Hendry Mendez Deserves to Be Part of Twins’ September Callup Conversation

[weitz41]

13 minutes ago, Hawkeye Bean Counter said:

He has 11 home runs - not exactly no power and currently an .857 OPS.  The approach likely remains and have a mid/high .700 OPS to begin.  You are looking for an Arraez like bat out of him at his full potential.  

I agree. He has that potential (Arraez). So does GG despite this season with the Saints.

1 Mendez

2 Gonzalez

3 Jenkins

4 Buxton

5 Rodriguez

Looks like a 40-pitch inning with a 3-run home run.

[Hawkeye Bean Counter]

3 minutes ago, weitz41 said:

I agree. He has that potential (Arraez). So, does GG despite this season with the Saints.

1 Mendez

2 Gonzalez

3 Jenkins

4 Buxton

5 Rodriguez

Looks like a 40-pitch inning with a 3-run home run.

Other than Buxton I really like the approach of the 4 other batters.  Throw in Culpepper and even Keaschall and the bats look legit.  Defense on the other hand,  still a work in progress and where do all these players play?  

[JADBP]

3 hours ago, DJL44 said:

Now do Wallner

trade bait....

[weitz41]

15 minutes ago, Hawkeye Bean Counter said:

Other than Buxton I really like the approach of the 4 other batters.  Throw in Culpepper and even Keaschall and the bats look legit.  Defense on the other hand,  still a work in progress and where do all these players play?  

1-5 LF. 1B, CF/DH, CF/DH, RF.

6 Lee

7 Culpepper

8 Caratini

9 Houston

Martin, Clemens, Ross/Keashall and Jackson

My 2027 Twins. 😉

[Cory Engelhardt]

45 minutes ago, Road trip said:

Sabato to KBO makes a lot of sense, although it is possible some other MLB org will give him a shot.  I'm skeptical he will get a chance with the Twins.

Wallner probably will be getting his release this offseason.  He's torn up AAA again, but it seems pretty obvious the Twins org won't be giving him another chance based on Roden and Jackson being on the roster all summer.   Likely they will want the 40-man spot for someone else. 

I do expect to see him in the majors somewhere else though next year.  If a different coaching staff can fix the hole in his swing perhaps he could return to 2023-24 production which would make a valuable DH.  

Maybe Wallner could pitch too?

[Patzky]

4 minutes ago, weitz41 said:

1-5 LF. 1B, CF/DH, CF/DH, RF.

6 Lee

7 Culpepper

8 Caratini

9 Houston

Martin, Clemens, Ross and Jackson

My 2027 Twins. 😉

I suspect you're close to the 2028 version, with Caratini now Vahn, and Ross, Keaschall. 27 will still have room for Royce and Bell.

[JADBP]

1 hour ago, HarmonK03 said:

The same regime is still here that traded for Mendez.  That is why Outman was left on the roster at the beginning and they are trying to force Roden into the lineup.  

I don't understand this narrative that there was change to the front office.  Falvey was let go and Zoll his #2 was made the top voice.  But all the same people are still advising and assisting Zoll that did the same duties for Falvey. Nothing has changed and bringing up Gray a month ago and Jackson again pretty much proves the point it is business as usual as it has been for the last 10 years.

You are right!

I keep seeing these Twins Daily surveys...what do you think of the Twins Coach, or ownership, thumbs up or thumbs down?  I have to give a thumbs up to both coach and ownership...but it is ZOLL that I want to give two thumbs down! 

I get the impression that Zoll knows that he is way over his head trying to run the team.  He is far too inexperienced.  I'd be happier with Ryan--at least he could watch a player and make an honest evaluation. 

This roster is an absolute mess and I have to blame Falvey.  As I have said in the past, it will take some years to correct the roster--because you just can't flush out all the garbage in one sweep.  But I don't see Zoll making any smart, meaningful changes to rebuild the roster.  His draft was OK at best (but #2 was a headscratcher) and his trade deadline was ho hum. 

I just hope that the new Pohlad is starting to pick up on this.  I don't see a ton more fans in the stands!  That is going to start bothering him and he doesn't have a lot of other places to look than Zoll.  The coaching is fine.  The management is the problem!

[hitterscount]

2 hours ago, bean5302 said:

Mendez is a plodding corner outfielder with a good hit tool and no power. His ceiling is utility outfielder. He's "above average" as a AAA minor league baseball hitter. He's been a lousy fielder with a .945 fielding percentage in left this year and a poor range factor aside from that.

Translated, Mendez projects as a below average hitting DH. eeerrrrrmagggahhhhhd, look at his OPS against he worst pitching MiLB has ever seen! Immediately call him up!!!!

