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Article: 2015 Cedar Rapids Kernels Roster Preview

Seth Stohs
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Seth Stohs GOAT

Seth Stohs

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On Monday, the Cedar Rapids Kernels announced their Opening Day roster for the 2015 season. Jake Mauer returns to the helm after compiling a record of 161-117 over the last two seasons. Nick Gordon is the best prospect on the roster. However this team should have some pretty strong pitching. They have a few arms that throw very hard. The team opens their season on Thursday at Kane County, and their first home game is on Sunday night.

 

Who else will be on the Kernels roster on Opening Day? Check below for the complete list.Here is a look at the Opening Day roster of the Kernels in some detail:

 

 

Starting Pitchers: Mat Batts (LHP), Michael Cederoth, John Curtiss, Stephen Gonsalves (LHP), Felix Jorge, Zack Tillery

 

Batts was the Twins 17th round pick in 2014 out of UNC-Wilmington. The lefty pitched for the GCL Twins, Elizabethton and Cedar Rapids after pitching over 100 innings in college. If you're looking for a guy who could jump into the Twins top ten prospects in 2015, many believe that guy can be Stephen Gonsalves. The lefty was the Twins fourth-round pick in 2013 out of high school and has put up good numbers in his two professional seasons. Cederoth was a college reliever, but the Twins gave the right-hander with the triple-digit fastball an opportunity to start at Elizabethton last year. That will continue this season. John Curtiss was the closer at Texas in last year’s college World Series, but he also was asked to start when he signed. He pitched for E-Town, but he also made one start for the Kernels in the playoffs in 2014. Felix Jorge began last season with the Kernels, but he struggled mightily and finally was sent back to Elizabethton where he was named the pitcher of the year in the Appalachian League. Zack Tillery was a 2014 draft pick from Florida Gulf Coast.

Bullpen: Cameron Booser (LHP), Sam Clay (LHP), Trevor Hildenberger, CK Irby, Randy LeBlanc, Mike Theofanopoulos, Jared Wilson

 

 

 

When I talked to Jared Wilson at spring training, he made the comment that he would get an opportunity to start at the beginning of this season. He is listed as a reliever, but the rumor has it that he and Tillery will piggyback with each other (one starting and one coming in and stretching out). Booser was rumored to be hitting 98-99 mph at Instructional League. Clay was the Twins fourth-round pick a year ago out of Georgia Tech. He struggled initially at E-Town but ended the season very strong. He throws hard and could advance quickly. Hildenberger and Theofanopoulos pitched in college together. Theofanopoulos is a crafty left-hander. Hildenberger throws hard, but he also throws from a three-quarter (or maybe five-eighths?) angle and gets a lot of movement. Irby throws hard. The 2013 draft pick struck out 51 in 33.1 innings at E-Town last year. LeBlanc was drafted out of Tulane in 2014 and struck out 34 in 37 innings at E-Town.

Catchers: Jorge Fernandez, Brian Navarreto

 

 

 

 

These two catchers both have the potential and the talent to eventually get to the big leagues. They have a long ways to go and much to learn, but they have the type of tools you are looking for in a catcher. Both have very strong arms. Both are very athletic behind the plate. Fernandez is more athletic, and there are always rumors of him getting time in the outfield. Navarreto is a large man, very strong. He is often compared with Royals’ catcher Salvador Perez. Fernandez has doubles power, while Navarreto could develop 25-home run power. Both are young but should be a lot of fun to watch grow in 2015.

