Fernando Romero - 2018

[goulik]

 

Fernando Romero

6-0, 233 lbs

Right handed Starter

Dominican Republic

Born Dec. 24 1994, 23 yrs old

Signed 11/4/2011 for $260,000

 

2012- DSL 1-4, 4.65 ERA, 28 Ks, 14 W's, 31 IP 

2013- GCL 2-0 1.60 ERA, 47 K's, 13 W's, 45 IP

2014- A- 3 starts before Tommy John

2015- Rehab

2016- A- 4-1, 1.93 ERA, 25 K's, 5 W's, 28 IP

          A+ 5-2, 1.88 ERA, 65 K's, 10 W's, 62.1 IP

2017- AA 11-9, 3.53 ERA, 120 K's, 45 W's, 125 IP

 

Fernando Romero was on an innings limit holding him to 5 innings per game and late in the season he was shut down at 125IP. Even so, he was able to log 30 more innings than in any previous season and maintain more than a K per inning.

 

Romero has touched 100 MPH but usually sits in the upper 90's. He has a potential plus plus Slider that is effective at getting the K but is somewhat inconsistent. He is also working on a cutter and change up. If he can get a third pitch down, he has ace potential. His floor is a shut down closer. 2 years removed from TJ, Romero is expected to be up with the big club by the end of the year but the dream is that he forces his way up much sooner than that. He is already on the 40 man roster eating up options.

 

Romero is slated to begin the year in AA Chattanooga or AAA Rochester.

 

I could not find his official Twitter account but there has been a lot of great articles lately. Here are a couple from TD. I will add the Twitter after I find it if possible.

 

Tom Froeming wrote this article about the TD #2 prospect

http://twinsdaily.com/topic/28667-article-twins-daily-2018-top-prospects-2-fernando-romero/

 

There is this article by Ted Schwerzler

http://twinsdaily.com/blog/517/entry-9337-romero-ready-and-waiting-for-twins/

[dgwills]

I remember when people said Alex Meyer's floor was a shut down closer. I am excited to see Romero in the bigs though.

[Shane Wahl]

I still rank him as the Twins top prospect. I appreciate Royce Lewis, but I just think that there is a very clear path quite soon for Romero to the big leagues. 

[goulik]

New article and discussion on Romero

 

http://twinsdaily.com/topic/28902-article-wherefore-art-thou-romero/

[goulik]

Romero was optioned to AA not AAA. Let the Angst begin. Possible reasons he is not in Rochester:

1) He preferred or the brass preferred that he continue to work with same pitching coach.

2) Pitchers are blocking him at AAA. 

3) He needs more time to come back from injury and will be on another (bigger) innings limit so is not going to be considered an MLB option this year.

4) You can always be recalled from AA to the majors so Falvine didn't really care too much where they sent him so they just sent him based on numbers without much discussion or consideration.

5) This still might change before opening day.

6) Combination of more than one of the above...

 

I don't really have an opinion on the above. If he does his work and destroys AA, he will move up. He has the highest upside and I really believe he is going to destroy the batters early in the season and force a move either to AAA or even possibly up to the MLB squad.

 

No matter what happens though, I don't think he will be in a playoff rotation either way as I believe they are going to have a much higher innings limit on him than last year but I don't see him having innings left on his arm for the post season. He was shut down at 125 innings last year. 

[goulik]

Romero began the year allowing 2 runs off 5 hits and 2 walks in 5.0 Innings IN RELIEF of the starter Mejia. Mejia started the game tossing two scoreless innings and Romero started the 3rd and pitched through the 7th. In the top of the 7th he allowed a walk which was followed by an error leading to runners on 2nd and 3rd. A single and bunt single later and Romero was down 2-1. Rochester tied it up 2-2 and Romero exited with a no decision.

Romero tallied 72 pitches, 45 of them for strikes. He struck out 3 in the loss which went to Busenitz. (Back to Back doubles in the 8th)

[goulik]

On Monday April 16th, Romero got his first AAA start. He began the game with a 1 run lead. He recorded his first out before beaning the second batter. No problem, his pick off move worked and Vargas tagged the runner out. Next batter was Palka. Yep, that Palka. He drew a walk, advanced to third on a single and scored on a wild pitch. Romero struck the next guy out to get out of the first tied 1-1.

 

Romero started the second frame with another K followed by a ground out, but then he allowed a single and a double to put runners on second and third. Rondon, the guy he beaned, flew out to end the threat.

 

Romero began the 3rd with a 2-1 lead. Palka, yep, that Palka, hit a double, advanced to 3rd on a ground out and scored on another ground out to tie the game again. Another fly out ended the 3rd inning.

 

The 4th was Romero's only 1,2,3 inning starting with a K, then a grounder, and completing the trifecta with a fly out.

