Seth Stohs

Miguel Sano would be the #1 prospect, arguably, in about 27 of the 30 major league organizations, at least according to Baseball America. In the Minnesota Twins organization, he ranks a solid #2. I bet you can guess who will be named the Twins Daily #1 Twins Prospect tomorrow. It’s been a long time since the Twins have had a prospect with the kind of power that Miguel Sano has. He also has a jovial personality and that combination means he has a chance to be a popular superstar. What’s to Like? A lot! First and foremost is the immense power of Miguel Sano.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] In 2012, in Beloit, Sano hit 30 home runs. Last year, he moved up to Ft. Myers where he hit 16 home runs in 56 games before adding another 19 homers in AA New Britain… as a 20 year old! Remember that the Midwest League and especially the Florida State League are considered fairly extreme pitcher-friendly leagues. What is his power potential? Sano is 6'-4" and weighed in at 250 pounds at his Twins Fest physical, and he may still be growing. As you recall from the interview with him at Twins Fest, when I asked him if his home run goal for 2014 was going to be 40 (after 30 and 35, respectively, in the past two seasons), he said, “Maybe 45, maybe 50. More games… Maybe 55. I’m working hard, getting good pitches. That’s it.” That is another thing to like about Miguel Sano. Yes, he will strike out, but his strike zone judgment has greatly improved. After walking just 6.2% of the time in the GCL and 7.8% at Elizabethton, Sano walked 14.5% of the time in Beloit. Last year, he walked about 12% of the time in Ft. Myers and then 13% in New Britain. The key has been his ability to lay off of those tough sliders down and away. With more experience, his ability to get his pitch should continue to improve. Another area of great improvement for Sano came on the defensive side of the game. 2012 was his first season when he was a full-time third baseman. He committed 42 errors and posted an 88.4% fielding percentage. Of course, I always like to point out that nearly 30 of those errors came in the first half of the season. In 2012, he committed a combined 23 errors at the hot corner and his fielding percentage jumped to 93.2% There is still work to be done, but reports say he greatly improved his range. He is able to play a little deeper because he has such a strong arm. He also has some of the intangibles for greatness. Sano has great confidence and he wants to be great, not just very good. He wants to lead the league in home runs and RBI. He can come across as brash at times. He has always had a lot of personality. Earlier in his career, some say he lacked maturity. Now, most say he is becoming more of a leader. He has a lot of fun both playing the game and in the clubhouse. His English has also come a long way over the last couple years. What’s not to like? As mentioned above, he still has work to do at third base. He will make great plays and then stumble on some more routine plays. Often that is more of a concentration thing. So, he needs to become more consistent. When Miguel Sano puts the ball in play, generally good things happen because he is so powerful. However, putting the ball in play is still a concern. Sano struck out in 26.7% of his GCL plate appearances, and then 26.3% at Elizabethton. In Beloit in 2012, he struck out 26.0%. In his 56 games with Ft. Myers a year ago, he struck out 25.1% of the time. However, when he moved up to New Britain, he struck out 29.3% of the time. For for a glimpse of what that means: in 2006, Brandon Wood struck out in 28.5% of his plate appearances at AA. So, although Sano has put up incredible power numbers, dismissing his strikeout rate might be a little naïve and premature. Remember that I put Sano’s confidence in the positive category? I believe a player need to be confident, bordering on arrogant, to become a truly great player. However, there is a certain line that shouldn’t be crossed, and that line is consciously showing up your opponent. Sano famously took his time rounding the bases last year in New Britain after a monster home run off former teammate Bobby Lanigan. Clearly Sano was in the wrong in that case, and Jeff Smith and the organization were right in benching him for a few games. Hopefully that is a lesson learned for the still just 20 year old Sano. The only other concern came early this offseason when, after playing in just two games in the Dominican Winter League, he was shut down due to a UCL strain. Immediately many were concerned about the possibility Sano would miss most, if not all, of the 2014 season if he needed Tommy John surgery. He not only saw Twins' doctors, but he also saw Dr. James Andrews, who prescribed a plan of rest and then beginning rehab in January. Sano is now on a throwing program and experiencing no pain in his elbow. It’s obviously something to be aware of, though there does not appear to be much concern. Looking Back Some of the readers at Twins Daily may be able to think back further than I, but in the last 25 years, power prospects have been few and far between in the Twins organization. I remember when Justin Morneau made his major league debut and received a standing ovation from Metrodome fans. I was watching at my home… standing up, and clapping. In 2002, he had 16 homers, 12 in the Midwest League (63 games) and four in 53 games in Ft. Myers. In 2003, he hit 22 minor league homers and four big league blasts. In 2004, he hit 22 homers in 72 games in Rochester and 19 home runs in 74 games with the Twins. Michael Cuddyer had 30 home runs in a full season at New Britain in 2001. In 2002, he played at AAA Edmonton and hit 20 home runs. That was good for 5th place on the team’s roster as Michael Ryan led with 31 and Michael Restovich had 29. I think it’s fair to say that when Miguel Sano arrives in the big leagues, he will arrive with more fanfare than any Twins player ever, with the possible exception of Joe Mauer. Sano signed with the Twins in October of 2009 under a cloud of controversy and intrigue. It’s been impressive that he has met and exceeded many of the expectations placed on him So… When will we see him? I expect Miguel Sano will return to New Britain to start the 2014 season. I also have my doubts he will spend any time in AAA Rochester. Assuming health, I would put the odds of Sano making his big league debut in 2014 at about 99.9% But when? There will be a couple factors that play into this. First, the strikeout rate and the defense will need to continue to improve. However, if Trevor Plouffe were to be placed on the disabled list for an extended period of time, I have little doubt the Twins would not hesitate to call up Sano, whether that be in May or June. Otherwise, the Twins could wait until June and gain a year of pre-arbitration time. They could have him play in the Futures Game at Target Field in July and then just stay with the big league club. Since he would have to be added to the 40 man roster after the 2014 season anyway, I believe he would, at the latest, be called up in September unless things went terribly wrong. Like TD Prospect #3 Alex Meyer, and like TD's #1 prospect whom you'll learn more about tomorrow, and like Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau and Johan Santana, Miguel Sano is a cornerstone player. He is a guy who has the potential to lead the Twins organization back to prominence.

According to MLB Trade Rumors (via Mark Gonzales), the Minnesota Twins have claimed left-handed pitcher Brooks Raley from the Chicago Cubs. He takes the 40th roster spot vacated earlier this month by Andrew Albers. The lefty was the Cubs 6th round pick in 2009 out of Texas A&M University. He made five starts in 2012 for the Cubs, and made nine relief appearances in 2013. Combined, he has 38.1 MLB innings and sports a 7.04 ERA. Raley is 6-3 and 220 pounds. He is 25 years old.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] Last year in AAA Iowa (of the PCL), he posted a 4.46 ERA over 141.1 innings. He had just 95 strikeouts to go with 45 walks. However, in 2012, he posted a 3.62 ERA in 14 starts in the Pacific Coast League. Raley does have a four-pitch mix. He has a fastball that averaged 89 mph last year with the Cubs. He also throws a lot of sliders, usually in the low-80s. He also has a changeup and a curveball. Frankly, he sounds an awful lot like Scott Diamond. The 2012 Diamond would be terrific for a team. The 2013 version, maybe not. It's also entirely possible that the Twins will now attempt to pass him through waivers.

“For me, (2013) is in the past. Last year is last year. I want to focus on this year and be able to be the guy I know I can be.” Those were the words of Twins center fielder Aaron Hicks last month at Twins Fest. A year ago at this time, the Minnesota Twins had traded its two centerfielders, Denard Span and Ben Revere. Aaron Hicks was coming off a season at AA New Britain in which he hit .286/.384/.460 (.844) with 21 doubles, 11 triples, 13 home runs and had 32 stolen bases as a 22 year old. The Twins were touting his athleticism and talent from Twins Fest until spring training. Hicks then put up tremendous numbers in spring training and won the starting centerfield job. After that, little positive occurred for the 23 year old.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] Hicks was the Twins first round pick (14th overall) in 2008 out of high school in California. Four times, he was listed among the Top 100 prospects in baseball. Heading into the 2013 season, he was ranked #72 and a top five in the Twins system. He has a history of getting off to a slow start at each level. However, he has also shown the ability overcome the struggles and succeed with time. That just didn’t happen with the Twins in 2013. In 313 plate appearances over 81 games, he hit .192/.239/.338 (.597) and struck out almost 27% of the time. Late in the year, he was sent down to Rochester where he fought injuries the rest of the season. “Of course it bothered me. Normally, it takes a while for me to respond to the competition and then I respond. This year, I’m ready to respond. I know what I did wrong. I did everything this offseason to put it all together to have a better year this year.” After the season, there was talk about the Twins wanting Hicks to play winter ball. However, Hicks thought the right thing for him to do was to take time off during the offseason. “I thought a little about it, but I felt like it would be better for me to relax and think about stuff I need to do and get ready for another season rather than go right into another season. Really, just rest the body up. I’ve never had an offseason before. I’ve always played somewhere. It felt good to just relax.” Instead, Hicks did a few things to make himself better, mentally and physically. “I’ve just been mainly working out. I got a little heavier, trying to get a little bit stronger to do what I can to make the team again. And to be the guy I know I am.” He got bigger. “I’m 210 now. I think I came in last year at about 200. I just felt like I wanted to be stronger, to be able to generate more power.” He also continued to work out with and confide in a pretty solid baseball man. Who is the guy that he goes to when he’s struggling? “For me, it’d be (Rod) Carew because he’s been with me since AA and actually before that. He’ll ask me questions about little stuff and he really helps me out a lot.” He said that the two worked out and hit about three days each week, and sometimes on the weekend depending on their schedules. He also had time to think about what happened in 2013. “This game is so crazy that you can be hot one day or hot for two weeks and all of a sudden it can be like you’ve never hit before. It just happened. Maybe going to AAA helped me clear my mind and be able to just play, just enjoy playing the game. I felt like up here maybe I was trying to do too much.” Baseball is a game full of second chances. Hicks will compete with Alex Presley and Darin Mastroianni (who was removed from the 40-man roster this offseason) for the starting centerfield job for Opening Day 2014. So what are his thoughts as spring training is approaching? What is he expecting of himself this year? “I’m expecting to try to win a job again, just like last year. Hopefully it’s in the big leagues. If I go to AAA, do what I can to get back here.” It is also fair to note that Hicks better understands spring training after his 2013 season. “Spring training is different than the big leagues. I need to be focused and understand that it’s a process. It’s not just going to be easy for me. You’re going to have to take your lumps here and there. It was also a good learning experience, that it’s a grind every day.” Hicks knows that Byron Buxton is coming up quickly, but the two have a good relationship. “We don’t really ever talk baseball. I’m just trying to get used to him. If I can, give him a little bit of wisdom here and there. He’s been doing pretty good, so I’m just going to leave him alone.” Aaron Hicks will be just 24 through the 2014 season, but it is still a big year for him. At some point during the season, he will get another opportunity with the Twins. He plays tremendous defense and has a very strong arm, but will he be able to make adjustments at the plate to put up box score filling numbers again? If so, he still has a chance to be a very good, everyday player. “I had the worst of it all last year. I understand failure up here. I’d rather go through that and deal with it. Now I know going into this year how to prepare.”

Eddie Rosario's path through the Minnesota Twins farm system has directly mirrored that of Miguel Sano. When Rosario was the Twins 4th round pick in 2010 out of Puerto Rico, he spent the summer as Sano’s teammate in the GCL. The next summer, the two put up incredible numbers at Elizabethton. Rosario led the league in most categories including home runs and was named the league’s Most Valuable Player. They were together in Beloit in 2012. In 2013, the two started in Ft. Myers before being promoted to [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]New Britain on the same day. No wonder that a player who has hit .307/.358/.510 (.867) over his four-year minor league career is often overlooked and overshadowed. Of course, as spring training is soon to begin, there is another, darker shadow Rosario will need to overcome. The Good Eddie Rosario is an offensive talent. Listed at just 6-0 and 175 pounds, Rosario has incredible quick and strong hands and can generate a lot of bat speed. Though he has never approached the 21 home runs he hit in the small parks of the Appalachian League, he is capable of 12 to 15 home runs a year. He profiles as a guy whose line drive swing will turn into a lot of doubles. He has very good speed and can turn doubles into triples. Because he has such quick hands, he is able to allow the ball to travel a little deeper over the plate. At his best, he is drilling line drives to the opposite field. However, he has the ability to turn on a good fastball and pull it a long way. Rosario has very good speed. He also is a terrific defensive outfielder,including the ability to play centerfield, with good range and a very strong arm. The Bad Rosario is a very good defensive outfielder but for the last two years he has been primarily playing second base. You see, two years ago at this time, the Twins lacked any second base prospects, so they took the athletic outfielder and moved him to second base. The transition has not affected Rosario's offensive output. To be fair, there have been mixed reports on Rosario’s defense. Playing on the major league caliber infield of Hammond Stadium in Ft. Myers, most reports called Rosario’s defense adequate. Other reports indicate that Rosario is unlikely to ever be anywhere near an adequate defensive second baseman. Of course, his perceived value (relative to his position) would be much higher as a second baseman than as a corner outfielder. Rosario tends to put together some quality at-bats, though he is not one who wants to walk. In MLB in 2013, the average Isolated Discipline (IsoD, on base percentage minus batting average) was 0.065. Rosario’s was 0.060 at Elizabethton, but at every other level his IsoD was between 0.046 and 0.049. As mentioned, Rosario has good speed. In his two rookie league stops, he stole 38 bases in 50 attempts (78%). However, the last two seasons, in full-season leagues, he is just 21 of 42 in steal attempts, a rate of just 50%. The Ugly Obviously there is one topic that has to be addressed when talking about Eddie Rosario. Last month, he was given a 50-game suspension for testing positive for a drug of abuse. The 50 game suspension means it was his second positive test. The bigger concern is not so much the suspension. In my mind, the concern is that he had the first test, knew what a second failed test would mean, and still did it. A 50 game suspension is a slowing down of his development. Sure, he played another 70 or so games this past offseason between the Arizona Fall League and the Puerto Rican Winter League. His winter team finished second in the Caribbean Series this past weekend. The frustration is simply be that it was unnecessary. The suspension is obviously not ideal. Hopefully losing game time will make him think and realize the opportunity he has. His prospect status, as a 22-year-old who has put up tremendous numbers, should not be altered by the suspension. His future remains as bright as ever. Rosario also missed a few games in 2013 at Ft. Myers after being benched by Manager Doug Mientkiewicz. Rosario is incredibly talented, especially as a hitter. He has been included in some national Top 100 lists this offseason and is likely right on the border of those in which he didn’t make the list. As a second baseman, his offense has the potential to stand out a little. On the field, 2013 was a good year for Rosario. He began with 52 games in Ft. Myers. He hit .329/.377/.527 (.903) with 13 doubles, five triples and six home runs. Like Sano, the day after the Miracle clinched the first-half title, Rosario was promoted to New Britain. In 70 games with the Rock Cats, he hit .284/.330/.412 with 19 doubles, three triples and four home runs. That all came after being named to the Puerto Rican WBC team in which he started half the games in left field. 2014 is going to be an interesting year for Rosario and the Twins second base depth. Brian Dozier is looking to show that his performance starting in late May is something he can sustain. Rosario will miss 50 games before likely heading back to New Britain, probably after a handful of games in Ft. Myers. On his heels is Jorge Polanco, another Top 10 Twins middle infield prospect. Previous 2014 Twins Daily Top Twins Prospects: #10 – Trevor May #9 – Lewis Thorpe #8 – Jorge Polanco #7 – Josmil Pinto #6 – Jose Berrios #5 – Eddie Rosario

