DSL Twins Prospects: Pedro Guerra

Pedro Guerra

Pitcher

Age: 19

Throws: Right

ETA: 2015

2010 outlook: GCL rotation

Pedro Guerra was born in Cagua, Venezuela in 1990. He is 6’0” and weighs 180 pounds. He pitched for the Twins Dominican Summer League team in 2008 and 2009. In 2008 he started in 14 games, and threw 84.1 innings. He had a 2.45 ERA, struck out 75, walked 12, and gave up 4 homers. So his K/9 ratio was 8.0, his BB/9 was 1.3, and his WHIP was 1.03.

He had a fantastic year in 2009. He pitched in 14 games and threw 71 innings. His win-loss was 7-0. He had an ERA of 0.38. He struck out 75 batters, and gave up 0 homers. So he had a 9.5 K/9, 1.5 BB/9, and a 0.79 WHIP. His K/BB for both years was 6.25. Those are some absolutely fantastic numbers.

Having posted two great years in the Dominican, along with the fact that he will turn 20 next month, I’d be very surprised if Guerra doesn’t play for the GCL Twins in Fort Myers, Florida. Don’t write Guerra’s name in ink for the Twins rotation in 5-6 years because he’s got a long way to go. It will be very interesting to see how he performs against tougher competition.

DSL Twins Prospects: Cesar Ciurcina

Cesar Ciurcina

Pitcher

Age: 19

Throws: Right

ETA: 2015

2010 outlook: GCL rotation

Cesar Ciurcina is from Caracas, Venezuela, and he is 5’11” and weighs 192 pounds. He was a starting pitcher for the Twins Dominican Summer League team in 2008 and 2009. In 2008, he pitched in 11 games and threw 44 innings. He had a 3.68 ERA, a 3.50 K/BB ratio and a 1.227 WHIP. His BB/9 was also 2.0. He followed up a fine 2008 with a fantastic 2009. His 2009 numbers remind me of Adrian Salcedo.

In 2009, Ciurcina pitched in 15 games, and started in 13 of those. He was able to log 84 innings. During that time, he only gave up 13 earned runs (18 total), good enough for a 1.39 ERA. He also struck out 72 while only walking eight. That gives him a 7.71 SO/9 ratio with a 0.86 BB/9 ratio, a 9.00 K/BB ratio and a WHIP of 0.69, which was the league’s best.

Ciurcina will likely pitch in America for the GCL Twins next year. I see him as next year’s Adrian Salcedo.

DSL Twins Prospects: Wander Guillen

Wander Guillen

Third Base

Age: 17

Bats: Right

ETA: 2016

Potential: Solid third baseman

2010 outlook: GCL Twins infield

Wander Guillen played for the Twins Dominican Summer League team this year. I didn’t include any DSL Twins in my top 50 prospects because the Twins Dominican academy is so far removed from Target Field. It is just really difficult to predict how the players there will perform in the other minor league levels, and if they will ever even reach the big leagues. I know my rankings included players like Jean, Kepler, Polanco, and Gibson who haven’t even played in the minors yet, but I had to draw the line somewhere. However, I still feel that there are a few players that were on the DSL Twins that are worthy of mention. I’ll start with Guillen.

Guillen is 5’11” and weighs 170 pounds. He still has time to grow bigger as he just turned 17 this August. Guillen could have played more had he started to play before the July 2nd international signing date. Guillen played in 31 games, and had 110 at-bats. In those 110 at-bats, he hit one homer, one triple, and three doubles. He walked 19 times compared to 23 strikeouts. He stole two bases. His triple slash line was .336/.443/.409. He had the team’s top batting average, and tied as the team leader of on-base percentage. Again it is hard to judge a 17 year old on 110 at-bats at such a low level.

I expect to see Guillen in the GCL Twins’ infield next season. That might end up being the Twins’ most interesting minor league infield in 2010 with Miguel Jean, Jorge Polanco, and Wander Guillen all playing there.

Other Twins prospects of note: Estarlin De Los Santos

Estarlin De Los Santos

Shortstop

Age: 22

ETA: 2012

Potential: Backup infielder

2010 outlook: New Britain shortstop

The Twins organization surprised many when they placed Estarlin De Los Santos on the 40 man roster recently. The move was unexpected because De Los Santos has not stayed healthy over the past two years, and has not posted good numbers. In 2008, he only played in 66 games at low-A ball and this year he played in only 70 games, and he's never really put together a great season.

The Twins obviously see something in De Los Santos that they like, and they apparently thought he could be selected in the Rule V draft. I doubt he would have been drafted, and even if he was selected, I don't see how a team could stash him on a big league roster for a whole year.

Here are some positives about De Los Santos. I've heard he has a good glove. The Baseball Cube rates his speed as a 95 out of 100. He did have 7 triples in 262 at-bats this year. For those wondering, his triple slash line was .290/.330/.397 at Fort Myers. Nothing spectacular.

To me, it seems like having the Dominican De Los Santos on the 40 man roster is a waste of a roster space. Trevor Plouffe is a level or two higher than him and has more potential than De Los Santos. Plus the Twins just traded for JJ Hardy, who hopefully will ably man the shortstop position for a few years. And a few levels behind De Los Santos are Jorge Polanco and Miguel Jean. So it will be interesting to see how Estarlin performs this season, but maybe he will show us why the Twins believe in him.

