Seth Stohs

I wouldn't think so... It's just a blueprint, not a prediction of what will happen.

Cahill and Fister certainly fit into the Tillman/Ross/Holland category of Not-Great, but Could-Be-Solid. Yeah, you may not want to hold your breath on Santana/Martinez. Martinez will get WAY too much. If Santana is in the Twins range for price, well, then Cleveland will certainly want to keep him at that price, and I'd think he'd want to stay there.

It is possible that I was writing/typing that on Sunday during the Vikings game. Ha!! Corrected.

If you downloaded a copy of the Twins Daily Offseason Handbook, and have had the chance to read through it, you saw Nick’s blueprint for the Twins offseason. It’s full of some interesting ideas for what the Twins should do between now and the start of spring training. Today, I am sharing my Twins offseason blueprint. I don’t necessarily expect others to agree with everything in it, but maybe it gives you ideas for what you might like to see the Twins do. Secondly, be sure to use the blogs or the forums here at Twins Daily to share your own offseason handbook. Then as the Twins start making their moves, you can compare notes.With that, let’s get to my blueprint. Again, this is just a fun exercise to make us all think about what we might want the Twins to do. In reality, making actual moves is much more difficult than us typing out our thoughts. I mean, we can just type it. The Twins will have to actually outbid other teams for players. But with that mini-disclaimer, let’s get to my blueprint. 40-Man Roster Construction Not a fun thing, but obviously planning and constructing a 40-man roster, but it does have to be done. Aside from the players who became a free agent at the end of the World Series (Matt Belisle, Bartolo Colon, Dillon Gee, Glen Perkins and Hector Santiago), I would make additional roster spots by designating LHPs Buddy Boshers, Nik Turley and Dietrich Enns, RHP Michael Tonkin and IF/OF Niko Goodrum. I would attempt to bring back Turley, Enns and Goodrum on minor league deals. Once those roster moves have been made, there will be space to make the necessary additions to the 40-man roster. I would add the following players to the 40-man roster, to protect the Twins from potentially losing them to the Rule 5 draft: Stephen Gonsalves, Zack Littell, Jake Reed, Lewin Diaz, Lewis Thorpe and Nick Burdi. (For more information on these choices, please see my article from earlier this week.) Arbitration Decisions The Twins have seven players who are arbitration-eligible. Here is what I would decide on those players. Offer Arbitration to: Ryan Pressly, Eduardo Escobar, Kyle Gibson, Trevor May, Ehire Adrianza Decline Arbitration to: Chris Gimenez, Robbie Grossman Note that I think that Robbie Grossman’s on-base skills could mean that he could have some value to another team. I’d prefer to trade him, even if it’s “just” for a C-level prospect. I just couldn’t fit him into my Opening Day roster, and since he’s out of options, this felt like an option. Trade I mentioned above that I would like the Twins to find a team to trade Robbie Grossman to. I would also like to see the Twins find a trade partner for Kennys Vargas. I don’t think he would have a lot of value, but if you could get a prospect ranked in the 20-30 range from a team, ideally a low-level, but potentially high-ceiling pitching prospect, that would work. A word of caution, as you see below, I did have the Twins bring in a free agent bat. You will have to consider whether you think that Vargas can be a better option that a bat brought in to be a DH/pinch hitter type. Extensions Over the last several weeks, I have written articles regarding potential extensions for a variety of young Twins players. I personally feel that my “offers” are middle-of-the-road, in which both sides take on some risk and both sides should feel like they got a good deal. So, below, I will jot those downs and use them in my overall budget. Obviously if the pre-arbitration guys don’t want to deal at this time, their 2018 contracts will be less (around $0.6 million, rather than the $1 million that I’ve proposed for 2018). Here are the extensions, pointing out 2018 salary). Brian Dozier - 4 years, $65 million extension with option to 5 years, $73 million.2018 value remains $9.0M, though I’d give him a significant signing bonus.Byron Buxton - 7 years, $76.5 million extension2018 value at $1.0MMiguel Sano- 6 years, $66 million extension with option for 7 years, $86 million. (obviously with Sano's injury and surgery, this becomes more sketchy, but maybe that makes it a perfect time?)2018 value at $1.0MEddie Rosario - 5 years, $28.5 million extension with two option years (6/$40 or 7/$54)2018 value at $1.0MMax Kepler - 7 years, $48 million extension with option for 7 years, $61 million2018 value at $1.0MJose Berrios - 7 years, $46 million extension with option for 8 years, $60 million.2018 value at $0.75MIn addition, I would work with Eduardo Escobar and his agent on an extension. I believe that Escobar has proven his value time and again as a utility guy, capable of adequately playing three infield positions. He’s also been able to contribute well when he is needed to play on a regular basis. My offer to Eduardo Escobar would be two years, $9.5 million with option. 