Front Page: Twins Minor League Report (8/2): Nick Gordon Exits After Being Hit in the Knee By a Pitch

[Tom Froemming]

Nick Gordon has been gaining some significant momentum of late, as he hit .348 with a .937 OPS in July. Tonight, he was hit directly in the left knee by a pitch and was forced to exit Rochester’s game early. He was able to walk off the field under his own power, so here’s hoping everything’s OK. Come see what else happened Friday night across the minors.TRANSACTIONS

OF Brandon Barnes assigned to Rochester. C Wynston Sawyer placed on the IL.

1B Taylor Grzelakowski assigned to Fort Myers. RHP Johan Quezada placed on the IL.

RHPs Cody Laweryson and Dylan Thomas assigned to Cedar Rapids.

RHP Tyler Beck assigned to Elizabethton.

 

RED WINGS REPORT

Rochester 7, Pawtucket 2

Box Score

 

Randy Dobnak: 6.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 64.2% strikes (52 of 81 pitches)

HR: Tomas Telis (7), Zander Wiel (19)

Multi-hit games: Telis (3-for-4, 2B, HR), Wiel (2-for-4, 2B, HR), Jake Cave (2-for-4, 2B), Ramon Flores (2-for-4)

 

The Rochester lineup has experienced some turnover of late, but one guy who’s been a rock all year is Zander Wiel. He was at it again Friday night, hitting a two-run homer, his 19th of the season, to go with his 31st double of the year. Catcher Tomas Telis was also en fuego, going 3-for-4 with a double and homer of his own.

 

The Red Wings pitching staff not only held the PawSox to two runs, they even did it having to pitch around three Rochester errors. Jeremy Bleich pitched a scoreless first inning as the opener before Randy Dobnak took over. After giving up just one earned run over six innings, Dobnak’s ERA with Rochester is down to an even 2.00. Ian Krol finished things off with a pair of clean innings.

 

Nick Gordon exited this game after being hit by a pitch in the top of the sixth inning.

 

 

BLUE WAHOO BITES

Birmingham 8, Pensacola 5

Box Score

 

Jhoan Duran: 6.0 IP, 3 H, 5 ER, 2 BB, 8 K, 67.9% strikes (57 of 84 pitches)

HR: Ryan Costello (2), Trevor Larnach (2)

Multi-hit games: Costello (2-for-3, HR, BB), Royce Lewis (2-for-5), Ryan Jeffers (2-for-4, BB)

 

Jhoan Duran was really, really good until he was really, really bad.

 

Duran carried a perfect game into the sixth inning, but Birmingham busted out with a five-run frame. Duran walked two batters, threw a pair of wild pitches and gave up a two-run homer that inning. The Blue Wahoos bats kept battling back but never managed to even things up again.

 

Ryan Jeffers continued his hot start with Pensacola, reaching safely in three of his five plate appearances, and Trevor Larnach slugged his second home run since joining the club, his eighth overall on the season.

 

 

MIRACLE MATTERS

Lakeland 3, Fort Myers 2 (5 innings)

Box Score

 

Tyler Watson: 3.1 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 6 BB, 2 K, 52.4% strikes (44 of 84 pitches)

HR: None

Multi-hit games: None

 

The Miracle jumped out to a lead in the top of the first thanks to an Ernie De La Trinidad two-out, two-run single. Unfortunately, Fort Myers starter Tyler Watson struggled with his control and the Miracle ran out of time to make a comeback after falling behind in the bottom of the second inning. This game was called off in the middle of the fifth inning due to heavy rain.

 

KERNELS NUGGETS

Cedar Rapids 3, Beloit 2

Box Score

 

Cody Laweryson: 5.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K, 63.5% strikes (47 of 74 pitches)

HR: None

Multi-hit games: Jared Akins (2-for-3, BB), Daniel Ozoria (2-for-4, 2B)

 

Cedar Rapids entered the top of the ninth inning of this game trailing 2-1. After their leadoff man was retired, Wander Javier and Trevor Casanova followed with back-to-back walks. Jared Akins hit a single to right field to plate the game-tying run before Albee Weiss delivered the go-ahead run with a single of his own.

 

Jose Martinez, who had given up a run in the eighth inning, redeemed himself by making that one-run lead hold up in the bottom of the ninth. Cody Laweryson, a 14th-round pick from this year’s draft, had an impressive Midwest League debut, firing five shutout innings.

 

E-TWINS E-NOTES

Elizabethton 10, Bristol 6

Box Score

 

Erik Cha: 3.1 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K

HR: Charles Mack (6), Seth Gray (7)

Multi-hit games: Mack (2-for-4, 2B, HR), Kidany Salva (2-for-4)

 

Charles Mack hit a three-run homer in the fifth inning and Seth Gray blasted a two-run shot in the sixth to propel the E-Twins to victory. It was a rough night in the field, as the Twins committed five errors, but they were incredibly efficient on offense, scoring 10 runs on just eight hits.

