Quebecer Édouard Julien, recalled Tuesday by the Minnesota Twins, was shut out in his first Major League Baseball game on Wednesday, which ended in a 3-1 victory over the Chicago White Sox.
Julien, from Quebec City, was recalled from the St. Paul Saints, AAA farm club of the Twins, to make up for the loss of Joey Gallo. The Twins confirmed early in the day that Julien would start the game at second base and strike eighth in the offensive role.
In his first outing against starter Lucas Giolito, late in the third inning, Julien was grounded out to first baseman Andrew Vaughn.
An inning later, he came up to bat with runners at first and third base, after Giolito hit Twins shortstop Kyle Farmer with a fast 92 mph right in the face. Farmer was able to leave the encounter on his own. The Twins said Farmer suffered a jaw injury, without giving further details.
Still shaken, Giolito fell 3-0 behind Julien, who got the go-ahead to go on the fourth pitch, unsuccessfully. He then drew a base on walks to fill the bases. The Twins took advantage for a 1-0 lead on Michael Taylor’s option a hitter later.
Julien returned to bat in the bottom of the sixth with two outs and a batter at first. The Quebecer, however, committed himself in an optional shortstop.
The win went to Sonny Gray (2-0), while Giolito (0-1) scored the loss. Jhoan Duran collected his third save of the season. Taylor finished the game with two RBIs.
One of the Twins’ hottest prospects – and the 96th prospect in all of Major League Baseball, according to MLB Pipeline – Julien was off to a great start to the season at the AAA level, as evidenced by his .290/.421/.548 offensive averages. . The World Baseball Classic player for Canada hit two home runs and four RBIs in addition to scoring nine in nine games.
Julien had a great season at the AA level in 2022 with Wichita, with offensive averages of .300/.441/.490, 17 home runs, 67 RBI and 77 runs scored. He led the Texas League in attendance average (.441) and walks (98), in addition to finishing third in attendance/power average (.931).
The Twins then promoted him to the Arizona Fall League (AFL), where only the best prospects in the Majors play. He did not disappoint them.
Julien maintained a .400 batting average in addition to leading the league in attendance/power average, at 1,249. His .563 attendance average was the third highest in AFL history and he finished second in the Fall Tour MVP ballot.
“He wasn’t just good, he outplayed the best prospects in the industry,” former Majors pitcher Éric Gagné said when contacted by La Presse Canadienne.
“You don’t see a lot of hitters like him. At each level, he quickly adapted to become one of the best hitters, added the one who now acts as a personal trainer at his home in Arizona. I have every confidence that he can also do it in MLB. »
The baseball player, who turns 24 on April 30, was drafted in the 18th round, 539th overall, by the Twins in 2019. MLB.com and Baseball America rank him the Twins’ fourth-best prospect. Baseball America calls him the club’s best prospect when it comes to batting discipline and his management of the strike zone.