Tag: Cedar Rapids Kernels

Twins minor league players of the week – Kerrigan & Stewart

Position player of the week

Jimmy Kerrigan

The Twins minor league position player of the week is Fort Myers Miracles outfielder Jimmy Kerrigan. From April 8-14, Kerrigan was 11 for 26 for a .423 average with two doubles, two home runs and six RBI.

Kerrigan was playing in the Independent Frontier League when the Twins signed Kerrigan to a minor league contract on July 27, 2017 , sending him to the low A Cedar Rapids Kernels of the Midwest League and in 31 games, he batted .250, with four triples, five home runs and 20 RBIs. The 24 year-old Kerrigan who bats and throws right-handed started the 2018 with the Fort Myers Miracle.

 

Pitcher of the week

Kohl Stewart

The Twins minor League pitcher of the week is Kohl Stewart. The Twins 2013 first round selection (fourth overall) started the 2018 season with the Chattanooga Lookouts. In his first start of the season Stewart went five innings, allowed just three hits, one run, struck out nine with zero walks and threw 75 pitches and claimed his first win of the year. The 23 year-old Stewart now is in his sixth season and the Twins have been waiting for the 6’3″ right-handed Texan to show the promise that the Twins saw in him when they drafted and signed him out of high school for $4.544 million. Stewart needs to have a strong breakout season this year.

Minnesota Twins, No. 1 draft pick Kohl Stewart agree to terms

 

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Twins Minor League Player of the Week – Hector Lujan

Hector Lujan

Cedar Rapids Kernels (Low A) right-handed pitcher Hector Lujan has been named Twins minor league Player of the Week. Lujan, 6’3″ and about 230 appeared in three games for the Kernels, pitching 3.0 shutout innings with one hit allowed, no walks, six strikeouts and two saves. The 22-year-old has appeared in 38 games for the Kernels this season, going 3-1, 1.47 ERA (49.0 IP, 8 ER) with 15 saves (Midwest League leader), seven walks, 50 strikeouts and a 0.90 WHIP. Lujan has been strictly used in relief since he signed a professional contract.

The Corona, California native was drafted by the Twins in the 35th round of the
2015 First-Year Player Draft out of Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California.

Twins Minor League Report 08192017

Twins Minor League Player of the Week – Clark Beeker

Clark Beeker  –  Credit: Dennis Hubbard/Sports Cards N More

Cedar Rapids Kernels (Low A) right-handed pitcher Clark Beeker has been named Twins minor league Player of the Week. Beeker made two starts for the Kernels, going 1-0, 0.00 ERA (17.2 IP) with no walks and 14 strikeouts. Before the season started, Class A Cedar Rapids pitching coach J.P. Martinez offered a steak dinner to anyone on the staff who could throw a shutout in 100 pitches or fewer. A hungry Clark Beeker made sure to cash in on the opportunity. 

In 19 starts for the Kernels this season, his first season as a full-time starter, he has gone 10-3, 2.15 ERA (121.2 IP, 29 ER) with two complete game shutouts, 14 walks and 84 strikeouts. The man has never had an ERA for any pro team he has pitched for higher than 2.51.The North Carolina native was selected by the Twins in the 33rd round of the 2016 First-Year Player Draft out of Davidson College (NC).

Twins Minor League Report 08062017

Twins Minor League Player of the Week – Alex Robinson

Alex Robinson

Cedar Rapids Kernels left-handed pitcher Alex Robinson has been named Twins minor league Player of the Week. The 22-year-old Robinson appeared in three games for the Kernels, pitching 4.0 shutout innings with eight strikeouts, no hits allowed, no walks and one save. In his third season of pro ball Robinson has had more innings pitched than hits allowed and more strikeouts than innings pitched.

The Queens, NY native was drafted by the Twins in the fifth round of the 2015 First Year Player Draft out of the University of Maryland.

Twins Minor League Report 07082017

Twins Minor League Player of the Week – Tyler Wells

Better late then never….

Tyler Wells

Cedar Rapids Kernels (Low A) right-handed pitcher Tyler Wells is the Twins minor league Player of the Week. The 6’8″ Wells made the start for the Kernels last Saturday, against Clinton, allowing one run on four hits in 8.0 innings pitched, earning the win with 10 strikeouts and no walks. 

Late News: Cedar Rapids placed Tyler Wells on the DL yesterday. This is the second DL stint this season because of a shoulder issue for Wells, who is 4-2 with a 2.21 earned run average in 11 starts. He has allowed just 45 hits and struck out 82 in 61 innings.

