Shane Wahl

This is a good article and good slant to Polanco's future. It could actually be Polanco starting and Santana in that role. Or Beresford. I do think that the Twins actually could find themselves with Rosario, Polanco, Santana, Michael, Beresford, and Plouffe for 3 infield spots and two bench spots in 2015-2016.

This is the sixth part of my detailed prospect list. These five are impressive in various ways with power, plate discipline, and speed that makes the Twins offensive prowess in the system start to seem pretty impressive before even cracking the top 10. 15. Adam Walker (DOB: 10-18-91), RH right fielder: Walker’s .250/.310/.496 line at Elizabethon is impressive, but it doesn’t overwhelm. However, he hit 14 homers, 7 doubles, and 4 triples in 254 plate appearances, continues to work hard on his defense and to lower his strikeout numbers, and is the right-handed power bat that the Twins have been sorely lacking. Coupled with Sano and Vargas, the Twins have three big bats in the system. Walker is a player to be a little patient with as he needs to work on his strikeout rate, but he still should move pretty quickly. The big outfielder was a fantastic slugger in college and didn’t drop off much in his first partial season of pro ball. I expect the power numbers to jump now that he has had increased instruction and pro ball experience under his belt. Expected start: Cedar Rapids, though he could be a potential quick jump to Fort Myers since the OF in Cedar Rapids is going to be crowded. ETA: 2015-2016. 14. Nate Roberts (DOB: 2-25-89), LH corner outfielder: Roberts has dealt with some injuries and an extremely cautious approach by the Twins in promoting him. That is until the 2012 Arizona Fall League. Roberts was great in limited time in 2010 (.336/.444/.547). In 2011 he was promoted to Beloit and posted an .889 OPS in 283 plate appearances while battling injury. In 2012 he returned to Beloit for some reason and continued to put up impressive numbers (.299/.433/.427), stealing 27 bases, walking (44) more than striking out (37) and continued his bizarre ability to get hit by pitches (23). Roberts was then sent to the Arizona Fall League, which is comprised mostly of good-very good prospects at AA and AAA. Roberts put up a 1.226 OPS in 77 plate appearances, homering three times, and swiping six bags. This dominant performance has many wondering if Roberts is a likely candidate to skip Fort Myers for New Britain to start 2013. I don’t like the idea of players skipping levels as I would rather see consistent progression from level to level. The Twins were bizarre with Roberts, however, so he may be an exception. I would probably start him for a bit at Fort Myers and then promote him to New Britain automatically a few months into the season. I think the Twins will be aggressive, though. Expected start: New Britain. ETA: 2014-2015. 13. Chris Herrmann (DOB: 11-24-87), LH catcher/left fielder: Herrmann was impressive in 2011 at New Britain where he showed great plate discipline, slugged OK, stole some places and played solid defense behind the plate and in the OF. In 2012, the Twins stuck with him at AA where he had a slight decline in production, especially early in the season when he was batting lower in the lineup and appeared to be trying to increase his power numbers. This didn’t work very well and New Britain eventually wised up and put Hicks and Herrmann at the top of the lineup with Oswaldo Arcia batting behind them. This was a good decision and Herrmann increased his production in the second half. I do think that the Twins have been rather bizarre in holding Herrmann back at AA for almost 1000 plate appearances while posting a .754 OPS. The team did not call him up to big leagues until the middle September after his AA season had been over for several days. It is a shame that terrible offensive players like Drew Butera and Rene Rivera are slowing down the development of Twins prospects and other minor league catchers who deserve more of a chance. Herrmann is not going to be an all-star and will certainly not be a regular with the Twins barring injury to Mauer or Doumit, but time is near when he can be a useful upgrade over Drew Butera and his versatility in LF (potentially RF as well) makes him a nice roster addition sooner rather than later. Expected start: Rochester. ETR (return): 2013. 12. Travis Harrison (DOB: 10-17-92), RH 3B: The Twins drafted Harrison with the 50th pick in the 2011 draft. Harrison’s bat is, without doubt, one of the best pure hitters in the organization and he demonstrated this with a big season for Elizabethon in 2012 as a 19-year-old. In 253 plate appearances, he had 12 doubles, 4 triples, and 5 homers. He walked 24 times and struck out 51 times on his way to a .301/.383/.461 batting line. Harrison’s defense at third base was not good, but there is a chance he will improve (as even Miguel Sano has some). It is likely, though, that first base and DH are in his future down the road. I would not be surprised if Harrison is someone—if he indeed cannot stick at 3B—who the Twins will look to trade in a hitting-for-pitching prospect deal. I would not expect that in 2013, however, and it will be interesting to see how Harrison adapts to a full season of baseball. Expected start: Cedar Rapid. ETA: 2016-2017. 11. Joe Benson (DOB: 3-5-88), RH outfielder: Benson was a top five prospect in 2011 and going into 2012. The 2012 season was a disaster for the talented outfielder, however. Benson had been moving through the system with Chris Parmelee and even came up with Parmelee to the Twins in September 2011. People tend to exaggerate Benson’s struggles in September of that year (as though 70+ plate appearances are telling at all in the first place). One could not expect the .883 AA OPS to immediate translate. Benson seems to have been injured for all of 2012, but often played through injury. He struggled mightily in AAA and instead of doing the right thing and making him stick it out at AAA, the Twins actually sent him back to AA in a terrible move. Benson still is a great defender and will just have to calm down and channel his energy and emotions into being a productive player in the very near future. It is a complete mistake to write Benson off as he is only just turning 25 this coming March and the talent is still there. Benson would still be a top 8 prospect if it weren’t for the 2012 offseason trades, and the performances of Max Kepler and Jose Berrios in 2012. Expected start: Rochester. ETR (return): Benson will be back at some point in 2013 and it could be sooner than later if Aaron Hicks is not ready by mid-season. The Twins could finish 2013 with both Hicks and Benson in the outfield, and I would welcome that scenario.

This is the sixth part of my detailed prospect list. These five are impressive in various ways with power, plate discipline, and speed that makes the Twins offensive prowess in the system start to seem pretty impressive before even cracking the top 10. 15. Adam Walker (DOB: 10-18-91), RH right fielder: Walker’s .250/.310/.496 line at Elizabethon is impressive, but it doesn’t overwhelm. However, he hit 14 homers, 7 doubles, and 4 triples in 254 plate appearances, continues to work hard on his defense and to lower his strikeout numbers, and is the right-handed power bat that the Twins have been sorely lacking. Coupled with Sano and Vargas, the Twins have three big bats in the system. Walker is a player to be a little patient with as he needs to work on his strikeout rate, but he still should move pretty quickly. The big outfielder was a fantastic slugger in college and didn’t drop off much in his first partial season of pro ball. I expect the power numbers to jump now that he has had increased instruction and pro ball experience under his belt. Expected start: Cedar Rapids, though he could be a potential quick jump to Fort Myers since the OF in Cedar Rapids is going to be crowded. ETA: 2015-2016. 14. Nate Roberts (DOB: 2-25-89), LH corner outfielder: Roberts has dealt with some injuries and an extremely cautious approach by the Twins in promoting him. That is until the 2012 Arizona Fall League. Roberts was great in limited time in 2010 (.336/.444/.547). In 2011 he was promoted to Beloit and posted an .889 OPS in 283 plate appearances while battling injury. In 2012 he returned to Beloit for some reason and continued to put up impressive numbers (.299/.433/.427), stealing 27 bases, walking (44) more than striking out (37) and continued his bizarre ability to get hit by pitches (23). Roberts was then sent to the Arizona Fall League, which is comprised mostly of good-very good prospects at AA and AAA. Roberts put up a 1.226 OPS in 77 plate appearances, homering three times, and swiping six bags. This dominant performance has many wondering if Roberts is a likely candidate to skip Fort Myers for New Britain to start 2013. I don’t like the idea of players skipping levels as I would rather see consistent progression from level to level. The Twins were bizarre with Roberts, however, so he may be an exception. I would probably start him for a bit at Fort Myers and then promote him to New Britain automatically a few months into the season. I think the Twins will be aggressive, though. Expected start: New Britain. ETA: 2014-2015. 13. Chris Herrmann (DOB: 11-24-87), LH catcher/left fielder: Herrmann was impressive in 2011 at New Britain where he showed great plate discipline, slugged OK, stole some places and played solid defense behind the plate and in the OF. In 2012, the Twins stuck with him at AA where he had a slight decline in production, especially early in the season when he was batting lower in the lineup and appeared to be trying to increase his power numbers. This didn’t work very well and New Britain eventually wised up and put Hicks and Herrmann at the top of the lineup with Oswaldo Arcia batting behind them. This was a good decision and Herrmann increased his production in the second half. I do think that the Twins have been rather bizarre in holding Herrmann back at AA for almost 1000 plate appearances while posting a .754 OPS. The team did not call him up to big leagues until the middle September after his AA season had been over for several days. It is a shame that terrible offensive players like Drew Butera and Rene Rivera are slowing down the development of Twins prospects and other minor league catchers who deserve more of a chance. Herrmann is not going to be an all-star and will certainly not be a regular with the Twins barring injury to Mauer or Doumit, but time is near when he can be a useful upgrade over Drew Butera and his versatility in LF (potentially RF as well) makes him a nice roster addition sooner rather than later. Expected start: Rochester. ETR (return): 2013. 12. Travis Harrison (DOB: 10-17-92), RH 3B: The Twins drafted Harrison with the 50th pick in the 2011 draft. Harrison’s bat is, without doubt, one of the best pure hitters in the organization and he demonstrated this with a big season for Elizabethon in 2012 as a 19-year-old. In 253 plate appearances, he had 12 doubles, 4 triples, and 5 homers. He walked 24 times and struck out 51 times on his way to a .301/.383/.461 batting line. Harrison’s defense at third base was not good, but there is a chance he will improve (as even Miguel Sano has some). It is likely, though, that first base and DH are in his future down the road. I would not be surprised if Harrison is someone—if he indeed cannot stick at 3B—who the Twins will look to trade in a hitting-for-pitching prospect deal. I would not expect that in 2013, however, and it will be interesting to see how Harrison adapts to a full season of baseball. Expected start: Cedar Rapid. ETA: 2016-2017. 11. Joe Benson (DOB: 3-5-88), RH outfielder: Benson was a top five prospect in 2011 and going into 2012. The 2012 season was a disaster for the talented outfielder, however. Benson had been moving through the system with Chris Parmelee and even came up with Parmelee to the Twins in September 2011. People tend to exaggerate Benson’s struggles in September of that year (as though 70+ plate appearances are telling at all in the first place). One could not expect the .883 AA OPS to immediate translate. Benson seems to have been injured for all of 2012, but often played through injury. He struggled mightily in AAA and instead of doing the right thing and making him stick it out at AAA, the Twins actually sent him back to AA in a terrible move. Benson still is a great defender and will just have to calm down and channel his energy and emotions into being a productive player in the very near future. It is a complete mistake to write Benson off as he is only just turning 25 this coming March and the talent is still there. Benson would still be a top 8 prospect if it weren’t for the 2012 offseason trades, and the performances of Max Kepler and Jose Berrios in 2012. Expected start: Rochester. ETR (return): Benson will be back at some point in 2013 and it could be sooner than later if Aaron Hicks is not ready by mid-season. The Twins could finish 2013 with both Hicks and Benson in the outfield, and I would welcome that scenario.

