Cody Christie

Austin Martin entered spring training with a new outlook on his professional career. Unfortunately, an elbow injury has delayed the start of his 2023 campaign. What are the chances he avoids surgery, and how can he help the 2023 Twins? Image courtesy of Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports Entering last season, Austin Martin had to be feeling good about the start of his professional career. He’d been a collegiate star on a powerhouse Vanderbilt squad that made a run to the College World Series before the Blue Jays took him with the fifth overall pick. The Twins acquired Martin along with Simeon Woods Richardson for Jose Berrios, and he was a consensus top-100 prospect. Double-A was his likely destination, with an outside chance at making his big-league debut during the 2022 campaign. Unfortunately, prospect development doesn’t follow a linear path, and Martin struggled through much of the 2022 season. In his first 77 games, he hit .236/.365/.306 (.671) with 11 doubles, three triples, and one home run. His OPS dropped over 120 points, and he was hitting for little to no power. There were some positive signs in his sub-par performance, with a 49-to-41 strikeout-to-walk ratio while going 32-for-37 in stolen base attempts. Players must make adjustments throughout the season, and Martin decided to return to his roots near the end of the 2022 campaign. The Twins tried to adjust Martin’s swing to help him produce more power, but it was clear something wasn’t working during the 2022 season. Eventually, he decided to revert to the swing mechanics that made him one of the best collegiate baseball players in the country. He redeemed himself in September by hitting .268/.405/.423 (.827) with five doubles and two home runs. Minnesota wanted him to get more reps to continue working with his revamped swing, so the club sent him to the AFL. He was one of the AFL’s best hitters with a .374/.454/.482 (.936) slash line, including six doubles and a home run in 21 games. It was an encouraging conclusion to the season, putting Martin back on the prospect map. Martin entered spring training in 2023 with a chance to prove himself to the big-league coaching staff. Injuries to MLB players meant he was getting a long look at multiple defensive positions and performed well in early action. It was a significant opportunity, but his elbow started bothering him, and the team shut him down. He was diagnosed with a UCL sprain, an injury that often leads to Tommy John surgery. The Twins and Martin decided to have him attempt to rest and rehab his elbow to see if he could avoid surgery. He didn’t see any game action until last week, and the team will be careful while he continues ramping up his workload. In his first six games, he went 1-for-6 with a home run and a stolen base. He left his sixth rehab game after colliding with another player in the outfield and this will delay his rehab even further. Surgery is still possible and might be the most likely outcome. Unlike pitchers, position players can take less time to recover from Tommy John surgery. In more recent years, the Twins have seen players like Alex Kirilloff and Miguel Sano have TJ surgery. Martin can attempt rehab and still have time to recover for the beginning of next season if he has surgery later this summer. If Martin can avoid surgery, it seems likely for him to be done playing shortstop. There were questions about his defensive future throughout his professional career, and this latest injury might be the nail in the coffin. He can still provide value at other defensive spots, including second base or outfield. Throughout his career, he has been known for his athleticism, and evaluators viewed him as the best college bat in his draft class. Martin can serve in a super-utility role with the Twins, where he plays defensively at multiple positions. Many of Minnesota’s top prospects have suffered some setbacks on their way to becoming regulars at the big-league level. Royce Lewis is returning from his second ACL tear, Jhoan Duran had elbow problems, and Alex Kirilloff underwent TJ surgery, to name a few. It might be unlikely for Martin to avoid surgery, but players have used the rest and rehab process without going under the knife. What are the chances that Martin can avoid surgery? Can he help the Twins in 2023? What is his long-term defensive home? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article

