Seth Stohs

Hey ya'll, as you're waiting for the Twins to make the 20th pick tonight, check out your comments from a year ago when the Twins selected Royce Lewis...

I struggled with this for years!! Now, I just embrace it!

The Twins bullpen generally pitched quite well in May. More exciting, the Twins have lots of depth as they had several relievers in Rochester that had fantastic months. Were any of them our choice for Twins Daily Minor League Reliever of the Month, as Nick Anderson was in April? Well, you’ll just have to keep reading to find out. Today, we start our May Award series with the Twins minor league relief pitcher of the month. We’ll count down the Top 5 Twins minor league relievers, and there are enough good bullpen performances that we’ll include some honorable mentions.Before we share our choices for the Twins Minor League Top Five Relievers for April, here are some terrific bullpen performances that just missed the cut. HONORABLE MENTION John Curtiss, Rochester Red Wings, 8 G, 2.61 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 12.2 K/9, 10.1 IP, 6 H, 7 BB, 14 KLuke Bard, Rochester Red Wings, 8 G, 3.00 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 9.8 K/9, 12.0 IP, 9 H, 4 BB, 13 K.Cody Stashak, Chattanooga Lookouts, 7 G (1 GS), 1.88 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, 10.7 K/9, 14.1 IP, 8 H, 5 BB, 17 KRyan Mason, Ft. Myers Miracle, 8 G, 2.51 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 8.8 K/9, 14.1 IP, 14 H, 3 H, 14 KJovani Moran, Cedar Rapids Kernels, 8 G (1 GS), 2.50 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 13.0 K/9, 14 H, 7 BB, 26 K.THE TOP FIVE RELIEF PITCHERS #5 - Gabriel Moya - Rochester Red Wings - 8 G, 1.38 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, 13.0 IP, 9 H, 3 BB,18 K Moya made the Twins Opening Day roster wen Phil Hughes began the season on the disabled list. He was sent down to Rochester in late April. The 23-year-old southpaw from Venezuela had a strong first month in Rochester (remember, he jumped up to the big leagues directly from Double-A last year). Along with the solid numbers and striking out 12.5 batters per nine innings, opponents hit just .196/.260/.326 (.586) off of him in May. #4 - Andrew Vasquez - Ft. Myers Miracle - 8 G, 0.00 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 14.2 IP, 15 H, 2 BB, 18 K Another left-hander, Vasquez had a one-game stint in Chattanooga already this year. The Twins 32nd round pick in 2015 out of Westmont College has been moved along slowly, in large part due to some inconsistent control. After ending 2017 with the Miracle, he pitched well in the Arizona Fall League last year. He has returned to the Miracle, but he’s in need of a promotion to AA. In May, he struck out 11 batters per nine inning. He’s blessed with what should be a dominant slider. #3 - Nick Anderson - Rochester Red Wings - 8 G, 1.46 ERA, 0.65 WHIP, 12.1 IP, 3 H, 5 BB, 19 K Anderson was the Twins Daily April reliever of the month, and he was nearly as good in May. The Brainerd (Minnesota) native signed with the Twins out of the independent ranks late in the 2015 season. He has been blowing hitters away ever since and now finds himself one promotion from his big league dreams. In May, opponents hit a miniscule .077/.182/.154 (.336) off of him. He’ll turn 28 in early July. It’d be great to see him debut his big fastball/slider combination by then. #2 - Alan Busenitz - Rochester Red Wings - 8 G, 0.00 ERA, 0.77 WHIP, 13.0 IP, 7 H, 3 BB, 19 K It is inexplicable to the writer of this article why Busenitz is not in the big leagues. He dominates AAA, and he pitched very well last year and he got just four innings early this year in the big leagues. He’s got the big fastball and what can be a very good slider. In May, opponents hit just .159/.213/.159 (.372) against him. His 13.2 K/9 shows the type of dominance that he can have. And the Twins Minor League Relief Pitcher of the Month is: Chattanooga Lookouts – RHP Todd Van Steensel - 8 G, 1.13 ERA, 0.44 WHIP, 16.0 IP, 5 H, 2 BB, 17 K Van Steensel is the kind of player that you just can’t help but cheer for. Signed originally by the Phillies, he was released after one year. The Twins signed him, but after one season in Elizabethton, they released him. He played in Europe and in his native Australia and a couple of years later, the Twins brought him back, this time as a reliever. Since returning, Van Steensel has been one of the best relievers in the organization. He made over 100 appearances in Ft. Myers and despite a fantastic 2017 in Chattanooga, he’s there again in 2018. He put up incredible numbers again in May. Opponents hit just .100/.148/.120 (.268) off of him. He continues to rack up big strikeout numbers and his walk rate has certainly come down this year. Van Steensel frequently shows up in these reports, but he is very worthy of this award for May. There were several very strong relief pitcher performances in May throughout the Twins minor league system. As you can see from their representation, the Red Wings have had a strong bullpen this month. It was a good month for each of these pitchers mentioned today, but again, congratulations to the Twins Daily Minor League Relief Pitcher of the Month for May 2018, Todd Van Steensel. Click here to view the article

