Saints' Steer notches first three-homer game

Spencer Steer entered Sunday’s contest with three home runs in 12 Triple-A games. By game’s end, he had doubled that total.

The ninth-ranked Twins prospect smacked three long balls and drove in five runs in St. Paul’s 16-7 win over Iowa, marking the first time the 24-year-old has hit for the home run trifecta and giving him four dingers in two games.

Steer moved up to the Minors’ highest level after posting a .307/.385/.591 slash line with Double-A Wichita, and he was off to a hot start before going hitless in 16 straight at-bats once the calendar turned to June. He broke out of that skid with a two-run homer on Saturday before notching a milestone in his next game.

The third baseman quickly kicked off his special day -- he parked a 2-2 pitch from lefty Matt Dermody into Principal Park’s inflatable baseball mitt over the left-field wall for a leadoff solo dinger.

The righty slugger clubbed his second solo homer to left-center in the third off righty Adrian Sampson for his second multihomer game of the year and the fourth of his career. But he wasn’t done yet.

Facing righty Cayne Ueckert in the eighth, Steer got ahold of a 1-2 pitch and crushed a no-doubter to left-center to complete the hat trick. He had a chance to hit a fourth in the ninth, but was walked on four pitches.

Franchise record 8 HR's, 3 by @spenc__er, 2 by @AKirilloff19, 2 by @02Chami & one by @t_beckham1. 2nd most HR's in @MiLB this season. Kirilloff 1st time HR in 3 straight, Steer 1st 3 HR game, career high 5 runs scored (ties franchise record). Win 16-7. Take 4 of 6 & score 57 runs pic.twitter.com/oIQXe4hZ45

— St. Paul Saints (@StPaulSaints) June 5, 2022

The third-round pick from the 2019 Draft has returned to his power-hitting ways after breaking out for 24 homers last season. He’s amassed 14 dingers across two levels, and with 16 doubles in 48 games, he needs just three more to set a career high.

Through 48 games this year, Steer is hitting .292/.374/.604 -- well on pace to surpass his pro-best slugging percentage of .484 -- with 45 RBIs, 40 runs scored, 31 extra-base hits and 20 walks.