Cody Christie

Bud Selig is out as commissioner and Rob Manfred has a variety of issues to tackle as he takes over the reigns of America's past-time. One issue at the forefront is trying to find a way to speed up the pace of play for major league games. Last year the average MLB game lasted over three hours. This comes at a time with a steady decrease in run scoring as baseball adjusts after the steroid spike around the turn of the century. Baseball wasn't meant to be this way. Recent years have seen an increase in all of the pitches batters are taking, pitching changes, mound visits, and time between pitches. In just 10 years baseball players have added 29 minutes, 11 seconds of dead time per game while scoring 13.3 percent fewer runs. If that doesn't grab your attention, I don't know what will. How do the Twins rate? FanGraphs tracks "Pace," a pitcher's average time between pitches in seconds. Just four seasons ago, pitchers averaged 21.5 second between pitches. In 2014, only five Twins pitchers (Lester Oliveros, Michael Tonkin, Aaron Thompson, Caleb Thielbar, and Glen Perkins) were below this mark. Phil Hughes just missed the mark with an average of 21.7 seconds between pitches. Top 3 Pace (Minimum 20 IP) 1. Caleb Thielbar 21.0 2. Glen Perkins 21.0 3. Phil Hughes 21.7 Bottom 3 Pace (Minimum 20 IP) 1. Kevin Correia 25.0 2. Brian Duensing 24.1 3. Casey Fien 23.9 Minnesota's four longest games this season were all extra-inning affairs with these contests averaging four hours and 42 minutes. The club's five fastest games were all under two hours and 30 minutes. The team even had one 10-inning game in Boston that was completed in just over two and a half hours. Twins 3 Longest Games of 2014 1. May 1 vs LA Dodgers (12 innings) 5 hours 11 minutes 2. April 23 @ TB Rays (12 innings) 4 hours 48 minutes 3. September 5 vs LA Angels (10 innings) 4 hours 30 minutes Twins 3 Shortest Games of 2014 1. May 17 vs Seattle Mariners 2 hours 26 minutes 2. August 27 @ KC Royals 2 hours 27 minutes 3. June 28 @ Texas Rangers 2 hours 27 minutes Between 2000 and 2013, the Twins average time have nine inning games has increased from two hours and 56 minutes to three hours and one minute. During that stretch, the shortest average time was two hours and 37 minutes (2005). There were only two seasons during that stretch where Minnesota's average time was above the average time for MLB. Finding Solutions MLB is experimenting with a variety of solutions and the first of these were rolled out in this year's Arizona Fall League. Some of these solutions included a pitch clock, batter's keeping one foot in the batter's box, no-pitch intentional walks, a 2:30 pitching change/inning change clock, and a three "time out" limit. There were mixed reviews but game times did decrease. MLB's next experimental solution will take place at Double-A and Triple-A this season. The higher levels of the minor leagues will institute pitch clocks this year in an attempt to speed up games. Specifics haven't been ironed out for this yet but change is in the air. If everything goes smoothly in the upper minors this season, it seems like the first solution might be the institution of a pitch clock. This sweeping change might take a couple of seasons to make it to the big league level but it seems likely that one of the first changes under the Manfred regime will revolve around pace of play. For more from Cody Christie make sure to follow him on Twitter @NoDakTwinsFan and to read his other work at http://www.NoDakTwinsFan.com

Brian Dozier isn't arbitration eligible until next offseason but rumors are already starting to build about a possible extension between the second baseman and the Twins. He is under team control until 2019 when he will be coming off his age-29 season. There isn't necessarily a rush to get a deal done but a source close to the Twins said to expect an extension in place before the season's start.What would a Dozier extension look like? Last year the Cleveland Indians locked up their All-Star second baseman Jason Kipnis with a $52.5 million, six-year contract. The deal also included a club option for a seventh year. If the Twins followed a similar format, they would be buying out all of Dozier's arbitration years and paying for his first couple of years of free agency. Another second baseman to recently sign an extension was Jedd Gyorko of the San Diego Padres. Gyorko signed a six-year, $35 million extension. However, he was coming off his rookie season so the deal came at an earlier point in his career than an extension for Dozier would be in his career. It seems more likely for the total dollar amount to be closer to Kipnis than to Gyorko. The Roller Coaster Ride Dozier provides an interesting case for the Twins. He's shown signs of great things but there have been some ups and downs to his offensive performance. Let's start with the good. Dozier ended the 2013 season strong and started the 2014 season on fire. 2013, second half: .253/.313/.443, 10 HR, 18 2B, 34 R, 23 BB 2014, first half: .242/.340/.436, 18 HR, 16 2B, 69 R, 52 BB In these two half seasons that's over 100 runs scored and closing in on 30 home runs. Any team in baseball would gladly take those numbers from a second baseman. The other halves surrounding these two strong performances weren't quite as good. 2013 first half: .235/.310/.386, 8 HR, 15 2B, 38 R, 28 BB 2014 second half: .244/.352/.387, 5 HR, 17 2B, 43 R, 37 BB If these two halves were combined, his OBP would still be high but his power numbers take a dip compared to the halves mentioned above. So which Dozier is the really Dozier? It's most likely that he will end up somewhere between these two extremes. ZiPS projects Dozier to hit 17 home runs with 30 doubles. His projected 86 runs scored aren't the eye-popping 112 he posted in 2014 but it's still a decent total. If he reaches his projected slash-line of .244/.321/.399, all three of those totals would be higher than his career mark. Dozier has become a fan favorite over the last couple of years and that could help him at the negotiating table. It seems likely that both sides would want to get a long-term deal in place, so don't be surprised if Dozier is "dotting his i's" before opening day. For more from Cody Christie make sure to follow him on Twitter @NoDakTwinsFan and to read his other work at http://www.NoDakTwinsFan.com Click here to view the article

Brian Dozier isn't arbitration eligible until next off-season but rumors are already starting to build about a possible extension between the second baseman and the Twins. He is under team control until 2019 when he will be coming off of his age-29 season. There isn't necessarily a rush to get a deal done but a source close to the Twins said to expect an extension in place before the season's start. What would a Dozier extension look like? Last year the Cleveland Indians locked up their All-Star second baseman Jason Kipnis to $52.5 million, six-year contract. The deal also included a club option for a seventh year. If the Twins followed a similar format, they would be buying out all of Dozier's arbitration years and paying for his first couple years of free agency. Another second baseman to recently sign an extension was Jedd Gyorko of the San Diego Padres. Gyorko signed a six-year, $35 million extension. However, he was coming off of his rookie season so the deal came at an earlier point in his career than Dozier. It would seem more likely for the total dollar amount to be closer to Kipnis than to Gyorko. The Roller Coaster Ride Dozier provides an interesting case for the Twins. He's shown signs of great things but there has been some ups-and-downs to his offensive performance. Let's start with the good. Dozier ended the 2013 season strong and started the 2014 season on fire. 2013 2nd Half: .253/.313/.443, 10 HR, 18 2B, 34 R, 23 BB 2014 1st Half: .242/.340/.436, 18 HR, 16 2B, 69 R, 52 BB That's over 100 runs scored and closing in on 30 home runs. Any team in baseball would gladly take those numbers from a second baseman. The other halves surrounding these two strong performances weren't quite as good. 2013 1st Half: .235/.310/.386, 8 HR, 15 2B, 38 R, 28 BB 2014 2nd Half: .244/.352/.387, 5 HR, 17 2B, 43 R, 37 BB If these two halves were combined, his OBP would still be high but his power numbers took a dip compared to the halves mentioned above. So which Dozier is the really Dozier? It's most likely that he will end up somewhere between these two extremes. ZiPS projects Dozier to his 17 home runs with 30 doubles. His projected 86 runs scored aren't the eye-popping 112 he posted in 2014 but it's still a decent total. If he reaches his projected slash-line of .244/.321/.399, all three of those totals would be higher than his career mark. Dozier has become a fan favorite over the last couple years and that could help him at the negotiating table. It seems like both sides would like to get a long-term deal in place so don't be surprised if Dozier is "dotting his i's" before Opening Day. For more from Cody Christie make sure to follow him on Twitter @NoDakTwinsFan and to read his other work at http://www.NoDakTwinsFan.com

