Twins AFL Report (Week 3): Julien Blasts Off

[Steve Lein]

With Austin Martin missing a few games in week three of the AFL season, it was up to another Minnesota Twins infielder prospect to take over the “hot-hitting” mantle. With all credit due to Martin so far during the AFL season, even he hasn’t done what Edouard Julien did to opposing pitchers in week 3.

Image courtesy of Ed Bailey, Wichita Wind Surge (photo of Edouard Julien)

Game Results:
Monday, 10/17 | Glendale 6, Mesa 3
Tuesday, 10/18 | Mesa 6, Glendale 3
Wednesday, 10/19 | Salt River 4, Glendale 5
Thursday, 10/20 | Glendale 4, Peoria 3
Friday, 10/21 | Surprise 7, Glendale 2
Saturday, 10/22 | Glendale 7, Scottsdale 9

The Glendale Desert Dogs completed another .500 week, going 3-3 in their six games. Their 8-8 overall record (including one tie) is tied for third place in the standings, a half-game behind second place heading into week four. 

How did all of the Minnesota Twins prospects fare for the Desert Dogs in week three of the 2022 AFL season?

IF Austin Martin
Week: 2-for-9, 4 R, 1 BB, 1 K (3 games)
Overall: .439/.538/.561 (1.099 OPS)

Martin continued his scorching hot hitting to start the week, going 2-for-6 in Monday’s win over the Mesa Solar Sox. That gave him 13 hits in his last five games and he added another stolen base.

In Tuesday’s loss to the Solar Sox, Martin got just two plate appearances, drawing a walk and getting hit by a pitch. After the HBP, he stole his seventh base of the season, moved to third on a balk, and scored on a groundout before being replaced in the field in the fifth inning (no reason has been given). 

He wouldn’t play again until Saturday when he went 0-for-3, but reached base in the game with another hit-by-pitch and also scored another run. 

On the week Martin played one game in center field, DH’ed, and finished his week up at shortstop after getting a few days off.

IF Edouard Julien
Week: 6-for-13, 6 R, 2 2B, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 5 BB, 3 K (4 games)
Overall: .364/.543/.636 (1.179 OPS)

Julien entered the week with no extra-base hits yet on the season and a .800 OPS. He finished it with three doubles, two home runs, and a 1.179 OPS that leads his team and ranks fourth in the AFL overall (Martin is fifth). It was a monster week for the infielder that just kept getting better.

In Monday’s win, he was 1-for-3 with his first double, scored a run, and drew two walks. In Wednesday's win over Salt River, he added two more doubles, scored two runs, and drew another walk as the leadoff man with Martin out. While he was 0-for-3 in his next game, he continued to do what he’s known for, drawing a pair of walks and scoring another run. 

Then he turned it up to eleven on Saturday, batting in the cleanup spot as the DH. 

While his team lost the game, Julien did everything he could to help. His two-run homer in the first inning put them up 2-0 early. He added an RBI single in the fifth inning before his second two-run blast in the seventh got his team within three late.

C/1B Alex Isola
Week: 1-for-9, 1 R, 1 RBI, 2 BB, 1 K (3 games)
Overall: .125/.250/.125 (.375 OPS)

Isola saw action in three games on the week, including his first game at catcher in Friday’s loss to Surprise. 

In Monday’s win against Mesa, he got the first run of the game on the board for the Desert Dogs with his RBI single in the fourth inning that drove in Julien. Later in the frame, he’d score the go-ahead run on a wild pitch and he also drew a walk to lead off the seventh.

RHP Jon Olsen
Week: 3 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 5 K (1 start)
Overall: 0-1, 9.75 ERA, 2.85 WHIP, .393 BAA, 8 BB, 9 K (6 2/3 IP)

Olsen made the start in Friday’s 7-2 loss to the Surprise Saguaros, pitching into the fourth inning.

He kept them scoreless for the first three frames, striking out one in the first, three in the second, and another in the third as Glendale had a 1-0 lead. A pair of walks to start the fourth inning put an end to his outing, but it was solid up until that point. Two runs were charged to him as his replacement gave up a single, and on the same play committed an egregious throwing error that allowed that batter to come all the way home for a 3-1 Saguaros lead.

LHP Denny Bentley
Week: 3 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K (2 appearances)
Overall: 1-0, 3.68 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, .167 BAA, 7 BB, 4 K (7 1/3 IP)

The lefty reliever made two appearances on the week, going multiple innings in Monday’s win over Mesa for his first hold of the season, and picking up his second in Thursday’s win over Peoria.

He pitched the seventh and eighth innings against the Solar Sox, giving up a single, walk, and a solo home run. Against the Javelinas he came on for the seventh inning, striking out one in a scoreless frame.

RHP Ryan Shreve
Week: 1 2/3 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 1 K (1 appearance)
Overall: 0-0, 3.38 ERA, 1.63 WHIP, .269 BAA, 6 BB, 5 K (8 IP)

Shreve was the first reliever summoned in Wednesday’s 4-3 win over Salt River, coming into the game in the middle of the third inning with his team up 2-1 at the time. He retired both hitters he faced to keep them out front, but a pair of singles in the fourth inning led to the Rafters tying the game at two before he was able to get out of the inning.

