Twins Daily 2021 Top Prospects: 16-20

20. Bailey Ober, RHP

Age: 25 (DOB 7/12/1995)

2019 Stats: (Rk/A+/AA): 78.2 IP 0.69 ERA, 0.81 WHIP, 33.8 K%, 3.0 BB%

2020 Ranking: NR

Ober was among the most impressive pitchers in the entire minor leagues in 2019. Over 78 2/3 innings, Ober allowed just six earned runs and nine walks while striking out 100 batters. He had the lowest ERA among all minor league pitchers with at least 50 innings, the best K:BB ratio among anyone with at least 70 innings and finished third in the voting for Twins Daily Minor League Starting Pitcher of the Year.

Ober was selected by the Twins in the 12th round of the 2017 Draft out of the College of Charleston. He missed a year of college ball recovering from Tommy John surgery and made just 14 and 13 starts his first two full seasons in the minor leagues, respectively.

I almost got through an entire blurb about Ober without mentioning it, but there’s no getting around the fact that this man’s sheer size is most definitely also noteworthy. He was added to the 40-man roster this offseason, and the Twins now officially list him at 6’9” and 260 pounds.

To get to know Ober a little better, check out Seth’s interview with him from earlier this offseason.

19. José Miranda, 3B/2B

Age: 22 (DOB 6/29/1998)

2019 Stats (A+/AA): 483 PA, .252/.302/.369 (.671 OPS), 8 HR, 11.2 K%, 5.0 BB%

2020 Ranking: 20

Miranda was one of the high school hitters taken early in the 2016 Draft, the final class under Terry Ryan. His 2019 stat line doesn’t jump off the page, but keep in mind he did post an above-average OPS for the Florida State League and was young for the level. He earned a promotion to Double A and went 3-for-5 in his lone regular season game with Pensacola before hitting .368/.429/.526 (.955 OPS) in five playoff games with the Blue Wahoos.

Miranda’s 11.2 K% was the lowest in the system and 28th overall among all minor leaguers with at least 350 plate appearances in 2019. Strikeouts are bad, but so are weak ground balls and infield pop ups. He may benefit from being more selective earlier in counts, then adjusting back to his more natural contact-oriented approach with two strikes.

Miranda helped Criollos de Caguas to a Puerto Rican Winter League title by posting .302/.377/.472 (.849 OPS) line and hit a three-run homer in the deciding game of the championship series. He then slumped in the Caribbean Series, but getting competitive games under his belt this winter will hopefully be the catalyst to a breakout 2021 season.

https://twitter.com/TFTwins/status/1358077116412276746

18. Alerick Soularie, UTIL

Age: 21 (DOB 7/5/1999)

2019 Stats: NA

2020 Ranking: NR

Even just a few years ago, Soularie’s lack of a true defensive position may have seriously hindered his draft stock. These days, teams value defensive versatility so much it could be viewed as a plus. He spent most of his time at Tennessee playing outfield but also saw some time at both second and first base.

Soularie’s hit tool is what made him the Twins’ second-round pick in the 2020 Draft. In 76 games with the Vols, he posted a .336/.448/.586 (1.034 OPS) line with more walks (49) than strikeouts (47). He hit 16 home runs over that stretch and went 10-for-11 in stolen base attempts.

His swing packs a lot of punch for a guy, listed at 6’0” and 175 pounds, he showed excellent awareness of the strike zone and great plate coverage. Taking a look back at his collegiate highlights, you can see him barreling up balls up or down in the zone, pulling pitches and taking others to the opposite field.

17. Ben Rortvedt, C

Age: 23 (DOB 9/25/1997)

2019 Stats (A+/AA): 320 PA, .238/.334/.379 (.713 OPS), 7 HR, 20.9 K%, 10.9 BB%

2020 Ranking: NR

Rortvedt has garnered praise for his leadership and ability to control the running game, but the past few years his framing ability really took a step in the right direction, as well. Much like Mitch Garver and Ryan Jeffers, he has taken to some unorthodox pre-pitch setups to improve the odds of stealing strikes for his pitchers.

At the plate, the left-handed hitting Rortvedt has shown a knack for getting on base, posting an OBP above .330 in both 2018 and ‘19. His 10.9 BB% ranked 12th in the system among hitters with at least 250 plate appearances. The in-game power has yet to flourish but it’s not on the account of lack of strength. This guy is built like a tank. Seems likely a swing adjustment could unlock more of that pop, but that’s easier said than done.

Back in 2019, Rortvedt went 30-for-58 in throwing out attempted base stealers (52%) and had a .763 OPS against right-handed pitchers. He was added to the 40-man roster this offseason, and while the Twins are fortunate enough to already have a pair of strong long-term options behind the plate, Rortvedt appears to be on his way to carving out a big league career of his own.

16. Edwar Colina, RHP

Age: 23 (DOB 5/3/1997)

2019 Stats (A+/AA/AAA): 97 1/3 IP, 2.96 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 25.4 K%, 8.0 BB%

2020 Ranking: 16

Speaking of guys built like tanks, at 5’11” and 240 pounds Colina is among the beefier pitchers you’ll see. Pitching out of the bullpen, his fastball sits in the high 90s and touches triple digits. He pairs that with a high-spin, mid-80s slider.

Colina had a lot of success as a starting pitcher in the minors, so it’s possible the door to him returning to the rotation remains open. He posted a career 2.80 ERA over 324 2/3 innings pitched down on the farm prior to last year. We’ll see.

Colina made his MLB debut last season. It did not go well, but it did create an opportunity for him to get some detailed instruction and inspiration from Rich Hil in the dugout. That debut outing was discussed during a Twins Spotlight Seth recorded with Colina, so make sure to check that out.

Here are some highlights of Colina pitching for the Twins during Spring Training last year:

Twins Daily 2021 Top 20 Prospects

Honorable Mentions

Stop by tomorrow for prospects 11-15