Welcome back to one of the most popular off-season series here at NoDak Twins Fan, the Worst Twins of All-Time. There have already been eight profiles of some players that played their worst while wearing a Twins uniform. Luckily most of the players went on to have careers beyond their time in Minnesota. Today's edition to the series pitch less than 52 innings for the team but he was bad enough in that time to make the list. Welcome to the dubious club, John Pacella. Pacella was drafted in the fourth round of the 1974 amateur draft by the New York Mets. He'd played his high school ball at two different schools in New York and he grew up on Long Island. His hometown team had taken a chance on him. He'd become known for his unusual pitching delivery that sometimes caused him to lose his cap after a pitch.From 1974-1979, he pitched at every level in the Mets farm system. He was younger than the average age of the other pitchers in each stop along the way. By age 20, he was pitching at Triple-A with a 7-5 record and an ERA under 4.00. His first taste of the big leagues came in 1977 as a September call-up. He pitched in three games and didn't allow an earned run while striking out one and walking two. The Mets would lose all three games he pitched in and he didn't make it back to the majors until 1979. Pacella's only full season in the big leagues came in 1980. He started the season in the bullpen before being moved into the starting rotation in June. Over 84 innings he had a 5.14 ERA and a 1.76 WHIP while striking out 68 and walking 59. His 7.3 SO/9 rate was the highest mark of his career. In the following off-season, Pacella would change teams twice as part of two different deals. The Mets sent him along with Jose Moreno to the Padres for Randy Jones, the 1976 Cy Young Award winner. He'd never play for San Diego as they would send him to the other New York organization as part of a six-player deal the next spring. His 10 innings in the Bronx were uneventful as he allowed eight earned runs and nine walks. On May 12, 1982 Pacella was sent from the Yankees with Pete Filson, Larry Milbourne, and cash to the Minnesota Twins for Roger Erickson and Butch Wynegar. His 21 games with the Twins were the second most he'd pitched in any season. Unfortunately, he allowed 48 runs (42 ER) across 51.2 innings for a robust 7.32 ERA. His SO/9 rate dipped to 3.5 and he walked 17 more batters than he struck out. Even with the small sample size of 51.2 innings, FanGraphs WAR ranking have Pacella (-1.6 WAR) as the second worst pitcher in team history. Baseball Reference thinks even less of his time in Minnesota as they say he was worth a -1.9 WAR. According to runs better than average (RAA), he was 25 runs worse than an average player. Runs better than replacement level (RAR) says that he was worth -20 runs compared to a replacement level player. Pacella's time in Minnesota would be over at year's end. He was dealt to the Texas Rangers for Len Whitehouse and they would release him in April of the next year. That July he signed with the Baltimore Orioles and he pitched in six game with them before being released. He'd make it back to the big leagues one more time in 1986 as a member of the Tigers. In five games, he allowed five earned runs. Over the next couple seasons, he tried to make it back to the majors with a variety of teams. However, he ended up stuck at Triple-A and he moved on after the 1988 season. Later he managed independent teams in the Frontier League before joining the staff at a baseball training facility called "Big League Baseball School." For more from Cody Christie make sure to follow him on Twitter @NoDakTwinsFan and to read his other work at http://www.NoDakTwinsFan.com

Baseball is in the in-between time before players head to spring training and after most of the off-season moves have been made. This gives me some time to jump back into one of the more popular off-season series here at NoDak Twins Fan. Lots of people can debate who was the best player in an organization's history. For Minnesota, the argument can be made in favor of Harmon Killebrew, Kirby Puckett, Rod Carew, and a few others. It's fun to look at the other side of the coin and examine who some of the worst players were to lace up their cleats in Minnesota. There have been over a half dozen players covered so far in the series and there will be more to come in the future. For now, enjoy the latest installment in the "Worst Twins of All-Time Series." ---------- Houston Jimenez began his professional career as a 16-year old in the Mexican League. The Chicago Cubs would give him an opportunity to play in the Florida State League as a 17-year old but he struggled to hit .215 with a .289 slugging percentage. He drew over 100 walks in 446 at-bats to give him an impressive .366 OBS. Over the next five seasons he would spend most of his playing time in Mexico. The White Sox organization gave him a brief taste of Triple-A in 1978 but his 13 game try-out resulted in a .220 batting average and very little power. Jimenez signed with the Twins as an international free agent at the end of October in 1980. Half a year later he would be sold back to his Mexican League team. He would end up back in the Twins organization during July 1982. Before the end of June in 1983, he would debut in Minnesota and he began to split playing time with Ron Washington at shortstop. . His rookie campaign didn't go perfectly. Over 86 at-bats across 36 games, he hit .174/.207/.256 with six extra-base hits. The next year he would make it into over 100 games and his batting numbers didn't improve all that much. His batting average jumped 27 points but his slugging percentage dipped nine points. Over 409 plate appearances in Minnesota, he hit .195/.231/.247 with 18 extra-base hits. On the defensive side of the ball, Jimenez also had some flaws. All of his appearances as a Twin came at shortstop. His fielding percentage was under .970 in each season. He committed 22 errors across 566 chances while playing a defensive position where he was probably a little over-matched. For his Twins career, Baseball Reference has him with a combined -1.2 WAR. His hitting was so bad runs batting (Rbat) was -37 worse than the average player was as a hitter. As far as wins above average (WAA) he cost the Twins 2.7 wins over a replacement level player. FanGraphs ranks his WAR even lower with a -1.5 mark over two Twins seasons. Jimenez wouldn't make it back to the big leagues until the 1987 season and this was after the Twins released him. He combined to play in 16 games for the Pirates and Indians organizations from 1987-88, In that time he collected one hit over 27 at-bats. Even though his big league career was over, he would continue to play baseball for the next decade. From 1993-2001, Jimenez played seasons with multiple teams in the Mexican League. He was 43-years old in his last professional game and he was over 14 years older than the average age of the other hitters in the league. While still being an active player, he took over managerial duties and his second career had begun. From 1999-2006, he managed multiple teams throughout the Mexican League. He joined the Rockies minor league system and served at two different levels. he got elected to the Mexican Baseball Hall of Fame in 2007 and the Caribbean Baseball Hall of Fame in 2013. He was one of Mexico's coaches in the 2009 World Baseball Classic and he currently serves as manager of Puebla, where he began his career. For more from Cody Christie make sure to follow him on Twitter @NoDakTwinsFan and to read his other work at http://www.NoDakTwinsFan.com

In the doldrums of the off-season there can be some points where there isn't a lot happening in Twins Territory. It seems as if the front office it done making any major moves. Some of the players headed out on the Twins Caravan at the beginning of the week and Twins Fest is slowly approaching. Two off-seasons ago I ventured out into a series on the "Worst Twins of All-Time." This can be an entertaining look into some of the worst players to ever suit up in a Twins uniform. Here is a rundown of all of the players that have been covered so far in the "Worst Twins of All-Time Series" with links back to the original articles: Butch Huskey Terry Felton Scott Klingenbeck Matt Walbeck Dave McCarty Ron Davis Alex Ochoa was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the third round of the 1991 amateur draft. He was taken out of Miami Lakes High School in Florida but he would never play in a game for the Orioles. Near the trade deadline in 1995, he was sent from the Orioles to the Mets organization in a multi-player trade that involved Bobby Bonilla. Baseball America thought highly of Ochoa as they ranked him in their top 45 prospects before the 1994-1996 seasons. He hadn't done too bad in the minors hitting .301/.355/.437 with Baltimore's Double-A affiliate. His numbers dipped a little at Triple-A but it was still enough to let him debut in 1995 as a 23-year old. Over the next three seasons, he'd play 206 games in a Mets uniform as he combined to hit .273/.320/.386 with 44 extra-base hits. During the 1997 off-season, he was sent from New York to Minnesota for Rich Becker. Both players were roughly the same age and neither had shown a ton of promise at the big league level. The teams might have been hoping that a change of scenery would help both players. Ochoa would play one season in a Twins uniform and it was his worst at the big league level. He played 94 games and hit .257/.288/.353. It was the only time in his entire career where he had an on-base percentage under .300. His defense was also terrible as he was charged with four errors in only 74 games in the outfield (.969 fielding percentage). According to FanGraphs, he has the fourth worst WAR for any position player in Twins history. Other numbers show he was bad during his Twins tenure. By looking at runs from fielding (Rfield), he was -14 runs worse than average. Runs above replacement level (RAR) put him at -19 runs worse than a replacement level player. Baseball Reference puts his offensive WAR at -0.5 and his defensive WAR at -1.6. Almost a year to the day, Ochoa was on the move again and his time with the Twins was over. He was off to the Brewers where he'd spend the 1999 season. During the rest of his career, he'd spend time with the Brewers, Reds, Rockies, and Angels. He ended his career as a .279/.344/.422 hitter. Ochoa came back to the Metrodome during the 2002 ALCS as a member of the Angels. He wouldn't collect a hit in the series across four plate appearances but he did score two runs. Anaheim went on to win the title and his last big league at-bat came in the World Series. Ochoa's baseball career wasn't done after he collected his World Series ring. He would spent the next six seasons playing professionally in the Japanese Leagues and he made some offensive improvements. He'd hit .289/.350/.444 while averaging over 16 home runs per season. His defensive numbers were also improved. In 2007, he came back to the States briefly and he joined the Red Sox Triple-A affiliate. The twilight of his career didn't go perfectly. Over 24 games, he batted .138/.174/.149 with one extra-base hit. He was released because of poor performance and headed back to Japan. Even after his poor performance with the Red Sox organization, the team liked something they saw with him. He was named an assistant coach for the Red Sox at the beginning of 2009. In 2010, he served as a special assistant in the Red Sox baseball operations department. Since then he has served in multiple capacities for the organization including being the first-base coach on the 2012 Major League staff of Boston Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine. This past off-season he worked with Stephen Drew and Kendrys Morales as they both waited until after June's Draft to sign a contract. They were working out six days a week at their agents sports training institute in South Florida. He led them through an "intense spring training" routine to prepare them for the season. Morales would eventually sign with Minnesota. Ochoa has made a career out of playing and coaching baseball. However, he time in Minnesota was some of the worst baseball of his career. For more from Cody Christie make sure to follow him on Twitter @NoDakTwinsFan and to read his other work at http://www.NoDakTwinsFan.com

