Article: Twins Minor League Report (9/12): Kernels Steele Game 1 In Peoria

[Seth Stohs]

The Cedar Rapids Kernels began their second round of the Midwest League playoffs with a game in Peoria. After sweeping Quad Cities, the Kernels sent RHP Keaton Steele to the mound on Saturday night. Safe to say, he came through in a big way for the Kernels.KERNELS NUGGETS

Cedar Rapids 3, Peoria 2

Box Score

 

The Kernels got a perfect combination of very strong start coupled with a couple of big hits and held on to win Game 1 of the second round of the Midwest League playoffs.

 

Cedar Rapids got on the board right away in the top of the first inning. Rafael Valera led off the game with a walk. Two outs later, TJ White walked as well. That brought LaMonte Wade to the plate and he drove a ball to deep right-center. It hit the warning track and bounced over the wall for a ground-rule double. Valera scored, but had the ball stayed in play the Kernels would likely have scored two. Wade went 2-4 on the night.

 

Keaton Steele struggled at the start. He gave up a leadoff single and hit the second batter. After a fielder’s choice, the clean-up man, Harrison Bader, drove in Peoria’s Darren Seferina to tie the game at one.

 

Steele and Peoria’s starter Matt Pearce exchanged zeroes through the sixth inning. However, the Kernels were able to get to Pearce in the seventh. The inning began with Chris Paul being hit by a pitch. After a wild pitch, Max Murphy hit a long home run to give the Kernels a 3-1 lead. Murphy, the Twins ninth-round pick in 2014 out of Bradley University was back in familiar territory. The Bradley baseball team plays at Dozer Park, the same field that the Peoria Chiefs call home.

 

Steele completed eight innings and gave up just the one run. He gave up two hits, did not walk anyone and struck out a season-high nine batters.

 

Nick Anderson came in for the ninth inning after recording saves in the Kernels two wins in the first round. It was a little nerve-wracking. The leadoff man tripled and scored on a single. However, Anderson struck out the next three batters to record his third save of the postseason.

 

On Sunday afternoon at 4:05 in Cedar Rapids, left-hander Randy Rosario will take the mound for the Kernels in Game 2. Should a Game 3 be necessary, Randy LeBlanc is scheduled to start on Monday in Cedar Rapids.

 

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[Guest]

By my calculations, Kernels pitchers have a 1.55 ERA in the 3 postseason games so far. Yes, SSS, but the success has been all about pitching and defense.

[Seth Stohs]

Steve, you know better than I do, but I think that with White and Gordon on the left side of the infield, that's pretty strong. Corcino is terrific defensively, though Tanner English was incredibly good and is missed. But very good defense. I've also heard great things about Brian Navarreto is tremendous, not only throwing out runners, but also calling a game, etc. 

[Guest]

Several pitchers have raved about Navarreto, Seth, and not just because he's thrown out about 55% of attempted base-stealers. Believe it was Mauer (but don't hold me to that) who opined that Navarreto will play big league ball, but how much and for how long will be determined by his bat.

 

White and Gordon make the left side of the infield where ground balls go to die. White is imo the best defensive 3B the Twins have sent to CR. Gordon might be 2nd best SS next to Vielma.

 

Outfielders, including Corcino, have more than held their own. There's no doubt the pitching stats have benefited from excellent defense behind them and the pitchers know it and give it credit.

[jokin]

 

Several pitchers have raved about Navarreto, Seth, and not just because he's thrown out about 55% of attempted base-stealers. Believe it was Mauer (but don't hold me to that) who opined that Navarreto will play big league ball, but how much and for how long will be determined by his bat.

 

White and Gordon make the left side of the infield where ground balls go to die. White is imo the best defensive 3B the Twins have sent to CR. Gordon might be 2nd best SS next to Vielma.

 

Outfielders, including Corcino, have more than held their own. There's no doubt the pitching stats have benefited from excellent defense behind them and the pitchers know it and give it credit.

