Seth Stohs

Per Doogie, the Twins will save between $900K and $1.3M on Lewis...

Drafted as an outfielder.

Why would BJ Garbe come to mind when talking about Royce Lewis?? I'm good with the Buxton without quite the arm comments, but the Garbe ones just make no sense. Other than just an attempt to be negative... which is fun... I guess.

As news (or rumors) trickled in that the Minnesota Twins would select high school shortstop Royce Lewis with the first overall pick in the 2017 draft, it was met with some surprise. Lewis said, 'I had nothing going in at all in mind. I just know that the draft is crazy, and looking back at years past, it's been hectic and you never know what's going to happen.' However, he wasn't all that surprised. 'For me, I wasn't caught off guard as much, but I am very excited and very appreciative of the opportunity.' Image courtesy of MLB.com As news (or rumors) trickled in that the Minnesota Twins would select high school shortstop Royce Lewis with the first overall pick in the 2017 draft, it was met with some surprise. Lewis said, 'I had nothing going in at all in mind. I just know that the draft is crazy, and looking back at years past, it's been hectic and you never know what's going to happen.' However, he wasn't all that surprised. 'For me, I wasn't caught off guard as much, but I am very excited and very appreciative of the opportunity.' While Lewis isn't the household name that Hunter Greene, Brendan McKay and Kyle Wright were to most fans, he has been a huge prospect for quite some time. He has played with Hunter Greene, as he noted, on USA teams 15U and 18U tournaments. In fact, earlier in the day, Lewis called Greene (who went second to the Reds) and Jordan Adell (who went 10th to the Angels) to wish them luck. Lewis is a bright young man. He graduated a couple of weeks ago and acknowledged that he gets 'A's and B's." He's a very confident kid. When asked if he emulated or patterned his game around any players, he named some pretty impressive shortstops. "For sure, I had a couple. Carlos Correa is one. Derek Jeter and Francisco Lindor. If you put those three guys together, I feel like you'd get a mixture of Royce Lewis." He continued, "But I know that I'm a very different player than all those guys, and I expect to play differently and act differently than those guys." I remember sitting at the Cedar Rapids Kernels press conference before their first game as a Twins affiliate in 2013. Byron Buxton was asked about his weaknesses. He sat and thought, and thought. A bit later, Travis Harrison responded, "He does a lot of things really well." Likewise, Royce Lewis does a lot of things well. He's got tremendous speed, and should develop some power as well. Asked about his weaknesses, Lewis said, "As far as weaknesses go, I feel like I don't have any at this point." Honesty. But he did add more to the comment. "It's just about perfecting. Of course, every kid thinks highly of himself." Speed is probably his biggest tool at this point. "Speed can be used for everything. Defensively. Offensively. It helps with range. It helps you get a couple of extra base hits when you hit if off the end of the bat. Speeds been there since Day 1. That's my favorite tool because it's always there and it never leaves you." Asked about his power potential, he said, "That's kind of like a little tidbit. I haven't even grown into my man strength yet. I just turned 18 last week. Being young like this, it's pretty amazing to know that I still have a lot of potential to tap into. He has a lot of heart. His first comments to the media involved his goal being for his team to win. They came up just short in their season-ending tournament, but winning is a big part of his game. "As Draymond Green says, 'Heart wins over anything.' At the end of the day, I feel like I have more heart than many of the kids and players out there." Lewis also talked about his mental approach of the game. "I'm looking at four to five plays ahead. The approach at the plate is changing pitch to pitch. For me, it's maturity. My mom says it a lot, I'm a lot older than most kids." And Lewis is also a leader: "Treating everyone equally. We're all equal, no matter who is better at what sport, or who is the smarter kid in the classroom. As a leader, I try to treat everyone equal. I'm not above or below anyone. We have a lot of fun. For me, I try to lead by example. With all my teammates, we have so much fun together. We compete hard together, and I can't wait to meet my new teammates in Minnesota. Lewis has never been to Minnesota and says, "I hear it's pretty cold, sometimes. We'll see when I get there. I can handle the weather no matter what." Lewis has a commitment to UC-Irvine, a school and coaching staff that was impressive to him. When asked if college was out of the question, he responded by saying, "No, not at all. I mean, I don't know what's going to go on. I'm just going to let Mr. Boras and the guys up in Minnesota handle that. We'll see what happens. I do know that I'm locked in either way. It's a win-win for me, so I'm happy." One Twins employee told me recently (about Lewis), "His makeup is everything a fan base could wish for out of their franchise talent." Royce Lewis is immensely athletic, a trait the Twins have had tremendous success with developing. He's got room to grow, but he also has some of those intangibles that can't be measured. In other words, he's the complete package. Next steps? Get him signed and let him start the long process toward the big leagues. View full article

SAntana, Hunter and Cuddy (as well as Morneau, Mauer, Nathan, Radke and others signed long-term extensions before free agency so the Twins were able to keep them around a bit longer. Ortiz's $2-3 million arbitration decision was not based on money at that time... Couldn't stay healthy in the Dome.