The Kernels scored nine. The Lookouts scored 13. Chattanooga and Ft. Myers got terrific starting pitching performances. Alex Kirilloff became the first Twins minor leaguer to reach double-digits in home runs. Find out which minor leaguers were named the organization’s Player and Pitcher of the Week. And, by the way, Eddie Rosario had an incredible game for the big league club.Keep reading to find out more on the events in the Twins minor league system on Sunday. As always, please feel free to discuss and ask questions. AWARDS The Twins announced that Cedar Rapids infielder Jose Miranda was the organization’s Player of the Week. Lookouts righty Omar Bencomo was named the organization’s Pitcher of the Week. TRANSACTIONS Almost surprisingly, there were no Twins minor league transactions on Sunday.RED WINGS REPORTRochester, Norfolk Box Score The game was delayed and soon after it was called. The game will be made up as part of a doubleheader in Rochester in July. CHATTANOOGA CHATTER Chattanooga 13, Mobile 5 Box Score Maybe Lewis Thorpe has figured things out in the Southern League. After posting his best start of the season last time out, he posted a new best start of the year on Sunday. The lefty from Australia threw six shutout innings. He gave up just three hits, walked two and struck out six. Sam Clay came on and was charged with five runs (two earned) on three hits and two walks over 1 2/3 innings. He struck out two. Zack Jones got the final four outs. He gave up a hit and walked one. The Lookouts offense was helped by some shaky pitching. They scored their 13 runs on just seven hits, but they also took 12 walks. A nine-run fifth inning started with an error. LaMonte Wade then hit his seventh home run. After an out, Mobile pitchers went on to walk six straight batters. When Wade came back to the plate, he added another run-scoring single. Wade led the way. He went 2-for-3 with a walk, his seventh homer and four RBIs. He also stole his fifth base. Zander Wiel went 2-for-5 with his 17th double. Chris Paul walked twice while Alex Perez and James Ramsey each walked twice. MIRACLE MATTERS Ft. Myers 3, St. Lucie 1 Box Score Right-hander Tyler Wells has had a strong start to his 2018 season for Ft. Myers. Wells put together the best start of his season on Sunday afternoon. In eight innings, Wells gave up just one run on two hits. The only blemish was a solo home run in the seventh inning. He walked one and struck out seven. He improved to 4-3 with a 2.86 ERA. Well noted following the outing, “I would say that commanding the inside part of the plate with my fastball was the key. Really made my offspeed better, and more effective!” As impressive, Wells completed eight innings for the first time this season and just the second time since being drafted in the 15th round of the 2016 draft out of college. Not only was it the first time he’d completed eight, it was the first time this season that he had made pitches in the seventh or eighth innings. Wells was at 90 pitches through seven innings and manager Ramon Borrego had him go out for the eighth. He finished with 101 pitches. Was he surprised he got the eighth inning? “I wouldn’t say surprised is the right word. I’ve had issues this season and many seasons before with pitch counts getting high very fast. So I would say I was pleased to get there and the fact I could finish it off strong!” Wells threw a one-two-three eighth inning and struck out the final two batters. Lefty Andrew Vasquez picked up his fourth save of the season with a scoreless ninth inning. He walked one and reduced his ERA to 0.64. With one out in the fifth inning, Taylor Grzelakowski walked. Jimmy Kerrigan was next to the plate and he hit a double to score Grzelakowski to give the Miracle a 1-0 lead. Following the game-tying home run in the seventh inning, the Miracle quickly responded with two runs in the top of the eighth inning. Caleb Hamilton and Luis Arraez walked. Then Brandon Lopez hit a double that scored Hamilton. Arraez scored on a passed ball with two outs to give the Miracle their third run. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 9, Burlington 10 Box Score The offense showed up in Burlington on Sunday afternoon, but unfortunately, the home team bats scored one more run. Alex Kirilloff got things going. He went 2-for-5 and hit his 10th home run of the season in the first inning. Jean Carlos Arias went 3-for-4 with his fourth double and also stole his fourth base. Andrew Bechtold went 2-for-4. Ben Rodriguez was 2-for-3 with a walk and a hit, a three-run homer. It was his third homer of the year. Edwar Colina gave up five runs on five hits. Unfortunately he recorded just five outs. He also walked two and struck out two. Jose Martinez came on and did a nice job. He gave up one run on two hits over 4 1/3 innings. He walked one and struck out three. Calvin Faucher gave up two runs on one hit and one walk. He struck out two in 1 2/3 innings. Carlos Suniaga got the final out of the eighth inning, but he got just one out in the ninth before taking the loss. Each of the four Kernels pitchers gave up one home run. STARS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Hitter of the Day: LaMonte Wade, Chattanooga Lookouts (2-3, BB, HR(7), 4 RBI, SB(5)) Twins Daily Pitcher of the Day: Lewis Thorpe, Chattanooga Lookouts (6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 6 K) or Tyler Wells, Fort Myers Miracle (8 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 8 K)... Vote here: PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed: #1 - Royce Lewis (Cedar Rapids) - 1-5, 2B(11), RBI, K #2 - Fernando Romero (Minnesota) - Did Not Pitch #3 - Nick Gordon (Rochester) - Rained Out. #4 - Stephen Gonsalves (Rochester) - Rained Out. #5 - Alex Kirilloff (Cedar Rapids) - 2-5, HR(10), R, RBI, K #6 - Wander Javier - out of for the season #7 - Brent Rooker (Chattanooga) - 0-3, BB, 2 K, RBI, SF #8 - Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) - Did Not Pitch #9 - Brusdar Graterol (Cedar Rapids) - Disabled List (hand contusion) #10 - Akil Baddoo (Cedar Rapids) - 0-5, R, K #11 - Zack Littell (Rochester) - Did Not Pitch (MLB Debut on Tuesday) #12 - Lewis Thorpe (Chattanooga) - 6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 6 K, 89 pitches, 59 strikes) #13 - Lewin Diaz (Ft. Myers) - Did not play. #14 - LaMonte Wade (Chattanooga) - 2-3, BB, HR(7), 4 RBI, SB(5) #16 - Ben Rortvedt (Cedar Rapids) - Did Not Play #17 - Travis Blankenhorn (Ft. Myers) - 0-3, BB, 2 K #18 - Yunior Severino (Extended Spring Training) - #19 - Tyler Jay (Chattanooga) - Did Not Pitch #20 - Felix Jorge (Chattanooga) - Disabled List, still no official timetable for return. MONDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Rochester - No Game Scheduled Mobile @ Chattanooga (6:15 CST) - RHP Kohl Stewart (3-3, 6.60 ERA) Palm Beach @ Ft. Myers (6:00 CST) - TBD Cedar Rapids - No Game Scheduled Please feel free to ask any questions about Sunday’s games, or ask any questions you may have. Click here to view the article

