Do the Twins have the best group of prospects right now that they ever had?

[Brodin4Calder]

The Twins are loaded up with top end prospects right now. Is it there best group ever?

 

Sano and Buxton lead the hitters. They are both currently tearing it up in there leagues. On MLB.com they are both in the top 20 prospects this year and they are the only players in the top 20 that are under 20 years old. They both have potential to be annual all stars, Buxton has potential to be the best player in the league in his prime.

 

The Twins roto right now is probably the worst its ever been. I dont think we have 1 starter that can throw faster than 90mph, which is really sad. That wont be for too much longer. Our top 4 pitching prospects all throw in the mid 90s. Meyer has the stuff to be a great number 1. Gibson also has the same upside but we will have to wait and see how much he progresses because of his TJ. Im really excited about Berrios, he can throw hard and has a good Curve and is capable of being a very good top of the roto guy. May is also showin some promise as a solid pitcher.

 

The Twins also have depth in their prospect group. Oh and they have the 4th overall pick this year which they will hopefully use to get a top pitcher, Gray or Appel would be awesome but they will be gone so im hoping they can grab Manaea who has alot of potential.

[rikker49]

Most of them are in A to A+ ball. Some may be up in two years but most of them will be 3-4yrs. It might take them a while to adjust. So, 5-6yrs from now we will know. Most won't be that good. Parmelee and Hendriks kill in AAA but struggle in the show. We may be looking at only 4-5 prospects making it all the way. I hope that most of them make it to Target Field but injuries and busts happen all the time.

[Thrylos]

Ever is a long time

 

Killebrew was signed in '54 and Allison in '55 (and I'd put those 2 ahead of Sano & Buxton at this point) Then Kaat came in '57, Versalles in '58 and Tovar in '59. I'd say the core of the young Senators who came to Minnesota was probably the best "prospect core" (but they did not call it that then) the Twins had. Supplemented it with Oliva in '61, added a couple of pitchers and '65 happened.

 

I hope that today's prospects some day are as good as these guys, but we need a good 20 years to find out

[jorgenswest]

I have wondered if the collection of talent at Fort Myers may be one of the best a Twins minor league team has seen. It is possible those folks will also see Buxton this year. As players move up, New Britain could be in the running.

 

The 1981 Orlando squad had 12 players eventually play in the majors including Viola, Gaetti, Bush, Teufel, Laudner, Reed, Ullger and Havens. Hrbek was tearing it up in Visalia and somehow didn't get the call. Eisenreich was in Wisconsin Rapids. Lombardozzi and Portugal were in Elizbethton.

[IdahoPilgrim]

Ever? I don't know about that. But I do agree that the future is brighter than it has been in some while.

[Seth Stohs]

I'd say it's likely that Buxton and Sano are going to be top 5 guys. We are still able to call Arcia, Hicks and Gibson prospects. I like the second-tier guys and think there is some upside in the lower levels.

 

I don't know if Killebrew, Allison, Tovar, Kaat, etc. were considered great prospects or not. Obviously there wasn't a Baseball America type of service back then. I hope that the Buxton, Arcia, Sano, Meyer, Hicks group ends up as successful, but I think that their prospect status is much higher than it was.

 

The Twins had a nice Top 10 run with guys like Mauer, Morneau, Cuddyer, Liriano during a short stretch too.

[DAM DC Twins Fans]

Ever is a very long time--yes the Twins have a very good group of prospects right now led by Sano, Rosario, Buxton, Meyer and May (and maybe Gibson) plus a group of youngsters currently in the show led by Arcia and Hicks. As fine a group as we have seen since maybe 2001. But ever I dont know. Also remember that one or two or more will get hit by the injury bug, one or two or more will find out they cant do it in MLB (think Hendricks).

 

Given all that--I am very happy with the state of the Twins farm system right now. I expect we will see the fruits starting next year.

[ashbury]

I don't know if Killebrew, Allison, Tovar, Kaat, etc. were considered great prospects or not.

 

Killer was a bonus baby, wasn't he? That resulted in his having to be in the majors far sooner than he should have been, but also speaks to his being a huge prospect.

[Turd Furgeson]

The minor league teams in the 90s was pretty great. Mientkiewicz, Cristian Guzman, Luis Rivas, David Ortiz, Torii Hunter, A.J. Pierzinski, J.C. Romero, Jacque Jones.

[cmb0252]

I have only been following the prospect scene for about 8 years but I can say this is easily the best group of specs I can remember. I say this not only because we might end the year with two prospects in the top 5 but because of the depth. At the end of the year Arcia, Gibson, and Hicks will not be considered prospects any more and we will still have 5+ prospects in the top 100. Don't forget the draft is only a month away and no matter who the Twins take at 4 they will be one hell of a talent.

[Joe A. Preusser]

This group and the early 80s group are the best in my opinion. But really, it is not hard to replenish a talent pool when you have a bad team for several years. The true mark of success is when you have a consistently talented major league team AND still manage to field a nice crop of prospects across the minor league board. Let's see if the Twins can keep their minor leagues stocked as we become better and better over the next few years.

