Seth Stohs

That is the question... I think a lot of these guys can play in the big leagues. In fact, I think all of these guys and probably another 8+ hitters in the system can be big leaguers too. Severino is a really exciting player and i think that with full-season time in 2019 ,he''ll likely be higher than this at the end of the season.

I think that's a very fair comment. And as I think about it too, ,I think you make a good point. I think that speaks to the depth of talent in the system right now. Maybe it's still a lack of familiarity. Maybe it's' the background. But you're probably right. I do think that Rooker's got quite a big more ceiling, but obviously we'll have to see how that plays out.

I updated the post to say "position players" and now I apologize for shocking you.

I would think Kirilloff would fit into the pretty much untrade-able category unless completely overwhelmed. Rooker would take a nice return as well.

I don't disagree with this...

I apologize for the confusion. Today I'm ranking the position player prospects. Tomorrow will be the pitching prospects. Not just ranking the hitting, but the position players.

Happy Minor League Opening Day! It is easily my personal favorite baseball-related day of the year! Beyond following the Twins, starting today we get to follow four other Twins full-season affiliates. To celebrate the start of a new minor league season, I thought I would present a different variation of my prospect rankings. In the 2019 Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook, you can find the Top 30 rankings for myself, Tom Froemming, Cody Christie and Jeremy Nygaard. You can read other Twins top prospect rankings, or even the rankings of Twins prospects from national outlets. In Part 1 today, I am going to post my Top 20 Twins position player prospects in the Twins system. These rankings were done since I returned from Ft. Myers for a week of spring training, conversations with several people in and around the organization and other factors. In Part 2 (tomorrow), I will add my rankings of the Top 20 Twins pitching prospects, so be sure to come back and ask as many questions as you would like.The purpose of prospect rankings is really just to create discussion. Below you will find my personal rankings of Twins hitters, and I certainly welcome your thoughts and opinions on the players and their rankings. As we prepare for the season, be sure to check out the Opening Day roster previews of the four Twins full-season affiliates: Triple-A: Rochester Red Wings Double-A: Pensacola Blue Wahoos High-A: Ft. Myers Miracle Low-A: Cedar Rapids Kernels Seth's Top 20 Twins Position Player Prospects #20 - Gabriel Maciel OF (Cedar Rapids Kernels) Maciel came to the Twins from the Diamondbacks before the trade deadline in the Eduardo Escobar trade. Maciel is not a big guy, but he shows a really good approach at the plate and generally doesn’t try to do too much. He uses the whole field with a line-drive swing. Also bunts really well. #19 - Luke Raley OF (Rochester Red Wings) Raley was acquired from the Dodgers at the trade deadline, with LHP Devin Smeltzer, for Brian Dozier. Raley is impressive in person. He is big and strong and has a ton of power. However, he is also faster than you would think and while capable of playing center field, he is certainly best in the corners. #18 - Willie Joe Garry, Jr. OF (Extended Spring Training) Garry was the Twins 10th-round pick last June out of high school in Mississippi. Garry resembles Nick Gordon, though he might be a little taller and probably weighs less than the former first-round pick. Garry is very fast, from my perspective one of the fastest players in the organization. He’s very raw, but he has a really nice left-handed swing and does show good pop in his bat. I would guess he will return to the GCL this summer. #17 - DaShawn Keirsey OF (Cedar Rapids Kernels) The Twins fourth-round pick a year ago out of college at Utah, Keirsey is a really good athlete. Obviously he displayed incredible toughness in his return to the diamond a year ago after a gruesome collision with the centerfield wall his sophomore season left him with a dislocated and fractured left hip. He had a terrific junior season, putting up big numbers and has regained his speed and athleticism. #16 - Jacob Pearson OF (Cedar Rapids Kernels) The Twins acquired Pearson last offseason for international funds that helped the Angels acquire Shohei Ohtani. He began last season in extended spring training but joined the Kernels on Memorial Day weekend. Pearson is a good athlete who can play all three outfield spots but profiles best in left field. He’s got a good approach at the plate and a line-drive swing that is currently best when hitting the ball the other way. #15 - Travis Blankenhorn 2B/3B (Ft. Myers Miracle) Blankenhorn is one of the best athletes in the organization. It looks as though he gained even more strength. He’s got good speed. He can play second and third base at least adequately and has spent some time in left field. He is strong and has a big swing at the plate. He has a lot of power, but he has been really streaky throughout his young career. #14 - Michael Helman 2B (Ft. Myers Miracle) Helman was the Twins 11th-round pick out of Texas A&M last summer. He is a good athlete who can play both middle infield positions. He’s got good speed. He has a good arm. He likely profiles as a second baseman, but he can be a line-drive hitting, top-of-the-lineup hitter. Like Larnach, Helman signed on the draft signing deadline day. He played 12 games in E-Town and just 27 games in Cedar Rapids, so this is a very aggressive placement this early in the season. #13 - Yunior Severino 2B (Cedar Rapids Kernels) Severino is a very talented player. Talented enough that he received two seven-digit signing bonuses before he turned 18. He has good