Pretty sure that Kirilloff won't end up in Chattanooga this year... He'll be in Ft. Myers within a copule of weeks... sitting just fine. I'm pretty sure that he won't be up in September....

Graterol was icing his hand before a game in the middle of the week, according to Jeff Johnson... but no information on what happened or severity. I don't think it sounds too serious.

Kirilloff and Mauer spent their draft season hitting well in Elizabethton. Mauer spent his first full season of minor league ball playing in the Midwst League. Kirilloff has spent the first two months of his first full season of minor league ball playing in the Midwest League. Obviously he missed all of last year cuz of Tommy John surgery, which makes it different. He will likely move up to Ft. Myers within the next two weeks.

Joe Mauer spent his whole first season in the Midwest League.

Looks familiar.... lots of similar names. http://twinsdaily.com/_/minnesota-twins-news/minnesota-twins-minor-leagues/ready-to-move-up-r6798

Reggie Meyer was terrific for the Gophers last night with 8 strong innings of one-run ball against Canisius in the first round of the Regional. Terrin Vavra and Toby Hanson each had three hits in the game. Tonight they play UCLA in the winners bracket.

They have some talented young hitters, but they're 2-4 years younger than the average player in the league, so these 18, 19 year olds are often hitting against 22-24 year olds. The talent will eventually rise (and these guys are even more exciting because of how well they are doing), but that has little to do with wins and losses. I think it's pretty impressive that such a young team is close to .500.

