Seth Stohs

I wouldn't even consider that.

Over the past two weeks, we have been counting down our Top 40 Midseason Minnesota Twins Prospect Rankings. There are many different types of prospects. There are young guys with high ceilings with a long ways to get to the big leagues. There are solid prospects who are close to being able to contribute in the big leagues who may not have high ceilings, but they have a high likelihood of reaching the big leagues. Today, we conclude the series by looking at our choices for the Top 5 Minnesota Twins Prospects and it is a good combination of those things. There is a pitcher who could be in the big leagues for a long time as a mid-rotation starter, debuting soon. There is a young, potential big league shortstop who is one stop from the big leagues but still has question marks surrounding him. There is a very young pitcher with upside as high as we’ve seen in the Twins system in a long time. And there are two really young hitters with huge upsides who are several steps from the big leagues and could still get there relatively quickly.Continue reading, and then discussing, the Twins Daily choices for the Top 5 Minnesota Twins prospects. 5. Stephen Gonsalves – LH SP Age: 24 ETA: 2018 2018 Stats (AA/AAA): 78.2 IP, 3.32 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 9.7 K/9, 5.6 BB/9, 1.73 K:BB 2018 Ranking: 4 | 2017 Ranking: 2 Seth: 6 | Tom: 6 | Cody: 5 Last offseason, Gonsalves was added to the Twins 40-man roster. Not a surprise at all as he has been one of the organization’s top pitchers each of the last three seasons. He was the Twins Daily Starting Pitcher of the Year in 2016and 2017, and he was the runner up in 2015to Jose Berrios (who also won in 2014). It was a surprise to many when the Twins had Gonsalves start his 2018 season in Chattanooga. He had ended 2016 there, and spent most of 2017 dominating the Southern League. He even made a handful of starts in Rochester. As one would expect, he pitched well. He went 3-0 with a 1.77 ERA in his first four starts and moved up to Rochester despite issuing ten walks in 20 1/3 innings. The walks have been the story and the concern in 2018, but over the course of his career control hasn’t really been a big issue. Gonsalves has certainly had his good and bad moments during his starts in Rochester. In his first two starts, he gave up a total of one run on four hits in 14 1/3 innings. He didn’t get out of the second inning in his third start. He won his next two starts by throwing a combined 10 1/3 innings. Over his next three starts, he once didn’t get out of the first inning and gave up nine earned runs in four innings. But now in his past four starts, he has given up just one run (0.42 ERA) in 21 2/3 innings. In 58 1/3 innings with the Red Wings, he has 60 strikeouts. However, he also has walked 39 batters. The long, lanky left-hander is going to pitch in the big leagues, and likely for a long time. He’s got a fastball that he changes speeds on and gets varying amounts of movement. He typically sits in the upper-80s and low-90s. He has topped out around 94 in the past. He’s got a plus changeup, and a slow curveball, similar to that of David Wells. He’s also added a cutter/slider over the last couple of seasons that can be a great pitch for him. Gonsalves is a good athlete and fields his position well. 4. Nick Gordon – SS/2B Age: 22 ETA: 2018 2018 Stats (AA/AAA): .282/.318/.435 (.753 OPS), 19 2B, 6 3B, 7 HR, 61 K, 16 BB 2018 Ranking: 3 | 2017 Ranking: 4 Seth: 4 | Tom: 3 | Cody: 4 Like Gonsalves, Nick Gordon went to his second straight big league spring training. Like Gonsalves, it was surprising to many when Nick Gordon began the 2018 season back in Chattanooga. Maybe it was gaining strength to avoid a second-half slump. Maybe it was working on his struggles against left-handed pitching. Maybe it was to continue working on some things on the defensive side of the game. In 42 games, he hit .333/.381/.525 (.906) with 18 extra base hits. “They pretty much have a plan for me, and I trust what they have.” Gordon continued, “There was a thing that I have to develop and get better that I know as well. It’s all about learning, becoming a better player, a better teammate, all those things. It all goes into being a great player regardless of AA or AAA. Whenever they felt I was ready for AAA, they made that decision.” He was promoted to Rochester where he has now played in 45 games. He has hit .236/.255/.354 (.609). A new level means a higher level of competition. But there is little question that Gordon will hit. He may even develop into a 12 to 15 home run guy. He’s got good speed and runs the bases well. Defense is where there are typically questions with Gordon. While he has primarily played shortstop throughout his career, most believe that second base is his position in the future. While he’s got good speed, some question his range. He has a good shortstop arm. Gordon will need to be added to the Twins 40-man roster this offseason, though it is possible (if not likely) that he will be added and called up during this 2018 season. 