Seth Stohs

He's said that several times, so I'm sure he did. I've been told by a few people that Rogers went to the AFL and the intent was for him to work out of the bullpen. That didn't happen. Not sure why, other than the Twins already sent three other relievers (Burdi, Reed, Hildenberger).

I was talking about the Opening Day roster (Still think it's not a great chance)... But he didn't play in the AFL because they wanted to get him through last year healthy after missing two years. I think all bets are off for him in 2016. If he can throw a few more strikes, I think he will be up before Burdi... And Burdi won't/shouldn't be too long either, and the two of them could form an incredible duo!

Australia topped South Africa 4-1 this morning (several pictures posted on my Twitter feed of some of the Twins-related players on both teams). So, New Zealand (who beat The Phillipines in an elimination game) will play South Africa tomorrow. The winner will play Australia to determine which team gets the invitation to the WBC next year.

Yeah, I guess I don't know what the strategy was if any. I'm certain they talked to the agents of guys like Sipp and Bastardo, but we don't know if those guys had any interest in coming here. We also know that part of the strategy was not going multiple years because of the depth and high talent level in the minors. That likely took them out on those two. After those two, frankly, there wasn't a ton, and we always talk about why sign veterans to MLB deals instead of trusting the youth, and now (unless they add a Matt Thornton or someone like that) they appear to be trusting the youth. I know they really like Rogers, Melotakis and Chargois. Rogers is ready, though he hasn't pitched in the role (as Nick mentioned). Not sure that's a big deal or not. I think Chargois is close and is probably the highest upside guy right up there with Burdi. As others have mentioned too, there was a clear focus on getting Perkins to figure out how to stay healthy and get in better shape and I think he has. We'll see how that goes. Having Jepsen a full year will help. Having May in the bullpen all year will be good. And Fien, when healthy, will be quality in the 7th inning. That's four guys to rely on at the end. So, we're talking about three spots. Tonkin and Nolasco are likely to hold two of them at least early in the season, so we're talking about one spot... And Pressly probably deserves one of them. We'll see, but I don't see it as a big concern. The other key, of course is starting pitching. That'll help the bullpen too.

I'm awake at 3:30 in the morning because I want to watch current Twins minor leaguers from Australia and South Africa, as well as guys I wrote about at SethSpeaks.net 10 years ago. It is a lot of fun and fun for me to see how it all comes together for every, individual player. There is no template. That makes it a lot of fun.

They always sign a bunch of minor league relievers. Nothing new there.

I'd put Mike Strong's chance of making the Twins Opening Day roster at 0.00001% He'll likely go to AA if he clears waivers. I think Chargois has a better chance of making it than Nick Burdi. Very similar prospect. Both throw 100, Burdi with a slider, Chargois with a slurve and a changeup. I think Chargois has a real chance to be the surprise of spring. I actually much prefer Rogers or O'Rourke than any of the remaining lefty relievers. With their depth, they can always keep moving guys up and down. I don't think it's at all just about quantity. There is a lot of good quality. I think we often under value Pressly. He was pitching quite well and is still young and can get better. I can't wait to see how it all plays out.

