Seth Stohs

They have a lot of pitchers and typically relievers will work twice a week for 1, maybe 2 innings. I haven't heard anything more about those two specifically.

I've heard that as well. I know he can touch 92. I don't think he sits there yet.

At this time, we are planning on doing a weekly report for the Arizona Fall League, highlighting the individual performances. We considered doing it daily, but for instance, on Thursday afternoon, Garver was the only Twins prospect to play. We are also going to do a weekly article on the other Winter Leagues (Venezuela, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Mexico and Australia).

I added this to the just-posted Part 2 (31-40). Here are the previous rankings for the guys in 41-50. Jason Wheeler: 2015 (21) Niko Goodrum: 2015 (27), 2014 (20), 2013 (27), 2012 (19), 2011 (26) Brett Lee: 2014 (27) Levi Michael: 2013 (30), 2012 (17) DJ Baxendale: 2014 (25)

Yesterday was Part 1 of my preliminary Top 50 Minnesota Twins prospect list, prospects 41 through 50. Today, I’ll continue the countdown by posting my 31 through 40 prospects. I definitely welcome any and all feedback on these prospects. Who should be ranked higher, or lower, and why? This group is headlined by some hard-throwing relievers who could surface in 2016. As a quick reminder, players eligible to be on this list include players who remain eligible for Rookie of the Year voting in 2016. That is to say, hitters with less than 130 at bats and pitchers with less than 50 innings. (The list is preliminary. Following research for the Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook 2016 - which Cody Christie, Jeremy Nygaard and I are working on - I’ll provide my final Top 30 prospects list.)Top Prospects 31-40 #40 – Logan Darnell - 26 – LHP – Rochester Red Wings Drafted in the sixth round of the 2010 draft out of Kentucky, Darnell has been a starter throughout the Twins farm system. In fact, he made his MLB debut in May of 2014 as a starter and made four starts for the Twins last year. He came to spring training this year as a bullpen arm. He spent April through July in the Red Wings bullpen, but in August he was moved into their rotation. He responded with his best stretch of the season. In those five starts, he went 3-0 with a 0.83 ERA in 32.2 innings. It earned him a promotion to the Twins. Unfortunately, upon his arrival, he came down with pneumonia, lost 17 pounds and was unable to pitch. Long-relief appears to be where his role with the Twins can be going forward. He is pitching this winter in Venezuela. Previous Top 30 Rankings: 2015 (30), 2012 (25) #39 – Brandon Peterson - 24 – RHP – Ft. Myers Miracle/Chattanooga Lookouts The Savage, MN, native and Burnsville high school graduate was the Twins 13th round pick in 2013 out of Wichita State. He was the Twins Daily Minor League Relief Pitcher of the Year in 2014 when he posted a combined 1.57 ERA and 0.98 WHIP between Cedar Rapids and Ft. Myers. He also added 13.2 strikeouts per nine innings. He began the 2015 season with the Miracle where he spent half the season before being promoted to the Lookouts. At one point, he went 26 innings without allowing a run. Combined, he went 3-1 with a 2.07 ERA, a 1.18 WHIP and 11.5 strikeouts per nine innings. Peterson tops out at about 94 mph, but he still is able to miss a lot of bats. He’ll likely begin with the Lookouts, but could get up to AAA in 2016. #38 – Corey Williams - 25 – LHP – Ft. Myers Miracle/Chattanooga