Despite five seasons in the major leagues, Alexi Casilla has yet to establish himself as more than a journeyman infielder. His latest opportunity is this season as the Twins’ regular shortstop, and he’s responded with a .128 average, no home runs, one RBI and five runs scored. He has two errors in 14 games and is capable of making spectacular plays in the field.
Twins’ minor league shortstop Trevor Plouffe has been praised as a prospect in the past by Bill Smith and Plouffe’s start at Triple-A Rochester has Minnesota’s general manager looking good. Plouffe is hitting .303 with four home runs and eight RBI. He has one error.
The easy guess is Plouffe might become the Twins’ everyday shortstop later this year or next. However, it’s no certainty his big league career will work out.
Plouffe will be 25 in June and his career minor league numbers aren’t dazzling. He had a career minor league average of .254 going into this spring, his eighth year in pro baseball.
He was steady in the field last year at Rochester, committing only 12 errors as the team’s regular shortstop. The prior season, though, he had 26 errors, and during other minor league years he had totals of 35, 32 and 29.
Plouffe played in 22 games with the Twins last season. He hit .146 with one error.
As for Casilla, he will be 27 in July and has split time between the Twins and the minor leagues every year since 2006. Numbers tell of his inconsistency including his promising batting average of .276 last year in 69 games after hitting just .202 in 80 games in 2009.
His opportunity to show the Twins he can perform consistently at bat and in the field will last awhile longer. But on a club last in the American League in runs scored, management may have limited patience.
Plouffe awaits his chance.