Nick Nelson

Ryan Jeffers epitomizes the depth of Minnesota's system. To have a player of this caliber – a two-way standout at catcher who's done nothing but perform as a pro, reaching Double-A within two years of being drafted – ranked seventh?! Well, it's much more a credit to the guys above him than a knock on Jeffers, who beams with promise at a premium position.Position: C Age: 22 (DOB: 6/3/1997) 2019 Stats (A+/AA): 414 PA, .264/.341/.421, 14 HR, 49 RBI ETA: 2021 2019 Ranking: 13 National Top 100 Rankings BA: NA | MLB: NA | ATH: NA | BP: NA What's To Like The bat. It was considered his primary strength coming out of college in 2018, when the Twins selected him in the second round. The North Carolina native put up spectacular offensive numbers in three years at UNC Wilmington, culminating with .315/.460/.635, 16 homers, and 51 walks in 62 games his junior year. With numbers like that, as a catcher, you might ask why Jeffers fell to 59th overall and signed below slot, after ranking even farther back on most pre-draft projections. In short, there were some serious doubts about his slugging prowess translating away from aluminum bats, and his defense remaining viable behind home plate. The Twins evidently were none too bothered by such concerns, and their faith has since been rewarded. Two months after the draft, Mike Berardino of the Pioneer Press wrote that Jeffers was laying quick claim to Twins 'catcher of the future.' "Yeah, I was swinging a different bat, but baseball is baseball," Jeffers said at the time, fresh off an aggressive promotion to Cedar Rapids after dominating Elizabethton. "I didn’t change too much.” Nor did the numbers. He finished with a .344/.444/.502 slash line between two levels, and found himself at Fort Myers to open the 2019 campaign. In the pitcher-friendly Florida State League, he wasn't quite as potent (.732 OPS and 10 homers in 79 games) but still impressed enough to earn a late-July promotion to Double-A, where he enjoyed an unforgettable first day and finished with an .856 OPS in 27 games. MLB Pipeline recently named him the best defensive prospect in the Twins system, noting that Jeffers has shed his offense-first rep and "improved by leaps and bounds, with an above-average arm to go along with outstanding receiving and blocking skills." What's Left to Work On He's just got to keep proving it. Jeffers hasn't yet gained steam on national lists because, while his performance has been impeccable, it's not out of the ordinary for a premier college talent storming the lower levels of the minors. Catcher, in particular, is a position where the difficulty level rises sharply with each rung of the ladder. Jeffers is clearly coming along nicely but he'll really be tested once he reaches Triple-A and especially the majors. One area for improvement is controlling the run game; at Rochester last year, opponents stole 63 bases in his 74 starts at a 74% success rate. At 6-foot-4 and 230 lbs., Jeffers is a bit of a lumbering fellow who doesn't spring quickly from the crouch, and also doesn't move too well, which greatly limits his defensive options in the event catching doesn't work out. Luckily, there's no reason to believe that'll be the case. What's Next Jeffers is among the Twins' non-roster spring training invites, reporting with the rest of the pitchers and catchers this week. The team has (intentionally, I suspect) preserved flexibility at catcher by signing Alex Avila to a one-year deal, so the door is open for Jeffers to join Mitch Garver in the majors after 2020 if can make his case. Speaking of the current Twins starting backstop, it was noted in the aforementioned Berardino profile that Jeffers was drawing "a lot of internal comparisons" to Garver, who at the time was just finding his way as a solid yet unspectacular rookie in the majors. “I’ve heard that and I take it as a compliment,” Jeffers said then. “I’m trying to get to where Mitch has gotten.” He's about to have his chance. Twins Daily 2020 Top 20 Prospects Honorable Mentions 20. Jose Miranda, 3B/2B 19. Cole Sands, RHP 18. Travis Blankenhorn, 2B/LF 17. Misael Urbina, OF 16. Edwar Colina, RP 15. Matt Canterino, RHP 14. Matt Wallner, OF 13. Wander Javier, SS 12. Gilberto Celestino, OF 11. Lewis Thorpe, LHP 10. Blayne Enlow, RHP 9. Brent Rooker, OF 8. Keoni Cavaco, SS 7. Ryan Jeffers, C Check back tomorrow for #6! MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email Click here to view the article

The Yankees went 17-2 against Baltimore so let's not act like they didn't have their own similar advantage. The notion that Minnesota lost to the Yankees in the ALDS because NYY's pitching was wildly better is not really supported by any evidence.

