PHOENIX — The Twins should get a glimpse of their future on Thursday afternoon with their top pitching prospect, David Festa, expected to make his major league debut against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Festa was scratched from his scheduled start on Wednesday for the Triple-A St. Paul Saints in anticipation of slotting into Chris Paddack’s spot in the rotation on Thursday. Paddack went on the injured list with shoulder fatigue on Tuesday

Manager Rocco Baldelli said before Wednesday night’s game that he would announce Thursday’s starter postgame.

Festa, 24, has posted a 3.77 earned-run average with the Saints and boasts a strikeout rate that’s among the best in the minor leagues, fanning 13.1 batters per nine innings. His 87 strikeouts are second among Triple-A pitchers this season.

Festa, whom the Twins selected in the 13th round of the 2021 draft, has had an interesting path to this point. The right-hander didn’t become a pitcher until his senior year of high school in New Jersey, originally committing to Seton Hall University as an infielder.

“My mom wanted me to go play shortstop, but I was like, honestly, my bat dwindled away,” Festa said in March. “I was like I think just for giving myself the best chance, I think pitching would be the right idea.”

In Festa’s third and final season at Seton Hall, he went 6-4 with a 2.00 ERA and struck out 67 batters in 72 innings.

Festa rose through the Twins’ farm system and put himself in a spot where he is now a top-100 prospect, checking in at No. 99 on MLB Pipeline’s list.

“When I saw him, it was guaranteed 10 punchouts,” said Twins utility player Austin Martin, who was his teammate at Triple-A. “ … From the outings I’ve seen, he’s got the stuff. Every time he goes out there, he competes, he takes everything very serious. He’s very meticulous with his work.”

The Twins will need to make a 26-man roster move to add Festa. The starter is not currently on the 40-man roster, but the Twins currently have an open spot that he will fill.

See ball, hit ball

Byron Buxton is heating up.

The Twins center fielder had three hits on Tuesday night against the Diamondbacks. He had two the day before — both for extra bases — against the Athletics.
He entered Wednesday night’s game with hits in 10 of his last 12 games, hitting .372 in that stretch.

“Mechanics felt fine all year. It’s just getting into a good position to hit and just not overthink it,” Buxton said. “Just thinking a lot. It’s hard to go in there and hit. Just trying to simplify it. It took longer than I expected, but it’s good to feel good the last few days squaring the ball up.”

Buxton often describes his approach when he’s going well as simple. See ball, hit ball, he always, always says.

“Stay in the zone and stay within yourself and don’t try to overdo it,” Buxton said. “Think that allows me to slow the ball down a little bit and have a little bit more quality at-bats.”

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