Seth Stohs

I would completely disagree with this. Oliver's throws gas. He's coming off of the Tommy John, May get into games later this year. Definitely not a guy to give up on! Boer was just a 2nd round pick a couple years ago. Sure, he's struggled as a starter. He can move to the bullpen. His current injury (off field) certainly doesn't help, but way too early to give up on him.

The Twins announced following the Sunday afternoon game in Detroit that outfielder Wilkin Ramirez would be put on the 7-Day Disabled List, a result of his collision in left centerfield on Saturday afternoon. As a result, the Twins have also announced that catcher-outfielder Chris Herrmann has been promoted to the big league club. Herrmann has struggled in his transition to AAA. Through 38 games, he has hit .238/.311/.285 (.589) with five doubles and a triple. Although he has primarily played catcher, he continues to get time out in left field as well. When he was in Ft. Myers, he got some time in centerfield, but that is not an ideal situation. This means that the Twins really do not have a backup option behind Aaron Hicks in centerfield. [ATTACH=CONFIG]4175[/ATTACH] Interestingly, had this move been needed a day or two earlier, it likely would have been Joe Benson promoted, but he was lost on Saturday when he was claimed by the Rangers. Ramirez will likely undergo more testing and the team will evaluate him over the next seven days to determine his status.

There were several stories to follow with the Twins minor league teams on Saturday. Kyle Gibson was back on the mound, looking to put together back-to-back good starts for the first time this season. How did he do? New Britain finished a suspended game and played a second game. Matt Summers was terrific in Ft. Myers. Jorge Polanco was very good and JO Berrios was back on the mound for the Kernels. The big news of the night was that DJ Baxendale has been promoted to New Britain. Baxendale was the Twins minor league pitcher of the month for April, and in 28 innings in May, he did not allow an earned run. Lefty Matt Tomshaw will head down to Ft. Myers to make a start for the Miracle. It’s quite possible that there are more moves that we’ll be learning about shortly. Check out what happened in the Twins minor league system on Saturday: Rochester Red Wings 4, Charlotte Knights 1 Box Score People may question the Twins’ brass for saying that Kyle Gibson has not been consistent. Even Gibson agrees with that assessment and the stats show it. According to the Red Wings, “Entering the game, Gibson’s ERA in odd starts was 0.50 (2 ER/35.2 IP) but in his even numbered starts he had posted an ERA of 9.00 (17 ER/17.0 IP).” On Saturday, Gibson made his tenth start of the season, coming off of his 93-pitch shutout. Could he finally put together a couple of quality starts? [ATTACH=CONFIG]4170[/ATTACH] Gibson did what he needed to do. The right-hander went eight innings without giving up a run. He gave up just two hits, walked three and struckout seven. Tyler Robertson came on for the ninth. He got just one out but was charged with one run on two hits and a walk. Daniel Turpen came on and walked in a run before getting the final two outs. Gibson improved to 4-5 and reduced his ERA to 2.82 on the season. He threw 111 pitches and 68 of them were strikes. Eric Farris went 3-4 with his fourth double and two stolen bases. Jeff Clement went 3-4 with his fifth double. Deibinson Romero went 0-3 and is now 0-11 with the Red Wings. Game 1 – New Britain Rock Cats 2, New Hampshire Fisher Cats 4 Box Score This game actually started on Friday night but it was suspended due to weather. The teams continued the game on Saturday before playing a seven inning game. BJ Hermsen started the game on Friday. He worked the three innings and gave up three runs (2 earned) on three hits and three walks. When the game resumed on Saturday, AJ Achter got on the mound. He worked two shutout innings. He gave up two hits, walked one and struck out three. Edgar Ibarra came on for two innings. He gave up one run on one hit and two walks. Bruce Pugh walked one in a scoreless inning. Jordan Parraz went 2-4 and hit his first home run in the Twins organization. Danny Ortiz went 2-4 with his 17th double. Josmil Pinto was also 2-4. Chris Pettit hit his first double with the team. Game 2 – New Britain Rock Cats 4, New Hampshire Fisher Cats 1 Box Score Pat Dean started the regularly-scheduled game. The lefty got the start on his 24th birthday. He went the first 5.1 innings. He gave up only an unearned run on six hits and a walk. He struck out one. Michael Tonkin came on and got the final five outs for his seventh save. He struck out