Near the end of last season, the Twins featured a trio of players on the team's magazine cover and dubbed them "The First Wave." Danny Santana, Kennys Vargas, and Oswaldo Arcia all made big impacts at the big league level. Even though Arcia played in almost 100 games in 2013, he's actually the youngest of the three who were all in their age 23 season last year.Each of these three players will have a role in the Twins getting back to playing winning baseball. This makes it interesting to consider which player could end up providing the most value in 2015. According to Baseball Reference, these three combined for a 5.1 WAR last season. Santana ranked third on the position player side with 3.9 WAR, behind Brian Dozier (5.2 WAR) and Trevor Plouffe (4.0). Vargas (0.7 WAR) finished slightly ahead of Arcia (0.5 WAR). According to FanGraphs, this trio combined for a 4.5 WAR last season. Santana's 3.2 WAR again ranked third on the team behind Dozier and Plouffe. Arcia ranked slightly higher with a 0.9 WAR and Vargas was a little lower with a 0.4 WAR. There will be some changes for the 2015 campaign. Santana is expected to start the season as the team's everyday shortstop. Many also expect his offensive numbers to decline to align closer to his minor league track record. In the minors he was a career .273/.317/.391 hitter. Those numbers exploded at the big league level and he ended the year batting .319/.353/.472. Arcia dealt with some back issues over the final two months of the regular season and now he is suffering from back problems in the Venezuelan Winter League. He is always going to be a liability on the defensive side of the ball so his value comes from his offensive skills. However fans have to be concerned with his ability to stay healthy. Like Arcia, Vargas isn't expected to provide a lot of value with his defense. He will occasionally fill in at first base but the majority of his at-bats are projected to be as designated hitter. Other players like Joe Mauer, Torii Hunter, and Josmil Pinto will also need some time at DH so this could mean fewer chances for Vargas. On FanGraphs site, they have already posted the 2015 Steamer projections for each player: Arcia (130 Games): .258/.320/.469, 24 HR, 16 2B, 3 3B, 65 R (1.9 WAR) Santana (113 Games): .261/.299/.371, 7 HR, 23 2B, 5 3B, 59 R, 18 SB (1.6 WAR) Vargas (122 Games): .250/.311/.427, 20 HR, 22 2B, 1 3B, 60 R (0.9 WAR) There are a few things I question about the above totals. I don't think Arcia will play in 130 games because he has never done that in his professional career. It also seems as though his back is going to be a continual problem. Santana's games played seems a little low. He's played over 120 games in each of the last three seasons. For Vargas, the numbers seem close to right but I wouldn't be surprised if he played in fewer than 122 games. By season's end, I believe Santana will end up with the higher WAR. His offensive numbers might dip but he will be playing a premium defensive position and this will add to his overall value. There are questions about Arcia's ability to stay healthy and Vargas doesn't provide any defensive value. Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. Which player do you think will provide more value to the Twins in 2015? For more from Cody Christie make sure to follow him on Twitter @NoDakTwinsFan and to read his other work at http://www.NoDakTwinsFan.com Click here to view the article

Near the end of last season, the Twins featured a trio of players on the Twins magazine cover and dubbed them "The First Wave." Danny Santana, Kennys Vargas, and Oswaldo Arcia all made big impacts on the big league level. Even though Arcia played in almost 100 games in 2013, he's actually the youngest of the three who were all in their age 23 season last year. Each of these three players will have a role in the Twins getting back to playing winning baseball. This makes it interesting to consider which player could end up providing the most value in 2015. According to Baseball Reference, these three players combined for a 5.1 WAR last season. Santana ranked third on the entire team with a 3.9 WAR behind Brian Dozier (5.2 WAR) and Trevor Plouffe (4.0). Vargas (0.7 WAR) finished slightly ahead of Arcia (0.5 WAR). According to FanGraphs, this trio combined for a 4.5 WAR last season. Santana's 3.2 WAR again ranked third on the team behind Dozier and Plouffe. Arcia ranked slightly higher with a 0.9 WAR and Vargas was a little lower with a 0.4 WAR. There will be some changes for the 2015 campaign. Santana is expected to start the season as the team's everyday shortstop. Many also expect his offensive numbers to decline to get closer to his minor league track record. In the minors he was a career .273/.317/.391 hitter. Those numbers exploded at the big league level and he ended the year batting .319/.353/.472. Arcia dealt with some back issues over the final two months of the regular season and now he is suffering from back problems in the Venezuelan Winter League. He is always going to be a liability on the defensive side of the ball so his value comes from his offensive skills. However fans have to be concerned with his ability to stay healthy. Like Arcia, Vargas isn't expected to provide a lot of value with his defense. He will occasionally fill-in at first base but the majority of his at-bats are projected to be as a designated hitter. Other players like Joe Mauer, Torii Hunter, and Josmil Pinto will also need some time at DH so this could mean fewer chances for Vargas. On FanGraphs site, they have already posted the 2015 Steamer projections for each player: Arcia (130 Games): .258/.320/.469, 24 HR, 16 2B, 3 3B, 65 R (1.9 WAR) Santana (113 Games): .261/.299/.371, 7 HR, 23 2B, 5 3B, 59 R, 18 SB (1.6 WAR) Vargas (122 Games): .250/.311/.427, 20 HR, 22 2B, 1 3B, 60 R (0.9 WAR) There are a few things I question about the above totals. I don't think Arcia will play in 130 games because he has never done that in his professional career. It also seems like his back is going to be a continuous problem. Santana's games played seems a little low. He's played over 120 games in each of the last three seasons. For Vargas, the numbers seem close to right but I wouldn't be surprised if he played in fewer than 122 games. By season's end, I believe Santana will end up with the higher WAR. His offensive numbers might dip but he will be playing a premium defensive position and this will add to his overall value. There are questions about Arcia's ability to stay healthy and Vargas doesn't provide any defensive value. Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. Which player do you think will provide more value to the Twins in 2015? For more from Cody Christie make sure to follow him on Twitter @NoDakTwinsFan and to read his other work at http://www.NoDakTwinsFan.com

This year was going to be tough. The writers of the BBWAA have to narrow a stacked ballot down to the ten most worthy names. There are going to be some worthy candidates who aren't elected and some might even fall off the ballot. That's what happens when writers are limited in how many names they can have on the ballot.I am a member of the Baseball Bloggers Alliance and a different approach was taken this year to avoid the roster crunch. Members were asked to make a simple "Yes" or "No" vote in relation to every man on the ballot. The results for my ballot were 13 names but I will pick out the top 10 names I would have put on my ballot had I been limited to that number. My official ballot (in alphabetical order) Jeff BagwellCraig BiggioBarry BondsRoger ClemensRandy JohnsonEdgar MartinezPedro MartinezMike PiazzaTim RainesJohn SmoltzIt seems likely that a minimum of three players will be elected when the official results are announced on Tuesday afternoon. (Update: they've been announced.) Johnson and (Pedro) Martinez are first -time nominees and should both be locks as inductees. Biggio came painfully close last year and he should be able to pick up the necessary votes to be enshrined this year. Bagwell could get closer and Raines should get a bump but I don't know if either will have enough support. As I've said in previous years, it is clear that Bonds and Clemens were on their way to Hall-of- Fame careers before their steroid use. Piazza is the best hitting catcher of all time and he deserves to be in. Smoltz was a great starting pitcher and a great closer. (Edgar) Martinez was one of the best hitters of his era and a trailblazer at the designated hitter position. My other "Yes" Votes Mike MussinaCurt SchillingAlan TrammellMussina won more games during his playing career than any pitcher besides Greg Maddux, an inductee last year. Mussina hasn't had a ton of support but his candidacy will start to gather steam in the years to come. Schilling is one of the best postseason starting pitchers of all-time and he is the all-time leader in strike/walk ratio. I didn't have enough spots on my ballot this year but I suspect Schilling will be elected in the next handful of years. Trammell is in his final year on the ballot and I became more convinced of his place in history over the last year. He won't get elected this year but somewhere down the line he could be added through the Veteran's Committee. Now it's your turn. Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. Who would be on your ballot? Should the writers be able to vote for more than ten players? For more from Cody Christie make sure to follow him on Twitter @NoDakTwinsFan and to read his other work at http://www.NoDakTwinsFan.com Click here to view the article

This year is going to be tough. The writers of the BBWAA have to narrow a stacked ballot down to the ten most worthy names. There are going to be some worthy candidates that aren't elected and some might even fall off the ballot. That's what happens when writers are limited to how many votes they can have on the ballot. I am a member of the Baseball Bloggers Alliance and a different approach was taken this year to avoid the roster crunch. Members were asked to make a simple "yes" or "no" vote in relation to every man on the ballot. The results for my ballot were 13 names but I will pick out the top 10 names I would have put on my ballot had I been limited to that number. My Official Ballot (in alphabetical order) Jeff Bagwell Craig Biggio Barry Bonds Roger Clemens Randy Johnson Edgar Martinez Pedro Martinez Mike Piazza Tim Raines John Smoltz It seems likely that a minimum of three players will be elected when the official results are announced on Tuesday afternoon. Johnson and (Pedro) Martinez are first time nominees and they should both be locks as inductees. Biggio came painfully close last year and he should be able to pick up the necessary votes to be enshrined this year. Bagwell could get closer and Raines should get a bump but I don't know if either will have enough support. As in previous years, I've always said that Bonds and Clemens were on their way to Hall of Fame careers before their steroid use. Piazza is the best hitting catcher of all-time and he deserves to be in. Smoltz was a great starting pitcher and a great closer. (Edgar) Martinez was one of the best hitters of his era and a trailblazer at the designated hitter position. My Other "Yes" Votes Mike Mussina Curt Schilling Alan Trammell Mussina won more games during his playing career than any pitcher besides Greg Madduz, an inductee last year. Mussina hasn't had a ton of support but his candidacy will start to gather steam in the years to come. Schilling is one of the best postseason starting pitchers of all-time and he is the all-time leader in strike/walk ratio. I didn't have enough spots on my ballot this year but I suspect Schilling will be elected in the next handful of years. Trammell is in his final year on the ballot and I became more convinced of his place in history over the last year. He won't get elected this year but somewhere down the line he could be added through the Veteran's Committee. Now it's your turn. Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. Who would be on your ballot? Should the writers be able to vote for more than ten players? For more from Cody Christie make sure to follow him on Twitter @NoDakTwinsFan and to read his other work at http://www.NoDakTwinsFan.com