Top 50 Twins Prospects: #1 Miguel Sano

1. Miguel Sano

Shortstop

Age: 16

ETA: 2014

Potential: Superstar, middle-of-the-order bat, gold glove

2010 outlook: GCL Twins infield

Miguel Sano was signed by the Twins this September in the Dominican Republic. Sano was considered to be the best international prospect this year, and one of the best bats to ever come out of the Dominican Republic. The Twins gave him 3.15 million dollars for signing, the second-highest figure ever given to a Latin American prospect, and easily the most the Twins have ever spent on an international player.

Sano is 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds, and he will surely get bigger, so it remains to be seen if he will stay at shortstop or be moved to a different position. His bat and his defense are said to be amazing. Some people have already compared him to superstars like Hanley Ramirez or A-Rod, or Miguel Cabrera. The Twins are very lucky to have signed this young Dominican and while the majors are a long ways away, the sky is the limit for Miguel Sano.

Top 50 Twins Prospects: #2 Aaron Hicks

2. Aaron Hicks

Outfielder

Bats: Switch

ETA: 2013

Potential: Superstar OF, middle-of-the-order bat, gold glove

2010 outlook: Fort Myers outfield

Aaron Hicks was the Twins first round pick in the 2008 draft. He had a great year at rookie ball in ’08. In 173 at-bats he had 10 doubles, 4 triples, and 4 homers, to go along with 12 stolen bases and a .318/.409/.491 triple slash line. He had 28 walks compared to 32 strikeouts.

He spend some time in extended spring training this year, and then he joined class low A Beloit. He struggled a little, but he hit .251/.353/.382, with 4 homers, 3 triples, and 15 doubles. He did steal 10 bases, and he walked 40 times compared to 55 strikeouts. But he is still a little raw.

Hicks will be a 5-tool player. He plays great defense due to his considerable speed, and his powerful arm. It should be noted that teams wanted to draft Hicks to be a pitcher because of his high-90’s fastball. He is already showing considerable patience and a good batting eye at the plate. His power isn’t bad either, and will only get better.

Hicks should be in the Twins outfield in 3 or 4 years, and when he gets there, he should be batting in the middle of the order with 30-35 homer power to go along with lots of stolen bases, a great batting eye, and gold glove defense.

Top 50 Twins Prospects: #3 Kyle Gibson

3. Kyle Gibson

Starting Pitcher

Throws: Right

Age: 22

ETA: 2011

Potential: #1/2 starter

2010 outlook: Will start at class A Fort Myers, but will fly through the system

Kyle Gibson was the Twins first round pick in the 2009 draft. He was expected to be one of the first 5 players drafted, but a minor injury scared many teams away. So the Twins got the steal of the draft and quickly snatched up Gibson. He pitched at the University of Missouri for three years. His last year there, he threw 107 innings and struck out 131, while walking only 19. He had a WHIP of 1.07. Those are outstanding numbers. He didn’t pitch in the minors this season because he was finishing recovering from an injury.

The Baseball Cube rates his control as an 84, his K-rating as a 90, his efficiency as an 89, and his vsPower as a 93. So you can see that he is amazing all-around. He’s listed at 6 feet 6 inches, 208 lbs., so he’s got a great pitcher’s body.

When the Twins signed Gibson, most thought that he instantly became the top Twins pitching prospect. The Twins have said that Gibson will start pitching at class A Fort Myers next season. He should move quickly through the upper three levels of the minors, and while I wouldn’t expect to see him in 2010, he should be there shortly thereafter.

Top 50 Twins Prospects: #4 David Bromberg

4. David Bromberg

Starting Pitcher

Throws: Right

Age: 22

ETA: 2011

Potential: #1/2 starter

2010 outlook: Class AA New Britain, could be promoted to class AAA Rochester

David Bromberg was the Twins 32nd round pick in the 2005 draft. Bromberg led all of the minors with 177 strikeouts in 2008, while posting a 4.44 ERA. This year he led the league in strikeouts with 148 in 153 inning. He was also named the Twins minor league pitcher of the year. His ERA was great, fourth best in the league, at 2.70.

It’s a lot easier to have success in the big leagues if you can strikeout a lot of batters, and Bromberg has shown that he can do that, posting a 9.5 K/9 strikeout rate in the minors. 2010 should be his last full year in the minors, and sometime during the 2nd half of 2011 he should get called up to Minnesota, where I expect him to become one of the best 2 or 3 pitchers in the rotation.

Top 50 Twins Prospects: #5 Danny Valencia

5. Danny Valencia

Third Base

Bats: Right

Age: 25

ETA: 2010

Potential: Above average third baseman

2010 outlook: Minnesota Twins 3B (starting in June)

Danny Valencia was the Twins 19th round draft pick in 2006. He’s posted solid numbers throughout his minor league career. In 2007 he had 17 homers and 23 doubles, in 2008 he had 15 homers and 37 doubles. This year he played at AA and AAA. He hit 14 homers, 38 doubles, and 4 triples. His triple slash was .285/.337/.466. In 487 at-bats, he struck out 77 times and walked 39 times. He only walked 8 times at AAA, so hopefully that is just an anomaly.

