Seth Stohs

Let me start this by saying that I would guess that there is about a 50-50 chance, maybe less, that the Twins make a Rule 5 pick this morning. However, it is always fun to at least think about what players might be available if they do choose to make a selection. There is still much that we don’t yet know about the 2021 season. I think we assume that active rosters will be 26 as was intended to be the case in 2020 until COVID-19 rules changed that to 28. But if there are 28, there is little reason not to take a shot with a player if you believe their upside is worth it. With a 26 player roster, and with aspirations of winning a playoff series and more in 2021, it is much less likely that the Twins would make a pick. There are some interesting names out there, players with upside and potential. Some of those players are unprotected Twins players (like Baddoo, Miranda, Javier, Rijo and others). Likewise, other teams have left some high-upside (and high risk) players available. And, you can always make the pick, see what you have in spring training (on the field and in the clubhouse), and if there’s something there, you can always make a trade to keep him in the organization. We’ve seen that before when the Twins lost RA Dickey to the Mariners in the Rule 5 draft and then when the Mariners wanted to send him to Triple-A to start the season, the Twins acquired catcher Jair Fernandez for him. We’ve seen it the other direction too when the Twins traded flame-throwing Billy Bullock to Atlanta so that they could send Scott Diamond to Triple A. But first, let’s start with what the Twins needs might be with such a pick. I think there are two possibilities. #1 - Relief Pitchers - This should be #1, #2, #3, #4 and maybe #5 on the list of needs. With St. Paul so close and the front office’s willingness to shuffle relievers back and forth as needed, maybe it’s easier to stash a Rule 5 pick away for the season, using him only in low-leverage situations. What I would want would be a pitcher with some plus-plus tools, a big fastball, a big spin rate, a high strikeout rate. Something for Wes Johnson to work with. #2 - Second Utility Infielder - I think we all assume that the Twins are in the market for a Marwin Gonzalez replacement. Maybe that’s a Kike Hernandez or Tommy La Stella type, or maybe it’s Jorge Polanco with the team signing a Marcus Semien or Didi Gregorius type. So to me, the potential Rule 5 pick might be a plus defensive infielder that can play ideally play shortstop well and has some offensive potential. That player can be the #2 utility infielder and play in low-leverage situations. So here are some names that I find quite intriguing and if the Twins selected them, I would be very interested in seeing how they perform at spring training. (Also of note, if they select any player, I will be very interested in seeing how they perform at spring training.) Dauris Valdez - Call me crazy, but I will always be intrigued by velocity. Valdez is right-handed and stands 6-8 and is built strong. He is currently in the Padres organization and pitched in Double-A in 2019. As a 23-year-old, he struck out 68 batters in 55 ⅓ innings. He posted a 4.23 ERA and a 1.428 WHIP because, despite the fastball, he still gave up 51 hits and walked 28 batters. A year earlier, he walked 29 and struck out 76 batters in 53 ⅓ High-A innings before striking out 15 batters in 10 innings in the Arizona Fall League. That said, scouting reports show that he has a pretty good changeup and, you guessed it, a slider that has some potential. Again, this is what makes him intriguing. See what Wes Johnson and Pete Maki can do with him. Jordan Sheffield - You might notice a pattern here. Sheffield throws an upper-90s fastball and has a good changeup. He’s just lacked much control. In 2019, between High-A and Double-A, he struck out 74 batters in just 55 innings. However, he also walked 54 batters. That’s pretty consistent with his stats from previous seasons. His younger brother is Justus Sheffield who is in the Mariners starting rotation as a 24-year-old. Jordan Sheffield was a Dodgers first round pick in 2016 out of Vanderbilt. Oliver Ortega - The right-hander has been a starter in the Angels system since signing with them. In High-A in 2019,e he had 121 strikeouts and 49 walks in 94 ⅓ innings. He struggled in five Double-A starts. He has a good fastball and a big-breaking curveball (noteworthy). I think he’s an intriguing guy as a reliever because of those impressive strikeout numbers as a starter. Zach Pop - Like Jordan Balazovic, Pop played for the Ontario Blue Jays during his amateur years. He made just eight appearances in 2019 (0.84 ERA, strikeout per inning) before needing Tommy John surgery. But, a year earlier, he pitched at three levels and posted a 1.53 ERA and a 0.90 WHIP with 64 strikeouts in 64 2/3 innings.It’s a similar situation to the Twins Tyler Wells. Pop throws a mid-to-upper 90s fastball