Cody Christie

In the aftermath of this year's MLB draft, it can be fun to reevaluate where an organization stacks up in the prospect department. For better or worse, franchises can make it or break it with their selections in the draft. It's also important for teams to be able to build from within to help manage the bottom line. Minnesota's top prospect list is littered with players drafted highly over the last handful of years. Players like Jose Berrios, Nick Gordon, Tyler Jay, and Kohl Stewart have all been taken with first round picks. Ideally, these players will form the nucleus of Minnesota's next championship winning club.There were a few graduations off this list since my last list in the 2016 Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook (which is on sale for 10% off). At the end of last season, Byron Buxton barely missed the rookie eligibility cut-off. Byung-Ho Park was also on my pre-season list and he has surpassed 130 at-bats. A few more of these players will likely have graduated before the end of the year but here's where the list stands in the days following the draft. 10. Fernando Romero, Cedar Rapids Kernels (21 years old) Romero has been lights out since his return from Tommy John surgery. Since he didn't pitch in a professional game for over two years, this year will be crucial for his development. He needs to continue to rack up innings and show the kind of pitcher he can be. Romero has impressed so far this year and he could be a top-five Twins prospect before the conclusion of the season. Ceiling: Mid-Rotation Starter Since he missed so much game action, it is going to be crucial for him to work on his breaking ball and his command. His fastball can hit in the upper 90's but a pitcher needs more than heat to get out big league batters. 9. Alex Kiriloff, OF- TBD (18 years old) It could be a long time before Kiriloff, a 2016 first-round pick, makes it to the big leagues. Minnesota will likely start him off with the GCL Twins and he could make it as high as the Elizabethton Twins this season. This was the lowest first-round pick the Twins have had in a while and this draft wasn't as deep as other years. For this reason, fans will have to be patient as they wait to see what kind of player Kiriloff can be. Ceiling: All-Star corner outfielder He hasn't spent much time playing in the outfield but he has the arm to handle a corner outfield position. There are a lot of tools in his tool box. It will be interesting to see what kind of power he can develop as he moves up the ladder and his body starts to mature. 8. J.T. Chargois, RHP- Chattanooga Lookouts, Rochester Red Wings, Minnesota Twins (25 years old) Chargois is looking more and more like he could be the Twins closer of the future. His MLB debut was an unmitigated disaster and the Twins did him no favors by sending him right back to Rochester. Despite this chain of events, he will be back before the end of the year and I would guess that he will be pitching in some high leverage situations as soon as the 2017 season. Ceiling: Shutdown back-end of the bullpen pitcher Chargois has the stuff to be a very good relief pitcher. His biggest issue at this point is his control and that was evident in his debut. The hope would be that he returns to Rochester and continues to dominate at that level. This will give the Twins no option but to give him another look. 7. Kohl Stewart, RHP- Fort Myers Miracle, Chattanooga Lookouts (21 years old) The Twins were aggressive with Stewart as he was promoted to Chattanooga as a 21-year old. His first Double-A start was a little rough but this takes nothing away from his overall potential. Last season was the first season where he compiled more than 100 innings on the mound. It would be nice for his strikeout rate to continue to rise as he moves through the ranks and that could come with more innings on the mound. Ceiling: Frontline starter Stewart is still learning the art of pitching and he bounced back nicely in his second Double-A outing. His place on this list is more of a result of the talent in front of him than his lack of talent. If he puts it all together, he could be very good and the Twins have a lot of confidence in him. 6. Stephen Gonsalves, RHP- Fort Myers Miracle (21 years old) Gonsalves just keeps getting better and that might be a scary proposition to other hitters in the minor leagues. He ended last season in Fort Myers and he has made some improvements there this year. His fastball has more life and he has been working to improve his off-speed pitches. He hasn't garnered a lot of national attention but that could change if he continues to pitch well. Ceiling: Frontline starter It seems like Gonsalves is a veteran of the minors even though he is only 21-years old. He comes off like that because of his professionalism and his demeanor on the mound. This is the first time I've ranked Gonsalves higher than Stewart and he will be a top five prospect for the Twins entering next year. 5. Jorge Polanco, IF- Rochester Red Wings, Minnesota Twins (23 years old) Polanco has been settling into his role with Rochester nicely as he is posting some of his best offensive numbers in years. The Twins have utilized Polanco's skill-set at various points over the last three years and it will be interesting to see where he fits into the team's long-term plans. He's been playing more second base this year and the Twins have Dozier blocking Polanco at that position. Ceiling: All-Star second baseman Minnesota needs to find a spot for Polanco for next season. This could mean in a utility type role or it could mean trading away a current starter so he can get regular at-bats. If the Twins continue to play poorly this season, it would be nice to see more of Polanco at the big league level. 4. Nick Gordon, SS- Fort Myers Miracle (20 years old) Gordon is almost three years younger than the competition in the Florida State League but he's still putting up some strong numbers. He's been able to get on base over 33% of the time and he's hitting for more power this season as his OPS has jumped over 35 points. One concern this season might be his defensive miscues. He has 13 errors at shortstop this season after setting a career high with 18 errors last year. Ceiling: All-star shortstop I still believe he can stick at shortstop and he will add more power as he continues to mature. This could make him a rarity for the Twins, a shortstop produced through their farm system. He's only been moving up one level a season so he likely won't debut for another couple of seasons. 3. Tyler Jay, LHP- Fort Myers Miracle (22 years old) It was tough to know what to expect from Jay this season as he was used a relief pitcher in college. He's quieted a lot of doubters with his performance so far. At the High-A level, he has been a dominant pitcher and he should make his way to Double-A at some point in the second half. Besides Romero, Jay made the biggest jump of any player on my top prospect list but most of this was because of the unknown surrounding him at the season's start. Ceiling: Frontline starter Drafting a college relief pitcher and turning him into a starter is no easy feat. There is plenty for Jay still to prove but he's on the right path and trending upwards. He could and should be the team's top overall prospect heading into next season with Kepler and Berrios likely graduating off this list. 2. Max Kepler, OF- Rochester Red Wings, Minnesota Twins (23 years old) Kepler has been in the big leagues twice this season but he has yet to find his groove. After being named the MVP of the Southern League last season, Kepler made a lot of people notice his talent. He's combined to play around 50 games at levels higher than Double-A so there is still time for him to develop. Even though those numbers haven't been there yet at the big league level, he takes good at-bats and is a mature hitter. There's a good chance that he can be an above average player for years to come. Ceiling: All-Star outfielder Kepler continues to improve at the big league level and most fans probably took notice of him with his walk-off home run on Sunday afternoon. He takes very good at-bats and his walk rate is very impressive for a rookie. Last week, Seth named Kepler as his top prospect in his Midseason Top 40 list but it's about preference at this point. 1. Jose Berrios, RHP- Rochester Red Wings, Minnesota Twins (22 years old) His first taste of the big leagues was a little rough but he's getting back on track for Rochester. Berrios should be a Twins rotation staple for the better part of the next decade. Control had been his calling card in recent years but he's struggled with control this season. If he can find his command, he will likely spend the second half of this season with the big league club. Ceiling: Frontline starter Minnesota's starters have been bad so it seems like only a matter of time before Berrios gets another opportunity. He's the first of a core of young pitchers that should debut in the coming years. The Twins organization is desperate for a pitcher to join the rotation and take the league by storm. Berrios has the opportunity to do this. Who would you put at the top of prospect list? Should Kiriloff be ranked higher, lower, or stay right about where he is? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. Click here to view the article

I wasn't going to go back and do each draft pick by pick. The point of the post is to show the type of talent that was still on the board when the Twins made their picks. There are plenty of mistakes to bring to light.

