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Stacey King -> RE: Players and prospects III (11/9/2015 5:03:43 PM)
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Time For New Challenge For Twins’ Lo
November 5, 2015 by Phil Miller
MINNEAPOLIS—A lot has changed since righthander Kuo Hua Lo first arrived in Elizabethton, Tenn., deep in the Appalachian Mountains, to pitch for the Rookie-level Twins.
“Yeah, they have an Applebee’s now,” vice president for player personnel Mike Radcliff, said. “That was a big deal.”
By now, so is Lo, who has spent so much time in eastern Tennessee, he reportedly does a credible Southern accent—when not speaking his native Mandarin.
The 23-year-old Taiwan native, who signed for $125,000 in 2011, made his U.S. debut in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League in 2012. He then spent three summers in the Appy League, where in 2015 he held batters to a .146 average in 31 innings and racked up seven saves in seven opportunities.
It’s rare for a player to remain on a Rookie team for three years, but Lo wasn’t exactly stuck at Elizabethton, Radcliff said. The Twins just felt he was better off making the adjustment to a new country, a new language and a new profession before moving up the ladder. He’s now a baseball veteran who speaks relatively fluent English.
“He used to be mostly a low-90s fastball guy, but he’s got three pitches now, and he’s begun using his changeup as an out pitch,” Radcliff said. “He’s always been able to throw his fastball for strikes naturally, but his command of all three is impressive now.”
No kidding. Lo walked just eight batters, none of whom scored, while striking out 43, which was more than one-third of the hitters he faced. He allowed just five runs and 15 hits, posting a 1.44 ERA that made it clear he’s ready for more.
“It’s time to challenge him, no doubt. He’s got the stuff to move up pretty quickly,” Radcliff said. “We took it slow with him, but he looks ready for a lot more.”
TWIN KILLINGS
• The Twins outrighted catcher Eric Fryer and lefthander Aaron Thompson, both of whom spent most of the season at Triple-A Rochester, off the 40-man roster. Both cleared waivers and elected free agency as previously outrighted players.
• Lefthander Mat Batts, who went 15-7, 2.36 after being drafted in the 17th round in 2014, announced his retirement in a column in the Lexington (N.C.) Dispatch—the newspaper that also hired him as a reporter.
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