Twins prospects Gonsalves, Lewis thrive after promotions
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.
This is the 16th edition of the 2017 Young Twins Tracker.
Lewin Diaz (age 20/Low-A)
Last week: 6 games, 24 AB, 6 H, 1 2B, 2 R, 3 RBI, 0 SB, 0 BB, 6 K, .250 BA.
Season: 108 games, 413 AB, .278 BA, .315 OBP, .426 SLG, .741 OPS, 29 2B, 1 3B, 10 HR, 40 R, 60 RBI, 1 SB, 22 BB, 72 K.
Notable: Diaz has a hit in eight of his last nine games, but with just one multi-hit game: On Aug. 11 he went 2 for 3.
Stephen Gonsalves (age 23/Triple-A)
Last week: 2 game (2 starts), 1-0, 13 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 15 K
Season (Triple-A): 2 games (2 starts), 1-0, 2.08 ERA, 13 IP, 8 H, 1 HR, 2 BB, 15 K, .174 OBA, 0.77 WHIP
Season (Double-A): 15 games (15 starts), 8-3, 2.68 ERA, 87 1/3 IP, 67 H, 7 HR, 23 BB, 96 K, .207 OBA, 1.03 WHIP
Notable: Gonsalves' transition to Triple-A was pretty seamless. In his first start at home against Norfolk on Aug. 10, he allowed two runs in seven innings on four hits while walking none and striking out seven. Five days later at Columbus, Gonsalves went six innings with one run allowed on four hits and two walks with eight Ks.
Nick Gordon (age 21/Double-A)
Last week: 5 games, 26 AB, 10 H, 2 2B, 1 3B, 6 R, 3 RBI, 0 SB, 2 BB, 7 K, .385 BA.
Season: 105 games, 446 AB, .285 BA, .357 OBP, .437 SLG, .794 OPS, 28 2B, 8 3B, 8 HR, 71 R, 58 RBI, 13 SB, 48 BB, 111 K.
Notable: On Aug. 14, Gordon had the second five-hit game of his career and first in Double-A. He was 5 for 6 against Birmingham with a double, triple, three runs and two RBI. It was one of three multiple-hit games for Gordon last week.
Royce Lewis (age 18/Rookie)
Last week: 6 games, 24 AB, 7 H, 4 R, 2 RBI, 4 SB, 2 BB, 4 K, .292 BA.
Season (Single-A): 4 games, 17 AB, .412 BA, .412 OBP, .412 SLG, .824 OPS, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 3 R, 2 RBI, 1 SB, 0 BB, 4 K.
Season (Rookie): 36 games, 133 AB, .271 BA, .390 OBP, .414 SLG, .803 OPS, 6 2B, 2 3B, 3 HR, 38 R, 17 RBI, 15 SB, 19 BB, 17 K.
Notable: The No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 draft was promoted to Single-A Cedar Rapids and made his debut Aug. 12 -- and proceeded to go 4 for 5 with two runs, a RBI and a steal. He had hits in his next two games as well, including 2 for 4 on Aug. 14, before taking an 0-fer on Aug. 16. Before moving up, Lewis had a rare game in Rookie ball, stealing three bases in a game in which he had no hits and just one walk.
Fernando Romero (age 22/Double-A)
Last week: DNP
Season: 22 games (21 starts), 11-6, 2.60 ERA, 110 2/3 IP, 98 H, 3 HR, 41 BB, 115 K, .234 OBA, 1.26 WHIP
Notable: Romero was scratched from his start as the Twins look to keep his innings limited this season. Last year he pitched a career-high 90 1/3 innings.
Brent Rooker (age 22/Single-A)
Last week: 6 games, 16 AB, 5 H, 2 2B, 2 HR, 7 R, 9 RBI, 6 BB, 3 K, .313 BA.
Season: 29 games, 98 AB, .245 BA, .357 OBP, .469 SLG, .826 OPS, 4 2B, 0 3B, 6 HR, 14 R, 23 RBI, 0 SB, 15 BB, 29 K.
Notable: Rooker found his power stroke last week, blasting a pair of three-run homers vs. Dunedin. Four of his five hits on the week went for extra bases. Rooker is already third on Fort Myers in home runs despite playing more than 50 games less than the players in front of him on the list.
Kohl Stewart (age 22/Double-A)
Last week: 1 game (1 start), 0-1, 5 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 1 BB, 6 K
Season: 15 games (15 starts), 5-6, 4.01 ERA, 74 IP, 68 H, 4 HR, 42 BB, 52 K, .250 OBA, 1.49 WHIP
Notable: Stewart's ERA crept over 4 for the first time since July 4.
Others: Kennys Vargas took his demotion well. He was 7 for 15 (.471) with a home run last week for Rochester. . . . Red Wings C Mitch Garver (9th round, 2013) had another nice week, going 8 for 21 (.381) with four doubles and a homer. . . . RHP Zack Littell, acquired from the Yankees in the Jaime Garcia trade, had two strong starts on the road, allowing one run on five hits in six innings in both outings. . . . Chattanooga RHP Gabriel Moya, who came over from Arizona in the John Ryan Murphy deal, pitched three scoreless one-inning outings, allowing one hit and one walk and whiffing seven (yes, seven of his nine outs were Ks).
Statistics courtesy milb.com
