Nash Walker

Duran struck out 14 of the first 28 hitters he faced at Triple-A last year, flashing his triple-digits fastball and heralded splinker. It went downhill from there. Duran injured his elbow and his season ended prematurely, a big blow after a lost 2020 season. Looking to stay healthy in 2022, Duran remains among the best pitching prospects in this system. View full video

It's been a long, winding journey for SWR since the Mets drafted him in 2018. Traded to the Blue Jays at the 2019 deadline, Woods Richardson enjoyed a strong Minor League season, especially for someone so young. Two deadlines later, the Jays flipped him and top prospect Austin Martin for José Berríos. Now the former top-100 prospect is a member of the Twins organization, with eyes toward a rebound in 2022. View full video

The Twins drafted prep starter Chase Petty in the first round last summer, adding a potentially lethal pitcher to the farm system. Petty, 18, has a fastball that reaches triple digits and pairs it with a sharp biting slider. There are certainly risks in drafting an electric high school pitcher, but the reward could be significant. View full video

Josh Winder was dominant for the Double-A Wind Surge last summer, combining increased velocity (95-96) with two plus offspeed pitches. Winder is polished, experienced, and a great bet to debut for the Twins this summer. View full video

Our Numbers 11-15 prospects include two young, exciting right-handed starters and three rising position players. View full video

Over the next few weeks, Twins Daily is releasing its top 20 Twins prospects. We started with Honorable Mentions and now move on to Numbers 16-20. Twins prospects ranking between 16-20 in our series highlights a dynamic group of players, some brimming with upside and others with higher perceived floors. Let's break it down. 20. LHP Steve Hajjar Age: 21 2021 (Michigan): 14 starts, 81 2/3 IP, 3.09 ERA, 32% K, 8.5% BB The Twins selected Hajjar with the 61st pick in last June’s draft, expressing serious interest in Massachusetts's 2018 Gatorade Player of the Year. Hajjar is a sizeable lefty with a plus-changeup. Like Bailey Ober and Joe Ryan, Hajjar’s fastball gets on hitters promptly because of his extension. Hajjar was excellent in his two seasons at Michigan, pitching to a 3.01 ERA with a 31% strikeout rate in just over 100 innings. Hajjar has a deceptive delivery, relying primarily on a fastball-changeup combo with a loopy curve. Hajjar has a chance to move quickly up the system. 19. INF Edouard Julien Age: 22 2021 (A-A+): 112 games, .267/.434/.480, 28 2B, 18 HR, 34/39 SB, 28% K, 21% BB Julien had an exciting season last summer. He walked or struck out in nearly half of his plate appearances while nabbing 34 bases in 39 tries. Julien hit .267 but walked 110 times. It was a strong season overall for Julien, but there are some blemishes, especially considering he’s still in the low minors. With a left-handed stroke, Julien reached base in 44% of his appearances against right-handed pitchers. Julien logged 20 starts at first base, 38 at second base, 22 at third, 15 in left field, and 15 at DH. Like many of the other position players in the Twins’ system, Julien will continue to play all over the diamond. 18. INF Spencer Steer Age: 24 2021 (A+-AA): 110 games, .254/.348/.484, 18 2B, 3 3B, 24 HR, 21.5% K, 11% BB An example of the Twins helping their contact-oriented prospects tap into more power; Steer hit 24 homers in 110 games in 2021. He had never hit more than six homers in a season, dating back to Oregon. Steer broke out at Cedar Rapids before struggling initially in Wichita. He had a 26-game stretch where he hit .307/.371/.634 (1.004 OPS) for the Surge. Steer worked hard to add more pop to his bat, and his progression has significantly improved his ceiling. Instead of a future slap-hitting utility player, Steer now projects as a potential double-digit homer bat. Steer’s development is certainly encouraging. 17. RHP Blayne Enlow Age: 22 2021 (A+): 3 starts, 14 2/3 IP, 1.84 ERA, 39% K, 10% BB Enlow was off to a terrific start in Cedar Rapids before an elbow injury (and Tommy John surgery) ended his season. Enlow will have thrown just 14 2/3 Minor League innings in over two years when he returns. Even then, the Twins chose to protect him by adding him to the 40-man roster this offseason. The Twins signed Enlow for $2M in the 2017 draft, pulling him away from a commitment to LSU with an over-slot bonus. Enlow’s fastball had ticked up last summer, an encouraging sign after it sat in the low-90s in a mediocre 2019. Enlow is young, talented, and driven and will be right back on the radar when he returns. 16. OF Emmanuel Rodríguez Age: 18 2021 (FCL): 37 games, .214/.346/.524, 5 2B, 2 3B, 10 HR, 37% K, 15% BB Rodríguez gained considerable buzz after his power-heavy debut for the FCL Twins. 58% of his plate appearances ended in a walk, strikeout, or home run. To slug .524 in his pro debut at 18 years old is reason enough for excitement, but there are things Rodríguez has to work on as he works his way up. Touted for his advanced approach at the plate, Rodríguez is oozing with projection. Scouts have tabbed Rodríguez with above-average speed in centerfield with a chance to stay there permanently. If you’re looking for a talented potential future top prospect for the Twins, Rodríguez is probably your best bet. MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook, or email View full article