and has a really good slider. Is he healthy? If not, the Twins could utilize the Injured List to their advantage. . Stephen Gonsalves - This one might surprise people (unless you looked at the picture associated with this article), but I think Gonsalves is really intriguing, even looking past the fact that he was the Twins Daily Minor League Starting Pitcher of the Year in both 2016 and 2017. The former Twins top prospect was DFAd following an injury-filled 2019 season. He ended his 2018 season with seven games with the Twins during which he went 2-2 with a 6.57 ERA in 24 ⅔ innings. He was claimed by the Mets and then DFAd. Then he was claimed by the Red Sox and DFAd. But he spent the summer at the alternate site of the Red Sox. When we last saw him, his fastball was topping out at 89-90 mph. Reports from Boston say that he was hitting 94-95 this summer. Following the season, he re-signed with the Red Sox on a minor league deal. Gonsalves, if 100% healthy could compete for a fifth starter job, long reliever or low-leverage reliever. And with his secondary pitches, there is some upside here for the long-term. Infielders Frankly, there aren’t many intriguing middle infielder options that would intrigue me enough to use a Rule 5 pick on. They’ve already signed former Red Sox shortstop Tzu-Wei Lin and former big leaguers Rob Refsnyder to minor league deals. Both have big-league time and could fill in as the second utility infielder just fine. Lin played 26 games for the Red Sox in 2020 and played shortstop, second base, all three outfield positions and even pitched and caught one game. The Twins also have Travis Blankenhorn and if things go well early in the season, Royce Lewis may be an option later in the years. Maybe even Jose Miranda. But, I figured I should mention an intriguing Rule 5 possibility in the infield. Shervyen Newton - What makes Newton intriguing to me is that he is available and he is still just 21 years old. He’s also 6-4 and strong with a lot of power potential. Now, he’s not a great defender but he can play both middle infield positions. Seems like the kind of hitter that might be intriguing if we thought there would be 28-man rosters. The ceiling here appears to be something like Jonathan Schoop, another player from Curacao. And just to be thorough, I don’t think that the team should really have much (ok any) interest in selecting an outfielder or first baseman, and they are just fine behind the plate too. Are there any names available that are intriguing to you?

The news really came out about a week ago when the Star Tribune announced that it was happening, but it became official this morning. (full list of 119 'invitations" that were sent out by MLB teams this morning) There are many reasons for the Twins affiliation changes, even beyond the fact that MLB has been in process of making these changes for a couple of seasons. There is proximity, both between the Twins and their AAA affiliate and their rookie level campus/spring training site and the Low-A affiliate. Ultimately, teams want what's best for their player development. Derek Falvey points out, "Quality player development is the core of a winning baseball organization. These potential affiliations - both new and sustained - put us in prime position to continue to build on our recent major league success." In one of baseball's worst-kept secrets, the St. Paul Saints are the Twins new Triple-A affiliate. They were part of the Northern League before the league became the American Association. They have become one of the most famous independent league teams in baseball. 19 former Saints have eventually made it to the big leagues including former Twins reliever Brandon Kintzler and current Twins lefty Caleb Thielbar (twice). Twins President & CEO Dave St. Peter notes, "The Minnesota Twins are ecstatic about the potential to form a partnership with the St. Paul Saints. We are incredibly excited at the thought of Minnesota baseball fans having the opportunity to watch their favorite Twins prospects as they wear the Saints uniform and play at gorgeous CHS Field." For those wondering about the Saints in-game experience, Saints chairman Marv Goldklang noted, " During my conversations with Jim Pohlad and Dave St. Peter leading up to the decision to move forward with our partnership, with the exception of players on the field, they don't expect much, if anything, to change in terms of the experience of attending a Saints' game." In the Fargo Forum, the FM RedHawks GM Matt Rau said that it's exciting for the Saints. “The overall feeling is that we’re really excited for them, but sad to see them go,” said RedHawks general manager Matt Rau said. “It’s an incredible opportunity for that organization. While it stings a little to lose a member and a great member like the Saints, it’s really a feather in that hat of that organization. That proves how well they have been run over the years.” The Rochester Red Wings were