3 Pitching Prospects Who Can Impact the 2025 Twins

[Cody Christie]

Minnesota’s pitching pipeline continues to grow, with potential impact arms closing in on Target Field. Here are three pitching prospects to watch in 2025.

Image courtesy of John Vittas- Fort Myers Mighty Mussels (Photo of Connor Prielipp)

As the Twins prepare for the 2025 season, the spotlight will inevitably turn toward the club's emerging prospects. Three pitchers (Connor Prielipp, Marco Raya, and Andrew Morris) are set to play pivotal roles in shaping the future of the Twins' pitching staff. While each brings a unique set of skills, their impact could range from rotational depth to bullpen dominance, making them must-watch players for the upcoming season.

Connor Prielipp: The Bullpen’s Secret Weapon?
Prielipp, a left-handed pitcher with electric stuff, could be the Twins’ breakout bullpen arm in 2025. Drafted in the second round of the 2022 MLB Draft, Prielipp was once considered one of the top pitching talents in his draft class before undergoing Tommy John surgery, which slowed his development. He was limited to two outings in 2023 before another elbow shut him down, and this time, he had an internal brace put in to repair the faulty UCL. After spending the last couple of seasons refining his mechanics and regaining his pre-injury form, Prielipp now looks poised to take the next step.

While the Twins initially viewed him as a starting pitcher, Prielipp’s dominant fastball-slider combination could make him an elite reliever. His fastball velocity consistently sits in the mid-90s, and when paired with a devastating, sharp-breaking slider, it gives him the type of swing-and-miss stuff teams crave in late-inning situations. The move to the bullpen might also help mitigate any durability concerns that stem from his injury history.

Prielipp could become a weapon to neutralize left-handed hitters while also holding his own against righties. Last season, he made nine starts and posted a 2.70 ERA with a 0.90 WHIP and 15.8 K/9. His strikeout potential makes him especially valuable in high-leverage situations, and his ability to go multiple innings could provide much-needed depth for the Twins’ relief corps.

Marco Raya: A Rare High School Success Story
Drafting high school arms hasn’t been a focus for the current front office, but Raya is one outlier in the team’s farm system. He has slowly been climbing the prospect ranks since being drafted by the Twins in 2020. Though undersized for a prototypical starter at 6’0”, Raya’s command and fastball movement make him a candidate for a spot in the Twins' rotation sooner rather than later. He spent most of 2024 at the Double-A level and finished the year with one Triple-A start. In 97 2/3 innings, he posted a 4.07 ERA with a 1.36 WHIP with 9.5 K/9. He only faced younger batters in 41 plate appearances this year and held them to a .502 OPS. 

Raya's fastball sits in the mid-90s, but his ability to change speeds and locate his secondary pitches has helped him climb the organizational ladder. His slider has the potential to be a plus offering, giving him a strikeout weapon that can keep hitters off balance. While there are questions about whether Raya will develop into a full-time starter at the big-league level, his progress in 2025 will determine if he can break through as more than just a spot starter or long reliever.

The Twins have dealt with injuries in their starting rotation over the past few seasons, so having a pitcher like Raya waiting in the wings could provide crucial depth. He may not break camp with the big league club, but look for Raya to get the call if injuries arise or as a second-half addition once he gains more consistency in Triple-A.

Andrew Morris: The Next College Success Story
Last season, the Twins saw college draft picks like David Festa and Zebby Matthews impact the big-league level, and Morris looks like the team’s next college success story. He doesn’t have the same prospect pedigree as some of the Twins' other arms, but he’s quietly putting together a resume that could land him in Minnesota’s starting rotation in 2025. Drafted out of Texas Tech in 2022, Morris has steadily worked his way through the system, and 2024 saw him take a significant step forward while moving from High-A to Triple-A. 

At 6’2”, 200 pounds, Morris has the frame to log innings, and his four-pitch repertoire—featuring a fastball, curveball, slider, and changeup—gives him plenty of options to attack hitters. Last season, he posted a 2.37 ERA with a 1.08 WHIP and 9.0 K/9. What makes Morris stand out is his durability and pitch efficiency. He has a knack for inducing weak contact and limiting walks (2.2 BB/9 in 2024), which will serve him well as he competes for a back-end rotation spot.

The Twins may view Morris as an ideal sixth starter or someone who can shuttle between Triple-A and the majors. Given how frequently the Twins have dipped into their pitching depth in recent years, Morris could find himself making several starts during the 2025 season. He has quickly been rising on the team’s top prospect list because of his reliability and solid pitch mix make him a valuable asset.

As the Twins enter 2025, they will rely on both established veterans and emerging talents to form a competitive roster. Prielipp could become a dominant force in the bullpen, while Raya and Morris offer intriguing options for rotational depth. With their varying skill sets, these three pitchers could play crucial roles in Minnesota’s pitching staff, helping build a bridge between the present and the future. Keep an eye on their progress because 2025 could be the year they make their mark at Target Field.

Which pitching prospect will have the most significant impact on the Twins in 2025? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. 