The program comes about because baseball is an Olympic sport again. So, by working with the Twins, he is working toward "preparing for the Olympics." Rosters won't even be considered until 2020 probably, so he's just doing work with the Twins.

Upside is probably a #2... More likely a 3-4 He's got the pitches, and he's got the makeup.

yes... here is the story from last month. http://twinsdaily.com/articles.html/_/minnesota-twins-news/minnesota-twins-minor-leagues/griffin-jaxs-baseball-career-resumes-r6715

Most teams would be thrilled to get a Restovich... He probably would have had a lot more MLB time if not for the presence of Jones, Hunter, Cuddyer, Ryan, Mohr, Ford, etc. all those years.

Just over a month ago, Griffin Jax learned that he had been accepted into the Air Force’s World Class Athlete Program. He’ll be able to keep pitching for the Twins while on active duty. He’s been working his way back in extended spring training and made his first start of the year for the Ft. Myers Miracle. Rochester got some strong pitching from a couple of familiar names as well as some power. Chattanooga was in Birmingham where weather caused their game to start very late. And Alex Kirilloff continued to rake.Keep reading to find out more on the night in the Twins minor league system on Friday. As always, please feel free to discuss and ask questions. ALL STARS The Florida State League announced its All-Star roster. Four members of the Ft. Myers Miracle made the team. LHP Andrew Vasquez, 3B Travis Blankenhorn, and OFs Jaylin Davis and Jimmy Kerrigan made the roster. TRANSACTIONS Ft. Myers announced that Griffin Jax was added to their roster and started for them on Friday night. As you recall, he learned in late April that he would be able to resume his baseball career on a full-time basis due to the Air Force’s World Class Athlete program.Aaron Slegers also reported to Rochester a day after being sent down from the Twins.RED WINGS REPORTRochester 3, Norfolk 1 Box Score Down 1-0 going into the sixth inning, the Red Wings tied the game on Jake Cave’s fifth home run. The next batter, Chris Carter, gave the team a 2-1 lead with his third Red Wings homer. Nick Gordon provided a little insurance late in the game. After a Zack Granite double, Gordon singled him in. Gordon went 3-for-5 with his third double. Adalberto Mejia has been a bit of a forgotten man in the Twins pitching depth, but he had a very nice start on Friday. In six innings, he gave up just one run on five hits. He walked one and struck out four. Trevor May came on to replace him and worked the final three innings to record the save. He gave up just one hit, walked one and struck out one. He needed just 37 pitches to get through the three innings. The Red Wings improved to 28-23. CHATTANOOGA CHATTER Chattanooga 4, Birmingham 6 Box Score The game started late due to rain. The Lookouts fell behind early and were unable to come all the way back despite a big game from Brent Rooker. Anthony Marzi made the start. The lefty gave up six runs on ten hits over the first four innings. He walked one and struck out four. Ryan Eades struck out three over three scoreless innings, and Zack Jones walked two and struck out one in his scoreless inning. Rooker led the offense. He had a single, his 11th double and his second triple in five at-bats. Brian Navarreto went 2-for-4 with his eighth and ninth doubles. Sean Miller added a single and a walk. The Lookouts are now 31-23 on the season. MIRACLE MATTERS Game 1 - Ft. Myers 2, St. Lucie 3 (completion of game suspended on May 19) Box Score Way back on May 19th, these two teams started this game. However, it was suspended in the sixth inning, so they had to resume the game starting tonight. Previously, Brady Anderson had thrown 2 2/3 scoreless innings, and Paco Rodriguez (who has since been promoted to Chattanooga) gave up two unearned runs over 2 1/3 innings. When play resumed, Tom Hackimer took the mound. He was charged with one run on four hits and three walks