Minnesota Twins Max Kepler highlights AA Players of the Week
By Wayne Cavadi
Miguel Sano. Jose Berrios. Kohl Stewart. Alex Meyer. Max Kepler?
That’s right Minnesota Twins fans. The Twins farm system has long been atop the best Minor League systems in baseball, and No. 14 prospect Max Kepler is proving that. Kepler is coming off a huge week, so big that he is taking home Southern League Player of the Week honors.
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Kepler won’t rock your socks off with breathtaking power and moon shot home runs. In fact, he is taking home the award — the second of 2015 for him — without hitting a home run at all last week. What he can do is get on base and cause havoc.
The 22-year old outfielder who was signed out of Germany at the age of 17 in 2010 started the week off with back-to-back four-hit performances. He would add on two more multi-hit games, and hit in every game he played last week until he went 0-for-2 on Sunday. Even then, Kepler got on base twice, drawing two walks.
Known for an easy left handed swing, Kepler racked up four triples this week, as well as adding four RBI, six runs scored and 3 more stolen bases. He now leads the Southern league in batting average (.342) and with teammate Byron Buxton’s promotion, became the active league leader in triples with eight.
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Kepler’s plate discipline has been phenomenal this season. He is currently batting .332/.402/.535 over two levels (he had a brief five game stint in the Florida State League to start the season). Most remarkable is his walk to strike out ratio in his first 53 games at Double-A in his young career. Kepler has walked 23 times while striking out 23 times. That is something that can’t be taught, and invaluable to any prospect moving up the ropes.
It isn’t out of the question that Kepler can be a September call-up with Torii Hunter in right field, and 30-year old Shane Robinson as his backup. It is more likely that the Minnesota Twins will remain patient and slowly work Kepler up the ranks, as he should finish up the season with the Rochester Red Wings. The Minnesota Twins — who are surprising the baseball world atop the Wild Card race — have to suddenly be recognized as a major threat. This is a team who’s best players may possibly still be in the minors, and Kepler is adding to that promising future.
Joining Kepler as Double-A Players of the Week:
Eastern League: Trey Mancini, Bowie BaySox: .444, one double, one triple, one home run and four RBI
Texas League: Patrick Wisdom, Springfield Cardinals: .321, four home runs, 13 RBI