Minnesota Twins: A late August look at notable performances of 2018 draft selections

Round 17. Pick 514 : Erik Cha LHP

Elizabethton Rookie League, age 21, 6′ 2 “, 190 lbs2

Signed For $75,000
Erick Cha, drafted as a redshirt sophomore out of Cal-State Fullerton only pitched nine college innings this spring. The 21-year-old was first assigned to the GCLTwins before being bumped up to Elizabethton this past weekend.

He went 2-0 in the Gulf Coast League. In 22.2 innings the Los Angeles native gave up 21 hits, struck out 21 and walked only four, for an ERA of 1.59 and WHIP of 1.10.

In two appearances for the E-Twins over 3.2 innings, Cha has a 0.00 ERA, giving up two hits, striking out eight and walking three.

The four earned runs Cha gave up came on a pair of two-inning outings. In his 13 other outings this year, 22.1 innings, the opposition failed to score an earned run.

Cha is on a streak of nine consecutive scoreless innings. The thing that really stands out, albeit only a 26 inning sample, is his 4.78 ground-out/air-out ratio (GO/AO). It shouldn’t be surprising that he has given up just one home run on the season.

Erik Cha is officially on the radar.

Round 18, Pick 544: Andrew Cabezas RHP

Elizabethton Rookie League, Age 21, 5′ 10″, 175 lbs

Signed For $90,000

Andrew Cabezas has put up strong numbers for Elizabethton. In 11 games, nine starts, he has an ERA of 2.74, giving up 34 hits, striking 44, and walking 14 in 46 innings. He has also hit five batters and has surrendered four home runs. Cabezas’ WHIP is 0.96, and batters are hitting only .180  against him. He has allowed just two runs in his last 18.1 innings of work. At 5′ 10″, 175 lbs at age 21, Cabezas doesn’t project well, but the numbers are impressive.