Front Page: Twins Minor League Report (8/10) Gilberto Celestino goes 5-for-5 as Gonsalves and Hildenberger start rehab assignments

[Matt Braun]

Sometime I’ll get back to my groove of making terrible puns in the title based off player’s names but today is not that day. Anyways, there was a perfect day at the plate, a walk-off walk, two notable rehab assignments, and a lot of offense in the minors, all that and more in this edition of the minor league report.TRANSACTIONS

 

LHP Ian Krol placed on the Restricted List at AAA Rochester

 

LHP Ryan O’ Rourke signed and assigned to AAA Rochester

 

CF Ian Miller acquired from the Mariners and assigned to AAA Rochester

 

RHP Trevor Hildenberger sent to GCL Twins on a rehab assignment

 

LHP Stephen Gonsalves sent to GCL Twins on a rehab assignment

 

3B Jake Hirabayashi assigned to GCL Twins

 

CF DaShawn Kiersey activated from the IL at A Cedar Rapids

 

SS Ricky De La Torre assigned to Elizabethton from A Cedar Rapids

 

RED WINGS REPORT

Rochester 6, Louisville 5 (10 innings)

Box Score

 

Charlie Barnes: 4 ⅓ IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 5 BB, 5 K

HR: None

Multi-hit games: Wilin Rosario (2-for-4, 2B, 2 R), Alejandro De Aza (2-for-4, 3B, 5 RBI)

 

The Red Wings won a wild extra-innings affair this Saturday.

 

Charlie Barnes made his AAA debut and had a rough go of it as he gave up four runs while striking out as many as he walked. Hopefully it gets better for Barnes as he continues to pitch at AAA.

 

Ryan O’ Rourke made his Rochester debut and his first game back for the Twins organization since October 2nd 2016. It was an interesting outing as he got out of a bases loaded situation with one out in the 9th and then stranded two more runners in the 10th. He walked three and struck out one.

 

Alejandro De Aza was the backbone of the offense as he had a two run single in the 1st, a two run triple in the 6th, and the bases-loaded walk to walk it off in the 10th, giving him an impressive five RBIs on the night and a terrible “walk-off” joke that I refuse to make.

 

BLUE WAHOO BITES

Pensacola 8, Mobile 5

Box Score

 

Gabriel Moya: 2 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 3 K

HR: None

Multi-hit games: Royce Lewis (2-for-5, 2 2B, R, RBI), Jimmy Kerrigan (2-for-4, 2 R), Mark Contreras (2-for-3, 2B, 2 R, 2 RBI)

 

The Blue Wahoos ran a bullpen game this Saturday to the win.

 

In total, five Blue Wahoos pitchers combined to strike out fifteen batters without giving up a walk, an impressive feat. After the 4th inning, they only gave up three hits in total while striking out seven.

 

Royce Lewis had a double double as the Blue Wahoos continue to experiment with Alex Kirilloff hitting leadoff with Lewis 2nd instead of the other way around when Lewis was first promoted. Kirilloff also had the impressive no hits yet two RBIs performance, whatever works my man.

 

This was partly because the bottom of the order did a good job setting the table as Ryan Costello, Jimmy Kerrigan, and Mark Contreras all had two runs scored despite being the 6-7-8 hitters respectively.

 

MIRACLE MATTERS

Ft. Myers 9, Jupiter 2

Box Score

 

Blayne Enlow: 6 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 K

HR: Jose Miranda 2 (8), Trey Cabbage (7)

Multi-hit games: Gabriel Maciel (2-for-5, 2B, R), Jose Miranda (2-for-4, 2 HR, 2 R, 4 RBI), Trey Cabbage (2-for-4, HR, R, RBI), Andrew Bechtold (2-for-4, 2B, 2 R), Ernie De La Trinidad (2-for-4, 3B, R, 2 RBI), David Banuelos (2-for-4, 2 RBI)

 

The Miracle cared not for this writer having to put in who all had a multi-hit effort as they hit all over the place this Saturday.

 

Jose Miranda was the leader of the charge as he blasted two home runs for the first multi-homer game of his professional career. Trey Cabbage didn’t want him to feel left out so he also hit a home run so Miranda didn’t feel bad.

