Seth Stohs

That trade deadline has passed. August marks the final month of the minor league season. In July, there were a lot of great offensive performances. For the first time, we include players from the Twins short-season, rookie league affiliates. Before we get to our Top 5 Twins prospects, there is a list of a dozen Honorable Mentions. This month’s group of Twins minor leaguers is quite diverse. There are players represented from all six affiliates in the States. There are 18-year-old players and there are 30-year-old players.There are even a couple of people who aren’t in the Twins organization in this month’s awards. Previous 2019 Hitters of the Month: April - Trey Cabbage May - Lewin Diaz June - Brent Rooker July - Keep Reading (or just look at the graphic of this article…)Let’s take a look at the Top 5 hitters for the month of July, but first here are some players deserving of honorable mention. HONORABLE MENTION Jimmy Kerrigan - Rochester Red Wings/Pensacola Blue Wahoos - 25-103, .243/.259/.534 (.793) with 6 doubles, 8 home runs and 16 RBI.Drew Maggi - Rochester Red Wings - 28-91, .308/.427/.484 (.911) with 3 doubles, 2 triples, 3 home runs and 15 RBI.Ronald Torreyes - Rochester Red Wings - 33-105, .314/.345/.524 (.869) with 5 doubles, 1 triple, 5 home runs and 16 RBI.Lewin Diaz - Ft. Myers Miracle/Pensacola Blue Wahoos - 23-79, .291/.352/.557 (.909) with 9 doubles, 4 homers and 17 RBI.Royce Lewis - Ft. Myers Miracle/Pensacola Blue Wahoos - 25-94, .266/.330/.457 (.788) with 6 doubles, 4 homers and 12 RBI.Gabe Snyder - Cedar Rapids Kernels - 30-104, .288/.361/.538 (.900) with 5 doubles, 7 homers and 16 RBI.Spencer Steer - Elizabethton Twins/Cedar Rapids Kernels - 32-101, .317/.423/.485 (.908) with 7 doubles, 2 triples, 2 homers, 11 RBI.Albee Weiss - Elizabethton Twins/Cedar Rapids Kernels - 21-86, .244/.272/581 (.853) with 3 doubles, 1 triple, 8 home runs and 21 RBI.Alex Isola - Eliabethton Twins/Cedar Rapids Kernels - 14-54, .259/.317/.481 (.798) with 3 doubles, 3 homers and 11 RBI.Willie Joe Garry, Jr. - Elizabethton Twins - 26-93, .280/.356/.473 (.829) with 5 doubles, 2 triples, 3 homers and 13 RBI.Max Smith - Elizabethton Twins - 26-85, .306/.344/.576 (.921) with 6 doubles, 1 triple, 5 homers and 13 RBI.Wander Valdez - GCL Twins - 21-59, .356/.415/.593 (1.009) with 2 doubles, 4 homers and 11 RBI.THE TOP FIVE HITTERS Number 5 - Elizabethton Twins – OF Matt Wallner - 30-104, .288/.393/.500 (.893) with 14 doubles, 1 triple, 2 home runs, 17 RBI. Wallner was born in Forest Lake, MN, which is where he graduated from high school and was named Mr. Baseball. He was set to go to the University of North Dakota but the school dropped its baseball program. Instead, he went to Southern Mississippi where he became an All-American. The Twins used the 39th overall pick in this June’s draft to select him. While he was a dominant reliever in college, the Twins will use him as a power-hitting outfielder. As you can see from his first full month in professional baseball, he has a chance to hit, and rack up a lot of extra-base hits. Number 4 - Rochester Red Wings - SS Nick Gordon - 39-112, .348/.402/.536 (.937), 13 doubles, 1 triple, 2 home runs, 18 RBI. Gordon’s introduction to Triple-A and the International League didn’t go so smoothly in 2018. His 2019 began on the injured list. However, Nick Gordon has been a doubles machine this season for the Red Wings. He’s hit for average, been able to get on base, and he’s displaying extra-base power. If the Twins have a need in the infield, he could get that call. Or, he could be a September call-up to provide depth. Number 3 – Cedar Rapids Kernels - OF Gilberto Celestino - 38-103, .369/.430/.563 (.993) with 7 doubles, 2 triples, 3 home runs, 14 RBI. Young Gilberto Celestino made his first appearance for a full-season affiliate and was also introduced to the early-season weather in the Midwest League. Celestino struggled. However, he made some adjustments and had a huge month in July. Celestino was a big international signing of the Astros and came to the Twins last July in the Ryan Pressly trade. He is very athletic and a good outfielder. He’s got speed and is very strong. Number 2 - Rochester Red Wings – C/1B/DH Wilin Rosario - 33-78, .423/.472/.744 (1.215) with 7 doubles, 6 home runs, ss RBI. The 30-year-old Rosario spent parts of the 2011-2015 seasons with the Colorado Rockies. He hit 83 doubles and 71 home runs in 447 games. Since then, he has played in Japan and Korea. The Twins signed him to a minor league deal over the winter. While he has mostly DHd for the Red Wings this year, he’s caught and played first base 16 times this year as well. He has been providing power throughout the season and had a huge month in July. He, and Tomas Telis, are providing strong catcher depth for the Twins in Rochester. And the Twins Minor League Hitter of the Month is: Rochester Red Wings – OF Jaylin Davis - 39-106, .368/.442/.755 (1.196) with 8 doubles, 11 homers, 27 RBI. Since his mid-June promotion to the Rochester Red Wings, Jaylin Davis has not stopped hitting. The hashtag #HasJaylinDavisHomeredYet became a thing. Well, I mean, I started it and did it a few times because the answer was usually Yes. Sure, the Triple-A baseballs probably don’t hurt, but Davis also made some adjustments this season, He hit 10 home runs in 58 games in Pensacola. After the promotion, he hit 15 homers in 41 games for the Red Wings. But he wasn’t “just” hitting for power. He has had a much better approach at the plate. He has cut down on the strikeouts. He hit for average. Some have told me that he is using the whole field better. Most of his Red Wings homers have been hit to center and right center. Jaylin Davis was well on his way toward the Twins Daily Minor League HItter of the Year award. And for his efforts, he was traded to the Giants as part of the July 31st deadline as part of a package that brought Sam Dyson to the Twins. And that may have been the best thing for Davis. The Giants have been looking for outfielders most of this season. In his first game for Sacramento, the Giants’ AAA affiliate, on Friday night. He went 3-for-3 with a walk and two doubles. We would like to congratulate Jaylin Davis, Twins Daily’s choice for Minor League Hitter of the Month for July 2019. Feel free to share your thoughts and ask questions. Click here to view the article