over three innings of work. He struck out four. Logan Lombana struck out two (and walked one) in a scoreless inning. Game 2 - Ft. Myers 2, St. Lucie 3 (regularly scheduled game) Box Score The big story in the Twins system on Friday night was the return of Griffin Jax to the mound in a game. Along with not having pitched since last July, he moved up a level to the Miracle. He had a solid first outing. While his final line may look pedestrian (4.2 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 3 K), he actually started with four shutout innings. He was replaced in the fifth by Hector Lujan who gave up just two hits over 2 1/3 scoreless innings. Taylor Grzelakowski hit his fifth home run of the season in the eighth inning to tie the game at three. However, in the bottom of the eighth inning, Alex Robinson came in and gave up three runs (one earned) on four hits and a walk. Grzelakowski went 3-for-4 in the game with the home run. Lewin Diaz added his fifth double. Travis Blankenhorn had a short outing. He had a sacrifice fly in the first inning. He was the pivot man on a double play that ended the second inning, and then he came out of the game, replaced by Luis Arraez. No official word on why he left the game. Arraez walked twice in his place. The Miracle fell to 20-31 on the season. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 3, Burlington 4 Box Score Alex Kirilloff just continues to mash. The outfielder had three hits in five at-bats including his 17th double and his ninth home run off of former Kernels pitcher Eduardo Del Rosario. Akil Baddoo went 2-for-5 including his fourth home run. Jose Miranda drove in a run with his ninth double. He went 2-for-3 with a walk as well. Randy Dobnak was on the mound on Friday night for the Kernels. His night began with four no-hit innings. However, he gave up three runs (two earned) on three hits in the fifth inning. In total, he walked one and struck out four. Melvi Acosta threw three scoreless innings. He gave up two hits, walked one and struck out one. Calvin Faucher threw a scoreless ninth inning, but he allowed the game-winning run with two outs in the tenth to take the loss. The run allowed was, of course unearned, since that runner started the inning second base. The loss dropped the Kernels to 25-27 on the season. STARS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Hitter of the Day: Tyler Grzelakowski, Ft. Myers Miracle (3-5, (5)) Twins Daily Pitcher of the Day: Adalberto Mejia, Rochester Red Wings (6 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K) PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed: #1 - Royce Lewis (Cedar Rapids) - 0-5 #2 - Fernando Romero (Minnesota) - Did Not Pitch #3 - Nick Gordon (Rochester) - 3-5, 2B(3), RBI #4 - Stephen Gonsalves (Rochester) - Did Not Pitch #5 - Alex Kirilloff (Cedar Rapids) - 3-5, 2B(17), HR(9), 2 R, RBI #6 - Wander Javier - out of for the season #7 - Brent Rooker (Chattanooga) - 3-5, 2B(11), 3B(2), 2 RBI, K #8 - Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) - Did Not Pitch #9 - Brusdar Graterol (Cedar Rapids) - Did Not Pitch #10 - Akil Baddoo (Cedar Rapids) - 2-5, HR(4), R, RBI, 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 (Chattanooga) - Did Not Play #16 - Ben Rortvedt (Cedar Rapids) - 0-5 #17 - Travis Blankenhorn (Ft. Myers) - 2-4, 2B(8), 2 RBI #18 - Yunior Severino (Extended Spring Training) #19 - Tyler Jay (Chattanooga) - No Game #20 - Felix Jorge (Chattanooga) - Disabled List, still no official timetable for return. SATURDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Rochester @ Norfolk (6:05 CST) - RHP Zack Littell (1-1, 2.57 ERA) Chattanooga @ Birmingham (6:30 CST) - RHP Cody Stashak Ft. Myers @ St. Lucie (DH @ 3:00 CST) - LHP Charlie Barnes (1-4, 4.42 ERA), RHP Andro Cutura (2-1, 4.13 ERA) Cedar Rapids @ Burlington (6:30 CST) - LHP Bryan Sammons (1-3, 2.70 ERA) Please feel free to ask any questions about Friday’s games, or ask any questions you may have. Click here to view the article

