Seth Stohs

Corrected... also corrected the score.

Sounds good, but we only ranked the Top 20... So I don't know how we'd choose who else to add. Also, if the reports are done well, anyone with multiple hits or anyone that pitches will be mentioned, so those guys will still get mentioned, if they pitch or play well.

We're all trying to figure that out... Ha! He was topping out at 88 on the radar gun. He must have some crazy movement, or some spin rate or something.

Thursday, the Minnesota Twins topped the Seattle Mariners 4-2 to win their home opener. It was also Opening Day for three of the four Twins full-season minor league affiliates. The Chattanooga Lookouts and Ft. Myers Miracle hosted their season openers while the Cedar Rapids Kernels made the trek south to Quad Cities for their first game. We might try a few different things with the minor league reports this year, so be sure to provide feedback in the comments if you like (or don’t like) some of the changes.The three Twins affiliates opened their seasons by playing some competitive games. Two of the games were decided by one run and the other by two. We saw a little of everything. Some good hitting. Some good pitching. Some bad hitting and pitching too. Phil Hughes made a Miracle start. Continue on to find out more. RED WINGS REPORT Red Wings Box Score The Red Wings open their 2018 season on Friday night with Aaron Slegers on the mound. CHATTANOOGA CHATTER Chattanooga 4, Birmingham 5 Box Score The Lookouts made things interesting in the bottom of the ninth. With one out, Ryan Walker and Nick Gordon singled, but a game-ending double play hit into by Edgar Corcino ended the threat and the game. When the pitching staff strikes out 14 batters, you expect to win. However, when the same pitching staff walks ten, well, that just doesn’t work well. Walks definitely came back to haunt the Lookouts. Zack Littell got the Opening Day call. The right-hander left the game with one on and one out in the fifth inning with the Lookouts leading 3-1. Ryan Eades came on and finished out the inning but not before walking four batters and allowing the game to be tied. Littell ended the game having given up two runs on five hits and two walks in 4.1 innings. He struck out seven including three in the second inning. Eades did work a scoreless sixth inning. Todd Van Steensel came on and gave up two runs on three hits and three walks. He struck out two, but the walks were followed by doubles which isn’t a good combination, I mean, if you’re rooting for the pitching team. Finally, Williams Ramirez got the final five outs. He walked one, but he struck out four. Nick Gordon and Ryan Walker led the offense. Gordon got things going with a leadoff triple and a run scored in the bottom of the first. He added three more singles and went 4-5 in the game. Ryan Walker doubled in his first at-bat, and he hit his first home run of the season in his second at-bat. He went 3-4. Chris Paul was 2-4 with a double. MIRACLE MATTERS Ft. Myers 4, Charlotte 3 Box Score Phil Hughes made a rehab start for the Miracle as he prepares to make the April 11th start for the Minnesota Twins. The veteran right-hander worked the first five innings. He gave up three runs on eight hits. He walked one and struck out five. Two of the three runs came in that fifth inning. Hughes was replaced by the regularly-scheduled starter, lefty Anthony Marzi. He struck out four batters over three scoreless innings. He gave up three hits and walked one. Sean Poppen, who will likely be the sixth starter for the Miracle, came on for the ninth inning and recorded the save. It was the first save of his pro career. He gave up one hit, but he struck out two. The Miracle bats took a few innings to get going. Through three innings and ten batters, the team had just one hit. In the fourth, Mitchell Kranson and Caleb Hamilton singled. Lewin Diaz came on and knocked in both runners with a double. The next inning, Aaron Whitefield doubled Brandon Lopez to third base. Kranson followed with a two-run double of his own. That was it for the Miracle scoring. Kranson and Caleb Hamilton each went 2-4 in the game. Travis Blankenhorn added a double later in the game. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 2, Quad Cities 0 Box Score The Kernels headed south a few hours to take on the Quad Cities River Bandits and came away with a nice shutout. Lefty Bryan Sammons was given the Opening Day start and came through. He gave up three hits over four shutout innings. He walked none and struck out six. Jovani Moran came on for the fifth inning and didn’t let anyone put the ball in play. The southpaw walked three but struck out three in a scoreless inning. Right-hander Jared Finkel came on and worked three scoreless innings. He gave up three hits, walked one and didn’t record a strikeout. Ryan Mason came on for the ninth inning to record the save. He struck out one. Unfortunately, with one out in the ninth inning, Ben Rortvedt had to leave the game. A foul tip struck his throwing hand, and he was clearly in pain. He tried to move his fingers and even played catch with first baseman Ben Rodriguez. After the second throw, which sailed over Rodriguez’s head, Rortvedt walked off the field, replaced by David Banuelos. POSTGAME UPDATE: The Kernels didn’t have a lot of offense, but Shane Carrier carried the offense on this night. In the first inning, Akil Baddoo and Royce Lewis walked. After a fielder’s choice, Carrier knocked in Baddoo with a sacrifice fly. In the fourth inning, Carrier launched his first home run of the season. He went 2-3 in the game. Andrew Bechtold was 2-2 with two walks, a double and a stolen base. Trey Cabbage went 1-3 with a walk. STARS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Hitter of the Day: Ryan Walker/Nick Gordon, Chattanooga Lookouts Twins Daily Pitcher of the Day: Bryan Sammons, Cedar Rapids Kernels TOP PROSPECT SUMMARY Here is a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed: #1 - Royce Lewis (Cedar Rapids) - 0-2, 2 BB, K, SB #3 - Nick Gordon (Chattanooga) - 4-5, 3B, RBI, K #5 - Alex Kirilloff (Cedar Rapids) - 1-4 #7 - Brent Rooker (Chattanooga) - 0-4, K #10 - Akil Baddoo (Cedar Rapids) - 0-3, 2 BB, 3 K, SB #11 - Zack Littell (Chattanooga) - 4.1 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 7 K #13 - Lewin Diaz (Ft. Myers) - 1-4, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 K #14 - LaMonte Wade (Chattanooga) - 1-4 #15 - Mitch Garver (Minnesota) - 1-4, first Major League home run #16 - Ben Rortvedt (Cedar Rapids) - 0-4 #17 - Travis Blankenhorn (Ft. Myers) - 1-4, 2B, 2 K FRIDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Buffalo @ Rochester (5;05 CST) - RHP Aaron Slegers Birmingham @ Chattanooga (6:15 CST) - LHP Stephen Gonsalves Charlotte @ Ft. Myers (6:00 CST) - RHP Tyler Wells Cedar Rapids @ Quad Cities (6:35 CST) - RHP Edwar Colina Please feel free to ask any questions about Thursday’s Opening Day games, or ask any questions you may have. Click here to view the article