invited to be the Triple-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals. There are a lot of great people who work with the Red Wings and the Twins had nearly two decades in western New York. Josh Whetzel is as good as it gets on the microphone. Nate Rowan, who is from Minnesota, is their media relations director and has been very helpful through the years. Thank you to them from Twins Daily, but also just personally from me. The Wichita Wind Surge play in Riverfront Stadium in downtown Wichita. The stadium broke ground in 2019 and has an overall capacity of over 10,000 fans. Falvey noted also, "The brand new facility in Wichita and what we've learned about the rich history and passionate baseball fanbase there creates fantastic new possibilities in Double-A." Wind Surge Partner and CEO Jordan Kobritz noted, "The Wichita Wind Surge are pleased that the Minnesota Twins have invited the team to become one of their minor league affiliates." On another note, the Pensacola Blue Wahoos received their invitation from the Miami Marlins to be their AA affiliate in 2021. Blue Wahoos owner Quint Studer said, "Our entire organization would like to pass along our gratitude to the Minnesota Twins for their partnership with the Blue Wahoos over the past two years. On the field, they provided a playoff-caliber team for us. Off the field, they were excellent business and community partners, recently making a generous donation to hurricane relief efforts in our city. We wish the Twins nothing but the best." On a side note, I would like to thank Wahoos media relations guru Dan Venn for being great for Twins Daily to work with. He is a Minnesota native in Pensacola and has done a great job with the Blue Wahoos the past two years. He will also be helping with the Beloit Snappers who will be a High-A affiliate of the Marlins now. The Snappers are now owned by the Studer family as well. Thank you Dan! The Cedar Rapids have been a Twins affiliate since 2012. However, the Midwest League is now a High-A affiliate. Twins Director of Player Development, Alex Hassan, noted, "From top to bottom, the Cedar Rapids Kernels are a first-class organization. Over the years, they've been tremendous partners to the Minnesota Twins and an integral part of our player development process. We would be thrilled to see that partnership continue for many years to come." Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley noted, "I am pleased that the Cedar Rapids Kernels remain an affiliate with the Minnesota Twins. I fondly remember going to Minor League Baseball games growing up. It is exciting that the Cedar Rapids community will continue to enjoy America's national pastime with this team that has so many Iowa fans." https://twitter.com/jeje66/status/1336765093669908487 With that, the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels will now be the Twins Low-A affiliate as the Florida State League is now a Low-A league. The Twins have been in Ft. Myers for 27 seasons and Hammond Stadium have been the Twins spring training site since 1991. Andy Kaufmann, managing owner of the Mighty Mussels, said, "The Mussels organization is thrilled to be continuing the long-term partnership with the Minnesota Twins for many years and generations to come." The Twins have always placed an emphasis on player development and building from within. Much of their current big league roster came from inside the organization and that's important to long-term sustainable success.

Armed with a huge fastball and what some inside the organization (and Baseball America) believe is the best slider in the organization, Colina has become a known prospect in the last two seasons. That's when reports that he was hitting triple-digits with his fastball started to pop up. He was invited to his first big-league spring training in 2020. He was placed on the 60 player pool and spent most of his summer at the Twins alternate site in St. Paul. And just before the final weekend of the season, Colina was called up and made his major-league debut. Tonight, we will chat with Colina about his youth ball days in Venezuela and his decision to sign with the Twins. We will discuss his adjustments to pro ball and life in the United States. We will talk about his crazy 2020 season and making his big-league debut. We will also take your questions, so be sure to join us Live at 7:00 central time, if you are able. If not, send us your questions below. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Please watch LIVE at 7:00 tonight on the Twins Daily Twitter, Facebook or YouTube pages live. Also feel free to ask questions in the comments below or on those platforms during the show and we'll ask them. Subscribe to the Twins Daily podcast on Libsyn, Apple iTunes or anywhere you download podcasts. Here is the YouTube link where you can watch the show. More on Edwar Colina: Edwar Colina: from Chilly Home Opener to No-Hitter (May 2018) Triple-Digit Shoes to Fill (April 2020) Twins Call Up Colina for Season's Final Weekend (Sept 2020) Follow Edwar on Twitter at @EdwarColina57. Follow Edwar on Instagram at @Edwar.co. Previous Episodes Episode 1: Tom Hackimer Episode 2: Matt Canterino Episode 3: Aaron Whitefield Episode 4: Spencer Steer Episode 5: Travis Blankenhorn Episode 6: Cody Laweryson Episode 7: Matt Wallner Episode 8: Brent Rooker Episode 9: Bailey Ober Episode 10: Talkin' Torii (with Jacque Jones, Royce Lewis, Niko Guardado) Episode 11: Top 60 Twins Players in 60 Seasons in Minnesota Episode 12: Charlie Mack Episode 13: Edwar Colina

