Seth Stohs

Yup. I would say that, especially with the hard-throwing depth that should be ready soon... I would rather sign Bastardo to a one year, $7.5 million deal than a 3 year, $15 million. Relievers tend to be so volatile. Few are as good and consistent as Benoit.

I'm certain Terry Ryan doesn't (and shouldn't) spend a ton of time reading the comments here. Others might. I prefer going with Fien than signing some guy for triple that who isn't guaranteed to be any better. We make Bastardo sound like this great pitcher... there's a reason he hasn't received the 3 year, $18 million contract he's said to want. He walks a ton. That's not 3 years, $15 million worth... If they sign him, cool, but let's not pretend he's some final answer or something. And, I more important, three years to a big question mark makes no sense if they believe in Burdi, Reed, Chargois, Rogers and Melotakis, who could all be better than Bastardo within the first year of a three year deal.

I don't know if that's what the organization claims. It's what I personally think. Somewhat I agree, but it's hard to move through the system. It's not an area I would try to trade players. Jorge Polanco is pretty close to ready, so he is the backup plan (likely) for Escobar or Dozier. Vielma has a chance, but also, will he hit enough to be more than just elite defensively. Gordon has the upside, but there's never guarantee with a 20 year old. Javier is a long ways away. I'd be hesitant to deal any of them.

I think it's more important for him to play every day. In Rochester, he would split time with Polanco and Beresford. At Chattanooga, he can play every day. If I'm Mientkiewiecz and Brad Steil, I would want him to play all three infield spots though, just so he's got some experience at each.

