TWINS TRIVIA is hopefully a fun and informative site that will help you to better enjoy the Minnesota Twins and their wonderful history. “History never looks like history when you are living through it” – John Gardner, former Secretary of Health
The Minnesota Twins have named Triple-A St. Paul right-handed pitcher Andrew Morris and High-A Cedar Rapids infielder Kaelen Culpepper as the club’s minor league Pitcher and Player of the Week.
Andrew Morris
Morris, 23, made the start for the Saints last Sunday at Iowa, pitching 5 shutout innings, with four hits allowed, one walk and a season-high eight strikeouts. The New York, NY native was selected by the Twins in the fourth round of the 2022 First-Year Player Draft out of Texas Tech University. He is the club’s ninth overall prospect, per MLB.com.
The Twins have named High-A Cedar Rapids outfielder Gabriel Gonzalez and Double-A Wichita right-handed pitcher John Klein as their minor league Player and Pitcher of the Week.
Gabriel Gonzalez
Gonzalez, 21, played in six games for the Kernels, hitting .385 (10-for-26) with two doubles, one triple, three home runs, 10 RBI and a 1.336 OPS. On Wednesday vs. Peoria, he recorded three hits and on Thursday vs. Peoria, he went 4-for-6 with two doubles, one home run and six RBI. The Carupano, Venezuela native was acquired by the Twins in the Jorge Polanco trade with Seattle during the 2023-24 off-season and is a right-handed hitting outfielder. MLB Pipeline has Gonzalez as the Twins 17th best prospect and you can read what they have to say about him here.
John Klein
Klein, 23, made two relief appearances for the Wind Surge, allowing one unearned run in 6.0 innings, with three hits allowed, two walks and six strikeouts. The 6’5″ right-handed Brooklyn Park, Minnesota native was signed by the Twins as an undrafted free agent in August of 2022.
Richard John Rollins, known to baseball fans as Rich Rollins, passed away on May 13, 2025 at the age of 86 in Akron, Ohio, leaving behind a legacy that embodies perseverance, talent, and the spirit of the game. A two-time All-Star and a key contributor to the Minnesota Twins’ 1965 American League pennant-winning season, Rollins carved out a successful career despite early doubts about his abilities.
Early Life and Passion for Baseball
Born on April 16, 1938, in Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania, Rich inherited a deep love for baseball from his father, an ambidextrous welder who played in coal mining leagues. When the family relocated to the Cleveland area, young Rich immersed himself in the game, playing multiple positions—second base, third base, and catcher—for Parma High School. He also played second base for an American Legion team, all while working at Cleveland Indians games as a popcorn vendor.
His journey to professional baseball was far from straightforward. Initially enrolling at Ohio University after high school, Rollins soon received a scholarship offer from Kent State University, despite never having been seen by the coach, Matt Resnick. Recommended by Norbert “Nobby” Lewandowski, a pitcher in the Twins’ farm system, Rollins thrived at Kent State. He earned three consecutive selections to the All-Mid-American Conference team at second base and posted an extraordinary .383 career batting average—second only to future Yankees catcher Thurman Munson.
Despite his success, Rollins faced skepticism from scouts who deemed him too small (5’10”), unable to hit curveballs, incapable of turning double plays, and possessing a weak arm. However, Kent State coaches Matt Resnick and Moose Paskert encouraged him to persevere, helping him refine his skills and stay motivated.
The Minnesota Twins have named Triple-A St. Paul utility player Mickey Gasper and Double-A Wichita left-handed pitcher Connor Prielipp have been named Twins minor league Player and Pitcher of the Week.
Mickey Gasper
Mickey Gasper played in four games for the Saints, hitting .529 (9-for-17) with two doubles, three home runs, five RBI, three walks, seven runs scored and a 1.777 OPS. He hit the walk-off three-run homer on Thursday versus Buffalo and followed that with four hits on Friday. Gasper was traded by the Boston Red Sox to the Minnesota Twins for Jovani Morán in December 2024.
Connor Prielipp
Connor Prielipp, 24, made the start for the Wichita Wind Surge on Thursday at Northwest Arkansas, pitching 4 shutout innings, with three hits allowed, no walks and six strikeouts. The Tomah, Wisconsin native was selected by the Twins in the second round (48th overall) in the 2022 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Alabama. The 6’2″ lefty is ranked as the organization’s fifth-best prospect and number one pitching prospect by MLB Pipeline.
The Minnesota Twins announced that High-A Cedar Rapids infielder Kyle DeBarge and Low-A Fort Myers left-handed pitcher Dasan Hill have been named Twins minor league Player and Pitcher of the Week.
Kyle DeBarge
DeBarge, 21, played in six games for the Kernels, hitting .304 (7-for-23) with one double, two home runs, eight RBI, five walks and a 1.037 OPS. The Lake Charles, Louisiana native was selected by the Twins in the Compensatory Round (loss of Sonny Gray), 33rd overall, in the 2024 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Louisiana, Lafayette. The Twins agreed to a slightly below-slot signing bonus of $2.4 million with the right-handed hitting Kyle DeBarge. The 21-year-old is an elite contact hitter and just the second Ragin Cajun ever drafted in the first round.
Dasan Hill
Hill, 19, made the start with the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels on April 26, pitching 3.1 scoreless innings, with one hit allowed two walks, striking out eight of his 14 batters faced. The Grapevine, Texas native was selected by the Twins in the second round (69th overall) of the 2024 First-Year Player Draft out of Grapevine High School. Hill, a lefty is the club’s 13th-best prospect according to MLB.com Pipeline.