Tim Melville was a big prospect in 2008 when he was a 4th round pick of the Royals out of high school... things didn't pan out for the 27 year old. In 2016, he made his MLB debut and pitched in 3 games for the Reds. This spring, Melville signed with the Long Island Ducks where he has a 3.45 ERA in nine games and 47 innings. With the injuries in MLB and pitchers moving up to Rochester, the Red Wings really need a starter. Melville can do that, and he's probably young enough with enough upside to get to the big leagues... though that's probably not the thinking with the signing. For now, he's a short-term fix to a need.

Gordon would likely stay #1 if the Twins take McKay or Lewis... Could go either way regarding Wright. Greene would be #1.

From Passan (via twitter): "There's a strong sense the Twins are down to two choices with the No. 1 pick tonight: Louisville LHP/1B Brendan McKay and HS SS Royce Lewis." https://twitter.com/JeffPassan/status/874301769530191872

Remember the deadline for drafted players signing is July 15th. So players could be signing right up until then. They'll likely start signing within a few days. As Cody said, promotions are going to start happening with the All Star breaks and team's first halves. For instance, the Miracle were eliminated from a first-half playoff spot, so Dereck Rodriguez got his promotion right away then (though he told me he still will play in the FSL All Star game, but he won't pitch for the Miracle anymore). There should be several more promotions from CR to FM and FM to CHAT and CHAT to ROCH in the next two weeks. And yes, there will be some guys released from Extended Spring Training before the short-season leagues start.

Interesting that the Twins could go with Wright at 1.1... but he could also fall as low as 6... though everything I've read says that he wouldn't get past the Braves at 5. So close to Carlson here...

Baseball America posted version 4.5 of their mock draft earlier this morning... http://www.baseballamerica.com/draft/2017-mlb-mock-draft-4-5/#IiR3k8SDW50VykVB.97 Another vote for Brendan McKay... That's been kind of the direction of the rumors since Friday.

