Josh Winder #41

Josh Stewart Winder (pronounced WINE-der)...Instagram: @j.winder36...Got engaged to his fiancée, Kat in Feb. of 2024...Selected by Twins in seventh round of 2018 First-Year Player Draft out of Virginia Military Institute...Went 16-16 with six complete games, a 4.53 ERA (274.1 IP, 138 ER), 51 walks and 273 strikeouts in 42 starts over three seasons at VMI, including 5-6 with a 5.40 ERA (85.0 IP, 51 ER), 19 walks and 91 strikeouts his junior season...Ranked by Baseball America as the No. 2 prospect in the Southern Conference and the Preseason SoCon Pitcher of the Year and was named Second-Team All-SoCon in 2017...Graduated from James River High School in Richmond, Va.; was First-Team All-Conference and Second-Team All-Region as a senior...Spends his offseasons living in Virginia, hanging out with friends, prepping for baseball season and watching the NFL...Participated in 2023 TwinsFest at Target Field in January.

2023

Began season on Minnesota's 15-day injured list with right shoulder strain...Pitched in five games on rehab assignment, three with Low-A Fort Myers and two with Triple-A St. Paul; reinstated on April 27...Had four different stints with Twins, going from Minnesota to St. Paul regularly during season...Used with Twins mostly as longman out of bullpen...Pitched season-high of 4.0 innings with Minnesota on July 26 vs. Seattle...Earned first career save on Aug. 28 vs. Cleveland, pitching 3.0 perfect innings, with one strikeout to close a Twins 10-6 victory...Optioned to Triple-A St. Paul on Sept. 24 (Brock Stewart - IL return) and joined a "Stay Hot" group (to be ready for postseason) at St. Paul after their season concluded that same day...Combined to go 7-5, 4.89 ERA (70.0 IP, 38 ER) with 35 walks, 74 strikeouts and a .287 opponent batting average in 40 games between Minnesota and St. Paul...Held left-handed batters to a .252 batting average, compared to .314 vs. right-handed batters...Opponents hit just .174 (8-for-46) with one home run and 12 strikeouts against his slider at the Major League level...Placed on 60-day injured list with a scapular stress fracture on Feb. 26, 2024 to make room on club's 40-man roster when Minnesota acquired outfielder Manuel Margot a week into Spring Training.

2022

Made Twins Opening Day roster for first time in career and began season in bullpen...Made Major League debut in relief April 12 vs. Los Angeles-NL, allowing one run in 1.0 inning pitched...struck out first career batter, fanning Will Smith in the fifth inning...Made three appearances out of the Twins 'pen before making first Major League start May 1 at Tampa Bay...earned the win vs. the Rays, pitching 6.0 shutout innings with two hits allowed, one walk and seven strikeouts...became first pitcher in Twins history (since 1961) with 6.0-plus shutout innings and two-or-fewer hits allowed in his first Major League start...fifth in Twins/Senators franchise history (since 1901) — the others: Mike Fornieles (1952), Wally Holborow (1945), Claude Thomas (1916) and George Dumont (1915)…also became eighth pitcher in club history to throw 6.0-plus scoreless in his first MLB start — the others: Devin Smeltzer (2019), Andrew Albers (2013), Anthony Swarzak (2009), Benj Sampson (1998), Eric Milton (1998), Rick Lysander (1983) and Jim Roland (1963)…Made second start May 6 vs. Oakland, earning second win, pitching 6.0 innings with one unearned run allowed, no walks and a career-high eight strikeouts...Placed on 15-day Injured List on May 21 with right shoulder impingement...made three starts on rehab assignment with Triple-A St. Paul from June 10-22...reinstated by Minnesota June 23 and optioned to St. Paul...Recalled as 27th man for doubleheader at Cleveland on June 28 and made the start in Game 2, pitching 6.0 shutout innings with four hits allowed and earned the win...stayed with Minnesota for three more starts until July 12 then optioned back to St. Paul...Placed on Saints' 7-day Injured List with right shoulder impingement syndrome July 22...rehabbed in Fort Myers and made one start for the Low-A Mighty Mussels on Aug. 25...reinstated by St. Paul Aug. 30...Made two starts for the Saints from Aug. 30-Sept. 4 and was recalled by Minnesota Sept. 11, where he finished the season...Held left-handed hitters to a .238 average while at Minnesota, compared to .282 vs. right-handed hitters...Combined to go 4-7, 4.76 ERA (85.0 IP, 45 ER) with 26 walks and 61 strikeouts in 21 games (17 starts) between Minnesota, St. Paul and Fort Myers on season.

2021

Was a non-roster depth player at Twins spring training...appeared in four games (1 start), going 0-1 with a 4.76 ERA (5.2 IP, 3 ER), three walks and five strikeouts in his first major league spring action...Assigned to Double-A Wichita to start the season...Matched his career high with nine strikeouts on June 8 at Tulsa (ND, 5.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R/ER, 1 HR, 1 BB), doing so for the third time...Went 3-0, 1.98 ERA (54.2 IP, 12 ER) with 10 walks and 65 strikeouts in 10 starts for the Wind Surge...Promoted to Triple-A St. Paul on June 28 and finished the season with the Saints...Made his first career Triple AAA appearance July 2 vs. Omaha, starting and earning the win after tossing 5.2 innings of one-run, one-hit ball (2 BB, 8 K)...Selected to the American League team in the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game at Coors Field...tossed 0.1 inning (1 R/ER, 1 HR, 1 K, 1 WP)...Made four starts for the Saints, going 1-0, 4.67 ERA (17.1 IP, 9 ER) with three walks and 15 strikeouts...Placed on the 7-day Injured List on August 7 with right shoulder impingement syndrome and missed the rest of the season...Went a combined 4-0, 2.63 ERA (72.0 IP, 21 ER) with 13 walks, 80 strikeouts and a .211 (55-for-261) opponent batting average in 14 starts between Wichita and St. Paul...Added to Twins 40-man roster on November 19...Ranked as seventh-best prospect in Twins system by MLB.com, entering 2022

2020

Did not play in a professional game, as the minor league season was cancelled due to COVID-19...was not part of Twins' 60-man player pool...participated in instructional league in October in Fort Myers, FL...ranked as the 28th-best prospect in the Twins system per MLB.com

2019

Spent the season with Low-A Cedar Rapids, going 7-2, 2.65 ERA (125.2 IP, 37 ER) with 30 walks and 118 strikeouts in 21 starts...went 5-1, 2.50 ERA (68.1 IP, 19 ER) with 19 walks and 56 strikeouts prior to the All-Star Game, earning a spot on the Midwest League Midseason All-Star team...tossed 0.2 scoreless inning (2 K) for the West All-Stars...missed time on the 7-day IL between July 30 and Aug. 6 with a right hamstring strain...struck out a career-high nine batters twice: April 13 vs. Burlington and Aug. 19 at Quad Cities...recognized as having the best curveball in the Twins minor league system by Baseball America.

2018