Article: 2015 Rochester Red Wings Roster Preview

[Seth Stohs]

On Monday, the Rochester Red Wings announced their Opening Day roster for the 2015 season. The team from western New York will play its 13^th season as the Triple-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins. A year ago, they went 77-67, just missing the International League playoffs.Here is a look at the Opening Day roster of the Red Wings in some detail:

 

16 of these players have spent time in the major leagues.

 

Starting Pitchers: Trevor May, Alex Meyer, Taylor Rogers (LHP), Jason Wheeler (LHP), Mark Hamburger

 

This is a pretty strong group of prospects. Hamburger is the “old man” having turned 28 years old in February. May and Meyer pitched pretty well with the Red Wings in 2015 and their time with the team could be short-lived if they get off to a fast start in April and May. Hamburger impressed in spring training and will likely pitch as a starter but also can be successful out of the bullpen. Rogers spent the 2014 season in New Britain and pitched quite well. Jason Wheeler spent the first half of 2014 in Ft. Myers with the Miracle before he was promoted to New Britain. He was added to the Twins 40-man roster after the season and had a terrific spring.

Bullpen: AJ Achter, Logan Darnell (LHP), Pat Dean (LHP), Lester Oliveros, Ryan Pressly, Stephen Pryor, Caleb Thielbar (LHP), Michael Tonkin.

 

 

 

This is another interesting group of guys, several having big league experience. Caleb Thielbar and Ryan Pressly have spent significant time with the Twins the last two seasons. Tonkin has made the flight from Rochester to Minneapolis many times the last two seasons. Pryor and Oliveros both cleared waivers this spring after being removed from the 40-man roster. AJ Achter, former 46^th round draft pick, made his well-earned major league debut in September. Darnell and Dean are left-handers who have spent their careers as starters. Both will begin the season in the bullpen.

Catchers: Allan de San Miguel, Eric Fryer, Josmil Pinto, Dan Rohlfing

 

 

 

Josmil Pinto and Eric Fryer were in big-league camp right until the end. Pinto likely would have made the Opening Day Twins roster if not for a concussion suffered two weeks ago. He had hit pretty well with the Red Wings the last couple of seasons. Fryer is liked by his pitchers for his work behind the plate. He also hit very well this spring. Rohlfing returned to the only organization he has played for since 2007 when the Twins made him their 14^th round pick. He also was a late cut from spring training. De San Miguel signed with the Twins in 2004 from Australia and stayed in the organization through the 2011 season. He spent 2012 and 2013 in the Orioles organization before playing independent league baseball in 2014. He was signed by the Twins before spring training.

Infielders: Doug Bernier, James Beresford, Argenis Diaz, Nate Hanson, Jose Martinez, Brock Peterson, Reynaldo Rodriguez

 

 

 

Bernier was the final man sent to minor league camp for the Twins. The utility infielder played all over the diamond for the Red Wings in 2014 before his September call-up to the Twins. The still just 26-year-old Beresford signed with the Twins in 2005 from Australia. He returns for his third season with the Red Wings. Brock Peterson was a 49^th round pick of the Twins way back in 2002. He played for Rochester from 2008 through 2010. He played independent league ball before the Cardinals gave him a chance, a chance that turned into time with the big league club in 2013. He returns to the Twins organization. Argenis Diaz and Jose Martinez signed with the organization as minor league free agents. They received spring training invites. Nate Hanson and Reynaldo Rodriguez return to the Twins. They have no more to prove in AA and hope to spend the full season with the Red Wings. Hanson has spent time each of the past two years in Rochester while Rodriguez got a brief showing with the team a year ago.

Outfielders: Eric Farris, Aaron Hicks, Danny Ortiz, Eddie Rosario

 

 

 

Aaron Hicks is likely disappointed to be with the Red Wings after being the Twins Opening Day center fielder the last two seasons. However, the 25-year-old will use his time with the Red Wings at the start of this season to try to re-establish himself as a big league center fielder. Eddie Rosario had a very disappointing 2014 season, but a decent showing at Twins spring training this year means that he advances to the Red Wings as well. Eric Farris and Danny Ortiz each were non-roster invites to big league camp as well. All four outfielders will play, and each will likely play all three outfield spots.

Disabled List: Dan Turpen

 

Manager/Coaching Staff: Mike Quade (MGR), Tim Doherty (Hitting Coach), Marty Mason (Pitching Coach).