'Tis the season, the season for prospect lists. On Thursday, ESPN’s Keith Law released his Top 100 prospect list. Two weeks ago, MLB.com hosted a Top 100 prospect show on the MLB Network. Baseball America will soon be promoting their Top 100 prospect rankings. National sites and local team bloggers will be updating their team-specific Top 10, 20, 30 or 40 lists. In the coming weeks, Twins Daily will be posting our Top 20 Twins Prospects series. So many rankings. What do we do with all of that information?In the 2016 Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook, Jeremy Nygaard, Cody Christie and I did a ton of research on over 150 Twins minor leaguers. Upon completing that, we each posted our own individual Top 30 Twins Prospect lists. For all four of us we started the rankings with Byron Buxton, JO Berrios Max Kepler and Nick Gordon. After those four, the three prospect lists branched off in various directions. We all read information. Jeremy researched by talking to many people who know the players well. Cody spent hours upon hours digging into the statistics from various sites and locations, considering improvements or decreases from the previous year. I talked to a lot of people inside the organization, outside the organization and in the industry. We all could read each other’s paragraphs and information and yet, we all interpreted it a little bit different. We all have our “favorites,” guys that we like as prospects a little more (or less) than the other two. Many of you have read through the pages of this year’s (and previous years') prospect handbooks. Steve Buhr and Ted Schwerzlerposted their Top 15 Twins prospect rankings in the last month. Thrylos posted his Top 40 and has different criteria on what he considers a “prospect” than the others. Aaron Gleeman started his Top 40 Twins prospect series this week. When Mike Berardino researched and wrote the Twins top prospect reports and rankings for Baseball America, I guarantee he made a ton of phones calls. Keith Law has a background in a front office, in scouting and now in TV for ESPN. He talked to, likely, some of the same people that some of us “locals” talked to, but he also certainly talked to many others. John Sickelshas contacts all over baseball. My personal opinion is that it is important to see these players in practice and in game action, if possible. I value the week that I’ve been able to spend in Ft. Myers, trying to keep up with everything that is going on on the minor league fields. I think it’s important to see pitchers work in the bullpen, during PFPs, and interacting with catchers. It’s good to see hitters during batting practice, but also hitting against live pitching. It’s good to see them run the bases and in the outfield. It’s good to see the work ethic and range or the infielders. It’s also good to see the people, their athletic level, and know that they’re much more than just box scores and stat lines. All read, research, watch video and read stats to varying degrees. And there rarely, if ever, is any sort of consensus. That’s why Keith Law can rank Kohl Stewart as the 53rd overall prospect in baseball this spring, fourth among Twins prospects, and I rank him as the 11th Twins prospect in my list. How does that happen? Well, some focus on Stewart’s lack of strikeouts in his two pro seasons. Others choose to focus on his strong arm, his athleticism, his strength, his ground ball rate and his pitches. Both would agree that how he winds up will depend on how he develops over the next three or four years. It’s why I’m the only one who has Aaron Slegers in his top 30 (28th). I look at his height, his arm angle, his tremendous control, a solid three-pitch mix, and I think he can be a back-of-the-rotation starter. He may not get much taller, but he will likely continue to grow, and a 92 mph fastball could become a 94 mph fastball. We shall see. Maybe the best example is Jermaine Palacios. While I ranked him as my #21 Twins prospect, Jeremy ranked him #10, and Palacios didn’t make Cody’s Top 30. Not many players come from Venezuela as an 18-year-old and completely dominate pitchers in both the GCL and the Appy League. Others will note the lack of walks. Some will notice that he had a ton of errors at shortstop and wonder if he can stay at that position. Who is right? Right now there is no way at all to answer that question. In theory, we may have that answer in about five years. In reality, we may have to wait 20 or more years to really know who was right. In fact, I guarantee that if we were all allowed access into the Twins organizational meetings following the season, we would hear differing opinions on each and every player. I guarantee there isn’t a unanimous opinion on any big leaguer or minor leaguer or free agent. Just like in every business, or in every family. If I’ve learned one thing in my 12-13 years of watching, researching and writing about the Twins minor league system and prospect rankings in general, there is just one absolute. The lone absolute is that there are no absolutes. There are exceptions to every rule. There are non-prospects who become stars, and there are guys like Brandon Wood. In 2006 and 2007, Wood was a clear Top 10 prospect in all of baseball. He was putting up huge home run totals in the minor leagues. He was touted as a future 40 home run per year