Cody Christie

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

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 Press Jeremy wrote articles reviewing the 2014 Twins draft, and another looking forward to the 2015 draft. AJ Pettersen wrote an article about his lasting memories as he reflected back on his professional career The 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 relating to 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 that 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 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.

Late last week word came out that the Atlanta Braves would not tender contracts to right-handed pitchers Kris Medlen and Brandon Beachy. At one point in the not so distant past both of these players figured into Atlanta's long-term starting rotation plans but now both are recovering from their second Tommy John surgeries. Medlen has shown more promise than Beachy at the big league level. He won a combined 25 games in 2012 and 2013. He excelled as a reliever and starter in 2012, when he was 10-1 with a 1.56 ERA. He was even charged with starting the Braves Wild Card Game versus the Cardinals that season. He limited the Cards to two earned runs on three hits but five total runs were scored with him on the mound and he took the loss. Beachy had his first Tommy John surgery in 2012 and he struggled on the comeback trail in 2013, when he was 2-1 with a 4.50 ERA. For his career, he's started 45 games with a 3.23 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP including a 9.2 SO/9 rate. These numbers look great but he's only pitched 30 innings since the end of the 2012 season. Coming back from one Tommy John surgery can be hard enough so you can imagine how hard any kind of comeback after a second trip under the knife. The list of players to return to their prior level of dominance after a second Tommy John is essential nonexistent. Pitchers tend to struggle with command and stamina and this could force both of these players into a bullpen role. Out of the two pitchers, Medlen seems to offer the most upside. The Braves sound like they would like to bring Medlen back on a short-term incentive laden deal with an option for 2016. Minnesota would like have to come up with a better offer to lure him away from Atlanta. Other teams will probably make enticing offers as well and since Atlanta non-tendered him, he's free to choose where he will be employed for 2015. Medlin will not be ready for the start of Spring Training since he had Tommy John surgery last March. However, he should be good to go shortly after the opening of camp. In recent memory, the Twins recently signed Mike Pelfrey on a one-year deal after coming off of Tommy John surgery but they failed to retain Scott Baker on his comeback trail. Minnesota already has a crop of pitchers that will be battling for a back end of the rotation spot. Phil Hughes, Ricky Nolasco, and Kyle Gibson seemed locked into the first three slots. This leaves Trevor May Mike Pelfrey, Tommy Milone, Logan Darnell, and others fighting for the final two rotation spots. Top prospects Alex Meyer and Jose Berrios are also in line to end up in the rotation at some point in 2015. If Medlen won't be ready for the season's start, he probably won't be getting back into form until the end of 2015 or the start of 2016. The Twins will have other younger pitchers ready at that point and Medlen might just be blocking their path. If the deal was right, it might be interesting to take a flyer on Medlen. But it's hard to imagine the Twins outbidding other teams for the services of a player that is a questions mark at this point. A team can only have so many back of the rotation options so signing Medlen might not make sense. For more from Cody Christie make sure to follow him on Twitter @NoDakTwinsFan and to read his other work at http://www.NoDakTwinsFan.com

It's hard to argue with the breakout season Jose Berrios put together in 2014. He dominated the Florida State League and held his own in the Eastern League while being 4 1/2 years younger than the average pitcher in that league. He was already a top ten prospect in the organization but he solidified himself as one of the top three pitchers in a loaded farm system.Berrios was just one of the team's prospects to do well in 2014 as other prospects also put their names on the map. Adam Brett Walker smacked a ton of home runs in the tough Florida State League. Eddie Rosario missed time at the beginning of the season due to a drug suspension but he ended the season on a high note as one of the best hitters in the Arizona Fall League. There were many other prospects who also had solid seasons. Here are three of the Twins top prospects that I think could follow in the footsteps of Berrios and have a breakout season in 2015. Stephen Gonsalves- LHP 2014 Team(s): Elizabethton Twins, Cedar Rapids Kernels 3.02 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 