size, and while he should see a little time at shortstop, it’s likely he is a second baseman. He’s got average speed. He’s got good power potential. As he matures, he has a chance to be really good. #12 - Luis Arraez 2B (Pensacola Blue Wahoos) Arraez returned last year after missing most of 2017 due to knee surgery. After a slow start, he started hitting again and then hit some more. Then about July 4th, he was promoted to Chattanooga where he hit some more. The Twins added him to the 40-man roster. Arraez is impressive to watch in person. He battles out at-bats and puts the ball in play. He’s also gained size and strength and I do think that he has become more athletic. In big league camp, he got time around the infield. In minor league camp, he primarily played second base. #11 - LaMonte Wade OF (Rochester Red Wings) Wade had a real strong showing at big-league camp, doing the things that we have seen him do since he was drafted. He takes a lot of pitches, but he attacks fastballs. He lines the ball all over the field, but he also has the ability to turn on a ball and hit it a long ways. Ha played a lot of center field, but definitely profiles more as a left-fielder. #10 - Jose Miranda 3B/2B (Ft. Myers Miracle) Miranda came on strong after a slow start last year. He has played second base and shortstop, but I’ve been told that his future is likely at third base. He may even play a little shortstop. But he is a big, strong kid with a good plate approach and a ton of power potential, and he still has room to grow. #9 - Gilberto Celestino OF (Cedar Rapids Kernels) Celestino came to the organization from Houston in the Ryan Pressly trade last summer. He was a big-dollar international signing. He is a really good athlete and very strong. He has a big leg kick, stays balanced and swings hard. He’s got good speed and range in center field. #8 - Ryan Jeffers C (Ft. Myers Miracle) The Twins second-round pick a year ago had a very impressive professional debut at E-Town and Cedar Rapids. He has an advanced hitting approach and generally puts the ball in play. He takes his walks and has a lot of power potential. In addition, he has been a very pleasant surprise with his performance behind the plate. #7 - Nick Gordon SS/2B (Rochester Red Wings) Yes, he struggled in his Triple-A debut, but until that point, Gordon had worked his way up the Twins ladder consistently and successfully. He began last year back in Double-A and added some more power to his game. While he will start the season on the IL, Gordon typically gets off to fast starts, showing a line-drive swing that is best when driving the ball the other way. Defensively, he can play shortstop and second base adequately. #6 - Akil Baddoo OF (Ft. Myers Miracle) Baddoo did a very nice job in Cedar Rapids, filling out the stat line with double-figures in doubles, triples, homes and stolen bases. He has really good speed and has become a much-improved center fielder. He takes a lot of pitchers, walks a lot and strikes out a lot. He will most likely hit at the top of the Miracle lineup most nights. #5 - Brent Rooker OF/1B (Rochester Red Wings) In his first full season, Rooker hit 32 doubles and 20 homers in Double-A. And he put up those numbers despite struggling the first six weeks of the season and the final month of the season. There is a lot of swing and miss, but he produces big power and production. He can play first base and the corner outfield spots and should continue to get time at each. #4 - Trevor Larnach OF (Ft. Myers Miracle) Larnach was impressive at Oregon State, but when you watch him in person, he’s even more impressive. Larnach is tall and lean but really strong. He has a really smooth left-handed swing that has tremendous power potential as he continues to gain strength. He’s got good speed and he looks more natural in right field, including a strong arm. #3 - Wander Javier SS (Extended Spring Training) Javier won’t be in extended spring for too long. While he missed all of last season, Javier clearly worked hard and got bigger and stronger. He always had an innate ability to find barrels but that added size should potentially increase his power capability as well as his endurance. And people firmly believe that he can stick at shortstop as he has a very strong arm. Simply, he just needs to stay healthy and play. #2 - Alex Kirilloff OF (Pensacola Blue Wahoos) What more can be said about Kirilloff? What a year 2018 was for the slugger? He was one of the best hitters in minor league baseball and rose dramatically up the national prospect rankings. He showed extra-base power to all fields, especially to the opposite field. He returned nicely defensively in right field, but with the Twins' outfield depth, Kirilloff is going to spend significant time at first base this year, a position he is familiar with. Kirilloff looked a little stronger, but there is no question that he regained some speed in the offseason as well. #1 - Royce Lewis SS (Ft. Myers Miracle) Lewis was a Midwest League All-Star in 2018. He remained with the Kernels for a few more weeks before finishing the season with six weeks in Ft. Myers where he helped the Miracle to the FSL title. Lewis worked and added strength the past couple of offseasons. It started to show about two months into last season and he continued that power run in Ft. Myers. Lewis is a good all-around hitter, aggressive in the strike zone. One thing I noted in spring training is that you don’t hear people questioning his ability to play shortstop as much as we used to hear a year ago. Lewis had a good year, and he showed that he can make all of the plays and has plenty of arm. Again, these are my personal choices as Top 20 Minnesota Twins position player prospects. Certainly this list can and will likely cause some discussion and questions, which I welcome below. Click here to view the article

