Nick Nelson

Little did know back then how it would shape the future of the Twins franchise. Image courtesy of Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports Last June marked the 10-year anniversary of the 2012 MLB Draft, led by the 1-2 punch of Carlos Correa and Byron Buxton at the top. A decade later, these former high school superstars have followed very different paths to the same destination: featuring as twin faces of the Twins franchise, now and going forward. With this being the case, it's fascinating to look back at how that draft played out, and to compare the career paths of other players taken in the top 10 who could've been in play for the Astros and Twins when they selected first and second overall. Controversy at the Top Although Correa and Buxton were viewed as two of the best high school talents to enter the draft in a long time, neither was the trendy top pick in mocks and projections. No, that would be Stanford right-hander Mark Appel, who was viewed as a surefire frontline starter with a quick path to the majors. Leading up to the draft, Appel reportedly turned down a $6 million offer from the Astros, who possessed the number one pick. Houston turned their attention elsewhere, and so did the Twins – selecting second – and several other teams, as we'll see. The Appel dynamic is important to keep in mind as we run back through the top 10, pick by pick. In another scenario where the right-hander simply accepted the offer from his hometown team, rather than betting on himself and returning to Stanford, things could have played out very differently. Alas ... #1 Pick: Carlos Correa, SS – Astros The Astros decided to go with the 17-year-old prep phenom from Puerto Rico. Correa had reportedly "blown away" Houston's evaluators during pre-draft workouts, convincing them he was special enough to justify taking in front of the kid getting Bo Jackson comps out of Baxley, GA. "They watched a 6-foot-3, 190-pound shortstop with staggering skills," wrote Peter Gammons at the time. "Soft hands. Incredibly lithe feet, which allows him to maintain uncanny balance in his powerful swing and always catch grounders in position to throw." It's unclear whether the Astros actually thought Correa was a better talent than Buxton, because their decision was also motivated by finances: signing the shortstop under-slot at $4.8 million enabled them to harvest their savings and lure prep pitcher Lance McCullers away from a college scholarship with a big bonus at 41st overall. (The Twins used a very similar strategy five years later, with Royce Lewis and Blayne Enlow.) The rest, as they say, is history. Correa dominated the minors and rose in the top prospect rankings, topping out at #3 on MLB.com's list in 2015 before he broke through to the majors and won Rookie of the Year. The two names ahead of him in the top prospect ranks at that time? Number two Kris Bryant, and number one ... #2 Pick: Byron Buxton, OF – Twins Buxton was widely viewed as the best prospect in the draft, so the Twins were thrilled to land him with the second pick. They paid a premium to sign him away from the University of Georgia, with Buxton's $6 million bonus easily topping any other player in this draft (no one else even got $5 million) and beating Joe Mauer's franchise record. Buxton went on to do what was optimistically expected of him: he quickly became the consensus top prospect in the minors, reached the big leagues three years after being drafted (in fact, he debuted in the same week as Correa), and developed into one of MLB's preeminent stars – albeit with a bit more of a learning curve and a lot more injury hiccups. It's interesting now to wonder what the Twins would've done if Houston followed the more straightforward route by drafting Buxton. Would they have taken Correa? That seems likely. In a retrospective on the leadup to the 2012 draft for The Athletic, Aaron Gleeman wrote about how dazzled the Twins were by Correa during a workout at Target Field. "Minnesota’s brain trust of general manager Terry Ryan, vice president of player personnel Mike Radcliff and scouting director Deron Johnson had Correa and Buxton as the top two prospects on their board, going back and forth on who should hold the top spot," Gleeman shared. How fortuitous to 10 years later have both locked up long-term. #3 Pick: Mike Zunino, C – Mariners The top college hitter in the draft was a big slugging catcher out of the University of Florida. Zunino was the best player on a Gators team that reached three straight College World Series. The Mariners signed him to a $4 million bonus, with the hopes that his advanced bat would rise quickly. It did – Zunino reached the majors one year after being drafted – but he wasn't destined for the same kind of star status as Correa and Buxton. The catcher has had a relatively successful big-league career, accruing 850 games played over 10 seasons, but didn't quite turn into the two-stud Seattle envisioned. Zunino signed a free agent deal with the Guardians in December so we'll be seeing plenty of him in 2023. #4 Pick: Kevin Gausman, RHP – Orioles With arguably the top three position players off the board, the Orioles set their sights on trying to nab the best pitcher in the draft. While they might have felt it was Appel, Baltimore wasn't looking to get involved in those hardball negotiations so instead they were left to choose between two standout collegiate arms: Gausman out of LSU or Kyle Zimmer out of the University of San Francisco. They made the right choice, albeit not one that would end up benefiting their franchise a ton. Gausman quickly emerged as a top prospect, and was in the big leagues a year later at age 22. From there it took the righty a very long time to blossom into the frontline starter he would eventually become. He spent five mostly average years in Baltimore, then jumped around to Atlanta and Cincinnati before ending up in San Francisco where he finally turned the corner. He parlayed a breakout season in 2021 into a $110 million contract with the Blue Jays, and made good on the first year by leading the AL in FIP and K/BB ratio. Gausman was the top pitcher selected in the 2012 draft, and eventually fulfilled his promise, but not until a decade later when he was 30. I think that perspective is important to keep in mind for Twins fans underwhelmed by the fruits of this current front office's pitching development efforts through seven years. It takes time. #5 Pick: Kyle Zimmer, RHP – Royals Of course, sometimes it just doesn't take at all. Zimmer emerged at USF as a strikeout machine with huge upside, convincing Kansas City to take him fifth overall, but struggled with injuries and control issues in the minors. His big K-rates kept him continually on the prospect radar, but it never really materialized in the majors for Zimmer. He made 83 appearances for the Royals from 2019 through 2021 – all but three in relief – and posted a 5.19 ERA. Zimmer is still only 31 so it's not unthinkable he could resurface, but that seems unlikely at this point. He was released from a minor-league contract by the Reds last summer after struggling in Triple-A, and is currently a free agent. #6 Pick: Albert Almora, OF – Cubs Almora is the type you often see drafted in the first round: a toolsy, athletic prep high schooler with big upside to dream on. He debuted at 22 and looked like he might be a real find early on, but Almora's bat went the wrong way as poor plate discipline tanked his offensive game. (Another familiar story with this player profile.) Since 2019 he has slashed .219/.265/.344 for a 61 OPS+. He's still been hanging around as a glove-only outfielder, and played 64 games for the Reds last year in that capacity. He went unclaimed on waivers in September and is currently a free agent. #7 Pick: Max Fried, LHP – Padres Picking high school pitchers at the top of the MLB draft is hazardous, as the Twins would learn a year later with Kohl Stewart. Rarely does the decision work out as well as it did with Fried, but when it does, you can see why teams are willing to take the gamble. Fried, a California high school standout committed to UCLA, was wooed away by San Diego's $3 million signing bonus. He quickly emerged as a top prospect and was in the majors by 23 despite losing a year to Tommy John surgery. The Padres traded Fried as a prospect, headlining the package to acquire Justin Upton in 2014. They'd probably like to take that one back. Fried has emerged in his late 20s as a bona fide ace in the Braves rotation, and finished runner-up for Cy Young last year. #8 Pick: Mark Appel, RHP – Pirates Finally, Appel's long fall reached an end, when the Pirates selected him eighth overall. It was quite the fiasco. Apparently Pittsburgh had never even gotten in touch with Appel or his family before the draft, which set negotiations off on a sour note. They never recovered. Appel reportedly turned down nearly $4 million, opting to return to Stanford as a senior and aim for a top-pick bonus in 2013. (It worked; he went first overall to Houston and signed for $6.35 million the next year.) Among the 60 players taken between the main and supplemental first rounds in 2012, Appel was the only player not to sign. His agent? Scott Boras, naturally. Appel's career ended up being quite the odyssey. He flamed out in the minors and announced he was stepping away from baseball in 2018. Then, after several years off, Appel made a comeback in 2021, and worked his way back into the majors as a reliever for the Phillies last year. A cool story, but little more. Appel threw 10 innings for Philly, experienced elbow inflammation, and then got DFA'ed after the season. He's a free agent hunting for another chance in Triple-A. #9 Pick: Andrew Heaney, LHP – Marlins Drafted out of Oklahoma State University after a stellar junior season, Heaney became another example of how long it can take for things to come together with a pitching prospect. He established himself as an elite prospect and reached the big leagues at age 23, but Heaney endured a lengthy battle with the MLB learning curve. From 2014 through 2021, a stretch of eight seasons spent mostly with the Angels, Heaney posted a 4.72 ERA and 4.45 FIP as one of the league's most homer-prone starters. His big strikeout rates were never backed by truly outstanding results. Last year, the Dodgers signed him to a cheap one-year deal, exercised careful usage with short outings (a Twins-like course of action, I will note), and extracted new levels of success. Heaney enjoyed a rejuvenated market this offseason, signing a two-year, $25 million deal with an opt out. #10 Pick: David Dahl, OF – Rockies Dahl has had a bit of a Buxton-like career, albeit to a different extreme. Drafted out of an Alabama high school, he got off to a fast start in the minors and climbed the prospect charts. But the sweet-swinging lefty had his own injury derailments along the way, including a torn hamstring in 2013 and a spleen laceration suffered on a collision in 2015, along with rib, back, ankle, foot, and shoulder issues. He's occasionally shown glimpses of his true potential, namely in 2019 when he batted .302 and made the All-Star team. But that season ended after 100 games, which remains the most he's played in an MLB season. He didn't play in the majors last year and is now on a minor-league deal with San Diego. He's still only 28 but Dahl's major-league future is on life support. And there you have it. The 2012 draft included some other gems beyond the top 10, including Lucas Giolito (16th overall), Corey Seager (18th), Jose Berrios (32nd) and newly minted Twin Joey Gallo (39th). But if the two teams at the top, Houston and Minnesota, could do it all over again, they probably wouldn't change a thing – as illustrated by Keith Law making the same choices when he redrafted the 2012 MLB Draft at The Athletic. Now, through a shocking twist of fate, the Twins will be building around both of those top two players for the next six years at least. View full article

