Young Twins Tracker: Kepler hits milestone, Berrios breaks through
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 16th edition of the Young Twins Tracker.
IN THE MAJORS
Jose Berrios (age 22)
Last week: 1 game (1 start), 1-0, 3 ER, 6 IP, 5 H, 0 HR, 3 R, 0 BB, 5 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): 5 games (5 starts), 21 IP 2-1, 8.57 ERA, 1.762 WHIP, 10.7 K/9
Notable: Berrios made his first start for the Twins since May 16 on Monday and had his best start in the majors, retiring 15 straight batters at one point as the Twins won 12-5.
Byron Buxton (age 22)
Last week: 4 games, 14 PA, 1 H, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 1 R, 1 RBI, 2 SB, 2 BB, 2 K, .083 BA, .214 OBP, .167 SLG, 8 sOPS+, .100 BAbip
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 K
Season (MLB): 61 G, 212 PA, 191 AB, .199 BA, .254 OBP, .325 SLG, .578 OPS, 20 R, 38 H, 13 2B, 4 3B, 1 HR, 16 RBI, 9 SB, 13 BB, 77 K, 56 OPS+, 0.5 WAR, .319 BAbip
Notable: Buxton had his first extra-base hit in more than three weeks in Minnesota's 2-1 win over the Chicago White Sox this past Friday, but was then hobbled because of a sore right knee.
Max Kepler (age 22)
Last week: 7 games, 30 PA, 23 AB, 11 H, 0 2B, 0 3B, 5 HR, 11 R, 12 RBI, 1 SB, 7 BB, 3 K, .478 BA, .600 OBP, 1.130 SLG, 333 sOPS+, .400 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): 64 G, 240 PA, 209 AB, .263 BA, .347 OBP, .560 SLG, .907 OPS, 38 R, 55 H, 13 2B, 2 3B, 15 HR, 48 RBI, 3 SB, 27 BB, 48 K, 142 OPS+, -0.1 WAR, .270 BAbip
Notable: Kepler is playing his way into American League Rookie of the Year consideration after hitting five home runs and driving in 12 runs last week. Kepler became the first Twins rookie ever to hit three home runs in a single game, and now leads all AL rookies in home runs and RBI.
Jorge Polanco (age 22/Triple-A)
Last week: 5 games, 23 PA, 21 AB, 8 H, 3 2B, 2 3B, 0 HR, 2 R, 4 RBI, 0 SB, 1 BB, 2 K, .381 BA, .409 OBP, .714 SLG, 200 sOPS+, .421 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): 18 games, 55 PA, .298 BA, .370 OBP, .574 SLG, .945 OPS, 6 2B, 2 3B, 1 HR, 6 R, 8 RBI, 1 SB, 5 BB, 5 K, 152 OPS+, .421 BAbip, 0.7 WAR.
Notable: The Twins called Polanco up to the majors Friday, and he responded with a solid week at the plate, batting .309 and hitting a pair of triples, as well as three doubles.
Eddie Rosario (age 24)
Last week: 6 games, 26 PA, 7 H, 1 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 4 R, 6 RBI, 1 SB, 1 BB, 7 K, .292 BA, .346 OBP, .542 SLG, 134 sOPS+, .375 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): 55 games, 216 PA, 205 AB, .259 BA, .280 OBP, .420 SLG, .700 OPS, 11 2B, 2 3B, 6 HR, 32 R, 23 RBI, 4 SB, 5 BB, 50 K, 87 OPS+, -0.2 WAR, .311 BAbip
Notable: It was a solid week for Rosario, who had two multi-hit games and smacked three extra-base hits, including a double, a triple and a home run.
Miguel Sano (age 22)
Last week: 4 games, 19 PA, 2 H, 2 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 R, 2 RBI, 0 SB, 2 BB, 8 K, .118 BA, .211 OBP, .235 SLG, 22 sOPS+, .222 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): 75 G, 325 PA, 282 AB, .238 BA, .332 OBP, .443 SLG, .776 OPS, 37 R, 67 H, 13 2B, 0 3B, 15 HR, 42 RBI, 1 SB, 40 BB, 113 K, 109 OPS+, 0.0 WAR, .333 BAbip
Notable: Sano was benched earlier this week after picking up just two hits in 17 at-bats through four games. He hasn't homered since July 23 and has just two in his last 20 games.
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 is still rehabbing in Fort Myers. He hasn't pitched since April 28 and has been on the disabled list since May 5 for a bone bruise on his right arm.
Stephen Gonsalves (age 21/Double-A)
Last week: 1 game (1 start), 6 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 8 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): 7 games (7 starts), 4-1, 2.79 ERA, 38 2/3 IP, 28 H, 12 R, 1 HR, 22 BB, 47 K, 1.293 WHIP
Notable: Gonsalves allowed just one run in his single start last week and hasn't allowed more than two in his last five starts. After failing to post a strikeout in his last start he fanned eight batters on Saturday.
Nick Gordon (age 20/High Single-A)
Last week: 5 games, 21 AB, 7 H, 3 R, 2 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 7 RBI, 0 BB, 3 K, 1 SB, .333 BA
Season: 89 games, 357 AB, .300 BA, .346 OBP, .409 SLG, .755 OPS, 46 R, 107 H, 20 2B, 5 3B, 3 HR, 45 RBI, 12 SB, 18 BB, 64 K
Notable: Gordon now ranks fifth in the Florida State League in both hits and batting average after going .333 at the plate last week with seven hits.
Tyler Jay (age 22/High Single-A)
Last week: 1 games (0 starts), 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
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, but the injury could extend to his shoulder. He pitched just once last week, working the ninth inning and retiring all three batters he faced.
Alex Kirilloff (age 18/Rookie)
Last week: 6 games, 23 AB, 8 H, 4 R, 2 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 2 RBI, 0 BB, 3 SO, 0 SB, .348 BA
Season: 31 games, 126 AB, .357 BA, .359 OBP, .516 SLG, .875 OPS, 22 R, 45 H, 8 2B, 0 3B, 4 HR, 21 RBI, 0 SB, 2 BB, 16 SO
Notable: The Twins' first-round pick leads the Appalachian league in hits, and ranks second in batting average.
Pat Light (age 25/Triple-A)
Last week: 1 game (0 starts), 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
Season (Triple-A): 25 games (0 starts), 1-1, 2.32 ERA, 31 IP, 21 H, 8 R, 1 HR, 17 BB, 36 K, 1.226 WHIP
Season (MLB): 2 games (0 starts), 0-0, 23.62 ERA, 2 2/3 IP, 7 H, 8 R, 2 HR, 1 BB, 2 K
Kohl Stewart (age 21/Double-A)
Last week: 1 game (1 start), 0-1, 6 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 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): 11 games (11 starts), 5-5, 3.19 ERA, 59 1/3 IP, 65 H, 30 R, 3 HR, 25 BB, 34 K, 1.517 WHIP
Notable: Stewart started against Mobile on Monday and has now allowed two or fewer earned runs in each of his last four games.
Adam Walker (age 24/Triple-A)
Last week: 6 games, 25 AB, 2 H, 1 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 0 BB, 9 K, 0 SB, .080 BA
Season (Triple-A): 100 games, 360 AB, 87 H, 18 2B, 2 3B, 21 HR, 48 R, 56 RBI, 36 BB, 156 K, 5 SB, .242 BA, .310 OBP, .478 SLG
Notable: It was a rough week for Walker, but he remains the International League leader in home runs with 21 despite batting just .080 over the last week.
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