hitter. In parts of five big league seasons he hit a combined 18 home runs. Yes, the same number that Miguel Sano hit in three months with the Twins last year. Sometimes #1 overall prospects pan out. Joe Mauer certainly put together a career worthy of that lofty perch. Delmon Young was also the #1 overall prospect at one time. Jon Rauch was the #4 prospect in baseball in 2001. Baseball America’s 1995 Top 5 prospects were Alex Rodriguez, Ruben Rivera, Chipper Jones, Derek Jeter, and Brian Hunter. Three out of five is pretty good, but it is a reminder that they just don’t all make it. So, what do these prospects rankings do for us? Well, it allows us to dream. The Twins have had Byron Buxton and Miguel Sano. Buxton has been a consensus top two prospect the last three years. Sano was a top ten prospect a couple of times and places. JO Berrios has moved up the prospect ranking ladder consistently since signing. Max Kepler’s tools finally kicked in. Jorge Polanco may not have a clear path to the Twins, but he can certainly hit, even if we don’t know where he’ll play. Top six picks like Buxton, Kohl Stewart, Nick Gordon and Tyler Jay provide plenty of upside. Consider also the relief pitching prospects that the Twins could have pitching for them within the next two years. I’ve said this before, but it remains true. I look at the Twins minor league system, and I see arguably 30-40 players who could spend time in the big leagues. When you consider that there are 160-200 minor league players in the Twins system at any time, that may not sound like a lot, but it’s more than you’ll see in most organizations. Considering where the Twins minor league system was six to eight years ago, it’s even more impressive. Let’s say there are 40 players that the Twins or fans think could get to the big leagues. The reality is that probably one and possibly two will become perennial All-Stars. Maybe five or six will become big league regulars, in the lineup most days or a starting pitcher. Another five or six will likely spend a few years in the big leagues as a role player, a utility player or sixth or seventh inning guy. Another seven or eight will get a proverbial cup of coffee. And that leaves around fifth to twenty that may not even get to the big leagues. Also, there are going to be five or six guys that will play at least a few games in the big league that right now today, we may not think will not play in the big leagues. That’s why having a strong, deep minor league system is so important. It is incredibly hard to get to the big leagues. It takes a ton of work and talent, and sometimes it takes the right situation and a little luck. Consider just how good a baseball player someone has to be to get as much as a cup of coffee in the big leagues. I mean frankly, imagine how good a ballplayer needs to be to get to Low A. That’s the reason that I write the Twins Prospect Handbook. All of the players deserve to be recognized for what they do. It’s important. It’s deserved. You may disagree with Kohl Stewart’s ranking by Keith Law. You may be right. Or you may not. Who will have a better career Stewart, or fellow 2013 pick Stephen Gonsalves? Will Tyler Jay be able to transition to starting, or will he wind up being a dominant reliever? Will Alex Meyer pitch like he did in 2014 when he was one of the best AAA pitchers in baseball, or will he find a way to be successful in the bullpen? Can Adam Brett Walker be a productive big league power hitter, or will the contact rate make that impossible? Will Byron Buxton be a successful big leaguer because of his defense and speed and arm, or will he be able to hit well and become an elite, MVP-caliber player? Can JO Berrios become a top of the rotation starter, or will he be more of a mid-rotation type? In 2015, Max Kepler turned his tools into skills in AA, but can he take that next step and become a five-tool talent in the big leagues? Can he repeat his AA success in the big leagues? Can Nick Burdi and JT Chargois harness their control and command and become a dominant eighth and ninth inning combination for the Twins in the not-too-distant future? Can Taylor Rogers quickly make the transition from starter to a guy the Twins can rely on to get left-handed hitters out in the seventh and eighth innings? How quickly can lefties Mason Melotakis and Corey Williams get to the big leagues after Tommy John surgery? How will high-end pitching prospects like Lewis Thorpe and Fernando Romero return in 2016 from their Tommy John surgeries and return to game action? The questions can go on and on when they refer to prospects. There are probably a half-dozen or more questions per minor leaguer. And for each there is no ‘Wrong’ answer, and there is only one ‘Right’ answer. That answer is “Maybe.” But the best thing about prospect rankings for fans is the discussions that they encourage. They let us dream of what could be for Twins fans. They get us excited about the upcoming season and about what will happen with the Twins and throughout the minor leagues. Which prospects will take the next step? Which prospects will fall from prospect status? Which prospects will jump up to the big leagues? So let’s look at the lists. Let’s see how people rank the Twins prospects, or the Twins farm system. Let’s discuss it. Are they right? Are we right? Maybe. Click here to view the article