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[LambchoP]

While I'm glad we finally have some intriguing pitching depth coming up, both Morris and Raya haven't even really pitched much or found success above AA and Prelipp hasn't pitched above high A. I think all these guys have a chance to help the team event, but we shouldn't get ahead of ourselves and rush these guys before they're ready. Looked what happened with Mathews. He never should have been called up after starting the year in A ball. I think Mathews, Raya and Morris need to show consistency and results in St Paul before relying on them in the majors. I think if Prelipp is going to be a reliever, he's got a chance at moving up faster than the other guys. Both him and Canterino could be the bullpen weapons we need to fill out the rest of our pen. 

[JD-TWINS]

So, the Red Sox need pitching. Kenley Jansen will more than likely not be signed there again.

3 moves to ponder (I realize trade pieces are nearly infinite) to help ‘25 Club……trying to be realistic from both sides.

1) Trade Paddack & a decent/good AA player & Julien or Kirilloff to someone for $1-$2M in cash consideration …….generates $7.5 - $9M of cash flow for payroll.

2) Trade Duran & C. Lewis & maybe Julien or Kirilloff to Boston for 1B Casas……..generates another $3-$3.5M for payroll cash flow.

3) Sign Nick Martinez to 3 year $40M deal as a swing guy for Rotation & Bullpen. He’s add as much or more than Paddack in the Pen and he’s more stable health wise if added Rotation spot starts are needed. Three straight years of 3.50 or better ERA.

Jax to closer role so he feels he’ll get paid in near-term v. going back to rotation.

Still have Matthews - Morris - Raya at AAA polishing their approaches……Prielipp, as an effective lefty, is too intriguing to move off at this point for Pen help.

[tony&rodney]

Prielipp sure looked dominant for 1-3 innings when I saw him pitch. The Twins need to determine if his development as a pitcher can include a stint as a relief pitcher in MLB. While I'm not opposed to Prielipp remaining a starter and working his way through Wichita and St. Paul, there is some value in testing the effectiveness of the young left hander for 1-3 inning stretches at the back of the bullpen. A relief pitcher, especially a younger guy, can still be shifted at some later point to a starting role. The Twins have a pretty solid core of starters currently and could use a guy that throws from the port side in the pen.

[HerbieFan]

I'm not sure if a pitcher can lack durability to be a starter but CAN have durability to be a 75-appearance bullpen guy.  People smarter than me can figure that out.  But I've often wondered if Prielipp and Matt Canterino could be just that.  It certainly would be a good way to get valuable production out of two of their better arms.

[bean5302]

I don't know why the writers of this site create fringe narratives, and then push those narratives until they become accepted as fact or likely to happen scenarios.

Connor Prielipp is not going to be in the bullpen next year. The Zebby Matthews scenario was so extreme, it actually brought an unranked prospect for the Twins??? to national attention. Guys don't go from A+ to MLB directly. Prielipp pitched 19.1 innings in Cedar Rapids last year. It wouldn't surprise me if he started the season off at Wichita next year, but we've seen how the Twins handle injury prone, high ceiling, young starting pitching prospects (Marco Raya). It's a slow build starting with 3.0 inning starts, just like we saw with Raya last year (and progressed to by Prielipp), and I suspect Prielipp will see 3.0 inning starts out of the gate this coming year, then start building to 4.0, then 5.0 inning starts with a pitch count limit of 50, then 60, then 80. Of course, the buildup only continues if he's able to stay healthy. It feels highly unlikely the Twins will reverse the approach and have Prielipp pitch 5.0 innings out of the gate, then swap him to the bullpen to limit his innings while simultaneously moving him through AA and AAA all the way to MLB along the way. That's assuming Prielipp doesn't have a hiccup against dramatically superior competition at AA or AAA. Prielipp in the Twins' bullpen seems so dramatically far fetched at least before the end of the season right now it doesn't even bear discussion, IMHO.

Morris looks like a guy who could be a contributor to the rotation mid year, but I'm skeptical Raya is in that boat. Morris was solid at AAA, but his FIP/xFIP was in line with ace Randy Dobnak's. Competition at the AAA level turned quite a few Morris strikeouts into walks. Morris will need to improve his K rate or reduce his BB rate to project into the MLB rotation. I expect Matthews will start the season in AAA as well, and the Twins will probably be seeking to add a depth veteran arm (or two if they can move Paddack).

Raya had major problems issuing the free pass towards the end of the season with his strikeout rate also dropping once Raya started getting the opportunity to pitch a little longer. I think he's still a big bullpen candidate even though the front office finally gave the green light to exceed 50-60 pitches.

[tony&rodney]

41 minutes ago, bean5302 said:

I don't know why the writers of this site create fringe narratives, and then push those narratives until they become accepted as fact or likely to happen scenarios.