What if?... This one question can spur endless conversation among sports fans. What if the Timberwolves had drafted Steph Curry? What if Gary Anderson didn't miss the game-winning kick? What if the Twins had made different draft picks in the last decade?Major League Baseball's drafting process is a very different animal compared to other major sports leagues like the NFL and the NBA. In the other leagues, the players being drafted can be playing the very next season and making a major contribution. In the baseball world, this isn't the case as it can take years for talent from a specific draft pool to make their big league debuts. Here are a few ground rules for this post: I was limited to taking players selected after the Twins drafted their player. This was assuming every pick before the Twins followed the same order. I start with the 2011 draft because most players from the 2012 draft, like Byron Buxton, are just beginning their MLB careers.In a true redraft, the players on this list would obviously be gone long before the Twins made their pickIn hindsight, there would have been plenty of changes to the draft but here's who the Twins should have taken each year. 2011 Minnesota's Pick: Levi Michael, SS (30th overall) Redraft Pick: Jackie Bradley, Boston Red Sox (40th overall) The Twins hoped Michael's college success could translate to a strong professional career but he has developed into an organizational depth player. He might get a cup of coffee at the big league level but that would probably be the end of it. Bradley is developing into a core member of a young Red Sox squad that is trending upwards. Minnesota has other young prospects playing in the outfield like Max Kepler and Miguel Sano but Bradley would be another piece to add to the mix. 2010 Minnesota's Pick: Alex Wimmers, RHP (21st overall) Redraft Pick: Noah Syndergaard, Toronto Blue Jays (38th overall) Minnesota missed out in this draft as the team took a college starter for the second straight year. Wimmers has never panned out in the minors and there were some other strong names left on the board. Christian Yelich was taken by the Marlins two picks after Wimmers. Taijuan Walker was selected at the end of the first round by the Mariners. However, the player the Twins missed out on was Noah Syndergaard as he dropped all the way to the Blue Jays with the 38th overall pick. Syndergaard looks more and more like he will develop into a very strong piece of the Mets rotation. Young pitching is valuable and Minnesota swung and missed, like most players do, on a Syndergaard fastball. 2009 Minnesota's Pick: Kyle Gibson, RHP (22nd overall) Redraft Pick: Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels (25th overall) Almost every MLB team wishes they had a shot to redraft this first round. Mike Trout, one of the top players in the game, fell to the Angels with the 25th pick. Stephen Strasburg was a solid number one pick but any team would give up a lot to have Trout in the line-up on a daily basis. Gibson fell to the Twins after an injury late in college scared some teams away. He was also on the fast track to the big leagues before Tommy John surgery put him on the sidelines. Gibson could end up being a middle of the rotation starter but he definitely wouldn't be worth a Trout trade. 2008 Minnesota's Pick: Aaron Hicks, OF (14th overall) Redraft Pick: Jake Odorizzi, Milwaukee Brewers (32nd overall) At the time, Hicks was a strong pick with plenty of upside. However, his flaws as a player have come to the surface during his big league career. His defense can be amazing but it doesn't look like he will be a consistent hitter at baseball's highest level. Minnesota took three players (Hicks, Carlos Gutierrez, and Shooter Hunter) before Jake Odorizzi came off the board at pick number 32. Odorizzi has turned into a solid starter for the Rays and he would be a welcome addition in the Twins current rotation. Overall, the 2008 first round has been rough with Buster Posey being the lone star. 2007 Minnesota's Pick: Ben Revere, OF (28th overall) Redraft Pick: Josh Donaldson, Chicago Cubs (48th overall) The Twins liked Revere's athleticism and speed so they took him one pick after the Tigers selected Rick Porcello. Todd Frazier was taken five picks after Revere but the biggest miss might have been passing on last year's American League MVP. Donaldson's career WAR only trails David Price, Madison Bumgarner, and Jason Heyward from the 2007 first round. There are plenty of other teams that passed on Donaldson but he could be a difference maker at third base for the Twins. Here's how Minnesota's line-up could look with the moves made above: 1. Jackie Bradley Jr.- LF 2. Joe Mauer- 1B 3. Mike Trout- CF 4. Josh Donaldson- 3B 5. Miguel Sano- RF 6. Eduardo Nunez- SS 7. Brian Dozier- 2B 8. Byung Ho Park- DH 9. Kurt Suzuki- C Starting Rotation 1. Noah Syndergaard 2. Jake Odorizzi 3. Ervin Santana 4. Tyler Duffey 5. Pat Dean What are your thoughts? Who would you have taken? How could Byron Buxton fit into this crowded line-up? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. Click here to view the article

The Lookouts are under .500 this season but that hasn't stopped the club from having some strong individual performances. The Southern League announced the 2016 All-Star team and the initial roster features five Lookouts players: starting pitcher DJ Baxendale, relief pitcher Trevor Hildenberger, catcher Mitch Garver, outfielder Travis Harrison and designated hitter Daniel Palka. Cedar Rapids is hosting the Midwest League All-Star Game and both squads' initial rosters were also released on Tuesday. The Kernels have three players on the roster including starting pitcher Sam Clay, second baseman Luis Arraez, and outfielder LaMonte Wade. Would any of these newly named All-Stars play a role in Tuesday night's contests? Read on to find out.RED WINGS REPORT Rochester 5, Buffalo 2 Box Score The Red Wings were outhit 12 to 8 but two big home runs put Rochester on top. Both of the team's home runs came from the bottom of the order. Adam Brett Walker smacked his 12th home run of the season and scored two of the team's runs. John Ryan Murphy went 1-for-3 with his first home run since being demoted to Rochester. Eddie Rosario collected his ninth double and Jorge Polanco went 2-for-4. Rochester faced a familiar foe on Tuesday as Scott Diamond started for Buffalo and allowed five runs including two home runs mentioned above. Logan Darnell matched Diamond with 6.1 innings but he was able to get out of multiple jams. He allowed 10 hits but held the Bison to two runs. Marcus Walden and Sean Burnett put up zeros across the last 2.2 innings. It was the first save for Burnett since joining Rochester. With the win, the Red Wings improved to 9 games over .500 at 34-25. That record is good enough for first place in the International League North by two games over the Lehigh Valley IronPigs. This marked the fifth win in the team's last six games. CHATTANOOGA CHATTER Chattanooga 6, Jacksonville 1 Box Score The Lookouts found themselves in a 1-1 tight game before plating multiple runs in two of the team's last three trips to the plate. Four players had multi-hit efforts including recently named All-Stars Daniel Palka and Mitch Garver as both went 2-for-4 with each also scoring a pair of runs. Palka hustled around for his second triple of the year. DJ Hicks had three hits including a double and Engelb Vielma drove in a run while joining the multi-hit parade. David Hurlbut improved to 4-3 after pitching seven strong innings. He allowed one earned run on six hits while striking out five with no walks. It was the first time he made it through seven frames since the middle of last month (5/16/2016). Omar Bencomo earned an unconventional save as he tossed two frames but walked three and struck out four. Chattanooga is now two games under .500 with a 28-30 record. This puts them 9.5 games behind the Jackson Generals for first place in the Southern League North. Their first half elimination number is now four so they might need to focus on making a playoff push in the second half. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 11, Kane County 5 Box Score On the day he was named to the Midwest League All-Star Game, Sam Clay took the mound for the Kernels. He did not need to be perfect on this night to pick up the win. He tossed five innings and allowed three runs on five hits while striking out three and walking three. It was his first win since 5/13/2016 but it was only he second start all season where he allowed more than one earned run. The Kernels offense provided plenty of support for Clay. Sean Miller went 4-for-5 with his eighth double while driving in a pair of runs. Jermaine Palacios scored two runs and collected two RBIs as part of a multi-hit night. Every batter in the Kernels' line-up reached base at least once as the team had 17 chances to bat with runners in scoring position. The team was pretty successful as only five runners were left on base. Williams Ramirez did great in relief as he pitched two scoreless frames and struck out four. Michael Theofanopoulos struck out the side in the eighth but gave up a solo home run. Sam Gibbons pitched a perfect ninth while striking out two. Out of the 13 pitches thrown by Gibbons, nine were for strikes. TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day- David Hurlbut, Chattanooga Lookouts Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day- Sean Miller, Cedar Rapids Kernels WEDNESDAY'S PROBABLE STARTERS Rochester @ Buffalo (6:05 CST)- LHP Tommy Milone (3-0, 2.08 ERA) Chattanooga vs. Jacksonville (6:15 CST)- RHP Aaron Slegers (2-4, 3.84 ERA) Fort Myers @ Brevard County (5:35 CST)- LHP Tyler Jay (4-4, 2.44 ERA) Cedar Rapids vs. Kane County (6:35 CST)- RHP Fernando Romero (3-0, 1.69 ERA) Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss the Tuesday games. Click here to view the article

May I have your attention please Will the real Eduardo Nunez please stand up? I repeat, will the real Eduardo Nunez please stand up? Where did this Eduardo Nunez guy come from? Why haven't the Twins played him more? Why can't he keep his helmet on? Many Twins fans have pondered these questions as Nunez has evolved into one of the most consistent hitters in the Twins line-up at the beginning of the 2016 campaign.Nunez joined the Twins before the 2014 season and he has been used sparingly over the last two seasons. In just under 400 at-bats, he hit .265/.299/.406 with 34 extra-base hits and a 60 to 17 strikeout to walk ratio. There were some that questioned whether he should be offered arbitration because he hadn't provided a lot of value during his Twins tenure. At the start of the 2016 season, Nunez's playing time was limited through the team's first five games. However, he made himself known in game number six by going 4-for-4 with an RBI and a stolen base against Royals, the defending World Series champions. Since that game, Nunez has hit .337/.365/.519 with 18 extra-base hits, 27 runs scored, and 12 stolen bases. Those totals rank him second in the American League in steals and fourth in batting average. After watching him for two seasons, it's hard to get a handle on this new and improved version of Nunez and there could be some reasons for the shift in his numbers. Nunez has seen big jumps in batting average and slugging percentage. His rise in batting average can likely be attributed to a large jump in his BABIP. For his career, Nunez has posted a BABIP of just over .300 but he busted out of the gate with a .367 BABIP so far in 2016. With a pair of home runs in the Rays series, Nunez set a career high with seven home runs after never having more than five in a season. In previous seasons, Nunez's on-base percentage has been 40 points higher than his batting average. This season he hasn't been drawing walks, with six walks in just over 180 plate appearances. He doesn't need to draw a lot of walks when his batting average is over .330 but he's also been striking out a lot. His career high in strikeouts was 51 in 2013 and he's on his way to shattering that total as he has already tallied 30 strikeouts. Although Nunez has been producing at the plate, his defensive flaws have surfaced with his increased playing time. Last season in limited action, Nunez compiled a runs from fielding (Rfield) total of five. This means he was five runs better than an average player was in relation to all fielding. This year his Rfield total is currently negative five as he's posted negative marks at all three defensive positions he's played. Every team gets an All-Star representative and Nunez has a chance to be Minnesota's lone player in the Mid-Summer Classic. His ability to play multiple defensive positions could be intriguing to the American League manager even if he is below average at all of the positions. It seems unlikely that many managers would want Nunez batting in an important spot with home field advantage in the World Series on the line but baseball is a game where strange things happen. Twins fans have had little to cheer about this season but Nunez gives fans a reason to stand up. The real Eduardo Nunez might have been here all along. Unfortunately, he will likely follow the path of his helmet and coming crashing back down to earth at some point. For now, enjoy the ride. I guess there is a little Eduardo Nunez in all of us. Darn it, let's all stand up. Click here to view the article

Tuesday was a roster movement day in the Twins system. The move most of Twins Territory will focus on is top-prospect Byron Buxton being recalled by the big league club. Buxton had been destroying the baseball at Triple-A and a hamstring injury to Danny Santana opened a roster spot. At Rochester, Buxton's roster space was filled by left-handed pitcher Dan Runzler who had been on the DL. One of the team's other top prospects, Kohl Stewart, was also promoted from Fort Myers to Chattanooga. The Miracle also sent outfielder Austin Diemer to extended spring training. Fort Myers filled their roster by adding right-handed pitcher Luke Bard from Chattanooga and right-handed pitcher Randy LeBlanc from Cedar Rapids. Left-handed reliever Cam Booser was also activated by Cedar Rapids Would any of these new faces make an impact in their new places? You'll have to read on to find out.RED WINGS REPORT Rochester 3, Indianapolis 9 Box Score The suddenly Buxton-less Red Wings line-up had to search out other options to fill his offensive void. Eddie Rosario hit his first Triple-A home run of the season as part of a