Cody Christie

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 hope would result in multiple division championships as the team moved to Target Field. From there things would turn dark. Players moved on, young talent didn't produce, and the club found themselves back at the bottom of the American League. It was hard to stay positive in these 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 other's assumed they would continue to dwell in the cellar. Our prospects have arrived and some were even better than expected. Our pitcher's earned run average is now lower than before the losing season 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 path, know this: The shadow of the of 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 risen from the losing crisis with 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 every 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 is rising on the horizon of winning ways. 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. Thank you.

Ranking prospects within an organization is no easy task. The internet has opened up a wave of new information for writers as they can analyze video, sort through higher-level statistics, and prioritize scouting reports from a plethora of experts. This level of information can be overwhelming at times but it helps to separate prospects at different levels. One of my favorite parts of working on the 2016 Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook is looking at the old prospect lists from yesteryear. It's entertaining to see some of the players that were once thought of as being near the top of the Twins organization. Seth's lists go further back than Jeremy and I and that can be even more entertaining. His 2008 Top-4 Twins prospects included Deolis Guerra, Tyler Robertson, Anthony Swarzak, and Kevin Mulvey.I started my blog in the spring of 2010so my first prospect list was for the 2011 season. There are some very familiar names on the list and some other names that have disappeared from the baseball world. "Where Are They Now?" will help to find out how these top prospects are doing at this point in their careers. 1. Miguel Sano, 3B 2015 Team (Level): Minnesota Twins (MLB), Chattanooga Lookouts (AA) Entering the 2011 season, Sano was just coming off his first professional action in the Dominican Summer League and the Gulf Coast League. I already had high hopes for the young slugger even though he only had just over 200 ABs under his belt. In 2015, Sano made his big league debut and finished in third place in the AL Rookie of the Year balloting. He was named the Minnesota Twins team MVP even though he only played half of a season. Next season will be his first full season at the big leagues and his future looks bright. 2. Kyle Gibson 2015 Team (Level): Minnesota Twins (MLB) The Twins had been aggressive with Gibson back in 2010. He pitched at three different levels from High-A all the way up to Triple-A. Using his college experience, Gibson had pitched well with an ERA under 3.00 and most Twins prospect lists had him as one of the top choices entering the 2011 campaign. This past season Gibson was named the team's best starting pitcher after he lead the team in most statistical categories. He had to overcome Tommy John surgery and some struggles at the big league level but he has established himself as one of the Twins best pitchers before his 28th birthday. 3. Aaron Hicks 2015 Team (Level): Minnesota Twins (MLB), Rochester Red Wings (AAA) Hopes were still high for Hicks following the 2010 season as he had established himself as one of the best prospects in the game. Baseball America had Hicks as the 19th best prospect in baseball and Baseball Prospectus had him ranked 26th. Since that time, Hicks would put together other strong seasons in the minor but his MLB time was a little underwhelming. For the 2015 campaign, he made subtle strides on the offensive side of the ball and his defense continues to be strong. The Twins traded Hicks to the New York Yankees this offseason for catcher John Ryan Murphy. 4. Joe Benson 2015 Team (Level): Gwinnett Braves (AAA), Binghamton Mets (AA) After the Twins took Benson with their second round pick in 2006, he had established himself as one of the team's top prospects. He had hit 27 home runs between Double-A and High-A before being asked to play in the Arizona Fall League. Benson would debut with the Twins in 2011 but he has yet to be back to the big league level. He's bounced around from organization to organization including the Rangers, Marlins, Mets, and Braves. Last year, he played the entire season at Triple-A with the Braves and he hit .248/.351/.361. Minnesota signed Benson as a minor league free agent so he will be back in the organization for the 2016 campaign. 5. Alex Wimmers 2015 Team (Level): Chattanooga Lookouts (AA) Wimmers and Gibson were both first round draft picks with similar college experience. This gave Twins fans some great expectations for Wimmers especially after a some strong numbers with Fort Myers in his professional debut (1 ER, 0.70 WHIP, 23 K, 15.2 IP). His trip through the Twins organization has been rocky at best. There have been some high moments but his issues with control have deterred him from living up to his first round draft status. The last two seasons he has been over a year and a half older than the competition at his level while splitting time as a starter and reliever.2016 will be big if he wants to stay in the Twins organization. 6. Ben Revere 2015 Team (Level): Philadelphia Phillies (MLB), Toronto Blue Jays (MLB) At the end of the 2010 season, Revere would make his big league debut before becoming an MLB regular in 2011. Revere, another first round pick on this list, showed the ability to make consistent contact in the minors while stealing bases and playing strong outfield defense. He would become a fan favorite during his couple years playing in Minnesota before being dealt to the Phillies for Trevor May. He's stolen 30 bases or more in four of his last five seasons and he lead the NL in hits back in 2014. Philadelphia dealt him to the Blue Jays at the end of last season to help with their playoff run. 7. Oswaldo Arcia 2015 Team (Level): Minnesota Twins (MLB), Rochester Red Wings (AAA) Arcia was already showing his power potential in 2010 as he finished the season with a 1.096 OPS for Elizabethton in the Appalachian League. He wouldn't debut with the Twins until 2013 and he would crank 20 home runs at the big league level in 2014. Arcia is still in the Twins organization but he struggled through 2015 to the point where he wasn't given a call-up last September. With the emergence of Miguel Sano and the addition of Byung Ho Park, it will be interesting to see what kind of role Arcia will have in 2016. He could be a good power option off the bench. 8. Liam Hendriks 2015 Team (Level): Toronto Blue Jays (MLB) Hendriks played at both Low- and High-A for the Twins in 2010 before getting on the fast track to the big leagues in 2011. He'd debut as 22-year old and win nine games as a 23-year old but he'd be out of the Twins organization following the 2014 season. Since then, he has pitched in the Royals and Blue Jays systems. Last year, he was a very effective relief pitcher for the Blue Jays as they went on to win the AL East. This offseason he was traded from the Blue Jays to the Athletics for pitcher Jesse Sanchez. 9. Kyle Waldrop 2015 Team (Level): None Waldrop had just made his debut during the 2011 campaign following back-to-back seasons pitching at Triple-A. He'd appear in 24 games for the Twins between 2011 and 2012. He'd pitch one more season professionally in the Pirates organization but he never made it back to the big leagues. Waldrop hasn't pitched at any level since 2013. 10. Max Kepler 2015 Team (Level): Minnesota Twins (MLB), Chattanooga Lookouts (AA) Kepler was coming off his professional debut back in 2010 but he was part of a strong international signing class that included the aforementioned Sano. Kepler seemed to have all the tools necessary to be a five-tool prospect but there were a lot of unknowns surrounding a young player that spent time developing in Europe. He would spend most of his minor league years around the edge of the Twins top-10 prospects before a magical 2015. Kepler was outstanding this season on the way to making his big league debut. He was named Southern League MVP and he helped the Lookouts to win the league's championship. Click here to view the article

