Travis Harrison

[travistwinstalk]

Travis Harrison 3b/OF

6'1 215lbs Bats Right/Throws Right

 

Travis Harrison was born October 17, 1992 in Aliso Viejo, California, US (Age 19) and had quite the high school career from Tustin High School. With a supplemental pick in the 2011 MLB draft the Twins selected Harrison with the 50th overall pick. There was talk he would be tough to sign because he had a scholarship to USC to play baseball. However, the Twins stepped up and got him signed at the last minute. Here is an exerpt from Bleacher Report, "A Southern California commit, Harrison bashed nine homers in his first 22 games for Tustin HS and finished the season with 12 long-balls and a .486 average." He obvously can mash the ball with 12 hr in only 22 games which is very impressive. Harrison is big and projectable so there are questions whether he can stick at 3rd or if he might end up at 1st or the outfield, but for now he will likely head to either Elizabethton or the GCL as a 3rd baseman.

[travistwinstalk]

My question is fans do you think Harrison will be able tostay at 3rd going forward?

[travistwinstalk]

Travis Harrison last night recorded not only his first Professional hit, but also his 1st professional homerun. With that said he also recored his 2nd and 3rd errors at 3rd base. On the season he is 1-11 with 3 errors in 3 games.

[Jeremy Nygaard]

  travistwinstalk said:

My question is fans do you think Harrison will be able to stay at 3rd going forward?

I think the Twins will handle Harrison similar to how Sano is being handled. If he can stick at 3rd, that's where he'll be. I think it's a slimmer chance that Harrison will stay at 3rd, as Sano is more athletic. First base will be his long-term position.

[greengoblinrulz]

I get it.....he's 19 yrs old but he's too good for APP Lg after 10gms.

He may have to DH/split 3B w/Sano if sent to Beloit as he has 7e's, but his bat needs more challenges as a first round pick should be challenged. He should be promoted as he earns it, not promoted as his age dictates....Only 5months older than Sano, see if he can handle it

16/38 .421/.467/.579 w/3doubles hr 4rbi 7bb 4k

[Seth Stohs]

He may have committed his 14th error of the short season, but Travis Harrison was also 5-6 tonight with his third home run of the season. Hitting .371!

[greengoblinrulz]

If there was no Miguel Sano in Beloit....could get a promotion!!!

[maxisagod]

John Sickel's just finished his 2013 prospect book. From time to time here shares some of the prospect write up's as a promotion. Here is the link for the write up on Travis Harrison along with some other guy named Billy Hamilton. Enjoy.

Player Comments: Billy Hamilton, Jesse Hahn, Mitch Haniger, Travis Harrison - Minor League Ball

[mnfanforlife]

Anyone think Harrison goes A to A+ while Sano goes A+ to AA next summer?

[jtrinaldi]

  mnfanforlife said:

Anyone think Harrison goes A to A+ while Sano goes A+ to AA next summer?

His defense will keep him in Cedar Rapids for a full year, likely a year and a half.

[mnfanforlife]

  jtrinaldi said:

His defense will keep him in Cedar Rapids for a full year, likely a year and a half.

 

holy moly. its that bad huh? Sano full yr in FSL too?

[jtrinaldi]

  mnfanforlife said:

holy moly. its that bad huh? Sano full yr in FSL too?

Harrison's defense makes Sano look like an All Star. I think he ultimately ends up at 1st base....that is if he hits enough.

Sano could be an interesting case this year, If his defense has improved as much as it has been reported, and he stays around .280 through mid July, he could be in AA for the last month of the year.

[mnfanforlife]

Wow...I can almost feel 2015 if I try really hard

[kab21]

  mnfanforlife said:

Anyone think Harrison goes A to A+ while Sano goes A+ to AA next summer?