two-hit night. Buck Britton and Wilfredo Tovar joined Rosario in the multi-hit category and Tovar swiped a pair of bases. His 16 steals were tied with the league leaders in the International League as play started on Tuesday. Max Kepler and Jorge Polanco each cracked his fourth double of the season. Jose Berrios had dominated Triple-A all season so maybe it was time for a clunker. He pitched five innings and allowed seven runs on 10 hits. He struck out six and walked two. Of his 86 pitches, 58 were for strikes and he surrendered two home runs. David Martinez finished out the last three innings by allowing two runs on three hits with three strikeouts. The loss dropped the Red Wings to 29-23 as they sit a half game behind the Scranton/WB RailRiders for first place in the International League North. In the last week, Rochester has played Indianapolis five times and lost three of those games. CHATTANOOGA CHATTER Chattanooga 10, Birmingham 6 Box Score The Lookouts found themselves in the midst of back-and-forth contest where either squad could have come out on top. DJ Hicks had a solid night at the plate as he went 3-for-5 with a double, two RBI, and two runs scored. Travis Harrison and Leonardo Reginatto both collected triples as part of a multi-hit evening. Mitch Garver scored two runs and drove in another run and Stuart Turner finished 2-for-4. D.J. Baxendale started and allowed five runs on 11 hits with two strikeouts. Corey Williams kept the team in the game by only allowing one batter to reach base in 1.2 innings while striking out two. Mason Melotakis gave up a solo home run as the Lookout lead shrunk to one run. Trevor Hildenberger pitched a perfect bottom of the ninth to close out the game. With the win, Chattanooga improved to 23-28 as they have won four of their last six games. The Jackson Generals have jumped out to an 8.5 game lead in the Southern League North. The Lookouts currently sit 10 games out of first place. MIRACLE MATTERS Ft. Myers 4, St. Lucie 0 Box Score Tyler Jay was simply dominant on this night. For the second straight start, he set a career-high in strikeouts and he collected double digits in strikeouts for the first time. Jay threw 98 pitches (73 strikes) across eight shutout innings. He struck out 11 and walked one while limiting the Mets to two hits that were both singles. Yorman Landa finished out the ninth to complete the shutout as the two pitchers faced one batter over the minimum. Fort Myers wasted little time jumping out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning to support Jay. Most of the damage was done as Alex Real walked with two out to put runners on first and second. Edgar Corcino tripled to drive in the first two runs. Chris Paul followed this with a single to cap off the inning and put the Miracle up for good. Every hitter in the line-up reached base with the exception of Trey Vavra. Engelb Vielma and Tanner Witt both reached base three times. Witt drove in the team's fourth run and Vielma stole his first base. Paul finished the night 2-for-4. The win ended a three-game losing streak for Fort Myers. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 1, Beloit 2 (10 Innings) Box Score In his last start, Sam Clay got beat up and didn't make it out of the third inning. A very different pitcher took the mound on Tuesday night. Clay pitched seven shutout innings by allowing one hit and striking out eight. He took a no-hitter into the fifth inning and his seven scoreless innings were a career high. In two of his last three starts, he has pitched at least seven innings and allowed one run or less. The rest of the Kernels pitching staff wasn't so good. Sam Gibbons had to wiggle out of a sticky situation in the eighth inning before leaving the tying run at second. Williams Ramirez wasn't as lucky as he allowed the tying run, his first earned run of the season, to score in the bottom of the ninth. In his first appearance with the club, Cam Booser took the loss as he was only able to record one out in the tenth. Cedar Rapids went 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position and the club couldn't manage a single extra-base hit. Sean Miller collected three of the team's eight hits and the only RBI. Nelson Molina went 1-for-3 with a walk and a run scored. Alex Perez reached base twice out of the lead-off spot. TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day- Tyler Jay, Fort Myers Miracle Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day- DJ Hicks, Chattanooga Lookouts WEDNESDAY'S PROBABLE STARTERS Rochester @ Indianapolis (12:35 CST)- LHP Logan Darnell (5-4, 3.74 ERA) Chattanooga @ Birmingham (12:30 CST)- LHP Nick Greenwood (2-1, 4.50 ERA) Fort Myers vs. St. Lucie (6:05 CST)- RHP Keaton Steele (1-4, 4.03 ERA) Cedar Rapids @ Beloit (7:00 CST)- RHP Fernando Romero (2-0, 0.90 ERA) Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss the Tuesday games. Click here to view the article

David Ortiz will always have a lasting place in Twins lore. He's the "one that got away for nothing" before becoming a legend in Boston. Ortiz is likely on his way to the Hall of Fame and the Twins released him. Even Terry Ryan has admitted that letting the slugger go was a "mistake." Boston is making their lone 2016 trek to Target Field next week and Ortiz is planning on retiring at season's end. This means he will be making his final appearance in Minnesota, the place where he made his big league debut.The Twins weren't the only team to give up on Ortiz before he reached his full potential. Around Thanksgiving in 1992, Ortiz was signed as an amateur free agent by the Seattle Mariners. He'd play three seasons in the Mariners system and he hit 18 home runs in the Midwest League as a 20-year old. Minnesota liked what they saw in Ortiz and he was dealt from Seattle as a player to be named later in a trade for Dave Hollins. He would fly through Minnesota's three highest minor league levels during the next season and he even made his debut by season's end. In 140 minor league games, he cracked 31 home runs, drove in 124, and posted a .940 OPS. He's was only 21-years old and it looked like he might be one of the players to help turn around Minnesota's losing ways. Prior to the 1998 season, Baseball America ranked him as the 84th best prospect in the game. It was the only time he would be featured on their prospect list. During that season, he was limited to 97 games but 86 of those games came at the big league level. He combined to hit .277/.371/.446 with 29 extra-base hits but he struck out in over a 25% of his at-bats. Minnesota couldn't find a place for Ortiz in the 1999 line-up as he played all but 10 games at the Triple-A level. Keep in mind, the 1998 Twins were on their way to finishing with a 63-97 record and their leading home run hitter was Ron Coomer. Meanwhile at Triple-A, Ortiz slugged 30 home runs and 35 double while posting a .315/.412/.590 batting line. As the calendar turned to a new century, Ortiz was given his first full season of MLB action. He posted a .810 OPS with 47 extra-base hits. He finished second on the team in doubles, third in OPS, and he was one of four Twins to hit double-digit home runs. Things started changing in 2001. Ortiz was hurt again for a chunk of the season as he was limited to 89 games. Even with the limited number of games, he was able to hit 18 home runs and 17 doubles. However, the Twins were looking for Ortiz to have a breakout season and he hadn't been able to do that up to that point. 