With the 61st Overall Pick the Twins Select Steven Hajjar

Hopefully it will soon become a rite of passage for all Twins fans to make the hajj to see this kid pitch.

7 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

Listening to Goldstein......great starting point to get this guy at 61....needs work. Good upside play. A LONG way to go. Everything beyond the FB needs work. A lot of room to grow. 

(re-posted from draft thread, for those that won't go there). Goldstein works at Fangraphs, and used to be in a front office.

I was underwhelmed so thanks for posting that.  Nice to see them going for some lefties.  I hope they can develop him like a Winder type but most all of the big ten pitchers we have taken have been bad picks so not overly confident this one is any better especially with the low velocity.  Kind of Reminds me of an Ober type I guess we will see.  At least FanGraphs likes the pick.

We gotta remember, any pick from  here on was passed over 60+ times before we chose them.  It  is all about luck, the character of these players and the ability of our coaches to get them to the majors.

4 minutes ago, Dman said:

I was underwhelmed so thanks for posting that.  Nice to see them going for some lefties.  I hope they can develop him like a Winder type but most all of the big ten pitchers we have taken have been bad picks so not overly confident this one is any better especially with the low velocity.  Kind of Reminds me of an Ober type I guess we will see.  At least FanGraphs likes the pick.

This front office definitely likes college pitchers with big frames, and he certainly fits that bill.  They haven't been able to improve all of them, but we've seen some success with Winder being the prime example, and the potential is certainly there with Hajjar.  I expect they will have drafted a few more pitchers that fit that description before the day is done.

First concern I see is that he is a redshirt sophomore.  With his only having one year, plus a few innings during COVID last year, is he going to be a player who thinks he can move up and make a lot more $$$ by going back for his junior season?  Assume they know what he will sign for and the second round slot is around there, but that was my first thought.

I managed to take in the NCAA regional at Notre Dame, where Hajjar was locked in a 1-1 duel through five innings before UConn scored three in the sixth on four singles sandwiched around a stolen base. The final hit was past a drawn-in 3B, as I recall. Can't give further specifics from memory, other than that it was a well-pitched game both ways to that point. 

And given that the only other D-1 college game I've attended included a Larnach HR in the College World Series, I consider myself a good omen. 

The Twins added one of the TD top 50, what does that mean?  Wait and see.

have to wonder if this is a guy who they think can increase his velocity under the Wes Johnson Program and have his stuff play up even more in the pros.

Steven Haijar 

Stephen Gonsalves

.almost identical prospects at this stage after their collegiate Seasons

HAIJAR Should be better than Gonsalves long term tho... he's a year younger than Stephen G was obviously ...maybe 2

I like/ love the pick though

12 hours ago, Shs_2 said:

Steven Haijar 

Stephen Gonsalves

.almost identical prospects at this stage after their collegiate Seasons

HAIJAR Should be better than Gonsalves long term tho... he's a year younger than Stephen G was obviously ...maybe 2

Gonsalves never went to college, was drafted as a teenager, so I don’t really know what to make of your comparison.  Both lefties, though!