Infielders: Nick Gordon, Jonatan Hinojosa, Pat Kelly, Tyler Kuresa, Trey Vavra, TJ White

 

 

 

 

The Twins used the fifth overall pick in the 2014 draft on Nick Gordon, the high school shortstop from Orlando who is the son of former big leaguer Tom Gordon and the brother of Marlins second baseman Dee Gordon. Gordon has all of the tools, plus a maturity beyond his years. Hinojosa split 2014 between Elizabethton and Cedar Rapids. Pat Kelly is a Minnesota kid who the Twins drafted from Nebraska in 2014. The Twins drafted Kuresa in the 11th round in 2010 and offered him a lot of money to sign, but he chose to go to college. The Twins drafted him in the 16th round last year. He is a powerful, left-handed hitting first baseman with a good glove. Trey Vavra was selected in the 33rd round by the Twins in 2014. He is the son of Twins bench coach Joe Vavra and his brother Tanner played for the Kernels in 2014. He put up 20 doubles in Elizabethton last year. TJ White was the Twins 19th round pick a year ago out of UNLV. He signed late, but he did get into a couple of games with the E-Twins as well.

Outfielders: Tanner English, Zach Granite, Zack Larson, Max Murphy

 

 

 

 

This is a pretty talented group of outfielders. Zach Granite was the Opening Day leadoff hitter for the Kernels last year, but just a couple of games into the season, he was hurt. He came back in late June for a couple of weeks before getting hurt again. He has an advanced approach at the plate and might be a guy who could move up quickly if he gets off to a fast start. Larson was also on the Kernels’ Opening Day roster last season, as a 20 year old. Unfortunately, it wasn’t long before he hurt his hamstring and did not return until late in the season. Max Murphy was drafted from Bradley in 2014. The Minnesota native crushed Appalachian League pitching and even though he was promoted to Cedar Rapids with a month to play, he was still named the Appy League’s MVP. He struggled with the Kernels, but he has a chance to be very good. Tanner English was the team’s 11th round pick a year ago. He signed later and had a shoulder injury, so he didn’t play a lot in Elizabethton. When their season ended, English joined the Kernels for their second-round playoff series.

Disabled List: Brandon Bixler (LHP), Yorman Landa, Chris Mazza, Randy Rosario, Fernando Romero, Lewis Thorpe,

 

Suspension: Hudson Boyd (50 games)

 

 

Manager/Coaching Staff: Jake Mauer (MGR), Tommy Watkins (Hitting Coach), Henry Bonilla (Pitching Coach).

 

 

 

 

Mauer returns to Cedar Rapids for his third season with the Kernels. In his first two seasons, he has a record of 161-117. It is his eighth season as a manager in the Twins minor league system, having managed the GCL Twins and the Ft. Myers Miracle in the past. He has led the Kernels to the playoffs each of the past two seasons. Tommy Watkins returns to the Kernels. It is his sixth season as a coach in the Twins system. Henry Bonilla was the pitching coach at Elizabethton the last three years.

SIDENOTE – I’ll be in Cedar Rapids starting Sunday night when the Kernels play their home-opening series.

 

WHO ARE THE TOP PROSPECTS?

 

Twins Daily Prospects: #6 Nick Gordon, #11 Lewis Thorpe, #13 Stephen Gonsalves

 

Seth: #4 Nick Gordon, #12 Lewis Thorpe, #15 Stephen Gonsalves, #25 Fernando Romero, #28 Zack Larson, #29 Brian Navarreto

 

Cody: #5 Nick Gordon, #11 Lewis Thorpe, #13 Stephen Gonsalves, #17 Felix Jorge, #22 Michael Cederoth, #28 Fernando Romero

 

Jeremy: #7 Nick Gordon, #8 Lewis Thorpe, #17 Stephen Gonsalves, #20 Max Murphy, #28 Michael Cederoth, #29 Cameron Booser

 

*** 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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nater79a Draft Eligible

nater79a

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Other than Kuresa there doesn't seem to be a lot of power in the Kernels lineup, at least initially. Decent hitters, just not a bunch of thumpers. Need to get solid pitching and play some "small ball"; move the runners, take the extra base and timely hitting.

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nowheresville College Ball

nowheresville

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This will be a tough decision for me ... trek out to Geneva, IL on Saturday to see the Kernels, or ride 2 stops on the red line to the Cell to see the Twins ... hmmm ...

 

With Pelfrey starting on Saturday, the decision shouldn't be that hard. Do Kane Co. Saturday, then the Cell on Sunday. 

