Nick Nelson

Today was a split-squad today for the Twins, with Phil Hughes and a few regulars heading to Clearwater to face the Phillies while most of the positional mainstays remained in Fort Myers for a match-up against the Orioles at Hammond. The Twins won 5-1 in their home park, with Joe Mauer and Trevor Plouffe each chipping in two-run homers. Carlos Quentin and Oswaldo Arcia, competing for a bench spot, were slotted back-to-back in the lineup for a second straight day, while several relievers vying for bullpen jobs got the chance to make key impressions.* With Quentin having a June 1st opt-out built into his minor-league deal, there has been some speculation that the Twins might send him to Rochester as depth in case somebody gets hurt or Arcia fizzles early on. But assistant GM Rob Antony says that the veteran outfielder, who sat out the 2015 season, was signed with an agreement that he’d only be shipped to Triple-A if he had a clear path to the majors. “He had no problem going to the minor leagues if we saw him as a fit, if he just needed at-bats or something,” Antony explained. “But if we said we don’t see it happening or whatever, I basically verbally told him … I’m not just going to run you down to Rochester and hold you there for two months.” In other words, if the Twins decide Arcia is their guy, don’t expect Quentin to stick around. But it’s overly hasty to presume that outcome. “He’s had a very good spring,” the AGM noted of Quentin, who went 1-for-3 with a double and walk today. * Will it be good enough to unseat the front-runner Arcia? The 24-year-old had himself a solid game with a double and a walk of his own. He also struck out for a 10th time (tying Byung Ho Park for the team lead), but his approach at the plate has been noticeably better. “Bruno’s happy with his progress, so that’s enough said,” according to bench coach Joe Vavra, who watched things play out today as acting manager. Meanwhile, Arcia's improvement in the outfield and on the base paths has been as obvious as the trimmed down physique that’s contributed to it. Today he made a heads-up play scrambling from second to third on a ball that skipped away from Orioles catcher Caleb Joseph. This after sprinting about 100 feet to make a nice running catch in left on Monday. “Those are all big plays, and we’re watching,” Vavra said. “Those are important." * Spring training is interesting. For established veterans who have been through the grind repeatedly and are just trying to stay healthy into the regular season, it becomes a nuisance that drags on. For guys like Buddy Boshers, it’s an opportunity worth savoring. The non-roster invite was out of organized ball last year, pitching in an independent league where he caught the attention of the Twins and a few other teams by posting a 1.00 ERA with a 71-to-14 K/BB ratio in 54 innings. When he had the choice between a couple of different suitors on minor-league deals, Minnesota’s bullpen composition appealed to him and his agent. “That was a big key for signing here,” said the 27-year-old southpaw. “They needed some left-handed depth in the bullpen.” He ended up pitching for the Somerset Patriots after being released from Rockies camp last March and receiving no calls. The resounding success he achieved in the Somerset bullpen with his mid-90s fastball and big curve led to his landing with the Twins and getting a shot to compete for a relief job. Given that he isn’t on the 40-man roster, Boshers is a long shot to win a spot on Opening Day, but right now he’s got all he wants: a chance. “I’m getting some opportunities so I can’t really complain,” he said. He made the most of the one he got today. Boshers worked two scoreless frames, including a 1-2-3 sixth against three intimidating big-league righties: Manny Machado, Adam Jones and Mark Trumbo. * Boshers wasn’t the only reliever battling for a job who got an extended look today. It was a bullpen game for Minnesota, with lefty Logan Darnell getting the start and pitching just a couple innings, so the Twins were able to stretch out a few arms, giving two innings apiece to Boshers, Brandon Kintzler and Michael Tonkin. The stakes are high for Tonkin, in terms of his future with the organization, because he’s out of options and would almost certainly be claimed if he hit waivers. He’s been enduring a miserable spring but had an excellent outing today, retiring all six batters he faced. The big righty was repeatedly painting the outside corner with his 95 MPH power fastball, making it almost unhittable, and mixed in a sharp breaking ball that drew strong reviews from Vavra after the game. * A couple hours away in Clearwater, the other half of the split-squad dispatched the Phillies 7-5. Byron Buxton had a pair of hits but struck out three times. Park drove in a couple of runs. Slugging prospect Daniel Palka, acquired in exchange for Chris Herrmann during the offseason, launched two home runs. * The Twins released a number of minor-leaguers over the past couple days, and most of the names wouldn’t be recognized by anyone other than our guy Seth. One that stuck out, however, was pitcher Brandon Poulson. You may remember him as the the big 6’6” righty with a triple-digit fastball who received a shocking $250,000 bonus to sign with the Twins in July of 2014 despite being undrafted. If they could get the kid to throw it in the zone, it was said, he could be a story destined for Hollywood. Unfortunately, that just never happened. “Couldn’t throw it over,” Antony said. “He had a terrific arm, and we tried a lot of different things, but he wasn’t able to throw enough strikes.” Poulson is now 26, and still hadn’t appeared in a full-season league. In 20 rookie ball appearances over the last two seasons, he issued 32 walks in 27 2/3 innings. * Tomorrow Ricky Nolasco will take the mound against the Rays at 12:05 CT. It'll be my last day in camp, sadly, but Parker will be checking in to wrap up our spring training coverage. Click here to view the article

