Article: Twins Minor League Report (7/4): Rijo, Poppen Dominate on Mounds

[Seth Stohs]

We certainly hope you had a fantastic Fourth of July, and maybe you were even able to catch a ball game. It was a busy game day in the Twins farm system. Not as busy as Friday night will be (due to two doubleheaders) but busy nonetheless. Luis Rijo and Sean Poppen were really good on the mound. The Red Wings offense all showed up. There were extra innings for Pensacola. Jared Akins powered the Kernels to a win. A couple of transactions. And, a partridge in a pear tree. Enjoy tonight’s Minor League Report.Find out everything that happened happened in the Twins system on Thursday, starting with the transactions of the day.

 

TRANSACTIONS

• The Twins announced that LHP Andrew Vasquez had been outrirghted from the team’s 40-man roster to the Red Wings.
• The Kernels announced that OF Tyler Webb had been added to their roster with infielder Estamy Urena released.

RED WINGS REPORT

Rochester 11, Scranton/Wilkes Barre 1

Box Score

 

This was a great all-around game for the Red Wings. They got strong pitching and the team scored its 11 runs on 20 hits. All nine Red Wings had at least one hit. Seven of the nine had at least two hits. The top two hitters, Nick Gordon and Drew Maggi each had three hits while the team’s #3 hitter, Jake Cave, had four hits. Gordon, Cave and Zander Wiel each hit a double. Cave added a triple.

 

Sean Poppen was the beneficiary of the run support, but he was really good too, to improve to 5-0 with the Red Wings. The right-hander gave up just one run over seven innings of work. Gabriel Moya and Andrew Vasquez each threw a scoreless inning as well.

 

BLUE WAHOO BITES

Pensacola 5, Birmingham 8

Box Score

 

The Blue Wahoos clawed back after falling behind early to force an extra inning, but the game ended in the tenth on a three-run walk off home run.

 

Caleb Hamilton led the offense with a single, his 12th double and his second triple of the year. Alex Kirilloff also had two hits in the effort. Joe Cronin was 3-for-4 in the game.

 

Griffin Jax started and gave up four runs on eight hits over the game’s first six innings. His ERA jumped to 2.04 on the season. Anthony Vizcaya gave up a run over his two innings to bump his ERA up to 0.86 since joining Pensacola. Zack Weiss worked a scoreless ninth but gave up the home run in the bottom of the 10th.

 

MIRACLE MATTERS

Ft. Myers , Palm Beach

Box Score

 

The Miracle game was postponed by rain.

 

KERNELS NUGGETS

Cedar Rapids 4, Burlington 2

Box Score

 

The Kernels got another great start from Luis Rijo and a huge home run and held on for another win.

 

Luis Rijo went the first seven innings. He gave up just one hit, walked none and struck out ten. He needed just 71 pitches and 56 of them were strikes. Jose Martinez gave up two runs in the ninth but they held on for a 4-2 win.

 

Jared Akins provided the big hit for Kernels. His sixth-inning home run came with two runners on base and gave the Kernels a 3-0 lead. It was his ninth home run of the season. Gilberto Celestino went 2-for-3 with a walk and a triple.

 

E-TWINS E-NOTES

E-Twins 6, Kingsport 2

Box Score

 

The E-Twins powered their way to this victory on Thursday. Alex Isola got things going with his first pro home run, a two-run shot in the second inning. In the seventh frame, Willie Joe Garry hit his first professional homer. Albee Weiss added his fourth of the 2019 season. Those three homers accounted for 60% of the E-Twins hits in this game.

 

Ben Gross made the start. The Duke right-hander gave up two runs (one earned) on five hits over the first six innings. He walked one and struck out four batters. Stephen Cruz struck out two batters over his two scoreless innings, and Nathan Hadley struck out two in the ninth inning.

 

GCL TWINS TAKES

GCL Twins 4, GCL Braves 5

Box Score

 

The Twins got out to an early lead with a three-run first inning, but were unable to hold the lead.

 

Jeferson Morales had the big first-inning hit with a two-run homer. The Twins had just three hits. Keoni Cavaco (3rd) and Jesus Feliz (2nd) each doubled.

 

Niklas Rimmel started and gave up just one run on two hits over the first five innings. The German right-hander walked two and struck out four batters. Niall Windeler came on for his pro debut. He gave up three runs on three hits and a walk in his inning. Bradley Hanner gave up one run on four hits over the final three innings.

 

TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY

 

Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day - Luis Rijo, Cedar Rapids Kernels

Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Jake Cave, Rochester Red Wings

 

PROSPECT SUMMARY

Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Midseason Top 20 Twins Prospects performed:

 

#1 - Royce Lewis (Ft. Myers) - Rained out

#2 - Alex Kirilloff (Pensacola) - 2-5, RBI

#3 - Brusdar Graterol (Pensacola) - Injured List (shoulder)

#4 - Trevor Larnach (Ft. Myers) - Rained out

#5 - Wander Javier (Cedar Rapids) - 0-3, BB, 2K

#6 - Jordan Balazovic (Ft. Myers) -Rained out

#7 - Keoni Cavaco (GCL Twins) - 1-2, 2B(3), R, RBI

#8 - Brent Rooker (Rochester) - 2-6, RBI

#9 - Jhoan Duran (Ft. Myers) - Rained out

#10 - Blayne Enlow (Ft. Myers) - Rained out

#11 - Lewis Thorpe (Rochester) - Did Not Pitch

#12 - Nick Gordon (Rochester) - 3-6, 2B(20) 2 R, 2 RBI, K

#13 - Ryan Jeffers (Ft. Myers) - Rained out

#14 - Luis Arraez (Minnesota) - 1-5

#15 - Matt Wallner (Elizabethton) - 0-3, K, R

#16 - Ben Rortvedt (Pensacola) - Did not play

#17 - Akil Baddoo (Ft. Myers) - Injured (Tommy John)