Charlie Mack was the Twins sixth-round pick of the Minnesota Twins in June of 2018. He attended Williamsville East High School. Williamsville is a small town adjacent to Buffalo, New York. He had an impressive high school baseball career, a career that started when he was on the varsity as a seventh grader. https://twitter.com/TwinsHighlights/status/1004088365787045890 Mack had committed to Clemson, but when the Twins selected him, he signed a pro contract. He spent his first pro summer in the GCL where he hit .216 with four doubles and a triple in 30 games. In 2019, he moved up to the Appalachian League and played 53 games with the Elizabethton Twins. He hit .234 with eight doubles, a triple and eight home runs. We will chat with him about his youth ball days, getting drafted and his decision to sign with the Twins, his adjustments to pro ball, a crazy 2020 season, maybe a position change, and we have to ask him how many times he has been to Niagara Falls. And, we will take your questions, so be sure to join us Live at Lunch, if you are able. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Please watch LIVE at 7:00 tonight on the Twins Daily Twitter, Facebook or YouTube pages live. Also feel free to ask questions in the comments below or on those platforms during the show and we'll ask them. Subscribe to the Twins Daily podcast on Libsyn, Apple iTunes or anywhere you download podcasts. Here is the YouTube link where you can watch the show. More on Charlie Mack: 2018 MLB Draft Day 2 Thread (June 2018) Follow Bailey on Instagram at @CharlieMack34. . Previous episodes Episode 1: Tom Hackimer Episode 2: Matt Canterino Episode 3: Aaron Whitefield Episode 4: Spencer Steer Episode 5: Travis Blankenhorn Episode 6: Cody Laweryson Episode 7: Matt Wallner Episode 8: Brent Rooker Episode 9: Bailey Ober Episode 10: Talkin' Torii (with Jacque Jones, Royce Lewis, Niko Guardado) Episode 11: Top 60 Twins Players in 60 Seasons in Minnesota Episode 12: Charlie Mack

With the news on Monday night from Ken Rosenthal that the Twins had placed on Eddie Rosario on outright waivers, we knew what would happen on Tuesday. He cleared waivers at 1 pm meaning other teams passed on him at his potential arbitration salary. At that point, the Twins officially non-tendered him. The surprise decision on this night was non-tendering Matt Wisler. The Twins claimed Wisler off waivers a year ago and agreed to an arbitration deal with him. He responded with a breakout season. The 28-year-old posted a 1.07 ERA and 12.4 K/9 over 25 1/3 innings. He threw a ton of sliders and became reliable in any role the Twins gave him from low-leverage, to Opener, to closer. The decision is interesting because Wisler likely would have been in line for a raise to somewhere between $1.4 and $1.8 million. Not a huge number. And the Twins have lost Tyler Clippard, Sergio Romo and now officially Trevor May to free agency this offseason. While they have claimed Ian Gibaut and Brandon Waddell, and they signed Derek Law to a minor league contract, Wisler on a reasonable salary certainly would not have been a stretch. The Twins will not go to arbitration with any players this offseason, however, as they agreed to terms with each of their other arbitration-eligible players. Caleb Thielbar signed early in the day for $650,000. Mitch Garver, in his first year of arbitration, agreed to a $1.875 million deal. Arbitration Salary Estimates: Twins Daily: $2M | MLBTR: $1.9M Tyler Duffey was eligible for a second time, and he will earn $2.2 million in 2021. Arbitration Salary Estimates: TD: $2.5M | MLBTR: $2.6M Byron Buxton agreed to a deal at $5.125 million in his third of four arbitration seasons. Arbitration Salary Estimates: TD: $6M | MLBTR: $5.9M Jose Berrios got $6.1 million which included a $500,000 signing bonus Arbitration Salary Estimates: TD: $7.5M | MLBTR: $7.5M https://twitter.com/Feinsand/status/1334313346380730371 Finally, the Twins have reportedly agreed to terms with Taylor Rogers, though the terms of the contract have not yet been released. Arbitration Salary Estimates: TD: $7M | MLBTR: $6.9M We wondered aloud on Offseason Live if that might mean that the two sides have agreed to a multi-year contract? Nope. For an hour worth of much, much deeper analysis on these arbitration/tender deadline decisions, watch the below episode of Offseason Live!

