Cody Christie

Prospects can be quite the fickle crop of players. Some turn into All-Stars and others fall to the wayside before reaching their full potential. Developing baseball players from teenagers into young men is not an exact science. For every Byron Buxton and Miguel Sano, there will be a Joe Benson and an Alex Wimmers. When it comes to pitchers advancing through a minor league system, there can be plenty of ups and downs. A couple of weeks ago, I looked at the top three pitching prospects in the Twins organization to try and get a pulse on what their ceiling and floors were as they close in on Target Field. Each of these players has the potential to be a very important part of the Twins turnaround.Today, let's look at the top position players in the organization. Many of these top prospects have been or will be featured in the Twins Daily Top Prospect list. Byron Buxton and Max Kepler could see significant playing time at the big league level this season but Nick Gordon is a couple years away from making his debut. How high can this trio go? Or will they follow the path of Joe Benson and Alex Wimmers? Byron Buxton Ceiling: Buxton has been considered one of the top prospects in baseball since he was drafted with the number two overall pick. His defensive skills and base running would already rank him near the top of baseball world. There have been positive offensive signs during his professional career. He has shown more signs of power than what scouts thought during the drafting process and he has a professional approach at the plate. If Buxton can continue trending upward, he has the potential to be an all-star caliber outfielder with MVP potential. Ceiling Result: All-Star Five-Tool Outfielder Floor: Much of Buxton's high-ranking abilities come from his speed. Running down balls in center field and going from first to third on a single is a skill that can't be taught. Luckily, Buxton should be able to rely on his speed for multiple seasons especially as he continues to grow into his body. Buxton's lack of hitting ability in his big league debut was a little disconcerting. He's also been bitten by the injury bug more than once in his professional career. If he can't figure out how to make consistent contact and continues to get injured, it will be impossible for him to reach his potential. Floor Result: Plus Defensive Outfielder Nick Gordon Ceiling: When the Twins drafted Gordon, they knew of his family's baseball heritage. His father Tom, pitched for 20+ MLB seasons and his brother, Dee, has played in the last two All-Star Games. When players like Gordon grow up around baseball, there's a lot they can absorb about the game. Gordon spent all of 2015 in the Midwest League so he will likely spend most of 2016 with Fort Myers. Many believe he will be able to stick at shortstop long-term and there's hope that he will be able to develop more power as he reaches his early 20s. Gordon has things to work on but the potential and tools are all there. Ceiling Result: All-Star Top-of-the-Order Shortstop Floor: Gordon's brother eventually had to move away from shortstop to second base and this could be the eventual landing spot for the younger Gordon. His speed tool is less than his brother's so that is also something that could hold him back. At the plate, Gordon struggled in the first part of the season before hitting for a .763 OPS in the second half of the year. If his power doesn't develop, he is going to need to continue to keep up his on-base percentage and make better contact. There's a good chance he will become a big leaguer but maybe not the star the Twins were hoping to get. Floor Result: Solid Average MLB Regular Max Kepler Ceiling: Patience finally paid off when it came to Kepler. The Twins signed him the same summer as Miguel Sano and have been waiting patiently for him to develop into his athletic frame. Kepler put everything together last season to win the MVP of the Southern League and make his big league debut. He's played center field for most of his professional career so he should slide nicely into a corner outfield spot and be a plus defender at either of those positions. His power potential continues to increase and he has good base-running ability as well. He has the chance to be the first real baseball star from Europe. Ceiling Result: 20/20 All-Star Outfielder Floor: Kepler struggled through some injuries in his early professional career so it was good to see a healthy season from him in 2015. Injury concerns can reappear so it is something to monitor in 2016 and beyond. Some question if his power will continue to develop as he has hit double digits in home runs only once in his professional career (2012). His defense and on-base ability should help him to keep a starting job at the MLB level. However, if the Twins want someone with more power to take over his corner outfield spot, he could see his playing time start to diminish. Floor Result: Fourth Outfielder Which player has the better shot at reaching his ceiling? Are these floor results too optimistic? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. Click here to view the article

Jorge Polanco has seen limited action with the Twins in each of the last two seasons. Minnesota's use of Polanco in 2015 was unique as he was brought up for one game last June, sent back to Double-A, promoted to Triple-A less than a month later, brought back to the majors for three games, and demoted to Chattanooga where he finished the season. He's in his final option year and the Twins need to figure out where he fits into their long-term puzzle.Age: 22 (DOB: 7/5/1993) 2015 Stats (Chattanooga/Rochester): .288/.339/.386 (.725) with 23-2B, 3-3B, 6-HR ETA: 2016 2014 Ranking: 8; 2015 Ranking: 7 National Top 100 Rankings BA: 99, MLB: 97, BP: NA What's To Like Polanco's bat has been close to major league-ready for a couple of seasons and he's only entering his age-22 season. There were some struggles during his early taste of professional baseball where he hit under .250 in 275 GCL at-bats. He has developed into a .288/.348/.404 hitter through his minor league career. Polanco has even started to be recognized on the national level this year as Baseball America (99), ESPN's Keith Law (66), and MLB.com (97) all have him in their top 100. Even though Minnesota has moved Polanco around a lot over the last two seasons, they wouldn't have done that if they didn't know the player could handle it. Many scouting reports peg him as a very smart player and he shows a lot of maturity even though he has been younger than the competition at every stop in his career. He's added some muscle to his frame over the last two seasons while continuing to be a good base runner. What's Left To Work On The Twins organization continues to play Polanco at shortstop even though he might not have all the skills for the position. Over the last two seasons, he has been charged with 65 errors at shortstop and he has a .932 fielding percentage for his minor league career. He's made some strides at the position but he projects to fit better at second base or even third base. Both of the Twins current players at those positions, Brian Dozier and Trevor Plouffe, started their careers as shortstops. Offensively, the switch-hitter has hit only one right-handed home run during the last two seasons. However, last season he did post identical .341 OBP marks versus righties and lefties. As he has advanced through the system, his OBP has dropped in each season since posting a career high mark of .388 in 2012. As he continues to mature into his body, it would be nice to see a rise in his some of his power numbers, turning into a double-digit home run hitter with some doubles added in. What's Next At this point, there's no spot for Polanco in Minnesota. Brian Dozier is entrenched at second base and the Twins have Trevor Plouffe and Miguel Sano to play at third. Polanco's best shot at the majors would be to slide into the starting shortstop role but Eduardo Escobar will likely start the year at that position. Unless an injury happens this spring, Polanco will start the year at Rochester and continue to play shortstop and second base. It seems like another year where Polanco could be moved back and forth between the minor leagues and the majors but he will be out of options for next season. This means Minnesota will have to trade one of their other starters or find a utility spot to keep Polanco on the roster. TD Top Prospect #10: Nick Burdi TD Top Prospect #9: Kohl Stewart TD Top Prospect #8: Alex Meyer TD Top Prospect #7: Jorge Polanco TD Top Prospect #6-#1: COMING SOON Click here to view the article

