Seth Stohs

It's been 3 games... Unless there is some sort of injury at Ft. Myers, I can't imagine calling him (or anyone) up within the first month. Of course, the Wander Javier situation could be a factor in that... and there always seems to be an injury or something. But making anything out of 3-5 games is too quick. That said, Cabbage likely wanted and needed to get off to a fast start, and he has. Third year in Cedar Rapids just feels a little deceptive... He spent maybe 6 weeks in Cedar Rapids in 2017 and all of 2018... So I don't think there needs to be a rush.

For the second straight day, there was not a single Win in the Twins minor league system on Monday night. Not that that has any bearing on the depth of the system. Just four or five games into the season, there are no definitive takeaways at this stage and even attempting to make any grand statements based on that small a sample is fool worthy. That said, usually these reports are more fun to watch when everything is going well, right?Find out everything and more that happened happened in the Twins system on Monday, starting with the transactions of the day TRANSACTIONS The Twins acquired Des Moines native and outfield prospect Malique Ziegler from the Giants in exchange for recently-DFAd first baseman Tyler Austin. Rooker went 2-for-4 with his second home run. Adam Rosales and Ronald Torreyes each went 2-for-4 as well. BLUE WAHOO BITES Pensacola 5, Mobile 7 Box Score The Blue Wahoos attempted a comeback in the ninth, but it fell just short as the winning run came to the plate. Andro Cutura made his first Double-A start. The right-hander went 3 2/3 innings. He gave up three runs (one earned) on three hits. He walked two and struck out five batters. Sam Clay came on with runners on second and third and two outs. He allowed both runners to score and three more runs before getting out of the fourth inning. He got one out in the fifth frame before being replaced by Cody Stashak. Stashak got the next five batters out, three on strikeouts. Adam Bray got the seventh inning and gave up a run on three hits and a walk. He struck out two. Ryan Mason pitched a perfect eighth inning. Mitchell Kranson got the offense started. In the second inning, his first home run of the season gave Pensacola a two-run leave. Kranson also walked twice in the game. Luis Arraez, who turns 22 on Tuesday, went 1-for-2 with three walks and drove in a run. Jordan Gore went 3-for-5 from the leadoff spot. Down four runs in the ninth inning, Caleb Hamilton connected on a two-run homer to cut the deficit in half. The team got the go-ahead, winning run to the plate but were unable to score. MIRACLE MATTERS Ft. Myers 1, Dunedin 4 Box Score The big news before this game was that Dunedin was sending baseball’s top prospect Vlad Guerrero, Jr., on the bus to Ft. Myers for this four-game series. The slugging third baseman went 1-for-4 with a walk. Miracle starter Charlie Barnes got Guerrero out the first two times he faced him, but the third time, Guerrero singled in a run. Barnes gave up four runs on six hits, three walks and a hit batter over 5 1/3 innings. He struck out six batters. Anthony Vizcaya came on and threw 2 1/3 scoreless innings despite giving up a hit, walking three and hitting two batters. He struck out three. Johan Quezada struck out two of the four batters he faced and got out. The Miracle managed just five hits. Travis Blankenhorn went 1-for-3 with a walk and his first home run of the year. Ben Rortvedt was 1-for-3 with a walk. Royce Lewis had a single and stole both second and third base. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 3, Kane County 9 Box Score The Kernels returned home after a two-game series in Wisconsin. Andrew Cabezas, the Twins Daily choice for short-season pitcher of the year in 2018, made his first start for the Kernels. He gave up only an unearned run over the first five innings. He gave up five hits, walked one and struck out four batters. Austin Schulfer came on in relief and gave up three runs on three hits and four walks over the next 1 2/3 innings. He struck out one batter. Carlos Suniaga came on and gave up five runs (four earned) on four hits and a walk over 1 2/3 innings. He struck out three. Jose Martinez came on and after walking the first two batters and allowing a sacrifice fly, he recorded the final out. Chris Williams, the 2018 Twins Daily short-season hitter of the year, got the Kernels on the board with his first home run of the season. Later, Trey Cabbage hit a solo homer, his second blast of the year. Williams drove in a run in the eighth inning with an RBI single. TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day - Mike Morin, Rochester Red Wings Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Mitchell Kranson, Pensacola Blue Wahoos PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed: #1 - Royce Lewis (Ft. Myers) - 1-4, 2 SB #2 - Alex Kirilloff (Pensacola) - Injured List #3 - Brusdar Graterol (Pensacola) - Did Not Pitch #4 - Trevor Larnach (Ft. Myers) - 0-4, K #5 - Wander Javier (EST) - No Game #6 - Brent Rooker (Rochester) - 2-4, HR(2), 2 RBI, 2 K #7 - Jhoan Duran (Ft. Myers) - Did Not Pitch #8 - Lewis Thorpe (Rochester) - Did Not Pitch #9 - Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) - Did Not Pitch #10 - Akil Baddoo (Ft. Myers) - 1-4, K #11 - Nick Gordon (Rochester) - Injured List #12 - Stephen Gonsalves (Rochester) - Injured List #13 - Ryan Jeffers (Ft. Myers) - Did Not Play #14 - Ben Rortvedt (Ft. Myers) - 1-3, BB, K #15 - Yunior Severino (Cedar Rapids) - 1-4, R #16 - Gilberto Celestino (Cedar Rapids) - 0-5 #17 - Zack Littell (Rochester) - Did Not Pitch #18 - LaMonte Wade (Rochester) - 0-3, BB, 2K #19 - Jorge Alcala (Pensacola) - Did Not Pitch #20 - Jose Miranda (Ft. Myers) - 0-4, K TUESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Rochester @ Syracuse (11:05 CST) - RHP Kohl Stewart (1-0, 1.80) Pensacola - No Game Scheduled. Dunedin @ Ft. Myers (5:30 CST) - RHP Randy Dobnak (1st start) Kane County @ Cedar Rapids (6:35 CST) - RHP Luis Rijo (1st start) Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss Monday’s games. Click here to view the article

