Article: Twins Minor League Report (4/8): Friday Night Lights

[Seth Stohs]

It was the first Friday night in the Minor League schedule. At the end of the day, despite a couple of questionable weather situations, all four Twins full-season affiliates have completed two games. All four starting pitchers went at least five innings, and three of the starters had more than a strikeout per inning. Not a ton of offense in any of the games, but enough to get a couple of wins.Any feedback would be welcomed on these reports, positive or negative. What do you enjoy, and what would you like to see more of (or any of).

 

 

RED WINGS REPORT

Game 1 - Rochester 3, Scranton/Wilkes Barre 0 (Completion of Suspended Game)

Box Score

 

The teams got through four innings on Thursday’s opening night, but that was it. On Friday afternoon, Brandon Kintzler replaced Tyler Duffey who had thrown four shutout innings. Kintzler threw two scoreless innings, striking out four and giving up just one hit. Taylor Rogers went the next two innings. He gave up a walk and a hit, but no runs and struck out one. JR Graham pitched a scoreless ninth, striking out one, for his first save.

 

Jorge Polanco led the way going 3-4 with two triples. He scored twice thanks to Max Kepler. First, Kepler grounded out to score Polanco with the team’s first run of the season. Later, Kepler knocked a sacrifice fly to score Polanco with the second run. Kepler was 1-3 with two RBI. His hit was a single to left. Adam Brett Walker provided the power for the third run with his first AAA home run. He was 1-3 with a walk and two strikeouts. Kennys Vargas went 2-3.

 

Game 2 - Rochester 2, Scranton/Wilkes Barre 7 (Regularly-Scheduled Game)

Box Score

 

Pat Dean was terrific through five innings. He started the sixth inning and gave up a single and a double before being replaced by Loek Van Mil. Van Mil allowed both runners to score, then gave up four more hits and they all scored (3 earned). He also walked one. Dan Runzler came on and threw a wild pitch to score one more before getting the final out of the bottom of the 6th inning. The six-run inning was too much to overcome.

 

Through five innings, Dean had given up just an unearned run on two hits and a walk. He struck out six. However, because of the 6th inning, his final line is three runs (2 earned) on four hits and a walk in five innings. Five errors by the Red Wings certainly didn’t help the cause in this game. Jorge Polanco, playing second base again, had two of the errors.

 

Juan Centeno gave the Red Wings a 2-0 lead in the second inning with a single. He was 1-2 with a walk and a stolen base. Buck Britton went 2-3 with a double.

 

 

CHATTANOOGA CHATTER

Chattanooga 2, Biloxi 6

Box Score

 

Biloxi knocked three home runs in this game to even the series at one game a piece. Two of the homers came later to give them some breathing room.

 

However, the first homer came in the first. DJ Baxendale was on the mound. He got the first batter out but then gave up back-to-back doubles before prospect Jacob Nottingham hit a home run to give them a 3-0 lead. After that, Baxendale was terrific. Following the home run, he faced 17 more batters. He gave up just three singles and two of them were erased with double plays by the next batter. So Baxendale ended with a quality start. He completed six innings and was charged with three runs on six hits. He walked none and struck out five.

 

He was replaced by lefty Mason Melotakis who threw his first game in about 20 months after Tommy John surgery. He gave up a solo home run in the 7th to make it 4-2. Jake Reed got the eighth inning. He got the first two batters out quickly, one on a strikeout. He then gave up a single and a long home run to make the score 6-2. He ended the inning with a second strikeout.

 

The Miracle offense wasn’t able to do much. In fact, through five innings against former Twins draft pick Javi Salas (38th round, 2013, went back to Miami for senior season) the only base runner was Stuart Turner who was hit by a pitch. In the 6th, Turner got the team’s first hit, a double (his second in as many games). He moved to third on a bunt and scored on a Zach Granite ground out. An inning later, Mitch Garver cut the deficit to 3-2 with his first home run of the season.

 

Turner and Garver have each started one game at DH and one game behind the plate. Turner is hitting .500 (2-4 with a walk and a HBP) so far with two doubles. Garver is 2-7 with the home run. Daniel Palka was again not in the starting lineup. He did pinch hit for Turner in the 7th inning and popped out. The Lookouts 3-5 hitters went 0-12 in this game with eight strikeouts. It was a theme as the Lookouts struck out 13 times in the game without drawing a walk. That doesn’t work often when recording just four hits.

 

 

MIRACLE MATTERS

Ft. Myers 3, Bradenton 2

Box Score

 

The story of this game was definitely the performance of Kohl Stewart. The former #1 pick made his first start of the year. He gave up two runs on four hits and a walk in six innings. He struck out seven. He gave up a two-run homer in the fifth inning. According to Miracle play-by-play man Brice Zimmerman, Stewart’s fastball was sitting 94-96 mph and hit 97 at times.

