Seth Stohs

I know, but i was curious.

178 days...

Speaking of ending strong... to update this... the Twins win their final 6 games and 11 of them last 14 games. Very nicely done.

They're all like 25... No reason to give up on them yet. That said, if they're hitting 7-8-9 to start next season... I know I'll be very excited about the team at that point. I still stand behind my thought that Molitor managed better in 2018 than he did in 2017 despite 7 less wins. With the injuries, some poor performances, the suspension and then all the trades? To win 78 with all that is impressive!

Paul Molitor grew up in St. Paul. He put in a great career at the University of Minnesota, because a high draft pick and had a Hall of Fame career. Joe Mauer grew up in St. Paul. He was the number one overall pick out of Cretin-Derham Hall in 2001, soared through the minor leagues and has had a career that should receive strong Hall of Fame consideration. There is speculation that Sunday could be the final game of Joe Mauer's career. Before the game Molitor was asked about managing Mauer and Mauer was asked about how Molitor has been a mentor to him.Joe Mauer still would not tip his hand, too much, on whether or not he will return for a 16th season with the Twins in 2019. While we have seen on-field celebrations this season for Victor Martinez and David Wright, Mauer says that he's going to take a little time for other things before making such a big decision. "I’m doing nothing for the first week, besides just hanging out with the girls. I made it a point not to do anything for at least the first week, and then go from there." His wife Maddie is due in mid-November with the couple's third child. (No, they aren't going to find out the gender ahead of time) And that's probably wise. Making that decision after a long career can't be easy. And making that decision at the end of a long 162-game season (plus spring training) when he likely is experiencing plenty of aches and pains isn't necessarily fair to himself either. Certainly he doesn't want to regret whatever decision he makes, so taking some time to do so is smart. Paul Molitor retired from baseball twenty years ago (on Friday), and he acknowledged that he went back and forth in his mind a few times on when the right time to retire was. In fact, he contemplated that decision before joining the Twins for the final three seasons of his career. Asked if he would provide Mauer with any advice as he contemplates his future, Molitor said, "He knows that I’m an available resource; I don’t know where on his list that will land. So, we have had some of those discussions about -- not where you get down to maybe actually listing pros and cons -- but I do think we’re all kind of guessing about the order of priority. You think about physical condition, the work to prepare to play. Family considerations. How much does he believe this team has a chance to win?" And Mauer says that he believes that the players in the Twins clubhouse have a lot of talent and can win. "We had meetings, and I was telling the guys that this is a good team, there’s a lot of talent in this room, so it’s been fun to see guys step up. Guys you probably wouldn’t think would get an opportunity in spring training, and they’ve responded." Mauer continues, "You can go up and down the lineup, there are guys who got an opportunity and have taken advantage." Mauer specifically mentioned Willians Astudillo and Jake Cave as guys who have taken advantage of their opportunities this year. Molitor spoke also of how Joe Mauer has been a leader in the clubhouse, a resource for teammates and hard working in the community. He said, "In doing this job, the rewarding part is being around the people and relationships, somewhat true to when you were a player. But Joe, you know, you think about who he was coming off the sandlots in St. Paul, and what he’s done at this level, and being the same guy -- the consistency, the humility -- sometimes people don’t understand just how competitive he is, his desire to win. There’s a lot of things that make managing him pleasurable." Such as? Molitor continued, "I think just the way he goes about his job, the way he handles his relationships with his teammates, the way he gives back to the community, you just couldn’t ask for a more complete package of integrity." The admiration certainly goes both ways. With some question on whether or not Paul Molitor will return as Twins manager, Mauer talked about playing for the 2017 Manager of the Year. "l have the utmost respect for Paul. I really enjoy playing for him and just being around him. I hope he’s here for a long time, as long as he wants to be here. he’s great. It’s hard to describe my feelings toward him. He’s a great baseball guy, a great person, and I really enjoy playing for him." However, when asked if his return could be tied to Molitor's return, Mauer said that he hadn't heard of that possibility. "That’s the first I’ve thought about it, I haven’t even processed that. Hopefully he’ll be back if he wants to be." If one thing is known, it's that there will be a lot of emotion on Sunday at Target Field. According to Molitor, "Don’t know where it’s going to go, but I do know there’s been a lot of emotion around this week, and rightfully so -- no matter what the future holds. Today will be a great day. I think that whoever comes out are going to be very observant and aware of the potential here, as well as the guys in the clubhouse.I told the players yesterday, ‘We’ve all learned something from Joe Mauer.’ It might be different person to person, player to player, but he teaches life lessons well by the way he lives." For Mauer, it's been a great week on the field but also with his teammates and more. "Yeah, the last couple of days have been a little emotional, but it’s been fun. Just the interactions I’ve had with people here. Just having conversations on personal levels, with people inside, fans, teammates, all sorts of people." There has been a lot of emotion on the field and in the Twins clubhouse this week, but this has also been emotional for a lot of Twins fans, especially those whose baseball fandom began around the mid-'00s when Mauer was beginning his career. He's got a lot of family and friends in attendance, for just in case it is his final game. Mauer said that he is planning on playing nine innings on Sunday, but one would think that if he gets on base in the later innings, there is a chance that he will be removed for a pinch runner. Or, since he is playing at first base today, he could run out to his position only to be removed before the beginning of an inning. That will be a special moment for everyone at Target Field and any Twins fan able to watch the game today. Click here to view the article

