Seth Stohs

Each week, we provide an update from the Twins minor leaguers who are playing in the Arizona Fall League. While it may or more not be weekly, we will also occasionally provide an update on Twins players in the various Winter Leagues. There are Caribbean Leagues in Venezuela, the Dominican Republic, Mexico and Puerto Rico. We'll also keep you updated on the Australian Baseball League as well. Here is a quick update on how some Twins players have fared in the early going.The Twins help players get opportunities in these winter leagues. Early in the season, you will see some of the younger players get some opportunity. As the season moves along, you'll start seeing more veteran types play as they prepare for the playoffs as well as their spring trainings. Some US players head down to these leagues for some extra at-bats or some additional innings. Sometimes a player will spend as little as two weeks with a team. Others will decide to stick around for a while. But especially in the Caribbean Leagues, winning matters. If a player isn't playing well, especially an American, they will be released and sent home. VENEZUELA The Venezuelan Winter League got started a couple of weeks ago already. Here are the Twins players who have spent time there so far. Luis Arraez had a terrific season in Cedar Rapids this year. He went home and has been playing for Navegantes del Magallanes. He is hitting .279/.311/.372 (.683) with two doubles and a triple in 43 at bats. Victor Tademo is a 17-year-old who hit .311/.388/.429 (.817) with 16 doubles, a triple and a home run this year in the Dominican Summer League. He also stole 21 bases in 25 attempts. He's an example of a young guy who will get a little bit of time but will also have the opportunity to watch and work with veterans. He is just 1-3 so far, also for Navegantes del Magallanes. Heiker Meneses split his season between Rochester and Chattanooga. Unfortunately, he also spent nearly half of the season on the disabled list. He is playing for Tiburones de La Guairra. He is hitting .303/.361/.515 (.876) with two doubles, a triple and a homer in 33 at-bats so far. Jairo Rodriguez is catching for Tigres de Aragua. He is hitting .240/.241/.240 (.481) in just 25 at bats so far. Reynaldo Rodriguez already has 57 at-bats this winter for Aguilas de Zulia. He is hitting .333/.333/.561 (.895) with two doubles, a triple and three home runs so far. Wilfredo Tovar was the Red Wings shortstop throughout the 2016 season. For Leones del Caracas, he is hitting .389/.441/.481 (.922) with five doubles in 54 at-bats. I wrote earlier this week that Niko Goodrum has re-signed with the Twins for 2017. He would have become a minor league free agent following the World Series, but he will stay with the Twins (unless he's selected in the Rule 5 draft). He is playing for Caribes de Anzoategui. In 54 at-bats, he is hitting .278/.333/.389 (.722) with four doubles and a triple. While the hitters are spread around the league, there are currently three Twins pitchers in Venezuela and all of them are playing for Bravos de Margarita. This is where you need to consider small sample size. Omar Bencomo, who will be a free agent after the World Series, has pitched 14.1 innings over three starts. He has a 1.88 ERA and a 0.84 WHIP. He has one walk and eight strikeouts. Ryan O'Rourke has pitched a total of two innings over five appearances. He has given up six earned runs on four hits and two walks. Nick Greenwood has made one start and went three innings. He gave up five runs on six hits and two walks. DOMINICAN REPUBLIC The Dominican Winter League began its schedule with a game on Thursday and the rest of the schedule began on Friday night. Catcher Carlos Paulino has played two games already and is 1-7 for Gigantes del Cibao. Daniel Palka is playing for Leones del Escogido. On Friday night, he went 1-4. It was a single. Also on the roster is former Twins outfielder Lew Ford. Confesor Lara is playing for Estrellas de Oriente. He signed late in the year and pitched for Ft. Myers. On Friday, Darren Wolfson tweeted the following: Ruiz gave up three runs on five hits and a walk over the first 4.1 innings. He struck out four. PUERTO RICO The Puerto Rico Winter League begins next weekend. The Twins have several players from the island in the organization. Many of them choose to play in the Winter League. AUSTRALIA The Australian Baseball League will begin November 17. We'll check back from time to time, maybe it'll even be weekly if the readers would like that. Please feel free to ask any questions you may have about the players or the leagues. Click here to view the article

Like I wrote above, and tweeted a few days ago, the Twins have already signed Niko Goodrum to bring him back in 2017.