First we thought he was gone. Then, we weren't so sure. At one point it looked like he definitely was going to stay. But once the dust had settled at the end of the weekend, Brusdar Graterol was indeed shipped out, sent to Los Angeles in a trade for veteran right-hander Kenta Maeda. (Obligatory: Pending physicals.) So what have we learned from this whole ordeal, and what is the fallout?Graterol was freshly of legal drinking age when he joined the Twins last season, so it's only fitting he brought the Fireballs. His average fastball velocity of 99.0 MPH registered as fifth-highest for anyone who threw in the majors. Watching Graterol establish himself at the highest level, flashing boyish enthusiasm while pumping heaters past big-league stars, was a pure delight. The Red Sox apparently reached a similar conclusion upon closer review of his medicals. They are entitled to their opinion, and while it really sucks this all got aired publicly, I'm not sure Boston's new GM Chaim Bloom is deserving of animosity. With an edict from on high to trade Betts, he's trying to make the best of an ugly situation. The idea that this was a PR-driven course correction doesn't hold water to me. By opting out on Graterol, the Red Sox instead ended up subbing in shortstop Jeter Downs as the second talent received behind centerpiece Alex Verdugo. Downs is, according to most lists, a moderately better prospect than Graterol, but ... enough to meaningfully move the needle on fan sentiment? He's barely played above Single-A. There's no such thing as a satisfactory return when trading a Mookie Betts, but Graterol is hardly unexciting. Red Sox fans just watched him blow away Yankees hitters in the playoffs at age 21 a few months ago. They weren't being asked to dream on some fanciful long-term project. So, Boston got spooked on Graterol's medicals. Okay. And while the Dodgers were clearly less spooked, they weren't willing to make the same one-on-one swap that was originally planned. Los Angeles added in $10 million (meaningless to them) and a low-level prospect to extract more value from Minnesota, in the form of outfield prospect Luke Raley and (more critically) the 67th pick in this year's draft. Based on what we can ascertain from the outside, Graterol alone would've been a fair return for Maeda, if not a bit of a heavy give by Minnesota. The Red Sox initially reached that conclusion. After seeing more files and records, their valuation changed, and LA also needed a bit extra to make it happen. I think we can conclude, based on all of this, that there is a more valid basis for concern about Graterol's arm holding up than before this whole fiasco started. But you know what? The human body is an unpredictable construct. David Price, also heading to the Dodgers as part of a (now separate) trade with Boston, seems a relevant example to cite; he's been skirting Tommy John surgery for his entire career thanks to his "very unique" elbow. Sometimes red flags just flap in the wind endlessly. There's a perfectly good chance Graterol goes on to enjoy a healthy career with no abnormal incidence of arm issues. But one thing does crystal-clear: he won't be doing it as a starter. WHAT NOW FOR THE TWINS BULLPEN? Graterol was a dynamic weapon and his absence is a negative for the bullpen picture. Duh. Then again, we hadn't been definitively planning around him as a reliever up until a couple weeks ago, and the Twins looked plenty strong on that front beforehand. Even without Graterol, Minnesota still has proven late-inning firepower in Taylor Rogers, Tyler Duffey, and Trevor May. There's steady veteran support from Sergio Romo and Tyler Clippard. A promising project in Matt Wisler. Ready young contributors in Zack Littell and Cody Stashak. This unit is not hurting for options, who have earned their chances. And in Fernando Romero, the Twins still have a forgotten flamethrower on hand whose raw stuff is nearly as formidable as Graterol's. That Minnesota possessed the depth to part with a talent of Graterol's caliber speaks to the job this front office has done building a robust bullpen and pitching pipeline. (Don't be shocked if hard-throwing righty Jhoan Duran becomes this year's version of the 2019 Brusdar.) None of this changes the fact that losing Graterol hurts, and the pain will likely resonate over the years as the phenom gets chances to shine on the biggest stage – probably while exhibiting the same boyish grin we came to love during our short time with him. But those are the sacrifices the Twins needed to make in the same pursuit. There's a decent chance, I think, that the 2020 journeys of Graterol and the Twins will ultimately converge at the same place: a World Series in late October. Both teams involved in this trade are counting on it. Click here to view the article

There's been plenty of drama since an agreement first came to light last week on a blockbuster trade that would send Brusdar Graterol to Boston (via Los Angeles) and bring right-hander Kenta Maeda to the Twins. Once very much in doubt, a deal is now confirmed (pending medicals!), albeit with some alterations from its original form. Graterol, outfielder Luke Raley, and a 2020 Comp B draft pick (67th overall) are headed to the Dodgers in a deal fo Maeda, a low-level prospect, and cash.To bring everyone up to speed: The Twins emerged last Wednesday as the third team in a massive trade between the Red Sox and Dodgers, which would've sent Mookie Betts and David Price to LA in exchange for prospect Alex Verdugo and Graterol, whom the Dodgers were to acquire from Minnesota in exchange for Maeda. The following night, it was reported that Boston was backing off amidst concerns in Graterol's medical files (and/or cold feet from ownership in the face of public backlash, depending on which accounts you want to believe). By Saturday, the Twins were said to be ready to drop the whole thing and move on. But it bears noting they took a similar hardline stance with Josh Donaldson, as the team signaled it was ready to bow out before ultimately getting its desired deal. With the way both these situations have played out, there's no knocking the front office's steadfast resolve. In this case, the Twins and Dodgers simply shut out the wayward Red Sox and made a deal on their own, with Graterol, Raley, and a fairly valuable draft pick going to Los Angeles in exchange for Maeda, an as-yet unnamed prospect, and $10 million to cover a portion of his already affordable contract. Minnesota gave a little more and got a little more. At the end of the day, it's still from my view a very good move for all the reasons I laid out here. The Red Sox made a separate deal with the Dodgers, sending Mookie Betts and David Price, along some money, to LA in exchange for prospects OF Alex Verdugo and SS Jeter Downs. We'll update this article with more information as it becomes available, but for now, how are you feeling about the deal – finally – getting done? MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email Click here to view the article

