Seth Stohs

Yeah, I think he's done it on the 15th of the last couple of months.

And then we have to remember that Les Straker was the #3 starter on the 1987 World Series championship team... Bet he didn't rank real high in prospect rankings (if they had been a big deal back then). And yes, things have changed over the last 30 years, but the concept is the same... The key is to get them to the big leagues, not worry too much about if a guy is a 3 or a 4 or a 5 starter. Get them there and hope they become the next Corey Kluber, or Jose Berrios... and then remember that sometimes it takes awhile to peak, like Carlos Carrasco or maybe Kyle Gibson.

My top 40: 1 - Royce Lewis 2 - Brusdar Graterol 3 - Alex Kirilloff 4 - Nick Gordon 5 - Trevor Larnach 6 - Stephen Gonsalves 7 - Akil Baddoo 8 - Brent Rooker 9 - LaMonte Wade 10 - Blayne Enlow 11 - Wander Javier 12 - Travis Blankenhorn 13 - Lewis Thorpe 14 - Zack Littell 15 - Ryan Jeffers 16 - Yunior Severino 17 - Jose Miranda 18 - Tyler Wells 19 - Luis Arraez 20 - Jordan Balazovic 21 - Ben Rortvedt 22 - Jacob Pearson 23 - Lewin Diaz 24 - Jean-Carlos Arias 25 - Jake Cave 26 - Griffin Jax 27 - Andrew Bechtold 28 - Landon Leach 29 - Aaron Whitefield 30 - Tyler Jay 31 - Kohl Stewart 32 - John Curtiss 33 - Aaron Slegers 34 - Zack Granite 35 - Victor Tademo 36 Tyler Watson 37 - Felix Jorge 38 - Charlie Barnes 39 - Chris Paul 40 - Gabriel Moya 41 - Jaylin Davis 42 - Trey Cabbage 43 - DeShawn Keirsey 44 - Ricky De La Torre 45 - Jovani Moran 46 - Edwar Colina 47 - Andrew Vasquez 48 - Lachlan Wells 49 - Zander Wiel 50 - Tyler Benninghoff Jean Carlos Arias is definitely my highest-ranked guy that didn't make our Top 40.

Yeah, I may have been watching Kirilloff this spring and I did see a couple of throws that, well, the release point wasn't good, so it took some bounces and rolled a bit. I'm sure he was still adjusting to throwing in game situations... Because watching on milb.tv, I've seen him make some very strong throws and talking to others who have seen him more regularly say that he's got a very strong arm. I don't think he's going to be a great outfielder defensively. He's not as fast as Kepler, to be sure. But he's far from slow. If anyone has seen him run out a triple, he can really run. I'd almost compare it to Michael Cuddyer as a young player. He wasn't a sprinter, but once he got going, he could move.

Or it does and they then don't get to AA or AAA. This post fro Tom is very important... it is why we have to factor in the level, and age, and tools and so many other factors. Guys are often 5-tool prospects in the rookie leagues and even A ball, but as those things get exposed more and more, they may be a 3-tool player in AA and AAA... If they're still a four or five star prospect at AA And AAA, that's pretty exciting, because if they get to the big leagues as a three-star player, that is a very valuable player. Even a two-tool player can have value. That was a lot of rambling, but it's just the reality of prospect-watching.

Tom has been doing a monthly update on the Top Prospects and ten other random ones. Or something like that.

For me, about 4-10 were close. I don't want to say interchangeable because some thought goes into it, obviously. But it just shows how much depth there is in the organization.

Might be... Right after he struggled in the All Star game, he went on the DL, and he just hasn't been the same since then.

This article has been updated with a quick note that Royce Lewis has been informed he's heading up to Ft. Myers.

