Minnesota Twins Minor League Leader Board (Through 5/22)

Byron Buxtons numbers look great in the second half of the hitters stats. If he was taking walks and hitting for higher average...WOW, he would be off the charts!

Buxton's TEN triples in 184 plate appearances is UNBELIEVABLE!!!

Would you look at Max Kepler !!! Someone to look forward to seeing in Target Field.

Max Kepler is off to an amazing start at AA, hitting for power and average. He hasn't walked very much (6.5% of PA) but has struck out at a very low rate (8.3%). Must be seeing the ball awfully well.

 

Would like to hear from those who watch the Lookouts play on a regular basis. What has caused all of the success? Has he changed his approach or is he just maturing?

Nice to see top prospects doing what top prospects are supposed to do.

What I am amazed is at the pitching. 3 starters and 6 relievers with WHIP under 1 (and in the case of relievers, not even close to 1). Look at the K/9 and BB/9 of the relievers. We need some of them with the big club!

Just a feeling from afar, but I think Max is finally healthy this year.  So many nagging injuries in the past seasons. 

Also it is nice to see some not so heralded prospects like Swim, Tray Vavra, Beresford and Danny Ortiz keeping their numbers up. 

It makes me think that it would be SO GREAT if we could have a mid-season futures game with strictly Minnesota's minor leaguers held at Target Field. Logistically speaking, impossible due to CBA and scheduling. But hypothetically fantastic, none-the-less.

 

Can't tell you how many adult Twins fans I talk to on a daily basis who only have heard of Buxton and Sano, but wouldn't have a clue who any of these other guys are. (Or kids who can't name any player other than Joe Mauer.) I love those three, but we have a system STOCKED with talent! Just want more people to be able to see em and get excited.  

Seth, thanks for the update.

 

When does Adam Brett Walker lose the "Saved by the Bell" third name and just become Adam Walker?

4 things really stick out to me. 1) things really seemed to have finally clicked for Max Kepler.  2) Trey Vavra has to be moving up on the Twins top prospect lists.  3) 10 triples for Buxton?  Wow. 4) who is this Trevor Hildenberger?   

What are everyone's thoughts on Trey Vavra and Alex Swim?  Are these two projected as eventual everyday major leaguer? Or will they plateau out once they reach the higher levels of the minor leagues?  I am really interested in Swim because he hit really well last year too.  Does he switch positions permanently? I saw he was playing LF the other day.

 

 

Buxton's TEN triples in 184 plate appearances is UNBELIEVABLE!!!

 

Is it even possible that Buxton could end up with more triples in the season than the league leaders in home runs?!  Never thought that could be a likelihood.

 

Now, Buck may not be in the Southern league the entire season so that would put an end to the race.  But right now he is neck-and-neck with the HR leaders...Schwarber and ABW.  Wow.

Neither of these guys is hitting over .250 BA.  Imagine when they truly start to figure it out.  These ISO numbers are outstanding.

 

Isolate Power (IsoP): Adam Brett Walker (.286), Byron Buxton (.240), Miguel Sano (.233), 

 

Rating ISO
Excellent            0.250
Great                 0.200
Above Average  0.170
Average             0.140
Below Average   0.120
Poor                   0.100
Awful                  0.080

Arcia had a .229 ISO in AA and a  .103 ISO in MLB this season

Vargas had a .191 ISO in AA and a  .114 ISO in MLB this season

Dozier had a .183 ISO in AA and a  .223 ISO in MLB this season

Rosario had a .128 ISO in AA and a .137 ISO in MLB this season

Plouffe had a .141 ISO in AA and a  .193 ISO in MLB this season

 

Arcia had great minor league numbers and his ISO got worse while Dozier had ok minor league numbers and raised his ISO as a MLB regular.   What will be the fate of the guys on this leaderboard?

Thanks for the update. Nice to see some of my prospect's names on there.

 

Buxton's TEN triples in 184 plate appearances is UNBELIEVABLE!!!

Just to give a little more insight as to how unbelievable that is. Last year's MLB triples leader hit 12. The guy in second hit 10. ALL SEASON.

Sure, that's he majors though, the defenses are better there you say.

Okay, the same league Buxton is in now, the league leader hit 14, the guy in second hit 11 and Buxton would be in 3rd.  (Both of those guys spent the entire season a AA)

Bottom line: Buxtons triples total in 1/4 of the season are enough to put him in the top 5 no matter the league, over the course of full season.

 

I can't wait to see him up with Twins flying around the bases.

 

Buxton is going to 20-20-20-20 several times I think. Only 4 players in MLB history have done that!