Lookouts Drafted by the Twins in the third round of the 2011 draft out of Vanderbilt. The hard-throwing southpaw touched AA by the end of the season. However, he hurt his elbow in the spring of 2014 and had Tommy John surgery. He missed all of that season and returned to the mound for the Miracle in early June, 14 months after surgery. He posted a 2.49 ERA in 25.1 innings with the Miracle before a 2.25 ERA in eight innings with Chattanooga. Getting through this season was a big thing for Williams. At full strength, it’s not unrealistic that he could pitch for the Twins late in the 2016 season. #37 – Luke Bard - 24 – RHP – Cedar Rapids Kernels After taking Byron Buxton and JO Berrios in the 2012 draft, the Twins used their second supplemental first round pick on Bard, a right-hander from Georgia Tech. From 2012 through 2014, he worked just 19.1 innings for the Twins due to a variety of arm injuries and a series of surgeries. In mid-May of 2014, he had surgery to re-attach a muscle that connects his scapula from his humerous (which isn’t very funny). Doctors were amazed he was able to throw at all. He returned to the mound for the Kernels in late May, just over a year after the surgery. He pitched in a variety of roles out of the Kernels bullpen and went 7-1 with a 2.41 ERA in 52.1 innings. Like Williams, the key was getting through the season healthy. He was back to throwing in the mid-to-upper 90s. Previous Top 30 Rankings: 2014 (23), 2013 (20) #36 – Tanner English - 22 – OF – Cedar Rapids Kernels The Twins selected English with their 11th round pick in 2014 out of the University of South Carolina. At 5-10 and 175 pounds, he is a tremendous defensive outfielder with great range and a very powerful, accurate arm. He played for Elizabethton after signing with the Twins, though he missed time with a sore shoulder. He played for Cedar Rapids in the 2014 playoffs. He played for the Kernels in 2015 and hit .265/.359/.406 (.764) with 22 doubles, eight triples and five home runs. He also stole 37 bases. Unfortunately his season ended early following a sprained thumb after a collision in the outfield. He missed the final three weeks plus the Kernels’ run to the MWL championship series. In his final 36 games, he hit .328/.400/.518 (.918). He’ll begin the 2016 season in Ft. Myers. #35 – Mitch Garver - 24 – C – Ft. Myers Miracle Garver was the Twins ninth round pick in 2013 out of the University of New Mexico where he played for four years. He spent that summer in Elizabethton. He moved up to Cedar Rapids in 2014 and was named the Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Year. In 120 games, he hit .298/.399/.481 (.880) with 29 doubles, 16 homers and 79 RBI. That earned him an invitation to big league spring training. He moved up to Ft. Myers where it was a tale of two seasons for him. On May 31, after 41 games, he was hitting .185/.317/.215 (.532). However, over his final 85 games, he hit .272/.374/.386 (.760). Most have said that his defense really improved in 2015. He threw out 38% of base runners and pitchers really like throwing to him as well. He is currently in the Arizona. On Thursday, he played his first game and went 2-3 with a walk, a double and a three-run home run. Previous Top 30 Rankings: 2014 (26) #34 – Lachlan Wells - 18 – LHP – GCL Twins The Twins signed the lefty from Australia in August of 2014. At 6-0 and 185 pounds, Wells is still growing and will add velocity. He debuted in the Gulf Coast League this year and was