65.2 IP, 70 K, 21 BB (14 Games) Gonsalves, a 2013 fourth round pick, made it all the way to Low-A this season as a teenager. He continues to show the ability to strike out batters. He can hit the 90's with his fastball and he can counter with a good change-up. His other breaking pitch still needs some work but he will be able to develop that as he progresses through the system. In his first five outings at Low-A, he posted a 1.57 ERA over 23.0 innings with 21 strikeouts and only four walks. To put those numbers in prospective, he was three years younger than the average of the other pitchers in the Midwest League. Travis Harrison- OF/3B 2014 Team(s): Fort Myers Miracle .269/.361/.365, 3 HR, 33 2B, 59 RBI, 80 R (129 Games) The Florida State League can be tough on hitters and this could be one of the reasons Harrison's home run total dipped from 15 in '13 to 3 this past season. The former supplemental first round pick continues to get on base at a very high rate and he's shown the ability to take the ball to the opposite field. His strikeout rate continues to drop and he played a new defensive position (left field) this season. He will be 22-years old for all of next season and he should be more comfortable playing his defensive spot. This could result in some big numbers for Harrison at Double-A. SLEEPER PICK: Amaurys Minier- OF/1B 2014 Team(s): GCL Twins .292/.405/.520, 8 HR, 11 2B, 33 RBI, 25 R (53 Games) It can be tough to have a breakout season in the lower levels of the minor leagues but the Twins have seen players like Eddie Rosario and Miguel Sano have huge seasons after coming out of extended spring training. Minier has big power from the left-side but there might be some holes in his swing as evident by his 52 strikeouts this season. If his approach can improve as he moves up the ladder and he makes some positive strides on the defensive side of the ball, he could be vaulting up Twins prospect lists during the next off-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

It's hard to argue with the breakout season Jose Berrios put together in 2014. He dominated the Florida State League and held his own in the Eastern League while being over four and a half years younger than the average age of the pitchers in that league. He was already a top ten prospect in the organization but he solidified himself as one of the top three pitchers in a loaded farm system. Berrios was just one of the team's prospects to do well in 2014 as other prospects also put their name on the map. Adam Brett Walker smacked a ton of home runs in the tough Florida State League. Eddie Rosario missed time at the beginning of the season due to a drug suspension but he ended the season on a high note as one of the best hitters in the Arizona Fall League. There were many other prospects that had solid seasons in Here are three of the Twins top prospects that I think could follow in the footsteps of Berrios and have a breakout season in 2015. Stephen Gonsalves- LHP 2014 Team(s): Elizabethton Twins, Cedar Rapids Kernels 3.02 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 65.2 IP, 70 K, 21 BB (14 Games) Gonsalves, a 2013 fourth round pick, made it all the way to Low-A this season as a teenager. He continues to show the ability to strikeout batters. He can hit in the 90's with his fastball and he can counter with a good change-up. His other breaking pitch still needs some work but he will be able to develop that as he progresses through the system. In his first five outings at Low-A, he posted a 1.57 ERA over 23.0 innings with 21 strikeouts and only four walks. To put those numbers in prospective, he was three years younger than the other pitchers in the Midwest League. Travis Harrison- OF/3B 2014 Team(s): Fort Myers Miracle .269/.361/.365, 3 HR, 33 2B, 59 RBI, 80 R (129 Games) The Florida State League can be tough on hitters and this could be one of the reasons Harrison's home run total dipped from 15 in '13 to 3 this past season. The former supplemental first round pick continues to get on base at a very high rate and he's shown the ability to take the ball to opposite field. His strikeout rate continues to drop and he played a new defensive position this season. He will be 22-years old for all of next season and he should be more comfortable playing his defensive spot. This could mean result in some big numbers for Harrison at Double-A. SLEEPER PICK: Amaurys Minier- OF/1B 2014 Team(s): GCL Twins .292/.405/.520, 8 HR, 11 2B, 33 RBI, 25 R (53 Games) It can be tough to have a breakout season in the lower levels of the minor leagues but the Twins have seen players like Eddie Rosario and Miguel Sano have huge seasons after coming out of extended spring training. Minier has big power from the left-side but there might be some holes in his swing as evident by his 52 strikeouts this season. If his approach can improve as he moves up the ladder and he makes some positive strides on the defensive side of the ball, he could be vaulting up Twins prospect lists during the next off-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

