Get To Know Shortstop Engelb Vielma

Vielma signed with the Twins in mid-September of 2011 out of Venezuela. Had he signed a couple of weeks sooner, he would have needed to be added to the Twins 40-man roster or potentially be lost in the Rule 5 draft. He would have been added. No question.

I talked to one person who has seen Vielma play quite a bit. I mentioned that Vielma was the best defensive shortstop I have seen in person, in spring training or in my trips to Cedar Rapids and Beloit. The one that I had previously said that about, Dixon Machado of the Tigers, is fantastic with the glove. This person chuckled and told me that there were two shortstops that he would put in Vielma’s category. The other one was Machado. Vielma was the Twins top defensive infielder in 2014 and should repeat for 2015.

Offensively, he needs work, but really, he just needs strength. He has the mechanics and the swing to be a solid hitter. In the second half of the 2015 season in Ft. Myers, he hit very well. However, at probably 160 pounds, he just isn’t going to get a lot of extra-base hits. Overall with the Miracle, he hit .270/.321/.306 (.627) with nine doubles, two triples and a homer. However, after June 1, he hit .322/.380/.356 (.736) with eight extra-base hits. He’s fast. He’s a good base runner and he stole 35 bases bases on the year.

I have had a couple of people – not Twins decision-makers, mind you, but people who have seen Vielma play extensively – tell me that if Vielma can hit .250, or maybe post a .620 OPS, in Chattanooga in 2016, he very well could be the Twins Opening Day shortstop in 2017. Lofty goals, but with Vielma, we are talking about Andrelton Simmons type of defense. Range. Arm. Hands. He’s incredible.

And he’s still got plenty of room to grow. In fact, after starting the offseason playing winter ball in Venezuela, Vielma spent quite a bit of time in Ft. Myers working on his strength. He works hard, but he’s also touted as a great leader, a player who helps bring together English-speaking players with Spanish-speaking players. He controls the infield and the outfield from shortstop.

For much more on Vielma and other Twins minor leaguers, the Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook will be available shortly following the New Year. Keep watching for it here and on Twitter.

We would like to thanks Engelb Vielma for taking some time to respond to our questions. We also need to thank his agency, LA Sports Management, for helping to facilitate the interview and for translation. You can follow them on Twitter (@LASportsMgmt) for news on Vielma and several other Twins prospects.

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Seth Stohs (SS): Growing up, who were some of your role models in the game of baseball?

(Cuando crecías, ¿quiénes fueron algunos de tus modelos a seguir en el juego de béisbol?)

SS: Tell me a little bit about your youth baseball in Venezuela. Did you play Little League? Did you play other positions besides shortstop?

(Cuéntame un poco sobre tu béisbol juvenil en Venezuela. ¿Jugaste en la Liga Infantil? ¿Jugabas otras posiciones además de shortstop (parador corto)?)

SS: When did you start hearing from professional, MLB teams and what was it that caused you to decide to sign with the Twins?

(¿Cuándo empezaste a oír hablar de equipos profesionales de la MLB y qué hizo que te decidieras a firmar con los Twins (Gemelos)?)

SS: What was the adjustment like for you when you moved from Venezuela to the United States? What were the biggest challenges on and off the field?

(¿Cómo fue la adaptación para ti cuando te mudaste de Venezuela a los Estados Unidos? ¿Cuáles fueron los mayores retos tanto en el campo de juego como fuera del mismo?)

SS: What was the highlight of your 2015 season?

(¿Cuál fue el punto saliente de tu temporada 2015?)

SS: Everyone talks about your defense. How much pride do you have in your defense, and how much do you work at it?

(Todo el mundo habla de tu juego defensivo. ¿Estás orgulloso de tu juego defensivo? ¿Cuánto te dedicas al juego defensivo?)

SS: Are there certain areas of your game or preparation that you’d like to focus on during this offseason, looking to 2016?

(¿Hay alguna área de tu juego o preparación en la que quieras concentrarte durante el cese de la temporada con la mira puesta en 2016?)

SS: What are some of your goals for the 2016 season? Are there certain statistics that you will focus on?

(¿Cuáles son algunas de tus metas para la temporada 2016? ¿Hay determinadas estadísticas en las que vas a concentrarte?)

SS: What would it mean to you and your family to be able to reach the major leagues and put that uniform on for the first time?

(¿Qué significaría para ti y tu familia poder llegar a las Ligas Mayores y ponerte ese uniforme por primera vez?)

SS: Away from baseball, what do you enjoy doing in your free time?

(Fuera del béisbol, ¿qué te gusta hacer en tu tiempo libre?)

SS: Are there certain people that you feel helped you get to this point in your career?

(¿Hay ciertas personas que sientes que te ayudaron a llegar a este punto en tu carrera?)

SS: Thank you very much!!

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Thank you again to Engelb Vielma and the good people at LA Sports Management for taking time to do this interview. Feel free to ask questions or comment below.

Interested in learning more about the Minnesota Twins' top prospects? Check out our comprehensive top prospects list that includes up-to-date stats, articles and videos about every prospect, scouting reports, and more!