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Twins minor league report: Hughes has huge start to season

Luke Hughes recorded his second four-hit game of May on Saturday at Class AA New Britain.

By LA VELLE E. NEAL III, Star Tribune

Last update: May 4, 2008 - 12:43 AM

Class AA New Britain infielder Luke Hughes went 4-for-5 with two runs scored Saturday, running his hitting streak to 12 games and continuing his amazing start to the season.

After his second four-hit game in three days, he is batting .386 with nine homers, 20 RBI and four steals in 27 games. The homers already match his total for all of last season. They were all hit in April, the most by a Rock Cats player in April since Michael Cuddyer hit seven in 2001.

At 5-11 and 180 pounds, Hughes doesn't have the classic power hitter's physique. The Rock Cats have used him at second, third, short and even center field.

Still, if Hughes is going to hit for power, the Twins could be persuaded to have him play a lot at third base, where there is a glaring lack of quality prospects in the organization.

"He is a strong guy," said Jim Rantz, Twins director of minor leagues. "He's very cut and has some strength to his body. The home runs I've seen him hit have been to dead center. He's just on a roll right now."

Hughes, 23, was named the Eastern League player of the week last week. He was signed out of Perth, Australia, in 2003.

System check

• The Twins sold Class AAA Rochester outfielder-first baseman Jon Knott to the Phillies, where he will be assigned to Class AAA Lehigh Valley. He hit .182 with a homer and three RBI in 17 games at Rochester. Playing time became an issue. Too bad for Knott; Lehigh Valley is 4-26.

• Rochester infielder Matt Macri could miss up to six weeks because of a left calf muscle strain. He has been fitted with a walking cast.

• Catcher Eli Whiteside was released from Rochester, and catcher Ryan Jorgensen replaced him. Jorgensen was named in the Mitchell Report on illegal drug use in baseball and was working out in Fort Myers, Fla., while serving a 50-game suspension for violating the league's drug policy.

• First baseman Henry Sanchez, a sandwich pick between the first and second rounds in 2005, had surgery Friday to repair a torn meniscus and will miss four to five weeks. Sanchez, a top prep power hitter, played in only 10 games last season at rookie league Elizabethton because of knee and wrist problems. The organization is concerned about whether he will ever get healthy enough to turn his career around.

• With 2007 first-round pick Ben Revere now at Class A Beloit, 2006 first-round pick Christopher Parmelee will move from the outfield to play first base while Revere plays in the outfield.

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