Seth Stohs

No one is saying they would be taken by contending teams, but there are a LOT of teams that are competing for losses and acquiring as many prospects as they can in whatever ways they can. It's very possible none of these guys get selected, and that's great...

Agree with you on this stuff... But again, if the Twins go out and sign a Jake McGee or another lefty reliever, Boshers can be DFAd then. I'd keep Slegers until absolutely needing a roster spot. He can be a solid back end of the rotation guy at least early in the year until Gonsalves and crew are ready. And, well, he's got three options left, so having a 6th/7th starter in Rochester is always valuable thing...

Reed and Burdi much more likely to be selected than Bard, they're just younger, but I do think Bard could be selected if the right team sees the right numbers. He's got some good stuff.

So that they've got guys to drop when they need to later in the offseason. I'd keep Slegers, but I'm shocked Boshers is still rostered.

He was #4 in my list of 4 givens... I'm much more surprised that Jake Reed was left unprotected... I'm as confident that Reed will be selected in the Rule 5 draft as I was in Zack Littell getting protected. It's gonna happen... or I will again be shocked if it isn't. Consider Zack Jones got selected two years ago, and Reed is a far better prospect now than Jones was then... Nothing against Jones, but Reed is more of a prospect, much more ready for the big leagues.

Fair point... they could probably still add more, but if that's the case, there was no reason to announce these three players now. So, I would guess not.

I guess I was wrong on Lewin Diaz... and I wonder how likely it may be that he and Jake Reed and Nick Burdi and even Kohl Stewart might be selected in the Rule 5 draft next month.

On Monday night, the Minnesota Twins (and teams around MLB) needed to add players to their 40-man roster. By adding these players, they will not be eligible to be selected in the Rule 5 draft next month. They will be at Twins MLB spring training. The Twins added left-handed pitchers Lewis Thorpe and Stephen Gonsalves and right-handed pitcher Zack Littell.Pitching was the theme of the Twins 40-man roster additions. Adding three pitchers to the roster continues the front office's theme of finding and retaining quality pitching. Stephen Gonsalves was the easiest choice of the group. The lanky left-hander from California has been the Twins Daily Minor League Starting Pitcher of the Year in 2016 and 2017, and he was the runner-up in 2015. He was invited to spring training in 2017. He had a 9.7 K/9 rate in 2017 in AA and AAA. He will be 23 years old through the majority of the 2018 season. Gonsalves was excited to learn that he had been added, but knows it comes with more work. He told Twins Daily, "I'm very thankful for the call I received this morning, but this is only a stepping stone to my dream to become a big leaguer. Now it's time to push even a little harder and fight for a jersey." The Twins acquired right-hander Zack Littell from the Yankees in a late-July trade for Jaime Garcia. On the season, he went 20-1. He went 9-1 with Tampa in the Florida State League. He went 5-0 for Trenton, the Yankees AA team, and then he went 5-0 with Chattanooga. That's 19-1, so I included a playoff win that he got to make it an even 20. His combined ERA was 2.69 and he averaged 8.1 K/9. Littell will be 22 through the 2018 season. Littell was also excited to learn that he was added to the roster. "It’s awesome to get this news, and I couldn’t be more excited about this year. Obviously this isn’t the end goal, but this step feels really good to have accomplished and motivate me even more to keep going." Injury always makes 40-man decisions interesting, and the Twins had a couple such decisions. One made the roster. Lewis Thorpe was a Top 10 Twins prospect as a 19-year-old after a nice showing in Cedar Rapids. Unfortunately, he missed over two seasons due to a Tommy John surgery and a bout with mono. He returned this year, and moved up to Ft. Myers, and he looked good again. He posted a 2.94 ERA in 77 innings in Ft. Myers. He walked 31, but he struck out 84. Thorpe will turn 22 on Thursday. Thorpe was a little surprised when he got the call today. "It felt awesome when I️ got the call today. I️ was in shock and was just so excited." He continued, "After having two-and-a-bit years out of the game, it’s just a relief they still believe I’ve got what it takes to still get there. I’m very excited for 2018, to see what it has to offer me. I’ve still got to work hard because I️ haven’t made anything yet." So, there are several players who are more likely to be selected in the Rule 5 draft including Nick Burdi, Jake Reed, Lewin Diaz, Kohl Stewart, Luke Bard, Ryan Eades, Brian Navarreto and Mason Melotakis. What do you think of the Twins decisions tonight? Click here to view the article

I think Curtiss can be a closer. I could argue for Jay higher than him. Moya's more of a 7th-8th inning guy. Burdi could be a closer, but obviously with all the injuries, that's my concern. 9 games is not going to affect my thoughts on him.

