% in 2026. His improvement on pitches in the strike zone is especially noteworthy. Young's In-Zone Contact Rate has increased from 81.8% to 87.2%, a substantial jump in an environment where plate appearances are often decided by the smallest margins. Every avoided swing-and-miss creates another opportunity to put the ball in play and force the defense to make a play. Of course, making more contact only matters if the quality of that contact remains intact. That is where Young's profile becomes particularly interesting. Quality of Contact 2025 2026 Hard-Hit Rate 39.3% 45.9% Avg. Exit Velocity 84.6 mph 89.9 mph xwOBA .296 .344 Squared-Up Contact% 23.60% 27.20% The numbers show that Young is not sacrificing impact in exchange for contact. His hard-hit rate has increased by more than six percentage points compared to last season, while his average exit velocity has jumped by more than five miles per hour. At the same time, his xwOBA has improved from .296 to .344, suggesting that the quality of his contact has improved along with his ability to put the ball in play. The increase in squared-up contact rate reinforces that conclusion. Young is producing efficient contact more frequently than he did a year ago, another indicator that the gains in his profile extend beyond simple results. The data also suggest that these gains are being driven by efficiency rather than increased effort. Young's average bat speed has actually declined slightly from last season, making it unlikely that the improved results stem from a more aggressive approach. Instead, the evidence points toward a hitter who is finding better pitches to attack and maximizing more of the opportunities he gets. That distinction matters because improvements in plate discipline and contact quality often provide a stronger foundation than short-term fluctuations in power production. Home run totals can rise and fall over the course of a season, but underlying skills tend to offer a clearer picture of whether a hitter is genuinely improving. There are still limitations in Young's profile. His production against left-handed pitching remains well below what he has done against right-handers, a split that opposing clubs will continue trying to exploit. Through 2026, he owns a 130 wRC+ against right-handed pitching compared to an 8 wRC+ against left-handers, illustrating how much of his offensive value remains tied to favorable matchups. Even so, the broader trend is difficult to ignore. Fewer chases, more contact in the strike zone, and stronger underlying contact metrics all point in the same direction. Whether that translates into a larger offensive leap remains to be seen, but the indicators suggest Young is becoming a more complete hitter than the one the Mets saw a year ago. View the full article -
With Daniel Palencia out, the Chicago Cubs turned to Jacob Webb in the ninth inning against the Colorado Rockies. Is he the de facto closer now? Should he be? Webb is primarily a two-pitch pitcher, throwing his fastball and changeup far more than any other pitches. The fastball simply has not gotten the job done this year; it's been hit harder than ever, against both right-handed and left-handed hitters. Still, Webb has gotten away with it for the most part against left-handed hitters due to a changeup that has been very effective. He has not, however, seen the same results with his changeup against righties, leading to some ugly opposite-handed platoon splits. Webb seems to be searching for answers for his secondary pitch against that split. He used the sweeper as his secondary pitch to righties last season and carried that into early this season. It had pretty disastrous results early on and he has not thrown it since April 19, shelving it in favor of a curveball at that point. But he only threw the curveball until May 22 and has barely thrown it since. Although he didn’t allow a hit off of it, the average exit velocity was 96.2 mph, indicating that he was lucky with his results. Since May 22, he has used a slider as his breaking option. It’s a brief sample, but he has only allowed one single and has an exit velocity of 82.6 mph off the pitch. Clearly, Webb is still trying to figure out how to get outs against right-handed hitters. Craig Counsell knows this and game-plans around it. Jacob Webb has faced 82 lefties this season and just 53 righties. The former have taken around 48% of the PA in MLB this year, yet Webb is facing almost 61% lefties. Webb has been solid this year, and he absolutely can be useful against lefty-heavy lineups, but it seems clear he won’t be a closer if he continues to be hidden from righties. If he is expected to close games, he’s going to need to find a way to consistently win plate appearances when he has the handedness advantage. The Cubs better hope Palencia’s IL trip is a short one, lest they put Webb in a situation that exposes his fatal flaw. View the full article -
The Royals' Offense Has Not Been the Problem in June
DiamondCentric posted an article in Royals Keep
It's been a rough season for the Royals, as they sit in second-to-last place in the AL Central at 32-45, as of June 19th. There has been plenty for Royals fans to complain about this year, especially considering the optimistic expectations with this team after an 82-80 campaign in 2025. Barring something dramatic, Kansas City will likely suffer its first losing season since 2023, when it lost 106 games, tying a franchise record (which also happened in 2006). The Royals have been a bit snakebitten with injuries this year, which hasn't helped their situation. Right now, the Royals have Cole Ragans, Carlos Estevez, and Jonathan India on the 60-Day IL, and Vinnie Pasquantino and Kyle Isbel on the 10-Day IL. While Maikel Garcia hasn't been placed on the IL, he has missed time due to a lingering hand injury. Lastly, Kansas City received a gut punch on Thursday in their blowout win over the Cardinals, as Bobby Witt Jr. left the game due to injury. It was reported on Friday that Witt had suffered a grade 1 MCL sprain. As of now, it seems like the Royals are exploring options with Witt, especially with an off day on Saturday due to the World Cup game at Arrowhead Stadium. It doesn't seem like there are a lot of good takeaways from this club at this time, especially with them being 13 games under .500. However, I would say that there's one area for the Royals that has improved in June: the offense. Let's take a look at the Royals' turnaround this month, which Kansas City players have stuck out specifically, and how the Royals' offense could fare going forward, especially with the most recent injury to Witt. Hitting the Ball and Stealing Bases Has Been Key in June Overall, this year, the Royals' offensive numbers don't stick out at first glance. According to Fangraphs, they rank 14th in fWAR, 22nd in wRC+, 20th in wOBA, and 17th in xwOBA. Kansas City has been a "middle-of-the-pack" offense, which is fine when paired up with good pitching. Unfortunately, that hasn't been the case this year, as the Royals pitching staff ranks 22nd in pitching fWAR and 21st in ERA. The bullpen has been especially poor, ranking 26th in reliever ERA and 30th in reliever fWAR, according to Fangraphs. That said, while the Royals' offense won't catch the eye of most fans, especially those disenchanted with Alec Zumwalt and his performance as hitting coach, the numbers over the past month have trended positively in the right direction. In June alone, the Royals rank 3rd in fWAR, 9th in wRC+, 7th in wOBA, and 4th in xwOBA. They have done a good job of collecting hits this month, as evidenced by their .285 batting average, which ranks second in June. The Royals have also been proficient on the basepaths with 20 stolen bases, which leads all of baseball this month, and 94 runs scored, which ranks second. A complete list of how the Royals have fared in June can be found in the table below, which is organized by fWAR. In addition to strong fWAR numbers, the trio has also put up strong results in wRC+ this month. Witt has a 142 wRC+, Cags has a 190 wRC+, and Thomas has a 160 wRC+. Thus, in terms of production, those three players have been key to Kansas City's offensive turnaround in June. The biggest story has been the emergence of Cags, who leads all Royals hitters this month in wRC+. While the former Florida product has a high K% at 26.5%, he leads the team in home runs with five, his latest coming on Friday night against the Cardinals. Cags has also been an RBI machine this month. He had 11 RBIs going into Friday's game, and he collected two more after a two-hit game in the Royals' 6-5 win. When looking at Cags' Statcast percentiles chart this month via TJ Stats, there's a lot to like with his profile. He's hitting the ball hard, pulling it more often, and launching it effectively. While cutting down the strikeouts and chasing would be nice, Royals fans can live with the whiffs and strikeouts as long as the power continues to develop. While Cags' breakout was nice, some of it was to be expected (or at least hoped for) in Spring Training. Thomas, however, was a bit more of a wild card when he was signed to a one-year deal this offseason. Thomas was showing progress in April, hitting .255 with a .739 OPS in 64 plate appearances. However, he declined heavily in May, hitting just .171 with a .514 OPS in 51 plate appearances. Thankfully, he has not just bounced back in June but emerged as one of the Royals' more dependable hitters. This month, the 30-year-old outfielder is hitting .280 with a .950 OPS in 59 plate appearances. He has hit four home runs in June after only one in March, April, and May combined. Thomas was particularly good in his old stomping grounds in Washington, as he hit homers in back-to-back games against the Nationals. When looking at his TJ Stats Statcast percentiles this month, Thomas has not been as flawless as Cags, who was dark red in nearly every Statcast category. The 30-year-old's bat speed still rates below average, and his Max EV leaves a bit to be desired. That said, Thomas' patient approach seems to be paying off in June, as evidenced by his strong wOBA and xwOBA percentiles, just to name a few. The Royals acquired Thomas because he had a history of not chasing. He's done that especially well in June, as evidenced by his 98th percentile O-Swing%. That has not only helped his BB% (90th percentile) but also improved his swing decisions. Those better decisions have resulted in more barrels (69th percentile barrel%) and better actual (98th percentile wOBA) and expected (85th percentile xwOBA) production. Thus, the former Guardians and Nationals outfielder has emerged as an everyday option in the outfield for manager Matt Quatraro, which is much needed with Isbel expected to be on the IL for a while due to plantar fasciitis. Can the Royals Overcome the Loss of Bobby? Kansas City has weathered the loss of Vinnie and Maikel well this month. Caglianone has slid into first base and may make Pasquantino expendable this offseason. Nick Loftin has also filled in well for Garcia, as Loftin is putting up a 151 wRC+ and 0.3 fWAR, the latter thanks to much better defense at third than second. However, if Bobby goes on the IL, that could be a more significant hit to this surging Royals lineup (even though they scored six runs in his absence on Friday). Witt hasn't hit for much power this month, as evidenced by his one home run and .108 ISO. That said, he not only led the team in