Cody Christie

In his first spring training with the Minnesota Twins, Alex Meyer did his best to impress those that were paying attention. The 23-year old right-hander was brought to the organization through the Denard Span trade with the Washington Nationals. Many consider him the top-pitching prospect in the organization and he did nothing to sway those opinions since joining the club. When the Twins made their first round of cuts on Sunday, he was one of the names heading to minor league camp. This was expected since he hasn't pitched above the Single-A level. He should start the year at the Double-A level with New Britain. Last season, he went 10-6 across both A levels in the Nationals farm system. He had a very good 2.86 ERA across 25 starts. He threw 129 innings with 139 strikeouts and 45 walks. Only 39 of his innings came at the High-A level but his number improved at the higher level. His ERA was 2.31 and his WHIP dropped from 1.13 to 1.02. The well publicized trade to bring him to the organization and his performance so far leaves speculation about when he could be making his Target Field debut. If Meyer looked dominant in the first months of the season, the young pitcher could move quickly through the system. The Double-A level might prove to too easy and he could find himself moving into the Rochester rotation. If his domination continued at Triple-A, the Twins might have no choice but to call him up at mid-season. This would be the earliest that Meyer would make his debut. There is always the chance that the Twins will want to take it easy with Meyer. A couple of bad starts in the early part of the season and the team might want to leave him at Double-A until the middle part of the year. This might mean a trip to Rochester won't come until later in the year. This would mean a September call-up might be the best that Meyer could hope for. Things don't always go as planned in the minor leagues. Twins fans are familiar with this trend when it comes to the top pitching prospects in their farm system. Meyer might have a rough year at Double-A and this could mean that he won't advance beyond that level. There are things that the Twins want him to work on and it might take some time and experience to reach that level. Next spring training, the Twins could be in a similar position with Meyer. He will be in big league camp but there will probably still be questions about where he should start the year. Will the Twins want him in the rotation at the big league level? Should he be sent to Rochester for more experience? There are going to be plenty of eyes on Meyer this season and it will be interesting to see how he handles the pressure. In the Nationals organization, there were other pitchers like Stephen Strasburg and Gio Gonzalez at the big league level to take the focus off of him. In the Twins system, he is the top of the list and there will be plenty of hype surrounding his call-up. The fastest that Meyer would make his debut is the middle of 2013. If he doesn't get off to a fast start, he might have to wait for a September call-up. The Twins might bide their time with Meyer. This would mean that he might not make an appearance until the beginning of 2014 when the club has a better shot at getting back to the top. Meyer might be the Twins future ace but fans are going to have to be patient. No matter what his timeline is... When do you think Meyer will make his debut? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]3466[/ATTACH] With the spring being put together by Aaron Hicks, it is looking more and more like he will be playing a part with the big league version of the 2013 Twins. It has been a long road for Hicks since he was taken in the first round of the 2008 draft. There have been ups and downs but the future continues to look bright for this young man. Hicks put together his best professional season last year at the Double-A level. It took quite the evolution to get him to the brink of making his big league debut. Last week, I wrote that it might be better for Hicks to start the year in Rochester but he is making that a tough decision for the front office. Let's look back at how Hicks got to this point in his career. A Start in the Rookie League: After signing with the club, he was sent to the GCL for his first taste of professional baseball. He hit .318/.409/.491 over 45 games and he showed some pop in his bat. His athleticism and power swing generated four home runs, four triples, and 10 doubles in 173 at-bats. Hicks showed the ability to get on base at a tremendous rate. He showed flashes of speed by stealing 12 bases in 14 attempts. His defense has always been strong and he was given the opportunity to showcase this in center field for the GCL Twins. A Double Dose of Low-A: Hicks never made a stop with the E-Twins but he did spend two consecutive years with the Beloit Snappers. The first trip through the Midwest League wasn't the greatest so a second dose seemed to make sense. In his first year with the Snappers, 19-year old Hicks hit .251/.353/.382 with 22 extra base hits in 297 plate appearances. He continued to show the ability to get on base but his batting average was a little lower than desired. His power numbers were almost identical to the previous year but he had 100 more plate appearances to accumulate those numbers. The Twins sent him back to