Connor Prielipp is not going to be in the bullpen next year. The Zebby Matthews scenario was so extreme, it actually brought an unranked prospect for the Twins??? to national attention. Guys don't go from A+ to MLB directly. Prielipp pitched 19.1 innings in Cedar Rapids last year. It wouldn't surprise me if he started the season off at Wichita next year, but we've seen how the Twins handle injury prone, high ceiling, young starting pitching prospects (Marco Raya). It's a slow build starting with 3.0 inning starts, just like we saw with Prielipp last year, and I suspect Prielipp will see 3.0 inning starts out of the gate this coming year, then start building to 4.0, then 5.0 inning starts with a pitch count limit of 50, then 60, then 80. Of course, the buildup only continues if he's able to stay healthy. It feels highly unlikely the Twins will reverse the approach and have Prielipp pitch 5.0 innings out of the gate, then swap him to the bullpen to limit his innings while simultaneously moving him through AA and AAA all the way to MLB along the way. That's assuming Prielipp doesn't have a hiccup against dramatically superior competition at AA or AAA. Prielipp in the Twins' bullpen seems so dramatically far fetched at least before the end of the season right now it doesn't even bear discussion, IMHO.

Morris looks like a guy who could be a contributor to the rotation mid year, but I'm skeptical Raya is in that boat. Morris was solid at AAA, but his FIP/xFIP was in line with ace Randy Dobnak's. Competition at the AAA level turned quite a few Morris strikeouts into walks. Morris will need to improve his K rate or reduce his BB rate to project into the MLB rotation. I expect Matthews will start the season in AAA as well, and the Twins will probably be seeking to add a depth veteran arm (or two if they can move Paddack).

Raya had major problems issuing the free pass towards the end of the season with his strikeout rate also dropping once Raya started getting the opportunity to pitch a little longer. I think he's still a big bullpen candidate even though the front office finally gave the green light to exceed 50-60 pitches.

The writers are putting out articles exploring just about any facet of the Twins as could be interesting or readable to fans. No one is required to read them. The articles come in all sizes with varying lengths of thought. I have yet to see an article that pushes me to accept an idea. 

Your responses are often quite complete, supported with the data you see as valid for the point you want to make. These can be readable and fair as well. I believe you might be interested in writing for Twins Daily. Give it a shot. I will read your articles but also reserve my right to my own thoughts and opinions based on my own lengthy history of playing, coaching, managing, etc. There isn't much of a future for fans in taking the dark side. Twins Daily is entertainment.

[DocBauer]

Going to hit on the 3 young arms in the OP first 

PRIELIPP: He's a TOP rotation prospect if the brace surgery finally repaired his elbow. Based on how good he looked to end 2024...even in SSS...it appears that's the case. As mentioned by @bean5302 his innings will be on a build up in the 30-40 pitches allowed, then 50, 60, etc. I think there's a good chance he's stays at the complex for a couple weeks with the warmer weather before probably going to AA. If he progresses as hoped, he could see AAA before the year is done. I don't want him in a pen role whatsoever, unless it's late in the season and they want him to continue getting work in, but don't want to overdo his IP. So he might piggy back later in the year. I don't see any way he pitches for the Twins in 2025.

RAYA: While it seems as though he's been around forever, he was picked in 2020...a weird year for all picks...then was held out in 2021 due to a shoulder issue. (I don't recall ever hearing it was serious enough for surgery). He's only thrown for 2 seasons so far, and was 21yo for most all of the 2024 season while at AA. While he was "nursed" throught the season, he was slowly allowed to throw more pitches as the year went along, and was healthy the entire season. While different pitchers and very different body types, I heard an interesting comp recently between he and Ober, and how they were brought along slowly due to previous nagging type injuries. The Twins will begin stretching Raya out more in 2025 I believe, but barely 22yo, there's no rush for him to debut with the Twins in 2025, and I don't expect him to.

MORRIS: FWIW, he was actually a higher draft choice than Matthews, Lewis, or Culpepper. Ay 23yo, hes younger than Festa or Matthews. IF Paddack is moved, Morris is probably the 7th SP. Barring a rash of injuries, he'll get plenty of AAA time to refine his stuff, and his approach.

NOT MENTIONED, BUT SHOULD BE:

LEWIS: The Twins MILB pitcher of the year in 2023, he got off to a slow start last year due to a minor injury. While he needs to lower his BB, and hopefully add a little velocity still, he could easily be in line for promotion before Morris. He was a bit of a forgotten man in in 2024...as was Culpepper for all the same reasons...and should be on this list.

NOWLIN: He'll be almost 24yo when 2025 begins, and reached AAA to end last season. Hits per 9 aren't really an issue, and his K's per 9 have been consistently around 10 per. BB per 9 has been an issue however. And he's been somewhat inconsistent game to game. At times he dominates a game, and other times the control/command isn't there and he only goes 3-4 innings. But the stuff seems to be there to dominate at times. Generally speaking, I've always believed in keeping a young arm in the rotation for as long as possible, until it appears a pen role is simply the right place for them to be, just in case the light suddenly comes on. Varland is a good example. While I'd bet he'll start 2025 in the Saints rotation, I could see him shifted to the pen at some point to maximize his stuff and potentially help the Twins. He should also be mentioned.

