Theo Tollefson

Why not the Braves too?

Continuing in this prospect lookback series are the 2019 Top 30 Twins prospects from MLB.com. Where did current Twins rank on this list and how many of them still played professional baseball in 2022? Image courtesy of Bruce Kluckhohn, USA Today Sports It's hard to believe that the Twins' phenomenal Bomba Squad 2019 was almost four years ago, but 2023 will be here before we know it. As the time approaches, its fun to look back at the Twins' top 30 prospects of the time, according to MLB.com, and how their 2022 seasons panned out across the majors and minors. Here’s how the top 30 Twins prospects from 2019 had their 2022 seasons end up. On Active Rosters for the end of 2022 3. Brusdar Graterol The Twins' fastest throwing arm at the time, Brusdar Graterol, was ranked as their highest pitching prospect going into the 2019 season. This year, Dodgers counted on Graterol often in high-leverage opportunities and will likely continue to do so in 2023 as their bullpen gets reconfigured. Graterol’s fastball is still one of the fastest in the game averaging 99.4 mph for the sixth highest in MLB according to Baseball Savant. Whether the Dodgers will use Graterol as their main closer in 2023 or keep him as a high-leverage reliever remains to be seen. His greatest tool will always be as the flamethrower of the Dodgers bullpen. 7. Jhoan Duran Baseball’s newest and most successful rookie flamethrower was the Twins second-best pitching prospect in 2019. Now he has exceeded expectations as the Twins' best reliever having the best rookie campaign for an American League reliever since Jonathan Papelbon with the Red Sox in 2006. In 2019, Duran was still being used as a starter making 22 starts between Pensacola and Fort Myers. Back then Duran was not the ace reliever we know him to be know as he pitched 115 innings, posted a 3.76 ERA and struck out 136 batters. Now he looks to keep his title of being enshrined as baseballs fastest pitcher. 10. Nick Gordon Back in 2019, Gordon spent all season at Triple-A Rochester while battling injuries that set back his MLB debut so long. With two full seasons under his belt now, Gordon looks to be the go-to backup outfielder for the Twins in 2023 in left and center fields. His time as an infielder will be more limited with the addition of Kyle Farmer last month. Still, if Gordon continues to build off the success he’s had in 2022. There should be no doubts concerning what he can do for the 2023 Twins. 12. Akil Baddo Baddo’s second season in Detroit was a complete sophomore slump. Injuries kept him out for a portion of the season. And when he was healthy, the energy that brought about the success of his rookie campaign just was not there. 2019 was Baddo’s first big injury setback in his career, keeping him to just 29 games played that season, all in Ft. Myers. His numbers in those 29 games looked similar to that of his 2022 season in Detorit as he posted a .214/.290/.393 triple slash and .683 OPS in 2019. 14. Jose Miranda Miranda spent all but one game of his 2019 season in Fort Myers. At that time he did not look like the player he is now, but the Twins have full confidence in his abilities from 2021 and 2022 to make him the everyday third baseman for the 2023 season. Three years ago, Miranda was still coming into his own at the Twins High A affiliate. His numbers did not exactly pop off as they did the last two seasons in the organization as he posted a .252/.302.369 triple slash and a .671 OPS in 119 games. 15. Gilberto Celestino Once an unknown prospect acquired from the Houston Astros for Ryan Pressly, Gilberto Celestino became the Twins' fourth outfielder for the team this year. Celestino’s first full season in the Twins system was mainly spent in Cedar Rapids where he had one of the best professional seasons of his career. Celestino played in 125 games and posted a .277/.349/.410 triple slash and .759 OPS with career highs in home runs (10) and runs batted in (54). 16. Ryan Jeffers The Twins' hopeful starting catcher in 2022 will now be splitting time in a platoon role with new arrival Christain Vazquez. 2019 was Jeffers first full professional season splitting time between Fort Myers and Pensacola. His promise as a future starting catcher for the Twins showed during that season as he hit .264/.341/.421 for a triple slash and posted a .762 OPS in 103 games. Now, the Twins are hopeful that Jeffers can remain healthy more than anything else and rebuild his promise as a 26-year-old platoon catcher in 2023. 17. Luis Arraez The 2022 American League Batting Champion looks to remain with the Twins for now despite faulty rumors of him being a part of a trade to the Miami Marlins for Pablo Lopez. Back in 2019, Arraez graduated off the prospect lists and to the Majors taking the Twins fandom by storm. He proved the contact hitter going the opposite way was not dead in baseball and quickly became a fan favorite. The only limitations ahead for Arraez are consistent playing time at first base or DH, depending on how the team wants to move forward with those roles in the remainder of the off-season. While his name may still be floated around in trade rumors, Twins fans can be more hopeful he will remain with Carlos Correa not coming back. 22. LaMonte Wade Jr. Like Baddo, Wade Jr. had a hard time repeating his success of 2021 season in 2022. 2019 was the year Wade Jr. graduated off the prospect list and debuted with the Twins in late June. Wade Jr. had 26 games with the Twins in his rookie campaign and spent the majority of his season with the Rochester Red Wings hitting .246/.392/.356 for a triple slash and posting a .748 OPS. Wade Jr. looks to continue as a back up outfielder for the Giants next season and his best hope is to develop himself back into the quality fourth outfielder he was in 2021. 23. Griffin Jax Jax being limited to five starts in all of 2017 was knocked off the Twins Top 30 prospect list in 2018. He found his way back onto the list going into the 2019 season when he pitched his best professional season to date between Double A and Triple A. The 2019 season certainly showed Jax’s highest promise as a future Twins starter as he posted a 2.90 ERA in 127.1 innings pitched across 23 starts. Unfortunately that never turned into reality with Jax’s first season in the majors. He fell into the old adage of being a failed starter that turned into a good reliever. Hopefully Jax can continue to live up to this season’s success in 2023. Played in 2022 but were mainly hurt 1. Royce Lewis His future as the Twins man at shortstop is all but secured now once he heals from injury in July 2023. Every Twins fan knows Lewis had the best start to a season before retearing his knee in late May of this year. Back in 2019 though, Lewis had a down season in the Minors compared to his 2018 season. That is when the Twins decided to send him to the Arizona Fall League to rejuvenate his talents. Lewis did of course do that tearing apart the Fall League’s pitching hitting .353/.411/.565 for a triple slash and posting a .975 OPS across 22 games. 2. Alex Kirilloff Kirilloff has not had the best of luck staying healthy since making his MLB debut in 2020. While his MLB debut was an elimination playoff game, Kirilloff has only managed to play in 104 games across the last two seasons due to his wrist injuries. Injuries still bugged him 2019, but Kirilloff played in a decent amount of games totaling 93 all at Double A Pensacola. He had a triple slash of .283/.343/.413 and OPS of .756. Kirilloff’s injury history is unique and only Kirk Gibson has had the success and longevity after battling the wrist problems. If Kirilloff plays in at least half the Twins games this season, fans can certainly expect him to continue platooning time between first base and the outfield. 5. Trevor Larnach Before getting his call up in 2021 and battling injuries in 2022, Larnach had his best professional season ever in 2019. Larnach played his season between Fort Myers and Pensacola hitting .309/.384/.458 with a .842 OPS. Larnach’s injuries in 2022, compared to that of Kirilloff’s, had more optimism for a sooner return and recovery. He did play in a few games to end the season with the St. Paul Saints. One has to assume, Larnach will see more time in left field than Kirilloff with how the roster currently sits as Kirilloff and Arraez are most likely to platoon between first and designated hitter roles. 18. Jorge Alcala Some Twins fans (including this writer), forgot that Jorge Alcala pitched in any games for the Twins during the 2022 season. The two games Alcala came into relief for were in the Opening Series against the Seattle Mariners. The good news, those two outings were scoreless. The bad, he was out for the remainder of the season. Alcala had surgery on August 3 for right elbow arthroscopic debridement. He is still expected to be ready and healthy for Spring Training 2023. Back in 2019, Alcala was splitting time as a starter and reliever in the minor leagues. That changed once he made his MLB debut with the team on September 21 of that year. Played in 2022, mostly in the Minors or Indy Ball 4. Wander Javier Wander Javier once had such promise as a prospect, he now joins a long list of minor league players who never reached their full potential as the Twins parted ways with him earlier in the off-season. The 2019 season was the beginning of Javier’s fall. After spending all of 2018 on the Minor League IL, Javier played 80 games for the Cedar Rapids Kernels. Over the course of those 80 games, Javier found himself struggling posting a .177/.278/.323 triple slash over the season. 