Beloit in 2010. This was a good decision as his numbers increased across the board. He batted .279/.401/.428 with 41 extra base hits. His 88 walks were tremendous and he had 21 steals in 32 attempts. Things seemed to be going in the right direction. A Funk in Fort Myers: After a good year in Beloit, things were starting to look up for Hicks. He headed into the season at the High-A level with expectations rising higher. Things wouldn't go perfectly for him in the Florida State League. Over 122 games, Hicks hit .242/.354/.368. His batting average was down and his power numbers weren't getting any better. He had 41 extra-base hits and 31 of those were doubles. The switch-hitting center fielder wasn't able to find a consistent swing from both sides of the plate and this hurt him. A Chance to Shine in the Desert: A disappointing year can be tough to recover from but the Twins decided it was best for Hicks to continue his 2011 season in the Arizona Fall League. This is typically a league for some of the best prospects in the game so it had to be an honor to be selected to go. He would hit .294 over 30 games and he got on base 40% of the time. He showcased a variety of his power hitting skills by knocking three home runs, eight doubles, and five triples. Hicks was tied for his team lead in triples and doubles. It was a sign of some big things to come in 2012. A Breakout Year in Double-A: The Twins had been patient with Hicks and all of that patience seemed to pay off in 2012. Hicks would have a breakout season at the Double-A level. He seemed to be able to combine the skill set that Twins fans and the front office had been waiting for since he was drafted. Hicks set the Rock Cats record for triples in a season with 11. He clubbed double digits in home runs for the first time in his professional career. He even stole a career high 32 bases while only getting thrown out on 11 attempts. These numbers along with his stellar defense have left him knocking on the door to the big leagues. On the Brink... With the performance that Hicks is putting up in spring training, it is going to be hard to keep him in the minor leagues for any portion of this season. So far this spring, he leads the team in hits, home runs, RBI, and he is tied for the lead in doubles. It seems like the evolution of Hicks might have him on the brink of the big leagues and that is a good sign for the future of the club.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]3454[/ATTACH] The corner infield positions for any club can be an important part of a team's offensive picture. Power hitters usually occupy these two positions and it helps to be competent on the defensive side of the ball. First basemen and third basemen can former the cornerstone of a franchise and they are important positions for the future of the club. Minnesota has basically had one first baseman for the great part of the last decade. On the other hand, third base seems to be a revolving door that the team hopes they have finally stopped. Justin Morneau could be in the last year of his deal with the Twins and Trevor Plouffe is trying to prove that he belongs as a fixture on the club. Each of these men has something to prove in 2013 and both players could be set up to surprise. Over the last few days, fans have gotten an up-close view of just how ready Justin Morneau is for the coming season. In Canada's three games in the World Baseball Classic, Morneau went 7-for-11 with three doubles, four runs scored, and three RBI. It was a great sight for Twins fans to finally see a healthy Morneau producing on the field. While this three game performance was great, it is tough to draw a lot of conclusions from such a small sample size. There are still other things that point to Morneau getting back to his old ways in the coming year. He was able to go through his normal offseason workout routine for the first time in a couple years. This should only help to prepare him for playing a full season. Morneau also knows that he could be reaching free agency for the first time next offseason. He could be playing for his last big contract and that should help to energize him for the coming year. Trevor Plouffe is on the opposite end of the spectrum from Morneau. He has a little over one year of big league experience and he is trying to prove that he belongs with the Twins. There was talk for most of the offseason about bring in competition for Plouffe at third. That competition never showed up and it's up to him to prove the Twins were right to trust him. Last season, Plouffe proved that he could smash the ball over the right field seats on a regular basis. This was great to see but his overall numbers weren't that great. He hit .235/.301/.455 so there is still some room for improvement. The club wants him to show that he can take the ball the other way on occasion. He has been doing that so far this spring and it could be a sign of things to come. While the Twins might not be gearing up for a run to the top of the Central Division, there can still be some positive signs to come out of this year. Morneau wants to prove that he is still one of the best hitters in the game. Plouffe wants to work his name into the long-term plans for the Twins. The corner infielders on Opening Day might be at different points in the careers but they are both set-up to surprise in 2013.