Happy MLB Draft Day 1, Twins fans! Since it became clear that the Minnesota Twins had the #1 overall pick in the 2017 draft, which happened fairly early last September, the fandom has been very excited about who the Twins might be able to add at the top of the draft. That day has come. This purpose of this article is to be a place for several draft-related resources and links, and a place for fans to keep updated of rumors and rumblings throughout the day. We ask that if you see an article online or a tweet with a rumor or nugget, that you post it in the comments below. At 6:00 central time, the draft will officially start. Moments later, the Twins will make their much-anticipated draft selection. But that won’t be it for the night. The Twins also have the 35th and 37th overall picks as well. Twins Daily will post articles about those draft picks moments after they are made. Note also that we will have Day 2 and Day 3 articles. In those articles, we will post the Twins picks made those days. Those articles will be updated throughout those two days. Rounds 3 through 10 are on Tuesday, and Rounds 11 through 40 will take place on Wednesday. Image courtesy of University of Louisville Athletics (photos of Brendan McKay) Happy MLB Draft Day 1, Twins fans! Since it became clear that the Minnesota Twins had the #1 overall pick in the 2017 draft, which happened fairly early last September, the fandom has been very excited about who the Twins might be able to add at the top of the draft. That day has come. This purpose of this article is to be a place for several draft-related resources and links, and a place for fans to keep updated of rumors and rumblings throughout the day. We ask that if you see an article online or a tweet with a rumor or nugget, that you post it in the comments below. At 6:00 central time, the draft will officially start. Moments later, the Twins will make their much-anticipated draft selection. But that won’t be it for the night. The Twins also have the 35th and 37th overall picks as well. Twins Daily will post articles about those draft picks moments after they are made. Note also that we will have Day 2 and Day 3 articles. In those articles, we will post the Twins picks made those days. Those articles will be updated throughout those two days. Rounds 3 through 10 are on Tuesday, and Rounds 11 through 40 will take place on Wednesday. As you know, there will be a lot of rumors even throughout the day. It’s obviously a moving target. The reality is that there are likely a handful of people who know who the Twins will take at 1.1. At some point on Monday, they’ll have their decision. It will be based on a number of factors. First and foremost, it will be based on talent. The Twins will acquire a player with the first overall pick who has the potential and ability to be an all-star caliber player. That doesn’t always happen, of course, but the player will have the tools and such to become that. The Twins have likely seen each of the players in consideration for the top pick dozens upon dozens of times. The scouts, cross-checkers, and front office types are fully aware of what those players are as a player and as a person. They’ve had conversations with those players, their families, friends, teammates, coaches and others. For the college players, it’s likely they’ve been watching them for four to six years. The trick of course is looking at the player and all of the information on him and trying to project what that player will be in five to ten years. That is the part that isn’t a science, at least not yet. But science and technology has become more a part of the process. Many of the college programs have Trackman systems installed. Even some high schools are starting to get those. There is so much more information available. But the teams are also trying to figure out who can stay healthy. Drafting a pitcher comes with a bigger injury risk than drafting a hitter for obvious reasons. And, of course, dollars also come into play. It’s a strategy that has been used since the slotting system has been in the MLB draft. Most famously, the Astros were able to convince SS Carlos Correa to take millions less than the slot value for the #1 pick in 2012, and because of it, they were able to take RHP Lance McCullers and IF Rio Ruiz with their next two picks. As Jeremy has pointed out, the new draft slotting instituted this year makes it a bit more difficult to manipulate the draft, and since there are a handful of teams that have a second selection before the Twins, it could be difficult. THE NAMES At this stage, we pretty well know the names of the players the Twins are considering with the top pick. Louisville 1B/LHP Brendan McKay. Vanderbilt RHP Kyle Wright. Notre Dame HS (Sherman Oaks, CA) SS/RHP Hunter Greene. In my opinion, all three of these guys are "safe" picks, but for different reasons. McKay legitimately has two paths to big league success. He can be a top-of-rotation starting pitcher, or he could be a middle-of-the-lineup bat. Could he possibly be both? Kyle Wright, in my opinion, is the safest pick for starting pitchers because of his stuff and his size and his makeup and more. How is Hunter Greene a safe pick? Well, he's the guy that everyone seems to believe is the best prospect. If the Twins took him and he didn't make it, most in the industry would say that the Twins were still right in shooting for the moon with such an elite talent. The bold pick, in my opinion, would be taking MacKenzie Gore. Many believe he is the best prep pitcher, with a mid-90s fastball and good secondary pitches. Most believe that those three are the guys most in consideration for the Twins first pick. However, if guys like MacKenzie Gore or Royce Lewis are willing to accept less money, they could still fit into the equation. While those two have not been talked about as much as the three listed above, they are both very talented. They are also both Scott Boras guys. Normally that might mean they’re guys to stay away from. However, Boras wants to maximize what his clients can get, so if they can make a little more than what they believe they will get by falling in the draft, maybe something could be worked out. MOST RECENT PERFORMANCES With both Louisville and Vanderbilt playing in Super Regionals, they pitched on Saturday. Here are their final lines: Brendan McKay (vs Kentucky): 6 IP, 8 hits, 2 earned runs, 0 walks, 9 strikeouts. Fastball was 89-94, with impressive curveball, slider, and cutter too. Kyle Wright (vs Oregon State): 6.2 IP, 8 hits, 7 earned runs, 3 walks, 8 strikeouts. Fastball was 90-95, with an