Daniel Palka - 2016

[Shane Wahl]

Daniel Palka
DOB: 10-28-91, in Greenville, SC
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 220
Position: OF/1B
Bats: Left
Throws: Left

Shane's 2016 Prospect Rank: 23

 

2016 statistics (Chattanooga):

 

133 PA, .289/.383/.482 (.866), seven doubles, five homers, 17 walks, 38 strikeouts, two steals

 

The Twins received Palka from Arizona in exchange for Chris Herrmann. At the time, it was rather surprising that the Twins could get a legitimate power bat for Herrmann, though the Diamondbacks are getting something out of Herrmann at the moment. Palka's 2016 numbers are pretty much in line with his career minor league numbers, though he is drawing more walks this year. Right now he is clearly depth, but I would not be surprised if he makes it to the Twins in 2017 if the Twins start cleaning house (Plouffe, Nunez, and Mastroianni).

 

[ScrapTheNickname]

I would like to see Palka play with the Twins this year.

He is 24 1/2 years old, and has always put up strong numbers in the minors.

He's behind the line, understand, but time will be telling more than a few things this year and next.

 

* Hermann has 4 HR (2 away from Coors) and has thrown out 4-5 runners (do runners run slower in high altitude?).

[Shane Wahl]

 

I would like to see Palka play with the Twins this year.

He is 24 1/2 years old, and has always put up strong numbers in the minors.

He's behind the line, understand, but time will be telling more than a few things this year and next.

 

* Hermann has 4 HR (2 away from Coors) and has thrown out 4-5 runners (do runners run slower in high altitude?).

 

Well, I would like to find out about his OF defense. Keep in mind that some of the players in front of him, like Walker, might be included in trades as well (Plouffe and Walker for a top 10 or so CATCHING prospect, for instance . . . )

[Loosey]

Palka is a guy I would like to see as a September call up.  Hopefully he can mash in September and become a valuable trade chip for this team. 

 

There are so many players just like him already in this organization and on the Twins.  Corner OF/1B, High Strikeout, High Power. 

 

We received him for Hermann, so if Palka can be flipped for a position of need next year this would be a VERY successful trade.

[Mike Sixel]

Meh, I think we should give him another month in AA before we worry about AAA, let alone MN.......I think he's probably a less athletic ABWIII.....

[Shane Wahl]

 

Meh, I think we should give him another month in AA before we worry about AAA, let alone MN.......I think he's probably a less athletic ABWIII.....

 

Yes, though I am envisioning a future where having Walker and Palka as bench bats would be pretty ideal, especially in my world where there bench is 5-deep. The lefty/right combo here and the power potential works for me in that role.

[Shane Wahl]

.859 OPS with 11 homers now. He is very Adam Walkeresque. So much so that I just dream of some weird platoon next years with the two of them. OR, imagine the Twins actually have a bench of 4 or 5 (!) guys and these two are there on that bench simply for pinch hitting purposes.

[Shane Wahl]

Palka is just dominating AA right now. .908 OPS with 19 homers. He also has 12 doubles and four triples. It would be nice to see him get some AAA time right now and then a trip to Minnesota in September. 

[Shane Wahl]

Palka ended his AA time this year with an .894 OPS in 345 PA. He is rolling in AAA now. He has essentially posted the same numbers the past two years, while moving from A+ to AAA, and that is telling in my view.

 

It would help to know how he performs in the OF. Imagine a spectrum from D.Young/Oswaldo Arcia/Josh Willingham/Miguel Sano to Max Kepler and Eddie Rosario (Buxton is too much of an outlier to make this meaningful). Is Palka closer to the first group or second group?

 

Palka appears to be the guy the Twins thought they were getting when they drafted Chris Parmelee.

[howieramone2]

I see Grossman/Rosario/Palka fighting it out for the 3rd and 4th outfield spots. Depth and competition is a good thing. Nice move by TR.

[ashbury]

It would help to know how he performs in the OF. Imagine a spectrum from D.Young/Oswaldo Arcia/Josh Willingham/Miguel Sano to Max Kepler and Eddie Rosario

Funny, Parmelee was the guy I thought of when looking at your list. Plodding but solid, unlikely to really cost you like the guys in your first list, but nowhere close to the skills of the second list.

 

I have no insight to offer on Palka himself, of course.

[Shane Wahl]

 

Funny, Parmelee was the guy I thought of when looking at your list. Plodding but solid, unlikely to really cost you like the guys in your first list, but nowhere close to the skills of the second list.

 

I have no insight to offer on Palka himself, of course.

 

I would at least wonder about his arm. He stole 24 bases in 2015 and has seven this year. That indicates that he can move around pretty well.

[ashbury]

I would at least wonder about his arm. He stole 24 bases in 2015 and has seven this year. That indicates that he can move around pretty well.

Good point - he might be a little faster than Parms.

 

They racked up similar Assist rates in RF in the minors. Of course guys with good arms can get relatively few assists because runners won't go, and bad arms can garner lots of assists if runners are taking liberties. So, the numbers give only a hint.

[Shane Wahl]

 

Daniel Palka
DOB: 10-28-91, in Greenville, SC
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 220
Position: OF/1B
Bats: Left
Throws: Left

Shane's 2016 Prospect Rank: 23

 

2016 statistics (Chattanooga):

 

133 PA, .289/.383/.482 (.866), seven doubles, five homers, 17 walks, 38 strikeouts, two steals

 

The Twins received Palka from Arizona in exchange for Chris Herrmann. At the time, it was rather surprising that the Twins could get a legitimate power bat for Herrmann, though the Diamondbacks are getting something out of Herrmann at the moment. Palka's 2016 numbers are pretty much in line with his career minor league numbers, though he is drawing more walks this year. Right now he is clearly depth, but I would not be surprised if he makes it to the Twins in 2017 if the Twins start cleaning house (Plouffe, Nunez, and Mastroianni).

 

2016 Summary

 

After posting an .894 OPS and belting 21 homers in 345 plate appearances in AA, Palka was promoted to AAA. There, he had 223 plate appearances, posting a .232/.296/.483 (.779) line with 12 doubles and 13 homers, 18 walks and 86 strikeouts, and two steals in three attempts.

 

Palka strikes out a lot, takes too few walks, and hits a lot of homers. In almost 2,000 minor league plate appearances he has posted an .855 OPS and has hit 94 homers in those four seasons, and this cannot be overlooked. He makes errors in RF and should probably get some more time at first base. Having a position or two to actually play will be his ticket to MLB sooner rather than later.

 

2017 Outlook

 

Palka will very likely head to Rochester. And he really should be there for at least 200 more plate appearances before the Twins should consider Palka ready for promotion. Things really depend on what sorts of moves the Twin make in the offseason, especially in relation to players like Kennys Vargas, Byung Ho Park, and Eddie Rosario. A left-handed power bat off the bench is still the most likely role for him, but that might be a nice thing to have with Buxton and Sano producing from the other side. The latest he will make the Twins is September 2017.

 

 

 

[Willihammer]

Nice job. Very tantalizing player. The power is legit, he showed that plenty in spring training (and all season).

 

Sure wish there was a strikeout whisperer out there who could help some of these guys.

[goulik]

ABW 2.0 IMO. I see more hope for Palka than Walker but wouldn't it be great if both could learn to control that zone and put up those numbers in the majors? Sano 3B, Walker DH, Palka LF, Vargas 1B. Yeah, definitely need that whisperer...