Gleeman: Top 15 Twins Most Valuable Players Long-Term

[Seth Stohs]

https://theathletic.com/1315487/2019/10/23/twins-top-15-most-valuable-players-long-term-ranking-polanco-kepler-lewis-kirilloff-buxton/

 

(subscription required)

 

Today, Aaron Gleeman posted his Top 15 most valuable Twins players for the long-term. I love discussions like this because it's not just about now but about the future. It's not a 2019 MVP vote. It's not a prospect list. Here's a quick excerpt.
 

 

For instance, Nelson Cruz was chosen as the Twins’ most valuable player this season. However, he’s 39 years old, under contract for just one more year, and facing long odds to hold off Father Time. In assessing long-term value to the Twins, his one season of team control — as great as it may be — almost can’t help but fall short of lesser and/or unproven players controlled for three, four, five, or even six seasons. Age, upside, years of team control, and cost are key factors, so if we were re-drafting the Twins’ entire org from scratch, Cruz shouldn’t be atop any big board.

 

I'm not going to post the list since it is behind the paywall of The Athletic. But I think the topic is worth discussion. 

 

Based on years of team control, contract status, talent, position in more, how would you rank players?

 

[Vanimal46]

Interesting exercise! I'll bite...

 

I don't have an Athletic subscription but I assume Gleeman also included top prospects. So I will do the same:

 

1) Jorge Polanco - Plays a premium position, very good bat, and locked in long term at a very reasonable rate. 

2) Jose Berrios - Top pitching talent on the team. 3 years of control left. Potential extension guy this off-season. 

3) Max Kepler - Locked in long term. Can play CF if needed. Made strides with the bat. 

4) Taylor Rogers - Top bullpen option. 3 arb seasons left. Potential extension guy but I'd stay year to year... Never know with relievers!

5) Byron Buxton - 3 years of control left. We've all seen when he's healthy he is a game changer in the OF. 

6) Brusdar Graterol - All aboard the hype train! 

7) Jordan Balazovic - I think he's going to stick in the rotation and I thought about putting him ahead of Graterol... But that's a pretty hot take at the moment. 

8) Mitch Garver - He's got years of control left but he's already getting up there in age... Gonna be 29. Yikes. 

9) Alex Kirilloff - He may not play a premium position but he has a premium bat. 

10) Luis Arraez - I don't think we can expect 2019 numbers going forward, but I do love his plate discipline. It should help even during times when he's slumping. 

11) Miguel Sano - Only 2 years of control left. Still has massive talent and would rise above a lot of players if he was extended beyond 2 years. 

12) Royce Lewis - If this were my personal list he would be off of it. I'm keeping him because there's value in being a top 15 prospect on industry lists. 

13) Trevor Larnach - Good trade chip 

14) Cole Sands - He's my pick to go on a meteoric rise in the system similar to Balazovic. 

15) Nick Gordon - Not a huge believer but he plays a premium position and has been on top 100 prospect lists before.