Along with Mauer, the catcher who the Twins drafted first (second overall) in June, 2001, starting right-handed pitchers J.D. Durbin and Jim Abbott will leave the high-Class-A Fort Myers Miracle of the Florida State League for Double A.

To make room for Mauer, red-hot Rob Bowen was sent to the Triple-A Rochester Red Wings of the International League. Former Rock Cat Gabby Torres will leave Rochester to back up Mauer. Current reserve Kelley Gulledge is en route to Fort Myers.

"We expected that Mauer and Durbin to be here and now they’re going to be here," Cliburn said.

The move gives the Rock Cats 11 pitchers. Right-hander Brian Wolfe is currently on the inactive list to deal with personal affairs but is due back early this week. Wolfe’s return will precipitate another move.

In Mauer, the Rock Cats get a catcher Cliburn has reiterated has the tools to play in the big leagues now. Mauer, who turned 20 on April 19, was invited to major league camp this year and Twins manager Ron Gardenhire entertained thoughts about keeping him but he was assigned to the Miracle to gain professional experience.

An injury slowed him at the start of the year, but he leaves Fort Myers batting .335 with a homer, 13 doubles and 44 RBI. He ranks third in the FSL in hitting, fifth in RBI and fifth with a .395 on-base percentage.

Mauer, who tucks a 6-4, 220-pound frame behind the plate, hit .302 with four homers and 62 RBI for low-A Quad City last year. After signing for $5.15 million in 2001, he reported to short-season Class A Elizabethton where he hit .400 in 32 games.

Mauer was a three-sport phenom in high school. He passed up a scholarship to play football at Florida State and was a two-time All-State basketball player at Cretin-Derham Hall High School in St. Paul, Minn.

Mauer was rated the top catching prospect in the minor leagues by Baseball America last year.

"He’ll do a very good job catching, throwing and handling the pitchers," said former Twins manager Tom Kelly, a special assistant to general manager Terry Ryan who is working with the Rock Cats this week. "It might take him a little bit to get the bat working. He’s a young guy and usually when young guys go to the next level they have a little adjustment period."

Durbin, 21, won the 2002 Jim Rantz Award (Twins pitcher of the year) by going 13-4 with a 3.19 ERA at Quad City. He sports a 9-2 mark and a 3.09 ERA in 14 starts with Fort Myers, which won the West Division title in the FSL’s first half with a 44-26 record.

The 6-foot, 190-pound Durbin was the Twins second-round selection in the 2000 June draft.

"We think he’s done tremendous things down there," Cliburn said.

Abbott, 23, was 4-8 with a 3.90 ERA at Quad City last year but enjoyed a sizzling first half with the Miracle, posting a 5-3 mark and a sparkling 2.31 ERA. He has pitched in 17 games, eight of them starts. He is scheduled to start tonight’s game in Norwich.

Torres, 25, a non-roster invitee to major league camp this spring, was a Rock Cats stalwart and a Cliburn favorite for the past two seasons. He hit .308 in 41 games in the 2001 championship campaign and .272 in 73 games last year.

"He’s going to DH," Cliburn said. "He’s going to be in the lineup because he can swing that bat."

Torres played sporadically for Rochester behind former Rock Cat Brandon Marsters, batting .192 in 20 games.

Bowen, who is on the 40-man roster, was batting .164 on May 2 but brought his average to .308. He hit safely in 17 of his last 18 Double-A starts, hitting at a .464 clip from the ninth slot in the lineup. Gulledge, who backed up Bowen, was hitting .260 after going 0-for-3 against New Haven Saturday.

"In my eyes, he’s made a complete turnaround," Cliburn said. "He’s hitting .308 now and he’s ready for Triple-A."