Minor League Releases

[Seth Stohs]

It's always tough at this time of year to see guys who have put in their time and their hearts and so much into the game and into working their way up the Twins organization get released. It's the unfortunate, ugly, not-at-all fun side of the game. It's necessary, but it isn't something I would enjoy. The twins journey has ended for some Twins minor leaguers the last few days.

 

Tyler Jones - RH RP

Matt Koch - C

Will Hurt - MI

Josue Montanez - LH RP

 

And on Monday, they have also released a couple of former Gophers; C Kyle Knudson and OF Mike Kvasnicka.

 

I think I'd speak for everyone in wishing them all well in whatever is next, be it baseball or the real world.

 

 

[TKGuy]

I agree, how many baseball players even get as far as these guys, and then to have the dream derailed cannot be easy to handle.

 

Good luck to all of them.

 

[maxisagod]

We tend not just to root for the team and the organisation but for the players as well. Even though the most these players could realistically hope for was a cup of coffee. Sad to see the players go, excited for the next batch to take their place and for a couple to beat the odds. 

[Shane Wahl]

Why does this happen? I mean it would still seem that Kvasnicka, Jones, and Koch were producing and could all be AAA players. Why not one more year for them to see? It's crowded? It's crowded because of additional signings of aging players for both the Twins and AAA.

[Jeremy Nygaard]

I don't know when these happened (I never saw them on BA), but C Joel Polanco, P Seth Wagner and P Reyson Zoquiel have all been released. All three played in the GCL last year. Wagner was a late-round HS pick who was committed to Penn State. Only threw a few dozen innings in his two pro years. The other two weren't particularly good.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

Why does this happen? I mean it would still seem that Kvasnicka, Jones, and Koch were producing and could all be AAA players. Why not one more year for them to see? It's crowded? It's crowded because of additional signings of aging players for both the Twins and AAA.

Well, none of the players have any AAA experience, and you don't really want much "organizational filler" at lower levels.  AA in particular is pretty stocked with good prospects right now.

 

Also, perhaps the Twins wanted to retain the players, told them it was likely at a lower level than AAA, and the players wanted the opportunity to chase their MLB dreams elsewhere.

 

Either way, I'm not really going to quibble about what guys are best as organizational filler.

 

It has been fun following these guys, and I wish them the best.  I hope to hear more from them.

[diehardtwinsfan]

Jones surprises me.  He was doing quite well and had some serious heat.  I'd think that someone would pick him up. 

[DAM DC Twins Fans]

 

Why does this happen? I mean it would still seem that Kvasnicka, Jones, and Koch were producing and could all be AAA players. Why not one more year for them to see? It's crowded? It's crowded because of additional signings of aging players for both the Twins and AAA.

I agree with Shane--especially in the case of Jones...who has done pretty well...whats the harm in gving these 3 another year. 

 

I hope some of them catch on elsewhere...I too wish all of them the best.

[Seth Stohs]

When I saw Jones pitch 3 weeks ago in a game, he was throwing hard. Secondary pitches and control were always in question, but I was surprised.

 

Catching is always interesting. They definitely have numbers. Even now (after Grimes retired, Koch and Knudson released), they have extra catchers and with possibly two of the Pinto/Herrmann/Fryer group heading to Rochester, there could be more casualties before this weekend. 

[ashbury]

I thought Mike Kvasnicka was having a good spring at the plate, but I didn't look up any stats and am just going by what happened when I was around.

[Bob Sacamento]

Poor Kvasnicka, my last memory of him will be striking out after a called ball because he left the batters' box in Sunday's game.  Well that kind of changes the roster I got on Sunday afternoon but the rosters are overflowing

 

 

[eLee612]

Curious - is there an official cap on the number of players an organization can hold in their minor league system? Or is there a minimum that they have to maintain? 

[Thrylos]

 

Why does this happen? I mean it would still seem that Kvasnicka, Jones, and Koch were producing and could all be AAA players. Why not one more year for them to see? It's crowded? It's crowded because of additional signings of aging players for both the Twins and AAA.

 

Kvasnicka is a 27 year old who was about to block one or more of Harrison, Kepler, Walker, Buxton, Rosario, Hicks etc.

 

Was surprised by Koch and Jones, but, as far as Tyler Jones goes,  he is a bit long on the tooth, never made it above high A, had a severe decline in his only strong stat last season (K%), and there are about a dozen RHRP ahead of him right now who he might be blocking.

 

Koch was a surprise.  I thought that he had a lot of potential, but apparently an age 26 .212/.304/.281 slash line in AA did not cut it.

 

Really. This is the side-effect of having a top farm system.  A lot of decent players get released.  Most of them would stick with other teams, but just not with the Twins.   And this year the Twins actually did not sign the usual amount of AAAA retreads (again, a sign of a healthy farm system.)

[Seth Stohs]

 

Curious - is there an official cap on the number of players an organization can hold in their minor league system? Or is there a minimum that they have to maintain? 

 

 

They need to fill all the rosters with 24 active players and then have DL players. There really isn't a limit in Extended Spring Training. 

[jokin]

34-year old RHRP Wil Ledezma was sent packing today after 4 walk 9th inning yesterday vs. the Red Sox.