Byron Buxton on IL (left shoulder) Michael Pineda on IL (right triceps) Lewis Thorpe - optioned Jake Cave - recalled CJ Cron - activated Zack Littell - recalled

I would argue that they are still the favorites....

"Stuff" is still great... I can't imagine that people (player, scouts, etc.) would alter an opinion on one game. The only results that truly matter are those in the big leagues. Obviously the numbers matter a ittle more as they move up.

Pan Am Games in Lima, Peru. On Tuesday, he pitched against Cuba.

He's a pitching prospect.

I cant' imagine he would play more than a game or two. They may want to have him play a game at 1B too. I'd think Monday at the latest.

Last Saturday, we heard that the Minnesota Twins had acquired reliever Sergio Romo from the Miami Marlins. Soon after, news trickled in that the Twins had dealt 1B Lewin Diaz to the Marlins. But it didn’t take long for us to learn that the Twins had also acquired a minor league pitcher and a player to be named later. That pitcher is Chris Vallimont, and recently we were able to chat with the hard-throwing right-hander.On Saturday night, the Jupiter Hammerheads were playing in Tampa against the Yankees’ Florida State League affiliate. Jupiter’s manager, former long-time big league catcher Todd Pratt, called Vallimont over and told him that he had just been traded to the Twins. “At first, it caught me off guard. I really didn’t know what to think. But then I realized that it was going to be a better for me in the long run.” Vallimont said his goodbyes, and the next 24 hours were a bit hectic. He noted, “That night, I had to Uber from Tampa to Jupiter. The next morning, I packed up my car and drove to Ft. Myers.” He got to the Miracle game in the seventh inning. He was able to meet his new teammates and coaches. After the game, he met the rest of the team. And maybe the best thing that could have happened, the Miracle had an off day on Monday so he could kind of catch his bearings. On Thursday night, he made his first Miracle start in Game 2 of a doubleheader. ------------------------------------------------------ Chris Vallimont was born in 1997 in Erie, Pennsylvania. And Twins fans probably won’t want to hear about which team he liked as he grew up. “Erie is right in the middle of Cleveland, Pittsburgh and Buffalo. My grandparents and members of my family great up as Cleveland fans. Also with them having pro baseball, football and basketball, it made it easy to cheer for one city.” We won’t discuss the Cleveland baseball team here, but Vallimont excitedly said, “I’m so excited for the Browns this year!” That isn’t something heard nationally often, at least not until this year. But Vallimont and his family have been life-long fans, not just fair-weather fans. “It’s been rough for a little bit, but I’m very excited to be at the stadium to watch some games this year. ------------------------------------------------------ At Mercyhurst Prep, Vallimont played football his freshman year. He played basketball and baseball all four years. He wasn’t a big prospect coming out of high school. He went to a couple of showcases, but he was unable to garner much attention from college baseball coaches. He received scholarship offers from his hometown school, Mercyhurst, and two other Division II colleges in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference. He recalls, “Other schools just weren’t interested and didn’t offer anything. When I committed (to Mercyhurst), they were already 15-0. I couldn’t be more have to go there.” As a junior, Vallimont went 10-3 with a 2.58 ERA. In 80 1/3 innings, he struck out 147 batters and led his team to the Division II World Series. The team went 0-2 in the tournament, but the experience is one he will never forget. “It was an unbelievable experience, going down there with all of my brothers. We played in Cary, North Carolina, at the Team USA facilities.” That June (2018), he was watching the MLB draft with his parents, with his college coach Joe Spano and some friends. In the 5th round, he heard his name taken by the Miami Marlins. “I was kind of expecting it, from talking to coach Joe Spano, and talking with Dan Altavilla. But even having that idea, it still was an unforgettable moment.” Altavilla has pitched in parts of the past four seasons with the Seattle Mariners. He was a fifth-round draft pick in 2014 out of Mercyhurst, a couple of years before Vallimont arrived. He has been helpful to Vallimont. “I have his number. When I need anything, I text him and he’ll