Seth's Preliminary Top 50 Twins Prospects: Part 3 (26-30)

As a quick reminder, players eligible to be on this list include players who remain eligible for Rookie of the Year voting in 2016. That is to say, hitters with less than 130 at bats and pitchers with less than 50 innings. (The list is preliminary. Following research for the Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook 2016 - which Cody Christie, Jeremy Nygaard and I are working on - I’ll provide my final Top 30 prospects list.)

Part 3: Top Prospects 26-30

#30 – Trey Cabbage - 18 – 3B – GCL Twins

Cabbage was the Twins fourth-round draft pick in 2015 out of high school in Rutledge, Tennessee. He gave up a commitment to the University of Tennessee to sign with the Twins. He is a terrific athlete. At 6-3 and about 190 pounds, he is best known for his bat. He primarily played third base, but he also got time in the two corner outfield positions as well as a few games at shortstop. In his professional debut with the GCL Twins, he hit .252/.302/.269 (.571) with two doubles in 129 plate appearances. His season was cut short by a couple of weeks when he strained his back. He will likely begin the 2016 season in Extended Spring Training. Most likely he’ll play in Elizabethton, but if a need came up in Cedar Rapids, it is possible he could spend time there as well.

Previous Top 30 Rankings: N/A

#29 – Amaurys Minier - 19 – 1B – GCL Twins/Elizabethton Twins

Minier signed a seven-digit signing bonus with the Twins in July of 2012. He played for the GCL Twins in 2013 and 2014, showing big improvement the second year. Hopes were high for Minier heading into this season. Unfortunately, toward the end of spring training, he was hit by a pitch and broke his hand. He rehabbed the injury throughout Extended Spring Training and played in two rehab games in the GCL. He moved up to Elizabethton, but he really struggled offensively. In 50 games, he hit .184/.279/.280 with nine doubles and two homers. He struck out 66 times in 201 plate appearances. Signed as a third baseman, he moved quickly to the outfield and when that didn’t go well, he was moved to first base. It will be interesting to see if he moves up to Cedar Rapids to start the 2016 season, or if he returns to Extended Spring Training and spends a fourth season in the rookie leagues.

Previous Top 30 Rankings: 2015 (22), 2014 (16)

#28 – Travis Harrison - 23 – OF – Chattanooga Lookouts

Harrison was the Twins second supplemental first round pick in 2011 out of high school in California. At 6-1 and 220 pounds, he is very strong. He played outfield in high school and then moved to third base for his first two seasons as a pro. In 2014, he moved back to the outfield which is where he played in 2015 (though he played left field in 2014 and right field in 2015). In 115 games with the Lookouts, he hit .240/.363/.356 (.719) with 23 doubles, four triples and five home runs. After hitting 15 homers for Cedar Rapids in 2013, he has hit just eight over the last two seasons. He has an advanced approach at the plate, and if patient, the power will come.

Previous Top 30 Rankings: 2015 (23), 2014 (14), 2013 (14), 2012 (12)

#27 – Yorman Landa - 21 – RHP – Cedar Rapids Kernels

The Twins signed Landa from Venezuela in 2010. He spent a year in the DSL, a year in the GCL, and then a year in the Appy League. He began the 2014 season with the Kernels and was named to the league’s All Star game. However, he missed the second half of the season after having shoulder surgery. He returned to the Kernels on May 19^th and pitched an inning. However, he returned to Florida. A month later, he began a rehab assignment in the GCL which lasted eight games over three weeks. In mid-July he returned to the Kernels and was terrific the rest of the way. In 26 innings, he walked 14 and struck out 30 while allowing opponents to hit just .191. He was frequently hitting 98 and 99 on the radar guy. Like others, it was most important for Landa to get through the season healthy. He did and is pitching in Venezuela this winter. He should start 2016 in Ft. Myers with the Miracle.

Previous Top 30 Rankings: 2014 (30)

#26 – Aaron Slegers - 23 – RHP – Ft. Myers Miracle/Chattanooga Lookouts

Slegers was the Big 10 Pitcher of the Year while at Indiana in 2013. The Twins made him their fifth round pick. At 6-10 and 250 pounds, the lanky right-hander has impeccable control. He ended his 2014 season with three starts with the Miracle. That’s where he began the 2015 season. In 19 starts, he was 8-6 with a 2.87 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP. In 119.1 innings, he walked just 21 and struck out 80. He earned a late-season promotion to Chattanooga where he went 1-4 with a 4.91 ERA in six starts. That’s where he’ll begin the 2016 season as well with the possibility of a promotion to Rochester at some point. He doesn’t throw real hard, but he has three pitches and a sense of how to pitch.

Previous Top 30 Rankings: N/A

So, what do you think of Part 3, Prospects 26-30? Later this week, we’ll continue the countdown. Feel free to share your thoughts on these prospects. Who is too high or too low on this list?