Article: TD Top Prospects #4: Nick Gordon

[Willihammer]

Gordon's .346 BA in the AFL came in 81 PAs that included no homers, 2 triples, 4 doubles and 22 singles. His IsoP was less than .100. Compared to the rest of his minor league career it looks like he probably got a good number of lucky base hits.

[Loosey]

 

Gordon is blocked by a player better than him (Polanco) and is followed by another better than him (Javier).  Add to the fact that Vielma is probably ahead of him in MLB-readiness, much better with the glove and not that much lesser with the stick (esp if he quit switch hitting), and Gordon's future with the Twins should be obvious:  He should be traded as soon as possible for something the Twins need, like young starting pitching, possibly in a package with Dozier, Santana and/or other veterans... 

I agree with this partially.  I don't think he needs to be traded "as soon as possible". I think all three of the guys you listed will continue to get better and add value over the next year +.  Some may leap frog others.  Maybe Gordon has a breakout year, or Javier starts to fly up the system, etc.  As you, me and many others have mentioned the Twins likely are not contending for a WS this year, and as of today there isn't a log jam at SS.  So no need to sell too soon.  If by the end of this season the Team has 3 potential above average SS's, then great and leverage it at a time when there is a solid return on the other side.   

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

Another warning sign with Turner is that he had a crazy .ISO spike (.225!), and the statcast data showed that he was more productive on flyballs than his launch angles and exit velocity would predict. There is some speculation that teams expected him to be more of a slap-hitter and positioned their outfielders too shallow.

No doubt that Turner over-performed in some areas last year.  But he doesn't need to sustain anywhere near a 147 wRC+ to be valuable. And he's got a minor league track record that says a sustained ~120 wRC+ is absolutely do-able (unlike, say, Danny Santana).

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

He had a nice season and he was a high ranked prospect but he's looked bad in his very limited ML appearances in the IF. We'll see if he can stick at short but I don't think he can - at draft time some scouts said he was a second baseman at this level.

I haven't had to chance to see Turner in the infield, but the metrics all love his ~290 innings of work at 2B in MLB so far, despite only 5 scattered starts at the position in the minors. Not sure what conclusions you can draw from only 2 MLB starts at SS, both dating from his MLB debut in 2015.

[Mike Sixel]

I don't understand how saying Turner looks great, is saying Gordon won't be good or great. I mean, I have said both...

[Willihammer]

How would a re-draft look?

 

Maybe

 

1. Rodon

2. Turner

3. Conforto

4. Finnegan

5. Gordon?

6. Pentecost?

[gunnarthor]

 

How would a re-draft look?

 

Maybe

 

1. Rodon

2. Turner

3. Conforto

4. Finnegan

5. Gordon?

6. Pentecost?

I think Rodon would go #1.  Sean Reid Foley might jump up into the top 10.  Schwaber would go to a DH team with what we know.  So maybe 

 

Rodon (Astros get the pitcher they need)

Turner (Miami)

Schwaber (White Sox)?

Conforto (Cubs. He'd look good in LF for them)

Gordon? (Twins over Finnigan and Nola?)  Knowing what I know now, maybe Reid-Foley?

[DocBauer]

I don't buy in to the re-draft theory as there is a hell of a lot yet to see and develop. Not to mention a re-draft could be fun, but is nothing but fantasy anyway.

 

The AFL US a SS, agree totally. But when you take a young A ballplayer and place him there and he performs well, I don't think you just dismiss what he did either.

 

It just shows me how ready, through talent and hard work, Gordon is for the AAA level. I wouldn't be a bit surprised if this is his "breakout" season.

[Bark's Lounge]

I don't have a crystal ball. In turn, I cannot predict Gordon's future. He has hit decent and has had mixed results as a SS - people in the know think he can stick and I will buy into that.

 

Dude just turned 21. At his age a lot of things change within a person physically and mentally. He certainly has talent. Let him prove it or lose it over the next 2-4 more years.

 

He is not that close to MLB time realistically, he has a hell of a lot of time to develop and grow.

 

Let it ride, if it does not work out, he certainly wouldn't be the first high draft pick to flame out.