Twins in the 2017 Arizona Fall League

[Seth Stohs]

AFL rosters for 2017 were announced this afternoon. The Twins prospects will play for Surprise. Unfortunately, only four players from the Twins organization were announced:

 

RHP Tom Hackimer

LHP Tyler Jay

OF LaMonte Wade

IF Chris Paul

 

 

Paul missed 2+ months with a broken hamate. Jay missed most of the season. 

 

Now, teams will typically have 6-7 players in the AFL. My assumption is the Twins will add 2-3 more players. Players have to be healthy to play there. A guy like Kohl Stewart could be added if he is cleared before then. Also, I would guess innings limits could factor in. For instance, Zack Littell could be a candidate, but he's already around 150 innings. The Lookouts are going to the playoffs, but if they got done with the playoffs and he was at 158 (to make up a number) and they hoped to get him to 175, this would be a great way to do that. But if the Lookouts get all the way through the playoffs, and he's made three more starts and is already at 165 innings, they likely would send someone else, maybe a Cody Stashak who has missed time this year on the DL. Will be interesting to follow. 

[nater79a]

Can a team wait till after the playoffs to name a player (i.e Littell)?  Could be talking mid-Sept or later.  Seems like the Arizona squads would like to know who's coming fairly soon.  

[Tom Froemming]

I was hoping Chris Paul would get the chance to play down there. He's having a very strong season for the Miracle. He'd be third in the FSL in OPS if he had enough at bats to qualify (.853 OPS in 229 ABs).

[nater79a]

Gotta be Rooker, right?   Little AFL action, some seasoning (and about 22 bombs) early at Chattanooga, and then straight to the Twins around mid-season or a tad later.  Sounds like a plan.

[Seth Stohs]

 

Can a team wait till after the playoffs to name a player (i.e Littell)?  Could be talking mid-Sept or later.  Seems like the Arizona squads would like to know who's coming fairly soon.  

 

Last year, the Twins left one TBD spot on the roster. The Lookouts lost out on a playoff spot, and the next day, they announced Gonsalves was going to the Fall League. 

[Mike Sixel]

Jay? Wow, so they think he's healthy. That's good.

[clutterheart]

MLB.com says the twins will add two more pitchers and an outfielder.

 

It would be cool if they went deep into their system and got an exception for a younger prospect or two.  

[clutterheart]

 

Gotta be Rooker, right?   Little AFL action, some seasoning (and about 22 bombs) early at Chattanooga, and then straight to the Twins around mid-season or a tad later.  Sounds like a plan.

 

Rooker has been playing baseball since February.  If I were him, I'd want a break

[TRex]

 

MLB.com says the twins will add two more pitchers and an outfielder.

 

It would be cool if they went deep into their system and got an exception for a younger prospect or two.  

La Velle says two P and an infielder:

Righthander Tom Hackimer, infielder Chris Paul and outfielder Lamonte Wade have been named to the team with Jay. The Twins have to send two more pitchers and an infielder, but haven’t yet decided on those players.

[Rosterman]

Waiting to see workload with playoff potential. Most guys who go to the AFL are 40-man ads, if not this year, next year for sure. Rooker, if he stays in the minors all next season, will go to the Fall league in 2018.

 

[Mike Sixel]

 

Waiting to see workload with playoff potential. Most guys who go to the AFL are 40-man ads, if not this year, next year for sure. Rooker, if he stays in the minors all next season, will go to the Fall league in 2018.

 

agreed.

[Bob Sacamento]

Nice to see Hackimer getting some love, kid have been amazing this year in LoA/HiA.  With the time in the AFL, gotta believe that he's on the fast track to get a nod for 2018 MLB pen work.

[Steve Lein]

Haven't seen this announced or confirmed, but Ryan Eades, Sean Miller, and Andrew Vasquez are currently showing on the Saguaros roster page, so I think the Twins representatives are set.

 

Honest opinion is I am a little disappointed with overall names. There's been some big time guys for the Twins there in recent years, and not really any this year unless you include Tyler Jay.

 

Last year had Gonsalves, Gordon, and Garver for instance. 2015's squad had 3 guys currently on the Twins roster.

 

Brent Rooker was my first choice, but can understand if he's played enough already this year. Thought Kohl Stewart would have been a great choice, might have been good for Gordon to go again, Luke Bard would be intriguing - will be fun to follow again though!

 

 

[gunnarthor]

Agreed, those last three aren't big names. I know Eades but had to google the other two. Maybe Vasquez could be a power arm in the pen? I dunno, he seems pretty old for A-ball but gets a lot of strike outs.