Article: Twins Minor League Report (6/26)): Appalachian League Slugfest

[Steve Lein]

Five of the Twins affiliates were in action on Sunday, as the post-draft minor league seasons get into full swing with the rookie leagues added to the slate.

 

One of those rookie league teams continued their early season roll with a slugfest against their arch rival. Trevor May joined Miguel Sano at AAA in a rehab assignment with Rochester. Chattanooga got eight strong innings from their starting pitcher and another home run from a guy who keeps being showcased in these reports. Cedar Rapids used timely hitting and pitching luck to win against the Twins former Midwest League affiliate.

 

Read on to find out how it all went down on Sunday in the minor leagues!RED WINGS REPORT

Louisville 7, Rochester 4

Box Score

 

The Louisville Bats jumped on Rochester starter Jason Wheeler in the first inning, taking a 2-0 lead before Rochester’s bats even got a chance, with two doubles and a single in the opening frame.

 

The Red Wings got one back in the bottom of the inning, when Jorge Polanco hit his sixth triple to drive in James Beresford, who had led off with a walk. Wheeler settled in after that, putting zeros on the board in the second third and fourth innings.

 

Rochester took the lead in the bottom of the fourth, when Adam Walker doubled in Eddie Rosario and Kennys Vargas, who had walked (!) and doubled respectively, to make it 3-2.

 

Wheeler surrendered a solo home run in the fifth to tie it at three, but would finish six innings and the quality start. He allowed the three runs on seven hits and one walk, while striking out four, and did not factor into the game’s decision.

 

Trevor May made his first appearance of his rehab assignment in the seventh, and it didn’t go as well as he would have hoped. He hit the first batter he faced, gave up a single, and threw a wild pitch around a strikeout and ground ball to give the Bats the lead, and saddle himself with the loss. Ryan O’Rourke came on with a runner on third, and struck out the only batter he faced.

 

David Martinez was next up for the eighth inning but ran into trouble of his own. Before the inning was done, three more runs had scored for Louisville and it was Nick Greenwood on the mound. Greenwood allowed one inherited runner to score, but finished the game with 1.1 innings, including a strikeout.

 

Rochester got one run back in the bottom of the eighth on a Kennys Vargas solo home run to make it 7-4, and in the bottom of the ninth Buck Britton and Beresford were on base with Miguel Sano at the plate, but he grounded into a double play to end the game.

 

The loss is the Red Wings third in a row, and places them in a three-way tie for the International League North Division lead, with Lehigh Valley and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre at 45-32.

 

Vargas finished the day 2-4 with two runs scored, a double, home run and RBI to lead the Rochester offense. Walker, Britton, and John Ryan Murphy all added a double to the effort.

 

CHATTANOOGA CHATTER

Jackson 2, Chattanooga 6

Box Score

 

Chattanooga took an early 3-0 lead in this one, as D.J. Hicks knocked his fifth home run of the season in the bottom of the first inning. It scored Zach Granite, who led off with single, and Travis Harrison who had walked.

 

The Generals would get one of those back in the second inning, as Lookouts starter Aaron Slegers gave up a home run to make it 3-1, but that’s all the Generals would get against him on the day

 

Slegers would go on to finish eight innings and pick up his sixth win. He allowed just the one run on five hits and one walk, while striking out six.

 

Chattanooga added three more runs in the bottom of the seventh, as Stuart Turner led off with a double, and scored on a single from Engelb Vielma before Daniel Palka stepped in the batter’s box. As expected, he hit his Southern League-leading nineteenth home run of year to make 6-1 in favor of the home team.

 

Omar Bencomo came on for the ninth inning, and allowed one run on two hits to yield the final score. He struck out one.

 

Vielma (2-4, R, RBI) and Turner (2-4, R, 2B) collected multiple hits for Chattanooga.

 

MIRACLE MATTERS

Bradenton @ Fort Myers – Suspended (Rain)

Box score

 

The Miracle’s game with Bradenton was brought to halt in the fourth inning on Sunday, as rain came through the Gulf Coast. Fort Myers holds a 4-0 lead thanks to home runs from Edgar Corcino, Niko Goodrum, and T.J. White to this point. Randy Rosario made the start and pitched four innings, allowing no runs on three hits and one walk. He struck out four.