Today, we continue to look at the organization’s depth at all of the positions by learning about the middle infielders. Previously, we have reviewed the Catchersand First Basemen in the situation. If anything goes off of plan, who are some of the options to fill in at first base in the coming years, and are there any prospects with the potential to be impact players down the line? Read on and see what you think, and then let’s discuss below in the comments.MAJOR LEAGUES Brian Dozier enters his fourth full season as the Twins starting second baseman. He made his first All-Star Game. However, for the second straight season, he struggled mightily after the All-Star break. However, despite those struggles, he ended the season with 39 doubles and 28 home runs. He’ll be 29 in mid-May. Eduardo Escobar has lived with the title of “Utility” infielder since coming up with the White Sox in 2011. Despite performing well in the 2nd half in 2014, Escobar went back to a utility role last year. However, by the second half of 2015, he was back to starting and one of the most productive shortstops in baseball. In 2016, Escobar finally goes into the season as the starting shortstop. He recently turned 27. Eduardo Nunez was tendered a contract after putting together a strong 2015 season as a utility player and pinch hitter. He hit .282/.327/.431 (.758). He played second base, third base, shortstop and left field. He is still 28 years old and should take Escobar’s utility role, along with the next player. Danny Santana was terrific as a rookie in 2014 when he played centerfield. And he was a favorite of Paul Molitor, so he got the starting shortstop job on Opening Day. The Twins gave him every opportunity to run with the job, but by midseason, they had to go to Escobar. Santana is now out of options, so he’ll get an opportunity to play centerfield and both middle infield positions. MINOR LEAGUES Rochester Red Wings James Beresford originally signed with the Twins in 2005. He reached AAA in the second half of 2013 and has been there since. In 2015, he was an All-Star and hit .307 for the Red Wings.He turns 27 next week. Jorge Polanco remains one of the Twins better prospects. He debuted with the Twins due to roster rules in 2013 at the age of 20. He’s had a few cups of coffee since then. Some may forget that he’s still just 22 and has progressed nicely up the system. He split the 2015 season between Chattanooga and Rochester (with more coffee with the Twins). He can hit. He’s nearly big-league ready offensively, but can he play defense? Can he play shortstop? Can he play second base? 2016 is a big year for Polanco. After spending seven seasons in the Red Sox organization, the Twins signed Heiker Meneses in 2015 and sent him to Chattanooga. He plays both middle infield spots pretty well. He’s still just 24 years old. He hit .259/.317/.300 (.617) for the Lookouts in 2015. Wilfredo Tovar played in nine games for the Mets in 2013 and 2014. He was in that organization from 2007 through 2015. The Twins signed him to a minor league deal with a spring invite. Last year in Las Vegas, he hit .283/.327/.356 (.683) with 15 doubles and three triples. He is also 24. He has good range at shortstop or third base. Chattanooga Lookouts Levi Michael was the Twins' firsr-round pick in 2011 out of North Carolina. He has struggled, primarily with injury, since. However, the last two years, when healthy, he has hit. He also puts together quality at-bats. He posted an .804 OPS in Chattanooga. He’ll turn 25 in February. He could be a utility option down the line, but he has only played second base in the regular season in the minors. Engelb Vielma is 21 and signed with the Twins in 2011. He has moved up quickly and last year in Ft. Myers he hit .270/.321/.306 (.627) with 12 extra base hits. But he hit well in the second half. Vielma is absolutely elite defensively at shortstop and does everything well. He is definitely one to watch in 2016 because if he plays well and hits at all, he could be in the big league picture in 2017. Leonardo Reginatto signed with the Rays in 2008 and has spent his entire career with that organization. In December, he signed a minor league deal with the Twins (no spring training invite). Between AA and AAA in 2015, he hit .269/.323/.364 with 19 doubles and three homers. He played three infield spot with above average range at all three. Ryan Walker was the Twins 18th-round pick in 2013 from Texas-Arlington. His season started late, but in 83 games with Ft. Myers, he hit .269/.311/.312 (.623). He’s very good defensively at both middle infield positions. He has really good range and a good arm. Ft. Myers Miracle Nick Gordon has been pushed quickly since being selected with the fifth overall pick in 2014. He spent 2015, his first full season, in Cedar Rapids. In 120 games, he hit .277/.336/.360 (.696). He had one rough month and was really solid the rest of the season. Defensively, he was above average and can stick at shortstop. He will be 20 years old through the 2016 season. Tanner Vavra struggled mightily the first month of 2015, but he hit well the rest of the year, especially after he started playing more consistently. He ended up hitting .258/.346/.300 (.646) with the Miracle. He could move up to AA at the start of the season, but I’m just guessing he could get a couple of months of starting most every day (all over the diamond) for the Miracle before moving up. He recently turned 26. Minnesotan Pat Kelly will also likely move up a level and be a utility type for the Miracle. With the Kernels in 2015, he primarily played second base, but also got time at first base and third base. The 23-year-old hit .220/.278/.312 (.590) in 95 games with the Kernels, so he could remain in Cedar Rapids as well. Cedar Rapids Kernels Jermaine Palacios will be 19 years old until mid-July. He is a prospect that kind of came out of nowhere in 2015. He came to the States and began the season in the GCL by hitting .421/.472/.589 (1.061) in 26 games. He moved up to Elizabethton and hit .336/.345/.507 (.852) in 31 games. His bat appears to be legit, but he has a long ways to go with the glove, which could slow his progress. At 5-9 and 160 pounds, Manuel Guzman is one of the faster prospects in the organization. He played shortstop in Elizabethton until Palacios arrived and he moved to second base. He’ll turn 21 in a few weeks and should move up to Cedar Rapids. He was much better defensively at second base as well. Alex Perez was the Twins 23rd round pick last year after playing four years at Virginia Tech. He played second base for Elizabethton last year where he hit .239/.331/.303 (.634). Extended Spring Training Luis Arraez came to the States for the 2015 season and had a solid debut. He hit .309/.377/.391 (.768) with 15 doubles. He played primarily at second base (and played well), but he also saw time at shortstop, third base and left field. He will turn 19 right after Opening Day. Ariel Montesino began the short-season at Elizabethton, but when Palacios pushed his way up, Montesino was sent back to the GCL. He hit .243/.341/.324 (.665) in the GCL. He turned 20 after the season and should move up to Elizabethton this season. Australian Aaron Whitefield signed last summer with the Twins. After some visa issues, he arrived in the States and played in seven games. He played softball his entire life until the last year. He’ll be just 19 throughout the season, so he’ll be fun to watch progress. SUMMARY The Twins go into the season knowing their keystone combination. It will be Brian Dozier and Eduardo Escobar. Dozier had the great first half. Escobar had the great second half. It could be a lot of fun if they both can put together full seasons. James Beresford and Jorge Polanco are ready if needed at either of those positions, if and/or when needed. Once an area of weakness, shortstop has become an area of strength in the organization to the point where it’s likely one or more of them will be moved off of the position, not because they can’t handle shortstop, but because they want more than one of them playing. For instance, by 2019, I can see a scenario where Engelb Vielma is the starting shortstop and Nick Gordon is the starting second baseman despite the fact that Gordon can probably be a quality shortstop. And, the Twins gave Wander Javier $4 million to sign with them in 2015. Middle Infield Prospect Rankings: Nick Gordon,Jorge Polanco,Engelb VielmaWander Javier,Jermaine PalaciosLevi Michael Click here to view the article

