Minnesota Twins make cuts to Spring Training line-up including Alex Meyers - MLB Update
The Minnesota Twins made the first cuts in the roster of Spring Training as Nick Blackburn, Lester Oliveros, Bryan Augenstein, Esmerling Vasquez and one of the top prospects Alex Meyer were reassigned to the Minor Leagues. As much as six more cuts are expected
to be made on Monday, as per Terry Ryan, the general manager for the Minnesota ballclub.
The camp had 62 players in it. The players that have been cut are mostly struggling with injuries, Blackburn had wrist surgery in January which he is currently rehabbing and is not expected to make it to the opening day for the Twins.
Similarly, Oliveros had Tommy John Surgery in August last year and is not expected to be able to play until July this year.
Augenstein only made a single appearance in training. He pitched a single innings against the Pittsburgh Pirates, giving up a single run.
Vasquez is expected to head back to Triple-A Rochester after posting a 6.75 ERA in nearly three innings.
Meanwhile, Alex Meyer, who was traded from Washington Nationals for Denard Span has also been reassigned. He is expected to play for the Double-A New Britain to start off with in the upcoming season.
Last year Alex pitched for Class-A Hagerstown and Class-A Advanced Potomac. A combined 2.86 ERA with 139 strike-outs in 129 innings was certainly quite an impressive show.
There were some expectations that the 23-year-old may make it to the big leagues in 2013 but that seems to be a distant possibility at the moment.
Terry Ryan was certain that Alex can be a great asset in the long run and needs to be stretched out a little at this point in time. The general manager also felt that the pitcher will have to develop a change-up in order to be a contender for an opening
rotation spot.
Terry sees him as someone who can learn and can be polished as he is looking to improve his game.
"We need to stretch him out," Ryan said. "He has to develop his changeup. He's a legitimate starting pitcher and we need to make sure his three-pitch mix -- which he has -- is polished up. I don't think anybody here was displeased with anything he did here
and not only physically, but mentally. He's a good teammate, he's coachable, he's attentive."
It is important that Alex Meyers earns his spot in the Minnesota Twins by moving up the ranks in the Minor Leagues. The more experience he will gain, the better he will be equipped to understand the nuances of the game and the more prepared he will be to
take on the teams in the Majors once he gets his chance to do so.
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