[Rosterman]

What ever happened to Villareal? Did he get jettisoned soon after signing as a minors free agent. Surprised Wilkin Ramirez is still around. Be interesting to see if the Twins pick up anyone anyone else jettisons. You would think catchers are often on a longer lease (depending on defense) like Kock and Knudson (who would be a free agent anyway and the Twins don't see him going on the 40-man next year).

[Seth Stohs]

 

What ever happened to Villareal? Did he get jettisoned soon after signing as a minors free agent. Surprised Wilkin Ramirez is still around. Be interesting to see if the Twins pick up anyone anyone else jettisons. You would think catchers are often on a longer lease (depending on defense) like Kock and Knudson (who would be a free agent anyway and the Twins don't see him going on the 40-man next year).

 

I don't knwo where the rumors came from on MLB Trade Rumors, but the Twins never did sign Villareal.

[Steven Buhr]

 

Really. This is the side-effect of having a top farm system.  A lot of decent players get released.  Most of them would stick with other teams, but just not with the Twins.   And this year the Twins actually did not sign the usual amount of AAAA retreads (again, a sign of a healthy farm system.)

 

Agreed. I don't recall which thread it was, but over the offseason, some of us did have a "discussion" here in which we recognized that the strong Miracle team of a year ago would likely be promoted together to AA and that would result in some pretty decent AA-AAA players getting squeezed out.

 

I share others' sentiments and wishing all of these guys the best and I hope some of them can catch on with other organizations if they wish to continue to chase their dreams.

[Seth Stohs]

Based on new work groups, it appears Tony Thomas and JD Williams were released.

 

Twins signed outfielder Marcus Knecht. He's an outfielder from Canada who has been in the Blue Jays system. Spent last two seasons with Dunedin, The Jays Florida State League team.

[Halsey Hall]

Tony Thomas, huh, that surprises me. 

[Bob Sacamento]

 

Based on new work groups, it appears Tony Thomas and JD Williams were released.

Twins signed outfielder Marcus Knecht. He's an outfielder from Canada who has been in the Blue Jays system. Spent last two seasons with Dunedin, The Jays Florida State League team.

Knecht was around the complex yesterday, still has all his Blue Jays garb.  I knew Thomas was gone when I went in to the secretary office and a couple of stacks of his fanmail were out to be forwarded.

[Steven Buhr]

Disappointed to see JD go. He really is a good guy. But we all knew there was going to be a logjam. Then again, can't be too much of a logjam if they signed someone from the outside of the organization.

[Rosterman]

 

I don't knwo where the rumors came from on MLB Trade Rumors, but the Twins never did sign Villareal.

He did show up on the Rochester roster at some point, and even is mentioned as signing with the Twins over in http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/v/villabr02.shtml#trans

[lightfoot789]

Disappointed to see JD go. He really is a good guy. But we all knew there was going to be a logjam. Then again, can't be too much of a logjam if they signed someone from the outside of the organization.

I guess with Kanzler and Christiansen turning 25 this year along with JD, it came down to upside. Lol

JD got a raw deal last year despite injuries and I wish him well in whatever he does now. His personality was huge in keeping clubhouse loose. Food for thought - Buxtons best seasons and half of seasons came when he played with JD. Sounds crazy, but just saying................. comfort zones come in friendships too.

[Thrylos]

 

Disappointed to see JD go. He really is a good guy. But we all knew there was going to be a logjam. Then again, can't be too much of a logjam if they signed someone from the outside of the organization.

 

Knecht has some serious pop.  He is a Harrison-like guy with better OF D.  Williams really produced only one half season at Cedar Rapids.  The rest of his career was disappointing

[mikelink45]

Congratulations to all those players who have professional baseball on their resume.  Good luck to them entering a different employment world! 

 

If we count up the number of new signees and the number of players we pick off other teams discards as well as Free Agents we are going to have to release a similar number if we do not add teams.

 

Of course we can always hope that the crowding can be relieved by bringing the young talent to the majors. 

[Rosterman]

You start looking at the guys that you drafted and after this season basically become a free agent, and they are behind some that still have 2-3 years of minor league control. At this point, if they aren't about to be considered a 40-man add, or playing and holding their own in the high levels, they get pushed aside by someone else.

 

And there are others in the same boat, so one is easily replaceable by a temporary pickup.

 

We forget how many of the 150+ players that the Twins have in their system do come back the next year.

 

And when we complain about the AAAA talent or why a Chris Herrmann makes the team or Nunez is still playing on the roster...these guys are still better, at the moment, than so many others. Even the bench warmer is a talent...and sometimes the ability alone of being a bench player or a back-of-the-bullpen pitcher makes you worth a lot to an organization. We would like to think that a roster is filled with 25 star level players, but it is filled with players that will make up a team. Some with unique and special skills, for the moment. Some that will be around forever. Some that will someday be too costly too keep.

 

 

[Physics Guy]

I saw Kvasnicka on the Saints roster.

 

http://saintsbaseball.com/team/roster

[Shane Wahl]

Sad to see JD go away. Another injury-plagued guy, though.

[60ft6in]

Tyler Jones to Atlanta Braves. Supposed to be placed with High A club. That didn't take long.....