CANTERINO AS A WILD CARD: Personally, unfortunately. I've gone from HOPE in Canterino to WISH AND A PRAYER he is ever a ML pitcher. But the elbow is now repaired. To this day I've never heard what his shoulder injury in ST was, how bad it was, and exactly what was done. Was it an invasive surgery? Was it just a cleanup procedure? A cloud of mystery surrounds him. But at this point, I think it's clear that if he comes to ST healthy and ready to go, his future is in the pen. Age and previous injury seems to dictate it's time to throw more often, but fewer innings at a time. Our own Stewart is an example of a former top prospect who dealt with multiple injury setbacks before being healthy enough to reach his potential as a valuable bullpen piece. HOPEFULLY, the "cleanup" Stewart had to end last season is just that, and he'll be an important 50 IP part of the Twins 2025 pen. We can only wish the same for Canterino. But I do think one more year of wishing isn't just wasted time.

 

[Parfigliano]

28 minutes ago, DocBauer said:

Going to hit on the 3 young arms in the OP first 

PRIELIPP: He's a TOP rotation prospect if the brace surgery finally repaired his elbow. Based on how good he looked to end 2024...even in SSS...it appears that's the case. As mentioned by @bean5302 his innings will be on a build up in the 30-40 pitches allowed, then 50, 60, etc. I think there's a good chance he's stays at the complex for a couple weeks with the warmer weather before probably going to AA. If he progresses as hoped, he could see AAA before the year is done. I don't want him in a pen role whatsoever, unless it's late in the season and they want him to continue getting work in, but don't want to overdo his IP. So he might piggy back later in the year. I don't see any way he pitches for the Twins in 2025.

RAYA: While it seems as though he's been around forever, he was picked in 2020...a weird year for all picks...then was held out in 2021 due to a shoulder issue. (I don't recall ever hearing it was serious enough for surgery). He's only thrown for 2 seasons so far, and was 21yo for most all of the 2024 season while at AA. While he was "nursed" throught the season, he was slowly allowed to throw more pitches as the year went along, and was healthy the entire season. While different pitchers and very different body types, I heard an interesting comp recently between he and Ober, and how they were brought along slowly due to previous nagging type injuries. The Twins will begin stretching Raya out more in 2025 I believe, but barely 22yo, there's no rush for him to debut with the Twins in 2025, and I don't expect him to.

MORRIS: FWIW, he was actually a higher draft choice than Matthews, Lewis, or Culpepper. Ay 23yo, hes younger than Festa or Matthews. IF Paddack is moved, Morris is probably the 7th SP. Barring a rash of injuries, he'll get plenty of AAA time to refine his stuff, and his approach.

NOT MENTIONED, BUT SHOULD BE:

LEWIS: The Twins MILB pitcher of the year in 2023, he got off to a slow start last year due to a minor injury. While he needs to lower his BB, and hopefully add a little velocity still, he could easily be in line for promotion before Morris. He was a bit of a forgotten man in in 2024...as was Culpepper for all the same reasons...and should be on this list.

NOWLIN: He'll be almost 24yo when 2025 begins, and reached AAA to end last season. Hits per 9 aren't really an issue, and his K's per 9 have been consistently around 10 per. BB per 9 has been an issue however. And he's been somewhat inconsistent game to game. At times he dominates a game, and other times the control/command isn't there and he only goes 3-4 innings. But the stuff seems to be there to dominate at times. Generally speaking, I've always believed in keeping a young arm in the rotation for as long as possible, until it appears a pen role is simply the right place for them to be, just in case the light suddenly comes on. Varland is a good example. While I'd bet he'll start 2025 in the Saints rotation, I could see him shifted to the pen at some point to maximize his stuff and potentially help the Twins. He should also be mentioned.

CANTERINO AS A WILD CARD: Personally, unfortunately. I've gone from HOPE in Canterino to WISH AND A PRAYER he is ever a ML pitcher. But the elbow is now repaired. To this day I've never heard what his shoulder injury in ST was, how bad it was, and exactly what was done. Was it an invasive surgery? Was it just a cleanup procedure? A cloud of mystery surrounds him. But at this point, I think it's clear that if he comes to ST healthy and ready to go, his future is in the pen. Age and previous injury seems to dictate it's time to throw more often, but fewer innings at a time. Our own Stewart is an example of a former top prospect who dealt with multiple injury setbacks before being healthy enough to reach his potential as a valuable bullpen piece. HOPEFULLY, the "cleanup" Stewart had to end last season is just that, and he'll be an important 50 IP part of the Twins 2025 pen. We can only wish the same for Canterino. But I do think one more year of wishing isn't just wasted time.

 

Lotta arm injury for a guy yet to reach MLB.

[DocBauer]

20 minutes ago, Parfigliano said:

Lotta arm injury for a guy yet to reach MLB.

Yes. But it's my understanding Prielipp did not go throw an entirely new surgery, but rather, had a brace put in place to firm up his elbow from the previous surgery. 