The season started in March. They have played 160 games and have a record of 76-84. By almost any definition, it has been a long season for the Minnesota Twins and their fans. But despite not contending throughout the season, as they did in 2017, there are several themes to the end of the season. Whether you ask the players or the manager, the hope is to find a way to finish strong.Before Friday’s doubleheader, manager Paul Molitor was asked about what he’d like to see from his team over the final weekend of play. Molitor said, “More of the same, in terms of energy. There’s life in the dugout. You know that the win total isn’t critical right now, but it’s certainly more fun to win. Playing another divisional opponent, starting with a doubleheader today, a lot of these guys want to finish on good notes, particularly the pitchers. Hopefully Jose (Berrios) gets us off to a good start.” And Berrios did just that, starting right away in the first inning when he struck out the side. He also struck out the side in the sixth inning including a strikeout of Daniel Palka, his 200th of the season. He became the eighth Twins pitcher to reach the 200 strikeout mark, and it was the 21st time that it has happened in team history. The last time was Francisco Liriano who struck out 201 batters in 2010. Berrios ended with 202 strikeouts which is the highest number of strikeouts by a Twins pitcher since Johan Santana struck out 235 batters in 2007. It was a number that meant a lot to the Twins 2018 All Star. “It means a lot, obviously. That was one of my goals before the season started. That’s when I wrote it down and I accomplished it and I’m thankful to God for that.” In the second game, the Twins offense showed up early, particularly Mitch Garver. The Twins catcher hadn’t been in the Twins starting lineup since September 12th because of his concussion. He started at first base. Through the game’s first five innings, he was 4-for-4 with two doubles and six RBI. As much as the numbers were great, for him it was really important just to get back in the lineup before the season ended. Garver said, “That was definitely in the conversation, that we’re not going to come back at all, and just shut it down and take it into the offseason and get better. but I wanted to end on the right foot, i wanted to come back and get into the offseason knowing that I’m healthy and I can really shoot for 2019 like really feeling great.” But it was important for more than just Mitch Garver as he explained. “Peace of mind for myself and for the people that care about me, my family, my wife. She was pretty concerned about the whole deal, so just to show her I’m healthy and feeling great.” Chase De Jong was the beneficiary of of the big run support. He gave up just two runs over the first six innings to record his first MLB win. As a 23-year-old in 2017, he began the season in the Mariners pitching staff. He made three appearances in April. He made three starts in May, and pitched once against the Twins in mid-April. But his 2017 season ended poorly. So to end 2018 on such a positive note was important. “Last year, technically, I started in the big leagues and ended at Double A. This year was all about re-establishing myself as a quality starter and that I could go out there and put together quality innings. I've done that. I've proven that to myself and now I've proven to the Minnesota Twins. It's WONDERFUL to finish the year on a high note.” This week, pitchers have been making their final starts of the season. On Tuesday night, Kohl Stewart was the “primary” pitcher. He gave up just two hits over six shutout innings. He needed just 75 pitches as he struck out five and did not issue a walk. He gave up zero earned runs in three of his four September starts. He credited his catchers and pitching coach Garvin Alston. Stewart noted, “Short story, I just felt more comfortable.” Stephen Gonsalves was credited with his second big-league win on Thursday night when he threw 3 1/3 innings as the Twins “primary” pitcher. Over his final three appearances, he gave up just three runs (two earned) over 12 1/3 innings, nearly cutting his ERA in half. It’s been a challenging year for Gonsalves in some ways, but it was nice to end the year strong and feeling good about most of his pitches. He said, “This has probably been one of my worst years in my professional career, I mean, other than getting up here (which he called “A dream come true.”). The walks have been a mystery to me this year. I’ve lacked fastball command. Sometimes I’ve lost my velos. So, I think that I need to adjust my delivery a little bit to get rid of some of the inconsistencies. My offspeed feels great. My slider felt really good last night. My changeup, I can feel that and throw it blindfolded. It’s been the one that goes straight, we’ll have to figure out.” For Gonsalves, he’s happy with the end of the season and showed to himself that he can compete at the major league level, but he fully understands what he needs to do to be more successful. For Aaron Slegers, getting back into a game on Friday night, even just for the final three outs, was very important. He had been on the disabled list since July with a shoulder injury. Just getting back on the mound was important. One could argue that Kyle Gibson has been the Twins most consistent starting pitcher in 2018, something that had eluded him in the past. On Saturday night, he’ll have the opportunity finish his season strong. And on Sunday, Zack Littell will pitch for the Twins in their final game of the year. For Robbie Grossman, it’s been all about getting a consistent opportunity, and he’s taken advantage of it. In his past four games, he is 7-for-12 with five walks. Others have noted improved defense through the consistent playing time since Eddie Rosario’s season-ending injury. In his last 15 games, he is hitting .370 with a .988 OPS. Manager Paul Molitor has taken notice, “For him to play as well as he has, it’s going to help him moving forward. I enjoy having a player like that, because when he plays, he’s ready. And when he doesn’t play, he’s ready. What he’s done, he’s caught a lot of people’s attention. The defense, he understands that people have been critical at times, but he has gone about it very meticulously in terms of the drills and the work and the throwing, and angles and everything he can do to try to make himself a better defender. And for the most part, in running him out there all month, he’s held his own. There have been obvious signs of improvement.” And finally, Joe Mauer is ending his season strong. The 35-year-old is all the talk right now because he mentioned that he will contemplate retirement following the season. If this is the end of his (possibly) Hall of Fame career, he’s got some great moments and memories. Since August 31st, he’s hit .308. In his last 15 games, he is hitting .356 (.857). He’s on a seven-game hitting streak. He’s had multi-hit games in four of his last six games. In the five games so far on what could be his final homestand, he’s been nothing short of spectacular. He’s 8-for-21 (.388) with three walks (.458 OBP). There’s no doubt he’ll be in the lineup the next two days. Mauer told reporters before Friday’s doubleheader, “It hit me a little bit today. I’m looking forward to going out there today two times. It’s kind of the thing, the end of the season sneaks up on you. Here are we, the last weekend. Just trying to enjoy.” The Twins have won their past four games and nine of their last 12 games. Two games remain, Saturday night and Sunday afternoon, in the 2018 season. There is still a lot to play for despite the team not competing for the playoffs. 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I think he starts back in Cedar Rapids, but he could move up quick. Two things... Royce will (most likely) start in Ft. Myers. Wander Javier will be back next year and he'll play in Cedar Rapids. Now, they could give Javier the month of April in Extended Spring to keep his shoulder out of the cold. At that point, maybe they'd be ready to move Davis up to FM, and maybe that's when Lewis moves up to AA (wherever that may be). And there's no rush. Dozier was an 8th round senior sign and he was in the big leagues 2 years after being drafted. That's moving up the system pretty quickly... Not sure how Davis compares to Dozier talent or scout-wise, but whether he gets to the big leagues at 24, 25, 26, doesn't matter a whole lot.

He brought it up.

