Twins Mock Draft Update: Minnesota Leans into Talented College Pitching Demographic

[Jamie Cameron]

Image courtesy of © Matt Stone/Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

This draft cycle, we’re going to try something new. Every few weeks, I’ll be posting an article here listing out who the Twins would select based on their position on the consensus draft board. As the consensus board is updated, the players in those spots will be adjusted and I’ll post another update.

This is not a mock draft. Rather, I’m hoping it’ll give readers an idea of the caliber of talent in each of the team’s first few picks. Additionally, it should help readers who want to dig into draft coverage a bit more get familiar with the class.

Here would be the Twins first three picks by consensus draft ranking as of 06.06.25

1st Round (16th Overall): Steele Hall, Hewitt-Trussville HS, AL
Hall is one of the buzziest names in the prep class. So despite being nestled close to 50th in the first few iterations of the consensus board, expect him to climb significantly as the cycle goes on. He also reclassified from the 2025 class, so he'll be one of the youngest prospects in the class at 17 years old on draft day.

He's a right-handed-hitting, prep shortstop from Alabama, committed to Tennessee. Despite an undersized frame, Hall is an explosive athlete and an elite mover. He has bounce, lateral quickness, and legit plus to double-plus speed. Add a plus arm to the mix, and he has a chance to stick at shortstop at the next level.

Offensively, it's a hit over power profile, but the power is headed in the right direction, underpinned by a compact swing and improved bat speed. The power grade might get to average when it's all said and done, with all of his other tools above average to plus.

Comp A (36th Overall): Patrick Forbes, RHP, Louisville
Forbes has been one of the biggest surprises (pleasant) at the midpoint of the 2025 college season. His stuff has taken a significant leap forward, and he's one of several up-and-coming college arms in this class.

It's a great frame at 6'3, 220. It's big-time arm talent, too. It's a fastball that sits 94-96 mph from a low release. It's been as high as 98 mph. Forbes has a sweeper he throws in the high 70s to low 80s. There's plenty of horizontal break on that pitch; he'll need to firm it up some when he turns pro. He throws a changeup, too, which has looked promising, although it could use a little more velocity separation from his fastball.

Forbes' 2025 has been impressive. It's also noteworthy that he was previously a two-way player and, as such, hasn't focused solely on pitching for that long. The frame and stuff are there for a pitching-savvy organization. He has a chance to start at the next level.

2nd Round (54th Overall): JB Middleton, RHP, Southern Miss
Middleton is an undersized right-handed pitcher out of Southern Miss who was largely used as a reliever in his first two seasons before transitioning to a full-time starter in 2025, with outstanding results.

It's a fastball that will sit 93-95 mph but can be cranked up to 97 mph with solid ride at the top of the zone. Middleton also has a complimentary gyro-type slider that he throws hard in the high 80s, which generates plenty of whiffs. Finally, there's a changeup, a pitch that is exclusively deployed against lefties and is possibly a little too firm given his fastball velo.

While Middleton isn't facing the stiffest competition in the country, he's posted consistently throughout 2025. It's a K% approaching 30% and a walk rate of around 6% with a 2.77 FIP in early May. His ceiling will be dictated by how much a team feels like they can tweak the arsenal and continue to add velo.

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Who are you excited by in this draft class? Let us know in the comments. 

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[thelanges5]

Thanks for all of the draft and prospect coverage! 

[Cory Engelhardt]

I really like the first 2 picks quite a lot. Thanks for putting this altogether

[Jamie Cameron]

1 hour ago, thelanges5 said:

Thanks for all of the draft and prospect coverage! 

Appreciate it my friend, thanks for the kind words!

[Jamie Cameron]

55 minutes ago, Cory Engelhardt said:

I really like the first 2 picks quite a lot. Thanks for putting this altogether

I liked how this round worked out too, Cory. Thanks for reading. One wondering I keep having: The Twins are great at developing mid-to-late round arms into solid-to-good MLB starters, how would they do with an elite tier arm from the college ranks?

[DocBauer]

Despite having a certain reputation for how they draft, the Twins have proven to be pretty fluid when you look at recent history since our current FO took over and placed Johnson in charge. Still, there is a general philosophy that TOP BATS are limited in supply, so take them 1st and look for value second.

I do like this draft as is. Hall being only 17 with solid tools is very intriguing. It gives them a toolsy SS 5 years away to counter Correa and Culpepper at the top of the chain. (No disrespect to DeAndrade). 

I'd still be slightly surprised if it went this way, but not shocked. If the Twins were to draft a college bat in the 1st, I'd love Wehiwa Aloy from Arkansas, but I don't think he'd fall that far. But if I had to lay $ on the line, I'd still bet on the best college bat available in the 1st with at least 1 prep player, if not 2, with their next couple of picks.

[DocBauer]

3 hours ago, Jamie Cameron said:

I liked how this round worked out too, Cory. Thanks for reading. One wondering I keep having: The Twins are great at developing mid-to-late round arms into solid-to-good MLB starters, how would they do with an elite tier arm from the college ranks?

I think this is a valid question for a draft that is either "down" or greatly "mixed" in regard to the talent available. It's one thing to have the general philosophy I've mentioned of BAT FIRST since the really good ones disappear quickly, vs what the draft actually offers. It seems to be a good arms draft and a lot of really good HS talent. But if you don't grab the prep talent early and PAY THEM, you're going to lose them to college and new scholarship money and potential NIL.