very good. He made nine starts (and one bullpen appearance). He went 5-2 with a 2.09 ERA and a 0.97 WHIP in 47.1 innings. He walked just 11 and struck out 49. He missed the last week of the season as he went to Japan and represented Australia in the U18 World Championships. It is the same tournament that Lewis Thorpe pitched in two years ago. Wells was on that team as well. Though he doesn’t throw quite as hard as Thorpe does, Wells is certainly one to watch. He will certainly begin 2016 in extended spring training and probably go to Elizabethton, but he could see time in Cedar Rapids. #33 – Mason Melotakis - 24 – LHP – Did Not Pitch Melotakis was the Twins second round pick in 2012 out of Northwestern State University of Louisiana where he was a reliever. Starting in 2013, he got the chance to start. He made 18 starts for Cedar Rapids before moving to the bullpen. In 2014, he made two starts for Ft. Myers before being moved ot the bullpen. He made 25 appearances for the Miracle before moving up to New Britain. He pitched in 13 games. He was supposed to pitch in the Arizona Fall League. However, elbow problems surfaced and he had Tommy John surgery. He missed the entire 2015 season. He should return in the 2016 season. As with others mentioned above, getting him through the season healthy will be priority number one. He’s blessed with a big arm, and a big fastball and a very good breaking ball. Patience is important, but he could surface with the Twins later in the year. Previous Top 30 Rankings: 2013 (22) #32 – Zack Jones – 24 – RHP – Chattanooga Lookouts/Ft. Myers Miracle Jones was the Twins fourth round pick in 2012 out of San Jose State. After six games in E-Town, he advanced to Beloit to end the season. He posted a 1.85 ERA for Ft. Myers in 2013 and went to the Arizona Fall League where he pitched in seven games and left early due to lack of feeling in his fingers. Later in the offseason, doctors found an aneurysm in his shoulder and he needed surgery. A blood clot was later found in his leg which cost him more time at the start of the 2014 season. He went to Ft. Myers very late in the 2014 season and was the team’s closer in their championship run. He returned to the AFL. He began 2015 with Chattanooga and was a Southern League All-Star after a strong first half. However, things went downhill at the point and he ended the season Ft. Myers. Despite a tough second half, he remains a guy whose arm could get him to the big leagues. Previous Top 30 Rankings: 2015 (24), 2014 (22) #31 – Michael Cederoth – 22 – RHP – Cedar Rapids Kernels Cederoth, a 6-6 right-hander, was the Twins third round pick out of San Diego State. In college, he started and worked out of the bullpen. As a pro, the Twins will give him the opportunity to start. He made ten starts for Elizabethton in 2014. In Cedar Rapids in 2015, he made six starts and five bullpen appearances. He went 1-4 with a 4.08 ERA and a 1.44 WHIP. In 35.1 innings, he walked 18 and struck out 37. His season came to an end in early June when he was placed on the disabled list with an illness. He returned for Instructs. Another hard-throwing right-hander who will likely be in the bullpen long term. His near-triple figures fastball and pitch mix could make him dominant. So, what do you think of Part 2, Prospects 31-40? Next week, we’ll continue the countdown. 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Options used in 2013, 2014 and 2015. Some can get a 4th option, but not Santana.

