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You bring up a good question about how we define SS... Range used to be one of the most important traits before extreme shifting came into play. Now I don't think range is important as much as it used to be. Arm strength is still a must, since now they're throwing to first base from shallow CF. And frankly, they need to be really good with the bat now. SS is no longer a position for the slick fielding slap hitting guys. Shortstops as a whole in 2020 batted .263/.325/.423 for an OPS of .748. Their BA is the highest out of all position groups, and their OPS was 5th highest. I think now more than ever we need bat first guys who can be shifted into success defensively. Which makes the slash lines in our pipeline very depressing.

Holland was a really nice pick...drafted later than expected after a somewhat disappointing season IIRC...but he has a way to go. Cavaco has an even longer climb considering age plus a missed season. I may be stubborn, but I refuse to give up on Javier based on tools and age. But can we just have a healthy and actual milb season for him? (Still believe he and Miranda could be a 3B option in the future). I honestly can't recall a prospect as "snake bit" as Gordon. Despite some ailments...reportedly determined and under control...he then runs in to injury to de-rail a possible promotion given to Arraez. Now, that looks pretty good so far for Arraez and the Twins. But then, Gordon gets wiped out by Covid for 2020. I still think he has a shot as a future, versatile utility player. MAYBE a starting 2B for someone. There is some offense there and defensive versatility, but I think versatile utility infielder is his calling at this point. Two big elephants in the room: 1] How good is Polanco REALLY and 2] How good is Lewis POTENTIALLY. POLANCO: Despite being a very good athlete, he just doesn't have the IT factor to be a top SS. But does he have to be? The game has changed! His new throwing motion has allowed for great improvement and he's worked hard on his hands. Shifts have also helped. But his #1 obstacle is just getting healthy and staying that way. Over the past 3 seasons we have seen a HEALTHY Polanco play at least acceptable/solid defense and perform as a borderline elite offensive SS who can be productive in various spots in the lineup. And HOPEFULLY his 2nd ankle surgery will be minor and have him 100% right and ready to go in 2021. Is that a BIG hope? I "hope" not. But if you haven't watched a healthy Polanco over the past few seasons and seen his value, then I can make no valid arguement to you. His future role may yet to be determined. But right now, HEALTHY he's the guy. LEWIS: Look, I don't pretend to be an expert on the potential of prospects. But I have to laugh sometimes when others pretend to be. The little I've seen of Lewis defensively is post game footage and a few innings of milb games. Of course, I read reports as well. What I've seen and heard and read is a great athlete who seems to make plays, sometimes great plays, but is still feeling his way a bit. And we should be shocked that a super athletic young 21yo has all the skills and makes amazing plays but is still learning and growing a bit at the position? Please. Lewis had an amazing 2018 before being promoted late in the year. Even with an injury affected 2019, the FO saw enough to promote him to AA to finish the year. Fully healthy, he goes to the AFL and plays around the field and ends up garnering the MVP. This kid is a top 100 prospect and the Twins #1 prospect for a reason. But that doesn't mean there aren't growing pains and development taking place and that he's ready for a full time gig in 2021. At some point, I still think Lewis will be the SS. And I think his debut may be in 2021 as a fill-in, if not more. But if Polanco can be 100%, he is the SS for the next season or two. How aweful it would be to try and figure out how to get Arraez, Polanco and Lewis on the field every day with Sano and Donaldson at the corners and even DH. Polanco PROBABLY short term before transitioning, and Lewis long term.

I'm not complaining about Terry Ryan. I'm expressing appreciation for the new front office and the transformative change in ownership investment compared to 15 years ago. Thought that was pretty clear?

With all the shifts, how do we define the SS position now? Half the time the 3B must now be in the SS position. It would have been better without the box of slash lines (just kidding) - that was really depressing. Lewis is the only one and lets hope this was just a down year and his fall stats represent the real player. I am not excited about Javier and Cavaco - I need to see some production before they make the prospect list for me. And for some reason I think we will see Gordon on the team this year.

