Twins Call Up Adalberto Mejia

In need of a fresh arm for a fatigued staff following a game that went 11 innings Friday and didn’t end until 2:15 a.m. Central time Saturday morning, the Twins summoned lefthander Adalberto Mejia from Triple-A Rochester.

Mejia, the Giants’ No. 5 prospect at midseason, was acquired before the non-waiver trade deadline for infielder Eduardo Nunez.

SCOUTING REPORT

Mejia, 23, signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2011. After a 50-game suspension in 2015 for use of a weight-loss drug, he began the season at Double-A Richmond for a third time before being promoted to Triple-A Sacramento after recording a 1.94 ERA and 0.98 WHIP in 11 starts. Giants officials said maturity and improved conditioning were the most important factors in him finally reaching Triple-A this season.

Mejia’s fastball now sits 92-93 mph and his changeup has made strides. The pitch shows good fade and Mejia is able to throw it for strikes. He is not afraid to come inside despite average-to-tick-above velocity and he uses his slider well. He profiles as a solid, durable No. 4 starter.

WHAT TO EXPECT

A physical lefthander, Mejia has traditional starter traits. He has a durable frame, doesn’t give up many home runs and walks few—just 2.1 walks over nine innings on average as a pro. That said, it’s unclear if Mejia will get a long look in Minnesota this time around. He’s in the bullpen for tonight’s game and could see some action there, but the Twins would prefer to continue developing him as a starter.