It takes a great team to win in baseball. To win in agriculture, it takes a cooperative like CHS. As the largest farmer-owned cooperative in the country, CHS helps farmers win. We bring innovative solutions into the field to drive in home run harvests. We hustle and dive to catch market opportunities so growers can sell their grain to buyers across the globe. And our power line-up includes energy options that fuel rural America. We help farmers sustainably produce the food we enjoy at the ballpark and on our home plates.
Hi! Jeff Nelson here. When the Saints asked me to create the cover image for this season, I was one happy fan. I’m on a mission to help people and businesses get noticed through art and design made by hand, whether it’s a giant mural, restaurant
magazine illustrations, or…the cover of the
St. Paul Saints Season Program. I’ve had my studio in Lowertown since 2005. I live on St. Paul’s West Side with my wife Amy, our kids, and a Yorkie named Barry Gibb. Find
OWNERS
DIAMOND BASEBALL HOLDINGS
EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN/DBH
PAT BATTLE
CEO/DBH
PETER FREUND
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT / GENERAL MANAGER
DEREK SHARRER
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT / BUSINESS AFFAIRS
TOM WHALEY
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT / SALES AND OPERATIONS
CHRIS SCHWAB
VICE PRESIDENT / ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER
ZANE HEINSELMAN
VICE PRESIDENT / DIRECTOR OF MEDIA RELATIONS & BROADCASTING
SEAN ARONSON
VP / ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER / BRAND MARKETING AND EXPERIENCE
SIERRA BAILEY
DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS & FINANCE
KRISTA SCHNELLE
DIRECTOR OF FAN SERVICES & COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS
EDDIE COBLENTZ
DIRECTOR OF CREATIVE SERVICES
ROB THOMPSON
DIRECTOR OF SALES & CORPORATE PARTNERSHIPS
AUSTYN RUBACK
CORPORATE PARTNERSHIPS & TICKET SALES EXECUTIVE
KAILYN JOHNSON
SENIOR TICKET SALES EXECUTIVE
ERIC SIMON
TICKET OPERATIONS MANAGER
SHANA MCGLYNN
CLUB DIRECTORY
TICKET SALES EXECUTIVES
ADAM LILLESTOL
JAKE MCGEORGE
MORGAN STIENESSEN
ROBERT KRAKLOW
ALYSSA HELLAND
DIGITAL MEDIA MANAGER
ALY MAY
DIGITAL MEDIA & VIDEO PRODUCTION MANAGER
CAMERON SURDYK
MULTIMEDIA CONTENT PRODUCER
JOHN VERHOESTRA
DIGITAL CREATIVE SERVICES COORDINATOR
JORDAN DAWKINS
CREATIVE CONTENT PRODUCER / PUBLIC ADDRESS ANNOUNCER
LEE ADAMS
ENTERTAINMENT DIRECTOR / CREATIVE CONTENT PRODUCER
JOSHUA WILL
SPECIAL EVENTS COORDINATORS
JULIA JAFFEE
SARAH OLSEN
YOUTH SPORTS COORDINATOR
SARAH GOTTFREDSEN
PROGRAM DIRECTOR / LEAD INSTRUCTOR YOUTH SPORTS INITIATIVES
GEORGE TSAMIS
OFFICE MANAGER & DONATIONS COORDINATOR
GINA KRAY
DIRECTOR OF BALLPARK OPERATIONS
CURTIS NACHTSHEIM
DIRECTOR OF FIELD OPERATIONS
MARCUS CAMPBELL
FIELD OPERATIONS SUPERVISOR
CODY PAMPERIN
EXECUTIVE CHEF
JAMES CROSS
VICE PRESIDENT OF OPERATIONS / PROFESSIONAL SPORTS CATERING JUSTIN GRANDSTAFF
DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS / PROFESSIONAL SPORTS CATERING JACK KRAKOW
PREMIUM CATERING MANAGER
DANIELLE ASHBY
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS
AMY SCHROER
INTERNS
PARKER DAHLMANN
BEN DELAFOREST
ALEX GORDON
BLAKE HAFERMAN
DREW HALDEN
GRACE HOFFHINES
EMMA ISAACSON
THOR JOHNSON
NATALIE KRUGER
GARRETT REESE
BLAIR WEBER
MATERS OF CEREMONIES
LEE ADAMS
RITA BOERSMA
NICHOLAS LEEMAN
BROADCASTERS
SEAN ARONSON
ANDY HELWIG
STEVE LINZMEIER
TEAM PHYSICIANS
ANDREA SATERBAK, M.D.
STEVEN MEISTERLING, M.D.
MASCOT MUDONNA
CHS FIELD CAPACITY: 7,210
2024 SAINTS PROGRAM EDITOR
SEAN ARONSON
PRODUCTION COORDINATOR
RACHEL WACKER
LAYOUT, DESIGN & PHOTOGRAPHY
ROB THOMPSON
ST. PAUL SAINTS EXECUTIVES
DEREK SHARRER
Executive Vice President / General Manager
Since moving to the Twin Cities in 2004, Sharrer continues to make the St. Paul Saints one of the more successful Minor League baseball teams in the country. His hard work and dedication have been rewarded, receiving Executive of the Year honors in the American Association from 2015-19. He oversaw the opening of CHS Field in what was an historic, record-breaking year for the organization. The record breaking first year was topped in 2016 when the Saints finished seventh in all of minor league baseball in average attendance and number one in percent capacity, at 117%. They topped Minor League baseball in percent capacity from 2015-19, averaging 113% capacity over that time. In the first three seasons as the Twins Triple-A affiliate, the Saints have been Top 10 in attendance in all of Minor League baseball.
Upon beginning his career in Fort Myers, FL with the Goldklang Group’s Florida State League franchise, the Whiteland, IN native rose quickly through the ranks of the Miracle, ascending to the GM’s chair in 1997. As part of the job, he worked extensively with the Miracle’s parent team – the Minnesota Twins – during spring training. The Miracle consistently bucked the trend of poor Florida State League attendance and led in that department under Sharrer.
In 2001, he moved to Charleston, SC. The RiverDogs, a Tampa Bay affiliate in the Class-A South Atlantic League, set attendance records every year Sharrer was there. With the help of such interesting promotions as Nobody Night (when fans weren’t allowed into the ballpark until it was an official game), the RiverDogs drew a then team record 259,007 fans in 2003. Charleston mayor Joe Riley thought so much of Sharrer that he helped organize a special day in his honor before he left to join the Saints.
The days in St. Paul have been just as magical, leading a staff that has come up with promotional ideas that have gained national attention. Everything from Bud Selig ties, to the Michael Vick Chew Toy, to the incredible Bobblefoot, to the World Record Pillow Fight in 2015, to the ballpark-wide food fight in 2018.
“St. Paul is a special place to live and work – particularly if work is minor league baseball,” Sharrer said. “The Saints’ tradition – thanks primarily to our fans – was established long before I arrived. I’m just thrilled to be a continuing part of it.”
Sharrer resides in Woodbury with his wife Kandice, sons Sullivan and Lawson. “My family and I have thoroughly enjoyed our time here,” he said. “We are looking forward to many more years to come.”
TOM WHALEY
Executive Vice President
The St. Louis, MO native is a recovering attorney whose baseball career began accidentally in 1992 when he sold an outfield billboard, program ad, and four-season tickets to the general manager of a moving company as they stood on the courthouse steps following a hearing.
From 1993-98, he served as the Saints’ Director of Operations and Assistant General Manager. He spent two seasons as the Director of Corporate Sales for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays before joining the Goldklang Group in January, 2001. He was principally involved in the start-up of the Can-Am League’s Brockton Rox and the construction of a new baseball stadium and conference center in the Boston suburb in 2002. A year later, he was on hand when the Rox won the league championship.
In August 2002, he returned to the Saints, assuming his current position as Executive Vice-President responsible for business development and was one of the instrumental people in making CHS Field a reality. He purchased an ownership interest in the Saints in 2005. He lives in Lino Lakes with his wife, Kathleen. Three grown children live in a galaxy far, far away. Whaley is the past Board Chair for the St. Paul Area Chamber of Commerce.
CHRIS SCHWAB
Executive Vice President / Sales and Operations
This season will mark Chris’s 21st in baseball. This White Bear Lake native received his Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing from Minnesota State University.
In 2004 he started as a game day intern during the Saints championship season. Following that season, he moved to Sioux Falls and began working with the Canaries. Chris had many rolls with “The Birds” including Promotions Director, Box Office Manager, Director of Sales, and Assistant General Manager. The 2008 season was a banner year for Schwab and the Canaries, while breaking attendance records, the Canaries brought home their first, and only, championship.
Following the 2009 season, Schwab found his way back home to St. Paul. He works heavily in the ticket and sponsorship sales area and can be heard every game night telling fellow staff
ST. PAUL SAINTS EXECUTIVES
members, “smiles everyone.” Chris knew that sales was in his blood when, in 1993, he set the Minnesota Cub Scout record in nut roll and Christmas wreath sales. “When you have the opportunity to work with people like Tom, Derek, Mike, Marv and Bill, it makes the 20-years go by quickly”.
He continues in a leadership role in ticket sales and corporate partnerships with the Saints, a position in which he’s helped shape the organization’s sales philosophy and contributed significantly to its growth. In addition, as part of the Saints transition from independent to affiliated baseball, Schwab has served as one of the primary liaisons between the Saints front office and the Twins baseball operations staff.
Schwab resides in Hugo with his wife Jocelyn, their son Hudson, and their family dog Charlie.
SIERRA BAILEY
Vice President / Assistant General Manager / Brand Marketing & Experience
Since 2013, Sierra Bailey has helped lead the St. Paul Saints to some of the most creative promotions in Minor League Baseball. She helped shape the identity of the organization during their final season at Midway Stadium, made sure that identity was enhanced in the move to CHS Field, and was instrumental in maintaining that identity when the organization became the Minnesota Twins Triple-A affiliate in 2021.
Bailey oversees the promotions department, an area she has run since beginning with the Saints in 2013. In addition, Bailey continues to supervise the marketing efforts of the club, tying in the organization’s brand messaging across various platforms including traditional, digital, and social media initiatives.
In 2009, Bailey began with the Saints as an intern and went on to work for the Minnesota Twins and Timberwolves in their promotions departments before rejoining the Saints in 2013 as Director of Promotions. During her time, the Saints have garnered national attention for several promotions including ballpark wide fan-engagements such as the World’s Largest Pillow Fight, Twister, and the viral Food Fight. She was also at the helm for the 2020/2021 Astro the Grouch talking giveaway.
Bailey continues as the point person for the Saints successful internship program. The club has had remarkable success with interns landing jobs in the sports industry. During the 2021 season Bailey, along with Director of Entertainment Joshua Will, began a first of its kind podcast that took fans behind the scenes of the promotions department titled, “Funny In Theory.”
In 2010, Bailey graduated from the University of Minnesota with a B.S. in Sport Management.
ZANE HEINSELMAN
Vice President / Assistant General Manager
In 2014, Heinselman earned his stripes as a fulltime intern during the final season at Midway Stadium. Following his graduation at St. John’s University, he was hired on full-time as a Ticket Sales Account Executive responsible for group and season tickets during the first season at CHS Field.
In 2016, Heinselman was promoted to Corporate Sales Manager helping increase community partnerships. In 2018, Heinselman ascended to Director of Sales and Corporate Partnerships during which he led the Saints efforts to develop new, and strengthen existing, corporate partnerships. Notably, Heinselman played a significant role in planning, developing, and implementing creative revenue producing concepts during the 2020, pandemic affected season.
Prior to the 2022 season he took an even more active role in the day-to-day leadership of the Saints staff. His focus was on sales, both corporate and ticket, along with companywide revenue generating initiatives. Heinselman served as the intermediary between the Saints and Major League Baseball for national sponsorships and ticket sales initiatives.
After spending a season as the General Manager for Forward Madison FC from 2022-23, Heinselman returned to the Saints at the end of 2023 season. Heinselman resides in River Falls, WI with his wife Tara.
BEWARE THE IDES OF MARCH
A soothsayer looks at Julius Caesar and utters the famous phrase, “Beware the Ides of March.” He is telling Ceasar to stay at home, warning him of danger. If you live in any southern state, when the weather gets below 50 degrees, similar warnings are heeded. People are terrified to go outside when the temperature reaches near freezing temperatures, but when you live in Minnesota that comes with the territory. We don’t need to beware the Ides of March, or April, or even May just because the temperatures are more suited for a Siberian Husky.