As GNess said. Polanco is ideally suited for the super utility role. That would leave short stop to either Gordon or Lewis. But not right away. Start the season with Polanco at SS and Gordon in in the utility role so that Gordon can display what he has. (I mean, after all these years if Gordon can't at least be a good utility guy how will he ever be a position player). Mid season bring up Lewis and add to the mix. Their play will determine their roles but one thing is for sure. The utility player better play a good third base because he could play extended time at a moments notice

Always thought Polanco should play 2B. He is over extending himself at SS. His 1st full season he came up w/ sore ankles & still is plaguing him. W/ Donaldson at 3B, Polanco is adequate at SS but when Donaldson is down we suffer tremendously. We need an upgrade at SS & back up position. FO is looking at Hernandez which is finally a step in the right direction which would also help out as a CF back up. I see no future for Gordon w/ the Twins. He has difficulty to adjust to each level he progresses. He`s a light hitting, average at best SS/2B. He could play average SS/2B for some MLB team that has the patience for him to adjust to MLB but I hope not the Twins. I don't know about Lin. Maybe he could help fill in as utility, he has plenty of experience Lewis is the only viable near future in house solution to SS. How great he'll be or if he sticks there, time will tell. He's athletic & great baseball sense but many believe he's too young to step in now. I won't disagree more time to prepare won't hurt. Getting back to Polanco, they need to take their time not push him into the line up, let him heal 100%. When he's ready I think it'd be good idea to keep him at 2B & not utility. It seemed to me especially in the beginning Polanco was insecure in how to deliver the ball, that uncertainty caused a few throwing errors. Playing utility would increase that problem. At 2B he'd be w/o the physically & psychological stress he could be transformed into a gold glove all-star much like Dozier.

A whole stat block of shortstops that can't hit. Damn. Looks pretty bleak. Talk all you want about tools..... the results suck. That's not fair. Lewis has hit... just not in the stat box year.