The Twins have had a bit of success in recent years with four-year college draft picks. Brian Dozier played four years at Southern Mississippi before the Twins made him their 8th round pick in 2009. Mitch Garver played four years at New Mexico before the Twins made him their 9th round pick in 2013. Hey, Trevor Hildenberger spent five seasons at Cal-Berkeley, and didn’t pitch much until his last two years, and the Twins made him their 22nd round pick in 2014. In the 2018 MLB Draft, the Twins selected several more college seniors and will now give them the opportunity. While Chris Williams (8th round, Clemson) was our choice for short-season Minor League Hitter of the Year for his work in Elizabethton, 24th round pick Michael Davis made a strong first impression in the Twins organization this summer. Could he be one of those seniors who gets pushed and winds up in the big leagues? Time will tell. Recently we caught up with the shortstop to get to know him.Michael Davis grew up in west Texas, in the city of Lubbock. That is football country, to be sure, but there is a lot of great baseball. In fact, Davis noted that the Little League team the year before him went to the Little League World Series. His team finished one game shy of playing in Williamsport. Davis played some football into his high school years, but it was baseball that he loved. It was baseball that he loved to play, all the time. “I didn’t watch a lot of baseball growing up. I didn’t watch too much TV. I lived in a neighborhood where I had 13 buddies that we would play wiffle ball or some other sport. We went to a few Rangers games, it was fun. I wasn’t really glued to the TV. I cheered for them when they made their World Series run, but same with the Astros. I like the teams from Texas. That’s just kind of the way it’s always been for me.” Out of high school, Davis had some thoughts of going to a junior college. He had several offers and often thought it might be fun to leave home for a bit, but in the end, he stayed right in Lubbock and played four years for Texas Tech. As a freshman, he was a part-time player, splitting time around the infield. As a sophomore, he earned playing time nearly every game. He responded with a 20-double season. As a junior, he started seeing and talking to more scouts. He noted, “All the teams kind of talk to you and want to get to know you, and the teams were interested. They said I had a good arm, and I could play infield.” Teams told him that there was a chance that he could be drafted. Unfortunately, a late-season injury cut his season short and he ended up going undrafted. He returned for his senior season and really put together a terrific season. He hit .281/371/.524 (.895) with 18 doubles and 12 home runs. The 12 home runs was one more than he had hit over his previous three seasons. But even more than his individual success, Texas Tech returned to Omaha to play in the College World Series. It was a great way to end his college career. “I enjoyed it so much more the second time. Instead of taking phone pictures of everything, I was just able to take it all in.” Scouts were a bit different during his senior season. “The first question is ‘Do you want to keep playing baseball?’ Yeah. I do. And then just hoping the right team finds you.” The Twins liked him and took him in the 24th round of this past June’s draft. The Twins area scout is Trevor Brown. Davis said, “Trevor had called me a few days before, and talked to me a little bit about it. He said ‘We’ll see what happens.’ A couple other teams had done that also.We were actually at practice and just finished when that round came up. Trevor called me probably 30 seconds after (the pick) and talked to me for five or six minutes. I went in and celebrated with my teammates. Then I think we had three or four more guys got off the board in the next four rounds.” At that point, it was a bit of a whirlwind for awhile. Following the College World Series, Davis signed. He went to Ft. Myers briefly before joining the Elizabethton Twins. He played just three games for the E-Twins before being promoted to Cedar Rapids where he was able to spend the final seven weeks and the playoffs with the Kernels. Davis’s biggest worry at that time might surprise you. “Trying to find some wood bats. That’s what I was focused on, making sure I had a couple to hit with after I got moved.” But Davis, already 22 years old, was ready for the challenge. “It was quick, but I was ready for it. When I got to Elizabethton, I felt like I was playing with college kids. When I got moved up, I thought the same thing. They would have me here if they didn’t believe in me. Got there and just went after it.” Shortly after his arrival, the Kernels went on a bit of tear and carried it into the playoffs where they won a series before losing in the Midwest League Western Division championship series. After doing a lot of winning at Texas Tech, being part of a winning team in his professional debut was something Davis really enjoyed. “Awesome. We got on a huge hot streak. It was hard for us to lose. We won 16 or 17 out of 20. That’s more fun, I think. You don’t even worry about making the postseason or playoffs. You just go and play. To do it with those guys, that’s a lot of fun.” While he struggled with some swing-and-miss early in his time with the Kernels, he really turned it on late and provided a lot of power near the bottom of the lineup. In his 42 games in Cedar Rapids, he hit .294/.327/.559 (.886) with nine doubles, a triple and nine home runs. Steve Buhr The increased power that he showcased in his senior season at Texas Tech carried over into his pro debut. He credited his maturity and adjustments in college, but also showed appreciation for his Kernels coaching staff. “I think it has a lot to do with both. My knowledge of hitting is much higher. With the Twins, Dink (Brian Dinkelman) and Toby (Gardenhire) were able to help in a short period of time. They worked with me to find something that was comfortable and worked well for me. You get on a role that’s really nice to have. I think my consistency was getting better. I wasn’t necessarily getting a hit every time, but I was making more hard contact instead of striking out.” After playing around the infield in college, primarily at second base, Davis stepped right into the Kernels lineup at shortstop and played there the rest of the season. He thinks that his defense might be his biggest strength right now, but he also thinks his time at Texas Tech has really prepared him for this next challenge, professional baseball. “Probably playing defense right now. Just having a knowledge of the game. When you get to play four years at a college, you learn so many things and do so many things. Bringing that, and my ability to play defense at a pretty high level. You always want to say Hitting, but hitting comes and goes as a strength. I think it’s something I’ll continue to grown on and hopefully I’ll continue to get better.” While he played short, he’s fully aware that Royce Lewis is in the system. He sees that as a good thing. “It’s not always the easiest thing to have a guy like Royce Lewis in front of you, but I see it as a blessing because I know they believe I’ll get a chance as I’m doing the right thing for the organization.” But it will also be important for him to play around the field and provide himself, and the organization, with options to keep him moving on up. “I’ve played third a little bit throughout college here and there, but I’m comfortable anywhere you want to put me. I may not be the best out in centerfield, but Akil (Baddoo) does pretty well out there. If you need me to go stand out there because something happened, I can do it. I’m not nervous about playing anywhere. But I am really comfortable playing in the middle of the field and that’s where I want to stay.” Steve Buhr It is middle infielders that Davis enjoys watching and tries to emulate as well. “I really enjoy watching Brandon Crawford play defense. I think the way he does it is really hard for anybody to emulate, and he does it at such a high level. I see myself similar to Jed Lowrie of a Ben Zobrist. I can play around the field. I’m not going to Wow you with any numbers, but I can play the game the right way and play hard.” Davis is looking forward to his first offseason from baseball. It’s not something that college players are really used to. He’s got a lot of questions on how to handle his time off, but he’s got the right idea. “I think just everything that they had me build on once I got to Cedar Rapids. The working out aspect. Making sure I’m doing it the right way, the way they want me to do it. And also just taking care of myself and knowing my limits. It’s a little different than college baseball where you play in the fall and the spring, and then you can play summer ball. You can kind of play all year round. I’ve kind of had breaks like this before, but not for four to five months. So, trying to get ideas on what guys do in the offseason and asking questions and making sure I’m staying on top of things.” And in his spare time, his time away from the game of baseball, Davis enjoys doing something that a lot of Minnesotans can relate to. “I’m an avid hunter. I really love to hunt and be out at my buddy’s ranch. Work on guns. Anything hunting wise, you can pretty much count me in on it.” 2018 was a pretty special year for Michael Davis. He returned to college and played in his second World Series. He was drafted in the MLB Draft. He played really well in his pro debut and helped a winning team. It was certainly a nice block upon which to build. Click here to view the article