On January 1, 2022 the Minnesota Wild hosted an outdoor hockey game at Target Field. A baseball stadium hosting an event in the month of January in the frigid north doesn’t sound like the optimum idea. When the puck dropped, the ice on the rink wasn’t the only thing that was frozen. At -6 degrees, it was the coldest NHL outdoor game in league history. That didn’t deter fans from showing up en masse as 38,619 packed Target Field.
On February 2, of that same year, the United States Men’s National Team took on Honduras in World Cup qualifying at Allianz Field in St. Paul. Game time temperature was in the low single digits. Did Minnesotan’s stay at home for that? Of course not. They sold out Allianz Field as 19,202 witnessed the coldest game in USMNT history.
Why do I give you the history of other sports played outdoors in the months of January and February? It’s because the Saints have endured spring baseball that feels more like a winter tundra during the last two years. The Saints opened the 2023 season in Toledo on Friday, March 31. On that day St. Paul got nine inches of snow. Thankfully, the Saints didn’t open at CHS Field or else the entire weekend may have been wiped out. As it was, when the Saints opened their home schedule on April 4, they weren’t any more fortunate. The remnants of that snowstorm, plus flurries on the 4th, postponed Opening Night. The next night temperatures hovered in the mid-20s, which would have been the coldest game in franchise history. Common sense prevailed as that game was postponed too.
As the month of April wore on, temperatures ranged from the mid-30s to low 60s. The Saints even came up with a new seating area at the ballpark to help with the cooler April nights, the fireside seats. These pods of four allowed people to sit around a firepit, stay warm, and roast marshmallows from the s’mores kit they received.
This season, the Saints offered a special ticket package for fans during the first 21 games of the season. It’s just another way the Saints are making the beginning of the season fan friendly. If you look across the country in both the Major and Minor Leagues, the teams in the northern states would do anything to trade out their early season games for ones later in the year. Honestly, not the Saints. We believe in our fans. The wheels continue to churn in the front office trying to figure out various creative ways to get fans out to the ballpark early in the season. Whether it’s a hoodie giveaway, a Taylor Swift Dance party, special guest appearances from actors from The Office, or any number of ideas, they’ve all proven successful.
Since Minnesotans have showed they can handle the tundra during sporting events there is no reason to believe CHS Field won’t be filled to the brim. We’re the type of hearty souls that will bundle up, head outside, enjoy a few adult beverages, and enjoy ourselves. Just look around the Twin Cities at the number of outdoor events held in the winter. The Winter Carnival is one of the longest standing events and look how successful that’s been. The Winter Beer Dabbler gets people out of their house to taste some of the best craft brews from the area. Even CHS Fields own GLOW had an incredibly successful 2023 season.
The Saints can provide the entertainment. They can ensure the promotions make you laugh. We can hand out giveaways that get you excited. The one thing the Saints haven’t perfected is making sure the weather for all 75 games is 75 and sunny. Early in the season, no matter the year, there will be games that feel like someone left the freezer door open, but if there is one state and one fan base that isn’t worried about that, it’s Minnesotans and Saints fans.
WE KNOW WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A WINNING TEAM
By joining the U.S. Air Force, you instantly become part of a team with over 300,000 Airmen. You also get the choice to serve full time, part time or volunteer. No matter which path you choose, you’ll play a critical role in helping us achieve mission success.
MANAGER TOBY GARDENHIRE
The very first manager for the St. Paul Saints as the Minnesota Twins Triple-A affiliate. Who is Toby Gardenhire? There were many firsts in 2021 with the affiliation between the Saints and Twins, but Gardenhire’s name will forever be etched in the record books. He has eaten, breathed, and lived baseball ever since he was born in Manhasset, New York while his Dad, Ron, played for the New York Mets.
During his first few years as a manager in the Twins system, Gardenhire has proved he can win at any level. During his first three seasons at the helm of the Saints he is an impressive 225-202, a .527 winning percentage. For the first time in the International League’s history, the 2023 playoffs weren’t determined by a division winner over the entirety of the season. That cost the Saints a playoff berth as the 20-games over .500 the Saints finished with, was good enough for the best record in the West Division.
In his first season as a manager, he guided the 2018 Single-A Cedar Rapids Kernels to a playoff berth after winning the second half Western Division title. Overall, the Kernels went 7762, fourth best record in the 16-team league. The Kernels swept their quarterfinal series, 2-0, over the Beloit Snappers (Oakland Athletics) before losing 2-0 to the Peoria Chiefs (St. Louis Cardinals) in the semifinals.
The following year, Gardenhire was promoted to High-A Fort Myers where he was named the Florida State League Manager of the Year and once again earned a playoff berth. The Miracle won the first half title and finished 74-59, third best record in the 12-team Florida State League. The league, however, cancelled their playoffs due to Hurricane Dorian.
Gardenhire has amassed a 376-323 record in his five seasons. He was scheduled to manage the Twins Triple-A team in Rochester during the 2020 season, but COVID-19 cancelled all of Minor League Baseball. Instead, Gardenhire was sent to St. Paul where he was one of the coaches at the alternate site for the Twins Taxi squad.
This is Gardenhire’s ninth season as a coach or manager in the Twins organization. He assisted the GCL Twins in 2016, began the 2017 season as the third base coach for the Red Wings before finishing the year as the hitting coach for the GCL Twins.
Gardenhire began his coaching career at the University of Wisconsin-Stout where he amassed an 81-117 record in five seasons (2012-16) and helped guide the Blue Devils to a 2014 WIAC tournament berth, their first in seven years.
Gardenhire has spent his entire professional career with the Twins organization. In addition to six seasons as a coach or manager, he played seven seasons in their Minor League system. He was originally drafted by the Twins in the 38th round in 2002 out of the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith, but did not sign. In 2005, he was selected in the 41st round by the Twins out of the University of Illinois. Gardenhire played at every level from the Rookie Appalachian League up through Triple-A. In 533 games he slashed .232/.292/.274 with 156 runs scored, 44 doubles, three triples, and six home runs.
POST-SEASON APPEARANCES: 2
CAREER HITTING STATS IN MINORS:
.232 average, 6 home runs, 134 RBI in 533 games
DID YOU KNOW? If Toby reaches the Majors as a manager, he and his Dad, Ron Gardenhire, will become the 6th father-son duo in Major League Baseball. They would join Felipe Alou-Luis Rojas, Buddy & David Bell, Bob & Aaron Boone, Bob & Joel Skinner, and George & Dick Sisler.
A ‘TIN’GE OF EMOTION AS WE LOOK BACK AT 10 SEASONS
As a child when you hit that double-digit birthday you feel a sense of pride. If you’re married and you reach the big 1-0 anniversary, tin or aluminum is the appropriate gift by the way, there is a sense of accomplishment. But when you’re a ballpark and you hit that 10-season mark, it usually means you’re one-third of the way to your expiration date, at least according to a study done by Judith Grant Long, a professor of sport management and real estate at the University of Michigan. Relax. This isn’t a story about the Saints lining up a new ballpark. We know what a “fun” topic that is for some people out there. This is the celebration side of reaching a milestone that is less a shock that we’ve reached this point and more a “scratch the head” moment that it went by so fast and CHS Field still feels like the St. Paul Saints “new” ballpark.
Line them up one-by-one and you might be surprised to see the amount of people in the front office that were here when the ballpark opened for the first regular season Saints game on May 21, 2015. Sean Aronson, Sierra Bailey, Marcus Campbell, Gina Kray, Curtis Nachtsheim, Krista Schnelle, Zane Heinselman, Chris Schwab, Derek Sharrer, Tom Whaley. Each has their own story of the blood, sweat, and tears they put into getting the ballpark up and running for that magical night.
When you talk to each of them, they talk about the moment that all that hard work came to reality. They talk about the moment on opening night that it was all worth it. Whether it was the gates opening and the fans streaming through, the players going up the lines during All-Star introductions, or the first pitch of the game and hearing the roar of the crowd. Each of them has the moment that they cherish and think about when they remember that faithful night.
The Saints had their most successful regular season in franchise history with an incredible .740-win percentage, at 7426. Of course, if you were to judge that season on the very first pitch in CHS Field history, there was more of a chance the Saints were going 26-74 instead of the other way around. The first pitch of the game was a groundball to third baseman Michael Antonio
who short-armed the throw to first that skipped by Angelo Songco. Despite the game starting on a sour note, there were several incredible moments during the night. There was FargoMoorhead’s Joe Dunigan’s mammoth blast over the batter’s eye in center field in the sixth inning. It wasn’t the only memorable moment for Dunigan, who in the third inning swung and missed, had the bat fly out of his hands, and into the hand of a fan who made an incredible one-handed grab while holding a beer in his other. There were three homers hit by the Saints. And then there was the dramatic last out of the game. With the tying and go ahead runs aboard, Alan Oaks fanned Joe Staley to end the game. The 8,592 fans were raucous all evening long.
If you entered the ballpark on that night and didn’t return until this season, you would still recognize the ballpark. There have been some additions: the City of Baseball Museum, the Blaze Sun Deck, the Treasure Island Terrace ship, and the videoboard on the right field wall to name a few. And sure, just like anything that has been around for a decade there is a little wear and tear, but overall, the girl still shines bright on game day.
When the Saints broke ground on CHS Field late in 2013, no one could ever imagine where the organization would be today. You all know the story: Saints get a new ballpark, a handful of years later they become the Triple-A Affiliate of the Minnesota Twins, and just last year Diamond Baseball Holdings purchases the organization from the only ownership group the Saints had ever known, the Goldklang Group. None of this is possible if it weren’t for CHS Field.
As we enter season 10 at CHS Field, amazing moments continue to happen and will continue to happen in the future. Fans will continue enjoying summer nights, building relationships with those they sit next to, and creating memories of their own. The organization won’t rest on their laurels and will continue upgrading the ballpark year after year to enhance the fan experience. She may be turning 10 this year, but she shines as brightly as she did on that amazing May night in 2015.
2024 COACHING STAFF
SHAWN SCHLECHTER Hitting Coach
The Burnsville, MN native, Schlecter, grew up a Twins fan and enters his fifth season in the organization, first with the Saints. In 2023, he spent his first season at Double-A as the Hitting Coach with the Wind Surge and helped the offense finish third in the Texas League in average (.259), total bases (1955), slugging (.425), and OPS (.772).
Schlecter was the Hitting Coach for High-A Cedar Rapids in 2022, FCL Twins in 2021, and was scheduled to have the same role in 2020 before the cancellation of the season. Schlecter spent eight years at North Iowa Community College, first as a player and then as a coach. During his tenure working with NIACC hitters (2013-19), four of his players were picked in the First-Year Player Draft. During the 2020 baseball pause, he joined members of the Twins’ player development staff and Play Ball! Minnesota in a series of online Virtual Academy webinars, aimed at helping young athletes with proper fundamentals and form. The webinars were targeted to different age groups and covered a wide range of topics.
PETER LARSON Pitching Coach
The 2024 season is Larson’s sixth in the Twins organization and second with the Saints. The Saints were tied for the third fewest home runs allowed in Triple-A (147), fourth best ERA (4.59), and a franchise record 1,354 strikeouts. Prior to joining the Saints, Larson spent 2022 as the Pitching Coach at Wichita, 2021 as Pitching Coach for Low-A Fort Myers and 2019 as minor league rehab pitching coach. He was slated to be the pitching coach for Low-A Cedar Rapids in 2020 before the cancellation of the minor league season. Prior to joining the Twins, he spent four seasons with Fordham University (2018), University at Albany (2017), Siena College (2016) and King University in Bristol, TN (2015). Larson also spent 2015 as pitching coach for the Madison Mallards in the Northwoods League. His 2018 Fordham pitching staff set a school record with 536 strikeouts in 495.0 innings and posted a 3.36 team ERA. Larson graduated from Ferrum (VA) College in 2009, where he helped the Panthers to USA South conference titles in 2005 and 2007. He played a year of professional ball, pitching in the independent Can-Am League in 2011.
