Twins Dive Into Indy League For Latest Free Agent Signing

[Parker Hageman]

Following in the footsteps of other independent league graduates like Chris Colabello and Caleb Thielbar, the Minnesota Twins have signed Edgar Corcino, who spend the previous two seasons playing with the Rockford Aviators in the Frontier League. 

 

Corcino, 22, was originally drafted by the Detroit Tigers out of Puerto Rico in the 26th round in 2006. Originally selected as a third baseman, the switch-hitting Corcino has transitioned to the outfield after the Tigers released him heading into the 2013 season. With the Tigers, Corcino hit .203/.284/.319 with limited power potential scattered across six years and five levels. 

 

His performance in the independent leagues was predictably better, where he hit .294/.355/.452 with 19 home runs in 778 plate appearances split between El Paso and Rockford. 

 

"The Twins reached out to [Windy City Thunderbolts manager] Ron Biga and [Evansville Otters manager] Andy McCauly about Edgar," said his Rockford manager James Frisbie in the team's press release, "and they both spoke very highly of him and I think that really helped seal the deal for him."

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BsPPMsYlCo

[nicksaviking]

Looks like he first got picked up by El Paso in the American Association, the indy league most of the people in this area are familiar with.  I thought the Frontier league was a step below the AA, though perhaps that has changed.  He sure didn't seem to put up the same kind of numbers Colabello put up in indy ball, but hey, nothing to lose here.  Looks like a good athlete, maybe you catch lightning in a bottle.

[Parker Hageman]

He and Berrios also seem close -- judging by each other's Twitter feeds. I wonder if that played a small part in his acquisition. 

[Steven Buhr]

Slightly puzzling to me. Just seems like this organization was already going to be a bit jammed up for outfielders at AA/AAA without adding an indy baller to the mix. Guess it will all shake out in ST though.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Isn't Kevin Gausman available?

[ashbury]

If Corcino is just half as successful as Chris Colabello was, why, that will mean Colabello was twice as successful as him!

 

_{^{/ in other words, put me down for "meh"...}}

[Thrylos]

Slightly puzzling to me. Just seems like this organization was already going to be a bit jammed up for outfielders at AA/AAA without adding an indy baller to the mix. Guess it will all shake out in ST though.

 

He is likely heading to Fort Myers (or even your neck of the woods).  Played only 5 games above A (3 in A+ and 2 in AA) and he is 22. 

[diehardtwinsfan]

22 in FTM would not leave him off the radar. That said, drafted in 2006 and is 22 now? Something doesn't add up. If he's 22 in FTM, he's on the prospect radar with a decent season.

[Rosterman]

Doesn't mean he'll stick. Just given a minor league spring training nod and a chance to return to pro-pro ball. 

[BK432]

22 in FTM would not leave him off the radar. That said, drafted in 2006 and is 22 now? Something doesn't add up. If he's 22 in FTM, he's on the prospect radar with a decent season.

Looks like he was actually drafted in 2009 according to Baseball Reference 

 

http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=corcin001edg

[Seth Stohs]

I would tend to think Ft. Myers as well... more likely, he won't get to the regular season, but guys like this get to go to camp a lot. The TWins signed a guy last year out of an indy league for spring training ,but he was released very late in camp. 

 

They also signed DJ Johnson from an indy league in June or so last year and he was a big part of the Ft. Myers bullpen after that. He throws 95. It's defintely worth looking at the indy leagues. Some guys do fall through the cracks. 

[maxisagod]

His age makes this signing more similar to a college senior signing then an indy baller, who tend to get signed in their mid to late 20's. Someone to keep an eye on.

 

I like how the Twins called his old managers. Doing their homework can help minimals mistakes, but can also help find a diamond in the rough.... Plus I'm going to run out of Puerto Rican prospects to root for if they all get released or make the Twins.  

[USAFChief]

If Corcino is just half as successful as Chris Colabello was, why, that will mean Colabello was twice as successful as him!

 

 

Show your work, friend.

[ashbury]

Show your work, friend.

I invoke the California Math exception.

