bulldozier14

Eddie has mostly struggled in his AAA debut. Some of the same issues I had with him coming out of his Arizona Fall league stint- a lack of power and walks- are still emerging after a week with the Red Wings. He had a walk in each of his first two games, but hasn’t drawn one since. He has gotten on base in every game except one, but only has one extra base hit (a double). I was able to watch his last 4 at bats yesterday, and he was swinging early and getting behind in counts, making him chase a lot of balls away. He got thrown out trying to turn a single into a double in his first at bat, and pulled a hanger hard to right field for a single in his second. Stats after one week: 6 games, 26 Abs .231/.286/.269 for a .555 OPS. 2 BB, 8 Ks. Let’s hope he’s just adjusting to the new level.

Throughout his minor league career, Meyer's walk rate has always been a red flag- presumably due to his huge frame. It hasn't been as unacceptable as 11 in 8.2 innings, but it's always been an issue.

Looking back at this thread after 4-6 with a 2B and 3B today is pretty funny. You can't overreact after a couple of games when the guy is adjusting to a new level. He didn't even play one full game at AA last year.

Reserved for weekly in-season stats and updates. Eddie was 1-4 with a single and a walk in his Rochester debut yesterday. He was the starting Right Fielder for the Red Wings.

Eddie M. Rosario was born September 28, 1991 in Guayama, Puerto Rico. He was signed out of Rafiael Lopez Landron High School in Guayama by the Twins in 2010 for $200,000. Eddie’s best tool is his hit tool. He throws right but bats from the left side, and scouts generally praise his exceptionally quick hands through the zone. He’s 6’ 1” and weighs 180 lbs, according to baseball reference. He has average speed and has shown some flashes of power, but he has hit for average at almost every stop of his minor league career. His path through the minors so far, however, has not been without its highs and lows. In his debut in the Golf Coast Rookie League in 2010 as an 18 year old, he hit .294 with 16 extra base hits in 51 games. He played 34 games in center and 17 in the corner outfield spots. In 2011, Eddie made a huge splash with the Elizabethtown Twins. As a 19 year old playing exclusively center field, he arguably out-produced an 18 year old mega-prospect in Miguel Sano. Rosario had 39 XBHs (21 homers) in 67 games and batted .337 for a ridiculous OPS of 1.068 (compared to .998 for Sano). His 2011 season propelled him into the top 5 of most Twins prospect lists and entering 2012 he was ranked 87th nationally by BaseballProspectus. In 2012, Rosario moved with Sano to full season ball in Beloit. Both were young for the league and both continued to hit. Rosario hit .296 in 95 games in Beloit with 48 XBHs for an OPS of .835. Due to their lack of talent in the middle infield and in an effort to increase Rosario’s versatility, the Twins moved him to second for most of the games. He played at second full time in 2013. After dominating high A with the Fort Meyers Miracle to the tune of a .903 OPS over 52 games, the Twins moved him to AA New Britain. At 21, 3.4 years younger than the average player in his league, Rosario held his own for The Rock Cats. He hit .284 and posted an OPS of .742. Rosario was ranked 60th nationally by BaseballProspectus going into 2014 and was set to start the year in AA and hopefully hit his way to the majors. In November 2014, however, it was announced that Rosario failed a drug test. This was his second failed test, subjecting him to a 50 game suspension. It was made public that he was suspended for a “drug of abuse,” which many speculated was marijuana. This issue was a bit polarizing for the Twins fan base. While many weren’t concerned with his use of a drug that is becoming legalized (or at least decriminalized) throughout the country, others thought failing a drug test for a second time and putting his career in jeopardy was a big red flag. After serving his suspension, Rosario had an underwhelming return to AA (OPS of .672). Many speculated this was due to a combination of him pressing too hard to come back and working off the rust. While he only hit .237, he did manage 31 XBHs in 79 games, and had an Isolated Power of .159. Due to the emergence of Brian Dozier at second in the majors and others in the minors (mainly Jorge Polanco), the Twins moved him back to the outfield full time in 2014. Attempting to make up for lost time, Rosario played in the Arizona Fall League this past fall. While his OPS wasn’t overwhelming due to a lack of walks and XBHs, he did hit .330 and impressed his coaches. He was also added to the 40 man roster in November of last year, which protects him from any more tests for "drugs of abuse". Most think Rosario can be a solid defender in the outfield. He is pretty quick and has good instincts and can play center. Rosario was a late cut in Spring Training after hitting .233/.227/.442 and is starting the year in Rochester with the Red Wings, where he is a phone call away. He has value with his versatility, which is important because the Twins will likely be set at second and center, with Dozier and hopefully soon Buxton holding a claim on those. It won’t take much to get him to the show- likely an injury in the Twins outfield, Rosario posting solid numbers in AAA or some combination of the two. Hopefully he’ll get the opportunity to show what he’s got for the Twins soon. Here is a cool slow-motion video of his swing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aI7piqFx5pE. Scouting grades, according to MLB.com: Hit: 55 | Power: 40 | Run: 50 | Arm: 50 | Field: 50 | Overall: 50.

