Seth Stohs

It's usually around June 3rd or something... It may have bumped into May. Don't really know officially until after the season is complete.

He was an infielder growing up and with trainers and stuff, and he wasn't getting signed. Someone realized he had a big arm, and he was turned into a pitcher and the Twins signed him. Seems like a good decision at this point. He's a case where age-to-level just doesn't matter right now.

If he can post a .700 OPS with league average catcher defense, that would be pretty strong!

It'll happen. It's not IF, it's just WHEN.

To be determined... Ha! Some have higher ceilings, and some have lower floors.

Might be better at developing HS OFers than pitchers? Maybe. Ha!

While we may think that, and it may eventually be true, gotta get through the first months in the big leagues to really find out. I think he'll be very good, as long as he has control and command. He's finally doing that , most of the time, for the first time this year.

Each year I like to update my Top Prospect rankings right before the draft. My most recent rankings were done for the 2016 Prospect Handbook, so last December. (I posted them here in March.) It’s time for a new ranking as several things have happened, including players “graduating’ from prospect status as well as a couple months of games and new information. Today, I’ll do kind of a lightning round for prospects 21-40 and then over the next two days, I’ll do ten prospects at a time. These prospect rankings are fun. They’re not scientific. They involve many factors including, but not limited to, age, performance, level of competition, reports from players, coaches, front office types, as well as my eye test from spring training, a trip to Cedar Rapids and watching several games on MiLB.TV There are several purposes for writing these. First, it gives you some names to consider as you are reading our minor league reports. Second, these players (and really all of the minor leaguers, but I’m not going to rank 150 players!) deserve to be recognized for their hard work and dedication to their profession. Third, it’s always fun to discuss these lists and the players involved. I’m pretty certain that not 100% of you will agree with 100% of my rankings. In fact, I’m certain no one would share the exact same Top 40, so feel free to discuss in the forum. I enjoy answering any questions you may have. With that, let’s get started.It's always tough to come up with those final prospects not matter if you go with a list of 30, or 40, or 50, or whatever. So, I'm going to go with a tie for #40... I also want to mention a couple of Cedar Rapids Kernels that were very strongly considered for a spot as well. 1B Zander Wiel is a 23-year-old first baseman out of Vanderbilt. He has heated up since the weather in Iowa warmed up and does a nice job defensively too. Also, catcher AJ Murray has been a very good hitter much of the season. He's still a work-in-progress behind the plate since he caught very little at Georgia Tech. But he's a really hard worker, and Jake Mauer said that he is similar to where Mitch Garver was two years ago. Definitely a couple of Kernels to watch. There are many others at each level who fit into the "prospect" category as well, but a Top 40 has to end somewhere. So, here is my Top 40 (or 41, if you will). #40 (Tie) - RH RP Williams Ramirez (23 - Cedar Rapids Kernels) and Johan Quezada (21 - Extended Spring Training) I didn’t know how to separate them. These are two very hard-throwing right handers who had a lot of success last year in the GCL. Ramirez recently was promoted to Cedar Rapids where he has been terrific, throwing a fastball 94-97 with a really good breaking ball. Quezada is dominating in extended spring training with a fastball 95-99. Quezada has really grown since signing. Literally, he’s added about 8 inches of height and almost 10 mph to his fastball. Ramirez has only been a pitcher for three or four years. In other words, both have plenty of room for improvement. #39 - RHP Yorman Landa - 21 - Ft. Myers Miracle Landa missed time with shoulder problems in 2014 and 2015, but he showed enough late last year with the Kernels - including a 99 mph fastball - to be added to the 40-man roster for the Twins. He’s had some ups and downs with the Miracle so far this year, but overall, he has pitched well, whether asked to throw one inning or three. #38 - 1B Amaurys Minier - 20 - Extended Spring Training Minier signed from the Dominican in 2013 and has been moved quite slowly, primarily due to several injuries that cost him time early in seasons. Unfortunately, his bat also has moved along slowly and he will return to the rookie leagues (unless promoted soon) for another year. He’s still very young, and when he works hard, he