2. Stephen Gonsalves, LHP
Birthday (age on opening day 2018): 7/8/1994 (23)
2017 teams/levels played for: AA Chattanooga Lookouts, AAA Rochester Red Wings
2017 Stats: 20 G, 19 GS, 110 IP, 3.27 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 6.8% BB, 26% K
Info: If you wanted to define the type of pitcher that is more about the overall package than any one particular pitch, then Gonsalves would be the perfect example.
Gonsalves is 6’5″ and has long arms and long legs that help his fastball to play up due to extension to the plate. Gonsalves maxes out around 95 with his fastball, but he sits more in the low-90s and relies on moving the fastball around the zone rather than on pure velocity.
Gonsalves’ best breaking pitch has been his curve, which he can sequence well to get strikeouts. He can locate the pitch very well and that adds to his ability to get swing and miss and weak contact. His change tends to generate a ton of ground balls due to his plane on the pitch and late movement low in the zone.
Over the course of 2017, Gonsalves worked on his slider, taking the pitch from a below-average pitch to an average pitch over the course of the season. He continues to work on it, and with the time and effort he puts into his craft, it would not surprise if he was able to play the pitch up to an above-average secondary offering by the end of 2018.
While Gonsalves may not end up a #1 starter, he has a very high probability of working as a mid-rotation starter from the left side, which would have a high level of value.
The Twins will likely see Gonsalves in Minnesota by the end of the 2018 season. When he makes that move up from Rochester will depend on him and the rest of the Twins rotation.
1. Royce Lewis, SS
Birthday (age on opening day 2018): 6/5/1999 (18)
2017 teams/levels played for: Gulf Coast League Twins, low-A Cedar Rapids Kernels
2017 Stats: .279/.381/.407, 239 PA, 4 HR, 18 SB, 25/33 BB/K
Info: Many were surprised when the commissioner stepped up to the microphone and announced that the Minnesota Twins had selected Royce Lewis with the first overall selection.
When news came out that a portion of the decision was based on the signing bonus required to bring Lewis on board, some Twins fans were frustrated, believing that team had been “cheap” with their top selection rather than going for the best player.
What has quickly become clear since June is that the Minnesota Twins drafted a more-than-viable #1
What has quickly become clear since June is that the Minnesota Twins drafted a more-than-viable #1 overall selection with their pick. Lewis played tremendously well with the rookie league team before a promotion to a full-season level, where he was not overmatched at all.
Lewis impressed many observers who thought he would have to move off of shortstop. He was noted for his work ethic, coming in early and staying late to work hard on his defense, improving his footwork such that many observers believe that Lewis could end up sticking at shortstop long-term now.
He has double-plus speed along with plus raw power that should play at above-average levels in game as he fills out. Lewis has an elite contact ability and good eye at the plate. If he can combine that type of offensive upside and show he can stay at shortstop, it’s feasible that Lewis would work his way into the top 10 conversation by year end.
Lewis will be opening at full-season ball, but it will be interesting to see if he ends up at low-A Cedar Rapids or high-A Fort Myers to open 2018. If he’s able to keep up the same level of production, he would probably be deserving of AA to either close out 2018 or open 2019.
Next: Newcomer to watch