fWAR, but he had a 142 wRC+, a 14.3% BB%, a 14.3% K%, and 12 runs scored before going down to injury on Thursday. Bobby's Statcast percentiles summary via TJ Stats showed he was an elite hitter in June, hitting the ball hard and effectively, though he could barrel and launch the ball more often. Witt only had a 35th-percentile barrel% and a Pull Air% in the 27th percentile, not a recipe for home runs. However, those paltry marks could be due to lackluster bat speed this month (32nd percentile), which caused him to swing late and settle for singles and doubles rather than home runs. He did seem to be trending in the right direction on Thursday, as he hit his first home run of the month in the first inning off Cardinals starter Matthew Liberatore. Unfortunately, the excitement with Witt's power was cut short after he injured his knee on a diving play. As Quatraro said in his pregame presser, an IL stint could be possible, though no decision has been made just yet. It's likely that the Royals will let him rest and recover on the Saturday off day and make a decision about his future before Sunday's game. If Witt does hit the IL, it will be difficult for the Royals to find an adequate replacement at shortstop. Tyler Tolbert got the start at shortstop on Friday, and he showed some strong defense and drove in an RBI on a sacrifice fly to center field. That said, he has a 98 wRC+ in 15 plate appearances and is striking out 46.7% of the time. The Royals need more than that at shortstop, even with Tolbert's speed (five stolen bases) and defense, which was on full display tonight. If healthy, Garcia makes the most sense at shortstop, especially since he has profiled well there defensively in the past. That said, he hasn't exactly had a stellar June. In 39 plate appearances, he is hitting .257 with an 89 wRC+. His K% is high this month at 23.1%, and he hasn't hit a home run, a slump that goes back to April (he didn't hit a home run in May). Garcia's Statcast summary shows a hitter who doesn't chase and is barreling better, but is struggling to generate consistent launch angle, exit velocity, and bat speed. Those issues could be tied to his on-again, off-again hand injury. He isn't pulling the ball in the air either, an area where he was showing progress earlier in the season. If Garcia can get healthy and closer to his April form, then the Royals should be fine with Witt out. Grade 1 MCL sprains typically have a 1-3 week recovery time, and Garcia can certainly hold down the shortstop position during that window. And yet, the Venezuelan infielder is not healthy, and hand injuries can take time to fully recover from, even if they do not require an injury stint. It's possible that Garcia may not return to his April self until after the All-Star break, at the soonest. That murkiness around Garcia's health makes this Witt situation that much more difficult for Quatraro and the President of Baseball Operations, JJ Picollo. View the full article -
Perfect Contact Is Making Kody Clemens a More Complete Hitter
DiamondCentric posted an article in Twins Daily
For most of his major-league career, Kody Clemens has fit the mold of a traditional left-handed hitter. He could damage right-handed pitching, but lefties consistently gave him problems. That trend has taken a surprising turn in 2026. Clemens has significantly narrowed the gap between his production against right-handed and left-handed pitchers. The results have been encouraging, but the underlying numbers may be even more promising. Improved contact quality and fewer swings and misses have helped him become a more complete hitter and a more valuable player for the Twins. For his career, Clemens owns a .223/.269/.335 (.604) line against southpaws across 204 plate appearances. He had managed only four home runs while striking out 47 times and drawing just nine walks. His overall OPS against lefties sat more than 110 points below what he produced against right-handed pitching. Those numbers painted a familiar picture. Left-handed hitters often struggle against same-side pitching, and Clemens appeared destined to remain a platoon option. This season has told a different story. In 54 plate appearances against lefties during 2026, Clemens is hitting .240/.283/.400 (.683) with four extra-base hits. Just as encouraging is his improved plate discipline. His .400 slugging percentage against lefties would be a career-high. He's struck out in only 17% of his PAs, a dramatic improvement from the swing-and-miss tendencies that plagued him earlier in his career. So what's changed? The answer starts with contact quality. Clemens currently ranks eighth in Major League Baseball in the percentage of balls in play classified as "Perfect Contact." Few hitters have been as efficient at centering the baseball on the barrel. That ability helps explain why the additional bat speed he added last spring has translated into improved offensive production. In 2024, his bat speed was at 70.5 mph, which would have ranked in baseball’s lower half if he had enough plate appearances to qualify. In 2025, he improved to 72.2 mph, ranking exactly at MLB’s midpoint, before decreasing a little this season to 71.8 mph. While a boost of 1.3 mph compared to 2024 might not seem like that much, it has made a significant difference for Clemens. The gains are especially noticeable when comparing his performance against left-handed pitching to previous seasons. Last year, opposing lefties consistently attacked him low and inside. Those pitches generated frequent whiffs, and Clemens struggled to get the barrel to the baseball. Even when he made contact, it often lacked authority. This season, that weakness has become far less pronounced. He is missing those pitches significantly less often, particularly in the lower part of the strike zone. Rather than swinging through low-and-inside offerings, Clemens is making more competitive contact and avoiding the empty swings that previously put him behind in counts. The improvement shows up in his run value profile as well. A season ago, his heat maps against left-handed pitching were filled with negative-value zones. Nearly every area of the strike zone represented a weakness that pitchers could exploit. The results this year still show some negative values, but the overall picture is much more encouraging. The largest improvements have come on pitches low and inside, as well as offerings up and away. Those areas once represented some of his biggest vulnerabilities. Now they are no longer automatic outs for opposing pitchers. That doesn't mean Clemens has suddenly become a dominant hitter against left-handed pitching. The sample size remains relatively small, and 54 plate appearances are far from enough to declare the issue solved. Still, the underlying indicators suggest that something real may be happening. “[I’m] trying to make some good swing decisions and make sure I’m swinging at good pitches,” Clemens said after Tuesday’s game, where he hit his seventh homer in 19 games. “Trying to stay within myself. I think sometimes I get too big, and that’s when I’ll swing and miss or foul one off or hit it in the air or whatever. But just trying to stay consistent and go day by day.” The improved contact rates, reduced swing-and-miss tendencies, and elite "Perfect Contact" numbers all point toward a hitter making meaningful adjustments. Even if some regression is inevitable, Clemens has narrowed the gap between his production against lefties and righties in a way he never has before. For a player who arrived in Minnesota as an emergency acquisition for cash considerations, that's another reminder that Clemens keeps finding ways to exceed expectations. What has stood out about Clemens this season? Can he build off these improvements? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View the full article -
Known as a baseball lifer, Jack McKeon won his only World Series as a manager as skipper of the Florida Marlins in 2003. On this day 15 years ago, McKeon decided he had a little bit left in the tank when he returned to the club at the age of 80. In 2003, McKeon took over as manager following the dismissal of Jeff Torborg after a tumultuous start. After a 32-39 start to 2011 under Edwin Rodriguez, the Marlins turned to McKeon to try to right the ship on June 20, 2011, naming him interim manager. McKeon spent three years with the Marlins during his first stint and managed the team to a winning record in each of those seasons. At one point in 2003, Florida was just 19-29 before going on to beat the New York Yankees in six games to win their second World Series. Tasked with trying to breathe life into a young but talented club that underachieved over the first months three of the 201 season, McKeon proved to still have a little magic left. Florida was just 32-40 when he took over, but by the early parts of August, the Marlins had evened their record at 55-55. Although Florida was able to get back to .500, it never managed to get over in what would be McKeon’s final season in a big-league dugout. After evening their record with a 4-3 win over the New York Mets on Aug. 2, the Marlins went just 17-35 over their final 52 games to finish the year with a 72-90 record. Over parts of four seasons with the Marlins, McKeon went 281-257 as manager of the club. He was also the last Florida skipper to manage at the park now known as Hard Rock Stadium. McKeon was brought back for a second stint at 80 years old on this day 15 years ago. View the full article -
MIAMI, FL - For Owen Caissie, who the Marlins acquired as the centerpiece in the trade that sent Edward Cabrera to the Chicago Cubs, his first full season at the major league level has been filled with plenty of ups and downs. Friday against the San Francisco Giants was a showcase of his all-around potential. Caissie's three-RBI night was what the Marlins needed to take the series opener by a final score of 4-3, getting back to .500. Caissie got things going right away in the bottom of the first inning, hitting his eighth home run of the season off Giants starting pitcher Landen Roupp. It marked his third-longest home run of the season at 401 feet. He has now hit a home run in back-to-back games. If you go on Caissie's Baseball Savant page, you may be surprised to notice that he ranks in the 78th percentile in sprint speed. That came into play. In the bottom of the third inning when he decided to bunt on the third pitch of the at-bat. He was clocked at 29.8 ft/sec running down the first base line and beat the throw to reach safely. "I just felt like doing it," Caissie said postgame. "It was a horrible bunt I laid it down and just ran." "If you see something where the defense is maybe giving you an opening there to be willing to take a shot, whether to get yourself on base to start an inning or move some guys around," McCullough said. "Owen maybe was trying to get that little further down the line, but he got it out there, and I applaud him and the other guys for thinking about the team." Caissie only had 29 plate appearances against left-handed pitching going into Friday's series opener. He was given an opportunity against Giants reliever Sam Hentges in the bottom of the seventh inning with runners on second and third. On the second pitch of the plate appearnace, Caissie hit a sacrifice fly deep enough to score Javier Sanoja and give the Marlins a 4-3 lead, which would be the difference. The 23-year-old finished the game going three