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The hardest thing to get about Simeon Wood-Richardson is his name. The easiest thing is to see a guy with stuff like Jordan Balazovic, but with a big, friendly smile for the world. Another easy thing is watching his slow curve bend about a foot, just catching the zone at the end of a pretty little trip through the air. You could just about see the catcher and the ump both smiling at how pretty it was. Then he comes back with that snapping fastball, low in the zone. This guy is a keeper. I want him on my team. Not sure how much more polish he needs after dominating the Red Sox for a couple late innings Monday. One challenge the team will face is figuring out a good nickname. Sim? Woo? Rich? SWR? Not sure what fits, it might not even be part of his name. He seems like the kind of relaxed, friendly guy you wish was your neighbor. I feel like calling him Frank, or Chuck. Anyway, his talent looks very real to me, and it doesn't look like just a couple snuff-out innings. This dude can really pitch.

Continuing on from Part 2: #16 - Blayne Enlow RHP (3rd Round 2017, HS) | Enlow has had a very average minor league career so far. He throws 4 different pitches, which gives him an edge to be a starting pitcher, but his K/BB ratio (2.39) leaves a lot to be desired. He averages 92 MPH but can touch 95-96 on occasion. Enlow still has time to take a big step forward, and a good 2021 season could vault him into the top 10. | #15 - Edwar Colina RHP (International from Venezuela, 2016) | Ignore his bad outing in the final game of the 2020 season, I think Colina has a bright future, albeit as a reliever. His fastball can reach up to 100 MPH, and in combination with a strong slider, he was able to average about a strikeout an inning. Walks have been a problem for him, with a career 3.9 BB/9. He found more success in 2019 once he mostly ditched his changeup, though if he could bring that back, his repertoire would be all the more stronger. Colina should bounce between AAA and the MLB team in 2021, with the hope that he can figure things out like Jorge Alcala did in 2020. | #14 - Misael Urbina CF (International from Venezuela, 2018) | Urbina gets the nod over the other top [internal] international prospects after he had a strong 2019 in the Dominican Summer League, hitting .825 OPS. Urbina is ahead of most other prospects his age (he'll turn 19 soon), as scouts praise his plate discipline and hand-eye coordination. If he can develop power later on, he should jump up into the top 5. He was a base-stealing threat as well, but it's questionable if he'll continue to be such a fast runner after he puts on more muscle. | #13 - Keoni Cavaco 3B (1st Round 2019, HS) | Many considered Cavaco to be a reach in the draft at pick #13, and his play in rookie league only confirmed this for some. Cavaco hit .470 OPS with a dreadful 38% strikeout rate. Hope should not be abandoned for the young infielder, as many project him to have a 55 to 60 power ranking, and he's working on accessing this power. He's also blazing fast, having enough quickness to play SS, but is currently error-prone. Cavaco needs to get his career on the right path with a strong 2021 season. | #12 - Cole Sands RHP (5th Round 2018, Florida State) | Sands has dealt with some injury issues, but when he's healthy, he deals. He had a quality fastball that touches 95/96 and mixes in a curveball that might be the best in our system. He turned in a strong 2019 season, posting a 2.68 ERA in 18 starts with healthy K/BB numbers. Sands turns 24 in 2021, and needs to pitch a whole season (likely at AA) to prove himself as a starting pitcher. He could challenge for a spot in the 2022 rotation if all goes well. | #11 - Matt Canterino RHP (2nd Round 2019, Rice) | We haven't seen a full season in the minors from Canterino yet, but the scouts are raving about him. He's recently developed a nasty changeup that complements his strong fastball, which has already seen an increase in speed since his college days. He's going to be getting strikeouts by the dozens, if his track record is anything to go by. Canterino is still a ways away, and for pitching prospects, I don't count chickens until the eggs are close to hatch. | #10 - Gilberto Celesinto CF (International from , acquired in 2018 trade) | Unquestionably the best outfielder defensively on the prospect ranking, Celestino boasts a 60-60 run and fielding toolset and could be an elite defender in CF. As you might expect, his bat has been a bit shaky in the minors, as his 2019 season ran hot and cold - his first half was dismal, but his second half was stupendous. He won't be a power hitter in the big leagues, but he did knock out 10 HRs. Celestino profiles as a CF in the same vein as Kevin Kiermaier or Kevin Pillar. | #9 - Aaron Sabato 1B (1st Round 2020, North Carolina) | The Twins just can't resist a good hitting prospect, no matter how their caliber of athleticism. Sabato, the Twins' latest 1st rounder, crushed the ACC conference at college as he had a crazy .332/.459/.708 line. That's only over 368 career PAs, however. He's already rated as a 60 power hitter, meaning he could be a 30+ HRs a year guy. The problem will be what position he plays... it's either going to be 1B or DH. He's already a hefty guy and will need to learn how to play 1B. I don't mind having a pure hitting prospect like this, there's just a few too many of them just like him for my taste.