2012 was a frustrating, injury-plagued season for one of the newest members of the Minnesota Twins organization, Sean Gilmartin. It’s fair to say that he is excited about getting a fresh start with a new organization. The left-hander was the first-round draft pick of the Atlanta Braves in 2011 after a fine three-year career with the Florida State Seminoles. In December, the Twins acquired the southpaw in exchange for Ryan Doumit. At Twins Fest, Twins Daily had the opportunity to chat with Gilmartin and get to know a little more about him. Gilmartin spends his offseason at his home in Georgia. He made the trek north to the cold and winter weather of Minneapolis for Twins Fest weekend. Being new to the organization, he knew just one of his new teammates. As he said, “Everybody’s new except Trevor Plouffe. We actually went to the same high school together. He graduated two years before me. He played with my brother when my brother went there, so we know each other pretty well.” Crespi Carmelite high school (in Encino, California) has developed some pretty decent ballplayers. Along with Plouffe and the Gilmartin brothers, there are several other former big leaguers from the high school. Catcher Rick Dempsey made his big league debut as a 19-year-old in 1969 and stayed in the big leagues through the 1992 season. RHP Jeff Suppan had a 17 year big league career. Sean Gilmartin’s brother, Mike (26), was a 27th round pick of the Oakland A’s in 2009 out of Wofford. After four seasons in the A’s organization, he split 2013 between the Reds and Nationals organizations. Sean Gilmartin was selected in the 31st round of the 2008 draft out of high school. Instead of signing, he went across the country and played at Florida State where he became one of the top collegiate pitchers in the nation. It was pretty clear he would be taken somewhere in the first round of the 2011 draft. Heading into the draft, there was a lot of talk about the Twins being very much interested in the southpaw. “When I was in school my junior year, I think I talked back and forth with the Twins maybe three or four times leading up to the draft,” Gilmartin recalled, “Yeah, I had a couple of conversation with a few of their scouts.” That year, the Braves had the 28th overall pick. Two picks after Atlanta took Gilmartin, the Twins selected infielder Levi Michael. Recall that Alex Meyer was the #23 pick in that same draft, and that the Twins took Travis Harrison and Hudson Boyd in the supplemental first round. You may also be interested to know that two former Twins draft picks were taken earlier in the first round in 2011. The Astros took OF George Springer with the 11th pick (Twins 48th round pick in 2008), and the Cardinals drafted 2B Kolten Wong with the 22nd pick (Twins 16th round pick in 2008). In 2012, he began his season in AA where he posted a 3.54 ERA in 20 starts. He was promoted to AAA where he finished the regular season with seven more starts. He also had a very impressive showing in the Arizona Fall League. 2013 was a frustrating year for Gilmartin. He made 17 starts for AAA Gwinnett and posted a 5.74 ERA with a 1.59 WHIP. The reality is that he was pitching with shoulder tendonitis. He said, “It was tough last year, you know, being as close as I was to my goal of being in the major leagues. I started the year out pretty well and ended up getting hurt. Tried to pitch through an injury and figured out that isn’t the best thing to do. So, like you said, velocity is usually around 89, 90, 91, and I was throwing it up there at 83 to 85 and that doesn’t get it done.” In the Arizona Fall League in 2012, he was touching 93 at times. With tendinitis, continuing to pitch is just not really an option. Rest is the only way to improve. “(I) took time off, took about a month or so on the DL to get back. Made my last four starts. Came back healthy. It was basically just a little bit of deficiency in my shoulder program, so I’m working this year to get the shoulder strong.” What has the offseason plan been for Gilmartin in an attempt to regain his arm strength? “Not really a lifting program, just different shoulder exercises, a lot of manual resistance work with a PT guy.” His 2013 year ended with significant news for his career. After being a team’s first round pick less than 18 months earlier, he was traded to the Twins. What were his thoughts about the trade when he heard the news? “It’s a new opportunity, definitely looking forward to it. I’m thankful that the Twins were wanting to trade (for me), so I’m looking forward to the opportunity. It’s a new experience for me, so I’m enjoying it.” So when he is on, what does Sean Gilmartin throw, and what are keys to his success? Going right to the source, Gilmartin said, “(I’ve got a) four-pitch mix; fastball, changeup, curveball and slider. I think my most effective pitch, when my fastball location is where it needs to be, is my changeup. But everything stems off my fastball and my fastball command and being able to throw the fastball where I want.” It will be an interesting spring training for the lefty. He doesn’t need to be added to the Twins 40-man roster until after the 2014 season, but the Twins decided to make him a non-roster invite to big league camp. He’ll have an opportunity to put his injury and his frustrating 2013 season behind him. However, with the Twins depth of arms in the big leagues, with some out-of-options pitchers and some top prospects in the upper levels, it is possible that the Twins could send Gilmartin to either AAA Rochester or AA New Britain. What are Gilmartin’s hopes and expectations for spring training? He said, “I’ve been trying not to worry about where I’m going to start the year this year. I did a little bit of that last year, and it didn’t help me out in spring training. This year, I’m just going into spring training and getting myself ready for the season and getting people out. That’s the main thing as a pitcher is to get people out. Throw the ball over the plate, throw strikes, get people out, give your team a chance to win.” And what are his goals for the 2014 season? “For any pitcher, really, you look at the amount of innings pitched a starting pitcher throws. That’ll give you an indication of whether he’s doing his job or not.” Sean Gilmartin enjoys hunting and golfing in his free time, a couple of hobbies that he is certain to share with several of his teammates. With the Twins, there will be no need whatsoever to rush Gilmartin. He will not turn 24 years old until May 8. He will be able to work on what he needs to work on to make himself more big league ready. He profiles as a mid-to-back-end of the rotation starter. Considering that the Twins were looking to trade Doumit, and he was not going to catch any more, getting a player of Gilmartin’s potential is a coup.

Join us over the next two weeks as Twins Daily will be counting down our Top 10 Twins prospects. The names and rankings created quite a debate among the Twins Daily writers, so hopefully it can create some discussion among our readers as well. We’ll look at a prospect each day leading up to those glorious headlines that baseball fans spend winter waiting for, “Pitchers and Catchers Report.” Today, we’ll begin our Top 10 Minnesota Twins countdown with our choice for #10, RHP Trevor May.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] Age: 24 (DOB: 09/23/89) 2013 Stats NEW BRITAIN: 9-9, 151.2 IP, 4.51 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, 159/67 K/BB 2012 Stats READING: 10-13, 149.2 IP, 4.87 ERA, 1.45 WHIP, 151/78 K/BB ETA: 2014 2013 Ranking: 9 Trevor May was the top high school player in the state of Washington as a senior. He was drafted in the 4th round by the Philadelphia Phillies in 2008. He agreed to sign when offered a $375,000 bonus. Following the 2011 season, he was named the top Phillies prospect according to Baseball America. After the 2012 season, May came to the Twins, along with Vance Worley, in exchange for outfielder Ben Revere. Taking a cursory glimpse at Trevor May’s 2013 statistics at New Britain and comparing them to his 2012 statistics for the Reading Phillies, also in the Eastern League, it appears he didn’t make much progress. However, closer inspection shows he improved in nearly every statistical category. His ERA and WHIP dropped. He pitched a couple more innings. If you’re a fan of FIP (Fielding Independent Pitching), he went from 4.88 in 2012 to 3.79 in 2013. Part of that may be because his BABIP increased from .292 to .329. His home run rate dropped from 1.32 in 2012 to 0.83 in 2013. When the Twins finally decided to shut down Kyle Gibson at the end of the season, May was promoted to AAA Rochester for the playoffs. It is likely he will begin the 2014 season with the Red Wings, and it is also likely he will make his MLB debut during the season. The Good Trevor May certainly fits the profile of what a team should be looking for in a starting pitcher. He is 6'-5" and about 240 pounds. He boasts a fastball that sits between 93 and 95 mph and has one of the best change-ups in the organization. He also has a solid curveball. In terms of ‘stuff,’ Trevor May has what it takes. Unlike most starting pitchers in the Twins (and any other) organization, he has the ability to miss bats. In 2013, he was one of just three Twins starters to strike out more than a batter per inning (Alex Meyer and former Twin Tim Atherton were the others). May can be described as sturdy. In fact, in a recent Talk to Contact podcast, May mentioned that he is doing yoga five days a week as well as using the Twins agility program in an attempt to be more agile. He said, “I’m a big, not necessarily agile human” so any increased flexibility and agility will only be helpful. However, he also believes his lack of flexibility has helped him be as durable and eat as many innings as he has. He believes his ability to remain healthy is, at least in part, due to “my appendages don’t bend the wrong way very far.” The Bad Although May did see a reduction in his walk rate from 2012 to 2013, it is still a major area of concern for him. In 2012, he walked more than a batter every other inning. He was still well over four walks per nine innings in 2013. We read a lot about consistency with Kyle Gibson in 2013; it may also be the biggest key to May’s success moving forward. In 2013, May had 17 starts in which he gave up three runs or fewer. He had ten starts in which he gave up four earned runs or more. Twice he gave up eight runs in an outing. The key in those games seems to be not getting off to a good start. When he struggled, he gave up early runs and was often unable to keep the damage to a minimum. The Bottom Line Trevor May certainly has the abilities to become a quality major league starter. He has plenty of fastball and a good array of secondary pitches. He also has the elusive (to the Twins) ability to miss bats. Unfortunately, control and consistency have not always been there for him from start to start and occasionally even from inning to inning. Some have said if he can’t gain enough control, he could make a transition to the bullpen. That may be true, but I don’t know how many late-inning relievers are counted on if they can’t throw strikes in key situations. May told the Talk to Contact guys that he thinks the mental side of pitching is really going to be key for him. He found success late last season and in the Arizona Fall League by being able to focus on the process of pitching. He spoke of the act of throwing pitches as being a process. That process involves knowing that regardless of who is standing in the box, he can repeat his motion and delivery (the physical) because he can focus on what he wants to throw and where he wants to throw it. If he can maintain that focus and consistency throughout the season and even reduce his walk rate by another half walk over nine innings, he has a chance to contribute to the middle of the Twins rotation for several years. Check back tomorrow to see who comes in at #9.

After a week of Twins Fest activities and the playing catch up, today I will be continuing a series of Q&As with Twins minor leaguers. Today, we will get to know a little bit more about Chad Christensen. He was the Twins 25th round pick in 2013 out of the University of Nebraska where he spent four years. Upon signing, he spent the summer playing in the Gulf Coast League. The Cedar Rapids native will compete this spring with the hopes of spending the season with the Kernels. He can play both corner infield and corner outfield positions. [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] With that, here is the interview with Chad Christensen: ---------- Twins Daily (TD): Growing up in Iowa, who was your favorite team, and who were some of your favorite players to watch? Chad Christensen (CC): I grew up a big Yankees fan (sorry). My favorite player was Derek Jeter. I also was a big fan of Jorge Posada, Bernie Williams, and Mariano Rivera. TD: What are your best memories from your high school baseball days in Cedar Rapids? Did you play other sports? CC: I have a lot of great memories from high school baseball at Washington. Some of my best friends to date were teammates of mine from 2006-2009. The 2007 season was very memorable with myself and a friend as the young guys. The upper classmen were great teammates and players, and we had a great year. My senior year in 2009 was great beating Xavier to go to the state tournament for the first time since 2001, I believe. We had a dedicated group of guys and the season was one I will never forget. TD: Talk about your decision to go to Nebraska. Were you recruited elsewhere too? CC: I fell in love with Nebraska very early. On my visit, the stadium was packed with 7,000 fans for a Sunday game against Texas A&M. You don't get that at many places in the country. I was recruited elsewhere, but the decision was easy. I'm proud to be a part of Husker Nation and now an alumni. TD: What were your best memories/moments from your college playing days? CC: Beating Creighton in the first game at TD Ameritrade would be up there. I had some great teammates that will also be lifelong friends. Going through 4 seasons with some of those guys is something that can never be replaced. TD: When the Marlins drafted you in the 35th round in 2012, was it a difficult decision to return to college? CC: Being drafted by the Marlins was exciting. But I had to make a decision, and for me, the best decision was to return to Nebraska for my senior season and finish my degree. TD: As the draft approached, were you seeing or talking to more scouts? Did you have much conversation with any Twins scouts? CC: I talked to lots of scouts for a lot of teams as the draft was coming up. I had talked to Mark Wilson a lot with the Twins, so I was hopeful that the Twins might give me a shot. TD: What was it like to play for Darin Erstad? CC: Playing for Coach Erstad was awesome. I like when coaches are up front with you and make it clear what is expected of their players. Coach Erstad did that well. We had fun, but we had fun by respecting the game and playing the right way. If you respect the game and work hard, you'll love playing for that guy and you won't have any issues. TD: When the Twins took you in the 25th round, where were you and what was that experience like? (Was that about where you were expecting to be picked?) CC: When the Twins picked me in the 25th round, I was at a gas station buying a Red Bull. I was waiting at my house all day to be picked. I finally had to get going to get to my brother's baseball game. It was later than I anticipated, but once I got the call from Mark and saw I had been picked by the Twins, I was very amped up. I had always hoped the Twins would pick me being from the Midwest and with the Kernels in Cedar Rapids. It was a great day when I got drafted. TD: What was the adjustment to pro baseball like for you? CC: I enjoyed the transition to pro ball. I played in the GCL so playing all day games was different. It was a lot of baseball, but I like that. You really have to take care of your body to stay healthy and alert every day. I'm glad I got a short season in to learn some things before this season. TD: If you were to write up a scouting report on yourself, what would it be? What would you say are your strengths, and an area you want to work on to improve most? CC: I want to be looked at as a good athlete who plays the game the right way, who is a good teammate, brings energy, and does whatever it takes to win every game no matter what that is. TD: Who are some of the people who have helped you get to this point in your career? CC: There are so many people who deserve credit for me getting into professional baseball. My parents and brothers for pushing me and supporting me. My coaches from the time I was 10 for making the game enjoyable. My teammates at Washington and Nebraska. Coach Erstad for showing how the game should be played, and Coach Bolt for giving me a solid approach to hitting. And obviously Mark Wilson for drafting me. TD: Outside of baseball, what do you enjoy doing? Hobbies, etc? CC: I'm a big college football fan, and college basketball fan. I love Monday and Sunday night football. I'm also a personal trainer in the off season, so I am big into working out and teaching others how to work out and stay healthy. TD: As spring training is now just a couple of months away, what are you most anxious and excited about? CC: I am excited mostly just to get back on the field and start playing again. I'm in good shape and ready for the season. I am also excited for some Florida sunshine and to get out of the midwest winter. I'm ready to be back with all the boys again in Ft. Myers. TD: What will it be like for you if you played in your hometown, for the Cedar Rapids Kernels. CC: Playing for the Kernels will be exciting for me. I grew up going to those games and playing in that stadium. So to be a part of the Kernels and play for the city of Cedar Rapids would be very satisfying and special for me. TD: Have you set any goals for yourself for the 2014 season? Are there certain stats you think are important for you? CC: I try not to think about set numbers. For one, I don't want to underestimate myself. My goals are to always improve and bring focus and energy every day. To play the game to win wherever I am. Talking to guys who have done it and things that work for them. Taking care of my body, eating well, getting plenty of rest are all things that will help performance. If I do all those things the numbers will take care of themselves throughout the course of a long season. TD: Favorite baseball movie? CC: Sandlot, no doubt. TD: What is one thing about yourself that you would want Twins fans to know? CC: My brother Austin and I are tied for the Cedar Rapids metro all-time high school home run record. -------- Thank you very much to Chad Christensen for taking his time to answer these questions. Best of luck to him in the 2014 season.

