Article: Twins Minor League Report (6/21): Thorpedo Locked In

[TheLeviathan]

Damn that Thorpe start is nice.  I think by this time next year we look at Thorpe and Graterol as our best future rotation pieces.  Or at least the ones with the most upside.

[rdehring]

 

Damn that Thorpe start is nice.  I think by this time next year we look at Thorpe and Graterol as our best future rotation pieces.  Or at least the ones with the most upside.

Next year?  I look at Thorpe and Graterol as our best candidates for future rotations right now.  Drooling at the thought of a rotation with Berrios, Romero, Thorpe, Graterol and whomever!  Hopefully, that is in place by opening day 2020.

[jmlease1]

congrats to Kirilloff on the promotion, it's well deserved. Should be fun to see how he does hitting in high A for the rest of the year; if he keeps on rolling that's a really good sign. He's still really young, so it's nice to see him bump up a level.

 

I wonder if the tender knee is a reason they're not moving Royce Lewis up right now? Maybe they just want to him play through it and have concerns that he'll overstress things pushing too hard at a new level? On performance, he's earned it.

 

Really pleased with Rortvedt's development this year. He's taken a nice step forward, showing a much improved hit tool. He's a guy I'm really curious to see if he can develop into a guy that could be a quality starting MLB catcher. still a lot of work to be done, but I'm rooting for the guy.

[jokin]

 

1) I'm pretty sure they are trying to maximize the potential return.

 

2) It's not a race to get to the Kernels or the Miracle. Jeffers hit in college.

 

3) He's got things to work on. For him specifically, I think working for a month or whatever with two former MLB catchers can't' be a bad thing (Ray Smith, Jeff Reed). 

 

 

 

 

1) Pretty sure that that there's lots of evidence of the organization failing at this over and over.

 

2) Nobody cares about a race to A or A+. We do all care about getting the best players to the majors while they are in their ascendant curve... as well as long before they potentially break down (big issue for pitchers and catchers). Lots of study and experts agree on this.

 

3) Jeffers does have lots to work on. Both his body type and catching tools are suspect- not sure why going to a substandard facility, in the midst of the Appy shuffle of players, addresses these issues. The natural place of choice- with the state of the art facilities and multiple top trainers/evaluators is Ft Myers. He could "shuttle" between GCL and A+ ball, in the process of that, getting the full proper attention to his specific areas of need.

 

Edited June 22, 2018 by jokin

[Seth Stohs]

 

Have you set the date yet for when your midseason top prospect list is published?

 

Inquiring minds need to know...

 

I need to do that. Maybe in the next couple of weeks. 

[jokin]

 

Damn that Thorpe start is nice.  I think by this time next year we look at Thorpe and Graterol as our best future rotation pieces.  Or at least the ones with the most upside.

 

First stat line I noticed when I checked last night's results was Thorpe's. 71.5% strike rate last night. 8 of 12 Ks were whiffs.

 

Even with his early season struggles in adjusting back from his injury, he's still at or near the top in the key command/control/swing-and-miss SP peripherals in the Southern League. And he's quite young for AA at age 22.

 

A few more starts even close to this, and you have to place him strongly in the conversation for him starting out 2019 in the Twins rotation. Not sure what his inning limitations are for 2018, but Thorpe's stuff could conceivably fit in perfectly to replace one of the faltering bullpen arms in another month or so (with 3 or 4 AAA appearances, first?), ala the Cardinals method of promoting their best pitching prospects to the bullpen first before they make them starters.

Edited June 22, 2018 by jokin

[nicksaviking]

 

I don't think evaluation is the largest purpose of the minor leagues. Develop prospects carefully, and the evaluations take care of themselves in due time.
 
/ edit - I'm all for analytics, but I would trade 100 of me for one good coach who knows how to bring first-year guys along.

 

Is that an option? I vote for that as well.

 

Four of Thorpe's last six starts he hasn't allowed an earned run. I think I'm already at the point of bumping both Thorpe and Graterol ahead of Gonsalves on my happy thoughts prospect list.

[nicksaviking]

 

Damn that Thorpe start is nice.  I think by this time next year we look at Thorpe and Graterol as our best future rotation pieces.  Or at least the ones with the most upside.

 

Damn that Thorpedo is definitely Tom Petty's best album.

[ashbury]

/ edit - I'm all for analytics, but I would trade 100 of me^* for one good coach who knows how to bring first-year guys along.

 

Is that an option? I vote for that as well.

^* Plus a top-50 prospect would be required. I forgot to mention that part.

 

/ edit - second prize is 200 of me

[diehardtwinsfan]

 

Seth and I seem to disagree with you. These guys are constantly being evaluated during their minor league development. The initial evaluation, I would think, is especially important- it's what leads to proper competitive placement commensurate with his optimal developmental projection.

 

Jeffers is a very big guy for a catcher- 6'4", and possibly a bit heavy- 225#. Catchers already take forever to reach the majors. Other than pitching, no position is harder on the body than catching- the risk of both incidental and overuse injury constantly endangers full- or even minimal- return on investment. Every edge to move the process along should be pursued, especially when a prospect shows initial special talent at a position of scarcity. 