DAN URBINA Pitching Coach
The 49-year-old Urbina enters his sixth season in the Twins organization and first with the Saints. He spent the last three seasons as Pitching Coach with the Wind Surge. He helped guide the team to the most victories, third best ERA and strikeout to walk ratio, and tied for the third best WHIP in that span. Prior to his time with Wichita, Urbina served as pitching coach for the club’s FCL affiliate in 2021 and DSL affiliate in 2019. He was slated to be part of the GCL Twins coaching staff in 2020 prior to the cancellation of the minor league season. Urbina was a pitching coach in the Pittsburgh organization for 18 seasons, first with the VSL Pirates (2001-11) and then with the DSL Pirates (2012-18).
Urbina also pitched three minor league seasons (199597) in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization.
TYLER SMARSLOK Bench Coach
Smarslok, 31, enters his fourth season with the Saints and moves from Defensive Coach to Bench Coach. Smarslok is no stranger to making in game decisions, having taken over for Gardenhire in 2022 when he and his wife had their first child, and again in 2023 for a handful of games. He once again shined as Defensive Coach in 2023 as the Saints were tied for the fifth fewest errors (98), tied for sixth in fielding percentage (.981), and seventh in double plays (137). Under Smarslok’s guidance, the Saints set a franchise record with 11 consecutive games without an error in 2023 and tied their best fielding percentage.
Smarslok spent each year since he graduated from Kean University, in 2015, as a collegiate coach. He served as an assistant coach for Marist, Seton Hall University, Heidelberg University, and Claremont-Mudd Scripps. He operated as the volunteer assistant at Seton Hall in 2019 where he was the infield coach, responsible for the players’ development and in-game alignment. Smarslok was a three-time DIII College World Series participant, an AllConference, and National Rawlings Gold Glove recipient in his time at Kean University. He helped lead the Cougars to two NJAC Tournament Championships.
2024 COACHING STAFF
BEN MYERS
Certified Athletic Trainer
The 33-year-old Myers begins his sixth season in the Twins organization and third with the Saints. He began his time in 2018 as the Athletic Trainer at Low-A Cedar Rapids. From there he moved to High-A Fort Myers in 2019. His responsibilities shifted in 2020 due to the pandemic. He was sent to Target Field handling Covid cases and his experience doing that put him in the role of Infectious Control Prevention Coordinator in 2021 through the All-Star break. Following that, he became a roving Athletic Trainer, working with all the Twins affiliates.
Myers began his college career at the University of Kentucky for two semesters. He then transferred to Eastern Kentucky University from 2009-13 and got his degree in Athletic Training, becoming certified in 2013. Myers did an internship with the GCL Astros in 2012. He earned his master’s at the University of South Carolina in Athletic Training and worked with the University of South Carolina Softball team from 2013-14. After working at a local high school in 2015, Myers was hired by the Astros and worked for their GCL team from 2015-16 and with the Rookie level Greenville Astros in 2017.
TAYLOR CARPENTER
Assistant Athletic Trainer
The 26-year-old Carpenter is in her third season in the Twins organization and second with the Saints. She was the Assistant Athletic Trainer with the Wind Surge in 2022. Prior to her time with the Twins, Carpenter spent three years at Florida Gulf Coast University as a Resident Athletic Trainer and Graduate Assistant working with Men’s Soccer and Women’s Swimming and Diving.
Prior to FGCU, Carpenter completed her athletic training internship at nearby Ave Maria University. During her time at Ave Maria, she served as the athletic trainer for women’s volleyball, men’s soccer, women’s basketball, and women’s lacrosse. Carpenter completed her clinical experience at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, registering over 1,500 hours from November 2017 to March 2018.
Carpenter graduated from Wisconsin Oshkosh in May of 2018 with a Bachelor of Science in athletic training.
STEPHEN HOPKINS
Strength & Conditioning Coach
Hopkins joins the Minnesota Twins organization for his first year in professional baseball. No stranger to athletics he spent nearly a year-and-ahalf at K27 Performance, a sports gym in Frisco Texas, as Director of Training and an Elite Performance Trainer since September 2022. He’s worked at RedLine Athletics as a Director of Performance (2021-22), owned his own business helping train athletes (2020-22), a Strength and Conditioning Coach at Elite Performance Training (2019-21), Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach at Greenhill School (201719), and a Sports Performance Coach at Michael Johnson Performance (2017).
In 2017, Hopkins received his Strength and Conditioning graduate certificate from Georgia Southern University in May, 2017 and became a certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist from the National Strength and Conditioning Association in August, 2017.
Hopkins is a graduate of the University of Michigan where he played three seasons at running back/fullback for the Wolverines. He was a part of the 2012 Sugar Bowl winning team, a 23-20 victory over Virginia Tech. Hopkins was a three-star recruit coming out of Marcus (TX) HS where he rushed for 5.010 yards and 61 touchdowns and rated as the 50th best running back in the nation.
The power trip: 5:30am-9am paul allen: 9am-noon the common man: noon-3pm dan barreiro: 3pm-6:30pm
2024 COACHING STAFF
MATT TRAMP
Clubhouse Manager
/ Baseball Operations Assistant
The 34-year-old Tramp begins his fourth season as the Saints Clubhouse Manager. The Sioux Falls, South Dakota native began his clubhouse duties with the American Association’s Sioux Falls Canaries, the same league the Saints were in prior to becoming the Twins Triple-A affiliate, from 2009-10, 12-13. He spent one season with the New York-Penn League’s Auburn Doubledays, the Low-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals, in 2011. Following his time with the Canaries in 2013, Tramp was the Visiting Clubhouse Manager for the Corpus Christi Hooks, the Double-A affiliate of the Houston Astros in 2014. He went on to work as the Clubhouse Manager for the Biloxi Shuckers, the Double-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers, in 2015. He joined the Twins organization in 2018 and was the Fort Myers Miracle Clubhouse Manager for two seasons. Tramp and his wife Amanda spent the winter living in Minnesota.
LINCOLN FICEK
Baseball Technology Coordinator
The 27-year-old Ficek returns for his third season with the Saints and fourth with the Twins organization. He was a Minor League Video Intern in 2021 before being hired full-time. Ficek began in
baseball with the Tampa Bay Rays as a Minor League Intern in 2020. He graduated from Ohio State University in 2018 where he was a Student Assistant responsible for filming, editing, and processing all practices and games for coaches’ review. Ficek was a Production Intern at ESPN following graduation in 2018 and worked as a Baseball Operations Intern at Inside Edge, Inc. in Bloomington, Minnesota in 2019.
ALEK HUGHES
Baseball Technology Coordinator Hughes, 33, begins his third season with the Saints and second in a full-time role. In 2022 he was an intern in the Twins organization in the baseball technology department, primarily with the Saints. Hughes was a US Military Academy at West Point graduate in 2014 and was a Field Artillery Officer in the US Army from 2014-22. He received his Master of Business Administration from Webster University in 2021. His first job in the sports world was with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2022 working on data insights and research.
WHAT’S IN A NAME?
It’s a tradition fans have grown to love since the St. Paul Saints first season in 1993. Through a new ballpark, a pandemic, and the change over from Independent Baseball to Triple-A one thing has been constant, the pig. From the beginning of the season until the end, fans get a chance to watch the pig grow right before their eyes. For the first time in franchise history in 2022, the Saints utilized two different pigs at separate times in the season. In 2012, they had Kim Lardashian and Kris Hamphries, but they came as a package. Here is a look back at all the Saints pigs. The name of the first pig of 2024 was unveiled just before Opening Day.
2024 ST. PAUL SAINTS PLAYERS
2024 ST. PAUL SAINTS PLAYERS
2024 ST. PAUL SAINTS PLAYERS
2024 ST. PAUL SAINTS PLAYERS
2024 ST. PAUL SAINTS PLAYERS
2024 ST. PAUL SAINTS PLAYERS
2024 ST. PAUL SAINTS PLAYERS
SERIES PREVIEW
And now the end is near, and so we face the final curtain. The Saints have just one week of games left, starting right now. How did we get here? Where did the time go? Are we really going to have to wait a whole five months until we can play again? Unfortunately, the season is almost over, but let’s not focus on the “over” and instead worry about the “almost,” for we still have a week of games to play.
These games, which will mark the finale of our 2024 campaign, will feature two teams who will be playing for bragging rights as the Indianapolis Indians come to town to face off against your St. Paul Saints. With the Saints being squarely out of playoff contention, and the Indians facing a nearly impossible road to Las Vegas, these squads will be playing for the love of the game this week. But it certainly won’t be the first time these two have faced off against one another this season, as Indy and St. Paul have knocked knuckles and squared off twice before heading into this one.
Their tertiary bout will begin on Tuesday and run all the way through the final Sunday of the season. To put it bluntly, the Indians have beaten up on the Saints this year, leaving them with a dismal 1-11 record vs. Indy. Their last win was back in an April 20th contest that saw the Saints dominate, winning 12-4 at CHS Field. Starter Caleb Boushley pitched a gem in that one, going 6.0 innings and giving up just one run on three hits, with eight strikeouts.
A few more performances like Boushley’s will be counted upon this week if the Saints want to battle back against their bully-of-a-big-brother visiting team. One guy who could help to lead that charge is leadoff man Payton Eeles. Eeles’ hot bat and high average have kept him atop the order to set the tone for the team. Throughout 180+ at-bats, Eeles has been apt to keep his batting average aloft, holding a mark above .290 for much of his time in Triple-A.
Speaking of things that are aloft, expectations for newcomer Carson McCusker have never been higher. Since his call-up this past August 24, McCusker has been on a tear, hitting .339/.406/.629 with four home runs and over 10 extra-base hits. It doesn’t come as much of a surprise that McCusker has been hitting consistently and for power, as the brawny 6’8” 250 lb.
Oklahoma State grad looks capable of lifting a small-to-midsize sedan well over his head with one arm.
Perhaps McCusker’s arm is not quite as strong as that of teammate Randy Dobnak, though. Dobnak has established himself as the club’s number one starter, and one of the better pitchers in all of Triple-A ball. He currently ranks in the top ten in total strikeouts, top five in ERA, and top three in wins. He will be looking to notch another win this week before hopefully rejoining the Twins to provide some bullpen relief down the stretch toward the end of their season.
Dobnak has not been the only person to return to St. Paul with the Major League glow. As a matter of fact, a number of Saints studs have done the hokey pokey across the river as of late. Most recently it has been Michael Helman and DaShawn Keirsey Jr. to get the call-up, switching their hats from a royal “STP” to a navy “M.” While Keirsey Jr. and Helman split time filling in for the depleted Twins outfielders, they got a chance to show The Show what they’re made of.
No need to get sentimental yet, though, for we still have a week of ball games to play. Let’s send the boys in blue off with one final hurrah this week with the culmination of the 2024 season. There is still a lot of laughing to do, so let’s save the tears until September 23 when the Saints will officially begin their offseason. Before all of that though, we’ve got ball games to play, tires to roll, mini cars to race, planes to throw, diapers to dash in, fireworks to watch, and a field to sit on while watching those fireworks. Buckle up for one final ride with your favorite baseball team East of the Mississippi as we close out the season with a bang. For we will not go quietly into the cold dark night of October, as we have the privilege of lifting the spirits of everyone willing to throw in a few bucks to see the Saints one more time this week.
It has been a pleasure having you all at CHS Field this summer, and we can’t wait until next year to see you all again. As the last guest makes their way through the gates, all we’ll have to say is “Goodnight, goodnight, until we meet again. Adios, Au Revoir, Auf Wiedersehn ‘til then.” And though it’s always sweet sorrow to part, you know you’ll always remain in our hearts. Thanks for a great season, Saints fans!