Good, fun update. In our Foorum, we've got a Hammond Happenings 2016 thread where you should link this to. I enjoy reading all of this. Reusse is a good guy, but don't tell anyone...

Hmmm... interesting question... probably not real good... And honestly, from that picture of Matt Williams, I never noticed that he had glasses.

It’s just two weeks from the start of spring training in Florida and Arizona. However, if you like watching baseball, there is a WBC Qualifier tournament that started on Thursday in Australia (Wednesday night in the States). There are 14 players with Minnesota Twins ties in this tournament (11 from Australia, 3 from South Africa). As you recall, the first World Baseball Classic was in 2006. Japan topped Cuba for that championship. In 2009, Japan won again. In 2013, it was the Dominican Republic that claimed the title. Team USA has finished fourth place once, their only trip to the Final Four.Certainly there is no surprise that Team Australia is littered with players with Twins connections. The Twins and legendary scout Howie Norsetter have always signed players from Down Under. Briefly, here are the players who have spent time in the Twins system who are on the Australian team. James Beresford played in the ABL after the holidays for Joe Vavra’s Melbourne Aces team. First, it allowed Beresford more time in front of one of the Twins coaches, but it also helped him prepare for this tournament. Beresford has been in the Twins organization since signing in 2005. He was an International League All-Star for the Rochester Red Wings in 2015 and will return again to the organization in 2016. Todd Van Steensel has been in the Twins organization twice. He pitched for Elizabethton in 2011 but was released after the season. He returned before the 2014 season after becoming a strong relief pitcher prospect while pitching in the ABL and in Europe. He has put up strong numbers the last two seasons, including more than a strikeout per inning. He should move up to Chattanooga for the 2016 season. Sam Gibbons has a nice showing once he was promoted to Cedar Rapids in 2015. He posted a 2.89 ERA as a 21-year-old in 15 starts. He signed with the Twins in July of 2011. He is certainly one to watch in 2016. Logan Wade signed with the Twins as a 19-year-old in 2011. He was the number three hitter and shortstop for the Brisbane Bandits team that just won the Claxton Shield (ABL championship) last week. Apparently his father has five Claxton Shield titles. Wade played in Ft. Myers last year. Aaron Whitefield was also on that championship Brisbane team. He is a 19-year-old who signed with the Twins in May. He has been playing baseball now for about a year now after playing softball for years. In fact he’s represented Australia in international softball tournaments. At 6-4 and 200 pounds with very good speed, he is certainly intriguing. He played in just seven games in the GCL in 2015. Luke Hughes signed with the Twins in 2002 and gradually worked his way up the system.In 2010, as a 25-year-old he made his major league debut and in his first at-bat, he homered against Max Scherzer. He played in 96 games for the Twins in 2011 and hit seven homers. He played just four games for the Twins in 2012 before being DFAd and claimed by the A’s. He has not played in the big leagues since 2012. He has played for Perth each winter. Allan de San Miguel signed as a 16-year-old catcher in 2004. Out of necessity, he played 11 games for Ft. Myers as a 17-year-old in 2005, but overall, his progression through the Twins system was slow. An organizational player, in 2009 he actually played games for Beloit, Ft. Myers, New Britain and Rochester. After the 2010 season he moved on to the Orioles. In 2015, he was back with the Twins, providing some catching depth and getting a few games in for Rochester. He remains a free agent. Peter Moylan may not be a name you necessarily associate with the Twins. However, that is where he made his US start. Kind of. He signed with the Twins as a 16-year-old in 1995. He pitched for the GCL Twins in 1996 and 1997, and posted ERAs of 4.08 and 4.05. The Twins let him go, and he did not play again in the States until 2006 when he went to AAA for the Braves and despite a 6.83 ERA in 35 games, he debuted in the big leagues with 15 games. He has played in eight big league seasons since, only missing the 2014 season due to Tommy John surgery. Trent Oeltjen signed with the Twins in 2000. He slowly worked his way up the system. Two years in Elizabethton. Two years in Quad Cities. Two years in Ft. Myers. He had a strong 2006 in New Britain and was solid in Rochester in 2007, but he became a free agent and signed with the Diamondbacks. He played 24 games for the Diamondbacks in 2009 and a combined 75 games for the Dodgers between 2010 and 2011. He continued playing AAA ball through the 2014 season. He played for Sydney in the ABL after the 2014 season but announced that it would be his final season. He retired and didn’t play in 2015 but he’s still on their roster. He is one of the more respected players in Australia. Matt Williams pitched in the Twins minor league system starting in 2005 and culminating with 28 games in New Britain in 2010. Since then, he has been one of the better relief pitchers in the Australian Baseball League and has competed in many international competitions. He is arguably best known, however, for a fantastic beard. Download attachment: Matt Williams.jpg Ryan Rowland-Smith never pitched in a regular season game for the Twins or any of their minor league affiliates. However, the Twins picked the then-22-year-old in the December 2004 Rule 5 draft. He went to spring training with the Twins but was returned to Seattle in late March. He debuted with the Mariners in July of 2007 and pitched 115 games for the Mariners between 2007 and 2010. He played AAA ball for five organizations between 2011 and 2013. Arizona signed him before 2014. He made the Opening Day roster but he was released early in the season and hasn’t played since. The Twins have signed a lot of players from Australia and several of them have pitched in the big leagues. Many played for the Twins including Grant Balfour, Glenn Williams, Michael Nakamura, and even Melbourne Ace’s GM Justin Huber. The Phillipines and New Zealand are also in the Sydney WBC Qualifier but they don’t have any Twins connections. However South Africa does have three players with Twins ties. Here is a little bit on each. (Quick Update/Correction - Eric Farris, who got a couple of cups of coffee with the Brewers in 2011 and 2012 and spent 2013-2015 with the Red Wings, was added to the Phillipines roster.) Hein Robb signed with the Twins in 2008 but spent a year pitching in Australia before coming to the States in 2010. He pitched for the GCL Twins in 2010 and 2011. He was with Elizabethton in 2012 and 2013. In 2013, he also pitched in three games for Cedar Rapids. He played independent ball in 2014. He has been on the South African WBC teams since 2009 when he was just 17 years old. Callan Pearce signed with the Twins in July of 2013. He has pitched in the GCL the last two years. He is a great athlete and can throw into the low-90s but he has struggled with his control. 19-year-old Rowan Ebersohn was the starting left fielder and seventh-place hitter for South Africa in their first game of the tournament. Just 5-9 he is stocky, strong and still fast. He played in just 27 games in the GCL and hit just .193, but he showed great improvement even during the three months he was with the team. (In Game 1, Ebersohn went 0-3 with a walk and a hit by pitch.) So there you have it, plenty of reasons to watch the WBC qualifying tournament the next few days. Sure, Team Australia’s games will be played at 2:30 a.m. (Central time) in the United States, but they will be fun to watch. Next month, there will be two more WBC Qualifier Tournaments. In Mexicali, Team Mexico will host the Czech Republic, Nicaragua and Germany. We have already been told that Max Kepler will not be playing for the German team as he will be at Twins big league camp, hoping to earn an Opening Day roster spot. Also in mid-March in Panama City, Panama will host Colombia, France and Spain. The games will be played at Rod Carew Stadium. The fourth WBC Qualifier will not be until late September. In the Bronx, teams from Brazil, Great Britain, Israel and Pakistan will compete for the fourth Qualifier spot in the 2017 WBC. The four teams to win the Qualifiers will join the teams that finished in the top 12 of the 2013 WBC. Those countries are the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Japan, the Netherlands, Cuba, the United States, Italy, Chinese Taipei, South Korea, Venezuela, and Canada. Again, the World Baseball Classic will begin in 2017. Click here to view the article