Ranking prospects within an organization is no easy task. The internet has opened up a wave of new information for writers as they can analyze video, sort through higher-level statistics, and prioritize scouting reports from a plethora of experts. This level of information can be overwhelming at times but it helps to separate prospects at different levels. One of my favorite parts of working on the 2016 Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook is looking at the old prospect lists from yesteryear. It's entertaining to see some of the players that were once thought of as being near the top of the Twins organization. Seth's lists go further back than Jeremy and I and that can be even more entertaining. His 2008 Top-4 Twins prospects included Deolis Guerra, Tyler Robertson, Anthony Swarzak, and Kevin Mulvey. I started my blog in the spring of 2010 so my first prospect list was for the 2011 season. There are some very familiar names on the list and some other names that have disappeared from the baseball world. "Where Are They Now?" will help to find out how these top prospects are doing at this point in their careers. 1. Miguel Sano, 3B 2015 Team (Level): Minnesota Twins (MLB), Chattanooga Lookouts (AA) Entering the 2011 season, Sano was just coming off his first professional action in the Dominican Summer League and the Gulf Coast League. I already had high hopes for the young slugger even though he only had just over 200 ABs under his belt. In 2015, Sano made his big league debut and finished in third place in the AL Rookie of the Year balloting. He was named the Minnesota Twins team MVP even though he only played half of a season. Next season will be his first full season at the big leagues and his future looks bright. 2. Kyle Gibson 2015 Team (Level): Minnesota Twins (MLB) The Twins had been aggressive with Gibson back in 2010. He pitched at three different levels from High-A all the way up to Triple-A. Using his college experience, Gibson had pitched well with an ERA under 3.00 and most Twins prospect lists had him as one of the top choices entering the 2011 campaign. This past season Gibson was named the team's best starting pitcher after he lead the team in most statistical categories. He had to overcome Tommy John surgery and some struggles at the big league level but he has established himself as one of the Twins best pitchers before his 28th birthday. 3. Aaron Hicks 2015 Team (Level): Minnesota Twins (MLB), Rochester Red Wings (AAA) Hopes were still high for Hicks following the 2010 season as he had established himself as one of the best prospects in the game. Baseball America had Hicks as the 19th best prospect in baseball and Baseball Prospectus had him ranked 26th. Since that time, Hicks would put together other strong seasons in the minor but his MLB time was a little underwhelming. For the 2015 campaign, he made subtle strides on the offensive side of the ball and his defense continues to be strong. The Twins traded Hicks to the New York Yankees this offseason for catcher John Ryan Murphy. 4. Joe Benson 2015 Team (Level): Gwinnett Braves (AAA), Binghamton Mets (AA) After the Twins took Benson with their second round pick in 2006, he had established himself as one of the team's top prospects. He had hit 27 home runs between Double-A and High-A before being asked to play in the Arizona Fall League. Benson would debut with the Twins in 2011 but he has yet to be back to the big league level. He's bounced around from organization to organization including the Rangers, Marlins, Mets, and Braves. Last year, he played the entire season at Triple-A with the Braves and he hit .248/.351/.361. Minnesota signed Benson as a minor league free agent so he will be back in the organization for the 2016 campaign. 5. Alex Wimmers 2015 Team (Level): Chattanooga Lookouts (AA) Wimmers and Gibson were both first round draft picks with similar college experience. This gave Twins fans some great expectations for Wimmers especially after a some strong numbers with Fort Myers in his professional debut (1 ER, 0.70 WHIP, 23 K, 15.2 IP). His trip through the Twins organization has been rocky at best. There have been some high moments but his issues with control have deterred him from living up to his first round draft status. The last two seasons he has been over a year and a half older than the competition at his level while splitting time as a starter and reliever.2016 will be big if he wants to stay in the Twins organization. 6. Ben Revere 2015 Team (Level): Philadelphia Phillies (MLB), Toronto Blue Jays (MLB) At the end of the 2010 season, Revere would make his big league debut before becoming an MLB regular in 2011. Revere, another first round pick on this list, showed the ability to make consistent contact in the minors while stealing bases and playing strong outfield defense. He would become a fan favorite during his couple years playing in Minnesota before being dealt to the Phillies for Trevor May. He's stolen 30 bases or more in four of his last five seasons and he lead the NL in hits back in 2014. Philadelphia dealt him to the Blue Jays at the end of last season to help with their playoff run. 7. Oswaldo Arcia 2015 Team (Level): Minnesota Twins (MLB), Rochester Red Wings (AAA) Arcia was already showing his power potential in 2010 as he finished the season with a 1.096 OPS for Elizabethton in the Appalachian League. He wouldn't debut with the Twins until 2013 and he would crank 20 home runs at the big league level in 2014. Arcia is still in the Twins organization but he struggled through 2015 to the point where he wasn't given a call-up last September. With the emergence of Miguel Sano and the addition of Byung Ho Park, it will be interesting to see what kind of role Arcia will have in 2016. He could be a good power option off the bench. 8. Liam Hendriks 2015 Team (Level): Toronto Blue Jays (MLB) Hendriks played at both Low- and High-A for the Twins in 2010 before getting on the fast track to the big leagues in 2011. He'd debut as 22-year old and win nine games as a 23-year old but he'd be out of the Twins organization following the 2014 season. Since then, he has pitched in the Royals and Blue Jays systems. Last year, he was a very effective relief pitcher for the Blue Jays as they went on to win the AL East. This offseason he was traded from the Blue Jays to the Athletics for pitcher Jesse Sanchez. 9. Kyle Waldrop 2015 Team (Level): None Waldrop had just made his debut during the 2011 campaign following back-to-back seasons pitching at Triple-A. He'd appear in 24 games for the Twins between 2011 and 2012. He'd pitch one more season professionally in the Pirates organization but he never made it back to the big leagues. Waldrop hasn't pitched at any level since 2013. 10. Max Kepler 2015 Team (Level): Minnesota Twins (MLB), Chattanooga Lookouts (AA) Kepler was coming off his professional debut back in 2010 but he was part of a strong international signing class that included the aforementioned Sano. Kepler seemed to have all the tools necessary to be a five-tool prospect but there were a lot of unknowns surrounding a young player that spent time developing in Europe. He would spend most of his minor league years around the edge of the Twins top-10 prospects before a magical 2015. Kepler was outstanding this season on the way to making his big league debut. He was named Southern League MVP and he helped the Lookouts to win the league's championship.