When Brian Dozier refers to spring training as “Groundhog Day,” he’s talking about the repetitive routine that is inherent to this annual six-week stretch. But he might as well be talking about his production. This year, just like last year, Dozier is putting up monster numbers in the Grapefruit League.After going 1-for-3 as the No. 3 hitter on Monday, Dozier is batting .364 this spring with six extra-base hits. A year ago he hit .367/.436/.694 in exhibition play. That paved the way for a phenomenal first half of the 2015 season. His 871 OPS and 16 homers through the first three months led to his first All-Star nod and even some low-key MVP buzz. His drop-off after the break, though, was quite striking to most observers. Not to him. “I hear that all the time and I don’t really know why people always make a big deal out of the last couple months,” Dozier says. “I didn’t hit as many home runs, but I actually scored the same amount of runs, which is what I intend to do.” “I don’t really see it as a lot of other people do as far as a down second half." Well, that’s not exactly true. Even if we’re looking strictly at his frequency of crossing the plate, Dozier scored 67 runs in 88 games before the All-Star break (0.76 R/G) and 34 runs in 69 games thereafter (0.49 R/G), despite the entrenched presence of rookie slugger Miguel Sano behind him in the lineup. He did still finish near the top of the American League in that particular category, tied for fifth with Lorenzo Cain, so perhaps that’s what he’s driving at. But of course, the decline extended beyond homers and runs scored. His OPS dropped off by more than 200 points from the first half to the second as his gap power diminished and his on-base percentage took a dive. The latter development was particularly troubling given his role as a table-setter atop the order. But the second baseman insists there’s more to it than numbers. “You find other ways to help your team win. You do things that the normal person does not see but everyone in here sees.” Even if he believes that the second-half swoon narrative is overblown, Dozier is making adjustments that he hopes will be conducive to end-to-end production. A quick glance at his 2015 spray chart from FanGraphs shows just how pull-heavy he was at the plate. Dozier swatted the occasional fly ball or grounder the other way, but sent only a handful of liners (and two of his 28 home runs) toward right. http://s13.postimg.org/eo2swup1j/dozierspray2015.png Given the starkness of this trend, it’s been impossible not to notice this spring that Dozier has already hit several hard balls to the opposite field, including one of his two homers. He says this hasn’t been a specific focus, but rather the natural offshoot of another point of emphasis. “Training my swing to cover more of the plate is something Bruno (hitting coach Tom Brunansky) and I have been working on this spring,” he says. “Whether it correlates to more balls going to right field or not I could really care less.” These efforts have already yielded results in Grapefruit play. In one at-bat on Monday, Dozier flicked a borderline outside pitch back into the screen, then later got another on the outer half and drove it over the right side of second base into center for a single. He knows his bread and butter – “being a pull hitter is definitely a strength of mine” – but being able to waste those pitches away that don’t play to his strength will prevent opposing pitchers from being able to take advantage. As Albert Einstein once said, "Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.” Hopefully a more balanced approach at the plate will allow Dozier to keep moving all the way to the regular-season finish line and beyond. Click here to view the article

IMO the two "battles" here are Santana vs Sweeney (and maybe Mastro, I guess?) and Quentin vs Arcia. I think they want one backup OF who can play all three positions, and one slugger off the bench. Can't see any reason they'd carry both Santana and Mastroianni. Regardless of how well Mastro is hitting in spring, it'd be ridiculous to take a guy north who didn't play in the majors last year and hasn't even sniffed a .200 average since 2013. But I guess you can't discount the possibility after the Bartlett fiasco.

Most of the Twins position players have essentially locked up their spots on the roster, but a couple of jobs on the bench remain in play. Four who are in that mix – Danny Santana, Oswaldo Arcia, Carlos Quentin, Ryan Sweeney – were all in the starting lineup in today’s 2-0 loss to the Pirates.* Quentin and Sweeney are facing an uphill battle given that they are non-roster invites going against homegrown players who are out of options, but both have been productive enough this spring to spark some intrigue. Today, however, was not a banner day for either. The only hit between the two was a Sweeney single that was generously scored as such when Pittsburgh second baseman Cole Figueroa took a wrong first step on a flare and couldn’t recover. Quentin, in particular, had a rough one. He batted cleanup and struck out in both of his first two at-bats, each time with a runner on third and fewer than two outs. He finished 0-for-3 but Paul Molitor viewed it as more of an isolated bad day than a general sign of weakness for the veteran hitter. “He’s been pretty good at shortening his swing with two strikes in camp, today it didn’t work out particularly well.” * Two-strike approach is an area where the manager drew a distinction between Quentin and Oswaldo Arcia, who might be in direct competition for the final bench job. On a quiet day for Quentin, Arcia did little to distinguish himself at the plate, finishing 0-for-4 with two strikeouts and failing to cash in on a pair of early scoring opportunities. “He gets a little long with his swing,” Molitor said. “People have a tendency to get him to climb the ladder, especially with two strikes.” I’d say Arcia has a clear leg up, since the Twins recognize that losing him on waivers would be unfortunate, but I wouldn’t look at this one as a lock just yet. Having a veteran on the bench who can come in and take a quality at-bat is something that the Twins have valued in the past, and while Arcia has shown a somewhat improved approach at the plate this spring, it hasn’t led to much in the way of results. Today’s 0-fer dropped his average to .179. * Danny Santana, meanwhile, had himself a nice ballgame. He collected a couple of hits, including a single that he flicked through the wide-open left side when the Pirates shifted him. Given his lack of remaining options and his ability to play both infield and outfield, it’s tough to see Santana being left off the roster. His versatility, combined with his speed and switch-hitting, make him a nice bench piece. “Danny can spray the ball," Molitor said after the game. “He stayed on the ball better today I thought." * Starting pitcher Kyle Gibson was on top of his game. His 10-to-0 grounder-to-fly ratio is exactly what you like to see from a sinkerballer, and in the second inning he shattered the bat of former Twins farmhand Danny Ortiz with a pitch in on the handle. As usual, Gibson lamented his walks after the outing (he had two), but he generally seemed pleased with where he’s at. “The pitches I’ve been working on are where I want them to be, and they’re getting better,” he said. * Taylor Rogers was first to come on in relief for Twins after Gibson was removed in the fifth. Rogers is involved in one of the other remaining position battles on the roster: the left-handed relief gig. Fernando Abad is considered the front-runner in that race. The 30-year-old veteran has a sizable experience edge over Rogers and others, but he historically lacks the platoon splits that might come in handy for a situational bullpen role. I asked Molitor on Sunday if that weighs into his decision. “I’m kinda looking for guys who are pitching the best,” he replied. “The season [Abad] had in 2014 it seemed like he dominated lefties and righties fairly well. Last year was a little bit of a step back.” “He’s not afraid to throw that changeup to lefties and he can throw that curveball over, which is a good pitch to have. I am aware of the history and the numbers, but I’m just looking for the guys who are throwing the best and give us the best chance." * Glen Perkins fired a scoreless sixth frame with a pair of strikeouts. He has now worked six innings this spring with three hits allowed, a 6-to-0 K/BB ratio and a 0.00 ERA. Sure, it’s spring training and the numbers are ultimately meaningless. But it’s still nice to see after the way he finished last year. * Eduardo Escobar went 1-for-2 with a hustle triple, his second three-bagger of the spring. He also made a couple of slick plays defensively at short. Before the game, Brian Dozier called his double play partner “one of the most underrated players in the game,” and it’s hard to disagree with his assessment, given how many Twins fans I saw beckoning the team to explore options at shortstop this past offseason. "You put his stats up, anything regarding defense, offense, everything, it’s up there with the elite shortstops in the league,” Dozier said. "He’s going to have a chance to play every single day this year. You’ll see his numbers get even better." * David Freese was batting third in the Pirates lineup. I mention him because his situation over the winter was reflective of a lukewarm (at best) third base market that might have contributed to the Twins not trading Trevor Plouffe. Freese was far and away the best third baseman in free agency, and really the only quality starting option, yet he went unsigned until 10 days ago when Pittsburgh acquired him on a meager one-year, $3 million deal. The lack of a market for Freese, and the underwhelming return that the Reds got for dealing Al-Star Todd Frazier to the White Sox, suggest that Ryan made the right choice by holding onto Plouffe. Whether or not it was prudent to send Miguel Sano to right field to make all of the pieces fit is another discussion. * On Sunday I mentioned that Ryan had expressed an inclination to keep Alex Meyer in the rotation at Class-AAA Rochester rather than relegating him to a bullpen role. Today, the general manager made it official that they’ll go with Meyer as a starter for now, with the caveat that it’s not necessarily an assignment that will stick for his career of even for the entirety of the 2016 season. Ryan specifically pointed out that working as a starter enables the big righty to utilize and refine the entirety of his pitch repertoire (particularly his so-so change), which is much more easily done from the rotation than the bullpen. But you also have to think that his fantastic 2014 performance as a starter in the International League – which really isn't all that far in the past – factored in. Click here to view the article