I'm attempting my first batch of prospect rankings ever! Here's how it will go: I'm calling this an Aggregated Prospect Ranking. That means that I'm outsourcing opinions from several sources to form my own rankings - I haven't watched most of these players, so there isn't a whole lot that I can add from a scouting standpoint. I would, however, like to weigh the rankings to factors measured by others; for example, boosting a player's ranking due to position scarcity, or quantifying how their minor league play boosts their odds at panning out in the majors. It'll make for a useful ranking to look back on in the future, but just remember that I'm not an expert! I will reveal my formula for ranking the players where they are in the final article... and there will be some selections that some will find surprising. But I hope you will enjoy it! Sources: MLB.com Pipeline: https://www.mlb.com/prospects/twins/ Fangraphs: https://www.fangraphs.com/teams/twins Baseball Savant: https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/savant-player/dakota-chalmers-663793?stats=career-r-pitching-milb Other Prospect Rankings on Twins Daily Honorable Mentions Outside the Top 30 RHP Griffin Jax - The former 3rd rounder has been available to be taken in the Rule 5 Draft in 2019 and 2020, but with no takers. He's stuffed the stat sheet in the minors with consistently low ERAs, but does not get strikeouts often and his stuff is likely not going to cut it in the MLB. He's already 26 and in AAA, which makes him a spot starter at best. OF Kala'i Rosario - A 5th rounder in the very small Twins 2021 Draft Class, Rosario is a high schooler out of Hawaii. Scouts expect him to develop some power as he gets older. I could see him cracking prospect lists in 2022-23 if all goes well. RHP Bailey Ober - Despite topping out around 87 MPH, Ober drew tons of strikeouts and clean innings in his first full season in 2019 between Rookie league, A+, and AA. The Twins saw enough promise in him to hand him a 40 man roster spot and could make his MLB debut this year. Ober will likely need to move to the bullpen to get a few more ticks on his fastball, but his breaking pitches and command are top notch. RHP Dakota Chalmers - Acquired in the Fernando Rodney trade, Chalmers was added to the 40 man roster in late 2019, meaning he's already burned an option. He has a fastball that tops out at 96 and has the secondary pitches to consistently strike anyone out, but he's outside of the top 30 due to an inability to throw strikes and a spotty injury history. If he ever does crack the majors, it'll likely be as a reliever since he's never pitched more than 67 innings in a season. OF Willie Joe Garry Jr. - He didn't hit so well in Elizabethton(rookie league) with a .228/.301/.365 line, but scouts are never-the-less still excited for him. The lefty has the tools to be a CFer with a strong arm, but his bat has a long way to go. He's not much more than a lottery ticket at this point. 3B Seth Gray - Gray had a decent debut at Elizabethton with a .225/.336/.445 (.781 OPS) line. He already has hit for power, as he swatted in 11 HRs in his first 257 PAs, and drew 30 walks in that span. His fielding ability is questionable, as it's fair to wonder if he'll stick at 3B. The Top 30 #30 - Yunior Severino 2B (International from Dominican Republic, acquired in 2018 trade) Severino had a quality rookie season in 2018, but fractured his thumb in 2019 and didn't play much. Still only 21, Severino has plenty of raw strength, but has yet to put it on display. He's going to be striking out a lot. He has a strong enough arm to play any spot on the diamond, but his bigger frame will likely put him at 2B. | #29 - Emmanuel Rodriguez OF (International from Dominican Republic, 2019) We haven't gotten to see our top international prospect from the 2019 class thanks to the virus. He'll turn 18 this year and has a long road ahead of him, but boasts a jack of all trades toolset. He's got a strong arm and enough speed to play center, and even some pop in his bat. | #28 - Alreick Soularie OF (2nd round 2020, Tennessee) Many questioned this pick at the time, and you can count me as one of them. Normally I'd be placing a 2nd rounder coming out of college higher on the list, but there are too many question marks surrounding Soularie to earn a high ranking. He appears to be a one tool prospect - he can hit. He managed a .336 batting average at Tennessee and reportedly shows great bat control. He was not good defensively and has a ways to go if he wants to be a corner outfielder. | #27 - Josh Winder RHP (7th round 2018, Virginia Military Institute) Winder put himself on the radar with a strong 2019 