Cronin is in EST. Schick is still recovering from the elbow. Muren retired. Cavaness still recovering from his surgery.

DL guys could be either place. If they're going to be out for awhile, they'll work in Ft. Myers, in part because when they're ready, they can play in a couple of EST games before returning. If it's a short-term thing, they can stay with the team. Kirilloff hasn't played for like 18 months... We do need to have a little patience with him. It would be great if he can Lewis ended the season in Ft. Myers. That would be really good. They just need to play. They both will still be well below the average age in the Midwest League. Phil Hughes will start April 11th, as they've said all along (pending weather and schedule and that his arm doesn't fall off tonight in Ft. Myers).

In 2017, the Chattanooga Lookouts won a share of the Southern League championship thanks to a walk-off homer off the bat of Jonathan Rodriguez. On Thursday, the Lookouts will start their 2018 quest to win another title. They will have a new manager, but the team will return 13 players who spent at least some time in Chattanooga in 2017. The 2018 Lookouts will feature eight prospects who ranked in the Twins Daily Top 20 Prospect rankingslast month including returners Nick Gordon and Stephen Gonsalves.New Man In Charge Jake Mauer led the Cedar Rapids Kernels to four playoff berths in four years as their manager. In 2017, his first year as the Lookouts manager, he led the team to a share of the Southern League title. He decided to spend more time with his family. Tommy Watkins takes over managerial duties for the Lookouts after leading the Cedar Rapids Kernels to a playoff berth in his first year as a manager after years as a hitting coach. Watkins was the Lookouts hitting coach in 2016. Watkins knows there are differences between Low A and Double A from not only his coaching career, but also from his playing days. He has been in the players’ shoes, working his way up the ladder, and getting the proverbial cup of coffee in the big leagues. Twenty years ago, the Minnesota Twins drafted Watkins with their 38th- round pick out of high school in Ft. Myers. He spent 12 seasons in the Twins minor league system including hitting .357 in his nine games with the Twins in 2007. “I think the difference between Low A and AA are the guys being a little older. They’ve developed routines and things like that, but it’s still baseball and we as a staff still have to continue to teach and continue to develop routines. We still have to catch, hit and throw the baseball.” Watkins is looking forward to the challenge of the season starting on Thursday. “I think Opening Day is special every year, no matter what position I’m in. It’s a fun time of year. Time to get to know and spend time with your baseball family for the summer.” He continued, “We have a great group of guys that all get along together. I look forward to the guys playing the game the right way and having fun doing it.” Returning to the Lookouts will be pitching coach Ivan Arteaga and hitting coach Javier Valentin. Richard Salazar will serve as the team's bench coach. Prospects To Watch The Lookouts Opening Day roster (including the DL) includes eight players ranked in the Twins Daily Top 20 Prospect rankings. Despite solid 2017 showings in the Southern League and impressive time spent in big league camp, Nick Gordon (Twins Daily #3 Prospect), Stephen Gonsalves (Twins Daily #4 Prospect), Zack Littell (Twins Daily #11 Prospect) and LaMonte Wade (Twins Daily #14 Prospect) return to the Lookouts. Nick Gordon is expected to play primarily shortstop but also get some time at both second base and third base. He was a Southern League All-Star and played for Team USA in the Futures Game in 2017. He struggled in the second half and against left-handed pitching. Stephen Gonsalves was the Twins Daily Starting Pitcher of the Year in 2016 and 2017. After spending most of the second half of 2016 and then 2017 with the Lookouts, he ended the year with five starts in Rochester. Zack Littell was a top candidate for MiLB.com Minor League Starting Pitcher of the Year in 2017. He split the season between High-A Tampa (9-1), AA Trenton (5-0) and AA Chattanooga (5-0). He won a game for the Lookouts in the playoffs to give him 20 wins on the season. Littell is looking forward to his first Opening Day in the