As the finishing touches are being put on the 2015 Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook (CLICK HERE to order last year's version for 30% off), my mind has been focused on many of the young players who are making up one of the strongest farm systems in baseball. There are a lot of big names like Byron Buxton and Miguel Sano in the system and the hope is that those players turn out to be all-star caliber players for years to come.There are also players who might not end up being in contention for any MVP or Cy Young awards but they could be very important everyday players on the next winning baseball team in Minnesota. Not every prospect is going to make it as a big league player and some of the Twins best prospects are still multiple years away from making their debut, but still... Here is a look at the type of lineup and pitching rotation that could be made from just the prospects in the Twins organization. For the purposes of this post, I didn't consider any players who had already reached their rookie eligibility threshold in 2014. This took away players like Oswaldo Arcia, Danny Santana and Kennys Vargas, who also figure in the long-term plans for the Twins organization. All-Prospect Twins Team Line-Up/Batting Order 1. Nick Gordon- SS 2. Eddie Rosario- LF 3. Byron Buxton- CF 4. Miguel Sano- 3B 5. Travis Harrison- DH 6. Amaurys Minier- 1B 7. Max Kepler- RF 8. Stuart Turner- C 9. Jorge Polanco- 2B This line-up looks pretty solid from top to bottom. Gordon, Rosario and Buxton would give the front end of the batting order some speed and plenty of on-base ability in front of the big boppers. Sano, Harrison, and Minier would have plenty of opportunities to drive in runs and all three have the potential to hit 25 or more home runs in a season. Kepler would provide solid defense and be a very solid regular player. Turner could be an everyday player with the potential to make an All-Star team if things break the right way. Polanco might not have the defensive skills to stick at shortstop but he could be part of a nice double-play combo with Gordon. He'd also be a solid number nine hitter leading back to the top of the order. Bench Adam Brett Walker- OF Niko Goodrum-IF Levi Michael-IF Mitch Garver-C This bench offers a little bit of everything. Goodrum and Michael have the ability to fill in at multiple infield positions while also being good options as late-inning pinch runners. Garver and Turner would be a very good catching duo with both getting opportunities to start. Walker would be a huge bat off the bench with the potential to hit a home run any time he stepped into the box. He could also fill in as a corner outfielder when other players needed a day off.. Starting Rotation 1. Kohl Stewart-RHP 2. Jose Berrios- RHP 3. Alex Meyer- RHP 4. Lewis Thorpe- LHP 5. Stephen Gonsalves- LHP A starting rotation with Stewart, Berrios, and Meyer at the top is what Twins fans have been dreaming of since Stewart was taken with the fourth pick in the 2013 draft. Berrios is coming off a breakout season across the three highest levels in the Twins system. Meyer is on the cusp of making his debut and he continues to be impressive. Thorpe and Gonsalves would offer some left-handed action to the back-end of the rotation while still having the potential to be front of the line starters. There's a chance for a lot of strikeouts with this fearsome fivesome but the bullpen is where things get even scarier. Bullpen Closer: Nick Burdi-RHP Set-Up: Michael Cederoth- RHP Jake Reed-RHP Zack Jones-RHP Trevor May- RHP Taylor Rogers- LHP Mason Melotakis- LHP The Kansas City Royals rode a terrific trio of late-inning relief arms to the 2014 American League pennant. In the last few drafts, the Twins have been going after some hard throwing college arms to build their own dominant relief core of the future. Burdi, Cederoth, Reed and Jones could each be given an inning of his own late in games and this would mean starters would only need to pitch five frames. If May doesn't work out as a starter, he could fill into a long-relief role. Rogers and Melotakis could be solid options for retiring some of the best left-handed bats from the opposition. Overall, there is a ton of talent on the way to Target Field. Not all of these players will make it to the big leagues but the Twins have a lot invested in some of these. There are multiple first round picks on this roster, a handful of the top 100 prospects in baseball, and a solid core of players to help Twins fans forget about the last four years of losing. Now it's your turn. How would your line-up and roster look for the Twins team of the future? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. 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

