Young Twins Tracker: Gonsalves stretches scoreless streak to 21 innings
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 17th edition of the Young Twins Tracker.
IN THE MAJORS
Jose Berrios (age 22)
Last week: 1 game (1 start), 0-1, 2 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 0 HR, 1 BB, 1 K
Season (Triple-A): 16 games (16 starts), 103 1/3 IP, 10-5, 2.44 ERA, 1.006 WHIP, 9.7 K/9
Season (MLB): 7 games (7 starts), 2-3, 28 IP, 9.32 ERA, 1.893 WHIP, 9.6 K/9
Notable: Berrios' development has become a group effort for the Twins. Starter Ervin Santana has been working with the prospective ace, alongside a group of coaches and mentors that also includes Hall of Famer Bert Blyleven.
Max Kepler (age 23)
Last week: 7 games, 32 PA, 7 H, 3 R, 4 RBI, 0 SB, 3 BB, 6 K, .259 BA, .344 OBP, .296 SLG, 76 sOPS+, .318 BAbip
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): 77 G, 299 PA, .259 BA, .342 OBP, .502 SLG, .844 OPS, 42 R, 67 H, 14 2B, 2 3B, 15 HR, 53 RBI, 4 SB, 33 BB, 60 K, 126 OPS+, 2.8 WAR, .277 BAbip
Notable: Kepler has homered just once since his three-homer outburst on Aug. 1, but he's been a reliable presence at the plate over the last week. He has seven hits in his last seven games, but his slugging percentage has fallen by .045 since the beginning of August.
Jorge Polanco (age 23)
Last week: 7 games, 30 PA, 10 H, 1 R, 0 RBI, 1 SB, 0 BB, 7 K, .333 BA, .333 OBP, .333 SLG, 42 sOPS+, .435 BAbip
Season (Triple-A): 75 G, 293 AB, .276 BA, .335 OBP, .457 SLG, .793 OPS, 32 R, 81 H, 14 2B, 6 3B, 9 HR, 39 RBI, 27 BB, 51 K
Season (MLB): 30 games, 106 PA, .320 BA, .356 OBP, .454 SLG, .809 OPS, 6 2B, 2 3B, 1 HR, 11 R, 10 RBI, 3 SB, 5 BB, 13 K, 119 OPS+, .357 BAbip, 1.0 WAR.
Notable: Polanco has continued to split time between shortstop and third base. He has four multi-hit games in his last seven.
Eddie Rosario (age 24)
Last week: 7 games, 28 PA, 6 H, 1 2B, 1 HR, 3 R, 3 RBI, 1 SB, 2 BB, 8 K, .231 BA, .286 OBP, .385 SLG, 116 sOPS+, .294 BAbip
Season (Triple-A): 38 games, 150 AB, .307 BA, .329 OBP, .513 SLG, .842 OPS, 46 H, 13 2B, 0 3B, 6 HR, 24 R, 23 RBI, 5 SB, 6 BB, 24 K
Season (MLB): 67 games, 263 PA, .269 BA, .295 OBP, .438 SLG, .733 OPS, 14 2B, 2 3B, 8 HR, 39 R, 28 RBI, 5 SB, 8 BB, 64 K, 96 OPS+, 0.6 WAR, .330 BAbip
Notable: It was a solid week for Rosario apart from a disastrous outing against Kansas City Royals starter Yordano Ventura. Rosario struck out four times in that game, but had two multi-hit games last week.
Miguel Sano (age 23)
Last week: 3 games, 12 PA, 3 H, 1 2B, 1 HR, 1 R, 2 RBI, 0 SB, 1 BB, 5 K, .273 BA, .333 OBP, .636 SLG, 101 sOPS+, .400 BAbip
Season (Triple-A): 6 games, 19 AB, .158 BA, .304 OBP, .474 SLG, .778 OPS, 3 H, 0 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, 0 SB, 4 BB, 7 K
Season (MLB): 84 G, 363 PA, .250 BA, .342 OBP, .491 SLG, .832 OPS, 44 R, 79 H, 16 2B, 0 3B, 20 HR, 50 RBI, 1 SB, 44 BB, 126 K, 123 OPS+, 0.7 WAR, .343 BAbip
Notable: Sano was held out of the lineup again on Wednesday with a sore elbow, but an MRI earlier in the week revealed no structural damage. Manager Paul Molitor says Sano isn't feeling 100 percent healthy quite yet, but his return appears to be imminent.
DOWN ON THE FARM
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: Burdi hasn't pitched since April 28 and has been on the disabled list since May 5 for a bone bruise on his right arm, but hopes to return to action before the end of the season.
Alan Busenitz (age 25/Double-A)
Last week: 3 game, 0-0, 4 1/3 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 1 BB, 5 K
Season (Twins only): 5 games (0 starts), 0-0, 3.52 ERA, 7 2/3 IP, 9 H, 0 HR, 1 BB, 5 K, 1.304 WHIP
Notable: Busenitz has faced 20 batters over his last three appearances, and hadn't allowed a run in the Twins system before allowing three in a seventh-inning outing against the Montgomery Biscuits.