two. Danny Santana went 3-4 with his eighth double and his third triple. James Beresford continued his hot streak. He went 2-3 with his fifth double. Josmil Pinto was 2-3 with a walk. Nate Hanson went 2-3. Ft. Myers Miracle 6, Charlotte Stone Crabs 4 Box Score When Matt Summers left the game, there were two outs in the seventh inning. He had not yet allowed a run, but he had just hit a batter in the head to load the bases. Chad Rodgers came on and gave up a single and a triple and the Miracle found themselves behind 4-2. Summers was charged with three runs on three hits and two walks in 6.1 innings. He struck out five. Rodgers was charged with the one run on two hits and a walk in 1.2 innings. He struck out two. In the bottom of the eighth inning, the Miracle fought back. Matt Koch led off with a walk. Jonathan Murphy doubled him in. Following a pitching change, Aderlin Mejia got on by an error. Stephen Wickens singled in the tying run. Eddie Rosario returned to the lineup and drove in the go-ahead run with a single. After the next two batters got out, Angel Morales drove in the fourth run of the inning and gave the Miracle a 6-4 lead. Cole Johnson came on for the ninth inning and threw a 1, 2, 3 inning to record his second save. He now has a 0.82 ERA on the year. Angel Morales went 3-4 in the game. Goncalves went 2-4 in his return to the Miracle. Cedar Rapids Kernels 3, Burlington Bees 6 Box Score JO Berrios was back on the mound for the Kernels, looking to stop a three-game losing streak for the team. The right-hander gave up four runs (1 earned) on nine hits and a walk. He struck out eight. Matt Tomshaw, who was scheduled to start on Sunday, pitched a scoreless inning. Tyler Jones returned to the Kernels’ mound from the DL. He worked a scoreless frame. Josue Montanez pitched the final two innings. He gave up two runs on two hits, walked two and struck out one. The Kernels managed just six hits. Jorge Polanco had three of them, including two doubles. He not has 14 on the season. Byron Buxton was 1-4 with a walk. Please feel free to comment or ask questions below.

I’ve been following the Twins minor league system pretty much daily for the past eight years. I can honestly say that I have not seen a pitcher have a stretch like DJ Baxendale has to start this season. His May numbers (see below) have been incredible. But there were other great performances including a 22-year-old southpaw throwing eight innings in New Britain. And Ft. Myers continues to get offense from unlikely sources. Check out what happened in the Twins minor league system on Thursday: Rochester Red Wings 4, Charlotte Knights 3 Box Score Rochester got another Quality Start from Andrew Albers. The left-hander gave up three runs on ten hits. In six innings, he walked one and struck out six. Then Aaron Thompson came on for his second Red Wings appearance. The lefty worked three perfect innings and struck out three for the save. Brian Dinkelman led the offense. He went 3-3 with his sixth and seventh doubles. Doug Bernier went 2-3. New Britain Rock Cats 1, Binghamton Mets 0 Box Score Lefty Logan Darnell pitched a tremendous game on Thursday morning. He gave up no runs on six hits and a walk in eight innings. He struck out nine to drop his season ERA to 2.47. He has given up just one run in his past two starts (15 innings). Need innings? The 24-year-old Darnell, the Twins 6th round pick in 2010 out of the University of Kentucky, has thrown 23 innings over his past three starts. Michael Tonkin came on and pitched a perfect ninth for his sixth save of the year. There was very little offense from the Rock Cats in this game. James Beresford raised his average to .346 by going 2-4, but Danny Ortiz’s sixth home run of the year was all the offense the team would need. Twins Daily’s AJ Pettersen went 1-3. He now has a modest three game hitting streak and is hitting .375 in it. Ft. Myers Miracle 6, Lakeland Tigers 1 Box Score The DJ Baxendale story just continues to get better and better. On this night, the 22-year-old righty gave up only an unearned run over seven innings. He gave up three hits, walked two and struck out four. It reduces his season ERA to 0.94. After being the choice for Pitcher of the Month of April, he has not yet allowed an earned run in 28 innings in May. [ATTACH=CONFIG]4158[/ATTACH] photo by Greg Wagner Nelvin Fuentes came on and struck out one in a scoreless inning. Then Corey Williams gave up a walk and a hit in a scoreless ninth inning. Aderlin Mejia was a GCL All Star a year ago, the lone member of last year’s GCL Twins team to do that. He was at Extended Spring Training, waiting for the Elizabethton season to begin. The