3. Brusdar Graterol – RH SP Age: 19 ETA: 2020 2018 Stats (Low-A/High-A): 50.2 IP, 3.20 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 10.5 K/9, 2.1 BB/9, 4.92 K:BB 2018 Ranking: 9 | 2017 Ranking: NR Seth: 2 | Tom: 5 | Cody: 3 Few have risen up the Twins prospect charts in a manner as quickly as Brusdar Graterol. He certainly has a unique story. Signed out of Venezuela as a 16-year-old, Graterol impressed with an upper-90s fastball. But after just 11 innings, he blew out his elbow and needed Tommy John surgery. He missed the rest of 2015 and the entire 2016 season recovering. However, it was at Instructs in 2016 that he returned to the mound and reports indicated he was popping triple-digits. He pitched well in the short-season leagues last year, starting in the GCL but eventually moving up to Elizabethton. He began this season in extended spring training, but before April came to a close, he was moved up to the Cedar Rapids Kernels. He made eight starts for the Kernels and posted a 2.18 ERA. He was our choice for Twins Minor League Pitcher of the Month in May. He moved up to Ft. Myers in mid-June where he has made two starts for the Miracle, as a 19-year-old. So the stats are good, but Graterol is all about his right arm and its immense potential. The first thing you’ll notice is the fastball. It’s fast. If you watch him make a start, you are likely to see double-digit pitches hitting triple digits, including some at 101 mph. He also has a darting slider that can be absolutely devastating if he stays on top of it. And, on top of that, he’s got an upper-80s or low-90s changeup with good sinking movement. He throws with a smooth, easy delivery. In other words, it doesn’t look like he’s airing it out.The fastball is elite. The secondary pitches can be elite, but as a 19-year-old, they can be inconsistent. Graterol has the special kind of talent that makes people notice. While he won’t turn 20 for another six weeks, he could work his way up the system quickly. Side/Seth Note - in my 15 years of following the Twins minor league system, I have not seen a pitcher with the amount of upside that Brusdar Graterol has coming through the system. That includes Fernando Romero, Jose Berrios and - the one that gives me pause - Francisco Liriano. 2. Alex Kirilloff – OF Age: 20 ETA: 2020 2018 Stats (Low-A/High-A): .325/.376/.558 (.935 OPS), 22 2B, 6 3B, 14 HR, 62 K, 26 BB 2018 Ranking: 5 | 2017 Ranking: 3 Seth: 3 | Tom: 2 | Cody: 2 When the Twins drafted Alex Kirilloff with the 15th overall pick in the 2016 draft out of Plum High School in Pennsylvania, there were many scouts who felt the Twins got a steal. There were many who believed that Kirilloff might just be the best, most pure prep hitter in that draft. Kirilloff’s career began by jumping straight to Elizabethton where he hit .306 with nine doubles and seven home runs in 55 games. Unfortunately, at the end of the season, he hurt his elbow. He tried to get treatments and came to spring training in 2017. However, it wasn’t better, and the decision was made for him to have Tommy John surgery in March which cost him the rest of his 2017 season. Kirilloff was cleared for full-go baseball activities in November. However, there were many questions about how he would return from the surgery and after missing so much time. In his first three games for the Kernels this spring, he went 1-for-12. In his next 62 games for Cedar Rapids, the 20-year-old hit .346/.407/.633 (1.040) with 20 doubles, five triples and 13 home runs. He was named an All Star. Recently, he was named to this weekend’s Futures Game, representing the Twins and Team USA. In an interview with Jeff Johnson of The Gazette (in Cedar Rapids), Kernels manager Toby Gardenhire described Kirilloffas “Probably the best player in the league. Fun to watch.” The day after the Midwest League All-Star Game, Kirilloff was promoted to Ft. Myers. He went 1-for-6 in his first Miracle game, but he followed that with a 4-for-5 game which included a home run and five RBI. The next day, he had three more hits. He’ll experience more ups and downs with the Miracle, but the kid is a