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Pensacola's Kirilloff back on injured list

Twins No. 2 prospect out a week with undisclosed ailment
Alex Kirilloff batted .348 across two levels in 2018 -- his first full season in the Minor Leagues. (Danny Parker/MiLB.com)
June 3, 2019

It's more bad news for Alex Kirilloff and the Twins. Minnesota's second-ranked prospect has been sidelined for the second time this season. After a wrist injury kept him out for the first month of 2019, Kirilloff returned for 29 games with Double-A Pensacola before heading back to the seven-day IL with an

It's more bad news for Alex Kirilloff and the Twins. 
Minnesota's second-ranked prospect has been sidelined for the second time this season. After a wrist injury kept him out for the first month of 2019, Kirilloff returned for 29 games with Double-A Pensacola before heading back to the seven-day IL with an undisclosed injury Monday. 

MLB.com's No. 12 overall prospect batted .268/.359/.402 with two homers and 12 RBIs in his first taste of the Southern League. During Kirilloff's final two games before the injury, he went 5-for-8 with three RBIs. On Saturday, he homered and doubled against Mississippi, while feeling little effects from the wrist ailment. 

"I've just got to continue to strengthen it every day really," he told MiLB.com after the game. "It takes a little bit more time to warm it up and get it going than usual. Other than that, mentally I've just got to be able to trust it again on tough pitches inside or pitches outside. Just being able to mentally tell yourself and your body that your wrist is completely fine again is another step to take as well. I'm just trying to check all those boxes and keep moving forward from it.
"The fact that I wasn't too, too far removed from Spring Training and that type of buildup, being able to get into some extended spring training games as well before I was completely cleared helped. That was important, but for me it's all about adjustments and being aware of what I need to do each pitch, each at-bat. Usually that's what I'm most focused on, regardless of the result."

The 2016 first-round Draft selection has dealt with injuries before. He missed all of 2017 after undergoing Tommy John surgery in what was supposed to be his full season debut. Kirilloff more than made up for it by clubbing 20 homers, plating 101 runs and batting .348/.392/.578 between Class A Cedar Rapids and Class A Advanced Fort Myers last year. 
Kirilloff isn't the only member of the Twins' Top 100 contingent currently on the IL. Brusdar Graterol, the team's No. 3 prospect and 60th overall, was shut down with a right shoulder impingement nine days ago. In Spring Training, Minnesota's top prospect Royce Lewissuffered a strained oblique. The No. 5 overall prospect recovered in time for the start of the season, but has batted .224 in 52 games for Fort Myers.  

Chris Bumbaca is a contributor to MiLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @BOOMbaca.