After many rumors, the Minnesota Twins announced their third free agent signing of the offseason in mid-December. After signing Ricky Nolasco and Phil Hughes, the Twins re-signed Mike Pelfrey to a two-year contract that has several achievable incentives. He is excited to be back, and so are a couple of the Twins young pitchers. According to Pelfrey, “I had another offer on the table. It wasn’t where I wanted to be. Also, Terry Ryan was pretty tough at negotiations. He said ‘take it or leave it.’ I said, ‘Hey Terry, I’m going to take it. I want to come back. I told you that all along.’”[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] His teammates were encouraging him throughout the process and excited when he finally signed. He said, “I’d get texts from guys saying ‘How come you haven’t signed yet?, and I’d say, ‘Hey, if they wanted to sign me back, they would have done it by now, OK.’ So, we’d be go back and forth and joke around.” Why did Pelfrey want to return to the organization? There were several reasons, but the people had a lot to do with it. “This organization is great. A lot of very good dudes to be around. So I’m obviously excited to come back and see those guys.” However, that isn’t enough for him. He has goals for himself, but also for his team. “The only other thing is we’ve got to win. That’s the thing that we’re missing. We had fun last year, but winning is fun. We need to get that back.” So, why does he think that winning may be on the horizon? “I honestly believe that we’re heading in the right direction. We have Buxton. We have Sano.” He also singled out one prospect that he is really excited about. “We have Alex Meyer, who I think that, when he is ready, he’ll be the ace of the staff. His stuff is that good. I’m a huge believer in him.” So, what is it that he likes about Meyer and how good he can become? Pelfrey commented, “He’s got the best stuff on the team. No offense to anyone else on the team. He’s got the best stuff. He just does. I think when he realizes that, and harnesses that a little bit, he’s going to be dominant. He’s 6-9, throws downhill, mid-to-upper-90s. He’s got a pretty good breaking ball, but just needs to harness it and pull it together which is going to happen with a little more seasoning. You know, that power-strikeout guy that this organization has been wanting and fans have been wanting, I think he’s coming. I think when he’s ready, which is maybe in spring, maybe later on the year, that they’re going to make room for him and he’s going to be an impact guy.” Meyer also spoke highly of Pelfrey. Meyer said, “I was really happy about Pelfrey coming back. I really liked Mike a lot. He talked to me a lot in spring training. He took me out to dinner a couple of times, just to talk. We have the same agent. That’s kind of how it fell into place. It was good for me to be out there and be around him. I’m excited to go out there and learn from him. When Rick Anderson called me and told me ‘I put you in the same group in spring training as Mike Pelfrey so he can show you the way.’” Meyer isn’t the only young Twins pitcher who has leaned on Pelfrey. Kyle Gibson had some ups and downs in his first big league campaign, but Pelfrey was the guy he leaned on too. “I think some of it was he went through the same surgery, pretty similar timelines. Maybe because he’s just a funny guy and likes to talk a lot and that’s how I am too. He was really helpful. He’s real easy to talk to, real easy to ask questions to.” Pelfrey is looking forward to starting over after a rough return from Tommy John surgery in 2013 with the Twins. What is his personal goal for 2014? “I think you go in, your goal is always 200 innings. Even last year, coming off surgery. They said they were going to put me on an innings limit. Save it. My goal was 200 innings. But my goal was 200 innings and I fell way short of it. At the end of the year, there was no other way to put it. I had a bad year. Coming off surgery or not coming off surgery, whatever, I had a bad year. I definitely need to get back to what I had done years before.” He acknowledged that although he is a competitor and wanted to come back, he may have come back too quickly. The mental aspect of his return may have been just as difficult as the physical. “I think the mental part is fully trusting that you’re ok, that you can let it go and snap it at the end. I thought I got through that. It’s all mental. I talked about the physical part of it, the feel, which I couldn’t get until month 13. I think it’s a little bit of both (physical and mental) and getting that assurance back that you’re really OK.” With the additions the team has made this offseason, Pelfrey feels good about the 2014 Twins. “Obviously going into the offseason having the highest ERA in baseball as a starting staff is definitely not acceptable or what we expected. I think they knew that was an area of need and they went out and addressed it. The inner competition that you can create among each other is good and brings out the best out of people. It’ll be good. I think, looking at the rotation, we’ll have a chance to win every night. Guys are going to give us a chance to be in the ball game and have a chance. Hopefully we’ll go and do that and win a lot more games.” It goes back to why Pelfrey wanted to return to the Twins. “This organization is going to turn it around in a hurry as long as everything works out. I think things are changing and we’re heading in the right direction.” Fans of the Minnesota Twins who have endured the past three seasons certainly hope that is true too!

Twins Fest is a great opportunity for Twins fans to start really getting excited about the upcoming season. In just over two weeks, pitchers and catchers will be reporting to Ft. Myers for the start of spring training. For the first time, Twins Fest was in Target Field. I had the opportunity to talk to a lot of Twins players on Friday and Saturday and thought I would share one quote from each. Consider this a Best Of Twins Fest Quotes article. Over the coming weeks, I’ll be writing some more in-depth stories about some of these players.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] A portion of the Twins media (L to R): LaVelle E. Neal (Star Tribune), Mike Berardino (Pioneer Press), Rhett Bollinger (TwinsBaseball.com), Tyler Mason (FS North) ALEX MEYER on last season’s shoulder injury: “It wasn’t anything more than, I woke up one morning just sore. It wasn’t sore when I went to bed so I didn’t know what was going on. We went in and got checked out. It was funny, the MRI I got this time was more clean than the one when I got drafted. My shoulder looked better now than it did then. I knew nothing was wrong. I just didn’t know why I was hurting. I never had anything like that. Just a bump in the road now. It’s time to move past it and get back on the mound.” BYRON BUXTON on all the postseason accolades: “It’s really just an honor. God blessed me with a lot of talent and I just try to come out every day and use it and not let it go to waste.” ANDREW ALBERS when the first question he was asked in a small group was about the Korea situation: “Oh, here I thought we were going to do an interview about Saskatchewan.” ANDREW ALBERS on the Twins: “The Twins have been so great to me. They’ve given me so many opportunities. They took a chance on me when nobody else would. That makes it a really, really tough decision.” (By the way, the Albers situation should be resolved within the next couple days.) JASON KUBEL on Ron Gardenhire: “He’s great. I’ve only played for a few managers, but he’s the best. I wasn’t worried. He’s just too good for them to let him go.” TREVOR PLOUFFE on if he thinks 2014 is a big year for him personally with Miguel Sano being so close: “Not really. I mean, I’m not really concerned about that. I want to help the team win. That’s all I care about. Miguel is a great player, and if he comes up and helps our team, we want him. We want anyone that can help the team.” BRIAN DOZIER about his power in 2013: “Bruno (hitting coach Tom Brunansky) helped a lot, him being a power hitter. He kind of saw that I wasn’t actually getting everything out of my swing. We made a lot of adjustments to create more power. I think that you try to find the kind of hitter you are. I think I did that last year. Got comfortable. I like where I’m at.” SEAN GILMARTIN on which stat is most important to him: “For any pitcher, really, you look at the amount of innings pitched a starting pitcher throws. That’ll give you an indication of whether he’s doing his job or not.” JOE MAUER on changing diapers of his twin daughters: “I can, yeah. Well, they’re six months old, but I think I have 12 months of experience.” JOE MAUER on his brother Jake Mauer (manager of the Cedar Rapids Kernels): “Jake’s one of those guys. He’s got a high baseball IQ. I think when he played, you could kind of tell that whenever he decided to be done, he’d be a manager. He always thought two pitches ahead or a play before it even happened. It’s fun. We’re brothers. We talk about a lot of things. That’s one thing that we share, the love of the game. And trying to get better at it, and finding better way of doing things.” ERIC FRYER on his big league debut with the Pirates: “I got thrown at in my big league debut, and I had a collision at home plate with David Ortiz. So that was certainly memorable. He didn’t hit me super hard.” KURT SUZUKI on calling a game: “I love calling the game. I love preparing myself. I really take pride in messing with hitters and being able to get my pitching staffs through a game flawlessly. That’s my goal every game.” MIGUEL SANO on his home run goal for 2014: I asked Sano, “So, you hit 30 home runs in Beloit two seasons ago, and 35 last year. Do you have a goal to hit 40 this year?” You’ve already seen his response: “No… I hit 45 this year… more games… maybe 55, you never know. Working hard. Getting good pitch. That’s it.” ROB PLUMMER, Sano’s agent on what Sano wants to learn this spring training: “Joe (Mauer) says he’s going to try to see (Sano) in the cage and see how he is with his plate discipline and strike zone judgment. He’s going to try to give him hints about what pitchers are looking for in certain spots, and try to get him the plate discipline that Joe has. For me, I’ve been doing this 20 years, I think Miguel can walk 100 times a year. I think that he knows how important that is to add to his On Base-Slugging Percentage, to have an OPS over 1.000. We go over that stat a lot.” It was neat to hear what an agent views and finds important. Of course, ballplayers with OPS over 1.000 tend to make a lot of money! Asked if 100 walks is a goal, Sano said, “120… 150…” MIKE PELFREY on coming back last year from Tommy John: “There were a lot of times where I couldn’t get the necessary feel of the ball coming off my fingertips. That’s kind of important out there pitching. Obviously I think the results reflected that. I got a little better in the middle. Then I think I kind of wore down in September. In hindsight, I probably should have waited, maybe come back at 13 months which is June, when I started to get a little more of that feeling back. Obviously being a competitor, you want to be out there as soon as you can.” AARON HICKS on his decision not to play winter ball: “I thought a little about it, but I felt like it would be better for me to relax and think about stuff I need to do and get ready for another season rather than go right into another season. Just rest the body up. I’ve never had an actual offseason before. I’ve always played somewhere. It felt good to just relax.” KYLE GIBSON on his mental preparation: “I feel like this offseason, mentally, I’ve taken a lot of steps that I need to be prepared. I thought I was prepared last year when I got up there, and I think to a point, I was. But, as I started to struggle, I think I tried too hard to correct it. I was out there not allowing the adrenaline to help me, but rather making it force things and get in my own way mentally instead of doing what I’ve done my whole career, just getting out there, seeing the pitch I’m throwing. Picture it, and execute it and move on.” So there you have a taste of what was talked about at Twins Fest by some of the players. Certainly they are all looking forward to spring training and the start of another season. Dustin Morse and his PR staff deserve a ton of credit. Behind the scenes, they are the ones that get the players going to the right places and making Twins Fest go well. Dustin, along with Andrew Heydt, Mike Kennedy and Mitch Hestad aren’t the guys signing autographs, but they are the guys who make it all happen. Feel free to discuss the quotes above and ask questions that you may have.

