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During spring training, lots of focus is rightly or wrongly placed on questions facing the big-league roster. However, some of the team's top five prospects have questions to answer at the start of the 2023 campaign. Image courtesy of Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports In an ideal world, every top Twins prospect would reach their full potential and become a star. That obviously doesn't happen, but fans can still look to the minors for hope for the future. Twins Daily's top five prospects face an important development season in 2023 with questions surrounding their future. Brooks Lee: Will he make his big-league debut? TD Prospect Ranking: 1 Lee has been the talk of spring training, with players like Carlos Correa gushing over his performance. Many outlets, including Twins Daily, rank him as the organization's top prospect, and he's barely played 30 games in his professional career. He shot through three different levels during his pro debut and finished the year impacting the Double-A line-up in the playoffs. He's likely heading back to Wichita to start the season, and prospects of his caliber don't necessarily need time at Triple-A. The Twins don't need to rush him to the big leagues, but his performance might dictate a call-up at some point during the 2023 season. Royce Lewis: How will the team handle him when he is healthy? TD Prospect Ranking: 2 Lewis showed flashes of his five-tool talent during his big-league debut, but it was a small sample size before he injured his ACL for the second consecutive season. He should be back by the middle of the 2023 season, and it will be interesting to see how the club treats him when he is fully healthy. Will they treat him like a minor leaguer and make him prove his bat is ready with an extended stay at Triple-A? Or will they immediately add him to the big-league roster when he completes his rehab assignment? Regardless of the team's path, Lewis can boost the line-up in the second half. Emmanuel Rodriguez: Does he have the highest ceiling of any Twins prospect? TD Prospect Ranking: 3 There is plenty of hype surrounding Rodriguez and his breakout performance at Low-A in 2023. As a 19-year-old, he hit .272/.493/.552 (1.044) with five doubles, three triples, and nine home runs. He drew more walks (57 BB) than strikeouts (52 K) in 199 plate appearances. His season was cut short by a knee meniscus injury that required surgery in June. Rodriguez is a long way from Target Field, and he has plenty of development left to make in the years ahead. However, it's hard not to get excited about a prospect of his caliber. If he continues progressing, he can be a top-15 global prospect entering the 2024 season. Marco Raya: Can his body type hold up with more innings? TD Prospect Ranking: 4 Raya is similar in size to former Twins pitcher Jose Berrios, so evaluators tend to question whether pitchers of his body type can hold up to the rigors of more professional innings. Minnesota drafted him in 2020, but he missed the 2021 season with shoulder soreness. He has been limited to 65 innings in his professional career but had a 3.05 ERA with a 1.08 WHIP and 10.5 K/9. Baseball America ranked Raya as baseball's 53rd-best prospect entering the season, which was his lone top-100 appearance. A good goal for this season would be to crack the 100-inning mark, but the Twins will continue to monitor his usage as he gets closer to Target Field. Edouard Julien: How quickly can he impact the big-league roster? TD Prospect Ranking: 5 Twins fans have seen what kind of impact Julien can have on games earlier during spring training. During the WBC, he will be on Canada's roster with a chance to put his name on the international map. He spent all of 2022 at Double-A, hitting .300/.441/.490 (.931) with 19 doubles, three triples, and 17 home runs. He transitioned that success to the AFL, where he posted a 1.248 OPS in 21 games. The Twins will likely send him to St. Paul, where he will wait for his call-up when an injury occurs in the infield, which should happen before May. What questions do you have about these prospects? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article

Twins Daily recently finished counting down the club's top prospects entering the 2023 season. Let's examine the crystal ball and project who will rank as the team's top prospect in two years. Image courtesy of Steve Buhr (Rodriguez), William Parmeter (Raya), Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports (Salas) Minnesota's farm system has some strong players at the top, but not all of them will still qualify as prospects over the next two years. Last year at this time, I projected the team's top-5 prospects entering the 2024 season, and so far, those rankings are doing reasonably well. A lot can happen in one year for a team's farm system, so who will be the Twins' top prospect in 2025? 1. Emmanuel Rodriguez- OF Current TD Ranking: 3 ETA: 2025 Rodriguez topped this list at the same point last season, and he's only solidified his prospect status over the last year. He's a Top-100 global prospect, and there was a good chance he would have moved higher on the list if he hadn't been injured last season. He has one of the best power bats in the Twins system, and there is a chance he will move into the top 10 on national prospect lists with another strong year. During the 2023 season, Rodriguez should spend most of the year at High-A, where he will be younger than the average age of the competition. He should be on track to debut in 2025 if he continues on his current development path. 2. Marco Raya- SP Current TD Ranking: 4 ETA: 2025 Raya has pitched 65 innings in his professional career, but Baseball Prospectus has him ranked as baseball's 53rd overall prospect. He was three years younger than the average age of the competition at Low-A last season while posting a 3.05 ERA and a 73-to-23 strikeout-to-walk ratio. He has one of the highest ceilings of any pitching prospect to come through the Twins system in quite some time. However, he is a long way from Target Field, and a lot can go wrong with a pitching prospect on their way to the big leagues. Raya can be the team's top prospect entering next season if he puts together even better numbers at High-A. 3. Connor Prielipp- SP Current TD Ranking: 7 ETA: 2024 Prielipp is one of the most intriguing pitching prospects in the Twins system, even though he has yet to make his professional debut. He was in the conversation for being selected near the top of the 2022 MLB Draft, but he fell to the second round after undergoing Tommy John surgery. He pitched in pre-draft workouts leading into the draft so teams could see how his rehab was progressing. MLB.com already has Prielipp ranked as the team's top pitching prospect. There is no reason to rush him next season, but there is a chance he will pass Raya over the next two years. 4. Jose Salas- INF Current TD Ranking: 8 ETA: 2025 Salas was one of two prospects in the Pablo Lopez and Luis Arraez trade earlier this winter. He was considered one of the Marlins' top prospects at the time of the trade. Last season, he hit .250/.339/.384 (.723) with 20 doubles, four triples, and nine home runs in 109 games. He only had one at-bat versus a younger pitcher last season, and Miami sent him to the Arizona Fall League as a 19-year-old. He likely spends most of the year in Cedar Rapids with a chance to reach Double-A by the season's end. 5. Yasser Mercedes- OF Current TD Ranking: 12 ETA: 2026 Mercedes was one of the top international prospects available during the 2022 signing period, and he showcased his skills during his professional debut. Minnesota sent him to the Dominican Summer League, and he hit .355/.421/.555 (.975) with 13 doubles, three triples, and four home runs in 41 games. He was also a threat on the bases by going 30-for-35 in stolen base attempts. It seems likely for him to make his stateside debut in 2023, and he could have an Emmanuel Rodriguez-style breakout if everything goes well. The Twins have a top-5 draft pick in 2023, so that player will also likely be in the mix to be at the top of this list. Who do you think will be the team's top prospect in 2025? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article

We've spent the past few weeks revealing our choices for the top prospects in the Twins organization. Now, let's take a step back and assess the state of the system. Image courtesy of Thiéres Rabelo, Twins Daily The purpose of these rankings is to take stock of the Twins farm system leading up to the start of the season. This year we asked 10 different Twins Daily writers, all of whom follow the minors closely, to share their choices for the current top 30 Twins prospects. Then we aggregated them into the list that's been gradually rolled out here over the past few weeks. This is a snapshot in time. Prospect rankings are never static, and in order to better follow the movement that occurs over time, last year we launched the Twins Daily Prospect Tracker. It's updated monthly throughout the season with new stats, insights, and re-rankings. I recommend bookmarking that page and checking back often if you love to follow the next generation of Twins talent. For today, we're going to dive deep on that next generation and how it's shaping the future of the franchise. First, here's a rundown of this year's top 20 rankings – you can click on each player's name to find a profile on him from one of our writers. Minnesota Twins 2023 Top 20 Prospects 20. Misael Urbina, OF: Has come along slowly since signing as a top int'l talent out of DR in 2018, but still 20 with big tools. 19. Jose Rodriguez, OF: Opened eyes with a spectacular and rare power display in the Dominican Summer League. 18. Tanner Schobel, 2B: 2022 second-round pick saw his college power spike evaporate in pro debut, fading his hype. 17. Ronny Henriquez, RHP: Slider-slinging 22-year-old seems destined to break through in full-time relief role. 16. Jordan Balazovic, RHP: Stellar track record keeps him on the radar following a disastrous year at Triple-A. 15. Matt Canterino, RHP: Maybe the best raw stuff in the organization, but TJ surgery will sideline him again this year. 14. Noah Miller, SS: Outstanding fielder needs to find some semblance of offensive game other than drawing walks. 13. David Festa, RHP: Former 13th-rounder's domination of Single-A sparks hope for another deep-draft pitching find. 12. Yasser Mercedes, OF: Club's biggest int'l signing last summer flashed all five tools in highly impressive rookie-ball debut. 