Seth Stohs

pure speculation, and it should be pointed out that I thought Jake would go to the Red Wings this year with Tommy taking over in Cedar Rapids. So, I have no idea. I think Mientkiewicz will have big league opportunities this offseason again. I don't know if that'll be with the Twins or another organization.

My sense is Mientkiewicz will have a big league job in 2016. Somewhere. We'll see, and I think Mauer gets an opportunity in Chattanooga. I think Tommy Watkins becomes the manager in Cedar Rapids.

Correct. He'll certainly start next season in AAA, so Service Time won't be an issue. I think he's a given to come up. (though I don't know)

This week, we have handed out the Twins Daily Minor League Awards, and today we get to the final award. Yesterday, Jeremy wrote about the top performing short-season hitters. Today, we will look at the Twins short-season pitchers who put up great numbers. There were several quality arms who spent time with the GCL Twins and the Elizabethton Twins.First, a reminder of our previous awards: Hitter of the Year – Max KeplerStarting Pitcher of the Year – JO BerriosRelief Pitcher of the Year – Trevor HildenbergerShort-Season Hitter of the Year – Jermaine PalaciosShort profiles of our top five are to follow, but first, some players worthy of Honorable Mention. Honorable Mention: Lachlan Wells, GCL Twins: 10 G, 9 GS, 5-2, 2.09 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, 47.1 IP, 35 H, 11 BB, 49 K.Cody Stashak, Elizabethton Twins: 10 GS, 5-2, 3.43 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 44.2 IP, 39 H, 11 BB, 53 K.Miles Nordgren, Cedar Rapids Kernels/Elizabethton Twins: 17 G, 11 GS, 1-3, 2.62 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 72.0 IP, 82 H, 13 BB, 42.Pitcher of the Year Here are the top six vote-getters for Twins Minor League Starting Pitcher of the Year. #4 (Tie) – Eduardo del Rosario, GCL Twins/Elizabethton Twins: 11 GS, 3-2, 2.81 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 51.1 IP, 42 H, 9 BB, 53 K. Eduardo del Rosario signed with the Twins in 2012 out of the Dominican Republic. He spent one season in the Dominican Summer League. He came to the States in 2014. As a 19-year-old, he went 4-1 with a 3.49 ERA in 17 games out of the bullpen. He returned to the GCL this year, but this time he was given an opportunity to start. He went 3-2 with a 1.90 ERA in 10 starts before finishing with one start in Elizabethton. He continued to be a strike-thrower. #4 (Tie) – Kuo Hua Lo, Elizabethton Twins: 19 G, 14-1, 1.44 ERA, 0.73 WHIP, 31.1 IP, 15 H, 8 B, 43 K. Lo was signed by the Twins in June of 2011 out of Taiwan. He spent one season in the GCL, but he has spent the last three seasons in Elizabethton. As a 20-year-old in 2013, he went 2-1 with a 2.37 ERA in 38 innings. In 2014, he was 3-0 with a 3.98 ERA. This year, he was the Appalachian League Relief Pitcher of the Year. He was incredibly dominant. He gave up less than a hit every other inning. He had decent control, and he became a big strikeout pitcher. #3 – Andro Cutura, Elizabethton Twins: 11 GS, 3-2, 1.34 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 60.2 IP, 46 H, 15 BB, 49 K. Cutura was the Twins seventh-round pick in 2014 out of Southeastern Louisiana. However, he didn’t pitch last year due to injury. He was slowed in spring training and went to extended spring training. The 22-year-old has very good control and does a very good job of keeping the ball in the ballpark. With health, he will start 2016 in Cedar Rapids, but could pitch at a couple of levels. #2 – Dereck Rodriguez, Elizabethton Twins/Cedar Rapids Kernels/Fort Myers Miracle: 15 G, 14 GS, 6-4, 3.35 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 75.1 IP, 74 H, 19 BB, 66 K. Rodriguez was the Twins sixth-round pick in 2011 out of high school in Florida. The son of Ivan Rodriguez was drafted as an outfielder and spent that summer and the next in the GCL. He hit .222 with 11 doubles and three homers in 2013 in Elizabethton. After that season, he became a pitcher. In 2014, he went 2-2 with a 1.05 ERA in 17 games out of the bullpen for the E-Twins. In 2015, he became a starter and pitched well. While waiting for the Appalachian League season to start, he pitched in one game (two shutout innings) for the Miracle. He also went up to Cedar Rapids and gave up seven runs in seven innings over two starts. He was the opening night starter for the E-Twins and pitched well enough to be named the Appalachian League’s Pitcher of the Year. He was 6-3 with a 2.85 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP. Genetics has provided him with a very strong arm. Patience will be needed to keep pushing forward. Starting Pitcher of the Year – Williams Ramirez, GCL Twins: 11 G, 10 GS, 4-3, 1.05 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, 51.1 IP, 25 H, 20 BB, 58 K. The Twins signed Ramirez in December of 2012 out of San Juan, Dominican Republic. He had only just started pitching. Previously, he was an outfielder and third baseman. He began pitching just over three years ago. He has a very strong arm and a good feel for his secondary pitches. He just had never pitched before. He turned 23 late in the season, but with the arm he has, he remains at least an intriguing prospect. He spent two seasons in the Dominican Summer League. He went 3-1 with a 2.45 ERA in 2013 as a 20-year-old. In 2014, he went 4-1 with a 1.81 ERA. In his first six games this year, he gave up just one run in 26.1 innings (0.34 ERA). Opponents hit just .088/.207/.113 (.319). Then in his final five games started, he posted a 1.80 ERA in 25 innings despite a 1-3 record. In his starts, he never gave up more than two earned runs. Clearly he will need to work on his control, but there is strong potential for him to become special. There you have it, the top pitchers in the short season. What do you think? How would you rank them? The Ballots In an attempt to be transparent, here are the votes from our Twins Daily minor league writers: Seth Stohs – 1) Williams Ramirez, 2.) Eddie del Rosario, 3.) Miguel Gonzalez, 4.) Kuo Hua Lo, 5.) Andro CuturaJeremy Nygaard – 1) Dereck Rodriguez, 2.) Williams Ramirez, 3.) Andro Cutura, 4.) Cody Stashak, 5.) Miguel GonzalezCody Christie – 1) Williams Ramirez, 2.) Dereck Rodriguez, 3.) Eduardo del Rosario, 4.) Andro Cutura, 5.) Kuo Hua LoSteve Lein – 1) Williams Ramirez, 2.) Kuo Hua Lo, 3.) Cody Stashak, 4.) Andro Cutura, 5.) Miguel GonzalezEric Pleiss – 1) Andro Cutura, 2.) Williams Ramirez, 3.) Dereck Rodriguez, 4.) Miles NordgrenFeel free to discuss. How would your ballot look? Click here to view the article