With the slow holiday season behind us, Hot Stove action has kicked back into high gear. The past week brought Twins fans a Carlos Correa reunion, a Chris Paddack contract extension, and reignited trade rumors. Here we'll get you caught up on all the latest. Image courtesy of Jordan Johnson-USA TODAY Sports When last we checked in with a status update, mum was the word. Despite some hiccups, Carlos Correa appeared destined to sign with the Mets, and it was unclear how the Twins could still find a way to make a splash. Ten days later, the narrative has been flipped upside down. They found a way. Twins Sign Correa to Franchise-Record Free Agent Deal As negotiations with New York continued to stall, Scott Boras turned his attention back to Minnesota, and the Twins were able to offer a deal that got it done, locking up Correa throughout his prime. The particulars of the contract are quite favorable to the Twins, protecting against the perceived breakdown risks that scrapped his agreements with San Francisco and New York. Correa gets six years and $200 million guaranteed – shattering Josh Donaldson's precedent ($92M) for largest free-agent commitment in Twins history – with a series of team options that can vest via playing time. The deal could max out at 10 years and $270 million. Interestingly, Correa's salaries decrease dramatically in the latter years, which almost seems to reflect a shared understanding that he'll likely cease to be a major factor in his late 30s. It's a high-risk move on its face. Following the signing, I shared some thoughts about the implications of Correa's ankle issue and more recently, Lucas Seehafer wrote a great piece on the underlying divide within the orthopedic community that Boras lamented during his client's introductory presser. I highly recommend it for insight on the situation. The bottom line is that any such concerns are hopefully a long way from coming into play. Correa was very healthy last year and there's little reason to expect anything else in 2023. His addition to a roster that was looking needy in his absence and solidifies the Twins as verified contenders in the AL Central, now and going forward. Twins and Paddack Agree to 3-Year Contract With an eye on the "going forward" view, Minnesota struck a contract extension with right-hander Chris Paddack – another Boras client – to lock him up through 2025 (a move that was first reported here at Twins Daily!). It's a fairly minor move with some significant upside. The Twins were already set to pay Paddack around $2.5 million this year as he rehabs from Tommy John surgery, so now they're buying into a little upside on the other end if things go well. The righty will again be inexpensive in 2024 ($2.5M), when he should be back to full strength, and the Twins are also buying out his first year of free agency at a mere $7.5M. Even if Paddack can't return to form after a second elbow reconstruction, the team risk here is nominal. Club and Arraez Unable to Agree on Arbitration Terms Prior to last Friday's deadline, the Twins agreed to terms with Paddack and all of their other arbitration-eligible players, finalizing their 2023 salary figures. That is, all except for Luis Arraez. The two sides are said to be divided by more than a million dollars, with Arraez filing at $6.1 million and the Twins countering at $5 million. By the standard of arbitration exchanges, that is a sizable chasm. I think this situation speaks to a bigger issue in play with Arraez, which has rippling effects. There is SO MUCH room for disagreement in his valuation. I saw it in the comments when recently ranking him as the organization's 10th-most valuable player asset. I see it in everyday conversations with fans. And we may be seeing it play out in protracted trade talks with the Marlins, which have been the subject of rumors dating back many weeks. On the one hand, Arraez is a clear star property. He's beloved by the fanbase, still only 25 and coming off a breakthrough year that brought an All-Star nod, batting title, and Silver Slugger award. On the other hand, he's already slid to the bottom of the defensive spectrum, with balky knees and a 3-WAR ceiling (i.e. good, not great). The differing opinions on Arraez factor into more than a looming case before the arbitration panel. Twins and Marlins Said to Be Continuing Trade Discussions It's no secret that Miami, loaded in the rotation after signing Johnny Cueto, is open for business on their starting pitchers, with Pablo Lopez topping the list of available names. It's also no secret the Twins could use one more surefire option in their starting mix. So it comes as no surprise the Marlins, still seeking some added offensive punch, have been in contact with the Twins ... which also hasn't been much of a secret. The two sides were linked here by Ted Schwerzler back in December and more recently by Jon Heyman of the New York Post. Heyman mentions Max Kepler and Arraez as names that have come up, but adds the Twins aren't interested in moving Arraez. (Aren't they, though?) Lopez is moderately interesting. He's a good-not-great arm befitting the middle of the rotation, which I suppose would make him a fair swap for Arraez. Except it sounds like if any deal were to materialize, it'd be much more complex than a 1-to-1 exchange. As JD Cameron notes, there are other potential trade partners still out there offering higher-upside opportunities, though the cost to acquire such coveted talent will be exorbitant. Roster & Payroll Projection v. 6 The arbitration agreements reached last week give us more clarity on the payroll for 2023. We're now only guessing on Arraez, and for the time being I'm going with the team-submitted figure out $5 million as that seems more likely. With Correa on board at $36 million for this year ($32M salary and half of an $8M signing bonus), the Twins have suddenly shot up near $150 million in total payroll. I'm keeping Kyle Garlick in as the fourth outfielder for now, but he was DFA'ed to make room for Correa on the 40-man, and could be lost on waivers. Either way, that looks like the clearest spot the Twins need to address before Opening Day: a righty-swinging outfielder. The team is said to be "tire-kicking" on Adam Duvall (per Darren Wolfson) as he remains one of the few intriguing free agent options suited for the role. View full article