People forget that Dozier debuted at 24, and less than 2 years after being drafted. he was a 4-year college senior, so the circumstances were different for him. Michael was still just 20 when he was drafted after his junior season.

Lester Oliveros isn't on the 40 man roster. Hasn't been since spring training... I also believe that Danny Santana is out of options.

Maybe, and I think he's got the talent to move up the list. Maybe it's a case of having done this for a decade, but I tend to draw back on things from years past and maybe it makes me more conservative on some and less so on others. 2014's 9th round pick put up much bigger numbers at E-Town and moved up to CR quicker. He struggled in 2015 back with the Kernels and isn't on this top 50... Now, I've also been around long enough to know that these are just fun rankings and in the long run don't matter. Both of those players could be Top 20 guys by the end of 2016. You just don't know. But the BB:K rate of Wade is very encouraging. We just haven't seen enough of him yet to know. I just couldn't put him any higher... yet.

I can do that... I'll include that in the comments here. But I'll only include guys who made my previous Top 30 lists heading into spring training. Remember this is a preliminary list and after researching all 150 or so minor leaguers, it is definitely subject to change.

I don't actually disagree with anything you say here about Michael, except for being a Dozier replacement. He could be a replacement if Dozier got hurt maybe. I'd be surprised if the Twins protected him, but at the same time, I do think that he's shown that, when healthy, he can be a solid player. I think he can be a poor-man's Nick Punto... just without the great defense and rocket for an arm. Offensively, pretty similar, I think.

He is an incredible athlete and definitely should not be given up on. Going back to when he was drafted, it was all about tools and upside. I would agree that if he can get the hit tool improved, he's got a chance. He really struggled defensively at 3B this year, but he's got a good glove and a strong arm. Definitely don't give up on him!