 

That's pretty much my plan, although I might do KC Friday Night instead of Saturday.

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Seth Stohs GOAT

Seth Stohs

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So how far does Lewis Thorpe fall in the various prospect rankings after his TJ?  Does he fall below Gonsalves?

 

If I remember right, Kyle Gibson dropped a few notches after his UCL surgery in 2012.

 

I personally would move him from maybe 12 to 15, just because of uncertainty. But, of course, if things go well, there's no reason he won't be a top 10 guy a year after coming back again. For me, the guys I had right behind him, particularly Walker and Gonsalves, were close enough that this might move him down slightly. 

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Seth Stohs GOAT

Seth Stohs

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Other than Kuresa there doesn't seem to be a lot of power in the Kernels lineup, at least initially. Decent hitters, just not a bunch of thumpers. Need to get solid pitching and play some "small ball"; move the runners, take the extra base and timely hitting.

 

Part of that, of course, is because they have big thumpers in AA and up. That was a focus. The last couple of years, the focus has been on pitching (other than Gordon), so that's (part of) why the pitching is a bit ahead of the hitting (in terms of current prospect status). 

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Seth Stohs GOAT

Seth Stohs

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Are the Twins taking an unnecessary risk by having Cederoth remain a starter?

 

I don't' think so. I mean, he only moved to the bullpen last year, so he's started most of the time. There's inherent risk with any pitcher, but I don't' think they're taking extra risk.

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Seth Stohs GOAT

Seth Stohs

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I know Thorpe is out this year, but what is the status of Landa, Rosario and Romero? Will any of them see time this year?  I recall thinking each had shown glimpses of promise pre-injury.

 

All three were top 30 type of prospects coming into the 2014 season, with Romero being top 15 in some rankings.

 

Landa had a shoulder injury. He could be back in a month or two.

 

Rosario had Tommy John surgery in late April, so he'll likely start getting some innings in June or so. 

 

Romero had Tommy John surgery in late June or early July, so I'd be surprised if he pitches much in 2015.

 

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Seth Stohs GOAT

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Is the reasoning behind making some of these guys starters is just to get them more innings, rather than less. Yes, you can always put a starter in the bullpen. But can you make a reliever into a first-class starter?

 

 

I'm sure they'd be happy to get a #3 starter or two out of college relievers. Tyler Duffey is much more valuable as a #3/#4 starting pitcher, working 180 innings a season than he is as a reliever working 65 innings. For some organizations, Duffey would have a good chance of coming up in 2015. With the Twins, they may determine that with their depth, Duffey needs to go back to the bullpen. No harm done. In fact, he's probably a better pitcher because 1.) he's worked on his pitches, and 2.) he's worked into and out of many more situations as a starter than he will ever see in the bullpen, and that's good. 

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Steven Buhr Prep Ball

Steven Buhr

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Seth's rationale, above, is pretty much in line with the way it was explained to me in the past by some in the Twins organization.

 

Simply put, being a starter means the guy will throw more pitches in live game situations and there is no better way to accelerate development than throwing more pitches in game situations.That's when most learning takes place and no amount of side/bullpen sessions can replicate that.

 

If a guy actually adapts well and becomes a MLB-level starting pitcher, great. If he's moved to a reliever role (as most will), then he's a reliever with far more in-game pitches thrown than he would be if he'd been a RP in the low minors.

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Shane Wahl Ft Myers Mighty Mussels

Shane Wahl

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The pitching on this roster is sick. Most of them are guys many have never heard of, but this staff is loaded. And the catchers and outfielders are very good too. The question will be about the infield and whether or not Hinojosa, Vavra, and Kuresa are for real, and if Pat Kelly can improve upon a disappointing 2014 in E-Town. That they are sending him to Fort Myers confirms my view that the Twins are actually very high on him.

This team is going to be crazy good, and they will be able to reload easily from below if some of these guys get promoted to Fort Myers (Gonsalves and half the staff, the entire OF, and Kuresa).

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