Seth Stohs

In January, we reviewed the catchers, the first basemen, third basemen, middle infielders and outfielders in the Minnesota Twins organization. Last week, we took a look at the starting pitchers. Today, we conclude the series by discussing the relief pitchers in the Twins system. Obviously the Twins find themselves in a situation where some starting pitchers could move into a bullpen role, but for this exercise, we’ll take a look at guys who have been relievers.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] The Big Leaguers The Twins bullpen was one of the few bright spots for the 2013 team. Yet, they were about league average, so there is room for improvement. Glen Perkins has proven himself one of the best relievers in baseball. Jared Burton and Casey Fien gave the Twins two right-handers late in games. Brian Duensing had a six-week rough patch, but he’s been a solid lefty in the bullpen for a few years now. Caleb Thielbar came up and was terrific. Anthony Swarzak pitched a ton of innings and was an unsung hero on last year’s team. Ryan Pressly was very good in his Rule 5 season, holding his own throughout the year. We did get our first glimpse of Michael Tonkin. He struggled in the big leagues, as well as at Rochester, so patience will be needed. However, the tall right-hander has a chance to be very good at the back-end of the bullpen. He will see more time in 2014. Late in the offseason, the Twins signed Matt Guerrier to a minor league contract. He spent six-plus years in the organization and was a very solid contributor for five of those years. He had forearm muscle surgery late last year, so it will be interesting to see when he will be ready. Prospect Rankings As those who have read me for years know, I tend to rank relief pitchers well lower than starting pitchers. That's not because I don’t think the role is important to a team. Think about it, nearly 1/3 of a major league roster is comprised of relief pitchers. For me, it only comes down to potential innings pitched in a season, starters vs. the bullpen. Here is a look at some of the top bullpen prospects in the Twins' farm system. Hard-throwing right-hander Zack Jones was my choice as the #22 Twins prospect and top reliever. In Ft. Meyers, he was consistently throwing fastballs above 95 mph and frequently hitting 99. He struggled in the Arizona Fall League and was shut down late due to cold fingers. On Monday, Feb. 24th, he will have surgery to repair an aneurysm that was found in his right shoulder which was cutting off circulation. He’ll miss the start of the season, but he should be able to return to form by midseason. Luke Bard came in at #23 in my rankings. If 100% healthy, Bard will likely get an opportunity to start, though he may be a reliever down the road. His stuff is described as “filthy” so he could be a fast mover. Michael Tonkin ranked #26 for me. He is 6'-7" and throws in the mid-to-upper 90s. After slow movement early in his career, he flew up the Twins ranks over the last two seasons. He began 2013 by dominating at AA. He moved up to AAA and eventually had a couple stints with the Twins. He really has had little success above AA so far, but he does have a big future. Tyler Jones was just outside my top 30. He was my choice for Twins Minor League Relief Pitcher of the Year last year. He dominated between Cedar Rapids and Ft. Myers. Formerly a starter, Jones made the transition to the bullpen smoothly. He has a fastball that touches 97 mph with an improving slider. Edgar Ibarra was added to the Twins 40 man roster this offseason after a strong year between AA and AAA. From June 4 through August 22, he gave up zero earned runs. In that time, he worked 31.1 innings over 26 games. He gave up just 13 hits, walked eight and struck out 27. The left-hander throws fastballs into the mid-90s with a very sharp slider. He should surface with the Twins at some time this season. Roster Projections In each of these installments, I have been making my roster projections. There could still be additional signings, and injuries will affect all of this. That’s why it is important to have more than just seven relievers at each level. In some cases, there will be even more. There are also always players put on the disabled lists. This just gives an idea of who could be at each affiliate at the start of the season. Minnesota: Glen Perkins, Jared Burton, Brian Duensing, Casey Fien, Caleb Thielbar, Anthony Swarzak, Ryan Pressly. Rochester: Michael Tonkin, AJ Achter, Aaron Thompson, Edgar Ibarra, Brooks Raley, Matt Hoffman, Yohan Pino, Virgil Vazquez, Lester Oliveros, Matt Guerrier New Britain: Zack Jones (injured), Corey Williams, Adrian Salcedo, Deolis Guerra, Dakota Watts, Ryan O’Rourke, Matt Hauser, Cole Johnson, Kevin Thomas, Chad Rodgers Fort Myers: Tyler Jones, Luke Bard, Steven Gruver, Madison Boer, David Hurlbut, Matt Tomshaw, Alex Muren, Jim Fuller, Dallas Gallant (50 game suspension), JT Chargois (injured) Cedar Rapids: Josh Burris, Josue Montanez, Brandon Bixler, Chris Mazza, Hein Robb, Kuo-Hua Lo, Christian Powell, Austin Malinowski, Brandon Peterson, CK Irby, Carson Goldsmith, Tanner Mendonca, Andrew Ferreira, Brandon Easton, Jared Wilson, Todd Van Steensel Extended Spring Training: Josh Guyer, Sam Gibbons, Andre Martinez, Seth Wagner, Damion Defrank, Leonel Zazueta, Reyson Zoquiel, Jose Abreu, Derrick Penilla, Zach Hayden, Cameron Booser, Tyler Stirewalt, Chih-wei Hu Feel free to discuss the players and the roster.