does have a good swing that could produce a lot of power. #37 - OF Jaylin Davis - 21 - Extended Spring Training Davis is a bit of a sleeper, maybe a surprise to even see on this list. He was drafted a year ago out of Appalachian State. He fell in the draft due to injury and did not play a year ago. However, Davis has tremendous power and much more potential. Reports from Ft. Myers indicate that he is crushing home runs all over the field with a powerful swing. He is a solid outfielder, and he is also a guy who could skip Elizabethton and go to Cedar Rapids if there was a need. #36 - OF Tanner English - 23 - Ft. Myers Miracle English was the Twins top minor league defensive outfielder in 2015. He began this season in Ft. Myers, but a series of events have slowed things down for him. He was hit in the head with a pitch and missed a couple of days. He had Lasik eye surgery and on the last day of his rehab assignment with the EST squad, someone landed on his foot and hurt his ankle. So he’s been rehabbing that. English is a good top-of-the-order type of hitter who led the minor league system in stolen bases last year. He should be back to the Miracle shortly. #35 - OF Zach Granite - 23 - Chattanooga Lookouts Granite had a tough, injury-filled 2014. So he began 2015 with the Kernels. After a strong April in which he was named Minor League Hitter of the Month by the Twins, he was promoted to Ft. Myers where he was solid. This year, he jumped right to Chattanooga and has been their leadoff hitter almost every day since. He takes very professional at-bats and knows his job is to find ways to get on base. He’s doing that, and when he gets on base, he is looking to keep running. He already has 25 stolen bases this season. #34 - LH RP Mason Melotakis - 24 - Chattanooga Lookouts “Melo” missed all of the 2015 season after having Tommy John surgery the fall before. With reports of him hitting 97 mph in Instructional League last fall, the Twins needed to add him to the 40-man roster or risk losing him in the Rule 5 draft. He went to big league spring training and then reported to the Lookouts. He struggled early, as you would expect, but he has been much better of late. #33 - OF Edgar Corcino - 24 - Ft. Myers Miracle One of the best pure athletes in the organization, Corcino signed with the Twins before the 2015 season out of independent baseball. He had been drafted and spent a couple of seasons in the Tigers system. After a strong showing in Cedar Rapids in the second half last year, he moved up to Ft. Myers this year. He started slow, not playing every day in April. In May, the Twins selected him as their Minor League Hitter of the Month. He plays great outfield defense at all three positions. He has good speed. And, he has extra base pop in his bat. Definitely one to watch as he just turned 24 today. #32 - LHP Jason Wheeler - 25 - Rochester Red Wings In 2014, Wheeler had a solid half-season, repeating in Ft. Myers and carried it into a strong showing in AA. Following that season, he was added to the 40-man roster. He started in Rochester in 2015 for some reason and really struggled. Late last year, he was removed from the 40-man and cleared. He went on to be the MVP of the Southern League championship series. He began this season with the Lookouts and was quickly called up to AAA where he has been lights-out most every outing. At 6-6, he does not throw real hard, but like the other lefties in the Red Wings rotation, he has good control and mixes his pitches well. #31 - OF Travis Harrison - 23 - Chattanooga Lookouts Harrison is repeating at AA Chattanooga this year and has been solid in the middle of the Lookouts lineup. His outfield defense has improved and his approach at the plate has improved. He has been productive offensively despite similar numbers to last year. I believe that he is in line for a strong second half. Still just 23, Harrison has time to grow into his potential. #30 - RHP Huascar Ynoa - 18 - Extended Spring Training While his brother Michael was signed to a huge free agent bonus (about $4 million) as a 16-year-old, the Twins were able to sign Huscar for around $850K. He pitched in the DSL last year and will be making his stateside debut this year. He has been pitching quite well in EST, flashing a fastball in the 90-95 range with the ability to dominate. He just turned 18 and will likely pitch in the GCL this year. #29 - C Stuart Turner - 24 - Chattanooga Lookouts Turner was the Twins 3rd-round pick in 2013 out of Mississippi where he was named the top catcher in college baseball. In 2014, he skipped Cedar Rapids and jumped to Ft. Myers. He struggled with the bat. In 2015, he went to Chattanooga where he was good defensively but struggled with the bat. Finally in 2016, he is sticking at the same