Article: 2017 Minnesota Twins Roster Projections - The Starting Pitchers

[Seth Stohs]

We have projected all of the hitters in the Minnesota Twins organization over the last couple of weeks. Today we dive into what could very possibly be the most important part of any baseball team. The bullpen is important, but it can be helped by starters being good and giving six and seven innings consistently. The hitters obviously have to score runs, but the starting pitchers have to give the offense a chance.

 

There are plenty of questions as it relates to starting pitching with the Twins, as you would expect. There are some veterans who will get a shot, but there are also some high-end, talented pitchers who will likely get an opportunity in 2017 as well.

 

If you missed any of the previous articles, you can find them here: Catchers, Middle Infielders, Corner Infielders, Outfielders.So let’s get to it. At the end, discuss your thoughts on the Twins starting pitcher roster projections.

 

Minnesota Twins - Ervin Santana (34), Hector Santiago (29), Kyle Gibson (29), Phil Hughes (30), Jose Berrios (21), (Trevor May (27), Tyler Duffey (26), Ryan Vogelsong (39), Justin Haley (25))

 

Ervin Santana may not be an “Ace” but he’s been a very solid MLB pitcher for most of the past decade. 2016 was one of his better seasons. Beyond Santana, the Twins are going to have to hope for improvements and a return to past success.

 

While most aren’t terribly excited about Hector Santiago’s outlook, due to his walks and home runs allowed, the hope should be that he can get back to a sub-3.75 ERA. It isn’t an unattainable number for Santiago. It’s something he had done for four straight seasons before 2016. Kyle Gibson was the Twins Pitcher of the Year in 2015 when he posted a 3.84 ERA. Last year, he missed six-plus weeks due to shoulder issues and struggled the remainder of the season to find success. Phil Hughes is now two full seasons separated from his historic (K/BB rate) 2014 season. He also had thoracic outlet syndrome surgery last summer and hopes to return healthy in 2017.

 

After that, it will be very interesting to see how things play out. Obviously any setbacks with the aforementioned starters would open up a second rotation spot. In my opinion, if Jose Berrios reports to spring training and shows much improved fastball command, he will be in the big leagues. Trevor May will report to spring training with an opportunity to start again. If he and Berrios pitch well in spring, there may have to be another transaction.

 

Of course, at least a couple of others will be given a shot at a rotation spot. Tyler Duffey has certainly shown flashes but with a two-pitch mix, he may be best suited for the bullpen. Justin Haley will likely get some starter innings in spring while competing for a long relief position. Ryan Vogelsong is likely in the same boat, competing as a starter and for a long relief job. Others you’ll see below.

 

 

Rochester Red Wings - Jason Wheeler (26), Adalberto Mejia (23), Aaron Slegers (24), Nick Tepesch (28), David Hurlbut(27), Drew Rucinski (28), Nick Greenwood (29), Yohan Pino (33)

 

Adalberto Mejia is the one pitcher on this list who is on the Twins 40-man roster. He came to the Twins in the Eduardo Nunez trade last summer. At various times in his career, he’s been considered a prospect. He could be a back-of-the-rotation guy in time. Jason Wheeler and David Hurlbut are pretty similar pitchers, southpaws who rely on fastball command and decent secondary stuff. Both have been in the Twins system since 2011. Nick Greenwood fits the same mold, though he came to the organization mid-season last year from the independent leagues. He had pitched for the Cardinals in 2014 and 2015.

 

The Nick Tepesch and Ryan Vogelsong signings were announced on the same day. Vogelsong is nearly 40 but his representatives like to say that his arm didn’t get used as much early so it’s still strong. Tepesch debuted with the Rangers and spent a couple of years with them, though he missed all of 2015 and most of 2016 with injury. A college teammate of Kyle Gibson, if he returns to form, he too can be a back of rotation guy. Drew Rucinski spent last year with the Cubs AAA team in the PCL. He spent some time with the Angels big league club in 2014 and 2015.

