Minnesota
Minnesota Twins’ top prospects may be involved in Castillo or Mahle trade talks with Reds
Wednesday’s experiences that the Minnesota Twins are believed to be concerned in commerce conversations about right-handed pitchers Luis Castillo and/or Tyler Mahle left Reds followers questioning whether or not Cincinnati would possibly look to amass any of the AL Central-leading Twins’ prime prospects in change for both of the beginning pitchers.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported that the Twins have been available in the market for Castillo, who pitched a gem Wednesday night time in what might have been his remaining begin as a Pink at Nice American Ball Park.
The Athletic’s Dan Hayes reported that the Twins are extra all in favour of Castillo’s teammate, Mahle, than in Castillo. Mahle is scheduled to begin Saturday at GABP in opposition to the Baltimore Orioles.
Castillo accomplished his begin Wednesday in opposition to the Miami Marlins with a 2.86 ERA and 1.07 WHIP in 14 begins this season. He is allowed simply seven dwelling runs by way of 85 innings pitched.
Mahle has posted a 4.48 ERA and 1.271 WHIP by way of 18 begins this season. He led the Nationwide League with 33 begins final season, posting a 3.75 ERA.
MLB Pipeline ranks only one Twins prospect – shortstop Royce Lewis – amongst its most up-to-date prime 100, checking in at No. 39. Lewis, 23, is hitting .300 (12-for-40) with 4 doubles, two homers and 5 RBIs this season for the Twins. He was the primary total choice within the 2017 MLB Draft – one choose forward of Reds rookie pitcher Hunter Greene.
MLB Pipeline evaluation of Lewis:
Scouting grades: Hit: 55 | Energy: 50 | Run: 70 | Arm: 55 | Subject: 55 | General: 55
The No. 1 choose within the 2017 Draft, out of the Southern California highschool ranks, Lewis performed as much as superior billing in his first year-plus of professional ball, with a .292/.352/.451 slash line throughout two ranges of A ball in his first full season. He struggled in ’19, although he went to the Futures Recreation and reached Double-A. He appeared to proper the ship with an MVP efficiency within the Arizona Fall League, however he didn’t play a aggressive recreation for 2 years due to the pandemic and a torn ACL suffered in Spring Coaching of ’21. He made a triumphant return to aggressive play in ’22, incomes his first callup to the large leagues, solely to tear the identical ACL when he crashed into the center-field wall in his second Main League stint.
Extra from MLB.com concerning the 4 gamers who spherical out the staff’s prime 5 prospects, together with evaluation from the web site:
OF/SS Austin Martin, age 23
Scouting grades: Hit: 60 | Energy: 40 | Run: 55 | Arm: 45 | Subject: 50 | General: 50
Considered the highest hitter within the 2020 Draft class, Martin left Vanderbilt with a .368/.474/.532 profession line that helped him develop into the No. 5 total choose in that 12 months’s Draft, taken by the Blue Jays. After time at Toronto’s alternate coaching web site that summer time, Martin went straight to Double-A for his professional debut in 2021 and showcased his spectacular on-base abilities. He additionally went to the Futures Recreation earlier than he was despatched to the Twins on the Commerce Deadline for right-hander José Berríos.
RHP Jordan Balazovic, age 23
Scouting grades: Fastball: 65 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 50 | Management: 50 | General: 50
The most effective prospect in Canada from the 2016 Draft class, Balazovic impressed the Twins to take him within the fifth spherical and go over slot worth to signal him. Then, he was a skinny, super-projectable highschool right-hander. He’s made regular progress since, making his full-season debut in 2018, pitching throughout two ranges of A-ball and going to the Futures Recreation in 2019 and pitching effectively on the Twins’ alternate coaching web site and in instructs in 2020 to earn a spot on the 40-man roster. Though a again difficulty stored him from making his Double-A debut till June 2021, he nonetheless managed to overlook bats whereas setting a profession excessive in innings pitched.
RHP Simeon Woods Richardson, age 21
Scouting grades: Fastball: 55 | Curveball: 55 | Slider: 50 | Changeup: 60 | Management: 50 | General: 50
Initially a second-round choose of the Mets in 2018, Woods Richardson has already been concerned in two massive trades, first getting despatched from the Mets to the Blue Jays within the Marcus Stroman deal in 2019, then going from Toronto to Minnesota as a part of the Jose Berrios commerce on the 2021 Deadline. After a breakout in 2019, Woods Richardson’s stuff backed up in 2021, and he solely pitched briefly for the Twins after being on Staff USA’s pitching workers for the Olympics.
RHP Matt Canterino, age 24
Scouting grades: Fastball: 55 | Slider: 55 | Curveball: 55 | Changeup: 50 | Management: 55 | General: 50
Canterino left Rice College as a three-year starter who had struck out 100-plus batters in all three seasons, main him to being taken by the Twins within the second spherical of the 2019 Draft. Since then, it’s been onerous to see him on a mound, with the pandemic in 2020 and a forearm pressure in 2021 limiting him to a complete of 48 skilled innings since being drafted coming into the 2022 season.
Earlier this week, a report from SNY’s Andy Martino that the Reds and Yankees are engaged in commerce conversations about Castillo urged that New York is likely to be prepared to ship one in every of its prime prospects in change for the two-time Nationwide League All-Star.
LOVE SPORTS? [ Subscribe now for unlimited access to Cincinnati.com ]
This text initially appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Twins’ prime prospects could also be concerned in Castillo or Mahle commerce talks