2018: $4.5 million, 2019: $4.5 million, 2020: option for $4.5 million ($0.5M buyout). Finally, I would reach out to Joe Mauer and his representatives regarding an extension. His long-term contract extension comes to an end at the end of the 2018 season. But we are talking about one of the all-time greats in this organization’s history. He continues to climb the rankings on all-time Twins charts. And, more important to that discussion, he is coming off of a solid 2017 season in which he hit over .300 again, got on base and provided terrific first base defense. I would offer him a two year, $16 million extension for 2019 and 2020. Brent Rooker may be ready to take over at first base, but he can also play in the corner outfield positions. Mauer can play good first base, can DH, can be a pinch hitter, can continue to be a leader and to counsel younger players. If he’s willing to embrace that role and keep playing rather than retire, it’s an ideal situation for the team. Of course, there is no rush to make such a deal. His side may ask for 2 years and $20 million. I’d have no problem with that either. Free Agents As those who have followed me for a long time know, I’m not big into free agency as a way to develop a winning organization. However, I do believe that if you have a core of talented players, free agency can help complement that core and get you to the next level. With that in mind, I look for the Twins to add a few nice pieces via free agency this offseason. I don’t expect them to go out and spend wildly. Address the Bullpen: Yes, signing a Wade Davis to a 5 year, $80 million deal might make some sense to some. It’s great to have a dominant, reliable guy at the back end. For me, I would rather not add one reliever for that amount. Instead, I would recommend signing two reliable guys for almost half of that amount. With that said, I would sign left-hander Jake McGee to a 3 year, $24 million deal and install him as the closer. Next, I would attempt to sign long-time Cleveland reliever Bryan Shaw by offering him a three year, $20 million deal. There certainly is enough money involved to call it risky. The Twins still have a lot of quality relief pitching prospects, but having depth is important, and having a couple of lock-down guys at the end is a good thing. Moving others down the usage spectrum will allow them to further develop, and if they become more and more reliable, it’s best for the whole team. And, if Glen Perkins is interested in playing again in 2018, bring him back on a minor league contract with a whole bunch of reachable incentives. It could be structured such that he will retire at the end of spring training if he doesn’t make the team. It could be structured such that he would be willing to continue pitching in Ft. Myers for a month - until the weather in Rochester is good - at which point he could go up there for a month before he can make another decision. The details can be worked out, but if Perkins is interested in coming back, he should be able to do so. And if he gets closer to his old self, imagine a bullpen with Jake McGee, Taylor Rogers and Glen Perkins in it! Address the Starting Rotation: I suggest signing a guy like Chris Tillman to a one year, $5.0 million deal. Tillman is coming off of a really non-good 2017 season in Baltimore, but a year earlier, he went 16-6 and was generally pretty solid. He can start the season as the #5 starter, but he has the potential to be a quality, reliable starter. It can be a make-good deal for him that could turn into a bigger deal next offseason. (Note - if you want to replace Tillman with someone like Tyson Ross or Derek Holland or the like, I’m fine with that too.) In doing do, you can also allow a couple of hopefully cornerstone starters a couple of months in AAA to further develop. First, Stephen Gonsalves has been consistently good throughout his minor league career. Each year at midseason, he gets promoted a level and pitches well. Then he starts the next season at the same level and takes a nice step forward in his development. He moved up to AAA late last season and did all right. Now he can use another half season (at most) in Rochester to put in the final developmental