Lawrenceville, Ga. No 13 Del Bonta-Smith, Fineas R/R 6’0” 190 2/2/97
Chico, Calif. No 17 Feigl, Brady R/L 6’4” 195 12/27/90
Severn, Md. No 26 Franzua, Geronimo L/L 6’1” 170 9/25/93
La Romana, D.R. No 14 Germán, Domingo R/R 6’2” 181 8/4/92 San Pedro de Macoris, D.R. No 11 Harrington, Thomas R/R 6’2” 185 7/12/01 Sanford, N.C. No 51 Jefferies, Daulton L/R 6’0” 182 8/2/95 Merced, Calif. Yes 47 Mattson, Isaac R/R 6’2” 205 7/14/95 Erie, Pa. No 9 Plassmeyer, Michael L/L 6’2” 195 11/5/96 St. Louis, Mo. No 20 Ryan, Ryder R/R 6’2” 205 5/11/95 Huntersville, N.C. No
A SAINT FOR A SUMMER: THE LIFE OF AN INTERN IN ST. PAUL
This season, we have taken a biweekly look at many of the players on the field, their backgrounds, and what it has taken for them to succeed. However, as the season comes to a close, perhaps we could break the fourth wall a bit and take a look at some of the people who help make the Saints the Saints. No, not the players, nor the coaches, and not even the trainers and team doctors. Instead, we will be focusing on the often-unsung heroes of any athletic organization: the interns.
I, along with 10 other soon-to-be or newly graduated college students, have had the unique privilege of getting to peek behind the curtain and see what it looks like to work for a Minor League Baseball team. While many internships last just a summer, the Saints’ schedule begins in March and runs through the end of September, meaning that just a handful of interns can make it to the early (sometimes snowy) spring games, and even fewer stay all the way into the school year. Shoutout to fellow interns Blake, Blair, Garrett, and Parker, who were able to experience clearing off a snowy tarp to get the field ready for a St. Paul baseball game in March.
On the subject of tarp pulls, interns will quickly find out that the term “other duties as assigned” will apply heavily to working in Minor League Baseball. Broadcaster Sean Aronson has said that if the Front Office is the the body of the octopus, the interns serve as the tentacles, stretching out toward the things that the body cannot quite reach. In that sense, there is much that the interns do that could not possibly be summed up in one article.
One’s day could start by answering phones and sending out emails to businesses and fans. That same day might develop into a run to the nearest Walmart to buy bedsheets to cut up and wear for that evening game’s theme: Toga Night. Or, it could
start bright and early by running drills and playing wiffle ball for several hours while putting on a camp for local kids. From there, it could take any number of turns, from closing sales to editing content for social media, to reuniting a fan with their lost purse, to coordinating the next youth camp, and just about everything else in between.
And that’s not even to mention the actual baseball games these days lead up to. Of course, there’s the Triple-A action unfolding on field, but within the matchup, there is also a box office to manage, tickets to scan, a fan services desk to cover, groups to check on, sponsors to appease, promotions to run, giveaways to hand out, photos and videos to capture, and at least once every other week, you get to cap off your night with a fireworks show well worth the few extra bucks fans pay to see it. It truly is great fun, albeit a little exhausting.
Speaking of exhaustion, if you were to strip away all that goes into being a Saints intern and look strictly at the amount of time you will be spending at the ballpark, it is a little jarring. 70 to 80-hour work weeks are not uncommon during homestands, with games usually spanning from Tuesday through Sunday. Yet somehow, we interns keep coming back that first Monday or Tuesday post-homestand, after taking a much-needed day off and catching up, if just for a day, on our lives in the “real world.”
A day or even a morning off is not only a luxury, but oftentimes a necessity, where you finally get the chance to wash your dirty laundry, vacuum your long-neglected floors, clean out and restock your questionably smelling fridge, and most importantly, sleep.
My first day as an intern fell on one of these posthomestand Mondays when half the office had their day off. After a rollercoaster tour of places, faces, and names, I was deposited
at my new desk, overwhelmed and uncertain of what my summer would become. In the following days, my heart would race anytime the phone in front of me rang, with customers calling in to ask questions I didn’t know the answers to.
Though petrified of the phones at first, I quickly discovered that the only way to learn is to do. With interns arriving at varying times throughout the spring, there is no such thing as a formal orientation or extensive training period. So, you hop in the horserace and try not to get trampled.
However, the more you look around as you are sprinting to keep up, you realize that every one of the full-time jockeys is reaching out a hand, looking to bring you aboard and help guide you through the chaotic season. If you take that hand and swing up onto the horseback, you’ll realize that the race you’re running is uniquely supportive, and rewarding, despite being a grind. For perhaps in no other industry is the work that you do as tangible as it is with the Saints. Every ounce of effort poured into making the Saints great can easily be gauged with a quick lap around the field on a golden July evening. From the kid roaming the Blaze Home Run Porch, glove in hand, to the bachelor party member in the Securian Club, drink in hand, and all of the fans in between, everyone shares something in common: they each made their way out to CHS Field to take part in the spectacle that you have helped to cultivate. Any exhaustion from long nights and early mornings quickly melts away when you see that for a few hours on a warm summer night, spectators’ troubles are left at the
gates of Broadway, as they kick back in their seats and take in a Saints ballgame and all the fun that comes along with it.
None of this summertime bliss could happen without such a talented Front Office crew, and there is not a weak link among the entire Saints staff. Up and down the lineup is the culmination of St. Paul’s finest, who all share one objective: to put on the best show possible for as many people as possible. Come gameday, everyone from the General Manager down to the interns dons the same Saints polo and nametag and does all they can to help each other out. For my money, you could not find a finer collection of helpful and talented individuals working in Minor League Baseball than the ones in St. Paul. They have challenged and trusted the interns to not only come along for the train ride but also to help build the tracks as we go.
To close, I asked each intern for five words to describe their season with the Saints. Almost all mentioned the grind of the summer, but also the rewarding nature of the industry. I heard the following: “Real grind, work is fun.” “Supportive crew, great Saints culture.” “Incredibly rewarding opportunity in sports.” “Adapting, fast, thrilling, and fun.” “Busiest but best summer ever.” “Grind doesn’t stop, electric season.” And finally, “Great experience, even better people.” I could not agree more, and I know that wherever we all end up, we are better prepared because of our summer in St. Paul.
BASEBALL AMERICA TWINS TOP 10 PROSPECTS
Each year Baseball America puts out their Top prospects for each organization. Some of these prospects will begin the season in St. Paul, others will move up to Triple-A sometime during the season, and others won’t see Triple-A for a season or two. Here is your chance to get to know some of the top prospects in the Minnesota Twins organization.
1. Walker Jenkins | OF
Scouting Report: Jenkins is one of the toolsiest players the Twins have drafted in the 21st century. His exceptional bat speed gives him the potential to develop into a nearly plus-plus power hitter. He’s a relatively polished hitter as well. Coming into this senior year, there were some concerns that he sold out too much for power, but those concerns have been somewhat allayed by Jenkins’ ability to string together consistent at-bats, something that was apparent in his brief pro debut. He has above-average hand-eye coordination and excellent timing. Jenkins also showed that he runs well enough to make center field an option. A team may eventually have a better center fielder who moves Jenkins to right, but his reads and range are above-average in right and average for center, giving him a chance to stay up the middle early in his pro career. He has a plus arm.
Scouting Report: Lee is a prospect who stands out more because he’s a well-rounded player with few weaknesses rather than any one outlier tool. He’s not particularly twitchy, but the game seems to move a little slower for him than most. He’s a polished hitter from both sides of the plate, though his lefthanded swing is a little shorter and more fluid than his righthanded one. Lee will never be a slugger, but his ability to make consistent contact and produce bushels of doubles leads scouts to expect that he’ll develop average power. Lee isn’t particularly rangy, but his internal clock is excellent, and he is reliable, which makes him playable as an average shortstop. He has a knack for getting just enough on the throw to beat the runner. He’s average at third base as well. He’s yet to play second base as a pro, but some scouts think that will be his best position eventually, and that he could be above-average there, because his arm fits better with a shorter throw. He is an average runner.
Scouting Report: Rodriguez offers a tantalizing combination of risk and reward. He’s an on-base machine, but part of the reason he draws so many walks is his extreme passivity. Keeping his bat on his shoulder has been effective against wild Class A pitchers, but as he advances it will more often leave him behind in the count. Rodriguez is exceptional at not swinging at pitches out of the strike zone, but he doesn’t have elite bat-to-ball skills. He can be beaten in the zone by a pitcher who can locate, especially if the pitcher mixes his pitches. Rodriguez has plus-plus raw power and has consistently posted some of the best exit velocities in the organization. His body is thickening up, but he remains an aboveaverage runner for now and is an average center fielder. His plus arm would fit in right field.
Scouting Report: Festa has steadily added velocity in pro ball and now is among the hardest throwers in the Twins’ system. He is a skinny-legged skyscraper of a pitcher at 6-foot-6 who attacks hitters by working up in the zone with his above-average 94-95 mph fastball. Against righthanded batters, he follows up with an above-average 86-88 mph slider down and away. For lefthanded batters, Festa favors his above-average changeup down and to his arm side. When he’s on, Festa has three swing-and-miss pitches to go with average control.
Scouting Report: Raya has some of the best stuff of any Twins’ starting pitching prospect. His 94-96 mph fastball has aboveaverage carry at the top of the zone, but his nearly double-plus slider and above-average curveball are even more impressive than his fastball. Raya’s slider has above-average horizontal movement, and he has the ability to get swings-and-misses in the zone with it. He actually has better command of his slider than his fastball. Raya is very athletic, helping him field his position like a middle infielder and repeat his delivery. He throws a slower low80s curveball with plenty of depth. He throws strikes with his curve, which shows above-average potential. He has average control.
Scouting Report: Canterino’s delivery has always been effortful and funky, but that’s part of what makes him effective. He’s not easy to time, especially when he’s ripping off plus 94-97 mph fastballs with above-average hop. He has long had a plus slider as well. Before surgery, it was a high-80s pitch that was effective because of its top-tier velocity. As a pro, Canterino found a changeup grip that works for him, and it’s now a plus-plus weapon. Until 2022, Canterino showed above-average control, but with a balky elbow, he struggled more to throw strikes. Often, command and feel are slow to return after Tommy John surgery. Despite his funky delivery, Canterino should have at least fringeaverage control.
Scouting Report: Schobel is the type of well-rounded baseball rat who often figures out a path to a big league role. He’s undersized at 5-foot-10, 170 pounds, but he has pull-side power and could run into 10-15 home runs in the big leagues. Schobel’s short, simple swing generates plenty of contact. Pitchers don’t enjoy facing him, because he strings together focused, consistent at-bats with above-average contact abilities. There’s no plus tool on Schobel’s scouting report, but he does everything relatively well. Drafted as a shortstop, he is fringy defensively there but playable in a pinch because he is consistent and reliable at handling balls hit his way. Schobel has a quick release that helps his average arm play. He’s more comfortable at second base, where he’s above-average, and he can play an average third base. He runs well enough that he should be able to add the corner outfield spots as well if the need arises.
Scouting Report: Culpepper quickly demonstrated he’s one of the Twins’ best starting pitching prospects thanks to his solid stuff and highly varied repertoire. Culpepper throws both a fourseam and two-seam fastball, a changeup, a cutter, a slider and a curveball. He works inside and out to both lefties and righties with a largely east-west approach. His 93-95 mph four-seamer is an above-average pitch, and his 92-93 two-seamer is nearly as effective because of the way it pairs with his above-average mid-80s slider. His slider runs away from righthanders, while his two-seamer runs in on their hands. His average low-90s cutter doesn’t move a lot, but he throws it for strikes and it just helps further scramble a hitter’s brain. He breaks out his below-average 1-to-7 curveball occasionally, but it often ends below the zone. But because hitters aren’t looking for it, it can surprise a hitter.
Scouting Report: Because he was a top five overall pick and a key part of a big trade, Martin has carried lofty expectations that now appear unrealistic. He’s unlikely to develop significant power—he has never hit 20 doubles or 10 home runs in a season— and now projects to have well below-average juice. His throwing issues have made shortstop unrealistic as well. If you focus on what he can do—and if he can stay healthy—he could still be a useful player. Martin has an excellent understanding of the strike zone, which gives him a shot to be an above-average hitter who consistently gets on base. He draws plenty of walks and has some of the best contact skills in the organization, but his approach and swing trade impact for contact. Defensively, Martin is an athletic, rangy second baseman who is also a competent center and left fielder. He’s played more in the dirt than in the outfield, but his range and arm appear more comfortable in the grass.
