Article: Twins Draft Preview: Jon Harris

[Jeremy Nygaard]

Between drafting Kyle Waldrop in 2004 and Kohl Stewart in 2013, the Twins made 10 first-round selections. Of those 10, four were college pitchers. (The rest were prep position players, with the exception of Levi Michael.) But the Twins haven’t drafted a single college pitcher since Alex Wimmers way back in 2010. The Twins haven’t had a college-pitcher drought this long since they were drafting guys like Torii Hunter, Jason Varitek and David McCarthy.

While this absence of drafting college pitchers may be a philosophical shift, its timing also coincides with the arrival of bad baseball from the home team at Target Field. Obviously there is a lapse in time between being drafted and helping out the parent club, but - for whatever reason - the Twins had used a pretty common theme to be competitive throughout the 2000s and then, seemingly, went away from that theme.

 

Could this be the year that the Twins break the “college-pitcher” drought and go that route with the 6th overall pick?Who is this guy?

 

A guy that could end the dry spell of college pitchers is Missouri State RHP Jon Harris. Harris, 6’ 4, 185 pounds, has jumped up draft boards due to a strong spring that saw him go 8-1, 1.85 while striking out 113 in 97.1 innings. Harris has shown well, armed with a fastball that sits in the 90-93 range and touches 95, a 12-to-6 curveball, a mid-80s slider and a change-up. All three secondary pitches have flashed as a plus pitch at some point during this season.

 

Harris was drafted by the Blue Jays in the 33rd round out of high school, but decided to attend Missouri State instead and profiles as a mid-rotation starter. Unlike the other top collegiate pitchers, there is no doubt that Harris's future is in a rotation.

 

Why the Twins will pick him

 

The Twins are in a position to select the best player available - regardless of position - and Harris has a case to be that player. He was able to avoid serious injury in a season where many of the top draft-eligible players weren’t. (He did miss two starts with an ankle injury, but showed no ill-effects when he returned.)

 

A quick glimpse at the Twins farm system probably shows a lesser need for a starting pitcher than it has in any of the last handful of seasons, but there is yet to be a team that has had too many quality arms. Harris wouldn’t be a quick-to-the-bigs-type player, but he could move through low- and high-A next season and be big-league ready by the middle of 2017, along with a slew of other potentially helpful arms.

 

For a team that has had a history - though not a recent one - of drafting college pitchers, Harris is likely to be the best of the lot when the Twins step up to the podium.

 

Why the Twins will not pick him

 

Harris doesn’t have the pedigree that the last two college pitchers - Kyle Gibson and Wimmers - had coming out of school. Gibson was a rumored Top 5 pick before an arm injury sent him into a tailspin. Wimmers was the most-decorated Big Ten arm in recent memory who was supplied with a MLB-ready curveball.

 

You see how quickly things can change.

 

Harris has answered almost all the questions. There are two weaknesses to his game: He doesn’t have pinpoint accuracy. He walked 3.2 batters per nine innings this year. The other thing that causes some pause among evaluators is that he hasn’t been pitching against top-notch competition in the Missouri Valley Conference. Even in his start in the Regionals, he squared off against Canisius, who gave him little resistance through eight three-hit innings.

 

Harris will get another opportunity to solidify his spot in the draft this weekend when Missouri State travels to Arkansas in the Super Regionals.

 

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[Steve Lein]

I'd have to think Harris is a massive reach at number 6. Anything specific that makes you say "Harris is likely to be the best of the lot when the Twins step up to the podium."?

 

Or is that just more of a remark on his projection to stick in a starting profile compared to the others like Jay, Fulmer, Tate, etc... who have the stuff, but get more bullpen comments?

[diehardtwinsfan]

They always do profiles on the least likely to be drafted earlier on

 

Only way a guy like this is in play is if there's a major under slot deal in place and a lot of tough sign HS guys in mind.

[Mike Sixel]

 

They always do profiles on the least likely to be drafted earlier on

 

Only way a guy like this is in play is if there's a major under slot deal in place and a lot of tough sign HS guys in mind.

 

Except they pick way too late to try that strategy with their next pick.

[Steve Lein]

 

They always do profiles on the least likely to be drafted earlier on

 

Only way a guy like this is in play is if there's a major under slot deal in place and a lot of tough sign HS guys in mind.

 

Hey now, I'm part of this profile writing contingent here! Haha.

[Jeremy Nygaard]

 

I'd have to think Harris is a massive reach at number 6. Anything specific that makes you say "Harris is likely to be the best of the lot when the Twins step up to the podium."?

 

Or is that just more of a remark on his projection to stick in a starting profile compared to the others like Jay, Fulmer, Tate, etc... who have the stuff, but get more bullpen comments?

 

He's the only one that 100% projects as a starter. 

[Jeremy Nygaard]

 

They always do profiles on the least likely to be drafted earlier on

 

We've already profiled Tucker, Allard and Tate. Geez... Who are these "most likely to be drafted" that we have to do yet?

[shs_59]

my prediction (s) less than a week out

 

1. D' Backs   -  Brendon Rodgers , SS , FL H.S.        (has to go in top 3 right?) 

2. Astros      -  Alex Bregman   , SS , LSU

3. Rockies   -  Dansby Swanson , SS , Vandy

4. Rangers  - Carson Fulmer , SP , Vandy

5. Astros     - Kyle Tucker  , OF  , FL H.S.

6. Twins     - Kevin Newman , SS , Arizona

7. Red Sox  - Andrew Bientendi , OF , Arkansas

8. White Sox  - Dillon Tate  , SP , USC Santa Barbara

9. Cubbies   -  Daz Cameron , OF , H.S.

10. Phillies  - Tyler Jay    , LHP , Illinois

11.   WALKER Buehler - RHP , Vandy   (may be steal of the draft, much like T. Beede last yr)

12. Bryon Hudson  , LHP , Illinois H.S.

13. Jon Harris   , RHP , Missouri Tech

14. (the texas OF'er H.S. kid)      - name escapes me for some reason

15. Cornealius Randolph  , 2B , GA H.S.

 

just missed: Brady Aiken, Koby Allard , Beau Burrows, Garrett Whitley, Austin Stephenson, Funkhouser, Binford, Cody Ponce

 

[shs_59]

If you're picking in the 20's like the Royals or the Angels or somebody like that, there could be OF a plenty available

 

like  Stewart (FSU), Happ (Cincy), Plummer (H.S.), Dewees (FL)  (though i think D. Dewees falls to rd. 2 )

 

A target i kind of like for the Twins in round 3 or round 4 would be Blake Hickman, Blake Trahan or possibly Rhett Whiseman 

[Jeremy Nygaard]

The Twins don't have that high of a grade on Newman. They view him as a mid-first rounder at his best, likely closer to the end of the 1st.

[Jeremy Nygaard]

 

A target i kind of like for the Twins in round 3 or round 4 would be Blake Hickman, Blake Trahan or possibly Rhett Whiseman 

 

The Twins are high on Trahan - possibly higher than they are on Newman - but he'll be long gone by 73.

[shs_59]

Yeah, you're probably right Jeremy, its a shame The Ervin Santana Thing cannot be undone, B/c we would of been picking at what 42-46 or something like that IN Round 2 and could of taken Blake Trahan , and now instead have to wait to pick #73 ( at least we pick in the 80's as well)

 

 

At this point, I think I'd rather have Trahan to Santana EVEN if we had TO GIVE the Player a 40 Man roster spot Immediately!