The start of minor league camp is still about two weeks. Today, I’m happy to post the below Q&A with the Twins 2013 fourth-round draft pick, left-handed pitcher Stephen Gonsalves. On signing, the 6'-5" lefty was assigned to the Gulf Coast League. He impressed. He gave up just one run in 14.1 innings (0.63 ERA). He moved up to the Elizabethton Twins where he gave up just two runs in 14 innings. Combined, he struck out 39 batters in those 28.1 innings. Recently, the San Diego native took some time to answer several questions. So, let’s get started. Let’s learn a little bit about Stephen Gonsalves.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] Twins Daily (TD): Growing up in southern California, who was your favorite team, and who were some of your favorite players to watch? Stephen Gonsalves (SG): The San Diego Padres have always been my favorite team and Trevor Hoffman has always been a great role model on and off the field. TD: What are your best memories from your high school baseball days? SG: My best memory from high school would have to be pitching my junior year City Championship Game at Tony Gwynn Stadium. I led off the game with a triple and then scored, and I pitched a three hitter. We had a huge crowd and a great group of guys that year. TD: As the draft approached, were you seeing or talking to more scouts? Did you have much conversation with any Twins scouts? SG: Yes I talked to numerous teams leading up to the draft. Many regularly attended games and made home visits. John Leavitt came to the house, but he was the only one I talked to until Draft Day. I couldn't be happier with the Twins organization. TD: When the Twins took you in the 4th round, where were you, with who, and what was that experience like? SG: By the time I was drafted, it was the morning after and we were all tired and nervous, but the calls started coming in early so I felt it was close to being real. I was home with my parents and my childhood coach Carlos Fletes. Carlos kept the mood light. It was stressful and then such a relief when it happened. TD: You've made it pretty clear at times on Twitter that you had hoped to be drafted higher. How disappointed were you with where you were drafted and some of the discussion that came up from that? (It seems you've used that disappointed as a motivator!) SG: I heard from many that I was likely to go higher. I tried to keep expectations low, but when the first round was through and guys I played with and competed very well against went before me, I was disappointed. My agent told me the draft was a beauty contest and just one day in my baseball career. I am very motivated to compete and advance to the next levels and have a long successful career in the major leagues. TD: How difficult was the decision to sign with the Twins as opposed to going to college? What were some of the factors that caused you do sign? SG: It was not difficult. I knew I really wanted to play and had determined a minimum slot and value that I would take. When that happened, I knew I was ready to go. TD: You and Kohl Stewart came to Target Field to sign your contracts. What was the experience like, being at the stadium and meeting some of the Twins front office, coaching staff and players? SG: That was one of the best days of my life. Being in the clubhouse and on the field for BP was amazing. I still dream about that day. TD: What was the adjustment to pro baseball like for you, on and off the field? (In the GCL and then at Elizabethton) SG: The adjustment has been smooth for me. The batters are bigger, I just picture myself in high school where I dominated and think of Crash Davis from Bull Durham. I tell the batter in my head that you can't touch this. TD: If you were to write up a scouting report on yourself, what would it be? What pitches do you throw? What would you say are your strengths, and an area you want to work on to improve most? SG: I pitch to contact. My fastball is my best pitch. My curve ball is developing. I pitch to win. I never want to come out of the game. TD: Who are some of the people who have helped you get to this point in your career? SG: I've had good coaching in travel ball including Carlos Fletes, my long time coach and friend, and Buc Taylor who coaches at the community college near my home. Both are great baseball minds and taught me more about the game and strategies for success on and off the field. My Dad played ball with me since I was a baby, and of course, my family has supported me and always been there cheering me on and getting me wherever I needed to be. TD: Outside of baseball, what do you enjoy doing? Hobbies? SG: I enjoy every type of fishing, spear fishing mostly, and golfing and surfing. TD: As spring training is now just a couple of months away, what are you most anxious and excited about? SG: I can't wait to get back on the field and compete with all the elite players. I'm excited for a full season since last year was just a taste of what's to come. I also look forward to exposure to the fans. I enjoyed going to spring training in Arizona when I was younger and look forward to the experience in Florida. TD: Have you set any goals for yourself for the 2014 season? Are there certain stats you will or have paid attention to? SG: I want to play a full 140 game season and will be very focused on my strike out to walk ratio. TD: Favorite Baseball movie? SG: Bull Durham TD: What is one thing about yourself that you would want Twins fans to know? SG: I want the Twins Fans to know that I will never let them down. I am here to play the game that I love and will always bring my best. I am so thankful for the opportunity that I have and believe I can compete at the next level and be a player that fans will love to follow. --------------- A big Thank You to Stephen Gonsalves for taking some time and doing a great job answering questions. He will soon report to Ft. Myers where he is likely competing for a job in the Cedar Rapids Kernels starting rotation.