 

The game will be completed on July 7^th as part of a double-header with the Marauders.

 

KERNELS NUGGETS

Beloit 1, Cedar Rapids 4

Box Score

 

The Kernels were outhit ten to seven in this one, but got the timely hits while their pitching staff held the Snappers hitless with runners in scoring position (0-11) on the game.

 

Starter Lachlan Wells pitched into the sixth inning and picked up the win in his first start with the Kernels. He was replaced by Anthony McIver and with one out and runners on first and second. McIver induced an inning ending double play to keep Cedar Rapids in front 3-0.

 

They scored two of those runs in the third inning after a single from Jermain Palacios led off the inning., Brad Hartong followed and reached on an error, and the first run of the game scored on a Sean Miller groundout. Luis Arreaz, drove in Hartong with a single of his own to make it 2-0, and in the fourth J.J. Fernandez drove in a run with his fifteenth double of the year.

 

Arreaz added another RBI single in the seventh and finished his day 4-4 with two RBI.

 

McIver stayed on for the seventh and eighth innings, and allowed one run on three hits and a walk. He struck out one.

 

Kuo Hua Lo came on for the ninth, and worked a one-two-three inning for his second save with the Kernels.

 

E-TWINS E-NOTES

Elizabethton 13, Johnson City 12

Box Score

 

The name of the game was offense in this one, as the teams combined for twenty-five runs on twenty-seven hits, six walks, and six errors between them.

 

Ariel Montesino of the Twins went 5-6 out of the leadoff spot. He scored twice and drove in one, and has two or more hits in all three games he has played thus far. Jaylin Davis was 3-4 with a home run, two RBIs, a walk and four runs scored. Lewin Diaz hit a double and a triple, drove in two, and scored three runs. Mitchell Kranson was 2-5 with a double, two RBIs, and a run scored. The only hitters in the lineup who did not reach base were Travis Blankenhorn and Amaurys Minier.

 

Ryan Mason made the start for the Twins and lasted just three innings. He gave up six runs on six hits and a walk, while striking out four.

 

2016 sixth round draft pick, Alex Schick made his professional debut next. He allowed four runs on four hits and a walk in one inning.

 

Hector Lujan pitched the next 3.1 innings, including two that were scoreless to pick up the win. He allowed two runs on two hits while striking out four. Colton Davis got the final five outs, striking out two on the way to his second save.

 

Elizabethton improves to 4-0 on the season.

 

GCL TWINS TAKES

 

The GCL Twins enjoyed the afternoon off on Sunday. They get back to action tomorrow morning against the GCL Orioles.

 

TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY

 

Pitcher of the Day – Aaron Slegers, Chattanooga Lookouts (W, 8.0IP, 1 ER, 5 H’s, 1 BB, 6 K’s)

Hitter of the Day – Jaylin Davis, Elizabethton Twins (3-4, 4 R’s, HR, 2 RBI, BB)

 

MONDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

 

Pawtucket @ Rochester (6:05PM CST) – LHP Pat Dean (1-4, 4.07 ERA)

Jackson @ Chattanooga (6:15PM CST) – RHP Kohl Stewart (1-2, 4.82 ERA)

Fort Myers @ Bradenton (5:30PM CST) – TBD

Cedar Rapids@ Quad Cities (7:00PM CST) – RHP Dereck Rodriguez (1-8, 6.71 ERA)

Elizabethton @ Johnson City (6:00PM CST) – RHP Sean Poppen (0-0, -.—ERA)

GCL Twins @ GCL Orioles (11:00AM CST) – TBD

 

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

 

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[twinssouth]

Vielma is having a good year. Considered one of the best defensive ss's in the minors, now his bat has started to come around, 300 plus BA for some time. A little guy, singles hitter, gets on base.

[Eric R Pleiss]

 

Vielma is having a good year. Considered one of the best defensive ss's in the minors, now his bat has started to come around, 300 plus BA for some time. A little guy, singles hitter, gets on base.

We need more Engelbs.

[Cody Christie]

 

We need more Engelbs.