One of the highlights of the off-season for a core of Twins fans is the release of the Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook. Seth Stohs has worked to put together this fantastic book for the last seven years. In 2012, he gave me my first taste of helping with the book. By 2013, I was writing an article for the annual handbook and for the last three years I have been among a trio of writers that includes Jeremy Nygaard, Stohs, and myself.In the first part of my top 30 list there are a core of young pitchers moving through the system. The second part of my list includes a surprise or two but there are some powerful prospects. I have some differences compared to the other authors but that's what makes this fun. To see their top 30's, you're going to have to go and pick up a copy for yourself. ***Get your copy of the Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook now (Paperback or PDF). Use the code: TREAT before the end of the year for 25% off the print version*** 10 – Nick Burdi – RHP – Cedar Rapids Kernels, Ft. Myers Miracle 2014 Stats: 2-0, 2.66 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 20.1 IP, 10 BB, 38 K Burdi had to finish up his run through the College World Series before the Twins could get him into action this year. He has all the tools to be a very solid back-end of the bullpen option for the Twins in the very near future. He can hit triple-digits with his fastball and he counters that with a good slider and an occasional change-up. Burdi could debut in 2015 but it might be more realistic to look for him during the 2016 campaign. 9 – Eddie Rosario – OF/2B – Ft. Myers Miracle, New Britain Rock Cats 2014 Stats: .243/.286/.387, 20-2B, 3-3B, 8 HR, 40 RBI, 9 SB Rosario started the year with a 50-game suspension for violating the minor league drug policy. Before this season, he had shown the ability to hit at every level. There might have been some issues adjusting to better pitching at Double-A. He put together some impressive numbers in the AFL by hitting .330/.345/.410 with four doubles and two triples. He also stole 10 bases in 14 attempts. Minnesota tried him out at second base for a couple seasons but it looks like he'll have to make the big leagues as an outfielder. 8 – Trevor May – RHP – Rochester Red Wings, Minnesota Twins 2014 MiLB Stats: 8-6, 2.84 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 98.1 IP, 39 BB, 94 K 2014 MLB Stats: 3-6, 7.88 ERA, 1.77 WHIP, 45.2 IP, 22 BB, 44 K His big league numbers don't look the greatest but May made some strides in 2014. He lowered his walk rate and posted a better WHIP during his time at Triple-A. After some rough outings in his first handful of appearances, May calmed down a bit. He struck out 41 and walked nine in his last seven starts to end the year on a positive note. He'll be in the running for the final rotation spot coming out of spring training and he might be the front-runner at this point. 7 – Jorge Polanco – SS – Ft. Myers Miracle, New Britain Rock Cats, Minnesota Twin 2014 MiLB Stats: .288/.353/.395, 23-2B, 6-3B, 7 HR, 61 RBI 2014 MLB Stats: .333/.500/.833, 1-2B, 1-3B, 0 HR, 3 RB When the Twins were in a roster crunch, they looked all the way down to High-A to pluck Polanco up to the majors. He saw limited action but showed off some of his skills. He's switch-hitting ability and powerful swing could make him dangerous. There are questions whether he will stay at shortstop but he made improvements at the position throughout the year. He'll need more time in the minors but his make-up will mean he's only a phone call away from being back with the Twins. 6 – Alex Meyer – RHP – Rochester Red Wings 2014 Stats: 7-7, 3.52 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 130.1 IP, 64 BB, 153 K There isn't much left for Meyer to do in the minor leagues and it sounds like the Twins might give him the chance to make the opening day roster as a bullpen arm. His command wasn't the best this season but he can strike out a ton of batters. If everything breaks right, he could be a top of the rotation guy or he might end up being a solid bullpen option. The time is now for Meyer. 5 – Nick Gordon – SS – Elizabethton Twins 2014 Stats: .294/.333/.366, 6-2B, 4-3B, 1 HR, 28 RBI, 11 SB Gordon marked the third straight top five pick for the Minnesota Twins with Buxton and Stewart already being featured on this list. He comes from a baseball family as his dad played in the majors and his brother was an All-Star last season. Most reports say he will be able to stay at shortstop for the long-term and he has the potential to be dangerous at the plate and on the bases. He's a long way from Target Field but he could be part of a solid core in the future. 4 – Jose Berrios – RHP – Ft. Myers Miracle, New Britain Rock Cats, Rochester Red Wings 2014 Stats: 12-8, 2.76 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 140.0 IP, 38 BB, 140 K Berrios had the best season of any player in the Twins farm system. Even though he is small is stature, he has the work ethic to mold himself into a top-notch big league pitcher. His fastball can hit into the mid-90s and his secondary pitches continue to improve. He pitched out of his mind this past season so it will be interesting to see where he starts in 2015 and how fast he gets to the big leagues. There's no reason to rush him but he might force the Twins hand. 3 – Kohl Stewart – RHP – Cedar Rapids Kernels 2014 Stats: 3-5, 2.59 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 87.0 IP, 24 BB, 62 K The gap between Stewart and Berrios is small but I give a slight nod to Stewart. He compiled decent numbers at Low-A as a teenager. There were some shoulder issues near the end of the season but I don't think these are going to impact him long-term. As a multi-sport athlete in high school, this was his first full season focusing on baseball. He will continue to rack up innings and figure out the art of pitching. He has the chance to be a future ace. 2 – Miguel Sano – 3B – Did Not Play 2014 Stats: DNP Sano didn't play in 2014 after undergoing Tommy John surgery during spring training. There was a chance that he would make his debut in 2014 but now he will have to show he is ready for 2015. Some questions remain about his long-term defensive position and his ability to make consistent contact as he moves up the ladder. For now, he's still considered elite because of his power potential. If everything goes right, he'll be at Target Field before the end of the year. 1 – Byron Buxton – OF – Ft. Myers Miracle, New Britain Rock Cats 2014 Stats: .234/.307/.395, 4-2B, 2-3B, 4 HR, 16 RBI, 6 SB Buxton entered the 2014 season as the consensus top prospect in all of baseball. He suffered multiple injuries and was limited to just 31 games. This still takes nothing away from what his potential is. His combination of speed, power, and hitting could result in him being a perennial All-Star and the player who leads Minnesota out of the bottom of the American League. However, he's going to have to avoid the injury bug because he can't afford another lost season. For more from Cody Christie make sure to follow him on Twitter @NoDakTwinsFan and to read his other work at http://www.NoDakTwinsFan.com Click here to view the article