for three with three RBI, and was a triple shy of the cycle. Friday marked Caissie third three-hit and three-RBI game of the season. Even through the lows when he had a .469 OPS in April and the highs when he had a strong month of May with an .835 OPS, the organization has continued to allow Caissie to work through his flaws at the big league level. "I love that they have confidence in me," Caissie said. "It gives me a lot of confidence that they can roll me every day, no matter what. It's honestly a blessing and I'm never going to take that for granted." The Marlins had the opportunity of going with Max Meyer for the series-opener, but opted to give him an extra day of rest and go with a bullpen game. That would work out, but things got dicey. In the top of the second inning, Daniel Susac hit a sacrifice fly that tied the game, 1-1. Despite the Marlins taking a 2-1 lead in the fifth inning thanks to an Owen Caissie RBI double, Rafael Devers hit a 413 homer to the upper deck in right field, tying this game at two. The Giants took a 3-2 lead in that same inning as Casey Schmitt hit an RBI single. Thankfully, the Marlins got right back into it when Esteury Ruiz was hit by a pitch, Javier Sanoja knocked in a base hit and Liam Hicks with runners on first and second, hit his 53rd RBI of the season, tying the game, 3-3. Caissie's sac fly was the difference in the end. Marlins closer Pete Fairbanks, who entered Friday with 99 career saves, worked a 1-2-3 top of the ninth to notch save number 10 of the season, but 100 in his career. After a turbulent start to Fairbanks' season, he is finally beginning to settle in. On the season, he has a 6.43 ERA, 4.66 FIP, 4.32 xFIP, 12.43 K/9 and 4.71 BB/9. "Watching videos from a few years past to make sure I'm hitting the checkpoints that I hit when I'm good," Fairbanks said. "I'm working pretty hard to make sure we're in the right spot, and I think we're doing a pretty good job. Obviously, you still have your ups and downs, but all in all, definitely feel like I'm having a real season, not an interrupted one from earlier in the year." With the win, the Marlins remain two games out of the third and final National League Wild Card spot. They will look to get back to their series winning ways on Saturday as Max Meyer takes the mound opposite of Trevor McDonald. First pitch is at 4:10 pm and it is Flanigan's Fest. View the full article -
San Diego Padres affiliates went 2-2 Friday with the Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas cruising to a 14-1 win over Reno, the Double-A San Antonio Missions winning late over Corpus Christi 8-6, the High-A Fort Wayne TinCaps falling to South Bend 7-6 and the Low-A Lake Elsinore Storm being edged by San Jose 6-5. Padres Minor-League Transactions San Antonio Missions placed C Ethan Salas on 7-day injured list. Lake Elsinore Storm placed RHP Ethan Long on the full-season injured list. Chihuahuas' Offensive Explosion Backs Matt Waldron In Rehab Start Mason McCoy went 4-for-4 with two RBIs and three runs scored, while Carlos Rodriguez had a pair of hits, including a homer, and drove in four runs as the host Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas stomped the Reno Aces 14-1. The Chihuahuas put this one away with a seven-run eighth inning. Padres right-handed starter Matt Waldron, in his second rehab outing, went three innings, allowing a run on three hits, including a homer, with one walk and two strikeouts. Waldron faced 11 batters, throwing 44 pitches, including 27 strikes. The only run he gave up was on the first pitch of the game on a home run by Ryan Waldschmidt, who was recently demoted by the Arizona Diamondbacks. That was the first run he has given up on two rehab assignments this season after 14⅓ scoreless innings over four previous starts. EP1_0619.mp4 Rodriguez, who had a career-best 22-game snapped the day before, started a new one when he lined a single to right field in the first inning. Rodriguez got the Chihuahuas on the board when he cranked his second homer of the season, a two-run blast, in the bottom of the fourth. Nick Pratto had an RBI double and Clay Dungan a two-run single to make it 5-1 in the sixth. Rodriguez kept it going with a two-run single in the seventh. The seven-run eighth inning was highlighted by McCoy's two-run single and Nick Schnell's two-run double. The Chihuahuas' bullpen was outstanding after Waldron, allowing just three hits in six innings. Right-hander Sean Boyle struck out three and allowed a hit in three innings, while left-hander Miguel Cienfuegos, right-hander Michael Flynn and right-hander Ethan Routzahn each pitched a scoreless inning. EP2_0619.mp4 Player AB R H RBI BB K Bryce Johnson 3 2 0 1 2 1 Mason McCoy 4 3 4 2 0 0 Carlos Rodriguez 4 2 3 4 1 1 Nick Schnell 5 1 1 2 0 2 Nate Mondou 3 1 0 1 1 0 Nick Pratto 4 2 2 2 1 0 Clay Dungan 4 1 2 2 1 1 Anthony Vilar 4 1 0 0 1 0 Dylan Grego 4 1 2 0 0 2 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Matt Waldron 3 3 1 1 1 2 1 Sean Boyle 3 1 0 0 1 3 0 Miguel Cienfuegos 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 Michael Flynn 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 Ethan Routzahn 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 Luis Verdugo's Second HR Gives Missions Dramatic Win Luis Verdugo hit a pair of homers, including a tiebreaking two-run shot in the top of the ninth inning, while right-hander Ian Koenig tossed six strong innings as the Double-A San Antonio Missions edged the host Corpus Christi Hooks 8-6. Brendan Durfee, starting in place of Ethan Salas, Padres Mission's No. 1 prospect who went on the seven-day injured list, homered. Ryan Jackson had two hits and two RBIs, while Romeo Sanabria and Braedon Karpathios each had two hits. Sanabria scored once and drove in a run and Karpathios scored a run. In addition to his two homers, Verdugo walked twice. Koenig struck out seven and allowed two runs on four hits and a pair of walks. Right-hander Andrew Moore struck out a pair in a scoreless seventh inning and now has 45 strikeouts in 24⅓ innings. The Missions jumped out to a 5-0 as Verdugo hit a solo homer in the fourth inning, Durfee hit a solo shot, his second of the season, and Sanabria had an RBI single in the fifth and Jackson drove home a pair on a sixth-inning single. The Hooks made it 5-2 in the bottom of the sixth, with the Missions getting one back in the top of the seventh on Albert Fabian's sacrifice fly. But the Hooks would tie it with four runs in the eighth off right-hander Sadrac Franco. Karpathios, Padres Mission's No. 9 prospect, had a one-out single in the top of the ninth, then Verdugo untied it with his sixth homer of the year, a no-doubt two-run shot to left. Right-hander Francis Pena pitched a perfect ninth for his first save of the season and sixth of his career. SA1_0619.mp4 SA2_0619.mp4 Player AB R H RBI BB K Ryan Jackson 5 0 2 2 0 0 Francisco Acuna 4 1 1 0 1 1 Romeo Sanabria 4 1 2 1 1 1 Tirso Ornelas 5 0 1 0 0 0 Braedon Karpathios 5 1 2 0 0 1 Luis Verdugo 3 3 2 3 2 0 Albert Fabian 3 1 1 1 1 0 Kai Murphy 5 0 0 0 0 2 Brendan Durfee 4 1 1 1 0 2 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Ian Koenig 6 4 2 2 2 7 0 Andrew Moore 1 0 0 0 1 2 0 Sadrac Franco 1 4 4 4 1 1 0 Francis Pena 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Kasen Wells Hits Inside-The-Park HR, But TinCaps Fall In 11 The second half of the Midwest League season opened with a bang as the host High-A Fort Wayne TinCaps scored five runs in the first inning, but it ended in disappointment as the South Bend Cubs pulled out a 7-6 victory in 11 innings. TinCaps left-handed starter Kash Mayfield, Padres Mission's No. 2 prospect, went just two innings and didn't allow a run, striking out four and giving up two hits. Mayfield did not pitch last week. Kasen Wells had two hits, including an inside-the-park home run that triggered the five-run first inning, and scored twice, while Carlos Rodriguez had a triple among his two hits, driving in one and scoring one. Kavares Tears had a double and two RBIs. Rodriguez and Alex McCoy also walked twice. Wells' inside-the-parker—the first for the TinCaps since Jackson Merrill's on May 30, 2023—came with one out as he pulled a line drive into the right-field corner that kicked away from the right fielder. It was his first homer of the season. Rodriguez followed that with a walk and McCoy reached on an error by the third baseman. Jake Cunningham's grounder forced McCoy at second and moved Rodriguez to third before Tears doubled home both runners for a 3-0 lead. Zach Evans singled home Tears and Jack Costellos doubled home Evans. South Bend chipped into the lead with two runs in the third and two in the fifth, with the TinCaps going up 6-4 on Rodriguez's triple that scored Wells, who had walked, stolen second and went to third on an error. The Cubs tied the game with a pair of runs in the top of the eighth and scored on an RBI single in the top of the 11th. FW_0619.mp4 Player AB R H RBI BB K Justin DeCriscio 4 0 1 0 1 0 Kasen Wells 5 2 2 1 1 1 Carlos Rodriguez 4 1 2 1 2 1 Alex McCoy 4 0 0 0 2 1 Jake Cunningham 5 1 0 0 0 2 Kavares Tears 4 1 1 2 1 2 Zach Evans 5 1 1 1 0 1 Jack Costello 4 0 1 1 1 1 Wyatt Hoffman 5 0 0 0 0 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Kash Mayfield 2 2 0 0 0 4 0 Isaiah Lowe 2 0 2 1 3 1 0 Jeferson Villabona 1/3 3 2 2 1 1 0 Braian Salazar 2 2/3 2 0 0 0 2 0 Igor Gil 2 2 2 2 2 3 0 C.J. Widger 2 1 1 0 2 1 0 Storm 5-Game Win Streak Ends As Second-Half Quest Begins A rocky start by left-hander Kruz Schoolcraft led to the Low-A Lake Elsinore Storm dropping the first game of the second half, a 6-5 decision to the host San Jose Giants. The Storm, who had their five-game winning streak snapped, won the first-half championship for the California League's South Division. Dawson Willis homered and drove in a pair. He was one of three Storm players to have two hits, joined by Kerrington Cross and Qrey Lott. Ryan Wideman, Padres Mission's No. 5 prospect, was on base twice with a single and a walk, while stealing his minors-leading 43rd base and scoring twice. Schoolcraft, Padres Mission's No. 4 prospect, gave up two runs each in the first, second and fourth innings. He surrendered six hits and three walks while punching out four. Willis hit a two-run homer as part of a three-run fifth inning that pulled the Storm within the final margin of 6-5. LE_0619.mp4 Player AB R H RBI BB K Ryan Wideman 3 2 1 0 1 1 Kerrington Cross 4 1 2 1 0 2 Dawson Willis 4 1 2 2 0 2 Qrey Lott 3 1 2 0 1 0 Luke Cantwell 4 0 1 0 0 0 Truitt Madonna 3 0 0 0 0 0 Yoiber Ocopio 1 0 0 0 0 0 Bradley Frye 4 0 0 0 0 0 Yimy Tovar 4 0 0 0 0 2 Conner Westenburg 3 0 0 0 0 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Kruz Schoolcraft 5 6 6 5 3 4 0 Daison Acosta 1 2/3 0 0 0 1 2 0 Carson Swilling 1 1/3 0 0 0 1 2 0 Padres Mission Top 20 Prospect Performance Ethan Salas: DNP Kash Mayfield: 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K Miguel Mendez: DNP Kruz Schoolcraft: 5 IP, 6 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 3 BB, 4 K Ryan Wideman: 1-for-3, BB, SB, K Jorge Quintana: DNP Ty Harvey: On injured list Kale Fountain: Injured, out for season Braedon Karpathios: 2-for-5, K Lamar King Jr.: DNP Jagger Haynes: DNP Alex McCoy: 0-for-4, 2 BB, SB, K Truitt Madonna: 0-for-3 Tucker Musgrove: DNP Garrett Hawkins: DNP Michael Salina: DNP Eric Yost: DNP Rosman Verdugo: DNP Bryan Balzer: DNP Deivid Coronil: DNP View the full article