campaign, sporting a WHIP under 1.0 and a shiny 2.65 ERA. He even managed 5.96 innings a start. He was old for pitching at Low A (22), and may not have the type of pitches that makes him a true threat in the big leagues, but the results are there. He will be Rule 5 eligible in 2021. | #26 - Will Holland 2B (5th round 2019, Auburn) Holland had a rough outing at Elizabethton hitting .192, Holland profiles as an athlete who is still figuring out how to hit. Fangraphs rated him with the highest "run" tool, but thinks he'll end up at 2B, while MLB.com's report claims he can stick at short. If he can hold up defensively at short, he'll have a chance to develop into a quality utility infielder. | #25 - Danny De Andrade SS (International from Venezuela, 2021) The Twins just acquired De Andrade two weeks ago, spending $2.2M to land him as their top international free agent of the year. He ranked as a top 10 international prospect in this year's class. The 16-year-old has a solid frame to grow into, but none of his tools stands out. We don't have many pure shortstop prospects in our system, so it would be ideal if De Andrade could rise up to be one of the better ones. Coming up next: #17-24

Humility- (h)yo͞oˈmilədē: The quality or state of being humble. Royce Lewis lives by that word. Humble. That is why his Mom, Cindy Lewis is crafting “Humility Chains”. They are bead necklaces that are 24 inches long and they cost $20, $30, and $40. They come in black, chrome, and silver and you can apply a black cross on the black chain. I contacted Cindy Lewis via. Instagram and I asked her how the idea came to mind, she followed up with saying “I made one for my son, Royce! Wearing it he has such an overwhelming interest, I decided to offer them for purchase online. In speaking with Royce about it he told me he wears his as a reminder to be humble.” She continued saying “Over conversation he mentioned that I should donate a percentage of the profits to the charity NEGU (Never Ever Give Up). It truly was not a planned thing it just evolved to be what it is” She added “I hope I will be able to continue making these necklaces for all to enjoy at a reasonable price, as they have a meaning and a purpose!” A handful of Twins Minor Leaguers wear them. Royce Lewis, Tyler Watson, Akil Baddoo, Brusdar Graterol, and Benjamin Rodriguez, just to name a few. If you would like to purchase a necklace or check out the store go to https://www.etsy.com/shop/HumilityChains

At the beginning of the 2018 Minor League season a vast amount of people didn’t know who Jimmy Kerrigan was. However, after hitting .324/.394/.541 the Twins moved him from high-A Miracle to triple-A Rochester, he has been since moved back down to the Miracle. I had the chance to talk to Jimmy via. Twitter. Me: How do you feel about being bumped up from Fort Myers to Rochester? Jimmy: I'm actually back in Fort Myers now. I got sent back on Thursday. Rochester was awesome though, it was a great experience and I thought I did pretty well and hope to get that opportunity again. Me: So what were some things that you worked on to get better going into this season? Jimmy: I worked on my approach a lot, swinging at better pitches, being aggressive. Also, worked with my hitting coach in Ft Myers, Steve Singleton, and developed a leg lift which I believe has helped me so far this year. Me: What diets do you follow to keep healthy? Jimmy: Our pregame and post game meals are always healthy. Usually grilled chicken, steak, or some kind of meat, rice or potatoes and vegetables. So our staff makes it easy for us to stay in good shape. Me: Is there a MLB player that you try to play like? Jimmy: I try to play with a lot of intensity. I got that from watching Chase Utley play growing up when he was with the Phillies. He gives it 100% every single day and I have admired that since I was a kid. Me: So when you aren't playing baseball what other things interest you? Jimmy: Other than baseball i’m interested in fishing, golfing sometimes, going to the beach, seeing a movie, things like that. Me: Who or why was the reason you started playing baseball? Jimmy: I started playing when I was 6 when my sister was playing tee ball. My parents said I ran out on the field and asked if I could play on the team and ever since then I just loved it. Its always been my #1 sport. Me: What other sports did you play as a kid? Jimmy: Other than baseball I played football, and basketball mostly. I played soccer for a couple of years when I was really young but that's it. Me: Ok, what is one of your favorite memories playing baseball? Jimmy: I have a few haha. In High School we won three catholic league and city championships, and when I