On Tuesday night at Target Field, Joe Mauer singled in the first inning to pass Harmon Killebrew for number of Times on Base in his Twins career. If you were to look at the Twins record books, you would find Harmon Killebrew’s name at or near the top of most career and single-season lists. On the field, Killebrew was a Hall of Famer. Ask most of his contemporaries or those who got to know him and they will likely tell you that he was a Hall of Famer off the field too. Following his death, the Minnesota Twins announced that they would hand out a Harmon Killebrew Award for Community Service to one player at each of the Twins four, full-season minor league affiliates. Over the past week, we have announced three of the four recipients. Tonight, we announce the fourth Killebrew Award winner.Following the conclusion of the Twins minor league season, Twins Daily announced our choice for the 2018 Twins Minor League Starting Pitcher of the Year. Right-hander Tyler Wells split the season, making 16 starts for Ft. Myers and six games in Chattanooga. Combined, he went 10-6 with a 2.49 ERA and a 0.96 WHIP. He struck out 121 batters in 119 1/3 innings. It was a terrific season on the field for Wells. Wells was terrific in the community throughout the season as well and earned the Miracle choice for the Harmon Killebrew Award. The Miracle do a lot throughout their season in the community, and Wells stayed busy with it throughout his time in southwest Florida. Wells shared a list of some of the activities that he participated in. “During my time in Fort Myers, I participated in multiple camps, a special needs camp, a hospital visit to see kids with cancer, and helped promote and participated in a fundraiser with the VS. Cancer Foundation. I also participated in a kids camp up in Chattanooga.” The VS. Cancer event and fundraiser was something that meant a lot personally to Wells. Wells made several trips to Ft. Myers area hospitals with teammates throughout the season, and even in the offseason when he was there for various camps. Being community-minded is something that is very important to Tyler Wells, and having his name associated with an award named for the great Harmon Killebrew. “It’s a huge honor for me, as it would be for anyone to associated with the Minnesota Twins legend. Baseball is only part of the job for us, and Harmon Killebrew was the best example you could have for being so much more than a baseball player. And I’m hoping, as I continue my career, that I can set an example like Killebrew did! ” Previous Ft. Myers Miracle Killebrew Award winners: 2011 - Reggie Williams 2012 - Andy Leer 2013 - Stephen Wickens 2014 - Tim Shibuya 2015 - Tanner Vavra 2016 - Trey Vavra 2017 - Kevin Garcia 2018 - Tyler Wells Other 2018 Killebrew Award Recipients Rochester Red Wings - Jake Reed Chattanooga Lookouts - Chris Paul Fort Myers Miracle - Tyler Wells Cedar Rapids Kernels - David Banuelos Congratulations to Tyler Wells on earning the 2018 Harmon Killebrew Award for Community Service for the Fort Myers Miracle. Click here to view the article

Starting tonight, the Minnesota Twins will play seven games over the next six days at Target Field to conclude their 2018 season. Is it possible that this week might be the last week that Twins fans get to watch Joe Mauer play in his illustrious MLB career?Did you have a chance to watch any of the highlights from Detroit this past weekend? Victor Martinez announced several weeks ago that 2018 would be his final season as an MLB player. Over the weekend, the Tigers played their final games at Comerica Park. The Tigers and Martinez announced earlier in the week that Martinez would be playing on Friday and Saturday. On Saturday, Martinez beat out an infield single and was removed from the game for a pinch runner. Emotion ensued. Staring at my computer monitor through water-logged eyes, my first thought turned to the Twins and Joe Mauer. My response to that video on Twitter was: “Why I want Joe Mauer to let people know if he is going to retire... Why Joe Mauer probably won't let us know when he's going to retire...” Earlier in the month, Mauer told the Star-Tribune that he will think about his future after the season is complete. In other words, we most likely won’t know until after Sunday’s season finale whether or not Joe Mauer will play again in 2019. If this is indeed the final week of Joe Mauer’s playing career, Minnesota Twins fans should come out in droves to watch this generation’s best Twins player. If you can’t get to Target Field, hopefully you will be able to watch on TV, or listen on the radio. With his next hit or walk or the next time he is hit by a pitch, Joe Mauer will pass Harmon Killebrew for most Times on Base in Minnesota Twins history. Harmon Killebrew - 3,072 Joe Mauer - 3,072 Kirby Puckett - 2,810 Rod Carew - 2,718 Kent Hrbek - 2,613 Here is where Mauer ranks on the all-time Twins list in a variety of categories: Games Played (1,851) - 2nd (Killebrew) Plate Appearances (7,927) - 2nd (Killebrew) Runs (1,009) - 3rd (Killebrew, Puckett) Hits (2,112) - 2nd (Puckett) Doubles (426) - 1st Home Runs (143) - 11th RBI (921) - 5th Walks (935) - 2nd (Killebrew) And among Twins with 2,000 or more plate appearances, he ranks: Batting Average (.306) - 4th (Carew, Puckett, Mack) On-Base Percentage (.388) - 3rd (Carew, Knoblauch) From the time he was drafted by the Twins with the #1 overall pick in the 2001 draft out of Cretin-Derham Hall, Joe Mauer was destined for greatness. Among the #1 overall picks, Joe Mauer has been one of the best in the draft’s 54-year history. According to Baseball-Reference’s Wins Above Replacement, Mauer ranks behind only some recent Hall of Famers and another who may get there someday: 117.8 - Alex Rodriguez 85.2 - Chipper Jones 83.8 - Ken Griffey, Jr. 54.9 - Joe Mauer 42.2 - Daryl Strawberry 42.1 - Adrian Gonzalez What else? Six All Star game appearancesThree Gold GlovesFive Silver Sluggers2009 MVPFour Top 10 finishes in MVP votingThree batting titles (you may have heard that is rare for a catcher)Two on-base percentage championshipsWhile the career of Joe Mauer hasn’t been perfect, it’s been pretty great. Consider that he was hitting .324/.404/.476 (.880) with 35 doubles and 11 homers in 113 games when his career trajectory was altered by his concussion. As great as his career has been, one can’t help but wonder how great it might have been? Instead of being a Top 5 player in Twins history, he might be right at the top of the list. And hey, if we’re going to go there, how might Mauer’s legacy have been altered had Phil Cuzzi accurately called a line drive down the left field line in Yankees Stadium an RBI double, rather than a foul ball. Of course, beyond the baseball field, Mauer has been recognized for his philanthropy as well. His work with the Gillette Children’s Hospital has been incredible. He’s helped raise over $1 million for the hospital, but he and his wife Maddie are often found at the hospital visiting kids. And, I’m guessing I am not the only one reading this who has heard stories of Joe Mauer doing things without any publicity to help individuals or kids. Mauer was the Twins nominee for the 2018 Roberto Clemente Award. There is no question that Joe Mauer will be a Twins Hall of Famer and no Twins player will ever wear the number Seven again. Who knows? Mauer may come back for the 2019 season, and it’s possible he will chose to play beyond that. But just in case this is the end of the baseball road for Joe Mauer, hopefully Twins fans will take a step back and enjoy this final week of Twins baseball and maybe the final week of the Joe Mauer era. Selfishly, I want to see Joe Mauer continue to play. I love watching him take at bats and move up the Twins all-time lists. I enjoy watching him at first base and his calm in clutch situations. I like watching all-time greats play. The other side of me says that it's always better to leave a year too early rather than a year too late. But, if he enjoys the game and whatever role he's playing, I hope he gets to go out on his own terms. Hopefully this will be a week full of high fives and hand shakes, curtain calls and standing ovations. Click here to view the article