An annual ritual for many baseball fans is the release of the Baseball Prospectus Handbook. It has in-depth coverage for every MLB franchise and commentary on almost 2,000 players. For some fans, this is the "Baseball Bible" for the coming season as they try to gain an advantage in the fantasy baseball realm or just want to know more about the sport they love. I was a first time buyer this season and was surprised to see how big the almost 600-page book was when it arrived at my home. After marveling at it's size, I quickly paged open to the Minnesota Twins section of the book. Twins Territory is flying high after last season so I was ready to read great reviews about the little team that could in 2015. I was wrong. In fact as I flipped through the pages, a thought started to creep into my head. What if the Twins system is broken?It's no secret that the Twins aren't exactly at the forefront of the analytic-driven baseball universe. In fact, Minnesota might be one of the organizations that is furthest behind when it comes to using analytics to drive front office decision- making. Under the Terry Ryan regime, the way teams are built is through player development and acquisitions. Last spring, the folks at Baseball Prospectus attempted to name "Every Team's Moneyball." This series looked to identify the one area team's use to gain an advantage over other clubs. Spoiler alert: The Twins don't have a "Moneyball" strategy. With Ryan at the helm, they are attempting to use scouting and player development because that's the strategy that worked with the Twins teams of the 2000s. Player Development Developing prospects is challenging since there's no magic formula to turn a budding prospect into a contributor at the big league level. Miguel Sano's talent was hard to deny even as the organization signed him as a teenager. Sano's rookie campaign was great but he's got a lot left to prove before he can solidify himself at baseball's highest level. For every one Miguel Sano story, there are going to be other young players that aren't able to make consistent contributions. Oswaldo Arcia was ranked highly on many Twins prospect lists and he even hit 20 home runs in 2014. Last year, he was limited to 19 MLB games and the team didn't even get a September call-up. Like Arcia, fans were excited by Danny Santana and Kennys Vargas in their rookie seasons. Each of these players has shown their flaws with more big league time. Players like Byron Buxton, Jose Berrios, and Max Kepler haven't played enough at the big league level to grade the organization on the players' development. Kepler made major strides last season and Berrios continues to look like the real deal. If Buxton can become the player most think he will be, the Twins system might be back on the right track. Free Agent Acquisitions In the last handful of seasons, the Twins have signed some of their richest free agent deals in team history. Ricky Nolasco and Phil Hughes were brought into the fold during the 2014 offseason. Nolasco's four-year deal is looking like a disaster after two seasons. Hughes had a record breaking first season in Minnesota but the Twins decided to reward him with an extension and he came back down to earth in 2015. Kurt Suzuki fits into the same mold as Hughes. He was selected to the AL All-Star team and the Twins signed him to an extension before seeing a drop in production in 2015. Ervin Santana signed last offseason and the team quickly found out that he would be suspended for the season's first 80 games. Santana's second half was up and down and fans will have to reevaluate his signing after a full campaign. Other teams might have looked at Suzuki and Hughes and known that their age and previous track records were more indicative of their future performance. Trading those players at a the peak of their value could have brought other assets into the organization. This offseason Minnesota has been much quieter on the free agent market and this could be a result of some of their decisions over the last two years. Trades Aaron Hicks was starting to look like a player to be filed in the failed prospect development department. This was before the 2015 season where he finally looked like he might be able to contribute on a regular basis. With the Suzuki situation mentioned above and top catching prospects at least a year away, the Twins needed to add some catching depth. Minnesota dealt Hicks to the Yankees for catcher John Ryan Murphy. Murphy could be a huge piece for the Twins moving forward but only time will tell about what he can do in Minnesota. Minnesota surprised a lot of the baseball world by being in contention around last year's trade deadline. To help bolster their bullpen, Ryan dealt Chih-Wei Hu and Alexi Tapia to the Rays for Kevin Jepsen. With closer Glen Perkins dealing with injuries, Jepsen was asked to take over the closing duties. He led the American League in appearances and he will be a vital part of the Twins 2016 bullpen. With Sano's emergence, there has been plenty of talk about trading current third baseman Trevor Plouffe. Minnesota doesn't seem to be in a hurry as Sano will be relegated to outfield duty this year and Plouffe can't be a free agent until 2018. There still might be a future trade involving Plouffe and maybe Ryan is waiting to get the right kind of value in return. At this point, it seems tough to know if the Twins system is broken. Ryan has been back at the helm for four years and the picture is still being painted. Can a core of Buxton, Sano and Berrios be the team that brings a title back to Minnesota? Only time will tell. Click here to view the article

Many of the national prospect lists have been filtering out in the last handful of weeks. With these lists comes plenty of debate. Seth tried to sort through some of the lists to gain some clarity but there will always be people who don't agree on which prospects should be ranked higher than others. In the end, it doesn't matter how high players are ranked if they don't consistently produce at the big league level. It's great that Byron Buxton is considered one of the best prospects but he needs to put all of his tools together to become the player most pundits believe he can be.Pitching prospects can be tough to project. As Baseball Prospectus famously coined, "there's no such thing as a pitching prospect" because of how unpredictable pitching prospects can be. Twins fans have seen this first hand over the last couple years as top pitching prospect Alex Meyer has gone from possible frontline starter to being relegated to the bullpen. Three of the biggest pitching prospects in the Twins system are Jose Berrios, Kohl Stewart, and Tyler Jay. They have all been first-round picks since 2012 and each one is at a different part of the development process. Berrios is on the verge of his big league debut and Stewart and Jay each have things left to accomplish in the minor leagues. Each of these players has a high ceiling but how high can they go? Or will any of them follow the path followed by Alex Meyer over the last couple of seasons? Jose Berrios Ceiling: Berrios has put together back-to-back strong seasons in the highest levels of the Twins farms system to make him the second highest ranked prospect in the Twins system. His control is one of his strongest assets and MLB.com recently ranked him as having the best control of any pitching prospect. He limited his walks to just 38 last season in 166.1 innings while leading the minors with 175 strikeouts. He's been very young for each level while consistently playing better than the competition. Combine all of this with his impressive curveball and change-up and you have the recipe for a top of the line starter. Ceiling: Front line starter Floor: There have been questions about his height since the Twins drafted him in 2012. He's slowly been able to convince some of his doubters with his on field performance. There's still no guarantee that he will be able to perform on baseball's biggest stage. Getting major league hitters out on a regular basis is much different than minor league hitters even if they are playing at Triple-A. As a worst case scenario, Berrios could only be good enough to be in the back of the rotation. Floor: Back-end of the rotation starter Kohl Stewart Ceiling: Stewart provides the Twins with an interesting case. When the team took him with the fourth pick in the 2013 draft, Stewart was a multi-sport high school athlete. His entire focus hadn't been on pitching until he joined the Twins organization. Now with two full seasons under his belt, Stewart is learning his craft as a pitcher. He's been very good at coaxing groundballs throughout his career and this is a very useful skill at the big league level. His body type and skill set could add up to be a workhorse in the rotation while consistently pitching 200 innings or more. Ceiling: Frontline starter Floor: The strikeouts haven't been there for Stewart as he has moved through the Twins system. He's been at least two and a half years younger than the competition at each level but he has a a skill set that would be nice to see in a starting pitcher. There were some brief injury concerns in 2014 but most of those were behind him in 2015. He also needs to get more use out of his change-up as he continues to get closer to the big league level. If needed, the other two pitchers on this list could end up as very good bullpen options but Stewart might not fit that mold because of his lack of strikeouts. Floor: Long reliever Tyler Jay Ceiling: Jay was a relief pitcher for most of his college career but the Twins liked his stuff enough to use the number six overall pick on him. Minnesota will attempt to transition the left-handed hurler from shutdown bullpen arm to effective starting pitcher. With his fastball and slider combination, the Twins could probably use him in the bullpen this season. That isn't going to happen as the club will monitor his innings closely and begin his starting pitching duties in the Florida State League. If Jay fails in the transition to starting pitcher, he will make a very good bullpen arm. Ceiling: Mid-rotation starter or shutdown left-handed relief pitcher Floor: It's hard to know how Jay will adjust to his new role as starter. The Twins obviously think he can make the switch otherwise they wouldn't have drafted him as high as they did. Unlike Berrios and Stewart, Jay has a proven track record at the collegiate level which means the Twins know more of what kind of asset they have in him. The starting experiment might end up being a total bust but with his top two pitches, he will find success in a bullpen role. Floor: Long reliever Which pitcher has the brighter future? Which pitcher will be able to reach their ceiling? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. Click here to view the article

