Seth's Midseason Twins Top 40 Prospect Rankings: Part 2 (11-20)

I’m pretty certain that not 100% of you will agree with 100% of my rankings. In fact, I’m certain no one would share the exact same Top 40, so feel free to discuss in the forum. I enjoy answering any questions you may have. With that, let’s get started.

#20 - LHP Randy Rosario - 22 - Ft. Myers Miracle

While his record is just 2-5 and he has a 3.95 ERA so far this season, Rosario is all about the tools and the talent. After missing a year with Tommy John surgery, he returned to the Kernels for half of the season last year. He was added to the 40-man roster based on stuff. He just recently turned 22, has already had a surgery and returned throwing left-handed in the mid-90s. He’s still building up and the sky is the limit for him.

#19 - 1B Lewin Diaz - 19 - Extended Spring Training

Diaz was the Twins big international signing in 2013 from the Dominican Republic. At 6-3 and 255 pounds, it is pretty evident what his biggest attribute is on the baseball field. He has a tremendous amount of power, but he could eventually be a solid all-around hitter. Reports from Ft. Myers are that he is hitting very well right now and has for most of extended spring training. He is a work-in-progress at first base having played some in the outfield as an amateur. His best position might be DH. He ended last season by hitting just .157 in 14 games at Elizabethton, but three of his eight hits went over the fence. He’ll likely return to the E-Twins for the short-season.

#18 - 3B Trey Cabbage - 19 - Extended Spring Training

At 6-3 and just over 200 pounds, Trey Cabbage is another great athlete in the Twins system. He was selected in the third round of the 2015 draft and signed quickly. He hit .252 in 33 games in the GCL. He has played mostly third but also some shortstop this spring. Reports are that he was really crushing the ball early in EST. With a strong, smooth, left-handed swing, he has the potential to hit for power while also being willing to use the whole field. In a few weeks, he’ll head to his home state of Tennessee and play for the Elizabethton Twins.

#17 - SS Wander Javier - 17 - Dominican Summer League

Based solely on his signing bonus ($4 million), Javier should be much higher up this list. However, he’s just 17 and made his professional debut on Saturday in the Dominican Summer League. In two games, he’s 1-7 with two walks and a double. The stats, of course, are completely meaningless. At that age, it’s all about the tools, and Javier is blessed with a shed full of tools. Most believe that he can stay at shortstop. He has a strong arm. He can run well. He should hit, and many think he will eventually hit for a lot of power. That’s how a guy gets a big signing bonus. Now, time for the development.

#16 - OF Adam Brett Walker - 24 - Rochester Red Wings

Walker has moved up one level each year since the Twins drafted the Milwaukee native out of Jacksonville University in the third round of the 2012 draft.Since then, he has provided a ton of power. Last year in AA Chattanooga, he led the Southern League with 31 home runs and 106 RBI. Walker has been discussed many times in the pages and forums of Twins Daily. He struck out 40% of the time last year in AA, and right now he’s striking out nearly 50% of his plate appearances in AAA. He remains productive, however, hitting just .215, but with 12 home runs and 26 RBI. He is just 24-years-old and in just his first option year, so the hope would be that he can find incremental improvements the rest of this year and into next year. Defensively he is a good athlete, but struggles throwing.

#15 - RHP Alex Meyer - 26 - Rochester Red Wings

2015 was a tough year for Meyer on many counts, including on the mound. He began this season in the Red Wings starting rotation and after three starts, he was called up to the Twins to pitch long relief. However, two starters went on the disabled list and Meyer had to be pushed back to allow him to make a start. He made one start in Houston, and knowing that Ervin Santana would make his next scheduled start, Meyer was sent down to Rochester right away to allow a bullpen arm to be called up to take a spot until Santana came off the DL and made the start. That’s where things get interesting. Upon his return to Rochester, he pitched a bullpen and felt some soreness in his right shoulder. The organization decided to shut him down and skip a start. The soreness hadn’t subsided and the timing kept being pushed back. Because the minor league 7-day DL is not retroactive, they were hopeful that he would soon be better and get right back into the rotation. However, when it had been four weeks, he was given an MRI and it showed some inflammation. He was put on the DL. At 26, the hope is that he can be healthy soon and find a role he can be successful with with the Twins. As we saw early this year, his 96-97 mph fastball is terrific, and his curveball can be devastating.

#14 - LHP Lewis Thorpe - 20 - Extended Spring Training

Thorpe had Tommy John surgery last April and missed the entire year. This spring, he was feeling well and starting to get back on the mound. Recently, he had a setback. Thorpe came down with mono which will cost him time again, building his strength up. Hard to believe after he missed a full year that Thorpe is still just 20. Signed in 2011 from Australia, Thorpe burst on the scene when he added weight and fastball velocity, touching 95, in 2013 in the GCL. He pitched for the Kernels in 2014. Hopefully he can get back on the mound soon and eventually spend some time with an affiliate in 2016.

#13 - LaMonte Wade - 22 - Cedar Rapids Kernels

Wade was the Twins ninth-round draft pick in 2015 out of the University of Maryland. After playing 1B for a couple of years, he moved out to center field for his junior season. Unfortunately, he broke his hamate bone and missed time that year. That’s how he was available in the ninth round. He immediately started showing his talent in Elizabethton where he hit .312 with 22 extra base hits. He also walked 46 times and struck out just 34 times. He ended the season with a few games in Cedar Rapids, including their playoff run. He was our choice for Twins Minor League Hitter of the Month in April and continued to play well in May. Overall, he’s still hitting .318 with a .438 on base percentage and nine extra-base hits. Again he shows a very professional at-bat and has struck out 22 times to go with 38 walks. He was named a starter in the Midwest League All Star game in Cedar Rapids and could be in line for a promotion to Ft. Myers in the season’s second half.

#12 - RH RP Nick Burdi - 23 - Chattanooga Lookouts

Burdi struggled a year ago in his first full season as a professional at AA until he went down to Ft. Myers for a short time. He turned things around and pitched well for the Lookouts late in the year and then in the Arizona Fall League. He had a strong showing in big league camp this spring. Unfortunately, he has been shut down twice already this year with arm ailments. Neither was the shoulder or the UCL, so that’s the positive. He is currently on the DL with a bone bruise on his elbow which can be very painful. He is starting a throwing program. It’d be nice to have him back in the second half. At this point he may not be an automatic for a call up in the second half.

#11 - OF Daniel Palka - 24 - Chattanooga Lookouts

The Twins acquired Palka this past offseason from the Diamondbacks in exchange for catcher Chris Herrmann. Palka made a strong first impression when he joined the big league club for a game in spring training and homered in his first two at- bats. And then hit another one the next day. He is tied with Adam Brett Walker for the organizational lead in home runs this year with 12. Palka can play some first base though this year Doug Mientkiewicz has played him mostly in right field. He is willing to take walks and, like Walker, one area to watch with him is his strikeout rate which currently is sitting at 30% this year (Walker was at 35% last year in AA.. A year ago in Visalia, he hit .280 with 36 doubles, 29 homers and 90 RBI. He also stole 24 bases, but has just three so far this year. Palka was the third-round pick of Arizona’s in 2013 out of Georgia Tech, though he is just 10 days younger than Walker.

So there they are, my choices for Twins prospects 11-20. What are your thoughts these ten guys? Discuss them below in the comments or feel free to ask any questions you may have. Tomorrow we’ll post the choices for the Top 10 Minnesota Twins prospects At that point, you will have my choices, and I’d enjoy comparing my list to your Top 10 or Top 20 or Top 30, etc.

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!