Seth Stohs

100% agree... Definitely not embarrassed. As the author said, none of the free agents that they signed should put any fear in the Twins. They've had a nice offseason, and spending money is fun, but will they finish higher than 3rd in the division?

According to Robert Murray, the Minnesota Twins have agreed to terms with 36-year-old reliever Jay Jackson on an MLB contract. The deal is pending a physical. Image courtesy of Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports The Twins are already projected to have one of the top bullpens in baseball heading into the 2024 season. On Sunday night, news broke that, pending physical, the Twins have agreed to terms with veteran Jay Jackson. Last season with the Blue Jays, Jackson went 3-1 with a 2.12 ERA in 25 games and 29 2/3 innings. He had a 0.91 WHIP. He had signed a minor-league deal with the Jays, but was released just before the season started. He stayed with Toronto and spent a good chunk of the season in the majors, but was designated for assignment Oct. 1. Jackson pitched in two games for the Braves in 2022. He missed missed three months with a lat strain and was then optioned. He worked in 23 games for the Giants in 2021. In late August 2020, he signed with the Reds and was on their 60-man player pool. He pitched for Chiba Lotte in Japan earlier in 2020, but he was arrested on suspicion of cannabis possession and released.. In 2019, he worked in 28 games for the Brewers. Before that, his only big-league experience came in 2015 when he pitched in six games for the Padres. From 2016-2018, he pitched for Hiroshima. Jackson's fastball sits at an average of 93.3 mph, but he only threw it 40% of the time. 60% of his pitches are sliders at about 85 mph. Is it possible that we have another Matt Wisler on our hands? Could the Twins brass tell him to literally just throw sliders 90 percent of the time and see what happens? Here is a quick look at the Twins bullpen, with spring training set to begin soon (assuming health): The Givens: Jhoan Duran, Griffin Jax, Caleb Thielbar, Brock Stewart, Justin Topa. The 40-man options: Jorge Alcala, Jordan Balazovic, Daniel Duarte, Kody Funderburk, Brent Headrick, Jackson, Cole Sands, Josh Staumont, Louie Varland, Josh Winder. 40-Man Roster Spots Obviously Jackson, and Carlos Santana, will need to pass physicals, and when they do, two players will need to be removed from the 40-man roster. This is the kind of deal that requires no grand conclusions or recriminations. It'll cost the Twins just about $250,000 more than the league minimum to add Jackson to the mix, protecting themselves from the impact of possible or lingering injuries to any of (especially) Stewart, Alcalá, Balazovic, or Staumont. He's well-traveled, and has been viewed as a positive clubhouse presence at several stops. He might not have relief ace upside, but he has that slider, and no one can ever have too much pitching. View full article

If you happen to be at the Twins complex in Fort Myers today and see a long, lanky, right-handed pitcher who looks like he’s only been in the organization for a couple of days, be sure to wish a happy 23rd birthday to Darren Bowen. I recently touched base with the Twins newest pitching prospect about getting traded to the organization and much more. Image courtesy of William Parmeter On Monday afternoon in Arizona, right-handed pitcher Darren Bowen was playing a round of golf with some fellow Mariners pitching prospects who were in town for a camp. On the 18th hole, Bowen’s phone was ringing in the cart. He walked over to it, saw the name of the person calling, looked up at his teammates, and said, “I definitely just got traded.” His buddies laughed and said he was not getting traded. He answered. On the other end of the phone call was Andy McKay, the Mariners assistant GM. After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Bowen asked, “Where am I going?” More chuckling before McKay said, “We’re sending you to Minnesota in the (Jorge) Polanco trade.” Over the next 10-15 minutes, he estimates that as many as 10 people from the Twins called to congratulate him and let him know they were excited to have him. Bowen’s first phone call went to his girlfriend. After telling her that he had been traded, she told him she had already arranged to fly to Arizona to surprise him for his birthday this weekend. She wasn’t sure if he was messing with her. Ultimately, he was not. The Twins gave him the option of going home until the start of spring training or coming straight to Fort Myers. He thought, “I’m already building up. I’m going to get way more out of it. I’m going to learn more about you guys. You guys are going to learn more about me if I’m down there.” On Wednesday, he flew to Fort Myers, and on Thursday, he went through his first day of work in the Twins organization. In our conversation, Bowen said that he heard a lot from the Twins area scout in North Carolina, Ty Dawson, before and even during the draft. Since the trade, some have reported that the Twins were very interested in drafting Bowen on Day 3 of the 2022 draft. So, what’s to like? The short answer is, “A lot!” One of the first things you notice when watching Bowen pitch is his tremendous athleticism. He currently stands about 6-3 tall and is a lean 183 pounds, though, in college, he was closer to 170 pounds. He also is very competitive. Bowen has some exciting pitches. In the video above, he goes through his pitches and provides velocity ranges, movement, and other analytical data. There was a feeling that he had the potential for growth and development. He was an intriguing prospect from a small town and made good at a Division II college. What could he do working under a player/pitcher development system as advanced as the Twins (and the Mariners)? Bowen is interested in the analysis. He’s excited to work on some mechanical things he had not done while with the Mariners. He wants to take in and use as much of that information as possible to succeed. Some that I’ve talked to about Bowen have referenced his “unwavering work ethic” and “determination to excel.” There is a strong self-confidence with Bowen that he can get anyone out, and the example he used was falling behind on a great college hitter 3-0 and then striking him out on three fastballs over the plate. He understands that filling up the strike zone is a good thing. You’ll enjoy watching and listening to the Twins Spotlight video with Darren Bowen. Take a listen and leave your comments. Feel free to ask Darren questions, and maybe he’ll even reply. If not, wish him a Happy Birthday! View full article

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The Twins announced on Friday afternoon that they have claimed right-handed pitcher Daniel Duarte off of waivers from the Texas Rangers. To make room on the 40-man roster, right-hander Ryan Jensen was Designated for Assignment. Image courtesy of © Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports Duarte, a 27-year-old right-hander, pitched in 31 games in 2023 for the Cincinnati Reds. In that time, he went 3-0 with a 3.69 ERA despite a 1.39 WHIP. In 31 2/3 innings, he had 23 strikeouts but also walked 20 batters and gave up five home runs. He had made his MLB debut in 2022 when he worked in three games out of the Reds bullpen. The Reds had DFAd him early in the month and the Rangers acquired him for Cash. He was DFAd earlier this week to clear space on the Rangers roster for David Robertson and Travis Jankowski. His fastball sits between 94 and 96 mph (throwing both a sinker and a four-seam). The Minnesota Twins had claimed Ryan Jensen from the Marlins on January 4. The Twins would certainly love to see him clear waivers so that they could send him to Triple-A. The Twins roster remains at 40 players. That includes 21 pitchers, three catchers, seven infielders, seven outfielders, and two utility players. View full article