 

Sawyer Gipson-Long had a rough start, giving up 11 hits in just 3 2/3 innings, but Erik Cha (3 1/3 scoreless innings) and Frandy Torres (one run over two innings) were excellent out of the bullpen.

 

GCL TWINS TAKES

GCL Twins 2, GCL Red Sox 1 (10 innings)

Box Score

 

Donny Breek: 6.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 8 K

HR: None

Multi-hit games: Jim Caceres (2-for-3, BB)

 

Donny Breek continued his impressive 2019 season with six shutout innings today. That lowered his ERA to 0.72 on the season, which spans 25 innings pitched. Jose Guevara also shined on the mound for the Twins, striking out five batters in three scoreless innings. He has not surrendered a run in 14 1/3 innings pitched this season.

 

This game was 0-0 through nine innings. The Red Sox managed to get their bonus runner around to score in the top of the 10th, but the Twins responded immediately. Victor Heredia tied the game 1-1 with a leadoff double in the bottom of the inning. He was later brought around to score on a Jim Caceres walk-off bunt single. Gotta love the GCL ...

 

C.J. Cron was 0-for-4 in this game, as was Yunior Severino.

 

STARS OF THE DAY

Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day: Donny Breek, GCL Twins

Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day: Tomas Telis, Rochester

 

TOP PROSPECT SUMMARY

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

 

1. Royce Lewis (PNS): 2-for-5, 2 K

2. Alex Kirilloff (PNS): 1-for-5

4. Trevor Larnach (PNS): 1-for-4, HR, BB, 2 R, 2 RBI, K

5. Wander Javier (CR): 0-for-3, BB, R, K

9. Jhoan Duran (PNS): 6.0 IP, 3 H, 5 ER, 2 BB, 8 K, 67.9% strikes (57 of 84 pitches)

12. Nick Gordon (ROC): 0-for-1, RBI, K, HBP (exited early)

13. Ryan Jeffers (PNS): 2-for-4, BB, 2 R, K

15. Matt Wallner (ELZ): 1-for-4, R, E (fielding)

 

SATURDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

Rochester at Pawtucket, 5:15 pm CT (TBD)

Pensacola vs. Birmingham, 6:05 pm CT (Bryan Sammons)

Fort Myers at Lakeland, 5:00 pm CT (Blayne Enlow)

Cedar Rapids vs. Burlington, 6:35 pm CT( TBD)

Elizabethton vs. Bristol, 5:30 pm CT (Ryley Widell)

GCL Twins at GCL Red Sox, 9:00 am CT (TBD)

 

Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss the games.

 

Click here to view the article

[Danchat]

Darn, Duran was having a great outing and then totally cratered in the 6th... 5 earned runs on just 3 hits!

 

 

[jrod23]

Dobnak is going to force his way onto the 40-man. Love seeing this, being he wasn’t even drafted.

I really have been pulling for Watson. Can we just move him to the pen already? Give him a fresh start there?

[FormerMinnasotan]

Breek looks real good in the GCL. I think it’s time to promote him to E-Town or Cedar Rapids especially since Breek spent all of last year in the GCL.

[ashbury]

I was at the game in Pawtucket last night. I found the video of Gordon's HBP interesting because the PbP guy had the same first impression I did, that it hit him in the foot. At the game, I was speculating that he hurt his knee in trying to get out of the way. The video stops before he actually comes out of the game, and he was smiling, but it looked worse later on - they thought he might be able to stay in and he was trying to walk it off, but then the knee buckled under him. And then trying to walk back to the dugout after being removed, it seemed to buckle again. Hopefully it was just a painful thing, causing that, and not structural damage.

 

I was totally unaware of the guy who came in for Gordon, Jake Hirabayashi. Just up from GCL after being drafted in 2019, kind of a strange choice for a AAA fill-in. He didn't do very well, especially on a challenging roller to 2B that looked very odd as he tried to come up with it and throw. I really would have liked to see Gordon get a chance at that'un. It's a difficult play that major leaguers do All The Time.

 

More later, gotta run...

[gil4]

 

 

I was totally unaware of the guy who came in for Gordon, Jake Hirabayashi. Just up from GCL, kind of a strange choice for a fill-in. He didn't do very well, especially on a challenging roller to 2B that looked very odd as he tried to come up with it.

 

More later, gotta run...

39th round pick this year out of UCLA. The only times he has ever hit are in the Northwoods summer league after his sophomore year (.775 OPS) and then in his junior year at UCLA (.840 OPS). He didn't get drafted after his junior year and then posted a .606 OPS his senior year.  