After taking a break for the offseason, "Friday Links-N-Thinks" are back here at NoDak Twins Fan. For those that aren't familiar with this type of post, I will provide a bunch of different links to stories that have interested me from the last week. Some of the stories will be Twins related and others will just be interesting baseball stories. All together, it is a great way to catch-up on the baseball related news from the last week. The Twins are in the midst of spring training and some players have headed out to represent their respective countries in the World Baseball Classic. The start of the baseball season is getting closer so let's dive in to the first edition of "Friday Links-N-Thinks" for the new season. Success hasn't come easy at the big league level for Liam Hendriks. Aaron Hicks is sure making it tough for the Twins to leave him in the minor leagues. Here is what John Sickels had to say about Mr. Hicks. What does the organizations depth chart look like for outfielders? Or infielders? There have been plenty of prospect lists released in the offseason and FanGraphs put their Twins list up this week. With most of the prospect lists out, here is a rundown of all of the players that are featured. The Twins might have the best hitting prospects in the game. Joe Mauer really doesn't like pop-ups. A bench can be tough to build and there has been some debate about the Twins bench. In Team USA's first tune-up game before the World Baseball Classic, Joe Mauer was batting clean-up. Not exactly the prototypical power threat. Numbers are part of baseball and here are some related to the Twins. A chunk of spring training is over and it's tough to know if the Twins have any answers. There are plenty of former Twins players in spring training across baseball. Justin Morneau might owe this man a beverage. [ATTACH=CONFIG]3434[/ATTACH] A soap opera staring Delmon Young could be interesting... The Kansas City Royals are off to a good start this spring. Could this be a sign of things to come in 2013? The Rangers are warming up to AJ Pierzynski. Two years after the death of a Nationals shortstop prospect, this article looks at how MLB tries to pump out players from the Dominican Republic. No one went to the World Baseball Classic game between China and Cuba. Thinking about Big League Chew might bring you back to your younger years. Could a 54-year old be a rookie this year? This college player had to throw his whole glove to first to get an out. My Weekly Rundown: Monday: Making a Thome Plan Tuesday: Gibson, Hicks might be destined for Rochester Wednesday: The Role of Rich Harden Thursday: What made Nick Blackburn successful? Video of the Week: Aaron Hicks had quite the game on Thursday. He would finish the day with three home runs and six RBI. Here is a look at his first home run of the day and it came off of Cliff Lee.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]3411[/ATTACH] The Twins have multiple pitchers in camp recovering from different surgeries in the last year. Scott Diamond and Vance Worley had bone chips removed from their throwing elbow. Mike Pelfrey and Kyle Gibson are recovering from Tommy John surgery. Another interesting name in camp is Rich Harden and he is trying to overcome some shoulder problems that have haunted him in the past. Harden is attempting to make his way back to the big leagues after missing all of last season. In 2011, he started 15 games for the Oakland Athletics at the end of the season. He didn't put up outstanding numbers as he threw almost 83 innings and had a 5.12 ERA. The hope was that he could rekindle some of the magic from his early years with Oakland but that wasn't the case. Last season, Harden didn't throw a pitch as he worked to recover from shoulder surgery. The last time he threw over 100 innings was in 2009 with the Chicago Cubs. His best years at the major league level were in 2004-2005. He threw over 300 innings with a 3.40 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP. Minnesota signed Harden in the middle of December and his name was the most known out of any of the club's offseason signings. In the team's promotional video for the up-coming year, Harden was featured in the same section as Mike Pelfrey and Kevin Correia. These other two names figure to have more of a role this season so where does Harden fit in? At the beginning of spring training, Harden was throwing off the mound. The team has taken a more cautious approach in recent days as he has only been playing catch. Harden has been throwing from 150 feet so it will be interesting to see when he gets back on the mound. Since Minnesota signed Harden to a minor league deal, there is a good chance that he will open the year in the minors. His deal also includes an opt-out clause but he doesn't have the option to do this until July 31. Usually