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Seth Stohs

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Everything posted by Seth Stohs

  1. I like Ryan LaMarre. Had a couple of nice chats with him in Ft. Myers. Love the story and seeing him do well... But yeah, there is zero chance that I would pinch hit Ryan LaMarre for Logan Morrison against a right-handed pitcher. And I'm not at all a fan of Morrison.
  2. Quad Cities certainly made that argument... But the 3B was playing in, and the runner does get some leeway.
  3. I'm sure it'll take a little time after missing a year, but I wouldn't worry about two games. He'll be fine.
  4. I would have gone Gordon too, but that's the fun of having different writers, and then we can all discuss the choices in the comments.
  5. Interesting to see Carlos Suniaga pitch tonight. He was brought across the parking lot from EST. Curious the roster move. I see Andro Cutura has been assigned to the Kernels, so maybe that's it. Though I'm sure Suniaga will go back to EST as soon as someone comes off the DL. Nick Gordon and Travis Blankenhorn have been fantastic through two games each. Blankenhorn's got four doubles and a homer in like 8 or 9 PA.Gordon's like 5-7 with two walks, a double and a triple. Of course, getting excited about two games makes about as much sense as worrying about Brent Rooker starting 0-7 with 4 strikeouts.
  6. Correct... too many walks to get there... also being a catcher and catchers only playing 120-130 games most years decreased the odds.
  7. He could get to Chattanooga this year. He lost 25-30 pounds over the offseason and has worked very hard. He's got a good FB, CB and SL. He is quite talented, but he also needs innings and time.
  8. Still working his way back from the knee surgery. He was taking ground balls when I was there. I see now that he's starting to get some live at bats in spring training.
  9. I think the Twins and Blankenhorn are more than OK with him playing and developing at 2B and 3B. He split his time this spring. Position flexibility is an important thing for young players and prospects. He'll likely never be a Gold Glove caliber defender at either place, but he can be adequate enough that if his bat develops, he can play where there is a need. Whitefield is as good of an athlete as Kepler (or anyone). He was just as raw as Kepler when he came in, and there are a lot of similarities between the two of them. Whitefield's a little bit faster. Similar power. Whitefield's probably a little better defensively. Both have strong arms. Whitefield just didn't sign with the fanfare.
  10. Minor league spring training was just as long this year as normal years, but they'll be protective of their young arms, for sure.
  11. Weather was the big winner around baseball on Friday, both in the big leagues and in the minor leagues. Had the Twins been scheduled to play, they likely would not have. The Red Wings were scheduled to play their first game of the season, but it was snowed out. Chattanooga was rained out. The Cedar Rapids game in Quad Cities was “colded” out. Fortunately, the weather in Ft. Myers is almost always just fine, so we still have one game to talk about.Because three games were 'weathered' out, today you will get a little more detail in your Miracle report. It was a good day for a top Twins prospect. RED WINGS REPORT Rochester, Buffalo Box Score The Red Wings will now begin their 2018 season on Saturday afternoon with Aaron Slegers on the mound. The teams will make up the game later in the season. The Red Wings did announce that LHP Casey Crosby and Catcher Jordan Pacheco will begin the season on the disabled list. CHATTANOOGA CHATTER Chattanooga, Birmingham Box Score The Lookouts were unable to play the second game of their season because of rain and wet field conditions. The teams will play on Saturday and then two games on Sunday to make up for the game. MIRACLE MATTERS Ft. Myers 6, Charlotte 4 Box Score The Florida State League can be a difficult league for offenses, and it certainly will play out that way. But on this night, the Miracle were able to score six runs and scored in five different innings. In the second inning, after singles from Lewin Diaz and Travis Blankenhorn, Nelson Molina singled in the Miracle’s first run of the game. And then they showed a little power. In the third inning, Aaron Whitefield knocked his first home run of the season. In the fourth inning, Travis Blankenhorn gave the Miracle a 3-1 lead in the fourth inning with his first homer of the year. Tyler Wells made the start for the Miracle. He gave up a run in the first inning, but that was the lone run he allowed through the first four innings. He gave up three hits, walked two and struck out three. Logan Lombana came on for the fifth inning. He got two outs, but he gave up three hits. He left the game with two runners on and a one-run lead. Lefty Andrew Vasquez came on and after loading the bases with a walk, he gave up a two-run, game-tying single before getting the third out. Vasquez did work a perfect sixth inning. In the bottom of the sixth frame, the Miracle were able to tie the game at 4-4. Travis Blankenhorn hit his second double of the season and scored on a Jared Foster fielder’s choice. The game remained tied as Colton Davis worked two scoreless innings despite walking four batters. In the bottom of the eighth, the Miracle regained the lead. Caleb Hamilton led off with a walk. Jaylin Davis hit a one-out double that scored Hamilton and give the team a 5-4 lead. Davis went to third base on the throw and then scored on a wild pitch to make the score 6-4 heading into the ninth inning. Hard-throwing Alex Robinson came on for the ninth inning to protect the two-run lead. After getting the first out, Robinson hit a batter, gave up a single and a walk to load the bases. He got a strikeout for the second out. He then got a fly out for the final out of the game and his first save. The Miracle improved to 2-0 on the season. Miracle pitching coach Henry Bonilla was ejected in the eighth inning. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids, Quad Cities Box Score The Kernels went to Quad Cities on Thursday night for their season opener. They didn’t make the trek on Friday because of the cold weather conditions. On Saturday, the River Bandits will travel north to help the Kernels open their home schedule. STARS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Hitter of the Day: Travis Blankenhorn, Ft. Myers Miracle Twins Daily Pitcher of the Day: Tyler Wells, Ft. Myers Miracle TOP PROSPECT SUMMARY With just one game, the list if pretty short in this game, but here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed: #13 - Lewin Diaz (Ft. Myers) - 1-4, R, K #17 - Travis Blankenhorn (Ft. Myers) - 3-4, 2B (2), HR (1), R, RBI, K New Miracle play-by-play guy, Marshall Kelner made some very nice comments about another prospect Aaron Whitefield. SATURDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Buffalo @ Rochester (2:05 CST) - RHP Aaron Slegers (Weathered out again) Birmingham @ Chattanooga (6:15 CST) - LHP Stephen Gonsalves Ft. Myers @ Charlotte (5:05) - LHP Charlie Barnes Cedar Rapids @ Quad Cities (5:05 CST) - RHP Edwar Colina Please feel free to ask any questions about Friday’s games, or ask any questions you may have. Click here to view the article