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Diamondbacks 9, Twins 5: Blunders and Mishaps in the Desert
DiamondCentric posted an article in Twins Daily
Box Score Connor Prielipp: 6 IP, 9 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 4 K Home Runs: Victor Caratini (5), Josh Bell (9), Royce Lewis (7) Bottom 3 WPA: Connor Prielipp (-.420), Travis Adams (-.110), Brooks Lee (-.080) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) What to make of these Twins? The ramshackle and dilapidated group, at one time—moons ago—the class of the AL, but for a moment; in more recent games, fallen into derelict as the flaws and pitfalls of their roster reared their ugly head, and causes losses to pile up. But have things changed? They swept the Rangers. They took a series from the Cardinals. Minor successes, yes—common for any team, in any year to claim such victories; as the ebbs and flows of a season, occasionally turgid, sometimes lean promise hope both false and real to any fan willing to watch. Would this stretch prove a mirage? We shall see. Early results portended… something. What exactly “it” was wasn’t clear, but it was obvious this force was nefarious. In the second at-bat of the game, Byron Buxton launched a liner off the left field wall, only to be thrown out at second thanks to an excellent relay by Lourdes Gurriel Jr., and a rare mild pace by Buxton before he rounded first. Then he sped things up. It was too late. Kody Clemens extended the inning with an infield single. Strange things abounded. The inning also ended up claiming Arizona starter Michael Soroka; he suffered an injury while warming up for the second inning, and left the game, and left manager Torey Lovullo suddenly relying on an impromptu bullpen game. The new hurler Taylor Clark coaxed two quick outs before allowing a mammoth solo homer to Victor Caratini. Chaos neither subsided or lessened; rather, it started to manifest in a ball suddenly unruly and impossible to glove. With Luke Keaschall on second, Clemens bounded a grounder the other way only for Nolan Arenado—the six-time Platinum Glove winner—to flub the play and allow Keaschall to score. The Diamondbacks responded with a run with no funny business attached, just for the Twins to strike back with a score in the fourth aided by a bouncing ball that just had to ricochet off the second base bag, and over the adroit Geraldo Perdomo who otherwise certainly would have made the play. Prielipp entered the fifth a workmanlike presence. Not dominant, he nonetheless had effectively contained the Diamondbacks offense, flipping his signature breaking stuff in and around the zone with the kind of ease that made him such a tantalizing prospect. That soft providence quickly turned. It started with a walk. Always dreadful. Then a flurry of hits, and an infield defense that could only stumble and fall over themselves turned a 3-1 advantage to a 5-3 deficit. Then a 6-3 one when Ketel Marte led off the sixth with a solo homer. Minnesota struck back once again; this time, homering twice in the eighth to draw them within one run. That was as close as they would get. Travis Adams labored in his second inning of work. Two hits and a walk loaded the bases. Suddenly Corbin Carroll was up with the bases loaded. No lefty? It was Adams' trouble to escape. On a 1-2 count, he tried to fool the superstar with a low and outside changeup, and Carroll softly lofted the pitch into right field, expertly guiding the liner as the bases emptied and Carroll, who always runs like the world is about to end, slid harmlessly into third base. The Twins went down quietly in the ninth. Notes: Post-Game Interview: What’s Next? The Twins and Diamondbacks will return to their ordinary TV broadcasts on Saturday yet will continue to start at unordinary times: first pitch is at 9:10 PM. Taj Bradley will start opposite Zac Gallen. Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet SUN MON TUE THU FRI TOT Adams 0 0 13 0 42 55 Laweryson 0 0 20 17 5 42 Morris 17 9 0 8 0 34 Orze 0 15 0 12 0 27 Gómez 10 15 0 0 0 25 Rogers 0 6 0 15 0 21 Lawrence 0 0 0 18 0 18 Banda 11 0 0 0 0 11 Paredes 0 0 0 0 0 0 View the full article -
TRANSACTIONS Orlando Arcia was outrighted to St. Paul on Thursday but officially re-joined the roster on Friday. RHP Drew Smith was released by the organization. SAINTS SENTINEL St. Paul 6, Omaha 5 Box Score CHS Field hosted a game with several storylines from the first inning through the walk-off winner in the bottom of the ninth. Minnesotan Aaron Rozek made the start for the Saints, and he has been terrific this season. The southpaw tossed four innings and gave up two runs on five hits and a walk. He struck out two batters. Starting for the Storm Chasers was long-time Twins and Saints pitcher Randy Dobnak. The veteran gave up three runs on six hits and a walk over the first 4 1/3 innings. He had five strikeouts. Dobnak was traded to the Tigers with Chris Paddack at last year’s trade deadline. He became a free agent when the Tigers declined his option for the 2026 season. Very early in the offseason, Dobnak signed a minor-league deal with the Seattle Mariners. Last week, he had an “upward mobility” clause in his contract. The Mariners worked out a trade that sent Dobnak to the Royals organization. In the bottom of the first inning, Alan Roden led off with a single. Gabriel Gonzalez followed with another single. Following a fielder’s choice, Aaron Sabato stepped to the plate and launched his 14th home run of the season to give the Saints a 3-0 lead. C.J. Culpepper came in for the fifth inning. He gave up an unearned run on two hits in the inning. He had a strikeout. Kody Funderburk and Taylor Rashi each pitched a scoreless inning. In the bottom of the sixth, Orlando Arcia singled. He stole second and went to third base on an errant throw. He scored on a Ben Ross sacrifice fly which gave the Saints the 4-3 lead. Lefty Jake Higginbotham pitched the eighth inning. He gave up a bunt single, and then Abraham Toro gave the Storm Chasers a 5-4 lead. The next batter doubled, and that was followed by a walk. Things could have gone really bad for Higginbotham and the Saints, but the southpaw stepped up. He got a pop up and then struck out the next two batters to limit the damage and keep the Saints within one run. Raul Brito worked a scoreless top of the ninth for the Saints. With one out in the bottom of the ninth, Alan Roden drilled a ball 108.3 mph at a 26-degree angle. It landed 411 feet away from home plate and when Roden touched the plate, the game was tied at 5-5. Gabriel Gonzalez followed with his 10th double. Harry Genth pinch ran for him. Matt Wallner came to the plate and lined a single to right field which allowed Genth to easily score the game-winning run. Roden went 3-for-5 with his fifth home run. Gonzalez went 2-for-4 with a walk and his 10th double. Sabato went 2-for-4 with his 14th home run and three RBI. Wallner went 2-for-4 with a walk, his eighth double, and the walk-off single. The top four batters in the Saints lineup accounted for nine of the team’s 11 hits, five of the six runs, five of the six RBI, two of three walks. WIND SURGE WISDOM Wichita 4, Springfield 10 Box Score Chris Vallimont originally came to the Twins in a 2019 trade deadline deal with Sergio Romo from the Marlins in exchange for Lewin Diaz. He stayed with the organization until May of 2022 when he was DFAd and claimed by the Orioles. About a year later, he received a call to the big leagues. He pitched in just one game and faced just two batters. He has been pitching in the Atlantic League the last couple of seasons. Last week, the Twins signed him. On Friday, he made his return to the Twins organization. Vallimont started and gave up one run on three hits, two walks, and a hit batter. Hunter Gregory came in and gave up four runs on five hits over 1 2/3 innings. Darren Bowen went two innings and was charged with three runs on five hits and a walk. Nick Mikolajchak worked the final two innings and gave up two runs on five hits. The Wind Surge scored four runs on five hits and seven walks. However, they were 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position. Wichita was down 8-0 in the bottom of the seventh. Kala’i Rosario singled to lead off the inning. Garrett Spain followed with his 12th home run of the season. Spain also had two outfield assists. He threw out one batter at second and another at home. Andrew Cossetti hit his ninth home run to start the bottom of the eighth inning. Down 10-3 and with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Caleb Roberts was hit by a pitch, Cossetti walked, Khadim Diaw walked, and then Roberts scored when Billy Amick was hit by a pitch. Diaw was 1-for-2 with three walks. Cossetti was 1-for-2 with two walks and his ninth home run. KERNELS CHRONICLE Cedar Rapids 2, Beloit 12 Box Score In the bottom of the first inning, Marek Houston led off with a walk. He stole second, his 24th steal of the season, and scored on a Walker Jenkins single. It was all Sky Carp after that. Garrett Horn started and gave up three runs on one hit (a homer) over the first two innings. He walked two batters, hit one, and had three strikeouts. Nick Trabacchi came in and gave up three runs on four hits, two walks and hit a batter in 2 1/3 innings. He struck out three batters. Brian Zeldin gave up three runs on one hit, three walks, and hit a batter in 1 2/3 innings. He struck out two batters. Adam Falinski gave up one run on one hit and two walks in one inning. Sam Rochard gave up two runs on three hits and a walk over the final two innings. The Kernels managed just two runs on four hits, although they also walked six times. Jenkins went 2-for-3. Eduardo Tait hit his 12th double. Enrique Jimenez had the second RBI on a bases-loaded walk. Marek Houston had three walks in the game. MIGHTY MATTERS Ft. Myers 7, Tampa 8 Box Score The Mussels scored four runs in the top of the third inning to take a 4-1 lead. Tampa scored two in the bottom of the fifth inning and three more in the bottom of the seventh to take the 6-4 lead. Fort Myers cut the deficit to 6-5 with a run in the top of the eighth inning. But the Tarpons scored two runs in the bottom of the eighth to take the 8-5 lead. The Mussels made a comeback in the top of the ninth inning. However, they fell just one run short. Ramiro Villanueva made the start for Fort Myers. He gave up three runs (1 earned) on three hits and a walk over 4 1/3 innings. He had six strikeouts. Jake Murray came on and allowed both inherited runners to score. He was also charged with two runs on one hit in 1 2/3 innings. He walked two and had two strikeouts. Dylan Questad allowed both of his inherited runners to score and gave up one run in the seventh inning on a solo homer. Mike McKenna came in and gave up two runs on three hits in the eighth inning. With two outs in the top of the third inning, Dameury Pena singled. Ryan Sprock followed with a single, and Ramiro Dominguez walked to load the bases. JP Smith came to the plate and drilled his eighth home run of the season, a grand slam that turned a 1-0 deficit into a 4-1 lead. The Mussels were down 6-4 through seven innings. In the top of the eighth, Sprock and Dominguez walked, and Smith reached on an infield single. Sprock scored on a double play ball. Another ground ball and the inning was over with the Mussels still down by a run. Going to the ninth, the Mussels were trailing 8-5. With one out, Merphy Hernandez reached on a bunt