6. Brent Rooker Brent Rooker spent time between the Padres and Royals organizations in 2022 as he was a piece that brought in one of the most controversial relievers in Twins history. 2019 Rooker was another player than he is now. While he battled injuries, Rooker was very productive for the Rochester Red Wings. Rooker hit 14 home runs and had 47 runs batted in along with a .282/.399/.530 triple slash and a .929 OPS in 67 games. 8. Lewis Thorpe Thorpe found his way out of the Twins organization after one start with the St. Paul Saints in April. Three years ago he was a hyped up pitching prospect who finally found his way onto the Twins roster. Thorpe pitched in 12 games and made two starts for the Twins when called up in 2019 and couldn’t repeat the success he had in the minors as he posted a 6.18 ERA in 27.2 innings. Time in Triple A was better for Thorpe in 2019 but not by much as he made 19 starts and posted a 4.58 ERA in 96.1 innings. 9. Blayne Enlow Enlow’s best path to get to the Majors now looks to be from the bullpen as he battled injuries and struggles on the mound throughout the 2022 season. He split time between the rotation and bullpen at Double-A Wichita this year and found more success as a reliever. During the 2019 season, Enlow split time between the Twins' Low and High A affiliates as a starter. He pitched decently totaling 20 starts across 110.2 innings and posted a 3.82 ERA for the season. 11. Stephen Gonsalves After debuting with the Twins in 2018, Gonsalves spent the majority of his 2019 season on the injured list and when healthy, was on three of the Twins' Minor League affiliates. Gonsalves only pitched in 13 innings the whole season, recording only one more out than he did in 2022 for the Iowa Cubs. Gonzalves has not announced that he is stepping away from professional baseball for 2023, but has not pitched since May of this year, it hard to say if he’ll do so again. 13. Yunior Severino One of many players still in the Twins system three years on. Severino had one of his better professional seasons in 2022 splitting time between Cedar Rapids and Wichita. Severino has had a long journey through the lower Minor League affiliates in the Twins organization. 2019 was a season filled with injuries that kept his playing time limited to 28 games at rookie ball and Cedar Rapids. Fortunately for Severino, the last two seasons have seen a great increase in his hitting ability giving him a good chance to get a call-up to St. Paul sometime in 2023. 19. Jordan Balazovic While he struggled mightily for the 2022 season and didn’t see his number improve until the last month of the season. Jordan Balazovic was a completely different pitcher in 2019, working his way up the Twins system. Balazoivc spent the 2019 season between Fort Myers and Cedar Rapids, dominating Low and High A pitchers with a 2.69 ERA, 129 strikeouts and a 0.98 WHIP in 93.2 innings pitched. The big question for Balazoivc is if he can replicate the pitcher he once was in 2019 and break his way onto the Twins roster at some point during the 2023 season. 20. Misael Urbina Currently, the Twins' eighth-best prospect according to MLB.com, Misael Urbina broke into the Twins' minor league system as a 17-year-old kid in 2019. The Twins touted Urbina out in the Dominican Summer League that season and played in 50 of the team’s 64 games. Urbina’s numbers for his first 50 professional baseball games were solid as he posted a .279/.383/.443 triple slash with a .825. While Urbina has not been able to repeat the same success of hitting the last two seasons in the minors, he is still a spring chicken in age as he only turns 21 this upcoming April. There is still plenty of time for him to redevelop as a solid starting outfielder over the course of the 2023 season. 21. Zack Littell After pitching briefly with the Twins in 2018, Littell graduated off the prospect list in 2019 as he had 29 relief outings in the Majors with the team and posted a 2.68 ERA in 37 innings. Littell did not have the same success in the Majors this last year as he had in 2019 as his outings became worse and worse with the Giants in 2022 before a meltdown sent him to the Minors to end the season. Littell was released by the Giants last month and no team has taken a bite on signing him yet. It is still likely for Littell to land a minor league deal with a team before Spring Training rolls around. 24. Ben Rortvedt 2019 was a slight drop-off season for Rortvedt from his 2018 campaign in the minors. Rortvedt played in 79 games across Fort Myers and Pensacola hitting .238/.334/.379 for a triple slash and posting a .714 OPS, four points higher than 2018. Rortvedt never saw time in the Majors this season after being traded to the Yankees with Josh Donaldson and Isiah Kiner-Filefa for Gio Urshela and Gary Sanchez. He is currently playing in the Dominican Winter League to strengthen himself but only has four hits in 41 at-bats across 12 games. 25. Gabriel Maciel An outfielder who has never played a game above the High A level, Gabriel Maciel looked to be the real deal back in 2019. He was one of many players who did not benefit from the loss of the 2020 Minor League season. Maciel spent all of his 2022 season with the Oakland A’s High A affiliate the Langsing Lugnuts, and recovered well from his 2021 season in Cedar Rapids. The A’s parted ways with him after the conclusion of the Minor League season and with Maciel turning 24 next year with no time above High-A, it's hard to say if a team will bring him aboard a minor league contract. 26. Luke Raley Raley was one of three players the Twins received from the Dodgers in the Brian Dozier trade back in 2018. He only spent one full season in the Twins organization in 2019 as he was flipped back to the Dodgers for Kenta Maeda the next off-season. While Raley was in the Twins system, he did not accomplish much as he was limited to 38 games that season. He did hit well while healthy hitting .310/.361/.517 for a triple slash with a .878 OPS. The Twins did send him with Royce Lewis to the Arizona Fall League that season too. Raley spent all of 2022 in the Rays organization hitting really well while in Triple-A Durham but not as well while with the Major League club. He is still with the Rays as of now and looks to serve as a utility player for the 2023 season. 27. DaShawn Keirsey DaShawn Keirsey has battled his way through the Twins system since being drafted out of college in 2018. Keirsey spent all of the 2022 season at Double-A Wichita and the outfielder put together a strong candidacy to move up the ladder to St. Paul next season. In 2019, Keirsey was fairly unknown to most Twins fans in the system as only played in 43 games between Cedar Rapids and Rookie Ball in Elizabethton. While he is not on any current top prospect lists for the Twins, Keirsey may be a name for fans to keep an eye on in 2023 for a future outfield call-up. 28. Travis Blankenhorn Back in 2019, Blankenhorn was far off from being an immediate call-up to the Twins. However, he was an effective hitter between Single and Double-A as he hit .277/.321/.466 with a .787 OPS in 108 games that season. Now he is a minor league free agent after spending the 2022 season in the Mets organization. After 92 games played this year and having defensive versatility, it is possible some team will offer Blankenhorn a minor league deal. 29. Michael Helman In 2019, Michael Helman had his worst year in professional baseball. Now he has become a minor league player many Twins fans are familiar with as he had his best season yet, mostly with the St. Paul Saints in 2022. Helman is like Kyle Farmer as a utility player and can play all the infield and outfield positions. Considering the lack of off-season moves currently at hand for the Twins, Helman realistically could make his MLB debut sometime in 2023. 30. Luis Rijo Luis Rijo did not have a pleasant 2022 season, to say the least. He only pitched in 12 games, started 11, and out of those games came a 6.60 ERA and 1.60 WHIP in 30 innings pitched. Back in 2019, Rijo had potential as he was a much different pitcher posting a 3.87 ERA, and struck out 99 batters in 107 innings pitched across 19 starts. The Twins parted ways with him in October of this year leaving him as he enters minor league free agency. Totals: 10 players on Active MLB rosters 4 players who could be on Active Rosters but are hurt 16 players who are in the Minors, Japan, or Indy Ball Fortunately for all of these former Twins prospects, all of them played professional baseball at some level during the 2022 season. Some, like Thorpe and Gonsalves, may be done but have yet to be confirmed. Others have a ways to go in their career, but the majority look like they’ll be around Major League or Minor League Baseball for the 2023 season. View full article