They've played like 3-4 games... (and pitched one game)

I will respectfully disagree... He also found out in the morning that he was going to start yesterday instead of a couple of days later... Nothing to see here.

I think it's just precautionary with Javier. He won't be in EST long.

I've heard a variety of things... I do know that Littell was told he was coming up. Good thing they were in Lehigh Valley, which is only about an hour from Philly. One possibility... players optioned can't be called up for 10 days, unless there was an injury. Saturday was the 9th day of the season, so that could be it. (though Littell was optioned quite a bit before Opening Day). I'm sure it was some technicality. I don't think that the front office wanted to DFA Austin this early.

Yup... very different!

Again, one game... I'm sure he doesn't want to get off to a slow start... but one game isn't even a slow start. It's one 0-fer...

Me too... single, double, homer... big game... Arraez does have a tendency to possibly get overlooked just because it's a ton of singles.

Correct... what they're doing is protecting themselves in case Pineda can't get through the 3rd or 4th. And they likely will continue to have some sort of limit on Pineda, innings or pitches and De Jong can fill in through the seventh or (even better) the eighth.

I mean, when he's deemed ready. Whether that is today or in a month or in two months. Most think he was a lead candidate for a bullpen spot in spring. He didn't earn one. He goes to Rochester, keeps working, and hopefully soon he is up and contributing late in games.

Jake Reed has received a lot of love on Twins Daily over the last 4-5 years. Not sure he fits into the Top Prospect classification, but that doesn't mean he can't and/or shouldn't be given an opportunity. He certainly should have been called up last September. Inexplicable to me that he wasn't.

They call him up?

Correct... that was always a question... could he develop the changeup? And, now that the TWins feel like they can compete this year - coupled with the inability to add that third pitch - they see how valuable he can be using two really, really good pitches out of the bullpen.

Based on when he had Tommy John surgery, he should just be playing catch and maybe just getting to his first bullpens now. I didn't see him throw a bullpen. Not sure I can add anything more than what's in the prospect handbook on him. I think Lachlan Wells had his surgery a little earlier than Chalmers. Wells was throwing his second or third bullpens when I was there. He actually looked to be doing real well. But that again tells me that Chalmers is probably just getting to that point now.