 

He hasn't hit much in the GCL either. My guess is his main qualifications for AAA are having a pulse and owning an infielder's glove.  

Edited August 3, 2019 by gil4

[jorgenswest]

Dobnak is going to force his way onto the 40-man. Love seeing this, being he wasn’t even drafted.

I really have been pulling for Watson. Can we just move him to the pen already? Give him a fresh start there?

I echo the appreciation on Dobnak’s performance and the resilience to stay in the game when not drafted.

 

He isn’t rule 5 eligible for a year so I don’t expect he will get a spot on the 40 in 2019. As he continues to find success I expect we will see him debut next summer.

[ashbury]

He isn’t rule 5 eligible for a year so I don’t expect he will get a spot on the 40 in 2019. As he continues to find success I expect we will see him debut next summer.

The eligibility question absolutely factors into the discussion, OTOH I think the FO is demonstrating that 40-man rostering issues won't always drive the decision on who gets a 25-man spot.

 

Dobnak was awesome last night. His fastball got faster as the game went on, and he was hitting 95 in his final inning of work. (A scouting report I've seen places him much slower, so somebody in the organization may deserve kudos.) He gave up the one earned run legitimately, with a clean single and a double to start things off in the 6th, but he nearly worked out of it and the defense behind him did not do him any particular favors.

 

Perennial ashbury-whipping-boy Jake Cave got a first inning single but promptly erased the good he had accomplished by trying to stretch it to a double. Two outs at the time, so maybe it's justifiable, but it was not close.

 

Very crisply played game. They completed 5 innings with a 2-0 score in barely over an hour. Additional scoring ran the total to a very pleasant two and a half hours on a nice summer night with a spectacular sunset as a bonus. TD stalwart sampleSizeOfOne joined me for this night of baseball in Rhode Island.

 

[rdehring]

The Red Wings won on opening day, then went on a losing streak.  They haven't been over .500 since, until last night.  They are 6.5 games back in the Wild Card race and 7.0 games out of first in their division.  Do they have time to make the playoffs?  Probably not, but should they extend their current winning streak a few more games they just might make it interesting.

 

Don't know what to say about Dobnak, who has been their best pitcher.  The way the Twins have been flipping players between Minnesota and up state New York, who knows, he may be with the big team before the end of the month.  

 

I see that Wiel is not a free agent until after next year.  Does he get added to the 40-man this November?  Expect he is on the bubble with several others.

 

And did I read correctly that Duran was perfect thru 5, then gave up 5 runs?  Gotta just shake your head on that one.  Will second the comments about Breek, and his moving up to ETon. 

 

 

[BrianBuchanan]

I was worried about how Royce would adapt to AA (-3.7 age difference), but he seems to be holding his own so far. I suppose the real test will come when he's a bit more of a known quantity to So. League pitchers.

[Dman]

To be honest I always just thought of Dobnak as filler.  It is funny how I think about guys who are drafted low or not at all. I guess my general feeling is they don't have a chance to make it.  Looks like I was wrong about Dobnak.

 

I knew he was having success but I never liked his K rate so figured he would get killed at one of the higher levels. He kept moving up and while I waited for him to flame out he kept getting guys out.  He has a really nice WHIP this year so he is attacking hitters but they must not be getting great contact because his ERA has been under 3 all year.  If he keeps this up he has a good chance to make the big club next year.

 

Too bad Duran melted down in the 6th.  No hit through five shows he has some impressive stuff when he is on but seems a bit fragile mentally to me or maybe he just ran out of gas hard to say.  I hope he keeps pitching well and maybe we will have a pitcher with front line stuff.

 

I never really understood why they didn't start Breek in E-town this year.  I mean I guess it is just a number game but I felt like the way he pitched last year he should have started there this year.  I guess you can make the jump to A ball from either league so not a huge deal but I do wonder why they kept him in the GCL.

[Otto von Ballpark]

The eligibility question absolutely factors into the discussion, OTOH I think the FO is demonstrating that 40-man rostering issues won't always drive the decision on who gets a 25-man spot.

 

 

Have they added rostered anybody yet who wasn't going to be Rule 5 eligible?

 

They have certainly left a few guys unprotected in Rule 5, but every FO does that.

[ashbury]

Have they added rostered anybody yet who wasn't going to be Rule 5 eligible?

 

They have certainly left a few guys unprotected in Rule 5, but every FO does that.

That part of my comment, I had more in mind the other direction - removing guys from the 40 recently because they wanted them off of the 25 - thinking that it bodes well. Likewise Arraez somewhat leapfrogging Gordon for getting a major league look-see, but indeed they were both on the 40-man. Smeltzer, Poppen, Stashak, all were going to be eligible to be taken from us in December. So no, nothing like direct evidence.

 

We see what we want to see, sometimes.