 

Stewart was replaced in the 7th inning by lefty Luke Westphal who struck out two (and walked one) in the inning. Because the Miracle took the lead after his inning, he gets credit for the win. Yorman Landa came on for the 8th frame. He gave up no runs on one hit. He struck out one to help get out of the inning despite his own error.

 

Down 2-0 going into the sixth, the Miracle got on the board in the 6th. Ryan Walker led off with a walk. With one out, Nick Gordon singled. An error on the center fielder allowed Walker to score.

 

In the 7th inning, Trey Vavra was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. He went to third on a single by Logan Wade. A single by Alex Real scored Vavra. Chad Christensen bunted the runners to second and third. Following a pitching change, Ryan Walker came through with an RBI single to put the Miracle up 4-3.

 

Trevor Hildenberger, our choice for Twins Minor League Relief Pitcher of the Year in 2015, came on to protect a one-run lead. The first batter hit a slow roller to third but the runner was safe at first. Hildenberger struck out the next two batters before another slow hopper to the right side resulted in another infield hit. With two on and two outs, Hildenberger got the final out on a fly ball to Tanner English in center.

 

Ryan Walker went 2-2 with a walk and that game-winning RBI. Alex Real went 2-3. Nick Gordon went 1-4, and Trey Vavra was 1-3 with a hit by pitch.

 

KERNELS NUGGETS

Cedar Rapids 6, Quad Cities 2

Box Score

 

It was cold in Cedar Rapids on Friday night. Late in the game, the temp dropped to 32 degrees. Earlier in the game, there were snow flurries flying. They got the game in and the Kernels found a way to get their second win in as many chances.

 

Andro Cutura got things going right. He struck out three in the first inning. Through four shutout innings, he had seven strikeouts. He gave up two runs in the fifth, but ended the inning with his eighth strikeout and five complete innings. CK Irby struck out two over two scoreless innings. Brainerd native (and Mayville State grad) Nick Anderson struck out two over two scoreless innings to end it.

 

In the 2nd inning, Max Murphy led off with a single and advanced to third on a Zander Wiel double. JJ Fernandez hit a sacrifice fly to right field to score Murphy. It was deep enough to allow Wiel to advance to third base. He then scored on a wild pitch. An inning later, Rafael Valera led off with a triple. A couple of batters later, Max Murphy tripled him in. Murphy then scored on a Wiel sacrifice fly. The Kernels scored two more late in the game thanks to four wild pitches to make it 6-2.

 

Murphy went 2-4 with the triple. Wiel was 1-2 with a walk, a double and the sacrifice fly. LaMonte Wade was 1-3 with a walk. Chris Paul walked twice.

 

 

TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY

 

Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Kohl Stewart, Ft. Myers Miracle

Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Ryan Walker, Ft. Myers Miracle

 

 

SATURDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

 

The Rochester Red Wings announced on Friday that Saturday’s home opener has been postponed and will be played at a later date. The Red Wings new home opener will be played on Sunday with Jose Berrios on the mound.

 

Chattanooga @ Biloxi (7:10 CST) – LHP David Hurlbut

Bradenton @ Ft. Myers (5:30 CST) – LHP Tyler Jay

Cedar Rapids @ Quad Cities (1:15 CST) – RHP Sam Gibbons

Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss the Friday games.

 

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[AlwaysinModeration]

Great start to the season by Kohl. Let's see him rack up some Ks.

[jokin]

The performance by Stewart really stands out tonight. Given that he's been all but a left-for-dead prospect by many,  a couple more of these outings and he's going to need a special in-depth write-up on what a difference a year makes- and- what it is that he's doing differently so far.

 

I don't recall his net velocity numbers from 2015, any idea how much higher this performance was over the 2015 net-net velo?

What about the breaking stuff?

Do we know how many of his 7 strikeouts were on whiffs?

How many first-pitch strikes tonight vs. last year's average?

[nytwinsfan]

Yeah, the combo of 7 Ks in 6 innings and a 94-96 heater is really really nice to see from Stewart. Outstanding.

[curt1965]

Great reports as usual, Seth!

Something wrong with Berrios? When is he pitching?

[Seth Stohs]

 

Great reports as usual, Seth! Something wrong with Berrios? When is he pitching?

 

See the Saturday Matchups at the end of the article. He was supposed to start the Home Opener on Saturday... they postponed their game for tomorrow already, so he's starting their opener on Sunday now.

[Seth Stohs]

 

The performance by Stewart really stands out tonight. Given that he's been all but a left-for-dead prospect by many,  a couple more of these outings and he's going to need a special in-depth write-up on what a difference a year makes- and- what it is that he's doing differently so far.