natural hitter. He has a good idea of the strike zone. He’s a good combination of understanding the strike zone and being aggressive. He’s got a great swing with a lot of power potential. Most of it to this point has been to the opposite field, but he can turn on a ball from time to time. He is a solid outfielder. While he played center field in high school, he’s played right field in pro ball, and that’s where he should be. He’s got average speed for a corner outfielder, and despite the Tommy John surgery, he’s got a strong arm. 1. Royce Lewis – SS Age: 19 ETA: 2020 2018 Stats (Low-A): .318/.371/.484 (.855 OPS), 23 2B, 0 3B, 8 HR, 48 K, 24 BB 2018 Ranking: 1 | 2017 Ranking: NR Seth: 1 | Tom: 1 | Cody: 1 There were several names mentioned before the Twins were officially on the clock, ready to make the #1-overall pick in the 2017 draft. Brendan McKay. Hunter Greene. Kyle Wright. MacKenzie Gore. Obviously it’s far too early (maybe 10-15 years too early) to declare a winner, but it is clear that the Twins (and the fans) are happy that Sean Johnson and his staff selected shortstop Royce Lewis out of JSerra Catholic High School in Aliso Viejo, California. The Twins gave him $6.7 million to keep him away from UC-Irvine and join the Twins organization. Lewis began his pro career in the Gulf Coast League. He got off to a fast start, hitting a home run in his first pro at bat. After 36 games, he was promoted. Not to Elizabethton, but to Cedar Rapids. He had four hits in his first game, and four, multi-hit games in his first seven games with the Kernels (including two, four-hit games). He began this 2018 season with the Kernels. He has played well throughout the season, but he has really improved his game over the past six weeks. Lewis is a tool shed of talent. Lewis and his high leg kick has the potential to be a really good hitter, a line drive hitter who uses the whole field well. While he isn’t one to walk a ton, Lewis knows the strike zone pretty well and generally takes really quality at bats. Sometimes he is patient. Sometimes he is aggressive. And while the 6-foot-2, 190 pound infielder is long and lanky, he is strong. He worked out at Scott Boras’s facilities throughout his offseason, and he’s continued to work to gain strength throughout the season. As you can see from the above statistics, it’s paid off. He has a lot of power potential. He could become a 20 home run a year guy, maybe more. As it relates to Lewis, the sky appears to be the limit, so I almost hate to put any limitations on him. Speed? Well, he may not be as fast as Byron Buxton (though it’s close), Lewis can fly. He continues to work on base-stealing skills, but he’s got good instincts and runs the bases well. There are questions with his defense, but observers have pointed out that he is more advanced defensively than some of the pre-draft reports indicated. There is more of a belief that he will be able to stay at shortstop. He’s got really good range, on ground balls and on pop ups. He’s got a good arm, not Shawon Dunston-like arm strength, but he can make the necessary throws from the position. Intentionally, I saved the character and charisma comments regarding Lewis until last. Sometimes it seems like that is the first thing people want to say. People that know him or have met him or have even had a brief encounter with him at that stadium, receiving an autograph or a picture understand that he is as genuine as it gets. But sometimes it seems to overwhelm his immense talent and athleticism and baseball acumen. But the personality and leadership are real. As his high school coach Brett Kay said in an interview before the draft, “They didn’t make charts that can measure his makeup and competitiveness.” The only question right now about Lewis is why he isn’t yet in Ft. Myers playing for Ramon Borrego (his GCL Twins manager a year ago). I don’t have an answer for that. It’s hard to argue that he is making adjustments during the last six weeks to add power which will help him at the next level and beyond. Are comparisons to Derek Jeter fair? Probably not. But are there a lot of physical and personality traits that are similar to the future, first-ballot Hall of Famer? Absolutely. That’s the level of talent that Royce Lewis has. PREVIOUS INSTALLMENTS: 2018 Twins Midseason Top Prospects: 36-40 2018 Twins Midseason Top Prospects: 31-35 2018 Twins Midseason Top Prospects: 26-30 2018 Twins Midseason Top Prospects: 21-25 2018 Twins Midseason Top Prospects: 16-20 2018 Twins Midseason Top Prospects: 11-15 2018 Twins Midseason Top Prospects: 6-10 Click here to view the article