Last night, Twins Daily had a small contingent attending the 2014 Diamond Awards. It was a fun night hanging out with John Bonnes, Jeremy Nygaard, Parker Hageman and the soon-to-be Mrs. Hageman. The Minnesota Twins, along with the University of Minnesota and the Twin Cities Chapter of the Baseball Writers of America, put on the event for the ninth year. It is a benefit for the University of Minnesota’s research and patient care focused on diseases such as ALS, Ataxia, Multiple Sclerosis, Muscular Dystrophy, and Parkinson’s Disease.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] Play Ball!! It was such a fun night filled with great stories from emcee Dick Bremer, award winners, front office and a couple of the new Twins. Target Field opened at 5:30, and there was a social hour (or hour and a half, I guess) during which time there was a silent auction with some terrific items donated by the local teams and some restaurants and more. At 7, the dinner and program began. It was a nice dinner, but of course, the big event was the awards ceremony. The first award of the night went to Andrew Albers, who was the recipient of the Jim Rantz Award, given to the Twins minor league pitcher of the year. Terry Ryan introduced him and spoke highly of the lefty. He acknowledged concerns about signing him originally, not because of his stuff, but because of his injury history and the Tommy John surgery. He also mentioned that a team from Korea was trying to sign Albers, but that the Twins would help facilitate it. Albers came up and spoke. He comedically told his remarkable story of how he came to the Twins. He spoke so highly of the Twins and mentioned several times just how grateful he was to the organization for the opportunities they presented him. Next, Terry Ryan introduced the winner of the Sherry Robertson Awards for the Twins minor league player of the year. The award went to Byron Buxton. Now, Terry Ryan is not one to launch superlatives real readily, but he spoke glowingly on Buxton. He talked about his tools, but he also talked about the person that he is. He mentioned that he has a “Fire in his belly” and is the type of person and player that teams really want to have in their organization. Buxton is very quiet and very humble. He did talk about having been in track, so “I’m pretty fast.” That would be an understatement. Next, Joe Mauer came up to the stage. Over the speakers, we heard, “Coming up to present the Carl R. Pohlad Award for Outstanding Community Service, Twins first baseman, Joe Mauer.” Mauer said, “That sounds a little funny!” Perkins came up to accept the community service award, and was very appreciative. Despite also winning his second Pitcher of the Year award, he said that being given the community service award meant so much more to him. He said that it is instilled on players to be great in the community, that it’s not just what you do on the field but also off the field. Perkins has certainly done that and was very deserving of the award. Ron Gardenhire came up and introduced former Twins player, coach and manager Frank Quilici as the Kirby Puckett Alumni Community Service Award recipient. Quilici talked about how he grew up in Chicago and was a White Sox fan. However, “The White Sox didn’t draft me. The Twins did.” He has been a great ambassador for Twins baseball since his managerial days. He is active in fantasy camps and is at Twins Fest every year. He talked about his father remaining a White Sox fan even when Frank played for the Twins. His mother used to get upset at his father because he wasn’t a Twins fan, he was a White Sox fan. Frank’s father would say, “What? I hope that Frank gets two hits… and the White Sox win!” Though his name may not be as well-known as his brother Dave, Steve Winfield has contributed to baseball in the Twin Cities for almost a half-century. He has played, been an official in the Minnesota State High School League and he continues to be a coach in the RBI League. He was awarded the Play Ball! Minnesota Terry Ryan award as a “Friend of the Game.” During the social hour, I was talking to Darren Wolfson and Steve Winfield came over to talk to him. He also shook my hand as we were introduced. Now, we so often hear or read about the handshake of Adrian Peterson. If it’s any stronger than Steve Winfield’s handshake, I’m surprised there haven’t been stories of broken bones. Caleb Thielbar was introduced to the audience as the Boll Boni Award recipient as the Twins Outstanding Rookie. The Randolph, MN, native is very quiet, very humble. He did a nice job of speaking. At one point, he said, “It’s hard to imagine when I was over in St. Paul (playing for the Saints), that I’d be in this league much less on this stage.” Rhett Bollinger of twinsbaseball.com went to the stage and introduced Brian Dozier as a double award winner. Dozier was named the Charles O. Johnson Award winner as the Twins most improved player and the Mike Augustin Media Good Guy Award recipient. Dozier does a great job as a speaker He credited the Twins and specifically Gardy and Joe Vavra for helping him through the transition to second base. However, the highlight of his segment came when Dick Bremer asked him about any adjustments he hopes to make in 2014. Dozier said that he’s already had to make a big adjustment. He got married two weeks ago to his girlfriend of six years. He joked that he’s learned more in the last two weeks than he did in the previous six years. He also said, “I didn’t know that putting a dirty dish in the dishwasher could go so far!” Though he is no longer with the Twins, Justin Morneau was given the Bob Allison Award for leadership. He was out of town and unable to attend, but he did leave a video thanking the Twins and the fans for the award. Bremer asked Terry Ryan and Ron Gardenhire to come to the stage to talk about the offseason. The first questions to the two were about the decision for Gardy to come back. Ryan said that there are a lot of traits that you look for in a manager, and the Gardenhire has those traits. Ryan acknowledged, “I put him through a lot.” It was an indication of Ryan putting the blame for last season on himself. Gardy accepts responsibility for the losses. As much as he didn’t have the players, he never said that. He wants to win, and he’s done it before. He wants to be part of doing it again and sees the team as being very close to getting there again. Ryan talked about the need to go get pitching, and that they have addressed that. He believes that if the team gets better starting pitching, it will help the other aspects of the game. When asked about the decision to move Joe Mauer to first base, Gardy’s humor came out. “We are going to have the best looking first baseman and the best looking second baseman in the league. We’ll have all the chicks at the ballpark!” Brian Kraft is the chairman of the 2014 Diamond Awards. He has ataxia. He came to the stage, with his father whose ataxia is advanced. He spoke well about the advancements that have been made. He provided the illustration that his doctor gave him. It’s like trying to find a needle in a haystack, but we don’t know where the haystack is. 20 years ago, they found the haystack, and more recently, they think they may have found the needle. However, so much more work and research and testing needs to be done. The Jim Kaat Award was first presented a year ago (to Ben Revere). This year, shortstop Pedro Florimon was given the award. He came to the stage and talked about how, growing up in the Dominican, all he wanted to do was play baseball. He also talked about how it was about 90 degrees right now in the Dominican Republic, and he definitely likes warmth. Jordan Zimmerman of the Washington Nationals is from the very small town of Auburndale, Wisconsin. After going 19-9 with a 3.25 ERA in over 213 innings in 2013, he was named the winner of the Dick Siebert Award for Upper Midwest Player of the Year. He was unable to attend. Ricky Nolasco and Phil Hughes came to the stage. They both talked about the opportunity that they feel they have with the Twins, to help bring things back to where they need to be. They’re both excited about the opportunity. When asked what pitches they throw, Ricky Nolasco talked about throwing the kitchen sink at the hitters. Fastball, slider, he tries to sink the ball. He wants to pick up on what the hitter is doing. Hughes said that he is a fastball pitcher. He said that he wants to work quickly and throw a lot of strikes. He said, “Sometimes you miss bats… and sometimes it gets hit a long ways!” Hughes deprecating humor played very well with the audience. In chatting with Bonnes and the Star-Tribune’s Phil Miller later, we wondered how that form of a humor might work in New York. The writers there might go after that. For me, I enjoy self-deprecation. Glen Perkins received his second award (Pitcher of the Year), and then Joe Mauer was given his third Calvin Griffith Award as the Most Valuable Twin. The highlight of the evening was saved for last. Rod Carew came to the podium to present Tony Oliva with the Herb Carneal Lifetime Achievement Award. A video showed all that Oliva has done on the ball field with the Twins, and all that he has done in the community. The list was long, and most likely, was not complete. Carew spoke of the Twins work in the community and all Oliva and others do, but he spoke passionately about his friend Tony Oliva. The two were roommates for ten years. Carew said that he used to lay awake at night, listening to Oliva cry because of the pain that he had in his knees. He talked about listening to Oliva struggle to walk, slowly, down the hall to get ice. He marveled at how Oliva would show up at the ballpark each day and hit line drives all over the field. He said, “We don’t call each other by our names, Rod and Tony, so come up to the stage, “Roomie.” And then Oliva put on a show for the crowd. The man is an incredible story teller. He talked about how he continues to go on the Twins Winter Caravan. However, he sees some of the young guys who are on the caravan, and he thinks that they need to do what he did. He said, “When I was young, 1964, 1965, I would go to Jamestown, North Dakota, and it would be 81 degrees below zero, wind chill.” He later confided, “This is a true story. When you’re Spanish, sometimes you lie a little bit.” Telling a story about when Carew was once batting against Nolan Ryan (then with the Angels), and “Nolan Ryan threw like 100 to 120 miles per hour.” He went on to act out how Carew’s stance against Ryan was different than normal so that he could get out of the way. In one case, Ryan threw a ball behind Carew’s back. At that point, Carew looked over at Oliva in the on-deck box and said, “Hey Roomie, I think that ball went right through me.” As the crowd at Target Field laughed, Oliva went on to say that Nolan Ryan was laughing out loud as well. In summary, it was a great night at Target Field. It was great to be rubbing elbows and shaking hands with many in and around the Twins organization. It was a nice dinner, and a very special program. Over the years, the Bob Allison Ataxia Research Center and the University of Minnesota have raised more than $8 million in their 20 years. If you are interested in contributing and learning more about this program, click here. Next up, Twins Fest! It will be held for the first time at Target Field starting tonight. One of the big talkers at the Diamond Awards was how it would go at Target Field. The logistics will make it quite interesting! However, it is a great event that supports the Twins Community Fund which has done so much in Twins territory to help youth baseball and support other worthy programs. As I understand, there are still tickets available for both Friday and Sunday. And, maybe we will see many of you at the Twins Daily Winter Meltdown on Saturday night. It will be a fun night!

This is the English version of this Q&A. The Spanish version can be found here. Last week, I posted a couple of Q&As with players in the Twins farm system. I am continuing to attempt to line up more and more such interviews as I enjoy them, but I also get great feedback on them. It does appear that Twins fans are eager to learn more about players in the system. Today, I am happy to present a Q&A with top Twins prospect and 2012 supplemental first-round pick Jose (JO) Berrios. [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]The talented right-hander has made quite a name for himself in his short time in the organization. With the help of his aunt Maria, who facilitated and then translated the discussion, we are excited to bring this Q&A to JO Berrios. Let’s learn a little more about the young flamethrower. Twins Daily (TD): Growing up in Puerto Rico, who was your favorite team and who were some of your favorite players to watch? JO Berrios (JB): Even though I grew up not being a fan of any team in particular, mostly because I consider myself a baseball fan instead of a team's fan, when I was a kid I always wanted to be a catcher just like Puerto Rican MLB player Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez. I liked his way of playing, his style on the field. I even had the honor to meet him personally and he gave me some coaching. TD: What are your best memories from your high school baseball days in Puerto Rico? JB: I have so many good memories from my high school baseball days. At that time, I was playing as shortstop and had the chance to represent the Island on several International Championships. It was a thrill for me. The year before I was drafted, I started playing as a pitcher and it went very well. I threw two no-hitters. And it felt so great! TD: Leading up to the draft, were you hearing from a lot of scouts? Did you spent much time with the Twins scouts? JB: Prior to the draft, I was contacted by scouts from several teams and had the chance to meet them. During a Perfect Game Tournament, a scout came to me and told me I had the quality to become a professional pitcher. That meant a lot to me. Unfortunately, at that time I did not have the chance to meet the Twins scouts. TD: Twins fans have seen the video of you when you were drafted. What was going through your mind when you heard your name selected by the Minnesota Twins? JB: Wow, it has been an unforgettable moment! My whole family and friends were there giving me support and strength on that special day. That moment when they call your name, when a baseball player begins to see his dream come true! A dream we (the baseball players) have since we were kids. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8p-A5jDpHYk TD: You signed quickly and pitched for the GCL Twins. What was the adjustment to professional baseball, on and off the field? JB: When I started on the GCL, it wasn't much of a change or adjustment for me. I was used to waking up early in the morning to begin my training. I've always been very disciplined. I take seriously everything regarding baseball and my training. At the beginning, I missed my family as well as the Puerto Rican food. Then, everything was under control. TD: You were selected to represent Puerto Rico in the 2013 World Baseball Classic. What did that opportunity mean to you? JB: It was a unique and unforgettable experience for me. Every player wishes to represent some day his country, his flag. It was a great honor for me to do that at my age. I was more than honored and proud. I learned so much about MLB from that experience. TD: In the WBC, I believed you struck out Robison Cano and faced some of baseball's best players. Did you learn anything from the experience? JB: Thank God, I had the opportunity to pitch to great baseball players such as Robison Cano. It was an excellent experience to remember. It gave me the chance to do what I do best, strikeouts. TD: If you were to write up a scouting report on yourself, what would it be? What would you say are your strengths and what is an area you want to work on to improve most? JB: I'm aware there's so much to learn. You learn new things each day. But one of my strengths are the strikeouts. My goal is to learn as much as I can during my time in the Minor Leagues and be ready when the time comes up for my MLB Debut. TD: Who are some of the people who have helped you get to this point in your career? JB: Since I was a little kid, my family has been by my side giving me great support. But my older brother, Angel A Berrios, Jr, has been my biggest inspiration. He, along with my father Angel A Berrios,Sr, have given me the knowledge and confidence I needed. They're both baseball players. Also, I would like to acknowledge my team from Build + Safe Sport Trainer for all the support and great training during these years. TD: Outside baseball, what do you enjoy doing? Hobbies, etc? JB: Besides playing this amazing sport, I enjoy Ping-Pong. I also enjoy going to the movies and of course, the beach. But to be honest, training each day is what I like the most. TD: Are you looking forward to coming to Twins Fest? Have you been to Minnesota before? JB: I thank the Lord for this great opportunity, to be part of this year's Twins Fest. I'm very excited to be there. This won't be my first time in Minnesota. I had the chance to be there after being drafted in 2012. TD: As spring training is now just a couple of months away, what are you most anxious and excited about? JB: For me, it's all about expectations. Each player is doing their best to achieve a better position on the team. TD: Have you set any goals for yourself for the 2014 season? Are there any certain stats you think are important for you? JB: My main goal is to have a productive, healthy season from the beginning to the end of it. I will be working on my strikeouts as well. I want to achieve double-digit wins this season. TD: Favorite Baseball movie? JB: My favorite baseball movie is Major League: Back to the Minors TD: What is one thing about yourself that you would want Twins fans to know? JB: I would like to share with you and the Twins Fans something very special for me. God has given my girlfriend and me the blessing of becoming parents soon. We are expecting a baby. Hopefully, he or she (we still don't know the gender) will be born this May. I'm very happy about it! This baby is giving us a new purpose in life. Thank you again to JO for taking his time, and especially to Maria for taking a lot of time to translate this Q&A twice! Please feel free to comment below!

