Pleskoff: Athletic Kepler boasts broad skill set

[kab21]

^ Agree. While his performance up to this point may say keep him in Cedar Rapids at least a month or two, i think they need to push him because of the options. As I mentioned prior, I think they mistakenly held him back in E-town for the second year already.

 

He played in the AFL this year, and while it may just have been to get him at-bats, he did okay for his age and the competition he was facing.

 

Put him in Fort Myers and rotate him in LF/DH/1B.

 

I'm not sure you can consider it mistakenly holding him back in ETown for a second season. I have a hard time believing that he wouldn't have been completely overmatched in Beloit a season earlier.

 

I always liked Benson but I'm pretty sure I always pegged him as a .240-.250 hitter that had the ultimate upside of hitting .275. Ultimately it was the K's (the basis of the low avg projection) that doomed him. I have also have had Hicks projected as a low BA hitter for similar reasons. The thing that gives me more optimism on Kepler's offense is that he has done well keeping the K's in check. Of course he needs more offense since there are no illusions that he's going to be a CF'er.

[Steve Lein]

I'm not sure you can consider it mistakenly holding him back in ETown for a second season. I have a hard time believing that he wouldn't have been completely overmatched in Beloit a season earlier.

 

That's fair, and a thought I'm sure many share with you. But I outlined prior why I believe he didn't need a second trip through that league.

 

But I'm glad you brought up the K-rate, I've always cited that and his IsoD as reasons for optimism with him.

 

And he's not a Center Fielder, hasn't been for a few seasons now. Even though he's played it some both of the past few seasons, you could see he grew out of it 2 years ago.

[twinsfan34]

Based on his splits, the Twins will get him ABs and experience no matter where he's at. He played LF, CF, RF, 1B, and DH with Cedar Rapids.

 

With the AFL experience (sorta like a AA+), I would also guess he'll start at A+.

[kab21]

That's fair, and a thought I'm sure many share with you. But I outlined prior why I believe he didn't need a second trip through that league.

 

But I'm glad you brought up the K-rate, I've always cited that and his IsoD as reasons for optimism with him.

 

And he's not a Center Fielder, hasn't been for a few seasons now. Even though he's played it some both of the past few seasons, you could see he grew out of it 2 years ago.

 

He was merely okay in 2013 in full season ball and he wasn't very good in the appy league in 2011 so I really don't understand how you think he should have been promoted (even in hindsight). yes, there is the option clock ticking but the first priority is player development.

 

My CF comment had to do with Hicks/Benson offering defensive value whereas Kepler doesn't offer much so he needs to hit better than them.

[clutterheart]

More than anything else, Kepler needs at bats. Another early season injury would be a major bummer.

[Steve Lein]

He was merely okay in 2013 in full season ball and he wasn't very good in the appy league in 2011 so I really don't understand how you think he should have been promoted (even in hindsight). yes, there is the option clock ticking but the first priority is player development.

 

Because, as I posted earlier, I'm not basing my thoughts on him strictly by the stats he's put up. It's the old 'Scout' vs. 'Stats' argument, haha!

 

I understand your thoughts, I just think they've taken it slow with him. I know he's young and has had injuries, but the 'young' part is based solely on the fact he was signed at 16 years old. He's been in the system just as long as Miguel Sano and Eddie Rosario, for example. And now that he's had to be protected on the 40-man, it becomes imperative that the Twins push him in to see if he can swim, otherwise they'll never even get the opportunity to use him if and when he were to make it to the majors, because those options will already be used up by then.

[kab21]

Because, as I posted earlier, I'm not basing my thoughts on him strictly by the stats he's put up. It's the old 'Scout' vs. 'Stats' argument, haha!

 

I understand your thoughts, I just think they've taken it slow with him. I know he's young and has had injuries, but the 'young' part is based solely on the fact he was signed at 16 years old. He's been in the system just as long as Miguel Sano and Eddie Rosario, for example. And now that he's had to be protected on the 40-man, it becomes imperative that the Twins push him in to see if he can swim, otherwise they'll never even get the opportunity to use him if and when he were to make it to the majors, because those options will already be used up by then.

He's simply not Sano and he's 1.5 yrs younger than Rosario with a limited pre-professional baseball experience.

 

You can't just promote guys based on that. He still has 3 options left. He could do 1 level/yr still although hopefully he can jump two levels in one season.

[raindog]

He came over here young, can't speak the language.

He speaks perfect English. He went to an American school in Berlin.

[Shane Wahl]

There is no reason to keep him in Cedar Rapids. They put him in the AFL, for crying out loud. He will be in Fort Myers.

[cmathewson]

I was going to say the same thing Shane did. You don't send a kid to the AFL and then back to low A ball. And they do push top prospects regardless of whether they put up numbers at particular levels. Span, Plouffe and Parmelee, for example, got moved along despite putting up so so numbers at some levels.

[diehardtwinsfan]

You and me both (Hicks)

 

I still think there's a chance your fan crush turns out to be a decent crush...