FORT MYERS, FL- MARCH 15: Stephen Gonsalves of the Minnesota Twins pitches during minor league spring training on March 15, 2015 at the CenturyLink Sports Complex in Fort Myers, Florida.
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 10th edition of the Young Twins Tracker.
IN THE MAJORS
Byron Buxton (age 22)
Last week: 5 games, 18 PA, 15 AB, .067 BA, .167 OBP, .067 SLG, .233 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 SO
Season (MLB): 37 G, 125 PA, 114 AB, .193 BA, .236 OBP, .333 SLG, .569 OPS, 12 R, 22 H, 7 2B, 3 3B, 1 HR, 8 RBI, 5 SB, 6 BB, 52 SO, 52 OPS+, 0.3 WAR, .167 BAbip
Notable: Buxton managed just one hit in 15 at-bats last week, while racking up 10 strikeouts.
Max Kepler (age 22)
Last week: 6 games, 24 PA, 21 AB, .381 BA, .417 OBP, .667 SLG, 1.083 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 SO
Season (MLB): 29 G, 91 PA, 81 AB, .247 BA, .319 OBP, .420 SLG, .738 OPS, 12 R, 20 H, 8 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 12 RBI, 2 SB, 8 BB, 21 SO, 99 OPS+, 0.6 WAR, .305 BAbip
Notable: Kepler's game-tying single in the fifth against the Phillies on Wednesday helped the Twins to their third straight win. The German-born outfielder now has a hit in eight straight games.
Miguel Sano (age 22)
Last week: N/A
Season: 50 G, 211 PA, 179 AB, .235 BA, .341 OBP, .458 SLG, .799 OPS, 25 R, 42 H, 7 2B, 0 3B, 11 HR, 27 RBI, 1 SB, 29 BB, 71 SO, 117 OPS+, 0.9 WAR, .313 BAbip
Notable: Sano is making progress, and will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Rochester on Thursday.
DOWN ON THE FARM
Jose Berrios (age 22/Triple-A)
Last week: 1 game (1 start), 0-1, 1 ER, 6 IP, 2 H, 1 HR, 2 R, 3 BB, 7 K
Season (Triple-A): 9 games (9 starts), 43 2/3 IP 5-3, 3.35 ERA, 1.174 WHIP, 9.7 K/9
Notable: Berrios allowed just two hits for the first time since April, pitching six innings in a loss to the Toledo Mud Hens.
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 SO, 1.32 WHIP
Notable: The Chattanooga Lookouts placed Burdi on the seven-day disabled list May 5 for a bone bruise on his right arm. He hasn't pitched since April 28.
Stephen Gonsalves (age 21/High Single-A)
Last week: 1 game (1 start), 5 IP, 4 ER, 5 H, 4 R, 2 BB, 8 K
Season: 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
Notable: Gonsalves was promoted to Double-A on Wednesday after 11 starts for the Fort Myers Miracle. His 2.33 ERA ranked seventh in the Florida State League.
Nick Gordon (age 20/High Single-A)
Last week: 6 games, 24 AB, 7 H, 2 R, 1 2B, 1 3B, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 0 BB, 6 SO, 1 SB, .292 BA
Season: 54 games, 212 AB, .288 BA, .341 OBP, .410 SLG, .751 OPS, 24 R, 61 H, 12 2B, 4 3B, 2 HR, 19 RBI, 9 SB, 12 BB, 44 SO
Notable: Gordon registered one of the South Division's four hits in the FSL All-Star Game on Saturday.
Tyler Jay (age 22/High Single-A)
Last week: N/A
Season: 11 games (11 starts), 60 2/3 IP, 56 H, 21 R, 5 HR, 18 BB, 61 K, 2.97 ERA
Notable: Jay made his last appearance for the Miracle on June 14, but pitched one inning in the FSL All-Star Game, allowing one hit.
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 remains shelved with right shoulder inflammation. He hasn't pitched in a game since his May 3 start for the Twins.
Jorge Polanco (age 22)
Last week: 7 games, 28 AB, 5 R, 9 H, 4 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 10 RBI, 2 BB, 3 SO, .321 BA
Season (Triple-A): 42 G, 159 AB, .302 BA, .365 OBP, .509 SLG, .874 OPS, 20 R, 48 H, 11 2B, 5 3B, 4 HR, 19 RBI, 18 BB, 29 SO
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 racked up nine hits and 10 RBI last week, and now has a hit in seven straight games.
Eddie Rosario (age 24/Triple-A)
Last week: 7 games, 26 AB, 6 R, 12 H, 3 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 6 RBI, 1 BB, 2 SO, 3 SB, .462 BA
Season (Triple-A): 31 games, 123 AB, .358 BA, .377 OBP, .585 SLG, .962 OPS, 44 H, 13 2B, 0 3B, 5 HR, 22 R, 22 RBI, 5 SB, 5 BB, 17 SO
Season (MLB): 32 games, 121 PA, .200 BA, .218 OBP, .313 SLG, .532 OPS, 4 2B, 0 3B, 3 HR, 15 R, 9 RBI, 3 SB, 3 BB, 31 K, .244 BAbip, 45 OPS+, -0.7 WAR
Notable: Rosario has now reached base in 18 consecutive games, a stretch in which he has 27 hits and 14 RBI.
Kohl Stewart (age 21/Double-A)
Last week: 1 game (1 start), 1-1, 5 ER, 4 1/3 IP, 8 H, 1 HR, 3 BB, 3 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): 4 games (4 starts), 1-2, 4.82 ERA, 18 2/3 IP, 22 H, 13 R, 1 HR, 7 BB, 12 K, 1.554 WHIP
Notable: Stewart allowed five runs on eight hits in his lone start last week.
Adam Walker (age 24/Triple-A)
Last week: 7 games, 25 AB, 3 H, 0 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 3 BB, 9 SO, 0 SB, .120 BA
Season (Triple-A): 62 games, 218 AB, 45 H, 7 2B, 1 3B, 14 HR, 31 R, 32 RBI, 24 BB, 105 SO, 3 SB, .206 BA
Notable: Walker now leads the International League with 14 home runs.
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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