One of the highlights of the off-season for a core of Twins fans is the release of the Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook. Seth Stohs has worked to put together this fantastic book for the last seven years. In 2012, he gave me my first taste of helping with the book. By 2013, I was writing an article for the annual and for the last three years I have been among a trio of writers that includes Jeremy Nygaard, Stohs, and myself.In the first part of my top 30 list there are a core of young pitchers moving through the system. The second part of my list includes a surprise or two but there are some powerful prospects. I have some differences compared to the other authors but that's what makes this fun. To see their top 30's, you're going to have to go and pick up a copy for yourself. ***Get your copy of the Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook now (Paperback or PDF). Use the code: TREAT before the end of the year for 25% off the print version*** 1 – Byron Buxton – OF – Ft. Myers Miracle, New Britain Rock Cats 2014 Stats: .234/.307/.395, 4-2B, 2-3B, 4 HR, 16 RBI, 6 SB Buxton entered the 2014 season as the consensus top prospect in all of baseball. He suffered multiple injuries and was limited to just 31 games. This still takes nothing away from what his potential could be. His combination of speed, power, and hitting could result in him being a perennial All-Star and the player that leads Minnesota out of the bottom of the American League. However, he's going to have to avoid the injury bug because he can't afford another lost season. 2 – Miguel Sano – 3B – Did Not Play 2014 Stats: DNP Sano didn't play in 2014 after undergoing Tommy John surgery during spring training. There was a chance that he would make his debut in 2014 but now he will have to show he is ready for 2015. Some questions remain about his long-term defensive position or his ability to make consistent contact as he moves up the ladder. For now, he's still considered elite because of his power potential. If everything goes right, he'll be at Target Field before the end of the year. 3 – Kohl Stewart – RHP – Cedar Rapids Kernels 2014 Stats: 3-5, 2.59 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 87.0 IP, 24 BB, 62 K The gap between Stewart and Berrios is small but I give a slight nod to Stewart. He compiled decent numbers at Low-A as a teenager. There were some shoulder issues near the end of the season but I don't think this is going to impact him long-term. As a multi-sport athlete in high school, this was his first full season focusing on baseball. He will continue to rack up innings and figure out the art of pitching. He has the chance to be a future ace. 4 – Jose Berrios – RHP – Ft. Myers Miracle, New Britain Rock Cats, Rochester Red Wings 2014 Stats: 12-8, 2.76 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 140.0 IP, 38 BB, 140 K Berrios had the best season of any player in the Twins farm system. Even though he is small is stature, he has the work ethic to mold himself into a top-notch big league pitcher. His fastball can hit into the mid-90s and his secondary pitches continue to improve. He pitched out of his mind this past season so it will be interesting to see where he starts in 2015 and how fast he gets to the big leagues. There's no reason to rush him but he might force the Twins hand. 5 – Nick Gordon – SS – Elizabethton Twins 2014 Stats: .294/.333/.366, 6-2B, 4-3B, 1 HR, 28 RBI, 11 SB Gordon marked the third straight top five pick for the Minnesota Twins with Buxton and Stewart already being featured on this list. He comes from a baseball family as his dad played in the majors and his brother was an All-Star last season. Most reports say he will be able to stay at shortstop for the long-term and he has the potential to be dangerous at the plate and on the bases. He's a long way from Target Field but he could be part of a solid core in the future. 6 – Alex Meyer – RHP – Rochester Red Wings 2014 Stats: 7-7, 3.52 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 130.1 IP, 64 BB, 153 K There isn't much left for Meyer to do in the minor leagues and it sounds like the Twins might give him the chance to make the Opening Day roster as a bullpen arm. His command wasn't the best this season but he can strikeout a ton of batters. If everything breaks right, he could be a top of the rotation guy or he might end up being a solid bullpen option. The time is now for Meyer. 7 – Jorge Polanco – SS – Ft. Myers Miracle, New Britain Rock Cats, Minnesota Twins 2014 MiLB Stats: .288/.353/.395, 23-2B, 6-3B, 7 HR, 61 RBI 2014 MLB Stats: .333/.500/.833, 1-2B, 1-3B, 0 HR, 3 RBI When the Twins were in a roster crunch, they looked all the way down to High-A to pluck Polanco up to the majors. He saw limited action but showed off some of his skills. He's switch-hitting ability and powerful swing could make him dangerous. There's questions about if he will stay at shortstop but he made improvements at the position throughout the year. He'll need more time in the minors but his make-up will mean he's only a phone call away from being back with the Twins. 8 – Trevor May – RHP – Rochester Red Wings, Minnesota Twins 2014 MiLB Stats: 8-6, 2.84 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 98.1 IP, 39 BB, 94 K 2014 MLB Stats: 3-6, 7.88 ERA, 1.77 WHIP, 45.2 IP, 22 BB, 44 K His big league numbers don't look the greatest but May made some strides in 2014. He lowered his walk rate and posted a better WHIP during his time at Triple-A. After some rough outings in his first handful of appearances, May calmed down a little. He struck out 41 and walked nine in his last seven starts to end the year on a positive note. He'll be in the running for the final rotation spot coming out of spring training and he might be the front-runner at this point. 9 – Eddie Rosario – OF/2B – Ft. Myers Miracle, New Britain Rock Cats 2014 Stats: .243/.286/.387, 20-2B, 3-3B, 8 HR, 40 RBI, 9 SB Rosario started the year with a 50-game suspension for violating the minor league drug policy. Before this season, he had shown the ability to hit at every level. There might have been some issues adjusting to better pitching at Double-A. He put together some impressive numbers in the AFL by hitting .330/.345/.410 with four doubles and two triples. He also stole 10 bases in 14 attempts. Minnesota tried him out at second base for a couple seasons but it looks like he'll have to make the big leagues as an outfielder. 10 – Nick Burdi – RHP – Cedar Rapids Kernels, Ft. Myers Miracle 2014 Stats: 2-0, 2.66 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 20.1 IP, 10 BB, 38 K Burdi had to finish up his run through the College World Series before the Twins could get him into action this year. He has all the tools to be a very solid back-end of the bullpen option for the Twins in the very near future. He can hit triple-digits with his fastball and he counters that with a good slider and an occasional change-up. Burdi could debut in 2015 but it might be more realistic to look for him during the 2016 campaign. For more from Cody Christie make sure to follow him on Twitter @NoDakTwinsFan and to read his other work at http://www.NoDakTwinsFan.com Click here to view the article

One of the highlights of the off-season for a core of Twins fans is the release of the Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook. Seth Stohs has worked to put together this fantastic book for the last seven years. In 2012, he gave me my first taste of helping with the book. By 2013, I was writing an article for the annual and for the last three years I have been among a trio of writers that includes Jeremy Nygaard, Stohs, and myself. In the first part of my top 30 list there are a core of young pitchers moving through the system. The second part of my list includes a surprise or two but there are some powerful prospects. I have some differences compared to the other authors but that's what makes this fun. To see their top 30's, you're going to have to go and pick up a copy for yourself. ***Get your copy of the Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook now ( Paperback or PDF). Use the code: TREAT before the end of the year for 25% off the print version*** 1 – Byron Buxton – OF – Ft. Myers Miracle, New Britain Rock Cats 2014 Stats: .234/.307/.395, 4-2B, 2-3B, 4 HR, 16 RBI, 6 SB Buxton entered the 2014 season as the consensus top prospect in all of baseball. He suffered multiple injuries and was limited to just 31 games. This still takes nothing away from what his potential could be. His combination of speed, power, and hitting could result in him being a perennial All-Star and the player that leads Minnesota out of the bottom of the American League. However, he's going to have to avoid the injury bug because he can't afford another lost season. 2 – Miguel Sano – 3B – Did Not Play 2014 Stats: DNP Sano didn't play in 2014 after undergoing Tommy John surgery during spring training. There was a chance that he would make his debut in 2014 but now he will have to show he is ready for 2015. Some questions remain about his long-term defensive position or his ability to make consistent contact as he moves up the ladder. For now, he's still considered elite because of his power potential. If everything goes right, he'll be at Target Field before the end of the year. 3 – Kohl Stewart – RHP – Cedar Rapids Kernels 2014 Stats: 3-5, 2.59 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 87.0 IP, 24 BB, 62 K The gap between Stewart and Berrios is small but I give a slight nod to Stewart. He compiled decent numbers at Low-A as a teenager. There were some shoulder issues near the end of the season but I don't think this is going to impact him long-term. As a multi-sport athlete in high school, this was his first full season focusing on baseball. He will continue to rack up innings and figure out the art of pitching. He has the chance to be a future ace. 4 – Jose Berrios – RHP – Ft. Myers Miracle, New Britain Rock Cats, Rochester Red Wings 2014 Stats: 12-8, 2.76 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 140.0 IP, 38 BB, 140 K Berrios had the best season of any player in the Twins farm system. Even though he is small is stature, he has the work ethic to mold himself into a top-notch big league pitcher. His fastball can hit into the mid-90s and his secondary pitches continue to improve. He pitched out of his mind this past season so it will be interesting to see where he starts in 2015 and how fast he gets to the big leagues. There's no reason to rush him but he might force the Twins hand. 5 – Nick Gordon – SS – Elizabethton Twins 2014 Stats: .294/.333/.366, 6-2B, 4-3B, 1 HR, 28 RBI, 11 SB Gordon marked the third straight top five pick for the Minnesota Twins with Buxton and Stewart already being featured on this list. He comes from a baseball family as his dad played in the majors and his brother was an All-Star last season. Most reports say he will be able to stay at shortstop for the long-term and he has the potential to be dangerous at the plate and on the bases. He's a long way from Target Field but he could be part of a solid core in the future. 6 – Alex Meyer – RHP – Rochester Red Wings 2014 Stats: 7-7, 3.52 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 130.1 IP, 64 BB, 153 K There isn't much left for Meyer to do in the minor leagues and it sounds like the Twins might give him the chance to make the Opening Day roster as a bullpen arm. His command wasn't the best this season but he can strikeout a ton of batters. If everything breaks right, he could be a top of the rotation guy or he might end up being a solid bullpen option. The time is now for Meyer. 7 – Jorge Polanco – SS – Ft. Myers Miracle, New Britain Rock Cats, Minnesota Twins 2014 MiLB Stats: .288/.353/.395, 23-2B, 6-3B, 7 HR, 61 RBI 2014 MLB Stats: .333/.500/.833, 1-2B, 1-3B, 0 HR, 3 RBI When the Twins were in a roster crunch, they looked all the way down to High-A to pluck Polanco up to the majors. He saw limited action but showed off some of his skills. He's switch-hitting ability and powerful swing could make him dangerous. There's questions about if he will stay at shortstop but he made improvements at the position throughout the year. He'll need more time in the minors but his make-up will mean he's only a phone call away from being back with the Twins. 8 – Trevor May – RHP – Rochester Red Wings, Minnesota Twins 2014 MiLB Stats: 8-6, 2.84 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 98.1 IP, 39 BB, 94 K 2014 MLB Stats: 3-6, 7.88 ERA, 1.77 WHIP, 45.2 IP, 22 BB, 44 K His big league numbers don't look the greatest but May made some strides in 2014. He lowered his walk rate and posted a better WHIP during his time at Triple-A. After some rough outings in his first handful of appearances, May calmed down a little. He struck out 41 and walked nine in his last seven starts to end the year on a positive note. He'll be in the running for the final rotation spot coming out of spring training and he might be the front-runner at this point. 9 – Eddie Rosario – OF/2B – Ft. Myers Miracle, New Britain Rock Cats 2014 Stats: .243/.286/.387, 20-2B, 3-3B, 8 HR, 40 RBI, 9 SB Rosario started the year with a 50-game suspension for violating the minor league drug policy. Before this season, he had shown the ability to hit at every level. There might have been some issues adjusting to better pitching at Double-A. He put together some impressive numbers in the AFL by hitting .330/.345/.410 with four doubles and two triples. He also stole 10 bases in 14 attempts. Minnesota tried him out at second base for a couple seasons but it looks like he'll have to make the big leagues as an outfielder. 10 – Nick Burdi – RHP – Cedar Rapids Kernels, Ft. Myers Miracle 2014 Stats: 2-0, 2.66 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 20.1 IP, 10 BB, 38 K Burdi had to finish up his run through the College World Series before the Twins could get him into action this year. He has all the tools to be a very solid back-end of the bullpen option for the Twins in the very near future. He can hit triple-digits with his fastball and he counters that with a good slider and an occasional change-up. Burdi could debut in 2015 but it might be more realistic to look for him during the 2016 campaign. For more from Cody Christie make sure to follow him on Twitter @NoDakTwinsFan and to read his other work at http://www.NoDakTwinsFan.com