 

Sano has a good chance at making a case to be promoted to AA next season. He's really good. OTOH I don't really understand why you think Harrison looks like someone that is going to do two levels in a season. His numbers weren't really that good in ETown when you compare him to past players that have been there. The scouts seem to like him putting him in the Twins top ten but all I see is an interesting prospect that is still really young and terrible on defense. I think Harrison will move slowly.

[maxisagod]

  mnfanforlife said:

Anyone think Harrison goes A to A+ while Sano goes A+ to AA next summer?

 

Which teams are in a playoff hunt could also matter. Building a "culture of winning" is hardly a proven practice in player development, but you have to assume the managers in Cedar Rapids, Fort Myers, and New Britain are going to be asking to hold or promote the systems top prospects for the playoffs.

[mnfanforlife]

  kab21 said:

Sano has a good chance at making a case to be promoted to AA next season. He's really good. OTOH I don't really understand why you think Harrison looks like someone that is going to do two levels in a season. His numbers weren't really that good in ETown when you compare him to past players that have been there. The scouts seem to like him putting him in the Twins top ten but all I see is an interesting prospect that is still really young and terrible on defense. I think Harrison will move slowly.

 

Okay kab21....My question was simple. ABSOLUTELY NO PART of my question expresses ANY opinion I may have about ANYONE. So stop reading into things and taking personal shots..... and simply answer the bleeping question.

 

As for my opinion on Harrison, he is a top 100 draft pick that should be able to move up quickly. His pro-debut was ok, nothing spectacular. MLB scouts love his upside as a hitter. If Sano moves, Travis could move up to fill in.

[jtrinaldi]

  mnfanforlife said:

Okay kab21....My question was simple. ABSOLUTELY NO PART of my question expresses ANY opinion I may have about ANYONE. So stop reading into things and taking personal shots..... and simply answer the bleeping question.

 

As for my opinion on Harrison, he is a top 100 draft pick that should be able to move up quickly. His pro-debut was ok, nothing spectacular. MLB scouts love his upside as a hitter. If Sano moves, Travis could move up to fill in.

For Harrison/Boyd this is the equivalent of starting their sophomore year in college. It will be interesting to see if they keep Harrison down in EX.ST to start, and then send him to E-Town again (Goodrum/Kepler) or CR during the middle of the year. Maybe they start him in CR to start, it is really unknown where he starts because of how atrocious his defense is.

[lightfoot789]

I've said this counless times - Many of the top defenders in the MLB struggled in their early minor league careers. Harrison has the potential to be decent at 3B. Let the kid work on his understanding of the position (like Sano) and move thru the system patiently. He is a young kid. I see Ex. Spr. Training to ETown and then maybe CR for him more so then CR and Ft Myer.

[mnfanforlife]

Yeah I guess he could be linked rather with Vargas at 1B? as far as promotion timing....

[mnfanforlife]

  lightfoot789 said:

I've said this counless times - Many of the top defenders in the MLB struggled in their early minor league careers. Harrison has the potential to be decent at 3B. Let the kid work on his understanding of the position (like Sano) and move thru the system patiently. He is a young kid. I see Ex. Spr. Training to ETown and then maybe CR for him more so then CR and Ft Myer.

 

What if we draft a 3B at $4?

[lightfoot789]

Then I would say we wasted alot of money on high draft picks / FA's who play 3B in the last 4 years. Not going to happen in my opinion. Sano is 3B for the future. Harrison is back up plan. If they do daft a 3B - then Harrison is trade bait. Power hitting 1B are easier to find because you can move guys to 1B as their careers wind down.

Harrison 3B

Goodrum (could move to 3B / I keep hearing)

Sano 3B

Not to mention we still have Plouffe

That's alot of money spent on these guys to project at same position

[mnfanforlife]

  lightfoot789 said:

Then I would say we wasted alot of money on high draft picks / FA's who play 3B in the last 4 years. Not going to happen in my opinion. Sano is 3B for the future. Harrison is back up plan. If they do daft a 3B - then Harrison is trade bait. Power hitting 1B are easier to find because you can move guys to 1B as their careers wind down.