The Twins Daily Midseason Twins Top 50 Prospect series is complete. Early on Friday, the Top 5 prospects were posted, an exciting group, to be sure. You will notice that our Prospect Summary list has been updated. But, on the field, this was a great night for a lot of hitters. Ten hitters had three hits. There were homers. And there were a couple of strong pitching performances too.Keep reading to find out more on the night in the Twins minor league system on Friday. As always, please feel free to discuss and ask questions. TRANSACTIONS A rarity, there were no transactions in the Twins minor league system, unless you count Ervin Santana being placed on the Red Wings roster as a rehab guy. So, yeah, I guess that is one.UPDATE: Royce Lewis promoted to Ft. Myers... Of course moments after posting this, we learned that the Twins top prospect and #1 overall pick in the 2017 MLB draft has been promoted to the Miracle. E-TWINS E-TALK Elizabethton 13, Johnson City 10 Box Score For the third time in their four-game series against neighbor Johnson City, the E-Twins racked up ten or more runs. They had 17 hits in this win. In the four-game sweep, the Twins scored 45 runs. Ryan Jeffers went 3-for-4 with a walk and three RBI. Yunior Severino was 3-5 with a walk and his fourth double. Chris Williams was 3-for-5. Alex Robles went 3-5 with his sixth double. Albee Weiss homered for the fourth time on his season. Josh Winder started and gave up two runs over the first five innings. He gave up six hits, walked one and struck out six. Moises Gomez came on and was charged with four runs (3 earned) on three hits and three walks. He struck out two. Juan Gamez came on and got three outs, but he was charged with two runs on three hits and a walk. Derek Molina got the next three outs.He gave up two runs (1 earned) on one hit and three walks. He struck out two. Zach Neff came in and got the final two outs, both on strikeouts to end the game. GCL TWINS TALK GCL Twins 2, GCL Red Sox 4 (7 innings-rain) Box Score The Twins scored two in the top of the sixth, but then gave up two in the bottom of the sixth inning. After seven innings, the rains came and ended the game. The GCL Twins managed just four hits in the. Gabe Snyder knocked in the two runs with a single. Willie Joe Garry hit his second double. Landon Leach was back on the mound on Friday afternoon. He worked the first three innings and gave up two runs on five hits. He walked two and did not record a strikeout. Kai-Wei Teng came in and went the next 2 2/3 innings. He gave up two runs on three hits, two walks and a hit batter. He struck out three. Dylan Stowell got three outs before the rains came. STARS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Hitter of the Day: Jaylin Davis, Chattanooga Lookouts (3-5, 2B(3), 3B(1), 2 RBI) Twins Daily Pitcher of the Day: Blayne Enlow, Cedar Rapids Kernels (6 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, ) PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed. Please note that this Prospect Summary has been updated. #1 - Royce Lewis (Cedar Rapids) - 1-4, 2-SB(22) #2 - Alex Kirilloff (Ft. Myers) - 1-3, BB, 2B(5), RBI #3 - Brusdar Graterol (Ft. Myers) - Did not pitch. Scheduled for Saturday. #4 - Nick Gordon (Rochester) - 2-5, 2 R, K #5 - Stephen Gonsalves (Rochester) - 5.2 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K (102 pitches, 68 strikes) #6 - Trevor Larnach (Elizabethton) - Not playing yet #7 - Brent Rooker (Chattanooga) - 2-3, 2 BB, HR(15), 3 RBI, 2-SB(5) #8 - Akil Baddoo (Cedar Rapids) - 0-3, RBI SF #9 -Wander Javier - out of for the season #10 - Zack Littell (Rochester) - Did not pitch. #11 - Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) - 6 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 HBP, 4 K (78 pitches, 48 strikes) #12 - LaMonte Wade (Rochester) - 0-4, BB #13 - Travis Blankenhorn (Ft. Myers) - 1-4, BB, R, RBI, 2 K #14 - Lewis Thorpe (Chattanooga) - Did not pitch. #15 - Ben Rortvedt (Ft. Myers) - Did not play. #16 - Yunior Severino (Elizabethton) - 3-5, BB, 2B(4) #17 - Lewin Diaz (Ft. Myers) - Did not play. #18 - Ryan Jeffers (Elizabethton) - 3-4, BB, 3 RBI #19 - Jacob Pearson (Cedar Rapids) - 0-1 #20 - Luis Arraez (Chattanooga) - 1-5, BB, R, K #21 - Jose Miranda (Cedar Rapids) - 0-2, 2 BB *I figured that since Wander Javier is out, I’d add #21 to the list. SATURDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Rochester @ Scranton/Wilkes Barre (5:35 CST) - RHP Kohl Stewart (0-0, 8.18 ERA) Montgomery @ Chattanooga (6:15 CST) - RHP Omar Bencomo (5-3, 3.16 ERA) Ft.. Myers @ Lakeland (5:00 CST) - RHP Brusdar Graterol (0-1, 7.71 ERA) Lake Country @ Cedar Rapids (6:35 CST) - RHP Jordan Balazovic (4-1, 2.18 ERA) Elizabethton @ Kingsport (5:30 CST) - RHP Brian Rapp (0-1, 1.64 ERA) GCL Red Sox @ GCL Twins (9:00 am CST) - TBD Please feel free to ask any questions about Friday’s games, or ask any questions you may have. Click here to view the article

