mnfanforlife

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True that barely any of these guys will make it to Minnesota, if any at all. But it is nice to have a bunch of promotable guys starting somewhat together

It would be an awesome option for the Twins, but the Reds wouldnt do it straight up. Chapman is too good. Prob take some top twins prospects and Span to get anywhere near a deal fro Aroldis

Cool inside information about our best pitching prospect! Thank you for sharing! Do you know if Jose is coming back to live with you next summer?

I could def see the ORG starting him in ELZ after the draft and having him start games but keeping him on a pitch and/or innings limit. Once short season is over, they will probably let him go to Cedar Rapids for a few more appearances. Starter or reliever there, I dont know.

Are we goin after Otani?

Thats assuming the Twins let him pitch in Cedar Rapids to start the year, otherwise he wont have time to get to Ft. Myers

Hopefully we will see Berrios for the ML club in 2014 after dominating AA ball, that is, if he can get to A+ this season.

You can view the page at http://www.twinsdaily.com/content.php?1165-Pickin-Berrios

Most every hardcore Twins fan is well aware of the Puerto Rican 18-year-old we picked up in last June's draft (Jose Orlando Berrios! for the rest of you). After dominating both rookie levels in 2012, this kid is screaming fast-track potential. Where can we expect this guy to finish the 2013 season? [ATTACH=CONFIG]2659[/ATTACH] J.O. is what they are gonna call him. And he should certainly get to pick his nickname after averaging 14.4 K's/9 innings as a minor-league-rookie. That is ridiculous, and 2013 will show if he can keep those numbers up as a starting pitcher. He pitched 30.2 innings with 49 K's in 2012, and opponents hit .140. Holy moly! This guy is only 6-foot-nothing, a-hundred-eighty-nothing (short and scrawny). But he generates tremendous force behind his pitches. Before the draft, the numbers and reports the Twins had on him were this: 90-93 fastball with 3/4 arm slot creating tail...78 on the slurve with hard break down and away from RHH...79 on the Change-up with heavy action in to a RHH. He was praised for his command of the off-speed stuff, especially the change-up. After checking out a few videos on youtube, I see that this kid really has an electric fastball. A low 90's fastball isn't all that impressive by itself. But J.O. has a very deliberate motion toward the plate and hides the ball extremely well, making that low 90's heat feel like mid 90's to the hitter. His breaking ball is "as advertised" and shall be an out pitch for the talented right-hander. The change-up looks like filth to me, and should prove to keep many pro-hitters from guessing on the fastball. So the real question now is this: Will the organization fast-track this kid in 2013, and allow him to move multiple levels? I am sure his performance will determine this, but the guy will only be 19. So, perhaps the organization will play it safe and limit his innings and appearances? Berrios has been described as physically mature beyond his age (whatever that means), so maybe he gets a heavier workload than someone else his age. [ATTACH=CONFIG]2660[/ATTACH] I predict: Berrios shows how his hard working attitude can produce crazy good numbers. Reports from the end of last summer had him hitting 94-96 on the gun, so he's got serious MLB potential. He may start in Elizabethton, but I see him definitely playing A ball before the season ends. If it was up to me, I would start him in Cedar Rapids and play it by ear from there. He is oh-so-ready for the low-A level, and you know it. Please leave your opinion on Berrios below. Thanks!

I dont see any of these guys taking innings from Berrios or Mata. Those two are worthy of a blog post each. But if one of these guys does become a starter next summer, they could easily join them in the Cedar Rapids starting 5.

Yeah, i know ERA can fluctuate quite a bit from year to year for relievers (and starters too for that matter). But the ERA crown often takes home the Cy Young in most cases. So, its a tough stat to keep very low throughout an entire season. Can't wait to see what these guys can do in a full season league. All of them made starts last year at some point.

Nice comparisons Seth. How bout the Taiwan kid eh? Must have insane command with those numbers.

It would be embarrassing to trade any top prospects for a guy we gave up on not too long ago.

because Rosario cant play 2B?