I mean, they can only have 40 players on the roster... no sense in calling up guys like Molina (split the season between EST, ET and CR). Moran split the season between Low A and High A. Harper is a minor league journeyman. I'd love to see Reed and Anderson, for sure, but again, service time has nothing to do with this at all.

Drake has put himself in good position to at least stay on the 40-man roster through the November additions. Vasquez ... I mean, the service clock thing doesn't really matter. With Rogers and Moya ahead of him, he would likely start 2019 in Rochester (pending injury, etc.) The service time thing has nothing to do with Vasquez. But, he hasn't been used for more than a batter or two in any outing as he's getting adjusted to MLB. He's obviously staying on the 40 man roster, so they're just getting his feet wet while they are likely looking to make decisions on guys like Duffey, Busenitz, Drake, Magill, maybe Curtiss and others.

This week, we started posting the 2018 Twins Harmon Killebrew Award for Community Service recipients. Tonight, we share the 2018 Cedar Rapids Kernels recipient David Banuelos. I believe Banuelos becomes the recipient with the closest ties to Harmon Killebrew, indirectly. Killebrew was a monster on the baseball field. He was a three-true outcomes player decades before that became a baseball term. He struck out, but he hit a lot of home runs and a lot of walks. Off the field, Killebrew was known as a gentle, caring, respectful man. Following Killebrew’s death, the Twins announced that they would be handing out an award each year to one recipient at each of the four full-season affiliates. The award would go to the player who exemplified Killebrew’s generosity through their efforts in the community.David Banuelos was the fifth round draft pick of the Seattle Mariners in June of 2017. This past offseason, he found himself in the middle of the Ohtani sweepstakes. The Minnesota Twins traded $1 million in international pool money to the Mariners and the Twins received the talented backstop. Banuelos came to spring training and spent the 2018 season in Cedar Rapids with the Kernels. He caught 68 games, and when the Kernels got to the playoffs, he was behind the plate. Touted for his work defensively, he proved the part. He also did tremendous work in the community. Ryne George is the Kernels Director of Community Relations and Entertainment. He is the person who organizes the community opportunities and with the players. Regarding Banuelos, George was very complimentary. “When David first arrived in Cedar Rapids back in April, he was pretty shy and kept to himself. A week or two into the season our first player appearance was inching closer and to my surprise David was the first one to sign up! From that moment on David ramped up his community appearances and by the end of the long season he did 16 of the 35 total player appearances for the Kernels. My goal is to get our players out in the community as much as possible while respecting their time and focus on baseball activities.” George continued, “With David being a catcher, I know games take a little more of a toll on his body so it’s extra special that he woke up early the day after a game and took the time to give back during his time here in Cedar Rapids. David made multiple visits to the University of Iowa Children’s Hospital, helped promote adoptable animals on the local news and was a vital piece in helping out with the Kernels “Catch with a Cop” youth program.” For his part, Banuelos enjoyed his experiences and opportunities to help others or make their days better. “Some of the things we did in Cedar Rapids included the Meals-on-Wheels program, catch with the cops, children’s hospital, and taking dogs from the shelter to the local news station to advertise adoption. Going around the community and giving back was an awesome experience. Helping make other people’s days is what it’s all about.” To win an award given in the name of Harmon Killebrew has special meaning to Banuelos. “It is an honor to win an award named after Harmon Killebrew. Knowing how much he gave back to the community, I thought, I can try and do the same and help make others days a little better.” However, for Banuelos has an additional level of special meaning because of a tie to Killebrew. “In high school, my really good friend Grant Hockin, a grandson of Harmon, would always tell me stories of his grandfather and all the things he would do.” The two went to high school at Damien High School in La Verne, California. The same school as several former big leaguers, including Mark McGwire. Hockin was Cleveland’s second-round pick in 2014 and pitched for the Low-A Lake County. In June, he underwent the second Tommy John surgery of his career. He had previously missed the 2015 and 2016 seasons. Twins 12th round pick in 2018, Jon Olsen from UCLA, also went to Damien High School. Previous Twins Low-A Killebrew Award winners: 2011 - Ryan O’Rourke 2012 - Corey Williams 2013 - Niko Goodrum 2014 - Tanner Vavra 2015 - Jared Wilson 2016 - Nelson Molina 2017 - Hector Lujan 2018 - David Banuelos Other 2018 Killebrew Award Recipients Rochester Red Wings - Jake Reed Chattanooga Lookouts - Chris Paul Fort Myers Miracle - Cedar Rapids Kernels - David Banuelos Congratulations to David Banuelos on earning the 2018 Harmon Killebrew Award for Community Service for the Cedar Rapids Kernels. Click here to view the article