11. Matt Wallner, OF: His off-the-charts raw power will play in the bigs if he can stay relatively disciplined at plate. 10. Austin Martin, SS: Huge dropoff after topping this list a year ago, but the speedy OBP specialist can rebound. 9. Louie Varland, RHP: Continues to outperform his stuff, but also, the stuff continues to get better for hard-working SP. 8. Jose Salas, INF: Twins picked up a dynamic young athlete via Arraez trade in this versatile switch-hitting infielder. 7. Connor Prielipp, LHP: Slid to Twins in second round of latest draft coming off elbow surgery, but has frontline SP traits. 6. Simeon Woods Richardson, RHP: Reached majors at age 22 following lights-out campaign between AA/AAA. 5. Edouard Julien, 2B: He has raked in the minors with an ultra-patient approach, and is knocking on MLB door. 4. Marco Raya, RHP: Word is out on the best-kept secret in Twins system, who dazzled in pro debut at Fort Myers. 3. Emmanuel Rodriguez, OF: Flashed superstar talent and production during full-season debut cut short by knee injury. 2. Royce Lewis, SS: Cemented legitimacy during a convincing return to action before being struck by another torn ACL. 1. Brooks Lee, SS: Drafted eighth overall with a bat that pretty much looked MLB-ready as soon as he reached the pro field. A True Deadlock at the Top The most fascinating dynamic of this year's rankings was the choice between Lee and Lewis for number one. I cannot possibly overstate how accurate the word "deadlock" is in describing the lack of separation between these high-end talents in our ranking process. The results from tabulating our panel of 10 voters placed the two in an exact tie: five voters picked Lewis, five picked Lee. In order to try and swing things one way or the other, we reached out for off-the-record opinions on the matter from a variety of trusted sources: scouting contacts, prospect analysts, baseball people inside the Twins organization and out. You know what came back? Pretty much a 50/50 split exactly. Almost everyone expressed a variation of the same sentiment: It's really hard to compare the two directly, because it all comes down to the upside & risk versus safety & floor equation. "If I had to choose, I guess I'd go with X." We all want to dream on the lofty upside Lewis still possesses: the potential for an electric power/speed combo from shortstop or center field, combined with character and charisma on the Jeter Scale. But no one can ignore the realities of a career that's been sabotaged by injuries, the latest of which undeniably clouds his future outlook. How do you properly account for this in projecting him as a major-league player? And how do you compare him to someone like Lee, who probably has a lower overall ceiling but also has one of the highest floors you could ask for in a prospect? Lee looked so polished and adept during his pro debut after signing last year that he found his way to Wichita for the Double-A playoffs and was up to the task. Lee makes it look really easy, and that's the highest compliment you can pay a 21-year-old barely out of college and facing experienced pro competition. Ultimately, we went with Lee as our choice for as the top Twins prospect of 2023, because the feedback we received seemed to tilt ever-so-slightly in that direction and because the majority of publications we chart our rankings against – MLB.com, Baseball Prospectus, The Athletic (both Keith Law and Aaron Gleeman) – have Lee in front of Lewis. But if there's a strong consensus to be found around these two it's this: the Twins are very lucky to have them both. Restocking the Low Minors with Upside Lee and Lewis both contribute to a robust top end of the pipeline, joining the likes of Julien, Woods Richardson, Varland, Martin, and Wallner as quality prospects who could essentially be ready to make an MLB impact at any time. But a number of breakthroughs from recent draft classes and recent high-profile international signings have populated the lower levels with promising young talent. This was missing last year, when essentially all 10 of our top prospects were in the high minors and approaching MLB-readiness, save for Chase Petty who got traded shortly after we published. The emergences of teenaged players like Emmanuel Rodriguez, Raya, and Mercedes – bolstered by the acquisition of Salas in the Luis Arraez trade – have done wonders for the lower levels of this system, and the franchise's long-term talent landscape. Still Lacking Catcher Talent The lack of standout catching prospects in Minnesota's system is something I noted last year, even before Mitch Garver and Ben Rortvedt were traded away. It's now even more conspicuous. The Twins have sought to backfill at the MLB level with veterans like Gary Sánchez and now Christian Vázquez, but the future of this position continues to hinge on Ryan Jeffers, who has proven little at age 25. Not only were there zero catching prospects in our top 20, but if you zoom out to the top 30, none are found in the 21-through-30 range either. The highest I've seen a catcher ranked by anyone is Noah Cardenas, who was 25th on Gleeman's top 40 list, but Cardenas was profiled there as a "future backup with some starter upside." Another tough year for Jeffers, with Vázquez under control through 2025 but turning 33 in August, would leave the organization's outlook pretty flimsy behind the plate unless new names emerge. Rebound Scenarios Present X-factors Aside from some of the big risers, the most stark movements from last year's rankings were the dramatic downfalls of Martin (#1 last year, #10 this year) and Balazovic (#4 last year, #16 this year). Those are tough blows for the system and help explain why it's generally viewed as middling compared to the league. (Law ranked them 19th out of 30 organizations at The Athletic earlier this month.) The flip side is this: it's only one season, and these players are not far removed from being viewed as viable (and imminent) difference-makers with convincing track records. Martin and Balazovic are legit talents, and both will be 24 this year with ample experience in the high minors. A turnaround for either could quickly thrust them into the big-league picture. Who's Your Pick to Click in 2023? I asked this at the conclusion of last year's recap article, so I'll send it your way again. Who is your pick to click and make a huge jump in the rankings in 2023? Last year I the name I submitted was Marco Raya, and he went from Honorable Mentions to #4 on our list, so that went well. This year I will go with Keoni Cavaco, who was merely an Honorable Mention this year having fallen off the radar in three unproductive seasons since being drafted 13th overall in 2019. Cavaco wasn't good last year, but he did seem to take a step forward and he remains an athletic and toolsy infielder. I like him to escape the pitcher-friendly Florida State League and put together a strong age-21 season that vaults him back into the top 20. How about you? Past Rankings Twins Daily 2022 Top Prospects Twins Daily 2021 Top Prospects Twins Daily 2020 Top Prospects Twins Daily 2019 Top Prospects Twins Daily 2018 Top Prospects Twins Daily 2017 Top Prospects Twins Daily 2016 Top Prospects Twins Daily 2015 Top Prospects Twins Daily Links: Misael Urbina, OF, Jose Rodriguez, OF, Tanner Schobel, 2B, Ronny Henriquez, RHP, Jordan Balazovic, RHP, Matt Canterino, RHP, Noah Miller, SS, David Festa, RHP, Yasser Mercedes, OF, Matt Wallner, OF, Austin Martin, SS, Louie Varland, RHP. Jose Salas, INF, Connor Prielipp, LHP, Simeon Woods Richardson, RHP, Edouard Julien, 2B, Marco Raya, RHP, Emmanuel Rodriguez, OF, Royce Lewis, SS, Brooks Lee, SS. Baseball-Reference Links: Misael Urbina, OF, Jose Rodriguez, OF, Tanner Schobel, 2B, Ronny Henriquez, RHP, Jordan Balazovic, RHP, Matt Canterino, RHP, Noah Miller, SS, David Festa, RHP, Yasser Mercedes, OF, Matt Wallner, OF, Austin Martin, SS, Louie Varland, RHP. Jose Salas, INF, Connor Prielipp, LHP, Simeon Woods Richardson, RHP, Edouard Julien, 2B, Marco Raya, RHP, Emmanuel Rodriguez, OF, Royce Lewis, SS, Brooks Lee, SS. View full article

You can make a case that Emmanuel Rodriguez was THE single most meteoric player in all of the minors last year. He shined bright and burnt out quickly, succumbing to a knee injury. Now, he's back and ready to light the minors aflame once again. Age: 19 (DOB: 2/28/2003) 2022 Stats: (A): 199 PA, .272/.493/.552, 9 HR, 25 RBI ETA: 2025 2022 Ranking: 16 National Top 100 Rankings BA: 46 | MLB: 88 | ATH: 48 | BP: 42 What's To Like It's hard to properly explain just how special and stunning Emmanuel Rodriguez's performance was last year in the Florida State League. First, I'll try to set the stage a little bit. Rodriguez had just turned 19 before the start of the season, and had played a total of 37 professional games, all in 2021 at the rookie-level Florida Complex League. He had played pretty well there, showing a lot of power (.524 SLG) along with a lot of swing-and-miss (36% K-rate, .214 AVG). He was embarking upon his first full-season campaign in the Florida State League, always known for its pitcher-friendly conditions. (In 2022, FSL hitters posted a .687 OPS overall.) E-Rod was younger than the league's average by two years. He was facing more experienced, more advanced competition. Here's what he did, while playing a very solid center field: In 199 plate appearances, he hit five doubles, three triples, and nine homers with 11 steals, 52 strikeouts, and 57 walks. That last part is worth repeating: 52 K, 57 BB. He cut his problematic K-rate down to an acceptable range while also drawing walks at a truly staggering frequency. Fifty-seven walks (just one "intentional") in 199 plate appearances equates to a 28.6% BB rate. It's a figure so astronomically high it almost defies belief. Juan Soto led the majors at 20.3% last year. The freakish rate of free passes indicates that Rodriguez has quickly developed both an incredibly keen eye, and a reputation among pitchers as a feared slugger to avoid. He lived up to the latter billing when he got something to hit, slugging .552, and rode all those walks to a .493 on-base percentage. The lefty swinger had a .522 OBP against left-handed pitchers. Among players with 100+ PA in the FSL, no one was within 80 points of OPS to the teenaged CF Rodriguez, other than a 24-year-old 1B/DH named Jacob Gonzalez. Rodriguez's breakout season was cut dramatically short by a knee meniscus injury suffered in June, but evaluators have seen enough in the small