Berrios a winner in Kernels' debut

BURLINGTON - He's 18 years old and already has struck out Robinson Cano in a major international baseball event. No wonder everyone was excited to see Jose Berrios' starting pitching debut with the Cedar Rapids Kernels Monday night.

It was a fine debut, thank you very much, as he went five innings and got the win over Burlington, 8-4, at Community Field.

“Good game. It was fun,” Berrios said. “My first game in the Midwest League ... very good. I'm very happy.”

The precocious right-hander was taken by the Minnesota Twins with the 32nd overall pick in last year's MLB draft, the highest-drafted prep pitcher ever from Puerto Rico. He's so well thought of he was selected to represent his country in last month's World Baseball Classic, throwing two innings, including the aforementioned whiff of the Yankees all-star from the Dominican Republic.

“Fastball, up and in,” he said with that smile. "It was a great experience."

Because of the WBC, the Twins kept him in extended spring training for the opening couple weeks of the Midwest League season before sending him to Cedar Rapids. He wasn't perfect, by any means, allowing seven hits, two walks and two runs in five innings.

But he pitched out of trouble regularly and his fastball sat at 92 most of his outing, reaching a high of 96. He retired the final six hitters he faced, including Chevy Clarke swinging at a nasty slider to end a swift fifth that earned him the victory.

He's not big at 6-foot and a listed 196 pounds, but he's got a smooth delivery.

“I saw a kid that was a little excited and out ahead of his arm and up in the zone,” said Kernels pitching coach Gary Lucas. “I really think he had a talk with himself because he really started making some pitches there at the end. He trusted his catcher. We talked, the three of us, about sticking to the plan and getting inside on those lefties, seven lefties in the lineup.

'He had trouble locating his fastball overall, but he kept competing. He gave me the impression he was one pitch away from figuring it out. And that last inning is what we can build on. Because he really pitched there, and that was nice to see.”

Needless to say, the Twins are ecstatic about Berrios, who looks every bit of 18, by the way. His English is rough, but understandable.

“We're very excited to have the opportunity to have a young 18-year-old with an arm like that, with his pedigree, having pitched in the World Baseball Classic,” Lucas said. “The front office of the Twins thinks he merits being here, and it's up to us to steer him in the right direction, teach him how to be a good pro and help him out.”

Cedar Rapids (12-5) got three extra-base hits from J.D. Williams, including a two-run home run. Adam Brett Walker added an RBI triple and mammoth home run to left-center.

Tim Atherton pitched out of a no-out, bases-loaded jam in the ninth to get the save. The teams are scheduled to finish their three-game series Tuesday morning at 11:30, though the weather forecast doesn't look promising.

Certainly not as promising as Berrios' future.

KERNEL KNOWLEDGE

- Kernels pitcher Taylor Rogers has been promoted to high-Class A Fort Myers. The left-hander was 0-1 with a 7.20 earned run average in three starts for Cedar Rapids, but Fort Myers has had a rash of pitching injuries and needed a starter for its game Tuesday night.

Kernels manager Jake Mauer said he didn't think the club would receive a pitcher in return from extended spring training, likely activating Matt Tomshaw from the disabled list when he's eligible to come off it later this week.

Here is a copy of the game boxscore and video is above of Berrios on draft day last year with his family and friends. Worth the watch.