I'm so excited too... I mean, I'm writing it and I don't even know how the rankings will turn out. OK, I do, but you all will want to look at the individual rankings because there isn't a lot of consensus, and there is upside, so to me, that's exciting!

We had Kirilloff in the Top 5 last year, and that turned out to be a pretty good decision. So, we're all completely comfortable with where we've ranked Wander Javier.

Cameron Rupp likely had an opt-out and took it. He's been in the big leagues the last five years for the Phillies and hit a combined 30 home runs over the last two years. He was let go earlier this season and the Twins signed him as catcher depth.

Littell's 2018 option was burned when he was optioned in spring training, and he's got two days of service time so far. So, it's not really hurting his "clock" in any way. Littell was the guy on the schedule. He was on the 40-man. He'd been pitching well. He earned the chance. No question, he's got to be better in those situations, and he will be. Part of it is getting through that nervousness and seeing that you can do it. He'll be fine.

What's the value of that? Would he really get to the big leagues sooner? Are we certain that he'd jump into the Florida State and succeed? While he may be similar to Rooker, he's a year younger and probably isn't quite as advanced offensively as Rooker was a year ago. And, frankly, what's wrong with letting him get his feet wet in E-Town for a couple of weeks with little pressure. Let him adjust to playing every day, or using the wood bat? Or letting him meet other 2018 draft picks in E-Town, after meeting those in the GCL, and then letting him move up to Cedar Rapids and see how that goes. Let him meet those players and those coaches too. He's probably going to start 2019 in Ft. Myers regardless of where he ends this year.

He's already got the pitches... He's got good control. He's got the breaking pitches. Not a flame thrower, but he's got enough velocity. He will be just fine.