sample to elevate him into the elite tier of prospects. All four nationals outlets above have the outfielder in their top 100, and three have him in their top 50. Baseball America called him "one of the strongest up-arrow candidates" on their list. "He might be a top-10 prospect in baseball by midseason if what we saw last spring holds up," observed The Athletic's Keith Law. It's not hard to see where the hype is coming from. And while you couldn't exactly say he came out of nowhere -- the Dominican scored a $2.75 million bonus at age 16 as one of the top talents in the 2019 international class -- he's definitely going somewhere. What's Left to Work On There is not a single thing you can quibble with in Rodriguez's brief flash of brilliance last year. Complete all-around dominance. But, that's all it was: a brief flash. Turning 20 later this month, he's got a very sparse track record – just 84 pro games – and a long road ahead to the major leagues. There are many possible paths forward for the high-upside, high-variance talent. The direction he'll try to steer clear of goes something like this: As he moves up and faces better pitchers (who can better command the strike zone), Rodriguez's patience gives way to passiveness and his K-rate climbs, while the walk rate drops precipitously. Meanwhile, he loses a step after the surgery and keeps adding bulk as he ages into his 20s, forcing a move to a corner outfield spot and raising the bar for his offensive impact. Even in this scenario, Rodriguez can still pan out as a pretty valuable player, because his power tool is outstanding and there's nothing wrong with a classic slugging right fielder who can run and throw. But if Rodriguez can come back healthy at High-A and keep remotely intact the robust skill set we saw on display over two spectacular months in Fort Myers ... he'll likely be viewed among the top prospects in all of baseball by this time next year, following the trajectory of a future MLB superstar. What's Next Prospect rankings tend to be all over the place, but there's a stark level of consensus surrounding Rodriguez and his current estimation from the evaluation community. While there was tremendous dissent regarding the top two spots on the list this year (as we'll soon explore), there was none about who should rank #3: all 10 people who voted on Twins Daily's list had Rodriguez here. Even as you zoom out to the national 100 prospect rankings, the level of consensus is pretty stunning for a player who was on none of these lists a year ago. Baseball America, Baseball Prospectus and The Athletic all have E-Rod ranked between 42nd and 48th overall. We're all seeing the same thing: a highly touted international talent who showed everything you could possibly want to see during an all-too-brief breakthrough in 2022. Now he needs to rebound from the injury, and put together a full season of work. From there, the sky is the limit. He might not necessarily be the best prospect in the Twins system, but Rodriguez is almost certainly the most exciting, with a ceiling that rivals any promising young player who's ever graced these rankings. Feel free to discuss E-Rod as a prospect and ask as many questions as you like in the COMMENTS below. Previous Installments Honorable Mention Prospects 21-30 Prospects 16-20 Prospects 11-15 Prospect #10: Austin Martin, SS Prospect #9: Louie Varland, RHP Prospect #8: Jose Salas, INF Prospect #7: Connor Prielipp, LHP Prospect #6: Simeon Woods Richardson, RHP Prospect #5: Edouard Julien, 2B Prospect #4: Marco Raya, RHP Prospect #3: Emmanuel Rodriguez, OF Prospect #2: Coming tomorrow! View full article

Emmanuel Rodríguez performed at an extremely high level in 2022. The 19-year-old hit .272/.493/.552 (1.044 OPS) in the pitcher-friendly Florida State League. Rodríguez is currently a centerfielder but could shift to a corner as he moves up the system. After a knee injury ended his 2022 season, Rodríguez is on top-10 global prospect watch in 2023. View full video

It's prospect season again. Pitchers and catchers will soon report, so our effort at Twinsdaily to cover the minor leagues will fire up once again, and that includes our prospect rankings. The system looks surprisingly strong. Despite a flurry of trades over the last 18 months or so, the Twins still have a top nucleus of elite talent, and the franchise enjoys solid upper-level pitching depth. They're a little low on gamechangers at the elite positions—centerfield and shortstop—but so is basically every system, and Minnesota could easily cover that deficiency with a healthy season from Emmanuel Rodriguez and continued development from their two DSL stars. Remember: tier matters more than ranking. Royce Lewis 6’2” / 200 (Prev: 1) Age: 23 Position: SS Highest level reached: MLB Nothing has changed my view of Royce Lewis since I last updated my list. He’s a potentially franchise-altering talent with a frustrating lack of baseball in his recent resume. Lewis’ short playing time in 2022 was a revelation, as he checked significant boxes—his ability to play shortstop and his hitting prowess—before the brutal knee injury cut off his time playing baseball. A much quieter batting stance appears to have unlocked his hitting potential. I’m looking forward to seeing what he can do when he is healthy again. Brooks Lee 6’2” / 205 (Prev: 2) Age: 21 Position: SS/3B Highest level reached: AA If you think Brooks Lee deserves to be in the one spot, I can’t argue with you; Lee is an incredibly safe bet to hit well, no matter where his defensive home is. Despite being drafted just seven months ago, Lee reached AA, playing in a handful of games for Wichita before calling it a season; he smoked A+ ball with a 140 wRC+. His immense hitting pedigree, combined with his lineage as a coach’s son indeed points towards an ideal makeup package that should serve him well as he transitions to big leaguer. He’ll probably impact the 2023 Twins and will undoubtedly affect the team in 2024. ------------------------- Emmanuel Rodriguez 5’10” / 210 (Prev: 4) Age: 19 Position: OF Highest level reached: A Potentially the most dynamic prospect in Minnesota’s system, Emmanuel Rodriguez’s nuclear 2022 fell violently when he tore his ACL in June. Still, Rodriguez walked an absurd 28.6% of the time while slugging .551 in a league that favors pitchers. Granted, it was just a 199 plate appearance sample. Still, I’m excited to see Rodriguez return to action healthy, and he could quickly become the Twins’ best prospect sometime next season. Noah Miller 6’1” / 190 (Prev: 3) Age: 20 Position: SS Highest level reached: A I am too high on Noah Miller; I will remain too high on Noah Miller until his hitting falls entirely off a cliff. Prospects who are locks to play shortstop do not grow on trees—at least none that I know—and Miller’s bat is just good enough to keep him a valuable contributor at the position. If it clicks offensively—and his strike zone awareness is already elite—we’re looking at a potential successor to Carlos Correa in a few years; he’ll need to gain more power, though. Marco Raya 6’1” / 170 (Prev: 8) Age: 20 Position: RHP Highest level reached: A “[Marco] Raya’s slider is Charon, come to ferry batters back to the dugout,” wrote Jeffery Paternostro for Baseball Prospectus in November—a perfect sentence. Raya carries the same risk all pitchers do—injury potential, a future in the bullpen—compounded by his smaller frame. But if he can stay healthy, Raya could vault into the top of the Twins rotation, dominating hitters with a compelling four-pitch mix and a bulldog mentality. Raya struck out 28.9% of batters over 65 innings with Fort Myers in 2022. Jose Salas 6’2” / 191 (Prev: n/a) Age: 19 Position: SS Highest level reached: A+ A new name! A critical, underrated addition to the Pablo López trade, Jose Salas adds another intriguing infield wrinkle to a system bursting with “people who can play shortstop,” not necessarily “shortstops.” A super young 19 in A+, Salas hit like an overwhelmed prospect, but some AFL seasoning plus an off-season of recovery could cleanse him anew. Salas hit .267/.355/.421 in A ball before his promotion in 2022. Edouard Julien 6’2” / 195 (Prev: 7) Age: 23 Position: 2B Highest level reached: AA If this were a list of favorite prospects, Edouard Julien would be top three, potentially sitting at the top spot. What’s not to love? The lefty smoked AA Wichita with a .300/.441/.490 line and then hit—and I’m not kidding here—.400/.563/.686 in the Arizona Fall League before ending his terror on pitchers for the season. He lacks a defensive home, but a team would move Heaven and Earth to find a spot for that bat somewhere. Minnesota added him to the 40-man roster this past season; we will probably see Julien in the majors soon. Connor Prielipp 6’2” / 210 (Prev: 5) Age: 22 Position: LHP Highest level reached: n/a Who is John Galt Connor Prielipp? The baseball world has seen startlingly little from Prielipp, as injuries limited his time with Alabama to seven starts. Still, he owns a mid-90s fastball and a power slider when healthy; 2023 will illuminate his prospect status. Simeon Woods Richardson 6’3” / 210 (Prev: 6) Age: 22 Position: RHP Highest level reached: MLB Maybe one of the more crucial cogs in Minnesota’s 2023 pitching machine, Simeon Woods Richardson appears well-set to impact the major league roster soon. Armed with unique fastball traits, Woods Richardson held his own in a harsh Texas League environment in 2022, then torched AAA at the end of the year for fun. He earned enough respect to make his first Twins start—a five-inning outing notable in that he’ll never have to debut again; the nerves are behind him. Still somehow just 22, Woods Richardson struck out 27% of batters in the minors last season. ------------------------- Louie Varland 6’1” / 205 (Prev: 10) Age: 25 Position: RHP Highest level reached: MLB Louie Varland should rank higher on this list, but something in his profile doesn’t fully click for me. His fastball is excellent—a real jumper he can use in any count because of his low angle. But none of his other pitches stood out as difference makers, turning Varland into a one-pitch pitcher. His slider and changeup command was non-existent, and batters brutalized his cutter. That’s a negative paragraph for the supposed 10th-best prospect on the team, but that’s what I’ve seen from Varland, and until it changes, I remain bearish on his starting capabilities. Austin Martin 6’0” / 185 (Prev: 13) Age: 23 Position: SS/OF Highest level reached: AA Austin Martin’s wild 2022 bounced him more than any other player around this list. After slugging a dreadful .315 in a hitter’s league, Martin crushed in the Arizona Fall League, showcasing his older, successful mechanics in a dramatic redemption arc. He’s not a shortstop—that much is obvious now, but if his bat is back, then the Twins could have a quality 3-win utility player capable of playing a variety of positions. 