The Twins are set to promote top infield prospect Jorge Polanco to the Majors, a source tells Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN (Twitter link). It appears that third baseman Trevor Plouffe, who left yesterday’s game with an intercostal strain, is likely heading to the disabled list, thus necessitating the move. Polanco is one of the more highly regarded infield prospects in baseball, ranking 66th on Keith Law’s preseason Top 100 list at ESPN, 95th on MLB.com’s Top 100 and 99th on Baseball America’s Top 100. Polanco has played shortstop in the minors but is said to be best suited for second or third base. The switch-hitting Polanco draws praise for above-average speed, very good contact skills and modest pop, with Law writing that he could hit 12-15 homers and be a defensive asset at second or third. The promotion is likely to be temporary, as Plouffe, Eduardo Escobar and Brian Dozier line up at third base, shortstop and second base respectively. The Twins have Eduardo Nunez and Danny Santana (who is currently on the DL himself and, notably, is out of minor league options) as utility options.
A few more notes on the Twins…
- Injured closer Glen Perkins tells 1500 ESPN’s Phil Mackey that a second opinion confirmed that he won’t require surgery to repair his ailing shoulder, but he’s still “at least” a few weeks away from pitching (Twitter link). Considering the fact that Perkins would need a rehab assignment after a lengthy layoff, that would seem to suggest that he could be out until early May at the earliest, and a lengthier absence sounds possible based on that timeline as well. Right-hander Kevin Jepsen is filling in for Perkins in the ninth inning, as I mentioned earlier today when looking at some bullpen shakeups that could have an impact on some players’ salaries in arbitration and free agency.
- Outfielder David Murphy can opt out of his contract with the Twins on May 1st, Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer-Press reports on Twitter. The veteran came to the organization on a minor league deal with hopes of a quick call-up, and it seems that the contract’s out clause was designed to give him some leverage in that regard. Murphy has said he has little interest in a lengthy minor league stint, and he could seek another opportunity elsewhere if he’s not on the MLB roster in two weeks’ time.
