Article: Twins Minor League Report (7/8): Alcala, Kirilloff Shine for Pensacola

[Seth Stohs]

The All-Star break is upon us for both the big leagues and Triple-A. Pensacola got a great start from a key pitching prospect, and three hits from its top hitting prospect. The Miracle starter provided a quality start. Tyler Webb played hero again for Cedar Rapids. Matt Wallner provided the offense in E-Town, and a rehabbing starter was strong again in the GCL and could be returning to the Miracle soon.Find out everything that happened happened in the Twins system on Monday, starting with the transactions of the day.

 

TRANSACTIONS

• Blake Parker was activated from the Paternity List.
• Following Sunday’s game, Devin Smeltzer was optioned to Rochester.
• Yeltsin Encarnacion was returned to Cedar Rapids from Rochester.
• Royce Lewis was activated by the Miracle from the temporary inactive list (Futures Game).
• Cody Allen was placed on the temporary inactive list by the Miracle. No issue, just giving him his All-Star break.
• RHP Sawyer Gipson was placed on the Elizabethton roster.
• The Twins signed RHP Steve Theetge, a non-drafted player out of Bryant University.

 

AWARDS

• Jaylin Davis was named the International League Hitter of the Week.
• Andrew Cabezas was named the Midwest League Pitcher of the Week.

RED WINGS REPORT

Rochester

Box Score

 

The Red Wings are on their All-Star break… well, except for Brent Rooker and Tomas Telis who will be participating in the game.

 

BLUE WAHOO BITES

Pensacola 1, Birmingham 2

Box Score

 

There weren’t a lot of runs scored in this game, but unfortunately, the Wahoos lost on a walk-off homer in the ninth.

 

Jorge Alcala put together his first really good start in a while. In six scoreless innings, he gave up just four hits and one walk. He struck out seven batters. Jeff Ames came on and was charged with an unearned run on two hits and a walk over two innings. Anthony Vizcaya came on for the ninth but gave up a leadoff homer to end the game.

 

Alex Kirilloff led the offense. He went 3-for-4 with his second triple. Joe Cronin walked, hit his fourth double and stole his sixth base.

 

MIRACLE MATTERS

Ft. Myers 1, Daytona 6

Box Score

 

Cole Sands put together another quality start for the Miracle, but the offense didn’t provide enough run support. Sands gave up three runs on six hits over six innings. He walked one and struck out five batters. Ricky Ramirez came on and gave up three runs on two hits over two innings. He walked three and hit a batter while striking out two. Derek Molina pitched a scoreless ninth.

 

Gabriel Maciel provided the offense. He hit his second home run since joining the Miracle. Royce Lewis returned directly from Cleveland and went 1-for-3 with a walk.

 

KERNELS NUGGETS

Cedar Rapids 6, Quad Cities 5

Box Score

 

In his first game with the Kernels (and his first game with the E-Twins this year), Tyler Wells hit a walk-off double. On this night, he singled in two runs to cap a four-run top of the ninth for the Kernels. Earlier in the game, Gilberto Celestino had a two-run single. He was 2-for-4 with a walk in the game.

 

Austin Schulfer started for Cedar Rapids. He gave up three runs on seven hits in five innings. He struck out five without issuing a walk. Tanner Howell gave up two hits but no runs in the sixth inning. Brian Rapp gave up two runs on two hits and a walk in the seventh inning. JT Perez struck out two in a scoreless eighth inning, and Jose Martinez struck out one in a perfect ninth for the save.

 

E-TWINS E-NOTES

E-Twins 3, Johnson City 4

Box Score

 

Matt Wallner led the offense. He went 2-for-4 with his fifth double. Ruben Santana was also 2-for-4 in the game. Anthony Prato went 1-for-3 with a walk.

 

Ryley Widell started. The left gave up two runs (one earned) on four hits in 4 1/3 innings. He walked three and struck out seven batters. Steven Cruz walked two and struck oune out in a scoreless 1 2/3 innings. Frandy Torres worked two innings. He gave up a run on two hits and struck out three. Dylan Thomas started the ninth, but he gave up a run on two hits before recording an out to take the loss.

 

GCL TWINS TAKES

GCL Twins 1, GCL Pirates 4

Box Score

 

Bailey Ober was back on the mound for his second rehab start. The lanky right-hander gave up an unearned run on two hits, a walk and a hit batter in five innings. He struck out eight. Niall Windeler came on for the sixth inning and gave up two runs on three hits in the inning. Donny Breek pitched the last two innings. He gave up one run on one hit. He walked three and struck out five.

 

Wander Valdez went 2-for-3. LaRon Smith hit his second double. Francisco Martinez provided the one run with his first homer of the season.

