Twins Minor League Hitter of the Month- August 2021

[Cody Christie]

Fall is in the air as the weather turns colder, but it didn’t cool down these players. Here are the top hitters in the Twins minor league system this past month.

Before jumping into the top-four hitters of the month, here are some of the honorable mentions.

HONORABLE MENTIONS

• OF Emmanuel Rodriguez - FCL Twins- 15-55, .273/.365/.691 (1.056) with 4 doubles, 2 triples, 5 home runs, 8 BB, 24 K.
• 1B Aaron Sabato - Cedar Rapids Kernels- 14-66, .212/.338/.682 (1.019) with 4 doubles, 9 home runs, 9 BB, 31 K.
• C/OF Jeferson Morales - Fort Myers Mighty Mussels- 20-64, .313/.353/.609 (.962) with 4 doubles, 5 home runs, 2 BB, 10 K.
• OF Gilberto Celestino - St. Paul Saints- 24-83, .289/.385/.506 (.891) with 6 doubles, 4 home runs, 12 BB, 19 K. 
• IF/OF Edouard Julien - Cedar Rapids Kernels- 20-74, .270/.443/.432 (.876) with 6 doubles, 2 home runs, 21 BB, 31 K.

THE TOP FOUR HITTERS

Number 4 - St. Paul Saints - OF BJ Boyd- 33-85, .388/.398/.694 (1.092), 2 doubles, 8 home runs, 2 BB, 12 K.
Boyd was a fourth-round pick back in 2012 by the Athletics organization, and he is in his first stint in the Twins system. Boyd started the month on fire for the Wind Surge as he hit safely in 14 of the first 15 games during August. He also had a nine-game stretch where he hit eight home runs, including three games with multiple home runs. The organization rewarded him for his hot hitting by promoting him to Triple-A for the last week of the month. His time in St. Paul has been limited so far, but it’s hard to ignore what the 27-year old did over the last month at Double-A.

Number 3 - Cedar Rapids Kernels - IF Yunior Severino- 33-96, .344/.427/.490 (.917), 9 doubles, 1 triple, 1 home run, 13 BB, 37 K.
Severino was initially part of the Braves organization before MLB penalized them for infractions committed on the international market. He was granted his free agency, and he decided to sign with the Twins for $2.5 million back in 2017. Severino got promoted to Cedar Rapids shortly before the calendar turned to August, and he started on a tear. He hit safely in 19 of his first 20 games, including nine games with multiple hits and three games with four hits. Nearly 80% of his plate appearances have come against older pitchers. For the season, his OPS is over 40 points higher than his career mark, and August was his best month so far in 2021.    

Number 2 - Wichita Wind Surge - OF Leobaldo Cabrera- 15-48, .313/.469/.854 (1.323), 3 doubles, 1 triple, 7 home runs, 15 BB, 19 K.
Entering this season, Cabrera had been out of affiliated baseball since the Yankees released him in June 2018. The Twins signed him this spring, and he has played at three different levels so far in 2021. Cabrera only had 15 hits for the entire month of August, but 11 of those hits were for extra bases. He also reached base safely in 12 straight games to end the month. As a 23-year-old, he has been facing older pitchers in over 76% of his plate appearances. Cabrera might be new to the Twins organization this year, but his month of August certainly put his name on the prospect map.    

And the Twins Minor League Hitter of the Month is:

Wichita Wind Surge- RF/1B Trey Cabbage - 28-92, .304/.402/.674 (1.076), 2 doubles, 1 triple, 10 home runs, 14 BB, 36 K.
Cabbage has been in the Twins organization since 2015 when the club took him out of high school with a fourth-round pick. He entered the month of August in a bit of a slump as he hit .213/.290/.461 (.751) in July. Things started quickly when the calendar turned as he had multiple hits in the first four games of the month, including five extra-base hits. He’d end the month with nine multi-hit games. Cabbage had a couple of monster games during August. On the sixth, he went 3-for-4 with two home runs, five RBI, and three runs scored. Sixteen days later, he went 3-for-4 with a home run and six RBI. 

As a 24-year-old, he started the year at Cedar Rapids, where he was over a year and a half older than the average age of the competition. Now at Double-A, he is slightly younger than the competition. Nearly 60% of his plate appearances have come against older pitchers, and he has hit .307/.395/.646 (1.041) against them this season.  

We want to congratulate Wind Surge outfielder and first baseman Trey Cabbage, Twins Daily’s choice for Minor League Hitter of the Month for August 2021. Feel free to share your thoughts and ask questions.

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[Dman]

Personally I thought Cabrera had the better line but he might not have had as many at bats.  Twins scouts did a good job picking up Cabrera.  When I watched him earlier this year I was wishing they had someone better for that position and why grab a washed up 23 year old?  I guess this is why.  If there is one thing the Twins system seems to be good at it is developing power.  HIs K rate is high for the level but walk rate and BABIP are solid so this could be who he is at the plate.  A little less swing and miss and he looks MLB bound to me.  I still like Boyd better but Cabrera is right there as well in the good finds department.

I love the power Cabbage has but the K's and BABIP don't look sustainable so he has work to do.  HIs 391 BABIP has fueled his top hitter award but he looks like a big regression candidate to me.  Hoping he can bring those K's down.

Almost forgot. Nice to see Sabato's name in the honorable mentions.  I have noted my disappointment many times so want to point out I can acknowledge when he does well.  It just has taken some time to have something good to say.

[Seth Stohs]

Cabrera was a nice signing. Young guy with good power potential. He's got a big arm. He hasn't been a regular, a backup at all three levels. However, he absolutely has earned the playing time he got in the 2nd half of the month, and he's taken advantage of it. Cabbage having a ton more plate appearances during the month is absolutely a differentiator. 

[mikelink45]

I would not include Sabato. There are many better lines than his. Power alone doesn't make it for me. I might even turn your listing upside down. The last guy on your list looks very good to me. So I'll take Boyd. 

[Rosterman]

I think Trey is eligible to be a minor league free agent. The 2020 non-season kept him back in the organization, but also prevented him from being grabbed in the Rule 5. He blossomed this year, so I wonder if the Twins will take a flyer on him to add to the 40-man. Truth be told, he should move up to St. Paul for the month and Miranda to the Twins.

[Dodecahedron]

Trey Cabbage of course reminds me of Mike Cubbage, so he's already a Twin in my eyes.

[Major League Ready]

Cabrera is an interesting case.  He has only played 60 Milb games since turning 20.  He had 102 games in Rookie ball from 17-19.  He really has not had time to develop.  How is his defense / range / arm?