This version of the Berrios Q&A is in Spanish. (Esta entrevista se realizó en español.) Twins Daily (TD): Crecistes en Puerto Rico. ¿Tuvistes algún equipo favorito? ¿Cuáles fueron algunos de tus jugadores favoritos? JO Berrios (JB): A pesar que crecí sin ser fanático de algún equipo en particular, porque básicamente me considero un fanático del beisból en vez de un fanático de algún equipo, durante mi niñez siempre quise ser receptor como el jugador Puertorriqueño Iván “Pudge” Rodríguez. Me gustaba su estilo de juego. Incluso, tuve la oportunidad de conocerle personalmente y me ofreció entrenamiento. TD: ¿Cuáles son algunos de tus recuerdos de tus días de beisból en la preparatoria? ¿Jugastes algún otro deporte? JB: Me vienen a la mente muy buenos recuerdos de los años de preparatoria. Durante esos años yo jugaba como campo corto y tuve la oportunidad de representar a mi Isla en varios torneos mundiales. Eso fue muy emocionante para mí. Un año antes de mi selección, comencé como lanzador y me fue bien. Logré lanzar dos juegos sin hits. Fue muy bueno para mí. TD: En tu ruta hacia la selección, ¿fuistes contactado por varios escuchas? ¿Tuvistes la oportunidad de compartir con los escuchas de los Twins? JB: Durante el proceso para la selección, obtuve reuniones con varios escuchas. En un torneo de Perfect Game, un escucha se me acercó y me dijo que yo tenía las cualidades para convertirme en lanzador profesional. Eso significó mucho para mí. Desafortunadamente, en aquel momento no tuve la oportunidad de reunirme con los escuchas de los Twins. TD: La fanaticada de los Twins ha tenido la oportunidad de ver el video cuando fuistes seleccionado. ¿Qué cosas pasaron por tu mente cuando escuchastes tu nombre seleccionado por los Twins de Minnesota? JB: Wow, ha sido un momento inolvidable para mí. Toda mi familia y amigos estuvieron ofreciéndome apoyo y fortaleza en ese día tan especial. Ese momento en el cual tu nombre es seleccionado, donde sucede un gran sueño que desde pequeño todo pelotero desea se convierta en realidad. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8p-A5jDpHYk TD: Tu contrato se completó rápido y comenzastes a lanzar para los Twins en la GCL (Liga de la Costa del Golfo). ¿Qué ajuste realizastes en tu inicio al beisból profesional dentro y fuera del campo? JB: Cuando comencé en la GCL, el ajuste no fue tan grande. Estaba acostumbrado a levantarme temprano para iniciar mi entrenamiento. Siempre he sido muy disciplinado en eso. Tomo muy en serio todo lo relacionado al beisból y mi entrenamiento. Al principio, extrañaba mi familia al igual que la comida de mi país. Luego, todo estuvo bajo control. TD: Fuistes seleccionado para representar a Puerto Rico en el Clásico Mundial de Beisból en el 2013. ¿Qué significó esta oportunidad para tí? JB: Fue una experiencia única e inolvidable para mí. Un sueño que todo jugador tiene, representar algún día su país y su bandera. Fue un gran honor para mí lograrlo a mi edad. Aprendí mucho sobre las Ligas Mayores en esa experiencia. TD: En el Clásico Mundial de Beisból lograstes ponchar a Robinson Cano y tuvistes la oportunidad de enfrentarte a varios de los mejores jugadores. ¿Aprendistes algo de esa experiencia? JB: Gracias a Dios tuve la oportunidad de lanzarle a grandes peloteros como Robinson Cano. Una gran experiencia que llevaré en mis recuerdos. Me permitió ganar confianza y hacer lo que mejor sé hacer, los ponches. TD: Si tuvieras la oportunidad de escribir un reporte de escucha sobre tí mismo, ¿cómo sería éste? ¿Cuáles dirías tú que son tus fortalezas y en cuál área deseas enfocarte para mejorar? JB: Estoy consciente que hay mucho por aprender. Cada día se aprende nuevas cosas. Pero una de mis fortalezas es lanzar ponches. Durante mis años en las Ligas Menores, mi meta es adquirir conocimiento y experiencia y así estar listo para mi debut en Ligas Mayores. TD: ¿Cuáles son algunas de las personas que te han ayudado a llegar a este punto en tu carrera? JB: Desde pequeño mi familia siempre me ha ofrecido su apoyo. Pero mi gran inspiración ha sido mi hermano mayor, Angel A. Berrios, Jr. Él y mi padre, Angel A. Berrios Sr, me han dado el conocimiento y la confianza que he necesitado. Ambos son peloteros. De igual forma, reconozco el apoyo que mi equipo de entrenamiento de Build + Safe Sport Trainer me ha ofrecido durante estos años. TD: A parte del beisból, ¿cuáles otras actividades disfrutas realizar? ¿Tienes algún pasatiempo? JB: A parte de este hermoso deporte, practico tenis de mesa. También disfruto ir al cine y a la playa. Pero honestamente, no cambio nada por mi entrenamiento diario. TD: ¿Sientes entusiasmo por participar en el Twins Fest? ¿Habías visitado Minnesota antes? JB: Estoy agradecido con Dios por haberme permitido la oportunidad de participar en el Twins Fest. Estoy emocionado. Ésta no será mi primera vez visitando Minnesota. Tuve la oportunidad de estar ahí luego de mi selección en el 2012. TD: El Entrenamiento de Primavera está a un par de meses por comenzar. ¿Qué te emociona sobre éste? JB: Para mí, todo es expectativa. Es emocionante ver como cada pelotero va en busca de la posición en su equipo. TD: ¿Cuáles son tus metas para la temporada 2014? ¿Cuáles números y estadísticas consideras de mayor importancia para tí? JB: Mi meta principal es comenzar y finalizar de forma productiva y saludable la temporada. Estaré trabajando en mi número de ponches y outs. Y deseo ganar doble dígitos de juegos en la temporada. TD: ¿Cuál es tu película favorita de Beisból? JB: Mi película favorita es Major League: Back to the Minors (1998). TD: Cuéntanos algo en particular sobre tí que desearías compartir con tu fanaticada de los Twins. JB: Me gustaría compartir con la fanaticada de los Twins algo muy especial para mí. Dios nos ha dado la bendición a mi novia y a mí de convertirnos en padres por primera vez este año. Estamos esperando un bebé. Estoy muy contento, esperando una hermosa criatura que vendrá a este mundo con un gran propósito. Un agradecimiento muy especial a los JO y María por esta entrevista! Por favor, comentar a continuación.

Recently, we have reviewed the catchers, the first basemen, third basemen and middle infielders. Today we will be looking at the outfielders in the Minnesota Twins organization. If I thought separating the middle infielders was difficult, imagine separating the Twins' outfielders into three positions? Think about it. Do we know who will be starting, for certain, at any of the three positions, much less who the fourth or fifth outfielders will be?[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] The Big Leaguers Josh Willingham had a down season in 2013 after winning a Silver Slugger Award for his tremendous 2012 season. His best defensive position is probably DH, and he’ll likely spend some time there, but he will catch what he gets to in left field. Oswaldo Arcia struggled with the glove in his 2013 debut, though he had never played left field in his pro career until he was called up to the big leagues. I believe if he goes to right field, full-time, he will look better in time. Not great, but better. His bat is pretty potent, though he will need to avoid those prolonged slumps where he struggles to make contact. The centerfield situation will likely again have Aaron Hicks and Darin Mastroianni involved, along with the favorite, Alex Presley. Mastroianni was removed from the 40 man last month, but he’s got a chance to be the fourth outfielder. Hicks hit great in spring training a year ago and then really struggled. He’s got immense talent and will get another chance. However, with Byron Buxton on the horizon, his time in centerfield may be limited. Chris Parmelee is out of options. He’s played both corner spots and some first base. Since Arcia has options, is it possible Parmelee gets April in right field? And don't forget that Chris Colabello played some right field for the Twins after never playing outfield in the minor leagues. He remains a bench option as well. 2013 Draft Picks The Twins have drafted a lot of pitching early in the draft the last couple seasons and in 2013 they did not select an outfielder until the 14th round. The Twins took three college outfielders, all capable of playing center field. In the 14th round, they selected Seton Hall junior Zachary Granite. He is a speed guy who plays very good defense. He played in Elizabethton in 2013 and hit .285/.362/.343 with four doubles and five triples. He also stole 14 bases and was named to the Appy League postseason all-star team. In the 20th round, they took a four year senior from the University of Buffalo named Jason Kanzler. He went to the GCL and hit just .225/.286/.390 with six doubles, six triples and three home runs. He stole 13 bases in 14 attempts. As a senior, he hit .330 with 12 home runs and 21 stolen bases. He also won his second college Gold Glove. Ivory Thomas was the team’s 34th round pick. Another four year starter, Thomas spent his first three seasons at Cal-State Fullerton before playing at Cal-State Dominguez Hills his final season. He hit .383 and was on base about 52% of the time during the season. He didn’t sign until late, so he played in just 16 games in the GCL. Prospect Rankings Just three outfielders appear in my Top 30 Twins Prospects list, and all three of them are in the Top 11. Byron Buxton is the greatest prospect ever. All right, that may, or may not, be a bit excessive, but he is the clear choice for the #1 prospect in all baseball, which also makes him the pretty clear choice for #1 prospect in the Twins organization. That is pretty impressive because Miguel Sano would be the top guy in most organizations. Buxton has all the tools. He has elite speed which he uses on offense – turning ground outs into hits, or turning doubles into triples – and defense – where he has great instincts to go with the tremendous range. He also has a very powerful arm. He has the ability to hit for average and should continue to add some power to his game. He can steal a lot of bases. He also has a very advanced approach at the plate. He is patient, and like the Twins’ Joe Mauer, isn’t afraid to hit with two strikes. Yet, coaches and teammates talk about him as a very coachable, very respectful young man who has a drive to not only be good, but to be great. Prospects like Byron Buxton don’t come around all that often. He could be up in the 2nd half of 2014 if all continues to go well. Max Kepler was also listed in the first base grouping as that may be the future position for him, but he has played more outfield to this point. He is my #9 Twins prospect. Unfortunately, his 2013 season was delayed by an elbow injury. When he arrived in Cedar Rapids for the second half, he played quite a bit of centerfield, taking over for the promoted Buxton. He has good speed, though at 6-4 and probably 220 already, he is a better fit in the corners, probably left field. He is a solid outfielder and looks graceful on the field. Offensively, he holds his hands high and has a very quick, very powerful swing. As he matures, he is going to add even more power. He struggled against left-handers in his time with the Kernels, so that will need to be monitored, but he is all about potential. He was added to the 40 man roster following the season. Adam Brett Walker was the Twins' 3rd round pick in 2012 out of Jacksonville. He had been a Baseball America Top 100 prospect for the draft, and the Twins were thrilled that he was still available when they picked. After his powerful 2013 performance in Cedar Rapids, I ranked him as the #11 prospect for the Twins. People want to talk about the negative with Walker. He spent the full season in Cedar Rapids as a 21 year old. He walked just 31 times in 553 plate appearances for an IsoD of just .041. If he can find a way to get that up to 0.55-0.60 in the next year or so, then it won’t be such an issue. However, his power is incredibly impressive. I would feel comfortable saying that, outside of Sano, Walker has the best power potential in the Twins' farm system. He drilled 31 doubles, seven triples and a Midwest League Leading 27 home runs. His 109 RBI led the league as well, and it was just one behind fellow Twins prospect Dalton Hicks for tops in all of minor league baseball. He also stole 10 bases in 10 attempts during the season. He is 14-14 as a professional after going 40-41 during his three seasons at Jacksonville. 2014 will be an interesting season for the right fielder. He’ll start the year in Ft. Myers but has a chance to move up to New Britain with a strong first half. Just outside of my Top 30 you will find JD Williams. He was the Twins' 10th round pick in 2010 out of high school. At the time, he was a toolsy project with terrific speed and very good strength. He was pushed to Beloit in 2012 and showed some signs but he did struggle. He returned to the Midwest League to start the 2013 season and showed great improvement. He hit .281, and he got on base 39% of the time. He also showed power with 12 doubles, six triples and eight home runs. He earned a second half promotion to Ft. Myers where he got off to a fast start before struggling late. He stole 26 bases between the two stops. Danny Ortiz gets forgotten in prospect rankings because of the Twins outfield depth. He doesn’t put up numbers that blow you away. He just puts up solid all-around numbers while playing good defense. I think he can be a fourth outfielder type. He’s not a burner, but he can play centerfield. He was the Twins 4th round pick in 2008 out of high school in Puerto Rico. With New Britain a year ago, he hit .258 with 27 doubles, four triples and 12 home runs. Listed at just 5'-11", he is not a big guy, but he has surprising pop in his bat. One year ago at this time, Nate Roberts was a popular choice for a Top 30 prospect. He was coming off of a showing in the Arizona Fall League where he led the league in batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage. He did that despite having spent the season at Low-A Beloit (because he had missed so much time with knee injuries). That was the story in 2013, too. He had knee surgery before spring training last year. He played in one game in Ft. Myers and had to undergo another knee surgery. He still has the skill set to be a good leadoff hitter, but he needs to stay healthy. Zach Larson is a young prospect worth watching. He has solid tools all around, but he can really hit. He could hit for average and for power. He's an adequate defender in the outfield though he doesn't run real well. But he can hit. He was the Twins 19th round pick in 2012 out of high school. He was paid well over slot. He began 2013 in the GCL but earned a promotion to Elizabethton where he was arguably their top hitter in his time there. Roster Projections In each installment, I have been making my roster projections. Obviously additional signings or injuries will affect all this, and that’s why it is important to have more than just two or even three at each level. There are also always players put on the disabled lists. This just gives an idea of who could be at each affiliate at the start of the season. Minnesota: Josh Willingham (LF), Alex Pressley (CF), Oswaldo Arcia (RF), Darin Mastroianni (4th), Chris Parmelee (UT), Jason Kubel (DH) Rochester: Chris Rahl (LF), Aaron Hicks (CF), Wilkin Ramirez (RF), Jermaine Mitchell (4th), Evan Bigley (5th), Eric Farris (UT), Nate Hanson (UT), Chris Colabello (RF/1B) New Britain: Danny Ortiz (LF), Byron Buxton (CF), Mike Kvasnicka (RF), Lance Ray (4th), AJ Pettersen (UT) Fort Myers: Max Kepler (LF/1B), JD Williams (LF/DH), Jonathan Murphy (CF), Adam Walker (RF), Nate Roberts (4th/DH) Cedar Rapids: Jeremias Pineda (LF), Zach Granite (CF), Dereck Rodriguez (RF), Jake Proctor (4th), Jason Kanzler (4th) Extended Spring Training: Zach Larson, Ivory Thomas, Ryan Tufts, Jorge Fernandez, Adonis Pacheco Feel free to discuss the players and the roster. Just a quick note. I will be working on the organizational depth chart for pitchers, but I am going to wait a week to ten days. I’m doing that for a couple reasons. First, I think it’s possible that the Twins add another pitcher or two on minor league deals (does Johan Santana come to mind?). Also, I will be making the long trek down to the Twin Cities on Thursday. I’ll be at the Diamond Awards, Twins Fest and the Twins Daily Winter Meltdown, so it will be a busy weekend.