help me out. He has been a mentor through that draft process and since.” At Mercyhurst, Vallimont played one season with RHP Colin McKee. He was the Astros 18th round pick in 2016. He has worked his way up to their Triple-A affiliate. “He has been my biggest mentor… ----------------------------------------------------- During his three summers, Vallimont played summer college baseball. The first two years, he played in the Perfect Game Collegiate League. He said that he played about 50 minutes from his home in Erie. He also pitched briefly in the Cape Cod League. Of those experiences, he said, “It got me ready for the upcoming seasons at Mercyhurst, facing a lot of D1 players and a lot of good prospects, “ After his first season at Mercyhurst, Vallimont decided to visit and workout at Driveline Baseball. “Me and a couple of buddies went out there to learn a couple of the throws. It was awesome, just learning from them and from the technology.” Vallimont has continued to go to Driveline as a pro and intends to go back every year.. “I think it formed me into having the mentality that I have. In high school, I didn’t really throw that hard. Once I started doing it, I saw a jump in velo every year. It gave me the mentality that I was going to go out and throw hard. I think it made me a better pitcher overall, not just with velocity but tunneling my pitches. I think it cleaned up some mechanics as well.” ----------------------------------------------------- Vallimont has immense talent and some really good stuff. He stands 6-5 and about 230 pounds. He can be an intimidating presence on the mound. When asked to describe himself as a pitcher, Vallimont was clear that is about “the right mentality for a pitcher where it’s always Attack Mode. I will go after you with whatever I have working that day. I don’t care who is in the box, I am going to go after you with my best stuff.” He later added, “I have a bulldog mentality. I’ll go after you with my best stuff.” He throws four pitches. Fastball - It sits 95-96 mph, but he has been able to touch 98. “I’m very confident with my fastball.” Curveball - “I am also confident in my curveball.” Vallimont added, “It’s a 12-6 curveball with some depth.” Changeup - His changeup was a work-in-progress, but he has become much more confident in it this year. “I”ve been getting a lot more confident with it just by throwing it more and using it in the right situations. I really worked on it this offseason, figuring out new ways to throw it and finding a consistent grip that I like. This season, it’s come a long way. Now I find myself on the mounce actually shaking to a changeup.” Slider - “It’s a little hit-and-miss. I just throw it hard and hope it moves.” While confident, he understands. “Everything is still a work in progress at this point.” Like most power-armed starting pitcher prospects, the easy thing to say is that he will likely move to the bullpen at some point. We see that in many prospect rankings and from every outlet. That may be determined in the coming years and likely will be dependent upon further development of his third and fourth pitches. One person with the Twins organization said of Vallimont, “We think he can start.” And he will get that opportunity, starting with the Miracle. ---------------------------------------------- Away from the game of baseball, Vallimont is a sports junkie, but he also is a video game player. “Really, NHL and Fortnite.” “Other than that, I watch sports. I follow sports. Football, baseball and basketball. I think basketball is my favorite sport, other than baseball. I’m pretty big into that. ----------------------------------------------- The remainder of the 2019 season will be a good learning experience for Chris Vallimont. Coming to a new organization means that he will meet a lot of new people. He noted that the only player that he knew from the Twins organization was catcher/first baseman Chris Williams. The two met in mid-June at the Midwest League All Star weekend in South Bend. “It made it easier just knowing someone here.” But it is an exciting time for the hard-throwing right-hander, and he’s ready and excited for the opportunity. “This is a great situation for me to move around and get into my routine and work. I couldn’t be more happy to be with the Twins.” Welcome Chris Vallimont to the Minnesota Twins organization! Feel free to welcome him in the Comments and ask questions if you have any. You can follow Chris Vallimont on Twitter at @Valli_Swag7. Click here to view the article