Scouting Report: Unlike many young fireballers, Soto showed true conviction in his changeup, often doubling up on it. At his best, he shows feel for pitching to go with his stuff. Soto was a little inconsistent in the spring, but at his best he showed exceptional velocity and advanced savvy as one of the younger pitchers in the 2023 draft class. Soto may eventually touch 100 mph, but his fastball is unlikely to be his best pitch. While it has premium velocity, it’s not expected to miss a ton of bats in pro ball because it has relatively average movement. His plus 84-88 mph changeup is a present weapon. It has sink, fade and deception. Soto also throws a high-80s slider that’s also an above-average pitch. Soto’s delivery is clean, but like many young pitchers, he needs to improve his fringe-average control.
Chances are, until the 2030 season there isn’t going to be a ton of new information to report on this page. Each of the 120 Minor League teams entered into a 10-year player development licensing agreement, so unless something unforeseen happens the 120 are going to be the 120. There may be little changes here and there within levels or leagues, but otherwise it should be status quo. The International League is here to stay. No bouncing back-and-forth between Triple-A West (2021) and the International League (2022). We’re locked in to one of the longest running leagues in Minor League Baseball history.
The International League season once again starts one day after the Major League season, on Friday May 29. That’s when the Saints open at home, their earliest home opener in franchise history and the first March game at CHS Field. The season begins on March 29 and ends on Sunday, September 22. It’s another 150-game season with Monday as a traditional off day (the Saints will play one Monday game on September 2 vs. Iowa) with a four-day break for the Major League All-Star break from July 15-18.
The league no longer has divisions as the playoffs are determined identical to 2023: team with the best overall record in the first half hosts the best-of-three-series and takes on the team with the best record in the second half. The winner of that series heads to Las Vegas for the Triple-A National Championship Game against a team from the Pacific Coast League. For purposes of simplicity, here is how the breakdown will show
up on standings pages despite divisions meaning nothing. The Saints find themselves in the West Division with the Columbus (OH) Clippers (Cleveland Guardians), Gwinnett (GA) Stripers (Atlanta Braves), Indianapolis (IN) Indians (Pittsburgh Pirates), Iowa Cubs (Chicago Cubs), Louisville (KY) Bats (Cincinnati Reds), Memphis (TN) Redbirds (St. Louis Cardinals), Nashville (TN) Sounds (Milwaukee Brewers), Omaha (NE) Storm Chasers (Kansas City Royals), and Toledo (OH) Mud Hens (Detroit Tigers). The East Division is comprised of the Buffalo (NY) Bisons (Toronto Blue Jays), Charlotte (NC) Knights (Chicago White Sox), Durham (NC) Bulls (Tampa Bay Rays), Jacksonville (FL) Jumbo Shrimp (Miami Marlins), Lehigh Valley (PA) Iron Pigs (Philadelphia Phillies), Norfolk (VA) Tides (Baltimore Orioles), Rochester (NY) Red Wings (Washington Nationals), Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (PA) RailRiders (New York Yankees), Syracuse (NY) Mets (New York Mets), and Worcester (MA) Red Sox (Boston Red Sox).
The 2023 playoffs saw the Tides run away with the first half title, finishing 48-26, finishing 4.5 games ahead of the Saints. In half two, the Bulls were 48-27, 3.0 games better than the Iron Pigs. The Bulls rode their second half momentum into Game 1 of the International League playoffs with a convincing 10-5 victory. The home team would bounce back taking Game 2, 7-2 to set up a winner take all Game 3. The Tides prevailed 7-0. In front of 8,556 in Las Vegas, the Tides won the National Championship with a 7-6 win over the Oklahoma City Dodgers.
INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE MILEAGE
WEST DIVISION
2023 FINAL OVERALL STANDINGS
ST. PAUL SAINTS ART PROGRAM
Art is Fun. Fun is Good.
Art and creativity have always been an important part of Saints culture. When the club moved to the historic Lowertown Arts District, they seized the opportunity to collaborate with the local art community and infuse CHS Field with the artistic spirit of Lowertown. Now in its 10th season, the Saints Art Program features seasonal public art happenings, game day art actives, and year-round opportunities for local artist to display and sell their work.
Outfield Art Tent
The Art Tent offers free artist-led activities for fans at the weekend home games.
Local Art Showcase
The Art Showcase is a rotating fine art exhibit in the Saints office and the Securian Financial Club Lobby.
Showing With the Saints
Run by the Show Nonprofit, this project provides two free vendor spaces to artist at every Saints home game. www.theshowartgallery.org
Art and About
The Saints Art Program works with local artists to produce pop-up art events and public art projects in and around downtown St. Paul.
In a typical season, the 40-man roster includes a combination of players on the 26-man roster (it was 25, prior to 2020), the 7-, 10- and 15-day injured lists, the bereavement/family medical emergency list and the paternity leave list, as well as some Minor Leaguers. In order for a club to add a player to the 26-man roster, the player must be on the 40-man roster. If a club with a full 40man roster wishes to promote a Minor League player that is not on the 40-man roster, it must first remove a player from the 40-man roster -- either by designating a player’s contract for assignment, trading a player, releasing a player or transferring a player to the 60day injured list. The 40-man roster is an important distinction in the offseason, as players who are on the 40-man roster are protected from being selected by another organization in the annual Rule 5 Draft, held each year in December at the Winter Meetings. Players signed at age 18 or younger need to be added to their club’s 40Man roster within five seasons or they become eligible for the Rule 5 Draft. Players who signed at age 19 or older need to be protected within four seasons.
NON-ROSTER INVITE (NRI):
A player signed to a Minor League contract, but invited to Major League Spring Training. This player is not on the 40-man roster.
DESIGNATED FOR ASSIGNMENT (DFA):
A DFA’d player is immediately removed from his club’s 40-man roster. Within seven days of the transaction (had been 10 days under the 2012-16 Collective Bargaining Agreement), the player can either be traded or placed on irrevocable outright waivers. If the player is claimed off said waivers by another club, he is immediately added to that team’s 40-man roster, at which point he can be optioned to the Minor Leagues or assigned to his new team’s 26-man roster. If the player clears waivers, he may be sent outright to the Minor Leagues or released. Players with more than three years of Major League service time or who have been previously outrighted may reject the outright assignment in favor of free agency.
MINOR LEAGUE OPTIONS (OPTIONS):
Players on a 40-man roster are given three Minor League “options.” An option allows that player to be sent to the Minor Leagues (“optioned”) without first being subjected to waivers. Players who are optioned to the Minors are removed from a team’s active 26-man roster but remain on the 40-man roster. Only one Minor League option is used per season, regardless of how many times a player is optioned to and from the Minors over the course of a given season. Out-of-options players must be designated for assignment -- which removes them from the 40-man roster -- and passed through outright waivers before being eligible to be sent to the Minors. Players typically have three option years.
OUTRIGHT WAIVERS:
A club attempting to remove a player from the 40-man roster and send him to the Minor Leagues must first place that player on outright waivers, allowing the 29 other Major League clubs the opportunity to claim him. The claiming club assumes responsibility for the remaining money owed to the claimed player, who is placed on his new club’s 40-man roster. Should the player clear waivers, he can be sent to any Minor League affiliate the club chooses. Outright waivers are also used when clubs wish to remove a player who is out of Minor League options from the 26-man roster by sending him to the Minors. Claiming priority is based on league and reverse winning percentage. If a player has more than three years of Major League service time or was previously outrighted in his career (by his current club or another club), he is eligible to reject the outright assignment and instead opt for free agency. Players with more than three but less than five years of Major League service time must forfeit any remaining guaranteed money on their contract if they reject an outright assignment. Conversely, those with five or more years of Major League service time are still owed any guaranteed money remaining on their contract, should they elect free agency following an outright.
RECALLED & CONTRACT PURCHASED:
These terms can be easily mixed up because they mean very similar things but are distinctly different. If a player is already on the 40-man roster and playing for a minor league team, he would be “recalled” to the MLB parent club because he is already a member of the 40-man. However, if a player from the minor leagues is called up to the MLB parent club and is not on the 40-man, the MLB club must “purchase his contract” and place him on the 40-man roster. If there are no spots on the 40-man, then they must DFA (designate for assignment) a current member of the 40-man to make room.
MAJOR LEAGUE REHABILITATION ASSIGNMENT:
Any MLB player can be assigned to any minor league affiliate for the purpose of rehabbing an injury for a maximum of 20 days (nonpitchers) and 30 days (pitchers). The player will still continue to get his MLB salary while on his rehab assignment. The rehabilitation assignments do not count against the minor league affiliates roster or as an “optional assignment.”
INJURED LIST (IL):
In the minor leagues there is only one IL and that is the seven-day IL. If a minor league player is placed on the seven-day IL, he must remain there for at least seven days before he can once again be activated. Players that are on the seven-day IL, therefore, can be on it for anywhere from seven days to the entire season since that is MiLB’s only IL.
Q&A WITH TOBY GARDENHIRE
Q. By every measure, the 2023 season was an incredible season. You finish 20-games over .500, the best winning percentage in your managerial career. What made last season’s team so good and so fun to manage?
A. We had an amazing mix last year of up-and-coming young guys and veterans. Not just great baseball players but great clubhouse guys. When you have a group that is having fun all the time it can make for a really special environment. It is rare that you have a group that meshed as well as our guys did last year. When all the guys are pulling for each other like they were and you have as much talent as we had out there, you can win a lot of baseball games which is what we did.
Q. All season long your team rallied around the fact the National Championship Game was in Las Vegas and they really wanted to get there. The playoff rules changed last season in the International League. For the first time in league history the season was split into halves with only one team in each half reaching the playoffs. Had the old system been in place, you would have gotten in. How frustrating is it knowing in any other year, your team gets in the playoffs?
A. We knew the rules going into the season. We knew we had to either win the first half or win the second half and we didn’t do it. We would have loved to go to Vegas and try and bring home a ring, but it wasn’t in the cards. For me it doesn’t change the fact that we had one of the best teams in the entire International league and we had a great year.
Q. Your team tied a modern-day record, in both the Major and Minor Leagues, with 14 grand slams. What made your team so successful with the bases loaded last year?
A. In order to hit that many grand slams you have to not only have power hitters but enough guys who get on base.We were lucky to have both. We had guys who knew how to handle situations where pitchers’ backs were against the wall. A lot of players will tense up and chase pitches in those situations. If you make the pitcher come to you, it can create hitters counts and you get pitches to drive. We were able to do that quite a bit.
Q. You got your first look at the ABS system last season. What were your overall impressions of the system itself?
A. I wasn’t sure going in how I was going to feel about it because I am pretty old school when it comes to baseball, but I actually thought it went really well. When you have an automated system like that it takes out the human factor where pitches right on the edges can go either way. It becomes very black and white. It’s either a strike or a ball. It takes the excuses out of the at bat.
Q. During Friday-Sunday games, the league implemented the challenge system where hitters, pitchers, or catchers could challenge a ball/strike call. Did you like that system and what did you learn after the first season that you’ll carry forward in year two?
A. I really like the challenge system and think it will probably end up in the big leagues at some point. There is a lot of strategy with how you use your challenges which adds a new dynamic to the game. You can’t burn your challenges too early or a late game situation will pop up where you don’t have it. It’s also important to pick and choose your counts and situations.
Q. Since 2021, when the organization became the Minnesota Twins Triple-A affiliate, the Saints have the fourth most home wins in all of Minor League Baseball. Why do you think you have such a big home field advantage?
A. St Paul is an amazing place. CHS gets very loud during big situations, which always is an advantage for the home team. he more electric the environment can be at the ballpark, the more excited the players get to play the games. Our guys feed off the energy at CHS. It’s a great place to play baseball.
Q. You always talk about one of your jobs, getting these guys ready to help out the Minnesota Twins. What’s it like when you get to tell a player they are getting called up, especially when it’s their first time?
A. Getting to tell players they are going to the big leagues for the first time is the best part of my job. It is every little league baseball player’s dream to play major league baseball. These guys have been working their entire lives to get a chance to make it to the highest level. It is life changing. I feel very humbled and lucky to be a part of that.
Q. You were drafted four years after Joe Mauer, and while you never played with him, you definitely crossed paths with him and your Dad managed him. What was it like seeing him get the call that he was being inducted into the Hall of Fame?
A. I have known Joe for a very long time. He actually picked me up with the driving instructor from my house when we were both doing our “behind the wheel” portion of drivers training. I played against him, and lost, every year of my high school career in the section tournament. I had the chance to play along side him in Spring Training while I was a player. I got to be on the bench with him during his last year as a player in 2018 when Paul Molitor brought me up to the big leagues after our season in Cedar Rapids was over. He was an amazing player and is an equally amazing person. I couldn’t be happier for Joe and his family. I’m grateful to have had the chance to know him.