My first Twins game was May 30, 1994 when the Twins took on the Seattle Mariners. As a kid, I was excited to be at my first big league game but it's fun to look back on the caliber of players in both line-ups. Future Hall of Famers Kirby Puckett, Randy Johnson, and Dave Winfield all played in the game.Two other members of that Mariners team are prominently featured on this year's Hall of Fame ballot, Ken Griffey Jr. and Edgar Martinez. Griffey is in his first year of eligibility and he will be enshrined this year with close to 100% of the vote. Martinez has been on multiple ballots but he doesn't get as much support since he played the majority of his career at designated hitter. Besides Griffey's almost assured enshrinement, there will likely be others to join him in Cooperstown this summer. Here's a look at the 2016 Hall of Fame Ballot in three different categories: the Class of 2016, Future Inductions, and May Never Get In (But Still On My Ballot). Class of 2016 Jeff Bagwell: It's going to be close but I think Bagwell gets just over 75% of the vote needed to get into the Hall of Fame. There are some who have questioned his candidacy because he was a big power hitter in the midst of the steroids era. Bagwell is tied with Ty Cobb for third most seasons with a .420+OBP, .540+ SLG, and 15+ stolen bases. Only Ed Delahanty and Barry Bonds are higher on the list. Ken Griffey Jr: The only question surrounding Griffey is whether or not he will be listed on 100% of the ballots. There has never been a Hall of Famer listed on 100% of the ballots and that trend will likely continue this year. Griffey battled through numerous injuries in his career, otherwise he might be considered the greatest player in the history of the game. His tremendous defense in center field and his sweet swing at the plate make him a hands down pick for the class of 2016. Mike Piazza: He may go down as the best hitting catcher of all time and this should be enough to get him in on his fourth time on the ballot. Much like Bagwell, there have been some who haven't voted for him because of him being a power hitter in the steroid era. I think he makes it in this year and does it pretty easily. If Bagwell falls short, this year's class might only include Griffey and Piazza. Future Inductions Tim Raines: Raines continues to gain steam in recent years and I think he falls just short on this year's ballot which will set him up for election in 2017, his last year on the ballot. He is one of the best leadoff hitters ever. He is fifth in stolen bases, 13th in stolen base percentage, and 41st in win probability added. He will need a 20 percent increase from last year's ballot and that might be too much to do in one year. Curt Schilling: Schilling is one of the most dominant postseason pitchers of all time and the longevity of his career should help his case. He has received under 40% of the vote in each of his three years on the ballot but he should see a big jump this season. It will likely take a few more years but he should get in at some point. Trevor Hoffman: For a few seasons, he held the all-time record for career saves before being passed by Mariano Rivera. Even as a relief pitcher, he finished second in the Cy Young voting twice and had two other top six finishes. He was the first pitcher to reach 500 saves and one of two players to have reached the 600 save mark. Relief pitchers have a tough time getting in but he was a trailblazer at the position. May Never Get In (But Still On My Ballot) Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Edgar Martinez, Mike Mussina Even though they are two of the best players of all time, Bonds and Clemens have the cloud of steroids surrounding their candidacies. Martinez was a designated hitter and it seems like the voters are holding that against him even though he has strong numbers as a power hitter. Mussina was a good pitcher for a long time but he won't get enough support and he was the last name on my ballot. Others on the ballot: Garret Anderson, Brad Ausmus, Luis Castillo, David Eckstein, Jim Edmonds, Nomar Garciaparra, Troy Glaus, Mark Grudzielanek, Mike Hampton, Jason Kendall, Jeff Kent, Mike Lowell, Fred McGriff, Mark McGwire, Gary Sheffield, Lee Smith, Sammy Sosa, Mike Sweeney, Alan Trammel, Billy Wagner, Larry Walker, Randy Winn So who do you think gets in? Who else should have been on my ballot? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. Click here to view the article

I can confirm that Seth doesn't sleep. I can also confirm that there are far more than 10 reasons that you should purchase the Twins Prospect Handbook.

My first Twins game was May 30, 1994 when the Twins took on the Seattle Mariners. As a kid, I was excited to be at my first big league game but it's fun to look back on the caliber of players in both line-ups. Future Hall of Famers Kirby Puckett, Randy Johnson, and Dave Winfield all played in the game. Two other members of that Mariners team are prominently featured on this year's Hall of Fame ballot, Ken Griffey Jr. and Edgar Martinez. Griffey is in his first year of eligibility and he will be enshrined this year with close to 100% of the vote. Martinez has been on multiple ballots but he doesn't get as much support since he played the majority of his career at designated hitter. Besides Griffey's almost assured enshrinement, there will likely be other's to join him in Cooperstown this summer. Here's a look at the 2016 Hall of Fame Ballot in three different categories: the Class of 2016, Future Inductions, and May Never Get In (But Still On My Ballot). Class of 2016 Jeff Bagwell: It's going to be close but I think Bagwell gets just over 75% of the vote needed to get into the Hall of Fame. There are some that have questioned his candidacy because he was a big power hitter in the midst of the steroids era. Bagwell is tied with Ty Cobb for third most seasons with a .420+OBP, .540+ SLG, and 15+ stolen bases. Only Ed Delahanty and Barry Bonds are higher on the list. Ken Griffey Jr: The only questions surrounding Griffey is whether or not he will be listed on 100% of the ballots. There has never been a Hall of Famer listed on 100% of the ballots and that trend will likely continue this year. Griffey battled through numerous injuries in his career otherwise he might be considered the greatest player in the history of the game. His tremendous defense in center field and his sweet swing at the plate make him a hands down pick for the class of 2016. Mike Piazza: He may go down as the best hitting catcher of all-time and this should be enough to get him in on his fourth time on the ballot. Much like Bagwell, there have been some that haven't voted for him because of him being a power hitter in the steroid era. I think he makes it in this year and does it pretty easily. If Bagwell falls short, this year's class might only include Griffey and Piazza. Future Inductions Tim Raines: Raines continues to gain steam in recent years and I think he falls just short on this year's ballot which will set him up for election in 2017, his last year on the ballot. He is one of the best leadoff hitters of all time. His fifth in stolen bases, 13th in stolen base percentage, and 41st in win probability added. He'd need a 20 percent increase from last year's ballot and that might be too much to do in one year. Curt Schilling: Schilling is one of the most dominant postseason pitchers of all time and the longevity of his career should help his case. He has received under 40% of the vote in each of his three years on the ballot but he should see a big jump this season. It will likely take a few more years but he should get in at some point. Trevor Hoffman: For a few seasons, he held the all-time record for career saves before being passed by Mariano Rivera. Even as a relief pitcher, he finished second in the Cy Young voting twice and had two other top six finishes. He was the first pitcher to reach 500 saves and one of two players to have reached the 600 save mark. Relief pitchers have a tough time getting in but he was a trailblazer at the position. May Never Get In (But Still On My Ballot) Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Edgar Martinez, Mike Mussina Even though they are two of the best players of all-time, Bonds and Clemens have the cloud of steroids surrounding their candidacy. Martinez was a designated hitter and it seems like the voters are holding that against him even though he has strong numbers as a power hitter. Mussina was a good pitcher for a long time but he won't get enough support and he was the last name on my ballot. Others on the ballot: Garret Anderson, Brad Ausmus, Luis Castillo, David Eckstein, Jim Edmonds, Nomar Garciaparra, Troy Glaus, Mark Grudzielanek, Mike Hampton, Jason Kendall, Jeff Kent, Mike Lowell, Fred McGriff, Mark McGwire, Gary Sheffield, Lee Smith, Sammy Sosa, Mike Sweeney, Alan Trammel, Billy Wagner, Larry Walker, Randy Winn So who do you think gets in? Who else should have been on my ballot? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion.