Andrew Vasquez was #21 and he's already made the big leagues... I saw Benninghoff in a bullpen and in a game. I thought he looked good. He's got a great frame for a pitcher. I think at this point it's going to be about working on things like command and sharpness of pitches and stuff like that. I think he's got a chance, but patience will be key. I don't think that the Opening Day start really indicates anything about how the organization feels about Enlow. I mean, it's a nice thing, but that alone isn't indicative of anything. I mean, all due respect to Bryan Sammons, who is a good pitcher, but Jhoan Duran is the top prospect with the Miracle. As for his struggles, I'm sure it was several things. He did pitch last year for the Kernels, so he's pitched in the cold before. But it definitely wasn't real nice. I think he was just struggling with his control. He walked one in each of the first innings and probably just missed a spot on the homer. In the third, it was just a ball that started rolling and he wasn't able to work out of it.

and Graterol and Grzelakowski bobbleheads too!

This is a tremendous comment... Well put...

I don't think anyone has given up on Romero. Well, I guess the Twins gave up on him as a starter, at least for now. But, like you said, since he no longer fits under the "prospect" classification, he wouldn't be mentioned here.

At this time, Graterol is completely seen as a long-term starting pitching arm... The bullpen thing would be if the Twins are competing for a playoff spot and hes' approaching an innings limit or something.

I probably could have broken this into starting pitchers and relief pitchers...

I bet Rooker isn't even a little worried about one game. He's got a good head on his shoulders and definitely great perspective. But like last year, AAA will be an adjustment for him and any of them moving to the level. Every team/organization has that rule. Like I said, it used to be 30. And it makes sense. That many pitches means base runners and a lot of stressful pitches.

Yes, Diaz is that skinny. It was remarkable to see. It was definitely a big topic on Twitter when I was down there. He's put in some serious work. And it's always nice to see it pay off right away. Eades deserves an opportunity and he does seem to have taken a step. We'll see how the season goes, and obviously with Reed, Magill and Moya on the IL and Romero and possibly Reed ahead of him, it'll be deserved if he does. Alex Phillips is from Baylor, where he was really good. He had Tommy John and ended up not getting drafted. He went to an indy league and the Twins signed him last year and he was a huge part of the Miracle in their playoff run. From the play-by-play last night he was hitting 95 and 96 mph last night. So yeah, definitely a reliever to watch. It's possible Rortvedt read the rankings yesterday. I know a lot of player and others do read this. I don't' know if not being on that is going to put a chip on his shoulder. He doesn't need it. He's really good.

