Seth Stohs

I've read this "AAAA Pitcher" comment here and on Twitter last night and today, and frankly, I just don't get it. To me, AAAA player means that the guy dominates in AAA and does pretty much nothing in the big leagues. Tommy Milone has had quite a bit of success in the big leagues. No, nobody should expect him to come back up and post a sub-3.00 ERA or strike out a batter an inning, but there should be no question that he is a big league pitcher. He's proven that.

They're all in Rochester.

I'm excited for Chih-Wei Hu's spot start today with the Red Wings. He's been (along with Stephen Gonsalves) the best pitcher in the Twins farm system this year. He's only made about 6 starts in High-A and about 8-9 in Low-A, and now an opportunity like this. I think it's exciting for the 21-year-old. How do TD Readers think he'll do this morning?

They wouldn't get much for him, maybe a C-level prospect, if that. He's more valuable pitching well than he would get in trade. Now, if he did that in the big leagues for a couple of months, maybe they could get a B-level prospect.

When Tommy Milone was demoted to Rochester earlier this month, he was surprised and yet he said all the right things. He didn’t create a stir. He accepted the team’s decision and went to Rochester. He has, however, made a statement since he has been in Rochester. He has made a strong statement just how the Minnesota Twins would want him to, on the mound. On Monday night, he made his strongest statement yet.If this were a court of law, Milone and his representation would step to the podium with the following: Exhibit A: In his first Rochester start (May 8), he threw 6.1 shutout innings. He gave up five hits, walked two and struck out eight batters. Exhibit B: In his second Rochester start (May 13), he threw 8.0 shutout innings. He gave up three hits, walked none and struck out 12. Exhibit C: In his third Rochester start (May 18), he threw 9.0 scoreless innings, his first professional complete game shutout. He gave up six hits, walked none and struck out 13. Exhibit D: In his three Rochester starts (consolidated), he has thrown 23.1 scoreless innings. He has given up just 14 hits, walked two and struck out 33 batters. I would say that is a pretty compelling argument for a return to the big leagues for Tommy Milone. There is no doubt that he is a big league pitcher. Simply, there is no reason for the 28-year-old southpaw to be in the minor leagues. Yet, that is where he finds himself. For now, at least. Should Tommy Milone’s next start, Saturday or Sunday, be in a Red Wings uniform, or should it be at Target Field? Well, this isn’t a court of law. There isn’t a jury of his peers, teammates, fans, observers. That decision is up to the Minnesota Twins front office, Terry Ryan and manager Paul Molitor. What they need to determine first is what type of roster alteration it would take to bring back Tommy Milone. It’s easy to say that Tommy Milone deserves to be in the big leagues. What is more difficult is determining how to make it happen. There are many things to consider, so let’s dive into some of them. Phil Hughes The 29-year-old is currently 3-4 with a 4.76 ERA and a 1.29 ERA in eight starts. In 51 innings, he has walked five and struck out 35. Obviously after his historic 2014 season, he’s got a lot of leeway. That, and the fact that he’s signed through 2019. In other words, he’s not going anywhere. Kyle Gibson The lanky right-hander will be arbitration-eligible after 2016 season. He is under team control through 2019 season. A year ago, he went 13-12 with a 4.47 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP in a very inconsistent first full season in 2014. Through his first eight starts of the 2015 season, he is 3-3 with a 2.98 ERA. In 48.1 innings, he has walked 17 and struck out 19. Many question whether he can remain successful with such a low strikeout total. That’s fair, but right now is not the time to take him out of the starting rotation. Those two are certain to remain in the rotation. The next three could all be considered to take out of the rotation, though there are good, legitimate reasons to keep each in the rotation. Ricky Nolasco Nolasco was placed on the disabled list after his first start. After some time off, he made one rehab start in Cedar Rapids. Since his return, he has gone 3-0 with a 4.11 ERA despite batters hitting .310 off him. The numbers aren’t all that encouraging, and yet to the eye, he looked really good in his last start. The numbers don’t speak to the improvement, but in my opinion, the pitches he was throwing – especially a very good breaking ball – looked greatly improved. Then there is the financial side of the story. The 32-year-old