Drafting Teams from the 2025 Minnesota Twins Top Prospect Lists

[Cody Christie]

Top prospect lists only tell part of the story when it comes to organizational depth. So, let’s have some fun and draft two teams that only contain top Twins prospects. Then you decide on the best squad.

Image courtesy of Photos: William Parmeter (Jenkins), Rob Thompson (Rodriguez)

Most national outlets have released their top prospect list in recent weeks, making for some fun discussion about where prospects land on the rankings. Jamie Cameron and Cody Christie were inspired by MLB Pipeline’s Jim Callis and Jonathan Mayo who recently mock drafted a 10-player team of prospects based on the top-10 players at each position. For this draft, Jamie and Cody used a similar 10-player team format but focused on prospect eligible players throughout the Twins system. 

Each team could only have one player per position, except for the outfield where there were three roster positions. For pitching, each team selected one right-handed and one left-handed pitcher. It was a snake style draft, which made for some fun strategy and surprising picks. So, who ended up with the best team? Let’s find out. 

NOTE: For the purposes of this draft, we considered Zebby Matthews ineligible after making his MLB debut in 2024. We kept these picks strictly to prospects who haven’t seen MLB action yet.

Round 1
Christie (1st Overall): Emmanuel Rodriguez, OF
Walker Jenkins is the consensus top prospect in the Twins organization but I went for Rodriguez with the first pick because I believe he can stick in center field. Obviously, he needs to stay healthy after being limited to 47 games last season. However, his upside is through the roof and the Twins have aggressively promoted him through the system. Rodriguez is going to be the cornerstone of my team at an up the middle position. 

Cameron (2nd Overall): Walker Jenkins, OF
Wow, can’t say I saw a top five global prospect being available with the second pick, but I gratefully accept. Jenkins displayed an elite hit tool in 2024, reaching AA as a 19-year old, despite missing 60 games through injury in a season he called ‘disappointing’. I think the power is coming for Jenkins. He has a chance to be the best prospect in baseball this time next year, and could even be knocking on the door of the majors by the end of this season.

Round 2
Cameron (3rd Overall): Luke Keaschall, 2B
I’m focused on acquiring as much high end talent as possible, and Keaschall is clearly the third best prospect in the system currently. Planned TJ surgery cut his season short in August, but he thrived through two levels, managing a .416 wOBA and 158 wRC+ in 102 games with 15 bombs. Getting Jenkins and Keashcall despite picking second feels like a win, now things will get really interesting.

Christie (4th Overall): Kaelen Culpepper, SS
As with Rodriguez, I’m picking Culpepper to solidify the up-the-middle positions on my roster. During his professional debut (112 PA), he posted an impressive 110 wRC+ with a 13.4 K%. Many outlets believe he can stick at shortstop and his arm is good enough to stay on the left side of the infield if the Twins need to move him to third. The 2025 season is going to be big for Culpepper as he has a chance to move quickly into the system’s upper-levels. 

Round 3
Christie (5th Overall): Charlee Soto, RHP
This was my toughest pick so far as I was wavering between selecting another position player or taking the pitcher I view as the system’s best. I decided on Soto because I believe he has the highest ceiling and the best chance to be a front-line starter. His fastball sits in the upper-90s, his changeup gets a lot of swings and misses, and his slider continues to improve. He has future ace written all over him and I’m excited that he’s anchoring my staff. 

Cameron (6th Overall): Connor Prielipp, LHP
That’s two great picks from Cody. Soto has already made a top 100 and Culpepper made BA’s 100-200 list. Left-handed pitching is in short supply in the Twins system, so I’m taking Connor Prielipp here. While the injury history and lack of track record is a concern, it’s a tantalizing arsenal with a wipeout slider and a changeup that has come on leaps and bounds. Prielipp struck out over 40% of hitters after making his comeback last season.

Round 4
Cameron (7th Overall): Kyle DeBarge, SS
I had a few interesting options here, but I’m going to keep stacking exceptional hit tools. DeBarge took off in his junior year at ULL with a 21 home run season. He has a good approach at the plate and great bat-to-ball skills. He’ll handle shortstop just fine. The only question mark in his short debut was getting more consistent loft in his batted ball events. I’m counting on DeBarge to make short work on the low minors in 2025.

Christie (8th Overall): Brandon Winokur, OF
Last season, the Twins used Winokur at three different defensive positions including shortstop, third base, and center field. I’m selecting him to slot him into a corner outfield spot because he’s 6-foot-6 and will continue to fill out as he enters his 20s. Last season at Low-A, his OPS was over 100 points higher than the league average and added a 116 wRC+. He strikes out a lot (28.0 K%) but he’s going to have the power to make him an offensive threat. 