Meet The Kernels – Tyler Wells

 

Twins Minor League Report 06252017

 

 

Twins Minor League Player of the Week – Sean Poppen

Sean Poppen Credit:
(Stephen Mally-The Gazette)

Cedar Rapids Kernels (Low A) right-handed pitcher Sean Poppen has been named Twins minor league Player of the Week. The 6’4″ Poppen made two starts for the Kernels, going 2-0, with one unearned run allowed on eight hits, one walk and 11 strikeouts in 13.1 innings pitched; he beat Kane County on Saturday and Quad Cities on Thursday. Poppen has been used exclusively as a starter in 2017 and is 4-1 with a 2.12 ERA and a nice 1.03 WHIP. In the 63+ innings he has pitched he has allowed only 54 hits and struck out 60 batters. In his 10 starts he has allowed as many as 3 earned runs just twice and has pitched at least 5 innings in each start.

Poppen

The 23-year old Virginia native was drafted by the Twins in the 19th round of the 2016 First-Year Player Draft out of Harvard University. Sean Poppen looks like a prospect to watch regardless what round he was selected in.

 Sean is not your normal baseball player – Chesapeake’s Sean Poppen – from Harvard to minor-league baseball

Twins Minor League Report 06052017

 

Twins minor league player of the week – Lewin Diaz

Lewin Diaz

Cedar Rapids Kernels (Low A) first baseman Lewin Diaz (bats and throws left-handed) is the Twins minor league Player of the Week. In five games for the Kernels, he hit .474 (9-for-19) with four doubles, two home runs, eight RBI, one walk and four runs scored. Diaz has played in 27 games for the Kernels this season, hitting .282 (29-for-103) with 11 doubles, three home runs and 17 RBI. The 6’3″ , 180 pound 20-year-old was signed by the Twins as an undrafted free agent in July of 2013. Diaz was signed by Minnesota for $1.4 million and some scouts say that Diaz reminds them of Ryan Howard.

Lewin Diaz named Midwest League and Minnesota Twins Player of the Week

Twins Minor League Report 05072017

Twins minor league player of the week – Jermaine Palacios

Cedar Rapids Kernels (Low A) infielder Jermaine Palacios is the Twins minor league Player of the Week. In seven games for the Kernels, the 20-year-old from Venezuela hit .387 (12-for-31) with three doubles, one home run, eight RBI and seven runs scored. Last week he was also designated as the Midwest League Player of the Week.

Playing primarily at short for the Kernels this season, Palacios is tearing the cover off the ball this season. In his fourth season of pro ball Palacios is hitting .395 with 34 hits in 86 at bats with three doubles, five triples and a home run pushing his OPS up to 1.016. The MLB Pipeline currently has Palacios as the Twins 24th best prospect.

Twins Minor League Report 43017

Twins minor league player of the week – Travis Blankenhorn

Travis Blankenhorn

Cedar Rapids Kernels (A) infielder Travis Blankenhorn is the Twins first minor league player of the week in 2017. Blankenhorn played in seven games for the Kernels, hitting .379 (11-for-29) with two doubles, three home runs, eight RBI and five runs scored.

The 20-year-old was drafted by the Twins in the third round of the 2015 First-Year Player Draft out of Pottsville (PA) High School and signed with the club for a $650,000 signing bonus. Blankenhorn is projected to be a third baseman.

Blankenhorn decides to go pro, signs with Twins

Twins minor league player of the week – Luis Arraez

Arraez, LuisCedar Rapids Kernels (Low A) second baseman Luis Arraez is the Twins minor league Player of the Week. The left-handed hitting Arraez hit .455 (10-for-22) with one double, four RBI, one walk and six runs scored in six games for the Kernels, including a 5-for-5 effort on Tuesday at Burlington. The 19-year-old is hitting .335 (122-for-364) with 24 doubles, three triples, three home runs, 51 RBI, 57 runs scored and 26 walks in 88 games for the Kernels this season. Arraez who stands just 5’10” was signed by the Twins as an undrafted free agent on November 5, 2013. In just his third season in the Twins system, Arraez has a career hitting mark of .333 and at just 19 years of age in Low-A, he could rise quickly in the Twins prospect rankings.

‘Consistent’ Arraez gets high-five for Kernels

Twins Minor League Report 08082016