RHP Francis Peguero
Week: W, 2 IP, 1 H, 2 K (1 appearance)
Overall: 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, .095 BAA, 6 BB, 5 K (6 1/3 IP)

Peguero is becoming somewhat of a finisher for his Desert Dogs roster, as he again was the final pitcher for his team in his only appearance of the week. He got credited with the win by pitching the eighth and ninth innings against the Rafters on Wednesday, as the Desert Dogs scored three in the bottom of the eighth to take a 5-4 lead after his one-two-three top half. He allowed a single in the ninth but struck out one in each of his frames to secure the win.

Please feel free to ask questions and discuss the prospects playing in the AFL this week!

 

 

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[mac098]

Julien is starting to look like he never stopped from the regular season. This man looks like he is on a mission to earn that starting spot on the MLB team. If he can continue this hitting in combination with his plate discipline, there is not doubt in my mind that he will be on the Big League roster at one point or another next season. Whether it requires an injury or 2, I almost think the Twins are going to find an excuse to get him up, similarly like they did with Miranda. 

Martin had a good week. I wonder if he didn't play because he was feeling some soreness or something and the training staff didn't want to get into trouble if they put a player out there that wasn't 100%. He is also looking like he wants a shot at getting one of the 26 man roster spots next season. I mean, if Buck is going to be on the shelf yet again next season, Martin is looking like a pretty good replacement at this point. 

As for the others, they have been playing mid to low level baseball. Its tough to judge the pitching because these are players I've never heard of. They might be long shots to make the roster, but I think this is their time to prove that they deserve a shot come ST.

[Blyleven2011]

Good report ...

Nice to see the twins talent having good outcomes  in the AFL ...

It's their time to shine ....

[jmlease1]

Austin Martin is like Don Baylor out there. (no complaints, as long as it doesn't cause him to miss time)

Julien is going to be an interesting guy to watch. Right now he seems to be a player that doesn't expand the strike zone, waits for his pitch and hammers it. That's easier to do in the minors with less refined pitchers and an automated strike zone, but he's performed at every level so at a certain point you simply can't dismiss it. He's making plenty of contact and really commands the strike zone. Really his biggest drawback is he doesn't stand out defensively anywhere. he's not the worst defender at 2B, but he's also not particularly good, which means he really needs to hit his way to the majors. I'm curious about his overall speed; he was a terrific base-stealer in A-ball, and wasn't bad in AA last season and if he can be a consistent threat on the basepaths, that certainly will help his overall profile. Suspect he will start the season in AAA and get some time in MLB when an injury strikes, especially if Urshela sticks around. But he's another reason why it's unlikely Gio gets a multi-year deal from the Twins.

[gman]

It seems likely that Martin and Julien get lots of playing time in spring training. I would expect they both start the season at AAA. Almost seems as if they are both destined to start their major league careers as multi-position guys.

[Doctor Gast]

Thanks Steve, I look forward to your weekly reports. Looks like Martin hurt something & needed some time off. Julien is progressing nicely. Martin & Julien aren't letting us down. Peguero is looking more & more promising.

[dougd]

Another two HR, 4 hit game for Julien tonight, and 3 hits and runs from Martin.

[Major League Ready]

Julien now has the highest OPS in the AFL by 100 points.  Martin is 4th.  Talk about a dream scenario.  Keep it up guys!

[tony&rodney]

Watched Julien hit his first homer last night. He did exactly what he did all summer. He takes pitches that are out of the zone, fouls off tough strikes, and punishes the pitch he has waited for with a quick line drive swing. 

Julien and Martin could hit their way to positions on a MLB roster. Both are best when they let their natural approach flourish. Sometimes Julien will take a pitch just off of the low outside corner for a K, but it is fun to watch him turn on his pitch. The tough part is where they might fit in the field.

Many years ago, young players would fill out a roster as reserves and then hit their way into the everyday role. Young pitchers would work their way up in the bullpen. The factor of controlled years changed that approach. I wonder if Julien and Martin would be good candidates for utility positions. They could work on their defense and hitting until possibly forcing their way into a main role.

[beckmt]

I am ready for one of them to take over either second or third.  I like working the pitchers and running up pitch counts.  So maybe if the league puts a stop to the shuttle service, wreaking pitching staffs will be a talent.  Would like to see the shuttle cut to 3 baring injury. 

[FlyingFinn]

9 hours ago, tony&rodney said:

I wonder if Julien and Martin would be good candidates for utility positions. They could work on their defense and hitting until possibly forcing their way into a main role.

With teams wanting as many pitchers as possible on them, you can see why the Twins and others play their minor league players in many different positions. That advantage goes to Martin. Julien will be stuck at 2B IMO. His batting will have to be what gets him to the Twins and his fielding has to be at least okay. I love Julien's AB's, the way you explained them. I think they absolutely wear out pitching staffs and set the table for the middle of the lineup.

[tony&rodney]

4 hours ago, FlyingFinn said:

With teams wanting as many pitchers as possible on them, you can see why the Twins and others play their minor league players in many different positions. That advantage goes to Martin. Julien will be stuck at 2B IMO. His batting will have to be what gets him to the Twins and his fielding has to be at least okay. I love Julien's AB's, the way you explained them. I think they absolutely wear out pitching staffs and set the table for the middle of the lineup.

I just watched a Julien at bat. He never got a decent pitch to hit but walked after flipping off two tough pitches for  foul balls. That plays anywhere. I'm warming to him after his summer and now domination of the Arizona Fall League.

[USAFChief]

Bently in action Thursday night.

 

[USAFChief]

Isola, Olsen, Julien.