Twins' 2026 2nd-rounder Tinney smacks walk-off in 1st multi-homer game

Now that’s a good early impression.

Carson Tinney, the Twins’ second-round pick in this summer’s Draft at No. 43 overall, mashed a pair of home runs on Wednesday, his first multi-homer game in just his 10th appearance with Single-A Fort Myers. That included a walk-off, two-run blast to lift the Mighty Mussels over Clearwater, 6-5, at Hammond Stadium.

Trailing by a run entering the bottom of the ninth inning, Twins’ first-round pick Vahn Lackey pushed a one-out triple to right field. Then Tinney stepped to the plate and grooved a center-cut fastball to left field, carrying a projected 363 feet for the win.

Tinney’s first homer of the day came in the third inning. With Clearwater leading 3-0, Lackey again reached in front of Tinney, this time on an error. Tinney then crushed a 1-1 sinker over the left-field fence at 103.3 mph off the bat.

This was the 21-year-old Tinney’s second game with multiple hits since beginning his professional career, while he’s posted three total home runs in the early going. The catcher was ranked as MLB Pipeline’s No. 73 Draft prospect and has huge 60-grade power, as he displayed Wednesday.

Tinney was a first-team All-American after his sophomore season with Notre Dame, and he followed it up with second-team All-American honors for his junior year at Texas. He slashed .326/.483/.688 with 22 home runs for the Longhorns this spring.