Article: Twins Minor League Report (6/17): Jay Signs, Duffey Shines

[Steve Lein]

 

First, it is his "natural position" according to who? Second, they didn't draft him, they signed him as an international free agent . . . at 16 -- an age when it is hard to know what it would even mean for a player to have a "natural position." Are you saying because a couple of German middle and high school baseball coaches put him at 1B for reasons that probably have nothing to do with his potential long-term development, he should play that position 6 years later when he reaches the majors?

 

Yes, I agree he is more than athletic enough to play 1B, as I noted above, and I am fine with them giving him time there, and it is great that he has defensive versatility, but as I and others have noted above, what matters is where they plan to have him play most of the timewhen he gets to the majors, which I think should be corner outfield. Sure, things could change.  Mauer could retire or be benched, Vargas could continue to flounder at the plate, Plouffe might be traded, and Walker could continue to hit and cut his strikout rate. Anything is possible. Under those circumstances, sure, Kepler might make sense at 1B. But under the most likely circumstances, as I discussed above, I've made an argument for why I think Kepler fits in the corner outfield.

 

I've made my case above, and in other threads, as has SD Buhr. How about making an argument to the contrary, rather than just asserting in conclusory fashion that his "best" or "natural" position is 1B. Based on what? Even if that were true, it might be an even "better" or "more natural" position for someone else, like Mauer, Vargas or Sano. I don't think Kepler would be offended at all to be told that his talents would be wasted at a less demanding defensive position. I'm not saying 1B defense isn't important or demanding (that's another straw man), I'm saying it isn't as important or demanding as corner outfield.

 

Hah. Yes he wasn't drafted. But that's a common/reflex way to refer to when a player joins an organization. Doug Mientkeiwicz even uses those exact words in this article talking about Max. Sorry!

 

I wish I could find all the obscure articles I've read talking about it, but that remark comes from Max himself. He was always the biggest guy on his teams and essentially the slugger, so he got plugged at 1B.

 

We don't disagree though, so I don't know what your issue is.

[Steve Lein]

I've mentioned this experience several times here before as well, but Max did more for my overall opinion of his baseball talents than any other prospect of the Twins has that I've watched with my own eyes in person.

 

At Spring Training in 2012, he was playing with the Snappers roster that included Sano, Vargas, and Rosario.

 

Kepler was the best player on the diamond throughout my time there, and it wasn't even close. Think he was something like 7 or 8 for 11 with 3 doubles, some walks, and a bunch of RBI in the three full games of theirs I took in. His outs were even loud as everything off his bat was a line drive (check out this double I recorded from then, for instance).

 

I was astonished that he didn't play with the Snappers at all that season, but he did crush the Appalachian League.

[nytwinsfan]

 

I've mentioned this experience several times here before as well, but Max did more for my overall opinion of his baseball talents than any other prospect of the Twins has that I've watched with my own eyes in person.

 

At Spring Training in 2012, he was playing with the Snappers roster that included Sano, Vargas, and Rosario.

 

Kepler was the best player on the diamond throughout my time there, and it wasn't even close. Think he was something like 7 or 8 for 11 with 3 doubles, some walks, and a bunch of RBI in the three full games of theirs I took in. His outs were even loud as everything off his bat was a line drive (check out this double I recorded from then, for instance).

 

I was astonished that he didn't play with the Snappers at all that season, but he did crush the Appalachian League.

Definitely not arguing with you about Kepler's talent. On that we do 100% agree. Just arguing about where those talents would be best positioned.

[Steven Buhr]

 

I've mentioned this experience several times here before as well, but Max did more for my overall opinion of his baseball talents than any other prospect of the Twins has that I've watched with my own eyes in person.

 

At Spring Training in 2012, he was playing with the Snappers roster that included Sano, Vargas, and Rosario.

 

Kepler was the best player on the diamond throughout my time there, and it wasn't even close. Think he was something like 7 or 8 for 11 with 3 doubles, some walks, and a bunch of RBI in the three full games of theirs I took in. His outs were even loud as everything off his bat was a line drive (check out this double I recorded from then, for instance).

 

I was astonished that he didn't play with the Snappers at all that season, but he did crush the Appalachian League.

Along those same lines, Steve, going back to spring training 2013, leading up to the first season of the Twins/Kernels affiliation, I did a phone interview with Jake Mauer about halfway through ST in which he stated that Kepler had been the guy who had stood out, talent wise, at that point among the group that was ticketed to start the year in CR.

 

Bear in mind that there was a guy named Buxton in that same working group.

 

Of course, Kepler injured his arm shortly after that call with Mauer and didn't arrive until mid season (he and Buxton were on the Kernels roster together for all of just one 4-game series up in Appleton WI right after the MWL allstar break).

 

I've occasionally wondered what that Kernels team would have done with a healthy Kepler playing with Buxton and the others for 2-3 months. It's also interesting to think about what Kepler's prospect status would have been in that circumstance.

Edited June 18, 2015 by Steven BUHR

[Seth Stohs]

When I talked to Max for the May Hitter of the Month article, I asked him what he thought was his best position. 

 

He said, "Id put myself in one of the outfield corners."

 

But he has the speed to be adequate in CF and obviously he can play 1B too. That might be his role in the big leagues, playing almost every day at 3-4 positions.

[nytwinsfan]

 

When I talked to Max for the May Hitter of the Month article, I asked him what he thought was his best position. 

 

He said, "Id put myself in one of the outfield corners."

 

But he has the speed to be adequate in CF and obviously he can play 1B too. That might be his role in the big leagues, playing almost every day at 3-4 positions.

Fantastic.  If he can back up Buxton at CF or Mauer/whoever at 1B, and play corner outfield 75% of the time, all the better. Versatility is awesome to have.  Makes me wonder if Rosario could still play some backup 2B if Dozier needs a rare day off (or has a short-term injury). I'm sure he could in a pinch.

[Pitz]

 

From the Department of Ridiculous Video Game Stats Occurring In Real Life, Max Kepler is batting .485/.605/.758 (1.363) in his last 10 games and .647/.727/.941 (1.668) in his last 5 games.

 

Overall at Chattanooga he is batting .331/.393/.530 (.923) with 9 SB and 3 CS (75% success rate) and a 23 to 19 K to BB ratio. Also, crazily enough, he has not hit into a single double play in 201 PA. Just saying.

3 for 4 tonight with 2 triples. Is there a hotter hitter on the planet right now?

[Seth Stohs]

 

3 for 4 tonight with 2 triples. Is there a hotter hitter on the planet right now?

 

Short Answer: No. He's been unreal, and he's the focus of two more articles on Friday.