Entering his second season in Minnesota, Ervin Santana has some serious expectations to live up to, and it’s not because he’s the first Twins pitcher to sport the name Santana on the back of his jersey since some guy named Johan.Santana’s first season with the Twins was an oddity, even beyond the 80-game suspension that struck before it started. When he returned to the team in July, the right-hander came out firing on all cylinders. In his first four starts, he pitched into the eighth inning three times, posting a 2.60 ERA and holding opponents to a .196 average. Then, the bottom fell out. Santana fell into a slump of epic proportions over his next six starts, allowing 31 earned runs on 47 hits over 30 innings with more walks (15) than strikeouts (14). Even for a traditionally streaky pitcher like him, this dauntingly bad stretch of performance was tough to figure. Whatever the issue, though, he bounced back and finished brilliantly, with a 1.62 ERA over his final seven turns. Ultimately, through all of those dramatic ups and downs, Santana’s numbers at the end of the season were about what you’d expect based on his track record. But the stretches of dominance were tantalizing, and exactly what the Twins had zeroed in on when they signed him to the largest contract in franchise history back in December of 2014. Paul Molitor has not yet announced his Opening Day starter – he said he expects to do so after Monday’s game – but all signs point to Santana getting the nod. If he continues to pitch every fifth day between now and the start of the regular season, he’ll be on the hill for Minnesota’s April 4th tilt against the Orioles in Baltimore. It would be a first for the 33-year-old in a big-league career that launched back in 2005, but for his part, he downplays the significance. “It would be good, one more game in the big leagues,” he said with a shrug after his outing against the Yankees on Sunday. That start – while underwhelming on paper (5 IP, 2 ER, 3 BB, 2 K) – served as a reminder of the promise that Santana offers. He attacked hitters. He induced weak contact and feeble grounders. He routinely worked at 92 and 93 MPH, even dialing it up to 96 and 97 on the radar while working off the frustration-driven adrenaline induced by a run-scoring balk. That kind of velocity has been missing in Minnesota’s starting corps for quite some time. His average fastball speed of 92.5 MPH in 2015 was the highest of any Twins starter in the last five years save for Mike Pelfrey, who had nothing BUT a fastball (a rather straight and hittable one at that). Santana faced 21 hitters on Sunday and allowed only two hits, both singles. And that speaks to a strength that should appeal greatly to fans of a Twins team that has allowed the most hits in the American League four years in a row. In seasons where Santana has been healthy enough to make 30-plus starts (and that’s all but two since his rookie campaign in ’05), he has never allowed more than a hit per inning on average. In that regard, he would be a fitting tone-setter for a 2016 season in which the Twins are hoping to reverse some negative trends and take the step forward that their sizable investment in him was intended to aid. Click here to view the article

There was like one solidly hit line drive to the outfield. For the most part when Berrios put it in the zone they couldn't do anything with it.