Here are my guesses/projections (OK, guesses): Escobar: Twins offer $1.4, Escobar asks for $2.2... will get around the $1.8M projection. (would consider a two-year, $3.2M deal... wouldn't go longer) Plouffe: I'd guess he'll ask for $8.5 and the Twins will counter around $6.8, and they'll settle around $7.5M. Milone: I'd guess the Twins offer is about $3.6M... his side will want $4.6M, so I think they'll be around $4.1M. Nunez: Twins can offer about $1.3. Nunez will ask for $2. This one could go to arbitration where the Twins would likely lose. If they do come to an agreement, it will be at least $1.6M. Jepsen: I'd absolutely do 2/$11M. If not, the Twins will likely offer about $4.5M, and the Jepsen side will ask for closer to $6.0M. They'll settle around $5.4M. Fien: He'll ask for $2.2M (or so), and the Twins will offer him $1.5M (or so). They'll settle around that $1.8M or so. Could get up to $2M. That's fair.

But Luis Castillo...

For some reason yesterday, I completely lost my Microsoft Office package at home. So I don't know what happened, but my roster projections and everything are gone. They're there, but I can't open them. So, very frustrating. So, I wrote the above by memory, so now surprising I missed a few... I just went in and added Nolasco and Kepler. Thank you!

Yeah, the backup catcher would be Ryan or Suzuki depending on the day. They have started most seasons with 12 pitchers, then it seems like something happens and they go to 13.

I actually have no problem with Nolasco. I liked the signing then. He had always been real solid and the Twins needed 'solid' starting pitching. He should/could be a #3. I don't completely give up on him... I just don't think he should just get a starting job over any of the five I mentioned, or Berrios. Right or wrong.

I don't know if that was completely forgetting about him, or some sort of unintentional foreshadowing... I suppose, based on present roster makeup, he would slot in with the right-handed relievers, and probably take a spot from Ryan O'Rourke or Fernando Abad. They'd have to go with just one lefty (beyond Perkins).

