Ranking the Top Prospects in Minnesota Twins History: 1-5

[Cody Christie]

In the Target Field era, the Twins have seen some of the best prospects developed in the team's farm system. Here, we finish rounding up the players who have climbed highest in national rankings, going back to the dawn of the prospect industry.

Image courtesy of Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

Over the years, the Minnesota Twins have developed an impressive list of prospects who arrived in the big leagues with sky-high expectations. From hometown heroes to international sensations, the hype around these players has shaped the franchise's identity and captured the hearts of Twins Territory. Baseball America was the first national outlet to rank prospects in 1990, and coverage of the minor leagues has expanded significantly since that time. Earlier this week, we recapped the sixth- through 10th-best prospects the team has had (according to those national rankings) in the decades since. Today, we'll finish the countdown with the top five.

5. Royce Lewis (2017 - 1st Overall Pick)
Top-100 Peak: 5
Being selected first overall comes with lofty expectations, and Lewis lived up to the hype right away, with a solid .788 OPS in his professional debut. That made him a consensus top prospect. His stock rose even higher after an impressive 2018 season, wherein he posted an .803 OPS across Low-A and High-A. He struggled in 2019 (.661 OPS), however, before the 2020 minor-league season was canceled. 

Injuries threatened to derail his career, but he’s persevered, showing flashes of brilliance at the big-league level. Over the last three seasons, he has been limited to an average of fewer than 70 games per season. There are still high hopes for Lewis to put it all together at the big-league level and reach his lofty prospect projections. 

4. Miguel Sanó (Signed in 2009 as an International Free Agent)
Top-100 Peak: 4
Sanó may not have fully met expectations, but he undoubtedly ranks among the best prospects in Twins history. He appeared on national top-100 prospect lists for five straight offseasons, earning top-15 rankings multiple times. With his light-tower power and a .932 OPS in the minors, Sanó was a prospect who captured attention even before he signed with Minnesota. 

His MLB career was marked by inconsistency, but his raw power remains his defining asset. He currently ranks 12th in franchise history in home runs. His .491 slugging percentage is second only to Harmon Killebrew in team history.

3. Walker Jenkins (2023 - 5th Overall Pick)
Top-100 Peak: 2
Jenkins is the latest in the Twins’ line of elite prospects, and the buzz around him is palpable. Scouts rave about his advanced hit tool, left-handed power, and all-around athleticism. In 2024, he hit .282/.394/.439, with 32 extra-base hits in 82 games while making it from Low-A to Double-A. The only thing to slow him down during the 2024 campaign was a leg injury after slamming into the wall in his first game of the season. 

It’s early, but Jenkins could develop into a cornerstone player, much like Joe Mauer and Byron Buxton before him. The Twins are betting big on his superstar ceiling. He will enter the 2025 season as a consensus top-5 prospect, with some lists ranking him as high as second with Washington’s Dylan Crews or Boston’s Roman Anthony being ahead of him. There is a chance that he debuts during the 2025 campaign, while only being 20 years old. 

2. Byron Buxton (2012 - 2nd Overall Pick)
Top-100 Peak: 1
Buxton's five-tool talent was evident early in his professional career, earning him the top spot on all three major national prospect rankings heading into the 2014 season. While some rankings later dropped him to second behind Chicago's Kris Bryant, Buxton competed for attention among a stacked group of prospects, including Carlos Correa, Francisco Lindor, Corey Seager, and Lucas Giolito. 

Buxton was billed as a five-tool superstar with game-changing speed and power. His minor-league highlights felt almost superhuman, earning comparisons to Mike Trout. Injuries have tempered his production in the majors, but his Gold Glove defense, electric baserunning, and 2022 All-Star campaign are testaments to his immense talent. Few prospects have generated as much excitement as Buxton.

1. Joe Mauer (2001 - 1st Overall Pick)
Top-100 Peak: 1
When the Twins selected Mauer with the first overall pick in 2001, he quickly became regarded as one of baseball’s top prospects. Baseball America ranked him seventh heading into the 2002 season, and he later claimed the top spot in back-to-back offseasons. He is the only player in Twins history to achieve that distinction. Mauer went on to have a remarkable career and is widely considered one of the greatest players in franchise history.