What are everyone's thoughts on Trey Vavra and Alex Swim?  Are these two projected as eventual everyday major leaguer? Or will they plateau out once they reach the higher levels of the minor leagues?  I am really interested in Swim because he hit really well last year too.  Does he switch positions permanently? I saw he was playing LF the other day.

 

Both players are hitting well (particularly Varva) but both are old for their level of competition. Both are roughly a. year and a half older than average. If the Twins see Vavra as anything more than an org guy, I don't understand why they haven't moved him up to High A so they can see what he can do against age-appropriate competition (he won't be young in the FSL either). Goodness knows the Miracle lineup could use more bats.

 

Swim has hit for average at every level but doesn't walk and has shown no power. Mostly while being old for his competition level. I look at his stats and see Revere without the speed element - i.e. no triples or steals.

 

All that said, neither player can do anything but go out and perform at the level the Twins assign them. To their credit, they are doing that.

 

 

 

Max Kepler is off to an amazing start at AA, hitting for power and average. He hasn't walked very much (6.5% of PA) but has struck out at a very low rate (8.3%). Must be seeing the ball awfully well.

 

Would like to hear from those who watch the Lookouts play on a regular basis. What has caused all of the success? Has he changed his approach or is he just maturing?

 

Here is a link to Patrick Reusse's show page. Hour 2 on Friday, he chatted with Doug Mientkiewicz for 15 minutes. Quite a bit on Kepler, Buxton, Sano, Walker, Berrios and more. Great stuff. Gave Chad Allen a lot of credit. 

 

 

 

It makes me think that it would be SO GREAT if we could have a mid-season futures game with strictly Minnesota's minor leaguers held at Target Field. Logistically speaking, impossible due to CBA and scheduling. But hypothetically fantastic, none-the-less.

 

Can't tell you how many adult Twins fans I talk to on a daily basis who only have heard of Buxton and Sano, but wouldn't have a clue who any of these other guys are. (Or kids who can't name any player other than Joe Mauer.) I love those three, but we have a system STOCKED with talent! Just want more people to be able to see em and get excited.

 

Great insight. People definitely are aware of the big two, but we try to tout all of the minor leaguers. 

 

And I love that idea a midseason "All Twins Prospects game!"

 

What are everyone's thoughts on Trey Vavra and Alex Swim?  Are these two projected as eventual everyday major leaguer? Or will they plateau out once they reach the higher levels of the minor leagues?  I am really interested in Swim because he hit really well last year too.  Does he switch positions permanently? I saw he was playing LF the other day.

 

They are organizational players... most guys in the minor leagues aren't MLB prospects.

 

Seth, thanks for the update.

 

When does Adam Brett Walker lose the "Saved by the Bell" third name and just become Adam Walker?

 

When HE chooses to. I always called him just Adam Walker, but tnhe I decided to ask him. He said he didn't really care too much but he definitely preferred Adam Brett Walker. So, until he tells me differently, I'll go with that.

 

4 things really stick out to me. 1) things really seemed to have finally clicked for Max Kepler.  2) Trey Vavra has to be moving up on the Twins top prospect lists.  3) 10 triples for Buxton?  Wow. 4) who is this Trevor Hildenberger?   

 

1.) yes, it has. Though when he's been healthy for a decent amount of time in the past, he has produced. He's been terrific.

2.) I don't know. He's certainly moved up, but I don't know that he'd be on any Top 30 lists.

3.) Yes.

4.) College reliever from UC-Berkeley. Throws low-to-mid 90s from a 3/4 arm angle. Gets good movement.

Of all the stat leaders (top 5) - Which guys do you see sustaining their numbers / performance rate for most of the season?  Providing all stay healthy.  Are any of the numbers not sustainable?

 

Of all the stat leaders (top 5) - Which guys do you see sustaining their numbers / performance rate for most of the season?  Providing all stay healthy.  Are any of the numbers not sustainable?

I can see Sano and Walker keeping up their power numbers, Buxton will probably keep on hitting triples, and all the stolen base leaders should keep it up, the average numbers will all likely change significantly, but I can see Kepler continuing to hit, plus I think that Gonsalves and Berrios could keep up their numbers, and Cameron Booser should also keep up his great numbers.

who is this Trevor Hildenberger?

Yeah, somehow this one flew under the radar. A WHIP < .5? That's a guy who needs a promotion.

Zach Granite love the name, what league? What position? His numbers scream leadoff. Is he a legitimate prospect?

Awesome article, Seth! Thanks for all the work you do!

Something to think about the next time you guys do 1 of these, maybe put what level each player is in currently? I'm on here a lot, and know where most of them belong, but might be helpful for the casual followers, or new.

 

Thanks!