No question.

Just some thoughts: 1- When I was makign my rosters, there was zero question that Caleb Hamilton was going to make this roster. He's come so far defensively behind the plate. Don't forget that in the playoffs for the Miracle last year they had Hamilton, not Rortvedt, doing almost all of their catching. 2 - Definitely NOT Tyler Jay's last chance. He's only been Rule 5 eligible once. He's got 2 more years before he's a free agent. He's left-handed. He's got good stuff. He's a hard worker. Unless things go really crazy, they aren't going to release him. 3 - Jax - definitely not too old for anything at this point...

Arraez only spent like 2 months in AA last year... There was no chance that he was going to start in AAA this year.

That's the nature of signing 16-17 year olds.

I can only say this at this time, so take it for what it's worth and I'll see what more I can find out. When I was in Ft. Myers (admittedly just a week), I did see Chris Williams with catcher's gear on once or twice that week, but mostly at 1B. Same with Michael Davis (except mostly SS).

What was he sent to Arizona for last fall? Pearson was called up to Cedar Rapids on Memorial Day weekend last year, so no surprise he's sticking with the Kernels to start. He got quite a bit of playing time with the big league club this spring too. Solid player, a good prospect.

As I have done a couple of times this year, tonight during the Twins game (and until I sleep), I will answer your questions from the comments below. Jose Berrios is on the mound for the Twins in Kansas City tonight. Minor League Opening Day is just two days away! Plenty of topics, so feel free to ask away!Ask me questions in comments below and I will answer them in the body of this article. Starting as soon as the Twins game starts, so feel free to start leaving questions now. Ask questions about the Twins, the Red Wings, the Blue Wahoos, the Miracle, the Kernels, the Extended Spring Training, or whatever else you like. ----------------------------------------------------------- From Sconnie: "What would you do vs what do you think the FO will do with the third catcher on the big league roster? Is there something that can happen besides injury to keep Astudillo and Garner on the big league club in the next two weeks?" I'd keep all three. And I think that the front office will keep all three. It's clear that at no point was Astudillo's roster spot in any jeopardy. Castro's the #1 catcher right now. Garver is the #2 catcher right now. Astudillo is the #3 catcher right now. But, like Chris Herrmann was a #3 catcher, he was also able to play all three outfield positions and could have played the corner infield spots too. I still expect Astudillo to get a few games at third base and he and Garver to be used as pinch hitters. From ashbury: "I love his bat, but does Jorge Polanco have a major league shortstop's arm?" This question comes right after Polanco tried to catch and throw too quickly and bounced a ball to first base (nice play by Cron, but still an error). His arm does seem to be the question (and has been in years' past). I think he's got the arm, and he's shown that he can make the throw from deep in the 5.5 hole. But it's an average-at-best shortstop arm. Plenty to play the position. From The Mask of Zoilo: "Do you have a feel for any low A/rookie league players who could break out into top 25 prospect status? Any pitchers with velocity jumps or new pitches?" Fair question and of course I haven't seen enough of any of these guys to be real confident... But I really like what I've seen from Prelander Berroa. He'll probably spend the season at Elizabethon but he could get to Cedar Rapids by midseason as well. Also, a guy not to forget is Miguel De Jesus. He was throwing really well in the GCL when he had Tommy John surgery. He looked good in my opinion this spring. It's just been a long time since he's pitched, but he's on I'm very intrigued