Seth Stohs

He was one of the youngest players in the Midwest League in 2016 and led the league in hitting. He was one of the youngest guys in the Florida State league in 2017, but in the third game, he blew out his knee beating out a hit and missed the rest of the year. So he came back this year and got off to a very slow start, but in the last 3-4 weeks, he's been back on fire. He''s not a big guy. He's not terribly fast or athletic. He doesn't' really have a position, though 2B would be his best spot. But he can hit, and he can put the ball in play. He's still very young and will continue to move up. He's got a chance.

Nick Gordon was one of the youngest players in the Southern League in 2017. He was an All Star and played in the Futures Game. Despite a strong showing in spring training with the Twins, Gordon returned to Chattanooga to start the 2018 where he was again one of the youngest players in the league. Last month, he was promoted to Triple-A Rochester where he is again one of the youngest in the league. Recently we caught up with the talented 22-year-old about his season, but we also asked him about his music debut and some of his rap influences. Image courtesy of Seth Stohs, Twins Daily (photo of Nick Gordon) Nick Gordon went to big league camp this year as a non-roster invite for the second straight year. When he was sent back to minor league camp, Paul Molitor was asked about his spring. Molitor said, “I think he was a lot more comfortable. We saw him swinging the bat pretty well for the most part. We saw him on both sides of the base defensively. There's still some work to be done there in terms of consistency. You have to be pleased with the way he's progressed offensively. His at-bats were really competitive when he got the opportunity to play.“ So it was surprising to most when the season began and he was sent back to Chattanooga. Gordon took the decision in stride. “They pretty much have a plan for me, and I trust what they have.” Gordon continued, “There was a thing that I have to develop and get better that I know as well. It’s all about learning, becoming a better player, a better teammate, all those things. It all goes into being a great player regardless of AA or AAA. Whenever they felt I was ready for AAA, they made that decision.” Through 42 games with the Lookouts, Gordon was hitting .333/.381/.525 (.906) with 10 doubles, three triples, five homers and seven stolen bases. In late May, he finally got that call to move up to Triple-A Rochester. Through his first 34 games with the Red Wings, he has had some ups and downs. He’s hitting .256/.276/.357 (.633) with seven doubles and three homers. Gordon acknowledges that it has been an adjustment. “Definitely, pitchers mix up pitches pretty well. They command their offspeed pitches. You grow with the level, and guys here are definitely experienced. There are guys who have been in the big leagues and guys who are on the verge of being in the big leagues. So, it’s definitely guys who know how to command the strike zone. They don’t give in too much.” Gordon got off to a fast start, and then he struggled, and that’s where the adjustments come. In AAA, he does have those veteran types to use as mentors, to ask questions and to watch them work. “I definitely try to learn as much as I can from my teammates, and guys that you play against here and have been in the big leagues and done great things. You look at the things they do and you take from that and you learn from that. Definitely being young in the game, there is a lot to learn. So I just try to take it all in, sit back and hear what everybody has to say, try new things, see what works for me and works for my game.” Last summer, Nick Gordon had just finished playing in the Futures Game when we talked to him. He had just met Christina Milian and got his picture with her. We talked baseball, but we also talked music. Music is an important part of Gordon’s life for a variety of reasons. This offseason, he put out his first single under his stage name “G Cinco.” I’m the Man became a very popular song and video on YouTube and people started talking about Nick Gordon, the rapper. Over the course of the offseason, he dropped an online album full of songs that he wrote and recorded. It wasn’t necessarily something he was planning on doing. Asked if it was in the plans when we talked a year ago, Gordon said, “Not really. It just kind of happened. It spontaneously happened. People heard the song and they went online and it took off from there.” Unlike playing baseball, Gordon didn’t have goals or expectations for gauging his music’s success. It’s just something