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Twins prospects ranking between 16-20 in our series highlights a dynamic group of players, some brimming with upside and others with higher perceived floors. Let's break it down. 20. LHP Steve Hajjar Age: 21 2021 (Michigan): 14 starts, 81 2/3 IP, 3.09 ERA, 32% K, 8.5% BB The Twins selected Hajjar with the 61st pick in last June’s draft, expressing serious interest in Massachusetts's 2018 Gatorade Player of the Year. Hajjar is a sizeable lefty with a plus-changeup. Like Bailey Ober and Joe Ryan, Hajjar’s fastball gets on hitters promptly because of his extension. Hajjar was excellent in his two seasons at Michigan, pitching to a 3.01 ERA with a 31% strikeout rate in just over 100 innings. Hajjar has a deceptive delivery, relying primarily on a fastball-changeup combo with a loopy curve. Hajjar has a chance to move quickly up the system. 19. INF Edouard Julien Age: 22 2021 (A-A+): 112 games, .267/.434/.480, 28 2B, 18 HR, 34/39 SB, 28% K, 21% BB Julien had an exciting season last summer. He walked or struck out in nearly half of his plate appearances while nabbing 34 bases in 39 tries. Julien hit .267 but walked 110 times. It was a strong season overall for Julien, but there are some blemishes, especially considering he’s still in the low minors. With a left-handed stroke, Julien reached base in 44% of his appearances against right-handed pitchers. Julien logged 20 starts at first base, 38 at second base, 22 at third, 15 in left field, and 15 at DH. Like many of the other position players in the Twins’ system, Julien will continue to play all over the diamond. 18. INF Spencer Steer Age: 24 2021 (A+-AA): 110 games, .254/.348/.484, 18 2B, 3 3B, 24 HR, 21.5% K, 11% BB An example of the Twins helping their contact-oriented prospects tap into more power; Steer hit 24 homers in 110 games in 2021. He had never hit more than six homers in a season, dating back to Oregon. Steer broke out at Cedar Rapids before struggling initially in Wichita. He had a 26-game stretch where he hit .307/.371/.634 (1.004 OPS) for the Surge. Steer worked hard to add more pop to his bat, and his progression has significantly improved his ceiling. Instead of a future slap-hitting utility player, Steer now projects as a potential double-digit homer bat. Steer’s development is certainly encouraging. 17. RHP Blayne Enlow Age: 22 2021 (A+): 3 starts, 14 2/3 IP, 1.84 ERA, 39% K, 10% BB Enlow was off to a terrific start in Cedar Rapids before an elbow injury (and Tommy John surgery) ended his season. Enlow will have thrown just 14 2/3 Minor League innings in over two years when he returns. Even then, the Twins chose to protect him by adding him to the 40-man roster this offseason. The Twins signed Enlow for $2M in the 2017 draft, pulling him away from a commitment to LSU with an over-slot bonus. Enlow’s fastball had ticked up last summer, an encouraging sign after it sat in the low-90s in a mediocre 2019. Enlow is young, talented, and driven and will be right back on the radar when he returns. 16. OF Emmanuel Rodríguez Age: 18 2021 (FCL): 37 games, .214/.346/.524, 5 2B, 2 3B, 10 HR, 37% K, 15% BB Rodríguez gained considerable buzz after his power-heavy debut for the FCL Twins. 58% of his plate appearances ended in a walk, strikeout, or home run. To slug .524 in his pro debut at 18 years old is reason enough for excitement, but there are things Rodríguez has to work on as he works his way up. Touted for his advanced approach at the plate, Rodríguez is oozing with projection. Scouts have tabbed Rodríguez with above-average speed in centerfield with a chance to stay there permanently. If you’re looking for a talented potential future top prospect for the Twins, Rodríguez is probably your best bet. MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook, or email

Looking beyond the top 20 illustrates the depth of the organization. These Twins Daily rankings are comprised of the votes of 11 Twins Daily writers who covered the Twins farm system in 2021. The voters followed the system nearly daily over the past season. Many watched a lot of video. Some attended some games at the Twins affiliates. In 2019, Luis Arraez and Jordan Balazovic appeared in this list. Two years ago, names such as Randy Dobnak, LaMonte Wade, Jorge Alcala, Bailey Ober were outside the Top 20. (maybe I shouldn’t mention that Akil Baddoo was a 2020 Honorable Mention.) Last year’s Honorable Mention group contains several players who have moved up the rankings Many of the prospects you’ll read about today could be, and maybe should be, in the Top 20 in one year. