Thrylos's Top 40 Twins Prospect Countdown

[Seth Stohs]

Thrylos has started to countdown his Top 40 Twins prospects. Earlier this week, he explained his criteria for who is included in his prospect lists, and it is a little different than most. Once a player gets to the major leagues, even for just one at bat, he no longer considers them a prospect. 

 

Here are the links to his prospect articles (will update as articles are posted):

 

Prospects 36-40

Prospects 31-35

Prospects 26-30

Prospects 21-25

Prospects 16-20

Prospects 11-15

Prospects 6-10

Prospects 1-5

 

Feel free to discuss. Ask Thrylos questions, etc.

[Thrylos]

Thanks for this.  I will edit this post when I publish a new one.  Hope it works

 

31-35 is here.

[h2oface]

 

Thrylos has started to countdown his Top 40 Twins prospects. Earlier this week, he explained his criteria for who is included in his prospect lists, and it is a little different than most. Once a player gets to the major leagues, even for just one at bat, he no longer considers them a prospect. 

 

I like that better than considering a player like Buxton, with 129 ABs and one short of the "minimum" still a prospect. Of course, then there is the emergency call ups that are no longer considered a prospect (like Polanco), which is also a disservice to prospectism. 

[Thrylos]

 

I like that better than considering a player like Buxton, with 129 ABs and one short of the "minimum" still a prospect. Of course, then there is the emergency call ups that are no longer considered a prospect (like Polanco), which is also a disservice to prospectism. 

 

I assume that every Twins fan knows about Polanco, Meyer and Kepler etc.  The way I am doing it gives coverage to many players that fans do not know about other than places like Seth's Handbook. 

 

I think that someone has to draw the line somewhere, and that is where I draw it:  Have you played in the majors or signed an MLB contract (sorry Byung-Ho), you are no longer a prospect. 

Personally, I believe that rules like "he has to play in the US to be in the list" that discount a whole bunch of prospects from the DSL or who have just singed are worse, because there is not a balance.  If you include 2015 draft picks, you got to include 2015 IFAs, in my book.  FWIW in 2015 the Twins gave a bigger bonus to an International FA than everybody who they drafted not named Jay.  Don't you think that he should be in the prospect conversation?

 

But, that's the beauty of those lists.  Each of us has different criteria, so they all don't look the same, like the National guys'

[Shane Wahl]

I bet Lo cruises up to Fort Myers at some point. I still (like . . . STILL) think of him as a sleeper prospect.

 

Landa, Romero, and Wade are going to impress this year.

[Seth Stohs]

Yup, it's fun to create lists and everyone has different criteria, and that's fine. It's all part of the debate.

 

I go with MLB's, and Baseball America's and pretty much everyone else's definition of prospect, which is remaining Rookie-Eligible.

 

I don't include DSL guys in my rankings because I just don't take the time to dig in on that level. The stats in the DSL are almost meaningless (same can be said of GCL, of course). We did decide for the prospect handbook to include Wander Javier and BH Park because there was a lot of information on both. I talked to several people with knowledge of Javier, so I felt ok ranking him.

 

But, again, that's why I've included the links and think we should engage and discuss Thrylos's rankings. He will mention players I don't in my Top 30 or so. 

 

This is a good group of prospects (31-35). 

[Dman]

I like your list and the extra insight that comes with it.  I like where you have Cabbage and Blankenhorn as they are suspects until proven to be prospects IMO.  

 

I also like what you had to say to Niko.  I have been watching him expecting great things for a long time now.  He seems so close if only he could do more with the bat.  frustrating is a good word for him so far. Maybe next year is the year.

[Thrylos]

Got 26-30 up today here.  I suspect a few surprising names

[Dman]

Love your 26-30 picks.  I didn' t know anythings about Gratoral but I agree that he appears impressive.  Seems like the Twins might have several sleeper picks this year.  

[Han Joelo]

I think one of the reasons baseball is my favorite sport to follow is the prospect side of it and all the player development.  Thanks for this list--really interesting to hear about these guys for the first time.  Outside of looking for a big name like Sano or Javier, I don't get anything out of looking at DSL of even GCL box scores.

 

I don't know if I favor one definition of prospect over another, but I like the variety.  While I hope Buxton and Park have ROY-worthy seasons, I have a hard time thinking of either of them as anything close to my general definition of a "rookie."

[Seth Stohs]

 

Love your 26-30 picks.  I didn' t know anythings about Gratoral but I agree that he appears impressive.  Seems like the Twins might have several sleeper picks this year.  

 

Just FYI - Graterol came to the States in July, not because of how he was pitching, but because they were running some tests on his elbow.

 

Also, Lachlan Wells is 6-1, 180 now. 

[nicksaviking]

Nice write-ups Thrylos. A lot of effort put into a lot of relative unknowns, well done.

