Jump to content
Twins Daily
  • Create Account

Recommended Posts

Posted

Though he's merely days old, the Twins are hoping to maximize little Diland’s defensive versatility as the club tries to get back on track before the postseason.

Image courtesy of Purple Wolf Graphics

It’s well-known that the Twins aren’t afraid to rely on young talent, even when in the thick of a playoff hunt. But this newest development takes that notion to another level. Veteran catcher Christian Vázquez and his wife Gaby welcomed their third child on Monday, and reports have already come out saying the Twins are hoping to start teaching him to play second base as soon as they leave the hospital.

“First of all, congratulations to the Vázquez family. We’re so happy for them during this special time,” said Twins President of Baseball Operations Derek Falvey. “With that said, I just have one message for sweet little Diland. Buckle up, kid. Time to grow up and contribute to what we’re trying to accomplish over these next few weeks.”

Until now, the youngest player on the current Twins club was infielder Brooks Lee, who is 23.6 years old. But with the young Vázquez in the fold, the new leader in the young clubhouse is roughly 23.6 years younger.

That inexperience, both on the field and on planet Earth, can make it difficult for most evaluators to get a firm grasp of an infant player’s potential tools going forward. But Twins Daily’s Jamie Cameron isn’t like most evaluators. 

“I see this kid having plus raw power if he can find his footing, but we’ll most likely have to wait for him to take his first steps before that happens. Right now, his carrying tool is yet to be determined,” Cameron said as he put the finishing touches on his first mock draft for the 2037 draft class. “As far as finding a defensive home, second base might be a stretch, but now is the time to figure these things out.”

This is just the latest turn in a saga that has seen multiple young Twins stars move around the diamond in the name of defensive versatility. Just last week, star third baseman Royce Lewis was tasked with getting acquainted with second base, in an effort to give manager Rocco Baldelli as many in-game options as possible.

Twins Daily sends our heartfelt congratulations to the Vázquez family, and we look forward to covering Diland’s on-field development as he navigates his professional career. He is expected to be the youngest Twin until Bailey Ober and his wife inevitably welcome their ninth child shortly.


View full article

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
The Twins Daily Caretaker Fund
The Twins Daily Caretaker Fund

You all care about this site. The next step is caring for it. We’re asking you to caretake this site so it can remain the premier Twins community on the internet.

×
×
  • Create New...