Seth Stohs

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...

Buxton won the award from Wilson as well.

I can't understand this thinking that there is any chance that the Twins might be a realistic option for Carlos Santana. While I think the Twins would be willing to pay Santana, why would Cleveland not be willing to match that offer, and then why would he leave them to join the Twins. That's not an anti-Twins take, but I do think it's realistic. Unless the Twins are willing to way-overpay for Santana, I think he'd stay "home." And if overpaying is what it takes... that's generally not a good idea.

First, bloodlines had nothing to do with his ranking for me. I do think his stuff can be pretty good. I don't care much about the age-to-level for Rodriguez because he did spend those three years as a hitter/outfielder. I can see the Slegers argument. But then again, we're talking prospects 29 and 34... there's really not a ton of difference there in the bigger picture.

In my opinion, yes. Both throw harder. Moya's had a ton of success. I mean, he was MiLB's Minor League Reliever of the year, but the profile for him is a good lefty middle reliever. Rodriguez could be a starter, or eventually a late-inning guy. Jax has really good stuff. He'll be a little older when he gets there (if he gets there), but his stuff could be really good as a starter.

Correct... I just have a feeling that he is a guy that they should want to bring back, so I'm choosing to include him here.

He's working innings... that's much more important than any of the stats he puts up. He missed so much time, it's just great that he's pitching. And, like you said, it's such few innings.

In Part 1, I gave my selections for Twins prospects 41-50. Earlier this week, Part 2 reviewed Twins prospects 31-40. Today, the countdown continues with Part 3, my choices for Twins prospects 26-30. This is an interesting group of prospects. While there is a free agent whom I would hope the Twins would want to bring back, the four other players are high-ceiling types but very raw and inexperienced. They are the types of players who could move up this list a lot in 2018.With that, let’s take a look at my choices for Twins prospects 26-30. #30 SS Jelfry Marte Marte is one of the more intriguing names on this prospect list. Signed in July out of the Dominican Republic for $3 million, most believe that he has the potential to stay at shortstop. He’s got good speed, range and a strong arm. While he is currently about 5-10 and 140 pounds, it is believed that he will grow. There are mixed opinions about his offensive potential While many believe that he will likely be a bottom of the order hitter, some think that he could grow and eventually add some power. He could begin his pro career in the Dominican Summer League in 2018, though it’s possible he’ll move up to the GCL. #29 RHP Dereck Rodriguez Rodriguez recently became a free agent. He was drafted by the Twins in the sixth round of the 2011 draft out of high school in Florida. He spent the first three seasons of his pro career as an outfielder in the rookie leagues. He started the transition to pitcher in 2014. In 2015, he was the Appy League Pitcher of the Year. He finished the 2016 season with a 2.56 ERA in Ft. Myers. He was an All Star for the Miracle in 2017, going 5-2 with a 2.51 ERA. He moved up to AA where he went 5-4 with a 3.94 ERA. Last offseason, he helped win a championship in the Puerto Rico Winter League and was then named an alternate for the talented Puerto Rico WBC team. He’s 25 but continues to take strides forward. He throws 90-93, touching 94. He’s got a good slider as well and a changeup. He was able to get more ground balls. He even got to attend his father’s Hall of Fame induction ceremony in Cooperstown in August. #28 3B Andrew Bechtold Bechtold was the Twins fifth-round draft pick this year out of junior college powerhouse Chipola College. Coming out of high school, he went to Maryland. He made seven starts before getting hurt and getting a medical redshirt. In 2017, he hit .419/.532/.676 with 12 homers. He had committed to LSU but instead signed with the Twins. At Elizabethton, he hit .299/.406/.424 with ten doubles and two homers. At 6-1 and 195 pounds, Bechtold was moved to third base at Chipola (though he may have played shortstop at LSU). He already has shown his ability to work the count and take walks. He also has a chance to hit for a lot of power. #27 RHP Griffin Jax Jax made a start in Elizabethton this summer before making four starts in Cedar Rapids. That marked his three-week leave from the Air Force. When he left, he headed to Cape Canaveral where he is an acquisitions officer. His duty will be complete next summer, though he may be able to make the trek to Ft. Myers on weekends in the summer. Jax, whose dad played in the NFL for a decade, was the Twins third-round pick in 2016. He’s blessed with a mid-90s fastball and has a good slider and a changeup to go with it. He will turn 23 in two weeks, so his career will be delayed by two years. We’ll have to be patient, but he has the stuff to be good. (Get to know him.) #26 OF Aaron Whitefield The Twins have done well with toolsy hitters in the past. In the Twins minor league system, there are not players more athletic than the outfielder from Australia. He’s only been playing baseball for about three years after spending most of his youth playing softball at a high level. Defensively, he can cover ground in center field with anyone (not named Byron Buxton). Offensively, he’s still working on things, but he hit .268/.318/.414 (.732) with 18 doubles, six triples and 11 home runs. He also stole 33 bases. He’ll need to adjust and put the ball in play more, but he’s definitely a sleeper. (Get to know him.) So there you have Part 3 of my Top 50 Twins Prospect rankings, prospects 26-30. Be sure to check out Part 1 (41-50) and Part 2 (31-40), and feel free to discuss any of these players or ask questions below. Click here to view the article

I think Mauer should have been a finalist too... But we should all be thrilled that Dozier won a Gold Glove.