Top Prospects Duran and Jeffers Promoted to Pensacola
July 25, 2019 - Southern League (SL1)
Pensacola Blue Wahoos News Release
Pensacola, FL - The Blue Wahoos roster was bolstered on Thursday by the addition of Minnesota Twins top prospects Jhoan Duran and Ryan Jeffers. Both Duran, the Twins #8 overall prospect and the third-best pitching prospect in the organization, and Jeffers, a catcher ranked as the Twins #17 prospect, join the Blue Wahoos from the High-A Fort Myers Miracle.
Duran, a 21-year-old righty, has electrified in the Florida State League this season, striking out 95 batters in 78.0 innings while posting a 3.23 ERA and holding opposing hitters to a .224 average. Acquired at the 2018 trade deadline from the Arizona Diamondbacks organization alongside outfielders Ernie De La Trinidad and Gabriel Maciel for infielder Eduardo Escobar, Duran boasts a four-pitch mix highlighted by a fastball that reaches the high-90s.
Jeffers, 22, brings another powerful bat to the Pensacola lineup. A second round pick in 2018 from UNC Wilmington, Jeffers hit .344 with seven home runs in his 2018 debut season with R-Elizabethton and A-Cedar Rapids. Promoted to Fort Myers in 2019, Jeffers has hit .256 with 10 home runs and 40 runs batted in across 79 games.
With the additions of Duran and Jeffers, the Blue Wahoos now have nine of the Twins top 30 prospects on their active or injured roster, including #2 prospect Alex Kirilloff, #3 Brusdar Graterol, #4 Trevor Larnach, #8 Duran, #17 Jeffers, #18 Jorge Alcala, #22 Griffin Jax, #23 Ben Rortvedt, and #28 Travis Blankenhorn.
In additional moves, RHP Adam Bray was transferred to Triple-A Rochester and C Brian Navarreto was traded to the New York Yankees organization.
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