[kab21]

This group and the early 80s group are the best in my opinion. But really, it is not hard to replenish a talent pool when you have a bad team for several years. The true mark of success is when you have a consistently talented major league team AND still manage to field a nice crop of prospects across the minor league board. Let's see if the Twins can keep their minor leagues stocked as we become better and better over the next few years.

 

I will flat out disagree. The Twins don't have a good farm system because they have been bad for several years. They have had one top 20 pick (buxton) since Hicks (5ish yrs ago). The talent in the Twins system was acquired through other means.

[righty8383]

Most of them are in A to A+ ball. Some may be up in two years but most of them will be 3-4yrs. .

 

Totally disagree. I wouldn't project any of our top prospects as 3-4 years away. You sound like one of those fans that assumes every Twins prospect is gonna spend a full year at each level no matter how good he is.

[Reginald Maudling's Shin]

Ever is a long time

 

Killebrew was signed in '54 and Allison in '55 (and I'd put those 2 ahead of Sano & Buxton at this point) Then Kaat came in '57, Versalles in '58 and Tovar in '59. I'd say the core of the young Senators who came to Minnesota was probably the best "prospect core" (but they did not call it that then) the Twins had. Supplemented it with Oliva in '61, added a couple of pitchers and '65 happened.

 

I hope that today's prospects some day are as good as these guys, but we need a good 20 years to find out

Back in the 50s they didn't have the minor league system like they do today though. I believe it was the Royals who pioneered the modern farm system in (IIRC) the 70s.

 

EDIT: after frantic googling I can't find a source for my hunch and found that Branch Rickey started the minor league system in the 1930s. So in the words of Gilda Radner, "never mind".

[silverslugger]

There have been "minor" leagues basically since the inception of baseball back in the mid 19th century. Often times, these minor leagues employed some of the best players in baseball who for various reasons chose not to play in the highest level league of competition. Also, don't forget that until the late 50's one of those "minor" leagues was the Negro League which definitely had some top notch talent playing baseball. Branch Rickey probably pioneered the affiliation of minor league clubs to big league clubs.

 

Seth, the "Baseball America" of the first half of the 20th century was probably The Sporting News. I fondly remember my weekly subscription as a kid in the 70's. The main focus was the majors, but they also provided quite a bit of minor league coverage.

[YourHouseIsMyHouse]

I will flat out disagree. The Twins don't have a good farm system because they have been bad for several years. They have had one top 20 pick (buxton) since Hicks (5ish yrs ago). The talent in the Twins system was acquired through other means.

 

And you'd be correct. Sano, Rosario, Arcia, and Kepler were all international signees, Gibson was a late first rounder, Berrios and Harrison were supplemental picks, and Meyer and May were acquired via trade. Hicks was really only a mid round pick as well. The only guy, as you said, that was acquired through high draft pick (a.k.a sucking) was Buxton. Drafting ahead of other teams is important throughout the rest of the draft, but I'd say it's only in the first where it's significant. Had they been good the past few years, they could continue to do what they've been doing just like the Rangers and Rays.

[Oxtung]

And you'd be correct. Sano, Rosario, Arcia, and Kepler were all international signees, Gibson was a late first rounder, Berrios and Harrison were supplemental picks, and Meyer and May were acquired via trade. Hicks was really only a mid round pick as well. The only guy, as you said, that was acquired through high draft pick (a.k.a sucking) was Buxton. Drafting ahead of other teams is important throughout the rest of the draft, but I'd say it's only in the first where it's significant. Had they been good the past few years, they could continue to do what they've been doing just like the Rangers and Rays.

 

Just a minor correction, because your overall point holds, but Rosario was drafted out of Puerto Rico in the 4th round in 2010.

[clutterheart]

I will flat out disagree. The Twins don't have a good farm system because they have been bad for several years. They have had one top 20 pick (buxton) since Hicks (5ish yrs ago). The talent in the Twins system was acquired through other means.

 

Exactly,

They had Gibson, Sano, Rosario, Kepler Polonco and others before '12 draft giving them a nice set out of prospects. Then the Draft made it a very good system. Then the trades of Revere & Span made it an elite system.

[clutterheart]

I would say these prospects COULD be the best ever. But too many guys are too far away. Wait until the likes of Sano & Rosario make it at least AA and see what they do there.

[cmb0252]

I would say these prospects COULD be the best ever. But too many guys are too far away. Wait until the likes of Sano & Rosario make it at least AA and see what they do there.

 

If they pan out or not doesn't alter the quality of prospects they are currently. This system isn't only elite but deep.

[lightfoot789]

Who are our steals in the draft? or International signees? Who are some of the other prospects who aren't (your usual suspects / Top Signees) that round out this amazing jump in the system? (example - Tyler Duffy; Kyle Knudson; ____; etc.)