Miracle had a need, and Mejia was called upon for a short time. Well, that short time has now become 13 games, and he is doing the job. He is now hitting .360 after going 3-5 on Thursday. He also stole three bases in the game and has seven on the year. Angel Morales should soon be promoted to New Britain. He went 2-4 with his fourth home run and third stolen base. Kyle Knudson went 3-4 with his third double. Levi Michael went 2-5. Miguel Sano and Kennys Vargas each hit their 12th double. Sano stole his seventh base. Cedar Rapids Kernels 3, Beloit Snappers 5 Box Score It was a rough one for Mason Melotakis. The lefty gave up five runs on seven hits. He walked four and struck out three in 4.1 innings. Alex Muren came on and got the next five outs. He walked two and struck out one. Josh Burris and David Hurlbut each gave up a hit and struck one out in his inning. Byron Buxton went 2-4 with a walk, his 11th double and his 21st stolen base. Candido Pimentel was 2-4 with a walk and his eighth stolen base. JD Williams was 2-4 with his ninth stolen base. Note also that the Twins Dominican Summer League schedule is about to get started. On Thursday, they played an exhibition game against a Canadian national team. Please feel free to comment or ask questions below.

It is now late May, and the Twins season is at a crossroads. The team has lost eight straight games as it embarks on a four-game series in Detroit against the Tigers. The season is in flux, and right now, the roster, specifically the starting rotation, is in flux. Before tonight's game, the Twins will add Samuel Deduno to their 40 man roster and then their 25 man roster. Most likely, Tim Wood will be put on the 60 Days Disabled List. Following another poor performance on Thursday, the Twins optioned RHP Vance Worley to AAA Rochester. That leaves an open spot on the 25-man roster and the need for a 5th starter on Monday. So, who will it be? [ATTACH=CONFIG]4153[/ATTACH] I present to you, the three options by their numbers: RHP Kyle Gibson is 3-5 with a 3.25 ERA. In 52.2 innings, he has allowed 46 hits, walked 14 and struck out 46. Opponents are hitting .240 against him. RHP PJ Walters is 4-2 with a 3.31 ERA. In 54.1 innings, he has allowed 55 hits, walked 16 and struck out 46. Opponents are hitting .271 against him. LHP Andrew Albers is 1-2 with a 2.34 ERA. In 42.1 innings, he has allowed 41 hits, walked 12 and struck out 40. Opponents have hit .255 off of him. All three have actually pitched well and a case could be made for each. Quite possibly the biggest advantage that Gibson is his first-round pedigree. However, the bigger disadvantage to Walters and Albers is that they are not on the 40 man roster. The question often is asked: So, who could the Twins take off of their 40 man roster to make room for them? Well, assuming Wood goes on the 60 Day DL, they do not have another player eligible to put on there. So, the team would have to DFA (Designate for Assignment) someone to make room for Monday's starter. It's never fun to look at who could be made available for other teams to claim, but if you think Walters or Albers is the right guy, it's an exercise that needs to be done. So, here are some candidates: Joe Benson - His name has been mentioned as a possible DFA candidate. After an injury-plagued 2012 season, Benson has struggled to keep his batting average above .200 this spring with Rochester. He will be out of options next season, but because of his immense athletic talents, I believe that he would be claimed and lost. Drew Butera - The much-maligned backup catcher who plays tremendous defense but can't hit his weight is another name that people mention. He broke his wrist and hasn't play, though he should be getting into games soon. If there were a time that he could go unclaimed, it might be now. Cole De Vries - The 28-year-old Minnesotan was on the Opening Day roster, but he went on the Disabled List. In his three rehab starts and one Red Wings start, he has really struggled. I think he would clear waivers and could be kept in Rochester. Liam Hendriks - Though it appears that the Twins brass has soured on the Australian right-hander, he's just 24 years old and until this year, he has been terrific at each minor league level. He is now on the Rochester Disabled List. There is no question that he would be claimed if made available. BJ Hermsen - Hermsen was the Twins minor league starting pitcher of the year, and was very good in 2011 as well. Last year, he got outs and pitched very well in New Britain. This year, after going to big league camp, he was hurt. He has now made a handful of starts and struggled to regain his 2012 form. Although he doesn't