There is a lot of groaning among Twins fans right about now. The Winter Caravan gets started next week. Twins Fest is just three weeks away. The Twins haven’t made a big transaction since early November when they announced three deals in three days. Last week, Nick wrote that there are still players out there that the Twins can go after. But, what if they are done? What does the Twins lineup look like, and what kind of depth do they have?Today, I’m going to go through the options, and very briefly (less than a tweet - which for now is still just 140 characters!) give their status on the Twins roster. Let’s start with the Hitters and then get to the Pitchers: HITTERS Catcher (2) - Kurt Suzuki/John Ryan Murphy - Suzuki has an option at 385 plate appearances. He won’t get that. Split time early, but I assume Murphy will get more playing time as the year progresses. First Base (1) - Joe Mauer - Mauer hasn’t been as good the last two years at the plate as he had been. He’ll turn 33 early in April. Third year back after concussion. Still strong on-base skills. Second Base (1) - Brian Dozier - Earned his All-Star spot with a great first half. Struggled mightily in the 2nd half. Defense is quality, even if the defensive metrics don’t show it. Third Base (1) - Trevor Plouffe - We’re all somewhat surprised that he is still around, but Ryan wisely won’t just give him away. 20+ HR power and solid defense makes him worth keeping around in the middle of the lineup. Shortstop (1) - Eduardo Escobar - One of the most difficult things in baseball is for a utility player to be seen as a starter. However, after playing really well once given shortstop duties the last two years, Escobar should be handed the job this year. Hopefully he runs with it. Left Field (1) - Eddie Rosario - Had a nice showing as a rookie, surprising many. Put up double digits in pretty much every offensive category, as well as outfield assists. Strong arm. Needs to get on base more. He should stay in left to cover all that ground in Target Field. Center Field (1) - Byron Buxton - I do believe that Buxton will be given every opportunity to start on Opening Day, but he isn’t going to just be (and shouldn’t be) handed the job. His defense is ready now. How long for the bat to adjust? Right Field (1) - Miguel Sano - The young slugger is being moved to the outfield. Of course, it will be an interesting transition, but he’s talented and athletic enough to do it successfully. He showed great power in 2015, and if he can make more contact, he will become an All Star quickly. Designated Hitter (1) - Byung Ho Park - Coming from Korea, no one can fairly project what Park can do in the short-term or long-term.. There is certain to be some adjustment needed. But the power potential is there. Can play first base too. Bench (4) - Backup Catcher, Eduardo Nunez, Oswaldo Arcia, Danny Santana - Santana, Nunez and Arcia are out of options. Nunez can play 3B, 2B, SS, LF and RF. Arcia can play LF, RF, DH and PH. Santana can play 2B and SS, but also is an option in CF if Buxton isn’t ready yet. DEPTH - There are several guys at AAA that could provide depth. At 1B, Kennys Vargas could provide some thump. At 2B, James Beresford deserved a call-up in 2015. He returns. Buck Britton at third base. Veterans like Darin Mastroianni and Joe Benson could be fifth outfielder types if needed. John Hicks and Juan Centeno have big league time as back-up catchers. PROSPECT DEPTH - Jorge Polanco’s had several cups of coffee. His ability to hit is much closer to big-league ready than his middle infield defense. Adam Brett Walker and his mammoth power should spend most of the 2015 season in Rochester. Max Kepler could be ready very soon after his strong showing in AA last year. He'll start in AAA, but could be up before midseason. PITCHERS STARTING PITCHERS Starter 1 - Ervin Santana - The veteran missed the first 80 games last year, and struggled a bit when he came back, but late, he showed he can be a reliable #3 type of starter. Starter 2 - Phil Hughes - 2015 was injury-filled and just poor, but 2014 was tremendous. Likely, he’s somewhere in the middle, which again makes him a solid mid-rotation starter. Starter 3 - Kyle Gibson - 2015 Twins Pitcher of the Year improved from 2014 to 2015. It’d be nice to see him take that next step in 2016 to being even more consistent. Can be a solid #3. Starter 4 - Tyler Duffey - He was about my #15 prospect coming into 2015. Rough debut, but after that, he was arguably the Twins top pitcher over the final two months of the season. Killer curveball. He deserves to start the season in the rotation despite just ten big league starts. Starter 5 - Tommy Milone - Because he doesn’t touch 90 often with his fastball, he is often overlooked, but he has been a quality #4-type of starter for several years. He needs pinpoint control, but most times out, he has it. PROSPECT DEPTH - Everyone wants to know when JO Berrios will be ready. Soon, and very soon. As much as the Twins should play the service time game with him, their precedent is that they won’t. However, because there are five guys who do deserve a spot to start the season. However, it’s amazing how these things tend to work themselves out over time. Also in AAA will likely be lefties Taylor Rogers and Pat Dean. BULLPEN Closer (1) - Glen Perkins - An All-Star the last three years, Perkins really struggled in the second half of the 2015 season. he was also injured in the second half of the 2014 season. Hopefully that trend goes away in 2016. Right-Handed Relievers (4) - Kevin Jepsen, Trevor May, Casey Fien, Michael Tonkin - Jepsen came to the Twins a year ago from the Rays at the deadline. He ended up doing a terrific job as the Twins closer. Trevor May will get an opportunity to start, but with the five mentioned above, plus Berrios, May will most likely be in the bullpen from the start of the season and has a chance to be dominant. Fien was dominant in 2013 and 2014 for the Twins, but 2015 was an injury-plagues season for the right-hander. If healthy, he provides some strong innings. Michael Tonkin is out of options, so he will have to remain with the team or be placed on waiver and could be lost. He should get a shot. DEPTH - There is quite a bit of depth here. From inside the organization, former Rule 5 picks Ryan Pressly and JR Graham will likely be in AAA (though if the Twins were to start the season with 13 pitchers, Pressly has a good chance). Alex Meyer had ups and downs after his move to the bullpen last year. Brandon Kintzler has pitched a lot of games and a lot of innings over the last six seasons in Milwaukee. He was hurt last year, so he came in on a minor league contract. Of course, Ricky Nolasco factors into the pitching staff still. We just can't be sure how. PROSPECT DEPTH - The names we heard a year ago as possible options for the 2nd half of 2015 are the same names that we’ll again here in 2016. Hard-throwing Nick Burdi, JT Chargois and Jake Reed could all get time in the big leagues in 2016. However, Minnesotan Brandon Peterson has been one of the better relievers in the organization the last two years and spent the 2nd half of 2015 in AA. Left-Handed Relievers (2) - Fernando Abad, Ryan O’Rourke - This is the area where the Twins have been most vocal about looking this offseason. To this point, the top free agent southpaw signing has been Abad, who came in on a minor league deal. He was not good in 2015, but was good for a couple of years before that. O’Rourke was a nice story in mid-2015 when he was called up. He has always dominated left-handers, and did so again in the majors. DEPTH - The Twins added a couple of lefty relievers who spent time in independent leagues in 2015. Buddy Boshers and Dan Runtzler both have big league time in the last few years, but were signed to minor league deals out of an indy league. Both are long-shots, but intriguing. PROSPECT DEPTH - Though Taylor Rogers has started throughout his pro career, Rogers posted very good numbers against left-handers in AAA in 2015. At 25, he could be considered a potentially dominant lefty reliever because of a good fastball and a devastating slider. Logan Darnell had a strong final month in Rochester and was called up, though he got pneumonia and couldn’t pitch. Mason Melotakis missed the entire 2015 season after having Tommy John surgery late in 2014, he impressed in the Instructional League, hitting 97 with his fastball. The Twins could be cautious, but he if he proves himself healthy, he could be ready quickly. So there you have it. My current projected roster, along with depth in the form of veteran minor leaguers or prospects who are on the cusp of a big league call up. What does this show? The Twins one need is a 6th or 7th inning reliever. That’s about it. Their lineup is pretty close to being set. Centerfield is really the only job that would be open in spring training. The bullpen is really solid in the late innings, but just needs another reliable arm. However, there are a lot of guys now in the organization who could thrive given an opportunity. It helps me feel good about sticking to my opinion that the Twins shouldn’t dig on the fringes. When middle-of-the-road relievers are making $3-5 million, and they’re not as good as internal options, there’s no reason to sign those guys. Trading for a Will Smith or a Jake McGee, for the right price, makes sense. As much as it is more exciting when there are transactions, they have to make sense and make the team better. Click here to view the article