The Twins Daily Top Prospect series continues today, with our choice for the Twins' No. 9 prospect. Brandon Winokur is another highly-talented prospect from Southern California. He might be one of the best athletes in the organization. Image courtesy of Thiéres Rabelo Prospects are not always easy to rank, and the smaller a “sample size” we have, the harder it is to rank that player. Our choice for the ninth-ranked Twins prospect coming into 2024 has just 17 games of pro ball under his belt. Before last July, he had played zero games above high school. However, he was impressive in those 17 games, and his raw tools have Twins fans (and prospect rankers) excited. Brandon Winokur Age: 19 (DOB: 12/16/04) 2023 Stats (FCL): 71 PA, .288/.338/.546, 5 2B, 4 HR, 0 SB, 122 wRC+ ETA: 2028 2023 Ranking: NR National Top 100 Rankings BA: NR | MLB: NR | ATH: NR | BP: NR It's hard not to get excited when you talk about high-school players with tremendous upside and potentially five-tool talent. It’s also important to remember that having tools is insufficient. How many of those tools will develop into skills over the coming seasons to help the player make the big leagues and thrive when they get there? When Twins fans look at the team’s 2023 draft, there are at least two players with five-tool potential. Today, we will discuss third-round pick (82nd overall) Brandon Winokur, a five-tool talent from Edison High School in Huntington Beach, California. What's to Like There are a lot of attributes to like with Winokur, on and off the baseball diamond. The first thing you notice is that he stands out on the field--literally. At the draft, Winokur was listed at 6-foot-5 and 210 pounds. There are rumors that he has grown another inch in the offseason. Beyond simple height, Winokur is incredibly athletic. Before high school, he played football, basketball, volleyball, soccer, and track. He comes from a family of athletes. His father was a track and field decathlete in college. Brandon’s younger brother is one of the top volleyball players in California. The most obvious “tool” for Winokur is his power and, more importantly, his power potential. While he’s had the size and talent since he was in his early teens, he achieved a strong power display in his senior season of high school. That isn’t likely to immediately translate to pro ball, but it should be exciting when it does. Winokur has a very strong arm. He pitched in high school and has a fastball reaching into the mid-90s. That’s a valuable trait, whether he is on the left side of the infield or in the outfield. He also has plus speed. Some reports indicate that sometimes it can take a few steps for him to get going, but he runs well. Again, it's all part of him being a great all-around athlete. That leads us to defense. While there may be questions about what position he will play long-term, there is a belief that he can stick at shortstop or in center field. As we see the emergence of 6-foot-7 shortstops such as Elly De La Cruz and Oneil Cruz, height doesn’t have to be a reason not to play shortstop. Aaron Judge does a very solid job in center field for the Yankees. Video of Winokur at shortstop shows very clean footwork, soft hands, and a strong arm from a lower release point. Of course, as he continues to grow, work, and mature, that could change. He is known to work hard in the weight room, in the batting cage, on the track, and on his mental game, which shows uncanny maturity. What's Left to Work On I mean, dude just turned 19 in December, and he stands five promotions from the big leagues. So yes, he has room to grow each and every aspect of his game. As it is for many young power hitters, the primary focus will be making contact. Right now, there is a lot of swing-and-miss in his game. His 17-game pro debut in the Florida Complex League was impressive, particularly the nine extra-base hits, but it was a tiny sample in an unfamiliar environment. We don’t want to make too much of anything. However, it’s hard not to notice his walk rate was just 5.6%, while his strikeout percentage was 32.4% Beyond that, he’ll need to keep working and keep adjusting. What's Next Assuming health, Winokur will likely spend the entire season with the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels. I would guess that the organization has worked on a plan for where to play Winokur. That would include half of his games at shortstop and half in center field. Thinking out loud, I would guess that Walker Jenkins will start the season as the Mussels' starting center fielder. After a half-season, he will be promoted to High-A Cedar Rapids. If that’s the case, I can see Winokur being the primary shortstop in the season’s first half and then move out to center field for the second half. What do you think of Brandon Winokur and his future? What excites you most about his potential, and what are your biggest concerns? Join the discussion and comment below. For much more content from Twins Daily on Brandon Winokur, click here. View full article

Full Transparency... here is where I ranked these guys: Zebby Matthews: 22 Simeon Woods Richardson: NR Ricardo Olivar: 20 Connor Prielipp: 21 Matt Canterino: 14

After looking at the players who just missed our Top 20 Twins prospect rankings yesterday, today we look at those who ranked 16th through 20th in our poll of Twins Daily minor-league writers. In this group, you'll find four pitchers and an intriguing catcher. Image courtesy of Thiéres Rabelo Last night, we began the 2024 Twins Daily Top Prospects series with a way-too-deep dive into the deeper end of the Minnesota Twins system. The honorable mentions are broken into several categories of players who fell just outside the Top 20. There are certainly players in that group who will play in the big leagues. With that said, the odds of an MLB future increase as we jump into the Top 20 of our list. In today’s group of five players, we find an intriguing group that includes players whose careers have been affected by injury. 20. Zebby Matthews, RHP Age: 23 2023 Stats (Low-A/High-A): 105 1/3 IP, 3.84 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 9.6 K/9, 1.3 BB/9 Matthews was the Twins' eighth-round pick in 2022 out of Western Carolina. In his final year there, he had 122 strikeouts and just 21 walks over 95 2/3 innings. Matthews is a strike-throwing machine. In his 105 1/3 innings, he had 112 strikeouts and just 15 walks. Matthews sits in the low 90s. He reworked his slider and made it break much more, which made it much more of a weapon for him. He began the season with eight appearances in Fort Myers, where he went 3-1 with a 2.56 ERA. In 38 2/3 innings, he had 53 strikeouts and just five walks. He moved up to Cedar Rapids and made 14 appearances, 13 of them starts. He went 4-2 with a 4.59 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP. He will need to continue to work and develop, like any prospect in A-ball. He will work to add some velocity and hone a third pitch. 19. Simeon Woods Richardson Age: 23 2023 Stats (AAA): 113 2/3 IP, 4.91 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, 7.6 K/9, 4.8 BB/9 2023 Stats (MLB): 4 2/3 IP, 9.64 ERA, 2.14 WHIP, 9.6 K/9, 5.8 BB/9 It was a tale of two seasons for Woods Richardson. He had a rough first half of his 2023 season, and a much-improved second half didn’t make the overall numbers look pretty. However, the Sugar Land native was very good over the season's final three months. 2023 Stats (April - June): 51 2/3 IP, 0-5, 7.66 ERA, 1.90 WHIP, 7.8 K/9, 5.4 BB/9 2023 Stats (July - Sept)): 66 2/3 IP, 7-1, 3.11 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 7.6 K/9, 4.5 BB/9 I may be wrong, but to me this speaks to Woods Richardson's character, mental fortitude, and willingness to work and make adjustments. He will need to continue working on his control and command, but the second-half numbers should give reason for some optimism. What is also important to note is that he will spend the entire 2024 season at age 23. His velocity was down slightly in 2023, usually sitting 89-90 and touching 92. But he worked on some mechanical things this offseason to get that number back up. He’s young and talented. 18. Ricardo Olivar, C/OF Age: 21 2023 Stats (Rookie/A): 449 PA, .285/.403/.452, 28 2B, 10 HR, 58 RBI Olivar signed with the Twins in 2019, out of Venezuela. Because of Covid, his pro career did not begin until 2021. He started in the FCL and hit .204 in 34 games and 59 plate appearances. He returned to the FCL in 2022 and was much improved. In 40 games and 154 plate appearances, he hit .349/.442/.605, with 12 doubles, three triples, and five home runs. He played 100 games for the Mighty Mussels in 2023 and hit well throughout the season. He struck out in 21% of his plate appearances. He walked 13% of the time, and was hit by a pitch 16 times. Olivar is intriguing because he is young and has a couple of plus tools. He isn’t tall, but he is built quite strong. He’s got work to do behind the plate. He hasn’t thrown out many base stealers in his career. He also has the speed and athleticism to play in the outfield. He had played quite a bit of center field, but spent more time in left field in 2023. He also played 22 games at DH, which tells us that they really wanted his bat in the lineup, and rightfully so. Our Jamie Cameron wrote about what makes Olivar such a fun enigma earlier today. 