Nolasco is owed another $25 million after this season. Because of that, the Twins should not shut the door on the possibility of him returning to what he was. Mike Pelfrey The 31-year-old is healthy for the first time in several years, and he is pitching quite well. He is 3-1 with a 3.23 ERA and a 1.39 WHIP in his seven starts. In 39 innings, he has walked 15 and struck out 17. His peripherals are not great, and like Gibson, it’s easy to wonder how sustainable his success may be. He is in the final year of his two year, $11 million contract. He began the season in the bullpen, though he didn’t pitch out of the bullpen at all because of Ervin Santana’s suspension. He’s got the nice numbers, but in his three May starts, he has failed to complete five innings twice. Trevor May We clamored for Trevor May to be promoted much of the first half of the 2014 season. He spent the final two months with the Twins last year. This spring, he was the one sent to Rochester out of spring training. Like Pelfrey in the bullpen, May never made a start for the Red Wings. When Nolasco went on the DL, May was summoned. The 25-year-old has pitched all right at times. Overall, he is 2-3 with a 5.15 ERA and a 1.47 WHIP in 36.2 innings in his seven starts. In his three May starts, he is 0-2 with a 6.06 ERA and opponents are hitting .309 off him with a .851 OPS. So What Should They Do? I frequently hear and read that the Twins should consider what is best for the team’s long-term future. In fact, I’m sure I’ve said that many times in recent years. However, at this point, I’m kind of tired of only thinking long-term. I want the team to keep winning now, and do what is best for the team now. That’s not to say “forget about the future”, just that it can’t be the lone factor. One thing we know is that Tommy Milone should be in the big leagues. Although the three battled it out in spring training, it appears that this decision really comes down to Milone, Mike Pelfrey and Trevor May. I see four possible scenarios: Scenario 1: Tommy Milone comes up to the big leagues to start, Trevor May optioned to Rochester. Scenario 2: Tommy Milone comes up to the big leagues to start, Mike Pelfrey goes to the bullpen. Scenario 3: Tommy Milone comes up to the big leagues to pitch out of the bullpen. Scenario 4: Tommy Milone remains in Rochester and continues to start. In my opinion, Scenario 3 really isn’t a good option. Scenario 4 may be the most likely scenario to happen, though it’s important to start thinking about MIlone coming up. What I think will happen? My thought is that Trevor May has the numbers to justify heading back to AAA Rochester to continue to work on the things that have worked for him in the big leagues. Still just 25, it would not hurt May. What I would probably do? It’s hard to know without being in the clubhouse or being privy to everything. However, I think that the Twins should do what they did this spring. I think that Tommy Milone should be in the rotation. I think that Mike Pelfrey can become a really good contributor out of the bullpen. I would stick with Trevor May in the rotation for the time being. Summary When a player feels wronged about being sent from the big leagues down to the minor leagues, they can handle it several ways. They can mope and not perform. They can complain through the media, or even request a trade. I think most would agree that the best way to handle the situation is to do exactly what Tommy Milone has done. He’s taken the disappointment and pitched better than anyone could have expected. He has forced the Twins' hand at this point. What will the Twins do? Click here to view the article

That's really a question for Mat, but here is his Adopt-A-Prospect page, if you're interested. http://twinsdaily.com/topic/17937-mat-batts-2015/

Keaton Steele is starting the suspended game for the Kernels tonight. Mat Batts starts the regularly-scheduled game.

No doubt in my mind that Sano CAN be an MLB third baseman. As Parker wote above, it's more about concentration because he is a good athlete, and he has decent range, and he has a very powerful arm. Will he play there? I don't know. That might be dependent upon other things, such as how good Plouffe has become and will be. I have little doubt that Sano will become a very good MLB power hitter.

Vavra is a fourth year senior in his first full minor league season. In Brian Dozier's first full season (after 4 years of college), he was in Beloit through late May, and he was in the big leagues less than two years later. I'm not putting Vavra in Dozier's category (though Dozier didn't hit like Vavra has in the Midwest League) at this time, but it's way too early to worry about age-to-level of competition stuff.

