Article: Twins Minor League Report (8/8): Ibarra, Arraez Headline Monday

[Jeremy Nygaard]

The Twins open a seven-game homestand and the big news of the day in the organization on Monday was that Max Kepler and Joe Mauer were named American League co-Players of the Week.

 

Though two affiliates didn’t play Monday, there was still plenty of action and moves. Per Jeff Johnson, Christian Ibarra (pictured) was promoted to Fort Myers along with Manuel Guzman. Travis Blankenhorn and Brandon Lopez will join the Kernels from Elizabethton.RED WINGS REPORT

Rochester - OFF DAY

 

Trevor Plouffe’s rehab has ended and Byron Buxton’s return to AAA begins… tomorrow (we think) when the Red Wings open a series in Syracuse.

 

CHATTANOOGA CHATTER

Chattanooga 0, Jacksonville 2

Box Score

 

The Lookouts failed to get a hit with a runner in scoring position (0-for-4) and got shut out for the second time this month.

 

David Hurlbut gave up two runs (one earned) in 6.2 innings. He allowed six hits and a walk. He only struck out one. He was charged with the loss and is now 7-7. Alan Busenitz made his second scoreless appearance for his new club. He still hasn’t struck anyone out. Mason Melotakis struck out two in a perfect frame.

 

Offensively, Chattanooga spread out five singles and a Ryan Walker double, his ninth. Corcino added a walk to his single to be the only other hitter to reach safely twice.

 

The Lookouts fall to 58-56.

 

MIRACLE MATTERS

Fort Myers vs St. Lucis - POSTPONED, RAIN

 

Hammond Stadium’s field was unplayable Monday night, forcing the series opener between the Miracle and the St. Lucie Mets to be postponed until Tuesday. The teams will be play two seven-innings games beginning at 4 p.m. CST.

 

KERNELS NUGGETS

Cedar Rapids 8, Peoria 4

Box Score

 

The duo of Christian Ibarra and Luis Arraez (pictured above) combined for seven hits, two doubles, a walk, three runs and five RBIs. Jaylin Davis doubled twice and stole a base, Rainis Silva drove in two runs on two hits and Nelson Molina added another RBI in his two-hit game.

 

Sam Gibbons lasted six inning and picked up a win, his sixth. He only allowed three hits, but issued four free passes and two unearned runs scored. He struck out one and was aided by the ground ball, getting two double plays.

 

Logan Lombana gave up two runs in two innings and Tom Hackimer allowed a hit in the final frame.

 

The Kernels are 61-52

 

E-TOWN E-NOTES

Elizabethton 4, Danville 3 (Game 1; 12 innings)

Box Score

 

There’s nothing like planning to play fourteen innings over two games… and then turning one of those seven-inning games into a 12-inning affair.

 

That’s exactly what happened in the front end of Monday’s doubleheader.

 

It took (only) three hours and sixteen minutes before a Shane Carrier walk-off single ended it.

 

Carrier, Alex Kirilloff and Trey Cabbage had two-hit games. The whole offense totaled only nine hits. Cabbage had the only extra-base hit (a double). Kirilloff is batting .361

 

Jose Martinez gave up three runs in 5.2 innings. He struck out and walked one. Patrick McGuff allowed two hits and a walk in three scoreless innings. McGuff has made 13 relief appearances over two levels and allowed only one earned run in his 20 innings. His has an impressive K/9 of 13.5.

 

Austin Tribby pitched the final 3.1 innings, holding Danville scoreless (and only surrendering one hit) while striking out seven. It was, by far, Tribby’s best professional outing.

 

Elizabethton 1, Danville 3 (Game 2)

Box Score

 

Three late-inning runs - fueled by misplays in the field - led to an E-town defeat.

 

Miguel De Jesus was a hard-luck loser, giving up only three hits and two walks in six innings. Two runs came across against him, but only one was earned. De Jesus struck out three. After walking the leadoff batter in the seventh inning, De Jesus was replaced by Hector Lujan, who committed an error allowing the winning run to score.

 

Travis Blankenhorn had two hits and an RBI in his final E-town game. Lewin Diaz also had two hits, including a triple, and is now batting .314.

 

Brandon Lopez had a hit and a walk and will likely complete his career at E-town with a .337 average. He did commit his sixth error of the year.

 

Entering the day at .500 and splitting, see the E-Twins exit the day still at .500: 22-22.

 

GCL TWINS TAKES

GCL Twins 4, GCL Orioles 0

Box Score

 

The story of this team is three-fold: Huascar Ynoa, Aaron Whitefield and newly-signed Justin Hazard.

 

Ynoa picked up a win on Monday, improving to only 2-4, but he’s pitched much better than his record indicates. In this outing, Ynoa pitched five innings, allowing only four hits. He struck out two. In his stateside debut season, Ynoa has an ERA of 2.17, a K/9 over 9.0 (38 strikeouts in 37.1 innings), a WHIP barely over 1.00 (31 hits, eight walks) and he hasn’t allowed a home run all season.

 

Whitefield, an Aussie who made his brief debut in the GCL last season, continues to tear up the league. Adding two more hits on Monday, Whitefield has increased his batting average to .321. He stole two bases and now has 22 on the season… in 29 games. Defensively, he’s played all three outfield positions as well as first base.

 

Hazard has played in only nine games, but his two hits bring his season total up to 13 (which is seventh on the team). You have to wonder how long the 22-year-old will stay in the GCL.