I don't pretend to know this as well as Jeremy, but I do recall wanting the Twins to take Kevin Gausman in 2012... They took Buxton. I knew Buxton was a great athlete, but some questioned the level of competition he played. Gausman was a front-of-rotation starter who had pitched at LSU. I still really, really like Gausman, but I'm glad the Twins took Buxton. Two years ago, I was completely on the Twins taking Aaron Nola. I think I recall Jeremy was too. But we both knew that the Twins would take Gordon, and now I'm fully comfortable with that, even though I still really like Nola and think that he will have a long and productive MLB career. I would have much preferred it if the Twins had taken Carson Fullmer last year instead of Tyler Jay, but then you read about the Jay slider, and if he can be a starter, it'd be great. Even if he's a reliever, he's their top relief pitching prospect (which says a lot in this organization). The main point of this is that we all pick our favorites, maybe we even watch a little video... but the Twins scouts do their homework. They put in a lot of time watching all of these guys (like every team does, of course). They're going to be right on some and they're going to be wrong on some. That's the nature of writing and talking about humans, much less actually drafting one and then trying to develop them.

Nunez makes the routine plays. He doesn't have much for range. He has a strong arm. Polanco has a little more range, but he often struggles with the routine plays. Many question his arm strength on the left side of the diamond. Santana struggles with routine plays, though he has great range and a very strong arm.

It's a philosophy most teams use, including the successful teams. Each team is going to use 40-50 players in the big leagues every year. Depth is important. So, while not always popular among fans, they have to make some decisions based on the rules of the game including considering options, minor league deals, 40 man roster decisions, etc. to help get through the season. It's kind of the opposite of brainless. It's understanding the system/guidelines and trying to make decisions to get through a season winning as much as they can. I can't explain every single decision, but I know none of them is taken lightly.