level, hopefully allowing his bat to catch up. He started out strong with lots of walks and doubles. He’s slowed, but he does have a good approach at the plate. Many still believe he is a top defensive catcher. #28 - LHP Lachlan Wells - 19 - Extended Spring Training The Australian had a strong debut in 2015 in the GCL, putting up numbers very similar to what Lewis Thorpe put up a couple of years earlier at that level. He even left right before the end of the season to pitch for Team Australia in an international competition, just as Thorpe had. While Wells doesn’t throw as hard as Thorpe can, he does know and understand how to pitch and shows a lot of poise on the mound. He should pitch for Elizabethton. #27 - RH RP Jake Reed - 23 - Chattanooga Lookouts The last two offseasons, Reed has dominated in the hitter-friendly Arizona Fall League. However, for the second straight year he has really struggled in the AA Southern League. That said, he has been much better of late. His mid-90s fastball gets a lot of movement, so command has been an issue for him at times. Other times, he can flat-out dominate. #26 - 2B Luis Arraez - 19 - Cedar Rapids Kernels One of the biggest surprises, for me, early in the season has been Arraez. I was surprised that he started in Cedar Rapids, and I thought maybe he would just get a little experience before going down to Elizabethton when the short-season started. Though he didn’t play a lot the first week or two, he was given an opportunity and he has fully taken advantage of it. He has been a catalyst at the top of the Kernels’ lineup, hitting over .320 and taking really good, professional at bats. #25 - IF Travis Blankenhorn - 19 - Extended Spring Training Blankenhorn was the Twins 3rd-round pick a year ago out of high school. A tremendous athlete, he played for the GCL and Elizabethton teams in 2015. This spring in EST, he has shown some glimpses of his big potential. He has a nice swing and should develop some power over time. Interestingly, drafted as a third baseman, he has spent almost all of his time in EST playing second base. #24 - RH RP Trevor Hildenberger - 25 - Chattanooga Lookouts He was our choice for Twins Minor League Relief Pitcher of the Year last year with his work in Cedar Rapids and Ft. Myers in his first full professional season. He even pitched well in the Arizona Fall League. The side-winding right-hander started with the Miracle this year, but after just a few weeks, he quickly advanced to AA where he has continued to pitch great. Where many have struggled, Hildenberger has put up great numbers and become the team’s reliable closer. A 22nd-round pick just two years ago, he could get to Minnesota yet this year, or certainly put himself into consideration for a spot early in 2017. #23 - SS Jermaine Palacios - 19 - Cedar Rapids Kernels Palacios burst on the scene last year when he dominated (offensively) in the GCL and Elizabethton in his first year in the United States. The 19-year-old began this season in Cedar Rapids but it has been slow-going for the talented Venezuelan. After hitting a combined .370 last year, he has been hovering around (and mostly below) the Mendoza Line most of this season. Defensively, he’s got a ways to go, but the skills are there. Could he go to Elizabethton when the short-season starts? #22 - SS Engelb Vielma - 21 - Ft. Myers Miracle Vielma had a solid season in 2015 in Ft. Myers which led to a spring training invite to big league camp. He began the season with the Lookouts, but he has twice been on the disabled list already. In the last week, he was activated and sent back to Ft. Myers just to get more at-bats. He should move up to Chattanooga again soon. The slick-fielding shortstop could hit for average and should play very good defense, though he did struggle early in the season. #21 - C Mitch Garver - 25 - Chattanooga Lookouts It has been his bat that has carried Garver through much of his minor league career, but it is his defense behind the plate that is moving him up this list this time around. He has thrown out 64% of would-be base stealers so far this season and is listed among the top catchers in baseball in pitch framing. Pitchers have also enjoyed working with him in the past. His bat has been solid in the Southern League. He’s hitting .265 with 11 doubles and two homers in 40 games. When not catching, he has played some at first base and frequently at DH. He did miss about a week with a concussion. So there you have it, a quick glance at my updated prospects 21-40. What are your thoughts? Noticing any trends yet? Tomorrow we’ll dive into prospects 11-20. But for today, consider my list above. Ask questions, and start thinking about how your top 20, 30 or 40 Twins prospect list might look. Click here to view the article