Valencia tore it up at AAA when he first arrived there this year, hitting .360/.372/.573 in his first 19 games, but he cooled off considerably at the end of the season. He should arrive in the big leagues sometime in 2010, but the big question is when. It doesn’t look like he will be the starting 3B on opening day, but he should get a shot shortly thereafter. Valencia should be the Twins best Twins 3B since Koskie patrolled the hot corner. I think in the coming years, Valencia will provide above average defense, have a triple slash line of .290/.345/.470, while knocking in 15-25 homers a year.

Top 50 Twins Prospects: #6 Angel Morales

6. Angel Morales

Outfielder

Bats: Right

Age: 20

ETA: 2012

Potential: OF with great speed/power combo

2010 outlook: Fort Myers outfield

Angel Morales was the Twins 3rd round pick in the 2007 draft. Morales is from Puerto Rico. He had a fantastic 2008 year at rookie ball. As a 18 year old, in just 183 at-bats he hit 15 homers and 12 doubles, to go along with 7 steals and a .301/.413/.623 triple slash line. This year he started off sluggishly at Beloit, but he had a great second half. Overall, in 376 at-bats he hit 13 homers, 22 doubles, 5 triples, 19 steals, and a .266/.329/.455 triple slash line. He was only 19 years old.

Morales has a lot of power, and good speed. He could be a 30 HR/30 SB type outfielder. The biggest weakness is his strikeout rate. He did strikeout 104 times in 406 at-bats. He has as much raw potential as anyone in the system, enough to become a star.

Top 50 Twins Prospects: #7 Wilson Ramos

7. Wilson Ramos

Catcher

Bats: Right

Age: 22

ETA: 2011

Potential: Big league catcher

2010 outlook: Rochester starting catcher/DH

Wilson Ramos signed with the Twins in 2004, in Venezuela. Ramos has a great bat for a catcher. In 2008, he hit 13 homers and 23 doubles in 452 at-bats to go along with a .288/.346/.434 slash line. This year he was hit hard by injuries and so he only played in 54 games at New Britain. But he did hit 4 homers and 16 doubles along with a .317/.341/.454 slash line. He also plays outstanding defense.

Ramos is obviously blocked by Joe Mauer from being the Twins starting catcher. But he could be the backup catcher and DH when he isn’t catching. Many speculate the Twins will try to trade him. He is currently playing winter ball for Venezuela and he is tearing it up. In 115 at-bats he has 10 doubles, 6 homers, 30 RBI’s, and a .374/.434/.635 slash line. He’s definitely a valuable player to have in the system.

Top 50 Twins Prospects: #8 Ben Revere

8. Ben Revere

Outfielder

Bats: Left

Age: 21

ETA: 2011

Potential: #2 hitter

2010 outlook: New Britain outfield

Ben Revere was the Twins 1st round pick in the 2007 draft. He’s posted some of the best numbers of any Twins prospect since that time. In 2007 he hit .325/.388/.461 in 191 at-bats with 21 stolen bases for the GCL Twins.

In 2008, Revere led the entire minors (!) in hitting with a batting average of .379. Many though he would finish above .400. Overall in 2008, he hit .379/.433/.497 with 44 stolen bases, 17 doubles, and 10 triples in 340 at-bats for class low A Beloit.

This year at class A Fort Myers he hit .311/.372/.369. He had more walks (40) than strikeouts (34) in 466 at-bats. He also stole 45 bases. In 2008 and 2009 Revere was named the Twins minor league hitter of the year. One thing to notice is the lack of power. He only has 3 homers in 997 minor league at-bats. That is the main reason why he isn’t higher on this list. The Twins also have a couple of outfielders that are as just as good if not better than Revere. And I’ve heard is defense is suspect. But Revere should arrive in 2011, and he looks to be an ideal #1 or #2 hitter, who gets on-base at a great clip and can steal 45-50 bases a year.

Top 50 Twins Prospects: #9 Deolis Guerra

9. Deolis Guerra

Starting Pitcher

Throws: Right

Age: 20

ETA: 2011

Potential: #1/2 starter

2010 outlook: Class AA New Britain, could be promoted to class AAA Rochester

Deolis Guerra is the only player remaining in the organization that the Twins received in the Johan Santana trade. When he was in the Mets system, they rushed him through the system. They had him pitching in high A ball as an 18 year old. Then he was traded to the Twins and he was stuck at that level until half way through this year, when the Twins moved him up to AA New Britain.

His numbers in 2008 weren’t great because the Twins were changing his mechanics. He is showing signs of big improvement however. His walk rate has gone down from 4.9 to 2.5 BB/9 and his strikeout rate has jumped from 4.9 to 5.9 to 7 K/9. Two reasons to believe in Guerra are that he is still very young for the level he’s playing at, and his numbers and rates are getting better every year.