Shoot I really wanted Gonsalves, but if he is taken Eddie Rosario would be a nice consolation...

Stephen Gonsalves please!

Also what about Vargas? I know he had a child but he came back and now hasn't played the last few days.

What, exactly, is the gain in sending Zuke there with no outs?

What he's doing at this age is unprecedented. Baxendale dominated last year in a smaller sample size, but he is also about four years older than Berrios. Baxendale also had a lower K/9 while also allowing a lot less hits per 9, indicating that he was also getting pretty lucky. Berrios has nothing to prove in the FSL at this point. He should be in AA and hopefully the majors soon. Someone mentioned Jose Fernandez above; the Blue Jays promoted him directly from high A after less starts in the FSL than Berrios has now, and at the same age. They've put up similar stats, though Fernandez had also been much more dominant at Low A ball earlier that year than Berrios was last year.

I certainly hope so. I've been following him this year and he has been consistently crushing the ball, as well as hitting for average and perhaps most encouragingly has had tremendous plate discipline. He has 29 walks and only 40 strikeouts in 229 ABs. He's soon to turn 24, so while he's certainly not old, he isn't exactly young for his level. I don't see what else he has to prove or any reason why they wouldn't promote him for the second half. The only problem with bringing him up this year is Morales is stuck at DH and reports are Vargas lives up to his name "Little Papi" on the defensive side of the ball as well as offensively. Unless the Twins fall out of contention and Morales gets traded I think the best we can hope for is him starting at DH out of spring training next year.

It's also a great example of why guys need to play everyday and get consistent at-bats if they project to be a decent player in the majors. He was bad for the first part of last year, even while playing everyday. Guys need a chance to work through struggles, adjust and settle in to the speed and tendencies of these players who are the best in the world at what they do. This goes for guys like Hicks and Parmalee and especially for guys like Pinto and Santana.

AJ, I saw you play in NB and you hit a double down the line. I think I cheered harder for that than when Vargas hit one out. You're a great writer and it has been a pleasure reading your posts. Rarely does a fan get such an insightful inside angle from a professional athlete. Thank you.

Good riddance.

I'll give it a go: 1. Meyer - Hopefully will up this year. Strikes out a ton of guys and if he can harness he control, he looks like he can be a legitimate ace. 2. Stewart - Might be in his first or second year in the majors in 2018. Hopefully by now he has developed his change and refined his fastball to go with his excellent slider. 3. Thorpe/ Berrios - Berrios has dominated A+ this year as a 20 year old. He has the stuff and is young enough to develop into a top of the rotation arm in the future. Thorpe makes his first start in A- today and will be the youngest guy in his league by more than a year after mowing guys down in short-season ball last year. Exciting things are happening in the Cedar Rapids starting rotation. 4. Berrios/ Thorpe 5. May - May has finally put it all together in AAA this year, and looks like he might realize his potential as a 2/3. Others to consider: Gonsalves - Might be the steal of the draft last year in the third round, Gonsalves dominated in short stints in the GCL and Appalachian league last year. Hopefully will join Thorpe and Stewart in a talented Cedar Rapids rotation sooner rather than later. Gibson - Of course, not all or likely even half of these guys will make it and stick in the rotation. Gibson will be 30 in 2018 and might still be successful.

This is a tough question, and neither of these guys come without their flaws. Escobar hitting well has been awesome to watch this year, but he still has a high .393 BABIP so hitting at this clip just seems unsustainable. The issue if his bat cools of is that he has never had a great walk rate, so if his average falls to .280 or lower his OBP probably won't be above .300. Santana definitely needs to play everyday, but this guy is OPSing .830 after never OPSing higher than .740 during full-season ball in the minors. The homer last night and other flashes of gap-power is definitely encouraging, but unless he figured something out when he got promoted he will likely regress. There are signs that pitchers are starting to throw him more breaking stuff, the likes of which he probably hasn't seen before and that will probably continue as will his struggles against it. They say speed is slump-proof though, so hopefully he can make contact and good things will happen if he consistently is able to. Defensively Escobar is definitely good enough to comfortably throw out there every day, while Santana has a rocket arm as you mentioned, but probably lacks the accuracy and range to be an asset there. Escobar should be the starter. He's earned it. When Fuld gets back Hicks should probably be sent down to refine his swing against rightys. Otherwise you probably only feel comfortable playing him against leftys, who to his credit he's done fairly well against. When that happens Santana should see time in center and SS when Escobar is spelling someone else in the IF or taking a day of. Not an easy answer here, but one of these guys has to be the solution for a few years because there really isn't an answer in the minors right now (I don't think Polanco can stick at SS). If/ when Santana regresses he'll probably see more time in AAA.