This will be my 6th annual top 15 Twins prospect update. As was the case with the midseason edition back in June, we’re dealing with an unprecedented scenario here. Having not played any minor league baseball action in 2020, movement is based more on what I heard out of the alternate site and what took place from prospects appearing at Target Field. The hope would be that a level of normalcy is restored in 2021. While I’m optimistic we see something closer to what we’ve come accustomed to, changes are still in store. Major League Baseball booted just over 40 affiliates, and the regular season is still looking like there may be a delay in getting things underway. I’m hopeful that the yearly trip to Fort Myers happens, but that all remains in flux currently. Here’s where players checked in during previous seasons: 2016 Top 15 Prospects 2017 Top 15 Prospects 2018 Top 15 Prospects 2019 Top 15 Prospects 2020 Top 15 Prospects Now, let’s get to it! 15. Akil Baddoo OF Taking over this spot from Wander Javier, Baddoo has had somewhat of a similar professional trajectory. He’s been hurt plenty and there’s still much more projection than actual results. However, he’ll play 2021 at 22-years-old and has already reached High-A. Growing into his body more and increasing muscle mass, there’s an exciting combination of strength and speed. He needs to begin producing on the field, but the ceiling is one to get excited about. 14. Gilberto Celestino OF Celestino is on the 40-man roster and could play in the big leagues right now from a defensive standpoint. It was good for him to be at CHS Field in 2020 and get additional coaching in what could’ve been a lost year. The Twins are still looking for the additional come-up on the Ryan Pressly trade, and it’s this kid that could end up providing it. 13. Matt Wallner OF The Minnesota native will be 23 when he gets back into a professional game having lost his age-22 season. However, Wallner is an advanced bat that has a plus arm. He’s probably more Trevor Larnach than he is Brent Rooker when it comes to athleticism, and that’s a good thing. Reaching Cedar Rapids in his first pro season was a nice showing, and he could be pushed through the system quickly if everything continues to go according to plan. 12. Matt Canterino RHP On the outside of my top 10 but looking in, I wouldn’t be shocked to see Canterino as a top-5 Twins prospect a year from now. He’s got a great arm and was nothing short of dominant in his first seven professional outings. He’ll be 23 in 2021 and I wouldn’t be shocked if the Twins look to get him extended time at Double-A Wichita. He could be a part of the next wave behind the likes of Balazovic and Duran. 11. Lewis Thorpe LHP Seeing somewhat of a slip for the Aussie in 2020 was a disappointing reality. Thorpe has always looked like the lefty to bet on in the Twins system, and I really thought he was in for a breakout. Initially dealing with some personal issues during Spring Training, and then fighting ineffectiveness when he was out there, 2020 was as forgettable for Lewis as it was anyone. The talent is all there, and so is the stuff, but it’ll be on him to close the gap between the ears. 10. Aaron Sabato 1B I struggled with where to put Sabato as I think what happens and what could go wrong are both pretty straightforward. The former Tar Heel’s bat is beyond legit, but so too is his limit when it comes to impact. He’s never going to move off first base and may ultimately be a designated hitter. There’s less swing and miss than Rooker here, and the floor is probably a bit safer. Without him having played a professional game though, this feels right. 9. Keoni Cavaco SS Entirely projection is what you’ve got to go off on Cavaco. He was an extreme helium pick and only got in 20 games before his professional career was put on hold. He’s 19-years-old and will start 2021 at that age. Likely destined to play for the newly designated Low-A Mighty Mussels, Cavaco will have to prove he can stick at shortstop. Playing third base during his prep career, the hope is that the bat develops power, and his 35/4 K/BB was just part of the acclimation process. 8. Brent Rooker OF/1B If you were waiting on Brent Rooker’s bat to play in the big leagues before believing, the seven-game sample size certainly didn’t do anything to calm your excitement. It was a short debut, but he crushed the baseball, posted a .960 OPS, and launched his first Major League home run. A fractured forearm ended his season, but he’s all systems go and should be looking at an Opening Day roster spot in 2021. 7. Blayne Enlow RHP I might be a bit higher on Enlow than most, but I think this is the next Twins pitching prospect to take a big leap. The front office prioritized him in a draft a couple of years ago, and he’s flashed great stuff since. Enlow will be 22 in 2021, but he’s already reached High-A. The strikeouts need to keep rising, but he’s got some electricity to his arm and has done a good job of avoiding substantial damage. Another step forwards and he’ll make another leap on this list. 6. Ryan Jeffers C Like Rooker, Jeffers made his Major League debut in 2020. With Mitch Garver fighting both injury and ineffectiveness the Twins needed to turn to their rising prospect. In 26 games he posted a .791 OPS and did a fine job behind the plate. When drafted the narrative was that the bat would play but uncertainty remained about whether he could hack it behind the plate. Minnesota believed he could, and while that remains a work in progress, a pairing with Garver should give Rocco Baldelli two solid options. 5. Jhoan Duran RHP There were a couple of different points that a Duran promotion seemed like a good bet during 2020, but the Twins ultimately never went that direction. He’s got a near triple-digit fastball and I heard plenty of great reports from the people I checked on him with. He probably has a higher ceiling than the pitching prospect ranked higher than him on this list, but the floor is more volatile as well. 4. Trevor Larnach OF For the duration they’ve been in the system together it’s been hard to separate Larnach and Kirilloff. They are virtually the same player with the former having had some college seasoning and the latter having a bit of youth on his side. I’d give Larnach the edge when it comes to athleticism, but both should be seen as advanced bats with unmatched upside especially at the plate. 3. Jordan Balazovic RHP Hailing from Canada, Balazovic has entrenched himself as the Twins top pitching prospect. He has the right mix of high ceiling ability with a very projectable and safe floor. I’d be pretty shocked if he ends up flaming out and working as a reliever. There may not be ace potential here but expecting him to be a two or three is hardly a lofty expectation. 2. Royce Lewis SS Minnesota’s top prospect for the past two years drops a spot for me, but only because I think the year without game action leaves some uncertainty. I’ve been bullish on Lewis, and even if he doesn’t stick at shortstop, I think he’s an All-Star caliber talent. While his ceiling is unquestionably higher than Kirilloff’s, there’s also a more volatile floor here. I really wanted to see how Royce would bounce back in 2020, and despite glowing reports from the alternate site, we didn’t get actual evaluation opportunity. I’m not betting against him by any means. 1. Alex Kirilloff OF/1B Talk about being thrown into the fire as Kirilloff was asked to make his Major League debut during an elimination game in the Postseason. He could be ticketed for the starting left field role on Opening Day in 2021, and there’s no reason he shouldn’t be expected to at least match Eddie Rosario’s production level. Kirilloff’s bat is the real deal, and while his arm won’t play quite as high, there’s no reason not to get excited about his prognosis as a regular. For more from Off The Baggy, click here. Follow @tlschwerz

What are the roster rules for 2021? We don’t know. What is the playoff format for 2021? We don’t know. How long will the 2021 season be? We don’t know.Jeff Passan of ESPN reported last month that the league is trying to get expanded playoffs approved in exchange for the league approving the designated hitter being universal going forward. MLB appears to already be negotiating broadcasting rights for the expanded playoff rounds with ESPN and sent a memo to teams advising them to plan on not having a universal DH in 2021. Well, per Buster Olney teams are actually operating under the assumption that the National League will, in fact, have the DH in 2021.

Having watched Nick Gordon in 2018-19 for the Red Wings, I have serious doubts that he will ever be more than a fringe utility player in the majors. Draft position aside (terrible overreach by the Ryan FO), Gordon doesn’t show great baseball instincts , is far better suited for 2B than SS due to limited range and arm, plus rarely drives the ball . The best scenario for the Twins would be to include him in a package - with the receiving team hoping that a “change of scenery “ will work wonders.

Ha.... stat box now hidden as a download attachment? Funny. Now it is just Download attachment: Twins Minor League SS.JPG and no picture. Maybe it is just my computer..... the picture was there yesterday.