Grossman had an opt-out in his contract that he used. At the time, Cleveland's OF was full, Naquin was playing well, Marlon Byrd might have been around and Michael Brantley was about to come back. . Little did they know that they'd need him a few weeks later.

Which is why I might advocate trades like the Nunez/Mejia deal where they're giving up middling veterans for near-ready talent (whatever the position, but obviously focusing on pitching).

I like Niko. I do think that he could develop into what they wanted Santana to be, so I probably should have put him on the bubble. Was very glad to hear earlier this week that the Twins had re-signed him to a minor league deal. As for Minier, I'd be shocked if he was selected in the Rule 5 draft after striking out so much in Elizabethton. I mean, Santana had at least spent time in Low A when the Twins traded for him.

Vielma isn't ready yet. He may be a year out, maybe a little more. I don't think he'd be ready for an MLB utility infield job. That's why I'd keep Escobar. Grossman's offense makes him a consideration... His defense puts him on the bubble.

The Minnesota Twins currently have 38 players on their 40-man roster (including the three players still on the 60-Day disabled list). Yesterday, we reviewed the 22 pitchers on the roster, and today, we will review the 16 hitters currently on the roster. On Monday, the Minnesota Twins announced that five players had been outrighted to AAA Rochester. Two were hitters. According to Mike Berardino, Logan Schafer has elected free agency. He showed some impressive self-awareness in the story. “I am a free agent, though, and I’m sure I am way down the priority list for the Twins this busy offseason.”James Beresford can also become a minor league free agent following the completion of the World Series. He would seem to be a strong candidate to come back to the organization on another minor league contract. Speaking of ‘after the World Series,’ that is when Derek Falvey will take over his role as the Twins Chief Baseball Officer. He will have plenty of very important decisions to make throughout the offseason, but today we’ll just discuss the 16 hitters on the 40-man roster. Again, after reading today’s article, we are going to want your thoughts and opinions on who should be added. How many of them are Givens to remain on the roster? Any of the arbitration-eligibles? Who are the guys on the proverbial roster bubble? For this, we are going to assume no trades for now. It is, of course, possible that the Twins make a trade or two before the Winter Meetings which would effect this as well. The Twins have six arbitration-eligible players, including two hitters. There are other articles on the arbitration-eligibles and (Coming Soon!) there will be more in the Twins Daily Offseason Handbook. Eduardo EscobarTrevor PlouffeFREE AGENT Just one player currently on the 40-man roster will automatically become a free agent after the World Series. That player is catcher Kurt Suzuki. It is highly unlikely that he will be brought back, though certainly not impossible. THE GIVENS (Assuming no trades) Byron Buxton - High draft pick. Top prospect. Yes, he struggled in the big leagues in 2015 and through August of 2016. However, we also saw September, when he put together an incredible month. We saw what he can be offensively. We already know what he is defensively. And he’s just 22. Easy choice.Brian Dozier - I mean, the guy just hit 42 home runs in 2016. He posted an .886 OPS. And he’s got two more years left on his contract. Could he be traded? It’s certainly possible, but otherwise, he will be on the roster. Not much more to say about that.Max Kepler - Was named the Twins top rookie by Twins Daily and the Baseball Writers. Certainly had his ups and downs in his first full-time big league experience, but the 23-year-old showed the potential we started seeing in 2015.Jorge Polanco - Polanco finally got the opportunity to play in the big leagues, pretty much every day, after August 1st. Can he play shortstop? He should get a shot in 2017. Regardless, Polanco has an exciting future ahead of him and is a given. He will be out of options next season.Joe Mauer - Let’s see. Big contract. No trade clause. He’s a given, assuming he wants to keep playing.John Ryan Murphy - It was a difficult season for the backstop acquired a year ago from the Yankees. However, he is good defensively and in the past has shown more offensively than he did in 2016. Still