Minnesota's minor league system has seen a trend in recent years. Each year there seems to be one prospect that stands out above the rest to have a breakout season. Many of these players are already considered top prospects but their individual performances in one season put them on the cusp of being above-average at the big league level. In 2015, Max Kepler (This year's cover athlete for the 2016 Twins Prospect Handbook) stood out above the crowd on his way to being named Southern League MVP. The 2014 season saw Jose Berrios dominate at multiple levels on his way to winning the first of two straight Twins Minor League Pitcher of the Year Awards. Byron Buxton was named Baseball America's 2013 Minor League Player of the Year after he was very impressive in his first full season of action. So who will follow in the footsteps of Buxton, Berrios and Kepler? All three players could see significant time at the big league level next season so the torch will need to be passed to someone else.ORDER NOW: 2016 Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook (paperback, $15.99) ORDER NOW: 2016 Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook (eBook, $10.99) To learn more about all of the prospects in the Twins organization, make sure to order the Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook. The 2016 Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook goes in-depth and provides player bios, scouting reports, statistics and much more on almost 160 Twins minor leaguers. From Abreu to Young, learn more about some of the Future Minnesota Twins. Nick Gordon- SS Highest 2015 Level: Cedar Rapids Kernels (Low-A) Projected 2016 Level: Fort Myers (High-A) With other players graduating off of the Twins top prospect list, Gordon is poised to take over the top spot going into next season. He will likely play the entire season at Fort Myers in the Florida State League which has been known to be more favorable to pitchers than hitters. As a 20 year-old, it will be interesting to watch him grow into his body. There are expectations that he will be able to add some power as he adds weight and a more experienced swing at the plate. If he can make offensive strides in a pitcher's league and continue to play solid defense at shortstop, Gordon should be the team's easy choice for breakout prospect in 2016. Kohl Stewart- RHP Highest 2015 Level: Fort Myers Miracle (High-A) Projected 2016 Level: Fort Myers Miracle (High-A), Chattanooga Lookouts (Double-A) Minnesota knew there were going to be things for Stewart to work on when the organization drafted him. He had been a two sport star in high school so he spent a lot of time playing both football and baseball. Now he's had multiple years to work in the Twins system to refine his pitching mechanics. There have been some inconsistencies as he has moved through the system so he could see himself back in Fort Myers to start the 2016 campaign. If he can make small improvements at High-A and Double-A this season, there's a good chance he will be a breakout prospect candidate. Stephen Gonsalves- LHP Highest 2015 Level: Fort Myers Miracle (High-A) Projected 2016 Level: Fort Myers Miracle (High-A), Chattanooga Lookouts (Double-A) Some might argue that Gonsalves had his breakout season in 2015. He firmly established himself as one of the Twins best starting pitching prospects and he is a consensus top-10 Twins prospects entering the 2016 season. He and Stewart should push each other by starting at High-A and working to get to the Double-A level. Since Gonsalves is a left-handed hurler, he brings some added value and it will be interesting to see what he can do against competition in the higher levels of the minor leagues. As a more polished pitcher than Stewart, expect him to move faster in 2016 and quite possibly become the team's best pitching prospect as Berrios uses up his rookie eligibility. ORDER NOW: 2016 Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook (paperback, $15.99) ORDER NOW: 2016 Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook (eBook, $10.99) Tyler Jay- LHP Highest 2015 Level: Fort Myers Miracle (High-A) Projected 2016 Level: Fort Myers Miracle (High-A), Chattanooga Lookouts (Double-A) As the Twins first-round pick in 2015, Jay might seem like an easy candidate to break out in 2016. He has college experience and he was successful during the second half of his pro debut. However, the Twins are going to transition the lefty from shutdown bullpen arm to the starting rotation. This transition will come with plenty of watchful eyes as it's hard to know what to expect with an unproven asset. The Twins have a lot invested in him so expect them to control his innings and for him to get some bullpen time as well. For him to be the team's breakout prospect, he'd have to be lights out during his time as a starter. Adam Brett Walker- OF Highest 2015 Level: Chattanooga Lookouts (Double-A) Projected 2016 Level: Rochester Red Wings (Triple-A), Minnesota Twins (MLB) Walker is a monster power prospect and he continues to impress with his show of strength at each level in the organization. He helped lead the Lookouts to the Southern League Championship this season and then he went on to have a big impact in the Arizona Fall League as his team won that championship too. Walker will likely start next season at the Triple-A level where he will need to take some strides at the plate to cut back on strikeouts and increase his on-base ability. He should make his debut in 2016 but he will need to show that he can improve at the highest level in the minor leagues. Who do you think will be the Twins breakout prospect in 2016? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. ORDER NOW: 2016 Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook (paperback, $15.99) ORDER NOW: 2016 Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook (eBook, $10.99) Click here to view the article

Minnesota's minor league system has seen a trend in recent years. Each year there seems to be one prospect that stands out above the rest to have a breakout season. Many of these players are already considered top prospects but their individual performances in one season put them on the cusp of being above-average at the big league level. In 2015, Max Kepler (This year's cover athlete for the 2016 Twins Prospect Handbook) stood out above the crowd on his way to being named Southern League MVP. The 2014 season saw Jose Berrios dominate at multiple levels on his way to winning the first of two straight Twins Minor League Pitcher of the Year Awards. Byron Buxton was named Baseball America's 2013 Minor League Player of the Year after he was very impressive in his first full season of action. So who will follow in the footsteps of Buxton, Berrios and Kepler? All three players could see significant time at the big league level next season so the torch will need to be passed to someone else. ORDER NOW: 2016 Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook (paperback, $15.99) ORDER NOW: 2016 Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook (eBook, $10.99) To learn more about all of the prospects in the Twins organization, make sure to order the Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook. The 2016 Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook goes in-depth and provides player bios, scouting reports, statistics and much more on almost 160 Twins minor leaguers. From Abreu to Young, learn more about some of the Future Minnesota Twins. Nick Gordon- SS Highest 2015 Level: Cedar Rapids Kernels (Low-A) Projected 2016 Level: Fort Myers (High-A) With other players graduating off of the Twins top prospect list, Gordon is poised to take over the top spot going into next season. He will likely play the entire season at Fort Myers in the Florida State League which has been known to be more favorable to pitchers than hitters. As a 20 year-old, it will be interesting to watch him grow into his body. There are expectations that he will be able to add some power as he adds weight and a more experienced swing at the plate. If he can make offensive strides in a pitcher's league and continue to play solid defense at shortstop, Gordon should be the team's easy choice for breakout prospect in 2016. Kohl Stewart- RHP Highest 2015 Level: Fort Myers Miracle (High-A) Projected 2016 Level: Fort Myers Miracle (High-A), Chattanooga Lookouts (Double-A) Minnesota knew there were going to be things for Stewart to work on when the organization drafted him. He had been a two sport star in high school so he spent a lot of time playing both football and baseball. Now he's had multiple years to work in the Twins system to refine his pitching mechanics. There have been some inconsistencies as he has moved through the system so he could see himself back in Fort Myers to start the 2016 campaign. If he can make small improvements at High-A and Double-A this season, there's a good chance he will be a breakout prospect candidate. Stephen Gonsalves- LHP Highest 2015 Level: Fort Myers Miracle (High-A) Projected 2016 Level: Fort Myers Miracle (High-A), Chattanooga Lookouts (Double-A) Some might argue that Gonsalves had his breakout season in 2015. He firmly established himself as one of the Twins best starting pitching prospects and he is a consensus top-10 Twins prospects entering the 2016 season. He and Stewart should push each other by starting at High-A and working to get to the Double-A level. Since Gonsalves is a left-handed hurler, he brings some added value and it will be interesting to see what he can do against competition in the higher levels of the minor leagues. As a more polished pitcher than Stewart, expect him to move faster in 2016 and quite possibly become the team's best pitching prospect as Berrios uses up his rookie eligibility. ORDER NOW: 2016 Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook (paperback, $15.99) ORDER NOW: 2016 Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook (eBook, $10.99) Tyler Jay- LHP Highest 2015 Level: Fort Myers Miracle (High-A) Projected 2016 Level: Fort Myers Miracle (High-A), Chattanooga Lookouts (Double-A) As the Twins first round pick in 2015, Jay might seem like an easy candidate to breakout in 2016. He has college experience and he was successful during the second half of his pro debut. However, the Twins are going to transition the lefty from shutdown bullpen arm to the starting rotation. This transition will come with plenty of watchful eyes as it's hard to know what to expect with an unproven asset. The Twins have a lot invested in him so expect them to control his innings and for him to get some bullpen time as well. For him to be the team's breakout prospect, he'd have to be lights out during his time as a starter. Adam Brett Walker- OF Highest 2015 Level: Chattanooga Lookouts (Double-A) Projected 2016 Level: Rochester Red Wings (Triple-A), Minnesota Twins (MLB) Walker is a monster power prospect and he continues to impress with his show of strength at each level in the organization. He helped lead the Lookouts to the Southern League Championship this season and then he went on to have a big impact in the Arizona Fall League as his team won that championship too. Walker will likely start next season at the Triple-A level where he will need to take some strides at the plate to cut back on strikeouts and increase his on-base ability. He should make his debut in 2016 but he will need to show that he can improve at the highest level in the minor leagues. Who do you think will be the Twins breakout prospect in 2016? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. ORDER NOW: 2016 Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook (paperback, $15.99) ORDER NOW: 2016 Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook (eBook, $10.99)