steps before calling him up in June (or earlier as needed). Secondly, Trevor May is coming back from Tommy John surgery. While it may or may not be clear whether he will be a starter long-term, bringing him back from Tommy John in a controlled environment where it’s more conducive to bringing him back wisely makes sense. Set a comeback plan for him as a starter, and let him determine when he is physically ready to come back up. Addressing Hitters: Sign 1B/DH Mark Reynolds to a one year, $4 million deal. A year ago, the Twins were said to be a contender for veteran right-handed bat Mike Napoli. Well, Napoli will be available for the Twins again this year, and at a much lower price tag. He’s 36, so is Napoli done? He did hit 29 homers despite an awful 2017 season. I personally prefer Reynolds (34), another high-power, high-strikeout, right-handed, veteran bench bat. Earlier I mentioned that you’ll have to determine whether Kennys Vargas can provide as much value. The answer isn’t easy. I’d also consider signing Melvin Upton to a minor league contract. Twins need outfield depth at AAA, and the big league club could use a right-handed hitting backup outfielder. Upton was on a minor league deal last year and was not good in AAA, but it’d be a nice flyer. Also, Zack Granite has always had reverse splits at every level through his career, so he’s a terrific fourth outfield option against left-handers. Addressing Catching: As you saw earlier, I non-tendered Chris Gimenez, but there is a ton of value in having minor league catchers who are good defensively and work well with pitchers. In my opinion, I would sign at least two AAA level minor leagues, guys who are known to work well with pitchers. With Mitch Garver in the big leagues, the Twins do not have much catcher depth in the upper levels. With so many potential big league arms who will pitch in Rochester in 2018, it’s very important to find veteran catchers who can work with them. Take a look at what a potential Red Wings rotation and bullpen could look like. That’s a lot of talent. Payroll Here is a look at the payroll with the roster designed above: Hitters: C: Jason Castro - $8.0M 1B: Joe Mauer - $23.0M 2B: Brian Dozier - $9.0M 3B: Miguel Sano - $1.0M SS: Jorge Polanco - $0.55M LF: Eddie Rosario - $1.0M CF: Byron Buxton - $1.0M RF: Max Kepler - $1.0M DH: Mark Reynolds - $4.0M C: Mitch Garver - $0.55M UT: Eduardo Escobar - $4.5M UT: Ehire Adrianza - $1.0M OF: Zack Granite - $0.55M Hitters Total: $55.15M Pitchers: SP: Ervin Santana - $13.5M SP: Jose Berrios - $0.75M SP: Kyle Gibson - $4.5M SP: Adalberto Mejia - $0.55M SP: Chris Tillman - $5.0M RP: Jake McGee - $8.0M RP: Bryan Shaw - $6.0M RP: Trevor Hildenberger - $0.55M RP: Taylor Rogers - $0.6M RP: Ryan Pressly - $2.0M RP: Alan Busenitz - $0.55M RP: Tyler Duffey - $0.6M Pitchers Total: $42.6M Other Contracts: Phil Hughes - $13.2M (while he should be ready by spring training or early in the season, I think that planning should go on as if he won’t play, and if he is, great.) Byungho Park - $6.0M Trevor May - $1.0M “Other” Total: $20.2M Total Payroll: $117.95M SUMMARY I’m not messing with the core of young players. I’m looking to extend as many of them as possible. I’m assuming the young players will continue to improve, and improve as a group. I’m just supplementing them with one right-handed bat. Pitching is where the needs are. While there are arms coming, I am picking up one veteran starter who can either be a surprise for the season, or provide depth, and more important at this point, allow them to be more patient with Gonsalves and May. With guys like Slegers and Jorge and eventually Littell and Fernando Romero also coming soon, I would sign a veteran at a low dollar value, but one who has some level of potential. And, I do think that it is important for the Twins to add at least one, maybe two quality relievers. I don’t believe in paying the top-level guys like Wade Davis. Instead, I would prefer to get two in that second tier, and that’s where McGee and Shaw lie. That would give the Twins bullpen more depth. At the same time, the Twins still have some high-potential bullpen arms that can continue to develop. Ryan Pressly gets another shot. I believe Tyler Duffey can be a terrific late-inning reliever. If that kind of potential is working and improving in the 6th and 7th innings, I’ll feel really good about the Twins bullpen. Now it’s your turn. What do you think of my blueprint and philosophies? What does your Twins offseason blueprint look like? Comment on my blueprint here, and then create your own blueprint in the forums or by creating your own blog. And if you haven't yet, download your copy of the Twins Daily Offseason Handbook by clicking below. Click here to view the article