17. Connor Prielipp, LHP Age: 23 2023 Stats (Hi-A/FCL): 6 2/3 IP, 6.75 ERA, 1.80 WHIP, 9.5 K/9, 5.4 BB/9 Last year had to be an incredibly frustrating one for Prielipp. The Tomah, Wis. native went to the University of Alabama. He was terrific in four starts before the 2020 Covid season ended. In 2021, he made three starts for the Crimson Tide before his elbow blew up. He had Tommy John surgery and rehabbed through the rest of the 2021 year and well into 2022. Nevertheless, the Twins love his upside, talent, and stuff and used their second-round pick on the southpaw. In 2023, he was the talk of Fort Myers. The hitters and pitchers were talking about how good he looked. He was throwing hard, consistently in the mid-90s. And his slider was lights out, getting a ton of swings and misses. He started the season with High-A Cedar Rapids. He made one start and gave up four runs (3 earned) on five hits and two walks over four innings. He struck out three batters. But then he didn’t pitch, and soon afterward, we found out he was back in Fort Myers with elbow pain. Two months after his first start, he made a start in the FCL. He went 2 2/3 innings and gave up two runs on three hits and two walks. And that was it. Soon after, we learned that he was having another elbow surgery (not Tommy John). His season was over. His talent and ceiling remain very high. However, since graduating from high school in 2019, he has thrown a total of 34 2/3 innings. He has already been in Fort Myers this spring and hopes that 2024 is the season that everything comes together. 16. Matt Canterino, RHP Age: 26 2023 Stats (AA): Did Not Pitch Canterino was the Twins' second-round pick in 2019, out of Rice University. Since then, he has worked a total of 85 innings. When minor-league ball returned in 2021, Canterino went to Cedar Rapids. He completely dominated the level for five starts. He had 43 strikeouts and four walks in 21 innings. Unfortunately, he hurt his elbow and spent the rest of the season rehabbing, hoping to return. In 2022, he started the season at Wichita. He threw three innings most times out, and again, he had a 1.83 ERA and 50 strikeouts in 37 innings. Unfortunately, his elbow just never got right. Following the season, he had Tommy John surgery and spent all of 2023 rehabbing. By season’s end, Canterino threw some live batting practice. He was hitting 97 mph. He felt good about his breaking pitches and his changeup. He has had a reasonably normal offseason and will head to spring training ready to compete for a big-league job. He is training to be a starter but is certainly open to a role in the bullpen if that is earned. Canterino is tough to rank. Assuming health, he has as much talent and stuff and potential to dominate as any other pitcher on the Twins farm. However, he has pitched so little over the past four years that we can’t be entirely confident about how much he can do. While I typically don’t think that injury should push a prospect very far down rankings, I also acknowledge that 'age to level of competition' is a factor in prospect rankings. However, as a Twins fan, his prospect ranking doesn’t matter as much as him simply getting right. The Twins control his rights until he completes six years of service. Feel free to discuss these prospects and ask as many questions as you like in the COMMENTS below. I will try to get to as many of them as possible. For more Twins Daily content on these five Twins prospects, click on the link with their name here: Matt Canterino, Connor Prielipp, Ricardo Olivar, Simeon Wood Richardson, and Zebby Matthews. Previous Installments Honorable Mention Prospects 16-20 Prospects 11-15 - Coming Soon! View full article

Tonight, we begin the Twins Daily 2024 Top 20 Prospect rankings. Before we get to the Top 20, we wanted to share a group of Honorable Mentions. It helps show some of the depth in the organization. Who from today's list will be a Top 10 Twins prospect at this time next year? Each season, just before spring training, we have presented our selections for the Top 20 Twins prospects. In 2022, that list was the starting point for the Prospect Tracker, which we updated throughout the season and after the season. There is something special about the Top Prospect rankings articles that come in the spring. They’re what people look back on and “judge” it on. While readers can help vote on in-season and end-of-season updates to the prospect rankings, this ranking is done entirely by the Twins Daily minor-league writing staff. That includes 13 individuals who have written minor-league reports, written prospect profiles, done videos on prospects, etc. Just a bit of background before we get started: Even though we publish our Top 20 prospects, I ask each participant to submit their Top 30 Twins prospect rankings. It provides a much more accurate top-20 list, because we can differentiate if a player is ranked as someone’s #21 prospect or #29 prospect. When the rankings were submitted, I put the results into a worksheet. A #1 ranking was worth 30 points. A #2 ranking was worth 29 points. #3? That’s right. 28 points. And so on, to a #30 ranking worth one point. However, today, we will start this series by sharing a list of Honorable Mentions--or Also Received Votes, if you prefer. To me, this list shows the depth of the organization. The high-ceiling players are in the top five or the top ten, but this group that lands just outside the top 20 is filled with several players who will play in the big leagues. While we won't provide any rankings beyond the top 20, the Honorable Mentions can be lumped into a few categories. With 13 voters, you get 13 different rankings and a wide range for some players, especially in this range. Seventeen players appeared on all 13 “ballots.” That means that even in the top 20, three players didn’t fit into one person’s Top 30. I’ve enjoyed writing this Honorable Mention article each year because it shows the organization’s depth. If we are being honest, it can also show the limitations of prospect ranking. This can be former prospects coming off of bad years. It can be recently acquired players (via trade or draft) that may not be the top picks, but something is intriguing. Some players may have never been looked at as top prospects, but continue to get moved up and keep themselves in the conversation. In 2019, Luis Arráez and Jordan Balazovic appeared in this range of the list. In the 2020 Honorable Mention, names such as Jorge Alcalá, Bailey Ober, and Akil Baddoo were mentioned. The 2022 Honorable Mention list contained several players later used in trades, including Cade Povich, Christian Encarnacion-Strand, Sawyer Gipson-Long, and Casey Legumina. Cory Lewis is the player mentioned in the Honorable Mentions in 2023 whose prospect status jumped the most. He went from a 2022 ninth-round draft pick to Twins Daily Minor League Starting Pitcher of the Year in 2023 and a Top 10ish prospect in 2024. Before we start, the following players are no longer “prospects” according to Baseball Reference (and the rules of baseball): Edouard Julien, Royce Lewis, Matt Wallner, Louie Varland, and Cole Sands. FIRST-ROUND FEATURE Keoni Cavaco, the team’s top pick in 2019, received no votes for a Top 30 spot. 2020 top pick Aaron Sabato received one 29th-place ranking. Noah Miller was a Competitive Balance A pick (between the 1st and 2nd rounds). He is an interesting prospect case. He was pushed up to Cedar Rapids, where, as a 20-year-old, he hit .223/.309/.340 with 20 doubles, five triples, and eight home runs. The numbers certainly aren’t inspiring, but he likely has a big-league future when coupled with Gold Glove defense. The hope is that he continues to grow, gain strength, and develop his offensive game. José Salas fits into this category as well. He wasn’t a first-round pick, but when the Twins acquired him in the Pablo López-for-Arráez trade, some highly regarded him, even listing him as a top-100 prospect in some places. The Marlins had inexplicably pushed him to High A as a 19-year-old. He had posted a .776 OPS in 61 games at Low A, but then in 48 games of High A, he posted a .660 OPS. What’s inexplicable is the .537 OPS that he put together in 93 games with High-A Cedar Rapids in 2023. However, he won’t even turn 21 until late April. HIGH-CEILING FCL STRUGGLES The other player acquired from the Marlins was Dominican Summer League outfielder Byron Chourio. He hit .344 (with an .838 OPS) with the DSL Marlins as a 17-year-old in 2022. He missed some time with injury in 2023, but in 24 games in