Jeff Passan is reporting that the Twins have signed slugger Joey Gallo to a one-year deal for $11M. Image courtesy of © Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports MINNEAPOLIS – The Twins have signed outfielder Joey Gallo to a one-year, $11 million contract for the 2023 season, as Jeff Passan of ESPN reported. Gallo, 29, is a two-time American League all-star and Gold Glove winner. 2022 was Gallo’s worst to date as he posted a .160/.280/.357 triple slash and .638 OPS along with 19 home runs and 47 RBI in 126 games between the Yankees and Dodgers. Gallo played 82 of his 126 games with the Yankees in 2022 before being traded on July 29, 2022, to the Dodgers, along with Joely Rodriguez for Trevor Hauver, Ezequiel Duran, Glenn Otto, and Josh Smith. Gallo is known for being one of the most frequent hitters, if not the most, to strike out at the plate. He is the definition of the three true outcome hitter which entails he will either strikeout, walk, or hit a home run anytime he is at the plate. Gallo had a strikeout percentage of 39.8% for 2022, his highest ever in a full season. However, he also has 177 home runs in 2811 plate appearances, or better than one home run every 16 plate appearances. His career-high single-season home run total came in 2017 when he hit 41 with the Texas Rangers. Also, despite his below-the-Mendoza line batting average, (career .199 hitter) he gets on-base; he’s posted a .325 OBP over his career. Now a member of the Twins, Gallo will likely be playing in the corner outfield positions, possibly sometime in center field with 56 career games at the position, and spend time as the designated hitter as well. He has also played at first base during his 8-year career. The addition of Gallo, another left-handed hitting outfielder, also places further emphasis on the future of Max Kepler as a Twin, as Gallo now becomes the seventh left-handed hitting outfielder on the Twins' 40-man roster. Gallo has played 15 games at Target Field in his career and has posted a .263/.323/.632 triple slash with six home runs and 13 runs batted in 62 plate appearances. His .632 SLG percentage at Target Field is his highest in any Major League ballpark with a minimum of 40 plate appearances. The deal comes four days after the Twins signed catcher Christian Vazquez to a three-year, $30 million contract, which was made official today. View full article

No free agents landed a splash contract with the Twins during the Winter Meetings. Is one of those contracts still to come soon for the Twins following the conclusion of the Winter Meetings? Image courtesy of Lon Horwedel, USA Today Sports The 2022 Winter Meetings have concluded in San Diego without any Major League transactions for the Minnesota Twins. While the Twins made little noise, their plans have remained intact because of other teams' free-agent acquisitions. Here are the best moves the Twins can make in free agency following the Winter Meetings. 1. Resign Carlos Correa At this point, it is practically beating a dead horse to stress how important for the Twins to bring back Carlos Correa. Fortunately for the Twins, he is still on the market and there are fewer teams to compete with the Philadelphia Phillies signing Trea Turner and the San Diego Padres signing Xander Bogaerts. Now the biggest challenge for the Twins is enticing Correa and super-agent Scott Boras with an offer, plus incentives, that could do better than the current favorites to sign him, the San Francisco Giants. Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle has reported the Giants have now emerged as the favorites to sign Correa following the Winter Meetings. Slusser writes that the Giants have the incentive to give out a deal to Correa that exceeds Trea Turner’s 11-year, $300 million deal with the Phillies. However, with the Padres signing Bogaerts, it makes their chances at the postseason harder within the NL West. Fellow Twins Daily writer Nash Walker pointed out in a tweet, that between the Twins, Giants, and even the Cubs. Correa’s best chances of making the postseason in 2023 may be back in Minnesota based on division strength. The urgency to return to October baseball for Correa could be a major selling factor for the Twins to resign him, but some other big moves may need to correspond with such an offer. 2. Pursuing Rodon and Bassitt The starting pitching market in free agency has shortened really quickly after the Winter Meetings. The best remaining starter is objectively Carlos Rodon and while the Twins have been linked as a team interested in signing him, there have been no reports of the team meeting with Rodon. With lower-end pitchers such as Kyle Gibson, Matthew Boyd, and Mike Clevinger receiving $10-12 million on one-year deals. Rodon came out asking for a contract worth $30-35 million per season over six or more seasons. The demand from Rodon surpasses those that the Twins were rumored to give to Yu Darvish and Zack Wheeler in recent years. However, the Twins are already willing to spend much, much more on Correa but likely over a longer period of time. Still, if they miss out on Correa, Rodon would be the best remaining free agent for the Twins to sign if he’s still there. In the case that Correa does resign with the Twins, Rodon is likely off the table for budgetary reasons. In that case, former Met Chris Bassitt may be the next best choice to help bolster the Twins rotation. Bassitt is seeking a four-year deal but has not had a set annual price for a contract. He did decline a $19 million mutual option for 2023. Given the amount of money ($72 million) his former teammate Taijuan Walker has received in his four-year deal, Bassitt will likely want at an equivalent four-year, $72 million deal. . Bassitt turns 34 in February and will be 37 by the end of any four-year deal. But his immediate value comes from what he can bring to an already deep group of rotation options would certainly make the Twins better come Opening Day. 3. Sign Christian Vazquez Conversations have happened between the Twins' front office and reigning World Series champ Christian Vazquez and as of this week, an offer has been extended to Vazquez from the Twins as reported by Darren Wolfson of KSTP. The full details of the offer are not currently known but Vazquez would certainly strengthen platoon options at catcher between him and Ryan Jeffers. With Wilson Contreras off to St. Louis and the availability of A's backstop Sean Murphy currently unknown, Vazquez is the best option to help behind the plate. Even if Vazquez declines an offer from Minnesota, a good backup option to sign at catching might be Omar Narvaez. While Narvaez’s defense is not as strong as Vazquez, he still swings a strong bat from the left side of the plate. The conclusion of the Winter Meetings has not slowed down signings as the Mets picked up two big names in Brandon Nimmo and David Robertson on Thursday night. The players the Twins want may not remain available in a week's time. Their best hope is to set new franchise records in contract length and spending with these remaining players they hope to acquire. View full article

It has only been two months since Hurricane Ian made a devastating impact on the Fort. Myers and greater Lee County communities. The Twins Spring Training and Player Development complex suffered minor damages from the storm as the Twins plan to reopen the complex for player camps this Monday. Image courtesy of Landon Bost/Naples Daily News The Twins Spring Training Complex in Ft. Myers was one of many locations in Lee County that suffered damages from the landfall of Hurricane Ian on September 28. Fortunately, the Lee County Sports Complex suffered minimal damage, with some water intrusion that has already been repaired and ballpark cosmetics. What damages the complex did suffer have either been renovated or are nearly close to full renovations as the Twins expect to reopen the doors to the complex on Monday, December 5. The damages of Hurricane Ian’s impact on southwest Florida are still visible to visitors today though as the beaches in Fort Myers are still bearing scars of the storm. “My wife and I drove down there during the first week of November and it was about 35 days after the hurricane,” said Matt Hoy, Senior Vice President of Operations for the Twins. “I've stayed on Fort Myers Beach every year for spring training for the last 30 years. And seeing the damage we immediately started crying, it was devastating. You don't realize the magnitude of the destruction until you see it with your own eyes.” With only minor damages to the complex and less than a mile from Lee County hospital. The Twins organization offered up the complex as a staging ground for first responders in the two months to follow Hurricane Ian’s landfall. “It was an amazing display of resources that were set up on-site there. We're a member of this community, and we want to make sure that we help in any way we can. So anytime there's an emergency like this, we tell first responders, you guys do what you need to do, and utilize the facility accordingly,” said Hoy. John Vittas, Broadcasting and Media Relations Director for the Twins Low-A affiliate the Ft. Myers Mighty Mussels, spent time helping evacuate the complex before Hurricane Ian’s impact on Lee County. Following the storm damage, Vittas and many other Mighty Mussels and Twins employees in the area immediately volunteered their time to World Central Kitchen as the non-profit set up base in the player development complex. “I personally put in some hours with World Central Kitchen and helping a few friends in the area, some of the Mussels employees took it upon themselves to put in 40-plus hours per week. That type of commitment should definitely be recognized. The love and assistance that volunteers showed to those affected in our area was truly inspiring,” said Vittas. While the Twins player development complex was used as a staging ground for first responders and World Central Kitchen. The Twins prospect mini-camps for the fall were moved to Target Field. Pitchers and catchers still have over two months before they start reporting to Lee County for spring training, but Twins fans are already making plans for their annual spring training trips. Vittas says Twins fans can expect the immediate area around Hammond Stadium to look “completely recognizable and just as sunny and vibrant as always.” The beaches are a different story. Vittas said, “Various organizations are working hard to restore the beaches back to their original state, but that will take time. Some Fort Myers beaches may be available to visitors by February, but I’d imagine the traffic and finding space will be challenging. Twins fans could look into using beaches in the Venice/Sarasota area or further up the coast.” The assistance from the Twins organization to Hurricane Ian relief efforts will not be stopping any time soon as Vittas shared the Mighty Mussels front office plans to honor first responders of Hurricane Ian during the 2023 season. “We are looking into several ways to honor first responders and to help fundraise for the communities most affected. The community has always been the largest pillar of Minor League Baseball, and it’s times like these that Minor League teams can truly make a positive impact,” said Vittas. If Twins fans would like to contribute to Lee County recovery efforts that are still in place, they can make donations on the Lee County government website at the Hurricane Ian Relief Fund. View full article