That's why they're in the 40s. Some good potential on this list, but injuries or inconsistent play or scouting reports or whatever have them here. If these guys were top 20 guys, it'd be worrisome. That this group is 41-50 should be pretty encouraging for what's left on the list. Even after some really good prospects 'graduated' from prospect rankings.

Since the end of minor league season, we have handed out some minor league awards. Twins Daily named Trevor Hildenberger the Relief Pitcher of the Year. JO Berrios won the Starting Pitcher of the Year for the second straight season. Max Kepler was the Best Hitter. Jermaine Palacios and Williams Ramirez ran away with the Best Hitter and Best Pitcher among short-season players Today I’m going to start a preliminary Top 50 Twins prospects list and welcome your feedback. Today, I’ll post Part 1: Prospects 41-50.Players eligible to be on this list include players who remain eligible for Rookie of the Year voting in 2016. That is to say, hitters with less than 130 at-bats and pitchers with less than 50 innings. (The list is preliminary. Following research for the Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook 2016 - which Cody Christie, Jeremy Nygaard and I are working on - I’ll provide my final Top 30 prospects list.) Top Prospects 41-50 #50 – Zach Granite - 23 – OF – Cedar Rapids Kernels/Ft. Myers Miracle Granite was the Twins 14th round pick in 2013 out of Seton Hall. He was limited to just 25 games in 2014 due to a couple of separate injuries. He began the 2015 season back in Cedar Rapids for 19 games during which he hit .358/.463/.463 (.925). He was promoted on May 1 to Ft. Myers where the numbers weren’t quite the same. He hit .249/.328/.304 (.632) with 10 doubles, four triples and a homer. Listed at 6-1 and 175 pounds (maybe!), Granite’s best tool is his speed. He also profiles well at the top of a batting order as he puts together very professional at-bats. Early in the season, a Twins Daily writer asked Granite whether he’s thinking double every time he hits the ball to the outfield. He responded, “I’m thinking triple out of the box.” #49 – Mat Batts - 24 – LHP – Cedar Rapids Kernels/Ft. Myers Miracle Mat Batts spent summers during college interning at Baseball America. This offseason he is writing high school football stories in North Carolina. At times during the season, he wrote for Twins Daily. He was the Twins 17th round pick in 2014 after playing four years at UNC-Wilmington. His fastball tops out in the mid-to-upper 80s, but he has put up remarkable numbers since signing. Between the GCL, Elizabethton and Cedar Rapids in 2014, he went 4-1 with a 1.78 ERA. He began 2015 by going 3-2 with a 2.21 ERA in seven starts for the Kernels. He moved up to Ft. Myers and went 8-4 with a 2.77 ERA in 17 starts. He walks hardly anyone and despite lack of velocity, struck out 8.1 per nine innings overall this season. Listed at 5-11 and 190 pounds, Batts has a deceptive delivery and a good pitch mix to go with good command. As they frequently say, the biggest challenge will be when he gets to AA. #48 – Keaton Steele - 23 – RHP –Cedar Rapids Kernels Steele is another four-year college guy. After playing at Iowa Western CC, he went to Missouri where he pitched for two years (and was drafted twice). The Twins made him their eighth round pick in 2014. He pitched well at Elizabethton in 2014 out of the bullpen. He began 2015 at extended spring training, but he made 14 starts (15 appearances) for the Kernels. He went 7-4 with a 3.41 ERA. In 89.2 innings he walked just 21, though he also struck out just 60. As the Kernels got to the postseason, Steele was pitching his best. #47 – DJ Baxendale - 24 – RHP – Chattanooga Lookouts The Twins drafted Baxendale in the 10th round of the 2012 draft. He signed shortly after pitching for Arkansas in the College World Series. He’s got a good fastball in the low-90s with movement. He also has a good slider. He moved up the system quickly, reaching AA New Britain by May of 2013 where he did struggle. In 2014, he struggled with the Rock Cats before moving back down to Ft. Myers. It turned out that he was injured and just didn’t fully recover the rest of the season. He pitched for Chattanooga through the 2015 season. In 21 starts (two relief outings), he went 7-5 with a 3.80 ERA in 118.1 innings. He walked 40 and struck out 92. He has started, but his stuff may play better out of the bullpen as he continues to move forward. #46 – Levi Michael - 24 – 2B – Chattanooga Lookouts Michael was the Twins first-round pick (30th overall) out of UNC in Chapel Hill in 2011. He was inured that year and began his professional playing career in Ft. Myers in 2012. He played for Ft. Myers again in 2013. And he began the 2014 season in Ft. Myers. However, in 45 games with the Miracle that year, he hit .305/.375/.395 (.770) In 15 games at New Britain, he hit .340/444/.358 (.803). However, a recurring theme in his career, injury, had limited him to just 60 games. In 2015 in Chattanooga, he hit .267/.369/.434 (.804) with 12 doubles, five triples and five home runs. However, he was limited to just 63 games by injury. When healthy the last two years he has been a solid contributor. He has played almost exclusively at second base the last two