Interestingly, the Twins have used many players from the 2021 draft as trade capital. How has the team fared in those deals and how have their professional career progressed in 2023? Image courtesy of Steve Buhr, Twins Daily Major League Baseball's 2023 Draft is scheduled to start on July 9, 2023. Each team prepares for the draft with a specific plan, and sometimes those plans play out better than others. To prepare fans for the upcoming draft, this series will examine recent Twins drafts and how those players have performed so far in their professional careers. First Round: Chase Petty, Noah Miller High school pitchers can follow various development paths during their professional careers. It is one of the most challenging player types to draft and develop in an organization. The Twins had two picks near the back of the first round in 2021 and used their first selection (26th overall) on Chase Petty, a high school flamethrower from New Jersey. His time in the Twins organization was limited to two appearances because the team traded him to Cincinnati before the 2022 season for Sonny Gray. Last season, he pitched 98 1/3 innings between Low-A and High-A with a 3.48 ERA, a 1.17 WHIP, and an 8.8 K/9. From Minnesota's perspective, they received two strong seasons from Sonny Gray, and they can give him the qualifying offer. The Twins receive draft pick compensation if he declines the offer and signs with another team. It's easy to see why the Twins pulled the trigger on this deal. Miller is entering his third professional season and has shown various skills. His defense at shortstop continues to improve, and he is a strong base runner. At the plate, he needs to refine his swing and make more consistent contact. Last season at Low-A, he hit .212/.348/.279 (.627) with 18 extra-base hits in 108 games. Miller faced older batters in nearly 92% of his plate appearances as a teenager in the Florida State League. The Twins moved Miller to Cedar Rapids for the 2023 season, where he continues to play shortstop while also playing second base for the first time in his professional career. In the season's first 51 games, he posted a .562 OPS, while facing older pitchers in all but two at-bats. Clearly, the front office believes he can hold his own against older competition, so it will be interesting to see if he gets more comfortable at his level in 2023. Second Round: Steve Hajjar Hajjar was a very intriguing pick for the Twins as a strong college left-handed pitcher with some room to grow. In 2022, he made the majority of his starts in Fort Myers, where he posted a 2.47 ERA with 71 strikeouts in 43 2/3 innings. At the trade deadline, Minnesota included him as one of the pieces in the Tyler Mahle trade that hasn't worked out in the team's favor. His time in the Reds organization was also minimal because they traded him to the Guardians in March. Hajjar missed time to begin the 2023 season but is currently on a rehab assignment. Twins fans might see plenty of Hajjar in the future now that he is back in the AL Central. Third Round: Cade Povich Like Hajjar, Povich was a Big Ten college pitcher that the Twins thought highly of entering the draft. During the 2022 season, he pitched at Cedar Rapids and posted a 4.46 ERA with a 1.23 WHIP in 78 2/3 innings. Minnesota dealt him to the Orioles in the Jorge Lopez trade, and he has spent the 2023 campaign pitching at Double-A. In his first 11 starts (47 innings), he allowed 29 earned runs on 48 hits with a 69-to-24 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Fourth Round: Christian Encarnacion-Strand Twins fans will follow Encarnacion-Strand's career because of his connection to the Tyler Mahle trade. During the 2022 season, he split time between High-A and Double-A while hitting .304/.368/.587 (.955) with 31 doubles, five triples, and 32 home runs. His stock was rising at the trade deadline, and he has built off his success in 2023. He has been crushing the ball at Triple-A this season with a 1.162 OPS with 13 doubles and 17 home runs in 42 games. He's on the doorstep of the big leagues and will likely make his debut later this season. Other Prospects Still in the Organization Christian MacLeod (5th round): He missed the entire 2022 season with Tommy John surgery. He's made four starts this season between Low-A and High-A with mixed results. His performance should improve as he gets further from surgery. Travis Adams (6th round): He's pitched the entire 2023 season in the Wichita rotation with a 6.55 ERA and a 1.66 WHIP. Last season he threw over 100 innings with a 3.93 ERA between Low- and High-A. Jake Rucker (7th round): The Twins have used Rucker as a utility man during his professional career. In 2022, he played at three levels, including Triple-A, when there was a late-season need (after the Kernels season ended). He posted a .711 OPS in 124 games. He's been a regular for the Wind Surge with a .715 OPS in 52 games. Noah Cardenas (8th round): He played nearly 100 games for Fort Myers in 2022 with an .834 OPS while playing catcher and first base. His OPS has dropped by over 70 points at High-A this season. Pat Winkel (9th round): Winkel has been an on-base machine during his professional career with a .351 OPS, which is over 100 points higher than his batting average. Wichita has used him as one of the team's primary catchers in 2023. Ernie Yake (10th round): Minnesota used him at four levels in 2022, including the organization's two highest levels. This season, he has a .753 OPS with appearances at High-A and Triple-A. Kyler Fedko (12th round): Fedko finished 2022 at Cedar Rapids, and that's where the Twins sent him to begin 2023. In 25 games, he is hitting .169/.330/.310 (.639) with five extra-base hits. David Festa (13th round): He put himself on the prospect map with a strong performance last season. In 103 2/3 innings, he posted a 2.43 ERA with a 1.09 WHIP and a 9.4 K/9. His strikeout rate has risen at Double-A this season (10.6 K/9), but he has allowed 22 earned runs in 41 2/3 innings (4.75 ERA). He is arguably the highest-rated prospect left in the Twins organization from this draft class, and he has the potential to be a middle-of-the-rotation starter at the big-league level. Pierson Ohl (14th round): He had a 3.53 ERA with a 1.18 WHIP and 101 strikeouts in 91 2/3 innings at Low-A during the 2022 season. Ohl has made starts for High-A and Double-A in 2023 with a 5.24 ERA and 8.7 K/9. Mikey Perez (15th round): In 2022, Perez posted a .728 OPS while playing at three levels in the Twins' system. He's played at Fort Myers in 2023, hitting .212/.282/.323 (.605) through 34 games. Johnathan Lavallee (16th round): The Twins have used Lavallee primarily as a reliever in his professional career. In 14 appearances, he has a 5.31 ERA with a 1.38 WHIP and 13.3 K/9. Dylan Neuse (17th round): He has been one of the most consistent hitters in the Fort Myers line-up this season while hitting .298/.382/.436 (.817) with 11 extra-base hits in 39 games. Neuse can play all three outfield positions but gets most of his defensive reps in center field. Mike Paredes: (18th round) Paredes split time as a starter and reliever in 2022, but he's been primarily used in a relief role this season. In 11 appearances, he has a 2.49 ERA with a 1.11 WHIP and 6.8 K/9. Jaylen Nowlin (19th round): Minnesota went over slot to sign Nowlin in the 2021 draft, and he rewarded them with a strong 2022 season (3.80 ERA in 22 appearances). With Cedar Rapids, he has posted a 3.86 ERA with a 1.36 WHIP and 9.6 K/9 in 2023. Dillon Tatum (20th round): He has added catching depth to the Twins system while also playing some at first base. Tatum is on pace to set career highs in multiple offensive categories. OTHER POSTS IN THE SERIES -2020 Draft Retrospective -2019 Draft Retrospective -2018 Draft Retrospective -2017 Draft Retrospective -2016 Draft Retrospective What are your impressions of the 2021 draft class? Which traded player do the Twins want back the most? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article