I mean everything you're saying makes total sense. But then why wouldn't the Mets, who care not about money and clearly wanted him very badly, come within even $40M of the Twins' guaranteed offer? After another adamant big spender backed away? That's what I'm struggling to connect.

The Twins have done the unthinkable. After seemingly looking in from the outside on the shortstop's market all winter, they swooped in this week and snagged Carlos Correa away from the Mets. The reason Correa was available to the Twins, and the reason his contract with Minnesota is structured as it is, boils down to an ankle concern that will weigh heavily in the fate of this blockbuster move. Here's what we know about it. Image courtesy of Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports I doubt anyone needs a recap at this point, but to quickly summarize: Nearly a month ago, Carlos Correa reached agreement with San Francisco on a historic 13-year, $350 million contract that would have made him one of the highest-paid players ever. It was the culmination of a lengthy gambit by Correa and Scott Boras, which included signing a short-term deal with the Twins last offseason and waiting out the shortstop market this year. Or so it seemed. Just ahead of Correa's deal with the Giants being made official, San Francisco balked at something in his physical, leaving the deal in doubt. The issue at hand, evidently, was an old ankle injury from 2014 that had required insertion of a metal plate in his lower leg. Wasting no time, Boras quickly pivoted and got in touch with Mets owner Steve Cohen, swinging a late-night agreement for 12 years and $315 million less than 24 hours after the Giants deal fell through. That the agent was so eager to strike another agreement – for a whopping 10% less than San Fran's original offer – was somewhat alarming. More alarming was what came next: in spite of Cohen's impulsive and free-spending ways, and in spite of Correa's flagged ankle being a known factor, the Mets still ran into significant reservations upon their own medical inspection. The Mets and Correa spent nearly three weeks haggling over details and protective language in the contract. In the end, they could not reach an accord. And so along came the Twins, who weren't quite willing to stick with their original offer of 10 years and $285 million in light of all the new information, but won the day with a reduced six-year, $200 million guarantee featuring vesting options that can push the total value to $270. The Mets, evidently, offered $42 million less in guarantees and only WITH the caveat that Correa pass new physicals annually. The Twins outbid the Mets considerably, making it a fairly easy decision for Correa. Yes, the Mets whose ultra-rich owner was clearly adamant about acquiring the star shortstop and has shown an appetite for risk. They couldn't stomach it. The Twins, in this case, had greater appetite than the Mets for assuming financial risk in order to acquire proven starpower. It feels weird to type that sentence but it's true. Granted, Minnesota's final framework with Correa does add some new protections compared to the first offer, with four fewer guaranteed years. The shortstop will need to prove he can stay healthy if he wants to be making the big bucks into his late 30s, and it seems that was going to be the case wherever he signed. But why? Why was Correa such a special case at a time where decade-long contracts are being handed out by MLB teams with seemingly reckless abandon? It comes back to that ankle, which is now a focal point going forward for a Twins team already plagued by health question marks. What do we know about it? Not much, other than that whatever the doctors from the Giants and Mets saw spooked them big-time. Correa's 2014 injury, and the plate insertion to address it, were no secret going in. Still, something popped up on closer inspection that wound up costing Correa some $150 in guaranteed money over the course of a month. I'm not going to pretend to have any expertise on this matter. But I will make an observation. While it's true that Correa has never missed time or received treatment for the old injury as a big-leaguer, that's not to say it hasn't affected his play. With the benefit of hindsight, we can point to some evidence that Correa has potentially been acutely aware of his ankle being a risk point. Thinking back now, I'm struck by an article Phil Miller wrote for the Star Tribune last April detailing how Correa -- despite his solid speed -- had attempted zero steals in the previous two seasons, and seven in the past five, due to concerns over getting hurt. "It's a decision I had to make. Every time you steal a base, there's a greater risk of injury, right? The tag can take you out, hitting the base, you can twist your ankle, break your hands," Correa said at the time. "It's higher risk for little reward. I realized that I'm more valuable offensively and defensively than I am trying to steal bags." Sure enough, when Correa did attempt one single steal during 2022 season, in mid-September, he jarred his ankle. The shortstop looked visibly scared as he quickly collapsed on the ground and grabbed for his leg. He later admitted as much, telling reporters, "He just hit my plate. … Just kind of felt numb, vibrating. So I was just waiting for it to calm down. It was a little scary, but when I moved I knew I was good." The ankle was not an issue thereafter. Correa missed no time and played out the remaining two weeks without incident. And yet, given what we now know, the moment foreshadowed a tumultuous offseason ahead for Correa. Did he stir up or exacerbate the injury in some way? Was this simply an early sign of the underlying issues coming into play as San Francisco and New York fear? We don't know. The upshot here, theoretically, is that Correa has been managing and mitigating the problem for years. Seemingly there is no reason he can't continue to do so at least for the next few. We're talking about a supremely intelligent and dedicated athlete who knows how to take care of himself. With that said, the Mets couldn't sell themselves on C4 despite knowing about all of these qualities and being highly motivated buyers. It seems likely he would've chosen New York if they could've surpassed Minnesota's offer even on the six-year term, but the Mets wouldn't do it. The Twins, already fraught with as much pivotal injury risk as any team in baseball, are now taking one of the most publicized high-risk gambles in the history of free agency. They said from the start they were serious in their desire to bring back Correa and now they've proven it resoundingly by outbidding a skeptical field for a player now labeled as damaged goods. We'll see if more details and information come out in the coming days about the specifics of Correa's ankle, and why the Twins were ultimately much more willing to live with the risk. View full article