My first day at the Lee County Sports Complex in Fort Myers was a bustling one, with the Yankees coming to town and bringing along their typically large throngs of fans and media. The Twins lost 6-4 in a game that featured some striking miscues and gaffes – a run-scoring balk by Ervin Santana, a costly error in right field by Miguel Sano, a misguided baserunning mistake by Eddie Rosario. But hey, that’s what spring training is for, right? Read on for a smattering of notes on Minnesota’s 17th exhibition contest of the year, as well as other sights and sounds around camp.* The batting cages at Hammond Stadium were largely quiet early on Sunday morning, with one exception. In the last stall, center fielder Byron Buxton worked with hitting coach Tom Brunansky, who fed him underhand tosses and offered tips on keeping his head still and staying back on the ball. Buxton has been set back over the past week, first by an illness that caused him to miss a few games and then by Saturday’s rainout. “It’s not been ideal,” Terry Ryan acknowledged, although he added that the team can use some different methods to get him caught up on at-bats, such as having him lead off every inning in a minor-league game. Manager Paul Molitor also expressed urgency to get Buxton back up to speed at the plate, and mentioned that he plans to have him DH in Monday’s game against the Pirates. * Sano’s rawness in right field was quite evident when he failed to reel in a relatively routine line drive to his left in the third inning. He got a bit of a bad read and had the spinning ball clank off his glove, resulting in an error and contributing to a rocky frame for the starter Santana. As you might expect from a 260 lb 22-year-old playing outfield for the first time, Sano has not looked very fluid in right, and it’s particularly noticeable when he’s playing alongside Buxton, the very definition of grace and quickness in center. “There’s going to be times where we’re going to to see plays like that, plays that you hope he’d learn to make more consistently,” Molitor said. “I’m kind of happy when they hit way his ball now, so he gets to see more action.” With only two weeks left of spring training, it is nearly certain that this learning process will carry over into the regular season. * Aaron Hicks got the chance to face his former team for the first time since being traded for John Ryan Murphy in November. He reminded the Twins of his arm strength when Rosario attempted to tag on a fly ball to medium center with two outs in the fourth and was gunned down on a perfect throw. Molitor is typically a fan of aggressive baserunning but not in this instance. “It’s just not a play that you can risk getting thrown out on,” he said. “A little over-aggressive there. We talked about it in the dugout." * Murphy, too, was getting his first look at the team that traded him away in November. He went 0-for-2 with a walk and strikeout at the plate, but the most notable moment of his day came in the fifth inning, when New York right fielder Ben Gamel attempted to steal second against him. Murphy’s throw sailed into center and Gamel slid in safely. It’s not the first time the newly acquired catcher has misfired on a throw this spring, and he is now 1-for-6 on stolen base attempts. That’s noteworthy in part because of the low success rate, but more so because of the sheer volume. Opponents have attempted seven steals in Murphy's 43 innings behind the plate; comparatively, they’ve only tried stealing twice in Kurt Suzuki’s 31 innings. Murphy’s career throw-out rate in the majors is 28 percent, which is roughly average, so there’s no huge cause for concern, but it’s something to monitor. * Three relievers who are vying for one of the last remaining bullpen spots appeared in Sunday’s game: Fernando Abad, J.R. Graham and Ryan Pressly. Graham was roughed up, and took the loss. Abad looked fine. But the most impressive of the bunch was Pressly, who worked the ninth and flashed the velocity that makes him an intriguing middle relief option. He touched 96 with his fastball on the Hammond radar gun and his hard slider was clocking at 88 and 89. “He’s had flashes, I think consistency has kind of held him back,” Molitor said of the right-hander, who missed much of the 2015 season with a lat strain. “He’s had a good spring coming off the layoff, and I’m encouraged by what he’s given us so far." * Ryan said before the game that a decision on Alex Meyer’s role hasn’t been made but will come soon. Although indications from Molitor, and Meyer himself, have been that the organization is leaning toward keeping the hard-throwing righty in the bullpen, where he finished last year, Ryan (who has the final say) sounded somewhat inclined to give starting another shot. “It’s easier to bring him up here as a starter or reliever if he’s starting in Rochester,” the GM said. “That’ll weigh into my decision. We’d like to have an avenue to be able to bring him up either way." * I had the opportunity to watch two of the organization’s best pitching prospects work on adjacent fields in minor-league scrimmages in the morning. On one field, Jose Berrios (Twins Daily’s No. 2 prospect) was working, while lefty Stephen Gonsalves (No. 7) toed the rubber about 100 feet away. Berrios was repeatedly registering between 92 and 94 MPH on the gun with his fastball, and he complemented it with quality offspeed stuff that elicited several whiffs. In those regards, he’s pretty much in midseason form, but his command continued to lag behind. Tracking stats in these scrimmages is even more pointless than usual, since hitters weren’t even running the bases, but I saw Berrios issue several walks and plunk a batter in the arm. For the most part, though, he wasn’t missing by much. He’s close. Gonsalves is another story. In the couple innings I watched, he worked mostly in the high 80s with his fastball and I didn’t see him top 90. He has never really profiled as a hard-thrower but at his peak he’ll inch up a few ticks. He threw some nice changeups but his curveball was inconsistent, occasionally dropping sharply through the zone and occasionally bouncing in front of the plate. The breaking ball may turn out to be a make-or-break (no pun intended) pitch for the lanky left-hander. Reining in that offering and getting it over with more regularity will be vital to his succeeding at the higher levels. * The Twins host the Pirates on Monday at 12:05. Follow @TwinsDaily on Twitter throughout the game for updates and insights. Click here to view the article

Good points, tweaked that bit.

Minnesota's 2015 season concluded with Byron Buxton stranded at third base. He had reached second on a two-base error to open the ninth inning and moved up on a groundout, but came short of scoring when Miguel Sano flied out to end the game and the season. The Twins went home. The Royals, who beat them that day, went on to win the World Series. Buxton looked ahead to an offseason of uncertainty. His location between third base and home plate at season's end was reflective of his time in Minnesota as a whole: close but not quite there. Had he shown enough during his debut to convince the brass that he was ready to stick?At the time, most would have probably guessed no. Buxton appeared overwhelmed at times during his introduction to the big leagues, striking out in 32 percent of his plate appearances and never really settling into a comfortable groove. Terry Ryan has admitted, with tinges of regret, that he rushed the 21-year-old to the majors out of necessity last summer. Factor in the commonly held belief, right or wrong, that former center field prospects such as Carlos Gomez and Aaron Hicks had their development impaired by a lack of minor-league seasoning, and no one could blame the front office for tentatively slotting Buxton at Triple-A, where he has a grand total of 59 plate appearances. Halfway through March, however, all evidence points to the contrary. It looks like Buxton has the Twins center field job all but locked up. What was shaping up to be one of the most compelling position battles this spring has turned out to be rather anticlimactic. As John wrote last week from Fort Myers: "This is clearly not a competition, at least not yet. It's Buxton's job to lose." The grip has only tightened in the week since that post. John noted at the time that Buxton had started four of the first six games in center; he has started on four of six days since, and the player spelling him has been Max Kepler instead of Danny Santana. That's a very positive sign for Buck, since Kepler is a likely early cut. Santana, who stood to be Buxton's primary competition in center, is clearly being groomed for a utility role. In the past week he has appeared in all three outfield spots and both middle infield spots. It's becoming plain to see that the Twins entered this camp intent on bringing Buxton north. And while you might not be wowed by his overall Grapefruit numbers (his .200 average and .561 OPS are almost identical to the marks he posted in Minnesota last year), he's showing the type of progress that reinforces this approach. On Sunday, Buxton had perhaps his best game yet this spring. He doubled and walked, and scored both times. He had a good day on the base paths, including a heads-up tag on a fly ball. That sort of stuff is all the Twins are looking for right now from their 22-year-old top prospect. It appears the collective assessment is that Buxton's best plan for learning to hit MLB pitching is to face MLB pitching. Even if that process is still playing out as we head into the regular season, his impact in the outfield and on the bases enables the Twins to let him learn on the job without hurting themselves much if at all. The narratives connecting Buxton to Hicks and Gomez are conveniently tidy but they've never been all that apt given that Buck is in another class entirely than either predecessor. He has quickly stopped being challenged at each level of the minors, and that's why every prospect publication remains bullish on his status as one of the game's absolute best young talents. I'm pleased to see that the Twins are ready to let that talent off the leash and don't seem inclined to let their resolve waver on the basis of a couple of dozen exhibition contests. I'm also excited by the idea of a Rosario-Buxton-Sano Opening Day outfield alignment, with Kepler waiting in the wings. Nowhere is the fruitfulness of Minnesota's pipeline more evident than in the outfield, which is bustling with young talent to an extent we've never before witnessed. Giddy up. Click here to view the article

