Article: Twins Minor League Report (7/23): Rosario and Dobnak Demolish Norfolk

[Steve Lein]

With games in the Southern and Gulf Coast Leagues being affected by rains, there were only four games played in the minors on Tuesday despite one team having a doubleheader. You will have a hard time finding a hitter that has had a better day this entire season, than one slugger in particular had in triple-A by clubbing three homers. There was also a couple of solid starting performances, including one in Rochester from a pitcher who started the season in Fort Myers.To find out everything that happened with your favorite prospects on Tuesday, keep reading!

 

TRANSACTIONS

• Southern League All-Star Catcher Caleb Hamilton was promoted to Rochester from Pensacola as the Red Wings placed 3B Brian Schales on the temporarily inactive list.
• As a replacement for Hamilton, the Blue Wahoos received 1B Ryan Costello from Fort Myers.
• The Miracle were assigned IF Yeltsin Encarnacion from Cedar Rapids.

RED WINGS REPORT

Norfolk 3, Rochester 16

Box Score

 

The Rochester lineup bludgeoned Norfolk on Tuesday, where if this were an amateur game the mercy rule would have come into play after the fifth inning.

 

Drew Maggi started the bottom of the first with a home run to set the tone for everyone else, and Wilin Rosario added a trifecta of two-run blasts, and seven RBI in total, to break it wide open.

 

The just promoted (again) Randy Dobnak took the mound for the Red Wings and did his thing, which is outfoxing and dominating opposing lineups. In six innings he gave up no runs on four hits and two walks to stem the Tides, while also striking out six to lower his triple-A ERA on the season to below 2.00 in 23 2/3 total innings. His ERA on the year is at 2.11 across 18 starts (20 games) with Fort Myers, Pensacola, and Rochester. In this one 54 of his 87 pitches went for strikes (62%), including 13 swinging as he picked up his ninth win of the year. Also this:

 

The big inning for the Red Wings lineup was the second, where they scored six runs as they sent nine men to the plate and was punctuated by Rosario’s first blast. The top four hitters in the lineup combined to go 14-for-20 with 10 runs scored, four doubles, four home runs, and 10 RBI. Jaylin Davis had three of those doubles and scored four runs in a 5-for-5 night. Ronald Torreyes added two doubles and scored two runs, while Tomas Telis added a triple. The team combined for 22 hits and were 7-12 with runners in scoring position.

 

Cody Allen came on for the seventh and had a one-two-three inning, striking out one. Sam Clay allowed a run on one hit in the eighth, while Preston Guilmet struck out two but also gave up a two-run homer in the ninth to account for the final score.

 

BLUE WAHOOS BITES

Mobile @ Pensacola - Postponed

 

The Blue Wahoos matchup with the BayBears Tuesday night was affected by the weather and postponed. They’ll play a doubleheader on Thursday to make it up.

 

MIRACLE MATTERS

Game 1: Fort Myers 5, Dunedin 4

Box Score

 

The Miracle struck first in game one of their doubleheader as Royce Lewis led off the inning with his ninth home run on the season for a 1-0 lead.

 

Starting pitcher Cole Sands had breezed through the first three innings of his outing, but a two-out rally of the bloop and a blast variety got to him in the bottom of the fourth to put the Blue Jays up 2-1. His offense picked him back up right away though with a run in the fifth after three singles, and three more in the sixth when Ernie De La Trinidad connected for his first home run of the year to put them up for good at 5-2.

 

Sands later would strike out the first two hitters he faced in the sixth before giving up a solo home run to end his day. He went 5 2/3 innings to pick up his fourth win, allowing three runs on six hits and a walk while striking out five. Zach Neff finished the final 1 1/3, allowing one run on a hit and a walk to pick up his third save. He struck out three.

 

Game 2: Fort Myers 0, Dunedin 2

Box Score

 

It was an even better pitcher’s duel in game two with the Miracle’s Jhoan Duran facing off against Maximo Castillo of the Blue Jays.

 

A couple of walks from Duran in the second inning loaded the bases for a single to bring in two for Dunedin, and that would be it for the game.

 

Duran went the first four innings, allowing those two runs on four hits and three walks, while striking out five. Joe Record would finish the game, striking out two in two innings.

 

Both teams managed only five hits in the contest, but the Blue Jays went 2-for-7 with runners in scoring position while the Miracle went hitless in seven of their own opportunities, leaving eight men on base for the game. Lewis and Jose Miranda each contributed a double to the effort.

 

KERNELS NUGGETS

Scheduled Day Off

 

The Kernels had Tuesday off after a six-game road trip where they went 3-3 against the Lake County Captains and Fort Wayne TinCaps. They will begin a six-game homestand against the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers on Wednesday with right-hander Josh Winder on the mound looking to get back on the dominating track after a rough outing last time out.