was at VCU we won the Atlantic 10 championship, won a regional and went to super regional against Miami. Me: So when did you realize that you could play baseball professionally? Jimmy: I always had the confidence that I could play at the highest level. I believe that my work ethic and respect for the game will get me to the top. I think I became the player that I am today throughout my junior and senior year of college and even last year when I played Indy ball for the River City Rascals of the Frontier League Me: If you could own any car in the world. What would it be? Jimmy: That's a tough one, i’m into older cars so I guess I would say i'd like to have a 69 Chevelle. I would like to thank Jimmy for this interview and I wish him the best of luck getting to the Majors!

Travis Blankenhorn was drafted in the 3rd round in the 2015 MLB Draft out of Pottsville Area High School in Pennsylvania when he was 18. Blankenhorn has escalated to now be one of the top third baseman in the Twins farm system, with a career .260/.340/.463 slash line that will improve as he gets older and moves through the system. I got a chance to ask Travis a few questions via Instagram. Me: What is your favorite baseball memory with the Minnesota Twins organization so far? Travis Blankenhorn: Prob when I stole home when we were fighting for a playoff spot. Me: What are some exercise, workouts, or diets that you use to keep in shape while on the off-season? Travis Blankenhorn: I just use my trainers plan all off-season and try to stick to eat clean foods and trying to limit the junk foods. Me: What makes you strive to do your best and get better every day? Travis Blankenhorn: The end goal of trying to make it all the way to the majors. Me: If you were not playing baseball, what do you think would be your occupation? Travis Blankenhorn: I’d still be a college student somewhere. Me: Who is the most influential person in your life? Travis Blankenhorn: I would say both my parents, just how much they did for me to get to where I am today. It looks like Travis will be starting in Fort Myers this year and will hopefully tear it up on the Miracle’s and beyond! I would like to thank Travis for taking his time to get interviewed and I wish him luck on his way to the big leagues.

The Twins Farm System is stacked, it's not Buxton and Sano stacked, but come on! Is there an ace pitcher or other top end pitching talent? No. Is there another bomber barreling towards Target Field? No. Is there top ten minor league talent waiting in the wings? Not yet. How then is our farm stacked? We have these guys: Engelb Vielma – 22 years old Nick Gordon – 21 years old Wander Javier – 18 years old Royce Lewis – 18 years old Jelfry Marte – 16 years old There are few things more tantalizing than a highly touted prospect at a highly touted position. A Short Stop that can field AND hit AND hit for power! Amazing! Everyone wants that and will do unspeakable things for it. Now, bear in mind, the Twins do not have one of those players. What they do have, however, are five touted minor leaguers that will offer admirable things to a major league club very soon. Simply put, prospects are just fun. They just offer so much to an organization that has seen so much losing. How much fun was it when Buxton was going to turn into Willie Mays? Hearing about Sano and his bombs that went so far no one could see them land; amazing! Often we, fans and otherwise, overlook their deficiencies for whatever mysterious potential is written or talked about. Someday, soon, someone is going to do that with Gordon, Javier, Lewis, or Marte. I believe, that one can make an argument the Twins have much of what they need to compete for many years. Buxton is already the best fielding Center Fielder in the league. Sano is turning into the franchise changing talent all Twins fans hoped for. Berrios is on his way to pitching domination. Mix in other talented players like Kepler, Rosario, Polanco, and Mejia and the Twins have a strong core built for the future. Not all players will stick around, but all should and will continue to improve. Only a few pieces are still missing, namely an ace. Alex Meyer was supposed to be something special, he wasn't. Trevor May, Phil Hughes, throw in Nolasco even, and what we have in recent past is disappointment. The Twins have not been able to develop a top end pitcher and they haven't been able to sign one either. However, soon, we will be able to trade for one. When the Cubs won their World Series, they did it with found or bought pitching talent. Jon Lester, free agent. Jake Arrieta, trade. John Lackey, free agent. Aroldis Chapman, trade. They only really developed Kyle Hendricks, a