 

TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY

 

Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day - Jorge Alcala, Pensacola Blue Wahoos

Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Alex Kirilloff, Pensacola Blue Wahoos

 

PROSPECT SUMMARY

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

 

#1 - Royce Lewis (Ft. Myers) - 1-3, BB, K

#2 - Alex Kirilloff (Pensacola) - 3-4, 3B(2), R

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

#4 - Trevor Larnach (Ft. Myers) - 1-4

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

#6 - Jordan Balazovic (Ft. Myers) - Did Not Pitch

#7 - Keoni Cavaco (GCL Twins) - Did Not Play

#8 - Brent Rooker (Rochester) - All Star Break

#9 - Jhoan Duran (Ft. Myers) - Did Not Pitch

#10 - Blayne Enlow (Ft. Myers) - Did Not Pitch

#11 - Lewis Thorpe (Rochester) - All Star Break

#12 - Nick Gordon (Rochester) - All Star Break

#13 - Ryan Jeffers (Ft. Myers) - 1-4

#14 - Luis Arraez (Minnesota) - All Star Break

#15 - Matt Wallner (Elizabethton) - 204, 2B(5), R, RBI

#16 - Ben Rortvedt (Pensacola) - Did Not Play

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

#18 - Jorge Alcala (Pensacola) - 6 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 7 K (82 pitches, 57 strikes)

#19 - Misael Urbina (DSL Twins) - 3-4, R, 2 RBI, 2 SB(13)

#20 - Travis Blankenhorn (Pensacola) - 0-4, 2 K

 

TUESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

Rochester - All Star Break

Pensacola @ Birmingham (7:05 CST) - TBD

Daytona @ Ft. Myers (6:00 CST) - TBD

Cedar Rapids - No Game Scheduled

Elizabethton - No Game Scheduled

GCL Twins @ GCL Pirates (11:00 CST) - TBD

 

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

 

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[ScooterDance]

If Kirilloff has enough PAs to qualify he’d be 12th in the southern league in OPS. I think Alex is back to doing Alex things.

[dbminn]

 

If Kirilloff has enough PAs to qualify he’d be 12th in the southern league in OPS. I think Alex is back to doing Alex things.

 

Agree. The struggles of Kirilloff amounted to an injured April and a poor May. He's been good since, despite another trip to the IL in June. OPS by month:

 

May - .682

June - .910

July - 1.038 

[nclahammer]

My favorite part of Twins Daily each morning...seeing how the kids are doing.  Always top notch reporting.

 

[rdehring]

Question, Seth...was that Urbina's first 3 hit game?  Because they are very young, the DSL Twins aren't winning a lot of games (9-20) .  But Urbina has been steady with his numbers continuing to get better...and is now hitting over .300 average.

 

Appears that Kirilloff's wrist problems are behind him as he has been hitting like the player we have come to know these past few weeks.  Should he continue doing so for the rest of the month, he will solidify his lofty spot in the national rankings.  And a message for the front office...do not trade this young man!

 

Have a good day, Seth.  Thanks for the report.

 

 

[clutterheart]

 

Appears that Kirilloff's wrist problems are behind him as he has been hitting like the player we have come to know these past few weeks.  Should he continue doing so for the rest of the month, he will solidify his lofty spot in the national rankings.  And a message for the front office...do not trade this young man!

 

 

Agree Kirilloff has came back strong.

But no prospect should be untouchable.  If a deal comes along that makes sense, trade anyone.

 

[jmlease1]

 

Agree. The struggles of Kirilloff amounted to an injured April and a poor May. He's been good since, despite another trip to the IL in June. OPS by month:

 

May - .682

June - .910

July - 1.038 

 

Probably a still injured/recovery May, IMHO. Wrist injuries can nag at a hitter for a bit and until they're fully recovered, it's going to drag people down. It's one of the reasons I've been pleased with the MLB club not rushing player back from those kinds of injuries this season.

 

Very good news for Kirilloff, who I think is going to be an impact bat sooner rather than later for the team. (Maybe replaces Rosario, if his price tag gets too high? Maybe Cron?)

[jkcarew]

Wander Javier is broke. To be expected, really, when you're 18, then don't play a game for two years, then are thrown into a higher level than when you last played. Kinda a testament to what the Twins think of Javier that they started him off in Cedar Rapids under those circumstances. Looks like that might have been a mistake, though.

 

Meanwhile, Jaylin Davis. Hard to know what to make of his first 85 AAA PA's. The SLG is off the charts, but then again, it's the International League where the parks are pretty obviously too small for the juiced ball. Then again, he's kept a cap on the K% so far. Could we have another small college, low-ish draft pick, (relatively) late bloomer...Garver style...here? We can hope.

[Seth Stohs]

 

Question, Seth...was that Urbina's first 3 hit game?  Because they are very young, the DSL Twins aren't winning a lot of games (9-20) .  But Urbina has been steady with his numbers continuing to get better...and is now hitting over .300 average.

 

Appears that Kirilloff's wrist problems are behind him as he has been hitting like the player we have come to know these past few weeks.  Should he continue doing so for the rest of the month, he will solidify his lofty spot in the national rankings.  And a message for the front office...do not trade this young man!

 

Have a good day, Seth.  Thanks for the report.

 

Urbina has two 3-hit games this year.

He has five 2-hit games as well. 

[twins1095]

 

Probably a still injured/recovery May, IMHO. Wrist injuries can nag at a hitter for a bit and until they're fully recovered, it's going to drag people down. It's one of the reasons I've been pleased with the MLB club not rushing player back from those kinds of injuries this season.

 

Very good news for Kirilloff, who I think is going to be an impact bat sooner rather than later for the team. (Maybe replaces Rosario, if his price tag gets too high? Maybe Cron?)

 

Probably Cron.  If Kirillof keeps up his recent play and continues his trajectory he'll probably be knocking at the door midseason next year...

 

Cron will be 30.  Rosario 27.  Honestly, he'd be a nice candidate to settle in as a DH as a replacement for Cruz.  Either that, or push another player to DH if he's a better fielder...I don't think he is.  Can we teach him to play 3rd?

Edited July 9, 2019 by twins1095