Article: Twins Minor League Hitter Of The Month - July 2015

[Seth Stohs]

It’s that time of the month again. Here we are in August. The trade deadline has passed, and there is just over a month left in the 2015 minor league seasons. Today, we take a look at the top hitting performances in the Twins farm system in July. Starting tomorrow, we’ll also post the top starters and relievers for the month.Let’s start with a few Honorable Mentions:

• Danny Ortiz – Rochester Red Wings – (24-98), .245/.302/.469 (.771), seven doubles, five home runs and 18 RBI.
• Reynaldo Rodriguez – Rochester Red Wings – (31-110), .282/.319/.509 (.828), eight doubles, one triple, home runs and 23 RBI.
• Tanner English – Cedar Rapids Kernels – (28-102), .275/.362/.441 (.803), six doubles, one triple, three home runs and 14 RBI.
• Nick Gordon – Cedar Rapids Kernels – (30-97), .309/.349/.423 (.772), seven doubles, two triples, 13 RBI.

Let’s get to the Top 6 Minnesota Twins Minor League Hitters for July:

 

 

Number 6 – GCL Twins/Elizabethton Twins – 3B Travis Blankenhorn - (26-95) .310/.383/.464 (.847) with five doubles, a triple, two home runs and 10 RBI.

 

Blankenhorn was the Minnesota Twins third-round draft pick in June, and he makes his debut on the Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the month in July. On Monday, he celebrated his 19^th birthday. He signed quickly and began with the GCL Twins. He hit .245/.362/.408 (.770) with four doubles and two triples there. On July 11, he was promoted to Elizabethton where he is hitting .288/.347/.424 (.771) with three doubles and two homers in 18 games. Blankenhorn is a terrific athlete and has played four positions already in his young career. However, since moving up to E-Town, he has only played third base.

 

Number 5 – Elizabethton Twins – OF LaMonte Wade - (30-102) .294/.381/.510 (.891) with five doubles, a triple, five home runs and 20 RBI.

 

LaMonte Wade was another 2015 Twins draft pick. He was the ninth-round pick out of the University of Maryland. He played first base the first two years and was set to play center field this year, but he broke his hamate bone. Since signing, he has hit very well. Overall, the 21-year-old is hitting .308/.400/.511 (.911) with six doubles, three triples, five home runs and 27 RBI.

 

Number 4 – Cedar Rapids Kernels – OF Edgar Corcino - (37-107) .346/.412/.449 (.860) with six doubles, a triple, a home run and 10 RBI.

 

Corcino was the Tigers 26^th round pick in 2009 out of high school in Puerto Rico. He stayed in that organization through the 2012 season (spending three games in AAA). He spent the 2013 and 2014 season in independent leagues. Corcino works out in the offseason with Twins prospect JO Berrios. The Twins signed him to a minor league contract. He began the season in extended spring training, but on May 30, he was promoted to the Kernels. Since then, he has been one of the team’s most consistent hitters. In 55 games overall, he has hit .294/.350/.416 (.766) with 11 doubles, three triples and three home runs. He is a tremendous athlete.

 

Number 3 – Rochester Red Wings – OF Oswaldo Arcia - (24-92) .261/.352/.576 (.928) with five doubles, eight home runs and 20 RBI.

 

Oswaldo Arcia is not supposed to be hitting mammoth home runs in AAA. He’s supposed to be hitting mammoth home runs in Target Field and all around the big leagues. There was hope that the 24-year-old would take the next step to super-stardom. After starting the season with the Twins, he was hurt and then optioned to Rochester. In 54 games with the Red Wings, he has hit just .240/.303/.439 (.742) with 12 doubles and nine home runs. From July 1 through July 16 (13 games), Arcia hit .367/.446/.918 (1.365) with three doubles, eight home runs and 19 RBI. He’s slowed down since, but that is the type of power that he is capable of.

 

Number 2 – Chattanooga Lookouts – OF Max Kepler – (22-72) .306/.412/.556 (.967) with five doubles, two triples, three home runs and 15 RBI.

 

Kepler was the choice for Twins Daily minor league hitter of the month in May and runner-up in June. The Twins named him hitter of the month in both May and June. Kepler continued to crush the ball in July despite missing a week with a slight shoulder injury. His name was reportedly requested of the Twins in many trade rumors last week. The Twins moved him to near-untouchable. Signed in July of 2009 from Germany, Kepler has slowly worked his way up the system. In 2015, his immense tools have started turning into skills. Expect to see him debut with the Twins in September, if not sooner.

 

The July 2015 Minnesota Twins Minor League Hitter of the Month is...