Love how this article has become a discussion of the longest lasting Civil War pension.

A.J. Pierzynski has not been a Minnesota Twins player in 20 years, but the team he was drafted by is still reaping the rewards of his return thanks to a favorable trade lineage the Twins have had in that time frame. Image courtesy of Bruce Kluckhohn, USA Today Sports A.J. Pierzynski is a complicated player in Twins' history. He played a big part in keeping the Twins here and was an all-star catcher on the 2002 team that won the division and beat the Moneyball Oakland A’s. Over the course of his six seasons as a Twin, he spent half that time as the starting catcher, hitting .301 with 26 home runs and 193 runs batted in. Pierzynski’s promise to continue as an all-star catcher was there going into the 2003-2004 offseason, but the Twins had a local kid named Joe Mauer, that had much more to offer for the team’s future. On November 14, 2003, the Twins took into favor the promise of Mauer and shipped Pierzynski to the San Francisco Giants for Joe Nathan, Francisco Liriano, and Boof Bonser. Pierzynski had a one-and-done year with the Giants and signed with the White Sox the next off-season. The Twins, however, are still reaping the benefits of acquiring these three pitchers as their acquisition of Liriano brought forth the opportunity to bring Jhoan Duran into the Twins organization. Nathan needs no reminder of his impact on the Twins. Not only did he become the best closer in franchise history but also one of baseball's best relievers of the 2000s. Bonser was a cult hero with the Twins as a rookie in 2006 making 18 starts and finding success at home in the Metrodome. The success of his rookie year was short-lived as it never carried over into the next two seasons. Bonser spent 2007 as the Twins fifth starter and split time between the rotation and bullpen in 2008. Following an injury that kept him out all of the 2009 season. The Twins flipped Bonser to the Red Sox for minor-leaguer Chris Province who was out of baseball after one year between Double-A and Triple-A. Then there is Liriano, the key figure of this trade and the leg of the trade that lives on today. Liriano was a staple to the Twins' rotation until the 2012 trade deadline. While he was struggling to be consistent at that time after his 2006 Tommy John surgery, the White Sox still called the Twins, seeing value in the lefty. In return for Liriano, the Twins received LHP Pedro Hernandez and infielder Eduardo Escobar. Hernandez was around for the 2013 season with the Twins making 14 forgettable starts and accounting for a 6.83 ERA on the season. He went 8-3 over 16 starts for the Saints in 2015. Escobar didn’t immediately become the player that most Twins fans remember him. Once he became an everyday player for the Twins in 2014, that’s when fans began to notice him as a utility infielder that could certainly help this team flourish. Escobar’s time as a Twin was most memorable in the 2017 Wild Card season when he hit 21 home runs, drove in 73 runs, and posted a career-high (at the time) with a .758 OPS. As Escobar built off his success in 2017 the next year, the Twins were not able to do so as a team seeing themselves as sellers during the 2018 trade deadline. On July 27, 2018, the Twins traded Escobar to the Arizona Diamondbacks and in return received a couple of outfield prospects and a pitcher named Duran. Jhoan. Duran. While Jhoan Duran worked his way through the minors as a starting pitcher. In 2022, Twins fans came to know Duran as their best rookie and best reliever. His time with the Twins looks to be certain until he is eligible for free agency in 2028. A lot can still happen between now and then though. There is a possibility the Twins continue growing branches of this trade history lineage tree, in hopes a player of Duran, Escobar, Liriano, or Nathan’s caliber is received in return. View full article

After weeks of build-up, the Twins' new uniform and logo design were unveiled at Mall of America on Friday, featuring models like Byron Buxton, Luis Arraez, Jorge Polanco, Jose Miranda and Joe Ryan. Image courtesy of Theo Tollefson BLOOMINGTON – The Minnesota Twins have a new look for the 2023 season, and fans, front office members, and players gathered at the Mall of America on Friday to see the new design of the Twins jerseys. Revealing the first new jersey design on the baseball diamond catwalk was Jose Miranda in the new home, white jerseys. Miranda is coming off an impressive rookie season with the Twins leading the team in RBI. He is most excited about accessorizing his cleats and glove with the new look. “I haven't really customized cleats yet but for sure next year. I want to do something with them and there are some people that want to meet on some designs during the winter with custom cleats. I'm gonna do something but I got to see what we're going to wear on Opening Day,” said Miranda. Matthew Wolff, a longtime Twins fan and designer for the new Twins look, spoke on keeping the history of the old with the new uniforms. “It was really important to respect the history of the team. Twins fans have a strong emotional attachment to the team's marks and uniforms and it was really important from the start of the project to respect them.” The message that the Twins organization wanted to incorporate with the new uniform designs was to include the state of Minnesota as a whole, and not just the Twin Cities. The new M hats now include the North Star above them to add that state-wide incorporation. While not directly an homage to the old North Stars hockey team, Wolff hopes fans could recognize it as one and appreciate the tie-in to an old franchise. The player consensus for which of the new uniforms is their favorite goes toward the new road grey jerseys. These jerseys call back to the Twins road uniforms from 1987-2009, while still incorporating the new M design for the road. Luis Arraez had the honor of sporting the new road uni and believes they will be a good luck charm. “I think we can score like 10 runs with these uniforms every game. I can't wait to wear this next year,” said Arraez. His teammate Jorge Polanco did wear the same pants but had on the new navy blue road, alternative jersey. Polanco, slightly jealous he didn’t wear the greys, still complemented Arraez appearance in them. “He’s [Arraez] wearing it, he looks good. I wish I would have worn it.” The material that goes into making these jerseys is also new, which Polanco already feels will be better for each game. “It’s a lot lighter and that makes us feel easier to move around the infield,” said Polanco. The only Twins pitcher in attendance was Joe Ryan, rocking the new home, navy blue alternative jerseys. Ryan (top picture) had the most exciting catwalk on the diamond stage, running out as if he had just finished throwing a no-hitter. The only thing missing to add a grand crescendo to Ryan's stage walk/run was his famous turtle neck under the jersey. "They said be quicker, so I was like, 'Alright, take a zip around the bases," said Ryan. The man dawning the newest alternative home jerseys for the team was star centerfielder Byron Buxton. Buxton spoke on how the new uniforms keep the Twins' tradition intact while also evolving it. “When I got drafted in 2012 it was pinstripes. To come out of that was a little bit different, knowing the Minnesota tradition was pinstripes. But over the years we've tried to change tradition quite a bit so this is just a new look for us. We got a new team, a new outlook, new meaning for us and this is just the start of something new,” said Buxton. While the decision for which of the Twins' uniforms will be worn on Opening Day is still months away. Fans can narrow it down to either the new pinstripe grey, road uniforms, or alternate navy blues as the Twins start the season in Kansas City on March 30. Fans can now buy the new uniforms at the Twins team store at Target Field, Mall of America or order them online at Twinsbaseball.com/shop. View full article

