Twins notes: Jorge Polanco continues to work on defense

Hotshot shortstop prospect Jorge Polanco started Wednesday's game against Kansas City.

Polanco, who was called up in an emergency situation last year when the Twins were shorthanded in Texas, is up this time while Eddie Rosario is away on paternity leave. Rosario will be back Friday when the Twins play at Texas, and Polanco will be optioned to Chattanooga after going 1-for-3 and committing an error in Wednesday's 7-2 loss to the Royals.

But is Polanco really the Twins' shortstop of the future?

He's made a lot of progress at the position in recent years. He was batting .312 with four home runs and 26 RBI at Class AA Chattanooga with 11 stolen bases and 12 errors when he was called up. But Twins officials are split on if he should remain at shortstop.

"I'm not sure that debate is totally over," Twins manager Paul Molitor said. "I think a lot of people have bought into the fact that what he's done in terms of improving both footwork and arm strength, and believe he has a chance to stick at that spot. I don't think that's unanimous, but I think it's a greater percentage than it used to be.

"Those are the biggest things. As he's gotten bigger and more athletic, his footwork has followed that. He used to get tangled up a little bit, get in between [and] not have a good base when he fielded the ball. Arm strength was a little suspect in the hole when he was younger. Always caught the ball fairly well, and I think it was a matter of him growing into his body and understanding how to make it work the best way."

His bat is not the problem. Twins assistant general manager Rob Antony was in Chattanooga last week and returned with praise.

Righthander Tim Stauffer was designated for assignment, giving the Twins 10 days to trade him, send him to the minors or release him. Stauffer posted a 6.60 ERA in 15 innings and struggled with a fastball was that three to five miles slower than it was last season.

To replace Stauffer, the Twins recalled righthander Michael Tonkin from Class AAA Rochester, where he was 0-1 with a 1.54 ERA and six saves in 12 games.

Polanco was one of seven Lookouts players named to the Southern League All-Star team, a list that includes some of the Twins' top prospects. Third baseman Miguel Sano, outfielder Byron Buxton, outfielder Adam Brett Walker II, pitchers D.J. Baxendale, Jose Berrios and Zach Jones. The game will be played June 23.

The three-day first-year player draft ended Wednesday with rounds 11-40. When it was all over, the Twins had selected a couple of local players.

One was Gophers lefthander Dalton Sawyer, who had a 2.62 ERA last season but saw it balloon to 4.53 this season. The Twins had Sawyer in for a workout last week and they liked enough of what they saw to select him in the 27th round.

Of the 30 players the Twins selected Wednesday, 14 were pitchers and five were catchers.

Twins center fielder Jordan Schafer, currently on the disabled list because of a sprained right knee, picked up a lunch tab for a mother and daughter dining at the Uptown Diner in Minneapolis on Wednesday afternoon. Schafer offered Sarina McNamara, who recently finished chemotherapy, and her mom, Sue, tickets to Wednesday night's game against the Royals.