 

Great stuff, JC.  If you can indulge me with a few follow-up questions if you have the time or inclination...  Great to hear the opinions on Navarreto's future.  I know Stuart Turner never played in the Midwest League so you may not have eyeballed him.  But it's clear the Twins like him alot... I'm wondering if you've heard any staff/management offer defensive comps of Turner's college polish vs. Navarreto's high school athletic upside?  Do you have any thoughts on Navarreto's progression at the plate over the course of the season?

 

Speaking of plate progression, I had very faint hope that Nick Gordon's progress with the bat this year might have given the Twins the inclination to consider Gordon for an AFL nod. Gordon has hit .307 and OPS'd at .761 since May 30.  It appears that he has the major league chops @ SS, how would you rate his ceiling projection at this point of his career at the plate?

 

Any early thoughts on Cedar Rapids' likely CF next year- 9th round pick, LaMonte Wade?

 

Finally, this year's Kernels squad looks like a good future source of the plugger/grinder type of players that are indispensable to a successful major league team in order to complement the marquee names. I don't know if you've done this or not, but do you have a Top 5 position player/Top 5 pitcher list of those 10 current Kernel players most likely to make the major league club some day? 

 

 

Edited September 13, 2015 by jokin

[Guest]

 

 

Great stuff, JC.  If you can indulge me with a few follow-up questions if you have the time or inclination...  Great to hear the opinions on Navarreto's future.  I know Stuart Turner never played in the Midwest League so you may not have eyeballed him.  But it's clear the Twins like him alot... I'm wondering if you've heard any staff/management offer defensive comps of Turner's college polish vs. Navarreto's high school athletic upside?  Do you have any thoughts on Navarreto's progression at the plate over the course of the season?

 

Speaking of plate progression, I had very faint hope that Nick Gordon's progress with the bat this year might have given the Twins the inclination to consider Gordon for an AFL nod. Gordon has hit .307 and OPS'd at .761 since May 30.  It appears that he has the major league chops @ SS, how would you rate his ceiling projection at this point of his career at the plate?

 

Any early thoughts on Cedar Rapids' likely CF next year- 9th round pick, LaMonte Wade?

 

Finally, this year's Kernels squad looks like a good future source of the plugger/grinder type of players that are indispensable to a successful major league team in order to complement the marquee names. I don't know if you've done this or not, but do you have a Top 5 position player/Top 5 pitcher list of those 10 current Kernel players most likely to make the major league club some day? 

Those are some interesting questions that I hesitate to answer just off the top of my head, because I’m likely to forget someone and come across as pretty stupid. But I guess that’s nothing new for me.

 

First, I’ll just say I think that the job Jake, Tommy and Henry have done this season has been the most impressive work I’ve seen since this affiliation began in 2013. They got max results out of the least raw talent in that time, in my opinion. There just simply were not a ton of highly rated prospects among the 50ish players that put on a Kernels uniform this season.

 

I have not seen Turner since spring training, so I really can’t offer any analysis that would be any better than anyone else, where he’s concerned.

 

Navarreto’s bat has improved. He had 3 XBHs (all doubles) in the first half of the season. He has 8 doubles, a triple and 2 HR the second half. 20 fewer games in the 1st half, granted, but all of his numbers are up. Making better contact. If the improvement continues, he could move quickly (or become very highly sought after in trade discussions).

 

Nick Gordon has certainly improved his solid contact rates at the plate, but I think he’d be over-matched in AFL this winter. I agree with letting him show another season of that kind of improvement. Not a lot of guys who finish a season at low-A go to AFL. He’s ending 2015 on a high note. I wouldn’t risk deflating that confidence by possibly having a bad AFL.

 

Wade can play CF, but you wouldn’t want me to form an opinion on his bat based on the handful of games he’s played with CR because he’s looked overmatched (until last night, anyway-his double was hit VERY well). I’m going to choose to look at his Appy results and look forward to seeing him play at that level in 2016.

 

I think your synopsis of the Kernels’ roster is pretty accurate. Outside of Gordon and some of the pitchers, I think the others would look like potential MLB role players as ceilings.

 

Four position players I’ve been most impressed with would probably be: Gordon, Navarreto, White and English.

 

Add Zach Granite to that list to make 5, since he tore up the league before getting promoted early.