 

 

Chattanooga Lookouts - Stephen Gonsalves (22), Felix Jorge (23), Tyler Jay (22), Kohl Stewart (22), Randy Rosario (22), Keaton Steele (25)

 

Last year, the big story early in the year was the starting rotation of the Ft. Myers Miracle. That group should all start the season in Chattanooga in 2017 as well. All but Steele ended their season in Chattanooga. Stephen Gonsalves emerged as arguably the Twins top starting pitching prospect with his strong 2016 season which was actually even better once he moved up to the Lookouts. He was the Twins' and Twins Daily’s Starting Pitcher of the Year in 2016. Adding a slider to his pitch mix helped him increase those strikeout numbers. Kohl Stewart began the season by repeating in Ft. Myers, where he increased his strikeout rate. When he moved up to AA, the K-rate completely dropped again, so he should spend the full 2017 season with the Lookouts.

 

Felix Jorge remained remarkably consistent. Some observers contend he was the best of the group in Ft. Myers, and it would be hard to argue. He struggled in his first couple of starts in Chattanooga, but after that he again became an aggressive innings-eater. He was added to the Twins 40-man roster in November. Tyler Jay had expected ups and downs in his first full pro season and in the transition to starting pitcher. In six starts between May 4 and June 8, he posted a 0.70 ERA in 38.1 innings. In that stretch, he showed why there were a lot of teams interested in him as a starter. He has a four-pitch mix, but finding a consistency with them will be key. Or, he could move to the bullpen and dominate.

 

Randy Rosario got through his first full season after Tommy John surgery healthy. He had moments with the Miracle, though the strikeout numbers were down. He throws mid-to-high 90s, left-handed, so he remains very intriguing. Keaton Steele was the veteran of the rotation in Ft. Myers. He put up pedestrian overall numbers though he came on stronger in the season’s second half.

 

 

Ft. Myers Miracle - Fernando Romero (22), Cody Stashak (22), Dereck Rodriguez (24), Randy LeBlanc (24), Henry Centeno (22), Lewis Thorpe (21)

 

Fernando Romero missed two seasons due to Tommy John surgery and a 2015 knee surgery. He returned in early May to the Kernels, but his stay was short there because he dominated. He moved up to the Miracle and continued to rack up impressive numbers before being shut down late. He is another very strong candidate for Twins top pitching prospect.

 

Randy LeBlanc had a terrific 2016 season. For the first time, he was a full-time starter. He began the season by going 6-2 with a 0.74 ERA in Cedar Rapids. He posted a 4.70 ERA in Ft. Myers, but he then posted ten scoreless innings in Chattanooga to end the season. Cody Stashak went 8-5 with a 3.16 ERA in Cedar Rapids. At the end of the season, he moved up to Ft. Myers and gave up just one run in 16.2 innings over three starts.

 

Dereck Rodriguez started the season in Cedar Rapids and really struggled, but he figured things out and was promoted to Ft. Myers where he continued to pitch well. It’s been an interesting offseason for the right-hander. He carried some momentum into the Puerto Rican Winter League where he pitched very well out of the bullpen. He carried that success onto the Puerto Rico WBC roster.

 

The Twins signed Henry Centeno as a minor league free agent out of the Rays organization. Still just 22, he went 5-1 with a 1.34 ERA in nine outings (six starts) in the Midwest League. He moved up to the Florida State League and went 3-3 with a 2.72 ERA. In 93 innings, he walked 29 and struck out 83.

 

Lewis Thorpe has missed the last two seasons after Tommy John surgery. He hopes to get back on the mound in 2017. Since he’s missed so much time, they may choose to ease him back in, maybe some EST or maybe out of the bullpen. Hopefully by the end of the year, he’ll be making quality starts.

 

 

Cedar Rapids Kernels - Lachlan Wells (19), Eduardo Del Rosario (21), Tyler Wells (22), Miguel DeJesus (21), Tyler Beardsley (22), Ryan Mason (22), Brady Anderson (24), Sean Poppen (22)

 

Lachlan Wells came up to the Kernels in late June and was lights out. The Australian southpaw went 6-4 with a 1.77 ERA in 12 starts as a 19-year-old. He was recently named to Australia’s WBC team. Eduardo Del Rosario came up a month earlier. After some early struggles, he came on pretty solidly at the end of the season. He went 6-2 with a 3.67 ERA in 16 starts. Miguel DeJesus split 2016 between the GCL and Elizabethton. The right-hander throws hard, up to mid-90s, but he’ll need to work on secondary stuff.

