Twins Organizational Depth Chart: First Base

Major Leagues

Joe Mauer is signed through the 2018 season. The six-time All-Star, five-time Silver Slugger, three-time Gold Glove winner and former MVP had a disappointing season in his initial year at first base. His defense improved through the season. It was his offense that was down. The career .319/.401/.459 (.860) hitter hit just .277/.361/.371 (.732) with 27 doubles and four home runs. Regardless of anyone’s thoughts, he will be the team’s first baseman for most games over the next four seasons

Kennys Vargas came up straight from AA after the July trade deadline and was impressive. In 97 games in New Britain, he hit .281/.360/.472 (.832) with 17 doubles and 17 home runs. In two months with the Twins, he hit .274/.316/.456 (.772) with 10 doubles and nine homers. He really is a DH, but he can play some first base to spell Mauer.

Chris Parmelee played some in the outfield and quite a bit at first base in 2014. After 32 games in Rochester, he was added back to the Twins 40-man roster and called up. In 87 games with the Twins, he hit .256/.307/.384 (.691) with 11 doubles and seven homers. He could stay on the 40-man roster this offseason and compete for a utility job next spring.

Minor Leagues

Chris Colabello was the co-Player of the Month in the American League in April, but things went south from there and he spent time in AAA. He remains on the team’s 40-man roster because he is a big, powerful man. If he stays on the 40-man roster, he could be an option for a bench role or he could head back to Rochester where he was the International League’s MVP and Rookie of the Year in 2013.

Max Kepler is also on the 40-man roster and currently playing in the Florida State League. He got most of his playing time in 2014 in the three outfield positions, but also played a dozen games at first base. His youth and versatility, along with immense power potential, will likely keep him on the 40-man roster to start 2015.

Mike Gonzales split his 2014 season between Ft. Myers and New Britain. Combined, he hit .271/.348/.439 (.787) with 29 doubles and 12 home runs. Like Vargas, Gonzales is a big man. He is listed at 6-6 and 265 pounds. The Twins ninth round pick in 2008 out of junior college, he can become a free agent following the World Series.

Dalton Hicks was the Twins 17^th round pick in 2012 out of Central Florida. At 6-5 and 250 pounds, he fits the mold with several other first basemen in the system. He spent his age-24 season in Ft. Myers where he hit .262/.344/.407 (.751) with 24 doubles, 11 home runs and 76 RBI.

Chad Christensen was the primary first baseman in his home town of Cedar Rapids in 2014. After four years at the University of Nebraska, Christensen was the Twins 25^th round pick in 2013. Christensen does not fit the mold of hulking first basemen you’ve seen above. He is 6-3, 210 pounds and a tremendous athlete who can play all over the field, including centerfield if necessary. He hit .272/.339/.404 (.744) with 24 doubles, seven triples, nine home runs, and 73 RBI. He also was 30 for 35 on stolen base attempts.

Bryan Haar split the season between Cedar Rapids and FT. Myers. He was the 34^th round pick in 2012 out of the University of San Diego. In 108 games with the Kernels, he hit .267/.319/.446 (.765) with 20 doubles, five triples and 14 homers. He moved up to the Miracle and played in just 10 games. He played the majority of his games at third base but also got into 19 games at first base.

At Elizabethton this summer, Tyler Kuresa played 39 games at first base. The Twins actually drafted him out of his high school in the 11^th round of the 2010 draft, but he went to college. He was drafted in the 14^th round by the Braves in 2013 but again went back to college. Following his senior season, he was selected by the Twins in the 16^th round in 2014. He debuted by hitting .298/.381/.478 (.859) with 14 doubles and five home runs in 46 games for the E-Twins.

Trey Vavra, the Twins 33^rd round pick in 2014 out of Florida Southern, played 27 of his 50 games in Elizabethton at first base. Overall, he hit .319/.392/.454 (.846) with 20 doubles, a triple and a home run.

Although he is a catcher, Joel Polanco played a majority of his games at first base. As a 21-year-old in 2014, he hit .248/.296/.350 (.646) with six doubles and two homers in the GCL.

Jack Barrie is an 18-year old from Australia who made his debut in the organization in 2014. He hit .205/.284/.233 (.517) in the GCL with two doubles. Like others above, he is a big lad. He is listed at 6-4 and 250 pounds already. He will require patience, but his power potential is exciting.

Lewin Diaz was a million-dollar signing in 2013 from the Dominican Republic. The 17-year-old is another big guy with power potential. There was talk that he might be able to play some outfield, but in his pro debut in the Dominican Summer League, he played just first base. In 43 games, he hit .257/.385/.451 (.836) with 13 doubles and five home runs. He should debut in the States in 2015, likely in the GCL.

SUMMARY

Joe Mauer will be the primary first baseman, most likely, over the next four years. Kennys Vargas will have to fight a sophomore slump, but he certainly has all the power from both sides of the plate that you would want, especially since he will primarily be a DH.

After that, Lewin Diaz is probably the player with the most upside in the organization. That said, players like Miguel Sano and Travis Harrison could also be looked at as guys who could move to first base if, or when, needed.

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!