Former Twins Top Pitching Prospect Reaches Milestone, Retires at 32

In 2013, the Twins used their fourth-round draft pick to select Stephen Gonsalves. Not to be confused with one of the paranormal investigators on Ghost Hunters. This Gonsalves was a 6-6 left-handed pitcher from San Diego's Cathedral Catholic High School. He was an All-American who represented USA baseball in several competitions. 

After signing with the Twins, he had 39 strikeouts in 28 1/3 innings split between the GCL and Elizabethton. While many prospects start each season at a new level. Gonsalves seemingly was always on the opposite schedule. He would earn a mid-season promotion to a new level. While at times it may have felt like a slow-play, it seemed to work. He continued to put up numbers up and down the minor league system. 

From 2013-2019, Gonsalves was frequently written about on the pages of Twins Daily. At year's end, he was always up for consideration for Twins Daily Minor League Starting Pitcher of the Year. 

In 2014, he was Honorable Mention: Elizabethton Twins/Cedar Rapids Kernels (4-3, 3.02 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 65.2 IP, 54 H, 21 BB, 70 K)
In 2015, he finished second to Jose Berrios (who also won in 2014): Cedar Rapids Kernels/Fort Myers Miracle: 24 GS, 13-3, 2.01 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 134.1 IP, 95 H’s, 53 BB’s, 132 K’s.
In 2016, he was the Starting Pitcher of the Year: Ft. Myers Miracle/Chattanooga Lookouts: 24 GS, 13-5, 2.06 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 140.0 IP, 86 H, 57 BB, 155 K.
In 2017, he was again named the Starting Pitcher of the Year: Chattanooga Lookouts/Rochester Red Wings 3.27 ERA, 110.0 IP (19 starts), 9.7 K/9, 2.5 BB/9, 1.136 WHIP

In mid-August of 2018, Gonsalves got The Call.. His first two games were on the road. I was able to attend his first Target Field start. Before the game, media is not allowed to talk to the day's starting pitcher. He was sitting at his locker, headphones in., listening to music. He looked up once and saw me in a group talking to another player. A nod of acknowledgement was plenty. 

During the game, I talked to his parents for a little while. They were so proud. His mom said, I wish I could go to the clubhouse after the game and give him a big hug. His dad looked at me and said, "Well, you can do that for us, right?" Eh?

After the game, I was part of the media scrum chatting with Gonsalves about his start at his locker. When that was done, I shook his hand and told him about the hug comment. I chuckled, and then he said, "Ah, come on Seth, bring it in." So, we did an awkward bro-hug.   

Gonsalves was always willing to do a podcast interview or a story quote. He enjoyed being at the ballpark, and I think he always appreciated those who took the time to promote the minor leaguers, and interview minor leaguers, and make them people instead of just stat lines and box scores. He appreciated the opportunity and the fans that cheered him on. 

One year after he was named minor league starting pitcher of the year, we invited him and Mitch Garver to come to the Twins Daily Winter Meltdown. They showed up with their significant others. We didn't promote that they had shown up, but there were people who went up to them, and they understood the importance of the fans and being fans. 

Gonsalves was a Top 100 prospect before his debut. He pitched in the Arizona Fall League. He's gone through Tommy John surgery. Almost literally, he has gone through everything that a ballplayer can go through He got seven appearances with the Twins in 2018. Then he didn't get back to the big leagues until 2021 when he pitched in three late-season games for the Red Sox. That was his last big-league game. 

Along the Twins, he spent time in the Red Sox, Cubs and Rockies organizations. He also spent time the last few years playing in Mexico. If you look at his minor league baseball reference page, you'll see that Gonsalves ended his career with 20 MLB strikeouts. He accumulated 871 strikeouts in the minor leagues. And, he had seven strikeouts in the Fall League. And in Mexico, he ended with 103 strikeouts. Add them up, and he ended his career with 1,001 strikeouts.   

One final story that my brother reminded me of when I mentioned that Gonsalves had retired. We talked about how he just got it, he understood the role of the fans, and he wanted them to have a positive experience. One year at the Diamond Awards, my brother and I spent a little time chatting with the Gonsalves family. My brother is an outdoorsman and enjoyed talking to Stephen about spear fishing in the ocean when he was younger. At one point, a couple came up to Gonsalves and excitedly asked if they could get their picture taken with him. Moments later, the couple got their picture, thanked him and walked back to a nearby group. 

My brother asked him, "What's that like?" 

Gonsalves responded, "That is pretty cool. It never really gets old." 

At that point, they heard the couple who just had their photo taken with the lanky lefty telling their group, "Oh, this is so great. Where else could we go and get our picture taken with Max Kepler." 

Gonsalves put his head down, smiled and shook his head. 

Stephen, congratulations on the career, the good and the not-so good, and all the milestones. To the next phase, raising the three kids with your lovely bride.