Ok, sure I am a bit big on these guys, but I do think there has suddenly more depth in the system. There are people who I am sure have placed Vargas near the top 10 already, and if Goodrum sticks at SS or 3B, I think he could really develop. Hauser seems to be a sure thing to at least get a look. If Boyd moves to a relief role, he will get a look as well. Maybe Salcedo is a bust, but he was also a top 10 guy two years ago.

Lightfoot, I don't care about Boyd' W-L record (affected by his low run support). What concerns me is that he throws gas but someone didn't strike many batters out. He also supposedly has good command, but walked too many. They could send him to Elizabethon again to see if he can improve those numbers. It is good that he was fairly successive there *while not being college pitcher*! I hope you are right about Goodrum. Vargas wasn't that old for Beloit and will be basically on track at Fort Myers. Low A is a good first test for these prospects (which is why I would like to see some players pushed there quicker) and Vargas put up ridiculous numbers. Unfortunately I can see only his Winter League splits and not his Beloit splits. I believe he may be better from the left side, but a switch-hitting power hitter for the Twins. Who has fit that bill anytime? Chili?

The fifth installment is comprised of 5 high upside guys who could all be very good major leaguers. I guarantee that at least one of them will be very good, another will be good, and the other three will all make it to contribute in a real way (or be used in a trade). 20. Matt Hauser (DOB: 3-30-88), RH reliever/starter: Hauser has a mid 90s fastball, a sinker, a slider, and a changeup. He was great at Fort Myers in relief then started some games successfully and moved up to New Britain where he went to the bullpen again. His strikeout rate dropped in AA down to 4.5, but that was only 16 innings of work. I would expect Hauser to see some time starting again this year and I would think if he gets his strikeout rate back up over 7, it would be wise to keep him starting. Otherwise he may be a dominant pitcher out of the bullpen and would add to the great depth the Twins have there in the organization. If the walks fall even a bit, it will mean that Hauser’s ERA should stay low even if he gets hit a bit more (only 78 hits in 88 innings in 2012—and only 5 of those were homers). He may be challenging Alex Burnett soon in his middle relief role, but also could make Jared Burton expendable in 2014. Expected start: New Britain. ETA: 2014-2015. 19. Hudson Boyd (DOB: 10-18-92), RH starter: Boyd throws in the upper 90s and came into the system with good control. He has fallen on this list both because of additions at the top and because his 2012 performance was underwhelming. In 58 innings at Elizabethon, he maintained a low ERA (2.95), but struck out only 36, walked 23, and hit 5 batters. The strikeout numbers are alarming for a pitcher of his skill at Elizabethon. He is still very young, though, and the talent is there. It is possible to see him move to the bullpen at some point and that could mean a fast ascent in the system, possibly as a future closer. As a starter, he would still probably be limited to under 100 innings in 2013. He probably will get another crack at starting, but he might be in the bullpen by season’s end. Expected start: Cedar Rapids. ETA: 2015-2016 as reliever, 2016-2017 as starter. 18. Adrian Salcedo (DOB: 2-5-91), RH starter: Salcedo was fantastic through 2010 and was in the top ten of most prospect lists at that time. 2011 was a letdown, but he was still could in his first full season (135 IP, 92 strikeouts, 27 walks). 2012 brought a comebacker and a broken nose. He was limited to 30+ innings between Fort Myers and a rehab stint in the GCL. 2012 was a lost season for Salcedo like it was for Stuifbergen, Wimmer, and Soliman. His strikeout rate is dropping but another year at Fort Myers might mean an increase there. He has a low 90s fastball, a slider, and a changeup. He is still very young and was so impressive early in his professional career, so there is no reason to exaggerate the results of 2011 and 2012 at the moment. 2013 is a big year for Salcedo and he is near the top of my list of guys to watch this seaon. Expected start: Fort Myers. ETA: 2015-2016. 17. Niko Goodrum (DOB: 2-28-92), SH shortstop: The 2010 second round pick has been moved a bit slow early on in his professional career, but it may all be worth it if Goodrum can stick at SS or move to 3B as the next best option. He improved in 2012 in Elizabethon over his 2011 numbers there, especially with regard to plate discipline. 2011 stats: 230 plate appearances, 21 walks, 56 strikeouts, .735 OPS. 2012 stats: 269 plate appearances, 38 walks, 56 strikeouts, .768 OPS. Perhaps most importantly, his defense at short improved enough to warrant the vast majority of his time spent there during the season. If SS doesn’t work out, 3B should for the big switch-hitter. He is an overlooked but important piece to the Twins future as there is no clear total package at SS or 3B in the system right now. Goodrum represents that possibility and it hopefully 2013 is a big step forward for him. Expected start: Cedar Rapids. ETA: 2016-2017. 16. Kennys Vargas (DOB: 8-1-90), SH 1B: Vargas served his suspension (did his time) and still managed 11 homers in 186 plate appearances at Beloit. Vargas was a legitimate power prospect going into 2012, but now he is at the top of the department with Sano. A 1.030 OPS at Beloit is nothing to scoff at and he is simply not striking out at a rate that should worry anyone at all. His .318/.419/.610 slash is phenomenal at that level. A real full season this year is going to be interesting. He is the most interesting prospect to watch in my opinion because he could rise into the top 10 easily if his success continues at Fort Myers. Vargas is interesting because he would give the Twins two huge power bats in the future with Sano being the other. That makes this seem a little more like the early 80s which should inspire and create some hope for the 2015 and on Twins. If the Twins find themselves in 2015 deciding between Vargas and Sano for 1B and DH, then things are quite good. Expected start: Fort Myers. ETA: 2015-2016.