Eric introduced himself to me when I was down there. We talked a little bit. Very good person. Definitely seems like he really is enjoying doing this. Very helpful.

On Saturday, the Twins topped the Rays 6-4 to improve to 21-16 on the season. The two-run decision was bigger than each of the four Twins affiliate’s scores. One run decided each game. There was a walk-off in Cedar Rapids. Someone in Chattanooga drove in five runs while another was a home run shy of the cycle. One guy had four hits and he’s one of three players who could get your vote for Twins Minor League Hitter of the Day.Be sure to vote and have your voice heard in the comments below. RED WINGS REPORT Rochester 4, Lehigh Valley 5 Box Score On Friday night, the Red Wings fell behind and were able to win with a walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth. On Saturday, the Red Wings were down by a run heading into the final frame, but they were unable to tie or win it and suffered the loss. Pat Dean started. The southpaw went six innings and gave up four runs. He allowed nine hits, walked one and struck out one. Logan Darnell came on and gave up two runs on three hits and recorded just two outs. Mark Hamburger got the next four outs, two of them on strikeouts. AJ Achter pitched a perfect ninth inning. Danny Ortiz went 2-4 and hit his sixth home run of the season. Josmil Pinto went 2-3 with a walk an his fifth double. Wilkin Ramirez went 2-4 with his first two doubles of the season. James Beresford went 2-4 in the game. CHATTANOOGA CHATTER Chattanooga 10, Montgomery 9 Box Score The Lookouts jumped out to a big lead in this game and were able to hold one for the one-run win. Alex Wimmers made the start and went the first five innings. He gave up five runs on five hits and a walk. He struck out nine. Cole Johnson came on and struck out four over two scoreless innings. Tim Shibuya was charged with three runs (two earned) on two hits in the eighth inning. Jake Reed was handed a two-run lead into the ninth. He gave up one run on two hits, but it was good enough to record his first save of the year. The Lookouts got offense from a variety of sources on Saturday. Byron Buxton led the way going 3-5 with a single, his fourth double and his seventh triple. He also stole his tenth base. Travis Harrison went 2-4 with his league-leading 13th and 14th doubles. He drove in five runs on the day. Heiker Meneses went 2-4, adding his third double. Mike Gonzales also doubled. Miguel Sano went 1-2 with three walks in the game. MIRACLE MATTERS Ft. Myers 2, Jupiter 3 Box Score For the second straight time, the Miracle fell in a one-run game. David Hurlbut made the start. The left-hander worked the first six innings. He gave up three runs, though none of them were earned, on four hits. He walked three and struck out four. Brandon Peterson came on and was perfect through two innings. He struck out four. Niko Goodrum had two of the Miracle errors, but he also led the offense. He went 2-4 with his eighth double. He also stole his eighth base. Alex Swim had another multi-hit game, going 2-4. Michael Quesada went 1-3 with a walk and his first double. Zach Granite got on twice, once on a walk and once with a single. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 4, Quad Cities 3 (13 innings) Box Score Coming into this game, the Kernels had a record of 22-13, a terrific start, to be sure. However, they were 5 ½ games behind Quad Cities which was 28-8. The teams played to a one-run game on Friday night and they had to put in some overtime to decide the game on Saturday as well. This time, it was the Kernels who came out on top when T.J. White singled in Max Murphy from second base with the winning run. (Steve Buhr's video of the dramatic bottom of the 13th.) The hit was White’s second of the game. Trey Vavra led the Kernels offensive attack. He went 4-6 with his eighth double to raise his batting average to .350. Tanner English went 2-5 and stole his 11th base. Felix Jorge made the start. The right-hander went the first 6.1 innings. He gave up three runs (one earned) on five hits and a walk. He struck out three. He was relieved by Trevor Hildenberger who tossed 2.2 scoreless innings. He gave up one hit, walked one and struck out four. Cameron Booser was next in line. The lefty gave up one hit and one walk over two scoreless innings. Randy LeBlanc was a winner for the third time this year. He gave up two hits and two walks, but no runs, in his two innings out of the bullpen. TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Trevor Hildenberger, Cedar Rapids Kernels Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Vote Below Byron Buxton, Chattanooga Lookouts – 3-5, 2B, 3B, SBTravis Harrison, Chattanooga Lookouts – 2-4, 2-2B, 5 RBITrey Vavra, Cedar Rapids Kernels – 4-6, 2BSUNDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Lehigh Valley @ Rochester (12:35 CST) – LHP Taylor Rogers Montgomery @ Chattanooga (4:15 CST) – RHP Tyler Duffey Ft. Myers @ Jupiter (12:00 CST) – RHP Kohl Stewart Quad Cities @ Cedar Rapids (2:05 CST) – RHP Jared Wilson Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss the Saturday games. Click here to view the article

