MINNESOTA TWINS NEWS

Aaron Sabato - Reassigned to minors camp Sabato was reassigned Tuesday to the minor-league side of Twins camp, Do-Hyoung Park of MLB.com reports.

Impact Selected as the No. 27 overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft out of the University of North Carolina, Sabato batted .215/.336/.438 with 22 home runs and 75 RBI in 103 games last season between High-A Cedar Rapids and Double-A Wichita. He's had real trouble with strikeouts in his young professional career.

MARCH 14, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Edouard Julien - Sent down to Triple-A Julien was optioned to Triple-A St. Paul by the Twins on Tuesday, Phil Miller of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.

Impact Julien had a nice showing this spring, putting up a .919 OPS with two home runs in six games. The 23-year-old on-base machine was added to the Twins' 40-man roster over the offseason after posting a .300/.441/.490 line with 17 homers and 19 steals at Double-A Wichita in 2022. He will see his first Triple-A action in 2023 and could push to debut at some point later in the year.

MARCH 14, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Royce Lewis looking forward to coming back from injury even stronger Royce Lewis is rehabbing after undergoing a second ACL surgery last summer.

MARCH 14, 2023 • TWINCITIES.COM

Yankees Fans boo Joey Gallo in Grapefruit League Game Yankees fans didn’t hold back when Joey Gallo stepped to the plate on Monday.

MARCH 14, 2023 • NEWSOBSERVER.COM

Yankees Fans boo Joey Gallo in Grapefruit League Game Yankees fans didn’t hold back when Joey Gallo stepped to the plate on Monday.

MARCH 14, 2023 • SACBEE.COM

Josh Winder - Throws live batting practice Winder (shoulder) threw live batting practice Tuesday, Do-Hyoung Park of MLB.com reports.

Impact It's the first time he's faced hitters this spring as he works his way back from some right shoulder soreness. Winder doesn't have enough time to get stretched back out to start before Opening Day, but that could actually work to his benefit with the Twins looking to carry a long reliever.

MARCH 14, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Carlos Correa - Returns to Twins camp Correa (personal) returned to Twins camp Tuesday, Do-Hyoung Park of MLB.com reports.

Impact Correa was away for a few days to be with his newborn son. He expects to return to Grapefruit League action Friday. Correa is 3-for-9 with one walk in four games so far this spring.

MARCH 14, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Nick Gordon - Expects to return Thursday Gordon (ankle) expects to start at second base during the Twins' Grapefruit League game versus the Rays, Do-Hyoung Park of MLB.com reports.

Impact Gordon's recovery from a high-ankle sprain seems to be moving along a little more quickly than expected, putting him on track to be ready for Opening Day as long as he can avoid setbacks. The 27-year-old should receive close to everyday playing time in 2023 as he bounces around the diamond.

MARCH 14, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Twins' top prospects ready to become next wave of impact rookies: 'The future is bright' Brooks Lee, Royce Lewis, Edouard Julien and Matt Wallner lead a promising crop of Twins prospects knocking on the door to the majors.

MARCH 14, 2023 • THEATHLETIC.COM

Competition or exhibition? WBC's pitching rules loom large

Mark DeRosa said last week that one of his most important jobs as United States manager during the World Baseball Classic is making sure his players understand the tournament is a...

MARCH 14, 2023 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Joey Gallo - Getting time at first base Gallo started at first base and went 1-for-3 with a double in Monday's spring training win over the Yankees. He's hitting .316 (6-for-19) with a home run this spring.

Impact Gallo could get playing time at first base this year, especially early in the season with Alex Kirilloff (wrist) questionable for the start of the season. He'll likely get most of his playing time in left field as he looks to rebound from a disappointing season. He hit just .160/.280/.357 with 19 home runs last season with a 39.8 percent strikeout rate across 126 games for the Yankees and Dodgers.

MARCH 14, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Max Kepler - Hits first spring home run Kepler went 2-for-3 with his first home run of spring training in Monday's win over the Yankees. He's hitting .400 (8-for-20) this spring.

Impact Kepler was the subject of trade talk over the winter, but he looks set to begin the season as the starting right fielder. He's a candidate to benefit from the ban on shifts since he's a pull hitter who hits too many ground balls. His 2019 season (when he hit 36 home runs) featured a Pull% of 50.8 percent compared to just 41.7 percent last season.

MARCH 14, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Twins prospect Matt Wallner working to 'prove himself' after brief taste of majors Forest Lake’s Matt Wallner is expected to begin his season at Triple-A after spending much of September with the Twins last year.

MARCH 13, 2023 • TWINCITIES.COM

Twins trip Yankees, with only run coming on Max Kepler's homer Danny Coulombe got the start in the three-hit shutout, although New York played mostly minor leaguers.

MARCH 13, 2023 • STARTRIBUNE.COM

'I want to hit it 440': Gordon plans to power up FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Nick Gordon hit 28 homers in total across parts of seven seasons in the Minor Leagues. Now, he has his sights set on a 2...