Good comparison of Sano to Stanton. Thats probably the best Ive heard yet. Big hitter, dunno what they r gonna b on D

With names like Buxton, Rosario and Sano cruising through the Gulf Coast League in recent years, have the Twins got any big-time-pitching prospects cooking in the tropics? Has anyone flown under the radar (perhaps flying through the near-by Bermuda triangle), that us Twins fans should expect to possibly contribute someday in Minnesota? I've got names and numbers, so enjoy this ride through the electric-fog wormhole that is Twinsdaily.com..... [ATTACH=CONFIG]2654[/ATTACH] (Montanez) 1. Josue Montanez - LHP This guy was a 2011--15th round pick as a junior college starter out of Miami Dade CC, where he put up solid numbers (66 innings, 70 K's, 2.59 ERA). He struggled a bit in his first season in the GCL after signing, but turned things around in a big-left-handed-way in 2012. He pitched 25 innings and had 30 K's with only 13 hits and 8 walks surrendered. Josue gave up one earned run last year and held opponents to a .149 average. Major potential for the 20-year-old. Check him out in the Puerto Rican league this winter. 2. Randy Rosario - LHP He's a skinny lefty that was signed in 2010 as a 16-year-old outta the Dominican Republic. "Rosario 2.0" showed he has the pitching production to be able to move up the minor league ranks after a very effective year as a 17-year-old in the Domincan Summer League. As an 18-year-old in the GCL in 2012, Randy played pro-ball in the USA for the first time and posted awesome numbers overall. He gave up only 19 hits in 38+ innings and K'd 42 with a 1.64 ERA (.147 BAA). Look for him to start in Elizabethton and hopefully finish in A ball, over the course of 2013. But hey, as a 19-year-old, he may get a short season and then a long break over the following winter. 3. Felix Jorge - RHP This kid is also ridiculously young and playing at a high level as a rookie in USA-pro-ball. While 18, and playing in the GCL last year, the D.R. product posted above-average numbers with his low-90's gas and plus breaker. He kept his ERA down to 2.34 in 34.2 innings. His 37/12 K/BB ratio was just fine, and his upside is crazy considering he looks like he is about 15. Look for this guy to make big Caribbean waves moving forward and maybe end up on the top 20 prospects list in 2-3 years. [ATTACH=CONFIG]2655[/ATTACH] (Jorge) 4. Kuo Hua Lo - RHP Take a look at what this Taiwanese 20-year-old did in the GCL last year. He didn't necessarily overpower hitters with mid to upper-90's stuff, but he is said to be able to sit in the low-90's with excellent command. His numbers sure were dominant-looking, even if he isn't going to be a dominant type moving forward. His WHIP was 0.78...!! and his BB/9 innings is at 1.59...! The best stat for me is this: 1.13 ERA in 39.2 innings. I think about baseball a lot, and ERA is the MOST important stat for a pitcher in my opinion. Your starter's ERA is what you're facing, on average, as an offense (until or if the starter exits, obviously). So Lo's 1.13 ERA is outstanding, to say the least. [ATTACH=CONFIG]2656[/ATTACH] (Lo) There are plenty of other arms that had great seasons in the GCL for the Twins. Check em out and let us know why they should be on this list.

opportunity

I can't wait to see what he can do in A+!

Haha! Nothing would make me happier than to see Kepler speed past Sano on their way to Minnesota. However, it looks like Kepler is a year behind Sano/Rosario for now anyway. YES, Kepler's ability to hit for power and limit his strikeouts is a major + in his quest to move fast up the ladder. Again, nothing would make me happier than to see these talented prospects skip AAA (if they prove MLB worthy at AA).

I dont see how macier izturis is any more cost-effective than Florimon or Escobar as a UTIL infielder. Or any more talented than those two, for that matter

The problem I have with how they have dealt with Sano/Rosario, is that they were both wayyy too good for a full year in Elizabethton. In my opinion, they both could have skipped (or spent half a season in) ELZ and been getting a taste of full-season schedule in Beloit in 2011. That wouldhave allowed them to break in to an advanced league at A+ towards the end of last year. If they succeeded in A+ last year we could be talking about starting in A+ and putting pressure on the MLB club to vacate 2B and 3B (making way for Rosario/Sano) to start 2014.