So, now that you've seen this list, and consider the 11-20 list, and even guys like Hu, Jones, Granite, Jorge, etc., who are your top 10 or top 20 Twins prospects?

Minor League baseball is so fun to watch because there are four teams to watch. Anything can happen in one game, but even more an happen in four games. On Friday night, one of the affiliates had a walk-off win. One of the affiliates had an extra-innings win. One of the big prospects belted two home runs.On Friday afternoon, the Rochester Red Wings roster showed a new name. The name Ryan Wheeler showed up. A day earlier, reliever Stephen Pryor had knee surgery and went on the Disabled List. Wheeler is an infielder, though he has also spent time in the outfield too. The 26-year-old made his MLB debut in 2012, playing in 50 games with the Diamondbacks. He then played in 59 more games for the Colorado Rockies between the 2013 and 2014 seasons. He split the 2014 season between the Rockies and Angels organization. He was with the Angels AAA-affiliate in 2015 but was released last weekend. The neat thing about this signing? Wheeler is the older brother of Rochester starting pitcher Jason Wheeler. The younger sibling was on the mound for the Red Wings on Friday night. The other interesting piece of information that came out on Friday was that Chih-Wei Hu will make a spot start for Rochester on Tuesday in their double-header. Eric Rasmussen, Twins minor league pitching coordinator said they believe he will be able to handle it and that he is very competitive. He said that if Hu gives up one run in seven innings, he is upset about the one run.Hopefully he can pitch alright and head back to Ft. Myers after the game ready to continue his dominance. Continue below to see how the Twins affiliates did on Friday night. RED WINGS REPORT Rochester 5, Lehigh Valley 4 Box Score James Beresford has been in the organization since signing in 2005. He has long been an overlooked prospect. He’s in his third season at Rochester, and he’s hitting .317. On Friday night, he finished off a big comeback and helped the Red Wings improve to 19-15. The Red Wings entered the bottom of the ninth inning down by a score of 4-2. With the bases loaded, Eric Farris singled in a run to cut the deficit to one. Then Beresford came to the plate and singled in the tying run and the winning run. Beresford went 2-5 with his fifth double in the game. Farris led the way by going 3-5 with the other three RBI. Danny Ortiz doubled for the fifth time this year. Argenis Diaz went 1-2 with two walks. Reportedly Ryan Wheeler arrived at the stadium in Rochester after the game started. Younger brother Jason went the first 5.2 innings. He gave up four runs on eight hits. His issued no walks and struck out two. Ryan O’Rourke came on and faced four batters and recorded four outs. He struck out three. Lester Oliveros finished the game with two scoreless innings. He gave up one hit, walked none and struck out one. CHATTANOOGA CHATTER Chattanooga 7, Birmingham 5 (10 innings) Box Score The Lookouts needed an extra inning, but they got a couple of big blasts from a big prospect to improve their season record to 22-13. Since May 1, Miguel Sano has been hitting really well. In the first inning of this game, he hit his seventh home run of the season. He came to the plate in the 10th inning with a runner on base and a tie game. He launched his second home run of the night, his eighth of the year, and propelled the Lookouts to the win. He went 3-5 on the day. Jorge Polanco also went 3-5 in the game. Travis Harrison went 2-5 with his 12th double Adam Brett Walker and Miguel Gonzales both had two hits as well. DJ Baxendale made the start. He went five innings and was charged with four runs on eight hits. He walked none and struck out two. Dallas Gallant came on and threw two scoreless innings. Nick Burdi pitched a scoreless eighth inning. He was given the ninth inning as well, trying to protect a one-run lead, but he gave up one run to send the game to extra frames. With the two-run lead in the 10th, DJ Johnson came on and recorded his third save of the season, all within the last two weeks. Since May 1, Miguel Sano is hitting .315/.375/.630 (1.005) with five doubles, four homers and 11 RBI. MIRACLE MATTERS Ft. Myers 1, Jupiter 2 Box Score Brett Lee was again very good in this game, but he ended up getting another loss as the offense could muster just one run. The southpaw started the game and threw seven scoreless innings. He went out to start the eighth frame. He got the first batter out. Then a single, a stolen base and another single, and he had given up a run that tied the game at one. He was replaced by JT Chargois who struck out the first batter he faced. However, the next batter doubled in another run and the Miracle were down 2-1. Chargois struck out the next batter to end the inning. A great outing by Lee, but the Miracle were able to score just one run despite recording eight hits. Engelb Vielma returned to the lineup after missing two games and had three of the hits. He also stole his ninth base. Zach Granite did his job at the top of the order. He went 1-2 and walked twice. Jason Kanzler went 2-4 with his seventh stolen base. Chad Christensen added his fifth double. Lee’s final line: 7 innings, two earned runs on six hits, one walk and four strikeouts. