Article: Twins Daily Minor League Report (6/9): Big Day in Chattanooga

[Eric R Pleiss]

The focus of Thursday (and Friday and Saturday) will likely be the MLB Draft, but that doesn't stop the MLB or the minor league seasons from continuing. Kohl Stewart made his second start with the Lookouts. Fair to say it went better than his first, but he got a lot of run support. Find out everything else that happened in the Twins minor league system.Transaction Report: The big move of the day, reported in full by Jeremy Nygaard, was the MLB draft. The Twins selected OF Alex Kirilloff with the 15th overall pick, a toolsy outfielder from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Twins used their next pick, 56th overall, to select catcher Ben Rortvedt, a high schooler from the Badger State. With back-to-back picks at 73 & 74 in the competitive balance round, the Twins selected SS Jose Miranda from Puerto Rico, and OF Akil Baddoo out of Salem High School in Georgia.

 

In lesser news, the Twins signed infielder Christian Ibarra from the independent Lincoln Saltdogs and assigned him to the Cedar Rapids Kernels.

 

Continue reading to find out more detail about Thursday in the Twins farm system:

 

RED WINGS REPORT

Red Wings @ Buffalo Bisons

Box Score

 

The Red Wings were down 4-0 after three innings, used a 3-run fifth to pull within one, and tied things in the top of the eighth at 6-6 before things fell apart in the bottom half of the inning. The Wings committed three errors, one each from James Beresford (3, throwing), Adam Walker (3, throwing), and Logan Schafer (1, fielding).

 

The Red Wings had just six hits on the night (four for extra bases, all doubles), but benefited from seven free base runners via the walk to help score six runs. No Rochester hitter had multiple hits, but Logan Schafer and Kennys Vargas were both 1-4 with a walk, and Vargas added three RBIs. Tommy Field was 0-2 as the DH, but had a pair of walks and scored a run. If you're wondering who Tommy Field is, he's a MiLB veteran who has had a cup of coffee in parts of four different seasons, never making more than 51 plate appearances. He was released by the Detroit Tigers (AAA Toledo) on May 6th, and the Twins (Red Wings) snatched him up a week later on May 14th. He's hitting .195/.250/.366 for Rochester, but owns a .265/.347/.429 AAA slash over five seasons.

 

The Red Wings sent Andrew Albers out for the start, and he gave up 6 runs (4 earned) over 5.2 innings. He struck out 5 and walked no one. He left with a loss hanging over him, but lucked into a no-decision after the Red Wings scored several runs late in the game. Albers was replaced by Nick Greenwood who pitched 1.1 innings of scoreless one-hit baseball in his Red Wings debut. Greenwood made 20 appearances for the St. Louis Cardinals between the 2014 and 2015 seasons, with 19 coming in 2014. Greenwood started 2016 with the independent New Britain Bees before signing a minor league deal with the Twins on May 6th. Greenwood was replaced by Dan Runzier who gave up three earned runs on two hits and a walk before being replaced by Marcus Walden who came into the game with two runners on base, allowing both the score before recording the final out of the eighth inning. The winning run was scored by old friend Alexi Casilla.

Final: Red Wings 6, Bisons 9

 

 

LOOKOUTS LOOK-IN

Jacksonville Suns @ Lookouts

Box Score

 

Great hitting and great pitching both came together for the Lookouts who won a laugher against the Suns. Seven Lookouts hitters had multi-hit nights, led by a pair of 3-5 nights from Leonardo Reginnato and Engelb Vielma. Reginnato had a two-run homer in the fifth, and Vielma had a double and a run scored. Daniel Palka had ANOTHER two-home run game, 2-3 with two home runs, 4 RBI, 2 walks, and three runs scored. Zach Granite, Travis Harrison, and Mitch Garver also added home runs, because apparently everyone was hitting them on Thursday night.

 

Kohl Stewart picked up his first AA victory with six innings of 3-hit baseball. Stewart gave up no runs, no walks, and he struck out five. Corey Williams pitched the seventh and gave up the only run of the night, on two hits. Mason Melotakis sent the Suns down in order in the eighth, including a strikeout. Mike Strong finished the game with a scoreless ninth, giving up a walk and picking up a strikeout.

