Lewis James Thorpe...Twitter: @ljthorpe33...Instagram: @lewisthorpe18...signed as 16-year-old out of Melbourne, Australia...to correct his vision, Thorpe wore an eye patch for two years as a child...in spare time, enjoys playing golf, fishing and bowling...has a four-year old pet Kangaroo named Skippy at his home in Melbourne, Australia...participated in 2020 Twins Winter Caravan.
2021
Was in Twins spring training and optioned to alternate training site on March 25...had five different stints with the Twins throughout the season, including twice as the club’s 27th man for two doubleheaders, one on April 20 at Oakland and one on May 20 at Los Angeles-AL...appeared in five games (4 starts) for the Twins, going 0-2, 4.70 ERA (15.1 IP, 8 ER), seven walks and six strikeouts...tied career-high with 5.0 innings pitched on May 5 vs. Texas, allowing three runs on five hits and was dealt the loss in a Twins 3-1 defeat...exited his Aug. 18 start vs. Cleveland after just 1.1 innings due to injury and was placed on 10-day Injured List on Aug. 19 with left shoulder impingement, ending his season...transferred to 60-day IL on Sept. 20...combined to go 1-5, 4.50 ERA (38.0 IP, 19 ER) with 15 walks, 25 strikeouts and a .204 opponent batting average between Minnesota, Triple-A St. Paul and FCL Twins.
2020
Made Twins Opening Day roster from summer camp...was previously optioned to minor leagues March 9 while the club was in spring training...Pitched back-to-back scoreless appearances to start the year July 26 at Chicago-AL (2.2 IP) and July 30 vs. Cleveland 2.0 IP)...Appeared in four games Aug. 3-19, allowing 10 earned runs on 17 hits in 10.0 innings pitched and was optioned to alternate site August 20...Added to Twins Taxi Squad August 24 during a 10-game road trip...added as 29th man for doubleheader in Detroit on Aug. 29, pitching 1.2 innings.
2019
Spent second career spring training with the Twins and optioned to Triple-A Rochester March 8....Named International League Pitcher of the Week April 28 after pitching a career-high 8.0 innings with a career-high 12 strikeouts April 23 vs. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre...named Twins minor league Pitcher of the Week for same period....Went 3-4, 5.71 ERA (69.1 IP, 44 ER) with 21 walks and 88 strikeouts in 14 starts for the Red Wings April 6-June 23....Recalled by Minnesota June 28 and made major league debut June 30 at Chicago-AL, allowing two runs on five hits in 5.0 innings pitched with seven strikeouts...became the sixth Twins pitcher to record seven-or-more strikeouts, joining Boof Bonser (8 in 2006), Yohan Pino (7 in 2014), Darrell Jackson (7 in 1978), Bert Blyleven (7 in 1970) and Devin Smeltzer (7 on May 28, 2019)...combined with Smeltzer, marked the first time in Senators/Twins history to have multiple rookies strike out seven-plus batters in their debuts in the same season....Optioned back to Rochester July 1 but had four different stints with the Twins during season...made 12 major league appearances (2 starts), going 3-2 with a 6.18 ERA (27.2 IP, 19 ER), 10 walks and 31 strikeouts....Went 3-0, 1.83 ERA (19.2 IP, 4 ER) with four walks and 16 strikeouts in five July games (2 starts) for the Red Wings....Earned first major league win July 22 vs. New York-AL, allowing one run on four hits in 2.2 innings of relief....In 20 games (19 starts) at Rochester, struck out 119 batters in 96.1 innings pitched...among the 73 pitchers who threw 90.0-plus innings in Triple-A, ranked first in strikeouts-per-9.0 innings pitched (11.1), second in strikeout percentage (41.2), and sixth in WHIP (1.20).
2018
Was an invite to Twins spring training, the first of his career; optioned to Double-A Chattanooga March 9 where he started his season...Set a minor league career-high with 12 strikeouts (7.0 IP) June 21 vs. Biloxi, earning Twins minor league Pitcher of the Week and Southern League Pitcher of the Week honors for period ending July 1...went 1-0, 0.71 ERA (12.2 IP, 1 ER) with two walks and 19 strikeouts in two starts...Named to Southern League Postseason All-Star team while pitching for Chattanooga...Pitched for the World Team in the SiriusXM Futures Game at Nationals Park July 15...appeared in relief, allowing four runs on three hits in 0.2 innings pitched...Promoted to Triple-A Rochester August 15 where he finished the season, making four starts for the Red Wings...Combined to go 8-7, 3.54 ERA (129.2 IP, 51 ER) with 36 walks and 157 strikeouts in 26 games (25 starts) between Chattanooga and Rochester...Recipient of the Jim Rantz Award as Twins minor league Pitcher of the Year...second Twins Australian native to win the award (Liam Hendriks - 2011).
2017
Began season on 7-day disabled list at Single-A Cedar Rapids recovering from "Tommy John" surgery on left elbow; reinstated May 18 and transferred to Single-A Ft. Myers where he began season ... Promoted to Double-A Chattanooga August 18 to make one start for Lookouts, earning the win August 20 at Tennessee and transferred back to Ft. Myers ... Posted ERA's per month of 1.38 in May, 1.98 in June, 4.44 in July and 1.88 in August ... Held right-handed hitters to a .218 batting average for the Miracle and left-handers to a .241 average ... Led Miracle in strikeouts (84) and ranked fourth in starts (15).
2016
Missed second consecutive season recovering from "Tommy John" surgery on left elbow he had in spring of 2015.
2015
Missed entire season recovering from "Tommy John" surgery in April...ranked 13th best prospect in the Twins system by Baseball America following the season.
2014
Spent entire season with Single-A Cedar Rapids...led Kernels starting staff in strikeouts-per-9.0 innings (10.11)...ranked 11th best prospect in the Twins system by Baseball America and 91st best by Baseball Prospectus entering 2015.
2013
Spent first professional season with GCL Twins...led GCL in strikeouts (64)...pitched for Melbourne in the Australian Baseball League following the season...ranked seventh best prospect in the Gulf Coast League and seventh best prospect in the Twins organization by Baseball America... named eighth best prospect in Twins system by both MLB.com and Baseball Prospectus.