The Twins squandered an early 5-0 lead and eventually fell 8-11 to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Despite the loss the Twins remain just a game and a half behind the Houston Astros for the second Wild Card spot in the American League. In the minor league playoffs, both the Chattanooga Lookouts and the Cedar Rapids Kernels played Game Two of their respective league championship series. Let's take a look at how they did.Lookouts Look In Chattanooga Lookouts @ Biloxi Shuckers Jason Wheeler vs. Adrian Houser Final Score: Lookouts 6, Shuckers 1 Box The Lookouts took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning on a Max Kepler solo home run. They extended their lead to 5-0 in the fifth after another Max Kepler homer, this time a grand slam! In the seventh the Shuckers had the good sense to intentionally walk Max Kepler only to see the next batter, Travis Harrison hit an RBI single to put the Lookouts up 6-1. Max Kepler was the hero of the evening for the Lookouts, finishing the game 2-4 with a pair of runs scored, five RBIs and a walk. Kepler's two home runs were the Lookouts only extra-base hits of the evening. Shortstop Heiker Meneses was 2-3 with a walk and number nine hitter, Shannon Wilkerson, was 2-4. Jason Wheeler pitched seven innings of three-hit baseball, surrendering just a single run and taking a no-hitter into the sixth inning. All three of of hits Wheeler gave up came in quick succession in the bottom of the sixth as the first three hitters singled. Wheeler struck out five and walked three. Nick Burdi gave up a hit and a walk in the eighth inning but recorded a pair of strikeouts to keep the Shuckers scoreless. J.T. Chargois walked the first hitter in the bottom of the ninth to give Biloxi some hope, but made quick work of the next three hitters to send the Shuckers home. Game Three is on Saturday in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Kernels Korner Cedar Rapids Kernels @ West Michigan Whitecaps Sam GIbbons vs. A.J. Ladwig Final Score: Kernels 1, Whitecaps 4 Box The Kernels led the Whitecaps 1-0 going into the bottom of the seventh inning before allowing four runs to lose the game. Sam Gibbons was cruising through six, but gave up a walk and a double to start the inning, putting runners at second and third. The next batter singled home a pair of runs. The lead runner scored easily, but the second runner was ruled safe a home despite never touching the plate as the home plate umpire ruled that Kernels' catcher Brian Navarreto was blocking the plate without the baseball. Kernels manager Jake Mauer came out to argue the call and was relieved of his managing duties. With Gibbons still in the game and now down 2-1, the next batter laid down a sacrifice bunt to move the runner over and a throwing error by Gibbons allowed the runner to reach, putting runners at the corners with no outs, ending Gibbons' evening. The Whitecaps scored two more runs in the seventh to extend their lead to 4-1. Gibbons' final line on the night was 6+ innings pitched, five hits, four runs (two earned), a walk and four strike outs. Yorman Landa pitched the final two innings. Landa gave up one hit, one walk and struck out three. The Kernels offense managed just six hits, with a pair of them coming from designated hitter Max Murphy, who tripled home the only run of the night in the second inning. Chris Paul was 1-4 with a double and came around to score on the Max Murphy triple. On the evening the Kernels sent 34 men to the plate and did not earn a single walk. Game Three is on Saturday in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Click here to view the article

