Article: Minnesota Twins Top 50 Prospects: 1-5

[Seth Stohs]

You can view the page at http://twinsdaily.com/content.php?r=2459-Minnesota-Twins-Top-50-Prospects-1-5

[YourHouseIsMyHouse]

No surprises, but I guess I didn't know Meyer was that great. These are all pretty much top 50 players.

[goulik]

That's a top five to get excited about! Wow!

[Seth Stohs]

I almost feel, in some ways, like the top five is pretty anti-climatic. People kind of know who the top five are already.

 

At the same time, these are five really exciting guys to talk about!

[twinsfan34]

Completely shocked if [buxton] is not in the big leagues by July?!

 

I like it.

[twinsfan34]

I actually am OK with not being anti-climatic - if you have that many good sets of eyes in agreement on these guys - it's probably a highly likely probability it will/is going to happen.

[Trevor0333]

Meyer being injured early on really kept him under the radar, the Arizona fall league has been a blessing for his stock.

 

Rosario is going to be so much better than people are realizing IMO. He is a perfect #2 hitter who could be a #3 even. I wish a Dozier/Perkins trade for Uggla/Alex Wood could happen. It would set up the team beautifully.

 

Buxton, Rossario, Arcia, Sano set up as such a perfect 1-4 Then having Alex Wood & Meyer anchoring the rotation.

[Seth Stohs]

Why would the Twins want Uggla??

 

I think Rosario is more of a #6-7 hitter because of his over-aggressiveness. Maybe putting him at #2 might help him become a little more patient, which could, in theory, make him more valuable.

[Zephrin]

Buxton, Rossario, Arcia, Sano set up as such a perfect 1-4 Then having Alex Wood & Meyer anchoring the rotation.

 

I agree with Seth, especially since you are swapping Rosario for Mauer. Buxton, Mauer, Arcia, Sano. Now that is a top four to get excited about!

[Wyorev]

I almost feel, in some ways, like the top five is pretty anti-climatic. People kind of know who the top five are already.

 

At the same time, these are five really exciting guys to talk about!

 

Pretty hard to say its anything but dang exciting when reading about these players. Sure hope these guys have great success, and also have great fun together. It should be fun to follow.

[Zephrin]

I might fly back to MN from DC next August if I can catch a game that Alex Meyer starts featuring Buxton, Mauer, Arcia and Sano in the lineup...

[Trevor0333]

Why would the Twins want Uggla??

 

I think Rosario is more of a #6-7 hitter because of his over-aggressiveness. Maybe putting him at #2 might help him become a little more patient, which could, in theory, make him more valuable.

 

I don't think they would want Uggla. Given they have plenty of payroll available that will definitely not all be used in the next 2 years. I see it as a way of adding value to the package by eating the contract rather than adding talent. Enabling the team to get another young MLB ready top of the rotation starter in Wood.

 

Maybe I am over valuing how good Wood is?

[jokin]

Buxton will likely start 2013 in New Britain. I will be completely shocked if he is not in the big leagues by mid-July.

 

Glad to see more and more of us are on the same page about Buxton. The national guys billboarded him this spring and set the hype-table, but it was Byron Buxton himself who proved even better than all the glowing accolades and forced the issue for the rest of the doubters, and finally made it easy for the Twins to keep him on the fast-track- and then, to their credit, they hit the gas pedal some more by sending him to the AFL. I saw him in CR and he didn't even do much that weekend and it was still obvious how special he was- but caused me concern that because of the poor major league team, they might hold Buxton back even longer until better players could be established to play alongside him. A 2014 July call-up, along with Sano, will be the beginning of the end of our long national nightmare.

[clutterheart]

2015 can't come fast enough:

 

Buxton CF

Rosario LF/2B

Mauer DH/C/1B

Sano 3B

Arcia 1B/RF

Dozier 2B/OF

Pinto C/DH

Santana SS

Hicks RF/LF

 

man....

[orangevening]

2015 can't come fast enough:

 

Buxton CF

Rosario LF/2B

Mauer DH/C/1B

Sano 3B

Arcia 1B/RF

Dozier 2B/OF

Pinto C/DH

Santana SS

Hicks RF/LF

 

man....