The Minnesota Twins are not short on slugging talents presently, but that doesn't negate the excitement of having a truly prodigious power hitter, fresh off crushing at the highest level of the minors, ready to join the big-league ranks. Brent Rooker has left little doubt that he can hit. All he needs now is an opportunity.Position: LF Age: 25 (DOB: 11/1/1995) 2019 Stats (AAA): 274 PA, .281/.398/.535, 14 HR, 47 RBI ETA: 2020 2019 Ranking: 6 National Top 100 Rankings BA: NA | MLB: NA | ATH: NA | BP: NA What's To Like Power-hitting has been commoditized to a large degree in the modern MLB environment. Players who can straight-up mash, but don't excel in any defensive capacity, are not the coveted assets they once were. But that's not to say they aren't valued: Just take a look at Miguel Sano and his freshly minted $30 million contract extension. And what Rooker can do is MASH. The Mississippi State product was widely considered one of the best hitters in the country when taken 35th overall by Minnesota in the 2017 draft, becoming the second player drafted under the Falvine Regime after they went with Royce Lewis No. 1 overall. Rooker has backed up his prestigious offensive rep since entering pro ball, slashing .267/.357/.505 with 54 home runs through 259 total games. In 2019 he put up a .928 OPS at Triple-A, with a jaw-dropping .319/.463/.572 line in 41 games after June 1st. Sounds like a guy who's about major-league ready. In fact, he might've gotten there last summer if a groin injury hadn't derailed him in mid-July. When he was on-stage as a guest at the recent Twins Daily Winter Meltdown, Kent Hrbek made an interesting a comment about the ferocity of uppercut swings that are now commonplace: "There's a lot of [retired] guys that talk about that nowadays, that there could've been a lot more home runs hit if you just sit and try to launch all day long. I mean you take a swing like they take swings off of guys now, you'd get the ball on the side of the head the next time up." Rooker pretty much epitomizes what Hrbek was describing. He swings very hard and aims to put it in the air. His immense power is legitimately eye-catching; the ball just rockets off his bat, and tends to go very far, very fast. While the continuance of his slugging success was a positive last year, the most promising development was his sharpening patience at the plate. Rooker walked 12.8% of the time, enabling him to reach base at a nearly .400 clip in Triple-A. He made enormous improvements with his discipline over the course of the year. What's Left To Work On The tough thing with Rooker's profile is that it leaves so little margin for error. He needs to maintain as an offensive force at the highest level to be a long-term regular in the majors. Defensively he's rather limited, whether in left field or at first base, and his best future fit seems to be as a designated hitter. That's all well and good if he keeps on producing like he has, since Minnesota's DH spot is presently unspoken for after this year, but there is reason to wonder if he can translate his dominance to the highest level. Namely, it's the strikeouts. As a result of his relentlessly aggressive cuts, Rooker whiffs quite a bit. His 34.7% K-rate last year was ninth-highest in the International League (min. 200 PA), and would've been seventh-highest in the majors (two spots behind the previously mentioned Sano, another notorious hard-swinger). Rooker's .281 batting average for the Red Wings in 2019 was buoyed by a blatantly unsustainable .417 BABIP. The lack of contact, if it continues, could make it tough for Rooker to find stable footing in the big leagues. Sano is one of the few productive hitters in that realm, though Joey Gallo is another notable example. But, again, Rooker's studious nature and proven adaptiveness offer valid reason to hope he can cut down the strikeouts. He did lower his K-rate to 29% in his final 25 games for Rochester last year, after posting an egregious 38% rate his first 40. What's Next The Twins have been very successful – so far – with their top draft picks in recent years. Rooker is sort of a victim to this success. He's basically been the player they hoped he would be, but Minnesota also looks to have struck gold on fellow first-rounders and corner guys Alex Kirilloff (2016) and Trevor Larnach (2018), who project as more well-rounded big-leaguers and have fewer question marks. Rooker is a step ahead of the others in development, having conquered Triple-A, but that doesn't help him much now, with nothing currently resembling a short-term opening on the MLB radar. That can of course change in a hurry when the current DH occupant is a 39-year-old with a balky wrist, and indeed, a Nelson Cruz absence is probably the most likely avenue for Rooker to reach the majors in short order. An injury to Sano or Eddie Rosario could also create an opening, to the extent the Twins are willing to tolerate Rooker's defense. Until such an opportunity presents itself, Rooker will head back to Triple-A, where he will likely keep on mashing. Twins Daily 2020 Top 20 Prospects Honorable Mentions 20. Jose Miranda, 3B/2B 19. Cole Sands, RHP 18. Travis Blankenhorn, 2B/LF 17. Misael Urbina, OF 16. Edwar Colina, RP 15. Matt Canterino, RHP 14. Matt Wallner, OF 13. Wander Javier, SS 12. Gilberto Celestino, OF 11. Lewis Thorpe, LHP 10. Blayne Enlow, RHP 9. Brent Rooker, OF Stop by Monday for prospect #8! MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email Click here to view the article