have velocity, he has two option years left, size and smarts. I think he would be claimed, but it might be more 50/50. Chris Herrmann - Another name that I hear people think could be made available is Herrmann. A year ago, or early this spring, I would have said that was crazy, but now I don't think it's quite as unlikely. The Twins have five catchers on the 40 man roster. Joe Mauer and Ryan Doumit aren't going anywhere. Josmil Pinto has proven the team wise. Herrmann is off to a slow start in his first AAA season. He can catch. He can play multiple positions and give flexibility. He won't hit for average, but until his slow start, he generally walks quite a bit and hits some doubles. I think he would be claimed. Wilkin Ramirez - With Chris Colabello on the roster, the Twins have a right-handed bat off the bench. However, as the roster is currently set up, Ramirez is the backup centerfielder so it's unlikely he would be made available now. I think he would clear waivers if or when they would make him available. So, there are some candidates for removal from the 40 man roster if the Twins believe that PJ Walters or Andrew Albers is the right man to bring up now. It's been a rough season so far. We are just starting to see some transactions, and I anticipate we will see several more.

The Twins losing streak went to seven games with a tough loss in Atlanta. They’ll have to get over it quick for a noon game (Eastern) on Wednesday. Twins Daily has learned that Chris Colabello will be attempting to join the Twins in time for the game. Virgil Vasquez made a spot start in place of the promoted Sam Deduno. Trevor May had one of the craziest line scores you’ll see. One Twins minor leaguer hit a homer for the third straight game on Tuesday, and it isn’t the same guy that homered twice on the day. Cedar Rapids had a well-deserved day off. Here is what happened in the Twins minor league system on Tuesday: Rochester Red Wings 2, Lehigh Valley IronPigs 9 Box Score Virgil Vasquez had not pitched for about eight days. When Sam Deduno was summoned to pitch for the Twins, Vasquez made another start. He gave up five runs (all in the first inning) on seven hits in four innings. He walked three and struck out three. Dan Turpen came on and gave up four runs (1 earned) on five hits and a walk in 1.1 innings. Luis Perdomo got the next five batters out, three on strikeouts. Tyler Robertson gave up one hit in a scoreless inning. The Red Wings had just seven hits. The lone extra base hit was Joe Benson’s seventh double. He also drove in one of the two runs. Chris Colabello drove in the other. New Britain Rock Cats 9, Binghamton Mets 3 Box Score When you see Trevor May’s pitching line, you may assume that I have flip-flopped the score. May worked five innings and gave up eight hits and walked five. Yet somehow, he gave up just two runs. He struck out six. He was relieved by Blake Martin who gave up two hits and two walks in two scoreless innings. He struck out… two. Bruce Pugh followed and he gave up a run on three hits and a walk in two innings. Danny Santana led the offense by going 3-5 with his eighth stolen base. James Beresford and Josmil Pinto were each 2-5. Dan Rohlfing went 2-3 with a walk. Reynaldo Rodriguez went 1-2 with two walks and his tenth double. Deibinson Romero homered for the third straight game. Jordan Parraz made his Rock Cats (and Twins organization) debut. He doubled in his first at bat. [ATTACH=CONFIG]4144[/ATTACH] Game 1 - Ft. Myers Miracle 5, Lakeland Tigers 3 Box Score In game one of this doubleheader, Miguel Sano had a(nother) big game. He went 2-3 with a walk, his 11th double and his 12th home run. He also stole his sixth base. Aderlin Mejia went 2-4 with his fourth steal. Jairo Rodriguez went 2-4. Kennys Vargas hit his eighth home run. Tom Stuifbergen started the first game. He went four innings and gave up three runs on six hits. He walked none and struck out two. Matt Hauser came on and gave up one hit, walked one and struckout one in two scoreless innings. Corey Williams recorded his eighth save with a one-hit scoreless inning. Game 2 - Ft. Myers Miracle 2, Lakeland Tigers 3 Box Score Miguel Sano was back at it in Game 2. He had one of just four hits for the Miracle, but the hit was his 13th home run. Angel Morales added his third homer. Levi Michael notched his eighth double. Kyle Davies started for the Miracle. He gave up three runs on six hits in three innings. He walked two and struck out three. Cole Johnson came on and threw three scoreless innings. He gave up four hits, walked one and struck out three. Cedar Rapids Kernels No Game Scheduled. Please feel free to comment or ask questions below.