Twins organization. “Opening Day is the day we’ve been waiting for all offseason. All the build up and hard work you put in during the offseason is for Opening Day. Obviously it’s an exciting time for everybody, fans and players. So I think Opening Day is one of the most exciting times of the entire season.” LaMonte Wade clearly impressed the Twins manager, Paul Molitor, in his first big league spring training. When Wade was sent down to minor league camp, Molitor said. “As advertised. Good strike zone knowledge. He's got a lot of good at- bats as well. He's one of the few guys you see in the game who chokes up as much as he does on the bat for bat control. I think he's here to compete. Defensively, we put him in all three spots. He's probably more comfortable in the corners, but that's OK. He's just another guy who's coming. He knows his future is in front of him.” Brent Rooker (Twins Daily #7 Prospect) was drafted with the 35th overall pick just last June out of Mississippi State. After hitting eight homers for Elizabethton, he jumped up to Ft. Myers where he hit ten more home runs. The Twins are continuing to aggressively promote the right-handed slugger, pushing him right to AA to start the season. Rooker is looking forward to his first full season starting up on Thursday. “Opening Day means getting to continue to make strides in the right direction. It means getting to continue to work to improve your craft and take what you worked on in the offseason and apply it to your game to ultimately become the best player you can be” Lewis Thorpe (Twins Daily #12 Prospect) came back after missing over two seasons because of Tommy John surgery and a bout with mono. He pitched the second-half of the season with the Miracle and made one late-season start for the Lookouts. Thorpe’s been talked about in prospect rankings for years, so it may be surprising that the southpaw from Australia will be participating in his first Opening Day on Thursday. “To be honest I don’t really know what an Opening Day feels like because I’ve never really had one. But I’m excited to be start the year in AA with a great group of guys.” Tyler Jay (Twins Daily #19 Prospect) was the Twins top pick in 2015 out of Illinois. Last spring training, he was shifted from starter to reliever. Unfortunately, he missed most of the season with biceps tendinitis, but he looks to come back strong in 2018. Felix Jorge (Twins Daily #20 Prospect) made his Major League debut in July of 2017 and recorded a win. He made one more start for the Twins before coming back ot the Lookouts. He will begin the 2018 season on the disabled list. Late in spring training, he took a hard line drive off of the knee. It isn’t believed to be too serious. The Roster Starting Pitchers: Stephen Gonsalves, Randy LeBlanc, Zack Littell, Lewis Thorpe, Kohl Stewart This is clearly a very talented group of starting pitchers, even with Felix Jorge on the DL. Three of these pitchers ranked in the Twins Daily Top 20 prospects, and Kohl Stewart remains as talented as any of them. He missed time with injury last year. Hopefully he can stay healthy and start putting it all together. Relief Pitchers: Zack Jones, Ryan Eades, Williams Ramirez, Todd Van Steensel, Ryne Harper, Omar Bencomo, Tyler Jay, Sam Clay This is an interesting group of pitchers. You’ve got a couple of veterans in Omar Bencomo (who returns to the organization) and Ryne Harper (who spent the last two years in the Mariners system). Tyler Jay fits the top reliever prospect profile to a T with his big fastball/slider combo. Ryan Eades is a former second-round pick who has spent time as a starter and a reliever. Williams Ramirez is the flame-thrower with occasional control issues but big upside after transitioning from infielder to pitcher four years ago. Sam Clay had an opportunity to start after being drafted. At Ft. Myers last year, he was fantastic. He struggled greatly with his control in just a couple of games with the Lookouts last year, so he looks to take that next step. While we want to see all of these guys do well, it’s hard not to root for Zack Jones and Todd Van Steensel. Van Steensel signed with the Phillies and pitched in the GCL in 2009. He was let go. The Twins signed him and he pitched in Elizabethton in 2011, but the Twins released him. Before the 2014 season, the Twins re-signed Van Steensel, now a reliever. Since