Young Twins Tracker: Kirilloff turning heads in Rookie League

By foxsports
Published

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 15th edition of the Young Twins Tracker.

IN THE MAJORS

Byron Buxton (age 22)

Last week: 4 games, 16 PA, 4 H, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 1 R, 3 RBI, 0 SB, 2 BB, 5 K, .308 BA, .375 OBP, .308 SLG, 95 sOPS+, .444 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): 57 G, 198 PA, 179 AB, .207 BA, .256 OBP, .335 SLG, .592 OPS, 19 R, 37 H, 12 2B, 4 3B, 1 HR, 15 RBI, 7 SB, 11 BB, 75 K, 59 OPS+, 0.5 WAR, .340 BAbip

Notable: Buxton had a hit in all four games last week, but hasn't had an extra-base hit since July 5. He still managed to drive in a few runs last week, registering three RBI.

 

Max Kepler (age 22)

Last week: 5 games, 21 PA, 6 H, 0 2B, 2 3B, 0 HR, 5 R, 1 RBI, 0 SB, 1 BB, 3 K, .300 BA, .333 OBP, .500 SLG, 117 sOPS+, .353 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): 57 G, 210 PA, 186 AB, .237 BA, .311 OBP, .489 SLG, .800 OPS, 27 R, 44 H, 13 2B, 2 3B, 10 HR, 36 RBI, 2 SB, 20 BB, 45 K, 112 OPS+, -0.1 WAR, .256 BAbip

Notable: The Twins' breakout rookie has cooled off a bit since his power surge in early July, but Kepler showed off his versatility last week, hitting a pair of triples.

 

Eddie Rosario (age 24)

Last week: 6 games, 21 PA, 7 H, 2 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 5 R, 2 RBI, 0 SB, 0 BB, 8 K, .350 BA, .381 OBP, .450 SLG, 125 sOPS+, .583 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): 49 games, 190 PA, .254 BA, .271 OBP, .403 SLG, .675 OPS, 10 2B, 1 3B, 5 HR, 28 R, 17 RBI, 3 SB, 4 BB, 43 K, 80 OPS+, -0.2 WAR, .304 BAbip

Notable: Rosario had one of his best games of the season on Saturday, racking up four hits to help lead the Twins to an 11-9 win over the Boston Red Sox.

 

Miguel Sano (age 22)

Last week: 6 games, 27 PA, 8 H, 1 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 3 R, 3 RBI, 0 SB, 1 BB, 10 K, .308 BA, .333 OBP, .462 SLG, 148 sOPS+, .467 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): 71 G, 306 PA, 265 AB, .245 BA, .340 OBP, .457 SLG, .796 OPS, 37 R, 65 H, 11 2B, 0 3B, 15 HR, 40 RBI, 1 SB, 38 BB, 105 K, 113 OPS+, 0.4 WAR, .340 BAbip

Notable: It was a relatively quiet week for Sano, but he did cause a brief stir on social media on Wednesday after snapping a bat over his knee following his third strikeout of the night.

 

DOWN ON THE FARM

Jose Berrios (age 22/Triple-A)

Last week: 2 game (2 start), 1-1, 4 ER, 14 IP, 8 H, 0 HR, 4 R, 3 BB, 17 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): 4 games (4 starts), 15 IP 1-1, 10.20 ERA, 2.133 WHIP, 12.0 K/9

Notable: Berrios pitched in another gem on Friday, fanning nine batters and allowing just three hits in eight innings of work. He logged just six innings of work on Wednesday, but still managed eight strikeouts despite allowing three runs.

 

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), 5 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 7 BB, 0 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): 6 games (6 starts), 3-1, 3.03 ERA, 23 2/3 IP, 24 H, 11 R, 1 HR, 20 BB, 39 K, 1.347 WHIP

Notable:  In his last four starts, Gonsalves has allowed just three runs over 24 innings. He failed to register a strikeout in his last start (a 4-3 loss to Jackson), but allowed just two runs.