Using a round bat to hit a round ball is one of the hardest skills to master in professional sports. It takes the right combination of hand-eye coordination to be considered one of the best hitters in the game. Joe Mauer had been one of those hitters.Mauer's on-field performance has been on the decline since a concussion in 2013 and the resulting symptoms related to that brain injury. There may finally be some clarity to the situation as Mauer admitted to the Pioneer Press that symptoms from 2013 continued to plague him even last season. In the story, Mauer describes that he suffered from blurred vision that was triggered by bright light. Mauer said the vision issues only happened occasionally and later in the article he implies that he didn't let the coaches or front office know about his vision concerns. Mauer feels like he is starting to get a handle on things as he has been symptom-free for three months. He is still going to try and play with sunglasses during spring training to see if he can do a better job at picking up the ball and solve some of his vision issues. Last season in day games, he hit .248/.316/.354 with 44 strikeouts in 226 plate appearances. His numbers in night games were better even if they weren't at the level of a pre-concussion Mauer. Over 366 night time at-bats, he hit .276/.352/.396 with 68 strikeouts. This meant he was striking out in 19.5% of his day game at-bats and 18.6% of his night game at-bats. During the 2013 campaign (the season of his concussion), Mauer had a higher OBP and SLG during day games. Over 173 at-bats that season, he hit .318/.411/.480 with 40 strikeouts. At night his batting average was nine points higher but his OPS was 18 points lower. His concussion would cause him to miss the season's last six weeks but he was still awarded the Silver Slugger as the best hitting catcher in the American League. There are plenty of fans who have been tough on Mauer as he transitioned to first base and tried to overcome his concussion issues. That same group would probably wonder why Mauer didn't let the coaches or front office know about his symptoms. However, he likely wasn't hurting the team by playing. He had the second highest OBP on the team behind Miguel Sano who only played in half the team's games. So what's next? Mauer is entering his age-33 season and most players see some decline as they start to creep further into their 30s. Mauer did set career highs in games played (158) and at-bats (666) so he was playing through the symptoms even though his performance was suffering. The sunglasses might be at least a partial solution to help with pitch tracking. It's also easy to envision a scenario where Mauer will feel like they are messing with his routine at the plate. In the article, he even refers to his batting box routine as "weird." It doesn't seem like a batting champion version of Mauer will rise from the ashes this season but with some new exercises and a pair of sunglasses, there's hope for Mauer to cut back on strikeouts and hit closer to his career average of .313. Spring training is all about hope and there seems to be more hope now that Mauer will be more successful at using the round bat to hit the round ball. Click here to view the article

Using a round bat to hit a round ball is one of the hardest skills in professional sports. It takes the right combination of hand-eye coordination to be considered one of the best hitters in the game. Joe Mauer had been one of those hitters. Mauer's on-field performance has been on the decline since a concussion in 2013 and the resulting symptoms related to that brain injury. There may finally be some clarity to the situation as Mauer admitted to the Pioneer Press that symptoms from 2013 continued to plague him even last season. In the story, Mauer describes that he suffered from blurred vision that he believes was triggered by bright light. Mauer said the vision issues only happened occasionally and later in the article he implies that he didn't let the coaches or front office know about his vision concerns. Mauer feels like he is starting to get a handle on things as he has been symptom free for three months. He is still going to try and play with sunglasses during spring training to see if he can do a better job at picking up the ball and solve some of his vision issues. Last season in day games, he hit .248/.316/.354 with 44 strikeouts in 226 plate appearances. His numbers in night games were better even if they weren't at the level of a pre-concussion Mauer. Over 366 night time at-bats, he hit .276/.352/.396 with 68 strikeouts. This meant he was striking out in 19.5% of his day game at-bats and 18.6% of his night game at-bats. During the 2013 campaign (the season of his concussion), Mauer had a higher OBP and SLG during day games. Over 173 at-bats that season, he hit .318/.411/.480 with 40 strikeouts. At night his batting average was nine points higher but his OPS was 18 points lower. His concussion would cause him to miss the seasons last six weeks but he was still awarded the Silver Slugger as the best hitting catcher in the American League. There are plenty of fans that have been tough on Mauer as he transitioned to first base and tried to overcome his concussion issues. That same group would probably wonder why Mauer didn't let the coaches or front office know about his symptoms. However, he likely wasn't hurting the team by playing. He had the second highest OBP on the team behind Miguel Sano who only played in half the team's games. So what's next? Mauer is entering his age-33 season and most players see some decline as they start to creep further into their 30s. Mauer did set career highs in games played (158) and at-bats (666) so he was playing through the symptoms even though his performance was suffering. The sunglasses might be a solution to help with pitch tracking. It's also easy to envision a scenario where Mauer will feel like they are messing with his routine at the plate. In the article, he even refers to his batting box routine as "weird." It doesn't seem like a batting champion version of Mauer will rise from the ashes this season but with some new exercises and a pair of sunglasses, there's hope for Mauer to cut back on some strikeouts and hit closer to his career average of .313. Spring training is all about hope and there seems to be more hope now that Mauer will be more successful at using a round bat to hit a round ball.