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 3, Quad Cities 10 Box Score It was a tough night for the Kernels on Friday. Michael Cederoth made the start and went just three innings. He gave up six runs (5 earned) on four hits, three walks and a hit batter. He also struck out two. Sam Clay came on and gave up one run over the next three innings. He gave up three hits, walked two and struck out three. CK Irby gave up two runs on four walks in his inning. He struck out one. Mike Theofanopoulos gave up one run on two hits and a walk over his two innings. Trey Vavra continued to hit. He went 2-4. Blake Schmit hit his first triple and drove in two runs. The Kernels also got doubles from Max Murphy (6) and Pat Kelly (4). Murphy now has a seven-game hitting streak and has reached base in 12 straight games. The Kernels are now 21-13, 6.5 games back of Quad Cities who is now 28-7! TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Brett Lee, Ft. Myers Miracle Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Miguel Sano, Chattanooga Lookouts SATURDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Lehigh Valley @ Rochester (6:05 CST) – LHP Pat Dean Montgomery @ Chattanooga (7:15 CST) – TBD Ft. Myers @ Jupiter (5:35 CST) – LHP David Hurlbut Quad Cities @ Cedar Rapids (5:05 CST) – RHP Felix Jorge LEADERBOARD Here is a quick look at the statistical leaderboard throughout the Twins minor league system. HITTERS Plate Appearances: Niko Goodrum (164), Byron Buxton (152), Zach Granite (150), Alex Swim (146), Miguel Sano (140). Hits: Alex Swim (46), Zach Granite (43), Jorge Polanco (39), Reynaldo Rodriguez/Trey Vavra (37) Runs: Zach Granite (25), Travis Harrison/Adam Brett Walker (23), Reynaldo Rodriguez/Byron Buxton/Miguel Sano (22) RBI: Adam Brett Walker (25), Byron Buxton/Danny Ortiz (23), Nick Gordon (21), Miguel Sano (20) 2B: Travis Harrison (12), Aaron Hicks/Max Kepler (10), Reynaldo Rodriguez (9), Adam Brett Walker (8) 3B: Byron Buxton (6), Aaron Hicks (4), Max Murphy/Levi Michael (3), Six with 2. HR: Adam Brett Walker (9), Miguel Sano (8), Danny Ortiz (5), Four with 4. SB: Zach Granite (12), Tanner English (10), Byron Buxton/Engelb Vielma (9), Three with 7. BA (>100 AB): Zach Granite (.350), Aaron Hicks (.336), Trey Vavra (.333), Alex Swim (.331), James Beresford (.317) OBP (>100 AB): Zach Granite (.449), Aaron Hicks (.415), Travis Harrison (.403), Trey Vavra (.397), Reynaldo Rodriguez (.362) SLG (>100 AB): Aaron Hicks (.561), Miguel Sano (.496), Trey Vavra (.495), Reynaldo Rodriguez (.472), Danny Ortiz (.468) OPS (>100 AB): Aaron Hicks (.975), Trey Vavra (.892), Zach Granite (.888), Adam Brett Walker (.857), Travis Harrison (.852) PITCHERS Innings Pitched: Tyler Duffey (45.2), JO Berrios (45.0), Taylor Rogers (43.0), Pat Dean (42.0), DJ Baxendale/Jason Wheeler (41.1) SP ERA (>26 IP): Chih-Wei Hu (1.03), Stephen Gonsalves (1.41), Pat Dean (1.93), DJ Baxendale (1.96), Jared Wilson (1.98) RP ERA (>12 IP): Trevor HIldenberger (0.50), Cameron Booser (1.10), Madison Boer (1.31), Adrian Salcedo (1.38), Tim Shibuya/Brandon Peterson (1.45) SP WHIP (>26 IP): Stephen Gonsalves (0.81), Chih-Wei Hu (0.83), Felix Jorge (0.97), Mat Batts (1.04), Pat Dean/Tyler Duffey (1.05) RP WHIP (>12 IP): Trevor Hildenberger (0.50), AJ Achter (0.69), Madison Boer (0.73), Zach Tillery (0.77), Tim Shibuya (0.86) SP K/9 (>26 IP): Stephen Gonsalves (12.1), JO Berrios (10.6), Felix Jorge (10.2), John Curtiss (9.8), Chih-Wei Hu (9.3) RP K/9 (>12 IP): Cameron Booser (17.1), Zack Jones (14.2), Todd Van Steensel (13.5), Lester Oliveros (13.2), CK Irby (12.9) SP BB/9 (>26 IP): John Curtiss (1.4), Chih-Wei Hu (1.5), Aaron Slegers (1.6), Tyler Duffey/Felix Jorge/Greg Peavey (1.8) RP BB/9 (>12 IP): Trevor Hildenberger (1.0), Zack Jones (1.5), Tim Shibuya (1.9), Lester Oliveros (2.1), Cole Johnson (2.2) Strikeouts: JO Berrios (53), Stephen Gonsalves (43), Tyler Duffey (42), Taylor Rogers (40), DJ Baxendale/Chih-Wei Hu (36) Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss the Friday games. Click here to view the article