Earlier this week we posted an overview of the Minnesota Twins' farm system, touching on its strengths and weaknesses. It is a pipeline that weighs heavily in importance because the Twins are relying so strongly on internally developed players to fuel their rise to contention. Of course, they're not the only team in the division counting on prospects to figure prominently into future success. Today, I thought it would be a fun exercise to put together a lineup featuring the best prospects in the American League Central as we head into the 2016 campaign.This list is, of course, quite subjective. I took into account both the team-by-team and overall rankings from publications such as Baseball America and MLB.com, and adjusted a little bit based on readiness (in borderline situations, I opted for the guy who figures to make an impact more quickly). Here's what I came up with for a starting lineup plus three pitchers. C: Francisco Mejia, CLE Age: 20 | ETA: 2018 Catcher is a thin position throughout the entire division. Of the 50 players to appear on Baseball America's Top 10 lists for the Central, there's ONE backstop. It's Mejia, who was ranked 10th in the Cleveland system. He's not a great prospect by any means, and is coming off a season where he posted a .670 OPS at Single-A, but he's young and has strong defensive skills. That's enough to rise to the top of an unimpressive crop. 1B: Max Kepler, MIN Age: 23 | ETA: 2016 Kepler has played mostly in the outfield during his ascension through the minors, but he has played plenty of first and many believe that's his best defensive position. He's certainly superior to any of the division's strictly first base prospects, so he gets the nod coming off a breakout season at Double-A. 2B: Raul Mondesi Jr, KC Age: 20 | ETA: 2017 The son of a former big-leaguer, Mondesi's tools and pedigree have always overshadowed his on-field production – he's a .246/.293/.365 hitter in the minors – but there's a reason the Dominican import keeps climbing prospect lists in spite of his meager offensive numbers. He is a phenomenal athlete with outstanding defensive skills, and despite the fact that he won't turn 21 until July, he has already put in a full season at Double-A and appeared in a World Series game. Mondesi will probably play shortstop in the majors, but has played some second so we'll flex him there in order to get a Royal into the mix. SS: Tim Anderson, CWS Age: 22 | ETA: 2016 Chicago's No. 1 prospect, Anderson is a wiry shortstop in the Dee Gordon mold, with a bit less speed and a bit more pop. Last year at Double-A he batted .312 and led the Southern League with 49 steals. The Sox let Alexei Ramirez walk during the offseason and signed only stopgap veteran Jimmy Rollins as a fill-in, so the door is wide open for this former first-round pick. 3B: Trey Michalczewski, CWS Age: 21 | ETA: 2018 Much like catcher, this is a weak position for the division. Michalczewski is the only third baseman to appear on any of BA's Top 10 lists; he ranks fourth for the White Sox despite a .257/.335/.387 slash line through three minor-league seasons. He's mostly projection at this point, but shows patience at the plate that is uncommon for his age and scouts believe the power will come. LF: Clint Frazier, CLE Age: 21 | ETA: 2017 The Indians selected Frazier in the 2013 draft, one pick after Minnesota took shortstop Nick Gordon at No. 4. He is renowned for his smooth swing and excellent bat speed. Last year he hit .285/.377/.465 with 16 homers and 15 steals as a 20-year-old at High-A. He has played mostly center in the minors but is better suited for a corner. CF: Byron Buxton, MIN Age: 22 | ETA: 2016 A guy who needs no introduction. Buxton remains the consensus No. 2 prospect in baseball (behind Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager) in spite of the injuries and MLB struggles that have marred his last two seasons. That tells you all you need to know about how strongly evaluators everywhere believe in his ability and upside. RF: Bradley Zimmer, CLE Age: 23 | ETA: 2017 One year after selecting Frazier out of high school with their first-round pick, the Indians used their top selection in 2014 (21st overall) to acquire Zimmer out of the University of San Francisco. Both decisions have paid initial dividends. Last year was Zimmer's first full season as a pro, and he spent the second half of it holding his own at Double-A. SP: Jose Berrios, MIN Age: 21 | ETA: 2016 Berrios is the most highly-rated, and MLB-ready, pitching prospect in the division. With his combination of command, velocity, durability and tremendous stuff, he easily sets himself apart. SP: Carson Fulmer, CWS Age: 22 | ETA: 2017 The Vanderbilt product was arguably the best collegiate starter in last year's draft, and the Twins considered him at No. 6 before going with Tyler Jay. The White Sox ended up taking Fulmer two picks later. In his first taste of the pros, the righty lived up to the hype, posting a 25-to-9 K/BB ratio and 2.05 ERA in 22 innings at High-A. He's on the fast track to the Chicago rotation. SP: Michael Fulmer, DET Age: 22 | ETA: 2016 This Fulmer was the centerpiece of last year's deadline deal that sent Yoenis Cespedes to the Mets, who had quality young pitching to spare. He has a hard sinking fastball that induces plenty of grounders and he complements it with a swing-and-miss slider. The Tigers could use a youthful jolt in their rotation, so they are hoping he can emerge this season. Representatives By Team Twins: 3 Indians: 3 White Sox: 3 Royals: 1 Tigers: 1 THOUGHTS AND TAKEAWAYS * We already knew this, but the Twins have the best system in the division by far and that's reflected here. They may have the same number of reps as the Indians and White Sox, but Minnesota's prospects are uniformly of a higher grade. Buxton and Berrios are decisively the two best on the list. * Looking around the division makes me feel a little bit better about the weakness at catcher in the Twins' system, which I talked about on Monday. The truth is that quality prospects behind the plate are at a premium around the league. Only four appear on MLB.com's Top 100 list, and only five on Baseball America's (mostly toward the bottom). It's really tough to find players that are functional behind the plate and can actually offer something with the bat. The Twins are hoping they've found one in John Ryan Murphy. * It goes without saying that this All-Prospect Team would have looked a lot better with Francisco Lindor and Miguel Sano comprising the left side of the infield, but both graduated to the majors in 2015, finishing second and third for Rookie of the Year. * The Twins' bounty of premier prospects is, to an extent, the byproduct of their half-decade in the cellar. Buxton and Berrios came in the same 2012 draft, at the front ends of the first two rounds. Nick Gordon and Tyler Jay, who both merited consideration for a spot in the All-Prospect group, were also top picks made possible by 90-loss seasons. Detroit's system reflects the other end of the spectrum. Their annual success, combined with a willingness to forfeit first-round draft picks in order to sign big-name free agents, resulted in few opportunities to select from the top tier of amateur talent. Their one representative on this squad is Michael Fulmer, who is maybe the third-best pitching prospect in the division, and he wasn't in their organization until August of last year. Click here to view the article

