Baseball America's Top Ten Twins Prospects

[Seth Stohs]

Looks like Mike Berardino was again in charge of the Twins rankings for Baseball America's Top Prospects. Here are his choices for the top ten:

 

1- Royce Lewis

2- Alex Kirilloff

3- Brusdar Graterol

4- Wander Javier

5- Trevor Larnach

6- Brent Rooker

7- Jhoan Duran

8- Blayne Enlow

9- Ryan Jeffers

10- Yunior Severino

 

https://www.baseballamerica.com/teams/1023/minnesota-twins/organizational/?year=2019

 

He will be answering Twins minor league questions at 10:00 today (Monday, 11/12/18). 

 

https://twitter.com/BaseballAmerica/status/1061999827058335744 

 

[Ben Noble]

Very happy to see Duran getting some love.

[Han Joelo]

Top Ceiling Guys.  Using his ranking criteria, who'd be the next five? Baddoo? Miranda?  Celestino?  Maciel?  Alcala?  Balazovic?  Rortveldt?  Maybe I should check the chat.

 

Edit--he's mentioned Miranda as probably number 11.  Badoo was close.  Balazovic not close to top ten, but a helium guy.  Someone asked about Thorpe; he's seen as a 3/4 upside guy.  Rortveldt still with lots of work to do.

[bluechipper]

Am I missing something with Lewis Thorpe? He seems to always get knocked on these lists. I'd have him at 7.

[Mr. Brooks]

Am I missing something with Lewis Thorpe? He seems to always get knocked on these lists. I'd have him at 7.

Lists like this tend to put more weight on ceiling than floor.

I really like Thorpe's floor, but he doesn't really have ace potential.

[puckstopper1]

No Gordon? 

 

How the mightly have fallen... 

[TNTwinsFan]

Judging by the K/9 rate Thorpe put up in his minor league career...they only have him as a 3/4 upside?!?! That's on par with Kohl Stewart and Gonsalves...I'd say he's probably somewhere in between Romero and Stewart in the 2ish range. But, then again, I'm a nobody. Just wish he would get more love as I think he's a dark horse to hit the Twins' rotation this year.

[Vanimal46]

No Gordon?

 

How the mightly have fallen...

Sad, really... Wish they traded him last year while he was still a top 100 prospect in baseball.

[DocBauer]

I confess to knowing little about Duran and need to do some research. Still, very surprised to not see Thorpe on the top 10. Also surprised no Gonsalves. I expected him to struggle when he first arrives, and he did, mixed with some good performances as well.

 

And no disrespect to Enlow, who I hope skyrockets up the system, but I think I'd have Thorpe and Gonsalves ahead of him at this point due to rankings and success thus far, as well as proximity.

 

IMO

[Seth Stohs]

 

No Gordon? 

 

How the mightly have fallen... 

 

I personally think two things:

 

1.) BA is always mostly about upside.

2.) People should not give up on Nick Gordon. Yes, he struggled as a 22-year-old in his first AAA experience, but he's immensely talented, 

 

so I'll add a third... 

 

3.) This really shows the depth in the organization right now. 

[Seth Stohs]

 

I confess to knowing little about Duran and need to do some research. Still, very surprised to not see Thorpe on the top 10. Also surprised no Gonsalves. I expected him to struggle when he first arrives, and he did, mixed with some good performances as well.

And no disrespect to Enlow, who I hope skyrockets up the system, but I think I'd have Thorpe and Gonsalves ahead of him at this point due to rankings and success thus far, as well as proximity.

IMO

 

I had Thorpe and Gonsalves ahead of Enlow in my recent Top 30 ranking... But Enlow has the upside... I think I had him 12 or 13. And, I had Duran at 10, but doing more research for the Twins Prospect Handbook, I think I''ll end up with him being even higher. I really like his talent and size and everything. 

[DocBauer]

No Gordon?

Really makes you wonder doesn't it? Each of the past 2 years has looked good before losing it on his promotion to the next level. Was everyone wrong about his skill set? Does he wear down and need more strength? Does he just take longer to adjust to the new level than we'd like?

 

2019 is an important year for him, to be sure.

[gunnarthor]

 

No Gordon? 

 

How the mightly have fallen... 

He was low on BA's list last year. Wait until all the lists come out to see how he's ranked. Sickels gave him a straight B, for example.

[nicksaviking]

Seven of the ten are new to the organization in the past two years. There are plenty of prospects still around that the prior regime acquired but it's starting to look like those guys are getting squeezed down a bit.

[Mike Sixel]

And Fangraphs still likes Gordon, and I believe MLB will also. Mike doesn't........not me, the one that did this list. I have no real idea......

[Seth Stohs]

 

Really makes you wonder doesn't it? Each of the past 2 years has looked good before losing it on his promotion to the next level. Was everyone wrong about his skill set? Does he wear down and need more strength? Does he just take longer to adjust to the new level than we'd like?

2019 is an important year for him, to be sure.

 

To try to answer your questions with my thoughts:

 

1.) wrong about skill set? I don't think anyone has been wrong about his skill set. Shortstop defense Solid hit tool who will have more power than Dee. Needs to keep getting stronger. I think that's been the report all along.

2. ) Wear down? This is certainly possible as there has been a second half swoon the last two years and also in the previous years.