I can't answer for the others. His OPS was good among those that would be eligible, but I couldn't put him in my top 10.

Correct, and yet, remember that this is not a prospect list. It's a ranking of performance and age isn't really a factor (Though there were 5 voters, so I can't speak for everyone).

All week here at Twins Daily, we have handed out awards for on-field performance. Today, we recognize Twins minor leaguers for their work off the field. Following the death of Minnesota Twins legend and Hall of Famer Harmon Killebrew, the organization announced initiated the Harmon Killebrew Award for Community Service. One player from each Twins minor league affiliate is recognized for their efforts in the community. Killebrew was a powerful man and an intimidating presence on the baseball field. However, he was known as a genuinely compassionate man, respectful and helpful.Twins Daily would like to congratulate the 2015 Harmon Killebrew Award for Community Service winners: Rochester Red Wings – Logan DarnellChattanooga Lookouts – Tim ShibuyaFt. Myers Miracle – Tanner VavraCedar Rapids Kernels – Jared WilsonHere is a little bit more on each of them. LOGAN DARNELL - Rochester Red Wings Darnell is a repeat winner for the Rochester Red Wings. A year ago, he wrote about work he had done with the Mary Cariola Children’s Center, a school for kids born with disabilities. He continued to do a lot of work in Rochester during the 2015 season as well. Darnell said, “It’s a privilege to be recognized with the award. Knowing all the other great teammates that I have, to be picked is an honor.” Red Wings GM Dan Mason raved about what Darnell has meant to the team and the city the last couple of years. “Logan’s humble and outgoing demeanor have endeared him to so many people in our community. There are a ton of reasons why he won this award again. He led our team in appearances in the community once again this year. Basically, when we have requests from schools, corporations, hospitals, charities, little leagues, we have a flyer in the clubhouse and ask for volunteers. Logan probably averaged two to three appearances per home stand. He did them because he enjoyed dealing with people and he knows and understands the kind of impact he can have on people as a professional baseball player. He really gets it. We were blessed to have many, many guys on our team this season who were first class and did a lot of appearances as well, but he did more than anyone.” The highlight event was one that Darnell himself sponsored. Here is Mason’s take on the event. “In April, Logan approached me and told me he wanted to sponsor a jersey auction night to raise money and awareness for the Alzheimer’s Association. He explained that he wanted to do something to honor his mom, and he wanted to use his current position in life as a professional baseball player to make a difference. He explained that his Dad and brother take care of his Mom and that because he’s on the road, he wanted to do something to give back. He said he wanted to sponsor the jersey for the local chapter. He also said that only one or two other players on our team were aware that his mom suffered from the disease, but that he was ready to let the world know so he could do his part to help others fight the disease. Our next step was to meet with the local chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, and it was quite honestly one of the more powerful meetings I’ve ever been a part of. He had a chance to meet the people from the local chapter and talk about what his family was going through and together we concocted a plan to raise some money and awareness. Logan then went to work. He designed the jerseys himself and bought purple stirrups for every player to wear as well that night. I called Gene Glynn who sent me 15-20 autographed items from members of the Twins which we auctioned off that night as well. We auctioned off the game-worn signed jerseys of each player. Bryan Donaldson of the Twins also helped by sending several authentic items for the auction. We ended up raising over $7000.” In a classy showing, the Red Wings flew Logan’s Dad and brother in for the game so they could be here and throw out a first pitch. Mason explained, “They spent the majority of the game mingling with our fans, many of whom told them of how Logan had impacted them over the course of his two-plus seasons with the Wings. It was the first time we’ve ever had a player sponsor a promotion and the event received a great deal of publicity for the Alzheimer’s Association.” It was a day that meant a lot to Darnell. He said, “The Alzheimer’s Day was awesome. Words