Beyond that he's 19 in the Midwest League? He's doing just fine... Ks are a little high, but the BBs are crazy good. He's' got so much power, but he's' raw. From watching, he definitely doesn't' look over-matched.

In recent years, it has been fun to follow the Twins draft, especially during the really bad years when the Twins received some very high draft picks. For me, it’s also fun to hear the names of Minnesota natives get selected and get the opportunity to live out a dream. Today, we take a quick glimpse to see which Minnesotans could be drafted. It is unusual to have Minnesota natives in the first round. Guys like Joe Mauer and Glen Perkins are rare. But last year, Burnsville’s Sam Carlson was a second-round pick of the Mariners. Michael Baumann, a Mahtomedi graduate who went to Jacksonville University, was a third-round pick. The Twins drafted Woodbury’s Max Meyer late in the draft a year ago. He didn’t sign and he’s currently the closer for the NCAA regional-hosting Gophers. UPDATED - See bottom of article for results of draft. Where were Minnesotans selected?As we are just days away from the 2018 MLB Draft, there are a few Minnesota natives that could find themselves drafted in the first ten rounds of the draft. And that Gophers baseball team that faced the Twins in an exhibition game in February could have as many as eight players drafted this year. We’ll get to those Gophers, but let’s start with the guy who just might be the highest player from Minnesota to be drafted. SEAN HJELLE Hjelle graduated from Mahtomedi High School three years ago. Despite being 6-10 and working with an upper-80s fastball, he went undrafted. He decided to go to the University of Kentucky. He worked out of their bullpen as a freshman. Last year as a sophomore, he moved into their rotation and was the SEC Pitcher of the Year. Now 6-11, Hjelle sits in the 92-94 range with his fastball and touches 95 and 96 at times. He also has a good changeup and curveball, both pitches in the low 80s. Unlike many tall pitchers, Hjelle is very coordinated and has a very repeatable delivery. He is expected to be taken anywhere from the late first round to the early second round. JAKE IRVIN The Minnesota Twins drafted the Bloomington Jefferson grad in the 37th round of the 2015 draft. He chose to attend Oklahoma where he has become a Friday night starter and an All American. He has gone 18-7 during his three years. In 2018, he is 6-2 with a 2.84 ERA. He struck out 109 batters in 91 2/3 innings (just 24 walks). At 6-6 and 225 pounds, he’s got a great build for a pitcher. He’s got good mechanics and a fastball that reaches to 93-94 mph. He also throws a slider and a changeup as well. He could be drafted as high as the second round and should be selected before the fifth round ends. SETH HALVORSEN There are a lot of good high school starting pitchers in the draft this year, and Seth Halversen from Heritage Christian Academy is the tops from Minnesota. He has a commitment to the University of Missouri where he would pitch and play shortstop. In terms of the draft, it is clear that he would be seen as a pitcher. He considers himself a shortstop first, but he obviously understands that he’s got a big arm. He has a very strong arm and has hit 95 and even 96 on some radar guns this spring. He also has a hard slider in the upper 70s that could be a real good pitch. In comparison to Carlson, Halvorsen is much more raw. But he’s got good size and big potential. He could be taken as early as the late second round. He should be taken in the third or fourth rounds. But as always, money will factor into it and if he doesn’t get his number, he could fall and happily head to Missouri. AIDAN MALDONADO Maldonado attends Rosemount High School and has a commitment to play at Illinois next year. However, he is an intriguing draft possibility. While he stands just 6-0 tall and weighs in at just 175 pounds, he has already been clocked up to 95 mph. He’s got a real smooth delivery with efficient arm action along with a three-pitch mix. Right now, he primarily works anywhere from 88-92 mph but he’s got room to add more velocity. He fits in as a potential fifth to seventh round pick though signability may push him back a few rounds, or potentially down to the later rounds for a team willing to take a flyer. GUS VARLAND Varland has a lot of steam. The right-hander from Concordia-St. Paul has reached 97 mph with his fastball this spring. He went 7-1 with a 1.04 ERA his junior season. In 60 1/3 innings, he struck out 79 and walked 14. He’s high energy and kind of a max effort guy. He’s got a decent slider too. Probably profiles as a reliever eventually, especially as he’s just 6-1 and 190 pounds. The North St. Paul graduate could be a Day 2 draft pick. His brother (Louie) has a very similar profile and could be drafted next year. THE GOPHERS The Gophers are having a remarkable season. When we talked to some of their seniors on the podcast before the season, there was definitely an excitement. The theme then was that they had a veteran lineup and some very talented, but very young pitchers. Today, they host their first regional tournament in over a decade as they take on Canisius. There could