TWINS TRIVIA is hopefully a fun and informative site that will help you to better enjoy the Minnesota Twins and their wonderful history. “History never looks like history when you are living through it” – John Gardner, former Secretary of Health
Elizabethton (Rookie Level) outfielder Chris Paul is the Twins minor league Player of the Week. Paul, 22, who hits and throws from the right side played in six games for the E-Twins, hitting .357 (10-for-28) with three doubles, two home runs, 12 RBI and four runs scored. The 6’3″ 200 lbs. Paul was drafted by the Twins in the sixth round of the 2015 First-Year Player Draft out of UC Berkeley and has seen action in left field, first base and third base this season.
Chattanooga (AA) catcher Stuart Turner is the Twins minor league Player of the Week. The 23 year-old Turner who bats from the right side played in five games for the Lookouts, hitting .471 (8-for-17) with two doubles, one home run, four RBI, six runs scored and six walks with a .609 on-base percentage In 73 games for the Lookouts this season, Turner stands 6’2″ and goes about 230 has hit .220 (55-for-250) with 10 doubles, one triple, four home runs and 25 RBI.
At Eunice (La.) High School Randy Stuart Turner was a three-time All-State and All-District selection in baseball from 2008-10 and was named a 2009 Louisville Slugger All-America. Turner also lettered three years in football and was a 2009 All-District selection.The Louisiana native was drafted by the Twins in the third round (78th overall) of the 2013 First-Year Player Draft from the University of Mississippi and signed with Minnesota for $550,000.
Cedar Rapids (Low A) right-handed pitcher Felix Jorge is the Twins minor league Player of the Week. The 6’2″ 170 pound Jorge made one start for the Kernels on Tuesday, allowing two runs on five hits in 7.0 innings pitched with one walk and seven strikeouts. Jorge has gone 5-3, 2.10 ERA (103.0 IP, 24 ER) with 23 walks and 82 strikeouts in 16 starts for the Kernels this season.
Jorge has a fastball that touches 95, a slider and a change-up. Now in his fifth professional season, Jorge has struck out 301 batters in 330.2 innings and has a 3.24 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP. Jorge was originally signed by the Twins as an undrafted free agent in February of 2011 as a seventeen year old for a reported $250,000.
Ft. Myers (High A) left-handed pitcher Mat Batts (Harrison Mathis Batts) is the Twins minor league Player of the Week. Batts made one start for the Miracle on Friday at Brevard County, allowing one run on five hits in 7.0 innings pitched with no walks and five strikeouts, earning the win. Batts combined to go 7-4, 1.89 ERA (95.0 IP, 20 ER) with 19 walks and 93 strikeouts in 16 starts between Cedar Rapids (Low A) and Ft. Myers.
The Winston-Salem, North Carolina native was drafted by the Twins in the 17th round of the 2014 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of North Carolina-Wilmington where he was named Colonial Athletic Association Pitcher of the Year in 2013 and 2014. At Mount Tabor High School, Batts was named first-team All-State as a senior and set a school record by throwing a perfect game and a no-hitter in consecutive games.
Rochester (AAA) outfielder Oswaldo Arcia is the Twins Minor League Player of the Week. Arcia appeared in eight games for the Red Wings, hitting .296 (8-for-27) with one double, five home runs, 11 RBI, seven runs scored and four walks. Arcia started the 2015 season in Minnesota but after an injury in early May the Twins sent the 24-year-old Arcia to rehab in Rochester and he has played there since that time. In 40 games for the Red Wings, Arcia has hit .274 (40-for-146) with 10 doubles, eight home runs and 29 RBI.
Arcia signed with Minnesota in 2007 at the age of 16 and made his major league debut with the Twins on April 15, 2013. Arcia hit 20 home runs last season for the Twins but has not shown enough consistency to stay with the big league this year and as we all know, Arcia can certainly use some improvement in his outfield play. Oswaldo has a brother, Orlando Arcia who is an infielder in the Brewers organization.
Rochester (AAA) right-handed pitcher A.J. Achter is the Twins Minor League Player of the Week. Achter appeared in three games for the Red Wings, tossing 5.0 shutout innings with two hits, four walks and seven strikeouts. Achter has gone 3-2, 2.15 ERA (37.2 IP, 9 ER) with 13 saves in 33 games for the Red Wings this season. Earlier this week he was named an International League All-Star for the second straight season.
Achter was a September call-up last year and appeared in 7 games throwing 11 innings and posting a 3.27 ERA with a 1-0 record.
The 6’5″ 26-year-old Achter was originally acquired by the Twins in the 46th round of the 2010 First-Year Player Draft from Michigan State University for a reported $50,000 signing bonus.