years, though he played all three positions in college. His MLB career will likely be as a utility type of player, though he puts together good at-bats and could be a solid #9 hitter in the big leagues for some time. It would be nice if he could just get through a full season healthy. #45 – Brett Lee - 25 – LHP – Ft. Myers Miracle/Chattanooga Lookouts Lee was the Twins 10th round pick in 2011 out of St. Petersburg College in Florida. He has been a starter since his first full season. He was an All-Star in 2014 in the Florida State League, but he missed some time with injury. He was 10-5 with a 2.46 ERA despite a 54/36 strikeout to walk ratio in 106 innings. In 2015, he began the season with six starts for the Miracle. He moved up to Chattanooga and made 16 starts for the Lookouts. He went 6-4 with a 3.10 ERA. In 134 total innings, he walked 41 and struck out just 65. He has good stuff, and twice he has had stretches of three or more starts where he completed seven or more innings. He works quickly and gets quick outs. He is pitching in Venezuela this winter. #44 – LaMonte Wade - 21 – OF – Elizabethton Twins/Cedar Rapids Kernels Wade was the Twins ninth-round pick in 2015 out of the University of Maryland. He fell to the ninth round, in part, because he missed significant time during his junior season with an injury. He finished the Big 10 season strong and was healthy when the Twins assigned him to Elizabethton. In 64 games with the E-Twins, he hit .312/.428/.506 (.934) with eight doubles, five triples and nine home runs. He also stole 12 bases. As impressive, he walked 46 times with just 35 strikeouts. He moved up to Cedar Rapids at the conclusion of the E-Twins season for the final four games and the Kernels playoff run to the Midwest league championship series. Wade is a great athlete with a top of the order approach at the plate. He can play centerfield, get on base and hit for some power. #43 – Niko Goodrum - 23 – IF/OF – Ft. Myers Miracle/Chattanooga Lookouts Goodrum was the Twins second-round draft pick out of high school in Georgia in 2010. He spent that season in the GCL before spending both 2011 and 2012 in Elizabethton. He was a very good shortstop for the Cedar Rapids Kernels in 2013 and in 2014, he was moved to third base in Ft. Myers. He posted a .672 OPS for the Miracle in 2014. He returned to the team for the first half of the 2015 season and posted .671 OPS in 53 games. He was promoted to Chattanooga where he hit .244/.332/.392 (.724) in 61 games. With the Lookouts, he played 15 or more games at third base, shortstop and in center field. An immensely talented athlete with great speed and middle of the field defense, it looks more and more like he will be more of a utility, role player should he get to the big leagues. #42 – Jason Wheeler - 24 – LHP – Rochester Red Wings/Chattanooga Lookouts Wheeler was the Twins eighth-round pick in 2011 out of Loyola Marymount. He pitched well between Ft. Myers and New Britain in 2014 and was added to the Twins 40-man roster following the season. Despite making just 12 starts at AA, and a spot start in AAA, in 2014, the Twins pushed him to AAA to start 2015. Unfortunately, he went 1-7 with a 6.58 ERA in 15 starts. The highlight was likely getting the opportunity to pitch with his brother, former big league infielder Ryan Wheeler, who was signed to a minor league deal and spent about a month with the Red Wings. Wheeler was sent back to AA where he went 4-3 with a 3.92 ERA. He was named the Southern League Championship Series MVP. Though he was removed from the 40-man roster in early September, he still has a chance. #41 – Johan Quezada - 21 – RHP – GCL Twins Signed by the Twins in 2012, he spent the 2013 and 2014 seasons in his home country, playing in the Dominican Summer League. In those two seasons, he posted a 6.02 ERA and a 2.33 WHIP. In 43.1 innings, he struck out 50, but he walked 74. So, how does he enter into this list? Fair question. As a 20-year-old in the GCL, he posted a pedestrian 3.38 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP. However, he greatly improved his walk rate. In 21.1 innings, he gave up just 14 hits, walked 12 (still not good, but much improved) and struck out 23 batters. At 6-6 tall and a lanky build, he was frequently clocked at 97-98 mph. That kind of velocity with improved control is worth monitoring. He turned 21 after the season, so he isn’t young for his level, but he is a project signed just before he turned 18. So what do you think of Part 1, Prospects 41-50? Next up will be prospects 31-40. 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What's weird is that they had Turner skip the Midwest League. He's advanced defensively, but if they wanted the bat to catch up, it would have been nice to put him at Cedar Rapids. Then instead of keeping him at Ft. Myers to start this year, he jumped up to AA right away. I'm not saying that's right or wrong... but if it was me, I'd have Garver and Turner both start the year at AA next year. I think an extra half-season there for Turner would be beneficial. In fact, it wouldn't hurt for him to spend the full season there in the hopes that his bat will catch up a little. He doesn't need to be a great hitter to be a valuable MLB catcher, but he has to be OK.