Q. Tyler Smarslok has been with you each season you’ve been manager of the Saints. This year he takes on the role as Bench Coach, basically your right-hand man. It’s the first time you’ve had a bench coach, so how will you utilize him?
A. Tyler has basically been my bench coach since day one. He and I talk about the defensive alignments and strategies all game long. We discuss the baserunning and offensive strategy in between innings, and he manages the team when I have been away. He will continue to do all of these things along with the infield defense work that he puts in with the guys in pre-game workouts. I’ve been very lucky to have Smarz along side me the past few years. He is a great coach and a good friend.
Q. When the baseball season is over, how much time do you allow yourself to step away from the game and when do you start focusing on the next season?
A. I try to step away for as long as I can. One of the biggest perks of my job is being able to spend time with my family during the off season so I try to take full advantage of that. As soon as January hits I start to lock into baseball mode. I work the Twins Fantasy Camp every year where I start throwing batting practice again and writing out lineups. By the time the team gets down to Florida in early February I am really itching to get things going.
2023 SEASON IN REVIEW
Let’s be clear about one thing, everyone knew the rules going into the 2023 season. Everyone knew that the playoffs would be different. Different from 2021 when there weren’t any playoffs, but there was the “Final Stretch.” In 2022, the two division winners from the International League traveled to Las Vegas to meet up with the two division winners from the Pacific Coast League. In 2023, however, for the first time in 100 plus years of the International League, the season would be split into halves. Not just halves, but divisions wouldn’t matter. It was just one team with the best record in the first half, who would host the best-ofthree playoff series, against the team with the best record in the second half. This would come back to bite the St. Paul Saints at the end of the season.
There are several factors that play into how good a Triple-A team will be during a season. A couple of them are the depth below, mainly at Double-A, and the lack of injuries at the
big club. Through the first two seasons as the Minnesota Twins Triple-A affiliate, the Saints had to deal with a rash of injuries in the Majors and were pillaged during the season. In 2022, the Saints had nearly 90 players wear their uniform due to all the injuries with the Twins. In 2023, injuries stayed at a minimum which allowed the Saints to stay pretty much intact. That allowed the team to gel and rally around their mantra “Get to Vegas.”
Starting the season in Toledo, Ohio wasn’t necessarily ideal for the Saints. Fifth Third Field hadn’t exactly been friendly to the them in the first two years as a Twins affiliate. They have found various ways to lose games there, a few of them while carrying leads into the ninth. It was no surprise, then, that the Saints lost the first game of the season, but perhaps a sign of things to come materialized over the final two games of the series. The Saints won the final two and took their first ever series in Toledo.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 54
CHS FIELD IN CAPABLE HANDS
The two most important people, and perhaps the unsung heroes of CHS Field, return once again this season. Both have years of baseball experience and often spend countless hours at the ballpark, long past the time everyone else has gone home. The two of them will continue the upkeep of CHS Field.
Marcus Campbell begins his seventh year as head groundskeeper and has made his mark on CHS Field. During his first full season at the helm, in 2018, CHS Field was awarded one of the highest honors in the industry, Sports Turf Managers Association Professional Baseball Field of the Year. Campbell’s awardwinning work is on display each day and in 2019 the league’s main event, the American Association All-Star Game, took place at CHS Field. Not only that, but he also oversaw Destination Winter Saint Paul, where the Wells Fargo WinterSkate and Securian Financial SuperSlide spent more than two months on the field. Since 2022, he also helped supervise GLOW, a ballpark wide light show with a zip line, giant slide, and various other areas for kids and adults alike. He oversees developing and maintaining a first-rate playing
surface for the facilities many users. He is also responsible for the care of CHS Field’s many landscape highlights in and around the ballpark.
Curtis Nachtsheim made sure fans at Midway Stadium had enough to eat and drink from 200514. Now, he is responsible for an entire ballpark as the Operations Manager of CHS Field. He oversees everything from the lights, to the toilets, and everything in between. His responsibility is to make sure the ballpark runs flawlessly for every event that takes place in CHS Field.
Curtis oversees a staff that is responsible for the upkeep of the ballpark during the season, staffing the parking lots on game day, hiring the crew to clean up the ballpark following each game, and is Mr. Fixit when any issue occurs.
In addition to serving as the Saints’ home, CHS Field is the home of Hamline University, amateur and high school baseball, concerts, festivals, weddings and much more. With a year-round space in the Securian Financial Club, CHS Field will be one of the hottest venues in 2023.
IT’S EASY BEING GREEN
CHS FIELD CONTINUES TO SET THE SUSTAINABILITY STANDARD
When you look around CHS Field there are plenty of “sexy” areas in the Lowertown ballpark: the state-of-the-art Securian Financial Club, the beautiful Western Red Cedar on various overhangs and ceilings, the lush Treasure Island Berm beyond the left field wall, and the City of Baseball Museum, to name a few. These are areas that add to the aesthetics and comfort for fans entering CHS Field. There are, however, many valuable assets around the ballpark that fans may not pay close attention to but are extremely valuable for the organization in becoming the Greenest Ballpark in the country.
The ballpark was universally lauded when it opened in 2015, winning numerous awards. During that season, the Saints and their partners were recognized at every turn. While it’s easy to celebrate the design and architecture of CHS Field, it was the unsung parts of the ballpark receiving honors that made many in the organization thrilled.
Prior to its opening, CHS Field was touted as The Greenest Ballpark in America. That bold prediction came to fruition when CHS Field was named the Greenest New Ballpark courtesy of GreenSportsBlog, one of the top read blogs in Sports + Green initiatives. CHS Field is the product of a privatepublic partnership between the City of Saint Paul, the State of Minnesota, and the St. Paul Saints Baseball Club. It’s one of four awards the organization received touting the sustainability efforts of the Saints and, at the time, Ecolab.
CHS Field was up against heavy competition, including Levi’s Stadium, home of the San Francisco 49ers and host of Super Bowl 50. According to GreenSportsBlog, however, “small projects can sometimes be very influential.” The blog goes on to say CHS Field, “dotted a myriad of green I’s and crossed many green t’s, often in innovative fashion.” “The Greenest Ballpark in America” addresses several sustainable objectives, including building construction and operations best practices, waste disposal, water conservation, and alternative power generation and use.
At the heart of the initiative is an effort to make CHS Field a Zero Waste facility. A robust recycling and composting program were designed by the Saints and Minnesota Waste Wise, an initiative of the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce that works with private businesses throughout the state to minimize and creatively dispose of waste. The ballpark received a Minnesota Pollution Control Agency grant to further the effort, providing more than 30 different color-coded recycling and composting stations within the concourse, ensuring that fans didn’t need to walk far to find a place to recycle or compost. The message was driven home to fans through a partnership with the Ramsey and Washington County Resource Recovery Project, Biz Recycling, in communicating and marketing the program to fans at all games in fun and entertaining ways.
Levy Restaurants/ProSportsCatering, the company running CHS Field’s food and beverage operation, recycles and composts from the back of house. The company also purchases recyclable or compostable material for food and drink containers, utensils, and napkins. Working through its waste hauler, Walter’s Recycling, the team can collect data and track performance from homestand to homestand throughout the season.
Energy efficiency, and the use of alternative energy, is also a key theme. In left field, a 102.5 kW solar array supplies 12% of the ballpark’s energy demand, in addition to acting as a shade pavilion in The Cub A Cabana Lawn group area. The project competed for, and received, a grant through Xcel Energy’s RDF program covering much of the cost of one of the largest in-stadium arrays in professional sports. In addition, the ballpark utilizes the City’s District Energy system, which uses alternative fuels to heat and cool businesses and dwellings in the city’s downtown core.
Sports stadia historically have been significant water wasters. The ballpark houses a 27,000-gallon cistern, capturing rainfall from the 30,000-square-foot roof of the Met Transit Operations and Maintenance Facility next door. When fans flush toilets, the water used has been recycled from the cistern. Additionally, 25% of the ballpark’s irrigation needs are met by re-used rainwater. This will save 450,000 gallons of domestic water each year. CHS Field is one of the first ballparks to reuse rainwater for field irrigation and fixture flushing. The rainwater re-use system was funded through grants from the Minnesota Clean Water Legacy Fund, the Metropolitan Council, and the Capitol Region Watershed District.
Tree trenches at the Broadway entrance capture and filter storm water from the city streets and adjacent sidewalks before releasing it off-site. A rain garden at the 4th Street entrance similarly captures and filters storm water. A subgrade filtration system below the playing field also captures and filters storm water. The ballpark is located less than a quarter mile from the Mississippi River.
To make room for CHS Field, a massive, vacant concrete warehouse was demolished, and 82,000 yards of contaminated soil were removed from the site. In addition, 95% of the building was recycled, including keeping 20% of the material on-site as part of new construction.
All-together, a site that was virtually 100% water impervious, now boasts 55.9% pervious greenspace. A site with virtually no trees now contains 135 trees and 36,000 square feet of planting.
None of this work happens overnight nor did it end after year one. The Saints continue to build upon their awardwinning first year in educating their fans through humorous videos, informational signs around the ballpark, and interactive kiosks at various areas along the concourse. The goal is for fans, and Saints staff, to recycle and compost 90% of the materials used at CHS Field. With everyone’s help CHS Field will continue to be the Greenest Ballpark in America.
Working together to help keep CHS Field Cleaner, Safer and Healthier ™
On game day and every day, Ecolab is dedicated to Advancing Cleaner, Safer Practices™ in the places where people eat, sleep, work and play, from the beverages you enjoy to the ballparks we call home.
So sit back and enjoy the game. We’ve got the bases covered.
a
2024 INTERNATI0NAL LEAGUE UMPIRE CREWS
CREW A SEASONS
Brian Walsh 10
Benjamin Phillips 10
William Traynor 6
CREW B SEASONS
Christopher Marco 11
Mark Stewart 9
Casey James 7
CREW C SEASONS
Austin Jones 11
Dane Poncsak 9
Thomas Fornarola 8
CREW D SEASONS
James Jean 8
Dillon Wilson 10
Raymond Patchen 8
CREW E SEASONS
Edwin Jimenez 7
Matthew Brown 9
Raúl Moreno 10
J
I
WHAT’S NEW ON THE MENU?
BURGER DEPOT
New Items:
• Corn Dog
• Chef JC’s version of Chick-fil-A’s Fried Chicken Sandwich
• Shrimp Po’ Boy Hoagie w/ Remoulade Sauce
• Braised Short Rib Poutine Burger
• Blackened Ribeye Steak Sandwich with Sautéed Mushrooms and Peppers topped with Provolone Cheese
SANDWICH LOT
New Item:
• Meatball Hoagie:All beef meatballs with house-made Marinara Sauce on a Bakery-Fresh Hoagie Bun topped with Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
CHUCK & DON’S DOG PARK
New Item:
Foot-Long Brisket Hash Dog with Pepper Gravy
VON HANSON”S:
New Sausages:
• Polish Sausage
• Foot-Long Cherry Bomb Brat (The Great Hambino)
FRIES AND PIES:
New Items:
• Funnel Cake Fries with Powdered Sugar
• Churros with Cinnamon Sugar
• Cream Cheese Jalapeño Poppers with Salsa
MUD’S DAIRY AREA
New Items:
• Mac and Meat
GYRO CART:
• Chicken or Lamb with Peppers and Onions, Lettuce, Tomato and Tzatziki Sauce, wrapped in Pita Bread
WOK IN THE PARK
• Chicken Teriyaki with Fried Rice or Jasmine Rice
• Mongolian Beef with Fried Rice or Jasmine Rice
• Orange Chicken with Fried Rice or Jasmine Rice
EL BURRITO MERCADO
• Tacos
• Burritos
• Rice Bowls
• Nachos
SAINTS TRIVIA QUESTIONS
1. The Saints tied the modern-day record for most grand slams in a season with 14 in 2024. Name the Minor League team and the two Major League teams they equaled.
2. Who became the first player in franchise history to play a game for the Saints and Twins on the same day?
3. Which two players tied the franchise record for most home runs in a singleseason for the Saints in 2023?
4. Which pitcher struck out at least one batter in each of his relief appearances (minimum 10 relief appearances) in 2023?
