Twins Minor League Report (5/2): Berrios, Buxton, Polanco Lead Lookouts

Thanks for the report. I am really happy my prospect is hot again!

Video of TJ White's game winning run on Pat Kelly's sac fly to give the Kernels a 7-6 13 inning win.

https://youtu.be/YG6ttraX93g

Was at the Lookouts game tonight. Some take aways: Byron Buxton can flat out fly! The two triples he had were doubles for anyone else; his defense is SICK with Howitzer for an arm! For those scouts who have said he could play Gold Glove caliber defense today, I am a believer!

Berrios is THE REAL DEAL! He will need to work on some more things before being brought up and also work on getting past the 6th, which he has yet to do this season. This outing was no different and you could tell he was a little gassed in the 5th and moreso in the 6th.

ABW needs to learn to recognize and not swing at anything but a fastball. Too many swing and misses on anything that wasn't straight.

Sano's first at bat ended with him turning over something offspeed and away leading to a weekly hit double play ground ball to short. He looked a little better in subsequent at bats and his double should have left the park (walls are pretty high at AT&T Park). For me, he really stood out on defense and made every play on every ball hit to him, including a couple of outstanding plays! One really tested his arm after he dove to his left and had to come up firing to get the runner at First. Very impressed with the way he played on that side of the ball, especially for a bigger dude.

Polanco played well defensively and had a couple of really good at bats. I see him creating havoc on the Big League Club in the 8 or 9 spot someday. Its possible he could hit in the 2 hole, but I bet someone else will push him out of that spot and down to the last two spots. He made a nice play or two in the field, including a double play.

I was a little disapointed D.J. Hicks didn't get a hit. It seemed like each time he came up to bat, there were ducks on the pond, but on this night, Hicks just couldn't manage to bring them in.

Cole Johnson also was very good tonight: 2IP, 4Ks. The pitching was just very good all around: 14Ks on the evening. Berrios did give up the HR and an additional 2 runs when it looked like he got tired in the 6th (Worked himself into, then out of a bases loaded jam, giving up the two runs in the inning). Zack Jones worked quickly, hitting 97 once, but was steadily pumping fastballs in there at 96 (which made the group of kids in front of me wild with excitment and awe). He "only" got the 1K, but the Suns' hitters couldn't do much with Jones' offerings, as evidenced by the 1-2-3 9th he pitched.

All in all, tonight was a lot of fun! Terrific atmosphere, great plays in the field, doubles, triples, and a home run (although it WAS by one of the bad guys, it was still fun) coupled with terrific pitching from Berrios & The Boys! Can't wait to do it again! Oh, and the tickets were $10 a piece! 'Murica cuz 'Murica!

To the eyes-on-the-ground Chatty correspondents, thanks for the great info! One question--what's going on with Stuart Turner? I had hoped he would build on last years success in the second half, and give us a good defensive catcher with some hitting ability.

This thread is awesome!! Thank you both for the first-hand accounts. I always enjoy reading the perspectives. 

 

It is interesting about Berrios "tiring" in the 6th inning of these games. Because of his workout regimine, I have a hard time believing it's actually getting tired. But for some reason, he has struggled in the 5th and 6th at times so far this season.

Seth, I was a little surprised too. But even his velocity was down a little. Openned the game at 91-94 with his FB. By the 6th it was 88-94. Maybe he was trying to "add and subtract" but he started missing his spots more frequently (I believe both of his walks came in his final two innings of work). Also, I don't believe the hitters he faced worked too many high pitch counts either. I didn't really keep track of that, but, the game moved at a decent pace so it doesn't make sense that he ran into too many high pitch counts.

Me thinks if he can begin to consistently work into the 7th and 8th innings on a regular basis that his call to the bigs would be imminent.

Holy crap, not one but TWO showoff doubles for Buck!

Words cannot describe just how fast Buck went from Home to 3rd! Mark my words, he has a very good chance at MULTIPLE In Side the Park Home Runs at Target Field! I bet THAT would get the fans excited!

Oh, and I may be a little biased but, Berrios gets my vote for Pitcher of the day!

Holy crap, not one but TWO showoff doubles for Buck!