single. He stole second and went to third base on a wild pitch. Ricardo Pena was hit by a pitch. Jayson Bass pinch ran for him and stole second. Dameury Pena drove in Hernandez with a sacrifice fly. After a wild pitch, Sprock doubled to drive in Bass and cut the deficit to 8-7. Unfortunately, that’s as close as they got. JP Smith was 2-for-4 with his eighth homer and four RBI. Ramiro Dominguez walked three times. Ryan Sprock was 3-for-3 with two walks and his seventh double. As impressive, he was 6-for-6 in pitch challenges in the game too. (five as a catcher, one as a hitter) COMPLEX CHRONICLES FCL Twins 3, FCL Red Sox 11 Box Score Putting crooked numbers on the scoreboard is very good. In this game, both teams scored in three innings. The Twins scored one in the third, one in the fourth, and one in the sixth inning. The Red Sox scored four in the first, two in the second, and five in the fourth inning. Down 6-0, the Twins got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the third. Daiber De Los Santos led off with a walk. De Los Santos stole second. Carlos Taveras drove him in with his first triple. In the fourth, the Twins were down 11-1. With one out, Darwin Almanzar walked. He moved to second on a ground out. He stole third base and scored on a single by Jose Barrios. Carlos Taveras led off the bottom of the sixth with a walk. He went to second on a balk and then went to third on a passed ball. Later, he scored the team’s third and final run on a wild pitch. Veteran Eduardo Salazar made his second rehab appearance. He gave up four runs on four hits and recorded just two outs. Santiago Rojas came on and gave up seven runs (6 earned) on seven hits in three innings. He walked two and struck out two batters. Four of the seven hits were home run balls. Jack Walker came in and struck out four batters over 2 1/3 scoreless innings. He gave up no hits and just one walk. Infielder Yilber Herrera came on and walked one batter in a scoreless, hitless inning. DSL Twins 4, DSL Blue Jays 3 Box Score The Twins scored three runs in the top of the first inning. They added a run in the fourth and then hung on for a 4-3 win. With one out in the top of the first, Juan Holmann walked. He stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Enmanuel Merlo walked. Another wild pitch allowed Holmann to score and Merlo advanced to second. Merlo went to third base on a wild pitch. After a strikeout, Merlo scored. Guess how? Whoa! You’re good! Yes, he scored the inning’s second run on a wild pitch. Luis Duarte walked and went to second on a wild pitch. Luis Suarez walked. Runners advanced to second and third base on a balk. The team’s third run of the innings came … on a wild pitch. In the fourth inning, Suarez led off with a double. He advanced to third base on a balk. With one out, guess how he scored. Wrong! Ashwar Sprok lined a single to right field to drive in the team’s fourth run. 16-year-old Adrian Martinez made the start for the Twins. Coming into the game, he had thrown a combined 4 2/3 innings in his first two starts. On Friday, he more than doubled his career innings. He tossed five innings and gave up just two runs. He allowed five hits, hit a batter and walked two. Martinez earned his first win as a professional. Herkyn Taveras just turned 17 earlier this month. On Friday, he had his best outing to date. He tossed two innings and gave up only an unearned run on one hit and one hit batter. He had two strikeouts. Taveras earned his first career save. The Twins had just four hits and six walks. Three of the hits went for extra bases. Luis Suarez hit his second double. He also walked once. Misael Rodriguez hit his third double of the season. Anibal Beltre hit his first triple. Luis Duarte walked twice. PLAYERS OF THE DAY Hitter(s) of the Day Alan Roden (St. Paul): 3-for-5, HR(5), R, RBI, K Matt Wallner (St. Paul): 2-for-4, BB, 2B(8), R, GW RBI, K Aaron Sabato (St. Paul): 2-for-4, HR(14), R, 3 RBI, K. Ryan Sprock (Fort Myers): 3-for-3, 2 BB, 2B(7), 2 R, RBI. JP Smith II (Fort Myers): 2-for-4, HR(8), 4 RBI, R, K. Pitcher(s) of the Day Adrian Martinez (DSL Twins): 5 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 3 K, first pro Win. PROSPECT SUMMARY Check out the Prospect Tracker for much more on our Twins Top 20 prospects after seeing how they did today. #1 - OF Walker Jenkins (St. Paul) - Rehab in CR: 2-for-3, RBI (batted second, played CF) #4 - LHP Connor Prielipp (Minnesota) - 6 IP, 9 H, 6 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 4 K, 97 pitches, 63 strikes (64.9%) #5 - C Eduardo Tait (Cedar Rapids) - 1-for-4, 2B(12) (batted fourth, played C). #7 - SS Marek Houston (Cedar Rapids) - 0-for-1, 3 BB, R, SB(24), CS(2) (batted first, played SS) #10 - OF Gabriel Gonzalez (St. Paul) - 2-for-4, BB, 2B(10), R, (batted second, played LF) #17 - RHP C.J. Culpepper (St. Paul) - 1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, 17 pitches, 11 strikes (64.7%) #19 - C/OF Khadim Diaw (Wichita) - 1-for-2, 3 BB (batted second, played DH) UPCOMING PROBABLES Saturday, June 20 Omaha @ St. Paul (6:37 pm CT) - RHP Ryan Gallagher (2-0, 8.00 ERA) Springfield @ Wichita (6:05 pm CT) - RHP Sam Armstrong (1-5, 5.02 ERA) Beloit @ Cedar Rapids (6:35 pm CT) - RHP Eston Stull (1-0, 6.75 ERA) Ft. Myers @ Tampa (5:30 pm CT) - RHP Merit Jones (2-1, 2.86 ERA) FCL Twins @ FCL Red Sox (9:00 am CT) - DSL Twins @ DSL Rockies (9:00 am CT) - CURRENT W-L Records Minnesota Twins: 36-41 (3rd place (of 5) in AL Central, 4.5 GB)) St. Paul Saints: 41-31 (3rd place (of 10) in IL West Division, 4.5 GB)) Wichita Wind Surge: 25-40 (5th place (of 5) in TL North Division, 18.0 GB)) Cedar Rapids Kernels: 31-34 (4th place (of 6) in MWL West Division, 9.0 GB)) Fort Myers Mighty Mussels: 37-29 (2nd place (of 6) in FSL West Division, 2.5 GB)) FCL Twins: 19-16 (2nd place (of 6) in FCL South Division, 2.0 GB)) DSL Twins: 5-9 (5th place (of 7) in DSL East Division, 4.0 GB)) Please feel free to ask questions about the teams, the rosters, and discuss today’s games, or anything else Twins minor-league related! View the full article -
Top Padres Prospect Ethan Salas Placed On Injured List
DiamondCentric posted an article in Padres Mission
The San Diego Padres' top prospect will be sidelined for a bit. Catcher Ethan Salas, Padres Mission's No. 1 prospect, was placed on the seven-day injured list by the Double-A San Antonio Missions, according to the team. The type of injury was not disclosed by the team, but Mad Friars reported it to be a minor oblique strain. The move was made retroactive to Thursday. The 20-year-old Salas was in the midst of a breakout season when he was injured. The left-handed hitter has a slash line of .282/.352/.432 with seven homers and 33 RBIs in 56 games. He also has 13 steals in 17 attempts. Salas last played in the first game of Wednesday's doubleheader against the Corpus Christi hooks when he walked three times, going 0-for-1 and scored three times. The three walks matched a career high, one other happening this season, May 3 vs. Tulsa, and the other happening in 2024 while playing for High-A Fort Wayne. Salas has been otherwise healthy this season after missing all but 10 games of 2025 due to a stress reaction in his lower back. While Salas would seem like an untouchable prospect as the trade deadline approaches, his name has popped up in rumors and it wouldn't be the first time Padres president of baseball operations A.J. Preller would deal the system's top prospect. Just last year, shortstop Leo De Vries was part of a big package of prospects that went to the A's in the Mason Miller trade. View the full article -
Mason Miller Returns To Padres After Missing A Series
DiamondCentric posted an article in Padres Mission
After missing the St. Louis Cardinals series, Mason Miller is back with the San Diego Padres. The superstar right-handed closer was activated off the bereavement-family medical emergency leave list Friday. In a somewhat surprising move, right-handed reliever Bradgley Rodriguez was optioned to the Arizona Complex League. Details behind Miller not being with the team have not been revealed as of this writing. Miller is second in MLB with 19 saves and has a 0.90 ERA. Rodriguez, according to Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune, was assigned to the rookie-level team in order to get some planned rest. Rodriguez is a rookie who made his MLB debut last season, appearing in seven regular-season games, then was included on the postseason roster for the NL Wild Card Series against the Chicago Cubs. He has been a key member of a very good Friars bullpen. In 31 games and 34⅓ innings, Rodriguez has a 2.66 FIP (2.10 ERA) with an 8.3% walk rate and 22.2% strikeout rate. View the full article -
Twins System Recap: Eduardo Tait is killing it so far this week. He had a two homer game and drove in five runs on Tuesday before adding another homer while driving in six on Thursday. He has seven homers in just 13 games so far this month. Fellow catchers Andrew Cossetti and Enrique Jimenez also had big performances this week, Marek Houston continued his hot month, and Alan Roden had a triumphant return to the Saints. View the full article -
As the countdown to the 2026 MLB Draft continues, most evaluators agree on one thing: nobody truly knows how the first three picks will unfold. That uncertainty is exactly what makes this year's draft so intriguing for the Twins. In his latest attempt to project the top of the draft, MLB.com draft expert Jim Callis laid out six different scenarios for the first three selections. While there are certainly other possibilities, his projections reinforce the idea that three elite prospects have separated themselves from the rest of the class. The debate centers around three names: UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky, Georgia Tech catcher Vahn Lackey, and prep shortstop Grady Emerson. For Minnesota, that's a pretty good place to be. Cholowsky Still Leads the Pack Callis currently projects the White Sox to select Cholowsky with the first overall pick. That wouldn't qualify as a surprise. Cholowsky has spent much of the draft cycle viewed as the favorite to go No. 1 overall thanks to his polished all-around game, defensive value at shortstop, and offensive upside. He has been the most consistent name atop draft boards for months. But consistency doesn't necessarily mean certainty. With several weeks remaining before draft night, teams are still gathering information, discussing bonus pool strategies, and determining whether another player might offer more value at the top of the board. Lackey's Meteoric Rise If Cholowsky goes first, Callis predicts the Rays would select Lackey with the second overall pick. Few players have boosted their stock more than the Georgia Tech backstop this spring. What began as a strong season evolved into a legitimate argument that Lackey could be the best player available in the entire draft. Catchers always bring additional risk because of the physical demands of the position, but Lackey's offensive profile and defensive tools have convinced many evaluators that he belongs in the conversation for the first overall selection. In fact, several of Callis' scenarios have Lackey coming off the board before either Cholowsky or Emerson. Emerson Could Be the Twins' Prize Under Callis' most likely projection, Minnesota lands Emerson at No. 3 overall. Not long ago, many draft observers believed Emerson would be the favorite to go