Baseball America Top 10 Twins Prospects

[gunnarthor]

 

but, that's not what he said in the reply, was it.......the context of the discussion was that for a team that has been this bad, and that traded two starting CFers, they should be in the top 10, not bottom 10, in farm system rankings. Four top 100 prospects....30 teams....so an average team should have three plus, and a team that has lost 90+ games 4 of the last 5 years should have how many if they are just average at drafting?

Well, probably as many as they have.  The Span and Revere trades have already seen those prospects removed from the list. The 2012 draft has already been removed from the list.  So really, you're complaining that the Twins have only 4 current top 100 prospects (plus at least four more that have been top 100 prospects) from four drafts where they picked 4th, 5th, 6th and 15th.  Frankly, that doesn't seem out of line.  From 02-05, Brewers picked 7th, 2nd, 5th, 5th and had only 3 on BA's list. From 01-04, Rangers had 5th, 9th, 10th, 10th (and 30th b/c comp) and only had 4 on BA's list. Heck, from 12-15, the Cubs had 6th, 2nd, 4th, and 9th picks and only had three in the top 100. 

[TRex]

 

but, that's not what he said in the reply, was it.......the context of the discussion was that for a team that has been this bad, and that traded two starting CFers, they should be in the top 10, not bottom 10, in farm system rankings. Four top 100 prospects....30 teams....so an average team should have three plus, and a team that has lost 90+ games 4 of the last 5 years should have how many if they are just average at drafting?

... seems a little disingenuous to include the rotten 2016 season without seeing what the 2017 draft looks like (although you could certainly make a similar statement about the drafts from 2013-2015 that resulted from terrible teams).

 

I know a prospect at 1-1 is certainly no guarantee, it is still better than 1-5 (if for no other reason than the increased signing pool). That player is almost certain to be in the top-100 next year, which will increase our ranking.

[Mike Sixel]

 

... seems a little disingenuous to include the rotten 2016 season without seeing what the 2017 draft looks like (although you could certainly make a similar statement about the drafts from 2013-2015 that resulted from terrible teams).

 

I know a prospect at 1-1 is certainly no guarantee, it is still better than 1-5 (if for no other reason than the increased signing pool). That player is almost certain to be in the top-100 next year, which will increase our ranking.

 

That player, unless they get Alvarez from teh Dodgers, is likely to be their best prospect, and a top 30 or higher ranking overall, so good point. But yes, we could look back....

 

I get it, for some people, the Twins should not be expected to be anything more than average at stuff. That's fine......for me, if your strategy is to refuse to sign or trade for expensive players, you have to be better at drafting and developing to be good, that's the strategy they chose. If they are merely as good as other teams at that, well, that's how you end up being awful, since you've cut off one or more avenue for acquiring talent.

 

If people think having one of the ten worst farm systems is acceptable, that's just where we disagree. no biggie to me.

[gunnarthor]

 

 

I get it, for some people, the Twins should not be expected to be anything more than average at stuff. .

 

.

Frankly, I think that's a pretty insulting strawman you're making.  Fans can have different views of the state of the system based on reports from different sources.  Last year, Klaw ranked the Twins system #3.  This year, Sickels ranked 5 players B+ in the system.  That a system can kick out 2 top 100 prospects every year for five years and still be this solid is, to me, a very strong credit to the development people.  Guys like Kepler, Polanco, Berrios, Rosario and Gonsalves have already far overachieved their draft/signing likelihoods.  

 

I think Gordon is a great prospect, just a tier below the Buxton/Sano group.  Jay has the stuff to be a legit front of the rotation starter and I like him more than I liked Berrios in AA.  I love those prospects.  Outside of the top 100 guys, you have strong depth with prospects like Mejia, Burdi, Thorpe and the polarizing Stewart on the pitching side - each having been top 100 prospects at some time.  Last years draft saw the Twins sign, arguably, the second best HS pure hitter and signed several other extremely young players.  Looking at each draft since 2012, it's very easy to see at least two major league regulars from each year, which is a very good return.  

 

 

[Mike Sixel]

 

Frankly, I think that's a pretty insulting strawman you're making.  Fans can have different views of the state of the system based on reports from different sources.  Last year, Klaw ranked the Twins system #3.  This year, Sickels ranked 5 players B+ in the system.  That a system can kick out 2 top 100 prospects every year for five years and still be this solid is, to me, a very strong credit to the development people.  Guys like Kepler, Polanco, Berrios, Rosario and Gonsalves have already far overachieved their draft/signing likelihoods.  

 

I think Gordon is a great prospect, just a tier below the Buxton/Sano group.  Jay has the stuff to be a legit front of the rotation starter and I like him more than I liked Berrios in AA.  I love those prospects.  Outside of the top 100 guys, you have strong depth with prospects like Mejia, Burdi, Thorpe and the polarizing Stewart on the pitching side - each having been top 100 prospects at some time.  Last years draft saw the Twins sign, arguably, the second best HS pure hitter and signed several other extremely young players.  Looking at each draft since 2012, it's very easy to see at least two major league regulars from each year, which is a very good return.  

 

i'm just going off what BA said, bottom 10. In comparison to other systems. I'm sure if we looked at other systems, we could find really good / great prospects. I don't have time for that, and only looking at the Twins' system doesn't tell me much about how they compare to the competition. So, I just trust BA and others for their overall rankings. Maybe that's on me, but since I don't get to watch/discuss 1000 prospects, that's the path I've chose.

 

I'm guessing, outside the Angels and couple others, I could write what you wrote almost word for word about other systems. 

[gunnarthor]

 

 

I'm guessing, outside the Angels and couple others, I could write what you wrote almost word for word about other systems. 

I'd be very surprised if you could, actually.

[Doomtints]

I recently came across this article and found it interesting:

 

http://twinstrivia.com/2016/12/21/the-twins-trials-and-tribulations-with-finding-starting-pitching/

 

Basically the article states that the Twins as an organization have never been able to consistently draft, develop or trade for pitching talent.

 

This got me thinking, and I would wager you could write the exact same article about Twins hitting.

 

"Small Market" syndrome is rather severe with this club when you look at the big, historical picture. 

[jimmer]

This team forever looked for pitch to contact pitchers.  They were/are cheaper than power/strikeout pitchers.  The added bonus is that they required players behind them that were more glove than bat (also cheaper players).  That worked, sporadically, for quite some time, until the team stopped thinking defense matters but still kept developing pitchers the same way.

 

[IndianaTwin]

 

...Trey Cabbage is a 20-something prospect, but he has a very high ceiling, but he's raw.... 

 

Cabbage is "raw," huh? Nice touch.

 

(And apologies if 30 other people have already made that joke.)

[IndianaTwin]

 

Cabbage is "raw," huh? Nice touch.

 

(And apologies if 30 other people have already made that joke.)

I can see the marketing possibilities already if both he and Stewart make it: 
 

"Kohl's Law: Hit it to Cabbage." 

[ashbury]

I can see the marketing possibilities already if both he and Stewart make it: 

 

"Kohl's Law: Hit it to Cabbage." 

Prospect guru Jonathan Mayo approves.