just 25, he’ll be on the roster in 2017.Byungho Park - He came in with a lot of hype after hitting 105 homers over his previous two seasons in Korea. He showed power when healthy, hitting 22 home runs in 93 games. Unfortunately, contact issues meant that 10 of the homers came in 31 games in Rochester. He had wrist/hand injuries that may or may not have contributed to his struggles. With his power potential, he remains a given.Eddie Rosario - Certainly he has his flaws, the most obvious being his complete lack of control of the strike zone. However, Rosario is immensely talented and can do a lot of good on the baseball field. Just 25, he’s a given to remain on the 40-man roster.Miguel Sano - Most will admit that 2016 was a difficult year for Sano on several levels, but even in a “bad” season he hit 25 homers. He can be much better which is scary to think about, especially for AL Central pitchers.Kennys Vargas - He will be out of options in 2017, so he’ll need to make the 25-man roster. He didn’t hit for average, but finally showed patience and a bunch of extra-base power in 2016. That likely pushed him from the bubble to a given.There are ten hitters who are "givens' to be on the Twins 40-man roster. In addition, there are two arbitration-eligible hitters. In my opinion, Eduardo Escobar should be nearly a given to stay on the roster and be offered arbitration. Most likely, he will be a reserve infielder, but he could get time at third base or shortstop depending upon how other situations play out. Trevor Plouffe is a much more difficult decision. 2016 was a frustrating season Plouffe, but when healthy, he can play solid defense at third base and be relied upon for 18 to 20 homers. For one year and $9 million, it’s not unreasonable to bring him back. I just think it’s pretty unlikely. Here are the hitters remaining on the 40-man roster who remain question marks for the roster at this point. As a reminder, room still needs to be made on the roster for players who need to be added to the 40-man roster or potentially lost to the Rule 5 draft. Of the below names, the front office will need to determine if they prefer to keep the current guy or go with a potential Rule 5 selection. There are a lot of difficult decisions. ON THE BUBBLE Adam Brett Walker - For me, he would be a given to remain on the roster. He just turned 25, and he has moved up the organizational ladder, continuing to show power. But there are the strikeouts and concerns about his defense.Juan Centeno - For me, he would have been removed from the 40-man roster already. I’ve tweeted several times that I don’t recall seeing a worse defensive catcher (maybe Matthew Lecroy) in team history. He can hit a little and he’s only 26, so maybe he could stick.Robbie Grossman - For me Grossman is a given to remain on the roster. He had a terrific on-base percentage. He can also hit left-handed pitching quite well. He could be an ideal platoon candidate. But his defense is so weak in the outfield that a new regime might have another opinion.Danny Santana - Currently on the 60-day disabled list, he will need to be removed from that soon. He is certainly a terrific athlete. He can play in the outfield or the infield (not necessarily well, but he can play them), but he just hasn’t shown any offense since that incredible rookie season in 2014. He’s is out of options and just can’t be guaranteed a roster spot.POTENTIAL 40-MAN ROSTER ADDS Real quickly, here is an incomplete list of hitters who would need to be added to the Twins 40-man roster or risk being lost in the Rule 5 draft (with my thoughts on likelihood of them being added): Mitch Garver - GivenZack Granite - Highly likelyDaniel Palka - Highly likelyEngelb Vielma - LikelyStuart Turner - BubbleSo there you have it, a crib sheet review of the hitters on the Minnesota Twins current 40 (or 38?) man roster. As I see it, there are 10 easy choices to keep on the roster. There are two hitters who are arbitration-eligible. Neither is a given. There are four hitters who I believe are on the 40-man roster bubble. To make matters more confusing, there are four or five hitters who need to be considered for addition to the 40-man roster.Between yesterday’s review of the pitchers on the 40-man roster and today’s review of the hitters, we’ve got information to hand over to Derek Falvey to help in his decision. Discuss the options below, and let us know what your transactions would be. Click here to view the article