2023 will be a crucial test. Matt Wallner 6’5” / 220 (Prev: 9) Age: 25 Position: OF Highest level reached: MLB It’s hard to hold 18 major league games against a guy, but Matt Wallner’s Adventures in the Outfield stunk enough to deeply sour me on any notions of him replacing Max Kepler soon. The Twins appear to agree. With approximately 30,000 outfielders ahead of him, it would take a series of great tragedies before Wallner earns significant MLB playing time soon. Still, he shaved points off his strikeout rate in 2022—the biggest knock against him—and he could ride his outstanding power stroke to an elongated playing career. Yasser Mercedes 6’2” / 175 (Prev: 11) Age: 18 Position: OF Highest level reached: DSL Yasser Mercedes did things as a 17-year-old that teenagers aren’t supposed to do. Yes, it was in the noisy environment that is the DSL, but 30 steals with a .555 slugging percentage is impressive, no matter the level. Mercedes will likely play in rookie ball in 2023, and I imagine his prospect package will become much more apparent in 2024 when he’ll still be just 19. David Festa 6’6” / 185 (Prev: 20) Age: 22 Position: RHP Highest level reached: A+ One of the most “pop-uppiest” prospect in the Twins system in 2022, David Festa commands a tremendous fastball/slider combo that torched hitters in the low minors. Although his numbers dropped following a promotion to A+ ball, Festa punctuated his season with a 10-strikeout performance over six shutout innings in a playoff game against the Cubs. We will see how Festa pitches in a tougher environment in 2023. Misael Urbina 6’0” / 190 (Prev: 12) Age: 20 Position: OF Highest level reached: A Misael Urbina is an excellent example of why prospect evaluations are a snapshot in time, not the law in written form: he couldn’t hit for any power in 2021 but re-played A ball again in 2022 and showcased a much-improved power stroke. Soon to be 21, Urbina should unleash even more strength this year, potentially shooting him further up the list. ------------------------- Brent Headrick 6’6” / 235 (Prev: 14) Age: 25 Position: LHP Highest level reached: AA A surprise 40-man addition, Brent Headrick’s numbers are perhaps more impressive than his raw tools. His breaker is a bit of a looping pitch, which MLB hitters–especially righties—could lay off of, but his fastball lands perfectly at the top of the zone, and his command is good enough that the breaker shape may not matter. He will probably impact the Twins in 2023—though it’s unclear in what capacity—and he could become a regular, reliable lefty swingman. Jordan Balazovic 6’5” / 215 (Prev: 15) Age: 24 Position: RHP Highest level reached: AAA How do you rank Jordan Balazovic? Long considered the promised arm, delivered by our wonderful friends Up North, Balazovic faced a nightmare 2022 season, one so hideous that I don’t even want to post any stats from it. The Twins claimed he was healthy, but such a shocking drop-off in performance is almost unbelievable; hopefully 2023 will be a kinder year for Balazovic. Ronny Henriquez 5’10” / 155 (Prev: 17) Age: 22 Position: RHP Highest level reached: MLB One of the more exciting arms in Minnesota’s system, Ronny Henriquez spent a few months getting bullied by AAA hitters before turning around and delivering an adequate July through end-of-season performance. Armed with a fastball, slider, and changeup, Henriquez will pepper well-commanded off-speed pitches around the zone, hopefully enticing the hitter to bite before the end of the at-bat. His issue? A fastball that ends up either 1. In the heart of the strike zone 2. In the gap (if he’s lucky) 3. In the hands of a fan sitting in right-center field. Whether Henriquez can improve his heater will determine his success at the major league level. Noah Cardenas 6’1” / 195 (Prev: 18) Age: 23 Position: C Highest level reached: A I am still trying to understand why Noah Cardenas is not more well-regarded as a prospect. Catchers who hit for a 146 wRC+ aren’t common, and while he was older than your average A-ball hitter, I feel confident that Cardenas should continue to hit as he elevates through the system. Although catcher development is often strange, so he may run into weird pitfalls and unusual traps that keep him from improving linearly. Jose Rodriguez 6’2” / 196 (Prev: Unranked) Age: 17 Position: OF Highest level reached: DSL Like Yasser Mercedes, Jose Rodriguez is a 17-year-old whose only time in professional baseball is in the DSL—a sign that all hype should involve grains of salt and the such. Still, as a player even younger than most DSL hitters, Rodriguez pounded 13 homers and slugged over .600. He’s about as far away from the majors as possible. Still, you should keep his name in mind over the next few years as a potential big-league powerhouse. Cody Laweryson 6’4” / 205 (Prev: 23) Age: 24 Position: RHP Highest level reached: AA A personal favorite, Cody Laweryson prefers to trick hitters with his pitching motion: a lanky, swan-like delivery that combines the sudden violence of Carter Capps with the grace of Joe Ryan. Lawyerson crushed AA, striking out over 30% of hitters while holding an ERA just over 1.00. The Twins left him unprotected in the rule 5 draft, and no other team claimed him, giving Laweryson another year to prove that his play isn’t a fluke. Cole Sands 6’3” / 215 (Prev: 16) Age: 25 Position: RHP Highest level reached: MLB Cole Sands owns one of the nastiest pitches in Minnesota’s system: a whirling breaking ball, here to alter planes and send batters home wondering if they even saw the pitch. The issue? The offering moves so much that Sands has difficulty commanding the pitch. He mixes in an effective splitter—which actually outperformed his breaker by xwOBA during his time in the majors—but his fastball drags down his profile. Sands might be a kitchen sink reliever if he doesn’t improve his heater. Blayne Enlow 6’3” / 170 (Prev: 14) Age: 23 Position: RHP Highest level reached: AA Blayne Enlow pitched in an entire season for the first time since 2019, and his results were mixed. He struck out 24.8% of hitters—which is good—but walked 11.6% of them—which is not good. The Twins DFA’d him earlier in the offseason, but after no team claimed him, Enlow will have another year in the system to prove he was worth his high draft pick. Tanner Schobel 5’10” / 170 (Prev: 27) Age: 21 Position: 2B Highest level reached: A The Twins sent Tanner Schobel on the fast track, pushing their 2022 2nd-round pick to A Ball, where he held his own. Although lacking in power, Schobel could carve out a career as a contact/OBP/defense threat capable of putting together a 3 WAR season if everything works out; many teams could use a player like that. ------------------------- Alejandro Hidalgo 6’1” / 160 (Prev: n/a) Age: 19 Position: RHP Highest level reached: A A newcomer, Alexander Hidalgo joined the Twins in the Gio Urshela trade. The Angels handled him with kid gloves, as he didn’t touch 40 innings despite making 10 starts. The owner of a plus changeup, Hidalgo’s pitch mix is otherwise unimpressive, but he could grow into an off-speed specialist if he finds more consistency with his curveball; his fastball lacks crucial characteristics. Matt Canterino 6’2” / 222 (Prev: Unranked) Age: 25 Position: RHP Highest level reached: AA I highly doubt that Matt Canterino will even become an effective starter for the Twins. His minor league innings total is barren, and the righty looks to be standing in a long line of Rice products driven into the ground by an indifferent coaching staff. Still—and this is the only thing keeping him on the list—his electric stuff could allow him to live as a 1-2 inning reliever. Alex Isola 6’1” / 215 (Prev: 24) Age: 24 Position: C/1B Highest level reached: AA A 29th-round pick, Alex Isola has hit well at every step in his minor league journey. He owns a well-rounded hitting package, trading off a touch of power for excellent plate control (13.0% walk rate vs. 18.2% K rate at AA), and could find himself playing some first base for the Twins if a few injuries take out key players. Cesar Lares 6’0” / 155 (Prev: 28) Age: 19 Position: LHP Highest level reached: DSL Another DSL prospect, Cesar Lares crushed his competition in 2022, holding an impressive 2.23 FIP over 46 innings. Again, he’s literally a teenager; we don’t know much about how he’ll perform against older, tougher competition, but he appears to be on the right track. Keep his name in mind. Aaron Sabato 6’2” / 230 (Prev: 29) Age: 23 Position: 1B Highest level reached: AA For two years now, Aaron Sabato has done just enough to keep his name in these prospect conversations, but time is running out for the former 1st-round pick. After hitting well at A+ ball, AA smacked into Sabato like a truck; whether he can recover in 2023 will potentially define his time as a Twins prospect. Yunior Severino 6’1” / 189 (Prev: 25) Age: 23 Position: 2B/3B Highest level reached: AA A post-hype prospect received after the Braves got caught with their hands in the cookie jar, Yunior Severino broke out with big numbers at A+ ball before falling back to earth at AA. We will see if he can rebound at a higher level. Honorable mentions: Brayan Medina, RHP: Brayan Medina came over in the Chris Paddack trade and struggled to throw strikes in his time at Rookie Ball. He can touch the mid-90s and works well off a curveball. Danny De Andrade, 3B/SS: Danny De Andrade is an all-around player, lacking in one elite category but doing everything mostly well. He has yet to break out of rookie ball and could burst with his first (probable) playing time in full-season ball. Kala’i Rosario, OF: Kala’i Rosario strikes out far too much, but he has good power for a 20-year-old and could improve with extra seasoning. Michael Helman, 2B/OF: Michael Helman hasn’t exploded with an overwhelming season yet, but he’s snuck his way into AAA, and his overall package could serve him well if the Twins need to call him up. Alerick Soularie, 2B/OF: Alerick Soularie still hasn’t tapped into his power potential, which makes his high strikeout rate hard to stomach. Still, he could figure it out any day now and shoot back up this list.