impressive curveball and changeup. He mixes those pitches well also. Hunter Greene hasn’t played lately (and hasn't pitched for a month or more), but he did come to Target Field on Friday for a workout. As you would expect, he was quite impressive. He is clearly the guy who would show up highest on prospect rankings because of the fastball and his athleticism and makeup. https://twitter.com/DWolfsonKSTP/status/873296225642176513 While the Twins had people at all of those performances, it’s important to remember that each performance is just one data point on a chart that likely has 100s of dots on it. In other words, just because Wright’s line looked bad (and was bad), it isn’t likely to sway the Twins brass either way. TWINS DAILY DRAFT CONTENT Draft Profiles: MacKenzie Gore, Hunter Greene, Royce Lewis, Brendan McKay, Pavin Smith, Kyle Wright, and potential Minnesotans in the Draft. Jeremy provided a Draft Preview in which he discussed the slot values of each pick and overall. He wrote about the possibility of the Twins taking advantage of the slotting system to acquire more high-end talent. Seth caught up with ESPN’s Keith Law about the names at the top of the first round. Cody wondered if not drafting Hunter Greene could come back to haunt them. Nick wrote why Kyle Wright might be The Wright Fit for the Twins, considering his timeline. TWINS DAILY PREDICTIONS Here are some quick thoughts from Twins Daily writers: Seth Stohs: Personal Top 5 Rankings (as prospects): 1.) Hunter Greene, 2.) Kyle Wright, 3.) MacKenzie Gore, 4.) Royce Lewis, 5.) Brendan McKay Who Would You Take? Probably Kyle Wright. Who Do You Think The Twins Will Take? Brendan McKay I'd love to see the Twins get creative and find a way to save seven figures on their #1 pick. Hunter Greene is the most intriguing. Kyle Wright is probably the safest pitcher to pick. I'd be very curious to see if Derek Falvey would truly let McKay hit and pitch on his way up the ladder to really possibly be a big league two-way player. If he can do that, I'm all on board. I also really, really like Gore and Lewis and if the Twins can convince Boras to cut back a couple million from slot, I'd have no problem with them either. Nick Nelson: What is the definition of a "safe pick"? On the one hand, you could easily apply that description to someone like Kyle Wright or Brendan McKay – collegiate superstars and prototypical top-of-draft talents. On the other hand, isn't Hunter Greene the safest pick when you really think about it? He ranks first on almost every analyst's board. He's a media sensation and will generate tremendous buzz for the franchise. If he fizzles out, the Twins aren't going to look silly; they made the choice most people in the industry viewed as obvious. But that will be of little consolation if his development stalls exactly as they foresaw in their evaluations. I guess at the end of the day, there really is no safe pick. My Top Five: 1. Hunter Greene 2. Kyle Wright 3. MacKenzie Gore 4. Brendan McKay 5. Royce Lewis Cody Christie: Personal Top 5 Rankings: 1.) Hunter Greene, 2.) Royce Lewis, 3.) Kyle Wright, 4.) MacKenzie Gore, 5.) Brendan McKay Who Would You Take? Hunter Greene Who Do You Think The Twins Will Take? Kyle Wright I’ve always put a higher value on younger players with a ton of potential. That was one of the reasons I had Miguel Sano number one on my prospect list while he was still playing in the rookie leagues. Greene has impressed me every step of the way. The more I hear about him, the more I want him to be part of the Twins organization. Lewis is also a raw talent that the Twins could develop over the next decade. He could be a mainstay in their line-up for years to come. Wright is the safest and I think that’s the direction the club will go. Tom Froemming: Personal Top 5 Rankings (as prospects): 1) Hunter Greene, 2) MacKenzie Gore, 3) Kyle Wright, 4) Brendan McKay, 5) Royce Lewis Who Would You Take? Greene Who Do You Think Will The Twins Take? Greene Have you seen a single big board that didn’t have Hunter Greene on top? I’ve heard all the rumors saying the Twins are going another direction, but I’m not buying it. Greene is the best athlete and has the highest ceiling. Sure, that comes with a scary floor/bust potential, but the opportunity to acquire a talent like this isn’t going to come around every year. On the other hand, I look at those top five names and don’t see a single bad pick. I’ll understand if the Twins pass on Greene, especially if that means they net more talent with the 35th and 37th picks. NATIONAL PERSPECTIVE Here are some of the most recent draft player rankings and some mock drafts. ESPN’s Keith Law updated his mock draft on Sunday morning. MLB.com’s Jonathan Mayo writes about two favorites, two high school players and two dollar savers. MLB.com’s Friday mock draft. 12 hours later, he changed the Twins pick from Kyle Wright to Brendan McKay. John Manuel’s Baseball America Mock Draft 4.0 (from Friday). (UPDATE - on Monday, they updated with version 4.5) FanGraphs Mock Draft (June 5). MLB.com’s Top 200 Draft Prospects. Baseball America’s Top 100 Draft Prospects Baseball America’s Top 500 Draft Prospects. KATOH’s Top 250 Draft-Eligible College Players (fangraphs). DOLLARS AND SENSE Here the slot values for the Twins picks in the top ten rounds. 1st overall (Round 1): $7,770,700 35th overall (Comp Round A): $1,935,300 37th overall (Round 2): $1,846,100 76th overall (Round 3): $755,500 106th overall (Round 4): $507,000 136th overall (Round 5): $378,700 166th overall (Round 6): $283,300 196th overall (Round 7): $220,700 226th overall (Round 8): $174,400 256th overall (Round 9): $148,000 286th overall (Round 10): $137,100 ALL SUBJECT TO CHANGE Until the Twins officially make their announcement, it’s hard to know with complete certainty what the Twins will do. Consider six weeks ago, everyone assumed that Hunter Greene was the easy choice at #1. Starting about a month ago, people believed that Kyle Wright was the top choice. Then suddenly on Friday, about 12 hours after writing that Wright would go #1, mlb.com’s Jim Callis posted a new mock draft in which he said the Twins were planning to take McKay with the top pick. That’s why this Day 1 thread is here. We want the comments to be filled with everything that’s out there as things are subject to change even throughout the day. Again, moments after the Twins make their first pick, we’ll have an article, and we can discuss the player that the Twins take (and presumably many will write about the players the Twins did not take) with the first overall pick. View full article