Despite all the turmoil, Carlos Correa is widely expected to sign with the Mets, meaning the Twins will have missed out on him along with every other top free agent target. Thus, we're left to wonder how (or if) they'll use up their remaining available payroll dollars. It's hard to find many realistic and remotely appealing possibilities at this point. But there is one trade scenario I keep circling back to – a high-risk gambit that could transform the top of the Twins rotation. Image courtesy of Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports When we put together our Offseason Handbook at the end of last season, we explored a number of trade candidates for the rotation, noting that this has been the front office's preferred avenue for acquiring frontline starters. Several options were mentioned, with varying levels of feasibility. Among them was Pablo Lopez, whom the Twins reportedly engaged the Marlins about earlier this offseason. Another was Chris Sale, who hasn't been connected to Minnesota officially – to my knowledge – but lurks as a potentially pivotal remaining piece in this offseason's landscape. As noted in our Handbook writeup on Sale, his Hall of Fame career has taken a sharp detour since turning 30, with his tenure in Boston largely hampered by injuries and frustration. Last year things reached a painful crescendo, when Sale broke his wrist while biking to get lunch as he was recovering from another surgery. The premise here is that the Red Sox might be motivated to move on, with Sale still owed another $55 million over the next two seasons and Boston's short-term contention hopes in doubt. A report in the New York Post in late December indicated that there could be an opening. "Chris Sale is a pitcher [teams] could look at," wrote Jon Heyman. "The Red Sox told teams early they had no intention to trade Sale, but they’re open to listening on starters now." The "but" there seems to indicate Sale could be among the trade chips they've softened on. Sale is of course familiar with the Twins, and vice versa. The southpaw has tended to be oddly vulnerable against Minnesota's lineup, with a 3.91 career ERA that far exceeds his 3.03 overall mark. But that shouldn't distract anyone from the fact that Sale was among the top 3-to-5 MLB starters in the 2010s, with one of the most dominant track records in history. From 2013 through 2018 he was a top five Cy Young finisher every single year. He holds the all-time MLB record for best strikeout rate (11.1 K/9), and K-BB ratio (5.33). The tall, lanky, hard-throwing left-hander is a force the likes of which baseball has rarely seen. Given their current financial situation, the Twins could reasonably take on the remaining two years of Sale's contract at $27.5 million apiece. If they move Max Kepler's salary, they can do it without even raising total payroll for 2023. It's the kind of short-term, high-AAV, big-upside deal the front office loves. Meanwhile, Sale's price tag along with his age and recent health issues should keep the trade cost in check. There are two key sticking points when it comes to sizing up Sale as a trade target. The first is those health issues. Sale has thrown a total of 48 ⅓ innings since the 2019 season. He underwent Tommy John surgery in 2020 which cost him most of 2021. Last year brought a barrage of unfortunate (yet unrelated) health woes: a stress fracture in his rib during spring training, a finger fracture suffered on a line drive in July, a wrist fracture suffered on a bike ride in August. I'm not saying this pattern of injuries isn't concerning, but it might be less concerning, than – say – recurring forearm or shoulder soreness. And when he's made it to the mound over the last couple seasons, Sale HAS been very effective: 48.1 IP, 3.17 ERA, 10.6 K/9. A possible silver lining to all the missed time these past three years is that Sale's arm, which accrued 1,600 major-league innings through age 30, has gotten a bit of a respite from all the wear. Maybe that will help him thrive in his mid-30s. Or maybe all of these various injuries are signs of a body breaking down. That's one thing the Twins would have to contend with in going after Sale. The bigger hurdle is his no-trade clause. We all know the general attitudes among established frontline starting pitchers with regards to Minnesota. They don't want to come here. Is there any reason to think Sale would feel differently? I guess it feels possible to me. He's familiar with the Midwest and AL Central from his glory days with the White Sox. He could reasonably view the Twins as having a better path to contention right now than the Red Sox. He might also welcome the chance to pitch in a more pitcher-friendly park, under less media scrutiny, as he trends toward free agency at age 35. How realistic is that? Maybe not very. But I'm running out of realistic scenarios that would involve the Twins spending their available funds and meaningfully improving the team's upside. Acquiring Sale would be an audacious gambit, but one that could result in landing the true veteran ace they so desperately need. It might be the only remaining path. View full article

As Minnesota Twins fandom and baseball at large keeps a close eye on the unending Carlos Correa saga, the front office made a fairly minor but still noteworthy move on Friday, claiming right-handed pitcher Oliver Ortega off waivers from the Angels. Blayne Enlow has been designated for assignment. Image courtesy of Jim Cowsert, USA Today In a move to add bullpen depth, the Minnesota Twins have claimed Oliver Ortega, a 26-year-old right-handed relief pitcher, off waivers from the Los Angeles Angels. Dan Hayes of The Athletic was first to report that move. Ortega, who was waived by LA on December 22nd to make room for free agent signing Brandon Drury, has thrown 43 ⅓ innings as a member of the Angels bullpen, posting a 3.95 ERA to go along with an uninspiring 4.74 FIP, 1.2 HR/9 rate and 4.2 BB/9 rate. The numbers haven't been too impressive up to this point, but the Twins obviously see something they like. It might relate to a a big strikeout rate in the minors (10.1 K/9) and a big fastball that features 84th percentile velocity (averaging about 96 MPH) and 64th percentile spin, according to Statcast. He uses the heater as his primary pitch and mixes in a curveball, which is said to be a quality pitch when he can throw it in the zone – a big caveat. To make room for Ortega on the 40-man roster, the Twins designated Blayne Enlow for assignment. The right-hander was acquired out of high school in the first draft under the current Twins front office, but Tommy John surgery derailed his development. He turns 24 in March and still lacks a clear path to the majors. We'll update this article with more information as we get it. For now, feel free to share your thoughts on the acquisition of Ortega and loss of Enlow. View full article

