Apr 27, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Jose Berrios (17) delivers a pitch in the first inning against the Cleveland Indians at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
The Minnesota Twins are reshaping their franchise with an injection of youth and prospects.
Every Thursday for the rest of the season, FOX Sports North will take a closer look at some specific young players -- as well as noting others who might be stepping up -- measuring, highlighting and evaluating their progress. Please note the glossary of advanced stats at the bottom of the story.
This is the 13th edition of the Young Twins Tracker.
IN THE MAJORS
Byron Buxton (age 22)
Last week: 2 games, 5 PA, 4 AB, .250 BA, .400 OBP, .250 SLG, .650 OPS
Season (Triple-A): 29 games, 129 PA, .336 BA, .403 OBP, .603 SLG, 1.007 OPS, 9 2B, 2 3B, 6 HR, 14 RBI, 4 SB, 11 BB, 26 K
Season (MLB): 48 G, 164 PA, 151 AB, .212 BA, .253 OBP, .364 SLG, .617 OPS, 17 R, 32 H, 12 2B, 4 3B, 1 HR, 12 RBI, 6 SB, 8 BB, 61 K, 63 OPS+, 0.4 WAR, .341 BAbip
Notable: Buxton drove in a run in the Twins' 10-1 win over the Texas Rangers last Thursday, before exiting a 6-5 loss on Friday with a bruised knee after crashing into the outfield wall.
Max Kepler (age 23)
Last week: 4 games, 20 PA, 16 AB, .188 BA, .300 OBP, .563 SLG, .863 OPS
Season (Triple-A): 30 G, 128 PA, 110 AB, .282 BA, .367 OBP, .455 SLG, .822 OPS, 16 R, 31 H, 4 2B, 6 3B, 1 HR, 19 RBI, 1 SB, 16 BB, 14 K
Season (MLB): 46 G, 164 PA, 143 AB, .238 BA, .319 OBP, .483 SLG, .802 OPS, 21 R, 34 H, 11 2B, 0 3B, 6 HR, 33 RBI, 2 SB, 17 BB, 38 K, 111 OPS+, 0.9 WAR, .263 BAbip
Notable: Kepler's power surge continued in limited action last week, as the German-born rookie hit another pair of homers and drove in seven runs.
Eddie Rosario (age 24)
Last week (MLB): 3 games, 14 AB, 5 R, 8 H, 2 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 0 BB, 1 K, 0 SB, .571 BA
Last week (Triple-A): 3 games, 10 AB, 2 R, 5 H, 1 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K, 0 SB, .500 BA
Season (MLB): 39 games, 153 PA, .240 BA, .252 OBP, .384 SLG, .635 OPS, 7 2B, 1 3B, 4 HR, 21 R, 13 RBI, 3 SB, 3 BB, 34 K, .282 BAbip, 67 OPS+, -0.6 WAR
Season (Triple-A): 41 games, 160 AB, .319 BA, .343 OBP, .538 SLG, .881 OPS, 51 H, 14 2B, 0 3B, 7 HR, 26 R, 25 RBI, 5 SB, 7 BB, 25 K
Notable: Rosario has raised his batting average 42 points since the Twins recalled him from Rochester on July 3, a seven-game stretch in which he's 12-for 31 (.387) with six runs and four RBI. He posted a four-hit game July 9 against Texas, coming a Kennys Vargas base-running error away from the cycle, and a three-hit game the following night. The lack of walks remain an issue (none in the seven-game stretch), but it certainly is less glaring given his production.
Miguel Sano (age 23)
Last week (MLB): 3 games, 13 AB, 5 H, 1 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 3 R, 3 RBI, 0 SB, 1 BB, 4 K, .385 BA
Season (MLB): 60 G, 257 PA, 218 AB, .243 BA, .350 OBP, .472 SLG, .823 OPS, 34 R, 53 H, 8 2B, 0 3B, 14 HR, 36 RBI, 1 SB, 36 BB, 85 SO, 118 OPS+, 0.4 WAR, .322 BAbip
Season (Triple-A): 8 games, 25 AB, .160 BA, .300 OBP, .440 SLG, .740 OPS, 4 H, 1 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 3 R, 2 RBI, 0 SB, 4 BB, 10 K
Notable: Sano is 11-for-39 (.282) with three home runs and nine RBI in 10 games since returning from the disabled list after missing the entire month of June.
ON THE FARM
Jose Berrios (age 22/Triple-A)
Last week: 1 game (1 start), 0-1, 3 ER, 5 2/3 IP, 9 H, 1 HR, 6 R, 3 BB, 5 K
Season (Triple-A): 13 games (13 starts), 83 1/3 IP 8-4, 2.59 ERA, 1.044 WHIP, 9.2 K/9
Season (MLB): 4 games (4 starts), 15 IP 1-1, 10.20 ERA, 2.133 WHIP, 12.0 K/9
Notable: A late addition to the Triple-A All-Star Game, Berrios pitched a scoreless fourth inning to help the International League to a 4-2 win over the Pacific Coast League.
Nick Burdi (age 23/Double-A)
Last week: N/A
Season: 3 games (no starts), 1-0, 9.00 ERA, 3 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 0 HR, 1 BB, 1 K, 1.32 WHIP
Notable: Hasn't pitched since April 28 because of a right arm bone bruise.
