Article: Twins Minor League Report (6/9): Palacios Tallies 13 Total Bases

[Tom Froemming]

Jermaine Palacios had himself a monster night in what is shaping out to be a special season for the Cedar Rapids shortstop. It was also a great night for Chattanooga, who pulled into a tie for their division lead as the first half is nearing a close.

 

Find out what else happened around the Twins' minor leagues on Friday.RED WINGS REPORT

Rochester 9, Syracuse 3

Box Score

 

Adam Wilk earned his first victory in the Twins organization, aided by a big day at the plate from Tommy Field. Wilk had a clean first inning, was then spotted a three-run lead, but gave it all back in the top of the second.

 

To his credit, the 29-year-old lefty kept battling, and held Syracuse scoreless over the next four innings. Wilk ended the night having pitched six innings while giving up three runs on five hits and a walk. He struck out five.

 

The game was tied in the bottom of the sixth when singles from Field, ByungHo Park and John Ryan Murphy produced the go-ahead run. Rochester later tacked on five runs in the eighth. Field was 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles, two runs and two RBI.

 

Alan Busenitz followed Wilk with two scoreless innings before Drew Rucinski finished it off in the ninth. Zack Granite (2-for-5) had his eighth-straight multi-hit game. Mitch Garver started the game in left field, his first professional appearance in the outfield.

 

CHATTANOOGA CHATTER

Chattanooga 7, Montgomery 4

Box Score

 

Fernando Romero didn’t have his best stuff or command, but he was able to hold the Biscuits at bay. Romero walked five batters, but only surrendered three hits, limiting the damage to two runs over 5.2 innings. He tallied six strikeouts.

 

Ryan Walker hit a go-ahead, bases-clearing triple in the top of the sixth. Nick Gordon was 2-for-5 with his 17th double of the season and drove in a run. Jonathan Rodriguez was 2-for-3 and drew a pair of walks. Both T.J. White and Dan Rohlfing had three hits on the evening.

 

Montgomery scored four of about the flukiest runs you’ll ever see. The first two came on a chopper that should have been the third out of the first inning, but instead bounced off second base and into the outfield to go down as a two-run double. The last two came in the bottom of the ninth on a bases-loaded wild pitch that should have been a strikeout to end the game.

 

Luke Bard and Mason Melotakis both recorded four strikeouts out of the bullpen. Bard pitched 2.1 innings. Melotakis technically only recorded three outs. Baseball math is funny sometimes.

 

The win put the Lookouts in a three-way tie with Montgomery and Tennessee for the Southern League North division lead.

 

MIRACLE MATTERS

Tampa 2, Fort Myers 1

Box Score

 

Trailing 2-0 in the bottom of the ninth, the Miracle made a comeback attempt, but it fell short. The inning started with back-to-back singles from Max Murphy and Alex Perez. A couple of strikeouts were sandwiched between Trey Vavra reaching on a fielding error. The Miracle’s lone run came in on a bases-loaded wild pitch before Rafael Valera flied out to right field to end the game.

 

Starter David Fischer went 4.2 innings, limiting the Yankees to just one run despite walking five batters. Andrew Vasquez had two strikeouts over 1.1 IP in his second appearance with Fort Myers. It was a tough night for the Miracle bats, as they managed just five hits (all singles) and a walk while striking out 11 times.

 

KERNELS NUGGETS

Cedar Rapids 15, Burlington 5

Box Score

 

What’s better than hitting for the cycle? Whatever you want to call what Jermaine Palacios did Friday night. Palacios was 5-for-6 with two homers and two doubles. I suppose he “fell” a triple short of the cycle, but I’m sure he’s happy having to settled for 13 total bases on the night. Heck, let’s call that hitting a Palacios! The Kernels shortstop scored five runs and drove in three.

 

Travis Blankenhorn was 3-for-6 with a home run. Lewin Diaz, Mitchell Kranson and Ben Rortvedt also had three hits each. Brandon Lopez had two hits, including a triple, as did Aaron Whitefield, who stole his 14th base.

 

Clark Beeker gave up four runs but managed to pitch six innings, extending his streak of pitching six or more to seven-straight starts.

 

TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY

Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Adam Wilk (6 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 5 K)

Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Jermaine Palacios (5-for-6, 2 HR, 2 2B, 5 R, 3 RBI)

 

SATURDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

Rochester vs. Syracuse, 6:05 pm CT, Yohan Pino (4.50 ERA, 0.93 WHIP)

Chattanooga at Montgomery, 6:35 pm CT, Stephen Gonsalves (2.45 ERA, 0.82 WHIP)

Fort Myers vs. Tampa, 5:05 pm CT, Lachlan Wells (4.42 ERA, 1.25 WHIP)

Cedar Rapids vs. Burlington, 6:35 pm CT, Eduardo Del Rosario (5.30 ERA, 1.52 WHIP)

 

Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss Friday's games.

 

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[bluechipper]

Wow 10 HRs already for Palacios as a 20 year old SS. Am I getting ahead of myself when wondering if he could start showing up on Top 100 lists after this season?

[jimbo92107]

"Palacios was 5-for-6 with two homers and two doubles. I suppose he “fell” a triple short of the cycle, but I’m sure he’s happy having to settled for 13 total bases on the night."

 

That's not a cycle, that's called a REASON TO GET PROMOTED!

[Pitz]

Cavaness must have decided to save his bat for a time when hits are more needed. Smart thinking.