players have the option to opt-out after a month or so if they aren't added to the MLB roster. The Twins still are unsure of what role they will ask Harden to fill. He has served as a starter and as a relief pitcher so the club can decide between either role. If the front office wants to have less stress on his shoulder, this could come in a relief role. His most successful seasons have been as a starter but his health is still a question mark. It is also tough to figure out a place for Harden on the 25-man roster. The team has plenty of other options for the bullpen and the starting rotation. It might take an injury or two to even give Harden a chance to crack the big league roster. Since some of the other starting pitchers are on their way back from injuries, there could be more than one trip to the DL this year. Harden is going to be an interesting player to keep tabs on this season. He seems destined to start the year in the minor leagues and that might be best for him as he comes back from injury. The team could start him at Double-A or Triple-A and he could be a veteran presence to some of the younger pitchers at those levels. Is Harden ever going to get back to the pitcher he was at the beginning of his career? Probably not…. But the Twins took a low-risk chance on a guy that could make an impact for the team this year. It seems like a good deal to me no matter what his role ends up being. Where do you think Harden should end up? Starter? Bullpen? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]3407[/ATTACH] Some of the most intriguing spring training battles for the Twins are the race for the starting center fielder job and for the last spot in the rotation. Two of the best prospects for the Twins are in the middle of these battles and they both have been putting together decent starts to the spring. Even if the rest of the spring goes great for Aaron Hicks and Kyle Gibson, they both might be destined to start the year in Rochester. There are a few different reasons to think that the Twins will be patient with these two young players. The team isn't suppose to be contending in 2013 or maybe even 2014. This means there is no rush to get either of these men to the big leagues. They can both be given the opportunity to find success at Triple-A. If the team waits until a few months into the season, they can control these players for an extra season. There are rules in place for players that get called up in the first couple months of the season to let them reach arbitration as a super two player. The Twins could avoid some of this hassle by letting other players take their spot on the roster until the middle part of the year. For Hicks, he has shown a history of slow starts when he advances to a new level. He played all of last season at the Double-A level so making a two level jump could be hard on him. The team has been very patient with him up until this point and it makes a lot of sense for the club to continue their patient ways. The Twins have been clear that Gibson will be on an innings limit this season. It is his first full year back from Tommy John surgery and it is important to be cautious with a young arm. If the Twins want to control his innings at the beginning of the year, it will be easier to do this in Rochester. They don't want a player in the major league starting rotation that has to be pulled early to keep his innings down. While the front office might want Hicks and Gibson to get a little more experience, the manager might not be in a position to wait for the future. Ron Gardenhire is in the last year of his deal and he can't really afford for the club to get off to a slow start. He has said that he wants Hicks to have a shot to start and Gibson has a brighter future than some of the other rotation options. With the moves the Twins have made this offseason, their farm system is considered one of the best in the game. Most of their top-level talent hasn't made appearance above the Double-A level. For now, it looks like a waiting game as these players work their way through the minor leagues. So when will the next winning team grace fans at Target Field? The estimated arrival time for Miguel Sano, Alex Meyer, Trevor May, and Byron Buxton might not be until 2014 or 2015. If those players make up the core of the next winning Twins team, it might be best to still have multiple years of control over Gibson and Hicks. There are going to be reasons to keep Gibson and Hicks with the big league team for the start of the year. However, the reasons to keep them in the minor leagues might outweigh those that are in favor of keeping them up. The next winning team in Minnesota is a couple of years away so it makes sense to give Gibson and Hicks the time they need to develop. Especially since the Twins aren't suppose to make a run for the top of the AL Central in 2013. So what do you think? If Gibson and Hicks earn the jobs, should they start the year in Minnesota? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]3394[/ATTACH] Rumors have been swirling about the possibility of the return of Jim Thome to the Minnesota Twins. There are plenty of different things floating out there so let's try and organize some of these thoughts. Here is some of the information that is known to the public. Thome, the 42-year old slugger, is still unemployed and he wants to find a team to play for in 2013. Over the past couple seasons, Thome has been looking to play for a contender so he could make a run for his elusive World Series ring. Since he is still unemployed, he probably can't be too picky at this point about what team he ends up playing for. Ron Gardenhire has said in interviews that he wants some pop on his bench this year. This might be especially true with the group of middle infielders he has fighting for starting roles. It would be nice to have a power bat on the bench to pinch hit for the Pedro Florimons and Eduardo Escobars of the world. When it comes to Thome, his last good season came in a Twins uniform so it seems like there could be some interest between the two parties. He has had positive things to say about Gardenhire and the Twins organization. This could set-up a reunion tour for Thome and the Twins. Last season, Thome was limited to 186 at-bats in only 58 games. It was the first time since 2005 that he didn't play in over 92 games. He started last year in the National League so it was tough for him to play in the field after regularly serving as a DH for six seasons. Even though Gardenhire wants Thome in a Twins uniform, there might be some push back from the front office. The Twins already have plenty of players to fit into the DH role with the club. Ryan Doumit, Josh Willingham, Joe Mauer, and Justin Morneau will see time at DH. This might not leave a lot of playing time for Thome. If the Twins were going to sign Thome, there would need to be a plan in place. He has shown in the past that he can't be successful if he isn't getting regular at-bats. It also has been difficult if he is only getting pinch-hit appearances. The Twins would need to balance his playing time with his aging body for him to find success. Thome would need to serve as the DH for a couple different games a week. This could give him the repetitions he needs while still allowing for the other players to get their regular playing time. On the days that he is not serving as DH, he would make a good late inning option for Minnesota's light hitting middle infield core. The Twins could end up with a nice trade chip at the deadline if there was a team looking for a left-handed power bat. In recent years, Thome hasn’t drawn huge interest at the deadline but this could always change. If he rekindles some of his past success, there might be a few interested teams. There are some other things working against Thome. Mauer and Morneau appear to be health and they are ready for an increased workload in 2013. Willingham had one of the healthiest and most productive seasons of his career last year. If Mauer, Morneau, and Willingham are all playing regularly in the field, this leaves Doumit still needing a spot for some playing time. After all things are considered, there might not be a plan that would work for Thome to fit back in with the Twins. The team has a lot of left-handed bats that need to fit into the line-up and this might not leave enough playing time for Mr. Thome. It would be great to see the future Hall of Famer back in a Twins uniform but fans might just have to live with the memories he provided in his first couple of seasons with the club. Is there a plan that would work to get Thome the at-bats that he needs? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]3381[/ATTACH] Earlier this week a post went up on ESPN's Sweetspot Blog about the importance of one player to the future of baseball in Europe. Mariners infielder Alex Liddi has only played 53 games in the major leagues but he is the first player born and raised in Italy. He has hit .224/.278/.397 during that stretch which aren't exactly eye-popping numbers. Still the article said, "If baseball is going to grow in Europe, it's going to be because of people like him." There are other important players with European heritage. Heck, the Twins already have one Hall of Fame player, Bert Blyleven, that was born across the pond. He spent most of his youth in California so it wasn't exactly like he grew up over seas. Major League Baseball wants the World Baseball Classic to help spread the game of baseball to an international market. Europe has been dominated by soccer for decades and it has been hard for baseball to gain its footing. If baseball is going to take off in Europe, there