The Minnesota Twins seemingly entered the offseason intent on signing Zack Wheeler. The right-hander possessed the kind of premium ability and upside the front office sought, motivating them to make an historic bid for his services. It wasn't to be. And now, as the dust settles on a thrilling late-winter surge, maybe that's just as well.According to reports, the Twins offered somewhere around $100 million to open their bidding for Wheeler, but were informed early on that Minnesota wasn't a strong consideration. Wheeler ended up signing with the Phillies for five years and $118 million, spurning the White Sox and their bigger offer (rumor has it Chicago was upwards of $120 million). So, to even have a chance, the Twins would've needed to commit to Wheeler – who's never been an All-Star, never thrown 200 innings, never had an ERA+ better than 112 – at least $25 million annually, over at least five years. They missed on Wheeler, and as every top free agent starter came off the board, it became apparent this wasn't going to be Minnesota's avenue for making a splash. In fact, as the inaction dragged into mid-January, with Homer Bailey and Rich Hill slotted in as rotation solutions, it appeared the team might make not make any splash at all. A few weeks later, they have turned the $25 million they would've spent on Wheeler (if he'd have even taken it) into Josh Donaldson and Kenta Maeda, who are both locked in as long-term fixtures for a franchise steamrolling into its window of championship contention. That's an top-tier hitter and defender, along with a starting pitcher who – in a lot of ways – is pretty similar to Wheeler. Their career ERAs are nearly identical, their career FIPs are identical, and Maeda has an (often substantial) advantage in several other categories: WHIP, K/9, K/BB, opponents' batting average and OPS, to name a few. Statistical profiles paint a similar picture, but stylistically, the two are wildly different. Wheeler is a 6-foot-4 athletic specimen who leans heavily on a 95 MPH fastball, while Maeda stands several inches shorter and tops out in the low 90s, craftily relying on a spin-heavy offspeed mix to induce tons of whiffs. Matthew Trueblood wrote a great piece here Tuesday explaining the righty's recipe for success. Although the numbers make a case for it, I'm not going to say Maeda is the better pitcher. Wheeler is two years younger, trending better, and capable of pitching deeper into games. (He's thrown 100 more innings over the past two seasons than Maeda, who served in a swingman role for Los Angeles.) If all things were equal and I had my choice, I'd easily opt for Wheeler. But, all things are not equal. Maeda costs about $100 million less, which allows the Twins to pair him with a borderline MVP-caliber third baseman. And Maeda does bring something Wheeler doesn't: experience in the heat of high stakes. The Mets have been mostly terrible during his career, and Wheeler's never appeared in the postseason. Maeda, since coming to the States in 2016, has been – according to fWAR – the fourth-best, third-best, sixth-best, and third-best pitcher on Dodgers teams that have averaged 98 wins, won the NL West four times, and gone to the World Series twice. He has pitched 24 times in the playoffs and he has pitched WELL, with a 3.31 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 10.7 K/9 rate. Like Sergio Romo, Tyler Clippard, and Rich Hill before him, Maeda brings October seasoning to an emerging young group that showed its greenness against the Yankees last year. And his arrival causes a big ripple effect. The Twins are no longer totally desperate for both Jose Berrios and Jake Odorizzi to repeat their All-Star campaigns, having added a roughly equivalent pitcher. Bailey and Hill become backup plans and back-of-rotation parts. Randy Dobnak and Devin Smeltzer are conveniently distant depth. Lewis Thorpe is a true wild-card, with opportunity but no major pressure. The Twins didn't need to make this move. They did it because, as Thad Levine once assertively declared, they wanted to put their foot on someone's throat. While some fans will bemoan the enduring lack of an "ace," Maeda is an impact pitcher whose arrival alongside Donaldson dramatically improves an almost fully intact team, fresh off 101 wins and a home run title. It does cost the Twins a very good prospect in Brusdar Graterol (editor's note: we think?), which is the unspoken pitfall in this discussion. He's an exciting, nerve-racking, high-upside, risk-addled rarity of a talent whose departure the team could very well come to rue. But these are the bold gambits a team takes when aiming high. It's the all-in type move that never came during the 2000s, while Terry Ryan's clubs continually fell short. Yeah, signing Zack Wheeler back in November and calling it a day would've been cool. But instead, Twins fans have been treated to a spectacular, narrative-crushing turn of events in the offseason's home stretch that leaves no doubt as to the resolve of this front office and ownership. It's go time. Can spring training get here already? Click here to view the article