All week, we’ve been getting to know the Twins 2016 minor league recipients of the Harmon Killebrew Award for Community Service. The award was established in honor of the Twins Hall of Famer and all he did for people in the communities he lived and played. The Twins organization is full of very good people, and certainly it is difficult for the teams to select just one. Today we celebrate the Rochester Red Wings recipient of the award. For the third straight season, Logan Darnell is the Red Wings recipient of the Harmon Killebrew Award. It was a tough season for the southpaw on the field. He had been removed from the Twins 40-man roster last year at this time. He cleared waivers and stayed with the Twins. He had a strong showing in spring training and was one of the final players sent down to minor league camp. Unfortunately, he didn’t get back to the big leagues in 2016. He went 8-8 with a 3.53 ERA in 18 starts before his season came to an end in mid-July with a shoulder injury. Even after that, he remained busy in the Rochester community. If you missed any of the previous winners, see below. Cedar Rapids Kernels: Nelson Molina Ft. Myers Miracle: Trey Vavra Chattanooga Lookouts: David Hurlbut Rochester Red Wings: Logan Darnell Previous Winners: 2015, 2014, 2013,2016 marked the third straight season in which LHP Logan Darnell received the Killebrew Award. That isn’t to say that he hasn’t had teammates who were active in the community. It is a great indicator of the type of person that Logan Darnell is. Red Wings general manager Dan Mason recently told Twins Daily, “Once again this year we were very fortunate to have some outstanding baseball players represent the Twins and the Red Wings, but we also had some outstanding human beings. We had many players represent us in the community at a variety of functions, but none did as many appearances for us than Logan Darnell.” Of receiving the Killebrew Award again, Darnell said, “It means a lot! I’ve met a lot of great people in Rochester and made good friends over the past years.” Darnell stayed active in the community throughout the entire season. In fact, for much longer than that. Mason added, “In his four seasons with the Red Wings, he has done an amazing job interacting with fans here at the ballpark and throughout the Rochester area. He has really embraced Rochester as his second home and has given back so much of his time and energy to help make Rochester a better place to live, work and play.” Darnell’s big event the last two seasons has been Darnell's Alzheimer’s Night in Rochester. Proceeds from the event go to the Alzheimer’s Association of Rochester. It's a very special cause for Darnell as his mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. Darnell reached into his own pockets and designed jerseys for the Red Wings to wear in a game. The jerseys were then auctioned and given away following the game. The Twins were big supporters as well with several players sending autographed items. 2015 was the first year of the event. It was a big success, so he took it to another level in 2016. According to Mason, “This year he stepped up to the plate again. He sponsored and designed the jersey and stirrups that the players wore and then auctioned off during the game. Proceeds benefited the Alzheimer's Association, Rochester and Finger Lakes Region.” Darnell added, “The Alzheimer’s Association in Rochester is very dear to me. All the people there working for the association are great and are doing an amazing job in the community. I'm lucky to know them and help. Having a mother sick with the disease really drives me to help and do everything I can to help because I understand the struggle. We raised close to $28.000 the last two years with events the Red Wings helped sponsor, and my teammates which makes me forever thankful.” He didn’t just plan and participate in one event. Mason said Darnell remained busy during most home stands. “He also arranged for a celebrity bartenders night at a local restaurant and over half the team and coaching staff were there to help raise funds for the Alzheimer's Association. He headed up a golf tourney allowing fans the opportunity to Swing with the Wings to benefit the same organization. In addition to all his work raising money for the Alzheimer's Association, he made numerous appearances at schools, hospitals, sponsors, youth baseball clinics, and he participated in the City of Rochester Clean Sweep in which residents spend a morning picking up debris and beautifying Rochester.” Darnell mentioned a few of the other events, and again credited leadership within the organization for what they do and how they encourage community involvement. “We did a golf event, jersey night, bar tending event, and we helped out with whatever the association needed. That with so many other great places that the team was involved with. The Wings are so great in the community. And it starts with (Red Wings GM) Dan Mason and Naomi (Silver)! They are awesome. Not to mention the guys are awesome.” Darnell ended the season on the disabled list with a shoulder issue. He was not on the 40-man roster all season. He can become a minor league free agent at the end of the World Series. Wherever he winds up, his work will continue. “The battle isn't won, and it's something I will always try and help until a cure is found.” Mason summarizes Darnell’s work, his caring attitude and his award by saying the following. “Logan Darnell is the kind of gentleman that Harmon Killebrew would be proud to have win his award.” Click here to view the article