The fifth installment is comprised of 5 high upside guys who could all be very good major leaguers. I guarantee that at least one of them will be very good, another will be good, and the other three will all make it to contribute in a real way (or be used in a trade). 20. Matt Hauser (DOB: 3-30-88), RH reliever/starter: Hauser has a mid 90s fastball, a sinker, a slider, and a changeup. He was great at Fort Myers in relief then started some games successfully and moved up to New Britain where he went to the bullpen again. His strikeout rate dropped in AA down to 4.5, but that was only 16 innings of work. I would expect Hauser to see some time starting again this year and I would think if he gets his strikeout rate back up over 7, it would be wise to keep him starting. Otherwise he may be a dominant pitcher out of the bullpen and would add to the great depth the Twins have there in the organization. If the walks fall even a bit, it will mean that Hauser’s ERA should stay low even if he gets hit a bit more (only 78 hits in 88 innings in 2012—and only 5 of those were homers). He may be challenging Alex Burnett soon in his middle relief role, but also could make Jared Burton expendable in 2014. Expected start: New Britain. ETA: 2014-2015. 19. Hudson Boyd (DOB: 10-18-92), RH starter: Boyd throws in the upper 90s and came into the system with good control. He has fallen on this list both because of additions at the top and because his 2012 performance was underwhelming. In 58 innings at Elizabethon, he maintained a low ERA (2.95), but struck out only 36, walked 23, and hit 5 batters. The strikeout numbers are alarming for a pitcher of his skill at Elizabethon. He is still very young, though, and the talent is there. It is possible to see him move to the bullpen at some point and that could mean a fast ascent in the system, possibly as a future closer. As a starter, he would still probably be limited to under 100 innings in 2013. He probably will get another crack at starting, but he might be in the bullpen by season’s end. Expected start: Cedar Rapids. ETA: 2015-2016 as reliever, 2016-2017 as starter. 18. Adrian Salcedo (DOB: 2-5-91), RH starter: Salcedo was fantastic through 2010 and was in the top ten of most prospect lists at that time. 2011 was a letdown, but he was still could in his first full season (135 IP, 92 strikeouts, 27 walks). 2012 brought a comebacker and a broken nose. He was limited to 30+ innings between Fort Myers and a rehab stint in the GCL. 2012 was a lost season for Salcedo like it was for Stuifbergen, Wimmer, and Soliman. His strikeout rate is dropping but another year at Fort Myers might mean an increase there. He has a low 90s fastball, a slider, and a changeup. He is still very young and was so impressive early in his professional career, so there is no reason to exaggerate the results of 2011 and 2012 at the moment. 2013 is a big year for Salcedo and he is near the top of my list of guys to watch this seaon. Expected start: Fort Myers. ETA: 2015-2016. 17. Niko Goodrum (DOB: 2-28-92), SH shortstop: The 2010 second round pick has been moved a bit slow early on in his professional career, but it may all be worth it if Goodrum can stick at SS or move to 3B as the next best option. He improved in 2012 in Elizabethon over his 2011 numbers there, especially with regard to plate discipline. 2011 stats: 230 plate appearances, 21 walks, 56 strikeouts, .735 OPS. 2012 stats: 269 plate appearances, 38 walks, 56 strikeouts, .768 OPS. Perhaps most importantly, his defense at short improved enough to warrant the vast majority of his time spent there during the season. If SS doesn’t work out, 3B should for the big switch-hitter. He is an overlooked but important piece to the Twins future as there is no clear total package at SS or 3B in the system right now. Goodrum represents that possibility and it hopefully 2013 is a big step forward for him. Expected start: Cedar Rapids. ETA: 2016-2017. 16. Kennys Vargas (DOB: 8-1-90), SH 1B: Vargas served his suspension (did his time) and still managed 11 homers in 186 plate appearances at Beloit. Vargas was a legitimate power prospect going into 2012, but now he is at the top of the department with Sano. A 1.030 OPS at Beloit is nothing to scoff at and he is simply not striking out at a rate that should worry anyone at all. His .318/.419/.610 slash is phenomenal at that level. A real full season this year is going to be interesting. He is the most interesting prospect to watch in my opinion because he could rise into the top 10 easily if his success continues at Fort Myers. Vargas is interesting because he would give the Twins two huge power bats in the future with Sano being the other. That makes this seem a little more like the early 80s which should inspire and create some hope for the 2015 and on Twins. If the Twins find themselves in 2015 deciding between Vargas and Sano for 1B and DH, then things are quite good. Expected start: Fort Myers. ETA: 2015-2016.

Part of that is that Burris is a bit younger and also could move into a starter role. And his curveball is there as in ready.

Note: I will link to all parts of this series with the final 1-5 grouping.

In the fourth installment, things start to get quite interesting with some strong upside talents and some almost tragic time-is-of-the-essence prospects in limbo. 30. Mason Melotakis (DOB: 6-28-91), LH reliever: Melotakis was moved quickly from Elizabethon to Beloit last year and didn’t miss a beat. The hard-throwing lefty (mid 90s fastball) also has a great power slider. In 17+ innings at Beloit last year he gave up only 4 earned runs, struck out 24 and walked 4. He could fly up this list and also move quickly in the Twins system. I hope the Twins push him this year immediately up instead of a return to low-A ball. Expected start: Fort Myers. ETA: 2015-2016. 29. Tom Stuifbergen (DOB: 9-26-88), RH starter: Stuifbergen suffered through a strange shoulder injury that limited him to 74+ innings and hampered his strikeout total dramatically (39). Bouncing back this year after the disastrous 2012 is certainly possible and he is running out of time. If things had gone well last year, he could have been a contender for a rotation spot with the Twins at some point this year. Expected start: New Britain. ETA: never or 2014-2015. 28. Jorge Polanco (DOB: 7-5-93), SH middle infielder: Polanco generated a decent amount of attention before even playing in the Twins organization and then fell off the radar some after the 2010 and 2011 seasons. His defensive ability at shortstop was heavily sought after by the Twins, though he struggled at the position in 2012 and spent most of his time over at second base. The offensive production, however, went off the charts with a 235 OPS point jump between GCL 2011 and Elizabethon 2012. And he is still 19. Polanco demonstrated some power in 2012, especially with 15 doubles in just 204 plate appearances. He doesn’t walk much, but he also doesn’t strike out much. He is definitely going to be one of my top 10 players to watch in 2013 in the system. Expected start: Cedar Rapids. ETA: 2016-2017. 27. Jason Wheeler (DOB: 10-27-90), LH starter: Wheeler was a consistent presence for the Beloit rotation, throwing 156+ innings with a 3.45 ERA. His 6.6/2.5 per nine K/BB rate doesn’t overwhelm, but he looks like a younger (and taller) version of Scott Diamond right now. I would expect a steady increase in workload and movement up the system for him. Expected start: Fort Myers. ETA: 2015-2016. 26. Dereck Rodriguez (DOB: 6-5-92), RH outfielder: I remain high on Rodriguez even though the Twins are moving slow with him. He doesn’t have a single plate appearance beyond the GCL, where he posted a .783 OPS in 2012. It would seem that the outfield log jam at the bottom of the system and Dereck’s plate discipline kept him in the GCL after 2011. He did improve some in that regard, but still does strike out a lot. Expected start: EST and Elizabethon with possible promotion to Beloit mid-season. ETA: 2016-2017. 25. Levi Michael (DOB: 2-9-91), SH middle infielder: 2011’s first round pick did not have a good 2012 season, but to write him off at this point would be very silly. His numbers for his first season of pro ball at a level a bit over his head are decent enough and .093 isolated discipline shows a skill that won’t go away. He should hit better (and for more power) and the real question comes down to where he will play. He played a bit more at second base in 2012, but should probably get the majority of the duties at short in Fort Myer if Danny Santana moves to New Britain. Expected start: Fort Myers. ETA: 2015-2016. 24. Alex Wimmers (DOB: 12-1-88), RH starter: Like Stuifbergen, Wimmers has run into terrible luck which has significantly delayed his progress. This was a guy who some thought could actually arrive in 2011 for the Twins by the end of that season, but then weird control issues ended that and 2012 brought Tommy John. The Twins let Wimmers delay surgery and the injury only got worse, so what was an early season issue became an early August surgery. He should be working his way back into the New Britain rotation for the last 2/5 of the season. Expected start: New Britain DL. ETA: never or 2014-2015. 23. B.J. Hermsen (DOB: 12-1-89), RH starter: In 139+ innings in 2012, Hermsen struck out 75 batters and walked 25. He kept his ERA to 3.22 which is in line with his career 3.21 ERA in his career. The strikeouts are dwindling, however, and this is cause for concern as he goes forward. His sinker is good and he can induce ground balls. He is another guy to really follow this year as continued success after moving to AAA should relieve at least some of the doubts I have about his ability to pitch in the majors. He will get there though and there is no reason to keep him back at New Britain. Expected start: Rochester. ETA: a big range from Sept. 2013 to Sept. 2015. 22. Danny Santana (DOB: 11-7-90), SH middle infielder: It’s a good sign to see someone move up a level and then add 68 points to his OPS. It’s even better when this is a middle infielder. Santana has a good glove, great speed, and surprising pop. His 21 doubles, 8 triples, and 9 homers in 547 plate appearances in the Florida State League are very impressive. He doesn’t walk much at all, but he cut the strikeouts down a lot in 2012 while raising his batting average 39 points. He is another guy to watch in 2013 and it will be interesting to see how middle infield time might be divided in New Britain between he and Beresford, assuming the Twins don’t make the mistake of keeping him in Fort Myers. If Santana can maintain this offensive production and fine-tune his defense, he is a promising middle infielder for the Twins soon. Expected start: New Britain. ETA: 2014-2015. 21. Josh Burris (DOB: 11-28-91), RH reliever: Burris pitched 36 innings for Elizabethon, striking out 40 and walking 21. This control issue is not strange for Burris, but that is actually an improvement from his 2011 college numbers. He can hit the mid 90s and has a good curveball. It will be interesting to see whether or not the Twins will be converting his talents and stuff towards being a starting pitcher. I would think that they might experiment some with that later in the season, but certainly have to start increasing his innings load. Expected start: Cedar Rapids. ETA: 2015-2016 as reliever, 2016-2017 as starter.