can’t describe it. Having an idea and something that means a lot to me come together like it did was amazing. With the help of my teammates, the Red Wings, and guys in Minnesota at the time, helped raise around $7500 for that chapter!” Mason called it “a shining example of why Logan is a special person and extremely worthy of the Harmon Killebrew Award.” TIM SHIBUYA - Chattanooga Lookouts Tim Shibuya was the Twins 23rd round pick in 2011. When healthy, he has been a very productive pitcher. In 2015, he was healthy throughout the full season. He began with the Miracle, moved up to Chattanooga for a couple of months and then finished the season with a month with the Red Wings. Shibuya said, “The 2015 season was a productive year. It was nice to be able to move up and compete t a higher level and learn from some of the older guys. To be able to clinch a playoff spot was special. The best part of the year is being able to go to the field every day and be around the team.” In 2014, Shibuya was the Ft. Myers Miracle choice for the Killebrew Award for, among many other things, his work and time spent at the Buckingham Exceptional Student Center. This year, he continued his excellent work in the community and is the choice as the recipient for the Chattanooga Lookouts. “It’s an honor, especially considering how many other teammates are deserving of the award. I am lucky to be surrounded with such good people, from teammates, to coaches, and front office staff. It is just as special as last year. I am glad to have the opportunity to do work in the communities year after year.” Last offseason Shibuya spent his time in Ft. Myers kept himself busy. “I volunteered at the Lee County Animal Shelter. I worked a variety of baseball camps and even gave a speech at a high school banquet. I visited some of the local elementary schools and hospitals.” One event stood out for Shibuya this past season. “By far the most special moment was when I visited with a boy in Chattanooga with leukemia. He was the most positive and happy kid and his family and friends were an amazing support system. In late May, he could not get out of bed due to the treatment, but his attitude was amazing. And a couple months later, with his doctor's approval, he threw the ceremonial first pitch. The strength of kids never ceases to amaze me.” Shibuya represents the Minnesota Twins organization well. His attitude is simply, “If something pops up, I will try to help out at the event.” TANNER VAVRA - Ft. Myers Miracle Tanner Vavra was the Twins 30th round pick in 2013 out of Valparaiso University. He was the Killebrew Award winner for the Cedar Rapids Kernels in 2014. This year, he was the choice for the Ft. Myers Miracle. Ashley Adams, the Miracle’s Manager of Community Relations, said, “What made Tanner stand out among others was that he genuinely enjoyed volunteering his time this past season. That was the biggest thing I noticed. He got really interactive with the kids wherever we were. It was cool because at their ages, they sometimes don’t comprehend what he’s talking about, but love to interact! Tanner was really cool about talking about experiences he had or currently has in professional baseball. They would really get into it and ask a lot of questions.” Vavra is honored to receive the award for a second straight season. “It means a great deal. I try to give back to the community I am playing in as much as possible, and being recognized with an award like this is an honor.” He finds it very rewarding. “Volunteering in Ft. Myers was a lot different than Cedar Rapids, but it was equally rewarding. In Ft. Myers, we went to different schools, hospitals, and special needs facilities to speak to kids about various things.” In 85 games with the Miracle, Vavra hit .258/.346/.300 (.646). Solid numbers, but consider that he began the season by getting just one hit in 26 at bats (.038) through the season’s first month. However, at that point, he turned things around. Over his final 72 games played, he hit .285/.368/.332 (.700) with all nine of his extra base hits. “The FSL is known to be a tough league for hitters. Regardless, my start was extremely frustrating. After a few hitless games, I began to press too much and forgot about the process and began only to worry about the results. Once I settled down some and got back to what I was doing in spring training, I began to feel more comfortable. Once the second half started, I finally understood how to handle my role, and then I started to get some results. Then I began to play some more and I felt like it took off a little bit for me. I think playing more and more and knowing I was probably