As the person responsible for the depth chart, that's my bad... He is mentioned in the Top Prospect grouping, just not in the back.

This is well put... teams value catcher defense tremendously.

That is a good point. It's also important to note that guys added to the 40 man roster this month have to stay on the 40-man roster until at least spring training. So, they'll need to keep enough guys that can be DFAd when they add free agents, etc.

Correct... there is no 60 Day DL until spring training starts. The Twins group of 4 or so players on the 60-Day DL will have to come off of it. With the five free agents coming off the roster this morning, they can now put those 60-Day guys back on the 40, but they'll have to remove more players to make room for some of these guys.

Diaz signed 7/2/13...

Yeah, when I was growing up and through high school, I always was told the golfing could mess up my swing. Of course, I was also told not to lift much. I was also told to hit the ball hard and low (Line drives and vicious ground balls).

In my blueprint, which I'll post tomorrow, I'll go through the 40 man. We can take off the Free Agents, there are arbitration decisions, there will be DFAs, trades, etc. I definitely encourage everyone to download to Offseason Handbook and to do their own blueprints. I don't think "opening the season in the big leagues" has anything to do with 40-man roster adds. It probably is down the list of decisions on current 40-man roster guys and whether they stay on it too.

At the trade deadline, the Minnesota Twins added several pitching prospects. In early August, I took a preliminary look at the players that will be eligible for the Rule 5 draft if the Twins choose not to protect them. Now that the season is over and moves will start to be made, I thought it would be good to revisit that topic. Today I present my updated list of the players needing protecting. The Twins Daily Offseason Handbook will be available moments after the final out of Game 7 of the World Series is recorded. Tomorrow, I will be posting my Twins offseason blueprint, and 40-man roster decisions will be a part of that. So be sure to check that out.As a reminder, there really are three criteria for who is eligible for the Rule 5 draft if not protected. Here is this year’s criteria: Players who signed when they were 18 or younger in 2013 (during the minor league season).Players who signed when they were 19 or older in 2014.Players who were eligible in previous seasons are also eligible again.As an aside to this conversation, there are also three players in the Twins minor league system who will become free agents at the conclusion of the World Series. They are Levi Michael, Dereck Rodriguez and David Hurlbut. The Twins have their rights right up until the end of the World Series. In other words, they could add those players to the 40-man roster until then, or wait until after the Winter Meetings to add them on minor league deals. But going back to the players needing to be added or risk being lost to the Rule 5 draft, I’ll break them into categories. The Givens are players that I think have to be added or there is a high percentage that they will be selected. The next are players that are more On The Bubble. It will be interesting to see which of these guys are added. How many spots are available on the team’s 40-man roster, etc. The Next category are those players who probably won’t be added and yet do have a chance to be selected by the right team with the right need or the right report. The Givens In early August, I had five names in this category. Since then, John Curtiss was added to the 40-man roster when he was recalled to the Twins late in the month. Stephen Gonsalves - The left-hander is the most obvious choice to add. He’s put up the numbers at each and every level. He has the make-up , and he has the pitches. He’s also ready, or very nearly ready, to pitch in the big leagues.Zack Littell - Littell’s prospect profile skyrocketed in 2017, both in his time in the Yankees organization and as he ended the season in the Chattanooga Lookouts rotation. He went 20-1 this season between three teams. He profiles as a potential mid-rotation starter.Jake Reed - After flying up the system in 2014, Reed has fought some control issues and a couple of injuries. He’s split the 2016 and 2017 seasons between AA and AAA. He’s got a fastball that moves like crazy and a slider that is sharp as well.Lewin Diaz - I had him as a Given before. I still think that he should be a given. With his size, power-potential, all-around hitting skill and maybe his ability at first base, he has a chance to be a really, really good player. He’s the kind of guy that you don’t want to risk losing. However, an argument could be made that he wouldn’t stick on a big league roster. He’ll turn 21 in November and hasn’t played above A ball. (But then again, players with this kind of upside, even if they’ve only