[jokin]

 

"Palacios was 5-for-6 with two homers and two doubles. I suppose he “fell” a triple short of the cycle, but I’m sure he’s happy having to settled for 13 total bases on the night."

 

That's not a cycle, that's called a REASON TO GET PROMOTED!

 

Just have to say: "What's the hold-up?"

 

Palacios is repeating A-ball after struggling and fighting through an injury last season. The video game numbers he's put up relative to his SS peers in the Midwest League are comically ridiculous by comparison. He leads ALL ML SS in every single hitting category, and most don't even show a close second place. And of that list of ML SS's, he's the 3rd youngest.

 

Among all players in the league, he now leads in HR, and is 3rd in OPS. (Palacios is sandwiched in-between Dante Bichette's and Vlad Guerroro's kids at the top of the hitting charts- pretty elite company). Based on the numbers alone, seems like he's nearly a lock on 1st half ML Player of the Year.

 

And most of all, there is no one blocking him at Ft Myers.

 

Let's get Palacios on the move up.*

 

* (Is there a glove issue that is still in doubt? That decision will come in time, and I see nothing wrong if he ends up possibly fitting in at 3B, with Gordon @ SS and Miguel over to 1B).

[DJL44]

Midwest League All Star Game is next week. Palacios, Diaz, Blankenhorn, Poppen, Beeker and Kranson are on the roster. Moves typically happen after the All Star Games.

 

http://www.baseballamerica.com/minors/2017-midwest-league-star-game-rosters/#lO6iXXW1i8RQgYkY.97

[Einstein1]

Palacios bio lists him at 145 lbs, has he put any weight on since then?  

 

http://www.milb.com/player/index.jsp?player_id=650339#/career/R/hitting/2017/ALL

[rdehring]

Chattanooga is in a 3-way tie and face one of them, Montgomery, tonight. Great night to send Gonsalves to the hill.

 

Granite is certainly playing like a young man who wants a promotion. Does someone get traded next month to open a spot for him in the Twins outfield?

[nicksaviking]

I think there's a couple of shortstops ready to get promoted the second the team starts signing and assigning their draft picks.

[Cap'n Piranha]

If Rosario isn't careful, Granite is going to take his spot. Also, I love that we have three legitimate shortstop prospects (Vielma, Gordon, Palacios) all in full season ball. Imagine if Javier busts out this year.

[bulldozier14]

 

If Rosario isn't careful, Granite is going to take his spot. Also, I love that we have three legitimate shortstop prospects (Vielma, Gordon, Palacios) all in full season ball. Imagine if Javier busts out this year.

 

I know Granite is on a hot streak, but does he have any sustained success in the minors that would indicate he'll be a good player in the majors? Even after the last few games his OPS is only .800 this year and .777 in AAA, which is well above is minors career OPS of only .713. Not sure he'll hit enough to be a corner outfielder.

 

Palacios looks like the real deal. He is only 20 and already dominating low A as a shortstop with legitimate pop in his bat. It looks like last year was a fluke and he was playing injured. If he can stay at short his upside is impressive and he should start getting attention on top 100 lists. 

[D.C Twins]

We need Busenitz up for the days that Big Erv doesn't start!

[diehardtwinsfan]

 

Wow 10 HRs already for Palacios as a 20 year old SS. Am I getting ahead of myself when wondering if he could start showing up on Top 100 lists after this season?

 

I've got to think you're right here. I'd be curious how the power translates to the FSL, especially given it's tendencies to suppress power. 

[jokin]

 

Palacios looks like the real deal. He is only 20 and already dominating low A as a shortstop with legitimate pop in his bat. It looks like last year was a fluke and he was playing injured. If he can stay at short his upside is impressive and he should start getting attention on top 100 lists. 

 

Yup. Last year looks more and more like an injury-related anomaly. Most impressive is that he has doubled his career ISO result- from .119 to .239-. Maturing into his body and getting much stronger?

 

IMO- A sustained season by Palacios at anywhere CLOSE to his current POY rate of production (and hopefully combined with a 2nd half promotion and quick adaptation to the Pitcher-oriented FSL) should vault him into consideration eventually for the Top 50

[Tom Froemming]

 

Palacios bio lists him at 145 lbs, has he put any weight on since then?  

 

http://www.milb.com/player/index.jsp?player_id=650339#/career/R/hitting/2017/ALL

I think I saw Seth say somewhere that he's more like 20-25 pounds bigger now. I really wish that they would either keep those updated or say the last time that was accurate was. So many guys have inaccurate listings.

[DJL44]

 

IMO- A sustained season by Palacios at anywhere CLOSE to his current POY rate of production (and hopefully combined with a 2nd half promotion and quick adaptation to the Pitcher-oriented FSL) should vault him into consideration eventually for the Top 50

 

Seems a little enthusiastic. I still have him as the #3 SS prospect in the Twins system after Gordon and Javier.

[drjim]

Seems a little enthusiastic. I still have him as the #3 SS prospect in the Twins system after Gordon and Javier.

People got out a little ahead of themselves with him two years ago too. He'll need to show something at a higher level before he gets national notice.

[goulik]

Palacios has been an underrated prospect mostly because of his injury plagued 2016 and him still being in the lower levels in the minors. This is his second "breakout" season but he's in low A. His glove seems to be improving statistically but he's not going to really rise on the prospect lists until he continues this success in High A and remains healthy.

 

For more on Jermaine Palacios his Adopt a Prospect page is here:

 

http://twinsdaily.com/topic/25706-jermaine-palacios-2017/