then, he has very slowly moved up the ladder while being one of the best, most consistent relievers in the organization, putting up low ERAs and high strikeout rates. “I’m just thankful that I get to be part of Opening Day. It’s been ten years since I first signed so I consider myself very lucky that I’m still out here doing this each year.” Zack Jones was the Twins 4th-round pick in 2012 and was immediately a dominant reliever, often hitting triple digits with his fastball. He struck out 70 batters in 48 innings in 2013 in Ft. Myers and pitched in the AFL after the season. Unfortunately, he missed most of the 2014 season after an aneurysm was found in a blood vessel near his right shoulder. He returned late in the year and was the closer for the Miracle in their FSL championship. In 2015, he struck out 68 batters in 51+ innings. Following the season, he was selected by the Brewers in the Rule 5 draft. Unfortunately, he fought shoulder problems and was returned to the Twins after getting healthy. After a few outings, he ended up having surgery on his labrum. That cost him the 2016 season as well. As he was working his way back in 2017, blood clots were found near his elbow which cut off circulation to his hand. Another surgery and his 2017 was lost. Jones appears to be healthy as 2018 starts and he’s looking forward to the season. Jones said, “For me Opening Day is the opportunity to put to test all the work and preparation you made in the offseason. The opportunity to compete and succeed with your teammates who all have the same common goal.” Catchers: Brian Navarreto, Wynston Sawyer Sawyer spent the first seven years of his career in the Orioles system before spending 2017 with the Dodgers. Still just 26, he can also play some first base. Navarreto participated in his first MLB spring training this year and loved every moment. “I learned so much from (Jason) Castro and Joe (Mauer).” Navarreto is a defense-first catcher, though he still has the potential to provide some pop with his bat. Infielders: Brent Rooker, Sean Miller, Nick Gordon, TJ White, Chris Paul, Ryan Walker Rooker and Gordon will, understandably, get the majority of the attention among this group, but the others have a lot of talent too. Sean Miller won the award as the top Twins minor league defensive infielder. He played in the AFL last year as well. Chris Paul also played in Arizona last fall. He hit .328 last year in Ft. Myers but missed most of the last three months of the season with a broken hamate bone. TJ White had a real nice season in 2017 with the Lookouts. In 96 games, he hit .276 with an .842 OPS and 44 extra base hits (26 doubles, 4 triples, 14 home runs). Ryan Walker is also a defensive whiz all around the infield. He got a little time with the Red Wings late last season and will again play all over. Walker was a part of the 2017 Lookouts championship, but he is excited for Opening Day. “Opening Day for me is just the start of another year to continually improve, have fun coming to the ballpark every day, and mostly to win ball games at whatever level we're at. We celebrated the victories and successes of last season during the fall and spring training, but now it's time to start fresh, put our heads down, and get after it.” Outfielders: Zander Wiel, Tanner English, Edgar Corcino, LaMonte Wade LaMonte Wade hit well for the Lookouts in 2017 and begins 2018 with the team again. Tanner English is a terrific center fielder with all the tools. He’s looking to put it all together. Zander Wiel was drafted as a first baseman and has played there most of his career. When Brent Rooker arrived in Ft. Myers last year, Wiel started spending more time in the outfield. That process continued in spring training .Edgar Corcino was a Southern League All-Star in 2017 and spent a little time in Rochester. Thursday’s Twins Minor League Pitching Probables (Times Central) Rochester starts its season on Friday. Birmingham @ Chattanooga - 5:15 - RHP Zack Littell Charlotte @ Ft. Myers - 6:00 - RHP Phil Hughes Cedar Rapids @ Quad Cities - 6:35 - LHP Bryan Sammons Previous Twins Minor League Opening Day Roster Previews Cedar Rapids Kernels - Class of 2018 “Should Be Pretty Entertaining” - Steve Buhr Ft. Myers Miracle - Miracle Hop Experience Transfers on the Field - Cody Christie Kernels Media Night Highlights - Steve Buhr Click here to view the article

