Twins Daily 2024 Top 20 Prospects: Honorable Mentions

Each season, just before spring training, we have presented our selections for the Top 20 Twins prospects. In 2022, that list was the starting point for the Prospect Tracker, which we updated throughout the season and after the season. 

There is something special about the Top Prospect rankings articles that come in the spring. They’re what people look back on and “judge” it on. While readers can help vote on in-season and end-of-season updates to the prospect rankings, this ranking is done entirely by the Twins Daily minor-league writing staff. That includes 13 individuals who have written minor-league reports, written prospect profiles, done videos on prospects, etc. 

Just a bit of background before we get started: Even though we publish our Top 20 prospects, I ask each participant to submit their Top 30 Twins prospect rankings. It provides a much more accurate top-20 list, because we can differentiate if a player is ranked as someone’s #21 prospect or #29 prospect. When the rankings were submitted, I put the results into a worksheet. A #1 ranking was worth 30 points. A #2 ranking was worth 29 points. #3? That’s right. 28 points. And so on, to a #30 ranking worth one point. 

However, today, we will start this series by sharing a list of Honorable Mentions--or Also Received Votes, if you prefer. To me, this list shows the depth of the organization. The high-ceiling players are in the top five or the top ten, but this group that lands just outside the top 20 is filled with several players who will play in the big leagues.

While we won't provide any rankings beyond the top 20, the Honorable Mentions can be lumped into a few categories. With 13 voters, you get 13 different rankings and a wide range for some players, especially in this range. Seventeen players appeared on all 13 “ballots.” That means that even in the top 20, three players didn’t fit into one person’s Top 30.

I’ve enjoyed writing this Honorable Mention article each year because it shows the organization’s depth. If we are being honest, it can also show the limitations of prospect ranking. This can be former prospects coming off of bad years. It can be recently acquired players (via trade or draft) that may not be the top picks, but something is intriguing. Some players may have never been looked at as top prospects, but continue to get moved up and keep themselves in the conversation. 

In 2019, Luis Arráez and Jordan Balazovic appeared in this range of the list. In the 2020 Honorable Mention, names such as Jorge Alcalá, Bailey Ober, and Akil Baddoo were mentioned. The 2022 Honorable Mention list contained several players later used in trades, including Cade Povich, Christian Encarnacion-Strand, Sawyer Gipson-Long, and Casey Legumina. 

Cory Lewis is the player mentioned in the Honorable Mentions in 2023 whose prospect status jumped the most. He went from a 2022 ninth-round draft pick to Twins Daily Minor League Starting Pitcher of the Year in 2023 and a Top 10ish prospect in 2024.  

Before we start, the following players are no longer “prospects” according to Baseball Reference (and the rules of baseball): Edouard Julien, Royce Lewis, Matt Wallner, Louie Varland, and Cole Sands. 

FIRST-ROUND FEATURE  
Keoni Cavaco, the team’s top pick in 2019, received no votes for a Top 30 spot. 2020 top pick Aaron Sabato received one 29th-place ranking.

Noah Miller was a Competitive Balance A pick (between the 1st and 2nd rounds). He is an interesting prospect case. He was pushed up to Cedar Rapids, where, as a 20-year-old, he hit .223/.309/.340 with 20 doubles, five triples, and eight home runs. The numbers certainly aren’t inspiring, but he likely has a big-league future when coupled with Gold Glove defense. The hope is that he continues to grow, gain strength, and develop his offensive game.

José Salas fits into this category as well. He wasn’t a first-round pick, but when the Twins acquired him in the Pablo López-for-Arráez trade, some highly regarded him, even listing him as a top-100 prospect in some places. The Marlins had inexplicably pushed him to High A as a 19-year-old. He had posted a .776 OPS in 61 games at Low A, but then in 48 games of High A, he posted a .660 OPS. What’s inexplicable is the .537 OPS that he put together in 93 games with High-A Cedar Rapids in 2023. However, he won’t even turn 21 until late April. 