On Wednesday, I posted a Q&A with Ryan Walker, a minor league infielder who the Twins drafted in the 2013 draft. Today I'm posting another Q&A with a Twins prospect. Brian Gilbert was the Twins 7th round pick in 2013 out of Seton Hall University. He spent time as a starter his first two seasons, but he became a strong prospect his junior season when he was the team's closer. After signing, he spent time with Elizabethton and Cedar Rapids. Combined, he posted a 0.78 ERA and a 0.71 WHIP. He also struck out 14 while walking just one.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] Enjoy today's interview with Brian Gilbert, and feel free to discuss and ask questions in the comments below. ---------------- Twins Daily (TD): Growing up in New Jersey, who was your favorite team, and who were some of your favorite players to watch? Brian Gilbert (BG): Being from New Jersey you'd think I'd be a Yankees, Mets or Phillies fan. Not me. I was a Red Sox fan. I really enjoyed watching Pedro Martinez, Manny Ramirez, Jon Lester, Dustin Pedroia and David Ortiz throughout the years. TD: What are your best memories from your high school baseball days? Did you play other sports? BG: Winning back to back Group IV State Championships at Toms River High School North and breaking the single season HR and slugging percentage records my senior year. I only focused on baseball in high school. TD: Talk about your decision to go to Seton Hall. Were you recruited elsewhere too? BG: After visiting other schools, walking on to Seton Hall’s campus I just felt a sense of comfort right away, seeing the history and how beautiful the campus is and meeting the coaches, walking around the baseball field and knowing I could be a part of such a historic program. It just seemed like the perfect fit. Schools such as Oral Roberts, Fordham and a few others were recruiting me but none were as appealing as Seton Hall University. TD: What were your best memories/moments from your college playing days? BG: My freshman year I was in the starting rotation. We had an up and down season but ended up winning the Big East Championship and advancing to a regional. My junior year and final season I was the team's closer and had the most games finished in the Big East, along with being selected 3rd Team All Big East. TD: As the draft approached, were you seeing or talking to more scouts? Did you have much conversation with any Twins scouts? BG: With the draft approaching I was in contact with numerous scouts. The Twins came in the picture late. That's when scout John Wilson invited me to a pre-draft workout and going to the workout turned out to be one of my best decisions. John Wilson and the Twins ended up taking me in the 7th round. TD: When the Twins took you in the 7th round, where were you and what was that experience like? (Was that about where you were expecting to be picked?) BG: I was at home with my family when I was selected. It had to be the most anxious I have ever been in my life waiting for that phone call. Between rounds 4-8 is what we were expecting so everything worked out great. TD: What was the adjustment to pro baseball like for you? (In E-Town, and then with the move up to Cedar Rapids) BG: The adjustment wasn't too bad especially since I had my teammate from school, Zachary Granite. I adjusted quickly with the situation and it was a sense of relief knowing that baseball is my job now. I kept my same mentality pitching from school to E-Town up to Cedar Rapids and that led to success. Being promoted from E-Town to Cedar Rapids was a great feeling, along with a confidence boost. TD: I've read and been told that you have a "closer's mentality." What does that mean to you, and would you say it is accurate? BG: Having those words next to my name is a great sight to see because I want nothing more than to be a major league closer. And yes, I would say that's accurate because I love when the pressure is on and I have to get the last three outs of the game. TD: I've also heard that you could be a starter, at least early in your pro career. What are your thoughts on starting versus being a reliever? Do you have a preference? BG: I've started, and I've closed. To be honest, I feel that I am more valuable as a reliever. I like the adrenaline rush from being a reliever. I like the high pressure situation at the end of the game, and I really like pitching with full-out, maximum effort. I definitely prefer relieving especially with my personality and my mentality. TD: Who are some of the people who have helped you get to this point in your career? BG: My parents, grandparents, friends, teammates, coaches, everyone along the way has helped me in some way whether it was baseball-related or not. TD: Outside of baseball, what do you enjoy doing? Hobbies, etc? BG: Outside of baseball, I enjoy fishing, crabbing, cooking, music and movies. TD: As spring training is now just a couple of months away, what are you most anxious and excited about? BG: I'm anxious to just start pitching in game situations again and prove myself to my coaches and teammates. I'm excited to meet other players and coaches I have not met before and learn from them and take in as much information and helpful tips as I can. TD: Have you set any goals for yourself for the 2014 season? BG: My main goal is to compete to the best of my ability and help win ball games for my team. As far as individual goals, my main individual goal is to stay confident and stay positive if/when I struggle and come across some adversity. I believe if I do that the numbers will be what I want them to be. TD: Favorite Baseball movie? BG: Even though I rooted for the Red Sox, my favorite baseball movie is 61*. TD: What is one thing about yourself that you would want Twins fans to know? BG: I was one win away from playing in the Little League World Series when I was 12 with Toms River Little League in 2005. ---------------- Thanks for reading, and thank you to Brian Gilbert for taking the time to answer our questions. He's got a chance to move up the Twins ladder quickly if he is in the bullpen.

In the last two weeks, we’ve reviewed the catchers, the first basemen and third basemen so far, and today we will be looking at the middle infielders in the Minnesota Twins organization. As much as I would like to separate the shortstops and the second basemen, so many of them can (or will or have) played both positions that I will consider them as one group of players. [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] As it sits today, it appears that the Twins may start the same middle infield combination for the first time in a decade, when Cristian Guzman and Luis Rivas were roaming the center of the diamond together. Pedro Florimon is magic with his glove, and maybe more. Photo by Betsy Bissen The Big Leaguers Unless something happens over the next month or so, Pedro Florimon and Brian Dozier will be the Twins keystone combo to start the season. Both spent time as the Twins starting shortstop during the 2012 season and didn’t perform very well. In 2013, Dozier made the transition to second base, and at least defensively, the Twins were strong up the middle. Offensively, you all know that Dozier got off to a slow start, but at the end of May, he made an adjustment and started producing with the bat. Dozier provided the Twins with 33 doubles and 18 home runs while committing just six errors. Can he keep up his second-half success, maybe even hit for more power? As expected, Florimon struggled with the bat. He hit just .221/.281/.330 (.611), though he had 17 doubles and nine home runs. Florimon makes his money with his glove. Defensively, his reputation of having great range and a strong arm both proved true. Can the defense overcome the offensive struggles? Can he make some adjustments with the bat? Eduardo Escobar is out of options, so he is all but assured of being on the Twins roster to start the season. As in 2012, he will most likely be the Twins utility infielder as he can play all three spots pretty well. The Twins have typically preferred having a second utility infielder. Doug Bernier surfaced last year after last playing in the big leagues in 2008. The Twins also brought back Jason Bartlett, who has not played since May 14, 2012. At 34, he is attempting a comeback. For defensive purposed, James Beresford may be the best option. He just turned 25 and between AA and AAA in 2013 he hit .306/.363/.346 while primarily playing 2B. If I had to pick a favorite of that group to start the season, I would lean toward Beresford, though Bartlett at 100% could make things interesting. 2013 Draft Picks The Twins drafted four middle infielders in the 2013 draft. Three of those players came from the college ranks. Their first middle infielder they took was in the 11th round, and he came from the prep ranks. Nelson Molina was the Twins 11th round pick, coming from high school in Puerto Rico. He played for the GCL Twins and it would be fair to say he struggled to start the season. In his first 19 games, he had just one hit in 52 at bats (.019 BA). He hit .193 over the final 17 games. At 6-3 and 175 pounds, there is some confidence his offense will come around. There is more confidence about his glove, and they believe he will be able to stay at shortstop. In the 18th round, the Twins took Ryan Walker out of UT-Arlington. He hit .267 in 42 games with Elizabethton; he also played in six games with Cedar Rapids. He is a speed player who plays very solid defense, with good range and a strong arm. In the 30th round, the Twins went with a player they know well. They drafted second baseman Tanner Vavra. The son of Twins 3B coach, Joe, Tanner went to Valparaiso where he hit very well. No surprise with a coach’s kid, but he is a grinder. He hit just .246 in E-Town, but got on base about 36% of the time. Two rounds later, the Twins went to Cal State-Dominguez Hills shortstop Carlos Avila. He hit just .206 in Elizabethton, and is known more for his glove than his bat. Prospect Rankings The Twins top middle infield prospect certainly affects the opening day roster. Eddie Rosario (My Twins Prospect #5) will begin the season with a 50-game suspension. That said, Rosario remains a top prospect because he can hit. After hitting .329/.377/.527 (.903) in 57 games with the Miracle, he hit .284/.330/.412 (.742) in 70 games in New Britain. Brian Dozier’s level of success with the Twins in 2014 may determine whether the Twins keep Rosario at second base or move him back to the outfield. Jorge Polanco (#6) struggled his first two years of pro ball, but in 2013 in Cedar Rapids, he showed that his 2012 stats an Elizabethton weren’t a fluke. In fact, in a loaded Kernels lineup, he hit third most of the season. Overall, he hit .308/.362/.452 (.813) with 32 doubles, ten triples and five home runs. Polanco split his time between shortstop and second base, though he really only played shortstop when Niko Goodrum was hurt. Goodrum (#20) had a solid first full season with the Kernels. He plays a very solid shortstop with good range, soft hands and a strong, accurate arm. Offensively, he hit .260/.364/.369 with 30 extra base hits. He has never hit for average, but his career IsoD is .096. He is long and lanky and still growing. He has a nice swing from both sides of the plate and could add some power. Danny Santana (#15) has shown the ability to hit for average (.297) and steal a lot of bases (30). He is allergic to walking, but he’s got the pop to hit a lot of doubles and triples. Defensively, he has the tools (great range, rocket arm) to be a great shortstop but to this point he has been very inconsistent on the routine plays. Levi Michael was not in my Top 30 prospects and barely makes the Top 50 after the former first-round pick has struggled two straight years in Fort Myers. In two seasons with the Miracle, he has hit .239/.336/.323. The Rosario suspension could mean he gets pushed to New Britain to start the season. He will be 23 throughout the season. Aderlin Mejia is another guy who isn’t a Top 30 prospect, but he came out of nowhere to be a likely Top 50 guy. He was supposed to go to Elizabethton, but while at Extended Spring Training, the Miracle had a need. It was supposed to be short-term, but he hit so well (.308 in 75 games), they couldn’t take his bat out of the lineup until a late-season injury. Roster Projections In each installment, I’ll make my roster projections. Obviously additional signings or injuries will affect all this, and that’s why it is important to have more than just two or even three at each level. There are also always players put on the disabled lists. So again, most likely there won’t be four catchers at Cedar Rapids, but this gives an idea of who could be at each affiliate at the start of the season. Minnesota: Pedro Florimon (SS), Brian Dozier (2B), Eduardo Escobar (UT) Rochester: Doug Bernier (SS), James Beresford (2B), Eric Farris (UT), Jason Bartlett (UT), Nate Hanson (UT) New Britain: Danny Santana (SS), Levi Michael (2B), Eddie Rosario (2B-SUSP), AJ Pettersen (UT), Brad Boyer (UT), Corey Wimberly (UT) Fort Myers: Niko Goodrum (SS), Jorge Polanco (2B), Aderlin Mejia (UT),Stephen Wickens (UT) Cedar Rapids: Ryan Walker (SS), Logan Wade (2B), Carlos Avila (UT), Joel Licon (UT), Tanner Vavra (UT) Extended Spring Training: Jonatan Hinojosa, Engelb Vielma, Nelson Molina, Will Hurt Feel free to discuss the players and the roster.

Over the next weeks and months, I will be posting some Get-To-Know-‘Em interviews with some Twins minor league players. It’s always fun to get to know the people, the personalities behind the ballplayer. Today, we are going to start with an interview with middle infielder and 2013 draft pick Ryan Walker. The Twins selected him last June in the 18th round of the draft out of the University of Texas in Arlington. He began his pro career in Elizabethton and spent a week in Cedar Rapids. So, without further ado, let's get to know, Ryan Walker.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] Twins Daily (TD): Growing up in Texas, who was your favorite team, and who were some of your favorite players to watch? Ryan Walker (RW): My favorite team was always the Rangers since they were only ten minutes from my house, and I was able to go to games often. I never had a real favorite player until Adrian Beltre. He’s fun to watch, does things different, but is an awesome baseball player at the same time. TD: What are your best memories from your high school baseball days? Did you play other sports? RW: My favorite memories in high school were playoffs and having to carpool to some games because the bus didn’t show up. A lot of fun times just being around guys that I’m still friends with today. I didn’t play any other sports in high school, although I would’ve liked to. TD: Talk about your decision to go to UT-Arlington. Were you recruited elsewhere too? RW: I wasn’t recruited to too many Division 1 schools, most likely because of my size. UTA ended up being a perfect decision, and I couldn’t have had a better time there with that coaching staff and teammates. TD: What were your best memories/moments from your college playing days? RW: The best memories, game-wise, were the conference championship games my sophomore year when we ended up winning it. It seemed like every game was just great baseball and several great plays and clutch hits just made it a great time. Outside of actual games, some of our trips to Seattle and other cities were extremely fun and times I definitely won’t forget. TD: As the draft approached, were you seeing or talking to more scouts? Did you have much conversation with any Twins scouts? RW: I talked to probably fifteen or so scouts, but the Twins scout I actually sat down with one time and talked to several times. He seemed excited about getting me, and it got me excited at the same time. TD: When the Twins took you in the 18th round, where were you and what was that experience like? Was that about where you were expecting to be picked? RW: When I saw my name picked, I was actually at my brother’s baseball game so my family was there, and they started congratulating me. Everyone in the stands kind of looked at us like we were crazy. I really didn’t have an exact idea of where I’d be going, but it worked out well. TD: What was the adjustment to pro baseball like for you? (in E-Town and then with the move up to Cedar Rapids) RW: The main adjustment to pro ball, I’d say, is just playing daily compared to 3-4 games a week in college. As for the baseball part itself, I try to take an almost naïve approach and treat it like it’s all really the same game, no matter the level. Obviously the ball comes harder, moves more, and people are faster, but I think 90% of problems for me are from overthinking. TD: If you were to write up a scouting report on yourself, what would it be? What would you say are your strengths, and an area you want to work on to improve most? RW: Strength and size have always been areas I continually improve on. I like to bunt when it’s there because hits are hits to me, but at the same time, adding strength to consistently drive gaps is definitely an asset. TD: Who are some of the people who have helped you get to this point in your career? RW: Oh wow! That’s a long list. Every coach I’ve ever had, and teammates that instilled the drive to succeed along with my parents. They always got me the lessons or equipment needed and that stuff you don’t really appreciate as much until later when you actually have to buy gloves and cleats regularly in pro ball! I also think my parents hate cooking now because of how much food I consume. TD: Outside of baseball, what do you enjoy doing (hobbies, etc.)? RW: Outside of baseball, I have a ton of things ranging from ping pong to playing banjo. I usually wear my friends out because of how many hours I can play ping pong without stopping. I really just like finding skills and getting good at them. I learned to write computer code last summer. I’ve been skydiving, basically anything exciting and challenging, and I probably enjoy it. TD: As spring training is now just a couple of months away, what are you most anxious about excited about? RW: I’m really looking forward to the first full year of pro ball. I’ve put in a ton of work this offseason so I really am just excited to go in and know I’m at the peak of what I’m capable of and have no regrets. TD: Have you set any goals for yourself for the 2014 season? RW: I only set a few goals, and the ones I do tend to be extremely lofty goals because I don’t really feel like there’s any other way to do it. I’d like to lead the league in hitting and make an All Star game. TD: Favorite Baseball movie? RW: Mr. 3000 is one of my favorite baseball movies. TD: What is one of thing about yourself that you would want Twins fans to know? RW: One thing I’d like Twins fans to know is… in about a month or two, I’ll be playing a mean banjo! Thank you to Ryan Walker for taking time to answer these questions. If you have any further questions for Walker, leave them in the comments below. Maybe he'll stop by to answer some, or I may be able to get some answers as well. Who knows? Maybe we can get some video of him playing his banjo before his next Q&A here!