that he enjoys, and he feels that it has helped him on the baseball field as well. “ “The game of baseball comes with a lot of pressure, but that’s what we signed up for. Music is... sometimes you just need to clear your mind. To be honest, it helps me keep my focus. There are things in my music that are toward the game of baseball. That music puts me in a place where I feel like I can get a lot done.” Fans have enjoyed it, but so have his teammates, friends and others around the game. He says that his teammates “all enjoy it. They play it. Kind of mess around with it.” Gordon continued, “I’ve actually had a couple of people walk up to it. (Dan) Vogelbach plays with my brother. He walked up to it. Sweeney walks up to it. We’ve got a Low A pitcher who walks up to it as his song. We’ve got some guys who enjoy it. I hear a lot from people who listen to it and things like that. It’s definitely fun to get a reaction from those guys.” He also recorded several videos for his songs with his friends. “It was pretty cool. It was a couple of my guys that I get to hang out with in the offseason, some of my best friends that I grew up with. We have fun with it and act crazy on camera and do whatever comes to mind. We enjoy it.” Gordon’s music is unique. So who does he model his rap style after, and what is important to him about it? “I wouldn’t say I model myself after anyone. I like all music that has meaning to it, where you can kind of relate to it. So much is things that sound good, the party beats and things like that. They don’t catch my attention. I like the songs that make you feel good. I like music with a meaning. I like artists that can tell stories. I like listening to Drake a lot because of the lyrics, and J. Cole. The music they make, it’s relatable. That’s the kind of music I like to listen to.” He’s heard from some people in the rap industry. He’s seen his music posted by others in the music business on social media sites. “Just to see that is pretty cool.” However, it is important for Nick Gordon to make sure people know what is most important to him. “All in all, I’m a baseball player. For me, hopefully someday, I’ll be on ESPN rather than MTV.” When the interview added, “Or both?,” Gordon laughed and agreed, “Or both… yeah!” So yes, back to baseball. Gordon puts in early work often throughout the week. He understands that while he is one step from the big leagues, there are still things that he needs to improve upon. There is one thing that he is focusing on most right now. “Definitely trusting myself instinctually defensively. That’s definitely something for me that I’ve been working on day in and day out here. Being an athlete, it’s a process. I definitely feel like I’m progressing. I know I can swing the bat. I know I can put the bat on the ball. It’s about fine-tuning and becoming a professional hitter. It’s not just about making contact. It’s not just about base hits. It’s about having an approach. Having a plan at the plate. Staying disciplined.” With the Lookouts, Gordon played 34 games at shortstop and six games at second base. Since joining the Red Wings, he has played 25 games at shortstop with nine games at second. Since Gregorio Petit was outrighted back to the Red Wings, the two have alternated between the two positions. That’s something that Gordon is completely on board with. “I feel good at both. I get a lot of work at both. I’m playing second tonight. I feel comfortable around the base on both sides, so it’s just about going out there and being an athlete.” At the same time, Gordon also acknowledges that being just one call away from the big leagues is exciting. It’s getting closer. “Definitely can’t wait for it. Feel like you’re so close and so far away and all you can do is work. Whatever is going to happen is going to take care of itself. But when that day does come, words won’t be able to explain it. It’s the same as when I got drafted, still the same excitement.” Nick Gordon enjoyed his success as G Cinco, and it’s likely something that will continue in the offseason. He enjoys music, but he is a baseball player first and foremost. He’s following the dream that he’s had his entire life. Since he was young, he was often in big league clubhouses with his dad. His brother has won batting titles and stolen base titles, and he’s been an All Star. But Nick Gordon is following his own path, making his own waves. That big league life and storyline will likely begin soon, and he’s going to enjoy it. “For me, I’m blessed to have a uniform on, so whether it’s AA or AAA or the big leagues, I’m just grateful to be playing the game.” View full article