Here is the link to the 2010 version. That year, I worked on it with MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo, and we tried a different site. It didn't go as well.

Here is the link to the 2009 version and 2011-2016: http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/sethspeaks

I agree... and again, I don't think the Twins PR department should say anything about it.

I guess I don't get it... Per that article, he's working 6 hours a day at the Twins facility in the Dominican. They Twins have staff there and can monitor it. He can do the same drills there as he can in Ft. Myers. Do we want or need some sort of hour-by-hour breakdown of what he's doing? I guess I don't need to know the specifics. Having been the spring training in recent years, I know some of the fundamentals they do there with outfielders. These aren't things you would spend six hours a day on... If he's working on outfield drills for an hour a day... Shagging in the outfield for an hour a day. Hitting for an hour a day. Work at 3B for an hour a day. Conditioning/Lifting for an hour or two a day. That's a pretty busy, effective day. I guess I don't know what more the PR department is supposed to tell us.

It appears that Miguel Sano (and Tyler Duffey and likely one more player) is at MLB's Rookie Symposium. It's usually a 3-4 day thing in DC.

Agreed, and you can't spend 6 hours taking fly balls, so I'm glad to hear that he's also still working at third base. And 6 a.m. is crazy!

Well, if it's about experience, then guys like Corcino, Diemer, Larson and Murphy all have a year or two more of experience.

Cedar Rapids had outfielders and were in the playoffs... E-Town had a playoff chance until late. As soon as their season was over, he moved up. That first pro season is about a lot more than baseball. But, each year 1-2 college draft guys get moved up to Cedar Rapids.

Plouffe was one of those prospects that bounced a little bit, up and down. Span was another.

I thought I'd share my 2011 Top 10 Twins Prospects list as well (since Cody mocked my 2008 Top 4, I figured it was fair...)... Note - you can find all of our Top 30s from previous books. I have mine back to 2005, in the Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook.

