Article: It's Berrios Time!

[Seth Stohs]

One of the really cool things about being in Ft. Myers for spring training is getting to the ballpark early. This year, you would see Adam Brett Walker in the cage every morning, working on his swing. Coaches would be running all over, making sure things were set for the day. Some players would be out on Tom Kelly Field getting dozens of ground balls. One thing that stood out to me was the relationship between Jose Berrios and Ervin Santana.

 

To an observer it was clear that they had a real strong relationship. In the clubhouse they were just a couple of lockers apart. They talked together. They worked out together. They often ate together. Santana would walk by and say to Berrios, “Let’s go.” The two would wind up out on the field at Hammond Stadium. They would stretch together. They would then play catch together, including long (very long) toss. Then they would set their gloves down and run foul poles together.

 

It was every day, enough that I had to ask Twins GM Terry Ryan about it at a spring training pre-game gathering with the media. Is it intentional that Santana and Berrios were together as much as they were?

 

“Yeah, it’s by design. Those two have a good friendship. One’s the veteran, been around, has all the knowledge and wisdom and experience. The other is the young kid who hasn’t got there yet, who can benefit from that kind of mentorship. It’s just like (Byron) Buxton and (Torii) Hunter and (Miguel) Sano and Hunter. It’s no different. It’s a good match.”Ryan himself doesn’t get into things like who has a locker where or by who, but there’s no question he’s in favor of it.

 

“That’s up to the manager and the equipment manager. I don’t get too involved in that stuff. There are many times there’d be that approach where you’d sandwich a young player in between a couple of veterans. We did that back in the day with Hunter. There’s nothing wrong with that either. You can gain a lot of knowledge by just sitting there and listening to how those guys handle themselves.”

 

Berrios was not overwhelmed in his second official big league spring training. He was there a year earlier. It’s not like Berrios hasn’t been on the big stage before. In 2013, his first full season as a professional, he came to big league camp to work out and prepare for the World Baseball Classic. He and Eddie Rosario were part of the Puerto Rican team. He pitched against the strong Dominican Republic team. He pitched out of the bullpen, and though he struggled some (I mean, he was just 18!), he did strike out Robinson Cano in a game.

 

When the All-Star Game came to Target Field in 2014, Berrios was named the starting pitcher for the World Team in the Futures Game in the stadium he hoped to soon call home. Last year, he had the honor again, starting the Futures Game in Cincinnati.

He has been the Twins (and Twins Daily’s) Minor League Pitcher of the Year the last two seasons. In 2014, he combined to go 12.8 with a 2.77 ERA between Ft. Myers and New Britain (With a spot start in Rochester). In 2015, he went 14-5 with a 2.87 ERA between Chattanooga and Rochester. In his first three starts so far in 2016, Berrios has gone 2-0 with a 1.06 ERA.

 

Though he struggled with control and command in spring training and in his first couple of starts. In fact, in his 17 innings he has eight walks. His 4.2 walks per nine innings is double what it was in 2015, though again, it is such a meaningless sample size that it shouldn’t be taken too highly.

 

In his most recent start, Berrios needed 32 pitches to get through the first two innings and just 17 were strikes. Over the final five innings of his outing, he was very efficient and a strike-throwing machine. That is what he has been in the past two seasons.

 

What should we expect from Berrios? I would expect him to be quite nervous today, and tonight (if rains don’t push his debut back another day). So, it’s always important not to make too much of that first impression.

 

However, when he is on, he’s got good control and command. He has a good fastball in the low-to-mid 90s, sitting 92-94 and touching 96. There isn’t a ton of movement in it, but he’s able to work down in the zone and potentially get strikeouts up in the zone because he has enough velocity. He has a good changeup. He has a very good curveball. All three of them can be strikeout pitches.

 

There is no way to know with 100% accuracy what Berrios’s career will look like. However, from a pure-prospect situation, Berrios is easily the best Twins pitching prospect since Francisco Liriano. He has been maybe overlooked because his status as a Twins prospect has been behind the likes of Byron Buxton and Miguel Sano. But in this offseason, Berrios was a consensus Top 40 prospect in all of baseball. He was our choice for #2 Twins Prospectin 2016.

 

Like Liriano, Berrios has electric stuff. Berrios’s mechanics are certainly better than Liriano’s were when he came up. We all have seen his workouts and his work ethic on his social media sites. From my interactions, Berrios is very strong mentally and spiritually. He is a very confident young man, still just 21, but he also is humble.

 

These are all qualities that help build the picture of what could be with Jose Berrios. There is no way to know how his debut will go. There’s no way to know when the “right” time to call up any prospect might be. Would it have been last August? Maybe. Is it late April 2016? Maybe.