Ft. Myers (High A) infielder Engelb Vielma is the Twins Minor League Player of the Week. Vielma played four games for the Miracle, hitting .467 (7-for-15) with one double, two RBI, two walks and two runs scored. Vielma who just turned 21 was signed by the Twins as an undrafted free agent from Venezuela on September 8, 2011. The 5’11” 150 pound Vielma was named the 22nd best prospect and best defensive infielder in the Twins system by Baseball America entering 2015.
In his fourth season of pro ball Vielma has appeared in a total of 270 games and has hit .253 with 2 home runs and has stolen 51 bases in 1,086 PA’s. Vielma has a slick glove but it will be his bat that determines if he gets to put on a big league uniform but keep in mind he just turned 21.
Previous winners of Twins POW this season are right-handed pitcher Tyler Duffey, left-handed pitcher Stephen Gonsalves, outfielder Byron Buxton, infielder Trey Vavra, infielder Miguel Sano, first baseman/outfielder Max Kepler, right-handed pitcher Aaron Slegers, left-handed pitcher David Hurlbut and right-handed pitcher Alex Wimmers.
Alex Wimmers – (Credit: Roger Hoover/Tennessee Smokies)
Chattanooga (AA) right-handed pitcher Alex Wimmers is the Twins Minor League Player of the Week. Wimmers made two starts for the Lookouts, going 2-0, 0.00 ERA (14.2 IP) with five hits allowed, four walks and 20 strikeouts. Wimmers, 26, struck out nine in 7.2 innings June 13 vs. Birmingham and 11 in 7.0 innings June 19 vs. Jacksonville. The Twins first round pick (21st overall) in the 2010 First-Year Player Draft has made 12 starts for the Lookouts, going 5-1, 4.31 ERA (64.2 IP, 31 ER), with 24 walks and 62 strikeouts.
Previous winners of Twins POW this season are right-handed pitcher Tyler Duffey, left-handed pitcher Stephen Gonsalves, outfielder Byron Buxton, infielder Trey Vavra, infielder Miguel Sano, first baseman/outfielder Max Kepler, right-handed pitcher Aaron Slegers and left-handed pitcher David Hurlbut.
Max Kepler
Another player that probably was a finalist for POW honors again this week is Chattanooga 1B/OF Max Kepler. Kepler, 22, who was the Twins minor league player of the week a few weeks ago has been on an absolute tear lately and in his last 10 games he is 19 for 34 with 9 walks and is hitting at a .559 clip with 8 runs scored, 6 RBI, 1 home run, one double and 4 triples. In 52 games for Chattanooga Max is hitting .346 with a .977 OPS.
Chattanooga (AA) left-handed pitcher David Hurlbut is the Twins Minor League Player of the Week. Hurlbut who goes about 6’3″ and 220 made two starts for the Lookouts going 2-0 with a 0.64 ERA (14.0 IP, 1 ER) while striking out nine and walking three. The Twins first drafted Hurlbut in round 35 in 2009 but he chose not to sign, The Twins then drafted Hurlbut again in the 28th round of the 2011 out of California State – Fullerton and this time he signed.
Previous winners of Twins POW this season are right-handed pitcher Tyler Duffey, left-handed pitcher Stephen Gonsalves, outfielder Byron Buxton, infielder Trey Vavra, infielder Miguel Sano, first baseman/outfielder Max Kepler and right-handed pitcher Aaron Slegers.
Ft. Myers (High A) right-handed pitcher Brandon Peterson is the Twins Minor League Player of the Week. Peterson appeared in two games for the Miracle, tossing 3.2 shutout innings with one walk and seven strikeouts. This season, he has appeared in 20 games for the Miracle, posting an ERA of 0.88 (30.2 IP, 3 ER) with 15 walks and 42 strikeouts.
The twenty-three year old Peterson was born Savage and attended Burnsville High School. Peterson was a 13th round selection in the 2013 draft and started his professional career in Elizabethton. In his third season of pro ball the 6’1″ 190 pounder has been used almost exclusively out of the bullpen with only one start in 79 career games. The native Minnesotan has a career record of 3-3 with a 1.72 ERA and 11 saves. In 115.1 innings he has struck out 166 batters.
Elizabethton (Rookie Level) outfielder Chris Paul is the Twins minor league Player of the Week. Paul, 22, who hits and throws from the right side played in six games for the E-Twins, hitting .357 (10-for-28) with three doubles, two home runs, 12 RBI and four runs scored. The 6’3″ 200 lbs. Paul was drafted by the Twins in the sixth round of the 2015 First-Year Player Draft out of UC Berkeley and has seen action in left field, first base and third base this season.