 

Tyler Beardsley and Sean Poppen are 2016 draft picks who each pitched a handful of games with the Kernels. Tyler Wells was also drafted last year. After a slow start in Elizabethton, he pitched very well late including seven scoreless innings of one-hit, 14-strikeout ball. It was followed by six shutout innings and two hits. He was in Cedar Rapids for their playoff run, though not on the roster. Ryan Mason was also drafted last season and pitched in Elizabethton. Brady Anderson wasn’t drafted last year out of Florida Gulf Coast, but he pitched so well in the GCL (2-0, 0.98 ERA in 27.2 innings) that he jumped up to the Kernels rotation and pitched well there too (3-1, 2.62 ERA, 34.1 innings).

 

 

Extended Spring Training - Huascar Ynoa (18), Brusdar Graterol (18), Jordan Balazovic (18), Jovani Moran (19), Taylor Clemensia (19), Jose Martinez (20), Matt Jones (18), Bo Hellquist (22), Tyler Fox (23), Tyler Benninghoff (DL - 19)

 

It seems a little funny to say, but it’s OK to be excited about the starting pitchers in this EST group. Huascar Ynoa and Brusdar Graterol have the talent and potential to be Top 10 Twins prospects at this time next year. Ynoa is the younger brother of White Sox reliever Michael Ynoa. He’s young, but he has really good stuff besides a fastball that’s 92-95. Speaking of fastballs, Graterol has a huge one. In Instructs, he was sitting 95-97 and touched 100 a couple of times. He has just a dozen or so innings pitched in the DSL before he had mid-season 2015 Tommy John surgery, but he has immense upside.

 

Jordan Balazovicisn’t too far behind those two when it comes to potential. The 2016 draft pick from the suburbs of Toronto was very impressive in his debut, and reports say that he was even more impressive in Instructs. Moran was drafted in 2015, but he missed the 2016 season after having some bone chips removed from his elbow. The Puerto Rican has some good stuff from the left side. Another lefty, Taylor Clemensia, is from The Netherlands. A great athlete, he played a lot of outfield in his amateur days. He’s got good stuff on the mound, but he’s still very raw. Martinez struggled last year in Elizabethton, so expect him to head back there. Jones signed late last year after being drafted out of Canada. He’ll likely go back to the GCL. Tyler Benninghoff was drafted in the 11th round last year and immediately had Tommy John surgery. He will most likely miss the entire 2017 season.

 

Bo Hellquist and Tyler Fox were non-drafted free agents signed after the draft. Hellquist pitched at Minnesota-Duluth, and Fox was one of the best pitchers at Nebraska-Omaha. They could compete for spots in Cedar Rapids or spend time in extended spring.

 

 

Top Prospects

1.) Stephen Gonsalves

2.) Fernando Romero

3.) Tyler Jay

4.) Felix Jorge

5.) Adalberto Mejia

6.) Kohl Stewart

7.) Huascar Ynoa

8.) Lachlan Wells

9.) Brusdar Graterol

10.) Lewis Thorpe

 

 

So, there are a lot of questions to discuss in this segment. Of course, it all starts with the big league rotation. Who will be the five there? After meeting expectations in Ft. Myers last year, how will the guys who start in Chattanooga do in 2017? Can Fernando Romero take the next step and become a true ace? How many of these guys could we see in 2017? (Gonsalves? Romero? Jay? Jorge? Mejia?) Which starters will come out of nowhere and become prospects a year from now?

 

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[IndianaTwin]

After the day off after opening day, the Twins play 21 games in 22 days. Rather than making a big deal out of who gets the No. 5 spot, I'd say plan toward a 6-man rotation of Santana, Santiago, Gibson, Hughes, May, Berrios,* with the assumption that one will be hurt by April 26, resulting in a five-man rotation by when the off days start to appear. Pitchers getting hurt is just what happens.