His defensive skills would fit right in. 

[stringer bell]

1 hour ago, Stone Temple Twins said:

Hendry Mendez will not be called up because he is basically like a cloned Larnach, and having two Larnachs in the outfield does not bode well for success. We will probably see what he has next year if/when we trade Larnach.

I view Mendez as a successor to Larnach—bat first LH outfielder, decent hit tool with so-so power. The most likely prospect to primarily be a DH.

Like Larnach, Wallner, Miranda, Kirilloff etc. he will have to be considerably better than average with the bat because of limited value in the field or on the bases, particularly with average-ish power.

He’ll probably get a shot next year and the floor is pretty high, but if the others pan iut, he is trade bait. 

[weitz41]

5 minutes ago, Patzky said:

I suspect you're close to the 2028 version, with Caratini now Vahn, and Ross, Keaschall. 27 will still have room for Royce and Bell.

I like Ross over Keaschall. I'm looking for a utility player that can be my backup SS. I want Culpepper focused on 2B. I do like Keaschall's bat so could go him over Martin. Vahn in 2028. Royce, Larnach and Martin traded. Payroll if there is any...Spent on a good starter, or extensions and the BP.

[DJL44]

58 minutes ago, purplesoldier4u said:

Wallner is a AAAA player, nothing more.

And yet, he’s much better than Mendez

[Whitey333]

Hiw can anyone count on Buxton and count on him producing?  He has missed over 40 games against this year.  He is not in Tuesdays starting lineup, which is good because he has become an automatic out the past few weeks.  All the hype on these prospects and we still have players on the roster that wouldn't make mostly teams.  Im certainly not sold on Zol as GM.  They still stock their roster with questionable talent.

[Road trip]

58 minutes ago, Hawkeye Bean Counter said:

He has 11 home runs - not exactly no power and currently an .857 OPS.  The approach likely remains and have a mid/high .700 OPS to begin.  You are looking for an Arraez like bat out of him at his full potential.  

Seems a bit of an odd comp.  Mendez strikes out around 20% in the pitching-poor AAA.

Arraez for his career strikes out at just under 6% in a dominant pitching era MLB.

There just aren't many real comps in today's game for what Arraez does.  Mendez is gonna have to hit for more power than Arraez because he will almost certainly strike out far more.  For Mendez I think you hope for a better version of Larnach, and I'm skeptical that he will get there.  He certainly won't be there this year.

 

[Mai.K]

I’m waiting for the call-ups of E-Rodriguez and Rojas, but knowing the Twins, it’ll probably be Gray + Woo-Suk Go getting called up instead…....

[HarmonK03]

39 minutes ago, JADBP said:

You are right!

I keep seeing these Twins Daily surveys...what do you think of the Twins Coach, or ownership, thumbs up or thumbs down?  I have to give a thumbs up to both coach and ownership...but it is ZOLL that I want to give two thumbs down! 

I get the impression that Zoll knows that he is way over his head trying to run the team.  He is far too inexperienced.  I'd be happier with Ryan--at least he could watch a player and make an honest evaluation. 

This roster is an absolute mess and I have to blame Falvey.  As I have said in the past, it will take some years to correct the roster--because you just can't flush out all the garbage in one sweep.  But I don't see Zoll making any smart, meaningful changes to rebuild the roster.  His draft was OK at best (but #2 was a headscratcher) and his trade deadline was ho hum. 

I just hope that the new Pohlad is starting to pick up on this.  I don't see a ton more fans in the stands!  That is going to start bothering him and he doesn't have a lot of other places to look than Zoll.  The coaching is fine.  The management is the problem!

To me Zoll is just the start.  I want someone in there who can evaluate talent on the field not just on a spreadsheet.  They then need to determine who stays and who doesn't based on a review of the whole operation.

[SE23]

Buxton, Larnach, Martin, Keaschall, Clemens, Roden, Wallner, Jenkins, Rodriguez, Gonzalez and Mendez 

My choices for '27 Twins outfield. There's a long off-season ahead to find homes for the others.

[HarmonK03]

3 minutes ago, SE23 said:

Buxton, Larnach, Martin, Keaschall, Clemens, Roden, Wallner, Jenkins, Rodriguez, Gonzalez and Mendez 

My choices for '27 Twins outfield. There's a long off-season ahead to find homes for the others.

Roden needs to earn the 4th outfielder job in spring training.  I still am not sure why he is up here.

[Danchat]

Here's a comp for Mendez that I think fits better than Arraez - Lamonte Wade Jr. He didn't hit for much power in the minors and ended up being a question corner outfielder until he was moved to 1B, but then when the Giants gave him a shot he hit 18 HRs in his first season alongside talking quite a few walks and became a useful player for a few seasons.

