Article: Twins Minor League Report (4/29): Steele Shines

[Seth Stohs]

It’s hard to believe that April is almost complete and May is nearly upon us. The season is now a little over three weeks old. It was a full schedule in the Twins minor leagues on Friday, including a doubleheader for Rochester. The least talked about member of the Miracle rotation had a terrific outing, while a college reliever-turned starter had another strong game.

Continue reading for much more information on the day in the Twins farm system.TRANSACTIONS

Though it was reported several days ago, the Rochester Red Wings officially announced the Andrew Albers acqisition on Friday. He will pitch on Saturday.

 

Cedar Rapids infielder Manuel Guzman was placed on the disabled list with a strained quad. Nelson Molina was promoted to the Kernels from extended spring training.

 

RED WINGS REPORT

Game 1 - Rochester 4, Scranton/Wilkes Barre 6

Box Score

Last time out, JR Graham bent, but did not break. He entered the game with a four- run lead and gave up three before getting the third out and assuring a Red Wings win. He wasn’t as fortunate on Friday night. He came into the game for the top of the 7th inning, holding a one-run lead. The inning started out with two singles, a wild pitch, a triple and a double. He gave up three runs and took the loss.

 

Pat Dean started and gave up two runs on five hits in five innings. He walked two and struck out five. Marcus Walden gave up a run on three hits in the seventh. Graham gave up three runs on four hits.

 

The Red Wings managed just two hits in the first game. Kennys Vargas hit his first home run of the season. It’s been a struggle for him again this year. He came up to the Twins in 2014 and immediately produced. The Twins gave him ample opportunity at the start of the 2015 season and even a second time before finally sending him down to AA. It proved to be a good move as he found his swing again and carried it back up to AAA.Unfortunately he is again off to a slow start in 2016.

 

Max Kepler went 1-3 with a walk and a double. James Beresford was 0-0 with three walks. Byron Buxton was 0-4 with two strikeouts.

 

Game 2 - Rochester 2, Scranton/Wilkes Barre 10

Box Score

Taylor Rogers got his first start. He threw 63 pitches, so it’s possible he is being extended to rejoin the rotation. Unfortunately, he was able to complete only three innings. He gave up seven runs (two earned) on five hits and a walk. Alex Wimmers came on and worked two innings. He was charged with two runs on one hit, one hit batter and two walks. He struck out three. Dan Runzler then gave up one run on three hits. He struck out two.

 

Darin Mastroianni went 2-3 with his second double. He also stole his sixth base of the year. Max Kepler went 1-3 with a walk and a triple. Byron Buxton went 1-3 with a walk and a strikeout.

 

 

CHATTANOOGA CHATTER

Chattanooga 5, Montgomery 4

Box Score

 

The Lookouts got off to a fast start and the bullpen was barely able to hang on for the win.

 

Mitch Garver led the offense. He went 3-5 with his fourth and fifth doubles. Joe Maloney went 2-3 with a walk. Leonardo Reginnato went 2-4.

 

David Hurlbut started and gave up just one run over the first six innings. He gave up seven hits, walked one and struck out six. Luke Westphal made his AA debut. He gave up one run on two hits in one inning. He also hit a batter and struck out two. Jake Reed gave up one run on three hits in one inning. He walked one and struck out one. JT Chargios got the ninth. He was charged with an unearned run on one hit and one walk. He struck out one.

 

 

MIRACLE MATTERS

Ft. Myers 5, Charlotte 0

Box Score

 

When people talk about the starting rotation in Ft. Myers, they generally refer to The Big Five. Keaton Steele is almost forgotten, an after-thought, but he shouldn’t be. The 6-3, 225 pound right-hander was the team’s eighth-round pick in 2014 out of the University of Missouri. He spent about half of the 2015 season in Cedar Rapids and still opened the season in Ft. Myers.

 

On this night, he was quite good. Over seven shutout innings, he gave up just one hit. He walked three and struck out four to improve to 1-2 with a 2.28 ERA. Raul Fernandez came on and worked the final two innings. He gave up just one hit and struck one out.