Fresh draft picks and international signings rule over this next segment of our 2020 Minnesota Twins top prospect rankings, which are brimming with dynamic talents of all kinds.Find more on these five Minnesota Twins prospects and much more in the 2020 Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook. It’s available in paperback and as an ebook. 15. Matt Canterino, RHP Age: 22 (DOB: 12/14/1997) 2019 Stats (Rookie/A): 25 IP, 1.44 ERA, 0.64 WHIP, 11.2 K/9, 2.9 BB/9 ETA: 2021 2019 Ranking: NR Of the many things this rebuilt front office has done well, drafting ranks near the top. And while it's early, the returns thus far on their third pick from last summer have been exceedingly good. After an outstanding collegiate career at Rice University (alma mater of current Twins reliever Tyler Duffey), Canterino went to Minnesota in the second round, with the 54th overall pick. He quickly got to work against pro hitters, posting the marks you see above against overwhelmed – and generally younger – competition. 11. Lewis Thorpe, LHP Age: 24 (DOB: 11/23/95) 2019 Stats (AA/AAA): 129.2 IP, 3.54 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 10.9 K/9, 2.5 BB/9 ETA: 2020 2018 Ranking: 8 Here's the way prospect analysis and the minor leagues almost inevitably tend to work: Uber-talented young ballplayers garner heavy praise and underground notoriety by dominating the lower tiers of the profession. Then, as they rise and the competition elevates, reality sets in. Their numbers come down to Earth. Their rankings slide. For example, it isn't like Nick Gordon's failures last year caused him to fall from No. 11 in 2019 to outside the top 20 in this year's rankings – he had a fine season at Triple-A – but the limitations of his skill set became clearer than ever at the highest level. And at age 24, the upside is getting harder to see. The same cannot be said for Thorpe. No, his surface numbers at Triple-A were not spectacular, much less his 6.18 ERA in a brief big-league run. But he was also a 23-year-old whose early development was derailed by health issues, and amidst the unspectacular results, his proclivity for missing bats was relentless. In 450 innings between the minors and majors, Thorpe has compiled 542 strikeouts, equating to a 10.8 K/9 rate, and he's done so while generally staying in the strike zone and keeping the ball in the park. That's the right recipe. A critical year lies ahead of him, standing at the front of the line for opportunities to impact a championship-caliber team. Twins Daily 2020 Top 20 Prospects Honorable Mentions 20. Jose Miranda, 3B/2B 19. Cole Sands, RHP 18. Travis Blankenhorn, 2B/LF 17. Misael Urbina, OF 16. Edwar Colina, RP 15. Matt Canterino, RHP 14. Matt Wallner, OF 13. Wander Javier, SS 12. Gilberto Celestino, OF 11. Lewis Thorpe, LHP Stop by tomorrow for prospect #10! MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email Click here to view the article

I'm not gonna say it's an entirely substantive sample, but Graterol showed me enough out of the bullpen last year to be confident in him. Held opponents to a .217/.295/.333 slash with a 21/6 K/BB ratio in 20 IP last year between AAA/MLB. Big difference between Graterol and Romero (+ many other young fireballers) is that Brusdar can keep it in the zone. Never been a big issue for him.