The free agent market is set to grow this Friday as the MLB non-tender deadline is upcoming and there are a few players likely to be let go by their teams that could fit the Twins' needs for 2023. Image courtesy of Jasen Vinlove, USA Today Sports The deadline for MLB team’s to tender contracts to players is coming up this Friday, November 18. The Twins have as many as two players who could be non-tendered on Friday; Emilio Pagan, and Gio Urshela. With a lot of focus in Twins Territory with the non-tender deadline on Gio Urshela and if the Twins will keep him or non-tender him, there are still many other names from other teams that could be good or better fits for the team’s needs than those currently on the free agent market. The only notable name likely to be non-tendered for the Twins' biggest need at shortstop is the man they traded alongside Josh Donaldson to have money available for Carlos Correa. There are still some names to help bolster the Twins' outfield and pitching rotation depth to avoid the troubles seen in 2022. Here are five players who are likely to be non-tendered on Friday that the Twins Front Office should consider pursuing. 5. Jeff Hoffman A former top prospect that was a part of the deal that brought Troy Tulowitzki to the Blue Jays, Jeff Hoffman had a decent season in the Cincinnati Reds bullpen posting a 3.83 ERA in 34 relief appearances. Hoffman has seen time in and out of the starting rotation throughout his career but had his first full season as a reliever this year. Hoffman does not pop out as a top-quality, high-leverage reliever. He is still someone who fits the model of the current front office’s methods of relievers to pick up off the market. There is potential there for Hoffman to be a strong reliever as he has two breaking balls with a splitter and a slider. The average velocity for his fastball hits 94.5 mph. If the Twins front office takes their time, as usual, this offseason to sign free agents, Hoffman may be one of those late off-season patches to help the bullpen. 4. Lou Trivino Trivino had a very bad season in 2022, at least until he was traded from the Oakland A’s to the Yankees. Just how bad was his time in Oakland this year? Trivino had a 6.47 ERA and 1.87 WHIP in 39 games. While the trade to the Yankees didn’t help his teammate Frankie Montas, the trade was certainly worthwhile for Trivino. In 25 games he posted a 1.66 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, and 238 ERA+. Trivino’s season rebound after leaving Oakland could make him a highly-sought reliever if he is non-tendered. The only thing that could keep Trivino from leaving the Yankees is their own belief in him being a boost to their bullpen with the departure of Aroldis Chapman. And given Chapman’s problems with the organization at seasons end, the Yankees will be trying all the relievers they can for the closer role. 3. Brian Anderson Originally drafted by the Twins out of high school in 2011, Anderson opted to go to college at the University of Arkansas instead. Brian Anderson could be a good right-handed bat to add to the Twins' depth chart in 2023. Anderson has often split time between third base and right field throughout his career. If the Twins do non-tender Urshela, he would be a valuable backup at that position to Jose Miranda and fill in well as a much-needed right-handed hitter in the outfield. The biggest concern when it comes to Brian Anderson is his health. Anderson has not played over 100 games since 2019 and in the last two seasons has had significant setbacks with shoulder injuries. The shoulder injuries have also set back Anderson’s offensive production. He has failed to hit more than 10 home runs in the last two years and averaged a .687 OPS in 647 plate appearances in that course of time. Maybe a change of scenery could help Anderson on the field as his health improves over that time. The Twins may consider Anderson as a platoon option between third and right field pending the decision on Urshela this Friday. 2. Elieser Hernandez Elieser Hernandez is an interesting case for the Twins and any team interested in him. The Miami Marlins have touted him on the mound both as a starter and reliever over his five-year career. This season, Hernandez split his time evenly as a starter and reliever this season. He actually saw more success in the rotation versus the bullpen, but his season ERA came to 6.35 with a 1.42 WHIP and ERA+ of 64. Hernandez’s time in Miami is likely coming to a close as he has a 5.04 ERA across the five seasons there. He is a reclamation project for any team that picks him up, and when it comes to the Twins, he levels himself in a similar position to Ronny Henriquez or Cole Sands. These two prospects still have starter potential but are likely shifting into bullpen roles. Hernandez's velocity on his fastball isn’t the highest as it averages out to 91.6 MPH. Many still see the potential of Hernandez to turn his career around as he turns 28 next May. There is a case to be made for the Twins to go out and sign him to a one-year deal and see what comes out of it. 1. Hunter Renfroe This right fielder is the complete opposite of Max Kepler over the last two seasons. Renfroe is known for being a power hitter with little defensive value while Kepler is a top defender at his position but has struggled mightily with the bat. With David Stearns stepping down from the role as the Brewers' President of Baseball Operations, there is heavy speculation the Brewers may tear down their roster. Renfroe hits this list as his salary is estimated at $11.2 million, according to John Bitzer of Baseball Trade Values, and not to mention, the top five Brewers prospects on MLB.com are outfielders. As the Twins limped their way to the end of the 2022 season with their outfielder, right-handed hitting outfielders were missing altogether with Buxton out and Kyle Garlick struggling mightily. Given a good track record of health and posting a .257/.315/.497 (.812) line in the last two seasons. Renfroe would be a good one-year pick-up for the Twins outfield while Trevor Larnach, Alex Kirilloff, and Matt Wallner find their footing with good health in the Majors. All five of these non-tender candidates have something to offer the Twins. Whether they enter the free agent market or not is still up in the air until Friday, but there is a good chance one of them could be in a Twins uniform for 2023. View full article

Welp. Astros resigned Montero to a 3-year, $34.5 Million deal this morning so he's off the list.

Molitor was still managing in 2018. Yes, Rogers had 30 saves in 2019 but he was never officially announced as a closer on the record, same with Colome.

The Twins have not had a default closer in their bullpen since 2018 with the famous journey-man reliever Fernando Rodney. If the Twins continue without a default closer next year, which relievers would be best to go after? Image courtesy of Eric Hartline, USA Today Sports Since becoming manager of the Twins, Rocco Baldelli has avoided designating any of his relievers as the team’s go-to closer. While one reliever has recorded over 20 saves in the Baldelli era (Taylor Rogers with 30 in 2019), no player has come close to 20 since. This is a change from the previous front office regime of Terry Ryan and managers Ron Gardenhire and Paul Molitor’s days of operating a bullpen. From the time of Gardy’s first season to Molitor’s final, the Twins had a go-to closer for the majority of seasons developing all-star closers such as Eddie Guardado, Joe Nathan, and Glen Perkins leading this front. This method of bullpen management reached a new peak for the Twins' 2022 season as no reliever recorded more than nine saves, Emilio Pagan leading the team with nine. While 14 of the 23 relievers in the bullpen were brought in for save opportunities, almost double the number of relievers that came in for save opportunities in 2021 with eight. This season the Twins were also dead last in the American with total saves at 28 and tied for last in all of Major League Baseball alongside the Washington Nationals. As of now the guy currently in the Twins bullpen that looks to have a “primary closer” role for 2023 is Jhoan Duran. The top rookie of 2022 may eventually see more save opportunities as the season goes on, but it is uncertain if that role will be thrust upon him immediately come Opening Day. Jorge Lopez was brought in to be the Twins' closer at the trade deadline but struggled in his short time with the Twins as the season waned, making it less likely for Lopez to be used as a closer for the start of the 2023 season. The stat to quantify who may be best to trade off with Duran for save opportunities is the relievers version of a quality start: shutdowns. FanGraphs has quantified this stat for years and has offered a countermark to that stat with meltdowns. Duran was eighth in all of MLB with 34 shutdowns and had the fifth-lowest amount of meltdowns with four. 25 relievers reached the threshold of 30 or more shutdowns this season but only three of these relievers are free agents. All three of these relievers are players the Twins should consider for their bullpen. Rafael Montero Rafael Montero made himself one of baseball’s best-known relievers this postseason with the Houston Astros. Even before raising his value en route to his first World Series ring, Montero pitched his best season in the majors this regular season. Montero recorded 37 shutdowns, tied for second in MLB with Toronto's Jordan Romero. He also had very few meltdowns with five, only one more than Duran. Montero had 14 saves on the season which helped to balance former Twin Ryan Pressly’s workload as a closer. If the Twins were to pursue Montero this offseason, he could be the biggest reliever acquired from free agency in the history of the Derek Falvey/Thad Levine era. Any contract that would be offered to Montero longer than a year also has a chance of eclipsing Addison Reed’s 2-year, $16.75 million deal from the 2017-18 offseason. Brad Boxberger After a few rough seasons in Arizona and Kansas City, Brad Boxberger has revitalized himself as a high-leverage reliever with the Miami Marlins and Milwaukee Brewers. Boxberger is not the reliever he used to be nor is he seeing much of any save opportunities, appearing in only 13 over the last three seasons. Boxberger still has been used in many high-leverage opportunities this season, recording 35 shutdowns in 70 reliever appearances. There is one downside to offering Boxberger a contract, he was tied alongside Griffin Jax, Jake Diekman, and Tanner Scott to lead MLB with 17 meltdowns out of the bullpen. This tallies to nearly a quarter of Boxberger’s relief appearances turning bad for him and the Brewers in 2022. Boxberger suits the Twins better on a one-year deal given his hit-or-miss success in high-leverage situations as well as turning 35 during the 2023 season. Matt Moore Once the highest-ranked prospect in all of baseball (MLB.com, 2012), Matt Moore revitalized his career this season in the Texas Rangers bullpen. Moore’s transition into a full-time reliever worked to his benefit as he posted a 1.95 ERA in 63 relief appearances with the Rangers this season. The Rangers also trotted Moore out for six save opportunities, five of which he converted. The major success of Moore’s numbers in the 2022 season makes him of the more sought-after high-leverage lefty relievers this offseason. This also shows with his shutdown-to-meltdown numbers as he recorded 31 shutdowns out of the bullpen while only having nine meltdowns. With Caleb Thielbar guaranteed a spot in the Twins' 2023 bullpen and Jovani Moran more than likely to join him, signing Moore as a third lefty for the Twins bullpen could crowd the space up. But he is a worthwhile option for the Twins to consider partnering with Duran to close out games. Any one of these three relievers would be a good fit for the Twins for the 2023 season. If a designated closer is still something Baldelli and the front office want to start the season without, either Montero, Boxberger, or Moore may suit a role to ensure the Twins are not just punting for bullpen help this offseason. View full article

