Article: Seth's Preliminary Top 50 Twins Prospects: Part 7: 6-10

[Cap'n Piranha]

 

I think to say that Polanco has struggled at shortstop would be very fair. I've seen him play there, and I believe that he has the ability to be solid. He's got potentially slightly above average range, and we've seen David Eckstein and his arm win a World Series... So, I 100% think it's worth sticking with him at shortstop and the fact he's still just 22 says it's silly to give up on it. In fact, a lot of his errors came in small time periods. I think he had like 8 errors in his first 8 games with Rochester. He had a similar (Though not that bad) stretch at Chattanooga. Outside of those stints, he was probably fine. 

 

Like I said, I think he can become a decent MLB shortstop. I think the odds are just as good for him to be an MLB SS as it is for Santana. I think Polanco can be as good defensively as Escobar (which is solid, but not spectacular) and that's fine with me.

 

But i also think it's fair to say that he has struggled.

 

I'd much rather we turn Polanco into a 2B, as that's where the greater opportunity is with the Twins right now.  In the two seasons he's been allowed to play more than 120 games, Escobar has put up .721 and .754 OPS's.  He's entering his age 27 season, and still has multiple years of cheap team control left.  Nick Gordon will start at High A, and could be only 2-3 years away from the bigs.

 

Brian Dozier, in the 3 years he's played more than 120 games has put up OPS's of .726, .762, and .751.  He'll turn 29 next year, and is about to start getting more expensive.  We have no good 2B prospects in the system right now.

 

I would love it if TR challenged the prospects to make the engine go, and traded Dozier and Plouffe this offseason, letting Sano and Polanco start in their places.

[jsteve96]

I feel like the Twins will want to get Polanco's bat in the MLB somehow and if Sano is struggling Defensively i give Polanco a shot at 3rd... to me SS is the toughest position on the diamond, have to have the most range and some of the longest throws, so i feel like 3rd would be a good solution if were stuck with Dozier at 2nd

[TRex]

What I really like about this year's top-15 is that 12 will be within spitting distance of the big leagues at some point this year (i.e. AA or higher).  

• AAA: Buxton, Kepler, Polanco, Walker; Berrios, Burdi, Chagois, Meyer
• AA: Vielma; Stewart, Gonsalves (after starting in high-A), Jay (after starting in high-A)

 

I remember all of those lean year years with the Twins roster and knowing our great prospects would not be able to help (that year). Now, even with Sano, Rosario, May and Duffy graduating, our farm system is still stocked with nearly-ready prospects.

[jsteve96]

 

Unlike other readers, I do not see this as a strong group.  I would imagine the majority of teams could match out 6 - 20 rankings.  We have a SS who can't catch, a slugger who strikes out more than the Royal's team, a young live arm pitcher who cannot miss bats, a superstud fast reliever who should rank around 15 with the up and down year he had last year, Gonsalves who looks really legit.

go find a SS who hits .300 every year in other teams top 10 and tell me how many you find.. also, go find a hitter that has led their league in homeruns every season he has played, also go find a reliever after 15 that has a 100MPH fastball and a 92 MPH slider who has struck out 11.7/9....  Gonsalves i agree though very legit.

[jsteve96]

 

I'd much rather we turn Polanco into a 2B, as that's where the greater opportunity is with the Twins right now.  In the two seasons he's been allowed to play more than 120 games, Escobar has put up .721 and .754 OPS's.  He's entering his age 27 season, and still has multiple years of cheap team control left.  Nick Gordon will start at High A, and could be only 2-3 years away from the bigs.

 

Brian Dozier, in the 3 years he's played more than 120 games has put up OPS's of .726, .762, and .751.  He'll turn 29 next year, and is about to start getting more expensive.  We have no good 2B prospects in the system right now.

 

I would love it if TR challenged the prospects to make the engine go, and traded Dozier and Plouffe this offseason, letting Sano and Polanco start in their places.

as much as i love Polanco and Sano starting we can't trade both, to me its 1 or the other so we can still have a dependable bat/defense in the line up

[TNLooky2015]

 

It's 8 games about about 30 plate appearances... we need to be pretty careful with the small samples. It's great that he's doing well. What would be better is if that walk rate can become sustainable.