The calendar has flipped to 2023 and still the Twins have done nothing to meaningfully improve their roster while free agency has run dry. They now turn their attention to the trade market in an effort to salvage this wayward offseason and ignite any semblance of enthusiasm within their fanbase. Image courtesy of Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports The lingering storyline and elephant in the room – for Minnesota and MLB at large – is Carlos Correa's situation with the Mets. The shortstop agreed to terms with Steve Cohen and New York more than two weeks ago, but still no contract has been signed as the Mets – like the Giants before them – ran into concerns in Correa's physical. It's a bizarre situation that grows weirder with each passing day. There's been almost no public information shared about the progression of Correa's negotiations with the Mets, other than they were "expected to pick up again soon" as of Monday. At least, up until Jon Heyman reported on Thursday evening that the two sides were "gaining momentum" toward a deal. "The latest word," Heyman writes, "is that while the main terms – $315M over 12 years – may be unlikely to change much, if at all, the Mets have made clear they are intent on diminishing their risk via important language additions and/or alterations." While the odds of Correa's original $315 million fully guaranteed deal coming to fruition now seem small, there remains a general sense that he and New York will ultimately settle, and perhaps soon. (Heyman suggested that it could happen by the end of the week.) Even if the market opens up, it seems unlikely the Twins will now take the long-term plunge on a player whose risk level has publicly skyrocketed. Given how many weighty injury concerns already control their fate going forward, it's debatable whether they should. With that covered, let's catch up on where things stand for the Twins as we turn our attention to the home stretch of the offseason, with pitchers and catchers reporting in just six weeks. Catching Up on Twins Offseason Moves To say the front office's work so far this winter has been underwhelming would be an understatement. Coming off a third-place season, there's been nothing resembling a shakeup or significant improvement thus far. Here's a quick recap of notable moves up to this point: Acquired INF Kyle Farmer in trade for RHP Casey Legumina Traded 3B Gio Urshela to Angels for RHP Alejandro Hidalgo Signed free agent C Christian Vazquez for 3 years and $30M Signed free agent OF Joey Gallo for 1 year and $11M Aaand, that's it! The Twins addressed one clear need – signing Vazquez to fill their gaping catcher vacancy – and have otherwise just sort of shifted things around on the fringes, building necessary depth in some cases (Farmer and Vazquez) and oddly unnecessary depth in others (Gallo). What comes next? Well, speaking of oddly unnecessary depth... Twins Reportedly Showing Interest in Free Agent Starter Wacha As usual, the Twins whiffed on the upper echelon of pitching free agency, leaving them to peruse what's left here in January and February. According to The Athletic, the club has shown interest in one of the best remaining starting pitcher options available: right-hander Michael Wacha, who played for the Red Sox in 2022. On the surface, he seems like a worthy target to upgrade the rotation. Last year in Boston, he went 11-2 with a 3.32 ERA and 1.11 WHIP – Sonny Gray numbers, if not better! The problem, and the reason Wacha remains on the market, is that every underlying metric points to significantly underperforming those numbers and embodying the same mediocre starter he's long been. Wacha has a career 4.05 ERA and 4.07 FIP. Last year his FIP checked in at 4.14, nearly a full run higher than his ERA. His K/9 rate plummeted to match a career low at 7.4. He fits the Twins mold as a strike-throwing righty with a low-90s fastball and great changeup, but Wacha is a thoroughly average pitcher with minimal upside at this stage of his career. I'm not saying he's useless. And I'm not saying the Twins couldn't use rotation depth. But it's unclear what he really adds other than redundancy, and it'll come at an inflated cost. For the front office to sign him would very much carry a "well, what else are we gonna spend it on at this point" vibe. At this rate it's getting harder to disagree with Matthew Taylor's assertion from mid-December: the Twins front office played themselves by watching every impact free agent come off the board during their futile pursuit of Correa, and are now left with an extreme uphill battle to put together even a satisfactory offseason. The only way to reverse their fortunes and rejuvenate fan confidence, it seems, would be with at least one high-profile trade. Trade Season Is Upon Us With free agency cleared out, front offices like Minnesota's must now turn to the trade market in search of upgrades. We tend to see talent swaps pick up quite a bit during this stage of the offseason. Earlier this winter, the Twins were reportedly discussing a Jorge Lopez trade with the Marlins. It's possible those two teams will revisit talks. Of course, Max Kepler is also known to be on the block – especially with Gallo now in tow – but there's been surprisingly little chatter regarding his market. One possibility we sadly must consider is that the Twins will pivot into a short rebuild or "step back," seeking to flip some of their short-term assets for future talent as they stare ahead to steep uncertainty in 2023. Dan Hayes posits that with free agent pitching picked over, "Gray could be a perfect sell-high trade piece to a team looking to add a good starting pitcher," suggesting essentially that Wacha could be his replacement. It's one path, I guess. An incredibly uninspiring path that would leave me and plenty of other Twins fans rightfully disgruntled. Roster and Payroll Projection: v4 Little has changed since the last update in mid-December, except that I've added the versatile Willi Castro – signed to a minor-league contract just before the New Year – as a utilityman to round out the bench. The 25-year-old has 300 games of major-league experience in Detroit, including 112 last year, where he played every position except first base and catcher. With his addition, the Twins could basically field an Opening Day roster as comprised below, and it wouldn't be embarrassing. But, it also wouldn't be exciting or energizing for an embattled fan base, nor would it fit the MO of a front office that likes to (eventually) rattle the cage. I suspect we'll see this mix shaken up in a major way before long. View full article

No? Because strikeouts weren't what prevented Sano from being good. He had roughly the same K-rates during his All-Star hay-day as during the past three years.

Ah, but that's the point of the exercise! From Part 1: "We account for age, contract, controllability, upside, etc. It's not strictly a ranking of trade value, because that would be more team-agnostic, where this list aims to capture a very Twins-specific POV. As such, players at areas of scarcity (i.e. pitching) get elevated while those at areas of abundance (i.e. lefty-swinging corner guys) get downgraded a bit."

