Twins Winter League Updates (Through 11/11)

Venezuelan Winter League Report

Luis Arraez has been a story all year, since the 19-year-old put together an incredible season in Cedar Rapids where his .347 average led the Midwest League. He was a multi-hit game machine. He had 34 two-hit games, 13 three-hit games, three four-hit games, and a five hit game. In the first two Kernels playoff games, he had a three-hit game and a four-hit game. He's kept it up in the Winter League.

Through games on Friday night, Arraez has played 27 games. He is hitting .358/.386/.519 (.905) with seven doubles and five triples. He has 15 RBI and 21 runs scored. He doesn't like to walk (6), but he also doesn't strike out (6).

In the past week, he played five games. He went 13-21 (.619) with two doubles and a triple. Over his last seven games played, he has five three-hit games. He's had multiple hits in seven of his last nine games.

Niko Goodrum has now played 28 games in Venezuela. He missed the first half of the 2016 season with a stress reaction in his foot, so these at bats are really good for him. He's hitting .297/.368/.450 (.818) with eight doubles, three triples and a homer in 124 plate appearances. He's struck out a fair amount (28 times), but he's also walked 13 times.

In this past week, he has played in six games. He's 9-23 (.391) with a double, two triples and a home run. He had four straight games multi-hit games in the middle of the week. In one game, he was a single short of a cycle.

Ryan O'Rourke's Venezuelan season started out very poorly, so it's taken some time for him to bring his season ERA down. Overall, he has a 7.82 ERA and a 1.89 WHIP in 12 games and 12.2 innings. He has made two starts.

This past week, he pitched twice and made a start on Friday night. In it, he threw four shutout innings. He gave up four hits walked none and struck out three.

Victor Tademo and Edwar Colina did not play during the week.

Dominican Republic Winter League Report

Daniel Palka was our choice for Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Year. He has now played 15 games in the Dominican. He is hitting .217/.266/.367 (.632) with three doubles, two triples and nine RBI. He has walked four time and struck out 19 times.

This past week, he played in four games. He had two hits in 13 at bats (.154). Both hits were doubles.

Leonardo Reginnato made his Dominican debut last Friday night. In his seven games so far he is hitting .227/261/.227 (.488) with a walk and a run scored. However, in his past three games, he is 5-11 (.455).

Confesor Lara has pitched nine games so far this winter. In 8.2 innings he has a 2.08 ERA and a 0.83 WHIP. Over the past week, he worked in one inning of one game.

Puerto Rican Winter League Report

Kennys Vargas has played in nine games already. He is hitting .188/.297/.344 (.641) with two doubles and a homer. He's got seven RBI and four runs scored. He's walked five times with eight strikeouts.

In the last week, he played in five games. He had just four hits in 18 at bats (.222). He had a double, and on Friday night he hit his first home run.

JJ Fernandez has also played in nine games. He is 7-29, hitting .241/.290/.483 (.773) with two doubles, a triple and a home run. In six games this past week, Fernandez is 3-18, hitting .167 with a double and a home run.

Juan Centeno has played seven games so far. He is 4.28. He's hitting .143/.226/.179 (.404) with a double. This week, he went 3-14 (.214) in three games played. He hit the double and drove in both runs.

Nelson Molina had just one plate appearance during the week. He drove in a run with a sacrifice fly. Lean Marrero went 0-2 over the two games he played.

Dereck Rodriguez is yet to give up a run in his three outings. In 6.2 innings, he gave up two hits, walked one and struck out four. He has a 0.45 WHIP.

He pitched in just one inning this past week. He gave up a hit, walked one and struck one out in a scoreless inning.

Please feel free to ask questions.