Twins prospect Gonsalves earns Pitcher of the Week honors
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 in Minnesota's farm system — as well as noting others who might be stepping up — measuring, highlighting and evaluating their progress.
This is the second edition of the 2018 Young Twins Tracker.
Stephen Gonsalves (age 23/Triple-A)
Last week: 1 game (1 start), 1-0, 6 2/3 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 B, 9 K
Season (Triple-A): 2 games (2 starts), 2-0, 0.63 ERA, 14 1/3 IP, 4 H, 1 HR, 2 BB, 14 K, .087 OBA, 0.42 WHIP
Season (Double-A): 4 games (4 starts), 3-0, 1.77 ERA, 20 1/3 IP, 11 H, 2 HR, 10 BB, 25 K, .167 OBA, 1.03 WHIP
Notable: Gonsalves earned his first Pitcher of the Week award of the year after dominating in his first two Triple-A starts of 2018. He was at it again Sunday against Lehigh Valley, retiring the first 14 batters he faced. A solo home run and a double broke up his bid for a perfect game, but Gonsalves bounced back, retiring the next four batters and six of his last eight to earn the win.
Nick Gordon (age 22/Double-A)
Last week: 7 games, 29 AB, 10 H, 3 2B, 1 HR, 3 R, 4 RBI, 1 SB, 3 BB, 6 K, .345 BA
Season: 31 games, 118 AB, .339 BA, .369 OBP, .534 SLG, .903 OPS, 8 2B, 3 3B, 3 HR, 14 R, 17 RBI, 4 SB, 7 BB, 20 K
Notable: Gordon had four multi-hit games in seven appearances last week, and hit a pair of doubles Wednesday in a win over Jackson.
Tyler Jay (age 24/Double-A)
Last week: 2 games (0 starts), 0-0, 4 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 4 K
Season: 5 games, 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 9 IP, 6 H, 0 HR, 3 BB, 8 K, .182 OBA, 1.00 WHIP
Notable: After missing most of 2017 due to injuries, Jay, Minnesota's first-round pick in 2015, was sidelined for a couple of weeks in April due to a groin strain. Jay has been dealing so far this season, and recorded his first save of the season last week.
Alex Kirilloff (age 20/High-A)
Last week: 7 games, 28 AB, 11 H, 5 2B, 2 HR, 5 R, 7 RBI, 0 SB, 3 BB, 6 K, .393 BA
Season: 26 games, 107 AB, .299 BA, .339 OBP, .551 SLG, .891 OPS, 12 2B, 0 3B, 5 HR, 14 R, 26 RBI, 0 SB, 7 BB, 22 K
Notable: Minnesota's top pick in 2016 is back after missing all of 2017 following Tommy John surgery on his left elbow. The 2016 Appalachian League's Player of the Year stretched his hit streak to 10 games last week, and has an extra-base hit in seven straight.
Royce Lewis (age 18/High-A)
Last week: 5 games, 21 AB, 10 H, 1 2B, 0 HR, 4 R, 2 RBI, 5 SB, 2 BB, 2 K, .476 BA
Season: 20 games, 83 AB, .373 BA, .416 OBP, .434 SLG, .849 OPS, 2 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 14 R, 12 RBI, 10 SB, 6 BB, 10 K
Notable: One of the youngest players in the Midwest League (he turned 19 in June), last year's No. 1 overall pick hit over .400 again last week, and leads the team with 10 stolen bases.
Brent Rooker (age 23/Double-A)
Last week: 4 games, 16 AB, 2 H, 0 2B, 0 HR, 0 R, 0 RBI, 0 SB, 3 BB, 4 K, .125
Season: 29 games, 108 AB, .222 BA, .267 OBP, .315 SLG, .582 OPS, 5 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 8 R, 7 RBI, 1 SB, 6 BB, 35 K
Notable: Last year's first-round (compensatory) pick is making his debut in Double-A after hitting .281/.364/.566 combined in 2017 at Elizabethton and Fort Myers. Rooker has struggled at times out the gate and had just two hits last week, despite a five-game hit streak the week before.
LaMonte Wade (age 24/Double-A)
Last week: 4 games, 18 AB, 5 H, 0 2B, 2 HR, 3 R, 5 RBI, 1 SB, 1 BB, 2 K, .278 BA
Season: 28 games, 100 AB, .290 BA, .385 OBP, .430 SLG, .815 OPS, 0 2B, 1 3B, 4 HR, 15 R, 12 RBI, 3 SB, 15 BB, 10 K
Notable: Wade went yard twice last week to snap an eight-game home run drought. His 15 walks lead the team, while he's one of just two players on Chattanooga with more walks thank strikeouts.
Others: Red Wings RF Jake Cave hit .310 last week in 29 at-bats and led the team with nine hits. … Red Wings RHP Zack Littell allowed just two hits in six innings and struck out six in his only start. … Lookouts 2B Alex Perez had eight hits in 20 at-bats, hitting two doubles and a triple. … Fort Myers RF Jaylin Davis led the team with 10 hits and two home runs in 27 at-bats. … Lookouts LHP Sam Clay allowed just one hit in two innings in his only relief appearance. … Red Wings RHP Luke Bard didn't allow a hit in two relief appearances, striking out all three batters he faced Monday.
Statistics courtesy milb.com and STATS