I think that would be the hope, though Carter walked a lot more in the minors. But I think that's the type of player he can be.

He had a really solid second half. I think Garver is still a legit future big leaguer. The power dropped, but that's not unusual in the FSL. He takes a lot of walks, has a very professional approach. And, as I've mentioned before, pitchers love throwing to him and working with him. His defense has improved. And, it's far from now-or-never for Garver or Turner.

Yeah, I think they sent a pretty good group. Kepler and Buxton were there the last two years, so they didn't need to go. Duffey, Berrios - I'd rather they not pick up a ball until January. Rogers had a lot of innings too, but he's thrown innings before. I think they sent a pretty good group.

Felix Hernandez average fastball was 92.1 mph in 2015. That's 0.1 faster than Kyle Gibson and slower than Santana or Pelfrey. Dallas Kuechel's average fastball was 89.6 mph in 2015. Looking at the list, high velocity - greater than 94 avg, is rare. Those guys are typically really good, but it's also because they have the other things. I didn't say there was no correlation between velocity and effectiveness. But, velocity by itself isn't it.

I agree with this...

Well, then I guess I meant Median... Changed.

How many times and in how many ways have you heard the following comment? “He sits 91 to 93 with his fastball. That’s not hard enough.” “The Twins need more hard-throwing starters.” “Other teams have starters that average 95 mph or more with their fastballs.” So, how do you feel about that? What value does extra velocity have for a pitcher, and do pitchers need to throw 95 to be successful? Do they need to average 94 of 95 with their fastball to be an “Ace?”In my opinion, that is completely a myth and there are so many examples of that. Here are a few things we do know about velocity. 1) Velocity allows a greater margin for error for any pitcher. The faster the ball comes in toward the plate, the quicker the batter’s brain needs to process whether to swing at it and then try to hit it. There’s no question about that. 2) Control and – more important – command are much more important than velocity alone in a pitcher’s success. Alex Meyer can hit 98 with his fastball with frequency. When he is on, he can dominate. When he lacks control, gets behind and then lacks command in the strike zone, he – like every other pitcher – is going to struggle. 3) MLB hitters can hit straight fastballs, even if they come in near triple digits. MLB hitters are good and have great hand-eye coordination. Making the fastball move – in, out or down – is very important to sustained success. Having a good four-seam fastball is great, but a two-seam fastball with movement is usually a better pitcher’s pitch, even though it comes in a couple of miles per hour slower. 4) Having quality second and third and maybe even fourth pitches is also important for a starter. Having control of a change-up that comes in eight to twelve mph slower than the fastball with the same delivery can be the most difficult pitch to hit because it messes with your timing. It can also make the fastball look a couple of mph faster. I always thought that the change-up and the cutter were the two most difficult pitches to hit. That said, a curve ball like Tyler Duffey showed in his big league debut is also difficult because it changes the batter’s eye level. This is not a knock on velocity. In fact, if a pitcher has 1-4 above and throws 98, he's going to be great. Velocity is not a bad thing. I’m not telling you anything you don’t already know. For a starter, being able to mix and match three or four pitches with good control is immensely important, and I would argue it is far more important than velocity. Now, maybe the Twins Geek will want to run a Correlation Analysis to show what makes a starting pitcher successful. My hypothesis for such a study would be that velocity wouldn’t be in the Top 5 factors for pitcher success. But again, I thought it would be interesting to see how Twins pitchers compared in terms of fastball velocity to other starters around baseball. In 2015, 141 pitchers threw at least 100 innings. Going back to my days as a math minor, I believe that “median” is the number in the middle of a group, a number in which half of the data comes in higher and half are lower. The “Median” Average Fastball Velocity for the 141 starters is 91.8 mph. Two pitchers (Yankees Nathan Eovaldi, and Mets Noah Syndergaard) averaged 96.0+ on their fastballs. Just 11 of the 141 pitchers averaged 95.0 with their fastball. 