This group of Twins prospects features two breakouts from the 2021 season, a 40-man addition, a recent draft pick, and perhaps the most exciting young player in the system. View full video

February is Black History Month, and over the coming weeks, Twins Daily will have a series of articles on African Americans in Minnesota Twins history. There have been award winners, All-Stars, and even a couple of Hall of Famers, with the remarkable Byron Buxton among them. THE PERSON For as excellent as Buxton is on the field, it’s his character that should have many Twins fans proud to call him their favorite player. From Terry Ryan to Paul Molitor to Rocco Baldelli, everyone speaks highly of who Byron is as a person. We’ve watched Buxton grow from a shy, 18-year-old from rural Georgia to who Baldelli described as “the most upstanding, hard-working, wonderful teammate and baseball player you could find." In 2016, Byron said, "I want to be the guy that is respectful to everybody.” By all accounts, he’s that guy. Buxton’s road has been anything but smooth. He’s dealt with numerous injuries, including a scary one that sent him to the hospital in 2014. Through it all, he’s remained steadfast, preaching a mindset of “never getting too high, never getting too low.” Here are just some of the things Buxton’s teammates have said about him: Ryne Harper: He’s such a nice, genuine guy who has his teammates’ backs. He’s awesome, man.” Taylor Rogers: “He’s a great person and a great teammate.” Trevor May: “I just think he’s a good guy who likes to work hard and is supposed to be Byron Buxton. For a long time, he’s had a lot of people yelling in his ear; he’s found a way to filter it out and be himself.” Appreciating Buxton's excellence carries a particular weight during Black History Month. Following the murder of George Floyd in May of 2020, Byron took to Instagram to call for change. Buxton was on the injured list to start the 2020 season but flew to Chicago to join the team for pregame ceremonies recognizing the history and horror of systemic racism. Byron and his wife, Lindsey, despite Southern roots, chose to stay in Minnesota, calling it home. Buxton is the father of two young boys, Brixton and Blaze. In a recent survey at The Athletic, 74% of fans picked Byron as their favorite Twin. *PHOTOS COURTESY OF BYRON'S INSTAGRAM* THE PLAYER There is a minuscule subset of players who flat-out demand your attention. Buxton does things on the field that others only dream of on any given night. He singlehandedly wins games on both sides of the ball. There’s no security like Byron Buxton in centerfield, and his development of immense power often leaves you with goosebumps. After signing his seven-year, $100 million contract extension, Buxton has become the face of the present and future Twins. He’s the team’s best player, combining stunning athleticism with lightning-quick hands and the fastest legs in baseball. Buxton, picked second in the 2012 Draft, has faced massive expectations over the last decade. By 2014, MLB Pipeline selected Buxton, at 20 years old, as the best prospect in the sport. The lofty expectations set have been realized over the last three years. Buxton boasts an OPS+ of 137 (MLB average is 100), with 102 extra-base hits and 25 steals (in 30 attempts) over his last 187 games. Buxton’s been worth 22 Outs Above Average defensively over that span. The next step is, of course, extending that over an entire season of health. Buxton is the heart and soul of the Twins, completely altering the team's dynamic and feel. The Twins are significantly more dangerous when Buxton plays and a much-reduced group without him. Byron Buxton is everything you’re looking for in a team leader: competitive, driven, kind, and so much more. MORE BLACK HISTORY MONTH COVERAGE FROM TWINSDAILY THE TALENTED MR. HENRY View full article