the FCL, he hit .262/.415/.298. He had more walks than strikeouts, a skill that makes him very intriguing as he moves forward. Likewise, Yasser Mercedes missed time due to a shoulder injury. After his strong debut season in the DSL, in which he showed off immense power and speed, he struggled with the jump to the States. Again, the shoulder played a significant role, and his future remains bright. José Rodríguez was our short-season Minor League Hitter of the Year in 2022 in the DSL. In 49 games with the FCL in 2023, he hit .262/.325/.412, with 10 doubles and six home runs. Teammates tout his power potential. Finally, I’m going to tout a personal favorite. Miguel Cordero is a 17-year-old pitcher who was signed 12 months ago out of Venezuela. He is long and thin and projectable. At this stage, he profiles as a starting pitcher. He is a long way from the big leagues, but he got ranked #24 by me. UTILITY TYPES IN UPPER LEVELS They may not be the top prospects, but you must have noticed that this organization places a lot of value on versatility on defense and the ability to fill a role. That becomes more valuable as guys reach the upper levels. Michael Helman was that guy in 2022. He played all over the diamond, crushed Triple-A pitching, stole bases, and had a good eye at the plate. Even after missing most of the 2023 season, the 27-year-old still received votes because he is so close. The 2023 version of Helman came from Anthony Prato. He struggled to start the season at Double A, but from the day he hit Triple-A St. Paul, he began crushing the baseball. The 25-year-old was the team’s seventh-round pick in 2019, from UConn. In 72 games with St. Paul, he hit .352/.452/.539, with 23 doubles and 10 home runs. He can play three infield positions and has spent a lot of time in left field. DaShawn Keirsey has finally been healthy the last couple of seasons and has seen his value to an organization rise. The 26-year-old was the fourth-round pick in 2018 from Utah. He had a solid, semi-breakout season in 2022 in Wichita. In a numbers crunch created by the Twins' organizational outfield depth, he returned to the Wind Surge to start the 2023 season. He hit .305/.364/.488, with 17 doubles, five triples, and 13 home runs. He finished the season with 39 games in St. Paul, hitting .264 (.739) with three triples and two home runs. Combined, he went 39-for-44 in stolen base attempts. A solid bat with gap-to-gap power and speed to turn doubles into triples and steal bases is valuable. In addition, he is probably the best defensive outfielder in the organization and can play a great center field. The Twins selected Ben Ross with their fifth-round pick in the 2022 draft. He played at Notre Dame College in Ohio. At Cedar Rapids in 2023, he hit .240/.322/.455, with 25 doubles and 19 home runs. He mostly played third base, first base, and shortstop, but he also got time at all three outfield positions. When he moved up to Wichita for 10 games at the end of the season, he played one game at second base and the rest at shortstop. Still just 22, Ross is a bit under the radar and should be discussed more. BACKSTOPS We know how important it is to have solid catchers in any organization. Twins fans were spoiled with a decade of Hall of Famer Joe Mauer, who was terrific behind and at the plate. That’s unusual, as we have seen since then. Ryan Jeffers and Christian Vázquez appear to be the team’s catchers going into the season, but teams need depth. Jair Camargo was added to the Twins 40-man roster after the season, before he could become a free agent. He is a stocky backstop with a powerful arm and good athleticism. At St. Paul in 2023, he hit .259/.323/.503, with 16 doubles and 29 home runs. The 24-year-old Camargo should get that first call when the Twins need a catcher. Andrew Cossetti was a 12th-round pick in 2022 from St. Joseph’s University. He jumped on the scene in Fort Myers in April. He played 35 games for the Mussels and hit a robust .330/.462/.607, with 11 doubles and six home runs. He quickly was promoted to Cedar Rapids, where he did have some struggles, yet in 60 games, he posted a .262/.406/.492 slash line with 12 doubles and nine homers. Known for his offense, it’s possible he shifts to first base or becomes a DH, but he went to the Arizona Fall League after the season hoping to keep working on his defense. He turns 24 yet this month. After a strong pro debut in 2022 (other than 13 FCL games in 2021 after the Twins drafted him in the eighth round out of UCLA), Noah Cardenas moved up another level in 2023 and played 90 games for the Kernels. He hit .272/.397/.382 with 23 doubles and three home runs. He’s got a very good approach at the plate with some doubles power. Cardenas is also known as a very strong defensive player. Those three received votes. I’ll also point out that Chris Williams, now 27, hit .236 with 21 home runs in Triple A in 2023. Also, Patrick Winkel, who turned 24 on Saturday, is likely the catcher on whom the Twins are highest. He hit .266/.362/.424 with 16 doubles and 10 homers in 88 games at Wichita. WE HARDLY KNOW YE, YET Several 2023 Twins draft picks did not play at all last summer. In the season's final week, several pitchers got one to three innings in the FCL. Two pitchers who didn’t pitch in pro ball in 2023 still appeared in multiple Top 30 lists. Tanner Hall was the team’s fourth-round pick after three seasons at Southern Mississippi. Over the past two seasons, he went 21-7 with a 2.64 ERA. In 221 1/3 innings, he had 270 strikeouts and just 47 walks. He’s certainly one to watch. Then, in the fifth round, the Twins drafted right-hander Dylan Questad, who went to Waterford High School in Wisconsin. He committed to the University of Arkansas. He has a fastball that regularly hits 95-96. He also has the start of what could be a solid curveball, and has worked in a changeup. So young, the Twins will be patient and give him every opportunity to remain a starter. INTERESTING ARMS These pitchers have all been in the organization for at least 18 months, and each would be in the Top 30 had we gone that deep. If we had gone to a Top 21, right-hander Andrew Morris would have made the list in that final spot. The Twins fourth-round pick in 2022 from Texas Tech, he was nearly a year younger than most drafted out of college that year. Several other starters began the 2023 season in Fort Myers and moved up and helped the Cedar Rapids Kernels to the Midwest League championship. Morris was one of the Kernels' playoff starters. He went 3-1 with a 2.59 ERA in 48 2/3 innings with the Mussels. He finished the season with seven starts for the Kernels and went 5-1 with a 3.28 ERA. In 84 1/3 innings, he had 79 strikeouts with just 19 walks. Speaking of pitchers with impeccable control, 24-year-old Pierson Ohl was the Twins' 14th-round pick in 2021 from Grand Canyon University. He began the season with eight games in Cedar Rapids. He went 2-4 with a 4.69 ER, but people were touting his stuff. He was promoted to Wichita, where he made 14 starts in 16 appearances and went 7-3 with a 2.69 ERA and a 0.95 WHIP. In 127 1/3 combined innings, he struck out 115 and walked just 18 batters. With a fastball that touches 97, Ohl is one to watch. Jaylen Nowlin is an exciting prospect because the 22-year-old has terrific stuff and a fastball reaching the upper 90s. Since signing with the Twins as their 19th-round pick in 2021, his issue has been control. He made 13 starts in Cedar Rapids before ending the season with seven starts in Wichita. He pitched out of the bullpen twice at each level. Overall, he was 6-7 with a 4.44 ERA. In 105 1/3 innings, he struck out 114 and walked 45 batters. He also hit 17 batters. As his scouting report has said, if he can command and control his good stuff, he can be great. If not, he has the kind of stuff that could dominate out of the bullpen, especially as a lefty, but you still can’t walk that many. Speaking of lefties. Kody Funderburk finally made the full-time move to the bullpen. In September, Twins fans saw what Saints fans and followers saw most of the season—a lefty with a good fastball and a couple of breaking balls that could get swings and misses. “Fundy” should be in the Twins bullpen for years to come. That is a lot of talent; these are all players who rank outside the Twins Daily Top 20 prospects. Look back at the names. Which are you most excited about? Does this list encourage you about the depth of the Twins organization? Check back over the next two weeks to see who our 2024 Top 20 Twins Prospects are. View full article

I would venture that you would be able to guess...

