Twins Complete Padres Trade with Pitching Prospect Brayan Medina

[Cody Christie]

The Twins had a player to be named later included in the trade for Taylor Rogers and Brent Rooker. On Thursday, Minnesota announced the prospect as right-handed pitcher Brayan Medina.

It can certainly be intriguing when a trade includes a player to be named later. Jeremy tried to identify which player might be included in the deal, which can be a tough task. Chris Paddack and Emilio Pagan were the first two pieces of the trade, but here’s a little about prospect the team just added to the deal. 

Brayan Medina was considered the top Venezuelan pitching prospect when the 2019 international signing period opened. San Diego signed him for $700,000, and he was set to make his debut during the 2020 season. Unfortunately, the pandemic canceled the 2020 season and pushed his pro debut to the 2021 season. 

Last year, the 18-year-old started in the Dominican Summer League. In 28 2/3 innings, he posted a 4.71 ERA with a 1.50 WHIP and a 42-to-21 strikeout to walk ratio. Medina’s last three appearances came in the Arizona Complex League, where he struggled in limited action. He allowed four earned runs in two of his appearances as he surrendered three home runs. On a positive note, he struck out seven batters in five innings. 

Still a teenager, Medina has room to add to his 6-foot-1, 180-pound frame, which may increase his velocity in the years ahead. He currently has a three-pitch mix, including a fastball, slider, and changeup. According to MLB Pipeline, his fastball grades as a 60 as it sits in the mid-90s, but he can occasionally pump it up into the high-90s. His slider is his best secondary pitch as it currently grades as a 55, which is above average. His changeup has shown the most improvement since he signed and currently grades as a 50. MLB Pipeline ranked him as the 14th best Padres prospect.

FanGraphs isn’t relatively as high on Medina as MLB Pipeline as they ranked him as San Diego’s 29th best prospect. They grade his fastball as a 45 with a future grade of 55. FanGraphs identifies his best secondary pitch as a curveball instead of a slider, but some of that is due to his vertical slot delivery. His curveball currently grades as a 45 with a future grade of 55. Both of these pitches would rank as above average. 

One of his most significant issues last season was a high walk rate, as he surrendered 24 walks in just under 34 innings. Some of this comes from a violent delivery, but it can also be attributed to the limited amount of innings he has accumulated as a professional. His release point is from a vertical slot, which helps his secondary pitches to be more effective. 

As a player to be named later, Medina has plenty of potential. His ceiling looks like a mid-rotation starter, but his top two pitches also make him an intriguing bullpen option. In the Twins system, he’d likely rank in the back half of the team’s top-30 prospects. What do you think about Medina’s scouting reports? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. 

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[operation mindcrime]

I look forward to following his progress in the minor league reports and I'll be rooting for him to make it to the show!!!!!

[puckstopper1]

Another lottery ticket doesn't hurt.

It will likely be several years to determine who "won" this trade.  Right now I know the Padres are very pleased with it given Rogers has been lights out so far this season.

5 appearances,  5 IP, 1 hit, 1 walk, 5K, WHIP = .4 and 5 saves. 

 

 

[Doctor Gast]

10 minutes ago, puckstopper1 said:

Another lottery ticket doesn't hurt.

It will likely be several years to determine who "won" this trade.  Right now I know the Padres are very pleased with it given Rogers has been lights out so far this season.

5 appearances,  5 IP, 1 hit, 1 walk, 5K, WHIP = .4 and 5 saves. 

 

 

We could really use Rogers, our standings would be quite different now

[Doctor Gast]

Medina looks like a pitcher that MN would like just need to have more control

[Dman]

Jeremy was pretty close to nailing this one.  Actually he didn't think quite big enough.  Susana was rated slightly lower than Medina in the Padres system.  Susana is big 6'6" compared to the 6'1" Medina but right now given what we know it looks like Medina has the better secondary's.

It will be interesting to see how Medina does as I think he is rule V eligible in 2023 and it looks like he will be in short season ball this year as he hasn't pitched yet.  Kind of nice to replace the loss of Petty with another fairly high octane arm that is only 19 years old.  Hard to say what the outcomes will be, but on the surface it looks like the Twins did well in this deal.  3 years of Paddack, 2 years of Pagan, if he makes it 6 years of Medina for one year of Rogers, and 5 years of Rooker if he makes it, who might have been lost for nothing.  Oh and the Twins had to pay 7M of Rogers salary.

I hope this is an arm that works out.  I will be watching to see how he does this year.  If he gets the walks under control and maintains that K rate I have to believe he will make it as at least a reliever.

[bunsen82]

31 minutes ago, Doctor Gast said:

We could really use Rogers, our standings would be quite different now

I could see Rogers affecting 1 game,  maybe 2 but Duffy is likely still given opportunities to blow a game,  and we would still have the same outcome.    

[Mike Sixel]

Those fangraphs grades are from last year. They haven't updated the Padres list yet this year....we'll see if their thought have changed at all. A super young hard throwing pitcher isn't a terrible lottery ticket....

[Juza]

He will need to limit the walks to stick as a starter, but has some bullpen upside with the FB/slider combo. Another lottery ticket for cheap pitching is good to have in the system. I think back half of the top 30 for the Twins seems high. I picture him less than Cole Sands and less than the Henriquez kid we got from Texas which puts him in the mid 20s range. 

[Monkeypaws]

As an add to what the Twins already got, like it a lot.

[Trov]

16 hours ago, Doctor Gast said:

We could really use Rogers, our standings would be quite different now

How so?  I can think of 1 game where he would possibly made a difference, that being the blown save by Duffy.  The other blown lead by Duffy it is unlikely Rodgers gets the nod.  If you can point to any other games the pen blew that Rodgers would have pitched in please point them out. 

[Karbo]

Doesn't move the needle for me.

[Major League Ready]

12 minutes ago, Karbo said:

Doesn't move the needle for me.

Hard to imagine a PTBNL would?

[cheeseheadgophfan]

18 hours ago, bunsen82 said:

I could see Rogers affecting 1 game,  maybe 2 but Duffy is likely still given opportunities to blow a game,  and we would still have the same outcome.    

Agreed.....pitching has cost us 1 game IMO.....the complete lack of offense by this lineup is why we have the record we currently have.

[stringer bell]

18 hours ago, Doctor Gast said:

We could really use Rogers, our standings would be quite different now

The Twins would be 6-7 if Rogers was in the BP. 

[wabene]

Well we might just have the next Gil or Ynoa!! Don't let this gem slip through your clutching grasp Falvine!

[sampleSizeOfOne]

Did the Padres run out Players whose names star with a P? Does that make them the Adres?

 

Sounds like a Prospect with Potential. I am Placated. 

[sampleSizeOfOne]

5 hours ago, wabene said:

Well we might just have the next Gil or Ynoa!! Don't let this gem slip through your clutching grasp Falvine!

I too am in favor of putting this system in gear and releasing the clutch.