Behind the Fence: LaTroy Hawkins sighting, Cody Stashak rehabs, Akil Baddoo and Wander Javier hit and run

[Bob Sacamento]

LaTroy Hawkins helping out the youngsters

 

Cody Stashak started Game B while Jordan Balazovic started Game A, neither were very sharp and gave up several hard hit balls and walks.  Stashak was 89-92 with his fastball averaging 90-91.  He only went 2 2/3 IP, giving up 3 hits, 3 walks and 2 strikeouts.  Balazovic was solid the first inning but his last 2 were very wild where he seemingly had lost his arm slot.

 

Cody Stashak

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jj4AsD015TQ

 

Jordan Balazovic

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWCKaQ87xMs

 

 

The best looking pitcher of the day was Jose Martinez who was 91-93 mph with his fastball and went 3 innings.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7Ble9-r6z8

 

To end out Game A was Venezuelan Carlos Saniaga, who was 91-92mph with his fastball

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2m_KRByTcE

 

The day was mainly  for the hitters, with Wander Javier continuing to look very sharp at the plate, and recently so has Amaurys Minier, Roni Tapia, Akil Baddoo and Trey Cabbage.  I got video on all but Minier who launched another homerun, this one hit halfway up the Red Sox steel building beyond LCF.

 

Amaurys Minier working the gun

 

Wander Javier

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQ74YS9IuZ0

 

Akil Baddoo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JU9j0t94FUA

 

Roni Tapia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJNizfCdAIE

 

Trey Cabbage

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kefSLyCibE

 

Humber Maldanado

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcasHRoEABw

 

 

[drjim]

Good stuff as always.

 

Javier is going to be a monster. I wonder if they'll shorten his stance a little.

[gunnarthor]

Baddoo looks a bit bigger than I remembered. He was a HS kid so probably not a surprise he's grown but he looks like he's filled out a bit. 

 

I hope Cabbage has a big year for us. I thought he was a nice pick but he needs a good year.

 

Agree that Javier is a stud in the making.

[Bob Sacamento]

 

Baddoo looks a bit bigger than I remembered. He was a HS kid so probably not a surprise he's grown but he looks like he's filled out a bit. 

 

I hope Cabbage has a big year for us. I thought he was a nice pick but he needs a good year.

 

Agree that Javier is a stud in the making.

Baddoo gained something like 15 pounds of muscle after the Twins drafted him last year.  So what they thought was going to be a burner has turned into one with more pop.  Just shows how hard the draft stock is to gauge for the scouting world.

 

Since Cabbage has been moved to the OF he's looked more comfortable at the plate, he's still getting looks at 3B in EXST just don't expect him there fulltime in Etown ball next month.

 

Watching Wander you can see the future stardom that scouts have foreshadowed for since he was 14-15 years old.  He definitely shows flashes where you just saw wow, this Saturday he was deep in the hole with a backhand pick, he didn't plant his back foot yet still had enough arm strength to make it to 1B and would have nailed the runner if the 1B (Mario Calcano) was semi-competent.  Offensively, the ball jumps off his bat like that of players that are much older.  The power flashes are nice too but the Twins have him focusing on driving the ball up the middle right now and just making contact; the game power will come.

[Mike Sixel]

Bob is going to have so much time to kill in Portland.....and we'll all miss these.

[spanman2]

If I were those boys I would be taking in everything LaTroy has to say.  Guy carved out a 21 year career!  He had many struggles in the beginning of his career and transformed himself into a fantastic relief pitcher.  Great asset to have him in the organization to help the kids out. 

[Bob Sacamento]

 

Bob is going to have so much time to kill in Portland.....and we'll all miss these.

Yeah did just hear of the Portland Pickles (summer college ball league) so that's something, and Hillsboro Hops (Dbacks SS) plus Salem (Giants SS) but then it's a bunch of college ball in Corvalis (OSU Beavers and Eugene (Oregon Ducks).  Airfare to FL ain't too bad for the Winter time

[clutterheart]

I'm no swing expert.  But Javier's swing just look weird to me.  Especially in slow mo.  

[benji21]

Do you know if graterol is down there throwing?

[Bob Sacamento]

 

Do you know if graterol is down there throwing?

You don't read my reports often do you?  Yes, he's down here throwing in EXST, getting stretched back out after TJS and getting hit with a line drive in his hand back down in Venezuela in the offseason.  His FB is 95-100, sitting around 97mph with the showings of a plus slider and above average curve.

 

When the Twins signed him as a 16 year old he was 86-89 mph

[benji21]

You don't read my reports often do you? Yes, he's down here throwing in EXST, getting stretched back out after TJS and getting hit with a line drive in his hand back down in Venezuela in the offseason. His FB is 95-100, sitting around 97mph with the showings of a plus slider and above average curve.

When the Twins signed him as a 16 year old he was 86-89 mph

Ya know, probably not as often as I ought to. Thanks for the reply. I got turned on to him in seths mid season top forty. Sounds super intriguing.

[Bob Sacamento]

 

Ya know, probably not as often as I ought to. Thanks for the reply. I got turned on to him in seths mid season top forty. Sounds super intriguing.

Selfish self promotion here but anyone can check out my YouTube Channel for Twins prospects, some BoSox and a few Draft eligible kids.  Here are a few videos I've shot of Brusdar Graterol (Grat-a-roll) over the last 9 months or so:

 

9/16/16

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHe6L9F0oOU

 

5/19/17

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_Yctgc4Lz4

 

5/29/17

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NitwR1NtDVw

 

[Pitz]

 

 

Watching Wander you can see the future stardom that scouts have foreshadowed for since he was 14-15 years old.  He definitely shows flashes where you just saw wow, this Saturday he was deep in the hole with a backhand pick, he didn't plant his back foot yet still had enough arm strength to make it to 1B and would have nailed the runner if the 1B (Mario Calcano) was semi-competent.  Offensively, the ball jumps off his bat like that of players that are much older.  The power flashes are nice too but the Twins have him focusing on driving the ball up the middle right now and just making contact; the game power will come.

 

Really appreciate your reports and videos. Do you have any intel on where Javier will be assigned? I expected he'd be in the GCL but I was just perusing the E'town Roster and saw his name listed there. Of course that roster is very incomplete, so I wasn't sure what to make of it.

 

Edit: Was just looking at some of the Twins history. It seems fairly likely that if Wander had stayed healthy last year, he probably would have seen time in the GCL. (Maybe this has been noted elsewhere). Both Sano and Polanco split time between the DSL and GCL in their first seasons. Sano started the next year in the Appy league while Polanco remained in the GCL for his second season.

 

Edit #2: After looking some more I see that Wander was assigned to Elizabethton on June 2. It appears that the guys who were in the DSL last season were reassigned on June 2 - I'm assuming because the DSL roster had to be set with their season starting June 3.