 

Final: Suns 1, Lookouts 15

 

MIRACLE MATTERS

Fort Myers Miracle @ Brevard County Manatees

Postponed due to rain

 

The Miracle and the Manatees will play a doubleheader on Friday, two seven-inning games. Game one starts at 4:05pm.

 

 

KERNELS KORNER

Kane County Cougars @ Kernels

Box Score

 

The Kernels burned a quality start from Miles Nordgren and a couple of web-gems from J.J. Fernandez and LaMonte Wade, falling two-zip to the Cougars in front of 4,004 fans at Perfect Game Field in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Fernandez robbed the Cougars of a home run, and Wade threw out a runner at home.

 

Nordgren pitched six innings, gave up two hits, two runs (both unearned), walked two and struck out three. Nordgren gave way to Kuo Hua Lo who gave the twins 2.0 innings of 1-hit ball. He struck out two, walked one, and gave up zero runs. Cam Booser pitched the ninth for the Kernels, striking out the side.

 

Four of the five Kernels hits came from the top two hitters in the order, Luis Arraez and Sean Miller. Arraez was 2-4 with a pair of doubles and a pair of strike outs. Miller was 2-4, also with a pair of strike outs. The only other Kernels hit of the night was a double from A.J. Murray.

 

Final: Cougars 2, Kernels 0

 

 

DSL TWINS TAKES

DSL Twins @ DSL Mariners1

Box Score

 

Not much doing in the Dominican for the DSL Twins on Thursday morning, except for a big game from Edgar Herrera who was 3-4 with a double. Herrera has eight hits over the first four games of the year for the DSL Twins, including a pair of 3-4 nights. The DSL Twins received 4.0 innings from both of their pitchers on Thursday. Edwar Colina gave up a hit, three runs (one earned), stuck out five and gave up a home run. Carlos Suniaga picked up the loss with four hits, two runs (both earned) and he struck out four.

 

Final: DSL Twins 3, DSL Mariners1 5

 

 

TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY

 

Hitter of the Day - Daniel Palka - Chattanooga Lookouts

Pitcher of the Day - Kohl Stewart - Chattanooga Lookouts

 

 

FRIDAY'S PROBABLES

 

Toledo Mud Hens @ Rochester (6:05pm) - Buck Farmer vs. Jason Wheeler (4-1, 2.05)

Chattanooga @ Tennessee Smokies (6:05pm) - D.J. Baxendale (5-6, 3.38) vs. Brad Markey

Fort Myers @ Brevard County Manatees (Game 1, 4:05pm) - Keaton Steele (1-5, 4.72) vs. Eric Hanhold

Fort Myers @ Brevard County Manatees (Game 2, 30 minutes after conclusion of Game 1) - Felix Jorge vs. TBD

Cedar Rapids @ Peoria Chiefs (7:00pm) - Cody Stashak (3-3, 2.90) vs. Sandy Alcantara

DSL Mariners1 @ DSL Twins (9:30am)

 

 

Please ask questions and discuss the Thursday games.

 

 

-ERolf

 

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[GMinTraining]

Where has Eddie Rosario been?  Out last three games?

[Taildragger8791]

Where has Eddie Rosario been?  Out last three games?

 

Hopefully studying the Wikipedia page for "strike zone".

[clutterheart]

If I were guy like Trevor Hildenberger or Westphal, I wouldn't be pleased that the Twins seem to have Greenwood on the fast track.  

 

Greenwood hasn't been good, he is hittable and not getting K's.   

[Eric R Pleiss]

 

If I were guy like Trevor Hildenberger or Westphal, I wouldn't be pleased that the Twins seem to have Greenwood on the fast track.  

 

Greenwood hasn't been good, he is hittable and not getting K's.   

I don't know that the Twins have Greenwood on the fast track, he's just a guy that has pitched in the show before, so they're just moving him through the system, taking a closer look.  