[jokin]

Slightly puzzling to me. Just seems like this organization was already going to be a bit jammed up for outfielders at AA/AAA without adding an indy baller to the mix. Guess it will all shake out in ST though.

A good-looking athlete-  the Tigers must have seen something, as they (unsuccessfully) tried to push him quickly through their system- perhaps a late bloomer.

 

***And it looks like you might have the first chance we fans have to make an extended evaluation (after Berrios, of course, who seems to have played some role... it looks like Corcino participates in Jose's offseason workouts, was that how the Twins first became intrigued?)...

 

 "CORCINO'S LONG-TIME FRIEND AND THE TWINS' 2012 FIRST-ROUND DRAFT PICK, JOSE BARRIOS TWEETED OUT HIS CONGRATULATIONS ON TUESDAY....

 

Jose O. Berrios        ✔

 

God be the glory, here an example of Persevering get great blessings! The Great Edgar Corcino new member @Twins org.  

 

 

 

The Minnesota Twins purchased the contract of 22-year-old outfielder Edgar Corcino from the Rockford Aviators of the Frontier League on Thursday. He became the fourth player from the 2014 Aviators squad to be purchased by a Major League Baseball organization,

After four seasons of offensive and defensive woes, the Tigers released Corcino prior to the 2013 season. 

He was signed by the Aviators a few days later and he began to improve at the plate and in the field. He hit .312/.384/.482 with six homers and 28 RBI in 56 games for the Aviators to finish his 2013 campaign. He also only committed two errors in 90 chances in the outfield as well.

Corcino carried that momentum into this past season as he hit .302/.351/.456 with 11 homers and 51 RBI in 95 games.

Clearly Corcino is better suited as an outfielder than as a third baseman. He has a career fielding percentage of .877 as a third baseman (158 games) as opposed to a .965 fielding percentage as an outfielder (153 games).

***It is likely he will start the 2015 season in Low-A Cedar Rapids.

[jokin]

I would tend to think Ft. Myers as well... more likely, he won't get to the regular season, but guys like this get to go to camp a lot. The TWins signed a guy last year out of an indy league for spring training ,but he was released very late in camp. 

 

They also signed DJ Johnson from an indy league in June or so last year and he was a big part of the Ft. Myers bullpen after that. He throws 95. It's defintely worth looking at the indy leagues. Some guys do fall through the cracks. 

 

Don't forget Brandon Poulson, Pride of the Heraldsburg Prune Packers.  

Seth, do you have any updates on the Twins intentions for Poulson in 2015?  A wild, weird, wacky, and amazing story:

 

 

 

On July 15 at Healdsburg’s Rec Park, Brandon Poulson threw his first pitch and the dozen Major League Baseball scouts in the stands looked at their radar guns. Then they looked at each other, peeking over each other’s shoulders to see the other electronic numbers. Then they looked back at their radar guns. Nah, they all assumed. Must be a glitch. A sun spot probably. Or a cell phone with its ringer on loud. Something caused it. It happens.

 

But the radar read-out was the same for all of them: 96 miles an hour.“And it was only a warm-up pitch,” said Elliott Strankman of the Minnesota Twins. “I’ve never seen a 96 warmup pitch.”    The scouts now were leaning forward, intrigued. Poulson certainly looked the part of a power pitcher. He’s 6-foot-7, 230 pounds of lean meat, his body shape perfectly proportioned to deliver the five-ounce product — big shoulders, narrow hips, long arms and legs, every inch a pitching catapult.

[wagwan]

If Corcino is just half as successful as Chris Colabello was, why, that will mean Colabello was twice as successful as him!

 

_{^{/ in other words, put me down for "meh"...}}

I don't know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve

[ashbury]

I don't know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve

Speaking for the others, I'm sure I speak for myself when I say that we all thank you.  I think.

[Steven Buhr]

I apparently glanced past the part where he's only 22 years old before I commented. Yeah, as long as we're talking a potential A-ball OF, there's not near the logjam there might be at the higher levels.

 

One thing we discovered last year in CR is that you never have enough good outfielders at this level. There were times in 2014 when the Kernels OF was kind of scary and there wasn't much help available from E'town.