Byron Buxton (age 22/Triple-A)
Last week: 6 games, 24 AB, 6 H, 4 R, 1 RBI, 2 SB, 0 BB, 9 K, .250 BA
Season (Triple-A): 37 games, 143 AB, .315 BA, .384 OBP, .559 SLG, .943 OPS, 10 2B, 2 3B, 7 HR, 15 RBI, 7 SB, 13 BB, 36 K
Season (MLB): 63 G, 218 PA, .193 BA, .247 OBP, .315 SLG, .561 OPS, 20 R, 38 H, 13 2B, 4 3B, 1 HR, 16 RBI, 9 SB, 13 BB, 80 K, 52 OPS+, 0.4 WAR, .311 BAbip
Notable: Buxton had a fairly uneventful week in Triple-A, but MLB's Statcast posted an interesting comparison on Twitter, noting that he has the fastest home-to-first time in the league this season at 3.25 seconds.
Stephen Gonsalves (age 22/Double-A)
Last week: 2 game (2 start), 15 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 4 BB, 17 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): 10 games (10 starts), 6-1, 1.81 ERA, 59 2/3 IP, 34 H, 1 HR, 28 BB, 72 K, 1.039 WHIP
Notable: Gonsalves stretched his scoreless streak to 21 innings with another win on Wednesday, and left the game after taking a no-hitter into the sixth inning. He threw a season-high 105 pitches (66 strikes) in the win.
Nick Gordon (age 20/High Single-A)
Last week: 5 games, 19 AB, 7 H, 2 R, 2 RBI, 1 SB, 1 BB, 3 K, .368 BA
Season: 101 games, 403 AB, .300 BA, .346 OBP, .400 SLG, .745 OPS, 51 R, 21 2B, 5 3B, 3 HR, 50 RBI, 16 SB, 20 BB, 72 K
Notable: Gordon racked up three multi-hit games in five appearances for Fort Myers last week, while smacking a double in a three-hit game against Bradenton on Sunday.
Tyler Jay (age 22/Double-A)
Last week: n/a
Season (High Single-A): 13 games (13 starts), 69 2/3 IP, 64 H, 24 R, 5 HR, 21 BB, 68 K, 2.84 ERA, 1.22 WHIP
Season (Double-A): 5 games (2 starts), 14 IP, 13 H, 10 R, 2 HR, 5 BB, 9 K, 5.79 ERA, 1.286 WHIP
Notable: Jay was placed on the DL with a neck strain on Aug. 1. There was some concern injury could extend to his shoulder, but tests showed it was a nerve irritation in his neck. The Twins are hopeful he'll return to the mound this season.
Alex Kirilloff (age 18/Rookie)
Last week: 6 games, 25 AB, 4 H, 5 R, 0 2B, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 0 SB, 2 BB, 5 SO, .160 BA
Season: 44 games, 180 AB, .333 BA, .356 OBP, .483 SLG, .839 OPS, 29 R, 9 2B, 0 3B, 6 HR, 26 RBI, 0 SB, 6 BB, 26 K
Notable: The Twins' first-round pick saw his nine-game hit streak come to an end last Thursday, and had just three hits in his next five games.
Pat Light (age 25/Triple-A)
Last week: 2 games (0 starts), 0-0 1 SV, 2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 3 K
Season (Twins only): 5 games (0 starts), 0-0 2 SV, 1.80 ERA, 5 IP, 3 H, 0 HR, 1 BB, 6 K, 0.800 WHIP
Notable: Light, acquired from the Red Sox for Fernando Abad, recorded his second save for Rochester on Aug. 11, allowing three hits and his first earned run since joining the Twins' organization.
Adalberto Mejia (age 23/Triple-A)
Last week: 1 game (1 start), 6 1/3 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 5 K
Season (Twins only): 3 games (3 starts), 1-2, 4.66 ERA, 19 1/3 IP, 21 H, 2 HR, 3 BB, 20 K, 1.241 WHIP
Notable: Mejia, obtained from the Giants for Eduardo Nunez, picked up his first win as a member of the Twins organization on Monday, fanning five batters and allowing eight hits through 6 1/3 innings in as the Red Wings topped Buffalo 10-4
Kohl Stewart (age 21/Double-A)
Last week: 1 game (1 start), 0-1, 4 2/3 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 5 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): 13 games (13 starts), 6-6, 3.25 ERA, 72 IP, 76 H, 4 HR, 34 BB, 39 K, 1.528 WHIP
Notable: Stewart was tagged with the loss after pitching just 4 2/3 innings in a loss to Birmingham in his lone start last week.
Adam Walker (age 24/Triple-A)
Last week: 7 games, 25 AB, 6 H, 3 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 3 HR, 7 RBI, 0 SB, 2 BB, 13 K, .240 BA
Season (Triple-A): 113 games, 407 AB, .241 BA, .308 OBP, .484 SLG, 18 2B, 3 3B, 25 HR, 52 R, 65 RBI, 5 SB, 40 BB, 179 K
Notable: Walker had at least two strikeouts in five of his seven games last week, but smacked three home runs to retake the lead in the International League.
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 of baseball-reference.com and milb.com
