\n\tSpring training is the season of overreactions. A pitching prospect touches 98 MPH, and suddenly he\u2019s unhittable. A hitter sends one ball over the fence, and we\u2019re rewriting the Opening Day lineup. That\u2019s just how February works. But let\u2019s take a breath.\n<\/p>\n
\n\tMost Grapefruit League games are about buildup and execution. Starters get their work in, then the game turns into a rolling audition. Results are fun, but the process matters more. This recaps the Twins’ first three spring training games. Thus far, they\u2019re 2-1, with a 7-2 loss to the Boston Red Sox, an 8-1 win over the Atlanta Braves, and a 3-0 shutout victory over the Detroit Tigers.\n<\/p>\n
\n\tWith that in mind, here\u2019s a quick early-spring temperature check on who\u2019s trending up, and who\u2019s still finding their footing.\n<\/p>\n
\tWho\u2019s Hot? ?<\/p>\n
\n\tEmmanuel Rodriguez<\/a>:\u00a0If you\u2019re looking for loud contact, Emmanuel Rodr\u00edguez is delivering it. The Twins’ fourth-ranked prospect (according to MLB Pipeline) went 2-for-2 Sunday with a home run, jumping on a 2-0 cutter on the outer third and smashing it over the right-field wall. He followed that up on Monday with an absolute tank against Detroit, lefty on lefty, on a sinker over the heart of the plate: 420 feet, 107 MPH off the bat.\n<\/p>\n \n\tWhen he\u2019s healthy and hitting balls that hard, his upside becomes very real, very fast.\n<\/p>\n \n\tKendry Rojas<\/a>: One of the Twins\u2019 top pitching prospects, Rojas was flat-out dominant against Atlanta. Over two innings, he faced six batters, recorded six outs, and struck out three\u2014and that came against not just any six hitters, but star big-leaguers. He faced Ronald Acu\u00f1a Jr.<\/a>, Austin Riley<\/a>, Michael Harris II<\/a> and Ozzie Albies<\/a>, and more than held his own.\n<\/p>\n \n\tThe stuff backed it up. His fastball topped out at 98.5 mph and sat around 97, generating over 15 inches of vertical break on average. The changeup showed 10.7 inches of horizontal movement and paired beautifully off the heater. There were swings and misses throughout, and both pitches looked like legitimate weapons. He also generated three whiffs on just eight sliders.\n<\/p>\n \n\tFor a guy who struggled at Triple-A last year, that\u2019s extremely encouraging.\n<\/p>\n \n\tAlan Roden<\/a>: He didn\u2019t ease into his spring. Roden went 2-for-3 Sunday against the Braves, highlighted by a grand slam. The at-bat stood out just as much as the result; it was a seven-pitch battle that ended with a 3-2 fastball at the top of the zone. He didn\u2019t miss it, driving it out to right-center. He also added a hard-hit single into center field. That\u2019s about as clean a start as you can ask for.\n<\/p>\n \n\tMick Abel<\/a>: The command wasn\u2019t perfect, but the raw stuff was very sharp. He threw three scoreless innings against Detroit\u2019s projected starting lineup, allowing two hits, no walks, and striking out five. After a leadoff triple in the first inning, he regrouped and struck out the side, a nice early sign of poise.\n<\/p>\n \n\tHis fastball topped out at 97.1 mph while sitting around 95, and he generated a ridiculous 12 swinging strikes on 46 pitches. Detroit simply couldn\u2019t handle his fastball or changeup. The breaking ball command wavered at times, but overall, it was a very strong first outing for Abel.\n<\/p>\n \tWho\u2019s Not? ?<\/p>\n