I'd feel pretty good about guessing that Belisle's got another year or two of big league time coming. But have no problem with a different direction.

Twins announced that Rosario was optioned to AA Chattanooga.

He's put himself back on the fringe this year.

Absolutely legit. Touches 97-98. Very intriguing. Should move up to Rochester soon, I'd think.

With the May player of the month awards handed out a week ago, it’s time to get back into the Twins minor league leaderboard. A few things have changed in these lists. A few players have slowed down, and others have taken off again. It’s fun to see which players, prospect or not, are found in multiple categories below. With that, let’s find out who is leading the Twins minor leagues in a variety of statistics, and then feel free to discuss. But first, let’s take a quick look at how the Twins’ affiliates currently stack up in their leagues. First-half playoff spots are out there for at least one of the teams. Rochester is 27-30. The Red Wings are 11.5 games back in the International League North Division leading Lehigh Valley. They’re in fifth place in the division. It’s been a tough last 3 weeks for the Red Wings as the Twins have reached down and plucked several players from them. In the first half, Chattanooga is 35-27. That puts them in second place, 1/2 game behind Tennessee in the Southern League’s North division.Jake Mauer’s got this team playing some very good baseball. Ft. Myers has won seven straight games and is 28-33. They had a nice stretch, but Doug Mientkiewicz’s club has gone 5-13 in their last 18 games. They are in fifth place in the Florida State League’s South division, 9.5 games back. They have officially been eliminated from a first-half playoff spot. Cedar Rapids is 36-26 this season. That gives them a two-game lead over Kane County in the Midwest League’s Western Division. Tommy Watkins’ squad could lock up a playoff berth as early as this upcoming week. Image courtesy of Seth Stohs, Twins Daily (photos of Luke Bard, Mitch Garver, Dereck Rodriguez) With the May player of the month awards handed out a week ago, it’s time to get back into the Twins minor league leaderboard. A few things have changed in these lists. A few players have slowed down, and others have taken off again. It’s fun to see which players, prospect or not, are found in multiple categories below. With that, let’s find out who is leading the Twins minor leagues in a variety of statistics, and then feel free to discuss. But first, let’s take a quick look at how the Twins’ affiliates currently stack up in their leagues. First-half playoff spots are out there for at least one of the teams. Rochester is 27-30. The Red Wings are 11.5 games back in the International League North Division leading Lehigh Valley. They’re in fifth place in the division. It’s been a tough last 3 weeks for the Red Wings as the Twins have reached down and plucked several players from them. In the first half, Chattanooga is 35-27. That puts them in second place, 1/2 game behind Tennessee in the Southern League’s North division.Jake Mauer’s got this team playing some very good baseball. Ft. Myers has won seven straight games and is 28-33. They had a nice stretch, but Doug Mientkiewicz’s club has gone 5-13 in their last 18 games. They are in fifth place in the Florida State League’s South division, 9.5 games back. They have officially been eliminated from a first-half playoff spot. Cedar Rapids is 36-26 this season. That gives them a two-game lead over Kane County in the Midwest League’s Western Division. Tommy Watkins’ squad could lock up a playoff berth as early as this upcoming week. With that, let’s look at the minor league statistical leaderboard (through games on Saturday, June 10). THE HITTERS (Rate numbers- minimum 144 plate appearances) Chris Paul still finds his name on the leader board, but last week, he had surgery to fix a broken hamate bone. It is likely he will be out between six to eight weeks. Plate Appearances - Nick Gordon (261), Max Murphy (251), Travis Blankenhorn (245), Lewin Diaz (244), Jermaine Palacios (241), LaMonte