The hype train is in full gear for the Minnesota Twins 2020 relief corps. Last Thursday night at the Diamond Awards, manager Rocco Baldelli opined that it's the best bullpen in baseball right now – a perfectly defensible claim. Bolstered by Brusdar Graterol's now-confirmed inclusion, this unit is loaded with emerging high-powered arms and proven veteran performers. One major wild-card, however, tends to get left out of the conversation.Fernando Romero's 2019 season was a disaster by any measure. It wasn't just his horrific 7.07 ERA in major-league 14 innings. Even more so, it was the totally uninspiring results he put forth while spending a majority of his campaign at Triple-A: 57.2 IP, 4.37 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, 4.5 BB/9, 12 wild pitches. The lasting memory in the minds of most fans is likely Romero's lone MLB appearance in June, when he was briefly recalled following a May demotion. With the Twins leading the Mariners 10-1 at Target Field, Romero was called upon to pitch the eighth inning in basically the lowest-stress situation imaginable. His sequence: walk, single, double, run-scoring wild pitch, walk. Romero was removed, sent back down, and didn't see the major-league mound again until September, when he served in essentially a mop-up role for the Twins. Now that we've got all that unpleasantness out of the way, let's circle back to the positives attached to the big right-hander, which are hardly erased by one bad season, no matter how discouraging: He's still only 25. Younger than – say – Corey Kluber was before he even joined the Cleveland rotation. Kluber seems a noteworthy comp because he was also struggling with his control around the same age. Romero's fastball is in a rare class. He averaged 97 MPH last year, which ranked 35th out of 646 MLB pitchers to throw 10+ innings, or in the 95th percentile. Among Twins pitchers, only Graterol can bring it harder. He can dominate with the slider. Buzzing in at 87 MPH, it's a very good pitch. Despite his struggles with the Twins in 2019, opponents batted just .154 and slugged .269 against the slide-piece, with an astounding 64.7% whiff rate (per Baseball Savant). He keeps the ball in the park. This aspect of his game curiously went amiss at the beginning of last season, as he gave up five home runs in his first six appearances between Triple-A and the majors, but the rest of the way he surrendered just two homers in 59 1/3 frames. This aligns with his broader track record – in 450 minor-league innings, Romero allowed only 18 long balls. He is a specimen. At 6-feet and 215 lbs, Romero is an intimidating force on the mound with the attitude to match. The qualities that gave him appeal as a late-inning weapon when the Twins switched his role last spring are still there. Now, Romero of course has some things working against him, the main one being command. As good as his stuff is, he rarely had any idea where it was going last year and that really cost him. But incumbent pitching coach Wes Johnson and newcomer Bob McClure have plenty to work with here. Will he be able to sync up with them from the start of the season? Or will he open back in Triple-A? Will the Twins continue to try making it work in the bullpen, or will they give him another shot at starting, with their bullpen depth so much stronger now than it was a year ago? In the late stages of last season, I expressed concern over the right-hander's status for 2020, noting that he'd burned three options and the Twins could be looking ahead to a tough decision this spring. But it was brought to my attention, via Jeremy Nygaard, that Romero likely qualifies for a fourth option. With this being the case, I'm thinking the best course of action might be to transition him back into a starting role at Rochester. The Twins' needs have shifted back in that direction, and in all the clamor to find an ace for the rotation, the team would be remiss to overlook an internal candidate with so many of the requisite attributes. If he can emerge again as a starting option, that would be a potentially huge boost. And if the move doesn't take, a relief fallback remains in place. Should Romero look good in spring training, perhaps the Twins will strike a happy medium by bringing him north out of camp, and using him in a long-relief or piggybacking type of capacity, while finding ways to fill innings until Michael Pineda is available. He could stay stretched without needing to be thrust back into a starter's regimen after pitching exclusively as a reliever in 2019. Perhaps more importantly, this plan would allow Romero to work closely with Johnson and McClure from the jump. Questions and decisions like these will rise to the forefront as Romero and the rest of the team's pitchers get ready to report to Fort Myers in two weeks. How would you prefer to see the team handle him moving forward? MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email Click here to view the article

Does any team realistically view him a starter anymore? 85 of his 93 appearances over the past 2 years have come in relief. Having said that, it's a good thought given his age and history of starting make him a worthy candidate to discuss.

Neither had a slightly older Michael Pineda, for what it's worth. Re: improvements over Dobnak/Thorpe... they don't need to be. It's about creating more options and contingencies. With the exception of Taijuan, I can't see any of these guys commanding a guaranteed deal, so there's not much downside in bringing one or more into camp for a look. The Twins should basically have their pick. Where else are these guys gonna get a better opportunity?

