Article: All-Prospect Team of the Future

[Cody Christie]

As the finishing touches are being put on the 2015 Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook (CLICK HERE to order last year's version for 30% off), my mind has been focused on many of the young players who are making up one of the strongest farm systems in baseball. There are a lot of big names like Byron Buxton and Miguel Sano in the system and the hope is that those players turn out to be all-star caliber players for years to come.There are also players who might not end up being in contention for any MVP or Cy Young awards but they could be very important everyday players on the next winning baseball team in Minnesota. Not every prospect is going to make it as a big league player and some of the Twins best prospects are still multiple years away from making their debut, but still...

 

Here is a look at the type of lineup and pitching rotation that could be made from just the prospects in the Twins organization. For the purposes of this post, I didn't consider any players who had already reached their rookie eligibility threshold in 2014. This took away players like Oswaldo Arcia, Danny Santana and Kennys Vargas, who also figure in the long-term plans for the Twins organization.

 

All-Prospect Twins Team Line-Up/Batting Order

1. Nick Gordon- SS

2. Eddie Rosario- LF

3. Byron Buxton- CF

4. Miguel Sano- 3B

5. Travis Harrison- DH

6. Amaurys Minier- 1B

7. Max Kepler- RF

8. Stuart Turner- C

9. Jorge Polanco- 2B

 

This line-up looks pretty solid from top to bottom. Gordon, Rosario and Buxton would give the front end of the batting order some speed and plenty of on-base ability in front of the big boppers. Sano, Harrison, and Minier would have plenty of opportunities to drive in runs and all three have the potential to hit 25 or more home runs in a season. Kepler would provide solid defense and be a very solid regular player. Turner could be an everyday player with the potential to make an All-Star team if things break the right way. Polanco might not have the defensive skills to stick at shortstop but he could be part of a nice double-play combo with Gordon. He'd also be a solid number nine hitter leading back to the top of the order.

 

Bench

Adam Brett Walker- OF

Niko Goodrum-IF

Levi Michael-IF

Mitch Garver-C

 

This bench offers a little bit of everything. Goodrum and Michael have the ability to fill in at multiple infield positions while also being good options as late-inning pinch runners. Garver and Turner would be a very good catching duo with both getting opportunities to start. Walker would be a huge bat off the bench with the potential to hit a home run any time he stepped into the box. He could also fill in as a corner outfielder when other players needed a day off..

 

Starting Rotation

1. Kohl Stewart-RHP

2. Jose Berrios- RHP

3. Alex Meyer- RHP

4. Lewis Thorpe- LHP

5. Stephen Gonsalves- LHP

 

A starting rotation with Stewart, Berrios, and Meyer at the top is what Twins fans have been dreaming of since Stewart was taken with the fourth pick in the 2013 draft. Berrios is coming off a breakout season across the three highest levels in the Twins system. Meyer is on the cusp of making his debut and he continues to be impressive. Thorpe and Gonsalves would offer some left-handed action to the back-end of the rotation while still having the potential to be front of the line starters. There's a chance for a lot of strikeouts with this fearsome fivesome but the bullpen is where things get even scarier.

 

Bullpen

Closer: Nick Burdi-RHP

Set-Up: Michael Cederoth- RHP

Jake Reed-RHP

Zack Jones-RHP

Trevor May- RHP

Taylor Rogers- LHP

Mason Melotakis- LHP

 

The Kansas City Royals rode a terrific trio of late-inning relief arms to the 2014 American League pennant. In the last few drafts, the Twins have been going after some hard throwing college arms to build their own dominant relief core of the future. Burdi, Cederoth, Reed and Jones could each be given an inning of his own late in games and this would mean starters would only need to pitch five frames. If May doesn't work out as a starter, he could fill into a long-relief role. Rogers and Melotakis could be solid options for retiring some of the best left-handed bats from the opposition.

 

Overall, there is a ton of talent on the way to Target Field. Not all of these players will make it to the big leagues but the Twins have a lot invested in some of these. There are multiple first round picks on this roster, a handful of the top 100 prospects in baseball, and a solid core of players to help Twins fans forget about the last four years of losing.

 

 

Now it's your turn. How would your line-up and roster look for the Twins team of the future? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion.

 

For more from Cody Christie make sure to follow him on Twitter @NoDakTwinsFan and to read his other work at http://www.NoDakTwinsFan.com

 

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[benji21]

Fun read Cody!  That's a lot of reasons to pay attention to the Twins.  If that group is supplemented in the appropriate and savvy way, we could potentially be right there with the powers of the AL.  I would switch Garver for Turner on your list despite Garver's numbers being against a bit younger competition.  I'd hate to have Butera back there again.  That bullpen, if people stay healthy, makes me dizzy.  I mean, with that group the game could end after five innings!  The starting rotation, soley with our prospects, still looks a bit iffy to me.  I think the FO needs to keep plugging away by all means possible to create a modern successful core of hurlers.  Crossing my fingers, but I'd bet about anything that Thorpe is in for TJ this year.

[Otwins]

How soon can they be ready.  I would love to watch that team. Especially when you sub in Santana, Vargas and Arcia.

[DocBauer]

Prospects alone, nobody on the big league club, you honestly nailed it about as spot on as could be.

 

Just a couple debatable points.

 

1) Good chance Turner and Garver could be flip-flopped.

 

2) I think Kepler and Walker are 2 of the most intriguing prospects in the Twins system. In fact, if we just did a top 10 prospect list based on intrigue, they'd be in the top 4 Thorpe and Gonsalves for me. I think Kepler could be outstanding in the OF, but wonder if he isn't the next full-time 1B at the end of the day. And I'm not sure about Walker on the bench vs being a full time OF or full time DH, or a split thereof, vs being a true reserve.

 

3) I know I'm a Big Red homer, but my bench would find room for Christiansen. I have a very strong feeling about him as a multi-dimentional, productive, multi-positional reserve.

[Steven Buhr]

Not sure who I would even consider dropping from your list to make room for them, but three guys I would feel pretty good about having around "just in case" at some point would be Kanzler, Vielma and Hu. I think all 3 have potential to be regular big league players down the road.

[Seth Stohs]

Fun list. I had this discussion with someone fairly knowlegeable... This is a great list. That person put together a very interesting list. There are so many options because the Twins are deep. OF course, some of them have a long way to go and need to stay healthy too.

[Mike Sixel]

Cool list. 

[IndyTwinsFan]

Intriguing, to say the least.

[lightfoot789]

 

2) I think Kepler and Walker are 2 of the most intriguing prospects in the Twins system. I think Kepler could be outstanding in the OF, but wonder if he isn't the next full-time 1B at the end of the day. And I'm not sure about Walker on the bench vs being a full time OF or full time DH, or a split thereof, vs being a true reserve.

 

 

I like how you think.  Walker wil be this years version of Vargas.  Major jump in terms of useable numbers at the AA level and a late season call up.  You heard it here first. 

 

If Vargas wasn't on the 40 man roster, there isn't a soul out there who thought he would be up with the Big Boys this past season.  He was challenged and produced.

 

I like the move to LF with Arcia, because I think Kepler or Walker will be there in RF soon anyways.  Hope they both get to learn on the job during spring training (w/ Hunter and new staff).
 

[lightfoot789]

Walker gets from 1st to 3rd as fast as most of the guys on that list.  He can get from 1st to home quickly as well.  That entire list above, is filled with guys with high baseball IQ's.  "I like how you think"