played in Low A ball, get protected, so as I typed this I moved him back to the Given category.)On The Bubble Again, this group is the players on the bubble. A couple of these players could be added, depending upon how many open spots they create and want to keep open. Since early August, Aaron Slegers and Gabriel Moya were called up. Both of them will likely remain on the 40-man roster this offseason. Lewis Thorpe - Thorpe has good stuff. He came back to pitch after missing over two seasons due to Tommy John surgery and a bout with mono. He had regained his low-90s (91-94) fastball and showed good secondary pitches. Other reports (maybe for medical reasons) are really the only thing that keep him from being a Given in my mind.Kohl Stewart - Stewart fought a knee injury that cost him quite a bit of time during the 2017 season. He has a powerful arm, and some really good stuff. He hasn’t been a big strikeout guy, but overall, he’s avoided hard contact and prevented runs. While he is on the bubble, his upside and potential make him a likely add, though the number of open spots will be a factor.Nick Burdi - When he was drafted in 2014, the idea of the team needing to make a 40-man roster decision on him three-and-a-half years later seemed silly. He and his triple-digit fastball were supposed to move quickly to the big leagues. It didn’t happen. He’s had bouts with control, and he’s had a couple of injuries. He was pitching great to start the 2017 season, but then we learned he had had Tommy John surgery. He won’t pitch until at least mid-season.With health, he’s a given to be added. But, would a team consider drafting him, knowing he’s had Tommy John surgery and the success rate of return? They could put him on their DL for as much of the season as needed, and then hide him the rest of the year. They’d likely have to keep him up part of the 2019 season as well.Luke Bard - Bard has been healthy for two straight seasons, and he’s pitched well. He does occasionally fight control issues, but he has missed a lot of bats. In 52.1 innings at Chattanooga, he walked 20 and struck out 78 (13.4 K/9). In his 13 innings in Rochester, he walked four and struck out 21 batters (14.5 K/9). Bard was the Twins third pick in the 2012 draft after Byron Buxton and Jose Berrios.The Next This is a group that has a few intriguing names. While they aren’t obvious choices, there could be a team that likes them enough to take a shot with a Rule 5 pick. Ryan Eades - The Twins second-round pick in 2013 out of LSU, Eades will turn 26 in mid-December. He was eligible to be selected in the Rule 5 draft last year and didn’t get taken, but he’s a season further along in his development and MLB readiness. He spent most of the season at AA Chattanooga, but in eight innings at Rochester, he gave up just one run. He’s got a good fastball, and he has all of the pitches. He’s just not been able to be consistent during his career. He is currently playing in the Arizona Fall League in front of scouts from all 30 MLB teams.Brian Navarreto - Navaretto was the Twins sixth-round pick in 2013 out of high school. While he hasn’t hit much during his pro career, most who have seen him behind the plate agree that he is an elite defensive catcher, blessed with a canon for an arm. In Royals terms, he looks (but doesn’t hit) like Salvador Perez, but defensively he’s there with Drew Butera.But if there is a team that values defense from catchers (like the Reds did with Stuart Turner a year ago), then the 22-year-old Navarreto could be selected.Mason Melotakis - The Twins were able to get Melotakis through waivers during the 2017 season. When he came back from Tommy John surgery, there were reports of him reaching into the upper-90s. In 2017, there were reports that he was barely hitting 90. But, he’s left-handed, and he’s another year post-Tommy John surgery. He also showed good success in Triple-A, so a team needing left-handed pitching might consider him ready enough to throw into their bullpen as a second or third left-hander.The Rest Here is a list of other players who are eligible for the Rule 5 draft in the Twins organization. Since August, the Twins have released Amaurys Minier and Roni Tapia. Jhon AlvarezDJ BaxendaleCameron BooserSam ClayEdgar CorcinoAndro CuturaEduardo Del RosarioTanner EnglishEdgar HerreraZack JonesRandy LeBlancJose MartinezNelson MolinaRobert MolinaAriel MontesinoEmmanuel MorelAlex MurenMax MurphyCallan PearceJohan QuezadaWilliams RamirezRainis SilvaKeaton SteeleTodd Van SteenselMichael TheofanopoulosRyan WalkerTJ WhiteNow, the number of players added to the 40-man roster will in large part depend upon how many players the front office is willing to remove from the 40-man roster over the next couple of weeks. I’ve got mine ranked in order of how I would choose to add them. In the comments below, discuss my ranking and rank them by how you would protect them. Click here to view the article