A top notch player on the field and off, Byron Buxton encapsulates everything you're looking for in a team leader. View full video

Jake Odorizzi made his mark on the Twins in just a few seasons, and a reunion with the right-hander would benefit all three sides. The Astros signed Odorizzi, 31, to a three-year deal following a rough, shortened 2020 season with the Twins. Odorizzi had bypassed free agency by accepting the qualifying offer from Minnesota in 2019, then spent much of 2020 injured. At that time, the Astros had much less certainty in their rotation. They hadn’t yet witnessed the breakouts of José Urquidy, Framber Valdez, Luis Garcia, or Lance McCullers, Jr. Add in Cristian Javier and a healthy Justin Verlander. That’s a crowded rotation, with Odorizzi on the outside looking in. Odorizzi owns a 4.49 ERA and 4.67 FIP in 118 1/3 innings since he started Game 3 of the 2019 ALDS at Target Field. His strikeout rate is down, he’s getting battered more often, and his splitter is getting bit. But Odorizzi still has an excellent four-seam fastball and an underutilized cutter. He also wasn't shy about his love for the Twins and the mound at Target Field. Right-handed hitters had little chance against Odorizzi in 2019, and he pitched very well at Target Field. With Tim Anderson, Luis Robert, José Abreu, and Franmil Reyes in the division, the Twins could use someone who has gotten them out before. Odorizzi is a luxury starter for Houston. A trade would benefit both him and the Twins and makes a ton of sense on the Astros side. Odorizzi is owed $8 million in 2022 and harnesses an $8.5 million player option for 2023. With the Twins valuing flexibility, you’ll be hard-pressed to find more. If Odorizzi were a free agent today, he’d probably sign a one-year deal in that same range. He needs to build back his value and re-establish mid-rotation status. Starting every fifth day for the Twins could provide that opportunity, with a chance for 2019-like success. Even if he stays within his career numbers, a 3.95 ERA and 105 ERA+, he’d instantly become the Twins’ most experienced and successful starter. MLB Trade Simulator values Odorizzi at negative-7.5, given his recent performance, health, and contract. If that’s the case, this deal should’ve happened before the lockout. There’s an argument that giving up anything for Odorizzi pales in comparison to just signing a bounce-back starter candidate in free agency. The difference: we’ve seen what Odorizzi can be for the Twins. At his best, he’s a fastball-heavy number three in a good rotation. It seems the Twins are keeping rotation spots open for their top pitching prospects to breakthrough. That’s all good and dandy, but you still need innings. If you’re unwilling to commit multiple years in free agency for quality starters, trade for a known person and player in Odorizzi. It benefits all three sides. For an idea of what a deal for Odorizzi could look like: What do you think? Should the Twins trade for Jake Odorizzi? Comment below! MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Order the Offseason Handbook — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email View full article

Odorizzi was a fan-favorite during his stint with the Twins, and his spot on the team may make sense now more than ever. The Astros have a glut of young starters, along with Justin Verlander, and Odorizzi would benefit from a consistent rotation spot. The Twins have plenty of those. View full video

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