One of the top prospects the Minnesota Twins have is Forest Lake native and former Minnesota Mr. Baseball Matt Wallner, and he had himself a historic night Thursday becoming the first player in St. Paul Saints history to hit for the cycle.
Wallner, rated the Twins’ No. 5 prospect by MLB Pipeline, tripled in the eighth inning to complete the cycle. No Saints player dating back to 1993, when the team was an independent in the America Association, had completed the cycle.
MATT WALLNER HAS HIT FOR THE CYCLE pic.twitter.com/7CKSbAWasO
— St. Paul Saints (@StPaulSaints) September 2, 2022
Wallner finished the night 5-for-6 with 6 RBIs.
- 1st inning: Double
- 3rd inning: Single
- 4th inning: Homer
- 6th inning: Strikeout
- 8th inning: Triple
- 8th inning: Double
The home run he hit was a moonshot that traveled 456 feet, with the baseball leaving his bat at a blistering 110 mph.
That one ain't coming back! ☄️@Matt_Wallner's 3-run home run makes it 8-4 Saints#StPaulSaints x @ticasino pic.twitter.com/SMU2iWxbj6
— St. Paul Saints (@StPaulSaints) September 2, 2022
Wallner was promoted to Triple-A St. Paul in early July, but he hit just .105 with the Saints in July before turning it on in August, when he hit .263 with 4 homers, 8 doubles and 15 RBIs.
Add in his monster night to start September and he’s batting .300 in his last 100 at-bats with 5 homers, 10 doubles, 2 triples and 21 RBIs.
The Saints beat Omaha 18-6 Thursday night.