 

Nick Gordon (age 20/High Single-A)

Last week: 6 games, 23 AB, 4 H, 1 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 6 RBI, 2 BB, 5 K, 0 SB, .174 BA

Season: 84 games, 336 AB, .298 BA, .344 OBP, .408 SLG, .752 OPS, 43 R, 100 H, 18 2B, 5 3B, 3 HR, 38 RBI, 11 SB, 18 BB, 61 K

Notable: After surging in mid-July Gordon came back to earth a bit last week, picking up just four hits in six games and batting .174 with a .240 OBP.

 

Tyler Jay (age 22/High Single-A)

Last week: 2 games (0 starts), 3 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 0 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): 4 games (2 starts), 13 IP, 13 H, 10 R, 2 HR, 5 BB, 8 K, 6.23 ERA, 1.385 WHIP

Notable: Jay pitched twice as a reliever last week, entering a 3-2 loss to Jackson in the sixth inning and threw just 12 pitches. He worked two more innings in a loss to Tennessee facing seven batters and allowing just one run.

 

Alex Kirilloff (age 18/Rookie)

Last week: 6 games, 27 AB, 12 H, 8 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 1 BB, 2 SO, 0 SB, .444 BA

Season: 25 games, 103 AB, .359 BA, .361 OBP, .534 SLG, .895 OPS, 18 R, 37 H, 6 2B, 0 3B, 4 HR, 19 RBI, 0 SB, 2 BB, 13 SO

Notable: The Twins' first-round pick is tearing it up in Elizabethton. He batted .444 last week with a whopping 1.131 OPS and was named the Appalachian League Player of the Week on July 26. He now ranks second in the league with a .359 batting average.

 

Alex Meyer (age 26/Triple-A)

Last week: N/A

Season (Triple-A): 3 games (2 starts), 1-1, 1.04 ERA, 17 1/3 IP, 0.865 WHIP, 11 H, 0 HR, 4 BB, 19 K

Season (MLB): 2 games (1 starts), 1-1, 12.27 ERA, 3 2/3 IP, 3.273 WHIP, 8 H, 1 HR, 4 BB, 15 K

Notable: Meyer started playing catch again earlier this month, but remains shelved with right shoulder inflammation and hasn't pitched in a game since his May 3 start for the Twins. Rochester placed him on the disabled list on June 3.

 

Jorge Polanco (age 22/Triple-A)

Last week: 7 games, 29 AB, 1 R, 6 H, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 3 RBI, 1 BB, 8 K, .207 BA

Season (Triple-A): 74 G, 288 AB, .271 BA, .331 OBP, .455 SLG, .786 OPS, 30 R, 78 H, 14 2B, 6 3B, 9 HR, 37 RBI, 27 BB, 50 K

Season (MLB): 13 games, 32 PA, .231 BA, .344 OBP, .462 SLG, .805 OPS, 3 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 4 R, 4 RBI, 1 SB, 4 BB, 3 K, 120 OPS+, .217 BAbip, 0.3 WAR.

Notable: Polanco's week was highlighted by a three-hit game against Syracuse on Saturday. He hit a double while racking up three RBI.

 

Kohl Stewart (age 21/Double-A)

Last week: 1 game (1 start), 1-0, 5 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 4 BB, 4 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): 10 games (10 starts), 5-4, 3.38 ERA, 53 1/3 IP, 61 H, 28 R, 3 HR, 23 BB, 31 K, 1.575 WHIP

Notable: Stewart allowed three runs (two earned) in his only start of the week, and how now won his last three starts.

 

Adam Walker (age 24/Triple-A)

Last week: 7 games, 27 AB, 10 H, 4 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 1 BB, 11 K, 1 SB, .370 BA

Season (Triple-A): 94 games, 335 AB, 85 H, 18 2B, 2 3B, 20 HR, 47 R, 54 RBI, 36 BB, 147 K, 5 SB, .254 BA, .325 OBP, .499 SLG

Notable: Walker is now tied for the International League in home runs (20) after hitting two more homers 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