In Part 1 yesterday, I ranked the Top 20 position player prospects in the Twins system. These rankings were done after I returned from Ft. Myers for a week of spring training, conversations with several people in and around the organization and other factors. In Part 2 today, I will add my rankings of the Top 20 Twins pitching prospects, so be sure to come back and ask as many questions as you would like.As a reminder, the purpose of prospect rankings is really just to create discussion. Below you will find my personal rankings of Twins pitchers, and I certainly welcome your thoughts and opinions on the players and their rankings. As we prepare for the season, be sure to check out the Opening Day roster previews of the four Twins full-season affiliates: Triple-A: Rochester Red Wings Double-A: Pensacola Blue Wahoos High-A: Ft. Myers Miracle Low-A: Cedar Rapids Kernels Top 20 Twins Pitching Prospects #20 - Charlie Barnes LHP (Ft. Myers Miracle) Drafted in the fourth round out of Clemson in 2017, Barnes spent the 2018 season in Ft. Myers where he went 6-6 with a 2.81 ERA. He ended the season strong. In his final 13 starts, he went 5-2 with a 1.84 ERA. He doesn’t throw real hard, topping out just over 90 mph, but he has a plus changeup and mixes well. #19 - Bailey Ober RHP (Ft. Myers Miracle) Ober was the Twins 12th-round pick in 2017 out of the College of Charleston. In his first start last year with the Kernels, he gave up six earned runs in 2/3 of an inning. He gave up four or more runs in five of his first six starts. Then over his next six starts, he went 6-0 with a 1.66 ERA. He also struck out 63 batters in 48 2/3 innings in that stretch. However, he left that final game in late July with an elbow issue that was deemed minor. Injury has been a big part of his pitching career but when healthy, he has been really good. #18 - Landon Leach RHP (Extended Spring Training) The Twins took the right-hander from Canada in the second round of the 2017 draft. He is still pretty new to pitching and the Twins are being incredibly patient with him and his development. But watching him throw bullpens is impressive. He throws hard. He had onlookers to his bullpen asking who he was and how soon he would be in the big leagues. Well, it’s going to be a while, but when healthy and ready to go, he could be impressive. But, at this point, we just don’t know yet. But he’s got the big size and strength to be one to watch. #17 - Jovani Moran LH RP (Pensacola Blue Wahoos) Jovani Moran has been really good the last couple of years. The Twins seventh-round pick in 2015 out of Puerto Rico. He missed 2016 after having bone chips removed from his elbow. He dominated in Elizabethton in 2017. In 2018, he was really good in both Cedar Rapids and in Ft. Myers. Combined, he went 9-3 with a 2.25 ERA. He had 107 strikeouts in 76 innings. Many that watch him wonder “What is that pitch?” He’s got a few pitches and gets a lot of movement. #16 - Cole Sands RHP (Cedar Rapids Kernels) When Sands makes his first Kernels start this year, on Saturday, it will be his professional debut. After his 2018 season at Florida State, he was just shut down and didn’t pitch after being the Twins fifth-round pick last year. I saw him pitch a couple of times in Ft. Myers this spring and came away impressed. He’s big and strong and can throw pretty hard, but there appears to be room for more which is what’s really exciting. #15 - Josh Winder RHP (Cedar Rapids Kernels) Winder was the Twins seventh-round pick last year out of Virginia Military Institute. He’s also tall and built quite strong, but like Sands, there is room for some growth and increased velocity. He went 3-1 with a 3.72 ERA in nine starts for the E-Twins. In 38 2/3 innings, he walked just six and struck out 42 batters. #14 - Zack Littell RHP (Rochester Red Wings) Littell came to the Twins from the Yankees at the July 2017 deadline for Jaime Garcia. He reached the big leagues earlier in 2018 and made one start. Later, he got a relief appearance. Neither went well, but he was called back up in September and showed well in his final appearances. Littell is strong and he has three good pitches and pitchability. #13 - Luis Rijo RHP (Cedar Rapids Kernels) Rijo came to the Twins at the July trade deadline with Tyler Austin in exchange for Lance Lynn. He was pitching for the Yankees Appalachian League team in Pulaski at the time of the trade and was 3-1 with a 2.67 ERA in five starts. He made five starts for E-Town and went 2-0 with a 1.27 ERA. He has shown good control and struck out a little less than a batter per inning. Rijo stands just over 6-feet tall and is stocky, but he does know how to pitch. #12 - Kohl Stewart RHP (Rochester Red Wings) It was a bit of a surprise last year when it was Stewart that was called up first in mid-August. He held his own in the big leagues, pitching well at times - particularly against the Tigers - and also struggling, as you would expect a guy in his first month or so in the big leagues. He begins this season with the Red Wings. He has really matured, but he’s also got good stuff. He has good movement on his one-seam fastball which induces weak contact. His other secondary pitches will need to continue to be more crisp but have some potential. #11 - Regi Grace RHP (Extended Spring Training) Grace was the Twins 10th-round pick a year ago out of high school in Mississippi. He is physically impressive. He stands tall and is built very strong. He’s got