I also would guess that the answer would be no. That said, let's see how Friday, Saturday and sunday go. ha!

For "Prospects" we use the definition that he is still eligible for rookie of the year. For hitters, that means less than 130 at bats. For pitchers, it means less than 50 innings pitched.

He was originally #3. The rankings shown are where we ranked them in February.

Chih-Wei Hu would have been 21, if we had done a Top 21 instead of a Top 20. He is a borderline Top 10 guy at this point.

Jeremy - or others - Which of these players fits into the "Boras Client" category? I believe that Cameron does, but anyone else?

The Twins (or anyone else) can't sign Javier until after July 1. Shortstops are great to draft because they're great athletes and typically grow and can play several positions. I always like drafting great athletes.

After reviewing the Twins Daily Prospects 11-20 yesterday, here is an update on Twins Daily’s Top Ten Twins Prospects. As you’ll notice, it’s a mixed bag of early-season success for the top prospects. That's not surprising. First, it’s still a relatively small sample size. Second, most of these prospects are playing at a higher level and making their adjustments to new leagues.As you read, think about your own Top 20 Twins prospect list and think about how it might look now. #10 – RH RP – Nick Burdi – Chattanooga Lookouts It was a rough first five weeks for the hard-throwing reliever. Through his first ten games with the Lookouts, he has thrown 12 innings. He has given up 11 runs (10 earned) on 13 hits, 13 walks and struck out 13. He is 2-3 with a 7.50 ERA and a 2.17 WHIP. Many of us, myself included, thought he could move quickly up the ranks, and he still can, but baseball can often provide cruel reminders of just how difficult the game can be. It’s not easy to get to the big leagues. In his first three May appearances, he has given up just one run on three hits and one walk in four innings. There’s still little doubt that Burdi will be a dominant big league reliever. It just might take the 22-year-old a little bit longer. Status: Slightly Down #9 – RH SP – Trevor May – Minnesota Twins Trevor May did not make the Opening Day roster for the Twins, but he has only pitched for the Twins this season. He was promoted when Ricky Nolasco was placed on the disabled list after his first start. May has remained in the rotation since. He came into the season with 45.2 big league innings, meaning he would still be a rookie in 2015. He has made six starts for the Twins so far and is 2-3 with a 5.40 ERA. In 30 innings, he has given up 39 hits, walked eight and struck out 24. He has shown flashes of his potential mixed in with some struggles. That is what you would expect from any young pitcher. Status: No Longer “Rookie” or “Prospect” status #8 – OF – Eddie Rosario – Rochester Red Wings/Minnesota Twins Eddie Rosario made an impression on the Twins brass, specifically Paul Molitor in spring training. A week ago, when the Twins had to put Oswaldo Arcia on the disabled list, the team promoted Rosario despite the fact that he was hitting just .242/.280/.379 (.659) in 23 games in Rochester. And despite the fact that he hit just .237/.277/.396 (.672) in 79 games in New Britain (AA) last year. In fact, in 17 spring training games this year, he hit just .233/.227/.442 (.669). That isn’t to say that Rosario is not still a very good prospect. I believe he is. However, despite his grand big league entrance – a first-pitch home run in his first at-bat – he can use more time in the minor leagues. He’ll get that, most likely, when Shane Robinson returns from the family emergency list shortly. Since that dramatic home run Rosario has hit .160/.154/.160. Status: Flat #7 – SS – Jorge Polanco – Chattanooga Lookouts Polanco debuted with the Minnesota Twins as a 20-year-old last June. He became the first 20-year-old to debut for the Twins since Joe Mauer in 2004. Circumstances made that possible, but Polanco had a nice showing in his debut. He went back to Ft. Myers and eventually was promoted to Double-A New Britain. He begins this season as the Chattanooga shortstop. In 30 games for the Lookouts, he is hitting .293/.328/.455 (.784) with six doubles, a triple and four home runs. He is also 6-8 in stolen base attempts. He has six errors so far, for a .945 fielding percentage. Polanco is very talented and I believe he can be a starter in the big leagues for many years. Status: Slightly Up #6 – SS – Nick Gordon – Cedar Rapids Kernels The Twins top pick in 2014 out of high school handled his professional debut very well a year ago in Elizabethton. As you would expect from a 19-year-old, it has been a mixed bag in his full-season debut in Cedar Rapids this year. He began the season by hitting .417/.481/.583 (1.065) through the first six games. In 24 games since then, he has hit .216/.257/.237 (.494) with just two doubles. He’s held his own in a league in which he is more than two years younger than the average player and one of the youngest in the league. Defensively, he has been terrific. The shortstop has just three errors in 29 games for a .972 fielding percentage. He has been able to show off his glove and range. I talked to Jake Mauer in early April about Gordon, and this is what he had to say: “He’s extremely talented. I would say, you’re not going to see the explosiveness like you did with Buxton, but you’re seeing a kid that’s wiser or older than his years, similar to Buxton. You can tell Nick’s played a lot of ballgames, and sees different things and is able to comprehend different things. I mean, he worked with Barry Larkin and being exposed to Hall of Fame guys, and the wealth of knowledge that his father has is a big advantage too. That being said, he’s got to be his own player too and go out and develop. The way he handles the press and autograph people and different things like that, his makeup is right there with Buxton too. No doubt about that.” Status: Flat #5 – RH SP – Alex Meyer – Rochester Red Wings The overall numbers aren’t pretty. At Rochester, Alex Meyer has posted a 2-2 record with a 7.01 ERA and a 1.88 WHIP in his first seven starts. He is striking out 8.8 batters per nine innings, but his walk rate is up to 5.5 per nine. He’s given up 44 hits in 34.2 innings. His “stuff” remains terrific. He still runs his fastball in at 97 to 99 mph consistently. His slider remains sharp, but at this point, he’s working on command in and out of the strike zone. It was a tough spring for Meyer on a personal level. His struggles have carried in to the season. But, still just 25, there is plenty of time for him to work things about. Remember, he was only added to the Twins 40-man roster last November, so the Twins can, and should be, very patient with this uber-talent. Status: Down #4 – RH SP – Kohl Stewart – Ft. Myer Miracle Speaking of uber-talents with high upsides, Kohl Stewart began the 2015 season with the Ft. Myers Miracle. In his first start, he struck out five in six innings. In his second start, he struck out just three, but he was able to work eight innings. In his third start he struck out two but went 6.1 innings. That was April 21. He returned to the mound on Monday after missing three weeks with elbow inflammation. On a pitch limit, he went just 2.1 innings. Overall, he is 0-3 with a solid 3.18 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP. In 22.2 innings, he has walked 10 and struck out 10. There are some reports of declining