where he also owns Maier Chev.

 

 

and is Chagrois pronounced Jaguar?

A great list, but really, I'm not so sure Hildenberger didn't "break out" second half of last season.

 

A full season from Buxton and Polanco would be HUGE. As well as the next step for Berrios and Kepler. 

 

I know that's cheating...but I'm sticking with 4 instead of 3. 

 

Honestly, I'm expecting bigger and better seasons from all 4 of these guys.

Thank you for the article. If I had to quibble, I'd suggest that your choices were not breakout stars but were "logical next step" players.

 

I am looking forward to revisiting this exact topic on, say, August 1st. I know I will be surprised.

The obvious candidate is Kepler. I think he'll have a good year.

 

I think Gibson finally turned a corner in the second half, and will put together a good season.

 

Garver is another candidate, assuming he gets a good number of innings as the second catcher/DH/1B.

 

As far as Hildenberger goes, I think he already "broke out." He was the team's best reliever last year, IMO, and it wasn't really close. I think what we saw out of him is about as good as it'll get....which is pretty good.

 

Maybe a guy like Chagrois gets healthy and puts some things together in a role similar to Presley's last year,

 

My top breakout candidate that I haven't seen mentioned much: Duffey. That hammer has already proven to be an asset, just needs to find consistency. I think that'll come. If he can put it together, Duffey, May, Hildenberger, Rodgers, and Rodney could make a high quality group to lead into Reed in the back end.

I've completely given up on hoping that The Tease (Kyle Gibson) will take the long-hoped for "step forward". I've been burned too many times. I'd love for it to happen, I'm rooting for him...but I expect nothing other than being a back of the rotation innings eater at this point.

 

Kepler and Berrios are both good choices. It's so hard to tell with relievers, but Rogers is a guy I'll be watching this year. I'd consider Granite, but I don't know if he makes the roster at the start of the season, absent a trade of Grossman. (there's a real possibility we'll start the season with a 3-man bench and 13 goddamn pitchers, so there's going to be a huge roster crunch for position guys)

Gibson was pretty excellent for an extended period of time last year. I think we saw that step forward.

 

Also, I don't think he ever really "teased" anyone prior to that. He was just bad.

 

Just my opinion on the matter.

Gibson was pretty excellent for an extended period of time last year. I think we saw that step forward.

 

Also, I don't think he ever really "teased" anyone prior to that. He was just bad.

 

Just my opinion on the matter.

He combined for a 3.90 FIP over 373 innings across '14 and '15. He definitely teased us a few times over those two seasons.

Oh, love me some very early spring optimism! :-D

 

 

My top three would be P. Jones, B. Smith, and D. Toles. Now some may question whether these names appear on either the Twins MiLB or MLB payrolls. I have no idea, but with the spelling Police out in full force, I considered this much safer than someone like Hosae Berriohs .

Will somebody teach Phil Hughes a knuckle ball already?

 

Trevor May. Byron Buxton. Berrios. Same as last year. And the year before... fool me once...