the Graterol-like lower half with strong legs and back side. He really drives off the mound and despite his youth has a big fastball. He has a world of potential and time to continue developing his secondary stuff and learn how to pitch. #10 - Griffin Jax RHP (Pensacola Blue Wahoos) Jax is tall and thin but very strong. In April of last year, he learned that he would be able to put his efforts to baseball. He did well with the Miracle and then was able to pitch in the Arizona Fall League. He is making the jump to Double-A this year. He’s got a good fastball and an improving slider. He’s got good pitchabilty. #9 - Tyler Wells RHP (Pensacola Blue Wahoos) Wells was the Twins Daily choice for 2018 Starting Pitcher of the Year when he went a combined 10-6 with a 2.49 ERA between Ft. Myers - where he was a Florida State League All Star -and Chattanooga. In 119 1/3 innings, he struck out 121 batters. Wells stands 6-8 and has really worked hard since becoming a pro, losing about 50 pounds. He’s got a good fastball and the secondary pitches have really improved. He starts the season on the injured list, but he should be just a couple of weeks behind. #8 - Jorge Alcala RHP (Pensacola Blue Wahoos) Alcala came to the Twins in the Ryan Pressly deal from the Astros. He’s got a big fastball, sitting in the upper-90s and occasionally hitting triple figures. Questions remain with his secondary pitches, but the arm should play in the bullpen even if he isn’t able to develop a third pitch. #7 - Edwar Colina RHP (Ft. Myers Miracle) Colina has quietly become one of the best pitching prospects in the organization. He isn’t real tall and has a stocky build and is very strong. He was really good in Cedar Rapids last year and earned a promotion to Ft. Myers where he pitched a huge game late in their season and then was the starter in the FSL championship game. This spring, he was hitting 97-98 mph with his fastball and still has the secondary pitches that have potential. #6 - Stephen Gonsalves LHP (Rochester Red Wings) While his MLB debut late last season didn’t go as well as hoped, Gonsalves still possesses a plus changeup. He has a much-improved curveball and a cutter. His fastball velocity last year was down under 90 and he seemed to lose his control and command. There were reports of increased velocity shown at spring training, and if he throws more strikes, he can be successful in the big leagues. He expects to miss the first two or three weeks of this season. #5 - Jordan Balazovic RHP (Cedar Rapids Kernels) Balazovic’s name became much more talked about after Keith Law named him the Twins #3 prospect this winter. But Balazovic has been an intriguing prospect since the Twins made him their fifth-round pick in 2016 out of a high school near Toronto. He had a nice debut, but he really struggled in the GCL in 2017. Things really came together for him in 2018. Drafted for his size (tall, thin) and pitchability, he gained a lot of velocity since being drafted and now sits in the 93-95 range. He still has the good secondary pitches too. He had a nice showing when he went 7-3 with a 3.94 ERA in 12 games (11 starts). In 61 2/3 innings, he walked just 18 and struck out 78 batters. #4 - Blayne Enlow RHP (Cedar Rapids Kernels) Enlow was the Twins third-round pick out of high school in Louisiana in 2017. He pitched well in Cedar Rapids in 2018. He went 3-5 with a 3.26 ERA in 94 innings. He’s got good velocity, hitting 93 and even 94 at times, but he’s best known for his spin and his breaking ball. He returns to the Kernels - where his Opening Night start didn’t go great. But that’s one start and Enlow has the size, athleticism and willingness to learn to be really good. #3 - Lewis Thorpe LHP (Rochester Red Wings) Thorpe was the Twins choice for pitcher of the year last year. After missing two seasons after Tommy John surgery and disease, he returned for a half-season in 2017. He worked 129 2/3 innings in 2018, mostly at Chattanooga, but he ended the season with four starts in Rochester. Thorpe sits in the low-to-mid 90s with a good curveball and a good changeup. He should debut in 2019. #2 - Jhoan Duran RHP (Ft. Myers Miracle) Duran came to the Twins last July from Arizona in the Eduardo Escobar deal. In his first start with the Kernels, he threw seven no-hit innings. He was flashing a fastball in the 95-96 range and showed what potentially could be really good breaking pitches and a changeup. He gets good movement as he will. I’m sure you saw LaVelle Neal’s tweet saying that Duran hit 102 last week in Ft. Myers. More consistently he’s been hitting 97-98 mph. #1 - Brusdar Graterol RHP (Pensacola Blue Wahoos) Graterol missed nearly two seasons with Tommy John surgery, but he returned in 2017 and was very strong. He had gained about 60 pounds and his velocity shot up to nearly triple digits. In 2018 in Cedar Rapids, he hit 100 many times and usually had a 102 a few times each game. Watching him in the bullpen, he has the makings of a plus changeup and a plus-plus, wipe out slider. Development of those pitches will be the key in determining his future (starter or reliever). With his aggressive promotion to AA to start this season, don’t be surprised if he finds himself in the Twins bullpen late in the season. Again, these are my personal choices as Top 20 Minnesota Twins pitching prospects. Certainly this list can and will likely cause some discussion and questions, which I welcome below. Click here to view the article