I was glad to see him go. He came to us looking out of shape,and it seemed he always needed 100-110 pitches just to get through 5 innings. I thought he was actually quite terrible with the Twins while getting paid a lot of money.

I like all the dialogue here. I think the Twins would need Polanco to fit the utility roll more than Polanco needs it. He's sufficient when healthy at short. However, in order for the Twins to keep Jorge's bat, Arraez at 2B, and allow Lewis to blossom, we'll need someplace to put him. Then there's the 2B route for Jorge. I would hate to push Arraez out of that spot. Jorge may be the better defender there w/more pop, but I truly believe Arraez will be a career .300+ hitter. Which is more important? Gordon...man I keep regretting the Twins not trading him and Gonsalves, and Jay was it, for Gerrit Cole. Woof. The poor kid can't keep it together in one way, shape, or form. I wouldn't hate him getting an opportunity, but I'd prefer utilizing Polanco, Arraez, and Lewis. As for Lewis, we're going to LOVE his Torii Hunter-like passion for the game. He is full of enthusiasm and charisma, not to mention insane amounts of God given talent. As long as his game continues to improve, he will be our team leader w/a corner locker for a decade. I'm not concerned about his defense, his work ethic, or intangibles. I'm concerned about his bat.

Last year, all the FA talk was sign a big pitcher & they came up w/ Donaldson. Donaldson was a big signing, not only his offense & defense prowess but his wisdom on hitting which I believe paid great dividends for the young hitters coming up. This year I have no interest in any big name FA except Bauer. Bauer would be a great acquisition he`s ace level but not only that he has a fountain of wisdom that he's willing to share w/ the young up coming pitchers. They'd be following him around pretty much like the young hitters did w/ Donaldson. If they have a clear path to Bauer, I hope you are right & that they'd ponce on him. Where last year the key was the willingness of the Twins go 4yrs., I believe this year the key will be the Twins willingness to go 1yr.

There's a difference between being "analytically driven" & having "payroll restrictions" and signing Tony Batista for $1 million to fill a critical need on a WS contender. The Twins were at the extreme ends of both sides during that era, now they've moved to the opposite end of the spectrum. Which to me is worthy of reflecting on during a slow offseason. I guess not to everyone!

Adam Duvall comes to mind off the top of my head.

It's Polanco for the short term (and yes, he's just got to stay healthy). It could be Lewis but I've just got a CF vibe on him. But I'd rather Lewis NOT end up in CF if we already have Kiriloff, Larnach, Kepler etc... I also do not want to give up on Wander Javier but this is his make or break season. He either stays healthy and shows us something or he's history.

It sure does seem like Bauer is that ONE guy that would splash like a cannonball. I'm of the mind that if the Twins are EVER going to make a big pitching move like this, now is the time. Kiriloff, Larnach, Rooker, Jeffers, Arraez, Lewis, Balazovic, Dhuran---really cheap. Kepler, Polanco, Garver, Buxton and Sano are relatively affordable. Maeda is a bargain. They are set up to have a number of cheap to very affordable contracts for quite a while. If they stretched the payroll just a bit, they could have Bauer. And they could still go get someone like Brad Hand to close. (Hendricks would be my top choice but probably not happening with Bauer). Otherwise, Paxton & Hendricks.

For Nick Gordon I use the often used phrase," Play me or trade me".

I'd say the winner was Texas because they ended up signing a really good SP for a very cost effective salary and have now flipped him for one good prospect and one decent prospect. Healthy, Lynn has been pretty darn solid to very good. I've often wondered, if he came to the Twins in a different way/time and embraced the opportunity vs coming to Minnesota with a reported chip on his shoulder, would things have turned out differently? Maybe he just wasn't a good fit in the end. But when I see contract and results the past 2yrs, how good would he have looked as part of our favorite team's rotation? Twins didn't win and the Yankees didn't win. Now, if Rijo can take that added velocity, as Seth reports, and build on his 2019 in 2021 post covid inactivity, we might be talking about a "lock" addition to the 40 man this time next year.

You could be right, but many consider SS an even more premium position and his offense plays even better at SS.

The 2018 Twins were going nowhere. Lance Lynn was a sunk cost regardless. The team was not going to put a franchise tag on him. He was going to be gone regardless. They got a player that a change of scenery might benefit. It did not work. Had it worked the Twins would have not been as likely to have signed Cruz. The team in the end won. The Yankees went nowhere in the playoffs with Lynn. Even if nothing became of the prospects, the Yankees got nothing out of Lynn when they needed it. I did not consider the throw in, Rijo has a chance to be something. If he does, it becomes a big win rather than a small win.