Defense wins championships. In the baseball world, this cliche might not be completely true. Otherwise, there would be teams full of Andrelton Simmons-type players. There are a lot of other factors that go into the overall equation. Teams need offense, they need pitching, and sometimes a little luck goes a long way.Baseball line-ups aren't usually built with a defensive as the first priority. Rosters usually need to have the right combination of defense and offense. You can hide a Josh Willingham-type player in a corner outfield spot if he is mashing a bunch of home runs. What would the Twins line-up look like if it was made up completely with defense as the only factor in making roster decisions? Outfield: Byron Buxton, Eddie Rosario, Max Kepler In this line-up, there are no converted infielders pushed to a corner outfield spot. This team is all about speed, range, and having a cannon for an arm. Luckily for the Twins, their optimal defensive line-up is one that could see some significant playing time this season. All three players have seen time in centerfield during their minor league careers. Buxton was just named the best defensive player in the minors by MLB.com and Rosario finished second in the AL with 16 outfield assists. Add Kepler to the mix and you have one strong trio that would be able to cover foul pole to foul pole with ease. Catcher: Stuart Turner Kurt Suzuki has taken a beating behind the plate over the last couple seasons and he has his flaws as a defensive catcher. The Twins traded Aaron Hicks to the Yankees for catcher John Ryan Murphy this offseason and his defense is fine for now. Two players, Stuart Turner and Mitch Garver, are the future of the position are in the Twins system. Turner is the better defensive option and he could probably hold his own at the big league level behind the plate. He could be up as early as this September as he should spend a good chunk of the year in Rochester. First Base: Joe Mauer Ever since his high school days, Mauer has been considered a good athlete. That's why there was little concern over him making the defensive transition from catcher to first base. Everything hasn't been perfect for Mauer in the move to a corner infield spot but he continues to learn the nuisances of what has become his new home. Mauer's former roommate, Justin Morneau, was a very strong defensive first baseman. While Mauer might not be to that level yet, he is still a strong defensive option. Second Base: Jorge Polanco Brian Dozier's defense has been on a steady decline over the last three years which makes it a little easier to look past him when creating the team's best defensive line-up. Another prospect with a lot of time at shortstop could be a better solution in the middle infield. Jorge Polanco, like Dozier, would need to shift from shortstop to second base. There have been plenty of questions about whether or not he will be able to stick at shortstop. This solves the problem by moving him off the position and possibly offers a little up-side over Dozier and his declining defense. A younger, more athletic player seems like a better option over an aging Dozier. Third Base: Trevor Plouffe It's hard not to be impressed with how far Trevor Plouffe has come at the third base position. As he transitioned to third from shortstop and a brief taste of the outfield, he looked stiff and unable to adjust to the fast pace of being at the "hot corner." By the end of this season, he ranked as one of the best defensive third basemen in the American League according to the SABR Defensive Index. Miguel Sano might take over this position in the near future but Plouffe's defense will be hard to top. Shortstop: Engelb Vielma Unfortunately (or fortunately depending on how you look at it), the Twins best defensive option at shortstop hasn't played a game above the High-A level. Many of the top national prospect rankings peg him as the best defensive infielder in the organization with quite possibly the best infield arm. His offense might be a couple years away from being big league ready but his defense is ready to make the next step. Now it's your turn. Who would be in your defensive line-up? Leave a COMMENT and join the discussion. Click here to view the article

Defense wins championships. In the baseball world, this cliche might not be completely true. Otherwise, there would be teams full of Andrelton Simmons-type players. There are a lot of other factors that go into the overall equation. Teams need offense, they need pitching, and sometimes a little luck goes a long way. Baseball line-ups aren't usually built with a defensive as the first priority. Rosters usually need to have the right combination of defense and offense. You can hide a Josh Willingham-type player in a corner outfield spot if he is mashing a bunch of home runs. What would the Twins line-up look like if it was made up completely with defense as the only factor in making roster decisions? Outfield: Byron Buxton, Eddie Rosario, Max Kepler In this line-up, there are no converted infielders pushed to a corner outfield spot. This team is all about speed, range, and having a cannon for an arm. Luckily for the Twins, their optimal defensive line-up is one that could see some significant playing time this season. All three players have seen time in centerfield during their minor league careers. Buxton was just named the best defensive player in the minors by MLB.com and Rosario finished second in the AL with 16 outfield assists. Add Kepler to the mix and you have one strong trio that would be able to cover foul pole to foul pole with ease. Catcher: Stuart Turner Kurt Suzuki has taken a beating behind the plate over the last couple seasons and he has his flaws as a defensive catcher. The Twins traded Aaron Hicks to the Yankees for catcher John Ryan Murphy this offseason and his defense is fine for now. Two players, Stuart Turner and Mitch Garver, are the future of the position are in the Twins system. Turner is the better defensive option and he could probably hold his own at the big league level behind the plate. He could be up as early as this September as he should spend a good chunk of the year in Rochester. First Base: Joe Mauer Ever since his high school days, Mauer has been considered a good athlete. That's why there was little concern over him making the defensive transition from catcher to first base. Everything hasn't been perfect for Mauer in the move to a corner infield spot but he continues to learn the nuisances of what has become his new home. Mauer's former roommate, Justin Morneau, was a very strong defensive first baseman. While Mauer might not be to that level yet, he is still a strong defensive option. Second Base: Jorge Polanco Brian Dozier's defense has been on a steady decline over the last three years which makes it a little easier to look past him when creating the team's best defensive line-up. Another prospect with a lot of time at shortstop could be a better solution in the middle infield. Jorge Polanco, like Dozier, would need to shift from shortstop to second base. There have been plenty of questions about whether or not he will be able to stick at shortstop. This solves the problem by moving him off the position and possibly offers a little up-side over Dozier and his declining defense. A younger, more athletic player seems like a better option over an aging Dozier. Third Base: Trevor Plouffe It's hard not to be impressed with how far Trevor Plouffe has come at the third base position. As he transitioned to third from shortstop and a brief taste of the outfield, he looked stiff and unable to adjust to the fast pace of being at the "hot corner." By the end of this season, he ranked as one of the best defensive third basemen in the American League according to the SABR Defensive Index. Miguel Sano might take over this position in the near future but Plouffe's defense will be hard to top. Shortstop: Engelb Vielma Unfortunately (or fortunately depending on how you look at it), the Twins best defensive option at shortstop hasn't played a game above the High-A level. Many of the top national prospect rankings peg him as the best defensive infielder in the organization with quite possibly the best infield arm. His offense might be a couple years away from being big league ready but his defense is ready to make the next step. Now it's your turn. Who would be in your defensive line-up? Leave a COMMENT and join the discussion.

