MLB Rookie Report: Adalberto Mejia, LHP, Minnesota Twins

If you blinked you may have missed this: the Minnesota Twins promoted rookie Adalberto Mejia to the major leagues on August 20th then sent him back down on August 21st after he made his MLB debut against the Kansas City Royals, throwing 2.1 relief innings with a pair of runs given up. Mejia was in the news last month when he was traded from the San Francisco Giants to Minnesota for Eduardo Nunez. Here's a quick refresher based on the original report we wrote at the time.

Mejia was signed by the Giants as a free agent out of the Dominican Republic in 2011. Originally listed at 6-2, 180, he ballooned up to 6-3, 240 by the beginning of 2015. He missed the first part of '15 serving a suspension for using a banned weight loss supplement and didn't look like his normal self on returning.

He looks better this year and reports indicate he's worked hard to get into shape the right way. His official listed weight is currently 6-3, 195; the 195 may be optimistic but in any event he is in considerably better condition than last year and his performance has responded.

Before the trade, Mejia made 18 starts this year combined between Double-A Richmond and Triple-A Sacramento, posting a 2.81 ERA with a 101/27 K/BB in 106 innings, 90 hits allowed. The Twins sent him to Triple-A Rochester where he went 1-2, 4.66 in three starts but with an excellent 20/3 K/BB in 19.1 innings.

During his physical issues last year his velocity was erratic, but this season he's worked consistently in the 90-94 range. Both his slider and change-up have shown improvement and his component ratios have all sharpened up this year.

Right now I think I'd rate him as a Grade B- prospect. It seems likely he will come back to the majors in September and could see some starts down the stretch.