Round 5
Christie (9th Overall): Billy Amick, 3B
Some strategy is starting to come into the draft as we enter the halfway point. We know the needs of the other team and that makes it easier to plan future picks. Amick’s professional debut showcased some positive signs for a player projected to be a slugger. He limited walks (19.5 K%) and controlled the strike zone (15.6 BB%). He hits the ball with authority and that’s what I want from the hot corner. 

Cameron (10th Overall): Rayne Doncon, 3B
I have a value I like here with Doncon. Not a heralded prospect but he was quietly productive in 2024. Across A and A+ he put up a .773 OPS, 121 wRC+, with 38 extra base hits, walked 11% of the time and struck out at a 22% clip. That’s a really solid platform. Doncon has already entered some Twins top ten lists. He’s passed the tests presented to him so far. He’ll face a tough one with a jump to AA at some point in 2025.

Round 6
Cameron (11th Overall): Yasser Mercedes, OF
This was a tough pick as I had a few candidates in mind. Aside from some injury challenges in 2023, Mercedes has shown a bunch of above average tools. He has an .860 OPS with 56 extra base hits and 57 steals in 127 career games, all before turning 20 years old. Add solid strike zone control (12.3 BB% and 25 K%) to above average defense in centerfield and there’s an exciting prospect who showed folks why he secured a $1.7 million bonus in the international market. I thought about Beltre here, but I’m going with the track record in the US.

Christie (12th Overall): Ricardo Olivar, C
I left Mercedes on the board in the fifth round because I thought he’d make it to me with the 12th pick. Jamie had other plans and sniped him. Instead, I’m going to draft for need and take a catcher in Olivar even though I don’t fully trust his defensive chops. Over the last three seasons, his 143 wRC+ ranks second in the Twins system behind Rodriguez (my first overall pick). He gets on base and has enough pop to provide a ton of offensive value for a backstop. 

Round 7
Christie (13th Overall): Eduardo Beltre, OF
This was my most challenging pick so far as I wavered between the high ceiling of Beltre or the lower floor with a player like Kala’i Rosario. Beltre signed for $1.5 million as part of last year’s international class and quickly made a name for himself in the Dominican Summer League. In 181 PA, he posted 177 wRC+ while ranking in the league’s top three for home runs, slugging percentage, and OPS. He’s a long way from Target Field but has the potential to be a dynamic player. 

Cameron (14th Overall): Payton Eeles, OF
I thought about going Keirsey Jr here but that felt a little safe (and he’s 27). Instead, I’m going with Payton Eeles (who might be an infield option for Cody), mostly to recognize the incredible 2024 ride he had as an undrafted free agent (he logged time at CF and RF for the Saints). Eeles played 111 games across 3 MiLB levels in 2024, finishing the season at AAA. He hit .306 (.932 OPS) with 14% BB%, 14% K%, a 155 wRC+, and 39 extra base hits. The next 50 games or so will tell us if Eeles has a shot at major league playing time.

Round 8
Cameron (15th Overall): Carson McCusker, 1B
I’m going back to back undrafted free agents, taking McCusker as my big dude who dings dongs who can stand at first base. 6’8 and 250 pounds, McCusker is another unheralded prospect, but he managed a 132 wRC+ across 122 games in AA and AAA in 2024 (.841 OPS). It’s a lot of strikeouts (close to 30%), but he also hit 19 home runs. The power is real and if the timing is right, he might just get a shot with the big league club in 2025.

Christie (16th Overall): Dasan Hill, LHP
The Twins took Hill in the fourth round of last summer’s draft out of Grapevine high school in Texas. Some viewed him as a potential first round pick and Minnesota had to go overslot to sign him. He is a monster on the mound at 6-foot-5 with room to add some weight to his frame (165 pounds). His fastball is currently in the low-to-mid 90s and he pairs it with a pair of breakers and a changeup that lags behind the rest of the arsenal. The slider is the real deal. I’m not super excited about both pitchers on my roster being high school picks, but their upside is undeniable. 

Round 9
Christie (17th Overall): Dameury Pena, 2B
There are some clear comps to Pena and former Twin Luis Arráez. After signing in 2023, he posted a .382 BA during his pro debut in the Dominican Summer League. Last season, Pena came stateside and posted a .282 BA while his wRC+ dropped from 156 to 120. He’s going to need to find a way to keep hitting for a high average for the Arráez comps to continue. 

Cameron (18th Overall): Andrew Morris, RHP
Andrew Morris has a good chance to remain a starter and will make his major league debut in 2025. Like Zebby Matthews, his stuff has continued to tick up since turning pro to add to a close-to-elite strike throwing profile. It’s a five pitch mix for Morris, with a plus fastball and slider and average cutter, curveball, and changeup. He posted a 2.36 FIP in 133 innings in 2024 (striking out 25% of hitters and walking just 5.9% while reaching AAA). Don’t be surprised if Morris has a tweaked arsenal when he reports for Spring Training. It’s likely a back end profile but he could end up a strong number three if he continues to miss bats at a solid clip.

