Twins Daily 2018 Top 20 Prospect Countdown: 11-15

15. Mitch Garver, C

Age: 27 (DOB: 1/15/91)

2017 Stats (AAA): 372 PA, .291/.387/.541, 17 HR, 45 RBI

ETA: 2018

2017 Ranking: 11

A year ago, we ranked Garver 11th on this list. He went on to post the second-highest OPS in the International League (behind only Rhys Hoskins), rightfully earning Twins Minor League Player of the Year honors. So what's with the slide?

In part, this speaks to the general quality of Minnesota's farm system. But it also points to Garver's ticking clock. He's the oldest player on this list by a big margin. It gets difficult to call someone a top prospect when he's 27 and still hasn't made an impact in the majors. Garver got his feet wet last year but struggled to a .196 average and .636 OPS in 50 plate appearances with the Twins.

In 2018 he is primed to get his full shot, lined up as Jason Castro's timeshare partner behind the plate (a role that got Chris Gimenez plenty of tread). Garver's defense is well regarded and he's proven he can hit at the highest level of the minors, particularly against left-handed pitching. We'll see now if he can do the same in the big leagues. It's not implausible the former 9th-round pick could yet develop into Minnesota's primary long-term catcher after Castro moves on.

14. LaMonte Wade, OF

Age: 24 (DOB: 1/1/94)

2017 Stats (AA): 519 PA, .292/.397/.408, 7 HR, 67 RBI

ETA: 2019

2017 Ranking: 15

Like Garver, Wade was a 9th-round pick who has healthily exceeded expectations as a pro. A lefty-swinging outfielder whose lack of outstanding speed now limits him to the corners, he has made his name on one key skill: getting on base. He posted a .402 OBP between two levels of Single-A in 2016, and last year made the jump to Double-A with a .397 mark that ranked him third in the Southern League.

With his somewhat limited defensive profile, Wade needs to keep producing at the plate, and that will probably require him to add more power. Stellar walk rates in the low minors tend to erode as prospects move closer to the majors, unless they are giving pitchers a reason to fear throwing them strikes. The 24-year-old put up a career-low slugging percentage at Chattanooga, managing only 32 total extra-base hits in more than 500 plate appearances. That probably won't cut it. But with his sturdy lower half, Wade has the build to necessary to start driving the ball with more authority.

Notable slugging improvement at Rochester in 2018 would greatly increase Wade's outlook as an asset, though perhaps more as a trade chip than a future piece. He will have a hard time breaking into Minnesota's outfield as things currently stand.

13. Lewin Diaz, 1B

Age: 21 (DOB: 11/19/96)

2017 Stats (Low A): 508 PA, .292/.329/.444, 12 HR, 68 RBI

ETA: 2021

2017 Ranking: 10

Since being signed out of the Dominican Republic for $1.4 million at age 16, Diaz has always maintained a level of lowkey hype in the Twins system despite failing to put up eye-catching numbers. With his big 6-foot-3 frame beginning to fill out as he ages into his 20s, Diaz is turning into the physical prototype for an intimidating force at the dish. But if his numbers don't start reflecting that potential soon, he is doomed to continue his slide on this list after dropping out of the 2017 Top 10.

It wasn't a bad season for Diaz necessarily. Taking on full-season ball for the first time in Cedar Rapids at age 20, he nearly batted .300 and kept the strikeouts in check, with his 15.7% K-rate placing among the ten lowest in the Midwest League. The lefty swinger actually performed better against southpaws, quieting those usual concerns.

But while his ability to make contact and stroke line drives was impressive, Diaz didn't show many other dimensions to his game. Making 321 more plate appearances than he did the previous season in Elizabethton, he hit only three more home runs. He also showed minimal patience, with his 4.9% walk rate ranking second-worst MWL among players with 500+ PA (only 18-year-old Padres prospect Hudson Potts was lower).

Offering minimal defensive value, Diaz needs to hit – and hit a lot – to become a valuable big-leaguer. The Twins still believe he'll get there, but he needs to prove it this year, especially since he'll be Rule 5 eligible again following the season if they don't dedicate a 40-man roster spot to him.

12. Lewis Thorpe, LHP

Age: 22 (DOB: 11/23/95)

2017 Stats (A+/AA): 83 IP, 3.36 ERA, 91/33 K/BB, 1.21 WHIP

ETA: 2019

2017 Ranking: NR

The Twins did make the 40-man commitment to Thorpe last fall, despite not having a ton of information to go on. He threw only 83 total innings in 2017, and that was his highest total since signing out of Australia in 2012. The talented southpaw has been plagued by injuries, which sidelined him for both the 2015 and 2016 seasons in their entirety. But Thorpe's return to the mound last summer went very smoothly.

Spending most his campaign at Ft. Myers after opening in extended spring training, he continued to silence opposing bats as he had before all the missed time, striking out 84 hitters in 77 innings while allowing only three homers. Bringing a potent repertoire from the left side, he induced double-digit whiffs in seven of his final 13 turns, including an August spot start at Double-A where he struck out seven over six frames.

He'll probably start his year at Chattanooga, so Thorpe could quickly emerge as an option for the MLB club. It's not difficult to see parallels between him and Fernando Romero, who returned in 2016 after missing basically two full seasons and has since established himself as one of the team's very best prospects.

11. Zack Littell, RHP

Age: 22 (DOB: 10/5/95)

2017 Stats (A+/AA): 157 IP, 2.12 ERA, 142/41 K/BB, 1.12 WHIP

ETA: 2018

2017 Ranking: NR

Even in an age where the valuation of the almighty "W" among analysts has thankfully diminished greatly, it's hard not to look at Littell's shiny 19-1 record in 2017 and say, "whoa." The right-hander, acquired from the Yankees at the deadline when Minnesota flipped Jaime Garcia, picked up a win in 19 of his 25 starts, a reflection of his masterful performance (17 quality starts).

Littell's numbers have outpaced his prospect luster; he hasn't had any presence on national lists and didn't even make Minor League Ball's Top 20 for the Yankees last year despite going 13-6 with a 2.66 ERA between two levels of A-ball in 2016. But at this point those numbers are getting harder to ignore. He transitioned to Double-A without a hitch, working at least six innings in all but two of his 14 starts with Trenton and Chattanooga while, obviously, delivering sterling results.

Having said that, Littell comes close to cracking the Top 10 more because of his floor than his ceiling. As good as his numbers have been in the minors, few believe he'll achieve remotely similar outcomes in the bigs with his 89-91 MPH fastball and unspectacular secondaries. Having a great feel for the craft of pitching shouldn't be overlooked, as it can make up for shortcomings with stuff. That's certainly been the case for Littell the past two years. We'll see if he can carry it over to Triple-A and – perhaps, in the latter half of the summer, Target Field?

Twins Daily Top 20 Prospects 2018

20. Felix Jorge, RHP

19. Tyler Jay, LHP

18. Yunior Severino, 2B

17. Travis Blankenhorn, 2B/3B

16. Ben Rortvedt, C

15. Mitch Garver, C

14. LaMonte Wade, OF

13. Lewin Diaz, 1B

12. Lewis Thorpe, LHP

11. Zack Littell, RHP

10. Coming Thursday!

Read profiles of 16-20 here

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!