 

Blayne Enlow had a good start as he allowed just one earned run over his six innings of work, showing that offense isn’t the only reason to come and watch the game!

 

David Banuelos had a multi-hit game but proved that the base paths matter too as he stole his first base of the year but was also picked off, what goes around can come around I suppose.

 

KERNELS NUGGETS

Cedar Rapids 5, Beloit 4

Box Score

 

Tyler Palm: 6 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 K

HR: None

Multi-hit games: Gilberto Celestino (5-for-5, 2B, R), Daniel Ozoria (2-for-4)

 

It was quite the exciting win for Cedar Rapids.

 

Gilberto Celestino continued to flat-out rake as he was a perfect 5-for-5 and became the first Kernel to have a five hit game since Jermaine Palacios in 2017.

 

 

Tyler Palm allowed just one earned run over his six innings of work as he attempted to make choosing between him and Enlow for pitcher of the day a difficult decision.

 

The Kernels were down by a run headed into the bottom of the 7th but a wild pitch, a Yunior Severino single, and an Albee Weiss single plated five and gave the Kernels the lead.

 

Brian Rapp pitched the last three innings to end the game after Palm went six and despite giving up a pair of runs, the lead stayed and Rapp was credited with the win.

 

E-Town E-Notes

Elizabethton 13, Johnson City 7

Box Score

 

Tyler Benninghoff: 4 ⅓ IP, 4 H, 4 ER, 6 BB, 4 K

HR: Parker Phillips (3), Matt Wallner (5)

Multi-hit games: Willie Joe Garry Jr. (2-for-5, R, 2 RBI), Matt Wallner (2-for-5, HR, 3 R, RBI), Parker Phillips (2-for-3, HR, 4 R, 2 RBI), Seth Gray (3-for-3, 2 2B, R), Trevor Jensen (2-for-5, R, RBI)

 

The offense headed by a few 2019 draft picks took hold for Elizabethton as they put up an organizational-high thirteen runs (for the day that is).

 

The end total was thirteen hits along with seven walks that allowed seven different batters to collect an RBI. It’s also pretty rare to see someone score three times and not lead the team that game as Matt Wallner was outscored by Parker Phillips who touched home plate on four different occasions.

 

In a game like this, there isn’t much on the pitching side of things but one of my favorites in Ryan Shreve pitched in relief and he picked up five strikeouts in his outing. Coming into the game, the 2019 draft pick had a 12.44 K/9, so he is no stranger to punching tickets.

 

GCL Twins Takes

Game one: GCL Twins 0, GCL Red Sox 2 (7 innings)

Box Score

 

Stephen Gonsalves: 1 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K

HR: None

Multi-hit games: Alec Craig (2-for-4)

 

Would you look at that! Stephen Gonsalves pitched started his rehab assignment and pitched for the first time in a few months. He gave up a homer but just the fact that he’s back to throwing in a professional game is a good reason to be excited.

 

And it didn’t end there for rehabbing pitchers as Trevor Hildenberger relieved Gonsalves and threw a scoreless inning. It really is great to see both pitchers back on the mound after being out for awhile.

 

Unfortunately, the feel-goodness pretty much ends there as the GCL Twins were unable to put much together offensively and were shutout in the loss. They collected just four hits and all of them were singles.

 

Game two: GCL Twins 11, GCL Red Sox 5 (7 innings)

Box Score

 

Steve Theetge: ⅔ IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K

HR: Francisco Martinez (3)

Multi-hit games: Jeferson Morales (3-for-5, 3B, R, RBI), Victor Heredia (3-for-4, 3 RBI), Jesus Feliz (2-for-5, R), Francisco Martinez (2-for-4, HR, 2 R, RBI), Bryson Gandy (2-for-3, 2B, 2 R, RBI)

 

Well it seems like the offense was feeling much better in this game as game two of the doubleheader saw eleven runs scored over just seven innings of play. This came with fourteen hits and as many extra-base hits as the previous game had hits for the GCL Twins (4).