Then some of the same players went on to the Arizona Fall League and won the championship there. Pretty crazy. Hopefully that winning culture makes it's way to Target Field.

I still get goosebumps when I watch it.

It will be interesting to see if this culture continues now that Torii won't be there to lead the dance parties. I guess Dozier or someone else will have to take the reigns.

The champagne is on ice and it's almost time for the ball to drop in Times Square. 2015 will move over to make way for 2016 and it will be time for resolutions and the hope of a new year. The Twins offered plenty of hope to their fan base in 2015. After four straight seasons with at least 92 losses, many major media sources expected the Twins to again finish near the bottom of the AL Central. Thankfully, they were wrong and the Twins surprised many by staying in the playoff hunt until the final week of the season.Here is a look at five of the top stories that surrounded Minnesota in 2015. Molitor Takes the Reins The Twins don't like change when it comes to their manager. The last two managers in Minnesota, Tom Kelly and Ron Gardenhire, combined to manage from 1986-2014. Paul Molitor invigorated the Twins clubhouse on the way to an 83-79 record. He did all of this despite the Twins have no one in the top 10 in the American League in batting average, home runs, RBI, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, strikeouts, or ERA. Because of all of this, Molitor finished third in the balloting for the American League Manager of the Year Award. Twins In Playoff Hunt When a team has lost over 90 games for four consecutive seasons, it's refreshing to have a club back in the playoff hunt. Minnesota wasn't eliminated from postseason contention until the second-to-last day of the season. The club used a historic May record of 20-7 to finish the month in first place. It was the first time the organization won at least 20 games in a month since 1991. With 83 wins, the club finished with an above .500 record for only the second time in the Target Field era. Hunter Plays Final Season Back Home Not all fans were excited about the Twins giving over $10 million to an aging Torii Hunter last offseason but the Twins wanted to add his veteran leadership to what would turn out to be a young clubhouse. By most accounts, Hunter played better than expected and finished the year with 22 home runs and 81 RBI. Shortly after the season ended, Hunter announced that he would be retiring to spend more time with his wife and family. He played 12 of his 19 seasons in a Twins uniform. Perkins, Dozier Named All-Stars Even though the Twins were one of the top teams in the AL during the first half of the season, it looked like the club was only going to have one representative at the Midsummer Classic. Glen Perkins didn't blow a save in the first half of the season and he was an easy choice for his third consecutive All-Star Game. Brian Dozier had to fight his way into the game as he was included as a Final Vote candidate. He didn't get in through this method but was named as an injury replacement to cap off a week where he finished one of the most dramatic wins in recent Twins history. Both players impaedct the All-Star Game as Dozier hit a home run and Perkins closed out the win for the AL. Top Prospects Debut Big name prospects like Miguel Sano and Byron Buxton earned legendary status before ever seeing a big league pitch. Sano lived up to the hype as he collected 18 home runs, 17 doubles, and 52 RBIs in 80 games on his way to being named the team's MVP. Buxton's debut didn't come with as much flare as Sano but he's still considered one of the top prospects in the game. Eddie Rosario made an impact as he attained double digits in home runs, doubles, triples, stolen bases and outfield assists. Tyler Duffey made a big impact on the mound winning five games to help keep the team in the hunt. Max Kepler was given a September call-up after being named the Southern League MVP and helping the Lookouts win the league's championship. Baseball is a game of hope and the Twins offered their fan base plenty of hope in 2015. It would seem the team is trending in the right direction for 2016 with a more experienced manager, a young core, and a chance to get back into the playoffs for the first time since 2010. Raise a glass to toast 2015 and let's keep hope alive for an even better 2016 in Twins Territory. Click here to view the article