second overall to Tampa Bay. That's no longer a consensus view, but it illustrates just how fluid the top of this draft remains. For the Twins, Emerson represents the type of upside teams dream about acquiring near the top of the draft. The prep shortstop has long been viewed as one of the most talented players in the class, and there are still plenty of scenarios where he doesn't make it past the first or second pick. That's why Minnesota's front office is likely spending more time preparing for multiple outcomes than targeting one specific player. The Tyler Bell Wild Card Another factor worth monitoring is Kentucky shortstop Tyler Bell. Callis noted that Bell could be willing to sign for less than slot value if selected within the top five picks. Those types of bonus considerations can dramatically alter draft boards. If a team believes it can save money early and redistribute those dollars later in the draft, Bell could become an appealing option. Any surprise move involving Bell would create a ripple effect that impacts the prospects available when Minnesota is on the clock. The Odds Favor Minnesota Callis assigned probabilities to six potential outcomes involving the first three selections: Cholowsky (White Sox), Lackey (Rays), Emerson (Twins): 26% Cholowsky (White Sox), Emerson (Rays), Lackey (Twins): 24% Emerson (White Sox), Lackey (Rays), Cholowsky (Twins): 21% Emerson (White Sox), Cholowsky (Rays), Lackey (Twins): 19% Lackey (White Sox), Emerson (Rays), Cholowsky (Twins): 5% Lackey (White Sox), Cholowsky (Rays), Emerson (Twins): 5% From Minnesota's perspective, the math works out quite nicely. Those projections give the Twins roughly a 43% chance of landing Lackey, a 31% chance of selecting Emerson, and a 29% chance of ending up with Cholowsky. When the possible outcomes are the three best players in the draft, those are odds any front office would gladly accept. A Familiar Situation This year's draft bears some resemblance to the 2023 draft. That summer, the Twins benefited from the inaugural MLB Draft Lottery, jumping from the 13th pick to the fifth overall selection. The top of that draft featured a clear group of elite prospects, and Minnesota's strategy was simple: wait and take whichever premium talent remained available. The result was Walker Jenkins, who has remained the organization's top prospect ever since. The Twins could find themselves following a similar blueprint this year. Rather than being locked into one player, Minnesota appears positioned to let the first two picks dictate its decision. With Cholowsky, Lackey, and Emerson all viewed as top-tier talents, the organization may simply select whichever member of that trio is still available. Draft season often becomes a search for certainty, but this year's class isn't offering much of it at the top. What it is offering, however, is opportunity. The White Sox and Rays will ultimately determine how the board unfolds, but Minnesota enters the process in an enviable position. Whether it's Cholowsky's polish, Lackey's rising star power, or Emerson's immense upside, the Twins appear likely to walk away with one of the draft's premier talents. With less than a month until commissioner Rob Manfred steps to the podium, the picture remains cloudy. For the Twins, that's perfectly fine. Sometimes the best draft strategy is letting the talent come to you. View the full article -
The Minnesota Twins announced Thursday that former pitcher Al Worthington passed away earlier this week at the age of 97. For younger Twins fans, Worthington's name may not immediately jump off the page. However, his impact on some of the most successful teams in franchise history is impossible to overlook. Long before closers became baseball celebrities and bullpen usage charts consumed front offices, Worthington quietly became one of the game's most reliable late-inning arms and a key contributor to Minnesota's first American League pennant. Worthington arrived in professional baseball after starring at the University of Alabama and signing with the Chicago Cubs organization in 1951. After only one season in the minors, he was traded to the New York Giants, a move that would launch a major-league career spanning parts of 14 seasons. His introduction to the majors was memorable. Called up in 1953, Worthington opened his career by throwing complete-game shutouts in each of his first two appearances. He posted a 3.44 ERA as a rookie and appeared briefly for the Giants during their 1954 championship season. Although he did not pitch in the World Series, he was part of the club that defeated Cleveland in a Fall Classic best remembered for Willie Mays' iconic over-the-shoulder catch at the Polo Grounds. Worthington spent six seasons with the Giants organization, including the franchise's historic move from New York to San Francisco in 1958. Along the way, he transitioned from starting pitcher to reliever, a role that ultimately prolonged his career. Stops with the Chicago White Sox, Boston Red Sox, and Cincinnati Reds followed before his baseball journey took an unexpected turn. By 1964, Worthington was 35 years old and back in the minor leagues. Many players at that stage are contemplating retirement. Instead, the Twins purchased his contract from the Reds organization and gave him another opportunity. It turned out to be one of the better under-the-radar moves in franchise history. From 1964 through 1969, Worthington became a bullpen cornerstone for Minnesota. He won 37 games, recorded 88 saves, and posted four consecutive seasons with an ERA below 3.00. His finest season came in 1965 when he went 10-7 with 14 saves and a sparkling 2.14 ERA across 62 appearances. That season, the Twins captured their first American League pennant and advanced to the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Worthington delivered four scoreless innings during the series, allowing only an unearned run despite Minnesota ultimately falling in seven games. The right-hander remained a valuable contributor through the end of the decade, including a final postseason appearance during the Twins' 1969 American League Championship Series run. By the time he retired after the 1969 season, he had established himself as one of the most effective relievers in franchise history. Although the save did not become an official Major League Baseball statistic until the final year of his career, Worthington was retroactively credited with 111 saves. He finished his major-league career with a 75-82 record, a 3.09 ERA, 834 strikeouts, and 602 appearances. More than half of those outings ended with him recording the final outs of the game. His baseball accomplishments extended well beyond the major leagues. Before reaching the majors, Worthington spent four seasons with the Minneapolis Millers and helped lead the club to the 1955 American Association championship while posting a 19-10 record with 18 complete games. In nine minor-league seasons, he compiled a 98-69 record. After retiring as a player at age 40, Worthington dedicated nearly two decades to coaching and administration at what is now Liberty University. From 1973 through 1986, he amassed a 343-189-1 record as the school's baseball coach and later served as athletic director. His contributions earned him induction into both the Liberty University Hall of Fame and the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame. In 2010, the Twins recognized his place in franchise history by naming him one of the organization's "50 Greatest Twins." Worthington was the fourth-oldest living former major-league player at the time of his passing and one of the last remaining players who wore a Giants uniform before the franchise relocated to San Francisco. For Twins fans, however, his legacy will always be tied to the club's first pennant winner. More than 60 years after arriving in Minnesota as a veteran searching for one last opportunity, Worthington remains one of the most successful bullpen arms the franchise has ever had. View the full article -
Let's check in on everything that happened down on the Chicago Cubs' farm yesterday. Iowa's Late Power Surge Falls Short in 11-8 Loss to Indianapolis Iowa hit four home runs but could not overcome a rough middle stretch, falling to the Indianapolis Indians 11-8. Will Sanders set the tone early, working five innings and allowing one run on three hits with one walk and six strikeouts, earning him the Player of The Game. Jonathon Long gave Iowa a brief 1-0 lead with a solo home run in the second, and he finished 3-for-5 with a double, a home run, and two runs scored. The game turned in the sixth, when Indianapolis pushed across seven runs to open an 8-1 lead. Iowa answered in the bottom half with three home runs of its own. Chas McCormick hit a two-run shot that scored BJ Murray, Christian Bethancourt followed with a two-run home run that brought home Long, and Casey Opitz capped the rally with a solo home run to pull Iowa within 8-7. Indianapolis pulled away again with runs in the seventh and eighth, and Iowa's ninth-inning sacrifice fly from James Triantos, scoring Owen Miller, was not enough. McCormick and Bethancourt each drove in two runs, and Iowa left nine runners on base. The bullpen could not hold the deficit, as Yosver Zulueta and Christian Roa combined to allow nine runs across the middle innings. Player AB R H RBI BB K Brett Bateman 3 0 1 0 2 0 Owen Miller 5 1 1 0 0 0 BJ Murray 4 1 2 0 1 1 Chas McCormick 4 1 1 2 1 1 James Triantos 4 0 1 1 0 0 Jonathon Long 5 2 3 1 0 1 Ben Cowles 4 0 1 0 0 1 Christian Bethancourt 4 2 2 2 0 0 Casey Opitz 4 1 1 1 0 2 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Will Sanders 5 3 1 1 1 6 1 Yosver Zulueta 0 2/3 3 5 5 2 1 1 Christian Roa 1 6 4 4 1 1 1 Collin Snider 1 1/3 2 1 1 2 2 0 Corbin Martin 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 Three Straight Homers Lift Knoxville Over Chattanooga 4-1 Knoxville rode a single explosive inning and a strong start from Dawson Netz to defeat the Chattanooga Lookouts 4-1. Netz worked five innings, allowing one run on six hits with three walks and seven strikeouts. Erian Rodriguez and Marino Santy combined for four scoreless relief innings to close it out, with Santy earning the save. The fourth inning decided the game. With the score tied 1-1, Jefferson Rojas, Owen Ayers, and Andy Garriola hit consecutive home runs to give Knoxville a 3-1 lead. Rojas added an insurance run in the seventh, drawing a bases-loaded walk that scored Edgar Alvarez. Rojas finished with two runs batted in, and Ayers and Garriola each drove in one. Knoxville managed just three hits but made them count, all leaving the yard, and stranded five runners on the night. Player AB R H RBI BB K Karson Simas 3 0 0 0 0 0 Jefferson Rojas 3 1 1 2 1 1 Owen Ayers 4 1 1 1 0 1 Alex Ramírez 4 0 0 0 0 1 Andy Garriola 4 1 1 1 0 0 Edgar Alvarez 2 1 0 0 2 0 Carter Trice 2 0 0 0 1 0 Ariel Armas 3 0 0 0 0 2 Hayden Cantrelle 1 0 0 0 2 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Dawson Netz 5 6 1 1 3 7 1 Erian Rodriguez 3 2 0 0 0 1 0 Marino Santy 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 Halbach Homers but South Bend Drops Both Ends at Fort Wayne South Bend dropped the opener to the Fort Wayne TinCaps 4-3 despite solid pitching across the staff. Mason McGwire opened with three innings, allowing one run on two hits with three walks and three strikeouts. Cole Reynolds followed with four innings, giving up one run on one hit with two walks