One year ago, the Minnesota Twins launched a new entrepreneur accelerator program in partnership with TechStars, an entrepreneur-launching company that focuses on people wanting to add to technology, sports, and entertainment. Image courtesy of Brad Rempel, USA Today Sports MINNEAPOLIS – During the early days of COVID-19 lockdowns, the Minnesota Twins Business Development Office looked for ways to grow the Twins brand beyond baseball. Last year, they launched the Minnesota Twins Accelerator by TechStars program to not only grow their brand but find new revenue streams from outside the game itself. Chris Iles, Senior Director of Brand Experience and Innovation for the Twins, spoke about the program and what it offers for participants. “We're looking to push the Minnesota Twins brand beyond baseball, and we see tech and venture as one way we can do that,” said Iles. “It is our mechanism for investing in tech startups. Throughout the course of a three-year partnership with TechStars, the Minnesota Twins will invest in 30-plus tech startups with the help of our friends at TechStars.” The Minnesota Twins Accelerator by Techstars began its second class of participants this week as the program runs from now until February 15, 2023. This year’s class features 10 different entrepreneurs, seven from across the United States, one from the United Kingdom, another from Nigeria and one more international entrepreneur. The majority of the participants are also from historically-marginalized groups of people. Expanding the Twins brand beyond baseball with a cohort such as this is one of the most unique things the franchise is doing off the diamond. Only one other MLB team has experimented with a venture like this before, the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2015. Iles shared that when MLB and all other major American sports were shut down in the spring of 2020 due to the pandemic it allowed time for the front office staff to look into the venture the Dodgers had done before to bring forth what the Twins are doing now. “COVID lockdowns gave us a chance to step back and really spend some time thinking about our business. We went through a pretty extensive brand-evolution exercise with the help of a local agency called Zeus Jones here. One of the ideas to percolate out of that was this accelerator and brought us to where we are now,” said Iles. While the program focuses on helping entrepreneurs get off their feet, it has also added to the fan experience at Target Field in ways Twins fans may not have noticed this last season. One of the participants in last year’s class was AWSM Sauce, a sauce company focused on creating zero-waste sauces. Their products were served at all concession stands in the Delta 360 Sky Legends Club this season. Along with providing a new platform for entrepreneurs to discover their craft, the Twins front office sees this program as an additional revenue stream for the organization. While the revenue stream is something the Twins will not see a return on for at least half a decade, It could, hypothetically, be revenue placed toward player salary, as Iles explained. “It's a long-term play we won't see returns on this for six to 10 years. I liken it to when a major-league player or when a player gets drafted and you're not going to see them in the major leagues for six years. Realistically, that's the same timeline we're dealing with these companies. So yes, in theory, this could go to player payroll but we're a ways away from seeing the returns on this particular program,” said Iles. With ten new entrepreneur programs making their way to network in the Twin Cities and develop their ideas into a full business. They will also be working toward a chance to become a part of the fan experience at Target Field for the 2023 season. A demo day will be hosted for the end of the program on Wednesday, February 15, 2023, at the Filmore just down the street on the north end of Target Field. View full article

The Twins had a handful starting pitching prospects that made brief appearances in the big leagues during the 2022 season. Three of these pitchers, Louie Varland, Simeon Woods-Richardson, and Josh Winder, are likely to make appearances for the Twins during the 2023 season. Which of these three is most likely to spend the most time in the Twins' starting rotation? Image courtesy of Lon Horwedel, USA Today Sports Louie Varland, Simeon Woods Richardson, and Josh Winder all made their MLB debuts during the 2022 season. Winder was the only one of the trio to exceed his rookie status this season. Right now, the Twins projected 2023 Opening Day rotation is made up of Sonny Gray, Joe Ryan, Tyler Mahle, Kenta Maeda, and Bailey Ober, dependent largely on health. There is the possibility the Twins could roll out a six-man rotation as they did this season, but it is too early to tell if that will be the case for 2023. All three of these pitchers will likely make starts for the Twins during the 2023 season whether by earning a spot in the rotation or filling in for an injured starter. Based on what was seen from these pitchers during the 2022 season, here is my ranking of who will make the most starts. 1. Louie Varland The Twins two-time Minor League Pitcher of the Year showed great promise in his five late-season starts in September. Varland posted a 3.81 ERA in 26 innings and earned his first big-league win on the season's final day. Earning the Minor League Pitcher of the Year award will also help Varland’s case to start the season with the Twins either as the Twins fifth/sixth starter or long reliever. If Varland is not in the back end of the Twins' starting rotation for Opening Day, he will surely be the first guy to be added in for another due to injury. Varland made 23 minor-league starts between Double-A and Triple-A. He remained healthy and made the most starts of any pitcher on this list. With how many injuries the 2022 Twins suffered, it would not be a surprise if the front office gives the North St. Paul native a similar role as Bailey Ober/Chris Paddack had as the team’s sixth starter to start the season. To put an estimation on how many starts Twins fans could expect from Varland in 2023, it’s safe to guess he will take anywhere from 10-15 starts along with a few appearances out of the bullpen. 2. Simeon Woods Richardson Twins fans were fortunate to see one start from Woods Richardson before the regular season ended. He had five innings of work in his start against the Detroit Tigers and allowed two earned runs. Woods Richardson also missed time last year due to COVID-19. He made 22 minor-league starts prior to his one with the Twins. His best stretch came during his stint in St. Paul, where he made seven starts and posted a 2.21 ERA, 0.84 WHIP, striking out 38 batters in 36 2/3 IP. Woods Richardson turned 22 on September 27, meaning age is on his side to start his 2023 season at Triple-A St. Paul. His best chance of making the Opening Day roster appears to depend on the health of others. It is likely he will make anywhere between eight and 12 starts this upcoming season, maybe more.. 3. Josh Winder Josh Winder struggled the most out of these three pitchers this season as he was just one of the many Twins who missed time due to injury. He exceeded his rookie status with his 67 big-league innings pitched. As a starter, Winder struggled at both the major league and minor league levels. He posted a 4.79 ERA across 50 2/3 IP in his 11 starts with the Twins. In the minors, he posted a 5.00 ERA across six starts (one rehab in Ft. Myers) with the Saints. Winder’s injuries affected his performance this season and given his workload and results, it’s possible the Twins could convert him into a full-time long reliever. They would likely make him a long relief man with the opportunity to turn into a high leverage reliever as Griffin Jax was this season for the Twins. Winder’s pitch usage is also similar to that of Jax’s during the 2021 season as both were throwing mostly fastballs, 40.1% for Winder in 2022 compared to 45.9% for Jax in 2021. With the slider as their go-to breaking ball, 33.3% for Winder in '22 compared to 31.1% for Jax in '21, Jax turned his slider into his go-to pitch throwing it 48.4% of the time this year according to FanGraphs. The Twins may have a second reclamation project with a former top prospect in Winder as they did in Jax this year. If the Twins opt for this route, then don’t expect any starts from Winder, but since that is only speculation as of now, expect five or fewer starts from Winder in 2023. Three Other Options Three young pitchers to keep an eye on to possibly be added into the Twins rotation at some point in the season are Jordan Balazovic, Ronny Henriquez, and Cole Sands. However, given the depth ahead of them on this list, it is looking unlikely they serve more than relief roles if and when they pitch for the 2022 Twins. Balazovic struggled mightily throughout the 2022 season with the Saints and only began to see success toward the end of the year after battling a nagging knee injury all year. He will surely start his 2023 season with the Saints. Both Henriquez and Sands saw time with the Twins this year, mainly as long relievers. Sands had a stretch of three starts for the Twins from May 31 to June 12, but pitched much more effectively as a reliever. Henriquez only pitched out of the bullpen in three relief appearances for the Twins. He made 14 starts with the Saints over the summer but was found to be more effective piggybacking with the starter. Balazovic is the most likely to make a start for the Twins next season. If the Twins see great success in either Henriquez or Sands, they will be given another chance as a starter. However, it is more likely that if those two are making starts, the rotation depth is in dire straits. Conclusion All three of these young pitchers will play more important roles with the Twins pitching staff in 2023 than they did in 2022. Twins fans can expect to see them all at different points of the season. And hopefully, when Varland, Winder, and Woods Richardson arrive on the Twins roster, it is because of their earning a spot rather than constantly replacing an injured teammate. View full article