The Minnesota Twins announced the signing of outfielder Carlos Quentin to a minor league contract with an invitation to major league camp. The 33-year old last appeared in a game for Tacoma, the Triple-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners. His last big league appearance was in 20014 with the San Diego Padres. The former two-time All-Star was first round pick of the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2003. He played parts of two seasons at the big league level in Arizona before being dealt to the Chicago White Sox for Chris Carter. His debut season in Chicago was his best as he hit .288/.394/.571 with 36 home runs and 100 RBI while finishing fifth in the American League MVP vote. His 36 home runs were one behind Miguel Cabrera for the league lead. Quentin would make another All-Star team in 2011, his last year in Chicago. The White Sox would trade him to the Padres in the offseason. Injuries limited him to averaging under 75 games played per season in San Diego. In 2014, he batted just .177/.284/.315 and he has long been a below-average defender. Plus, there have been just three times in his career where he's played in 100 or more games in a season. Entering the 2015 season, he was sent to Atlanta as part of the deal that brought Craig Kimbrel and Melvin Upton to the Padres. The Braves released him and he signed with Seattle before retiring last May. He cited chronic knee injuries as his reason for stepping away from the game before his 33rd birthday. During his nine-year career, he hit .252/.347/.484 while hitting 13 home runs or more in six consecutive seasons. From 2008-2013, he hit .260 with an .860 OPS while averaging 30 homers per 150 games. At this point, it seems like Quentin is being added as organizational depth and he'll have to prove himself healthy and ready with Rochester. There are already plenty of first base and corner outfield options on the Twins roster including Joe Mauer, Byung Ho Park, Eddie Rosario, Miguel Sano, and Oswaldo Arcia. It seems hard to see him cracking the Opening Day roster unless the injury bug hits the team hard in Florida. What are your thoughts on the signing? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion.

When the Twins signed Joe Mauer to an 8-year, $184 million contract after the 2010 season, the team had high hopes for their hometown star as he started to age at one of baseball's toughest positions. Mauer was coming off an MVP season in 2009 and batting titles in 2006, 2008, and 2009. It looked like Mauer was on pace to be one of the best hitting catchers of all time. Things change and Mauer's career has taken a different turn in recent years. Twins fans are well aware that concussions caused him to be shifted from catcher to first base. With the shift has come a different version of Mauer at the plate. After being a .323/.405/.468 hitter through the first ten years of his career, Mauer's declined to the point where he's hit .270/.348/.376 over the last two seasons while averaging over 100 strikeouts for the first time in his career. Mauer's Hall of Fame case looked to be in good standing when he was a perennial All-Star as an American League backstop. Unfortunately, a light hitting first baseman don't usually get inducted into Cooperstown. One of the most important milestones for Mauer to reach could be the 3,000 hit mark. Only four members of the 3,000 hit club are not in the Hall of Fame. Pete Rose because of his lifetime ban from baseball, Rafael Palmeiro because of his steroid use, along with Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez who are not yet eligible. Mauer enters the 2016 season just three hits shy of 1,700 and he has been averaging just over 142 hits over the last three seasons. In fact, Baseball Reference has him projected to have exactly 142 hits this season. If Mauer could keep up that pace for the next nine years, he'd be just shy of the 3,000 hit total following his 21st season in the league. He'd be over 40 at the time and it's hard to know how players will age in the twilight of their careers. Derek Jeter retired in 2014 when he was in his age 40 season. He actually led all of baseball with 216 hits in 2012 when he was 38 years old. Alex Rodriguez is the only active member of the 3,000 hit club and he combined for 131 hits last year in his age 39 season. This was his highest total since 2010 but he was suspended for the entire 2014 season. Is it still possible for Mauer to reach the 3,000 hit plateau? Anything is possible in the baseball world and there have been weirder things that have happened. It would take a resurgence from Mauer in the second-half of his career. He'd have to show the longevity to stay productive well through his 30s when the Twins might have younger more productive players ready to take over. Ichiro Suzuki could join the club this season with 65 more hits. It seems more likely that players like Miguel Cabrera, Robinson Cano, Albert Pujols, and Adrian Beltre will all have a better chance at joining the 3,000 hit club than Mauer. Pujols and Beltre are further into their careers but they are a both in striking distance. Cano is the same age as Mauer and he is over 300 hits ahead of him. Cabrera seems destined for 3,000 and he could end up with one of the best hit totals of all-time. The Twins could always find a line-up spot for their hometown hero but the organization is trending upward and Mauer would need to continue to contribute to a team that is hopefully fighting for the playoffs. He can be a free agent after 2018 so the finances of keeping Mauer will also contribute to his long-term role with the club. Mauer could end up being Mr. 3000 but maybe not...