needs to be more European born players making an impact at the top level of the game. One country not represented in this year's WBC is Germany. Following World War II, youth in Germany started playing baseball because of America's servicemen stationed in Europe. The game has gone through its ups and downs in that country but there could be room for growth in the coming years. There have been a handful of players with German backgrounds to play in the major leagues. Since 1972, thirteen players born in German have made their major league debut. Most of these players were children of American service members stationed in the country. Twins manager Ron Gardenhire is one of those players and he became the first German born manager since 1897. The Twins have a current player in their minor league system that could be very important to the growth of baseball in Europe. Max Kepler was considered one of the best prospects to every come out of Europe when the Twins signed him as a 16-year old. The German born Kepler is the son of ballet dancers and this athletic heritage helps him on the field. During his first couple of years in the minor leagues, it looked like Kepler was still trying to figure things out. He only hit one home run to go along with 21 other extra-base hits. He on-base percentage was over .345 and he hit .272 over 331 at-bats. There were positive signs and some hope for more power to emerge in the future. After spending all of 2011 with the Elizabethton, the Twins sent Kepler back to the rookie leagues to get some more seasoning. This turned out to be a great decision as he put together his best year as a professional. He hit .297/.387/.539 with 10 home runs and 16 doubles over 59 games. These were all career high marks for the teenager. His breakout performance has helped him to move up the ladder of Twins prospects. Minnesota's farm system is considered by many to be one of the best in the game. Here is where he ranks on a variety of top 10 lists for the Twins: Baseball America: 8th Baseball Prospectus: 8th ESPN's Keith Law: 9th There is no way that baseball will ever compete with soccer in Europe but it can solidify itself as a solid alternative in some countries. For baseball to gain a following in Europe, there needs to be stars to follow in the big leagues. It won't take a superstar but a solid player to look up to for the youth of Europe. Will Kepler be a star for Europeans to follow? He is still a few years away from the big leagues but he might have the skills to take Europe by storm. I mean... …he has to be better than Alex Liddi, right?

[ATTACH=CONFIG]3364[/ATTACH] With a variety of top prospect list coming out at this time of year, there is plenty of talk about the high-ranking prospects in the Twins farm system. Miguel Sano and Byron Buxton could be on their way to multiple All-Star appearances. Alex Meyer and Kyle Gibson could make up the starting rotation of the future. The Twins have some talent at the top of their farm system and this makes the next couple years of development very important. Some of these younger players will be working through their most important years in the minor leagues before they make their debut. An injury or poor play could see their stock fall exponentially. Plenty of the big name prospects for the Twins haven't made an appearance above the Single-A level. Miguel Sano, Byron Buxton, and Alex Meyer are just a few of the players that will be trying to get to Double-A at some point in 2013. When it comes to minor league players, the Twins tend to take a conservative approach to moving players from one level to the next. The team doesn't want to rush players before they find success at their current level. This can help their confidence for the future and it can hurt their development if they are rushed. One player that could be a fast riser in the next couple of years is Eddie Rosario. He is considered a top 10 prospect in the organization but he has some attributes that could make it easier for him to rise to the top. Last season, the 20-year old spent the entire year in Beloit. This could be the year for him to jump multiple levels. Rosario was a fourth round pick by the Twins back in 2010. He signed quickly and got into over 50 games that year with the GCL Twins. He showed the ability to hit for average and mix in some power. These were great signs from an 18-year old but the best was yet to come. The 2011 season was amazing for Rosario. He had a stretch of baseball to finish the year that was eye-popping. As I wrote in the Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook, "Rosario went on a hitting hot streak for the ages to help lead the E-Twins to the playoffs. During the team’s last 17 games, he hit 10 home runs to go along with four triples, a double, and an eye-popping .477 batting average." 