#18 - Jorge Alcala (Pensacola) - Did Not Pitch

#19 - Misael Urbina (DSL Twins) - 0-0 (just came in as last-inning defensive replacement)

#20 - Travis Blankenhorn (Pensacola) - 1-5, 2B(13), RBI

 

FRIDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

Rochester @ Scranton/Wilkes Barre (DH @ 5:05 CST) - RHP Kohl Stewart (5-4, 5.64 ERA), LHP Lewis Thorpe (3-4, 5.71 ERA)

Pensacola @ Birmingham (7:05 CST) - TBD

Palm Beach @ Ft. Myers (DH @ 4:30 CST) - RHP Blayne Enlow (3-2, 3.09 ERA), LHP Tyler Watson (1-4, 4.56 ERA)

Cedar Rapids @ Burlington (6:35 CST) - RHP Josh Winder (6-1, 2.40 ERA)

Kingsport @ Elizabethton (5:30 CST) - RHP Andriu Marin (1-1, 4.00 ERA)

GCL Red Sox @ GCL Twins (11:00 CST) - TBD

 

Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss the Thursday games or any other minor league topics you would like.

 

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[Riverbrian]

How good are the first 13 on the list if Arraez is #14?

[rdehring]

Two different names, another two great starts.  Seems to be the case every day with Poppen and Rijo getting it done yesterday.  Gotta think there is someone in Rochester from among Smeltzer, Poppen and Thorpe that can step in next year.  But we thought that last year with Stewart, Gonsalves and De Jong, etc.

 

Jax wasn't his sterling self, but not too bad either.  

 

Hope you enjoyed your Holiday also, Seth.  

[mikelink45]

I worry that somehow we messed with Andrew Vasquez who was going well enough that we jumped him to the majors and now he is struggling.  Add him to Fernando Romero and we have to ask what the strategy of our pitching brain trust was.  These two have way to much talent to be wasted or washed up. 

[Aerodeliria]

I'm still wondering about Hackimer. Is it top secret stuff? Is it disciplinary?

[Trov]

Gordon seems to be performing well, which over his career he seems to take awhile to adjust to a league.  I wonder if Twins will give him time, or if another team will have interest in him.  Not sure what he has shown defense wise, but sure a team will take him if he can play at SS, but if not his value drops a lot.  With way other prospects are jumping Gordon he is expendable.  

 

I am still waiting on that Twins make trade with Giants headline.  I hope by end of break we have 2 new pitchers 1 starter and 1 bullpen. Would take 3 players with 2 bullpen. 

[Danchat]

I worry that somehow we messed with Andrew Vasquez who was going well enough that we jumped him to the majors and now he is struggling. Add him to Fernando Romero and we have to ask what the strategy of our pitching brain trust was. These two have way to much talent to be wasted or washed up.

I would guess some of their struggles

have to do more with the juiced ball in AAA rather than making it to the majors too early. Both are having some major control issues... the Twins have struggled with developing pitchers for a long time now.

[prouster]

I worry that somehow we messed with Andrew Vasquez who was going well enough that we jumped him to the majors and now he is struggling. Add him to Fernando Romero and we have to ask what the strategy of our pitching brain trust was. These two have way to much talent to be wasted or washed up.

I think Vasquez just doesn’t have good enough stuff for the Majors.

[gbg]

Curious as to what they do with that open spot on the 40-man...

[jokin]

 

Curious as to what they do with that open spot on the 40-man...

 

Trade is forthcoming?

Pensacola pitcher added to roster?

[ashbury]

I'm still wondering about Hackimer. Is it top secret stuff? Is it disciplinary?

You may have missed a few days ago an occasional TD poster who is from Pensacola offered this unofficial insight:

 

http://twinsdaily.com/topic/33738-article-twins-minor-league-report-627-enlow-caught-in-pitcher’s-duel/?p=871959

 

"Pretty sure the reason Hackimer was suspended has something to do with his public display of anger at the manager (Borrego) on the field. My husband was at the game. I can't describe it further than this as I was not there."

 

So, an instance of minor insubordination, that is being handled. If I was running a business in the public eye, I'd probably handle a personnel matter like this similarly. It has nothing to do with the player's on-field performance, so it's really no one else's business, IMO.

 

Not... that I don't appreciate learning jamisea's insight. I'm not above gossip.

[Aerodeliria]

You may have missed a few days ago an occasional TD poster who is from Pensacola offered this unofficial insight:

 

http://twinsdaily.com/topic/33738-article-twins-minor-league-report-627-enlow-caught-in-pitcher’s-duel/?p=871959

 

"Pretty sure the reason Hackimer was suspended has something to do with his public display of anger at the manager (Borrego) on the field. My husband was at the game. I can't describe it further than this as I was not there."

 

So, an instance of minor insubordination, that is being handled. If I was running a business in the public eye, I'd probably handle a personnel matter like this similarly. It has nothing to do with the player's on-field performance, so it's really no one else's business, IMO.

 

Not... that I don't appreciate learning jamisea's insight. I'm not above gossip.

Thanks for this!