A chat with Twins farm director Brad Steil

CEDAR RAPIDS - The Gazette's Jeff Johnson sat down with Minnesota Twins Director of Player Development Brad Steil for a quick conversation Friday afternoon about the 2014 Cedar Rapids Kernels, some of their better prospects and the extension this week of a Player Development Contract between the sides that will keep Minnesota providing players here until 2020.

Q: What have you seen here, as far as development as a team and, of course, individually from guys?

A: I think they've done a great job of fighting through all the injuries they've had this year. It's been a tough go not having Zack Granite, who was going to be the regular center fielder, not having Zach Larson, who was one of the better offensive players early. Chad Christensen missed some time. Three pretty arms ended up having surgery in (Yorman) Landa, (Fernando) Romero and (Randy) Rosario. So it's been a long list of injured guys. They've had to play through it, and they've done a nice job. Guys have stepped up, and it's been good to see.

(Hopes to have Landa back by spring training 2015, Rosario by June 1, 2015, and Romero my midseason 2015 as a best-case scenario)

Q: This time around here, who has impressed you individually on this team?

A: Chad Christensen is doing a nice job. He's filling in at first base, probably a true outfielder, but he has been swinging the bat well. That's good to see. Alex Swim has been a nice addition. He gives you good versatility, good at-bats, puts the ball in play, has a pretty good swing. Garver has had a really good year, probably has been their best offensive player. He's got a chance to have some power and be a major league hitter. He's making progress behind the plate, too. Unfortunately, his hip is giving him a little bit of problem, not allowing to catch as much as we'd like. But he's done a good job dealing with that and still working on his defense.”

Q: Engelb Vielma is so smooth defensively at shortstop. Will the bat tell if he makes it to the big leagues?

A: I think it'll determine how many at-bats he gets down the road and what his role is going to be on a major league club. You expect that the defense is going to be there. He's a solid defender, has really good hands, a strong enough arm. The bat? We'll just have to see. Some of it will depend on how strong he gets. He does some good things at the plate right now. In some instances, he's just not strong enough, yet.

Q: Kohl Stewart and Lewis Thorpe have both been on strict on pitch counts of 75 all season. What is the rationale behind that?

A: A couple things we are trying to do. Build up their innings gradually from season to season. The second thing is to send them out there and try to get them a full season's worth of starts. In order to do that, you've got to limit the pitches for each start. That's basically all we're trying to do. You'll see both with around 100, 110 innings by the end of the season. The next step next year is hopefully get them up into the 130, 140-inning range.

Q: This bullpen, from top to bottom, has performed so well and has so many good power arms in it. Would you agree?

A: The bullpen is probably the strength of the team right now. If we can get a lead going into the seventh inning, I feel pretty good about our chances. They've done a good job. The new guys, Nick Burdi and Jake Reed, have done a nice job adjusting to the pro game and being aggressive. They both have great arms, can really throw the ball. And they both have good sliders to go with it. It's good to see what Dallas Gallant has been doing. He's had a lot of injuries, but he's doing a nice job. He has three good pitches, two different breaking balls. Jared Wilson has really improved a lot since last year. Give credit to him for developing a changeup that has been an effective pitch for him. He's got velocity, too.

Q: How disappointed were you to have to suspend reliever Hudson Boyd (believed to be alcohol related)? Do you think he has learned a valuable lesson?

A: You hope so. That's why we use those types of measures, to correct some poor decision making. Not to make light of it, but that stuff does happen, and we have to deal with it. He's not the first guy, he won't be the last. At the same time, he has to be responsible for his career and be professional.

Q: There weren't a lot of people surprised that the Twins and Kernels would extend their Player Development Contract, but the timing of it, halfway through the first one, was a tad surprising. What went into that decision to extend to 2020?

A: We've had a great relationship with the front office here: Doug Nelson, Gary Keoppel, the board of directors. It's a great facility for our players, this community has been outstanding the way they have embraced our players. The host family program has been a really key thing for our guys. It gives them a home away from home and makes the whole experience and environment so much better. So for us, everything has been great. We feel fortunate it has worked out the way it has. As far as the timing of it, I was coming to town to talk about the first two years with them. Through that, we both felt that we had mutual interest in extending this thing. I think it just really goes back to relationships and philosophies both organizations have.”

Q: What are the odds Nick Gordon, your 2014 first-round pick, begins next season in Cedar Rapids?

A: I think pretty good. We'll see how instructional league goes. That is always a big key for a first-year guy. Then we'll get to spring training and see how he looks compared to the other guys in the mix to come here. But I think there is a pretty good chance of that happening.

l Comments: (319) 398-8259; jeff.johnson@thegazette.com