Based on my understanding, the general knock on him is that he's too big to play SS long-term, which is valid. But then again he's about the same size as Royce Lewis. Lee has excellent hands and a strong (albeit not amazing) arm. I don't think he'll be an everyday SS in the majors or anything but I think he's more likely to make some appearances there than, say, Austin Martin.

With the arrival of a new year, it's time to update my annual rankings of the top 20 most valuable player assets in the Minnesota Twins organization. Read on for the final installment, to see where I landed on the top five and find a full recap of the list. Image courtesy of David Berding-USA TODAY Sports If you like, you can quickly catch up on the ground rules for this exercise in the first installment. The short version is this that we're attempting to rank Twins players and prospects through a big-picture lens in asking: Which current players in the organization are most indispensable to fulfilling the vision of building a champion? Here in this fourth installment, breaking down my picks for #1 through #5: the cornerstones upon which the Twins will aim to orchestrate their success in the coming years. First, a recap of the list as it stands, as covered in Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3: 20. Matt Wallner, OF 19. Louie Varland, RHP 18. Sonny Gray, RHP 17. Jorge Lopez, RHP 16. Alex Kirilloff, OF/1B 15. Ryan Jeffers, C 14. Trevor Larnach, OF 13. Austin Martin, SS/OF 12. Connor Prielipp, LHP 11. Simeon Woods Richardson, RHP 10. Luis Arraez, 1B 9. Jose Miranda, 3B/1B 8. Emmanuel Rodriguez, OF 7. Jhoan Duran, RHP 6. Bailey Ober, RHP Top 20 Twins Assets of 2023: 1 through 5 5. Royce Lewis, SS 2022 Ranking: 4 In some ways, Lewis' 2022 season was obviously a huge setback. To come out on the other end of a long, grueling recovery from reconstructive knee surgery, only to reinjure the same ligament and recommence the very same process ... it's an almost unthinkable level of bad fortune. But that's not to say his season was a loss. Far from it. In 46 games between Triple-A and the majors, he showed plenty to solidify his status as a top-five asset in the organization. In 194 total plate appearances he batted .310 with 16 doubles, seven homers, and 12 steals. That includes a debut stint in the majors, filling in for COVID-stricken Carlos Correa, that was so impressive the Twins flipped Lewis' role – from shortstop to utilityman – on the fly in order to rush him back. As we all know, calamity struck soon as soon as he returned. And two straight serious injuries to the same knee, with the latest expected to keep him out until midseason, certainly diminishes his stock. But the talent, the electricity, the youth (still only 23), and especially his future importance cement him as a central asset of this franchise. It's really hard to doubt the kid at this point. 4. Jorge Polanco, 2B 2022 Ranking: 2 Polanco's value mainly derives from his steadiness: he's been a reliable, durable, clutch, consistent fixture near the top of the Twins lineup for years, and likely will be for several more. The 29-year-old is entering his final guaranteed year under contract, at a very reasonable $7.5 million price tag, but Minnesota has team options for 2024 ($10.5M) and 2025 ($12M). This is more favorable to the Twins than a straight three-year deal because they have the ability to pull out and save millions should Polanco collapse. One could argue there are some concerning signs on that front. He posted a career-high K-rate in 2022, causing his batting average to plummet to .235, well below his career .270 mark. He also ended the season on the injured list, with a knee issue adding to his medley of historical ankle injuries. But at the same time, Polanco showed signs of adapting his game to stay productive. His spike in K-rate came attached to a huge increase in walk rate, with an elite 14.4% mark more than doubling his 7.0% rate from 2021. As a result, Polanco posted the second-highest OBP of his career (.346). And while the stat sheet shows a drop-off in power, his batted-ball data was very strong, helping the second baseman produce a stellar .358 xwOB, which suggests his offensive approach is exactly where it needs to be. Polanco's getting older and a little more expensive, but remains an excellent star-caliber player and cornerstone for this franchise. 3. Joe Ryan, RHP 2022 Ranking: 7 In large part, these rankings are about upside and ceiling – as you'll see reflected in the top two choices. Players with a real chance to be cost-controlled superstars and top-tier performers at their position are the primest of assets, generally speaking. But you also need to weigh the probabilities and assign proper value to those who can reliably provide essential services to the team. Thus, Ryan finds himself in the top three. Is he an ace-caliber arm with the tantalizing potential of a Connor Prielipp? No. But what's great about Ryan is that he has no more rungs to climb, no more hurdles to jump, nothing left to prove. He's a bona fide major-league starter with a tremendous track record of durability and consistency on the mound across all levels. For an organization that has no other young pitchers who can rightly say the same, and no veteran starters under control beyond the 2023 season, these qualities make Ryan – who won't be eligible for free agency until after 2027 – an indispensable building block for the rotation going forward. 2. Brooks Lee, SS 2022 Ranking: NR To say the Twins think highly of Lee would be a mighty understatement. They were thrilled to get him with the eighth overall pick in last year's draft, and were so eager to move him through the organization that he concluded his half-season pro debut at Double-A. The baseball world at large is also taking notice. His stellar performance as a 21-year-old pro fresh out of college – .303/.389/.451 with a 20-to-16 K/BB ratio in 139 PA between three levels – quickly earned him distinction as the organization's top prospect in the eyes of many. Not only is the Cal Poly product flashing advanced hitting skills that could push him to the majors quickly, but he's also showing the defensive ability of a guy destined to play at least some shortstop once he gets there. No matter where he ends up on the diamond, Lee figures to be a central contributor on the Twins for many years. 1. Byron Buxton, CF 2022 Ranking: 1 The 2022 season was, in many ways, more of the same for Buxton. Many people would say that in a derisive way – immediately pointing to the injuries that sidelined him for much of the second half – but I mean it in a positive way. When on the field, the center fielder continued to solidify his status as a premier MLB player, earning his first All-Star nod and turning in the third 4+ fWAR season of his career (and second in a row). He set a career high in home runs with 28 while posting a 135 OPS+ and continuing to grade as one of the league's best defensive outfielders. Since 2019, Buxton ranks 36th among all MLB position players in fWAR, which is remarkable when you consider that he's played in literally half of his team's games during that span. (51%, to be exact.) He's one of the highest-impact players in baseball, without question. I am mindful of the factors detracting from Buxton's value as an asset, of course. Namely the injuries, which came roaring back in full force last year, as well as the steps being taken to mitigate those injuries (more days off and DH duty), which take away a bit of what he offers. But, as the aforementioned stats illustrate, he's still offering plenty. And as I wrote last year, his highly favorable contract accounts for all that risk. Even as his annual base salary escalates to an ongoing rate of $15 million annually this year, that's still a huge bargain for what he already provides, let alone the massive upside he brings to the table. I mean, we just saw the White Sox sign Andrew Benintendi to a five-year deal with the same annual rate. Benintendi has once in his career (2018) posted a 4.0 fWAR or better, which Buxton produced in 92 games last year. If the knee issue that tormented Buxton throughout 2022 proves chronic and recurring, that will impact his ability to remain atop this list going forward. For now, I'm keeping that possibility on the back-burner. If he can finally find a way to shake off the injuries and stay somewhat healthy, Buxton will rise to become one of the most valuable player assets in all of baseball. View full article