Sean Miller may not be a household name to all Twins fans, but the infielder has done a nice job so far in the Arizona Fall League. He has hit hit .333 as he has ten hits through his first eight games. Miller, the Twins 10th-round pick in 2015 out of USC-Aiken, turned 23 three weeks ago and spent the 2017 season with the Ft. Myers Miracle playing both middle infield positions.In June of 2016, I interviewed Sean Miller in Cedar Rapids. Today, we catch up with him and discuss his 2017 season, his time in the Arizona Fall League and more. Again, thank you to Sean for taking time out of his busy Arizona schedule to answer our questions. Let’s get to it. Seth Stohs (SS): Let’s start with where you are now. How did you find out about being invited to the Arizona Fall League? Is it something you had thought about growing up or in the minor leagues? Sean Miller (SM): I found out when I was at the mall with my girlfriend. Lep (Twins minor league coordinator Joel Lepel) called me, and it was such a great, rewarding feeling. Obviously it's something I've always read about and imagined myself doing! And now that I have the opportunity to be a part of the AFL, I'm just trying to take it all in. SS: Before heading to Arizona, what were some of your goals, or what did you want to try to accomplish in the Fall League? SM: My goals before heading here were to try and extend my at-bats. I have the same goal I've always had, which is to hopefully prove some people wrong. SS: The AFL season is about half over. What has the experience been like so far, and what have you found out about yourself from playing there so far? SM: The AFL experience has been awesome. I've already made lifelong friends. I've honestly found out that keeping a positive outlook on this game can change your own outlook on everything. SS: It’s been a couple of months since the end of the regular season, have you been able to put together your overall thoughts on your 2017 season in Ft. Myers? SM: My overall thoughts on the 2017 season are all positive! Playing for Doug (Mientkiewicz), Sing (Miracle hitting coach Steve Singleton), and Henry (Bonilla, pitching coach) was the most fun I've ever had playing ball. I've matured more as a player this year than I could have ever imagined. SS: You played a lot of shortstop and second base, but you also got to play a little in center field. What was it like standing out there for a few games? SM: At first, playing center field was crazy to me. But the more I was out there, the easier it got. Doug told me to play it like I was playing in the backyard which made it easier. SS: Tell me a little bit about playing for Doug Mientkiewicz and the coaches in Ft. Myers this year. SM: Like I said earlier, playing for Doug, Sing, and Henry was the most fun I've had playing the game. Those guys love what they do, and their passion for the game spreads to the players. playing for Doug, Henry, and Sing was an absolute blast. This year flew by playing for them. SS: What was the atmosphere like, especially in the second half when the Miracle took off and made their run into the playoffs? SM: The second half was so much fun. We were lucky enough to get some studs on our team to help us make a run. That shows us how deep this org really is. The atmosphere was great. We just played good baseball. Obviously winning was expected, but we actually learned how to win and play the game the right way. SS: In your opinion, what are your strengths on the field? What areas have you made the most improvement in? SM: I think my strengths on the field are that I can play defense with anybody, at any position. I'm trying to improve my ABs, And put some offensive numbers up like I know I can. SS: What are some areas of your game that you focused on in the AFL and will be throughout your offseason? SM: I'm trying to focus on the pitchers, and position players I'm getting a chance to play with and against. The guys down here are just so good, I try to make improvements on my game based on what I learn watching these guys play. SS: Whether on the baseball field or elsewhere, what is the best piece of advice that you have been given? SM: The best piece of advice I have been given is from my dad, who played pro ball for six years. He's always told me things went south for him when he lived in the past, or in the future. So regardless of what's going on with anything that has to do with baseball, I try to take it day by day. Obviously this isn't just baseball advice, this is the way I try to live life. SS: What are some of the things you do to get away from baseball? Any big, fun plans for once your offseason starts after the AFL? SM: The one thing I really enjoy is playing golf. I'll go out at 4 pm and play nine holes by myself three days a week. That's a week to week thing because golf frustrates me more than anything besides baseball. Thank you to Sean Miller for taking time out of his busy Arizona schedule to answer our questions. Please feel free to discuss in the comments below. Click here to view the article

Definitely not a fast track guy. He may eventually become a starter. He's going to have to build up his strength, stamina. If he stays in teh bullpen, he might move up fairly quickly... But he's a low-90s, three-pitch guy.