 

As Ryan said, “You’re trying to bring kids along, and you’re trying to get them some help and you’re trying to show them the way.”

 

On Tuesday morning, Berrios got on a bus in Rochester and made the trek west to Buffalo with his Rochester teammates. When he got there, he learned from his manager Mike Quade that he was heading to Minnesota and would make his debut against Cleveland on Wednesday. Assuming the weather cooperates, Berrios will stand on the Target Field mound tonight and in the first inning, he will face off against Cleveland’s Francisco Lindor. That will be a surreal moment for both, I’m sure. As Berrios said of Lindor, “We are friends. We are family.”

 

As disappointing as the 2016 Twins have been, Berrios’s promotion is a good reminder of what the future could include and could be for the Twins and the fans.

Happy Jose Berrios Day!

 

 

Click here to view the article

[Dantes929]

I don't expect what others seem to expect out of him.   At least not until I actually see him pitch.    I would be thrilled if he gives us what Duffey gave us last year.   Of course I would be thrilled if Duffey were given the chance to give us what he gave us last year.    I just hope he pitches so well it will be impossible to demote him when Gibson and Santana come back.   

[FormerMinnasotan]

I would not be surprised if Berrios struggles out of the gate, but from what I've seen from Berrios he knows how to adjust to make himself successful at the next level. Only issue I have is Berrios might over throw and have control issues as he does seem to be a high adrenaline pitcher at times. But once he settles in he will be good. People talk about his fastball, but the real reason he is a strike out pitcher is he KNOWS how to pitch and has 3 above average pitches and knows how and when to use them. On a personal note, I really want Berrios to succeed not so much because of the need for a top of the rotation starter, but because Berrios really WANTS to succeed and yet is humble off the field.

[HitInAPinch]

Advise for the Twins catcher tonight:

 

https://youtu.be/euHfP6X_axY?t=17

 

[Seth Stohs]

 

I don't expect what others seem to expect out of him.   At least not until I actually see him pitch.    I would be thrilled if he gives us what Duffey gave us last year.   Of course I would be thrilled if Duffey were given the chance to give us what he gave us last year.  

 

If he does that, I'd be impressed. That was pretty incredible!

[Halsey Hall]

The first couple of times I saw him pitch in spring training he was nervous, and I'd expect that again tonight. Neil Allen mentioned to another pitcher after one outing "did you see that? 6 foot and pitching like he's 5' 8"."  Allen knows him well and will help him get through this. I'm so glad he's up and am hoping for the best. He's got a long future.

[stringer bell]

I do have a special sense of anticipation for Berrios to make his debut. I met him and spoke a few minutes with him in Cedar Rapids three years ago, I think. Nice young man. I also shook his hand in ST the following year. Anyway, he is the last of the golden group of prospects to make it to Minnesota. I'm sure there will be some early struggles, but the kid has a lot going for him. Best of luck to JO!

[Vanimal46]

Tonight I'm expecting a lot of nerves from Berrios, but we'll get a chance to see some electric stuff from him.

 

My goal for Berrios is to remain in the MLB rotation for the rest of the season.

[bluechipper]

What is the correct pronunciation of Berrios? Is it bur-rios or berry-os?

 

I've heard it both ways and was just wondering if anyone knew which it is. 

[Han Joelo]

Pretty sure it is buh-RAY-os.  I'm excited for this kid.  Not every day simply walking into the dugout is worthy of video highlights on MLB game day, like his was last night.

 

How surreal would it have been for Buxton and Berrios to have passed each other in the Buffalo airport?  I'm picturing moving walkways, like the beginning of "The Graduate,"  going in opposite directions.

 

This is snarky, but I hope Berrios can get as many K's as Buxton.

[Riverbrian]

 

Pretty sure it is buh-RAY-os.  I'm excited for this kid.  Not every day simply walking into the dugout is worthy of video highlights on MLB game day, like his was last night.

 

How surreal would it have been for Buxton and Berrios to have passed each other in the Buffalo airport?  I'm picturing moving walkways, like the beginning of "The Graduate,"  going in opposite directions.

 

This is snarky, but I hope Berrios can get as many K's as Buxton.

 

Loved your post

 

I've heard it pronounced Buh-Ree-Os

[jsimssd72]

Looking more and more like its going to be a rain out.  Hope they start him tomorrow.  

[spinowner]

 

Looking more and more like its going to be a rain out.  Hope they start him tomorrow.  

It's not automatic that a postponement today would be played tomorrow but both teams have tomorrow off so I would guess that's what they would want to do.