Minnesota and Cleveland apparently were willing to make trades with each other. The Twins acquired OF Brandon Barnes from Cleveland. He's put up great numbers in AAA. However, with Cleveland's acquisition of Yasiel Puig and Franmil Reyes, Jake Bauers and Greg Allen were sent to AAA making Barnes expendable.

According to Tommy Birch from the Des Moines Register, the Twins have acquired Giants relief pitcher Sam Dyson from the Giants. The Twins traded OF Jaylin Davis and right-handed pitchers Kai-Wei Teng and Prelander Berroa.In 49 games (51 innings), 31-year-old Sam Dyson is 4-1 with a 2.47 ERA and a 0.90 WHIP He's got seven walks and 47 strikeouts. Dyson also has one more year of arbitration remaining. The Twins had need in the bullpen and they added two arms that can work in the late innings. Jaylin Davis was well on his way to Twins Minor League Hitter of the Year this season. He began in AA Pensacola. He moved up to Rochester where he has hit over .330 and 15 homers in 41 games. Overall, he's not 25 homers in 99 games. Kai-Wei Teng, a righty from Taiwan, joined the Kernels less than two months ago. He was 4-0 with a 1.60 ERA in 9 games (8 starts). He was flashing 96 mph with his fastball. Prelander Berroa was the Elizabethton Twins opening day starter. The hard-throwing 19-year-old was 2-1 with a 4.55 ERA. He had 37 strikeouts in 31 2/3 innings. The Twins got better today. Click here to view the article

Shane Greene to Atlanta.

It's the trade deadline, but the Twins have made a trade... They acquired RHP Marcos Diplan, a 22-year-old pitcher in AA who the Brewers had DFAd recently. Gave up Cash Considerations. Was the Brewers 21st ranked prospect.

Corey Dickerson to the Phillies.

For Jazz Chisolm!

Ray Black also going to the Brewers.

Hunter Strickland to the Nationals.

Tanner Roark to the A's.

LHP Roenis Elias to the Nationals.

Because 1.) We're Twins fans, and 2.) they're fun to watch and follow.

Martin Maldonado to the Astros.

Gordon is a really good baseball player... I think he'll have a long MLB career. He's been a doubles machine this season!