 

Then, keep with whichever five are healthy and start to feed in the others as needed (or when ineptitude sets in). We're going to start at least 10 guys by the end of the year.

 

Does Vogelsong have an opt out in his contract? If so, he'd need to be included if he's pitching well in spring training, a possibility that shouldn't be discounted. 

Edited February 14, 2017 by IndianaTwin

[roger]

Seth, what about the kid taken in the 11th round last year. I know he had TJ surgery. Expect he won't be back on the mound until summer or even Instructs. Any news on him?

 

Also, what has Thorpe been doing this winter. Had he pitched in Australia?

[Seth Stohs]

 

Seth, what about the kid taken in the 11th round last year. I know he had TJ surgery. Expect he won't be back on the mound until summer or even Instructs. Any news on him?

Also, what has Thorpe been doing this winter. Had he pitched in Australia?

 

Tyler Benninghoff... I just added him. He's likely to miss the full year, though maybe he can get into a couple of late games in the GCL. 

 

Thorpe has been in Ft. Myers. I saw he was throwing off the mound just yesterday. He did not pitch in Australia this winter. 

[HitInAPinch]

I really hope May and Berrios have a great Spring Training.  That Rochester Red Wings pitching staff doesn't seem all that 'awe inspiring'.  Or am I seeing this incorrectly:  expected SP help from MiLB is around 2 years away?

[Seth Stohs]

 

I really hope May and Berrios have a great Spring Training.  That Rochester Red Wings pitching staff doesn't seem all that 'awe inspiring'.  Or am I seeing this incorrectly:  expected SP help from MiLB is around 2 years away?

 

Mejia is a fairly decent prospect at AAA.

 

And yes, the group of Gonsalves, Stewart, Jay, Jorge, Romero will likely be ready in 2018, though we could see a couple of them in 2017.

[Thrylos]

I think that a lot of it depends on how Hughes is and whether or not he can pitch competitive by the end of Spring Training.

There is no way I see Berrios starting the season in the majors.  He is behind May, Vogelsong, Haley, Santiago, Mejia (and maybe even Duffey whom the FO might give another chance as a starter, since they have adopted a wait and see approach) in the depth chart, plus he chose to miss at least a month of Spring Training (along with Santiago, which puts both behind the 8 ball a bit.)

 

If Hughes is healthy, I see the Twins rotation as Santana, Hughes, Gibson, May, Vogelson/Haley with the one who does not make it follow Santiago in the pen as long/swing men.  

 

Mejia, Berrios in AAA with the one who is pitching better getting the call up if necessary.

 

Too much congestion in AAA again.  I suspect that about half of those guys listed, if still with the team after ST, will pitch in the Rochester pen...

 

Starting pitching is an organizational glaring weakness.  Only 3 players with top of the rotation stuff, two of whom might end in the pen (Jay and Romero) and the third is so far away and raw that nobody knows how he will end up (Graterol).  Everyone else, including Berrios after last season, mid to rear of the rotation in a competitive team ceiling.   The Twins really have to address this..

 

[FormerMinnasotan]

At the least I would hope Romero starts in AA at the beginning of the season and forces Rosario and Steele to the 'pen in Chattanooga since he already dominated A+ ball. Then if you start Romero in Chattanooga then at the least he will end his season in Rochester if not get a shot whether in relief or a start or two in the Bigs next year (not likely but well there is a chance). Starting Romero in Ft Myers almost guarantees he might not even reach Rochester this year even though he should be there by year's end.

[Thrylos]

 

At the least I would hope Romero starts in AA at the beginning of the season and forces Rosario and Steele to the 'pen in Chattanooga since he already dominated A+ ball. Then if you start Romero in Chattanooga then at the least he will end his season in Rochester if not get a shot whether in relief or a start or two in the Bigs next year (not likely but well there is a chance). Starting Romero in Ft Myers almost guarantees he might not even reach Rochester this year even though he should be there by year's end.

 

 

Here is the problem with Romero:  The most innings he pitched in a season was last season and it was 90-1/3.  The second most was in 2013 and it was 45.   To consider him close to big leagues he needs to get close to 150 innings.   And he will not get there in 2017.  Too big of a jump.  Maybe he will get to 120 innings or so, depending on health, but they will keep a watch on his arm.