Even with prospects like Miguel Sano and Eddie Rosario graduating off this list, there are still plenty of things to be excited about in 2016. Byron Buxton fell just short of meeting the rookie eligibility so he will get one more year to be considered the Twins top prospect. Other players like Jose Berrios and Max Kepler could use up their rookie eligibility this season as well. If all of these players graduate off this list, next year's top 10 will have a very different feel to it. However, that's a story for a different day and a different time. Let's focus on the present and the future of the club with this year's top-10 prospects for the Minnesota Twins. 1. Byron Buxton- Centerfield 2015 STATS: .209/.250/.326, 7 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 6 RBI (MLB) .305/.367/.500, 10 2B, 13 3B, 7 HR, 45 RBI (Rochester/Chattanooga) Buxton made his debut in 2015 and found some struggles at the big league level. He saw limited action as the Twins attempted a postseason run but his defense continues to be strong in centerfield. He is a five-tool prospect with more potential than any player on this list. Fans will have to be patient with his bat but he will take over centerfield for the Twins at some point next season. He could be a perennial All-Star and he should be the face of the franchise in the post-Mauer era. 2. Jose Berrios- Starting Pitcher 2015 STATS: 14-5, 2.87 ERA, 27/27 G/GS, 1.05 WHIP, 175/38 K/BB, 166.1 IP (Rochester/Chattanooga) Berrios has little left to prove in the minor leagues after another dominating year. This time he was overpowering hitters at Double-A and Triple-A which left him on the doorstep of making his big league debut. That didn't happen in 2015 but fans should see him shortly into the 2016 campaign. His strikeout rate continues to be over 9.0 K/9 and he posted a 9.9 K/9 at Triple-A. He has the potential to be a top half of the rotation starter and be part of the Twins rotation for the better part of the next decade. 3. Max Kepler- Outfield 2015 STATS: .143/.143/.143 (MLB) .318/.410/.520, 34 2B, 13 3B, 9 HR, 71 RBI (Fort Myers/Chattanooga) After years of waiting for a breakout season, Kepler finally lived up to all the hype. He destroyed the ball at Fort Myers before being promoted to Chattanooga and doing more of the same. The Southern League named him the MVP of the league as he helped the Lookouts win the championship. It was the third league title he has won since joining the Twins organization. Minnesota hopes his winning ways payoff at the big league level as he should be called up for good in the second half of 2016. 4. Nick Gordon- Shortstop 2015 STATS: .277/.336/.360, 23 2B, 7 3B, 1 HR, 58 RBI (Cedar Rapids) Gordon's father and brother have both made an All Star Game so it's looking like Gordon has all the genes to become the Twins shortstop of the future. Gordon held this own this year as a teenager in the Midwest League. He has room to grow into his body and this could result in more power. His strong arm and good range at shortstop should allow him to stick at the position long-term. With the players above him expected to graduate, Gordon could be the team's top prospect at this point next year. 5. Byung-Ho Park- First Base/DH 2015 STATS: .343/.436/.714, 35 2B, 1 3B, 53 HR, 146 RBI (KBO) Park will join the Twins this season after plenty of experience in Korea. He has hit over 30 home runs in each of the last four seasons and the last two seasons he has topped 50 home runs. Minnesota is hoping his bat can become a potent part of the middle of the line-up that already includes Miguel Sano. Since the beginning of 2014, he averaged over 150 strikeouts per season so he has struck out in just over 30% of his at-bats. He's going to strikeout but the Twins hope that he balances it out with a ton of home runs. 6. Jorge Polanco- Shortstop 2015 STATS: .300/.417/.300, 1 RBI (MLB) .288/.339/.386, 23 2B, 3 3B, 6 HR, 53 RBI (Rochester/Chattanooga) Polanco will be out of options after this season so the Twins will need to make a decision about him. There are questions about whether he can play shortstop long-term but the Twins might give him the opportunity to sink or swim at the position in 2016. His offensive numbers continue to be strong as he has an advanced approach at the plate. If things go well, Polanco should be the Twins starting shortstop in the second half of the season and at the start of 2017. 7. Stephen Gonsalves- Starting Pitcher 2015 STATS: 13-3, 2.01 ERA, 24/24 G/GS, 1.10 WHIP, 132/53 K/BB, 134.1 IP (Cedar Rapids/Fort Myers) Some could argue that the season compiled by Gonsalves was just as good as Berrios. He was over three years younger than the competition in the Florida State League. His big stature on the mound makes him very projectable as a big league pitching prospect. Even though his fastball tops out in the low 90s, his secondary pitches are what will make him an effective starter at the next level. His potential as a mid-rotation starter could make him very valuable. 8. Kohl Stewart- Starting Pitcher 2015 STATS: 7-8, 3.20 ERA, 22/22 G/GS, 1.38 WHIP, 71/45 K/BB, 129.1 IP (Fort Myers) Even though Stewart's numbers haven't been outstanding over his first few professional seasons, there is still hope that he will be able to develop into a top of the rotation starter. When the Twins drafted him out of high school, he had been splitting time between football and baseball. Since he's transitioned to baseball full-time, he needs to learn more of the nuances of pitching. This will come with more experience as he moves up the ranks. 9. Tyler Jay- Starting Pitcher/Relief Pitcher 2015 STATS: 0-1, 3.93 ERA, 19/0 G/GS, 1.42 WHIP, 22/8 K/BB, 18.1 IP (Fort Myers) Minnesota's first round pick from this past June is the team's fourth straight top-6 pick. Jay, a left-handed pitcher, was taken out of college where he was primarily used as a reliever. The Twins hope to transition Jay to being a starting pitcher. There are questions about whether he will be able to make that transition but most accounts believe he has the stuff to be a mid-rotation starter. Next year will go a long way to deciding his future path to the big leagues. 10. Wander Javier- Shortstop 2015 STATS: No stats Javier was signed out of the Dominican Republic this July. Baseball America ranked him as the 9th best prospect available at that deadline. He's only 16-years old so his high ranking is based solely on his potential. Some believe he will be able to stick at shortstop but he's got a long way to go before that decision is made. He will get his first professional action in the Dominican Summer League and some think he could debut in the States when the GCL season starts.

Miguel Sano got a lot of the praise following his breakout rookie performance in 2015. He finished in third place in the American League Rookie of the Year voting and he was named the Twins Most Valuable Player even though he played in less than half of the team's games. He made a tremendous impact but he wasn't the only rookie leaving his mark at the big league level. Eddie Rosario made his debut on May 6, 2015 and spent the rest of the season in the Twins outfield. The former fourth round pick went on to lead all of baseball with 15 triples and he led the American League with 12 outfield assists. He became the 18th rookie since 1901 to reach double digits in homers, triples, doubles, and stolen bases. Also, he's only the ninth player in Twins history to record at least ten homers and ten triples in a season.Rosario's career in the minor leagues might best be described as tumultuous. He burst onto the scene in 2011 by winning the Appalachian League MVP and out- homering Miguel Sano and Kennys Vargas. Over the next two seasons, the routine became double-digits in home runs and over 30 doubles. The Twins thought so highly of Rosario they transitioned him to second base, a position of need in the organization at the time. During the 2014 off-season, the hammer fell on Rosario. He was handed a 50-game suspension for a second violation of the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. After returning from the suspension, Rosario hit poorly for the first time in his professional career. The Twins sent him back for a second stint in the Arizona Fall League where his bat started to show some signs of life. Flash-forward to 2015 and Rosario wasn't exactly hitting the cover off the ball when he was called up from Rochester. Through 23 games, he was batting .242/.280/.379 with six extra-base hits. His batting average was almost 50 points lower than his career in the minor leagues and he was getting on base 6% less than his career average. Now, it's weeks away from Rosario reporting to his first spring training where he will enter the year with his name already penciled into a starting job. Some players run into struggles during their second full season at the big league level. There are more advanced scouting reports on players so pitchers have a better idea how to attack a batter. This is where the term "sophomore slump" has been used in baseball circles. Will Rosario be able to break through the sophomore slump and actually be a sophomore stud? Baseball Reference projects Rosario to hit double digits in home runs, triples, and doubles while increasing his batting average and on-base percentage. FanGraphs ZiPS projects have Rosario's batting average dropping over 10 points and his on-base percentage staying around the same point. They also have him combining for 44 extra-base hits which would be two less than the 2015 season in over 50 more plate appearances. After the numbers Rosario put together in his rookie season, it is going to be tough to live up to the offensive bar he set. However, there are some adjustments he can make to avoid slumping in 2016. In every minor league season before his second drug suspension, Rosario got on base over 34% of the time. He also struck out in 19% of his at-bats compared to 26% in his rookie season. If Rosario could improve his walk rate and reduce his strikeout percentage, he might be able to avoid some of the biggest parts of the sophomore slump. One of the things working in Rosario's favor has been the fact that his hit tool was always considered advanced in the minor leagues. His quick wrists and good plate coverage meant that his bat looked MLB ready even if other parts of his game weren't there yet. Because of this advanced approach, Rosario should be able to avoid any long-term slumps at the big league level. Some minor tweaks here and there should make Rosario a solid contributor in his sophomore season and he could surprise a lot of people with his performance. Click here to view the article