When Minnesota Twins legend Harmon Killebrew announced that his health was deteriorating and he was entering hospice care, fans around the country, and especially in the Midwest, chimed in to tell tales of Killebrew. Amazingly, very few of those stories had anything to do with what occurred on a baseball field. Most of these stories involved something he had told a kid, shaking hands with fans, his impeccable autograph, or some charitable event that he came to and inspired masses. People talked about how great he was as a person. His baseball prowess was hardly mentioned. His 573 home runs. His 1,584 RBI. His MVP. His six AL home run championships. His 11 All Star appearances. Those are all part of his story, but the stories people told were of Harmon Killebrew, the great human being. Following Killebrew’s death, the Minnesota Twins established the Harmon Killebrew Award for Community Service, and each year, the Twins have named one winner for each of their four full-season affiliates. Each affiliate’s GM nominated a recipient who exemplifies Killebrew through their work in the community. Earlier this week, we announced that Jake Reed was the 2018 Killebrew Award recipient for the Red Wings. Today, we’ll discuss the 2018 Killebrew Award recipient of the Chattanooga Lookouts, infielder Chris Paul.Chris Paul came to the Twins as their sixth round draft pick in 2015 out of Cal-Berkeley. After signing, he went to Elizabethton but quickly moved up to Cedar Rapids. That’s where he began the 2016 season but just a couple of weeks into the season, he was promoted to Ft. Myers. In 2017, he hit .328/.380/.471 (.851) in 61 games in Ft. Myers. Unfortunately he broke his hamate bone. He made up for some of the lost time by representing the Twins in the Arizona Fall League last year. Paul has done a nice job representing the Twins on the field, but also off of the field, and that’s why he’s been selected the Chattanooga Lookouts’ recipient of the Harmon Killebrew Award. Dan Kopf is the Lookouts Media Relations Manager. Asked about Chris Paul, he said, “Chris was our choice. He was also willing to get into the community. This year, Chris helped underprivileged youth go back-to-school shopping at Academy Sports. Chris was also always one of the first players to volunteer for player appearances or interviews.” Helping in the community, and especially working with kids, was something that Chris Paul really enjoyed. He pointed out, “I helped with some teammates to play games and hold camps for unprivileged kids, usually through the boys and girls club or YMCA. Also, I have helped these kids go back to school shopping and find things they needed to help them succeed in life and in school! It was very rewarding and humbling experience. You learn just as much from these kids as they do from you, and it reminds me to be grateful for everything and all the opportunities I have been given.“ It’s obviously a great perspective. Paul understands and appreciates what this award means and the legacy that has been left behind by Killebrew. “It’s an incredible honor to be given the Harmon Killebrew Award. Both on and off the field, Mr. Killebrew was held in very high regards by all; so obviously, I’m gratefully accepting this award hoping to live up to such a high standard set by such an outstanding individual and baseball player.“ Previous Twins Double-A Killebrew Award winners: 2011 - Bobby Lanigan 2012 - Shawn Roof 2013 - Dan Rohlfing 2014 - Tony Thomas 2015 - Tim Shibuya 2016 - David Hurlbut 2017 - Travis Harrison 2018 - Chris Paul 2018 Killebrew Award Recipients Rochester Red Wings - Jake Reed Chattanooga Lookouts - Chris Paul Fort Myers Miracle - Cedar Rapids Kernels - Congratulations to Chris Paul on earning the 2018 Harmon Killebrew Award for Community Service for the Chattanooga Lookouts. Click here to view the article

I can guarantee that I didnt use 2-outs, RISP data in my rankings...

That's my reasoning... the lowest number of games played that I voted for on this list was 95, ,and that was Taylor Grzelakowski who played a bit of catcher.

