Article: Twins Minor League Report (5/1): Williams Crushes Nightcap, Rijo Smooth Early

[Ted Schwerzler]

More rainouts on the farm made for somewhat of a muted schedule on Wednesday, but the Kernels helped the organization to avoid a sweep with a big win in game two of their doubleheader. Rochester tallied runs despite coming up short, and Pensacola saw a 2018 breakout have an impact once again. Read about it below.TRANSACTIONS

Fort Myers Miracle

RHP Bailey Ober placed on the seven-day IL with a right ulnar nerve subluxation

 

RED WINGS REPORT

Scranton/WB 8, Rochester 6

Box Score

 

Zack Littell got the start for Rochester tonight and turned in seven innings of strong work. Fanning seven while walking two and allowing seven hits, he ceded four earned runs and needed some offensive help once he departed. The runs came, but unfortunately they weren’t unanswered.

 

Scranton got on the board first in this one, scoring one run in the bottom of the second. In the third, Randy Cesar drove in John Andreoli with an RBI single to knot things up on the road. The Railriders pulled away in the fourth with a three-run tally.

 

Attempting to chip away, Rochester added runs in the sixth, eighth, and ninth innings drawing even on another Cesar RBI. Headed to extras, Luke Raley got things started with his fifth homer of the season, a two-run shot. In the bottom half of the 10th, Scranton pushed across four and ended the game in walkoff fashion.

 

BLUE WAHOOS BITES

Biloxi 7, Pensacola 3

Box Score

 

Taking the ball in this one was Sean Poppen, and needing 51 pitches to get through just two innings, this turned out to be an abbreviated start for the otherwise impressive prospect.

 

The Shuckers pushed across seven runs through the first three innings and the Blue Wahoos had an ugly hole to climb out of. A fielder’s choice in the third allowed Pensacola’s first run to score, but it wasn’t followed by bunches. Taylor Grzelakowski grabbed an RBI on a sac fly in the fourth, and generated the same result in the sixth. Down 7—3 at that point, the score stood as the home side fell.

 

MIRACLE MATTERS

Postponed – Rain

 

KERNELS NUGGETS

Game 1- Bowling Green 3, Cedar Rapids 2

Box Score

 

After a rainout yesterday, the Kernels and Hot Rods attempted a shot at two today. In the first half of the doubleheader Luis Rijo was on the bump. Turning in six solid innings of work, he allowed just one earned run (three total) while fanning five and walking none.

 

Uber prospect Wander Franco generated the game’s first run on an RBI single, but a passed ball allowed the Kernels to even the score at one in the bottom of the third. David Banuelos homered in the fourth giving the home team the lead, but a 2-run shot in the fifth wiped that away and gave us the final tally.

 

Game 2- Cedar Rapids 6, Bowling Green 4

Box Score

 

Working game two on the day, Austin Schulfer turned in four innings allowing just one earned (two total) run. He picked up six strikeouts and walked just two batters. Leaving with the game knotted, a decision remained up in the air.

 

Cedar Rapids found themselves looking at a 2-0 deficit when the entered the bottom half of the third inning. A Ben Rodriguez double wiped that out as both Gabriel Maciel and Chris Williams scampered home.

 

Once again the Hot Rods would lead by two, but this one would be overcome quickly. In the fifth Rodriguez drove in Williams again, and Jacob Pearson crossed the plate on a double play. Andrew Bechtold cracked his second dinger of the season, and when the inning was over, the Kernels led 5-4 into the 6th.

 

Having done damage all night long, Williams added to the lead with his fifth homer of the season, and Cedar Rapids was ahead by the eventual winning score of 6-4. Joe Record was able to pick up his fifth save on the season, which is a Midwest League season high.

