Article: Twins Minor League Report (4/17): Jorge Dominates Daytona

[Steve Lein]

Don’t look now, but the Minnesota Twins are streaking! While the big league club was finishing a sweep on Sunday afternoon, all four affiliates were in action in the minors. While two of the lineups were only able to manage two and four hits respectively in losses, another exploded for twelve hits in a blowout victory that supported a dominating effort from their starting pitcher. Twins affiliates went 2-2 on the day.To find out who did what in Sunday’s games in the minors, keep reading!

 

RED WINGS REPORT

Rochester 0, Lehigh Valley 3

Box Score

 

Rochester’s game on Sunday was a pitcher’s duel throughout the first six innings. On the hill for the Red Wings was lefty Logan Darnell, and in those first six innings he was fantastic, allowing just three singles in the game until a two-out triple gave the Iron Pigs their first scoring chance in the sixth. Darnell escaped the inning with the game still tied 0-0 but would run into further trouble in the seventh.

 

With two outs and a man on, Darnell served up a home-run ball to put the Red Wings down 2-0 on the scoreboard and put an end to his night. David Martinez came on for the final out of the frame and remained in for the eighth inning, where he gave up a run of his own after a leadoff double, error and wild pitch put the insurance across the plate.

 

There was little to no offense in this game as Rochester sent more than three hitters up to the plate in a single inning in only their first and last opportunities. Lehigh Valley starter Zach Eflin allowed just two hits in eight innings, while striking out five. As a team, Rochester was just 0-3 with runners in scoring position, and left only two men on base for the game. James Beresford and Jorge Polanco each collected a single.

 

CHATTANOOGA CHATTER

Chattanooga 4, Mississippi 3

Box Score

 

The Lookouts took a 1-0 lead in the first inning after lead off man Zach Granite ended up on third after a fielding error from the right fielder. Mitch Garver brought him home with a sacrifice fly.

 

The game remained 1-0 until the bottom of the sixth inning, as Chattanooga starter Jason Wheeler was in control of the game until that point. He went one-two-three in each of the first, fourth, and fifth innings before a lead off walk got him in trouble in the sixth. The next batter tripled to tie the game at 1, and the Braves took the lead 2-1 on a wild pitch before Wheeler recovered to finish the inning.

 

Chattanooga again tied the game in the top of the seventh, as a Granite single brought in Leonardo Reginatto from second base after singling himself and moving into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt from Levi Michael.

 

Mason Melotakis was summoned from the bullpen for the bottom half, and faced just three hitters, getting the first out on a single that was attempted, unsuccessfully, to be stretched into a double on left fielder Travis Harrison, and two punch outs.

 

Chattanooga took the lead 4-2 in the top of the eight behind the bats Reginatto who drove in Carlos Paulino with a double, and Michael who singled with a line drive that deflected off the pitcher toward third base, who also committed a throwing error on the play to bring in Reginatto with the fourth run.

 

Alex Wimmers came on for the eighth inning, and a triple led to a run for the Braves to make it 4-3, but they got no closer as J.T. Chargois shut the door in the ninth for his second save of the season. He struck out one, and that makes four appearances and four perfect innings for the right-hander in 2016.

 

MIRACLE MATTERS

Fort Myers 9, Daytona 0

Box Score

 

Fort Myers broke the game open in the third inning, as they batted through the lineup and sent five across home plate to take the lead.

 

The floodgates were opened by a Brian Navarreto single and Edgar Corcino triple for the game’s first run, and singles from Austin Diemer, Alex Swim, Nick Gordon, a Chris Paul walk, and another single from Logan Wade followed to make it 5-0. Gordon also stole second base for his third swiped bag of the young season.

 

The Miracle added three more runs in the fourth inning as Corcino tripled again to lead it off, scored on another single from Diemer, and he and Gordon (who also singled again) would come home on a triple from Paul to make it 8-0. The final run came in the eighth inning as a throwing error on a double-play turn allowed Navarreto to scamper home from second after reaching base with a single.

 

Felix Jorge was on the mound for the Miracle, and he stifled Tortuga’s bats for 6.2 innings. He had allowed just three singles and one walk to the Daytona lineup, while striking out eight to pick up his first win of 2016. Jorge threw 96 pitches, with 74 going for strikes in the dominating effort. Raul Fernandez relieved him after he recorded the first two outs in the seventh, and finished the final 2.1 innings and the shutout. He allowed just one hit.

 

En-route to scoring their nine runs, the Miracle got multiple hit efforts from Diemer (2-5, 2 R’s, 2 RBIs), Gordon (3-5, 2 R’s, RBIs) batting in the three-hole, Navarreto (2-4, 2 R's), and Corcino (2-3, 2 R’s, 2 triples, RBI, BB). Paul and Wade joined Diemer with 2 RBIs on the day.

 

If you're keeping track, the Miracle rotation collectively sports a 5-3 record with a 1.98 ERA, 66 K's in 63.1 IP, and a 0.86 WHIP so far on the year.