by. Finally, 2018 pick Regi Grace was really impressive. Young kid, but he's got the big legs and back side that remind me a lot of Graterol. He throws pretty hard too. As for a hitter or two that will start in EST... I was really impressed with Willie Joe Garry. Looks a lot like Nick Gordon. Has a good approach and a really nice swing. Incredibly fast. He is definitely one to watch, though he probably goes back to the GCL this year. I'm also probably higher on Yeltsin Encarnacion than I should be. From mlhouse: "Is 2017 7th rounder Ryley Widell going to pitch this season?" Widell was listed on a Disabled List in the minor league work groups when I was at spring training a few weeks ago. That said, I saw him throw a couple of bullpens and he looked alright. He missed last year with a couple of bouts of mono. He should surface in 2018, likely in Cedar Rapids. Click here to view the article

For Miranda it's about growing out of the position. Most think he's a natural third baseman. He's big and strong. He's done OK athletically at second base now as well. But obviously the depth is part of it too. Blankenhorn and Cabbage are both really good athletes. Cabbage is bigger and probably stronger,, but there's been the swing and miss. Very capable at 1B and in the corner outfield spots. It'll be important for him to get off to a fast start. Blankenhorn being back in FM is probably as much about the numbers as anything. He's big, strong and fast. Not great defensively, but capable at 2B and 3B. Fair to say it's a big year for both though.

Which are also important... If the Twins are competing and they need a utility infielder and Adam Rosales or Ronald Torreyes gives the big league team a better shot to win than a Nick Gordon, then it's great to have those guys. Obviously its not long-term, but those guys can be important as well.

Sure did... not sure how that happened... He was #8... http://twinsdaily.com/_/minnesota-twins-news/minnesota-twins-minor-leagues/twins-daily-2019-top-prospects-8-lewis-thorpe-r7508

Gardenhire has some say in that decision, but all of those types of decisions will come from on top with opinions taken from all over. I'm really impressed by the communication up and down the system, including (I think) with the players too. They'll find a way to keep them all playing and many of them will be made more versatile. Miranda got some time at SS this spring and that can be a good thing to keep his athleticism. May be wise to get Lewis some innings at 3B and in CF. Blankenhorn can play all over, one of the best athletes in the organization. Lineup construction from day-to-day will sure be interesting.

That would be fantastic... man, he looks great, clearly he put in a lot of work in the last year despite the injuries. He can hit too, didn't lose any of the power.

Wouldn't surprise me either...

I remember a conversation with Toby Gardenhire in late May 2018 in Cedar Rapids... The organization was already having talks about what the best way to get him to the big leagues was and how quickly it might be able to happen and what was best for his long-term development. I'm a little surprised, but this decision fits in well with how they feel about Graterol's potential and readiness.

I think Gore had a really good year last year. First full season in pro ball and he played great in Cedar Rapids even as a half-timer, and he is also credited with really helping Royce Lewis at shortstop too. Then he skipped Ft. Myers and jumped right to AA where he finally got a chance to play every day. He definitely held his own. I really like Gore as a potential utility infielder... (Of note, I also really liked Alex Perez as a MLB utility infielder and they released him this spring, so I'm not pretending to know anything)

He had an awkward check-swing late in spring training. Came out of the game as a precaution and they did X-rays and MRI and it all came back clean... So, he shouldn't be out long.