Article: Twins Minor League Report (7/12): Gonsalves Strikes Out Season-High

[Cody Christie]

While most of the baseball world was focused on the MLB All-Star Game in San Diego, there was a smattering of minor league games on the docket.

 

Stephen Gonsalves was scheduled to make his fourth start since being promoted to Double-A. He allowed eight runs in his first 8.2 innings with Chattanooga but he bounced back nicely with six shutout frames in his last outing.

 

Which version of Gonsalves would show up on Tuesday night? Read on to find out.CHATTANOOGA CHATTER

Chattanooga 4, Tennessee 0

Box Score

For the second straight start, Stephen Gonsalves pitched six shutout innings. He struck out a season-high 11 batters while scattering four hits and not walking a batter. He had walked 11 batters in his first three appearances with Chattanooga. Gonsalves continues to pile up strikeouts as he has 30 strikeouts in 20.2 innings since being promoted.

 

Jake Reed took over for Gonsalves and kept the shutout alive with two clean frames. He allowed one hit, walked one and struck out one. Trevor Hildenberger closed out the ninth with a perfect inning while striking out two.

 

Levi Michael had a huge night at the plate. The former first-round pick went 3-for-3 with a triple, two RBI and a walk. Shannon Wilkerson reached base four times and scored a pair of runs. Leonardo Reginatto stole his seventh base as part of a multi-hit night at the plate. Mitch Garver was named Twins minor league player of the week after batting .455 last week but he went 0-for-4 tonight.

 

GCL TWINS TAKES

GCL Twins 6, GCL Orioles 4

Box Score

Aaron Whitefield reached base three times including a pair of hits and his fourth stolen base of the season. Ben Rortvedt went 2-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored. Jorge Andrade scored two runs and reached base twice. Overall, the team went 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position while leaving seven runners on base.

 

Tyler Fox started for the E-Twins and made it through three frames. He allowed three runs on five hits with three strikeouts and no walks. Moises Gomez picked up his first victory after pitching three innings and allowing only an unearned run. Clark Beeker earned his first save as he pitched three perfect innings and struck out one.

 

TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY

Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Stephen Gonsalves, Chattanooga Lookouts

Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Levi Michael, Chattanooga Lookouts

 

WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

Chattanooga @ Tennessee (11:05 am CST) - RHP Kohl Stewart (2-4, 4.21 ERA)

Ft. Myers @ Tampa (6:00 CST) - RHP Keaton Steele (4-7, 3.84 ERA)

Cedar Rapids @ Lake County (6:00 CST) - RHP Cody Stashak (5-5, 3.17 ERA)

Elizabethton @ Danville (6:00 CST) - RHP Tyler Beardsley (0-0, 3.00 ERA)

GCL Twins vs. GCL Orioles (11:00 am CST) - TBD

 

Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss Tuesday's games.

 

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[Dman]

Gonsalves!!! What can you say?  I love that guy.  11 K's that is dominating.  I always thought he would be good but he seems to be on his way to great.  

[sane17]

Trevor Hildenberger AA STATS

2-2 W-L;  0.89 ERA; 30.1 IP; 5BB; 33K;  0.69 WHIP

 

Get him to AAA ASAP!

[FormerMinnasotan]

Great start for Gonsalves. Most importantly no walks and now sports a nice 3.49 ERA. I have always liked Gonsalves, but with how he has pitched overall (especially his k numbers since being promoted) I have to think Gonsalves is as legit of a pro prospect as Jose Berrios, Kohl Stewart, and Tyler Jay.

[diehardtwinsfan]

 

Trevor Hildenberger AA STATS

2-2 W-L;  0.89 ERA; 30.1 IP; 5BB; 33K;  0.69 WHIP

 

Get him to AAA ASAP!

 

Yeah, he's been one of the unsung RP guys around here.  Not sure how hard he throws, but he's gotten the results each step of the way. 

[FormerMinnasotan]

I also saw on MLB.com that Stephen Gonsalves was the minors top performer last night. There was a nice write up about his performance last night.http://m.twins.mlb.com/news/article/189469964/stephen-gonsalves-among-top-prospects-tuesday/

[gunnarthor]

Nice start by Gonsalves.  It doesn't mean much but with all the promotions, mlbpipeline updates its top 100 prospects and Gonsalves is now #98.  Of course, that doesn't include recent draftees and it doesn't change the order for those above/below on how they've played but it is still nice to see. 

 

 

[mlhouse]

 

Trevor Hildenberger AA STATS

2-2 W-L;  0.89 ERA; 30.1 IP; 5BB; 33K;  0.69 WHIP

 

Get him to AAA ASAP!