 

E-TWINS E-NOTES

Princeton 8, Elizabethton 3

Box Score

 

Elizabethton was unable to solve Princeton’s pitching for most of this one, as they managed just two hits and a walk as a team through the first eight innings. Both hits to that point were doubles off the bats of Parker Phillips and Trevor Jensen. They finally got on the board in the ninth when Seth Gray drew a two-out walk, and Phillips followed with his first home run in the Appalachian League. Max Smith then followed with one of his own to make the game at least appear closer when looking at only the box score.

 

Taking the hill for the E-Twins was righthander Tyler Benninghoff, who was able to limit the damage against him through 5 2/3 by striking out eleven Rays hitters. He allowed three runs (two earned) on five hits and a walk but was saddled with the loss. Ryan Shreve got them through the eighth inning, but at the expense of four runs (three earned) on six hits and a walk. He struck out two in 2 1/3. Erik Cha came on for the ninth and allowed a run on two hits and a walk, striking out one.

 

GCL TWINS TAKES

GCL Pirates @ GCL Twins - Postponed

 

Four games in the Gulf Coast League were affected by rain on Tuesday, including the Pirates facing the Twins at the Lee County Sports Complex. They will host the Orioles Wednesday morning looking to improve their record to .500 on the season.

 

TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY

 

Pitcher of the Day – Randy Dobnak, Rochester Red Wings (W, 6.0 IP, 0 R, 4 H, 2 BB, 6 K)

Hitter of the Day – Wilin Rosario, Rochester Red Wings (4-for-5, 3 R, 2B, 3 HR (13), 7 RBI)

 

PROSPECT SUMMARY

 

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

 

#1 - Royce Lewis (Fort Myers) - 2-for-8, R, 2B (17), HR (9), 3 K (2 games)

#2 - Alex Kirilloff (Pensacola) - Game postponed

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

#4 - Trevor Larnach (Pensacola) - Game postponed

#5 - Wander Javier (Cedar Rapids) - No game

#6 - Jordan Balazovic (Fort Myers) - Did not pitch

#7 - Keoni Cavaco (GCL) - Game postponed

#8 - Brent Rooker (Rochester) - Injured List (groin)

#9 - Jhoan Duran (Fort Myers) - L (2-9), 4.0 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 5 K

#10 - Blayne Enlow (Fort Myers) - Did not pitch

#11 - Lewis Thorpe (Minnesota) - Game in progress

#12 - Nick Gordon (Rochester) - 1-for-5, K

#13 - Ryan Jeffers (Fort Myers) - 1-for-3, K

#14 - Luis Arraez (Minnesota) - Game in progress

#15 - Matt Wallner (Elizabethton) - Did not play

#16 - Ben Rortvedt (Pensacola) - Game postponed

#17 - Akil Baddoo (Fort Myers) - Injured List (Tommy John surgery)

#18 - Jorge Alcala (Pensacola) - Game postponed

#19 - Misael Urbina (DSL) - No game

#20 - Travis Blankenhorn (Pensacola) - Game postponed

 

WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

 

Norfolk @ Rochester (6:05PM CST) - RHP Drew Hutchison (6-6, 5.88 ERA)

Mobile @ Pensacola (6:35PM CST) - RHP Edwar Colina (0-0, 4.50 ERA)

Fort Myers @ Dunedin (12:00PM CST) - LHP Tyler Watson (1-4, 4.10 ERA)

Wisconsin @ Cedar Rapids (6:35PM CST) - RHP Josh Winder (6-2, 2.86 ERA)

Princeton @ Elizabethton (5:30PM CST) - RHP Ben Gross (3-1, 2.08 ERA)

GCL Orioles @ GCL Twins (11:00AM CST) - TBD

 

Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Tuesday’s games!

 

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[jkcarew]

A 5 for 5 should always get a mention, even when a teammate hits 3 HR’s. Jaylin Davis went 5 for 5 with 3 doubles. Apparently, his launcher wasn’t launching.

 

Johanna Duran’s turn in the rotation came up...so you knew Fort Myers wasn’t going to manage to score a run.

[Danchat]

 

A 5 for 5 should always get a mention, even when a teammate hits 3 HR’s. Jaylin Davis went 5 for 5 with 3 doubles. Apparently, his launcher wasn’t launching. Johanna Duran’s turn in the rotation came up...so you knew Fort Myers wasn’t going to manage to score a run.

I really want to see what Davis can do in the majors, but we don't have anybody to send down outside of Cave. Perhaps he'll got a shot in September, if we have enough room on the 40 man roster at that point.

[twins1095]

 

I really want to see what Davis can do in the majors, but we don't have anybody to send down outside of Cave. Perhaps he'll got a shot in September, if we have enough room on the 40 man roster at that point.

 

Say no more...