It's also .806 in AAA, including .921 just last year. I couldn't care less what his stats were 3-4 years ago. While I agree that if Rosario, Buxton and Kepler are all playing, he's a role player, he's a 4th outfielder. But I definitely think that he could be an OK starter, and he's worth giving opportunity to. He's' 25. That's not old. And, players develop at different paces. He also missed time earlier in his career with injury. So, I just personally think its' silly to say he can't be something. I'm not saying he's a future all star.

Re Sano: let's just take this day-by-day. It was a good game for him. For now, that is what it is. I do think he's down for awhile. Hopefully the mechanics are getting closer, and hopefully this is a sign of improved pitch recognition. Ceiling - Graterol's is significantly higher than Thorpe's. That's not a knock on Thorpe at all. But Graterol's got a FB at 98-101 with a potentially-wipeout slider and a changeup. Thorpe has four pitches that all have the potential to be at least average. Low-90s fastball. Good curveball. Improved changeup. Sometimes a slider.

He should be up July 2nd (unless there is a rain out before then).

They're rookies, in their first years as players. Of course they aren't finished products, but they both have potential. The others mentioned are limited role players.

Garver and Cave don''t quite fit into the rest of that group. They're both rookies with upsides. The others are admittedly journeymen.

To be determined in about 10-12 more days. If hes' still completely lost, then sure. If not, ,get him up here to continue. Also, 20 days for rehab, but the Twins could also "option" him after that point, and if they call him up within something like 10 days, the option wouldn't count.

The Twins made it official. Jake Cave has been recalled from Rochester.

No reason to not use the full 20 days.

That's the rumor... hasn't' been made official yet. Should be this morning.

Slight overreaction?