In the fourth installment, things start to get quite interesting with some strong upside talents and some almost tragic time-is-of-the-essence prospects in limbo. 30. Mason Melotakis (DOB: 6-28-91), LH reliever: Melotakis was moved quickly from Elizabethon to Beloit last year and didn’t miss a beat. The hard-throwing lefty (mid 90s fastball) also has a great power slider. In 17+ innings at Beloit last year he gave up only 4 earned runs, struck out 24 and walked 4. He could fly up this list and also move quickly in the Twins system. I hope the Twins push him this year immediately up instead of a return to low-A ball. Expected start: Fort Myers. ETA: 2015-2016. 29. Tom Stuifbergen (DOB: 9-26-88), RH starter: Stuifbergen suffered through a strange shoulder injury that limited him to 74+ innings and hampered his strikeout total dramatically (39). Bouncing back this year after the disastrous 2012 is certainly possible and he is running out of time. If things had gone well last year, he could have been a contender for a rotation spot with the Twins at some point this year. Expected start: New Britain. ETA: never or 2014-2015. 28. Jorge Polanco (DOB: 7-5-93), SH middle infielder: Polanco generated a decent amount of attention before even playing in the Twins organization and then fell off the radar some after the 2010 and 2011 seasons. His defensive ability at shortstop was heavily sought after by the Twins, though he struggled at the position in 2012 and spent most of his time over at second base. The offensive production, however, went off the charts with a 235 OPS point jump between GCL 2011 and Elizabethon 2012. And he is still 19. Polanco demonstrated some power in 2012, especially with 15 doubles in just 204 plate appearances. He doesn’t walk much, but he also doesn’t strike out much. He is definitely going to be one of my top 10 players to watch in 2013 in the system. Expected start: Cedar Rapids. ETA: 2016-2017. 27. Jason Wheeler (DOB: 10-27-90), LH starter: Wheeler was a consistent presence for the Beloit rotation, throwing 156+ innings with a 3.45 ERA. His 6.6/2.5 per nine K/BB rate doesn’t overwhelm, but he looks like a younger (and taller) version of Scott Diamond right now. I would expect a steady increase in workload and movement up the system for him. Expected start: Fort Myers. ETA: 2015-2016. 26. Dereck Rodriguez (DOB: 6-5-92), RH outfielder: I remain high on Rodriguez even though the Twins are moving slow with him. He doesn’t have a single plate appearance beyond the GCL, where he posted a .783 OPS in 2012. It would seem that the outfield log jam at the bottom of the system and Dereck’s plate discipline kept him in the GCL after 2011. He did improve some in that regard, but still does strike out a lot. Expected start: EST and Elizabethon with possible promotion to Beloit mid-season. ETA: 2016-2017. 25. Levi Michael (DOB: 2-9-91), SH middle infielder: 2011’s first round pick did not have a good 2012 season, but to write him off at this point would be very silly. His numbers for his first season of pro ball at a level a bit over his head are decent enough and .093 isolated discipline shows a skill that won’t go away. He should hit better (and for more power) and the real question comes down to where he will play. He played a bit more at second base in 2012, but should probably get the majority of the duties at short in Fort Myer if Danny Santana moves to New Britain. Expected start: Fort Myers. ETA: 2015-2016. 24. Alex Wimmers (DOB: 12-1-88), RH starter: Like Stuifbergen, Wimmers has run into terrible luck which has significantly delayed his progress. This was a guy who some thought could actually arrive in 2011 for the Twins by the end of that season, but then weird control issues ended that and 2012 brought Tommy John. The Twins let Wimmers delay surgery and the injury only got worse, so what was an early season issue became an early August surgery. He should be working his way back into the New Britain rotation for the last 2/5 of the season. Expected start: New Britain DL. ETA: never or 2014-2015. 23. B.J. Hermsen (DOB: 12-1-89), RH starter: In 139+ innings in 2012, Hermsen struck out 75 batters and walked 25. He kept his ERA to 3.22 which is in line with his career 3.21 ERA in his career. The strikeouts are dwindling, however, and this is cause for concern as he goes forward. His sinker is good and he can induce ground balls. He is another guy to really follow this year as continued success after moving to AAA should relieve at least some of the doubts I have about his ability to pitch in the majors. He will get there though and there is no reason to keep him back at New Britain. Expected start: Rochester. ETA: a big range from Sept. 2013 to Sept. 2015. 22. Danny Santana (DOB: 11-7-90), SH middle infielder: It’s a good sign to see someone move up a level and then add 68 points to his OPS. It’s even better when this is a middle infielder. Santana has a good glove, great speed, and surprising pop. His 21 doubles, 8 triples, and 9 homers in 547 plate appearances in the Florida State League are very impressive. He doesn’t walk much at all, but he cut the strikeouts down a lot in 2012 while raising his batting average 39 points. He is another guy to watch in 2013 and it will be interesting to see how middle infield time might be divided in New Britain between he and Beresford, assuming the Twins don’t make the mistake of keeping him in Fort Myers. If Santana can maintain this offensive production and fine-tune his defense, he is a promising middle infielder for the Twins soon. Expected start: New Britain. ETA: 2014-2015. 21. Josh Burris (DOB: 11-28-91), RH reliever: Burris pitched 36 innings for Elizabethon, striking out 40 and walking 21. This control issue is not strange for Burris, but that is actually an improvement from his 2011 college numbers. He can hit the mid 90s and has a good curveball. It will be interesting to see whether or not the Twins will be converting his talents and stuff towards being a starting pitcher. I would think that they might experiment some with that later in the season, but certainly have to start increasing his innings load. Expected start: Cedar Rapids. ETA: 2015-2016 as reliever, 2016-2017 as starter.