 

Logan Wade homered for the first time in 2016. He was 1-3 with a walk. Ryan Walker went 2-4. Nick Gordon added his sixth double.

 

 

KERNELS NUGGETS

Cedar Rapids 4, South Bend 1

Box Score

 

Sam Clay continued his terrific started to the season by ending his April with another strong performance. The left-hander gave up one run on five hits over 5.2 innings. He walked three and struck out four. He now boasts a 0.79 ERA. Kuo Hua Lo came on and got four outs. He gave up one hit and walked two. CK Irby continued his dominant April with two more shutout innings. He walked one and struck out one.

 

LaMonte Wade made his first start in a week. He went 2-4 with his third stolen base in his return from a hamstring strain. JJ Fernandez went 2-4 with his second double. Zander Wiel was also 2-4. Rafael Valera added a walk and his sixth double, while AJ Murray hit his fifth double.

 

TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY

 

Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Keaton Steele, Ft. Myers Miracle

Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Mitch Garver, Chattanooga Lookouts

 

 

SATURDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

 

Scranton/Wilkes Barre @ Rochester (12:35 CST) - LHP Andrew Albers)

Montgomery @ Chattanooga (6:15 CST) - RHP Aaron Slegers

Ft. Myers @ Charlotte (5:05 CST) – RHP Felix Jorge

South Bend @Cedar Rapids (4:05 CST) –RHP Dereck Rodriguez

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

 

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[diehardtwinsfan]

Lamont Wade is starting to look like a steal.  Hope keeps it up.

[bluechipper]

Another really disappointing start to a season by Jake Reed. He's been great everywhere he's pitched, besides in AA.

[bluechipper]

Also, I was hoping Jermaine Palacios would just come in and tear up Low-A as a 19 year old, but that hasn't happened yet, as he's hitting just .186.

 

The good news is that he still isn't striking out much, as he's only got 10 strikeouts in 79 PA, to go along with 7 walks. Hopefully some of those hits start falling in and he gets going soon.

[jokin]

 

Also, I was hoping Jermaine Palacios would just come in and tear up Low-A as a 19 year old, but that hasn't happened yet, as he's hitting just .186.

 

The good news is that he still isn't striking out much, as he's only got 10 strikeouts in 79 PA, to go along with 7 walks. Hopefully some of those hits start falling in and he gets going soon.

 

Different guys react differently on their first time ever playing in cold weather. For example, his buddy, and fellow Venezuelan, Luis Arraez, has hit the ground running in A ball. As you note, his underlying numbers offer some hope. Once the weather starts hitting 80 degrees with regularity, look for Palacios' BABIP to normalize up from his current .213 back towards .375 or so- and overall end up with a  pretty solid batting line by season's end.

[jokin]

 

 

Lamont Wade is starting to look like a steal.  Hope keeps it up.

 

If he can prove to be good enough to play major league level CF, he might be a perfect fit as a regularly playing 4th OFer in a very crowded and talented Twins outfield in a couple more years. Two levels this year and he kills it in AA next year and he could be a legit candidate to be with the Twins by 2018.

 

As an alternative, and assuming he keeps up his current production rate, how much interest would he draw as a sweetener to some bigger major league deal?

[diehardtwinsfan]

 

If he can prove to be good enough to play major league level CF, he might be a perfect fit as a regularly playing 4th OFer in a very crowded and talented Twins outfield in a couple more years. Two levels this year and he kills it in AA next year and he could be a legit candidate to be with the Twins by 2018.

 

As an alternative, and assuming he keeps up his current production rate, how much interest would he draw as a sweetener to some bigger major league deal?

 

I'd think he'd need to shoot up the chain a bit before he has any real value, though I'm not sure I'd toss him in as a sweetener (unless of course the coaches simply think he won't make it)...  But he's doing everything you want a college guy to do to the low minors.  If he's raking in AA next year, then perhaps he is worth trading, though not needing to be on the 40 man for another two years, they can take the time figuring it out.