and three strikeouts. South Bend's lone offensive push came in the sixth. Trailing, the team got a two-run single from Justin Stransky on a soft fly to left, scoring Jose Escobar and Miguel Useche to make it a one-run game. Stransky drove in both of South Bend's runs on the play and finished with two runs batted in. The offense managed just three hits, drew eight walks, and left nine runners on base, unable to find the tying run. Adam Stone struggled in a brief relief outing, recording one out while allowing two runs to score and taking the loss. Player AB R H RBI BB K Kane Kepley 4 0 0 0 0 0 Ty Southisene 3 0 1 0 1 1 Josiah Hartshorn 4 1 0 0 0 1 Matt Halbach 3 0 1 0 1 2 Jose Escobar 3 1 0 0 0 1 Miguel Useche 2 1 0 0 2 0 Justin Stransky 2 0 1 2 2 0 Alex Madera 3 0 0 0 1 2 Christian Olivo 3 0 0 0 0 2 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Mason McGwire 3 2 1 1 3 3 0 Cole Reynolds 4 1 1 1 2 3 1 Adam Stone 0 1/3 3 2 0 1 0 0 In the nightcap, South Bend fell 5-2 despite a strong outing from Jostin Florentino, who worked four innings and allowed one run on one hit with two walks and six strikeouts. The game stayed close until the bottom of the sixth, when Brayden Spears ran into trouble and allowed four runs on three hits and two walks across two innings, taking the loss. South Bend built an early lead with single runs in the third and fourth. In the third, Kane Kepley singled, moved into scoring position, and came around to tie the game at 1-1. Matt Halbach put South Bend ahead in the fourth with a solo home run to left center, making it 2-1. The offense went quiet after that, managing just three hits, and Fort Wayne answered with a four-run sixth to pull away. Kepley reached base twice and stole two bases, while Miguel Useche added a double. Player AB R H RBI BB K Kane Kepley 3 1 1 0 1 0 Ty Southisene 1 0 0 0 2 0 Josiah Hartshorn 3 0 0 0 0 1 Matt Halbach 3 1 1 1 0 1 Angel Cepeda 2 0 0 0 1 0 Miguel Useche 3 0 1 0 0 0 Jose Escobar 3 0 0 0 0 1 Drew Bowser 3 0 0 0 0 2 Christian Olivo 3 0 0 0 0 2 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Jostin Florentino 4 1 1 1 2 6 1 Brayden Spears 2 3 4 4 2 2 0 Myrtle Beach Erupts for Eight Homers in 21-10 Rout of Delmarva Myrtle Beach overcame an early five-run deficit and exploded for a 21-10 win over the Delmarva Shorebirds. The pitching was uneven early, as Hayden Frank issued five walks across three innings while allowing five runs, three earned, on three hits with three strikeouts. The bullpen settled things down, with Yoendris Gonzalez tossing 2 2/3 scoreless innings and earning the win, and Jordan Henriquez adding a scoreless frame with two strikeouts. The offense did the heavy lifting in two enormous innings. Trailing 5-0, Myrtle Beach scored four in the fifth, highlighted by an Alexis Hernandez run-scoring double and a Michael Carico sacrifice fly. The eighth inning blew the game open with an 11-run outburst. Derniche Valdez, Henniel Alcala, Alexey Lumpuy, Michael Carico, and Geuri Lubo all homered in the frame. Alcala, Carico, and Lubo each delivering multi-run shots. Carico drove in four runs on the day, while Valdez, Lubo, Alcala, and Darlyn De Leon each knocked in three. Yahil Melendez reached base in all four trips and scored four times. Myrtle Beach pounded out 17 hits and left 11 runners on base. Player AB R H RBI BB K Alexey Lumpuy 6 2 2 2 1 0 Alexis Hernandez 4 1 2 1 3 0 Eli Lovich 5 1 0 0 1 3 Ezequiel Pena 1 0 0 0 0 1 Michael Carico 3 2 1 4 3 0 Derniche Valdez 6 3 2 2 1 1 Yahil Melendez 4 4 3 1 0 0 Geuri Lubo 4 3 1 3 2 0 Henniel Alcala 5 2 3 3 1 2 Darlyn De Leon 5 3 3 3 0 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Hayden Frank 3 3 5 3 5 3 0 Emilio Ramos 2 1/3 4 5 5 2 0 0 Yoendris Gonzalez 2 2/3 1 0 0 1 2 0 Jordan Henriquez 1 1 0 0 0 2 0 Top-20 Prospect Performance Jefferson Rojas: 1-for-3, HR, 2 RBI, BB, K Jaxon Wiggins: DNP Pedro Ramirez: DNP Kevin Alcantara: DNP Josiah Hartshorn: 0-for-7, 2 K Ethan Conrad: DNP Kane Kepley: 1-for-7, BB, 2 SB Jonathon Long: 3-for-5, 2B, HR, RBI, K James Triantos: 1-for-4, RBI Cole Mathis: DNP Owen Ayers: 1-for-4, HR, RBI, K Brooks Caple: DNP Juan Cabada: DNP Kaleb Wing: DNP Angel Cepeda: 0-for-2, BB Dominick Reid: DNP Jostin Florentino: 4 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 K, 1 HR Ty Southisene: 1-for-4, 3 BB, K, SB Will Sanders: 5 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K, 1 HR Brandon Birdsell: DNP View the full article -
What could have been a lengthier stay on the concussion list turned out to be a minimal one. The Kansas City Royals on Friday activated right-handed starter Seth Lugo from the seven-day concussion list and optioned right-handed reliever Mason Black to Triple-A Omaha. Lugo will be on the mound to start Friday's series opener against the St. Louis Cardinals. Lugo was injured Thursday of last week when he was drilled in the forehead by a line drive off the bat of the Texas Rangers' Brandon Nimmo, leaving a massive welt. He was able to walk off the mound and was even joking before entering the clubhouse. Concussions are a tricky injury and it can take time for symptoms to appear and longer to dissipate. At this stage, Lugo came out on the better side of that situation. For Black, his second call-up to the Royals included eight appearances. Overall, Black has pitched in 12 games with a 5.81 FIP (3.57 ERA), walking 13.4% of hitters and striking out 18.3%. View the full article -
Blue Jays Promote Brendon Little, Send Chad Dallas Down
DiamondCentric posted an article in Jays Centre
Turns out that Chad Dallas was just called up to be a safety net. The Toronto Blue Jays on Friday optioned the right-hander back to Triple-A Buffalo and called up left-hander Brendon Little from Buffalo. Dallas was called up Wednesday when right-handed starter Max Scherzer went on the 15-day injured list with back spasms. Despite it being a bullpen game that day, Dallas did not appear in his second MLB game. Nor did he appear in Thursday's series finale against the Boston Red Sox. Now as the Jays open a series at Wrigley Field against the Chicago Cubs, they opted to have a left-hander in the bullpen over the right-handed Dallas. Little, whom the Jays acquired from the Cubs after the 2023 season, is up for the second time this season after making the Opening Day roster. He appeared in five games before being sent to Triple-A, with a 24.55 ERA in 3⅔ innings with three walks and six strikeouts. He did give up 11 runs (10 earned) and 10 hits, including three homers. View the full article -
The Chicago Cubs’ bullpen construction this season was no different than what we have traditionally seen from the Jed Hoyer-Carter Hawkins group since they took over the job from Theo Epstein. Once again, they opted to sign a bunch of cheaper options in the hopes that they'd be able to coax more from players with MLB experience. It worked last year, but injuries and underperformance have reminded us fans how frustrating it is to go through the season without a shut down reliever. Well, I am not writing here to tell you all about a stud reliever the Cubs can go get for pennies, but there was a flier-worthy arm designated for assignment by the Los Angeles Angels this week, and that was old friend Drew Pomeranz. The Cubs signed the then-36-year-old, who hadn’t pitched in the majors since 2021, to a minor-league contract last season and it somehow turned out to be one of the best moves they made. In 49 2/3 innings, Pomeranz pitched to a 2.17 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP while striking out 57 batters (although his xERA of 3.48 showed he was lucky at times). Him and the other ageless lefty, Caleb Thielbar, were inexplicably one of the best left-handed relief duos in the game. In 2020, when he was converted to a full-time reliever with the Padres, Pomeranz stopped using his tertiary pitches completely like the changeup, cutter, and sinker. He has since used his four-seam roughly 75% of the time, mixing it with a knuckle curve, to become a pure two-pitch pitcher. Since simplifying the pitch mix and moving to the 'pen, his average xERA in the three seasons he’d pitched (2020, 2021, 2025) before heading to L.A. was 2.82. Another two interesting related points for Pomeranz’s 2025 were his BB/9 and his first pitch strike percentage; he threw a first pitch strike nearly 66% of the time, which coincides with his 2.7 BB/9, the lowest of his career outside of his 18-inning debut season. His renaissance in Chicago allowed him to find a major-league deal with the Halos this past offseason, but his tenure with he Angels was nothing like what we saw with the Cubs a year ago. In 23 1/3 innings, Pomeranz posted a 5.01 ERA, a 1.59 WHIP, and only 16 strikeouts. His walk percentage is way up, with his BB/9 at 4.6/9, which is the second-highest mark of his career. His strikeout percentage is way down, due to chase and whiff rates that has been nearly sliced in half from a season ago. The whiffs on his knuckle curve have shown a dramatic drop-off, with the percentage falling from 19.8 to 13.6. One of the key contributors to his success with the Cubs was been his ground-ball rate which was just under 40%, which was in-line with his career norms. However, that number plummeted to 26.9% so far in 2026. For a lefty throwing in the low-90s, that's a major issue. He has already given up as many home runs (5) as he did last season, in less than half the innings. On the other hand, his barrel percentage is in the same realm as it was last season, and he is still limiting hard contact to much of the same degree, outside of the homers. Maybe a reunion with Tommy Hottovy and the Cubs’ coaching could bring back more of what we saw last season. With the way the Cubs have played over the last month and a half, there should be no option off the table. Riley Martin should be back soon, but adding Pomeranz back to the mix on a minor-league contract to see if he can find his groove, would not hurt. If he is able to make the necessary tweaks, he should bounce back to some level of success. Having cleared waivers and now been released, he's about as low-risk of a flier as you'll find at this point in the season. View the full article -