He's only 21, the power still may yet come. I'd focus the concern on his defensive liabilities rather than being disappointed with back-to-back seasons of 11 HRs each, which isn't terrible.

[Maybe Next Year]

2 hours ago, purplesoldier4u said:

Wallner is a AAAA player, nothing more.

You said the same thing about Lewis.

[SE23]

19 minutes ago, HarmonK03 said:

Roden needs to earn the 4th outfielder job in spring training.  I still am not sure why he is up here.

I actually like Roden and believe he can be an asset if he's given time to make all the adjustments. The injuries slowed his progress.

[SE23]

16 minutes ago, Danchat said:

Here's a comp for Mendez that I think fits better than Arraez - Lamonte Wade Jr. He didn't hit for much power in the minors and ended up being a question corner outfielder until he was moved to 1B, but then when the Giants gave him a shot he hit 18 HRs in his first season alongside talking quite a few walks and became a useful player for a few seasons.

He's only 21, the power still may yet come. I'd focus the concern on his defensive liabilities rather than being disappointed with back-to-back seasons of 11 HRs each, which isn't terrible.

Mendez's super power is he gets on base. If he can continue to do that in the big leagues, while adding some power and improving his defense, he will be useful to a winning team.

[ToddlerHarmon]

1 hour ago, weitz41 said:

I really like Mendez's 20% K rate and his hit tool. The ground ball rate will eat away at his BA playing against major league defenses and the lack of power with have pitchers coming right at him. Still, he's pretty young, like Gaberial Gonzalez. He could grow into a little more power yet. I suspect both those guys would be on the 26-man, for the team they came from, right now if they were still there. I'd like to see him get a run at MLB pitching...

I really don't know how they're (or any team for that matter) going to make this many outfielders fit on one team. 

Buxton, Larnach, Martin, Keaschall, Clemens, Roden, Wallner, Jenkins, Rodriguez, Gonzalez and Mendez for what should be...4? 26-man roster spots in 2027...Zoll's got his work cut out for him.

Clemens appears competent in the infield. That leaves just three above-average defenders on that list, and they might be the three with the highest offensive ceiling: Buxton, Jenkins, Rodriguez. Glut solved? If only the Twins looked at it that way.

Do people expect Roden to be a good defender? I've lost track, and he may have to start hitting for the question to matter.

*NOT advocating getting rid of Keaschall. But we need a 4th body out there anyway because Buxton

[HerbieFan]

If I had to bet...Rodriguez and a pitcher of some kind will be here in September.

[HarmonK03]

1 minute ago, SE23 said:

I actually like Roden and believe he can be an asset if he's given time to make all the adjustments. The injuries slowed his progress.

We have outfielders coming up that have more upside, he is going to be 27 before next season and he has yet to take advantage of opportunities he has been given the last two years.  We have an abundance of corner outfielders and need to move some and Roden should be one.  I am concerned the only reason he is getting a chance is because he was traded for and they are falling into the sunk cost fallacy like they always do.

[S Bart]

1 hour ago, weitz41 said:

1-5 LF. 1B, CF/DH, CF/DH, RF.

6 Lee

7 Culpepper

8 Caratini

9 Houston

Martin, Clemens, Ross/Keashall and Jackson

My 2027 Twins. 😉

Luke in CF DANGER!!

[S Bart]

I figured that Buxton would be out today after being hit in the hip. 

[bean5302]

1 hour ago, Cory Engelhardt said:

Maybe Wallner could pitch too?

Have him work with Hawkins. If he could teach Funderburk how to throw things near the zone, Wallner's got the arm 😄

[SE23]

12 minutes ago, HarmonK03 said:

We have outfielders coming up that have more upside, he is going to be 27 before next season and he has yet to take advantage of opportunities he has been given the last two years.  We have an abundance of corner outfielders and need to move some and Roden should be one.  I am concerned the only reason he is getting a chance is because he was traded for and they are falling into the sunk cost fallacy like they always do.

Just not sure Roden has much value at this point. Can we stash him in St. Paul?

[HarmonK03]

Just now, SE23 said:

Just not sure Roden has much value at this point. Can we stash him in St. Paul?

Yes he has options and I am fine with him as organizational filler, I think that is the best role for him.

[bean5302]

19 minutes ago, SE23 said:

Mendez's super power is he gets on base. If he can continue to do that in the big leagues, while adding some power and improving his defense, he will be useful to a winning team.

Nick Gordon would have been an MVP if he could just improve his instincts, fix the hole in his swing and recognize the zone a little better.