2002 would be the final season for Ortiz in Minnesota. He put up very respectable numbers as he collected 20 home runs for the first time in his career and hit .272/.339/.500. The Twins won 94 games and made it all the way to the ALCS before falling to the eventual World Series champions, the Angels. Ortiz hit .313 in that ALCS with a pair of RBIs but it wasn't enough. Minnesota entered the off-season at an interesting point in their franchise. They were on the brink of a string of six division titles in nine seasons. Ortiz was eligible for arbitration and would likely get a bump in pay to around $2 million. Matt LeCroy, a former first-round pick, was a much cheaper option at designated hitter. The club also had Doug Mientkiewicz at first base and budding first base prospect Justin Morneau. Oritz was getting pushed out by the other options. The Twins still needed to be conscious of how they were spending their money and Ortiz was getting expensive. He had yet to produce a breakout season at the big league level and there had been some injury concerns in the past. It was the cheap choice but that's where the Twins were in the Metrodome era. Boston signed Ortiz for $1.25 million, a figure that was almost half of what he would have made in arbitration. The Red Sox took a flyer on him and it was a franchise altering move. He has gone on to win multiple World Series rings and was a vital reason the Red Sox were able to break their championship drought. After nine All-Star Game appearances and six Silver Slugger Awards, Ortiz is a legend. It was a mistake and you'd be tough pressed to find anyone who didn't come to the same conclusion. Every team has skeletons in their closet but the Ortiz decision will live on in Twins Territory for years to come. Click here to view the article

Baseball's rich history is something that draws fans to the game. Records are meant to be set and records are meant to be broken. That's all part of the game. There were a few records on the line as Tuesday's action got underway. Randy LeBlanc entered his start with the Kernels in the midst of an impressive scoreless streak. He hadn't allowed a run in 28 innings before taking the mound tonight. Tyler Jay has also been improving for Fort Myers and he would do something that he had never done before. Would LeBlanc's streak continue? What kind of record did Jay set? Read on to find out.RED WINGS REPORT Rochester 3, Indianapolis 4 Box Score Roster Moves: Left-handed pitcher Sean Burnett was signed by Minnesota and assigned to Rochester. Infielder Jorge Polanco was optioned to Rochester. Outfielder Max Kepler and left-handed pitcher Dan Runzler were placed on the disabled list. Kepler has a left groin strain and Runzler has a right oblique strain. Rochester tried to rally late in this game but they didn't have enough steam left to get it done. Byron Buxton had given the Wings an early 1-0 lead with his fourth home run of the season. Kennys Vargas walked twice in two appearances and also cranked his seventh home run. His 26 walks were tied with Richie Shaffer for the league lead coming into play on Tuesday. Jorge Polanco collected his fourth triple and trails Max Kepler by two for the league lead. Andrew Albers was tagged for three runs on four hits with three strikeouts and three walks. It was his first loss since rejoining the Red Wings. Marcus Walden allowed one earned run on two hits. Sean Burnett made his Rochester debut and allowed one base runner on a walk while striking out one. The Red Wings drop to 25-20 with the loss and it was only the team's second loss in their last seven contests. Rochester is a half game back in the International League North Division as Scranton/WB has played one more game than the Wings and got a win. MIRACLE MATTERS Ft. Myers 1, Palm Beach 3 Box Score Fort Myers took an early 1-0 in the first inning and they managed to do this without getting a hit. Logan Wade started the frame with a walk before advancing to second on a deep fly-out. The next batter was Nick Gordon and he grounded to the shortstop who bobbled the ball and Wade was waved around to score the team's only run. Chris Paul went 3-for-5 and Wade reached base three times including the team's only extra-base hit, a double. Tyler Jay struck out a career-high eight batters as the Miracle combined to collect a season high 14 strikeouts. Jay went five frames and scattered six hits on his way to allowing a pair of earned runs. Brandon Peterson allowed one run but struck out four in two innings. Yorman Landa and Todd Van Steensel finished the final two frames by putting zeros on the board. The Miracle dropped to 24-22 after leaving 11 men on base and going 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position. Fort Myers has struggled over the last week as they have lost six of their last eight games. Even with the recent struggles, the Florida State League South is a mess as every team is within three games of first place. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 4, Burlington 1 Box Score The streak was bound to end but Randy LeBlanc did his best to stretch it as far as the Bees would allow it to go. LeBlanc saw his scoreless streak stretched to 34 innings before the Bees pushed across a run. He finished the night by allowing one run in seven innings with three strikeouts. He's the first Midwest League pitcher to reach six wins. Anthony McIver earned his first save, a two inning version, with five strikeouts. Brian Olson and Nelson Molina both had multi-hit nights with each player collecting a double. The Kernels had five doubles on the night with Luis Arraez, Daniel Kihle, and Sean Miller collecting the other three. Monday's walk-off hero Zander Wiel went 1-for-3 while Jermaine Palacios hit his first triple of the season. Cedar Rapids improves to eight games above .500 with the win as they have a two game edge on the Clinton LumberKings for the top spot in the Midwest League Western Division. The Kernels have won six of their last seven games. TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day- Randy LeBlanc, Cedar Rapids Kernels Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day- Kennys Vargas, Rochester Red Wings WEDNESDAY'S PROBABLE STARTERS Rochester vs. Indianapolis (6:05 CST)- LHP Jason Wheeler (2-1, 1.65 ERA) Chattanooga vs. Tenessee (6:15 CST)- RHP D.J. Baxendale (3-5, 3.11 ERA) Fort Myers vs. Palm Beach (6:05 CST)- RHP Keaton Steele (1-4, 4.31 ERA) Cedar Rapids @ Burlington (6:30 CST)- LHP Sam Clay (3-1, 1.10 ERA) Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss the Tuesday games. Click here to view the article