going to be in the lineup that day helped me get into a rhythm. Very happy with my second half and overall our team’s success finishing with the best record on our side is something to be proud of regardless of whether or not we made the playoffs.” Vavra will head to Australia soon where he will team with his brother, Trey, to play for Melbourne in the Australian Baseball League. Not only that, the brothers will play for their father, Twins bench coach Joe Vavra. “Australia is going to happen and I as well as my family are looking forward to it. It will be a great opportunity not only to play with my brother again and for my father to manage us, but also to learn from my dad and pay attention to the coaching/managing side of things.” JARED WILSON - Cedar Rapids Kernels The Twins really liked Wilson, enough that they drafted him after his junior season of college in 2012 and in the 19th round following his senior season in 2013. After pitching out of the bullpen most of 2013 and 2014, he began the 2015 season in the Kernels starting rotation. He made 12 starts for Cedar Rapids and a spot start in Ft. Myers. He was a Midwest League All-Star, and then he was moved back to the bullpen in the Kernels second half. He was also recently named the Kernels recipient of the Harmon Killebrew Award. Of the award, he said, “It’s an incredible honor to receive the Harmon Killebrew Award. Not only was he a Hall of Fame talent on the field, but a role model for all off the field. He's a legend in the Twins organization, not just for his incredible talent, but for his attentiveness and care towards others and I couldn't think of a higher honor than to be associated with his name. The fact that people never fail to mention his character and greatness as a person, as opposed to focusing strictly on his playing career, is a true testament to how special of a man he was.” According to Ryne George, the Kernels Community Relations Manager, “The first thing I noticed about Jared was his maturity as a baseball player on and off the field. Jared understood right away that kids in the Cedar Rapids community look up to Kernels players and Jared embraced that role without hesitation. Jared was my number one guy in the clubhouse I could approach if I needed a player for an appearance on short notice. Having somebody like that in the clubhouse is huge because then he can encourage other players to go out in the community more.” Wilson enjoyed the opportunity to get out in the community. “We are given a lot of opportunities through the Kernels to help out in the Cedar Rapids communities. We are given opportunities to help out at some of the local schools and their reading programs, which is my personal favorite, along with other events in the community such at the farmers' markets and street fairs. This year, we were also given the opportunity to help out with some of the youth teams in the area, and participate in a summer camp outing for children with hemophilia. It's a really good program that we have here and everyone takes a part in it. I'm very lucky to have had the opportunity to play for the Kernels. It's a great organization to be a part of, and a top notch Minor League affiliate. The people of Cedar Rapids are great and I can't thank my host family, Linda and LeRoy Mann, enough for all they have provided me throughout my time here.” George continued, “Jared also has a great sense of humor and was more than happy to co-star as a catcher in a Minion video put together to help promote Minion Night at the ballpark.” (Chris Mazza and Randy LeBlanc are also in the video.) George comments that in the last 12 months, they have scheduled over 150 community appearances with their mascot, Mr. Shucks, and just over 50 player appearances. He says, “Supporting the Cedar Rapids community isn’t restricted to just the Community Relations Manager. Different Kernels front office staff have helped out with programs that support military veterans, provide baseball equipment to kids who can’t afford to play and national programs like Junior Achievement and Big Brothers Big Sisters.” ----- One thing I have learned from following the Minnesota Twins organization from the big league level to rookie ball is that there are a lot of really good people, a lot of guys that are very happy to volunteer in the community. The four recipients of the 2015 Harmon Killebrew Award for Community Service exemplify what it means to be part of their communities and giving back. Congratulations to Logan Darnell, Tim Shibuya, Tanner Vavra, and Jared Wilson, the 2015 Killebrew Award winners for community service. Click here to view the article

