Lewis, Kirilloff, Rooker Among Twins Non-Roster Invites

Exciting! It seems to me like this front office is willing to move faster with players when their performance warrants it. For me, I'm hoping to see them play a little this spring. Hoping Alex K. starts off at AA this year and Lewis I think starts at High-A and with a good performance could see AA at some point this year. Why not challenge these kids? 

Not surprising Navarreto and Rortvedt were invited..  Need lots of catchers with so many pitchers throwing bullpens early in camp.

  On 1/25/2019 at 9:07 PM, Seth Stohs said:

Royce Lewis (19), the top overall pick in the 2017 MLB draft, put together a strong professional debut season with the Cedar Rapids Kernels. He ended the season with a month in Ft. Myers where he helped lead the Miracle to a Florida State League championship. He hit a combined .292 with an .803 on-base percentage. He added 29 doubles, 14 homers and an organization-leading 28 stolen bases.
 

With an on-base percentage of .803, I'd think he should be on the Twins this year 

  On 1/25/2019 at 9:43 PM, redstorm said:

With an on-base percentage of .803, I'd think he should be on the Twins this year 

Now THAT'S a BB/K ratio I can get excited about. 

  On 1/25/2019 at 9:43 PM, redstorm said:

With an on-base percentage of .803, I'd think he should be on the Twins this year 

That's nothing compared to Kiriloff, who had a .970 on-base percentage. He's a really tough out.

Brian navarreto has always interested me. Big dude who plays really good defense behind the plate. If he could just figure out the bat. Maybe he’s a late bloomer with the bat and last year was a starting point.

How the heck do you NOT invite Tyler Wells? He had THE best numbers in the ENTIRE ORGANIZATION. Some of those position guys had mediocre years to be honest.

  On 1/26/2019 at 2:43 AM, High heat said:

Brian navarreto has always interested me. Big dude who plays really good defense behind the plate. If he could just figure out the bat. Maybe he’s a late bloomer with the bat and last year was a starting point.

Still just 24 ... Twins can afford patience here

Pretty much all just getting to come 10 days early and work out with the major league guys.

Wondering who the minor league free agent invites are. See they just signed another half dozen guys.

If an established player with very good MLB performance is not worthy of much of a contract these days because he is in the "decline" at 29 to 30....... how is 24 and 26 and 27 young, in comparison. They still haven't even cracked the bigs yet. So, a "career" is only 26 -30 now? 5 years. 25 is not young. It is almost washed up if you are in the minors..... 

To hold on to 24 being young for MLB seems a bit hopeful to me.

I always hope for the prospect that refuses to be sent out, the one who is just so good he breaks the barriers and goes north.

I am hoping the Kirloff makes enough noise in camp to at least force the FO to start him in Pensacola. Most of the invites are just to bring them in early to work with them and let the better prospects get their feet wet in a major league spring training regime. I expect most of the prospects will be sent out when minor league training camps open, which is the first or second week of March.  Any of them that do not would be a sign they have opened some eyes of the major league staff.

  On 1/26/2019 at 4:32 AM, 108Stitches said:

How the heck do you NOT invite Tyler Wells? He had THE best numbers in the ENTIRE ORGANIZATION. Some of those position guys had mediocre years to be honest.

I would've thought we all learned from the Adam Brett Walker experience that CAPS and prospect talk dont mix well.

  On 1/27/2019 at 12:17 AM, Jim Hahn said:

I think a 5-7 year career should be a goal for just about any non elite minor leaguer. For Navaretto, he could easily be a Butera. With a little more bat, he could be a Jose Molina. Those kind of catchers are apparently pretty useful, if not highly valued. I think a career as a catcher who is some part of a platoon situation, is within reach for Navaretto. That isn't so bad.

Was going to comment that this seems quite high then remembered that Nick Punto spent 14 years in the big leagues.  Looked it up and average career length for MLB players is 5.6 years so that's about right. Quite a bit longer than the NFL at 3.3 years

1 day of service time for Free Medical for life.  43 days of service time to be in the pension program.  Both are key service dates for fringe players as well.

  On 1/27/2019 at 4:42 PM, clutterheart said:

I would've thought we all learned from the Adam Brett Walker experience that CAPS and prospect talk dont mix well.

Sorry lol Phone version doesn’t allow for italics so that’s what I did instead. Please find it within your clutterheart to forgive me  

They probably are just trying to excite the fan base.  Trying to make us overlook the fact that they are not going to spend the money they were paying Mauer.  I know he earned it but we have spent three to four seasons waiting for it to be done.  I know he wasn't the reason or should not have been the reason they were not spending, but we have spent at least the last 3 off seasons wondering who they would sign once Mauer was gone.  Woo hoo we got Cruz, while I am excited to get him, I can't take this anymore.  I made it 3 days w/o reading about the Twins hopefully I can wean myself off of them all together. 

  On 1/27/2019 at 11:38 AM, beckmt said:

I am hoping the Kirloff makes enough noise in camp to at least force the FO to start him in Pensacola. Most of the invites are just to bring them in early to work with them and let the better prospects get their feet wet in a major league spring training regime. I expect most of the prospects will be sent out when minor league training camps open, which is the first or second week of March.  Any of them that do not would be a sign they have opened some eyes of the major league staff.

My guess is that Kirilloff is a Blue Wahoo to start the season regardless.

  On 1/28/2019 at 9:35 PM, nater79a said:

My guess is that Kirilloff is a Blue Wahoo to start the season regardless.

From what I have seen, the feeling is he will start in Ft. Myers and move up if things go well in May or June.

  On 1/28/2019 at 9:57 PM, nicksaviking said:

It certainly would make a nice impression with the new Pensacola affiliate.

 

Being young and high top end talent, surely as per usual, Kirriloff and Lewis will be among the first re-assigned. I wonder if Rooker will get a longer look. There's a bit of a logjam ahead of him, but he appears much closer to being a legit consideration.

I am hoping Kirilloff, Lewis, Rooker and Larnach all play together with the Blue Wahoos this season.  Wishful thinking, I'm sure, as some of the others may move on/up before Larnach gets there.  In fact, Larnach may only get as high as Fort Myers this year.

How similar are Rooker and Raley...

Luke Raley

24 years old, listed at 6'3 220lbs.  Plays OF/1B, 2018 at AA: 20HR, .275/.350/.471

Brent Rooker

24 years old, listed at 6'3 215lbs.  Plays OF/1B, 2018 at AA 22 HR, .254/.333/.465

  On 1/28/2019 at 9:35 PM, nater79a said:

My guess is that Kirilloff is a Blue Wahoo to start the season regardless.

There shouldn't be much doubt about that.  I had some fun with the Kirlloff's yesterday.  We knew Alex and his Dad, Dave would be coming out in the afternoon to work out, so 4 of us waited.  The photographer among us had a photo they wanted.  When the did show up, they carried equipment to the field, (a lot of balls).  Dave threw bp to Alex, and at one point asked the photographer to take some video of Alex's swing.  It was interesting to hear what his dad was trying to teach him.  When they were done with that, we went out  on the field and shagged the balls with them.  Dave ran up to me and introduced himself, as he did with all of us.  There was a lot of visiting with them and Dave took pictures of us.  He explained what he was trying to teach Alex.  He has a hitting school in PA.  It was fun and very interesting, glad I experienced it.  They are really good guys.