He'll be good. He's very strong, very athletic. Obviously he's got work to do, but getting on the field is what he needs. Should spend 2018 in Cedar Rapids. Big power potential. He's a guy who could move up a lot next year.

Corcino, for me, was just outside the Top 50. I really like his skill set. He's a potential 4th OF. He'll hit a little, has doubles power and can play all three outfield spots well. Good arm. He could get a cup of coffee. No question on the work ethic.

I've always ranked relief pitchers much lower than most. There are question marks with each of the relievers in this range, at least for me... Injury, Age, stuff... or a combination of the three. There are more relievers ahead as well.

I agree with this. Chargois, if healthy, should be up a bunch. Bard certainly could be, though he could also be lost in the Rule 5. Hackimer is kind of on the Hildenberger schedule. IF that's true, he would start 2018 in Chattanooga and possibly get to Rochester late in the season.

As we await the end of the World Series, as well as the Twins Daily Offseason Handbook being available for download, I thought it would be fun to start on my preliminary 2018 Minnesota Twins Top 50 prospect list. As Cody mentioned in his article tonight, he and I, along with Tom and Jeremy, are diving heavily into the 2018 Twins Prospect Handbook. I like to do this preliminary ranking and then see how it changes after doing a ton of research and talking to several people.So tonight is the first installment. Here are my choices for Twins prospects 41-50. Be sure to ask questions and share your thoughts in the comments after you’ve had a chance to read through this list. #50 LHP Jovani Moran The 20-year-old southpaw was the Twins seventh-round draft pick in 2015 out of Puerto Rico. He missed the 2016 season due to bone spurs in his elbow, but he had those cleaned up and went to Elizabethton in 2017. He was named the Twins Daily Short-Season Pitcher of the Year. In 24.2 innings, he walked six and struck out 45 (16.4 K/9). That didn’t include the playoffs where he starred for the Appy League champs. Will he remain in the bullpen? That’s to be determined. As E-Twins manager Ray Smith told Twins Daily, ““We didn’t want to force anything with Jovani due to his arm issues last year. I’ve never seen him being utilized in a starting role, but with this ‘stuff’ being so good, it might turn out to be his role once it’s decided that his arm will continue to be 100%”” #49 LHP Andrew Vasquez Vasquez was the Twins 32nd-round pick in 2015 out of Division III Westmost College where he teamed with Hector Lujan. The left-hander split his 2017 season between Cedar Rapids and Ft. Myers. He combined to post a 2.02 ERA. In his 58 innings, he walked 20 and struck out 85 batters. While he works in the low-90s, he’s got a lot of movement on his fastball and has a terrific slider that gets a lot of swings and misses. (Get to know Andrew Vasquez) #48 Alex Robinson There are a lot of quality relief pitcher prospects in the Twins system, and when it comes to pure ceiling, Robinson might be right at the top. The left-hander consistently hits 97-98 mph with his fastball and has a devastating slider. He was the Twins fifth-round pick in 2015 out of Maryland, but he really fought his control. He spent 2015 and 2016 in Elizabethton where he struck out 67 batters in 45 innings, but he also walked 50! He began 2017 in Cedar Rapids and struck out 51 and walked 15 and struck out 51. He moved up to Ft. Myers and in 17.1 innings, he walked 13 and struck out 27. He turned 23 in August, so it is wise for the Twins to be as patient as necessary to maximize his immense talent. #47 Tom Hackimer Hackimer was the Twins fourth-round pick in 2016 out of St. Johns. The side-winding right-hander profiles pretty similarly to Twins rookie of the year Trevor Hildenberger. He began 2017 in Cedar Rapids where he posted a 1.50 ERA and a miniscule 0.58 WHIP in 24 innings. He then worked 37.1 innings in Ft. Myers where he posted a 1.93 ERA and a 1.02 WHIP. Combined, he walked 22 and struck out 71 batters in 61.1 innings. He is now pitching the Arizona Fall League. (Get to know Tom Hackimer, and from last week, Catch Up with him in Arizona) #46 OF Jaylin Davis Jaylin Davis was the Twins 24th-round pick in 2015 out of Appalachian State. He ended the 2016 season with 52 games in Cedar Rapids. That’s where he began his 2017 season as well. In 66 games for the Kernels, he hit .267/.316/.486 (.802) with 13 doubles and 12 home runs. After helping the team to a first half playoff berth, he was promoted up to Ft. Myers where he played in 59 games. He struggled, hitting just .237 with three home runs. But his power is legit. He’s a good athlete who took to playing right field in 2017. (Get to know Jaylin) #45 JT Chargois If you were like me, you were hoping that the 2012 second-round pick would not be on this list. In fact, I had hopes that he would be the Twins closer by midseason. Instead, he fought elbow issues throughout the entire season and did not pitch outside of two games in late April in Rochester. His mid-to-upper 90s fastball, slider, and performance last September make him incredibly intriguing, and he should probably be higher on this list. He’ll turn 27 in December. (Get to know JT.) #44 Luke Bard Bard was the Twins second supplemental first-round pick in 2012 out of Georgia Tech. He has really only been healthy the last two seasons. In 2016, he was known to have one of the top spin rates in the Twins system. In 2017, he was a strikeout machine. In 52.1 innings at Chattanooga, he walked 20 and struck out 78 (13.4 K/9). He moved up to Rochester where he walked four and struck out 21 batters in 13 innings (14.5 K/9). He does struggle with control and command at times, but the soon-to-be-27-year-old should be considered for a 40-man roster spot in November. #43 OF Jean-Carlos Arias Arias returned to the GCL in 2017 after posting a mere .531 OPS there in 2016. He broke out, hitting .298/.359/.476 (.835) with seven doubles, four triples and five home runs. He also stole ten bases. Arias has a lot of tools. He’s got speed and a strong arm. He has the potential to hit for some average, but he also has the potential to grow and add more power. Arias will turn 20 in January and should move up to Elizabethton in 2018. #42 Trey Cabbage Cabbage was the Twins fourth-round pick in 2015 out of high school in Tennessee. He’s missed some time the last couple of years with injury. He returned to Elizabethton to start the Appy League season, but after just 13 games, he was promoted to the Kernels where he played left field and third base. A left-hander with a smooth swing, the 20-year-old is a terrific athlete, big and strong, with a lot of power potential. He’ll have to work to put the ball in play more, but as he grows, the talent is there to be quite good. (Get to know Trey, and Catch Up with him) #41 RHP Tyler Benninghoff 20-year-old Benninghoff was the Twins 11th-round pick in 2016 out of high school in Missouri. Almost immediately after signing, he underwent Tommy John surgery. He worked hard to rehab and returned to the GCL mound for his professional debut. He worked four innings in four outings. Benninghoff likely would have been a second or third round pick had he been healthy. He’s blessed with a strong arm and good offspeed pitches. So this ranking is fully based on projection. Hopefully he’ll be fully recovered and be able to get on the mound consistently in 2018. (Get to know Tyler) So there you have the first installment of my Top 50 Twins Prospects. That was prospects 41-50. In the coming days, the countdown will continue. Feel free to leave any questions or comments that you may have. By the way, there is a complete Organizational Depth chart in the Twins Daily Offseason Handbook, along with much more. To pre-order your copy, click on the banner below. (And as a reminder, there's no reason to not download it since you get to name your price.) Click here to view the article