Over the last week or so, Twins Daily has handed out our 2018 minor league awards. Today we continue the series by looking at the top hitters in the Twins organization this season. There were a lot of strong performances, but at the end of the day, the vote was unanimous. Despite missing the entire 2017 season, Alex Kirilloff was our choice for 2018 Twins Minor League Hitter of the Year. Previous 2018 Awards Short-Season Minor League Pitcher of the Year: Andrew Cabezas Short-Season Minor League Hitter of the Year: Chris Williams Minor League Relief Pitcher of the Year: Andrew Vasquez Minor League Starting Pitcher of the Year: Tyler Wells Minor League Hitter of the Year: Alex Kirilloff Previous Twins Daily Minor League Starting Pitchers of the Year: 2012 - Oswaldo Arcia 2013 - Miguel Sano 2014 - Mitch Garver 2015 - Max Kepler 2016 - Daniel Palka 2017 - Mitch Garver 2018 - Alex Kirilloff Image courtesy of Linwood Ferguson (graphics by Finn Pearson) Before we get to the Top Eight, we will take a look at others who received votes. While some of the top prospects finished near the top of this list, the Twins got quality hitting performances from many guys up and down the system. But when it came down to it, there was one Twins hitting prospect who stood out above the rest in 2018. Royce Lewis and Brent Rooker had really terrific seasons, but Alex Kirilloff had one of the best minor league seasons in recent Twins minor league history. Regarding Kirilloff, Lewis and Rooker, Twins minor league director Jeremy Zoll noted, “They’re three of the most exciting names in our system, and three guys that we pushed relatively aggressively, especially in the case of Rooker being his first full season in pro ball, and Royce and Alex too for that matter. And to see them meet those challenges, work through those challenges and compete and excel has been great.” Six Twins Daily Minor League writers were asked to vote for the various awards. For the hitter of the year, we each voted for eight players. The player who was voted as #1 received eight points, #2 received seven points and so on with the #8 vote receiving one point. Results were tabulated and can be found below. Short profiles of our top eight are to follow, but first, some players worthy of honorable mention. These players also received votes. Honorable Mention Ryan Jeffers - Elizabethton Twins/Cedar Rapids Kernels - 64 games, 83-241, .344/.444/.502 (.946), 17-2B, 7-HR, 48 R, 33 RBI. Jose Miranda - Cedar Rapids Kernels/Ft. Myers Miracle - 131 games, 133-503, .264/.319/.417 (.736), 27-2B, 1-3B, 16-HR, 61 R, 82 RBI. Willians Astudillo - Rochester Red Wings - 78 games, 79-286, .276/.314/.469 (.782), 17-2B, 1-3B, 12-HR, 30 R, 38 RBI. LaMonte Wade - Chattanooga Lookouts/Rochester Red Wings, 120 games, 109-424, .257/.360/.380 (.739), 11-2B, 4-3B, 11-HR, 54 R, 48 RBI. Michael Davis - Elizabethton Twins/Cedar Rapids Kernels, 45 games, 48-157, .306/.343/.567 (.910), 9-2B, 1-3B, 10-HR, 29 R, 32 RBI. Minor League Hitter of the Year Here are the top eight vote-getters for Twins Minor League Hitter of the Year: 8. Luis Arraez – Ft. Myers Miracle/Chattanooga Lookouts – 108 games, 126-406, .310/.361/.397 (.758), 20-2B, 3-3B, 3-HR, 52 R, 36 RBI. Arraez hit .347 for Cedar Rapids in 2016 to win the Midwest League batting title as a 19 year old. Three games into his 2017 season in Ft. Myers, Arraez tore up his knee and needed surgery which cost him the remainder of the season. He came back to the Miracle in mid-April and had just two hits in his first 29 at-bats (.069). Over his next 53 games, he hit .357. He was the Twins Daily Hitter of the Month in June when he hit .449 with 13 extra base hits and an OPS over 1.100. He played 26 games that month and had multi-hit games in 16 of them including five three-hit games, two four-hit games and a five-hit game. On July 4th, he was promoted to Chattanooga where he hit .298 over the final 48 games. 7. Akil Baddoo – Cedar Rapids Kernels – 113 games, 106-437, .243/.351/.419 (.770), 22-2B, 11-3B, 11-HR, 83 R, 40 RBI. When looking at Baddoo’s stats, it is important to look past the batting average. Sure, that’s an area of improvement that he’ll want to make in his development. However, when he consider his on-base percentage and the extra-base hit power and you can understand why the organization is so excited about the talented 20-year-old. In fact, he didn’t turn 20 until mid-August. Baddoo does a nice job at the top of the order. Considering how many walks he takes, Baddoo is not a passive hitter. As you would guess from the extra-base hits, he’s got a strong, powerful swing. He’s got very good speed and stole 24 bases. He also profiles as a very solid center fielder whose arm strength has improved since the draft. 6. Jaylin Davis – Fort Myers Miracle/Chattanooga Lookouts – 120 games, 120-439, .273/.347/.412 (.759), 24-2B, 2-3B, 11-HR, 53 R, 53 RBI. The former 24th-round pick from Appalachian State put together a solid season in 2018. Since signing, he has shown good power, but he’s also had a lot of swing and miss in his game. While he still did in 2018, it is important to note that his strikeout rate dropped while his walk rate increased significantly. Davis spent the second half of 2017 in Ft. Myers and that is where he began the 2018 season. At about mid-season, Davis received his promotion to Chattanooga where he put up very similar numbers. Davis will look to continue his improvements in the Arizona Fall League. 5. Taylor Grzelakowski – Fort Myers Miracle – 95 games, 99-332, .298/.370/.458 (.828), 23-2B, 3-3B, 8-HR, 46 R, 40 RBI Grzelakowski was one of the better stories in the Twins minor league system in 2018. Signed late in 2017 as a non-drafted free agent from the United Shores Professional Baseball League after a career at Madonna University. He got a handful of at-bats in the GCL after signing last year. He came to spring training this year, and when the season started, he had skipped Elizabethton and Cedar Rapids and made the Ft. Myers roster. He caught, played first base, and played some left field while making a lot of starts at DH too. And it didn’t take long for him to hit near the top of the Miracle lineup. He hit well and was very consistent throughout the season. So, it may have started out as a fun story, but “Gelly” made himself a prospect to watch with his strong bat. 4. Zander Wiel – Chattanooga Lookouts/Rochester Red Wings – 116 games, 130-437, .297/.367/.442 (.809), 27-2B, 3-3B, 10-HR, 58 R, 65 RBI Since the Twins made Zander Wiel their 12th-round draft pick in 2015 out of Vanderbilt, he has been consistent and moved up one level each year. 2018 was the first season in which he received a late-season promotion, playing 16 games at the end of the year in Rochester. Drafted as a first baseman, Wiel and Brent Rooker split time between first base and left field throughout 2018. Wiel takes generally professional at-bats. He has a lot of doubles power and can sometimes hit some long home runs. He had a walkoff homer in a game for the Red Wings. 