Coming into this year, there was hope that some prospects would "graduate" and move up to the Twins causing significant impact. Their names were Miguel Sano, Alex Meyer, and Byron Buxton. 2014, then, would be a year of significant development in the rebuilding process.

Sano was done for the entire season after Tommy John surgery. Buxton was up and down with injuries before a concussion ended his season (though he is going to the AFL). Meyer was inconsistent at times and, well, that is apparently enough for the Twins to keep him down in AAA. Given this story for these three players, it is hard to imagine how any kind of "prospect story" could unfold for the Twins in 2014, but it did.

Dating back to 2011, I have rated Danny Santana and Kennys Vargas in my prospect lists, with Santana ranging from the low 30s to 15 going into 2014, and Vargas from around 50 to 16 going into 2014. In doing so, I had believed that both were going to be likely MLB contributors, at least for some time. Santana's speed and potential ability to stick at short guaranteed him a chance to make it. Vargas has tremendous power and a good overall bat and this would lead him to making the Twins eventually.

I did not expect both of them to make this kind of impact, and certainly not this soon.

Santana has been undeniably impressive with that bat, but also with his shift to CF, a position he hadn't really played since 2011 in Beloit. CF was always just an additional position that he could fit into given his speed and defensive ability. Coming into 2014, it actually looked like Santana was destined for second base, a position that is pretty much locked down now by Brian Dozier and his 20/20 capacity. For Santana to be playing CF and SS while posting a line of .320/.358/.475 (.832) in 360 plate appearances. He has 19 doubles, 6 triples, and 7 homers, while walking 17 times, striking out 73 times, and stealing 15 out of 19 bases. These numbers dwarf the .273/.317/.391 (.708) career minor league numbers, though the extra base hits and K/BB numbers are not that out of whack. He is simply making better contact and getting more singles. Some of this might have to do with the development of smart two-strike hitting, but that is only speculation on my part.

Note the title of this article as for 2015. The long term role for Santana beyond that is not under speculation. Maybe he doesn't work out defensively at short and yet his bat requires a position somewhere. 3B, LF, and RF, might be further positions to add to his repertoire. This problem has always been there, but it is a good thing that he has returned to playing CF.

Vargas is locked in as a DH and 1B. In 162 plate appearances he has produced a .303/.321/.493 (.814) line. He has smacked 8 doubles and homers, while walking 4 times and striking out 40 times. Rest assured this K/BB rate is nowhere near his career minor league rate that is basically 1/2 instead of 1/10. Unlike Santana, Vargas isn't drastically over performing his career minor league numbers. The offense for Vargas is legitimate and sustainable. It will be interesting to see if he can improve defensively enough to be an actual backup first baseman behind Mauer. I would imagine that he can do so given his desire to learn and adapt.

Santana and Vargas have been great surprises this season and serve as a solid foundation with Mauer and Dozier as we wait for the other prospects to arrive.