Round 10
Cameron (19th Overall): Khadim Diaw, C
The Twins draft board held up better than expected for hitters in 2024 and they took Diaw in the third round, 96th overall. He’ll be 21 for almost all of the 2025 season and there’s plenty to like in the profile. In his first 100 late appearances at A ball, he hit .271/.374/.341 (.715), walking 11.1% of the time and striking out just 14%. His wRC+ of 114 is a solid start to his pro career, particularly for a catcher. Age and positional scarcity are on his side. He might progress a little slower than some of his college hitting counterparts from the 2024 class, but he’s worth keeping an eye on in 2025. 

Christie (20th Overall): Yunior Severino, 1B
It seems fitting for Severino to be the Mr. Irrelevant in our mock draft. In 2023, he led all the minor leagues in home runs with 35 between Double- and Triple-A. Following the season, the Twins added him to the 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft. The 2024 campaign was a disappointment as his wRC+ dropped to 101 but he cut back on strikeouts (27.3 K%) and drew more walks (11.9 BB%). The Twins believed enough in him to resign him, and he gets another shot to prove 2023 wasn’t a fluke. 

 

Pos.	Team Christie	Team Cameron
C	Ricardo Olivar	Khadim Diaw
1B	Yunior Severino	Carson McCusker
2B	Dameury Pena	Luke Keaschall
3B	Billy Amick	Rayne Doncon
SS	Kaelen Culpepper	Kyle DeBarge
OF	Emmanuel Rodriguez	Walker Jenkins
OF	Brandon Winokur	Yasser Mercedes
OF	Eduardo Beltre	Payton Eeles
LHP	Dasan Hill	Connor Prielipp
RHP	Charlee Soto	Andrew Morris

Team Christie Draft Recap: I probably overthought the first pick and should have gone with the best available player. However, I had a specific strategy in mind, and I’m happy with how the up-the-middle players shaped up early in the draft. My outfield has a lot of power potential and my pitchers might be the organization’s highest upside arms. On defense, my outfielders have all played center field and I think the double-play duo can be strong. The Twins continue to do a strong job of drafting, signing, and developing players and this draft showcases some of those strengths. 

Team Cameron Draft Recap: I’m happy with how my team turned out. I landed who I see as the Twins best and third best prospects, and have a ton of great hit tools in this lineup. I’d add that I feel good about my team’s defense in general, although I definitely came up short in the power category. I like the balance of having a high floor righty to go with a high ceiling lefty as my pitching group. This was a fun exercise and highlights some of the depth of the Twins system beyond the top 3-6 prospects who are discussed the most.

Who has the best team? Who was picked too low? Too high? Leave a comment and start the discussion.

 

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[Chachi]

Fun exercise and article.  However, how can you justify picking catchers back to back?  Once one C spit is filled - every other catcher is gonna be on the board for the rest of the draft if understand it?

[AlLagoon]

Hmm, guess I don't know bupkis about Twins prospects as I was lost pretty much after Amick.

[ashbury]

20 minutes ago, AlLagoon said:

Hmm, guess I don't know bupkis about Twins prospects as I was lost pretty much after Amick.

See, that's where I have the advantage: I've been told many times that I know bupkis.

Anyway I go back and forth on whose draft was better.  I'm not a big believer in either Prielipp or Eeles, so I guess I give the nod to Cody, but only by a hair.

[AlwaysinModeration]

Fun exercise.

Marco Raya, Cory Lewis, CJ Culpepper all go undrafted.  Makes it seem like Soto might have been a reach.  Is Soto that much better than those three and Morris?

Once Codie took Kaelen Culpepper and Amick, there was no reason for Jamie to take DeBarge and Doncon before rounds 9 and 10. 

I’m also wondering if Diego Cartaya should have been one of the catchers drafted.

Anyway, thanks for doing this, bet you had fun doing it and it makes for an interesting review of the system.  (The bottom of which is pretty unknown to me.)

[Otaknam]

Hard pass.

[y2jjj54]

This was a fun exercise to read.  In the future you should draft a full starting rotation and a closer to bring more pitchers into it.

[ashbury]

1 hour ago, y2jjj54 said:

This was a fun exercise to read.  In the future you should draft a full starting rotation and a closer to bring more pitchers into it.

What, and shine a light on the vaunted Pitching Pipeline™ being a tad thin?

[old nurse]

I think there are any winners in this kind of game.