MARCH 13, 2023 • MLB.COM

Bailey Ober beating the odds, but finds numbers stacked against him at Twins camp Ober, the 6-foot-9 right-hander, is sixth in line among the team's starters. But it's likely the Twins will go with a five-man rotation to s...

MARCH 13, 2023 • STARTRIBUNE.COM

Alex Kirilloff - Takes live BP Kirilloff (wrist) was spotted taking part in live batting practice Monday on the back fields at Twins camp, Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.

Impact The activity is a sign that Kirilloff is making progress as he ramps up following surgery last August to shorten the ulnar bone in his right wrist and clean up scar tissue, but the Twins haven't yet pinpointed a date for the 25-year-old to make his spring debut. With Opening Day just over two weeks ago, Kirilloff would likely need to get in a game no later than next week for the Twins to feel confident about his chances of breaking camp with the big club. Kirilloff has a minor-league option remaining, so the Twins could have him report to Triple-A St. Paul to begin the season in order to continue his ramp-up process rather than stashing him on the injured list.

MARCH 13, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Nick Gordon - Fields grounders, hits Monday Gordon (ankle) took part in fielding drills and took batting practice Monday, Do-Hyoung Park of MLB.com reports.

Impact Gordon didn't appear to be doing much lateral movement in the field while he works his way back from a left high-ankle sprain, but his activity Monday represents a nice step forward in his recovery nonetheless. He's also been able to do some hitting and running lately without issues. It's not clear when Gordon might be ready to re-enter the Grapefruit League lineup, but he wouldn't appear to be too far off.

MARCH 13, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Yankees, Twins lineups Monday | Joey Gallo, raking for Minnesota, faces old team (3/13/23) The New York Yankees and Minnesota Twins play a Grapefruit League game on Monday in Fort Myers, Fla.

MARCH 13, 2023 • NJ.COM

Twins pitcher Pablo Lopez has strong start in Venezuela's 9-6 win over Puerto Rico López was the beneficiary of the early run support. López struck out six, while limiting Puerto Rico to one run and two hits in 4 2/3 inning...

MARCH 13, 2023 • STARTRIBUNE.COM

How helping Carlos Correa gave Twins rookie hitting coach David Popkins credibility "Pop, show me what you got. This is your time to shine, babe," Correa said. "He did it. I never felt that good in my career before.”

MARCH 13, 2023 • THEATHLETIC.COM

Tyler Mahle - Looks healthy this spring Mahle gave up two runs with four strikeouts in 2.1 innings in Saturday's spring start. Mahle has a 3.38 ERA with six strikeouts and one walk in 5.1 innings so far this spring.

Impact More important than his stats, Mahle has looked healthy after he struggled with a sore shoulder last year, ending his season in August. Mahle had similar strikeout rates (9.4 K/9) and walk rates (3.2 B/9) last season in comparison to the past few years, so he could rebound after a disappointing season (4.40 ERA) to become a key part of the Minnesota rotation.

MARCH 13, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Edouard Julien - Leadoff HR for team Canada Julien led off Sunday's World Baseball Classic win over Great Britain with a home run, went 1-for-2 and had four walks while batting leadoff for Canada. He was hitting .250 with tw...

Impact Julien has been an on-base machine in his minor-league career, so the four walks Sunday are no surprise. He slashed .303/.443/.491 with a 24.6 percent strikeout rate, a 19.3 percent walk rate and a strong 32.6 hard-hit percentage at Double-A last season. He then was a star of the Arizona Fall League, where he hit .400 with five home runs and more walks (23) than strikeouts (22) in 21 games. He'll likely begin the season at Triple-A and could be in the majors early in the season should an opening arise.

MARCH 13, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Trevor Larnach - Hits first spring home run Larnach went 1-for-3 with a home run and a walk in Sunday's spring training loss to Detroit. He's hitting .231 with a home run and a .795 OPS in five games this spring.

Impact More importantly, Larnach looks healthy after missing time with a groin injury early in camp. With Nick Gordon (ankle) and Alex Kirilloff (wrist) looking iffy for the start of the regular season, Larnach could begin the season as the regular DH.

MARCH 13, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Matt Wallner - Still fighting for roster spot Wallner went 1-for-3 in Sunday's spring training loss to Detroit. He's hitting .250 with a home run and a .798 OPS in eight games this spring.

Impact The odds looked against Wallner starting the season in the majors at the beginning of spring training, but an injury to Nick Gordon and Alex Kirilloff's slow comeback from wrist surgery make it a possibility. Wallner made his big-league debut in 2022 and hit 27 home runs in 128 games between Double-A and Triple-A, but he needs to reduce his strikeouts after having a 38.5 strikeout percentage in 65 MLB plate appearances. He at least has an improved 25 percent strikeout rate this spring. Even if he begins the season in the minors, he'll likely get a shot with the Twins again at some point this summer.

MARCH 13, 2023 • ROTOWIRE