be anywhere from five to eight Gophers drafted, and here is a little bit about each. TERRIN VAVRA Vavra is the son of long-time Twins coach Joe Vavra (now with the Tigers) and the brother of former Twins minor leaguers Tanner Vavra and Trey Vavra. As good as those two were, there was an acceptance that Terrin had the most talent. The Menomonie, Wisconsin, native received a late offer from the Gophers and accepted. Just this week, he was named a first-team All-American by Baseball America. In 53 games, he’s hit .385/.458/.620 (1.078) with 11 doubles, three triples and ten home runs. He could got as high as the fourth or fifth round of the draft. Listen to Terrin’s appearance on my podcast. BEN MEZZENGA The Shoreview native attended Totino-Grace High School. Now a junior, he got a bigger opportunity to play and took advantage. In 54 games played, Mezzenga hit .381/.470/.440 (.910) with eight doubles and a triple. He’s stolen 11 bases. He’s a real good athlete who can play all around the outfield. He could be a late Day 2 or early Day 3 pick. ALEX BOXWELL The outfielder is a senior from Coon Rapids. He was injured during his junior season which likely cost him from being drafted and also caused him to miss the Cape Cod League opportunity. This season, he's hitting .264/.315/.393 (.708) with seven doubles, a triple and four homers. He also has a team-leading 19 stolen bases. Boxwell is intriguing because he is a such a good athlete. He's got power potential and great speed. REGGIE MEYER In 15 starts this year for the Gophers, Meyer is 7-3 with a 2.75 ERA. In 95 innings, he’s walked 13 and struck out 65. Meyer is a redshirt junior who also went to Totino-Grace in high school. He went 5-1 in 2017. He stands 6-4 and 210 pounds. He’s pitched real well for the Gophers late in the year and threw a complete game shutout in the Big 10 tournament. He tops out right around 90, but he’s got a good feel for pitching and command of three pitches. He’s got a year of eligibility remaining, so he may come back even when he gets selected sometime on Day 3. NICK LACKNEY The 6-4, 205 pound left-hander is from Wisconsin Bay, but he chose to attend Minnesota. After working in relief his first two Gophers seasons, he made 10 starts for them in 2018. He went 4-2 despite an ERA over five. He struck out 43 batters in 45 2/3 innings. The numbers may not jump off the charts, but he’s left-handed and throws into the 90s. Could be a Day 3 pick, though he likely would come back for his senior season. JACKSON ROSE Rose is a senior from Omaha who would love to finish his college career playing at the College World Series in Omaha. The 6-2 right-hander has really become a reliable bullpen option for John Anderson. This year, he worked 27 innings over 20 appearances. He posted a 2.00 ERA. He struck out 26 batters and walked 13. Probably a late-round flyer. JAKE STEVENSON Jake Stevenson is a hard-throwing right-hander. At 6-4 and 225 pounds, he’s strong and his velocity is now reaching into the low and mid-90s. He made seven starts and worked out of the bullpen five times. The junior from Waconia posted a 5.52 ERA, and in 29 1/3 innings, he walked 16 and struck out 15. So, based on the numbers, you can see why it is the scouting stuff that could make him a late-round pick. MICAH COFFEY Coffey came to Minnesota from Batavia, Illinois. The 6-1, 200 pound corner infielder has had a really strong career with the Gophers. He got off to a slow start this year, but he’s now hitting .281/.370/.414 (.784) with nine doubles, two triples and five home runs. He is a good athlete with a strong arm and a good approach at the plate and potential to hit for some power. Listen to Micah’s appearance on my podcast which also included Clark Beeker, Hector Lujan and Cory Provus.. TOBY HANSON Hanson was off to a fast start in his senior season. He had a strong junior season in which he played all 57 games and returned for his senior year. Unfortunately, a wrist injury cost him nearly a month and slowed down his numbers. Overall, he’s’ still hit .306/.382/.439 (.821) with 14 doubles, two triples and a homer. At 6-2 and 220 pounds,, he does have potential to hit for power (when his wrists are right). The Delano grad has played a lot of first base but early this year he was playing in right field as well. Listen to Toby’s appearanceon my podcast which also includes Aaron Slegers, Royce Lewis, Brent Rooker and Alex Kirilloff. LUKE PETTERSEN Pettersen has played all four seasons for the Gophers since joining the school from Minnetonka High School. The 6-0, 185 pound, second baseman has been the team’s leadoff hitter throughout his senior season. He is hitting .333/.415/.414 (.829) with 13 doubles, one triple and his first college home run. His 13 stolen bases led the team. Luke’s brother AJ played for the Gophers and was the Twins 25th round pick in 2011 and spent four years in the organization. Luke Pettersen appeared on the first episode of my podcast (with Jonathan Mayo, Stephen Gonsalves, LaMonte Wade and Tyler Wells) and then Episode 7 of the podcast (with Dick Bremer, Jake Reed, Jordan Gore and Pat Mahomes). While Vavra could be drafted in the first five rounds or so, it’s really hard