Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Month - May 2024

[Ted Schwerzler]

The Minnesota Twins turned in a month of May that included a chase towards the top of the standings. With a better bill of health at the highest level, less reinforcements were needed from the farm. Still the system saw some standout producers, and a handful of key promotions were earned.

Image courtesy of David Malamut (@MWLArchives on X)

With five of the six affiliates in action, and promotions coming for some key top prospects, the Twins were active on the free agent market this month. Multiple minor league free agent moves were made, and a couple of them have gotten off to hot starts. Quick production from Kyle Hess and Payton Eeeles has been good to see. They have been teammates with some of the best bats the system has to offer as well, and here’s how that looks for the month of May.

Honorable Mention #3 - Yasser Mercedes 18 G, 22-64, .344/.432/.547, 3 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR, 9 RBI, 12 SB
While Brooks Lee and Walker Jenkins have been the big-name Twins prospects to play for the FCL squad on rehab assignments, Mercedes has been in 16 games to start the season, and he’s drawing massive attention. A solid prospect in his own right, Mercedes has gotten off to a quick start in 2024.

With an OPS north of 1.000 and a team-leading two homers to his credit, he also has three doubles and a pair of triples. To say the Puerto Rican has been impressive would be putting it lightly. After a strong professional debut in the Dominican Summer League, Mercedes struggled stateside last year. He has made that look like a mirage, and the 12 stolen bases having him more than blazing his own trail as well.

Honorable Mention #2 - DaShawn Keirsey Jr. 22 G, 28-88, .318/.408/.568, 5 2B, 1 3B, 5 HR, 23 RBI, 8 SB
With the way Manuel Margot has played for Rocco Badelli’s lineup since being acquired from the Los Angeles Dodgers, it’s hard not to think about replacements. Keirsey Jr. isn’t a top prospect, but he’s looked the part of an MLB-ready talent this season in St. Paul. Solid defensive ability with an aptitude for center field, combined with his offensive production, is hard to ignore.

Keirsey flirted with a 1.000 OPS in May, and could have gotten there had he not finished the final couple of games on the injured list. Not only did he put up five doubles and a triple, but an otherwise gap hitter blasted five home runs as well. His 23 RBI were easily the best on the team for St. Paul this month, and he swiped eight bases in ten attempts.

Honorable Mention #1 - Emmanuel Rodriguez 20 G, 20-71, 5 2B, 1 3B, 4 HR, 10 RBI
To suggest there is little left for Emmanuel Rodriguez to prove at Double-A may be putting it lightly, and that’s certainly saying something given that he has played just 36 games. However, after a solid season with High-A Cedar Rapids last year, one of Minnesota’s best prospects has made the Texas League look easy.

In May he owned a .995 OPS with five doubles, a triple, and four home runs. Rodriguez drove in 10 runs while drawing 20 walks against just 25 strikeouts. His plate approach is well beyond his years, and he has honed in what pitches to swing at while attempting to do damage. It truly is something special, and he could close in on a big-league debut this season if this keeps up.

Hitter of the Month - Luke Keaschall 27 G, 39-104, 8 2B, 5 HR, 16 RBI, 6 SB
One of the early-season promotions, Keaschall played just 44 games for Cedar Rapids in 2024. After finishing his final eight games there last year, a May that included a 1.097 OPS was never going to keep him in the Midwest League long. The second round pick during the 2023 draft has blossomed early in his professional career, and it’s worth wondering if he isn’t a top-5 Twins prospect at this point.

With seven doubles and five home runs for Cedar Rapids, Keaschall also struck out two less times than the amount of walks he drew. The former Arizona State Sun Devil plated 14 runs and stole five bases at Cedar Rapids, and he has gotten off to a strong start in limited action with Double-A Wichita as well.

Who would have been your choice for Minnesota Twins Minor League Hitter of the Month? Get involved in the comments below.

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[Dave The Dastardly]

Gotta clear the logjam. Margot and Farmer DFA'd; Kiersey and Lewis to Twins; Rodriguez to St. Paul.

Disappointed Keaschall already got promoted, but only because I was hoping to catch him in Cedar Rapids. Wichita is twice as far from home.

[Dman]

I know Jenkins doesn't qualify as he has only played the last couple of weeks, but still nice to see that 1.028 OPS in the FCL.  Gotta believe they move him up soon.

While Mercedes has more tools and the better OPS I think Damuery Pena has the more well rounded bat.  His 11 walks to just 3 K's speaks to his bat to ball skills and plate discipline. He also is working on his power as he has 2 HR's already and a .500 SLG%.  That's some pretty elite stuff.  I wouldn't mind them moving him to A ball if they move Eeles up to high A.

Lot's of good bats this last month.  Hope they keep it up.

[DJL44]

Ricardo Olivar in May: .330/.419/.582 and just 15K in 105PA. Plus, he plays catcher.

[twinstalker]

EmRod in fact does have a lot to prove still at AA.  If what you want out of guy is great minor league stats, then congratulations.  I'm invested heavily in him across my fantasy leagues, but I'm not all that optimistic.  I've seen time and time again how parts of this profile can destroy the good.  He hits the ball hard and far?  What happens when he doesn't get a meatball but instead gets only those pitches he doesn't know what to do with?  Because there is a wide variety of pitches he doesn't know how to handle.  I'd prefer he learn how to compete against those, and if he can't do it at AA, why would he be promoted?

All positives that we know of for Keaschall.  He's got some pop, doesn't K a ton, and I think (think) he can probably play 2B. 

[twinstalker]

Oh, a couple more comments:

Good to see Mercedes swinging well.  Seems to have a 20% K-rate, which is decent for his age/league (he was at 20% last year at 18/FCL and again at 19/FCL).  With lots of qualification, superstar internationals generally mash FCL at 18 or less.  Acuna, Soto, Franco are examples.  But I think we gave up on that wild hope last year.  Doing so well at 19, albeit repeating, is a good sign.  His walk rate 11% is double last year, and his isolated power is slightly better (it wasn't bad last year).  I suspect he'll be promoted if he continues, and we'll see him with Jenkins in low A for at least a while.  They're both 19, Mercedes a few months older.  Not being ready last year (and maybe a little hurt), is anything but unusual, but it does possibly indicate he's not at the same level as Jenkins.

I don't think they're going to dump Margot for Keirsey.  Maybe for Martin.  But even if Keirsey were rh, I'd think they'd want to see how he'd do when a 40 man spot otherwise opens up along with an OF injury to get on the 26.  Keirsey may very likely not be ready to hit MLB, and to dump Margot for him, he'll have to be about 30% better, given he's left handed.

 

 

[LambchoP]

Totally agree with the first comment. It is past time to dump dead wood on the team and give opportunity elsewhere. DFA Margot and replace him with Austin Martin or Keirsey Jr. Dump Farmer when Lewis comes back. Letting our lefties actually hit for a whole game would be a good start too, rather than an automatic platoon...