Wade (237), Jaylin Davis (236). Batting Average - Chris Paul (.351), Jermaine Palacios (.327), Zack Granite (.320), Nick Gordon (.309), Edgar Corcino (.300), Aaron Whitefield (.291), Lewin Diaz (.286). On-Base Percentage - LaMonte Wade (.409), Chris Paul (.402), Mitch Garver (.396), Nick Gordon (.379), Ryan Walker (.376), Zack Granite (.370), Jermaine Palacios (.369). Slugging Percentage - Jermaine Palacios (.566), Jaylin Davis (.507), Chris Paul (.495), Nick Gordon (.489), Lewin Diaz (.482), Aaron Whitefield/Zander Wiel (.460). OPS - Jermaine Palacios (.936), Chris Paul (.897), Nick Gordon (.869), Mitch Garver (.843), Jaylin Davis (.825), Zack Granite (.814), Lewin Diaz (.810), Aaron Whitefield (.800). Hits - Jermaine Palacios (74), Nick Gordon (72), Chris Paul (66), Lewin Diaz (64), Max Murphy (63), Edgar Corcino (61), Jaylin Davis/Matt Hague (58), Aaron Whitefield (55). Doubles - Lewin Diaz (21), NIck Gordon (17), Chris Paul (16), Tommy Field (15), Niko Goodrum (14), Zander Wiel/Mitchell Kranson (13), Jermaine Palacios/Max Murphy/Travis Harrison (12). Triples - Jermaine Palacios (6), Nick Gordon/Zander Wiel (5), Zack Granite/Rafael Valera (4), 5 tied with 3. Home Runs - Jaylin Davis (12), Jermaine Palacios (10), Daniel Palka (8), Travis Blankenhorn/Lewin Diaz (7), Zander Wiel/Aaron Whitefield (6), 5 tied with 5. Runs Scored - Jermaine Palacios (46), Max Murphy (37), Nick Gordon (35), Jaylin Davis (34), Travis Blankenhorn/LaMonte Wade (33), Aaron Whitefield (32). RBI - Jaylin Davis (37), Jermaine Palacios/Lewin Diaz (35), Nick Gordon/Travis Blankenhorn (34), Zander Wiel (30), Chris Paul (28). SB - Aaron Whitefield (14), Zack Granite (13), Tanner English (9), Jermaine Palacios (8), Jaylin Davis/Max Murphy/Ryan Walker (6), 5 tied with 5. THE STARTING PITCHERS (Rate number - minimum 44.0 innings) Innings Pitched: Clark Beeker (70.2), Sean Poppen (68.1), Dereck Rodriguez (68.0), Aaron Slegers (66.0), Felix Jorge (65.0), Fernando Romero (64.2). ERA: Tyler Wells/Nik Turley (2.05), Dereck Rodriguez (2.51), Sean Poppen (2.63), Clark Beeker (70.2), Felix Jorge (3.32), David Hurlbut (3.44), Ryan Eades/Fernando Romero (3.48) WHIP: Nik Turley (0.91), Tyler Wells (0.96), Clark Beeker (0.96), Dereck Rodriguez (1.03), Sean Poppen (1.08), Ryan Eades (1.14), Lachlan Wells (1.20) K/9: Nik Turley (14.4), Tyler Wells (12.7), Eduardo Del Rosario (9.1), Fernando Romero (8.8), Sean Poppen (8.3), David Fischer (8.0), Dereck Rodriguez (7.8) BB/9: Clark Beeker (1.1), Dereck Rodriguez (1.5), Brady Anderson (1.6), Sean Poppen (1.8), Aaron Slegers/Lachlan Wells (1.9), David Hurlbut (2.0) K: Nik Turley (84), Sean Poppen/Fernando Romero/Eduardo Del Rosario (63), Tyler Wells (62), Dereck Rodriguez (59), Matt Tracy (51), Clark Beeker (49). THE RELIEF PITCHERS (Rate numbers - minimum 21.0 innings, and less than 2 starts) Innings Pitched: Sam Clay (31.0), Anthony McIver (30.0), Luke Bard (29.2), Williams Ramirez/DJ Baxendale (29.1), Tom Hackimer (29.0), Michael Theofanopoulos (28.1). ERA: John Curtiss (0.00), Nick Anderson/Andrew Vasquez (1.37), Randy Rosario (1.65), Colton Davis (1.67), Tom Hackimer (1.86), Alex Muren (1.88), Trevor Hildenberger/Todd Van Steensel (1.96). WHIP: Alan Busenitz (0.80), Randy Rosario (0.81), Drew Rucinski (0.857), Tom Hackimer (0.862), Nick Anderson (0.87), John Curtiss (0.955), Mason Melotakis (0.958), Hector Lujan (0.99). K/9: Luke Bard (14.6), Andrew Vasquez (13.3), John Curtiss (13.1), Alex Robinson (12.4), Trevor Hildenberger/Todd Van Steensel (10.6), Logan Lombana (10.2), Alan Busenitz/Sam Clay (9.9). BB/9: Hector Lujan (1.1), Drew Rucinski (1.2), Randy Rosario (2.0), Jonny Drozd/Nick Anderson (2.1), Tom Hackimer (2.5), Alan Busenitz/Trevor Hildenberger/Luke Bard (2.7). K: Luke Bard (48), Andrew Vasquez (39), Alex Robinson/Sam Clay (34), John Curtiss/Williams Ramirez (32), Tom Hackimer (31), Alan Busenitz/Williams Ramirez (29). Saves: John Curtiss (12), Tom Hackimer (6), Mason Melotakis/Alex Wimmers/Hector Lujan(4), Trevor Hildenberger/Jonny Drozd/Max Cordy (3). Feel free to ask questions about any of the players or teams. View full article