This is the third segment in my prospect list breakdown. These ten have good-to-great upside in most cases and essentially all of them are facing crucial seasons in their development, for various reasons. 40. Angel Morales (DOB: 11-24-89), RH outfielder: After the 2010 season, I placed Morales at number 5 on my prospect list. That was a bit high for him, but he certainly made the vast majority of top 10 lists. Morales spent half of 2010 in Fort Myers and has been there ever since, battling injury in 2011 and struggling 420 plate appearances to manage a .220/.310/.328 line. He is clearly stuck in a rut, but the talent is still present and he is only 23. A move up to New Britain could mean a make or break season. Aaron Hicks benefitted from the move to New Britain as did Oswaldo Arcia. Morales is very athletic and his defense is very good with a great arm. This is about the age that Hicks and Benson took off, so hopefully the same can be said for Morales after 2013. Expected start: New Britain. ETA: 2015 or 2016. 39. Manuel Soliman (DOB: 8-11-89), RH starter/reliever: Solimon was a top prospect going into the 2012 season but was sidelined with injury and had surgery to repair a torn labrum in June. He will come back slowly this year and should be ready by June. He throws in the low 90s and has a sinker as well. If the injury takes a few ticks away, he might be moved to the bullpen. That was the likely future for him anyway, but he could be very good in that role. Like Morales, 2013 is going to be a huge year for Soliman to return to form and move up this list. Expected start: Fort Myers DL. ETA: never or 2015-2016. 38. D.J. Baxendale (DOB: 12-8-90), RH reliever/starter: Baxendale doesn’t really throw hard, but still struck out 31 batters in 18+ innings between Elizabethon and Beloit. He was selected in the 10th round of the 2012 draft and I would consider him a borderline case between the rotation and the bullpen. The Twins might want to see him as a starter, so that could be in the works for 2013. Expected start: Cedar Rapids. ETA: never or 2015-2016. 37. Matthew Summers (DOB: 8-17-89), LH starter: Summers is a guy that I thought would be shooting up this list, but he is in danger of dropping off if he doesn’t turn it around in 2013. Fresh out of college in 2011, he dominated Elizabethon. This year the K rate plummeted to 5.9, while he walked to many batters (especially in limited time at Fort Myers). He can throw hard, but that didn’t translate to strikeouts last season. He did throw almost 150 innings, so that is a good sign for 2013. That said, I wouldn’t be surprised if he is in the bullpen by 2014. Expected start: Fort Myers. ETA: never or 2015-2016. 36. Madison Boer (DOB: 11-9-89), RH starter/reliever: Boer is another pitcher who dominated in Elizabethon in 2011 and then had a problematic season across both levels of A ball in 2012. Boer can hit the mid 90s with his fastball, but the strikeouts are not coming. His 5.4/2.6 per nine K/BB rate in 111 innings at Fort Myers is cause for concern. He also gave up 147 hits there. Expected start: Fort Myers. ETA: never or 2015-2016. 35. J.T. Chargois (DOB: 12-3-90), RH reliever: Chargois was great at Elizabethon, which doesn’t mean a whole lot for college pitchers. He has a mid 90s fastball and a good slider, however, and could be a fast-rising pitcher. Hopefully his 2013 season doesn’t lead me to saying the same thing about Chargois as I did about Boer and Summers. Expected start: Cedar Rapids. ETA: never or 2015-2016. 34. Angel Mata (DOB: 12-3-92), RH starter: Mata followed up an impressive 2011 with a solid 2012 at Elizabethon. He has control issues, but is young and strikes people out as well. He threw only 53+ innings, so one has to wonder about the number he will be limited to in 2013. While walking too many, he has managed to give up a very low number of hits the past two years (54 in over 90 innings) which says a lot about his stuff. That makeup reminds me a bit of Anthony Slama, but I will leave that alone for now. Expected start: Cedar Rapids. ETA: 2016-2017. 33. Michael Tonkin (DOB: 11-19-89), RH reliever: Tonkin finished the year in the Arizona Fall League and was fantastic prior to his last appearance when he gave up three earned runs in an inning. Tonkin between Beloit and Fort Myers struck out 97 batters in 69+ innings, with the K rate actually rising after his promotion to Fort Myers. He had a breakout year in 2012 and should be moving quickly up as the Twins clearly liked what they saw this year with him. Expected start: New Britain. ETA: 2014-2015. 32. Danny Ortiz (DOB: 1-5-90), LH outfielder: Ortiz has flown under the radar amidst the massive amount of outfield talent in the Twins system, but he has been consistently solid each year and can play all three outfield positions. This might project him into 4th OF status as the offensive output is definitely not overwhelming (career .732 OPS). That said, he has displayed doubles power each year and has kept his strikeouts fairly low. He could have a breakout season in 2013 in New Britain if the Twins are smart enough to start him there. Expected start: New Britain. ETA: September 2014-September 2015. 31. Luke Bard (DOB: 11-13-90), RH reliever/starter: A lot, in my view, will depend on whether the Twins make use of Bard as a starter or reliever. The 42nd overall pick in the draft has very good stuff with a mid 90s fastball and a fantastic slider. His stat record is so small that isn’t really worth mentioning as seven innings tells one nothing. As a starter, Bard could amount to a mid-rotation contributor. As a reliever, he could end up being a setup or closer type after the Glen Perkins era. Only time will tell. Expected start: Cedar Rapids. ETA: 2016-2017.

This is the third segment in my prospect list breakdown. These ten have good-to-great upside in most cases and essentially all of them are facing crucial seasons in their development, for various reasons. 40. Angel Morales (DOB: 11-24-89), RH outfielder: After the 2010 season, I placed Morales at number 5 on my prospect list. That was a bit high for him, but he certainly made the vast majority of top 10 lists. Morales spent half of 2010 in Fort Myers and has been there ever since, battling injury in 2011 and struggling 420 plate appearances to manage a .220/.310/.328 line. He is clearly stuck in a rut, but the talent is still present and he is only 23. A move up to New Britain could mean a make or break season. Aaron Hicks benefitted from the move to New Britain as did Oswaldo Arcia. Morales is very athletic and his defense is very good with a great arm. This is about the age that Hicks and Benson took off, so hopefully the same can be said for Morales after 2013. Expected start: New Britain. ETA: 2015 or 2016. 39. Manuel Soliman (DOB: 8-11-89), RH starter/reliever: Solimon was a top prospect going into the 2012 season but was sidelined with injury and had surgery to repair a torn labrum in June. He will come back slowly this year and should be ready by June. He throws in the low 90s and has a sinker as well. If the injury takes a few ticks away, he might be moved to the bullpen. That was the likely future for him anyway, but he could be very good in that role. Like Morales, 2013 is going to be a huge year for Soliman to return to form and move up this list. Expected start: Fort Myers DL. ETA: never or 2015-2016. 38. D.J. Baxendale (DOB: 12-8-90), RH reliever/starter: Baxendale doesn’t really throw hard, but still struck out 31 batters in 18+ innings between Elizabethon and Beloit. He was selected in the 10th round of the 2012 draft and I would consider him a borderline case between the rotation and the bullpen. The Twins might want to see him as a starter, so that could be in the works for 2013. Expected start: Cedar Rapids. ETA: never or 2015-2016. 37. Matthew Summers (DOB: 8-17-89), LH starter: Summers is a guy that I thought would be shooting up this list, but he is in danger of dropping off if he doesn’t turn it around in 2013. Fresh out of college in 2011, he dominated Elizabethon. This year the K rate plummeted to 5.9, while he walked to many batters (especially in limited time at Fort Myers). He can throw hard, but that didn’t translate to strikeouts last season. He did throw almost 150 innings, so that is a good sign for 2013. That said, I wouldn’t be surprised if he is in the bullpen by 2014. Expected start: Fort Myers. ETA: never or 2015-2016. 36. Madison Boer (DOB: 11-9-89), RH starter/reliever: Boer is another pitcher who dominated in Elizabethon in 2011 and then had a problematic season across both levels of A ball in 2012. Boer can hit the mid 90s with his fastball, but the strikeouts are not coming. His 5.4/2.6 per nine K/BB rate in 111 innings at Fort Myers is cause for concern. He also gave up 147 hits there. Expected start: Fort Myers. ETA: never or 2015-2016. 35. J.T. Chargois (DOB: 12-3-90), RH reliever: Chargois was great at Elizabethon, which doesn’t mean a whole lot for college pitchers. He has a mid 90s fastball and a good slider, however, and could be a fast-rising pitcher. Hopefully his 2013 season doesn’t lead me to saying the same thing about Chargois as I did about Boer and Summers. Expected start: Cedar Rapids. ETA: never or 2015-2016. 34. Angel Mata (DOB: 12-3-92), RH starter: Mata followed up an impressive 2011 with a solid 2012 at Elizabethon. He has control issues, but is young and strikes people out as well. He threw only 53+ innings, so one has to wonder about the number he will be limited to in 2013. While walking too many, he has managed to give up a very low number of hits the past two years (54 in over 90 innings) which says a lot about his stuff. That makeup reminds me a bit of Anthony Slama, but I will leave that alone for now. Expected start: Cedar Rapids. ETA: 2016-2017. 33. Michael Tonkin (DOB: 11-19-89), RH reliever: Tonkin finished the year in the Arizona Fall League and was fantastic prior to his last appearance when he gave up three earned runs in an inning. Tonkin between Beloit and Fort Myers struck out 97 batters in 69+ innings, with the K rate actually rising after his promotion to Fort Myers. He had a breakout year in 2012 and should be moving quickly up as the Twins clearly liked what they saw this year with him. Expected start: New Britain. ETA: 2014-2015. 32. Danny Ortiz (DOB: 1-5-90), LH outfielder: Ortiz has flown under the radar amidst the massive amount of outfield talent in the Twins system, but he has been consistently solid each year and can play all three outfield positions. This might project him into 4th OF status as the offensive output is definitely not overwhelming (career .732 OPS). That said, he has displayed doubles power each year and has kept his strikeouts fairly low. He could have a breakout season in 2013 in New Britain if the Twins are smart enough to start him there. Expected start: New Britain. ETA: September 2014-September 2015. 31. Luke Bard (DOB: 11-13-90), RH reliever/starter: A lot, in my view, will depend on whether the Twins make use of Bard as a starter or reliever. The 42nd overall pick in the draft has very good stuff with a mid 90s fastball and a fantastic slider. His stat record is so small that isn’t really worth mentioning as seven innings tells one nothing. As a starter, Bard could amount to a mid-rotation contributor. As a reliever, he could end up being a setup or closer type after the Glen Perkins era. Only time will tell. Expected start: Cedar Rapids. ETA: 2016-2017.