 

Very similar situation with Jay who he only pitched 83-2/3 innings last season.  Do not expect these guys in the majors, as starters, any time soon.

[Clear Lake Twinsfan]

What about Sam Clay?  He pitched OK with Cedar Rapids at the start of last year but then struggled when he was promoted to Fort Myers.

[Willihammer]

Not a bad system for SP IMO. The talent won't all stick but looks like we're in for a steady feed over the next 2-3 years at least, which is more than we could say about the last decade or so.

[Steve Lein]

I have zero interest in seeing Gonsalves back at AA, and Romero in Fort Myers to start the year. If that's where they're starting them, I hope they move quick. 

 

It will be good to see Lewis Thorpe throwing again!

 

Besides that, I'm really interested in seeing the difference between the Falvey and Ryan regimes in how they handle pitching promotions and advancement through the system. 

 

 

 

 

[Seth Stohs]

 

Here is the problem with Romero:  The most innings he pitched in a season was last season and it was 90-1/3.  The second most was in 2013 and it was 45.   To consider him close to big leagues he needs to get close to 150 innings.   And he will not get there in 2017.  Too big of a jump.  Maybe he will get to 120 innings or so, depending on health, but they will keep a watch on his arm.

 

Very similar situation with Jay who he only pitched 83-2/3 innings last season.  Do not expect these guys in the majors, as starters, any time soon.

 

Correct... though they also count the innings that Romero threw in Extended Spring Training, which was likely around another 25-30. He also threw some in Instructs, maybe 10-15? Either way, I agree. I do think he could be a late season bullpen option for the Twins, and I think he'll move up to Chattanooga fairly quickly. I think he could end the year in Rochester. 

[Seth Stohs]

 

What about Sam Clay?  He pitched OK with Cedar Rapids at the start of last year but then struggled when he was promoted to Fort Myers.

 

His name is on my relief pitcher list. Maybe should have mentioned him here, but I think he'll be a bullpen guy fairly soon. 

[mikelink45]

Since the Twins pitching stinks I thought I would take a look at a really good staff - the Mets, they list seven pitchers competing for the starting rotation - ages Snydergaard 24, De Grom 28, Harvey 27, Matz 25, Gsellman 23, Lugo 27, Wheeler 26.  I look at the Twins and I see Ervin Santana (34), Hector Santiago (29), Kyle Gibson (29), Phil Hughes (30), Jose Berrios (21), (Trevor May (27), Tyler Duffey (26), Ryan Vogelsong (39), Justin Haley (25))

 

Mets average age 25 for the seven

Twins average age 28.8 for the nine

 

If we were good this would not be a problem, but for the long run it is.  Why we would even sign Vogelsong even if he is our best pitcher is beyond me.  We need youth, we need a future.  I am not happy, even if the projections are correct, with a .500 team.  I want a team that will compete for the top.

 

Our AAA team Jason Wheeler (26), Adalberto Mejia (23), Aaron Slegers (24), Nick Tepesch (28), David Hurlbut(27), Drew Rucinski (28), Nick Greenwood (29), Yohan Pino (33) averages 27+

 

Starting in AA we are looking like we should.  Years ago when Puckett, Hrbek and others were here the Twins were promoting from AA and saying that was there style.  It looks like that needs to be the same thing now.   Only one of your top 10 is in AAA and if you were to include the MLB team in your top 10, who would be there?

[Linus]

Not a bad system for SP IMO. The talent won't all stick but looks like we're in for a steady feed over the next 2-3 years at least, which is more than we could say about the last decade or so.