 

I think most of MLB disagrees with you on this  

 

Rookie leagues for guys like Jeffers are for getting used to being on a pro-routine, learning a wood bat, and those types of things. The Twins were very aggressive with Rooker last year, by MLB standards, and he still played a few weeks in Rookie ball. If Jeffers keeps mashing, he will no doubt get a bump to one of the A ball affiliates. I'm not sure there's much to critique at this point.

[Tom Froemming]

 

Arraez is a name I keep reading. Before his unfortunate season ending injury last year he was on the top ~20 prospect lists for the organization. Is he rising up your personal list Seth/Tom?

I had him 27th on my preseason list and on my very rough first draft of a midseason list I've got him at 21.

[Vanimal46]

I had him 27th on my preseason list and on my very rough first draft of a midseason list I've got him at 21.

I don't know anything about his fielding ability, but when healthy the dude can mash the ball.

[caninatl04]

It's a reference to some Rochester food thing. A big plate of food with random things on it called a "garbage plate". It would be like if the St. Paul Saints changed their name to the "Hot Dish" or something.

I spent six (long) years in Rochester. If one has been out drinking and wants to mitigate a hangover by eating greasy food, one heads to Nick Tahou’s and consumes a garbage plate a/k/a a “Garbo”. It has baked beans, home fries and a slice “white hot” sausage. The place doesn’t even open until 11 pm or something.

[caninatl04]

Damn that Thorpedo is definitely Tom Petty's best album.

And it’s his second sport after winning all those swimming medals a decade ago.

[jokin]

 

I think most of MLB disagrees with you on this

 

Rookie leagues for guys like Jeffers are for getting used to being on a pro-routine, learning a wood bat, and those types of things. The Twins were very aggressive with Rooker last year, by MLB standards, and he still played a few weeks in Rookie ball. If Jeffers keeps mashing, he will no doubt get a bump to one of the A ball affiliates. I'm not sure there's much to critique at this point.

 

Doing things the way they've always been done is exactly the type of thinking common in MLB before better analytics came along and changed the game. Any guy at this premium position (a position that puts a lot of wear on the tires, plus the ever-increasing awareness of concussion issues), as well as other proven 21-year old college hitters with multi-million dollar investments made in them get very little out of hitting against the pitching at this level of play. 

 

I'd like to see total focus on seeing if they can make Jeffers into a physically fit major league catcher sometime sooner than at the end of a long 6+-year minor league apprenticeship- simply because that's the way MLB has always done it.

 

Seriously, I'd think that a facility like Ft Myers is an asset that the Twins could utilize to develop an internal "pitcher-catcher academy" to concentrate and hopefully accelerate the development period for the top prospects.

Edited June 22, 2018 by jokin

[Cap'n Piranha]

Because team doctors believe it's not doing damage?

I’m sure they would know more than me, just makes me nervous is all.

[diehardtwinsfan]

 

Doing things the way they've always been done is exactly the type of thinking common in MLB before better analytics came along and changed the game. Any guy at this premium position (a position that puts a lot of wear on the tires, plus the ever-increasing awareness of concussion issues), as well as other proven 21-year old college hitters with multi-million dollar investments made in them get very little out of hitting against the pitching at this level of play. 

 

I'd like to see total focus on seeing if they can make Jeffers into a physically fit major league catcher sometime sooner than at the end of a long 6+-year minor league apprenticeship- simply because that's the way MLB has always done it.

 

Seriously, I'd think that a facility like Ft Myers is an asset that the Twins could utilize to develop an internal "pitcher-catcher academy" to concentrate and hopefully accelerate the development period for the top prospects.

Honestly, I understand where you're coming from. You're right that doing things the way they've been done for the only reason that this is the only way they've ever done that is silly.

 

I don't think that's the case here. He can spend a few weeks in Etown and then get promoted if he's still mashing (which to date he is). It allows for the adjustment. And then the promotion. For the record, that's exactly what the new FO did with Rooker last year. I wouldn't be shocked in the least if Jeffers is on the same path.

 

Jeffers' still needs to prove himself... and gain confidence. Maybe I'm wrong, but I do think this new FO has a better plan than the last FO. It's worth watching and seeing. Both, I might add are powerful.

 

Let's wait and see what they do before we cast judgement.

[jokin]

 

Honestly, I understand where you're coming from. You're right that doing things the way they've been done for the only reason that this is the only way they've ever done that is silly.

 

I don't think that's the case here. He can spend a few weeks in Etown and then get promoted if he's still mashing (which to date he is). It allows for the adjustment. And then the promotion. For the record, that's exactly what the new FO did with Rooker last year. I wouldn't be shocked in the least if Jeffers is on the same path.

 

Jeffers' still needs to prove himself... and gain confidence. Maybe I'm wrong, but I do think this new FO has a better plan than the last FO. It's worth watching and seeing. Both, I might add are powerful.

 

Let's wait and see what they do before we cast judgement.

 

Jeffers was 4 for 4 tonight with 2 doubles and 2 BBs. His LD% is near 75%. That's probably a higher percentage than a typical hitter performs in BP. I'm thinking his confidence level is off the charts at this point while sporting his current .733 BA.

 

Oh, he's only caught one game out of 4 so far.

Edited June 23, 2018 by jokin