10 Breakout Twins Prospect Candidates: 6-10

[Nash Walker]

José Miranda and Louie Varland both broke out in a massive way in 2021, paving their path to the majors. Who could follow their lead in 2022? 

 

10. LHP Jovani Morán

It’s fair to call Morán’s 2021 season a “breakout,” as he posted a 2.41 ERA and 42% strikeout rate for Wichita and St.Paul before debuting with the Twins. The bill on Morán is simple: mid-90s fastball and a genuinely outstanding changeup. It was a small sample, but Morán’s changeup passed flying colors against big league hitters. He threw it 76 times and produced a 51% whiff rate. 

Command is an issue for the lefty, but his upside is immense. Morán’s changeup is enough of a weapon to dream on a late-inning ceiling, and his role in the 2022 bullpen could be significant. Right-handed minor leaguers hit .141/.261/.254 in 165 plate appearances against Morán in 2021. 

9. LHP Steve Hajjar

The Twins selected Hajjar, a 6-foot-5 lefty from the University of Michigan, in the 2nd round of the 2021 draft. Hajjar spent two seasons as a Wolverine, posting a 3.01 ERA and 31% strikeout rate in just over 100 innings. Hajjar led the Big 10 with 110 strikeouts in 2021. 

Like Bailey Ober, Hajjar uses his length and extension to get on hitters. His fastball works in the low-to-mid 90s, but like Ober, it looks more challenging than the radar gun suggests. Hajjar’s changeup is a 60-grade, making it his best pitch. He’s polished, solid, and a good bet to pitch well in 2022. 

8. RHP Marco Raya

Raya spent 2021 at the complex but didn’t see game action. The Twins selected the righty over 18 months ago, and he has yet to throw a professional pitch. A prep pitcher from Texas, Raya works with a fastball that reaches 96. It isn’t his fastball that catches eyes, though; it’s his wipeout slider. He’ll tell you it’s his best pitch. 

Raya has a bulldog mentality, pointing to Marcus Stroman as his favorite pitcher and telling TwinsDaily last year that “everyone will know my name.” That mindset, plus an underrated array of weapons, points toward a potential explosion for Raya next summer. 

7. RHP Chris Vallimont

The Twins recently added Vallimont to the 40-man roster, protecting him from the Rule 5 Draft after a rough season. Vallimont’s 6.13 ERA in 2021 doesn’t suggest he’s close, but a 32% strikeout rate and a sharp slider are enough to buy back in for 2022. By adding him to the 40-man, the Twins feel the same. 

Command and consistency are the barriers between Vallimont and the system's top prospects. He has the size, stuff, and ability to join Jordan Balazovic and Jhoan Duran among the best Twins pitching prospects. 

6. OF Kala’i Rosario

Rosario could soon become one of the most potent hitters in the system. Selected in the 5th round in 2020 out of Hawaii, Rosario had an excellent pro debut as a 19-year-old at the complex. He hit .277/.341/.452 with ten doubles, four triples, and five homers in 51 games. 

Rosario stands at 6-foot-1 and 205 pounds and projects as a future corner outfielder. His raw power is remarkable, and he hit for a high enough average in 2021 to warrant excitement. He’s already big and strong, pointing to a potential exponential rise in 2022. 

Who excites you most on this list? Comment below!

Prospects 1-5 coming soon!

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[Do_Agree]

You did a good job convincing me off Moran here

[roger]

On one hand, Nash, I would say Moran.  Why?  Because he should be a key part of the Twins 2022 pen.  So he should be here now, not years away.

On the other hand, would say Rosario.  Why?  Because the little we saw last summer suggests he could be special, really special.

[mikelink45]

Thanks for the insight.  I would take Moran because the BP is desperate and it looks like he has already fit in, but 8 and 9 are interesting because I know nothing about them and thus they have no flaws! 

Vallimont scares me.  I do not have faith in him so that means he should be the shining star and Rosario is a mystery like 8 and 9.