The way I look at it is this: Arraez is still the same player as he was a year ago. In 2022 we saw him at the absolute max of his skill set, and in 2021 we saw him at the lower end. To be honest the past season didn't change my opinion of him much. His entire production is so dependent on batting well above ,300 and that's just a hard line to walk.

The notion that Duran will be able to throw the way he did last year and hold up physically over 150+ innings in a fantasy. The Twins know that. In his heart, he probably knows that too. It's never gonna happen.

Why do we care about the batting average of a guy who got on base literally half the time?? As for Arraez, I can say with some confidence that at least one other team has been lukewarm on him as an asset in trade talks this offseason for some of the same reasons I mentioned...

With the arrival of a new year, it's time to update my annual rankings of the top 20 most valuable player assets in the Minnesota Twins organization. Read on to see where I landed on #6 through #10 for the list. Image courtesy of Nick Wosika-USA TODAY Sports If you like, you can quickly catch up on the ground rules for this exercise in the first installment. The short version is this that we're attempting to rank Twins players and prospects through a big-picture lens in asking: Which current players in the organization are most indispensable to fulfilling the vision of building a champion? Here in this third installment, breaking down my picks for #6 through #10, we find a couple of great hitters with defensive fit question marks, two top prospects with sky-high potential, and an elite reliever who made his mark as a rookie in 2022. First, a recap of the list as it stands, from Part 1 and Part 2 of the series: 20. Matt Wallner, OF 19. Louie Varland, RHP 18. Sonny Gray, RHP 17. Jorge Lopez, RHP 16. Alex Kirilloff, OF/1B 15. Ryan Jeffers, C 14. Trevor Larnach, OF 13. Austin Martin, SS/OF 12. Connor Prielipp, LHP 11. Simeon Woods Richardson, RHP Top 20 Twins Assets of 2023: 6 through 10 10. Luis Arraez, 1B 2022 Ranking: 11 Part of the challenge in these rankings is removing emotion and personal bias from the equation. The idea is to attempt an objective evaluation of players as assets, and that means taking factors like popularity and likability – which of course work strongly in Arraez's favor – largely off the table. What are we left with? A great hitter, to be sure. Arraez had a career year in 2022, earning an All-Star nod, batting title, and Silver Slugger award. He's a premium bat and a rare breed in today's MLB. But it also seems telling that such a core fixture wasn't even in Minnesota's Opening Day lineup. Arraez is an odd fit. The team never seemed comfortable with his defense at second or third – certainly not the outfield – and now he's basically become a 1B/DH type with no power. His offense still stands out at those positions, just not to the same degree. Descending so far on the defensive spectrum, and already experiencing recurring leg issues, by the age of 25 portends a tough aging curve for Arraez, who has three years of team control remaining. The impact of his bat and elite OBP skills cannot be downplayed, and his presence on the team is electric, but the lack of power, speed or defensive impact limit has value as an asset. 9. Jose Miranda, 1B/3B 2022 Ranking: 15 In terms of player profile, Miranda is not too dissimilar from Arraez: a bat-first corner infielder in his mid-20s, probably better suited for first than third. The difference is that he's younger, cheaper, and could offer more impact both offensively and defensively. Coming off a breakthrough campaign in the minors, Miranda verified his hitting excellence with an impressive major-league debut. In 125 games he slashed .268/.325/.426 for a 116 OPS+ as a rookie. With outstanding strike zone coverage and ability to drive to all fields, the 24-year-old was never an easy assignment for even the most experienced big-league pitchers. He's not quite the overall hitter Arraez is yet, but thanks to his budding power, Miranda has the potential to be a better one, and a much more prototypical corner slugger. He also has three extra years of team control. 8. Emmanuel Rodriguez, OF 2022 Ranking: NR This ranking might be considered a leap of faith: a 19-year-old who hasn't played above A-ball, coming off a major knee injury, ranked ahead of an All-Star in Arraez and stud rookie in Miranda? Maybe it is, but I'm that much of a believer in Rodriguez, the system's breakout star of 2022. Prior to suffering a meniscus tear in July that ended his season, the center fielder was spectacular in Fort Myers, slashing .272/.493/.552 in 47 games. Signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2019 for $2.5 million, Rodriguez showed in his first turn at full-season ball that he's the full package: great defense, power, discipline, speed. Among players to make at least 100 plate appearances in the Florida State League, Rodriguez's 1.024 OPS ranked second only to Jacob Gonzalez, a 24-year-old 1B/DH. Nobody else was within 80 points of the transcendent E-Rod, who generated huge buzz inside and outside the organization and will surely appear prominently on preseason global top prospect lists when they start to roll out soon. He's got a ways to go, and the knee injury slowed his ascent, but Rodriguez is one of the crown jewels in this system and undoubtedly one of their most coveted, valuable trade chips. 7. Jhoan Duran, RHP 2022 Ranking: 14 We knew at this time last year that Duran had an amazing arm. The big question marks suppressing his perceived value: could we count on that arm to stay healthy, and did he have any chance of sticking as a starter? It turns out, no, he wasn't going to stay in a starting role. Instead he transitioned to the back of the big-league bullpen and immediately put forth one of the most dominant, impressive, impactful seasons ever for a Twins reliever. Duran lit up the radar gun, blew away opposing hitters, thrived in the highest of leverage, and set new franchise and major-league records with his jaw-dropping velocity. Perhaps most importantly, Duran remained healthy and strong all year long, with nigh a peep heard regarding elbow or forearm soreness. This inspires hope he can hold up physically in the new role, and so long as he does, it's hard to envision him being anything other than one of the most overpowering late-inning forces in baseball. 6. Bailey Ober, RHP 2022 Ranking: 6 It's no secret that controllable, established major-league pitching is in short supply for the Twins, and also desperately needed in order to fulfill their vision of sustaining contention while completely eschewing the free agent starter market. That's essentially why Ober ranked so highly on the list last year, and why he remains in the same spot this year. True, he struggled with a vexing groin injury that limited him to 11 starts and 56 innings, pitching very little while accruing a full year of major-league service. But on the flip side, he took a real step forward performance-wise, building on his strengths (pinpoint control, efficiency, consistent bat-missing ability) while improving on his weaknesses (allowing hits and home runs) to produce legitimate frontline numbers in the small sample: 3.21 ERA, 2.95 FIP, 1.05 WHIP, 4.64 K/BB ratio. Working in the mid-to-low 90s with his fastball and lacking standout secondary stuff, Ober is no ace, but he's got a sustainable recipe for mid-rotation success with his extension, command, and unique release point. Under control for five seasons, and very cheaply for the next several, the 6-foot-9 righty is a critical and underrated asset for the Twins. View full article