The quintessential hometown hero, Joe Mauer was the crown jewel of the 2001 MLB Draft. A St. Paul native, Mauer’s hitting ability was considered generational, and he fulfilled every ounce of his potential. He became a six-time All-Star, three-time batting champion, and 2009 AL MVP while redefining the catcher position. His combination of elite bat-to-ball skills, defensive prowess, and quiet leadership made him the gold standard for Twins prospects.

The Twins’ farm system has produced an impressive legacy of players who have defined the franchise’s highs and lows. While some prospects fulfilled their potential, others fell short, but all of them carried the weight of expectations and hope for the future. Walker Jenkins could be the next player to write his chapter in this storied lineage of Twins prospects.

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What do you think of the rankings? Did your favorite prospect make the list? Leave a comment and start the discussion.

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[Post-Concussive Blues]

I’m happy to reflect on Joe Mauer as a rare player that reached his full potential, rather than a player whose career was derailed by injury. His performance during his peak years was beyond any reasonable expectation, and he shaped the Twins into a winning franchise during those years. 

[old nurse]

Ouch. A list of what could have been if (fill in an excuse). 

[Whitey333]

Mauer was great and proven by making the MLB hall of fame on his first try.  The rest of the list is filled with what ifs

 

[Otaknam]

I thought this was about the top five Twins draftees or amateur signings based on their major league production, not based on their hype. That would leave Sano off the list, and Lewis and  Jenkins are still a work in progress with fantastic upside. Without a deep dive Tony Oliva would make my adjusted list based on how well he hit in the minors and his immediate production in the big leagues. And Carew as well. As for number one draft choices, Mauer would be first of course, but the successes would have to include Cuddyer, Gibson, Knoblauch, Span, and Hunter. The rest of the list is pretty grim as far as players who had much of an impact for the Twins. 

[Blyleven2011]

No mention of kirby puckett in the top 20 prospects  ...

What a crock , not even an honorable mention  ...

You have rose colored glasses when evaluating talent  ....

[bean5302]

I think people may not have read the article. These are the highest ranked prospects since 1990 in Baseball America's national rankings. It doesn't go back further because BA didn't do a national ranking prior to 1990.

https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/1983-2000-top-10-prospects-rankings-archive/
That's an archive link to top 10 prospects in each team's system from 1983-2000.

83 - Brian Oelkers
84 - Kirby Puckett
85 - Jay Bell
86 - Billy Beane
87 - Steve Gasser
88 - Derek Parks
89 - Johnny Ard
90 - Willie Banks (#13)
91 - Rich Garces (#16)
92 - David McCarty (#22)
93 - David McCarty (#16)
94 - Rich Becker (#37)
95 - LaTroy Hawkins (#30)
96  - Todd Walker (#22)
97 - Todd Walker (#7)
98 - Luis Rivas (#55)
99 - Michael Cuddyer (#36)
00 - Michael Cuddyer (#18)
01 - Adam Johnson (#41)
02 - Justin Morneau (#21)
03 - Joe Mauer (#4)... ummm, Rocco Baldelli (#2) LOL
04 - Joe Mauer (#1)
05 - Joe Mauer (#1)
06 - Jason Kubel (#58)
07 - Matt Garza (#21)
08 - Nick Blackburn (#56)
09 - Aaron Hicks (#39)
10 - Aaron Hicks (#19)
11 - Kyle Gibson (#34)
12 - Miguel Sano (#18)
13 - Miguel Sano (#9)
14 - Byron Buxton (#1), Miguel Sano (#6)
15 - Byron Buxton (#2)
16 - Byron Buxton (#2)
17 - Nick Gordon (#60)
18 - Royce Lewis (#24)
19 - Royce Lewis (#9)
20 - Royce Lewis (#26)
21 - Alex Kirilloff (#18)
22 - Austin Martin (#47)
23 - Royce Lewis (#43)
24 - Walker Jenkins (#13)

I've added the Baseball America preseason rankings from TheBaseballCube. Have to change the year in the hyperlink to get to each season. I listed 2 in in 2014 which was the only year the Twins had 2 top 10s. Oh, and Baldelli, just for laughs. Oh, and I mostly only listed drafted by Twins players so it's possible the Twins acquired players who were ranked higher in some years? Don't care.
https://www.thebaseballcube.com/content/prospects_mlb/2024~BA/

[D.C Twins]

4 hours ago, bean5302 said:

I think people may not have read the article. These are the highest ranked prospects since 1990 in Baseball America's national rankings. It doesn't go back further because BA didn't do a national ranking prior to 1990.

https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/1983-2000-top-10-prospects-rankings-archive/
That's an archive link to top 10 prospects in each team's system from 1983-2000.