Yeah, that was the first I'd heard the reasoning. All four full-season affiliates will have a fourth coach this year. I'd have to look to see if they're all pitchers. I know that the Red Wings added a bullpen coach who just finished his own pitching career last year. I don't remember the hitting or pitching backgrounds on the other two.

I mean, I think we all know the "oblique" thing was just to keep him on a schedule, ready to start April 11th when they needed their 5th starter. Weather in Minnesota may alter that timeline some if there are snow/weather outs, but my assumption is that it's just a final tune up before his MLB start. Now yeah, if he does get hurt or reports something else, I'm sure they will have a contingency plan.

Since Phil Hughes is starting for the Miracle on Thursday (4/5), he'll be (shockingly) set up to make the start for the Twins on 4/11.

None of them were at spring training in Ft. Myers. Again, I'd guess they come over now. Several of the Dominican players who spent time in the GCL last year also weren't in FM for spring training, but they'll likely be there for EST.

No... Ha!

My takes: I saw Benninghoff throw a bullpen or two and work in one game. He looks the part. He throws pretty hard. He's still working on control, as you'd expect based on age but also on returning from TJ, But I think he is a guy worth being excited about, but down the line. TJ White... he looked solid. The stance has definitely changed, but he remains a big, strong, fast, athletic guys with a lot of power. Stashak was moved to the bullpen, but I like him as a prospect. Another in the line of Radke like pitchers. Doesn't throw real hard, but will hit 92 or 93. Has that calm demeanor, good control all that stuff.

Isn't that strange... For those curious... The Miracle announced today that Adam Bray and Tom Hackimer will start the season on the DL. Max Cordy has been activated, and then they've added Lombana too.

It would certainly be interesting if some of that was in the discussion.

Tyler Wells was promoted, to Ft. Myers. I think Baddoo is an ideal leadoff man. I'd go: Baddoo CF Lewis SS Kirilloff RF Carrier LF/DH Miranda 2B Bechtold 3B Cabbage DH/LF Rodriguez 1B Rortvedt C

He made 6-8 starts for the Kernels last year after joining the organization.

For Wander, it is his LEFT (non-throwing) shoulder. When I was there, he was running and throwing and fielding. The only thing they didn't have him doing yet was hitting. He may be by now, but I'm sure they'll want to get him some live batting practice in some Extended Spring Training games before sending him up to the Kernels. It may be the type of minor injury that the cold would not be good for.

Not players. I assume some sort of cash considerations.

Yeah, I don't really understand that one either. Then again, he would have gone to Cedar Rapids, and the Twins have Rortvedt and Banuelos there. At Ft. Myers, you've got Hamilton and Kranson and "Gelly", so there just wasn't a roster spot for him, and spending another year in EST just doesn't make sense. He should play. I don't think there are any character issues in that one.

Wander Javier had a sore left shoulder. It's something he fought last year too, so they didn't have him hitting while I was there. He looked alright, so once he starts hitting and gets some live at bats, I'm sure he'll get up to Cedar Rapids soon enough. Michael Montero was not at spring training in Ft. Myers. My guess is that he'll come to Ft. Myers for Extended Spring Training and be ready to pitch in the GCL this year.