Many of the same names are on MiLB.com's 2017 Twins minor league all star list as well: https://www.milb.com/milb/news/stephen-gonsalves-john-curtiss-ready-to-contribute/c-261941320

I think consistency is a big thing for players early in their careers. It's a long season. As they develop and work on mechanics and learn themselves and all of that, the goal would be that the consistency would come (preferably good consistency). Here are his OPS by month... April: .776 May: .604 June: 1.048 July: .449 August: 1.023 September: 1.500 (though it was just 8 plate appearances) Of course, these are just monthly break downs and there are probably wilder extremes looking at different start/end dates, but it isn't unusual to see something like this... Also, he played SS in high school - like everyone - but they moved him to 3B/2B right away. I don't think the move to 2B in the 2nd half was anything related to performance. I think it was a planned thing to get him consistent time in both places. The reality is that they still are trying to figure out where he'll play. He's OK at both.

Correct... I mean, the three Twins minor leaguers who made it from the 2011 draft without getting added to the 40-man roster (hence making it to free agency) are: Levi Michael, Dereck Rodriguez and David Hurlbut. Rodriguez (especially based on comments received) was probably a stretch at #29. The other two aren't Top 50 guys. Just hard to find trade value, except as toss-ins.

Lose Perez? Which Perez? The Red Wings starting rotation and bullpen should be full of 40-man roster guys and prospects. Position players, they're likely to need more minor league free agents.

It'd be nice to get something back, but these are guys that probably had very little trade value in-season. So they take their chances on trying to sign them.

Today we enter the Top 20 of my postseason Minnesota Twins Prospect rankings. Since we started, two ranked players are no longer in the organization. Dereck Rodriguez signed with the Giants, and the Twins voided their deal with Jelfry Marterecently. The group below contains a couple of players that we saw in a big league uniform and likely will again in 2018. The other three players are infielders who have several levels to go, but the talent needed to get there.We begin a review of our Top 20 Minnesota Twins prospects with prospects 16-20. Below you’ll find five more intriguing prospects with big potential. #20 SS Jermaine Palacios After a disappointing 2016, his debut with a full-season league in Cedar Rapids, Palacios returned in 2017 and put himself in position to move up prospect lists again. He returned to the Kernels where he .320/.362/.544 (.907) with 13 doubles, six triples and a surprising 11 home runs in 62 games. He earned a mid-season promotion to Ft. Myers and hit .269/.303/.359 (.662) with eight doubles, four triples and two homers in 62 games. Palacios signed with the Twins after the 2013 season so he doesn’t need to be added to the Twins 40-man roster until after the 2018 season. He turned 21 in July. He should spend most of the 2018 season with the Miracle. #19 2B Jose Miranda Miranda was the first of two consecutive compensatory following the second round of the 2016 draft. He is a 19-year-old drafted out of the Leadership Christian Academy in Puerto Rico. He spent 2016 in the Gulf Coast League. In 2017, he made the move across the diamond to second base though many still believe that he could eventually move over to third place. With the E-Twins, he hit .283/.340/.484 (.824) with eight doubles, two triples and 11 home runs in 54 games. Miranda is a good athlete with room to grow and continue to add power. #18 RHP Felix Jorge In 2017, Felix Jorge received the call every ballplayer dreams of, the call to the big leagues. On July 1st, he made his MLB debut. Through five innings, he gave up two runs. He gave up a single to lead off the 6th inning and was replaced by Buddy Boshers who gave up a two-run homer to Eric Hosmer. So, three runs in five innings in his debut was pretty good. He made a second start that didn’t go quite as well. The 23-year-old went back to Chattanooga and later ended the regular season with a promotion to AAA. In Chattanooga, he went 10-3 with a 3.54 ERA. He made three starts in AAA which is where he’ll begin the 2017 season. He was added to the 40-man roster a year ago, so he has used one option year. #17 2B/3B Travis Blankenhorn Blankenhorn was the Twins third-round pick in 2015 out of high school in Pottsville, Pennsylvania. A year ago, he began the season in extended spring training before posting a .900 OPS in 34 games in Elizabethton. That earned him a promotion to Cedar Rapids where he spent the final 25 games and playoffs. He spent the full 2017 season with the Kernels and hit .251/.343/.441 (.784) with 22 doubles, 11 triples and 13 home runs. He also stole 13 bases, including home twice. He just turned 21 in August, and he doesn’t need to be added to the 40-man roster until after the 2019 season. He played third base the first half of the season and then moved over to second base in the second half. He could see time in the outfield too. #16 RHP John Curtiss Curtiss needed to be added to the Twins 40-man roster before Monday (Nov 20). Instead of wondering for the next few days, the Twins called him up in late August to work out of their bullpen over the final month. Curtiss was the Twins Daily Minor League Relief Pitcher of the Year. He began the season at AA Chattanooga where he didn’t give up an earned run until June 13th. A week later, he was pitching in AAA Rochester. Overall in 49.1 innings, he walked 22 and struck out 68 before getting The Call. The Twins sixth-round pick in 2014. He struggled some in the big leagues, but the 24-year-old showed his repertoire which includes a mid-90s fastball and a potentially great breaking ball. He’ll likely start next season in Rochester, though he will compete for a spot in the big leagues from day one. So there are my choices for Twins prospects 16-20. Just three more parts coming next week and we’ll reach #1. Feel free to discuss these players, ask questions and start contemplating the Top 15. Part 1: Prospects 41-50 Part 2: Prospects 31-40 Part 3: Prospects 26-30 Part 4: Prospects 21-25 Click here to view the article

Yes, he should... I have no problem with his vote.

