Twins Minor League Report (6/13): Chris Williams is the Boss

[FlyingFinn]

1 minute ago, Steve Lein said:

If you haven't watched Grace pitch this year, I would make an effort too!

Outside of Brock Stewart before he was brought up, Grace has been the most impressive relief arm I've watched this season. His slider/sweeper/curve/whatever is an elite pitch. So much so, it can get away from him at times, but man, nobody has touched it when I've watched.

I believe he is eligible for the Rule 5 draft this winter and teams love to take pitchers in that (ex - Tyler Wells). Sounds like you are saying Grace is good so we have to put him on the 40 man or, IMO, he will get nabbed in the draft.

[Steve Lein]

8 minutes ago, FlyingFinn said:

I believe he is eligible for the Rule 5 draft this winter and teams love to take pitchers in that (ex - Tyler Wells). Sounds like you are saying Grace is good so we have to put him on the 40 man or, IMO, he will get nabbed in the draft.

I think he was already eligible last year, but having only played at A-ball there was no reason for anyone to nab him.

If he continues this performance at Wichita, there would be tons of reasons for teams to nab him.

I think Austin Martin, Jair Camargo, Grace, and Emmanuel Rodriguez are 40-man locks at this point. I'm probably missing other names to consider. Blayne Enlow, Yunior Severino...

 

[TwinsDr2021]

9 minutes ago, FlyingFinn said:

I believe he is eligible for the Rule 5 draft this winter and teams love to take pitchers in that (ex - Tyler Wells). Sounds like you are saying Grace is good so we have to put him on the 40 man or, IMO, he will get nabbed in the draft.

Don't disagree with this but Tyler Wells was a 24 year old starter coming a season with 22 starts and 119 innings (A+ and AA. He was drafted put in the pen that year and moved right back into the rotation. Grace is a relief pitcher that has 31 innings (A and rookie) in 2021, 60 innings in  22 (rookie, A, A+) and likely about that much this year(AA so far). He seems like the type of guy you aggressively promote this year, get him to the majors at the end of the year and make a decision if he is better or they think he will be better than the other 15 relief pitchers on the 40 man. 

 

 

[Steve Lein]

1 hour ago, roger said:

Will agree with those above that ERod is almost a lock to be added.  With what I have seen from Enlow this year, I expect him to be added in November, if not later this summer.

Will also agree with many above that I hope the Twins use this trading deadline to fine tune the 40-man and those at risk of being lost in the Rule 5.  Hopefully we see several of the players talked about above included as a second or third part of a deal or two next month.

 

Yup, the thing about this discussion, is the Twins have a bunch of near-MLB ready prospect talent to use as ammo in trades. There are always teams that prefer that type of player back. 

Edited June 14, 2023 by Steve Lein

[Mike Sixel]

2 minutes ago, Steve Lein said:

Yup, the thing about this discussion, is the Twins have a bunch of near-MLB ready prospect talent to use as ammo in trades. There are always teams prefer that type of player back. 

Just no idea what they trade for if everyone is pretty healthy.....OF or RP, but I hope none of the names we are mentioning go for a rental RP.....

[roger]

7 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

Just no idea what they trade for if everyone is pretty healthy.....OF or RP, but I hope none of the names we are mentioning go for a rental RP.....

Agree on the rental reliever, Mike.  But sure would be nice to add one of these being discussed today with a bit more valuable piece to bring back a good young reliever or starter. 

[Mike Sixel]

I know minor leaguer for minor leaguer trades are rare, but I'd be up for some of these going for younger, high ceiling, types. 

[Mike Sixel]

Williams has, I believe, hit another HR today.

[Dman]

10 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

Williams has, I believe, hit another HR today.

Yeah Williams with another two HR's and he took a walk after being down 1-2 in the count. I think he took Wallner's Mojo from him.  After the last two games 5 home run barrage his OPS is at .998. HIs K rate and BABIP are high so he is going to come down but man he looks elite at the plate right now.  Still you need to get that OPS close to or in the 1.000 range to get a shot and he is doing that.  Just needs to keep it there and if the Twins don't add him someone will.

Camargo with a HR and Double as well. When guys are hot they are hot. Still the competition is so variable at the various levels it can be hard to determine what the numbers mean as sometimes hits come off good but not elite players which is why minor league numbers get inflated so much.  Once you hit MLB everyone is elite so the numbers drop. Still getting hits moves you up and you can only face who you face.

So much fun to watch that St. Paul offense work.