I spent eight full days in Ft. Myers, and for at least some of each day, I spent time down on the minor league side of things. When there was a big league game, I would maybe only spend a couple of hours watching practice. When the big league team was on the road, I would spend as much as seven hours watching practices and games. There is a lot of talent in the Twins minor league system. Today I wanted to highlight a handful of players who caught my eye, specifically with guys who are not often found on prospect sheets.I don’t know if you want to call them sleepers or just guys that stood out to one observer, me, but there were several players that I didn’t necessarily rank real high on Twins prospect lists. This isn’t an article to say that suddenly these guys will jump into my Top 10 or even my Top 30. But every year there are a couple of players that do good enough work throughout the time I’m there (admittedly a small sample) to get noticed. At the same time, Royce Lewis is a standout. Brent Rooker's approach and swing at the plate are eye-popping. Akil Baddoo is impressive at the plate, on the bases and in the field. Alex Kirilloff’s swing is so smooth. Blayne Enlow appears to be as advertised. Brusdar Graterol throws gas and looks the part of a starter. Fernando Romero and Stephen Gonsalves look close to big-league ready. We already know that. That’s why those guys are top ten types of prospects. Today I want to highlight some guys that maybe you haven’t heard a lot about. Maybe some of them will end up being Top 20 guys by season’s end. Maybe some of them won’t be with the organization in September. I don’t know. But it’s fun to observe, and in some ways, play amateur scout. While I was in Ft. Myers, I watch a lot. I love watching bullpens. I love watching infielders take group balls. I love pop up drills. I love watching guys take game at bats against live pitching because that is often different than batting practice swinging, which is also fun to watch. In my time down there, I had the chance to briefly talk to Mike Radcliff, and I met Deron Johnson for the first time. I only wish I had their abilities to scout and evaluate players not only for what they are today, but what they might be in three years, or five years. Scouting is a tough job. And maybe this little exercise will highlight that. So let’s get to it. Here are five guys (non-Top 20 types) who stood out in my mind having watched them over the course of my eight days in Ft. Myers. Ben Rodriguez Ben Rodriguez was the Twins 38th-round pick last June out of Pepperdine where he had played for four years. Drafted as a catcher, Rodriguez stands 6-6 and about 230 pounds. After being drafted, he played 50 games in the GCL where he hit .290/.399/. 457 (.856) with 17 extra base hits. While I did see him working on a few drills with the catchers, Rodriguez spent the majority of his time at first base. What is noteworthy is that he spent most of spring training with the Ft. Myers group that is starting the season in Cedar Rapids. He essentially passed by the likes of Kolton Kendrick and JJ Robinson who played first base at Elizabethton last season. He’s had some swing-and-miss in his game, but as you would guess from his size, he has a ton of power and power potential. We’ll see if it comes to fruition, but in my mind, that was a great late-round pick. Rodriguez is very athletic, strong and has potential that makes him intriguing. Andrew Vasquez Vasquez is kind of a late bloomer on this list. The left-hander was the Twins 32nd- round pick in 2015 out of Westmont College in California. He’s been moved fairly slowly, but he ended 2017 strong. After starting in Cedar Rapids, he moved up to Ft. Myers. Combined, he posted a 1.55 ERA and struck out 85 batters in 58 innings of work. He ended the season with an invitation to the Arizona Fall League where he struck out 14 batters in 12.2 innings (1.42 ERA). I first noticed him in the spring of 2017 when I watched him throw a bullpen. Actually, I heard him throw a bullpen. Just warming up, the ball could be heard as it went by. While his velocity wasn’t too high, it was a heavy fastball. This year, I watched him pitch in a couple of spring games. As I was taking in pitches from the side, and seeing hitters’ knees buckle, I decided to go stand behind home plate and watch. I’d obviously heard about the slider of Vasquez, but to see it is something else. After watching a couple, I looked at Twins assistant minor league pitching coordinator JP Martinez and he just shook his head at me and said, “I wish I could take credit for that.” We watched a couple more of his sliders dart into the strike zone, and it made his fastball appear even faster than its low-90s velocity was. He’s a two-pitch pitcher, and both pitches are really good. Tanner English 2017 was a forgettable year for Tanner English. He began the season by spending about a month in Chattanooga, but he just couldn’t get his bat going. He moved back to Ft. Myers and continued to struggle with the bat. He will begin 2018 with the Lookouts again, looking to take his career to the next level. You may recall the big league spring training game that English played hero in just over a week ago. He entered the game in the 8th inning as a pinch runner and then hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the 9th inning to tie the game. While he’s not a big guy, English has good tools. The first one you notice is his speed. He’s a good base runner and base stealer. He really shines in center field. English can cover a lot of ground, and he possesses a very strong arm. While he hasn’t hit for average, English puts together really good at-bats. He knows the strike zone and he understands the value of getting on base. And again, despite the lack of size, English has a bit of pop in his bat. The spring training big league home run landed near the top of the berm in left center field at Hammond Stadium. 