Top 50 Twins Prospects: #10 Rene Tosoni

10. Rene Tosoni

Outfielder

Bats: Left

Age: 23

ETA: 2010

Potential: Big league outfielder

2010 outlook: Rochester outfield

Rene Tosoni was the Twins 36th round draft pick in the 2005 draft. He had a good 2008 at Fort Myers where he hit .300/.408/.414. He followed that up this year with a .271/.360/.454 slash line in 425 at-bats. He hit 15 homers, 25 doubles, and 4 triples to go along with 8 steals. He crushes right-handed pitching.

He’s not too far away from being in the big leagues. People think that if Delmon Young has a poor season next year that he should be traded and Tosoni should take over in left field. He was also named the MVP of the Futures Game this year in July and he also was invited to play in the Arizona Fall League this autumn.

Top 50 Twins Prospects: #11 Adrian Salcedo

11. Adrian Salcedo

Starting Pitcher

Throws: Right

Age: 18

ETA: 2014

Potential: #1/2 starter

2010 outlook: Class low A Beloit starting rotation

Adrian Salcedo was signed by the Twins in 2007 in the Dominican Republic. He came to America this year and pitched for the GCL Twins, where he was dominant. In 10 games, and 62 innings, Salcedo had a 1.46 ERA with a 8.5 strikeout rate, and a 1.01 WHIP.

Salcedo has superb control. He walked only three batters. His strikeout rate is good as well. Salcedo is the 4th highest rated pitcher in these rankings. Like Hermsen, he also has a long way to go until he reaches the majors, but it will be fun watching them climb the organizational ladder together.

Top 50 Twins Prospects: #12 BJ Hermsen

12. BJ Hermsen

Starting Pitcher

Throws: Right

Age: 19

ETA: 2014

Potential: #1/2 starter

2010 outlook: Class low A Beloit starting rotation

BJ Hermsen was taken in the 6th round of the 2008 draft. Many thought he was going to fulfill his commitment to go play for Oregon State, but he surprised many by signing with the Twins for $650,000. Hermsen is a great athlete, as many colleges recruited him in baseball, basketball, and football.

He started off his minor league career for the GCL Twins, and he was lights out. He pitched 60 innings in 11 games, and he had a 1.19 ERA, a 6.4 K/9 ratio and a 0.68 WHIP. The only thing to complain about in those number is the strikeout rate. I’d like to see that go up, and if it does, he could be an ace in the big leagues. But again, it’s a long road from the rookie league to the majors for a pitcher.

Top 50 Twins Prospects: #13 Chris Parmalee

13. Chris Parmalee

Right Fielder/First Base/DH

Bats: Left

Age: 21

ETA: 2012

Potential: Big league bat, Adam Dunn type

2010 outlook: New Britain

Chris Parmalee was the Twins 1st round pick in 2006. He is one of the Twins more intriguing prospects. He had a nice 2008 season at low A Beloit, but he only played in 69 games due to injury. This year he played for class A Fort Myers. In 422 at-bats, he hit 16 homers (2nd most in the league), 27 doubles, walked 65 times, struck out 109 times, and his triple slash line was .258/.359/.441. He is similar to Adam Dunn, because most of his at-bats will end in a homer, walk, or strikeout, and he is poor on defense.

Parmalee has 30-35 home run power, which is something most Twins hitting prospects don’t have. He is one of the Twins best power bats, but his defense is a big liability. So he will probably end up being a DH. But he could also be a backup corner outfielder and first baseman.

Top 50 Twins Prospects: #14 Joe Benson

14. Joe Benson

Outfielder

Bats: Right

Age: 21

ETA: 2013

Potential: Above average big league OF

2010 outlook: New Britain outfield

Joe Benson was taken by the Twins in the 2nd round of the 2006 MLB draft. He had been stuck at class low A Beloit the past two years, and his numbers weren’t amazing. This year, the Twins finally moved him up to high A Fort Myers and he did much better. He hit .285/.414/.403. I love the on-base percentage of .414. He also had 14 steals.

Some of his numbers like homers and doubles would have been higher, but he only played in 80 games, because he broke his hand (by punching a wall). He had 46 walks to 74 strikeouts. People say Benson is a 5-tool prospect. Next season if he can stay healthy and play like he did this year, Benson would likely be in the Twins top 10 prospects.

Top 50 Twins Prospects: #15 Max Kepler

15. Max Kepler-Rozycki

Outfielder

Age: 16

ETA: 2016

Potential: Tough to say!

2010 outlook: GCL Twins outfield

Max Kepler was signed by the Twins this July for $800,000. He broke the signing bonus record for a European baseball player. People say Kepler is the toolsiest kid to ever come out of Europe. That sounds huge, but then you think about the lack of European baseball players. So it’s tough to know where to place Kepler. In two or three years he could unquestionably be considered the #1 Twins prospect, or he could fall off the map. He is finishing up high school in Florida right now. He will start playing in the minors for the rookie Gulf Coast League Twins in 2010.

