Twins Minor League Report (6/24): Can Anyone Get Ryan Sprock Out?

[Matt Braun]

Image courtesy of William Parmeter (photo of Ryan Sprock)

TRANSACTIONS
LHP Kody Funderburk recalled by Twins
RHP Marco Raya recalled by Twins
LHP Kendry Rojas optioned to AAA St. Paul

Saints Sentinel
St. Paul 4, Louisville 3
Box Score
Aaron Rozek: 6 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 5 K
HR: None
Multi-hit games: Gabriel Gonzalez (2-for-5, 2 2B, 2 RBI), Kala’i Rosario (2-for-4, R), Tanner Schobel (2-for-3, 2B, R, RBI, BB)

The Saints won by a slim margin on Wednesday.

If there could be such a thing as a well-traveled minor leaguer, Aaron Rozek would fit the bill. Now 30, the Minnesota State, Mankato product started for the Saints for the 20th time in his career, becoming likely one of the rare few players to have 20+ starts in indy ball, at A+, AA, and AAA. If a nuclear apocalypse descends upon mankind, Rozek’s charred remains will remain on a mound in Minnesota, hunched over, looking at the catcher as he receives his signs.

St. Paul scored one in the third off an unusual interference error on a pickoff attempt. Feeling that they needed to amend the score with runs scored by more ordinary means, Gabriel Gonzalez stepped to the plate with two on and bounded a chopper that hugged the third base line just enough; remaining fair as the Saints on base scrambled with vital urgency. Both runs scored.

A fourth and final run arrived at home when Tanner Schobel fended off a single the other way to draw Cody Morissette in safely.

Taylor Rashi earned a two-inning save. He surrendered a solo homer and a walk, but punched out three, including two in a row to strand the tying run at second to end the game.

Louisville’s Héctor Rodríguez clocks in as sixth-best prospect in the Reds’ system; he homered once in three at-bats. 

Wind Surge Wisdom
Wichita 4, Midland 8
Box Score
Chris Vallimont: 3 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
HR: None
Multi-hit games: Quinn McDaniel (2-for-4)

A disastrous fifth inning sunk the Wind Surge on Wednesday.

Welcome back Chris Vallimont! The former Twins farmhand re-started for the Wind Surge on the 19th, but this author didn’t cover that day, and he does for this one. The righty found a groove, hurling three innings with one earned run, striking out four in the process. And what has Lewin Diaz done recently? (He’s in the KBO, actually).

Vallimont’s success did not translate to Jose Olivares, who started his day with a 1-2-3 fourth inning before coming undone one frame later. It was a flurry. Singles, steals. The flea-like RockHounds rally wore down and baffled Olivares, who was helpless to stop the scuffle. Finally, a triple broke the dam, and, in fact, scored the batter on a Kyle DeBarge throwing error. Two more singles and a homer concluded the nightmare.

The Wind Surge held a lead for a brief moment when Jay Thomason doubled in two in the fourth. He later scored on an error.

You should recognize the “De Vries” in the box score, as that is indeed Leo De Vries, the uber-prospect traded by the Padres at the deadline last year, who now ranks as the second-best prospect in baseball. He singled and walked in five plate appearances.

Kernels Nuggets
Cedar Rapids 6, Wisconsin 12
Box Score
Riley Quick: 3 ⅔ IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 4 BB, 6 K
HR: Henry Kusiak (1), Brandon Winokur (9)
Multi-hit games: Enrique Jimenez (3-for-4, 2 R), Brandon Winokur (2-for-4, HR, 2B, 2 R, 3 RBI), Caden Kendle (2-for-4, RBI), Yasser Mercedes (2-for-4), Henry Kusiak (2-for-4, HR, R, RBI)

The Kernels were trashed on Wednesday.

Perhaps the early-season dominance was bad for Riley Quick; as, instead of accepting his recent slide as the common ills of a youngster debuting in pro ball, it feels as if his regal excellence was a mere mirage. That pitcher is in there, somewhere, he may just need to dig through some A+ ball clunkers before it re-reveals itself. Nonetheless, the latest start ballooned his Cedar Rapids ERA to 4.86.

Quick will always find little solace in the fact that every Cedar Rapids hurler biffed it on Wednesday. Not one escaped the game with a lower ERA. 

The bats were lively, with Enrique Jimenez and Brandon Winokur serving as the driving forces. Jimenez, as the hit-happy table-setter, and Winokur as the thunderous force. The latter doubled and hit a homer that didn’t leave the yard as much as it never returned to earth after scraping its atmosphere. 

Jimenez’s Kernels career has started with pure nitro; he’s slashing .350/.435/.700 in five games since being promoted.

Yasser Mercedes likely thoroughly enjoyed his multi-hit showing, as he entered the day 1-16 in his previous four games.

Wisconsin is, of course, an affiliate of the Brewers and their awesome farm system. Wednesday saw their ninth-ranked prospect, catcher Marco Dinges, homer twice in a three-hit outing. 

