Month: May 2024

Keaschall & Culpepper named Twins minor league Player and Pitcher of the Week

The Minnesota Twins have announced that High-A Cedar Rapids infielder Luke Keaschall and right-handed pitcher C.J. Culpepper have been named Twins minor league Player and Pitcher of the week.

Luke Keaschall was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 2nd round of the 2023 MLB June Amateur Draft from Arizona State University (Tempe, AZ). MLB Pipeline has Keaschall rated the Twins ninth best prospect. Keaschall, 21, played in six games for the Kernels, hitting .500 (12-for-24) with two doubles, three home runs, seven RBI and a 1.545 OPS. For more info on Keaschall go here.

C. J. Culpepper was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 13th round of the 2022 MLB June Amateur Draft from California Baptist University (Riverside, CA). Culpepper won this award three times in 2023 and is a first time winner in 2024. MLB currently has C. J. rated as the Twins 8th best prospect on MLB Pipeline and you can read more about Culpepper there. Culpepper, 22, made the start for the Kernels on Thursday at Peoria, pitching 6 perfect innings, with eight strikeouts, retiring all 18 batters he faced.

Twins-Minor-League-Report-5-28-2024

Former Twins catcher Tom Tischinski passes away at 79

Tom Tischinski

Tom Tischinski was born on July 12, 1944 in Kansas City, Missouri and passed away at the age of 79 on April 23, 2024 at Northcare Hospice House in Kansas City. He attended De La Salle High School, graduating in 1962. According to the back of Tischinski’s rookie 1970 Topps baseball card (#379) he lettered in four sports and was captain of his baseball and basketball team getting all-league honors in both sports.

Following high school, he was signed by the Kansas City Athletics baseball organization, beginning a 13 year career in professional baseball. After just one season in the Kansas City Athletics organization he was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the November 1962 first-year draft. Tischinski played in AAA for the Reds in San Diego but struggled hitting the ball and when the Reds drafted some guy named Johnny Bench in June of 1965, things didn’t look good. Then in November of 1967 he caught a break when the Minnesota Twins drafted him in the minor league draft.

Continue reading Former Twins catcher Tom Tischinski passes away at 79

Mercedes & Ohl named Twins minor league Player and Pitcher of the Week

The Minnesota Twins have announced that FCL outfielder Yasser Mercedes and Double-A Wichita right-handed pitcher Pierson Ohl have been named Twins minor league Player and Pitcher of the Week.

The Minnesota Twins signed free agent Puerto Rican native outfielder Yasser Mercedes to a minor league contract on January 15, 2022 for $1.7 million. Mercedes is in his third season of pro ball. Repeating FCL after looking overwhelmed in his first try. MLB Pipeline has Mercedes as the Twins 19th best prospect.

This week Mercedes, 19, played in four games, hitting .625 (10-for-16) with two doubles, two home runs, eight RBI, seven runs scored, three walks and a 1.809 OPS.

Pierson Ohl, a Moorpark, California native was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 14th round of the 2021 MLB June Amateur Draft from Grand Canyon University (Phoenix, AZ) and signed for $100K.

Ohl, 24, made the start on Tuesday at Tulsa, pitching 6 shutout innings, with four hits allowed and one walk, while tying a professional career high 10 strikeouts. Ohl, a right-hander is in his fourth season of pro ball.

Twins Minor League Report, 5-13-2024.PDF


McCusker & Matthews named Twins minor league Player and Pitcher of the Week

The Minnesota Twins have announced Double-A Wichita outfielder Carson McCusker and Wichita right-handed pitcher Zebby Matthews as Twins minor league Player and Pitcher of the Week.

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. Stop by the MLB Pipeline site and see more detailed info about Matthews here. This is Zebby’s third pitcher of the week award this year. Matthews was promoted to Wichita from Cedar Rapids on May 6.

Matthews, 23, made his Double-A debut on Thursday vs. Arkansas, allowing two unearned runs on three hits in 6.2 innings pitched, with no walks and nine strikeouts. Matthews is on a roll and appears to have figured something out. Watch Matthews strike them out right here.

Carson McCusker is a Sparks, Nevada native who was signed
by the Minnesota Twins in June of 2023 and originally selected by the Brewers in the 26th round of the 2017 MLB Draft out of Folsom Lake College in California. Who is he? He’s. 6-foot-8 outfielder who was signed by the Twins in June 2023 after he ripped up the Frontier League for the Tri-City ValleyCats, an team playing summer baseball in the independent league.

McCusker, 25, played in five games for the Wind Surge this week, hitting .526 (10-for-19) with four doubles, three home runs, 10 RBI and a 1.819 OPS. The 6-foot-8, 250-pound outfielder went 5-for-5 on Tuesday vs. Arkansas. You can watch McCusker’s three home run night here.

Sean Burroughs dies at the age of 43

Sean Burroughs was born on September 12, 1980 in Atlanta, Georgia and passed away unexpectedly at the age of 43 of cardiac arrest on May 9, 2024 after dropping off his son at a Little League baseball game at Stearns Park in Long Beach, California.

The Burroughs name means baseball royalty in Long Beach. Sean threw back-to-back no-hitters to help Long Beach to consecutive Little League championships then went on to star at Long Beach Wilson High just like his father Jeff. Each was drafted in the first round: Jeff Burroughs by the Washington Senators in 1969; Sean by the San Diego Padres in 1998.

Sean appeared on the David Letterman show at 12 and in Sports Illustrated at 21. He won a gold medal, playing for Tom Lasorda and Team USA in the 2000 Olympics. He made his major league debut in 2002 and, two years later, had the walk-off hit that made the Padres winners in the first regular-season game played at Petco Park. He would go on to play five years in the Major Leagues before falling out of baseball from 2008 through 2010. He talked with ESPN about his struggles with alcohol and drug addiction during that time, and his recovery and return to the game became a national story.”I just didn’t have the drive or the passion,” Burroughs told ESPN in June 2011 of his decision to walk away from the game. It’s been an incredible journey. It really has, It was just a year ago I was eating cheeseburgers out of garbage cans and living in Motel 6.”

Continue reading Sean Burroughs dies at the age of 43

Keirsey Jr. & Festa named as the Twins minor league Player and Pitcher of the Week

The Minnesota twins have announced that Triple-A St. Paul outfielder DaShawn Keirsey Jr. and Saints right-handed pitcher David Festa have been named Twins minor league Player and Pitcher of the Week.

Outfielder DaShawn Keirsey was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 4th round of the 2018 MLB June Amateur Draft from University of Utah (Salt Lake City, UT).

Keirsey Jr, 26, played in six games for the Saints, hitting .280 (7-for-25) with one double, one home run and six RBI.

David Festa was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 13th round of the 2021 MLB June Amateur Draft from Seton Hall University (South Orange, NJ). Festa is rated as the club’s fifth-best prospect by MLB.com — first among pitchers.

Festa, 24, made the start on Tuesday vs. Louisville, allowing two runs on three hits in 5 innings pitched, with one walk and 10 strikeouts.

With the Minnesota Twins no longer on Bally Sports this might interest you if MiLB is interesting to you. Good price for sure.

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