One year ago, Clark Beeker had just completed his first season as a professional baseball player. He was the Twins 33rd-round pick in June after five seasons at Davidson, and after his debut season, we had a chance to Get To Know Him. 2017 was his first full season, and he pitched well enough for the Cedar Rapids Kernels that he was named the right-handed starting pitcher of the Twins Daily Minor League All Star team. Today, we catch up with the right-handed starter.Recently, Clark Beeker answered some questions about his first full season, his offseason and much more. Be sure to leave your questions or comments below. Seth Stohs (SS): It’s been a few weeks now since the season ended. Have you had a chance to reflect on your season? Did you accomplish goals you may have set before the season? Clark Beeker (CB): Looking back on my first full season in professional baseball, I was pleased with the way it went. Cedar Rapids and Fort Myers were both great places to play and having both teams in the playoffs was indicative of the talent of the players and coaching staffs. Going into the season, it wasn’t a definite that I would be one of the starters in the Cedar Rapids’ rotation so making that happen was a nice first step. As the season goes on, you make adjustments based on what in your arsenal is successful, how the hitters respond to certain pitches/sequences, and the overall daily life of being a minor league baseball player. Being open to making adjustments and learning along the way definitely helped my progression up until the culmination of the season. SS: How did you hold up, physically or emotionally, through your first full season of pro ball? CB: I felt that my body held up pretty well – I really didn’t experience any fatigue until the last couple of weeks of the season. Half the battle for playing in your first full season is being able to stay off the DL and handle the rigors of bus rides and weeks without an off day. Taking care of my body, eating right (most of the time), and getting plenty of sleep were keys for me that I focused on throughout the season. SS: You made the Twins Daily Minor League All-Star team as the right-handed starting pitcher. As you look at your stat line, what are you most excited about? CB: I see that the checks I wrote to the voters cleared – so that was a smooth transaction. Being recognized was definitely an honor considering how many strong performances there were throughout the entire organization. My biggest takeaway from the season, numbers wise, was the amount of innings I was able to throw. By averaging roughly 6.25 innings per start, I was able to keep hitters off the bases and pitch deep into games. Although pitching late into games isn’t always indicative of success, you’re not going to keep pitching into the 7th, 8th, 9th innings if you’re not pitching well and giving your team a chance to win. I typically wasn’t pleased with my outing unless I went seven innings or more. SS: To what do you attribute your success throughout the 2017 season at Cedar Rapids? CB: I think the biggest thing for me was having a plan for how I wanted to attack each hitter, every single start. It may not have been the right plan, but based on scouting reports (which video intern Sam Berk did a great job of analyzing and compiling), my pitches, and various sequences, I had a purpose with every pitch. I got away from this in Fort Myers and coupled with better/more advanced hitters, I didn’t pitch as well as I would have liked. SS: When things were going really well, such as during your 30+ inning scoreless streak, what was working well for you? CB: Being able to pitch at home in Cedar Rapids for all 4 games…haha. But all in all, I made a conscious effort to start throwing my changeup more from the first inning on. The first three months of the season, I wouldn’t start incorporating the changeup until the second time through the lineup. I started throwing it more, especially in disadvantage counts (1-0, 2-1) and was able to find some success. The combination of the changeup, limiting walks, some great plays by the defense, and obviously a little bit of luck along the way enabled me to pitch effectively. SS: What was the atmosphere like in Cedar Rapids as the team earned a playoff berth and then did well in the playoffs? CB: To preface this, Cedar Rapids has a phenomenal fan base. The support we had night in and night out definitely gave our team an advantage, especially as the season reached the second half of a long season. In one of our home playoff games, we had about 1800 fans and they were as loud and into the game as any of the 3000-4000 attendances we had throughout the season. SS: Have you been able to get away from baseball so far this offseason with any fun activities? Anything exciting for the rest of the offseason? CB: I haven’t done anything too exciting – it was nice to relax at home for the first few weeks. I have a couple weekend trips planned to visit some former teammates and friends so it will be nice to catch up with friends that you haven’t seen since the previous offseason. SS: When do you start your workouts in preparation for 2017? When do you, as a starting pitcher, pick up a ball and start throwing? CB: I’ve begun the strength training phase after I let my body recover for almost a month. I’ve tried to focus on staying flexible and getting stronger in all aspects of my body to ensure that I’m ready for spring training. I’ll start throwing in December and gradually work my way back to a long toss phase that will prepare me for bullpens in February. I hate feeling rushed, so I’ll give myself a little extra time to slowly build up my arm strength. SS: Have you had a chance to catch up with your old teammates and coaches at Davidson to touch base on their Regional and Super Regional experience in June? CB: I’ve been able to catch up with them a decent amount this offseason – I’m helping out in the athletic fundraising office at Davidson to support the baseball program’s fundraising efforts. Their run was so unlikely in the grand scheme of things, but so deserving for how hard the players work and what Coach Cooke has endured to reach this point. The best thing about looking back at the Super Regional run is seeing the outpouring of support from current players, former teammates, and the community for something that was a first for the Davidson baseball program. SS: What area of your game do you feel you took the furthest strides with in 2017? CB: I thought that my ability to pitch inside with the fastball was the biggest thing for me during the season. We would go entire games where the catcher (usually my roommate Ben Rortvedt) would exclusively call inside fastballs and abandon the fastball away. Being able to pitch inside prevented hitters from extending their hands on pitches over the plate and set up my offspeed pitches to be more effective. SS: What are the areas of your game that you would like to spend time this offseason working to improve? CB: For me, just to improve on my full body strength and arm strength which would hopefully translate to an uptick in velocity. As a pitcher, I definitely don’t scare hitters when they see my fastball velocity on the scouting report, so being able to find a comfort zone where I’m pitching at my maximum velocity every pitch is something I am working to improve. SS: Talk about Tommy Watkins and the coaching staff in Cedar Rapids and how they helped you individually and helped the team succeed. CB: Tommy (Watkins), JP (Martinez), and Dink (Brian Dinkelman) were all great to be around everyday, which is tough to do when you have a 140-game season crammed into five months. Tommy did a great job of keep things loose and challenging us to bring great energy each day at the ballpark. As a pitching coach, JP was able to find an approach that worked best for each guy and helped me create a plan for how I could have success each start. He constantly worked with me to fine tune my delivery and challenged me to not become complacent as the season moved along. SS: What was it like seeing former big leaguers like LaTroy Hawkins, Torii Hunters or other roving instructors come through Cedar Rapids. Any good conversations with any of them?. CB: It was great to hear from not only former big leaguers, but guys who have played longer than most baseball players ever envision. LaTroy talked about focusing on the details and not overlooking the importance of holding runners on base, fielding your position, etc. Even when Sam Perlozzo was around, I would try to pick up bits of information that the hitter deems important – baseball is more mental than a lot of people realize. SS: Rank the top 3-5 TV shows you’ve binge watched… CB: Prison Break, Seinfeld, Breaking Bad, Entourage, The Office (in that order) A big Thank You to Clark Beeker for taking the time to respond to our questions. Please feel free to ask questions and comment below. Click here to view the article