The champagne is on ice and it's almost time for the ball to drop in Times Square. 2015 will move over to make way for 2016 and it will be time for resolutions and the hope of a new year. The Twins offered plenty of hope to their fan base in 2015. After four straight seasons with at least 92 losses, many major media sources expected the Twins to again finish near the bottom of the AL Central. Thankfully, they were wrong and the Twins surprised many by staying in the playoff hunt until the final week of the season. Here is a look at five of the top stories that surrounded Minnesota in 2015. Molitor Takes the Reigns The Twins don't like change when it comes to their manager. The last two managers in Minnesota, Tom Kelly and Ron Gardenhire, combined to manage from 1986-2014. Paul Molitor invigorated the Twins clubhouse on the way to an 83-79 record. He did all of this despite the Twins have no one in the top 10 in the American League in batting average, home runs, RBI, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, strikeouts, or ERA. Because of all of this, Molitor finished third in the balloting for the American League Manager of the Year Award. Twins In Playoff Hunt When a team has lost over 90 games for four consecutive seasons, it's refreshing to have a club back in the playoff hunt. Minnesota wasn't eliminated from postseason contention until the second-to-last day of the season. The club used a historic May record of 20-7 to finish the month in first place. It was the first time the organization won at least 20 games in a month since 1991. With 83 wins, the club finished with an above .500 record for only the second time in the Target Field era. Hunter Plays Final Season Back Home Not all fans were excited about the Twins giving over $10 million to an aging Torii Hunter last offseason but the Twins wanted to add his veteran leadership to what would turn out to be a young clubhouse. By most accounts, Hunter played better than expected and finished the year with 22 home runs and 81 RBI. Shortly after the season ended, Hunter announced that he would be retiring to spend more time with his wife and family. He played 12 of his 19 seasons in a Twins uniform. Perkins, Dozier Named All-Stars Even though the Twins were one of the top teams in the AL during the first half of the season, it looked like the club was only going to have one representative at the Midsummer Classic. Glen Perkins didn't blow a save in the first half of the season and he was an easy choice for his third consecutive All-Star Game. Brian Dozier had to fight his way into the game as he was included on the Final Vote candidate. He wouldn't get in through this method but he'd be named as an injury replacement to cap off a week where he finished one of the most dramatic wins in recent Twins history. Both players impact the All-Star Game as Dozier hit a home run and Perkins closed out the win for the AL. Top Prospects Debut Big names prospects like Miguel Sano and Byron Buxton earn legendary status before ever seeing a big league pitch. Sano lived up to the hype as he collected 18 home runs, 17 doubles, and 52 RBIs in 80 games on his way to being named the team's MVP. Buxton's debut didn't come with as much flare as Sano but he's still considered one of the top prospects in the game. Eddie Rosario made an impact as he attained double digits in home runs, doubles, triples, stolen bases, and outfield assists. Tyler Duffey made a big impact on the mound winning five games to help keep the team in the hunt. Max Kepler was given a September call-up after being named the Southern League MVP and helping the Lookouts to win the league's championship. Baseball is a game of hope and the Twins offered their fan base plenty of hope in 2015. It would seem the team is trending in the right direction for 2016 with a more experienced manager, a young core, and a chance to get back into the playoffs for the first time since 2010. Raise a glass to toast 2015 and let's keep hope alive for an even better 2016 in Twins Territory.

Brian Dozier was able to call himself an All-Star for the first time in 2015. He's gained national attention after competing in the 2014 Home Run Derby and after hitting a home run to help the American League win the 2015 All-Star Game. He's slowly become one of the Twins most valuable players as he has entrenched himself near the top of the team's line-up.His value to the organization has been clear in recent years. He's ranked in the team's top three for rWAR from 2013-2015 and he led the team in that category in 2014. Dozier has also led the team in home runs in each year during that stretch. For Twins fans, it's easy to get excited about his play. His presence in the line-up has been a jolt the team has needed at different portions of the season. However, offense is only one part of the game and his defensive game has been in decline. As Dozier started his rise to stardom in the Twins line-up, the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) started to use a defensive index to help decide portions of the Rawlings Gold Gloves. According to the SABR website: "The SABR Defensive Index draws on and aggregates two types of existing defensive metrics: those derived from batted ball location-based data and those collected from play-by-play accounts. The three metrics representing batted ball data include Defensive Runs Saved from Baseball Info Solutions, Ultimate Zone Rating developed by noted sabermetrician Mitchel Lichtman, and Runs Effectively Defended built by SABR Defensive Committee member Chris Dial. The two metrics included in the SDI originating from play-by-play data are Defensive Regression Analysis, created by committee member Michael Humphreys, and Total Zone Rating." 2013 Season By the end of the 2013 season, Dozier ranked as the third best second baseman in the American League according to the SABR Defensive Index (SDI). Dustin Pedroia won the Gold Glove and compiled an 11.6 SDI. Dozier's 5.5 SDI was 1.4 points behind Ian Kinsler for second place. There were only seven second basemen that scored in positive territory on the SDI. In 734 chances at second, he was charged with six errors for a .992 fielding percentage, a career-best mark. This was seven points higher than the league average for second basemen. However, defense goes deeper than fielding percentage. His defensive runs saved above average (Rdrs) was nine, another career high. Some other Sabermetric fielding numbers weren't as kind to him. His Total Zone Total Fielding Runs Above Average (Rtot) was -2. 2013 was his best defensive season as a big leaguer and it was Dozier's first full season playing second base so this was quite the remarkable feat. 2014 Season Dozier dropped down the SDI rankings in 2014 as Pedroia won his second consecutive AL Gold Glove. Ian Kinsler actually ranked higher than Pedroia in the final SDI rankings and Howie Kendrick rounded out the top three. Dozier slipped all the way to eighth place in the American League with a -0.7 SDI, the sixth worse mark out of qualifying second basemen. During his second season at second base, Dozier showed some regression as he was charged with 15 errors in 751 chances. His .980 fielding percentage was four points lower than the league average. Dozier's Rdrs dropped 9 runs and his Rtot dipped nine 10 runs from -2 to -12. Although his defense wasn't at the bottom of the league, there was a clear decline from the positive numbers he compiled in 2013. He would need to make some changes going into 2015 because he was trending in the wrong direction. 2015 Season For the first time in the SDI era, a second baseman not in the top two was awarded the Gold Glove. Jose Altuve's 4.6 SDI ranking was less than half of the league leader Ian Kinsler (10.7 SDI) but Altuve was still awarded the top defensive award. Dozier continued his decline to the bottom of the league as he finished with a -6.1 SDI and only ranked ahead of two qualified players, Robinson Cano and Johnny Giavotella. Dozier's fielding percentage went back up to .990 (8 errors in 767 chances) while the league average was a .983 fielding percentage. However some of his other numbers compared differently when looking at his previous seasons. His Rdrs was negative for the first time as he posted a -5 mark but his Rtot was slightly better at -8. There is some hope for Dozier. At the end of the 2014 season, Altuve was the lowest ranking second baseman according to SDI with a -10.2. This mark was 2.5 points lower than the competition. In one season, Altuve improved by 14.8 SDI points and was rewarded with the Gold Glove. Dozier makes some tremendously athletic plays but some of this results from him not being able to get to balls that are near the edge of his range. The best second basemen made the routine plays look easy and can stretch their range to meet a specific play. If Dozier wants to be considered one of the best second basemen in the game, his defense is his biggest weakness. He has the opportunity to improve, and solving this defensive dilemma could help the club to continue trending in the right direction. Click here to view the article