I admire your optimism but don't share it. I think the starting pitching in this organization is poor from top to bottom. I actually am worried that the Era of Buxton and sanos controlled years is going to be wasted trying to find pitching

[Seth Stohs]

 

Since the Twins pitching stinks I thought I would take a look at a really good staff - the Mets, they list seven pitchers competing for the starting rotation - ages Snydergaard 24, De Grom 28, Harvey 27, Matz 25, Gsellman 23, Lugo 27, Wheeler 26.  I look at the Twins and I see Ervin Santana (34), Hector Santiago (29), Kyle Gibson (29), Phil Hughes (30), Jose Berrios (21), (Trevor May (27), Tyler Duffey (26), Ryan Vogelsong (39), Justin Haley (25))

 

Mets average age 25 for the seven

Twins average age 28.8 for the nine

 

If we were good this would not be a problem, but for the long run it is.  Why we would even sign Vogelsong even if he is our best pitcher is beyond me.  We need youth, we need a future.  I am not happy, even if the projections are correct, with a .500 team.  I want a team that will compete for the top.

 

Our AAA team Jason Wheeler (26), Adalberto Mejia (23), Aaron Slegers (24), Nick Tepesch (28), David Hurlbut(27), Drew Rucinski (28), Nick Greenwood (29), Yohan Pino (33) averages 27+

 

Starting in AA we are looking like we should.  Years ago when Puckett, Hrbek and others were here the Twins were promoting from AA and saying that was there style.  It looks like that needs to be the same thing now.   Only one of your top 10 is in AAA and if you were to include the MLB team in your top 10, who would be there?

 

 

To be fair... the last two years, when the Mets pitching was good too, they had a 40-42 year old Bartolo Colon which would throw off the numbers. 

 

I get what you're saying though. 

[Taildragger8791]

 

I admire your optimism but don't share it. I think the starting pitching in this organization is poor from top to bottom. I actually am worried that the Era of Buxton and sanos controlled years is going to be wasted trying to find pitching

 

I don't know if I'd call the pipeline "poor" but it's certainly not above average either, yet. The fact that we have some names to talk about seriously is a big upgrade from where we were the last several years, but I think we also forgot that's how it's supposed to be. Teams are supposed to have a steady trickle of MLB-quality talent. Otherwise you end up with 90+ loss seasons on the regular.

 

But to get even a top-10 rotation out of this system it'll take a couple of lottery hits, big trades, or top free agent signings (if there's even any available). I like that we at least have a couple of lotto tickets for a change, which provides some optimism. This pipeline could look a lot better at the end of the season if they start to pan out. I just hope the front office has contingency plans for the next couple of years if they don't.

[Halsey Hall]

Berrios threw off the mound today, his first day in camp. He had people oohing and ahhing with his breaking ball. He looks almost ready to go. 

Edited February 14, 2017 by Halsey Hall

[gocgo]

 

After the day off after opening day, the Twins play 21 games in 22 days. Rather than making a big deal out of who gets the No. 5 spot, I'd say plan toward a 6-man rotation of Santana, Santiago, Gibson, Hughes, May, Berrios,* with the assumption that one will be hurt by April 26, resulting in a five-man rotation by when the off days start to appear. Pitchers getting hurt is just what happens.

 

Then, keep with whichever five are healthy and start to feed in the others as needed (or when ineptitude sets in). We're going to start at least 10 guys by the end of the year.

 

Does Vogelsong have an opt out in his contract? If so, he'd need to be included if he's pitching well in spring training, a possibility that shouldn't be discounted. 

Pitchers do get hurt...sometimes in spring training.  We may not even have 6 guys to throw to start the year.  Not trying to be negative, it's just reality.

[beckmt]

Gonsalves looks high on your list and Thrope looks way low. Outside of that we are knitpicking

[puckstopper1]

 

Since the Twins pitching stinks I thought I would take a look at a really good staff - the Mets, they list seven pitchers competing for the starting rotation - ages Snydergaard 24, De Grom 28, Harvey 27, Matz 25, Gsellman 23, Lugo 27, Wheeler 26.  I look at the Twins and I see Ervin Santana (34), Hector Santiago (29), Kyle Gibson (29), Phil Hughes (30), Jose Berrios (21), (Trevor May (27), Tyler Duffey (26), Ryan Vogelsong (39), Justin Haley (25))

 

Mets average age 25 for the seven

Twins average age 28.8 for the nine

 

If we were good this would not be a problem, but for the long run it is.  Why we would even sign Vogelsong even if he is our best pitcher is beyond me.  We need youth, we need a future.  I am not happy, even if the projections are correct, with a .500 team.  I want a team that will compete for the top.