His swing is very advanced for the level he is at in the minor leagues. Rosario's quick wrist allow him to power the ball to all fields and this could help him get to the top faster than his peers. For his career in the minor leagues, he is .310/.362/.538 hitter. The only thing holding him back at this point might be the Twins decision to move him to second base. He was a fine defender in center field but the team has a surplus of other prospects at that position. It seems like the Twins always need middle infield help. If he can continue his strong offensive showing and play adequate defense, he could be well on his way to Target Field. Another item helping Rosario in his development is his inclusion on Team Puerto Rico for the World Baseball Classic. He gets to spend the first few weeks of spring training in big league camp. This gives some of the coaches and front office personnel a closer look at him. His performance has been very good so it will be interesting to see how he does in the WBC. For the coming year, Rosario will likely start the year in Fort Myers but this shouldn't be his only stopping point in 2013. Getting to New Britain should not be out of the question for Rosario and he could even go as far as Rochester. Either way, Rosario should be knocking on the door to the big leagues by season’s end...

[ATTACH=CONFIG]3358[/ATTACH] When a club is in the rebuilding process like the Minnesota Twins, it can be tough to know which players need to stay and which players need to go. Fans are connected to a lot of the players that have been here for multiple seasons and it can be tough for the team to part ways with some fan favorites. In the end, it is up to Terry Ryan to decided what is best for the future of the franchise. He had to make the tough decision to trade away Denard Span and Ben Revere this offseason. Those were tough calls to make but they were important moves for the future of the franchise. Rebuilding can be frustrating for fans to watch. It isn't a fast process and it will most likely take multiple seasons for the team to get back to the top of the AL Central. When going through this rebuilding process, it is interesting to consider which players are critical to the future of the club. This brings out an interesting question... If you were the General Manager of a team and you had the opportunity to start a franchise, which player in the Twins organization would you pick to be your cornerstone player? There choices from the big league roster all the way down to the rookie leagues so let's take a look at some of the candidates. The Catcher: Joe Mauer could be in the midst of a Hall of Fame career. This would be a hard player to ignore when starting a franchise. His ability to play an important defensive position also helps his candidacy. There will continue to be questions about his lack of power and one has to wonder how long he will stay behind the plate. For now, Twins fans get to watch one of the sweetest swings in the game even if it doesn't result in a bunch of home runs. The Top Prospect: He might still be at the Single-A level but Miguel Sano has already put together some impressive numbers in the minors. His power swing is the stuff of legend but there are some flaws with his game. On the defensive side of the ball, he is a little shaky at third base but his arm is great from that position. He's a couple years away from Target Field but he could be the cornerstone of the future. The Number Two Pick: Byron Buxton might have been the best player in last year's draft and the Twins were happy to select him with the number two pick. He has all of the skills to be a five-tool player in the Twins outfield for a big chunk of the next decade. His speed is amazing and his power was better than the Twins thought in his first season. He's further away than Sano but he could be quite the player to build around. The Flamethrower: The Twins didn't have a ton of arms with some upside until the team traded away their two center fielders. Alex Meyer can hit in the upper 90's with his fastball and he has the breaking pitches to make him scary for any batter. He is a rarity in the game of baseball and many teams go searching for someone with his pitching talent. There are still questions about him but he could be a future ace. The Others: There are other candidates in the organization. Each one might have some flaws but they could be stars of the future for the franchise. Kyle Gibson looks ready for the big leagues but does he have the stuff to be an ace? Oswaldo Arcia has the swing to be in the middle of the Twins line-up for multiple years. Aaron Hicks is supposed to have all of the tools and he should get an opportunity to prove himself this year. J.O. Berrios has impressed the coaches in camp with his raw stuff but he has a long way to go to get to the top. Eddie Rosario is trying to get comfortable in the middle infield while his bat continues to be very advanced for his age. There are some of the top candidates from the Twins system. If you had to pick one player to start a franchise, who would it be? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. Which Twins Player Would You Pick to Start a Franchise?http://pixel.quantserve.com/pixel?a.1=p-18-mFEk4J448M&a.2=p-ab3gTb8xb3dLg&labels.1=type.polldaddy.poll