2018 is a big year for him, and a solid offensive year, with his defense, could make him a candidate for a fourth or fifth outfielder job. Taylor Grzelakowski Grzelakowski went undrafted last year after his four years at Madonna University in Michigan. After the draft, “Gelly” was set to play in the United Shores Professional Baseball League, but after playing in 29 games, the Twins signed him. He went to the GCL where he played in 12 games. He spent this offseason continuing to work on his body. He noted that he lost 20 pounds since the end of last season, and he has now lost 62 pounds since entering college. All that is a nice back story, but Grzelakowski was impressive this spring. Though he played in the GCL last year, he has made the Ft. Myers Opening Day roster because he had such a strong camp. He’s got a smooth, but strong, left-handed swing. He knows the strike zone. Defensively, he’s got work to do behind the plate, but his improved physique has made him much more agile on balls in the dirt. His footwork has improved a lot. And, he’s always had a strong arm. With Mitchell Kranson and Caleb Hamilton also in Ft. Myers, it will be interesting to see how playing time is allocated. Kranson and Hamilton both have the ability to play multiple positions. Landon Leach Leach was ranked in the 20s among Twins prospects by most ranking sources. That was probably too low if only based on him being a second-round pick. Leach will begin the season in extended spring training, but he does have a lot of potential. People are excited about the Twins 2017 draft, but generally the focus is turned to Royce Lewis, Brent Rooker and Blayne Enlow. Leach isn’t talked about as often. However, after seeing him work in the bullpen and in games, I’m convinced he will be very good too. Drafted out of high school in Canada, the term “helium” was appropriate as the draft approached. He may be a bit more raw than some, in part due to cooler climate, but he also has only been pitching for a couple of years after being a catcher before that. Leach is a big, tall kid with a strong frame. He was clocked at 96 in a game, but he sat 94. He’ll have to continue to work to improve his secondary pitches, but he’s got a huge arm and will continue to grow. Like Brusdar Graterol, Leach could be a guy who gets to Cedar Rapids before the short season leagues start. Just a few more… Shortstop depth is good. Even after trading Jermaine Palacios, the Twins have Nick Gordon, Royce Lewis and Wander Javier at the position. And Sean Miller was named the Twins organization’s best minor league infielder for 2017. At Extended Spring Training, the Twins will have 2017 draft pick Ricky De La Torre and international signings Victor Tademo and Yunior Severino. All three were impressive with the glove and the bat.Centerfield defense is also an important trait, it seems, throughout the Twins system. Byron Buxton. Zack Granite. Tanner English. Aaron Whitefield. Akil Baddoo. Having watched 2017 draft pick TJ Dixon man centre field, they may have another. And Jacob Pearson can also play center field, though he played mostly right field.While watching the Astros/Orioles game last night, the announcer pointed out that Carlos Correa was clocked at 97 mph from the hole at shortstop to first base. That’s pretty impressive. Twins fifth-round pick in 2017, Andrew Bechtold, told me that before he came to spring training, he was clocked at 101 mph on a throw across the infield. While he has a good approach at the plate and some power potential, his defense is a big positive in his game.Along with all of the new coordinators and other positions in the minor leagues, the Twins have also added a fourth coach at each of the minor league levels. In the past, each affiliate would have a manager, a hitting coach and a pitching coach. One more coach can only be a positive.A little over a week ago in a minor league spring training game, Felix Jorge took a laser liner to the knee. While it is not believed to be serious, it is the reason he’s starting the season on the Disabled List.While the Twins added minor leaguer pitcher Adam Bray and first baseman Robbie Rinn in trades, the Twins also traded catcher Rainis Silva to the Seattle Mariners in exchange for cash.Losing weight was an important offseason activity for several Twins minor leaguers besides Taylor Grzelakowski. RHP Tyler Wells lost nearly 30 pounds over the winter. After losing about 25 pounds last offseason, catcher Mitchell Kranson said he lost about 10 more this offseason. And outfielder Shane Carrier, who had a fantastic second half in 2017, lost about 20 pounds as well. And he did so without losing any power as he launched a couple of the longest home runs I've seen.Roster Previews Kernels Class of 2018 “Should Be Pretty Entertaining” - Steve Buhr Ft. Myers Miracle Preview - Tuesday Night Chattanooga Lookouts Preview - Wednesday Night Rochester Red Wings Preview - Thursday Night Click here to view the article