Adalberto Mejia continued to make his case for another opportunity with the Twins with a strong showing in Game 1 of a double header for the Red Wings. He was good, but his performance would likely rank second out of three really strong starts in the Twins system on Monday night. There wasn’t a lot of offense in the system, in part because Elizabethton got rained out, but there were some big, clutch hits.Keep reading to find out more on the night in the Twins minor league system on Monday. As always, please feel free to discuss and ask questions. TRANSACTIONS Fernando Romero was placed back on the Rochester roster. Jordan Pacheco was reinstated from the Disabled List. Wynston Sawyer was placed on the disabled list with a fractured hamate bone. RED WINGS REPORT Game 1 - Rochester 4, Syracuse 1 Box Score Adalberto Mejia put together another terrific start. Will it be his last with the Red Wings before re-joining the Twins rotation? The left-hander gave up one run on just two hits over six innings. He didn’t allow a hit until there was an out in the sixth inning. He walked two and struck out four. John Curtiss gave up a hit and walked two in the seventh, but he didn’t give up a run and recorded his seventh save. LaMonte Wade provided the power. His first AAA homer, a three-run shot, was more than enough for the Red Wings. Zack Granite and Willians Astudillo each added a double. Granite stole his ninth base. Astudillo was hit by a pitch in his second plate appearance and left the game. Byron Buxton’s rehab continued, and he went 0-4 with two strikeouts. Game 2 - Rochester 3, Syracuse 2 (8 innings) Box Score The second game of the double header needed an extra inning to decide it. It was a bullpen game for the Red Wings as Gabriel Moya started. In 2 2/3 innings, he gave up a run on four hits. He struck out three without issuing a walk. DJ Baxendale came on and threw two scoreless innings. He gave up four hits and struck out one. Nick Andersen then threw 2 1/3 innings. He gave up no runs on two hits. He walked none and struck out two. Tyler Duffey got the eighth inning and took the loss. He gave up two runs (1 earned, due to starting the inning at second base) on one hit and an intentional walk. Jordan Pacheco, returning from the DL, went 2-for-3 with an RBI. Edgar Corcino also played his first Red Wings game of this season and hit his first double. The Red Wings had just five hits. Byron Buxton went 1-for-4 with two strikeouts in this game. CHATTANOOGA CHATTER Chattanooga 2, Biloxi 4 Box Score Kohl Stewart had another solid start on Monday night. The right-hander gave up one run on eight hits over 6 1/3 innings. He walked two and struck out eight batters. Sam Clay came on and gave up a run on two hits and a walk and recorded two outs. He struck one out. Ryne Harper gave up a hit and a walk in a scoreless inning. Tyler Jay pitched the ninth and gave up one run on two hits and a walk. He struck out one. Alex Perez led the offense. He went 2-for-4 with his fifth double and an RBI. Andy Wilkins went 1-for-2 with two walks and his fourth double. Brent Rooker added his 16th double. MIRACLE MATTERS Ft. Myers Box Score No Game Scheduled. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 3, Beloit 0 Box Score Bryan Sammons was the start of this game for the Kernels. The 2017 draft pick tossed eight shutout innings. He gave up five hits, walked one and struck out five. With the Win, he improves to 4-4 with a 2.69 ERA. Calvin Faucher recorded his second save. He gave up a hit and a walk, and struck out two, in maintaining and completing the shutout. Jose Miranda led the offense with his 15th and 16th doubles. Jordan Gore was 2-for-3 with an RBI. Jacob Pearson hit a single and walked. Royce Lewis walked twice and stole his 17th base. David Banuelos hit his seventh double. E-TWINS E-TALK Elizabethton , Johnson City Box Score Rain and poor field condition meant no game for the E-Twins on Monday night. GCL Twins Talk GCL Twins 5, GCL Rays 2 Box Score After a tough first outing, Andriu Marin put together a good start on Monday. He gave up two runs on three hits over five innings. He walked two and struck out five. Lefty Petru Balan threw two scoreless innings. He gave up two hits and a walk while striking out one. Steven Cruz picked up his first Save after throwing two shutout frames. He gave up two hits and struck two out. Victor Tademo went 3-for-5. Estamy Urena went 2-for-3 with two walks. Kidany Salva was 2-for-3. He was also hit by a pitch, had a sacrifice fly and a stolen base. Austin Hale caught the second half of the game and knocked his first double. Aaron Whitefield’s rehab continued as he went 1-for-4 with a walk. STARS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Hitter of the Day: Victor Tademo, GCL Twins (3-5) Twins Daily Pitcher of the Day: Bryan Sammons, Cedar Rapids Kernels (8 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K) PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed: #1 - Royce Lewis (Cedar Rapids) - 0-2, 2 BB, R, SB(17) #2 - Fernando Romero (Minnesota) - Did not pitch #3 - Nick Gordon (Rochester) - 1-8, R, 2 K #4 - Stephen Gonsalves (Rochester) - Did not pitch #5 - Alex Kirilloff (Cedar Rapids) - No Game. #6 - Wander Javier - out of for the season #7 - Brent Rooker (Chattanooga) - 1-4, 2B(16), K #8 - Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) - Did not pitch #9 - Brusdar Graterol (Cedar Rapids) - Did not pitch #10 - Akil Baddoo (Cedar Rapids) - 0-4, K #11 - Zack Littell (Rochester) - Did not pitch #12 - Lewis Thorpe (Chattanooga) - Did not pitch #13 - Lewin Diaz (Ft. Myers) - No Game #14 - LaMonte Wade (Rochester) - 1-5, 2 BB, HR(1), 2 R, 3 RBI, 2 K #16 - Ben Rortvedt (Ft. Myers) - No Game #17 - Travis Blankenhorn (Ft. Myers) - No Game #18 - Yunior Severino (Elizabethton Twins) - Game rained out #19 - Tyler Jay (Chattanooga) - 1 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K (1 HR allowed) #20 - Felix Jorge (Chattanooga) - Disabled List, began rehab on June 19. TUESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Rochester @ Syracuse (6:35 CST) - RHP Zack Littell (1-3, 3.05 ERA) Biloxi @ Chattanooga (10:15 am CST) - LHP Lewis Thorpe (4-4, 4.26 ERA) Ft. Myers @ Tampa (5:30 CST) - LHP Tyler Watson (0-0, 5.29 ERA) Beloit @ Cedar Rapids (6:35 CST) - RHP Edwar Colina (2-2, 3.68 ERA) Johnson City @ Elizabethton (5:00 CST) - TBD GCL Rays @ GCL Twins (11:00 am CST) - TBD Please feel free to ask any questions about Monday’s games, or ask any questions you may have. Click here to view the article

