Twins Minor League Report (8/17): Pitchers Deliver Strong Starts

Keep reading to find out more on the night in the Twins minor league system on Friday. As always, please feel free to discuss and ask questions.

TRANSACTIONS

• There were no transactions in the Twins minor leagues before their Friday games. However, after their game, Cedar Rapids announced that RHP Calvin Faucher has been placed on the disabled list with right elbow tendinitis.
  
• But, the Midwest League named its postseason All-Star team. Both Royce Lewis and Alex Kirilloff were named to that team. Lewis was named the league’s top prospect.
  

RED WINGS REPORT

Rochester 1, Toledo 4

Box Score

Things were going well for Red Wings starter Zack Littell through the first five innings. He had yet to give up a run, but he got just two outs in the sixth inning and was charged with four runs (three earned). Nick Anderson gave up just one hit over the final 2 1/3 innings. He struck out three batters.

The Red Wings offense wasn’t able to do much. Robbie Grossman, in his second rehab game, went 2-for-3 with a walk. Taylor Motter had a walk and his ninth double. Jeremy Hazelbaker hit his second triple.

As per the plan, Byron Buxton is playing every other game as he returns to the Red Wings lineup. He played on Tuesday and Thursday, and he didn’t play on Wednesday and again on Friday night.

CHATTANOOGA CHATTER

Chattanooga , Mississippi

Box Score

Game postponed by rain.

MIRACLE MATTERS

Ft. Myers 3, Clearwater 2

Box Score

In another battle of #1 overall picks, Royce Lewis came up big again. The top pick in 2016 was Mickey Moniak by the Phillies. He hit his fifth home run In this game, his 104th FSL game. Lewis the top pick in the 2017 draft went 2-3 with a walk and his fifth High A home run in just 32 games (14th in 107 total games in 2018). Both young players are likely to be future MLB stars, and they are both kids who played with and against each other in southern California.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=sLEHdD57qvs

For the Miracle, the big story was the performance of lefty Bryan Sammons. After pitching very well in Cedar Rapids, Sammons has had some struggles since joining the Miracle. In four appearances (three starts), he had given up 18 runs (16 ER) in 12 2/3 innings. On this night, he was fantastic. He gave up just one run on three hits and a walk over six innings. He struck out six.

Following the game, Sammons told Twins Daily, “It definitely felt good to get back in a groove. I was able to get through the order using mostly fastball and change-up the first time through the order, and then mixed in more spin the second and third time through the order. Mostly just trying to get ahead early and make them earn it. The biggest thing that has hurt me here is the walks.”

In those 12 2/3 innings before this start, Sammons had walked 11 batters. That is uncharacteristic for him. In his 85 1/3 innings in Cedar Rapids, he had just 22 walks (2.3 BB/9).

Jovani Moran came on and picked up his fourth save in his time with the Miracle. He worked the final three innings and gave up just one run on two hits. The run came on Moniak’s home run late in the game. Moran hit a batter and struck out three.

Also of note, Alex Kirilloff had played in 14 games in August and had at least one hit in each game. However, on this night, he went 0-for-2. He has now hit in 27 of his last 29 games.

KERNELS NUGGETS

Cedar Rapids 7, Peoria 1

Box Score

A four-run sixth inning broke things open for the Kernels in this game. Trey Cabbage hit a three-run homer for the game’s biggest hit.

Cabbage went 2-for-4 with four RBIs, as he added another run with an RBI single in the eighth inning. His homer was his eighth of the season. Gabriel Maciel went 3-for-4 with his first triple. Trevor Larnach added his first professional triple.

Jordan Balazovic has had some struggles of late, but he was good on this night. The Canadian right-hander gave up one run on two hits. He walked two and hit two, but he also struck out five. Derek Molina got the sixth inning. He walked two, but he also struck out three batters. Jose Martinez racked up his seventh save by throwing three scoreless innings to end the game. He gave up one hit, walked one and struck out six.

E-TWINS E-TALK

Elizabethton 1, Bluefield 2

Box Score

Andrew Cabezas continues to pitch well. In this game, he provided the Twins with a quality start. In six innings, he gave up one run on four hits. He struck out just three, but he didn’t walk anyone. Tanner Howell came out and pitched the final two innings. He was charged with an unearned run on one hit and an intentional walk. He struck out three.