Regarding Santana... he'd have to be removed from the 60-Day and placed on the 40-man roster... at the point, he absolutely could be DFAd. Just like anyone else on the 40-man. Regarding Perkins... I'm certainly willing to let him go through rehab and see where he's at.

Yeah, I believe the signing team would only have to pay him the league minimum. The Twins would pay the rest.

For me, he's got a couple of options left... he's got good, dominating AAA numbers. I'm willing to give him more time... but if he's on a bubble rather than being a given, I'm ok with that.

Kintzler's a given. As much as we want to see certain guys, sometimes it's best for their development ot get some AAA time and sometimes more AAA time. They're all different. Hildenberger, Reed, Burdi... we like to think they're all close, and they may be, but Reed has a month in AAA... Burdi missed nearly the full season, and Hildenberger missed hte last month with an elbow problem. It's good to have guys. No one thinks Kintzler is more than what he is just because he got some saves and did a nice job in the second half, but the stuff, movement, ground balls and the fact that he was healthy mean that he can be a solid reliever for longer. And, at most he'll cost like $2 million. That's nothing. And, it's low enough that if he struggles or if 3-4 of those young guys prove ready, they can let him go.

They have to be added back to the 40-man roster sometime before the Rule 5 draft (late November, or there may be an earlier date for that). But yes, they have to be added back.

I would (personally) probably tender him a contract. The Twins need all the pitching they can get. Santiago's a back-end of the rotation guy but it's not like the Twins have had a ton of great options in recent years. As we've seen, the young guys come up and sometimes need to go back and forth a few times, and in a (probable) losing season in 2017, I'd rather have Santiago take his lumps than someone like Gonsalves get pushed up too fast and possibly mess up his long-term development. But who knows who Falvey would bring in to establish his starting five. No one is sure what to expect at this point.

It's a fine line because players added to the 40-man roster in November can't come off the 40-man roster until around spring training. That's why you don't see many teams filling out their roster but also keep some question marks on there too. If they sign a free agent, those players can come off the 40-man roster then.

Without looking, I would think most teams would have 19-22 pitchers on their 40-man rosters.