The Twins added one of Miami's top prospects as part of the Luis Arraez trade. So, where does Jose Salas rank among the top Twins prospects? Image courtesy of Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports Many national prospect rankings have recently been released, with some debate at the top for the Twins. Royce Lewis and Brooks Lee are considered the team's best prospects, but their order differs depending on which list readers prefer. Emmanuel Rodriguez appears on multiple top 100 lists, so he is another name to watch in 2023. The Marlins included Jose Salas as part of the Luis Arraez trade, and this is where I'd place him in the team's top-10 list: 10. Matt Wallner, OF Age: 25 2022 Levels: AA, AAA, MLB Wallner is coming off his best professional season, which saw him hit .277/.412/.542 (.953) in the upper minors before making his big-league debut. He's in the same age range as Trevor Larnach and Alex Kirilloff, so it will be interesting to see how the organization utilizes these three young players. Wallner will likely start the year at Triple-A if everyone is healthy, but he should be one of the team's first call-ups in 2023. 9. Edouard Julien, INF Age: 23 2022 Level: AA Julien was one of Minnesota's breakout prospects in 2023. He hit .300/.441/.490 (.931) with 19 doubles, three triples, and 17 home runs. The Twins sent him to the Arizona Fall League, and he continued to rake with a 1.248 OPS in 21 games. Minnesota added him to their 40-man roster, so he should debut in 2023. Julien moved higher on the organizational depth chart after the Twins traded Arraez. 8. Jose Salas, INF Age: 19 2022 Levels: A, A+ The Marlins were aggressive with Salas throughout his professional career. Last year, he split time between Low- and High-A, and he was over three years younger than the average age of the competition in the Midwest League. In 109 games, he hit .250/.339/.384 (.723) with 20 doubles, four triples, and nine home runs. He is expected to add more to his frame, and his power numbers should increase. Some believe he can stick at shortstop, but he is comfortable playing multiple defensive positions. Salas should play most of his games in Cedar Rapids, but the team might want him to play in Fort Myers for the season's early months. He's a long way from Target Field, but he is still a prospect to watch in 2023. 7. Louie Varland, SP Age: 25 2022 Levels: AA, AAA, MLB Varland has been named the team's minor league pitcher of the year in back-to-back seasons. That has yet to happen in the Twins organization since Jose Berrios was a top-100 prospect. In 24 appearances, he posted a 3.06 ERA with a 1.26 WHIP and 10.4 K/9. His strikeout totals dropped at the big-league level, but his sample size was limited to five starts. He projects to start the year in St. Paul's rotation, but he should pitch in important games for the Twins in 2023. 6. Marco Raya, SP Age: 20 2022 Level: A Raya made his professional debut in 2022 as a 19-year-old in the Florida State League. Only 42 of his at-bats came against younger batters because he was three years younger than the average age of the competition at his level. In 19 appearances (65 1/3 innings), he posted a 3.05 ERA with a 1.07 WHIP and 10.5 K/9. Baseball Prospectus ranks Raya as baseball's 53 overall prospect, which is higher than any other national ranking. Minnesota can let Raya start the year back in Fort Myers, but most of his innings should be in Cedar Rapids. 5. Simeon Woods Richardson, SP Age: 22 2022 Levels: AA, AA. MLB Woods Richardson bounced back nicely in 2022 after struggling through parts of the 2021 season. In 23 appearances (107 1/3 IP), he posted a 2.77 ERA with a 1.05 WHIP and 9.6 K/9. He has been significantly younger than the median age of the competition throughout his professional career. Minnesota's starting pitching depth will have Woods Richardson continuing to develop at Triple-A this season. His performance and the health of other players will dictate how long he stays in St. Paul. 4. Connor Prielipp, LHP Age: 22 2022 Levels: N/A The Twins took Prielipp with the 48th overall pick in the 2022 MLB Draft. He fell that far after undergoing Tommy John surgery in college, so he should be ready to make his professional debut in 2023. His fastball and slider are both MLB-ready pitches, and his changeup also projects to be above average. The Twins were confident enough in his pre-draft workouts to go over slot value to sign him. Minnesota will work him back slowly in 2023, but he has all the traits necessary to be an ace pitcher. 3. Emmanuel Rodriguez, OF Age: 19 2022 Level: A Rodriguez has a chance to be the most exciting prospect in the Twins farm system. Last year, he hit .272/.493/.552 (1.044) with five doubles, three triples, and nine home runs in 47 games. The only thing that slowed him down was a knee injury that ended his season in June. Many national prospect lists have taken notice of Rodriguez's performance as he is a consensus top-100 prospect. He has a chance to be a top-25 global prospect entering next season, especially if his power continues to develop. 2. Royce Lewis, SS/3B/OF Age: 23 2022 Levels: AAA, MLB Lewis surprised many with how strongly he returned from ACL surgery during the 2022 campaign. The Twins sent him to Triple-A, and he hit .313/.405/.534 (.940) with 18 extra-base hits in 34 games. His big-league debut went nearly as well with a .867 OPS with four doubles and two home runs. Unfortunately, his season ended early after he tore his ACL running into the Target Field wall. Lewis should be ready by the middle of the season to help bolster the team's line-up. 1. Brooks Lee, SS Age: 21 2022 Levels: Rookie, A+, AA Lee was considered the best college bat in the 2022 draft class, so the Twins were thrilled that he fell to them with the eighth overall pick. Two months following the draft, he played in the Double-A playoffs after combining for a .839 OPS at three different levels. Lee likely won't stick at shortstop when he reaches the majors, but the Twins hope Correa can fill that position for multiple years. Minnesota doesn't need to rush him in 2023; he can reach the big leagues in the second half. The Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospect Rankings will be coming in early February with input from all of the site's minor league contributors. Who is ranked too high? Who is ranked too low? Should Austin Martin be in the top 10? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article

Coming into the 2023 Major League Baseball season we have seen plenty of graduations from the top of the Minnesota farm system. Players like Joe Ryan and Jose Miranda are now fully entrenched as big leaguers. With another year removed from the season wiped out by Covid, we have more development having taken place on the farm. As the Twins head to Fort Myers in a matter of weeks, they will be looking for their youth to again be well positioned to supplement the big league club. Rocco Baldelli’s team is looking to compete in the AL Central this year, and there will at least be a name or two from this group that helps them to do so. With the last update to this prospect list coming more than a year ago, it’s time for a refresh. Previous rankings can be found below: 2016 Top 15 Prospects 2017 Top 15 Prospects 2018 Top 15 Prospects 2019 Top 15 Prospects 2020 Top 15 Prospects 2021 Top 15 Prospects 2022 Top 15 Propsects 15. Tanner Schobel A second round pick from Virginia Tech last season, Schobel made his professional debut and spent the bulk of his time at Low-A Fort Myers. In just shy of 30 games he posted a .670 OPS and showed a very strong set of on-base skills. He had a power breakout for the Hokies prior to being drafted, but this is more a solid bat and good fielder than anything.] 14. Matt Canterino RHP Canterino has appeared all over this list in recent seasons. He threw 37 innings last season before needing Tommy John surgery. At this point he shouldn’t be starting, but he could certainly blossom into a late-inning reliever once returning to a clean bill of health. 13. David Festa RHP Continuing to creep up prospect lists, Festa’s 2.43 ERA in more than 100 innings last year was impressive. It was his first real season of professional ball and the strikeout rates were nice to see. Festa looked the part of a legit starter at High-A Cedar Rapids, and continuing down that path this season for Double-A Wichita could have him positioned to debut in 2023. 12. Edouard Julien INF The only reason that Julien isn’t higher on this list is that he’s extremely limited defensively. Julien tore up Double-A for Wichita posting a .931 OPS, and he continued to impress in the Arizona Fall League. There is a very good bat here, and it flashes with both on-base skills and power. 11. Louie Varland RHP Making his Major League debut for the Twins last season, Varland continues to climb the prospect ranks. His ceiling may not be that of a number two pitcher, but he looks to be a number four at worst and can continue to develop a bit more. This has been an incredible success story. 10. Matt Wallner OF Wallner made it to the big leagues last year, and it was largely because of changes he made at the plate. His arm has always been solid in the outfield, but reigning in the free-swinging profile to draw more walks and focus on doing damage was huge. There is Brent Rooker downside here, but patience has changed his trajectory some. 9. Yasser Mercedes OF It’s hard to extrapolate too much from the teenagers playing during the Dominican Summer League, but Mercedes looks special. He posted a .975 OPS and did so with both average and on-base skills to his credit. He looks the part of a toolsy outfielder, and if the bat continues to play, this is a prospect that will keep rising the ranks. 8. Austin Martin INF/OF It’s pretty clear that Martin is no longer a shortstop, and while he could play either second or third base, he may be best suited for the outfield. After failing to harness power Minnesota was trying to tap into, Martin’s stock could again rise by simply reverting to pure hitter tendencies. He’s not the can’t miss prospect that the Twins acquired from Toronto, but there is a big leaguer here. 7. Simeon Woods Richardson RHP Acquired alongside Martin in the Jose Berrios trade, Woods Richardson made it to the show first. He distanced himself from the setback that was 2021, and looks the part of a Major League rotation piece. Woods Richardson should get plenty of run at Triple-A this season, and he’ll see time with Minnesota again as well. 6. Jose Salas SS Part of Minnesota’s return for Luis Arraez from the Miami Marlins, Salas has plenty of unpredictability going forward. As he matures and grows, he could slide to second or third base, but he also profiles as an extremely talented offensive player. Just 19, Salas did post a .723 OPS across two levels of Single-A last season. 5. Marco Raya RHP A fourth round pick back in 2020, Raya made his professional debut in 2022 after finally being healthy. His 3.05 ERA at Low-A Fort Myers paired nicely with a 10.5 K/9, and his stuff has always looked like he could be a top-of-the-rotation pitcher. More development for a kid that is just 20-years-old is needed, but there is plenty to be excited about here. 4. Connor Prielipp LHP Taken in the 2022 draft, Prielipp had the makings of a first round pick before undergoing surgery. He likely represents Minnesota's best prospect chance at an ace, and he could conceivably be a top-100 prospect nationally by this time next year. The stuff is special, and doing it as a southpaw makes him that much more valuable. 3. Emmanuel Rodriguez OF Playing in Low-A at just 19, Rodriguez turned heads in a big way last year. His 1.044 OPS in the Florida State League was jaw-dropping, and it was only injury that slowed him down. He should be healthy coming into 2023, and there is no reason another strong season couldn’t vault him into the top 25 of prospects lists. 2. Brooks Lee SS Drafted for his hit tool, Lee did exactly that during his professional debut. He batted .303 with an .839 OPS and made it all the way to Double-A in year one. There is no reason why Lee can’t play for the Twins as early as this year, and he looks to be among the most polished players from any recent draft class. 1. Royce Lewis SS Making his big league debut in place of Carlos Correa last season, Lewis looked the part of an All-Star shortstop. Another unfortunate injury got him, but the production for the Twins was enough to drool over. It has never seemed wise to doubt Lewis, but his ceiling remains as high as it has ever been.