[jsimssd72]

 

It's not automatic that a postponement today would be played tomorrow but both teams have tomorrow off so I would guess that's what they would want to do.

oh yeah duh, didnt even think this is the last game of the set.  Just in general hope they keep him on schedule and don't postpone his start 5 days. 

[Mike Sixel]

I admit it, I am more excited about this than I was Buxton, but about the same as Sano.......super excited!

[jokin]

 

Loved your post

 

I've heard it pronounced Buh-Ree-Os

 

Yep... I is EE in espanol.

[Thrylos]

 

 

However, from a pure-prospect situation, Berrios is easily the best Twins pitching prospect since Francisco Liriano.

 

Not that easy

 

Berrios' rankings peaked this season.  He was ranked 28th overall @BA, 16th @MLB.com, and 17th @BP.  This is a great scouting report by Bernie Pleskoff who indicates his upside as a #2 or #3 in a competitive team (and also, unlike this write up, indicates some clear weaknesses - heck he is 22, he better have weaknesses).

 

Rewind a bit: Alex Meyer's peaks:  #14 BP (2015), #28 mlb.com (2014) and #45 BA (2014)  and arguably against bigger competition.  Meyer is the only Twins' prospect with stuff that can make him be a true #1 in a competitive team.

 

Likelihood is a different story.  The likelihood that Berrios will be a #2 or #3 is higher than Meyer will be a #1.   But this does not make him a better prospect. 

 

Regardless, I hope that he has a great long career with the Twins

 

Edited April 27, 2016 by Thrylos

[Shaitan]

Curious how an extra 45 minutes will affect his nerves.

[sploorp]

I've always liked this clip of Berrios crying his eyes out when he finds out he is being drafted.  It reminds me of Miss America getting crowned.

[Monkeypaws]

#17 - inspired choice. Ox Miller would be proud!

[Ncgo4]

I've seen Miss America.  I'll bet she can't throw a slider or a change up and her 2 seemer never gets over about 60 MPH.

[TheLeviathan]

Was fun to see him last night and the game of adjustments and learning begins. I hope we get to see it the rest of the year.

[FormerMinnasotan]

I think getting his first start out of the way was beneficial for Berrios. Now he can calm down and make the nessisary adjustments. I hope he sticks as it is obvious he has big league stuff, for him to go back to Rochester will do him no good really as he now needs to be challenged at the highest level.

[spinowner]

He looks like one of those rare pitchers who finds it impossible to throw the ball perfectly straight.

[Mike Sixel]

And that, imo, is why he should have been up for a game or two last year. Get those nerves out of the way.......

[ashbury]

He looks like one of those rare pitchers who finds it impossible to throw the ball perfectly straight.

Pfff. I played RF for my slo-pitch softball team and had the same talent.

[alarp33]

Does anyone know why they made such a point to announce he would be given another start? Nearly every beat writer on Twitter wrote "Molitor says it is likely he will get another opportunity next week".  

 

Gibson is on the DL, I assumed he would be in the rotation at least until he is back, hopefully longer.  

 

Why is the bar set so high for these young guys, where if they fail once they are done? 

[NapoleonComplex]

I was at the game last night. Berrios' groove seemed to have been lost when he nearly threw the ball into centerfield when trying to turn a double play. Inconsistent, and small strikezone being called by Laz Diaz seemed to get in his head as well. No pitcher got the outside part of the plate last night. In my view, it seems especially important for Berrios to throw first pitch strike. Of course that sentiment can be said of all pitchers. Berrios seemed more affected by not throwing first pitch strike. Many 2-0 and 3-0 counts last night. 

 

One thing is for certain, Berrios is something special, and it could be seen last night. Clocked at 97 MPH multiple times, 94 MPH out of the stretch. It was awesome to watch a Twins starter throwing that hard. Tons of movement on his pitches, which will eventually lead to poor contact, if any at all. Effortless delivery that was consistent through all frames he pitched. There certainly were bumps, but his track record of making adjustments tells me he is going to find great success in the MLB. 

Edited April 28, 2016 by NapoleonComplex

[FormerMinnasotan]

Does anyone know why they made such a point to announce he would be given another start? Nearly every beat writer on Twitter wrote "Molitor says it is likely he will get another opportunity next week".

 

Gibson is on the DL, I assumed he would be in the rotation at least until he is back, hopefully longer.

 

Why is the bar set so high for these young guys, where if they fail once they are done?

My thought is because many might assume after a lackluster performance that he will be immediately sent back down since this is the Twins have that reputation.

[IndianaTwin]

I didn't see this anywhere, but maybe I missed it -- not that I'm looking forward to the winter of 20whatever, but was Berrios kept in the minors long enough to get the extra year of team control?