 

In other news, Gorge Munez tripled and Roni Tapia hit his third home run. Tapia is batting .093, with only four hits. It’s fairly difficult to have 75% of your hits be home runs and barely have a slugging percentage above .300.

 

Zach Strecker picked up a three-inning save and the GCL Twins improve to 20-18.

 

TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY

 

Pitcher of the Day – Huascar Ynoa, GCL Twins

Hitter of the Day – Luis Arraez, Cedar Rapids

 

TUESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

 

Rochester at Syracuse (5:35 CST) - LHP Pat Dean (5-6, 5.08)

Chattanooga vs Jacksonville (6:15 CST) - RHP Felix Jorge (0-2, 5.98 ERA)

Fort Myers vs St. Lucie (4:00 CST) - RHP Keaton Steele (5-9, 4.21 ERA)

Fort Myers vs St. Lucie (Game 2) - TBD

Cedar Rapids vs Peoria (6:35 CST) - RHP Brady Anderson (0-0, 5.40 ERA)

Elizabethton vs Danville (6:00 CST) - RHP Tyler Wells (1-2, 5.87 ERA)

GCL Twins at GCL Orioles (11:00AM CST) - TBD

 

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

 

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[nyazbeck]

Why Guzman instead of arraez

[goulik]

I also wonder why not Arraez but that is great for Guzman. He began the year on the DL and now has earned that promotion. Great news for Guzman! My guess would be Arraez is still so young vs league and he must have some defensive issues to work out. CR with Jake Mauer is a great place to be to work them out.

[goulik]

Looking at their defensive stats does not support my previous comment and both of them have played primarily 2nd though Guzman is listed as a SS and Arraez is 2nd base.

Guzman is 21

Arraez is 19

[Seth Stohs]

 

Why Guzman instead of arraez

 

Guzman was sent down to Elizabethton. 

[Seth Stohs]

There are several factors for why Arraez is still in Cedar Rapids. He is a terrific contact hitter, no question about that. He can foul off a lot of pitches, but he can still control the strike zone better. He can clearly work on his defense as well. He DHs a lot while he works on his defense pregames a lot of days. 

 

I know people hate hearing it, but the Kernels are in a playoff race. The Miracle aren't. Is there much to be gained by Arraez moving up to Ft. Myers? He's going to start and likely spend the whole 2017 year with the Miracle. Playing in a playoff race has value too. Adding Blankenhorn and Lopez certainly helps that charge too.

 

There are certainly other factors involved too, I'm sure. I tend to trust Jake Mauer's player evaluation at that level. 

[Seth Stohs]

Chattanooga Lookouts announce that Mitch Garver and Leonardo Reginnato hve been promoted to Rochester. 

[John Kelsey]

 

Chattanooga Lookouts announce that Mitch Garver and Leonardo Reginnato hve been promoted to Rochester. 

 

Woo! Great news for Garver. 

[Mike Sixel]

 

Chattanooga Lookouts announce that Mitch Garver and Leonardo Reginnato hve been promoted to Rochester. 

 

whoa. So, he'll be in MN in 3-4 weeks? wow. (clearly a guess, but I think it is true).

 

Congrats to both.

[Seth Stohs]

Darin Mastroianni and Buck Britton released by the Red Wings/Twins. Marcus Walden to the DL.

 

TJ White up to Chattanooga.

 

Heiker Meneses off the DL and sent to Chattanooga.

 

Brad Hartong back to Ft. Myers. 

 

LaMonte Wade to the FM DL.

 

 

[Seth Stohs]

 

whoa. So, he'll be in MN in 3-4 weeks? wow. (clearly a guess, but I think it is true).

 

Congrats to both.

 

I think he'll be a September call up and be up with the big league club on September 6, unless the Red Wings make the playoffs. 

[Mike Sixel]

 

Darin Mastroianni and Buck Britton released by the Red Wings/Twins. Marcus Walden to the DL.

 

TJ White up to Chattanooga.

 

Brad Hartong back to Ft. Myers. 

 

LaMonte Wade to the FM DL.

 

anything major with Wade?

 

And, thanks for all the updates!

[Seth Stohs]

 

anything major with Wade?

 

And, thanks for all the updates!

 

Hand contusion... ... 

[Tom Froemming]

 

Chattanooga Lookouts announce that Mitch Garver and Leonardo Reginnato hve been promoted to Rochester. 

I hope he sees plenty of playing time behind the plate. Do you know why Stuart Turner has gotten more reps at catcher than Garver in Double A this year? Has Garver been banged up?

[Seth Stohs]

 

I hope he sees plenty of playing time behind the plate. Do you know why Stuart Turner has gotten more reps at catcher than Garver in Double A this year? Has Garver been banged up?

 

So that Garver can play pretty much every day. He catches, plays 1B and DH, and if he caught more, he'd probably have to get his bat out of the lineup more often.

[ashbury]

Darin Mastroianni and Buck Britton released by the Red Wings/Twins.

Sorry in particular to see Mastro go. Seems like a good guy. My first Adopt-A-Prospect lad at TD. Marginal bat when all's said and done, so it had to happen.

 

I enjoyed a catch he made in Pawtucket a few weeks ago. Third out of the inning, and he was enjoying some praise from Walker as he approached their dugout. I was close enough to yell "nice route, Mastro", and he looked up and nodded acknowledgement. The little pleasures. Unlike the published anecdote from 2012 Spring Training, about keeping the 360's in CF to a minimum, he got on his horse and made a bee line for where the ball was headed to the left-CF warning track. Very good route indeed. He has some chops out there.