We have spent the past two weeks counting down our choices for the top 20 prospects in the Minnesota Twins organization, culminating with Parker's profile on Byron Buxton last Friday. Today, we'll reflect on that list and where the farm system stands as we enter this 2016 season.Twins Daily Top 20 Prospects For 2016 20. Jake Reed, RHP 19. Randy Rosario, LHP 18. Lewin Diaz, 1B 17. Engelb Vielma, SS 16. Taylor Rogers, LHP 15. JT Chargois, RHP 14. Jermaine Palacios, SS 13. Wander Javier, SS 12. Lewis Thorpe, LHP 11. Adam Brett Walker, OF 10. Nick Burdi, RHP 9. Kohl Stewart, RHP 8. Alex Meyer, RHP 7. Jorge Polanco, SS 6. Stephen Gonsalves, LHP 5. Tyler Jay, LHP 4. Nick Gordon, SS 3. Max Kepler, OF 2. Jose Berrios, RHP 1. Byron Buxton, OF Positional Breakdown Right-handed Pitchers: 6 Left-handed Pitchers: 5 Infielders: 6 Outfielders: 3 Catchers: 0 System Ranking Among MLB Baseball America: 10th out of 30 ESPN: 3rd out of 30 MLB.com: 5th out of 30 No Park? One thing that differentiates our top prospect listing from many other sources is that we elected not to include Byung Ho Park. We certainly could have, since he qualifies for this conversation based on his MLB rookie eligibility. Ultimately we decided that given his status as a 29-year-old longtime pro from Korea, and considering the lack of any common baseline to compare him against the prospects we were profiling, we'd be blindly guessing even more than usual by trying to rank him. John Bonnes wrote from Ft. Myers about Byung Ho Park's early progress. Reinforcements In The (Red) Wings The Twins are going to be heading into this season with their top three prospects on the verge of the major leagues. Buxton, Berrios and Kepler could all be reasonably written into the Opening Day lineup, even if two or all three are likely to open in Triple-A. Few if any other teams can boast that level of MLB-ready impact talent, and it bodes well for Minnesota's chances heading into a season with some question marks in the rotation and outfield. Glaring Weakness The one thing that sticks out from an otherwise fairly balanced positional breakdown is the lack of any catchers. Mitch Garver and Stuart Turner are viewed as the best prospective backstops on the farm but they would have appeared in the 20-30 range if we extended out our list. It's simply not a position that the Twins have prioritized; since 2010 they have drafted a catcher in the first five rounds only once (Turner was a third-rounder in 2013). This increases the pressure on the John Ryan Murphy move to pay off. John Hicks, claimed off waivers from Seattle in December, is also one to watch. He had been ranked by Baseball America as the best defensive catcher in the Mariners system and he has shown offensive ability at times in the minors. Strong At Short Of the 20 players on our list, four are shortstops – at least currently. Not all will stick there, but starting at the highest end of the defensive spectrum is a good thing. This represents a very welcome changing of the tide for a Twins organization that has been dreadfully ineffective at producing quality shortstops over the years. The fruitless pipeline has led to a revolving door on the big-league roster. Gordon, the most promising name among this group, is still multiple years away from the majors, but with Eduardo Escobar's emergence (and Polanco on hand at Triple-A), the Twins can afford to be patient. Heat Rising During his brief MLB debut last year, Alex Meyer's average fastball velocity of 95.3 MPH, per FanGraphs, was the highest for a Twins pitcher since Juan Morillo's 97.6 in 2009. Meyer's arrival was only a taste of what's to come. Nick Burdi (10) has reportedly been hitting 99 on the radar gun repeatedly here in the first week of spring training games. Jake Reed (20) can touch the upper 90s. Tyler Jay (5) and Lewis Thorpe (12) are rare lefties who can push it to 95-plus. Never before has this club seen an infusion of power arms quite like this. Arrival Timelines Based on our ETA projections, here's a loose timeline of when you can expect the top 20 prospects to start helping the big-league club. 2016: Buxton, Berrios, Kepler, Polanco, Meyer, Burdi, Walker, Chargois, Rogers 2017: Vielma, Rosario, Reed 2018: Gordon, Jay, Gonsalves, Stewart 2019: Thorpe, Palacios, Diaz 2021: Javier Click here to view the article

