Here would be my top 25 guys ranked, but also split into 5 groups that might help decide who to trade if you're looking at winning in 2018 and who our trade partners would be interested in.

 

If I'm the Twins, I don't trade any of the top 4 to get Archer, Cole, or any of the other available starting pitchers.

 

If I'm the Rays, I'd want one of the the top 4.  However, maybe they would consider a package of one of the top 3 from Group 3, one of the top 3 from Group 4, and someone (other than Lewis) from Group 5.  Maybe if we take back Span and the money he's owed, that might lighten the amount the Rays would need.

 

Would this get it done?  Should the Twins offer this much?

 

Kepler, Romero, and Javier for Archer and Span

 

Group 1--Young, core MLB players that are basically untouchable

1 Byron Buxton
2 Jose Berrios

4 Miguel Sano

 

Group 2--Experienced, core MLB players that would only be traded if we are out of it in July
8 Ervin Santana
9 Brian Dozier
13 Jason Castro
22 Fernando Rodney
23 Eduardo Escobar

 

Group 3--Young, core MLB players that we could probably replace if traded to get a pitcher

5 Eddie Rosario

6 Max Kepler
7 Jorge Polanco

14 Adalberto Mejia
15 Trevor Hildenberger

24 Kyle Gibson

25 Zach Granite

 

Group 4--Prospects that will likely contribute in the next 3 years

10 Stephen Gonsalves
11 Nick Gordon
12 Fernando Romero

18 Tyler Jay

20 Brent Rooker
21 Mitch Garver

 

Group 5--Prospects that are more valuable after 2020

3 Royce Lewis

16 Alex Kiriloff

17 Wander Javier

19 Blayne Enlow









 

 

With Archers cheap contract, it's entirely possible that Sano would cost them more than Archer.

In other words, they already have a guy for pennies on the dollar. Why trade him for a guy who could make more?

 

Sano makes less than Archer -- a lot less -- but who knows what Sano will get in arbitration in a few years. Perhaps not much as a DH, but I don't know.

 

The thread in our forums on trading for Chris Archer got me to thinking: just who are the Twins biggest trade chips right now? I'm not asking who they're most willing to trade, but how would other teams (generically) rank the Twins trading assets? It's a combination of performance, team control and contract. I have given this all of 5 minutes of thought, but here's my first draft...

 

1 Byron Buxton
2 Jose Berrios
3 Royce Lewis
4 Miguel Sano
5 Eddie Rosario
6 Max Kepler
7 Jorge Polanco
8 Nick Gordon
9 Stephen Gonsalves
10 Fernando Romero
11 Tyler Jay
11 Alex Kiriloff
12 Adalberto Mejia 
13 Zach Granite
14 Trevor Hildenberger
15 Brent Rooker
16 Mitch Garver

 

I'd love to see other's lists. And I think it's a good start for discussions about trade packages. For instance, if you want to acquire Archer, who would probably be at about the same level as Buxton, it's hard to take a package seriously where the highest ranking name is Gordon, who is #8.

 

 

I think you have Mejia too low, as a 24 year old left handed starter with MLB experience he is absolutely a rare asset to have, and someone other teams would want, I believe, over someone like Tyler Jay who has yet to reach AA in any meaningful capacity. I also don't think that highly of Granite or Garver in terms of teams wanting them and would give up a ton to acquire them, as I think Enlow and Leach and some of the other recent draft picks would be more highly wanted across baseball.

 

I do think your top 8 is pretty much correct though. We could quibble about the order of the top 8, but I think those are the right people listed there. For youth, years of control and talent + potential, those are the 8 that all teams would want to have. I would argue that Mejia at this moment has more trade value than Gonsolves or Romero, just for the sake that he is about as young as they are and has shown success in MLB. But it's a fun conversation. Thanks!

 

 

How can we get a perspective on how other teams see our ranking.  It is hard to not over value your own assets and every time we look at trading it seems that the trade partner has a seriously different valuation.  I am finding the TD articles that rank our top 20 to be just as difficult.  In the end it is about what we have that the other team wants or values.  For example, what would the list look like if we tried to trade with the Yankees instead of Tampa Bay?

Sano makes less than Archer -- a lot less -- but who knows what Sano will get in arbitration in a few years. Perhaps not much as a DH, but I don't know.

Well yeah, the who knows aspect is why I said possible.

If he hits his ceiling he could earn as much as $45 million over his arbitration years. Archer is owed $33 million.

Where does Sano rank now as a trade chip?

 

Where does Sano rank now as a trade chip?

 

He's untradeable until the dust settles and his punishment, if any, has been decided.