Williams is not going to be a closer. Anyway, I am basing it on Achter's dominant statistics this year, including at Fort Myers.

I think of prospects being eligible as prospects if they haven't reached the majors or have spent less than 1/3 of a season there. I also wanted to put him somewhere on the list for comparison's sake.

By the way, odds that the Watts video poster is his wife/girlfriend, sister, or . . . mother?

Here is part two of my detailed prospect list. This is where it tends to get pretty cloudy with a lot of reliever types, but these names either were or would have been in the 25-35ish range in the Twins system 2-3 years ago. That is a good sign. 50. Dakota Watts (DOB: 11-16-87), RH reliever: Watts bounced back from a rough 2011 to have a substantially better 2012 and remain on this list. He still walks to many batters and that is going to be the main issue going forward. His AA performance was good as he posted a 2.67 ERA in 33+ innings while striking out 27 and walking 16. He throws gas (mid to upper 90s), so the wildness is to be expected. The K rate has to stay where it is (or improve) or he is going to have trouble in the majors. Expected start: New Britain. ETA: 2013-2014. Watts pitching this winter: 49. Chris Colabello (DOB: 10-24-83), RH 1B: It is hard to call a 29-year-old a prospect, but Colabello’s success in his first season in the Twins system was astounding, and includes a dominating winter performance in the Mexican League. In 228 plate appearances there, he has 17 homers and a 1.043 OPS. This coupled with his 2012 season at New Britain amounts to 790 plate appearances, 36 homers, 50 doubles, and around a .915 OPS for the entire year. His tremendous power is an enormous asset, but the clock is ticking. He is in his prime now and the Twins should take advantage of this. He is a 1B/DH type, but has experience at 3B and could serve in an emergency backup role there. I would love for Colabello to get the final bench spot on the 25-man roster, but that is unlikely. Expected start: Rochester. ETA: 2013-2014. 48. Bruce Pugh (DOB: 7-18-88), RH reliever: Pugh was pretty dominant in 2012 after a bad 2011 season. In 42 innings at New Britain, he struck out 48, walked 23, and posted a 1.50 ERA. He throws hard and has an effective slider. His K rate has stayed the same the past two years so there hasn’t been a drop off there like with many other Twins prospects. Expected start: Rochester. ETA 2013. 47. Zach Jones (DOB: 12-4-90), RH reliever: Jones threw 20 innings between Elizabethon and Beloit, striking out 34 and walking 11. He also gave up only 11 hits and one homer. He has a mid 90s fastball and a slider. He will likely remain a reliever, adding to a massive list of MR/SU/CL types in the Twins organization. Expected start: Fort Myers. ETA 2015-2016. 46. Josmil Pinto (DOB: 3-31-89), RH catcher: Pinto was OK in 2011 and I started paying attention to his progress at that point. He certainly did not disappoint in 2012. He spent most of his time in Fort Myers again, this time with a .295/.361/.473 (.834) line in 393 plate appearances. He added 22 doubles and 12 homers. He was promoted to New Britain and in 52 plate appearances had a .919 OPS and a couple homers. This performance warranted Pinto’s addition to the 40-man roster. He spent a fair amount of time as the DH, but this is not because of any defensive weakness, but rather the need to keep his bat in the lineup. Could form an interesting trio in the future with Mauer and Herrmann. Expected start: New Britain. ETA 2014-2015. 45. Lester Oliveros (DOB: 5-28-88), RH reliever: Oliveros was dominant at New Britain before being promoted to Rochester. There he struck out 35 batters in 29+ innings and walked only 8. He then injured his elbow and underwent Tommy John surgery at the end of August. With minimal time in the big leagues, it is too early to rely on his major league stats to project his value. He will clearly be starting on the DL in 2013 but should be ready around mid-season. Expected start: Rochester DL. ETR (return): 2014. 44. J.D. Williams (DOB: 11-20-90), SH outfielder: Williams was excellent in 2011 at Elizabethon and fell dramatically in 2012 after moving up to Beloit. His OPS fell 220 points to .651 and he struck out an alarming 115 times in 407 plate appearances. He is a speedy outfielder who can cover a lot of ground in all three outfield positions. Both at the top of the system and toward the bottom, the outfield is crowded. With Max Kepler, Byron Buxton, Adam Walker, and others looking toward A ball this year, it isn’t clear if Williams will be at Cedar Rapids or pushed forward out of the need for playing time. Expected start: Cedar Rapids (if Buxton doesn’t start there), Fort Myers (if Buxton starts at Cedar Rapids). ETA: never or 2016-2017. 43. Corey Williams (DOB: 7-4-90), LH reliever: Williams was solid in his first full year of professional baseball. He posted a 3.47 ERA in 62+ innings while fanning 68 and walking 33. The high walk total accounted for a high WHIP (1.412) and the higher ERA. He has a solid low to mid 90s fastball, changeup, cutter, and slider, which may lead to a conversion to the rotation at some point. He is likely to move quickly as a talented lefty with 3-4 pitches. Expected start: Fort Myers. ETA: 2015-2016. 42. A.J. Achter (DOB: 8-27-88), RH reliever: Achter totally dominated low A and high A ball in 2012, ending with a 0.79 ERA in 34+ innings at Fort Myers. There he struck out 37 and walked only 3, giving up no homers. The move to the bullpen was enormously helpful for him and she should rise up this list and the system quickly, which is pretty good for someone drafted in the 46th round in 2010. He is a bit of a late bloomer, so this season will be crucial for him. Expected start: New Britain. ETA: 2014-2015. 41. Ryan Pressly (DOB: 12-15-88), RH starter/reliever: Pressly was selected by the Twins in the Rule 5 draft from Boston. He struggled some in 2010 and 2011, started out struggling in 2012 in high A ball, but did improve after being promoted to AA. The hard-thrower struck out 21 in 27+ innings while walking 10. This is certainly a reach, but I would rather the Twins give Pressly a long relief spot and trade away Anthony Swarzak in some package for a low level pitcher with a modicum of upside. Swarzak’s time is done and Pressly is a younger option who still has room for development. Expected start: either sent back to Boston or sent to the minors after the Twins work out a trade. ETA: never or 2014-2015.