Tell us a little more about them. Which high school, and where did they play in college. I talked to several people for this, but that's definitely not to say that I didn't miss a few.

Correct. That's why I'll never complain about signing guys from indy leagues, or minor league veterans... because players can figure things out later, or after meeting a certain coach and hearing just the right thing for them, and that doesn't always happen in a traditional way. If he can be just a solid MLB contributor, that's a remarkable signing. Already a remarkable story and signing, but to get MLB production is an added bonus.

Chatted with him briefly last night. Said I figured they'd wait until after the FSL All Star game. He's just fine with the promotion though. Ha!

The Twins aren't going to draft someone just because he is from Minnesota. And noting that a bunch of guys drafted after the 9th round didn't make it to the big leagues isn't much of a case.

We are closing in on the 2017 Major League Baseball Draft. Since last September, we knew the Twins would have the #1 overall pick. The Twins scouting department has been hard at work ever since putting together reports and traveling all over to find players, not only for that first pick, but for the other 40 draft picks they’ll make between Monday night and Wednesday. It will be a fun three days for fans, but there are a bunch of baseball fans in Minnesota who will be watching the draft a little more closely this year. As I have in the past, I like to write up an article on players from Minnesota who could be selected in the draft. That includes players from Minnesota playing in-state or elsewhere. It also includes players from Minnesota colleges. Clearly the name-to-know in this grouping today is Sam Carlson. We have discussed him quite a bit already on Twins Daily, with profiles and Q&As with the right-hander. But there are several other Minnesotans who will be playing close attention on Days 2 and 3 as well. Image courtesy of Eric Carlson We are closing in on the 2017 Major League Baseball Draft. Since last September, we knew the Twins would have the #1 overall pick. The Twins scouting department has been hard at work ever since putting together reports and traveling all over to find players, not only for that first pick, but for the other 40 draft picks they’ll make between Monday night and Wednesday. It will be a fun three days for fans, but there are a bunch of baseball fans in Minnesota who will be watching the draft a little more closely this year. As I have in the past, I like to write up an article on players from Minnesota who could be selected in the draft. That includes players from Minnesota playing in-state or elsewhere. It also includes players from Minnesota colleges. Clearly the name-to-know in this grouping today is Sam Carlson. We have discussed him quite a bit already on Twins Daily, with profiles and Q&As with the right-hander. But there are several other Minnesotans who will be playing close attention on Days 2 and 3 as well. Find out today which players with Minnesota ties could live out a dream by hearing their names called as a 2017 MLB Draft pick over the next three days. SAM CARLSON Just this last week, Sam Carlson helped lead the Burnsville Blaze high school baseball team to the state tournament. His team will start tournament play on Thursday. On Friday night he graduated. However, as big and as fun as Thursday will be for Carlson, Monday will be a very big day for him as well. As we know, he has a chance to become the first pitcher drafted out of a Minnesota high school in the first round of the MLB draft. At 6-4 and 205 pounds, Carlson plays center field when he isn’t pitching, but it is on the mound where his future is very bright. He has a commitment to the University of Florida to pitch, but he is also expected to be selected somewhere in the second half of the first round. For Twins fans, it might be more ideal for him to fall into the team’s lap with the 35th overall pick. As a junior, Carlson was throwing a fastball in the 87 to 89 mph range. Last summer, he was hitting 91-93 mph in the national prep circuit. This spring, he has been clocked between 91-95 mph. And some scouts believe that he’s got room to grow yet and potentially add a couple more ticks to that velocity. He’s got a full mix of pitches including a very good changeup. He worked on a slider that can be more of a swing-and-miss pitch to go with a slower curveball. In a recent Q&A with Twins Daily, Carlson said he is “extremely comfortable with all my pitches to the point where, depending on the batter, any one of them can be an out pitch.” It’s probably a dream to think Carlson could last until the Twins’ second pick, but if he does, they should lock him up! But wait… there’s more… MICHAEL BAUMANN The Twins drafted right-hander Michael Baumann in the 34th round of the 2014 draft out of Mahtomedi High School where he teamed with Kentucky’s Friday night starter, sophomore Sean Hjelle. Baumann obviously did not sign, instead attending Jacksonville University. Following a great freshman season, Baumann’s stock was likely at its highest. He’s continued to pitch well. This spring, he started slow due to a bout with mono, but he gained strength as the season went on. He has a fastball that sits in the mid-90s and has touched 97. It has some natural movement to it as well. He has a solid slider in the mid-80s. He also has a slow curveball, but it’s definitely his third pitch. At 6-5 and 225 pounds, it’s possible he could continue to add strength and some velocity. While 37 might be a little early for him, if he’s there in the third or fourth round, the Twins should consider him as well. SEVERAL GOPHERS COULD BE DRAFTED The Minnesota Gophers had another solid season. Predicted to finished sixth in the Big 10, they finished fourth in the regular season and third in the Big Ten tournament. Left-hander Lucas Gilbreath is the name to watch early on in the draft. The left-hander from Westminster, Colorado, came to the Gophers three years ago even though he had been drafted by the Rockies