Top 50 Twins Prospects: #16 Danny Rams

16. Danny Rams

Catcher/Designated Hitter/First Baseman

Bats: Right

Age: 20

ETA: 2013

Potential: Starting DH/Backup catcher

2010 outlook: C/1B/DH at class A Fort Myers

Danny Rams was the Twins 2nd round draft pick in 2007. He flashed some power in 2008, but the problem was he had 71 strikeouts in 149 at-bats. This year his bat showed some great potential. He started at Elizabethton. He had 62 at-bats where he hit 5 homers, 3 triples, 8 doubles, and his triple slash line was .355/.444/.790. He also struck out 22 times. After demolishing the pitching at the rookie level, he was promoted to class low A Beloit. In 175 at-bats, he had 7 homers, 14 doubles, hit .229/.308/.429, and struck out 77 times.

I love “Bam-Bam-Rams” bat, but he’s got to cut down on the strikeouts. When he makes contact with the ball, his power is amazing. Rams’ bat has some of the highest potential of any Twins prospect, but he definitely needs to cut down on the strikeouts if he wants to make it to the big leagues.

Top 50 Twins Prospects: #17 Carlos Gutierrez

17. Carlos Gutierrez

Starting Pitcher/Reliever

Throws: Right

Age: 22

ETA: 2011

Potential: #2/3 starter or dominant bullpen arm

2010 outlook: New Britain rotation, possible midseason call-up to Rochester

Carlos Gutierrez was a first round pick in last year’s draft by the Twins. This year he was very solid. He pitched in 33 games, and made 16 starts between class A and AA ball. Combined he had a 3.70 ERA with 65 strikeouts in 107 innings pitched. Batters hit .248 off of him. His numbers at Fort Myers were much better than those at New Britain. At Fort Myers his ERA was just 1.32, and opponents hit just .192. His ERA ballooned to 6.19 at AA. I think he had a tired arm, because he spent most of the rest of the year in the bullpen at AA. I’m not sure if he will start or be a bullpen pitcher.

Top 50 Twins Prospects: #18 Tyler Robertson

18. Tyler Robertson

Starting Pitcher

Throws: Left

Age: 21

ETA: 2012

Potential: #2/3 starter

2010 outlook: New Britain rotation

The Twins picked Robertson out of high school in the 3rd round of the 2006 draft. In 2007, Tyler Robertson had a 2.29 ERA in 102 innings with a 10.8 strikeout per 9 innings ratio. In 2008, he had a 2.72 ERA in 82 innings with a 7.9 K/9 ratio. And he followed that up this year at class A Fort Myers with a 3.33 ERA in 143 innings and a 6.5 K/9 ratio, with lefties hitting just .197 off of him. He’s one of the few high quality lefty starters in the system. Left handed starting pitching is probably the weakest area in the Twins system as of right now. His control could be improved on and his strikeout ratio is dropping a little too fast as he advances through the system, but there is still a lot of promise in Robertson.

Top 50 Twins Prospects: #19 Jorge Polanco

19. Jorge Polanco

Shortstop

Throws: Right

Age: 16

ETA: 2016

Potential: Who knows?!

2010 outlook: GCL Twins infield

Jorge Polanco is one of the prospects that I am most interested in. Polanco was signed by the Twins this July in the Dominican Republic, and was given a $750k signing bonus. It is hard to find much information on Polanco, but he was frequently ranked in the top 20-25 Latin American prospects. He hasn’t received as much attention as other big names who joined the Twins system this year like Sano, Gibson, and Kepler. Many will feel that he is ranked too highly at #19, and some might not even have him in their own top 50. But the Twins don’t just hand out $750k to young Latin prospects.

Joe Mauer is the AL MVP

This year Mauer won the batting title, gold glove, silver slugger, and now AL MVP!

It will be fun to have two MVP's batting in the heart of our lineup next year.

Congrats Joe.

Top 50 Twins Prospects: #20 Luke Hughes

20. Luke Hughes

Third Baseman

Bats: Right

Age: 25

ETA: 2010

Potential: Super utility bench bat

2010 outlook: Rochester

Hughes had a breakout year in 2008. He had 18 homers and 22 doubles in 99 games. This year he hit .254/.335/.448 with 12 homers. His bat is solid, and he can hit for power. He is not very good defensively though. He has played shortstop, second base, third base, and in the outfield so he does have some variety. I don’t know if his glove is good enough to be an everyday player, but his pop in his bat gives him value, and I could see him sticking as a good bat on the bench and a guy who fills in at various positions a couple of times a week.

Top 50 Twins Prospects: #21 Jeff Manship

21. Jeff Manship

Starting Pitcher

Throws: Right

Age: 24

ETA: 2009

Potential: #4 starter

2010 outlook: Rochester rotation

This name should look familiar to Twins fans. Manship was the Twins #5 starter during the stretch run this year. He obviously needs a little more seasoning before he can be a solid contributor at the big league level, but we were able to see glimpses of his potential. He started the year at AA New Britain, and put up mediocre numbers. But his numbers at AAA Rochester were much better. He had a 3.22 ERA in 50 innings, to go along with 30 strikeouts and 17 walks. He certainly won’t be an ace but Manship could develop into a nice back of the rotation starter.