 

I'd like to thank half of you who pointed out my oversight twice as much as the other half of you, even though it took me twice as long to catch up on this thread as it would have if I had put half as much effort in to doing so.

[jokin]

I apparently glanced past the part where he's only 22 years old before I commented. Yeah, as long as we're talking a potential A-ball OF, there's not near the logjam there might be at the higher levels.

 

One thing we discovered last year in CR is that you never have enough good outfielders at this level. There were times in 2014 when the Kernels OF was kind of scary and there wasn't much help available from E'town.

 

I'd like to thank half of you who pointed out my oversight twice as much as the other half of you, even though it took me twice as long to catch up on this thread as it would have if I had put half as much effort in to doing so.

 

Assuming the article I quoted above was correct, and Corcino is likely slotted for CR, at this point can you project the 5 likely OFers starting out on the Kernels roster in April, and who will be the 3 starters?

[Steven Buhr]

Assuming the article I quoted above was correct, and Corcino is likely slotted for CR, at this point can you project the 5 likely OFers starting out on the Kernels roster in April, and who will be the 3 starters?

Of course I CAN project the OF, but doing so accurately is a whole 'nother question, isn't it?

 

I guess I expect Max Murphy and Zach Larson to return to start the season and be in the starting line up. I'd guess Tanner English will join them. Let's go with Austin Diemer and Mr. Corcino to fill out the group.

 

Not 100% sure they'll bring 5 true OFs with them when they come north in April, though, so maybe Diemer stays behind in extended and they find one of their utility types who can play elsewhere and fill in out in the OF. Come to think of it, I'd kind of guess C Alex Swim would start in CR and he played a lot of OF for the Kernels the last few weeks of 2014.

 

Edit: Occurs to me I totally forgot about Zack Granite. Probably have to make room for him in CR, as well, and probably as a starter. Jake's going to need a rotation system to give all those guys innings in the OF. If Corcino does come to CR, Diemer would seem to almost certainly be the odd man out in extended ST.

[jokin]

Of course I CAN project the OF, but doing so accurately is a whole 'nother question, isn't it?

 

I guess I expect Max Murphy and Zach Larson to return to start the season and be in the starting line up. I'd guess Tanner English will join them. Let's go with Austin Diemer and Mr. Corcino to fill out the group.

 

Not 100% sure they'll bring 5 true OFs with them when they come north in April, though, so maybe Diemer stays behind in extended and they find one of their utility types who can play elsewhere and fill in out in the OF. Come to think of it, I'd kind of guess C Alex Swim would start in CR and he played a lot of OF for the Kernels the last few weeks of 2014.

 

Edit: Occurs to me I totally forgot about Zack Granite. Probably have to make room for him in CR, as well, and probably as a starter. Jake's going to need a rotation system to give all those guys innings in the OF. If Corcino does come to CR, Diemer would seem to almost certainly be the odd man out in extended ST.

 

Thanks, JC.  I was thinking the exact same starting OF in Cedar Rapids, which made me wonder why Corcino is being brought in in the first place- other than the depth you were concerned about in 2014, and for the semblance of competition for roster spots.

 

One more for you... among these candidates, who is the first to get the call to Ft Myers? (Both the Miracle and the Kernels project to be thin in true Center Fielders?)

[Steven Buhr]

Thanks, JC.  I was thinking the exact same starting OF in Cedar Rapids, which made me wonder why Corcino is being brought in in the first place- other than the depth you were concerned about in 2014, and for the semblance of competition for roster spots.

 

One more for you... among these candidates, who is the first to get the call to Ft Myers? (Both the Miracle and the Kernels project to be thin in true Center Fielders?)

Kanzler will obviously be the everyday CF for the Miracle, but there's certainly some question about who could be next in line there. If something happens that he gets a quick promotion to AA or goes on the shelf for an injury, I'd guess Granite might be the guy to go up. But if the question is which OF I would expect to truly hit his way in to a promotion, I'd lean toward Larson. Granite simply wasn't around long enough last year for me to get a feel for how good he is.