Colton Burns continued to show power. In his 24th game, he had two hits including his sixth home run of the E-Twins season. It was his fourth in his past eight games played. DaShawn Keirsey went 2-for-4 with his seventh double. Yunior Severino also notched his seventh double.

GCL TWINS TALK

Game 1 - GCL Twins 2, GCL Red Sox 0

Box Score

This game started last Saturday, but after three innings, there was no score and the game was tied 0-0. Donny Breek had thrown three scoreless innings for the Twins. Then the rains came and the game was suspended. When it was resumed on Friday, Frandy Torres was on the mound. He struck out five batters over three scoreless, hitless innings. He walked one. Casey Crosby continued his rehab and threw two scoreless innings despite giving up a hit, walking one and hitting one). Steven Cruz earned his second save by striking out two in a perfect ninth.

Tyler Webb led the offense. He went 2-for-4 with both RBI. He also stole his seventh and eighth bases for the GCL Twins. Shane Carrier continued his rehab. He entered the game as a pinch runner and scored. Later he had a single, stole a base and came around to score the second run.

Game 2 - GCL Twins , GCL Red Sox (Suspended in 4th due to rain)

Box Score

I guess you could say that Donny Breek started both games that the GCL Twins played on Friday. Of course, he started “Game 1” six days earlier and made the regularly scheduled start in this game. On this day, he gave up four runs (three earned) on six hits and two walks over 3 1/3 innings. He struck out five. Denny Bentley came on and got two outs. He walked one and struck out one.

The Twins had just two hits through the four innings. Tyler Webb had a double. The game will be resumed at a later date.

STARS OF THE DAY

Twins Daily Hitter of the Day: Trey Cabbage, Cedar Rapids Kernels (2-4, HR(8), 4 RBI).

Twins Daily Pitcher of the Day: Bryan Sammons, Ft. Myers Miracle (6 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K)

PROSPECT SUMMARY

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

#1 - Royce Lewis (Ft. Myers) - 2-3, BB, HR(5), R, RBI

#2 - Alex Kirilloff (Ft. Myers) - 0-2, BB

#3 - Brusdar Graterol (Ft. Myers) - Did not pitch.

#4 - Nick Gordon (Rochester) - 0-3, BB

#5 - Stephen Gonsalves (Rochester) - Did not pitch

#6 - Trevor Larnach (Cedar Rapids) - 1-4, 3B(1)

#7 - Brent Rooker (Chattanooga) - Rained out

#8 - Akil Baddoo (Cedar Rapids) - Did not play

#9 -Wander Javier - out of for the season

#10 - Zack Littell (Rochester) - 5.2 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 7 K

#11 - Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) - Did not pitch

#12 - LaMonte Wade (Rochester) - 1-4, K

#13 - Travis Blankenhorn (Ft. Myers) - 1-3

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

#15 - Ben Rortvedt (Ft. Myers) - 1-2, BB, K

#16 - Yunior Severino (Elizabethton) - 1-4, 2B(7), 2 K

#17 - Lewin Diaz (Ft. Myers) - Out for the season (wrist)

#18 - Ryan Jeffers (Cedar Rapids) - 1-4, 2B(9), 2 R

#19 - Jacob Pearson (Cedar Rapids) - 0-2, BB

#20 - Luis Arraez (Chattanooga) - No Game Scheduled.

#21 - Jose Miranda (Ft. Myers) - 0-4

*Since Wander Javier is out, I’d add #21 to the list.

ATURDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

Rochester @ Toledo (6:05 CST) - RHP Chase De Jong (0-2, 4.80 ERA)

Chattanooga @ Mississippi (DH at 4:00 CST) - RHP Sean Poppen (5-5, 3.72 ERA), Jorge Alcala (2-5, 3.99 ERA)

Clearwater @ Ft. Myers (5:00 CST) - LHP Charlie Barnes (5-5, 2.73 ERA)

Cedar Rapids @ Wisconsin - RHP Jhoan Duran (6-5, 4.45 ERA)

Elizabethton @ Bluefield (6:05 CST) - RHP Austin Schulfer (2-0, 2.17 ERA)

GCL Twins @ GCL Red Sox (9:00 am CST) - TBD

Please feel free to ask any questions about Friday’s games, or ask any questions you may have.