Though we do not know the follow up transactions (DL and 40 man implications), Twins Daily has learned from multiple sources that Chris Colabello has been promoted to the Minnesota Twins. He'll have a very early morning flight and hope to join the Twins for Wednesday's game in Atlanta. It is possible that Colabello will take the 25-man roster spot of Trevor Plouffe, who was kneed in the back of the head on a slide at second base. He left the game and was clearly woozy. Likely Eduardo Escobar and Jamey Carroll will get time at third base. (We will update as we learn more.) [ATTACH=CONFIG]4142[/ATTACH] Colabello is not on the Twins 40 man roster, so along with needing a roster spot for Sam Deduno on Friday, they will need a second spot for Colabello. Most likely, Darin Mastroianni and Tim Wood will be put on the 60 Day Disabled List. Colabello is a tremendous story. After spending eight years in the Can-Am (Independent) League, he was signed by the Twins last spring, with no guarantee of making a roster. He made the New Britain roster and drove in 98 runs on the year. This offseason, he dominated the Mexican Winter League and earned an invitation to Twins big league spring training. He had to leave the team for a couple of weeks to play for the surprising WBC team from Italy. He returned to camp, was optioned to Rochester, and has rakes since then. Colabello has been one of the best hitters in minor league baseball this season. He is now hitting .358/.417/.659 (1.076) with 17 doubles, 12 home runs and 39 RBI. Chris Colabello has come a long way, and he has earned this opportunity. Colabello is the type of person, with the type of story, that has to make people love the great game of baseball!

Today, we continue our look at players that the Minnesota Twins could consider drafting with the #4 overall pick in next month's MLB Draft. Today, we look at an uber-talented prep player from a baseball hotbed! Who Is This Guy? It can be argued that outfielder Austin Meadows is the top-rated high school position player in the 2013 MLB Draft. It can also be argued that Austin Meadows is not the top-rated high school position player in the 2013 MLB Draft from Loganville, Georgia. Depending on which scout you talk to and on which day, Meadows (from Grayson high school) or outfielder Clint Frazier (from Loganville high school) is ranked a little higher. Georgia has been a baseball hotbed for the past several years. Twenty players have been drafted out of high school in Georgia over the past six drafts. That doesn’t include several players drafted from colleges such as Georgia, Georgia Tech and Kennesaw State. The Twins used their second round pick in 2010 on Fayetteville, Georgia, shortstop Niko Goodrum. Just last year, the Twins used the second overall pick on Appling County High School (Baxley, Georgia) outfielder Byron Buxton. Among those drafted by other teams include Jason Heyward (Braves), Zach Wheeler, Tim Beckham, Delino DeShields, Jr., and Dwight Smith, Jr. No less than two more Georgia prepsters will be added to that list in 2013. Austin Meadows is a 6-3, 215 pound outfielder is a tremendous athlete. He has all five tools. He can hit and hit for power, though these skills will still need to develop. This year, he was hitting .535/.655/.930 with 14 doubles, a triple and four home runs. He has very good speed. He has 17 stolen bases this year. He has been times at about 6.3 seconds in the 60 yard dash. He is also known as a good outfielder in centerfield. He also had nearly a 2:1 K:BB ratio this year, showing a very good eye at the plate. The one question I keep hearing is whether or not he has the arm to stay in centerfield, so he likely profiles more in left field, but he has enough power potential that may not be an issue. [ATTACH=CONFIG]4126[/ATTACH] As mentioned, Meadows is a tremendous athlete. He played basketball until his freshman season. He played football through his junior season but focused on baseball for his senior year. Scouts also like to look at a player’s genetics. Meadows dad was a three-sport athlete in high school who went to Morehead State on a full football scholarship. He also was a walk-on in baseball. He started in both sports all four years. Meadows’ mother received a fast-pitch softball