 

 

 

The one-time Chicago Cubs manager Mike Quade takes over as the Red Wings manager. He replaced Gene Glynn who turned around a losing culture with the Red Wings during his short stint. Doherty and Mason return for their third year in the organization.

WHO ARE THE TOP PROSPECTS?

 

Twins Daily Prospects: #5 Alex Meyer, #8 Eddie Rosario, #9 Trevor May, #15 Taylor Rogers

 

Seth: #6 Alex Meyer, #8 Eddie Rosario, #9 Trevor May, #11 Taylor Rogers, #21 Jason Wheeler, #30 Logan Darnell

 

Cody: #6 Alex Meyer, #8 Trevor May, #9 Eddie Rosario, #19 Taylor Rogers, #29 Jason Wheeler

 

Jeremy: #5 Alex Meyer, #9 Eddie Rosario, #11 Trevor May, #15 Taylor Rogers

 

*** If you didn’t get your copy of the Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook 2015, be sure to order yours today. You can order a hardcopy or order an electronic copy for immediate download.

 

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[mikelink45]

It looks like there is plenty of room for Sano to make a quick trip up here if not to the Twins.  The infield look very weak, but it appears that we are in good shape in the majors there.

 

Might need to trade pitching staffs with MN.

[tobi0040]

When do they start and hat is the pitcher lineup?

[John Kelsey]

 

When do they start and hat is the pitcher lineup?

 

They start on Thursday. I'm not sure if the rotation order has been announced but I get the feeling May will get the first start followed by Meyer. 

[eLee612]

 

It looks like there is plenty of room for Sano to make a quick trip up here if not to the Twins.  The infield look very weak, but it appears that we are in good shape in the majors there.

 

Might need to trade pitching staffs with MN.

 

All the more reason to let some of our AA infielders get in a game or two!  

 

Going to be interesting to see where this team is at (and who is on it) mid-season...

[Penthang]

Wow! While I know that they are not quite major league ready, this starting rotation is much more intriguing than the actual Major League rotation. While I like Hughes and Gibson I would make a wholesale swap of the rotations just because I could live with the occasional bad outing from guys with salaries that are not in the millions and are learning. When the guys we have up now do that it's just going to kill me inside a little, especially knowing what talent they have so very close.

[jokin]

I counted 28 players, it looks like maybe two catchers and one pitcher too many.  Any idea who is on the short list for DFA and DL or Demotion lists?

[Seth Stohs]

Three players will be placed on the Disabled List before Thursday's first game.

[Seth Stohs]

I heard somewhere that Alex Meyer is starting game 1, though I can't verify that at this time. 

[jimbo92107]

Question: If you took the best players today from Rochester, Chattanooga and Cedar Rapids, how would they fare against the MLB club in twenty games?

 

My guess is the minor league team would go 15 - 5 against the Twins. Sano, Buxton and Rosario would tear the Twins pitching apart, while Meyer, May and Berrios would mow down the punchless Twins hitters.

 

I'd go with this hitting lineup:

1. Polanco, SS

2. Buxton, CF

3. Rosario, RF

4. Sano, 3B

5. AB Walker II, DH (RF)

6. Pinto, C

7. Levi Michael, 2B

8. Brock Peterson, 1B

9. Hicks, LF

 

Starters: Meyer, Berrios, May, Achter, Darnell.

Releivers: Theilbar, Tonkin, Pressly, Melotakis, and Burdi to slam the door.

Manager: Doug Mientkiewicz

[tobi0040]

 

I heard somewhere that Alex Meyer is starting game 1, though I can't verify that at this time. 

 

That makes sense, to line up May with the starts of Pelfrey and Milone. 

 

Milone will go Friday and Pelfrey Saturday, which would line up with Rochesters games 2 and 3.

[Gagne Fan]

Darnell is no longer a starter

[Gagne Fan]

So you are saying that the JV team is better than the Varsity ???

Too bad MLB is so much about the $$$.....this wouldn't happen at any other level....worse than Daddy Ball.

[Seth Stohs]

 

Question: If you took the best players today from Rochester, Chattanooga and Cedar Rapids, how would they fare against the MLB club in twenty games?

 

My guess is the minor league team would go 15 - 5 against the Twins. Sano, Buxton and Rosario would tear the Twins pitching apart, while Meyer, May and Berrios would mow down the punchless Twins hitters.

