The Minnesota Twins have announced that High-A Cedar Rapids right-handed pitcher Andrew Morris and outfielder Emmanuel Rodriguez have been named the final minor league Pitcher and Player of the Week for the Twins organization in 2023. Both players helped lead the Kernels to their first Midwest League Championship since 1994 with a win over Great Lakes on Wednesday night.
Emmanuel Rodriguez a Santiago, Dominican Republic native was signed by the Minnesota Twins as an undrafted free agent on July 2, 2019. Rodriguez was a top 10 prospect on MLB Pipeline’s Top 30 international prospects list for 2019-20 when the signing period opened up in July of 2019. The Twins were all in, giving the toolsy outfielder $2.75 million to sign. MLB Pipeline currently has Rodriguez rated as the 48th best prospect overall and has Rodriguez as the Twins 3rd best prospect behind Walker Jenkins and Brooks Lee. You can learn more about Rodriguez here. Rodriguez has won this award four times earlier this season and he seems to be another in the long line of Twins left-handed sluggers.
Rodriguez hit a second-inning grand slam in the deciding Game 3, finishing the evening 1-for-2 with two walks and two runs scored. Slash line for the season is .240/.400/.463.
Andrew Morris was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 4th round of the 2022 MLB June Amateur Draft from Texas Tech University (Lubbock, TX). Morris signed with Minnesota for a reported signing bonus of $500K. MLB Pipeline now has Morris rated at the Twins 30th best prospect. You can read more about Morris here.
Morris started Game 2, allowing one run on three hits in 5 innings pitched, with no walks and seven strikeouts. On the season (between low A and High A) Morris pitched 84.1 innings allowing 86 hits with 70 strikeouts while posting a 8-2 record with a nifty 2.88 ERA and a 1.048 WHIP.
TITLETOWN! Cedar Rapids Kernels win Midwest League championship