Stephen Gonsalves (age 22/Double-A)
Last week: 1 games (1 starts), 6 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 0 BB, 11 K
Season (High Single-A): 11 games (11 starts), 65 2/3 IP 5-4, 2.33 ERA, 43 H, 19 R, 2 HR, 20 BB, 66 K, 0.959 WHIP
Season (Double-A): 4 games (4 starts), 20 2/3 IP, 3-1, 3.48 ERA, 19 H, 8 R, 1 HR, 11 BB, 30 K, 1.452 WHIP
Notable: Our pick as the best Twins prospect of the first half, Gonzalves turned in another quality start last week, racking up 11 strikeouts through six innings to lead the Lookouts to a win over Tennessee.
Nick Gordon (age 20/High Single-A)
Last week: 4 games, 17 AB, 6 H, 3 R, 3 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 0 BB, 2 K, 0 SB, .353 BA
Season: 71 games, 284 AB, .296 BA, .342 OBP, .412 SLG, .754 OPS, 35 R, 84 H, 17 2B, 5 3B, 2 HR, 28 RBI, 10 SB, 15 BB, 54 K
Notable: Gordon has two hits in three of his past five games and is batting .333 in 11 games this month.
Tyler Jay (age 22/Double-A)
Last week (Double-A): 1 game (1 start), 5 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 2 BB, 4 K
Season (Double-A): 1 game (1 start), 5 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 1 HR, 2 BB, 4 K, 7.20 ERA
Season (Single-A): 13 games (13 starts), 69 2/3 IP, 64 H, 24 R, 5 HR, 21 BB, 68 K, 2.84 ERA
Notable: Jay made his first Double-A start Sunday, earning a no decision while throwing 95 pitches over five innings.
Alex Meyer (age 26/Triple-A)
Last week: N/A
Season (Triple-A): 3 games (2 starts), 1-1, 1.04 ERA, 17 1/3 IP, 0.865 WHIP, 11 H, 0 HR, 4 BB, 19 K
Season (MLB): 2 games (1 starts), 1-1, 12.27 ERA, 3 2/3 IP, 3.273 WHIP, 8 H, 1 HR, 4 BB, 15 K
Notable: Meyer hasn't pitched since his May 3 start for the Twins because of right shoulder inflammation.
Jorge Polanco (age 23)
Last week: 3 games, 12 AB, 1 R, 3 H, 1 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 0 BB, 3 K, .250 BA
Season (Triple-A): 61 G, 233 AB, .283 BA, .352 OBP, .476 SLG, .829 OPS, 25 R, 66 H, 12 2B, 6 3B, 7 HR, 27 RBI, 26 BB, 36 K
Season (MLB): 13 games, 32 PA, .231 BA, .344 OBP, .462 SLG, .805 OPS, 3 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 4 R, 4 RBI, 1 SB, 4 BB, 3 K, 120 OPS+, .217 BAbip, 0.3 WAR.
Notable: Polanco has a five-game hitting streak and is hitting .297 in 10 games this month.
Kohl Stewart (age 21/Double-A)
Last week: 2 games (2 starts), 1-1, 5 ER, 10 2/23 IP, 18 H, 1 HR, 4 BB, 4 K
Season (Single-A): 9 games (9 starts), 3-2, 2.61 ERA, 51 2/3 IP, 39 H, 19 R, 2 HR, 19 BB, 44 K, 1.12 WHIP
Season (Double-A): 8 games (8 starts), 3-4, 3.74 ERA, 43 1/3 IP, 51 H, 24 R, 3 HR, 16 BB, 25 K, 1.546 WHIP
Notable: Stewart had arguably his worst start of the season last Friday, going just 3/2 innings and allowing 11 hits and seven runs (four earned) in a loss. He rebounded with a one-run, seven-hit performance over seven innings on Wednesday.
Adam Walker (age 24/Triple-A)
Last week: 3 games, 12 AB, 4 H, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 1 BB, 5 K, 0 SB, .333 BA
Season (Triple-A): 76 games, 268 AB, 60 H, 13 2B, 1 3B, 16 HR, 35 R, 40 RBI, 30 BB, 124 K, 3 SB, .224 BA
Notable: Walker had three singles and a walk in five plate appearances last Friday. He had five strikeouts in eight plate appearances in two other games this past week.
A glossary of some of the advanced statistics used:
OPS: On base percentage + slugging percentage
OPS+: OPS compared to league average of 100, adjusted to the player's ballpark
sOPS+: OPS for the split (in our case the last 7 days) compared to the league's split OPS (100
being average).
BAbip: Batting average on balls in play.
WHIP: Walks plus hits divided by innings pitched.
ERA+: ERA compared to league average of 100, adjusted to the player's ballpark
FIP: Fielding Independent Pitching. Measures a pitcher's effectiveness at presenting home runs, walks and hit by pitches while causing strikeouts. The MLB average FIP is the same as the MLB average ERA.
WAR: Wins Above Replacement value. Represents the number of wins the player added to the team above what a replacement player would add (we are using WAR from baseball-reference.com).
Statistics courtesy baseball-reference.com and milb.com
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