Recently, Twins fandom has become locked in on the Marlins as a trade partner in pursuit of starting pitching help. Who are other possible partners? Who might the Twins target to bolster the top of the rotation? Image courtesy of Brad Penner - USA Today Sports With Carlos Correa in the fold, the discourse of Twins fandom has turned to possible rotation upgrades. There has been rumored interest in Pablo López and the Marlins as a possible trade partner. Fair enough. López, however, doesn’t really check the cost-benefit box for the Twins. Coming off a career-best season, he accumulated 2.8 fWAR in 2022. A free agent in 2025, he doesn’t clear the Sonny Gray (2.4 fWAR in 2022) echelon of starting pitching candidates with enough conviction. Pass, especially if it would take a package including Max Kepler or Luis Arraez and more to acquire him. I would assert the following guidelines in working toward a trade for starting pitching: They have to be clearly better than Sonny Gray (3.5-4.5 fWAR ideally), OR There has to be some projectability left. Edward Cabrera is a good example of the latter qualifier (25 K%, 24 years old, and not a free agent until 2029) With those criteria in mind, here are a few ‘less talked about’ starting pitching trade candidates for the Twins to pursue. For each, I’ll attempt to answer ‘what’s the appeal’? and ‘what’s the deal’? I leveraged ‘Baseball Trade Values’ to find approximate value equivalency for each trade. As with any hypothetical trade scenario, they’re meant to outline potential cost, as opposed to specific names teams might target, because, what do I know? Zac Gallen What’s the Appeal? The Diamondbacks would maximize Gallen’s value by trading him now. In 2022, he accumulated 4.3 fWAR (14th in baseball) from 180 innings after accumulating 4.4 fWAR in his previous 270ish innings spread over three seasons. Gallen was misery for hitters last season, sporting a 26.9 K%, 6.6 BB%, and 111.7 stuff+. Gallen is under team control for three more seasons, so the cost would be breathtaking. The Diamondbacks aren’t in a position to win a loaded NL West division and have some of the most elite prospect talent in baseball. Trading with the Twins allows them to continue to load up for 2024 and beyond. What’s the Deal? The Twins acquire RHP Zac Gallen from the Diamondbacks for SS Brooks Lee, OF Emmanuel Rodriguez, and RHP David Festa Verdict? Too rich for me. Nestor Cortes What’s the Appeal? Cortes was one of the feel-good stories in baseball in 2022. After a promising 2021, he exploded last season, amassing 3.6 fWAR with a 26.6 K% and a stingy 6.2 BB%. Cortes isn’t a free agent until 2026, so he would be expensive, but the Yankees and Twins are a good match to trade. The Yankees have Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodón, Frankie Montas, Domingo Germán, and Luis Severino in the rotation mix, with more options close to the major-league level. Cortes might strike the balance between adding real quality to the rotation, at a price the Twins can stomach. What’s the Deal? The Twins acquire LHP Nestor Cortes from the Yankees for OF Max Kepler, OF Matt Wallner, and RHP Josh Winder Verdict? I would accept this trade. The Twins have a huge dearth of left-handed corner outfielders. This trade gives the Yankees a defensively strong starting outfielder, an additional outfielder for the future who can also fill in at DH, and a powerful arm who hasn’t yet clicked in Minnesota. Brandon Woodruff What’s the Appeal? Simply put, a dominant track record. Over the last four seasons, Woodruff has averaged 3.4 fWAR. While Woodruff isn’t a free agent until 2025, we know that the Brewers are not opposed to cashing in on or maximizing value. In 2022, Woodruff struck out over 30% of batters faced while maintaining a 6.8 BB%. At his best, he’s dominant and would immediately be the Twins best starting pitcher. What’s the Deal? The Twins acquire RHP Brandon Woodruff for 3B José Miranda, and RHP Bailey Ober Verdict? This deal is more a reflection of cost than a possibility. We all know Assistant General Manager Carlos Correa would immediately veto a trade of José Miranda. This situation simply bumped Ober, (who has struggled to remain healthy) from the bottom of the Twins' rotation and substituted Woodruff at the top. This also sees Brooks Lee as the Twins' long-term third baseman, debuting in 2023, with Miranda as more of a first base or DH option. Honorable Mentions I put the topic of pitching trade candidates on twitter and, as usual, Twins Daily readership came through in style. Other candidates that I didn’t include in-depth either as they had been recently written about, OR the trade fit wasn’t as obvious. They are, however, worth mentioning: Tyler Glasnow, Dustin May, Tony Gonsolin, Logan Gilbert, Chris Sale, and Frankie Montas. The list goes on. It’s worth widening the lens when considering Twins trade targets. Thinking back to the Rangers/Yankees double trade last season, it feels likely they pursue a similarly creative path to upgrade the high-end talent on the roster. Ultimately, I’m in favor of the 3.5 fWAR threshold for starting pitching acquisitions. Given the prices, I think the Twins are unlikely to be, as it would involve parting with a close-to-the-majors prospect they see as part of their core, or MLB-level pieces they view as indispensable. Time will tell. Who would you like the Twins to trade for? Who are you willing to part with and who is off limits? Join the discussion and leave your thoughts in the chat. View full article

Every year, injuries impact the development timeline of multiple top prospects. Here are three Twins prospects looking to have a healthier 2023 campaign. Image courtesy of Rob Thompson, St. Paul Saints Last season, three notable names returned from injury at the top of the Twins' prospect rankings. Royce Lewis was returning from a torn ACL, while Matt Canterino and Jhoan Duran were recovering from strained elbows. Lewis had a tremendous season before tearing his ACL for the second straight season. Canterino was limited to 37 innings before requiring Tommy John surgery. Thankfully, during his rookie campaign, Jhoan Duran became one of baseball's most dominant relievers. Entering the 2023 season, the Twins hope these three prospects can get back on track to prove they are healthy. Royce Lewis, SS 2022 Injury: Torn ACL Lewis didn't want to be on this list in two consecutive off-seasons. However, he has already proven that he can return from this injury and not lose a beat. There was some question last year if Lewis would need time to adjust to the Triple-A level after not appearing in a competitive game since 2019. It certainly didn't look like he missed a beat. He posted a .993 OPS in 24 games before being called up for his big-league debut. Then Lewis went 12-for-39 (.308) with six extra-base hits in his first 11 MLB games with the Twins. With Carlos Correa signed, Lewis doesn't need to be rushed back in 2023. He can take his time to prove he is healthy again at Triple-A before being being called up. Still, the Twins need Lewis to become a player that impacts both sides of the ball for the next decade. Emmanuel Rodriguez, OF 2022 Injury: Torn Meniscus Last season, Rodriguez showed why the Twins were so high on him when they signed him in July 2019. He was considered a top-10 international prospect in the class. Unfortunately, the pandemic postponed his professional debut to 2021, where he hit .214/.346/.524 (.870) with five doubles, two triples, and ten home runs. Rodriguez spent the 2022 season in Fort Myers, where he was over two years younger than the average age of the competition. In 47 games, he hit .272/.493/.552 (1.044) with more walks (57) than strikeouts (52). His season ended in June after he tore his meniscus and needed surgery. Minnesota can start Rodriguez in Fort Myers while the weather is colder, but he should spend most of the season in Cedar Rapids. He's out to prove that his breakout season wasn't a fluke. Jordan Balazovic, SP 2022 Injury: Left Knee Strain Balazovic's 2022 season was delayed until mid-May due to a left knee strain, and he went on to have the worst season of his professional career. In 72 2/3 innings, he posted a 7.68 ERA with a 1.97 WHIP with a 77-to-37 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Lucas wrote extensively on ways to fix Jordan Balazovic, saying, "It's possible that the lingering pain caused him to diminish his knee extension after foot plant, impacting his velocity and command." The Twins don't need to rush Balazovic to the big leagues with other pitchers ahead of him on the team's depth chart, including Louie Varland and Simeon Woods Richardson. Balazovic can spend the beginning of the season proving he is healthy at Triple-A before a potential mid-season call-up. Which has the most to prove this season? Can all three stay healthy? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article