 

When did Dozier become option for OF? Arcia for 1st?

 

Line up is bot going to matter unless we get some pitching. If Meyer/May/Gibson don't turn out...

[mnfanforlife]

Why would the Twins want Uggla??

 

I think Rosario is more of a #6-7 hitter because of his over-aggressiveness. Maybe putting him at #2 might help him become a little more patient, which could, in theory, make him more valuable.

 

Agreed. Rosario would work in the 2-spot because Mauer would be in the 3-hole. Eddie would get lots of fastballs in the zone hitting ahead of Mauer. Then, Sano should be #4 and Arcia #5.

 

Buxton is the future 1-hole, and everyone else could fill in the 6-9 spots. NOt a bad top-5 if everyone pans out.

[Seth Stohs]

But see, I am not so certain that Buxton's long-term is in the lead-off spot. Like Mike Trout, he could start out leading off, but he's a natural #3 hitter (if you believe that a team's best overall hitter should be #3). Ideally Hicks gets back to being great at getting on base, I'd like to see this:

 

Hicks RF

Mauer 1B

Buxton CF

Sano 3B

Arcia DH

Pinto C

Rosario LF

Dozier 2B

Florimon/Santana SS

 

Think about that. If you've got an 8 hitter who is playing great middle infield defense and hitting 20 HR a base while getting on base, that's a lineup that now is terrific 1-8. Florimon's lack of offense in the 9-hole suddenly isn't a big deal because you're solid the rest of the way.

 

As has been mentioned though, pitching is going to be a big thing too. Meyer 'can' be a 1/2, Gibson 'can' be a solid 3. May 'may' be a solid 4. Couple in a free agent that can be classified as a 2. You're looking pretty good in not too long.

[Tibs]

Where is Meyer going to start and realistically how early could he get to the Twins? I will for sure be making multiple trips to Minnesota if Buxton, Sano and Meyer are there. I'm excited for Rosario and Stewart as well.

[Don't Feed the Greed Guy]

No love for Edgar Ibarra in the top 50, Seth? Ibarra was just added to the 40-Man Roster, he pitched in the Eastern League All Star Game, and finished 2013 with an ERA under 2, while splitting time between New Britain and Rochester, and he's a lefty who has been effective against hitters from both sides of the plate. Edgar Ibarra 2013 Minor League Gamelogs & Splits - Baseball-Reference.com

[diehardtwinsfan]

Seth, I think you under estimate what May can end up being. That said, while I like Meyer, May, and Gibson, counting on all 3 is not smart.... I do hope Ryan recognizes this.

[drivlikejehu]

Injury risk alone takes Meyer off any legit consideration for the #2 prospect spot.

 

Buxton would really have to dominate to get called up mid-year. New Britain isn't the easiest place to hit, especially early in the season, and even someone with Buxton's ability may need a bit of time to adjust to superior pitching.

[bphat1]

2015 can't come fast enough:

 

Buxton CF

Rosario LF/2B

Mauer DH/C/1B

Sano 3B

Arcia 1B/RF

Dozier 2B/OF

Pinto C/DH

Santana SS

Hicks RF/LF

 

man....

 

 

 

While I love the enthusiasm, I can't tell you how many projected lineups and rotations I've seen over the years that seemed like they were a year or two away, only to end up with with a lineup or rotation with only 2-4 of those guys actually in it. That's also an incredibly young lineup.

[Smcginnity]

Seth - I'm blown away that you think Buxton will be up with the Twins by July. I totally did not expect that. That makes me super excited. I thought that he wouldn't be with the team until September at the earliest. Wow.

 

So, we may eventually have a second base problem to deal with. We have Dozier, Polanco, and Rosario. Obviously, all three are solid but Dozier is the only KNOWN commodity. Do we try and flip Dozier for a starting pitcher this offseason? I hate to do it but I worry he will only regress from here and we need to strike a trade while we can knowing we have reinforcements on the horizon at second base.