to predict where the seniors will be drafted. As you know, senior-signs can help a team stay under its draft allotment because they sign for way below slot value. Most of them will be selected sometime on Day 3. OTHER POSSIBLE DRAFT PICKS Here are a few more Minnesota-related names to remember as you watch and listen to the draft next week. DALTON ROACH As a junior, Roach went 10-1 with a 1.56 ERA for Mankato. He struck out 128 and walked just 12 batters in 86 2/3 innings. He went undrafted despite the big numbers. He returned for his senior season and went 8-2 with a 3.30 ERA. In 71 innings, he walked 15 and struck out 86. He has an upper-80s fastball that reaches into the low-90s. He’s got four pitches and could be a mid-Day 3 pick by the right team. HENRY DeCASTER DeCaster is a junior at St. Thomas. The right-handed pitcher went 8-3 with a 2.42 ERA for the Tommies in 2018. The Mounds View graduate stands 6-3 and 190 pounds, so he’s got room to grow. His fastball sits in the upper 80s and reaches into the 90s. Possible late-round pick. NICOLAS JUIAIRE Juiaire goes to Lakeville North High School. The catcher has committed to Texas Christian University. He doesn’t have the size typically seen in a higher draft pick, but he’s worth watching. He’s just 5-8 and 175 pounds. He’s good behind the plate. He’s got a strong and accurate arm. He’s got quick feet. He frequently has “pop times” below 2.0. He is a switch hitter with gap-to-gap power. He’s had a solid spring offensively. He’s a real good athlete and could be a later-round draft pick for someone. DYLAN TEBRAKE The right-hander from Rocori High School has had several scouts at most of his starts this year. Over a year ago, he committed to play at Creighton University in Omaha. He has had a strong season this year In fact, he threw seven innings of a no hitter against a Parker Hageman led Holy Angels team this year. In another game about two weeks ago, he was taken out at 75 pitches on a Tuesday. Why? To appease pro scouts who wanted to see him on that Saturday. NATHANIEL PETERSON Peterson is another player from Lakeville North. He has committed to Oklahoma State. The lefty from Lakeville North generally got pretty good control of a fastball that reaches 90 or just a tick above,, and he’s got a good feel for his secondary pitches. He stands 5-11, or maybe 6-0, so if he grows, he’s got room for improvement. Likely a late-round pick, if selected at all this year. He may be one to remember for the 2021 draft though. DAVID RODERICK Roderick is a right-hander who reaches back and throws over 90 mph with his fastball already. He has really come a long way in the last couple of years. He was a very skinny kid with an awkward motion and delivery as recently as two years ago. But he’s filled out and the Minnetonka grad is now throwing harder with a much more fluid delivery. He is committed to Oklahoma. If the right scout saw him on the right day, he could be drafted in the teens, but with a strong commitment, he’s likely headed to college. There should be several Minnesotans drafted next week in the 2018 MLB Draft. There are even three or four of these guys who will be drafted in the top five rounds. If you want to get excited about the 2019 MLB Draft, names like Matt Wallner and Michael Busch could be first-round picks. Feel free to discuss the names mentioned above, and let me know if I missed anyone. UPDATED The draft is complete. Here is a list of Minnesotans drafted: Sean Hjelle - RHP - 2nd round - (Kentucky, Mahtomedi HS) Terrin Vavra - SS - 3rd round - Colorado Rockies (Gophers) Luke Becker - 2B - 9th round - San Diego Padres (Kentucky, ,Fairmont, MN) Gus Varland - RHP - 14th round - Oakland A's (North St. Paul, Concordia St. Paul) Jacob Rhinesmith - OF - 18th round - Washington Nationals (Western Kentucky, Shakopee HS) Ryan Tapani - RHP - 21st round - Washington Nationals (Creighton, Providence Academy) Dalton Roach - RHP - 21st round - Houston Astros (Minn State - Mankato) Kellin Rholl - LHP - 25th round - Cleveland (Angelo St., Mound View) Zach Seipel - RHP - 27th round - Atlanta (UM-Crookston, Eagan)) Micah Coffey - SS - 30th round - Chicago White Sox (Gophers) Seth Halvorsen - RHP - 30th round - Minnesota Twins (Heritage Christian Academy) Jackson Rose - RHP - 35th round - Miami Marlins (Gophers) Tyler Reichenborn - OF - 35th round - LA Dodgers (Iowa Western CC, Blaine HS) Brandon Williamson - LHP - 36th round - Milwaukee Brewers (North Iowa Area CC, Welcome, MN) Reggie Meyer - RHP - 38th round - Texas Rangers (Gophers, Totino-Grace) Aidan Maldonado - RHP - 38th round - Milwaukee Brewers (Rosemount HS) Click here to view the article

Wow... that's scary. Thank you for sharing...

I don't think anyone is saying that it makes him a better baseball player... and it's not about the charisma. Kirilloff is quiet and also of high character. And yes... but when everyone talks about Royce''s leadership and work ethic and the joy he brings and how others feed off of that... it's a good thing. And when people watch Kirilloff work and hit and crush and feed off of that, it's a good thing.

I think they would be thrilled to have as much Joe Mauer character on the roster as they can get.