Many evaluators considered Joe Ryan a unique prospect when the Twins acquired him from the Tampa Bay Rays for Nelson Cruz. Now the organization might have a similar pitcher poised to break out. Image courtesy of William Parmeter, Fort Myers Miracle Developing pitching prospects is not an exact science, and teams always seek to gain an advantage by finding players that fit a typical mold. By many accounts, Joe Ryan broke nearly every mold for a starting pitcher at the onset of his professional career. He was able to be successful in the minors by throwing fastballs for the majority of his pitches. As a former water polo player, his unique arm angle gave batters a different angle, making it tough to make consistent contact. In parts of four minor league seasons, he posted 13.0 K/9 with a 0.86 WHIP. Even with these significant totals, few evaluators thought Ryan’s success could continue at the big-league level because he relied heavily on one pitch. Fans saw this play out in Ryan’s first call-up when he threw his fastball over 65% of the time, but his strikeout totals dropped compared to his minor league numbers. Ryan went to Driveline this winter and reinvented himself to the point where he throws fastballs less than 60% of the time. He’s also changed his pitch mix with a split-finger, a sweeper, and a slider. In the season’s first half, Ryan has been one of the team’s best-starting pitchers and has a chance to make his first All-Star appearance. Ryan was not a finished product when the Twins acquired him, but he seems out to prove he is more than a one-pitch starter. In the 2022 MLB Draft, the Twins drafted a player similar to Ryan in that they are both college draft picks from California with a background in water polo. Minnesota drafted C.J. Culpepper in the 13th round from California Baptist University, where he finished his junior season with a 3.26 ERA, a 1.15 WHIP, and 9.9 K/9 in 69 innings. After signing with the Twins, he made one scoreless appearance in the Florida Complex League. Culpepper is off to a tremendous start during his first full professional season. He has limited opponents to nine earned runs (2.55 ERA) on 26 hits in 35 1/3 innings in eight starts. His 10.4 K/9 is similar to his collegiate career, and he’s pounded the strike zone with a 41-to-12 strikeout-to-walk ratio. He has yet to surrender a home run and has given up one earned run or fewer in seven-of-nine starts. It’s a tremendous start to his career, and he might be a relatively unknown prospect for fans of the organization. Like with Ryan, opponents have a tough time making consistent contact. Batters have hit .206/.281/.214 (.495) against him with only one extra-base hit in 140 plate appearances. He is also over a year younger than the average age of the competition in the FSL, so he has faced older batters in over 41% of his at-bats. He’s pitched five innings or more in nearly half of his appearances and accrued double-digit swinging strikes in three starts. Culpepper is early in his professional career and has multiple development steps to take before he reaches the upper minors. Ryan has developed into a core piece for the Twins while continuing to improve after making his MLB debut. There are surface-level similarities between Culpepper and Ryan, so the Twins could follow a similar formula to help Culpepper succeed even more when climbing the organizational ladder. What are your early impressions of Culpepper? Can he follow a similar career path to Ryan? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article