5. Who became the first Saints player in Triple-A franchise history to homer over the batters eye in center field?
6. Who became the first player to collect two pinch hit hits in a season for the Saints?
7. Who set the franchise record for most consecutive scoreless innings in 2023?
8. How many home runs did Chris Williams hit over a three day period in June?
9. Which player has the two longest hitting streaks in franchise history?
10. How many times has manager Toby Gardenhire been ejected in his three years with the Saints?
ST. PAUL SAINTS ENTERTAINMENT TEAM
SAINTS STAND ABOVE ALL THE REST WHEN IT COMES TO ENTERTAINMENT
Let’s be clear. No one in Minor League Baseball does it like the St. Paul Saints. After three seasons in Triple-A, it’s clear that in most ballparks the Saints travel, it really is “all about the baseball.” Many Triple-A franchises treat their games just like they do in the Major Leagues. That’s not how we choose to do it. We bring the fastball every night, with the occasional curveball thrown at you. Over the course of 75 games we’ll change speeds and split your sides with the hilarity at CHS Field.
The state of Minnesota has more actors and actresses per capita than any other state in the U.S. OK, maybe that isn’t entirely true, but add up the comedy clubs, theatres, and improv studios and you will find a ton of talent. Each year we search near and far to find the best of the best and bring them into one venue for the summer. While the players produce the entertainment on the field, our staff of talent produces the entertainment in the stands and between innings. There is one person who oversees all the hilarity and it’s slash herself, Vice President/Assistant General Manager/Brand Marketing & Experience, Sierra Bailey. Her job is to make sure each of our actors is on point and that everything runs like a well-oiled machine.
Our actors and actresses, or as we affectionately refer to them, Ushertainers, are overseen by Entertainment Director
Joshua Will. He begins his seventh season in that role with the Saints and will make sure that our Ushertainers hit their marks.
Our three-headed Master of Ceremonies, Lee Adams, Nicholas Leeman, and Rita Boersma return for their ninth season together. Lee is back for year number 12, while Nicholas turned his Stadium Correspondent gig in years past into the co-leading role. Rita did some fill-in work in year number one of CHS Field and has brought her dry and acerbic sense of humor into a full-time role ever since. Their voices are the ones you hear throughout the ballpark and provide hilarious commentary throughout the game. Their banter, quick wit, and talent as actors and actresses help engage the crowd each night.
The musical mood is set by organist Andrew Crowley. Crowley returns for his 22nd season and his knowledge of various musical genres keeps fans of all ages entertained. He has a feel for each moment. Whether it’s getting kids on their feet dancing in the aisles or bringing back nostalgic memories for parents, Crowley is on top of it from his perch on the third base side of the Club Level. He is also in charge of hiring the nightly pre-game bands playing at the Farmers Market and the National Anthem singers.
The Ushertainers, the lifeblood of the entertainment at CHS Field, will be back in full force for the 2024 season. Seigo Masubuchi, the cult-like figure, will serenade the crowd with “Signing with Seigo”. Maybe you like feeling cooler than The Nerd and Nerdette, doing calisthenics with Coach, cooking up something special with Chef, or being among royalty with Belle of the Ballpark, but whatever tickles your fancy, fans will be entertained to the fullest at CHS Field.
SAINTS TRIVIA ANSWERS
1. The Albuquerque Isotopes (Triple-A, Colorado Rockies) clubbed 14 grand slams in 2022 while Cleaveland, 2006, and Oakland, 2000, did it in the Majors.
2. On May 23, 2023 Matt Wallner played an 11:07 a.m. game with the Saints at CHS Field going 1-4. Shortly after the game, he was promoted to the Twins for their 6:40 p.m. game at Target Field. He pinch hit in the ninth inning and walked.
3. Chris Williams and Jair Camargo both slugged 21 home runs in 2023. Williams hit his 21st home run on September 20 while Camargo tied him in the final game of the season on September 24.
4. Kody Funderburk pitched in 35 games of relief for the Saints in 2023 and fanned at least one in all 35 games. Impressively, he pitched in 53 games and struck out at least one batter in all but one game. He struck out at least a batter in his five relief appearances with Double-A Wichita, 35 with the Saints and his first game with the Minnesota Twins. In his second outing he pitched 0.1 inning and failed to strikeout a hitter, the only game all season he failed to fan a batter.
5. Yunior Severino crushed a solo homer 461-feet to dead center on August 19, 2023 against Indianapolis Indians’ Beau Sulser.
6. Mark Contreras collected two base hits as a pinch hitter in 2023. On June 16 he roped an RBI triple in the 10th inning as part of a seven-run inning at Louisville. Just 12-days later, Contreras singled as a pinch hitter in the eighth vs. Gwinnett.
7. It’s not your fault if you didn’t notice Cole Sands hurling 22.2 consecutive scoreless innings in 2023. In his final 2.2 innings pitched on April 21 through the first inning of relief on September 10, Sands didn’t allow a run in nearly 23.0 innings. Of course, in between he bounced back and forth between the Saints and Twins.
8. Williams was on fire from June 13-15. He hit three home runs on June 13, two more on the 14th, and another on the 15th for six home runs in three games. He collected 12 RBI in those three games.
9. Andrew Stevenson had an incredible 2023 season setting various single-season records, including longest hitting streak. From May 10-28 he hit safely in 16 games, topping Jake Cave’s 15-game hit streak from 2022. Stevenson then topped that with a 17-game streak from June 8-July 3.
10. A total of 11 times, including three in 2023. He has 11 ejections across 427 games with the Saints, one every 39 games while his Dad, Ron, was ejected 84 times in 2480 Major League games, one every 29.5 games.
2023 SEASON IN REVIEW
Another theme of the season came on April 18, a 6-0 shutout of the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. The shutout wouldn’t turn out to be the season long story, the Saints would earn just one more of those during the year, but it’s what happened in the first inning of that game. Mark Contreras clubbed a grand slam. It was the first of 14 on the season for the Saints. That astounding number would tie the modern-day Minor League (dating as far back as stats go in 2005) and Major League (since 1901) record. The Saints 14 grand slams tied the Albuquerque Isotopes in 2022 for the Minors and the 2000 Oakland Athletics and Cleveland, from 2006, for the Majors. It was no surprise that Jair Camargo and Chris Williams each hit three grand slams.
The Saints Triple-A franchise is a young one, but the 206 home runs they hit in 2023 were a club record. The team was led by both Williams and Camargo, who tied for the franchise record with 21 long balls. In total, 10 different players had double-digit home runs including four that played fewer than half the games. Yunior Severino, who finished the season tied for the most home runs in the Minor Leagues and set a Twins Minor League record with 35 home runs, hit 11 in just 36 games. The Saints were in the upper half of the league in nearly every offensive category including the fifth most runs with 875.
The offensive MVP was clearly Andrew Stevenson, who had a career year. He hit .317 with 16 home runs and 57 RBI in 106 games. He scored 91 runs, had 23 doubles, seven triples, swiped 44 bases in 49 attempts and slashed .317/.395/.522. Those numbers jumped off the page and he was promoted to the Twins on September 1.
Anthony Prato made a name for himself after being called up following two difficult months at Double-A. He more than handled Triple-A hitting .302 with 10 homers and 45 RBI in 72 games. He scored 53 runs, had 23 doubles, a triple, swiped 10 bases and slashed .302/.452/.539.
On the pitching side, the hurlers were in the top third in several categories including third in ERA (4.59), tied for the third fewest home runs allowed (147), sixth in strikeouts, with a franchise record 1354, and seventh in opponents batting average (.254) and WHIP (1.50).
Louie Varland, who got plenty of run with the Twins at different points in the season, was named an International League Post-Season All-Star after a terrific 7-1 record with a 3.97 ERA. In 81.2 innings pitched he struck out 88 while opponents hit .265 against him. Randy Dobnak was the workhorse of the club setting franchise records in innings pitched (126.1) and strikeouts (115).
Out of the bullpen the story was Kody Funderburk, who was also named a Post-Season International League All-Star. His eye-popping numbers got him a promotion to the Twins in late August, where he thrived. After being called up to the Saints from Wichita in late April, he was lights out. Funderburk went 4-1 with a 2.60 ERA and five saves in 37 appearances (two starts). In 52.0 innings he struck out 75 while opponents hit a miniscule .183 against him. He struck out at least one batter in all 37 appearances. There were several great stories on the pitching side, but two that really stood out were Dallas Keuchel signing as a free agent and giving up just four earned runs in 32.0 innings while Brock Stewart coming back from Tommy John surgery. He was remarkable in his 10 appearances before solidifying a spot in the Twins bullpen.
Overall, the Saints had 20 different players, and four first timers (Edouard Julien, Brent Headrick, Jordan Balazovic, and Funderburk), reach the Major Leagues.
In the end, the Saints finished 20-games over .500 at 84-64. The problem, however, is they never won one of the two halves. In the first half they went 43-31, third best record in the International League and 5.0 games behind the red hot Norfolk Tides (Baltimore Orioles). In the second half, the Saints were 4133, sixth best record and 6.5 games behind the always powerful Durham Bulls (Tampa Bay Rays). The standings page, even though divisions didn’t matter, still had teams separated into west and east. The Saints never finished with the best record in their own division, but when the 150-game season concluded, the Saints record was 1.0 game better than the Nashville Sounds (Milwaukee Brewers). Despite not reaching Las Vegas, it was by far the most successful of the first three years as a Twins affiliate for the Saints.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 44
MINNESOTA TWINS MINOR LEAGUE SYSTEM
Once again it was another strong season for the Minnesota Twins farm system. Three of the four full season teams has a winning record, and while only one of the four made the playoffs, the High-A Cedar Rapids Kernels won their first championship in 29 years. The organization finished in the top third of Major League, finishing 336-317 a .515 percentage. The organization had the fifth best win percentage in the American League behind only the Seattle Mariners, Tampa Bay Rays, New York Yankees, and Detroit Tigers. The season was filled with excitement, top prospects, surprise players, and a bright future.
ST. PAUL SAINTS
The Saints won a franchise-high 84 games in the club’s third season of affiliated baseball following 28 seasons in the independent ranks... although St. Paul finished first in the International League West Division fullseason standings, they did not advance to the Postseason because of their second-place finishes in the first- and secondhalf standings...St. Paul’s offense ranked fourth in the IL in on-base percentage (.364), fifth in total bases (2256), sixth in slugging percentage (.456) and sixth in OPS (.820)...the pitching staff ranked third in the IL with a 4.59 ERA and sixth in strikeouts with 1,354. The Saints also finished 13th in all of Minor League Baseball in attendance, drawing 460,918 fans to CHS Field... Left-handed pitchers Brent Headrick and Kody Funderburk and infielder Edouard Julien each made their major league debuts for the Twins after spending time in St. Paul earlier this year... outfielder Andrew Stevenson led the Saints in games played (106), batting average (.317) and stolen bases (44) before his contract was selected by Minnesota on September 1...after
being promoted from Double-A Wichita, No. 2 prospect Brooks Lee hit eight doubles, three triples and five home runs for St. Paul in 38 games...No. 28 prospect Yunior Severino slugged 11 home runs for the Saints following a mid-season promotion, and his 35 overall homers in 2023 were tied for first in all of Minor League Baseball with Shay Whitcomb (HOU).
WICHITA WIND SURGE
After placing fifth in the North Division in the first half, the Wind Surge went 36-33 in the second half and finished fourth in the division in the regular season with a 64-73 record, the first losing record in the club’s history. Wichita’s offense ranked third in the Texas League in stolen bases (231), slugging percentage (.425) and OPS (.772), fourth in triples (32), home runs (159), walks (574) and and batting average (.259) and sixth in on-base percentage (.347) and doubles (222). The Wind Surge’s pitching staff ranked first in strikeout-to-walk ratio (2.48) and walks-per-9.0-innings (3.64) despite having the second highest ERA in the Texas League (5.06). No. 2 prospect Brooks Lee started in Wichita. He ranked second in doubles (31) while hitting .292 (102-for-349) with 11 home runs, 61 RBI, 41 walks, 63 runs scored, a .365 on-base percentage, a .476 slugging percentage and a .841 OPS in 87 games for the Wind Surge before being promoted to Triple-A on August 3. No. 28 prospect Yunior Severino started the season with the Wind Surge, hitting .287 (96-for-334) with 15 doubles, two triples, 24 home runs, 62 RBI, 36 walks, 56 runs scored, a .560 slugging percentage and a .925 OPS, before being promoted to Triple-A on August 3. He led the Texas League in slugging percentage, ranked second in OPS and third in home runs.