velocity. It will be an interesting summer for the still-just-20-year-old. Status: Down #3 – RH SP – JO Berrios – Chattanooga Lookouts Coming off of a complete game shutout in his most recent outing, Berrios appears to be right where he was during his impressive 2014 season. The 20-year-old from Puerto Rico currently sports 4-1 record with a 2.60 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP in his first seven starts of the season. He had a very strong showing in big league camp and it’s carried into his season. In 45 innings, he has walked 15 and struck out 53. His combination of athleticism, confidence and work ethic, combined with a strong mix of pitches make him very intriguing. Status: Slightly Up (there’s not far to go in that direction!) #2 – 3B – Miguel Sano – Chattanooga Lookouts Since signing with the Twins late in 2009, Miguel Sano has been ranked among the Twins top prospects and the top prospects in the game. Unfortunately, he missed the entire 2014 season due to Tommy John surgery. We all expected him to struggle early, shaking off the rust. He certainly did that. In 18 games in April, he hit .159/.303/.381 (.684) with two doubles and four home runs. He struck out in 29% of his plate appearances. He was taking walks and hitting with some power, but it wasn’t the same. Since the calendar changed to May, he has produced as we would expect Miguel Sano to produce with the bat. In 14 games, he has hit .286/.356/.510 (.866) with five doubles and two home runs. The month is just half over, but he has been much better. His strikeout rate in that time dropped to just 22% Defensively, it’s another story. In 30 games at third base, he has committed nine errors already and has a .875 fielding percentage. Before surgery, he was making about 93-94% of the chances he got. He has been making some great plays both directions, making diving plays and showing off his canon of an arm. His errors, to this point, have primarily been on more basic plays, which could also be about timing, chances and rust. Status: Flat #1 – OF – Byron Buxton – Chattanooga Lookouts Although he didn’t miss all of 2014, Byron Buxton was never able to get into a groove. He fought multiple wrist injuries, a possible concussion and then a broken bone in his hand during the Arizona Fall League. He has been healthy this season, but again, as we expected, it was slow going for Buxton too. Overall, he is hitting .244/.306/.450 (.757) with three doubles, six triples and four home runs. He has 23 RBI after recently ending a ten-game stretch where he had at least one RBI per game. It would be fair to call Buxton’s early season ‘Streaky.’ In his first 12 games, he hit .180/.241/.300 (.541) with one double, one triple and one home run. He struck out in 22% of his plate appearances. At that point, manager Doug Mientkiewicz gave Buxton two consecutive games off to clear his mind. Buxton responded well. In his next ten games, he hit .415/.479/.805 (1.284) with two doubles, four triples and two home runs. He struck out just 10% of the time. Now in his most recent ten games, he has hit .150/.200/.275 (.475) with a triple and a homer. He struck out in 20% of those plate appearances. Defensively, Buxton is elite and has returned to form very quickly. He has great range, takes good routes most of the time and displays a very strong, accurate arm. Status: Flat Feel free to discuss these and other Twins prospects and their status below. Click here to view the article

Teammates marvel at his batter's eye. They say he just doesn't swing at pitches that aren't strikes. When I saw him, I see a guy with a very sweet swing (Kepler-esque). I actually saw him crush a double to the gap in right-center in a spring training game.