I haven't done one of these Nine Innings bits in awhile... I wasn't sure how I would fill all nine innings, but we've done it. This has topics all across the board. Please feel free to ask questions or leave comments below. First Inning - Eddie Rosario Outrighted Listen. No one thought that the #MNTwins were going to tender Eddie Rosario at the deadline Wednesday evening. But tonight, Ken Rosenthal tweeted that the Twins have put Rosario on outright waivers. https://twitter.com/Ken_Rosenthal/status/1333948164244647937 I know I held out some hope that some team would be willing to give up a Low A pitching prospect for Rosario, and certainly the Twins tried, but they couldn’t find a taker. https://twitter.com/Ken_Rosenthal/status/1333948257819631618 Instead of just non-tendering him tomorrow, and making him a free agent, the Twins are hoping to find a team that will take whatever number they agree to in arbitration. Rosario has been a controversial player. Ultimately, since he debuted in 2015, he has been a very productive player. While he comes with flaws that he just hasn’t been able to overcome, he has also produced in the middle of the Twins lineup. I know it has become cliche for me to do so, but I truly have enjoyed watching Eddie Rosario in a Twins uniform. He is absolutely entertaining when you just sit back and take the good with the bad. Most likely, he will go unclaimed by the 1:00 deadline on Wednesday and become a free agent. Second Inning - Wednesday is Decision Day Teams have until 7:00 central time on Wednesday night to decide whether to tender a 2021 contract for its arbitration eligible players. If they are non-tendered, they become a free agent. Taylor Rogers is the one other Twins player who some think could be non-tendered, but I think it’s most logical for the Twins to bring him back for 2021. The other players who are arbitration-eligible are: Jose Berrios, Byron Buxton, Tyler Duffey, Mitch Garver, Caleb Thielbar, and Matt Wisler. I would be surprised if any of them were non-tendered. However, it is possible that the team agrees to terms with a player or two before the deadline as well. Of that group, which if any are most likely to sign a deal ahead of the deadline? Third Inning - Offseason Live TONIGHT (Reacting to the Non-Tender Deadline) Tonight at 8:00 central time, Nick Nelson, Seth Stohs and David Young will react to the day in Twins news, specifically to the arbitration decisions that are made. Join us live on Twins Daily’s Twitter, Facebook or YouTube pages. Fourth Inning - Realigning the Minor Leagues The Star Tribune is reporting that the Twins and MLB will be announcing their re-aligned minor league system in the near future. In the worst kept secret in baseball, the St. Paul Saints will become the Twins Triple-A affiliate. The Wichita Wind Surge will become the Twins new Double-A affiliate. The two Twins Class A affiliates will switch levels. The Midwest League and the Cedar Rapids Kernels will move from Low-A to High-A with the Ft. Myers Mighty Mussels and the rest of the Florida State League moving to a Low-A affiliation. For much more on these changes, check out Tom’s Minor League Realignment article tonight. My thoughts? First and foremost, I will miss conversations with some really good people at both Rochester and at Pensacola. The Red Wings have such an incredible baseball history going back well over a century. The Blue Wahoos were only a Twins affiliate for two seasons, but their stadium is remarkable and the people there were so helpful. That said, there are obvious reasons for wanting their Triple-A affiliate in St. Paul, a dozen miles from Target Field. It’ll be much easier to call people up or send them down. It will be great for rehab assignments. And, with the Twins in a position to win and so many exciting prospects, it is great for baseball in Minnesota. As for Wichita, they built a new $75 million stadium just a year ago. It was supposed to be the Marlins AAA affiliate, but then came COVID, a missed season and re-alignment. Seems like it would be a great facility for Twins prospects. I am happy that Cedar Rapids remains an affiliate, and it’s exciting - I would think - for them and their fans to move up a level, to get a higher level of play with a more advanced league. I will always encourage baseball fans from the Twin Cities to try to make a trip or two each season to watch the Kernels. And, with the Twins player development site and the academy in Ft. Myers, it makes sense to keep players there for their first step up rather than sending them to Cedar Rapids right away. That will be good especially for transactions at that Low-A level. Easy to call guys up from across the parking lot. So overall, I am very comfortable with how this has played out, and over time I think it will prove itself to be a good thing for the organization. I just still feel bad about losing the Elizabethton affiliate and the great history of that team. And I feel worse that the Twins have just let go of long-time leaders and coaches in Ray Smith and Jeff Reed. Fifth Inning - Twins Lose Another Player Development Leader to Big-League Job JP Martinez was announced on Tuesday night as the new assistant pitching coach of the San Francisco Giants. A week earlier we had heard rumblings that he was seen as a favorite. Now