Jair Camargo might be an unknown name to some Twins fans, but he has recently been on a hot streak for the Saints. Let’s dive into the catcher’s professional career and look toward his future in the organization. Image courtesy of Rob Thompson, St. Paul Saints Trading for prospects can be challenging for fans to evaluate, especially if those players are in the low levels of the minor leagues. It can take multiple years for those players to work through the team’s farm system. Jair Camargo is one of those players, and he might finally be putting it all together at the Triple-A level. The Dodgers originally signed Camargo in 2015 as a 16-year-old from Barranquilla, Colombia. He made his professional debut in the Dominican Summer League, hitting .250/.309/.346 (.654) with eight extra-base hits and a 28-to-6 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 41 games. In 2017, he came stateside and played for the Dodgers rookie-level team and more than held his own. He posted a .709 OPS with nine doubles, one triple, and two home runs in 36 games. Camargo’s final rookie ball season came in 2018 when he hit .257/.277/.443 (.720) with 12 extra-base hits in 113 at-bats. His career was off to a promising start, and it was time for him to move to a full-season league. During the 2019 season, Camargo headed to the Dodgers’ affiliate in the Midwest League. He caught over 550 innings for the first time in his career, and there were some offensive challenges with the increased level of competition. Still in his teens, Camargo was over two years younger than the average age of the competition at his level and faced older pitchers in over 91% of his plate appearances. In 79 games, he hit .236/.301/.342 (.642) with 18 doubles and four home runs. He showed some ability to draw walks while being one of the youngest players in the Midwest League. Minnesota looked to bolster their rotation entering the 2020 season, so the club traded Brusdar Graterol and Luke Raley to the Dodgers for Kenta Maeda and Jair Camargo. Graterol and Maeda were the obvious headliners from the deal, but the Twins identified Camargo and thought he could potentially add future value to the trade. Unfortunately, the pandemic wiped out the 2020 minor league season, so that he couldn’t debut in the Twins system that season. The Twins sent Camargo to Cedar Rapids in 2021, where he was the third youngest player to suit up for the Kernels that season. He played over 100 innings at first base but continued to get plenty of time at catcher by starting 43 games. His OPS jumped over 50 points compared to 2019, and he hit double-digit home runs (13) for the first time in his career. Camargo continued to strikeout at a high rate with 106 strikeouts in 263 at-bats, but he was facing older pitchers in nearly 87% of his plate appearances. With this performance, he wouldn’t appear on top prospect lists, but he continued improving as he moved up the organizational ladder. Camargo has also gained some experience on the international stage. Over the last two winters, he has played in the Colombian Winter League and the Dominican Winter League. Following the 2021 season, he hit .185/.258/.296 (.555) with three home runs in 27 games for CWL. Last winter, he played in the Dominican and posted a .592 OPS with four extra-base hits over 76 plate appearances. He’s been significantly younger than the average age of the competition at those levels, but the experience should help him in the long run. During the 2022 campaign, Camargo split time between High- and Double-A. He began the season at Cedar Rapids with some of the best hitting in his professional career. In 28 games, he hit .296/.314/.496 (.809) with five doubles and six home runs. It was his first time posting an OPS above .800 at any level, so the Twins promoted him to Wichita. He posted a .778 OPS at Double-A with five doubles and 12 home runs in 46 games. He was over two years younger than the average age of the competition, and he continued to hold his own. The Twins could have sent Camargo back to Double-A for the 2023 season since he had played fewer than 50 games at Double-A. Instead, the club assigned him to Triple-A, where there were growing pains with the transition to a higher level. In his first 17 games, he went 7-for-62 (.113 BA) with two extra-base hits and a 27-to-8 strikeout-to-walk ratio. From there, things took off for him at the plate. In his next 16 games, he went 19-for-61 (.312) with two doubles and seven home runs. He’s been one of the hottest hitters for the Saints, and it’s hard not to get excited about a power-hitting catching prospect. During the 2023 season, Camargo has only appeared at catcher and designated hitter. He’s gone 8-for-28 in throwing out runners (29 CS%) after throwing out 36% of runners in 2022. The Saints have yet to use a player younger than Camargo this season, and he has only had eight plate appearances against younger pitchers. He’s improved over the last two years and might have solidified his place in the Twins’ long-term plans. Can Camargo help the Twins in 2023? Will he be the team’s catcher of the future? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article

The Twins fired him following the 2017 season and the Tigers hired him to manage their Triple-A affiliate. He only lasted two years in their organization and he hasn't managed since that point. Two organizations didn't feel like he was worth a longer look and he hasn't found a new spot, so I don't think the Twins missed out on much.