With Josh Donaldson aboard and Brusdar Graterol pegged for a relief role, the offense and bullpen both feel complete. (Each with monumental depth and upside.) The starting rotation, however, could still use a finishing touch. Are the Twins really going to open with two rookies in place? Presumably, they're still mining the market for a final addition.Personally, my preference would be to see the Twins put a bow on their offseason by trading for an impact starter who could actually upgrade the rotation. It might still happen. But there's certainly a good case to be made for turning toward the free agent market to address this last need. For one thing, the Twins don't need to give up any talent by going this route. In fact, they likely won't even need to give up a 40-man roster spot, since I suspect every remaining player on the market would settle for a non-guaranteed deal (especially if it came with a strong likelihood of earning a rotation spot out of the gates on Minnesota's stacked team). This matters because the 40-man is already full; as is, someone is going to need to come off to make room for Donaldson (likely on Wednesday). The Twins would rather avoid pruning any more of their talent, and a minor-league signing would allow them to hold off on adding the newly-signed player until March, when they have the ability to shift Rich Hill to the 60-day IL. By my count, there are 23 remaining free agent starters with any level of notoriety. Here I will rank them in terms of how they fit with the Twins. 1. Taijuan Walker (27): Easily the most appealing name left among FA starters. The former top prospect has flashed excellence at times in Seattle and Arizona, and will still be 27 for most of 2020. He missed most of 2019 recovering from Tommy John surgery but returned to make one outing at season's end, so he's seemingly okay healthwise. It's odd and a little concerning he hasn't signed yet. 2. Jhoulys Chacin (32): He was knocked around for a 6.01 ERA in 103 innings with Milwaukee and Boston last year, but put up a 3.69 ERA over 373 frames in the two seasons prior, and even as he struggled in 2019, he managed to strike out a batter per inning. Seems like a very reasonable bounceback candidate. 3. Trevor Cahill (32): Might be generally viewed as a reliever now, after pitching exclusively in that role for the Angels after May last year. But Cahill is still conditioned to start, having thrown 100+ innings in the each of the past two years, and the appeal of a rotation opportunity could draw him to Minnesota. He can still miss some bats. 4. Cody Anderson (29): A bit of an odd case in that he's reaching free agency after throwing just 160 total major-league innings. Injuries gobbled up most of his service time in Cleveland, including last year when he underwent surgery for a torn flexor tendon in his elbow. But he's under 30, will be about nine months removed from the operation when spring training starts, has shown strong ability when on the mound, and is familiar to Derek Falvey. 5. Andrew Cashner (33): Another longtime starter who transitioned to relief amidst struggles last year. Far removed from his glory days in San Diego, with a 4.61 ERA/4.86 FIP since 2016, he's not attractive on the surface. But Cashner still brings it in the mid-90s and it's not crazy to think he could be a few tweaks away from being effective. 6. Danny Salazar (30): He has had about as hard a time staying healthy as any pitcher in the league, making one appearance since 2017 and reaching 30 starts in a season only once before that. But when he's on the hill, Salazar is awesome, averaging 10.5 K/9 with a 3.85 ERA in 591 career innings. He's an extreme longshot but worth bringing in if there's any confidence his arm can hold up. Like Cody Anderson, Falvey knows Salazar well. 7. Jeremy Hellickson (33): Fizzled last year in Washington, but posted a 3.45 ERA in 2018, and a 3.71 mark in 2016. The shoulder strain that cost him most of 2019 is worrisome given his age and declining velocity, but he's had plenty of success in his career and isn't ancient. As a rookie in 2010, Hellickson was a teammate of Rocco Baldelli's in Tampa. 8. Wade LeBlanc (35): Last year was rough for LeBlanc, who coughed up 27 homers with a 5.71 ERA for Seattle, but he'd enjoyed some solid stretches in the years prior, with a 3.91 ERA in 292 innings from 2016 through 2018. If Wes Johnson and the Twins could mitigate his persistent long ball issues, he could be a fairly decent back-of-rotation plug. 9. Marco Estrada (36): Back in 2015 and 2016, his first two years with Toronto, Estrada was sensational, registering a 3.30 ERA while holding opponents to a .203 AVG both years. He has since battled health and performance issues, most recently missing most of 2019 due to back surgery. If he's at all back to normal, the swing-and-miss stuff is intriguing. 10. Jason Vargas (37): Only two seasons removed from winning 18 games as an All-Star for the Royals in 2017. Looked pretty good with the Mets last year before floundering after a deadline trade to Philly. Certainly not much upside here but the lefty might be suitable for consuming some early-season innings. 11. Derek Holland (33): He has finished with an ERA above 6 in two of the last three seasons, which is quite discouraging, but sandwiched a solid season with the Giants in 2018. Compared to most others on this list, Holland's record of durability is immaculate, but control issues have plagued him of late. Thad Levine is plenty familiar from his days in Texas. 12. Matt Harvey (31): The red flags and question marks are almost endless coming off a nightmare campaign with the Angels (7.09 ERA), but Harvey was once a premier young pitcher in the game, and he's not all that old. so the upside hasn't faded entirely. Twins Daily member billyp4444 made a case for Harvey in the blogs section this week. 13. JC Ramirez (31): The Angels gave up on him last August as he failed to show much in his return from Tommy John. He's not very accomplished as a big-leaguer but looked decent in the Halos rotation in 2017 (4.15 ERA in 147 innings) and he was pumping heaters at 95+ prior to TJ surgery. Might be worth a look if he's regained strength with some time off. 14. Chad Bettis (30): His crummy career numbers (5.12 ERA, 1.47 WHIP) need to be contextualized against the reality of pitching at Coors Field. Bettis is not great but some metrics suggest he's about average when healthy, which he seemingly is after recovering from hip surgery. He's a pitch-to-contact guy who gets grounders, which isn't the worst match for the Twins presently. 15. Aaron Sanchez (27): In terms of pure ability and upside, Sanchez would rank near the top of this list. But he's just not a fit for Minnesota's needs, given that he'll miss the start of the 2020 season after undergoing shoulder surgery in September. I'd still take him over any of the washouts below, which is to say that this is about the cutoff where I'd just as soon roll with a rookie. 16. Tommy Milone (33): Has basically one strength, and it's enabled him to keep sticking around: control. He reliably pounds the zone, but it's not enough to make up for the way he gets raked by opposing hitters. There's not enough ceiling here to be interesting. 17. Clay Buchholz (35): He was a disaster in 12 starts for Toronto last year, posting a 6.56 ERA with career-low velocity, but looked considerably better the previous season in Arizona (2.01 ERA in 98 IP). Experience is the selling point here, but there are better options on that front. 18. Shelby Miller (29): His is a name that has intrigued me for some time, because he's still young and was oh-so-good when he first came into the league with Atlanta. But the guy has a 6.89 ERA and 1.75 WHIP dating back to 2016. It would take an especially good report on his health to raise any kind of optimism around him. There's been almost zero buzz on Miller this winter, so any faith in his once-prized arm appears to have evaporated. 19. Ervin Santana (37): A reunion with the pre-Donaldson title-holder for biggest Twins FA signing ever would be kinda fun, especially if there was any chance Santana could recapture a semblance of his previous form with the Twins. He was a borderline ace in 2016 and 2017 before completely unraveling. In eight MLB starts over the past two seasons, Erv has given up an egregious 15 home runs in 38 innings. At his age there's not much reason to expect at turnaround. 20. Clayton Richard (36): He's old and he's been consistently terrible for years, with an utterly hittable repertoire that right-handed hitters feast upon. Ostensibly he's a ground ball specialist but he's lost the ability to limit home runs of late. No appeal here. 21. Hector Santiago (32): From the moment Minnesota acquired him via the Angels in 2016, Santiago's reasonably successful career pretty much fell off a cliff. He has lost all touch with the strike zone (113 walks in 206 innings since 2017), making him essentially unusable. 22. Wei-Yin Chen (34): The Marlins are paying Chen $22 million NOT to pitch for them in 2020, after releasing him and his 6.59 ERA this offseason. That pretty much tells you all you need to know. 23. Edwin Jackson (36): He's amazingly been around since 2003, when he debuted at age 19 for the Dodgers. Since then he's accrued a 4.68 ERA in nearly 2,000 major-league innings. Jackson still wants to pitch, and seeing him join his record 15th different team would be cool, but he looked to have nothing left in the tank last year while dropping a ghastly 9.58 ERA and 2.03 WHIP for Toronto and Detroit. Recognizing that the quality threshold here is low... Any of these names do anything for any of y'all? MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email Click here to view the article