3. Brent Rooker - Chattanooga Lookouts – 130 games, 128-503, .254/.333/.465 (.798), 32-2B, 4-3B, 22-HR, 72 R, 79 RBI. The Twins liked Brent Rooker enough that they drafted him twice. He was the team’s 38th-round pick in 2016 but chose to go back to Mississippi State. He won the SEC Triple Crown in 2017 and the Twins made him a supplemental first-round pick after the season. The Twins pushed him to Ft. Myers to end last year, and he spent his first full minor league season in Double-A Chattanooga. Things started out pretty slow for Rooker. Through his first 42 games, he hit just .233/.278/.374 (.653) with four home runs. Over his next 60 games, he hit .312/.389/.624 (1.013) with 20 doubles and 16 home runs. He struggled again late, but again, we can see what Rooker’s potential is. A lot of strikeouts (150!) and a lot of power and extra-base hits. 2. Royce Lewis - Cedar Rapids Kernels/Ft. Myers Miracle – 121 games, 141-483, .292/.352/.451 (.803), 29-2B, 3-3B, 14-HR, 83 R, 74 RBI. The top pick in the 2017 draft had a strong first full season in pro baseball. He began the season in Cedar Rapids, where he finished the 2017 season, and did well. In 75 games for the Kernels, he hit .315/.368/.485 (.853) with 23 doubles and nine home runs. Many of those extra-base hits came in his final 40 games with the Kernels. He made the Midwest League all-star team and a few weeks later, he was promoted to Ft. Myers. In his 46 games with the Miracle, he hit .255/.327/.399 (.726) with six doubles, three triples and five home runs. Lewis impressed at shortstop, and he led the organization with 28 stolen bases. In the Florida State League championship series, he hit three homers to help the Miracle to the championship. There is a lot of reason for excitement in Lewis’s future. Hitter of the Year Alex Kirilloff – Cedar Rapids Kernels/Ft. Myers Miracle – 130 games, 178-512, .348/.392/.578 (.970), 44-2B, 7-3B, 20-HR, 75 R, 101 RBI. I mean, it was probably the easiest choice of all of our 2018 Twins Minor League award votes. All six of our voters chose outfielder Alex Kirilloff as the 2018 Twins Minor League Hitter of the Year. Kirilloff’s 2018 season was as impressive as we have seen in the Twins system in a number or years. Twins Minor League Director Jeremy Zoll summed it up pretty nicely. “Just a phenomenal season for Alex. To see what he’s done after missing a whole year last year. Start to finish. Wire to wire really just continue to take amazing at-bats and do damage to the baseball has been extremely fun to watch.” It almost makes one forget that Kirilloff missed the entire 2017 season after having Tommy John surgery last March. He was cleared for all baseball activities by about Thanksgiving last year, and he was a full-go in spring training. He began the season in the cold of Cedar Rapids. In his first three games, he went 1-for-12. And from that point forward, he was remarkably consistent. In 65 games in Cedar Rapids, he hit .333/.391/.607 (.999). Then in Ft. Myers, he played 65 games and hit .362/.393/.550 (.943). Kirilloff said, “Cold weather was a factor for the beginning of the MWL season, after that I adjusted well and enjoyed that league in general playing wise. FSL air is a lot thicker, not a hitter-friendly league.” He enjoyed the opportunity to play in the Midwest League All-Star Game. “The Midwest League All-Star Game was a blast. Having a bunch of my family there from Michigan was really special for me. Sharing the time with Royce (Lewis) and Jared (Finkel) made it even better.” Following the All-Star Game, Kirilloff went directly to the Ft. Myers Miracle. In his second game, he had four hits and followed it up with a three-hit game. A few weeks later, Kirilloff represented the Twins on Team USA at the Futures Game. His manager was Torii Hunter. LaTroy Hawkins was the team’s pitching coach. Matthew Lecroy was on the coaching staff. Miracle hitting coach Steve Singleton was the Team USA hitting coach for the game. Singleton said recently that he and the other coaches knew the Kirilloff would have a great showing. “Torii, LaTroy and I joked in the staff meeting at the Futures Game that our guy would get two hits, then he did.” Kirilloff went 2-for-2 in the game and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. “The Futures Game was an incredible experience. Have to say it tops the Midwest League All Star Game a little bit. Just being a part of All-Star week, playing in D.C., and playing in a big league stadium in front of that crowd was fun. On top of that being around the caliber of players that were there made that whole thing awesome as well.” Kirilloff was excited to share the two All-Star game experiences. “Best part about both of them was just the opportunity to be there, and to share it with my wife and family. Both weren’t something I was really thinking about or on my radar at the beginning of the year.” When he returned to the Miracle lineup, he had multi-hit games in eight of his next nine games. He had hits in 27 of his next 28 games. Singleton discussed working with Kirilloff in Ft. Myers and the talent that he possesses. “It was an absolute pleasure having AK this year. Obviously, the talent is special, but the person is even better. He is very mature for his age, stays even- keeled, goes about his work the right way and is a great teammate. He was a leader on the team without ever asserting himself that way. He handled himself like a veteran in a tough league and dominated it in his first full season. Offensively, he is ahead of anyone I have ever been around at 20 years old.” The consistency that Kirilloff showed throughout the season can be illustrated by the below tweet showing where his line drives and fly balls went in 2018. Kirilloff uses the whole field as well as anyone. So, it is fair to ask Mr. Zoll how much he considered pushing Kirilloff up to Double-A Chattanooga. His response: “When you perform like that, that consistently, that long, it definitely is a thought that crosses people’s minds, and showed up in discussions internally. Ultimately just trying to make sure we’re doing what’s best for Alex’s long-term development here. Also very excited that he gets to play in the Florida State League championship, meaningful games in August to get into the playoffs. And with Royce, with (Brusdar) Graterol, with a nice little core there with the Miracle. ” That trio played in the Florida State League championship series, and that trio helped the Miracle to their second Florida State League championship in the last five years. Kirilloff said, “Being a part of any playoff run is always exciting. The group of guys we had, our coaching staff, and front office really made this one special. Was really happy and pleased that we started clicking and playing really good baseball as a team down the stretch. Then we’re fortunate enough to continue that into the playoffs and do what we did. Incredible year!” While this is a hitting award, it was important to ask Jeremy Zoll about Kirilloff’s defense and specifically his arm. “Alex is really technically sound out there. He’ll be the first to tell you that he’s not a burner by any stretch, but he makes the plays that everyone expects him too. The arm has really good carry on it still, and no lingering effects from the surgery and missing all that time.” Singleton said, “He has committed himself to his speed and athleticism this offseason and I expect him to improve from this season to next...as crazy as that sounds.” Jeremy Zoll said, “It’s been cool for him, and on top of being a great player, he’s a great person and a great representative for the organization.” What a year 2018 was for Alex Kirilloff. And, as voters, we appreciate him making the voting quite easy this year! The Ballots In an attempt to be transparent, here are the votes from our Twins Daily minor league writers: Seth Stohs – 1) Alex Kirilloff, 2) Royce Lewis, 3) Brent Rooker, 4) Taylor Grzelakowski, 5) Zander Wiel, 6) Luis Arraez, 7) Jose Miranda, 8) Akil Baddoo Jeremy Nygaard – 1) Alex Kirilloff, 2) Royce Lewis, 3) Zander Wiel, 4) Brent Rooker, 5) Jaylin Davis, 6) Luis Arraez, 7) Akil Baddoo, 8) Michael Davis Cody Christie – 1) Alex Kirilloff, 2) Brent Rooker, 3) Royce Lewis, 4) Jaylin Davis, 5) Taylor Grzelakowski, 6) Akil Baddoo, 7) Willians Astudillo, 8) Zander Wiel Tom Froemming – 1) Alex Kirilloff, 2) Royce Lewis, 3) Brent Rooker, 4) Taylor Grzelakowski, 5) Zander Wiel, 6) Akil Baddoo, 7) Jaylin Davis, 8) LaMonte Wade Steve Lein – 1) Alex Kirilloff, 2) Royce Lewis, 3) Brent Rooker, 4) Ryan Jeffers, 5) Zander Wiel 6) Taylor Grzelakowski, 7) Luis Arraez, 8) Jose Miranda Ted Schwerzler – 1) Alex Kirilloff, 2) Royce Lewis, 3) Brent Rooker, 4) Zander Wiel, 5) Taylor Grzelakowski, 6) Jaylin Davis, 7) Akil Baddoo, 8) Jose Miranda Feel free to discuss. What do you think? Do you agree with our rankings? How would your ballot look? View full article