I'm Eduardo Nunez. Yes, I'm the real Eduardo Nunez. All you other Eduardo Nunez's are just imitating.

I'd guess they're getting him a couple weeks of at bats before sending him back to Chattanooga. I definitely don't consider it a waste to have Gordon and Vielma flip-flopping between SS And 2B. With middle infielders, who knows what the need will be in 2 years... have them at least able to play both positions so when there is a need, one of them can come up.

Note - Yesterday morning, it was announced that LHP Nick Greenwood was promoted to AAA and Ryan Eades was activated by the Lookouts. Greenwood was supposed to start tonight for the Lookouts, but obviously won't. Ryan Eades is their expected starter.

3-0 with a 2.08 ERA And a 0.89 WHIP. 5 starts, 34.2 innings, which is why he isn't listed in the above yet.

Chatted with Tanner English a bit today. He had Lasik surgery and in his rehab in EST, he had his ankle jumped on at a base. So, now he's been rehabbing that. He should be back relatively soon.

I've had Gonsalves rated higher than Stewart for over a year and will again. I think Gonsalves moves up after the FSL All Star Game. We'll see. One could argue that Jay is their top pitcher right now, or even Jorge. But Gonsalves has been there 2nd longest (after Stewart), so I would think he's next.

A bit of a slump right now, but he's a legit Top 100 prospect.

He could be. The fact that he isn't on the 40-man roster is an issue... for now.

He's 6-1, and I'm 6-1 (and i"m nowhere near 6-1). He could get a little stronger, but he's going to be thin, real thin... Jason Tyner-thin. His defense is average, thanks to some really good range. Arm is not strong. That said, he's in a position to succeed. He's a very professional hitter. He's got a great approach at the plate. He gets his role as a catalyst.

I guess not... Kyle Gibson is making his rehab start today for the Red Wings.

