Twins Arizona Fall League Report (Week 5): Kyle DeBarge Shines in Fall Stars Game

[Steve Lein]

Game Results:
Monday, 11/2 | Scottsdale 12, Salt River 10
Tuesday, 11/3 | Salt River 10, Peoria 11 (10 innings)
Wednesday, 11/4 | Salt River 9, Scottsdale 8
Thursday, 11/5 | Salt River 3, Peoria 5
Friday, 11/6 | Salt River 7, Surprise 8
Sunday, 11/8, Fall Stars Game | AL Fall Stars 4, NL Fall Stars 7

The Salt River Rafters won only one of their five games during the week to fall below .500 on the season. The Fall Stars game also occurred on Sunday, with one of the Twins prospects standing out in the game.

There again were no Twins players who received mention as a top performer for the week, and Yasser Mercedes did not play, but Kyle DeBarge continues to pace the Rafters roster. He leads the league in runs scored and carries an OPS above 1.000.

OF Yasser Mercedes
Week (did not play)
Overall (through 11/9): .302/.389/.488 (.877 OPS)
Mercedes only played in one game last week, and did not take the field at all during this one. Hopefully he is able to get back into games before the season is over, but if not he will still have made a good impression!

IF Kyle DeBarge
Week (5 games): 6-for-19, 7 R, 2 2B, 3B, HR (4), 5 RBI, 4 BB, 3 K, SB (8)
Overall (through 11/9): .347/.473/.625 (1.098 OPS)
DeBarge continues to be a force in the middle of the Rafters lineup. He played second base, third base, and centerfield during the week, batting leadoff three times, second once, and third once. He had multi-hit efforts in two games, clubbing a pair of doubles against the Scottsdale Scorpions on Monday, then a triple and his fourth home run against the Saguaros on Friday.

In Sunday’s Fall Stars game, DeBarge started the game and batted third in the American League lineup. He finished 2-for-2 with two runs scored, a double, walk, and two stolen bases. While he didn’t take home the MVP award, he would have been a worthy candidate!

LHP Cesar Lares
Week (1 appearance): 1 IP, 0 H, 2 R (1 ER), 2 BB, 1 K
Overall (through 11/9): 0-0, 12.91 ERA, 12 BB, 7 K, 2.87 WHIP, .313 BAA (7 2/3 IP)
Lares pitched in Thursday’s loss to Peoria, coming into the game for the eighth inning with the score tied at three. He walked the first two hitters of the inning, and thanks to an error gave the Javelinas the lead and was saddled with the loss. He struck out one, but another run was able to score to make the final of 5-3.

LHP Ross Dunn
Week (1 start): 3 2/3 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 6 K
Overall (through 11/9): 0-2, 16.34 ERA, 11 BB, 15 K, 2.76 WHIP, .407 BAA (12 2/3 IP)
The left-handed Dunn made the start in Thursday’s loss to Peoria. He gave up two runs in the first thanks to a pair of singles, a walk, and a hit batter, but recovered to complete nearly four innings. He struck out three in the second inning and two more in the fourth before being relieved. He left the game with the Rafters leading 3-2.

LHP Cleiber Maldonado
Week (1 appearances): 1 1/3 IP, 3 H, 2 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 1 K
Overall (through 11/9): 0-1, 9.45 ERA, 3 BB, 9 K, 2.40 WHIP, .406 BAA (6 2/3 IP)
Maldonado pitched in Tuesday’s extra-innings loss to Peoria, and was on the mound to end the game. He came into the game in the bottom of the ninth with the Rafters up by two and a runner on base after a leadoff walk. Maldonado proceeded to walk the first hitter he faced before getting the first out of the inning. He then threw a wild pitch that put both runners in scoring position, then gave up the game-tying single to send it to extra innings. The Rafters were able to score one in the top of the 10th, but Maldonado gave up a leadoff double and RBI single to end the game in the bottom half. He struck out one.

LHP Jake Murray
Week (1 appearance): 2/3 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
Overall (through 11/9): 1-0, 7.36 ERA, 8 BB, 4 K, 3.00 WHIP, .250 BAA (3 2/3 IP)
Murray made his lone appearance of the week in the Rafters win over Scottsdale on Wednesday. He came into the game to begin the bottom of the sixth inning and walked the leadoff man. The next batter clubbed a double to make the score 7-5 Salt River. He picked up a strikeout but a single, another walk, and sac fly tied the game at seven and he was removed before he could finish a full inning.

RHP Brian Zeldin
Week (2 appearances): 1 2/3 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
Overall (through 11/9): 1-0, 1.69 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, .250 BAA, 2 BB, 4 K (5 1/3 IP)
Zeldin appeared in another two games during the week, including Monday against the Scorpions and Thursday against the Javelinas.

On Monday, his appearance was brief as he was called upon to get the final out of the top of the second inning. He walked one batter and got a groundout.

On Thursday, he came into the game in the bottom of the fifth to get the final out, then also pitched the sixth inning, working around a walk and a one-out single to keep his outing scoreless.

OF Jacob McCombs
Week (did not play):
McCombs has yet to see the field for the Salt River Rafters this season, but the hope is that he will be able to take the field soon with his fellow prospects!

C Enrique Jimenez
Week (1 game): 1-for-4, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 K
Overall (through 11/9): .150/.320/.250 (.570 OPS)
Jimenez played in Wednesday’s win over Scottsdale, serving as the DH and batting ninth in the lineup. He drew a walk leading off the top of the fifth inning, but would end up stranded on third base. In the top of the sixth, he added a single and came around to score on a triple that gave the Rafters a 7-5 lead.

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Please feel free to ask questions and discuss the Twins prospects playing in the AFL this week!

Image courtesy of Ed Bailey (photo of Kyle DeBarge)

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