Twins minor league report: Revere still riding near .400

Matthew Wisniewski, Special to the Star Tribune

Ben Revere's batting average has hovered near the .400 mark.

By LA VELLE E. NEAL III, Star Tribune

Last update: July 19, 2008 - 11:54 PM

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Class A Beloit outfielder Ben Revere won't stop hitting, and that might force the Twins and some minor league baseball officials to start digging.

Revere went 2-for-3 on Saturday for the Snappers, raising his average to .397. He leads the Midwest League in hitting by more than 30 points and has triggered thoughts of the Twins having a player hit .400 in a full-season league for the first time since -- well, Jim Rantz isn't sure when.

"Right now, he's one of those guys who is special with the bat,'' said Rantz, the Twins' director of minor leagues.

Rantz tried to think of a Twins prospect who might have batted .400 in a season. He came up with Tony Oliva, who batted .410 in 1961 for Wytheville -- but that was in the short-season Appalachian League.

Revere, the Twins' first-round pick in the 2007 draft, missed the first month of the season as he remained at the Twins' extended spring training camp in Fort Myers Fla., to work on his defense. His throws weren't accurate, and his routes to balls weren't sharp. In fact, that's a big reason Revere hasn't been promoted to Class A Fort Myers.

While honing those skills, Revere has laced singles all over the league while learning to steal bases (he's swiped 31 in 42 attempts) and bunt effectively.

System check

• Class AAA Rochester designated hitter Randy Ruiz saw his hitting streak end at 24 games after he went 0-for-4 Saturday. It was the longest streak by a Red Wings player since day-to-day records began in 1979.

• Rochester closer Bobby Korecky, whom the Twins called up earlier this year, has 13 saves, but the organization would like him to use his changeup more.

• Class A Beloit reliever Loek Van Mil was named to the Netherlands team that will compete in the Beijing Olympics.

• Class A Fort Myers lefthander Tyler Robertson, who missed a start earlier in the season because of a sore elbow, has been shut down because of a sore shoulder. The Twins hope he will pitch again before the season is over.

• Indications are Beloit outfielders Christopher Parmelee (broken wrist) and Joe Benson (stress fracture in back) are done for the season. They were first- and second-round picks in 2006. Beloit third baseman Deibinson Romero also is out for the year; he broke his leg Friday falling in the dugout while catching a foul ball.

• Fort Myers outfielder Rene Tosoni had a setback in his recovery from a broken bone in his foot and could be done for the year.

• Two to watch at rookie league Elizabethton: catcher Alexander Soto, who is batting .380 and showing big power potential, and outfielder Angel Morales, who is batting .368 and has excellent bat speed.

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