BA Midseason Top 10

[Bob Sacamento]

MIDSEASON TOP 10

1. Miguel Sano, 3b/dh

2. Jose Berrios, rhp

3. Jorge Polanco, ss/2b

4. Max Kepler, of/1b

5. Nick Gordon, ss

6. Kohl Stewart, rhp

Drafted as a power pitcher, Stewart still is throwing hard, but he’s become a groundball pitcher as a pro, rather than getting lots of swings and misses. In his second full season, he’d allowed only one homer and had a healthy groundball rate (more than 2-to-1).

 

7. Stephen Gonsalves, lhp

Gonsalves has a frontline starter’s ceiling thanks to an excellent 90-93 mph fastball, aided by good deception, that has angle and finish. His changeup remains ahead of his hard, hybrid breaking ball. If he spins it better, watch out.

 

8. Adam Brett Walker, of

Walker rivals Joey Gallo for the title of Most Raw Power in the Minor Leagues. He may lack a real feel for hitting, but Walker was leading the minors in home runs and resembles Houston’s Chris Carter as a potential future .220-.230 hitter with 25-30 home run production.

 

9. J.T. Chargois, rhp

10. Nick Burdi, rhp

Burdi challenges Chargois as the hardest thrower in the organization as well as the entire minor leagues. His slider reaches the low 90s at times as well. Burdi hasn’t learned to read which hitters’ swings yet or adjust when they are catching up to his heat, but his two plus pitches should get him to Minnesota’s bullpen soon.

 

Rising

Taylor Rogers, lhp:

 

lefthander, Mat Batts,

 

Falling

Jake Reed, rhp.

[drjim]

I wonder why Buxton no longer qualifies but Sano does, unless they created the list before the callup. Ironically, it will be likely that Buxton will be eligible for the end of the season list while barring massive injury Sano won't.

 

As I suspected, Stewart still above Gonsalves on merit and Hu not in the top 10.

 

They are higher on Walker than I would have thought, but hard to argue.

 

Still a very solid top 7.

[nytwinsfan]

I might put Hu at 9 or 10 and move Stewart down 1 or 2, but otherwise looks about right to me. That is assuming Meyer and Buxton were intentionally left off here because they were in the majors at the time, and Jay because he was just drafted.

[nytwinsfan]

What did they say about Kepler and Polanco in terms of potential? Do they think Polanco can play SS and do they think Kepler will have enough power to play corner outfield in the majors?

[Badsmerf]

Looks pretty good to me. I like that order. While Stewart hasn't turned the strike out on yet, he doesn't give up HR and induces weak contact. I'm still optimistic he can strike more people out as he matures. SG is breathing on his neck, which is a good thing! Really excited about these two going forward.  

 

Kepler is having a fantastic season too. Only 22 and killing it in AA. Almost more impressive than his hit tool breaking out, he has about equal bb/so. His OBP is over .400 and ISO of .200. He almost has as many doubles this season as he did all of 2014, and is only a few TB away from eclipsing 2014 in 75% of the AB's. No doubt he will be on all the top 100 lists going into 2016.

[Bob Sacamento]

 

What did they say about Kepler and Polanco in terms of potential? Do they think Polanco can play SS and do they think Kepler will have enough power to play corner outfield in the majors?

They say:  Arm soreness has limited Kepler to first base but is an above average outfielder. That his power is finally starting to show not just his contact; this is breakout year with his smooth pretty swing

 

Polanco looks like a 2B unless his reads improve and his quickness; as he grows he's better suited for 2B.  He does have good abilities to both sides of the plate, controls the strike zone and makes constant contact. 

 

[darin617]

 

They say:  Arm soreness has limited Kepler to first base but is an above average outfielder. That his power is finally starting to show not just his contact; this is breakout year with his smooth pretty swing

 

Polanco looks like a 2B unless his reads improve and his quickness; as he grows he's better suited for 2B.  He does have good abilities to both sides of the plate, controls the strike zone and makes constant contact. 

So what do you do with that guy playing there now? What's his Dozier? Can someone help me out.

[clutterheart]

Kepler just needs to stay healthy, get at bats and improve.  Health has been his biggest bugaboo.  My concern is the FO will screw up with him like they did with Ramos.

 

When Ramos was traded for Capps it was said that Ramos was injury prone and therefore less valuable. Hopefully they don't do that with Kepler.

[darin617]

The Twins are in trouble if Jorge Polanco is the third best prospect in the organization. Come on way too many errors for my liking at this point in the season(22). Why can't the Twins find a SS either through trades or the draft.  Cristian Guzman & Greg Gagne are the only shortstops they have had in the last 30 years that you would acknowledge as quality players they have had play here. Clue me in if I missed someone.

[nytwinsfan]

 

The Twins are in trouble if Jorge Polanco is the third best prospect in the organization. Come on way too many errors for my liking at this point in the season(22). Why can't the Twins find a SS either through trades or the draft.  Cristian Guzman & Greg Gagne are the only shortstops they have had in the last 30 years that you would acknowledge as quality players they have had play here. Clue me in if I missed someone.

Nah, Polanco is a great 2B prospect, just not a great SS prospect. They can't find a SS through trades because finding a SS that would be an upgrade over Eduardo Escobar (otherwise what's the point?) through trades would required trading a really good prospect or set of prospects. It isn't worth it, given the next best alternative is pretty decent and basically league average. They did draft Gordon as a potential high-upside SS, but players taken through the draft tend to take a few years to make it to the majors, especially when taken right out of HS.

[howieramone2]

 

Kepler just needs to stay healthy, get at bats and improve.  Health has been his biggest bugaboo.  My concern is the FO will screw up with him like they did with Ramos.

 

When Ramos was traded for Capps it was said that Ramos was injury prone and therefore less valuable. Hopefully they don't do that with Kepler.

What exactly are you worried they will do? You do understand Ramos hasn't been any more healthy once he left, right?

[h2oface]

It seems the only thing that keeps Stewart in the conversation is the fact that pundits predicted him to be good, so they can't feel different as he moves so very slowly up the ladder, and the strikeouts that were a big part of the original opinion and  bet on - are virtually nonexistent. All the while, his upside is becoming more and more obtuse and getting fuzzy. Meanwhile, guys like Wacha (#17, 2012, the Buxton year) and Sonny Gray (#18, 2011) are examples of lower draft picks that let college ball sort it out much better than the minor leagues seem to for many. 

 

Just how does one "turn on the strikeout"? Wouldn't that be a nice switch for just about every pitcher that pitches to have. Come on, team, turn on the strikeout!