The Twins Simply Don't Believe in Outfield Prospect Kyler Fedko

[stringer bell]

The player who I thought of to compare with Carson McCusker. They are pretty different, but it would seem that they both benefitted from playing in a hitter's league. I am extremely suspicious of Triple A stats put up by older players.

That said, Fedko is a better fit than James Outman as the fifth outfielder in that he's a right handed hitter. Because he possesses good speed and is regarded as a good outfielder, he can provide value without being an outstanding hitter.

The differences between Fedko and Brent Rooker are that Rooker was a high draft choice and a guy who has to hit well above average to be an asset to a team.

While I don't feel optimistic that Fedko will make much of an impact, I hope he gets a chance and thrives. ZIPS and other predictions miss often enough that they can't be totally relied on. I'm confident that if he keeps producing he'll get a shot and for a lot of minor league players that is all they can ask for.

[DJL44]

7 hours ago, weitz41 said:

I see a lot of DeShawn Keirsey in this argument.

Could also be another Mickey Gasper.

But after August 3rd if he's still tearing it up bring him up with a long runway to succeed or fail. E Rod and Jenkins will probably be hurt again by then...

Gasper has a 950 OPS in the same league as Fedko. AAA has been quite easy for hitters this season. Subtract at least 200 points of OPS to get a guess at MLB production. 250 points might be a better estimate.

[dxpavelka]

If you're unhappy now just wait until those opportunities start going to the guys they (and we) REALLY want to see getting them.  Jenkins, Gonzalez, Culpepper, Rodriguez (yeah, yeah, I know, I know) and probably even Mendez and maybe even Sabato need to get looks before the leaves start to fall and, sad as it may make you Fedko slots in closer to the bottom of that list than to the top.

[dxpavelka]

6 hours ago, DJL44 said:

Gasper has a 950 OPS in the same league as Fedko. AAA has been quite easy for hitters this season. Subtract at least 200 points of OPS to get a guess at MLB production. 250 points might be a better estimate.

I love you Mickey Hart.  

[gil4]

17 hours ago, nova_twins said:

Silly thread tbh. AAAA guys have been a thing for all of MLB history.

I'm not sure he has made the leap to AAAA yet

[TopGunn#22]

Clearly, the Twins don't REALLY have concerns with swing and miss.  Just look at how long the leashes have been for Matt Wallner and Royce Lewis.  Throw in a Miguel Sano for the Hat Trick.  

This is one of the more disappointing and mystifying things about being a Major league Baseball fan.  Especially in an era where so much more information and discussion of minor league players exits.  By all accounts, Fedko SHOULD HAVE been up last year, probably around August 1st.  But the call never came.

We've watched Wallner and Outman flail away consistently and even with Wallner sent packing, no call for Fedko.  Outman has struck out 20 times in 54 AB's and is hitting .185 with a .524 OPS.  Who are we kidding here??  Fedko would offer more defensive versatility and couldn't possibly be worse than Outman.  

And this is where it gets disappointing.  What else does Fedko need to do?  Have another 3 HR game?  It's not like the Twins are holding off on starting his Major league clock.  It's not that he has a limited number of options left.  The Twins organization has predetermined what and who he can be.  

I was actually surprised no Major League team made a run at him in the Rule 5 draft last year.  I thought the Twins has dodged a bullet.  But with all the offensive disappointments the Twins have trotted out there this year, couldn't a 2-3 week look at Fedko at least be a consideration?  Kiersey ended up being a flop offensively but he didn't put up numbers at St. Paul like Fedko.

FREE KYLER FEDKO !!!  

[SteveLV]

When and if the Twins are 15-20 games out after the trade deadline, there is zero reason not to give Fedko and Sabato 6-8 weeks of MLB playing time to see what they can or cannot do.

[stringer bell]

Lewis, until recently, was below league K average. He had a rash of strikeouts prior to his demotion. Like most teams, I believe the Twins consider a high K rate the price that is paid for slugging. If a player is not getting extra-base hits and striking out a lot, it’s a problem. If you have a high K rate and slug well, it is acceptable. 

