What Are These New Invites

[John Bonnes]

Every year as spring training winds down, I find myself looking at the Twins roster and thinking - "Hold it - when did that guy get signed?" So when looking at the invitees this weekend, I thought I might do a little research on a few names that are new to me.

 

And then I thought "John, you're very busy. This is exactly what a forum should be doing. And fortunately, you have a forum. And even more fortunately, they're much brighter than you. And most fortunately, they're bored."

 

So let's crowdsource this. Do a little research at your favorite web site - fangraphs, baseball reference, rotowire, rotoworld, etc - and let's share some knowledge about these guys. Give us overall impressions, and maybe a reason to get excited. After all, they were invited for a reason.

 

The unknown names that jump out at me are:

 

Matt Hoffman

Brandon Waring

Jermaine Mitchell

Chris Rahl

[Squirrel]

Well ... I did find this on Matt Hoffman ...

http://twinsdaily.com/showthread.php/9653-Twins-Sign-Lefty-Reliever-Matt-Hoffman

[Squirrel]

And this on Chris Rahl ...

http://twinsdaily.com/showthread.php/9513-Twins-sign-minor-league-OF-Chris-Rahl

[Thrylos]

Matt Hoffman

Brandon Waring

Jermaine Mitchell

Chris Rahl

 

Mitchell was signed mid-season by the Twins to play in the Rochester OF. He started the season at Lehigh Valley (my home area team) so I got to see him play in 4-5 games. He is one of those spark plug top of the batting order guys, who plays a decent CF, gets on base a lot, can steal a base or two and have some pop. Lefty. Lots like Alex Presley or Cliff Thomas (with better OBP than Thomas). Pick your poison.

 

Waring is Plouffe with worse contact tool and maybe more power. Next.

 

Both of those guys are older.

 

Hoffman is a younger LHP who was with the Tigers and has had success in AAA as a reliever. Transitioned from starter to reliever. 2 pitch pony: low 90s FB, excellent curve. Does this smell a lot like Caleb Thielbar? Yes it does, when Hoffman can command his FB, which is most of the time, but not always.

 

Rahl? Another oldy, but not so goodie, OF. Think Mitchell, but righty, smaller, with more power, worse defense and less OBP skill.

 

That's them pretty much.