I've had people tell me that he could be up next summer... the concern is building him up and getting him innings. But his stuff is that good, and he's so strong in his lower half. He could be a guy that eventually builds into being able to eat a lot of innings because of his strength. Obviously we'll see how it plays out, but his 'distance from the big leagues' may not be as far as we'd normally think.

Explain what you mean by 'we need a review of the system that is in place"? For evaluation, or for the Twins? I know that part of Jeff Pickler's job description is a liason between development and the big leagues and working through that process. I don't 'know what that involves completely, but adding a coach and putting that in the job description certainly is a positive. And, I don't 'know if it's' fair to say that Sano hasn't' panned out. I mean, he's' had two really good seasons out of 3 1/2 including a very deserving all star nod last year. We can''t' forget that as part of his story. And, while Buxton hasn't become what we thought offensively, he's been everythign we could want defensively. I still believe both will be long-time productive big leaguers again soon. And also, ,with any prospect in baseball, whether he's a #1 overall prospect, a #11 overall prospect or #101 prospect... you never know. It's far from a perfect science, even with the advanced analytics.

I'm not an expert on pitcher mechanics, but when I watch the above video, or the one I posted on twitter when I saw him pitch, it's' smooth. In theory, that's a good thing. But, it's' also not natural to throw something 101 mph, so always a risk.

Counting up? :-)

While Gordon and Gonsalves are top prospects and both are at AAA, there isn't necessarily a rush to get them to the big leagues by September, for sure not by July. That said, I think we'll see them in September, and if we do, it doesn't have to be in preparation for 2019. Gonsalves needs to work on control/command. Gordon's got to work on defense and still some hitting. Gonsalves has two option years remaining. Gordon has three option years remaining. So yes, it will be good to get them some big league experience, but what they show in MLB this year, whether it is a month or two, shouldn't give anyone some sort of final answer on them.

If an organization has three 'elite'' prospects, that's incredible. I saw Baseball Prospectus put out their Top 50 prospects and four made it... https://www.baseballprospectus.com/prospects/article/41327/2018-prospects-the-midseason-top-50/ It's free, so be sure to click the link to see the order and the comments. But the four included are Lewis, Gordon, Kirilloff and Graterol... in that order.

You are correct... that was poorly worded and I actually edited it. No doubt that Lewis has worked hard for years and has earned everything he's got at this point.

Of all of the 40+ prospect rankings, #1 was most difficult for me. I very strongly considered Graterol at #1. Just couldn't quite do it.

I've never heard the phrase "sending down", but he did have a 1-2-3 inning. No strikeouts. Maybe Eric meant 'setting down'?

When Sano went back to Ft. Myers, his swing was completely out of whack, so he had to build that back up, and it just takes some time. Big league rehabbing pitchers are working on things. Like Santana's first rehab start, he was likely just throwing fastballs. He's' still working his way back. Minor leaguers can hit fastballs. Minor Leaguers can hit changeups and curveballs,, so if theyr'e not 100% sharp, they''ll get hits. Also,, baseball isn't easy.

Yup, that should absolutely have been part of the report... He was on a pitch count so that he can pitch in the Futures Game on Sunday. (Sorry, I should have commented on that last night here. I was writing the other article and I think I answered that question on twitter 4-5 times too.)

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