One of the highlights of the off-season for a core of Twins fans is the release of the Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook. Seth Stohs has worked to put together this fantastic book for the last seven years. In 2012, he gave me my first taste of helping with the book. By 2013, I was writing an article for the annual and for the last three years I have been among a trio of writers that includes Jeremy Nygaard, Stohs, and myself. I already released the first part of my top 30 list, and there are some strong prospects making their way to Target Field.I have some differences with the other authors but that's what makes this fun. To see their top 30's, you're going to have to go and pick up a copy for yourself. ***Get your copy of the Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook now (Paperback or PDF).*** 20 – Tyler Duffey – RHP – Ft. Myers Miracle, New Britain Rock Cats, Rochester Red Wings 2014 Stats: 13-3, 3.67 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 149.2 IP, 30 BB, 113 K In only his third year in the system, Duffey cruised his way to Triple-A. He started the year at Fort Myers and the majority of his innings were at Double-A. On average, he was almost four years younger than the other pitchers in the International League. His fastball sits in the low-90s and his change-up was much improved this year. This could make him dangerous moving forward. 19 – Taylor Rogers – LHP – New Britain Rock Cats 2014 Stats: 11-6, 3.29 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 145.0 IP, 37 BB, 113 K After breaking out at both Low-A and High-A last season, Rogers was able to hold his own at Double-A for all of 2014. He's left-handed and he has a pulse so that puts him a little higher on this list than he'd be if he lacked these two qualities. His strikeout rate improved this season and he tossed the most innings of his career. He might not be a starter in the big leagues but he can definitely get lefties out. 18 – Amaurys Minier – OF/1B – GCL Twins 2014 Stats: .292/.405/.520, 11-2B, 2-3B, 8 HR, 33 RBI Minier made solid improvements in his second trip through the GCL. He's still a teenager and he will move up in the system in 2015. He has very good power from the left hand side of the plate but there are questions about how his approach will fare as he moves up. There are some holes in his defensive skills but he is one player that could breakout in 2015. 17 – Felix Jorge – RHP – Elizabethton Twins, Cedar Rapids Kernels 2014 Stats: 6-7, 4.97 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, 105.0 IP, 34 BB, 84 K I'm higher on this guy than basically anyone else producingto a Twins prospect list. He struggled mightily at Low-A but made some positive adjustments when he moved back to E-Town. Jorge lost a little mojo with his fastball this year and his off-speed offerings continue to improve. He still has a high ceiling and I'm higher than anyone else about him. 16 – Adam Brett Walker – OF – Ft. Myers Miracle 2014 Stats: .246/.307/.436, 19-2B, 1-3B, 25 HR, 94 RBI, 9 SB Walker killed the ball in the pitcher friendly FSL. However there are still questions about his ability to make consistent contact and he strikes out a lot since he has trouble recognizing the off-speed offerings. It seems like he will have make some offensive adjustments in the years to come or be relegated to a lesser role at the big league level. 15 – Stuart Turner – C – Ft. Myers Miracle 2014 Stats: .249/.322/.375, 16-2B, 2-3B, 7 HR, 40 RBI I've always liked catching prospects and Turner's defense is enough to carry him to the big leagues. His bat will be the question mark but all of his appearances came in the FSL. As he moves up the ladder and pitching improves, it will be interesting to see if he can make the adjustments to stay relevant at the plate. I think he makes strides next year and finds himself just shy of the top 10. 14 – Travis Harrison – OF/3B – Ft. Myers Miracle 2014 Stats: .269/.361/.365, 33-2B, 1-3B, 3 HR, 59 RBI I've liked Harrison a lot since he joined the Twins organization but I didn't like his dip in home runs this past season. He was hitting in the tough FSL and he did collect 33 doubles. Some positives were his ability to hit to all fields and he cutback in the strikeout department. He's young and still has some untapped potential. 13 – Stephen Gonsalves – LHP – Elizabethton Twins, Cedar Rapids Kernels 2014 Stats: 4-3, 3.02 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 65.2 IP, 21 BB, 70 K Behind Thorpe, Gonsalves is the second highest ranked left-handed pitcher in my Top 30. He did well at Low-A even though he is only 20-years old. He has some room to grow into his body and he has shown the ability to throw strikes. If Gonsalves continues to make strides at High-A, he could be a top 10 prospect by next off-season. 12 – Max Kepler – OF – Ft. Myers Miracle 2014 Stats: .264/.333/.493, 20-2B, 6-3B, 5 HR, 59 RBI Kepler has been one of the most intriguing prospects in the Twins organization since they signed him as a teenager out of Europe. His batting average improved in each month of the season and he got on base over 33% of the time. He continues to be a strong defensive outfielder but his power numbers will need to improve to stick at a corner spot. Kepler did very well in 18 AFL games this season with an .806 OPS including four doubles and three triples. 11 – Lewis Thorpe – LHP – Cedar Rapids Kernels 2014 Stats: 3-2, 3.52 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, 71.2 IP, 36 BB, 80 K Thorpe exploded onto the prospect scene a year ago and seemed to be busting his way into Twins top 10 prospect lists. A year removed from that explosion and things have come back down to earth. He held his own in the Midwest League while being four years younger than the other pitchers in the league. Thorpe will likely miss all of 2015 after spraining his ulnar collateral ligament in his pitching elbow. For more from Cody Christie make sure to follow him on Twitter @NoDakTwinsFan and to read his other work at http://www.NoDakTwinsFan.com Click here to view the article

One of the highlights of the off-season for a core of Twins fans is the release of the Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook. Seth Stohs has worked to put together this fantastic book for the last seven years. In 2012, he gave me my first taste of helping with the book. By 2013, I was writing an article for the annual and for the last three years I have been among a trio of writers that includes Jeremy Nygaard, Stohs, and myself. I already released the first part of my top 30 list and there are some strong prospects making their way to Target Field.. I have some differences compared to the other authors but that's what makes this fun. To see their top 30's, you're going to have to go and pick up a copy for yourself. ***Get your copy of the Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook now ( Paperback or PDF).*** 11 – Lewis Thorpe – LHP – Cedar Rapids Kernels 2014 Stats: 3-2, 3.52 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, 71.2 IP, 36 BB, 80 K Thorpe exploded onto the prospect scene a year ago and seemed to be busting his way into Twins top 10 prospect lists across the country. A year removed from that explosion and things have come back down to earth. He held his own in the Midwest League while being four years younger than the other pitchers in the league. Thorpe will likely miss all of 2015 after spraining his ulnar collateral ligament in his pitching elbow. 12 – Max Kepler – OF – Ft. Myers Miracle 2014 Stats: .264/.333/.493, 20-2B, 6-3B, 5 HR, 59 RBI Kepler has been one of the most intriguing prospects in the Twins organization since they signed him as a teenager out of Europe. His batting average improved in each month of the season and he got on base over 33% of the time. He continues to be a strong defensive outfielder but his power numbers will need to improve to stick at a corner spot. Kepler did very well in 18 AFL games this season with an .806 OPS including four doubles and three triples. 13 – Stephen Gonsalves – LHP – Elizabethton Twins, Cedar Rapids Kernels 2014 Stats: 4-3, 3.02 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 65.2 IP, 21 BB, 70 K Behind Thorpe, Gonsalves is the second highest ranked left-handed pitcher in my top 30. He did well at Low-A even though he is only 20-years old. He has some room to grow into his body and he has shown the ability to throw strikes. If Gonsalves continues to make strides at High-A, he could be a top 10 prospect by next off-season. 14 – Travis Harrison – OF/3B – Ft. Myers Miracle 2014 Stats: .269/.361/.365, 33-2B, 1-3B, 3 HR, 59 RBI I've liked Harrison a lot since he joined the Twins organization but I didn't like his dip in home runs this season. He was hitting in the tough FSL and he did collect 33 doubles. Some positives were his ability to hit to all fields and he cutback in the strikeout department. He's young and still has some untapped potential. 15 – Stuart Turner – C – Ft. Myers Miracle 2014 Stats: .249/.322/.375, 16-2B, 2-3B, 7 HR, 40 RBI I've always liked catching prospects and Turner's defense is enough to carry him to the big leagues. His bat will be the question mark but all of his appearances came in the FSL. As he moves up the ladder and pitching improves, it will be interesting if he can make the adjustments to stay relevant at the plate. I think he makes strides next year and finds himself just shy of the top 10. 16 – Adam Brett Walker – OF – Ft. Myers Miracle 2014 Stats: .246/.307/.436, 19-2B, 1-3B, 25 HR, 94 RBI, 9 SB Walker killed the ball in the pitcher friendly FSL. However there are still questions about his ability to make consistent contact and he strikes out a lot since he has trouble recognizing the off-speed offerings. It seems like he will have make some offensive adjustments in the years to come or be relegated to a lesser role at the big league level. 17 – Felix Jorge – RHP – Elizabethton Twins, Cedar Rapids Kernels 2014 Stats: 6-7, 4.97 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, 105.0 IP, 34 BB, 84 K I'm higher on this guy than basically anyone else that does a Twins prospect list. He struggled mightily at Low-A but made some positive adjustments when he moved back to E-Town. Jorge lost a little mojo with his fastball this year and his off-speed offerings continue to improve. He still has a high ceiling and I'm higher than anyone else about him. 18 – Amaurys Minier – OF/1B – GCL Twins 2014 Stats: .292/.405/.520, 11-2B, 2-3B, 8 HR, 33 RBI Minier made solid improvements in his second trip through the GCL. He's still a teenager and he will move up in the system in 2015. He has very good power from the left hand side of the plate but there are questions about how his approach will fare as he moves up. There are some holes in his defensive skills but he is one player that could breakout in 2015. 19 – Taylor Rogers – LHP – New Britain Rock Cats 2014 Stats: 11-6, 3.29 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 145.0 IP, 37 BB, 113 K After breaking out at both Low-A and High-A last season, Rogers was able to hold his own at Double-A for all of 2014. He's left-handed and he has a pulse so that puts him a little higher on this list than he might be if he was right-handed. His strikeout rate improved this season and he tossed the most innings of his career. He might not be a starter at the big leagues but he can definitely get lefties out. 20 – Tyler Duffey – RHP – Ft. Myers Miracle, New Britain Rock Cats, Rochester Red Wings 2014 Stats: 13-3, 3.67 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 149.2 IP, 30 BB, 113 K In only his third year in the system, Duffey cruised his way to Triple-A. He started the year at Fort Myers and the majority of his innings were at Double-A. He was almost four years younger than the other pitchers in the International League. His fastball sits in the low-90s and his change-up was much improved this year. This could make him dangerous moving forward. For more from Cody Christie make sure to follow him on Twitter @NoDakTwinsFan and to read his other work at http://www.NoDakTwinsFan.com