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if a couple of these players are Top 10 prospects one year from now. Before we start, the following players are no longer “prospects” according to Baseball-Reference: Alex Kirilloff, Ryan Jeffers, Brent Rooker, Trevor Larnach, Ben Rortvedt, Nick Gordon, Bailey Ober, and Ralph Garza, Jr. FIRST-ROUND FEATURES If anyone in the top 20 is unable to fulfill their duties, well, the #21 prospect is 2020 first-round pick Aaron Sabato. The first baseman struggled in his professional debut. We have reviewed and replayed his statistics, the low batting average, lots of strikeouts. But, he also has a very good eye at the plate, and his final couple weeks in Ft. Myers and during his time in Cedar Rapids, Sabato reminded us of the power potential that he possesses. Likewise, 2019 first-round pick Keoni Cavaco falls out of the top 20. While he still has immense tools, speed, power, and arm strength, he continued to struggle at the plate in Ft. Myers, especially as the season went along. He also fought some injuries including a concussion. Cavaco was one of the Twins prospects who was most hurt by the lost 2020 season. He remained young for the Low-A level and certainly had less pro experience than most. But often, talent and athleticism work out and Cavaco remains very intriguing. ALREADY DEBUTED Jovani Moran was drafted in 2015 and in 2021, he finally made his MLB debut in September. The lefty has put up huge strikeout numbers throughout his minor league career. He dominated at Double-A and then Triple-A before spending the final month with the Twins. He could be a big part of the Twins bullpen for years to come. ON THE 40 ALREADY A couple of very hard-throwing right-handers on the 40-man roster fell just outside the Top 20. Drew Strotman came to the Twins from Tampa in the Nelson Cruz trade. He’s got a four-pitch mix that includes a fastball that can touch 98 mph. He struggled in his time with the Saints, but he should help the Twins in 2022. Even after Tommy John surgery, the Rays had added Strotman to the 40-man roster. Chris Vallimont came to the Twins from the Marlins in the Lewin Diaz trade in 2019. Another starter with a big fastball, Vallimont sits 94 to 96 and touched 97. He was very inconsistent in 2021, especially with his control. Too many walks. However, he was a strikeout machine and his stuff is so good the Twins put him on their 40-man roster after the season. ARM STRENGTH The 2019 Twins draft included a lot of college pitchers, and several of them have made an impression already, even with the lost 2020 season. Casey Legumina didn’t pitch after that 2019 draft as he was recovering from Tommy John surgery, so 2021 was his professional debut. Sawyer Gipson-Long began the season with a rough start, but he proved durable and unlike many, he became an innings eater. At the same time, he too recorded a lot of strikeouts. WE HARDLY KNOW YE We already mentioned Aaron Sabato above, but all four of the Twins 2020 draft picks received votes, but not enough to get into the Top 20. Frankly, we just haven’t seen enough of them yet for various reasons. Alerick Soularie put up big offensive numbers at Tennessee before the Twins made him their second round pick. Unfortunately in spring training, he had a foot injury, so he didn’t get into games until the second half of the season. Marco Raya was the team’s 4th round pick in 2020, and with a minor injury, he did not pitch at all in 2021 either, so he is yet to make his professional debut. Yet, reports out of instructional league mentioned that he was hitting 97 mph with his fastball. When he was drafted, it was for things like control, a strong pitch mix. To add velocity to that is really exciting. Kala’i Rosario was their fifth and final pick of the 2020 draft. He was one of the most powerful prep bats in that draft. His pro debut came in the FCL and he was named the Twins Daily Short-Season Minor League Hitter of the Year. Of course, we also didn’t see a lot of the 2021 draft picks, but a few of them have already made an impression. No 2021 draft pick made a bigger impression than fourth-round pick Christian Encarnacion-Strand. He hit in 21 of 22 games played and posted a .391/.424/.598 (1.022) with four homers. Third-round pick Cade Povich also was impressive. The southpaw from Nebraska pitched in just 10 innings in his pro debut, but he had 19 strikeouts in that time. And again, reports from the instructional league noted that he was hitting 97 mph fairly consistently. Yasser Mercedes received a $1.7 million signing bonus from the Twins just a month ago. An athletic outfielder, Mercedes is just 16-years-old but obviously an intriguing talent. In 2018, Misael Urbina received a $2.75 million signing bonus from the Twins as a 16-year-old international free agent. A week into the 2021 season, Urbina moved up to the Mighty Mussels. He was one of the younger players in the league and struggled, hitting under-.200 and yet he held his own and showed a good plate approach. Yunior Severino came on strong after he was promoted from Ft. Myers to Cedar Rapids. After hitting .245 in 63 games with Ft. Myers, he hit .321 in 35 games for the Kernels. Combined, he was second in the organization with 29 doubles. As I look at this group of Honorable Mentions, it is incredibly exciting. There are five or six pitchers that are very intriguing in this list with big velocity and the ability to get strikeouts. There are a few hitters that have big power potential. As I said in the beginning, many of these players could move up the rankings in 2022. That is a lot of talent, and those are guys who rank outside of the Twins Daily Top 20 prospects. Check back over the next two weeks to see who our 2021 Top 20 Twins Prospects are.