The first halves of the seasons are nearing completion and the teams continue to battle for playoff spots. The Florida State League announced their rosters and eight Miracle players will participate in the game. We just recently completed our May minor league awards, so it’s time to check back on the Twins organizational statistical leader board. Before going too far, we would be remiss not to mention that on Friday, Red Wings infielder James Beresford played in his 1,000th minor league game. Quite the milestone, though I'm guessing playing ONE big league game for him would big a bigger milestone for the Australian and his family. First, here is how the Twins’ affiliates currently stack up in their leagues. Rochester is 31-25. The Red Wings are tied with both the Buffalo Bisons (Blue Jays) and Scranton-Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (Yankees) in the International League North Division.Chattanooga is 26-29. The Lookouts are 10 games back of Jackson (Mariners) and in 3rd place in the Southern League North Division. The “magic number” to be eliminated from a first-half division title is down to just six despite a solid 7-3 record in their last ten games.Ft. Myers is 27-29. The Miracle are 4.5 games back of Bradenton (Pirates) in the Florida State League South Division. They’re just 3-7 in their last ten games. Their ‘elimination number’ for the first half if 11.Cedar Rapids is 31-24. The Kernels currently have a two game lead over Clinton (Mariners) and Peoria (Cardinals) in the Midwest League Western Division. Their magic number for a guaranteed playoff berth is 13.With that, let’s look at the minor league statistical leaderboard. HITTERS (Rate numbers- minimum 130 plate appearances) Plate Appearances - James Beresford (227), Kennys Vargas (226), Leonardo Reginnato (225), Chris Paul (223), Zach Granite (222), LaMonte Wade/Zander Wiel (221), Daniel Palka (220). Batting Average - LaMonte Wade (.318), Luis Arraez (.317), James Beresford (.299), Nick Gordon (.291), Leonardo Reginnato (.289), AJ Murray (.286) On-Base Percentage - LaMonte Wade (.434), James Beresford (.385), Luis Arraez (.380), AJ Murray (.376), Rafael Valera (.366), Leonardo Reginnato/Ryan Walker (.354), Travis Harrison (.348). Slugging Percentage - Daniel Palka (.513), LaMonte Wade (.455), AJ Murray (.445), Adam Brett Walker (.436), Edgar Corcino (.434), Luis Arraez (.429), Nick Gordon (.417). OPS - LaMonte Wade (.889), Daniel Palka (.809), AJ Murray (.821), Luis Arraez (.808), Edgar Corcino (.779), Rafael Valera (.774), Zander Wiel (.762). Hits - James Beresford (59), Leonardo Reginnato (58), LaMonte Wade (56), Zach Granite (55), Zander Wiel (53), Daniel Palka/AJ Murray/Dalton Hicks (52). Doubles - AJ Murray/JJ Fernandez (12), Dalton Hicks/Chris Paul/Mitch Garver/Joe Maloney (11), Zander Wiel/Luis Arraez/Nick Gordon (10), Six with 9.. Triples - Max Kepler (6), Jorge Polanco (5), Zander Wiel/Rafael Valera/Edgar Corcino/Logan Wade/Ryan Walker (4), Six with 3. Home Runs - Daniel Palka (12), Adam Brett