I've never advocated mediocre vets first plan. I wrote a story on a veteran relief pitcher who has experienced some big league success for a couple of seasons who has a chance to make the opening day roster. Now that the Twins are winning, I have no problem with going with whoever they think will pitch better at any particular time in the season. If in April they deem that Kintzler/Abad will be able to get outs better than someone like Tonkin/Burdi/Chargois, then I say go with them. I also say that when they think the young guys are ready to be better than the veteran guys, then turn to them.

Unless he has a strong 2016 season at Kentucky, he cost himself a lot of money by going back to college, unless he's drafted in the top 25 picks or so. As a senior, right or wrong, he'll have almost no leverage. I could definitely see the Twins going after him again, unless bridges were burned.

With four picks in the top 80 or so, the Twins could conceivably get a couple of these guys. At Twins Fest, I talked to one Twins official who said that some junior college seasons are already getting underway, so they'll have people traveling for those. I talked to one Twins scout who said that there are many showcases now, including "sports bubbles" in the north which have become more popular. Shore and Boldt were both believed to be holding out for 1st round money, each stating clearly or more than subtly what their signing bonus needed to be. That's why both fell in that draft. Both could easily be first rounders this year. I'd think that Burdi could go in the 3rd or 4th round. Hockin sounds more like a late 2nd day type, though obviously a lot can happen in the next four months.

I think it'd be wise to have him play 2B, 3B, and SS in 2016, maybe even a handful of games at the different outfield positions. Nothing wrong with that. He may be able to hit better than Santana... maybe Nunez, and probably will... Defensively, I don't think he's as good at any of the positions as Santana or Nunez. At least not now.

Of course not... that's why Ryan added the "if they come in and earn it" part of the sentence. None of these guys are guaranteed anything... I think we can make some assumptions that some are more certain than others. It'd be like saying that Alex Meyer should move back to a starter full time because if he's just somewhere between where he was in 2014 and 2015, that'd be a solid starter. No, he's going to try for a bullpen spot in spring and may get another opportunity as a starter in Rochester. Clearly there wasn't a market for any of the three in the offseason (or I'm guessing they would have been OK with moving them), but they're too talented to give up on at 24-26. Worth giving a shot.

Why would the Twins curtail Park's progression by having him play less than half of the time, in a true platoon? I can see Arcia getting a day a week at DH, but they're going to want and need to play Park through his adjustment.

I think they're just trying to provide him with value and make him as valuable to the team as possible. As a backup, being able to play as many positions as possible is a good thing. I have no doubt he'll be a backup in the infield as well.

I think Santana and Nunez are both near locks.