2018 has been an interesting year for Jake Cave, full of twists and turns, ups and downs. He just might be on the verge of joining the Twins again this week. After spending the majority of his professional career in the New York Yankees system, he was traded to the Twins late in spring training. With two more option years remaining after 2018, the roller coaster ride may just be beginning for the 25-year-old outfielder. Recently, Twins Daily caught up with the outfielder to get to know him.Jake Cave grew up in Virginia where he enjoyed watching AL East baseball. “I was an Orioles fan. I liked the Orioles and the Red Sox actually. And, I was a huge Cal Ripken Jr fan growing up. That was my guy to watch growing up. He was my favorite of all-time.” At the same time, he was working his way up the amateur ranks in Hampton, first at Hampton Christian and then at Kecoughtan. Following his senior season, he was drafted by the New York Yankees in the sixth round. He had a difficult decision to make. Professional baseball or college ball at one of the top baseball programs in the country? “I was committed to LSU, but really, I wanted to play pro ball. I wanted to play baseball. I had to play the cards right, and commit and let teams know that I was OK with going to college. But in reality, I wanted to get my career started.” He signed and went to the Yankees Gulf Coast League affiliate. In his first game, he got into a collision with the catcher at home plate. He fractured his kneecap. He missed the rest of the 2011 season and all of the 2012 season. He returned in 2013 and spent the full season in Low A ball. He split 2014 between High-A and Double-A ball. He spent most of the 2015 season at Double-A Trenton. While he always had a lot of tools, the stats didn’t necessarily show up early in his career. He put up real solid numbers, but there was always a hint that there was more in him, and as he moved up, the stat lines started to catch up to the tools. Following that 2015 season, the Cincinnati Reds made Cave their Rule 5 pick. He stuck with them right until the end of spring training when he was returned to the Yankees. Certainly there was some disappointment in not making the team, but it was something that Cave enjoyed and learned a lot from. “It was a great experience to be in another organization. To get to spend time with Jay Bruce and Joey Votto and guys like that was awesome. Obviously I was a little bummed to be sent back, but I feel like I got better for it. It was a really fun experience.” Upon returning to the Yankees, Cave played with a new confidence. In 2016, he started back in AA, but after about a month, he moved up to AAA. He received an invitation to Yankees big league camp in 2017 and had a terrific season in Scranton/Wilkes Barre. He hit .324/.367/.554 (.921) with 13 doubles and 15 home runs.The stat line had finally caught up to the tools. “I was always thought about as a guy who could run a little bit, and I could hit. The stats just weren’t showing what I knew I could do. When I came back from the Reds, it was one of those thing where, I just played a full big league camp with some really good players and I showed that I deserved to be there. I said, ‘I’m just going to go out and play and try to drive the ball a little more and play with a little more confidence.’ Ever since then, I’ve felt great.” The Yankees added him to their 40-man roster last November. He returned to big league camp, this time on the roster. But that’s when things started getting interesting and wheels started spinning frantically. “It was a crazy camp, for sure. It was one of those things where the Yankees were making a bunch of moves, and I had just been put on the roster. I had a feeling that something might happen. When I got DFAd, I knew there were teams that wanted to trade for me. I had no idea about the Twins. I kind of had to sit around for a full week. Then I got traded over to the Twins at the end of camp, so I really didn’t know too many people. It was a whole process that made this spring a little tough. I got to meet guys with the Twins, and I feel comfortable now.” The Twins sent right-handed pitcher Luis Gil to the Yankees in exchange for the outfielder. Gil, a 20-year-old who spent the last two years in the Dominican Summer League, has made one start for the Pulaski Yankees in the Appalachian League and gave up two runs in four innings. With just a week before Opening Day, Jake Cave arrived at the Twins clubhouse in Ft. Myers. Paul Molitor put him in the lineup that first day. “It was cool. I was glad I could get right into the lineup. I really hadn’t seen live pitching for a week, so I wanted to get out there and play. I’m glad they did that for me.” A couple of days later, he was sent down to minor league camp to really get ready for the start of the season. “Then when I got sent back to minor league camp, I got a lot