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Minnesota Twins 2018 minor league awards

By Benjamin Chase

MINNEAPOLIS, MN-SEPTEMBER 07: Mitch Garver #23 of the Minnesota Twins looks on against the Kansas City Royals on September 7, 2018 at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Twins defeated the Royals 10-6. (Photo by Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN-SEPTEMBER 07: Mitch Garver #23 of the Minnesota Twins looks on against the Kansas City Royals on September 7, 2018 at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Twins defeated the Royals 10-6. (Photo by Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty Images) /
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Minnesota Twins
WASHINGTON, DC – JULY 15: Pitcher Lewwis Thorpe #36 of the Minnesota Twins and the World Team works the fourth inning against the U.S. Team during the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game at Nationals Park on July 15, 2018 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) /

Minnesota Twins Minor League Pitcher of the Year: Lewis Thorpe

Level(s): AA Chattanooga, AAA Rochester
Stats: 8-7, 26 G, 25 GS, 129 2/3 IP, 3.54 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 35/157 BB/K

While there were some who may have posted lower ERAs, but none was as dominant this season as Lewis Thorpe. Thorpe returned in 2017 after missing two full seasons with a very positive performance, but he turned it up a notch in 2018.

Thorpe pitched just short of 130 innings without incident, and though he did show a proclivity to home runs, he also was very sharp with his control and showed the ability to dominate within the strike zone.

The Australian lefty will likely open in AAA to start 2019, but he should be in spring training and will get a fair shot to make the rotation.

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Runners-up

The Minnesota Twins have been a big fan of lefty Stephen Gonsalves since grabbing him from high school in San Diego. He finally made his way to the majors in 2018, tossing 24 2/3 major league innings with 22 strikeouts, but he struggled with his control, walking 18. In the minors, between AA and AAA, he tossed 120 2/3 innings with a 2.76 ERA with a 1.17 WHIP and a 65/120 BB/K ratio.

The guy who gave Thorpe the biggest run for the top spot was towering (6’8″) righty Tyler Wells. After his 2017 season ended early due to injury, Wells was able to make up for lost time in 2018, working between high-A Fort Myers and AA Chattanooga. He combined to post a 2.49 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, and 31/121 BB/K ratio over 119 1/3 innings.

Minnesota Twins fans will want to remember the name Brusdar Graterol. The young righty blazed a trail from low-A Cedar Rapids to high-A Fort Myers. He tossed 102 innings, posting a 2.74 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, and 28/107 BB/K ratio. He’ll likely get a chance to open at AA at just 20 years old.

In his first year after the Minnesota Twins signed him out of Venezuela, Anthony Escobar had a very good debut in the Dominican Summer League. He tossed 47 1/3 innings with a 1.10 ERA, 0.75 WHIP, and a 14/53 BB/K. He’ll likely come stateside in 2019.

dark. Next. Mets minor league awards

The 2018 season was not what Minnesota Twins fans were hoping for, but the minor league system had a tremendous showing and should provide pieces for the big league club for years to come.

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