Why Twins draft prospect fell to later rounds

[Parker Hageman]

Twins fourth round draft pick Stephen Gonsalves - a six-foot-five left-hander - saw his position fall from being a first rounder because of a suspension that cost him a month of his senior season.

 

The Cathedral Catholic (San Diego, CA) graduate never had the reason become but but while at Target Field on Wednesday, Gonsalves told his side of the story:

 

"There were four kids on my team that got stupid and decided to smoke pot in a hotel room after a loss," said Gonsalves, who signed with the Twins on Wednesday afternoon. "One of them was my roommate, so I had to get him back to my room."

{snip}

Cathedral Catholic upholds a "zero-tolerance" policy, and because Gonsalves was in the presence of drugs and alcohol, he was at risk of suspension. But his biggest mistake came later.

"I went back to the school and lied about it," Gonsalves said. "My involvement was very little. The thing I got in trouble for was lying to the dean covering up for people."

 

So there you have it. Nothing over-the-top, like getting mixed up with a drug cartel in Mexico. Just some crazy kids smoking reefer.

[Badsmerf]

Kids get in trouble for smoking pot still? The same guy that suspended them probably smokes it himself.

[greengoblinrulz]

if true & if he was a possible first rounder......steal for Twins.

Should buy his roommate an ounce or so for a thank you

[drjim]

It wouldn't bother me if he was one of the guys smoking. Poor judgment perhaps, but hey 18.

[clutterheart]

His stock fell because his FB was settling in the 89 range, didn't use his secondary pitches and displayed poor control.

[cmb0252]

His stock fell because his FB was settling in the 89 range, didn't use his secondary pitches and displayed poor control.

 

This. While there might have been some character concerns the main reason he fell was because of his poor performance. The Twins 6th round pick, Navarreto, also had some character concerns because of a on field fight. I could care less about either concerns because I love these kids. Big risk but huge upside.

[launchingthrees]

Is there a precedent for a guy entering the minors at 89 and improving his velocity significantly?

[Badsmerf]

Is there a precedent for a guy entering the minors at 89 and improving his velocity significantly?

Considering his height and build, I'd say he could gain some velocity as his body matures. I wouldn't expect it to jump to the mid 90's, but a few MPH is certainly possible.

[Parker Hageman]

His stock fell because his FB was settling in the 89 range, didn't use his secondary pitches and displayed poor control.

 

That was certainly not the only reason he fell but it was part of it too. He was sitting 88-92 according to most reports. For an 19-year-old left-handed pitcher with his build, that is not a reason to turn away. While notably Keith Law had questioned his abilities but plenty of others have loved his projectability. At six-foot-five, there is a lot of improvement that could be made to increase his velocity. It is definitely not static at this point in his development.

[howieramone1406390264]

Big starting left-handed pitcher in the 4th, signed and projectable, sounds like a good pick to me.

[Jeremy Nygaard]

The Twins think he'll add velo and will be able to develop a slider (been told that more than once).

 

I've also heard they think some of his developmental stuff was due to "lack of coaching".

[PseudoSABR]

Loyalty matters. I like it.

[clutterheart]

That was certainly not the only reason he fell but it was part of it too. He was sitting 88-92 according to most reports. For an 19-year-old left-handed pitcher with his build, that is not a reason to turn away. While notably Keith Law had questioned his abilities but plenty of others have loved his projectability. At six-foot-five, there is a lot of improvement that could be made to increase his velocity. It is definitely not static at this point in his development.

 

I'm looking forward to his development. He is a high-upside risk with lots of question marks. My point is if he performed better he would've been drafted earlier.

 

You can bet that every team who scouted him already got his side of the story and then verified that with the school. I am sure the suspension was not the reason he fell to the 4th round.

[Kobs]

One of these things is true:

 

A) His side of the story is false.

The suspension didn't impact his draft position significantly.

 

I have a real hard time believing that major league teams were considering this fella at the top of the draft and didn't bother to find out anything about his suspension, and I have an even harder time believing that they would let a guy fall significantly due to what he described.

[Kwak]

The Twins think he'll add velo and will be able to develop a slider (been told that more than once).

 

I've also heard they think some of his developmental stuff was due to "lack of coaching".

 

Yes! The Minnesota Twins is one of the best franchises for pitcher development.

[cmathewson]

Kids get in trouble for smoking pot still? The same guy that suspended them probably smokes it himself.

