Article: Twins Minor League Report (7/30): Wiel Wields Big Bat

[Seth Stohs]

The Twins and White Sox went to extra innings for the second straight game. Unfortunately in that game, the Twins fell by one. The minor league affiliates had a full day with all six affiliates playing. There were a lot of top prospects who had big games, but the big news of the night came very late. It appears that Jose Berrios was told that he is heading up to Minnesota and will start on Monday. (Discuss here)

 

Stephen Gonsalves and Fernando Romero were back on the mound on Saturday. Could Cody Stashak keep the Kernels long streak intact? Another day, another nice performance from top pick Alex Kirilloff. And one of July’s top performers had another big game.Continue on to learn more about the scores and highlights from the Twins affiliates on Saturday.

 

 

RED WINGS REPORT

Rochester 0, Lehigh Valley 3

Box Score

 

Nick Greenwood made the start for the Red Wings, and he was quite good. He gave up three runs in the 2nd inning, but that was about it. In 7.1 innings, he gave up the three runs on seven hits and three walks. He struck out one. Sean Burnett got the final five outs, allowing just one hit.

 

The offense did little, however. They accumulated just four hits. Reynaldo Rodriguez went 2-3 with his fourth double.

 

 

CHATTANOOGA CHATTER

Chattanooga 9, Tennessee 1

Box Score

 

Gonsalves was coming off a start with some mixed results, but on this night he was terrific. The left-hander gave up just one run on four hits over six innings. He walked two and struck out eight. He improves to 4-1 with a 2.79 ERA with the Lookouts. Ryan Eades struck out three over two scoreless innings. Tyler Jay came out of the pen for a perfect ninth which included a strikeout.

 

The Lookouts bats supported Gonsalves well too. Stuart Turner led the way. He went 2-3 with a walk and his 13th and 14th doubles. Engelb Vielma went 2-4. Zach Granite went 2-5 with two RBIs. He also stole his 36th bag of the season. Mitch Garver went 1-3 with two walks.

 

 

 

MIRACLE MATTERS

Ft. Myers 2, Clearwater 3

Box Score

 

Weather affected this game in Ft. Myers. Through three innings, Fernando Romero was pitching very well. The hard-throwing right-hander had given up three hits, but no runs. He had walked none and struck out two. And then the weather came and the game was in a rain delay for 2 hours and 23 minutes. When they returned, Romero was done and lefty Luke Westphal replaced him. Westphall gave up two runs on one hit and three walks. But Luke Bard came in and calmed things down. Bard went the next three innings and kept the score at 2-2. He gave up just two hits and struck out two. Todd Van Steensel came on and gave up one run in the 8th inning on one hit and two walks. He did strike out two. Brian Gilbert gave up just one hit in a scoreless ninth.

 

Nick Gordon gave the Miracle a 2-0 lead in the third inning with a two-run single. However, the Miracle were unable to bunch any more hits together the rest of the game. They had seven hits, but no more runs. Trey Vavra added his 17th double.

 

 

KERNELS NUGGETS

Cedar Rapids 6, Kane County 1

Box Score

 

Zander Wiel has been incredible the last month, and this was another big night for the slugger from Vanderbilt. He went 2-4 with his 24th double, his 11th home run and four RBI. Christian Cavaness went 2-4. Nelson Molina added his 11th double.

 

Kernels pitchers had thrown two straight shutouts before this game. Their starter, Cody Stashak, threw five scoreless innings to extend that streak to 23 innings. He gave up four hits, walked three and struck out one. Andrew Vasquez came in and gave up one run on one hit over his two innings. He walked two and struck out one. Max Cordy worked the final two innings without allowing a run. He walked one and struck out one.

 

 

E-TWINS E-NOTES

Elizabethton 6, Bristol 3

Box Score

 

The offense came through for the Twins in this game. Top pick Alex Kirilloff went 3-4 and drove in a run. He is now hitting .372. Amaurys Minier went 2-3 with a walk and his third and fourth doubles. Trey Cabbage went 2-4 with his first triple. Shane Carrier added his third home run. Also of note, Twins second-round pick, catcher Ben Rortvedt made his Appalachian League debut on Saturday night. He went 0-4 and played behind the plate.

 

Sean Poppen made the start. He gave up three runs (two earned) on four hits, a hit batter and three walks in 4.1 innings. He struck out six. Quin Grogan hit one batter, but that was it, in his 1.2 innings. Alex Robinson struck out five over two scoreless, hitless innings, though he walked one. Colton Davis recorded his fifth save with a perfect ninth inning.

 

GCL TWINS TAKES

GCL Twins 9, GCL Red Sox 0

Box Score

 

The Twins headed down Daniels Parkway to take on the Red Sox at Fenway South for a 10 am (eastern time) game to close out their week. Maybe the best news of the day was that outfielder Tanner English - who was named the organization’s minor league outfielder of the year in 2015 - played in his first rehab game. He went 1-2 with a walk and a three-run homer. He also ran down a ball in deep center field to help his pitcher.