HIGH-CEILING FCL STRUGGLES 
The other player acquired from the Marlins was Dominican Summer League outfielder Byron Chourio. He hit .344 (with an .838 OPS) with the DSL Marlins as a 17-year-old in 2022. He missed some time with injury in 2023, but in 24 games in the FCL, he hit .262/.415/.298. He had more walks than strikeouts, a skill that makes him very intriguing as he moves forward.

Likewise, Yasser Mercedes missed time due to a shoulder injury. After his strong debut season in the DSL, in which he showed off immense power and speed, he struggled with the jump to the States. Again, the shoulder played a significant role, and his future remains bright.

José Rodríguez was our short-season Minor League Hitter of the Year in 2022 in the DSL. In 49 games with the FCL in 2023, he hit .262/.325/.412, with 10 doubles and six home runs. Teammates tout his power potential. 

Finally, I’m going to tout a personal favorite. Miguel Cordero is a 17-year-old pitcher who was signed 12 months ago out of Venezuela. He is long and thin and projectable. At this stage, he profiles as a starting pitcher. He is a long way from the big leagues, but he got ranked #24 by me. 

UTILITY TYPES IN UPPER LEVELS
They may not be the top prospects, but you must have noticed that this organization places a lot of value on versatility on defense and the ability to fill a role. That becomes more valuable as guys reach the upper levels.  

Michael Helman was that guy in 2022. He played all over the diamond, crushed Triple-A pitching, stole bases, and had a good eye at the plate. Even after missing most of the 2023 season, the 27-year-old still received votes because he is so close.

The 2023 version of Helman came from Anthony Prato. He struggled to start the season at Double A, but from the day he hit Triple-A St. Paul, he began crushing the baseball. The 25-year-old was the team’s seventh-round pick in 2019, from UConn. In 72 games with St. Paul, he hit .352/.452/.539, with 23 doubles and 10 home runs. He can play three infield positions and has spent a lot of time in left field.

DaShawn Keirsey has finally been healthy the last couple of seasons and has seen his value to an organization rise. The 26-year-old was the fourth-round pick in 2018 from Utah. He had a solid, semi-breakout season in 2022 in Wichita. In a numbers crunch created by the Twins' organizational outfield depth, he returned to the Wind Surge to start the 2023 season. He hit .305/.364/.488, with 17 doubles, five triples, and 13 home runs. He finished the season with 39 games in St. Paul, hitting .264 (.739) with three triples and two home runs. Combined, he went 39-for-44 in stolen base attempts. A solid bat with gap-to-gap power and speed to turn doubles into triples and steal bases is valuable. In addition, he is probably the best defensive outfielder in the organization and can play a great center field.

The Twins selected Ben Ross with their fifth-round pick in the 2022 draft. He played at Notre Dame College in Ohio. At Cedar Rapids in 2023, he hit .240/.322/.455, with 25 doubles and 19 home runs. He mostly played third base, first base, and shortstop, but he also got time at all three outfield positions. When he moved up to Wichita for 10 games at the end of the season, he played one game at second base and the rest at shortstop. Still just 22, Ross is a bit under the radar and should be discussed more. 

BACKSTOPS
We know how important it is to have solid catchers in any organization. Twins fans were spoiled with a decade of Hall of Famer Joe Mauer, who was terrific behind and at the plate. That’s unusual, as we have seen since then. Ryan Jeffers and Christian Vázquez appear to be the team’s catchers going into the season, but teams need depth. 

Jair Camargo was added to the Twins 40-man roster after the season, before he could become a free agent. He is a stocky backstop with a powerful arm and good athleticism. At St. Paul in 2023, he hit .259/.323/.503, with 16 doubles and 29 home runs. The 24-year-old Camargo should get that first call when the Twins need a catcher.  

Andrew Cossetti was a 12th-round pick in 2022 from St. Joseph’s University. He jumped on the scene in Fort Myers in April. He played 35 games for the Mussels and hit a robust .330/.462/.607, with 11 doubles and six home runs. He quickly was promoted to Cedar Rapids, where he did have some struggles, yet in 60 games, he posted a .262/.406/.492 slash line with 12 doubles and nine homers. Known for his offense, it’s possible he shifts to first base or becomes a DH, but he went to the Arizona Fall League after the season hoping to keep working on his defense. He turns 24 yet this month.