 

There are others that I’d like to have seen more of. Trey Vavra and Sean Miller come to mind. Rafael Valera and Edgar Corcino have defensive flexibility in the infield and outfield, respectively, that make them interesting to follow going forward. I’m probably missing someone.

 

I don’t know how to limit myself to 5 pitchers. Gonsalves, Jorge, Gibbons, Batts, Hildenberger, Anderson, Landa, Steele, LeBlanc, Bard, Mildren... heck, that’s more than 10 and I’d bet I’m missing at least one guy who will wear a big league uniform some day.

 

Now, I'm heading to the ballpark where I'm certain to see someone I'll feel stupid for not mentioning.

 

[jokin]

 

Those are some interesting questions that I hesitate to answer just off the top of my head, because I’m likely to forget someone and come across as pretty stupid. But I guess that’s nothing new for me.

 

First, I’ll just say I think that the job Jake, Tommy and Henry have done this season has been the most impressive work I’ve seen since this affiliation began in 2013. They got max results out of the least raw talent in that time, in my opinion. There just simply were not a ton of highly rated prospects among the 50ish players that put on a Kernels uniform this season.

 

I have not seen Turner since spring training, so I really can’t offer any analysis that would be any better than anyone else, where he’s concerned.

 

Navarreto’s bat has improved. He had 3 XBHs (all doubles) in the first half of the season. He has 8 doubles, a triple and 2 HR the second half. 20 fewer games in the 1st half, granted, but all of his numbers are up. Making better contact. If the improvement continues, he could move quickly (or become very highly sought after in trade discussions).

 

Nick Gordon has certainly improved his solid contact rates at the plate, but I think he’d be over-matched in AFL this winter. I agree with letting him show another season of that kind of improvement. Not a lot of guys who finish a season at low-A go to AFL. He’s ending 2015 on a high note. I wouldn’t risk deflating that confidence by possibly having a bad AFL.

 

Wade can play CF, but you wouldn’t want me to form an opinion on his bat based on the handful of games he’s played with CR because he’s looked overmatched (until last night, anyway-his double was hit VERY well). I’m going to choose to look at his Appy results and look forward to seeing him play at that level in 2016.

 

I think your synopsis of the Kernels’ roster is pretty accurate. Outside of Gordon and some of the pitchers, I think the others would look like potential MLB role players as ceilings.

 

Four position players I’ve been most impressed with would probably be: Gordon, Navarreto, White and English.

 

Add Zach Granite to that list to make 5, since he tore up the league before getting promoted early.

 

There are others that I’d like to have seen more of. Trey Vavra and Sean Miller come to mind. Rafael Valera and Edgar Corcino have defensive flexibility in the infield and outfield, respectively, that make them interesting to follow going forward. I’m probably missing someone.

 

I don’t know how to limit myself to 5 pitchers. Gonsalves, Jorge, Gibbons, Batts, Hildenberger, Anderson, Landa, Steele, LeBlanc, Bard, Mildren... heck, that’s more than 10 and I’d bet I’m missing at least one guy who will wear a big league uniform some day.

 

Now, I'm heading to the ballpark where I'm certain to see someone I'll feel stupid for not mentioning.

 

AS always, great, great stuff, JC.  (As the old saying goes... "Whatever they're paying you, it's not enough" )

 

Good point about the coaching staff, I seem to remember a conversation with you in April about a pretty bare Kenels cupboard for 2015 and low expectations on my part. The interviews with Henry Bonilla have really impressed me, he sounds like he's a deep thinker about the pitching craft and a major league pitching coach position is perhaps somewhere in his future if he continues to demonstrate his recent success.

 

I was going to ask about Anderson and omitted that question. Immediately thrown into the high leverage role upon signing. Does he look like yet another Indy League Twins-find with a fast upward trajectory?  

[Guest]

 

 

I was going to ask about Anderson and omitted that question. Immediately thrown into the high leverage role upon signing. Does he look like yet another Indy League Twins-find with a fast upward trajectory?  

Anderson is pretty old for low-A (25?), so if the Twins see him as more than an organizational RP, they will almost have to accelerate him next year, seems to me.