 

Aaron Whitefield had another strong game. He went 3-5 with his 18th stolen base. He also hit his first professional home run, a three-run blast. Dane Hutcheon went 2-3 with a walk. Justin Hazard went 2-5 with his first double. Zach Featherstone went 2-5 with his first double (note - that duplication was not a mistake). Jose Miranda hit his fifth double.

 

Tyler Fox, a non-drafted free agent from Nebraska-Omaha, won his first game. He went seven shutout innings and gave up one hit. He walked one and struck out four. Matz Schutte struck out two in a perfect inning. Callan Pearce gave up one hit but struck out two in a scoreless ninth inning.

 

 

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 – Zander Wiel, Cedar Rapids Kernels

 

 

SUNDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

 

Lehigh Valley @ Rochester (12:35 CST) - LHP Andrew Albers

Chattanooga @ Mobile (5:05 CST) - RHP Aaron Slegers

Clearwater @ Ft. Myers (3:05 CST) - RHP Miles Nordgren

Cedar Rapids @ Burlington (2:00 CST) – LHP Lachlan Wells

Bristol @ Elizabethton (5:00 CST) - TBD

GCL Twins - No Game Scheduled

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

 

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[Pitz]

Interesting to see Rortvedt get promoted as his results haven't been there as of yet.

 

Nice to see Whitefield show a bit of pop. He's been tearing it up on the basepaths. Would like to see him and Kirilloff each get a taste of the next respective level this year.

 

Also, Amaurys Minier has displayed some good plate discipline drawing 12 walks in his last 10 games. He's got a strong OPS despite a low batting average.

.235/.369/.494/.863

[twinssouth]

Good to see Vielma at ss, had a good game. Wouldn't surprise me he moves up to Rochester soon.

[Han Joelo]

Just noticed Greenwood was a part of the three team trade that involved Kluber, Ludwick, Westbrook, and others.

[diehardtwinsfan]

Kirilloff is going to be making a top 100 case if he keeps hitting like this. Wonder when he sees Cedar Rapids. Wood bat transition clearly isn't a problem here.

[FargoFanMan]

Jay came out of the pen??? Is this an innings limit thing? If so then why this early?

[nytwinsfan]

 

Jay came out of the pen??? Is this an innings limit thing? If so then why this early?

Yes it has been reported that it is an innings limit. He was a reliever in college and they are going to slowly increase his innings to a full season of starting over a couple of years, as they well should.

[Seth Stohs]

 

Kirilloff is going to be making a top 100 case if he keeps hitting like this. Wonder when he sees Cedar Rapids. Wood bat transition clearly isn't a problem here.

 

There's a decent chance he goes to Cedar Rapids when the E-Town season is complete. I'd think Diaz, Minier and Blankenhorn (plus maybe a couple of pitchers) also possible.

[Seth Stohs]

 

Jay came out of the pen??? Is this an innings limit thing? If so then why this early?

 

This is his 3rd appearance out of the bullpen now. That was the plan all along. They had him start until he reached a certain number of innings and then would finish the year in the bullpen. 

[DocBauer]

Gonsalves at AA:

 

4-1 .279 ERA 38.2IP 28 hits 22BB 47SO .204BA against 1.29WHIP

 

I hate to put the cart before the horse, but if he maintains this through August, are we talking AAA to start 2017?

[FormerMinnasotan]

Gonsalves at AA: 4-1 .279 ERA 38.2IP 28 hits 22BB 47SO .204BA against 1.29WHIPI hate to put the cart before the horse, but if he maintains this through August, are we talking AAA to start 2017?

If he is more consistent with better control I'd think it would have to be a real possibility. Gonsalves doesn't seem to be struggling terribly like other prospects do when they transition from A+ ball to AA ball. Plus it looks like Fernando Romero might be ready to start in AA next year. So Romero can take Gonsalves' vacated rotation spot in Chattanooga. Just my opinion.

[nyazbeck]

I'm down in ft Myers and I overheard the manager say Romero is getting shut down soon due to innings limit

[Bob Sacamento]

 

I'm down in ft Myers and I overheard the manager say Romero is getting shut down soon due to innings limit

That is highly possible but I guarantee Fernando is going to fight that HARD, just as he had pushed them to start him at CR rather than EXST to start the year.  He had been saying since March that he was ready to pitch a full season, and his velo wasn't disagreeing hitting 98 repeatedly in ST.  He's not a fan of being treated with kid gloves but one has to understand it's for his own benefit later.

[Bob Sacamento]

Little videos of the GCL Twins in action:

 

Tyler Fox 86-89mph FB, 74-77 BB:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PETkwN_vc4

 

Newest GCL Twin Catcher Justin Hazard:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwdSJdvP-Gg

 

Akil Baddoo making a diving headfirst catch in RF:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrCrw1YR3oU