On Monday the Minnesota Twins announced that five players had been outrighted to AAA Rochester. Tommy Milone has already said he has become a free agent. Andrew Albers and Pat Dean can also become free agents following the completion of the World Series as minor league free agents. The Twins could re-sign them, if they choose to do so. There are a lot decisions the Twins front office needs to make. Many of those decisions will likely wait until after the World Series because that is when Derek Falvey officially takes over as the Twins Chief of Baseball Operations. There are a lot of decisions to be made. Who will take over as the general manager, or could Falvey keep Rob Antony on the job on an interim basis for the time being, or maybe even for the 2017 season? What about other front office personnel? We’re told that the coaching staff is in limbo as we await the arrival of Falvey. But for today, I want to focus on players and the 40-man roster. And after reading today’s article, we are going to want your thoughts and opinions on who should be added.Even with Tommy Milone being outrighted and electing free agency, the Twins have six arbitration-eligible players, including four pitchers. There are other articles on this topic for debate and there will be more in the Twins Daily Offseason Handbook. (Coming soon!). Kyle GibsonBrandon KintzlerRyan PresslyHector SantiagoJust one player currently on the 40-man roster will automatically become a free agent after the World Series. That player is catcher Kurt Suzuki. There are three players who are currently on the 60-day disabled list: Phil Hughes, Glen Perkins and Danny Santana. These players will need to be added back to the 40-man roster before the Rule 5 draft. So the Twins officially have 35 players on their 40-man roster, but with those three added back, there really are 38 spots accounted for. So I want to look at the current 38 players on the 40-man roster. How many of them are "givens" to remain on the roster? Any of the arbitration-eligibles? Who are the guys on the proverbial roster bubble? For this, we are going to assume no trades for now. It is, of course, possible that the Twins make a trade or two before the Winter Meetings which may affect this as well. THE GIVENS Jose Berrios - Despite his struggles, he is a given to remain on the roster. He is a very important fixture in the Twins future.JT Chargois - He struggled early in his MLB career. However, he figured things out in September and the hope is that he will be a reliable man at the back-end of the Twins bullpen.Tyler Duffey - Again, tough season for the right-hander after he ended 2015 as the Twins best starter. Long-term, can he be a starter, or should he be in the bullpen? That will play itself out, but it’s clear he’s got enough stuff - in the two pitches he has - to at least be a solid reliever.Phil Hughes - He’s got the contract. He’s coming off an injury. He is going to remain on the roster.Pat Light - The numbers in the big leagues have been really non-good. Despite Trackman verifying that he was hitting 100 in Rochester, we didn’t see that in the big leagues. He was hit hard and struggled with secondary pitches. There’s a reason he was available in a trade for Fernando Abad. But there’s still upside here.Trevor May - Starter or bullpen? To be determined, but he’s a given to remain on the roster. Has really good stuff. Can be a dominant reliever, or a mid-rotation starter. We’ll see which.Adalberto Mejia - Acquired in July for Eduardo Nunez, Mejia was in Baseball America’s Top 100 prospects at mid-season. The left-hander made one appearance with the Twins in August before being shut down. He has a chance to be a solid mid-rotation starter.Mason Melotakis - He is essentially one year behind JT Chargois in terms of recovery and return from Tommy John surgery. He got through his first year back, and should be used and developed in 2017 similarly to Chargois was in 2016. Too talented.Glen Perkins - He’s untradeable due to recovery from shoulder injury. He has a contract. If healthy, he can be a terrific reliever in the late innings for the Twins, even if he’s 90% of what he was during his three straight All-Star seasons.Taylor Rogers - He was an easy choice to add to the 40-man roster last year at the time, and he proved the Twins correct by having a very nice rookie season in 2016. It was his first work out of the bullpen, so there’s a good chance he could continue to improve in the role going forward.Ervin Santana - He was the Twins pitcher of the year in 2016, and it was an easy choice. Could he be traded this offseason? Sure.There are eleven pitchers who are "givens" to be on the Twins 40-man roster. In addition, of the arbitration-eligible pitchers, it is my opinion that Kyle Gibson, Ryan Pressly and Brandon Kintzler are givens to be offered arbitration. I’d probably put Hector Santiago as more of a 50/50 selection. Here are the pitchers remaining on the 40-man roster who remain question marks for the roster at this point. Remember, room still needs to be made on the roster for players who need to be added to the 40-man roster or potentially lost to the Rule 5 draft. Of the below names, the front office will need to determine if they prefer to keep the current guy or go with a potential Rule 5 selection. There are a lot of difficult decisions. ON THE BUBBLE Buddy Boshers - A nice story in 2016, he pitched well in AAA and - with the exception of just a couple of appearances - in the big leagues. Left-handed. His improved breaking pitches have to be evaluated to determine if he’s worth a roster spot.Ryan O’Rourke - See Boshers, Buddy. O’Rourke made a concerted effort to improve his numbers against right-handed hitters to make himself more valuable on a roster. However, he was removed from the 40-man roster early in the season, but he did well in AAA and earned his way back on the roster.Randy Rosario - Another left-hander. He has a chance to start, which is what he did the first three-plus months of the season in Ft. Myers. He moved to the bullpen, and that’s where he is pitching in the Arizona Fall League. 2016 was his first full season back from Tommy John. He’s got terrific stuff and potential, but lack of strikeouts make him a question mark.Yorman Landa - In the Florida State League All-Star game, he threw several pitches over 100 mph, and that’s what he can do. However, he didn’t pitch after mid-July because of a shoulder injury, an injury he has missed significant time with before.Michael Tonkin - Simply put, his AAA dominance has not translated to the big leagues in his four years of opportunities. There are certainly times that he showed his upside, but for the most part he really struggled.Alex Wimmers - Former first-round pick who earned an opportunity to pitch in the big leagues the final six weeks of the season. Aside from two consecutive appearances in which he walked a combined six batters, he was very good. But what will the new regime think?POTENTIAL 40-MAN ROSTER ADDS Real quickly, here is an incomplete list of pitchers who would need to be added to the Twins 40-man roster or risk being lost in the Rule 5 draft (with my thoughts on likelihood of them being added): Fernando Romero - GIVENFelix Jorge - HIGHLY LIKELYDJ Baxendale - BUBBLELewis Thorpe - BUBBLEJason Wheeler - BUBBLEZack Jones - BUBBLERyan Eades - UNLIKELYWilliams Ramirez - UNLIKELYSo there you have it, a crib sheet review of the pitchers on the Minnesota Twins current 40 (or 38?)-man roster. As I see it, there are 11 easy choices to keep on the roster. There are four pitchers who are arbitration-eligible. In my opinion, three of them are givens. There are six pitchers that I believe are on the 40-man roster bubble. And there are several pitchers who need to be considered for addition to the 40-man roster. Tomorrow, I'll do the same thing with the 16 hitters currently on the Twins 40-man roster. For now, discuss your thoughts on the above as well as what you would do. Or, if you prefer, if you were asked to provide Derek Falvey with your roster recommendations, what would you present? Click here to view the article