 

Steve Theetge started the game and was removed for Anthony Escobar after getting two outs. Escobar got thirteen outs in relief while only giving up a single run and striking out three.

 

Somewhat notable is that Keoni Cavaco was absent from the lineup in both games but this isn’t uncommon as he could either just be resting or focusing on other aspects of professional baseball on Saturday (i.e. workouts).

 

TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY

 

Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Blayne Enlow

Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Gilberto Celestino and Jose Miranda (I couldn’t pick)

 

PROSPECT SUMMARY

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

 

#1 - Royce Lewis (Pensacola) - 2-for-5, 2 2B, RBI, K

#2 - Alex Kirilloff (Pensacola) - 0-for-4, 2 RBI

#3 - Brusdar Graterol (Pensacola) - Did not pitch

#4 - Trevor Larnach (Pensacola) - 1-for-4, R, BB, K

#5 - Wander Javier (Cedar Rapids) - 1-for-5, 2 K

#6 - Jordan Balazovic (Ft. Myers) - Did not pitch

#7 - Keoni Cavaco (GCL Twins) - Did not play

#8 - Brent Rooker (Rochester) - Injured list

#9 - Jhoan Duran (Pensacola) - Did not pitch

#10 - Blayne Enlow (Ft. Myers) - 6 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 K

#11 - Lewis Thorpe (Rochester) - Did not pitch

#12 - Nick Gordon (Rochester) - Did not play

#13 - Ryan Jeffers (Pensacola) - 1-for-4, BB, K

#14 - Luis Arraez (Twins) - Did not play

#15 - Matt Wallner (Elizabethton) - 2-for-5, HR, 3 R, RBI, 2 K

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

#17 - Akil Baddoo (Ft. Myers) - Out for year with Tommy John surgery

#18 - Jorge Alcala (Pensacola) - Did not pitch

#19 - Misael Urbina (DSL Twins) - 0-for-4

#20 - Travis Blankenhorn (Pensacola) - 0-for-5

 

SUNDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

Louisville @ Rochester (12:05 P.M.) - RHP Sean Poppen

Pensacola @ Mobile (2:05 P.M.) - TBD

Jupiter @ Fort Myers (10:00 A.M.) - LHP Lachlan Wells

Beloit @ Cedar Rapids (2:05 P.M.) - RHP Andrew Cabezas

Pulaski @ Elizabethton (4:00 P.M.) - RHP Ben Gross

 

Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss Saturday’s games.

 

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[Danchat]

Ryan O'Rourke? Now there's a name I haven't heard in a long time.

[Thegrin]

Come September, could Hildenburger be our bullpen savior ? 

[MNT1996]

 

  On 8/11/2019 at 5:39 AM, jaimedude2 said:

Any chance they would being Dr Aza up as bench bat extra outdielder? He is on fire for Rochester right ni. I would move Jaylin Davi to 60 day DL, bring up Dr Aza and send Smeltzer down to AAA.

 

We traded Davis to the Giants for Dyson

[SteelDodo]

Sooo relieved that Celestino found his bat.

What do you all think of the organizational prospect value of Celestino and Alcala compared with Jaylin Davis, Teng, and Berroa? Both packages were used to get a good RP with 1.5 years of control.

[Seth Stohs]

 

  On 8/11/2019 at 5:20 AM, Thegrin said:

Come September, could Hildenburger be our bullpen savior ? 

 

Would certainly be nice to have him available again!

[Richard Swerdlick]

 

  On 8/11/2019 at 8:13 AM, MNT1996 said:

We traded Davis to the Giants for Dyson

So he would get off his Aza?

[Seth Stohs]

 

  On 8/11/2019 at 12:31 PM, SteelDodo said:

Sooo relieved that Celestino found his bat.
What do you all think of the organizational prospect value of Celestino and Alcala compared with Jaylin Davis, Teng, and Berroa? Both packages were used to get a good RP with 1.5 years of control.

 

Time of Trade: Celestino + Alcala was a much higher value return. Both were top 15 Astros prospects at the time (and they have a strong system). The Twins three prospects weren't Top 25 guys (though again, very strong system).