I just don't see them moving Buxton to CF especially when he is coming off the IL

The Twins traded for Pablo Lopez this winter to add rotational depth. Luis Arraez has flourished in Miami, so how much value has each player provided to their new team? Image courtesy of Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports Minnesota and Miami seemed like ideal trade partners this winter. The Twins wanted more starting pitching depth, an area of surplus for Miami. The Marlins wanted hitters, an area of surplus for the Twins. Rumors swirled for weeks leading up to the trade, but it seemed like Pablo Lopez and Luis Arraez would be swapping teams before the season began. Pablo Lopez's 2023 Value Lopez started strongly in the season's first month. He built off a strong spring training, and the Twins named him the team's Opening Day starter. He posted a 4.00 ERA in six starts with a 1.11 WHIP and 11.5 K/9. The Twins liked what they saw from Lopez and announced they signed him to a four-year, $73.5 million extension. He will be part of Minnesota's rotation for the foreseeable future, but that future value wasn't part of the initial trade. The first two years of Lopez's team control were part of the equation, and his performance has struggled in recent weeks. Things have gone less smoothly for Lopez after the calendar turned to May. Over his last six starts, he has posted a 5.09 ERA while allowing seven home runs in 35 1/3 innings. Baseball-Reference pegs him at 0.7 WAR, while FanGraphs values him at 1.2 WAR. Those totals are adequate, but they don't paint a complete picture of the value Lopez has provided the Twins. He currently ranks ninth among Twins pitchers with a 0.05 WPA. His ERA+ is below 100 for the first time since 2019, and he has the highest home run rate of his career. Luis Arraez's 2023 Value The Twins knew what kind of player Arraez was when they traded him away. He is an elite contact hitter with limited defensive skills. Arraez has also missed time in recent years because of knee injuries. He was coming off an All-Star season where he won the AL batting title. The Twins saw plenty of value in Arraez, but it might have been hard to predict his 2023 totals. Through 57 games, he is hitting .401/.451/.495 (.946) with 17 extra-base hits and an 11-to-19 strikeout-to-walk ratio. He leads the NL in multiple categories including batting average, OBP, hits, and OPB+. Baseball-Reference values him at a 2.9 WAR, and FanGraphs pegs him at 2.0 WAR with a 0.25 WPA. Only four NL players rank higher than him in rWAR, and he's over 70 points up in the batting race. As expected, he's been worth negative value defensively, but his offensive value has been off the charts. Other Value from Trade Pieces Arraez had one more year of team control than Lopez at the time of the trade, so Miami included two prospects to balance the trade value. Jose Salas was one of the top-ranked position players in the Marlins organization, but he had yet to play a game above High-A. Byron Chourio was 17 at the time of the deal and had minimal professional experience since the Marlins signed him. Both players are a long way from Target Field, and it will be multiple seasons before the Twins will know what kind of value they will provide to the organization. Salas played 48 games in the Midwest League during the 2022 season when he was 19 years old. The Twins sent him back to the same league for the 2023 campaign, and he has struggled out of the gate. In 43 games, he has hit .160/.237/.220 (.457) with six doubles and one home run. Salas has yet to face a pitcher younger than himself this season, so some struggles are expected for a young player. Chourio played the 2022 season in the Dominican Summer League (.838 OPS in 53 games) and has made his stateside debut in the Twins system earlier this week.. Arraez is under team control for two more seasons, and plenty of Twins fans will look back on the trade with regret. He is a throwback-style hitter to a bygone era that all fans can find reasons to support. The Twins and Lopez are tied together for the long term, and both sides need to figure out a way to get him back on track. Both players have a chance to provide tremendous value to their clubs, but the early months of the trade don't look great from the Twins' perspective. Which player will provide more value to their club in the long term? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article

What do you think he would have offered as a manager compared to Baldelli?

A couple of years ago, I looked at how the Twins and Astros drafted when they were both rebuilding at the same time. First round picks are a crapshoot even when you have high picks.

Over the last week, there have been some shifts with player performance. How would your rankings change since last week?

I was referencing that it is hard to read too much into his 2023 numbers because he has such a limited sample size. I agree that his performance has not lived up to being selected in the first round. There have been few late first round picks from 2020 that have made a significant impact at the big-league level.

It's still boggles my mind that they aren't trying to get Julien more reps at other defensive positions besides second base. Right now, he has only been called up when Polanco is injured, but that doesn't seem like an optimal plan. Unless the team is fine with him spending the majority of 2023 at Triple-A.