[Danchat]

I see Rodriguez and Martin as the primary locks. Enlow is probably back on the 40 man after getting removed. Severino is a tricky one because I think this will be the third year he is eligible, he makes sense as a trade candidate. Camargo fit the free agent market last year and returned on a MILB deal, and doesn't seem to be valuable enough to be protected. Funderburk and Grace are middling minor league relievers who don't need to be protected. Feels like we have a couple of these relievers reach AAA every year but then never end up doing anything, whether it be Mason Melotakis, Tom Hackimer, Jake Reed, etc.

[Steve Lein]

1 hour ago, Dman said:

Yeah Williams with another two HR's and he took a walk after being down 1-2 in the count. I think he took Wallner's Mojo from him.  

What's fun about this comment, is Wallner doesn't have the HR's to show for it like Williams, but in both games he's hit 2 balls harder than any of Williams' bombs were hit.

They're both locked in.

1 hour ago, Dman said:

Camargo with a HR and Double as well. When guys are hot they are hot.

Wallner hit the hardest ball in triple-A yesterday at 113.0 MPH (single), and Camargo has the 2nd hardest so far today at 113.4 MPH (double). They both have had impressive exit velocity numbers all year.

[DocBauer]

9 hours ago, mikelink45 said:

Can you tell us more about Chris Williams. What is this position and does he have good defense.? Is he going to make the next list of prospects?

Hey Mike, just to add a little more to what Steve posted previously, IIRC, he was a senior sign following the 2018 draft out of Clemson. He moved to 1B/DH his senior year due to an arm issue that I want to say was TJ. While he's continued to catch, mixed in with some 1B/DH, he's been primary out from behind the plate the past 2 years. 

I don't have clarification, but I think a lot of it has to do with his arm never coming back. Someone...Winder I think??...was speaking highly of him on a radio interview last season for his knowledge and control behind the plate, but again, 2022 and this year he's basically a 1B/DH who CAN catch.

He hit well initially after he was drafted, more or less tanked, (believe there might have been another small injury somewhere in there), and then make a heck of a comeback with the bat the past couple of years with power, AVG, OB%, and some great OPS numbers. Unfortunately, as good as he's looked the past 1 1/2 years, 26yo 1B/DH types aren't usually considered top prospects.

I think he could hold his own at the ML level if given a shot, but he's definitely behind a few guys right now.

[Dman]

2 hours ago, Danchat said:

I see Rodriguez and Martin as the primary locks. Enlow is probably back on the 40 man after getting removed. Severino is a tricky one because I think this will be the third year he is eligible, he makes sense as a trade candidate. Camargo fit the free agent market last year and returned on a MILB deal, and doesn't seem to be valuable enough to be protected. Funderburk and Grace are middling minor league relievers who don't need to be protected. Feels like we have a couple of these relievers reach AAA every year but then never end up doing anything, whether it be Mason Melotakis, Tom Hackimer, Jake Reed, etc.

There is a ways to go yet but I think you are going to be wrong about Camargo not being protected.  I get that he has an ugly K rate and low walk rate and a very aggressive approach but if I am reading the numbers right he had a .900 OPS in May and has started June off with a 1.157 OPS which includes an .800 slugging percentage.  If it weren't for his horrid April where his OPS was an incredibly low .374 I think he would be getting much more attention. Some guys struggle in the Midwest cold but if this last couple of months is who he is I am pretty sure he will be added.  Jeffers never put up anything close to those numbers and he is playing in MLB.  Granted he has to keep it going but his numbers are getting hard to ignore.

[2wins87]

8 hours ago, Mike Sixel said:

Hard to see anyone keeping ERod on their MLB roster all year next year, but stranger things have happened I guess. 

I think Akil Baddoo being selected in the rule 5 and sticking in the majors all year was one of those stranger things.

Upside is much higher with ERod than it ever was with Baddoo.

I think he'd be almost guaranteed to be taken in the rule 5 unless he really falls off for some reason.

[Mike Sixel]

1 hour ago, 2wins87 said:

I think Akil Baddoo being selected in the rule 5 and sticking in the majors all year was one of those stranger things.

Upside is much higher with ERod than it ever was with Baddoo.

I think he'd be almost guaranteed to be taken in the rule 5 unless he really falls off for some reason.

Ya. I already corrected myself

[william]

Kody Funderburk 

I Think this is a pitcher that can help the twins big LHP set up guy  . INSTED WE PUT IN 30 YEAR OLD journeyman  in JOSE DE LEON WHY NOT SEE WHAT THIS KID CAN DO STATES DO.