Walker (10), Kennys Vargas (8), Byron Buxton (6), AJ Murray/Trey Vavra/Alex Real (5), Four with 4. Runs Scored - James Beresford (35), Zach Granite (31), LaMonte Wade/Luis Arraez (30), Dalton Hicks (28), Sean Miller (27), Byron Buxton/Zander Wiel/Leonardo Reginnato (26), Three with 24.. RBI - Daniel Palka (40), Kennys Vargas (36), Zander Wiel/AJ Murray (28), LaMonte Wade (27), Dalton Hicks (26), Travis Harrison (24), Chris Paul (23). SB - Zach Granite (25), Wilfredo Tovar (17), Nick Gordon/TJ White (7), Ryan Walker/Chad Christensen/Darin Mastroianni (6), Three with 5. STARTING PITCHERS (Rate number - minimum 40.0 innings) Innings Pitched: Jason Wheeler (76.2), DJ Baxendale (67.0), Aaron Slegers (63.1), Randy LeBlanc (61.0), Stephen Gonsalves (60.2), Logan Darnell (60.1), David Hurlbut (59.2), Felix Jorge (59.0). ERA: Randy LeBlanc (0.74), Felix Jorge (1.83), Stephen Gonsalves (1.93), Jason Wheeler (2.00), Sam Clay (2.13), Tyler Jay (2.44), Cody Stashak (2.90). WHIP: Randy LeBlanc (0.82), Stephen Gonsalves (0.92), Felix Jorge (0.97), Jason Wheeler (0.98), Tyler Jay (1.065), Cody Stashak (1.067), DJ Baxendale (1.13), Logan Darnell (1.14). K/9: Sam Clay (9.8), Tyler Jay (9.6), Miles Nordgren (8.9), Stephen Gonsales (8.6), Dereck Rodriguez (8.5), Cody Stashak (8.0), Jason Wheeler/Kohl Stewart (7.9). BB/9: Felix Jorge (1.4), DJ Baxendale/Jason Wheeler (1.5), Randy LeBlanc (1.6), Cody Stashak (1.8), David Martinez (1.9), David Hurlbut (2.0), Miles Nordgren (2.3), Logan Darnell/Tyler Jay (2.4). K: Jason Wheeler (67), Stephen Gonsalves (58), Tyler Jay/Sam Clay (55), DJ Baxendale (50), Felix Jorge/Kohl Stewart (47), Aaron Slegers (46), Cody Stashak (44), Miles Nordgren (43). Wins: Randy LeBlanc (6-2), Jason Wheeler (5-2), Stephen Gonsalves (5-3), DJ Baxendale/Logan Darnell (5-5). RELIEF PITCHERS (Rate numbers - minimum 21 inning, less than 2 starts) Innings Pitched: Marcus Walden (31.2), Jake Reed (30.1), Luke Bard/Trevor Hildenberger (27.1), Raul Fernandez (27.0), Todd Van Steensel (26.1), Mike Theofanopoulos (26.0), Alex Wimmers (25.2), Three at 25.0. ERA: Trevor Hildenberger (0.99), Kuo Hua Lo/Nick Anderson (1.12), JT Chargois (1.25), Mike Theofanopoulos (1.73), Luke Westphal (1.99), Marcus Walden (2.27). WHIP: Nick Anderson (0.63), Trevor Hildenberger (0.92), JT Chargois (1.02), Mike Theofanopoulos (1.038), Marcus Walden (1.042) Brandon Peterson (1.08), John Curtiss (1.12).. K/9: JT Chargois (13.7), Luke Westphal (13.5), Mike Theofanopoulos (12.5), Nick Anderson (12.4), John Curtiss (11.9), CK Irby (10.1), Brandon Peterson (9.4). BB/9: Trevor Hildenberger (1.0), Nick Anderson (1.5), Brandon Peterson (2.5), Raul Fernandez (2.7), CK Irby (3.0), Marcus Walden (3.1), Alex Wimmers (3.2), JT Chargois (3.3). K: Mike Theofanopoulos (36), Luke Westphal (34), Nick Anderson/JT Chargois/John Curtiss (33), Jake Reed (31), Brandon Peterson/Luke Bard (26), Trevor Hildenberger (25), CK Irby (24). Saves: JT Chargois/Trevor Hildenberger (10), Marcus Walden (4), Five with 3. Click here to view the article