In the midst of a surprise playoff push last season, the Twins dealt two minor league players including one of the team's top-20 prospects for some relief help. Kevin Jepsen had playoff experience during his time in Los Angeles and he had been productive with Tampa Bay. There was an extra year of team control attached to Jepsen so Minnesota brought him into the fold. His first 29 appearances with the Twins were very good. He posted a 1.61 ERA and a 25 to 7 strikeout to walk ratio while picking up 10 saves. It might have been the best stretch of pitching in his big league career. More importantly, he was doing this at a time when the Twins were fighting for the playoffs and Glen Perkins was trying to pitch through an injury before being shut down for the year.The 2016 season has seen a very different Jepsen in a Twins uniform. His ERA is north of 5.00 and he's never posted a season ERA that high in any season where he's thrown more than 15 innings. He's already surrendered four home runs which is tied for the second most he has ever allowed in a season. It's clear that something isn't clicking for Mr. Jepsen. Over the last two seasons, Jepsen has been used a lot. From 2014 through 2015, the only AL pitcher with more than Jepsen's 149 appearances is Bryan Shaw (154 appearances). Jepsen lead AL pitchers in appearances in 2015. He will turn 32 later this summer so there could be a lethal combination of innings adding up with his age. One of the biggest changes this season might be Jepsen's ability use his fastball effectively. Opponents are hitting .300/.338/.583 off his fastball after posting a measly .546 OPS in 2015. His fastball velocity has also been declining over the last three seasons. During the 2014 campaign, his average velocity stay at 95 mph or higher for nearly every appearance. This season he's been limited to two outings where the average velocity on his fastball was 95 mph. Jepsen's curveball has been his most effective pitch for striking out batters throughout his career. However, this season there have been limited opportunities to use this pitch because he can't get ahead of batters early in the count. His SO/9 rate is 8.4 for his career and that number has dropped to 6.2 so far this year. Minnesota's bullpen needs help and the struggles are not limited to Jepsen. The plan was for Trevor May, Jepsen and Perkins to be a relief pitching trio which could bridge the gap from the starter to the end of the game. That plan hasn't worked yet and it isn't all Jepsen's fault. Closers get a lot of focus because of the big leverage outs they are asked to get. Jepsen has not been the same pitcher this season and Twins Territory is frustrated with the way this season has started. In the end, Jepsen is going to need to find what life is left in his right arm to show he can continue to be a late inning pitcher. Otherwise, he might become the fan's punching bag as the losses continue to mount. Click here to view the article

He didn't even play tonight. He's been dealing with some back spasms so he needs to get healthy and continue to hit well. Then he should be back up.

Winning baseball might not be happening in Minnesota but plenty of the team's minor league affiliates are playing well. Entering play on Thursday night, the Chattanooga Lookouts were the lone affiliate without a winning record. All of the organization's other clubs are within a handful of games for the top spot in their division. That could mean clinching a first-half playoff spot for some of the teams if they continue their winning ways. Who could inch closer to the top of the standings on Thursday night? Read on to find out.RED WINGS REPORT Rochester 6, Durham 3 Box Score Roster Moves: Outfielder Eddie Rosario was optioned from Minnesota and outfielder Robbie Grossman had his contract selected by Minnesota. Adam Brett Walker hit two home runs and Max Kepler fell a single short of the cycle as the Red Wings powered their way past the Bulls. Kepler finished 3-for-5 with three RBI and two runs scored. Both of Walker's home runs were solo shots as he has six home runs so far this season. Eddie Rosario had a double in his return to Rochester. Jason Wheeler picked up the victory for the Red Wings. Across 6.2 innings of work, he scattered four hits and allowed no runs while striking out six and walking one. His season ERA is down to 1.65 and this was the third time he had pitched at least six innings without giving up a run. Dan Runzler struggled with his control and allowed three runs after giving up three walks. J.T. Chargois was asked to get a unique save as he came in to finish out the eighth before closing in the ninth. It was his first save with Rochester. The Red Wings have won three straight games and are one game behind the Scranton/WB RailRiders for first place in the International League North. CHATTANOOGA CHATTER Chattanooga 2, Jackson 3 Box Score The Lookouts jumped out to an early 2-0 lead but that lead would disappear in the second half of this game. Chattanooga scored a first inning run after a Leonardo Reginatto single and a Daniel Palka walk was followed by a D.J. Hicks single. The team's only other run came in the fourth inning as Joe Maloney knocked a one-out double and would later score on a wild pitch. Hicks finished the game 2-for-4 while Reginatto was the only other player to reach base twice in the game. D.J. Baxendale was cruising through the first four frames before running into three-run onslaught in the fifth. He would be pulled after the frame as he allowed three runs on six hits with three strikeouts. Omar Bencomo and Corey Williams combined for three scoreless frames to keep the game close but the Lookouts couldn't manage any more runs. Chattanooga drops to five games under .500 with the loss. After winning four straight over the weekend, the Lookouts have lost three in a row. MIRACLE MATTERS Ft. Myers 5, Dunedin 4 (12 Innings) Box Score Fort Myers found themselves trailing by two runs after three innings but they slowly picked away at the Blue Jays lead. The first big hit of the night was a Alex Real solo-home run to tie the game in the eighth inning. He finished the night with three hits. Trey Vavra came up with the other big hit of the evening after being held hit-less up until that point. To lead off the top of the 12th frame, he launched his fifth home run of the season. Nick Gordon drove in a pair of runs and Chris Paul reached base five times including two doubles. Felix Jorge started for the Miracle and took the no-decision after allowing four runs, two earned, in five innings. He struck out four and walked one and it was the first time all season that he didn't pitch six innings or more. The Miracle bullpen was outstanding. Brian Gilbert, Todd Van Steensel, and Raul Fernandez all pitched two scoreless innings. Brandon Peterson picked up his second save by striking out the side in the bottom of the 12th. With the win, Fort Myers improves to 23-18 on the year as they have won three of their last five games. They currently sit atop the standings in the Florida State League South Division. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 2, Beloit 1 (11 Innings) Box Score Sam Clay did his best to put the Kernels in position to win but he wouldn't be around to see how this one ended. He tossed seven innings while allowing one earned run on three hits with seven strikeouts and three walks. Clay hasn't allowed more than one run in any of his starts this year and this was his third straight game with at least seven strikeouts. Michael Theofanopoulos collected strikeouts for four of the six outs he was asked to get. Nick Anderson improved to 3-0 with his third win out of the bullpen. There wasn't much offense on the Cedar Rapids side of the ball so the ending of this game was fitting. A.J. Murray walked to lead-off the 11th inning. Zander Wiel tried to move Murray over with a bunt but the pitcher threw the ball away and both runners were safe. Luis Arraez grounded out to second and the runners advanced. J.J. Fernandez hit the ball to second and Murray was thrown out at the plate while trying to score the winning run. To end the game, Wiel scored from third on a wild pitch. With the win, the Kernels took the final two games of their series with Beloit before playing Quad Cities this weekend. Cedar Rapids finds themselves a half game out of first place in the Midwest League Western Division. TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day- Jason Wheeler, Rochester Red Wings Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day- Adam Brett Walker, Rochester Red Wings FRIDAY'S PROBABLE STARTERS Rochester @ Durham (6:05 CST)- LHP Logan Darnell (4-3, 4.17 ERA) Chattanooga @ Jackson (7:05 CST)- LHP Nick Greenwood (1-0, 4.15 ERA) Fort Myers vs. Tampa (6:05 CST)- LHP Randy Rosario (2-3, 3.48 ERA) Cedar Rapids vs. Quad Cities (6:35 CST)- TBD Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss the Thursday games. Click here to view the article

Baseball is a game of streaks. Hitting streaks, winning streaks, and a pile of other streaks are all part of the game. After taking their last four games, the Lookouts entered play on Tuesday with their longest winning streak since last August. Tyler Jay was on the mound for Fort Myers and he hadn't given up a run in his last two appearances while lowering his ERA to close to 3.00. Would either of these streaks continue on Tuesday? You'll have to read on to find out.RED WINGS REPORT Rochester 9, Charlotte 3 Box Score Rochester's offense exploded for seven runs in the first four frames as the team collected 12 hits in the game. Every batter in the lineup had a hit with the exception of Max Kepler. Tommy Field led the way with a pair of home runs while finishing 3-for-4 with four RBI. Kennys Vargas belted his fifth home run of the season as part of a multi-hit effort. Stephen Wickens also joined the home run party with a solo shot in the third. Andrew Albers improved to 2-0 as he was able to pitch comfortably with a lead for six innings. He worked out of a few jams as he allowed 10 hits but limited the Knights to three earned runs. He struck out three and walked one. J.T Chargois was asked to get five outs and he did so by striking out five batters. Buddy Boshers and Dan Runzler each added zeros to the scoreboard during their appearances. The Red Wings continue to hover around the .500 mark and now sit at 21-18 after winning three of their last four games. Few teams are gaining much separation in the International League North as Rochester is one of three teams tied for the top spot and no team is more than three games out of first. Roster Moves: Outfielder Robbie Grossman was signed by Minnesota and assigned to Rochester. Right-handed pitcher Jose Berrios was optioned to Rochester. In a corresponding move, left-handed pitcher Taylor Rogers was recalled by Minnesota CHATTANOOGA CHATTER Chattanooga 7, Biloxi 9 Box Score The Lookouts tried their best to keep their winning streak alive but an early five-run deficit was too much to overcome. Aaron Slegers got hit around for seven runs on nine hits including two long balls. He struck out three and walked two on the way to his fourth loss. Luke Westphal was called on and allowed two earned runs in three frames. Mason Melotakis and Mike Strong finished the last two innings without allowing a run but they combined to walk three without a strikeout. Zach Granite's speed was on full display in this contest as he reached base three times including a triple and had his 17th stolen base. Joe Maloney went 3-for-5 with a double and two runs scored. Travis Harrison didn't collect a hit but he did get walked three times. Daniel Palka was the only player on the team not to reach base in the game. The loss drops the Lookouts to 18-21 which is good enough for third place in the Southern League North. They are five games behind the Jackson Generals for the top spot. Chattanooga has still won seven of their last 11 and they have a quick turn-around with any early Wednesday game. MIRACLE MATTERS Ft. Myers 0, Dunedin 4 Box Score Fort Myers was held to three hits as the Blue Jays cruised to an easy 4-0 shutout. Tanner Witt and Edgar Corcino both went 1-for-4 with a double but neither man made it around to score. Austin Diemer had the team's other hit, a single. Overall, the team left four runners on base and went 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position. Tyler Jay suffered his third loss but he still pitched great. Over six innings of work, he allowed one earned run on four hits with six strikeouts and two walks. In his last three starts, he has pitched 19.1 innings and only allowed one earned run while striking out 19. John Curtiss gave up three runs in his inning of work to add to the Dunedin lead. Luke Bard struck out two in the eighth frame. With the loss, the Miracle dropped to 22-17 on the season. This was the team's third loss in the last five games but the club still sits atop the standings in the Florida State League South. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 3, Beloit 5 Box Score The Kernels found themselves in an early 3-0 hole and they spent most of the game trying to dig their way out. Cody Stashak started for Cedar Rapids and was charged with three earned runs over six innings. He struck out two and walked none. It was the fourth straight start where he has pitched into the sixth frame while allowing two earned runs or fewer. Sam Gibbons surrendered two earned runs as he walked three across two innings. Michael Cederoth struck out two in a perfect ninth. Cedar Rapids went 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position and left six runners on base. Daniel Kihle was the only batter with more than one hit. He finished the night 2-for-4 with two runs scored. J.J. Fernandez had the team's only extra base hit, a double, but he also struck out three times. LaMonte Wade reached base three times in four plate appearances. Following the loss, the Kernels dropped to 20-17 and sit two games back of Clinton for the top spot in the Midwest League Western Division. The Snappers are only one game behind the Kernels so tomorrow's game is important and Cedar Rapids send Randy LeBlanc and his 0.90 ERA to the mound. TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day- Tyler Jay, Fort Myers Miracle Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day- Tommy Field, Rochester Red Wings WEDNESDAY'S PROBABLE STARTERS Rochester @ Charlotte (6:05 CST)- RHP David Martinez (1-3, 5.14 ERA) Chattanooga vs. Biloxi (10:15 am CST)- RHP Ryan Eades (2-2, 5.00 ERA) Fort Myers @ Dunedin (5:30 CST)- RHP Keaton Steele (1-3, 4.01 ERA) Cedar Rapids vs. Beloit (6:35 CST)- RHP Randy LeBlanc (4-2, 0.90 ERA) Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss the Tuesday games. Click here to view the article