it isi Twitter official. https://twitter.com/SFGiants/status/1333936170024140802 I got to know JP when he was the pitching coach in Cedar Rapids in 2017. Had some great conversations with him. He went to the same high school in New Orleans that the Mannings went to. More important to his role as a coach, he knows how to pitch. He reached AAA as a player. He’s coached as well as been the assistant pitching coordinator the last couple of seasons with the Twins. He also speaks Spanish (and English) fluently which is helpful too.He was also placed in charge of the Twins alternate site this summer in St. Paul. The Twins have certainly lost their fair share of player development staff. Derek Falvey has talked about not only player development but coaching development, front office development, and providing opportunities for people to move up the ladder with the Twins or elsewhere. Derek Shelton went from Twins bench coach to Pirates manager. James Rowson went from Twins hitting coach to Marlins bench coach and hitting coordinator. Jeremy Hefner went from assistant pitching coach with the Twins to pitching coach of the Mets. Tanner Swanson went from Twins minor league catching coordinator to Yankees MLB coach. Peter Fatse went from Twins minor league hitting coordinator to Red Sox assistant hitting coach. Edgar Varela went from Twins minor league coordinator to Twins hitting coach. Sixth Inning - (Trevor) May to the Mets Reports started coming out mid-afternoon on Tuesday that the Mets were close to a deal with Trevor May. It wasn’t long after that we had verification that, pending a physical, the Mets and Trevor May had agreed to a two-year, $15 million contract. May is one of the team bullpen arms available on the free agent market, and with this move, he sets the tone for that market. In 2020, May struck out 14.6 batters per nine innings and that number has been over 11 the past two years. He clearly has great stuff and could thrive in the Big Apple where he will be reunited with former Twins bullpen coach Jeremy Hefner. May has been a great ambassador for Twins baseball throughout his tenure with the team, but this is a good opportunity for him and hopefully it works out well for him. Seventh Inning - Top 60 Twins Players in 60 Seasons in Minnesota E-Book Available In Case You Missed It… over the past month, I have been working with “Nate Tubbs Rules” on an e-book. NTR updates his Top 300 Twins Player rankings after every season and it is enjoyable to read through those updates each year. With the Twins having just completed their 60th season in Minnesota in 2020, we wrote The Top 60 Twins Players in 60 Season in Minnesota, and it is available now for just $7.99 (immediate download). It includes fun profiles of the Top 60 players on his list and yes, it does name all of his Top 300 players. Yes, my personal Top 60 rankings is in the back of the book too. Please consider this e-book. If you are interested, you can order here. Last night, we spent about 40 minutes on a bonus Twins Spotlight discussing some of the fun topics of the rankings. Please enjoy. (Seth on WJON in St. Cloud today.) Eighth Inning - Kirilloff Bumps Lewis from Baseball America Top Spot On Monday, Baseball America released its updated Minnesota Twins Prospect rankings. Of note, they have now bumped Alex Kirilloff up from #2 to the #1 Twins prospect, a spot Royce Lewis has held for the past three offseasons. And no surprise, the two have always been kind of a 1a and 1b. Kirilloff certainly was the talk of the alternate site, and when he became the first player in MLB history to make his MLB debut by starting in a playoff game, more people started talking about him. I think the key is that Lewis’s star hasn’t diminished as much as Kirilloff has now been talked about more, and deservedly so. That said, I will continue to say that Trevor Larnach should be discussed in the same range as Kirilloff and Lewis. Carlos Collazo, who worked on the rankings for Baseball America, wrote in the Twins chat that he has Larnach lumped into a group that includes Ryan Jeffers, Jhoan Duran and Jordan Balazovic. I personally have Larnach just a bit above that group, but that is a very good group. Literally all six of those guys should be in their Top 100 Prospect rankings when those come out in the spring. He then noted that there is a group from #7 through #12 or 13 that could be inter-changeable too, and I agree with that. That is an exciting group as well with both power hitters, strong offense/defense guys and about three more pitchers that all profile as potential big-league starters. Ninth Inning - A Minor Signing The Royals signed veteran lefty Mike Minor to a two-year, $18 million with a $13 million option for a third year. The Royals are adding a veteran to a staff that includes youngsters like Brady Singer and Kris Bubic and a plethora of pitching prospects that are potentially available in the next year or two. Danny Duffy becomes a free agent after the 2021 season. I have been a little surprised by the number of starting pitcher free agents who have already signed. Not sure what that will mean over the long course of an offseason, but it is encouraging. That’s all I’ve got. Nine innings worth. Hopefully you have enjoyed it, and I welcome any questions or comments that you have below.