Article: Twins Minor League Report (4/17): All is Wells

[Jeremy Nygaard]

The Twins opened up their series with the defending American League champions, the Cleveland Indians, on Monday night. All of the affiliates, with the exception of Rochester, were also in action.RED WINGS REPORT

Rochester - OFF DAY

 

The Red Wings will kick off a three-game set at Gwinnett on Tuesday night. The starter has not yet been announced. It would appear to be David Hurlbut’s turn in the rotation, but the club could throw Jose Berrios out there on regular rest.

 

CHATTANOOGA CHATTER

Chattanooga 0, Biloxi 5 (6 innings; rain-shortened)

Box Score

 

The clouds opened up and the Lookouts were saved from having to finish Monday’s game.

 

Kohl Stewart gave up three runs (zero earned) in four innings. The unearned runs are somewhat misleading because he did walk four batters. He also threw two wild pitches. Throwing errors by shortstop Nick Gordon and second baseman Engelb Vielma did not help his cause. Randy Rosario gave up two runs on four hits in two innings. Each pitcher struck out a single batter.

 

Nick Gordon picked up two hits to improve his average to .300. Ryan Walker and Jose Gonzalez each singled.

 

The Lookouts drop to 5-6.

 

MIRACLE MATTERS

Fort Myers 2, Florida 1

Box Score

 

Lachlan Wells threw a gem on Monday evening. The offense gave him just enough to win. And the bullpen held on for the save.

 

Wells, who came into the game with a loss despite only allowing one earned run in his previous start, wasn’t going to pick up his second. He struck out eight and only allowed three hits. His ERA dropped to 0.64.

 

Trey Vavra provided all the runs with one swing of the bat, drilling a two-run home run (his first homer) in the seventh inning. Daniel Kihle hit his third double of the season. Chris Paul and Nelson Molina singled.

 

Michael Theofanopoulos picked up his first save of the season. He pitched two innings, striking out three and giving up a solo home run in the ninth inning.

 

The Miracle improves to 4-8 on the season.

 

KERNELS NUGGETS

Cedar Rapids 8, Peoria 2

Box Score

 

There was plenty of offense for the Kernels tonight, led by the two-home run game of centerfielder Aaron Whitefield.

 

Coming straight from the GCL, where he hit .298 with two home runs and 31 stolen bases, Whitefield has flashed surprising power. On Monday night, Whitefield got four hits, including the two home runs and drove in three runs. He also stole a base, his second of the season.

 

Lewin Diaz (first) and Jaylin Davis (second) contributed to the home run parade. Jermaine Palacios, who struggled last year, hit three singles and improved his batting average to .351. He also walked twice to improve his on-base percentage to .400. Mitch Kranson’s two hits drove his average up to .357.

 

In the midst of all that offense, starting pitcher Clark Beeker won’t get mentioned enough. He went 7.2 innings, striking out nine. He gave up two runs on seven hits and a walk. Colton Davis struck out two on his way to securing the final four outs.

 

The Kernels are now 6-5.

 

TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY

Pitcher of the Day – Lachlan Wells, Fort Myers Miracle

Hitter of the Day – Aaron Whitefield, Cedar Rapids Kernels

 

TUESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

Rochester at Gwinnett (6:05 CST) - TBA

Chattanooga vs Biloxi (6:15 CST) - TBA

Fort Myers vs Florida (5:35 CST) - RHP Dereck Rodriguez (0-1, 4.38 ERA)

Cedar Rapids at Peoria (6:30 CST) - RHP Tyler Beardsley (1-0, 1.80 ERA)

 

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

 

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[Bob Sacamento]

Keep watching Wells everyone, he's got a good chance to get to AA this year. Even though he might not light up the radar gun he has great pitchability and knows how to use his stuff.

[D.C Twins]

Anybody seen Stewart pitch (live or video) this year? Any insight? If he continues to add walks to the lack of strike outs....look out below....

[Bob Sacamento]

 

Anybody seen Stewart pitch (live or video) this year? Any insight? If he continues to add walks to the lack of strike outs....look out below....

Video of Kohl Stewart bullpen session 3/11/17

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=or8rEsKUVDU

 

Video of Kohl Stewart bullpen session 3/12/17

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMcDkjb2St8

[Han Joelo]

Sometimes to leap across the gorge, one must first take several steps back to make enough room for a running start.  Perhaps, this is what Stewart is doing.

 

Wells, on the other hand, seems to be using a bullwhip to get across said gorge.

 

Ah well, for every blown high draft pick, maybe there is an Aussie ready to fill the gap.

[FormerMinnasotan]

What is impressive with Lachlan Wells is his command of the strike zone. Sure he is not an overpowering pitcher, but sometimes just having impressive control/command makes up for overpowering "stuff". Hopefully Romero and Stewart get their heads on straight, and hopefully Gonsalves comes back in a big way. Otherwise our hope will be in Berrios, L. Wells, and possibly even Lewis Thorpe.