 

GCL Twins/Elizabethton Twins IF Jermaine Palacios (39-78) .500/.541/.718 (1.259) with seven doubles, two triples, two home runs and 14 RBI.

 

 

 

The Twins signed infielder Jermaine Palacios out of Venezuela in September of 2013 for $70,000 (hat tip, Jeremy Nygaard). He is long and lanky and a good athlete. He spent 2014 in the Dominican Summer League where he hit .270/.404/.399 (.802) with 11 doubles and six triples. He also stole 14 bases in 17 attempts. He was invited to Twins minor league spring training and started the season with extended spring training. He began the short season in the GCL and hit .421/.472/.589 (1.061) with nine doubles, two triples and a home run. On the final day of July, he was promoted to Elizabethton where he went 3-5 in each of his first two games. He has homered in two of his three games there.

One Twins-related person said of Palacios that he is a "hard-working kid. He has the ability to play shortstop and has good quickness."

Palacios has really good bat speed and the ability to hit to all fields.

As impressive, the just-turned-19-year-old has a very high baseball IQ.

Palacios had a huge July and has made himself one to watch as the season continues to move forward and beyond.

There were several strong performances in July. The short season teams played the whole month, so they had their first chance to make these lists.

What do you think of the choice of Jermaine Palacios? Should Max Kepler have won it again?

 

In coming days, we’ll be sharing our choices for Twins Daily Minor League Pitchers of the Month.

 

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[Otwins]

You picked the right guy and I don't think it is even that close. He hit .500 in 78 plate appearances. I realize he is young and in the low minors but do you think he will be ranked on the prospect lists? 

[Shane Wahl]

 

You picked the right guy and I don't think it is even that close. He hit .500 in 78 plate appearances. I realize he is young and in the low minors but do you think he will be ranked on the prospect lists? 

 

I listed him at 44 a few weeks ago. He has continued to climb.

[BoomBoom]

Well deserved

[wyatt827]

I've been bugging Seth over Palacios since end of June, this kid can rake. he has extra base pop in his bat and the kid hasn't struck out in 56 Plate appearances... unbelievable for a 19 year old.. He hasn't struck out since he was 18 which is funny to think about

[Eephus]

Palacios has some pop for a guy who doesn't strike out much and is listed at 145 lbs. It'll be fun to keep an eye on him. I'm thinking of him as the next Roberto Alomar until I see otherwise.

[clutterheart]

There are three 19 year old hitters on this list!  

Not bad!

 

[nytwinsfan]

Is Palacios really 145 pounds? That must be an old listing for a guy hitting with his power, no? If not, that is ridiculous.

[Lonestar]

 

Palacios has some pop for a guy who doesn't strike out much and is listed at 145 lbs. It'll be fun to keep an eye on him. I'm thinking of him as the next Roberto Alomar until I see otherwise.

Cut the kid some slack.  No point comparing him to a Hall of Famer who at the same age put up a .319/.374/.478 line in AA.

[Seth Stohs]

 

Is Palacios really 145 pounds? That must be an old listing for a guy hitting with his power, no? If not, that is ridiculous.

 

Saw him in spring. I don't think he's 145 anymore, maybe when he signed, but I don't think he's much more than 165 either.

[Eephus]

 

Cut the kid some slack.  No point comparing him to a Hall of Famer who at the same age put up a .319/.374/.478 line in AA.

Kidding!!!

[Mike Sixel]

Not a bad list at the lower levels.......hopefully some progress right away next year.

[SwainZag]

Palacios just sounds like a baseball name.  Awesome to see of the recent draftees making the list as well!

[jimbo92107]

Jermaine Palacios (Spanish for "pertinent palace") sounds like his body is as thin as his bat. Somebody give that kid a sandwich!

 

I still think Der Kid should get hitter of the month. Come on, AA is a lot tougher pitching than that Gulf Coast kiddie pool!

 

Still, it's good that Pertinent Palace looks like a top prospect. Infielders that can hit, can you believe it?

[Madre Dos]

Jermaine moved in last week.  At 6' and 145# - I have some work to do to get some meat on his bones.  Not a big eater (obviously), but I'll do what I can to get some weight on him.

 

[John Kelsey]

 

Jermaine moved in last week.  At 6' and 145# - I have some work to do to get some meat on his bones.  Not a big eater (obviously), but I'll do what I can to get some weight on him.

 

Get him on the Sano/Vargas diet. 

[Madre Dos]

 

Get him on the Sano/Vargas diet. 

Believe it or not, The year that Miguel and Kennys lived here, they weren't the big eaters.  Eddie Rosario could really shovel it down.  All 6' 170#!