This week's FOXSportsNorth.com Minor League Star of the Week is Fort Myers shortstop Engelb Vielma, a young Venezuelan who has improved his batting average greatly in recent weeks. And Vielma is just one of four Latin players mentioned in this week's article.
Here's a look at what Vielma and the rest of this week's minor-league stars did throughout Minnesota's minor-league system.
TRIPLE-A ROCHESTER
Player of the Week: LF Oswaldo Arcia
2015 stats (overall in minors): .261/.295/.471, 7 HRs, 25 RBI, 37 games
Recent highlights: Arcia, a bit of a forgotten man in the Twins' outfield shuffle, has hit like a man possessed of late. Since July 6, Arcia has hit three home runs; he has six homers in his last nine games overall. The 24-year-old, who hit .276 in 19 games with Minnesota earlier this season, has also had better at-bats of late, with just four strikeouts over his last five games.
Pitcher of the Week: LHP Logan Darnell
2015 stats: 2-0, 3.16 ERA, 31 1/3 IP, 33 K, 15 BB
Recent highlights: The Red Wings' overall pitching hasn't been great of late, but Darnell has held his own, producing a 2.55 ERA over a 10-game stretch from May 29 to July 7. And, in Rochester's narrow win at Lehigh Valley on July 3, Darnell struck out six in four innings of work.
DOUBLE-A CHATTANOOGA
Player of the Week: OF Max Kepler
2015 stats: .335/.410/.534, 22 2B, 34 RBI
Recent highlights: We hate to be repetitive with these awards, and Kepler was honored last week, but he's simply hitting the best among all Lookout position players of late. The 22-year-old German went 3 for 6 from July 7-8, earning him this week's accolades.
Pitcher of the Week: RHP D.J. Baxendale
2015 stats: 3-1, 3.64 ERA, 59 1/3 IP, 57 K, 21 BB
Recent highlights: Baxendale, a 25-year-old righty, has had a solid strikeout-to-walk ratio in 2015. His outing on July 5 served as a microcosm of that, as he fanned four while walking just one over four innings, at Jacksonville.
HIGH-A FORT MYERS
Engelb Vielma
Player of the Week: SS Engelb Vielma
2015 stats: .261/.305/.301, 6 2B, 21 SB
Recent highlights: Like Gulf Coast humidity, Vielma's offense has increased as the summer has rolled on. The 21-year-old Venezuelan went 8 for 13 (.615) with three RBI from July 6-8. Vielma increased his batting average 23 points from June 28 to July 8.
Pitcher of the Week: LHP Corey Williams
2015 stats: 3-0, 1.84 ERA, 14 2/3 IP, 10 K, 7 BB
Recent highlights: Williams, a 25-year-old former third-round draft choice out of Vanderbilt in 2011, has a 1.32 ERA over his last 10 outings. And, he had two solid performances last week, including on Tuesday at Jupiter, when the lefty struck out two while yielding nary a hit or a walk in his one inning, as the Miracle held on for a 4-3 victory.
LOW-A CEDAR RAPIDS
Player of the Week: 2B Rafael P. Valera
2015 stats: .309/.449/.345, 2 2B, 8 RBI in 19 games
Recent highlights: Valera, a 20-year-old native of Venezuela, enjoyed a torrid stretch from July 2-8. During that time, the second baseman went 6 for 17 (.353) with six RBI.
Pitcher of the Week: RHP Felix Jorge
2015 stats: 4-3, 2.00 ERA, 72 K, 0.90 WHIP
Recent highlights: Jorge, a 21-year-old native of the Dominican Republic, had a stellar start on Wednesday. The righty threw eight scoreless innings, striking out seven while walking one and scattering six hits, in the Kernels' 8-1 win at Beloit.