 

Now - Celestino + Alcala is a much higher prospect value. 

 

That said, obviously what Jaylin Davis has done this year is impressive and he should get an opportunity soon with the Giants, I would think. And both Teng and Berroa have some upside but are obviously just 19 and 20 so a long way to go.

 

But Alcala hits 96-100 in AA, and I think the move to the bullpen is the right one for him. And Celestino's upside is tremendous as well. Very athletic, strong and fast. 

[rdehring]

Good day in the win column with the GCL Twins splitting a twin bill the only blemish on an otherwise perfect day.  And how bout those Red Wings, who at 60-58 remain 2 games over .500.

 

Miranda is probably wondering what he needs to do to be your Hitter of the Day.  Two home runs didn't get it done, at least yesterday.  He and Bechtold are both having good years at the plate.  Hopefully, one will continue getting better as they move through the organization to give the Twins depth at third base.  

 

 

[ashbury]

Interesting AAA game there at the end, judging from the box score and PbP. O'Rourke was brought in to face a succession of mostly right-handers, unless I misread - not a LOOGY audition by a long ways. Walks factored into both innings, resulting in bases loaded in the ninth, which he wriggled out of, and a run given up in the tenth.

 

The Red Wings' leadoff batter in the bottom of the tenth reached base on a fielder's choice. I read that item to Mrs Ash, who gave me the hoped-for look of puzzlement - she knows enough to know that that sounds odd, but didn't know the answer of why^*. Do you, without looking it up?

 

 

^{* _{After I explained, she commented, "like starting at the 25-yard line." I married well.}}

[mikelink45]

Matt Wallner really jumps out at me.  I expect him to be pushed up soon.  .281 .366 .466 .833 with 5 HRs is a really great debut.

[rdehring]

 

  On 8/11/2019 at 2:48 PM, ashbury said:

Interesting AAA game there at the end, judging from the box score and PbP. O'Rourke was brought in to face a succession of mostly right-handers, unless I misread - not a LOOGY audition by a long ways. Walks factored into both innings, resulting in bases loaded in the ninth, which he wriggled out of, and a run given up in the tenth.

 

The Red Wings' leadoff batter in the bottom of the tenth reached base on a fielder's choice. I read that item to Mrs Ash, who gave me the hoped-for look of puzzlement - she knows enough to know that that sounds odd, but didn't know the answer of why^*. Do you, without looking it up?

 

 

^{* _{After I explained, she commented, "like starting at the 25-yard line." I married well.}}

Please don't make me think about that ridiculous rule.

[ashbury]

  On 8/11/2019 at 3:21 PM, rdehring said:

Please don't make me think about that ridiculous rule.

I think there is zero chance the rule comes to the majors. Its purpose is to get minor league games over with quicker. If I'm paying for a minor league ticket, I just have to accept that I am watching player-development, and not genuine competition.

[AlwaysinModeration]

  On 8/11/2019 at 2:48 PM, ashbury said:

Interesting AAA game there at the end, judging from the box score and PbP. O'Rourke was brought in to face a succession of mostly right-handers, unless I misread - not a LOOGY audition by a long ways. Walks factored into both innings, resulting in bases loaded in the ninth, which he wriggled out of, and a run given up in the tenth.

 

The Red Wings' leadoff batter in the bottom of the tenth reached base on a fielder's choice. I read that item to Mrs Ash, who gave me the hoped-for look of puzzlement - she knows enough to know that that sounds odd, but didn't know the answer of why^*. Do you, without looking it up?

 

 

^{* _{After I explained, she commented, "like starting at the 25-yard line." I married well.}}

Do they start extra innings with a runner on second in the minors now?

[etwink]

  On 8/11/2019 at 5:20 AM, Thegrin said:

Come September, could Hildenburger be our bullpen savior ? 

 

Without a hint of sarcasm, I had the same thought. Hildy was lights out last year and part of this year, so here’s hoping his issues were physical and not mechanical/mental. Getting the 2018 version of Hildy for the stretch run? That would be awesome.

[ashbury]

  On 8/11/2019 at 3:35 PM, AlwaysinModeration said:

Do they start extra innings with a runner on second in the minors now?