On Friday, the Minnesota Twins announced that former general manager Terry Ryan will go into the Twins Hall of Fame this summer, along with long-time bullpen coach Rick Stelmaszek. I’ve often said that Ryan is one of the best people I’ve had the chance to meet in baseball, and I thought it would be fun to share a few fun stories of interacting with him. Image courtesy of Seth Stohs (photos of Terry Ryan and Miguel Sano in Fort Myers, and of Terry Ryan speaking at the Diamond Awards) Did you know? Rick Stelmaszek made his MLB debut at age 22 in 1971 for the Washington Senators. He played in six games and went 0-for-9. His manager knew a little something about hitting, however, Ted Williams was not known to be a good coach. “Stelly” returned to the big leagues in 1973 playing seven games with the Rangers and then 22 games for the Angels. He played in 25 games for the 1974 Cubs. He continued to play in the minor leagues until 1978, when he finished with 23 games for Wisconsin Rapids, the Low-A affiliate of the Twins. He was a player-manager that year, and remained the team’s manager for three years. In 1981, he joined the Twins big-league staff and remained with the team through the 2012 season. Stelmaszek and Ryan are the 39th and 40th members of the Twins Hall of Fame. They will be inducted on Saturday, Aug. 10. Did you know that Terry Ryan had one of the more impressive pitching seasons by a Twins relief pitcher in the minor leagues? Ryan was a 19-year-old during the 1973 season. He had been drafted by the Twins out of his Janesville, Wis. high school in 1972. The southpaw worked in 43 games that season, all out of the bullpen. He went 10-0 and had 13 saves. He posted a 1.78 ERA and 1.11 WHIP. In 81 innings, he had 55 strikeouts and 27 walks. Obviously the goals for pitchers 50 years ago were a little different than they are now. A pitcher’s job was to simply get outs, and ideally get those outs as quickly as possible so that they could get more innings. Not that pitch counts were a thing then. And batters didn’t want to strikeout either. Unfortunately, he had arm issues after that season. He spent 1974-1976 at Double-A Orlando he was never able to replicate that success. In fact, in 57 innings over those three seasons, he walked 29 and struck out 24 batters. Think there is a reason that Ryan liked signing strike-throwers? Ryan went to the University of Wisconsin and earned his degree. In 1980, the Mets hired him to be an area scout. He spent six years with that organization. That’s when the Twins hired him as their Scouting Director before the 1987 season. Late in the 1994 season, Andy MacPhail left the Twins to join the Cubs. In September, Ryan was named the Twins GM. Highlights 8/29/96: Traded Dave Hollins to the Mariners for David Ortiz. 8/20/97: Traded Roberto Kelly to the Mariners for Joe Mays. 2/16/98: Traded a disgruntled Chuck Knoblauch to the Yankees for four players including Cristian Guzman and Eric Milton. 5/21/99: Traded Rick Aguilera to the Red Sox for Kyle Lohse. 12/13/99: Traded Rule 5 pick Jared Camp to the Marlins for Johan Santana. 9/9/00: Traded Hector Carrasco to the Red Sox for Lew Ford. 7/12/02: Traded Brian Buchanan to the Padres for Jason Bartlett. 11/14/03: Traded A.J. Pierzynski for Joe Nathan, Francisco Liriano, and Boof Bonser. In mid-September of 2007, Ryan announced that he was stepping down as GM of the Twins. He remained in the organization in an advisory role, but Bill Smith took over as GM. Four years later, Smith was fired - er, re-assigned - and Ryan slid back into the role of GM. Just before spring training in 2014, Ryan announced that he had cancer and was receiving treatment. He missed spring training, but soon after was back at full strength and back on the job. In mid-July of 2016, Ryan was fired as GM. Long-time assistant Rob Antony took the job on an interim basis. Following the season, Ryan was again hired by Andy MacPhail, who was the Phillies president of baseball operations. He remains in the Phillies organization but continues to call the Twin Cities his home. I’ve been a Twins fan since the early-to-mid-80s to at least some degree. Aside from names and faces on baseball cards, it was Kirby Puckett’s debut that really got me to the point where I was reading the newspaper most days (I was 8-9. Let’s be honest, I wasn’t reading the paper too much). I remember the 1987 World Series well. I was in 7th grade and remember it well. Consider that I started this blogging thing in May of 2004. Terry Ryan had his hands on a lot of what was going on with the Twins through all of those years. By then, I started caring about what a Scouting Director was, and what the GM does, and having thoughts on trades and signings. Terry Ryan was involved in all of that. In 2010, I went to watch the Twins Low-A affiliate which was in Beloit, Wisconsin, at that time. My memories from that first trip included seeing Brian Dozier start a game at shortstop. That night, he learned he was being promoted to Fort Myers, and the next day, Danny Santana was at shortstop (and I want to say he went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts and a couple of errors). Angel Morales, a tremendously athletic outfielder from Puerto Rico, got hit in the helmet with a fastball. I met Sir Tom Stuifbergen, WBC hero for The Netherlands! Pohlman Field was not great, but it was charming. At one point, I was using the men’s restroom underneath the bleachers. Standing there, I look to my right, and there is Mike Trout in uniform. Trout was playing with the Cedar Rapids Kernels that year. A year later, he made his MLB debut. It began my annual trip to the Twins Low-A affiliate. I made three or four trips to Beloit, and the Twins have been in Cedar Rapids since 2013 (and moved to High-A in 2021). The second year I was there, I was there for a three or four-day weekend. I got to the ballpark really early each day to watch the Snappers take infield and batting practice. Each day, Terry Ryan was also there, sitting in the bleachers on the opposite side of the grandstand. After the third game, Ryan approached me, shook my hand, and said, “Seth, I’m Terry Ryan with the Twins.” I was kind of in awe. Yes, Mr. Ryan. I am fully aware of who you are. I don’t remember if those words actually came out of my mouth or not. He said, “Why didn’t you come up and talk to me?” My response? “Well, I guess I look at it this way. I’m here to enjoy the game and learn about these players I write about. You’re working. I wouldn't want to interrupt you while you’re working.” We went on to chat. He said, “You’re from Perham, right? Do you know…?” When I attend spring training, I prefer to spend most of my time down on the minor-league fields, watching the prospects work or play games. If you were there throughout the day, you could count on seeing two people back there. Mike Radcliff could be seen observing the back fields unless he was out scouting a college or high school game. If the Twins weren’t playing a road game that day, you could count on Terry Ryan being back there. I’d talk to Ryan from time to time. Often we might be in the same general area. Other Twins fans would go up and talk to him, ask him questions, etc. There were several times that Ryan would get a question about if a guy had been practicing that day or how he was looking, and Ryan would point to me and say, “But he would know. Hey Seth, did (Player X) throw a bullpen this morning?” I always thought that was funny. Knowing Ryan and his work ethic, there was nothing that happened that he wasn’t at least aware of. I think he liked to hand over some credit, or maybe he was trying to get out of a conversation. Some of those mid-to-late March days at spring training can be draining. It may be 80 degrees and incredibly humid at 8:00 am. And then it can be 97 degrees and just as humid at 2:00 pm. When I’ve been there, I try to be on the back fields by about 9:00 or 9:30 as the players begin to come out to start their stretch. Hitters typically stretch, run, take tons of ground balls, fly balls, or pop ups, take some batting practice (while often continuing to work on defense), and sprinkle in time in the weight room. The pitchers do their stretching, get some running in, do their bullpens on appropriate days, and do daily PFPs (Pitcher Fielding Practice) ad nauseam. They get through a full workout and practice by about noon. They run in for a quick lunch, and then at 1:00, they will play games until 3:30 or 4:00. Now, don’t get me wrong. I don’t run between fields, but I will walk between the five or six back fields, camera around my neck and strategic cargo shorts holding a cell phone, keys, several pieces of paper, a couple of writing utensils, a wallet, a couple of tater tots and a smoothie. Again, Terry Ryan prioritized spending a lot of time on those same back fields, observing, talking to players, coaches, etc. One particularly hot and humid day, I was at the ballpark from 9:00 until 4:00. I shuffled over to my rental car in the parking lot and started it, cranking up the air conditioning. I looked up, and Terry Ryan was running foul poles on the warning track of Stelmaszek Field (the entire field just outside of Hammond Stadium). Thankfully the car was getting cooler because I was in awe. While I sat there, he did at least eight back-and-forths. My jaw dropped; I was also trying to do the math. On a field with dimensions of 330 feet down the lines and 400 to center field, how far is it from one foul pole to the other (and for ‘simplicity,’ we’ll assume that Ryan was running right against the fence.)