MINNESOTA TWINS MINOR LEAGUE SYSTEM
CEDAR RAPIDS KERNELS
The Kernels won their first Midwest League Championship since 1994 and finished with the best winning percentage (.621) in all of minor league baseball... Cedar Rapids secured their 10th-straight Postseason berth with a 40-26 record in the first half, and the Kernels also led the West Division with a 42-24 second-half mark...after dropping the first game of the West Division Championship Series to Peoria, the Kernels won on consecutive nights in front of their home crowd to advance to the MWL Championship Series...Cedar Rapids then took two out of three from the Great Lakes Loons (LAD) to snap a 29-year championship drought...the Kernels led the MWL in total bases (1705), runs (694), triples (41), home runs (137), RBI (628), walks (634) and OPS (.738), while their pitching ranked fourth in the league in ERA (3.90) and sixth in opponent batting average (.242)...outfielder Kala’i Rosario was named most valuable player of the Midwest League, posting an .831 OPS and leading the league in home runs (21) and RBI (94)...Rosario, infielder Tanner Schobel, designated hitter Emmanuel Rodriguez, relief pitcher Miguel Rodriguez and manager Brian Dinkelman were all selected to the MWL All-Star team...Rodriguez, the Twins’ No. 3 prospect, led Cedar Rapids with an .863 OPS (min. 200 at-bats) and hit three home runs in the MWL Championship Series...Right-handed pitcher and No. 14 prospect Marco Raya went 0-1 with a 2.94 ERA (33.2 IP, 11 ER) in 11 starts with the Kernels before his promotion to Double-A Wichita in July.
FORT MYERS MIGHTY MUSSELS
The Mighty Mussels put together their 10thstraight winning campaign by going 67-64 (.539) in the regular season. During the regular season, Fort Myers led the FSL in doubles (235), RBI (645), slugging percentage (.388) and total bases (1662), while tied for first in runs scored (720) and OPS (.743), second in on-base percentage (.355), third in home runs (103), walks (673), batting average (.242) and BABIP (.314) and fourth in stolen bases (173). Fort Myers’ pitching staff tied for first batting average (.234), while ranking third in walks (570) and WHIP (1.38) and fourth in ERA (4.44) and strikeouts (1208). Twins’ No. 21 prospect Ricardo Olivar put together a strong campaign for the Mighty Mussels in his third pro season and was named a Florida State League AllStar. In 100 games, Olivar tied for first in doubles (28), ranked second in on-base percentage (.403) and third in total bases (168) and OPS (.855). Andrew Cossetti began the 2023 season in Fort Myers before being promoted to Cedar Rapids on May 23. He was named the Florida State League Player of the Month in April after slashing .339 (20-for-59) with eight doubles, four home runs, 20 RBI, 11 walks, a .474 on-base percentage, a .678 slugging percentage and a 1.152 OPS in 19 games.
ST. PAUL SAINTS BROADCASTS
In conjunction with Major League Baseball’s broadcast deal with Sinclair Broadcast Group for Minor League Baseball, the St. Paul Saints will once again return to the CW Network in 2024, with one-third of the home games on the station. A total of 25 of the Saints 75 games can be seen on the CW Network in 2024.
The Saints will have each weekday afternoon game, a total of seven games, 11 Saturday games and seven Sunday games on CW. The first game on the CW Network will be the second game of the season on Saturday, March 30 at 2:07 p.m. Fans can find the CW Network on the following channels: Comcast 8/208, DirectTV 23, Dish 23, Charter Spectrum 23/783, and Over the Air 23.1.
The Saints schedule on CW is as follows:
Saturday, March 30, 2:07 p.m. vs. Columbus Clippers
Sunday, March 31, 2:07 p.m. vs. Columbus Clippers
Tuesday, April 9, 4:07 p.m. vs. Iowa Cubs
Saturday, April 13, 2:07 p.m. vs. Iowa Cubs
Sunday, April 14, 2:07 p.m. vs. Iowa Cubs
Tuesday, April 30, 11:07 a.m. vs. Louisville Bats
Tuesday, May 14, 11:07 a.m. vs. Omaha Storm Chasers
Saturday, May 18, 2:07 p.m. vs. Omaha Storm Chasers
Sunday, May 19, 2:07 p.m. vs. Omaha Storm Chasers
Saturday, June 8, 6:07 p.m. vs. Syracuse Mets
Wednesday, June 19, 1:07 p.m. vs. Toledo Mud Hens
Saturday, June 22, 6:37 p.m. vs. Toledo Mud Hens
Saturday, July 6, 6:37 p.m. vs. Gwinnett Stripers
Sunday, July 7, 2:07 p.m. vs. Gwinnett Stripers
Wednesday, July 24, 1:07 p.m. vs. Omaha Storm Chasers
Saturday, July 27, 6:37 p.m. vs. Omaha Storm Chasers
Wednesday, August 7, 1:07 p.m. vs. Columbus Clippers
Saturday, August 10, 6:37 p.m. vs. Columbus Clippers
Sunday, August 11, 2:07 p.m. vs. Columbus Clippers
Saturday, August 24, 6:37 p.m. vs. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders
Sunday, August 25, 2:07 p.m. vs. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders
Monday, September 2, 4:07 p.m. vs. Iowa Cubs
Saturday, September 7, 6:37 p.m. vs. Iowa Cubs
Sunday, September 8, 2:07 p.m. vs. Iowa Cubs
Saturday, September 21, 5:07 p.m. vs. Indianapolis Indians
The remaining 50 home games can be seen on the Saints Broadcast Network, cable access channels in and around the Twin Cities Metro area. The channel in your area can be found at www.saintsbaseball.com.
The Saints will broadcast all 75 home games at MiLB.TV. The subscription-based service is $29.99 for the entire season, or $3.99 per month, and includes the broadcasts of all Minor League teams or via the Bally Live app for free.
For the seventh consecutive season the Saints can be heard on an iHeart station in the Twin Cities with every game carried on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.
The Saints began with the iHeart family in 2018, on Alt 93.3 FM. In 2019, the Saints moved their games to the brand new KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM, which has been the home of Saints Baseball for the last six seasons. For those that don’t live in the coverage area, fans can download the iHeart Radio app and listen to games anywhere in the world.
Sean Aronson returns for his 18th season as the playby-play broadcaster of the Saints and will handle the broadcast for all 150 games. In 2016 he was awarded the Ballpark Digest Broadcaster of the Year Award for all of minor league baseball and on the final day of that regular season he became the first broadcaster in Saints history to call 1,000 games. He was nominated for a Regional Emmy for Saints TV broadcasts in 2010. Joining Aronson this season are Andy Helwig, who returns for his fourth season, and Steve Linzmeier, his third. Helwig was a Broadcast Assistant with the Saints in 2021. He spent 2019 with the Toronto Blue Jays Triple-A affiliate, the Buffalo Bisons, hosting a pre- and post-game show while also filling in on select broadcasts. He got his start in the baseball world in 2018 as the Director of Broadcasting and Media Relations for the Batavia Muckdogs. Since 2015, Helwig has been the voice of Canisius Men’s Basketball. He’s also called Canisius soccer, volleyball, and lacrosse on ESPN3. Helwig is a 2019 graduate of Canisius in 2019 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism. Linzmeier spent 2022 as the Saints pre- and post-game host. Along with those duties in 2024, Linzmeier can be heard on home radio and TV broadcasts. He took over at St. Cloud State, as the voice of the Men’s and Women’s basketball team, for the 202223 season, for the departed J.W. Cox. Prior to his time with the Saints, Linzmeier spent nine years as the Sports Director at KQDJ in Jamestown, ND. He was the lead play-by-play voice for the University of Jamestown and Jamestown High School. Linzmeier was honored by his peers as the 2016 North Dakota Sportscaster of the Year. He has broadcast over 1,500 games including some locally for PrepSpotlight and St. Catherine University. He is a 2010 graduate of the University of Wisconsin-River Falls with a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism in 2010 and went on to get his Master’s in Sports Administration at Southeastern Oklahoma State University in 2021.
For more information on the Saints broadcast schedule, fans can visit the virtual press box at www.saintsbaseball.com
Are you in on the secret?
Eagle Valley Golf Course in Woodbury is a few minutes east of St. Paul. Our staff is committed to delivering an unforgettable experience every time you visit. The golf course consists of eighteen uniquely challenging holes suited for all skill levels. The practice facility offers a course-like feel with multiple targets, oversized practice green and bunker. Dine in our inviting, newly renovated clubhouse and enjoy an expanded food and beverage menu!
Great conditions and friendly staff every day!
of
HAMLINE UNIVERSITY HAS BEEN PREPARING STUDENTS for successful careers and lifetimes of achievement for more than 165 years. That’s why Hamline continues to be ranked as the Best Regional University in Minnesota by U.S. News & World Report. Discover the benefits of a career-ready education at HAMLINE.EDU .
2024 SCHEDULE
Triple·A Affiliate of the Minnesota Twins
*All game times are listed as Central Daylight Time (CDT).
MARCH / APRIL
FAN CODE OF CONDUCT
The St. Paul Saints are committed to creating a family-friendly and welcoming environment at the ballpark for all guests. As part of that commitment, we have adopted this written Fan Code of Conduct addressing fan behavior.
This Policy is incorporated in the Employee Handbook which all staff receives prior to assuming any game-day responsibilities. A copy of this Policy can also be found on the Team’s website at saintsbaseball.com
PROHIBITED ITEMS AT THE BALLPARK (WITHOUT LIMITATION)
Pursuant to the Office of the Commissioner of Major League Baseball, the following items are prohibited at all St. Paul Saints baseball home games:
• Containers larger than 16 x 16 x 8 inches;
• Beach balls and other large inflatables;
• Glass bottles;
• Fireworks;
• Firearms or other weapons (e.g., knives);
• Laser devices / pointers;
• Skateboards and rollerblades;
• Toy guns and knives (including water guns);
• Non-baseball sticks / clubs; or
• Unmanned aerial vehicles.
PROHIBITED ACTIONS PRIOR TO, DURING, OR AFTER GAMES (WITHOUT LIMITATION)
Pursuant to the Office of the Commissioner of Major League Baseball, the following behaviors are prohibited at all St. Paul Saints baseball home games:
• Trespassing on the playing field at any time;
• Interfering with the progress of the game including throwing objects onto the field or disrupting balls in play;
• Using foul, obscene or derogatory language or gestures (including, without limitation, harassment of the opposing team or language/gestures which concern a person’s race, ethnicity, color, gender, religion, creed, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, or national origin);
• Misusing or overconsuming alcohol, including, underage consumption;
• Behaving in a manner that is disruptive, unruly, or abusive;
• Accessing areas of the ballpark without a proper ticket, pass, or credential;
• Misusing tickets, passes, or credentials in any way;
• Intoxication or other signs of alcohol/substance impairment that results in irresponsible behavior;
• Failing to follow instructions of law enforcement, guest services, or security personnel
CONSEQUENCES
Violations of any of the foregoing will not be tolerated and may lead to ejection from the ballpark, a ban on attending future games, or other consequences which the Team may implement at its sole discretion.
REPORTING AN INCIDENT
Any game-day staff member who witnesses or receives a report of prohibited fan behavior by a fan must report the incident to a Club security supervisor. This can be done by contacting your immediate supervisor, the Assistant General Manager, or the General Manager.
Use of derogatory language by a fan toward a player, umpire, staff member, or their respective family members must be documented and such descriptions must be reported to the General Manager and to the Office of the Commissioner of Major League Baseball via email to PDLsecurity@mlb.com.
Admission into the City of Baseball Museum is free during St. Paul Saints home games with the purchase of your Saints ticket. If you'd like to set up a time to visit the museum outside of St. Paul Saints home games, please reach out to museum@saintsbaseball.com to schedule an appointment.
The City of Baseball Museum is located on the concourse behind the left field bleachers at CHS Field. Visit www.cityofbaseballmuseum.com for more information.