On October 3, 1951, Dave Winfield was born in St. Paul, MN. He honed his skills at St. Paul Central High School, and it was as a senior he truly burst onto the scene. Going to the hometown Minnesota Gophers on a full baseball scholarship, Winfield also played basketball. He was part of the 1972 Gophers team that won a Big Ten conference championship on the hardwood, and he more than held his own. After being named an All-American and the College World Series MVP in 1973, Winfield was drafted by four teams in three different sports. The San Diego Padres made Winfield their first-round pick (4th overall) in the 1973 MLB draft as a pitcher. Despite that designation, he never appeared on the mound. The Atlanta Hawks picked Winfield in the NBA draft, with the Utah Stars drafting him for the ABA. Despite not having played football in college, the Minnesota Vikings also selected Winfield in the 17th round of the NFL draft. He’s one of only three athletes to be selected by four different leagues. Obviously, it was on the diamond where Winfield shined brightest, and his career was one of utter dominance. Spending his first 15 years with the Padres and New York Yankees, Winfield debuted at 21 years old and blasted 357 homers in his first 2,269 games. His .839 OPS pushed him to seven All-Star game appearances. In 1979, as a 27-year-old, Winfield drove in a league-best 118 runs. Playing well into his 40s, in 1993, Dave Winfield came home. Following a World Series victory with the Toronto Blue Jays in 1992, Winfield joined the Twins for his age 41 and 42 seasons. He hit another 31 homers for his hometown nine, and the .760 OPS was more than impressive at this stage of his career. On September 16, 1993, Dave Winfield joined the 3,000 hit club with a single off of Oakland Athletics reliever Dennis Eckersley. While Winfield wasn’t the same player at this stage, seeing him don the Minnesota pinstripes and return to his roots was a treat for Twins fans. Since his playing career ended, it’s been nothing but accolades in droves for the St. Paul native. San Diego retired his number 31, and he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame alongside another Twins great in 2001. Kirby Puckett was the star of those Minnesota lineups that Winfield was in, and for them to be enshrined together will forever be among the highlights of Minnesota history. Winfield has served in differing roles around baseball and has worked as an analyst. Now 70-years-old and living in sunny California, Winfield gets to enjoy being a living legend of the sport. Keep checking back to Twins Daily throughout Black History Month as we hope to share several more stories about African Americans to don a Twins uniform over the past 62 seasons.

With the lockout impacting only Major League Baseball, the minor-league baseball season can go off without a hitch. It was recently announced that Triple-A teams will play 150 games after adding six more to their schedule. Many minor leaguers are already down in Fort Myers, preparing for the 2022 season. Unfortunately, a handful of top prospects will start the year on the farm but can’t join their teammates. In my opinion, the guys hurt most by Major League Baseball’s lockout are those recently-added to the 40-man roster but not yet big-league mainstays. Not only do they not get a traditional Spring Training, but they can’t start the minor league season on time and are not allowed access to club facilities either. For Minnesota, that group includes some pretty big names: Jordan Balazovic Balazovic is currently the Twins top pitching prospect. He was at Double-A in 2021 and should be expected to reach Triple-A this season quickly. He’s a hard thrower that can push 97-mph and has the chops to be a top-of-the-rotation arm. Balazovic missed time last year due to injury so being delayed out of the gate is sub-optimal. Cole Sands Like Balazovic above, Sands missed time on the Injured List in 2021. He was dominant at Double-A and should jump up to Triple-A quickly. He still needs to reign in the walks, but this is a rotation arm with plenty of strikeout ability. Sands will be 25 midway through the 2022 campaign. Drew Strotman Half of the return in the Nelson Cruz trade, Strotman spent all season at Triple-A. He walked way too many batters, and the ERA is a testament to that, but he’s got strikeout ability and should be an option for the Twins shortly. Continued acclimation to the new organization and a spring training showing on the big league side would’ve been ideal. Chris Vallimont Arguably the pitcher needing the most refinement from this group, Vallimont has massive strikeout stuff with significant command issues. Working on the big-league side during a traditional spring training would have been invaluable. He’s probably a relief arm, but it would have been great to see what he could have done in March. Josh Winder Maybe Minnesota’s most slept-on pitching prospect, Winder looks the part of a difference-maker. He doesn’t give up free passes, and he mows down plenty of batters. Home runs burnt him in three of four starts at Triple-A, but he too should settle in as a nice option for the Twins soon. Jose Miranda Last season’s prospect darling, Miranda went from off-the-radar to top-100 prospect in the blink of an eye. He crushed at Double-A and then continued doing so at Triple-A. He’s probably sniffing a roster spot on Opening Day, but that gets much tougher without a traditional spring training and lack of runway to make his case. Royce Lewis After missing two seasons of games due to Covid and a torn ACL, Lewis not being able to immediately be back on the diamond isn’t good. Having him prove it in game action is where all parties want him to be, so sitting idle on the 40-man is disappointing. This is a big year for the former top prospect, and getting him going quickly is a must. Trevor Larnach Dealing with injury last season, Larnach found himself struggling and sent back to Triple-A. He was soon hurt, prematurely ending his season He should be a significant contributor in Minnesota’s lineup this year, but we’ll have to wait on what a healthy version looks like. It’s disappointing that these guys, and a few others with youth on their side, won’t get to hit the ground running in 2022. We all want baseball back, and I’m sure they’re itching for it the most. MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook, or email