Heading into the offseason, the Minnesota Twins had six players who would be out of options heading into the 2016 season. Two were traded (Aaron Hicks, Chris Herrmann). One was DFAd (Josmil Pinto). There are three players who will report to spring training in two weeks needing to make the 25-man roster or potentially be lost on waivers. Will any of those three make the team, and what type of impact can they have in 2016? Prior to Twins Fest, General Manager addressed the media. Among several other comments, he mentioned the three guys who will be out of options.“We do have three players that are out of options, three guys that I’m hoping will respond. Oswaldo Arcia, Michael Tonkin and Danny Santana. All three of those guys have a spot on this club if they just come in and earn it.” That makes sense. Any pre-spring training Twins Opening Day roster projection typically contains all three of those players. All three were once highly-touted prospects. They were the types of prospects that most wouldn’t have thought would need all three option years and get to this point. So while they had disappointing seasons in 2015, they are all young and still have a lot of potential. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Danny Santana Santana was added to the Twins 40-man roster in November of 2012. He spent the 2013 season in New Britain. He began the 2014 season in Rochester, but in the first week of May he was called up to the big league club. He replaced Mike Pelfrey on the roster, but less than a week later shortstop Pedro Florimon was optioned. A month later, Aaron Hicks was optioned to AA and Danny Santana became the everyday center fielder. He responded by hitting .319/.353/.472 (.824) with 21 doubles, seven triples and seven home runs. An unmaintainable BABIP and a questionable minor league track record (offensively and defensively) meant that he was due for some regression in 2015. However, no one could have predicted just how far Santana’s performance would drop. He hit just .215/.241/.291 (.532) in 101 games. He was basically handed the shortstop job out of spring training and was unable to recreate his 2014 success. Ryan also said that Santana would be making another position change in 2016. “We’re also going to move Danny Santana back into the outfield. We’ll see if we can resurrect Danny. He had a tough year this year. We like him. He’s got skills. Hopefully he will respond.” There has never been any question about Santana’s talent and athleticism. He will also be only 25 years old throughout the 2016 season. While no one thinks or expects him to put up the numbers he did in 2014, he can provide value to the Twins. Santana will likely spend spring training with time at all three outfield positions. While Torii Hunter will spend a lot of time trying to help Miguel Sano transition to right field, I would expect that he will also be working a lot with Santana at all three outfield positions. I think that Santana should still bring his infield glove and get some repetitions at shortstop, second base and even third base. And as Nick wrote yesterday, if Byron Buxton doesn't win the starting center field job out of spring training, Santana may be an option for that job again. Oswaldo Arcia Arcia was added to the Twins 40-man roster in November of 2011. He split 2012 between Ft. Myers and New Britain. In 2013, he began in Rochester but by mid-April, he was up with the Twins. In 97 games, he hit .251/.304/.430 (.734) with 17 doubles and 14 home runs. In 2014, he hit just .231/.300/.452, but he added 20 home runs, as a 23-year-old. Arcia had a very disappointing 2015 season. He played in just 19 games for the Twins and then hit under .200 in Rochester. He didn’t even get a September call-up, and frankly, he didn’t deserve one. He has his shortcomings. He doesn’t hit left-handed pitching. He strikes out too much and doesn’t walk enough. His defense in either corner outfield spot leaves much to be desired. However, that doesn’t mean that he can't provide value for the Twins in 2016, and maybe even beyond. He can play both corner positions. He has little range, but he catches most of what he gets to. He has a good arm. He can hit for a lot of power against right-handed pitchers. He also doesn’t turn 25 until a week into May. With the Twins committed to Miguel Sano in right field, it is likely that Arcia can get a game a week out there, allowing Sano to play some third base or DH. Arcia could be a powerful bat off the bench. If there is an injury in either corner, he could fill in. He would be a good platoon candidate though the Twins certainly aren’t going to put Sano into a platoon. Michael Tonkin After being drafted by the Twins in the 30th round of the 2008 draft, Tonkin signed and began his career as a starter. After spending half of the 2010 season starting for Beloit, he returned for a full season with the Snappers, pitching primarily out of the bullpen. That is where he returned in 2012, and that’s when things started to click. That year, between Beloit and Ft. Myers, he struck out 97 and walked just 20 in 69.1 innings. He was added to the 40-man roster following that season. In 2013, he pitched between New Britain and Rochester and made his big league debut in July. Since then, he has been back and forth between Rochester and the Twins. While he has dominated International League hitters, he has yet to find any consistent success with the Twins. In 102 games for Rochester, he has a 2.65 ERA and nearly ten strikeouts per nine innings. Part of the issue is that he hasn’t spent any real consistent, extended time with the Twins. While the 6-7, 26-year-old throws pretty hard, he has been inconsistent with his slider. Glen Perkins, Trevor May and Kevin Jepsen are lined up in the back end of the bullpen (or course May could theoretically still be used as a starter). Casey Fien looks to rebound. Fernando Abad is one of four left-handed relievers brought in on minor league contracts. Guys like Ryan Pressly and JR Graham will be competing for a spot in the big leagues. And, we all know the names of the hard-throwing relievers that could arrive by midseason. Tonkin isn’t guaranteed a spot, and yet, with his size and the velocity he has on his pitches, if he can gain some semblance of control of his slider, he could start the season pitching in the 5th and 6th inning and be relied upon later in games as the season moves along. --------------------------------------------------------- Being out of options is an interesting place to be for a player. It’s clear that the organization has seen enough to keep you on the roster through three optional seasons. Yet, the player is now in a position where he has to come to spring training ready to make the club. A couple of years ago, Chris Parmelee and Alex Presley were out of options and the team chose to put them through the waiver process at the end of spring training. Four years ago, Trevor Plouffe went to spring training out of options. He began the season as a bench player and less than two months later Danny Valencia was optioned and Plouffe became a starter. It can be scary, but it is a career crossroads that so many experience. As Ryan said, all three of these Twins players can win a spot in spring training. I would venture to say it is likely that all three will make the Opening Day roster unless spring training goes just brutally for them. But they can’t think that anything will be handed to them because even if they are removed from the 40-man roster, 29 other teams can watch them as well. So, what do you think? Will all three be on the Opening Day roster? Click here to view the article