Kepler only had 75 ABs last AFL season and we all got a little excited.  That's why I said small sample size.   Whether he continues his positives or not this AFL season - It tells me he "can" compete (half way point) with some more coaching and ABs.

[Seth Stohs]

 

Kepler only had 75 ABs last AFL season and we all got a little excited.  That's why I said small sample size.   Whether he continues his positives or not this AFL season - It tells me he "can" compete (half way point) with some more coaching and ABs.

 

True on both counts, though Kepler played well (arguably better than Rosario, who everyone got excited about) and no one said, he's ready. Walker isn't ready, but he is close. He's got a chance.

[Kwak]

Both Steward and Gonsalves need to master an "out-pitch"--ex. Duffey--in order to become an useful starting pitcher.  Burdi, because he is a relief pitcher, can succeed with a top fast-ball and a half-decent off-speed pitch provided he has character to withstand the crucible of "high-leverage situations".  AB Walker has the most value of this batch (or for that matter all of the "prospects" cited to date).  HR hitters are always in demand somewhere. If the Twins don't put him in the line-up this year (I think they should), then they need to bundle him in a trade to meet an urgent need.  Polanco is in a tough position.  Escobar is Ryan's #1 SS and Ryan hangs-on to his favorites like a dog and a bone.  Similarly with Dozier (another Twins' favorite)--he's not going away either.  Polanco is blocked.  He has to be put in the line-up--or traded soon  (this year).  There is no sense letting players rot on the vine--play them or trade them.

[jsteve96]

 

Both Steward and Gonsalves need to master an "out-pitch"--ex. Duffey--in order to become an useful starting pitcher.  Burdi, because he is a relief pitcher, can succeed with a top fast-ball and a half-decent off-speed pitch provided he has character to withstand the crucible of "high-leverage situations".  AB Walker has the most value of this batch (or for that matter all of the "prospects" cited to date).  HR hitters are always in demand somewhere. If the Twins don't put him in the line-up this year (I think they should), then they need to bundle him in a trade to meet an urgent need.  Polanco is in a tough position.  Escobar is Ryan's #1 SS and Ryan hangs-on to his favorites like a dog and a bone.  Similarly with Dozier (another Twins' favorite)--he's not going away either.  Polanco is blocked.  He has to be put in the line-up--or traded soon  (this year).  There is no sense letting players rot on the vine--play them or trade them.

I've heard Gonsalves has a very good change up and great control

[BoomBoom]

 

True on both counts, though Kepler played well (arguably better than Rosario, who everyone got excited about) and no one said, he's ready. Walker isn't ready, but he is close. He's got a chance.

That's a fair assessment for Walker

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

Coming into the draft Stewart was touted as having a Texas strong upper 90's fastball.  I thought I was hearing this year it was 93-95, but this sounds like it's not even that high.

What I've heard is even more concerning:

 

Yeah, his fastball hits 93-95... sometimes. Other times, it's sitting at 90-93.

 

That's... problematic.

 

(warning: I could be confusing 2015 with 2014... but I've read Stewart's fastball velo is all over the place)

[Thrylos]

 

What I've heard is even more concerning:

 

Yeah, his fastball hits 93-95... sometimes. Other times, it's sitting at 90-93.

 

That's... problematic.

 

(warning: I could be confusing 2015 with 2014... but I've read Stewart's fastball velo is all over the place)

 

There is a root cause for that: mechanics.  Stewart had horrible mechanics even before he was drafted.  That was not news.  The problem is that after 3 seasons as a pro, he has not been able to fix his mechanics.  His FB velo was up to 97 allegedly at HS.

Edited November 1, 2015 by Thrylos

[gunnarthor]

I'm not sure what to think of Stewart.  At the beginning of the season, in one of his chats, Klaw said fans worried about the lack of strike-outs were insane, that when the Twins took Stewart he "was more a thrower than a pitcher" and they were doing a "hell of a job" with him.  But I don't know if his position has changed with another full season of - let's say strange - results.  

 

So, with Stewart, I really think it's wait and see.  The Twins brass doesn't seem overly worried and they promoted him up the line.  He pitched well, outside of strike outs, at A+.  So, I really don't know what to make of him.