So far we’ve reviewed the catchers and the first basemen, and today we will be looking at the third basemen in the Minnesota Twins organization. The Twins have had an issue getting consistent third base play since the days of Corey Koskie. Danny Valencia was called up and had a very strong showing as a rookie, but he then struggled in his second season. That opened the door for Trevor Plouffe who had a huge two-month stretch in 2012, showing tremendous power. He struggled in 2013. What will 2014 bring for Plouffe? With one of baseball’s top prospects coming up quickly on the horizon, it will be a big year for the incumbent.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] The Big Leaguers Trevor Plouffe will begin the 2014 season as the Twins starting third baseman. Though it will be the fifth season that he has seen time with the Twins and his 11th in the organization, he will not turn 28 until mid-June. There’s no question Plouffe has some talent and the ability to hit the ball a long way. His .254 average in 2013 was his career-high. However, despite playing in a career high 129 games, his home run total dropped from 24 in 2012 to 14 in 2013. He did miss time with a concussion and when he was ready to return, he went right back on the DL with a calf injury. Eduardo Escobar is out of options and will most likely be the team’s primary utility infielder in 2014. There is little offensive upside with Escobar, though he can play the infield positions quite well and can provide depth in the outfield too. He also had caught some bullpens and would be the Twins emergency catcher. The Non-Roster Invites Last week, the Twins announced their non-roster spring training invitees. Three of those invites are primarily third basemen. In 2013, Deibinson Romero was supposed to head to the Twins' big league camp for the first time since he was put on the team’s 40-man roster in 2009. Unfortunately, he had problems getting a visa due to MLB’s more stringent age reviewing process. He came to the States after the season began and put together a solid year. In 90 games between AA (where he just played in just a handful of games) and AAA, he hit .275/.374/.448 with 17 doubles and 13 homers. A year earlier, in AA, he had 23 doubles and 19 homers. Hopefully the 27-year-old can have a healthy, productive season. Brandon Waring (28) came to the Twins early in the offseason as a minor league free agent. After spending more than half the 2012 season with the Orioles AAA team in Norfolk, he spent all but ten days of the 2013 back at AA Bowie. He hit just .213. However, he did post a .102 IsoD with 23 home runs. He primarily played 3B, though he can also play 1B. The Crown Jewel The third non-roster invitee at the hot corner is someone who would likely be the #1 prospect in about 28 of baseball’s organizations. In the Twins system, Miguel Sano is the #2 prospect behind only Byron Buxton, the top prospect in baseball. After hitting 28 home runs and driving in 100 runs in Beloit in 2012, Sano performed even better as he moved up the ladder in 2013. In Ft. Myers, he hit .330/.424/.655 (1.079) with 15 doubles and 16 home runs. The day after the Miracle clinched the first half title, he was promoted to AA where he played in 67 more games. There, he struggled and hit just .236. However, he got on base 34% of the time and hit 15 doubles and 19 home runs. So, combined, he had 30 doubles, 35 homers and 103 RBI. His defense also greatly improved. He reduced his error total from 42 in 2012 to 23 in 2013. As exciting as Sano’s power is, he will have to continue to make improvement in his contact rate. When he connects, the ball generally travels. A return to New Britain will be beneficial to his development. However, he could move up quickly as long as his defense remains solid. And, of course, assuming his elbow turns out to be healthy. Prospect Rankings Miguel Sano is one of baseball’s best prospects, and rightfully so, but he was my choice (and most people’s) as the Twins #2 prospect. My #14 Twins prospect, Travis Harrison, put together a solid showing in his first full season. At Cedar Rapids, he hit .253/.366/.416 with 28 doubles and 15 home runs. After committing 24 errors in 59 games in E-Town in 2012, Harrison had 26 errors in 129 games in Cedar Rapids in 2013. The 2011 supplemental first round pick will likely advance to Ft. Myers for the 2014 season. Amaurys Minier was my choice as the #16 Twins prospect this year. He was the Twins big international signing in 2012 when the then-16-year-old signed with the team for $1.4 million. He was limited to 31 games in his professional debut with the GCL Twins in 2013 due to injury. He hit just .214 and got on base 25% of the time. However, he hit five doubles, two triples and six home runs. When he made contact, good things typically happened. He has work to do on his defense as well, as you would expect. Roster Projections In each installment, I’ve made my roster projections. Additional signings and injuries would affect all this, and that’s why I sometimes have more than just two or even three at each level. There are also always players put on disabled lists. As a disclaimer, these are my projections and not meant to be used as anything official. This gives an idea of who could be at each affiliate at the start of the season. Minnesota: Trevor Plouffe, Eduardo Escobar Rochester: Deibinson Romero, Brandon Waring, Nate Hanson New Britain: Miguel Sano Fort Myers: Travis Harrison, Stephen Wickens Cedar Rapids: Javier Pimentel, Chad Christensen Extended Spring Training: Amaurys Minier, Roni Tapia, Ruar Verkerk Feel free to discuss the players and the roster.

It started on Tuesday with the catchers, and over the next few weeks, I’ll be taking a look at the depth at each position throughout the Minnesota Twins organization. Today, I’ll look through the system’s first basemen. Joe Mauer and the Twins made the announcement in November, but starting in spring, he will officially be the first baseman of the Twins. He had been the primary catcher for a decade. Likewise, Justin Morneau had been the primary first [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]baseman (when healthy) for the team. Morneau was traded last August to the Pittsburgh Pirates and signed earlier this offseason with the Colorado Rockies. The Big Leaguers There is no question about it, Joe Mauer will be the opening day first baseman. He will, assuming good health, be near the top of the league in batting average and on-base percentage. The hope is that he will be able to play 155 or so games. That doesn’t provide a lot of opportunities at first base for Chris Parmelee or Chris Colabello. Parmelee, the Twins first-round pick in 2006, is out of options. He can play some first base and could play in the corner outfield positions, DH or pinch-hit. Parmelee has certainly shown glimpses of power, but consistency has been the issue. 30-year-old Colabello was signed from the independent leagues and in 2013 was the International League Rookie of the Year and MVP after putting up monster numbers in Rochester; he even showed power with the Twins. 40 Man Roster Besides the three players mentioned above, the Twins added two more potential first base options to their 40 man roster this offseason, Kennys Vargas and Max Kepler. The twenty year old Kepler has played a lot of outfield, including centerfield, in his young career. Obviously he will not be a centerfielder in the Twins system long-term (you know, because of Aaron Hicks and Byron Buxton). After spending the second half of the season in Cedar Rapids splitting time between the outfield and first base, he was invited to the Arizona Fall League where he played first base. At 6-4 and about 230 pounds, it may be his best position. Kepler is dwarfed by twenty three year old Vargas, who is about 6-5 and 260 (or so) pounds. He has immense power from both sides of the plate. Granted, he may never play first base in the big leagues as his best defensive position is likely designated hitter. However, he did work with Doug Mientkiewicz throughout the season in Fort Myers. The Century Club Dalton (DJ) Hicks, twenty three years old, was the Twins' 17th round pick out of the University of Central Florida in 2012. The 6-3, 230 pound Hicks was the cleanup batter for the Cedar Rapids Kernels for the first two-thirds of the season. He was promoted to Fort Myers where he continued to be a very productive hitter. His total of 110 RBI was the most in all minor league baseball. Prospect Rankings Kepler is certainly a Top 10-15 Twins' prospect. Vargas and Hicks are among the Top 30 Twins' prospects. Aside from these three, the top prospect is a guy who hasn’t yet made an official plate appearance in a game in professional baseball. In July, the Twins spent over $1 million on a big international free agent. Seventeen year old outfielder/first baseman/DH Lewin Diaz was given $1.4 million and the Twins hope he develops into a big-time slugger. The assumption is he will spend time with the Gulf Coast League Twins in 2014. Roster Projections In each installment, I’ll make my roster projections. Obviously additional signings or injuries will affect all of this, and that’s why it is important to have more than just two or even three at each level. There are also always players put on the disabled list. As a disclaimer, these are my projections and not meant to be used as anything official. This gives an idea of who could be at each affiliate at the start of the season. Minnesota: Joe Mauer, Chris Parmelee Rochester: Chris Colabello, Reynaldo Rodriguez New Britain: Kennys Vargas, CJ Ziegler Fort Myers: Dalton Hicks, Adam Bryant Cedar Rapids: Max Kepler, Bryan Haar Extended Spring Training: Lewin Diaz, (last year in the GCL their catchers played a lot of 1B when they weren’t catching) Feel free to discuss the players and the roster.

Over the next couple weeks, I’ll be taking a look at the depth by position throughout the Minnesota Twins organization. The majority of moves have been made. There could still be some minor league signings and there remain rumors of the Twins bringing in another starting pitcher. Today I will start with the catcher position. It has been a busy, rather interesting offseason for the Twins catching position.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] The first news came in early November when the Twins and Joe Mauer announced that the all-star would be moving to first base permanently. In mid-December, the Twins traded Ryan Doumit to the Atlanta Braves, and a few days later they signed veteran Kurt Suzuki to a one-year deal. Here is a look at the catchers in the Twins system. The Big Leaguers Most would likely agree with Joe Mauer's decision to move to first base, but it would be naïve to believe that anyone will be able to fill his shoes. Mauer has been the guy behind the plate for a full decade. He’s won multiple Gold Gloves, Silver Sluggers and batting titles. Josmil Pinto put up some impressive numbers for the Twins in September after hitting well in both AA and a handful of games in AAA. Most believe he can be a solid hitter in the big leagues because of an advanced hitting approach. The questions about Pinto are clearly around his defense, and those concerns are legit. Chris Herrmann got some time behind the plate in 2013. His value comes from taking quality at-bats and versatility. Besides catcher, he can also play in the outfield. Eric Fryer is a 28 year old backstop. As poor as Pinto is behind the plate, Fryer is that good defensively. The one certainty to be on the Twins 25-man roster on opening day (assuming health) is recently signed Kurt Suzuki who is a solid, athletic defensive catcher. His decline phase came early due to catching over 145 games two straight years early in his career. The reality is that one of two scenarios will unfold. If Josmil Pinto has a strong spring training, he likely enters the season as the #1 catcher with Suzuki as his backup. My assumption is the Twins would love for this scenario to play out. However, if Pinto has a rough camp, or his defense shows no improvement, I believe Suzuki will be the starter with Fryer as his backup. Versatility Besides Herrmann, the Twins have a few other catchers in the organization who have the ability to move around the diamond, which increases their value. Dan Rohlfing has been invited to big league camp each of the past three seasons. He has played the corner outfield positions as well as first base. In high school, he primarily played third base. Tyler Grimes made the move to catcher in 2013 after being a shortstop the first two years of his career. He was solid in his first year behind the plate, but he still got a few games at second base. Finally, Jorge Fernandez was drafted out of Puerto Rico in 2012 as a catcher. There is discussion that he could be moved to the outfield in 2014 as he is a very good athlete. 2013 Draft Picks Maybe the Twins had an inkling that even if Mauer had not been have moved to first base in 2014, it was coming in the near future. That may have been a reason they chose to target some catching in the 2013 draft. They drafted three catchers in the first nine rounds. Stuart Turner was the Twins 3rd round pick as a junior out of Ole Miss while Mitch Garver was their 9th round pick as a senior from New Mexico. They were two of the three finalists for the 2013 Johnny Bench Award, given to the top catcher in college baseball; Turner was the winner. Turner is known for his defense, but he hit nearly .400 during his collegiate season. Alex Swim was a late round pick out of college. He was also a nominee for the Johnny Bench Award. The Twins used a 6th round pick to take prep catcher Brian Navarreto. He is a big athlete who has a chance to be the best of the bunch. Prospect Rankings As far as who the top catching prospects are in the system, it is clear that Josmil Pinto is head and shoulders above the rest of the group. Beyond that, Navaretto and Turner are guys that I rank in the 30s, and for very different reasons. Turner is a college catcher whose ceiling is solid starter. His floor is solid, long-term backup catcher. Navaretto has the world of potential, but he has a long ways to go. Roster Projections In each installment I’ll make my roster projections. Obviously additional signings or injuries will affect all this, and that’s why it is important to have more than just two or even three at each level. There are also always players put on the disabled list. So again, most likely there won’t be four catchers at Cedar Rapids, but this gives an idea of who could be at each affiliate at the start of the season. · Minnesota: Kurt Suzuki, Eric Fryer · Rochester: Josmil Pinto, Chris Herrmann, Dan Rohlfing · New Britain: Kyle Knudson, Matt Koch · Fort Myers: Tyler Grimes, Jairo Rodriguez, Stuart Turner · Cedar Rapids: Mitch Garver, Michael Quesada, Bo Altobelli, BK Santy · Extended Spring Training: Jorge Fernandez, Brian Navaretto, Joel Polanco, Alex Swim Feel free to discuss the players and the roster.