? Once I came up with that answer, I multiplied it by 16 (8 back-and-forths) to determine how far Mr. Ryan had run. The answer? I don’t know. I was only a math minor, and I struggled to get that! Satisfied with that answer, I left. Ryan kept jogging. I don’t know how long he kept jogging, or how far that meant he jogged. I know that on my drive back to the rental place I was staying at, I went through a Wendy’s drive-thru and ordered two Frosty’s. One chocolate and one vanilla. You know, so that the person handing them to me through the window would assume that one of them would be consumed by a second person. Every writer who spent time with Terry Ryan will mention that they loved that he would sit at a lunch table with the writers and answer their questions. Good questions. Dumb questions. Often, questions that were asked nearly every day. But he took that time because he understood that the writers have a job to do, and he could help them with some background information and quotes. One day before a spring training game, I sat at a table in the Hammond Stadium lunch room with five or six other Twins beat writers and Terry Ryan. The GM looked at me and said, “Seth, why don’t you start us out today? Do you have any questions for me? I’m tired of answering the same questions from these others.” I was ready. I said, “Yeah, I was talking to (minor-league invite) Tyler Grimes this morning. He said that when you called him last month and invited him to spring training, he said he would think about it and call you back. Have you ever received that response from a minor leaguer when you invited them to spring training?” He (and the other writers) started pointing out how that was definitely a different question than he typically received first. Ryan acknowledged, “Caught me off guard. I can tell you that!” And here is that Tyler Grimes article. Before a game at Target Field, Ryan held his pregame chat with writers at a big round table. When it was done, somehow, he and I were the last ones to go to the lunch room. When we had our plates, the round table was full. Ryan looked at me and said, “Seth, why don’t you join me over here.” We walked over to an empty table and enjoyed the pregame meal, chatting about baseball and non-baseball topics. Hopefully you enjoyed some of those stories. I’m not a great storyteller, but I liked that Terry Ryan made the effort to ensure I felt comfortable. Terry Ryan is a scout by nature. He knows the job of going to all the corners of the earth to find the players that could become great. He understood the grind. And while in baseball, those first-round types or bonus players will get extra time often, Ryan made sure every player on every roster felt important and had some chance. If they kept producing, they would keep getting opportunities. I feel like Ryan appreciated that I spent time covering all levels of the organization, from the big leagues to the lowest levels of the minor leagues. I think he appreciated Q&As done with top prospects or recent draft picks. For instance, 2015 was the 30th anniversary of The Klaw. Tom Klawitter was a left-handed pitcher given very little chance to make the Twins’ roster. However, he had an excellent spring training and made manager Billy Gardner’s opening-day roster. When Gardner would walk to the mound and call on Klawitter to come into the game, he put up his left hand to signal The Claw (look up Baron von Raschke). Klawitter has lived, taught, and coached in Janesville, Wisconsin, for over 35 years and over time has developed a great relationship with Terry Ryan. Of the Twins executive, he said, “I’ve got a good connection with Terry Ryan. He’s a friend of mine. One of the best men I have ever met. He’s just got it. He understands how to deal with people. He is a true baseball man and loves this game.” (Klawitter Article Part 1) (Klawitter Article Part 2) Ryan never seemed to enjoy talking about himself or his career, but he did enjoy crediting others. He often would give Mike Radcliff credit for a signing or a draft pick. Radcliff was the same. He wanted to give all credit to the area scout. When I reached out for a quote on Klawitter, he responded quickly and thoughtfully. Sometime in 2019, a couple of years after his time with the Twins was over, I walked into the press box a couple of hours before game time. Terry Ryan called me over as I walked to my seat and started removing my laptop. I walked over there. First, he asked me if I knew this other person from Perham that he knew. Then he asked me when I would post my Top 50 Twins Prospect rankings. He’d been checking the site daily to see it. If you want to question how successful Terry Ryan’s tenure with the Twins (from 1986 through 2016) was, that is totally fine. He made a lot of good trades, and like every GM, he didn’t get them all right. He put together some very strong rosters in the 2002 through 2010 range. Those teams had solid rosters but could not come through in the playoffs. Ryan once told me he didn’t expect writers, bloggers or radio voices to always be positive. He admitted that the team had given us plenty of reasons to be disappointed. All he asked was that the writing would be fair and factual. That stuck with me. Not that I ever wrote non-factual opinion articles that got personal. Still, it is a good reminder that if you write something publicly (in a newspaper, on a website, or social media), it needs to be factual. Congratulations to Terry Ryan, his family, and the Stelmaszek family on the well-deserved honor of being named Twins Hall of Famers. View full article

Adversity. Injury. Perseverance. Support. Positive Vibes. Each of those words have played a significant role in the life of Twins minor-league infielder Omari Daniel. Hear from him in our newest Twins Spotlight video, talking about how the time he's missed due to injury has tested his positive mindset. With the help of a large support group, he keeps working hard and hopes to put together a big season in 2024. Image courtesy of William Parmeter Omari Daniel grew up in Atlanta, but his favorite team isn't the obvious choice. You won't guess, so I'll just tell you that his favorite baseball team is the Pittsburgh Pirates. His favorite player, of course, was Andrew McCutchen. He said, "My mom's from Pittsburgh." He quickly switched direction and said, "But I'm a Twins fans right now. The Twins are my Number One team!" He can remember being in the front yard, with his dad tossing him wiffle balls when he was just three years old. He played football and other sports in his youth, but he chose to play two sports in high school. As a sophomore, the transferred to The Walker School in Marietta--a small, private, college prep school. While there were some decent athletes and opportunities for sports, it is much more of an academically-driven school, Daniel was a star two-guard on the basketball court. He teamed with some future Division I players to win a lot of games. On the baseball field, though, he found the sport that he enjoyed most. That sophomore year, he was on a team with Gino Groover. Groover went to North Carolina State, and in 2023, he was the second-round pick of the Arizona Diamondbacks. In case you were wondering, one player from The Walker School has pitched in the big leagues... Twins legend David Hale. Between his junior and senior years of high school, Daniel started hearing from a lot of college coaches. He committed to the University of Oregon, despite never making a trip there. For him, it was entirely about the trust that he had built up over time and through communication with the coaching staff. Plans Change Unfortunately, he missed most of his senior season of baseball. An infielder, he was asked to come to the mound and get the last out of a contest. On a pitch, he felt it. The pain. The pop. A trip to the doctor and they found a full tear of his UCL. Within a couple of weeks, he had Tommy John surgery. Sure, he was disappointed to not be able to play that season, but he was able to keep his head up. He has a strong positive attitude and a strong support group of family, coaches, and "brothers" ("I've got a lot of brothers. I call them brothers. I've got a lot of brothers that I go to.") that kept him going. He decided to to go to a junior college in Florida to start his academic career and start to rehab. He would then go to Oregon as a sophomore. Plans Change Again His parents kept him positive. In July, he was at home, watching the draft. "I watch all of the drafts. I have a lot of friends in those drafts." On Day 3, he was still listening in to the draft. His mom, his girlfriend and some other friends were around. "I'm cleaning the dishes and I hear 'Omari Daniel." We're all stunned. I just didn't believe it. I called my agent. He called me back laughing. I called Jack Powell (Twins area scout)." Daniel said that he assumed if he would get drafted it would be by the Twins. Jack Powell, long-time scout and one of the co-stars in Trouble with the Curve, was in frequent contact with him. Powell sent him text messages at least weekly, even after his surgery. It was the 14th round, but he said, "Hearing my name get called was a great thing." Decision Time It is a good position