A pair of players that toiled for the Cedar Rapids Kernels last season have been added to the Minnesota Twins' 40-man roster.

Outfielder/first baseman Max Kepler and infielder Jorge Polanco were placed on the Twins' roster Wednesday.

Kepler hit .237 with nine home runs in 61 games for the Kernels. He batted .234 in 18 games this fall for Glendale in the Arizona Fall League.

Polanco batted .308 with five homers in 115 games for the Kernels, playing second base and shortstop.

Kepler and Polanco had to be placed on the Twins' roster to protect them from being plucked from the organization in next month's Rule 5 draft.

Players first signed at age 18 must be added to 40-man rosters within five years or they become eligible to be drafted by other organizations through the Rule 5 process. Players signed at 19 years or older have to be protected within four years. Clubs pay $50,000 to select a player in the Major League phase of the Rule 5 Draft. If that player doesn't stay on the 25-man roster for the full season, he must be offered back to his former team for $25,000.

Kepler, from Germany, and Polanco, from the Dominican Republic, are both 20. They both signed with the Twins as free agents in 2009.

The Twins also dropped pitcher B.J. Hermsen, a former West Delaware prep, off their 40-man roster. Hermsen was 1-10 with a 4.81 ERA last season at Class AA New Britain.