The news came early on Saturday afternoon when USA Today's Bob Nightengale tweeted that Twins prospect Eddie Rosario would be suspended 100 games for testing positive for recreational drug usage. Twins media guru Dustin Morse quickly tweeted a response that the suspension was for 50 games. The penalty is 50 games because it was his second positive test. [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] When the first reports of a possible suspension came out in November, it was believed that it was a performance-enhancing drug. At the time, Parker Hageman went to Google Translate to decipher an article from a Venezuelan newspaper: We don't know what the "recreational drug" was, though I can say that it likely comes as no surprise to many. That said, Twins fans need to take a step back and look at this from a larger perspective. 1.) A 50 game suspension really only affects Rosario's development and timeline. In reality, he was going to start 2014 in New Britain with a chance to be called up later in the year to Rochester. He could have been a September call-up, if not sooner. A 50 game suspension likely means he will spend a few games in Fort Myers with the Miracle getting back into the swing of things before going to New Britain. 2.) Rosario does need to be added to the Twins' 40 man roster next November (or be subject to the Rule 5 draft... where he would be taken). The 40 man roster is also something that is relevant to this story. You see, marijuana is not a drug that is tested for on players on the 40 man roster. Read into that as you may. 3.) It may take a while to regain his credibility in the minds of some, but this (on its own) does not take anything away from Rosario's status as a prospect. This is clearly a mistake, and hopefully it will be no more than a hiccup on the road to the big leagues. Consider, Twins reliever Anthony Swarzak once was suspended 50 games for a "drug of abuse" too. He was given a second chance and he has made the most of it. Rosario can do the same thing. 4.) Does it hurt his trade value? Perhaps, and maybe that's important if the Twins are trying to deal him (which we don't know). Again, those around the game know Rosario well. Remember, he is just 22 years old. He's got a long career in front of him. On a personal level, I know there are a lot of people who are and have been very concerned about him. As fans, let's see how he responds to this. He'll get another opportunity and hopefully he can make some changes. We hope this suspension is something that pushes that to happen. It is important to note that the next suspension, if there is one, would be 100 games.

How many times each game or each week do we watch a catcher take a foul-tip off the chest protector or the shoulder? How often do we see the catcher or umpire get hit in his face mask? Often, the batter, catcher and umpire will get a good chuckle out of it. The announcers will joke about how it’s been a tough game for the catcher, he’s getting dinged up, or something to make it seem comical. On August 19, the Minnesota Twins hosted the New York Mets in a make-up game at Target Field. In the game, Twins catcher Joe Mauer took several foul tips off the face mask. The cumulative effects of foul tips finally reached a point where it was no longer funny.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] Mauer was put on the 7-day concussion disabled list after attempting to play the next day. Seven days later, reports came that Mauer was doing better, but that he would not be coming off the DL on the eighth day. Seemingly weekly, fans were told he was continuing to make progress, but he was having good days and bad days. Twins fans started to think that this sounded a little too familiar to reports about Justin Morneau in 2010, or Denard Span in 2011. Earlier in the 2013 season, Trevor Plouffe and Ryan Doumit had already spent time on the 7-day concussion DL. Twins fans have become skeptical when it comes to reports coming from the Twins medical staff, and often for good reasons. However, in this case, such thoughts were unfair. Aaron Gleeman said it over a year ago, and it rings true more and more with each concussion situation: maybe fans, media and others would talk or write about concussion differently if we called it what it is, a brain injury. There is no way to know how any individual’s brain will react and respond to the trauma. Finally, on September 23, five weeks after going on the DL, the Twins announced that Mauer would not return to the playing field in 2013. He was being shut down. Nick Nelson wrote the next day that Mauer’s catching days should be behind him. After much speculation about what the Twins and Mauer should do, on November 11, the Twins and Mauer announced that he would be moving to first base full time. In fact, he won’t even bring a catcher’s mitt to spring training. By making the decision official very early in the offseason, it allowed the Twins to plan accordingly. Of course, we all realize that players can get hurt anywhere. Catchers are not the only ones who get hurt or are affected by concussions. First baseman Justin Morneau suffered his concussion sliding into second base in an attempt to break up a double play. Like Morneau, Trevor Plouffe’s concussion came when he was kneed in the head on the base paths. However, in 2013, many MLB catchers missed time on the concussion DL after being hit by foul tips. Moving to first base eliminates the frequent foul tips. Joe Mauer is arguably the best offensive catcher in baseball. He has tremendous value as a catcher as shown by a 5.4 bWAR and a 5.2 fWAR. As a first baseman his WAR will likely drop simply because there are more power-hitting first sackers than catchers. However, even if his numbers stay about the same, he will still be one of the better offensive first baseman in the game. photo by Betsy Bissen Importantly, playing first base should allow him to play more games. Instead of playing 130 to 140 games primarily at catcher, he should be able to play 150 to 160 games as a first baseman. An extra 20 games means an extra 80 to 100 plate appearances, and I can’t help but think that will help the Twins offense. As a 30-year-old catcher in 2013, Mauer hit .324/.404/.476 (.880) with 35 doubles and 11 home runs. Compare that to the numbers he has put up over his ten big league seasons, .323/.405/.468 (.873). Some may argue, but I am of the opinion that Joe Mauer is already a lock for baseball’s Hall of Fame. Certainly if he can put up some quality numbers for just a few more seasons, it would increase his chances of going in on the first ballot. Of course, by Mauer moving to first base, the hope is to extend his career and the number of effective years he can have. Very few catchers in baseball history have hit .300. Even the best catchers in baseball history have typically played other positions as they aged beyond 30. Johnny Bench played third base. Yogi Berra played some left field. A catcher with the incredible durability behind the plate like Ivan Rodriguez is very, very rare. So, it is likely Mauer would have moved from catcher sometime within the next couple years. Rather than wait for one more foul tip to jar his brain again and force the move, or even end his career, the Twins and Mauer wisely decided to be proactive and make the move now. More important than the baseball side of things, Mauer became the father of twin girls during the season. Let’s not forget that finding ways to avoid more concussions (or, brain injuries) will help his quality of life as he grows older which is so important for his family. When it comes to major stories of 2013 for the Minnesota Twins, the decision for Joe Mauer to move to first base is certainly one of the biggest. One of baseball’s best players switching position is one thing. Another is that baseball has added the 7-day concussion disabled list and other measures so as to be more cautious with this type of injury. These steps should be positive for the game and its players. Finally, the decision was the first of the Twins offseason moves, the timing of which was important because it allowed them to time to plan for its implementation. Soon, you will see the final top story in the Twins Daily Top 13 Twins Stories of 2013 series. If you would like to look back on any of the other stories, they are linked to below. Please feel free to comment on this and any of the previous stories. #13 – Twins in the WBC #12 – Drew Butera Traded to Dodgers #11 – Twins Sign Kubel, Trade Doumit #10 - Brian Dozier Breaks Through #9 - Kyle Gibson Promoted #8 - Aaron Hicks' Lost Year #7 – Twins Draft Kohl Stewart #6 – Justin Morneau Traded to Pirates #5 – Twins Dismal Starting Pitching #4 – Buxton and Sano Dominate Minors #3 – Twins Spend on Free Agents #2 – Joe Mauer Moves to First Base

Before the 2013 season, the Minnesota Twins had two prospects in Baseball America’s Top Ten minor leaguers. Miguel Sano ranked #9, and Byron Buxton ranked #10. Such lofty rankings often raise lofty expectations. One of the best stories in the Twins organization in 2013 is that both these top prospects not only met expectations, but greatly exceeded them. In fact, when Baseball America comes out with its 2014 preseason prospect rankings, it is likely that both will be among their Top Five prospects. [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] Sano has been making news since well before the Twins signed him for $3.15 million in October of 2009. It is his immense power potential that gets people talking. He began the season in Fort Myers where, in 56 games, he dominated the pitcher-friendly Florida State League to the tune of .330/.424/655 with 15 doubles, two triples and 16 home runs in 56 games. He helped the Miracle clinch the first half division title early and the next day he was promoted to New Britain. With the Rock Cats, he was a bit streaky but those hot streaks are what make him so exciting. Despite a low average and a bunch of strikeouts, he accounted for some tremendous power. He hit .236/.344/.571 with 15 doubles, three triples and 16 home runs. He drove in 103 runs on the season as well. As encouraging, Sano greatly improved his defense. In 2012 while in Beloit he accumulated 42 errors. In 2013, between the two teams, he had just 23 errors. Obviously the concern right now is Sano’s right elbow. However, if healthy, Twins fans will most likely see him in a Twins uniform by midseason. With Sano, it is his power that is exciting. With Byron Buxton, his speed is electric. However, he is the #1 prospect in all baseball because of his overall game. Buxton began the season in the Midwest League (Cedar Rapids) as most first-round picks do in their first full season. Unlike most every young player to start the season there, he played so well and was so advanced that he spent only about half the season with the Kernels before moving up to Fort Myers for the second half. Not even Joe Mauer did that. In 68 games with the Kernels, Buxton hit .341/.431/.556 with 15 doubles, ten triples and eight home runs. Then, in 57 games with the Miracle, he hit .326/.415/.472 with four doubles, eight triples and four home runs. Buxton’s speed is elite. From the right-handed batter’s box, few in baseball history have been able to get to first base more quickly. He is able to beat out regular ground balls. He turned doubles into triples. Combined, he stole 55 bases, though he was also caught 19 times so that is something he will need to continue to work on. Defensively, he has great range because of his speed, but he actually takes good routes to the ball. He also has a great arm. Buxton is more than just his speed. He is a solid all-round hitter, patient at the plate, yet aggressive with his swing. He uses the entire field and has enough power to hit home runs. As he matures physically and learns the game through experience, he will hit for more power. Consider this: Baseball America commented that Buxton’s tools are even better than Mike Trout’s were as a prospect. Buxton was named the Minor League Player of the Year by many sources. He was named the top prospect in the Midwest League and the Florida State League. Buxton and Sano were the Twins representatives in the 2013 Futures Game and it is possible they will play in the 2014 Futures Game at Target Field. It is also possible that following that game, they could both stay with the Twins. Hopefully these two upper echelon prospects are able to continue to improve and reach their full potential. The best part of this story is that Buxton and Sano were not the only Twins' prospects who moved up in the minds of baseball people. Alex Meyer’s stuff and showing in the Arizona Fall League impressed. Eddie Rosario continued to move up at the same pace as Sano. Kohl Stewart is another Top 4 pick who has the stuff to be a future ace. Jorge Polanco took a major step forward in Cedar Rapids. Josmil Pinto continued to hit in the upper levels and had a terrific big league debut in September. Lewis Thorpe grew and came out of nowhere as a top prospect. Max Kepler showed his power potential with the Kernels in the second half. Adam Walker showed he has Sano-like power. Elizabethton had five or six starters that show potential. There are a few bullpen arms that reach into the upper-90s as well. The farm system is loaded, and that’s a huge story of 2013. However, it all starts with Byron Buxton and Miguel Sano. They are truly elite prospects and in 2013 they continued their exciting treks to Target Field. A look at other Twins stories from 2013 includes: #13 – Twins in the WBC #12 – Drew Butera Traded to Dodgers #11 – Twins Sign Kubel, Trade Doumit #10 - Brian Dozier Breaks Through #9 - Kyle Gibson Promoted #8 - Aaron Hicks' Lost Year #7 – Twins Draft Kohl Stewart #6 – Justin Morneau Traded to Pirates #5 – Twins Dismal Starting Pitching

I guess if there is one positive to having three straight 96+ loss seasons, it is the high draft picks that the Minnesota Twins have received. In 2011, the Twins had the second worst record in baseball, so they had the second overall pick in the 2012 draft. With it, they selected Byron Buxton. In 2012, the Twins had the fourth worst record, so in 2013 they had the fourth pick.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] The selection was something that had Twins Daily buzzing for a month leading up to the draft. Would the Twins use the pick to take one of the three big college players? Would they work out a pre-draft deal with Reese McGuire and then use extra bonus money later in the draft? The Houston Astros took Mark Appel with the first overall pick. Third baseman Kris Bryant was selected by the Chicago Cubs with the second pick. Then the Colorado Rockies drafted Jonathan Gray with the third pick. The player the Twins were most rumored to want all along, right-handed pitcher Kohl Stewart, fell to them with the fourth pick and they were excited to draft him. (Jeremy, John and Seth talked about the pick at the end of the first day of the draft.) Stewart was the 6th-ranked quarterback in the nation and had signed to play at Texas A&M. However, when he was drafted he made it clear he had every intention of signing quickly with the Twins. In a conference call following his selection, Stewart said, “Football has always taken rank over baseball, especially in high school with it being so demanding and such a big deal here in Texas. I look forward to being able to just sit down and work on baseball for once. I’ve never been able to do that. I really didn’t start pitching at the level I have been pitching at until high school and then football came again and took away from that. So I’m really looking forward to being able to really focus on one thing and focus on that for a long period of time.” Stewart is blessed with some great gifts. He has a mid-90s fastball and has been clocked at up to 97 mph. He has a slider in the upper-80s. He has a curveball and a change up and he is also working on a sinker. Scouts said he had as much pure stuff as anyone in the draft, including Appel and Gray. Though some considered him fairly advanced for his age, he still has a lot of developing to do. In his 2013 high school season, he went 5-1 with a 0.18 ERA. He also struck out 59 batters in his 40 innings. After signing, he went to the Gulf Coast League where he posted a 1.69 ERA and a 0.94 WHIP. In 16 innings, generally two or three inning stints, he walked three and struck out 16. He was promoted to Elizabethton where he made just one start. He threw four shutout innings, giving up one hit, one walk and striking out eight. However, he experienced some soreness in his right shoulder and the Twins were wise to shut him down. In 2014, Stewart will certainly be one to watch. He will likely pitch for Cedar Rapids, in their six-man rotation. One thinks they will have him on some sort of innings limit or plan since he doesn't have a lot of innings on his arm. In 2014, the Twins will have the fifth overall pick in the draft which means that selection will be a top story in 2014. The Twins have added a couple elite prospects through their high first-round picks the last two years. As a pitcher with a big fastball and huge potential, Stewart will be a key to the Twins staying strong for years to come. A look at other Twins stories from 2013 includes: #13 – Twins in the WBC #12 – Drew Butera Traded to Dodgers #11 – Twins Sign Kubel, Trade Doumit #10 - Brian Dozier Breaks Through #9 - Kyle Gibson Promoted #8 - Aaron Hicks' Lost Year