The Twins introduced this morning that they’ve positioned rookie right-hander Mick Abel on the 15-day injured checklist resulting from irritation in his proper elbow. A corresponding transfer wasn’t introduced, although it’s already been reported that prospect Kendry Rojas is becoming a member of the most important league roster tomorrow and that high prospect Connor Prielipp has been added to the most important league taxi squad. Abel’s IL placement is unquestionably associated to these forthcoming strikes (which the group has but to formally announce). The Twins will reap the benefits of immediately’s off-day by shifting up right-hander Simeon Woods Richardson, who’d been slated to begin Wednesday, to begin in place of Abel tomorrow, per Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
Selected by the Phillies with the No. 15 total draft decide again in 2020, Abel has lengthy been hailed as a high quality pitching prospect. He went from Philadelphia to Minnesota alongside high catching prospect Eduardo Tait finally 12 months’s commerce deadline within the deal sending star nearer Jhoan Duran (additionally currently on the injured list) again to Philly.
Now 24 years outdated, Abel has seen his inventory rise and fall over time. He slipped off most top-100 rankings previous to the 2025 season however loved a resurgent 12 months that noticed him each make his main league debut in Philadelphia and pitch properly sufficient to be included as a key part in one of many deadline’s most notable trades.
Abel has gotten out to a pleasant begin in 2026. He entered camp and not using a rotation spot assured to him however gained a job with a dominant efficiency within the Grapefruit League: 22 innings, 2.05 ERA, 32.9% strikeout price, 4.9% stroll price. The right-hander was hit laborious in his first two appearances with the Twins this season however bounced again with 13 shutout innings and a 16-to-3 Ok/BB ratio throughout his final two begins (in opposition to the Tigers and Red Sox, respectively). He’s at the moment sitting on a 3.98 ERA, a 24.7% strikeout price and a ten% stroll price in 20 1/3 frames. Metrics like FIP (2.79) and SIERA (3.93) agree, to various extents, that he’s been a high quality arm.
With Abel on the shelf, the Twins could have 4 starters locked into spots: Joe Ryan, Taj Bradley, Bailey Ober and Woods Richardson. Candidates to take Abel’s spot on the workers embody Rojas, Prielipp and Zebby Matthews — the latter of whom Abel beat for a spot on the Opening Day workers. Matthews, nonetheless, has pitched to a 7.71 ERA in his first 4 turns via the Triple-A rotation. The former top-100 prospect remains to be solely 25, however he’s slid down the depth chart a bit with a tough spring and even rockier begin with Triple-A St. Paul. Minnesota additionally lately recalled 24-year-old beginning pitching prospect Andrew Morris and plugged him into the most important league bullpen. He’s nonetheless stretched out sufficient to make a begin, observe an opener or work in some hybrid/piggyback function if the group sees match.
It’s not but clear how lengthy the Twins anticipate Abel to be sidelined. His IL placement is retroactive to April 17. If it’s certainly only a minor bout of irritation — and the Twins have but to point the potential that something extra severe is at play — he’d be eligible to return as early as May 2. Presumably, the group will present extra info on Abel’s standing within the close to future, though with an off-day on the calendar immediately, a proper replace could not occur till tomorrow, when skipper Derek Shelton addresses reporters previous to Tuesday’s collection opener in opposition to the Mets in Queens.