in the 36th round of the 2014 draft. He pitched some as a freshman. He was very good as a sophomore working out of the bullpen. This season, he became the Gophers’ Friday night starter. He struggled a little early in the adjustment, but figured things out in a hurry. He went 5-2 with a 2.66 ERA in 14 starts. In 81.1 innings, he walked 32 and struck out 92. Gilbreath’s fastball sits anywhere between 88 and 93, touching 94 at times. He also has an above average curveball. A third pitch could make him a starter long term. If not, he could do well as a lefty reliever. He could be drafted anytime on Day 2, depending on which person saw him on which day. 3B Micah Coffey, 1B Toby Hanson and OF Alex Boxwell are all are possible late Day 2 guys though Day 3 is maybe more likely. Coffey came to Minnesota from Illinois. The 6-1, 200 pound junior was second team Big Ten this year. He hit .340/.396/.493 (.889) with 15 doubles, two triples and four homers. Hanson is from Delano. The 6-2, 220 pound junior played in all 57 games for the Gophers this year. He hit .319/.350/.477 (.827) with 14 doubles, four triples, five home runs and a team-leading 57 RBI. Boxwell missed time due to injury, but his tools are rather good. The Coon Rapids native played a lot of center field early in the season. He hit just .253/.329/.438 (.767) with a double, four triples and six home runs. He’s currently playing in the Cape Cod League but there’s a chance he too is taken late on Day 2 or early Day 3. 2B Luke Pettersen hit .354 (tops on the team) with a .411 on-base percentage. He had eight doubles. The junior from Minnetonka could be a Day 3 guy. Then there are a couple of seniors that could be taken at any time. If the right scout saw them on the right day, maybe they’re a late Day 2 senior signing type, or more likely they’re late Day 3 guys. OF Jordan Smith from Eden Prairie hit .309/.406/.480 (.886) with 13 doubles, two triples and six home runs. Closer Brian Glowicki came to the Gophers from Downers Grove, Illinois, where he played with Zach Burdi and watched Nick Burdi when he was younger as well. He set the Gophers’ single-season saves record with 16 this year. He also went 2-1 with a 2.20 ERA and 39 strikeouts in 32.2 innings. Toby Anderson struggled as a starter early in the season, but if a scout saw him pitching out of the bullpen in the Big Ten tournament, maybe he saw something to make him a late-round pick as well. MANKATO STARTING PITCHERS The Minnesota State - Mankato baseball team had another strong season in 2017 under the direction of coach Matt Mager. The team went 46-11 overall and 35-5 in the conference. Left-hander Brody Rodning is one pitcher to watch late on Day 2 or sometime Day 3. The Gaylord (MN) native went to Sibley East High School where he had three letters each in football, basketball and baseball. On the mound, he struck out 81 batters in 38 innings as a senior. He went to Mankato where he was quickly put in the starting rotation and succeeded. As a junior this season, he went 6-4 with a 3.47 ERA. He struck out 77 batters in 70 innings. He is 6-1 and about 190 pounds. He has five pitches. His fastball is mostly 88-91 mph, though he can touch 93, but he throws with a crossfire that adds some deception. He throws both a slider and a curveball as well as a cutter. He also throws a changeup. Right-hander Dalton Roach went 10-1 with a 1.56 ERA as a junior this season. The Eau Claire native struck out 128 batters while walking just 12 over his 86.2 innings in 2017. Like Rodning, Roach came in as a freshman and immediately made an impact. He has an upper-80s fastball that reaches into the 90s. As you would guess, he’s got really good control and command of the strike zone. He’s got a four-pitch mix and uses his pitches effectively. He could be a mid-Day 3 guy. Red-shirt junior Nick Belzer is from Ankeny High School in Iowa. On the season, he went 6-2 with a 3.58 ERA in 60.2 innings. He walked 22 and struck out 77. The 6-2, 185 pound right-hander reaches into the low 90s at times. He may be one to watch in the late rounds as well. Junior Ricky Digurgilliers is 6-3 and 200 pounds. He went 7-0 with a 1.75 ERA in 51.1 innings, mostly out of the bullpen. Senior Mitchell Bauer is from Maple Grove. He’s 6-2 and 195 pounds. He went 9-0 with a 2.91 ERA in 86.2 innings. He walked 28 and struck out 70. Both pitch in the mid-80s for the most part so are unlikely to be drafted, but Bauer may garner interest from some teams. STILL MORE... Dalton Lehnen is a junior left-handed pitcher from Lakeville. After high school, he went to the University of Cincinnati for two years before transferring to Augustana for his junior season. He posted a 2.60 ERA with 61 strikeouts in 52 innings. He throws a fastball between 93 and 96 mph so most see him as a power bullpen arm going forward. He has the makings of a solid breaking ball, slider, that he’ll need. His control and command can also struggle at times. He is another late Day 2, early Day 3 guy. Rollie Lacy is a right-handed pitcher out of Creighton University in Omaha. He graduated from Holy Family High School where, as a senior, he posted a 0.00 ERA in 34 innings. He is now a red-shirt junior. He has been the team’s Friday night starting pitcher since his sophomore season. At 6-4 and 195 pounds, Lacy typically will sit 89-91 mph. He has a lot of sink and also throws a slurve. This year, he went 5-2 with a 2.54 ERA. In 88.2 innings, he struck out 83 and walked just 18. He’ll likely be an early Day 3 guy because he doesn’t have a ton of velocity, but he is one who could go through the lower levels fairly quickly. Of course, not all of these guys will necessarily be drafted, and it’s possible, maybe likely, I was off on the rounds for those that do get selected. While Sam Carlson is the name that so many Minnesota fans know, there are quite a few more players that have a chance to hear their name called on MLB.com’s coverage. It’s a big three days for a lot of people. We at Twins Daily would like to extend our best wishes to all of these players and others selected in the MLB Draft. View full article