Minnesota Twins add eight to 40-man roster ahead of Rule 5 Draft Deadline - MLB News
The Minnesota Twins added eight Minor League players to their 40-man roster to protect them from potentially being lost to Rule 5 Draft on December 6. The 40-man roster for the Twins now has 40 names on it.
Those added include catcher Josmil Pinto, starting pitcher B.J. Hermsen, shortstop Daniel Santana, and relievers Michael Tonkin, Tim Wood and Caleb Thielbar. The list also has centre fielder Aaron Hicks and pitcher Kyle Gibson.
Josmil Pinto played with 105 games switching between Class A and Double A teams. The 23-year-old posted a .295 batting average and hit 14 home-runs.
Kyle Gibson was a part of three Minor League teams during the 2012 season, posting a combined 4.13 ERA over 11 starts in 13 games. The 25-year-old was drafted in 2009 and is a contender for a rotation spot early in the 2013 season. Kyle
missed the complete 2012 season due to fitness problems but managed to play in the Arizona Fall League and posted 5.40 ERA with a 3-2 winning record.
B.J. Hermsen had a 3.22 ERA with Double-A New Britain in 22 starts, posting an 11-6 winning record. The 22-year-old was Twins’ Minor League Pitcher of the Year. His season started with Fort Meyers before moving to the Double A New Britain.
The 30-year-old pitcher Tim Wood was signed earlier in the month by the Twins for the Minor league. He posted a 2.19 ERA for the Triple-A Indianapolis with 21 saves in the Pittsburgh Pirates farm system.
Michael Tonkin struck-out 97 batters in 2012 in a little over 69 innings. He played between Class A Beloit and Class A Fort Myers during the season. The 23-year-old is brother in law of Jason Kubel, the former Twins' outfielder.
Caleb Thielbar quickly rose through the ranks and pitched for the Triple-A Rochester in 2012 and posted a 3.57 ERA in his 25 appearances for the team. The 25-year-old pitched for the St. Paul Saints in 2011 and climbed through two Minor
League Systems to reach the Triple-A team.
Shortstop Daniel Santana batted with an average of .286 with 17 stolen bases and went long eight occasions. He represented the Class A Fort Meyers in 2012.
Aaron Hicks is expected to be a mid-season promotion to the big leagues next season. The 23-year-old was picked in the 2008 draft. Hicks is a switch hitter and a quality outfielder as well. He posted impressive batting numbers with an average
of .286 with 13 home-runs, .844 OPS (on-base-plus-slugging percentage) and 32 stolen bases in 2012 for Double-A New Britain.
The Twins have also signed 10 Minor League players and have invited them for training.
The addition of the eight players to the 40-man roster shows that the Twins believe in these players and want to continue with them in the long run. It is a policy that should pay rich dividends for the 2013 Major League Baseball regular season.
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