Harrison 3B

Goodrum (could move to 3B / I keep hearing)

Sano 3B

Not to mention we still have Plouffe

That's alot of money spent on these guys to project at same position

 

Yes, but the Twins have been decent at loading up on "the best players available" regardless of what position they play and then flipping a few near the top for organizational weaknesses. I guess my point is: our total value of all players is more important than making sure we have minor league depth at ALL positions.

[lightfoot789]

I agreee to a point. The problem is you end up with keeping players at certain levels because you don't have spots to move them up the ladder at the pace they might need. There will be the same problem with outfielders in 2 years. They will be traded or get cheated in their ABs. There has to be a happy medium in drafting best player on the board every year. Sometimes you need to draft a need. Does that mean that the Twins will take High School OF stud from MN in this years draft with 4th pick?

[The Wise One]

  lightfoot789 said:

I agreee to a point. The problem is you end up with keeping players at certain levels because you don't have spots to move them up the ladder at the pace they might need. There will be the same problem with outfielders in 2 years. They will be traded or get cheated in their ABs. There has to be a happy medium in drafting best player on the board every year. Sometimes you need to draft a need. Does that mean that the Twins will take High School OF stud from MN in this years draft with 4th pick?

 

First off you can never have too many good shortstops and 3b in your system. Considering what a black hole those positions have been for the Twins, it is indeed a wise idea to develop as many as you can. Third base prospects as well as shortstop prospects tend to have more value than corner outfielders. It takes a while to learn and adjust at every level. You hope the athleticism of the individual will carry them.

I would be hard pressed to say a top flight prospect the Twins have held back or was blocked. A C prospects maybe has been blocked here or there. Not trying to get into an argument here either, nor be called an apologist either.

With their draft pick the Twins will take who they feel is the best potential player available. It all works out eventually.

[lightfoot789]

I agree with using 1st round picks on some Shortstops, but not third basemen. Shortstops can usually play anywhere on the field. Most 3rd basemen either go to 1st or hopefully a corner outfield spot. Most 3rd Basemen are somewhat slow. I agree with draftig third basemen - just not giving them all $1million plus for a limited skill set position. And yes they will draft who they want. I'm just stating my opinion as to what they will do. In other words guessing like everyone else

[mnfanforlife]

I dont think there is any chance the Twins draft Boldt (the MInnesota kid). #4 is wayy too high for him, and the Twins could nab a REAL starting pitcher with that slot. I have suggested O. Mercado or JP Crawford for the Twins, but I think they go with a guy that is 1-2 years from pitching in Minnesota.

[old nurse]

I think the thread got a little sidetracked. Harrison should be kept at third as long as he can progress. I don't see where anyone ever advocated drafting one with this year's first round draft pick. However, if there was a high potential power hitting third baseman out there I don't think you could pass that up if he is the best player on the board..

[kab21]

  Quote

Power hitting 1B are easier to find because you can move guys to 1B as their careers wind down.

 

You move guys to 1B when their defense isn't good enough there. This may or may not happen with Sano but scouts are even less convinced that Harrison will ever play good enough defense at 3B.

 

And if a player moves to 1B and becomes a starter then it's not money wasted at all. A team should be happy anytime a draftee or int'l signee becomes an MLB starter regardless of position.

[Shane Wahl]

Sano should start at third at Fort Myers and Harrison should start at 3B at Cedar Rapids. There is no reason to simply give up on them at those positions. Also, experimenting in the corner OF positions, especially for Harrison, would be good. 1B and DH might be where they end up though. But that move can happen at AA if it is needed.

[lightfoot789]

I agree Shane. Let them both stay at 3B. I was saying that they need not draft another 3B with 1st pick as was suggested (what if?). I like Harrison at 3B. Not saying he is gold glover in the making, but he deserves chance to get better at such a young age.