After a brief hiatus to present our June Minor League Awards, we again consider the organizational depth within the organization. We have already looked at the outfielders and catchers. Today we look at the infielders throughout the system. Coming into the season, it looked as though the Twins finally had a lot of organizational depth at shortstop. However, Eduardo Escobar and the two top shortstop prospects have already spent time on the DL. Jorge Polanco has played just one game at shortstop. Jermaine Palacios is dwelling around the Mendoza Line in Cedar Rapids. Wander Javier will spend the season in the Dominican Summer League. The position is still strong in the big picture, but it is a good reminder that it is important to have strong depth.Minnesota Twins - 1B: Joe Mauer, 2B: Brian Dozier, 3B: Trevor Plouffe, SS: Eduardo Escobar, DH: Byung Ho Park, Utility: Eduardo Nunez Joe Mauer had a strong April, but then he struggled in May. He has shown more power this year than in the last couple of seasons. Hard to believe that the top performing infielder in the system, and the current favorite to represent the Twins in the All-Star Game in July, has been Eduardo Nunez. Park has expectedly struggled to adjust, while at the same time showing the type of power potential he has. Dozier has struggled since after the 2015 All-Star Game. And, Escobar and Plouffe have each spent time on the disabled list while not performing up to their previous levels. Rochester Red Wings - 1B: Kenny Vargas, 2B: Jorge Polanco, 3B: James Beresford, SS: Wilfredo Tovar, Utility: Stephen Wickens, Buck Britton, Tommy Field, Heiker Meneses (DL), Reynaldo Rodriguez (Suspended) Polanco is clearly the prospect in this group, though as mentioned above, he has not played shortstop with the Red Wings this year. He has spent plenty of time in the big leagues already, though rarely played when he was up there. Beresford is continuing where he left off in 2015, building off an All-Star season. Vargas got off to a very slow start, and is still not hitting for average, but in recent weeks, he has shown off his power. Tovar has been the everyday shortstop for the Red Wings. He’s always been known for his defense and has helped his pitchers many times already. Wickens, Britton and Field are all veteran minor leaguers who have played around the field, in the infield and outfield. Chattanooga Lookouts - 1B: Dalton Hicks, 2B: Ryan Walker, 3B: TJ White, SS: Leonardo Reginnato, Utility: Levi Michael, Engelb Vielma (DL), Niko Goodrum (DL) Engelb Vielma began the season with the Lookouts, but he has been on the disabled list twice. He was activated last week and sent to Ft. Myers where he and Nick Gordon are flip-flopping in the middle infield positions. TJ White came up early in the season, and he has certainly struggled at the plate, but he is a terrific athlete and hopefully will take off soon. Hicks is back after missing several months last year. His batting average is low, but he continues to show power and drive in runs. Leonardo Reginnato was a minor league free agent signing and he’s done a nice job offensively and defensively. Ryan Walker came up in early May and has played very well. Always a good glove, he has hit well for the Lookouts. Levi Michael has played well the last couple of seasons in AA when healthy but this year he is losing time to Walker and Reginnato and playing more of a utility role. Goodrum had a stress fracture in his foot. Ft. Myers Miracle - 1B: Trey Vavra, 2B: Tanner Witt, 3B: Chris Paul, SS: Nick Gordon, Utility: Logan Wade, Alex Real Gordon is one of the organization’s top prospects, and he’s a Top 100 prospect in baseball. He’s had a strong start to his 2016 season as well. Trey Vavra is healthy after missing half of the 2015 season after ankle surgery. TJ White was supposed to spend the season in Ft. Myers, but injury pushed him to Chattanooga. That pushed Chris Paul up to Ft. Myers a little earlier than anticipated, but he’s been solid, hitting a lot of doubles. Alex Real has been the primary DH and played some first base. Tanner Witt was signed a month ago from independent ball and played well. Logan Wade can play all over the infield and in the corners of the outfield. Cedar Rapids Kernels - 1B: Zander Wiel, 2B: Luis Arraez, 3B: Nelson Molina, SS: Jermaine Palacios, Utility: Sean Miller, Alex Perez, Manuel Guzman (DL), Rafael Valera (DL) 19-year-olds Jermaine Palacios and Luis Arraez have been in the lineup most games. Arraez has hit well over .300 and is a catalyst at the top of the Kernels lineup. Palacios hasn’t hit like he did last year in the two rookie leagues. They’re so young but gaining really valuable experience. Wiel played three years at Vanderbilt. After a slow start, he had a real solid, productive May, including an increase in power. Sean Miller has been on-fire since he had a week in Ft. Myers as an injury replacement. Nelson Molina has not hit in his three seasons in the rookie leagues. He began in EST and has since being recalled in early May has hit over .300 and played well at third base. Perez also started in EST, and when he plays, he hits at the top of the order and gets on base at a strong clip. Rafael Valera was off to a strong start but he’ll be out for awhile with a labrum injury. Extended Spring Training - 1B: Lewin Diaz, Amaurys Minier, Kolton Kendrick, 2B: Emmanuel Morel, Travis Blankenhorn, Jorge Andrade, 3B: Trey Cabbage, Ruar Verkerk, Roni Tapia, SS: Ariel Montesino, Jorge Munoz. We have already seen several infielders moved up from extended spring to Cedar Rapids, but there is still a ton of big talent. Top international signings in recent years, Lewin Diaz and Amaurys Minier have huge power potential. Diaz had a hip injury that cost him most of spring training. I thought Minier would be in Cedar Rapids by now. Travis Blankenhorn (3rd), Trey Cabbage (4th) and Kolton Kendrick (8th) all have big potential as well. While Kendrick’s tool is his power, Blankenhorn and Cabbage are both gifted, well-rounded athletes who will be known for their bats, but who have worked around the field defensively.Speed is the name of the game for Emmanuel Morel, Ariel Montesino and Jorge Munoz. Munoz is a gifted shortstop with the glove. All three fit into the classic mold of a middle infielder; speed, defense, slappy, line drive hitters. Andrade, Verkerk and Tapia are looking to take a step forward in 2016. Top Prospects Corner Infielders: 1.) Travis Blankenhorn, 2.) Trey Cabbage, 3.) Lewin Diaz, 4.) Amaurys Minier, 5.) Zander Wiel. Top Prospects Middle Infielders: 1.) Nick Gordon, 2.) Jorge Polanco, 3.) Jermaine Palacios, 4.) Luis Arraez, 5.) Jorge Munoz. Draft Thoughts: There is a lot of depth and talent here at the various levels.They have a lot of middle infielders who have a chance to stick at shortstop. They also have several big boppers - particularly at the lower levels. However, as it relates to the draft selecting shortstop make a ton of sense. Why? Because generally they are some of the best athletes. As you recall, even Miguel Sano was signed as an athletic shortstop. Obviously it was well known that he wasn’t going to stick at shortstop and was immediately moved to third base. Same thing with Cabbage and Blankenhorn from last year’s draft. They played a lot of shortstop in high school but were drafted as third basemen and played various positions last year in the rookie leagues. Because of their athleticism, it’s easier for them to move to other positions of need. And it is important to draft a couple of guys that you think have the potential to stick at shortstop too. Click here to view the article