 

TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY

Twins Daily Pitcher of the Day – Luis Rijo (Cedar Rapids) 6.0 IP 5 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 5 K

Twins Daily Hitter of the Day – Chris Williams (Cedar Rapids) 2-3, 3 R, RBI, BB, K, HR(5)

 

PROSPECT SUMMARY

Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed:

#1 - Royce Lewis (Ft. Myers) - No game

#2 - Alex Kirilloff (Pensacola) - Injured List

#3 - Brusdar Graterol (Pensacola) – Did not pitch

#4 - Trevor Larnach (Ft. Myers) – No game

#5 - Wander Javier (EST) - No Game

#6 - Brent Rooker (Rochester) - Did not play

#7 - Jhoan Duran (Ft. Myers) - Did not pitch

#8 - Lewis Thorpe (Rochester) - Did not pitch

#9 - Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) - Did not pitch

#10 - Akil Baddoo (Ft. Myers) - No game

#11 - Nick Gordon (Rochester) - Injured list

#12 - Stephen Gonsalves (Rochester) - Injured list

#13 - Ryan Jeffers (Ft. Myers) - No game

#14 - Ben Rortvedt (Ft. Myers) - No game

#15 - Yunior Severino (Cedar Rapids) - Injured List

#16 - Gilberto Celestino (Cedar Rapids) – 0-3, BB, K

#17 - Zack Littell (Rochester) – 7.0 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 7 K

#18 - LaMonte Wade (Rochester) – 0-4

#19 - Jorge Alcala (Pensacola) – Did not pitch

#20 - Jose Miranda (Ft. Myers) - No game

 

THURSDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

Rochester @ Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (5:35PM CST) – RHP Chase De Jong (0-2, 21.00 ERA)

Biloxi @ Pensacola (6:35PM CST) – RHP Jorge Alcala (4-1, 5.70 ERA)

Clearwater @ Fort Myers, Game 1 (3:00PM CST) – RHP Jhoan Duran (0-3, 3.63 ERA)

Clearwater @ Fort Myers, Game 2 – LHP Tyler Watson (0-3, 4.98 ERA)

Bowling Green @ Cedar Rapids (6:35 PM CST) – TBD

 

Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Wednesday’s games!

 

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[rdehring]

After dodging bullets in two of his first three appearances, Tyle Jay wasn't good in his last appearance.  Then he gave up four runs on four hits and two walks in two innings last night.  I guess it just isn't gonna happen for this former top pick.  Had the Twins hit on this pick, they could have had another very good player at Target Field right now.

 

Will be interesting to follow Rijo over the next few years.  As for tonight, looking forward to seeing if Alcala can get back on track after giving up 11 earned runs in his last two starts.  Also looking forward to seeing how Fort Myers does with Duran on the hill and Sano back in action.  Who knows, maybe we will even see Kirilloff in game action one of these days. 

[Seth Stohs]

A couple of other transactions occurred that aren't mentioned in the article. 

 

1.) The Twins/Red Wings released Justin Nicolino.

2.) Randy Dobnak was promoted from Ft. Myers to Pensacola.

 

Those are interesting to me for a couple of reasons:

 

a.) Who takes Nicolino's spot in the Red Wings rotation? Gonsalves isn't going to be back until later in the month. Is someone moving up to Rochester from Pensacola? Whose spot is Dobnak taking?

 

Then with Dobnak moving up and Ober on the IL, who makes starts for Ft. Myers? Does someone like Balazovic move up to the Miracle already?

 

c) I believe Tyler Wells isn't quite ready but they could have him make a couple of starts with the Miracle before heading up to Pensacola. But I don't think he's there yet. 

[Seth Stohs]

I'm giving this one it's own comment ,rather than lump it in with my pitching ramblings:

 

Alex Kirilloff is in Pensacola. So, I don't' know if he will play today or tomorrow, but I can say that his timeline is quite close. 

[dbminn]

I have a suggestion. It would require a bit more time, which I know is already at a premium for you folks. I'm just throwing this out there for comment.

 

I would like some information about the opponents. It could be as simple as a list of top 10 or 30 prospects on that particular team (list of your choice) before the opening game of a series. Maybe top pitching prospects could be listed with the Probable Starters. Salt in a sentence if one of those prospects was shut down by our farm team, or if they dominated the game.

 

In any case, thanks for the daily summaries.

[MMMordabito]

 

TRANSACTIONS
Fort Myers Miracle
RHP Bailey Ober placed on the seven-day IL with a right ulnar nerve subluxation

 

This is really disheartening news.  Ober seems like a real talent, but he just doesn't seem to have the body to withstand the stress of pitching.

[Seth Stohs]

We have some answers:

 

Rochester announced that Nick Gordon has been activated from the DL.

 

Also, Devin Smeltzer has been promoted to the Red Wings and will start on Friday. 

[Steve Lein]

 

I have a suggestion. It would require a bit more time, which I know is already at a premium for you folks. I'm just throwing this out there for comment.

