Not-So-Premium Velocity

On Sunday night, Parker and I subbed for Aaron on the Gleeman and the Geek podcast. Among the topics discussed was the club's decision to non-tender 22-year-old right-hander Yorman Landa, thus opening a spot on the 40-man roster in advance of this week's Rule 5 draft.

Landa has a power arm that has touched 100 MPH. In the past, releasing such a specimen would be unthinkable for a franchise starving for special heat. But Landa's expendability is a sign of the times.

In Baseball America's Rule 5 draft preview, JJ Cooper notes that "at least nine pitchers who touched 100 mph or better this year" will be available to the Twins when they select first on Thursday. You can bet that a big fastball alone won't entice the Twins.

The past regime has been down that path too many times. Alex Meyer and Jim Hoey were seemingly acquired largely for their overpowering velocity, but the coinciding control issues never went away. J.R. Graham was Minnesota's Rule 5 selection after his velo uptick following a switch to the bullpen caught the eyes of scouts. His 95-MPH heater never translated to dominance.

Relievers that can bring the zing are no longer rare commodities, so big radar results in isolation aren't going to generate a whole lot of excitement anymore. It will be interesting to see what other qualities the new decision-makers prioritize. They are all but certain to add a new player in the Rule 5 draft, and there will be plenty of opportunities to find talent through other avenues before and after.

To find out which prospects the Twins will be choosing from on Thursday, I highly recommend checking out BA's write-up, which profiles several very intriguing names.