In this continuing series, we look back on MLB.com’s Top 30 Twins’ Prospects from 2018 to see how they panned out in 2022. Image courtesy of Neville E. Guard, USA Today Sports 2018 was the first season that Derek Falvey and Thad Levine began to see prospects whom their regime drafted the year before land on MLB.com’s top 30 prospect list. Going into the 2018 season, Baseball America ranked the Twins' farm system as the 12th best in baseball, jumping nine spots up from their 2017 ranking. We’ll look at the 30 prospects by breaking them into four groups, based on where they were at the end of 2022, starting with those that made it to the majors. On Active Rosters for end of 2022 4. Nick Gordon Gordon was bumped down to fourth overall in the Twins farm system from 2017 to 18. That still didn’t discount the value he had with the Twins in 2022 during a breakout sophomore season. 2022 Stat Line with Twins: 138 G, 405 AB, 45 R, 110 H, 28 2B, 4 3B, 9 HR, 50 RBI, 19 BB, 105 K, 6 SB, 4 CS, .272 BA, .316 OBP, .427 SLG, .743 OPS See Gordon's and other Top 30 2017 Prospects here. 7. Brusdar Graterol The only new prospect to crack the Twins' top 30 in 2018 and finish the season in the majors this year, the once-fastest throwing pitcher in the Twins system finished his 2022 season on the winningest team in baseball that found themselves eliminated by their division rival in the NLDS. Traded to the Dodgers in 2020 for Kenta Maeda, Graterol’s 2022 season was his best season yet, as he posted a 3.26 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, .215 opponents BA, in 46 relief appearances and 49.2 innings of work. Graterol’s success in 2022 is a rebound from a not-so-smooth 2021 season when he had an ERA of 4.59 in 34 relief appearances. Having only turned 24 this last August, Graterol still has a bright future ahead of him in the Dodgers bullpen. The question now is if he’s someone they’ll turn into a closer or keep as a high-leverage set up man. 10. Lewin Diaz Once a thriving prospect with the Twins in 2018, Lewin Diaz was traded away as part in 2019 to the Marlins as part of them acquiring Sergio Romo. He struggled to hit lefties mightly this season and saw much less playing time this year compared to last. . 2022 Stat Line with Marlins: 58 G, 160 AB, 12 R, 27 H, 4 2B, 0 3B, 5 HR, 11 RBI, 11 BB, 54 K, 1 SB, 0 CS, .169 BA, .224 OBP, .288 SLG, .512 OPS 11. Akil Baddoo 2018 was Baddoo’s first 100-plus game season in the Minors playing in 113 games all with High-A Cedar Rapid at 19 years old. He was chosen by the Tigers in the 2020 Rule 5 Draft, He saw substantially less playing time in 2022 compared to his breakthrough 2021 rookie year, posting just a 558 OPS. 2022 Stat Line with Tigers: 73 G, 201 AB, 30 R, 41 H, 3 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR, 9 RBI, 24 BB, 64 K, 9 SB 6 CS, .204 BA, .289 OBP, .269 SLG, .558 OPS 13. LaMonte Wade Jr. Traded t the Giants prior to the 2021 season for Shaun Anderson, Wade regressed significantly in his second year there, batting .207 (665 OPS). 2022 Stat Line with Giants: 77 G, 217 AB, 29 R, 45 H, 7 2B, 1 3B, 8 HR, 26 RBI, 26 BB, 51 K, 1 SB, 0 CS, .207 BA, .305 OBP, .359 SLG, .664 OPS 15. Zack Littell Acquired from the Yankees when the Twins flipped pitcher-for-a-day Jamie Garcia, Zack Littell spent parts of three seasons in the Twins bullpen from 2018-20. After a dismal 2020 season when Littell posted a 9.95 ERA in six relief appearances with the Twins, he signed with the San Francisco Giants early in the next offseason. Littell was a force to be reckoned with in the Giants 2021 bullpen posting a 2.92 ERA in 63 games but did not repeat that success this season. He struggled mightily and did better on the road than he did at Oracle Park in San Francisco. The most memorable part of Littell’s season unfortunately was his last game where he allowed three hits and two runs against the Braves. His exit from the game was not without comment to his manager Gabe Kapler, and ended his season early for talking back to his manager when removed from the game. As of now, Littell remains on the Giants 40-man roster but his future with the team is in question with how his season ended. He is only 27 entering 2023, so there is still promise to his career if he can find a way to repeat his success of 2021. 23. Luis Arraez Just as his Major League career has been, Arraez slowly but surely rose through the ranks in the Minors in 2018 and begin his journey as the best contact hitter in the American League. He was the American League Batting Champion in 2022 hitting .316. 2022 Stat Line with Twins: 144 G, 547 AB, 88 R, 173 H, 31 2B, 1 3B, 8 HR, 49 RBI, 50 BB, 43 K, 4 SB, 4 CS, .316 AVG, .375 OBP, .420 SLG, .795 OPS 24. JT Chargois Chargois never pitched after this in the Twins organization outside of spring training in 2018 as he was claimed off waivers by the Dodgers on February 23 of that year. He's appeared as a reliever in 137 games since, including posting a 2.42 ERA in 21 appearances with the Rays this year. 2022 Stat Line with Rays: 2.42 ERA, 21 G, 3 GS, 0 SV/SVO, 22.1 IP, 16 H, 7 R, 6 ER, 3 HR, 2 HB, 5 BB, 17 K, 0.94 WHIP, .203 OPAVG 28. Jose Miranda Did not end up as the Twins Diamond Award Rookie of the Year this year, but Jose Miranda undoubtedly was the biggest rookie hitter the Twins had in 2022, securing his role as an everyday player in the lineup for 2023. 2022 Stat Line with Twins: 125 G, 444 AB, 45 R, 119 H, 25 2B, 0 3B, 15 HR, 66RBI, 28 BB, 91 K, 1 SB, 1 CS, .268 BA, .325 OBP, .426 SLG, .751 OPS Played in 2022 but were mainly hurt 1. Royce Lewis Quite arguably the biggest loss to the Twins lineup this season, Royce Lewis was playing his best baseball ever before he re-torn his knee on a Sunday afternoon at Target Field in late May. Lewis played for a combined 45 games between the Twins and Triple AAA St. Paul before his injury. He will undoubtedly be a key part of the Twins' second half in 2023, it will only be a matter of where he plays every day once he returns from rehab assignment. 6. Alex Kirilloff In 2018, Alex Kirilloff started his second season in the minors as he missed all of 2017 with Tommy John surgery that March. 2018 has been the only season in his professional career that he has played in over 100 games, with 130 that season between Low and High A. This year he had continued wrist issues from 2021 that reemerged and ended in surgery in August. He's expected to be back for 2023. 