Twins prospect Gordon making smooth transition to Double-A
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 1st edition of the 2017 Young Twins Tracker.
Jose Berrios (age 22/Triple-A)
Season: 5 games (5 starts), 2-0, 1.09 ERA, 33 IP, 18 H, 0 HR, 8 BB, 35 K, .157 OBA, 0.79 WHIP
Notable: Berrios has allowed no earned runs in three of his five starts and has struck out at least seven in three starts. In his last outing, April 30 vs. Louisville, he pitched eight shutout innings allowing just two hits.
Nick Burdi (age 24/Double-A)
Season: 7 games (no starts), 0-0, 1.08 ERA, 8.1 IP, 5 H, 1 HR, 3 BB, 10 K, .179 OBA, 0.96 WHIP
Notable: After missing most of the 2016 season due to a bone bruise on his right arm, Minnesota's second-round draft choice in 2014 has already pitched more innings in 2017 than he did last year. Burdi didn't allow a run in each of his first six appearances and had 10 strikeouts in 7 1/3 innings in that span.
Lewin Diaz (age 20/Low-A)
Season: 24 games, 90 AB, .267 BA, .302 OBP, .456 SLG, .758 OPS, 8 2B, 0 3B, 3 HR, 8 R, 14 RBI, 0 SB, 4 BB, 14 K.
Notable: Diaz, a left-handed hitting first baseman from the Dominican Republic, batted .310/.353/.575 in rookie ball in 2016. On May 2 against Lake County, Diaz went 3 for 4 with a double, two home runs and five RBI.
Nick Gordon (age 21/Double-A)
Season: 24 games, 95 AB, .326 BA, .393 OBP, .463 SLG, .856 OPS, 3 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR, 12 R, 13 RBI, 1 SB, 11 BB, 21 K.
Notable: Making the jump to Double-A has not been an issue thus far for the Twins' first-round pick in 2014. With Chattanooga, Gordon has split his time between shortstop (13 games) and second base (9). Gordon is on four-game hit streak in which he is 6 for 18 (.333) with a triple and home run.
Adalberto Mejia (age 23/Triple-A)
Season: 1 game (1 start), 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 7 IP, 2 H, 0 HR, 0 BB, 6 K, .087 OBA, 0.29 WHIP
Notable: After getting roughed up with Minnesota in three starts, Mejia pitched a strong game against Louisville on April 28.
Kohl Stewart (age 22/Double-A)
Season: 5 games (5 starts), 0-4, 6.05 ERA, 19.1 IP, 19 H, 1 HR, 20 BB, 11 K, .260 OBA, 2.02 WHIP
Notable: It's been a rough start to the 2017 season for Minnesota's 2013 first-round pick. Stewart has walked at least four batters in each of the past four games -- and hasn't pitched past the fourth inning in any of those starts.
Others: ByungHo Park was 6 for 16 with three doubles at Rochester before having to go on the DL. … Speaking of the DL, RHP J.T. Chargois (2nd round, 2012) landed there with an elbow impingement after making two scoreless relief appearances for the Red Wings. … LHPs Tyler Jay (1st round, 2014) and Stephen Gonsalves (4th round, 2013) have been on the DL all season at Chattanooga. … Veteran minor-league LHP Nik Turley has a 0.44 ERA, 0.54 WHIP and 36 K in 20.1 IP for Chattanooga. … C Ben Rortveldt (2nd round, 2016) is hitting just .107 in 16 games at Cedar Rapids. … Australian CF Aaron Whitefield is fourth in the Midwest League with a .607 slugging percentage. He has 6 doubles, 2 triples and 5 home runs. … A pair of late-round picks are doing well at Cedar Rapids. RHP Sean Poppen (19th round, 2016) has a 1.67 ERA, 0.85 WHIP and 28 K in 27 IP in four starts while RHP Clark Beeker (33rd round, 2016) has a 1.69 ERA and 0.97 WHIP in his four starts (26.2 IP). … As a reminder, 2016 first-round pick OF Alex Kirilloff is out for the season.
Statistics courtesy milb.com
Dave Heller is the author of the book Ken Williams: A Slugger in Ruth's Shadow as well as Facing Ted Williams Players From the Golden Age of Baseball Recall the Greatest Hitter Who Ever Lived and As Good As It Got: The 1944 St. Louis Browns
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