Buxton, Sano, and Rosario all have debuted for the Twins this year. Berrios isn't far behind. So who is the next stud we will be clamoring to be brought up to be our savior?

I don't see anyone close to their status in the system!

Edited July 13, 201511 yr by curt1965

I think it will be either Kepler, Walker, or Hu who will achieve that buzz.

 

Gonsalves, Jay, Gordon, and a healthy Thorpe would also comepete.

 

Not to mention all the other potential studs.

 

WHY MAKE US PICK DAMMIT, THEIR ALL OURS!

Bored with Sano, Buxton and Rosario already? Tough crowd!

It would be fun to have a stud, light's out guy like Santana. I think Berrios will be good, maybe a #2 arm.

Right now the hope for a real #1 guy might be Gonsalves.

No one and I mean No one can hit the ball as long as ABW.  No one and I mean No one can hit the ball over the fence as often as ABW.  Literally CRUSHED the ball over the wall today.  

 

His strikeouts are phenomenal, as many will use as a punch line, but his home runs are also a thing of beauty.  He has more positive PHENOM ability than negative.  1st in minors in HRs (24) is not an easy task. 2nd in minors in RBI (74) is not as easy task either.  3rd in minors in XBHs tells me you do more than hit HRs and begins to gives you Phenom credentials.  3 out of 4 Positive credentials makes you the only person in the system worthy of Phenom talk right now.  This is not a one year dog and pony show either.  He has been phenomenal every year in this manner.

Edited July 13, 201511 yr by TNLooky2015

 

It would be fun to have a stud, light's out guy like Santana. I think Berrios will be good, maybe a #2 arm.
Right now the hope for a real #1 guy might be Gonsalves.

Gonsalves might end up being a good pitcher, but most likely his ceiling is as a #3, he is not a power pitcher, even tho his stats in Low A seem to show that, he is a 90-92 mph pitcher who will need to develop a consistently good breaking ball to even make it to the big leagues, IMO

Hopefully Wander Javier makes a run at this. But he is a ways away.

Bored with Sano, Buxton and Rosario already? Tough crowd!

And Berrios. Don't forget Berrios. JO has been discounted for this discussion too.

Next young stud;

 

Kepler

Next, next - Wander Javier?  Probably just gave him the kiss of death as I posted about J.T. Chargois the other day and he promptly went out and gave up 6 earned in 2/3 of an inning.  Ugh.

Kepler, if they can find room for him. I am a big fan

Stewart. It's a big deal for a multi-sport athlete to go from a thrower to a pitcher, while battling heath concerns. 50% is makeup, 25% is scouting, only 25% is stats. Still on the path to being a frontline starter.

I would still track Gordon closely. Seems to be trending up, and I really think it's the second full year for hs draftees that really tells the story.

If the key word is "next", I don't see how the answer to this is anything but Berrios.

 

If the key word is "next", I don't see how the answer to this is anything but Berrios.

If the key word is "phenom", I'm going with Stewart.

 

No one and I mean No one can hit the ball as long as ABW.  No one and I mean No one can hit the ball over the fence as often as ABW.  Literally CRUSHED the ball over the wall today.  

 

His strikeouts are phenomenal, as many will use as a punch line, but his home runs are also a thing of beauty.  He has more positive PHENOM ability than negative.  1st in minors in HRs (24) is not an easy task. 2nd in minors in RBI (74) is not as easy task either.  3rd in minors in XBHs tells me you do more than hit HRs and begins to gives you Phenom credentials.  3 out of 4 Positive credentials makes you the only person in the system worthy of Phenom talk right now.  This is not a one year dog and pony show either.  He has been phenomenal every year in this manner.

 

How many separate personas are allowed on TD/URL?

For me, there is a difference between phenom and stud.  Stud is an all-star, even a borderline MVP-type player.  A phenom is a generational talent, a guy who has a legitimate shot at the HOF, a guy grandpas will tell their grandkids about seeing play.  The Twins have plenty of potential studs in the system--Kepler, Polanco, Berrios, Hu, Gonsalves, etc.  As I see it they have two potential phenoms, one of whom is a long-shot to realize that potential, and another for whom it's too far away to tell.

 

ABW II: this is all about power and production.  If he controls the K rate, there's no reason he can't hit 40+ homers a year, and drive in 120+, and be half of the best 1-2 power punch in the majors.  He's still only 23, and will be this whole year.  However, his K rate is the worst of his career and his BB rate is largely static.

 

Wander Javier: so far off, and so raw.  He could be the next Miguel Sano.  He could flame out in the minors, but if he can develop like Sano did, and keep his speed, defense, and add a bat with power, that's a cornerstone at shortstop.

Edited July 13, 201511 yr by Cap'n Piranha

 

How many separate personas are allowed on TD/URL?

 

Not necessarily the same person. Mom, dad, brother... 

 

I would still track Gordon closely. Seems to be trending up, and I really think it's the second full year for hs draftees that really tells the story.

