Twins Daily 2023 Top Prospects: #5 Edouard Julien, 2B

We have many minor league players getting close to the majors with no set position. No big deal, they will eventually find them a spot that works best for the team.  For Julian, I think we eliminate shortstop, center field and catcher. Have him split time between left field, dh and first base, with that occasional second base game. Like everyone else, I think his best position is hitter.

Not to sound flippant or dismissive, but I'm not worried about Julien's defense, or a fixed position all that much. Now, I WANT good defense from all my ballplayers, as well as fundamentally strong. But not everyone, even on the best teams, is going to always be great both ways. Some are just defense first, or offense first players. Same with your bench.

I picture Julien as being a very strong Arraez comp, though certainly not the same player. I doubt Julien ever becomes close to the same "hitter", but he seems to be a great comp OB% wise, but with more power, more speed, and healthier knees. Like Arraez, I see him as an OK defender at multiple spots. He seems destined for 1B and 2B would appear to be his best or most natural position at this point. And I'm OK with that. I would like to think he's athletic enough to also play some LF here and there. And if he's just not natural at 3B, and doesn't have the arm for it, I'm still OK.

Of course, he just might be an outstanding, do-it-all DH from the offensive side of things. But you want him to be able to play some in the field without killing you, as you are going to want to rotate some through the DH spot for guys who are banged up a little...think Buxton...or need a half day off...think everyone else.

I've seen enough of Larnach to fully believe he's going to one of the Twins starting corner OF, solid defensively, big arm, solid bat with real potential. How good he might be I don't know. While the jury remains out, as far as I'm concerned, I can easily see Martin in LF, covering CF, able to help a little at 3B/2B as needed, and being a fixture at the top of the lineup.

Lee ends up at 2B/3B, Lewis the same, but also, possibly, in the OF picture. Miranda at 3B/1B/DH. And a hopefully healthy Kirilloff at 1B/DH as well. And that already creates a good lineup and depth possibilities, even before we talk about Julien, or whether Polanco remains with the Twins. 

So to me, I just want Julien to be able to fill in at a couple 2 or 3 spots adequately, as needed, as well as DH. He's got the potential to hit a lot of places in the lineup and contribute. But he remains a part of the overall roster construction, and I don't know that he necessarily has to fit in at a single spot.

I just so want to see him and Martin at the top of the order and set the rest of 2-9 behind those two.

Randy Bush.

Which can be VERY useful on a good team.

I see him as a classic high floor, low ceiling guy. If the power develops significantly (big if, IMO)…he’s more than that.

I think he should be competing with AK and Larnach for a major league job.

The Twins seem to have a bunch of older prospects that people are expecting huge things from, not sure I am so optimistic guys in their mid 20's figuring it out to become solid major players.

With SBs that Julien is able accumulate and that he's not fast, I'm assuming that he's quick & has a good read. He's played 2B practically the entire '22 season & still they wonder if he can stick there. Although I'm not against him playing more 2B at AAA, I believe his MLB position is 1B/ DH.

I love his bat, the fact that he stays healthy and years of control. So I'd like to keep this one.

On 2/13/2023 at 9:29 PM, nicksaviking said:

Yeah, I'm going to want to see this terrible defense for myself at the MLB level before I vote to take his glove away. By definition, half of the league is below average defensively, yet there tends to be lots of hand wringing if a prospect isn't a + defender. It's Ok to have those guys on the field if they can hit.

Excellent point that half the league is below average defensively.  It adds a great perspective to the conversation.

On 2/13/2023 at 10:25 AM, Elliot said:

When I was a young Twins fan I asked the same about Harmon Killebrew. Bad outfielder, bad 3B, OK 1B.  Why not catcher. Then it was explained to me that catcher was the most challenging defensive position on the field which also wore the individual down and diminished their offensive skills. Glad Harmon didn’t listen. 

If Julien had a better arm, I'd try Julien out at catcher (at least part time) to get his bat in the line up. Yes catcher is a challenging position but Mauer was able to keep his offensive #s up. Our organization are very short on good catchers.

I'd have him focus on 2B/3B infield defense. If/when that fails, he can learn 1B or LF in the majors.

I couldn't worry less about logjams in front of him. Players will slump, injuries will happen, etc, and rosters are constantly in flux. The goal is to have as many good players as possible.

On 2/13/2023 at 6:35 AM, silverslugger said:

RJA beat me to it.  Your doing a guy like this a disservice to play him 40 games at 2nd, 40 at short, 40 at 3rd, and 40 in LF.  Give him ONE position and let him hone his skills.

Isn’t that what they did last year? They played him exclusively at 2B. 

In his first year they did move him around and probably eliminated LF and 3B. He was primarily a DH his first year at Auburn getting looks at a few different spots. They had him exclusively at 3B his second year.

I think the Twins and Auburn tried to do what you suggested. Once they had a look at him they gave him one position. He still needs to come through and show some progress honing those skills given that chance.

If the Twins want him on the field they need to give him a full year of AAA at 2B because he isn’t close to ready and not near Arraez level at the position.