[Otto von Ballpark]

The last Twins "phenom" Joe Mauer made it to the big leagues after 2 full seasons in the minors. However, he was advanced a bit slower than Buxton so far -- Mauer spent his whole first season in low-A, then split his second full season between A+ and AA. Buxton was also 4 months older than Mauer when drafted. Additionally, Mauer was somewhat "blocked" at the MLB level by Pierzynski, and the Twins were contenders so breaking him in during a pennant race was probably less than ideal.

 

So, expecting Buxton in MLB sometime next season seems pretty reasonable. Unlike Seth, though, I think I would be shocked if he was up BEFORE July -- remember, this guy still hasn't played above high-A, he's starting in a pitcher's league, and there's that Super-2 cutoff date to think about (not that I think it makes a big deal, but when the guy is a potential superstar and he's beginning the season in AA, it doesn't hurt to wait).

 

So I say, July at the earliest.

[Seth Stohs]

Where is Meyer going to start and realistically how early could he get to the Twins? I will for sure be making multiple trips to Minnesota if Buxton, Sano and Meyer are there. I'm excited for Rosario and Stewart as well.

 

I don't know where he'll start. He could get a month in New Britain... either way, I think he's up by July.

[Seth Stohs]

No love for Edgar Ibarra in the top 50' date=' Seth? Ibarra was just added to the 40-Man Roster, he pitched in the Eastern League All Star Game, and finished 2013 with an ERA under 2, while splitting time between New Britain and Rochester, and he's a lefty who has been effective against hitters from both sides of the plate. Edgar Ibarra 2013 Minor League Gamelogs & Splits - Baseball-Reference.com

 

He had a very good year, no question. He could be anywhere from 45-55 on such a list.

[Seth Stohs]

Seth, I think you under estimate what May can end up being. That said, while I like Meyer, May, and Gibson, counting on all 3 is not smart.... I do hope Ryan recognizes this.

 

I am intrigued by what May can become... IF he can drop his walk rate by 1.0, he could be a #2/3 starter. If he can just be a little bit more consistent, I think he can be a #4/5. Even right now, I think that he can be a very good reliever. It'll just be interesting to see what happens over the next year. Regardless, I would bring him up as a starter and give him that opportunity.

[Seth Stohs]

Seth - I'm blown away that you think Buxton will be up with the Twins by July. I totally did not expect that. That makes me super excited. I thought that he wouldn't be with the team until September at the earliest. Wow.

 

So, we may eventually have a second base problem to deal with. We have Dozier, Polanco, and Rosario. Obviously, all three are solid but Dozier is the only KNOWN commodity. Do we try and flip Dozier for a starting pitcher this offseason? I hate to do it but I worry he will only regress from here and we need to strike a trade while we can knowing we have reinforcements on the horizon at second base.

 

Regarding Buxton - Maybe "shocked" is a little bit strong. After seeing Buxton early in the year, nothing would surprise me with him. He's as good as I've ever seen, and the Twins have shown in the past they're not afraid to bring up elite talent early. Mauer, Arcia, they certainly fit into that category.

 

Regarding 2B - as you point out, Dozier is the known commodity, and yet at the same time, he'll have to prove it again next year. I saw enough to believe that he can be a .750-800 OPS guy with power. We don't know about Rosario or Polanco yet. I wouldn't deal Dozier. I'd rather move Rosario back to LF instead, and that's if both of them prove to be good.

[DAM DC Twins Fans]

Line up is bot going to matter unless we get some pitching. If Meyer/May/Gibson don't turn out...

 

That is my concern too. I don't have much faith in either May or Gibson to be more than back of the rotation guys (Diamond, Correia types). I am counting on Meyer to be an Ace in 2015 or 6. Pitching seems to be coming--but it is low As--I call it the cavalry--guys like Stewart, Gonsalves, Berrrios, and older guys like Duffey and Rogers and Lee and the others (potentially). This wave may come in 2016 but more likely 2017.

[DAM DC Twins Fans]

I would trade Dozier (who should bring in more than Doumit or the hammer) this off-season to try to get pitching to bridge the gap until the cavalry gets here and give Rosario a shot.