 

I'd go with this hitting lineup:

1. Polanco, SS

2. Buxton, CF

3. Rosario, RF

4. Sano, 3B

5. AB Walker II, DH (RF)

6. Pinto, C

7. Levi Michael, 2B

8. Brock Peterson, 1B

9. Hicks, LF

 

Starters: Meyer, Berrios, May, Achter, Darnell.

Releivers: Theilbar, Tonkin, Pressly, Melotakis, and Burdi to slam the door.

Manager: Doug Mientkiewicz

 

 

I like that roster, but I think it would be Twins winning 16, minor leaguers winning 4 right now. I love the prospects, but they're not there yet. Maybe a few of them could be on the big league roster right now, but most aren't there because they're not ready. Doesn't mean they won't be, and many could be very soon though. 

[Shane Wahl]

The best of Kentucky, Duke, and Wisconsin aren't winning any series or coming close to winning any series against the worst NBA teams. It isn't quite such a drastic switch for baseball, but even the actual Twins pitchers would cause trouble for many of these guys. And just forget about the offense for the Twins not pounding several runs each game against even Berrios. There is a difference between prospect-ceiling and prospect-where-they-are-right now. AA and AAA can get them closer to that ceiling (and yet it never hits until ample time in MLB).

Also, Kepler instead of Peterson. 

[Shane Wahl]

 

Three players will be placed on the Disabled List before Thursday's first game.

 

Who do you think they will be? One pitcher, one catcher, and one infielder?

[Shane Wahl]

Also, it's pretty baffling how Stephen Pryor, Pat Dean, and Argenis Diaz are still around.

[tobi0040]

 

I like that roster, but I think it would be Twins winning 16, minor leaguers winning 4 right now. I love the prospects, but they're not there yet. Maybe a few of them could be on the big league roster right now, but most aren't there because they're not ready. Doesn't mean they won't be, and many could be very soon though. 

 

16-4 seems off to me. That would mean the Twins win 128-34 over the course of a season. If a "replacement player" is a player from AA, that would mean the Twins current roster has 94 WAR on it (without adjusting for this being a really good AA team).

[tobi0040]

 

The best of Kentucky, Duke, and Wisconsin aren't winning any series or coming close to winning any series against the worst NBA teams. It isn't quite such a drastic switch for baseball, but even the actual Twins pitchers would cause trouble for many of these guys. And just forget about the offense for the Twins not pounding several runs each game against even Berrios. There is a difference between prospect-ceiling and prospect-where-they-are-right now. AA and AAA can get them closer to that ceiling (and yet it never hits until ample time in MLB).

Also, Kepler instead of Peterson. 

 

I think the NBA would be more competitive than you think as well.   Wiggins is averaging 16.5 points a game.  Jabari Parker was averaging 13.  Nerlins Noel is averging 10 points and almost 2 steals and 2 blocks a game.  These guys are all rookies.

 

So you put Towns, Okafor, and Kaminskey on the front line and I think they are somewhat competitive against the Timberwolves or Knicks.  They don't win a 7 game series, but i think they sneak a win here or there and play competitive games.

 

 

[blairpaul715]

 

Also, it's pretty baffling how Stephen Pryor, Pat Dean, and Argenis Diaz are still around.

I definitely agree with the Dean equation, dont know enough about Diaz, but I think Pryor has a shot at being respectable, but , like many ,I am hoping if after a month or so , if these guys are failing we bring up some of the AA blood

[Shane Wahl]

 

I definitely agree with the Dean equation, dont know enough about Diaz, but I think Pryor has a shot at being respectable, but , like many ,I am hoping if after a month or so , if these guys are failing we bring up some of the AA blood

 

Pryor has real problems with walks.

[Shane Wahl]

 

I definitely agree with the Dean equation, dont know enough about Diaz, but I think Pryor has a shot at being respectable, but , like many ,I am hoping if after a month or so , if these guys are failing we bring up some of the AA blood

 

Pryor has real problems with walks.

[Halsey Hall]

Minor league goes 8-12 against the majors.  Twins will have at least 5 games with 5 hits or fewer.

[John Kelsey]

Looks like Meyer will start tomorrow for the Red Wings. 

[bird]

Not that it has any real significance, but I found it interesting that only seven players mentioned here have NOT made it onto someone's rankings at one time or another, even if it was as #50 (O'Rourke). And of those seven who were never ranked, Hamburger, Bernier, and Fryer all have MLB service time.