Article: Twins Reassign Five Players To Minor League Camp

[Seth Stohs]

The Minnesota Twins announced their first batch of cuts from spring training this afternoon. They reassigned five players to minor league camp. Infielders Engelb Vielma, Reynaldo Rodriguez, Heiker Meneses, catcher Alex Swim, and right-handed pitcher Jake Reed will report to the minor league facilities on Monday morning.

 

More transactions are anticipated by the club Monday morning.There were no real surprises among the list of players reassigned. The surprise was that, at this time, the Twins have not officially optioned any players off of their 40-man roster. (Again, expect information on that to come on Monday)

 

Reynaldo Rodriguez is leaving Twins spring training to join the WBC-Qualifying team from Colombia. He will most likely spend the season in Rochester again.

 

Engelb Vielma had a solid showing in his first big league spring. Earlier in the day, he was awarded the organization's top defensive infielder award in the minor leagues. He is likely to spend the season in Chattanooga.

 

Heiker Meneses spent all of last season in Chattanooga and is likely to return there. He played a lot of second base, though he played shortstop when Jorge Polanco was with the Twins or Red Wings.

 

Alex Swim spent last season in Ft. Myers. He could go back there after missing time in the second half due to injury, though he is likely to spend time in Chattanooga as well in 2016.

 

Jake Reed pitched a clean inning today and has been solid in his first big league camp. As Paul Molitor said after the game, it is his command that will need work. He should go back to Chattanooga to start the season, but he could surface in the big leagues late in the season.

 

Feel free to discuss this group, and remember to check back tomorrow for more roster decisions.

 

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[Thrylos]

Surprised that there were only 5 cuts.  Guys like AWII, for example need to get more PAs and field reps in the game that he can get now at the MLB camp with people actually fighting for jobs...

[Monkeypaws]

When players are assigned to Minor League Camp, are the cut off from the Major League coaches?

[Seth Stohs]

 

Surprised that there were only 5 cuts.  Guys like AWII, for example need to get more PAs and field reps in the game that he can get now at the MLB camp with people actually fighting for jobs...

 

I would say... check back here tomorrow morning...

 

Notice that that five transactions announced were all "reassignments." No 40-man roster guys. 

 

When I was trying to figure out how many would be sent down today, my list grew to 17. So, I would expect that there will be at least 5-6 players optioned tomorrow, and possibly a couple more reassigned. Will be interesting.

[Seth Stohs]

 

When players are assigned to Minor League Camp, are the cut off from the Major League coaches?

 

I mean, yes and no.  Players reassigned are not on the 40 man roster, so as the roster keeps getting trimmed, and the team wants some backups to come over from minor league camp, these guys could come back. 40 man roster guys can't play in spring training games after they are optioned. 

 

However, I'd also say that they will now be working with the minor league coaches, and the major league staff works with those still in camp. But, they're a couple hundred yards away, so it's not like they're far away.

[Thrylos]

I think the more interesting aspect here is who will be the first to get off the 40-man roster:

 

Dean

Rogers

Strong, or

Tonkin?

 

(alphabetically)

 

 

[Rosterman]

 

I think the more interesting aspect here is who will be the first to get off the 40-man roster:

 

Dean

Rogers

Strong, or

Tonkin?

 

(alphabetically)

The main reason to reassign someone from the 40-man to minor league camp is if they have NO POSSIBLE way to make the roster (doesn't mean they can't if someone is injured) is to keep from paying them a major league salary if they get disabled during spring training. I do imagine Tonkin will get more of a leash than, say, Aaron Thompson. And they will want to see Rogers in a couple of situationals (middle of an inning, facing one batter or two) I imagine.

[stringer bell]

Rogers wasn't very good in his first outing, but has been fine since. I think he still has a chance to make the team, but more than that I think the Twins want to get more of a look at him against major league hitters. Dean can't be take off the 40-man until later, am I right? He pitched a good clean inning today.

[Seth Stohs]

Rogers isn't even a possibility for coming off of the 40 man. His odds of making the opening day roster have likely decreased, but he's not coming off the 40 man.

[sane16]

 

Rogers isn't even a possibility for coming off of the 40 man. His odds of making the opening day roster have likely decreased, but he's not coming off the 40 man.

I think he meant that:

Rogers may be reassigned to the Minor League Camp,

NOT that he would be removed from the 40-man-roster.

[sane16]

Pitchers Yorman Landa, Mason Melotakis, and Randy Rosario plus outfielder Adam Brett Walker are all on the 40-man-roster, and will likely remain there when they are soon transferred to minor league camp.

Non-roster players also likely to be sent to minor league camp soon are catchers Stuart Turner, Mitch Garver, Carlos Paulino and infielder Wilfredo Tovar.

[jsteve96]

 

I think the more interesting aspect here is who will be the first to get off the 40-man roster:

 

Dean

Rogers

Strong, or

Tonkin?

 

(alphabetically)

??? Rogers is definitely staying on.

[beckmt]

Dean would be my first choice. Tonkin will take longer and doubt Strong should be on it

[HitInAPinch]

Liked [ surprised ] by what I saw of Vielma.  Very nice in the field and showed something at the plate.

Kinda disappointed in Reed.  I was expecting more.  Seemed to me like a member of the "Brain-dead heaver's club". 

The rest is part of the pretty predictable 1st round of cuts.