In his career, Harmon Killebrew was an All-Star 11 times. Six times he finished in the Top 5 in American League MVP, and he was the MVP in 1969. He was inducted into Baseball’s Hall of Fame in 1984. As we’ve pointed out the last couple of days, Killebrew was an elite power hitter in Minnesota Twins and MLB history. As we’ve also pointed out, Killebrew might has been an even better person than baseball player. When he passed away in 2011, the Twins announced that they would announce a winner of the Harmon Killebrew Award for Community Service from each of the Twins four full-season affiliates. This week, we’ve been profiling all four of the 2016 Harmon Killebrew Award recipients this week. Today, we’ll write about the Twins Killebrew recipient of the Chattanooga Lookouts, lefty David Hurlbut. If you missed one earlier this week, check out the winners here: Cedar Rapids Kernels: Nelson Molina Ft. Myers Miracle: Trey Vavra Chattanooga Lookouts: David Hurlbut Rochester Red Wings: Previous Winners: 2015, 2014, 2013David Hurlbut has been in the Twins organization for a long time, since he signed in 2011 as the team’s 28th round pick in the 2011 draft out of Cal State-Fullerton. The team actually drafted him two years earlier out of junior college. Hurlbut has moved up the Twins ladder slowly, but consistently. He spent a year-and-a-half in the Midwest League and then again in the Florida State League. He pitched out of the bullpen and found much more success as a starter. In 2013, he posted a 2.82 ERA. In 2014, he posted a 2.20 ERA. In 2015 he went 11-7 with a 3.18 ERA, mostly in Chattanooga (though he made one start in Ft. Myers and one start in Rochester). Hurlbut returned to the Lookouts for the 2016 season. He went 7-7 with a 3.51 ERA. He moved up to Rochester for five late-season starts. Of his season, he said, “I feel that my season went well. I'm always working on perfecting my craft with the tools I have been given. I'm not satisfied by any means, but I take pride in knowing that I step on the pitcher's mound ready to work every day. I have already started working towards next season, and plan to come into spring training ready to go!” But Hurlbut was also valuable throughout the season in the community of Chattanooga. He was excited to learn he had been named the Lookouts recipient of the Killebrew Award. Hurlbut said, ““The award is important to me, but not as important the actual community service. It feels good to be recognized.” He stayed busy on the days he didn’t pitch. He frequently was involved in team events around the Chattanooga area. “We were able to go children's hospitals and special-needs schools to go spend time with kids. We did our best to put a smile on their faces, and gave out souvenirs to as many kids as we could. The Lookouts did a good job supporting the volunteers with whatever we needed to make sure we could try and make their day a little bit better.” According to Dan Kopf, the Lookouts Public & Media Relations Manager, the Lookouts did many activities around the community throughout the season. “This year the Lookouts did a variety of events in the community including hospital visits, trips to schools and a visit to a camp for children and adults with disabilities. David participated in several of our trips including our visit to the Erlanger's Children Hospital and the trip to Camp Signal.” It was at Camp Signal where Hurlbut made a strong a strong impression on many, including Kopf. “Along with Looie the Lookouts’ mascot and fellow Lookouts players Jake Reed and Ryan Walker, David helped make the Camp Signal appearance one of the best we've had. During that time, David met one of the campers named Ben who loved playing the guitar. Afterwards, the players visited Ben who played some songs on his guitar. Ben sounded great, but the guitar was missing a string. After we left, David went to purchase a brand new guitar for Ben and the camp.” Hurlbut spent some time in Venezuela last winter. He made four starts and went 2-0 with a 0.43 ERA (1 earned run in 21 innings). This winter, he is staying home to focus on getting into shape for next season. He will continue to drive toward his goal of pitching in the big leagues. He also will continue to be a leader in the communities in which he lives and works. “I will continue to volunteer as often as I can, as many of my teammates will do as well. We, as an organization and team, have the ability to go out into the communities we play in and give back. I think it is important to take advantage of as many opportunities as possible to help people in any way we can.” Click here to view the article

Like Sano, Kepler, Polanco, Minier, Diaz, Ynoa, Javier... Ryan/Twins current front office did all of those things with the exception of trading someone like Cliff Lee or CC Sabathia successfully.