I blame your parents for not naming you Engelb

[Vanimal46]

Vargas has been quietly heating up the last week. SSS alert, but he's hitting .300/.417/.800 with 3 HRs and 5 RBI the last 7 days. I wouldn't mind seeing what he can do on the MLB club since Park has continued his struggles. 

[Seth Stohs]

 

Vielma is having a good year. Considered one of the best defensive ss's in the minors, now his bat has started to come around, 300 plus BA for some time. A little guy, singles hitter, gets on base.

 

He's a guy that, just watching in spring training and in Cedar Rapids the year he was there, just looks the part of future MLB shortstop. He's like 6-1 and thin, but he's got a really nice swing and a good approach at the plate. We have to accept that he isn't going to hit for power. He just isn't, but he's got the other tools. 

[nater79a]

Does anyone know where Jovani Moran is? The pitcher from the Puerto Rican Academy that was drafted in '15? Didn't see him on either of the short-season rosters.

 

BTW, is extended spring traing technically over now? Or are there kids still in Fort Myers that haven't been assigned to GCL or E-Town yet?

[Seth Stohs]

 

Does anyone know where Jovani Moran is? The pitcher from the Puerto Rican Academy that was drafted in '15? Didn't see him on either of the short-season rosters.

BTW, is extended spring traing technically over now? Or are there kids still in Fort Myers that haven't been assigned to GCL or E-Town yet?

 

He had elbow surgery about a month ago to remove some bone spurs in his elbow. 

 

Extended Spring Training is over, yes. Anyone who is not on a short-season roster could be there rehabbing, but it's not Extended Spring. 

[AZTwin]

 

He's a guy that, just watching in spring training and in Cedar Rapids the year he was there, just looks the part of future MLB shortstop. He's like 6-1 and thin, but he's got a really nice swing and a good approach at the plate. We have to accept that he isn't going to hit for power. He just isn't, but he's got the other tools. 

It's nice having Dozier but I'm a firm believer that he is a stop-gap type talent.   And whoever we put at SS is the same way.  We have a lot of nice pieces in the minor leagues in MIF between Gordon, Vielma, Polanco, Arraez and further out Wander Javier.

Cant speak for the rest but everything I've seen points in the positive direction for both Gordon and Vielma.  Both seem like very humble kids that will put in the work to reach their dream.   Polanco seems ready, and honestly would probably be a better fit for the team than Dozier is.  I really hope we can unload Dozier at the trade deadline (though I said that last year when he was considered an all-star)

[Mike Sixel]

I admit to liking Vielma's upside less than I should have in the past. Looking forward to his continued progress!

Edited June 27, 2016 by Mike Sixel

[Seth Stohs]

 

It's nice having Dozier but I'm a firm believer that he is a stop-gap type talent.   And whoever we put at SS is the same way.  We have a lot of nice pieces in the minor leagues in MIF between Gordon, Vielma, Polanco, Arraez and further out Wander Javier.

Cant speak for the rest but everything I've seen points in the positive direction for both Gordon and Vielma.  Both seem like very humble kids that will put in the work to reach their dream.   Polanco seems ready, and honestly would probably be a better fit for the team than Dozier is.  I really hope we can unload Dozier at the trade deadline (though I said that last year when he was considered an all-star)

 

I struggle with that first point. Dozier is arguably their best player. Crazy streaky, but productive non-the-less. I don't like easily getting rid of those types of players, especially since he's locked in for 3 more years at fair rates. 

 

Polanco, he might be as good as Dozier overall someday. Maybe. I'd rather throw him at short and hope.

[FormerMinnasotan]

Nice debut in Ceder Rapids for Lachlan Wells. 5 1/3 ip 0 runs 0 walks and 3 k's. Is there much upside to him? From what I have heard his height (5'8" I think is what he is listed) might limit his potential. But at 19 do you all think he might be better than a bottom of a rotation starter?

Edited June 28, 2016 by FormerMinnasotan

[Badsmerf]

I admit to liking Vielma's upside less than I should have in the past. Looking forward to his continued progress!

Don't feel bad, I'm still very skeptical about his future.

[ashbury]

One of those rookie league teams continued their early season roll with a slugfest

Slugfest. Yum. I always look forward to that week at Red Lobster.

 

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