 

Is that what's in your pipe Papa Smurf?

[cmathewson]

Big starting left-handed pitcher in the 4th, signed and projectable, sounds like a good pick to me.

 

I actually like him better than Eades, whom we took in the second round.

[cmathewson]

That was certainly not the only reason he fell but it was part of it too. He was sitting 88-92 according to most reports. For an 19-year-old left-handed pitcher with his build, that is not a reason to turn away. While notably Keith Law had questioned his abilities but plenty of others have loved his projectability. At six-foot-five, there is a lot of improvement that could be made to increase his velocity. It is definitely not static at this point in his development.

 

Law is the only one who questions him with any strength. And for Law, he might as well be the devil incarnate. Methinks he dost protesteth too much.

[Jeremy Nygaard]

I'm getting a lot of good stuff on Gonsalves...

 

Teams had high hopes his curveball would develop, it didn't... and then the suspension. Other scouts were convinced he wouldn't sign if he fell out of 2nd round. The Twins area scout, Leavitt, I believe, had no signing concerns and now those other scouts are "shocked" when they are finding out he has already signed.

 

Like any draft pick, he might not work out... but the Twins got a steal and Gonsalves is going to have a chip on his shoulder. It might take him a while... but for $700k, you role that dice every time.

[cmb0252]

I actually like him better than Eades, whom we took in the second round.

 

I'm right there with you. While Gonsalves has a few flaws, who doesn't, but how can you not love a 6'5" LHP? Eades is the "safe" quick to the bigs college pitcher but give me upside! I only wish the Twins would have drafted more LHPers.

[howieramone1406390264]

I'm getting a lot of good stuff on Gonsalves...

 

Teams had high hopes his curveball would develop, it didn't... and then the suspension. Other scouts were convinced he wouldn't sign if he fell out of 2nd round. The Twins area scout, Leavitt, I believe, had no signing concerns and now those other scouts are "shocked" when they are finding out he has already signed.

 

Like any draft pick, he might not work out... but the Twins got a steal and Gonsalves is going to have a chip on his shoulder. It might take him a while... but for $700k, you role that dice every time.

Better to be lucky than good. Thanks for the info.

[SurroundedByTigers]

My hope is ... he grows up to be a fine upstanding young man, WITH A BIG LEAGUE FASTBALL, CURVE, SLIDER, ETC. And if the baseball thing doesn't work out, just be a fine upstanding young man.

[Brock Beauchamp]

My hope is ... he grows up to be a fine upstanding young man, WITH A BIG LEAGUE FASTBALL, CURVE, SLIDER, ETC. And if the baseball thing doesn't work out, just be a fine upstanding young man.

 

Too late, he has been exposed to the Reefer Madness. He's done for.

[cmathewson]

On that curve: I saw the vids from the all-star games and I thought it was a decent pitch for a 19 year old. It didn't have huge break. But it had sharp late break. I saw three clips of him getting ks looking on the pitch, as the hitters gave up on it and it broke over the plate. I especially liked his delivery: Straight over the top, which made the curve a 12-6 offering.

[Mike Sixel]

I like using picks past round 1/2 in baseball on guys with lots of risk, but that if things work, you have something potentially great. They have plenty of safe college pitchers they can turn into relievers.....they need some guys that can be starters. Roll the die on the potential.....

[ThePuck]

I'm getting a lot of good stuff on Gonsalves...

 

Teams had high hopes his curveball would develop, it didn't... and then the suspension. Other scouts were convinced he wouldn't sign if he fell out of 2nd round. The Twins area scout, Leavitt, I believe, had no signing concerns and now those other scouts are "shocked" when they are finding out he has already signed.

 

Like any draft pick, he might not work out... but the Twins got a steal and Gonsalves is going to have a chip on his shoulder. It might take him a while... but for $700k, you role that dice every time.

 

I wonder how much Stewart being drafted by the Twins affected Gonsalves decision to sign. Maybe not too much, but listening to the interviews last night of the two of them, it seems they developed a pretty quick friendship and are looking forward to going to Florida together and getting starter.

[ericchri]

I wonder how much Stewart being drafted by the Twins affected Gonsalves decision to sign. Maybe not too much, but listening to the interviews last night of the two of them, it seems they developed a pretty quick friendship and are looking forward to going to Florida together and getting starter.

 

I was wondering the same thing. It certainly couldn't hurt, knowing you'd have somebody to pal around with when you move across the country without family at 18 years old.