The Twins front office had a clear mission this winter, including adding more depth to multiple places on the roster. So far this season, the Twins have seen some benefit to this depth, but the St. Paul Saints continue to thrive. Image courtesy of Rob Thompson, St. Paul Saints For some fans, getting used to the idea of the St. Paul Saints being the Twins' Triple-A affiliate still takes a little. The 2023 season marks the third year of an affiliation between the crosstown teams. Pros and cons of this affiliation have been evident since the organizations joined forces, and it will be interesting to see how the relationship continues to evolve in the years to come. However, the most significant positive for the Saints this season is the caliber of players on the field on any given night. Last season, the Twins had to dig into the team's Triple-A depth quite regularly because of the vast number of injuries at the big-league level. The Saints finished the season with a 74-75 record, which placed them 17 games back in the International League West Division. Mark Contreras and Jermaine Palacios were the lone position players to play over 100 games for the club. At the same time, Ronny Henriquez, Dereck Rodriguez, and Mario Sanchez were the only pitchers to toss over 90 innings. Some of the team's top prospects appeared on the club, but it was a roster full of veterans looking for another shot at the big-league level. Minnesota's front office focused on adding depth to the big-league roster for the 2023 season. These moves naturally added more talent to the Saints' roster because the Twins pushed players down the organizational depth chart. Many big-league teams would be forced to use players like Matt Wallner, Trevor Larnach, Jose Miranda, and Edouard Julien. Luckily, the team has allowed these players to find their footing at the Triple-A level, no matter if they are playing well or struggling when they get called up. This depth has helped the Saints to start the season at the top of their division. Through Sunday's game, St. Paul had a 32-23 record with a +42 run differential. The Saints rank in the top 10 in runs per game, home runs, and OPS in the International League. St. Paul's pitchers have fared even better, ranking in the top-5 in ERA, strikeouts, and K/9. The top seven teams in the IL West Division are only separated by 4.5 games, so the Saints must continue to rely on organization depth to qualify for the playoffs. Saints fans can also look to Double-A for players that can reinforce the roster in the second half. Yunior Severino has started the year on a tear for Wichita with 12 home runs and an .899 OPS in his first 44 games. Brooks Lee is considered by many to be the organization's top prospect, and he's holding his own (.756 OPS) during his first full professional season. Alex Isola and DaShawn Keirsey have an OPS higher than .800 and can provide different defensive skills at Triple-A. Those are just some offensive weapons that could be in a Saints uniform later this year. On the mound, Blayne Enlow seems like a lock to enter St. Paul's rotation in the second half. The Twins removed him from the 40-man roster this winter, but he's out to prove he belongs. He has been terrific with a 3.30 ERA, a 1.10 WHIP, and a 61-to-13 strikeout-to-walk ratio in his first 49 innings. David Festa is another pitcher to watch at Double-A, but he's had a slower start to the 2023 campaign. The Wind Surge have been giving many late-inning opportunities to Alex Scherff, and he has posted a 12.13 K/9 that might translate well to the Saints bullpen. Injuries have started to impact the Twins, but it has yet to deplete the Saints' rosters. Fans in the Twin Cities can head to CHS Field and watch some impact players working toward Target Field. Minnesota's depth is substantial, and the Saints will continue to benefit throughout 2023. Do you think the Saints will continue to stay in the division race? Which players will significantly impact the Triple-A roster most in the second half? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article

The 2020 season was unique in many ways, including the 2020 MLB Draft. Were the Twins able to find value in a unique draft format that may never be seen again? Image courtesy of McKenzie Short, Cedar Rapids Kernels Major League Baseball's 2023 Draft is scheduled to start on July 9, 2023. Each team prepares for the draft with a specific plan, and sometimes those plans play out better than others. To prepare fans for the upcoming draft, this series will examine recent Twins drafts and how those players have performed so far in their professional careers. First Round: Aaron Sabato The Twins were drafting at the end of the first round (27th overall) after a strong 2019 season. The pandemic wiped out nearly the entire college and high school season leading into the draft, making evaluating talent even more challenging. Only five first-round picks from 2020 have provided positive WAR so far in their big-league careers. Sabato was an interesting pick by the Twins because he was a slugging college bat with little defensive value. Players must provide exceptional offensive value with this specific skill set during their minor league career. Last season, Sabato showed flashes of his potential by posting a .799 OPS with 30 extra-base hits in 80 High-A games. His OPS dropped over 100 points after being promoted to Double-A, but he was over a year younger than the average age of the competition at that level. His 2023 season started late due to injury, so the sample size needs to be more significant to make substantial evaluations. Second Round: Alerick Soularie Soularie spent parts of two college seasons at the University of Tennessee and posted a 1.034 OPS in 76 games. At the time of the draft, evaluators viewed him as a toolsy college outfielder with the potential to improve on both sides of the ball. His college power numbers have yet to follow him to his professional career. In 2021, he posted a .668 OPS at Low-A and improved by 48 points during last season at High-A. Soularie has played the 2023 campaign at Double-A, where he is over a year and a half younger than the average age of the competition at his level. He has hit .220/.365/.300 (.665) with two extra-base hits in 19 games. Last year, he split time between second base and the outfield, but he has only played corner outfield in 2023. The Twins surrendered their third-round pick after signing Josh Donaldson leading into the 2020 season. Atlanta gave him the qualifying offer, but he declined it to test free agent waters. At the time, teams that received revenue-sharing money, like the Twins, lost their third-highest unprotected selection in the next draft for signing a free agent that rejected a qualifying offer. In a draft with limited picks, there could have been value in still having a third-round selection. Fourth Round: Marco Raya Raya is the Twins' highest-ranked prospect from the 2020 MLB Draft, and he looks like a steal in the fourth round. His small stature likely caused him to drop on some team's draft boards, but he has been fantastic during his professional career. In 2022, he posted a 3.05 ERA with a 1.077 WHIP and a 76-to-23 strikeout-to-walk ratio at Low-A. The 19-year-old was three years younger than the average age of the competition and faced older batters in over 82% of his plate appearances. Baseball Prospectus ranked him the 53rd-best prospect in the pre-2023 top-100 rankings. Minnesota pushed Raya to Cedar Rapids this season, and he has built off his strong 2022 season. In his first seven starts (20 2/3 innings), he allowed six earned runs on ten hits with 24 strikeouts and five walks. It will be interesting to see if he starts getting more national attention as he continues to produce in the lower minors. Fifth Round: Kala'i Rosario The Twins selected Rosario as an outfielder out of high school in Hawaii. He made his professional debut in the 2021 season for the FCL Twins, where he hit .277/.341/.452 (.793) with ten doubles, four triples, and five home runs. Last season, he played over 100 games for Fort Myers with a .727 OPS while setting career highs in home runs (12) and doubles (21). He's off to a tremendous start at High-A during the 2022 season. In 46 games, he has hit .292/.398/.526 (.924) with 12 doubles, two triples, eight home runs, and 27 walks. He's faced older batters in all but four plate appearances, so that makes his performance even more impressive. OTHER POSTS IN THE SERIES -2019 Draft Retrospective -2018 Draft Retrospective -2017 Draft Retrospective -2016 Draft Retrospective What are your impressions of the 2020 draft class? Who will have the most significant impact at the big-league level? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article