Top 50 Twins Prospects: #22 Alex Burnett

22. Alex Burnett

Relief Pitcher

Throws: Right

Age: 22

ETA: 2011

Potential: Dominant 8th inning bullpen pitcher

2010 outlook: Rochester bullpen

Alex Burnett was a starter prior to this year, when he got moved permanently to the bullpen. He had a fantastic year, and is generally regarded as the top bullpen prospect arm that the Twins have. This year he pitched at Fort Myers and New Britain. He had a 1.85 ERA in 78 innings, and opposing batters hit just .185 off of him. He also had 78 strikeouts and walked 26. Burnett and Slama lead a solid group of bullpen arms that the Twins have in the minors.

Top 50 Twins Prospects: #23 Anthony Slama

23. Anthony Slama

Relief Pitcher

Throws: Right

Age: 25

ETA: 2010

Potential: Above average late innings relief pitcher

2010 outlook: Class AAA Rochester closer until he is called up by the Twins

Slama is the second highest rated relief pitcher in these rankings of the Twins minor league system. He has been dominant in the minor leagues, leading many to wonder why he has been moving along so slowly in the system. In 2008 he was named the Twins Minor League Pitcher of the Year. He had a 1.01 ERA, and 110 strikeouts in 71 innings. That is 13.9 strikeouts per 9 innings!! He also gave up zero homers, just 43 hits, and 24 walks.

This year he split time at AA and AAA. At New Britain, he had a 2.48 ERA, and 93 strikeouts in 65 innings. At AAA he only pitched 15 innings and he had a 3.45 ERA and 19 strikeouts. He did give up 5 runs in one game that ran up his ERA at AAA. I’ve heard he has a funky delivery that throws off hitters. The Twins obviously don’t think he’s quite major league ready or else he would have advanced through the different levels of the minors faster and been promoted already. It really is a bit baffling, because he’s not really young, so there’s no reason to have taken it so slowly with him. You can’t argue with the numbers though.

Top 50 Twins Prospects: #24 Trevor Plouffe

24. Trevor Plouffe

Shortstop

Bats: Right

Age: 23

ETA: 2011

Potential: Slightly below average starting shortstop

2010 outlook: Rochester Red Wings starting shortstop

Trevor Plouffe was the Twins #1 draft pick in 2004. He’s never posted spectacular numbers at any level, but people have always argued that he’s always been young for the level of play. This year at AAA Rochester he hit 10 homers, 23 doubles, and 5 triples. He drew 34 walks and struck out 68 times. His triple slash line was .260/.313/.407. He does play decent defense. You don’t expect huge offensive numbers from your shortstop, so if Plouffe can play the position well defensively, he should be a semi-decent shortstop in the bigs. He is now blocked by the Twins newly acquired shortstop JJ Hardy. He could be the backup, but that role is blocked by Punto and Tolbert.

Top 50 Twins Prospects: #25 Blayne Weller

25. Blayne Weller

Starting Pitcher

Throws: Right

Age: 19

ETA: 2014

Potential: #3 or #4 type starter

2010 outlook: Starter for Elizabethton

Blayne Weller was the Twins 14th round draft pick in 2008. He had a great year pitching for the rookie GCL Twins. He had a 1.58 ERA in 57 innings. He struck out 49, and walked just 8 while giving up 46 hits. He was on a great pitching team. We already talked about Andrei Lobanov, their closer. He the #3 starter behind two aces who rank much higher on the prospect list.

Top 50 Twins Prospects: #26 Steve Singleton

26. Steve Singleton

Second Baseman

Bats: Right

Age: 24

ETA: 2011

Potential: Average big league second baseman

2010 outlook: Second baseman for class AA New Britain, with midseason promotion to AAA

Singleton had a nice year. He split time at Fort Myers and New Britain this year. At Fort Myers he had 5 homers, 15 doubles, and 5 triples. He also drew 23 walks and struck out just 26 times in 297 at-bats. He got promoted to New Britain, where he had a homer, 11 doubles, 3 triples, and 7 walks. He’s another guy in the middle infield logjam the Twins have, but probably one of the better ones.

Top 50 Twins Prospects: #27 Josmil Pinto

27. Josmil Pinto

Designated Hitter/Catcher

Bats: Right

Age: 20

ETA: 2014

Potential: Third string catcher, good bench bat

2010 outlook: Beloit DH

Josmil Pinto had a great year hitting .332/.387/.610 with 13 homers, 14 doubles, and 2 triples in just 205 at-bats in rookie ball. He has above average power, that is for sure. He also drew 19 walks and had 39 strikeouts. I really like his bat, but he doesn’t have much of a defensive catcher as he is primarily a DH. That, combined with the fact that he posted those numbers in rookie ball has me a little hesitant to put him any higher, but it will be interesting to see how he does at a higher level this next year.

Top 50 Twins Prospects: #28 Rob Delaney

28. Rob Delaney

Relief pitcher

Throws: Right

Age: 25

ETA: 2010

Potential: 7th inning bullpen pitcher

2010 outlook: Spend time with class AAA Rochester and with the Twins

Here’s a guy who is fairly close to the big leagues. Rob Delaney has had a great minor league career. In 4 seasons in the minors he’s had a 2.41 ERA, 263 strikeouts in 257 innings, and just 49 walks. He’s got the potential to be a decent middle inning bullpen guy. He has a good enough strikeout rate and control to survive in the bigs, but there are still a couple of guys in the Twins minors who rate as better bullpen arms.