Mussel Matters
Fort Myers 12, St. Lucie 8
Box Score
Kolten Smith: 3 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
HR: Jayson Bass (9)
Multi-hit games: Ryan Sprock (3-for-3, 2B, 2 R, RBI, 3 BB), Ramiro Dominguez (2-for-6, 2B, RBI), Jayson Bass (3-for-4, HR, 2B, 3 R, 3 RBI, BB), Quentin Young (2-for-4, 3B, 2 R, RBI, BB), Irvin Nunez (3-for-5, R, 2 RBI)

The Mighty Mussels rode an offensive explosion to victory on Wednesday.

Ryan Sprock is on the mother of all heaters right now. He entered June slashing .262/.393/.338 and is currently at .325/.450/.455. He has 28 hits, 15 walks, and—of all the stats this is easily the funniest one—just three strikeouts. Three. In 61 at-bats. Call it scorching, torrid, or whatever synonym you prefer, the one thing few have called him is “out”.

Fort Myers started with a pair in the 3rd, with Jayson Bass singling in one, and Quentin Young tripling in the one mentioned earlier in the sentence.

Three crossed home plate in the fifth thanks to a run-scoring balk, and a two-run knock by Irvin Nunez. One each in the sixth and seventh have Fort Myers a slim 7-6 lead in what was obviously not a pitching duel sort of game.

They fell down once more, but struck back with a vengeance, mighty and vigorous, plating five in the eighth to take a lead they would finally not relinquish. Jayson Bass started matters with a two-run homer—somehow their first long ball of the day—and two singles and a walk loaded the bases for Byron Chourio. The less heralded of the namesake ushered two home on a hit, though he was soon thrown out at second base in the fray. No problem. A hit by pitch and Sprock single totaled the 12th and final run of the game. 

The St. Lucie Mets are powered by the franchise’s sixth-ranked prospect, infielder Elian Peña, who singled once in five at-bats.

TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY
Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Aaron Rozek
Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Brandon Winokur

PROSPECT SUMMARY
Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed:
#5 – Marek Houston (Wichita) - 1-4, 2 K
#6 – Riley Quick (Cedar Rapids) - 3 2/3 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 4 BB, 6 K
#10 – Gabriel Gonzalez (St. Paul) - 2-5, 2 2B, 2 RBI, K
#12 – Brandon Winokur (Cedar Rapids) - 2-4, HR, 2B, 2 R, 3 RBI
#13 – Khadim Diaw (Wichita) - 2-5, RBI
#14 – Quentin Young (Fort Myers) - 2-4, 3B, 2 R, RBI, BB, 2 K
#18 – Yasser Mercedes (Cedar Rapids) - 2-4
#20 – Kyle DeBarge (Wichita) - 1-4

THURSDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS
St. Paul @ Louisville (5:35 PM) - RHP Ty Langenberg
Wichita @ Midland (7:00 PM) - RHP Sam Armstrong
Cedar Rapids @ Wisconsin (6:40 PM) - LHP Cesar Lares
St. Lucie @ Fort Myers (6:05 PM) - RHP Ramiro Villanueva
FCL Twins @ FCL Braves (11:00 AM) - TBD
DSL Twins @ DSL Phillies (10:00 AM) - TBD

 

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[jkcarew]

Sprock probably shouldn’t be in low A ball, as a highly regarded college bat drafted in the 8th round…and probably wouldn’t be, if they weren’t trying to turn him into a catcher. Any word on how that part is working out?

[mikelink45]

Is Riley Quick one of those players who came on too quick, caught our attention and quickly rose too high in the prospect list?  I always like to wait a year in the minors before giving a player a top ten listing. 

[Bangkok Twins Fan]

Welcome back Chris Vallimont! The former Twins farmhand re-started for the Wind Surge on the 19th, but this author didn’t cover that day, and he does for this one. The righty found a groove, hurling three innings with one earned run, striking out four in the process.

I thought that name looked familiar! Was he with another organization between Twins stints?

[Jeff K]

Nice AAA debut for Rosario.  Winokur looking good.  Ready for AA?

[Possumlad]

Do we know why Jenkins didn't play? Scheduled rest?

[jmlease1]

1 hour ago, mikelink45 said:

Is Riley Quick one of those players who came on too quick, caught our attention and quickly rose too high in the prospect list?  I always like to wait a year in the minors before giving a player a top ten listing. 

I don't think so: he's really talented, but also pitched very little in college, so has a lot of work to do in refining his game. It's why I've been fine with him being in Cedar Rapids, when some people were pushing for a promotion to AA after a couple of good outings early. He needs innings and experience right now to work on his command. But he's rated pretty appropriately, IMHO.

Nice debut for Rosario. Always happy when a guy gets a couple of hits upon promotion, I'm sure that's helpful for their confidence.

GG had a poor start to the season, and wasn't exactly lighting it up in May, but he's on a real heater right now. Hope this means he's gotten locked in, is feeling good, and starts pushing for promotion as well.

 

[rdehring]

Knew nothing about Sprock, interesting.  Thanks for the mention above that he is being moved to catcher.  Was thinking, a catcher with a lot of stolen bases?  Kid is also walking more than 3 times for every 2 strikeouts.  Heck of an interesting prospect.

[FlyingFinn]

Sprock gets the headlines but 3 for 3 with 3 walks doesn't get him hitter of the day? Surprising.

I also I thought the league Fort Myers is in has always been a pitchers league. What's going on this year with the football scores?