to be in, but Daniel had a tough decision to make. Would he sign with the Twins? Or, would he go to junior college, and then spend a couple of years at Oregon, and see how he progressed and where he might fall in the draft in 2025. If that was the route, he would be three years into a college education as well. "It took me a couple of days. I ran down the situation to every athlete I know. I ran it by my parents," Daniel said. "It was a really tough decision, because I was getting 50/50 answers. But I feel like I made the best decision I could have." He decided to sign. He couldn't play, but he was a part of the team. He was in the dugout for home games. He was allowed to travel to road games. It was important for him to learn about team chemistry, get to know his teammates, work on his Spanish and communication. He continued to rehab. He had just started throwing two weeks before everyone was sent home because of the hurricane. He continued to rehab at home in Atlanta and came into the 2023 season without limitations. Ouch! Daniel got back on the field in 'real' games when the Florida Complex League season began. He played in 17 games, before his season came to an early end, with an injury to his left (non-throwing) labrum. He obviously wanted to keep playing, but that's the kind of injury that lingers long-term if not taken care of right away. Again, Daniel's positive attitude was tested, but he continued to work. He is already back at 100% ("No restrictions.") and down in Ft. Myers getting ready for this upcoming season ("8:30. Every morning!"). He's got big goals for the 2024 season. Most of all, he just wants to stay healthy and get at-bats. He has missed a lot of time over the past two years and he wants to make up for those lost ABs. Timeline Obviously, I encourage everyone to watch the full video. We were able to keep the full interview to about 40 minutes. There were some technical issues/connection issues a few times throughout, but you'll be able to keep up with the conversation. You can find this show and other videos in the Twins Daily Videos page. If you aren't able to watch the video straight through, hopefully the below checklist of topics will help you be able to watch it over several occasions. 2:45: What was the focus of the offseason? 2:55: How has the recovery from labrum surgery been? 3:30: Earliest baseball memories. 4:25: Favorite team, favorite players. 5:45: Did you play other sports? 7:20: What is The Walker School? Is it a sports school? Favorite classes? 9:10: What was your prep career like? Were you good? How good is baseball in Georgia? 11:00: When did you start going to the regional/national events or camps? 13:25: When did college coaches start talking to you? 14:15: What was it the you liked about Oregon? 14:50: Injury and Tommy John surgery. 16:25: How was the mental side of the process? Support group? 18:45: The Draft 22:00: The Decision: Tough Decision Let us know what you think of Daniel's chances for the future, and who you'd like to hear from in a future Twins Spotlight. View full article

Omari Daniel was the Twins 14th round draft pick in 2012 out of high school in Georgia. An Oregon commit, he was going to spend a year at a Florida junior college because he missed his senior season due to Tommy John surgery. It wasn't an easy decision, and the options were not bad regardless, but Daniel decided to sign with the Twins. He continued his rehab. In 2023, he got into 17 games in the FCL before tearing his labrum. He is at full strength and in Ft. Myers preparing for his 2024 season already. A toolsy teenager, Daniel is certainly worth watching as he progresses through the organization. View full video

In 2010, I wrote an article discussing the Twins' selection of Joe Mauer as the first overall pick in the 2001 draft instead of legendary college pitcher Mark Prior. It's fun to look back at the quotes from late, great Twins scouting chief Mike Radcliff, about that decision. At that time, he was the organization's scouting director. Ultimately, it was his call to make. Joe Mauer or Mark Prior? Image courtesy of © Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports Here we are, five years after the conclusion of his tremendous playing career. Joe Mauer had his #7 retired by the Twins in 2019. Last summer, he was inducted into the Twins Hall of Fame. And on Tuesday, Joe Mauer was officially named a first-ballot Hall of Famer. Let's look back to recall the difficulty of a choice the Twins got so very right. Reminder, this is a 'cleaned up' article that was originally written by me in 2010. It is cleaned up grammatically, but I left in the details from the article, even if 13-14 years later they don't seem or sound quite right. Enjoy! The Minnesota Twins went 69-93 during the 2000 season, which "earned" them the No. 1 overall pick in 2001. Several good prospects were available at the top of that draft, including Georgia Tech third baseman Mark Teixeira, East Tennessee State University pitcher Dewon Brazelton, and Baltimore high-school pitcher Gavin Floyd. Two players were generally viewed at the top of the charts, though: University of Southern California pitcher Mark Prior and Minnesota prep catcher Joe Mauer. Current Twins director of player personnel Mike Radcliff was the Twins scouting director in 2001. In that role, he was ultimately in charge of the Twins draft. I talked to Radcliff, and he said, "We scouted and considered all of [those] players, but it ultimately came down to Mauer and Prior for our selection.” CASE FOR MARK PRIOR The Californian native was well-known in scouting circles. He had been the New York Yankees' first-round pick in 1998 but decided to go to USC. As the 2001 Draft approached, many were calling him the best pitching prospect ever (something that comes around about once every six or seven years). Prior was what every scout loves to see in a pitcher. He was 6’5” and 230 pounds, and had a very projectable, ostensibly durable body type. His fastball reached into the mid-90s. He had an excellent curveball. He had impeccable control. His mechanics were fluid, a perfect example of how a pitcher needed to throw to stay healthy. In his junior season with the Trojans, Prior went 15-1 with a 1.70 ERA and a 0.86 WHIP. In 138 innings, he walked just 18 batters (and two of those were intentional) and struck out 202. Most believed Prior would be able to contribute at the major-league level almost immediately. However, that was a notion that Prior himself shot down at the time, telling USA Today, “I still have a lot to learn. Once you get into the majors - or even the minors - the learning curve is so great. For me to make that jump straight from the college level to the major leagues is kind of far-fetched for me to believe.” THE CASE FOR JOE MAUER Mauer was a prep star from St. Paul's Cretin-Derham Hall High School, a catcher known for a flawless left-handed swing and strong arm. He was a terrific all-around athlete. At 6’5”, he was the National Player of the Year in football and baseball and a two-time all-state performer on the basketball court. But everyone knew that baseball was Mauer’s preferred sport. When he was 16, Mauer played for Team USA in an 18-and-under tournament in Taiwan and won the gold medal. He was the Team USA Junior National Team catcher for three years, and hit .595 in his final season. During his senior baseball season, he hit .600 with 15 home runs and 53 RBIs. Radcliff noted that the Twins were well aware of Mauer early and followed him very closely. “Joe was on our follow list as a sophomore [in high school]. Our scouts watched him compete in all sports throughout his [high school] career. As a senior, Joe was being heavily scouted by most teams. We had someone from the Twins at all of his games that year.” THE CONCERNS WITH MARK PRIOR In baseball circles, the belief was that Prior was looking for $20 million to sign. There were rumors that he would not sign with the Twins if they selected him. After failing to sign other first-round picks like Tim Belcher, Jason Varitek, and Travis Lee, it would have been discouraging if the Twins could not sign another top pick, especially the first overall. At that time, there was no compensation for not signing a first-round draft pick, as there is today. According to Radcliff, Prior’s contract demands were not a concern for the Twins. He said, “We had complete support from the GM and ownership to select anybody we deemed worthy of the number-one pick. There were going to be significant dollars to whoever was selected.” There is an inherent risk with any pitcher for arm injuries. College pitchers are especially risky, as many rack up a crazy number of innings. What do Ben McDonald, Matt Anderson, Kris Benson, Paul Wilson, and Brian Bullington have in common? Each of those pitchers was the number-one overall pick in their draft. Each of them had significant arm injuries that kept them from reaching their potential. Add in top college pitchers (like Darren Dreifort, Kyle Sleeth, and Philip Humber) who were also highly drafted, and you can see the reality is that there is no such thing as a sure-thing pitching prospect. Even in recent years, Stephen Strasburg had to have Tommy John surgery. Regarding Prior, Radcliff said, “There is always a risk for any pitcher to get hurt - most pitchers have had some sort of surgery or extended injury by the time they