Twins promoting top prospect Luke Keaschall to boost lineup amid injuries

Looking for some offensive help after Matt Wallner went on the 10-day injured list Thursday, the Twins are promoting prospect Luke Keaschall to the big leagues for Friday’s series opener in Atlanta.

Keaschall, a consensus top 100 prospect, will be added to the roster Friday, a club source told the Minnesota Star Tribune. Keaschall, 22, was batting .261 with a homer, a double, five RBI and a .379 on-base percentage in 14 games for Class AAA St. Paul. He added four stolen bases in five attempts.

A second-round pick in the 2023 amateur draft out of Arizona State, Keaschall impressed with his pure hitting ability. Last year, he was named the Twins’ minor league player of the year after batting .303 with 15 homers, 21 doubles and 48 RBI in 103 games between Class A-Advanced and Class AA.

The Twins placed Wallner on the IL with a left hamstring strain, and he’s expected to miss several weeks. There is some uncertainty surrounding Willi Castro’s status after he exited Wednesday’s win against the Mets with right oblique tightness. Castro will be evaluated before Friday’s series opener against the Braves to determine whether he will require a stint on the IL.

Carlos Correa was likely unavailable to hit Wednesday after he left Tuesday’s game with left wrist soreness, and catcher Christian Vázquez sat Wednesday one day after a ball was fouled off his right hand. Jose Miranda, demoted to the minor leagues Sunday, injured his hand while shopping at Target on Monday, telling a team official he felt pain when he reached to grab a case of water that slipped from his grasp.

Keaschall, a second baseman and righthanded hitter, underwent Tommy John surgery last August, and he’s still building up his throwing. He played only one full game at second base for St. Paul, leaving six other starts after the seventh inning.

He was limited to designated hitter for almost all of spring training, but it didn’t stop him from drawing praise for his offensive approach in his first big-league camp.

“He’s got a swing that as you watch him, whether it be in batting practice or against live pitching, it’s very direct to the ball,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said during spring training. “There is some strength to his body, his hands and to the swing itself. And he can run on top of that. He’s a good athlete. He’s going to be an exciting player to watch.”

The Twins need to open a spot on the 40-man roster for Keaschall, who was playing for the High-Class A Cedar Rapids Kernels at this time last year. He will become the first player to reach the majors from the Twins’ 2023 draft class.

“He’s a stud, man,” Correa said about Keaschall last month. “I think he will be up here very soon. He’s very disciplined and very meticulous with his preparation. He’s a great human being. He just wants to get better. You can tell and you can see it: he’s got a different aura about him.”

The Twins added utilityman Jonah Bride to their 26-man roster Thursday, filling Wallner’s spot, after they traded for him Wednesday night.

Bride was designated for assignment by the Miami Marlins on Tuesday, and the Twins acquired him for cash. Bride, 29, has experience at first, second and third base, providing some immediate infield depth.

In 12 games for the Marlins, Bride had four hits in 40 at-bats with five walks and 15 strikeouts.

* Pablo López is scheduled to make a Class AAA rehab start Saturday in Des Moines, Iowa. López, on the 15-day IL with a right hamstring strain, could rejoin the Twins as early as their next homestand if he continues to progress well. He threw 31 pitches in a bullpen session Wednesday.

* Twins reliever Brock Stewart is on the verge of being activated from the IL after he pitched on back-to-back days during his rehab assignment for Class A Fort Myers. He struck out five of the six batters he faced Tuesday and Wednesday.

* Royce Lewis was scheduled to lightly run the bases during Thursday’s off day, a positive step as he continues to progress from his hamstring strain.

* Reliever Michael Tonkin is scheduled to begin a Class A rehab assignment Friday. He was sidelined in spring training with a shoulder strain.

* Chase Strumpf hit a grand slam off reliever Kyle Bischoff in the eighth inning to put the game out of reach, and the Iowa Cubs beat the St. Paul Saints 6-2 Thursday in Des Moines. Mike Ford homered for the Saints.