 

The 5th inning began with another Romero walk but he struck out the next batter. Having thrown 81 pitches, 48 for strikes, Romero was lifted in favor of Tyler Duffey who cleaned up the inning.

 

Season Stats:

9.1 innings, 9 hits, 5 walks, 7 K's, 4 runs, 2 earned, 1.93 ERA and 1.50 WHIP.

[goulik]

Minor league pitcher of the day...

 

http://twinsdaily.com/topic/29572-article-twins-minor-league-report-422-romero-strikes-out-10-buxton-rehabs/

 

Great day for Romero! 6.2 innings with 10k's. He began the day setting down the first 9 batters in order with 4 of those coming by way of strike out.

 

Romero gave up a double and a single in the 4th leading to the lone run allowed on the day. He got out of the inning with his fifth strikeout before the single and a double play after the single.

 

He set down the next 6 batters in order with his 6th strike out in the 5th inning and he struck out all 3 batters in the sixth inning.

 

The 7th inning Romero started off with his 10th K of the day but followed that up with a walk. He induced a fly ball out but followed that up with another walk. That was the sign that he was done and he was relieved.

 

Unfortunately, despite pitching a gem, Romero took the 1-0 loss as Rochester did nothing with runners on base to support his efforts.

[goulik]

Romero lasted only 5 innings Friday giving up 3 runs and only struck out 3. Baxendale took the loss in the 10th inning. Good enough I guess because Fernando Romero will start for the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday. Congrats!!!!

[goulik]

After a solid MLB debut my boy is getting some love.

 

Here's an article from Twinkie Town (it was also shared on the MLB page)

 

https://www.twinkietown.com/2018/5/3/17314692/fernandos-fastball-fernando-romero-minnesota-twins-pitching-baseball-mlb

 

An article from Seth on our young Spark Plug

 

http://twinsdaily.com/topic/29692-article-can-fernando-romero-spark-the-twins/

 

And fernandomania begins

 

http://twinsdaily.com/topic/29698-article-min-4-tor-0-fernandomania/

 

I would temper our enthusiasm, he is a rookie and he will have his ups and downs, But hopefully he can follow Berrios' lead and become a very good pitcher this year and reach that potential of an Ace down the road. It was a good start and it broke up a rough ride but it was also not a complete game, 10 K, or efficient no walks type of start. It was a solid amidst crap. Great for a debut on a team in need of a lift.

[goulik]

Another interesting tidbit from Trade Rumors

 

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2018/05/al-central-notes-farquhar-romero-goody-soler.html

 

[goulik]

Well, I guess it's time to put a season wrap on things. Lost in the brouhaha over the Twins not calling up Buxton was the fact they also did not call up another piece of their future, Fernando Romero. It's not too extremely surprising given the innings limit he was on last year and all the arms they are giving a look see this Fall.

 

Romero had a pretty solid year hurling 90.2 innings at Rochester and another 55.2 for the parent club. He accumulated 146.1 innings between the two which is a career high for him and hopefully sets the table for a full year in the majors next year. In 11 games started for the Twins, he had a 3-3 record, 4.69 ERA, and 45 K's. He allowed 19 walks, hit 7 batters and allowed 29 earned runs for a 1.42 WHIP.  Not horrible but nothing really that great either.

 

For Rochester, he had a solid year going 5-6 with a 3.57 ERA, and 69 K's. He allowed 32 walks but only plunked 3 in almost twice the innings. My guess is he was over throwing with the Twins. He allowed 36 Earned Runs producing a 1.29 WHIP. The Opp. BA was .246 in Rochester and .279 in Minnesota. Surely some of that is the level of competition but some of that is just needing to calm down a bit and rely on what got him there.

 

Next year, I forecast Romero to spend the majority of his season with the parent club. He may go back an forth a couple times, but he just may be able to hold his own straight out of camp. I don't foree him putting up Ace numbers but I could see him being a Solid 3 for his first full season in the Majors. I believe Some time off to process this past year and some solid Spring Training time will  be what the Dr. ordered for this young man to become a solid Major League pitcher for years to come.

[Oldgoat_MN]

If Romero were to have a strong season for the Twins in 2019 that would certainly have a significant impact on what we could expect from the Twins. That is also true of several other pitchers, but Fernando seems the most likely of the young pitchers to actually be able to have a breakout year.

Go Fernando!

[IndianaTwin]

• Gibson, Berrios, Odorizzi seem like givens. 
• Mejia, Pineda, Romero, Gonsalves feel like the next tier -- potential with each, but none have yet demonstrated being able to last a full season (or in Pineda's case, still coming back from TJS). 

With Romero getting up to 146 innings, I think the most likely scenario may be to start in Rochester for a handful of starts and get a Mayish callup. Teams don't tend to play the service-time game as frequently with pitchers, but he has around 55 days this year, so it would take holding off until around late-May/early-June to keep him under a full season at year end.