 

I would like some information about the opponents. It could be as simple as a list of top 10 or 30 prospects on that particular team (list of your choice) before the opening game of a series. Maybe top pitching prospects could be listed with the Probable Starters. Salt in a sentence if one of those prospects was shut down by our farm team, or if they dominated the game.

 

In any case, thanks for the daily summaries.

 

If there's a noteworthy prospect on the other team and he does something or has something done to him I try to point it out, but not in a fashion where the focus turns to them instead of the Twins prospects.

 

For instance, from my first report of the year: "Hector Lujan came on for the sixth and went the next 2 2/3’s. He allowed one hit and struck out four including Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in the eighth."

[rdehring]

 

I'm giving this one it's own comment ,rather than lump it in with my pitching ramblings:

 

Alex Kirilloff is in Pensacola. So, I don't' know if he will play today or tomorrow, but I can say that his timeline is quite close. 

I clicked that I liked this comment.  But that ain't enough, getting Kirilloff back on the field may be the most exciting thing I have heard so far this season.  Now, lets see him pick up where he left off last year!!!

 

As for your pitching comments, Seth, could Jax be the one moving up?  Or Graterol?

[Seth Stohs]

And more:

 

 

[Seth Stohs]

 

I clicked that I liked this comment.  But that ain't enough, getting Kirilloff back on the field may be the most exciting thing I have heard so far this season.  Now, lets see him pick up where he left off last year!!!

 

As for your pitching comments, Seth, could Jax be the one moving up?  Or Graterol?

 

Smeltzer... Just a ton of transactions through the system today. 

[puckstopper1]

Thanks all for the regular updates.  A good day in Twins Territory with the way the big club played last night and also getting two of their top prospects back today.  Go get 'em Nick and Alex!

[SirLoin]

 

 

Generally not good?  As in "About To Get a 50 Game PED Suspension" or "His Elbow Exploded"?

[Seth Stohs]

 

Generally not good?  As in "About To Get a 50 Game PED Suspension" or "His Elbow Exploded"?

 

As in "Suspended." 

[Mike Sixel]

 

Smeltzer... Just a ton of transactions through the system today. 

 

good for him, but I was hoping for a top prospect, because MN is going to need help soon, imo.

[goulik]

 

TRANSACTIONS
Fort Myers Miracle
RHP Bailey Ober placed on the seven-day IL with a right ulnar nerve subluxation

Gaaaahhhhhh!!!!

[howieramone2]

 

After dodging bullets in two of his first three appearances, Tyle Jay wasn't good in his last appearance.  Then he gave up four runs on four hits and two walks in two innings last night.  I guess it just isn't gonna happen for this former top pick.  Had the Twins hit on this pick, they could have had another very good player at Target Field right now.

 

Will be interesting to follow Rijo over the next few years.  As for tonight, looking forward to seeing if Alcala can get back on track after giving up 11 earned runs in his last two starts.  Also looking forward to seeing how Fort Myers does with Duran on the hill and Sano back in action.  Who knows, maybe we will even see Kirilloff in game action one of these days. 

Taking pitching with high picks is always hazardous. The mighty Astros missed on 1-1 picks two years in a row. King Theo only takes college position players in the first round and gets pitchers via trade or free agency(until his checkbook was taken away).

[Otto von Ballpark]

The mighty Astros missed on 1-1 picks two years in a row.

They actually avoided the second miss pretty well -- Aiken didn't sign (after the Astros cut their bonus offer to him) and they got Bergman the next year with the makeup pick. And they did manage to flip Appel in trade too.

Edited May 2, 2019 by spycake

[Otto von Ballpark]

Dusten Knight on the Restricted List

Any chance it could just be backflip related?

[Mike Sixel]

 

Taking pitching with high picks is always hazardous. The mighty Astros missed on 1-1 picks two years in a row. King Theo only takes college position players in the first round and gets pitchers via trade or free agency(until his checkbook was taken away).

 

It's a great strategy, IF you are willing to trade prospects for proven MLB pitchers, and sign good FAs.

 

I've never understood your mocking tone of "king Theo"......he literally led two teams to WS championships. 

[David HK]

I read somewhere that Logan Morrison signed with the Yanks on a minor league deal- he's supposed to join Scranton at some point.  I guess not yet.