I think we need to stop thinking about "reliever" in the traditional sense. Strategies are changing these days. Take a look at how the Rays have used Ryan Yarbrough over the past couple seasons (I think he was referenced earlier in this thread). Last year Yarbrough operated primarily as a reliever in the first half, often throwing multiple innings, and then moved in to the rotation after the AS break. Finished around 140 IP (which is probably Graterol's cap). In 2018, 32 of his 38 appearances came in relief but he still threw 150 innings. There's no reason to assume Graterol will be used strictly as a one-inning reliever. I suspect that (barring another SP addition) the Twins will run a number of bullpen games in the early going to fill the rotation gaps, with multiple guys throwing multiple innings. It's entirely plausible he could throw over 100 IP while being used strictly as a reliever.

It's about what the body is conditioned to handle. Wainwright, prior to pitching as a reliever his rookie year, had thrown 160+ IP in the minors three times. "Let the young man throw the ball" is simply not a blueprint the Twins can follow with Graterol. They need to be extremely thoughtful and careful about his usage and strain level. This is a vital asset to their future, no matter his role.

The Minnesota Twins, having crystallized their intentions to make hay of a momentous opportunity with the landmark signing of Josh Donaldson last week, are in an interesting position regarding their top pitching prospect. There's a case to be made for delaying Brusdar Graterol's arrival by developing him as a starter. It doesn't appear to be the route this team will take.Graterol's role for 2020 has been an open question all offseason. He had worked almost exclusively as a starter in the minors up until last summer, when he returned from a two-month injury hiatus as a shutdown reliever. His dominant debut out of the bullpen included a convincing September stint with the Twins, and a shutdown inning against New York in the ALDS. Obviously, he would offer more ostensible impact out of the rotation, which is why many observers would like to see him further developed in that role. Still only 21 years old, Graterol could easily start the 2020 campaign back at Triple-A, reacclimating to the routine and building up stamina. But, based on pitching coach Wes Johnson's comments at a Winter Caravan stop in St. Cloud this week (via MLB.com writer Do-Hyoung Park), it doesn't look like that's in the cards: 2: Graterol wasn't going to be a factor for the Twins as a starter this year. Even if he avoids injuries entirely, there was no scenario in which he was going to handle a starter's workload all season long, and still be available for October. 3: A relief billing now does not rule out the possibility that Graterol can transition back into a starting role in the future. It's important to remember how young he is. At the same age, Johan Santana was still destined for three more seasons vacillating between rotation and bullpen, before blossoming as a Cy Young starter. Another example I like to cite: Adam Wainwright spent his first year in the majors as a full-time setup man, then threw 200 innings as a starter the following year. For a multitude of reasons, going with Graterol in the bullpen is the right decision at this moment for the Twins. If this were three or four years ago, and the franchise was still gazing toward a future window of contention, I might argue differently. But as I wrote earlier this week, the game has changed. MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email Click here to view the article

If you view the two options as Jason Tyner or Rondell White, they I guess you can argue it was a "great signing." But that's not the case. The 2006 Twins were a championship-caliber team on the cusp (as illustrated by their 96 wins) and to address one of their biggest weaknesses TR went bargain-hunting as usual. White had a good season in 2005, you're right. But he was a 34-year-old with an iffy track record of production and durability, which is why he was available for $2.5M. I don't think I'm going out on a limb by suggesting that the 2000s for the Twins were characterized by an inability to add external pieces capable of putting a highly talented core over the top. Signings like White, Ponson, Ramon Ortiz, Adam Everett, Mike Lamn, Tony Batista... these were costly half-measures. The Donaldson signing gives me hope that this run will be much different.