Brian Dozier was able to call himself an All-Star for the first time in 2015. He's gained national attention after competing in the 2014 Home Run Derby and after hitting a home run to help the American League win the 2015 All-Star Game. He's slowly become one of the Twins most valuable players as he has entrenched himself near the top of the team's line-up. His value to the organization has been clear in recent years. He's ranked in the team's top three for rWAR from 2013-2015 and he led the team in that category in 2014. Dozier has also led the team in home runs in each year during that stretch. For Twins fans, it's easy to get excited about his play. His presence in the line-up has been a jolt the team has needed at different portions of the season. However, offense is only one part of the game and his defensive game has been in decline. As Dozier started his rise to stardom in the Twins line-up, the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) started to use a defensive index to help decide portions of the Rawlings Gold Gloves. According to the SABR website: "The SABR Defensive Index draws on and aggregates two types of existing defensive metrics: those derived from batted ball location-based data and those collected from play-by-play accounts. The three metrics representing batted ball data include Defensive Runs Saved from Baseball Info Solutions, Ultimate Zone Rating developed by noted sabermetrician Mitchel Lichtman, and Runs Effectively Defended built by SABR Defensive Committee member Chris Dial. The two metrics included in the SDI originating from play-by-play data are Defensive Regression Analysis, created by committee member Michael Humphreys, and Total Zone Rating." 2013 Season By the end of the 2013 season, Dozier ranked as the third best second baseman in the American League according to the SABR Defensive Index (SDI). Dustin Pedroia won the Gold Glove and compiled an 11.6 SDI. Dozier's 5.5 SDI was 1.4 points behind Ian Kinsler for second place. There were only seven second basemen that scored in positive territory on the SDI. In 734 chances at second, he was charged with six errors for a .992 fielding percentage, a career best mark. This was seven points higher than the league average for second basemen. However, defense goes deeper than fielding percentage. His defensive runs saved above average (Rdrs) was nine, another career high. Some other Sabermetric Fielding numbers weren't as kind to him. His Total Zone Total Fielding Runs Above Average (Rtot) was -2. 2013 was his best defensive season as a big leaguer and it was Dozier's first full season playing second base so this was quite the remarkable feat. 2014 Season Dozier dropped down the SDI rankings in 2014 as Pedroia won his second consecutive AL Gold Glove. Ian Kinsler actually ranked higher than Pedroia in the final SDI rankings and Howie Kendrick rounded out the top three. Dozier slipped all the way to eighth place in the American League with a -0.7 SDI, the sixth worse mark out of qualifying second basemen. During his second season at second base, Dozier showed some regression as he was charged with 15 errors in 751 chances. His .980 fielding percentage was four points lower than the league average. Dozier's Rdrs dropped 9 runs and his Rtot dipped nine 10 runs from -2 to -12. Although his defense wasn't at the bottom of the league, there was a clear decline from the positive numbers he compiled in 2013. He would need to make some changes going into 2015 because he was trending in the wrong direction. 2015 Season For the first time in the SDI era, a second baseman not in the top two was awarded the Gold Glove. Jose Altuve's 4.6 SDI ranking was less than half of the league leader Ian Kinsler (10.7 SDI) but Altuve was still awarded the top defensive award. Dozier continued his decline into the bottom of the league as he finished with a -6.1 SDI and only ranked ahead of two qualified players, Robinson Cano and Johnny Giavotella. Dozier's fielding percentage went back up to .990 (8 errors in 767 chances) while the league average was a .983 fielding percentage. However some of his other numbers compared differently when looking at his previous seasons. His Rdrs was negative for the first time as he posted a -5 mark but his Rtot was slightly better at -8. There is some hope for Dozier. At the end of the 2014 season, Altuve was the lowest ranking second baseman according to SDI with a -10.2. This mark was 2.5 points lower than competition. In one season, Altuve improved by 14.8 SDI points and was rewarded with the Gold Glove. Dozier makes some tremendously athletic plays but some of this results from him not being able to get to balls that are near the edge of his range. The best second basemen made the routine plays look easy and can stretch their range to meet a specific play. If Dozier wants to be considered one of the best second basemen in the game, his defense is his biggest weakness. He has the opportunity to improve and solving this defensive dilemma could help the club to continue trending in the right direction.

Tis the season... well it's not baseball season but fans can still be in the baseball mood. Back in 2010, I wrote a version of this poem that had become a little outdated after half a decade. The Twins had a different manager and GM at the time and the team's biggest offseason move was bringing in Tsuyoshi Nishioka. So here is an update version to help us survive this holiday season. May your holiday be filled with plenty of blessings (and maybe a free agent signing by the Twins). Twas the night before Christmas, when all through Target Field Not a worker was stirring, for every door had been sealed; The stockings were hung by the dugout with care, In hopes that a free agent soon would be there; Every fan was nestled all snug in their beds, While visions of championships danced in their heads; And Terry Ryan in his 'kerchief, and Molitor in a cap, Seem to be spending the offseason on a long winter's nap; David Price had signed and still no deals had been made, On many fans minds this problem heavily weighed; When out on the field there arose such a clatter, Ryan sprang from the bed to see what was the matter; A star from Korea with a bat that could bash, Left fans hoping that his contract wouldn't be too brash; Target Field lay under the new fallen snow, While the rest of the offseason moves seemed to come slow; When, what to my wondering eyes should appear, Thoughts of new pitcher would let the fans cheer; Molitor wants a new team with power in their swings, With hopes that it will result in multiple rings. Hunter retired after much fortune and fame, A title in the Central will be hard to reclaim; The team is young and expectations are high, 2015 was great but now it's time to say goodbye ; There are roster quandaries as youth starts to take hold, For Twins Territory, the losing was getting old; With the new year, changes will come, It is still hard not to feel glum; A star pitcher would make the fans clamor, Or a bullpen pitcher who can drop the hammer; The wish list is long for fans this holiday season, Trying to overcome the Royals is definitely the reason; Fans want a plan so they can be merry, Because making no moves seems all too scary; A Christmas signing wrapped in a bow, Could make up for this excess of snow. Back to sleep I will go with the hope of a good dream, For the Twins will continue to be our baseball team; There is still plenty of offseason to make things right, Until then "Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night."