Remember during spring training when we were all wondering aloud if we should be worried about Trevor Hildenberger? Or, how about in late April when he wasn’t pitching well, and it was looking as if he might need some time back in Rochester to work things out and find some success again? To his credit, Hildenberger never worried, at least outwardly. He spoke of process and of the work he was putting in. Well, he was right. He’s back to the role of being the Twins top set-up man, and all is right with the world.To say Trevor Hildenberger was a bit of a late-bloomer might be an understatement. He wasn’t drafted out of high school. He didn’t have a ton of offers from Division I schools to sift through. The first three years that he spent at Cal-Berkeley, he hardly got on the mound. In his fourth year, he posted an ERA of 5.32. He had used a red shirt year earlier, so he was there a fifth year. In that 2014 season for the Golden Bears, Hildenberger posted a 2.83 ERA and struck out 48 batters in 47 2/3 innings. Just two years earlier, a random moment in which he was asked to throw sidearm. It worked. It clicked for him. The Twins scout saw him, and saw enough to push for him to be the team’s 22nd-round draft pick. Already 23, he was sent to the GCL for the remainder of the summer. Since then, he’s been fantastic. He was the Twins Daily Minor League Relief Pitcher of the Year in both 2015 (Cedar Rapids and Ft. Myers) and 2016(Chattanooga and Rochester). He began 2017 back in Rochester. I mean, he hadn’t even received a formal invitation to big league spring training. He continued to pitch well for the Red Wings and at the end of June last year, he was called up. In his first game, he struck out the first batter he faced. He gave up one hit in a scoreless inning in Cleveland with his family in the stadium. He pitched pretty well, really right from the start. In fact, in late August, there was a stretch where he was called upon by Paul Molitor in six out of seven games. He was used often, and he came through for the Twins nearly each time as the Twins worked their way back into a playoff game. Twins Daily named him the big league club’s Rookie of the Year in 2017. So, while Hildenberger had struggled in spring training in 2017, both in his limited big league opportunities and down in minor league games, it came as a bit of a surprise when he struggled in spring training this year. In 12 innings, he gave up 19 hits and walked four batters. Opponents hit .352 off of him. As surprising, he gave up five home runs. In his 42 innings for the Twins last year, he gave up just four home runs and just four unintentional walks. Talking to him in late spring training, maybe a week before the stats started to matter, Hildenberger seemed outwardly unworried. He said all the right things. Spring training is for working on things in an attempt to be ready for the season. Process over results. The struggles continued into the first month of the Twins season. In his first 11 appearances of the season, he gave up six earned runs on 12 hits and four walks. He posted a 4.91 ERA, but that told only part of the story. He was brought into games with a combined 12 runners on base. Nine of them scored. And, the home runs continued. He gave up three homers in those 11 innings. And then on April 30th, he worked two perfect innings. Really, since that outing, Hildenberger has pitched in 30 games. He’s given up just eight total runs, and five of those came in his one really bad outing during the rough weekend for the Twins against the Cubs. He’s given up just two homers over 33 innings. Also since that time, just two of seven inherited runners have scored. That one bad game… well, over his past 21 outings, that is the only game in which he’s allowed runs. Needless to say, Hildenberger has earned his opportunity to pitch as the team’s top set-up man. He hasn’t pitched in a sixth inning since May 18. Most of the time, he has worked one inning, but there have been a few times he has come in for the final out of the seventh and finished up the eighth inning too. So what has worked? From this observer’s point of view, there have been a couple of keys to Hildenberger’s success. #1 - The Changeup - Hildenberger’s changeup is devastating. How many times in the last month have we seen hitters (left-handed or right-handed) almost fall to a knee swinging at a changeup that never quite gets there. He’s getting swings and misses, and he is inducing weak contact. If you look at FanGraphs Prospect report on him, it says that he has a 55 changeup with the potential for a 60 changeup. Right now, Hildenberger’s changeup is about as close to an 80 as you can get. He is throwing the changeup more (and better) over the last month or two than earlier in the season, and he’s got the feel for it. He’s throwing it about 36% of the time. #2 - The Slider - While he is throwing the changeup about the same amount as last year, he has throwing many more sliders in 2018 than he has in 2017. Last year, he threw that pitch 14% of the time, and this year, he’s throwing it 25% of the time. While his changeup drops down and in on a right handed batter, his slider darts down and away from a right-hander. The added sliders have meant that he is throwing fewer fastballs (down to 38% from 51%, per FanGraphs). More pitches that dart down to or below the knees mean swings and misses and weak contact, usually on the ground. #3 - Control and Command - While the pitches have been better, in terms of movement, they’ve also been much more crisp in terms of location. While he’s walked nine batters over those 33 strong innings, five of them have been intentional. But not only is he not issuing walks, his command of the strike zone is so much better. He isn’t missing over the middle of the plate. He’s missing below the knees or just off the outside corner. Those home run balls, for the most part, were on mistake pitches hanging over the middle of the plate. While there are likely some mechanical things that have helped Hildenberger get back to his late 2017 form, or the form he displayed in the minor leagues in 2015 and 2016, simply throwing quality pitches in the right (and intended) locations is certainly a key. It’s fun to watch Hildenberger jogging in from the bullpen, knowing that he’s in his best form, and he’s been remarkably reliable. Click here to view the article

He did well at Ft. Myers, and he's been better at Rochester. People I've talked to have said that it is his bat that will have to get him to the big leagues, and that's true. He can play 1B or LF. He can hit a bit though. So, I think he's got a chance to get to the big leagues.