83 - Brian Oelkers
84 - Kirby Puckett
85 - Jay Bell
86 - Billy Beane
87 - Steve Gasser
88 - Derek Parks
89 - Johnny Ard
90 - Willie Banks (#13)
91 - Rich Garces (#16)
92 - David McCarty (#22)
93 - David McCarty (#16)
94 - Rich Becker (#37)
95 - LaTroy Hawkins (#30)
96  - Todd Walker (#22)
97 - Todd Walker (#7)
98 - Luis Rivas (#55)
99 - Michael Cuddyer (#36)
00 - Michael Cuddyer (#18)
01 - Adam Johnson (#41)
02 - Justin Morneau (#21)
03 - Joe Mauer (#4)... ummm, Rocco Baldelli (#2) LOL
04 - Joe Mauer (#1)
05 - Joe Mauer (#1)
06 - Jason Kubel (#58)
07 - Matt Garza (#21)
08 - Nick Blackburn (#56)
09 - Aaron Hicks (#39)
10 - Aaron Hicks (#19)
11 - Kyle Gibson (#34)
12 - Miguel Sano (#18)
13 - Miguel Sano (#9)
14 - Byron Buxton (#1), Miguel Sano (#6)
15 - Byron Buxton (#2)
16 - Byron Buxton (#2)
17 - Nick Gordon (#60)
18 - Royce Lewis (#24)
19 - Royce Lewis (#9)
20 - Royce Lewis (#26)
21 - Alex Kirilloff (#18)
22 - Austin Martin (#47)
23 - Royce Lewis (#43)
24 - Walker Jenkins (#13)

I've added the Baseball America preseason rankings from TheBaseballCube. Have to change the year in the hyperlink to get to each season. I listed 2 in in 2014 which was the only year the Twins had 2 top 10s. Oh, and Baldelli, just for laughs. Oh, and I mostly only listed drafted by Twins players so it's possible the Twins acquired players who were ranked higher in some years? Don't care.
https://www.thebaseballcube.com/content/prospects_mlb/2024~BA/

Another reminder to not clutch too tightly to your prospects..... Soooo many on the top 10 lists do not make it.... Strategic trading of prospects for established talent!

[rv78]

If I'm not mistaken, the list only goes back to 1990 when Baseball America started ranking prospects. Correct? Is that the "dawn of prospect histroy" as the article implies? You confuse many readers when you say "Minnesota Twins History" in your headline but don't take into account all Minnesota Twins in history. You also imply, "In the Target Field era". Which era are you covering? Sorry to say, but that is just sloppy journalism.

[tony&rodney]

Where have you gone B. J. Garbe?

[tony&rodney]

6 minutes ago, tony&rodney said:

Where have you gone B. J. Garbe?

Was just referring to his baseball career. Garbe was quite an athlete and good student who took what he learned to find success in his life. He is living in Moses Lake, Washington running a construction company.

Playing professional baseball is really an extremely tough job.

[dxpavelka]

Seems as if baseball did not exist before Y2K

[bean5302]

2 hours ago, rv78 said:

If I'm not mistaken, the list only goes back to 1990 when Baseball America started ranking prospects. Correct? Is that the "dawn of prospect histroy" as the article implies? You confuse many readers when you say "Minnesota Twins History" in your headline but don't take into account all Minnesota Twins in history. You also imply, "In the Target Field era". Which era are you covering? Sorry to say, but that is just sloppy journalism.

List goes back to 1990 when BA started ranking prospects across organizational barriers (national level). In my comment above, BA rankings back to 1983 for the Twins were added.

There were no prospect rankings by BA prior to 1983, and it wouldn't surprise me if there were no major organizations who officially ranked teams' prospects in a similar manner prior to 1983.

[bean5302]

13 hours ago, D.C Twins said:

Another reminder to not clutch too tightly to your prospects..... Soooo many on the top 10 lists do not make it.... Strategic trading of prospects for established talent!