When a team starts out as poorly as the Twins have this season, fans are going to be left searching for answers. Is this Terry Ryan's fault for not having a better roster? Are the minor league coaches to blame for not preparing the team's top prospects? Or is there a much simpler answer? Over the last week, there has been plenty of discussion about Torii Hunter not being on the current Twins squad. Even national baseball writers have noticed and wondered if Hunter could make a difference in turning this team around. Hunter himself has said that the Twins' "are kind of going through the motions."For years fans of this club have engaged in endless discussion about who the clubhouse leader is with Hunter not on the roster. Joe Mauer's quiet demeanor doesn't demand everyone's attention. Some players might react better to more subtle leadership compared to Hunter's boisterous attitude. Players like Brian Dozier and Glen Perkins have taken on leadership roles but it's not quite the same as with Hunter. This isn't the first team to struggle a year after Hunter left. There's been an interesting trend in regard to teams Hunter has been on and the clubs' results in the season following his departure. Los Angeles Angels Era (2008-2012) The Angels were a playoff team the year before Hunter signed with them as a free agent but they were easily swept out of the first round by Boston. In Hunter's first LA season, the team improved from 94 wins to 100 wins, the only team in franchise history to reach the century mark. The Angeles lost to the Red Sox again in 2008 before making the ALCS in 2009 and losing to the Yankees. That was the last year Los Angeles won a playoff series. Hunter's last year in LA was 2012 when the club went 89-73 and finished five games out of first place. The season after he left was even worse as the club dropped to 78-84. The Angels finished 18 games out of first which was their worst mark since 2003. Detroit Tigers Time (2013-2014) Hunter moved on from Los Angeles and came back to the AL Central in 2013. The Tigers were coming off a World Series sweep the year prior to signing Hunter. Detroit jumped from 88 wins in 2012 to 93 wins with Hunter in the line-up. That club made it to the ALCS before falling to the Red Sox in six games. Detroit's 90 wins topped the AL Central again in 2014 but they were swept by Baltimore in the ALDS. The club took a big step backward during their first year without Hunter and finished 74-87 (20.5 games behind Kansas City). Minnesota Twins Homecoming (2015) Minnesota brought Hunter back last year on the heels of four straight 90-loss seasons. Some questioned the move since it didn't seem like the Twins were in a position to start winning now. The Twins proved plenty of doubters wrong as the team wasn't eliminated from playoff contention until the final weekend of the season. Minnesota also improved from 70 wins in 2014 to 83 wins. His play on the field wasn't leading to wins but his off the field leadership might have kept morale a little higher. It's hard to argue with results as the Twins have struggled to get to double-digits wins by the middle of May. All three of Hunter's clubs have struggled in the year after he left. Los Angeles won 11 fewer games, Detroit fell by 16 games, and Minnesota seems destined for another 90 losses. Can one player make that much of a difference? There's no way to quantify what a player's off-field contributions are to a team. A lot of this leadership happens behind closed doors and out of the earshot of local media members. From dance parties to firing guys up in the clubhouse, Hunter made his mark on this franchise but he certainly couldn't get the current squad into playoff contention by himself. Hunter has been the heart and soul of this organization during his two Minnesota stints but there isn't a simple solution to fix the 2016 Twins because there are plenty of other things wrong with this team. Pitchers need to pitch better and batters need to break out of their slumps. Baseball is a game of adjustments and this club hasn't made the right adjustments yet. No number of dance parties is going to fix those issues. Click here to view the article

The craziest rumor has been swirling around the baseball world... What if the Angels considered trading Mike Trout? By many accounts, Trout has been the best player in the baseball world since his rookie campaign. His first full season was 2012 and during that time he has the highest fWAR. It's not really all that close as Andrew McCutchen's 28.4 WAR is 11.5 point lower than Trout. He's used his five-tools to lead the league in a variety of categories and win multiple MVP awards but does it even make sense for the Angels to part ways with a once-in-a-generation player.To understand why this could be necessary, it's important to understand the current state of affairs in Los Angeles. The Angels are hurting with mounting injuries and they have a historically bad minor league system. Having the best player in the world doesn't help if a team isn't able to provide supporting pieces to make a postseason run. Los Angeles hasn't been in the playoffs since 2014 and they haven't won a playoff series since 2009. Minnesota's poor start to the season isn't exactly screaming that this club is ready to take a big step forward and make a playoff push. However, the Twins have one of the best farm systems in the game and this means they could put together quite the package to try to lure Los Angeles into at least considering a deal. Any deal for Trout would likely need to include many of the Twins best prospects. Coming into the 2016 season, Minnesota's top position player prospects included Byron Buxton, Nick Gordon, Max Kepler, and Jorge Polanco. The team's best pitching prospects were Jose Berrios, Tyler Jay, Stephen Gonsalves, and Kohl Stewart. For the Twins to make this kind of move, it would likely take five, six, or even seven of these players. The club has a lot already invested in each of these men as they get closer to becoming big league regulars. This core of young talent is supposed to change a losing culture back into this organization's winning ways. Trout is a superstar player and he can make a huge difference on the field but he can't play all nine positions at once. He is under contract through 2020 when he will be 28-years old. The scary thing could be that he might still be getting better as he gets closer to his prime and this would only add more value to his current contract. The Twins don't look like they are in a position to win this season. Trading away the organization's top prospects would be bargaining away the future with no guarantee that Trout would bring winning baseball back to Minnesota. In fact, Trout coming to Minnesota might be a worse situation for him than his current club unless the Twins were to overhaul their roster. That would be tough to do with a chunk of the farm system dealt for Trout. At this point, a deal for Trout might be a pipe dream as the Angels' GM came out and said that Trout isn't going anywhere. "We have not intent or desire to consider moving Mike Trout -- he's not moving," said Billy Eppler told Fox Sports. "He's an impact player, a huge piece in a championship core." If you are sitting in Terry Ryan's chair, what kind of offer would you put on the table? Would it be worth betting the future for the best player in the game? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. Click here to view the article