3.) AAA is the first time he's struggled to adjust to a new level. He hit right away in E-Town in 2014. He hit right away in Cedar Rapids in 2015. He hit right away in Ft. Myers in 2016. He hit right away in Chattanooga in 2017 and 2018. AAA isn't easy, and it was his first midseason promotion. So, combine him being one of the youngest players in AAA with his normal 2nd half struggles and we shouldn't be surprised he struggled in his transition to the highest level of minor league baseball. 

[Seth Stohs]

 

He was low on BA's list last year. Wait until all the lists come out to see how he's ranked. Sickels gave him a straight B, for example.

 

I think Mike ranked him #8 last year. Scouts say that he can be a solid MLB player. He doesn't have any plus-plus tools, but he also doesn't' have any real weaknesses in his game either (for a prospect, obviously each level is a new adjustment). Agreed. I think he'll be in the bottom half of the Top 10 in most. 

[Thrylos]

Severino surprises me.  I'd have Urbina, Arraez, Alcala at least ahead of him.

[rdehring]

This list confirms that the organization is deep with top talent...deep, deep, deep.

 

Agree 100% with not having Gordon in the Top 10.  But huge miss on not including Thorpe.  The Twins confirmed their belief in him when he was added to the 40-man last year.  Then he puts up a fantastic season a year after missing two years of development, while still very young.  The kid got to AAA and did well, after his first start if memory serves.  His ceiling is a lot higher than many believe.  Can't wait for him to prove all of them wrong!

[tarheeltwinsfan]

 

To try to answer your questions with my thoughts:

 

1.) wrong about skill set? I don't think anyone has been wrong about his skill set. Shortstop defense Solid hit tool who will have more power than Dee. Needs to keep getting stronger. I think that's been the report all along.

 

It has been time for him to get stronger and have more endurance. I wonder what his off season  routine consists of, both nutrition and strength training. I realize his dad and  brother are not large men. Maybe Nick needs to follow Sano's off season routine to add weight. 

[tarheeltwinsfan]

 

Severino surprises me.  I'd have Urbina, Arraez, Alcala at least ahead of him.

Severino is the real deal. He hit one ball OVER the OF light pole in Rookie League ball this past summer. 

[beckmt]

Agree that this system is deep and getting deeper.  Maybe time for the FO to start bundling some suspects to gain some major league talent from the rebuilders.

[nytwinsfan]

A good list, but giving Javier the #4 spot at this point, after so many injuries and missed seasons seems a bit ridiculous to me. Happy to be proved wrong.

[sdangus]

 

It has been time for him to get stronger and have more endurance. I wonder what his off season  routine consists of, both nutrition and strength training. I realize his dad and  brother are not large men. Maybe Nick needs to follow Sano's off season routine to add weight. 

I've heard that he likes to use the off season to concentrate on making music, Not to put that down, but I think his time would be well spent trying to build his body up in preparation for the next season. If he wants to advance to the next level, he needs to dedicate all of his resources to it.

[Seth Stohs]

 

It has been time for him to get stronger and have more endurance. I wonder what his off season  routine consists of, both nutrition and strength training. I realize his dad and  brother are not large men. Maybe Nick needs to follow Sano's off season routine to add weight. 

 

I don't know the specifics. I know he works out with his brother, Francisco Lindor, Carlos Gonzalez and a lot of MLB players at Barry Larkin's facilities in Orlando. He definitely works hard, and he's not going to get much bigger. 

 

I just am not going to make much of his struggles in Rochester in the 2nd half. He's just too talented. Swing is too nice. Makeup is great! Still so young. 

[Seth Stohs]

 

A good list, but giving Javier the #4 spot at this point, after so many injuries and missed seasons seems a bit ridiculous to me. Happy to be proved wrong.

 

I had him #4 this year...

 

O fcourse, I was also bashed for keeping Kirilloff at #5 last year at this time after he missed a full season. Javier is probably more toolsie than Kirilloff... In fact, probably not "probably." 

[Seth Stohs]

 

I've heard that he likes to use the off season to concentrate on making music, Not to put that down, but I think his time would be well spent trying to build his body up in preparation for the next season. If he wants to advance to the next level, he needs to dedicate all of his resources to it.

 

Dude spends 4-6 hours a day working on baseball stuff (including strength, speed and baseball skills)... He's putting in the work. 

[Mike Sixel]

 

Dude spends 4-6 hours a day working on baseball stuff (including strength, speed and baseball skills)... He's putting in the work. 

 

Inconceivable. You can work on baseball and have a life? 

[tarheeltwinsfan]

 

I don't know the specifics. I know he works out with his brother, Francisco Lindor, Carlos Gonzalez and a lot of MLB players at Barry Larkin's facilities in Orlando. He definitely works hard, and he's not going to get much bigger. 

 

I just am not going to make much of his struggles in Rochester in the 2nd half. He's just too talented. Swing is too nice. Makeup is great! Still so young. 

I like to hear this. Thanks Seth.

[diehardtwinsfan]

 

I've heard that he likes to use the off season to concentrate on making music, Not to put that down, but I think his time would be well spent trying to build his body up in preparation for the next season. If he wants to advance to the next level, he needs to dedicate all of his resources to it.

 

I'm pretty sure there's room for both in the offseason. Just because he's doing one doesn't mean that he's not doing the other.

 

Side note, I don't think it's an accident that the Twins canned all their strength/conditioning guys either.