One of the highlights of the off-season for a core of Twins fans is the release of the Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook. Seth Stohs has worked to put together this fantastic book for the last seven years. In 2012, he gave me my first taste of helping with the book. By 2013, I was writing an article for the Annual and for the last three years I have been among a trio of writers that includes Jeremy Nygaard, Stohs, and myself.There is a ton of work that goes into the creation of this book. I don't know if we could create this without the help and push from the other writers involved. Besides profiles of all of the prospects in the Twins system and articles on topics from across the baseball world, one of the best sections of the book are our Top 30 Prospect Lists. Over the next few days, I will be counting down my Top 30. I have some differences with the other authors but that's what makes this fun. To see their Top 30's, you're going to have to pick up a copy for yourself. ***Get your copy of the Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook now (Paperback or PDF).*** 30 – Brett Lee – LHP – Ft. Myers Miracle 2014 Stats: 10-5, 2.45 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 106.1 IP, 33 BB, 54 K Lee pitched all of 2014 for the Fort Myers Miracle. His strikeout rate is terrible and he will need to improve in this area if he is going to find any sort of success in the higher levels of the minors. Saying that, he was able to limit runs scored against him and he posted career best marks in wins and ERA. 29 – Jason Wheeler – LHP – Ft. Myers Miracle, New Britain Rock Cats, Rochester Red Wings 2014 Stats: 11-9, 2.67 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 158.1 IP, 37 BB, 115 K Wheeler had arguably the best professional season of his career as he cruised through three different levels and finished the year at Triple A. He fits the mold of pitching to contact as he throws a lot of strikes and doesn't strike out a ton of batters. Wheeler's impressive season was rewarded as he was added to the 40-man roster so there's a chance he could debut in 2015. 28 – Fernando Romero – RHP – Cedar Rapids Kernels 2014 Stats: 0-0, 3.00 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, 12.0 IP, 5 BB, 9 K Romero was three years younger than the competition in the Midwest League. He was limited to three starts after tearing his UCL at the end of June. He underwent Tommy John surgery and will likely miss almost all of next season. He threw hard before Tommy John surgery so he could move through the system quickly if he can get back to his previous level. 27 – J.R. Graham – RHP – Mississippi Braves 2014 Stats: 1-5, 5.55 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, 71.1 IP, 26 BB, 50 K The Twins just selected Graham in the Rule 5 draft so there is a chance that he's back with the Braves organization before the season starts. He spent time as a starter and a reliever. His strikeout rate has dropped in recent years. For him to stay with the Twins, he will have to fill a bullpen role for the entire 2014 campaign. 26 – Engelb Vielma – SS – Cedar Rapids Kernels 2014 Stats: .266/.313/.323, 13-2B, 4-3B, 1 HR, 33 RBI Vielma made some huge strides in the jump from rookie ball to a full season league. He got on base over 31% of the time and his batting average increased by 32 points. Vielma's biggest strength might be his defensive ability and his fielding percentage jumped 42 points. If he can continue to make offensive improvements, he could rise in the years to come. 25 – Zack Jones – RHP – GCL Twins, Fort Myers Miracle 2014 Stats: 0-0, 3 S, 1.74 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 10.1 IP, 6 BB, 14 K Jones got into limited action in 2014 after having shoulder surgery at the end of February. Doctors found that he had an aneurysm in his shoulder that was causing circulation problems. Jones served as the closer for the Miracle in their run to the FSL title. He pitched well in the AFL to cap off his 2014 campaign: in 11.1 innings in 11 appearances, he didn't allow an earned run and struck out 11. 24 – Jake Reed – RHP – Elizabethton Twins, Cedar Rapids Kernels 2014 Stats: 3-0, 0.29 ERA, 0.45 WHIP, 31.0 IP, 3 BB, 39 K Reed was a fifth-round pick in 2014 out of Oregon. He put up impressive numbers in his professional debut as he threw strikes and overpowered the opposition. Cederoth throws a little harder than Reed and that's why he's higher on the list. His fastball hits up to 95 and he has a decent slider to keep hitters off balance. 23 – Niko Goodrum – SS/3B – Ft. Myers Miracle 2014 Stats: .249/.337/.336, 19-2B, 5-3B, 3 HR, 49 RBI, 35 SB Goodrum has ranked higher on my list in previous years. His speed and on-base abilities make him a threat once he reaches base. However, he struggled to make consistent contact this year at High-A. He also doesn't flourish at any specific defensive position. The transition to Double A could be tough and it might be a make-it or break-it season for Goodrum. 22 – Michael Cederoth – RHP – Elizabethton Twins 2014 Stats: 4-2, 3.55 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 45.2 IP, 18 BB, 42 K One of a core group of hard-throwing college pitchers the Twins have selected in recent drafts. Because of his up-and-down track record, he could be a good candidate to end up in a bullpen role. His professional debut didn't go perfectly but he should improve as he moves up the ladder. 21 – Chih-Wei Hu – RHP – Elizabethton Twins, Cedar Rapids Kernels 2014 Stats: 8-2, 2.15 ERA, 0.87 WHIP, 71.0 IP, 15 BB, 64 K Hu had one of the most surprising seasons in the entire Twins organization. He could be on his way to being much higher on next year's list if he continues on his current trajectory. He doesn't strike out a ton of batters but he controls the strike zone. He had dominant stretches in Low-A as a 20 year old and could be a sleeper pick For more from Cody Christie make sure to follow him on Twitter @NoDakTwinsFan and to read his other work at http://www.NoDakTwinsFan.com Click here to view the article

One of the highlights of the off-season for a core of Twins fans is the release of the Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook. Seth Stohs has worked to put together this fantastic book for the last seven years. In 2012, he gave me my first taste of helping with the book. By 2013, I was writing an article for the annual and for the last three years I have been among a trio of writers that includes Jeremy Nygaard, Stohs, and myself. There is a ton of work that goes into the creation of this book. I don't know if we could create this without the help and push from the other writers involved. Besides profiles of all of the prospects in the Twins system and articles on topics from across the baseball world, one of the best parts of the book is our top 30 prospect lists. Over the next few days, I will be counting down my top 30. I have some differences compared to the other authors but that's what makes this fun. To see their top 30's, you're going to have to go and pick up a copy for yourself. ***Get your copy of the Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook now ( Paperback or PDF).*** 21 – Chih-Wei Hu – RHP – Elizabethton Twins, Cedar Rapids Kernels 2014 Stats: 8-2, 2.15 ERA, 0.87 WHIP, 71.0 IP, 15 BB, 64 K Hu had one of the most surprising seasons in the entire Twins organization. He could be on his way to being much higher on this list if he continues on his current trajectory. He doesn't strike out a ton of batters but he controls the strike zone. He had dominant stretches in Low-A as a 20-year old and could be a sleeper pick 22 – Michael Cederoth – RHP – Elizabethton Twins 2014 Stats: 4-2, 3.55 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 45.2 IP, 18 BB, 42 K One of a core group of hard throwing college pitchers the Twins have selected in recent drafts. Because of some of his up-and-down track record, he could be a good candidate to end up in a bullpen role. His professional debut didn't go perfect but he should improve as he moves up the ladder. 23 – Niko Goodrum – SS/3B – Ft. Myers Miracle 2014 Stats: .249/.337/.336, 19-2B, 5-3B, 3 HR, 49 RBI, 35 SB Goodrum has ranked higher on my list in previous years. His speed and on-base abilities make him a threat once he reaches base. However, he struggled to make consistent content this year at High-A. He also doesn't flourish at any specific defensive position. The transition to Double-A could be tough and it might be a make-it or break-it season for Goodrum. 24 – Jake Reed – RHP – Elizabethton Twins, Cedar Rapids Kernels 2014 Stats: 3-0, 0.29 ERA, 0.45 WHIP, 31.0 IP, 3 BB, 39 K Reed was a fifth round pick in 2014 out of Oregon. He put up impressive numbers in his professional debut as he threw strikes and overpowered the opposition. Cederoth throws a little harder than Reed and that's why he's higher on the list. His fastball hits up to 95 and he has a decent slider to keep hitters off-balance. 25 – Zack Jones – RHP – GCL Twins, Fort Myers Miracle 2014 Stats: 0-0, 3 S, 1.74 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 10.1 IP, 6 BB, 14 K Jones got into limited action in 2014 after having shoulder surgery at the end of February. Doctors found that he has an aneurysm in his shoulder that was causing circulation problems. Jones served as the closer for the Miracle in their run to the FSL title. He pitched well in the AFL to cap off his 2014 campaign. Over 11 appearances, he didn't allow an earned run and struck out 11. 26 – Engelb Vielma – SS – Cedar Rapids Kernels 2014 Stats: .266/.313/.323, 13-2B, 4-3B, 1 HR, 33 RBI Vielma made some huge strides in the jump from rookie ball to a full season league. He got on base over 31% of the time and his batting average increased by 32 points. Vielma's biggest strength might be his defensive ability and his fielding percentage jumped 42 points. If he can continue to make offensive improvements, he could rise in the years to come. 27 – J.R. Graham – RHP – Mississippi Braves 2014 Stats: 1-5, 5.55 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, 71.1 IP, 26 BB, 50 K The Twins just selected Graham in the Rule 5 Draft so there is a chance that he's back with the Braves organization before the season starts. He spent time as a starter and a reliever. His strikeout rate has dropped in recent years. For him to stay with the Twins, he will have to fill a bullpen role for the entire 2014 campaign. 28 – Fernando Romero – RHP – Cedar Rapids Kernels 2014 Stats: 0-0, 3.00 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, 12.0 IP, 5 BB, 9 K Romero was three years younger than the competition in the Midwest League. He was limited to three starts after tearing his UCL at the end of June. He underwent Tommy John surgery and will likely almost all of next season. He threw hard before Tommy John surgery so he could move through the system quickly if he can get back to his previous level. 29 – Jason Wheeler – LHP – Ft. Myers Miracle, New Britain Rock Cats, Rochester Red Wings 2014 Stats: 11-9, 2.67 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 158.1 IP, 37 BB, 115 K Wheeler had arguably the best professional season of his career as he cruised through three different levels and finished the year at Triple-A. He fits the mold of pitch to contact as he throws a lot of strikes and doesn't strikeout a ton of batters. Wheeler's impressive season was rewarded as he was added to the 40-man roster so there's a chance he could debut in 2015. 30 – Brett Lee – LHP – Ft. Myers Miracle 2014 Stats: 10-5, 2.45 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 106.1 IP, 33 BB, 54 K Lee pitched all of 2014 for the Fort Myers Miracle. His strikeout rate is terrible and he will need to improve this area if he is going to find any sort of success in the higher levels of the minors. Even saying that, he was able to limit runs scored against him and he posted career best marks in wins and ERA. For more from Cody Christie make sure to follow him on Twitter @NoDakTwinsFan and to read his other work at http://www.NoDakTwinsFan.com