So far, the Twins have done a tremendous job in recent years of taking the BPA, even though they look bat 1st and take developmental arms later. But they took Canterino and Prielipp early as well, and Petty in the 1st. So I believe they are fluid in their thinking.

And I've also thought a lot about college arms early after your last couple of podcasts. Success with later college arms DOESN'T mean you can't draft some even better, projectable arms early.

In a "weird" and hard to define draft, why not hit the mound hard and early? I don't know when, HS or college, maybe the 1st round, but im expecting 1 prep player or pitcher with upside, and I'd LOVE a pair of talented college arms for the other top 2 picks. Despite all the arms in the system, you can never have enough pitching. Ryan and Ober still have a couple of years of control left, and extensions are possible. Soto and Hill are still years away. Kyle Jones and CJ Culpepper have, unfortunately, had some injury setbacks.

Why not double or triple down on arms early in a draft where there aren't a lot of college bats that scream to be picked at 16?

Grab a pair of really good college arms that you see real upside with EARLY. But don't be afraid of a top prep player in one of those first 3 spots either.

If you can turn Festa, Matthews, and others in to top prospects, imagine what your system might do with even more polished arms?

Then grab another catcher somewhere in the top 10 you like as much or more than Diaw or Ferrer.

[Dman]

Hall is my draft crush this year.  I just love guys with good to great defensive potential and speed.  frame doesn't seem built for power so he could drop though seems to be in the top 15 in a fair number of mocks.  There are going to be at least 6 really talented players to pick at 16.  Not sure what bat the Twins will take, but I feel like if Laviolette falls I think they take him.  They love power bats and don't seem to be afraid of swing and miss guys.  I think he was predicted to go top 10 but seems to falling due to in zone swing and miss issues.

I like college pitchers but when picking in the early rounds I like the High School arms better than college as the org gets to build the arm and I feel like in general the ceiling is higher. 

As you can tell I love, love the Hall pick and I like both arms as well.  You do an excellent job of finding somewhat overlooked players IMO.  I love the writeups keep them coming.  Draft is almost here.

[terrydactyls]

Whenever I read about a SS with a compact swing and great contact skills, I think Paul Molitor.  When he left Cretin HS and continued at the U of M, it was often said by scouts that he would never make it in the pros because of his lack of power.  If I remember correctly, he did okay for himself.

[Doctor Gast]

I really like your 1st round pick Hall (SS). You said, "Add a plus arm to the mix, and he has a chance to stick at shortstop at the next level." I'd hope he'd stick at SS mainly throughout his MLB career. If that is the case, I'd be very big on him.

We also need a lot of catcher depth, so I'm also big on drafting Irish or Stephenson (C). Irish is rising & Stephenson is falling. Personally, I like Stephenson better because his defense is more polished. If we could pick him up in the 1st round compensation, I'd jump all over that.

[Mike Sixel]

College catcher please. Not that this draft would be bad, but they need catching and there are two projected in this area of the draft. 

[Doctor Wu]

As others have said, this information if very informative and useful. I know next to nothing about the players in this draft, so the background and details are very helpful. I honestly don't have any big preferences, based on what I've read, although I'm always keen to draft quality pitchers, even the risky high school arms. 

[AKTwinsFan]

I think we should just prioritize pitching in all 3 top picks. We don't need a SS. We got plenty of candidates including Lee who can play 2nd and short.

[Jamie Cameron]

On 6/6/2025 at 8:45 PM, DocBauer said:

I think this is a valid question for a draft that is either "down" or greatly "mixed" in regard to the talent available. It's one thing to have the general philosophy I've mentioned of BAT FIRST since the really good ones disappear quickly, vs what the draft actually offers. It seems to be a good arms draft and a lot of really good HS talent. But if you don't grab the prep talent early and PAY THEM, you're going to lose them to college and new scholarship money and potential NIL.

So far, the Twins have done a tremendous job in recent years of taking the BPA, even though they look bat 1st and take developmental arms later. But they took Canterino and Prielipp early as well, and Petty in the 1st. So I believe they are fluid in their thinking.

And I've also thought a lot about college arms early after your last couple of podcasts. Success with later college arms DOESN'T mean you can't draft some even better, projectable arms early.

In a "weird" and hard to define draft, why not hit the mound hard and early? I don't know when, HS or college, maybe the 1st round, but im expecting 1 prep player or pitcher with upside, and I'd LOVE a pair of talented college arms for the other top 2 picks. Despite all the arms in the system, you can never have enough pitching. Ryan and Ober still have a couple of years of control left, and extensions are possible. Soto and Hill are still years away. Kyle Jones and CJ Culpepper have, unfortunately, had some injury setbacks.

Why not double or triple down on arms early in a draft where there aren't a lot of college bats that scream to be picked at 16?

Grab a pair of really good college arms that you see real upside with EARLY. But don't be afraid of a top prep player in one of those first 3 spots either.

If you can turn Festa, Matthews, and others in to top prospects, imagine what your system might do with even more polished arms?

Then grab another catcher somewhere in the top 10 you like as much or more than Diaw or Ferrer.

Best way to think about this class imo:

Less impact talent at the very top (than last two seasons)

Good depth (quality of player through 50-70 picks.

Overall, about an average class imo.

[tony&rodney]

Have only seen one of the top 50 players in person. Sure hope the Twins take a player with notable athletic talent. Steele Hall qualifies with his hit over power, plus arm and speed, and ability to play defense. 

The Twins need better athletes.