 

 

RIght now is the most important time to get mid-level prospects like Hildenberger up to the big leagues.  He is 25.  He has averaged more than 1 strikeout/inning.  His minor league ERA is under 2.  What more does he have to prove moving up one level at a time.

 

Get him up to the major leagues.  Give him some setup situations.  If he does well in that, give him some save situations.  IF he doesn't do well, keep trying him.  Then move him to long relief.  If he fails at that, then we know he isn't a prospect at all.\

 

Rebuilding baseball teams need to be dynamic in throwing their guys against the wall.  Some of them will stick, and others will crumble.  But keeping them in the minors just makes the rebuild longer, and longer, and longer.  

[SirLoin]

Looking at Jake Reed's last ten outings, he seems to have developed some more consistency.  

[Seth Stohs]

 

Yeah, he's been one of the unsung RP guys around here.  Not sure how hard he throws, but he's gotten the results each step of the way. 

 

I mean, I don't know that he's been 'unsung.' He was twice the Twins Daily minor league RP of the month last year and generally in the top 5. He was our choice for RP of the Year last year which had a story, and he's on the cover of the Prospect Handbook that Jeremy, Cody and I put together. He's got a 5-6 page story in there with lots of quotes about his background, pitching and more. And, he was just named RP of the month in June. So, I don't think he's unsung around here.

 

Also, for a side-winder, he throws pretty hard, hitting 92-94 quite often. He's also got a very good slider that moves the other way. He's got a changeup. He's got confidence in all of his pitches and angles, and he throws a ton of strikes. 

[Mr. Brooks]

I mean, I don't know that he's been 'unsung.' He was twice the Twins Daily minor league RP of the month last year and generally in the top 5. He was our choice for RP of the Year last year which had a story, and he's on the cover of the Prospect Handbook that Jeremy, Cody and I put together. He's got a 5-6 page story in there with lots of quotes about his background, pitching and more. And, he was just named RP of the month in June. So, I don't think he's unsung around here.

 

Also, for a side-winder, he throws pretty hard, hitting 92-94 quite often. He's also got a very good slider that moves the other way. He's got a changeup. He's got confidence in all of his pitches and angles, and he throws a ton of strikes.

How would you compare him to Pat Neshek? Is that about his upside?

[Seth Stohs]

 

How would you compare him to Pat Neshek? Is that about his upside?

 

Very similar. But then again, all side-winding types get compared to just a handful of guys. Hildenberger throws a little bit harder and has more pitches.

[ThejacKmp]

 

Great start for Gonsalves. Most importantly no walks and now sports a nice 3.49 ERA. I have always liked Gonsalves, but with how he has pitched overall (especially his k numbers since being promoted) I have to think Gonsalves is as legit of a pro prospect as Jose Berrios, Kohl Stewart, and Tyler Jay.

 

Coming into the season I would have said he was more legit than Jay and Stewart, trailing only Berrios. Nothing this season has changed that.

 

As much as we worry about Twins pitching in 2017 (rightfully so), a June 2017 rotation of Berrios, Gonsalves, May, Hughes and Gibson might be pretty decent. Enough to be in playoff contention if some of the hitters take a jump. And the next wave of pitching talent (Jay, Stewart, Jorge) would be right behind them.

 

All Star break positivity!

[drivlikejehu]

 

Very similar. But then again, all side-winding types get compared to just a handful of guys. Hildenberger throws a little bit harder and has more pitches.

 

They do have completely different batted ball profiles though; Neshek is an extreme flyball pitcher while Hildenberger gets a ton of grounders. Neshek has benefited overall by keeping HRs allowed within reason while sporting an extremely low BABIP . . . he's been a bit lucky in his career not to allow more XBHs though.

 

Some of that difference might just be approach on the mound, because from a delivery and movement standpoint they are reasonably comparable. It's interesting. 

[FargoFanMan]

If Gonsalves keeps this up does he get a call in September?

[Seth Stohs]

 

If Gonsalves keeps this up does he get a call in September?

 

No.

[Mike Sixel]

 

No.

 

I agree. 

[amjgt]

I mean, if he keeps putting up zeros with 18K/9, then yeah

[FormerMinnasotan]

No.

No, but if Gonsalves keeps this up he should be a September call up next year.

[Mike Sixel]

 

No, but if Gonsalves keeps this up he should be a September call up next year.

 

Or sooner. 

[Seth Stohs]

 

No, but if Gonsalves keeps this up he should be a September call up next year.

 

If he pitches like he has the last two times out, he'll be up by next June. 

[FormerMinnasotan]

If he pitches like he has the last two times out, he'll be up by next June.

