This Underground Twins Prospect Has Gone Mainstream: Why You Should Buy the Hype

[sweetmusicviola16]

2 hours ago, Doctor Gast said:

We both have an eye on the importance defense & I appreciate that about you even though we don't agree on the importance of defense at 1B & RF.

I agree as well on the importance of defense and this team greatly lacks it in various areas. CF defense is very important. . But some bat at that position is needed as well. We'll switch to Bader. As a backup CF he would be a great pickup. But that won't be the case, a backup CF. Margot was acquired as the backup CF for 2024. What happened? 54 starts in COF and 14 starts in CF. Sadly the same experiment will play out in 2025. Wallner a legitimate RF will sit while Bader plays a position he has no business being at. Wallner will suffer. The team will suffer and Keirsey will suffer. 

[LambchoP]

I hope he gets a chance to make the team out of ST. My guess is he competed with Lee for the second base job. I think he could be a great spark plug at the top of our lineup who can steal bases. Him, Bader and Castro start to make this team actually look like a team that can steal bases again:)

[Mglende25]

How was Randy Dobnak not mentioned!?

[Lefty61]

Modern day David Eckstein?  Let's Hope So!

[RpR]

8 hours ago, sweetmusicviola16 said:

I agree as well on the importance of defense and this team greatly lacks it in various areas. CF defense is very important. . But some bat at that position is needed as well. We'll switch to Bader. As a backup CF he would be a great pickup. But that won't be the case, a backup CF. Margot was acquired as the backup CF for 2024. What happened? 54 starts in COF and 14 starts in CF. Sadly the same experiment will play out in 2025. Wallner a legitimate RF will sit while Bader plays a position he has no business being at. Wallner will suffer. The team will suffer and Keirsey will suffer. 

When your day is long
And the night, the night is yours alone
When you're sure you've had enough
Of this life, well hang on

Don't let yourself go
'Cause everybody cries
Everybody hurts sometimes

Sometimes everything is wrong
Now it's time to sing along

When your day is night alone (hold on, hold on)
If you feel like letting go (hold on)
If you think you've had too much
Of this life, well hang on

'Cause everybody hurts
Take comfort in your friends
Everybody hurts

 

Don't throw your hand, oh no
Don't throw your hand
If you feel like you're alone
No, no, no, you are not alone

[sweetmusicviola16]

32 minutes ago, RpR said:

When your day is long
And the night, the night is yours alone
When you're sure you've had enough
Of this life, well hang on

Don't let yourself go
'Cause everybody cries
Everybody hurts sometimes

Sometimes everything is wrong
Now it's time to sing along

When your day is night alone (hold on, hold on)
If you feel like letting go (hold on)
If you think you've had too much
Of this life, well hang on

'Cause everybody hurts
Take comfort in your friends
Everybody hurts

 

Don't throw your hand, oh no
Don't throw your hand
If you feel like you're alone
No, no, no, you are not alone

You got musical talent rpr. Just don't take my job bud.

[twinstalker]

18 hours ago, DJL44 said:

Eeles is going to win a job based on OBP and defense. He's not going to produce a lot of power.

He's not going to have a lot of OBP if he doesn't punish pitches in the zone.  OBP is one of the most misleading minor league statistics.

[twinstalker]

15 hours ago, LambchoP said:

I hope he gets a chance to make the team out of ST. My guess is he competed with Lee for the second base job. I think he could be a great spark plug at the top of our lineup who can steal bases. Him, Bader and Castro start to make this team actually look like a team that can steal bases again:)

It would take extraordinary circumstances for him to have a chance of making the team out of spring training.  He doesn't have to be put on the 40 until before the 2028 season.  (Not that that is how it will go)  Unless there are multiple injuries, no chance he starts the season in MLB.

I'm a big fan of the guy (thus far) and think he should be a top 10 prospect.  But whatever numbers make your pupils dilate, keep in mind there are reasons why nobody is putting him in the top 20.  They might be wrong, but we can't discount the reasons for this unless we understand them.

[TopGunn#22]

At long last we have our Payton Eeles feature and it did not disappoint.  His rise is truly meteoric and his 5:5 stature crowns him as an underdog for the ages.  But what I keep gleaning from everything I read and see about him is that the kid is a GAMER. 

At every level he's played he has shown ELITE contact skills, an excellent idea of the strike zone and a tough guy to strikeout.  There was a time in baseball when this skill was in high demand for a 2B (Rod Carew, Felix Millan, Nellie Fox), heck, even for a CF (Matty Alou).  Thank God the Twins didn't obsess about "exit velocity" with Rod Carew at the beginning of his career.

There is nothing wrong with hitting the ball HARD.  Especially if you do it often.  But there is something to said about a LH hitter dumping the ball into short left field for a single, especially if they have SPEED.  Your Honor, I would like to present Defense Exhibit A...HOF Rod Carew and his inside out bloop hits to LF.  His 3,000 MLB hit happened as an Angel against the Twins in just such fashion.   

Eeles starting at AAA St. Paul is good.  But if he rakes you can't just keep him down there.  I don't think you can underestimate the kid's "gamer" attitude.  Every good team in every sport has at least one guy on their team like this.  I agree with the comment regarding his speed and Rocco's inability to take advantage of it.  We have guys who SHOULD be able to run.  Rocco just isn't interested.  

Ever since Eeles burst onto the scene last year and watching Eddie Julien take called 3rd strike after called 3rd strike I've felt that with Eeles in the system now and with the drafting of Kaelon Culpepper, the time is NOW to trade Julien while his value is still relatively high (16.5 BBTV).  Julien could be a significant trade chip to allow the Twins to make a run at Dylan Cease (33.6).  Julien gets you 50% of the way there.  

If Eeles struggles at St. Paul people will start jumping off the bandwagon.  I think his elite contact skills and knowledge of the strike zone won't let that happen, but there is no question Eeles has to keep doing what he's been doing.  But if he does, we as Twins fans KNOW that someone will get hurt, someone will struggle at the plate and an opportunity will open up.  I'd love to see Eeles get his shot.

[Elliot]

Lee, Martin, and Julien will be given every opportunity to succeed, not based on their draft status but on their 40 man status. They can be sent down to AAA (not sure of Martin’s options status) but need to remain on the 40. Removing them exposes them to loss. It is not a simple swap for Eeles to be brought up. Losing any of those players on waivers would hurt. Give them the 1,000 AB’s or so that TK was so fond of referencing before you write them off. 
I am glad to see that there isn’t a lot of talk about Eeles at SS. From what I saw for the Saints, although willing I do not think he has the tools to play SS at the MLB level. It is a tools issue, not height. I go far enough back to remember Freddie Patel with the Royals. 

[TopGunn#22]

Good points Elliot.  Not sure if it was an auto-correct that got you but you meant to type Freddy Patek.