of at bats, so I felt good. I was getting back into the baseball mentality and getting ready for the season.” In mid-May, Joe Mauer went on the Disabled List with a cervical strain and concussion-like symptoms. Sitting in Rochester, Jake Cave got a late-night call. It was a very exciting moment in the outfielder’s life. “It was awesome. I was freaking out. I got a call from the AAA manager. I made my first phone calls to my mom, my dad, my sister. Of course, it was at midnight. My sister and my mom answered, but my dad was asleep. I ended up calling my dad the next morning at 5:30 when I was at the airport waiting to get on a 6:00 flight. That was cool.” The memories continued as Cave arrived in Minneapolis. “It’s something you dream about forever. To walk into the clubhouse and see my name on the locker was indescribable. Walking around, shaking hands with the guys, Everyone saying Congrats. It’s pretty breathtaking, it’s pretty cool. I will never forget it.” The game started and Cave found himself in the lineup. But was his family able to get to Target Field on time? “They made it. Barely. My mom and sister made it in the first inning, and my dad made it like five minutes before my second at bat when I hit the home run, so it was pretty cool.” Speaking of pretty cool, Twins fans remember Cave’s second at bat which resulted in his first hit and his first big league home run. Cave has seen the video which is pretty much his memory of the moment. Can you imagine the feeling of your first hit? Now imagine it is a home run. What an amazing trip around the bases. “I think I kind of blacked out. Rounding the bases was the coolest feeling I’ve ever had. The guys were excited. I was excited. I saw the video and saw how excited my family was. It’s a moment I will never forget.” Since then, he has been sent back to Rochester. He was called up again and had a four-hit game. Needing pitching, Cave was optioned again. But it is clear that Jake Cave can help the Twins in 2018 and beyond. “I take pride in being able to play all three positions in the outfield. That can be a help for any outfielder. I’m playing mostly in the corner outfield here in AAA. The few starts I’ve had up there have been in centerfield, and I felt really comfortable with that. Everybody says you’re either going to hit or not going to hit, so I’m just going to keep going with that. To be able to come into the game late in left or right or center, or if I start a game in left or right or center, I just want to keep improving on that.” He’s had some solid mentors throughout the minor leagues, especially in the upper levels and Triple-A. “Whenever you have guys like (Gregorio) Petit and CC (Chris Carter), even if they’re not trying to give you a lesson, just being around them and seeing how they go about their business and play the game, it helps. I had some more guys like that with the Yankees. And Bobby Wilson, earlier in the year. These veterans, they just kind of go about their business in a different way. They’ve been around for awhile, and they don’t really let things hang over their head. They understand the ups and downs of the game, so I take that away from these guys.” There is still a little more than half of the season to go. Aside from getting back to the big leagues and potentially staying there, his goals are more process-driven. “I don’t have any big goals. Everybody says their goal is to get back to the big leagues. I just want to be consistent. I want to be consistent with my work, the same routine I use every day. My cage routine. Trying to do my routine in the weight room and in the training room to keep my body healthy. I just want to keep doing that all year because if I do that, then I will have results, and hopefully get back up there and see what happens.” Jake Cave will likely find himself making that Rochester to Minneapolis (or wherever the Twins are at the moment) flight, and probably a couple of Minneapolis to Rochester flights as well. But the 25-year-old clearly has a lot of talent and still has a lot of potential. He can hit. He can hit for some power. He can run. He’s pretty solid at all three outfield positions. Whether it is as a fourth outfielder or as a part-time starter, Jake Cave is a player that can help the Minnesota Twins win baseball games. “When they sent me down, they just told me to keep playing and they’ll be watching.” --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We’ll end with a couple of fun, get to know him a little bit more questions: What is your walk-up song? “I’ve had the same walk up song all year. It’s been Method Man and Redman, the Rock WAter. A little throwback rap music.” What is your favorite baseball movie? “Favorite baseball movie. That’s tough. It’s got to be either The Sandlot or For the Love of the Game. It’s a toss up. There’s Bull Durham and The Natural.” Click here to view the article