I can see where you are coming from. I know one of Gonsalves' strengths is his adaptability pitching wise. It defiantly looks like he has made huge strides improving his pitching arsonal (especially improving his breaking balls).

[nicksaviking]

 

Yeah, he's been one of the unsung RP guys around here.  Not sure how hard he throws, but he's gotten the results each step of the way. 

 

Free Hidenberger!

 

Hmmm, when vocalized that's more of a mouthful than I anticipated.

 

And my co-workers are confused.

[Seth Stohs]

 

Free Hidenberger!

 

Hmmm, when vocalized that's more of a mouthful than I anticipated.

 

And my co-workers are confused.

 

#FreeHildy might be easier.

[Mike Sixel]

 

Free Hidenberger!

 

Hmmm, when vocalized that's more of a mouthful than I anticipated.

 

And my co-workers are confused.

 

There is a Twinsdaily office?

[Vanimal46]

 

There is a Twinsdaily office?

It's an office.... in the cloud! As you can see, even Chief makes appearances in the office. 

[nicksaviking]

 

If he pitches like he has the last two times out, he'll be up by next June. 

 

In a vacuum he would, but this team has a pretty big veteran conundrum to figure out.

 

If someone had told us in February that the team was terrible, Milone would get DFA'd, Hughes would be out for the year and terrible, Nolasco/Gibson/Duffey were healthy and terrible and with ERAs over 5.00, May was still banished to the bullpen, Taylor Rogers was newly banished to the bullpen and Alex Meyer got lost during an African Safari, we'd say no way would Berrios be in Rochester at the All-Star break unless he was clinically dead.

 

These logical expectations don't seem to work out as we'd logically expect them to.

[diehardtwinsfan]

 

I mean, I don't know that he's been 'unsung.' He was twice the Twins Daily minor league RP of the month last year and generally in the top 5. He was our choice for RP of the Year last year which had a story, and he's on the cover of the Prospect Handbook that Jeremy, Cody and I put together. He's got a 5-6 page story in there with lots of quotes about his background, pitching and more. And, he was just named RP of the month in June. So, I don't think he's unsung around here.

 

Also, for a side-winder, he throws pretty hard, hitting 92-94 quite often. He's also got a very good slider that moves the other way. He's got a changeup. He's got confidence in all of his pitches and angles, and he throws a ton of strikes. 

 

I guess I just don't see his name around here that much.  Not really trying to slam anyone by that.  Got to meet in ST with you.  Seems like a nice kid.  I do hope he hits AAA soon. 

[sane17]

 

I mean, I don't know that he's been 'unsung.' He was twice the Twins Daily minor league RP of the month last year and generally in the top 5. He was our choice for RP of the Year last year which had a story, and he's on the cover of the Prospect Handbook that Jeremy, Cody and I put together. He's got a 5-6 page story in there with lots of quotes about his background, pitching and more. And, he was just named RP of the month in June. So, I don't think he's unsung around here.

 

Also, for a side-winder, he throws pretty hard, hitting 92-94 quite often. He's also got a very good slider that moves the other way. He's got a changeup. He's got confidence in all of his pitches and angles, and he throws a ton of strikes. 

With all the Twins Daily awards and the unreal numbers from last season, Hildenberger was the still the SIXTH-RATED TWINS RHRP prospect in BA's Prospect Handbook behind Burdi, Meyer, Chargois, Reed and Landa. That is UN-BLEEPING-SUNG in my estimation. If you aren't a high draft choice or a tool-box, you get no respect. Just like Matt Duffy, Jose Altuve and Rodney Dangerfield!

[Darius]

Gonsalves could replicate last nights game in every outing between now and next June and he wouldn't be called up. We're still talking about the Twins, here.

 

Not saying he should be. But, if they wouldn't give a guy like Berrios a shot last fall, with awful starting pitching and a chance to sneak into the playoffs, what makes anyone they'll bring Gonsalves along any faster?

 

That's just not the Twins style with starting pitching (position players have been a different story as of late....but let's be honest....it was pure desperation to our butts in the seats). They let it age in the minors like they're aging a fine wine. Look back at guys like Santana (different story in the bullpen, but also similar in that they kept him there longer than they should have), Garza, etc.

 

With guys like Gibson and Berrios expected to be in the rotation next year, and Santana, Hughes (who will pitch again eventually), and Nolasco on big contracts, May possibly being moved back into the rotation.....we're not seeing Stewart, Gonsalves, Jay....insert favorite pitching prospect...anytime soon. I don't put any stock in TRs "trade" talk. It's the same story every year on that front.