Minnesota Twins Post-Draft Top-20 Prospects: 11-15

[Cody Christie]

In the aftermath this year's MLB Draft, it can be fun to reevaluate where an organization stacks up in the prospect department. For better or worse, franchises can make it or break it with their selections in the draft. It's also important for teams to be able to build from within to help manage the bottom line.

 

Minnesota's top prospect list is littered with highly drafted players over the last handful of years. Players like Royce Lewis, Alex Kirilloff and Trevor Larnach have all been taken with first-round picks. Ideally, these players will form the nucleus of Minnesota's next championship winning club.15. Edwar Colina, RHP

2019 MiLB Stats (A+, AA, AAA): 8-2, 2.96 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 102 K, 32 BB, 97.1 IP

Colina signed with the Twins back in 2015 and he has been slowly working his way through the Twins system. He really hit his stride over the last two seasons as he started to compete in full season leagues. In the 2018 campaign, he posted a 2.63 ERA and a 106 to 53 strikeout to walk ratio at Low- and High-A. Last season, he played at three different levels and his time at High- and Double-A was outstanding. He only allowed 23 earned runs in nearly 93 innings (2.23 ERA) and he struck out more than a batter per inning.

 

On the mound, Colina is stocky and his fastball can give hitters nightmares. He’s been clocked at over 100 mph, but he typically sits in the mid- to high-90s. His best secondary pitch is his change-up, but he is going to need to continue to improve his breaking pitches as he moves through the higher levels of the minors.

 

14. Wander Javier, SS

2019 MiLB Stats (A): .177/.278/.323, 11 HR, 9 2B, 116 K, 35 BB, 80 G

Back in 2015, Javier was widely considered one of the best prospects in the international class and the Twins signed him for $4 million. Unfortunately, injures have cost Javier parts of multiple professional seasons. He was limited to eight games during his pro-debut because of a hamstring injury. Then in 2018, he suffered a shoulder injury and missed the entire season. Even with the injuries, he has all the tools to be considered one of the team’s top prospects.

 

Javier was back on the field in 2019 after missing all of 2018 with a shoulder injury. It was his first taste of a full-season league and things didn’t exactly go perfectly. He struck out over 27% of the time but there were some bright spots amid a rough season. From July 15 to the end of the season, Javier compiled a .428 SLG and a .738 OPS. Nine of his 11 home runs and seven of his nine doubles were during this stretch.

 

13. Matt Canterino, RHP

2019 MiLB Stats (RK, A): 1-1, 1.44 ERA, 0.64 WHIP, 31 K, 8 BB, 25.0 IP

The Twins took Canterino in the second-round last season after a strong junior season at Rice University. He was a three-year starter at the school, and he pitched 94 innings or more in every season. In his final collegiate season, he posted a 2.81 ERA, a 0.97 WHIP, and a 121 to 23 strikeout to walk ratio. Throughout his collegiate career, he controlled the strike zone by allowing less than 3 walks per nine innings and striking out nearly 11 batters per nine.

 

Because of his college workload, Canterino saw limited action after signing with the Twins as he made seven regular season starts and one postseason start. His college experience really showed up as he struck out over 11 batters per nine innings. It would have been exciting to see what he could have done in a full minor league season, but that will have to wait until 2021.

 

12. Brent Rooker, OF/1B

2019 MiLB Stats (AAA): .282/.399/.530, 14 HR, 16 2B, 36 BB, 95 K, 67 G

Rooker was the 35th overall pick back in 2017, the first draft under the new Twins front office regime. In three collegiate seasons, Rooker destroyed baseballs by hitting .344/.428/.660. Yes, that is a 1.088 OPS over three seasons and he posted a 1.306 OPS during his final season. The Twins were hoping for more of the same from Rooker as he started his professional career.

 

He didn’t disappoint during his first taste of pro-ball as he posted a .930 OPS with Elizabethton and Fort Myers. This included 29 extra-base hits in 62 games. He spent all of 2018 at Double-A and hit .254/.333/.465 with 32 doubles and 22 home runs in 130 games. He missed some time in 2019 with a wrist injury but he was still able to post some strong offensive numbers. If there is a 2020 season, there is a chance Rooker makes his debut.

 

11. Blayne Enlow, RHP

2019 MiLB Stats (A, A+): 8-7, 3.82 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 95 K, 38 BB, 110.2 IP

Like Rooker, Enlow was part of the strong draft class back in 2017. The Louisiana native had committed to play at LSU, but the Twins were able to sign him after taking him in the third round. During his professional debut, he made six appearances with the GCL Twins and posted a 1.33 ERA with 19 strikeouts and 4 walks in 20.1 innings.

 

During the 2018 season in Cedar Rapids, he was almost three years younger than the average age of the competition. He compiled a 3.26 ERA with a 1.37 WHIP. He started 2019 back in Cedar Rapids and saw some struggles as he allowed 21 earned runs in 41.1 innings. There were some positive signs as he struck out 9.6 batters per nine innings. The Twins were aggressive with him and promoted him to Fort Myers where he had a 3.38 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP with a 51 to 23 strikeout to walk ratio. If Enlow had gone to college, he’d still be pitching for LSU, so he has time to develop into the pitcher many thought he could be.

 

Stop back in the coming days to see who completes the top-20 list.

 

PREVIOUS TOP-20 POSTS

— Prospects 16-20

 

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[rdehring]

Really like Canterino and believe he has a very bright future...assuming anyone ever plays the game again.

 

Between the injuries and lack of performance when playing, would want to see Javier do more on the field before including him anywhere near a top 20.

[Tomj14]

 

 

Between the injuries and lack of performance when playing, would want to see Javier do more on the field before including him anywhere near a top 20.

It is crazy he is still only 21, but also just as crazy that he has only played 130 games and none above Cedar Rapids

He will be 22 by the time next season starts, so I agree being in the top 20 seems like a stretch.
 

[Shaitan]

Has Wander lost a step from his injuries, or is it mostly rust?

 

I'm curious about Rooker. Will he be more like Sano or Walker III?

[Trov]

It will be interesting what Twins do with Javier next year.  He was available for rule 5 I believe this year and went undrafted, mainly he was still young and no team was willing to put him on Roster for full year, bet if you could go back some teams may have changed mind now.  A team may be willing to take him next year just to take a look at him.  If he was not so highly touted as a 16 year old he would not be in top 20 lists anywhere. 

[Danchat]

 

It will be interesting what Twins do with Javier next year.  He was available for rule 5 I believe this year and went undrafted, mainly he was still young and no team was willing to put him on Roster for full year, bet if you could go back some teams may have changed mind now.  A team may be willing to take him next year just to take a look at him.  If he was not so highly touted as a 16 year old he would not be in top 20 lists anywhere. 

I dunno, he hasn't even played enough baseball in the minors to likely get any attention in the Rule 5 draft. He's got a long way to go and as you said, he's likely not one of this team's top 20 prospects. 

[jrod23]

How could so many teams miss on Fernando Tatis Jr. and Juan Soto.  Cripes!!!  Vlad Jr. signed for less than Wander.  How do you miss on talents such as Soto and Tatis Jr.?!?!