[rdehring]

Hadn't followed Rosario that closely as he was one of those older guys signed to fill out the AAA roster.  Did look at his track record today.  Saw he had five years with Colorado with really decent MLB numbers, although not in the last few years.  Looks like he was a good option to sign over the winter, a player who was playing to make his way back to the 'show.'  Expect the intent was that he could be the next catcher to bring up should something happen to two of Garver, Castro, Astudillo.

 

Will third the above comments about Davis.  Does he have enough value to be a big part of a trade to bring a pitcher back this week?  Or is he the man to keep and move Rooker, who may be better known and bring more in return?

 

Lewis was 2-8 for the day with a double and homer run.  Gotta remember to forget the overall numbers and look at his progress.

 

 

[terrydactyls]

Duran has a 3.23 ERA and a 2-9 record. If there is an award for the best pitcher with the worst record, Duran wins hands down.

[Steve Lein]

 

A 5 for 5 should always get a mention, even when a teammate hits 3 HR’s. Jaylin Davis went 5 for 5 with 3 doubles. Apparently, his launcher wasn’t launching. Johanna Duran’s turn in the rotation came up...so you knew Fort Myers wasn’t going to manage to score a run.

 

Almost everybody deserved a mention! Haha Davis three doubles was, but I added the 5-for-5 note now for you.

[2wins87]

 

Will third the above comments about Davis.  Does he have enough value to be a big part of a trade to bring a pitcher back this week?  Or is he the man to keep and move Rooker, who may be better known and bring more in return?

 

I have a feeling that the trade value for a previously marginal guy in the midst of a breakout year will tend to lag a bit behind his talent, although in his case, the power is totally apparent even without scouting report.  Maybe there is a team that really likes him, but I'd guess he's not a major piece in a trade right now, so I'd be inclined to give it more time to see what they've got with Davis.

[SpicyGarvSauce]

 

Say no more...

 

Exactly - Cave is nothing more than a roster filler at this point.

[Steve Lein]

 

 

Will third the above comments about Davis.  Does he have enough value to be a big part of a trade to bring a pitcher back this week?  Or is he the man to keep and move Rooker, who may be better known and bring more in return?

 

Davis was just outside my top 30 in our midseason update.

 

He wouldn't bring back anything of note on his own (type of guy who might bring back a marginal bullpen arm in a post-deadline waiver trade in the past), but he certainly could be an additional piece in a bigger deal. Lottery ticket type addition if someone else likes him.

[jkcarew]

 

Davis was just outside my top 30 in our midseason update.

 

He wouldn't bring back anything of note on his own (type of guy who might bring back a marginal bullpen arm in a post-deadline waiver trade in the past), but he certainly could be an additional piece in a bigger deal. Lottery ticket type addition if someone else likes him.

I do think Davis is probably a perfect example of how results in the 2019 International League need to be evaluated 'carefully'. His results in AA this year were good, after the promotion to Rochester, his results have been ridiculous. But if you look closer at his AAA results, you see that his K-rate ticked up (only slightly), and his BB-rate took a hit....not unexpected after a promotion. But with Rochester, every time he puts the ball in play it seems to be bounding off the fences or flying over them...the HR rate at Rochester is more than double what it was at Pensacola.

[diehardtwinsfan]

 

I do think Davis is probably a perfect example of how results in the 2019 International League need to be evaluated 'carefully'. His results in AA this year were good, after the promotion to Rochester, his results have been ridiculous. But if you look closer at his AAA results, you see that his K-rate ticked up (only slightly), and his BB-rate took a hit....not unexpected after a promotion. But with Rochester, every time he puts the ball in play it seems to be bounding off the fences or flying over them...the HR rate at Rochester is more than double what it was at Pensacola.

 

Well, in AAA they are using MLB's "we aren't juicing the" balls this season for the first year ever... HR rates in AAA are up considerably as well. 

[DocBauer]

Considering how well he has done, and looking at some of the guys who have been in the rotation at Rochester this season, I'm a little confused Dobnak has been bouncing up and down.

 

I'd think he's up to stay this time.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

Well, in AAA they are using MLB's "we aren't juicing the" balls this season for the first year ever... HR rates in AAA are up considerably as well. 

It's probably exacerbated by the AAA competition, though.

 

I wasn't sure of Norfolk's parent affiliation, but looking at the score, I guessed Baltimore and I was right.

 

I also guessed they were using older non-prospect pitchers to give up most of those runs, and sure enough, they were both 27 year olds, drafted in the 29th and 34th rounds 5 years ago, with terrible stats at AAA this year after middling stats last year.

 

Not to take away too much from the accomplishments of our AAA hitters, but these are not pitchers they will get to face much in MLB. (Unless we play Baltimore, perhaps )

[Seth Stohs]

 

Considering how well he has done, and looking at some of the guys who have been in the rotation at Rochester this season, I'm a little confused Dobnak has been bouncing up and down.

I'd think he's up to stay this time.

 

His first AAA stint was simply because of numbers. He pitched pretty well, but when the guys came back from the big leagues, he went down. He may stick this time.