[Mike Sixel]

I don't know that the Twins have Greenwood on the fast track, he's just a guy that has pitched in the show before, so they're just moving him through the system, taking a closer look.

Why bother developing RP if you are only going to give shots to washouts? Give the young hard throwers a chance.

[Han Joelo]

Re: Greenwood.  

 

I've been reading John Feinstein's book "Where Nobody Knows Your Name," about minor league baseball, with the focus on AAA.  Great read.  Lots of first hand stories about the guys in the 'agate' type (the transaction section of the paper.)  

 

One great story Feinstein relates is about Bobby Valentine as a young player.  He was brash and arrogant and not liked by his teammates.  The manager, (as legend has it)  Tommy Lasorda gathered the team together.  He told them all to get Valentine's autograph, and then he told them the only reason they had a job was because guys like Valentine needed a team to play on.

 

Moving around the minor (and major) leagues from team to team isn't easy.  There are a lot of crazy travel stories in that book.  Greenwood is mostly an organizational placeholder, doing some dirty work.  The real prospects aren't getting moved randomly because of a sudden hole at Rochester.  

 

Anyway, just my two cents.

[Seth Stohs]

 

I don't know that the Twins have Greenwood on the fast track, he's just a guy that has pitched in the show before, so they're just moving him through the system, taking a closer look.  

 

Correct... he's Organizational Filler whereas Hildenberger has a chance so they're going to move him appropriately.

[Seth Stohs]

 

 

I've been reading John Feinstein's book "Where Nobody Knows Your Name," about minor league baseball, with the focus on AAA.  Great read.  Lots of first hand stories about the guys in the 'agate' type (the transaction section of the paper.)  

 

That is a great book!

[gunnarthor]

Nice to see Stewart have a good start in AA.  

[tytybuckets]

While I am encouraged by the year Kohl Stewart is having the one thing that still underwhelms me is his strikeout numbers. We drafted him with the hopes he'd be a top of the rotation guy who would strike out 9 or more per nine innings. I know he is still working on secondary pitches and that once he grasps them all the number may go up even more. But at this point what do you think his peak will be Seth? Who would be a good comparison to what you think Kohl will be at his highest point?

[gunnarthor]

 

While I am encouraged by the year Kohl Stewart is having the one thing that still underwhelms me is his strikeout numbers. We drafted him with the hopes he'd be a top of the rotation guy who would strike out 9 or more per nine innings. I know he is still working on secondary pitches and that once he grasps them all the number may go up even more. But at this point what do you think his peak will be Seth? Who would be a good comparison to what you think Kohl will be at his highest point?

K-rate isn't the end all, be all.  Roy Halladay, Radke, Webb, etc were all good pitchers without overwhelming strike out totals.  It sounds like Stewart gets a lot of ground balls and his strike outs have increased this year.  That can still be a legit ace type pitcher.

[drivlikejehu]

 

K-rate isn't the end all, be all.  Roy Halladay, Radke, Webb, etc were all good pitchers without overwhelming strike out totals.  It sounds like Stewart gets a lot of ground balls and his strike outs have increased this year.  That can still be a legit ace type pitcher.

 

It's extremely rare for an ace to have a mediocre strikeout rate. As of now there are none in the league. Very low walk rates help reduce the strikeout rate needed for success, but Stewart isn't really that kind of pitcher and probably won't be, at least in the foreseeable future.

 

Stewart's strikeouts have picked up this year, which is certainly a positive sign. But he clearly has a ways to go.

[gunnarthor]

 

It's extremely rare for an ace to have a mediocre strikeout rate. As of now there are none in the league. Very low walk rates help reduce the strikeout rate needed for success, but Stewart isn't really that kind of pitcher and probably won't be, at least in the foreseeable future.

 

Stewart's strikeouts have picked up this year, which is certainly a positive sign. But he clearly has a ways to go.

Might depend on what you mean by mediocre.  The last few years, the league avg krate was around 7.6-7.7 k/9.  Certainly, good pitchers like Dallas Kuechel, José Quintana, Sonny Gray among others have been pretty darn good with krates around league average (as were Radke, Halladay, Webb, etc).