I'm going to assume that until I hear otherwise. Even then, he wouldn't be the first to have a pair of full TJ procedures. But if he did, that MIGHT change his career path. But I'm going by what I believe I know at this point.

[JD-TWINS]

8 hours ago, HerbieFan said:

I'm not sure if a pitcher can lack durability to be a starter but CAN have durability to be a 75-appearance bullpen guy.  People smarter than me can figure that out.  But I've often wondered if Prielipp and Matt Canterino could be just that.  It certainly would be a good way to get valuable production out of two of their better arms.

Neither guy - regardless of their talent - has shown they can throw 40-50 innings w/o getting seriously hurt. If they can get 45-60 appearances and 50 innings total it would be great. I am hoping that ‘25 will be the year they can pitch without breaking down. Also, see this year’s their transitioning from historically being starters to being guys in the Pen that throw an inning 2-3 times per week. On paper they both show a big upside facing 3-6 guys per outing.

The durability advantage from the Pen is that guys are maxed out at 25 pitches so they don’t start to drift mechanically as easily - they don’t have to worry about fatigue/abuse in any one outing - therefore they don’t physically break down. I think they are both destined for Pen roles at least through ‘25.

[Doctor Wu]

12 hours ago, DocBauer said:

NOT MENTIONED, BUT SHOULD BE:

I agree, those three players might be in the mix too. Lewis was the first guy I thought of when I read the article, and I wondered why he wasn't mentioned. Definitely a pitcher to watch this coming season.

[Doctor Wu]

19 hours ago, tony&rodney said:

While I'm not opposed to Prielipp remaining a starter and working his way through Wichita and St. Paul, there is some value in testing the effectiveness of the young left hander for 1-3 inning stretches at the back of the bullpen. A relief pitcher, especially a younger guy, can still be shifted at some later point to a starting role.

I like this idea a lot, But I'm also realistic enough to doubt that the Twins brass would promote Prielipp so quickly, especiallly with so few innings pitched the past two season. But still ...an intriguing idea!

[thelanges5]

Love to see Prielipp healthy. The future of Twins pitching is looking up. Maybe this is the year Canterino puts it together and stays healthy. 

[Otaknam]

The Twins pitching pipeline has been leaking, with only Bailey Ober emerging as a dependable starter so far. SWR looks like a back of the rotation starter, which is fine if he can give the team innings like he did this year. But you need a couple of frontline starters and solid number 3-4 starters to seriously contend. Hopefully two from Raya, Prielipp, and Morris can emerge as at least mid rotation starters. 

[roger]

13 hours ago, DocBauer said:

Going to hit on the 3 young arms in the OP first 

PRIELIPP: He's a TOP rotation prospect if the brace surgery finally repaired his elbow. Based on how good he looked to end 2024...even in SSS...it appears that's the case. As mentioned by @bean5302 his innings will be on a build up in the 30-40 pitches allowed, then 50, 60, etc. I think there's a good chance he's stays at the complex for a couple weeks with the warmer weather before probably going to AA. If he progresses as hoped, he could see AAA before the year is done. I don't want him in a pen role whatsoever, unless it's late in the season and they want him to continue getting work in, but don't want to overdo his IP. So he might piggy back later in the year. I don't see any way he pitches for the Twins in 2025.

RAYA: While it seems as though he's been around forever, he was picked in 2020...a weird year for all picks...then was held out in 2021 due to a shoulder issue. (I don't recall ever hearing it was serious enough for surgery). He's only thrown for 2 seasons so far, and was 21yo for most all of the 2024 season while at AA. While he was "nursed" throught the season, he was slowly allowed to throw more pitches as the year went along, and was healthy the entire season. While different pitchers and very different body types, I heard an interesting comp recently between he and Ober, and how they were brought along slowly due to previous nagging type injuries. The Twins will begin stretching Raya out more in 2025 I believe, but barely 22yo, there's no rush for him to debut with the Twins in 2025, and I don't expect him to.

MORRIS: FWIW, he was actually a higher draft choice than Matthews, Lewis, or Culpepper. Ay 23yo, hes younger than Festa or Matthews. IF Paddack is moved, Morris is probably the 7th SP. Barring a rash of injuries, he'll get plenty of AAA time to refine his stuff, and his approach.

NOT MENTIONED, BUT SHOULD BE:

LEWIS: The Twins MILB pitcher of the year in 2023, he got off to a slow start last year due to a minor injury. While he needs to lower his BB, and hopefully add a little velocity still, he could easily be in line for promotion before Morris. He was a bit of a forgotten man in in 2024...as was Culpepper for all the same reasons...and should be on this list.

NOWLIN: He'll be almost 24yo when 2025 begins, and reached AAA to end last season. Hits per 9 aren't really an issue, and his K's per 9 have been consistently around 10 per. BB per 9 has been an issue however. And he's been somewhat inconsistent game to game. At times he dominates a game, and other times the control/command isn't there and he only goes 3-4 innings. But the stuff seems to be there to dominate at times. Generally speaking, I've always believed in keeping a young arm in the rotation for as long as possible, until it appears a pen role is simply the right place for them to be, just in case the light suddenly comes on. Varland is a good example. While I'd bet he'll start 2025 in the Saints rotation, I could see him shifted to the pen at some point to maximize his stuff and potentially help the Twins. He should also be mentioned.