JT Chargois needs to be added in November (and I think he's a given to be added). Just chatted with Todd Van Steensel. He is Rule 5 eligible this year. Obviously AJ Achter and Michael Tonkin are on the 40 man already. Hildenberger doesn't have to be added until after the 2017 season. Brandon Peterson needs to be added after the 2016 season.

I don't think people realize how good Nick Punto was. Beresford came up as a SS/2B, but he's only played 2B the last 3 years or so. I'm sure he can still play all three IF spots. But when it came to utility play, Punto was pretty elite defensively and walked a ton!

I think that is a fair statement. Like any vote or ballot we each weighed several factors, including playing time and production.

Great point... in reality, the difference between Miguel Sano's two-run single and Trevor Plouffe's ground ball double play was location of the ground ball. Had Sano's grounder been a few feet in either direction, it is a double play. Double plays are obviously not good, not something anyone wants, but I just don't see it as the fatal flaw that so many do. It was, however, a big play in the game, and I like that John sequenced those two plays together.

The excitement of the Twins two straight Game 163s (and the TV ratings they certainly received) certainly gave MLB the push to go to this one-game format. I like that winning the division now matters, but I struggle with a 162 game season coming down to one game. Then again, two Wild Card teams met in the World Series last year, so anything can happen (And does happen) in the playoffs! It's definitely created more interest from more teams who are still competing.

Regarding Hildenberger, there is certainly a chance he jumps right to AA next year. We'll see how the AFL treats him. He wasn't quite as dominant in the FSL as the MWL, but still very good. Wouldn't hurt to get a month or so to start the season with the Miracle, but he should move up from there. As for Tonkin, he's out of options in 2016, so the Twins will have to make a decision. I can't see them letting him go, so I think he'll finally get that extended look we all think he warranted but hasn't received.

I know that Berrios was the unanimous pick, but I really had to give a lot of thought to Gonsalves too. What a terrific season he had... there were several terrific performances. Very exciting.

I had Rogers on my ballot candidates, but I couldn't put him in the top 6. He ate a ton of innings too.

Hurlbut has been terrific the last two years. No one talks about him. He tops out around 92, but good control and three quality pitches... Success in AA means you never know.

Easily... Walker played a full season. Sano played a 1/2 season in the minors and we only used minor league numbers...

English is a little taller, stronger, and not quite as fast... and yeah, a LOT less contact. But English is a legit prospect.

They were wrong... so were a couple of others... My bad... they have been corrected.

You're right, probably deserves mentioning. Through two months, right up until his injury, he was the best player in the organization.