It was 9-6, and yeah, I somehow completely forgot to do all of the Chattanooga hitting, and there were some guys with big days!

There were five games for the Twins' minor leagues affiliates on Saturday. Actually, there were six as the Twins Dominican Summer League (DSL) team made their 2016 debut. Among the four full-season affiliates, there was an opportunity for a cycle. Several top pitching prospects were on the mound, including the AA debut of Kohl Stewart. Though we don’t necessarily cover them every day, the Twins DSL squad won their first game this year, 6-2 over the Orioles team. Though it is really difficult to know which players on those rosters will become quality prospects over time - stats matter very little at that level - we all know who Wander Javier is. The Twins signed the Dominican shortstop last July to a $4 million signing bonus. Today was his professional debut. He batted second and went 1-4 with a walk and a double.Continue reading if you would like just a little bit more information from your Minor League Report. RED WINGS REPORT Rochester 4, Louisville 5 Box Score Jason Wheeler took his turn on the mound for the Red Wings. The left-hander gave up four runs on eight hits over six innings. He walked two and struck out six. David Martinez came on for the seventh and got two outs, both on strikeouts, though he did walk one. Ryan O’Rourke came on and got the final out of the seventh on a strikeout. He stayed in for the eighth and gave up one run on three hits, though he did strike out one more. Logan Schafer batted second in his second game with the Red Wings. In the first inning, he hit his first homer. Later, Eddie Rosario added his third homer with the Red Wings, a two-run shot. Buck Britton and James Beresford each went 2-4. Jorge Polanco and Kennys Vargas each doubled. CHATTANOOGA CHATTER Chattanooga 9, Birmingham 6 Box Score The big story in this one was the AA debut of Kohl Stewart. It was a rocky start including a couple of rain delays. He gave up two runs in the first inning, and then there was a rain delay. He went out for the second inning and gave up three more runs (two earned) and got just two outs before lightning in the area forced a second weather delay. In all, he went 1.2 innings and gave up five runs (four earned) on four hits and three walks. He did strike out three. After the lightning got far enough away and the game resumed, Luke Westphal replaced Stewart with the bases loaded and got the final out. He worked two more innings without giving up another run. He walked four and struck out four in 2.1 innings. Omar Bencomo entered and threw two shutout innings. Jake Reed pitched the seventh and eighth innings. He gave up one run in his second inning. Trevor Hildenberger came on for the ninth and despite two hits did not allow a run to pick up his seventh save. The offense came through. Daniel Palka had just one hit, but it was his Southern League-leading 12th home run. It was his fifth home run in this series against Birmingham. Travis Harrison got things going with a bases-clearing triple in the second inning. He went 2-5 and the triple was his second. Zach Granite was again the catalyst at the top of the Lookouts lineup, reaching base five times. He went 2-3 and walked three times. He added his third triple. Leonardo Reginnato went 2-4 with a walk and two RBI. MIRACLE MATTERS In yesterday’s Minor League Report, we mentioned that seven members of the Ft. Myers Miracle were named to the Florida State League All-Star Game, which will be held at Hammond Stadium. On Saturday, the Miracle announced that eight of their players would be participating. With Kohl Stewart promoted to Chattanooga, he has been replaced by Felix Jorge. Also Nick Gordon was added as a replacement. Both are certainly deserving. Game 1 - Ft. Myers 2, Daytona 4 Box Score The Miracle jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the third inning. Unfortunately, they were unable to hold the lead. Nick Gordon went 2-3 with his 10th double and an RBI. Chris Paul was also 2-3. Lefty Randy Rosario started and gave up four runs (three earned) on eight hits over five innings. He didn’t walk a batter but struck out one. Nick Anderson and Raul Fernandez each pitched a scoreless inning in relief. Game 2 - Ft. Myers 1, Daytona 2 Box Score With one out in the seventh inning, Gonsalves gave up a two-run double just inside the third base line that put Daytona ahead 2-1. Gonsalves was on. Through six innings, he had given up just one hit and struck out eight. After seven, he gave up two runs (just one earned) on three hits and no walks. He struck out eight and unfortunately, he is credited with the loss. According to Brice Zimmerman, Gonsalves hit 97 once. The Miracle managed just four hits in the game, none after the first three batters. Edgar Corcino went 2-3 while Engelb Vielma and Nick Gordon each went 1-3. After getting swept on Saturday, the Miracle are now 27-29 on the season. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 9, Peoria 2 Box Score Saturday was the 22nd birthday of Kernels’ right-hander Cody Stashak. The Kernels offense gift to him was a nice offensive explosion. That said, the 2015 draft pick from St. John’s put together a nice outing. In six innings, he gave up two runs on six hits. He walked two and struck out seven to improve to 3-3 with a 3.08 ERA. Williams Ramirez came on and recorded his first save. He threw three shutout innings, giving up just two hits, walking one and striking out four. JJ Fernandez led the offense. He had an opportunity in the bottom of the eighth to complete a cycle with a triple. He settled for a single and a 4-4 day. He added a walk, his 12th double and his third home run. Zander Wiel went 3-5 with his 10th double. Sean Miller was also 3-5. Daniel Kihle went 2-5. Alex Perez led off. He walked twice and was hit by a pitch. Ron Gardenhire is in Cedar Rapids this weekend, and The Gazette’s Jeff Johnson had a chance to catch up with him on Saturday night for this article. (photo of JJ Fernandez by Seth Stohs) TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Stephen Gonsalves, Ft. Myers Miracle Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – JJ Fernandez, Cedar Rapids Kernels SUNDAY'S PROBABLE STARTERS Rochester @ Louisville (1:05 p.m. CST) - RHP Kyle Gibson Jacksonville @ Chattanooga (4:15 CST) - RHP DJ Baxendale Daytona @ Ft. Myers (3:05 CST) – RHP Randy LeBlanc Peoria @ Cedar Rapids (2:05 CST) – RHP Eduardo del Rosario Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss the Saturday games. Click here to view the article