Cedar Rapids Kernels Baseball

Kernels have 5 All-Star selections

The Cedar Rapids Kernels had five players named Thursday to the Midwest League Western Division All-Star team.

The game will bee played June 23 at Dozer Park in Peoria, Ill.

Trey Vavra was selected as the starting first baseman for the West squad. Four Kernels pitchers were selected as reserves: Jared Wilson, Cam Booser, Felix Jorge and Trevor Hildenberger.

Quad Cities and South Bend each had three players selected as starters. Bowling Green had the most players selected with eight (one starter, seven reserves) while Kane County had the most from the Western Division with six (one starter, five reserves).

Peoria will provide the coaching staff for the MWL West team and the Lake County field staff will coach the MWL East team. The all-stars were nominated and selected by the field managers of the 16 league teams.

Wilson returned to C.R. roster

Pitcher Jared Wilson will rejoin the Cedar Rapids Kernels from High-A Fort Myers, replacing left-hander Stephen Gonsalves, who was promoted to Fort Myers earlier this week.

The move was announced Thursday by Brad Steil, Director of Minor League Operations for the Twins, announced the move.

Wilson made a spot start in game two of a doubleheader for Fort Myers at Charlotte on Wednesday, allowing two runs on five hits, walking one and striking out five over 5 IP to earn the win. He had appeared in nine games (eight starts) for the Kernels. In 43.1 innngs, he posted a 4-1 record and 3.12 ERA, allowing 44 hits and 16 runs (15 earned) with 22 walks and 26 strikeouts.

Wilson will rejoin the team in South Bend and be available for Thursday's game against the South Bend Cubs.

Hot Kernels knock off South Bend

SOUTH BEND, Ind. - New guys keep helping the Cedar Rapids Kernels win ballgames.

It happened again Wednesday night.

Alex Real went 3-for-4 and drove in two runs and Edgar Corcino also had two RBIs as the streaking Kernels topped South Bend, 9-5, in a Midwest League game before 3,969 fans at Four Winds Field in South Bend.

Real and Corcino joined the Kernels from Extended Spring Training recently and helped the club raise its record to 35-18, just two games behind Quad Cities in the Western Division.

Tanner English, who has been with the Kernels all season, went 2-for-5 in the leadoff spot with two runs and two RBIs. Zack Larson, also here all year, was 2-for-4.

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Pudge Rodriguez's son joins Kernels

Dereck Rodriguez, the son of former Major League all-star catcher Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez, has joined the Cedar Rapids Kernels to replace Jared Wilson on the pitching staff.

Wilson (4-1, 3.12 ERA) has been promoted to Fort Myers in the Florida State League.

Rodriguez, 23, was selected by the Minnesota Twins in the sixth round of the 2011 draft. He compiled a 2-2 record, 1.05 ERA and five saves in 17 games as a relief pitcher for Elizabethton in the Rookie Appalachian League last season.

Rodriguez made one appearance with Fort Myers this year. He pitched two innings for the Miracle and did not allow a run. He joins the Kernels from Extended Spring Training.

Pudge Rodriguez spent 21 years in the Major Leagues. He was a 14-time all-star and won 13 Gold Gloves.

Gonsalves promoted to Fort Myers

Cedar Rapids Kernels ace Stephen Gonsalves has been promoted to Fort Myers in the Florida State League, he announced via Twitter Monday night.

"I want to thank the CR Kernels fans for my time here and ending it with a standing ovation," he declared. "I'm on my way to Florida to continue my year."

Gonsalves, a 20-year-old left-hander from San Diego, had a no-hitter for 6 2/3 innings Monday afternoon in his final appearance for the Kernels. He retired after the seventh inning after allowing his only hit in a 5-0 victory against Clinton.

Gonsalves excelled in all nine of his starts for the Kernels. He compiled a 6-1 record and 1.15 ERA and showed pinpoint control most of the year. He struck out 77 batters in 55 innings and walked only 15 men.

Gonsalves tosses gem for Kernels

Cedar Rapids baseball fans should cherish every chance they get to see Stephen Gonsalves pitch for the Kernels, because the talented lefty probably won't be here much longer.

Gonsalves tossed a no-hitter for 6 2/3 innings Monday afternoon as the Kernels blanked Clinton, 5-0, before 2,345 fans at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Gonsalves was touched for a two-out single in the seventh, got the next out with his 11th strikeout and called it a day after throwing 113 pitches.

Gonsalves raised his record to 6-1 and lowered his microscopic ERA to 1.15, leading to heavy speculation that his days in the Midwest League are probably numbered.

Kernels Manager Jake Mauer said he'd be surprised if Gonsalves is still with the club when the second half of the Midwest League season begins in three weeks.

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Kernels keep pace as Twins soar

These are heady times for the entire Minnesota Twins organization.

The Twins have moved into first place in the American League Central Division and have the best overall record in the entire league, setting the tone for all their farm clubs.

Rochester, their Triple A team, is in first place in the North Division of the International League.

Chattanooga, their Double A outfit, stands in first place in the North Division of the Southern League.

The Cedar Rapids Kernels, their Class A affiliate in the Midwest League, have the second-best overall mark in the MWL and keep finding ways to win games.

Only Fort Myers in the Advanced Class A Florida State League has a losing record in the organization at 24-26, but overall the five teams in the Minnesota Twins system are sporting an impressive 143-105 mark as the calendar turns to June.

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Kernels make 3 roster moves

The Cedar Rapids Kernels and Minnesota Twins announced three roster moves Sunday morning.

Infielder Alex Real has joined the Kernels, first baseman Tyler Kuresa has been assigned to Extended Spring Training and pitcher Hudson Boyd has been removed from the Restricted List and placed on the 7-day Disabled List with a separated left shoulder.

Brad Steil, Director of Minor League Operations for the Twins, announced the moves.

The Twins selected Real in the 24th round of the 2014 draft from the University of New Mexico. He spent the 2014 season at Elizabethton where he hit .284 with one home run and 11 RBIs in 28 games.

Kuresa played in 36 games for the Kernels, batting .196 (26-for-134) with seven doubles, one homer and 11 RBIs.

Corcino joins Kernels as outfielder

The Cedar Rapids Kernels and Minnesota Twins announced Saturday that outfielder Edgar Corcino has joined the Kernels from Extended Spring Training.

Brad Steil, Director of Minor League Operations for the Twins, announced the move.

The Twins signed Corino as a minor league free agent on Jan. 15. He was originally drafted in the 26th round in 2009 by the Detroit Tigers and spent four seasons in the Tigers system, including part of the 2012 season with the West Michigan Whitecaps.

He spent last year with the independent Rockford Aviators where he hit .302 with 11 homers and 51 RBIs in 95 games.