Here is part two of my detailed prospect list. This is where it tends to get pretty cloudy with a lot of reliever types, but these names either were or would have been in the 25-35ish range in the Twins system 2-3 years ago. That is a good sign. 50. Dakota Watts (DOB: 11-16-87), RH reliever: Watts bounced back from a rough 2011 to have a substantially better 2012 and remain on this list. He still walks to many batters and that is going to be the main issue going forward. His AA performance was good as he posted a 2.67 ERA in 33+ innings while striking out 27 and walking 16. He throws gas (mid to upper 90s), so the wildness is to be expected. The K rate has to stay where it is (or improve) or he is going to have trouble in the majors. Expected start: New Britain. ETA: 2013-2014. Watts pitching this winter: 49. Chris Colabello (DOB: 10-24-83), RH 1B: It is hard to call a 29-year-old a prospect, but Colabello’s success in his first season in the Twins system was astounding, and includes a dominating winter performance in the Mexican League. In 228 plate appearances there, he has 17 homers and a 1.043 OPS. This coupled with his 2012 season at New Britain amounts to 790 plate appearances, 36 homers, 50 doubles, and around a .915 OPS for the entire year. His tremendous power is an enormous asset, but the clock is ticking. He is in his prime now and the Twins should take advantage of this. He is a 1B/DH type, but has experience at 3B and could serve in an emergency backup role there. I would love for Colabello to get the final bench spot on the 25-man roster, but that is unlikely. Expected start: Rochester. ETA: 2013-2014. 48. Bruce Pugh (DOB: 7-18-88), RH reliever: Pugh was pretty dominant in 2012 after a bad 2011 season. In 42 innings at New Britain, he struck out 48, walked 23, and posted a 1.50 ERA. He throws hard and has an effective slider. His K rate has stayed the same the past two years so there hasn’t been a drop off there like with many other Twins prospects. Expected start: Rochester. ETA 2013. 47. Zach Jones (DOB: 12-4-90), RH reliever: Jones threw 20 innings between Elizabethon and Beloit, striking out 34 and walking 11. He also gave up only 11 hits and one homer. He has a mid 90s fastball and a slider. He will likely remain a reliever, adding to a massive list of MR/SU/CL types in the Twins organization. Expected start: Fort Myers. ETA 2015-2016. 46. Josmil Pinto (DOB: 3-31-89), RH catcher: Pinto was OK in 2011 and I started paying attention to his progress at that point. He certainly did not disappoint in 2012. He spent most of his time in Fort Myers again, this time with a .295/.361/.473 (.834) line in 393 plate appearances. He added 22 doubles and 12 homers. He was promoted to New Britain and in 52 plate appearances had a .919 OPS and a couple homers. This performance warranted Pinto’s addition to the 40-man roster. He spent a fair amount of time as the DH, but this is not because of any defensive weakness, but rather the need to keep his bat in the lineup. Could form an interesting trio in the future with Mauer and Herrmann. Expected start: New Britain. ETA 2014-2015. 45. Lester Oliveros (DOB: 5-28-88), RH reliever: Oliveros was dominant at New Britain before being promoted to Rochester. There he struck out 35 batters in 29+ innings and walked only 8. He then injured his elbow and underwent Tommy John surgery at the end of August. With minimal time in the big leagues, it is too early to rely on his major league stats to project his value. He will clearly be starting on the DL in 2013 but should be ready around mid-season. Expected start: Rochester DL. ETR (return): 2014. 44. J.D. Williams (DOB: 11-20-90), SH outfielder: Williams was excellent in 2011 at Elizabethon and fell dramatically in 2012 after moving up to Beloit. His OPS fell 220 points to .651 and he struck out an alarming 115 times in 407 plate appearances. He is a speedy outfielder who can cover a lot of ground in all three outfield positions. Both at the top of the system and toward the bottom, the outfield is crowded. With Max Kepler, Byron Buxton, Adam Walker, and others looking toward A ball this year, it isn’t clear if Williams will be at Cedar Rapids or pushed forward out of the need for playing time. Expected start: Cedar Rapids (if Buxton doesn’t start there), Fort Myers (if Buxton starts at Cedar Rapids). ETA: never or 2016-2017. 43. Corey Williams (DOB: 7-4-90), LH reliever: Williams was solid in his first full year of professional baseball. He posted a 3.47 ERA in 62+ innings while fanning 68 and walking 33. The high walk total accounted for a high WHIP (1.412) and the higher ERA. He has a solid low to mid 90s fastball, changeup, cutter, and slider, which may lead to a conversion to the rotation at some point. He is likely to move quickly as a talented lefty with 3-4 pitches. Expected start: Fort Myers. ETA: 2015-2016. 42. A.J. Achter (DOB: 8-27-88), RH reliever: Achter totally dominated low A and high A ball in 2012, ending with a 0.79 ERA in 34+ innings at Fort Myers. There he struck out 37 and walked only 3, giving up no homers. The move to the bullpen was enormously helpful for him and she should rise up this list and the system quickly, which is pretty good for someone drafted in the 46th round in 2010. He is a bit of a late bloomer, so this season will be crucial for him. Expected start: New Britain. ETA: 2014-2015. 41. Ryan Pressly (DOB: 12-15-88), RH starter/reliever: Pressly was selected by the Twins in the Rule 5 draft from Boston. He struggled some in 2010 and 2011, started out struggling in 2012 in high A ball, but did improve after being promoted to AA. The hard-thrower struck out 21 in 27+ innings while walking 10. This is certainly a reach, but I would rather the Twins give Pressly a long relief spot and trade away Anthony Swarzak in some package for a low level pitcher with a modicum of upside. Swarzak’s time is done and Pressly is a younger option who still has room for development. Expected start: either sent back to Boston or sent to the minors after the Twins work out a trade. ETA: never or 2014-2015.

Grimes is CATCHING, Seth!? Wow. That would change things if he can even put up marginally better numbers than he did in 2012. That will be interesting to watch. I am going to be a bit low on relief pitchers . . . And Guerra passed through waivers as thrylos says.

This is the first in a series of blog posts breaking down my top 60 Twins prospects. I realized that I had omitted Ryan Pressly and Zach Jones from my initial list, so they will make it into the series now. Overall the system has improved dramatically in the past two years, both at the top and with respect to depth. Honorable Mention: Matthew Koch, Bobby Lanigan, Tyler Grimes HM: Matthew Koch: After an inconsequential 2011, Koch started out of the gates hot in the first half of his season and then cooled off. He ended with a .253/.349/.421 (.770) line and hit 8 homers in 359 plate appearances. He also struck out 106 times and that was the major cause of his fall in the second half. If he can regain some of that offensive prowess displayed early and cut down on the whiffs, he could rise up the list. He just turned 24, however, so the clock is ticking. Expected start: Fort Myers. ETA: never or 2015-16. HM: Bobby Lanigan: Lanigan is falling off the prospect map and 2013 might be his last chance to turn his career around. In 225+ inning in AA, he has a 4.51 ERA and 5.8/2.2 per nine K/BB rate. AAA was significantly worse for him in 2012. He’ll be 26 in May. Expected start: Rochester. ETA: never or 2013-2014. HM: Tyler Grimes: Grimes was successful in his first partial year in professional baseball in 2011, but repeating Beloit in 2012 got him nowhere. In 222 more plate appearances, his OPS dropped 69 points. His defense at shortstop also went south in 2012 so he might be moving to 2B or 3B, which could help his chances if he can start hitting again and he has a bit of time (turns 23 in July). Expected start: Fort Myers. ETA: never or 2015-2016. 60. Logan Darnell (DOB: 2-2-89), LH starter: Darnell struggled at New Britain in 2012, posting a 5.08 in 156 innings with a 5.7/2.7 per nine K/BB rate. His fastball tops out in the low 90s and he has a decent changeup. He very well could end up moving to the bullpen, but for now will likely stick as a starter for 2013. Expected start: New Britain. ETA: never or 2014-2015. 59. Tyler Jones (DOB: 9-5-89), RH starter: Jones had a fairly impressive 2012 year at Beloit. He gives up too many hits and walks too many (1.442 WHIP), but struck out 102 in 86+ innings. His fastball tops out in the mid 90s and he will need to work on his secondary pitches (slider, changeup) to improve. He is someone I may consider as a 2013 breakout candidate and he could move up this prospect list very quickly. Expected start: Fort Myers. ETA: never or 2015-2016. 58. Romy Jimenez (DOB: 5-14-91), RH outfielder: After spending the vast majority of his time in the organization in the DSL, Jimenez burst on the scene in 2012 in Elizabethon. In 139 plate appearances he posted a 1.108 OPS, with 12 doubles, 8 homers, and 19 walks (vs. 25 strikeouts). The outfield depth chart is obviously crowded in the organization, but Jimenez could hold his own in his first full season. Expected start: Cedar Rapids. ETA: never or 2016-2017. 57. Pedro Hernandez (DOB: 4-12-89), LH starter: Hernandez came over in the Francisco Liriano trade and has a bit of promise. I am potentially undervaluing him, but the falling K rate 10.2, 8.4, 8.3, 7.0, 6.5, 6.0 at each successive level in the minors worries me. That said, he does not walk many hitters and has solid command of multiple pitches (fastball, sinker, changeup). Might be the left-handed version of Liam Hendriks. His fastball hits the low 90s, so command is going to be vital for the lefty going forward and his stock may rise dramatically by mid-season. Expected start: Rochester. ETA: 2013-2014. 56. Taylor Rogers (DOB: 12-17-90), LH starter/reliever: Drafted in the 11th round in 2012, Rogers pitched at two levels, finishing well in Beloit. Splitting time as a starter and reliever, he pitched 33+ innings, striking out 35 and walking 12. With a high 80s-low 90s fastball, his secondary pitches (curveball, changeup) are going to need to continue to be effective if he is too remain a starter. A solid pitcher, all-around, he is very unlikely to be a bust. Expected start: Cedar Rapids or Fort Myers. ETA: 2015-2016. 55. Pat Dean (DOB: 5-25-89), LH starter: Dean uses a low 90s fastball mixed in with good secondary pitches (curveball, changeup) to maintain solid, though not overpowering numbers as a left-handed starter. The strikeout rate has fallen off a cliff but he also keeps the walks pretty low. I am skeptical of continued success as he moves up, but he could wind up (for better or worse) being the left-handed BJ Hermsen. Expected start: New Britain. ETA: Never or 2014-2015. 54. Deolis Guerra (DOB: 4-17-89), RH reliever: Early in 2012 it looked like Guerra’s move to the bullpen was entirely successful and that he might be on a fast track to the Twins bullpen. He dominated at AA but ended the season struggling in Rochester, posting a 4.87 ERA in 57+ innings of work there. The K rate is still impressive and if he can keep the walks low, Guerra should find success in AAA this year. Given that the Twins bullpen could regress with the likes of Alex Burnett and Anthony Swarzak (and even Casey Fien), we may see Guerra with the Twins at some point this year. Expected start: Rochester: ETA: 2013-2014. 53. Tim Shibuya (DOB: 9-14-89), RH starter: After a successful 2011 in rookie ball, Shibuya regressed significantly in 2013 and his season was cut short due to injury. His average stuff did not translate with the move up, but perhaps he can come back with a solid performance at low-A ball this year after the injury. His 6.8/1.8 per nine K/BB numbers are good enough if he can maintain the ratio going forward. Expected start: Cedar Rapids. ETA: never or 2015-2016. 52. James Beresford (DOB: 1-19-89), LH middle infielder: Beresford’s drop on this list has less to do with his performance and more to do with the depth of the list and the last two drafts for the Twins. In fact, Beresford performed slightly better with the move up to AA in 2012, raising his OPS 17 points, mostly the result of a bit of increased pop (which is a very welcomed sign). He split time pretty evenly between shortstop and second base and may do the same this year. He is very good defensively. His .266/.330/.314 line is something to build off of for 2013. Expected start: New Britain. ETA: 2013-2014. 51. Tyler Duffey (DOB: 12-27-90), RH reliever: Duffey dominated Elizabethon in 2012 after the Twins drafted him in the 5th round. He struck out 27 and walked 2 in 19 innings of work. He throws in the low 90s and has a good slider. I would expect him to remain in the bullpen. Expected start: Cedar Rapids. ETA: never or 2015-2016.