And his Double should have been a single.

It's no wonder this is the first place I visit in the morning with my coffee and doughnut. 

Well I was at extended spring training games this weekend, watching the Red Sox take on the Twins.  On Friday, I was too wrapped up talking to Red Sox prospect Yoan Moncada's agent Dennis Hastings, so I didn't get to see too much of the game other than a few big swings by Lewin Diaz and Roberto Gonzalez, along with Sam Gibbons looking good for two innings to start the game.  BoSox phenom Yoan Moncada didn't play on Friday but played SS for the first two innings on Saturday before coming out of the game and coaching first.  This kid is built like a body builder, runs like a sprinter, and hits like batting champion; definitely someone to watch out for in the future.

Saturday though, I did watch both games at the Centurylink Complex, spending more time watching Game 1 which featured Keton Steele who looked good in two innings of work with a fastball between 91-93 mph and only a few offspeed offerings of slider and changeup.  His fastball has good life to it while his slider was decent.  The Twins lineup in Game 1 featured Jarrard Poteete behind the plate, Nelson Molina at 1B, Manuel Guzman at 2B, Blake Schmit at SS, Rafael Valera at 3B, Roberto Gonzalez in RF, Austin Diemer in CF, and Dubal Baez in LF.  Gonzalez was impressive in the outfield, covering large ground and showing off a cannon of an arm.  At the plate he's still working his way back, he struck out looking, grounded into a double play (started by Moncada at SS), and flied out to center. 

Taking over for Steele was Brandon Poulson, I'd heard stories of him hitting 100 mph in the past well on this day he was between 91-93 mph in his first inning and 89-91 mph in his second inning of work.  The movement and life to his fastball was nearly non-existent while his slider was erratic; sometimes looking sharp and dangerous at 84-86 mph then other times batting practice at 79-81 with no break.  In his two innings, he threw two wild pitches that led to a run scoring.

Taking over for Poulson was Alexis Tapia and he looked great compared to the rest.  Miguel Sano told me in Spring Training to keep an eye out for Tapia this year and now I know why,  His fastball sat between 92-94 mph with a hard sharp slider at 80-85 mph.  The kid looked good and held his velocity

To round out Game 1, Aussie Josh Guyer took the mound for an inning hitting 90-92 mph with his fastball and lefty Jose Velez who is a max effort thrower hitting 90-92 mph as well.

On Game 2 where the Twins took on the soon to be Lowell Spinners, meaning most of these guys were going to be going to short season affiliate ball when it starts up.  Derek Rodriguez was on the mound and shows off a very live fastball with sink that was between 91-93 mph, his slider is still a work in progress breaking off a couple good offerings.  Dereck still needs to work on his control and mechanics but the ability is definitely there to be a mid-late inning reliever.  Luis Hernandez followed him up along with a good outing by Johan Quezada who showed a fastball between 92-94 mph and had his slider working.  Netherland's   Ruar Verkerk nearly went yard hitting a double off the left centerfield fence.  While Lewin Diaz is a man amongst boys, he looks like a slightly smaller version of Kennys Vargas, he's currently playing LF and getting some reps at 1B which is likely his future home.

I'll be back next weekend when they take each other on again.

I just wonder what the Twins will do with Kepler. He's burning thru his 40-man roster options. Do you try and buy another year of his time by not including him on the 40-man next year and hoping no one Rule 5s him? If he does produce, do you package him in a deal as a can't miss prospect. When does he not become a part of the Twins future? The evils of signing a guy young.

Great threads. Great reports. Anybody else notice Chris Parmelee in the box score from the Rochester game? Looks like he still crushes AAA.

Sano's first at bat ended with him turning over something offspeed and away leading to a weekly hit double play ground ball to short. He looked a little better in subsequent at bats and his double should have left the park (walls are pretty high at AT&T Park). For me, he really stood out on defense and made every play on every ball hit to him, including a couple of outstanding plays! One really tested his arm after he dove to his left and had to come up firing to get the runner at First. Very impressed with the way he played on that side of the ball, especially for a bigger dude.

Great to hear a positive report on Sano's D.