[Badsmerf]

Easily the best they've had. You can't look at the team when it was in D.C., it just isn't the same. This group of prospects is amazing. Next year could be just as good, since only Hicks and Arcia will graduate.

[cmathewson]

Ever is a long time

 

Killebrew was signed in '54 and Allison in '55 (and I'd put those 2 ahead of Sano & Buxton at this point) Then Kaat came in '57, Versalles in '58 and Tovar in '59. I'd say the core of the young Senators who came to Minnesota was probably the best "prospect core" (but they did not call it that then) the Twins had. Supplemented it with Oliva in '61, added a couple of pitchers and '65 happened.

 

I hope that today's prospects some day are as good as these guys, but we need a good 20 years to find out

 

I wouldn't put Allison ahead of Buxton. Allison was a great player, but he had two fewer tools than Buxton.

[PseudoSABR]

An important caveat: prospect analysis/writing really only goes back so far, especially in terms of public access, so it's difficult to really know what people thought of the comparable prospect classes, pre-1990.

 

But pre-hindsight, this group looks pretty dang good. The risk can't really be used against this prospect class, because we're not looking at the actual career production, but rather players-as-prospects.

 

It's nice to dream big about these guys. More than a few star like players, and the depth is stout.

[Reginald Maudling's Shin]

An important caveat: prospect analysis/writing really only goes back so far, especially in terms of public access, so it's difficult to really know what people thought of the comparable prospect classes, pre-1990.

 

But pre-hindsight, this group looks pretty dang good. The risk can't really be used against this prospect class, because we're not looking at the actual career production, but rather players-as-prospects.

 

It's nice to dream big about these guys. More than a few star like players, and the depth is stout.

Yeah, if you look at it that way, like a snapshot on time, I can't remember anything even close to this group. The Star Tribune used to run stats from the minors every Sunday (for all I know they still might) but they didn't have guys putting up numbers like Buxton and Sano ever. Also I remember maybe a guy or two per level to get excited about but not as many as we see today. Even Kirby's group was't that hyped before 1987. Kirby himself had like 1 HR in his rookie year (and before the 1987 season Bill James predicted something like 30 for his career, pretty funny).

 

Some of the numbers from Edmonton and Salt Lake got a little crazy (Michael Restovich, Bernardo Brito etc.) but as a whole you knew they were inflated. Sano is 1/3 of the way to the FSL HR record in a month.

[Ncgo4]

Allison was not a great player. He was a decent power hitter reaching 30 HR's only 3 times and striking out a lot. His lifetime BA was .255. Also, he was a continuous adventure in the outfield. I believe he led the league in outfield errors 3 times.

[kab21]

Allison was not a great player. He was a decent power hitter reaching 30 HR's only 3 times and striking out a lot. His lifetime BA was .255. Also, he was a continuous adventure in the outfield. I believe he led the league in outfield errors 3 times.

 

Take it back. The only memory that us youngsters have of Allison is the sliding catch in the '65 series that has been replayed 1M times. He must have been a great fielder.

 

I think it's pretty obvious that this is a great core when the only remotely comparable prospect classes were 25 yrs and 50+ yrs ago. And even then people are listing guys that debuted half a decade (or more) apart.

[gunnarthor]

It's an interesting question. I guess it depends on how you view it. Are we looking at one year or one period over a few years? Are we only looking at ranked prospects or are we looking at how they actually did? I'm not sure. Looking at BA rankings, we have 6 in the top 72 and two in the top 10. That's pretty impressive and might be a one year best for the Twins. On the other hand, the 03-06 Twins managed to have 5 different players ranked in the top 20 including a #1 and #6 (and Restovich was ranked 37, higher than any other twin on this years list after Sano/Buxton). And on the third hand, the early late90s/early 2000s also gave the Twins guys like AJ, Santana, Koskie, Dougie Baseball and Jacque Jones who were never ranked but were obviously very good ball players.

 

The 03 single year ranked Twins had pretty impressive results, even though it was only 3 guys really. Mauer, Morneau and Cuddyer combined to give the Twins 2 MVPs, 10 all-star seasons, 6 silver sluggers and nearly 75 WAR. And that year's org top 10 also included Span, Kubel and Lew Ford. So that was a good year.

 

But I think this group, with its depth, should hopefully be better. And next year we'll add the #4 draft pick to that list to go along with it. I think from a depth perspective, this is easily the best group of prospects we've had over a few years. Whether they turn out is a different question but I love the depth.

[cmb0252]

When I look at best group of prospects ever I'm only looking at while they were prospects and not their big league careers. If you add in the MvPs, all star games, hall of fame votes, and so on an so on the current group has no shot...you know...seeing they are still in the minors.

[diehardtwinsfan]

For all the back slapping on this farm system, let's remember that it still isn't considered the best in MLB... This is a good system that should produce some stars and some above average starters, but it's still weak up the middle and on the mound...