With the arrival of a new year, it's time to update my annual rankings of the top 20 most valuable player assets in the Minnesota Twins organization. Read on to see where I landed on #11 through #15 for the list. Image courtesy of Lon Horwedel-USA TODAY Sports If you like, you can quickly catch up on the ground rules for this exercise in the first installment. The short version is this that we're attempting to rank Twins players and prospects through a big-picture lens in asking: Which current players in the organization are most indispensable to fulfilling the vision of building a champion? Here in this second installment, breaking down my picks for #11 through #15, we find an interesting cross-section of rising and falling stocks. It feels like there's a lot at stake here; a couple of true breakthroughs at this level would profoundly impact the franchise's future fortunes. First, a recap of the list as it stands, from Part 1: 20. Matt Wallner, OF 19. Louie Varland, RHP 18. Sonny Gray, RHP 17. Jorge Lopez, RHP 16. Alex Kirilloff, OF/1B Top 20 Twins Assets of 2023: 11 through 15 15. Ryan Jeffers, C 2022 Ranking: 10 Good major-league catchers are really hard to find. The offseason market is typically sparse; this year the Twins were happy to land a reliably average veteran in Christian Vazquez on a three-year deal that – while reasonable – could hardly be described as team-favorable. Even with Vazquez's addition, catching depth is sparse in the Twins system, which is why Jeffers remains a fairly vital if unexciting asset for the organization. Two straight sub-par offensive seasons have tempered expectations, but the defensively-acclaimed Jeffers remains heir apparent behind the plate, with the Twins surely hoping he'll have emerged as primary starter by the tail end of Vazquez's contract. 14. Trevor Larnach, OF 2022 Ranking: 12 Around this time last year, we were wondering if Larnach's fade during a promising rookie season in 2021 meant he was hitting a wall or merely enduring a speed-bump in his development. The good news is that he fueled the "speed-bump" narrative in 2022 ... at least for a while. Larnach emerged as one of the best hitters in the lineup, earning his way into the heart of the order by June, but a worsening groin/core injury tanked his performance leading up to surgery that ended his season halfway through. There's no reason to believe that particular issue will be a factor going forward, and Larnach in general stands out as a player who figures to benefit from a fresh leadership voice on the training staff. Last year's performance, when healthy, left little doubt as to his viability as a starting outfielder in the big leagues – but at the same time, he hasn't firmly established himself as such and turns 26 in February. 13. Austin Martin, SS/OF 2022 Ranking: 5 Martin's huge regression at Double-A was one of the top headlines for the Twins system in 2022. He'd emerged as arguably their top prospect – centerpiece of the Jose Berrios trade and OBP wizard extraordinaire – but his bat went silent in a follow-up at the same level where he'd spent the entire previous year. While remaining true to his trademark calling card – namely, a knack for getting on base via the BB or HBP and then wreaking havoc as an aggressive runner – Martin batted just .241 with a .316 slugging percentage in his encore at Wichita. He managed two home runs in 90 games. Meanwhile, we gained no real clarity on his defensive future, as he continued to make nearly all of his starts at shortstop, where no one expects him to play in the majors. With all that being said, Martin is still the same player he was a year ago, when he ranked #5 on this list, as well as #1 on our top prospects list and consensus top-50 status on global lists. It feels rash to drop him more than eight spots here in response to one tough season at age 23. In the wake of said tough season, Martin did put together a very encouraging showing in the Arizona Fall League, slashing .374/.454/.482 with six doubles and a homer in 21 games. Something to build upon heading into a crucial 2023 campaign. 12. Connor Prielipp, LHP 2022 Ranking: NR The Twins need to hit big on a premium arm in the draft. It's been a persistent sore spot for this front office. Yes, they've managed to develop some late-round picks like Bailey Ober, Louie Varland and Josh Winder into capable big-league starters, but in seven years, they haven't jumped on a high-end pitcher at the top of the draft and developed him into a frontline stud – and that's really what it feels like this franchise most desperately needs. Prielipp has a real chance to finally break through as that guy. Easily enough said for a player who's yet to throw a professional inning, I realize. But in naming him Minnesota's most intriguing pick in last year's draft, The Athletic notes that before blowing out his elbow in the spring of 2021, "Prielipp was a consensus top-10 draft prospect with a chance to pitch himself into the No. 1 pick conversation." He was fully rehabbed from Tommy John surgery by the time Minnesota selected him 48th overall, but didn't see any official action last year. Baseball America already rates his slider as the best in the Twins system, even though he's yet to technically throw one as part of it. Obviously there's a fair amount of risk attached to Prielipp, and that's why the University of Alabama product lasted into the second round of the draft, but you won't find much more pure upside in a collegiate pitcher draft pick. The Twins really need this one to click. 11. Simeon Woods Richardson, RHP 2022 Ranking: 18 Earlier I mentioned that Martin's step backward was one of the top headlines in the Twins system last year. The flip side is that Woods Richardson's emergence was another of the top headlines, and – given he came over in the same trade package – it helps take some of the sting out of Martin's drop-off. Whereas Martin stumbled at Double-A after thriving there the previous year, Woods Richardson had the opposite experience. He found his footing in a second turn at Wichita, posting a 3.06 ERA over 70 innings, then pitched brilliantly after a promotion to Triple-A where he went 2-0 with a 2.21 ERA in seven starts. It all culminated with a late-season MLB debut, making him the youngest pitcher to appear in the big leagues in 2022. He's very polished and it showed at every stop, but at the same time, Woods Richardson's stuff and approach don't quite scream "frontline starter." Not yet. He just turned 22 in September though, so there's plenty of room for growth. With his big 6-foot-3 frame and excellent demeanor for pitching, he's got much to work with. View full article