CANTERINO AS A WILD CARD: Personally, unfortunately. I've gone from HOPE in Canterino to WISH AND A PRAYER he is ever a ML pitcher. But the elbow is now repaired. To this day I've never heard what his shoulder injury in ST was, how bad it was, and exactly what was done. Was it an invasive surgery? Was it just a cleanup procedure? A cloud of mystery surrounds him. But at this point, I think it's clear that if he comes to ST healthy and ready to go, his future is in the pen. Age and previous injury seems to dictate it's time to throw more often, but fewer innings at a time. Our own Stewart is an example of a former top prospect who dealt with multiple injury setbacks before being healthy enough to reach his potential as a valuable bullpen piece. HOPEFULLY, the "cleanup" Stewart had to end last season is just that, and he'll be an important 50 IP part of the Twins 2025 pen. We can only wish the same for Canterino. But I do think one more year of wishing isn't just wasted time.

 

We are going to learn a lot about Canterino in a few weeks when he will be either kept or removed from the 40 man.  

[TopGunn#22]

Interesting Red Sox trade proposed by JD-Twins.  Even though I'm a guy who would like to see Jax get a chance at joining the rotation, his idea of making him the closer and trading Duran to get a young, slugging 1B like Casas would really be a shot in the arm to the Twins offense.

I like keeping Duran, but only if Rocco decides to use him exclusively as the closer.  

I think Prielipp still looks like a SP to me, but I'm not against giving him some time in the bullpen to get his feet wet at the major league level.  Morris has SP written all over him.  He's built to carry a decent inning load.  Raya could very well be a BP piece.  They've handled him with kid gloves since he's been in the system.

The Twins have some solid pitching prospects and the depth is improving.  I think we have enough depth that a trade or two could be made to balance out our roster.  Casas is a great target, but he won't come cheaply.  The Red Sox are a great trade partner for the Twins and I'd like to see something happen on that front.  

[terrydactyls]

19 hours ago, bean5302 said:

I don't know why the writers of this site create fringe narratives, and then push those narratives until they become accepted as fact or likely to happen scenarios.

Guys don't go from A+ to MLB directly.

A couple minutes of research and I found the following pitchers that didn't pitch in AA or AAA ball (or even A ball for some):  Jim Abbott, Catfish Hunter, Mike Morgan, Garrett Crochet, Burt Hooten, and Mike Leake.  I could have added Eddie Bane but choose not to.  And if you want to add position players, how about Dave Winfield, Pete Incavglia, Bob Horner, and John Olerud?  I'm thinking that your statement might be incorrect.

[bean5302]

24 minutes ago, terrydactyls said:

A couple minutes of research and I found the following pitchers that didn't pitch in AA or AAA ball (or even A ball for some):  Jim Abbott, Catfish Hunter, Mike Morgan, Garrett Crochet, Burt Hooten, and Mike Leake.  I could have added Eddie Bane but choose not to.  And if you want to add position players, how about Dave Winfield, Pete Incavglia, Bob Horner, and John Olerud?  I'm thinking that your statement might be incorrect.

You should go and play the lottery. People win it all the time!

[bean5302]

2 hours ago, roger said:

We are going to learn a lot about Canterino in a few weeks when he will be either kept or removed from the 40 man.  

Keeping Canterino on the 40 man says as much about the Twins' system as it does Canterino.

[JD-TWINS]

22 hours ago, bean5302 said:

I don't know why the writers of this site create fringe narratives, and then push those narratives until they become accepted as fact or likely to happen scenarios.

Connor Prielipp is not going to be in the bullpen next year. The Zebby Matthews scenario was so extreme, it actually brought an unranked prospect for the Twins??? to national attention. Guys don't go from A+ to MLB directly. Prielipp pitched 19.1 innings in Cedar Rapids last year. It wouldn't surprise me if he started the season off at Wichita next year, but we've seen how the Twins handle injury prone, high ceiling, young starting pitching prospects (Marco Raya). It's a slow build starting with 3.0 inning starts, just like we saw with Raya last year (and progressed to by Prielipp), and I suspect Prielipp will see 3.0 inning starts out of the gate this coming year, then start building to 4.0, then 5.0 inning starts with a pitch count limit of 50, then 60, then 80. Of course, the buildup only continues if he's able to stay healthy. It feels highly unlikely the Twins will reverse the approach and have Prielipp pitch 5.0 innings out of the gate, then swap him to the bullpen to limit his innings while simultaneously moving him through AA and AAA all the way to MLB along the way. That's assuming Prielipp doesn't have a hiccup against dramatically superior competition at AA or AAA. Prielipp in the Twins' bullpen seems so dramatically far fetched at least before the end of the season right now it doesn't even bear discussion, IMHO.