[stringer bell]

Fedko looked pretty ordinary in Spring Training this year. I don’t think he had much of a chance to make the team, but he did have a chance to impress the field staff. He actually started real slow at St. Paul this spring, but has been pretty hot lately. 

[PatG]

22 hours ago, Possumlad said:

If he keeps up this production in AAA, he'll eventually get a shot somewhere as a 4th or 5th Outfielder. May not be with the Twins, as we don't have a particular need there & have some other prospects pretty well ahead of him. That's ok - he'll get a shot eventually as a low-upside but hopefully serviceable back-up big leaguer. Then it'll be up to him to prove he belongs.

The need is there: Right hand hitting outfielder with (some) power and athleticism.

Why don't we see if there is something there for the Twins. If he goes to another team, he will be another AAA(A) player that won't get a legitimate opportunity.

What would this current FO done with Rod Carew, (prob bad example) changed his swing (Martin).....

[Cris E]

Gabby just got the call to cover for Grey's  paternity trip.  It's a fixed, short look so it was easier to go with someone from the 40 man.  

[saviking]

Guess he just can't hit his way past Outman. 

[JD-TWINS]

Kreidler is a right handed batting SS that can play CF. More value off the bench right now BUT after this year’s stats, FEDKO does deserve a look/opportunity very soon if someone falters.

No way he deserved a chance last summer after a pretty bleak ‘24 and then not moving to AAA until August 1st of ‘25.

The “heavy left handed roster” comments need to be checked. The typical level of RH pitching is 70/75% across the game.

The Twins 13 man roster currently has:

3 switch hitters - 6 RH hitters - 4 LH hitters 

The roster coming out of Spring Training had 3-5-5 respectively.

AAA probabilities are Lewis - Fedko - Gonzalez from Right side & Wallner - Jenkins - Rodriguez - Roden from the Left side.

[Rosterman]

Well, he could job into the Kody Clemens roster spot next season. Especially if he would egt a look. Right-handed and cheaper/ Play the same positions.

I'm curious about his base-stealing skills, and how well he can backup centerfield.

Sometimes you wonder why not just give guys a good chance that you have had on a develoopment path all these seasons rather than keep going to the waiver wire or signing minor league free agents.

[Major League Ready]

22 hours ago, TopGunn#22 said:

Clearly, the Twins don't REALLY have concerns with swing and miss.  Just look at how long the leashes have been for Matt Wallner and Royce Lewis.  Throw in a Miguel Sano for the Hat Trick.  

This is one of the more disappointing and mystifying things about being a Major league Baseball fan.  Especially in an era where so much more information and discussion of minor league players exits.  By all accounts, Fedko SHOULD HAVE been up last year, probably around August 1st.  But the call never came.

I have been watching and rooting for Fedko since he took off in AA last year so I want to see him get a shot.  However, I am not sure how you can come to the conclusion he should have been up by August.  He didn't even get promoted to AAA until August 1st.   He was pretty good at AAA (.829 OPS)  wRC+ was 15% above league average.  This just does not scream promotion.  There is no indication IMO that the organization does not believe in Fedko.  He has been playing at a higher level this year through 137 ABs.  If he is still playing at the same level after 250 or 300 ABs, we can start to question why he is not up.

 

[twinstalker]

He's 26 with a 25% K rate without a power profile putting up slash lines in two of the top hitters parks in all of minor league baseball.  I don't know the underlying metrics, but my guess is they're not loud in a good way.

So this seems very similar to Keirsey's situation, where most of this board wanted him to get a chance, and the Twins reportedly scoffed at the idea that he had any real value when asked if they were afraid of losing him in Rule V.

So, yeah, put Fedko on the 40 and call him up, but the next step then is to DFA him, probably, to open a spot.  Fedko is probably a guy who could make a bit of a living in St. Paul, go home in the offseason to mom and dad, and show up in ST.  At least for a couple of year, if he wanted to.