This is the first in a series of blog posts breaking down my top 60 Twins prospects. I realized that I had omitted Ryan Pressly and Zach Jones from my initial list, so they will make it into the series now. Overall the system has improved dramatically in the past two years, both at the top and with respect to depth. Honorable Mention: Matthew Koch, Bobby Lanigan, Tyler Grimes HM: Matthew Koch: After an inconsequential 2011, Koch started out of the gates hot in the first half of his season and then cooled off. He ended with a .253/.349/.421 (.770) line and hit 8 homers in 359 plate appearances. He also struck out 106 times and that was the major cause of his fall in the second half. If he can regain some of that offensive prowess displayed early and cut down on the whiffs, he could rise up the list. He just turned 24, however, so the clock is ticking. Expected start: Fort Myers. ETA: never or 2015-16. HM: Bobby Lanigan: Lanigan is falling off the prospect map and 2013 might be his last chance to turn his career around. In 225+ inning in AA, he has a 4.51 ERA and 5.8/2.2 per nine K/BB rate. AAA was significantly worse for him in 2012. He’ll be 26 in May. Expected start: Rochester. ETA: never or 2013-2014. HM: Tyler Grimes: Grimes was successful in his first partial year in professional baseball in 2011, but repeating Beloit in 2012 got him nowhere. In 222 more plate appearances, his OPS dropped 69 points. His defense at shortstop also went south in 2012 so he might be moving to 2B or 3B, which could help his chances if he can start hitting again and he has a bit of time (turns 23 in July). Expected start: Fort Myers. ETA: never or 2015-2016. 60. Logan Darnell (DOB: 2-2-89), LH starter: Darnell struggled at New Britain in 2012, posting a 5.08 in 156 innings with a 5.7/2.7 per nine K/BB rate. His fastball tops out in the low 90s and he has a decent changeup. He very well could end up moving to the bullpen, but for now will likely stick as a starter for 2013. Expected start: New Britain. ETA: never or 2014-2015. 59. Tyler Jones (DOB: 9-5-89), RH starter: Jones had a fairly impressive 2012 year at Beloit. He gives up too many hits and walks too many (1.442 WHIP), but struck out 102 in 86+ innings. His fastball tops out in the mid 90s and he will need to work on his secondary pitches (slider, changeup) to improve. He is someone I may consider as a 2013 breakout candidate and he could move up this prospect list very quickly. Expected start: Fort Myers. ETA: never or 2015-2016. 58. Romy Jimenez (DOB: 5-14-91), RH outfielder: After spending the vast majority of his time in the organization in the DSL, Jimenez burst on the scene in 2012 in Elizabethon. In 139 plate appearances he posted a 1.108 OPS, with 12 doubles, 8 homers, and 19 walks (vs. 25 strikeouts). The outfield depth chart is obviously crowded in the organization, but Jimenez could hold his own in his first full season. Expected start: Cedar Rapids. ETA: never or 2016-2017. 57. Pedro Hernandez (DOB: 4-12-89), LH starter: Hernandez came over in the Francisco Liriano trade and has a bit of promise. I am potentially undervaluing him, but the falling K rate 10.2, 8.4, 8.3, 7.0, 6.5, 6.0 at each successive level in the minors worries me. That said, he does not walk many hitters and has solid command of multiple pitches (fastball, sinker, changeup). Might be the left-handed version of Liam Hendriks. His fastball hits the low 90s, so command is going to be vital for the lefty going forward and his stock may rise dramatically by mid-season. Expected start: Rochester. ETA: 2013-2014. 56. Taylor Rogers (DOB: 12-17-90), LH starter/reliever: Drafted in the 11th round in 2012, Rogers pitched at two levels, finishing well in Beloit. Splitting time as a starter and reliever, he pitched 33+ innings, striking out 35 and walking 12. With a high 80s-low 90s fastball, his secondary pitches (curveball, changeup) are going to need to continue to be effective if he is too remain a starter. A solid pitcher, all-around, he is very unlikely to be a bust. Expected start: Cedar Rapids or Fort Myers. ETA: 2015-2016. 55. Pat Dean (DOB: 5-25-89), LH starter: Dean uses a low 90s fastball mixed in with good secondary pitches (curveball, changeup) to maintain solid, though not overpowering numbers as a left-handed starter. The strikeout rate has fallen off a cliff but he also keeps the walks pretty low. I am skeptical of continued success as he moves up, but he could wind up (for better or worse) being the left-handed BJ Hermsen. Expected start: New Britain. ETA: Never or 2014-2015. 54. Deolis Guerra (DOB: 4-17-89), RH reliever: Early in 2012 it looked like Guerra’s move to the bullpen was entirely successful and that he might be on a fast track to the Twins bullpen. He dominated at AA but ended the season struggling in Rochester, posting a 4.87 ERA in 57+ innings of work there. The K rate is still impressive and if he can keep the walks low, Guerra should find success in AAA this year. Given that the Twins bullpen could regress with the likes of Alex Burnett and Anthony Swarzak (and even Casey Fien), we may see Guerra with the Twins at some point this year. Expected start: Rochester: ETA: 2013-2014. 53. Tim Shibuya (DOB: 9-14-89), RH starter: After a successful 2011 in rookie ball, Shibuya regressed significantly in 2013 and his season was cut short due to injury. His average stuff did not translate with the move up, but perhaps he can come back with a solid performance at low-A ball this year after the injury. His 6.8/1.8 per nine K/BB numbers are good enough if he can maintain the ratio going forward. Expected start: Cedar Rapids. ETA: never or 2015-2016. 52. James Beresford (DOB: 1-19-89), LH middle infielder: Beresford’s drop on this list has less to do with his performance and more to do with the depth of the list and the last two drafts for the Twins. In fact, Beresford performed slightly better with the move up to AA in 2012, raising his OPS 17 points, mostly the result of a bit of increased pop (which is a very welcomed sign). He split time pretty evenly between shortstop and second base and may do the same this year. He is very good defensively. His .266/.330/.314 line is something to build off of for 2013. Expected start: New Britain. ETA: 2013-2014. 51. Tyler Duffey (DOB: 12-27-90), RH reliever: Duffey dominated Elizabethon in 2012 after the Twins drafted him in the 5th round. He struck out 27 and walked 2 in 19 innings of work. He throws in the low 90s and has a good slider. I would expect him to remain in the bullpen. Expected start: Cedar Rapids. ETA: never or 2015-2016.

The Hall of Fame is a joke without players like Bonds and Clemens. Of the bottom three, only Raines should be in.

You guys are really undervaluing his defensive performance this year. Overall he was good defensively, and that included his time at shortstop. I am not sure how anyone actually disputes this. He made essentially ALL of the routine plays and his range was better than expected. Anyway, that he should start at short to begin the season says nothing about him finishing there, or being there midway, or even there in mid-May.

I don't even know why the Twins have Roenieke or Wood in the first place (Boggs/Ramirez and Harden). Butera would be next unless Pressly immediately stinks.

It's not the end of the world if Florimon starts there, but I don't know what they do at the top of the lineup then!? Carroll makes sense even as a leadoff hitter with Mauer behind him. Mastro and Florimon?? There are two legitimate non-Mauer leadoff contenders in my view: Jamey Carroll and Aaron Hicks. With regard to Slama. They are extending an invite to ST for him this year and they didn't last year. They have got to take him seriously.