As the finishing touches are being put on the 2015 Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook (CLICK HERE to order last year's version for 30% off), my mind has been focused on many of the young players that are making up one of the strongest farm systems in baseball. There are a lot of big names like Byron Buxton and Miguel Sano in the system and the hope is that those players turn out to be All-Star caliber players for years to come. There are also players that might not end up being in contention for any MVP or Cy Young awards but they could be very important everyday players on the next winning baseball team in Minnesota. Every prospect isn't going to make it as a big league player and some of the Twins best prospects are still multiple years away from making their debut. Here is a look at what type of line-up and pitching rotation could be made from just the prospects in the Twins organization. For the purposes of this post, I didn't consider any players that had already reached their rookie eligibility threshold in 2014. This took away players like Oswaldo Arcia, Danny Santana, and Kennys Vargas that will figure into the long-term plans for the Twins organization. All Prospect Twins Team Line-Up/Batting Order 1. Nick Gordon- SS 2. Eddie Rosario- LF 3. Byron Buxton- CF 4. Miguel Sano- 3B 5. Travis Harrison- DH 6. Amaurys Minier- 1B 7. Max Kepler- RF 8. Stuart Turner- C 9. Jorge Polanco- 2B This line-up looks pretty solid from top to bottom. Gordon, Rosario and Buxton would give the front end of the batting order some speed and plenty of on-base ability in front of the big boppers. Sano, Harrison, and Minier would have plenty of opportunities to drive in runs and all three have the potential to hit 25 or more home runs in a season. Kepler would provide solid defense and be a very solid regular player. Turner could be an everyday player with the potential to make an All-Star team if things break the right way. Polanco might not have the defensive skills to stick at shortstop but he could make a nice double-play combo with Gordon. He'd also be a solid number nine hitter leading back to the top of the order. Bench Adam Brett Walker- OF Niko Goodrum-IF Levi Michael-IF Mitch Garver-C This bench offers a little bit of everything. Goodrum and Michael have the ability to fill-in at multiple infield positions while also being good options as late-inning pinch runners. Garver and Turner would be a very good catching duo with both getting the opportunities to start. Walker would be a huge bat off the bench with the potential to hit a long ball anytime he stepped into the box. He could also fill-in as a corner outfielder when other players needed an off day. Starting Rotation 1. Kohl Stewart-RHP 2. Jose Berrios- RHP 3. Alex Meyer- RHP 4. Lewis Thorpe- LHP 5. Stephen Gonsalves- LHP A starting rotation with Stewart, Berrios, and Meyer at the top is what Twins fans have been dreaming of since Stewart was taken with the fourth pick in the 2013 draft. Berrios is coming off a breakout season across the three highest levels in the Twins system. Meyer is on the cusp of making his debut and he continues to be impressive. Thorpe and Gonsalves would offer some left-handed action to the back-end of the rotation while still having the potential to be front of the line starters. There's a chance for a lot of strikeouts with this fearsome five-some but the bullpen is where things get even scarier. Bullpen Closer: Nick Burdi-RHP Set-Up: Michael Cederoth- RHP Jake Reed-RHP Zack Jones-RHP Trevor May- RHP Taylor Rogers- LHP Mason Melotakis- LHP The Kansas City Royals rode a terrific trio of late-inning relief arms to the 2014 American League Pennant. In the last few drafts, the Twins have been going after some hard throwing college arms to build their own dominant relief core of the future. Burdi, Cederoth, Reed, and Jones could each be given an inning of their own late in games and this would mean starters would only need to pitch five frames. If May doesn't work out as a starter, he could fill into a long-relief role. Rogers and Melotakis could be solid options for retiring some of the best left-handed bats from the opposition. Overall, there is a ton of talent on the way to Target Field. All of these players wouldn't make it to the big leagues but the Twins have a lot invested in some of these players. There are multiple first round picks on this roster, a handful of the top 100 prospects in baseball, and a solid core of players to make Twins fans forget about the last four years of losing. Now it's your turn. How would your line-up and roster look for the Twins team of the future? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. For more from Cody Christie make sure to follow him on Twitter @NoDakTwinsFan and to read his other work at http://www.NoDakTwinsFan.com