On Tuesday night, Minnesota Twins Manager Paul Molitor was named the 2017 American League Manager of the Year. Cleveland's Terry Francona and Houston's AJ Hinch, who each led their teams to 100-win seasons, were the other finalists. However, it was Molitor leading the Twins from 103 losses in 2016 to the playoffs in 2017, the first team in MLB history to accomplish that feat.Paul Molitor received 18 of the 30 first-place votes for the Manager of the Year award including that of Twin Cities media member Pat Borzi. Star Tribune's Phil Miller voted for Terry Francona, who received 11 first-place votes. Molitor becomes the Twins third AL Manager of the Year, joining Ron Gardenhire in 2010 and Tom Kelly in 1991. Molitor also becomes just the second Hall of Fame player to win Manager of the Year. Molitor was re-signed to a three-year contract extension that could keep him at the helm of the Twins through the 2020 season. Click here to view the article

I took them all in Ft. Myers at spring training in March. I just click away and hope a bunch of them end up being ok so we can use them in minor league reports and stories.

Not as much high-end talent as 3-5 years ago, but this is a very, very deep system with lots of guys who can make it to the big leagues. Much, much stronger than it was from like 2007-2010.

The countdown continues. Today I’ll share my postseason choices for Minnesota Twins prospects ranked 21-25. (You can find a link to the previous rankings at the bottom.) Injuries were a factor for several of the guys in this group of five. There are a couple of first-round picks, a second-round pick, an international signing (not for big money) and a later-round draft pick. At the end of the day, one of these guys has reached the big leagues and the other four all have a chance to get there as well.With that, let’s take a look at my choices for Twins prospects 21-25. #25 2B Luis Arraez Maybe we can collaborate with DJ Khaled on a song, something like: All I do is hit, hit, hit No matter what Got singles on my mind And I never pop up. Or something like that… Arraez has hit at every level. .348 in 2014 in the DSL. .306 in 2015 in the GCL. A Midwest League leading .347 in Cedar Rapids in 2016. He even hit .335 against much older competition in 45 games in the Venezuelan Winter League last year. The 20-year-old was even hitting .385 in Ft. Myers last year (though in just 13 at-bats in three games) last year when he tore his ACL which ended his season. #24 C Ben Rortvedt Rortvedt hit .224/.284/.315 (.599) on the season at Cedar Rapids. However, he did not turn 20 until after the playoffs ended However, after struggling with the bat for the first two months, he hit .273/.324/.397 (.721) the rest of the way. He has a nice left-handed swing, and eventually he will add a bit more power. He is probably at his best when he’s using the whole field, but a couple of times, he showed he can hit the ball a long way when he pulls it. Ranking catchers can be tough because defense is such an important factor. And that’s where Rortvedt really shines. He works really well with coaches and pitchers. He is smart and knows how to call a game. He is quite athletic and blocks the ball well. And he has a rocket for an arm. #23 LHP Tyler Jay Before the season started, the Twins and Jay mutually decided that his future was in the bullpen rather than spending years trying to work his pitch count up as a starter. Unfortunately, he spent most of the season on the disabled list with shoulder and neck injuries. He came back late in the season and has pitched in the Arizona Fall League. While it was kind of a lost season for Jay, it’s important to remember that he has a very high ceiling as a reliever whether it’s a one-inning type or a guy who could work a couple of innings. And, he won’t turn 24 until after the 2018 season begins. We said it a year ago too, but if Jay is healthy, we could see him in the big leagues in 2018. #22 RHP Kohl Stewart Stewart was the Twins first-round pick in 2013 out of high school in Texas. He’s always been at least two years younger than league average but put up solid numbers at each level. Reports indicated that he gave up very little hard contact despite the fact that his strikeout numbers were not high. He reached AA midway through the 2016 season. He made 16 more starts in 2017 at AA (and one in Rochester), but he struggled with control like he never has before. Some of that could be the result of a knee injury that put him on the disabled list a couple of times. When it comes to pure ‘stuff,’ Stewart’s is as good as anyone. If he is healthy, he could move back into the Top 10 Twins prospects list. #21 OF Zack Granite Granite showed in 2017 what he can be in the big leagues. The speedy outfielder has good range in the outfield. He’s not Byron Buxton in center field (no one else is either), but he can play the position very well. He can play all three outfield positions well. Offensively, he has a cool and calm at the plate that is impressive. He is an ideal leadoff man in terms of his approach at the plate. He is a line drive hitter who takes what the pitcher gives him. He has even credited Doug Mientkiewicz and Tommy Watkins with his willingness to drive the ball a bit more. But speed is his game, and he can be a guy who plays in the big leagues for many years. Please feel free to leave comments or ask questions below. If you missed previous rankings, click the links below: Part 1: Prospects 41-50 Part 2: Prospects 31-40 Part 3: Prospects 26-30 Check back later this week for Part 5. Click here to view the article

And... just to prove me wrong and some of you more right... Dereck Rodriguez announced just now that he's signed with the Giants...