The final touches are being put on the 2016 Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook and fans can look for ordering details shortly after the new year. In the aftermath of writing profiles on every prospect in the Twins system, it's hard not to get excited about the direction the team is heading in 2016 and beyond. Predicting the future can be a tough task when it comes to prospects especially when trying to decipher who will part of the next playoff team in Minnesota. There are a plethora of high-end prospects ready to make an everyday impact but the crystal ball can be a little murky when gazing into the future. Let's do our best to try and have our own lightsaber Force vision of the future. When the Twins are ready to make consistent playoff runs, what will the line-up look like in 2018? Catcher: This position is one of the hardest to get a read on as we look into the future. The Twins have a group of young catchers moving through the system. Mitch Garver, Brian Navarreto, and Alex Swim could all play well enough to get some big league playing time. For now, it seems like Stuart Turner will be the team's likely option at backstop. The Twins have been aggressive with him during his time in the organization and he could make his big league debut this season. He has an experienced approach at the plate but his offense isn't his calling card. Turner is a defensive first catcher but that could be enough to give him the starting job by 2018. 2018 Prediction: Stuart Turner, Back-Up Plan: Mitch Garver First Base: It's crazy to think Joe Mauer's contract will come to an end at some point but that's exactly what will happen after the 2018 season. Mauer can be a free agent as he will be in his mid-30s at the time with the potential to still have some baseball in front of him. It's hard to know if that future will be in Minnesota but there doesn't seem to be a situation where he won't be part of the line-up in 2018. There will be other options on the roster. Newly signed Korean slugger Byung Ho Park has experience at first and he could be getting more playing time at first in the next few years. As Miguel Sano continues to grow into his body, it wouldn't be surprising to see him end up playing at first as well. 2018 Prediction: Joe Mauer, Back-Up Plan: Byung Ho Park Second Base: Brian Dozier is coming off an All-Star season but he's struggled offensively in the second half of 2014 and 2015. Minnesota just signed him to a deal through 2018 and he will be 31 years old by the end of that deal. This makes it pretty easy to hypothesize that Dozier will still be there by 2018. The Twins do have other infielders making their way through the system. Jorge Polanco has ranked high on Twins prospect lists and he's had a brief taste of the big leagues. There are some questions about his defensive abilities at shortstop so a switch to second base might be just what the doctor ordered. If Polanco continues to show promise, the Twins might be willing to deal Dozier before his contract expires. 2018 Prediction: Brian Dozier, Back-Up Plan: Jorge Polanco Third Base: The Twins have seen Trevor Plouffe evolve into a very good player at third base. The former first round pick will be a free agent before the 2018 season so it seems likely that the organization will part ways with him. This could mean a shift for Miguel Sano back to the hot corner. There is talk from the Twins of Sano playing some outfield this season and that might be the only way to get all of their sluggers in the line-up at the same point. Sano will be entering his fourth big league season and he could still have something to prove if he hasn't played a ton of third base up to this point in his career. While someone like Polanco could switch from shortstop to third, the other options at third might be someone like Trey Cabbage. 2018 Prediction: Miguel Sano, Back-Up Plan: Jorge Polanco Shortstop: Shortstop has been a black hole in the Twins organization. The Twins have added multiple players like Nick Gordon and Wander Javier over the last couple seasons to try and turn a weakness into a strength. Javier signed for a ton of money but he won't be ready by 2018. This means the Twins future shortstop could be left in the hands of Nick Gordon. He has the potential to be an All-Star and a top-of-the-order hitter. The Twins have been aggressive with him so far in his professional career so it wouldn't be a surprise for him to spend the 2018 season as the club's primary shortstop. Engelb Vielma is another top-20 prospect that has all of the defensive skills to stick at the position. If Gordon isn't ready in '18, look for Vielma to fit the role. 2018 Prediction: Nick Gordon, Back-Up Plan: Engelb Vielma Right Field: Minnesota's 2018 outfield could be littered with talent. Top prospects like Byron Buxton, Max Kepler, and Eddie Rosario will all need homes especially if they establish themselves as everyday players. All three of these players have shown the ability to play center field so two of them will have to get pushed to the corners and combine for a solid defensive grouping. Kepler seems like the logical choice for right field since he could grow into his body more and he's played the position in the minor leagues. After being named the team's minor league player of the year, hopes will be high for Kepler but he has the chance to be an All-Star. A back-up plan could be slugging outfield Adam Brett Walker especially if he keeps mashing home runs. 2018 Prediction: Max Kepler, Back-Up Plan: Adam Brett Walker Left Field: With Kepler occupying right field, Eddie Rosario gets the reigns to left field. Rosario is coming off a very good rookie campaign where he showed some positive signs at the plate. If he can continue to develop offensively, he could nestle snugly into a everyday player that fits nicely into the second half of the line-up. Walker would be another back-up option for this position as he has played both corner outfield positions during the last two seasons. A middle of the order with Sano, Park, and Walker could be a murder's row for opposing pitchers in the American League. 2018 Prediction: Eddie Rosario, Back-Up Plan: Adam Brett Walker Center Field: The land once occupied by the likes of Kirby Puckett and Torii Hunter seems close to becoming the land of Byron Buxton. Baseball's top rated prospect for much of the last two seasons should be a regular by the time the 2018 season roles around. He has all the skills to be a five-tool player and he could be on his way to multiple All-Star appearances and potential MVP awards. There is still a lot left for him to prove but most of the baseball world seems confident that Mr. Buxton will be able to put it all together to be a well above-average player. 2018 Prediction: Byron Buxton, Back-Up Plan: Max Kepler Designated Hitter: When Minnesota signed Park this offseason, they made sure to refer to him as a designated hitter. Twins general manager Terry Ryan made reference to his ability to play first base but the Twins have another player entrenched at first base so this means Park will have to get playing time at another spot. There are also plenty of other names on this list that could fill into a DH role by 2018. Mauer might be aging too much to play first base or a combination of Sano and Walker could definitely add some power to the DH role. As long as Park adjusts well to baseball in the States, it seems like the DH role is his to lose. 2018 Prediction: Byung Ho Park, Back-Up Plan: Mauer/Sano/Walker What would your 2018 line-up look like? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion.

One game to rule them all. The Lookouts have combined for quite a season leading into tonight's decisive Game 5. Stud prospects Miguel Sano and Byron Buxton started the season in Chattanooga before eventually making their big league debuts. Max Kepler and Jose Berrios both spent time with the Lookouts before being named the Twins Daily Minor League Hitter and Starting Pitcher of the Year. A handful of players on this squad are no strangers to the pressure of the postseason. Dalton Hicks, Niko Goodrum, Adam Brett Walker, Max Kepler, DJ Baxendale, and Brett Lee have all been part of two other championship teams, Elizabethton (2012) and Fort Myers (2014). Chattanooga won the first half title in the Southern League North Division and finished the season with an overall record of 76-61. The club was just one game over .500 at home but they were a stunning 42-28 away from AT&T Field. Tonight they played at home with a chance to be crowned kings of the Southern League.CHATTANOOGA CHATTER Chattanooga 4, Biloxi 0 Box Score The Lookouts had a chance to jump out to an early lead in the bottom of the first inning. With two outs in the frame, Southern League MVP Max Kepler walked. Travis Harrison followed with a single to give Chattanooga their first chance with runners in scoring position. Adam Brett Walker came up in a big spot but he grounded out to third to end the frame. DJ Baxendale started for the Lookouts and he ran into a little trouble in the top of the second. After a single and a double to start the frame, Baxendale gave up a free pass to load the bases without recording an out. He came up with two big swinging strikeouts and a ground out to get out of the jam. The bottom of the second saw the first runs of the game. Heiker Meneses stepped up to the plate and cracked a triple. Two batters later Stuart Turner drove in Meneses with a double to left field. Shannon Wilkerson followed Turner's double with a RBI-single to stretch the lead to 2-0 in favor of the Lookouts. Max Kepler has been carrying the Lookouts for large portions of the season so it seemed fitting that he would help add to the team's lead in their most important game of the year. He had gone 0-for-7 in the last two games but he led off the third with a solo-home run, his third of the series. Baxendale used 95 pitches to get through five shutout frames before turning the game over to the bullpen. He gave up four hits, three walks and struck out three. Jason Wheeler took over for Baxendale and was outstanding. In four shutout innings, he allowed two base runners and struck out three. The Lookouts picked up a big insurance run in the bottom of the seventh inning to push their lead to 4-0. Stuart Turner walked to start the inning and was thrown out at second on a bunt attempt from Shannon Wilkerson. Stephen Wickens stepped to the plate and cracked a double to left field that was deep enough to score Wilkerson from first to add to the lead. Wheeler stayed in for the top of the ninth inning. The first batter popped out to second base and the Lookouts were two outs away. The next batter walked to be only the second base runner against Wheeler. However the next batter hit into a 6-4-3 double play to end the game and the season. Your 2015 Southern League Champions, the Chattanooga Lookouts. Click here to view the article