Every Thursday this season Bally Sports North takes a closer look at some specific young players in the Minnesota Twins’ farm system -- as well as noting others who might be stepping up -- measuring, highlighting and evaluating their progress.
This is the 5th edition of the 2022 Young Twins Tracker.
Brooks Lee, SS (age 22/Double-A)
Last week: 6 games, 19 AB, 3 H, 2B, HR, 4 R, 5 RBI, SB, 5 BB, 4 K, .158 BA
Season: 37 games, 147 AB, .252 BA, .331 OBP, .422 SLG, .753 OPS, 13 2B, 0 3B, 4 HR, 29 R, 18 RBI, 4 SB, 17 BB, 28 K.
Notable: Lee snapped out of a mini-slump (1-for-15 from May 17-23) by going 2-for-4 with a double, homer, three runs and three RBI on May 24. His previous homer came right before that slump as part of a three-hit game May 16.
Royce Lewis, SS (age 23/Triple-A)
Last week: 5 games, 19 AB, 5 H, 2B, 2 HR, 3 R, 4 RBI, SB, 0 BB, 8 K, .263 BA
Season (Triple-A): 6 games, 24 AB, .333 BA, .333 OBP, .750 SLG, 1.083 OPS, 3 2B, 0 3B, 3 HR, 4 R, 8 RBI, 2 SB, 0 BB, 8 K.
Notable: Lewis, eligible to come off Minnesota’s 60-day injured list May 30, has three multi-hit games since joining St. Paul (and he also had one in his two-game stint with Double-A Wichita). He knocked a pair of solo homers May 19 as part of a three-hit day and produced two hits including a double May 24.
Marco Raya, SP (age 20/High-A)
Last week: 1 game (1 start), 0-0, 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
Season: 5 games (5 starts), 0-0, 3.07 ERA, 14 2/3 IP, 8 H, 2 HR, 5 BB, 15 K, .170 OBA, 0.89 WHIP.
Notable: The Twins are taking things slow with the 2020 fourth-round pick and No. 6 prospect (via MLB Pipeline). He tossed a season-low 37 pitches May 19. The good news is his three innings matched a season long, which he’s done in four of his five outings. In his last three games, Raya hasn’t allowed a run in nine innings while giving up four hits with one walk and nine strikeouts.
Emmanuel Rodriguez, OF (age 20/High-A)
Last week: 5 games, 19 AB, 4 H, 2 HR, 3 R, 3 RBI, SB, 5 BB, 6 K, .211 BA
Season: 22 games, 80 AB, .163 BA, .320 OBP, .388 SLG, .708 OPS, 1 2B, 1 3B, 5 HR, 14 R, 15 RBI, 2 SB, 18 BB, 41 K.
Notable: Rodriguez hit his first home runs since returning from an injury May 6, blasting solo shots May 18 and May 23.
Jose Salas, 2B/3B/SS (age 20/High-A)
Last week: 5 games, 17 AB, 2 H, 1 R, 2 RBI, SB, 1 BB, 7 K, .118 BA
Season: 34 games, 120 AB, .150 BA, .230 OBP, .208 SLG, .438 OPS, 4 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 11 R, 11 RBI, 8 SB, 9 BB, 38 K.
Notable: The youngster’s struggles at the plate continue. Salas hasn’t had a multi-hit game since April 29. After putting together hits in three straight, Salas has gone 0-fer in his last three.
Simeon Woods Richardson, SP (age 21/Triple-A)
Last week: 1 game (1 start), 0-1, 4 IP, 8 H, 5 R, 2 BB, 3 K
Season: 7 games (7 starts), 0-5, 7.12 ERA, 30 1/3 IP, 40 H, 6 HR, 14 BB, 27 K, .315 OBA, 1.78 WHIP.
Notable: The bad news is Woods Richardson was rocked again in his last outing, May 23. He’s given up eat least four runs in each of his last three starts. The good news is he had 11 swinging strikes in 87 pitches, following up a season-high 12 (also in 87 pitches) in his previous game.
Other notes: The struggles of 1B/3B Jose Miranda (Comp B, 2016) continue down in Triple-A St. Paul, where he has yet to collect an extra-base hit in 11 games and was just 3-for-22 (.136) last week. … Wichita RHP Blayne Enlow (3rd round, 2017) opened the week by allowing one run in 5 1/3 innings and fanning 10 vs. Arkansas on May 18 then surrendering a lone run in six frames at Springfield on May 24. Enlow didn’t walk a single batter over those 11 1/3 innings. He owns a 3.02 ERA, 1.128 WHIP and 10.4 K/9 in 41 2/3 IP for the Wind Surge. … Wichita 3B Jake Rucker (7th round, 2021) went 10-for-22 (.455) last week with a double, home run, five runs and four RBI. He’s slashing .283/.363/.435 on the season. … Cedar Rapids OF Kala’I Rosario (5th round, 2020) homered twice last week, giving him three in his last eight contests. He’s hitting .283/.396/.471. … C Andrew Cossetti (11th round, 2022) was promoted from Fort Myers to Cedar Rapids on May 23. In 35 games with the Mighty Mussels he slashed .330/.462/.607 with 33 RBI. … Fort Myers OF Carlos Aguiar had a game and week to remember. On May 23, the 21-year-old native Venezuelan homered three times at Dunedin – including twice in the fifth inning. Aguiar also tripled twice during the week and drove in 11 runs, all coming in a four-game span. He’s slugging .521 this season, with four doubles, six triples and seven homers, after producing a .550 SLG in 44 games, including 10 HR, with the Mighty Mussels in 2022.
Statistics courtesy baseball-reference.com and milb.com