 

KERNELS NUGGETS

Clinton 7, Cedar Rapids 2

Box Score

 

The Clinton LumberKings split the four game series in Cedar Rapids by outhitting the home team 12-4 in this game.

 

They took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning on a solo home run from the second batter of the game against Kernels starter Dereck Rodriguez. Rodriguez recovered pretty well, putting up zeroes for the next five innings, including retiring eleven in a row at one point.

 

Cedar Rapids tied the game at one in the bottom of the fourth, as a single off the bat of Bryant Hayman scored Zander Wiel who had led off the inning with a single and reached third on two wild-pitches.

 

Rodriguez finally ran into some trouble with one out in the seventh, as a walk followed by consecutive singles put the go-ahead run on the board for Clinton and put an end to his day. C.K. Irby came on and allowed the inherited runner to score on a wild pitch. Rodriguez’s final line of the day was 6.1 innings pitched, with four runs (three earned) allowed on seven hits and two walks, with three strikeouts.

 

Irby finished the seventh inning for the Kernels, and they pushed one run across thanks to a couple of errors in the bottom half of the inning to make the score 4-2, but they would get no closer than that.

 

Irby was relieved by Miles Nordgren for the final two innings, and he was greeted by back-to-back singles, an error on a bunt attempt to load the bases, and a two-run single to make it 6-2 after the eighth, and a wild pitch allowed the seventh run for Clinton in the ninth. In total, Nordgren allowed three runs on five hits and one walk in his two innings.

 

As a team, the Kernels were just 4-33 on the day (.121), with all four hits being singles. They were 1-8 with runners in scoring position and left seven men on base.

 

TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY

 

Pitcher of the Day – Felix Jorge, Fort Myers Miracle (W, 6.2 IP, 0 R’s, 3 H’s, 1 BB, 8 K’s)

Hitter of the Day – Edgar Corcino, Fort Myers Miracle (2-3, 2 R’s, 2 3B’s, RBI, BB)

 

MONDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

 

Pawtucket @ Rochester (5:35PM CST) – RHP Tyler Duffey (0-0, 2.08 ERA)

Chattanooga @ Mississippi(7:00PM CST) – RHP D.J. Baxendale (1-1, 3.27 ERA)

Fort Myers @ Dayton (6:05PM CST) – LHP Randy Rosario (1-0, 0.00 ERA)

Cedar Rapids @ Burlington (6:30 PM CST) – RHP Cody Stashak (0-0, 2.25 ERA)

 

Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss Sunday’s games.

 

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[glunn]

Great report Steve.

[Brock Beauchamp]

Gordon has been ridiculous this season.

[clutterheart]

 

Gordon has been ridiculous this season.

 

Yeah, its only 11 games, but he has been getting on base and hitting for power.  A good start!  He still gets caught stealing a bit too often.  But thats just nitpicking.

 

Edited April 18, 2016 by clutterheart

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

Yeah, its only 11 games, but he has been getting on base and hitting for power.  A good start!  He still gets caught stealing a bit too often.  But thats just nitpicking.

I don't expect him to be an elite bat in the long-term but anything he can post over .750-.770 in MiLB is a bonus to me. The guy doesn't seem to have an elite tool in his arsenal but is average to above average in all tools.

 

Combine those things in a MLB SS and you have a borderline elite player. He won't dazzle you in any facet of the game, he'll simply be "pretty good" at everything. In the majors, that translates to a 4 WAR shortstop.

 

People have been unfairly down on Gordon. He was a scrawny kid and suddenly, he's not so scrawny anymore... Shocking how that tends to happen to male athletes as they cross the 20 year mark.

[Seth Stohs]

 

I don't expect him to be an elite bat in the long-term but anything he can post over .750-.770 in MiLB is a bonus to me. The guy doesn't seem to have an elite tool in his arsenal but is average to above average in all tools.

 

Combine those things in a MLB SS and you have a borderline elite player. He won't dazzle you in any facet of the game, he'll simply be "pretty good" at everything. In the majors, that translates to a 4 WAR shortstop.

 

People have been unfairly down on Gordon. He was a scrawny kid and suddenly, he's not so scrawny anymore... Shocking how that tends to happen to male athletes as they cross the 20 year mark.

 

I don't know... ranking him #4 among Twins prospects when 1-3 were Buxton, Berrios and Kepler doesn't really seem like people were down on him... though I know some where more than others.

 

Also, if he posts a .750 OPS in the majors someday, that would be pretty great. In 2015, just three shortstops that qualified posted OPS over .746 (Brandon Crawford, Troy Tulowitski and Xander Bogaerts), so that would be awesome.

 

 

[jokin]

Is it soon time to recalibrate Jorge's prospect status? 74 strikes in 96 pitches with 8 Ks, it seems like he was merely toying with opponent bats on Sunday. Although it seems like he's been around forever, he's still just 22, a year young for High A. Do we have any reports? Has he physically matured? Uptick in velocity? A more effective secondary pitch? The things that are happening with this Miracle starting corps are pretty encouraging.

