Ranking the Top-5 Twins Prospects Headed to the Arizona Fall League

Wallner is probably the only real prospect here. The rest look like "show us something, kid' guys. Hopefully Wallner works on cutting down his Ks; if he can drop that down a bit while doing damage when he makes contact, he's got a chance. he does draw walks at least.

Seeing the Twins only send seven players, shouldn't you have included all of them?  Who are the other two?

As for Wallner, would have been good to include his number of AB so we better knew how bad his strike out numbers really are, or aren't?

Don't see anyone from this group repeating what Lewis did two years ago.  But should be a great experience for all.  Hopefully, one of those lefties has a nice October and keeps rising up the ladder.

6 minutes ago, roger said:

Seeing the Twins only send seven players, shouldn't you have included all of them?  Who are the other two?

Laweryson and Sisk are the other two

I am shocked - this does not look like a real prospect list.  Wallner is interesting, but so is Rooker and that does nothing to move the needle.  

I had to look back to see who we chose in past years and we usually have one or two real prospects and then question marks so this year is not too different. 

2019, Royce Lewis, Jovani Moran, Luke Raley, Dakota Chambers, Zack Neff, Moises Gomez. 

In 2018  - Brent Rooker, Jaylin Davis, Travis Blankenhorn, Hector Lujan, Alex Robinson, Devin Smeltzer, Luke Raley, and Griffin Jax were the planned players.

2017 - LaMonte Wade, Tyler Jay, Chris Paul, Andrew Vasquez, Ryan Eades, Tom Hackimer, Sean Miller. 

I wonder what led the decision to send no top prospects.  They normally send at least a couple of expected future MLB players.  Here only Walner is expected to make it at some point.  Who knows though maybe the FO sees something in them and want to face some other comp.  I have not looked at full rosters maybe every team was holding back. 

Would think regarding pitchers, Twins worried about innings, so did not send top prospects. Not sure on position players.

Let's look back. In 2019 the Twins sent Royce Lewis, Ben Rortvedt, Dakota Chalmers, Moises Gomez, Jovani Moran, Luke Raley and Zach Neff. All still playing. Raley made it to Dodgerland this year.

In 2018: Jaylin Davis, Rooker, Blankenhorn, Hector Lujan, Adam Bray, Smeltzer, Jax, and Raley...again. All still playing ball.

In 2017: Tyler Jay, Chris Paul, Lamonte Wade, Andrew Vasquez, Ryan Eades, Sean Miller and Tom Hackimer. Paul and Miller were infielders who are no longer in pro ball.

In 2016: Gordon, Gonsalves, Curtiss, Melotakis, Randy Rosario, Garver, Tanner English. Tanner English disappeared. Melotakis is still hanging in Indy ball.

All-Stars, ROY, batting champs, World Series players...whatever. Just a good chance to get extended seasonal play against a higher caliber of promising player.

It was a real shame that AFL didn't function last year. It would  have been a very interesting caliber of competition. Very unlike this year.

7 hours ago, USAFChief said:

This is unquestionably the weakest group this organization has ever sent to the AFL.

 

Wow. 

Please tell me about the impressive group of players we sent to the AFL in 1995 or 1996. I'm sure they were all first ballot HOFers, weren't they?

With the exception of Wallner, this AFL group does seem light on prospect status. But I find this group to be "interesting".

I agree with jmlease1 that this is very much a "show me" group. But I'm kinda OK with that after the lost 2020 year and who these guys are.

Funderburk and Laweryson are 2018 and '19 selections that need IP. One is a high K LH RP and the other a SP. Again, they need IP to get ready for 2022. They wouldn't be here if the Twins weren't looking at each moving up at least a full level in 2022.

Featherstone is a bit older, but a recent convert to the pen after being drafted initially as a position player, much like Gore. He is absolutely a "show me" something high K arm who again needs IP.

Helman and Bechtold are very similar while being very different at the same time. Both are a little long in the tooth prospect wise, but each is again "interesting". 

Helman is a 2B/CF who mostly played the OF this past season. He is a good athlete with speed and power potential he began to really show this year. But the bat hasn't fully played yet. This is his opportunity to show he's ready for AA in 2022 or maybe get passed by.

Bechtold has always been reputed as being an excellent defensive 3B who has also played some 1B and a little 2B. As a JC draftee he dominated his rookie half season and then slid production-wise. The power seemed to come in 2021 even though the bat lagged a bit. He also began to work behind the plate between games in order to utilize his arm and increase his versatility. I believe he got a one game start behind the plate at the end of the season. Don't be surprised if you see him behind the plate in a few games.

Not a great group. I do believe the Twins are being cautious with some arms they COULD have sent. But I think they are being very deliberate in the arms they sent to AZ to see if they can improve and make the next step.

I was excited when Bechtold was first drafted, but an OK rebound in 2021 doesn't excite me. The more athletic Helman interests me. But really, I'm watching Wallner and the arms to see what they might do.

Not an exciting group to be sure. But there is some interest here.

I would be surprised if any of this group ever sees a day in the majors

Just a couple side notes:

1] I have no idea right now without looking back at previous handbooks, or reading the new one comjng out, or doing exhaustive research, etc, what Fatherstone or Funderburk throw. But you don't have the K numbers they had this year if you don't have SOMETHING to offer in regard to velocity and breaking pitches. Seems jts all about control and refinement with them.

2] I remember Featherstone transitioning to the mound after his rookie half year as a position player. But I had completely forgotten he had TJ surgery and missed 2yrs PLUS the 2020 season. To miss all that time and yet pitch at A+ in 2021 with success and a high K rate is pretty remarkable, even with a high BB rate.

3] For some bizarre reason, I thought Laweryson was drafted earlier than 2019. I guess memory fails sometimes, LOL. He appeared in 10 games his rookie year at Elizabethton, 6 GS before I GS at CR. He then, like everyone, missed 2020 and jumped to A+ CR this year with mixed results in 15 games. His ERA was high but his other numbers were solid, including high K numbers.

The more I look at and reflect on this group of "marginal" prospects who are all outside the top 30 prospect lists with the exception of Wallner, the more curious and interested I become. 

I'm expecting nothing from Bechtold, sorry to say. I have some hope that the athletic Helman will blossom. But more and more I'm seeing a real plan for the pitchers here. They are "asking" Funderburk and Featherstone to prove they are ready for Wichita next year. And they are asking Laweryson to follow the Gross and Gipson-Long path of later round draftees who have a SOMETHING to work with and develop.

I hate to just repeat my previous comments about this group being "interesting" and agreeing they are all "show me" prospects, but the more I look and reflect the more I'm intrigued. I think the FO is being very deliberate with the arms they sent to AFL, knowing what they already have with the arms they didn't send.

On 10/12/2021 at 6:54 PM, RonCoomersOPS said:

Please tell me about the impressive group of players we sent to the AFL in 1995 or 1996. I'm sure they were all first ballot HOFers, weren't they?

You didn't ask about 1994, but we sent Marty Cordova that year. He was ROY in 1995.

7 hours ago, big dog said:

You didn't ask about 1994, but we sent Marty Cordova that year. He was ROY in 1995.

Point being that (Marty Cordova aside, sort of) many of the players we send to the AFL are not really heard from again and that calling this year's group "unquestionably the weakest group this organization has ever sent" is so hyperbolic and so clouded by recency bias that it is pretty much completely nonsensical.