He DHd for Ft. Myers Sunday. He's supposed to face Ervin Santana in some Live BP today in Ft. Myers. He's supposed to play SS for Ft. Myers in Tuesday. I would suspect they'll get him up to Rochester soon after that. And again, I am assuming that when Polanco moves up to Rochester, Royce Lewis will move up to Ft. Myers.

Buxton's added back a little bit of a leg kick. "They" aren't changing anything about his mechanics. He's working with Chad Allen, te Red Wings hitting coach. It's not the same as Sano's situation. Buxton just needs to get healthy, which he appears to be. When he gets on, he's been running, stealing bases. He's striking out a bunch. But it's a far different situation than the Sano situation. I also think it will/should be Cave, but Buxton will be up soon. They may give him the full 20 days of rehab, but he'll be back up soon.

I know that's a fun line of thinking for a lot of people, but this move does a couple of things. First, opens up a bullpen spot on a day they need an extra arm, but second, allows them to give Romero a break, help out with his eventual innings limit. Also, I don't think that it can be argued that Romero has struggled more of late. As Molitor said, he hasn't been horrendous, but his innings have been laborious. He'll be back. Also, Adalberto Mejia deserves a shot too. And here's my shortened version... I think plenty of organizations would make the same move under the same circumstances.

As an outfielder, he would make a great DH defensively.