 

I don't recall his net velocity numbers from 2015, any idea how much higher this performance was over the 2015 net-net velo?

What about the breaking stuff?

Do we know how many of his 7 strikeouts were on whiffs?

How many first-pitch strikes tonight vs. last year's average?

 

That's way too much detail, but I'll give you what I know.

 

6 swinging strike threes, and 1 called.

 

No idea what his net velocity was last year or how to find that. I know that I was told there were some games he was 94-96 and other games he was 89-91. And there were some games where, from inning to inning, you might see either one. His mechanics were not good or consistent last year. Hopefully he's cleaned that up and can be more consistent with the velocity and the rest of his stuff.

 

Per Jeremy Nygaard, who I know listened for a couple of innings, mentioned on twitter that he was really mixing it up well and had velocities all over the board. 

 

Very nice first outing.

[jokin]

 

Yeah, the combo of 7 Ks in 6 innings and a 94-96 heater is really really nice to see from Stewart. Outstanding.

 

And just the one BB- sets up a nice friendly little K/BB ratio competition with Gonsalves.

[jokin]

 

 

That's way too much detail, but I'll give you what I know.

 

6 swinging strike threes, and 1 called.

 

No idea what his net velocity was last year or how to find that. I know that I was told there were some games he was 94-96 and other games he was 89-91. And there were some games where, from inning to inning, you might see either one. His mechanics were not good or consistent last year. Hopefully he's cleaned that up and can be more consistent with the velocity and the rest of his stuff.

 

Per Jeremy Nygaard, who I know listened for a couple of innings, mentioned on twitter that he was really mixing it up well and had velocities all over the board. 

 

Very nice first outing.

 

Thanks, Seth for the in-depth info, especially on short notice. Exciting 2016 debut performances from the top two Miracle SPs.

 

Was there any inkling in spring training from an eyewitness or a Twins insider that Kohl was doing something different or that he'd turned a major corner?

[FormerMinnasotan]

Good to see Kohl have as good if not a better outing than Stephen. Also it is good to see Stewart with that nasty fastball he has had the potential to use. If Kohl can use his 94-97 mph fastball and off set it with an equally devastating curveball all of a sudden Stewart is looking a lot more like a bigger version of Jose Berrios.

[GMinTraining]

News video of Rochester games.

 

http://www.rochesterfirst.com/sports/local-sports/wings-split-in-scranton-to-start-season

 

 

[Bill Tanner]

The Rochester game 2 score should read Rochester 2, Scranton Wilkes Barre 7.  

[roger]

In answer to your question, Seth...If it ain't broke, don't fix it!

 

I love this Red Wings team.  Great combo of AAAA players, who could help the Twins shoud they be needed for short call ups, and several top prospects.  Best combination I recall.

[Halsey Hall]

Jeff Smith's got himself a very nice starting rotation there. It shouldn't take a lot of runs to win plenty of ball games this season.

[Seth Stohs]

 

Thanks, Seth for the in-depth info, especially on short notice. Exciting 2016 debut performances from the top two Miracle SPs.

 

Was there any inkling in spring training from an eyewitness or a Twins insider that Kohl was doing something different or that he'd turned a major corner?

 

He looked good during spring training when I was there. But he has the last couple of years too. It'll be about mechanics for him, I think because the stuff has always been pretty impressive.

[Seth Stohs]

 

News video of Rochester games.

 

http://www.rochesterfirst.com/sports/local-sports/wings-split-in-scranton-to-start-season

 

Didn't realize Van Mil got hit on a line drive. That looked painful! Pat Dean was terrific through 5 innings in the 2nd game, but the 6th inning was not good.

[Seth Stohs]

 

The Rochester game 2 score should read Rochester 2, Scranton Wilkes Barre 7.  

 

Correct.. thank you!

[Seth Stohs]

 

In answer to your question, Seth...If it ain't broke, don't fix it!

 

I love this Red Wings team.  Great combo of AAAA players, who could help the Twins shoud they be needed for short call ups, and several top prospects.  Best combination I recall.

 

I agree. It's a well put together roster.

[jokin]

 

He looked good during spring training when I was there. But he has the last couple of years too. It'll be about mechanics for him, I think because the stuff has always been pretty impressive.

 

In terms of K/9 and K% performance put together (K/9 10.50 and K% 30.4%), Kohl only had one similar game to this in all of 2015, and just two similar to this in 2014. In addition, he only has had one game in the last two seasons to match his K-BB% of 26.1% from yesterday. This set of stat deficiencies has been the primary cause for concern about the long-term prospects of a first round SP pick.

 

If Kohl can start dealing like yesterday on a more regular basis, it's (literally) a whole new ballgame for where he belongs on the prospect charts.