"Making a list, checking it twice. Terry Ryan got what he thought was nice." Even though the Twins are coming of four straight 90-loss seasons, there wasn't a ton of things the club needed to accomplish this off-season. The team seemingly had one one position player spot in the corner outfield. Terry Ryan also wanted to add depth to the starting pitching core. Just days after the winter meetings and the Twins have crossed both of these needs off their holiday wish list. At the beginning of December, Minnesota signed Torii Hunter to a one-year, $10.5 million contract. This checked off the Twins corner outfield need. Near the end of the winter meetings, word came out of the club's interest in starting pitcher Ervin Santana.Over this past weekend, the club signed the righty to a four-year, $54 million contract, the largest free agent deal in franchise history. With the ink drying on over $60 million worth of free agent contracts, what's left for the Twins to accomplish this off-season? If the Twins add any more pitching, it will likely be a cost effective bullpen option. Minnesota took J.R Graham during last week's Rule 5 Draft and he will be in the mix for a bullpen role. There are plenty of options for the back end of the rotation and to complete the bullpen. Mike Pelfrey, Trevor May, Tommy Milone, and Alex Meyer will already have quite the battle on their hands this spring. One name that popped up over the weekend was former club ace Johan Santana. Darren Wolfson reported that the left-handed pitcher will be trying to get into action by the end of the month in the winter leagues. With all of Santana's health issues in recent years, he could be a very cheap option that could eventually be used in a bullpen role. Even if he had to start the year in the minors to prove he was healthy, it could still work out for the club. Besides pitching depth, the team could also be looking to add a couple of bench bat option on minor league deals. Apparently, the club has reached out to free agent and Twin Cities native Jack Hannahan. A shoulder injury limited the infielder to 26-games last season so if there is interest from both parties, he could end up in Fort Myers for spring training. So if your Christmas dreams included another big deal for the Twins, I wouldn't get your hopes up. It seems as if all of the big presents were opened early this year. ***Get your copy of the Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook now (Paperback or PDF). If you follow me on Twitter and send me a DM, I will send you a coupon for 30% off a print copy (Offer good through Dec. 15)*** For more from Cody Christie make sure to follow him on Twitter @NoDakTwinsFan and to read his other work at http://www.NoDakTwinsFan.com

For the third year in a row, Seth Stohs of TwinsDaily.com asked Jeremy Nygaard and myself to help him put together the annual off-season handbook that looks deep into one of the best minor league systems in all of baseball. Several other high quality writers helped to write articles for the book and this only adds to the over 200 pages of content. It was our goal to get the paperback version out to the public before Christmas and we will meet our goal for the second year in a row.This also allows fans to have the book in hand for TwinsFest later next month. We will have full release details in the coming days. Here's a brief rundown of what's included in the book: Stories on my minor league award winners: Mitch Garver (hitter), Jose Berrios (starting pitcher), Brandon Peterson (relief pitcher) and Doug Mientkiewicz (manager).A foreword by Mike Beradino of the Pioneer PressJeremy wrote an article reviewing the 2014 Twins draft and another looking forward to the 2015 draft.AJ Pettersen wrote about his lasting memories as he reflected back on his professional careerThe top 30 prospect lists for Seth, Jeremy and myself.Below you will find a preview of one of the articles I wrote for the book. There was a bad trend throughout the farm system so it was only appropriate to include a story about the injuries that plagued the organization's top prospects.-------------------- If there was one theme across the Twins minor league system in 2014, it was the injury bug that seemed to touch almost every top prospect. This unfortunate series of events ran rampant and seemed to know no bounds. Byron Buxton, Miguel Sano, Kohl Stewart and other top prospects fell victim and many players lost a large chunk of playing time during the season. Losing games can be tough for prospects especially as they are trying to develop. Lost playing time means more years in the minor leagues and it pushes back their arrival time at the big league level. There were high hopes for many of the players on this list going into the season. Injuries are going to happen and it will be interesting to see how these players are impacted for 2015. Byron Buxton, CF 2014 Games Played: 31 Injury List: Left-wrist injury (twice), right-wrist injury, head injury, dislocated middle finger on left hand It was a nightmare season for Buxton as he tried repeatedly to get back on the field but the injuries continued to pile up. Buxton started the spring in major league camp and injured his left wrist while diving for a ball on the minor league side of camp. His first action of the year came with Fort Myers and five games into the season he re-injured his left wrist on a slide into third base. Two months later he was back on the field but a couple weeks later a pitch hit him on the right wrist. He only missed a handful of games and on August 11th he was promoted to Double-A. His first game in New Britain saw the end of his regular season and a very gruesome collision. Buxton was carted off the field after colliding with Mike Kvasnicka as both players attempted to make a diving catch in the gap. Buxton was knocked out for about 10 minutes and luckily there were no broken bones. In the Arizona Fall League, he finished his injury plagued season with a dislocated middle finger on his left hand after diving for a ball. 2015 Impact: Buxton is an exciting player who is going to play the game hard all of the time. There could be some injuries that arise from playing the game at an all-out pace. His wrists should be healed and there didn’t seem to be any lasting concussion issues during his play in the Arizona Fall League. Miguel Sano, 3B 2014 Games Played: 0 Injury List: Tommy John surgery This was supposed to be the year Miguel Sano made his much anticipated big league debut. Sano’s elbow pulled him out of the Dominican Winter League last offseason but at the time there wasn’t a ton of concern coming out of Twins camp. He showed up to spring training and a physical showed that his elbow had improved. In January, Terry Ryan even came out and said that he didn’t think the injury would require surgery. During TwinsFest, Sano predicted he would crack 45 home runs and make his big league debut. The pain in his elbow came back in February and he underwent Tommy John surgery on March 12. 2015 Impact: His rehab is progressing well and there was some speculation that he could return to game action in the second half of the Dominican Winter League. However, the Twins are going to be conservative and hold him out of action until spring. Everything seems on track for him to start next season in the minors before making his MLB debut later in the year. Kohl Stewart, RHP 2014 Games Played: 19 Injury List: Right shoulder impingement (twice) Kohl Stewart dealt with a shoulder issues near the end of the 2013 season and his problems continued for different parts of this past year. In late July, he was dealing with some slight shoulder soreness after he slept wrong on his arm during a long bus ride. He was placed on the disabled list but the MRI came back clean. Some thought he might be done for the season but the Twins put him out there for a couple of more games in the middle of August. Two starts later he had to be pulled because the shoulder was still sore. “I felt like (crap), tried to pitch through it,” Stewart said. 2015 Impact: The Twins will watch Stewart’s workload very closely in 2015. If there is any sign of him not being able to get loose, the club will quickly pull him from the action. The Twins were aggressive with his promotion last year and that could allow them to be a little more conservative in 2015. It might also be helpful to get a neck pillow for the long minor league bus rides. -------------------- There's much more to this article and a ton of other great content in the book. Let me know if you have any questions about the book and look for the release of my top prospect lists in the days to come. Click here to view the article