Top 50 Twins Prospects: #29 Tom Stuifbergen

29. Tom Stuifbergen

Starting pitcher

Throws: Right

Age: 21

ETA: 2013

Potential: #3 starter.

2010 outlook: Beloit rotation

Tom Stuifbergen had an incredible start to his season this year. Stuifbergen is from the Netherlands, and so naturally he played for their team in the World Baseball Classic this year. You might remember that the Netherlands were the surprise team this year. He pitched against the heavily favored Dominican team, and he threw four scoreless innings! Stuifbergen also had a good year at rookie ball in Elizabethton this year. He had a 3.28 ERA and he struck out 69 in 79.2 innings, with just six walks. The Baseball Cube rates his control as being a 99. He’s someone to keep an eye on.

Top 50 Twins Prospects: #30 David Winfree

30. David Winfree

Corner Outfielder

Bats: Right

Age: 24

ETA: 2010

Potential: #4 outfielder. Good bench bat.

2010 outlook: Rochester outfield

The Twins selected David Winfree in the 13th round of the 2003 draft out of Virginia Beach high school. He used to play third base, but he got moved to the outfield, where he is not a very good defender. At AAA last year he had 14 homers, 31 doubles, 3 triples, 28 walks, and 88 strikeouts in 422 at-bats. He doesn’t have a very good on-base percentage with .317, but his slugging percentage was .460. I doubt he would be a starter in the majors with poor defense and on-base percentage. But he does have some power in that bat, so he could make it as a backup outfielder who is a decent pinch-hitter.

New Twins uniforms

The Twins unveiled some new uniforms today. They have a new road uniform and a new alternate home jersey. They also made minor tweaks to the main home uniform's. I like them a lot! The alternate home uniform comes from the 1962 Twins. And the road uniform is a big improvement. You can see some images here.

The new alternate home uniform, followed by the new away uniform:

Top 50 Twins Prospects: #31 Mike McCardell

31. Mike McCardell

Starting Pitcher

Throws: Right

Age: 24

ETA: 2011

Potential: #4/5 starter

2010 outlook: Starter at New Britain and later Rochester

Here’s what TheBaseballCube.com says about McCardell in their scouting report: Control = 91. K-Rating = 80. Efficiency = 86. vsPower = 34. McCardell had a nice season at A and AA ball this year. Opponents hit just .247 off of him at AA this year. He walked just 32 in 142 innings this year. He should reach AAA ball this year.

Top 50 Twins Prospects: #32 Steve Tolleson

32. Steve Tolleson

Second Baseman

Bats: Right

Age: 26

ETA: 2010

Potential: Second baseman with good bat, poor glove

2010 outlook: Second baseman for class AAA Rochester

Steve Tolleson is known for his bat more so than his glove. This year he hit 27 doubles, 3 triples, and 8 homers in 129 games. He also stole 13 bases. The biggest problem is his glove. He probably could hit well enough to play an infield position in the big leagues but I’m sure Gardy would not play him much due to his bad fielding. He is also already 26 years old. He’s a decent guy to have around as a AAA backup/injury plan. But the Twins have a lot of infielders at the high levels with Tolleson/Dinkleman/Plouffe/Casilla/Tolbert/Punto/Harris.

Top 50 Twins Prospects: #33 Oswaldo Arcia

33. Oswaldo Arcia

Outfielder

Bats: Switch

Age: 18

ETA: 2015

Potential: 4th outfielder

2010 outlook: Outfielder for Elizabethton (rookie ball)

Oswaldo Arcia was signed by the Twins in 2007. Arcia hails from the Dominican Republic. This was his first year playing in the Twins organization and he did alright. He hit .275/.337/.792. He also stole 8 bases. He did that in 167 at-bats for the GCL Twins. He’s not someone I’m going to pencil in to the future Twins lineup as of now, but he is someone to keep an eye on. A big problem is the logjam of outfielders the Twins have and the fact that Arcia is on the wrong end of that jam both talent-wise and age-wise.

Top 50 Twins Prospects: #34 Brian Dinkleman

34. Brian Dinkleman

Second Baseman/ Left Fielder

Bats: Right

Age: 26

ETA: 2010

Potential: Decent middle infield bench bat

2010 outlook: Rochester 2B/LF

Dinkleman had a great year at class AA New Britain. He hit .296/.383/.440. He had 8 homers, 2 triples, and 38 doubles. 48 extra base hits is not too shabby. I like Dinkelman a lot, but the main problem is his age. If he was 23, I’d have him in the top 15. He still could be a productive big league second baseman, but the Twins have a lot of middle infield options like DInkleman, and they might go sign a big 2B free agent this year anyways.