Villalobos isn't playing enough to worry about his numbers, but he's OK defensively, so I'm guessing he could play wherever. Probably won't hit much wherever. Webb is hitting as you would expect a four-year college guy to, but he's a 40th round pick, so they may decide to keep him down, or he could move up to E-Town and probably be OK there too.

Even with Molina hurt, the Kernels have Banuelos and Rodriguez to catch... and Jeffers can DH a few times when he's not catching. Rodriguez can also play 1B (his more natural position). yes, I assume that Jeffers will go up to Cedar Rapids at some point in the next few weeks, but there's no real rush to get him there either.

I think he's got a chance to stay at third base in the same way that I think Nick Gordon has a chance to stay at shortstop... Can he be adequate there? Sure.

Again, these are prospects 11-15, not 1-5, so yes, there will still be question marks about these guys. And if two of them become backup-bench players, that''s probably really good. Getting to the big leagues and becoming a regular, much less a star, is really hard.

There as a game with a rain delay in there and he didn't come back after the delay...

Thorpe started out slow, due to poor command and control... but the last 3-4 weeks, he's been pretty good. The talent is definitely there.

I would guess that with solid second halves, Nick Gordon and LaMonte Wade will get September call ups. Both have to be added to the 40 man roster in November, so no harm in calling them up for September.

He was hit in the knee late in spring training and that's' initially why he missed time, but recently, the reports have been triceps, which is a different injury. But, I like the Santana comp. Jorge was 91-94, and most were closer to 94. It''ll be interesting to see how he comes back... but I'm' glad he's there. No such thing as too many pitching prospects, cuz TINSTAAPP!

For me, he''d be somewhere in the 15-20 range probably. But, he'd' be the kind of guy that could jump into the top 10 in a hurry once he starts playing.

While I understand that the Twins drafted Jeffers, in part, because they had a pre-selection deal to save $500K... the other part of drafting him that high is because they likely value him higher than a third round pick too. In other words, they aren't just going to draft a guy in the 2nd round that they don't think has a chance to be a quality MLB player. While they understood where many of the online scouting systems didn't' have him as high, they could use that as a way to save the money, but they also obviously really wanted him in the organization. Then using the system to sign 4-5 other Top 10 picks just makes a ton of sense.

You have to at least be impressed that I was the low-man on the Diaz ranking, right?

6 innings of one-run ball from a 19-year-old in his second start at High-A....

We're still in the 16-20 range of prospects. I'd say this group is about potential, but there are enough flaws and question marks. If there weren't, they'd probably be ranked higher. #20 - Arraez has questions in terms of his ability to play defense anywhere, and lack of athleticism and probably power. But, he has an elite hit tool and takes really good at bats. So, if he can continue to develop hit .320 all the way up and in the big leagues, he can be a leadoff man where SLG and OPS matter less than OBP #19 - Jacob Pearson - All about potential. I was sure that he would play this season in E-Town, but not only has he moved up to Cedar Rapids, but he's played well. He's got a really good approach at the plate. He's got slightly above average speed. He's a good defender. The arm isn't strong .He knows the strike zone. But he's still young and raw. #18 - Ryan Jeffers - College hitter, advanced hitter with some power. Could be Mitch Garver-like. Defense a question, which is why he's down this far. If he can stick at catcher and be solid defensively, he could move up this list a bunch. #17 - Lewin Diaz - Tons of power potential. Worrying about lack of power in the Florida State League, especially for a guy as young as Diaz, makes little sense. With his size and strength, as long as he's developing his approach and swing, he could add the HR power in AA. But, he's still got a lot of potential. Will he get there? Who knows? That's why he ranks here. His big weight loss in the offseason is encouraging to his work ethic. #16 - Yunior Severino - He's a great athlete, strong from both sides of the plate, and though he's not real big, he's got some pop in his bat. Defense, probably "just" a second baseman. He's far away, and so young, but he's got all the tools.