[clutterheart]

 

What is impressive with Lachlan Wells is his command of the strike zone. Sure he is not an overpowering pitcher, but sometimes just having impressive control/command makes up for overpowering "stuff".

 

For the minors, thats true.  The good thing about Wells is he is young enough that we can hope he gets some more speed on that FB.  Because for most MLB pitchers, if you are under 90 mph consistently you become Tommy Milone.     

[FormerMinnasotan]

For the minors, thats true. The good thing about Wells is he is young enough that we can hope he gets some more speed on that FB. Because for most MLB pitchers, if you are under 90 mph consistently you become Tommy Milone.

I could be wrong, but I think Wells' fastball is normally around 91-93 mph now. I could be wrong about that, but from what I have read Wells has closer to a "healthy" Gonsalves fastball and not a Milone speed fastball.

[Mike Sixel]

Wells is mentioned here (as is Palka):

 

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/instagraphs/daily-prospect-notes-417-and-418/

 

[Taildragger8791]

 

Video of Kohl Stewart bullpen session 3/11/17

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=or8rEsKUVDU

 

Video of Kohl Stewart bullpen session 3/12/17

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMcDkjb2St8

 

That haircut. Woah. You could have told me that thumbnail image was from 1992 and I wouldn't have even questioned it.

 

Looks like he's going for the Ricky 'Wild Thing' Vaughn look.

[Steve Lein]

Wells made it into the Baseball America prospect mentions for his efforts yesterday: 

 

"Lachlan Wells, lhp, Twins. Acuna’s club lost because it was going up against Wells and Co. The slight (5-foot-8, 165 pounds) lefthander dominated the Fire Frogs, blanking them on three hits over seven innings with eight whiffs and no walks. The Australian native isn’t big but has a lightning-quick arm, a sharp curveball and a changeup that can lock up hitters. In 14 innings so far, he’s struck out 17 and walked one."

[Deduno Abides]

Hey P.J. Fleck, want another QB? I know of someone highly regarded who may be considering a career change.

[Seth Stohs]

It's just crazy to me that there are some sites that still have Lachlan Wells listed at 5-8, 160 or whatever. I've been writing for a year that he's like 6-1, 185... He's fun to watch pitch too. 

[FormerMinnasotan]

It's just crazy to me that there are some sites that still have Lachlan Wells listed at 5-8, 160 or whatever. I've been writing for a year that he's like 6-1, 185... He's fun to watch pitch too.

Yeah, I read an interview with Lachlan and he said one of the most annoying things he deals with is still being thought of as only being 5'8" despite actually being 6'1".

[nicksaviking]

 

That haircut. Woah. You could have told me that thumbnail image was from 1992 and I wouldn't have even questioned it.

 

Looks like he's going for the Ricky 'Wild Thing' Vaughn look.

 

Yeah, looks like he's going for the Ricky Vaughn look.

 

Sounds like he's nailing the "Wild Thing" part down.

 

[clutterheart]

 

It's just crazy to me that there are some sites that still have Lachlan Wells listed at 5-8, 160 or whatever. I've been writing for a year that he's like 6-1, 185... He's fun to watch pitch too. 

 

Not some sites.  Virtually every Site (including the Twin's affiliate that he plays for)

 

http://www.milb.com/player/index.jsp?sid=milb&player_id=649143#/career/R/pitching/2017/ALL

http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=sa877857&position=P

http://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=wells-000lac

https://www.baseballamerica.com/statistics/players/cards/5920/spring

 

[Seth Stohs]

 

Not some sites.  Virtually every Site (including the Twin's affiliate that he plays for)

 

http://www.milb.com/player/index.jsp?sid=milb&player_id=649143#/career/R/pitching/2017/ALL

http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=sa877857&position=P

http://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=wells-000lac

https://www.baseballamerica.com/statistics/players/cards/5920/spring

 

Yup and it's just strange that they don't get some sort of update... They normally do grow from when they're 16 to when they're 20!

[Jeremy Nygaard]

 

It's just crazy to me that there are some sites that still have Lachlan Wells listed at 5-8, 160 or whatever. I've been writing for a year that he's like 6-1, 185... He's fun to watch pitch too. 

 

Media guide still lists him at 5-8, 160. I'm sure that's why nearly everywhere undersizes him.

[yarnivek1972]

I'm actually quite relieved to hear that Wells is 6'1". The list of successful MLB pitchers under 5'10" is neither long nor distinguished. I was worried that a body that small would be susceptible to injury because of a lack of leg drive in the delivery.

[Bob Sacamento]

A few pics of Lachlan over the years, he gained most of that height and weight between the 2015 and 2016 seasons, don't know why his bio's haven't been updated

 

Pic from 6/27/2015

 

 

Pic from 3/18/16 (Lachlan Wells, Lewis Thorpe)

 

Pic from 2/17/17 (Lachlan Wells, Juan Gamez, Tyler Wells