The Twins Daily Offseason Handbook was released a few weeks ago and still available. We always encourage readers to develop their own blueprint for the Twins offseason. Today, Cody Christie shares his blueprint with us. We set up a special forum for Twins Daily readers to post their own blueprints here.There are plenty of ways to go about trying to fix the Twins team but some patience might be required as the club waits for some younger pieces to work their way through the minor leagues. The Twins Daily crew put out some solid information in the 2015 Offseason Handbook. One of the best parts to read about this document is the blueprint plans put together by the writers. There are plenty of options for the Twins but here is how I would go about trying to fix the team. Some of these ideas will happen and some won't but that's what makes this fun. Starting Line-Up C- Kurt Suzuki- $6 million 1B- Joe Mauer- $23 million 2B- Brian Dozier- $1 million 3B- Trevor Plouffe- $5 million SS- Danny Santana- $0.5 million LF- Colby Rasmus- $12 million CF- Aaron Hicks- $0.5 million RF- Oswaldo Arcia- $0.5 million DH- Kennys Vargas- $0.5 million ------------------------------------------------- $49.0 million committed to nine hitters Breakdown: Colby Rasmus is the only free agent acquisition that I have the Twins adding this off-season. He's young at only 28-years-old and he could regain some value by signing a one-year, $12 million deal. This would set him up to hit the free agent market again before his age 29 season. The Twins could use him in a corner outfield spot and have him be a center field fill-in. Aaron Hicks earns the Opening Day starting job for the third straight season. Hopefully Paul Molitor can get Hicks back on the right track to being an everyday player in Minnesota. If things go right, Miguel Sano could be up by the middle of the season but this could be a line-up that scores a decent number of runs after finishing fifth in the AL in runs scored a year ago. Bench C- Josmil Pinto- $0.5 million IF- Eduardo Escobar- $2.0 million 1B/OF- Chris Colabello- $0.5 million OF-Jordan Schafer- $1.5 million ------------------------------------------------- $4.5 million committed to four bench positions Breakdown: Eduardo Escobar proved to be a very valuable asset but I believe his long-term role with the club will be as more of a utility infielder. Jordan Schafer will complement the other outfielders nicely. Josmil Pinto will get some opportunities to catch especially with how much Kurt Suzuki got beat-up last season. Chris Colabello will get one more opportunity to stick on the big league roster but he will be one of the last men to make the 25-man squad. Starting Pitching 1. Phil Hughes- $8 million 2. Ricky Nolasco- $12 million 3. Kyle Gibson- $0.5 million 4. Alex Meyer- $0.5 million 5. Justin Masterson- $10 million ------------------------------------------------- $31.0 million committed to starting rotation Breakdown: The top three spots in the rotation are likely locked in place. This leaves the fourth and fifth spots in the rotation up for grabs. I think the Twins will actually go with Trevor May in the number four spot but I would much rather throw Alex Meyer out there every fifth day. This would also give May the opportunity to pitch out of the bullpen which I think will be his eventual resting spot. Minnesota is going to spend some money on a free agent starter and I think Justin Masterson is the right guy. He's coming off a tough year but he could bounce back nicely in the friendly confines of Target Field. Fingers are crossed that he could be this year's version of Phil Hughes and a one-year, $10 million contract is easy enough to swallow for a team with some wiggle room. Bullpen Righties: Casey Fien, Michael Tonkin, Trevor May, Mike Pelfrey- $8 million Lefties: Caleb Thielbar, Tommy Milone- $4 million Closer: Glen Perkins- $4 million ------------------------------------------------- $16 million committed to seven relievers Breakdown: This is quite a conglomeration of players. I hate having Mike Pelfrey on this team coming out of spring training but the Twins are going to eat his salary at the beginning of the year even if that's what I would do. As I said in the starting pitcher section, May gets moved to the bullpen where he can continue to develop and the Twins can use him in a variety of roles. I don't think the Twins are ready to let Tommy Milone loose after acquiring him at the end of last season. He will get arbitration as a Super 2 player and his salary will be around $3.5 million. Two names you will likely see gone from this list are Brian Duensing and Anthony Swarzak. Duensing is getting too expensive for what his role is and Swarzak gets pushed out by the likes of Milone and Pelfrey. Minnesota Twins 2015 Checkbook Starting Line-Up: $49.0 million Bench Players: $4.5 million Starting Pitching: $31.0 million Bullpen: $16 million ------------------------------------------------- $100.5 million committed to Opening Day 25-man roster What are your thoughts on this roster? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. 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