Top 50 Twins Prospects: #35 Billy Bullock

35. Billy Bullock

Starting Pitcher

Throws: Right

Age: 21

ETA: 2011

Potential: Late inning bullpen pitcher

2010 outlook: A Fort Myers closer

Billy Bullock was the Florida Gator’s closer in college. He was drafted in the second round of this year’s draft by the Twins. He was one of the hardest throwing pitchers in the draft, reaching up in the high 90’s. He pitched a little in the Twins minor leagues this year after the draft in low-A Beloit. He had a 2.73 ERA with 8 saves and 35 strikeouts in 26 innings. He also gave up 12 walks, but no homers. I like Bullock a lot and he should move up the system quickly, being one of the best bullpen arms they have.

Top 50 Twins Prospects: #36 Steve Hirschfeld

36. Steve Hirschfeld

Starting Pitcher

Throws: Right

Age: 24

ETA: 2011

Potential: #5 starter

2010 outlook: AA New Britain starting pitcher

Steve Hirschfeld was born in Moab, Utah. He played baseball for Grand County High School. He was selected in the 9th round of the 2007 MLB draft. In 2008 at low-A Beloit, he had a 3.30 ERA in 31 games, including 16 starts. This year for class A Fort Myers he had a 2.23 ERA in 32 games including 17 starts. He struck out 86 in 117 innings and walked 31. He could strike out more, but his walk rate is fine. He had a great year, and was one of the leagues best pitchers. He had a great season. Hirschfeld got invited to play in the Arizona Fall League and is currently playing there.

Top 50 Twins Prospects: #37 Ben Tootle

37. Ben Tootle

Pitcher

Throws: Right

Age: 21

ETA: 2013

Potential: Hard throwing bullpen arm

The Twins drafted Ben Tootle in this year’s draft in the 3rd round. Tootle went to college at Jacksonville State. Tootle was supposedly one of the hardest throwers in this years draft and the Twins were glad that they were able to snatch him up. He only pitched 6 innings this year for the Twins in the minors. Again, hard to put Tootle high on this list but he was part of a highly regarded group of four pitchers that the Twins drafted in the first three rounds of this year’s draft.

Top 50 Twins Prospects: #38 Matt Bashore

38. Matt Bashore

Pitcher

Throws: Left

Age: 21

ETA: 2013

Potential: #4-5 starter

Matt Bashore was selected in this year’s draft as the 46th overall pick in the first round by the Twins. He pitched three years for Indiana University. He only pitched two innings this season for the Twins in the minor leagues. I haven’t heard much about Bashore since he signed with the Twins. It’s hard to not put Bahore on this list since he was taken in the supplemental part of the first round of the draft, but in order to move up the list he will have to stay healthy. I’ve heard he’s not much of a strikeout pitcher, but he is a welcome addition to the weakest part of the Twins organization (left handed pitching).

Top 50 Twins Prospects: #39 Andrei Lobanov

39. Andrei Lobanov

Reliever

Throws: Left

Age: 19

ETA: 2014

Potential: Good lefty bullpen arm

2010 outlook: Elizabethton (Rookie) closer

Andrei Lobanov came into the Twins organization in 2007 from Moscow, Russia. Lobanov is one of my favorite Twins prospects, but I’m not sure why. Maybe because there’s not many Russian baseball players on top of the fact that Lobanov’s numbers have been sparkling so far. In 2008 he had a 5-1 K/BB ratio and posted a 3.51 ERA. This year he was even better. He had a 0.82 ERA to go along with a 35-1 K/BB ratio in 22 innings. He also had a 0.68 WHIP. Granted, this was in the GCL rookie league, and he hasn’t thrown many innings, so he’s far from a sure thing, but he couldn’t have been much better as the GCL Twins’ closer this past season. Lobanov could be much higher on this list in the coming years. He’s someone to keep an eye on, but you should never hold your breath for a 19 year old relief pitcher in the lower levels of the minors.

Top 50 Twins Prospects: #40 Santos Arias

40. Santos Arias

Starter/Reliever

Throws: Right

Age: 22

ETA: 2012

Potential: Solid long relief pitcher/spot starter

2010 outlook: Pitcher for AA New Britain

Santos Arias was signed by the Twins in 2005. Arias is from the Dominican Republic. He had a nice year. He pitched in the bullpen and the rotation for A Fort Myers Miracle. He pitched 49 innings in the bullpen and had a 2.39 ERA, and he had 9 starts in the rotation and had a 1.92 ERA. Combined he threw 101 innings with 72 strikeouts. It will be interesting to see what the Twins think his final role should be, starter or reliever.

Top 50 Twins Prospects: #41 Brian Dozier

41. Brian Dozier

Shortstop

Age: 22

ETA: 2013

Potential: Starting shortstop

2010 outlook: Starting shortstop in low A

Brian Dozier was taken in the 8th round of this year’s draft. He played college ball at the University of Southern Mississippi. He had a great season in rookie ball at Elizabethton where he hit .353/.417/.431. He also had 17 doubles. I’ve heard Dozier plays great defense as well. He doesn’t have anyone blocking him in the next couple of levels, but he does now have two big names behind him on the depth chart in Jorge Polanco and Miguel Angel Sano. Dozier will have to impress big time if he wants to be the Twins starting shortstop over those two prospects. He does have the advantage of playing in college for four years so hopefully he won't be stuck in the lower levels of the minors for long.