Saturday’s three most upper-level starting pitchers each put together quality starts. Alex Kirilloff continued to rake. With news that Jorge Polanco’s rehab will begin on Sunday and he’ll spend a few games with the Miracle, is it possible we now have our timeline for Royce Lewis to join Kirilloff in Ft. Myers? Maybe. It was another 19-year-old who had the big hits for the Kernels on this day, and another 19-year-old picked up his first career save. So much in Saturday’s report, so check it out below.Keep reading to find out more on the night in the Twins minor league system on Wednesday. As always, please feel free to discuss and ask questions. TRANSACTIONS Following the Twins Saturday loss to Texas, the team announced that RHP Fernando Romero had been optioned to Rochester. A corresponding move will be announced on Sunday morning. (Reports are that Alan Busenitz will get the call.)Jim Callis tweeted that the Twins have signed fifth-round draft pick, RHP Cole Sands, from Florida State. He got $600,000 (slot $340,000). Callis later updated his tweet to point out that he has “agreed to terms” and not yet signed. But, that will happen.RED WINGS REPORTRochester 2, Scranton/Wilkes Barre 4 Box Score Aaron Slegers put together another quality start, but it wasn’t enough on this night. Slegers gave up three runs on eight hits in 6 1/3 innings. He struck out four and didn’t walk a batter. Luke Bard gave up one run on two hits and a walk in 1 2/3 innings. He struck out two. Gabriel Moya struck out one in a 1-2-3 inning. Nick Gordon led the offense with a 3-for-4 game. Willians Astudillo went 2-for-4 with his 11th double. Kennys Vargas had a single and a walk. CHATTANOOGA CHATTER Chattanooga 2, Biloxi 5 Box Score The Lookouts got a quality start from right-hander Sean Poppen. He was charged with three unearned runs on six hits over 6 2/3 innings. He struck out five without issuing a walk. Ryne Harper came on and gave up two runs on three hits in 1 1/3 innings. He walked one and struck two out. Paco Rodriguez struck out one in a perfect inning. Andy WIlkins led the offense. He was 2-for-4 with his second and third doubles. Brent Rooker knocked his 11th home run of the season MIRACLE MATTERS Ft. Myers 8, Bradenton 3 Box Score Alex Kirilloff kept things going on Saturday night. The 2016 first-round pick went 3-for-5 with his first FSL double. Luis Arraez went 2-for-5 with his 13th double. Travis Blankenhorn and Ben Rortvedt each went 2-for-5 in the game. Brandon Lopez was 2-for-2 with a walk. Griffin Jax provided the Miracle with a quality start. The right-hander gave up three runs (two earned) on six hits over seven innings. He walked on and struck out one. Ryan Mason finished the final two innings. He gave up three hits, but no runs. He struck out two without issuing a walk. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 5, Wisconsin 3 Box Score Jean Carlos Arias provided the big hit in this one. Following a Jacob Pearson RBI double, Arias drilled a three-run homer. Arias went 3-for-4 with his fourth double and third triple. Pearson went 2-for-4. The double was his sixth since joining the Kernels in late May. Jordan Gore went 2-for-3. Jordan Balazovic gave up three runs on ten hits over five innings. He struck out nine without a walk. Blayne Enlow came on and recorded his first career save with four scoreless innings. He gave up two hits, walked one and struck out four. E-TWINS E-TALK Elizabethton 0, Bristol 4 Box Score Well, the E-Twins weren’t going to win every game, and they weren’t going to score in double digits every game either. To see them get shut out is a little surprising though. A night after scoring 19 runs against the Pirates affiliate, the Twins managed just three hits and were shut out. Lean Marrero had two of the team’s hits. Brian Rapp made his first professional start after a strong career at Boston College. He gave up one run on two hits and two walks in 3 2/3 innings. He struck out five. Moises Gomez came on and gave up three runs on four hits over the next 2 1/3 innings. He struck out four. Juan Gamez struck out four over the final two innings. He gave up no runs on one hit and two walks. GCL TWINS TALK GCL Twins 1, GCL Red Sox 3 Box Score The GCL Twins lost for the first time this season on Saturday, but there were still a few highlights. Steven Cruz made his first start and threw four scoreless, hitless innings. He walked one and struck out six. Michael Montero made his season debut and gave up two runs (one earned) on five hits over three innings. He struck out two and didn’t walk a batter. Frandy Torres gave up one run on two hits and a walk and recorded just one out (on a strikeout). Tanner Howell came on and got the final two outs without further issues. The Twins had just three hits in the game. Yeison Perez had the lone extra base hit, a double. Victor Tademo went 1-for-3 with a walk. Agustin Marte walked twice and stole a base. STARS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Hitter of the Day: Jean Carlos Arias, Cedar Rapids Kernels (3-4, 3B(4), HR(3), 3 RBI) Twins Daily Pitcher of the Day: Blayne Enlow,, Cedar Rapids Kernels (4 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K, first career save) PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed: #1 - Royce Lewis (Cedar Rapids) - 1-4, RBI #2 - Fernando Romero (Minnesota) - Did not pitch, optioned to Rochester #3 - Nick Gordon (Rochester) - 3-4, R #4 - Stephen Gonsalves (Rochester) - Did not pitch #5 - Alex Kirilloff (Cedar Rapids) - 3-5, 2B(1), R, RBI, K #6 - Wander Javier - out of for the season #7 - Brent Rooker (Chattanooga) - 1-4, R, RBI, HR(11), K #8 - Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) - 4 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K (Save #1) #9 - Brusdar Graterol (Cedar Rapids) - Did not pitch #10 - Akil Baddoo (Cedar Rapids) - Did not play #11 - Zack Littell (Rochester) - Did not pitch #12 - Lewis Thorpe (Chattanooga) - Did not pitch #13 - Lewin Diaz (Ft. Myers) - 1-4, BB, R #14 - LaMonte Wade (Rochester) - 0-4, K #16 - Ben Rortvedt (Ft. Myers) - 2-5, R, RBI, K #17 - Travis Blankenhorn (Ft. Myers) - 2-5 #18 - Yunior Severino (Elizabethton Twins) - 0-3 #19 - Tyler Jay (Chattanooga) - Did not pitch #20 - Felix Jorge (Chattanooga) - Disabled List, began rehab on June 19. SUNDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Scranton/Wilkes Barre @ Rochester (12:05 CST) - LHP Dietrich Enns (5-6, 5.31 ERA) Biloxi @ Chattanooga (1:15 CST) - LHP Anthony Marzi (0-4, 8.10 ERA) Ft. Myers @ Bradenton (12:00 CST) - RHP Andro Cutura (3-2, 3.72 ERA) Wisconsin @ Cedar Rapids (2:05 CST) - RHP Brusdar Graterol (2-2, 2.48 ERA) Elizabethton @ Bristol (5:00 CST) - TBD GCL Twins - No Game Scheduled Please feel free to ask any questions about Saturday’s games, or ask any questions you may have. Click here to view the article

I get that it looks silly when 5-6 guys in the lineup have big days and Sano doesn't... But, even baseball in the FSL isn't easy. Pitchers probably made their best pitches against him. Even if he's completely locked in, he would have games like this one. So, let's not make a big deal out of this game. Nothing to see here. In addition, his swing was messed up. He's plate discipline and recognition was not good. That doesn't just fix itself overnight. Nothing to worry about here.

Inexplicable...