It's now officially been three years since 2020. Here's where the Twins top 30 prospects of that time, according to MLB.com, may be starting their 2023 seasons. Image courtesy of David Banks, USA Today Sports As the calendar flips into the new year, its time to look at where the Twins top 30 prospects according to MLB.com from 2020 are currently or expected to be for the 2023 season. Many of these 30 players are set to start their 2023 season playing professional baseball. Here’s the outlook for these past or even present Twins prospects 2023 seasons. 1. Royce Lewis Lewis' story is well known to Twins Territory. In a recent interview with the Athletic's Dan Hayes, Lewis is well aware of his situation and expects to have limited activity during Spring Training. A rehab assignment does not look likely before Memorial Day based off his recovery schedule. Still, there is great optimism that Lewis will be the Twins everyday shortstop upon his return from the IL. 2023 Season Start: IL 2. Alex Kirilloff Kirilloff is another story. Fortunately, he is expected to take part in full activities for the start of the Twins 2023 Spring Training. With the free agent acquisition of Joey Gallo on December 16, the expectation for Kirilloff is for him to see more playing time at first base than the outfield for 2023. Of course the health of Kirilloff’s wrist will be the major concern next to his everyday performance. As long as his wrist remain heathy, the sky is the limit for what he can do at the plate every day. 2023 Season Start: Twins Opening Day Roster 3. Trevor Larnach Larnach, compared to his other two teammates, finished the season playing, although he ended the season with the Saints and didn't return to the Twins. Still with his core muscle healed, everyday playing opportunities aren’t a guarantee for Larnach right now with a crowded outfield. It is likely that Max Kepler will be traded before Spring Training begins, and with Kirilloff being prioritized at first, the corner spots could come down to him and Joey Gallo. 2023 Season Start: Twins Opening Day Roster 4. Jordan Balazovic Balazovic had a season to forget at Triple A in 2022. After missing the first month of the season, Balazovic did not get a start until the first Saturday in May. Every start after then until September was a mess for the Twins top pitching prospect in 2020. Given the crowded rotation, Balazovic is likely to start his season at Triple A in St. Paul to prove that the flukes of his 2022 season were just a short term ordeal. 2023 Season Start: Triple A St. Paul Saints 5. Jhoan Duran There’s no question on where Jhoan Duran will be to start his 2023 season. The best rookie season for an American League reliever since 2006, Duran looks to repeat the success and protect his title of being baseball’s fastest pitching arm. 2023 Season Start: Twins Opening Day Roster 6. Ryan Jeffers The promise of Jeffers as a starting catcher hasn’t exactly panned out how the Twins hoped it would have been when he made his MLB debut in 2020. Now, he will be splitting starting time with a defending World Series champion, Christian Vazquez. Like many others on this list, the question around Jeffers is how well can he play if he can remain healthy. Not having the bulk of catching duties on him should help in preventing further injuries from deteriorating his playing time. 2023 Season Start: Twins Opening Day Roster 7. Keoni Cavaco Cavaco was drafted out of Eastlake High School in Chula Vista, California in 2019. Having missed out on key development in 2020 with no Minor League season, he spent all of the 2022 season at Low A Ft. Myers. Cavaco’s numbers didn’t flash off the back of a baseball card in the 99 games in which he played. He was drafted as a shortstop but shifted to third base full time in 2022. Given that Cavaco does not turn 22 until June, his 2023 season will be focusing on getting to higher levels of the Twins farm system. 2023 Season Start: High-A Cedar Rapids Kernels 8. Wander Javier Javier once had a lot of promise to be a second coming of Jorge Polanco, now after an under productive season mostly spent in Cedar Rapids, the Twins have let go of Javier. He is now a minor league free agent. Javier is still 24 years old but only spent seven games in his career above the High A level. That and having not had a batting average above .225 or OPS above .693 since the 2017 season will make him a hard sign for many teams, even on a minor league deal. 2023 Season Start: Inactive 9. Blayne Enlow Enlow’s 2022 season was spent recovering from Tommy John surgery that had him shut down for the 2021 season. Aside from a rehab start in Ft. Myers, Enlow spent his entire season at Double A Wichita, where he was used both as a starter and reliever. His numbers on the mound did not jump off the board as he posted at 4.50 ERA as a reliever in 14 games and 4.86 ERA in 11 starts and 37 innings pitched. Enlow is currently on the 40-man roster for the Twins, but given his need to reinvent himself as a pitcher from a bad recovery year, it is likely he will start the season back in Wichita. 2023 Season Start: Double A Wichita Wind Surge 10. Lewis Thorpe After being cut by the Saints following his one and only start in the Twins system, Thorpe went to play for the Independent League Kansas City Monarchs. His season was mediocre there at best, and following the Monarchs season, Thorpe returned to his home country of Australia. He is not currently playing in the Australian Baseball League, though their season is underway. Given that he is back home and inactive, it is hard to say if he’ll make the return to the States and play professional here for the 2023 season. 2023 Season Start: Inactive 11. Matt Canterino Canterino showed a lot of promise during his 2022 season, so much that many anticipated he’d be making his MLB debut with the Twins to help the broken bullpen. Unfortunately, that never happened as he was shut down for Tommy John surgery in August. With that, Canterino is not expected to return to pitching until mid to late-August, as the 25-year-old will not likely make his MLB debut until 2024 at the earliest. Fortunately for him, he is on the Twins current 40-man roster and will be alongside Lewis as he moves to the 60-day IL as early as possible. 2023 Season Start: IL 12. Brent Rooker Rooker was traded to the Padres along with Taylor Rogers the day before 2022's Opening Day, and spent the year with San Diego and Kansas City, mainly playing at both their Triple A affiliates. 2023 could be the best season for everyday playing time for Rooker as he was claimed off waivers from the Royals to the Oakland A’s earlier this offseason. Oakland’s 40-man roster is a mess and not too many players are guaranteed to be on the Opening Day roster, especially on the offense side. If he has a strong spring training, Rooker has a good chance to be on Oakland’s Opening Day roster. 2023 Season Start: Athletics Opening Day Roster 13. Akil Baddo Baddo’s disappointing 2022 season has been hashed on over, and over again. Fortunately for him, he is currently one of only four listed outfielders on the Tigers 40-man roster, meaning there’s a good chance he stays on the 26-man roster for Opening Day. Still, Baddo will have to prove his sophomore slump to be just that in Spring Training if he wants to bank on his chances of being on the road in Tampa for the Tigers’ opening series against the Rays. 2023 Season Start: Tigers Opening Day Roster 14. Matt Wallner The Forest Lake native had an impressive end to his 2022 season coming home to play in both Minneapolis and St. Paul. Wallner’s MLB debut was a bit rushed as the Twins outfield became completely depleted by September. With the addition of Gallo, the Twins left-handed hitting outfielders count is at six. Wallner is likely to start his 2023 season in St. Paul for a few weeks before returning to the Twins for more playing time. 2023 Season Start: Triple A St. Paul Saints 15. Gilberto Celestino Celestino logged 119 games in the outfield for the Twins in 2022, but with a lackluster performance at the plate all season, it’s likely the Twins will send him to Triple A to start the season. Celestino struggled on the field defensively as the 2022 season winded down as well. Having time with the Saints to have less pressure on his role as he did in 2022 with the Twins could help develop Celestino into a strong fourth outfielder again. 2023 Season Start: Triple A St. Paul Saints 16. Edwar Colina Colina had a cup of coffee with the Twins in 2020 making his MLB debut out of the bullpen for the final series of a 60-game season. Unfortunately, Colina has not pitched a professional game since then due to elbow issues. The Texas Rangers claimed Colina off waivers from the Twins on October 6, 2021, and has remained with the organization on a minor league deal. He turns 26 on May 3 and still could become an effective reliever out of their bullpen. 2023 Season Start: Triple A Round Rock Express 17. Nick Gordon Nick Gordon had a fantastic 2022 season amongst all the woes for the Twins last year. There is no doubt that he and Kyle Farmer are going to play heavy utility roles for the Twins in 2023. The main questions surrounding Gordon for 2023 are where he’ll receive the most playing time on the field and how often he’ll be in the lineup. The outfield is crowded for the Twins, especially in left field, plus Kyle Farmer and Jorge Polanco will be playing up the middle of the infield daily as they are better defenders at second and short. This is a good problem to have for Gordon as he will still contribute well to this Twins team. 2023 Season Start: Twins Opening Day Roster 18. Travis Blankenhorn Blankenhorn, like Colina, had a quick cup of coffee with the Twins in 2020 playing in just one game against the White Sox in mid-September. He played one more game with the Twins in 2021 before being claimed off waivers not once, but three times and landing on the Mets. This off-season, Blankehorn signed a minor league deal with the Washington Nationals. He is not on their 40-man roster but with a depleted roster from their World Series win just a few years ago, there’s a good chance he can land some playing time in Rochester during this season. 2023 Season Start: Triple A Rochester Red Wings 19. Cole Sands Sands had an iffy 2022 season between his time with the Twins and Saints. He had an ERA north of 5.00 at both levels, demonstrating a need for development either as a starter or reliever in St. Paul for 2023. Sands will certainly not be in the Twins starting rotation for Opening Day and as long as the rotation stays healthy. He may end up as a bullpen piece when he’s up for the Twins throughout the 2023 season. 