They do. The guy in the lineup just above the leadoff hitter, i.e. usually the guy who made the last out the previous inning, starts on 2B. (Do they allow a pinch runner?) Makes for slightly different earned-run determinations, as the runner is treated as though reaching base on an error - you can be the losing pitcher without giving up any base runners, even by error.

 

I didn't see the play, but I am presuming they attempted to get the runner going to third, resulting in no outs. That's kind of the purpose of the rule, to put pressure on the defense from the beginning, to result in more runs and get the darned game decided.

 

It isn't baseball anymore, IMO, but it's not a stupid rule and it was conceived for a purpose. If I'm at a AAA game I may not really want a 15-inning experience. And the teams definitely don't want it. I like the rule better than the 25-yard-line rule my wife alluded to - that REALLY isn't football anymore.

[jkcarew]

  On 8/11/2019 at 2:48 PM, ashbury said:

Interesting AAA game there at the end, judging from the box score and PbP. O'Rourke was brought in to face a succession of mostly right-handers, unless I misread - not a LOOGY audition by a long ways. Walks factored into both innings, resulting in bases loaded in the ninth, which he wriggled out of, and a run given up in the tenth.

 

The Red Wings' leadoff batter in the bottom of the tenth reached base on a fielder's choice. I read that item to Mrs Ash, who gave me the hoped-for look of puzzlement - she knows enough to know that that sounds odd, but didn't know the answer of why^*. Do you, without looking it up?

 

 

^{* _{After I explained, she commented, "like starting at the 25-yard line." I married well.}}

 

If your wife thinks getting to 2nd base is only the 25 yard-line.....well, to you I say congratulations, sir!

[ashbury]

  On 8/11/2019 at 3:45 PM, jkcarew said:

If your wife thinks getting to 2nd base is only the 25 yard-line.....well, to you I say congratulations, sir!

Funny. Could be the first time I clicked Like and handed out a warning point on the same post!

 

_{^{J/K, but kinda not...}}

[Seth Stohs]

 

  On 8/11/2019 at 2:57 PM, mikelink45 said:

Matt Wallner really jumps out at me.  I expect him to be pushed up soon.  .281 .366 .466 .833 with 5 HRs is a really great debut.

 

I'm surprised he's still in E-Town only because of his draft status. The numbers are good, especially the doubles. 

[Seth Stohs]

 

  On 8/11/2019 at 3:35 PM, AlwaysinModeration said:

Do they start extra innings with a runner on second in the minors now?

 

Yup, this is at least the 2nd year that they have done that. 

[Mike Sixel]

Why not just have ties?

[jkcarew]

Will be interesting to see where the staff goes with minors Hitter of the Year now that the two obvious front runners in Diaz and Davis are gone. Assuming there is a bias for the full-season affiliates (CR, Ft Myers, Pensacola, Rochester), the pickings are pretty slim...lots of poor to mediocre results combined with injury-aborted breakouts...and a sprinkle of 30+ year-old journeymen. Probably this next/last month determines the honor. At this point in time, I'd go with Travis Blankenhorn. And wondering when Rooker is going to come back from the worse groin injury ever.

 

Pitching-wise, there are more guys out there with shinny numbers...but not necessarily the names you would want or have expected at the beginning of the year. Right now, I'd go with Randy Dobnak.

[jkcarew]

 

  On 8/11/2019 at 4:43 PM, Mike Sixel said:

Why not just have ties?

It's adding that extra column to all the databases...and re-writing win% formulas.

 

Reports are the tech workers refuse to do it until they're provided with meaningful defensive data. I'm on their side on this one.

[ashbury]

  On 8/11/2019 at 4:43 PM, Mike Sixel said:

Why not just have ties?

 

THERE'S NO TYING IN BASEBALL!

[Mike Sixel]

  On 8/11/2019 at 5:45 PM, jkcarew said:

It's adding that extra column to all the databases...and re-writing win% formulas.

 

Reports are the tech workers refuse to do it until they're provided with meaningful defensive data. I'm on their side on this one.

Funny! I can literally heat some former coworker saying this!