You'll find the complete list of qualifying names within this article. Plus, this year, an imminent MLB lockout could impact Matt Arnold's Rule 5 roster decisions. We'll explain. Let's kick things off with this Rule 5 primer reminder: What is the Rule 5 Draft? (via MLB.com) "A draft that allows clubs that do not have a full 40-man roster to select certain non-40-man players from other organizations. Essentially, it is an avenue for teams to identify and give a Major League opportunity to players that they feel have been held back elsewhere. Players signed at age 18 or younger must be added to their club’s 40-man roster within five seasons or else become eligible for the Rule 5 Draft. Players signed at 19 or older must be protected within four seasons." Essentially, as it relates to this year's roster decisions, high school players from the 2022 draft would need to be protected should Matt Arnold and his fellow "Ivory Tower" collaborators so choose. That's why Jett Williams (Mets draft pick), Luke Adams and Dylan O'Rae are up for consideration for the first time, as are college selections from the 2023 draft, such as Tate Kuehner, Brock Wilken, Mike Boeve and Brett Wichrowski, among others. The Brewers already have several players on their 40-man roster who would have been first-year eligible this fall - Luis Lara, Brandon Sproat and Craig Yoho. Then there's Cooper Pratt, who would not have been Rule 5 eligible until fall 2027. Given all that and based on player performances across the board to be evaluated, there does not appear to be a true roster crunch facing the Crew's braintrust. Regular followers of MLB Trade Rumors might remember that every November it seemed as though an astute franchise like the Tampa Bay Rays would be forced to trade some of their Rule 5 eligible prospects for those a bit younger, simply because they faced a roster glut. That doesn't appear to be the case in 2026 for the Brewers, Despite middling numbers year-to-date, it'd be a surprise if Jett Williams were not added to the big-league active roster at some point this regular season. If he is not, then he's a lock for a Rule 5 add (barring any trade activity involving him, of course). So, it's several of the names listed below under the most scrutiny and consideration - Kuehner, Adams, Wilken, mix in intriguing pop-up candidates like fireballing Cameron Wagoner. But wait, there's a monkey wrench! When the 2021 lockout finally ended in March 2022, the owners and players agreed that no Rule 5 draft would take place. Is it likely that a similar situation occurs in the upcoming cycle? If an organization wants to hedge its bets on players who are fringe decisions - those who would be nice to protect but aren't slam-dunk choices - that would be a way to protect precious 40-man roster spots. Plus, it allows for another full season of player evaluation. The 2021 cancelled Rule 5 led to having a lot more first time-eligibles to consider for December 2022, but the Brewers navigated that potential glut just fine. Please weigh in and interact with your fellow diehard prospect followers/huggers by commenting in this thread, which will be pinned to the top of our Minor League Forum all year. We'd love to hear from you! This initial post (the main article) will also be edited as the months pass whenever an eligible player is added to or departs from the Milwaukee organization for any reason. Be sure to read through to the second half of this article where we list the players currently set to be eligible for minor league free agency in October. Rule 5 Eligible Players (44) - * = First Time as Rule 5 Eligible Nashville: 1B/3B Luke Adams* RHP Kaleb Bowman* RHP Will Childers RHP Blake Holub LHP Tate Kuehner* LHP Mark Manfredi, Sr.* C Eric Martinez INF Ethan Murray RHP Brett Wichrowski* 1B/3B Brock Wilken* INF/OF Jett Williams* Biloxi: RHP Patricio Aquino RHP Ryan Birchard* INF/OF Mike Boeve* LHP Jesus Broca* INF/OF Eric Brown, Jr. OF Mark Coley II RHP Chase Costello* LHP Anthony Flores* RHP Yorman Galindez* RHP Edwin Jimenez OF Damon Keith RHP Nick Merkel 2B/OF Dylan O'Rae* C Edgardo Ordonez RHP Manuel Rodriguez* LHP Russell Smith RHP Cameron Wagoner C Matthew Wood Wisconsin: INF Juan Baez* OF Luis Castillo RHP Daniel Corniel* INF/OF Daniel Guilarte 1B/OF Tayden Hall RHP Quinton Low RHP Bryan Rivera* RHP Will Rudy LHP Wande Torres* RHP Jason Woodward Wilson: LHP Jose Meneses* LHP Anfernny Reyes RHP Josh Timmerman* Maryvale: RHP Cesar Espinal* RHP Cole Phillips There are two aspects regarding this next list of names (minor league free agents to be). Last year, RHP Coleman Crow was on this list, and it was quite clear that the Brewers were not about to let him reach free agency, and the one way they could prevent that for sure was to add Crow to the 40-man roster in October, which they clearly did. Upon review below, there does not seem to be a glaring candidate for a similar tact. That's the first aspect. The other aspect is that the Brewers will always be up for bringing back a player they like under a newly negotiated minor league deal, and players are often amenable to this. Just last fall, several players who you see listed below were enticed to return, among them Garrett Stallings, J.B. Bukauskas, Eduardo Garcia, Ramon Rodriguez and Darrien Miller. One miscellaneous note - Biloxi RHP Edwin Jimenez (he'll turn 25 in December) is signed through 2027 already, as part of his own re-up last fall, since he signed a two-year deal at that time. He appears on the Rule 5 list but not the list below. Minor League Free Agents to Be (23) - Nashville: RHP J.B. Bukauskas RHP Junior Fernandez RHP Gerson Garabito INF/OF Eduardo Garcia OF Greg Jones RHP Reiss Knehr INF/OF Eddys Leonard OF Luis Matos LHP Thomas Pannone RHP Lyon Richardson C Ramon Rodriguez RHP Garrett Stallings RHP Jake Woodford INF Freddy Zamora Biloxi: OF Dasan Brown RHP Stiven Cruz OF Jacob Hurtubise C Darrien Miller UT Jheremy Vargas Wisconsin: C Blayberg Diaz C David Garcia C Andrick Nava RHP Yerlin Rodriguez Thanks for following along as we document things for you in the coming months. View the full article -
Boston Red Sox Affiliate Recap (June 18) Triple-A Worcester Red Sox Season Record: 35-33 The Worcester Red Sox out-hit the Lehigh Valley IronPigs 13 to 11 and clawed all the way back from an early three-run hole, but they failed to capitalize with the bases loaded in the ninth and dropped a 5-4 decision on the road. Worcester fell behind quickly. The IronPigs scratched across a run in each of the first three innings against the Sox starter Raymond Burgos, a sacrifice fly in the first, an RBI single in the second, and another RBI single in the third built a 3-0 lead. The WooSox bats woke up, and they did it with power. In the top of the fourth, Max Ferguson and Tyler McDonough went back-to-back, each launching solo bombs to cut the deficit to 3-2. An inning later in the fifth, shortstop Tsung-Che Cheng led off and connected on his seventh homer of the year, evening up the game, 3-3. Burgos settled in to finish his five-inning, three-run outing with four strikeouts, but the bullpen couldn't hold the tie game. Lehigh Valley pushed across two runs in the bottom of the sixth off WooSox reliever Devin Sweet, on an RBI single and a sacrifice fly, retaking the lead 5-3. Worcester kept battling. In the ninth, Anthony Seigler came around to score on an Allan Castro single to make it 5-4. Nathan Hickey came up and walked, loading the bases for Kristian Campbell, but the rally died there. Campbell fought hard in his at-bat, forcing eight pitches to be thrown, but he ultimately struck out to end the game. Cheng led the offense with a three-hit night with a home run and an RBI. Mikey Romero added two hits and a walk, while Castro also collected two hits and an RBI. Despite stacking up 13 hits as a team, the WooSox repeatedly came up empty with runners on, leaving the door open for Lehigh Valley to escape with the win. The Worcester bullpen did its part down the stretch: Zack Kelly tossed a scoreless seventh, and Wyatt Olds struck out two in a perfect eighth, but the early deficit and the rough sixth inning proved to be the difference. Standout Performances: Tsung-Che Cheng: 3-for-5, HR, R, RBI Max Ferguson: 1-for-4, HR, R, RBI Tyler McDonough: 1-for-3, HR, R, RBI, BB Double-A Portland Sea Dogs Season Record: 33-32 The Portland Sea Dogs erupted with a big inning and survived a three-run Somerset ninth to hang on for a 7-6 victory over the Patriots. Somerset struck first, scoring two in the top of the first on a sacrifice fly and an RBI single off Portland’s starter Hayden Mullins. But Portland answered emphatically in the bottom of the second. Raudelis Martinez cleared the bases with a two-run ground-rule double to right, Marvin Alcantara tied it with a sacrifice fly, then Will Turner gave the Sea Dogs the lead for good with a solo homer (his ninth of the season), capping a four-run frame to make it 4-2. From there, Portland kept adding on. Somerset made it a one-run game with a sacrifice fly in the fourth, but the lead for the Sea Dogs grew to 5-3 in the fourth on a stolen base from Alcantara, and with some help from the Patriots catcher’s bat throw, he ran home to score. Nate Baez and Ahbram Liendo drove in runs in the sixth and seventh due to more bad defense from Somerset, pushing the lead to 7-3. Michael Sansone earned the win, his first of the year, working 5 ⅔ innings of three-run ball with five strikeouts and no walks. Sansone was outstanding up until the ninth inning when he ran into trouble. Somerset launched a three-run homer to pull them within one run, 7-6. Cade Feeney came in from the bullpen to slam the door, recording the final out for his second save of the season. The Sea Dogs pounded 13 hits, getting multi-hit games from four batters: Turner, Stanley Tucker, Alcantara, and Brooks Brannon. Standout Performances: Will Turner: 2-for-4, HR, R, RBI Marvin Alcantara: 2-for-4, 2B, R, RBI, BB Raudelis Martinez: 1-for-4, 2B, R, 2 RBI High-A Greenville Drive Season Record: 26-37 A catastrophic inning led to an 8-5 Greenville defeat to the BlueClaws. The Drive jumped in front in the top of the first when Yophery Rodriguez led off with his 11th home run of the season, a shot to right field for a quick 1-0 lead. Starter Jojo Ingrassia kept the BlueClaws mostly in check across his outing, but Jersey Shore tied it 1-1 in the second on an RBI triple. The game turned in the bottom of the fifth. The BlueClaws batted around the lineup and scored an astonishing seven runs, forcing reliever Tyler Davis to exit the game. An RBI double, a two-run homer, and a run-scoring double led to his departure. Matt McShane came in the game and struck out the first batter he faced for the second out of the inning, giving his team a chance to stop the bleeding. Unfortunately, McShane gave up a three-run blast right after, blowing the game open, 8-1. To their credit, the Drive didn't fold. The bullpen steadied, and Luke Heyman launched a two-run homer in the eighth. Ronny Hernandez and Justin Gonzales added an RBI as well. Greenville pushed four runs across to climb within 8-5. The rally stalled there, and the BlueClaws closed it out. Heyman led the Drive with a 2-for-4 night, a home run, and two RBIs. Greenville drew six walks and seven hits, but going 1-for-11 with RISP as a team does not win ballgames. Low-A Salem RidgeYaks Season Record: 25-40 The RidgeYaks shook off a mid-game deficit and took over, taking a 10-5 win against the Nationals. Salem struck early in the top of the second. Ilan Fernandez’s bases-loaded walk and an Avinson Pinto two-run single staked the RidgeYaks to a 3-0 lead. Fredericksburg chipped away with a run in the second, then turned the game in the bottom of the fifth, scoring three runs with the help of a sacrifice fly and a two-run single to surge ahead 4-3. The Nationals' lead didn't last. Salem answered in the top of the seventh: Andruw Musett delivered a clutch two-run single to take the lead, then Adonys Guzman followed with an RBI single to flip the score to 6-4. The RidgeYaks tacked on an unearned run in the eighth, then blew it open in the ninth. Andrews Opata launched a solo homer (his fourth of the year), Musett scored on a wild pitch, and Givian Sirvania brought in Guzman with a sacrifice fly. Salem pushed across three in the frame to make it 10-4 before Fredericksburg managed a consolation run in the home half of the inning. Cole Tolbert started on the mound and was excellent, tossing three no-hit innings with an unearned run and two strikeouts. Salem’s bullpen locked it down after a shaky middle. Harry Blum earned the win, improving to 2-2 on the year with 2 ⅔ innings of one-run ball and four strikeouts. View the full article