 

Gordon finished June slashing .293/.370/.341/.711.  So far in July he's at .359/.375/.436/.811.  That's 7 weeks of pretty good production from a kid who doesn't turn 20 until the World Series.

 

Gordon finished June slashing .293/.370/.341/.711.  So far in July he's at .359/.375/.436/.811.  That's 7 weeks of pretty good production from a kid who doesn't turn 20 until the World Series.

 

He's never going to be Hanley or Tulo at the plate, but I think some of the early-season critics can climb down off of the ledge now.

1. Polanco.  He should have been their starting SS already.

2. Meyer.  Get the kid a pitching coach, please.

 

If the key word is "phenom", I'm going with Stewart.

 

He's going to have to turn some things around before that.  Berrios has been far more dominant to this point.

If the key word is "phenom", I'm going with Stewart.

If Stewart is still a top 100 prospect next year, he'll be lucky. He's a phenom they way Nick Blackburn was a phenom.

 

The last truly elite prospect to get a call up by the Twins was Matt Garza in 2007

. After Berrios, we might have to wait awhile.

Edited July 14, 201511 yr by nicksaviking

I would say Max Kepler. Not sure how I feel about the lack of power though. Or Adam Brett Walker bring me that huge bat to go along with Sano.

Sano and Buxton were super-elite talents coming through the minors.  They might have been 1-2 for the last couple years straight if they'd stayed healthy.  Short answer, we don't have any "next" Sano's or Buxton's in our organization.  Maybe Javier eventually.  Jay can be good.  Burdi can throw 100 within the vicinity of home plate and snap a slider.  That is phenom type stuff, but he's flawed as well.  I'll still go with Burdi, with the caveat that we may be seeing a pitching phenom develop before our eyes in the Bigs. Hint, best pitcher in the rotation, has not been demoted to pen.      

Edited July 14, 201511 yr by Jham

It's Berrios and Polanco. Then Kepler and Walker. Then . . . I honestly like Brandon Peterson to emerge past Burdi (already) and Reed (essentially has already) as a lights out setup man.

 

Polanco should be starting at SS after the All-Star break.

Sadly, I don't believe there is one "phenom" in the system after Sano, Buxton, Berrios. I wouldn't call Rossario, Arcia, Santana, Vargas, or Walker phenoms by any stretch. They are "guys." They might end up as decent regulars even, but still likely just "guys" that are part of the puzzle. Being part of the puzzle on a winning club is pretty good though. 

 

Maybe Polanco offers MLB star possibility as a 2B, but that spot is taken, and his defense is said to be pretty poor at SS. I don't see many of the bats left in the minors as guys that will be likely playing in an all-star game though. Even Buxton and Sano might not be regular all-stars, even if they end up being good players for us. I think they both will eventually, but certainly no guarantee there. Sano will have more competition if he isn't at 3B, and a lot of Buxton's value is with the glove.

 

Maybe Kepler can be Christian Yelich type of talent LF player, which is really good, but not an all-star or "phenom." But, if he isn't playing LF, I don't see him being great compared to other MLB guys. 

 

Pitcher-wise, Berrios could be our best bet to be a legit top #1-#2 SP. After that I would say Hu and Thorpe have the best realistic outside chances to be legit #1-#2 SP's. Gonsalves has a shot, but I am less sure his stuff plays up as he continues to rise, although I do think he could be a GOOD backend of the staff starter, which is nice. GOOD backend starter is not the same as a someone who just happens to be your #4 or #5 SP though, like crap we were throwing out there as our backend the past several seasons.

 

Nothing at all about Stewart screams "phenom." Low ERA's in the minors are not indicative toward future success. There are numerous dudes in the minors right now with great ERA's- many. Most won't amount to much. He is currently 62nd out of 65 SP's with at least 50 innings pitched in K% in the Florida Sate League. You can point to his 3.28 ERA, but again here this ranks 36th out of 65 SP's in the league, and 4th on his own team. You have to pitch pretty poorly to Not be a sub-4.00 ERA SP in the Florida State League. He could be a good backend SP and a Gibson clone, which would be great, but likely his ceiling. 

 

I still believe that Meyer could be an elite RP.

 

After that, nothing screams future all-stars in our system. Several guys that could be good MLB pieces, but very few all-star potential guys. That is not an insult to our system either. I like our system, just being realistic. Very excited about the young talent that we have though. Not a lot of super stars or studs, but collectively good pieces that could keep us competing in the upcoming years.

 

Gordon is my pick. Number 1 prospect after next season.

In order for you to justify your Phenom pick, you need to visualize your prospect selection at his highest performance level and then have a realistic Phenom Comp for him?_____________   _____________

I tend to think of phenoms as guys who could be consistent all stars when they hit their prime.  I think there are quite a few potential characters, but at this point, they all have question marks.  Those guys include ABW, Thorpe, Gonsalves, Stewart, Jay, Berrios, Kepler, and Polanco who I think have a decent chance.  Further down the ladder, there's quite a few as well.