2022 Stat Line with Twins: 45 G, 144 AB, 14 R, 36 H, 7 2B, 0 3B, 3 HR, 21 RBI, 5 BB, 36 K, 0 SB, 0 CS, .250 BA, .290 OBP, .361 SLG, .651 OPS 19. Mitch Garver Mitch Garver graduated from prospect status in 2018 with 102 games played with the Twins and became a more common name to fans that season as he became the everyday catcher,. He was traded to the Rangers this offseason for Isiah Kiner-Falefa and his season was cut short with a forearm injury. Texas can offer him arbitration for one more year in 2023 if they desire. 2022 Stat Line with Rangers: 54 G, 188 AB, 23 R, 39 H, 7 2B, 0 3B, 10 HR, 24 RBI, 23 BB, 53 K, 1 SB, 1 CS, .207 BA, .298 OBP, .404 SLG, .702 OPS Played in 2022, mostly in the Minors or Indy Ball 2. Fernando Romero Romero made it to the majors with the Twins, pitching as a starter in 2018 and a reliever in 2019, but after missing the 2020 season with visa issues, he left the organization and pitched in Japan. 2022 Stat Line in Japan: 4.49 ERA, 28 G, n/a GS, 118.1 IP, 126 H, 73 R, 59 ER, 12 HR, 51 BB, 76 K, 12 HBP, 1.496 WHIP 3. Stephen Gonsalves Gonsalves made it to the majors with the Twins in 2018, starting four games. Elbow problems kept him in the minors in 2019 and he has traveled through the Mets and Red Sox, and this year he was in the Cubs organization, posting a 4.26 ERA over 12.2 innings in AAA. 2022 Stat Line with Iowa Cubs: 4.26 ERA, 8 G, 0 SV, 12.2 IP, 9 R, 6 ER, 6 HR, 2 BB. 11 K, 3 BB, 1.579 WHIP 5. Wander Javier A torn labrum led to Javier missing the 2018 season completely, and he’s struggled in the Twins minor league system ever since. After posting a 635 OPS in Cedar Rapids in 2022, it’s expected that the 24-year-old will become a minor league free agent. 2022 Stat Line in Minors: 116 G, 412 AB, 49 R, 84 H, 14 2B, 5 3B, 13 HR, 62 RBI, 33 BB, 5 SB, 3 CS, 142 K, .204 BA, .271 OBP, .357 SLG, .628 OPS 8. Brent Rooker Brent Rooker looked to be a part the Twins' 40-man roster until the day before Opening Day. He was traded alongside Taylor Rogers for Chris Paddack and Emilio Pagan. Rooker’s time with the Padres was short-lived, as he played in two games in the majors with them. He was traded on August 2 to the Royals for Cam Gallagher and played 14 games with the Royals in the Majors. The 27-year-old remains on the Royals’ 40-man roster, and his future with the team could grow in 2023. 9. Blayne Enlow Coming back from Tommy John surgery in June of 2021, Blayne Enlow split time as a starter and reliever at Double AA Wichita. He returned from TJ in mid-May and struggled for parts of the season, finishing with a 4.73 ERA. Enlow can still be a valuable reliever for the Twins in the future, as he will turn 24 in March and looks to rebound from a less-than-fruitful 2022. 12. Lewis Thorpe Thorpe came from the Land Down Under and looked to have a more promised career that would have eclipsed the last Australian on the Twins, Liam Hendricks. That never came to fruition as Thorpe was let go by the St. Paul Saints after one start this year. 2022 Stat Line in Indy Ball: 4.96 ERA, 16 G, 16 GS, 81.2 IP, 88 H, 50 R, 45 ER, 13 HR, 24 BB, 75 K, 1 HBP, 1.371 WHIP 14. Travis Blankenhorn Designated for assignment in May of 2021 by the Twins, Blankenhorn has bounced around three different teams until finally settling with the Mets late last year. He played just one game in the majors this season, but Blankenhorn revitalized himself at Triple AAA in 91 games. 2022 Stat Line in Triple AAA: 91 G, 329 AB, 44 R, 88 H, 20 2B, 0 3B, 15 HR, 55 RBI, 32 BB,10 SB, 1 CS, 88 K, .268 BA, .342 OBP, .465 SLG, .807 OPS 16. Tyler Jay The Twins traded Tyler Jay to the Reds in June of 2019 for cash considerations. Since that time, he had been out of affiliated baseball but played independent baseball this season for the Joliet Slammers in Illinois. 2022 Stat Line in Indy Ball: 1.64 ERA, 22 G, 8 SV, 22.0 IP, 16 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 1 HR, 3 BB 24 K, 0.864 WHIP 20. Andrew Bechtold Having been in the Twins system since 2017, Andrew Bechtold had finally made his way to Triple AAA this season, splitting time between the Saints and Wind Surge. The 26-year-old catcher and corner infielder played in 123 games this season, hitting 19 home runs and driving in 59 runse. His age is working against him having an impact on the Twins next season. 21. Tyler Watson Watson is the pitcher the Twins received in return from the Washington Nationals for Brandon Kintzler at the 2017 Trade Deadline. Watson had been in the Twins system until this year. He pitched in only one game in 2022 with the Oakland A’s Low A affiliate and has not been seen in pro ball since. 22. John Curtiss Was out with Tommy John surgery this season. Currently in the Mets organization. 25. Ben Rortvedt Ben Rortvedt became a more noticeable prospect for the Twins farm system in 2018, but since then he has struggled to play more than 90 games in a season. He was traded last spring to the Yankees in the Josh Donaldson trade. He missed the first half of the season with a knee injury. 2022 Stat Line in Minors: 48 G, 170 AB, 25 R, 37 H, 9 2B, 0 3B, 7 HR, 21 RBI, 22 BB, 64 K, .218 AVG, .311 OBP, .394 SLG, .705 OPS 26. Jacob Pearson Jacob Pearson spent the 2018 and 2019 seasons in the Twins system never getting above High A Cedar Rapids. He has spent the last two seasons in the Atlanta Braves system splitting time between their High A and Double AA affiliates. With a plethora of prospects with high talent, it’s hard to say if Pearson will have his MLB debut with the Braves. 30. Yunior Severino The player who was the 30th best prospect for the Twins in 2018 remains in their system to this day. Yunior Severino arguably had his best season split between Cedar Rapids and Wichita playing in 83 games while hit .278 BA with a .907 OPS. Severino just turned 23 on October 3 and if he continues to progress through the system, can still pan out as a future Twin. Out of Baseball by 2022 17. Felix Jorge (Hasn’t pitched since 2018) 18. Kohl Stewart (Hasn’t pitched since 2021) 27. Zack Granite (Hasn’t played since 2021) 29. Lachlan Wells (Hasn’t pitched since 2019) Here are the totals for where the Twins top 30 prospects of 2018 ended up with their careers in 2022. Totals: 9 players on Active MLB rosters 3 players who could be on Active Rosters but are hurt 14 players who are in the Minors, Japan, or Indy Ball 4 players completely out of baseball The 2018 Twins’ top 30 prospects had better luck than 2017 with four fewer players on this list not out of professional baseball completely this season. Some of these players still have great chances of long careers in the Majors (Arraez and Gordon) others not so much, and a couple need only to heal from injuries for great success (Lewis and Kirilloff). How do the current career payouts of these 30 players so far look to Twins fans? Leave your thoughts below View full article