25 averaged 94.0+ with the fastball. In other words, when you hear someone say that a pitcher sits between 91 and 93 mph, that isn’t a knock. It just is what it is. That’s what 60% of pitchers throw, with more big leaguers below that range rather than higher. TWINS VELOCITIES The Twins had six pitchers throw at least 100 innings, and here is how they ranked by Average Fastball Velocity. Trevor May – 93.2 (was tied with Justin Verlander for 36th in MLB, though clearly that number was improved by his time in the bullpen)Mike Pelfrey – 93.0 (was tied for 38th on the list – Tied with Jordan Zimmerman and Sonny Gray)Ervin Santana – 92.5 (was tied for 49th on the list)Kyle Gibson – 92.0 (was tied for 61st on the list. Tied with the likes of Masahiro Tanaka, Madison Bumgarner and Jon Lester.)Phil Hughes – 90.7 (was tied for 98th on the list – he as at 92.1 in 2014)Tommy Milone – 87.6 (was tied for 131st on the list)So, what does that mean? Well, four of the six Twins pitchers with 100 or more innings in 2015 pitched with above-average velocity. The Twins starting rotation was improved in 2015 (starter ERA improved by nearly a run), but they were still 10th in the American League. However, struggles of the staff should not be attributed to lack of velocity. THE CASE OF TOMMY MILONE Tommy Milone is an interesting case. Many believe he is not a guy to build around because of his lack of velocity. However, a quick look at the pitchers in MLB whose average velocity is even lower than Milone’s proves interesting. Dodgers RHP Mike Bolsinger (87.2), Rockies RHP Kyle Kendrick (86.7), Nationals RHP Doug Fister (86.4), Royals RHP Chris Young (86.4), Cubs RHP Dan Haren (86.0), Diamondbacks RHP Josh Collmenter (85.9), Angels RHP Jered Weaver (84.9), Blue Jays LHP Mark Buehrle (83.9), Blue Jays RHP RA Dickey (81.4).There are some long-time, very successful starting pitchers in that group. They are rare, and you’ll note just how pinpoint their control has been over the years. It has to be. I’m not saying that Tommy Milone will turn into the next Mark Buehrle, but I also refuse to say that he can’t be. His fastball may be just 87.6 mph, but he has a slow curve ball and a very good change-up. That three-pitch mix can be success (with command) at any level. PLAYOFF ROTATIONS You will also often hear that the Twins need some flame-throwers in order to make a run in the playoffs. Again, that wouldn’t hurt, but velocity isn’t necessarily the key to success for starters to get a team to the playoffs. Just for fun (and because I’m curious), I looked at the 10 playoff teams and considered their playoff rotations as well as other starters who helped a team to the playoffs (for instance, the injured Carlos Martinez of the Cardinals, or CC Sabathia of the Yankees). What you will find is a mixed bag of pitchers in the rotations. Pittsburgh Pirates: Gerrit Cole (95.5), Francisco Liriano (92.1), Charlie Morton (92.1), Jeff Locke (91.8), AJ Burnett (91.1) New York Yankees: Nathan Eovaldi (96.6), Ivan Nova (93.0), Adam Warren (92.8), Michael Pineda (92.5), Masahiro Tanaka (92.0), CC Sabathia (90.3) Chicago Cubs: Jake Arrieta (94.4), Jason Hammel (92.2), Jon Lester (92.0), Kyle Hendricks (89.9), Dan Haren (86.0) St. Louis Cardinals: Carlos Martinez (95.2), Michael Wacha (93.9), Lance Lynn (91.7), John Lackey (91.6), Jaime Garcia (90.0) New York Mets: Noah Syndergaard (96.5), Matt Harvey (95.2), Jacob De Grom (94.9), Stephen Matz (94.3), Bartolo Colon (90.3), Jon Niese (89.2) Los Angeles Dodgers: Clayton Kershaw (93.6), Zach Greinke (91.8), Brett Anderson (91.0), Alex Wood (89.3). Houston Astros: Lance McCullers (94.2), Scott Kazmir (91.5), Collin McHugh (90.3), Scott Feldman (90.0), Dallas Kuechel (89.6), Mike Fiers (89.4) Kansas City Royals: Yordano Ventura (95.6), Edinson Volquez (93.8), Danny Duffy (93.6), Johnny Cueto (92.2), Jeremy Guthrie (92.0), Chris Young (86.4) Toronto Blue Jays: David Price (94.0), Marcus Stroman (92.9), Drew Hutchinson (92.4), Marco Estrada (89.1), Mark Buehrle (83.9), RA Dickey (81.4) Texas Rangers: Derek Holland (92.9), Cole Hamels (92.1), Martin Perez (91.8), Yovani Gallardo (90.5), Nick Martinez (89.7), Colby Lewis (88.2) The Mets clearly are all about youth and velocity and that’s a good strategy when the pitchers are as talented as that young quartet. Jake Arrieta and David Price are aces who throw hard. But look at the Astros pitching after McCullers. Dallas Kuechel, the likely AL Cy Young Award winner, doesn’t average 90 mph on his fastball. Great pitching comes in all shapes and sizes. Some develop by 21 or 22, and others don’t reach their potential until they’re 25 or 26. Most are somewhere in between. There have been great pitchers who are 6-0 tall and others at 6-11, and everywhere in-between. Likewise, there have been aces who throw 97, and there have been aces that top out at 89 or 90. And, everywhere in between. Velocity can be a good thing for a starting pitcher for several reasons. However, it is a myth if someone tells you that one must have great velocity to become an ace. Click here to view the article