After a strong pro debut in 2022 (other than 13 FCL games in 2021 after the Twins drafted him in the eighth round out of UCLA), Noah Cardenas moved up another level in 2023 and played 90 games for the Kernels. He hit .272/.397/.382 with 23 doubles and three home runs. He’s got a very good approach at the plate with some doubles power. Cardenas is also known as a very strong defensive player. 

Those three received votes. I’ll also point out that Chris Williams, now 27, hit .236 with 21 home runs in Triple A in 2023. Also, Patrick Winkel, who turned 24 on Saturday, is likely the catcher on whom the Twins are highest. He hit .266/.362/.424 with 16 doubles and 10 homers in 88 games at Wichita.    

WE HARDLY KNOW YE, YET
Several 2023 Twins draft picks did not play at all last summer. In the season's final week, several pitchers got one to three innings in the FCL. Two pitchers who didn’t pitch in pro ball in 2023 still appeared in multiple Top 30 lists. 

Tanner Hall was the team’s fourth-round pick after three seasons at Southern Mississippi. Over the past two seasons, he went 21-7 with a 2.64 ERA. In 221 1/3 innings, he had 270 strikeouts and just 47 walks. He’s certainly one to watch. 

Then, in the fifth round, the Twins drafted right-hander Dylan Questad, who went to Waterford High School in Wisconsin. He committed to the University of Arkansas. He has a fastball that regularly hits 95-96. He also has the start of what could be a solid curveball, and has worked in a changeup. So young, the Twins will be patient and give him every opportunity to remain a starter. 

INTERESTING ARMS
These pitchers have all been in the organization for at least 18 months, and each would be in the Top 30 had we gone that deep. 

If we had gone to a Top 21, right-hander Andrew Morris would have made the list in that final spot. The Twins fourth-round pick in 2022 from Texas Tech, he was nearly a year younger than most drafted out of college that year. Several other starters began the 2023 season in Fort Myers and moved up and helped the Cedar Rapids Kernels to the Midwest League championship. Morris was one of the Kernels' playoff starters. He went 3-1 with a 2.59 ERA in 48 2/3 innings with the Mussels. He finished the season with seven starts for the Kernels and went 5-1 with a 3.28 ERA. In 84 1/3 innings, he had 79 strikeouts with just 19 walks. 

Speaking of pitchers with impeccable control, 24-year-old Pierson Ohl was the Twins' 14th-round pick in 2021 from Grand Canyon University. He began the season with eight games in Cedar Rapids. He went 2-4 with a 4.69 ER, but people were touting his stuff. He was promoted to Wichita, where he made 14 starts in 16 appearances and went 7-3 with a 2.69 ERA and a 0.95 WHIP. In 127 1/3 combined innings, he struck out 115 and walked just 18 batters. With a fastball that touches 97, Ohl is one to watch.  

Jaylen Nowlin is an exciting prospect because the 22-year-old has terrific stuff and a fastball reaching the upper 90s. Since signing with the Twins as their 19th-round pick in 2021, his issue has been control. He made 13 starts in Cedar Rapids before ending the season with seven starts in Wichita. He pitched out of the bullpen twice at each level. Overall, he was 6-7 with a 4.44 ERA. In 105 1/3 innings, he struck out 114 and walked 45 batters. He also hit 17 batters. As his scouting report has said, if he can command and control his good stuff, he can be great. If not, he has the kind of stuff that could dominate out of the bullpen, especially as a lefty, but you still can’t walk that many. 

Speaking of lefties. Kody Funderburk finally made the full-time move to the bullpen. In September, Twins fans saw what Saints fans and followers saw most of the season—a lefty with a good fastball and a couple of breaking balls that could get swings and misses. “Fundy” should be in the Twins bullpen for years to come. 

That is a lot of talent; these are all players who rank outside the Twins Daily Top 20 prospects. Look back at the names. Which are you most excited about? Does this list encourage you about the depth of the Twins organization?

Check back over the next two weeks to see who our 2024 Top 20 Twins Prospects are.

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!