reach the major leagues. There was no more or less concern with Mark Prior before the draft.” THE CONCERNS WITH JOE MAUER Using a high draft pick on any high-school player carries substantial risk. Teams spend a lot of money on a signing bonus for someone they are projecting may develop into a big leaguer in three years, six years, or not at all. Drafting high-school catchers can be especially difficult, since they have to learn not only to hit at the pro level but also to catch, call a game, work with pitchers, and more. One other concern with Joe Mauer was geographic. High-school baseball in Minnesota (and other northern states) can involve a very short season. While games are usually scheduled to start in early April, in most years, snow still covers the ground until the middle of the month. The short season leads to few opportunities for scouts to see players. Finally, Mauer had a full-ride scholarship offer and had already committed to play football for Bobby Bowden at Florida State (where he also would have played baseball). With his athletic prowess, Mauer certainly had options on which to fall back. THE TWINS' DECISION After years of scouting both players, the Twins made Joe Mauer the first pick in the 2001 MLB Draft. He became the third player to be taken with the top pick by his hometown team. The Twins made their decision three days before the draft. Radcliff was confident in the selection. “The conviction level was the highest it could possibly be for a [high school] selection. The combination of athletic ability, skill level on offense and defense, and makeup was unanimous amongst all of us who were involved with the decision. He had the best swing mechanics and hit approach that many of us had ever seen, and he profiled defensively as a Gold Glove receiver.” "Signability" may have been a greater concern with Prior, but the Twins knew Mauer would not be cheap either. Mark Wilson was the area scout who signed Mauer. The $5.15-million bonus the Twins handed him is still one of the largest signing bonuses given to a drafted player. Because Mauer was a two-sport athlete, the Twins could spread out payment of the bonus over five years. The Chicago Cubs selected Prior with the second pick in the draft that year. He signed late in the summer for a signing bonus of $4 million as part of a five-year, $10.5-million, major-league contract. Back in 2009, Mark Potash of the Chicago Sun-Times opined, “What looked like an incredible break - the Twins passing on Prior and taking the more ‘signable’ Mauer with the #1-overall pick - has turned into yet another example of how fate seems to taunt the Cubs and Cubs fans.” In hindsight, it is easy to say that the Twins made the right choice, but it is also fun to consider what would have happened if things had gone differently. What if the Twins would have drafted (and signed) Prior instead of Mauer? Let’s consider. … for the Twins Let’s start with an assumption that the Twins were able to convince Prior to sign. That’s a big assumption, as Prior made it clear that he did not want to sign with the Twins before the draft. But let’s think more positively. The Twins have a strong history of drafting high school hitters and college pitchers. That was even more the case at that time. Looking at some of the pitchers whom the Twins employed in the early-to-mid 1990s, you see a lot of college guys. Starting pitchers included names like Scott Baker, Kevin Slowey, Nick Blackburn, Brian Duensing, and Jeff Manship, all drafted out of college. The Twins moved each of them fairly aggressively in the minor leagues, yet compared to Prior, they were very patient. Of course, none were the #2 overall pick or even first-round picks. The Twins likely would have had Prior begin his professional career at Ft. Myers (High-A). He would have maybe spent a half-season there, and after the Florida State League All-Star Game, he may have been promoted to New Britain (Double-A affiliate at that time). Honestly, because the Twins were in the playoff hunt, he probably would have been called up directly from Double A. If not, he would have gone to spring training in 2003 with an opportunity to make the Opening Day roster. And he probably would have. The Twins have been known for taking care of their pitchers, especially young pitchers, at least once Ron Gardenhire took over as manager. Dusty Baker was willing to let Kerry Wood and Prior throw 120 to 140 (or more) pitches late into the season. The Twins would likely have controlled pitch and inning counts much more tightly. Does that mean that Prior would have stayed healthy? There’s no way to know that with any certainty. It is possible that Prior had underlying arm issues that may have caused inevitable injury. Besides, two of his most severe injuries--a shoulder strain in 2003 and a broken elbow in 2005--were freak accidents, having nothing to do with workload. However, it is also possible that he could have been an All-Star, Cy Young-contending starter for the Twins from 2003 through 2008, and maybe beyond. And think about the Twins 2006 team. That roster included the AL MVP (Justin Morneau), a top closer (Joe Nathan), and the AL Cy Young Award winner Johan Santana. They also had Michael Cuddyer, Torii Hunter, Jason Bartlett, Brad Radke, and a strong bullpen. How much could a healthy Prior have helped that team? The thought of Prior and Santana in the same rotation, along with Radke and, ideally, a healthy Francisco Liriano, is sure fun to think about. (Of course, the AL Batting title winner (Mauer) would not have been on the team in this scenario.) … for the Cubs Had the Twins taken Prior, the Cubs would have drafted Georgia Tech third baseman Mark Teixeira, who was said to be looking for a $15-million deal after the draft. (With the Rangers, as the fifth pick, he signed a four-year, $9.5-million big league contract with a $4.5 million bonus.) Teixeira would have moved quickly through the Cubs farm system and put up numbers similar to those he put up with the Rangers, Braves, Angels, and Yankees in his career. But would the Cubs have kept Aramis Ramírez or acquired Derrek Lee? Would they have gone after Alfonso Soriano? I would venture to guess that Teixeira would have been a building block for the Cubs and would likely not have played for as many teams in his career. … for Joe Mauer It makes a lot of sense that the Tampa Bay Devil Rays would have selected Joe Mauer with the third pick in the 2001 draft. The Rays were a team that was constantly building at that time. They had a lot of early draft picks that they used to select several talented high school players. They took Carl Crawford in 1999, Rocco Baldelli in 2000, BJ Upton in 2002, and Delmon Young with the first-overall pick in the 2003 draft. Mauer likely would have thrived with the Devil Rays, had this scenario played out. While he batted third through most of his career with the Twins, you have to assume that Joe Maddon may not have been afraid to bat him leadoff. As earlier adopters of analytics, the Rays would have loved Mauer’s on-base percentage at the top of the lineup. Assuming health, it’s hard to believe that Mauer would not have been equally successful with Tampa. The economic reality is that the Rays would not have been able to keep him through free agency. The Twins actually extended him for two years beyond free agency before giving him the big contract. The Twins had to do the deal for various reasons, including the new stadium, his performance on and off the field, and being a hometown player. If the Rays had pushed him to the big leagues as quickly as the Twins did (likely), he probably would have been traded before or after his 2009 season. At that time, Jorge Posada and Jason Varitek were on their last legs with the Yankees and Red Sox, respectively, so there would have been a big market, and the Rays could have received a lot for Mauer. Mauer would have gone to a team that made the playoffs frequently and had some great playoff and maybe World Series moments. Assuming health, he would have received a significantly larger contract than the Twins gave him. CONCLUSIONS The Twins had to make a huge decision in 2001. Should they draft the All-American, can’t-miss college pitcher from a baseball-rich college program? Or, should they take the tremendous high school athlete with the full-ride scholarship to Florida State for football and baseball - a guy from their backyard with the perfect swing, a strong arm, and great makeup? The Twins chose Mauer, and have never looked back or questioned it. Fortunately for the state of Minnesota, Mauer has proven the Twins right over time, regardless of what Prior did in his career, by being one of the best players in baseball. Even if Prior somehow goes on to win three or four Cy Young Awards, the Twins’ selection is justified. It was not a case of the team being “cheap”: Mauer’s signing bonus still ranks among the highest of all time (in part because of baseball going to the slotting system in the draft). It was not a case of picking the hometown kid over a better player (as the Padres did in 2004 when they picked Matt Bush instead of Justin Verlander). Scouting and the baseball draft can be such an inexact science. The Twins have a solid track record in drafting and player development, but no team is always right. In 2001, the Twins had a difficult decision and made the right choice. View full article