2023 Season Start: Triple A St. Paul Saints 20. Will Holland Holland was the Twins fifth overall pick in the 2019 Amateur Draft and spent his 2022 season between Cedar Rapids and Wichita. Holland’s numbers as a hitter have never been eye popping since being drafted. His Minor League career triple slash in three seasons sits at .217/.331/.380 with a .711 OPS. Fortunately, Holland’s versatility as a defender is his strength as he can play at each position up the middle of the field. 2023 Season Start: Double A Wichita Wind Surge 21. Misael Urbina Urbina had a decent year between the Mighty Mussels and Florida Complex League, totaling 60 games between the two levels in 2022. Urbina is still a ways out from becoming an impact player in the Major Leagues, though. He still needs to establish himself as an everyday outfielder between both A-level affiliates and even then, there’s the biggest jumpfrom High A to Double A. Urbina turns 21 in April, so age is on his side for making big jumps for the 2023 season. 2023 Season Start: Low-A Ft. Myers Mighty Mussels 22. Jose Miranda Miranda fluctuate up and down on Twins prospect lists through the years. Now he’s become the Twins everyday third baseman for the 2023 season. While Miranda had a strong rookie performance for the Twins in 2022. Many believe he will improve greatly both defensively at third and at the plate knowing he won’t move around the infield as often in 2023. 2023 Season Start: Twins Opening Day Roster 23. Dakota Chalmers Chalmers has not been in the Twins organization since the beginning of 2021. He was moved over to the Cubs that season and spent a brief amount of the time with the Dodgers Triple A affiliate in 2022. Chalmers ended up leaving the Oklahoma City Dodgers mid season to join the Atlantic League’s Gastonia Honey Hunters. It is likely he will keep pitching in independent baseball to start 2023 and hope to find his way back into pro ball before the season is over. 2023 Season Start: Atlantic League 24. Yunior Severino Severino is another player who has slowly but surely worked his way up the Twins system in recent years. He had a solid season between Cedar Rapids and Wichita posting a .278/.370/.536 triple slash and .907 OPS between the two levels. Severino will most likely start in Wichita for 2023 but he is certainly a sleeper pick for Twins fans to keep an eye on once he gets the call up to St. Paul. 2023 Season Start: Double A Wichita Wind Surge 25. Jorge Alcala Both the Twins bullpen and fans missed Alcala dearly last season with his injury that kept him out almost all year. That being said, expectations for Alcala’s return are high going into the 2023 season. The Twins desperately need their bullpen to be much better than it was in 2022, but there is no telling as of now if Alcala will be the same pitcher as he was prior to his surgery on his right elbow for arthroscopic debridement. Alcala has had no setbacks in recovery and is still expected to be good to go for Spring Training. 2023 Season Start: Twins Opening Day Roster 26. Emmanuel Rodriguez Next to Brooks Lee, Emmanuel Rodriguez is the Twins prospect with the most hype and promise for what he can achieve for future Twins teams. Rodriguez only played in 47 games with the Mighty Mussles in 2022 as he battled injuries throughout the year. This season he’ll likely start in Ft. Myers again but all eyes will be on the soon to be 20-year-old's health and progression as a hitter. We'll see if he can make the jump from Ft. Myers to Cedar Rapids, and maybe even Wichita, before the 2023 season is over. 2023 Season Start: Low-A Ft. Myers Mighty Mussels. 27. Gabriel Maciel The Twins lost Maciel to the Oakland A’s in the minor league portion of the Rule 5 Draft last offseason. He played decently across 62 games for their High A affiliate, the Lansing Lugnuts, in 2022 but was released by them at season’s end. Maciel remains a minor league free agent, currently. He has promise both as a hitter and defender but still has not played above High A baseball and will be turning 24 next week. Maciel’s numbers compared to Javier make him less of a gamble to sign and add to a Double A roster, but only time will tell if that ends up being his case. 2023 Season Start: Double A team TBD 28. Ben Rortvedt Rortvedt’s playing time in 2022 was limited to injuries and the Yankees (who acquired him in the Josh Donaldson trade) were able to maintain a good platoon at catcher between Jose Trevino and Kyle Higashioka. As long as both of them are healthy and the Yankees don’t opt to have three catchers on their Opening Day roster, he is most likely to start his 2023 season with the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders at Triple A. 2023 Season Start: Triple A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders 29. Chris Vallimont The Twins lost Vallimont last season as the Baltimore Orioles claimed him off waivers and added him to their 40-man roster. While he pitched much better for their Double A team than he did for the Wind Surge, Vallimont still showed he wasn’t quite MLB ready having a 5.38 ERA in 72 innings for the Norfolk Tides. Vallimont is still seen as a starter by some and will likely be starting his season in Norfolk as long as he remains on the Orioles 40-man roster before spring training cuts happen. 2023 Season Start: Triple A Norfolk Tides 30. Josh Winder Winder’s 2022 season started decently as a rookie but he battled injuries and saw struggles as many Twins pitchers did for the season. Winder is still seen as a rotation option going into the 2023 season, but belongs in the same group as Louie Varnland and Simeon Woods Richardson as likely to start the season in St. Paul If Winder is to crack a spot on the Twins Opening Day roster, it will likely be in the bullpen. But given his struggles at the MLB level in 2022, the Twins are likely to opt him over to St. Paul to ensure he has regular time as a starter and redevelop himself into a better pitcher for 2023. 2023 Season Start: Triple A St. Paul Saints Total Prediction Spots for Players 2023 Seasons On the Twins Opening Day roster: 7 In the Twins System to start 2023: 11 On another MLB team’s Opening Day roster: 2 Starting in the Minor Leagues or Indy Ball: 6 On Injured List: 2 Inactive: 2 Much can still change between now and Opening Day for all of these players but in a perfect world of predictability, these are the most likely of spots for all of these 30 current or former prospects of the Twins to start the 2023 season. Where do you believe that these players to start their 2023 season? Leave your own predictions below. View full article

Emmanuel Rodriguez had an OPS north of 1.000 as a teenager in the notoriously pitcher-friendly Florida State League. Unfortunately, his season was cut short in early June due to a knee injury. Here's a look back at some highlights plus a general overview of his 2022 season. View full video

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

The International Free Agent signing period opens on January 15th, 2023. The Twins have been linked to signing three of the top 50 prospects. Come and read up on an impressive crop of incoming players for Minnesota. The signing period for International Free Agency opens on January 15th, 2023. As a team who received a competitive balance pick in Round B of the MLB Draft, the Twins will have a signing bonus pool of $6,366,900. The Twins have a strong history in International Free Agency, both with higher end names (see Emmanuel Rodriguez), and lesser known prospects (see current batting champ, Luis Arraez). Minnesota has been closely tied to, and is expected to sign, three of the top 50 prospects, per MLB.com 11. Ariel Castro, OF, Cuba The White Sox are usually the AL Central players when is comes to Cuban prospects. Not this time. Castro is ranked as the eleventh overall prospect in International Free Agency, per MLB.com. Expect him to command a hefty bonus to reflect this ranking and projection. Castro is already 6’2, 180 lbs at just 16 years old and has one of the better left-handed swings in the class. As with any international free agent, its challenging to project a 16-year-old player, but Castro has the all-round profile that reads similar to Emmanuel Rodriguez, now a consensus top 100 global prospect. Castro has average speed and despite good instincts, is likely a corner outfielder at the professional level. The bat is the selling point here. He has the capability of developing plus hit and power tools, a combination that would make him an extremely valuable commodity at the next level. 31. Carlos Silva, C, Venezuela The Twins have a long, successful history of scouting in Venezuela and Silva is part of an impressive class of catchers in international free agency this year. He is 16, 5’9, listed at 150 lbs, and already has a balanced profile that blends a good approach at the plate with strong defensive skills. Behind the plate, Silva has a strong arm and a quick release and pop time. Offensively, he has good bat speed. Although he currently favors the pull side, he has the potential to develop an all-round offensive approach at the plate. Silva would bolster a position of need organizationally for the Twins. 38. Hendry Chivilli, SS, Dominican Republic Chivilli is one of 32 Dominican players in the top 50 international free agents and one of 20 infielders. Currently 17, Chivilli is 6’3 and 155 lbs. Chivilli fits the Twins mold in 2023, with no one standout tool. (He grades as a future 50 in all areas of his game). What is notable about Chivilli is his athleticism. He will add a ton of weight and muscle in the coming years, giving him a healthy level of projectability to add real offensive upside to his already solid defense as short. Which of these prospects excites you the most? View full article