One Under-the-Radar Minnesota Twins Prospect to Watch at Each Affiliate

The St. Paul Saints began their season last week, while the Twins’ other full-season affiliates will take the field this weekend. Top prospects like Walker Jenkins, Emmanuel Rodriguez, and David Festa will garner plenty of attention, but under-the-radar names will need to perform well for the organization to have long-term success. The names below aren’t in Twins Daily’s top 20 prospects, but they can move up the rankings during the 2024 campaign. 

Triple-A: St. Paul Saints
Prospect to Watch: DaShawn Keirsey Jr, OF
The Twins selected Keirsey in the fourth round of the 2018 MLB Draft, and he worked his way to St. Paul in the second half of the 2023 season. Last year, he hit .294/.366/.455 with 18 doubles, eight triples, and 15 home runs in 130 games between Double- and Triple-A. Minnesota left him unprotected in the Rule 5 Draft this winter, and there was a chance another organization would select him. Luckily, other teams passed him over, and he stayed with the organization. Keirsey has a ton of speed; he went 39-for-44 in stolen base attempts last season and can play all three outfield positions. He isn’t on the 40-man roster, but is a potential call-up if the Twins need outfield depth. 

Double-A: Wichita Wind Surge
Prospect to Watch: Ben Ross, UTL
Ross was a fifth-round pick in 2022 from Notre Dame College, a Division II school, where he hit .405 with an OPS over 1.200. Last season, he played most of the year at High-A and hit .239/.321/.439, with 25 doubles, two triples, and 19 home runs. He finished tied for second in the Midwest League in home runs. Ross played shortstop in college and can continue to handle that position, but the Twins have other shortstop prospects ahead of him on the organizational depth chart. In 2023, he logged over 100 innings at shortstop, third base, and first base, along with playing all three outfield positions. His 25.4% strikeout rate with Cedar Rapids was high, so he will work to reduce that number.

High-A: Cedar Rapids Kernels
Prospect to Watch: Andrew Morris, RHP
Minnesota took Morris in the fourth round of the 2022 MLB Draft from Texas Tech University. During the 2023 campaign, he split time between Low- and High-A, while compiling impressive numbers. In 84 1/3 innings, he posted a 2.88 ERA with a 1.24 WHIP and 8.4 strikeouts per nine innings. He was also one of the key starters in the Cedar Rapids rotation on their way to the 2023 Midwest League title. His fastball can reach the high 90s, with movement, and his offspeed and breaking pitches improved last year. Morris fills up the strike zone, but has yet to put up big strikeout totals--something to keep an eye on this season. As he gets more pro innings under his belt, he has an opportunity to be one of the team’s top pitching prospects.  

Low-A: Fort Myers Miracle
Prospect to Watch: Jose Rodriguez, OF/1B
Rodríguez was signed during the 2022 international signing period, for $650,000. He quickly made an impression in the Dominican Summer League, knocking 13 homers, which led the league. Last season, he came Stateside and hit .262/.325/.412, with 10 doubles and six home runs in 49 games. Like many young players, Rodríguez is still very raw and can improve his plate discipline. As his body matures, there is some discussion about whether he can stick in a corner outfield spot, or whether he will have to move to first base, a position he played a handful of times last season. Fort Myers will be his first taste of a full-season league, and he needs to show his power is for real to fit at a corner outfield spot. 

Which prospects will you be keeping an eye on for each affiliate? Will any of the above names crack the team’s top-20 prospect list before next season? Leave a comment and start the discussion.

Interested in learning more about the Minnesota Twins' top prospects? Check out our comprehensive top prospects list that includes up-to-date stats, articles and videos about every prospect, scouting reports, and more!