On every team, some players enter the season with high expectations, but baseball can be a cruel game. Here are some of the players that have failed to meet their lofty preseason projections. Image courtesy of Nick Wosika-USA TODAY Sports In the preseason, fans can use multiple projection systems to analyze any team and its outlook for the upcoming campaign. The Twins used the offseason to build depth at multiple positions, which has helped the team stay near the top of the AL Central. Each player below was expected to fill a specific role for the 2023 squad, and they have yet to meet expectations. Here are five players whose performances have been disappointments so far in 2023. 5. Tyler Mahle Injuries are tough to predict, but Mahle has dealt with shoulder and elbow problems over the last two seasons. ZiPS projected Mahle to finish second on the team in WAR for pitchers, but he was limited to five starts with a 3.16 ERA. He had Tommy John surgery in May and will miss the remainder of the 2023 season. He will be a free agent at season's end, but the Twins can try and sign him to a contract that buys out some of his free agent seasons. Mahle ranks at this spot on the list because some injury concerns surrounded him entering the season. 4. Nick Gordon Gordon ended the 2023 season on a high note, so there was some hope that the former first-round pick was ready to take the next step. He was given a more prominent role to begin the 2023 season because of injuries to other left-handed hitters, but he failed to reproduce his numbers from last season. In his first 34 games, he hit .176/.185/.319 (.503) with eight extra-base hits and a 37 OPS+. ZiPS projected him to have a .309 wOBA, but he has been limited to a .214 wOBA. Gordon might have started to find his swing, but then he fouled a ball off his leg and broke his shin. The team moved him to the 60-day IL earlier this week, and now he will have to wait until the season's second half to get back on track. 3. Christian Vazquez The Twins signed Vazquez to a three-year, $30 million deal this winter to take over as the team's primary catcher. However, his first year in Minnesota could have started better. He has his lowest OPS+ since 2018 and is on pace for career lows in multiple other categories. ZiPS projected him to hit .250/.303/.351 (.654) with 16 extra-base hits. He has yet to hit his first home run for the season, and there have been little signs of offensive improvements. To be fair, he wasn't signed to be an offensive force, but Minnesota had to be expecting to get a better performance from him. There have been some positive impacts on the pitching staff, and the Twins hope he can start to provide more offensive value. 2. Jose Miranda Entering the season, ZiPS projected Jose Miranda to finish fourth on the team in WAR behind Carlos Correa, Byron Buxton, and Jorge Polanco. The Twins handed the starting third base job to Miranda after a tremendous rookie campaign where he had a 114 OPS+ with 25 doubles and 15 home runs. Miranda has struggled this season while hitting .220/.275/.318 (.593) with seven extra-base hits in 35 games. Minnesota demoted him to Triple-A in the middle of May, and he has a .383 OPS in his first 14 games at that level. Miranda can still be a middle-of-the-order bat for the next decade, but no one expected this kind of start to the 2023 campaign. 1. Carlos Correa The Twins invested $200 million in Carlos Correa this winter to be a franchise-altering player. Two months into his new deal, it's hard to imagine things going much worse. He is off to a slow start for the second straight season, hitting .210/.304/.381 (.686) with 18 extra-base hits in his first 47 games. He is playing through a recently diagnosed plantar fasciitis injury, but that hasn't impacted him for the entire season. ZiPS projected him to lead the team in WAR and post a .355 wOBA. Baseball-Reference ranks him 19th on the team in WAR, behind players like Caleb Thielbar and Tyler Mahle. Correa's offensive performance improved throughout the 2022 season, so the Twins have to hope the veteran will start to figure it out at the plate. Do you agree with the rankings? Who else would you add to the list? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article