Miguel Sano got a lot of the praise following his breakout rookie performance in 2015. He finished in third place in the American League Rookie of the Year voting and he was named the Twins Most Valuable Player even though he played in less than half of the team's games. He made a tremendous impact but he wasn't the only rookie leaving his mark at the big league level. Eddie Rosario made his debut on May 6, 2015 and spent the rest of the season in the Twins outfield. The former fourth round pick would go on to lead all of baseball with 15 triples and he lead the American League with 12 outfield assists. He became the 18th rookie since 1901 to reach double digits in homers, triples, doubles, and stolen bases. Also, he's on the ninth player in Twins history to record at least ten homers and ten triples in a season. Rosario's career in the minor leagues might best be described as tumultuous. He burst onto the scene in 2011 by winning the Appalachian League MVP and out homering Miguel Sano and Kennys Vargas. Over the next two seasons, the routine became double-digits in home runs and over 30 doubles. The Twins thought so highly of Rosario, they transitioned him to second base, a position of need in the organization at the time. During the 2014 off-season, the hammer fell on Rosario. He was handed a 50-game suspension for a second violation of the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. After returning from the suspension, Rosario hit poorly for the first time in his professional career. The Twins sent him back for a second stint in the Arizona Fall League where his bat started to show some signs of life. Flash-forward to 2015 and Rosario wasn't exactly hitting the cover off the ball when he was called up from Rochester. Through 23 games, he was batting .242/.280/.379 with six extra-base hits. His batting average was almost 50 points lower than his career in the minor leagues and he was getting on base 6% less than his career average. Now, it's weeks away from Rosario reporting to his first spring training where he will enter the year with his name already penciled into a starting job. Some players run into struggles during their second full season at the big league level. There are more advanced scouting reports on players so pitchers have a better idea how to attack a batter. This is where the term "sophomore slump" has been used in baseball circles. Will Rosario be able to breakthrough the sophomore slump and actually be a sophomore stud? Baseball Reference projects Rosario to hit double digits in home runs, triples, and doubles while increasing his batting average and on-base percentage. FanGraphs ZiPS projects have Rosario's batting average dropping over 10 points and his on-base percentage staying around the same point. They also have him combining for 44 extra-base hits which would be two less than the 2015 season in over 50 more plate appearances. After the numbers Rosario put together in his rookie season, it is going to be tough to live up to the offensive punch he provided. However, there are some adjustments he can make to avoid slumping in 2016. In every minor league season before his second drug suspension, Rosario got on base over 34% of the time. He also struck out in 19% of his at-bats compared to 26% in his rookie season. If Rosario could improve his walk rate and reduce his strikeout percentage, he might be able to avoid some of the biggest parts of the sophomore slump. One of the things working in Rosario's favor has been the fact that he's hit tool was always considered advanced in the minor leagues. His quick wrists and good plate coverage meant that his bat looked MLB ready even if other parts of his game weren't there yet. Because of this advanced approach, Rosario should be able to avoid any long-term slumps at the big league level. Some minor tweaks here and there should make Rosario a solid contributor in his sophomore season and he could surprise a lot of people with his performance.

2015 was supposed to be his season, his moment. After working his way through two different minor league systems over three years, Alex Meyer was on the cusp of making his major league debut. In fact, Baseball Prospectus had him ranked as the 14th best prospect in baseball, his highest ranking on any national list during his professional career.As Meyer entered his age-25 season at last year's TwinsFest, he compared his age to that of another late bloomer, Randy Johnson. Meyer said, "Randy Johnson, I think I read he came up when he was 25. He just so happened to be tall, too, so let's hope. If I could have half that career..." Meyer started the year in the minor leagues and things didn't go exactly to plan. He made eight starts in Rochester and compiled a 7.09 ERA with 41 strikeouts and 24 walks in 39.1 IP. Something wasn't clicking and the Twins decided to move him to the bullpen. "I love starting. I've done it my whole life," Meyer said later in the season. "But going out there and getting my teeth kicked in every game wasn't a good experience." The transition to the bullpen came with some positive results. In his next nine appearance (17 IP), he posted a 0.53 ERA with 20 strikeouts and six walks. Opponents batted .188 against him during this stretch and got on base less than 27% of the time. It was time to see if Meyer could resemble Mr. Johnson as the Twins called him up to make his big league debut. In two interleague games, Meyer pitched 2.2 innings and allowed five earned runs including two home runs. Opponents got on base 50% of the time and batted over .360. It wasn't exactly the magical moment Meyer had dreamed about. Meyer wouldn't make it back to the big leagues in 2015. He'd spend the rest of the season at Rochester figuring out his new bullpen role. Things didn't go perfectly as he allowed 15 earned runs in his next 13.0 innings with a 17 to 8 strikeout to walk ratio. But he did improve in his last 10 games as he allowed two earned runs in 22.2 innings with 22 strikeouts and 10 walks. The Twins have seen other failed starters succeed in bullpen roles. All-Star closer Glen Perkins was a starter before finding success in the bullpen. Brian Duensing went back and forth between starter and reliever before eventually being moved to the bullpen. Trevor May had success as a starter last season but his future looks to be that of a reliever. Luckily for Meyer, as the Twins get closer to spring training the bullpen has more opportunities than the rotation . Minnesota has made few to no significant offseason moves to bolster the pitching staff as the team seems destined to use internal options in 2016. That being said, it would take a strong spring from Meyer to prove he belongs at the big league level to start the year. Meyer's control and use of his change-up will be keys to him finding success at the next level. It seems likely that Meyer will start the year in Rochester as the organization monitors how he can adjust to his first full season as a relief pitcher. His path to the big leagues has taken a different course but he can still be an impact player as the Twins become more relevant in the American League. 2015 wasn't his season but 2016 and beyond could bring better moments for Alex Meyer the relief pitcher. Click here to view the article

