Article: Twins Minor League Report (8/26): Turner Lifts Miracle

[Cody Christie]

Byron Buxton is heading back to the Arizona Fall League. At least that is the hope of the Twins organization as rosters were announced for the AFL on Tuesday. Buxton will be looking to make up for lost time after a brutal outfield collision in his first Double-A game left him with a concussion. He will have to pass all MLB-level concussion protocols before taking the field in the AFL.

 

Buxton is among a trio of prospects heading back to Arizona for a second year. Eddie Rosario and Max Kepler are set to rebound from various issues this year. Rosario was suspended for the first 50 games and Kepler struggled before coming on strong in recent weeks.Four pitchers are expected to make the trip. Right-handed pitcher Jason Adam and left-handed pitchers Taylor Rogers and Mason Melotakis are listed. Nick Burdi's name was on the AFL website for a brief time but it has since been removed. A different arm will replace him in the coming days.

 

RED WINGS REPORT

 

The Rochester Red Wings enjoyed their last official off day of the regular season. They will start again tomorrow very much in the playoff race. The team has six games remaining and they are 1.5 games out of a wild card spot. There are two games remaining with each of the teams ahead of them in the standings. This means the Red Wings fate is in their own hands over the next week.

 

ROCK CATS REVIEW

New Britain 5, Binghamton 1 (Game 1: 7 Innings)

Box Score

 

Jose Berrios was back to his strong pitching ways. He earned his third Double-A victory by throwing six innings of one-run ball. He struck out four and walked two while allowing four hits. Ryan O'Rourke finished the game, allowing one hit in an inning's worth of work.

 

Tony Thomas provided all the offense New Britain needed. He smashed a three-run bomb in the second inning and the Rock Cats never looked back. For Thomas, it was his ninth long ball of the season. It was the only extra-base hit of the game. Nate Hanson and Reynaldo Rodriguez each drove in a run.

 

New Britain 2, Binghamton 3 (Game 2: 7 Innings)

Box Score

 

The Rock Cats held two different leads but the team couldn't hold either. Adrian Salcedo made his fifth start of the season and he took his ninth loss of the year. He allowed two earned runs on five hits with three strikeouts and a walk. A catcher interference call on Matt Koch led to the unearned run scored against Salcedo. Daniel Turpen walked two and struck out two in his inning of work.

 

Nate Hanson was the only bright spot for the Rock Cats offense. He went 2-for-4 with two doubles and an RBI. He's up to 22 doubles for the season. Tony Thomas reached base twice in three trips to the plate. Levi Michael and Jorge Polanco scored one run each, though Michael was taken out of the game in the bottom of the third. Polanco also started two different double plays.

 

MIRACLE MATTERS

Fort Myers 7. Charlotte 4

Box Score

 

It took 17 hits and three runs in the final two innings but the Miracle were able to pound out a win. Stuart Turner must have been upset about not making the AFL roster as he went 4-for-4 with THREE DOUBLES and four RBI. Adam Brett Walker continues to add to his RBI total as he drove in one as part of a two-hit night.

 

Steven Gruver started the game but he didn't factor into the decision. He allowed two earned runs on five hits over five innings. Nick Burdi collected his first professional win and he has still not allowed a run at High-A. Zack Jones made things interesting in the ninth as two batters reached base but he got out of the jam for his third save.

 

It was announced earlier in the day that Walker and Berrios were both part of the 2014 FSL Postseason All-Star team. Miracle manager Doug Mientkiewicz was also named a coach for the team. The club is one win away from 80 for the season.

 

KERNELS NUGGETS

Cedar Rapids 6, Quad Cities 1

Box Score

 

Five runs in the first three innings paced the Kernels to an early lead. Three singles and a throwing error by the pitcher resulted in a three-run first inning. Mitch Garver got credit for two RBIs as his diamond cutter capped the first inning's scoring. Chad Christensen instigated the scoring in the third as he singled and then stole his 29th base.

 

Lewis Thorpe saw his pitch count rise quickly in this one. He struck out eight batters in four innings but he also walked four. The only run that scored while he was on the mound was unearned. Chris Mazza kept things in check with two shutout innings. He had one strikeout and a walk.

 

E-TWINS E-NOTES

Elizabethton 5, Bristol 6

Box Score

 

One big inning was all it took for the E-Twins to end up on the losing end of this one. Sam Gibbons couldn't get out of the fifth frame as he gave up six earned runs in that inning. Samuel Clay and Keaton Steel shut out the Pirates the rest of the way but it wasn't enough.

 

Brian Navarreto went 2-for-4 with a double and a run batted in. Austin Diemer collected two hits after being hitless in his last three games. Pat Kelly reached base twice and knocked his seventh double. Trey Vavra added an RBI to his total as he tries to catch Tyler Kuresa for the team lead.