Max Kepler came over to the United States from Germany in 2009 as a scrawny 16-year-old with intriguing yet raw baseball skills. It was quite the contrast from the lean, muscular specimen that flat-out dominated the Southern League last summer before debuting in the majors in September.Age: 23 (DOB: 2/10/93) 2015 Stats (A+/AA): 118 G, .318/.410/.520 ETA: 2016 2015 Ranking: 12 National Rankings BA: 30 | MLB: 44 | BP: 60 What's To Like To me, Kepler has to be viewed as the most impressive international signing in franchise history. The Twins scouted and signed a kid at age 16 out of Germany, a country (and continent) that has yielded few major-league players. They gave him $800,000 on the hope that his small teenage frame would fill out into a powerful build, and that his premium innate athleticism and coordination would translate to results on the field. Regardless of what happens going forward, what he did last year at Chattanooga proved their assessment and investment astute. He has developed into exactly the type of player that the organization wishfully envisioned some seven years ago. At that point, Kepler was a smallish kid and his offensive numbers while adapting to the pro ranks reflected that. Between his first two seasons in rookie ball, he hit one home run in 87 games, posting a .356 slugging percentage. But he showed a good approach at the plate, especially for his age, and that remained true while he gradually climbed the ladder. Even with some promising signs and productive stretches, though, Kepler gave little hint in his first five seasons of what was coming in 2015. While making the jump from Single-A to Double-A, which many consider to be the toughest transition in the minors, Kepler thrived. Actually, that's putting it quite mildly. His .947 OPS led the Southern League by more than 40 points, and was almost 250 points above the league average. He batted .322 and filled the stat sheet with 32 doubles, 13 triples, nine homers and 18 steals on 22 attempts. He struck out only 63 times in 482 PA and drew 67 walks. Facing left-handers, previously a prominent weakness in his game, was no issue; he had an even better average against them than righties. Suddenly, Kepler was showing no real vulnerabilities at the plate, and it basically made him slump-proof. During one ridiculous 11-day stretch in June, he batted over .500 with five triples and five steals. This is a guy who has never really been known for his speed, mind you. The 22-year-old was just dominating on a level that is rarely seen. Granted, it's just one season. But for various reasons, it's hard to look at it as a fluke. This kid can play. What's Left To Work On It's tough to find any real flaws in Kepler's performance last year. He was constantly a steady force at the plate and his glove work received positive reviews at first base and all three outfield positions. What he needs to do now is back it up. If Kepler had consistently been hitting the way he did last year, he'd be one of the top prospects in the game. However, that is not the case. The only time prior to last year that he had topped a .736 OPS at any level was in 2012 when he was repeating at Elizabethton as a 19-year-old. He's very likely to open this season at Triple-A, the final stage he must master before graduating to the majors full-time. Then it's just a matter of proving it against big-league pitchers. If there's one thing that I've seen scouts continue to criticize regarding Kepler (and I think there might only be one thing), it's that he still sometimes has trouble picking up spin and reading breaking balls. This figures to be his biggest test at the highest level. What's Next Under different circumstances, Kepler would be heading to camp with a very real chance of winning a big-league job. But with Eddie Rosario and Miguel Sano lined up in the outfield corners (not to mention Oswaldo Arcia out of options), and with center not really being Kepler's ideal spot, he's most likely going to have to wait. Minnesota's depth in the outfield gives them the luxury of continuing to take it slow with the young outfielder. If we reach July and he's clobbering Triple-A pitching, though, it will create some urgency to make room for him... or to dangle him as trade bait for a major midseason upgrade. ----- TD Top Prospect #10: Nick Burdi TD Top Prospect #9: Kohl Stewart TD Top Prospect #8: Alex Meyer TD Top Prospect #7: Jorge Polanco TD Top Prospect #6: Stephen Gonsalves TD Top Prospect #5: Tyler Jay TD Top Prospect #4: Nick Gordon Click here to view the article

Not sure why Tonkin is being grouped in here. He's 26 with a mid-90s fastball and a 9.7 K/9 in Triple-A. They'd be foolish not to give him a real shot.

The Lee County Sports Complex has sprung to life over the past week, with dozens of ballplayers reporting to the Twins' spring training home for the six-week ramp-up to the regular season. As usual, Twins Daily will be featuring on-site coverage from Ft. Myers throughout the month of March, starting this week with John Bonnes sharing stories and observations as the exhibition schedule gets underway on Wednesday. This is shaping up to be the most compelling spring training for the Twins in some time. Most of the roster spots are essentially decided going in, but the few that aren't loom large. Over the course of a month's worth of Grapefruit League games and camp activities, there will be a number of crucial experiments and auditions playing out. These five, in my mind, will be the most riveting. 1. Miguel Sano in right field. If you follow any Twins writers on Twitter, be prepared for a barrage of tweets every time a fly ball or liner is hit to right field this month. It only makes sense to pick apart every movement Sano makes when a ball is hit his way, because that's all the data we'll have to go on as he enters his first season, ever, as an outfielder. Sano has been working with last year's right fielder, Torii Hunter, as he embarks upon his one-month crash course on playing a position – and side of the field – where he has zero experience as a professional. Of course, no amount of tutelage or instruction can truly prepare you for the real thing, and when Sano trots out to the outfield it will be his first time doing so in a game since he signed as a 16-year-old back in 2009. Twins officials insist that he's going to surprise us, and so does Sano. Bill Parker expressed some optimism in his article here on Monday. Let's find out. 2. Byung Ho Park at the plate. While Sano is seeing line drives slice toward him in the outfield for the first time, Park will be getting introduced to his own uncharted territory: facing major-league pitchers. Paul Molitor says he is likely to give the newly signed Korean slugger a larger share of reps this month to aid his acclimation before the games start mattering. The Twins have publicly tried to downplay initial expectations a bit, and the manager isn't even sure if he's ready to view Park as an everyday player yet. Certainly, some patience is warranted as the 29-year-old makes this hugely challenging transition. But closely watching his at-bats this spring, seeing the types of reads he makes on outside sliders, and the quality of swings he puts on tough offspeed pitches, should give us valuable clues regarding his likelihood of success. I won't get too worked up if he doesn't hit much (though I'll be curious to see if that opens a door for someone like Carlos Quentin or Kennys Vargas). If Park starts hot and launches one or two into the pond that lies beyond Hammond Stadium's center field concourse, it'll be hard not to get a little excited. 3. Phil Hughes and his fastball velocity. During his Grapefruit League starts last year, Hughes showed noticeably diminished fastball velocity compared to the previous season, when he had ranked among the game's best starters and set an all-time MLB record for K/BB ratio. That's not terribly uncommon, as many pitchers need time to work up to their peak arm strength, but in this instance Hughes never got there. The righty went on to average just 90.7 MPH with his heater during the regular season – a career low. This was one symptom of an overall reduction in effectiveness that led to his strikeout rate plummeting and his home run rate skyrocketing. According to reports, Hughes has arrived at camp looking more fit after an intense offseason conditioning program aimed at improving flexibility and strengthening his back. He's lined up to start the team's preseason opener against the Red Sox on Wednesday. If he's topping out in the 80s in his first action of the year it won't be too alarming, but I'll be closely monitoring his radar gun readings as we inch toward April. Hughes is a pivotal figure in the rotation. He's still under 30. With his elite control, he has one key ingredient in the frontline starter equation. He has shown that when at full strength he can miss enough bats to offset his fly ball tendencies. The more we see hitters swinging late on his fastball or swinging over his slider this month, the better we can feel about Hughes' chances of returning somewhere close to that exceptional 2014 form. 4. The Jose Berrios Show. A year ago, many onlookers opined that Berrios had the best stuff of any pitcher in Twins camp. Unfortunately, he didn't get to stick around long. The 20-year-old had minimal experience above Single-A and wasn't a candidate to make the big-league club, so he was cut early on in order to get ample work on the minors side. But during his brief audition, which included two impressive starts, the electric right-hander turned plenty of heads. Now, he arrives with a very strong case for a starting job after shredding up the highest level of the minors in 2015. Granted, his odds of being in the Twins rotation on Opening Day are long, because waiting until late April or beyond could yield the team a full extra year of his services before free agency. That's not being cheap, it's just a logical cost/benefit equation, and a tactic frequently used by teams across the league. But at some point, if it becomes blindingly obvious that Berrios is the best starting pitcher in camp, all bets are off, right? Molitor is surely more interested in winning now than worrying about hypothetical scenarios six years down the line, and if Berrios is lights-out each time he takes the mound while some others fail to impress, the manager is going to want that arm. Who could blame him? Those circumstances add extra intrigue, but Berrios is also just plain fun to watch. His aggressive approach, sharp breaks and plentiful whiffs make him a joy to spectate on the mound in the same way as Francisco Liriano or Johan Santana. 5. Can Byron Buxton force the issue? The Twins have announced that they now view Danny Santana as a center fielder, and Terry Ryan has mentioned repeatedly that he feels as though he rushed Buxton to the majors last summer, so all indications at this point suggest Santana is in line to open the season between Eddie Rosario and Miguel Sano in the outfield. However, if Santana's ho-hum play from last year persists this spring while Buxton takes full advantage of his opportunities, that may very well change. Though he stumbled at the plate last year (not as badly as Santana, mind you), Buxton has made a habit of quickly adapting to new levels in the past so it'd be no shock to see him take this competition by storm. Molitor, who values aggressive baserunning and doesn't know what to expect defensively from his right fielder, is well aware of everything that Buxton can bring to the table with his unparalleled athleticism. He doesn't need to hit a ton to be a valuable piece, so if he's tearing the cover off the ball in convincing fashion it's pretty much a no-brainer, right? Click here to view the article