2015 was supposed to be his season, his moment. After working his way through two different minor league systems over three years, Alex Meyer was on the cusp of making his major league debut. In fact, Baseball Prospectus had him ranked as the 14th best prospect in baseball, his highest ranking on any national list during his professional career. As Meyer entered his age-25 season at last year's TwinsFest, he compared his age to that of another late bloomer, Randy Johnson. Meyer said, "Randy Johnson, I think I read he came up when he was 25. He just so happened to be tall, too, so let's hope. If I could have half that career..." Meyer started the year in the minor leagues and things didn't go exactly to plan. He made eight starts in Rochester and compiled a 7.09 ERA with 41 strikeouts and 24 walks in 39.1 IP. Something wasn't clicking and the Twins decided to move him to the bullpen. "I love starting. I've done it my whole life," Meyer said later in the season. "But going out there and getting my teeth kicked in every game wasn't a good experience." The transition to the bullpen came with some positive results. In his next nine appearance (17 IP), he posted a 0.53 ERA with 20 strikeouts and six walks. Opponents batted .188 against him during this stretch and got on base less than 27% of the time. It was time to see if Meyer could resemble Mr. Johnson as the Twins called him up to make his big league debut. In two interleague games, Meyer pitched 2.2 innings and allowed five earned runs including two home runs. Opponents got on base 50% of the time and batted over .360. It wasn't exactly the magical moment Meyer had dreamed about. Meyer wouldn't make it back to the big leagues in 2015. He'd spend the rest of the season figuring out his new bullpen role. Things didn't got perfectly as he allowed 15 earned runs in his next 13.0 innings pitched with a 17 to 8 strikeout to walk ratio. But he did improve in his last 10 games as he allowed two earned runs in 22.2 innings with 22 strikeouts and 10 walks. The Twins have seen other failed starters succeed in bullpen roles. All-Star closer Glen Perkins was a starter before finding success in the bullpen. Brian Duensing went back and forth between starter and reliever before eventually being moved to the bullpen. Trevor May had success as a starter last season but his future looks to be that of a reliever. Luckily for Meyer, the bullpen has more opportunities than the rotation as the Twins get closer to spring training. Minnesota hasn't made little to no offseason moves to bolster the pitching staff as the team seems destined to use internal options in 2016. That being said, it would take a strong spring from Meyer to prove he belongs at the big league level to start the year. Meyer's control and use of his change-up will be keys to him finding success at the next level. It seems likely that Meyer will start the year in Rochester as the organization monitors how he can adjust to his first full season as a relief pitcher. His path to the big leagues has taken a different course but he can still be an impact player as the Twins become more relevant in the American League. 2015 wasn't his season but 2016 and beyond could bring better moments for Alex Meyer the relief pitcher.

President Barack Obama will be giving his final State of the Union address on Tuesday evening. He is entering the last year as the Commander and Chief and most Presidents like to paint a picture of hope for the future before their term is over. The Twins gave fans hope last year as they were relevant in the final weeks of the season for the first time in half a decade. Let's imagine we are all sitting down to hear a message directly for Twins Territory. What is the State of the Union for the Minnesota Twins? --------------------------- Mr. Ryan, Mr. Molitor, Members of Twins Territory, My Fellow Americans:We are over a decade and a half into this new century. Sixteen years ago the Twins were wallowing after years of futility in the AL Central. Things looked bleak and it was hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel. At that time, a young core of players was on the horizon and a new manager took over for the most famous manager in team history. There was hope and that hope was fulfilled with multiple division championships as the team moved to Target Field. From there things turned dark. Players moved on, young talent didn't produce, and the club found itself back at the bottom of the American League. It was hard to stay positive in those dark times. However, the night is always darkest before the dawn. But this season, we turned the page. This season, after a breakthrough year for the Twins, our team found themselves relevant when others assumed they would continue to dwell in the cellar. Our prospects have arrived and some were even better than expected. Our pitchers' earned run average is now lower than before the losing crisis. And we are as free from the Yankee dynasty as we've been in almost 20 years. This season, for the first time since 2010, our team was in playoff contention in the second half of the season. Six years ago, the team was composed of veteran players like Morneau, Cuddyer, Hudson, Thome, and Pavano. Today, the team includes Sano, Buxton, Rosario, Gibson, and Dozier. We salute the sacrifice made by the previous generation. We are grateful for your service because you paved the way for the current generation of players. Twins Territory, for all that we have endured, for all the losses and meaningless second half games required to improve, for all the improvements that are still on the horizon, know this: The shadow of the the losing crisis has passed, and the State of the Twins is strong. In this hour -- with a blooming farm system, disappearing losses, a new direction -- we have rising from the losing crisis a brighter future than in any time in our generation. It's up to the organization to decide on the path for the team to follow over the next decade and for decades to come. Will we accept the years of futility that have plagued our past? Or will we commit to a new order that generates a winning attitude that palpitates throughout the baseball universe? Will we approach the coming seasons with the thoughts of dread and fear that rang through Twins Territory in previous years? Or will we recapture the winning spirit of 1987 and 1991 that united the Twin Cities and Twins Territory with a common goal and purpose? In under four weeks, the pitchers and catchers of our organization will report to Florida with a new sense of purpose. And in the weeks ahead, the position players will join them. There will be decisions to be made and checklists to follow as the roster is whittled down to the final grouping. It begins with our minor leagues. Six years ago, Miguel Sano was waiting to sign a contract. His prospect status was high. There were questions about his age. For a young Dominican player, this should be the greatest time in his life. The hope of getting his family out of poverty was within his grasp. As questions about his age arose, Miguel's contract offers had all but disappeared. As Major League Baseball investigated his actual age, it looked like he'd have to take what ever offers were left over. The Twins looked past all of this and gave the young slugger an opportunity. There was promise in his bat and his future looked bright. "I'm very thankful to get this chance to sign with the Twins," Sano said at the time. "I'm going to work very hard to try and get to the majors in two years." His estimation was not quite correct but these types of lofty goals were what would help put the team back on the right track. This is the type of attitude that has now become an expectation in the organization. Hard work will result in positive changes and eventually new winning ways. Twins Territory, a culture of winning has begun. Over the last three seasons, there have been multiple championships won in the Twins system. The Elizabethton Twins won the Appalachian League in 2012. The Fort Myers Miracle won the Florida State League in 2014. The Chattanooga Lookouts won the Southern League title in 2015. Winning is happening and it is happening now. Names like Dalton Hicks, Niko Goodrum, Adam Brett Walker, Max Kepler, DJ Baxendale, and Brett Lee have been part of all three of these championship teams. Top prospects Miguel Sano, Byron Buxton and Jose Berrios were part of those rosters at different times. Winning is contagious and changing a losing culture starts with a fresh crop of players. My first son was born this winter and he has yet to know a baseball season. I want him to grow up in world where the Twins are consistently relevant. Where a fan base can cheer their club to multiple division championship on their way to long playoff runs. That we can overcome the losses of our past and that he can grow up in a united Twins Territory. My fellow baseball fans, we, are a strong and passionate force. We have made it through the hard times. The dust has settled and a new sun of winning ways is rising on the horizon. This club will get better and this organization is ready to burst from the cellar. Let's start the winning together-- and let's start the winning in 2016. Thank you. God bless you. God bless this game we love. Click here to view the article