  12. Because three games were 'weathered' out, today you will get a little more detail in your Miracle report. It was a good day for a top Twins prospect. RED WINGS REPORT Rochester, Buffalo Box Score The Red Wings will now begin their 2018 season on Saturday afternoon with Aaron Slegers on the mound. The teams will make up the game later in the season. The Red Wings did announce that LHP Casey Crosby and Catcher Jordan Pacheco will begin the season on the disabled list. CHATTANOOGA CHATTER Chattanooga, Birmingham Box Score The Lookouts were unable to play the second game of their season because of rain and wet field conditions. The teams will play on Saturday and then two games on Sunday to make up for the game. MIRACLE MATTERS Ft. Myers 6, Charlotte 4 Box Score The Florida State League can be a difficult league for offenses, and it certainly will play out that way. But on this night, the Miracle were able to score six runs and scored in five different innings. In the second inning, after singles from Lewin Diaz and Travis Blankenhorn, Nelson Molina singled in the Miracle’s first run of the game. And then they showed a little power. In the third inning, Aaron Whitefield knocked his first home run of the season. In the fourth inning, Travis Blankenhorn gave the Miracle a 3-1 lead in the fourth inning with his first homer of the year. Tyler Wells made the start for the Miracle. He gave up a run in the first inning, but that was the lone run he allowed through the first four innings. He gave up three hits, walked two and struck out three. Logan Lombana came on for the fifth inning. He got two outs, but he gave up three hits. He left the game with two runners on and a one-run lead. Lefty Andrew Vasquez came on and after loading the bases with a walk, he gave up a two-run, game-tying single before getting the third out. Vasquez did work a perfect sixth inning. In the bottom of the sixth frame, the Miracle were able to tie the game at 4-4. Travis Blankenhorn hit his second double of the season and scored on a Jared Foster fielder’s choice. The game remained tied as Colton Davis worked two scoreless innings despite walking four batters. In the bottom of the eighth, the Miracle regained the lead. Caleb Hamilton led off with a walk. Jaylin Davis hit a one-out double that scored Hamilton and give the team a 5-4 lead. Davis went to third base on the throw and then scored on a wild pitch to make the score 6-4 heading into the ninth inning. Hard-throwing Alex Robinson came on for the ninth inning to protect the two-run lead. After getting the first out, Robinson hit a batter, gave up a single and a walk to load the bases. He got a strikeout for the second out. He then got a fly out for the final out of the game and his first save. The Miracle improved to 2-0 on the season. Miracle pitching coach Henry Bonilla was ejected in the eighth inning. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids, Quad Cities Box Score The Kernels went to Quad Cities on Thursday night for their season opener. They didn’t make the trek on Friday because of the cold weather conditions. On Saturday, the River Bandits will travel north to help the Kernels open their home schedule. STARS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Hitter of the Day: Travis Blankenhorn, Ft. Myers Miracle Twins Daily Pitcher of the Day: Tyler Wells, Ft. Myers Miracle TOP PROSPECT SUMMARY With just one game, the list if pretty short in this game, but here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed: #13 - Lewin Diaz (Ft. Myers) - 1-4, R, K #17 - Travis Blankenhorn (Ft. Myers) - 3-4, 2B (2), HR (1), R, RBI, K New Miracle play-by-play guy, Marshall Kelner made some very nice comments about another prospect Aaron Whitefield. https://twitter.com/MarshallKelner/status/982430379876511744 SATURDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Buffalo @ Rochester (2:05 CST) - RHP Aaron Slegers (Weathered out again) Birmingham @ Chattanooga (6:15 CST) - LHP Stephen Gonsalves Ft. Myers @ Charlotte (5:05) - LHP Charlie Barnes Cedar Rapids @ Quad Cities (5:05 CST) - RHP Edwar Colina Please feel free to ask any questions about Friday’s games, or ask any questions you may have.
  13. Yeah, even when they were optioned, Gonsalves was optioned to Rochester, Romero was optioned to Chattanooga.
  14. He's a plus defender at 3B. Here's a story I did on him in the offseason: http://twinsdaily.com/_/minnesota-twins-news/minnesota-twins-minor-leagues/get-to-know-twins-third-base-prospect-andrew-bechtold-r6339 I talked to him a bit in Ft. Myers. He told me he was clocked at 101 across the diamond, so he's got a big arm too.
  15. If he gets four hits ever game ,probably not very long. I'd guess they go a month and see where he's at and where the Red Wings are at, and how Escobar and Adrianza are doing, etc.
  16. 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.
  17. 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.
  18. 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
  19. 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: https://twitter.com/jeje66/status/982098302249373696 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.
  20. Cronin is in EST. Schick is still recovering from the elbow. Muren retired. Cavaness still recovering from his surgery.
  21. 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).
  22. 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
  23. 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
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