In 2014, the Twins used their second draft pick to select the best collegiate closer in the nation, Nick Burdi, whom I profiled last week as our choice for the 10th-best prospect in the organization. A year later, they once again set their sights on the top closer in college baseball, this time taking Tyler Jay out of the University of Illinois at No. 6 overall.Age: 21 (DOB: 4/19/94) 2015 Stats (A+): 18.1 IP, 3.93 ERA, 22/8 K/BB, 1.42 WHIP ETA: 2018 2015 Ranking: N/A National Rankings BA: 80 | MLB: 60 | BP: NR What's To Like Read a few articles on Jay, dating back to the days when pro scouts were still evaluating him in college, and you'll see him repeatedly characterized as a "late-bloomer." He even describes himself as such. While attending high school in suburban Illinois, Jay was a talented yet gangly hurler at around 6'0" and 150 lbs. His fastball sat in the mid-80s and he didn't attract a whole lot of attention from big-name college programs. He ended up staying close to home, committing to the Fighting Illini after his senior year in 2012. Jay had a solid freshman season with Illinois but his coming-out party came as a sophomore. As he added weight and strength, he also added ticks of velocity, inching up into the mid-90s. He took over as the team's closer and posted stellar numbers, finishing the season with a 1.94 ERA, 0.98 WHIP and 47-to-13 K/BB ratio in 41 2/3 innings. That summer, the lefty was invited to join the U.S. National Team, and that's where he really burst onto the scene. Playing alongside the country's most elite collegiate talent, Jay made a team-high 15 appearances and didn't allow a run, striking out 21 and holding opponents to a .130 batting average. The next year he returned as closer for Illinois and enjoyed his best season, tallying 14 saves with a 1.08 ERA and 0.70 WHIP. By this point he was routinely hitting 95 from the left side with good command and strong secondary pitches, a combination that placed him squarely in the Top 10 discussion for the upcoming MLB draft. The question: Which team was going to gamble such a high pick on a relief pitcher? As it turns out, that team was Minnesota. The selection was based on the Twins' belief that Jay could develop into an impact starter as a pro, an opinion that is reinforced by many independent scouting reports. His frame, mechanics and assortment of different quality pitches all position him as a candidate for a successful transition to the rotation. For what it's worth, the decision to use him as closer instead of starter at Illinois was not based on Jay's limitations. Coach Dan Hartleb trusted the other starting options he had, and liked Jay's makeup at the end of games. Evidently it was a good decision because the Fighting Illini enjoyed their best season in program history. But another major thing to like about Jay is his relatively high floor. Because even if he doesn't take as a starter, he looks like almost a lock to be an impact lefty relief arm in the majors, given the way he has thoroughly dominated in that role at even the highest levels of collegiate competition. What's Left To Work On We can talk all day about how Jay has the skills and traits required to become a starter, but at this point, the fact is that he hasn't done it. Of the 71 appearances he made over three years with the Illini, only two were starts, and all 19 of his outings with the Ft. Myers Miracle after signing last year came out of the bullpen. We simply don't know how his body will adjust to the rigors of throwing 90-100 pitches every fifth day, or whether taking something off the pitches that he's been able to maximize by throwing in short stints will dramatically alter his effectiveness. What's Next More than any other prospect profiled on this list, the 2016 season is immensely important for Jay, because he'll finally be making the big leap to starting after being eased in at Single-A as a reliever last summer. The 21-year-old will presumably open the year back at Ft. Myers, because moving up a level while also adapting to an unfamiliar role is quite a bit to ask. If Jay comes out as a starter throwing in the mid-90s, missing bats and getting sterling results, he'll probably finish the year in Double-A and by this time next year he'll be viewed as one of the best left-handed pitching prospects in the minors. If the transition does not go smoothly, the Twins are going to have to ask themselves just how long they want to screw around with trying to make it work, especially in light of the fact that he could likely be fast-tracked to the majors as a reliever. -------- Previous Installments: TD Top Prospects: 16-20 TD Top Prospects: 11-15 TD Top Prospects: #10 Nick Burdi TD Top Prospects: #9 Kohl Stewart TD Top Prospects: #8 Alex Meyer TD Top Prospects: #7 Jorge Polanco TD Top Prospects: #6 Stephen Gonsalves Click here to view the article