2025 Twins Prospect Previews: Rounds 3-10

[Jamie Cameron]

The minor-league season is upon us. Throughout spring training, we published in-depth looks at some of the prospects the Twins selected in the 2024 MLB Draft. Today, we’re looking at players drafted in rounds three through ten.

Image courtesy of © Jonah Hinebaugh/The News-Press/USA Today Network-Florida / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Round 3: Khadim Diaw, C, Loyola-Marymount
Diaw is an outstanding athlete who, if he pans out, will be a prospect who flew under the radar in draft circles due to significant injuries. In his freshman season, he suffered a back fracture, missing most of the season. After a good sophomore season (.896 OPS), he suffered a broken thumb and a sprained wrist that limited him to 20 games. So, what can you expect?

You’re going to see a good approach. Diaw controls the strike zone well. He walked almost as much (11.1%) as he struck out (14.1%) in 2024. Additionally, you’ll see good bat-to-ball skills. Diaw has a direct swing, and there’s raw power there, but he hasn’t tapped into it much in games. He more than held his own in a 24-game debut at Fort Myers (114 wRC+). There’s a lot of development needed behind the plate. His arm strength is fringy, though, and everything is a little raw. The positive is that if he doesn’t work out behind the plate, he could be a viable outfielder, particularly if the power develops. He’ll be half the catching tandem at Cedar Rapids to start the season.

Round 4: Jaime Ferrer, OF, Florida State
Ferrer was drafted by the Twins in the fourth round, after three solid years of production for Florida State. A converted outfielder (he used to be a catcher), he’s a fascinating development conundrum for the Twins. Ferrer is an aggressive hitter. He swings often, and will expand the zone. In college, he never walked more than 9.2% of the time, and that figure was just 6.5% in his brief pro debut. He makes contact both often and dangerously. Ferrer crushed 22 home runs in his junior year. My guess is the Twins will target swing decisions with him. Currently, he’s a 'tweener profile whose production could take a huge leap if he improves his approach. He’ll start the season at Cedar Rapids.

Round 5: Caden Kendle, OF, UC-Irvine
It’s right around this point that I expected the Twins to start transitioning to college pitching. After the draft, Sean Johnson shared that the bats on the Twins' board held up a little longer than expected. Kendle was an under-the-radar sleeper pick for this draft from an excellent college program. He was a senior signee with a track record of production and a profile led by an excellent hit tool. In three seasons as a starter at Irvine, he never posted a wRC+ lower than 143. He carried over the strong bat-to-ball skills to his Twins debut, walking 10.5% of the time and striking out just 10.5% of the time in 22 games (118 wRC+). He’ll start the season in the outfield mix at Cedar Rapids.

Round 6: Derek Bender, C, Coastal Carolina
I don’t have anything to add to the Derek Bender conversation, other than that the whole situation was extremely unfortunate. If you missed the story, you can find it here. The short version is, he gave away the pitches his pitchers were throwing to opposing batters. Bender is no longer with the Twins organization.

Round 7: Eli Jones, RHP, South Carolina
OK, it’s time for a bold prediction. Eli Jones is a 2025 breakout pick for Twins arms drafted in 2024. The Twins often lean into a more north/south movement profile with their arms, Jones a more east/west profile. Pitching as the Friday night starter for South Carolina in 2024, he managed a 3.51 FIP that outshone his 5.24 ERA, throwing plenty of strikes and generating ground balls at a high clip (58% in 2024). Coming out of the draft, Jones’s primary arsenal was a sinker sitting at 92 mph; a slider; and a changeup. He’s turned heads in spring training, mostly for significant velocity gains. Jones’s fastball now sits at 95 mph and has touched 96 mph. He’ll start the season at Fort Myers, and will be a good follow for the 2025 season.

Rounds 8 and 9: Jakob Hall, RHP, Oral Roberts, Jason Doktorcyzk, RHP Nevada
The Twins took a pair of right-handed pitchers in rounds 8 and 9, in Jakob Hall out of Oral Roberts and Jason Doktorcyzk out of Nevada. Hall pitched 107 innings in college last year, posting a 3.89 FIP, striking out 24.3% of batters and walking just 4.6%. He’ll rely on a fastball that he’s run up to 94 mph (but will sit 91-93 mph) and an effective slider.

Doktorcyzk had a tough debut in the Twins' Spring Breakout game. Coming out of Nevada, he was another effective strike thrower who punched out his fair share of hitters. He relied on a fastball up to 95 mph and an effective sweeper. Both Hall and Doktorcyzk will start 2025 at Fort Myers.

Round 10: Peyton Carr, 3B, High Point
Carr was a money-saving signing for the Twins as a 10th-round senior. Even so, there’s plenty of intrigue around his profile, albeit a raw one. Carr missed significant time at High Point in his final two seasons through persistent injuries. When he played, he mashed. The calling card is plus raw power. In 27 games in 2024, he hit 13 home runs (214 wRC+), walking close to 15% of the time. Carr hasn’t seen a ton of pitching of the highest caliber or quality, so it’ll be interesting to see how he adjusts to his first full season at Fort Myers in 2025.

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[Dman]

Very nice Summary of those newly drafted players.  Diaw is an interesting player.  As stated he likely fell a little because of injuries and I like his potential behind the dish and with the bat.  We'll know more after his first full year.

Kendle is gamer as well.  Really loved his game last year even though a SSS.  I was hoping for an arm pick 4.  There were some interesting ones still left there, but the Twins seem to feel they can find arms late.  I know they are looking for more bats so while it made sense I would have went an arm at pick 4 and or 5.  

I'm not sure what to think of Ferrer in his small sample, but wasn't overly impressed.  Again until after they have a full year it is hard to say how they might do.

I sure hope Jones is the real deal.  Always nice to have to have one of those arms picked in the first ten rounds to make a big impression early.  Also hoping Carpenter can find some more velocity and become a dangerous lefty.

Like I said I would have liked to have seen more arms taken earlier but with Hill, Jones and Carpenter that might be enough to carry this class.

[DJL44]

What a terrible photograph, I'm surprised it made it into the image archive.

[DocBauer]

No question Diaw has the talent to be a decent or above average offensive catcher. Not saying he's the same as Jeffers, but like Jeffers, though should concentrate on keeping him at catcher and build him up there.

I'd also probably take a long look at Ferrer as a catcher. Is his profile strong enough to keep him in the OF? Or as a top catcher prospect coming out of HS, should he be put behind the plate again?

Kendle reminds me of a RH version of Keirsey. Similar draft slots as well.

Jones and Hall are both interesting from offerings and potential. But Doktorczyk holds more interest to me initially. When I watched him in the Futures Game I saw a 3" shorter version of Ober. I saw extension and a deceptive arm angle. I saw some velocity, potential for more, and some decent secondaries that could improve. And this was his debut!

I've got my eye on him. I see an Ober/Matthews vibe.

Carr is absolutely a flier. But when you dominate at your level and display even average athleticism and potential you're worth taking a look at. Expecting nothing, but I think he's a potential mid round steal if his traits translate. 

 

[Doctor Wu]

Like Dman and DocBauer I will be following Diaw to see how he adapts behind the plate in the minors. Seems like he has the potential to move up quickly, health permitting.