Article: Twins Minor League Report (7/24): Puerto Rican Prospects Prosper

[Seth Stohs]

You can view the page at http://twinsdaily.com/content.php/3279-Twins-Minor-League-Report-(7-24)-Puerto-Rican-Prospects-Prosper

[kdrupp09]

So nice to see Buxton back on the field again!

[RedBull34]

Wow, I never thought we would see JO this year, but it seems like he's got at least a 1% chance of getting up.

[Seth Stohs]

1% sounds about right. I didn't expect him to be this good in New Britain. I expected struggles. And, there certainly will be some still, I'm sure. But this is really encouraging!

[drjim]

I would say 0% this year, but he could be up a lot quicker next year than I would have thought even 2 weeks ago.

[tobi0040]

1% sounds about right. I didn't expect him to be this good in New Britain. I expected struggles. And, there certainly will be some still, I'm sure. But this is really encouraging!

 

Seth, what has been the difference this year for Berrios versus last year? Control looks much better, but what else? velocity, secondary pitches?

 

Low A last year:

 

3.99 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, 8.7 K per 9, 3.5 BB per 9

 

High A this year:

 

1.96 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 10.2 K per 9, 2.1 BB per 9

[BK432]

How does the rainout impact May's timeline? These short starts aren't helping to get him to MLB...

[benji21]

What's not to like about that day in the minors?! I love this time of year. Exciting promotions that's we've been clamoring for and what not. Thanks to Shane Wahl for the GCL players to watch and lets all cross our fingers for pitchers having there best control in buxton at bats.

[clutterheart]

What is it about Josue Montanez that allows him to keep getting chances?

Gibbons or Lo would have been more interesting.

[blindeke]

I love seeing great pitching all through the organization!

[jokin]

Seth, what has been the difference this year for Berrios versus last year? Control looks much better, but what else? velocity, secondary pitches?

 

Low A last year:

 

3.99 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, 8.7 K per 9, 3.5 BB per 9

 

High A this year:

 

1.96 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 10.2 K per 9, 2.1 BB per 9

 

The velocity uptick ("touching 98") was noted by scouts earlier on in his High A season, which has directly led to- the K/Swing rate jumping from 14.9% to 20.6%, and the IFB% jumping from 7.5% to 10%.

 

Add to that the bigger parks, his FB% has increased by a couple percent, but the big flies leading to XBH are staying in the park and being caught more now. Plus, while his ERA/FIP was hurt by a low strand rate (65.9%) in Cedar Rapids, his strand rate was a help in Ft Myers (76.5%).

 

The big thing is getting that big uptick in velocity while simultaneously dramatically IMPROVING his control. His K% - BB% is crazy good- 22.1% (2nd in FSL to 24 year old, Taylor Cole, by comparison,Berrios was only 13.2% K-BB in Cedar Rapids). How often does that kind of improvement take place?

[Seth Stohs]

Seth, what has been the difference this year for Berrios versus last year? Control looks much better, but what else? velocity, secondary pitches?

 

Low A last year:

 

3.99 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, 8.7 K per 9, 3.5 BB per 9

 

High A this year:

 

1.96 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 10.2 K per 9, 2.1 BB per 9

 

I spoke with Gary Lucas a couple of weeks ago for the Pioneer Press story I did for the Futures Game. Lucas coached Berrios last year in Cedar Rapids and again this year in Ft. Myers. I have a ton on this. I'll transcribe that this weekend and get it into a story for next week. There are quite a few factors, the biggest one just being one more year of experience. But there was more.

[Seth Stohs]

How does the rainout impact May's timeline? These short starts aren't helping to get him to MLB...

 

I don't think too much. It's probably good for him long term, even if it means one extra start in Rochester.

[Seth Stohs]

What is it about Josue Montanez that allows him to keep getting chances?

Gibbons or Lo would have been more interesting.

 

Montanez really does have very good stuff. For some reason, it hasn't come through in results in Cedar Rapids.

 

That said, this could also be the one-more-try thing too.

[Seth Stohs]

Kernels announce that Kohl Stewart is going on the Disabled List with a right shoulder impingement.