Last Monday, Labor Day, the Minor League seasons came to an end. Yes, Cedar Rapids and Chattanooga are still playing in the playoffs, but it is time to start handing out some awards. All week, we will be handing out some (proverbial) awards. The Twins Minor League Report authors each voted for these five awards. Today, we’ll take a look at the top hitters in the Twins minor league system in 2015. We each voted for our top eight performers.We’ll do short profiles of our Top 8, but first, here are some Honorable Mentions. Honorable Mention James Beresford – Rochester Red Wings – 153-498 - .307/.341/.359 (.701) – 21-2B, 1-3B, 1-HR, 50-RBIDanny Ortiz – Rochester Red Wings – 120-484 - .248/.295/.430 (.725) – 31-2B, 3-3B, 17-HR, 78-RBITravis Harrison – Chattanooga Lookouts – 95-396 - .240/.363/.356 (.719) – 23-2B, 4-3B, 5-HR, 54-RBINiko Goodrum – Ft. Myers Miracle/Chattanooga Lookouts – 96-414 - .232/.331/.367 (.698) – 17-2B, 6-3B, 9-HR, 38-RBIAlex Swim – Ft. Myers – 107-344 - .311/.349/.360 (.709) – 13-2B, 2-3B, 0-HR, 38-RBITJ White – Cedar Rapids/Ft. Myers Miracle – 113-450 - .251/.336/.342 (.678) – 23-2B, 6-3B, 2-HR, 54-RBIEdgar Corcino – Cedar Rapids Kernels – 90-330 - .273/.340/.376 (.715) – 16-2B, 3-3B, 4-HR, 41-RBINick Gordon – Cedar Rapids Kernels – 133-481 - .277/.336/.360 (.696) – 23-2B, 7-3B, 1-HR, 58-RBIHitter of the Year Here are the top eight vote-getters for Twins Minor League hitter of the year. #8 – Jorge Polanco – Chattanooga Lookouts/Rochester Red Wings (139-525 - .288/.339/.386 (.725), with 23 doubles, 3 triples, 6 HR, 53 RBI) Polanco has had another solid season in the Twins system. As he did in 2014, Polanco moved around frequently. He spent the first half in Chattanooga. He has again had two brief cups of coffee with the big league club. He spent 22 games in Rochester. Following his most recent demotion from the Twins, he went back to the Lookouts. In 95 AA games this year, Polanco hit .289/.346/.393 (.739) with 17 doubles, three triples and six home runs. In 22 AAA games, he hit .284/.309/.352 (.661). Defense has been a much bigger concern for Polanco as he committed 28 errors in the minor leagues. In four games with the Twins, he had two more errors, though he was 3-10 at the plate. Where does he fit in the organization? Can he play enough defense at shortstop to be a big league regular? It will be interesting. #7 – Kennys Vargas – Chattanooga Lookouts/Rochester Red Wings (69-244 - .283/.414/.496 (.910), with 9 doubles, 2 triples, 13 HR, 46 RBI) Though there were consistently rumors in spring training that Vargas could begin the season in the minor leagues. However, he was the fifth hitter in the Twins Opening Day lineup. However, he struggled mightily and was sent to Rochester. Weeks later, he returned, but the struggles continued. On July 1st, he was sent down to AA Chattanooga. It was what he needed to jump-start his season again. In 35 games, he hit .287/.417/.516 (.934) with three doubles, two triples and seven homers. He moved back up to AAA. He was the Twins Daily Hitter of the Month in August and returned to the Twins on September 1st. This is obviously not a list that Vargas wanted to be on, but he handled it well and the hope would be that he takes what he learned and take a step forward in his big league career. #6 – Byron Buxton – Chattanooga Lookouts/Rochester Red Wings (89-292 - .305/.367/.500 (.867), with 10 doubles, 13 triple, 7 HR, 45 RBI) After missing much of the 2014 season, excitement was high for the Twins (and baseball’s) top prospect. 2015 has been a topsy-turvy year for the phenom. He hit .180 through the first 12 games. Doug Mientkiewicz gave him two straight days off to clear his mind. He responded by hitting .338 (1.056 OPS) over the next 16 games. Then he went 1-21 (.048) over the next five games. However, over the next 25 games, he hit .347/.422/.564 (.987) with 12 extra base hits. He was called up to the Twins and hit .189 in his 11 games with the Twins. However, he missed about six weeks due to a thumb injury. When he returned, he was sent to Rochester. He hit .400 and hit in all 13 games he played in with the Red Wings. At that point, Aaron Hicks was hurt and Buxton returned to the Twins lineup. He had multiple hits in four of his first six games and has hit .282/.326/.378 (.705) in 31 games since his return. More important to the 2015 Twins, his defense is centerfield has been even more impressive than touted. It’s clear in watching him that he has the potential to be great, but he still has work to do. #5 – Tanner English – Cedar Rapids Kernels (75-243 - .265/.359/.406 (.764), with 22 doubles, 8 triples, 5 HR, 36 RBI) English was the Twins 11th round pick just last year out of the University of South Carolina. He struggled early in the season, batting ninth for the Kernels and working through some mechanical issues. From July 4 through August 14 (36 games), he went on a tear. He hit .328/.400/518 (.918) with 13 doubles, two triples and three home runs. Looking for a longer sample size, he hit .285/.364/.440 (.805) with 18 doubles, seven triple and four home runs over his final 76 games. Unfortunately, his season came to an abrupt end on August 14th with a collision in left centerfield that ended his season with a thumb injury. English is a tremendous defensive centerfielder with great range and a strong arm. He