12/18/13

Scouting report of newest Twins' member LHP Sean Gilmartin

The Minnesota Twins in an effort to reduce the logjam in the DH/OF position have traded Ryan Doumit to the Atlanta Braves for 23 year old minor league LHP  prospect Sean Gilmartin.  The 6'2", 200 lbs Gilmartin was the Braves' 1st round (28th overall) pick of the 2011 draft.  Before he was drafted, he was named All American from Baseball America and before the 2012 season he was ranked as the Braves' 5th best prospect, and 4th best before the 2013 season. 

Currently, he is ranked as the Braves' 10th best prospect for 2014 by Baseball America that also ranks his change up as the best in the Braves' system and suggest that he has 4th starter upside.   This is good, otherwise Gilmartin sounds a lot like a prototypical Twins' lefty:  High 80s-Low 90s average fastball with few strikeouts (6.3 K/9 in AAA in 128.7 IP, and 6.5 K/9 in AA in 119.3 IP), who needs impecable command and control to survive.  His change up is a truly plus pitch and sits in the low 80s.  He has a low 80s above average to plus slider that he uses almost exclusively against LHBs while he prefers an also above average slow (low 70s) 12-6 curveball against RHBs.   His mechanics are good and his delivery pretty smooth.

Gilmartin needs to have exceptional command and control with his average fastball in order to keep his team in games.  However, last season in AAA Gwinnett, that was not the case (and add some lackluster defense behind him and bad luck) and it showed.  He finished the season with a 3-8 record, 5.74 ERA (4.61 FIP), 1.593 WHIP (.332 BABIP), 6.4 K/9 (15.8 K%) and 1.97 K/BB.   A lot like a current Twins' LHP, but unlike Scott Diamond, Gilmartin has 3 above average to plus supplementary pitches and a full set of options.   In addition he does not need to be on the 40 man roster, which opens a spot for Mike Pelfrey.   Some of his control issues were potentially due to minor shoulder injury issues (tendinitis), which if corrected could be a good sign for Gilmartin and the Twins going forward.

Gilmartin would have ranked some place in the 20s in my Minnesota Twins top 40 prospect list

Effect on other Twins' players? 

With the addition of Kris Johnson and Sean Gilmartin and the existence of Logan Darnell on the 40 man roster and Pat Dean on the AAA roster, Andrew Albers falls even lower in the Twins' depth chart and might be moved.  Scott Diamond is out of options and Johnson and now Gilmartin might offer a better alternative for depth in AAA, so he might moved as well.   Caleb Thielbar who has options might lose his bullpen role to the optionless Diamond and start the season in AAA. 

The recently signed Jason Kubel has one less hurdle to clear to win a spot on the major league roster and be paid (with incentives) as much as Doumit was going to make.


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