Minn Starks 17U National won its final two games Sunday to finish 2-2 in The Players’ Platform last weekend at Hyvee Arena in Kansas City, MO.
Starks was led by 6-foot-5 Duluth Marshall sophomore-to-be Brooks Johnson, a rising Division I prospect. Denfeld standouts Aidan Altona and Finnley Powell, both 6-foot-2 seniors-to-be, are also on the team.
The structure of the opening weekend leaves little room for gradual buildup. For Albany, it is a chance to reaffirm its position. For Minnesota and the rest of the field, it is an early test of whether preseason projections hold or begin to shift.
Tom Pohlad has continued to express a commitment to winning, but the roster construction has yet to reflect that urgency. The absence of a clear replacement for Pablo Lopez, combined with instability at shortstop and in the bullpen, suggests a team operating below the standard required to contend.
“We’re going to bring joy to people and we’re going to do it through football. Football’s our tool. Football’s our vehicle.” -- Minnesota Monsters general manager Meadow Lemon