LaMonte Wade turned 22 years old on New Years Day. He was the Twins ninth- round pick just last year out and had a terrific pro debut in Elizabethton before joining the Cedar Rapids Kernels for their deep playoff run. Recently, he spent some time chatting with us, and letting us Get To Know him.Wade grew up in Maryland and was one of the best baseball players in the state coming out of high school. He went undrafted and stayed home, choosing to play for the Maryland Terrapins. He played mostly first base his first two college seasons. Coming into his junior season, he looked to be a Top 5 type of pick and was playing his more natural centerfield, but a broken hamate bone cost him a lot of playing time. He returned late in the year and played well. The Twins were fortunate to be able to select him in the ninth round. He began his pro career in Elizabethton. In 64 games, he hit .312/.428/.506 (.934) with eight doubles, five triples and nine home runs. He was also 12-13 in stolen base attempts. However, in his final 31 games with the E-Twins, he hit .333/.478/.514 (.993) with three doubles, two triples and four home runs. One of the most impressive things, however, was that in that time, he walked 31 times and struck out just 13 times. Following the Elizabethton season, Wade moved up and played in four games for Cedar Rapids. He also played in the outfield for the Kernels throughout their playoff run and had a couple of big hits. Thank you to LaMonte Wade for taking time to give us such thoughtful answers. -------------------------------------- Seth Stohs (SS): Growing up in Maryland, who was your favorite team to follow? Who were some of your favorite players? LaMonte Wade (LW): My favorite team to follow growing up was the Baltimore Orioles. I would watch their games when I would return home from school every day and occasionally get to a game or two. My favorite player to follow was Ken Griffey Jr. SS: You had a fantastic high school career. What are some of your best memories from those days? LW: My best memory from high school happened my senior year when my brother and I both were a part of the varsity team. Being able to play alongside my brother was a very special moment for me and my family. SS: You made the decision to stay at home and play at the University of Maryland. Was that a difficult decision? LW: The decision for me to attend the University of Maryland was an easy choice simply because I always wanted to be a Terp. My dad attended the university and would always take my brother and me to basketball games. I fell in love with the university at a young age so when the time came for me to choose a school it was an easy call. SS: How frustrating was it to miss weeks of your junior season with injury? LW: When I broke my hamate bone in the middle of the season, I was very disappointed because I knew I was going to miss a lot of games during a point in the season where we were playing a lot of good teams. Being sidelined, not able to help contribute on the field and not traveling with the team was the worst experience of my baseball career. SS: Did you have the chance to speak with scouts before the draft? Did you have a sense for where you might be drafted? What was your interaction with the Twins scout? LW: I did have the chance to speak with scouts before the draft, however, I did not really know where I might be or if I would get drafted. The conversation never came down to that question and answer. I had a meeting with Mr. Wilson (Twins scout, John) before the season and then didn't hear from him again until the draft. SS: The Twins took you in the 9th round. How did you find out that you had been drafted? How busy was your phone at that moment? LW: I found out that I had been drafted by the Twins when Mr. Wilson (Twins scout) called and told me, and I was also following the draft online. My phone was constantly ringing from scouts, my agent, and my parents. SS: What was the adjustment like for you from the amateur/college game to the professional game, both on and off the field? LW: Going from college ball to pro ball, I would say, the biggest adjustment was getting used to playing every day of the week. In college, we played three games on the weekend, along with one game during the week. Whereas in pro ball, we would play every night so my mind and body had to adjust quickly. As far as off the field, I had to get use to communicating with Latin players which was new to me, along with getting used to living with a host family for such an extended period of time. SS: You put up remarkable numbers at Elizabethton, walking a lot and showing power. Then you got the opportunity to play with the Cedar Rapids Kernels in their playoff run. How would you assess your professional debut? LW: My first year with the Twins I would say was very enjoyable and exciting. I met a lot of good people from players to coaches and staff. I was able to be apart of a playoff run in my first year and learned a lot along the way. SS: At this very early stage of your career, what would you say is your strength? LW: I would say my biggest strength is to be able to have a short memory and never get too high or too low after a good performance or a not-so-good one. SS: What is the area of your game that you would like to spend time working to improve? LW: I will like to improve on every aspect of my game and become a better all-around player that can help contribute to his team in a variety of ways on a consistent basis. SS: Who are some of the people who have helped you get to this point in your career? LW: My parents, first and foremost. Without them, I wouldn't be where I am today. They have always supported me and given me the best opportunities to succeed on and off the field. Also, my college coaches I feel have really prepared me and coached me to become a better player and person. SS: How has the offseason been? What do you do when you’re not playing baseball? LW: The offseason has been great. I work out with my brother every day, preparing for spring training. When I am not playing baseball, I like to spend time with friends and family, playing basketball and ping-pong. SS: At what point do you start your preparation for the 2016 season? LW: I took two weeks off after instructs, and from that point on, the preparation begins. I look forward to this upcoming season. SS: Favorite Baseball Movie? LW: My favorite baseball movie is Angels in the Outfield. Again, a big Thank You to LaMonte Wade. He is certainly one to watch in 2016! Feel free to comment and discuss below. Click here to view the article