has good speed and stole 28 bases in 33 attempts this year. #3 (Tie) – Reynaldo Rodriguez – Rochester Red Wings (113-401 - .255/.307/.446 (.753), with 34 doubles, 7 triples, 16 HR, 80 RBI) Rodriguez just finished his third season in the Twins organization. Although he has been good and productive in his first two seasons, 2015 was his best. The 29-year-old from Colombia originally signed with the Yankees in 2005. He played some independent league ball and also spent four years in the Red Sox organization. He spent the entire 2013 season in New Britain. He spent most of 2014 with the Rock Cats, though he did play ten games with the Red Wings. Rodriguez punished left-handed pitching to the tune of a .882 OPS compared with a .707 OPS against right-handers. #3 (Tie) – Miguel Sano – Chattanooga Lookouts (.274/.374/.544 (.918), with 18 doubles, 1 triple, 15 HR, 48 RBI) As we all know, Sano missed the entire 2014 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery. As one would expect after not playing a meaningful game for nearly 17 months, Sano struggled early, shaking off rust. After an 0-3 on May 1st, Sano was hitting .152/.300/.364 (.664) in 19 games. At that point, he took off. Over his next 47 games, he hit .320/.403/.611 (1.014). That was through June 29th. His next game was with the Twins on June 2nd, and he has continued to rake, hit home runs, drive in runs, walk, and strikeout with strong regularity. #2 – Adam Brett Walker – Chattanooga Lookouts (100-356 - .239/.309/.498 (807), with 31 doubles, 3 triples, 31 HR, 106 RBI) Walker was the Twins 3rd round pick in 2012. He put together a very interesting 2015 season. His batting average dipped a little, and yet his walk rate improved. He also led minor league baseball in strikeouts with 195. However, it’s hard to ignore the productivity, and the consistent productivity. He led his league in home runs for the third straight season. He drove in over 100 runs for the second time in three seasons. He continued to surprise people with some sneaky stolen bases. He moved from right field to left field. The strikeouts, of course, remain a huge concern in the short and long term. However, few minor leaguers have as much raw power as Walker. His power is on par with Miguel Sano’s. Still just 23-years-old, the hard-working Walker will be added to the Twins 40-man roster following the season. Hitter of the Year – Max Kepler – Chattanooga Lookouts (131-407 - .322/.416/.531 (.947), with 32 doubles, 13 triples, 9 HR, 71 RBI) Kepler’s spring training ended a little early due to a minor injury. He started his season with six games with the Ft. Myers Miracle. But that was just a tune up. He was promoted to Chattanooga and after that, he didn’t stop hitting. He was the Twins Daily minor league hitter of the month in May when he hit .359/.400/.583 (.983) with 13 doubles, two triples and two home runs. He was the runner up for Twins Daily hitter of the month in June and July (though the Minnesota Twins named him their top minor league hitter both of those months. In June, he hit .364/.472/.580 (1.052) with five doubles, two triples and three homers. In July, he hit .306/.412/.556 (.967) with five doubles, two triples and three homers. In August, he finished fourth in Twins Daily hitter of the month voting, but he still hit .301/.405/.495. In his career, he had struggled against left-handed pitching. In 2015, he hit .322/.394/.478 (.872) against southpaws. At 6-4 and 220 pounds, Kepler should continue to develop power. For now, he has a lot of doubles power and his speed turns some of them into triples. He even stole 19 bases in 23 attempts in 2015. Last month, Parker wrote about Kepler’s continued improvement. In it, Lookouts hitting coach talked about the incorporation of a leg kick and how they made him more aggressive. It worked. Kepler put up numbers that aren’t seen often. He was named the Southern League MVP. Baseball America and MLB.com put them on their 2015 Minor League All Star teams. He has led the Lookouts to the Southern League playoffs. Many were worried about his overall numbers the last couple of years. However, he is still just 22-years-old. In 2013, he turned his remarkable tools into skills. So there you have it. There were some really terrific offensively performances by Twins minor leaguers in 2015. THE BALLOTS In an attempt to be transparent, here are the votes from our Twins Daily minor league writers: Seth Stohs – 1.) Max Kepler, 2.) Adam Brett Walker, 3.) Reynaldo Rodriguez, 4.) Miguel Sano, 5.) Kennys Vargas, 6.) Byron Buxton, 7.) Tanner English, 8.) James BeresfordJeremy Nygaard – 1.) Max Kepler, 2.) Aaron Hicks, 3.) Kennys Vargas, 4.) Miguel Sano, 5.) Byron Buxton, 6.) James Beresford, 7.) Adam Brett Walker, 8.) Reynaldo RodriguezCody Christie – 1.) Max Kepler, 2.) Adam Brett Walker, 3.) Tanner English, 4.) Jorge Polanco, 5.) Reynaldo Rodriguez, 6.) Mitch Garver, 7.) Danny Ortiz, 8.) Travis HarrisonSteve Lien – 1.) Max Kepler, 2.) Adam Brett Walker, 3.) Miguel Sano, 4.) Byron Buxton, 5.) Reynaldo Rodriguez, 6.) Nick Gordon, 7.) Danny Ortiz, 8.) Travis HarrisonEric Pleiss – 1.) Max Kepler, 2.) Adam Brett Walker, 3.) Tanner English, 4.) Travis Harrison, 5.) Jorge Polanco, 6.) TJ White, 7.) Mitch Garver, 8.) Reynaldo Rodriguez.Feel free to discuss. How would your ballot look? Click here to view the article