Looking back at the list, I'm not sure the rankings/scouting was of value prior to 1990, anyway. Only 2 of the 7 top prospects for the Twins actually made any significant impact. Kirby Puckett, and Jay Bell (who the Twins traded to Cleveland for Bert Blyleven's return).

Even though Bell turned in a fantastic career, the trade was still a good one since Bert Blyleven brought the Twins their first World Series, and one of 2 World Series' in their franchise history (3 if you actually believe the 1924 Senators should be included).

A World Series victory is worth any prospect or any player.

[Dantes929]

On 11/28/2024 at 11:23 PM, D.C Twins said:

Another reminder to not clutch too tightly to your prospects..... Soooo many on the top 10 lists do not make it.... Strategic trading of prospects for established talent!

Sano was disappointing but gave us some good production.   Back when he was top 10 prospect I was hoping they would trade him for one of the other guys that were ranked behind him like Correa or Lindor because we needed productive shortstops more than what Sano was likely to give us.   Lewis was a big disappointment the 2nd half last season but his OPS+ is 126 and he is only 25 years old.    Buxton is still my favorite player and producing very well.   Mauer was a HOFer and Jenkins is 19 years old.  Anyone can get injured, prospect or trade target as well.   I think we could find some veterans that we traded prospects for that didn't pan out and I know we have plenty of prospects that we traded away that ended up being great for the other team.      Not all prospects become productive MLB players but all MLB players were once prospects.   I don't think this list is a reminder of anything.  They all made it or are likely to make it.

[bean5302]

1 hour ago, Dantes929 said:

...I don't think this list is a reminder of anything.  They all made it or are likely to make it...

Of the #1 Twins prospects since 1983, almost all of them made to to MLB, but the #1 prospect's repeating has become more common since the mid 90s. Of the last 10 prospects who were ranked #1 in the Twins' system, 6 turned out productive careers or are on the path for it. Jenkins is far from a sure-fire bet IMHO.

83 - Brian Oelkers
84 - Kirby Puckett
85 - Jay Bell
86 - Billy Beane
87 - Steve Gasser
88 - Derek Parks
89 - Johnny Ard
90 - Willie Banks (#13)
91 - Rich Garces (#16)
92 - David McCarty (#22)
93 - David McCarty (#16)
94 - Rich Becker (#37)
95 - LaTroy Hawkins (#30)
96  - Todd Walker (#22)
97 - Todd Walker (#7)
98 - Luis Rivas (#55)
99 - Michael Cuddyer (#36)
00 - Michael Cuddyer (#18)
01 - Adam Johnson (#41)
02 - Justin Morneau (#21)
03 - Joe Mauer (#4)... ummm, Rocco Baldelli (#2) LOL
04 - Joe Mauer (#1)
05 - Joe Mauer (#1)
06 - Jason Kubel (#58)
07 - Matt Garza (#21)
08 - Nick Blackburn (#56)
09 - Aaron Hicks (#39)
10 - Aaron Hicks (#19)
11 - Kyle Gibson (#34)
12 - Miguel Sano (#18)
13 - Miguel Sano (#9)
14 - Byron Buxton (#1), Miguel Sano (#6)
15 - Byron Buxton (#2)
16 - Byron Buxton (#2)
17 - Nick Gordon (#60)
18 - Royce Lewis (#24)
19 - Royce Lewis (#9)
20 - Royce Lewis (#26)
21 - Alex Kirilloff (#18)
22 - Austin Martin (#47)
23 - Royce Lewis (#43)
24 - Walker Jenkins (#13)

[Trov]

Part of issue with prospect ranking is the fluidness of it.  Specifically, as some graduate from the list others get put on it, but that does not mean they are expected to be good or great MLB players, just means they are ranked at the time as the x number prospect as compared to others.  An example, going into a season a guy my be prospect 120, and 20 guys on the list graduate off it.  He gets moved up to 100, but that does not mean he got any better compared to his peers at that time, it just means guys above him played enough MLB games. 

Additionally, some years you have say the top 10 prospects all expected to be all-star type guys, where other years the top 10 may only be expected to platoon guys.  When you compare prospects based on other guys that fit the term you limit who they are comparing them to. 

I make this argument in FA all the time.  Just because someone is the best FA in a certain class does not mean they should get a record breaking deal, like that happened in the 2000's.  If the next class has HOF guys, and current class has not even an all-star, then the top guy in a bad class should not get paid like a top guy in a HOF group of FA.