big congrats on that. Look around the MLB, how many teams develop their own top of the end rotation pitching? The Red Sox traded for Chris Sale. The Nationals signed Max Scherzer. The Diamondbacks signed Zack Greinke and before that the Dodgers did the same and before that the Angels traded for him. Pitching, especially starting pitching is barely better than a coin flip. Personally, I fell in love with the idea of Lewis Thrope and he missed two years of pro ball. Tyler Jay and Kohl Stewart have been major Twins disappointments. However, it is not just this organization. Look at recent draft history for supposed top pitching talent. Mark Appel, Jon Gray, Brady Aiken, Tyler Kolek, Carlos Rodon, Aaron Nola. All have failed to meet their own expectations. If not this trade deadline, it will be soon. “It” is of course, the time in which the Twins strike and move one their own tantalizing, mysterious, great, yet flawed, talented youngsters for their own ace stud. Nick Gordon rates as the Twins top prospect. Royce Lewis was the first overall pick and is very toolsy. Jelfry and Wander are the next in a line of international signings. Fans love these prospects because they are ours and because they offer great potential. However, in whatever a prospect may become, we know what Chris Sale is. Or we know who Max Scherzer is. One trade and once Mauer is off the books, one free agent signing. That is really as far away as the Twins are. This is season is nice, playoff contention is fun. However, World Series contention is amazing and that should be the goal. One trade and one free agent. Soon.

Zach Granite was just named the winner of the Sherry Robertson Award, sharing the title with Double-A teammate Stephen Gonsalves. The award is given annually to the Minnesota Twins minor league player of the year. This is a major step forward for the Twins prospect. It points towards a bright future and a possible call-up to the big leagues in the not-too-distant future. With the 2016 season that the Twins had, Zach might just be at the right place at the right time. Here is a closer look at what makes Granite such a special player to watch. Seton Hall Product Granite was drafted by the Twins in 2013 after playing his college ball at Seton Hall. The Twins selected him in the 14th round of the draft. It has taken a while for Granite to adjust to the professional game. It is a big transition to handle pitching at this level when you are using a wooden bat for the first time in your life. Every player is different when it comes to making the transition, but it appears like something clicked for Granite this year. Growing up in New York City, Granite was exposed to many different leagues around the area, which has certainly helped with this adjustment. His hard work growing up has certainly paid off, as he is as fundamentally sound as any prospect in the Twins organization. Doing Damage at Double-A In his three previous seasons in the minor leagues, Granite was never able to get above Class A. However, the Twins thought he did enough last year to warrant some time with the big league club this spring. Granite was able to do enough during his time with the Twins in spring training to be promoted to the Double-A Chattanooga Lookouts. Granite was surprised that he got to start the year with Chattanooga. He had thought he would be back in Single-A with the Ft. Myers squad. He let the promotion inspire him, and he had a great season with Chattanooga. He batted .295, scored 86 runs and stole 56 bases. He also showed the same great defense in centerfield that he has displayed since he was drafted. Granite is a freak of an athlete who was also a standout hockey player in high school, demanding looks from Pittsburgh Penguins scouts. The speed of Granite is his most valuable asset. It allows him to make stellar plays in the outfield and steal bases with great success. It was his bat that had kept him from progressing through the minor league ranks in his first three seasons. Zach was drafted as a skinny speed-demon from Staten Island, but has since bulked up to improve his hitting. After demonstrating a solid bat over an entire Double-A season, it seems likely that Granite will start next season at the Twins’ Triple-A affiliate, the Rochester Red Wings, as long as he does well in spring training. The Twins had high expectations going into 2016, but times have changed and it might be a promising immediate future for Zach. With the terrible defense that the Twins played in the outfield in 2016, they can only hope that Granite will handle the leap from Double-A to Triple-A well. If he does, you can expect him to get a call-up to the Twins sometime next year.