 

Our AAA team Jason Wheeler (26), Adalberto Mejia (23), Aaron Slegers (24), Nick Tepesch (28), David Hurlbut(27), Drew Rucinski (28), Nick Greenwood (29), Yohan Pino (33) averages 27+

 

Starting in AA we are looking like we should.  Years ago when Puckett, Hrbek and others were here the Twins were promoting from AA and saying that was there style.  It looks like that needs to be the same thing now.   Only one of your top 10 is in AAA and if you were to include the MLB team in your top 10, who would be there?

Here is hoping that the 2018/19 Twins rotation looks like the 2015 Mets rotation. ;-)

[ThejacKmp]

I had such a big crush on Lewis Thorpe two years ago. Hopefully this is the part of the rom com where he storms back into my life, fulfilling all of my wildest dreams and dirtiest thoughts.

 

A boy can dream.

[DocBauer]

While they are years awat, there are some young arms in the low minors that should bear watching with excitement over the next few years, and I include Thorpe on that list due to injury and illness. But I think he is clearly a guy who could be a fast riser.

 

Obviously, Mejia at AAA and Romero at Ft Myers, for now, along with the collection at AA is where immediate attention and hope reside. We can complain all we want to that no "expert" opinion has any of these guys as a top of the rotation option, though Romero could be. But with any young pitcher with talent, it's just so hard to truly predict what they will yet become. Even on reaching the majors and throwing well, a lot of future ACE and top starters still take a year or two or more to become that guy. I have a lot of excitement to see what these guys, and Berrios, accomplish this season.

 

Unfortunately, I also see fodder at AAA and think a few of these guys will not be in the organization for lkng. I get that you need to fill out the Rochester staff and you might get lucky with someone who gives you depth and a lift when injuries hit. But it is my sincere hope May and Berrios will be in the rotation for the majority, if not the entire, season. They need the time and development opportunity going forward.

[Steve Lein]

 

I had such a big crush on Lewis Thorpe two years ago. Hopefully this is the part of the rom com where he storms back into my life, fulfilling all of my wildest dreams and dirtiest thoughts.

 

A boy can dream.

 

Me too : http://twinsdaily.com/_/minnesota-twins-news/minnesota-twins-minor-leagues/color-me-and-joe-mauer-impressed-r2962

[goulik]

Im hoping that a lot of names disappear off this list at AAA and MLB by mid season as AA guys push up and push others out. We can hope some names like Santiago, Santana, and Hughes do so well that we can trade them for more upside depth in the system as well. I believe our hopes and prayers rest with the ability of Falvey/Lavine to change our system so that our pitchers develop for a change.

[HitInAPinch]

Take heart, Twins Fans!  3/5ths of the 1987 Twins starting rotation consisted of :

 

Les Straker

Mike Smithson

Joe Niekro

 

I don't want to see Berrios in AAA again.  And I don't want to see him in the Twins rotation, either.  Put him in the bullpen where Allen can work with him and get him acclimated to the MLB.

[Halsey Hall]

I would start Berrios and leave him in the rotation all year.

[Vanimal46]

 

I had such a big crush on Lewis Thorpe two years ago. Hopefully this is the part of the rom com where he storms back into my life, fulfilling all of my wildest dreams and dirtiest thoughts.

 

A boy can dream.

Anyone else hearing Peter Gabriel's "In Your Eyes" playing in the background??

Oh hey, it's Lewis Thorpe outside your bedroom window! 

http://www.poorandpretty.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Say-Anything.jpg

[nicksaviking]

There seems to be far too many veterans at the AAA and MLB level. With the last front office, we could be extremely confident that the pecking order was almost always based on age then experience. I really hope that's not the case anymore. I'd really hate to think that guys like Hughes, Santiago, Vogelsong, Tepesch, Greenwood, Rucinski and Pino are going to get the first looks instead of the young guys at their respective levels.

 

I really hope the first thing every pitcher over 26 was told yesterday when they reported was that they better be prepared to head to the pen and there better not be any grousing or campaigning to start if the younger arms are looking good to go.