Article: Twins Minor League Report (6/9): One Runned

[Jeremy Nygaard]

You can view the page at http://www.twinsdaily.com/content.php/3091-Twins-Minor-League-Report-(6-9)-One-Runned

[Butterfingers8]

Could lack of k's for Stewart be because the Twins are asking him to limit use of his slider? I thought I read somewhere that he was not throwing his slider to work on his other pitches.

[Sweetwater]

The low K's are a bit annoying. You want a guy who could be a future Ace dominating a bit more.

 

But like others have said, let's not go crazy just yet.

[cgreuling]

On top of the limited use of his slider, he's, what 19?, going against hitters that are 21-23. Regardless of his K rate right now, the kid IS dominating against older competition (they haven't hit him much at all). As he gets stronger, the use of his slider will go up along with the K's and he might develop one of his other pitches as an out pitch along the way.

[Seth Stohs]

Could lack of k's for Stewart be because the Twins are asking him to limit use of his slider? I thought I read somewhere that he was not throwing his slider to work on his other pitches.

 

He wasn't in spring training when I talked to him, but Travis Aune showed me a report from last night saying he was throwing his slider.

 

I think people are making way too big a deal about the strikeouts... (or lack thereof)

[Seth Stohs]

On top of the limited use of his slider, he's, what 19?, going against hitters that are 21-23. Regardless of his K rate right now, the kid IS dominating against older competition (they haven't hit him much at all). As he gets stronger, the use of his slider will go up along with the K's and he might develop one of his other pitches as an out pitch along the way.

 

THIS!!! This is the key point. he's 19 and facing 21-23 year olds who have spent either 3 years in college for 5-6 years in pro ball. Let the kid develop. They're more veteran and they still aren't hitting him well. We should be encouraged!

[twinsbaby]

If lack of Ks is not a BIG problem. Please tell me a name whose K/9 is lower than 6.2 in LoA at 19 and have very bright future to become an ACE in ML.

 

I still think he is a tremendously overrated prospect and next Zach Lee since the draft.

[nicksaviking]

If lack of Ks is not a BIG problem. Please tell me a name whose K/9 is lower than 6.2 in LoA at 19 and have very bright future to become an ACE in ML.

 

I still think he is a tremendously overrated prospect and next Zach Lee since the draft.

 

Yup. I'm not saying it's a foregone conclusion that he'll always be a contact pitcher, but I can't find a pitcher who is able to miss bats at the MLB level that couldn't do the same in Low A. When it was reported that he wasn't using his slider we had some logical reasons to explain the lack of strikeouts. Now we're going to need another logical reason that trumps historical trends.

[Steven Buhr]

If lack of Ks is not a BIG problem. Please tell me a name whose K/9 is lower than 6.2 in LoA at 19 and have very bright future to become an ACE in ML.

 

I still think he is a tremendously overrated prospect and next Zach Lee since the draft.

 

Every circumstance is different. If a college pitcher with a rep for striking guys out comes to the MWL, is using his full arsenal of pitches, and doesn't miss bats, then yes, that's a big red flag.

 

From what I've seen of Stewart, that is not the case,

 

He's a highly valued HS pitcher that the Twins have invested millions of dollars in already. They put together a plan with him over the offseason that involved mastering control/command of his fastball and emphasizing his change up this year.

 

Yes, he's now throwing SOME breaking balls, but I haven't noticed the slider being his "go-to" out pitch at this point.

 

From my observations, he's executing the plan that he and the Twins put together for this year and doing it well.

[gunnarthor]

If lack of Ks is not a BIG problem. Please tell me a name whose K/9 is lower than 6.2 in LoA at 19 and have very bright future to become an ACE in ML.

 

I still think he is a tremendously overrated prospect and next Zach Lee since the draft.

BP did a redraft of the 2013 draft - we get Gray in this version. But they said of Stewart (who goes 6th overall): Reason: Nothing substantial has changed with Stewart, and frankly, I'm pleased he's here at no. 6. His front-of-the-rotation potential has not dimmed at all given his performance in the Midwest League as a teenager, and as he settles in with more game experience, he could begin to move through the minor leagues more quickly. – Mark Anderson

Stock Analysis: Stewart slides just a few spot from his actual selection thanks to Harvey’s talent leap and Manaea’s return to form. But as mentioned, nothing has really changed with the 19-year-old, who is just plugging away in his first full season.

[BUGuy37]

Jordan Gorosh, a scout for Baseball Prospectus was at the Kernels game last night and had a glowing review of Stewart. Here are a few of his tweets:

 

Nothing. FB has life. SL is sharp. RT “@TravisAune: @JGoro8 what do you make of [stewart's] lack of strikeouts?”

"Top MWL P's I've seen in person so far this year, in order: Stewart, Shipley, Reyes, Tseng, Crawford, guillon" @JGoro8

"Stewart's night is through after 6. Big upside. Likely the MWLs best pitching prospect. Combination of stuff, polish, athleticism #twins"

@JGoro8

"Kohl Stewart out there playing 95 mph catch #twins" @JGoro8

 

"Stewart with a better 2nd. 93-95 with arm side run. Life. 84-86 sharp slider. Swing and miss pitch. 79 CB. More comfortable w SL" @JGoro8

 

"Stewart 93-96 in the first. Not much fastball command yet, but ball comes out so easy. Couple SL at 87. One CB at 77 #twins" @JGoro8

[cmb0252]

Jordan Gorosh, a scout for Baseball Prospectus was at the Kernels game last night and had a glowing review of Stewart. Here are a few of his tweets:

 

Nothing. FB has life. SL is sharp. RT “@TravisAune: @JGoro8 what do you make of [stewart's] lack of strikeouts?”

"Top MWL P's I've seen in person so far this year, in order: Stewart, Shipley, Reyes, Tseng, Crawford, guillon" @JGoro8

"Stewart's night is through after 6. Big upside. Likely the MWLs best pitching prospect. Combination of stuff, polish, athleticism #twins"

@JGoro8

"Kohl Stewart out there playing 95 mph catch #twins" @JGoro8

 

"Stewart with a better 2nd. 93-95 with arm side run. Life. 84-86 sharp slider. Swing and miss pitch. 79 CB. More comfortable w SL" @JGoro8

 

"Stewart 93-96 in the first. Not much fastball command yet, but ball comes out so easy. Couple SL at 87. One CB at 77 #twins" @JGoro8

 

Great stuff. Thanks for posting.

[twinsbaby]

If Stewart has big-time stuff as advertised, why his stuff can't play up just LoA hitters?

 

Look this video:

 

Hitters hit ball very hard, he can't whiff anyone. Engelb Vielma makes back-to-back diving stops, Kanzler also makes a great diving catch, he also makes a nice catch. He doesn't hold velocity well after 5.

 

I know nobody watches his advanced stat lines, but I can tell anyone that is VERY UGLY.