 

GCL TWINS TAKES

GCL Twins 4, GCL Rays 3

Box Score

 

Some strong work by the Twins bullpen helped the team to their 23rd victory of the season. Eduardo Del Rosario earned his fourth win after pitching three shutout innings of relief. Trevor Hildenberger earned his tenth save by striking out two in the final frame.

 

The team's four-five-six hitters (Joel Polanco, Jarrad Poteete, and Gabriel Ojeda) all had multi-hit games. Not to be outdone, Ariel Montesino added two hits including a double. Amaurys Minier went 1-for-3 with two runs scored and his 11th double. In his last 12 games, he is hitting over .400 with seven extra-base hits.

 

TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY

 

Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Jose Berrios, New Britain Rock Cats

Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Stuart Turner, Fort Myers Miracle

 

WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

 

Rochester @ Syracuse (6:00 CST) – Kris Johnson (Listen)

New Britain @ Binghamton (5:35 CST) – TBA (Listen)

Ft. Myers @ Bradenton (5:30 CST) – Matt Tomshaw (Listen)

Kane County @ Cedar Rapids (6:35 CST) - Ryan Eades (Listen)

Kingsport @ Elizabethton (6:00 CST)- TBA

GCL Rays @ GCL Twins (11:00am CST) – TBD

 

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[Paul Pleiss]

 Is Stuart Turner the next great Twins catcher?

[THE DFC]

Lewis Thorpe's last 10 starts in CR: 3.00 ERA, 45 IP, 61 K

 

He's 18 years old. Brilliant stuff.

[Shane Wahl]

Thorpe and Berrios are major bright lights. Berrios starts 2015 in AA and should be in line for 2016 Twins starting rotation. Thorpe could be there by 2017.

Turner is going to have to prove himself at AA in 2015. I am less scared about him than I used to be, though.

 

[diehardtwinsfan]

I suspect Thorpe starts out repeating the MWL making a case for a midseason promotion.  The big issue I see with him thus far is his walk rate being a bit higher.  He's had no problems getting hitters to swing and miss, but that's something he will need to correct as he moves up the chain.  That said, what he's doing as an 18 year old in low A is impressive.

[drjim]

Thorpe and Berrios are major bright lights. Berrios starts 2015 in AA and should be in line for 2016 Twins starting rotation. Thorpe could be there by 2017.

 

Turner is going to have to prove himself at AA in 2015. I am less scared about him than I used to be, though.

 

 

 

Berrios is on pace for mid to late 2015 he keeps pitching as he has (and avoids injury).

[Seth Stohs]

Turner - I think that he has the chance to be a solid starting catcher in the big leagues. His floor is a really good backup catcher in the big leagues.  Mitch Garver also put himself on that trajectory, making him one to watch too.

 

Thorpe - he's doing quite well in the MWL. It took him awhile, and that control is still something to watch. I would suspect he would spend up to a half-season in Cedar Rapids again to start the season. It'll be good for him to get that time. 

[jokin]

Turner is going to have to prove himself at AA in 2015. I am less scared about him than I used to be, though.

 

 

 

 Is Stuart Turner the next great Twins catcher?

 

 

Turner's season is a little misleading.  If you throw out his absolutely horrendous April- where he had a debut month that even Aaron Hicks couldn't imagine in his own worst nightmare, he's actually having a pretty good offensive season in the pitch-happy Florida State League:

 

April Slash line:  .182/.239/.212/.452   ISO  .030 OPS+ 37

 

May-August line:  .266/.345/.411/.756   ISO  .145  OPS+ 117

 

By contrast, the top OPS+ by any catcher in the FSL (with over 250 PAs) is 127.

Edited August 27, 2014 by jokin

[Kirby_waved_at_me]

It does seem like the catchers will all move up Turner to AA, Garver to Ft. Myers - is it likely that Navaretto will get a promotion to Cedar Rapids too, or will he be repeating at E-Town?

[Seth Stohs]

It does seem like the catchers will all move up Turner to AA, Garver to Ft. Myers - is it likely that Navaretto will get a promotion to Cedar Rapids too, or will he be repeating at E-Town?

 

Turner and Garver will move up. Swim seems to have moved to RF, but he should move up to FM as well.

 

Navarreto may move up. He really struggled early and missed time, but he's got some doubles, so there's some chance he could move up to CR next year. 

[John Kelsey]

It does seem like the catchers will all move up Turner to AA, Garver to Ft. Myers - is it likely that Navaretto will get a promotion to Cedar Rapids too, or will he be repeating at E-Town?

 

How about Jorge Fernandez getting the call up to CR?

[Kirby_waved_at_me]

How about Jorge Fernandez getting the call up to CR?

Hmm - I hadn't looked that closely before, but he's clearly had a better season at the plate. If everyone does move up, it might make more sense to move Fernandez up before Navarreto...

[Seth Stohs]

No question on Fernandez. He's had a terrific year, and he was drafted a year before Navarreto.