Edited April 9, 2016 by jokin

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

No idea what his net velocity was last year or how to find that. I know that I was told there were some games he was 94-96 and other games he was 89-91. And there were some games where, from inning to inning, you might see either one. His mechanics were not good or consistent last year. Hopefully he's cleaned that up and can be more consistent with the velocity and the rest of his stuff.

Hey Seth, this has been a common problem for Stewart since he was drafted. Do you blame his velocity issues entirely on bad mechanics or do you think Stewart's diabetes plays a role? Is it possible he simply gets worn out during some starts and can't really "bring it"?

 

Though, obviously, that doesn't explain the inning-by-inning velocity problem... At least not to my satisfaction.

[bluechipper]

Jermaine Palacios bats 9th in the Kernels order? Not really a big deal or anything, just not what I expected.

[dgwills]

I like these reports quite a bit. It's nice to see how are prospects are doing and I appreciate the work. If you want to improve them you could give the players random nicknames for fun. Kohl "Texas Toast" Stewart?

[Hrbowski]

 

Hey Seth, this has been a common problem for Stewart since he was drafted. Do you blame his velocity issues entirely on bad mechanics or do you think Stewart's diabetes plays a role? Is it possible he simply gets worn out during some starts and can't really "bring it"?

 

Though, obviously, that doesn't explain the inning-by-inning velocity problem... At least not to my satisfaction.

It could also be his shoulder flaring up from an old football injury he suffered. He has had that in the past.

[twinsfanstreif]

That Red Wings line up is going to be something crazy this year. My concern is how many of those players are blocked by guys in the majors, I know it's a good problem to have but something's got to give and I'm worried with our bullpen struggles some good players are going to be dumped for relief arms (again)

[Seth Stohs]

 

In terms of K/9 and K% performance put together (K/9 10.50 and K% 30.4%), Kohl only had one similar game to this in all of 2015, and just two similar to this in 2014. In addition, he only has had one game in the last two seasons to match his K-BB% of 26.1% from yesterday. This set of stat deficiencies has been the primary cause for concern about the long-term prospects of a first round SP pick.

 

If Kohl can start dealing like yesterday on a more regular basis, it's (literally) a whole new ballgame for where he belongs on the prospect charts.

 

That's why I think it is good that he stayed with the Miracle. Continuing to work on things while moving up doesn't always work. Being able to stay at a level and experience those successes rather than always being over your head has value. I hope he can be more consistent with everything.

[Seth Stohs]

 

Hey Seth, this has been a common problem for Stewart since he was drafted. Do you blame his velocity issues entirely on bad mechanics or do you think Stewart's diabetes plays a role? Is it possible he simply gets worn out during some starts and can't really "bring it"?

 

Though, obviously, that doesn't explain the inning-by-inning velocity problem... At least not to my satisfaction.

 

I can't pretend to know enough about diabetes to know the answer to that. Others might. It may factor in. I'd think along with the heat and humidity in Ft. Myers, maybe it could be tough. 

 

But I did hear that the mechanics played a large role in the inconsistency.

[Seth Stohs]

 

Jermaine Palacios bats 9th in the Kernels order? Not really a big deal or anything, just not what I expected.

 

He's so young (along with Arraez, who is batting 9th today) that maybe Jake just wants to kind of keep the pressure low on them and let them mix in. Also, how they were performing late in spring training might come into play too. 

[jokin]

 

Jermaine Palacios bats 9th in the Kernels order? Not really a big deal or anything, just not what I expected.

 

Like Seth said, still only 19 years of age, let him settle in and watch for him to move up the order pretty quickly. Excited about this kid's chances to exceed already-lofty expectations.

[gunnarthor]

Just a reminder, while a lot of people were down on Stewart, he did make Klaw's top 100 this season.

[Bob Sacamento]

I don't know who that was on the mound the other night but that was NOT the Kohl Stewart I saw last year, that looked like the kid I saw pitch in a  couple GCL games in 2013.  Everything he threw had nasty movement and he seamingly threw it where ever he wanted  Just shows that ST means nothing, as the last time I saw him pitch he was 91-93 throwing a sinker and only flashed a few of his high octane fastball even though you could see he still had it.  His mechanics looked repeatable throughout the night something I can't saw the last start he had in Ft Myers I saw.

 

My bigger questions out of this are: Can he keep this up? Why was velo so low last year - out of design or injury?  Because after the one start, it looks like Kohl was either pitching not at 100% in 2015 and still pitched through it learning how to pitch instead of throw OR that the organization wanted him to harness his pitching ability and work on developing a sinker knowing that he had high velo in his back pocket.  I don't know and I doubt we find out because Kohl is as tight lip as they come.  Hopefully with further success he'll start being happier.  Either way, Kohl gives his last start a "Thumbs Up"