With the calendar turning to June, the MLB All-Star Game is a little over a month away. Let's look into who can represent the team at the Midsummer Classic. Image courtesy of Matt Blewett-USA TODAY Sports Voting for MLB's All-Star Game opened on Wednesday, and some Twins players will need a boost from the fan base to play in the 2023 All-Star Game. Seattle will host the All-Star Game on Tuesday, July 11, with other events like the Futures Game (July 8), the MLB Draft (July 9), and the Home Run Derby (July 10). It will be the third time Seattle plays host to the Midsummer Classic (1979, 2001), and the second time it will be held in their current ballpark. Let's examine the Twins that have a chance to join the festivities. Catcher Ryan Jeffers is currently tied for fifth in fWAR among AL catchers, so he likely has a tough shot at being named a starter. Christian Vazquez has struggled in 2023 and ranks 22nd among AL catchers, including being behind former Twins Ben Rortvedt and Mitch Garver, who have combined to play fewer than 20 games this season. Jonah Heim and Adley Rutschman top the current AL fWAR rankings, with Seattle's Cal Raleigh in third place. Rutschman is a budding superstar, and it's his first chance to be voted in as a starter. However, Mariners' fans could vote in one of their own behind the plate. First Base Minnesota has rotated through multiple players at first base, with Joey Gallo and Alex Kirilloff getting the bulk of the time. Gallo ranks seventh among AL first basemen in fWAR, while Kirilloff is tenth. Gallo is among the league leaders in home runs, which might help him garner some votes. Yandy Diaz has been one of baseball's best hitters this season, and Tampa Bay has dominated to start the season. Anthony Rizzo ranks second among AL first basemen, so that he might get a bump in the voting from Yankees and Cubs fans. Second Base Jorge Polanco has missed too much time to be in consideration for the All-Star Game. The Twins have used three players fairly regularly at second, and they all rank among the top-25 in fWAR for second basemen. Polanco ranks 13th, Kyle Farmer ranks 16th, and Edouard Julien ranks 22nd. Marcus Semien sits atop the AL leaderboard and will be the frontrunner when voting opens. Third Base Jose Miranda's struggles at third will leave the team out of the running for an All-Star at the hot corner. Royce Lewis is taking over third base, but he won't play enough games to be in consideration for the All-Star Game. Matt Chapman and Jose Ramirez are two of the more prominent stars near the top of the fWAR rankings, so it will be interesting to see who separates themselves in the voting. Shortstop Carlos Correa is arguably the most well-known player on the Twins, so an excellent start to the season might have made him a contender for the All-Star Game. His struggles have been well documented, and some young stars deserve votes. Wander Franco, Bo Bichette, and Bobby Witt Jr. sit atop the fWAR rankings, but Seattle's J.P. Crawford is close behind. Franco is a budding superstar on the AL's best team, so it will be an exciting position for baseball fans to watch. Outfield Julio Rodriguez, arguably Seattle's best player, has started heating up, and it seems appropriate for him to be among the starters at his home ballpark. Other superstar players like Aaron Judge and Mike Trout are near the top of the fWAR leaderboard. It seems like a foregone conclusion that those three names will be the starters when the AL squad takes the field. Gallo is Minnesota's highest-ranking outfielder, but he's 27th on the list and won't be among the top vote-getters. Designated Hitter Designated Hitter might be Minnesota's best chance to get a starter into the All-Star Game. Byron Buxton currently ranks sixth among AL DHs in fWAR, so he'd need a strong month of June to put himself in contention. Last season, he started in center field for the AL and hit a critical home run. Yordan Alvarez, Brent Rooker, and Shohei Ohtani are three players ahead of him in the fWAR rankings. MLB's updated voting format might help Buxton's candidacy if he can qualify as a finalist and get enough support in the final round. Pitchers Fans don't vote for the All-Star pitchers, and that is where Minnesota should have multiple players on the roster. Sonny Gray (3rd) and Joe Ryan (4th) are among the AL leaders in fWAR for starting pitchers. An argument can be made for Gray to be the AL's starting pitcher for the Midsummer Classic. On the reliever side, Jhoan Duran has been one of baseball's best relievers over the last two seasons and should be elected to his first All-Star Game. He is among the AL leaders in WPA, and his pitching repertoire is ideally suited for a showcase like the Midsummer Classic. Current Twins All-Star Rankings Sonny Gray Jhoan Duran Joe Ryan Byron Buxton Joey Gallo Will Gray and Duran be the team's All-Stars? Can Buxton do enough in June to be a finalist at DH? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article