Morris looks like a guy who could be a contributor to the rotation mid year, but I'm skeptical Raya is in that boat. Morris was solid at AAA, but his FIP/xFIP was in line with ace Randy Dobnak's. Competition at the AAA level turned quite a few Morris strikeouts into walks. Morris will need to improve his K rate or reduce his BB rate to project into the MLB rotation. I expect Matthews will start the season in AAA as well, and the Twins will probably be seeking to add a depth veteran arm (or two if they can move Paddack).

Raya had major problems issuing the free pass towards the end of the season with his strikeout rate also dropping once Raya started getting the opportunity to pitch a little longer. I think he's still a big bullpen candidate even though the front office finally gave the green light to exceed 50-60 pitches.

I like Raya in the Pen by September……Prielipp, with health, could meet him there? 2-3 pitches in repertoire from a lefty in September could bring real value. ……I’d consider grooming him for Pen after seeing how his health holds up through May. AA for 6 weeks and AAA 6 weeks then in to Target in September - optimist!

[tony&rodney]

1 hour ago, bean5302 said:

You should go and play the lottery. People win it all the time!

Interesting choice of a retort when one considers that many people "win" back their $2 or more in a lottery but few people ever play baseball at the highest level but then again that has little meaning either.

At some point, there are unique talents (talking baseball) who are able to move from A+ or AA and be successful in MLB. It would not be a good idea to use that approach very often but talent plays sometimes. MLB is very difficult because there is such a fine line between success and failure combined with how opponents pick on the smallest weakness of any player. Mental confidence and adaptability is crucial in baseball. I would guess that Emmanuel Rodriguez is ready to step directly into the Twins lineup. The question I have of him is whether he can maintain his focus. I think he can. Can he remain healthy? Who knows?

In any event, we should hope that there are people within the Twins organization who can effectively determine which players are ready for what level of competition. All of the data we surround ourselves with are not conclusive or even predictive of success. That is why, while we are quite interested in various players and their potential, the roster decisions get left to those closest to the ground. This is, of course, something we know and understand even if it doesn't stop us from guessing who can jump a few levels to contribute for the Twins. 

[tony&rodney]

1 minute ago, JD-TWINS said:

I like Raya in the Pen by September……Prielipp, with health, could meet him there? 2-3 pitches in repertoire from a lefty in September could bring real value. ……I’d consider grooming him for Pen after seeing how his health holds up through May. AA for 6 weeks and AAA 6 weeks then in to Target in September - optimist!

These timelines seem quite reasonable and it could be earlier if health and effectiveness by either or both of Prielipp/Raya combine with a need by the Twins. 

When I watched Raya and Prielipp I saw different types of pitchers. Prielipp has some serious stuff and can dominant with several pitches. The questions with him are health, stamina, and ability to repeat from day to day. In other words, Prielipp does need innings and experience and we will learn more about him as he faces more experienced hitters. I thought his stuff looked excellent though and capable of playing at any level if he could repeat the pitches. Raya is more a guy who finds success playing one pitch off of another; a classic pitcher. Raya needs to prove his pitches (all of decent quality) and his sequencing ( still developing) works at AAA a bit more before he gets his shot.

[bean5302]

1 hour ago, JD-TWINS said:

I like Raya in the Pen by September……Prielipp, with health, could meet him there? 2-3 pitches in repertoire from a lefty in September could bring real value. ……I’d consider grooming him for Pen after seeing how his health holds up through May. AA for 6 weeks and AAA 6 weeks then in to Target in September - optimist!

If Prielipp remains healthy.
If Prielipp absolutely dominates AA through the All Star break
If Prielipp gets promoted to AAA soon after that
If Prielipp then dominates AAA into September
If Prielipp impresses the coaching staff and front office with his stuff, as much as his results
If Prielipp is approaching his innings limit
If Prielipp isn't wearing down at that point
and if the Twins are in a position where they're coasting (either way out of the playoffs or way in)
or the Twins aren't desperate for an arm

Then, yes, Prielipp might be in the 'pen for Minnesota. ...that's a lot of ifs, and the results part is certainly not guaranteed for a guy who has just 23 innings at A+, and that was more than he's pitched in a season since high school in 2019. My hopes for Prielipp is a healthy season where he can earn a promotion to AAA and exceed 80 innings. That would be an incredibly successful season already.

[JD-TWINS]

19 minutes ago, bean5302 said:

If Prielipp remains healthy.
If Prielipp absolutely dominates AA through the All Star break
If Prielipp gets promoted to AAA soon after that
If Prielipp then dominates AAA into September
If Prielipp impresses the coaching staff and front office with his stuff, as much as his results
If Prielipp is approaching his innings limit
If Prielipp isn't wearing down at that point
and if the Twins are in a position where they're coasting (either way out of the playoffs or way in)
or the Twins aren't desperate for an arm

Then, yes, Prielipp might be in the 'pen for Minnesota. ...that's a lot of ifs, and the results part is certainly not guaranteed for a guy who has just 23 innings at A+, and that was more than he's pitched in a season since high school in 2019. My hopes for Prielipp is a healthy season where he can earn a promotion to AAA and exceed 80 innings. That would be an incredibly successful season already.

