4 Prospects the Twins Might Focus on with the #49 Pick

The Twins are in a strong position entering the 2023 MLB Draft. In addition to having the fourth largest bonus pool, north of $14.3 million, they have four top 100 picks, and three in the top 50. The 2023 Draft class is loaded with talent, one of the strongest in years. In the build up to the Draft, we're going to share some names to watch at particular spots that give an indication of the caliber of talent that might be available for a particular pick. Today, we'll dig into the Twins pick at #49 overall.

Jake Gelof
Position: 3B, Age: 21, School: Virginia, Height: 6’1, Weight: 195, B/T: R/R, Rank: 38 
Gelof is a stretch to get to 49, but it’s indicative of the depth of talent in this Draft class that he’s even in the conversation. His brother was drafted in 2021 by the As in the second round. Gelof has been pulverizing baseballs in 2023. At the plate, he has an aggressive approach with plus power, particularly to the pull side. He does chase out of the zone but has good contact rates inside the zone. Gelof has a solid approach at the plate. He’s cut his strikeouts in 2023 and has a 20 BB%, so there’s on base value there. Defensively, Gelof isn’t a great athlete or mover, although he has an at least an above average arm. He’ll likely start out his pro career at third base but there’s a chance he moves to first base eventually. Power is the carrying tool here, but the on-base skills give a solid offensive floor, particularly if he can cut his K%.

Brice Matthews
Position: SS, Age: 21, School: Nebraska, Height: 6’0, Weight: 190, B/T: R/R, Rank: 43
Such is the magnitude of Matthews’ 2023 breakout, he’s been talked about as a late first round or sandwich pick. If you’re interested in targeting an uptick in production on the 2023 season, he’s your guy. Matthews has a compact right handed swing and put up excellent exit velocities for Nebraska in 2023. He can get chase heavy at times, evidenced by his 25 K% which is a concern with his approach. He’s improved his BB% this season from 16% to 23% so there are tangible improvements, to go with a .359/.481/.723 line 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases. Defensively, Matthews has a shot to stick at shortstop given his outstanding athleticism. He’ll be an average defender if he does, but could easily kick over to second base or even move to center field. If the breakout is legit, Matthews could be a huge steal.

Tanner Witt
Position: RHP, Age: 21, School: Texas, Height: 6’5, Weight: 215, B/T: R/R, Rank: 46
Witt’s story will be a familiar one for Minnesota Twins Draft fans. He had TJ surgery and returned to throw for interested teams close to the Draft. Unlike Connor Prielipp however, Witt returned to in-game action for a Longhorns team about to compete in a Super Regional at the time of writing. On the mound, Witt is imposing at 6’5 and has a ton of projection left. Pre-surgery, his fastball sat 93-95 mph but could grab 97 mph, with good run. His best breaker is a big 12-6 curveball that the bottom drops out of. It’s a strikeout weapon and a legit swing and miss pitch. Witt also has a slider and a changeup that are emerging but give him the strong platform a four-pitch mix offers. Unsurprisingly, Witt was a little uneven in his return from injury, looking inconsistent with both control and stuff. His track record at UT is limited, just 68 innings pre-injury, but the stuff, frame, and projectability are undeniably exciting.

Mac Horvath
Position: 3B/OF, Age: 21, School: North Carolina, Height: 6’1, Weight: 200, B/T: R/R, Rank: 86
Horvath is likely to garner plenty of attention from Twins Daily readers as he's a product of Rochester, MN. The North Carolina outfielder has one of the more intriguing power/speed contributions of any college hitter and has improved every year for the Tar Heels. At the plate, it's a power over hit approach and his strikeout rate is a concern, despite strong on base numbers. Horvath has at least above average speed and solid defensive chops. He's played third base and in the outfield for North Carolina, taking advantage of a great throwing arm in either spot. He'd be a great fit in right field long term. In 2023, he put up a .305/.418/.711 line with 24 home runs and 25 steals through the end of the college season. You can add 18 BB% to the appeal, but the 25 K% gives you pause. If he can cut down on the strikeouts, there's a ton of impact there.

Who are your favorite prospects mentioned? What are other names that intrigue you with this pick? Join our draft speculation in the comments below.