scholarship to Georgia Southern. Who Could He Be? Meadows is very raw, but he has the potential, the upside to hit for average and power while being a decent outfielder whose speed and arm may push him to left field. Best case scenario, he would become another Josh Hamilton-like talent. Jay Bruce is another player that he could be compared to. Of course, player comps seem to always be with all-star caliber players, but again, when talking about what Meadows could be, it is a middle of the lineup, power threat. How Soon Could He Be Playing In Target Field? When the Twins took Byron Buxton with the #2 pick a year ago, there was talk about him having a fairly raw hit tool. He signed quickly enough last year to spend time in both the GCL and Elizabethton. As Meadows is not a Boras client, it would be feasible that he would not wait until the deadline to sign. So it’s possible that he would play for both rookie league affiliates and start 2014 in Cedar Rapids. Because he is fairly raw, the assumption should be that he would spend all of 2014 with the Kernels. If he were to proceed by the Mauer path, he would split 2015 between Ft. Myers and New Britain and jump to the Twins in 2016. That’s absolute best case scenario. Most likely, he would not debut until later in the 2017 season. If The Twins Draft This Guy, They Messed Up Because… Although the Twins traded Denard Span and Ben Revere, and Josh Willingham will be a free agent following the 2014 season, the Twins do have some outfield depth in the organization. Aaron Hicks and Oswaldo Arcia are already in the big leagues. Joe Benson is still in the picture. Byron Buxton and Adam Walker should end the 2013 season in Ft. Myers. Max Kepler could still develop. There is always talk that infield prospects such as Miguel Sano or Travis Harrison could move to the outfield. Although Best Player Available is always the best strategy because we don’t know what the needs of the organization will be in three or four years, outfield is not a real position of need. Despite the success that the Twins have had with athletic outfielders drafted out of high school in previous drafts, there is always a lot of risk when drafting 18 year olds and giving them $4 million to sign. Meadows is raw and could develop into a star, or his skills may never reach the potential that scouts see in him. That’s the nature of the draft, but it is especially true with raw high school talent. Also, from the reports that I have read and people I have talked to, Clint Frazier may have more power potential and a better arm. There is a friendly competition between the two which may force the best out of each. If The Twins Draft This Guy, They Nailed It Because… Whoever the Twins draft, it will be because they have a conviction that the player will be the best player to help the organization. The front office knows the importance of getting such high picks right. If Meadows reaches that Josh Hamilton-like potential, he is a guy that you make room for on a roster. Meadows potential is to be able to hit for high average and for a lot of power. An outfield of Meadows (should he meet his potential), Buxton (should he meet his potential) and Hicks (should he meet his potential) with Arcia (should he meet his potential) DHing sounds like a pretty strong, especially if Miguel Sano and Travis Harrison can stay in the infield (and meet their potentials). SUMMARY: A lot of people thought it was a mistake when the Twins did not draft a pitcher in the 2012, instead drafting a raw, athletic outfielder out of Georgia with the #2 overall pick. Byron Buxton has done a great job of proving the Twins right. In 2013, it seems in theory to be equally silly for the Twins to consider drafting another raw, athletic outfielder (also from Georgia). If the Twins are convinced that he can be a four or five tool, difference-making type of hitter, then the absolutely should draft Meadows. If they have questions about whether he can reach those levels, then they should absolutely go in another direction. From my research and discussions, I’m not convinced that he is near the same level as Byron Buxton, so I think the odds of the Twins taking him with the 4th overall pick is probably pretty low. PREVIOUS Draft Profiles: LHP Sean Manaea - 5/20/13