I don’t expect him to get past 55-60 innings at end of September ……. His health is THE question. If Zebby Matthews can go from A ball to MLB as a starter ….. if healthy, Prielipp should be able to go an inning at a time out of the Pen. I don’t care if he dominates anywhere as long as he isn’t terrible. Not looking for him to be a savior in September just considering his promotion if he’s having success…..only if he’s done well….,lefty with 2-3 pitch mix is a possibility out of Pen in September. Surely doesn’t need to dominate at AA or AAA.

[bean5302]

2 hours ago, JD-TWINS said:

I don’t expect him to get past 55-60 innings at end of September ……. His health is THE question. If Zebby Matthews can go from A ball to MLB as a starter ….. if healthy, Prielipp should be able to go an inning at a time out of the Pen. I don’t care if he dominates anywhere as long as he isn’t terrible. Not looking for him to be a savior in September just considering his promotion if he’s having success…..only if he’s done well….,lefty with 2-3 pitch mix is a possibility out of Pen in September. Surely doesn’t need to dominate at AA or AAA.

If the front office feels Prielipp needs to be restricted at high school inning levels (55-60 innings) even in good health, I don't see the Twins working him out as a starter at all.

Since the Twins had Prielipp starting and pitching multiple innings last year, it doesn't suggest they see him that way. He is not a 2-3 pitch mix guy. He's a 3 pitch guy with all three profiling as potential plus offerings which is why the Twins want him to start. A good starter is worth 3-4x as much as a good reliever.

I don't think we're going to find any common ground on the rest of your arguments.

[JD-TWINS]

9 hours ago, Otaknam said:

The Twins pitching pipeline has been leaking, with only Bailey Ober emerging as a dependable starter so far. SWR looks like a back of the rotation starter, which is fine if he can give the team innings like he did this year. But you need a couple of frontline starters and solid number 3-4 starters to seriously contend. Hopefully two from Raya, Prielipp, and Morris can emerge as at least mid rotation starters. 

Festa & Matthews & Lewis all get traded?

I’d agree that Ober is the only above average guy at this point but any of the 5 rotation spots being covered (SWR) is a success!

The other 6 guys we mentioned have an opportunity to produce at least 2 guys if not more. Might be ‘26 to get past just Festa but they all have some promise.

[JD-TWINS]

1 hour ago, bean5302 said:

If the front office feels Prielipp needs to be restricted at high school inning levels (55-60 innings) even in good health, I don't see the Twins working him out as a starter at all.

Since the Twins had Prielipp starting and pitching multiple innings last year, it doesn't suggest they see him that way. He is not a 2-3 pitch mix guy. He's a 3 pitch guy with all three profiling as potential plus offerings which is why the Twins want him to start. A good starter is worth 3-4x as much as a good reliever.

I don't think we're going to find any common ground on the rest of your arguments.

Not looking for common ground necessarily. My point is Prielipp hasn’t pitched much at all over last 2 years and have no idea what he did prior to that. If he’s super fragile but has good stuff (which seems to be the case) he may be helpful out of the Pen.

A guy that can’t pitch because he’s broken down, from something that ails his arm, isn’t worth anything.

[TwinsDr2021]

19 hours ago, JD-TWINS said:

Festa & Matthews & Lewis all get traded?

I’d agree that Ober is the only above average guy at this point but any of the 5 rotation spots being covered (SWR) is a success!

The other 6 guys we mentioned have an opportunity to produce at least 2 guys if not more. Might be ‘26 to get past just Festa but they all have some promise.

None of the 4 you mentioned can be considered a success, yet.

SWR is on his way, but if he slides back, 1 year doesn't make a pipeline success. Festa(4.90) and Matthews (6.69) are pitchers that yes have come from the pipleline but in no way can be considered a success yet, either. and the 4th is a minor league pitcher. At this point I would consider Varland more of a success than anybody other than SWR, and that would be an extreme stretch.

With that said, I hope all of them plus Morris, Prielipp and others become pipeline successes. But IMO as of right now, all of them start next season in the minors (not SWR) unless the Twins trade Paddack or another starter goes down.

[tony&rodney]

Andrew Morris may be a real interesting option should the Twins need to go beyond the starting five (Lopez, Ryan, Ober, Festa, Woods Richardson) and Matthews or Paddack (if not traded). He looked tricky, the hitters had poor swings as if they could not recognize what was coming. His unusual delivery combined with some decent stuff and solid command makes him a fair option to call from AAA.

Raya looks like he still needs innings and repetitions to harness his repertoire. Perhaps he lands in the bullpen in August and later.

Prielipp is a wild card. Yes, his stuff ushers him toward a starting pitcher role but that "stuff" also could have a purpose in the pen. He will be handled carefully in his outings from inning to inning and with a maximum inning count as well. It may be that some of those innings are pitching for the Twins if he shows the command and control more consistently than last summer.