Edited April 18, 2016 by jokin

[Brock Beauchamp]

I don't know... ranking him #4 among Twins prospects when 1-3 were Buxton, Berrios and Kepler doesn't really seem like people were down on him... though I know some where more than others.

 

Also, if he posts a .750 OPS in the majors someday, that would be pretty great. In 2015, just three shortstops that qualified posted OPS over .746 (Brandon Crawford, Troy Tulowitski and Xander Bogaerts), so that would be awesome.

Oh, you writers weren't down on him - you've been through too many rodeos to judge a player before they're 20 years old - but there were plenty of people on the forum getting down on Nick for his .700 OPS seasons.

[Seth Stohs]

 

Is it soon time to recalibrate Jorge's prospect status? 74 strikes in 96 pitches with 8 Ks, it seems like he was merely toying with opponent bats on Sunday. Although it seems like he's been around forever, he's still just 22, a year young for High A. Do we have any reports? Has he physically matured? Uptick in velocity? A more effective secondary pitch? The things that are happening with this Miracle starting corps are pretty encouraging.

 

He's still very, very thing. His mechanics are terrific. He probably isn't going to get a lot bigger. More impressive, in listening to Brice Zimmerman (Miracle play-by-play guy) has mentioned (and tweeted) that Jorge is throwing 94-96. He's got three pitches. In 2015, he was remarkably consistent. He came into the season ranked in the low-20s (meaning 21-25) in most lists... I think he's moved up a little and by mid-season he could approach Top 15. 

[jokin]

He's still very, very thing. His mechanics are terrific. He probably isn't going to get a lot bigger. More impressive, in listening to Brice Zimmerman (Miracle play-by-play guy) has mentioned (and tweeted) that Jorge is throwing 94-96. He's got three pitches. In 2015, he was remarkably consistent. He came into the season ranked in the low-20s (meaning 21-25) in most lists... I think he's moved up a little and by mid-season he could approach Top 15.

I would say the uptick in velocity seems to be significant. Haven't the reports always said he was a low-90s guy?

[gunnarthor]

On Gordon: Last year one of the BP guys put a 70 FV (future value) on him.  That guy was a limb by himself but other BP guys defended the call, saying it wasn't crazy.  The basis of the 70 grade (by one guy) was that Gordon had shown he'd be able to stick at short at the ML level and his bat was a plus bat for a shortstop. So you were looking at a strong defensive short stop who would hit among the top 5 at his position (less power, better on-base).  Hence, the 70.  Others (obviously) weren't as high on him but still, that's awesome.   

[nicksaviking]

So basically through two turns through the Miracle rotation, Gonsalves is fifth best out of the six starters? And he has still been really good?

 

If I was in the Chattanooga rotation, I wouldn't feel very comfortable about my prospects of remaining a starter for the entire season.

[gunnarthor]

 

So basically through two turns through the Miracle rotation, Gonsalves is fifth best out of the six starters? And he has still been really good?

 

If I was in the Chattanooga rotation, I wouldn't feel very comfortable about my prospects of remaining a starter for the entire season.

Yeah, the Twins have some nice exciting young pitchers down there.  Kudos to the development group.  I know Stewart and Jay were supposed to be studs but Jorge seems to be bouncing back from the disaster season he had a few years ago and Gonsalves was a 4th round pick (although maybe he fell b/c of some character issue? I don't think he was first round talent but maybe 2nd?).  

 

It's also nice to see Luke Bard pitching well after all those injuries.  I hope he gets promoted to AA soon.

[RedBull34]

Has anybody seen Gonsalves's Dad on here in awhile?  Didn't he pop in and make some comments a couple of times?

 

I'm always curious for some greater insight.

[Seth Stohs]

 

So basically through two turns through the Miracle rotation, Gonsalves is fifth best out of the six starters? And he has still been really good?

 

If I was in the Chattanooga rotation, I wouldn't feel very comfortable about my prospects of remaining a starter for the entire season.

 

Depends on how you look at it. Remember in his first start, he gave up three runs on four hits in the first inning. He then threw 5 shutout innings the rest of that game. Then he threw 6 shutout innings in his 2nd outing. 

 

 

[jsteve96]

 

So basically through two turns through the Miracle rotation, Gonsalves is fifth best out of the six starters? And he has still been really good?

 

If I was in the Chattanooga rotation, I wouldn't feel very comfortable about my prospects of remaining a starter for the entire season.

I'd say third, better than Rosario, Jay and Steele.. Rosario and Jay could argue better starts though i suppose

[jsteve96]

 

Yeah, the Twins have some nice exciting young pitchers down there.  Kudos to the development group.  I know Stewart and Jay were supposed to be studs but Jorge seems to be bouncing back from the disaster season he had a few years ago and Gonsalves was a 4th round pick (although maybe he fell b/c of some character issue? I don't think he was first round talent but maybe 2nd?).  

 

It's also nice to see Luke Bard pitching well after all those injuries.  I hope he gets promoted to AA soon.

He was first round talent actually, then when he was suspended half of his senior year he dropped to 4th. it was a steal