Ranking the Twins Top-5 Power Tool Prospects
Mar 09 2021 09:30 PM |
Cody Christie
in Minor Leagues
Image courtesy of © Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports
5. Alex Kirilloff, OF/1BCurrent/Future Power: 55/60
Kirilloff has the potential to be on of the best Twins prospects in quite some time. He can power the ball to all fields, and some think he can hit upwards of 30 home runs. He might be the best pure hitter in the Twins system and there will certainly be power with his smooth swinging approach. His power comes from a swing that has a scooping motion that creates line drives and a better launch angle. Twins fans hope Kirilloff is hitting near the top of the line-up for most of the next decade.
4. Matt Wallner, OF
Current/Future Power: 55/65
Wallner, a Minnesota native, is a big boy at 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds and he fits the mold of players drafted by the current regime. He hit for power in all three years of college as he posted a .652 SLG and a 1.113 OPS. Because of these numbers, scouts ranked him as one of the best power bats in the 2019 MLB Draft with some giving him 70 or 80 grades. What’s crazy to consider is the fact that he was still being used as a pitcher in college. In 65 games during his pro debut, he collected 31 extra-base hits and posted an ISO of .194.
3. Trevor Larnach, OF
Current/Future Power: 55/65
For some fans, Larnach almost feels like a forgotten prospect because of the presence of Royce Lewis and Alex Kirilloff. Since being draft, Larnach has been a half step behind Kirilloff, but that takes nothing away from what Larnach can mean to the Twins line-up in the up-coming years. He’s the organization’s reigning Minor League Player of the Year. As a left-handed power hitter, Larnach has connected with Justin Morneau to be his hitting mentor. It’s clear that Larnach loves to work on his swing and he’s going to make sure Twins fans don’t forget about him after he makes his big-league debut at some point in 2021.
2. Aaron Sabato, 1B/DH
Current/Future Power: 60/65
Sabato is trying to buck a trend, because right-handed hitting college players with limited defense haven’t found much professional success. There’s one reason the Twins drafted Aaron Sabato and it was because of his powerful bat. As a college freshman, he won ACC Rookie of the Year after knocking 18 home runs. He has a rare combination of exceptional strength, bat speed, and launch angle that led to off the charts raw power. Scouts were confident in Sabato’s ability to hit throughout the upper-minors especially with his track-record against elite college pitching.
1. Brent Rooker, OF/1B
Current/Future Power: 60/65
Rooker spent his college years putting up impressive power numbers in the college baseball’s best conferences, the SEC. In his junior season, he hit .287/.496/.810 with 23 home runs. Scouts saw some him post some of the best exit velocities in the 2017 draft class and his raw power was off the charts. Minnesota has been aggressive with him as he spent his entire second full professional season at Triple-A where he posted a .928 OPS. Since he is already 26-years old, there’s a good chance he breaks camp on the big-league roster, and this should give him the opportunity to prove his powerful swing translates to baseball’s highest level.
How would you rank these players? Does someone else make the list? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion.
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9 Comments
A couple of these guys should be moved at the trade deadline this year. Power is a great selling tool. You just have to many of these similar guys in the organization.
well see how Sabato and Wallner do in there first full pro season I think both are going to be very good.
It is likely that any of these players could play 1b in place of Sano. A little push from competition is a good thing
I would not say any need to be traded this year.If the right deal comes along they would be dealing from a position of depth, but just because you have depth does not mean you need to sell it for less than you deserve.I do agree we have too many top prospects all playing similar role.Power bats with limited defense.Specifically Rooker, Sabato, and Wallner.Kirolloff and Larnach are not know for defense but I have not read they are terrible either. I am big on defense and unless you are super elite on offense to make up for lack of defense I find it hurts teams even more.OF defense is so hard to judge by the eye, but doing much better with systems gaging OF defense.
Will you be writing something similar on other tools?
Nice to have some power bats, but the article today on Simmons demonstrates the tool these guys lack.And we will be very crowded at 1B in the future.
I'm not sure we have anything resembling an oversupply, relative to other teams.
I could see the Twins trading away Wallner for some pitching at the trade deadline
I think I would go:
1.) Rooker
2.) Sabato
3.) Wallner
4.) Kirilloff
5.) Larnach
From this group...
I think others to consider might include Kala'i Rosario, Carlos Aguiar, Seth Gray, Wander Valdez, Jose Miranda, Keoni Cavaco, and then it depends on if Ryan Jeffers is eligible for thiscategory.