The Minnesota Twins have announced that High-A Cedar Rapids outfielder Gabriel Gonzalez and High-A Cedar Rapids right-handed pitcher Zebby Matthews have been named Twins minor league Player and Pitcher of the Week.
Outfielder Gabriel Gonzalez signed with the Seattle Mariners as a 17-year-old from Venezuela for $1.3 million in February 2021. Gonzalez began his professional career with the organization’s Dominican Summer League club. The Carupano, Venezuela native was acquired by the Twins as one of the pieces in the Jorge Polanco trade on January 29, 2024. This past week Gonzalez, 20, played in five games for the Kernels, hitting .353 (6-for-17) with four doubles, one home run, five RBI and a 1.186 OPS. MLB Pipeline has Gonzalez rated at the Twins 4th best prospect and he is rated number 71 in MLB Pipelines 100 best prospects. For more info on Gonzalez please go here. Check out his home run at https://www.mlb.com/twins/video/gabriel-gonzalez-cranks-a-two-run-home-run
Zebby Matthews was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 8th round of the 2022 MLB June Amateur Draft from Western Carolina University (Cullowhee, NC). Matthews is currently rated by MLB as the Twins 20th best prospect. Matthews, 23, made one start for the Kernels on Thursday vs. Beloit, allowing one run on five hits in 5.2 innings pitched, with no walks and seven strikeouts, earning the win. Stop by the MLB Pipeline site and see more detailed info about Matthews here. This is Zebby’s second pitcher of the week award this year.