Eight times in his career Harmon Killebrew hit 40 or more home runs. In 2016, Brian Dozier became the only other player in Minnesota Twins history to top the 40 home run mark. Killebrew led the American League in home runs six times. He also led the league in walks four times. Those of you reading a site dedicated to Minnesota Twins baseball know how great Harmon Killebrew was as a player. For many, it took his death in 2011 to realize the person he was. Yesterday, we wrote about the Cedar Rapids recipient of the Harmon Killebrew Award. For more on the award, click here. Today we want to highlight the Harmon Killebrew Award for Community Service recipient for the Ft. Myers Miracle, Trey Vavra. Vavra was the Twins 33rd-round pick in 2014 out of Florida Southern. He hit 20 doubles for Elizabethton that summer. In 2015, he moved up to Cedar Rapids. He was hitting .346/.406/.538 (.944) through 42 games with the Kernels before his season came to an unfortunate end due to an ankle injury and subsequent surgery. He spent last offseason playing in Melbourne, Australia. He was a member of the Melbourne Aces where he played with his older brother Tanner who was the Miracle recipient of the Killebrew Award in 2015 and the Cedar Rapids recipient in 2014. The siblings played for their father, Joe, a long-time Twins coach. ---------------------------------------------------------- Learn much more about Trey Vavra in this Twins Daily Get To Know ‘Em article from last year. ---------------------------------------------------------- Vavra played in 125 games in 2016 for the Miracle. Overall, he hit .230/.316/.326 (.642) with 17 doubles and eight home runs. He was a Florida State League All-Star and, at season’s end, was named the Miracle recipient of the Killebrew Award. We’ll be profiling all four of the 2016 Harmon Killebrew Award recipients this week. If you missed one, Check out the winners here: Cedar Rapids Kernels: Nelson Molina Ft. Myers Miracle: Trey Vavra Chattanooga Lookouts: Rochester Red Wings: Previous Winners: 2015, 2014, 2013,The award means a lot to Vavra. “The award was great to receive. I am truly lucky to have received it! I never met Mr. Killebrew, but his reputation is something I definitely remember and take seriously.” He continued, “Great to have an award with such a highly-regarded name.” The Ft. Myers Miracle organization does a tremendous job reaching out and staying very active in southwest Florida. Steve Gliner is the Miracle’s COO. He explained, “Having our players and staff involved in the Southwest Florida community is one of the best ways we can give back to the region that has supported the Miracle so well over the last 25 seasons. In the case of our players, we get requests for all kinds of community involvement including visiting schools and hospitals, helping kids learn the game of baseball via small camps and clinics, and having a presence at community events all throughout the year. The Minnesota Twins do a fantastic job of encouraging players to become involved in the communities in which they play. This helps us get great participation from the players and field staff all throughout the season. It means a great deal to us to be able to give back each season and throughout the year.” Vavra was quite active throughout the season. “I ‘worked’ primarily with the Boys and Girls club and Keep On Playing in Fort Myers. We did camps every month, followed with a point of emphasis on several topics like teamwork, perseverance, honesty, etc. Marnie Schneider coordinated that and she is great at explaining everything we did! Also did things with the handicapped, helped out with kids camps, and read to kids/played catch with at the Sanibel library.” Marnie Schneider is the director of Keep on Playing. Of Vavra’s presence at the clinics, she was quite impressed. “Trey is a man with a super big heart, who's full of grace. Keep On Playing was fortunate to have Trey participate in each of our baseball clinics this season. Trey made such a positive impact with the kids we work with, and he was always the last one to leave our clinics, always making sure that, even if we were way over time, the kids all had a chance to play baseball and learn something. The kids all gravitate to Trey, and he is able to communicate his love for baseball through his involvement and care. Being a professional athlete is a responsibility that Trey clearly cherishes, and he understands the job comes with responsibilities. He hits it way out of the park every time, not only when he's at bat, but when he's volunteering his time which he does so effortlessly. He makes us all want to be better. That's what a pro he is!” Gliner said of the Miracle’s choice of Vavra as its Killebrew Award recipient, “Trey was a clear choice to represent the Miracle for the Killebrew Award. Trey would always volunteer his time for any community appearance we had on the calendar. When he attended these events, he was always personable and willing to help and participate in any way. He shows tremendous leadership when he shows up to an appearance. He would always immediately jump in and take charge by asking what was needed, and then take the ball and run with it. There was not an event that he would say no to.” Vavra said he is not going to play winter ball this year. He has a plan for his offseason. “I plan on working, training, and getting my lower half as strong and quick as it was before I got injured.” The Florida State League can be grueling for the players. The heat and humidity has a tendency to wear out players over the course of the season. It’s very rigorous physically, but can be equally difficult mentally. Yet through it all, Vavra was willing to volunteer his time and energy to helping youth in any way he could. Gliner added, “The impact he had on the kids was just awesome to witness firsthand.” We’ll give the final word to Marnie Schneider. “I know that Trey has influenced more than a few kids who only watched football before. He turned them into huge baseball, Twins, and Miracle fans!! Trey, simply put, is a star and exactly what we want our role models to be!” Click here to view the article