[nicksaviking]

Just FYI - Graterol came to the States in July, not because of how he was pitching, but because they were running some tests on his elbow.

 

Also, Lachlan Wells is 6-1, 180 now.

 

Damn kids. They just have to have those new sneakers and three months later they're already too small.

[Thrylos]

 

Just FYI - Graterol came to the States in July, not because of how he was pitching, but because they were running some tests on his elbow.

 

Also, Lachlan Wells is 6-1, 180 now. 

 

Wells grew 5 inches in a year?  And they do not have medical facilities in the Dominican to run tests?

 

Hard to believe on the first one, I know better on the second one

[nicksaviking]

Wells grew 5 inches in a year?  And they do not have medical facilities in the Dominican to run tests?

 

Hard to believe on the first one, I know better on the second one

At 16 during my Sophmore year I stopped growing, topping out at 6'3", my best friend was a 5'6" runt who always said he would some day be as tall as his 6'4" dad. I always rolled my eyes until fall basketball tryouts happened junior year and sure enough, he was taller than me. The kid grew 9 damn inches in ten months.

 

Oh, and he made the team, I didn't.

[Seth Stohs]

 

Wells grew 5 inches in a year?  And they do not have medical facilities in the Dominican to run tests?

 

Hard to believe on the first one, I know better on the second one

 

I don't know over what time period he grew, but I have it from two good sources, one being Lewis Thorpe and the other being Lachlan Wells... I was mistaken though... 6-0, 185.... not 6-1, 180...

 

And, I have it from someone who would know as to why Graterol came to Ft. Myers as well. 

[diehardtwinsfan]

Liking the lists.  I was already planning on watching Wade closely this year, but this Graterol kid is pretty interesting too. Here's to hoping there's nothing serious with that elbow.

[Seth Stohs]

 

Liking the lists.  I was already planning on watching Wade closely this year, but this Graterol kid is pretty interesting too. Here's to hoping there's nothing serious with that elbow.

 

Just verified... Graterol had Tommy John surgery in August. That'll put him out for 2016. Too bad. He had a nice start to his career. He should come back strong in 2018 though and hopefully he can return to form.

[Thrylos]

 

Just verified... Graterol had Tommy John surgery in August. That'll put him out for 2016. Too bad. He had a nice start to his career. He should come back strong in 2018 though and hopefully he can return to form.

Thanks.  That is good to know.

[Thrylos]

21-25 here and the rest next week

[Thrylos]

16-20 here (and I suspect that people might find at least one surprise.)

[Thrylos]

11-15 up now here.  The rest next week, since I am hitting the road the rest of this week.

[Vanimal46]

Tread lightly Thrylos, the ABW Fan Club may be out to get you for your rankings.... 

[Thrylos]

 

Tread lightly Thrylos, the ABW Fan Club may be out to get you for your rankings.... 

 

I think that he would be the Twins' number 1 position player prospect if HRs and RBIs were all that important (and if he had a position.)

[shs_59]

prediction for 15-11 

 

15-Travis Harrison

14-J.T. Chargois

13-Jermaine Polacios

12-Alex Meyer

and.......hmmm Can't be A.B. Walker (19) or Taylor Rogers (30)

 

i can't come up with one maybe Byung-Ho Park?

[Thrylos]

 

prediction for 15-11 

 

15-Travis Harrison

14-J.T. Chargois

13-Jermaine Polacios

12-Alex Meyer

and.......hmmm Can't be A.B. Walker (19) or Taylor Rogers (30)

 

i can't come up with one maybe Byung-Ho Park?

 

they are up here.

 

Meyer and Park are not eligible as prospects in my list

[shs_59]

Thanks , somehow i missed that you came out with 11-15 Great news! :-)

 

Also I like Melotakis a lot too

 

Levi Michael?  boy thats bold extremely bold, i'm glad all 30 teams passed over him in the Rule 5 Draft!

 

B/c as you put it, i think he can be a great utility guy as he seems to mash Left-Handed Pitching!

 

 (needs to show he can defend better from ss tho in a pinch)  2B i'm confident in

[clutterheart]

Your comments on Michael made me laugh.

 

Consider this:

Every single team could've added him to their roster during the rule 5 draft.

 

But they didn't.

[big dog]

 

Your comments on Michael made me laugh.

Consider this:
Every single team could've added him to their roster during the rule 5 draft.

But they didn't.

While that is clearly true, it doesn't prevent me from hoping that Thrylos is correct on the prediction.  

[Thrylos]

 

Your comments on Michael made me laugh.

Consider this:
Every single team could've added him to their roster during the rule 5 draft.

But they didn't.

 

Enjoy your laugh.  Every single team could have added Mike Schmidt, Randy Johnson and Greg Maddux in the Rule 4 draft, but they passed; most just once.  Some twice.  Means nothing.